The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 2, 1905, Page 4

THE S FRANCISCO CALL, THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 1905 + STRCHNTE GRATRS FORMER ATTEMPT T0° GIVE POTION STOUTLY DENIED Friends of Deceased Say the Story IS Absurd POLICE BAFFLED Attorney M. Wilson Scoffs [dea of Foul Play. e The story t an attempt to poison Mrs. Stanford was made In San Fran- ed. Her the occur ars to hs rneys s about an ieas wit cy Mrs. ced that s vious tc DOES NOT 00 NSULT DOCTOR. s s Mrs water i save 1bsequently given to A Wakelee's her 1 h she was Wiison beer proceeded es Lathrop, cted ative m | This letter sources that productive of his pro- nd that report ved Mrs. hey scorn- immedi- had fin- Mrs. Stan- 3 attempt had orney Wil- se for good These detect- n estigation of elim- ty per- mie “in and Bertha Nora facto- AR ex- ng the. bitter reful * investigation was. might. possibly’ benefit the philanthropist. All it happened, 4" in Mrs. Stanford’s > of them had krown ‘of far could be learned understood thet the fu- be Betcer 11 the lady ‘con- ive than otherwise. DRUG STORES ARE VISITED." The secret service men, of whom there tvere several, visited every drug slore in San Francisco and ar-by citjes. The previous movements of the employes were also traced as far as possible. At last Morse reported to Attorncy Wilson that none-of the house servants had the slightest motive for trying to kill Mrs. Stanford, that none of them had purchased poison recertly and that none of their relatives or friends_had done so for them, so far as could be learned. Dr. Boericke stated yesterday thaf his patient ehowed no symptoms of having been poisoned. She was upset by the grip and possibly worried, but no trace of poison was apparent, nor did Mrs. Stanford discuss the subject with him. The detectives were dis- misse id and the philanthrdpist decided to take g trip abroad. She had planned several big social affairs, but these were canceled, and in company - with every er ture wou tinued t Miss Bernef and a maid she salled for | were alfke matters of suspicion apd Ji distrust. Her fears were not shared ' 1 ‘| Sad News. - | ingly rl T tack | | | HOME or vRs STANFORYD 47 Lo grro g o ‘WRITES NOTE TO RELATIVE SR ers. Lathrop Gets Letter Before She Learns of TANFORD UNIVERSITY, March 1, th en the news death of Mrs. Stanford was recei here shortly after 8 o’clock this'morning it came as a thunderbolt from the clouds. The | information that the woman who had endowed one of the State's great seats | of learning had passed away traveled | like wildfire, and immediately the'fi | were placed at half ma th t, the lect alis closed and the whole town as Well sity took on a mournful One of the first to learn of th was her siste versons in Palo Alto h of Mrs. Stanford aw, Mrs. Charles G. Lathrop. Just before’the sad tidings reached her she had perused a letter from her relative in which Mrs. Stan- | ford told of a rough voyage -to Hono- , sea sickness and final recovery as n as she was installed in her hotel. w3 b . Refy ng to age Mrs. Stanford wrote: *The | e to Honolulu was a very rough one I was’ sick during the trip.| | When I arrived- in Honolulu I felt a | change for the better and I am exceed- | well n k s was probably the last letter written by Mrs anford. . It was { merely a personal o« nication and | contained nothing to show that the | benefactress of the university feared th from poisoning or that she had v enemies whom she was trying to id. She did not speak of her busi- affairs in the letter. Mrs. Lathrop is prostrated at the sad news of the death of her sister-in-law. | She is at a loss to believe whether Mrs. Stanford was poisoned or whether she died a natural death. Judging by her conversation it would appear that Mrs, Lathrop has grave suspicions, but she would not express them. “We are all shocked atthe sad news,” said Mrs. Lathrop this morning. “We are as much in the dark as the general public as to the cause of the death of Mre. Stanford. These awful stories of poisoning have completely. unnerved {mp and I do not know whether to be- lieve. them sf not | “From the tone of Mrs. Stanford’s | letter to me T should judge -that ehe | was in the bést of health and - spirits when it was written. She complained | of seasickness and slight iliness, which I am sure did Tof amount to much, for she also stated that she was fully re- | covered on arriving at herhotel. The message of her death which reached us was verv brief and" contained no de- tails.” Charles G. Lathrop, husband of Mrs. Lathrop and brother of Mrs. Stanford, { went immediafely' to San Francisco as | soon as the news of the death of Mrs: | Stanford wae received. Lathrop will have charge of the affairs of the dead woman and is here -for the. puirpose. of | conferring . with the attorneys of the estate, - Wilson' & Wilson. I ——p | suspected of {ntroduoing poison. into, | the Poland water; were dismissed.” One | | of these made public what_he knew of | | the matter,.and from that statémént and the.air of mysteéry assumed ' by Wilson the potson story spread and was credited. SO LAWYER WILSON TALKS. When agpnsed» of the fact that Mrs. Stanford had died- suddenly at Hono- lulu Attornéy Wilson said that, in his | { opinion and in the opinion of Charles G. Lathrop, Mrs. Stanford’s brother, there-is not a word of truth’in the re- | port of poisoning: that shortly before ! £he went to Honolulu she had a very severe bronchial cold, and her physi- clan, Dr. Boericke, advised her to' seek a warmer climate. Mr, Lathrép and Mr. Wilson both be- lieve there is nothing whatever in th stories’ telegraphed from Honolulu, and say that without doubt . Stanford died a natural death; that she was of advanced age, had beeén in poor healtn | for some time and probably died from heart failure, apoplexy or some similar trouble. "It is stated by those Intimate with the Stanford household that the bene- factress became convinced that her life was constantly in danger. The thought of- it clung to her and she could not shake it off. Her food and her drink GLOOMY SCENE AT PALO ALTO Students and Professors Unite in - Expressing Their Sorrow. LT P R, STANFORD UNIVERSITY, Marech 1. Stanford University 1§ wrapped ™~ in gloom. ~All day long little knots of-stu- dents have gathered at different places on-the campus quietly discussing ‘the sudden death of their benefactor. From the fraternity ~ houses’ hang’ black mourning bands and :all the flags are flying et half-mast. This afternoon there was & memorial service in the gredt church, built-by Mri Stanford in meniory. of her hysbapd. :No one spoke to the students, but the organ played the meskage that was meant ta be sent to the undergraduates: Unlversity ex- ercises were suspended for the day. and all athletic and. dramatic entertain- ments Have been postponed. The news .of Mrs, Stanford's death came to the campus as the first classes of ‘the morning were at recitation. A few minutes before ‘the great flag of the unfversity had been raised and it was- fn’ plain sight, fluttering’ in the early.breezes.” On & sudden it was-low- ered to half mast. With one accord the stydents and professors suspended work and left the classrooms. Every- where was heard the inquiry, “Wha the matter?” not one student dreaming that the founder of their college was dead. As the truth became known the ‘students left quietly for their- Homes | until the.campus seemed desérted. " - NO CHANGE,IN 'POLICY., - ‘In an interview this afternoon Presi- "dent Jordan sald that the policy of the university would not be changed be- cguse of the death of Mrs. Stanford. |"Anticipating such a crisis; Mrs. Stan- ford had pfepared for the emergency two years ago, when she turned -her vast fortune over to the trustees of the university. She gave about thirty mil- lion dollars, reserving about thiee ‘mil- ‘lion for her own use. Out of thesmall- er sum she has ' maintained the museum, - decorated the° memorial hurch and started the new library. ‘In her speech before the board of trustees when ‘she turned the management of the property over to them, Mrs. Stan- ford- suggested that her Palo Alto mansion be used as the home of the president of the upiversity after her death. Mrs. Stanford 'was in close touch with the board of trustees and their