
“City fireman dragged the Scioto river in search of the body of Miss Esther Kinker, 19, of 1915 Summit street, WPA office worker, who disappeared early Tuesday morning.”
“Leaning that Miss Kinker’s coat had been found on the Scioto river bridge, Sheriff Earl C. Brandel requested Fire Chief Robert R. Leedom to have firemen drag the river.”
“Assistant Chief Walter J. Lauter and a crew of firemen conducted the search.”

“Allen Sisson of City View, steelworker, reported Friday night, that he had found the coat about 5 AM Tuesday, three hours after Miss Kinker last was seen walking toward the bridge. Mr. Sisson was walking to work when he noticed the boat lying on the bridge walk in the first span. Below the spot is about the center of the river. Mr. Sisson said the coat appeared to have been taken off and dropped on the walk.”
“Mr. Sisson said he took the coat home, expecting to locate its owner through a classified ad. Friday night a neighbor visited the Sisson home and he told about finding the coat.”
“The neighbor told about reading of the Kinker girl’s disappearance and suggested that Mr. Sisson advise the sheriff of finding the coat. “
“The coat was delivered to the sheriff Friday night and was identified as Miss Kinker’s.”

“Sheriff Brandel questioned Mrs. Esther Williams of Nauvoo, Lee Cook, 24, of 1644 Sixth street, and Raymond Sexton, 24, of 2023 1/2 Gallia street, who were with Miss Kinker shortly before she disappeared.”
“The men got the women at the Kinker home about 10 PM Monday and took Mrs. Williams home. En route back Cook said he and Miss Kinker quarreled over another man and that he told her he was through and would not date her any longer.”

“According to his story, she tossed her umbrella out of the car and when she got out to retrieve it refused to get back into the car. That occurred near Towpath Inn about 1 AM Cook said he continued to Portsmouth and Sexton went back along to induce Miss Kinker to ride home. Sexton said he met her at the Y road intersection and she refused to ride.”
“Constable Pearl Benson of Nauvoo approached a few minutes later en route home. He noticed the girl walking and continued to Nauvoo, where he discharged his companion. Thinking about the woman walking alone on the road, Mr. Benson said he returned and met Miss Kinker east of the Y road.”

“He stopped, identified himself as an officer and offered to take her home.”
“‘No thanks, I have something to think about,’ he said she replied.”
“Mr. Benson drove to Portsmouth, purchased gasoline and went back. He said he expected to meet Miss Kinker near the bridge. Using a spotlight, he failed to find a trace of her. He parked his car in the center of the bridge, got out and search the pedestrian walk, according to his report to Sheriff Brandell.”
“Relatives said Miss Kinker left home unprepared to remain away any length of time. She left her purse at home, and when she left the house to go to the car she did not wear a coat, indicating she did not expect to leave home. Mrs. Williams took the coat from the house to the car, she told the sheriff.”1
Body Recovered From Ohio River

“The body of a young woman, tentatively identified as one missing from a Portsmouth home since January 2, was found in the bear traps of Dam 31 in the Ohio river west of Portsmouth about 8 AM today.”
Dr. HM Bertram2, coroner of Greenup county, said that clothing on the body answered the description of clothing work by Esther Kinker, 20, of 1915 Summit street, who was last seen on the Towpath road about midnight January 2.”

“Officials reported the victim was wearing a gold band diamond ring, a pair of shoes sold in a Portsmouth store and checkered dress which compared with clothing and jewelry worn by Miss Kinker when she was last seen.”
“Only one shoe, size 7 1/2 was found, and that is the same size shoe worn by Miss Kinker.”
“A coat, which was found on Scioto river bridge the morning following her disappearance and identified by her parents as Miss Kinkers, led county and city officials to believe she either had fallen or jumped from the bridge.”

“The body was found by Bert Skeans and Lonnie Keith, both lockmen at the damn.”

“At the time the body was found Mrs. Kinker, mother of the victim, was shopping and officials were unable to locate any relatives immediately.”

“The only possible identification was through clothing, officials reported.”
“Dr. JD Rose3, county coroner, and Sheriff Earl Brandel went to Kentucky late today to cooperate with Dr. Bertram.”
“Miss Kinker, who was a graduate of Portsmouth High school, was a WPA office worker.”
“On the night she disappeared relatives told officials she went to Nauvoo with Lee Cook, 24, of 1644 Sixth street, and Raymond Sexton, 24 of 2023 1/2 Gallia street, and visited at the home of friends.”
“When they left the house in Nauvoo, Mr. Cook said that he and Miss Kinker had an argument and that en route to Portsmouth she got out of the automobile and refused to ride home.”
“Constable Pearl Benson of Nauvoo told officials that he saw Miss Kinker walking on the Towpath toward Portsmouth and that when he stopped, told her he was an officer and offered to give her a lift to the city she refused saying: ‘No, thanks, I have something to think about.”

“City fireman dragged the river underneath the bridge for several days. The firemen were hampered in their search by the swift undercurrent of the Scioto where it enters the Ohio river, piling which was used to anchor an old Scioto river bridge and many fishing lines entangled around the piling.”

“Miss Kinker was born January 29, 1919. She is survived by her parents5 and the following brothers and sisters: Ellis Kinker of New Boston, Mrs. Ruth Higby of Florida, Everett, Edna and Carl Kinker at home.”6
Ohio Certificate of Death for Esther Reha Kinker7

The Headstone of Esther Reha Kinker at Greenlawn Cemetery in Portsmouth, Ohio

- River dragged for lost girl. (1939a, January 7). Portsmouth Times, pp. 1–2.
- Dr. Herbert Morton Bertram, Sr.
- Dr. Jacob D. Rose
- Scioto County Public Library. (n.d.). 1938 Portsmouth High School Yearbook.
https://www.yourppl.org/history/files/original/023a0b818bec58ac99a9cb3eb84edbcb.pdf - Carl Kinker and Lottie Egerton
- Body recovered from Ohio River. (1939b, May 31). Portsmouth Times, p. 1.
- “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GPTC-SVB?cc=1307272&wc=MD9X-BP8%3A287601801%2C294559601 : 21 May 2014), 1939 > 38901-41800 > image 481 of 3242.