THE CAVE COUNTRY COLLECTION

VISITORS AT THE CHINESE PAGODA IN TITAN’S TEMPLE

This is the untold story of that tragedy: the rescue attempts, the investigation and coroner’s report, and finally, the legal recourse sought by the widows of the two men. Much of the story is told in vivid, first-hand accounts taken from court records of one of the cases.  The testimony—by rescuers, cave experts, quarrymen, explosives engineers, doctors, and chemists under the dueling questioning of the widow’s attorney and his adversary —unravels the mystery of who was responsible and illuminates unfamiliar avenues of the dark, remarkable cave. YOU’LL BE KEPT GUESSING UNTIL THE VERDICT IS READ.

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Most readers are familiar with the story of the May 22, 1842, discovery by Lester Howe of the cave that bears his name. Perhaps a more important aspect of the tale took place in February the following year—that’s when Howe purchased the cave property from its owner and neighbor Henry Wetsel.  Imagine if he hadn’t!

Also, it was in February that fire destroyed the first-class Pavilion Hotel at the cave’s entrance in 1900. This was a three-story resort of approximately 100 rooms with all the modern accoutrements for that era.  Built of wood in 1881 as an addition to a stone hotel at the site, the blaze left what remains today, the “Cave House.”

Both items are taken from my 2021 book, “Underground Empires: Two Centuries of Exploration, Adventure and Enterprise in NY’s Cave Country.”

Upon arraignment, King confessed to having made forcible entrance into a building belonging to the cement company and abstracting theretofrom a pair of pantaloons and a telescope. He claimed he was under the influence of liquor at the time.

Justice Golding committed the prisoner to await the action of the Grand Jury. (From a 1902 Cobleskill Index.)

Pantaloons—no longer in vogue—are men’s tight trousers that fasten at the foot or below the knee.