Linda Hazzard & Starvation Heights (Part 2) | Morbid | Podcast | Forensic Files

Hey weirdos. I'm Ash. >> And I'm Elena. >> And this is Morbid. [Music] This is morbid in the late morning.
Yeah. Early afternoon. >> Early afternoon. >> What have you? >> Yeah, I had food poisoning last night.
Ew. Um, so that's cool. Got some funky chicken from takeout. Luckily, no one else did.
>> Do the funky chicken, >> so I was not doing it last night. >> Um, it was a rough night, but I'm here
now. Hey, you survived. And I survived. And I'm I'm literally drinking. This is not an ad. I'm drinking liquid IV
currently. If you like felt like [ __ ] the night before or like you lost a lot of whatever whatever you had. Yeah.
Liquid IV is the go-to. It really And again, >> this is not an ad. I'm literally just
saying this. I am currently >> That's my glass. I'm drinking liquid IV. >> I got um a little bit car sick the other
day on the way home. Yeah. And I had a liquid IV after and it helped. >> That has not been evaluated by the FDA.
I'm drinking the orange creamsicle or dreamsicle flavor. I need to try that one of those and it's really good. I
love like creamsicle flavored anything. I I fully recommend it. It's helped a lot because I felt very very obviously
this morning when I got up I felt super dehydrated and I also and it's like I got up and kids were up so it's like you
have to be on >> on you can't just be like slugging around. So I downed some of that and I
was like you know what I don't feel that bad. Boom. Yeah, that's great. So, here
I am. It vacated the premises and now we are back in business. >> Back in business. I know you threw that
off really quick. That was actually very impressive because I've had food poisoning before and been down like the
very next day as well. >> Yeah. It's just one of those like >> I mean you're also living that mom life.
>> Yeah. You're just not you can't be. It's just like one of those things. Obviously
quickly though. Yeah. I was going to say I usually do. >> Yeah. >> But yeah. >> Well, that was bad news. Do you guys
want some good news? >> Let's go. >> There's so much good news to come, but for now, we'll just give you one piece.
Uh we are doing a live show. >> What? And then like a real one >> in person. You can buy tickets. We are
going to be at the Wilbur in Boston like for real this time. Nobody send a pandemic through the [ __ ] air.
>> Yeah. Don't do it. >> Just let us have one goddamn live show, universe. >> It's been a while. Well, it's been a
long while. >> It's literally been like 5 years. >> Yeah. >> So, >> remember when we were going to do a
whole tour and then co just said >> Yeah. Co said absolutely not. But, um, we're we're doing this one live show for
now. >> Yeah. >> Um, and we're so excited about it. We're already We've been planning it and it
we're going to make it like a little different. >> Yeah. >> But really fun. >> We want to make it like an experience.
>> Yes, exactly. I was going to say an event, but experience. >> An event. We're going to make it an
event. I'm I'm very excited. We're going to meet you guys. >> Yeah, we're going to do a meet and
greet. Then we're going to do uh 50 meet and greets. So, definitely if you want to meet us and greet us.
>> Yeah, we want to meet and greet you. >> Get those tickets. Tickets are going to
go on sale August 8th. I don't know what time. Um I can update you. Keep an eye on socials.
>> Yeah, we'll make sure to up you update you guys. >> And the link for tickets obviously we
will be posting on our socials. >> So, keep an eye out for that. And >> that's going to be fun.
>> The countdown is on. We're [ __ ] excited. And it's going to be fall. >> It's going to be fall, everybody. I'm so
excited for it. >> We went to TJ Maxx, so you should go. >> We did. We stopped there
>> because they have a their fall decor and we just summoned Halloween this morning.
>> We did. It felt so right. >> Felt so good. You know what? >> Some pumpkin pillows.
>> I You just thought like you were disassociating into a blitz. >> I got some pumpkin pillows. You just
looked zooted off your rocker, my guys. I just went to a place of I went to a place of Halloween. I know.
>> You know, >> I wanted the um the Diet Coke ghost, but I can't find it. >> The viral Diet Coke ghost.
>> I'm looking for the viral Diet Coke ghost. I'm going to try another HomeGoods later cuz I'm psychotic like
that. >> Go for it, man. >> But yeah, I got some pillows. I got What else did we get? Oh, I got a candle.
>> Of course, >> I got a candle. But of course, >> I have a stockpile right now of
Halloween packages, like just decorations that are just in my dining room. >> Just waiting. I'm like, come on.
>> Waiting to be torn open. >> September 1st. >> Let's go. >> It's on. It is. >> All right.
>> September 1st. It's on. >> It's on. So on. >> It's on site. It is on site. >> So this is part two of Linda Hazard and
Starvation Heights. >> Horrific tale so far. >> Yeah, thank you. That's correct. This
has been awful and it's only going to get worse. >> Yay. >> Um, so in part one, we introduced you to
the woman who called herself Dr. Linda Hazard. >> She's not even a doctor. >> That's the thing. Thank you. You've
taken the words out of my mouth. She had no medical degree to her name. >> None.
>> But, you know, she called herself her doctor. We went over her strange ass partner, husband Sam, and all the drama
surrounding their getting together between >> so much dramas. him being like a big old
biggamist, leaving her, coming back, leaving her again, and then showing back up again once he realized that she had
an idea that was going to make some money. >> Yeah, people be people. >> People be people in and philanders be
philandering. >> It's true. But unfortunately, that money-making idea was pretty bogus
because Linda's big idea, if you don't remember, was that fasting, quote unquote, could solve any and all
ailments afflicting patients. But her idea of fasting was really just starving people. Yeah, it definitely wasn't
fasting. >> No. And I don't want to hear it. Starving. I don't want to hear it. >> I don't want to hear it.
>> I'm not talking about fasting. I'm talking about starvation here. >> Uh, but that's why she opened the
clinic, Wilderness Heights, which eventually, like we remember from part one, the locals started calling
Starvation Heights, right? >> Really horrifying. >> People were dying left, right, and
center. And as I said at the end of part one, things were going to take a much darker tone when people started signing
over their estates and power of attorney to Linda and Sam. >> That's when [ __ ] feels like it's going
to get really shenanigy because it's like once you start signing over property and money.
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Money is the root of all evil. It really is. >> Truly. So given the number of patients
who died as a result of Linda Hazard's supposed miracle cure, it would be reasonable to wonder why so many people
continued to put their faith and their money into her big idea. >> Yeah. >> But there aren't many more things
