July 29, 1941: Two Doctors, One Dead Woman

On the morning of Tuesday, July 29, 1941, 34-year-old Agnes Vilhemina Pearson of White Plains, New York was admitted to Grasslands Hospital in Mount Pleasant, New York in a state of semi-consciousness.

Eight hours later, she was dead. An autopsy determined the cause of death to be peritonitis caused by an abortion.

Agnes's husband, Herbert Pearson, told police that Agnes had gone to Dr. Nathan Schwartz and that he, assisted by Dr. Samuel Schwartz, made three abortion attempts perpetrated on July 11, July 26, and July 28. Samuel Schwartz's role appeared to have been administering anesthetics.

Dr. Nathan Schwartz, age 55, and Dr. Samuel Schwartz (not related), age 68, were charged with first degree manslaughter in Agnes' death. The Grand Jury heard evidence from Agnes' husband, four hospital doctors, three nurses, state police, and a laboratory worker. 

Some sources say that both doctors turned themselves in, while others say that police went to their offices to arrest them. Their bail was set at $5,000 each. I can't find any evidence that the case actually went to trial.

I can't find much background on Agnes. According to 1940 census records, the children were approximately 6 and 11 years old. Agnes had only completed elementary school. Herbert was a naturalized citizen, born in Sweden. Like Agnes, he had only an elementary-school education. He was self-employed.

Watch Were They Ever Prosecuted? on YouTube.

Sources: 

• "Police Accuse Two Physicians," Poughkeepsie (NY) Evening Star-Enterprise, July 31, 1941
• "Jury Questions 19 in Abortion Probe," (New Rochelle, NY) Standard-Star, August 6, 1941
• "Indict Doctors For Abortion," (Port Chester, NY) Daily Item, August 7, 1971
• "Indict 2 Doctors As Woman Dies," New York Daily News, August 8, 1941
• "Jury Indicts Two Doctors," The (Mt. Vernon, NY) Daily Argus, August 8, 1941
• "Coyne Admits Doctor to Bail," The (Mt. Vernon, NY) Daily Argus, August 8, 1941
• Church burial record