From The Banner · Julie Scharper · · 1m 10s
Hattie Stone: Nurse, Mother, Murderer
Hattie Stone poisoned her son and three relatives, then vanished from prison.
In brief
Hattie Stone poisoned her son and three relatives, then vanished from prison. Hattie Stone, a nurse and midwife, was convicted of murdering her 15-year-old son George in 1929 after poisoning him with strychnine, and died in prison without being paroled. Originally reported by The Banner.
Hattie Stone's final dinner
Hattie Stone prepared dinner for her 15-year-old son George on June 3, 1929.
“On the last full day of his life, George Stone played baseball, went to the movie theater and then tucked into a dinner prepared by his mother, Hattie Stone.”
Three deaths in 1924-1929
Hattie Stone died her mother-in-law Emma in 1924, elder son Edgar in 1927, and husband Edward in 1928.
“Stone, who had grown up playing among the headstones of Havre de Grace’s Angel Hill Cemetery, had buried three close relatives by the time she served George his final dinner on June 3, 1929.”
George's symptoms
George Stone vomited, convulsed and complained of a bitter taste in his mouth in September 1928.
“George Stone vomited, convulsed and complained of a bitter taste in his mouth in September 1928.”
Poisoned death
George died after being poisoned with strychnine, a bitter-tasting rodenticide.
“This time, chemists did find evidence of toxins in George’s system: strychnine, a bitter-tasting rodenticide.”
Arrest and trial
Hattie Stone was arrested and charged with second-degree murder after poisoning her son.
“Police headed to Stone’s home with a warrant for her arrest and found her lying in bed, saying she was “too ill” to be taken to jail.”
Media circus
The trial drew media crowds and a bazaar along Main Street selling trinkets.
“Stone’s trial in September drew throngs of media to Havre de Grace. Reporters filled hotels and local residents set up an open-air bazaar along Main Street, selling “inexpensive jewelry and other trinkets,” The Evening Sun reported.”
Prosecution claims
Prosecutors claimed Hattie Stone killed her husband for insurance and son for inheritance.
“Prosecutors alleged that Stone had killed her husband to collect his life insurance and her son for his portion of her husband’s inheritance.”
Verdict and sentence
Hattie Stone was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 18 years in prison.
“Jurors didn’t buy it. They found Stone guilty of second-degree murder; she was sentenced to 18 years in prison.”
Vanishing act
Hattie Stone disappeared from prison without being paroled.
“Newspapers reported that Stone unsuccessfully attempted to receive parole three times, but then the record grew silent, Rosenkrans said. Stone doesn’t appear in the 1950 census, and there is no record of her death.”
In short
Hattie Stone, a nurse and midwife, was convicted of murdering her 15-year-old son George in 1929 after poisoning him with strychnine, and died in prison without being paroled.
