Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-09-27
A Hundred Husbands Poisoned.

1
Ihekla Popov, the peasant womal
who Is being tried on charge of aidin,
and abetting upward of hundred wo-
men In poisoning their husbands, is
very remarkable character-destined (,
occupy position at oDcs unique ant
picturesque in the annals of crime
She is gypsy, and is now some 7,
years of age She lived in a little vii
lage named Meleneze. and 1t may al
most be said that murder was her trade
People say she had her agents and EN-
lssaries, whose business it was TO keeI
up her connection, and it must have
been horrid and gruesome spectacle
to see the grizzly hag seated in hel
armchair 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,
Tor some reason or another, to get rid Of
husbands who obstinate,y refused to
die In the ordinary course of nature,
but who, by Thekla's friendly offices,
might be made amenable to the re.
sources of art. These wretches paid the
old gypsy fee of from 80 to 100 forms
for each bottle of poison. and were duly
instructed by 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
quarrelled with their sweethearts, and
who, from jealousy or rage, had deter
mined to kill them. This woman S
terrible trade prospered 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 ofpoisonIng, though
the stomachs are eaten away,
The first case that set people on the
alert was that of one Jocza Kukin, a
rich peasant, who died at Melcneze two
months ago. Ugly rumors about his
death were spread, and the gossips
whispered mysterious hints of foul play.
There was in consequence an inquest,
bu. the most careful post-nlortem ex-
animation failed to reveal any traces of
poisoning in his case. The whole story
was slipping out of the memories of the
villagers, when suddenly dreadful
revelation was made. A gypsy girl, the
daughter of old Thekla Popov, came be-
fore the Court at Gross Bedskerek, and
Mortified it by the tale she had to tell.
She confessed that she gave the wife
of Jocza Kubin a bottle Of some red
liquid poison prepared by her mother.
She did this by her mothers instruc
tions. Having bad a quarrel with her
respected parent over some property,
she determined TO betray her. Thekla
Popoy's daughter further declared that
she actually saw Rukin'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 L Will
poison YOU also unless you hold your
tongue"
OF course this statement caused
Thekla Popov and the widow of kukin
to be arrested. They, however, denied
the charge brought against them. Od
dly 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 what kukln' $
widow was saying to her accompilce
"Well. L am young aud pretty. He
was old and ugly. Why should he not
dep 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 followed up. Strange discover
les were soon made, showing that, from
the woman Thekla Popov as a centre,
a vast and complex ranlfication OF
crime extended far and wide throughout
the community. The trial has been
deferred for several weeks. 50 that the
bodies of men supposed to have been
murdered by their wives may be ex-
huned and examined.