This is Part 5 of the story of Jane Stanford’s demise. Click here to go to Part 1.

Dr. Richard White, a historian and Professor of American History at Stanford University, inspired by Dr. Cutler’s work, decided to identify the person or persons responsible for poisoning Jane Stanford.  In his book, Who Killed Jane Stanford?, A Gilded Age Tale of Murder, Deceit, Spirits, and the Birth of a University,” Dr. White methodically scrutinizes all the individuals that had the means, the motive and the opportunity to poison Jane Stanford. 

In talking to police detectives and crime writers, Dr. White learned to look for “choke points” —the opportunity — when a suspect or his/her agent is present, and at that moment has the means and motive to commit the crime. Dr. White considers many possibilities, starting with President Jordan, then Jane Stanford’s family members and the entire personal and house staff of Jane Stanford . . . . from her personal assistant down to her Chinese cook.  Using deduction based on the facts developed as an expert Historian, Dr. White concludes that the poisoner was likely Jane Stanford’s personal assistant, Bertha Berner.

Ms. Berner, a German immigrant, lived with her sickly mother and her only sibling, an unmarried brother. Because of her family situation, Dr. White theorizes Berner was driven to hate Jane Stanford, caused by her obsession to be at home with her sickly mother and dependent brother. White believes she strongly resented being forced by Jane Stanford to be in attendance at all times –––– even during her frequent domestic and foreign travels — which took Berner away from San Francisco and her family obligations. Dr. White also considered Jane Stanford’s Will, a document that she often mentioned in detail to Ms. Berner.  It is likely Ms. Berner knew she was included in Jane Stanford’s Will to inherit a large sum of money.

Baked into the Dr. White’s conclusion is that Ms. Berner may have had a relationship (rumored by other staff members) with the chemist at the pharmacy and, thus, had the means to obtain the stronger dose of strychnine. (Dr. White believes Ms. Berner used rat poison in the unsuccessful first attempt because it contained strychnine in a low volume and, therefore, not as fast acting or lethal.) He purports that Berner’s  resentment was also due to her inability to develop a romantic relationship because of the demands for her time imposed by Jane Stanford.

It was well known that Jane Stanford was very spiritual and believed in the supernatural, initiated years earlier by the death of her son.  She desperately wanted to  communicate with her deceased son and, later, her husband and tried to do exactly that through the help of a medium via séances.  Ironically, Jane Stanford let it be known that she was anxious for the day she could join her son and husband in the afterlife. It appears that someone, perhaps Bertha Berner, granted her desire and got away with murder.

Strychnine poisoning can be fatal to humans and other animals and can occur by inhalation, swallowing or absorption through eyes or mouth. It produces some of the most dramatic and painful symptoms of any known toxic reaction, making it quite noticeable and a common choice for assassinations and poison attacks. For this reason, strychnine poisoning is often portrayed in literature and film, such as the murder mysteries written by Agatha Christie.

What are your thoughts about this fascinating case?