Sophie Ursinus

Sophie Charlotte Elisabeth Weingarten born in Glatz, Prussia, on May 5th, 1760. Her father was the secretary of the Austrian legation, and after he lost his position, she got married 19, to an older counsellor of the supreme court - Theodor Ursinus

They both lived in a town called Stendal up until 1792 and then relocated to Berlin. Then on Sept 11th 1800 just one day after his birthday Ursinus passed away suspicion was on Sophie as she didn't call the doctor and whatever she used to treat him juat made him worse. While they were married, Sophie started an affair with an officer named Rogay which may or may not have been okayed by her husband. Rogay had left Berlin for a while he came back roughly 3 years before her husband died and he him self died which was reported to be from Tuberculosis. Around the death evidence shows Sophie brought some arsenic. January 24th, 1801 her aunt Christine Witte suffered a brief illness and died in Charlottenburg leaving Sophie with a large inheritance again evidence shows she brought arsenic just before this death.

In February 1803 Benjamin Klein who worked for her and had recently been in an argument with her got ill. She gave him an emetic and then soup which only made him feel worse. When she gave him some plums he had them secretly examined by a chemist who found they contained arsenic.

She was arrested for poisoning her husband, whose body was then exhumed but the examiners were unable to confirm whether he was poisoned but everyone still remained suspicious. She was next charged with the murder of her aunt and upon examination there was no doubt that she was killed by arsenic. The trial ended on Sept 12th 1803 she was found guilty and sentenced to life She was allowed to have a certain amount of comforts while in prison, and was even allowed to have parties with outside guests and dress in fine clothing.