THE TREASURE HUNTER'S NEWSLETTER September 15, 2003---Volume 1, Number 14

FROM THE EDITOR:   Well, the temps in Utah have come down to the comfortable level. That sure makes the hikes more enjoyable ! BUT: I'm use to that sea-level Florida air---NOT the 10,000 foot altitude mountain air of Utah. By the time Tara & I leave here, around December 1st, I should be used to the Utah air ! Lots of good treasure leads here in Utah, so we are keeping busy.
   My 14th issue ?   I've been doing this for 28 weeks ? Since March 1st ? WOW---sure does seem like it has been that long---so, I MUST be enjoying myself ! And THAT is good !
   Contact me ANYTIME !   LostTreasureUSA1@AOL.COM

For a limited time ( and to only the first 30 buyers )---for $14.95-- the book: QUANTRILL'S WAR--The Life And Times Of William Clarke Quantrill by Duane Schultz. From a book review: " The definitive biography of Civil War legend William Clarke Quantrill---serial killer, psychopath, celebrated hero of the Confederate army. A riveting story of murder and revenge. QUANTRILL'S WAR is a thoroughly researched and richly drawn study of the most unlikely hero in our nation's history. " If interested: contact FRMPINK@AOL.COM

Remember that EBAY auction of 590 acres that MIGHT contain some cached loot of Jesse James---in Oklahoma ? Well--the October issue of LOST TREASURE magazine has a story about that property and the upcoming sale of the property. Read the article here:
http://www.losttreasure.com/latestissue/9-2003/featuredstory.cfm
Since that article appeared the owners have informed me that the sale will be on October 30th and be 4 parcels.

Every 3 months I give away a metal detector to one of my loyal readers. Charles Pendola of Texas was the first detector winner---3 months ago. TODAY'S winner is Arthur E. Malone of Greenbelt, Maryland. Congrats Arthur !! To enter the contest a reader had to ONLY click a link to be entered. Easy---right ? Well, I am STILL amazed that only about 8 % of my 3,000 readers entered the contest ! The first name drawn for the metal detector had NOT clicked the link---so their name was put aside and a second name was drawn. Arthur HAD registered---so HE wins ! Your Garrett detector will be shipped after you contact me with your mail address. Thanks !!
Each month I ALSO give away 3 $20.00 prizes ( no extra registration required). This month's 3 winners ( erikmouse@km-website.com, mmaster99_99@yahoo.com, xr71@wp.pl.com ) each receive a $20.00 gift certificate to the WAYBILL TO ADVENTURE website.

My friend, Randy Sumpter, is still offering his services ( FREE ! )---to help you research your favorite treasure lead. Just email him at: RIO77@MVN.NET He has helped MANY people---including me !

I hoping that one of my 400 (+-) AOL readers can help me. In trying to upgrade my AOL 8 to AOL 9 I somehow "lost" my FAVORITES file ! I can't locate it in ANY of my computer files and the kids that man the AOL Tech Help lines are of no help. Anybody got any idea how I can retrieve that file ? PLEASE contact me at: LostTreasureUSA1@AOL.COM THANKS !

   Every state has at least one ( usually more ! ) National Forest. We have MANY recreational activities to enjoy in these Forests---but NOT metal detecting ! That should be changed ! A friend of mine, Keith Wills, is going to Washington, D.C. later this month to try to convince the government officials to allow metal detecting on public lands. Keith has lobbied for our hobby for a long time and he spends a LOT of his OWN money in the effort to help US.
   I'd like to suggest that each of us help the cause by making a donation to Keith. Any amount would be helpful. Keith is NOT aware that I am asking my readers to help---but, I know it will be appreciated. Donations can be mailed to: Keith Wills, 201 S. Montgomery St., Gilmer, TX 75644
Keith's email is: kwills@worldnet.att.net    Thank Keith for his MANY hours and days of efforts to protect our hobby. Thank his WIFE, also. I know it is a team effort. THANKS !!
If you want to check out the National Forest in YOUR state: http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/map/state_list.shtml

The Gungywamp Society is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to researching and preserving sites of historical and archaeological significance: http://www.gungywamp.com/gungywamp_society.html

On this website there is the offer to sell you the "partial decipherment" of the Beale Codes. I am NOT giving my endorsement for this product. I just think it is an interesting concept and think you might be interested in reading a bit more about the Beale Codes ?
http://www.bealetreasurecodedeciphered.com/

Collectible books on American History with emphasis on the Civil War, Western Americana, American Revolution and U.S. Presidents: http://www.HookedOnHistory.com/

The Salmon River in Central New York has much scenic beauty and a great variety of fish, which include salmon and lake trout. The fish spawn at certain times of the year and attract hordes of fisherman to its banks. The river empties into the Great Lake Ontario at Pulaski, and early trappers and traders founded that settlement for its excellent location in trading circles. This story relates to an infamous stretch of river called the Black Hole. Located upstream from the mouth of the river about seven miles, the Black Hole is a combination of rapids and peculiar rock formations that can be extremely dangerous.

