Wicked Northern New York

Cheri L Farnsworth

• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN: 9781609493059
• eBook ISBN: 9781625841193
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: North American History
• Index: History

The friendly, relaxed atmosphere of the North Country belies a dark and sordid history: a time when it seemed that every city had its red-light district and every hamlet its brothel. Revisit an enigmatic period fraught with pistol duels and "tramp camps;" hermits on the run, "wild man" sightings and horse thieves. Local author Cheri Farnsworth has carefully researched and compiled the region's most wicked stories here, like the Potsdam man who literally scared his wife to death, the woman who was won in a game of cards, and the little girl who was taken by gypsies, sold for fifty cents, and then traded for a half a dozen chickens.

Bibliography

BOOKS AND REPORTS

Everts, L.H. History of St. Lawrence Co., New York with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers. Philadelphia, PA: L.H. Everts & Co., 1878.

Farnsworth, Cheri. Adirondack Enigma: The Mysterious Life and Deprived Intellect of North Country Wife Killer Henry Debosnys. Charleston, SC: The History Press, 2010.

———. Alphabet Killer: The True Story of the Double Initial Murders. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2010.

———. Haunted Northern New York. Vol. 4. Utica, NY: North Country Books, 2010.

———. Murder & Mayhem in Jefferson County. Charleston, SC: The History Press, 2011.

———. Murder & Mayhem in St. Lawrence County. Charleston, SC: The History Press, 2010.

Madden, R.R. The Literary Life and Correspondence of the Countess of Blessington. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1855.

Revai, Cheri. The Big Book of New York Ghost Stories. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2009.

———. Haunted Northern New York. Utica, NY: North Country Books, 2002.

NEWSPAPERS

Adirondack Daily Enterprise. “Police Hero Prevented Blood Legacy.” April 4, 1985.

Adirondack News. “Murder at Saranac Lake.” November 8, 1902.

———. “Noted Horse Thief.” October 28, 1893.

———. Note regarding Allan Mooney. November 15, 1902.

———. Note regarding Lon Clark. June 30, 1906.

Adirondack Record-Elizabethtown Post. “Death Blocks Any Solution of Man’s Life.” March 24, 1932.

Cape Vincent Eagle. “John A. Payne, One of the Lincoln Conspirators.” February 26, 1914.

———. “Southern Traitor Victim of Maple Island Murder.” April 19, 1923.

———. “Story of Hermit of Maple Island Still Thrills Folks of St. Lawrence River Area.” December 22, 1927.

Chateaugay Record. “Armed Negro Shot Down in Woods Fight.” March 11, 1932.

———. “Claimed She Was a Witch.” April 5, 1912.

———. “Saranac Lake Tragedy.” November 14, 1902.

———. “Wild Man Captured.” February 16, 1912.

Commercial Advertiser. “A Canton Man Robbed.” September 18, 1901.

———. “Condemned as a Witch.” January 10, 1911.

———. Note regarding alleged wild man. August 30, 1921.

———. “A Potsdam Tragedy.” August 6, 1902.

———. “Treasure Isle on St. Lawrence.” April 11, 1916.

———. “Treasure Isle on St. Lawrence.” September 16, 1924.

Courier & Freeman. “Body Snatchers Buried in Field.” October 5, 1938.

———. “Cemetery Markers Near W. Stockholm Recall Activity of Grave Snatchers.” October 13, 1948.

———. County Court: Eamon Gets Eight Years and Moscow is Acquitted. November 5, 1902.

———. “Frederick Brosseau Found.” August 20, 1913.

———. “Grades of Witches.” August 3, 1921.

———. “Mrs. Celia Brosseau.” August 30, 1916.

———. “Noted Grave Robbers Buried Near Winthrop.” April 20, 1938.

———. Note regarding Moscow death. April 24, 1913.

———. Note regarding Tarring and Feathering of Mrs. Bert Covey. August 14, 1895.

———. “Ring Recalls Old Crime.” June 14, 1916.

———. “Think Girl Has an Evil Eye.” July 3, 1912.

———. “Treasure Island Legend.” October 7, 1914.

———. “White Slave Trade.” March 10, 1909.

Daily Journal. “A Hermit Murderer.” April 18, 1898.

———. “A Woman Tarred and Feathered.” July 31, 1895.

———. “Another Wild Man.” August 30, 1869.

———. “Grand Jury Hears Evidence: Important Case Which Originated at Ogdensburg.” April 8, 1909.

