San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-17
SENT HIM MESSAGE
Gone for Fifteen Days and
Wife Frustrated With
Fear and Grief.
POSSE FINDS SHELLS
Trap Fails to Hold Car and
Spotlight Reveals
Mans Head.

New developments in the strange
disappearance Of Richard Routon,
missing San Antonio warrant officer,
indicate that death trap was laid
for him five days before he disappear
ed, that he knew an attempt had been
made on his life. and that he knew
who it was that made it.
The story, as revealed by Mrs. Rou-
ton, tells of an attempt made to stop
the family on lonely country road
under a railroad trestle, which failed.
Routon left his home, 1926 Nolan
street.. at 40 Friday afternoon, Feb
ruary >. and never returned. His wife
is Frustrated with grief. Routon was
warrant officer stationed at head
quarters of the Eighth Corps Area.
He was on temporary duty at Braek-
en-, Tex. and on the Sunday prior
to his disappearance, he left here in
an automobile with his family for
Bracken.
Sees Mans Figure.
Near Bracken the road runs under
a railroad trestle. As the car APP
preached the trestle it was growing
dark. The trestle is on lonely part
of the road. Mrs. Routon thought
she saw a man standing over the
trestle, and looking closer she did see
figure dimly outlined against the
sky. She said nothing Of it to her
husband. As the car ran under the
bridge. something seemed TO hold it
back. Juggling at the wheels The car
skidded TO the right then to the left
and finally pulled through. Mr.. Rou-
ton stopped the ear on the other side
and turned his spotlight back on the
bridge. A mans head showed above
the outline of the trestle. Mrs. ROu-
ton said her husband reached for his
gun and started TO fire, but she pre-
vented him doing so.
He then took his wife and child TO
the place where they were staying and
with q small posse Of men went back
to the scene. The man could not be
found. No indication was given by
Mr.. Routon as to why he seemed 80
interested i'm the presence Of the man
over the trestle.
The next morning, when daylight
came, Mr.. ROuton. in company with
several others, went TO the scene.
Fresh dirt was seen in the road
way directly beneath the trestle. They
dug into it and found that n barrel
of fresh tar had been poured over
the road. trap TO stop the car. Be
meath the trestle they also found sew
eral shells. although Mrs. ROuton did
not know of what caliber.
Later Mrs. RoutOn told of her hus-
band sending a message to some I'M
identified persons which in effect
was: You had better make a bet
ter job OF it than that The wife
believes that her husband knew who
it was that laid the trap.
Think Murder Done.
Later in the week. the family came
back to San Antonio. They were
happy and relatives say that there
was nothing TO make ROutOn want 10
leave his home. He was bothered TO
certain extent, il was said. because
be had been advised TO have all of his
teeth taken out and set out Friday
afternoon to go TO a downtown furni-
ture house, pay n bill and then return
to the station hospital at Fort Sam
Houston where the dentist was TO ex-
tract all of his teeth. He visited the
furniture house, paid the bill and
then disappeared.
His family fear that he has been
murdered and his body disposed of.
Officers have failed to find any clewS
upon which TO work in their investi-
CATION and the family has offered a
liberal reward to persons who can
give information as to his whereabouts
or find bis body.
A few days ago message was re-
ceiyed from a woman i'm Corpus
Christi, who said that she had seen
a man answering the description Of
the missing officer, but all investiga-
ton failed to find If he was Rou-
ton.
Routon would be easily identified
by a tattooed eagle stretching clear
across his breast. He was tattOoed
in many ecker Places. re was five
feet, seven inches tall. weighed about
1855 pounds, had gray eyes, dark
brown hair and a ruddy complex
ion.