Ghosts of an Adirondack Tragedy: Inside the Herkimer Jail
A creepy haunted jailhouse.
What happens after a sensational trial that captivated a nation ends?
After the verdict is read, the sentence carried out, and the story fades from the headlines—what, if anything, remains?
In the case of Chester Gillette, whose crime at Big Moose Lake shocked the nation, some believe the story did not end in 1908. The tale continues in Adirondack True Crime, Part II: Ghosts at the Herkimer Jail.
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From Big Moose Lake to Herkimer.
In Part I of this tragic Adirondack true crime story, we traced the events that unfolded in the Central Adirondacks at Big Moose Lake—the murder of Grace Brown by her lover, Chester Gillette. It’s a heartbreaking tale that became one of the most widely followed murder cases of its time.
News clipping about Chester Gillette and Grace Brown.
Because the crime occurred in Herkimer County, Gillette was tried in the village of Herkimer, New York, just outside the Adirondack Park’s Blue Line.
What investigators found inside the Herkimer jail.
In this episode, ADK Talks welcomes back the Adirondack Park Paranormal Society (A.P.P.S.), which has conducted investigations inside the historic Herkimer courthouse and jail.
Their work focuses on documenting and understanding unexplained phenomena in locations tied to intense human experiences.
And the Herkimer jail is one of those places.
According to A.P.P.S., the building carries a weight that is difficult to ignore—shaped not only by the Gillette case, but by decades of imprisonment, hardship, and, in some cases, execution.
The presence of Chester Gillette.
During their investigations, members of A.P.P.S. report experiences they associate with Chester Gillette himself.
Moments of heightened emotion. Sudden physical sensations. A sense of presence tied to specific areas of the building.
While interpretations vary, what stands out is the intensity of those experiences—particularly in a place so closely connected to one of the most famous trials in American history.
Another story tied to the jail: Roxalana Druse.
The Herkimer jail is also connected to another, earlier case.
Roxalana Druse was convicted of murdering her husband in the late 19th century and was executed at the jail in 1887.
Roxalana Druse, hanged for murdering her abusive husband.
Her execution—by hanging—was widely regarded as botched and deeply unsettling, contributing to changes in how executions were carried out in New York State.
Members of A.P.P.S. believe they encountered her presence during their investigation.
For them, the building is not tied to a single story, but to layers of history—each leaving its own imprint.
The children of the jail.
One of the most powerful moments described by A.P.P.S. involves encounters not with a notorious figure but with the forgotten.
In the 19th century, women and children were sometimes jailed for minor offenses—often tied to poverty and survival.
Investigators describe an experience involving a young girl, believed to have been held in jail, who appeared bound by fear.
In what they describe as a deeply emotional moment, they attempted to help her “move on.”
When they later returned, they reported no further presence.
What lingers—and why.
Whether viewed through a historical, psychological, or paranormal lens, the Herkimer courthouse and jail represent something more than a physical space.
They are places where stories converged.
Where justice was pursued, debated, and carried out.
And where, for some, those stories may not be entirely finished.
Big Moose Lake today.
What you’ll hear in this episode.
A.P.P.S.’s investigations inside the Herkimer courthouse and jail
Reported encounters connected to Chester Gillette
The story of Roxalana Druse and her execution
A powerful experience involving a child believed to have been imprisoned
Reflections on why certain places seem to hold onto the past
Listen to the episode.
A story that began in the Adirondacks.
The events at Big Moose Lake may have set this story in motion.
But the echoes of that tragedy—whether historical or something more—have led investigators back to Herkimer.
A place just outside the Adirondack Park.
And perhaps, still within the story.
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