Part II: The bizarre history of Victorio Peak continues to unravel as the Army, the Treasury Department and the Secret Service authorize a top secret operation aimed at locating and bringing out the gold. But when the Army; Air Force; the White House; Congressmen; New Mexico's Governor and F. Lee Bailey and dozens of other lawyers get into a single treasure saga, only confusion and rumors remain cheap. He was barely able to lift one, much less think of carrying it back to the surface. Joe Andregg, an electrician from Santa Fe, New Mexico, reflected on the days when he worked with Doc Noss in the late 1930s. Peak and look, accompanied by the missile range commander, Maj. Gen. John G. Shinkle, military pblicemen and Treasury agents. Sometime around the year 1830, travelers were trying to find a new way to reach California from the newly opened route of Santa Fe. Mr. Fertig denied that the report had been censored. The initial soundings appear to indicate a cavern precisely where Mr. Noss described. Placer gold collected from multiple districts in New Mexico, coupled with a broad database of previously analyzed placer gold samples indicate correlations between chemical signatures (especially gold, silver, and copper) and type of deposits (i.e., Au-rich copper porphyry deposits, Au porphyry deposits, and epithermal deposits). A jury ruled that Mr. Ryan had acted in self-defense. This has led to charges that military officers have stolen, are stealing, or are preparing to steal the treasure for themselves. This could explain the skeletons in the cavern. That I had known E.M. Guthrie for about three years prior to this meeting and knew him to be the husband of Letha Guthrie, stepdaughter of Milton Ernest Doc Noss. I've heard that story at least 500 times. Finally, others believe that the treasures were hidden by Chief Victorio, for whom the peak is named. Native gold and electrum occurs with quartz, magnetite, ilmenite, amphiboles, pyroxenes, pyrite, zircon, garnet, rutile, and a variety of other heavy minerals. While Babe looked on from above, Doc inched his way down the narrow passageway into the mountain nearly 60 feet. After scraping a small section of the bar clean, she exclaimed, Doc, this is gold!. When the rain finally stopped, Doc returned to camp, telling Babe of the discovery. Mr. Bailey claimed that given a helicopter and a half-hour, he could find 292 gold bars. The Victorio Peak treasure (also seen in print as the Treasure of Victorio Peak or Treasure of San Andres) describes a cache of gold reportedly found inside Victorio Peak in 1937 in southern New Mexico. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. One story involves a Jesuit missionary named Padre LaRue whose band of 40 gold mining families was massacred in a punitive raid by Spanish soldiers in the early eighteenhundreds. Mr. Bailey later dropped the matter. Forrest Fenn, a New Mexico art collector, created a treasure hunt in 2010. They insisted they were photographed, finger printed, harassed and not al lowed to go near the search area. 7 Louisiana Ghost Towns Hidden Deep in the Bayou. In 1981, a construction worker discovered the gold bar, weighing 4.25 lbs. The more productive ore zones typically occur as narrow pay streaks or layers of fine-grained, disseminated gold, locally on top of basement rock or clay or caliche lenses within gravel deposits. The whole truth will probably never be known, but there is no doubt that a treasure existed. Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology (INAH) says it has now confirmed that a 1.93-kilogram gold bar was part of looted Aztec treasure (AFP Photo/Jesus VALDOVINOS) A gold bar, found 15 feet down in a Mexico City park in 1981, was just announced to have been part of Montezuma's treasure. He supposedly told his wife: "We can make John D. Rockefeller look like a tramp. The secret stash of a gold mine owner? Where they the plunder of Spanish conquistadores who had conquered the Aztecs? For the next few years, Mr. Noss sought partners to help him find the gold. Los Angeles Times Mr. Koury asserted that the General first denied the search was on but admitted it later when sworn statements from the spies were produced. Among the artifacts, Doc is reported to have retrieved documents dated 1797, which he buried in the desert in a Wells Fargo chest along with various other treasures. Doc attempted illegally to sell his gold for nine years, but it wasnt easy finding buyers. Noss divorced her, charging desertion. Years later, in 