On March 18, 1914, 28-year-old dressmaker Irene Ridgeway died at Garfield Park Hospital (pictured) in Chicago from an abortion performed by an unknown perpetrator. Garfield Park Hospital was a privately owned hospital founded by physicians, and provided legitimate medical care.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Two Early 20th Century Chicago Deaths
On March 18, 1913, 25-year-old homemaker Mary Brubaker died in her Chicago home from an abortion perpetrated that day by Dr. H.W. Case. Case was held by the Coroner and indicted by a Grand Jury April 15, but the case never went to trial.
On March 18, 1914, 28-year-old dressmaker Irene Ridgeway died at Garfield Park Hospital (pictured) in Chicago from an abortion performed by an unknown perpetrator. Garfield Park Hospital was a privately owned hospital founded by physicians, and provided legitimate medical care.
On March 18, 1914, 28-year-old dressmaker Irene Ridgeway died at Garfield Park Hospital (pictured) in Chicago from an abortion performed by an unknown perpetrator. Garfield Park Hospital was a privately owned hospital founded by physicians, and provided legitimate medical care.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Was Legalization an Improvement?
On March 17, 1907, Paulina Schneider died at St. Francis Hospital in Peoria, Illinois, from complications of a criminal abortion. Paulina gave a deathbed statement implicating Dr. Robert Emery in her abortion. Paulina's mother had also fingered Emery. For reasons not given in the source document, Emery -- identified as "Old Doctor Robert Emery" -- was found not guilty.
Though the verdict might have indeed been a case of exonerating an innocent man, it might also reflect loopholes in the abortion law that made conviction difficult, such as a requirement that the prosecution prove that the woman was pregnant or had felt the baby move.
Fast forward to our enlightened days of safe, legal abortion.
Cycloria Vangates underwent an abortion on March 13, 1976, performed by Dr. Paul Glassman. She suffered a cervical laceration. The Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine found that Glassman failed to adequately treat Cycloria's injury. She died on March 17.
Though the verdict might have indeed been a case of exonerating an innocent man, it might also reflect loopholes in the abortion law that made conviction difficult, such as a requirement that the prosecution prove that the woman was pregnant or had felt the baby move.
Fast forward to our enlightened days of safe, legal abortion.
Cycloria Vangates underwent an abortion on March 13, 1976, performed by Dr. Paul Glassman. She suffered a cervical laceration. The Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine found that Glassman failed to adequately treat Cycloria's injury. She died on March 17.
Glassman's license was finally revoked for three years beginning in 1981. He later recovered his license on the condition that he undergo close supervision and not perform any more abortions. Glassman moved to Missouri, but his attorney revealed to the Florida Board of Osteopathic medical Examiners that Glassman performed 17 abortions while visiting in Fort Lauderdale, in an effort to prove that the ban against Glassman performing abortions was unnecessary. Glassman also faced a 1978 Florida conviction for felony grand larceny involving filing insurance claims for a faked automobile accident. Glassman paid out $386,875 to Cycloria's survivors, according to a malpractice liability search.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Seven Anniversaries, 1869 - 1981
On March 16, 1869, Magdalena Philippi died of complications of an abortion performed on her, evidently by a Dr. Gabriel Wolff. Although Magdalena was four or five months pregnant, prosecutors had no way of proving that she had felt movement in the fetus, so they could not prosecute Dr. Wolff. The next day, a bill was introduced in Albany to eliminate the quickening distinction in prosecuting abortion cases. This would make it easier to prosecute abortionists like Wolff.
Harriet "Hattie" Reece was a 25-year-old primary school teacher in Browning, Illinois. Her husband, Frank, was also a teacher and principal at the school where Hattie taught. They had been married two and a half years in 1899, when the events unfolded that ended Hattie's life on March 16. And the finger pointed at Dr. James W. Aiken, who seemed to be a bit of a George Tiller precursor -- somebody who would find a "life of the mother" case in any pregnancy. It's a long, complex story, and you can read it by clicking on Hattie's name.
