HUSBAND-KILLING
SYNDICATES: The vast majority of victims of these conspiracies were
husbands, yet some were wives or other family members, including
children.
► ● ◄ ● ► ● ◄ ● ◄ ● ► ● ◄ ● ► ● ◄ ● ► ● ◄
Among
the cases listed below you will find news reports with such headlines
as “Husband Poisoning by Wholesale” (1882), “Ten Husband Poisoners”
(1890), “A New Business; Husband Poisoning on the Scale of a Commercial
Enterprise” (1891), “Killing Off Husbands” (1895), “Epidemic of
Poisoning in Hungary; Eighteen Men Killed” (1901), “Women Formed Club to
Murder Husbands” (1903), “Woman Kills 300 At Wives’ Behest” (1909),
“Exterminating Husbands” (1911), “Wanted to Be Widows So They Hanged
Their Husbands” (1933), “Used Fly Paper to Kill Husbands” (1935), “How
Wives Gained Power by Mass Murder of Husbands” (1937).
In the following collection are 43 cases which took place in eastern Europe (Bohemias, Croatia, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Silesia, Ukraine, Yugoslavia) between 1882 and 1939.
In the following collection are 43 cases which took place in eastern Europe (Bohemias, Croatia, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Silesia, Ukraine, Yugoslavia) between 1882 and 1939.
Leader: La Toffania (or, Toffania, Tofana, Toffana); teacher
Hieronyma Spara.
Method: liquid poison sold in vials.
Leaders: Hyeronyma Spara, Gratiosa, La Toffania; Spara, Gratiosa & 12 other hanged in 1659
Method: liquid poison called "Tifana water."
Victims: over 700.
Leader: Giovanna Bonanno; executed Jul. 30, 1789.
Method:
poison, a mixture of spring water, white wine and arsenic, intended to
kill lice, purchased from apothecary then resold; 3 stages of dosage.
Victims: 6 confirmed (4 men, 2 women), many more suspected.
Victims: 6 confirmed (4 men, 2 women), many more suspected.
60 women hanged for poisoning husbands with arsenic.
Note: The source may be in error, mistakenly referring to the cases of the 1880s yet referring to the 1850s.
1868: FRANCE - MarseillesNote: The source may be in error, mistakenly referring to the cases of the 1880s yet referring to the 1850s.
Leader: Monsieur Joye, herbalist.
Method : arsenic.
Victims: 3 husbands whose wives purchased poison from Joye.
Venue: “a poisoning party.”
Perpetrators: 4 wives.
Method: “poison.”
Victims: 4 husbands.
Victims: 4 husbands.
Leader:
Anna Nagy, AKA Kathi Lyukas (or "Kate Nagy"), murder two of her own husbands; Lyukas confessed to 6
other murders (20 other deaths suspected to be caused by her); Lyukas
was hanged Nov. 30, 1882.
Method: arsenic baked into little cakes.
Victims: convicted of 26 murders.Method: arsenic baked into little cakes.
Leaders: Thekla Popov, active more than two years (1880-1882), Anna Minity, Sophia Ivanovitch; over 100 women implicated; court cases continued into at least 1889.
Method: bottles of "red liquid poison" priced at 50-100 florins.
Victims: over 100.
Method: bottles of "red liquid poison" priced at 50-100 florins.
Victims: over 100.
Leader: Persa Czirin; considered the poison supplier;
released for lack of evidence.
Method: poison.
Victims: Multiple husbands of women who acquired poison from
Czirin.
Leader: An “old woman” poison-seller & racketeer.
Method: poison (unidentified as of yet).
Victims: 7 men lured into marriage to be murdered for
their assets.
1889: UKRAINE – Gilli, Bukowina, Ukraine
1889: UKRAINE – Gilli, Bukowina, Ukraine
Leader:
Marie Mrawlag.
Method:
poison.
Victims:
husbands.
1889: SERBIA ("HUNGARY") – Mitrovitz (Sremska Mitrovica)
Leader: Eva Sarac (“witch or herbalist”); 10 women
arrested.
Method: arsenic
extracted from flypaper.
