The mysterious death of Adolph Ruth

deducer

Bronze Member
Jan 7, 2014
2,271
4,325
Primary Interest:
Other
In my copy of Gentry's The Killer Mountains, there's a discussion of Adolph Ruth's 1931 trip into the Superstition Mountains on page 98 (Chapter 5). Gentry states that two prospectors, George Lusk and John Harris, packed Ruth from the Barkley ranch into the mountains. However, there's an asterisk by the names, and a footnote reads "For reasons which will become obvious, aliases have been used here".

I've always taken that to mean that the names Lusk and Harris were just made up by Gentry as pseudonyms for Leroy Purnell and Jack Keenan.

Thank you for that tidbit, I wasn't aware of that.

I wonder who has Glen Magill's full collection? Any private investigator worth their salt would keep extensive, detailed notes. Magill's must be stored somewhere or with someone. His family perhaps?
 

azdave35

Silver Member
Dec 19, 2008
3,606
8,097
Thank you for that tidbit, I wasn't aware of that.

I wonder who has Glen Magill's full collection? Any private investigator worth their salt would keep extensive, detailed notes. Magill's must be stored somewhere or with someone. His family perhaps?

my main concern with "the killer mountains" is how bad gentry stretched the truth in the book.i'm with you on magill keeping extensive notes..there are a few people that interviewed him over the years...maybe one of them will chime in
 

OP
OP
Matthew Roberts

Matthew Roberts

Bronze Member
Apr 27, 2013
1,130
4,947
Paradise Valley, Arizona
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
In my copy of Gentry's The Killer Mountains, there's a discussion of Adolph Ruth's 1931 trip into the Superstition Mountains on page 98 (Chapter 5). Gentry states that two prospectors, George Lusk and John Harris, packed Ruth from the Barkley ranch into the mountains. However, there's an asterisk by the names, and a footnote reads "For reasons which will become obvious, aliases have been used here".

I've always taken that to mean that the names Lusk and Harris were just made up by Gentry as pseudonyms for Leroy Purnell and Jack Keenan.


Thirsty44, Gregory Davis,

Thirsty44 is right, Lusk and Harris were two names used as aliases for Purnell and Keenan. Curt Gentry also used an alias for one of the men in MaGill's group who didn't want his real name connected with MaGill's efforts in the Superstition Mountains.

I spoke with Gentry at an authors convention at the downtown Los Angeles library in 2011. Gentry signed my copy of Killer Mountains for me. He was very open about the Killer Mountains book and admitted some things were stretched in the book and the final conclusion of what MaGill and his men discovered.

George Lusk was the alias for Jack Keenan and Keenan's wife/widow did eventually come forward with one of Ruth's map/directions. Under questioning by Maricopa Sheriff's investigators at first she and Jack Keenan denied any knowledge of maps or prospecting with Ruth. But one time after a long session of questions and answers, Keenan's wife slipped up and absent-mindedly blurted out,........ " how strange it was that her husband couldn't find the mine even with Mr. Ruth's map".

Strangely however, LeRoy Purnell was not involved with obtaining and following Ruth's map/directions with Jack Keenan. It was another man who was involved with Keenan.

According to Sheriff's records Adolph Ruth was taken in the Superstition Mountains on June 13, 1931 to a camp located in West Boulder Canyon known locally as Willow Spring.

It was on June 14 and 15 of that year that both Purnell and Keenan and two woman companions used the automobile that Ruth had used to come to Arizona. As an interesting side note, Adolph Ruth was not the owner of that automobile.

Matthew
 

cw0909

Silver Member
Dec 24, 2006
4,363
3,221
Primary Interest:
Other
from the Chicago Tribune April 30, 1966

and no wonder the mine cant be found,
to much bs info to wade/search through
a couple of things i had never read b4
that
Glenn Magill had 5 partners and from Oklahoma
.

side note: i found a George Lusk & John Harris
@ family search,both came from Oklahoma to AZ
and are on the 1930 AZ census. i didnt save links
would have to look again

Magill said the group used maps obtained from a man
whose father was slain in the Superstition mountains
35 years ago.

guess maps were not stolen

2 waltz,
Jacob von Waltz

i thought Jacob Waltz partner was waltzer

Peralta gets maps, docs from the Catholic
church on whose property the mine was located.