———. “Manslaughter in Second Degree: The Charge Against Barney Moscow of Sissonville.” August 5, 1902.

———. “Moscow Held for Trial.” August 7, 1902.

———. Note regarding wild man in Hermon. December 11, 1874.

———. Note regarding wild man near Ogdensburg. November 20, 1880.

———. “Where is Freddie?” October 30, 1896.

———. “Woman is Arrested: Ogdensburg Officers Have Alleged White Slave Case.” March 12, 1909.

Essex County Republican. “Horse Thief Arrested.” December 30, 1910.

———. “Lunatic or Criminal Found Near Keeseville.” November 19, 1920.

———. “Shoot ‘Wild Man’ at Bay in Adirondacks.” March 11, 1932.

———. “Wild Man Says He Left Clinton Prison in June.” November 22, 1912.

Fort Covington Sun. “Another Shooting Affair.” November 29, 1902.

Franklin Gazette. Note regarding Lon Clark. November 3, 1893.

———. Note regarding Lon Clark. March 23, 1894.

———. Note regarding Lon Clark. March 1, 1895.

Gouverneur Free Press. “Looking for Long Lost Son.” August 20, 1913.

Lake Placid News. “Horse Thief Takes Life by Drinking Poison.” July 6, 1923.

———. “Hunters Discover Chained Skeleton.” October 30, 1975.

Malone Farmer. “Held for Murder.” November 12, 1902.

———. “Home Matters.” December 3, 1902.

———. “Mooney Guilty of Murder in First Degree.” May 27, 1903.

———. Note regarding wild man in Benson. October 19, 1904.

———. “Suppressed Details About the Saranac Lake Murder.” November 26, 1902.

Malone Palladium. “Lon. Clark, Ex-Horse Thief.” December 22, 1898.

———. Note regarding Allan Mooney. March 3, 1904.

———. Note regarding Allan Mooney. March 24, 1904.

———. Note regarding Lon Clark. March 22, 1894.

———. Note regarding Lon Clark. October 4, 1906.

———. “The Saranac Lake Murder.” November 13, 1902.

———. “Should Have Stopped at One Hundred.” October 25, 1894.

Massena Observer. “Amherst’s Chest of Gold May Still Be in River.” March 15, 1934.

———. “Golden Cache at Treasure Island.” September 24, 1914.

———. “Recalling an Old Potsdam Tragedy.” August 21, 1913.

———. “Treasure Isle on St. Lawrence.” February 2, 1928.

———. “Wedding Ring Recalls Crime.” June 8, 1916.

———. “What Became of Daniel Murdock.” March 22, 1917.

Moffat, George. “Gold at Long Sault.” Massena Observer, July 18, 1974.

New York Times. “Girl Tarred and Feathered.” September 14, 1912.

———. “Woman Tarred and Feathered.” July 31, 1895.

Norwood News. “Brosseau Missing.”...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• The Day Mrs. Miller Was Snatched from Her Bed: Parishville, 1812
• The Last Laugh: Fall Island, Potsdam, 1817
• The Woman Who Was Won in a Game of Cards: Evans Mills, 1841
• Treasure Island and the Fabled Money Hole: Wilson Hill, Louisville, 1842
• The Day Daniel Murdock Rose from the Grave: Stockholm, 1850s
• The Invasion of the Body Snatchers: Northern New York, 1800s
• Mystery Hermit, Eccentric Recluse or Hunted Assassin? Maple Island, Clayton, 1865
• Wild Men of Northern New York (the Hairy, Scary Kind): 1874–1948
• Hip to Be Hobo: Clinton County, 1880–1925
• The Man Who Stole a Hundred Horses: Franklin County, 1890–1906
• The Tarring and Feathering of Mrs. Covey: Jayville/Fine, 1895
• The Taking (and Return…Seventeen Years Later) of Little Freddie Brosseau: Sissonville/Potsdam, 1896
• Beware of Brothels (and Maidens with Blond Tresses): Northern New York, Early 1900s
• The Man Who Scared His Wife to Death: Sissonville/Potsdam, 1902
• The North Country Gypsy Invasion: 1890s–1920s
• The Election Day Massacre in a Town Dubbed “Bloodville”: Saranac Lake, 1902
• The Girl Who Was Traded for Chickens: Schuyler Falls, 1908
• By the Promise of Pretty Clothes: Northern New York, 1901–1909
• Girl with the Evil Eye: Hogansburg, 1912
• So the Devil Would Leave Him Alone: Westport/North Hudson, 1975
• Bibliography
• About the Author