Murder On The White Sands: The Disappearance of Albert and Henry Fountain

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 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.

Corey Recko is an avid reader of history with an extensive knowledge of late nineteenth-century New Mexico. His interest in the Fountain case led to six years of research and writing. He lives in Lakewood, Ohio. For more information about the book and its author, visit www.coreyrecko.com.