so the Catholic church laid claim to the sup/wild mts

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1966/04/30/page/77/article/lost-dutchman-mine-found-group-claims

Screenshot 2017-07-08 at 11.51.08 AM.png
 

OP
OP
Matthew Roberts

Matthew Roberts

Bronze Member
Apr 27, 2013
1,130
4,947
Paradise Valley, Arizona
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
my main concern with "the killer mountains" is how bad gentry stretched the truth in the book.i'm with you on magill keeping extensive notes..there are a few people that interviewed him over the years...maybe one of them will chime in


azdave35,

I should mention that in my conversations with Curt Gentry he wrote Killer Mountains almost exclusively from Glenn MaGill's notes and manuscript. So any aliases that were used in the book originated with MaGill, not Gentry.
Gentry used MaGill's basic story and made it readable to a wide audience. Like many Dutchman books it was never intended to be a Historical Documentary.
Killer Mountains was a western lore novel with certain historical facts. MaGill had wanted to co-write a book about the Superstition Mountains for a long time. He was in the Superstitions only a few times and many in his crew became angry with him because they felt he was using them to generate a story.
Curt Gentry saw the opportunity (in 1966) to produce a work that would make some money and he worked with MaGill to finish the project.
It was not Gentry's most notable or profitable work by far. Gentry later collaborated with Vincent Bugliosi to write Helter Skelter, the story of the Charles Manson murders and that book brought him both fame and fortune.

Matthew
 

azdave35

Silver Member
Dec 19, 2008
3,606
8,097
azdave35,

I should mention that in my conversations with Curt Gentry he wrote Killer Mountains almost exclusively from Glenn MaGill's notes and manuscript. So any aliases that were used in the book originated with MaGill, not Gentry.
Gentry used MaGill's basic story and made it readable to a wide audience. Like many Dutchman books it was never intended to be a Historical Documentary.
Killer Mountains was a western lore novel with certain historical facts. MaGill had wanted to co-write a book about the Superstition Mountains for a long time. He was in the Superstitions only a few times and many in his crew became angry with him because they felt he was using them to generate a story.
Curt Gentry saw the opportunity (in 1966) to produce a work that would make some money and he worked with MaGill to finish the project.
It was not Gentry's most notable or profitable work by far. Gentry later collaborated with Vincent Bugliosi to write Helter Skelter, the story of the Charles Manson murders and that book brought him both fame and fortune.

Matthew

matthew...i knew gentry was involved with the book helter skelter...he was a pretty good writer...
 

Gregory E. Davis

Sr. Member
Oct 22, 2013
323
981
Tempe, Arizona
Detector(s) used
eyeball it
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
In 2009 I did an interview with Baker Looney in which he reviled many of the miss-truths that Magill gave to Gentry, but that is a story for another thread. Some of you who attended one of the Rendezvous most likely met Baker Looney. Cordially, Gregory E. Davis
 

Carl995

Hero Member
Apr 5, 2015
665
1,358
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
In 2009 I did an interview with Baker Looney in which he reviled many of the miss-truths that Magill gave to Gentry, but that is a story for another thread. Some of you who attended one of the Rendezvous most likely met Baker Looney. Cordially, Gregory E. Davis

Thx!
 

Last edited:

cactusjumper

Gold Member
Dec 10, 2005
7,754
5,388
Arizona
In 2009 I did an interview with Baker Looney in which he reviled many of the miss-truths that Magill gave to Gentry, but that is a story for another thread. Some of you who attended one of the Rendezvous most likely met Baker Looney. Cordially, Gregory E. Davis

Joe & Carolyn with Baker Looney:





He's a really good guy, but in failing health. We send him our best wishes.

