RealChoice: May 9, 1901: Legal or Illegal? The Courts Couldn't Decide

Tuesday, May 09, 2023

May 9, 1901: Legal or Illegal? The Courts Couldn't Decide

The marriage of Miss Jessie Wing, daughter of N. B. Wing, and H. G. Matteson of Chicago was beautifully solemnized at the residence of Rev. Dr. Thompkins, Thanksgiving day at 1 o'clock. .....
After the ceremony the wedding party was driven to the home of the bride's father on Union avenue where they remained until 7:43 and then took the train for Chicago. Later in the week they expect to make a trip into Michigan and visit with friends for a week or ten days, after which they will be permanently located in Chicago.
The bride is a very popular young lady of this city, having spent the greater portion of her life here, and is highly esteemed and respected by all who know her. She is a graduate of South Belvidere High school.
The groom is a promising young man of Chicago and is president of the Syndicate Book Co., on LaSalle street. Their many friends join in wishing them the best of success in their new life.
- Belvidere (IL) Daily Republican, November 30, 1900

The couple's new life didn't last long. Soon Henry Guy Matteson would become a widower. At 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 9, 1901, 22-year-old Jessie died of peritonitis from an illegal abortion. She had been sick for about a week prior to her death.

Guy was arrested, as was Dr. J.B. Butts, who was held by Coroner's Inquest on May 16.

Jessie had been a teacher in the Witbeck and Hicks schools prior to her marriage. In addition to her father, she left behind her brother, Henry Wing; and her sisters, Hattie and Mattie Wing and Lucy Smith.

Butts held that while he did perform an abortion on Jessie, he had only done so because she had health problems that would have made childbirth dangerous. During their trial, the judge dismissed the charges against both Jessie's husband and Dr. Butts on the grounds that there was insufficient evidence for a conviction.

Watch Death of a Young Bride on YouTube.

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