Directions to The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine

[buscar]

At last! Directions to The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine—Grab your Scuba Gear and lets go treasure dipping!!

Some years ago, an elderly bed-ridden man (nameless) declared that he knew of a cave in the Superstition Mountains that held an enormous hoard of gold bullion worth an estimated $30 million. The man claimed to have removed two mule loads from what he said was the lost Dutchman Mine. The cave, he said, carefully stacked, was a pile of gold bars three feet high, four feet wide and ten feet long. The treasure sealed in the cave, now covered by fifty feet of water from the Mormon Flat Dam.

Following are his directions to the enormous hoard.

“Running into Phoenix from the NE is the Salt River. About twenty miles east of the city, and east of Granite Reef Dam, is the river joined by the Verde River. At this junction, is an Apache burial cave? Following the Salt River Fork eastward into the rugged mountains (continuing to the east then turning south) for an estimated twenty or thirty miles will bring you to an old Spanish Diversion Canal and trail in what was once called Skeleton Canyon. Following this canyon back to the SW to Browns Canyon, working up to the right for an obvious landmark once called “ Geronimo’s Sniper Cave.” This will be in a peak, 1200 feet above the trail. At this point, with the peak above and the flooded canyon to your left, watch for the remains of an old trail coming up from the water. Stop where this trail appears. On the south wall, under about fifty feet of water, maybe less is the treasure cave entrance.”

Source: United States Treasure Atlas by Thomas P. Terry

buscar

[Roger]

The following typed letter was sent to the Phoenix Library on May 28, 1961, by Roy Wykoff, Jr. (spelling errors included). In it he claims to have been in a cave in the Tortilla Flats area in 1933 that contained a considerable amount of gold treasure. This location is now under Canyon Lake. It reads a lot like the information that Buscar posted above, but this one contains names and dates. It is a rambling and repeating story, but the core catches the imagination. Note the reference to Jacob Walz as being an army scout plus a reference of where he is in a photograph.

Food for thought.

Happy Reading!!

