The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1912-02-05
"MANSLAUcHTEa" is VERDICT
AGAINST MRS. LINDA BUR.
FIELD AAzzARp.
STARVATION DOCTOR"
Seattle doctor Who Starved Her
Patients 10 Held Responsible for the
Death Of Miss Claire Williamson,
English Hsirsss, Who Underwent
Fasting Treatment.

Seattle, Feb 4f-Mrs. Linda Bur
field Hazard, the Seattle starvation
doctor" was found gul ~ tonight OF
manslaughter by a jury in the Kitsap
county superior cosirt at Port orchard
for having caused the dcati by s,ar-
walton OF Miss Claire Williamson, An
English heiress who underwent Mrs.
Hazards fasting treatment.
The penalty for mans aushter Is an
indeterminatc term In the penitentiary
of from one to 20 years. The cour.
has not set the day for passing sen
tence.
Twenty Hours.
The jury was out more than 20
hours. While the Jurors would not
discuss the balloting freely, II was
learned that on the first ballot the
vote stood five for murder In the first
degree, four for murder in the second
degree and three for manslaughter. At
no time was single vote cast for ac-
quittal. The three men who first
voted for manslaughter stood firm and
gradually brought tdc others to their
,aay Of thinking.
Judge John b. Yakey was notified
soon after o'clock that the jury had
reached an agreemf nj lie ca led
session OF court and as soon az ! the
interested parties were in the room
the jury was brought In. Mrs. Haz
zard was the last person to enter the
courtroom. before s,.tRe jury arrived.
She was accoinpanatd BY ner husband
and a number OF close friends. Miss
Dorothea Williamson, sister of the
woman for whose death Mrs. Hazard
was tried. went to Tacoma today and
was not In court when the verdict
was read at 35 o'clock,
As the signed verdict was handed
to the clerk to be read Mrs. Hazard
bit her lips tightly, but showed no
other emotion As the clerk began to
read the verdict, the private gas plant
that supplied the courthouse failed, and
the room was left In darkness.
Matches were burned to enable the
clerk to finish the reading Counsel
for Mrs. Hazard gave notice of an
appeal and asked that the bond be
fixed at $4,000. The states represent
tatives objected and the court fixed
the bond at 10000
Mrs. Hazard was ramanded To the
custody of the sheriff until new
bond was given. The arguments were
made in absolute darkness.
"Persecution."
Mrs. Hazard did not comment on
the verdict in court, but after she left
the building in the custody of deputy
i,n. .if ha h,tru Int OH nf In
nunciation of the persecution she al
legged she had been subjected to by
members OF the medical profession.
T.. ID. Karr. of counsel for Mrs. Haz-
zard said that he would rather have
verdict Of manslaughter than dis
agreement as 1t gave the defense ali
opportunity TO try out the many dis
ruted legal points involved before the
supreme court.
In arguing for a low bond Mr.. Karr
declared that Mrs. Hazard is al the
end of her resources.
The story.
Special Prosecutor Frank ii. Kelley
of Tacoma and Prosecuting Attorney
| Stevenson of Kitsap county expressed
great satisfaction with the verdict.
Mrs. Linda Burfield Hazard was ar
| rested August s, 1911. on "a charge oi
murder in the first degree on an In
| formation filed In Kitsap county, the
complaining witness being Miss Dor
Clhca Williamson, aged 81 years, who
alleged that her sister, Claire VII.
hanson. aged 33, was starved to deati
by Mrs. Hazard. The Wlliamsons
were English women of means VIII
were on IA tour around the world ant
consulted Mrs. Hazard concernin'
their health. Mrs. Hazard soon ha,
both women in her starvation SAM
tarium at Olalla, where, on u diet %
orange juice and asparagus broth
Claire died May 10, 1911, and Doro
thea was wasted To "A skeleton. Afts
Claire's death Mrs. Hazzard obtaine'
the appointment of herself as guardian
of Dorothea by alleging that the latte
was of unfirm mind She also applie'
for appointment as administrative o
the estate OF Claire Williamson. TIL
plight Of Dorothea came to the knowl
edge OF British Vice. Consul G. Il. L
Agassiz at Tacoma. with the resul
that Miss Dorothea was declared o
sound mind and her guardian removed
Mrs. Hazards application for letter
Of administration or claires estat
was refused and Agassiz was ap
pointed administrator instead. Doro
thea was nursed back to health. Fac
Of the Williamson sisters Is said I
have inherited t2b0,000.
Her Husband.
As Linda Burfield, Mrs Hazard
few years ago was prominent In Min
neapolis. In December, 1908, Samu'
q. Haxzard, former first lieutenar
OF lhe Fifth United States artiller
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