The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-09-20
POISONING HUSBANDS.
An Awful stsry OF Crime Among Hunga-
ran Psmsants--A Peculiar Drug.

| An Awful Story OF Crime Among Hunga"
rinn Psasnnts--A Peculiar Drug.
London Standard
| VIENNA, Aug. 24.-Thekla POpov, tho
peasant woman who Is being tried on q
charge Of aiding and a5ettng upward OF n
hundred women in poisoning their hus-
bands, is very remarkable characteristics
tined TO occupy position at once unique
and picturesque in the annals of CRIME.
She is a gypsy, and is now some 70 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 emissarics, whose business
II was to keep up her connection" and it
must have been horrld and gruesome
spectacle to see the grizzly hag seated IN
her arm char every day. receiving her Gus.
toners during 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 husbands
who obstinately refused to die in the ord!.
nary course of nature, but who, by Thick.
las friendly offices, might be made amena
BILE to the resources of art. These wreiches
paid the old gypsy fee of from so to 100
ilorins Tor each bottle of poison, and were
duly Instructed by her in the safest meth.
DDS of Its exhibition"
Thekla Popov's clients were, however,
not always married women. Sometimes
she had dealings with young girls who
Quarrelled with their sweethearts, and who,
from jealousy or rage, had determined to
kill them. This woman's terrible trade
prospcred amazingly for two years. She
excited no suspicion. because the drugs
she administered acted slowly 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 poisoning,
though the stomachs are eaten away.
The first case that set people on the alert
was that of one Jocza Kukin, a rich peas
ant, who died at Meencze two months ago
Ugly rumors about his death were spread,
and the gosslps whispered mysterious
hints of foul play. There was IN conse,
quence an inquest; but the most careful
post norton examination failed to reveal
any traces of poisoning in his case. The
whole story was slipping out OF the men,
cries of the villagers, when suddenly n
dreadful revelation was made. A gypsy
GIRL the daughter of old Thekla Popov,
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 lnrtructions. Having
had 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, Zone
day will poison you also unless you hold
your tongue"
OF course this statement caused Thekla
Popov and the widow of Kukin to be ar.
rested They, however, denied the charge
brought against them. Oddly enough, the
Judge, by clever ruse not quite in keep.
ing 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 accom-
plcc, "Well, am young and pretty. He
was old and ugly. Why should he not
die?" The Judge after that had little
doubt that the prisoners were guilty. They
were therefore put on their trial, and the
clew thus Unexpectedly placed in the
hands of the authorities was actively fol-
lowed up.
Strange discoveries were soon made,
showing that, from the woman Thekla Po-
pow as centre, a vast and complex raml.
ficatlon of crime extended far and wide
throughout the community. The trial has
been deferred for several weeks SO that the
bodies of men supposed to haye been muir.
dered by their wives may be exhumed and
examined.