STARVED TO DEATH.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3434, 27 January 1912, Page 7

STARVED TO DEATH.

CLAIRE WILLIAMSON’S END. ACCELERATED BY HAZZARD’S TREATMENT. [UNITED PREBB ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT'! (Received Jan. 26, 10.20 n.m.) NEW YORK, Jan. 26. Doctors testified that Miss Williamson died by starvation, and Hazzard’s treatment accelerated death. The defendant asserted that the doctors conspired against her system of healing, hence their testimony. y “ ON STARVATION HEIGHTS.” “SOMETHING UNHOLY.” STORY OF THE GIRLS’ SUFFERINGS. No small sensation was caused by the first publication of the extraordinary experiences of the two sisters, one of whom, Claire, died under the alleged “treatment,” .while the other narrowly escaped a similar fate. The latter stated that they came under the influence of Linda Burfield Hazzard a woman practising as a physician in Seattle, Washington, whose specialty is fasting.for the cure of diseases. After treating them for two months in Seattle, Mrs. Hazzard transferred them to an isolated retreat in the woods at Olalla, Washington, where the treatment was continued until Miss Claire Williamson died on May 11th, 1911. Miss Dora Williamson was reduced in weight to 421 b, when an old nurse of the family named Miss Margaret Conway arrived from Australia and took charge of her. VAINLY BEGGED FOR FOOD. “We placed ourselves under Dr. Hazzard in Seattle on February 27, 1910,” said Miss Williamson in evidence. “During our stay in the institution we repeatedly begged for food, as we felt ourselves growing weaker and weaker, but Mrs Hazzeard steadfastly refused to alter our daily diet, consisting of half a' cup of orange juice and some thin soup made of asparagus tips, spinach and lettuce. “I sometimes did not see my sister for a week at a time. Finally I was told she had died on May 19- That night I was moved to a cabin at the edge of a big gully. The place is called “Starvation Heights.” . Mrs. Hazzard told me another patient of hers had thrown herself over the edge. That seemed to me very horrible that I was so near that deep gulch, lying all alone there at night, but I had no temptation to commit suicide, although Mrs Hazzard’s remark put the subject in my mind. She repeatedly told me I was not sound mentally, and told me that until I began to believe it myself.” On the other hand Mrs Hazzard claimed that Claire Williamson had pleaded with her to take her to Olalla. She knew Claire would not live long, but thought the quiet and rest might prolong her days. She took them in out of kindness of heart. “CONVINCED OF FRAUD.” In commenting on the case the presiding judge asserted that he was convinced there was fraud in the case, and characterised Mrs Linda Hazzard as “an awful person to be permitted to have charge of women and small children,” because, he said, he believed she sought to induce self-destruction by suggesting to Miss Dora or Dorothea Williamson thoughts of suicide. “ I believe Dr. Hazzard gave the girls some sort of professional treatment. which she calls ‘natural’ treatment of her own,”, continued the judge. “I am strongly inclined to the view that she believed she was giving them proper treatment, but I believe, on the other hand, she was not giving them proper treatment. In the light of all the facts there is something which seems to me unholy about it; it don’t look right to a court or chancellor in equity. Heie is all the money the girls had practically in the hands of the doctor. . . It seems to me those girls were slowly dying there, and that Dr Hazzard has not the scientific knowledge that a doctor ought to have.” MONEY MATTERS.

The judge refused Dr Hazzard’s claim of £4OO for professional services, and ordered her to refund about £315 obtained from Miss "Williamson. Dr Hazzard was allowed about £S7 for nurses’ fees and incidental expenses, and £36 for professional services given to Miss Dora Williamson. The amounts to which Mrs. Hazzard was ordered to refund consisted of a draft on tbe Canadian Bank of Commerce for about £llß, a cheque of £SO, a cheque of £22 pension money, £33 cash received at different times while Mi ss Williamson was at Olalla, £SO cash received, £l2 in three travellers’ cheques given to Dr Hazzard by Dora Williamson; also the £SO promissory note given to Mrs Hazzard by Dora Williamson.