powerful than the fear of illness and death. And for a lot of people living with those fears, the hope that
Wilderness Heights represented outweighed the skepticism and reason. >> Yeah. So people all over the world
continued to read the books of Linda Hazard and would travel to Washington to seek out her miraculous cure.
>> It's desperation, man. >> It is. >> Any anybody with chronic illness or pain going through?
>> That's the thing. Like on its head, you can say, "Oh my god, why would anybody
ever go there?" Like why would you subject yourself to that? But you if you don't have chronic pain or chronic
illness or anything like that, then you can't really understand that kind of desperation.
>> You just can't. So, among those who sought the help out of uh Linda Hazard in 1911 were Claire and Dora Williamson,
two wealthy British sisters who had actually just gotten a large or not just gotten when they were younger, they
received a large inheritance after their parents had died pretty early on. >> Okay.
>> And they invested a significant amount of money in traveling and experiencing
the latest in health trends. That was like their big thing. >> Okay. >> They were like health gurus before
health. Just going to say they were like health Tik Tok giries >> before that was a thing.
>> Yes, exactly. They were trying all the latest things. >> So, the sisters had seen an ad for one
of Linda's books while they were staying in a hotel in Victoria, British Columbia. And once they finished the
book, they were enamored with the so-called doctor and her quote unquote quote revolutionary methods.
>> Oh, no. >> Quote unquote. >> Quote unquote. >> Isn't that fun to say like that?
>> Quote unquote. >> Quote unquote. Uh neither were ever seriously ill up to this point, but they
both had a tendency to indulge in hypochondria a little bit. >> It can happen. >> It sure can.
>> We've all seen people like that. >> Mhm. And they constantly sought out new fast cures for whatever was ailing them.
According to author Best Love Joy, Dora complained of swollen glands and rheumatic pains while Clare had been
told that she had a dropped uterus. >> Damn. >> Which I haven't heard of. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. But as enthusiastic followers of the alternative medicine movement, they
had both invested lots and lots of time and money into chasing products that claimed to provide relief. But up to
this point, nothing had worked. So from what they read, the sisters envision envisioned this beautiful lakeside
retreat in Wilderness Heights where they could rest and receive treatment for their chronic conditions. But when they
arrived in Washington in February 1911, they were very surprised to find Wilderness Heights, an unfinished, and
putting it nicely, very rustic location. Well, Wilderness Heights. >> Wilderness. It wasn't at all the
exclusive modern camp that they had envisioned. >> Instead of housing them at the
sanitarium, though, Linda arranged for them to stay at an apartment on Seattle's Capitol Hill, and she would
just go there daily to pro quote unquote provide treatment. >> Okay. >> Quote unquote.
>> Quote unquote. >> Thank you. I feel like they were probably picturing um if I can always
bring it back to Gilmore Girls. Let's go. >> Um if you ever see the first Life and
Death Brigade party that they have that's like in the woods and it's very like Great Gatsby.
>> I don't know if I remember that, >> but it's like tents and candle lights and like it's very like everyone's, you
know, dressed in white and like >> I think I actually Is that when they jump off the thing the next day?
>> The next day. Yeah. >> Yeah. And so I feel like that's what they were picturing when they heard like
wilderness heights. They were like, "Oh, this is going to be fancy. >> We're going to be in these like
beautiful tents." >> Yeah. The bougie tent where they're like massive and they have like queen beds in
them. Exactly. >> Yeah. I want to go to one of those. >> I know. That was I was always very
jealous of that Life and Death Brigade party. >> Yeah. >> Like I want to have a party like that.
>> Invite me. I would go. >> Yeah. I'll find a I'll find a wooded area and you're all invited.
>> Awesome. >> All right. So, she just didn't say whether or not it would be haunted.
>> Exactly. >> Come at your own risk. So under her care, Claire and Dora were subjected to
days long fasts with intermittent meals of one cup of the juice from a tomato a couple times a day.
>> Yeah. When they weren't uh resting, the sisters would receive Are you ready? >> Am I ready?
>> Hours long enemas in a bathtub. Hoursong enemas. Hoursong enemas. No part of me can conceive of that. I
can't even conceive of like one enema. I don't even know how long they take. I know it's not supposed to be hours.
>> Hours feels insane. >> Ours feels like torture. Like, I'm not even being hyperbolic. That sounds like
[ __ ] torture. >> It literally does. >> So, when the practice became too much on
their bodies because it was torture and they would eventually pass out. Instead of stopping, Linda had canvas supports
installed on the tub to keep their heads from slipping underwater so she could continue the enemas. And they're passed
out at this point. >> Yeah. Yeah. To me, that sounds like >> torture. >> Torture and like and that she's going
above and beyond to torture >> and she's like depraved. >> Yeah, that's depraved. Exactly. After
two months of treatment like this in Seattle, Linda transferred Clarendora to Wilderness Heights now for continued
treatment. By that time, they weighed about 70 lb each. These are grown women that weighed 70 lb
each. And they were so emaciated that neighbors actually took notice of their poor condition.
>> Wow. >> Others would have been concerned for their safety, too, if they had any idea
what was going on over in Washington. But according to their family disapproving of their
health and no one left for the United States a few months earlier, >> so no one knew where they were. Given
past disapproval from their friends and the discouragement from Linda Hazard, Clare and Dora never contacted anyone
during their ordeal until it was too late. Oh, that's awful. >> Yeah. So, their horrifying experience
was finally discovered when their former governness, which is kind of like it's like a nanny and a teacher.
>> Yeah. >> From like way back when. >> But Margaret Conway, she received a mysterious telegram on April 30th, 1911.
>> Margaret had been the girl's primary caregiver since their parents had passed
away at a young age. So, she was super close with them. She was like the closest thing to a mother that they had.
>> So, they always stayed in touch after Claire and Dora had grown and Margaret returned home to Australia. Actually,
the sisters were planning to visit her in a few months. So, when she got this strange telegram that read, "Come SS
Mara, May 8th, first class CLA." So, she assumed that it was a note informing her
they would be arriving later than they expected because remember they already had a trip planned.
