In 1930s Philadelphia, men all over town were dying—some in strange accidents, and some of a swift, excruciating illness. Their widows were devastated, of course—but it being the Great Depression and all, they were somewhat comforted by the substantial payouts they received from their late husbands’ life insurance plans. In medical examiners’ offices across the city, one death certificate after another was stamped “Natural Death” or “Accident.” One family doctor after another signed off: So sad, but these things happen. Nothing suspicious here. And in the cellar of one tailor shop, candles and skulls lined the walls. Incantations whispered through the air as little glass vials were carefully filled with deadly poison. The City of Brotherly Love? Not today.

Sources:
Poison Widows by George Cooper
Rachel Snyder: https://vtuhr.org/articles/10.21061/vtuhr.v5i1.43/print/
David Lohr, True TV, "Philadelphia's Poison Ring"
Jim Goad, Thought Catalog: https://thoughtcatalog.com/jim-goad/2019/12/witchs-brew-how-the-philadelphia-poison-ring-exploited-unhappy-wives-and-killed-100-people/
https://murderpedia.org/male.B/b/bolbermorris1.htm
Investigation Discovery's "Most Evil," Episode "Gangs"
Investigation Discovery's "Deadly Women," Episode "Brutal Brides"

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