Within these pages are twenty-five complete stories of murder in the North Country. The perpetrators range from average citizens to some of the worst degenerates imaginable. Their methods run the gamut from poison to clubs to knives to guns to axes, while their stories contain shocking revelations and remarkable twists, far too many to count. And some are just plain unusual.
The complete life story of serial rapist and serial killer Robert F. Garrow. Derived from a variety of sources, the story¿s core is based on 2,000 pages of official court testimony, ensuring accuracy and offering an intimate look at the life of the most feared criminal in the history of the Adirondacks.Included is complete coverage of: Garrow¿s childhood; his multitude of crimes and deviant behavior; his many court appearances; the Speculator, Witherbee, and Fishkill manhunts; his manipulation of the corrections and court systems of NYS; the national maelstrom involving his attorneys; and the repercussions across New York State when his deceptions were revealed posthumously.
Here for the first time is a complete look at Prohibition in northern New York: the shootings, killings, wild pursuits, gunplay at levels never seen before or since, corrupt lawmen, scofflaws, stills, Bootleg Kings, border runners, humorous incidents, ingenious smuggling techniques, hundreds of speakeasies, thousands of arrest stories, and more. Volume 1 covers the first half of Prohibition.Also revealed is northern New York's critical role in the repeal of Prohibition nationally. Two main sources that neither state nor federal enforcement organizations could plug were the offshore ships known as Rum Row (near New York City), and bootleggers crossing the state's border with Canada, especially the 63-mile land border with Quebec. Together they slaked the thirst of millions of New Yorkers, including those in the Big Apple.As the most populous and liberal state, New York led the resistance to Prohibition. It was often said that, "As New York goes, so goes the nation." And so it was. New York went against Prohibition, and after 14 tumultuous, violent, incredible years, the nation repealed a constitutional amendment-the only time that has ever happened in US history.
Inside are the stories of 41 murderers who were sentenced to die in Dannemora's electric chair. Graphic details of many brutal attacks are covered, including victims' injuries as provided in coroner and autopsy reports, so this is not a book for the squeamish-but it is a book for fans of true-crime stories. There's plenty of drama, passion, and angst throughout in stories ranging from shocking to frightening to just plain remarkable.
The authors, Kim Ladd and Pam Ladd, visited over 120 bars inside the Blue Line and chose their own 46 High Peaks--bars, taverns, and inns with elevations that measure above average, show promise of longevity, offer diversity, and are venues that anyone would find comfortable. Those that were hard to cut from the High Peaks are listed as Trailheads--worthy of a visit if you're in the neighborhood. The Adirondack Park is 9,375 square miles, or 6.1 million acres. Kim and Pam covered it. Given the size of the park, they decided to break it into five regions: Foothills, Eastern Lakes, Southern & Sacandaga, High Peaks, and Western Wilderness. This Adirondack bar guide contains reviews of 46 bars, a summary of their amenities at-a-glance, and a brief outline of the Trailheads, all listed by region. The recipe section features the authors' own drink recipes, and signature drink recipes contributed by many of the High Peaks bars.
The People & Places of the Adirondacks collection contains a variety of story types: original works of hard history, the lives of unusual people, noteworthy accomplishments, groundbreaking inventions, remarkable mishaps, oddities, and humor. They all have one thing in common: each is rooted in the North Country, defined here as the Adirondacks and foothills. The region's past is filled with relative or complete unknowns who were, in fact, highly accomplished individuals. Many of the chapters here reveal their stories, which are well worth preserving. Those and others are presented with a purpose that is threefold: to educate, amuse, and entertain. In this volume: Hats for Horses: Was it Really a Thing? You Bet!; The Mandrake Tupper Family's Remarkable Civil War Record; Chicken Theft: Once a Prison-Worthy Crime; Catamount Mountain: A Dynamite Movie Role; Homing Pigeons in the Adirondacks; Eddie "Phat Boy" Babbage: Big, Bold, and Beloved; The Greatest Rescue in Adirondack History; An Adirondack Photograph Makes Newspaper History; Ticonderoga Canines: Doggone Good Friends; Lake Champlain Fishing Shanties: Faster than a Speeding Bullet ...; John C. Austin: Wanted--But was He Dead or Alive?; No Bones Were Broken: True Tales of Tumbling Linemen; Rouses Point, Border Village: So Many Famous Visitors!; Garrett Cashman: The Birdman of Albany; George Cheney: Pioneer Recorder of World Music; Fecund Families of the North Country; Henry Harrison Markham: Wilmington to West Coast Governor; Rooftop Highway Déjà Vu; The Dueling Sheriffs of Hamilton County; Robert Emmett Odlum: Public-Safety Daredevil; Thomas William Symons: Building America from Coast to Coast; Rock Eaters? No Way ... But Anything Else Will Do!; Adirondack Swindles: Deceptive and Detestable; North Country vs. KKK: Battling in the Streets; It was Nearly Pok-O-Rushmore!; John L. Dunlap: A Character with Character; Leonard J. Farwell: Wisconsin Governor and Forever Tied to Lincoln; Taylor-Made Communications: Schenectady to Lake Desolation.
