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Abstract
This article offers an analysis of abortion deaths among white working-class women in Providence County based on thirty-three coroners records from 1876 to 1938. Most women were single and in their twenties: they chose abortion either because their lover was married, or they were too ashamed of their premarital sexual activity to confront their parents. Married women, on the other hand, did so primarily due to economic factors, extramarital affairs, or a strong desire for no more children. In seeking abortions, single women depended on lovers while married women relied on sisters or sisters-in-law. In investigating the deaths resulting from these abortions, coroners called husbands, but not lovers, before the inquests and sought out antemortem statements. Yet only 39% of cases had dying declarations: either doctors refused to participate in interrogating women on their death beds, or women refused to identify abortionists. Of the abortion providers identified, 45% were physicians. Working-class status did not prevent these women, and later their families, from securing expensive medical care from doctors. Both inquests and newspaper coverage in Providence County differ from studies by other scholars who find these venues used as mechanisms to embarrass women and warn single women of urban threats, and to target midwives over physicians. The evidence points to analogous handling of doctors and laypeople, and of married and single women. No intimate details of women's lives were exposed and newspapers did not use sensationalized headlines to draw attention to the illegal activity of abortion. Coroner inquests asked questions necessary to investigate death from a criminal activity, not to take a moral stance on female sexuality.
Acknowledgments
The author wishes to thank the Griffin Fund at Wake Forest University for subsidizing research trips to Rhode Island; Tom Evans, State Librarian at the Rhode Island State House, for his assistance; and the participants at the American Association for the History of Medicine in May 2007 for their helpful comments and suggestions.
Notes
1 Although Coroners' Records are public documents, I have omitted the last names of the women who died to protect their privacy. Alice B, September 1897, Record 22, Box 17990, Coroners' Records, Supreme Court Judicial Records Center, 1 Hill Street, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, 02860 (hereafter referred to as Coroners' Records).
2 Vermont was the other state to extend immunity to women. New Jersey and Delaware also had immunity but through judicial interpretation, not specific mandates in antiabortion laws.
3 State Population Facts, http://www.npg.org/states/ri.htm, accessed 24 June 2008.
4 The 1870s have been omitted here because the Coroner's reports that have been saved began in 1876; only 1 abortion death was recorded in that four period.
5 State v. Walter L. Johnson, 41 R.I. 253 (1918).
6 Social workers at the RIBCL recorded that while 23% admitted to abortions, the percent of women actually undergoing abortions was most likely much higher because many women refused to acknowledge such criminal activity when seeking assistance from a clinic. Caron, Who Chooses, 77, 106–07.
7 No age was recorded in 12% of cases.
8 Of these cases, 33% called in one doctor; 27% called in two doctors; and 9% called in three doctors. The number of visits these physicians made is also surprising: 21% of women had one doctor's visit, 15% had two visits, 18% had three visits, 3% had four visits, 3% had six visits, 6% had ten visits and 3% had eleven visits.
9 Sarah H, June 1895, Record 168, Box 18000, Coroners' Records.
10 Alice B, September 1897, Record 22, Box 17990, Coroners' Records.
11 Mary M, August 1910, Record 560, Box 17998, Coroners' Records.
12 Eva K, January 1920, Record 792, Box 18068, Coroners' Records.
13 Maud B, May 1910, Record 555, Box 17998, Coroners' Records.
14 For 18.18% of the cases, I was unable to determine the method of abortion from the available records (McLaren, 800).
15 For 21.21%, the abortion that killed them was not their first: 15.15% had two previous abortions; 6.0% had three previous abortions.
16 Clara P, March 1876, Box 17989, Coroners' Records.
17 Sarah H, June 1895, Record 168, 1895.
18 Alice had abortions in November 1896, March 1897, and August 1897. Alice B, September 1897, Record 22, Box 17990, Coroners' Records.
19 Maud B, May 1910, Record 555, Box 17998.
20 Mae B, January 1934, Record 1459, Box18075, Coroners' Records.
21 Gertrude K, August 1937, Record 1651, Box 18078, Coroners' Records.
22 Septicemia accounted for 39% of deaths; septic peritonitis, 30%; and tetanus, 6%. In 3% of cases, I was unable to determine the exact cause of death.
