Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-03-19
CHARG ED WIN AN AWFUl CRIME.


Charged with Accomplishing a Young
Woman's Death.
A young married woman, Mrs. Fannie
Baker, fell off a sofa dead, Thursday,
at the house of Mrs. Sarah Miles (Grif-
fifth, corner of Taylor and Poplar
streets. Mrs. Miles, or as she is well
known in the city as Mrs. Griffith, is by
reputation an abortionist.
A GAZETTE reporter called at the
house Thursday morning, Mrs. Grit
fifth was not to be seen, but her husband
and a young woman talked with the re-
porter. Mrs. Baker was found lying
dead on the sofa. The story told by the
two occupants of the house is that Mrs
Baker called on Thursday. She was
sitting on the sofa when she suddenly
fell off dead. Mrs. Griffith nor none of
them knew the cause of death, but sup
posed it was heart disease. They sent
for DR. Joseph r. Smith. Immediately
the physician saw the young woman,
he recognized she was past any help, in
fact, stone dead.
Mrs. Griffith had not put in an APP.
pearance when the reporter was present
The latter accordingly questioned Mr.
Miles, Mrs. Griffith's second husband
and also the young woman referred to-
The reporter reminded them of two
former cases of death in Mrs. GrifIith's
house when she lived at No. 410 Orange
street. Miles knew nothing of the
cases as he has only married Mrs.
Griffith. The young woman in
sisted there was nothing wrong, as
in both instances referred to, that of
beautiful young woman from Norris
town who staid over at the ahortiouist's
house under suspicious circumstances,
died OF heart disease according to the
physicians certificate those of DR.. l.. IL.
bravo. And the second case was the
same. In regard to the latter however,
Dr. Willard Springer states that the
surroundings were so suspicious that a
post-mortem examination was held
Mrs. Griffith was not convicted
of anything wrong, the young
women in Mrs. Griifiths house further
informed the reporter.
We know nothing Of her only she
came here with neighbor 2"
swell, them" the answer was, "What
was she here forY' No reply was given.
AS the reporter was leaving two sisters
of the dead woman came in, Mrs. John
son and Mrs. Chadwick. Their entrance
was the signal for q most distressing
scene. At sight Of their dead relative
they wrunG their hands and cried Mrs.
Griffith ischarged directly by bothwomen
with the crime of malpractice and of the
guilt of the death of Mrs. Baker.
DR. Smith states that he found the
woman dead, Her hands were cold,
but she had evidently died within few
minutes. He cannot state the cause of
death.
Several physicians of the city are ac-
quainted with Mrs. Miles (Griiiith) rep
utation as an abortionist.
Both Mrs. johnson and Mrs. Chad
wick have another charge against Mrs.
Miles in reference TO another woman
who only barely escaped with her life
under the abortionist'S hands.
Mrs. Sarah Miles (Griffithl, who was
arrested Thursday on the charge of NAL
practice, was cited at the city court
on Friday, She was held without bail
upon the statements of the chief of police
to await the results of an investigation by
the coroner's jury this evening. If the Jury
discovers Mrs. Fannie Bakers death to be
the results Of malpractice the woman will
be tried in the county courts for the serious
wolves long term Of Imprisonment
The coroner's physician, Dr. John
c. Fahey. assisted by Drs. Morgan and
Smith, held post norton.
The coroncr's inquest for ascertaining
the cause of the death of Mrs. Fannie
Baker, who died, 1t is alleged, of NAL
practice at the hands of Mrs. Sarah
Miles, took place at the city hall Friday
evening. Coroner Sparks empaneled
the following jury: John r. Mari, w.
II. Walker, James Parker, Robert W.
Birnie, Herbert Yates, Edward Melchior,
George W. Hitchcock, George l.. Fergu-
son, Stephen Winchester.
Before commencing the investigation
the coroner requested the chief Of police
to have the court cleared of all but those
directly interested in the inquest. The
witnesses summoned were Mrs. Fannie
Rippenbach, Mrs. Mary Ryan, daughters
Of Mrs. Miles (the accused), Annie
Cook, Mrs. Annie Johnson and Mrs.
Emma Chadwick, both sisters of the
deceased; Mrs Mary Davis, Mrs Mile
Barnes, r. II, Baker, husband of the
deceased; Howard Miles, husband of the
accused; Joshua Brown, DIR. John G.
Fahey and Drs. James II. Morgan and
Joseph Il. Smith, the two latter invited
to assist the coroner's physician in the
autopsy
The evidence Of the medical men was
sufficient alone to hold Mrs. Miles as it
directly indicated criminal practice.
There had been both an autopsy and a
chemical analysis, the latter by Dr.
James II, Morgan, the results of either
being sufficient to demand Mrs. Miles
being held The evidence of the female
witnesses was contradictory to degree,
but all tending towards direct suspicion
of the prisoner. 1t also revealed to a
startling extent the criminal work car
ricd on in the city.
The testimony showed that Mrs. Rip
| pcnbach accompanied the victim, Mrs.
Baker, 10 the house at Taylor and Pop
| lar streets. The dead woman had in
formed her companion beforehand Of
the nature of the mission. sNIrs. Rppen-
| bach, however, was not shown to have
had any criminal completely with Mrs
| Miles, Mrs. Ryan, daughter Of Mrs
Miles, stated that Mrs. Baker died al.
most Immediately, (within five minutes
| that she came into the house. The wit,
ness gave the jury TO understand that
| when the victim came into the house
took scat on the sofa and then sud
denly dropped dead Subsequent reve.
lations, however, indicate that when the
two women arrived, the companion
Mrs. I}ippenbach, after moment or two
left. Mrs Baker was conducted up.
stairs by Mrs. Miles aud her daughter
Mrs. Ryan, where the operation, il !;
understood, was performed. She died
there and was then carried downstair,
and her body was laid ont on the sofa
'l'he jury returned the following yer
dict