Roger
---------------------------------

Librarian:
The undersigned most respectfully transmits the following information and data for the permanent files of the Phoenix Public Library, for the historical files of data pertaining to the famous "LOST DUTCHMAN GOLD MINE" of the SUPERSTITION MOUNTAINS OF ARIZONA---
The undersigned was once inside the famous lost gold mine and treasure trove in 1933. I will now reveal the location for the use of the researchers and general public the following information respectfully requested to be placed in the files of the Phoenix Public Library in the interest of the various searching parties and those desiring knowledge of the possible location of the legendary lost gold mine.
In 1933 I was taken to the site of the LOST DUTCHMAN GOLD MINE TREASURE TROVE CAVE AND TUNNEL by a man known as JOHN B. MURPHY -- the latter was born in Ireland in 1836.
In 1933 John B. Murphy was then aged 97 years old, the latter John B. Murphy was born in Ireland in 1836, at the place of the City of Gorrey in Wexford county, Ireland. Murphy came to the U.S. in 1846 and served as "Bat boy" or tent orderly for Capt. T.J. Jackson in the Mexican War and later as officer in the U.S. Civil War and Indian Wars--
In 1933, John B. Murphy, being desirous of revealing the location of the legendary LOST DUTCHMAN GOLD MINE, took me and in the company of an APACHE INDIAN and former Arizona Army scout "RUNNING WOLF" and Apache of the Salt River Reservation of Arizona, we proceeded into the Superstition Mountains from Kings Ranch passing Weavers Needle and Mexican Hat Mountain in a northwesterly direction to the gold mine-- Our course took our 3 man party past SOMBRERO MOUNTAIN (also called MEXICAN HAT) to a place which was near the Salt river of Arizona in the Phoenix Mnts or "SUPERSTITION MOUNTAINS" of Arizona--
John B. Murphy and our Indian guide led the mules and horses to a place where their was a WATERFALL on a river and watercourse the watercourse was the old historic SALT RIVER CANAL sometimes called SPANISH CANAL near the place known as TORTILLA FLATS in the northwestern edge of the Superstitions Mountains--
I went with Murphy and the Apache Indian "RUNNING WOLF" into a cave and tunnel and saw there - in the sum of what Murphy claimed to be about 5 million dollars of gold bullion bars--
This historic gold cache was in the form of "REDDISH COLOR GOLD ORE SMELTED BULLION" a form of old Mexico gold in which was a percentage of about 10% copper in each bullion bar the bullion bars were about 100 pounds weght weight of gold each --- also in the ancient cave were a large pile of AZTEC INDIAN GOOSE QUILL money or "AZTEC GOLD DUST FILLED QUILLS" a form of ancient Aztec Mexico gold money also some gold coins in the form of a small "T" shape of pure gold also the latter known as "T" MONEY of the Aztecs --- the present cave was covered over in 1934 by the building of a dam across the SPANISH CANAL or old "SALT RIVER CANAL" built in 1811-1812 by the Spaniards - - the canal was built to and on top of the ancient PERALTA-HIADALGO MINE of ancient times of the Spanish miners of Cortez and others in the days before 1810 revolution in old Mexico - - IN 1811 the gold treasure was sent to what is now Arizona by the Peralta-Hidalgo family of old Mexico - - the Peralta group. The ancient family of SENOR DON JUAN PERALTA and Fr. Hidalgo removed from old Mexico via SONORA a vast treasure now known and the PERALTA - LOST DUTCHMAN GOLD TREASURE and the ancient and old treasures of old Mexico were placed in what was in 1810 a Peralta gold mine tunnel - - the tunnell about 500 or 600 yards in length -- I saw a very large amount of gold bars and silver bars in the old cave -- the old cave entrance was in 1933 concealed then by a waterfall of water over the cave in 1933 in a deep canyon of the old Spanish Canal to a depth of about 50 feet deep in 1934 and the cave and waterfall is now under fifty feet of water in the old Salt River Branch of the Spanish Canal.--
John B. Murphy was shown the old cave in 1884-85 era by the man JACOB WALZ sometimes called "WALZER" -- the man Walz was said by Murphy to have come from Germany in 1859 and was in 1961 (should be 1861) a member of the Major Alan Pinkerton Military Detectives of the U.S. Civil War era of 1861-1864 --- a picture of John B. Murphy alias "COLONEL GEORGE H. SHARPE" appears with a group of men including JACOB WALZ of the Pinkerton -- in the book "THE PHOTOGRAPHIC HISTORY OF THE CIVIL WAR" by Ft. Miller. In volume #8 of the Miller book (secret Service) of the ten volume series of the PHOTOGRAPHIC HISTORY OF THE CIVIL WAR the picture of Murphy alias "COL. SHARPE" appears in page #264.
Murphy told me in 1933 that he was taken to the lost gold mine THE LOST DUTCHMAN in 1855 by Walz the latter a former sgt. Of an Illinois Infantry group of the Civil War and a Pinkerton detective -- Murphy was then in 1885 with the U.S. Army Scouting Force of Al Sieber and Tom Horn in Arizona. Also with the group was Sgt. Walz who led Murphy to the gold mine in 1885 at that time Murphy removed about $300,000 in old ore in 1885 from the ancient mine on mules---
