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Sunday, February 13, 2011

1929: Midwife's fatal work

Anna Fazio, age 20, underwent an illegal abortion performed about February 2, 1929, at the Chicago home ofmidwife Marie Zwienczak.

Anna died on February 13.

Zwienczak was arrested March 1, as recommended by the coroner.

Stephanie Paczkiewicz was booked on February 23 as an accessory, but was not mentioned in the verdict.

Zwienczak was indictedfor homicide by a grand jury. She was tried, and was sentenced on June 20 to 14 years at Joliet Penitentiary.

She appealed, but her sentence was affirmed by the Supreme Court.

Keep in mind that things that things we take for granted, like antibiotics and blood banks, were still in the future. For more about abortion in this era, see Abortion in the 1920s.

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

Source:
  • Homicide in Chicago Interactive
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