Murder on the White Sands: The Disappearance of Albert and Henry Fountain (A. C. Greene Series) (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: stock growers, photographer unknown, Las Cruces, Oliver Lee, Colonel Fountain (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"I have never seen such a beautifully researched piece. This is the kind of book I wish I had written." -- Leon Metz, author of Pat Garrett

"This is the most comprehensive examination of all the evidence I've ever seen." -- Frederick Nolan, author of The Lincoln County War

Product Description

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 with 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 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 Fountains and, through extensive research, reconstructs what really happened to them and who the likely killers were.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: University of North Texas Press; illustrated edition edition (May 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1574412248
• ISBN-13: 978-1574412246
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,102,724 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An absorbing contribution to western and New Mexico state history shelves., September 2, 2007

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Written by avid Old West historian Corey Recko, Murder on the White Sands: The Disappearance of Albert and Henry Fountain is the true story of murder and scandal that plagued the New Mexico territory in 1896, sparking outrage and delaying its advance toward statehood. When prominent attorney Col. Albert Jennings Fountain and his eight-year-old son Henry disappeared from the White Sands of New Mexico, the cattle thieves they were progressing were presumed the most likely suspects. Evidence pointed toward three sheriff's deputies who had close ties to powerful ex-judge, lawyer, and politician Albert B. Fall. Governor Thornton, desperate for results, appointed Pat Garrett - the man made famous for killing Billy the Kidd fifteen years earlier - as the new sheriff. The hunt to bring justice to Albert and Henry Fountain's alleged killers would span years, and culminate in a bloody shootout followed by a trial rife with intimidation and missing witnesses, and a "not guilty" verdict. Murder on the White Sands delves into the story of the Fountain case and its aftermath, reconstructing what happened to the Fountains and who their killers most likely were. An absorbing contribution to western and New Mexico state history shelves.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Murder on the White Sands, April 10, 2008

By	PCR (Louisville, KY) - See all my reviews

A good read. The book gives an informative accounting of the circumstances leading up to this still unsolved murder. Details of the investigation by Pat Garrett (of Billy the Kid fame) and others are fascinating. One will be hard put not to draw your own conclusions of who was guilty of this crime.