The mysterious death of Adolph Ruth

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Matthew Roberts

Matthew Roberts

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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:


Oroblanco,

I'm in agreement with you concerning Tex Barkley. He was guilty of some wrongdoing in the whole Adolph Ruth mystery but after the fact and I don't believe he had a part in Ruth's death. His biggest crime (my opinion) is he may have known who was responsible for Ruth's death and kept silent.

I really like your suggestion for everyone who is truly interested in the mystery to reread the letters between Dan Jones (Phoenix Detective) and Erwin Ruth (Adolph Ruth's oldest son). They are important and identify the 3 persons who were suspected of the disappearance and death of Ruth. One must remember however that Dan Jones was never the official investigator of the Ruth disappearance. He was a Phoenix Police employee and had his own Private Investigation business. Jones was working with Erwin Ruth in an unofficial capacity. It was the Maricopa County Sheriff's office that investigated Ruth's disappearance and death. Still, between Jones and Ruth, I believe they correctly identified the person who killed Adolph Ruth.

All these letters were written between February and April of 1936. (This was almost 5 years after the death of Adolph Ruth)

The Letters are in order:

Dan Jones to Erwin Ruth February 29, 1936 2 pages.

Erwin Ruth to Dan Jones March 8, 1936 2 pages.

Dan Jones to Erwin Ruth April 2, 1936 4 pages.

Erwin Ruth to Dan Jones April 13, 1936 2 pages.

I will try and post all these letters in order. Some pages are a bit blurry but I can read all of them and they can be enlarged by copying the page and using your viewer to magnify it.

Matthew
 

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Matthew Roberts

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Here are the Dan Jones - Erwin Ruth letters in order. A lot of what is discussed is of no consequence but pay close attention to the three men that Jones and Ruth believe to be suspects.

Jones-Ruth-February 29, 1936-pg1.jpg
Jones to Ruth February 29, 1936 page 1

Jones-Ruth-February2 9, 1936-pg2.jpg
Jones to Ruth February 29, 1936 page 2


Ruth-Jones-March 8, 1936-1.jpg
Ruth to Jones March 8, 1936 page 1

Ruth-Jones-March 8, 1936-2.jpg
Ruth to Jones March 8,1936 page 2


Jones - Ruth - April 2, 1936-pg1.jpg
Jones to Ruth April 2, 1936 1

Jones - Ruth - April 2, 1936-pg2.jpg
Jones to Ruth April 2, 1936 page 2

Jones - Ruth - April 2, 1936-pg3.jpg
Jones to Ruth April 2, 1936 page 3

Jones - Ruth - April 2, 1936-pg4.jpg
Jones to Ruth April 2, 1936 page 4


Ruth-Jones-April 13, 1936-pg1.jpg
Ruth to Jones April 13, 1936 page 1

Ruth-Jones-April 13, 1936-pg2.jpg
Ruth to Jones April 13, 1936 page 2
 

Gregory E. Davis

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Good evening Mathew: Why do you think Tex Barkley told Walter Gassler about finding Ruth on the Mesa, following Ruth's map and taking Ruth's body down to Black Top Mesa? Cordially, Gregory E. Davis
 

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Good evening Mathew: Why do you think Tex Barkley told Walter Gassler about finding Ruth on the Mesa, following Ruth's map and taking Ruth's body down to Black Top Mesa? Cordially, Gregory E. Davis


Hello Gregory,

From what I have been able to gather, and from conversations I had with Walter, it is without a doubt that Tex Barkley sent Walter Gassler up to Peters Mesa to look for the Lost Dutchman Mine and Dutchman caches.

It is also beyond doubt that Tex did in fact tell Walter that he found Ruth dead on Peters Mesa, took a map/directions from Ruth and attempted to follow that map. He later, with one of his ranch hands transported the body down to where it was eventually "re-discovered", on the northeast end of Black Top Mesa.

It is my opinion that Tex sent Walter to the Mesa and told him these things because he genuinely liked him and wanted him to find the mine or caches that Tex sincerely believed were hidden there.

There is more to the Adolph Ruth story than has been told and Tex Barkley knew the whole story. He knew that Ruth did not just show up in Arizona out of the clear blue sky on the whim of looking for a mine. He knew the people Ruth was involved with and his reason for coming to Arizona. He knew Ruth had shared maps and directions and information with these individuals. He also knew that Ruth had withheld critical pieces of information that would lead someone to the mine/caches. Tex further knew that Ruth withholding this critical information is what got him killed on Peters Mesa.

