Takahashi Oden - Takahashi Oden

Japanese: 高橋お伝 - たかはし・おでん

Year of death: January 31, 1879
Year of birth: 1850
A criminal from the Meiji period. She was publicized as an unparalleled "poisonous woman" in Kanagaki Robun's "Takahashi Aden Yasha Monogatari" and Kawatake Mokuami's "Tsuzugou o Den Kana Sho." She was born in Tone District, Kozuke Province (Gunma Prefecture). Her father was Takahashi Kanzaemon. Her real father is said to be Hirose Hanzaemon, a senior vassal of Tanuma Genba-no-kami, the feudal lord of Numata in Kozuke Province. She was adopted by her uncle Takahashi Kuemon, and at the age of 14 she married Miyashita Yojiro, but they divorced after two years. In 1866 (Keio 2), she adopted Takahashi Naminosuke. In 1869 (Meiji 2), Naminosuke contracted leprosy, and due to debts to care for him, she moved to Yokohama, but he died the same year. She lived in Kanda-Nakacho, Tokyo, under the care of silk merchant Ozawa Ihei. Soon after, he fell in love with Ogawa Ichitaro and they lived together in Kojimachi, but he was struggling to make ends meet and borrowed 10 yen from Tanaka Jinzaburo, a boatman from Tateyama, Boso (Chiba Prefecture). However, he had no prospect of paying it back, so he asked Goto Kichizo, a second-hand clothing dealer, for a loan, and on August 29, 1866, he lured her to the Marutake Inn in Kuramae, killed her, and robbed her of her money and valuables. He was arrested 14 days after the crime, but denied any intention to kill her. Kichizo claimed to be his sister's enemy, but this was rejected, and he was executed by beheading in Ichigaya Prison. <References> Shinoda Kozo, "Meiji Kaika Kidan," and Wataya Yuki, "Kinsei Akujo Kibun."

(Mitsuo Sekii)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：明治12.1.31(1879)
生年：嘉永3(1850)
明治時代の犯罪者。仮名垣魯文の『高橋阿伝夜叉物語』,河竹黙阿弥の「綴合於伝仮名書」などに希代の“毒婦”として喧伝された。上野国利根郡(群馬県)生まれ。父は高橋勘左衛門。実父は上州沼田の領主である田沼玄蕃頭の重臣広瀬半左衛門といわれる。伯父の高橋九右衛門の養女となり,14歳で宮下要次郎を婿に迎えたが,2年で離婚。慶応2(1866)年高橋波之助を婿養子に迎えた。明治2(1869)年波之助がハンセン病にかかり,看病のため借金に追われて横浜に移ったが,同年死別。生糸商の小沢伊兵衛に囲われて東京神田仲町に住んだ。まもなく小川市太郎と相愛になり,麹町で同棲したが,生活に追われ房総(千葉県)館山の船頭田中甚三郎から10円借りた。だが返すめどがなく,古着屋の後藤吉蔵に借金を頼み,同9年8月29日蔵前の丸竹旅館に連れ込んで殺害し金品を強奪。犯行後14日目に逮捕されたが,殺意を否認。吉蔵は姉の敵と主張したが却下され,市ケ谷監獄で斬首刑にされた。<参考文献>篠田鉱造『明治開花綺談』,綿谷雪『近世悪女奇聞』

(関井光男)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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