Purnell and Keenan….what ever happened to them?

Discuss information about the Lost Dutchman Mine
rochha
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Post by rochha »

Bill,

I had allways thought that who ever was at Tex's ranch at the time Ruth was there are prime suspects. What was brownie holmes movement after he ( Ruth ) was taken in. I cant help but think that Purnell and Keenan went driving around in Ruth's car to be purposely seen. I do not think they had anything to do with the killing pursay, I dont think they would have double backed because too much time would have passed for them to be back at the ranch in a reasonabel amount of time. The police would have checked on that.

Seems to me I may have read somewhere that someone was missing a gun a round the time of ruths murder, how ironic!!!!

Rochha
bill711
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ruth map

Post by bill711 »

Yes it seem,s that Herman Petrash missed his for several days and then it came back to him. He didn,t ever know where it had been, nothing was said about if it had been fired or not!! I beleive Ramesas told about this, I think he has the gun now, He helped the old man in his waning days. Bil
rochha
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Post by rochha »

Bill,

Just thinking out loud here, did Brownie Holmes know Herman Petrash?

Rochha
bill711
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ruth map

Post by bill711 »

Rochha; I would assume so! Herman had been serching for the mine since 1892 and lived there the rest of his life at the edge of the mountains. Brownie was born in phinix and looked for the mine all his life for the mine. Brownie even worked as a government employ in the superstition mountains. Bill
rochha
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Post by rochha »

Bill,

I surely would like to know what make and model of the gun that was missing.

Rochha
P
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Post by P »

I do not believe Brownie was the shooter.

Tho I do believe he had a hand in some hanky-panky afterwards....

P
Gregory E. Davis
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Post by Gregory E. Davis »

Gentleman; Two things. Remember that there were more than three cowboys at the U-Ranch when Ruth was there. You would have had the usual number of cow hands, friends, and occassional Dutch Hunters, such as Rose, Howland, Irwin, Reid, etc., staying at or dropping by for a visit to the ranch. I do not recall how long it was, but Ruth stayed quite some time at the Ranch before Purnell and Keenan took him into West Boulder Canyon from First Water. Second, Captain Monte Edwards, some 15 years ago located the relatives of Pernell and Keenan. Unfortunately, Monte passed away some years ago and the person who got his material has it in storage. Monte did give to the Superstition Mountain Historical Society Pernell's foot locker containing some of his tack and cowboy items. Sorry, No Map. Cordially, Gregory Davis
rochha
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Post by rochha »

Greg,

Thanks for the information, of course who ever was at the ranch at the time would have been considered a suspect. We are all just going by names that were mentioned as to being at the ranch at the time Ruth was there.

Do you have any information as to why Purnell and Keenan were involved in some case in Mesa in 1934 involving a map, supposedly the one Ruth had?

Does anyone know exactly where Tex was when Ruth was taken into his camp?

Rochha
Gregory E. Davis
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Post by Gregory E. Davis »

Rochha; Sometime back in the early l970's Tom Kollenborn looked into this matter concerning the whereabouts of Tex Barkley during the period of time Ruth went into the mountain. Althought I do not now recall the evidence he assembled, Tom told me then, in no uncertain terms, that Tex was definitely, without question, in Mesa when the two cowboys took Ruth into West Boulder Canyon.(PERIOD); Greg Davis
Gregory E. Davis
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Post by Gregory E. Davis »

TRIVIA QUESTION: How many of you know the middle name of LeRoy Purnell? Hint: It begins with "F" and has a total of six letters. Also how many of you know the date and place of his death? Cordially, Greg Davis
Joe Ribaudo
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Just A Guess

Post by Joe Ribaudo »

Greg,

This is a pure guess. Foster, Salt Lake City, Utah and July, 27, 1967.

I am still working on das package.

Respectfully,

Joe
Gregory E. Davis
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Post by Gregory E. Davis »

Joe; Excellent! You are correct on all counts. Research job well done. Greg
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Post by Gregory E. Davis »

Joe; Excellent! You are correct on all counts. Research job well done. Greg
Joe Ribaudo
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Research

Post by Joe Ribaudo »

Greg,

Thank you, but I had a good place to start. Anyone interested in doing a bit of researching on subjects dealing with the LDM and the Superstition Mountains, might want to take the time to read Dr. Glover's "Notes, Sources and Further Readings", starting on page 349 of his book.

