Brooklyn Eagle/1868/The Long Island Mystery

The Long Island Mystery. Doctors Harrison and Grindle on the Stand. Conclusion of the Inquest. The Verdict. The official inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Susannah Lattin, at the alleged private lying-in hospital, No. 6 Amity street, was concluded yesterday by Coroner Rollins. Dr. John C. Harrison, of No. 177 Bleecker street, testified that the deceased first made application to him in April for medical treatment, she was not treated for abortion, and Houghton was persuaded to pay $50. She was all along averse to be treated for an abortion as she was desirous of having a child for the purpose of making Houghton marry her. Margaret McKinney, Dr. Grindle's housekeeper, testified to the fact that on the night Susannah Lattin was confined, another lady gave birth to a child in No. 6 Amity street, and another on the evening following. All be children were alive so far as she know. Dr. Henry Grindle, of No. 6 Amity Place, testified that he had lived at No. 6 Amity street for about nine years, where be treated the diseases of woman and children; some of his patients were married and some single. Abortions were never procured there with his knowledge and he did not take ladies in there for that purpose. Susannah Lattin was the second patient be had lost by death. She went there on the 5th of August with Mr. Powell, who she said was a friend of hers. Witness agreed to take her in as a patient on payment $150; on the next day she returned with $100, saying that was all she bad; so witness agreed to receive her as a patient for that amount. The child was adopted out three or four days after being born; it was adopted out at the desire of the deceased; it was taken by a lady and gentleman aged about forty years, who came to the door in a carriage and asked for a healthy child. Witness then gave some additional particulars relative to the manner in which the children born in his house are disposed of, and then retired from the stand. The state of the body of the deceased was then described by Drs. John Beach (Deputy Coroner), C. C. Terry and J. C. Morton, who stated that in their opinion death resulted from metro-peritonitis. Dr. John H. Dorn, was the next witness and testified that he was called to see Miss Lattin on Sunday, August 15th; found her in a high fever with bowels very loose; he continued to visit her every day until her death, which took place on the following Thursday. She was treated for typhoid fever and he thought that was the disease which caused her death, did not notice any symptoms of inflammation of the bowels, did not give the certificate of death becalm Dr. Grinnell, whom he called in, disagreed with him in the diagnosis. Dr. Thomas C. Finnell, of 1132 W. Houston street, testified that he was called by Dr. Dorn to visit the deceased at half past ten o'clock on the evening preceding her death, found her suffering from peritonitis and in a dying condition; witness urged her to send for her mother, deceased asked him how long she might live, and he told her she was in a dying condition; witness asked her if her child had been put to her breast, and she said "no;" asked her if she had seen her child, and her answer was "no." Her mind scorned occasionally to wander, but by an effort she could collect herself; witness asked her if she was baptized, and who answered "no." With her permission be then baptized her and afterwards called on a clergyman and asked him to go and see her, and he promised to do so. Dr. Finnell added that from the appearance of the body he formed the opinion that deceased bad given birth to a full term child, and in all other matters he agreed with the autopsy made by Drs. Beach, Terry and Morton. All the testimony being in, the jury after some deliberation rendered the following verdict: "That Susannah Lattin came to death by metro-peritonitis, the result of child-birth at Dr. H. D. Grindle's establishment, No. 6 Amity Place on the 27th of August 1888. We further censure Dr. Grindle for the irregular method of conducting his business, relative to taking in women to confine, and also to 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."

Notes: $150 in 1878 is the equivalent of $4,000 in 2020.