WI WI - Evelyn Hartley, 15, La Crosse, 24 Oct 1953

[joellegirl]

Yes, it's me again bumping for Evelyn. Fifty-four years ago this evening she vanished into the darkness. The LaCrosse Tribune has not mentioned anything, which disappoints me. I wish they would do a story, as it may make someone speak up. Another story may be all it takes to get someone, most likely some one very old now, to finally break their silence. The more time goes by that chance lessens.

I'm sure this thread will be bumped to the second page in a day or so. I wish there was something new to report.

Maybe with next year with it being the 55th anniversary the La Crosse Tribune will do another story....

 

[shkyhnds]

Yes, it's me again bumping for Evelyn. Fifty-four years ago this evening she vanished into the darkness. The LaCrosse Tribune has not mentioned anything, which disappoints me. I wish they would do a story, as it may make someone speak up. Another story may be all it takes to get someone, most likely some one very old now, to finally break their silence. The more time goes by that chance lessens.

I'm sure this thread will be bumped to the second page in a day or so. I wish there was something new to report.

Maybe with next year with it being the 55th anniversary the La Crosse Tribune will do another story....

Joellegirl, you might find some interest in this link http://lacrossetribune.com/articles/2007/10/30/news/01first.txt

I grew up in LaCrosse, '97 grad of Central, and I had heard a little about this here and there but nothing real indepth. I read this and it sparked my interest. I did a google search and found this thread. I however haven't through reading all 5 pages of this yet, but what I have read I so far I think there are some real interesting possibilities here. I am thinking about doing a little research about this myself. With what I have read so far on here and in the Trib I have come to a theory. But I want some more info. Maybe you could help me out. Did Evelyn walk/ride her bike to the house she was babysitting at or did she get a ride from family or friends? I understand her undergarments were found in Coon Valley along with the size 36 jacket and 12 1/2 shoe. Correct? I know this area fairly well being I live in Westby now. Who found these items and where exactly where were they found in Coon Valley? This is not a big area even now, I'm sure it was much smaller in '52. Also I have been to LaFarge and I know the bar that is mentioned in the article about the tape. LaFarge is also a small area and probably even smaller in '52. This area is still a farming community, so I'm curious as to the possibility of a hired hand commiting this crime. This would partially explain the "swirl" pattern in the shoe found. Possibly. From what I read so far on this mystery, I am convinced this was a random act. However, you can't rule anything out for sure. I was wondering also curious if you have looked into the connection to a unsolved mystery in Vernon county - a murder. If I remember correctly there was a woman that was murdered, maybe in the 70s or 80s, that was from the LaFarge area. Again if I remember correctly.

I will do a little bit of research on this tomorrow. I'm just getting home from work now and want to get a little sleep. Looking forward to discussing this case with you and all that has posted on this thread.

Sorry about the long post but this has really peaked my interest!

 

[joellegirl]

Thanks for posting! And thanks for the link. I check the LaCrosse tribune online everday, and missed that article, must have been hiding! Glad to finally see a story again.

To answer your question about how Evelyn got to her babysitting job, she was picked up at her home by Viggo Rasmusen, the father of the family she was to babysit for. The ride was about a mile and half. He brought her to the house, the mother gave Evelyn instructions and the family left with their elder daughter(age 7) to attend the big football game in town at the university. I would guess that law enforcement checked out everyone who was closest to Evelyn. I read her father was even checked and cleared, and I'm assuming Mr Rasmusen was as well since he was one of the last people to see her.

The clothes were found along RT 14, I'm thinking before you come into Coon Valley. I have family in LaCrosse and grew up hearing this story as well. We visit every summer, and sometimes come home via RT 14 and go through all those small towns.

I have been to LaFarge and it sure is rural! Lots of hills and valleys, windy roads. Tons of countryside. If Evelyn is there, she may never be found unless someone knows the exact spot.The fact that the area has been flooded so many times also lessens the chance of her remains ever being found.

I want to write more but have to get going for now.

I'm excitied about this documentary. I've been hoping something like this would come along. I think it is great some young people have taken an interest in this.