Victims: 60
estimated, over a period of 10 years.1889: SERBIA ("Hungary") - Erdevik, District of Smyrna (Syrmia), Bingula & the Mitrovitz district (Austro-Hungarian Empire, Serbia)
Leader: Makrena Stankovic; deaths occurred in 1880, 1883, 1884, 1884, 1885, 1886 and 1888
Accomplice: Milika Plavsic, aided 2 husband-killers.
Method:
Poisoned with arsenic derived from fly-paper cooked into christening
cakes served on christening day to the father; elsewhere reported as
poisonous spiders in dumplings.
Leaders: Frau Kernaez, Frau Kurjakow, Frau Pivnicski (Rivnicski).
Method: arsenic.
Victims: 10.
1893: :HUNGARY – Vezprimer Comitat, Ortschaft Szent-Gal (Szentgál), Szent-Hat, Hungary
1895: ROMANIA ("HUNGARY") – Pecica ("Peceska," "Pecs")
Method: arsenic.
Victims: 10.
1893: :HUNGARY – Vezprimer Comitat, Ortschaft Szent-Gal (Szentgál), Szent-Hat, Hungary
Leader:
Frau Kajdi.
Method:
poison.
Victims: 3 husbands.
Victims: 3 husbands.
Leader:
Maria Szalay-Japes.
Method:
Arsenic.
Victims:
6 (husbands).
1895: ROMANIA ("HUNGARY") – Pecica ("Peceska," "Pecs")
Leader: Maria Hevesy; was paid 100 florins for arranging murder.
Method: Ex-con hired to carry out murders.
Victims: multiple married men.
Method: Ex-con hired to carry out murders.
Victims: multiple married men.
1897: HUNGARY – Hodmozoe (Hod-Moyo-Vasarheky; Hódmezővásárhely)
Leader: Mari Azalai Jager.
Accomplices: "a band of poisoners" 3 men & 2 women (including Gulyas Kis-Samuel, male).
Accomplices: "a band of poisoners" 3 men & 2 women (including Gulyas Kis-Samuel, male).
Method: Three poisons, belladonna, arsenic and chloride of mercury.
Jul.
24, 1897, Budapest: Trial of 12 women & 2 men; 4 sentenced to
death; 1 to life in prison (man who killed his mother); 1 to 6 years in
prison
Victims: estimated at over 100.
Leader:
Maria Ulica
Method:
poison
Victims:
16 husbands, 2 wives (following abortions).
Leaders: George Korin, apothecary, ringleader, and Dr. Johann Mayer, village physician.
Perpetrators: Maria Nikodem (murdered 2 husbands); Lisa Triku (murdered 4 husbands).
Method: arsenic.
Victims: 14.
1900: HUNGARY – Liget (“Zlifet") Baranya county.
Perpetrators: Maria Nikodem (murdered 2 husbands); Lisa Triku (murdered 4 husbands).
Method: arsenic.
Victims: 14.
1900: HUNGARY – Liget (“Zlifet") Baranya county.
Leader: unknown at present.
Method: arsenic taken from face rouge, placed in drink.
Victims: 6 husbands.
Method: secret poison (Bettuz refused to disclose its
composition).
Victims: 40 widows arrested.
1901: ROMANIA ("HUNGARY") – Chisoda ("Kissoda," "Kisoda"), Temis region
1901: ROMANIA ("HUNGARY") – Chisoda ("Kissoda," "Kisoda"), Temis region
Leader: Petar the Magician.
Method: poisoned brandy.
Leader: Coroner Hanusch, formed a "club" of wives who wished their husbands dead.
Method: poison supplied by the coroner, who would certify victim died of heart disease.
Victims: at least 6 husbands.
1905: HUNGARY – Czongrad (Csongrad)
Method: poison supplied by the coroner, who would certify victim died of heart disease.
Victims: at least 6 husbands.
1905: HUNGARY – Czongrad (Csongrad)
Leaders: Female poison-maker and a group of women (names currently unavailable).
Method: poison.
Victims: husbands and wives, including a couple who each bought poison to murder one another.
