September 20, 1922: Two Marys Come Together for Tragedy

Mary Gresky took ill, dying of blood poisoning on September 20, 1922, from a criminal abortion performed with some sort of instrument on September 16.

On her deathbed, she named Mary Vargo as the perpetrator who used some sort of instrument on her.

Mary Vargo was found guilty of criminal malpractice, but won an appeal on the grounds of of improper instructions to the jury, irregularities of the admission of the deathbed statement, and failure to prove that the abortion had been part of a prior pattern of criminal activity on her part.

I have been unable to determine Mary Vargo's profession. However, given the charge of criminal malpractice, she was likely some sort of medical professional, perhaps a nurse or a midwife..