Tex Barkley, Jeff Adams and three of their friends (Robles, Cline and Gardner) followed the map/directions they found on Ruth's body in an attempt to find the mine/caches. It took them over two days of hard labor in the roughest parts of the Superstition Mountains. Barkley, Adams and the others found the cave that was shown on Ruth's map but couldn't locate the mine/caches because Ruth's critical piece of information he withheld was the final piece of the directions. The map Barkley took was not the beginning and end of the directions. When Adolph Ruth died the last piece of the puzzle died with him.

It is my opinion Tex truly believed the mine was up there somewhere near that cave but he could not find it and in Walter he saw someone he admired and who had the desire and intelligence to solve the puzzle.

Walter told me some things about Tex and the whole Ruth mystery but I knew very well that Walter was not telling me everything he knew. There is a lot Tex told Walter that Walter kept to himself. I believe whatever else Tex told Walter died with him when Walter himself died on Peters Mesa in May of 1984.

Matthew
 

Gregory E. Davis

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Thank you Mathew: That is really interesting. I wonder if the final set of instructions will ever show up in some of Ruth's papers still to be disclosed? Cordially, Gregory E. Davis
 

cactusjumper

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Hello Gregory,

From what I have been able to gather, and from conversations I had with Walter, it is without a doubt that Tex Barkley sent Walter Gassler up to Peters Mesa to look for the Lost Dutchman Mine and Dutchman caches.

It is also beyond doubt that Tex did in fact tell Walter that he found Ruth dead on Peters Mesa, took a map/directions from Ruth and attempted to follow that map. He later, with one of his ranch hands transported the body down to where it was eventually "re-discovered", on the northeast end of Black Top Mesa.

It is my opinion that Tex sent Walter to the Mesa and told him these things because he genuinely liked him and wanted him to find the mine or caches that Tex sincerely believed were hidden there.

There is more to the Adolph Ruth story than has been told and Tex Barkley knew the whole story. He knew that Ruth did not just show up in Arizona out of the clear blue sky on the whim of looking for a mine. He knew the people Ruth was involved with and his reason for coming to Arizona. He knew Ruth had shared maps and directions and information with these individuals. He also knew that Ruth had withheld critical pieces of information that would lead someone to the mine/caches. Tex further knew that Ruth withholding this critical information is what got him killed on Peters Mesa.

Tex Barkley, Jeff Adams and three of their friends (Robles, Cline and Gardner) followed the map/directions they found on Ruth's body in an attempt to find the mine/caches. It took them over two days of hard labor in the roughest parts of the Superstition Mountains. Barkley, Adams and the others found the cave that was shown on Ruth's map but couldn't locate the mine/caches because Ruth's critical piece of information he withheld was the final piece of the directions. The map Barkley took was not the beginning and end of the directions. When Adolph Ruth died the last piece of the puzzle died with him.

It is my opinion Tex truly believed the mine was up there somewhere near that cave but he could not find it and in Walter he saw someone he admired and who had the desire and intelligence to solve the puzzle.

Walter told me some things about Tex and the whole Ruth mystery but I knew very well that Walter was not telling me everything he knew. There is a lot Tex told Walter that Walter kept to himself. I believe whatever else Tex told Walter died with him when Walter himself died on Peters Mesa in May of 1984.

Matthew

Matthew,

It's long been my belief that Brownie and Tex's son were the first ones to find Ruth's body, or knew where it was all along. That would help to explain why there was so much deception. Where Tex told Walter they found Ruth's body may also be part of that deception. I doubt Tex wanted anyone to actually find the LDM. There seems little doubt that Tex was engaging in a little subterfuge.

Just one man's opinion and theory.

Good luck,

Joe
 

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Matthew Roberts

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Matthew,

It's long been my belief that Brownie and Tex's son were the first ones to find Ruth's body, or knew where it was all along. That would help to explain why there was so much deception. Where Tex told Walter they found Ruth's body may also be part of that deception. I doubt Tex wanted anyone to actually find the LDM. There seems little doubt that Tex was engaging in a little subterfuge.