1905: HUNGARY – Hodmezo-Vasarhely (Hod-Moyo-Vasarheky; Hódmezővásárhely)
Method: poison.
Victims: husbands and wives, including a couple who each bought poison to murder one another.
1905: HUNGARY – Hodmezo-Vasarhely (Hod-Moyo-Vasarheky; Hódmezővásárhely)
Leader: Balapa
(reputed witch).
Customers: Women who wished to kill husbands or infants.
Method: poison.
Victims: 6 men;
20 infants.
1906: ROMANIA ("HUNGARY") – Knez (Knecz, Kneez),Temeczvar (Timișoara, Temesvár)
Leader: Frau Sivacky.
Customers: wives
Customers: wives
Method: poison.
Victims: 9 husbands critically ill; other deaths; 12 women
arrested.
Leader: Frau Miriczky:
Customers: Wives seeking to replace husbands, or to inherit from them.
Method: 9 different liquid poisons, arsenic.
Victims: 14 (plus many more).
Leader: Martha Petromany, Frau Hazyok
Merthod: arsenic, sold for $4.50 per portion.
Victims: 25 bodies exhumed; Catherine Biber murdered 3; an unnamed widow murdered 4 husbands consecutively.
1909: UKRAINE ("RUSSIA") – Samara
Victims: 25 bodies exhumed; Catherine Biber murdered 3; an unnamed widow murdered 4 husbands consecutively.
Leader: Frau Szari
Method: poisonous black henbane seeds.
Victims: Mr. Szari, many others.
Victims: Mr. Szari, many others.
1909: UKRAINE ("RUSSIA") – Samara
Leader: Katharina Popova (Popowa); claimed all victims were husbands who had abused their wives.
Method: arsenic extracted from fly-paper, rat poison containing arsenic, toadstools.
Victims: estimates vary from 30 to 100.
1930: HUNGARY – Fajsz (Bács-Kiskun county)
1931: SLOVAKIA (CZECHOSLOVAKIA) – Levice
Method: poison in food or drink placed there directly by Madame Popova.
Victims: 50 ("300" in some sources), all husbands.
1911: HUNGARY – Szegedin (Szeged)
Victims: 50 ("300" in some sources), all husbands.
1911: HUNGARY – Szegedin (Szeged)
Leader: Maria Gerzan, professional nurse.
Accomplice: Levai, murdered husband.
Method: poison, claimed to be for killing
vegetable parasites.
Leader: Johanna Kapruczan, murdered her first 4 husbands, 5th alive at time of arrest; 6 other women arrested.
Method: not yet ascertained.
Number of victims: 9 men (including leader’s 4 husbands).
1926: SERBIA {"JUGOSLAVIA") – Nagy Kikinda (Kikinda)
Leader:
Julie Remic
Method:
Arsenic
Victims:
Remic’s 2 husbands and son; about 30 other persons.
1926: SERBIA {"JUGOSLAVIA") – Nagy Kikinda (Kikinda)
The “St. Lucretia Club,” a charitable
organization was dedicated to sharing information about husband-murdering
techniques.
Leader: Maria Vukosava Jovanovic (Maria Vukitch).
Method: poison.
Victims:7 husbands.
1927: RUSSIA – Novay Ladoga ("Navoia")
1929: SERBIA ("JUGOSLAVIA") – Vladimirovac; Panchova, Banat ("Banyat") region
1927: RUSSIA – Novay Ladoga ("Navoia")
Leader: Sophie Safarin ("Safarine").
Method: poison.
Victims: 58 husbands (entire population of husbands).
1929: SERBIA ("JUGOSLAVIA") – Vladimirovac; Panchova, Banat ("Banyat") region
Leader: Anuja de Poshtonja (Anna Pistova), "The Witch of Vladimirovac", AKA: Anyuka Dee, the “Banat Witch,” Baba Anujka.
Method: "vegetable poisoning"; arsenic.
Perpatrators: includes Stana Ludushka (3 victims: 2 husbands; one uncle).
Victims: 13, all husbands (50 in one account); 50 year career probably involved scores more.
