The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-09-13
HUNDRED HUSBANDS POISONED,


An AWFUL story ~ Ntiho Hhae"s ---s"
rIan Peasants--A Peculiar Drug
ViEyYA, August 2i.-Thekla Popov, the
peasant woman who is being tried on q
charge of aiding and abetting. upward OF a
hundred women in poisoning their hus-
bands. Is very remarkable characteristics
tined to occupy a position at once unique
and picturesque In the annals OF crime.
She is gypsy, and is nov some seventy
years of age. She lived in little village
named Melencze, and II may almost be SAID
that murder was her trade. People say
she had her agents and emissariesi whose
businossit was to keep up her connection"
ana 1t must have been horrid and grue-
some spectacle to see the grizzly bag seated
In her armchair every day receiving her
customers during business hours. and Civ
ing them the diabolical advice and aid they
sought. i,
They were all married women from the
neiphboring country side, eager, for some
reason or another, TO get rid of husbands
who obstinately refused to die in the ordi.
nary course OF nature, but who, by Thekla's
friendly offices, might be made amenable
TO the resources of art. These wretches
paid the old gypsy a fec OF from liity TO a
hundred llorlns for each bottle. OF poison,
and were daily instructed by her in the
safest methods of It's exhibition"
Thckla Popov's clients were, however,
not always married women. Sometimes
she had dealings with young girls who
quarrolled with their sweethearts, and who
from jealousy or rage had determined to
kill them. This womans terrible trade
prospercd amazingly for two years, She
excited no suspicion. because the drugs she
administered acted slowly, though surely,
aud in their effects simulated the symp-
toms Of disease. Even now that the bodies
of some of her victims have been exhumed
they show no signs OF poisoning, though
tho stomach's are eaten away.
The first case that set people on the alert
was that of one Jocza Kukin, u rich peas
ant, who died at Mclencze two months ago,
Ugly rumors about his death were spread.
and tho gossips whispered mysterious hints
of foul play. There was II consequence an
inquest but the most careful postm0rtem
examination failed TO reveal any traces OF
poisoning in his case. The whole story
was slipping out of the memories of the VII
layers, when suddenly q dreadful revelation
was made. A gypsy girl, the daughter of
old Thekla Popoy, came before the court at
Gross Bedskerck, and Mortified il by the
tale she had 10 tell. She confessed that she
gave the wife of Jocza Kukin bottle OF
some red liquid poison prepared by her
mother. She did this by her mothers in
structions. Having had n quarrel With her
respected parent over some property, she
determined to betray her, Thokla Popoy s
daughter further declared that she actually
saw kukin's wife pour this poison into his
coffee, and that she told her mother what
she knew and had seen. The gypsy re-
piled, One day will poison you also, un.
less you hold your tongue rl-t-.. u.
OF course, this statement caused Thekla
Popov and the widow Of Kukln to be ar
rested, They, however, denied the charge
brought against them. Oddly enough, tho
Judge, by u clever ruse not quito in keep
ing with English notions Of fair play to nc
cused prisoners, managed TO overhear tho
two women talking tho affair over in Jail.
Among other things he overheard was ku
kin's widow saying to her accomplice
well, | am young and pretty. Ho was
old and ugly. Why should he not die?'
The judge after that had little doubt thai
the prisoners wsre guilty. They wer,
therefore put on their trial, and tie clu,
thus unexpectedly placed in the hands o
the authorities was actively followed up.
Strange discoveries were soon made
showing that, from the woman Thekla Pc
poy as o center, u vast and complex ramiil
cation of crime extended far and wild,
throughout the community. The trial ha
been deferred for several weeks, so that tn,
bodies of men supposed to have been muir
dered by their wives may be exhumed al,
examined London Standard.