STARVATION CURE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 170, 24 January 1912, Page 5

STARVATION CURE.

| I TRIAL OF MRS. HAZZARD. HOW A PATIENT WAS TERRORISED. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright Received 23, 10.25 p.m. New York, January 25. At Mrs. Hazzard's trial, Dorothea Williamson declared she had been terrorised so seriously that she had long spells of crying whenever she underwent the treatment. The defence introduced letters from i Claire Williamson, stating how happy the sisters were at the sanatorium. Dorothea explained that they kept secret their intention to undergo the starvation treatment from their uncle, because he disapproved of such fads. " SOMETHING UNHOLY." STORY OF THE GIRLS' SUFFERING. ON STARVATION HEIGHTS. j 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 Burneld Hazzard, a woman practising as a physician in Seattle, Wash- ; ington, 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, t where the treatment was continued until < Miss Claire Williamson died on May 11, ; 1911. Miss Dora Williamson was reduced in weight to Mb, when an old nurse of y the family named Miss Margaret Conway '• arrived from Australia and took charge of her. „ , VAINLY BEGGED FOR FOOD. "We placed ourselves under Dr. Haz- ' zard 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. Hazzard 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 1 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 pre- ! siding 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 be-

lieved 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. ' ■ Here is all the money the girls had practically in the hands of the doctor. ... It seems to me those girls were sjowly dying there, and that Dr. Hazzard had 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 £B7 for nurses' f fees and incidental expenses, and £36 for professional services given Miss Dorothea Williamson, against Dr. Hazzard the costs of the suit brought by Mis 3 Williamson, which amounted to nearly '£4o. -v.. . , _ . ;. ; '■. ■ The amounts which Mrs. Hazzard was ordered to refund consisted of a draft on the Canadian 3anjc of, Commerce for 'about £llß, a cheque of £BO, a'ctieque of £22 pension .money, £33 cash received at different times-while Miss-Wil-liamson was at Olalla, £SO castweceived, £l2 in three travellers' cheques given to Dr. Hazzard by Dora Williamson; also the £59 promissory note given to Mrs. Hazzard by Dora Williamson. ■