If you want a shortcut, just drop by Greg's. :)

Respectfully,

Joe
Gregory E. Davis
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Post by Gregory E. Davis »

LeRoy Foster Purnell; (Paraphrased from the Desert News, Salt Lake City, Utah, July 28, l967) LeRoy Foster Purnell, age 77, of 121 E. 210 South St. Salt Lake City, died July 27, l967 after a long illness. He was born September 1, 1889, Cove Cache County. He was the son of Ernest A. and Alice Forster Purnell. LeRoy married Eleanor Porter, April 1911, but later divorced. He was known as a prospector. LeRoy had one son, Allen Purnell (Allen died July 5, l969 at age 46 in Los Angeles. He was born August 27, 1922.). LeRoy also had one daughter, Mrs. Charles (Alice) Oliver of Bountifull, Utah. Six grandchildren plus brothers and sisters. He is buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. NOTE: For the researcher. LeRoy was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Since he was a Mormon along with his relatives, it would be logical to assume that the Mormon History Center in Salt Lake City should contain an extensive biographical dossier on LeRoy and his family. This might lead to some living descendents who could have additional family background material pertaining to him. I have given you a starting place. Let's see what you folks can dig up out there. Cordially, Greg Davis
Joe Ribaudo
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Nice Post

Post by Joe Ribaudo »

Greg,

That's a really informative post. Why aren't we hearing anything about Jack Keenan? See what you get? Give us an inch, and we want a mile. :lol:

I don't know where he died, but I am pretty sure that he was not born in this country, or any other for that matter. If I were to guess, I would imagine he died in Arizona, probably Mesa. Feb. of 1964. it is suggested he was born in 1894.

What have you got on Jack?

I have sent you a number of originals, as I believe they would be in a better place with you, and perhaps the museum, than gathering unseen dust in my home. I will send pictures and some of Obie's letters soon.

Thanks again for the book.

Respectfully,

Joe
rochha
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Purnell and Keenan

Post by rochha »

Greg,

Thanks for the information on Leroy Purnell, You say he was known as a prospector, do you know of any mining claims he may have filed?

Did you run a cross anything on Purnell and Keenan being in a Mesa Ct. in front of Judge Standage at all?

Again, thank for the time in searching for this info.

Rochha
Gregory E. Davis
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Post by Gregory E. Davis »

For Joe: Regarding Keenen, I see at sea!! For Rochha: I am currently investaging the Standage incident. Will advise the results. Cordially, Greg Davis
Joe Ribaudo
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I Sea

Post by Joe Ribaudo »

Greg,

That was just a lucky guess! :lol: I doubt many of the members were scratching their heads over that little riddle. Most of the clues for that search can be found in Ely's book.

By the way, Peterson just happens to be the last name of one of my Mormon partners. 8O

Respectfully,

Joe
woodreau71
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Post by woodreau71 »

Bill And rochha I have to agree with both of you I think the evidence points to both keenan and purnell. There is just too much suspicion about their whereabouts in this whole story. It just seems to me that they would have to be a prime suspect in the case. It also is odd the amount of so called "accidents" that have resulted in death. Being a gun nut myself I find it hard to believe that the hole was caused by anything other than a projectile such as a bullet.

It is a safe bet that ruths small revolver not even as big as a 38 could have made that hole.
Joe Ribaudo
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Redding

Post by Joe Ribaudo »

Woodreau,

Welcome to Ron's site. :)

I spent a little time in Redding as a young man. I must say, it was a pretty wild place in those days. I was living just outside Corning, in a little town called Richfield. Nice country up there. Too bad it's llocated in California. :)

Ruth's revolver was "unfired" leaving the only possibility of an accident
in the hands of "others".

Welcome, again.

Respectfully,

Joe Ribaudo
woodreau71
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Post by woodreau71 »

Mr ribaudo, I appreciate the warm welcome. I am new to the sight and am fairely green to the amount of research Knowledge that the rest of you have. What I lack in experience I promise I make up for in enthusiasm. I have read a few of the books out, two of which belong to the amazing Dr Glover. His fair reasoning of all the facts is a testament to his good character. As a side note if he were to publish a cook book I probably would purchase it. :)

I have been through Corning many times and the area is still pretty wild. I agree with you though I wish it was located somewhere besides California.

