We Keep the Dead Close

by Becky Cooper

  4 Jane and her roommate knit a scarf: Interview with Brenda Bass in 2016.

  5 In the school production of Oklahoma!: Interview with Boyd Britton in 2016.

  6 Cole Porter on the grand piano: Interview with Brenda Bass in 2016.

  7 Jane told her friend Cathy: Email from Cathy Ravinski, July 28, 2017, 10:57 a.m.

  8 a kind of electric force controlling people’s lives. CPD-JM 2, p. 52.

  9 who was born in Prague: Interview with CCLK in 2017.

  10 the “Canceled Czech”: Letter from Jane to Boyd, approx. June 17, 1968.

  11 “Porcelain Ass”: CPD-IK, p. 79.

  12 “I have dreams of waking up dead”: Interview with John Terrell in 2017.

  First Talk with Boyd

  1 All details in this chapter are taken from my 2014 interview with Boyd Britton unless otherwise noted.

  2 had been over to her apartment: Boyd was not aware of this fact when we spoke. This detail comes from Peter Ganick’s CPD interview transcript with Detective Lieutenant Davenport, Jan. 8, 1969, 10:25–10:35 a.m.

  Vietnam

  1 On the night of January 7: Details in this section are from multiple interviews with Boyd Britton (2014–2020), unless otherwise indicated.

  2 Vietnam for only a month: Boyd arrived on Dec. 6, 1968, per his military records, National Personnel Records, Department of Defense.

  3 the 16th Public Information Detachment: CPD-BB; also letter from Boyd to Jane, undated (approx. Dec. 1968).

  4 “Your sister Jane killed”: Telegram from Jane’s parents to Boyd, Jan. 8, 1969 (Britton family file).

  5 [Photo]: Britton family file, courtesy Boyd Britton.

  6 “Visiting her parents”: Susan Kelly notes from interview with Elisabeth Handler, May 24, 1996 (police file).

  7 “gay exotic Needham”: Letter from Jane to Elisabeth Handler, July 27, 1968.

  8 on Needham’s finance committee: “J. Boyd Britton; Was Chemist, Executive, Radcliffe Officer; 93,” Boston Globe, Oct. 29, 2002.

  9 vice president of Cabot Corporation: “J. Boyd Britton; Was Chemist, Executive, Radcliffe Officer; 93,” Boston Globe, Oct. 29, 2002.

  10 The Lowells speak only to Cabots: “Home of the Bean and the Cod,” The Telegraph, Dec. 22, 2002.

  11 Cordon Bleu–certified cook: Susan Kelly notes from interview with Boyd Britton, Feb. 27, 1996 (police file).

  12 the first Boeing 767: “Boeing 767: A Cautious Debut,” New York Times, Sept. 8, 1982.

  13 two children from a previous marriage: Interviews with Boyd and Charlie Britton (2017).

  14 PhD in history: Ruth Gertrude Reinert, “Genoese Trade with Provence, Languedoc, Spain, and the Balearics in the Twelfth Century,” PhD dissertation, History Department, University of Wisconsin, 1938.

  15 Ruth didn’t discourage Jane: In a letter home to her parents (July 12, 1966), Jane asked her mother to pick up “some of that prescription; they’re really great those pills; keep my appetite down.”

  16 she was class vice president: Dana Hall Yearbook, 1963.

  17 “most intelligent”: Superlatives from Dana Hall Yearbook, 1963, p. 103.

  18 only one in her grade to get into Radcliffe: “’63 at College,” Dana Hall Bulletin, Jan. 1963, p. 26.

  19 before her father: Jane started Radcliffe in 1963. In a letter dated July 20, 1965, she congratulated her father on getting the job.

  20 just somebody’s wife: Susan Kelly notes from interview with Elisabeth Handler, May 24, 1996 (police file).

  21 left college three times: Boyd was asked to leave Princeton the first time because, he said, he flunked everything. After that, he went to Emerson, where he was on the dean’s list, but left on his own accord. Then he returned to Princeton and eventually dropped out.

  22 “I only had dinner with her family once”: Interview with Karen John in 2017.

  23 “Cats with the Syphilis”: There are a number of versions of this song, which is sung to the tune of “D’ye Ken John Peel?”

  24 By noon: Boyd Britton military records, National Personnel Records, Department of Defense.

  25 a syndicated UPI story: “Girl 22 Beaten to Death,” Pacific Stars and Stripes, Jan. 9, 1969.

  26 The New York papers were still in town: Interviews with Joe Modzelewski (2014) and Mike McGovern (2016).

  27 “Any information has to come from the chief”: “D.A. Droney Hints Coed Slay ‘Repeat,’” Boston Record-American, Jan. 14, 1969.

  28 called Jane’s family and came to their door: Interview with Boyd Britton in 2016.