>> Yeah. >> She would have set the note aside and probably forgotten all about it if it
hadn't been for the strange phrasing. She wondered why Clare would have mentioned that they were traveling first
class >> because she knew that the girls were she knew them practically their entire lives
and they had never really been the type to flaunt their wealth. So it seemed out
of character for Claire to mention that they were you know traveling in luxury >> being bougie.
>> Yeah. Yeah. So unable to shake the strangers of the telegram, Margaret called the steamship company to inquire
about the boat's arrival. And she was surprised to learn that the SS Marama wasn't sailing to Sydney, Australia on
May 8th. It was sailing from Sydney to the United States. >> Oh, damn. >> So, she was still confused by the
telegram, but she was sure it was some kind of indication that something was wrong and that Claire and Dora needed
help. So, she booked the only ticket that she could on the boat as a third class passenger and left for Washington.
>> What a badass. >> On May 8th, >> that's a that's somebody who loved them. When I say she's the closest thing to a
mom they had. This woman was essentially their mother. >> Yeah. That's like love.
>> Yeah. Big time. >> So, when she finally arrived in the US, Margaret was met by Sam Hazard at the
train station. >> Oh, no. >> And they traveled by bus to Margaret's hotel in Seattle. It was during the bus
ride that Sam told Margaret awful news. Claire had died. Holy [ __ ] So, she had
just got this telegram from Cla. Couldn't shake it. Figured out that like something was up. Got there. And by the
time she got there, Claire had already died. >> And according to >> She didn't even have any health problems
before. >> No, no health problems. She starved to death. >> Wow. >> She literally starved to death.
>> According to Sam and Linda, Claire's death had been caused by a quote course of drugs she had been given in
childhood, which had quote shrunk her internal organs and caused cerosis of the liver. No. Yeah. By the time the
sisters had reached the clinic, Linda said Cla's illness was too far advanced for the quote beautiful treatment to be
of any use. Beautiful treatment. Yeah. So, when Margaret finally reached the mortuary where Cla's body was on
display, she was shocked by what she saw. In death, a once vibrant young woman who she had known since childhood
was a shadow of herself. Claire was alarmingly emaciated. There are photos if you do want to see. Yeah,
>> it's horrible. >> And they're of her living. >> Yeah. >> Um and her features, like her face, her
hands, the color of her hair, had all become distorted to the point that everything just looked wrong.
>> Margaret did not recognize this girl. >> It's true. It's horrifying. >> Yeah. So, the horrifying revelations
continued, unfortunately, once they arrived at Wilderness Heights, where Margaret was taken into Dora's room. To
her horror, Dora looked like she also might die at any minute. >> Yeah. >> By that time, she weighed 50 pounds.
Dora. >> Wow. >> And according to Love Joy, quote, "Her sitting bones protruding so sharply, she
couldn't sit down without pain." >> Oh my god. >> So, she was so small that she couldn't
sit down because her bones were protruding >> through her skin. >> [ __ ] And there's a picture of her, too.
>> Yeah. >> Living obviously. And it is >> horrifying. No, it's scary to Margaret.
Everything about what the hazards told her seemed wrong, though. She knew these girls since they were little, and she
didn't remember them ever having any kind of medical treatment that would have caused chronic problems like they
were saying. >> And although she wasn't a doctor, she could easily see that Dora was starving
to death. >> Absolutely. >> And she suspected that Claire's death might have also been related to the
treatments that she was getting from Linda Hazard. >> But despite all of that, Dora remained
committed to staying with Linda in Washington. In fact, to Margaret's continued horror, even if Dora had
wanted to leave Wilderness Heights, at that point, it seemed unlikely that she could because at some point during their
time in Washington, both girls made Linda Hazard the executive of their estate. And Dora signed over power of
attorney to Sam. You will never tell me that these people, the Hazards, are not [ __ ] diabolical evil [ __ ]
>> Diabolical evil. You will never convince me. If that if they are having people
sign over their estates and making them have power of attorney over their estates,
>> you're [ __ ] evil. >> And just slowly killing people and watching them wither away. Like
>> she's This is so like all forms of murder are obviously like unthinkable. >> This is such a different
>> This is on another level. Like >> this is slow, methodical, prolonged torture.
>> Yeah, >> it's [ __ ] >> So Margaret wants to do something, but she's technically a servant or what was
considered a servant at that time. So she lacked the confidence or the authority to remove Dora from the
sanitarium herself. >> She must have felt so helpless. >> She did, but she wasn't just going to
leave Dora there to die. >> No way. So, it just seemed that she wasn't really a match for Linda Hazard
because Linda was also known to have a very dominating personality. But in the days that followed, Margaret stayed in
Washington and she just sat there trying to come up with a plan to save Dora. >> Margaret?
>> Yeah, Margaret. >> Yeah, that's a real one. During that time, she was keeping in regular contact
with the Hazards, too. And she started to notice some shocking things. It appeared since Cla's death that Linda
and Sam had helped themselves to Claire's personal items, clothing, jewelry, just all of her stuff, which
total nearly $6,000 then and would be over $200,000 today of personal belongings. They are evil [ __ ]
[ __ ] Yep. >> Holy [ __ ] >> Mhm. And Oh, evil [ __ ] To add insult to injury, Linda Hazard even gave
Margaret an update on Dora's condition while she was dressed in one of Cla's robes.
>> Shut the [ __ ] up. >> Yeah, she's evil. >> No, she's truly evil. >> She's straight up evil.
>> She I don't think she ever had the plot to begin with, but if she did, she lost
the [ __ ] plot. >> That is evil. >> Evil. So knowing there was nothing she could do to help Dora herself, Margaret
decided to reach out to the girl's uncle, John Herbert, who luckily lived in nearby Portland, Oregon at this time,
when he received word he immediately traveled to Alala and was equally shocked to find Dora in the state she
was in. But when he demanded that he be allowed to take her away, he was met with the same challenges that Margaret
had run into. Dora was technically there of her own free will. And even if they argued that she was in no condition to
make that decision for herself, Sam Hazard had power of attorney. >> Oh, yeah. They made sure they covered
every base. >> Yeah. In the end, after much arguing, Herbert agreed to pay the Hazards $1,000
in order to be allowed to remove Dora from Wilderness Heights and take her to a proper hospital. So, this is all about