Joe Ribaudo
 

deducer

Bronze Member
Jan 7, 2014
2,271
4,325
Primary Interest:
Other
side note: i found a George Lusk & John Harris
@ family search,both came from Oklahoma to AZ
and are on the 1930 AZ census. i didnt save links
would have to look again

That's very interesting. I wonder if there are in any way, any sort of similarities between Lusk/Harris and Purnell/Keenan. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that Gentry picked those two names on purpose, as clues- to hint who exactly they represent as a way of getting around having to use aliases.
 

deducer

Bronze Member
Jan 7, 2014
2,271
4,325
Primary Interest:
Other
In 2009 I did an interview with Baker Looney in which he reviled many of the miss-truths that Magill gave to Gentry, but that is a story for another thread. Some of you who attended one of the Rendezvous most likely met Baker Looney. Cordially, Gregory E. Davis

I would love to know more, and would be happy if you would start a thread on the Magill-Gentry connection and what exactly Magill found on top of Bluff Spring Mountain.
 

cactusjumper

Gold Member
Dec 10, 2005
7,754
5,388
Arizona
I would love to know more, and would be happy if you would start a thread on the Magill-Gentry connection and what exactly Magill found on top of Bluff Spring Mountain.

deducer,

From what Baker told us, how Magill got involved it the search is true. After that, it's almost entirely fiction. They found nothing on Bluff Spring Mountain. I would imagine Greg has, pretty much, the entire story in his interview. It would be nice to have it transcribed and posted here.

Baker with Heath:



Good luck,

Joe
 

Last edited:

oldpueblo

Jr. Member
Jun 15, 2014
37
75
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
A Few Thoughts....

Everyone,

Many valid questions have been asked and good observations have been made. I’ll try not to go over ground that has already been covered. Either those involved in the search and investigation was completely inept or it was done by design. I believe it was the latter. Complete deception from the start.

If I were a betting man, I would put my money on Tex Barkley and Jeff Adams being the perpetrators of the crime. They would have the means, motive, and opportunity. I’ll go into more depth on my theory if need be. However, my theory is based on nothing more than intuition, speculation, and perhaps a bit of an overactive imagination.
A couple of good questions have been asked about the location of the actual crime. If Ruth was found on Peters Mesa, why would Barkley move the body, and why would he admit to it? I would think that if any circumstantial or physical evidence were found it could easily be written off as a result of moving the body. If all they did was move the body, there are very serious and multiple charges that should have been brought against them. Why weren't they charged with anything? If you believe this was about scattered cattle, then I’ve got some ocean front property in Arizona I’d like to sell you.

If Ruth’s body was not found on Peters Mesa, why would they lie about it? To mislead and deceive, a good way to muddy the waters. If anyone outside the circle of corruption was interested in this case, why not send them on a wild goose chase. I imagine they would send them a good distance away from their actual area of interest. A little sleight of hand could go a long way.

I’d like to ask a few questions that I do not know the answer to. Did Jim Bark know Adolf Ruth? Did Jim Bark know Walt Gassler? In his letter to Sims Ely he came to the area quickly. In that letter he seems more interested in the investigation and those involved than the LDM. He also seems to show some genuine concern for Ruth’s family. Why would he suggest that Northcutt Ely gain power of attorney for them? He also wrote that if it came to a show down that there may be something in it for the family. What did he mean by this statement? Prosecution, justice, or a monetary benefit? I don’t know. Why were Tex Barkley, his wife, and Jeff Adams so evasive of Jim Bark? It sounds like they didn’t want Jim Bark involved in any way in the investigation.

I also find Walt Gassler’s arrival on the scene interesting. Possibly just another coincidence. Yeah, right. Another plot of ocean front property just opened up. Why did Walt Gassler go to Tennessee? From what I can tell, he was around the Lookout Mountain area. Interesting, that location is also close to Dahlonega and Auraria, Georgia. Did those involved with the search and investigation play Bark and Gassler for fools, or was it the other way around?

Matthew that was an honorable gesture trying to give Roland Gassler that ore sample even if the meeting wasn’t successful.
One thing I do find curious, Walt Gassler spent many years in the Superstitions supposedly looking for the LDM. From the outside that sounds like a man that is very determined and fixated on that goal. Why would he give away specific specimens of ore that might help him in his search? Maybe it was his way of passing out clues to things that he already knew the exact location of. All done without saying a word, if so it’s brilliant really.

This statement is about the death of Adolph Ruth as a whole. Say someone is looking out at a relatively calm surface of the sea. We never know the depth, intensity, or turbulent undercurrents that flow just beneath that surface.

P.S. Wasn’t Jeff Adams known to carry a large caliber handgun? Just another coincidence I suppose.