Thanks again to all woodreau71
bill711
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purnel and keneen

Post by bill711 »

WELCOME to the forum Woodreau 71. YES it,s tooo bad that a person of any moral consiousness or decency cannot any longer live in califoria. IT has become such a cesspool in the last 30 years and getting worse everyday. Do not hold back on your question,s or anything. Bill
novice
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Some Background on Jack Keenan

Post by novice »

I recently became interested in the Purnell and Keenan portion of the story involving Adolph Ruth. I knew nothing about Purnell at all and I usually start out by searching this web site. It’s hard to find something being offered today that hasn’t been previously touched on in this forum. I think that 2003 is as fresh as our present day posts. It’s a great resource.

Of course Gregory Davis’s posts filled in a lot of the blanks for me regarding Purnell, his obituary among other things. Joe Ribaudo was also working on the duo but I’m not sure what additional information he may have uncovered.

I would like to add a little bit on Jack Keenan to this thread.

Glen Magill contacted Keenan’s widow in Oklahoma after Magill discovered the Lost Dutchman Mine. She supposedly had a Ruth map and hence the source of many people’s interest.

Jack Keenan was born July 26, 1894 on a ship in the Atlantic Ocean. He apparently grew up on the east coast and may have married there about 1928. His wife was Marion Alice Terrien who was born in Massachusetts.

On February 25, 1930, a son, Daniel Maurice Keenan was born. The family was living in Mesa and Jack listed his occupation as a laborer, mechanic.

We also pick the family up in the 1930 census and They were still living in Mesa and this time, Jack was listed as a farm laborer in a citrus nursery.

Of course it was on June 13, 1931, that Keenan and Purnell packed Adolph into the mountains. We have Erwin Ruth’s account that Keenan and Purnell were running around Phoenix with their girlfriends, after leaving Adolph. Maybe so but Keenan had a 25 year old wife at home with a 14 month old son.

On October 11, 1939, their son Daniel died. They were living in Prescott. It is not known whether they left Arizona in the time period after the Ruth affair but there are no more records of children being born to the family in Arizona. (It was Marion’s 'son" who told Magill to bug off?)

I do believe that Magill contacted Marion Keenan but the "details" of the encounter are certainly questionable in my mind.

According to the Social Security Death Index, Jack Keenan died in Oklahoma in February of 1964 and Marion died in December of 1979 in Oklahoma City.

References:
SSDI
1930 Census
Arizona Birth and Death Records

Hopefully we will be able to add something additional to the story in the future.

Garry
novice
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Jack Keenan Obituary

Post by novice »

Just another small stake in the ground with regard to Jack Keenan. We located his obituary in the Oklahoma City Newspaper. (Oklahoman – February 20, 1964) Jack had died on February 19, 1964.

Keenan’s Obituary
Keenan Dies In Hospital; Rites Pending

Jack Keenan, 69, of 8005 SE 60 died Wednesday in Veterans Administration Hospital. Services are pending with Capitol Hill Funeral Home.

Keenan was born in Deerfield, N. J. and came to Oklahoma City in 1950. He was a retired employe of Tinker Air Force Base.

Survivors include his wife Marion; two sons, George and Leo, both of the city, two daughters, Mrs. Joan Cox, city, and Doris Keenan of the home; a sister, Mrs. Mary Pashley of Marmora N. J., and a brother, Kenneth of New Jersey.
This obituary sounds like a thousand others, his wife a lifelong companion, a loving father, a federal job at the Air Force base and no hint of anything, less than honorable, from days gone by. A solid citizen!

One thing the obituary does is provide a “little” bit more backup to the Glen Magill story. I had hinted that since Jack and Marion didn’t have any more children listed in the Arizona Birth Index between 1930 and 1939, that perhaps Daniel was their only child, and he had died in 1939 in Prescott. Therefore Glen Magill couldn’t have been runoff, by a son, as he told the story.

That was obviously in error as the obituary names two sons in Oklahoma City.

Jack Keenan was buried at Moore, Oklahoma.

Marion Alice, his wife, appeared in the Deaths and Burial column of the Oklahoman on December 11, 1979 and she was still living in the same area.

Garry
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