On March 16, 1915, 26-year-old homemaker Hazel Carr died in her Chicago home from an abortion performed by an unknown perpetrator.
Also on March 16, 1915, 19-year-old saleslady Hazel Wilcox died at a Chicago home after an abortion perpetrated that day by Julia Patera, whose profession is not given. She was held by the coroner on March 20 but the case never went to trial.
On March 16, 1924, 35-year-old Selma
Hedlund died in Chicago's Jefferson Park Hospital (pictured) from complications of an abortion performed that day. The sources says that she died at the crime scene. Nobody was ever positively identified as the abortionist. However, a Carl Carlson, indicated as a person known to Selma, was arrested as an accomplice.
Evelyn Dudley, age 38, underwent an abortion at Friendship Medical Center in Chicago on March 16, 1973. Later, at home, she collapsed in the driveway. She was taken to a hospital, where attempts to save her failed. Her death was due to shock, hemorrhage from a ruptured cervix and vagina. T.R. Mason Howard (pictured) stated that Evelyn was treated at Friendship for infection sustained in an abortion in Detroit, but Evelyn's brother stated that she had come to Chicago specifically to have the abortion. Julia Rogers and Dorothy Brown also died after abortions at Friendship Medical Center.
Norma Jean Greene, a 34-year-old divorcee, went into cardio-respiratory arrest in a Winston-Salem hospital on March 16, 1981. Her death certificate indicates that the arrest was caused by a pulmonary embolism (tissue or air in the lungs) following a recent abortion.
Harriet "Hattie" Reece was a 25-year-old primary school teacher in Browning, Illinois. Her husband, Frank, was also a teacher and principal at the school where Hattie taught. They had been married two and a half years in 1899, when the events unfolded that ended Hattie's life on March 16. And the finger pointed at Dr. James W. Aiken, who seemed to be a bit of a George Tiller precursor -- somebody who would find a "life of the mother" case in any pregnancy. It's a long, complex story, and you can read it by clicking on Hattie's name.
On March 16, 1915, 26-year-old homemaker Hazel Carr died in her Chicago home from an abortion performed by an unknown perpetrator.
Also on March 16, 1915, 19-year-old saleslady Hazel Wilcox died at a Chicago home after an abortion perpetrated that day by Julia Patera, whose profession is not given. She was held by the coroner on March 20 but the case never went to trial.
On March 16, 1924, 35-year-old Selma
Hedlund died in Chicago's Jefferson Park Hospital (pictured) from complications of an abortion performed that day. The sources says that she died at the crime scene. Nobody was ever positively identified as the abortionist. However, a Carl Carlson, indicated as a person known to Selma, was arrested as an accomplice.
Evelyn Dudley, age 38, underwent an abortion at Friendship Medical Center in Chicago on March 16, 1973. Later, at home, she collapsed in the driveway. She was taken to a hospital, where attempts to save her failed. Her death was due to shock, hemorrhage from a ruptured cervix and vagina. T.R. Mason Howard (pictured) stated that Evelyn was treated at Friendship for infection sustained in an abortion in Detroit, but Evelyn's brother stated that she had come to Chicago specifically to have the abortion. Julia Rogers and Dorothy Brown also died after abortions at Friendship Medical Center.Norma Jean Greene, a 34-year-old divorcee, went into cardio-respiratory arrest in a Winston-Salem hospital on March 16, 1981. Her death certificate indicates that the arrest was caused by a pulmonary embolism (tissue or air in the lungs) following a recent abortion.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
March 15, 1915: A Bad Day in Chicago
On March 15, 1915, 22-year-old homemaker Elenora Cassidy died at her Chicago residence from an abortion perpetrated there that day. Before her death, Elinor named Dr. Julia Patara as the guilty abortionist. Patara was indicted for Elinor's death on March 15 by a Grand Jury, but the case never went to trial.
Also on March 15, 1917, 24-year-old waitress Celia Steele died at Chicago's Jefferson Park Hospital from complications of an abortion. The Coroner was unable to identify the guilty party.
