July 20, 1913: Names Doctor on Deathbed

On July 20, 1913, Mrs. Emma Chandler, age 20, died suddenly from complications of a criminal abortion perpetrated the previous day. In a deathbed statement, she named Dr. J.A. Richmond as her abortionist.

Her husband, Ora, a Denver grocery clerk, notified the police immediately after Emma's death. An investigation revealed that a friend had accompanied Emma to Richmond's practice after finishing work at the offices of a lumber company. After the abortion she was driven home.

Her husband returned from work and found Emma very weak. Overnight she became more and more ill. Around noon she realized that she was dying and sent for a neighbor, who she begged to pray for her. The neighbor remained by Emma's bedside, knitting and praying.

Some time in the afternoon Emma confessed about the abortion to her husband because she didn't want another child, feeling that her 3-year-old son was enough. Mr. Chandler sent for a doctor who lived across the street, but there was nothing he could do for her.

When Mr. Chandler spoke to police, he told them that several months earlier Emma had also undergone a criminal abortion and taken desperately ill. "At that time he had threatened to leave her if she ever dared undergo another such operation, and she had promised him never to risk her life again.

Richmond was arrested in Denver for her death. During the inquest he said that he hadn't known that Emma was pregnant, but was operating on her, at her request, to relieve gynecological pain that he'd unsuccessfully treated with medications.

Note, please, that with 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 information about early 20th Century abortion mortality, see Abortion Deaths 1910-1919.

For more on pre-legalization abortion, see The Bad Old Days of Abortion

Sources:

• "Colorado State News", San Juan Prospector, July 26, 1913
• "Physician Accused by Dying Woman; Inquest Follows," The Denver Post, July 21, 1913
• "Dr. Richmond, Held for Murder, Gains Freedom on $10,000 Bond," The Denver Post, July 22, 1913
• "Doctor Sued for $5,000 for Death of Young Wife," The Denver Post, July 25, 1913