The Glenwood post., 1923-11-01

The mysterious disappearance OF
Walter Loupe, Grand Junction insur
ance agent, is apparently just as mys-
terious as it was the two days follow
ing the finding on the morning of Oc-
tober 23 of Loupes Ford roadster in
the edge of the water at the north
bank of the Colorado river about 500
feet east of the Selhorst bridge and
about three miles east of Glenwood
Springs Although the river was thor
oughly prospected Tuesday and We'd
nesday, October 23 and "a, Immediately
following the report of Loupes disap-
y arance, and up to the present time
no real clues to his whereabouts have
been discovered, but several theories
have been advanced, with various
shades of plausibility.
However, it is quite generally be
lieved by those who have examined the
scene of the supposed tragedy, that
Loupe is alive, for if he be dead his
death must havc been accidental, as a
result of his car getting beyond his
control and running into the river, AMI
this theory is secuted by almost any
one who knew Loupe and who exam
ined the car and searched for him in
the Colorado river. The other two
angles-suicide and foul play-are
given no credence by those who have
Investigated the matter.
While it is true that Loupe NIGHT
have started up the river that stormy
night with a view of seeing pros
pective customer at Gypsum or some
where between Glenwood and Gypsum.
After facing the storm four or five
miles he might have decided to turn
around and return to Glenwood, spend
the night at a good hotel, and resume
his journey early in the morning. On
the return trip, through carelessness or
because of some defect in the mechan-
ism of his car, he might have been
hurled over the steep and rocky bank
into the river below, his body landing
far enough out in the water so that it
was washed, away, and later hidden in
the deep water so as to escape dis
covery by the searching parties. We
say this MIGHT have happened, but
we believe there is n very general be-
lief in Glenwood Srings and Grand
Junction and all intermediate points
that this is not what DID happen. At
all events this theory is open to sus-
picion and doubts.
Loupe is referred to by all who
knew him as a very likeable fellow,
and while his friends were very loathe
to believe that he would plan his own
mysterious disappearance, some of them
at first Indignantly rescntng sucn an
insinuation, they now admit that they
are ready for the truth.
But what is the truth? What are
the facts in this case? Did Walter
Loupe deliberately plan his own dis
appearance, pushing his own car over
the bank into the river to mystify and
10 uuu 10 lhc pieouhiptloh 'hhe nv me-"
met an ace dental and violent death,
seeking to force the public to account
for his whereabouts on the theory that
his body had been swallowed up by
thr Colorado river?
If so, what was the motive? Loupe
was the general agent in Western Colo
rado for the Farmers life Insurance
company of Denver. 1t is said that he
carried life insurance in the company
that would amount to $46,500 in case
of accidental death. In addition to
this he is said to have carried accident
insurance to the amount of $4,000
j. P. Mclnroy, representative of the
Farmers Life company, came over
from Denver the first Of this week
and began an investigation of the case
Mr. McInroy is superintendent OF
agents of the company, and while he