Annie Zachoegner Murdered 3 Husbands & A Sister-in-Law - 1889

FULL TEXT (Article 1 of 2): Pittsburg, March 27 – Dispatches from Detroit intimate strongly that Mrs. Annie Zachoegner (pronounced Jeckner), of No. 210 Kentucky-st. in that city, has poisoned three husbands and the sister of her present husband. The latter was formerly a resident of Allegheny City, where his family still resides. About three weeks ago his mother and sister Emma went to Detroit on a visit and were suddenly taken sick. The mother recovered, but Emma died, and arsenic was found in her stomach. The alleged murderess and her husband are now in Pennsylvania, but their arrest has been ordered by the coroner in Detroit.

[“Charged With Poisoning Four Persons.” New-York Tribune (N.Y.), Mar. 28, 1889, p. 5]

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FULL TEXT (Article 2 of 2): Detroit, Mich., March 26. – A few weeks ago a Mrs. Johanus Zachoegner and daughter Emma, a handsome young woman about twenty-two years of age, arrived  in this city from Allegheny City on a visit to a son, John Zachoegner. On February 28^th they both were taken suddenly ill, and four days later the daughter died. Mrs. Zachoegner recovered. The police heard of the young woman’s death, and, knowing of similar cases having occurred in the family, had the stomach of the deceased removed and analyzed. Zachoegner and his wife, upon promising to return in time for the inquest, were allowed to take the body to Allegheny City for burial, but up to date nothing has been heard from them. The Coroner’s inquest was begun to-night, and the testimony of the physician who made the analysis showed that the stomach contained large quantities of arsenic. Anna Zachoegner, wife of John, is thirty years of age. She had two husbands previous to Zachoegner, both of whom died under suspicious circumstances. The motive advanced by the authorities, who claim that there has been a murder and an attempted murder, is that the young woman, knowing that old Mrs. Zachoegner was wealthy, administered the poison to her and to Miss Emma, which would result in the property being inherited by her husband.

[“Mother And Daughter Poisoned. The Crime Charged Against Another Member of the Family For Monetary Purposes.” The Cincinnati Enquirer (Oh.), Mar. 27, 1889, p. 1]

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Suspected victims:

First husband

Second husband

(and a third husband?)

Mrs. Johanus Zachoegner, mother-in-law

Emma Zachoegner, 22, sister-in-law, died 4 days after Feb. 28, 1889

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For links to other cases of woman who murdered 2 or more husbands (or paramours), see Black Widow Serial Killers.

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For more cases of this category, see: Female Serial Killers of 19th Century America

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[562-12/28/20]

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