  29 narcotics business in Harvard Square: “Booming Biz in Narcotics Jars Harvard,” Daily News, Jan. 12, 1969.

  30 Mike had his photographer snap it: I could not cross-check this with Mike McGovern. He died before I had the chance.

  31 A cover story: Daily News, Jan. 13, 1969, p. 1.

  32 “It’s just not true!”: Interview with Boyd Britton in 2014.

  33 “It is, Mom. It is”: Interview with Boyd Britton in 2014.

  Ed Franquemont

  1 the Mitchells: CPD-DM, p. 47.

  2 and Ingrid Kirsch knew: CPD-IK, p. 34.

  3 “Nobody nobody nobody”: Interview with Elisabeth Handler in 2014.

  4 the wrestling team: “Franquemont Wins, Loses in NCAA Wrestling Meet,” Harvard Crimson, Mar. 30, 1965.

  5 Compact and practically bald: Here through “You didn’t want to be in the same room,” from Susan Kelly notes from interview with Elisabeth Handler, May 24, 1996 (police file).

  6 [Photo]: Jane Britton police file.

  7 Jane started dating Ed her senior year: CPD-IK, p. 31.

  8 “perfectly capable”: CPD-SLI, p. 45.

  9 sleep with a guy to get rid of him: Susan Kelly notes from interview with Elisabeth Handler, May 24, 1996 (police file).

  10 “Or at least that’s how she portrayed it”: Interview with Elisabeth Handler in 2017.

  11 But by the fall of 1967: These two paragraphs from CPD-JM 1 and CPD-IK.

  12 he hit her: CPD-JM 1, p. 30.

  13 “If she had, in fact”: CPD-SLI, p. 10.

  14 Jane received a terrifying call: CPD-JM 1, pp. 37–40.

  15 at the school for troubled kids: The Charles River School, per “Notes Phone Call with Ed Franquemont,” Jan. 9, 1969 (CPD file).

  16 found him sweet and concerned: CPD-JM, p. 39.

  17 speculate that this was the night that Jane got pregnant: CPD-DM, p. 48.

  18 Through the Anthropology department grapevine: Section is from an interview with Sally Bates Shankman in 2017.

  19 one of the founders: Email from Bentley Historical Library re: the Planned Parenthood of Mid-Michigan Records, Mar. 2, 2018, 3:05 p.m.

  20 the last weekend of spring break: Receipt for her car rental in Michigan in the CPD file dated Apr. 7, 1968. According to Harvard’s academic calendar for 1967–1968, spring break ended on Apr. 7 that year.

  21 it cost Jane $500: Jane’s letter to Brenda Bass, July 4, 1968. Also photo of a check made out to cash for $500, dated Apr. 5, 1968 (CPD file).

  22 had started a collection: CPD-DM, p. 47; CPD-JM 2, p. 30.

  23 police learned of Ed: CPD first ask about Ed in CPD-CCLK 1, dated Jan. 7, 1969.

  24 moved off campus: Interviews with Merri Swid and Richard Rose (2017); CPD-IK, p. 34; CPD-CCLK 1, pp. 8–9.

  25 had seen him in Cambridge: “Police Seek Peru Hippie in Coed Slaying,” Fresno Bee, Jan. 8, 1969.

  26 But over the next few weeks: Part of the Jane Britton investigation lore is that cops “chased Franquemont down to Peru.” While this feels like an exaggeration, and there are no travel records or notes from 1969 in the police file from this alleged trip, I found one possible mention of it on p. 1 of “ADA Background Notes 2017” (MDAO file): “Report concerning information received from Lt. Frank Joyce by Billy Powers and/or Jimmy Connolly concerning…the trip to Peru with the polygraph person to interview Frankquemont [sic].”

  27 came to police with a postcard: Richard Rose inte
rview in 2017; the postcard is part of the CPD file.

  28 Debbie Waroff, the best friend: This exchange taken from Deborah Waroff interview transcript with Detective Sergeant Galligan, Jan. 9, 1969, unspecified time (police file).

  29 Her information checked out: I also spoke with Dave Browman (2017), a former anthropology graduate student, who said he was with Ed Franquemont in Peru on the night of Jane’s death.

  30 [Photo]: Jane Britton police file.

  31 Jill said she had liked Ed: CPD-JM 1, p. 35.

  32 “sort of your standard straight guy”: CPD-IK, p. 30.

  33 “colorless psychologically”: CPD-IK, p. 30.

  34 “babe in the woods”: Interview with Brenda Bass in 2016.

  35 “high school sweetheart”: CPD-IK, p. 28.

  36 her boyfriend from the South: CPD-DM, pp. 16, 39.

  37 “was making everything up”: Interview with Tess Beemer in 2016.

