March 19, 1932: One of a String of Oklahoma Abortion Death

Dr. J. W. Eisiminger

Geraldine Easley, age 19, admitted before her death on March 19, 1932, that she had undergone a criminal abortion. Since Dr. James W. Eisiminger and Dr. Richard E. Thacker had been responsible for a string of other criminal abortion deaths in the Oklahoma City area, suspicion in Geraldine's death naturally leaned toward the two known quack abortionists.[1] However, to my knowledge the specific perpetrator was not identified.

Geraldine was the second in a sudden string of criminal abortion deaths to Oklahoma City, attributed to Thacker and Eisiminger either singly or as a pair:

• 

  Dr. Richard Thacker

  March 18: Margaret Ann Kuenkel  (Thacker)
• March 19: Geraldine Easley (undetermined)
• April 3:  Ethel Hestand (Thacker)
• April 14:  Isobel Ferguson (Eisiminger and Thacker)
• April 15: Ruth Hall (Eisiminger and Thacker)
• April 20:  Robbie Lou Thompson (Thacker)
• April 23: Virginia Lee Wyckoff  (Eisiminger)
• April 23: Lennis May Roach (Eisiminger and Thacker)
• April 24: Nancy Joe Lee (Thacker)

Sources:

• "Investigation of Many Suspected Cases Under Way," Oshkosh Daily Northwestern, Apr. 29, 1932
• "Investigate Epidemic Of Illegal Operations," Sheboygan (WI) Press, April 29, 1932