Leaders: Júlia Fazekas (murdered 2 of her own husbands), Christine Chordas, (“Czordas”), and Susi Oláh (murdered 2 of her own husbands).Method: "vegetable poisoning"; arsenic.
Perpatrators: includes Stana Ludushka (3 victims: 2 husbands; one uncle).
Victims: 13, all husbands (50 in one account); 50 year career probably involved scores more.
Method: arsenic extracted from fly-paper, rat poison containing arsenic, toadstools.
Victims: estimates vary from 30 to 100.
13 serial killers: Maria Aszendi (3 murders), Christine Chordas (3 murders), Julia Dari (3 murders), Julia Fazekas (scores of murders), Juliana Foeldvary (3 murders), Maria Kardos (3 murders), Julianne Lipka (scores of murders), Suzi Olah
(scores of murders), Mrs. Louis Oser (or, "Cser," 3 murders), Frau Palinka (7
murders), Julia Sijj (7 murders), Esther Szabo
(multiple murders, including 2 family members), Maria Varga (3 murders).
1930: HUNGARY – Fajsz (Bács-Kiskun county)
Leader: Name not discovered as yet.
Arrests: 5 women arrested, 1 committed suicide (Frau Hegedüs).
Method: Poison.
Victims: 6 husbands.
Leader: Viktoria Stanke; poisoned 3: husband, Julie Talinik, Mr. Talinik.
Arrested: Repisky (farmer), poisoned father in 1928; Victoria Szenesi, arrested.
Method: poison.
Victims: 6 known, others suspected to be discovered upon investigation.
Leader:
Viktoria Foedi Rieger, nicknamed “Smoking Peter.” She was a
cross-dresser who passed as a man; "The Devil Woman of Pista."
Method: hanging arranged to simulate suicide.
Victims: 22 suspected.
Leaders: Florica Duma & Ilona Kovacs.
Method: Arsenic extracted from fly-paper.
Victims: 6 persons, men and women.
1935: HUNGARY – Debreczen
Serbian: Соиа Гјуркиц (Sojka Gjurkic).
Method: Poison potions.
Victims: Multiple husbands.
Leader: Julianne Nagy.
Method: arsenic extracted from boiled fly-paper.
Victims: at least 11.
1939: USA – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
***
Explanations for the Hungarian murder syndicates that are commonly found are based on theories that are now being demonstrated to be faulty. Thus we must resist interpreting the phenomenon of the various Eastern European murder syndicates – with all their individual differences and complexities – through the simpleminded theories and claims that have been put forth in the standard literature thus far.
An effort is now being made to take an objective look at the family in Eastern Europe without being hampered by the constraints of old-fashioned “patriarchy” theories and “social constructionist” reductionism, as is indicated by a recent call for papers by The Hungarian Historical Review. Here is an excerpt from that call for papers:
“Historians who studied personal narrative sources that had survived in large numbers (such as correspondences, diaries, and memoirs) fervently disputed the Ariés-Hajnal-Stone thesis, according to which given the extended nature of the family, the role of emotional bonds in family life was negligible in Eastern Europe. The opponents of the thesis argue, however, that behind the image of patriarchal family life that emerges from the wealth of literature on matrimonial and marital counseling, one finds innumerable everyday gestures expressive of loving, amicable, and supportive relationships between spouses.”
[Sándor Horváth, Call for journal articles – “The History of Family, Marriage and Divorce in Eastern Europe,” The Hungarian Historical Review, 2013]
***
Some motives for murder among the Eastern European murder syndicates::
1929 – Suzie Olah (professional poisoner) – Not wishing to risk another trial [for performing abortions], Aunt Suzie apparently decided to supplement her earnings in a new fashion. She began a series of child poisonings. There would be a discreet dosing, a little funeral, a tiny grave – and a mouth less to feed. Aunt Suzie worked exclusively with arsenic extracted from flypaper. It seemed effective. She decided to enlarge her sphere. She found wives who had grown tired of their husbands, children who coveted the property of their elders, mothers with ailing sons. Aunt Suzie would whisper that she knew a way. [John MacCormac, “Murder By Wholesale: A Tale From Hungary,” New York Times (N.Y.), Mar 16, 1930, p. XX3]
1939: USA – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Active: 1932-1938; “Arsenic Incorporated.”
