More Information on the Victorio Peak Treasure: the Spanish Link

In my previous post on this topic, “Mr. M” answered my query concerning the possibility of a Knights of the Golden Circle (KGC) link to New Mexico’s Victorio Peak Treasure. Now “Mr. M” continues with his perspective of a Spanish link to this famous treasure trove:

A Treasure Guarded by “Lanceros?”

“At least one expedition of Spanish explorers rediscovered Victorio Peak, most likely in the 16th Century. The Ova Noss Family Partnership (ONFP) still has in its possession an old stirrup which Doc Noss brought out before the collapse. Historians have labeled it a ‘cruciform spur,’ and have traced it exclusively to the ‘Lanceros de Veracruz.’”

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“Veracruz was the port on Mexico's Gulf Coast where Mayan and other gold was stored before being transshipped to Spain. The ‘lanceros’ were the border patrol who guarded these treasures. It could be that some of the shipments destined for Spain were taken from Victorio Peak.”

Spanish Coins, Armor, and Artifacts

“Spanish coins, armor, and artifacts that Doc described as being in the caverns are also persuasive evidence that the Spanish indeed had a presence at Victorio Peak. I believe the Spaniards remained on the site for over a century, and used some of the Native American Indians as slave labor in and around the mountain.”

“In 1680, the Pueblo Revolt took place and the Indians drove the Spaniards out of the region and back down to Mexico. The skeletons that Doc Noss discovered were likely those of Spaniards who were shackled and left to die by the Indians during their revolt.”

“Curse of the White Man”

“After the Spaniards were gone, the plains Indians knew about the mountain, and they would logically be responsible for the presence of the Wells Fargo gold bars that Doc had brought out. After raiding stagecoaches containing California-mined gold, the Indians would have sorted through the booty, keeping the cash, jewels, and those things which they valued, while placing the gold bars (curse of the white man) inside the caverns of Victorio Peak as an ‘offering’ to the mountain, which they considered to be a ‘great power.’”

Get a Safety Kit and Stay Safe!

That’s it for this round. In a subsequent post on this topic “Mr. M” will discuss his views concerning a possible Padre LaRue connection to the Victorio Peak treasure.

If the spirit moves you, remember that you can contact "Mr. M" at the following e-mail address:

miclev@candw.lc

Be safe and good hunting out there!

If you liked this post, you may want to read: “A Jesse James/KGC Link to the Victorio Peak Treasure?”

http://treasuretrovegold.blogspot.com/2010/01/jesse-jameskgc-link-to-victorio-peak.html

© J.R. 2010

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

New Information on the Victorio Peak Treasure (Part 5)

The Real Deal

Like the legend of the Lost Dutchman Mine in Arizona, New Mexico’s Victorio Peak treasure legend refuses to give up the ghost. Additional information concerning a huge and fabulously rich treasure trove hidden within the Peak continues to unveil new possibilities (or probabilities, if you prefer) about what transpired in the Hembrillo Basin in years past.

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In this post I continue with more information (in italicized quotes) from “Mr. M.,” who was a member of the final treasure search team allowed onto Victorio Peak in the early to mid 1990s and who knew many of the key players (members of the Noss Family, Tony Jolley, etc.) involved in this treasure legend. Although “Mr. M” himself is no great fan of the book, might I remind you here once again that he is mentioned extensively in, “What Men Call Treasure: the Search for Gold at Victorio Peak.” For those “doubting Thomases” out there this may help you understand that “Mr. M” is the real deal.

I now continue with “Mr. M’s” own words:

“One of Our Investors….”

“One of our investors from Michigan, Harry Albright, was laid up in the hospital in 1979 and he read ‘100 Tons of Gold.’ (Note: Although dated now, this classic book by David Leon Chandler was my first introduction to the Victorio Peak treasure and still remains one of my favorite treasure books. J.R.). He became hooked, and when he got out of the hospital he took a trip to Clovis, New Mexico, hoping to meet Doc's (Note: Doc Noss, the finder of the Victorio Peak treasure. J.R.) widow Ova (‘Babe’).”

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“He found the trailer where Babe lived, but was saddened to learn that she had only recently passed away. But Babe's daughter Letha was there. After Letha's usual reluctance to open up to strangers (she was so accustomed to all sorts of unsavory characters trying to interject themselves into the Victorio Peak story) she finally warmed up to Harry over some coffee, after she realized he had come half way across the country hoping to meet her and her mother.”

