Murder in the Adirondacks : An American Tragedy Revisited
Author:
Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Book Type: Paperback
Author:
Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Book Type: Paperback
I thought this was a story that never really went anywhere other than around Central New York. To my suprise this was a HUGE thing back in 1906. It was major headlines across the country. People came from miles around just to get a glimpse of the trial. But before I get to that i should introduce the characters. This was one of those boy meets girl girl winds up dead stories.
The first person was Grace Brown. Grace was the daughter of a Chenango County Farmer who lived in South Otselic, NY. If your first question is where I can understand. Even today South Otselic is a rural community located in the northern portion of Chenango County. When I say rural I mean very rural. In 1904 she moved to Cortland, NY (which was much bigger) which was about 40 miles away. She moved in with her married sister and eventually got a job working in the Gilette Skirt Factory that was located in Cortland.
The boy in this story was Chester Gillette. Chester was the nephew of the owner of the skirt factory. He was born in Montana and spent the better part of his life traveling around with his parents who were officers in the Salvation Army. He eventually left his parents as a teen and attended Oberlin Prep school in Ohio. He didn't take to well to that either so off to Cortland he went to work for his uncle.
So Grace and Chester meet in the factory and eventually begin a romantic relationship. In 1906 it eventually turned into a sexual relationship amd before long Grace found out that she was pregnant in the spring of 1906. This is where you begin to question everything. Chester never took Grace anywhere. He would show up at her place 2x a week for his booty call and then leave. When he did go out places he was with the more "elite & popular" people of Cortland at that time and often in the company of other women. She evetually told him she was pregnant and she began to pressure him into marrying her. To get her to go away for a little while he convinced her to go back to her parents place for a little bit. She goes, but she is not happy. She spend the entire 3 weeks there crying, writing letter upon letter to Chester, being sick, depressed, and talking about suicide. Towards the end of the 3rd week she begins to get letters from old friends at the skirt factory informing her of Chester's extra curricular activities with other girls. Grace becomes more upset and tells Chester that she is coming back to Cortland. Not wanting her to come back to Cortland in her condition he convinces her to pack everything she owns and they will go to the Adirondacks to be together.
They meet and take the train together into the adirondacks. Along the way they stayed at a couple of hotels and he registered in another name. They finally get to Big Moose Lake and rent a boat one afternoon. Something happened on the lake that afternoon The boat was found the next day and the search was on for Grace and Chester. Grace was found at the bottom of the lake and Chester was nowhere to be found. He eventually was found in Inlet, NY and was promptly arrested.
The book then goes on to talk about the trial, evidence found, their relationship, the sensationalism, and eventually Chester's execution. It was a very well researched book.
My thoughts and what I believe: Chester was a dog. No doubts about it. He really never had anyintentions of marrying Grace or even having a "normal courtship" with her. She was good enough for that twice a week booty call, but not good enough to show off to his friends. The man is no different than a lot of men today. Grace was very young and naieve. Her downfall was that she had a problem taking a hint. But I guess that is where her naievity came into play. The letters she wrote to Chester would have driven the most patient man to drink.
Now do I think Chester did it? I can't say for sure because no one actually saw him do it, but. there sure was a lot of motive for him to do it.. Now do I think he is responsible for her death. You bet your sweet boppy I do. Regardless of how her death came about he was there when it happened and he could have stopped it or prevented it. No question about it. I thorughly believe he deserved prison. He was a poor excuse for a human being and for a man as well. As for his execution, I'm still on the fence about that subject.
The first person was Grace Brown. Grace was the daughter of a Chenango County Farmer who lived in South Otselic, NY. If your first question is where I can understand. Even today South Otselic is a rural community located in the northern portion of Chenango County. When I say rural I mean very rural. In 1904 she moved to Cortland, NY (which was much bigger) which was about 40 miles away. She moved in with her married sister and eventually got a job working in the Gilette Skirt Factory that was located in Cortland.
The boy in this story was Chester Gillette. Chester was the nephew of the owner of the skirt factory. He was born in Montana and spent the better part of his life traveling around with his parents who were officers in the Salvation Army. He eventually left his parents as a teen and attended Oberlin Prep school in Ohio. He didn't take to well to that either so off to Cortland he went to work for his uncle.
So Grace and Chester meet in the factory and eventually begin a romantic relationship. In 1906 it eventually turned into a sexual relationship amd before long Grace found out that she was pregnant in the spring of 1906. This is where you begin to question everything. Chester never took Grace anywhere. He would show up at her place 2x a week for his booty call and then leave. When he did go out places he was with the more "elite & popular" people of Cortland at that time and often in the company of other women. She evetually told him she was pregnant and she began to pressure him into marrying her. To get her to go away for a little while he convinced her to go back to her parents place for a little bit. She goes, but she is not happy. She spend the entire 3 weeks there crying, writing letter upon letter to Chester, being sick, depressed, and talking about suicide. Towards the end of the 3rd week she begins to get letters from old friends at the skirt factory informing her of Chester's extra curricular activities with other girls. Grace becomes more upset and tells Chester that she is coming back to Cortland. Not wanting her to come back to Cortland in her condition he convinces her to pack everything she owns and they will go to the Adirondacks to be together.
They meet and take the train together into the adirondacks. Along the way they stayed at a couple of hotels and he registered in another name. They finally get to Big Moose Lake and rent a boat one afternoon. Something happened on the lake that afternoon The boat was found the next day and the search was on for Grace and Chester. Grace was found at the bottom of the lake and Chester was nowhere to be found. He eventually was found in Inlet, NY and was promptly arrested.
The book then goes on to talk about the trial, evidence found, their relationship, the sensationalism, and eventually Chester's execution. It was a very well researched book.
My thoughts and what I believe: Chester was a dog. No doubts about it. He really never had anyintentions of marrying Grace or even having a "normal courtship" with her. She was good enough for that twice a week booty call, but not good enough to show off to his friends. The man is no different than a lot of men today. Grace was very young and naieve. Her downfall was that she had a problem taking a hint. But I guess that is where her naievity came into play. The letters she wrote to Chester would have driven the most patient man to drink.
Now do I think Chester did it? I can't say for sure because no one actually saw him do it, but. there sure was a lot of motive for him to do it.. Now do I think he is responsible for her death. You bet your sweet boppy I do. Regardless of how her death came about he was there when it happened and he could have stopped it or prevented it. No question about it. I thorughly believe he deserved prison. He was a poor excuse for a human being and for a man as well. As for his execution, I'm still on the fence about that subject.