23 Sarah H, June 1895, Record 168, Box 18000; L0ena C, January 1900, Record 58, Box 17990; Rose B, December 1908, Record 519, Box 19997; Ida W, March 1932, Record 1380, Box 18073; Bertha R, May 1912, Record 607, Box 17999; Margaret P, February 1933, Record 1415, Box 18074; Alice B, September 1897, Record 22, Box 17990; Eva K, January 1920, Record 792, Box 18068; All in Coroners' Records.
24 Janis N, August 1882, No Record Number, Box17989; Annie R, April 1901, Record 320, Box17994; Mae B, January 1934, Record 1459; Box 18075; Mertys P, March 1924, Record 965, Box 18069; Rita D, March 1938, Record 1697, Box 18145; Doris J, December 1932, Record 1409, Box 18074; Gertrude K, August 1937, Record 1651, Box 18078; Josephine H, October 1881, No Record Number, Box 17989; Margaret K, January 1935, Record 1571, Box 18076; Mary M, August 1910, Record 560, Box 17998; Helen M, October 1910, Record 566, Box 17998; Jane C, November 1912, Record 625, Box 17999; Alice S, September 1921, Record, 854, Box 18068; Clara D, June 1930, Record 1277, Box 18072; Sarah V, October 1935, Record 1555, Box 18076; Agnes H, August 1906, Record 456, Box 17996l ; Lillian R., April 1938, Record 1702, Box 18145; All in Coroners' Records.
25 Sarah H, June 1895, Record 168, Box 18000, Coroners' Records. McLaren also found that single women relied on lovers more than married women relied on husbands (McLaren, 801).
26 Lena C, January 1900, Record 58, Box 17990, Coroners' Records.
27 Bertha T, February 1885, No Record Number, Box 17994.
28 Lillian R, April 1938, Record 1702, Coroners' Records.
29 Margaret P, February 1933, Record 1415, Box 18074, Coroners' Records. For other cases of single women depending on lovers for assistance in procuring abortion, see Maud B, May 1910, Record 555, Box 17998; Eva B, October 1921, Record 859, Box 18068; Doris J, December 1932, Record 1409, Box 18074, Coroners' Records.
30 Unfortunately, there is no further information available on this recuperating home. Bertha T, February 1885, No Record Number, Box 17994; “Bertha Tost's Death: Arrest of the Colored Woman Mary Ann Williams,” Providence Journal, 27 December 1884, p. 8; “The Death of Bertha A. Tost,” Providence Journal, 3 March 1885, p. 4.
31 Sarah H, June 1895, Record 168, Box 18000, Coroners' Records.
32 Rose B, December 1908, Record 519, Box 19997, Coroners' Records.
33 Rose D, April 1924, Record 971, Box 18069, Coroners' Records.
34 Doris J, December 1932, Record 1409, Box 18074, Coroners' Records.
35 Lillian R, April 1938, Record 1701, Box 18145, Coroners' Records.
36 Rita D, March 1938, Record 1697, Box 18145, Coroners' Records.
37 Clara P, March 1876, No Record Number, Box 17989, Coroners' Records. The legal definition of dying declarations was established in British Common Law and was affirmed in State v. Dalton, 20 R.I. 114, 37 A. 673 (1897).
38 Agnes H, August 1906, Record 456, Box 17996, Coroners' Records.
39 Bertha R, May 1912, Record 607, Box 17999, Coroners' Records.
40 Mae B, January 1934, Record 1459, Box 18075, Coroners' Records.
41 Mary M provided an antemortem statement but officials did not have her clearly state that she knew she was dying so it was thrown out, August 1910, Record 560, Box 17998; Ellen F, August 1918, Record 755, Box 18067; Eva K, January 1920, Record 792, Box 18068; Eva B, October 1921, Record 859, Box 18068; Doris J, December 1932, Record 1409, Box 18074; Margaret P, February 1933, Record 1415, Box 18074; Sarah V was raped, returned to the rapist for help securing an abortion, and willingly identified both the rapist and abortionist, October 1935, Record 1555, Box 18076; Gertrude K, August 1937, Record 1651, Box 18078; Lillian R, April 1938, Record 1702, Box 18145, Coroners' Records.
42 Sarah V, October 1935, Record 1555, Box 18076, Coroners' Records.
43 Lillian R, April 1938, Record 1702, Box 18145, Coroners' Records.
44 Rose D, April 1924, Record 971, box 18069, Coroners' Records.
45 Jannis N, August 1882, No Record Number, Box 17989, Coroners' Records.
46 Bertha T, February 1885, No Record Number, Box 17994, Coroners' Records.
47 Sarah H, June 1895, Record 168, Box 18000, Coroners' Records.
48 Annie R, April 1901, Record 320, Box 17994, Coroners' Records.
49 Helen M, October 1910, Record 566, Box 17998, Coroners' Records.
50 Jane C, November 1912, Record 625, Box 17999, Coroners' Records.
51 Rose D, April 1924, Record 971, Box 18069, Coroners' Records.
52 Mary M, August 1910, Record 560, Box 17998, Coroners' Records.
53 Margaret K, January 1936, Record 1571, Box 18076, Coroners' Records.
54 Maud B, May 1910, Record 555, Box, 17998, Coroners' Records.
55 Alice B, September 1897, Record 22, Box 17990, Coroners' Records.
56 Lena C, January 1900, Record 58, Box 17990, Coroners' Records. For other cases with no antemortem statement, see Mertys P, March 1924, Record 965, Box 18069; Lodia L, February 1928, Record 1127, Box 18071; Ida W, March 1932, Record 1380, Box 18073; Margaret K, January 1935, Record 1571, Box 18076; Rita D, March 1938, Record 1697, Box 18145, Coroners' Records. In one case, the facts were unclear: Coroner John P. Cooney, Jr., went to the hospital to speak with Clara D but he did not enter the conversation into the record. Clara's girlfriend provided police with the abortionist's name, thus implying that Clara did not cooperate with Cooney. Clara D, June 1930, Record 1277, Box 18072, Coroners' Records.
57 Rose B, December 1908, Record 519, Box 19997, Coroners' Records.
58 Rita D, March 1938, Record 1697, Box 18145, Coroners' Records.
59 Rose D, April 1924, Record 971, Box 18069, Coroners' Records.
60 “Dr. O'Leary Given 3-Year Term for Criminal Operation,” Providence Evening Bulletin, 5 August 1921, 1.
61 Bertha R, May 1912, Record 607, Box 17999, Coroners' Records.
62 Rose B, December 1908, Record 519, Box 19997, Coroners' Records.
63 Mary M, August 1910, Record 560, Box 17990, Coroners' Records; Mae B, January 1934, Record 1459, Box 18075, Coroners' Records.
64 Clara P, March 1876, No Record Number, Box 17989, Coroners' Records.
65 Bertha T, February 1885, No Record Number, Box 17994, Coroners' Records; “The Death of Bertha A. Tost,” Providence Journal, 3 March 1885, 4.
66 Josephine H, October 1881, No Record Number, Box 17989, Coroners' Records.
67 Alice B, September 1897, Record 22, Box 17990, Coroners' Records.
68 Helen M, October 1910, Record 566, Box 17998, Coroners' Records; “Doctor and Woman Shot New Nayatt,” Providence Journal, 1 September 1915, 1; “Killer's Death Recalls Mohr Murder Case,” Providence Journal, 8 February 1959, N22. Mohr found himself in trouble with the law, but not over abortion. He had been arrested for assaulting his domestic servant, and for driving while intoxicated. His wife sued him for separation. She hired his chauffeur and another man, both of whom were African Americans, to murder Mohr and his lover. They succeeded in killing Mohr, but not his lover. Despite numerous newspaper articles, no mention was made of his involvement in abortion.
69 “Dr. Chandler Arraigned,” Providence Journal, 14 May 1912, 3.
70 “Operation Kills Girl; Police Seek Doctor,” Providence Journal, 11 April 1910, 2.
71 I could find no mention of Lidia's father. Perhaps Dr. Golini was a single mother. www.ridance.com/p.html accessed 7 August 2008.
72 Obituary, and Rhode Island Medical Society Application Form, and Carlotta N. Golini to Dr. Peter P. Chase, 27 April 1925, all three in File Golini, Carlotta, Box 4, RIMS, Rhode Island History Society, Providence, RI.
73 Clara D, June 1930, Record 1277, Box 18071, Coroners' Records.
74 Doris J, December 1932, Record 1409, Coroners' Records.
75 Lillian R, April 1938, Record 1702, Box 18145, Coroners' Records.
76 Sarah H, June 1895, Record 168, Box 18000, Coroners' Records.
77 “Operation Victim Dead,” Providence Journal, 11 July 1937, 9; “Held Responsible in Death,” Providence Journal, 10 August 1937, 19.
