The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-09-20
The Husband Poisoners.


said MIR. Haven.
so do / agreed Mary.
The Husband PRISONERS.
| The Vienna correspondent of the
London Standard gives some further
particulars respecting the extraor-
dinarv trial in Hungary. He states
that Thekla Popov. the peasant wo-
man who is being tried on a charge
of aiding and abetting upwards of
one hundred women in poisoning
their husbands, is a very remarkable
character-destined to occupy po-
sition at once unique and pictur-
esque in the annals of crime. She
is a gipsy, and is now some seventy
years of age. She lived in a little
village named Melencze, and it may
almost be said that murder was her
trade. People say she had her agents
and emissaries, whose business it
was to keep up her connection"
and il must have been a horrid and
gruesome spectacle to see the grizzly
ha@ seated in her arm chair every
day receiving her customers during
business hours and giving them the
diabolical advice and aid they
sought. They were nearly all mar
ried women from the neighboring
country side, eager, for some reason
or other, to get rid of husbands who
obstinately refused to die in the or
dinary course Of nature, but who,
by Theckla's friendly offices, might
be made amensble to the resources
of art. These wretches paid the old
gipsy a fee of from fifty to a hundred
forms for each bottle of poison they
bought, and they were duly instruct
ed bv her in the safest methods of
its exhibition" Thekla Popov's
clients were, however, not always
married women. Sometimes she had
dealings with young girls who quar-
relied with their sweethearts, and
who from jealousy Or rage had de-
termined to kill them. This womans'
terrible trade prospered amazingly
for two years. She excited no sus
picion, because the drugs she admin
istered acted slowly, though surely.
and in thei reflects stimulated symp-
toms of disease. Even now that the
bodies Of some of her victims have
been exhumed they show no signs
of poisoning, though the stomachs
ere eaten away.
The first case that set people on
the alert was that one of Jocza Ku-
kin, a rich peasant, who died at
Melencze two months ago. Ugly ru-
mors abont his death were spread,
and the gossips whispered mysterl-
ous hints OF foul play There was
in consequence an mqnest, but the
most careful post nOrtem examina-
ton failed 10 reveal any trace of
poisoning IN his c;Ise. The who,e
story was slipping out OF tbc memo
ries of the villagers, when, suddenly,
dreadful revelation was made. y
gypsy girl, the daughter of old Tnekla
Popov came before the court of
Gross Bedskerek, anG horrifed il by
the tale size had 10 tell She con
frssed that she had given the wife
Of .yoczt Kukia a bottle of some red
liquid poison prepared by her
mother. She had dOne this by her
qothegis instructions Having had
i quarrel with her respected parent
over some property, she determined
to hetray her. Thekla Popov's
daughter further declared that she
had actually seen Kukin wife pour
this poi-on into his coffee, and she
told her mother what size Knew ald
had seen To this the old gypsy re
piled, One dav | viii poison YOU
uui,s> you hold your tongue
OF course this -tateucut caused
Thekla Popov aud the widow of
kukin 10 he arrested. They, how
ever, denied the charge brought
against them Oddly enogch, the
Judge, by a clever ruse not quite il +
keeping with Euglish TJtions of fair +
play to accused prisoners, managed I
TO hear the two women talking the
affair over in jail. Among otaer
things he overheard was Kukin's .
widow saying to her accomplice.
g" ell, | am young and pretty. He
was old and ugly why should he
not tlie ?" The Judge after that had
little doubt that tie prisoners were
guilty. They were therefore put on
trial and the clew thus Unexpectedly 1
placed in the hands OF the authori-
ties was actively followed up. Strange
discoveries were soon made. show
ing that from the woman Thekla
Pol,vv as centre a vast and com
plex ramiication OF crime extended
far and wide throughout the CON-
mun!ty. The trial has been deferred
for ST veral weeks so that the bodies
of men supposed TO have been mur-
dered BY their wives may be ex-
humed ard subjected to post-mor
fem exlYnInctio,