The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-03-07
MUCH SENTENCED MAN.
Oscar r. Beckwith at Last Pays the PenaIt,
of His Crime.


of His Crime.
HUDsoE. Y. Y. March Oscar F. Beck
with was hanged at the Court House in
this city, at nine minutes past tea this
morning, for the murder Of Simon Wander
cook, at Augterlitz, on the 10Th of snusry,
1882. This case has become celebrated,
from the fact th6t the condemned man had
been sentenced to death six times. he has
had two trials and his case has been twice
passed upon by the general term of su-
preme Court snG Court OF Appeals, and
finally application was made to the G ~
eTnor for executive cIemency, which was
denied. Beckwith slept from 10 O'Clock
until early this morning. At O'Clock
this morning Beckwith arose from his
bed, and standing up on his feet, glanced
about his cell and again laid down AM
slept until morning light peered through
his grated window. At o'clock the prls.
oner arose feeling refreshed after the night
Of rest, such as no man under sentence OF
death, save Oscar T. Beckwith, could have
passed through. He said the fact was
easily understood, as he was used to
trouble
Btckwith lived alone in small one.story
hut in the town OF Austerliiz Columbia
County. 1t was on the side of a mountain,
where he believed there was gold mine
Finally company purchased the land in
the vicinity. including the lot on which
was erected Beckwith's little home. Van
dercock was selected as the manager of the
property. From that time Beskwith en-.
tertained hatred for Vsndercook. The
supposed mine was not worked by the
company, but Beckwith entertained a fear
that the object Of the purchase was to
drive him from the neighborhood.
Between 10 and IL O'Clock on the morn
ing OF the 10th Of Janugy Vsndercock left
his boarding place and went in the direc-
ton OF BeckTlth's cabin. He was seen to
enter IL and that was the last seen of him
alive. About 4 o'clock il the afternoon OF
the same day Beckwith went over to the
Calkins farm house and informed Mrs.
Calkins that VandercOck had gone of with
man from Green River for the purpose of
organizing stock company and would not
be back for at least two months. That
same evening Mr.. Calkias went to Beck.
with's cabin and, on opening the door,
found Beckwith engaged in doing some
thing at the stove, which was red hot. The
next day neither Beckwith nor Wander.
cock was seen in the vicinity. On January
IL suspicious became aroused, and a party
of persons headed by an officer went to
Beckwith's cabin and broke in the door,
The dead body of Vandercock lay upon the
floor minus one arm, q foot and some other
portions.
Three years passed without any tidings
OF bis whereabouts. Detectives, however,
kept up the search, and in the month of
February, 1885. he was found engaged 10
bookkeeping in q Wild section of the
Province Of Ontario, Canada. In the
course OF time he was exuadited and
brought to Hudson for trial. The trial be-
gan on Nov. Is, 1885, and lasted four days.
He was found guilty of murder In the
hrst degree and sentenced to be hanged on
Jan. 3, 1856. The case was taken to the
General Term, which confirmed the YER
dict Of the lower court, and he was sen.
fenced to be hanged, the day for execution
being July 2. An appeal was taken to the
Court OF Appeals, which likewise affirmed
the conviction, and the date of Beck
withs execution was fixed for the
third time. The prisoners counsel, Levi
+. Longley. then moved for q new trial, on
the ground Of newly discovered evidence,
and Judge Charles r. Ingalls, granted the
same on the afidsvits presented, Appeals
were taken to both the General Term ana
Court OF Appeals by the prosecuting at.
torney, VINO opposed Judge Ingalls, order
granting new trial. The second trial was
commenced on Feb. 2, 1887, but in the
mean time the prisoners counsel asked for
the appointments OF commission in lunacy
to examine into Beckwith's sanity. The
commission, after hearing the testimony
Of several physicians and experts, pro-
nounced him sane, and q second jury,
after q weeks trial, found him
guilty CT the crime with which
he was charged. The fourth day set
for his execution was March "a, 1887. The
case then went to the General Term for q
second time, with no better result than
before, and he was sentenced for the fifth
time to be hanged, the day set for the exc
cltion being October IA. The Court oil
Appeals was again resorted to, but soon
all hope was lost, and the old man, almost
lettering by the grave, was sentenced to be
executed on Thursday, March 1.
An appeal was then made for executive
clemency, for communication OF sentence to
life imprisonment. Governor Hill gave q
hearing to the prisoners counsel on Friday,
February ~, bat finally refused to inter-
fere.