policy was her policy, so that her death will necesitate no ch . As soon as the buildings are completed the work of Increasing the faculty will be- gln and internal improvements will be made. Bverything will progress along same lines as before Mrs. Stan- + L SRS S M S S L S SR MRS. STANFORD'S - LATB HUS. b N, W HER BOME AND ToME, T had been poisoned. Mr. Leib sald he —— | knew nothing of the case, and added: OF WHICH MRS. STANFORD PARTOOK WILL NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES Leib Says Mrs. Stanford’s Death Does Not Affect the College. SRR TR “‘Mrs. Stanford ‘was one of the no- blest, best-hearted and .clear-headed wamen created by God and her death is a great loss to the State of Califor- nia,” said S. F. Leib, vice president of the board of trustees of Stanford Uni- versity. “Her sole aim was to live to see the plans of her husband .and her- self carried out. Her death is a sad af- fair; many will miss this good@ woman. It was totally unexpected.” Mr. Leib safd that the death of Mrs. Stanford would make no change in the conduct of the university, as for nearly two years the trustees have had the entire management of the properties. Mrs. Stanford was a trustee and presi- dent of the board since the adjudicat- ing of the matters connected with the estate in the courta. Mrs, Stanford was very active in the affairs of the school and was constaptly advaneing ideas. ‘When asked as to the theory that she | DR. DILLON -GIVES OPINION Dr.. John_ F. Dillon; pro- fessor-of materla medica at “the College of Physiclans and Surgeons, last night said; “Where there Is-a sus- picion . of death” was due 'top tefanus (or- paralysis) of the - re- spiratory organs; death may almost certainly be attrip -uted to strychnie. The ad- - ministration of strychnine n fatal -doses {is. always fol- lowed. by tetanus:of - the re- - ‘splratory organs. etanus of this tharacter, however, ° 5 . : bly: took similar action in regard” to_! may arise from-causes other | |:Mrs. Stanford’s death. : E 2 . 3 Sy *_‘..__'—..‘“', than strychnine.” % effective for wisdom ford's death. Dr. Jordan said: = : DEATH A GREAT SHOCK. The sudden death Gf Mrs. Stanford “I can hardly helleve that she used any such expression as is quoted while she was dying, because I cannot believe any person would have any object in having her life end. I would not like to express any more on the subject un- til I know the attendant circumstances. If she -did give vent to any such ex- pression as is reported then I would be of .the opinfon that the circumstances were such as would justify it. T never knew Mrs. Stanford to make any re- marks which would not be entirely jus- tifiable for a reasonable = person to ‘make.” A meeting of the board. of ‘trustees will probably be called the last of this ‘week by Vice President Leib. He will consult with some of the trustees to- morrow, but nothing has been decided on. ‘He sald he presumed that Charles Lathrop, Mrs. Stanford’s brother, would make all the arrangements for-the fu. meral.. Just what action will be taken l'at the meeting of the frustees is not known, and Leib says-he has no idea of what will be done. . Legislators poisoning, and ———— . Show -Respect. .. SACRAMENTO, March 1—By a ' rising vote the Senate agreed to ad- 4 journ f{n ‘respect.to the memory of Mrs. - Jagne L. Stanford. The motion was presented by Senator. Shortridge, ; who said’ that the name of the Stan- fords was left -as a rich heritage to the State. This afternoon the Assem- X : the way to make it righteousness. can_understand the difficulties in her way ™ the final establishment of the institution, and -her patient deeds of self-sacrifice can be and No_one outside’ the university e and- rmly and fully. NORTE SOLD.