SUMMARY: Agnes Dohrer, age 17, died on July 3, 1918 after an abortion attributed to Dr. A. W. Dortch of Arkans City, KS.

Agnes Dohrer, age 17, lived on a farm in rural Sumner County, Kansas, with her parents.

They hadn’t even known that she was pregnant until she took sick after an abortion. They had her admitted to St. Francis Hospital in nearby Wellington, where she died on July 3, 1918.

Her parents reported this to the police, who arrested Dr. A. W. Dortch of Arkansas City, Kansas as the abortionist and Ray Quinn, a soldier at Camp Funston, as an accessory in her death.

Sources:

• “On a Serious Charge,” Arkansas City Daily Traveler, Jul. 13, 1918
• “Arrest Winfield Doctor,” Topeka Capital Sun, Jul. 14, 1918
• “Ark. City Physician Arrested Today for Criminal Operation,” Winfield (KS) Free Press, Jul. 12, 1918
• “Bortch Preliminary Postponed 10 Days,” Winfield (KS) Daily Free Press, Jul. 22, 1918
• “Set Quinn Preliminary,” Winfield (KS) Free Press, Jul. 26, 1918