About this episode
The episode discusses the life and crimes of Jane Toppan, a nurse who murdered at least 31 elderly patients in the late 19th century.
Jane Toppan, aka Jolly Jane, was a nurse in the late 19th century who cared for the elderly and also murdered at least 31 of them. She admitted to taking pleasure in watching them die and her deeds were drooled over by the public. William Randolph Hearst’s sensationalist newspapers had a field day with her. Sources andresources: Wikipedia The Clinton Morning Age, July 27, 1902,Page 3, https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6ncmAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CgEGAAAAIBAJ&pg=4194%2C996821 Jane Toppan “Jolly Jane,” serial killerresearched by E. Allen, A. Averil, E. Cook; 2005, Dept of Psychology, RadfordUniversity, Radford, VA. Accessed June 11, 2025. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://maamodt.asp.radford.edu/psyc%20405/serial%20killers/Toppan,%20Jane%20-%202005.pdf “Jane Toppan is Dead,” Old Colony HistoryMuseum, accessed June 15, 2025. https://ochm.medium.com/jane-toppan-is-dead-be9888540c15 Fontes, K., “Women of Taunton: SerialKiller Jane Toppan spent her final years at Taunton State Hospital” TauntonDaily Gazette, Oct 18, 2022. Accessed June 15, 2025…
People in this episode
Host: Suzanne
Topics covered
- true crime
- serial killers
- historical crimes
- nursing
- media sensationalism
Keywords
- Jane Toppan
- Jolly Jane
- serial killer
- nurse
- elderly murders
- true crime
- William Randolph Hearst
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: William Randolph Hearst’s newspapers, Old Colony History Museum, Taunton Daily Gazette, Radford University
Books & works: Women of Taunton: Serial Killer Jane Toppan spent her final years at Taunton State Hospital, In Their Footsteps: Cape Cod History - Jane Toppan's Poisoning Murders
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