—Deputy United Stat Hers < ita"of, the. most Borfect des | Marenal Farish sald the schoser el Yotion to her own and her busband’s ideals, | Norte by order of the United States It in the years we knew her she ever had Phe ehip_ was -Knocked ‘dowa & eelfish feeling, no one- ever detected it. All | to John 8. Hume for $1350. She was built ta were of the univarsity and % 280 and-is of ninety tozs, i AFTER LEARNING | OF MRS .sr‘yv.rag» | DEATE : NOBLE DEEDS DURING LIFE Mrs. Stanford’s Career Remarkable for Love and Devotion. gt “Deeds; not words,” make great men and women, too; ~and measured by things accomplished Jane L. Stanford’s name stands and will long stand high on the roll of great women, not only of comparatively .young California. but back through the centuries. She. was ¢lassed by biographical writers .as a “‘philanthropist,” and rightly so, in the fullest sense of the word; for she not only gave freely of the wealth that was hers; but she taok such an active part in the application of her gifts as to en- title:her te head a special class of bene- factors. Many give largely to special projects to be inaugnrated after their deceasa: others give great sums of money on the same lines while yet alive, but littie of their time to the carrying- out of the objects of their gifts. It . was nat so with Mrs. Stanford. Husband and = wife mutuaily agreed upon the great purpose which kas done s much for the youth of California and promtses for the future so much more, and they worked together toward it “early accomplishment until _the | death of the one in 1392 left the whole burden on the other. That she met the ceeaston in both intention and aet the history of Stanford: University since the death of Senator Stanford abund- antly proves. The monument to their names and their beneficence, planned and put on fcot by the two and carried _to ripe angd . large potential by the survivor, will ever mark the standard that well- seated devotion to a high purpose nmiay attain. COMES OF GOOD STOCE. Mrs. Jane Lathrop Stanford came of good American stock. HMer grand- father, Daniel Lathrop. was a captain in the division of Washington's army commanded by General Lafayette, hav- ing: earned his - promotion by gallant gerviee, though a voung man when the War of the Revolution closed. On her mother’s side also she could count a revolutionary soldier as an ancestor. September 30, 1850, Jane Lathrop be- came the wife of Leland Stanford, & young lawyer, born at Watervliet near ‘Albany, and ‘about four years her senior. They spent two years of their early married life at Port Washigton, a frontier town of Wisconsin, and .then came to California, whither Senator Stanford’'s three brothers had already preceded him, and- with whom he en- tered the mercantile business in Sac- ramento, amassing in the course of the next eight years what was then quite a fortune, some $300,000. In 1860 her husband entered political life, as a delegate to the convention that nominated Abraham Lincoln, then in ‘1861 he became Governor of Califor- pia and in 1885 United States Senator. but with all the changa of life and habit Incident to tenure of these offices, as well as through the trying days of the conception and completion of the first transcomtinental railroad, she waa ever his helpful-and sympa- thetic counselor and friend and worked largely through-him toward the great work accomplished. BELOVED SON DIES. In 1884 came’the first great sorrow {nto the life of Mrs. Stanford and her husband. Thdir only son, Leland Stan- ford Jr., a_mest promising youth, died in, Florence,: Italy. g Love for the son and devotion. to his memory engerdered” in.the -hearts and minds of- the -parents tHe desire to do some great work for other youths of California, and so followed the founding and building up of the great university school that bears the Stan- ford name, a. work .standifig as a triple monuniént—to the son (for the’| love of the parents was 20 great as to prompt such appropriation’ of wealth), to the father whdse prudent marage- ment accumulated that wealth, and to the mother. and wife: who gave her time, attention and means te out the great philanthropic scheme. ———— dance last evening at Union-square A feature was the’ production of “'Ola{ the. pany I, the of the programme . Glory,” a pe c opera, depicting strug- dlse. e O XS Qmmnfimflt | dead woman. ARE SOUGHT IN ANALYSIS OF BICARBONATE OF SODA ( BEFORE RETIRING BODY WILL REST NEAR THOSE OF HUSBAND AND SN Splendid Mausoleum Receptacle for Remains. DR. GARDNER ILL Chaplain May Not Be