Just one man's opinion and theory.

Good luck,

Joe


cactusjumper,

I agree that it may have been Brownie and Bill Barkley that were the first to find Ruth's body or knew where to look for it. That would certainly explain why Tex and his wife (and some others too) were so secretive and evasive about the whole Ruth mystery.

The Peters Mesa story was not only told to Gassler by Tex, it was told to Jim Bark by Jeff Adams and to several other people also. So Walter was not the only one who was told this account. I would accept the theory that Tex may have deceived Walter about where Ruth died except for the fact the Maricopa County Sheriff's investigators (Lon Jordan) noted in the Ruth file where Ruth perished and it was Peters Mesa. The Maricopa County Sheriff was aware of Ruth being found somewhere other than Black Top Mesa. That is why Maricopa County took authority of the entire disappearance and death investigation including the Maricopa County death certificate that stated Ruth died in Maricopa County Superstition Mountains. The official investigation would not have concluded that Ruth died there on Tex Barkley's say so alone. They came to that conclusion because they had indisputable evidence that went beyond anything Tex Barkley may have said.

You have to remember that Tex Barkley wasn't the only person who knew about Ruth being found and where he was found. Jeff Adams knew, Hosea Cline knew, Gabriel Robles knew, Asa Gardner knew. All these individuals were questioned by the Maricopa Co. investigators. You would have to believe they all made up a story and they all stuck to it under questioning. It was Asa Gardner who came clean and told everything he knew. If you've been a good detective and really dug into the Ruth mystery you know why Gardner was completely forthcoming with the Maricopa Sheriff.

Also if you've been a good detective you would have read in one of the letters that survive from the Ruth investigation the one person the Maricopa County investigators should have questioned but in fact never brought him in or asked him a single question. That man knew everything from start to finish.

Matthew
 

Gregory E. Davis

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Good afternoon Matthew: Do you feel that the stories by Milton Rose regarding his being at the Q-Ranch when Ruth was there, and that his burros were the ones used by the two cowboys to take Ruth into Willow Spring, have any chance to hold water? Cordially, Gregory E. Davis
 

cactusjumper

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cactusjumper,

I agree that it may have been Brownie and Bill Barkley that were the first to find Ruth's body or knew where to look for it. That would certainly explain why Tex and his wife (and some others too) were so secretive and evasive about the whole Ruth mystery.

The Peters Mesa story was not only told to Gassler by Tex, it was told to Jim Bark by Jeff Adams and to several other people also. So Walter was not the only one who was told this account. I would accept the theory that Tex may have deceived Walter about where Ruth died except for the fact the Maricopa County Sheriff's investigators (Lon Jordan) noted in the Ruth file where Ruth perished and it was Peters Mesa. The Maricopa County Sheriff was aware of Ruth being found somewhere other than Black Top Mesa. That is why Maricopa County took authority of the entire disappearance and death investigation including the Maricopa County death certificate that stated Ruth died in Maricopa County Superstition Mountains. The official investigation would not have concluded that Ruth died there on Tex Barkley's say so alone. They came to that conclusion because they had indisputable evidence that went beyond anything Tex Barkley may have said.

You have to remember that Tex Barkley wasn't the only person who knew about Ruth being found and where he was found. Jeff Adams knew, Hosea Cline knew, Gabriel Robles knew, Asa Gardner knew. All these individuals were questioned by the Maricopa Co. investigators. You would have to believe they all made up a story and they all stuck to it under questioning. It was Asa Gardner who came clean and told everything he knew. If you've been a good detective and really dug into the Ruth mystery you know why Gardner was completely forthcoming with the Maricopa Sheriff.

Also if you've been a good detective you would have read in one of the letters that survive from the Ruth investigation the one person the Maricopa County investigators should have questioned but in fact never brought him in or asked him a single question. That man knew everything from start to finish.

Matthew

Matthew,

I understand your points, but.......If you assume, and I do, that Ruth's body was moved after his death, is it too much of a stretch to imagine that none of them told the truth as to where Ruth was actually murdered? Tex or Bill and Brownie may have moved the body and then led the searchers to the "find". That would easily explain why they were all in accord and had the exact same story. In other words, the body and murder scene were pre-arranged.

