Monday, January 12, 2026

January 12, 1900: One of Many Deaths Linked to Paulina Bechtel

On January 12, 1900, Ida Henry, age 26, died at the home she shared with Dr. Paulina Bechtel, from complications of an abortion Bechtel had performed on her there that day. Bechtel, who said that she'd been practicing medicine for 18 years, was held by the Coroner's Jury. An undertaker had embalmed Ida's body prior to a post-mortem examination. He was censured for this compromising of evidence that would be found in the body, but was not charged with any crime. 

Bechtel had been tried in the October 3, 1895 abortion death of Mrs. Kittie Bassett. She was also implicated in the death of Barbara Shelgren shortly after Ida's death, but was identified as a midwife in that case. According to Leslie Reagan, author of When Abortion Was a Crime, it was common for female physicians to be misidentified as midwives, particularly if they practiced obstetrics. 

Bechtel went on to perform a fatal abortion on Mary Thorning in 1911. 

While looking for any additional information on the death of Ida Henry, I found two other deaths attributed to Dr. Bechtel: Carrie Marskl (September of 1904) and Mary Orning (December of 1911).

I've been unable to determine why Bechtel wasn't incarcerated after these deaths.

No comments: