User:Richard Arthur Norton (1958- )/Susannah Lattin
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Susannah Lattin (January 7, 1848 - August 27, 1868) was a young woman who died post-partum at an illegal adoption clinic at 6 Amity Place in New York City. Her death lead to an investigation which resulted in regulation of abortion clinics and adoptions in New York in 1868.
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[edit] Birth and siblings
Susannah was born in 1848 in Farmingdale, Nassau County, Long Island, New York. She was the daughter of Henry K. Lattin (1806-1894) and Julia Wood (1813-1873). She had the following siblings: Mary E. Lattin (1833-1874) who married Charles Powell; George Lattin (1837-?); Juliett Lattin (c1840-?); William H. Lattin (1842-1871) who married Ella; Phoebe Maria Lattin (c1845-?); Smith Lattin (1849-?); Charles G. Lattin (1850-1869); Jarvis Andrew Lattin (1853-1941) who married Mary Jane Puckett (1854-1927); and Deborah Jane Lattin (1858-1861) who died as a child. One of Susannah's sisters died in 1868.
[edit] Farmingdale to Brooklyn
Around 1867 Susannah moved from Farmingdale to Williamsburg in Brooklyn, where she lived with her cousin Andrew Wood.
[edit] Unplanned pregnancy
Susannah became pregnant by George C. Houghton (1845-?), he was a clerk at Whitehouse's boot and shoe store on Fulton Street. He paid $50 to Dr. J.C. Harrison to perform an abortion, but Susannah did not go through with it. She was still hoping that Houghton would marry her. Houghton then quit his job and moved to Philadelphia to escape the situation. Susannah next went to George H. Powell (1830-?), an older cousin, who worked as a butcher at the Washington Market to help her. He pretended to be her husband and arranged for her, as "Mrs. Smith", to see Dr. Henry D. Grindle, who ran an unauthorized "lying-in" hospital that allowed pregnant woman to have their children and have them illegally adopted. The doctor wanted her to pay $150, but Susannah could only pay $100 and he accepted it.
[edit] Delivery, illegal adoption and death
Susannah checked into the lying-in hospital on August 05, 1868, then a few weeks later she delivered a healthy baby boy who was adopted anonymously without any record kept of the adoptive parents. Around August 18, 1868, Susannah developed a postpartum infection. The medical student who attended to her realized Susannah was in serious condition and was not likely to survive, and he persuaded her to tell him her real name so he could notify her family. The message got to her parents after she had died. She was buried in Powell Cemetery in Farmingdale.
[edit] The mysterious note
- From: 6 Amity Place, Manhattan. To: Mr. Henry Lattin. Dear Sir: You daughter is at No. 6 Amity Place, very sick with typhoid fever, and I do not expect her to live twenty-four hours. She inquires about her mother frequently, and wants her to come immediately. Yours truly, E. Daun
[edit] Inquest verdict
- Susannah Lattin came to death by metroperitonitis, the result of child-birth at D.H. Grindle's establishment at No. 6 Amity Place on the 27th of August 1868. We further censure Dr. Grindle for the irregular method of operating his business, relative to taking in women to confine, and also the method of adopting children so delivered. We further recommend the Legislature to so enact a law whereby all such establishments shall be under the supervision of the Board of Health, or any other recognized authority. We further condemn the practice of any regular medical college recognizing students connected with any such establishments
[edit] Timeline
- November 1867 Susannah gets impregnated by George C. Houghton (1845-?)
- April 1868 Susannah and George Houghton go to abortionist and pay $50
- August 06, 1868, Thursday Susannah Lattin and George H. Powell go to the lying-in hospital and pay $100 of the $150 fee
- August 07, 1868, Friday Susannah gives birth
- August 15, 1868 Dr. John H. Dorn diagnoses "fever and loose bowels"
- August 18, 1868 Infection worsens
- August 27, 1868 Death of Susannah Lattin from infection
- August 29, 1868 Coroner inquest begins
[edit] The players
- George C. Houghton (1845-?) The man who impregnated Susannah and fled to Philadelphia. He was a former clerk at Whitehouse's boot and shoe store on Fulton Street. He paid $50 for an abortion to Dr. J.C. Harrison, but Susannah did not go through with it and was hoping that Houghton would marry her.
- Andrew Wood. Susannah's cousin whom she lived with in Brooklyn
- E. Daun aka Daune. Dr. Grindle's medical student who wrote and signed the note.
- Dr. John H. Dorn. The first to see Susannah when she became septic.
- George H. Powell (1829-?) Susannah's cousin who helped her find the clinic. He was a butcher at the Washington Market in New York and pretended to be her husband when they went to the adoption clinic. He lived on the corner of Marcy Street in Brooklyn. In 1880 he was working at a poultry salesman in Brooklyn and living with his wife, Jane. George is the brother of Charles Powell who married Mary E. Lattin (1833-1874). Mary Lattin is Susannah's sister.
- Dr. Thomas C. Finnell. The doctor who urged Susannah to contact her family while she was dying.
- Dr. Henry D. Grindle. The doctor that ran the "lying-in" house at 6 Amity Place, but was not there when she died.
- Dr. J.C. Harrison. The doctor Susannah first went to in April of 1868 at 115 Bleeker Street
- Dr. Rollins. The coroner.
[edit] References
- New York Times, August 29, 1868, page 08; "A rather singular case of death occurred yesterday morning, in the private Lying-in Hospital of Dr. H.D. Grindle, at No. 6 Amity-Place, which is surrounded with considerable mystery and suspicion."
- Brooklyn Eagle, August 29, 1868; "Daughter of a resident of Farmingdale dies under suspicious circumstances. The body found in a lying-in hospital"
- New York Times, August 30, 1868, page 08; "The Amity Place mystery. Inquest over the remains of Susannah Lattin. How a private lying-in hospital is conducted. Coroner Rollins proceeded yesterday to hold an inquest, at the mercer-street police station, over the remains of Susannah Lattin, the young woman who died at the private lying-in hospital of dr. H.D. Grindle, at No. 6 Amity Place, under circumstances of considerable mystery, yet suggestive of malpractice."
- Brooklyn Eagle, September 01, 1868; "Long Island Mystery: arrest of a butcher on suspicion of murder"
- Brooklyn Eagle, September 02, 1868; "Long Island Mystery: another arrest"
- New York Times, September 04, 1868, page 02; "The Amity Place mystery: Continuation of the inquest by coroner Rollins. Letter of the deceased. Extraordinary developments. Rollins yesterday resumed his investigation into the case of Miss Susannah Lattin, who died on the 28th at Dr. D.H. Grindle's private lying-in hospital, No. 6 Amity-Place."
- Brooklyn Eagle, September 09, 1868, page 3; "Long Island Mystery: Dr. Harrison and Grindle testify"
