In Episode 429, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger explore the former Kent County Jail building in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. Built in 1795, this jail has seen countless people come and go through the legal system, from drunks and debtors to murderers. Some of those spirits may have never left their jail cells.
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CREDITS:
Produced and hosted by: Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger
Edited by: Ray Auger
Theme Music by: John Judd
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EPISODE TRANSCRIPT:
*A note on the text: Please forgive punctuation, spelling, and grammar mistakes. Like us, the transcripts ain’t perfect.
[WALKING ON THE STREET]
RAY: It’s a chilly day, here in East Greenwich, Jeff.
JEFF: It is. We’re just a stone’s throw from the waters of Greenwich Bay, in Rhode Island. The docks just down the hill are mostly empty right now, but when the weather warms in the spring there will be dozens of boats filling these slips.
RAY: We’re walking along Water Street – which is well named because the road hugs the shore. There are some great old historic buildings here too.
JEFF: This yellow building on our left is one of them. And it’s our destination.
RAY: It’s a handsome building. It looks like a two-story house. There are two chimneys on either side of the roof, five windows across the second floor, four windows across the first floor, and the sign over the door reads: East Greenwich Preservation Society.
JEFF: This is our destination, Ray. Today it’s the home for the preservation society, but it used to be a jail.
RAY: Ohhh right. I see the small sign to the right of the door. It says: Second Kent County Jail, 1795. This IS an old building.
JEFF: Ray, we’ve come to East Greenwich, Rhode Island, to see the old Kenty County Jail because they say this building… is haunted.
[INTRO]
JEFF: I’m Jeff Beanger.
RAY: And I’m Ray Auger, welcome to Episode 429 of the New England Legends podcast. Thank you for joining us on our mission to chronicle every legend in New England one story at a time. From ghosts, monsters, UFOs, roadside oddities, and all the other Wicked Strangeness that makes New England great. Please hit that subscribe button wherever you get your podcasts so you don’t miss a thing.
JEFF: Also, tickets are on sale for our Freak Formal! This is our big annual charity event. It’s happening Saturday, February 14th 2026 at 6:30PM at the Double Tree Hotel in Milford, Massachusetts. It’s the most un-Valentine’s Day event you can go to! Come dressed as your favorite movie monster, a zombie, a Disney princess, whatever works for you! All proceeds go to Benefit Project Just Because who provide food, school supplies, clothing, and other resources to people in need. You can find a link to buy tickets on our website, or in this Episode description.
We’ll go hunting for the ghosts of the old Kent County Jail in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, right after this word from our sponsor.
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RAY: Okay, so this building looks pretty much like a nice, old colonial house.
JEFF: It does. From the front, sure. In fairness, it hasn’t been a jail since 1957.
[WALKING ON ROAD]
JEFF: But let’s head around here to the side of the building a little closer to the water. This first part looks like a continuation of the house, but as we get a little further back…
RAY: Ohhhh got it. There are metal bars on all of the windows in the stone section in the back. Okay, THAT looks like a jail… the back of the building is really close to the water too.
JEFF: So close, that the story goes on days with a really high tide or a storm surge, that the tide used to flood the cove and spill into the floor of some of the lower jail cells. Imagine you’re locked up and there’s water coming in.
RAY: THAT would be scary.
JEFF: The land has changed a bit over the past two centuries thanks to natural erosion, silt, and things like that. The water doesn’t come up this high anymore.
RAY: And they say this place is haunted?
JEFF: They do.
RAY: What is it about old jails and prisons?
JEFF: When you walk inside an old prison or jail, you see these cages. You can’t help but imagine how people feel being brought in here. Most of them made a stupid mistake, some error of judgement that landed them here for punishment. Others are cold-blooded, and need to be locked away or they’re going to hurt people.
RAY: I get that. A dark vibe for sure.
JEFF: To be clear, this was a jail. The kind of place they held you until your trial, or temporarily. So you wouldn’t have served years of your life here, but it was the place you were brought after you were caught and arrested. Still, yeah, a dark vibe, which is maybe why they say this place is haunted. They say those lower level cells in the back are the most active with shadowy figures lurking around, strange sounds like groaning doors, and things like that. Echoes from the past.
RAY: That IS creepy. So here’s a little more background on the old jail. We don’t know exactly when it was built, but town records reference the building in April of 1796 when East Greenwich transferred some land over to the state of Rhode Island that says quote, “where the new jail now stands” end quote.