money. That's the thing. These are adults. The fact that they have to pay these people $1,000 to take another
adult out of their care shows you how [ __ ] diabolical they are and shows you not only how diabolical that they
are, but the fact that this is just all about money. It's all money. >> Yeah. The fact that she's wearing her uh
Claire's clothing. >> Yeah. >> Like get the [ __ ] out of here. >> While she's sitting there telling a
loved one about Cla's sister condition. >> Yeah. So, in the past, legal challenges to
Linda's treatment had failed, like we know, because the prosecutor couldn't get past the protections that Linda and
Sam were hiding behind. >> And it seemed like the death of Clare Williamson wasn't going to be any
different. But this time, there was an element that Sam and Linda hadn't counted on. Claire and Dora Williamson
weren't her typical patients. Nope. They were extremely wealthy. And while Dora herself might not have been able to
mount a campaign to get any kind of justice, there were several other powerful people behind her who were now
very eager to pursue this. >> Hell yeah. >> Yeah. Take them down. >> So the uncle John Herbert went to the
district attorney to see what could be done about this. And he received the same answer that everybody else had. We
really can't do anything about this. But he was like, "Yeah, [ __ ] that. >> [ __ ] that."
>> So after getting nowhere with the district attorney, he went to the British consulate.
>> Hell yeah. and sought the advice of counselor Lucian Agassi. And after doing some digging, Agassi discovered the
large number of deaths connected to the hazards and the suspicious detail that several of those patients had signed
over their estates to Hazard right before they died. >> Exact. You can't ignore that.
>> Not even immediately, right before they died. Which goes to show you she's starving these people to tell them that
they're going to be cured of their ailments, but they're getting so foggy in their mind because they have no
[ __ ] sustenance. >> Exactly. >> That they're like, "Oh, yeah." Like, "Okay, I'll sign." That's it's part of
torture. Like that's literally part of torture is like lack of sleep, which is going to come with being starved.
Starvation like like deprivation of all those things that you need because it makes you loopy and will make you either
say things you don't actually mean. Yep. or signing away things that you don't know what you're even signing.
>> Exactly. Like they did they were diabolical with this. They really were. >> They were diabolical and methodical.
Very methodical. So obviously the problem was in order to push for an investigation, Agassi would need a
living victim to make a complaint and Dora wasn't in any condition to do so. She weighs 50 [ __ ] pounds at this
time and she's sitting in a hospital bed. But luckily within a few days he ended up finding the wife of a man who
almost died at Wilderness Heights and the two of them were willing to make a complaint.
>> Yes. Was girls. >> On August 6th, 1911, Linda Hazard was finally arrested this time for
manslaughter. Good in the death of Clare Williamson and she was placed in a holding cell in Seattle. She told a
reporter, "I'll get $10,000 bail. All right. The doctors have been angry because I've been successful with my
cure. And when Clare died, they thought they had a great chance to get me out of
the way, but they won't do it. Oh, go [ __ ] yourself. Also charged in connection with the case was er
Butterworth, the owner of a local mortuary, who was alleged to help Linda cover up their crimes.
>> Er Butterworth emergency. >> You don't You don't deserve that last name. >> No, you don't. That's a cool name.
>> Sweet like syrup. >> No, you're gross. You're the meanest. Rude. I'm too tired. She had food poisoning
and I'm in the middle of this story. Okay. >> Yeah. So, [ __ ] that. >> So, after her arrest, Linda and Sam did
everything they could to dominate and control the narrative. She said that Dora was mentally incompetent. She
claimed that Clare explicitly asked the Hazards to take over care of Dora once she was gone and even signed over the
estate to cover any costs associated with Dor. Cla wanted this. She said, >> "Oh, yeah."
>> She said, "Cla wanted to be sure I would be paid for my services if she died."
>> Okay. Are you kidding me? >> Yeah. She even gives a [ __ ] about that. >> Yeah.
>> After I die, I don't care what happens. >> I don't give a [ __ ] >> I don't care what happens to you.
>> And also, I doubt Claire said that. Even if she did, she was delirious because
she was starving. >> Yes. >> But of course, Linda even tried her usual tactic of domination during the
grand jury, but it proved ineffective on them. They were like, "Yeah, we're not starving, and we think you're an
asshole." >> During Dora's testimony, she eventually became well enough where she could give
testimony. She gave detailed descriptions of the horrors that she and her sister suffered at the hands of
Linda and Sam. And during that, Linda would quote blaze hate and defiance at the at her prosecutor, her voice shrill
and high ringing through the courtroom. >> Oh, she must have been such Yeah, she
was definitely >> Oh, I can just hear it. Definitely doineering. But after hearing the extent
of her of the testimony and witnessing Linda's behavior, she really didn't do herself any favors there. No. The judge
allowed the case to move forward to trial. >> Hell yeah. So, the trial started on
January 15th, 1912 to a courtroom packed with curious spectators and the hazards
critics who had been around for years at this point just [ __ ] waiting for something to happen.
>> Among the 39 witnesses planned by the defense, more than a quarter were medical experts who would testify the
harm caused by Linda's fasting program. The state's case was led by Thomas Stevenson, and it was pretty simple. It
was designed to demonstrate criminal intent rather than just negligence alone. Yeah. Because this isn't just
negligence. >> No. Once you It's like >> pure criminal intent. >> It's like we've been saying all along,
once you get the bunny into this Yeah. It's clear what you were doing. >> It's clear what was happening.
>> And he argued that. He said Linda and Sam Hazard lured the two young women to
Washington with the intention of swindling them out of their inheritance and just allowing them to starve to
death. The defense, on the other hand, had nearly twice as many witnesses, but mostly uh patients who had received care
from Linda and would provide a counternarrative about how their lives had been saved thanks to her.
>> Oh, stop. >> Which most hadn't. No. >> The most compelling testimony came a few
days into the trial when Dora Williamson told her story of life under Liza Linda
Hazard's care. She told the jury, "I was quite well before going to Washington, except for a slight attack of
indigestion, and I am, as a rule, very healthy." Clare was also very well except for a weakness peculiar peculiar
to a woman which had troubled her for more or less than 5 years. And she went on to explain that Linda's methods were