"Harry went on to become one of the main fundraisers for our excavation, as well as working with us at Victorio Peak full time. Letha and I eventually developed a special bond, she confided in me like no other, and the many stories she has personally told me about her adventures with Doc and the gold are absolutely priceless and some of the fondest moments of my life.”

The Importance of People Like "MR. M"

I don’t know how many of you out there fully appreciate the importance of people like “Mr. M” and Harry Albright, not only as reliable sources for gaining new perspectives and information on the Victorio Peak treasure, but also as first-hand contributors to one of treasure hunting’s greatest mysteries as well. My view, simply stated, is that is extremely important for all of us that their experiences and information are passed on to future generations of treasure hunters and researchers.

Stay tuned because I have more from “Mr. M” to come. Remember, if you would like to contact “Mr. M” personally he can be reached at the following e-mail address:

miclev@candw.lc

So if you have questions about the Victorio Peak treasure trove there is no better person to speak with. “Mr. M” is knowledgeable, friendly, and imminently generous with his time and information. (If you do contact him please do me a favor and be sure to show him the respect he so richly deserves.)

Until next time, good hunting out there.

Get a Safety Kit and Stay Safe!

If you liked this post, you may want to read: “New Information on the Victorio Peak Treasure (Part 5)”

http://treasuretrovegold.blogspot.com/2010/01/new-information-on-victorio-peak_20.html

© J.R. 2010

Questions: E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

New Information on the Victorio Peak Treasure (Part 4)

(Victorio Peak.)

Here is additional information from "Mr. M" on the Victorio Peak treasure trove. Remember, "Mr. M" was a member of the last search team allowed into the Hembrillo Basin and onto the Peak itself.

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"Mr. M's" words are italicized while my notes are in plain type:

“No One Knows More…”

"After I left (Note: I believe “Mr. M” is speaking here about his departure from the final authorized Victorio Peak search efforts that took place in the early to mid 1990s. J.R.) I had to speak out on what I felt was the truth about what really went wrong. I have to put my traditional modesty aside for a moment to say that no one, absolutely no one, knows more about the entire story than myself.”

“I was the one in charge of reviewing all of the Freedom of Information Act documents (that I still have in my possession), which are government documents detailing the illegal entry in the 1960s. I was the custodian of the artifacts which Doc Noss had brought out before the famous collapse of 1939.”

Rusted Buckets and Ancient Symbols

“I personally knew at least a dozen people who were family, friends, and acquaintances of Doc who had all seen and handled gold from Victorio Peak while the Noss Family still had sole custody of the mountain. I discovered Doc's rusted old buckets, as well as ancient symbols on the walls, buried deep under the rubble of the collapsed fissure which was Doc's original path of descent.”

“I was the only one who researched and found the exact spot in Hatch (New Mexico) where Doc was murdered and showed reporters the site. I was the only one who knew the exact location of Doc's unmarked grave in Las Cruces Masonic Cemetery and I used to go there by myself just for inspiration.”

A Major Disappointment

“For your information J.R., I don't know if you're familiar with a book which came out about a year ago called ‘What Men Call Treasure: the Search for Gold at Victorio Peak.’ (Note: I am not only familiar with the book but own a copy as part of my treasure hunting library. J.R.) It was written by Robert Boswell and Dave Schweidel."

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"These two writers were well intended, but were ‘outsiders’ who over a three-year period spent maybe a total of 10-15 days with us at Victorio Peak. They were never in any real position to know or understand the story in the in-depth way of those of us who were living it full time. The book was a major disappointment to me, even though I was in much of it (Note: ‘Mr. M’ is absolutely correct here. He is mentioned extensively in ‘What Men Call Treasure’….J.R.)."

There's more to come from "Mr. M" in future posts, so stay tuned. Good hunting to you.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "New Information on the Victorio Peak Treasure (Part 3)"

http://treasuretrovegold.blogspot.com/2010/01/new-information-on-victorio-peak.html

(c) J.R. 2010

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

New Information on the Victorio Peak Treasure (Part 3)

(Spanish "morion" style helmet from the late 16th, early 17th Centuries. Pieces of Spanish armor like this were purportedly part of Victorio Peak's vast trove of treasure and artifacts.)

Some Legends Have a Life of Their Own

Although most treasure legends tend to fade into distant memory with the passage of time, others seem to have a life of their own. What treasure legends am I speaking of? The Lost Dutchman Mine in Arizona for example. Or, more importantly, New Mexico's Victorio Peak treasure which has been the subject of over a dozen posts in "Treasure Trove Dreams."