I am not, nor have I ever been, a detective......good bad or average. On the other hand, I have been trained to observe evidence and protect it. To me, this story and scene of the murder looks staged. I would imagine Frank would have a better view of what might have transpired. We can never know 100% what took place, but I think most of us are pretty sure that there was a lot of deception after Ruth's death.

As I understand it, Tex despised Brownie and may have thought he got Bill involved in whatever took place with Ruth. Once he believed they were involved, in some way, he would have moved to protect his son. They were hard people living in hard times. Ruth's death may have been an accident brought on by a hard interrogation, or perhaps, by an accidental discharge of a weapon. As you may be able to discern, I am trying to find a rational for what took place, giving the Barkley's and Brownie some wriggle room.

Just one man's opinion, but I am pretty well convinced something close to that took place. I did not "jump" to this conclusion, but came to it with over fifty years of contemplation of the facts and the rumors.

Good luck,

Joe Ribaudo
 

azdave35

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Good afternoon Matthew: Do you feel that the stories by Milton Rose regarding his being at the Q-Ranch when Ruth was there, and that his burros were the ones used by the two cowboys to take Ruth into Willow Spring, have any chance to hold water? Cordially, Gregory E. Davis

greg...i never met milton but years ago i did some inquiring about him...everyone seemed to think he was a fairly straight shooter except for the last few years of his life he was prone to exaggerate a bit...according to ted cox milton rose was definitely at the quarter circle u when ruth was there
 

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Matthew Roberts

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Matthew,

I understand your points, but.......If you assume, and I do, that Ruth's body was moved after his death, is it too much of a stretch to imagine that none of them told the truth as to where Ruth was actually murdered? Tex or Bill and Brownie may have moved the body and then led the searchers to the "find". That would easily explain why they were all in accord and had the exact same story. In other words, the body and murder scene were pre-arranged.

I am not, nor have I ever been, a detective......good bad or average. On the other hand, I have been trained to observe evidence and protect it. To me, this story and scene of the murder looks staged. I would imagine Frank would have a better view of what might have transpired. We can never know 100% what took place, but I think most of us are pretty sure that there was a lot of deception after Ruth's death.

As I understand it, Tex despised Brownie and may have thought he got Bill involved in whatever took place with Ruth. Once he believed they were involved, in some way, he would have moved to protect his son. They were hard people living in hard times. Ruth's death may have been an accident brought on by a hard interrogation, or perhaps, by an accidental discharge of a weapon. As you may be able to discern, I am trying to find a rational for what took place, giving the Barkley's and Brownie some wriggle room.

Just one man's opinion, but I am pretty well convinced something close to that took place. I did not "jump" to this conclusion, but came to it with over fifty years of contemplation of the facts and the rumors.

Good luck,

Joe Ribaudo


cactusjumper,

A great post and you make some very well thought out points. And no one can say you are wrong because for all the investigation done by the Maricopa County Sheriff's office, in the end they were unable to verify that Adolph Ruth was murdered or even exactly how he died for that matter. They did know however that a great deal of evidence was destroyed, that individuals tried to cover up certain facts about Ruth's disappearance and death and that even their own Sheriff's Department (Jeff Adams) was involved in covering up things that transpired during the search for Mr. Ruth.

In late 1932 the official investigation file into the disappearance and death of Adolph Ruth was sealed from public record by the Maricopa courts. That file was sealed for 50 years until 1982 when it became public record. In March of 2008 the Maricopa County Sheriff's office destroyed the record as part of its standard record disposal procedure. The last person directly involved in the Ruth disappearance/death investigation died in April of 1980.

We will never know for 100% certain what happened to Adolph Ruth in the Superstition Mountains in June of 1931. We won't know exactly how he died or even why he died. There is much that is known of the mystery but it leaves many questions unanswered. Someone told me once,..... "it was 80 some years ago, everybody's dead now and we will never know what happened so it's best to just leave things that Ruth died of thirst or heat stroke while looking for the mine."

There is a certain amount of wisdom and logic in that statement.

