Typical Abortion Deaths, 1929 and 1934

Both of today's deaths are from typical criminal abortions in that they were perpetrated by physicians.

On June 24, 1929, 19-year-old homemaker Winifred Garver underwent an abortion at the office of Dr. Anna Schultz, aka Rollins. Schultz was assisted by Dr. James White. Winifred died on June 27 at Woodlawn Hospital. Winifred was white; both her abortionist and the assistant were Black. On June 27, both physicians were held by the coroner. Schultz was indicted for felony murder by a grand jury on October 6, 1930.

Dr. Guy Brewer

Hermione Fowler, a 20-year-old coed at the Oklahoma A&M University, died at her Red Oak, Oklahoma home on June 27, 1934, nine days after an abortion perpetrated by noted local philanthropist Dr. Guy E. Brewer. Hermoine was one of six women to die after abortions perpetrated by Brewer. Doris Jones, a 20-year-old mother of two, died April 11, 1935. Ruby Ford died on April 1, 1934. Wanda Lee Gray, age 20, Myrtle Rose, age 21, and Elizabeth Shaw, age 23, evidently died in early June of 1935.

Brewer entered guilty pleas and served six concurrent four-year sentences. The most likely reason that Brewer's punishment was so light for the deaths of six women was how popular he was in town for his benevolence toward young men. He ran a home for them to live in while he put them through college. So beloved was Brewer that one victim's husband was fired from his job in retaliation for reporting Brewer to the police.