Appalachian: Schaumboch's Tavern

The year is 1889 when the local town doctor and priest are summoned to a lonely tavern on top of a mountain along the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania. It is in this location that Matthias Schaumboch confesses to killing 11 to 14 people on his deathbed. After Matthias passes, the doctor and priest determine that the confession is of a man suffering from dementia. They decide to keep this a secret and sell the property and let such rumors pass away with Mathias into history. A few months later William and Anne Turner buy the property. While William is cleaning out one of the drinking water wells, he makes a gruesome discovery and finds the well full of human skulls and bones, some butchered and some cooked. William calls on the help of the Sheriff who investigates the discovery. Time goes back to when young Matthias and Margaret buy the property in 1850. They start living a normal life running a two-room tavern. Matthias notices that the money they need is coming in too slowly to make ends meet. They will not be able to make it on their own. Only when lonely travelers and peddlers come by to stay at the tavern, Matthias then begins to plan and survive off of the belongings of his victims that locals will not miss when they stay at the tavern. As time passes, Matthias becomes a methodical and cunning killer and perfects his methods with each murder. Rumors begin to build in local towns as Matthias is seen selling horses, and items, and he seems to prosper when others struggle to make a living. There are even rumors of cannibalism that spread along the locals as time passes by. Matthias eventually breaks his own rules when his wife is caught in an entanglement with Nathaniel and he decides to dispatch him. This causes problems for Matthias as three mine workers notice Nathaniel's horse during their stay. Their suspicions are correct but Matthias is too cunning and figures the three men out. They are dispatched but Matthias gets hurt in the process. Some time passes and the Schaumboch's are enjoying the winter and no one has been killed for a while. It is when a traveling peddler stops at the tavern while peddling civil war surplus items. Matthias can't help himself and he kills the peddler. This is the one rule Matthias breaks. As news of the missing peddler spreads in a local town and the locals there witness Matthias selling the same items known to belong to the missing peddler. The town folk sends the Bounty Hunter, Rattlesnake Jack to investigate details about Matthias and his wrongdoings. While this is going on the Sheriff is having a meeting with the town folk. He tells them that no one is to take things into their own hands. As such, Rattlesnake Jack finds himself hiding in the barn at the Schaumboch's. He notices Matthias taking traps out to set a trap line on this cold winter day. Matthias is planting them in inconspicuous places. Little does Rattlesnake Jack realize that Mathias is aware of his presents and Rattlesnake Jack is caught in a bear trap that Matthias set and is ready to pounce. Margaret finally challenges Matthias to stop his killings. His health is getting worse and his dementia is more prevalent. Not to mention they are raising a son now, Ben. While Ben is at school and bullies are provoking him. Ben takes out his own brand of justice against the bullies. Margaret is summoned to the school and notices the behavior is very similar to Matthias's. Margaret is now making Matthias stop. Ben grows up and finally knows what went on on the property and leaves home for the Navy. Matthias is now on his deathbed and finally confessed to his killings. Margaret leaves to go live with her son and his family. William and Anne find all the skulls in the wells and the rest of the remains on the property with the help of the local sheriff. As the sheriff is leaving on horseback. Another skull is found near the vegetation along the lonely road down the mountain. Were there more victims? Throughout the entire story of Mathias Schaumboch's life, is written true historical events of the time. The author of the novel also has written into the story in detail about local wildlife and nature sounds specifically to this location on top of the mountain on the Appalachian Trail which is now known today as Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Pennsylvania. These details give this story a depth and structure of more than just a tale of America's first Undocumented Serial Killer.