Murder by poison in Havre de Grace

In 1929, Havre de Grace took the national spotlight as the gruesome details of a series of murders were revealed. A town resident, Hattie Stone, was convicted for the death of her 15 year old son George - Strychnine poisoning was thought to be the cause - who died in the midst of convulsions following a "hearty meal prepared by his mother." ( Miami News - June 20, 1929 ) .

At the time, Hattie's highly publicized prosecution was referred to as the "Poison Trial."

Authorities suspected that Hattie was also responsible for the deaths of other family members including her husband George Stone, her father-in-law John Stone, her mother-in-law Emma Stone, and another son Edgar. Upon examination, the exhumed corpses of Hattie Stone's family indicated deaths due to unnatural causes.

Her family members lie now, as they did then, in Angel Hill Cemetery in the town of Havre de Grace. All reportedly died under similar circumstances, namely stomach trouble..

Insurance proceeds were allegedly the motive for Hattie's brutal acts. Newspaper articles from the time indicate that insurance policies named Hattie as beneficiary.

Prosecutors painted the picture of a woman with a scandalous lifestyle who may have considered her sole surviving son George as a hindrance. In the words of State's Attorney, W. Worthington Hopkins: "She was the kind of a woman who wanted to be running around all the time with the men."

Keep in mind, the Havre de Grace that Hattie Stone might have enjoyed during the 1920's was a much different place than the quiet tourist town it is today. Home to "The Graw," a prominent thorough-bred racetrack, the town embraced illegal drinking, prostitution and, of course, gambling as part of it's notorious sub-culture. If Hattie was looking for a good time, assuming she had the cash to fund her antics, Havre de Grace was the place to be.

What happened to Hattie Stone? One elderly town resident recalls that Hattie worked as a waitress in Baltimore after serving her prison sentence. Has anyone heard a different ending to Hattie's story?

What about the tortured souls of Hattie's murder victims?
Are they at rest or do they linger in Havre de Grace as a paranormal reminder of a horrible, yet forgotten, secret from the town's past?