The Historic Herkimer County Jail
The Rotary Club of Little Falls gathered for a special event at the historic Herkimer County Jail on June 11. Our guide was James Greiner, County Historian, who regaled our group with the rich history of the jail. Herkimer County constructed the jail in 1834 and used it both for the incarceration of prisoners and as the sheriffs residence before finally closing the facility in 1977.
During its 143 year history the jail has seen many figures that were important to America historical, legal, and literary accomplishments. In 1906, the Herkimer County jail and neighboring courthouse were the focus of national press coverage for the Chester Gillette murder trial. Gillette, accused of murdering his pregnant girlfriend, Grace Brown, at Big Moose Lake, spent six months in a third floor jail cell. Gillette’s story became so well known that two decades later the famed American author Theodore Dreiser used the murder case as the basis for his renown novel “An American tragedy”.
As an undersheriff, Francis Elias spinner was instrumental and helping design the 1834 jail. Spinner later went on to serve as a US congressman, until President Abraham Lincoln appointed him as the United States Treasurer.
In 1884 Roxana Druse was accused of murdering her husband, William, by shooting him with a revolver and, with an ax, dismembering his body and burning the remains in the parlor stove. Convicted in 1885 her execution on the gallows took place on February 28, 1887 behind the 1834 jail and what is now a parking lot. She was the only person ever executed in Herkimer County and the last woman executed by hanging in New York State.
After the tour the Rotary group gathered at the Elk’s Lodge for a delicious lasagna dinner catered by Trattoria Giorgio’s of Little Falls.
The Spirit of Rotary
The fervent spirit of Rotary flows from founder Paul Harris’ vision of fellowship and of “doing good in the community.”
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