MN MN - Richard John ‘Dickie’ Huerkamp, 15, Mapleton, 2 Oct 1965

  • #461
We hunted from the highway east down the river many times, often left our bikes in the ditch off the path down to the river, back in the day, didn't really worry about anyone stealing our bikes. Heck, we didn't lock our doors of cars for that matter. As for a light on the bike, it probably did not work anyway, we rode in the dark with only a reflector on the back. As for the kick stand it was on the right side and would have sunk in the soft ground, so it wasn't uncommon to just lay them over. I know one thing for sure in my heart Dickie would have never, ever left food lying there. I believe the Art Moore the city cop, was involved in covering up. To me, and I was 15 at the time. it sure seemed to be swept under the table in a short time.

@Silunas1 - the reporter that did anniversary story on Dickie would like to speak with you. I’m going to direct message you his number so you can be in contact. Please reach out to him. It’s good to hear others point of view even if it’s the smallest piece of info, maybe it will help move things forward.
 
  • #462
Do you remember what type of shotgun Dickie had?

Information on its make and model could be an important clue in any search.
I wish I could, but I do not.
 
  • #463
Dickie Huerkamp Disappearance
Steven Shute's article in the Maple River Messenger. Steven did a great job of researching and writing about Dickie Huerkamp's disappearance. With renewed interest and recollection by members and former members of the Mapleton community, perhaps this case can still be solved after 60 long years.

Note that Steven obtained a nice, colorized photo of Dickie as well as earlier candid snapshots of him from family members.

The Blue Earth County Sheriff has requested that Dickie's case be included in the National Register of Missing Persons.

Has anyone seen any letters to the editor or follow-up articles regarding Steven Schute's story in the Maple River Messenger?
 
  • #464
We do not know anything about the 12 Gauge shotgun that disappeared when Dickie went missing other than that he had borrowed it from his neighbor Mr. Schultz.

Although there are many different makes and models of shotguns, it would have been one of only four basic types of actions. Here are some examples:

LINK:
SHOTGUN ACTION TYPES

Bolt Action
I'd never seen or heard of a bolt action shotgun before I got my hands ...

Autoloader

Remington Model 1100 Sporting 20


Pump or slide action
Remington Model 870


Double barrel break action
Winchester Model 21



Single barrel break action
Browning BT-99
 
  • #465
And while I'm at it, I want to come back to something that troubles me about Mrs. Huerkamp's behavior. Earlier I posted that I couldn't understand how she waited until Sunday morning to go looking for her son. When the article came out in the Mapleton paper a few weeks ago, I learned that she did indeed make two phone calls to the Healy home looking for Dickie. The paper states that the calls were at 2 pm and 7 pm. Both times the Healys told her he wasn't there. At first, I thought this made a little sense over not calling at all. But the more I considered it, the less sense it made. So she was concerned enough to call at 2, and then to call again at 7 (dusk), but waited until the next morning to call again? WHAT!? My parents wouldn't let me out of the house at 15 unless they knew where I was going, what I was planning to do, with whom, who was driving, and what time I would be returning. I'm sure my mom would have called half the county by 7:30 pm, and would have organized a search party/posse by 8:30. And no one would have gone to bed until I was located. (Not sure if I want to think about what would have happened when they did finally find me.)
Did Mrs. Huerkamp ask the Healys to call her back if Dickie didn't show up by dark? My family would have. Did she call any of the other hunter's families to see if they were home safe yet - and when they had last seen Dickie? My family would have. Did she not take these steps because she already knew Dickie wasn't going to show up - anywhere? Am I missing something here? Can anyone offer another plausible and less-incriminating explanation for this?

all I can add is my own personal upbringing... back close to Dickie's time frame..
I could really go anywhere. We kids just roamed here and there. Just back before the street lights were on was really a thing. It was THE thing.

and I stated above... I think I can understand mother's actions...
I felt the same about the mother's actions. "boys will be boys" was active and alive in those years. I think she did not want to appear overly alarmed at first. Even if she was truly petrified.
 

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