Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-03-01
Widow Of Ex-Governor Leland
Stanford Passes Away Very
Suddenly.
SHE SAID SHE WAS POISONED.
Her Demise Will In No Way Affect
The Policy OF the Stanford
University.

Honolulu, March Mrs. Jane Lath-
rop Stamford Of San Francisco widow
of United States Senator Leland
Stanford, died at 1i;4O o'clock last
night at the Moana hotel here.
Suspicious circumstances surround
the death Of Mrs. Stanford. She was
taken III at II o'clock and said;
II have been poisoned" Her last
words were: This is a horrible death
to die"
Mrs. Stanford came here from San
Francisco on the Korea Feb. 81. In
conversation with Mrs Henry Highton
Of San Francisco, who il now here
Mrs. Stanford said that an attempt had
been made to poison her in that city
and that this was her reason for sailing
on the Korea. 1t was Mrs. Stanford's
belief, according to Mrs, Highton, that
enough poison had been used to Kill
20 persons.
1t is understood that an investigation
Of the case Is now being made by the
police Of San Francisco. The police
here are also conducting an inyestiga-
ton,
Before retiring last night Mrs. STAN
ford took a dose of bicarbonate OF soda
which she purchased In San Francisco
II Is reported that the soda contained
strychnine, but this report cannot be
verified, DR.. r. II. Humphreys, who
attended Mrs. Stanford, is now making
an examination of the contents Of the
hot In NaFlA oh l,aA NAtt Oh al
since Mrs, Stanford left San Francisco,
Yesterday afternoon Mrs Stanford
went to a picnic. She ate heartily on
returning to the hotel, but took no din
ner, and retired shortly after 10 o'clock.
At IL o'clock a guest OF the hotel
who occupied an adjoining room heard
Mrs Stanford grooming and running to
the room found her lying on the floor.
She had evidently tried to summon
help. At the time OF Mrs. Stanford's
death there were present Miss Burner
her secretary. and her maid, May Will
son. Both are Frustrated.
No statement has been issued by Dr..
Humphreys or by Or. il. V. Murray,
who was called into consultation.
The remains were taken to an under
taking establishment, where they are
awaiting an autopsy,
The Investigations Of the police have
so far failed TO find any evidence Of
poisoning, but the authorities decline
to express any opinion pending the re-
suit Of the autopsy and the analysis
OF the bottle OF bicarbondate Of soda.
A box OF capsules was also found IN
the room and these are being analysed.
The guest OF the hotel who occupied
an adjoining suite and who, hearing
Mrs Stanford groaning, ran to her as
sistance is A. Heunische of San Fran
cisco.
Miss Berner has been Mrs. Stanfords
secretary for 20 years. Former Judge
w l.. Stanley represents the Stanford
estate here.
NEWS AT UNIVERSITY.
Stanford University, Cal, March L.
| Mrs. Stanford died suddenly this
morning at the Moana hotel" This
| brief cablegram from Honolulu reached
| Mr. Charles G, Lathrop, brother Of Mrs.
Jane Lathrop stanford, at the univer-
| city today. The message was signed
| by Mr.. Humphrey prominent ply
| siclan OF Honolulu, who was attending
/ Mrs. Stanford. No further particulars
! have been received, but II Is supposed
that death resulted from severe case
OF grippe, which Mrs. Stanford con-
| tracted just before she started on a
health seeking trip to Japan, A few
| minutes after o'clock and Just after
the first hour classes had assembled
| In the university the news of Mrs
| Stanford's death spread from building
to building, and students and professors
alike dropped all work, and by the time
the official notice that the university
would be closed until further notice
came from President Jordan's office, the
whole student body had quietly retired
from the quadrangles Everything al
the university is temporarily suspended
and the university and 1000 inhabit-
ants Of the campus are mourning the
loss OF the last Of the founders of stan
ford university,
Mrs. Stanford was In her eightieth
year. She was born In Albany, New
York.
Mr.. Charles G.. Lathrop, treasurer Of
the university, left for San Francisco
this morning to try TO obtain further
information regarding the circumstan'
ces OF the death.
The body of Mrs. Stanford will be re.
turned from Honolulu on the first
steamer Until its arrival II Is prob.
able that the university Will remain
closed The funeral will take plao,
from the Stanford memorial church
| and interment win be made In The
Stanford mousoleum on the campus.
The death OF Mrs. Stanford win stoT
all student activities that have beer
scheduled for the next few days. Base
ball games, track meets and student
theatrical performances have been post
poned.
David starr Jordan, when interview.
ed this morning was overcome Will
grief. He stated that the death OF Mrs
Stanford would result In no change
whatever I'm the policy OF the university
that things have been In the hands o
the board OF trustees for some tim,
past and that the trustees are IN en-
tire sympathy with Mrs. Stanford
wishes President Jordan expressed
great sorrow and said:
THE shock Is a sudden one. In view
Of the fact that Mrs, Stanford has beer
IN such fine health II was expected
by every one that she would live FOL
several years TO come. Her death a
this time was wholly unexpected"
on the 18th Of last month II was re-
ported that an attempt had been made
Ia murder Mrs. Stanford by means o.
poison placed I'm n bottle Of minera
water at her home on California stree
In this city. II was stated that she hal
taken three drinks OF the deadly mix
tlre, but the poison had been used II
such large quantities that Il seryeC
as lis own emetic. Mrs. Stanford wal
taken violently III and medical alt
was summoned. The contents Of he'
stomach and the water remaining II
the bottle were analysed and sufilf en
strychnlne 10 have killed three personi