Minneapolis City Hall - Minneapolis, MN
A 1906 postcard of Minneapolis City Hall.
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Minneapolis City Hall, also known as the Hennepin County Courthouse, is among the most haunted locations in Minnesota. Constructed from 1889 to 1906, the building is reportedly inhabited by the spirit of deceased convict Josh Moshik.
Convicted of murder and sentenced to death in City Hall's 5th floor gallows, Moshik gained notoriety as the first person executed under influence of hypnotism. Local doctors believed that "hypnotic suggestion might take the place of medical stimulants" by stiffening muscles and preventing "the [noose] from wrenching apart the spinal column". Unfortunately for Moshik the hanging was botched and took several agonizing minutes to complete. He would go on to become "the last man hanged in Minnesota" and has reportedly remained at City Hall in the afterlife. Visitors to the building have witnessed a disheveled spirit roaming the 5th floor and inmates have described ice cold breezes near the former gallows. Although these reports are yet to be verified by scientific fact, one has to wonder if the strange occurrences are Moshik exacting revenge on City officials? |
Sources:
Morris, Jeff. Twin Cities Haunted Handbook. (2012)
"New Test of Hypnotism," Kansas City Journal. (1898)
Morris, Jeff. Twin Cities Haunted Handbook. (2012)
"New Test of Hypnotism," Kansas City Journal. (1898)