The mysterious death of Adolph Ruth

[azdave35]

azdave 35 wrote:......... "matthew...the letter is a little confusing when he talks about malpais mountain and black mountain being the same...unless back then the current black mountain was just a no named part of peters mesa and malpais was called black mountain...if that is true the rough canyon must be pistol canyon.....sounds to me like barkley and his crew did find something in the canyon and kept it quiet."

dave,

What we know as "Black Mountain" today was a part of Peters Mesa until it became known as Charleboise (Charley-Boy) Mountain. It still is called Charley-Boy Mountain by most old timers.

Malapais was first called Black Top Mountain (not to be confused with Black Top Mesa) because of the black band of rock on it's top. Later it became known as Malapai Mountain because of the rough and unforgiving terrain.

Charley-Boy Mountain got it's name changed to Black Mountain when the Forest Service mis-named it on a topographic map and it has been that way ever since. Black Mountain is actually a mistake.

Also, ..... Hell's Hip Pocket is a place on the north side of the Salt River but at one time was also a place name on the south side. Today it is referred to as Hell's Hole by most old timers.
It is very easy to confuse these place names with other similar names, Hell's Hip Pocket, Hell's Hole, Hell's hole spring. All are Similar but all are in Different places.

One thing to remember when listening to anyone give directions in the Superstition Mountains, never assume, no matter who you are talking to that they write or say the correct name of a specific place. That would assume they are an expert or a walking, talking Atlas. MANY people even old timers sometime confuse places or have their own name or version of a name for a place.

And never, EVER, assume that what you read on a modern Topo map is the SAME place that old timers meant when they said or wrote something 80-100 years ago.

Matthew

thanks matthew...thats kinda what i figured..

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Upgraded Night Vision Monocular Digital Infrared Monocular Telescope for 100% Darkness with 8X Zoom - Grab it through Amazon!

[Matthew Roberts]

Photo of Adolph Ruth taken shortly before he left Washington D.C. for the Superstition Mountains.



Photo of Adolph Ruth with his family in Washington D.C. Eight months before he left for the Superstition Mountains.
Adolph Ruth is on the left.
His son Erwin is in the middle.
His son Earl is on the right.


Matthew

 

[EarnieP]

Matthew you are a diamond in a Gold Mine! (the LDM Gold Mine)

Thanks for all you share.

 

[deducer]

I second.

Thanks for your contributions, Matthew. This has been a great discussion!

 

[azdave35]

View attachment 1458691

The Death Certificate for Adolph Ruth.
He is listed as 65 years old. He was actually 76 years old.
The cause of death officially is UNKNOWN,.... even after the Phoenix/Maricopa Medical Examiner had ruled his death to be Natural Causes.
The UNKNOWN ruling left the cause of death open in the event new information became available.
There is no date of Ruth's death.
The Maricopa County Sheriff's office is the only source of information for the death certificate.

The timeline of Adolph Ruth's disappearance and death.

May 4, 1931 Adolph Ruth leaves Washington D.C. by automobile for Mesa, Arizona.

May 13,1931 Ten days later Ruth arrives at Cal Morse gas Station in east Mesa, Arizona.

June 13, 1931 One month later, Ruth is packed into the Superstition Mountains to a camp at Willow Spring in West Boulder Canyon.

June 14, 1931 Adolph Ruth writes his last entry in his personal journal.

June 24, 1931 Twelve days later (allegedly) Jack Keenan and Cal Morse become aware that Ruth is missing from his camp at Willow Spring.

June 25, 1931 Cal Morse phones the Maricopa County Sheriff James MacFadden and informs him Adolph Ruth is missing in the Superstition Mountains.

December 10, 1931 The skull of Adolph Ruth is found in a side canyon on the NE end of Black Top Mesa.

December 14, 1931 Odd Halseth sends Ruth's skull from Phoenix to Washington D.C. to be professionally examined by Ales Hrdlicka.

December 19, 1931 Ales Hrdlicka reports back to Halseth in Phoenix that he believes the holes in Ruth's skull are bullet holes.

