HI List, I wrote a little while ago on Summers/Sommers. I learned this happened at Peoples Hospital, 1944. I found some newspaper articles but have not found when it went to court. The one doctor who owned the Hospital was Dante Cortesi and one doctor listed in the article is Dr. Seinfield of 561 Diversery. First I am wondering if the court case on this would be in the criminal dept, as my husband says it should be there. Also it appears the hospital took in unwed mothers and "hid" them from their families, having them work in the hospital until the baby was born, then when the women/young girls were drugged up a bit they convinced them to sign over their babies. It is really interesting and I am wondering also if anyone else remembers this. Laurie

The article you refer to below was in the Tribune on July 12, 1944. Apparently, it was not against the law for doctors to arrange adoptions privately in Illinois at that time. The article was calling for a change in the adoption law because a patient filed a law suit stating she was in a weakened state when she signed the papers and did not understand what they were having her sign. This led to an investigation of the hospital. On July 19, 1944 there was another article stating the hospital had been closed due to unsanitary conditions and failure to keep proper records on maternity and adoptions. On August 31, 1944 there was an article about the woman who filed the lawsuit. Later on, the adoption was reversed and she got her baby back. The August 31 article mentioned another doctor - Andrew B. Rotche of 1703 Madison St. who told him Dr. Seinfeld said the woman wanted to give the baby up. The woman's name is given but she could still be living, so I am not writing it here. Regarding the court records - the charges mentioned in these articles were filed by the State's Attorney's office against the People's hospital for an alleged adoption racket. Dr. Cortesi's subpoena was issued by Assistant State Attorney Samuel A. Papanaek I did not find a mention of Dr. Summers/Sommers or anything about twins, but there could have been other doctors and other cases involved that did not make it to the newspaper. Lisa ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bruce & Laurie" <bldnj74@earthlink.net> To: <COOK-CO-IL@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, May 18, 2007 10:34 PM Subject: [COOK-CO-IL] Peoples Hospital 1944 > HI List, > I wrote a little while ago on Summers/Sommers. > I learned this happened at Peoples Hospital, 1944. I found some > newspaper articles but have not found when it went to court. > The one doctor who owned the Hospital was Dante Cortesi and one > doctor listed in the article is Dr. Seinfield of 561 Diversery. > > First I am wondering if the court case on this would be in the > criminal dept, as my husband says it should be there. Also it appears > the hospital took in unwed mothers and "hid" them from their > families, having them work in the hospital until the baby was born, > then when the women/young girls were drugged up a bit they convinced > them to sign over their babies. > > It is really interesting and I am wondering also if anyone else > remembers this. > Laurie