American quack, swindler and convicted serial killer Linda Hazzard was born on this day in 1867.
"Widely considered to be Washington state's first serial killer, Hazzard was not a stereotypical murderer who relied on weapons or poisons. Rather, she managed to gain complete psychological control over her victims. Hazzard accomplished this by using quack science that was popular in the late 19th century to suggest that extreme fasting was a way to cure all ailments. Using a combination of fake science and personal manipulation, the so-called doctor managed to convince her patients to slowly starve themselves to death while they resided at her luxurious retreat. During the fasting period, Hazzard would often gain control of her clients' finances and engage in fraud in what was called 'financial starvation' at her murder trial, per Smithsonian." Source
Hazzard established a "sanitarium" called Wilderness Heights, located in Olalla, Washington, where inpatients fasted for days, weeks, or months on a diet consisting of small amounts of tomato, asparagus juice, and occasionally orange juice. While some patients survived and publicly endorsed Hazzard's methods, dozens died under her care. Hazzard claimed that the deceased had succumbed to undisclosed or hitherto undiagnosed illnesses such as cancer or cirrhosis of the liver. Her opponents claimed that they all died of starvation; local residents in Olalla referred to the sanitarium as "Starvation Heights".
In 1912, Hazzard was convicted of manslaughter for the death of Claire Williamson, a wealthy British woman, who weighed less than fifty pounds at the time of her death. At the trial, it was proven that Hazzard had forged Williamson's will and stolen most of her valuables. Williamson's sister, Dorothea, also took the treatment, and, it is alleged, only survived because a family friend showed up in time to remove her from Wilderness Heights. It is suggested that one of the sisters managed to smuggle a telegram to alert their governess, who lived in Australia; however, by the time of arrival, Claire had already died. Dorothea was too weak to leave on her own, weighing less than sixty pounds. She later testified against Hazzard at trial.
Hazzard was sentenced to 2 to 20 years in prison, which she served in the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla. She was released on parole on December 26, 1915, after serving two years, and the following year Governor Ernest Lister gave her a full pardon. Hazzard and her husband, Samuel Chrisman Hazzard (1869–1946), moved to New Zealand, where she practiced as a dietitian and osteopath until 1920.
Linda Hazzard died of starvation in 1938 while attempting a fasting cure.
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