Susannah Lattin
| Susannah Lattin | |
|---|---|
 Fallen gravestone of Susannah Lattin (1848-1868) in Powell Cemetery in 2002 | |
| Born |
January 7, 1848 Farmingdale, New York |
| Died |
August 27, 1868 (aged 20) Manhattan |
Cause of death | Childbirth |
Resting place | Powell Cemetery |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Abortion debate |
| Parents |
Henry K. Lattin (1806-1894) Julia Wood (1813-1873) |
| Relatives | Jarvis Andrew Lattin (1853-1941), brother |
Susannah Lattin (January 7, 1848 – August 27, 1868) was an American woman who died of a postpartum infection at an illegal maternity clinic at 6 Amity Place in New York City, operated by Henry Dyer Grindle.[1] Her death led to an investigation which resulted in regulation of maternity clinics and adoptions in New York City in 1868.[2][3]
Early life
Lattin was born in Farmingdale on Long Island, the daughter of Henry K. Lattin (1806-1894) and Julia Wood (1813-1873). Her siblings included: Mary E. Lattin(1833-1874); George Lattin (1837-?); Juliett Lattin (c. 1840-?); William H. Lattin (1842-1871); Phoebe Maria Lattin (c. 1845-?); Smith Lattin (1849-?); Charles G. Lattin (1850-1869); Jarvis Andrew Lattin (1853-1941); and Deborah Jane Lattin (1858-1861) who died as a child. One of Lattin's sisters also died in 1868.[1]
Around 1867, Lattin moved from Farmingdale to Williamsburg in Brooklyn, where she lived with her cousin Andrew Wood.[1]
Unplanned pregnancy
Lattin became pregnant by George C. Houghton; he was a clerk at Whitehouse's boot and shoe store on Fulton Street, Brooklyn. He paid $50 to Dr. J.C. Harrison to perform an abortion, but Lattin 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. Lattin next went to her cousin, George H. Powell 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 she could only pay $100 and he accepted it.[3]
Death
Lattin checked into the lying-in hospital on August 5, 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, she 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.[3]
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. P.S. take the Fulton Street cars at the ferry and they will take you to the house. E. Daun.[3][4]
She was later buried in the family plot in Powell Cemetery in Farmingdale.
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 August 27, 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.[3]
Timeline
- 1867, November; Susannah gets impregnated by George C. Houghton (1845-?)
- 1868, April; Susannah and George Houghton go to abortionist and pay $50
- 1868, August 6, 1868, Thursday; Susannah Lattin and George H. Powell go to the lying-in hospital and pay $100 of the $150 fee
- 1868, August 7, 1868, Friday; Susannah gives birth
- 1868, August 15, 1868; Dr. John H. Dorn, diagnoses "fever and loose bowels"
- 1868, August 18, 1868; Infection worsens
- 1868, August 27, 1868; Death of Susannah Lattin from infection
- 1868, August 29, 1868; Coroner inquest begins
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "A Mysterious Case. A Missing Daughter Found Dead In a Private Lying-In Hospital. The Case in the Hands of the Coroner.". New York Times. August 29, 1868. Retrieved 2012-07-09. "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"
- ↑ Hoolihan, Christopher (2001). An Annotated Catalogue of the Edward C. Atwater Collection of American Popular Medicine and Health Reform. Boydell & Brewer. ISBN 1580460984.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "The Amity Place mystery". New York Times. August 30, 1868. Retrieved 2007-08-21. "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."
- ↑ "Daughter of a resident of Farmingdale dies under suspicious circumstances. The body found in a lying-in hospital". Brooklyn Eagle. August 29, 1868. Retrieved 2012-07-11. "Last Wednesday Mr. Henry Lattin, a resident of Farmingdale, Long Island received a letter of which the following is a copy: 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. P.S. take the Fulton Street cars at the ferry and they will take you to the house. E. Daun. Mr. and Mrs Lattin started at once for New York ..."
- 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, August 31, 1868; "The Long Island Mystery. Investigation by coroner Rollins of [New] York, The Father, Mother, and Brother of the Deceased Girl on the Stand. "
- Brooklyn Eagle, September 1, 1868; "Long Island Mystery: arrest of a butcher on suspicion of murder" "At eight o'clock last night Officer O.H. Smith, of the Forty-fourth Precinct, arrested George H. Powell, a butcher doing business in Washington Market and residing in Marcy, near Myrtle Avenue, who is charged with being an accomplice in the death of Susannah Lattin, of Farmingdale, Long Island
- Brooklyn Eagle, September 2, 1868; "Long Island Mystery: another arrest" "Yesterday Detective William H. Folk, of the Central Office, in this city, arrested in Philadelphia a young man twenty-three years of age, named George C. Houghton, on a charge of having been in some manner instrumental in taking Susannah Lattin to the alleged lying-in asylum, No. 6 Amity Street. The accused was formerly employed as a clerk in a boot and shoe store in this city, and during the Coroner's investigation last Saturday, the brother of the deceased girl testified that his sister had been keeping company with a young man formerly employed in Whitehouse's boot and shoe store, on Fulton Street. The accused denies his guilt, but was taken to the Fifteenth Precinct station-house, in New York, where he will await the action of Coroner Rollins."
- Brooklyn Eagle, September 4, 1868, page 02; "The Long Island Mystery. Continuation of Coroner's Inquest. The Friends of the Deceased Girl on the Stand. "The investigation into the circumstances attending the death of Susannah Lattin, the daughter of a citizen of Farmingdale, Long Island, who died on the 28th ultima at the alleged private lying-in asylum. No. 6 Amity Street, New York, was continued by Coroner Rollins yesterday. George A. Lockwood, a student employed by Dr. Grindle, corroborated the testimony given by Edward Daun, a fellow student, at the last investigation; in his opinion, death was the result of typhoid fever; he denied that the woman went to the asylum for the purpose of procuring an abortion; a return of the births were regularly made to the Board of Health; the children were usually adopted out. WIlliam Tate of 560 Myrtle Avenue testified that about the middle of last July a man and a woman lived in apartments over his store, they gave their names as Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and appeared to live together as man and wife. They lived there about three weeks, and on August 28 the man went to Mr. Tate and told him that Mrs. Smith had died the previous day, he did not say where or how. Mr. Tate recognized George Powell, who was present in the room, as the man who gave the name of Smith. ..."
- New York Times, September 4, 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 9, 1868, page 3; "The Long Island Mystery. Dr. Harrison and Grindle testify."
- New York Times, September 11, 1868; "The University Medical College. To the Editor of the New-York Times: I have observed with regret your strictures on the University Medical College, in your comments in "Minor Topics" on the Coroner's inquest, head at the house of Dr. Grindle, A graduate of the University. Suspected on being concerned in producing abortions. It is true that H.D. Grindle graduated at the University, but in 1867, ..."
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