Sgt. Jacob Walz died in 1892 in Florence, Arizona, according to John B. Murphy's story to me in 1933 -- Walz was said to have died about Sept. 25, 1892 -- near or at Florence Arizona--
The vast treasure of the PERALTA-HIDALGO FAMILY known as the Lost Dutchman mine was found in 1883 by Jacob Walz while Walz was scouting under Al Sieber in the Arizona Apache Wars of Geromino -- the latter Geronimo was then fighting the U.S. Forces of General Crook and Miles in the Apache Wars of 1880 to 1886.
Sgt. Walz a scout for the Army of Gen. Nelson A. Miles and General George Crook found the cave while trailing the Apache war party of Geronimo in 1883--
Later the cave was covered wit fifty feet of water in 1934 --- in the ancient Spanish Canal north West of the Superstition mountains along the area called TORTILLA FLATS -- or "MORMON FLATS" along the Salt River--
John B. Murphy the noted Pinkerton Detective was known as "JAMS MCPARLAND" of the Pinkertons of the era of the Civil and Indian Wars and a picture of Murphy alias "JAMES MCPARLAND" appears in the book by James D Horan the book "THE PINKERTON STORY" by James D. Horan (author) Also Murphy is mentioned under the name JOHN MURPHY" in the book "HISTORICAL REGISTER AND DICTIONARY OF THE U.S. ARMY 1789 TO 1903" by F.B. Heitman which mentions Murphy as "JOHN MURPHY" born in Ireland, served in 14th U.S. Infnntry and 5th U.S. Artillery and retired July 17, 1899 ---- (at old Fort Robinson, Nebraska)
Murphy is also shown in various attached photos, herein this letter --- It was the personal request of John B. Murphy who wished that I divulge the location of the lost gold mine to the general public and historians in 1961 --- Murphy retired in 1899 at the rank of MAJOR B. MURPHY of 14th Infantry ---
In 1933 Major Murphy made personal request that I divulge the location to search parties and the general public and to the Phoenix Public Library archives and files ---
Murphy served in the Mexican War with the forces of Gen. Scott and Taylor and was aged 12 yrs old in 1848 and in 1849 Murphy went to the California gold rush with Capt. T. Jackson the latter General "STONEWALL JACKSON" of the U.S. Civil War era. John B. Murphy went with Government forces to California with Capt. T.J. Jackson in 1849 -- Jackson being know as "DR. COGSWELL" and "Captain Harry Love" of the "California Rangers" of the gold rush era 1849 to 1853 --- the old gold rush town of MURPHY'S DIGGINS CALIFORNIA was named for John B. Murphy and Jackson, California was named for an uncle of Capt. T.J. Jackson of the gold rush era.
Enclosed are various photos of Murphy including one taken of Murphy in 1892 at Cripple Creek, Colorado -- etcetera. Murphy was in the scouting force of GENERAL GEORGE COOK IN 1885 era of the Apache Wars -- and served with Capt. Frank Leslie the person "BUCKSKIN FRANK LESLIE" of Arizona history and New Mexico history of the Apache Wars -- Capt. Leslie was later in Cuba War of 1898 with Tom Mix and Tom Horn.
John B. Murphy went to the AGUINALDO INSURRECTION of 1900 - 1901 with Tom Horn and Tom Mix and Jack Ganzhorn with General Frederick Funstons Scouts -- Murphy was also in the Boer War of 1899 in Africa as undercover operative of the U.S. War Dept. In 1933 Murphy was then 97 years old when he shoed me the site and the LOST DUTCHMAN CAVE of Arizona in the Superstition Mnts. The Scouting Force of Gen. Crook found the Lost Peralta Mine with the $5 million dollars of gold bullion in the cave in 1885 among the army scouts (was at that time Siebers Scouts) the following men TOM HORN --- AL SIEBER -- AND "RUNNING WOLF" an Apache government army scout of the Geronimo Wars was also with the group in 1885 was Sergeant JACOB WALT of the U.S. Scouts of Capt. Frank Leslie -- which included various Arizona scouts among them Arizona Bill Barner --- a number of the army scouts were engaged in 1885 at the Battle of Peralta Cave on the Salt River Canal of Arizona against Geronimo's Forces in 1885 -- Walz and "Running Wolf" and Jacob Walz escaped in the battle with Tom Horn and Al Sieber -- later Walz shoed Murphy the cave site in 1885 --- the original cave with the gold bullion still intact in the old Peralta Mine was shown to me in 1933 by Murphy --- the gold bullion was estimated at about 5 million dollars of the gold treasure of the Mexican Revolution of 1810 still in the cave in 1933 --
ALL OF THE FORGOING INFORMATION AND DATA OF THE LOST DUTCHMAN GOLD MINE - PERALTA - HIDALGO GOLD MINE TUNNEL most respectfully sent for the use of the general public and historians as per request of John B. Murphy to me in 1933-1936 -- of the original LOST 1810 Mexican Revolution Gold of 1810 burried in 1811 - 1812 in the Superstitions also known as "PHOENIX MOUNTAINS OF ARIZONA" approximately 50 miles east of Phoenix and about 20 miles north east of Apache Junction, Arizona ---- in a cave now concealed under a depth of FIFTY FEET OF WATER, the water was backed up by the building of dam in 1934 along the OLD SPANISH CANAL of the Salt River northwest of the Superstition Mtns of Arizona on a branch of the Salt River -- the original cave was formerly under a waterfall and known as "GEROMIMOS CAVE" in 1885 --

