The Murder of Bessie Darling

9 snips

Jul 29, 2024

George Schultz, the boyfriend and business partner of murder victim Bessie Darling, opens up about the shocking events of October 31, 1933. He confesses to the murder, driven by jealousy and despair. The conversation delves into Bessie's entrepreneurial spirit, transforming her life post-divorce by establishing Valley View Manor. Schultz's trial and the media's portrayal of Bessie highlight societal issues surrounding domestic violence and economic struggles. Their tragic story reflects deeper themes of mental health and the consequences of jealousy.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Railroads Pivoted The Mountain Toward Tourism

Government and railroad investment turned remote Catoctin Mountain into a tourism destination, shifting plans from industry to hospitality.
Western Maryland Railroad and resort development like Pen Mar created demand that made boarding houses like Valley View viable.

ANECDOTE

Bessie Built And Ran Valley View Manor

Bessie Darling bought a 36-acre summer boarding house called Valley View Manor and ran it seasonally with one maid.
She cooked, entertained guests, provided transport, and reopened the 12-room manor in 1918 with just two staff, showing hands-on entrepreneurship.

INSIGHT

Politics Likely Cost Schultz His Job

George Schultz's earlier employment troubles tied to Baltimore politics and KKK pressure reveal how political influence affected his career.
He alleged he was ousted for supporting politician Frank Kelly amid Klan-backed purges in the health department.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

On the morning of October 31, 1933, a gunman burst through the door of Bessie Darling’s home in Foxville, Maryland and shot the woman to death. Police quickly arrested George Schultz, Darling’s boyfriend and business partner, who’d unsuccessfully attempted suicide after shooting Bessie. George confessed to the murder, claiming his actions were motivated by jealousy and a fear that Bessie was seeing other men, and he was sentenced to eighteen years in prison.

In many ways, the story of Bessie Darling’s murder is a straightforward and unfortunately common story of domestic violence. Yet beneath the basic facts of the case is another story of rural development and economic inequality at a time when many in the nation were facing serious economic struggles. These aspects of the story, mostly ignored by the press, shaped how Bessie was portrayed by the media and how people have told and retold her story since her death.

Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research!

References

Associated Press. 1933. "Autopsy is held in Darling case." Baltimore Sun, November 1: 5.

—. 1934. "Mrs. Darling's slayer guilty; given 18 years." Baltimore Sun, March 13: 20.

—. 1940. "Gov. O'Conor invokes new parole plan." Cumberland Evening Times, May 29: 2.

Baltimore Evening Sun. 1934. "2 say Schultz was drinking on day of murder." Baltimore Evening Sun, March 12: 30.

—. 1916. "Ax for Kelly man." Baltimore Evening Sun, August 9: 12.

—. 1933. "Maid says man shot woman and himself." Baltimore Evening Sun, October 31: 1.

Baltimore Sun. 1933. "Alleged slayer admits jealousy." Baltimore Sun, November 2: 5.

Bedell, John, Gregory Katz, Jason Shellenhamer, Lisa Kraus, and Sarah Groesbeck. 2011. The People of the Mountain: Archeological Overview, Assessment, Identification, and Evaluation Study of Catoctin Mountain Park Maryland. Historical survey, Washington, DC: National Park Service.

Clay, K.C. 2018. Bessie Darling: A Brief Report on the Life of a Catoctin Mountain Proprietress. Historiography , Catoctin Mountain Park, MD: National Park Service.

Hagerstown Daily Mail. 1933. "Schultz has good chance of recovery." Hagerstown Daily Mail, November 2: 3.

—. 1933. "Schultz says shooting was self-defense." Hagerstown Daily Mail, December 4: 1.

National Park History. 2003. A New Deal for the Mountain. November 21. Accessed June 6, 2024. http://npshistory.com/publications/cato/hrs/chap5.htm.

—. 2003. Chapter Four: The Eve of Acquisition . November 21. Accessed June 5, 2024. http://npshistory.com/publications/cato/hrs/chap4.htm.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.