JEFF: Got it. So there was a new jail building there at least in April of 1796.
RAY: Right. So probably 1795.
JEFF: Right.
RAY: When it was built, it looked a lot like it does now. A house in the front with living quarters for the jailers, and an attached brick building with the cells. The more cooperative prisoners were housed upstairs, the more dangerous were housed below. Over the years various jailers and their families called this place home as they took care of the town’s prisoners. Squire Wall was an early jail keeper, then several generations of the Place Family ran the facility while they lived here. Eventually John Place’s daughter Everlin married a man named Jotham Smith. Jotham and Everlin lived here and took care of the jail. But Jotham died young, and Everlin soon took over, making her the first woman jailer in the United States.
JEFF: That’s really cool! Way to go, Rhode Island.
RAY: Everlin was respected by everyone in town, but more importantly, she was respected by the prisoners. She treated them kindly, they obeyed her orders, and were given privileges like access to the corridors until bedtime. In 1957, the Kent County Jail was replaced by larger institutions in Cranston. The building then became a youth center. As you can imagine, a bunch of young people running around took a toll on the building. By 1976 it was in rough shape and was then turned over to the East Greenwich Preservation Society who restored the building we see here today.
JEFF: The haunted building we see here today. There have been many events that transpired inside this building. People brought in for petty crimes who spent a day or two here, drunks who had to sleep it off, but also darker elements. Each event, each person left some kind of impression behind. We’re going to focus on just one of those events. So let’s head back to 1891, and visit this jail.
[TRANSITION]
RAY: It’s October 31st 1891. Halloween here in the town of Arctic, Rhode Island—a neighborhood within West Warwick. We’re in the Gilded Age! The millionaires in Newport are throwing lavish parties, industry is expanding, the rich are getting richer, but many in the middle and working class are struggling.
JEFF: One of those in the struggle is a local man named Rhodes Cornell. A 50-year-old carpenter. He’s also a well-known drunk. It’s just after noon when Rhodes stumbles home.
[DOOR OPEN / SLAMS]
[STUMBLING FOOTSTEPS]
JEFF: He’s drunk again.
[DRUNKIN ARGUING]
JEFF: Rhodes is arguing with his wife, and being abusive. Also in the house is Mrs. Cornell’s sister, Elizabeth Reynolds. When Elizabeth steps in to defend her sister…
[SLAP]
JEFF: Rhodes strikes Elizabeth.
RAY: The two sisters are rattled. This is NOT new behavior for Rhodes.
[STUMBLING FOOTSTEPS]
[DOOR OPENS / SLAMS]
RAY: Rhodes just stormed out of the house. He’s heading back into town to find more liquor. Meanwhile, the two sisters are consoling each other. This is no way to live. It’s just after 2PM, when Rhodes returns from his bender.
[DOOR OPENS / SLAMS]
RAY: The two sisters are grateful the drunken man headed directly to the bedroom where he falls on the bed and sleeps.
[KNOCK AT THE DOOR]
[DOOR OPENS]
JEFF: Just after Rhodes falls asleep, a local man named John Gaddis comes calling at the door. Gaddis also lives in the Arctic neighborhood. He’s good-natured, debonaire, and is liked by his many friends and neighbors.
[WALKING ON THE FLOOR]
JEFF: Gaddis is led into the kitchen where the drunken Rhodes soon appears. Almost immediately, Rhodes begins yelling at his sister-in-law once again.
[DRUNKEN ARGUING]
[SLAP]
JEFF: Rhodes just hit Elizabeth again!
[FIGHTING SOUNDS]
RAY: Gaddis grabs Rhodes and has pinned him to the floor. He’s trying to protect the two women from the drunken Rhodes.
JEFF: Okay, Gaddis is getting up now. The whole situation is awful. Gaddis is heading for the door. He wants no part of this.
[PISTOL SHOT]
RAY/JEFF: Oh man!
[THUMP]
RAY: Rhodes just shot Gaddis! The visitor just slumped to the floor. He’s bleeding everywhere.
[RUNNING FOOTSTEPS FADE OUT]
JEFF: Mrs. Cornell is running for the doctor.
RAY: Meanwhile Rhodes is standing there just staring. Still holding his pistol at his side. He’s got a blank look on his face. Just staring into space.
JEFF: Dr. Winsor soon arrives and checks the bullet wound on Gaddis. It looks bad. He sends for doctors Smith and Washington. They come as quickly as possible. But it’s clear the bullet has shredded some internal organs and he’s not going to survive.
