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BECKWITH, N. Ye, Continued
"Near Alvord, Masse, there has lived in a little shanty
for a year past a wood chopper named S, A. Vandercook,55,
who wasimpressed with the notion that there was goiid in
the woods and passed all his spare time in prespecting
for auriferous earth, Near him in a wild ravine lived a
hermit named Oscar F, Beckwith, who has occupied his sol-
itary cabin for 15 or 20 years. Vandercook disappeared f
from the sight of his friends and had not been seen for
thelast three weeks in December, On Jan. 12, 1882, a
search party found in the deserted cabin of the hermit
remains of him they sought, ne had been killed, chopped
up and partly burned, His severed head and arms were
hanging on a clothing hook on the wall and the rest of
his body was found partly burned in the fire places The
hermit had evidently been disturbed and taken flight»
sa |
BECKWITH, N. Ye, Continued |
"Near Alvord, Mass., there has lived in a little shanty |
for a year past a wood chopper named S, A. Vandercook,55,
who wasimpressed with the notion that there was goad in
the woods and passed all his spare time in pr especting
for auriferous earth, Near him in a wild ravine lived a
hermit named Oscar F, Beckwith, who has occupied his sol-
itary cabin for 15 or 20 years. Vandercook disappeared f
from the sight of his friends and had not been seen for
thelast three weeks in December, On Jan, 12, 1882, a
search party found in the deserted cabin of the hermit
remains of him they sought. ne had been killed, chopped
up and partly burned, His severed head and arms were
hanging on a clothing hook on the wall and the rest of
his body was found partly burned in the fire places The
hermit had evidently been disturbed and taken flights
BECKWITH, N. Y,, Continued
"Near Alvord, “ass., there has lived in a little shanty |
for a year past a wood chopper named S, A, Vandercook, 55,
essed with the notion tha
hermit named Oscar F, Beckwith, who has occupied his sol-|
itary cabin for 15 or 20 years, Vandercook disappeared f]
from the sight of his friends and had not been seen for
thelast three weeks in December, On Jan, 12, 1882, a
search party found in the deserted cabin of the hermit
remains of him they sought. ye had been killed, chopped
up and partly burned, His severed head and ame were
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"eeeAusterlitz, Ne YeeeoOscar Beckwith and Simon Vander-
cook were gold prospectors who lived in a small cabin on
Varney mountain. Thinking that he had discovered a rich
vein of gold, Beckwith killed his partmer with a hatchet,
chopped up the body, and began feeding pieces of it into
his stove. When Harrison Calkins, the owner of the cabin
arried, on the scene and spotted Beckwith performing his
gruesome task, he immediately ran for help. ‘The hastily
organized posse arrived at the cabin too late to stop
Beckwith from fleeing on horseback, but the y found evi-
dence that indicated that Beckwith had cooked and eaten
part of the deceased, Six years later Beckwith was found
in Vase, Ontario, and Sheriff Humphrey of Great Barrington
had him extradited. On March 1, 1888, Beckwith was hange
4
ha ie
>
?
",.Austerlitz, Ne YeeeeOscar Beckwith and Simon Vander-
cook were gold prospectors who lived in a small cabin on
Varney mountain, Thinking that he had discovered a rich
vein of gold, Beckwith killed his partmer with a hatchet,
chopped up the body, and began feeding pieces of it into
his stove. When Harrison Calkins, the owner of the cabin
arried, on the scene and spotted Beckwith performing his
gruesome task, he immediately ran for help. ‘The hastily
organized posse arrived at the cabin too late to stop
Beckwith from fleeing on horseback, but the y found evi-
dence that indicated that Beckwith had cooked and eaten
part of the deceased. Six years later Beckwith was found
in Vase, Ontario, and Sheriff Humphrey of Great Barrington
had him extradited. On March 1, 1888, Beckwith was hanged
+sAusterlitz, N. Yess.Oscar Beckwith and Simon Vander-
tors who lived in a small cabin on
ing that he had discovered a rich
ook were gold prospe
Varney mountain, Thinkgi
part of the deceased, Six years later Beckwith was found
in Vase, Ontario, and Sheriff Humphrey of Great Barringto1
had him extradited. On March 1, 1868, Beckwith was hanged
hss
in Hudson, Ne Y. Ironically, the vein of ore that Beck-
with Xwuxat had killed for was nothing more than 'fool'ts ,
gold'. But the horror tale of Oscar Beckwith does not
end with his exectuion, for in recent years a Joseph #1.