  38 “seemed to be in some ways posing” Interview with John Terrell in 2017.

  39 “may not have been completely truthful”: Susan Kelly notes from interview with Elisabeth Handler, May 24, 1996 (police file).

  40 Jill doing research for her dissertation: Jill Nash, who did not agree to be interviewed for the book, did participate in the checking process. This detail comes from her response to the checking memo.

  41 Jane had been the one who hit Ed: CPD-IK and CPD-SLI.

  42 It was the spring of 1967: This scene is from CPD-IK.

  43 “If there was a darkness”: Interview with Merri Swid in 2017.

  Cultural Amnesia

  1 “Radcliffe Night”: This event happened on Mar. 6, 2014.

  2 took a call from Jane’s friend Ingrid: The rest of this chapter is from my interview with Ingrid Kirsch in 2014.

  3 “I don’t mind you disappearing / ’Cause I know you can be found.”: “In Reverse,” Track #9 on Lost in the Dream, The War on Drugs, 2014.

  Face the Night

  1 Jesse Kornbluth (class of ’68): “Crimson Compass,” Harvard Alumni Database.

  2 “admit a loneliness”: “Coming Together: Love in Cambridge,” Harvard Crimson, Jan. 8, 1969.

  Websleuths

  1started the thread in November 2012: “macoldcase” Websleuths post #1, Nov. 2, 2012.

  2 antiquities smuggling ring: E.g., “December” Websleuths post #207, Sept. 15, 2013.

  3 much was made of a missing table leg: E.g., “Robin Hood” Websleuths post #106, Jan. 1, 2013.

  4 Pressers, had reported to the cops: “Report from M/M Stephen Presser (table leg),” Jan. 14, 1969 (CPD file).

  5 noticed that it only had three legs: “Report from M/M Stephen Presser (table leg),” Jan. 14, 1969 (CPD file).

  6 “Justice4Jane,” who first heard: “Justice4Jane” Websleuths post #160, Aug. 9, 2013.

  7 “a descendent of the Habsburg family”: “Justice4Jane” Websleuths post #186 quoting from a College Confidential thread, Aug. 15, 2013.

  8 “I am pretty sure they mean”: “Ausgirl” Websleuths post #188, Aug. 15, 2013.

  9 Don Mitchell posted for the first time: Don Mitchell Websleuths post #374, June 16, 2014.

  10 Three the next day: Don Mitchell Websleuths posts #377, #381, and #382, June 17, 2014.

  11 six the one after that: Don Mitchell Websleuths posts #392, #393, #395, #396, #397, and #400, June 18, 2014.

  12 “I have always believed”: Don Mitchell Websleuths post #381, June 17, 2014.

  13 asked Don to photograph a fingerprint: Here through “may seem now like coverup” from Don Mitchell Websleuths post #374, June 16, 2014.

  14 Cambridge cops had botched the job: Don Mitchell Websleuths post #381, June 17, 2014.

  15 knock on Jane’s door the morning of: Here through “He’s come to get us,” from Don Mitchell Websleuths post #400, June 18, 2014.

  16 ex-wife, he clarified: Don Mitchell Websleuths post #374, June 16, 2014.

  17 saved the bloody rugs: Don Mitchell Websleuths post #381, June 17, 2014.

  18 until last year when he moved…“ceremonial bonfire”: Don Mitchell interview in 2017.

  19 “I put all my trust in Lt. Joyce”: Don Mitchell Websleuths post #492, July 1, 2014.

  20 His main suspect: Don Mitchell Websleuths posts #396, June 18, 2014 and #453, June 28, 2014.

  21 “something longishterm and secret”: Don Mitchell Websleuths post #395, June 18, 2014.

  22 His suspect died in 1999: Don Mitchell Websleuths post #465, June 29, 2014.

  23 reportedly confessed while drunk: Don Mitchell Websleuths post #479, June 30, 2014.

  24 “I killed someone”…struck dead by lightning: Don Mitchell Websleuths posts #396, June 18, 2014, and #464, June 29, 2014.

  Mystery Man

  1 On January 15, reporters caught wind: “Is Table Key to Britton Murder?” Boston Globe, Jan. 16, 1969.

  2 “Harvard faculty member who was rejected”: “Murder Quiz Finds Jane Had Abortion,” Daily News, Jan. 13, 1969.

  3 Reporters staked out: “Coed Case––Mystery Man,” New York Post, Jan. 16, 1969.

  4 to an undisclosed location: “Quiz Mystery Man in Murder of Coed,” Boston Record-American, Jan. 16, 1969.

  5 “You have to assume it’s a sex case”: “D.A. Droney Hints Coed Slay ‘Repeat,’” Boston Record-American, Jan. 14, 1969.