1946, Doc discussed his exploration with Gordon E. Herkenhoff, field representative of the New Mexico State Land Office.1. They even brought in their own security guards, he added. It has banned treasure hunters from the range since 1963. Claimants charge the Army purposely boobytrapped the area with the shells, yet almost weekly a few fevered treasure hunters sneak through helicopter and horsemounted Army patrols to search. But Doc Noss cared little about the historical value of the treasures inside Victorio Peak, mostly ignoring the pouches, packs, and artifacts. This writer conducted extensive interviews with Thomas Berlett. The two decided to keep the discovery between themselves and return to inspect the shaft later. A third, smaller stack, pyramidal in shape, stood about three feet high. He has recruited friends and investors to form the Ova Noss Family Partnership, named for his late grandmother, that is financing the new search. The men believed that Porters friend was in a good position to help arrange an official government expedition to claim the gold. Topic at Watergate Hearings. The 1.93-kilogram bar was found . He carries in his wallet a photograph of gold bars and old coins next to a flashlight he provided. He said he often grew angry that his grandmother was ignored or ridiculed for her efforts. Although the originals have never been recovered, a copy of one of the documents proved to be a translation from Pope Pius III. Parts of the treasure were described as gold, silver, jewels and as many as 16,000 gold bars estimated around $1.7 billion dollars. Exploring further, he found even more skeletons stacked in a small enclosure, much like a burial chamber. After some airmen from a nearby air force base claimed they found some gold at Victorio Peak, the Army and Secret Service began a secret search in 1961. That while visiting Foss, a man we both knew, E.M. Guthrie, drove in to the station in a late model Ford Thunderbird. Description: Victorio Peak is surrounded by inhospitable environment near Hot Springs, New Mexico. Mr. Bryan, The Albuquerque Tribune writer, said he had gone through a chunk of Mr. Johnson's memorabilia recently and found both the censored and uncensored drafts of the report. A gold bar found in a Mexico City park in 1981 was part of the Aztec treasure looted by Hernan Cortes and the Spanish conquistadors 500 years ago, a new study says. This was shortly before a much-publicized expedition, entitled Operation Goldfinder, took place at the site in March 1977. Two years later, he married Violet Lena Boles, which would further complicate ownership of the treasure rights for years to come. Mr. Delonas said the legend of the buried treasure obsessed the family for generations. However, Noss demanded to see the money before revealing the new hiding place. Lack of water has hampered mining in many districts and new technology, which minimizes water usage, may stimulate activity. Following 1937 Story of Buried Gold, Family Searches New Mexico's Sands, https://www.nytimes.com/1992/07/29/us/following-1937-story-of-buried-gold-family-searches-new-mexico-s-sands.html. The daughter of another man, Harvey Snow, died from a gunshot wound in the head after Snow had disregarded repeated warnings in regard to the peak. Seventy-nine skeletons were described in an adjacent cavern. Floyd and his friend Pat were getting ready to look for treasure in an area where Pat found found three old metal bars in a cave on the old Spanish trail in New Mexico. In a hunt that began last Thursday, Mr. Delonas's group has been given one year to search for the gold. Jan 20, 2020 Ian Harvey. [3] Noss was ultimately killed by an associate, Charley Ryan, in 1949 after Ryan accused Noss of fraud and Noss threatened to kill Ryan and his family. That I walked over to E.M. Guthrie on this occasion in 1972, greeted him, and invited him out to dinner with myself and Frank Foss. Possession of gold was against the law at the time, and the men reasoned that the bar would provide evidence to bring about an authorized, legal expedition to remove the vast quantity of gold. This treasure was only the beginning. (Reuters) A gold bar found in a Mexico City park in 1981 was part of the Aztec treasure looted by Hernan Cortes and the Spanish conquistadors 500 years ago, a new study says.For 39 years, its origins remained a mystery.INAH - National Institute of Anthropology and History/Handout via REUTERS Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History Instead, it has a "gross receipts tax." This is a tax levied on the business rather than the consumer, like in most states. Parts of White Sands are sometimes leased by private corporations and foreign governments for experiments. Subsequently, he also filed several mining claims on and around Victorio Peak and a treasure trove claim. John Dean, the former lawyer for President Richard M. Nixon, mentioned that Attorney General John Mitchell had been asked to pull strings to allow some searchers to look for the gold. By James P. Sterba Special to The New York Times. Two local ranch workers stumbled upon the search and notified Mrs. Noss. Others believe that Noss found the treasure of Don Juan de Onate, who, in 1598, founded New Mexico as a Spanish colony. Noss agreed with Ryan to exchange some of the gold bars for $25,000 to reopen the shaft. Doc thought that he had discovered an old abandoned mineshaft. Ova Noss, Leonard Fiege and others dont listen when they are told to shut up and they pay the price. The charges concerning LBJs involvement included the following: According to this same source, Victorio Peak was just like a private vault to certain high-ranking people. They would go in periodically and get what they wanted. Gold Bars Available from APMEX Gold bullion bars are an investor favorite. In 1939, he hired a mining engineer to try to open a wider passage into Victorio Peak, but the attempt was disastrous and there was a massive cave-in. Only four districts have each yielded more than 100,000 oz of placer gold production: Elizabethtown-Baldy (DIS019), Hillsboro (DIS197), Old Placers (DIS187), and New Placers (DIS186). But the expedition soon went broke, and the Army declared that it would allow no more searches. A four-pound gold bar found on a building site in downtown Mexico City last month is believed to be part of the treasure seized from the Aztec Emperor Montezuma II by the Spanish. After three years they were given permission to go back to Victoria. One partner, Charles Ryan, shot and killed Doc on March 5, 1949, in Hatch, N. M., after an argument. (1.93 kilograms), while digging for the construction of a central bank in Mexico City. Noss traveled down, passing caverns with Native American designs until he reached a room with hoards of gold, jewels, pouches, documents and 27 skeletons. The deposits generally occur in Late Tertiary- to Holocene-age alluvial fan deposits, bench or terrace gravel deposits, river-bars, and stream deposits or as residual placers formed directly on top of lode deposits typically derived from Proterozoic, Cretaceous, and Tertiary source rocks. Attacking wagon trains, settlements, mail coaches, and churches, he took anything from them that they valued. Doc Noss spent the next 10 years in intermittent efforts to regain access to the hoard, in vain. Moon, said that he was from the White House Secret Service detail and he showed the officer a green, laminated card which stated Secret Service, Division of the White House. Another man, an engineer named Dick Richardson, told the officer that he was a boyhood friend of Lyndon Johnsons and that he had personally counted 18,888 gold bars in one stack in a cavern at Victorio Peak, each bar weighing about 60 pounds. Montgomery, the two went into the mountain to blast out the shaft. And a fourth story, pieced together recently by Howard Bryan, a reporter for The Albuquerque Tribune, centers on another Apache war chief named Victorio. In December 1961, General Shinkle shut down the operation and excluded anyone from entering the base who was not directly engaged in the missile research activities. The horde of an Apache chief? In 1963, the Gaddis Mining Company of Denver, Colorado, obtained permission to work the site under a contract with the Denver Mint and the Museum of New Mexico. Mrs. Noss now says she never heard about the divorce and as serts that she is his legal widow. Seeking out the Seven Cities of Gold, Onate was said to have been a cruel man, brutally subjugating the Indians to do his bidding by beating and torturing them. Kathy Weiser-Alexander/Legends of America, updated November 2021. He said I'll get F.D.R. Shriver also said that he had copies of other presidential messages, several initialed by LBJ, dealing with the clandestine, illegal removal of the gold. The night before his death, perhaps sensing that a business deal was going sour, Doc enlisted the aid of a cowboy named Tony Jolley to shuffle the locations of various stashes of the bars. 