New York State Department of Correctional Services, New York
End of Watch: Wednesday, March 5, 1930
Age: 56
Tour of Duty: 22 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Stabbed
Date of Incident: March 5, 1930
Weapon Used: Edged weapon; Knife
Suspect Info: Committed suicide
Principal Keeper Edward Beckwith was stabbed to death by an inmate as he stood guard over 900 inmates in the Auburn State Prison mess hall.
Two other prison guards standing nearby were able to wrestle the knife away from the inmate and take him into custody. The inmate had held a grudge against Keeper Beckwith for seven years, and had vowed to one day to "get him".
The inmate was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death. On September 26, 1930, he committed suicide on Sing Sing Prison's death row by strangling himself with a towel.
Keeper Beckwith had served at the Auburn State Prison for 22 years.