Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-07-23
CHAPTER XVII

&lISAI HIN AAA VII
On the 18th day OF October, 1896,
John Kensler, a we'll known farmer
and ~stockman, who lived on his
ranch on King Hill creek, five miles
east of Glenns Ferry, went to that
place, and after ~transacting some
matters of business, left in the af-
ternoon for his ranch, considerably
under the Influence Of liquor, and
accompanied by his hired man, AL
fred Freel, who was also in the same
condition. Kensler was never again
seen alive after that date.
Immediately below the Kensler
ranch and adjoining it, Is the ranch
OF Hiram Garfield. An irrigation
ditch, known as the Garfield ditch,
tapped the creek about one mile
above the Kensler ranch, running
through and conveying water for
both ranches, and owned jointly by
Kensler and Garfield. From this
main ditch water was conveyed over
the Kensler ranch by a ditch known
as the .Kensler ditch, which ran
close to Kensler's dwelling house. A
week previous to the above date, Mr..
Garfield had closed the headgate of
the main ditch where it Is tapped
by the Kensler ditch, and from the
headgate down the Kensler ditch
was dry, but on that date the Kens-
Ter ditch was carrying a full head OF
water.
In the morning OF October II, Ed
Bayles and George Fl. lobe, two men
employed on the Garfield ranch, mo-
ticed the main ditch carrying a full
head of water through the Garfield
ranch and flooding the alfalfa field
through which 1t ran. The two men,
going up the ditch to find the cause
Of the flow, made a remarkable dis
covery. A little to the left of the
ditch, about a quarter of a mile
just above the north line Of the Can
field ranch and upon a high knoll,
they noticed indications that a team
had run away, WTecking the wagon,
and they went over to the knoll.
Reaching the knoll, they found a
team tied to the front wheels and
axle of the wagon, the lines OF the
neal horse wound tight abound the
hub OF the off wheel, and holding
the team as prisoners. tBayles rec
ognized the team as Kensler's. Close
to the team, a little down the knoll,
were the hind wheels and the cen-
terpiece. A little further and half
way down the knoll was an inverted
wagon seat, and beside 1t lay a
meerchaum pipe, also recognized as
John Kensler's.. At the foot OF the
knoll and on the road leading to
Glenns Ferry, was q wagon box.
The men unhitehed the horses,
taking them to Kensler's residence,
about half a mile distant, where
they remained for breakfast. Mrs.
Kensler being home, they told her
all the particulars. Mrs. Kensler
related to them that John and Fred
had come home the night before,
both quite drunk, and that they had
a quart of whiskey with them and
had emptied the bottle before she
retired; that about IL o'clock at
night John woke her up, saying that
he was going to a Silver Republican
rally at the Ferry and had a big
wad of money to spend, and as he
was still drunk when he hitched up
and left, she was afraid that he was
Bayles then proposed that Mrs.
Kensler accompany him in a search
for her husband, to which she OBJ
but, Bayles insisting, she re-
luotantly did so.
Following the tracks of the team
and wagon In the soft damp sand
around the barnyard to the knoll,
Bayles looked carefully for any
marks in the sand where Kensler
have been thrown from or out
the wagon, but one were found.
Neither were any footprints or other
tracks to be found before the scene
Of the wreck or OH the road.
Mrs. Kensler had a bad reputation,
on different occasions reck-
lessly disregarded her marriage
the absence of indications OF
anybody being thrown by upsetting
Of the wagon, excited suspicion in
mind that something was
but he kept this to himself
for the time.
Mrs. Kensler started homeward,
and Bayles took the road in the d.
rection of Glenns Ferry. About 200
feet from the road he discovered
footprints, apparently beginning
he found them, and going to-
ward Glenns Ferry. He followed the
footprints to the bank of the Snake
where they stopped. Return
ing from the river to the wagon
road, he met Freel, who told him
that on the night before, about II
o'clock. Kensler woke him UP, ask
ing him to go to town with him and
help him spend $1,000, and that he
refused, being too tired, and that
John, not coming home, Mrs. Kenss-
Ter sent him to town early in the