Unsolved Murders: True Crime Stories
Jane Stanford Pt. 2
Sep 12, 2023
A century after Jane Stanford's mysterious death, an amateur sleuth uncovers university scandals, possible motives for murder, and a misinformation campaign by the president of Stanford University. Conflicting reports on whether her death was due to heart failure or murder. Archive letters, faculty cover-up scandal, and the Gilbert Affair potentially connected to her murder. Dr. Cutler examines motives and means, finding inconsistency in Bertha's story but leaving her murder unsolved.
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Quick takeaways
- The president of Stanford University, David Starr Jordan, attempted to cover up Jane Stanford's murder by spreading misinformation and discrediting the Hawaiian doctors who conducted the autopsy.
- Amateur detective Robert W.P. Cutler uncovered a possible motive for Dr. Jordan to want Jane Stanford dead: she was planning to fire him, and he also found inconsistencies in the statements of Jane's personal secretary, Bertha Burner, suggesting their potential involvement in the murder or cover-up.
Deep dives
The Stanford Scandal
After the suspicious death of Jane Stanford, founder of Stanford University, a scandal emerges. Stanford president, David Starr Jordan, tries to cover up the murder by spreading misinformation and discrediting the Hawaiian doctors who conducted the autopsy. The coroner's report reveals clear signs of strict-nine poisoning, but Dr. Jordan insists that Jane Stanford died of heart failure. Driven by personal motives and a desire to protect the reputation of the university, Dr. Jordan's actions raise suspicions and cast doubt on the official cause of death.
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