The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1897-06-03

o'clock this afternoon recommending
that Mrs. Pleva be held for the murder
of her husband, and that Peter Tre-
nowski and John Deveckh be held as
accomplices or accessories before the
act. All three are therefore in jail and
must stand trial for murder.
The inquest into the death of Michael
Pleva was opened before Justice Slater
at his court room late Monday after
noon, but in the short time intervening
between the time the inquest opened
and the adjournment there was some
terrible testimony adduced from the
witnesses. Of course, it is not yet ex-
actly determined whether Michael
| PleVa died by his own hand or by the
hand of another, but the circumstances
brought out in the inquest are such as
to point strong finger of guilt toward
another party. Then, Of course, it is
understood that a cOrOner's inquest
does not prove anything in a court.
! The finding of the jury may be that
Michael Pleva was poisoned by his wife
or some other party, but that would
not effect the legal status of the mat
ter. The main object being arrived at
in this inquest is to get at the facts as
nearly as possible SO that the guilt can
/ be fixed as accurately as may be per-
mitted for the further purpose OF deter
mining what action should be taken by
the criminal court.
The inquest opened at $3.50 o'clock,
and DIR. G.. Windesheim was the first
witness. He testified that he did not
know Pleva. He had inspected the
body with DR.. Pugh last Friday and
together they made post norton ex
animation and found all the organs of
the body in good, healthy condition,
save for some congestion due to poison.
| The stomach was taken out for exam
nation, as were also q portion of the
liver and gall bladder. Some of the
material emitted from the stomach and
two coffee pots we're also examined.
From the position of the body and from
the symptoms given by witnesses at
the house it was concluded that Pleva
had died of arsenical poisoning. Sow
only tested for arsenic, and found
traces of it in the stomach and in the
material emitted from the stomach.
One of the coffee pots had evidently
been rinsed and looked as though it
had been wiped with cloth, but new
.ertheless, we found traces of arsenic in
il. We found no indication of disease
in the mans system and have no doubt
he died of poison.
DR.. Pugh took the stand and testified
to the same thing and merely added
the symptoms of arsenical poisoning.
He said that arsenic made a burning
sensation in the stomach and the vic
tim purged ana vomited very freely.
He became dizzy and weak and in the
later stages cramps and severe pains
| followed.
Mrs. Marie Abramowsky next testi-
fed that she had boarded at the Pleva
home about two weeks ago. While
she was there Mr.. and Mrs. Pleva had
trouble several times about a young
man who had boarded there at one
time. His name was Deveckh. Pleva
accused her of being nicer to him than
to her husband. The wife replied that
he only thought so and they had some
| hot words over it, There was another
man, John Trenowski. These two
called at the house several times while
witness was there.
She then told of how on Monday
prior to the death, she, Pleva and the
two children had gone fishing. They
invited Mrs. Pleva to accompany them,
but she refused. The children went
home and soon returned to report that
their mother was not at home. They
had heard that she had gone driving
with Deverckh and TrenoWski. Pleva
then went home to see about it and
found it true. When Mrs. Pleva re-
turned she was shut out of the house,
and went to the police and complained
about it.
Last Friday Mrs. Pleva went to
witness house about $3.50 a. M. and
said her husband was SICK Together
they went to drug store and got
something to stop vomiting. Witness
went home because Mrs. Peya seemed
anxious that she should not go to the
Pleva house. Later Mrs. Pleva went
to witness house and said her husband
was dying. Witness went with her
and when they got to the Pleva house
the man was dead. They got to the