January 8, 1932 The remains (bones, clothes and personal items) of Ruth are found near a trail about a half mile from where Ruth's skull was discovered.

January 13, 1932 The Phoenix Medical Examiner examines Ruth's bones and remains and says Adolph Ruth died of NATURAL CAUSES !

February 12, 1932 The Maricopa County Coroner signs Ruth's official Death Certificate. The cause of death is listed as, UNKNOWN !

February 13, 1932 All of Adolph Ruth's remains and personal effects are shipped from Phoenix to his family in Washington D.C.


Matthew

ruth definitely looks older than 65 in that photo

 

[deducer]

Dan Jones was commissioned as a private investigator by Erwin Ruth. The letter below is courtesy of Garry from the other site. In this letter and others I will post, suspicion does indeed zero in on one individual. There are also more clues regarding the missing map.

 

[nobodie]

Out of all the people involved, is there any way to find out who left the state and came back.

 

[Matthew Roberts]

Out of all the people involved, is there any way to find out who left the state and came back.

Hello nobodie,

Both of the men who packed Adolph Ruth into his Willow Spring camp (Jack Keegan and Leroy Purnell) left the State after Ruth's death and his skull and remains were discovered.
Purnell left first and Keegan a while later. Both men returned to the Phoenix/Mesa area but eventually drifted away again.

In the Maricopa County Sheriff's investigation files is a very curious and disturbing statement by the wife of Jack Keegan.
Keegan's wife was questioned several times and her story always stayed along the same lines except for one time she added this ominous thought.
Quoting Mrs. Keegan :......... "You know, my husband and Mr. Purnell never were able to find the mine, even with Mr. Ruth's maps."

This was the first time the story changed from Keenan and Purnell merely being "packers" for Adolph Ruth, to them being actual participants in searching for the mine.
And even more ominous, Mrs. Keenan didn't infer that her husband and Purnell looked for the mine WITH Adolph Ruth, rather they just used his maps to look for the mine.

This was a turning point in the Sheriff's investigation which went beyond Keenan and Purnell and implicated several others who had also led authorities to believe Keenan and Purnell were merely uninterested "packers."

Matthew

 

[cactusjumper]

Here is the letter Jim Bark wrote to Sims Ely in January 13,1932 describing what Jeff Adams had told him about the map that was found on Adolph Ruth's body.
Several things are clear from this letter.

Jeff Adams was evasive with Jim Bark concerning certain issues.
Jeff Adams didn't want Jim Bark to get involved in any way.
Gertrude Barkley did not want to talk to Jim Bark about Adolph Ruth and Tex Barkley was avoided him also.
Jeff Adams outright lied to Jim Bark because Erwin Ruth never received the map/directions that Jeff Adams said had been sent to him.




January 13, 1932
Dear Sims,

Here is what has taken place to date. I arrived here Monday morning and immediately struck out for Mesa to see the Barkley's (I am presuming that you have read the Sunday Arizona Republic containing the report of the Superstitions returned party). I found from Mrs. Barkley that Jeff Adams had returned with Tex Barkley to the First Water Ranch Sunday, she would not tell me what for, but told me to wait and see Tex as he would tell me something that she had no right to tell.

So I waited until 4 P.M. Monday and Tex and Jeff did not return, so I came back to the bunks with the positive promise from Mrs. Barkley that she would call me as soon as the two returned, which was expected anytime. I waited around until Tuesday morning and found that Jeff Adams had not returned, and waited until about 3 O'CIock P.M. went down to the Sheriff's office and found Jeff Adams had returned in the morning after I had called for him.

I congratulated Jeff Adams upon the finding of the remains and effects of Ruth, and that it had been a very difficult task well accomplished. I had already congratulated Sheriff McFadden, as I heard that he had been up there after they found the remains. Jeff introduced me to several of the sheriff's force, as the great Lost Dutchman hunter, took me into a side room and said Jim I am going to tell you, we did find a paper not a map. A paper with a few lines and considerable written instructions to go to the mine and we went right to it. Anybody could follow it.