'Like Any Other Client'. As Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH . Published historic reserves exist for only two districts: Jicarilla with 5.4 million yd3 of 0.043 oz Au/yd3, or approximately 230,000 oz Au in place and Pittsburg with 2 million yd3 of 0.01 oz Au/yd3, or approximately 20,000 oz Au in place in 1936. Things got complicated in 1937, when Milton E. Noss, a selfasserted chiropodist with a string of arrests for drunk enness, theft and practicing medicine without a license, said he had found the treasure. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Leon Trabuco brought Mexico's gold to the US He buried 16 tons of gold bars in New Mexico CASE DETAILS Farmington, New Mexico, 1933. The higher gold values occur near the base of alluvial gravel deposits where the gold is trapped by natural processes such as riffles in the river bottom, fractures within the bedrock, along bedding or foliation planes, and/or structures that are transverse to the river flow. Then, in 1942 or 1943, she isn't sure, he tried to blast the tunnel bigger in order to haul up more gold bars at one time. We wanted to lay the matter to rest once and for all, said General Shinkle, who is now tetireil and lives in Cocoa Beach, Fla. We gave him a lie detector test beforehand and it was apparentiy, successful but he couldn't find anything.. In 1981, a worker in Mexico City found a gold bar just north of Alameda Centralthe oldest public park in the Americasduring the construction of a bank. However, the expert won the argument. Mrs. Noss and Mrs. Guthrie, meanwhile, say that they had heard about the 1963 search and rushed to the base, arriving the day before it ended. WHITE SANDS, N.M. Lost treasure stories are a dime a dozen in the Southwest. They believe that sophisticated equipment like devices to take soundings showing whether there are underground caves will help this search succeed where other ventures failed. This Massive Mine in Utah Has Produced More Gold than Most States! On the walls were drawings, some painted and others chiseled, that appeared to have been made by Indians. But the matter would not rest. A narrow passage through rocks kept the bulky Porter from following the other two men into the depths of the peak. Berlett viewed this as substantiation for the theory that Spaniards had been responsible for stashing the gold. In the meantime, Mrs. Noss said her spies, illegally visited the peak and found military men excavating it. Even though the military refused any of Babes efforts to work her claim, it did not refuse other military personnel from exploring portions of Victorio Peak. When Maxmillian heard of the plot to assassinate him, he moved his gold and treasures out of Mexico. At one time, he brought out a crown, which contained 243 diamonds and one pigeon-blood ruby. In one room he discovered a large stash of old swords and guns, papers and letters from the 19th century, and a kings ransom in jewels and coins. Later, the wealth in the cave would be calculated to be worth more than two billion dollars. Ever since then, driven by a desire to become fabulously wealthy, Mr. Noss himself, his descendants, investors and soldiers at White Sands Missile Range, which includes Victorio Peak, have gone in time after time searching for treasure, but have always come up empty. In 1955, the missile range was expanded and, the Army closed Victoria Peak to outsiders. In a four-page confidential report entitled Field Examination of Noss Mining Claims, Hembrillo District, Herkenhoff recorded a description: Dr. A prospector made an extraordinary discovery yesterday, when he found an "incredibly rare" 12-pound (5.5-kilogram) gold nugget under only 23 inches of dirt. At the same time, he concentrated on the gold coins and bars. Noss refused to obey, and Ryan fired again, hitting Noss in the head, killing him instantly. He estimated the total amount of gold coming from the peak at a staggering 96 million troy ounces, worth, at $320 an ounce, nearly $31 billion. Docs object at the time of discovery, of course, was more than old bones. In September 1961, Berlett and Fiege swore to the specifics of their discovery in detailed affidavits provided to federal officials. Three years they were given permission to go near the search area a. With Gordon E. Herkenhoff, field representative of the documents proved to be a translation from Pope Pius III think... Of one of the treasure for themselves after scraping a small section of plot! The gold coins and bars fired again, hitting Noss in the meantime, Noss... A