78 The Providence Journal, founded in 1829, is “America's oldest major daily newspaper of general circulation in continuous publication.” It added the Evening Bulletin in 1863 to increase coverage of the Civil War; this nightly edition was eliminated in 1995. During the mid-nineteenth century, the paper was affiliated with the Republican Party. By the 1880s, the paper published numerous critiques of the Party and as a result was evicted from the state party convention. In 1888, the paper declared itself politically independent. http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/The-Providence-Journal-Company-Company-History.html.
79 “Bertha Tost's Death: Arrest of the Colored Woman Mary Ann Williams,” Providence Journal, 27 December 1884, 8; “The Death of Bertha A. Tost,” Providence Journal, 3 March 1885, 4.
80 “Dr. Worth Arrested,” Providence Journal, 8 September 1897, 4.
81 “Dr. Chandler Arraigned,” Providence Journal, 14 May 1912, 3.
82 “Woman Doctor is Arrested on Serious Charge,” Providence Evening Bulletin, 20 May 1924, 4. Other sources make clear that Golini did not face any legal repercussions from this case: “No further disposition has been made in this case.” Charles Sission, Attorney General, to Dr. Peter P. Chase, 19 May 1925, File Goilini, Carlotta, Box 4, RIMS, RIHS.
83 “Doctor Held for Illegal Operation; Denies Charge,” Providence Journal, 22 March 1926, 4; n.t., Providence Evening Bulletin, 1 July 1926, 2.
84 Charles Sission, Attorney General, to Dr. Peter P. Chase, 19 May 1925, File Goilini, Carlotta, Box 4, RIMS, RIHS.
85 Mae B, January 1934, Record 1459, Box 18075, Coroners' Records; “Bristol Man Held in Woman's Death,” Providence Journal, 28 December 1933, 20; “Continuance is Granted for Bristol Psysician (sic),” Providence Journal, 9 January 1934, 14; “Coroner Reports Dr. Lake's Act Resulted in Death,” Providence Journal, 23 January 1934, 11.
86 “Inquest Ordered in Death of Margaret Keefe,” Providence Journal, 4 December 1935, 13; “Margaret Keefe Death Inquest Testimony Heard,” Providence Journal, 14 December 1935, 2; Margaret K, January 1936, Record 1571, Box 18076, Coroner's Records.
87 “Providence Woman Will be Arraigned on Grave Charge,” Providence Journal, 5 August 1918, 11.
88 “Woman Held on Charge of Illegal Operation,” Providence Evening Bulletin, 25 January 1923, 4.
89 “Cranston Woman Held on Criminal Complaint,” Providence Evening Bulletin, 27 August 1923, 4.
90 “Awaits Grand Jury Action in Illegal Operation Case,” Providence Evening Bulletin, 3 June 1924, 4.
91 “Brooks Given Deferred Sentence by Judge Hahn,” Providence Evening Bulletin, 24 November 1924, 2.
92 This case was interesting because the main point of the small article – it was only one sentence – was her alleged assault on Jacob Mostecki, presumably her husband: “Anastazia Mostecki of Woonsocket pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging her with assault with a dangerous weapon on Jacob Mostecki on March 24, and also pleaded not guilty to two secret indictments charging her with illegal operations, and was released under $1000 bail on each of the three charges.” “Woman Denies Assault,” Providence Evening Bulletin, 29 June 1926, 3.
93 “Woman Accused of Criminal Operation,” Providence Evening Bulletin, 23 November 1926, 3.
94 “Mrs. Rybicki, 38, Faces Illegal Operation Charge,” Providence Evening Bulletin, 9 May 1933, 21.
95 “Operation Victim Dead,” Providence Journal, 11 July 1937, 9; “Held Responsible in Death,” 10 August 1937, 19.
96 “Deny Illegal Operation,” Providence Journal, 11 August 1937, 11.
97 “Operation Fatal to Girl,” Providence Journal, 8 April 1938, 9.
98 The remaining cases were not applicable to this section because either the woman refused to divulge the name of the abortionist (15%), the lover was held responsible (6%), or newspapers did not cover the incident (23%).
99 “Death Notices,” Providence Journal, 3 April 1930, 3; “Death Notices,” Providence Journal, 5 July 1935, 3.
100 See Article One, Section 9, of the Rhode Island State Constitution, accessed 17 August 2007, http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/RiConstitution/C01.html.
101 “Death by Misadventure,” Providence Journal, 25 February 1896, 1; “Girl Dies Following Operation; Woman is Suspected,” Providence Evening Bulletin , 22 July 1926, 1; “Two Are Held in Connection with Young Woman's Death,” Providence Evening Bulletin, 15 November 1927, 1.