Also on March 15, 1917, 24-year-old waitress Celia Steele died at Chicago's Jefferson Park Hospital from complications of an abortion. The Coroner was unable to identify the guilty party.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
1905, 1930, 1989: Equally dead
On March 14, 1905, 27-year-old seamstress May Putnam died at Chicago's Monroe Street Hospital from complications of an abortion. May had been brought to the hospital two days earlier, in critical condition, and the police were notified and identified Dr. Lucy Hagenow (pictured) as the guilty abortionist. Hagenow was also responsible for the deaths of Marie Hecht, Lola Madison , Annie Horvatich , Lottie Lowy, Nina H. Pierce, Jean Cohen, Bridget Masterson, Elizabeth Welter, and Mary Moorehead.On March 14, 1930, Alberta Beard, age 29, died at the office of Dr. Davis Lucas from an abortion performed there that day. Lucas was arrested on May 24, on recommendation of the coroner. Lucas was indicted for felony murder in Alberta's death on August 7.
On March 7, 1989, 31-year-old mother of two Glenda Davis died from injuries sustained in an abortion perpetrated by by Robert Hanson at Aaron Family Planning March 11, 1989. During the abortion, Glenda suffered a 1.5 - 2 inch long wound to her uterine artery and vein complex, causing massive bleeding. After a delay, staffers decided to transfer Glenda to the hospital after loading her into a staffer's car. With the IV still in her arm, Glenda was driven to HCA Memorial Hospital. She had no blood pressure and almost no pulse upon arrival, and remained in a coma until her death.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
1909: Lena Oppendal Succumbs to Midwife's Fatal Efforts
On March 13, 1909, Mrs. Lena Oppedal, age 37, died in Chicago from peritonitis caused by an abortion. A midwife named Carrin Bakke was held to a grand jury and indicted for murder but the source document doesn't indicate that there was a trial.
Note, please, that with overall public health issues such as doctors not using proper aseptic techniques, lack of access to blood transfusions and antibiotics, and overall poor health to begin with, there was likely little difference between the performance of a legal abortion and illegal practice, and the aftercare for either type of abortion was probably equally unlikely to do the woman much, if any, good. For more about abortion and abortion deaths in the first years of the 20th century, see Abortion Deaths 1900-1909.
For more on pre-legalization abortion, see The Bad Old Days of Abortion
Note, please, that with overall public health issues such as doctors not using proper aseptic techniques, lack of access to blood transfusions and antibiotics, and overall poor health to begin with, there was likely little difference between the performance of a legal abortion and illegal practice, and the aftercare for either type of abortion was probably equally unlikely to do the woman much, if any, good. For more about abortion and abortion deaths in the first years of the 20th century, see Abortion Deaths 1900-1909.
For more on pre-legalization abortion, see The Bad Old Days of Abortion
Monday, March 12, 2012
Two More Chicago Anniversaries
On March 12, 1909, Cook County native Kate Blust, age 22, a homemaker, died in Chicago from peritonitis caused by an abortion. Midwife Emma Novak was held without bail for the crime of murder by abortion. She was indicted for murder but the source document doesn't indicate that there was a trial.
On February 4, 1928, 24-year-old Julia Agoston underwent a criminal abortion in Chicago. On March 12, Julia died at St. Elizabeth's Hospital. On March 31, Dr. Anton Feher, Dr. Helen Moskowitz, Susie Kosmos, and Julia's husband Manhart Agoston were held by the coroner. The physicians were held as principals. The two laypersons were held as accessories. Moskowitz was indicted for felony murder on November 23.
On February 4, 1928, 24-year-old Julia Agoston underwent a criminal abortion in Chicago. On March 12, Julia died at St. Elizabeth's Hospital. On March 31, Dr. Anton Feher, Dr. Helen Moskowitz, Susie Kosmos, and Julia's husband Manhart Agoston were held by the coroner. The physicians were held as principals. The two laypersons were held as accessories. Moskowitz was indicted for felony murder on November 23.
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