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Just when you think everything has been gleaned from these well-known (and perhaps well-documented) legends, new information comes to light in the form of personal perspectives from key players, including those who were intimately associated with those players or who were in on the search themselves.

"Mr. M"

Such is the case with a former treasure hunter whom I shall call "Mr. M" who was involved for a number of years with the Noss family's efforts to return to Hembrillo Basin to search for the vast treasure trove Doc Noss had found (and subsequently lost) deep within the bowels of Victorio Peak back in the 1930s. "Mr. M" was also a direct participant in the last expedition(s) allowed back into Hembrillo Basin by the U.S. government to search for Victorio Peak treasure trove in the early to mid-1990s.

"Mr. M" and I have been in contact via e-mail for the past week and he has graciously allowed me to add his knowledge and perspective to what is already known about Victorio Peak. Here is what "Mr. M" has to say (in italicized quotes):

"The Legend"

"I am sorry to learn of the death of Tony Jolley. I spent 3 years involved full time in the excavation of Victorio Peak from 1992-95. I was so close to Letha and Dorothy (Doc Noss' stepdaughters) as well as the grandchildren, that I was considered an 'adopted member' of the Noss family."

"I had the pleasure of meeting the great Tony Jolley in 1992 when he came to New Mexico and to the Peak with us, and I was fortunate to spend some valuable time with him that I will never forget. He was a true gentleman. We simply called Tony 'The Legend,' and I never had any doubts that he was a truthful person who gave an accurate account of his experiences with the gold from Victorio Peak."

"The Real Reasons We Failed..."

"After leaving the Peak in 1995, I wrote a 400-page manuscript, which I attempted to have published. It was called 'House of the Cave of Gold: the Inside Story of Victorio Peak.' A couple of publishers were interested at the time, but they insisted I change the names of the people involved in the search to fictional names, because they were afraid of getting sued for libel. I didn't do that, and just moved on with my life at the time."

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"You see, the real reasons we failed in our search in the early 90s was not because the gold and the treasure is gone, but because of the very complex interpersonal dynamics between the investors and the Noss family, and even within the Noss family itself. Many of the decisions and strategies we employed were ill-advised, and by the time I left in 1995, I had no doubt that the discovery would never be made with the crew that was working there at the time. While I was there, I got along great with everyone."

If you have questions or comments for "Mr. M," he can be contacted via the following e-mail address: miclev@candw.lc. I'll have more from "Mr. M" in a subsequent post. 

Until then, take care and good hunting out there. 

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "More on Treasure Trove Laws and Regulations (Part 1)"

(c) J.R. 2010

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

More on Treasure Trove Laws and Regulations (Part 1)

Basic Definition of Treasure Trove

It’s no secret that the laws and regulations governing treasure trove searches and recoveries can be bewildering to those of us who aren’t lawyers or governmental bureaucrats. Complicating matters even more is the simple fact that these laws and regulations vary from nation-to-nation and often from province-to-province and state-to-state.

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Interestingly enough however, is the fact that the definition of treasure trove remains fairly constant throughout the world, including the United States. Here is the basic U.S. definition of treasure trove:

“The discovery and/or recovery of money, coin, jewelry, or gold or silver bullion buried or lost by an unknown owner or owners.”


More’s the Pity

You can see that this definition leaves quite a bit of latitude when it comes to defining specifics. For instance, does the cargo of a Spanish treasure vessel from the 17th or 18th Centuries qualify as treasure trove since the owner or owners are known, as opposed to unknown? This is just one question that popped into my own mind.

There are others, of course, and I am sure you can come up with a few yourself. But these sorts of exercises in legal mumbo jumbo are not going to be something for us to determine….the attorneys and government clerks will take care of that for us (more’s the pity…).

Two Key Players

Anyway, if you are a U.S. treasure hunter it may be helpful for you to know this basic definition and the additional information I’ll eventually provide you governing treasure trove laws and regulations. Essentially, we (as U.S. treasure hunters) must deal with two key players when it comes to our treasure hunting pursuits: state and Federal agencies.

Note that I use the plural here. In some instances (and if you’re really bound up or unlucky) you may have to deal with multiple governmental agencies to gain permitting for, or to resolve treasure trove search and recovery issues.

Important Notes

One important note you should retain from this post is the fact that state and Federal agencies typically DO NOT define antiquities or archaeological artifacts as treasure trove. These areas or items are considered an entirely different category with its own specific guidelines and legal parameters.

This makes things additionally tough for treasure hunters. Quite frequently historical or archaeological artifacts are associated with larger treasure troves and are, of necessity, recovered with treasure items. This can create problems if state or Federal agencies are observing or monitoring your treasure hunting activities.

