Grace M Fagan
A Stirling Girl

Fagan was a home child.  Her marriage record says that she was 19 years old at the time of her marriage on 21 June 1895.  Her parents were reported as having been named Peter and Mary and she was apparently born in India.  She married a Stanley Vidito who was 25 yearss old, a farmer and resided in West Somerville, Massachusetts.  Stirling was one of the witnesses who signed Fagan’s marriage certificate.   Fagan arrived with Stirling’s first boatload of children on 5 June1886.  She was listed as being 11 years old at the time.   

Halifax Morning Chronicle  
2 April 1895 - In Jail at Annapolis
Special Despatch to Chronicle 

Annapolis, April 1 – Robert S. Parker, of Aylesford, who was arrested on Saturday, charged with procuring an abortion on Miss Grace Feagan, and Dr. S.N. Miller of Middleton, who is charged with performing the operation, was also arrested on Saturday by Deputy Sheriff Gates, who brought both prisoners here and lodged them in jail.  The girl who lies in critical condition, was formerly an inmate of the orphans home at Aylesford, having been brought from Scotland by Miss Stirling, at whose instance the proceedings have been instigated.  Mr. Roscoe, of Kentville, was brought here on Saturday evening and made application to have the prisoners liberated on bail, but without success.  It is understood that he has been retained to defend the prisoners. 

The above passage appeared on the front page of the Halifax Morning Chronicle. 



Evening Mail and the Herald
 2 April 1895  

ANNAPOLIS, April 1 – One of the most serious cases ever in Annapolis County is about to be tried in the courts.  A well known M.D. of Middleton and, a young man from Aylesford, have been arrested on the advice of Miss Sterling of Aylesford, who alleges that these two are guilty of one of the worst crimes in the calendar.  The girl who was their victim, Miss Sterling brought out from England, is now lying in a very precarious condition, and, though two doctors are attending her, it is not thought possible she can live.  The alleged guilty ones, were taken to Annapolis on Saturday and came up before Stipendiary Magistrate Lovitt, who remanded them until next Saturday.  No bail is allowed, and they must need wait for one week at least in durance vile.  Feeling runs high not only here, but in Annapolis and opinion is much divided.  A few days ago the girl, whose name is Miss Grace Fegan, confessed to Miss Sterling the cause of her illness.  The services of a justice of the peace were procured and the girl’s deposition was duly taken and executed.  Armed with this Miss Sterling went immediately to Halifax and employed a legal firm there to set the machinery of the law in operation, which resulted in Dr. Miller’s arrest.  The author of the girl’s trouble is said to be R.S. Parker, of Aylesford, where the girl has been living until within the last few weeks.  He had been reported to have disposed of his property and left the country.  Drs. Sponagle and Andrews are attending the sick girl and they have considerable hopes of saving her life, although the case is very critical as yet.  It is understood that the doctor claims that he merely made an examination of the girl’s condition without performing any operation, and that her illness is caused by drugs which she herself procured elsewhere and took.  W. E. Roscoe, of Middleton, and W.G. Parsons, of Middleton, have the defence in hand, and it will be in the direction above indicated.  It is felt that Miss Stirling will spare neither trouble nor expense in having the case sifted to the bottom and the law vindicated. 

The Morning Chronical
11 April 1895
note - false report of the death of Grace Fegan 

“Grace Fegan, the young woman whose case has aroused much attention in connection with the arrest of G. S. Barker [sic] and Dr. Miller, of Annapolis died on Wednesday last.  This will seriously affect the case of the prisoners.” 



 The Morning Chronical
13 April 13, 1895
“Not Dead, as Reported” 

The girl Grace Fegan in the Nictaux abortion case, is not dead, as reported last week, but is getting better. Dr. Miller and Robert Parker are yet in Annapolis jail and their examination will not take place until the girl is able to attend.  Dr. Miller claims he performed no operation, nor in anyway laid himself open to the law, and Parker denies that he is in anyway responsible for the girl’s condition.  The defendants are confident of clearing themselves in the matter – Kentville Advertiser

The Morning Chronical
18 May 1895 
Damaging to the Prosecution

“Stanley Vidito, who was paid to go to the United States, was brought here at the insistence of Miss Sterling and gave evidence very damaging to the prosecution. (excerpt)
 

 Bridgetown Weekly Monitor 

Miss Fagan is nineteen years of age this month, of Scotch extraction, having been brought to this province about ten years ago, and has been knocking around from pillar to post ever since.  Her cross-examination by the skillful senior counsel for the defence, Mr. Roscoe, elicited from her own lips a sketch of a most licentious and shameless career.  Nature has endowed her with a pretty face, and when at times some more merciless question than the rest drove the red blood to her cheeks she looked the picture of injured innocence and indignation; but as she freely and easily told of her vile degradation and womanly dishonor one could scarcely feel the necessity of importing to our fair Nova Scotia such a class of people, bearing, as did this girl, the pestilential seeds, not of a deadly disease, but of the foulest immorality lurking in their depraved and dissolute natures. (excerpt)








Story researched by Norah Dennis, Lori Oschefski & referenced with the Julielynne Anderson Thesis Paper -