The Kusko times., 1928-03-03
Did Lindf0rS
 Murder Kirk
BONES. FOUND IN FURNACE RE. TORT BELIEVED THOSE
 OF A HUMAN.
Anchorage Times.)


 In view of all the money that has been expended by the Government in Alaska in recent years in it's efforts to convict those whom it suspects of robbing the United States mails, old timers of the Iditarod and Kusko- kwim districts are wondering how it is that there is not a little money available when it is needed to investi- gate more heinour offenses against so- ciety-the murder of miner by his partner, for instance.
 Almost year has elapsed since Arthur Kirk was last seen in the Kuskokwim district, and notwith- standing the fact that the circum- stances surrounding his disappearance early aroused the suspicious of his friends, there were no funds at the disposition of the Department of Jus tice to cinduct an investigation. The evidence of foul play, when it finally was unearthed, was brought to light by an inquiry started by United States Marshal Lynn Smith of Fair banks, not as marshal of the Fourth Division, but as private citizen and personal friend of the missinng man. And so much time had theen elapsed that no trace remained of the man who is suspected of the crime. If the Government since that time has made any further investigation of the case or made any effort to find the man responsible for Kirk's death,: the fact is not known to residents of the dis trict where the rrime was committed. Some there are in the Kuskokwim who believe that Kirk's slayer con- mitted suicide after he had killed his partner, but evidence to support such belief is lacking, and there are more who believe that the partner made his escape from the country before dis covery of the evidence which brought him under suspicion.
 Were Mining Quicksilver. A year ago this winter Arthur Kirk and his partner, Charles Lindfors, were engaged in the operation of cinnabar mine on the divide between lditarod and Kuskolwim rivers. One lot of quicksilver, having a value be- tween $3,o00 and $4,000, had been shipped to the General Electrict Com pany, Seattle, in Lindfors' name, and Kirk had not received his share. of the returns. There was naother and larger shipment ready to send to the States, and the story is that Lindfors wanted to send that out in his name also, and to accompany it to Seattle, to which Kirk objected. That much Kirk confided to friennds nthe occa- sion of a visit at the Harry, Stevens camp, on Crooked creek, on May 10- He was then on his way back to the quicksilver camp, and was last seen after he had crossed Crooked, creek, waving farewell to apprise his friends that he had made safe cross ing of the rotten ice
 Twelve days later, on May 22, Lind fors appeared at the camp of Al and Barney Walsh, on DonIan creek, which is one of the forks of Crooked creek, and informed the men there that Kirk had drowned while trying to cross Crooked creek on May 19, after the ice had gone out. Friends of Kirk wanted to start out immediately to search foro the body, but were dis suaded by Lindfors, who argued that it was needless for them to leave their work, since it was his intention to get some Indians to make a search, . (Contnued on Page B., F.