RAY: Soon, Gaddis’s brother and mother arrive to say their goodbyes, as does Gaddis’s priest, the Rev. Father Kelly who administers last rites.
JEFF: Rhodes is arrested without a fuss…
[CELL DOR SLAMS SHUT]
JEFF: And brought to the Kent County Jail in nearby East Greenwich. Go ahead a read the coroner’s report, Ray.
[SHUFFLES PAPER]
RAY: Okay, it says, After hearing the testimony and reviewing the same on the death of John Gaddis, on the 31st day of October, 1891, at Rhode Island, came to his death by a gun shot wound in the right side of the abdomen. I further find and certify that the gun shot was found, and the said death caused by the said Rhodes Cornell, who did then and there feloniously slay, and wounded said John Gaddis.
JEFF: It seems pretty open and shut. It’s the following morning here at the Kent County Jail. Rhodes spent his first night in jail, and now he’s sitting in his cell still staring. He’s disheveled. There’s scratches on his face. A reporter came in this morning to visit him and get the story.
RAY: What did Rhodes say?
JEFF: Not much. He said he doesn’t have anything to add, and that he doesn’t have a lawyer yet, but he would like to see Ben Williams of Crompton.
RAY: That’s awkward. Ben Williams is friendly with both Rhodes Cornell and the victim, John Gaddis.
JEFF: Ben Williams offered a little more information. He explained how Rhodes was one of the best carpenters around. Before he took to drinking, he was also a very good man. He was married three times, but his third marriage was not a happy one.
RAY: I still don’t understand why John Gaddis stopped by the house yesterday? What reason did he have to knock on the Cornell’s door?
JEFF: Yeah, that IS the big question. Williams explained how the 38 year old Gaddis had never married, he was close with his mother, in fact his final wishes were that she be cared for. But when asked why Gaddis may have been calling on the Cornell home, Williams replied: I’d rather not say.
RAY: Soooooo… yeah. I’m guessing there’s more to the story.
JEFF: And I’m thinking there were only four people who know the whole story. One of them is dead, one of them is sitting here in Kent County Jail, and the other two sisters aren’t talking.
RAY: Meanwhile, Rhodes Cornell is just sitting in his jail cell staring. His freedom is gone. He’ll sit behind these bars for a while, then no doubt get moved to a prison behind more bars likely for the rest of his life.
JEFF: There are eight cells here on the first floor. Upstairs there are a few more for women and debtors. Each cell has a story to tell. Each person who spent time here went through the mental torment of asking themselves: How did I get here? What will happen to my life now? All of that anguish seeps into these bars and bricks. It can’t ever be washed away. And that brings us back to today.
[TRANSITION]
JEFF: As we mentioned, this building served a number of functions over its lifespan, but it’s been the East Greenwich Preservation Society’s haunted home since the 1970s.
RAY: We told only one story of one prisoner inside this jail. There were countless others over the years. Another event that left a permanent mark on this building occurred on July 28, 1880. It was Everlin Smith’s first year as jail matron when Isaiah Carr was brought in for murdering his nephew. On the morning of July 28th Everlin found Carr hanging in his cell by his handkerchief. Her prisoner took his own life.
JEFF: So many people, so many tragic stories. Buildings absorb all of those feelings and emotions and events. The past still echoes here. It’s no surprise folks sometimes see a darting shadow or hear an unusual sound they can’t identify. With so much history, and much of it dark, it’s clear the former Kent County Jail… is haunted.
[OUTTRO]
RAY: Haunted and Haunting! And that takes us to After the Legend where we dig a little deeper into this week’s story and sometimes veer off course.
JEFF: After the Legend is brought to you by our patreon patrons! Thank you patrons, you help us financially with our hosting costs, production, marketing, and all of the other expenses it takes to bring you two stories each week. It’s just $3 bucks per month and for that you get early ad-free access to new episodes plus bonus episodes and content that no one else gets to hear. If you can help us out, please head over to patreon.com/newenglandlegends.
To see some pictures of the old Kent County Jail, click on the link in our episode description or go to our website and click on episode 429.
Did you know most of our story leads come from you? We love when you contact us through our website with your story ideas. That’s where so many of our stories come from. Also, please tell a few friends about our show. That’s how we grow. Also, on our website you can see dates for Jeff’s story tour plus dates to see my band the Pub Kings.
We’d like to thank our sponsors, thank you to our patreon patrons, and our theme music is by John Judd.
Until next time, stay legendary.