Three Historic Deaths

Rose Lipner, age 32, mother of 2, died at Riverdale Hospital on January 29, 1936.
Dr. Maxwell C. Katz, who lived at Riverdale (maternity) Hospital, which he operated, signed a death certificate indicating that Rose had been operated on for a tumor. After the funeral, an anonymous caller notified police that the death was suspicious, and Rose was exhumed for an autopsy. The medical examiner determined that Rose had died from an abortion. Katz was arraigned for second-degree manslaughter.

On January 29, 1858, Mahitable Ash got a mysterious telegram telling her to go to the home of Dr. William Howard. Her twin daughters, Olive and Olivia, who were supposed to be visiting the widowed mother of Olive's suitor, had instead gone to Howard's home for Olive to undergo and recover from an abortion. Olive died in the evening shortly after her mother's arrival.

On January 29, 1883, a widow named Adeline Savroch died on the scene from a criminal abortion. Midwife Bertha Twachaus was held without bail for murder in Adeline's death. A saloon keeper named Julius Grosse, and his housekeeper, Celia Arlep, were held as accessories.