January
2, 1916 – Dr. M. A. Hatch, who already has five indictments
for alleged illegal practice on women patients, one of them charging him with
the manslaughter of 18-yer-old Helen Davis on Dec. 8, was re-arrested today. He
was at liberty on $10,000 bail.
Tomorrow County Attorney John Rees will issue a new complaint, charging Dr. Hatch with manslaughter in the first degree in connection with the death today of Mrs. Bertha Gruenberg, 36 years old. She was the mother of six children. Dr. Hatch s accused of performing an illegal operation on her at her home Christmas day. She died at Ashbury Hospital. Coroner Seashore, after an autopsy, said death was due to septic poisoning following a criminal operation.
Dr. Hatch was to have been called to trial in district court tomorrow on the charge of manslaughter for the death of Helen Davis. He pleaded not guilty to this charge Dec. 12.
His first arrest took place Nov. 30 in a raid on his residence on Minnehaha Ave., in which five women were taken, all of whom are said to have been subject to illegal operations. One of these women was Helen Davis, whose death occurred at the City Hospital.
Walter Newton and Nathan Rivkin, assistant county attorneys, investigated the Gruenberg case today, and say they obtained, through witnesses, the substance of an oral statement from the dying woman establishing their case against Dr. Hatch.
The assistant county attorneys say they learned Mrs. Gruenberg became seriously ill last Thursday, and that another physician, Dr. George J. Gordon, was called in. They say Dr. Gordon ran into Dr. Hatch at the woman’s residence Friday morning as preparations were made to take Mrs. Gruenberg to the hospital.
Dr. Hatch is said to have experienced surprise and indignation that another physician had been called but withdrew. The patient continued to grow worse and at 7 a.m. today Dr. Gordon called Mr. Rivkin to her bedside to take what he believed to be her dying statement.
Death came before the assistant county attorney could reach the hospital, but the woman told her story to nurses, hospital authorities, Dr. Gordon and others who were called into the room to hear it.
Tomorrow County Attorney John Rees will issue a new complaint, charging Dr. Hatch with manslaughter in the first degree in connection with the death today of Mrs. Bertha Gruenberg, 36 years old. She was the mother of six children. Dr. Hatch s accused of performing an illegal operation on her at her home Christmas day. She died at Ashbury Hospital. Coroner Seashore, after an autopsy, said death was due to septic poisoning following a criminal operation.
Dr. Hatch was to have been called to trial in district court tomorrow on the charge of manslaughter for the death of Helen Davis. He pleaded not guilty to this charge Dec. 12.
His first arrest took place Nov. 30 in a raid on his residence on Minnehaha Ave., in which five women were taken, all of whom are said to have been subject to illegal operations. One of these women was Helen Davis, whose death occurred at the City Hospital.
Walter Newton and Nathan Rivkin, assistant county attorneys, investigated the Gruenberg case today, and say they obtained, through witnesses, the substance of an oral statement from the dying woman establishing their case against Dr. Hatch.
The assistant county attorneys say they learned Mrs. Gruenberg became seriously ill last Thursday, and that another physician, Dr. George J. Gordon, was called in. They say Dr. Gordon ran into Dr. Hatch at the woman’s residence Friday morning as preparations were made to take Mrs. Gruenberg to the hospital.
Dr. Hatch is said to have experienced surprise and indignation that another physician had been called but withdrew. The patient continued to grow worse and at 7 a.m. today Dr. Gordon called Mr. Rivkin to her bedside to take what he believed to be her dying statement.
Death came before the assistant county attorney could reach the hospital, but the woman told her story to nurses, hospital authorities, Dr. Gordon and others who were called into the room to hear it.
1It wasn’t until after an autopsy had been performed that the representatives of the county attorney asked the police to act. Detectives William Fox, John Staples and Michael Johannes went to Dr. Hatch’s home but found he wasn’t there.
Watching the telephone so that no warning might be sent from the home, the detectives searched the dwelling. Dr. Hatch arrived an hour later and was placed under arrest. He was held without bail and without a charge, pending the issuance of a formal complaint tomorrow.
“We believed $10,000 bail in the former case was sufficient,” said Assistant County Attorney Walter Newton. “Now we will ask the court to make the bail so high that Dr. Hatch will be unable to furnish it.”
The new charge will delay trial in the former ones. A new grand jury meets in two days. Evidence obtained today will be placed before it immediately. It is probable the county attorney will elect to try the physician on the new case, abandoning the former charges for the present.
Asked for a statement this evening, Dr. Hatch replied that he had none to make. His attorney, George B. Leonard, was expected to ask a continuance of several days in the hearing of the former charge when the case was called and it was to have been granted.
The assistant county attorneys said the husband Moses Gruenberg, will be questioned. Three of the children were questioned and are said to have admitted knowledge of an operation, but denied knowledge of its nature.
The Minneapolis Morning Tribune; “Hatch Arrested After Another Woman’s Death. New Manslaughter Charge to Be Placed Against Physician Today. Patient Underwent Operation Christmas. Latest Development to Delay Trial of Former Cases—Held Without Bond.”; Jan. 3, 1916; p. 1.
1http://abortionmedicalethics.weebly.com/uploads/1/6/9/9/16997034/295188.jpg?407
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If you are interested in finding out more about your family history in Minnesota, I specialize in researching genealogical and historical records in Minn. and western Wis., including: census records, birth records, death certificates, obits, grave site photos, ship passenger lists, marriage records and declarations of intent/naturalization records. I will visit locations to research local history and county records, as well as take photos. Quick turnaround on MNHS records. Both short searches and family history reports available.
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