Sentencing: 2 executed; 12 life terms; 7 lesser sentences.
Leaders: Morris (Evil Eye) Bolber, Paul Petrillo, Herman Petrillo, Horace D. Perlman.
Operatives: Mrs. Rose Carina, Mrs. Carina Favato, Mrs. Josephine Sadita
Operatives: Mrs. Rose Carina, Mrs. Carina Favato, Mrs. Josephine Sadita
Method: arsenic
Victims: over 100
2011: COLOMBIA – Medellin
Leaders: Mr. & Mrs. Petcovic.
Method: poison.
Perpetrators: 16 tried.
Victims: mostly men (husbands, fathers, nephew).
1995: USA – San Francisco & New York City
1995: USA – San Francisco & New York City
Identification: The Tene-Bimbo Gypsy Clan
Leader: Mary Tene Steiner.
Others: Sylvia Mitchell (New York City), Angela Tene Bufford (San Francisco).
Victims: 9 elderly men.
Method: digitalis poisoning (causing heart attack).
2011: COLOMBIA – Medellin
“The Black Widow Gang.”
Leader: José Adrián Henao Giraldo.
Leader: José Adrián Henao Giraldo.
Members: Luz Elena Carvajal Cataño, Suleyma Giraldo de
Zapata, Emilse Yulima Emilsen Rojas Castaño, Oliveryen Hincapie López.
Method: includes drowning.
Victims: 3 confirmed, 5 under investigation.
***
HUNGARY-RELATED CASE:
***
HUNGARY-RELATED CASE:
Murderers: Rose Veres (from Sarud, Hungary), "THe Witch of Medina Street," and son, William.
Related case: In Detroit Michigan in a neighborhood
populated by immigrants from Sarud, Hungary, a woman conducted, along with her
son, an insurance murder racket with boarders as her victims. Though she was
later released from prison on appeal, there is little doubt she was guilty of the
crimes she was originally convicted of.
***
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A note on names:
It should be note that names of persons and places from there regions are
spelled in numerous different ways since a great many ethnicities resided these
and used a great variety of languages. For example, Serbian was spoken in
Serbia, but German was the official language of the ruling empire while the
following other languages being spoken there include Albanian, Hungarian,
Romanian, Slovak, Rusyn, Croatian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Romani, Czech,
Bosnian, Vlach, Bunjevac, Macedonian, Montenegrin.
Further, English language transliterations of these names
use many different spellings for the same name and vary in their choice of
which original language form as the basis for their transliteration. In short,
working with English language sources is extremely messy and confusing work.
***
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Important article on Hungarian poison syndicates:
Jánoki Dávid, “Arsenic norms, collective secret, and double roles during the interrogations” (A történelem kérdései; Az írás, amint érvényét veszti, a Recenziók menüpontban található linken elérhető lesz.), Amazing History (website) 2012. November 23., Vác, Hungary
http://www.amazing-history.eoldal.hu/cikkek/a-tortenelem-kerdesei/
Jánoki Dávid, “Arsenic norms, collective secret, and double roles during the interrogations” (A történelem kérdései; Az írás, amint érvényét veszti, a Recenziók menüpontban található linken elérhető lesz.), Amazing History (website) 2012. November 23., Vác, Hungary
http://www.amazing-history.eoldal.hu/cikkek/a-tortenelem-kerdesei/
***
Explanations for the Hungarian murder syndicates that are commonly found are based on theories that are now being demonstrated to be faulty. Thus we must resist interpreting the phenomenon of the various Eastern European murder syndicates – with all their individual differences and complexities – through the simpleminded theories and claims that have been put forth in the standard literature thus far.
