The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1916-10-03
MYSTERIOUS CASE
STIRS WESTFND
Alfred HarkIerOad'S Disappear
anCe Subject Of Inquiry
SEARCH FOR POSSIBLE GRAVE
PROVES TO BE FUTILE.
Wife Says He Left Home After Fuss
Over Where the Family Shotgun
Should be Placed.

should be Placed.
Where is Alfred Harkleroad. who
disappeared from his home on the Cas-
tleford road two miles from Buhl, on
January q, last-a bitterly cold day,
and has not been seen since? Since
this question was first asked of Sher-
iff Kendall by Buhl people two months
ago, he has left no stone unturned to
answer it, and Sunday night, acting
on the suggestion that there might |
have been foul play, he visited the
Harkleroad home with a number of |
others, tore up the cement floor in
the barn and conducted a searching
examination of the premises without |
results.
Among the rumors circulated are al |
legged contradictory statements said to
have been made by members of the |
family, and the sudden disappearance |
OF Harkleroad's stepson, Fred Marks, |
after he was informed that the Officers
were conducting an investigation
Prior to the time of the disappear
ance of Harkleroad, he was working
for George Gorseth, Buhl merchant,
in whose service he earned $50. He
did not call for the money and some
time after he quit work Mrs. Harkle-
road asked Mr.. Gorseth to pay her
! The merchant refused unless an order
were Produced A few days later she
returned with an order signed "a Har-
kleroad," and collected what was due.
1t is stated that nothing had been
said about the disappearance of Har-
kleroad by members of the family af-
ter he left. 1t is also alleged that the
signature is said by those who exam
ined it to resemble the handwriting
of Marks rather than that of Harkle-
road. 1t is further said that when
asked, about this time, where her hus-
band had gone, Mrs. Harkleroad at
first stated that he had gone to Colo
rado. Later on it is said that she in
formed another neighbor that he had
gone to Ely, Nevada. 1t is claimed that
a letter sent by a neighbor addressed
to Harkleroad in Ely, was returned.
All spring and summer the neigh
bors kept whispering about the sup
posed mystery, the rumor gradually
extending beyond the immediate vicin-
ity until it reached Sheriff Kendall,
who acted promptly but quietly Col
lecting stray bits of evidence and fol-
lowing down one report after another,
he was about ready to ask Marks in
regard to the matter, when the latter
disappeared. On September 8, it is
said, man named Randall told Marks
that the sheriff was investigating the
matter and making inquiries Marks
is alleged to have gone at once to the
home of a neighbor, and got a boy to
accompany him to GoOding to whi, II
place they rode on horseback, the boy
returning with the horses. All efforts
on the part of Sheriff Kendall to find
him through officers elsewhere have
proven fruitless. Further investiga-
tion has continued and every scrap of
evidence that can be found has been
considered. Last Friday, Deputy Sher-
iff W. G. Thompson, County Attorney
John r. Davies and Probation Officer
v II. Ormsby made a trip to the
neighbOrhood. Friends of Harlxleroad
said that he was of a sociable disposi-
ton and that they doubted whether he
would leave without letting them
know, and saying goodbye. The party
visited the home and talked to Mrs.
Harkleroad. She said that her hus-
band had gone as a result of a quar-
rel with her over where the guns
, should be hung. He wanted to put
them over the door and she would not
let him. He said that if he were not
permitted to put the guns over the
door, he would leave. She replied
Il kept house a good while be-
fore l saw you and can do SO
again" She said that she had no
knowledge of any fight between Har-
kle road and her son. Later she said
that she was not present when Har-
kleroad left, but that Fred told her
that he had gone and that he went to-
ward Wendell. A girl named Hazel
Hoover told the investigators thai
! Clara Harges, the seventeen-year-old
daughter of Mrs. Harkleroad. Mrs
Harkleroad was married three times)
stated that Harkleroad and Marks hac
fight and that the former left home
because of 1t.
It was learned that Harkleroad haC
: some money deposited in a Buhl bank
which was drawn out by his wife after
t his disappearance. Mrs. HarkleroaC
told the officers that her husband
= would be found in a mining camp, eth
: er in Colorado or Nevada. She suggest
= ed several towns. Letters have beer
: sent to officers and others in all the
= places named, and also to all thu
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