Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-09-21
HUNDRED HUSBANDS POISONED.
An Awful Story of Crime Among
Hungarian Peasants.
Vienna Cor London STANDARD.

Vienna Cor. London STANDARD.
Thekla Povov. the peasant woman
who is being tried on charge of aiding
snd abetting upward of hundred wO-
very remarkable character-destined to
occupy a position ut once unique and
picturesque in the annals of crime. She
is gypsy, and is now some seventy
years of age. She lived i'll little vii
lsge named NelenZe, and it may almost
be said that murder was her trade. PeO
pie say she had her agents and emissa-
ries, whose business it was to keep up
her connection" and it must have been
. horrId and gruesome spectacle to see
the grizzly hag seated in her armchair
every day, receiving her customers dur
ing business hours, and giving them the
diabOlical advice and aid they sought.
They were all married women from
the neighboring country side. eager for
some reason or another to get rid of hus-
bands who had obstinately refused to
die in the ordinary 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
fee of from fifty to hundred fiorins
for each bottle of poison, and were duly
instructed by her in the safest methods
of its exhibition"
Thekla Povov's clients were, however,
not always married women. Sometimes
she had dealings with young girls who
Quarreled with their sweethearts, and
who, from jealousy or rage. had deter
mined to kill them. This woman's ter
rible trade prospered amazingly for two
years. She excited no suspicion, because
the drugs she administered acted slow
ly. though surely, and 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 poisoing, though the stom-
achs are eaten away.
The first case that set people on the
alert was that of one Jocza Kukin, a
rich peasant. who died at Melenze two
months ago. Ugly rumors about his
death were spread, and the gossips whis-
pared mysterious hints of foul play.
There was in consequence An inquest; /;
but the most careful post mertem exam
ination failed to reveal any trace of
poisoning in his case. The whole story
was slipping out of the memory of the
villagers when suddenly a terrible reve-
luton was made. A Gypsy girl, the
daughter of old Thekla POpov, came be-
fore the court at Gross Bedskered, and
Mortified it by the tale she had to tell.
Sne 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. Hav-
ing had = quarrel with her respected
parent over some property, she deter
mined to betray her. Thekla PopOv's
eAughter further declared that she actu-
ally 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 l will
poison you also unless you hold your
tongue"
OF course this statement caused The
kla Popov and the widow of 'Kukin to
be arrested. They, however, denied the
charge brought against them. Oddly
enough. the Judge, by clever ruse not
quite in keeping with English notions of
fair play to accused prisoners, managed
to Overhear the two women talking the
affair over in Jail. Among other things
he overheard WAS Kukin's widow saying
to her accomplice, well, [ am young
a I'd pretty. He was old and ugly. Why
should he not die?" The Judge after
that had little doubt that the prisoners
w.re guilty. They were therefore put
on their trial, and the clue thus unex-
peetedly placed in the hands of the au
thorities was actively followed up.
strange discoveries were made, show
ing that from the woman Thekla PopOv
as center. vast and complex ramif-
cltion of crime extended far and wide
thrnughOut the community. The trial
has been deferred for several weeks, so
that the bodies of men supposed to have
been murdered by their wives may be
exhumed and examined.