Tillie Klimek: Mrs. Bluebeard of Chicago

10 snips

Apr 9, 2026

A lurid look at a 1920s Chicago woman accused of systematic poisonings and sudden insurance payouts. Short marriages, strange behaviors at funerals, and whispers of arsenic fill the narrative. Newspaper sensation, exhumations, and courtroom drama drive the story. The tale ends with conviction, lifelong imprisonment, and lingering questions about how many deaths were linked to her.

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ANECDOTE

Early Life And First Marriage

Otilia "Tilly" Klimek immigrated from Poland and married young, starting a pattern of quick remarriage after husbands' deaths.
Her first husband Joseph Michiewicz died in January 1914 and she collected a $1,000 policy, then remarried one month later.

ANECDOTE

Rapid Remarriage And Quick Inheritances

After Joseph Michiewicz's death, Tilly married Joseph Ruskowski in February 1914 and he died by May 1914, enabling her to collect $1,922 from savings and insurance.
The hosts note rapid remarriage and inheritance as a recurring pattern in her life.

ANECDOTE

Cavalier Behavior Around Frank's Death

Tilly's third husband Frank Kupchick fell ill in 1921 with neighbors noting her cavalier behavior, including shopping for a coffin and knitting a hat for his funeral.
Frank died April 25, 1921 and Tilly collected $675 from his life insurance days later.

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Chicago in the 1920s is often remembered for the rise of organized crime and it’s larger than life leaders like Al Capone and Johnny Torrio. While these men and their organizations surely shaped the city’s identity, their infamy and influence were, at least for a short time, rivaled by a group of young women whose murderous acts would dominate headlines in papers around the country throughout the decade.

While Beulah Annan and Belva Gardner—the real-life inspiration for the musical Chicago—were arguably the most well known of the female murders from this era, their famous murders were preceded by the equally sensationalized murder spree of Tillie Klimek. Between 1914 and 1921, Klimek was believed to have killed as many as seven people including four husbands. While her crimes would ultimately land her in the Illinois State Penitentiary for the rest of her life, her exploits and criminal trial were sensational and occupied the front pages of city newspapers for years.

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References

Chicago Tribune. 1922. "Death called mere routine in posion home." Chicago Tribune, November 15: 1.

—. 1922. "Find arsenic, arrest wife and stepson." Chicago Tribune, October 27: 1.

—. 1922. "Klimek poison list is twenty; arrest 1 more." Chicago Tribune, November 19: 1.

—. 1922. "Koulik friend sought in new poison charge." Chicago Tribune, November 26: 5.

—. 1922. "Mystery deaths in poison case may reach 20." Chicago Tribune, November 14: 3.

—. 1923. "Tillie Klimek is strong witness in own defense." Chicago Tribune, March 13: 7.

Danville Commercial News. 1923. "The woman, not the jury, was on trial." Chicago Tribune, March 30: 8.

Forbes, Genevieve. 1923. "Grave digger tells of goings on at Klimks'." Chicago Tribune, March 10: 3.

—. 1923. "How Mrs. Klimek jested of death of husband told." Chicago Tribune, March 9: 7.

—. 1923. "Life in prison for woman as arch poisoner." Chicago Tribune, March 14: 1.

—. 1923. "'Ma' Koulik, wise in jail learning, goes back home." Chicago Tribune, November 9: 4.

—. 1923. "Poison evidence robs Mrs. Klimek of indifference." Chicago Tribune, March 11: 7.

International News Service. 1922. "May exhume bodies of four former husbands." Waukegan News-Sun, October 27: 12.

Lynch, Charles. 1923. "Ask hanging for 2 women charged with murder orgy." Belvidere Daily Republican, March 6: 1.

Telfer, Tori. 2017. Lady Killers: Deadly Women Throughout History. New York, NY: Harper Perennial.

United Press. 1922. "Chicago police suspect second 'Mrs. BLuebeard'." Freeport Journal-Standard, November 4: 1.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

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