Michigan's Strychnine Saint: The Curious Case of Mrs. Mary McKnight

The spring of 1903 proved disastrous for the Murphy family. On April 22, infant Ruth died in her crib, followed within an hour by her mother, Gertrude. Ten days later, John Murphy followed his wife and child to the grave. While neighbors whispered about a curse and physicians feared a contagious disease, Kalkaska County sheriff John W. Creighton and prosecuting attorney Ernest C. Smith searched for answers—uncovering a wicked web of intrigue. At the center stood a widow in a black taffeta dress.