(Editors note: This story appeared in the May 4, 1972 edition of the Chicago Daily News . It refers to the 7 Jane members arrested the previous day for performing illegal abortions.)
Seven Chicago women were arrested Wednesday on charges of operating an illegal low cost abortion clinic out of two Southside apartments.
One of the women, Mrs. Judith P, 29, of 2216 N. Geneva, was dismissed as a teacher from Niles East High School in March 1970 because of her innovative teaching methods.
Chicago police learned of the clinic from a woman whose sister reportedly was scheduled to have an abortion there Wednesday and did not want her to undergo the operation.
Homicide investigators said the clinic only charged about $100 for the operation and handled as many as 15 patients per day. None of the women who performed the operations was a licensed physician, police said.
Investigator Theodore O’Conner of the Burnside Homicide unit said a fully equipped operating room had been set up in an 11th floor apartment at 7251 S. Shore Dr.
Police said that when they raided the apartment they found three patients undergoing abortions and seven in the waiting room.
Six women who were performing the abortions were arrested there and a seventh was arrested in an apartment at 5532 S. Everett., where patients were interviewed and screened, police said.
Mrs. P. was released after being held briefly in lockup because she was nursing a baby.
The three women who were undergoing abortions were taken to South Shore Hospital where they were in good condition, police reported.
O’Conner said the clinic has been in operation for about 4 months, and the operating room had laboratory equipment and a full supply of drugs.
Also arrested were: Abby G., 27 of 47 W. 59th St; Madeleine S., 30, of 6933 Bennett, Sheila S., 22, of 5459 Hyde Park Blvd.,Martha S., 30, of 5213 S. Kenwood, Diane S., 23, of 820 W. Agatite; and Susan G., 21, of 5342 S.Harper.
Police said the women had apparently been trained by a physician. Investigators said they were trying to determine if the clinic is part of nationwide network.
O’Conner said the women who had been patients at the clinic came from all walks of life, and included career women, college students, married women who could not afford another child, and single women.
He said each of the patients was interviewed twice before the operation-once in a public place, and once at the Everett Av. apartment.
Each was questioned in detail about why she wanted an abortion and each was given a medical examination, O’Conner said. The patients learned about the clinic by word of mouth, he said.
Each of the seven women was charged with three counts of performing abortions and three counts of conspiracy to perform abortions.
Mrs. P. and two other teachers were dismissed by Niles TWP High School Board for not conforming to approved teaching methods.
The dismissals were the subject of a lengthy controversy in the north suburb.
Logo reprinted from the Chicago Daily News