Matthew
 

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Matthew Roberts

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Good afternoon Matthew: Do you feel that the stories by Milton Rose regarding his being at the Q-Ranch when Ruth was there, and that his burros were the ones used by the two cowboys to take Ruth into Willow Spring, have any chance to hold water? Cordially, Gregory E. Davis


Gregory,

Milton Rose was known to spend time in the Superstitions and was on occasion a visitor at the Barkley ranch. Milton said he knew Ruth and told several stories about him. As azdave35 mentioned, Milton would stretch things now and again but I don't see any reason to doubt Milton's stories about Ruth. I surely don't have any evidence to question him on that count. We do know for sure that LeRoy Purnell and Jack Keenan were the two men who packed Ruth into the Superstition Mountains. There is nothing that has ever come up about who owned the burro's Purnell and Keenan used. It would seem they either belonged to 1. Purnell and Keenan. 2. to Collins Cal Morse. 3. The Barkley's. 4. or possibly Milton.

We just don't know for sure. I wouldn't discount Milton's story but then again I couldn't verify it either.
There is another (separate) verified account (in a letter written by Adolph Ruth) about burro's Purnell and Keenan had in their possession but it doesn't state anything about ownership.

Matthew
 

cactusjumper

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cactusjumper,

A great post and you make some very well thought out points. And no one can say you are wrong because for all the investigation done by the Maricopa County Sheriff's office, in the end they were unable to verify that Adolph Ruth was murdered or even exactly how he died for that matter. They did know however that a great deal of evidence was destroyed, that individuals tried to cover up certain facts about Ruth's disappearance and death and that even their own Sheriff's Department (Jeff Adams) was involved in covering up things that transpired during the search for Mr. Ruth.

In late 1932 the official investigation file into the disappearance and death of Adolph Ruth was sealed from public record by the Maricopa courts. That file was sealed for 50 years until 1982 when it became public record. In March of 2008 the Maricopa County Sheriff's office destroyed the record as part of its standard record disposal procedure. The last person directly involved in the Ruth disappearance/death investigation died in April of 1980.

We will never know for 100% certain what happened to Adolph Ruth in the Superstition Mountains in June of 1931. We won't know exactly how he died or even why he died. There is much that is known of the mystery but it leaves many questions unanswered. Someone told me once,..... "it was 80 some years ago, everybody's dead now and we will never know what happened so it's best to just leave things that Ruth died of thirst or heat stroke while looking for the mine."

There is a certain amount of wisdom and logic in that statement.

Matthew

Matthew,

What's the true story about finding, or not finding Ruth's silver leg plate? It was reported both ways, as I recall. Also, Ruth's foot bones and hand bones were not found. Did the critters untie his shoes and take them away?

Thanks,

Joe
 

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Matthew Roberts

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Matthew,

What's the true story about finding, or not finding Ruth's silver leg plate? It was reported both ways, as I recall. Also, Ruth's foot bones and hand bones were not found. Did the critters untie his shoes and take them away?

Thanks,

Joe


cactusjumper,

Another part of the Ruth mystery that was confused by readers of the newspapers was the belief Ruth's remains were found lying relatively intact and in one place.
This was reinforced by a photo that appeared of Tex Barkley gathering up the bones and personal effects of Mr. Ruth. Most people thought the photo showed how Ruth looked when he was found.
The truth is he was found on a canyon side a mile from the nearest trail. He was 5 miles in a direct line from his camp at Willow Spring and 8 miles away by the nearest hike.
His remains were scattered over an area of 100 square yards.
The photo shows Tex Barkley about to bag the remains after he had collected them in one place from this 100 square yard debris field.

That given, (officially) the thighbone of Ruth which had been fastened to the hip by a metal plate was found in that debris field.
The metal plate however was not found. This does not mean the plate was not there it just means Barkley and the others were unable to locate it. It may have been found later by individuals who visited the site because Barkley erected a rock monument at the center of the debris field.

As for the hands and feet, they were also not found. Neither of Ruth's shoes/boots were found either so it may have been the feet in the boots were carried off by coyotes. No one knows for sure.
Very little of his clothing was found. His shirt consisted of the pocket and small area around it. AH McClellan who examined the remains when they were returned to Phoenix estimated over half of Ruth's bones were missing.

Matthew

Tex Barkley with Ruth's remains.jpg
 

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Matthew Roberts

Matthew Roberts

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Matthew,

Did anyone copy that report when it was unsealed?

