CO CO - Joseph Halpern, 24, hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park near Taylor Peak, 14 Aug 1933

[Kat]

The Doe Network:
Case File 4185DMCO

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/4185dmco.html

Joseph Lawrence Halpern
Missing since August 14, 1933 from Estes Park Vacinity, Larimer County, Colorado
Classification: Missing



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Vital Statistics
•Date Of Birth: September 11, 1910
•Age at Time of Disappearance: 24 years old
•Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'8"; 165 lbs.
•Distinguishing Characteristics: White male. Brown hair; brown eyes.
•Marks, Scars: Right eye crossed with slight scar above it.
•Clothing: Light blue shirt, light brown trousers. Heavy shoes. Had an army knapsack with him.
•Fingerprints: Available



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Circumstances of Disappearance
Joseph Halpern of Green Bay, Wisconsin, disappeared on August 14, 1933, while hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park near Taylor Peak.
He left his parents at their campsite, packed a few items in his knapsack, and set off on a day hike with a college friend. By mid-afternoon, the friend decided to return to the campsite saying that Joseph had headed off alone to climb to Taylor Peak.
Not knowing if Joseph was lost, injured, or had plunged to his death off a cliff, park rangers and at least 150 volunteer searchers combed the mountainous terrain for days on end.
Park authorities checked registers on Taylor and nearby peaks, but none had Joseph's signature. Officials debated bringing in bloodhounds but couldn't locate any nearby.

In 1950 Joseph's parents went to probate court and filed notice of "legal presumption of death."



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Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:

National Park Service - Rocky Mountains
Superintendent Edmund Rogers

Source Information:
NamUs


https://www.findthemissing.org/cases/2797/1/
Dental charting: N/A DNA: sample submitted-tests complete Fingerprints: Available elsewhere

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/h/halpern_joseph.html

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...AIBAJ&pg=6900,4561906&dq=joseph-halpern&hl=en
1933 article

http://www.dailycamera.com/nation-world-news/ci_14239178
Posted: 01/24/2010 01:30:35 AM MST

Joseph Halpern's family continues search for lost hiker

In 1933, on a typical August day in Rocky Mountain National Park, 22-year-old Joseph Halpern put on a light blue shirt, light brown trousers, and heavy shoes. He left his parents at their campsite, packed a few items in his knapsack, and set off on a day hike with a college friend. By mid-afternoon, the friend decided to return to the campsite saying that Joseph had headed off alone to climb to Taylor Peak.

Joseph never returned--the astronomy graduate student appeared to have disappeared into thin air. His nephew, Roland Halpern, has taken up the search started by Joseph's father and brother, but in the past 76 years no trace of the missing hiker has ever been found.

"Four days of helpless agony and no end to it," wrote Joseph's father Solomon to the hiker's brother Bernard, who had remained at the family's home in Chicago. Not knowing if Joseph was lost, injured, or had plunged to his death off a cliff, park rangers and at least 150 volunteer searchers combed the mountainous terrain for days on end.

More at link

Joseph has been missing 77 years today. Prayers that his family finds the answers the seek. Come home soon.

 

[Honey Pie]

I'm not sure what to make of this. Did police question the friend who came back alone? Or did Joseph send his friend back so he could "disappear"? The article said he mentioned wanting to become a hobo in letters he wrote to his parents.

 

[Sherlock61]

This case speaks to my heart as there wasn't a day in my childhood that I wasn't looking at or camping in the Long's Peak area, including the Mummy Range and Taylor Glacier. I would like to contact the nephew with a theory formed after a few hours research. Also, there is some confusion between Taylor Mountain, which is near Gunnison, and Taylor Peak which is in RMNP. If anyone knows how I can get this information to the family I would appreciate some contact information if it exists.

Thanks!

 

[Claudette]

NAMUS has more interesting info...fits in with his wanting to be a hobo:

"Unsubstantiated reports place him in Phoenix, AZ in December of 1934, with the Lewis Brothers Circus in Michigan in the summer of 1935, traveling with CCC near Alliance, Nebraska in May of 1935.He may have used the alias Louis Hollenbuck and was called "teacher" by co-workers. He was also a computer at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in 1932."

https://www.findthemissing.org/cases/2797/4/

 

[Marilynilpa]

Just bumping this up - an interesting case of disappearance.

 

[VikingBookLady]

I know this is a long shot but has anyone ever compared Halpern to Victim #6 of the Cleveland Torso Murders?

http://doenetwork.org/cases/1790umoh.html

This newbie is happy to be here!

 

[alb1on]

Bump.

