The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-03-03

been in Honolulu since February 21st.
She was accompanied on her arrival
here by her secretary, Miss Burner.
and by n maid who is known as May.
Both women were completely pros
trated by the suddenness of last
nights tragedy
Mrs. Stanford had made numerous
visits to Honolulu, and always enjoy
ed the sea trip and the island climate.
/ She was here in April, 1902, when the
students gave her a reception at the
Moana. She visited the islands again
in August, 1903 and in April, 1904,
stopped on her way home from a tour
of the Orient.
Deputy Sheriff Rawlins was at the
Moana very shortly after midnight
, and made a close examination of the
room and the body of Mrs. Stanford.
He also summoned a coroners jury
from among the guests OF the hotei,
and declared his purpose to have a
post mortem held early today.
IT found nothing wrong in Mrs.
Stanford's room" said the Deputy.
But there was a bottle of bi-carbon-
ate of soda, which DIR. Humphris took
up town with him, and which / am
told did the work. Mrs. Stanford took
dose of that medicine tonight upon
retiring. The bottle was purchased in
San Francisco, and some part of its
contents had been taken out. But il
had not been touched, before tonight,
since leaving the coast. That bottle,
I am told by people here at the hotel,
had strychinne mixed with the soda. I
can say nothing positively as to this
until l see DIR. Humphris.
II have questioned her secretary. Miss
Burner, a middle aged woman who has
been with Mrs. Stanford for twenty
years, and the maid May, a woman of
about 20. but can get no coherent
statement from either of them. They
are completely Frustrated by the
shock.
Thus strangely, far from the graves
of those two who have been to her all
the world, Mrs. Stanford passes to her
long rest. Long ago, in that fertile
plain of Central New York. that has
been prolific of great men and women,
this woman who has been great in so
many ways gave her life into the keep
ing of Leland Stanford. He was a
country merchant, nothing more. No
man then could have foreseen that he
was to be one of the bold spirits who
would bind together the opposite sides
of a continent, that he would become
great in affairs; that his administra-
tive ability would guide a vast enter
prise through feebleness to the magnifi-
cence of a great success.
Yet all these things Leland Stan
ford, President of the Southern Pacific,
Governor, Senator, multi millionaire,
founder of one of the great universities
of America did. He was the best loved
and the best hated man of his day.
And through it ALL in his humble days
and his great. when he was store
keeper in Sacramento, and when he
stood beside the nations greatest men
as their peer, this woman of his youth
full love stood beside him, fitting help
meet. She kept her own house at Sac
ramento as fittingly as she presided in
the palace that the wealth of later
years reared for her on the crown of
Mob Hill.
And, when the university that is the
most lasting Stanford monument was
founded, Leland Stanford associated
his wife with himself as his full equal
in its administration during his life
time-and left the task for her COM
pletion after he died, with full faith
that the trust would be faithfully car
ried out. For he had learned to know
her through the years.
1t is only recently that this task has
been. in effect, completed. on Novem-
Der 8, 1901, Mrs. Stanford signed the
two deeds that turned over to Leland
Stanford, Jr, University bonds. realty
AMI stocks of the estimated value of
$9S,0OO,0OO This transfer was accepted
by the trustees of the university and,
while ii was distinctly understood that
Mrs. Stanford did not thus relinuuish
her voice of control in the management
of the institution, it was still plainly
understood that it was a preparatory
step to the end.
The original grant to the university
embraced three great ranches at Palo
Alto. Vina and Gridley. Following the
panic of 1898 and the tying up of the
estate in the probate court, Mrs. STAN
ford had a very severe struggle to keep
the university on its feet. She said,
once. of that trying time:
Il prayed to God for guidance every
day, and | know He gave me light to
guide my feet"
How much of her fortune Mrs. STAN
ford reserved for her own use at the
time of making this record deed of gift
Is not known, but there can be small
doubt that it was her intention, as il
was known TO be Senator Stanford's.
to leave all her wealth to the univer-
sity.
Leland Stanford, Jr., University was
founded in 1887 by Senator and Mrs.
Stanford as memorial to their only
son, who died in early youth Its doors
were opened in 1891. and II has risen
to the rank of one of the greatest uni
versities in the United States.
tFrom Thursdays Advertiser)
Strychnine was found in the
bottle Of hicarhono+a &c .oJ. f-o,..