An effort is now being made to take an objective look at the family in Eastern Europe without being hampered by the constraints of old-fashioned “patriarchy” theories and “social constructionist” reductionism, as is indicated by a recent call for papers by The Hungarian Historical Review. Here is an excerpt from that call for papers:
“Historians who studied personal narrative sources that had survived in large numbers (such as correspondences, diaries, and memoirs) fervently disputed the Ariés-Hajnal-Stone thesis, according to which given the extended nature of the family, the role of emotional bonds in family life was negligible in Eastern Europe. The opponents of the thesis argue, however, that behind the image of patriarchal family life that emerges from the wealth of literature on matrimonial and marital counseling, one finds innumerable everyday gestures expressive of loving, amicable, and supportive relationships between spouses.”
[Sándor Horváth, Call for journal articles – “The History of Family, Marriage and Divorce in Eastern Europe,” The Hungarian Historical Review, 2013]
***
Some motives for murder among the Eastern European murder syndicates::
1886 – Persa Czirin (professional poisoner) – [A] wholesale
epidemic of poisoning had broken out among the women of the place who
administered arsenic to their husbands whenever they wanted to marry somebody
else. The first of the trials came on at Panosova recently, and ended with the
conviction of a young pleasant woman, Draga Radovancey, who was sentenced to be
hanged. An old peasant woman, Persa Czirin, who supplied the poison, was
released for want of sufficient evidence. [“Wholesale Poisoning of Husbands.”
The Southland Times (Invercarghill, Southland, N. Z.), Jun. 14, 1886, p. 4]
1889
– Thekla Popov (professional poisoner) – [Serial poisoner] Thekla Popov’s
clients were, however, not always married women. Sometimes she had dealing with
young girls who quarrelled with their sweethearts, and who, from jealousy or
rage, had determined to kill them. [“Secret Poisoning. - Awful Crimes Of
Borgias Recalled By Hungary’s Horror.
Murderous Nostrums Of Old. - Terrible Women Who Divorced Themselves By
Deadly Potions. - The Evil Worked By Fortune Tellers.” Pittsburgh Post (Pa.),
Dec. 14, 1889. p. 12]
1889 – Draga Kukin – Amongst other things he overheard was
Kukin’s widow [Draga Kukin] saying to her accomplice, “Well, I am young and
pretty. He was old and ugly. Why should he not die?” [“Secret Poisoning. -
Awful Crimes Of Borgias Recalled By Hungary’s Horror. Murderous Nostrums Of Old. - Terrible Women
Who Divorced Themselves By Deadly Potions. - The Evil Worked By Fortune
Tellers.” Pittsburgh Post (Pa.), Dec. 14, 1889. p. 12]
1897 – Marie Jager (Azalai Jager Mari) (professional
poisoner) – It has transpired that the
woman was much sought after, because when children were unwelcome they lived
but a little while when Azalai Jager Mari was called in attendance. How many
infants she destroyed it is impossible to guess. [“A Woman Who Has Poisoned
More Than 100 People,” The World (New York, N.Y.), Jul. 11, 1897, p. 29]
1900 – Nikola Bettuz (professional poisoner) – In some
instances it was found that the object of the women was to obtain the insurance
on the lives of their husbands. [“Slay Their Husbands - In Hungary Wives Tired
of Their Spouses Kill Them by Using a
Mysterious Poison.” (Buda-Pesth Cor. Chicago Chronicle.) Fort Wayne Sentinel
(In.), Oct. 20, 1900, p. 1]
1901 – Kissoda, Romania – [Note: not just husbands, but “lovers” as
well] Instances in which wives rid themselves of inconvenient husbands and
girls did away with lovers whom they no longer wanted increased there
appallingly. [“Epidemic Of Poisoning In Hungary. - Eighteen Men
Killed.” The Capricornian (Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia), Jan. 12, 1901,
p. 38]
1907
– Julia Wunicsitch – Julia Wuicsitch poisoned her husband because he could not
buy her a new dress. [“Town Poisoned - And Wiped Out of Existence by Modern
Lucretia Borgia. - Fair Young Fiend - Poisoned Her Rich Old Husband So She
Could Marry a Young Lawyer, Whom She Also Poisoned. - Then With Another Woman She
Went Into the Wholesale Poisoning Business.” The Manning Times (S. C.), Mar.
