Podcast Summary: Elizabeth A. DeWolfe, "Alias Agnes: The Notorious Tale of a Gilded Age Spy"

New Books Network – February 11, 2026
Host: Jane Semeka
Guest: Elizabeth DeWolfe

Episode Overview

In this episode, historian Jane Semeka sits down with Dr. Elizabeth DeWolfe to discuss her latest nonfiction book, "Alias Agnes: The Notorious Tale of a Gilded Age Spy" (UP of Kentucky, 2025). The book uncovers the entwined stories of Madeline Pollard, an infamous plaintiff in a sensational breach of promise lawsuit against a U.S. Congressman, and Jane Tucker, an enterprising stenographer-turned-undercover spy. DeWolfe’s research combines literary detective work with women’s history, challenging prevailing narratives about women’s agency, reputation, and friendship in the Gilded Age.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Story Behind "Alias Agnes"

• Main Characters

  • Madeline Pollard: A young woman from Kentucky with literary ambitions but little financial or familial support. She sues her former lover, Congressman Breckenridge, for breach of promise when he reneges on marrying her, causing national scandal.
  • Jane Tucker: A Boston stenographer who becomes a spy when hired by the Congressman’s legal team. Her mission: Be-friend Madeline and covertly relay her secrets. Their ten-week acquaintance unfolds against the backdrop of a riveting Gilded Age trial.
    ([00:55])

• DeWolfe’s Fascination with the Case

  • DeWolfe stumbled on the story via a rare "salesman's sample" of a book about the trial, found in her husband’s rare bookshop—mere miles from home.
  • Realizing that Pollard’s life before and after the scandal was unexplored, DeWolfe pivots her project from Pollard’s biography to a dual study with Tucker as “Alias Agnes Parker.”
    ([02:46]–[09:26])

2. Historical Detective Work: Bringing Women's Stories to Light

• Methodological Challenges

  • DeWolfe recounts the difficulties of documenting women’s lives, often starting with records dominated by men and piecing together details from obscure sources.
  • “When we're looking, especially at the unknown woman, we often have to start with the men.” ([05:56], DeWolfe)

• Discovery of Archival Material

  • Both the Breckinridge and Tucker family papers were preserved—the latter thanks to historical interest in the family’s sea captain heritage, even as female voices were initially overlooked.
  • It took cross-referencing letters, sales records, and biographies to confirm Jane Tucker’s double identity as Agnes Parker.
    ([09:39]–[13:49])

3. Gender, Agency, and Motivation in the Gilded Age

• Jane Tucker’s Motivation

  • Economic necessity and the desire for independence drove Tucker’s foray into espionage.
  • “She wanted an independent life. ... She had kind of an unspecified illness. But as soon as she decided to take this job, she makes a new dress and off she goes.” ([15:07], DeWolfe)
  • Parallels are drawn to stunt reporter Nellie Bly, whose undercover work both inspires and nearly exposes Jane’s mission. The tension of being found out is personified in a dream Madeline shares.
    ([17:51]–[21:15])

• Friendship, Betrayal, and Emotional Complexity

  • The complex relationship between Pollard and Tucker—filled with suspicion, trust, need, and ambiguity—mirrors larger dynamics of women's mutual support and rivalry.
  • “Was Madeline using Jane just as Jane was using Madeline?” ([21:56], DeWolfe)
  • The book unpacks both women’s vulnerabilities and survival tactics in a society eager to label and police them.

• Media, Shame, and Public Consumption

  • Pollard’s lawsuit forced her private life into the national spotlight, turning her into a commodity in Gilded Age consumer culture. Four books, an opera, plays, and jokes circulated in her wake.
  • “She had to, in our language today, manage her brand.” ([23:57], DeWolfe)

4. Respectability, Class, and the Double Standard

• On Respectability and the Law

  • The legal battle pivots not just on breach of promise but on whether Pollard deserves to reclaim respectability—an honor usually reserved for leisured-class women.
  • “Nine years is a pretty long game for an adventurous. That's a long game.” ([27:17], DeWolfe)
  • Breckinridge’s defense slanders Pollard, suggesting she’s not the “kind of woman to whom marriage is possible,” thus shaming her and denying her status.