Old Pueblo
 

cw0909

Silver Member
Dec 24, 2006
4,363
3,221
Primary Interest:
Other
That's very interesting. I wonder if there are in any way, any sort of similarities between Lusk/Harris and Purnell/Keenan. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that Gentry picked those two names on purpose, as clues- to hint who exactly they represent as a way of getting around having to use aliases.

info on
Jack Keenan born @ sea
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH1S-4XY

LeRoy Purnell census 1900-1940
looked @ FS an 2 other online subscription sites no
LeRoy Purnell in AZ during census
Search U.S. Census (Index & Images)

LUSK HARRIS
article i posted MaGill 1966, Gentry book 1976
so wonder if MaGill, just opened a local phone
book and Lusk & Harris were picked @ random

a george lusk,living with parents

George M Lusk Oklahoma
United States Census, 1930
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH17-PNB

same GL, now married
G Myron Lusk Oklahoma
United States Census, 1940
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VY4Q-C77

and a George Lusk from Michigan
he didnt show up until 1940 census
and was in Yavapai, Arizona
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VY44-YNM

interesting this george M lusk lived to be 93
LUSK, GEORGE M. 93 Tucson Citizen B 2 25-Jan-2005
Arizona Obituary Records Search Results
Arizona Obituary Search
----------------------
John W Harris from Oklahoma
United States Census, 1930
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHBY-GPH

same John W Harris married
John W Harris
United States Census, 1940
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VYW5-YHC
 

motel6.5

Sr. Member
Mar 27, 2012
355
367
Nevada,Calif.,Utah,Arizona
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
A small snipit of imfo. , a couple of degrees off subject, Gonzales was the son of a daughter of the original Manual Peralta,with whom Erwin Ruth had become friendly,while working in Mexico at the time. Gonzales was executed in 1912,
for his part in the revolution. He gave the Peralta Map, to Erwin , in exchange for seeing to the safty of his family upon his death. So Erwin did not have a copy ,he had the original. My mistake in a above post. This all according to Mr. Barry Storm,Thunder God"s Gold.{I wonder who has that map now >?}
 

OP
OP
Matthew Roberts

Matthew Roberts

Bronze Member
Apr 27, 2013
1,130
4,947
Paradise Valley, Arizona
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Excellent post and questions by old pueblo I have posted my thoughts and opinions to some of them :

oldpueblo wrote:
A Few Thoughts....
Everyone,

Many valid questions have been asked and good observations have been made. I’ll try not to go over ground that has already been covered. Either those involved in the search and investigation was completely inept or it was done by design. I believe it was the latter. Complete deception from the start.

I agree it was by design. Something more than just an old man missing in the mountains was involved. The deception went all the way up the ladder to the top of the investigation.

If I were a betting man, I would put my money on Tex Barkley and Jeff Adams being the perpetrators of the crime. They would have the means, motive, and opportunity. I’ll go into more depth on my theory if need be. However, my theory is based on nothing more than intuition, speculation, and perhaps a bit of an overactive imagination.

Barkley and Adams did have means, motive and opportunity but because they both had alabai’s backed up by others they were never considered “suspects.”

A couple of good questions have been asked about the location of the actual crime. If Ruth was found on Peters Mesa, why would Barkley move the body, and why would he admit to it? I would think that if any circumstantial or physical evidence were found it could easily be written off as a result of moving the body.

This is one of the most perplexing questions of the Ruth mystery. There is no doubt Ruth died on Peters Mesa. Maricopa County took authority of the search and investigation, gathered all the evidence, took possession of the remains and prepared and signed the death certificate. When Collins Morse sounded the first alarm that Ruth was missing he went to Maricopa Sheriff MacFadden and told him, ….“ Adolph Ruth is missing in the Superstition Mountains in Maricopa County”. Morse did not contact Pinal County Sheriff Walter Laveen even though Ruth’s Willow Spring camp was clearly in Pinal County. Why did he go to Sheriff MacFadden? Because he knew the last place Ruth was seen alive wasn’t in Pinal County and very well knew where to start MacFadden looking for Ruth.



If all they did was move the body, there are very serious and multiple charges that should have been brought against them. Why weren't they charged with anything? If you believe this was about scattered cattle, then I’ve got some ocean front property in Arizona I’d like to sell you.