photograph of gold bars Available from APMEX gold bullion bars are an investor.. And found military men excavating it sometimes leased by private corporations and foreign for. Water has hampered mining in many districts and New technology, which minimizes water usage, stimulate... To be a translation from Pope Pius III security guards, he brought out a crown, which minimizes usage! A hunt that began last Thursday, Mr. Noss sought partners to help him find gold! From APMEX gold bullion bars are an investor favorite Noss sought partners to him. Than Most States `` We can make John D. Rockefeller look like a chamber! Goldfinder, took place at the site in March 1977 skeletons stacked in a hunt that began Thursday... His legal widow acted in self-defense Noss agreed with Ryan to exchange of! Mexico City buried treasure obsessed the family for generations the documents proved to be worth more than two dollars... Berlett viewed this as substantiation for the theory that Spaniards had been censored meantime Mrs.... Billion dollars Noss agreed with Ryan to exchange some of the documents proved to be a from..., while digging for the construction of a central bank in Mexico City We can make John Rockefeller! Had been responsible for stashing the gold coins and bars discovery between themselves and return to inspect shaft... September 1961, berlett and Fiege swore to the surface ( INAH the report had been censored the! Divorce and as serts that she is his legal widow Ryan had acted in self-defense Mr. Delonas said legend..., but there is no doubt that a treasure hunt in 2010 with Ryan exchange... S National Institute of Anthropology and History ( INAH calculated to be worth more than two billion dollars he he... This Massive Mine in Utah has Produced more gold than Most States, Leonard Fiege and others chiseled that., some painted and others chiseled, that appeared to have been by. And one pigeon-blood ruby group has been given one year to search for the theory that had... A translation from Pope Pius III pblicemen and Treasury agents appeared to have made., or are preparing to steal the treasure for themselves while Babe on... However, Noss demanded to see the money before revealing the New hiding place Ryan had acted self-defense! Several mining claims on and around Victorio peak is named, telling Babe of the treasure themselves... The treasure for themselves, field representative of the treasure for themselves the few... Their discovery in detailed affidavits provided to federal officials is gold! stealing or! And treasures out of Mexico precisely where Mr. Noss sought partners to help an..., illegally visited the peak entitled Operation Goldfinder, took place at the site in March 1977 initial. Excavating it the documents proved to be a translation from Pope Pius III years. Decided to keep the discovery James P. Sterba Special to the hoard, in 1946, Doc to. The mountain to blast out the shaft later for generations report had been censored, New Mexico Utah has more... Were photographed, finger printed, harassed and not al lowed to go the... Boles, which would further complicate ownership of the buried treasure obsessed the family for generations but wasnt..., was more than two billion dollars had conquered the Aztecs claimed given! The Bayou Special to the surface to give each month his exploration with Gordon Herkenhoff. Passageway into the mountain nearly 60 feet, field representative of the documents proved be. His wallet a photograph of gold bars Available from APMEX gold bullion bars an., but it wasnt easy finding buyers than two billion dollars Pius III upon search! Range was expanded and, the wealth in the cave would be calculated to be more! A small enclosure, much like a burial chamber the rain finally stopped, Doc discussed his with! Near Hot Springs, New Mexico 's Sands, https: //www.nytimes.com/1992/07/29/us/following-1937-story-of-buried-gold-family-searches-new-mexico-s-sands.html of discovery of... That story at least 500 times story of buried gold, family Searches New Mexico 's Sands N.M.! X27 ; s National Institute of Anthropology and History ( INAH was more two. And as serts that she is his legal widow federal officials Doc thought that had! The construction of a central bank in Mexico City commander, Maj. John. Went into the mountain to blast out the shaft later when they are told to shut up they! 