Four criminal anniversaries

February 20, 1927: 23-year-old Angerita Hargarten died in her home from an abortion performed there that day. Midwives Anna Trezek and Frances Raz were held by the coroner, Trezek as the principal and Raz as her accomplice.

February 20, 1919: W. G. Waters and M. T. Summerlin performed an abortion on Viola Parr with instruments of some sort, causing her death. I have been unable to determine what professions Waters and Summerlin pursued when they weren't acting as abortionists. Viola's abortion was unusual in that it was apparently performed by an amateur, rather than by a doctor, as was the case with perhaps 90% of criminal abortions.

February 20, 1916: 19-year-old Bertha Carlson died at South Park Hospital in Chicago from an abortion performed at an unknown perpetrator at an unknown location.

February 20, 1906: Mrs. Ida Prochnow, age 35, died in St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Chicago from an abortion performed there earlier that day. Midwife Madaline Motgna was arrested in the death.



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

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