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Another very significant note that you should commit to memory is that you CANNOT attempt to search for or recover treasure trove under the guise of mining and/or prospecting. Searching for and mining metals or minerals is a totally separate pursuit and if you are “busted” recovering treasure trove under the guise of a mining claim or permit, you are definitely going to end up in hot water.

In my next post on the subject I’ll get down to the nitty gritty by discussing some specific state and Federal guidelines and restrictions. Until then, good hunting to you.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Jesse James and the Knights of the Golden Circle: Oklahoma's Treasure 'Triangle'"

http://treasuretrovegold.blogspot.com/2010/01/jesse-james-and-knights-of-golden_08.html

(c) J.R. 2010

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

Treasure Hunting Tools: Ground Penetrating Radar

(Top: Hand-drawn GPR unit. Bottom: Radar images of 3 buried storage tanks. [Images courtesy of GeoModel Inc.])

This is my first post of the New Year (2010) so let me wish all of you out there a very Happy New Year and much success for the future.

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GPR Units Can Be a Valuable Asset

There's been a lot of talk in recent years in treasure hunting circles about ground penetrating radar (GPR) and its applicability and usefulness as a treasure hunting tool. Overall the consensus seems to be that GPR units can be a valuable asset, especially when it comes to locating medium-to-large sized caches or troves buried deeply underground.

A recent television program about a treasure hunting team searching for Jesse James/Knights of the Golden Circle (KGC) treasure sites may have introduced many of you to GPRs as treasure hunting tools. The above-mentioned team used a GPR unit to locate a possible KGC treasure trove somewhere in Kansas.

About GPRs

Like its above-ground radar counterpart, GPR generates ultra-high frequency (UHF) or very high frequency (VHF) electromagnetic energy waves that, when reflected off objects, create electronic images of those objects or anomalies (as they are called in GPR imagery). As treasure hunters this can be a valuable advantage in determining the precise location and depth of potential treasure troves.

Obviously, the basic GPR unit consists of a transmitter, a receiver, and typically a monitor or printout that provides visual or recorded data of various underground anomalies. Some GPR units are small and compact and can be hand carried or hand drawn (like the GPR unit pictured above), or they can be drawn or pushed as larger units mounted on a chassis with wheels. Other are configured to be drawn behind vehicles or ATVs.

The depth range of a given GPR unit is somewhat limited by the overall conductivity of the ground being searched, transmitter frequency, and the power generated by the unit itself. These three factors can adversely affect search data and imagery in smaller, cheaper units but tend to have less detrimental effects in higher quality units (not unlike the variances in metal detector models).

GPR is Very Accurate

If you take a look at the second image at the beginning of this post, you can see the visual return from a GPR search for 3 old buried storage tanks. These tanks were buried pretty deeply underground, by the way.

As you can see in this example, GPR won't provide you with detailed physical representations or descriptions of buried objects per se (like an X-ray). However, GPR is very accurate in locating these buried anomalies, providing accurate depth readings, and giving you a general idea of the basic shape and form of buried objects.

GPRs Don't Come Cheap

I think by now you can see the tremendous potential of employing GPR units out in the field. This is especially true in treasure search and recovery operations where substantial caches or troves are being sought.

On the flip side, GPR units don't come cheap. Some of the larger "push-pull" wheeled models can cost more than $50,000 used (yep, you heard me right...used!). Rentals are cheaper (if you can wangle one) but then you are faced with learning how to effectively operate the GPR in a "crash course" environment. However, if you're really onto something out there a GPR may pay for itself if you hit the "big one."

Word of Caution

Now a word of caution. Using "exotic" gear like a GPR out in the field is bound to draw attention to yourself and generate undue interest in your activities.

If you don't believe me just stop and think about the times you've metal detected for coins or jewelry in some old park or along a beach. How many times have the "Curious Georges and Georgettes" come waltzing over to see what you are doing? (I rest my case.) Granted, the farther away from prying eyes you are the better, but some searches do take place in locations where people are out and about.

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Bear this in mind because the last thing you want when on a treasure search and recovery mission is lots of "looky loos" hanging around or asking questions that don't concern them. So take steps to minimize this factor (as you should in all your treasure hunting pursuits) if you decide to go the GPR route.

That said, good hunting to you!

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Nevada's Lost Ross Mine (Part 2)"

http://treasuretrovegold.blogspot.com/2009/12/nevadas-lost-ross-mine-part-2.html

(c) J.R. 2010

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com