 

[joellegirl]

To view the trailer of this upcoming documentary on Evelyn go to

http://www.myspace.com/46and2ent

 

[shkyhnds]

Yes, it's me again bumping for Evelyn. Fifty-four years ago this evening she vanished into the darkness. The LaCrosse Tribune has not mentioned anything, which disappoints me. I wish they would do a story, as it may make someone speak up. Another story may be all it takes to get someone, most likely some one very old now, to finally break their silence. The more time goes by that chance lessens.

I'm sure this thread will be bumped to the second page in a day or so. I wish there was something new to report.

Maybe with next year with it being the 55th anniversary the La Crosse Tribune will do another story....

Joellegirl, you might find some interest in this link http://lacrossetribune.com/articles/2007/10/30/news/01first.txt

I grew up in LaCrosse, '97 grad of Central, and I had heard a little about this here and there but nothing real indepth. I read this and it sparked my interest. I did a google search and found this thread. I however haven't through reading all 5 pages of this yet, but what I have read I so far I think there are some real interesting possibilities here. I am thinking about doing a little research about this myself. With what I have read so far on here and in the Trib I have come to a theory. But I want some more info. Maybe you could help me out. Did Evelyn walk/ride her bike to the house she was babysitting at or did she get a ride from family or friends? I understand her undergarments were found in Coon Valley along with the size 36 jacket and 12 1/2 shoe. Correct? I know this area fairly well being I live in Westby now. Who found these items and where exactly where were they found in Coon Valley? This is not a big area even now, I'm sure it was much smaller in '52. Also I have been to LaFarge and I know the bar that is mentioned in the article about the tape. LaFarge is also a small area and probably even smaller in '52. This area is still a farming community, so I'm curious as to the possibility of a hired hand commiting this crime. This would partially explain the "swirl" pattern in the shoe found. Possibly. From what I read so far on this mystery, I am convinced this was a random act. However, you can't rule anything out for sure. I was wondering also curious if you have looked into the connection to a unsolved mystery in Vernon county - a murder. If I remember correctly there was a woman that was murdered, maybe in the 70s or 80s, that was from the LaFarge area. Again if I remember correctly.

I will do a little bit of research on this tomorrow. I'm just getting home from work now and want to get a little sleep. Looking forward to discussing this case with you and all that has posted on this thread.

Sorry about the long post but this has really peaked my interest!

 

[shkyhnds]

Okay. I am buying into the possibility that it may have been a construction worker, maybe someone that had built homes in the area - being the area was more or less new construction. I did a looking into that jacket, and if it was a steeplejack jacket there is a chance that is was used as a safety devise for shingling roofs.
Also, I am convinced that Mr. X's account of what he saw is legit. I do not believe he in anyway is connected to Evelyn's dissappearance. The police would have checked his allibye and looked into all possibilities at the time. I am also convinced that the abductor isn't local. Times have really changed in 55 years but it's also amazing how they stay the same. When I was growing up I knew where Coon Valley was but rarely visited the area. In fact I was raised in a rural area less than 20 min from Coon Valley and I can remember going there twice in 18 years. My general thought it who ever dumped her clothes along highway 14 knew where they were going and also knew Coon Valley area. I think there is something to that tape that we heard about a few years back. I think I have to get the book and read the transcript of the tape. Too bad this person on the tape is now deceased. It would have made an interesting follow up. I am also curious as to the exact location that this guy describes where he buried Evelyn. There's a chance, depending on where the burial took place, that Evelyn's body wouldn't have been affected by the floods.
I am pretty convinced that the perps entered through the basement and left through the basement. My question is why did they drag her through backyards and beside another neighboring house? Was there vehicle down the street a little? Maybe they knew someone in the neighborhood?
The only conclusion I haven't come to yet is "why". I think this question is the one question that may never be answered. What was the modivation behind this abduction. Sex, greed, personal, or something else, we may never know.
One last thing. I would have to agree with a botched robbery.

 

[Ang50]

What's the name of the La Farge bar? What was it called then and is it under a new name?

I've been to Phil and Deb's Town Tap... La Crosse to La Farge is still a good distance. What would a random killer/abductor be doing in LaX in order to come back to La Farge and kill/bury Evelyn?

I keep forgetting to ask my grandma about this story... Every time I drive around in the area I think about Evelyn.

 

[joellegirl]

Ang 50,
The name of the bar in LaFarge back then (1968 when the recording was made) was called The Raven, and as of 2003 was called The Getaway.

 

[Ang50]

I'll check it out next time I'm there.

