Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Gillette, Chester.
Title:	Chester E. Gillette Collection
Inclusive Dates:	1905-1939
Quantity:	0.3 linear ft.
Abstract:	Materials relating to the trial and execution of Chester Gillette for the murder of Grace Brown in 1905, including photocopies of correspondence, autopsy reports, court records, hotel records, a judgement of the appeal to the Supreme Court, judges remarks, a prison statement about Gillette's execution, trial description, list of witnesses, love letters of Gillette and Grace Brown, newspapers clippings, and a telegram to Judge Ward. This case served as the basis of Theodore Dreiser's novel, American tragedy.
Language:	English
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Scope and Contents of the Collection

Note: All the materials in this collection are xerox copies of the original. The originals are located at Hamilton College Library.

The Chester E. Gillette Collection includes incoming and outgoing correspondence, autopsy reports, court records, hotel records, a judgement of the appeal to the Supreme Court, judge's remarks, a prison statement about Gillette's execution, unidentified material, a statement of Gillette, a description of the trial, a laundry statement, a list of the official witnesses, love letters from the decedent, newspaper clippings and comments about the trial and a telegram.

Correspondence contains incoming correspondence arranged alphabetically by author and outgoing correspondence arranged alphabetically by the person to whom it was sent. Where possible these materials are further arranged chronologically. Dates: 1905, 1906, 1939 and undated. 8 Folders

Subject file contains autopsy reports, court reports, a description of the trial, court reports, a laundry statement, a judgement of the appeal to the Supreme Court, the judge's remarks at the trial, a prison statement of the execution and unidentified material. This material is arranged by subject. Dates: 1906, 1908 and undated. 10 Folders

Manuscripts includes a statement by Gillette concerning the trial and his innocence. Dates: undated. 1 Folder

Published material consists of a list of the official witnesses at the trial, the published love letters of the decedent Grace Brown to Gillette, newspaper clippings and comments on the trial and a telegram. These materials are arranged alphabetically by type. Dates: 1906, 1908, 1938. 7 Folders

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from Hamilton College Library and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Subjects

Genres and Forms

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Chester E. Gillette Collection,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Finding Aid Information

Created by: -
Date: unknown
Revision history: 29 Sep 2006 - converted to EAD (AMCon); 11 May 2010 - updated use restrictions (MRC); 8 Nov 2024 - rehoused, inventory updated (MRC)

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Inventory

	Correspondence
		Incoming
Box 1			Grace Brown 1906 and undated
Box 1			L.M. Gillette, Mrs. 1906
		Outgoing
Box 1			Grace Brown 1905-1906
Box 1			L.M. Gillette, Mrs. 1906
		Correspondence of others
Box 1			To W.A. Breckwoldt from Daniel Pananicles 1939
Box 1			To Grace Brown from Maude Crund 1906
Box 1			To Judge Ward from Albert M. Mills 1906
Box 1			Telegram: Note to Judge Ward 1906

	Subject file
Box 1		Autopsy reports 1906
Box 1		Court records 1906
Box 1		Description of trial 1906
		Hotel records
Box 1			Hotel Glenmore July 4- July 8, 1906
Box 1			Hotel Martin July 9 and undated, 1906
Box 1			Raymond House July 4, 1906
Box 1			Taber House July 6- July 9, 1906
Box 1		Judgement of appeal 1906
Box 1		Judge's remarks 1906
Box 1		Laundry statement 1906
Box 1		Prison statement of execution 1908
Box 1		Unidentified undated

	Manuscripts
Box 1		Statement by Gillette undated

	Published material
Box 1		List of official witnesses 1906
Box 1		Love letters 1906
		Newspaper comments
Box 1			1938
Box 1			Annotated copy of Brown's love letters pamphlets by George Ward 1906

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