  6 had not been strong enough to break the skin: “Harvard Faces Criminal Action,” Boston Globe, Jan. 14, 1969.

  7 Jane’s father was similarly tight-lipped: Exchange is from CPD-JBB pp. 3–5.

  Reunion

  1 But he died in the ’90s: Public death record for Lt. Frank Joyce.

  2 “beat Yale” 29–29: “Harvard Beats Yale,” Harvard Magazine, Nov. 15, 2018.

  3 establish an African American Studies department: “Rosovsky’s Report,” Harvard Crimson, Jan. 29, 1969, and “The Faculty Committee on African and Afro-American Studies Report,” Jan. 20, 1969, as reprinted in Blacks at Harvard: A Documentary History of African-American Experience at Harvard and Radcliffe (New York: New York University Press, 1993), edited by Werner Sollors, Caldwell Titcomb, and Thomas Underwood, pp. 401–402.

  4 discontent with ROTC’s presence on campus: “The Strike as History,” Harvard Crimson, Apr. 23, 1979.

  5 agitations of SDS and the Weathermen: “SDS and Weathermen Hold Separate Protests,” Harvard Crimson, Nov. 26, 1969.

  6 ’CLIFFE FINALLY PROPOSES: “’Cliffe Finally Proposes Marriage to Ten Thousand Men of Harvard,” Harvard Crimson, Feb. 23, 1969.

  7 identified as Harvard students more than Radcliffe: Multiple interviews, including with Carol Sternhell and Elisabeth Handler.

  8 a few enjoyed the 1:4 ratio: Interview with Ellen Hume in 2014.

  9 signature disappeared off the diplomas: Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, now an emerita professor in Harvard’s History department, wrote a powerful essay on the erasure of women from Harvard’s history in 1999, six months before the Radcliffe signature disappeared: “Harvard’s Womanless History: Completing the University’s Self-Portrait,” Harvard Magazine, Nov. 1999. She writes: “There is no conspiracy here, just collective complacency and an ignorance compounded by separatism. Writers and publicists at Harvard have never considered Radcliffe their responsibility. Radcliffe has been too busy negotiating its own status to promote its history.”

  10 none of the Courses of Instruction: Courses of Instruction Harvard and Radcliffe, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Official Register of Harvard University: six volumes consulted, 1964–1969.

  11 Directories of Officers and Students: Directory of Officers and Students, Harvard University: six volumes consulted, 1964–1969.

  12 Professor John Campbell Pelzel: David Browman and Stephen Williams, Anthropology at Harvard: A Biographical History, 1790–1940 (Cambridge, MA: Peabody Museum Press, 2013), p. 454.

  13 John Whiting, a professor of social anthropology: “John Wesley Mayhew Whiting: Memorial Minute,” Harvard Gazette, June 3, 2004.

  14 known
to have worked for the US Government: David Price, Anthropological Intelligence: The Deployment and Neglect of American Anthropology in the Second World War (Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2008), p. 92.

  15 the dissertation of Richard Meadow: Richard Meadow, “Animal Exploitation in Prehistoric Southeastern Iran: Faunal Remains from Tepe Yahya and Tepe Gaz Tavila-R37, 5500–3000 B.C.,” PhD dissertation, Anthropology Department, Harvard University, 1986, p. 1.

  16 quote from a Julian Barnes novel: Julian Barnes, Flaubert’s Parrot (New York: Vintage, 1990), p. 14.

  17 It is clear that I have not caught: Meadow, “Animal Exploitation,” end of introduction.

  18 Female / Aged 19: 998-27-40/14628.2, Hallam L. Movius Jr. papers, Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, Harvard University.

  19 Dear Hal: / The enclosed: Letter from Stephen Williams to Hallam Movius, Jan. 8, 1969, found in 998-27-40/14628.2, Hallam L. Movius Jr. papers, Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, Harvard University.

  20 “Investigation and speculation continue: Letter from Stephen Williams to Hallam Movius, Jan. 20, 1969, found in 998-27-40/14628.2, Hallam L. Movius Jr. papers, Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, Harvard University.

  21 A letter from Professor Hugh Hencken: Letter from Hugh Hencken to Stephen Williams, Jan. 7, 1969, 995-18, Hugh O’Neill Hencken papers, Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, Harvard University.

  2018: Five Days

  1 This scene took place the evening of July 25, 2018.

  Arthur Bankoff

  1 promoted to full director: “New Director Appointed,” Peabody Museum Newsletter, winter 1969, p. 1.

  2 “A number of people have described him”: Interview with Tom Patterson in 2017.

  3 for a few months after Jane’s death: Feb. 1969 to summer 1969. End date per letter from Stephen Williams to CCLK, July 22, 1969.

  4 nearly unprecedented: Donald Scott held both roles from 1947 to 1948, per the plaques at Harvard’s Peabody Museum.