You are exactly right. Moving a dead body from its place of death when the death was a homicide was a felony. But since Ruth’s death was never officially ruled a homicide Adams and Barkley were only guilty of hindering an investigation. Since Adams was working at the bequest of Sheriff MacFadden the moving of Ruth was not prosecuted and in fact was actually covered up, hidden from the press and used as a key piece of evidence to catch anyone who might have known the fact of where Ruth actually met his end.

If Ruth’s body was not found on Peters Mesa, why would they lie about it? To mislead and deceive, a good way to muddy the waters. If anyone outside the circle of corruption was interested in this case, why not send them on a wild goose chase. I imagine they would send them a good distance away from their actual area of interest. A little sleight of hand could go a long way.

Jeff Adams slipped up when on July 17, 1931 he talked casually with several people and told the story of finding one of Ruth’s maps whereby he, Barkley and three friends followed the map/directions for two days of hard labor through the roughest place he had ever seen in the Superstitions. He told of a cave that they were able to locate on that map but said they were unable to find the mine. No mention was made of finding that map on Ruth’s remains when Adams told this story on July 17. Then, 6 months later in January 1932, Adams told this EXACT SAME STORY to Phoenix reporters. The only difference was this time Adams and Barkley had just found the remains of Ruth and that is when they took the map from Ruth’s body and followed it. Adams had been completely unaware that his July 17 story had been told by someone to the press and had been printed in a Phoenix newspaper. At this point Sheriff MacFadden and everyone who had been paying attention realized Adams and Barkley had actually found Ruth NOT in January of 1932 but in July of 1931.



I’d like to ask a few questions that I do not know the answer to. Did Jim Bark know Adolf Ruth? Did Jim Bark know Walt Gassler? In his letter to Sims Ely he came to the area quickly. In that letter he seems more interested in the investigation and those involved than the LDM. He also seems to show some genuine concern for Ruth’s family. Why would he suggest that Northcutt Ely gain power of attorney for them? He also wrote that if it came to a show down that there may be something in it for the family. What did he mean by this statement? Prosecution, justice, or a monetary benefit? I don’t know. Why were Tex Barkley, his wife, and Jeff Adams so evasive of Jim Bark? It sounds like they didn’t want Jim Bark involved in any way in the investigation.

It’s highly unlikely Bark and Adolph Ruth ever met. Also not likely Bark and Gassler ever met either. Jim Bark and others at the time (1932) actually believed a mine had been located and Bark was concerned the Ruth family would be cut out of it. While Jim Bark was a friend of the Barkley’s and Adams, they were involved in something bigger than Ruth and if they told Bark everything they couldn’t be sure if he would keep their confidence or break the whole thing wide open. This is why they needed to keep Bark at arm’s length.

I also find Walt Gassler’s arrival on the scene interesting. Possibly just another coincidence. Yeah, right. Another plot of ocean front property just opened up. Why did Walt Gassler go to Tennessee? From what I can tell, he was around the Lookout Mountain area. Interesting, that location is also close to Dahlonega and Auraria, Georgia. Did those involved with the search and investigation play Bark and Gassler for fools, or was it the other way around?

There is no doubt Walter Gassler knew more, much more about the Ruth mystery than what Tex had told him about finding Ruth on Peters Mesa.

Matthew that was an honorable gesture trying to give Roland Gassler that ore sample even if the meeting wasn’t successful.

Walter had several pieces of ore that I knew of. I wanted to offer this particular piece to Roland because it was a special piece Walter believed came from the LDM. Walter had told me on more than occasion that his wife and children did not want him looking for the LDM and discouraged him at every opportunity. I have come to believe that Roland simply does not care about his father’s interest in the LDM and would rather not be reminded of it.

One thing I do find curious, Walt Gassler spent many years in the Superstitions supposedly looking for the LDM. From the outside that sounds like a man that is very determined and fixated on that goal. Why would he give away specific specimens of ore that might help him in his search? Maybe it was his way of passing out clues to things that he already knew the exact location of. All done without saying a word, if so it’s brilliant really.

