January 21, 1899: Midwife Implicated Two Years Later

Chicago law enforcement officials originally didn't know who was responsible for the January 21, 1899 death of 28-year-old homemaker Caroline Schroeder, wife of Otto F Schroeder. According to genealogy rerecords, Caroline also left behind a son about seven years old. 

They got their answer in August of 1901 when Caroline's sister-in-law, Annie Robinson, named midwife Teresa Muenster of North Clark Street not only as the abortionist responsible for her own impending death, but as responsible for Caroline's death as well.  

Muenster was born around 1841 in Holsten Schleswig, which would have made her nearly 60 years old at the time of the women's deaths. She had been practicing in Chicago for about thirty years.

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Sources:

• "Held for Woman's Death," Chicago Tribune, August 19, 1901
• "Midwife is Held on Serious Charge," The Inter-Ocean, August 19, 1901
• "Midwife Held Without Bail," The Inter-Ocean, August 20, 1901