Good luck,

Joe


cactusjumper,

I have no way of knowing exactly who all may have accessed that file so I can't speak for them and I cannot say if anyone copied the entire investigation file because it was a huge file of everything from hand written notes to photos to copies of correspondence. It had been archived for many years and was not stored at the Maricopa Sheriff's office. When I saw it it was at the County records archives on west Jackson Street where the Superior and Civil court records were being kept. No one wanted to help with either finding the file or helping you to look at it let alone make copies. It was a bureaucratic nightmare that began with,... "we don't have it." to... "we can't find it." to,... "you can't see it."
Finally when it was established that the archive did have the file you had to make an appointment to see it and were seated at a table with barely enough room for you to put a small pad of paper and a pencil. You sat there making notes and using a camera to photograph things because every time you asked to use the copy machine you were treated like you just asked someone for one of their kidneys. It was B. David Russell (Basil David Russell) who was able to get people to start to cooperate as he was well connected with the City of Phoenix Historic Preservation Society and friends with mayor Paul Johnson.

Matthew
 

azdave35

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cactusjumper,

I have no way of knowing exactly who all may have accessed that file so I can't speak for them and I cannot say if anyone copied the entire investigation file because it was a huge file of everything from hand written notes to photos to copies of correspondence. It had been archived for many years and was not stored at the Maricopa Sheriff's office. When I saw it it was at the County records archives on west Jackson Street where the Superior and Civil court records were being kept. No one wanted to help with either finding the file or helping you to look at it let alone make copies. It was a bureaucratic nightmare that began with,... "we don't have it." to... "we can't find it." to,... "you can't see it."
Finally when it was established that the archive did have the file you had to make an appointment to see it and were seated at a table with barely enough room for you to put a small pad of paper and a pencil. You sat there making notes and using a camera to photograph things because every time you asked to use the copy machine you were treated like you just asked someone for one of their kidneys. It was B. David Russell (Basil David Russell) who was able to get people to start to cooperate as he was well connected with the City of Phoenix Historic Preservation Society and friends with mayor Paul Johnson.

Matthew
matthew..typical govt. bureaucracy...we paid for it..it belongs to us..but we cant see it.....it makes you wonder how bad they sanitized it before you were allowed to see it
 

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Matthew Roberts

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Who killed Adolph Ruth ?


For those who believe Adolph Ruth was indeed murdered in the Superstition Mountains, the overwhelming questions have always been, who would have wanted to kill him and why?

Over the years there have been many suspects and names offered as either the killer or someone who may have been involved with the death of Ruth.

Officially, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s office listed just three persons as prime suspects, not in the murder of Adolph Ruth but rather in his disappearance, activities and whereabouts leading up to his death.
Those three individuals were:

LeRoy Purnell, Jack Keenan and Collins (Cal) Morse.

After a year of exhaustive investigation the investigators were unable to determine if Adolph Ruth had actually been murdered or died from extreme exposure to the heat and terrain of the Superstition Mountains. Sheriff’s officials were unable to establish foul play because the one item of evidence that would have allowed them to make such a determination, (Ruth’s skull), was never once in their hands and no “legal and official” examination of the skull was ever made.

The examination by the two Phoenix physicians, a dentist and Dr. Ales Hrdlicka in Washington D.C. were outside the control of Sheriff’s investigators and would not have been able to be used as evidence in a court of law. And actually those examinations served to contaminate the evidence so an impartial and official examination could be made.

In the end, Ruth’s cause of death on his death certificate was marked, UNKNOWN. This was an important designation because it left his “official” death open to change if at a later date more information and evidence were to come forward.
Over the course of a year and a half, Sheriff’s investigators questioned every person who was known to have any contact with Adolph Ruth from the time he left Washington D.C. to the time the last person saw him alive in the Superstition Mountains. That is, every person except one. And that person may very well have been the one individual who killed Adolph Ruth.

This one person even though well known to Sheriff’s investigators incredibly eluded suspicion by both Maricopa and Pinal County Sheriff’s personnel and was never brought in for questioning by either law enforcement agency even though he knew Adolph Ruth, had spoken with and interacted with Ruth on the fringes of the Superstition Mountains and was intimately connected with all three of the prime suspects in the disappearance of Mr. Ruth.

This man did not completely escape suspicion however. In fact he was the prime suspect in well recorded private investigation. This private investigation also incredibly was not fulfilled and the man again escaped questioning even though he was hiding all the time in plain sight.

Matthew
 

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