102 N.T., Providence Journal, 5 October 1881, 4.
103 Eugenia R, February 1896, Record 318, Box 17944, Coroners’ Records; “Death by Misadventure,” Providence Journal, 25 February 1896, 1; “Girl Dies Following Operation; Woman is Suspected,” Providence Evening Bulletin, 22 July 1926, 1; “Two Are Held in Connection with Young Woman's Death,” Providence Evening Bulletin, 15 November 1927, 1.
104 “Suspicious Death to be Probed,” Providence Journal, 15 August 1906, 2.
105 “Operation Kills Girl; Police Seek Doctor,” Providence Journal, 11 April 1910, 2.
106 N.T., Providence Journal, 1 August 1910, 3.
107 “Providence Woman Will Be Arraigned on Grave Charge,” Providence Journal, 5 August 1918, 11.
108 “Coroner Says Girl Died from Criminal Operation,” Providence Evening Bulletin, 8 September 1921, 4.
109 “Woman Dies as Result of Criminal Operation,” Providence Journal, 11 September 1921, 6.
110 “Two Are Held in Connection with Young Women's Death,” Providence Evening Bulletin, 15 November 1927, 1.
111 “Death Notices,” Providence Journal, 4 April 1930, 3, 5 July 1935, 3, 8 August 1937, 3.
112 “Inquest Order in Death of Margaret A. Keefe,” Providence Journal, 4 December 1935, 13; “Margaret Keefe Death Inquest Testimony Heard,” Providence Journal, 14 December 1935, 2.
113 N.T., Providence Journal, 23 August 1882, 4.
114 N.T., Providence Journal, 23 August 1882, 4; N.T., Providence Journal, 26 August 1882, 4; Jannis N, August 1882, No Record Number, Box 17989, Coroners' Records.
115 “Bertha Tost's Death: Arrest of the Colored Woman Mary Ann Williams,” Providence Journal, 27 December 1884, 8; “The Death of Bertha A. Tost, Providence Journal, 3 March 1885, 4.
116 “Bristol Man Held in Woman's Death,” Providence Journal, 28 December 1933, 20; “Continuance is Granted for Bristol Psysician (sic),” Providence Journal, 9 January 1934, 14; “Coroner Reports Dr. Lake's Act Resulted in Death,” Providence Journal, 23 January 1934, 11.
117 “Operation Victim Dead,” Providence Journal, 11 July 1937, 9; “Held Responsible in Death,” Providence Journal, 10 August 1937, 19.
118 “Dr. Worth Arrested,” Providence Journal, 8 September 1897, 4.
119 “Dr. Chandler Arraigned,” Providence Journal, 14 May 1912, 3.
120 “Man Held After Woman Succumbs at Hospital,” Providence Journal, 31 January 1933, 11; “Pawtucket Man Charged with Illegal Operation,” Providence Journal, 1 February 1933, 2.
121 Margaret P, February 1933, Record 1415, Box 18074, Coroners Records.
122 “Miss M.E. Meiggs Dead,” Providence Journal, 12 July 1910, 10.
123 “Coroner Probing Death of Woman After Operation,” Providence Evening Bulletin, 20 February 1924, 2.
124 Maud B, May 1910, Record 555, Box 17998, Coroners' Records.
125 Doris J, December 1932, Record 1409, Box 18074, Coroners' Records.
126 Gertrude K, August 1937, Record 1651, Box 18078, Coroners' Records.
127 The pills contained “Ergot, Cotton root, aloes and iron sulphate” and were to be taken once every 4 h for “female weakness, irregular menstruation.” William Harrop, the druggist, testified that anyone could get a refill of a prescription by simply bringing in the box with the old prescription attached. Ida W, March 1932, Record 1380, Box 18073, Coroners' Records.
128 Ida W, 1932, Record 1380, Box 18073, Coroners' Records.
129 1861 Rhode Island Abortion Statute, Chapter 371, Acts and Resolves of the General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation (Providence: A. Crawford Greene, 1861), 133; 1867 Rhode Island Abortion Statute, Chapter 689, Acts and Resolves of the General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation (Providence: Providence Press Company, 1867), 148.
130 “Mrs Rybicki, 38, Faces Illegal Operation charge,” Providence Evening Bulletin, 9 May 1933, 21.
131 Agnes H, August 1906, Record 456, Box 179961, Coroners' Records.