Program

NYS Historic

Subject

People, Site

Location

11133 NY-22, Austerlitz, NY 12017, USA

Lat/Long

42.27959, -73.472002

Grant Recipient

Austerlitz Historial Society

Oscar Beckwith and Simon Vandercook were partners in gold mine located in the hills east of Austerlitz, New York, close to the Massachusetts border. The mine had not produced any gold, causing tension between them. In January of 1882, Vandercook arrived at Beckwith’s cabin near the mine supposedly to work the mine. After Vandercook failed to return home, friends searched for him and reportedly found human remains in Beckwith’s cabin. While there were no witnesses to the killing, Beckwith maintained in court that he killed Vandercook on self-defense. After the murder, Beckwith fled to Canada where he lived for several years before being tracked down by authorities. He was tried and convicted of murder and executed by hanging in 1888. The murder, manhunt and subsequent trial made new nationwide and elements of cannibalism, while never proven, added to the sensational story.