unlike anything she had ever experienced and involved quote unquote vigorous slapping.
>> Oh yeah. >> Starvation and hydrotherapies where female patients were bathed by young
male attendants. >> Oh, so now we're getting even worse here. >> Yeah. >> Cool, Linda.
>> Yep. According to Dora, the sisters told Linda that they were planning to leave
in late April or early May and that they had intended to go on a visit with their
former governness in Australia. And Dora said she told us that her treatment would do us a great deal of good and
that we would be wonderfully benefited. But it became clear to both of them that
things at Wilderness Heights were not what they expected them to be. And that was when Dora said, "I began to live in
fear of Dr. Hazard. Often she was harsh and unkind to me, especially when I cried because of my weakness. Oh my god,
what an [ __ ] Yeah, what an [ __ ] And what a scary individual. What an Linda Hazard. You're an [ __ ]
>> Cross off, doctor. Linda Hazard. Nobody. >> Quack quack Linda Hazard. >> Quack quack [ __ ]
>> Like you suck. >> [ __ ] Like harsh because they're crying because she's torturing them. Like
what the [ __ ] >> You have to be I'm not shocked though. Didn't she like abandon her children?
She just like had no intention of taking it away. >> Who knows what happened to her first?
>> See any instinct of being kind to another human being there? >> No. >> So testimony was also offered by the
girl's uncle, John Herbert, who told the jury that he had serious concerns that the body in Cla's coffin wasn't even her
body. >> Whoa. >> Wasn't even her. >> Whoa. Oh, he told the jury the body in the coffin did not resemble Claire. In
Cla's in life, Clare's hair was brown. The being in the coffin had hair and eyelashes of a lighter hue.
>> The being in the coffin. >> The being in the coffin. And so they So her hair is lighter now.
>> Her hair was lighter. And remember, uh, Margaret said that, too. >> [ __ ] Maybe it wasn't.
>> It might not have been. And if you think about it, she had to deal with somebody
at the mortuary. >> Yeah. Yeah. They might have just been >> Oh, damn. I think they were doing that.
Yeah, >> that makes sense. >> But it's also like why? >> That's the thing. I'm like, where is
she? >> Where is she? >> Did she look worse? >> Probably. >> Like, there might have been evidence of
more abuse. >> Absolutely. >> I think so. >> Yeah. >> But he also explained that he was
prevented from taking Dora away from Wilderness Heights by the Hazards, who managed to get her to sign over power of
attorney, and how he expected suspected them of having stolen much of their wealth with a plan to steal more once
Dora died. >> Hell yeah. >> They got half of that inheritance. And remember, she was Dora was 50 lbs when
somebody finally >> got working on that. >> As expected, the defense denied the charges against Linda, offering several
witnesses, many of whom worked at the sanitarium. >> Yeah, that's not a conflict of interest.
>> Hello. And they testified that the young women were not being starved or mistreated. One nurse told the jury, "We
felt sometimes that we were being we were even giving the patient too much food."
>> Wow. Let's look into your background, too. Now, one extra cup of tomato. >> Are you [ __ ] kidding me right now?
>> That's really going to That's going to tick them over. >> How do they find this many [ __ ]
[ __ ] to work in one place and sit there and be like, "Yeah, I thought I was overfeeding them." When this grown
woman is 50 lbs. >> It's insane. It's insane. >> And people are dying left and right of
being starved to death. And you're like, "I thought I was overfeeding them." >> How did they find you?
>> How did you all find each other? >> [ __ ] You can't even like conceive of it.
>> No, I can't. I can't conceive of that way of thinking. I really >> that I've never met anybody who's
capable of this. >> I know. It's so scary. >> But the defense wasn't just looking to
reject the charges. They were actually looking to frame Linda as a victim of the state. She was the victim here.
>> Oh, yeah. >> According to them, she had offered life-saving treatments to patients who
suffered longterm from previously untreatable illnesses. And for that, she was being persecuted by the medical
industry. >> Wow. >> Wow. >> Call the Wambbulance. It's cuz she's not part of the medical industry.
>> Exactly. If you want to be part of the medical industry, go get your [ __ ] degree.
>> Yeah. You're a scam artist. You're not doing [ __ ] medically. >> But she and her defense attorney
explained that Clare had not died from starvation, but from a previous illness, so it was impossible to hold Linda
accountable for something when it was well beyond her control. Wrong answer. Thomas Stevenson had
expected the tactics used by Hazard's lawyer, and he was ready for cross-examination. And not only did he
highlight the ways where the defense uh the defense's witness's testimony was directly contradicted by the evidence,
he also accused several of them of having been coached by Linda in terms of what to tell the jury.
>> Yeah. In the in the case of Watson Webb, a patient and sometimes assistant at
Wilderness Heights, it was revealed that he had been instructed to form friendships with other patients to get
personal and sensitive information from them, which could later be used to keep them compliant.
What else do you need to know? >> Yeah. >> What else? >> Yeah. By the >> Oh, they're so [ __ ] evil.
>> And so, and again, so methodical. >> And the worst part is these are they are
praying on people who are suffering >> and suffering >> like desperate in pain, sick, and just
like desperate to feel better. >> Yep. >> And they're having like they're going this far into manipulating and torturing
and hurting these people and scamming them like money. What the [ __ ] >> How you?
>> And she claims that her whole thing was that she wanted people to be relieved
from these. >> You didn't want that [ __ ] at all. >> It's like, no, you didn't.
>> You wanted their money. >> Exactly. By the beginning of February, though, both sides had rested their case
and prepared for closing statements. And Stevenson told the jury, "This case is of unusual significance. We are not here
to avenge the death of Clare Williamson, but to protect the public, not only from
Mrs. Hazard, but from others like her. There are other Clare Williamsons all over the US who may fall into the
clutches of a woman such as this. When Dorothia and Clare first came to Mrs. Hazard, she thought they were just
ordinary patients coming to be plucked. But when she found out they were women of great means, and she had them in her
power, she developed the criminal intent. She allowed Clare to die friendless and alone. But she could not
get rid of Dora. So she did the next best thing. She had herself appointed as Dora's guardian.
>> Yeah, she's evil. She's a monster. She is. As expected, Linda's lawyer, Ed, she
has a thing for like E. Uh, Carr, argued against nearly everything the prosecution said. He told
