San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-09-28
A HUNDRED HUSBANDS poIso..s

A HUNDRED HUSBANDS POIsosRn
An Awful STORY Of Crime Among Husr.r,,, n.
ants-A Peculiar Drag
Thekla Popov, the peasant w..
who is being tried on a charge Of aiS;sl
and abettiDg upward Of a bpnS'g
women in poisoning their husbanSs !
O very remarkable character
to occupy aposition at once unious sss
picturesque in the annals of Grim. s cSu
is q gypsy, and is now some sevsn s'
years Of age. She lived in littla ii
lage named Melencze, and il NAV ~
most be said that murder was her ty.a.
People say she had her agents and sn
issaries, whose business it was 10 kssr
mp her connection" and it must bsypp
been horrid and gruesome spectso,s
to see the grizzly hag seated in h.,
armchair every day relieving her ems.
toners during business hours. ana
giving them the diabolical advice and
aid they sought.
They were all married women irom
the neighboripg country side, eager. "a,
some reason or other, to get rid Of bus
bands who obstiuately refused to die in
the ordinary course OF nature, but who
by rhekla's friendly offices, might h.
made amenable to the resources Of Art
These wretches paid the old gypsy
fee of from fifty to hundred forms
for each bottle of poison, and were
daily instructed by her in the safest
methods of its exhibition"
Thekla Popov's clients we're. however.
not always married women. Sometimes
she had dealings with young girls, who
auarrelled with their sweethearts, and
who, from jealousy or rage, had deter.
mined to kill them. This womans
terrible trade prospered smazingly for
two years. She excited 10 suspicion,
because the drugs she administered
acted slowly, though surely,an in their
effects simulated the symptoms Of
disease. Even now that the bodies Of
some of her victims have been exhumed
they show no signs of poisoning though
the stomach's are eaten away.
The first case that set people on the
alert was that OF one Jooza Kukin,
rich peasant who died at Melencze two
months ago. Ugly rumors about bis
death were spread, and the gOssips
whispered mysterious hints Of foul
play. There was in consequence an
inquest; but the most careful posi-.
norton examination failed to reveal
any traces of poisoning in bis case.
The whole story was slipping out Of the
memories of the villagers, when sud.
denly dreadful revelation was made.
A gypsy girl, the daughter old Thekla
Popoy. came before the court at Gross
Bedskerek, and Mortified it by the tale
she had to 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 instructions. Having had q
quarrel with her respected parent over
some property, she determined to be-
tray her. Thekla Popov'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 replied, "One day I will poison
you also, unless you hold your tongue
Of course, this statement caused
Thekla Pcpov and the widow OF Kukin
to be arrested. They, however, denied
the charge brought against them.
Oddly enough, the judge, by a clever
ruse not quite in keeping with English
notions OF fair play to accused prisoners
managed to hear the two women talking
the affair over in Jail. Among other
things he overheard, was Kukin's widow
saying to her accomplish, "Well, l am
young and pretty. He was old and ugly
Why should he not die?" The Judge
after that had little doubt that the prs
opers were guilty. They were therefore
put on their trial, and the clue thus un'
expectedly placed in the hands OF tAe
authorities was actively followed up
Strange discoveries were soon mace,
that, from the woman TheKla
Popov as centre, a vast and complex
of crime extended lar anu
wide throughout the community. In9
trial has been deferred tor seVerA
weeks, SO that the bodies OF men sup.
posed to have been murdered by eneit
wives may be exhumed and examlneu'
London Standard.