20, 1907, p. 6]
1907
– Marthas Petromany (professional poisoner)
– She married a wealthy farmer some five years ago solely on account of
his possessions. A young man of talents and good prospects who was the leading
local lawyer became her ardent admirer. Mme. Petrubany’s highest desire was to
see her old husband out of the way to marry the lawyer and combine his superior
social station and the old man’s property. [“Town Poisoned - And Wiped Out of
Existence by Modern Lucretia Borgia. - Fair Young Fiend - Poisoned Her Rich Old
Husband So She Could Marry a Young Lawyer, Whom She Also Poisoned. Then With
Another Woman She Went Into the Wholesale Poisoning Business.” The Manning
Times (S. C.), Mar. 20, 1907, p. 6]
1929 – Anyuka, Dee (AKA Anna Pistova, etc.) – A murder trial has begun at Panchova, Jugo-Slavia, where 93-year-old Anyuka, Dee is charged with having murdered more than fifty men. She is known throughout the district as the “Banat Witch.” Legends throw a veil of mystery around her lonely life, and as the wives of wealthy farmers liked to go to her for help in cases of illness and also to consult her on other difficulties, she drew a large income, which enabled her to lead a life of comfort. Recently it was said that Anyuka Dee, in addition to saving lives with herbs, also destroyed them with arsenic if she were paid to do so. [“A Jugo-Slavian ‘Witch’ - Faces Murder Trial,” The Advertiser (Adelaide, Australia), Aug. 12, 1929, p. 17]
1929 – Anyuka, Dee (AKA Anna Pistova, etc.) – A murder trial has begun at Panchova, Jugo-Slavia, where 93-year-old Anyuka, Dee is charged with having murdered more than fifty men. She is known throughout the district as the “Banat Witch.” Legends throw a veil of mystery around her lonely life, and as the wives of wealthy farmers liked to go to her for help in cases of illness and also to consult her on other difficulties, she drew a large income, which enabled her to lead a life of comfort. Recently it was said that Anyuka Dee, in addition to saving lives with herbs, also destroyed them with arsenic if she were paid to do so. [“A Jugo-Slavian ‘Witch’ - Faces Murder Trial,” The Advertiser (Adelaide, Australia), Aug. 12, 1929, p. 17]
1929 – Suzie Olah (professional poisoner) – Not wishing to risk another trial [for performing abortions], Aunt Suzie apparently decided to supplement her earnings in a new fashion. She began a series of child poisonings. There would be a discreet dosing, a little funeral, a tiny grave – and a mouth less to feed. Aunt Suzie worked exclusively with arsenic extracted from flypaper. It seemed effective. She decided to enlarge her sphere. She found wives who had grown tired of their husbands, children who coveted the property of their elders, mothers with ailing sons. Aunt Suzie would whisper that she knew a way. [John MacCormac, “Murder By Wholesale: A Tale From Hungary,” New York Times (N.Y.), Mar 16, 1930, p. XX3]
1929 – Maria Kardos – After marrying and divorcing two
husbands she found herself at the age of forty with a 23-year-old son, whose
health had made him a burden. Moreover, she had fast taken a young lover and
did not wish to have this constant reminder of her own age. She consulted Aunt
Suzie. The first dose of arsenic only made the boy ill. One fine Autumn day she
had his bed moved outside in the courtyard. “I gave him some more poison in his
medicine,” she told the police. “And then, suddenly, I remembered how
beautifully my boy used to sing in church and I thought I would like to hear
him once more. So I said: ‘Sing, my boy. Sing me my favorite song.’ He sang it
in his lovely, clear voice.” The song ended in agony. The poison had done its
work. [John MacCormac, “Murder By Wholesale: A Tale From Hungary,” New York Times (N.Y.), Mar 16, 1930,
p. XX3]
1935 – Julianna Nagy (professional poisoner) – They all got their wish, dying from her
food. The old maid induced the old man to marry her by the simple process of
threatening to resign as cook. But there were five children to inherit which
would not leave much for the widow in case something should happen to Nagy.
Therefore Julianna bought more fly-paper with which she made little angels, one
after the other of all the five children.
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[9633-4-10-19]
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[9633-4-10-19]
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