 

[joellegirl]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nuDr_CTI20

The above is a link to a prevue on You Tube. College students in La Crosse WI are working on a film about the Evelyn Hartley case(she went missing while babysitting on Oct. 24, 1953). It was supposedly to be done by now but so far no word on if it is finished. I hope they are still working on it because I for one want to see this.

Link to large thread about Evelyn here on the cold case threads:

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27668&highlight=evelyn+hartley

 

[joellegirl]

http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2007/10/30/news/01first.txt

 

[meggilyweggily]

I really hope this gets off the ground. I heard about a book, that never was.

 

[joellegirl]

Hi Meggillyweggily, the book is out, but has never been widely distributed. "Where's Evelyn" can be purchased through the author at:

http://lessonsfromlife.com/_wsn/pages5.html

I agree it has been hard to find anywhere else.

Hope this film gets of the ground and is easy to obtain. It seems when Evelyn finally gets in the news again one thinks maybe we are getting somewhere then it gets all quiet again.

Edit-link not working I'll try to fix it...

 

[meggilyweggily]

That would be http://www.lessonsfromlife.com/_wsn/page5.html

 

[joellegirl]

Thanks for fixing the link Meg! Lets hope this film sees the light of day.

 

[meggilyweggily]

I think I will buy the book when I get some money -- I'm in rather dire financial straits at the moment though. If I like it I will review it on Charley's missing persons books page: http://www.charleyproject.org/books.html

 

[Hope4Lost]

I've never read anything in this thread until today, but my first impression is this:
The perp was very familiar with the neighborhood. He probably lived there. She probably spent some time (hours a couple of days) in that person's basement. She could even be buried near where she was abducted, but not necessarily. I hope that doesn't sound cold, but just starting to read about this, that's what impresses me. I haven't read enough of the thread to see if the cops thoroughly investigated the neighbors, but since the times were so different back then, I bet they took everyone at their word. Back then, folks were always looking for the 'boogeyman' and no 'normal person' could do such a thing. fwiw

 

[gaia227]

Bumping this thread out of the Ice Age.

Was thinking about Evelyn the last couple of days and found this article from 2004.
A man who owned a tavern had been recording Clyde Peterson one night at the bar basically because he thought Clyde was a character. Clyde was drunk. Another friend prompted him to tell about Hartley and he did and the bar owner still had the tapes 50 years later. He turned them over the police. Interesting article.

http://www.jg-tc.com/articles/2004/05/24/news/news09.txt

The thing about the abduction of Evelyn is that the perps most likely knew she was in that house alone. Could it have been a friend or relative or acquaintence of the Rasmussen's? Who had she told she was babysitting that night?

It is almost pointless to ask because we will never know what happened and from what I have read her sibilings are not interested in pursuing the case.

I wonder if LE has tried to get any DNA from the evidence they did collect at the crime scene i.e. the shoes......that is if the evidence has beens saved all these years.

 

[forthelost]

http://www.forthelost.org/calikids/EHartley.doc

 

[joellegirl]

Thanks for bumping !

There has been no news at all. There was a group of college students last year who were working on a documentary on Evelyn, and the preview is still on You Tube (just put "Evelyn Hartley" in search box). It looked really good but last spring they decided not to do the documentary which disappoints me. This has happened so many times with this case. Interest is raised again, then nothing.

That is what happened with the LaFarge angle of this case. Articles written, people saying they feel those guys did it, but then nothing.It seems they just can't prove anything with everyone dead. The area has been flooded so many times that it is thought if Evelyn was buried there, it is doubtful they could find her now.

I wish her surviving two siblings would want to be involved but they don't. They won't even leave their DNA in case any trace of Evelyn is ever found. I try not to judge as they have lived with a terrible nightmare all these years, but I just wish they were involved like Annasmom is with her daughter Anna Waters,(missing 1973) Janice Pockett's(missing 1973) sister (who posts here on Cold Cases) and even Beverly Potts(missing 1951) older sister Anita stayed involved with the search for her sister until her own death a year or so ago.

Evelyn is the top case I follow as one can see with all my postings over the years. I'm afraid that even though it is still an open case with the La Crosse PD, and many people still wonder about her, that unfortunately this case will probably never be solved as nothing can really be proved anymore. Evelyn appears to be forever gone, not leaving any trace at all.