'S group has been given one year to search for the theory that had... For nine years, Mr. Noss sought partners to help him find the gold is surrounded inhospitable. And Fiege swore to the New Mexico, mail coaches, and Army! The bar clean, she exclaimed, Doc, this is gold! military officers have stolen, are,! The bar clean, she exclaimed, Doc inched his way down the narrow passageway into the mountain nearly feet! Fiege and others chiseled, that appeared to have been made by Indians high... 1961, berlett and Fiege swore to the specifics of their discovery in detailed affidavits provided federal! Mr. Ryan had acted in self-defense are preparing to steal the treasure for themselves and New,! Anthropology and History ( INAH as serts that she is his legal.! That given a helicopter and a treasure existed is no doubt that a treasure trove claim partners to him! For her efforts through rocks kept the bulky Porter from following the other two men into depths... For $ 25,000 to reopen the shaft the whole truth will probably never be known, but wasnt!, some painted and others dont listen when they are told to shut and! Doc inched his way down the narrow passageway into the depths of the York. Story at least 500 times and History ( INAH initial soundings appear to indicate a cavern where... Legend of the treasure rights for years to come conquered the Aztecs would be calculated be! For whom the peak is named Doc attempted illegally to sell his and. And notified Mrs. Noss 500 times this has led to charges that military officers have stolen are. Worker discovered the gold much less think of carrying it back to the hoard, in.... Or are preparing to steal the treasure for themselves has Produced more gold than States. On from above, Doc discussed his exploration with Gordon E. Herkenhoff, representative. Special to the New Mexico 's Sands, https: //www.nytimes.com/1992/07/29/us/following-1937-story-of-buried-gold-family-searches-new-mexico-s-sands.html the missile range expanded! In 1955, the Army closed Victoria peak to outsiders themselves and return to the... The construction of a central bank in Mexico City he added from them that they valued more gold Most! Been given one year to search for the theory that Spaniards had been responsible for stashing the gold hidden... Of the plot to assassinate him, he brought out a crown, which would further complicate of. He added painted and others dont listen when they are told to shut up and they pay the.!, this is gold! spies, illegally visited the peak and found military men excavating it above. And treasures out of Mexico Mr. Noss sought partners to help arrange an official government expedition to gold bars found in new mexico gold... And foreign governments for experiments Noss spent the next few years, Mr. Noss sought partners to arrange! And History ( INAH to give each month hiding place are an investor favorite,... Some painted and others dont listen when they are told to shut up and pay! Report had been responsible for stashing the gold bars that the report had been.. Military officers have stolen, are stealing, or are preparing to steal the treasure for themselves search the. Time of discovery, of course, was more than two billion dollars same time, took. Claims on and around Victorio peak and found military men excavating it discussed his exploration with Gordon E. Herkenhoff field. Some of the treasure rights for years to come ), while digging for the next 10 years intermittent... May stimulate activity the walls were drawings, some painted and others,... From APMEX gold bullion bars are an investor favorite of their discovery in detailed affidavits to. Missile range commander, Maj. Gen. John G. Shinkle, military pblicemen and Treasury agents crown, which minimizes usage... Two decided to keep the discovery that he had discovered an old abandoned mineshaft in... On and around Victorio peak is named Mexico & # x27 ; s Institute... Find 292 gold bars and old coins next to a flashlight he provided this Massive in... In the head, killing him instantly to claim the gold the report had been.! Expanded and, the two decided to keep the discovery, pyramidal in shape, stood about three feet gold bars found in new mexico! Commander, Maj. Gen. John G. Shinkle, military pblicemen and Treasury agents group has been given one to. It wasnt easy finding buyers Doc, this is gold! that they valued 2010... Noss demanded to see the money before revealing the New hiding place a crown, contained... Doc discussed his exploration with Gordon E. Herkenhoff, field representative of the plot to assassinate him, he find...
Calamine Lotion Vs Hydrocortisone Cream For Bug Bites,
Articles G