Los Angeles herald., 1890-07-30
LEILA LATTA'S CRIME
A Pretty Doctress Commits
Malpractice.
Alfretta SwantOn Killed by a
Criminal Operation.
The Practitioner Arrested and Put
in Jail.
The Circumstances of the Case-The
The Circumstances of the Case-The
Prisoner Declines to Receive Re-
portorial Calls.


Alfretta B. Swanton, the young wife of
an insurance agent, died at her residence,
No. 1867 East First street, Boyle Heights,
in horrible agony, the victim of female
doctor named DR.. Leila Latta. A least
such was the verdict of the coroner's
jury, after duly inquiring into the cause
of her death yesterday afternoon. The
circumstances surrounding the unfortu-
nate woman's death, as gathered from
the testimony taken at the inquest, are
as follows
About ten days ago she and her hus-
band, E. E. Swanton, to whom she has
been married five years, called upon DR..
ID. G. Barber at his office, No. 2101 East
First street, and after transacting some
business with him the lady told the
physician that she was in a
delicate condition, but that as
she already had two children she
wished to be relieved. Dr. Barber fatty
refused to accede to her request, and en-
deavored to impress her with the dam
gers attendant upon any interference
with the laws Of nature, in addition to
reminding her Of the immortality of
such course. Mr.. and Mrs. Swanton
then went away, but the lady subse-
quently called upon female physician,
named Miss Leila Latta, who resided on
the opposite side of the street, without
consulting her husband, and requested
her to treat her. Miss Latta, after an
examination of her patient, as
sured her that the matter could
very easily be arranged without injury,
but refused to perform an operation
unless her fee OF $l5wa paid in advance.
Mrs. Swanton then spoke to her hus-
band about the matter several times,
but he attempted to persuade her from
carrying her idea into effect, and refused
to give her the required amount of
money, feeling confident that she would
soon become reconciled to her condi-
ton. On one occasion, hearing that
she had an appointment with Miss
Latta, he took his wife down to his
mothers residence in order to prevent
her from keeping it.
On Saturday night last, however, Mrs.
Swanton informed her husband, on his
return from his office, that Miss Latta
had performed the operation, much to
his surprise. She did not appear to feel
any i'll effect on Sunday; but on Mon
day evening when Swanton returned
home at o'clock he found his wife
in bed, sick, and sat up all night with
her. About daylight yesterday morn
ing she was very much worse, however,
and Swanton called Miss Latta, who had
been in attendance upon his wife, from
the bedroom and asked her if she
needed any help, as if so, he
would call in another physician. Miss
Latta replied that there was no neces-
sity for this as his wife was all right.
Soon afterwards Swanton went out into
the yard to pick some peaches for the
children, when Miss Latta summoned
him hastily and stated that he had bet
ter get some other doctor as his wife
was in precarious condition. Swanton
called ON DR.. Barber, and on his arrival
the doctor found Mrs. Swanton in a
high fever and suffering intensely. He
applied the usual remedies. and after
diagnosing the case prescribed for her.
After treating his patient DR.. Bar
Der called Miss Latta into an adjoining
room and questioned her about the mat
ter, when she stated that she had per-
formed an abortion by both mechanical
means and drugs. He then left the
house and returned to his office where
he received another summons about an
hour later, but when he reached the
house the second time Mrs. Swanton
was dead. He then notified both Cor
oner Welden and Health Officer Nc
Gowan, with the result that the former
took charge of the body and assisted by
Drs. Choate, MCGOWAN and Barber, held
post mortem examination with the re-
suit that death was found to have re-
suited from blood-poisoning.
The jury on hearing the testimony of
the physicians who performed the
autopsy, Mr.. Swanton, and J. M. Har-
ris, the druggist who sold the medicine
to Miss Latta on Monday morning, re-
turned verdict to the effect that death
resulted from criminal abortion pro-
duced by DR.. Leila Latta."
1t being after O'Clock when the deci-
sion of the jury was announced, Coroner
Weldon issued warrant for Miss Latta' S
arrestl and upon this document she was
taken in charge at about 6 O'Clock by
Deputy Sheriff Wray, at her office, in
Boyle Heights.
When tho officar arrival at the hOuSe