May 12, 1946: Second Death in One Year for Seattle Abortionist

SUMMARY: Irene Timmons, age 24, died May 12, 1946 after an abortion perpetrated by Seattle sanitarium operator Marjorie Folsom.

According to "When Abortion was Illegal (and Deadly): Seattle's Maternal Death Toll," Seattle Civil Rights & Labor History Project:

The Kingston housewife [Irene Timmons] was the second woman to die as a result of a procedure performed by Margaret Folsom. According to the brief article, Folsom who was out on bail for the Mary Johnson fatality, operated on Mrs. Timmons on May 8 and "the woman died four days later." Police charged that Folsom had established a new office "set up as an abortion mill" since her arrest two months earlier. It is not clear what happened to this case.

The Project cites a May 17, 1946 article in the Seattle Times.

The abortionist's name was actually Marjorie, not Margaret. 

The investigation concluded that Irene's abortion had been done with an instrument that had not been sterilized. She left behind three children.

Marjorie Folsom

According to the May 17, 1946 Seattle Star, neither Folsom, nor her co-conspirator Ada Pearl Wrench, was a doctor or even a nurse. "The trail of investigation led to an unmarked door in a downtown office building." This was Folsom's office. "When the raiding party broke into Mrs. Folsom's office, she frantically attempted to tear up her records, containing figures as well as women's names and addresses." 

Folsom, the Star said, had been caught in a sting operation when the prosecutor sent a female staff member to Folsom's office to arrange an abortion.

Both Folsom and Wrench pleaded not guilty. Folsom was found guilty for abortion and manslaughter in one of the deaths and sentenced to three years, of which she served ten months and the rest was deferred.

My sources: 

• "Death Laid to Illegal Surgery," Seattle Star, May 17, 1946
• "Woman Posts Bail In Abortion Charge," The Bremerton (WA) Sun, May 18, 1946
• "2 Deny Accusation Of Illegal Surgery," Seattle Star, May 21, 1946
• Washington State Correction and Jail Records