Present at the P STANFORD UNIVERSITY; March 1—The funeral of Mrs. Btanford: will take place here as soon a8 the:hady arrives from Honolylu. The remgins will be laid in the beautiful mauseleum where the bodies of her husband:and son have lain for some years. The ar- rangements for the funeral are in the hands of Charles G. Lathrop, brother of Mrs. Stanford. - One of the saddest incidents of the tragic end of the benefactress of the great university is the illness of the Rev. B. Charles Gardner, chaplain of the college and personal friend of the Dr. Garduer at the pres- ent time lies at death's door, stricken with typhoid fever. A corps of doc- tors and trained nurses are constantly watching over him and awaiting the crisis. Dr. Gardner was taken ill several days ago and soon his condition be- came serious. So low was he yesterday that his physicians refused to allow the news of the death of Mrs. Stan- ford to be conveyed to him lest the shock might prove fatal. If a change for the better comes to-morrow, the clergyman may be told of the sad news, but it is unlikely *hat his con- dition will warrant -this. It was one of Mrs. Stanford's re- quests that the rites over her remains be performed by the chaplain eof the university to which she had deveted her life and fortune to make one of the greatest seats of learning in the coun- try. From the present Indieations. it would appear that this request can- not be carried out and the services will undoubtedly be read by other than Dr. Gardner. ARRANGE FOR FUNERAL. Mr. Lathrop cabled to Honolulu to- day to have the remains of Mrs. Stan- ford embalmed and shipped to this eity by the first steamer, which wiil leave the islands on Saturday morning and is due to arrive in San Frangisco next Thursday morning. Business in the town of Pale Alte will be practically at a standstlll. The stores and shops will close out of re- spect to the memory of the dead wom- an and the students of the university will refrain from frivolities for three or four days after the arrival of the remains. The handsome mausoleum, which was erected by Mrs. Stanford to re- ceive the remains of her husband. son and herself, is situated nearly in the middle of the beautiful university grounds, just south of the main drive, and is one of the meost comspicucus buildings on the greunds. It is built of marble and its architecture and decorations are handsome and impos- ing. In fact, #t is considered to be one of the most beautiful tombs in the world. TOMBS DECKED WITH VIOLETS. The remains of Leland Stanford Jr. were brought back from Italy and lald in this tomib at the request of hia mother. - Later when Leland Stanford died, his remains were placed there, side by sida with those of his enly son and heir. One more niché stiff re- mains in the vault and in a few days it will ‘contain the réemains of the mother, who had bullt the temb se that her body ‘might repose Beside those of her husband and dnly son. It has long been the custom to be- deck the tombs of father and som with fragrant violets each morning. This praetice hag been in vogme for gyears and was instituted at the suggestion of Mrs. Stanford. She had. often re- quested that the daily contributfon of flowers be kept up. out of respect to the memory of the loved ones whase remains reposed peacefully im- the beautiful mausclenm. ————— MAYOR MUST DECIDE.—Mayer Babynits sald yesterday that he has under consideratiom the resclution passed by the Btasd of*Suvers visors granting a professional boxipg permie to- the = San Francisco Athletic Club: . for Mazeh. The Mayor says he.may ‘yoto the reb. olution, because he bélieves thai th® Yosefhite Club has been unfairjy dealt with by The Dam-. ccratic: Supervisors, ‘who teok this. gathod %o ent their spleen on James Coffrof 3 e Tosomite: b Sy ol -SpVERTISRMENTE L Pears’ Pretty boxes and odors *are usqd to” sell such ‘sdaps, ‘as ' no one weald *touch if he saw them una- disguised. - Beware of a ‘soap- that .depends .cn - something cutside of it. Pears, the finest seap ‘in the wosld is scented, or = not, as ybg’ wish; a‘nddge money is in the merchan- not in. the box.. Established over-zo0