George ParchenIt was spring of 1939. Martha Wilma Rhodes Anderson was only sixteen years old, but already she was married, and already she was unhappy in her marriage. She was sexually involved with a 26-year-old sailor named William P. Bouldin. She became pregnant with Bouldin’s baby.
On May 3, Bouldin, Mrs. J.R. Scott, and a man named C.D. Radcliff drove Martha to the San Diego chiropractic office of George Parchen. Martha and Mrs. Scott went inside, while Bouldin and Radcliff waited in the car. Martha asked for George’s brother Frank, who was six months into his chiropractic training. Martha consulted with Frank about an abortion and paid him $50. George was not present for this transaction.
Mrs. Scott left Martha in a room with Frank and waited in the reception area. When Martha and Frank emerged, Frank gave Mrs. Scott a bottle of medicine, telling her to give Martha some of it every two hours and to expect the girl to be in pain. He gave her one of the chiropractic clinic cards and said to call if Martha “got very sick.” The medicine in question was supposed to bring about the abortion.