Then he asked me for a lead pencil, grabbed an old piece of a ballot with other markings on it and told me that they found the body on the little flat just before you drop down into Marsh Valley coming from 1st water on the trail.

The map plainly described the Charleboise trail to the top of Peters Mesa then N. to the Black Mt. (Malapai Mountain) until you came to the first canyon, it was running East into Peters Canyon. Go down it almost to Peters Canyon, the roughest trail or country he ever was over, finally they came to a very large cave. There the map ended the trail and stated that right across the canyon about 250 ft. or yards was the mine.

The 5 of them, had each taken an empty sack to bring back ore. He insinuated they stayed there 3 hours and all the country looked like there was no mine there, so they came out and went back to camp, and found that Jeff's blood hound had not showed up, so the next morning they went back down the awful trail and there found the dog who had taken charge of the sack that Jeff had left there.

Jeff then said, “Jim don't you go in there, or don't you send anyone in there.” Jeff drew the map and I have it, although I do not need it. I left a call for Mrs. Barkley and received a reply from Central in Mesa that Mrs. Barkley was not at home.
I then instructed Central to ring the house every 20 min. and about 8 P.M. Central answered and left a message here, that Mrs. Barkley was not in but probably would be in Phoenix tomorrow. Here it is 1 P.M. still no Mrs. Barkley and I think Tex Barkley returned to First Water yesterday.

Now draw your own deductions. My own after thinking over it all is that they have found the Mine and they don't want Uncle Jim (Jim Bark) around or in it. What pressure they brought to bear on Tex Barkley to get him to throw me over I do not know.

I wired Northcutt (Sims Ely's son) last night that the map was in the box with the other effects, and did he think he could get it. Jeff Adams told me he put the map in the box with Adolph Ruth’s other effects that were shipped to Washington D.C.

I do not want the map, only to verify what Jeff told me. My idea is for Northcutt to get a power of attorney representing Mrs. Ruth's interest here, and if it comes to a show down, he may get something for her. I came here in a very great hurry, and it don't look as though I was going to accomplish very much, but it is very interesting.

Jim (Bark)

Matthew,

I'm sure I have seen that letter before, but can't remember the original source for it. Not an unusual problem these days.

Good luck,

Joe

 

[deducer]

Ruth's response to the letter above- this letter is on onionskin paper so it's a carbon copy of what was typed.

 

[Matthew Roberts]

deducer,

The letters you have posted are truly great and show just how confusing things were while trying to get to the bottom of Adolph Ruth's disappearance and death.

Jim Bark may have summed it up best. Here is a direct quote from Jim Bark:...... "Now it is up to anyone to draw his own conclusions and do his own deducting. Perhaps the old Doctor was on the verge of discovering the long lost mine. What happened, how he died, and what he knew will probably never be known or made public."

"Never be known or made public." Reading between those lines Jim Bark himself may well have learned more about Ruth's demise than he cared to know.

Matthew

 

[deducer]

There's more. Here's Jones's response and I think this letter is the most informative of what I have posted of the Jones-Ruth correspondences.

 

[azdave35]

deducer,

The letters you have posted are truly great and show just how confusing things were while trying to get to the bottom of Adolph Ruth's disappearance and death.

Jim Bark may have summed it up best. Here is a direct quote from Jim Bark:...... "Now it is up to anyone to draw his own conclusions and do his own deducting. Perhaps the old Doctor was on the verge of discovering the long lost mine. What happened, how he died, and what he knew will probably never be known or made public."

"Never be known or made public." Reading between those lines Jim Bark himself may well have learned more about Ruth's demise than he cared to know.

