May 17, 1876: Midwife Confesses to Fatal Abortion

Matilda Beringer, age 34 arranged for an abortion, which was perpetrated by midwife Johanna White at her New York practice in mid-March of 1876. 

Immediately Matilda began to experience severe pain so she went straight home and took to her bed. 

On Saturday, May 14, Dr. William Fayner was called on to care for her and found her suffering from peritonitis. When his efforts to treat her did not have the desired effect he brought in a second physician, Dr. Samuel Gluck, to consult. The two continued to treat her until her death on May 17.

Matilda's husband, Edward, told authorities the he'd heard gossip about his wife but that she had never said anything to him about the abortion. The police evidently had no reason to doubt him, since he was not charged as an accessory in his wife's death. When arrested, White admitted to having perpetrated the abortion and was held on $2,000 bond.

While looking for additional information about Matilda's death, I learned that While was implicated in the death of another woman, Mary Heinemann, less than six months later.

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Source:

• "Death from Malpractice," New York Times, May 23, 1876