the jury, "The real reason for this prosecution is that Mrs. Hazard is not a college graduate. Her offense consists
of not having been educated in the school of hard knocks." Take every single [ __ ] seat in the courtroom,
sir. Like, >> shut up. >> Every single [ __ ] seat. This is not a snobby. She doesn't have her medical
license and that's why we're mad. She's literally actively torturing and killing
and starving people and stealing their money. >> And it's being proven. >> Like, can we not pretend that we're just
poor [ __ ] Linda didn't get a degree. Stop. Shut the [ __ ] up. >> Stop it. It's also been proven at this
point that she's coached her witnesses on her side of the thing and that she hired people to get personal information
to use and hold over the heads of people she Exactly. Like we're really pretending.
Poor [ __ ] Linda. She didn't get she didn't get a [ __ ] degree. >> Yeah, >> too bad.
>> I think it's okay. >> Be so for real. >> Be so for real right now. >> Holy [ __ ]
>> He went on to address the charges though, saying she's lost some patience. But where is the physician who is not
>> indeed punishment, should it be necessary at all, could be handled by the market itself. If she isn't doing
good, her practice will dwindle and she will have to go back to that garden. >> Wow. Yeah.
>> I I'm like speechless. >> Okie dokie. Cool. Anyway, the jury deliberated for 20 hours, which is far
too long in my opinion, before emerging to finally find Linda Hazard guilty of manslaughter.
>> Bye. >> In fact, when the jury was pulled, five members were in favor actually of
finding her guilty of first-degree murder. >> I would have been counted among those
five to be quite honest. >> Same. I would have been counted among all five. Me, I would have been all
five. >> Would have taken up all five of them. >> Yeah. But unfortunately, they were in
the minority minority. So, the lesser charge was applied. At least there's a [ __ ] charge that
>> Thank goodness there's a charge, but like kind of kooky that it wasn't a higher charge.
>> Truly, when the verdict was read, Linda had a complete breakdown in the courtroom.
>> Get the [ __ ] over it, Linda. >> And she was removed. This is so interesting to me. She was removed from
the courtroom and placed in the home of a local woman who had been approved to care for female prisoners between
verdict and sentencing. >> I have never heard of that. >> I have never heard of that. And who
applies for that? >> Very interested in that. I feel like that would be so many implications come
with that. >> Absolutely. >> Like, are you going to hold me hostage? >> Who's this local woman?
>> She's brave. >> Someone should interview her. >> Brazen. In fact, >> she's she's she's probably [ __ ] she's
probably like a brick [ __ ] house. Like, don't go with her. >> She's got to be >> like you got like she she can kick your
ass. I guarantee you she's not scared of anything. >> Yeah. She's not she's not little or
frail frail >> or flail >> or flail. >> She won't flail in. She's not frail. quote unquote prayer quote unquote.
>> I've I've lost the ability to speak. I don't >> The same me as well. >> I'm just very interested in this local
woman. >> I know. No, so was I. We need to give her a backstory. I need to learn more
about her. Local woman. Who are you? Who are you? >> Show yourself. So later that day,
reporters were told that Linda was in no condition to speak. Oh no. >> Us either.
>> Poor Linda. >> So her husband Sam spoke on her behalf. Sam told them that her collapse, quote,
resulted from the shock of the verdict since Linda had been fully confident that she would be acquitted. Oh no, it
was the consequences of her very [ __ ] up actions. >> Can you imagine? >> So sad for her.
>> He added, the most unfortunate thing was the statement made in court tonight that
Mrs. Hazard is at the end of her rope financially. She has ample funds as soon as she can get at them.
>> Yeah. She stole them from the people that she's been starving to death. Exactly. I also love that he was like
the most upsetting thing was that they said she was poor. >> Yeah, they said she didn't have a lot of
money. She has so much money from those dead people. Like damn. Like Jesus Christ, Sam, get it together. Get it
fully together. But of course, true to form, with his wife facing a very lengthy jail sentence, his biggest
concern was the insinuation that they were poor. Yeah. Unreal. >> Yeah, he doesn't give a [ __ ] He's like,
"We are not poor." A few days later, Linda Hazard was back before the judge where she was sentenced between 2 and 20
years of hard labor at the state penitentiary in Walaw Wala, which is a fun place to say.
>> Walaw Wala. >> And her license to practice medicine in Washington was permanently revoked.
>> Bye. >> Bye, [ __ ] >> I also love her husband was also like he's like, "How dare you say we're poor
because now I won't be able to get lots of ladies cuz they're going to think I'm
poor." Like, that was his only thought there. >> I'm not poor. It was not even like,
"Don't say my wife is poor." It was like, "Don't [ __ ] say I'm poor." >> Yeah. Don't spread that around.
>> Don't put that around. I'm I'm going to go out and date. She's gone for a while.
I'm out. >> My girl's at hard labor. >> Yeah, that's Sam for you. >> Exactly. He was out anyway, even the
whole time they were married. >> So, Linda would maintain her innocence forever. He claimed that she had always
been working in the best interest of her patients. >> Babe, no one believes that.
>> Was that when you were vigorously slapping them? >> Yeah. None among us. She would say that
death was to be expected in a sanitarium and in fact she had lost far fewer patients than most surgeons. She has
some she has some gall insane complex about actual medical professionals that I like I'm like you
should stop because it's so obvious how jealous you are and how inferior you feel to actual medical professionals.
Like you should stop. You got to stop. girl. She's like, "Surgeons kill people all the time."
>> It's like, "And so do you." >> They're not starving people, though. >> No, they're not.
>> It's a little different. >> They are actively trying to save people's lives. >> There are accidents.
>> Yeah. >> And there are >> And then there's straight up starvation. >> Yeah. >> And u vigorously slapping people and
giving them hours long enemas through them passing out. >> Young female patients to be bathed by
male attendants. Like, let's let's not Do you want to keep talking about surgeons some more?
>> She did. She sure did. >> She said any financial compensation she received directly or indirectly was
merely to cover the cost of patients healthcare >> or given as thanks for having provided
them relief where others had failed. >> Of course, >> doctors had failed. >> You should always tip your doctor for
saving their life. Saving your life. >> Yeah, totally. That's how that works. >> Yeah. As a show of commitment to her own
treatment, she frequently spent long periods fasting in her cell in Walaw Wala in order to prove the value of the
