St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-20
THE CHICAGO SENSATION.

nerve, even Oh the part OF newspaper,
to advertise itself. An illustration in
point is the sensation the Chicago Times
IS now creating by its exposure OF the
crime Of infanticide in that city. While
the publication of these articles is not
first-class advertisement for the city Of
Chicago, it is probably paying enter
prise for the newspaper that is doing 1t,
and is certainly unique scheme for
stirring up local sensation. A young
female reporter Of the Times was sent,
under the guise of an unfortunate young
woman from a Southern city, seek
ing the assistance Of physician
to relieve her of the disgrace
of being mother before she
had husband. Every physician in the
city was visited, and her experience with
each carefully noted. Her observations
and experiences have been carefully
compiled and written up in entertaining
style. Everything is told, even the
names and addresses of the physicians
with whom the young lady reporter
talked. While there are many horrible
lIiiiSS ltldlCu III tOAiCCliOii WIN ti4l1
exposure of the crime of infanticide N
Chicago, and the evidences are conclu-
siye that a number of physicians who
were of good standing in their profess
sion manifested a willingness to sell
their services to aid in the commission
of the crime, still it is gratifying
TO observe that still larger num-
Der absolutely refused to give coun-
tenance to it. Chicago has the
reputation of being the wickedest city
OH the American continent. 1t is popu-
larly supposed that the marriage rela-
ton is held in lighter esteem there than
in all the other cities of the world. In
consequence, there is popular suppo-
sition that virtue is rated exceptionally
low in Chicago, and practices which are
considered crimes elsewhere are toler-
ated without any great stretch OF the
municipal conscience. The exposure
made by the Times of the existence of
the crime of infanricide seems to have
been done thoroughly and cOnscien-
tiOusly, as it surely was an exhibition of
fearless newspaper enterprise. And yet
it does not disclose that this particular
form of wickedness prevails in Chicago
to any greater extent than it does i'll
other large cities. There are doctors
there, just as there are doctors every
where, who will sell their professional
services without any moral scruples.
There are men in all communities who
will do precisely the same thing. There
fore, it is no special reflection on the
medical fraternity of Chicago that there
are some black sheep in the flock. A
great majority of the physicians inter-
viewed-and they all confess to having
been deceived by the feigning female
reporter-without any SOFT of hesitation
refused to become parties to commits
SION of the crime of abortion. Neither
entreaties nor offers of large sums
of money could induce them to lower
the standard of professional duty. The
reporter herself admits that her expert
ence with the Chicago doctors has
given her firm belief in the good side
of humanity. Nor is this all that has
been brought out by this singular freak
of newspaper enterprise. 1t has been
demonstrated that this peculiar crime
does not exist TO such an alarming ex-
tent, even in "the wickedest city in
America" as has been generally sup
posed. There is really more virtue in
the world than in our frequent morbid
moods we are disposed TO give credit for.
Really, human nature is better and
womanhood stronger and purer than is
generally painted.