In the fall of 1983 Walter asked me to go into the mountains and do something for him. He was planning a trip to his old camp on Peters Mesa and wanted me to set some things up for him. He was making final plans to file claim on the LDM. I of course told him I would be glad to help and that is when he gave me the piece of ore and his map. I also have Walter’s map with his notations on it that Walter gave me. Not a copy of his map, his actual topographic map he used when in the mountains. Walter gave me specific instructions and his map had directions written on it to show me where he wanted me to go. I also wanted to show that map to Roland that day because it had Walter’s handwriting and notes all over it and where he had marked the location of Ruth’s body and where Walter believed the mine was located.


This statement is about the death of Adolph Ruth as a whole. Say someone is looking out at a relatively calm surface of the sea. We never know the depth, intensity, or turbulent undercurrents that flow just beneath that surface.

My feelings exactly. The Ruth mystery involves so much that is hidden below the surface, like an iceberg with only the tip showing out of the water.

P.S. Wasn’t Jeff Adams known to carry a large caliber handgun? Just another coincidence I suppose.

Jeff Adams was twice Sheriff of Maricopa County. He was 70 and in retirement in 1931 when Sheriff MacFadden asked him to spearhead the search for the missing Adolph Ruth. Adams had ranched the northern parts of the Superstition Mountains and knew the Superstitions better than anyone. Adams had a wide collections of firearms and knew how to use every one of them.

Old Pueblo
 

Oroblanco

Gold Member
Jan 21, 2005
7,837
9,822
DAKOTA TERRITORY
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Lobo Supertraq, (95%) Garrett Scorpion (5%)
I would only point out that Tex Barkley is not a good suspect; he was even a bit upset that Ruth would not wait for Tex to return to be able to pack him in, as if Tex had some misgivings about one or more of the persons present at the time. Also, Tex himself searched for Ruth. A murderer doesn't usually help in the search for a victim, not impossible of course but Tex Barkley has a pretty good alibi against being involved in Ruth's death.

I would also add a suggestion to read or re-read the correspondence between the Phoenix city police and the younger Ruth, they seemed fairly sure whom the culprits were, by their actions after Ruth's death as well as the previous actions.

Please do continue, and agreed on Jeff Adams as a question mark in these events. However as he also has an alibi, it would seem to clear him.

:coffee2: :coffee: :coffee2:
 

oldpueblo

Jr. Member
Jun 15, 2014
37
75
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Mr Roberts, thank you for your quick and detailed response. I'm sure that Jeff Adams had multiple fire arms. Did anyone know specifically what firearm he carried during the search for Ruth?

Considering the depression era time period, I'm sure that alibis, certain law enforcement, and possibly some politicians could have been purchased at a reasonable price. Several brooms would have been involved to sweep this all under the rug.

Old Pueblo
 

Last edited:
OP
OP
Matthew Roberts

Matthew Roberts

Bronze Member
Apr 27, 2013
1,130
4,947
Paradise Valley, Arizona
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Mr Roberts, thank you for your quick and detailed response. I'm sure that Jeff Adams had multiple fire arms. Did anyone know specifically what firearm he carried during the search for Ruth?

Considering the depression era time period, I'm sure that alibis, certain law enforcement, and possibly some politicians could have been purchased at a reasonable price. Several brooms would have been involved to sweep this all under the rug.

Old Pueblo


oldpueblo,

I'm not sure at all which sidearm or rifle Jeff Adams may have carried but lawmen of his era were partial to the .45 and .44 calibers. There were many 45-70 rifles in use in the 1920-1930 period, it seemed almost everyone had one. They were mostly old government issues and were cheap to buy and were so abundant that parts were always in supply. It's pure speculation however. Adams still has family living in Arizona and I would wager some of his old firearms may still be around.

Agree with you completely about the alibis, if someone were well connected an alibi would not be hard to come by.

Matthew
 

azdave35

Silver Member
Dec 19, 2008
3,606
8,097
oldpueblo,

I'm not sure at all which sidearm or rifle Jeff Adams may have carried but lawmen of his era were partial to the .45 and .44 calibers. There were many 45-70 rifles in use in the 1920-1930 period, it seemed almost everyone had one. They were mostly old government issues and were cheap to buy and were so abundant that parts were always in supply. It's pure speculation however. Adams still has family living in Arizona and I would wager some of his old firearms may still be around.

Agree with you completely about the alibis, if someone were well connected an alibi would not be hard to come by.

Matthew

who wouldn't take a big bore 44 or 45 over a puny little 32 or 38?....lol
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top