The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1897-06-05
TWO ARRESTS MADE.
Startling testimony Introduced at
the Inquest Over Michael
Pleva's Body.

Kenosha. Wis, June 1-[Special]-
Two arrests have been made as result
of the peculiar death of Michael Pleva.
who was at first supposed to have COM
mltted suicide the claim being now that
Pleva was murdered. John Deverkh
and Peter TrenOwski, acquaintanceS of
the family, have been taken in custody
on charge of being accessories to the
alleged murder. The police say there is
every indication that Pleya was poisoned.
Some damaging testimony was intro
duced at the inquest yesterday after
noon.
At the opening of the inquest yesterday
afternoon DR.. Windesheim testified that
he and DR.. Pugh had held a post-mor-
TEN examination of Pleva and had found
that all the organs of his body were in
a perfectly healthy condition. They then
examined the stomach and contents and
found arsenic there. Traces of arsenic
were also found in material which had
emitted from the stomach and in a coffee
pot from which Pleva had been served
immediately prior to being taken sick
Dr. Pugh simply corrohorated the tes-
tmony of DR.. Windesh"im Both physi-
clans gave it as their opinion that PIera
mad died OF arsenical POISONING.
Mrs. AbramovSky testified that she had
been bOarder III the Pleva house IA cou-
pie OF weeks ago and while she was there
quarres i'll which many hot words were
passed over. These quarrels continued
until day or two before PIeva'S death
when he turned certain matter over
to the police for investigation. The wit
ness also told of the actions of Mrs. Pie
va on the day of the death. Mrs. Pleya
came to her and said her husband seemed
TO have sour stomach and that she
would like something to settle it. TOgeth-
er they went 10 drug store and got some
blCsrbonate of soda.
Witness did not 90 home with Mrs
Pleva, but so far as known the soda was
not used. Later Mrs. plcya came back
and said her husband was dying. She
had been away from the house much OF
the time her husband was sick. BY the
time she got home again Plcva was dead
Mrs. Pleva then went for TrenOwSki to
come to the house to advise her what
to do.
Joseph krcS, boarder at the Pleva
house, testified TO the fact that the coffee
Pleya drank Friday morning was served
from another coffee pot from that used
for the rest at the same table. Mr..
Pleva remarked upon the circumstance
and complained of feeling sick immcdi-
atcly after swallowing the coffee. He
said his wife must have put devil in
that coffee to make him feel SO bad.
He soon began vomiting and had severe
cramps and pains and wanted to drink
Plcva had been taken sick Mrs. Pleva
took the coffee pot he was served from
and threw the contents cut of doors.
Michael kora heck was on the stand
this morning AMI testified that he worked
with Pleva. He said that on several oc-
casionS Pleva had told him that he had
many qnarrcls with his wife and that he
was afraid To eat at home for fear she
would place poison III his yictualS.
Mrs. Pleya then took the stand and oC-
cupied it most of the forenoon. She de-
tailed the circumstances of her husband
death and stated how he acted just be-
fore he died. She claimed that she did
not know how the poison got into the cof-
fee and several times She became conSid-
crahly mixed in her testimony. She was
asked why she had separate coffee pots
at the table, and said that the hoarders
bought their own coffee and that for that
reason she served it in separate pots. She
admitted that il was the first time she
had ever served it in that manner. The
courtroom was croded with curious people.