practice. >> Go ahead, girl. >> Yeah, go ahead, girl. Go ahead. Get down. >> Linda Hazard was released on parole on
December 26th, 1915 after serving only two years. What the [ __ ] >> Two years. Yep. For reasons that remain
unclear, everybody. Just one year after her release, the governor at the time, Ernest Listister, gave her a full
pardon. She got a full pardon. What was going on with them? Big things. What was going on?
>> That was my immediate thought as well. >> What the [ __ ] was going on with them?
>> Luckily though, he was unable to return her medical license. >> Later, what the [ __ ] is wrong with you?
Yeah, something was definitely going on. >> Why? Why give this random hoe a a full
literally like I'm sorry. I would I reserve those words for for women like this.
>> Yeah. What? What? Like I I need to That's one of those times when you go you come out here and
you explain you explain to me >> they was fuking. >> You explain to me why the [ __ ] you are
not only fully pardoning her. Are you kidding me? But two trying and failing to get her medical license back.
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. Come on. >> Yeah. >> Come on. If you weren't [ __ ] That's canon now cuz what? You made it
certainly seem like you were. >> You made it so weird. >> There is no conceivable reason.
>> Earnest. Be real right now. >> Truly earnest. >> You were not earnest. >> No.
>> So later that year, Linda and Sam moved to New Zealand. Probably cuz Sam was like, "I can cheat on you, but you can't
cheat on me." >> Yeah. No. And she continued to promote herself as a doctor there and offered
services as an osteopath and a dietician. Wow. Yeah. Awesome. When the authorities in Auckland became aware of
the fact that she did not have an actual license and was not even a doctor, she was arrested again and fined in a scene
that was reminiscent of her early days of practicing in Minnesota. >> Awesome. >> Home girl just spent forever in jail.
>> Yeah. >> But not long enough at all. In 1920, she and Sam moved back to Alala, Washington,
where she was determined to rebuild her sanitarium. >> Girl, give it up. >> Where she d what she dubbed a school for
health. Give it up. >> She didn't. >> Name it what it is. >> And there she continued to treat
patients through a quote unquote variety of alternative health practices, which remained a legal practice thanks to the
various loopholes in law. >> Cool. >> Yeah. >> Awesome. She oversaw operations of the
institute until 1935. Would it burn to the ground due to unknown causes? >> I don't know if those causes are
completely unknown. Everybody, >> it burned to the ground. >> I'm going to go out on a limb
and say the causes are not entirely unknown. >> One thing about me is I love that.
>> One thing about me is that's karma. >> One thing about me is as long as no one
is hurt, >> Yeah. that's a-ok. Okay. >> Yeah. Get everybody out. See that building burn.
>> Yeah. >> Bye. >> Bye. >> Then in her early 70s, Linda's health began to fail.
>> Oh no. But she knows how to fix it. Thank goodness. >> Yeah. She turned to the same treatments
that she once provided her patients. >> Yeah. She has a miracle cure. >> Long periods fasting in the hope of
curing herself. >> Cool. >> But in the end, those hopes were dashed. >> What? >> On June 24th, 1938, in the most ironic
twist of fate, Linda Hazard died from starvation. Linda Hazard died from her miracle cure,
which was really just starvation. That's that's that's pros. Period. That's that's just that's just period.
>> Yeah, >> that's what that is. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I mean, you you reap what you sew,
my friend. >> Sure do. >> You starved other people claiming it was a miracle cure. You stole their [ __ ]
stole all their [ __ ] lied to their family members. >> Yeah. >> Possibly working with a corrupt
mortician. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And the saddest thing is nobody even knows how many people died under
her care because not everything was documented. >> Yeah. >> And she got she got away with it a lot.
>> That's why she was doing it. >> That's why she continued to do it. >> So that is the story of Linda Hazard and
her [ __ ] up life. That is horrifying. >> The fact that she died of starvation though is just like full circ.
>> That's I mean I just I could never >> I could absolutely never >> I could never.
>> No. >> I just can't I can't I can't imagine any of this. I literally can't imagine any
of this. And again, the knowing that these people were like literally desperate to just feel even slightly
better. >> Yeah. And they went to this place thinking that it was someone who genuinely wanted to help them feel
better. And they put all their faith and all their, you know, everything into them and all their trust. And these
people were the worst [ __ ] people. >> Yeah. This was a nightmare facility. >> Like to go through chronic pain, chronic
illness, whatever they were going through, and then get to this place and be literally starved and tortured.
>> That's the thing. That's even more pain and suffering that they dealt with on
top of whatever conditions they have. >> Like while they're already feeling horrible. Now they're being tortured and
starved on top of it and abused like hit. >> Yeah. >> And [ __ ] like what this whole I had
never heard of this before. This shook me to my core. I had heard something very
I don't remember where I heard it, but I heard like a super quick like thing about it once and I was like, "What is
that about?" >> It's messed up. >> Yeah. It's just so sad. I just don't know how people are capable of these
things. I really don't. >> Yeah. >> That's crazy. >> Do something kind today. >> Yeah.
>> Truly. >> Don't Don't be a [ __ ] bag. Don't hurt people. >> Don't hurt people. Hurt people.
>> It's true. >> And you're not hurt. You're not. You're fine. You're doing great.
>> You're good. You're awesome. I believe in you. >> You're going to be doing awesome things.
>> Yeah. Go get yourself a treat. >> Yeah. I had a donut this morning. >> Get yourself a treat.
>> Yeah. Whatever a treat is to you, get it. >> Yeah. It can be anything. >> Anything.
>> Yeah. If you think a [ __ ] bowl of strawberries is a treat, go get a treat. >> A bowl of strawberries is a treat.
>> It is. Especially fresh strawberries. >> Fresh strawberries. You put a little bit
of sugar on top >> or a little whipped cream. >> [ __ ] you took the words out of my
mouth. >> Yeah. Go get yourself a little treat >> and then just you know what on top of
angel food cake. >> Oh, >> just make it a strawberry shortcake. >> I'll do that. Okay, we're leaving you on
that. >> We love you and we hope you keep listening >> and we hope you >> keep it weird. But not as weird as Linda
and her Starvation Heights [ __ ] project from Nightmares. Yeah, she sucks. She is a cuckoo [ __ ]
>> So does Sam. >> Oh, Sam's the suck. >> Everybody's horrible in this. No, nobody's good except Margaret and
>> Uncle and Uncle. >> Yeah. And Uncle Herbert. >> Uncle. Uncle. >> Uncle Herbert.
>> Uncle Herbert that to the rescue. >> Uncle Herbert. >> Oh man. [Music] [Music]
[Music]