• Intersectionality in Women’s Lives

  • The relationship between Pollard and Tucker and their interactions with other trial figures—elite and working-class women, both Black and white—highlight the fractures and networks among women.
  • “How do we, as women, support one another? Are we building women up or are we building blocks that won't allow women to pass? Who are the privilege holders?” ([33:05], DeWolfe)

5. Manipulated Intimacy

• The very notion of female friendship is weaponized by Jane/Agnes, exploiting Madeline’s need for companionship and trust to “subvert female friendship and get this information to please men.”
  ([39:08], DeWolfe)
• Despite her skill and loyalty, Jane is ultimately not rewarded—left jobless and without the recognition she expected.
  • “At the end of this whole episode, she's right where she was in January, back at home, broke.” ([40:11], DeWolfe)

6. Teaching Opportunities and Broader Lessons

• Relevance for Today
  • The book provides multidimensional portrayals of Gilded Age women—crossing class, race, and ambition—making it ideal for use in classroom settings.
  • DeWolfe recommends staging the trial in class and using the diverse cast as entry points to explore labor, legal rights, reproductive health, and women’s economic strategies. ([42:02])
  • “The idea here between Jane and Madeline and all of the women and men in this story is they're all doing the same thing. They just all want their piece of the American dream. So what is the American dream? Or is it dreams, plural?” ([44:58], DeWolfe)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Discovering the Story
  “I don't find my stories, they find me.” ([02:46], DeWolfe)

• On Historical Method
  “We need to think more broadly and dig a little more deeply. ... For us, it's new eyes in a new generation that ask different questions of the archive than was asked in the 1970s or 60s or 50s or so forth.” ([13:49], DeWolfe)

• On Espionage and Undercover Work
  “A couple of different things pulled Jane to this task, to this mission. One was certainly money. Jane wanted an independent life. ... She wanted a great adventure. And here it was.” ([15:07], DeWolfe)

• On Betrayal and Female Friendship
  “She ends up selling and cleaning and pretending to be Madeline's new bestie, all to subvert female friendship and get this information to please men who themselves, despite all their promises, end up really kind of throwing Jane under the bus. ... At the end of this whole episode, she's right where she was in January, back at home, broke.” ([39:08]–[40:11], DeWolfe)

• On Societal Double Standards “Breckinridge is trying to show the opposite ... slut shaming her slut shaming. So does that negate any promise? He ... says, so she's not the kind of woman to whom marriage is possible. ... There are no job offers at the end, she doesn't get paid.” ([29:00]–[40:11], DeWolfe)

• On Women's Histories and Solidarity
  “How do we, as women, support one another? Are we building women up or are we building blocks that won't allow women to pass?” ([33:05], DeWolfe)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:55] – Introduction to Madeline Pollard and Jane Tucker
• [02:46] – How DeWolfe found the story and rare book episode
• [05:56] – Research methods; starting with men’s papers to find women’s stories
• [09:39] – Discovery and verification of Jane Tucker’s archival papers
• [15:07] – Jane Tucker’s motivations; undertaking spy work
• [17:51] – Nellie Bly’s influence and the peril of undercover work
• [21:56] – Emotional dynamics and trust between Madeline and Jane
• [23:57] – Media and the commodification of female scandal
• [27:17] – Respectability, class, and the legal strategy
• [33:05] – Broader lessons about women’s solidarity and divisions
• [39:08] – Manipulation of female friendship; Jane's lack of reward
• [42:02] – Using the story in the classroom; lessons for today

Final Thoughts

Elizabeth DeWolfe’s "Alias Agnes" not only narrates a suspenseful historical episode but opens up broader reflections on the power dynamics in women’s lives, the workings of reputation and trust, and the nuances of female relationships in a society governed by double standards. The book—and this interview—showcase how reevaluating archival materials with fresh perspectives can unearth stories previously overshadowed by male-centric narratives, inviting historians and readers alike to reconsider who gets to be visible in history.

Recommended for listeners/readers interested in:

• Gilded Age history
• Women’s and gender studies
• Legal and social history
• The dynamics of societal scandal and personal agency
• True crime and historical detective stories