The Night Watchman

A dark figure is seen moving about on the fourth and fifth floors . . .

New York State Capitol

The New York State Capitol building in Albany has one ghost that many have seen over the years. In March of 1911 this building caught fire. There was one casualty. A night watchman by the name of Sam Abbott was killed by smoke inhalation.

Tragically, Abbott was just steps away from escaping when he was overcome by the smoke. Shortly after his body was found and the Capitol was repaired people began to see and hear odd things near where Sam died.

One worker caught a dark figure in one photograph, another time when he and his friends spotted the dark figure walking through the hall he tried to snap another photo but his camera malfunctioned. When he moved to a lower floor his camera worked fine.

Photo of 1911 fire.

This man’s office is located above the library near where Abbott died. He states he often feels that someone is watching him. He has also become nauseous during the times he has experienced this activity.

He feels the ghost is not a shadow figure but instead a three-dimensional figure that wears dark clothing.

Others have captured glowing streaks of light on the fourth and fifth floors in photos they have taken.

Another witness also saw the night watchman. A female employee working late one night on the fifth floor ran into a man dressed as a night watchman.

He stopped and asked her if everything was okay. She reassured him that she was fine and then returned to her office. She later mentioned this encounter to a colleague—this person asked her “What guard?”

She was told there was no guard on duty. Later, when she saw a picture of Sam Abbott she said that was the guard who talked to her.

Late at night, maintenance staff have also encountered the phantom night watchman.

Several report an unseen presence touched them as they vacuumed and emptied the trash. Others have said their vacuums turned off mysteriously and then they heard someone whisper in their ears.

This activity happens so frequently that some of these cleaners have requested not to be assigned to this area anymore.