Unknown Gender History: Malvina Roester Murdered Four “Lovers,” Romania ("Hungary")

FULL TEXT: A woman Bluebeard has been arrested in the village of Kristyor in Hungary [Crişcior, in present Romania]. For two years Malvina Roester lived with a peasant named Loerinz Buda. The couple were happy enough until Buda learnt that the woman had another lover. He heaped reproaches upon her, and put her out of the door.

The woman, however, promised to remain faithful to Buda, and was taken back again. A few days later Buda became ill, and in spite of the best medical attention died after an illness lasting five weeks. Immediately after the death of Buda the woman joined her second lover, who a few weeks later learnt that she had made another acquaintance. Shortly after he made the discovery he also was got out of the way.

The third and fourth lovers did not fare any better. The woman’s last lover was Nicholas Grajan, a peasant. When he heard that he had a rival he quarreled with the woman and beat her so violently that she was compelled to keep in bed for a month. She then begged Grajan’s pardon, and the peasant allowed bygones to be bygones. He became seriously ill a few days afterwards. The doctor who was called in could not diagnose the case, but Grajan suspected that the woman had given him poison, and on lodging a complaint, Malvina Roester was arrested.

While under examination the woman coolly confessed that her object in going back to Grajan’s house was simply to be revenged on him, and to prepare the same fate for him as her four previous lover had met with. On being asked what poison she had employed, she declared she had boiled rose bay leaves and poured brandy in the juice. The bodies of the four poisoned men have been ordered to be exhumed.

[“Female Bluebeard – Four Lovers Poisoned,” The Wanganni Herald (New Zealand), Apr. 11, 1905, p. 7]

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Four other cases involving poisonous flowers:

1895 – Gaetani Stimoli ("Stomoli") – Aderno, Catania, Sicily – carramuni

1897 – Azalai Maria Jager – Hodmezovassarhely, Hungary – belladonna

1900 – “The Rouge Husband Poisoners” – Liget, Hungary – datura, angel’s trumpet

1909 – Frau Szari – Grosskanizsalich, Vorhahre, Somogy Cty, Hungary – black henbane

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