STARVATION CURE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3018, 17 January 1912, Page 7

STARVATION CURE.

WEALTHY VICTORIAN SISTERS.

EXPERIENCES IN AMERICA,

COURT CASES.

CHARGE OF MURDER

The story of the extraordinary experiences of two young and wealthy Victorian women—Misses Clairo and Dora Williamson— is being published throughout America and Great Britain. Miss Claire Williamson has died, and her sister ( has been at death's door.

It has been alleged by Miss Dora Williamson that she and her sister came under •the influence of Linda Burlield Hazzard, a woman practising as a physician in Seattle, Washington, whoso specialty is fasting for tho cure of diseases. It is eaid that the woman, having first made a careful inquiry into the financial means and comparatively friendless situation of the ladies, agreed that they should take a coutse of im &ing to remedy certain ailments, and, alter treating thorn for two months in Seattle, transferred them to an isolated retreat in tho woods at Olalia, Washington, where the treatment was continued until Miss Claire Williamson died on May 11, 1911. Miss Dora Williamson was reduced in weight to 421 b, when an old nurse of tho family named Miss Margaret Conway arrived from Australia and took charge of her. While the young women were under Mrs Hazzard she received money, some of which the courts have sin.ee ordered to be returned to Miss Dora Williamson.

According to Miss Williamson, other Australians and . New Zealanders have been under tho treatment of Mrs Hazzard.

Somo years ago the Misses Williafison resided in different parts of They were the daughters of Mr George Williamson, who upon his eleath left a' fortune, whilo they were nieces of tho late Dr Walter Williamson, of Decameron, a_nd related on their mother's side to the Rev. Mr Gryles, the first Church of England clergyman in Melbourne. The orcater portion of the girls' fortune was controller in Melbourne, the trustees being Mr James Grice and Mr 11. Byron Moore. AT "STARVATION HEIGHTS."

Miss Dora Williamson told an interesting story in the American courts. "■ We placed ourselves under Dr Hazzard in Seattle on February 27, 1910," said Miss Dora Williamson in evidence. "During our stay in Dr Uazzard's institution we repcated'y begged for food, as we felt ourselves growing weaker and weaker, but Mrs Hazzard steadfastly refused to alter our daily diet, consisting of half a cup of orange juice and some thin noup made of asparagus tips, spinach, and lettuce.

" I sometimes did not see my sister for a week at a time Finally I was told tho had died on May 19. That night I was .moved to a cabin at the edge of a big gully. Tho place is called ' Starvation Heights.' Mrs Hazzard told me another patient of hers had thrown herself over tho erlge. That seemed to mo very horrible that I was so near that deep gulch, lying all alono there at night, but I h*4*. no temptation to commit suicide, although Mrs Uazzard's remark put the subject in my mind. She repeatedly toll me I was not sound mentally, and told me that until I began to believe it myself." Miss Williamson also charged Mrs Hazzard with calling in two men to assist in tho nur.sing of her sister and and said ono of these men assisted to gi-rc her a bath.

" I felt I could not possibly remain in the place any longer," she said, " and I signed certain documents." On the other hand, Mrs Hazzard claimed that Claire Williamson had pleaded with her to take her to Olalia. She knew Claire would not live long, but the quiet and rest might nrolong her •f.'ys. She took them in out of kindness of heart.

This evidence was given in claims by Miss Williamson for the return of moneys against Mrs Hazzard.

■ "CONVINCED OF FRAUD." In commenting on the case the presiding judge assarted that he was convinced there was fraud in the case, and characterised Mrs Linda Hazzard aa "an awful person to be permitted to have charge of women and small children," because, ha said, he believed she sought to induce selfdestruotaon by suggesting to Miss Dora or Dorothea Williamson thoughts of suicide. "I believe Dr Hazzard gave the girls eomo sort of professional treatment, which sho calls ' natural ' treatment of her own," continued the judge. "I a m strongly inclined to the view that sho believed sh« was giving them proper treatment, bat 1 believe, on the other hand, she was not giving them proper treatment. I believe sho was violating all known rules in the medical profession in the treatment she was giving these thin, emaciated girls. . . . On the other .hand, the girl (Dora Williamson) is to some extent at fault, having some notion of her own about vegetable diet. ... " SOMETHING UNHOLY." " In the light of all the facts there ia something which seems to me unholy about it; it don't look right to a court or chancellor in equity. Here is all the money the 1 girls had practically in. the hands of the* ■doctor. . . It seems to me those girls were slowly dying there, and that Dr Hazzard ha 3 not tho scientific knowledge thatf a doctor ought to have when they attempt! to administer to patients. ... I ami convinced that there is a .gravo wrong in this case, and I am convinced those girls have not had the treatment they ought to have had. I am convinced, on the other hand, that the nurses acted in good faith and gave the girl vS the best fare they could. " On the other hand, here comes from the lips of the.girl, and 1 believe her, tho statement that this weak emaciated girl, struggling between life and death while lying on her back in bed away out there in the woods of Kitsap County, with Dr Hazzard. was told tales by Dr Hazzard of that awful gulch, tales suggesting suicide to the mind of tho girl.

" In weighing the evidence I am thoroughly convinced that there is a fraud in the ca3e, and that somo relief ought to be given against it." MONEY MATTERS. The judge refused Dr Hazzard claim of £4OO for professional services, and ordered her to refund about £315 obtained from Miss Williamson. Dr Hazzard was allowed about £B7 for nurses' fees and incidental expenses, and £36 for professional services given Miss Dora Williamson. Ho also assessed against Dr Hazzard the costs of the suit brought by Miss Williamson, which amounted to nearly £4O. The amounts which Mrs Hazzard was' ordered to refund consisted of a draft on the Canadian Bank of Commerce for about £llß, a cheque of £BO, a cheque of £22 pension money. £33 cash received at different times while Miss Williamson was at Olalla, £SO cash received, £l2 in three travellers' cheques given to Dr Hazzard by Dora Williamson; also the £SO promissory noto given to Mrs Hazzard by Dora Williamson.

LETTER FROM -MISS WILLIAMSON. Writing to a friend in Melbourne under data of .September 3, Miss Uora Williamson says: "It is only by degrees that I am discovering how matters stand. There is a criminal suit pending, but there ara also two or thrco civil suits, one of which is forgery. ... I have seen the cheques myself where Claire's signature wa<? forged, and in fact it was only Miss Conway (the lady who went to Melbourne to rescue Dora) who can say for certain that they were forgeries. . . Wo are extremely anxious to win these cases, n<3t for revenge, but because we want to save others from falling into the same hands. Most of thepeople ara English or Australian, and there was aMr Wakelin from New Zealand. . .

Mrs Hazzard told me sho had patients in Sydney and several in New Zealand. It is the opinion here that Miss Conway only just arrived in time to save me. We were always watched, and were right in the country where we could not communicate with the outside world. I only weighed 43t 51b when I left the place." EXECUTOR'S LETTER. The trusters for Miss Dora Williamson aro Mr James Grico and Mr 11. Byron Moore, and they recently arranged with Dr Arthur Langley, executor for Miss Clairo Williamson, to proceed to America to manage Miss Claire's affairs. In a letter to Dr Grice, Dr Langley tells of cases Jhat aro ponding against Dr Hazzard. "One casewill be to ohtain damages for the desecration of Claire's l>od.y," writes Dr Langley. Then the murder trial is to take place at Port Orchard A MURDER CHARGE. .

According to the latest American files, Dr Hazzard has been arrested on a charge "of the murder in the first degree" in connection with the death of Miss Claire Williamcon.