Episode 561: “Jolly Jane” Toppan: Angel of Mercy (Part 2)

May 6, 2024

The podcast discusses 'Jolly Jane' Toppan, a female serial killer, and angel of mercy, who went unnoticed for years while transitioning between hospitals. Her arrest and trial were sensational, challenging norms of American womanhood. The hosts explore Toppan's manipulative tactics, escalating violence, and chilling confession before her death at 84.

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Introduction

00:00 • 5min

Supernatural Encounters and Suspenseful Twists

04:46 • 11min

Fatal Poisoning and Escalating Violence

15:18 • 8min

The Manipulative Tactics of Jane

23:37 • 8min

Twisted Deeds

31:14 • 9min

Unraveling the Web of Suspicion

40:34 • 9min

Intensifying Suspicion and Arrest of Jane

49:22 • 5min

Jane Toppen's Trial and Insanity Verdict

53:59 • 11min

Reflections on the Later Years and Legacy of Jane Toppen

01:04:41 • 5min

Considered among the first (and certainly the most prolific) American female serial killers and so-called angels of mercy, Jane Toppan’s killing spree went unnoticed for more than fifteen years, as she transitioned from one hospital to another, leaving an unprecedented trail of carnage in her wake. Jane was finally arrested in 1901, after killing the entire family of a man for whom she’d been hired to provide care. The arrest and trial were a sensation, as murder and cruelty were a direct contradiction of the norms and standards long relied upon to define American womanhood.

Thank you to the amazing Dave White of Bring me the Axe Podcast for research!

References

Boston Globe. 1902. "Agree that she's insane." Boston Globe, April 6: 1.

—. 1901. "Alden P. Davis' death due to another cause." Boston Globe, November 21: 1.

—. 1901. "Hint to watch Miss Toppan." Boston Globe, October 31: 5.

—. 1901. "Inquiry is under way." Boston Globe, August 31: 1.

—. 1902. "Is Miss Toppan sane." Boston Globe, March 26: 1.

—. 1904. "Jane Toppan an imbecile." Boston Globe, July 10: 6.

—. 1902. "Jane Toppan insane, found not guilty." Boston Globe, June 24: 1.

—. 1938. "Jane Toppan, poisoner of 31, dies in hospital at age pf 81." Boston Globe, August 18: 1.

—. 1901. "Marriage and money." Boston Globe, November 1: 1.

—. 1901. "Murder by poison." Boston Globe, October 31: 1.

—. 1901. "No cause for suspicion." Boston Globe, November 4: 2.

Lowell Historical Society. 2022. Lowell’s ties to “Jolly” Jane, Massachusetts’ Female Serial Killer. October 29. Accessed March 28, 2024. https://www.lowellhistoricalsociety.org/lowells-ties-to-jolly-jane-massachusetts-female-serial-killer/.

New York Times. 1904. "Jane Toppan, an extraordinary case of moral insanity." New York Times, October 23: A2.

—. 1938. "Miss Jane Toppan, 84, Mass poisoner, dies." New York Times, August 18: 15.

Schechter, Harold. 2012. Fatal: The Poisonous Life of a Female Serial Killer. New York, NY: Pocket Books.

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