The Alaska daily empire., 1922-09-06
NO DOUBT that
HENDERSON WAS
kIL[ED;0P|N|0N
Could Not Have Been Lost in
Vicinity of Idaho Inlet
Says McCloskey.

There is no doubt that Aleck Hen
derson, prospector, lost for nearly
three weeks past, is in the vicinity
of Idaho Inlet. was killed on the
first night out in the hills. according
70 Eugene McCloskcy, partner OF
Henderson, who arrived here at mid
night Monday from Idaho Inlet.
Theories Given
Although several theories are Civ
en- as to what happened to Hender-
son. is is thought by old-timers his
disappearance will remain a mystery.
McCloskey believes the man met his
death by falling from cliff while
! travelling through the woods. His
eyesight was not good, McCloskey
said, and it would have been easy
for him to have taken a mis-step
while travelling through the dusk.
H. A. Pryde. Deputy U. S. Mar
shall ait Hoonah, who has been con
Quoting the search until it was
abandoned last week. believes Hen
derson met his death by slipping into
the water while attempting to walk
around the steep shore line from
Althorp to Idaho Inlet. Others be-
lieve Henderson was killed by
bear. He had no gun, McCloskey
said, and it is not known whether
or not he had matches.
Mccioskey Tells Story
| McCloskey, who was in the search
from the time Henderson disappeared
until hope of his recovery was
abandoned, tells the story as fol-
lows:
Henderson and | camped at the
head of Idaho Inlet Monday, August
III. We stayed in camp three DAYS
because OF miserable weather. On
Friday the fog lifted and about noon
we started up the creek, which ran
| past our camp, to look over the float
IN the creek. We went back about
I mile to falls. We decided 1t was
no use following the creek further
and cut Off to The right up the
Althorp.
/ 1--WE went NJ the mountain about
! a half mile from the creek. Hen
dcrson looked at his watch and as il
was 3 o'clock said we had better
j start back. as 1t would be getting
dark in the creek. | told him all
right to start back and | would go
over to bluff whore I thought
could sec Port Althorp and would
catch him on the way down. He
agreed and we parted there.
81 went over TO the bluff about
100 feet up the mountain and looked
around. then started back. From the
parks along the beach going down
toward the Inlot on the Port Al
thorp side of the creek. running
past our camp. | decided by taking
this route travel would be easier and
could reach camp ahead of Hen
Itterson and have dinner ready when
he arrived
Reaches Camp
81 reached camp in short time
and prepared meal. Henderson
should have come in about One-half
hour behind me- When he did not
show up ! took it for granted he
had wandered off and deciding he
lnould not get back that night, had
remained in the woods.
"Thc next morning he did not
show IN and thinking perhaps he had
been injured. went back up the
creek to whore we had parted.
looked around through the prairies
nearby but could find no trace of
him. came back to camp and
rowed down to Joe Connors' camp
three miles down the inlet. 1t was
too late in the evening to search
ihen, so 7 remained at Connors' camp
over night and the next morning he
and went across the inlet to an old
saltery. owned by a man named
Singleton. and notified two fishermen
who were trolling there. 1t was
foggy and rainv that day and We
could not search.
"Thc next day the four OF us went
up the creek to where Henderson
and / had parted and Murphy. one
OF the fishermen. picked up Hender
sons trail leading down small
creek 10 an lnlct OpIO3Hc Ioit nj
thorn and on the other side OF the
bench from the creek by our camD
We traced his Footsteps to the beach
and lost them on the rocks there.
Searched Woods.
I'VE secuted the woods around
there but could find no trace, OF
whether he struck back into the
woods or continued around the
beach. We met fisherman and
went on his boat to Port Althorp.
Mr.. Buschmann said his men had
! seen no trace Of Henderson but that
he had seen fires on the beach Fri
; day and Saturday might. We gained
nothing from that information.
Mr.. Buschman loaned us a boat
and We searched the beach line,
going into all the coves, to Idaho
Inlet. We left the boat there and
1t returned 10 Port Althorp, search
ing the beach carefully on the way.
I sent a telegram to my father,