Tales From The Kentucky Room

Dr. Elizabeth DeWolfe joins us by phone from Maine to discuss her book Alias Agnes: The Notorious Tale of a Guilded Age Spy with David. Alias Agnes is a narrative non-fiction exploring the role of Jane Armstrong Tucker, alias Agnes Parker, and her undercover role in the lawsuit brought by Madeleine Pollard against William C. P. Breckinridge. David and Dr. DeWolfe discuss the backgrounds of both women, how they differed, the results of the trial and how they went about their lives when the trial was over. Alias Agnes details the story of Jane Tucker, who took a job as an undercover detective with a ten-week mission. Her target: Madeleine Pollard, former mistress of Congressman William C. P. Breckinridge, whom she had sued for breach of promise when he failed to marry her. Exploring the intricacies of this trial and a scandal that captivated the nation, author Elizabeth A. DeWolfe demonstrates that a shared lack of power did not always lead to alliances among women. DeWolfe uncovers the strategies women used to