The story begins for our purposes in the year 1716 when the only inhabitants of the area were Native Americans and a few trappers and traders, mostly French, who made a life trapping and selling the wolf, mink, fox, and other furbearers. Marc Toussaint was one such man. Born in Montreal, he was one of a family of trappers and loggers who were part Mic-Mac, or perhaps Oneida Indian. He had bartered for a trapping grant from the local government at the time and was awarded a lot compromising about thirty square miles in the area of what is now the Adirondack State Park. Marc Toussaint tried as hard as he could to make it rich. He could have been called a workaholic type because he began to increase his legal trapping area to include lands that were outside of his original grant. To avert suspicion he traded his excess furs at Pulaski instead of Montreal. He had a plan to build a big house and have a horse and carriage in Montreal someday and his workaholicism gave way to a bit of greed and robbery. He was not adverse to stealing from the traps of others, and since this crime was difficult to detect, he always got away scot-free. Marc Toussaint was getting rich fast. His modern day counterparts would be successful Wall St. traders or commodity brokers. He insisted on payment in gold and soon amassed a small fortune that equals $6,000,000.00 by present day measures. He even had a secret forge and molding operation at which he remolded his bullion (some of which was said to be stolen) into blocks he could carry and manage best. In all his total in gold bars was thirty. Monsieur Toussaint had acquired a poor reputation in Montreal for his suspicious business practice, and he in turn suspected the authorities there of conspiring to imprison him and steal his gold. He made a decision therefore to quit the area, move his treasure to Pulaski or perhaps Kingston, Ontario, and ponder his next move. His sturdy canoe was loaded with his traps and furs and 1/2 of his gold in a chest and he set off on the Salmon River in late fall. His trip was successful, and he made it to a new camp of his choosing at an unknown location. In early winter he made his way back upstream and decided to wait until spring to bring the last of his gold and supplies to his new location.

In early spring the Salmon River is at its most dangerous. Modern day fisherman have only to take that one extra step into the current in order to get caught and carried away. The legendary Black Hole is an underground rock formation that causes an underground tunnel. When spring comes and the snows melt, the violent river action can cause anyone or thing to be more or less "flushed" underground with no hope of holding their breath long enough to survive the trip out of the Black Hole. Mon. Toussaint was well aware of the dangers of that particular stretch of river in this early springtime. Yet in his rush to leave the area, and also with his greed pushing him, he decided to chance the trip to Pulaski. After loading his remaining gold into the chest along with his rifle and provisions, he pushed off the riverbank and started out. Toussaint was a very confident man, and his thoughts were more attuned to his future grandiose life in Pulaski or Kingston than on his canoe paddling. He should have known that with the extra heavily laden canoe he must be in perfect position ahead of the Black Hole in order to successfully navigate it. He awoke himself from his daydream only too late to set his canoe on the proper course. The rapids and splashing water began to fill the canoe, Marc Toussaint reached for a floating satchel and capsized only fifty yards from the Black Hole. Toussaint screamed, but the river was making louder noises that day, and sure enough he was swallowed up by the Black Hole. Many men have died since then on the river at the Black Hole. Some bodies are recovered, but many are not. It's possible that Marc Toussaint's treasure is still out there, half of it in the woods somewhere near Pulaski, and the other half sitting and waiting, in the Black Hole.

Hoang Ho, Mean Co. Inc. CEO has some information that is not even in the history books. " There is a lost fort that dates back to the time of the Revolutionary War right here in Las Vegas." The fort located on North Las Vegas Blvd. in North Las Vegas was a bivouac and storage area similar to other fortifications from the era.

Mean Co. Inc. has a Treasure/recycle Div. and has located a number of potential sites here in Clark County. Apparently the knowledge of the fact that the Revolution was fought here has been lost. Hoang Ho attributes that fact to the secret nature of the mining operations that were out here back then. Prisoners and 'impressed' men worked the mines of the area. Perhaps they didn't want to talk much about it when they were released from the prison mines. Hoang Ho has found artifacts like flints for flintlock rifles, and says there is a mine in the valley that still has a room with artifacts and documents dating back to the 1770's. "I wouldn't be surprised if we found a copy of the Bill of Rights out there." Says Ho.

