Sarah Jane Robinson

Serial Killer

Sarah Jane Robinson: The Massachusetts Borgia

Background

Sarah Jane Robinson was a nineteenth-century American poisoner whose repeated association with sudden and agonizing deaths earned her the nicknames "The Massachusetts Borgia" and "The Boston Borgia." Born Sarah Jane Tennant in Newtownhamilton, County Armagh, Ireland, on May 26, 1838, she emigrated to Massachusetts as a teenager. She married Moses Robinson in July 1858 and became the mother of several children. The family lived in different communities around the Boston area, including Cambridge and Hyde Park. Between 1881 and 1886, an extraordinary number of people within Robinson's household and extended family died after suffering similar illnesses. Victims reportedly experienced severe abdominal pain, vomiting, weakness and convulsions. These symptoms could resemble several common nineteenth-century diseases, allowing the deaths initially to be certified as natural or accidental. Robinson frequently acted as the victim's nurse, controlled food and medicine and sometimes changed physicians as an illness progressed.

Poisoning and Financial Motive

Investigators eventually concluded that arsenic was being used to cause the deaths. Arsenic was readily available during the period in rat poison and other household products. When repeatedly administered in food, drinks or medicine, it could create symptoms that appeared to be caused by a serious gastrointestinal illness. Financial gain was considered the principal motive. Several of the dead had life-insurance or fraternal-benefit policies that named Robinson as a beneficiary or placed money under her control. She was known to experience financial problems, move frequently and face disputes involving rent and unpaid bills. A death could provide insurance proceeds, relief from financial obligations or access to property belonging to the deceased. ...

Confirmed Victims: (8)

Oliver Sleeper Age: (72), Date of Death: August 10, 1881

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