In Detroit, 1895, Dr. Horace Pope was found brutally murdered with an axe. There were three people home besides the victim: his wife, Nellie Pope, his daughter, Bernice, and Nellie’s nurse, William Brusseau. William confesses, claiming self-defense, but days later changes his entire story to pin the blame on Nellie. Nellie is immediately painted as an evil, vile woman who controlled both men in her life with a cool gaze and a strong word. Is Nellie really the evil human the press paints her to be or is William’s need for self-preservation spinning a web of lies? Join us to find out. 

Tea of the Day: Strawberry Hibiscus Oolong Tea

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Sources:

• Detroit Free Press - 03 Feb 1895, Sun · Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/119574075/?terms=horace%20pope&match=1
• Detroit Free Press - 14 Feb 1895, Sun · Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/119575996/?terms=Horace%20pope&match=1
• Detroit Free Press - 23 May 1890, Sun · Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/118848272/?terms=Horace%20pope&match=1
• Detroit Free Press - 25 May 1895, Sun · Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/119585792/?terms=Nellie%20pope&match=1
• Detroit Free Press - 5 June 1895, Sun · Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/121671127/
• Detroit Free Press - 4 June 1895, Sun · Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/121671111/?terms=Nellie%20pope&match=1
• Detroit Times - 1 January 1917, Page 10 https://www.newspapers.com/image/835241180/?terms=Nellie%20pope&match=1
• Harrisburg Telegraph - 20 July 1927, page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/40931723/
• Detroit Free Press - 30 Jan 1906 · Page 10 https://www.newspapers.com/image/118653152/?terms=William%20brusseau&match=1
• Detroit Free Press - 05 Feb 1895 · Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12368351/confessed-brusseau-broke-down/
• Detroit Evening Times - 02 Jan 1917 · Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/835241237/?terms=nellie%20pope%20released&match=1
• Garrett Clipper - 15 Nov 1928 · Page 3 https://www.newspapers.com/image/140231121/
• https://listverse.com/2016/05/13/10-people-who-were-wrongly-convicted-of-killing-their-spouses/
• https://detroithistorical.org/learn/timeline-detroit/industrial-detroit-1860-1900
• https://99wfmk.com/nellie-pope/