liott of North Egremont discovered chopped=up bones in a
shallow grave near the supposed site of the long -gone
cabin. He surmises that Beckwith might hate done away
with more than one victim,"
THE BERKSHIRE SAMPLER, Pittsfield, Mass., May 1, 1977
ey ey
in Hudson, Ne Y. Ironically, the vein of ore that Beck-
with eux had killed for was nothing more than 'fool's ,
gold', But the horror tale of Oscar Beckwith does not
end with his exectuion, for in recent years a Joseph #1-
liott of North Egremont discovered chopped=up bones in a
shallow grave near the supposed site of the long -gone
cabin. He surmises that Beckwith might have done away
with more than one victim."
T# BERKSHIRE SAMPLER, Pittsfield, Mass., May 1, 1977
in Hudson, N.Y. Ironically, the vein of ore that Beck-
with had killed for was nothing more than 'fool's
But the horror tale of Oscar Beckwith does not
end with his exectuion, for in recent years a Joseph El-
liott of North Egremont discovered chopped-up bones in a
a grave near the supposed site of the long~gone
8
cabit surmises an Beckwith might hate done avay
stninora Hetceiyic
THE BERKSHIRE SAMPLER Pitetiela, Mass., May 1, 1977
aa Se 4 Gg arinatsapinudc®
BaCKWLEH, Oscar F, 7 fu THY wl Ge Gaerne
"The life and career of Oscar F, Beckwith, from the cra-
. dle to the grave. One of the Tee noted ernie ever
born in ColumbiaCounty. Dy Je M. Varney, Hillsdaag,
Ne Y. Harbinger Print, 1890 (copy in private collection)
He murdered and dismembered Simon A, Vandercook at Aus=
verlitz, Ne Ye, on Jan, 10, 1882, There were two trials
and a eoneeas te death Duy. 3 4e3 he was hanged on
March We 188o.1
ve 93 MoDADE sf =29 a E (0% is7, 6 Vi
",,ehanged in the summer of 1888 for murder which involved
butchery and cannibalism at the age of 78. The murder
occurred in 1882, The butchered body was found in his:
house but he had escaped to Canada, In 1885, a Columbia
Co. Posse captured him there and he was extraditedeee."
Ltr. dide Apres '77 from J. Parchuck, Librarian, Hudson
Area Library, Hudson, Ne. Ye 1253)
” BRCKAIGH, Oscar F, Hnlohed Hy Hee a ulin
"The life and career of Oscar F, Beckwith, from the cra-
. dle to the grave. One of the most noted criminals ever
born in ColumbiaCounty, By 73 M. Varney. Pe eoaage
Ne Y. Harbinger Print, 1890 (copy in private collection)
He murdered and dismembered Simon A, Vandercook at Aus-
terlitz, Ne ¥., on Jan, 10, 1882, no were two trials
and six separa te death sentences; he was hanged on
March 1 . 1888,"
BB 93 McDADE 28-29 YMG DE, 10S AY 6 Vj,
",,ehanged in the summer of 1888 for murder which involved
butchery and cannibalism at the age of 78. The murder
occurred in 1882, The butchered body was found in his:
house but he had escaped to Canada, In 1885, a Columbia
Co. Posse captured him there and he was extraditedee.."
Ltr. did. Apre, '77 from Je Parchuck, Librarian, Hudson
area Library, Hudson, Ne Y. 1253);
"seshanged in the summer of 1688 for mrder which involved
butchery and cannibalisn at the age of 78, The murder
occurred in 1882. The butchered body was found in h:
house but he had escaped to Canada, In 1885, a Caumstia
Co, Posse captured him there and he was extradited,
Ter. dtd. pre, 177 frou J. Parchuck, Librarian,
area Library, Hudson, N. Y. 1253)