Sincerely Yrs
Roy A. Wykoff, Jr
Mutual News - Pix Features
318 East 6th Street
Davenport, Iowa

P.S. The gold bullion of the PERALTA MINE of 1810 revolution is stored in gold bars abut five millions of dollars of value inside the cave now know as the "LOST DUTCHMAN GOLD MINE OF THE SUPERSTITION MOUNTAINS" OF ARIZONA near Phoenix, Ariz..

The above data as was known to me (Roy Al Wykoff, Jr) in 1934 circa and most respectfully transmitted to the Phoenix Public Library Files of Public and General Information of the general Public as per request of John B. Murphy, 1934 ---------
------END OF DOCUMENT-----

[geoffnotjeff]

It may have been found.

It may even have been empty.

If the gold was still gold... well...


Who would show you the way for a few dollars?




If its empty.....

People wont ever believe its been found!

[buscar]

John B Murphy who was said (by Roy Wykoff, Jr) to be alias “Colonel George H Sharpe” and also the alias “James McParland,” does not correspond according to research.

Research provides evidence that George H Sharpe, served in the 120th New York regiment.

According to Roy Wykoff Jr, John B Murphy served in 14th U.S. Infantry and 5th U.S. Artillery. Therefore, Murphy and Sharpe cannot possibly be one and the same.

The story told (by Roy A. Wykoff, Jr) of treasure hidden in a tunnel ‘after’ the canyon was flooded and now under with 50 feet of water forming Canyon Lake (and because of the discrepancy) ‘appears’ to be an opportunity for a cock-and-bull story.

New York, The Review Of Reviews Co. 1911

A New Secret Service—The Military Information Bureau (pages 264-265 volume 8

After Pinkerton’s departure from the army of the Potomac, the secret-service department was allowed to fall into hopeless neglect. All organization vanished. When General Hooker assumed command there was hardy a record or document of any kind at headquarters to give information of what the Confederates were doing. Hooker was as ignorant of what was going on across the Rappahannock as if his opponents had been in China. With the energy that marked his entire course of organization, he put Colonel George H Sharpe, of the 120th New York regiment, in charge of a special and separate bureau, known as Military Information. In August (1863), while Lee hastened back to the old line of the Rapidan, Colonel Sharpe lay at Bealeton, and here the army photographer took his picture as above, on the extreme left. Next to him sits John C Babcock; the right-hand figure is that of John McEntee, detailed from the 80th New York Infantry. These men were little known, but immensely useful.

Note: The name of the forth person to the extreme right (as seen at Member Archive) wearing a beard is unknown; as a result, Roy A Wykoff Jr captures the opportunity to name him Sgt. Jacob Walz.

If Walz was a Pinkerton detective, why, did the writer fail to identify him?

Pinkerton Detective Colonel George Henry Sharpe

Birth: Feb. 26, 1828

Death: Jan. 13, 1900

Age: 72

Burial: Wiltwyck Cemetery, Kingston Ulster County, New York USA
Plot: Block 70, Lot 22

The Famous Pinkerton Detective James McParland

James McParland was born in Ireland in 1843. He remained in Ireland and England for 26 years, working as a stock clerk, a Field hand, a Circus barker, and a Chemical Plant worker. He later took a ship from Liverpool to New York in 1867.

He settled in Chicago, where he ran a liquor store. When the great Chicago fire of 1871 destroyed his business, McParland took his job with the Pinkerton, and began his most colorful career as a detective. James McParland infiltrated the Molly Maguires using the alias James McKenna.

Note: If James McParland did not migrate to America until 1867 and, that he did not became a Pinkerton until 1871, and that he died in 1918, how, can he be Colonel H Sharpe who died in 1900, or that he was John B Murphy who was still alive in 1933?

