Edward L. Beckwith
Agency patch
Principal Keeper

Edward L. Beckwith

Felonious
End of Watch March 5, 1930
Age 56
Tour of Duty 22 yrs
The Vigil Panel 59 ›
Gender Male

Incident

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.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

22 years. You could have gone home.
Principal Keeper Beckwith gave the New York State Department of Correctional Services 22 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Albany community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Principal Keeper Beckwith.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Corrections
Location Albany, Albany County, NY
Platform Identity nysdcscorr.albany.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 5, 1930
Tour of Duty 22 yrs
Age 56
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Edged weapon

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Edward is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1930, 239 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 2nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Edward was 56. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Edward had served 22 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

March holds 7.5% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was edged weapon, in 2.2% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

New York State Department of Correctional Services has 36 officers remembered here, Edward among them.

VI

Where

Principal Keeper Edward L. Beckwith

New York State Department of Correctional Services · End of Watch March 5, 1930

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 62-E

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