The following http://www.defrostingcoldcases.com/guest-post-joseph-halpern-part-1-by-silvia-pettem/ links to part1 of a 3 part article on this case (parts 2 and 3 can be found by following the links on the page). It contains an extensive summary of the facts of the case and the subsequent attempts by the family to find out what happened. This includes extracts from the FBI file (as a missing person). His nephew seems to be still pursuing the case as recently as 2011 as can be seen from his enquiries on a circus history board http://www.circushistory.org/Query/Query11c.htm seeking information on reported sightings with Lewis Brothers Circus in 1935. Perhaps most interesting is the suggestion that the hiking friend, Samuel Garrick, may have known more than he would tell, and the 1936 letter from a friend of the family, Samuel Greenfield, reporting the sightings. Is it coincidence that these are two Samuel G's?


A strange case, albeit that the most likely truth is that he died in the mountains.

 

[katilac]

Thanks for the link. Interesting story, but I do think it most likely that that the inexperienced hiker died on the mountain.

The linked article quotes his letter, and it speaks more to economic anxiety than to 'wanting' to be a hobo as mentioned in a previous post: “And so I stare face out at a cruel harsh economically depressed world and am waiting for the day when I’ll be a hobo.”

He was 22 and single, so, lacking further information, there seems no reason that he would have to leave without telling anyone. Even if he did, why would he do it when he was actually with his parents, who were bound to sound the alarm pretty quickly? He could easily have arranged to leave at a different time, take a day off work, giving himself lots of extra time (and not being so cruel to his parents or endangering rescue workers).

 

[alb1on]

Unfortunately I suspect the last chance of testing the runaway theory died in 2013. That year a Myrtle Anderson (nee McCartin) died in Kentucky. She had been a member of the Lewis Brothers Circus in 1935 when Joseph was supposed to have been sighted with them. I doubt there are any others remaining who were around at the time.

 

[madamx]

 

[madamx]

I came across this guy a while ago and I just happen to come across John.. Its a stretch but the height and weight seem to match.

https://www.flsheriffs.org/uploads/star/THE_SHERIFFS_STAR_VOL_2,_NO_2,_APRIL_1958.pdf

This unidentified guy was found in Feb 1958 in florida

 

[Diane Redfern]

Could this be a match?
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
"Skull was recovered from evidence storage in Walden, Colorado on 06/30/2008."
It appears the skull was initially found somwhere else but the documents were lost or destroyed... It's the only unidentified remain found in Colorado whose death is estimated to be 1933.

 

[Diane Redfern]

I really think Samuel Garrick should have been investigated thoroughly. I cannot believe the theory of Joseph as a hobo; I mean, he was extremelly intelligent, if that was his plan, he would have packed more things with him, he would have chosen different clothes to wear... I don't think a person like him could decide that all of a sudden.
It would be interesting to know what areas of study Garrick had chosen. Were Joseph and Samuel rivals? Did they compete for the same job or something like that?

 

[alb1on]

There is a very good article from 2018 at Inside Rocky Mountain National Park's 1933 missing hiker mystery (coloradoan.com). It is focused on the search for an answer of Joseph's nephew, but it gives an excellent overview of the case and the various people and family members involved. It rather reinforces the theory that he had an accident in the park.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Still missing:

Four others are still missing: one person from 1933, two Colorado State University students in 1949 and another in 2019.

MISSING HIKER REMAINS FOUND: Human remains found in RMNP believed to be German hiker who went missing 38 years ago | FOX31 Denver

 

[Diane Redfern]

Still missing:

Four others are still missing: one person from 1933, two Colorado State University students in 1949 and another in 2019.

MISSING HIKER REMAINS FOUND: Human remains found in RMNP believed to be German hiker who went missing 38 years ago | FOX31 Denver

Could someone summarize the article, please?
I'm from Europe and I don't have access. Thanks in advance.

 

[cenazoic]

“GRAND COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — Skeletal remains found on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park in August 2020 are believed to belong to a German hiker who went missing 38 years ago.

Rudi Moder, 27, of West Germany set out on a hike on Feb. 13, 1983, from the Zimmerman Lake Trailhead on Highway 17.”

The remains found in 2020 were within the original search parameters for Moder and they think it’s likely he died in an avalanche.

 

[Diane Redfern]

“GRAND COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — Skeletal remains found on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park in August 2020 are believed to belong to a German hiker who went missing 38 years ago.

Rudi Moder, 27, of West Germany set out on a hike on Feb. 13, 1983, from the Zimmerman Lake Trailhead on Highway 17.”

The remains found in 2020 were within the original search parameters for Moder and they think it’s likely he died in an avalanche.

Thank you, cenazoic.
So, this is not related to Joseph Halpern, but it's encouraging Rudi's remains had been located after 38 years.

 

[John/Jane Doe]

A skull was recovered from evidence storage in Walden, Colorado on June 30, 2008.

2535UMCO

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Estimated Date of Death is 1933.

 

[Molly's Mom]

A skull was recovered from evidence storage in Walden, Colorado on June 30, 2008.

2535UMCO

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Estimated Date of Death is 1933.

Well, good grief! Can't they extract DNA from the bones? They've got to test the skull some how!