Episode 561: “Jolly Jane” Toppan: Angel of Mercy (Part 2)
6 May 2024 - 1 hour 4 mins explicitConsidered 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. "Agre...
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