1931? All he had to do was ride a train to Idaho, assume a new name and get a job. $5K would supplement someone for a long time in 1931. No one would ever find him.
“$5K would supplement someone for a long time in 1931.”
If $5k was all he had stashed away. Back then a person really could disappear.
My money’s still on him being a “loose end” that needed tidying.