At the dawn of the twentieth-century, major advances in science and technology brought incredible change to the field of medicine, enhancing and extending the lives of millions. Yet at the same time, a lax regulations and minimal oversight made it possible for countless medical grifters to get rich offering quack medical solutions to everything from whooping cough to cancer, sometimes at the expense of their patient’s lives.

When Linda Hazzard opened her sanitarium, the Institute of Natural Therapeutics at Wilderness Heights, in Olalla, Washington in the first decade of the 1900s, she claimed her rigid fasting and elimination approach to dieting was a miracle cure for a variety of illnesses, both trivial and serious. For years, Hazzard operated what amounted to a health retreat for the wealthy, without any oversight from the state or federal agencies. In the end, Hazzard’s starvation cure resulted in the deaths of over a dozen people and her arrest and trial for manslaughter, but through all of it, she maintained it was a viable treatment—standing by her methods up until they ended her own life.

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

References Hines, Terrence. 1997. "Starvation Heights." Skeptical Inquirer.

Lovejoy, Bess. 2014. "The doctor who starved her patients to death." Smithsonian Magazine, October 28.

Olsen, Gregg. 2005. Starvation Heights: A True Story of Murder and Malice in the Woods of the Pacific Northwest. New York, NY: Crown Publishing Group.

Seattle Daily Times. 1911. "Erdman diary tells method of treatment." Seattle Daily Times, August 14.

Seattle Star. 1908. "Charged with starving eight-months-old baby." Seattle Star, January 30: 1.

—. 1911. "Denies she 'fasted' 2 girls." Seattle Star, August 9: 3.

—. 1911. "'Fast cure' woman is arrested." Seattle Star, August 7: 3.

—. 1909. "Prosecutors think they can put a stop to starvation cure." Seattle Star, June 26: 1.

—. 1908. "Sign doesn't make a doctor." Seattle Star, June 8: 6.

—. 1909. "Woman starves to death under care of Dr. L.B. Hazzard." Seattle Star, June 24: 1.

—. 1908. "WQeeden case leads to Dr. Hazzard's arrest." Seattle Star, January 31: 1.

Tacoma Daily Ledger. 1912. "Dr. Hazzard has her first inning." Tacoma Daily Ledger, Janaury 28: 1.

—. 1912. "Dr. Hazzard's trial begins." Tacoma Daily Ledger, January 16: 1.

—. 1912. "Final arguments in Hazzard case." Tacoma Daily Ledger, February 3: 2.

—. 1912. "Heiress testifies against Dr. Hazzard." Tacoma Daily Ledger, January 20: 1.

—. 1912. "Mrs. Hazzard breaks down, and is attended by a dcevoted follower." Tacoma Daily Ledger, February 5: 1.

—. 1904. "Samuel Hazzard sent to Minnesota prison." Tacoma Daily Ledger, March 16: 3.

—. 1912. "Witnesses deny state's charges." Tacoma Daily Ledger, January 30: 1.

—. 1912. "Woman bathed by young men." Tacoma Daily Ledger, January 23: 1.

—. 1911. "Woman meet before judge." Tacoma Daily Ledger, October 22: 1.

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Brief Summary

Linda Hazard's starvation clinic led to tragic deaths, including Claire Williamson, revealing the dangers of fraudulent medical practices.

Key points

Live Show Announcement. The hosts excitedly announce their upcoming live show at the Wilbur in Boston.
Horrific Treatment Revealed. The sisters endure torturous fasting and enemas under Linda Hazard's care, leading to dire consequences.
Margaret's Arrival. Margaret Conway receives a telegram and rushes to the US to help the sisters, only to find tragedy.
Linda Hazard Found Guilty. Linda Hazard is found guilty of manslaughter, but the jury considered a higher charge.
Linda's Courtroom Breakdown. Linda Hazard has a complete breakdown in the courtroom after the verdict is read.
Linda's Return to Practice. After her release, Linda continues to practice medicine without a license, leading to her arrest.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

Ew. Um, so that's cool. Got some funky chicken from takeout.

Discussing food poisoning experience.

0:31WatchAug 7, 2025

Tension

85/ 100High tension

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