The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-08-12
POISON VS..
DROWNING.
Woman Seeks to End Fer
Life Because Husband
Threatens Her.
THROWS BABIES INTO sougF Z s w
Then Jumps in Herself and
Is Unwillingly Pull.
ed Out.

Mrs Olga Micholek, thirty-three years
old of No. 1876 Morris street, yesterday
morning at ten o'clock threw her two lit
tie daughters, Annie, eight years old, and
Mary, three years old, into the South
Cove at the foot of Henderson Street, AMI
then, with her two year old son, Wladi-
mir, in her arms, jumped in herself.
They were saved from drowning by John
Devaney and his wife, who saw the wom-
an throw her children in and ran to TIE
rescue.
Devaney is employed at the brick yard
of James Hall, short distance from the
shore. He had hard struggle with Mrs.
Micholek, who fought him desperately,
and he was almost exhausted when he
finally got her out of the water and be-
side her children on the bank. Devaney
towed the children to point where there
was no danger and his wife Mary drew
them ashore.
Mrs. Micholek pleaded with Devaney,
after he had pulled her ashore, to allow
her to go back and drown herself De-
vaney called Officer Downs, who sent for
a patrol wagon and had the drenched
family removed to the City Hospital. At
ter they had been dried out the children
were sent home, where they are being
cared for by neighbors, and Mrs. Micho-
lex was sent to the Oakland avenue sta
ton house and detained there as a pris
oner.
1t was Mrs. MichoTek's fifth attempt on
the life of her youngest child and herself.
ana the second time she had attempted
to drown the two little girls.
Mrs Micholek says that she was driven
to attempt suicide by her husbands FREE
quent threats to poison her or to make
life so unbearable that she would end it
herself She says she and the children
were half starved and outrageously neg
lected.
Two weeks ago Mrs Micholek was ar
rested on her husbands complaint He
said she was mentally irresponsible, but
she was discharged. The next day she
jumped overheard with vladimir in her
arms and was rescued.
Saturday morning last Mrs. Micholek
was served with a subpoena Issued on her
husbands complaint. She was to have APP
peared in court this morning
On Saturday night Mrs Micholek met
Frank Rubacky, of No. 2S7 Washington
street and told him that she had been
that unles someone helped her and her
children she would have to kill herself
and them. Rubacky tried to cheer her,
Yesterday morning at 9, o'clock she
dressed the children and told them she
was going to take them for walk. They
went up Grand street to Henderson and
crossed the Morris Canal bridge. Then
they walked along the South Cove bank
and when they were near Halls brick
yard sat looking at the water.
Eight year old Annie in telling the story
said
when mamma said we could play
awhile she was crying a little and we all
kissed her. Then she sat looking at the
water a long time and didn't say any
thing. Then she called US to her and
when we were near her she put vladimir
on the ground and threw Mary and me
into the water. Then the man came along
when it was getting dark and all the
water was going into my mouth, and he
pulled us out"
When Mrs. Micholek was seen IN the
cell at the Third precinct station house
she said
MY husband has been starving us, and
he often said he would kill me. A num-
ber of times he has attempted to poison
my food Once found Annie crying and
when / asked what was the matter she
refused TO tell me. told her that /
wouldn't tell her father what she said,