Anniversary: Dr. Hagenow claims another victim

On February 15, 1925, Nina H. Pierce, a 22-year-old white woman, died at the Chicago Lying-In Hospital from complications of a criminal abortion believed to have been performed that day by Dr. Lucy Hagenow. Hagenow was arrested the day Nina died, at the crime scene, as was Nina's husband, Logan Pierce.

Both of them were originally exonerated by the coroner on March 5, 1925. But on June 10, Hagenow was held to a Grand Jury on $25,000 bond, and Pierce released, by Judge Schulman.

There were a number of deaths in Chicago attributed to either a Lucy Hagenow or a Louise Hagenow. I believe these to be the same woman. The deaths include:

Lottie Lowy

Bridget Masterson

Mary Moorehead

Jean Cohen

Elizabeth Welter

Marie Hicht

Hagenow was typical of criminal abortionists in that she was a physician.



For more on pre-legalization abortion, see The Bad Old Days of Abortion

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