Matthew

matthew....over the years i have heard quite a few theories on the killing of ruth from some of the most knowledgeable people on the history of the superstitions...the usual suspects always turn up...keenan and purcell...milton rose...abe reid..tex barkley and a couple others i dont want to mention...these guys all knew each other and hung out at barkley's ranch together and they all knew what ruth was up to and what he was looking for and thanks to ruth's mouth they knew he had enough info to find the mine.....it had to be one of these guys or maybe a few of them got together and carried out the deed...the bottom line is if ruth would have been a little more patient and closed mouthed...he would have been packed into the mountains without any harm coming to him and the ldm might not have been lost anymore...or whatever he was looking for...and if the knot-heads that killed him would not have used a gun on him and just made it look like an accident there wouldn't have been such a stink made over his death..it probably wouldn't have even made the papers...they could have waited a few months til it cooled off and went after the mine with no interference or suspicion

 

[Matthew Roberts]

deducer,

The letters between Erwin Ruth and Dan Jones are a marvelous look into what was going on a full 4 years after Adolph Ruth died. It is obvious that Jones, a detective for the Phoenix police, hinged everything on the map that was taken from Ruth showing up in the culprits hands. It should be understood Jones was working privately with Erwin Ruth and not as a part of the Maricopa County Sheriff's investigation.

Even though the suspects had been narrowed down to a hand full after 4 years, there still was not sufficient evidence to make an arrest. The fact that virtually no one was talking, kept the investigation from going anywhere. The silence became defining.

Matthew

 

[Matthew Roberts]

azdave35,

You are absolutely right, Ruth talked too much about his maps and his intentions to the WRONG people.
Also right about the use of a firearm. Had he simply perished from the Sun or fallen off a cliff he may never have made the front page.
Also right on that list of possible suspects but add to that suspect list, George Bashford, the man Erwin Ruth didn't interview because he didn't think he played a role.

Matthew

 

[deducer]

deducer,

The letters between Erwin Ruth and Dan Jones are a marvelous look into what was going on a full 4 years after Adolph Ruth died. It is obvious that Jones, a detective for the Phoenix police, hinged everything on the map that was taken from Ruth showing up in the culprits hands. It should be understood Jones was working privately with Erwin Ruth and not as a part of the Maricopa County Sheriff's investigation.

Even though the suspects had been narrowed down to a hand full after 4 years, there still was not sufficient evidence to make an arrest. The fact that virtually no one was talking, kept the investigation from going anywhere. The silence became defining.

Matthew

I don't know about that, Matthew. I think that the way Jones had written his letter, there was a great opportunity, if Ruth wanted it, for them to gather up those witnesses and make a case, and if they could produce that high-powered rifle or the stolen map, to indict Purnell.

As a matter of fact, reading between the lines, one could say that Jones seemed to be suggesting that "hey, there are these people, they saw something, and they're still around if you want to do something about it." In that he was answering in the capacity of a private investigator commissioned by Ruth, he may not have wanted to come across as being too forward, but it's hard to ignore the pattern:

This woman- Ethel Capis- is still living alone at the foot of Superstition Mountain

Bashford, I understand, is living in this vicinity.

And then Jones opines that the map would reappear at some point, and this would be a centerpiece of the indictment.

In short, Jones comes across as someone who is building a case.

Now, Edwin Ruth's response to all this is, to me, the most confusing aspect of the entire Ruth saga. Edwin Ruth had the opportunity to find out who killed his father, and he threw it away, pure, plain and simple. He could have been a little more aggressive and requested Jones interrogate those people. I know I would have.

His response is a bizarre defense of his father remarks regarding wild goats in the Superstitions, followed by a lukewarm "ehh, I'm not sure.." regarding the maps.

This is the last of the correspondences as far as I know. I assume that the investigation was abandoned.

 

[SGnAZ]

Does anyone know who Jones was referring to when he wrote about the person who drew the map from memory?

 

[cactusjumper]

Does anyone know who Jones was referring to when he wrote about the person who drew the map from memory?

Steve,

Hope all is well with you and the family.

As I recall, he was talking about Erwin Ruth. Could be wrong, but that's how I remember the letter. Maybe I should reread it.....again.

Take care,

Joe

 

[azdave35]

Steve,

Hope all is well with you and the family.

As I recall, he was talking about Erwin Ruth. Could be wrong, but that's how I remember the letter. Maybe I should reread it.....again.

Take care,

Joe

thats how i read it too

 

[cactusjumper]

At the request of a moderator I have removed this post.

Joe Ribaudo