“The Witch of Vladimirovac,” Anujka de Poshonja (Anna Pistova), Professional Husband-Poisoner – 1928

FULL TEXT: Anna Pistova [Anujka de Poshonja], aged 92, the so-called witch of Vladimirovac, near Belgrade (the capital city of Jugo-Slavia, formerly Serbia), will be tried on murder charges, together with the widows of six rich farmers, as the result of an accusation that she supplied deadly love potions to unhappy Serbian wives. The police regarded her as a harmless herbalist until the mysterious death of the Burgomaster Carina, of Novoselo, last year. It caused a sensation, in the district, and led to the arrest of Pistova and Carina’s widow. A strong police force brought Pistova from her squalid cottage, at midnight, to avoid a rescue by the peasants, who venerate her. Madame Carina, a pretty woman, of 29, led a cat and dog life with her husband, who was 49. The bodies of Carina and 12 other husbands were exhumed, and the autopsies disclosed vegetable poisoning. Pistova says it was the wives’ fault if they overdosed their husbands. The widows declare that they merely tried to revitalise their husband’s love, and did not intend to kill them.

[“Witch And Wholesale Poisoner,” The Worker (Brisbaine, Australia), Jun. 26, 1929, p. 19]

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FULL TEXT (Article 2 of 2): Vladimirovac, Jugoslavia – The arrest here of Anujka de Poshonja, a 90-year-old Rumania woman, who is charged with selling slow-acting poisonous mixtures during the last 50 years to married peasant women who wished to rid themselves to their husbands, has revealed a story of witchcraft and murder which recalls the dark ages of the Middle Ages.

Anujka, who stoutly denies the charges, has been renounced and feared for half a century as a “witch” by the surreptitious peasants in the district. She will soon be brought to trial with a number of other peasants, alleged to have to be involved in the crimes.

The police charge that about 20 wealthy husbands have been mysteriously done away with in this district. The investigation now in progress is declared by authorities to involve many prominent persons in this and nearby towns.

One of the most recent, cases to attract attention was that of Gaja Marinkov, rich and healthy peasant proprietor of Banci, who was suddenly taken ill and died within a few days. Relatives who lived with him, and who benefited by his will were accused by the police of poisoning him, but no trace of poison could be found.

Fearing foul play and suspecting old Anujka, Gaja Marinkov's eldest son told the police that he went to Anujka's house and inquired discreetly whether she could supply a poison to kill off an old relative of his. Anujka, he said, .asked how old he was and many similar questions, and finally said that for a great price she could supply something. The young: man them pretended to doubt its efficiency to kill a healthy man and the old woman is declared to have replied:

“If it was good enough to kill Gaja Marinkov it will do for anyone.”

Soon afterwards Lazar Ludushki, a wealthy peasant, died under similar circumstances and a week later Mrs. Ludushki married another peasant from the same village. Within a few months a rich uncle of her second husband died under astonishingly similar circumstances and husbands added to Stana Ludushka's wealth. But this led. To Mrs. Ludushka's detention and an investigation by the authorities, and, information he gave the police is alleged to have involved Anujka.

When Anujka was arrested she tried at first to frighten the young police sergeant who came to her, he reported.

“I work with the devil, young man,” she said. “If you imprison me you’ll remember it to your dying day. Don’t play with the forces of evil.”

When accused of having sold poisons she protested that she had sold only “magic water,” and claimed to have cured many people of ills by its use.

Investigations show that several of the richer peasants of Ilanci have died suddenly and mysteriously in the last few years.

Folk of the district are agog over the forthcoming trial.

[“Sold Poison To Rich To Kill Husbands - Women Who Wealthy Husbands To Die Are Made Victims,” syndicated (AP), Carbondale Free Press (Il.), Jul. 12, 1928, p. 4]

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For more than two dozen similar cases, dating from 1658 to 2011, see the summary list with links see: The Husband-Killing Syndicates

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