Murder and Mayhem in Ulster County
Author: A.J. Schenkman
126 pages; paperback
 
In 1870, the" New York Herald" proclaimed that Ulster County was New York's "Ulcer County" due to its lawlessness and crime. The columnist supported his claim by citing that in only six months, "it has been the scene of no less than four cold blooded and brutal murders, six suicides and four elopements." Hannah Markle--the bane of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union--ran a Kingston saloon where murder and violence were served alongside the whiskey. John Babbitt confessed on his deathbed to murdering Emma Brooks, and Willie Brown--reputed member of the Eastman Gang--accidentally shot his best friend. The infamous Big Bad Bill, the "Gardiner Desperado," lashed out more than once and killed in a drunken rage. Discover the mayhem and murder that these and others wreaked on one of New York State's original counties.
 
About the Author
 
A.J. Schenkman is the author of several books about local and region history. He has written for many magazines, blogs, and academic journals including numerous articles on Hudson Valley history in Ulster Magazine, The Times Herald-Record, Chronogram and on his website, Ulster County History Journal. He is a teacher in Ulster County.