Hoang Ho has experience in treasure hunting. He helped Barry Clifford of Maritime Explorations locate the pirate ship 'Whydah' off of Cape Cod in the early 80's. He also dove for Mel Fisher on the 'Atocha'.

Ho was in the Pentagon in the early 70's and found an old General there who was in charge of antiquities. He had maps of earthworks on parchment, and Ho believes that the fort on N. Las Vegas Blvd. across from the Pep Boys is one of those forts. There was another site on the property Steve Wynn is building for his new casino 'Le Reve', but the construction destroyed that place before he could get in touch with him. Hoang Ho located another fort similar to this one in Central New York but ran into legal problems with the property owners after having a verbal agreement to dig there.

Mean Co. Inc now files claims according to Federal Abandoned Property Law (keyword) treasure trove. The law states that an agreement with the property owner is the obvious compromise.

Apparently the British blockaded the Gulf of Baja so the Americans couldn't get up the Colorado River to get to Las Vegas The term 'Vegas' is Spanish for meadows, like the ones the men slept in at night. There is real possibility for a National Historic site in Clark County. Hoang Ho has been in touch with the Clark County Planning Commission about the possibilities. Aaron Burr's men blocked the passage through Texas from Galveston, and the knowledge of the place was lost. The Revolution bogged down during that time and the gold and silver needed for finance was not available. The location of the fort coincides with data that says uniforms and other supplies were purchased in Mexico.

Hoang Ho has been trying to get UNLV and other interested parties to help document the sites. Interested parties can email the project manager at twomtns2002@yahoo.com .

From the Roosevelt Standard:

Investigators from Uintah County Sheriff's Department allege that Troy Dubray, 40 Gusher; Charles Morales 47, Roosevelt; Chad Horrocks, 49 Neola; and Josh Wilkerson, 23 Uintah County; worked together to scam potential investors into believing Dubray had discovered a cache of spanish gold ingots, nuggets and buttons in Little Mountain in Uintah County.

According to court documents, the suspects sold the buttons for $300.00. They apparently had no trouble finding buyers to purchase the Gold bars solely at the word of Dubray, who was known in treasure hunting circles. According to probable cause statements, Dubray assured the buyers the bars contained at least 50 to 65 percent gold.

Buyers apparently held on to the bars for about six months before becoming suspicious enough to have them assayed-or tested for content. In each case that has been reported and investigated, the bars turned out to have little or no gold.

In one case, a buyer took his bars to five different places to be assayed and the results were the same each time - the bars were solid Brass.

Victims told Sheriff's detectives that when they approached Dubray for their money back he clamed he didn't know that the bars didn't contain any gold and said he would give them a refund "within two weeks," but months later, they alleged that Dubray has still failed to return any money.

One Vernal businessman lost $12,000.00 in the transactions, according to court records. Victims reported to investigators that as much as $250,000.00 in fake gold may have been sold to people in Utah and other states.

The alleged scam began in early 2002 and occurred over a six month period before investors began contacting law enforcement officials. It took in History buffs well acquainted with prospecting, along with those who simply believed the buy as a good investment.

Dubray continually declined to identify the location of the find, but at one point said that an Indian showed him gold bars and revealed where he found the "Spanish gold" Dubray told at least one potential investor that he then "drove to the area and located the gold with his new machine"

Dubray was very believable, said a Roosevelt man who Debray contacted shortly after his alleged gold find.

"He came to my house and he had a picture of these gold bars and had some with him. He knew I had some gold mine books and he wanted to know if I had a map where he could find the mine where these gold bars were smelted. I believed him, I thought they were real," said the man who asked not to be identified.

Dubray gave him a gold bar as a gift, but the man did not buy any of the gold. He said he was excited about Dubray's claim, the two had hunted for hidden treasure in the past, and he considered Dubray a friend.

The man showed the gold bar he'd been given by Dubray to others he thought would be interested in seeing or buying the bars. his own bar was also determined to be fake." I was taken in as much as they were."

Dubray is charged with four felony counts of criminal simulation and one second-degree felony count of criminal simulation. All three men have been released from jail on bond.

Sheriff's detectives have been unable to locate Wilkerson and a warrant has been issued his arrest. Wilkerson is charged with one count of third degree felony criminal simulation.

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