Murder on the White Sands: The Disappearance of Albert and Henry Fountain (A. C. Greene Series, No. 5)

On A Cold February Evening In 1896, Prominent Attorney Col. Albert Jennings Fountain And His Eight-year-old Son Henry Rode Across The White Sands Of New Mexico. It Was A Trip The Father And Son Would Not Complete--they Both Disappeared In A Suspected Ambush And Murder At The Hands Of Cattle Thieves Fountain Was Prosecuting. The Disappearance Of Colonel Fountain And His Young Son Resulted In Outrage Throughout The Territory, Yet Another Example Of Lawlessness That Was Delaying New Mexico's Progress Toward Statehood. The Sheriff, Whose Deputies Were Quickly Becoming Prime Suspects, Did Little To Solve The Mystery. Governor Thornton, Eager For Action, Appointed Pat Garrett As The New Sheriff, The Man Famous For Killing Billy The Kid Fifteen Years Earlier. Thornton Also Called On The Pinkerton National Detective Agency, Who Assigned Top Operative John Fraser To Assist Garrett With The Case.^ The Evidence Pointed At Three Men, Former Deputies William Mcnew, James Gililland, And Oliver Lee. These Three Men, However, Were Very Close With Powerful Ex-judge, Lawyer, And Politician Albert B. Fall. It Was Even Said By Some That Fall Was The Mastermind Behind The Plot To Kill Fountain. Forced To Wait Two Years For A Change In Political Landscape, Garrett Finally Presented His Evidence To The Court And Secured Indictments Against The Three Suspects. Garrett Quickly Arrested Mcnew, But Lee And Gililland Went Into Hiding. Lee Claims That Garrett Merely Wanted To Kill Him With A Warrant For His Arrest As An Excuse. When Both Men Were Tracked Down At One Of Lee's Ranched, Lee And Gililland Got The Best Of The Sheriff's Posse In The Ensuing Gun Battle, Killing One Deputy And Forcing Garrett And His Tow Remaining Deputies To Retreat. Lee And Gililland Would Finally Surrender Months Later, Under The Condition That They Would Never Be In The Custody Of Sheriff Garrett.^ The Trial Took Place In The Secluded Town Of Hillsboro. The Murders Of The Fountains Became An Afterthought As The Accused Men, Defended By Their Attorney Fall, Pleaded Innocence. Missing Witnesses Plagued The Prosecution, And Armed Supporters Of The Defendants, Who Packed The Courtroom, Intimidated Others. The Verdict: Not Guilty. The Bodies Of Albert Fountain And His Young Son Henry Still Lie In An Unmarked Grave, The Location Of Which Remains A Mystery. Corey Recko Tells For The First Time The Complete Story Of The Fountain Case And, Through Extensive Research, Reconstructs What Really Happened To Them And Who The Likely Killers Were -- Book Jacket. Albert Jennings Fountain -- Enter Albert B. Fall And Other Men Of Note -- The Disappearance -- Pat Garrett Summoned -- Assistance From Fall -- Decision In The Sheriff's Contest -- Exit John Fraser -- William B. Sayers -- Ed Brown -- Indictments -- Shootout At Wildy Well -- The Trial -- Jack Maxwell Testifies -- Garrett Takes The Stand -- The Prosecution Closes -- The Defense And Rebuttal -- Closing Arguments And The Verdict -- In Conclusion -- Epilogues. Corey Recko. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 226-231) And Index. Winner of the Best Book Award from the Wild West History Association, 2008. On a cold February evening in 1896, prominent attorney Col. Albert Jennings Fountain and his eight-year-old son Henry disappeared near the White Sands of New Mexico. The governor called in both the Pinkerton Agency and Pat Garrett, killer of Billy the Kid, to investigate. The evidence pointed at three men, former deputies William McNew, James Gililland, and Oliver Lee. These three men, however, were very close to powerful ex-judge, lawyer, and politician Albert B. Fall, said by some to be the mastermind behind the plot to kill Fountain. During the trial, Albert Fall defended the accused men. Missing witnesses plagued the prosecution, and armed supporters of the defendants packed the courtroom, intimidating others. The not guilty. The bodies of Albert Fountain and his young son Henry still lie in an unmarked grave, the location of which remains a mystery. Corey Recko tells for the first time the complete story of the Fountains and, through extensive research, reconstructs what really happened to them and who the likely killers were. Contents......Page 6 List of Illustrations and Maps......Page 7 Acknowledgments......Page 8 Introduction......Page 10 1. Albert Jennings Fountain......Page 12 2. Enter Albert B. Fall and Other Men of Note......Page 20 3. The Disappearance......Page 29 4. Pat Garrett Summoned......Page 39 5. Bring in the Pinkertons......Page 45 6. Assistance from Fall......Page 62 7. Decision in the Sheriff’s Contest......Page 76 8. Exit John Fraser......Page 84 9. William B. Sayers......Page 91 10. Ed Brown......Page 96 11. Indictments......Page 110 12. Shootout at Wildy Well......Page 117 13. The Trial......Page 126 14. Jack Maxwell Testifies......Page 139 15. Garrett Takes the Stand......Page 148 16. The Prosecution Closes......Page 163 17. The Defense and Rebuttal......Page 169 18. Closing Arguments and the Verdict......Page 181 19. In Conclusion......Page 197 20. Epilogues......Page 208 Notes......Page 214 Sources......Page 235 B......Page 241 C......Page 242 E......Page 243 F......Page 244 G......Page 245 H......Page 246 L......Page 247 M......Page 248 R......Page 250 S......Page 251 T......Page 252 Y......Page 253