Furthermore, if John B Murphy was a famous Pinkerton detective according to Roy A Wykoff Jr, why did the ‘name’ John B Murphy go unmentioned?

Source: The Pinkerton Story by James D. Horan

The Pinkertons: The Detective Dynasty That Made History (The Story Of The Famous Detective Agency And Its Influence On America) by James D. Horan

Find A Grave

The Internet

Photographic History Of The Civil War In Ten Volumes
by Francis Trevelyan Miller-Editor-in-Chief

buscar

[Sam Brannan]

Hi

I'm new here. So far I've had a great time reading through the old posts. Although sometimes when it starts getting good, one side starts getting edited...

Roger, you really come up with some great stuff. This letter is no exception. I don't know if the story's true, but in my book it should be. This guy, John B. Murphy, reminds me of the old boy who's narrating his life's story in the movie "Little Big Man."

I do see one problem with the story, however. Roy A. Wykoff, Jr's claim that "Murphys Diggins" was named for a John B. Murphy who came to the gold fields in 1849 is not correct. The following is the true history.

Murphys

The camp developed at the end of June, 1848, in connection with Charles M. Webber's Stockton Mining Company. It was named for John M. Murphy, one of the Murphys who had come from Canada with the Stevens-Murphy-Townsend party in 1844. It was the first immigrant party to bring wagons over the Sierra Nevada to Sutter's Fort. Chester Lyman camped with Murphy at Dry Creek on June 15, 1848. A few weeks later ( July 8 ) he found Murphy at a nearby site selling glass beads to the Indians in exchange for gold. This may have been the place known as Murphys Old Diggings. Some time later John and Daniel Murphy moved to the site on Angel's Creek and the camp became known as Murphys New Diggings, later shortened to Murphys, as in the name of the post office established November 6, 1851.

It was one of the many rich camps of the Southern Mines. Browne records that there were a dozen claims that were said to have each produced $100,000 or more. The xxxxxx claim yielded 37 pounds of gold one afternoon and 63 the next morning.

Sam Brannan

[Roger]

There may well have been some historical inaccuracies in Wykoff's letter - suspect he had accumulated these "facts" from a number of sources and not surprised they have some major holes in them.

The more important fact is that Wykoff claims to have personally gone into the cave behind the waterfall now under Canyon Lake and see the Spanish treasure that consisted of:

"This historic gold cache was in the form of "REDDISH COLOR GOLD ORE SMELTED BULLION" a form of old Mexico gold in which was a percentage of about 10% copper in each bullion bar the bullion bars were about 100 pounds weght weight of gold each --- also in the ancient cave were a large pile of AZTEC INDIAN GOOSE QUILL money or "AZTEC GOLD DUST FILLED QUILLS" a form of ancient Aztec Mexico gold money also some gold coins in the form of a small "T" shape of pure gold also the latter known as "T" MONEY of the Aztecs..."

As this is first hand knowledge, I would put more stock in it than the other history items.

Anyone for scuba diving?????

Roger

[Sam Brannan]

I agree with you. Just because parts of the story are inaccurate, that doesn't necessarily mean the entire story is false. There's only one way to find out for sure.

Here's a picture of some rusty (reddish color) gold from Oregon.


This is placer gold not lode gold, however. I've never seen jewelry ore with rusty gold in it. Was this what the Dutchman's gold looked like?

Sam Brannan

[bill711]

Sam/roger; If you add nickle to yellow gold you will have have a lighter gold! If you add red copper to gold; You will have a very red gold instead of yellow. I have some aztex money and it is t shaped or spud shaped , real then and it is made of copper? I do not know if the aztex used gold for money? I question this? Bill

[Joe Ribaudo]

Bill,

I believe you are correct. The Aztecs had a moneyless society. The cacao bean was their primary currency. Second to that was Jade and then turquiose.

"Gold was valuable to the Aztecs only for the ornaments which could be made from it, and silver may have had an even greater value, since nodules were rare and the Indians had no technique for smelting the ore....Quills of gold dust sometimes were used as an exchange medium, as were crescent-shaped knives of thin-beaten copper. These last had not the common acceptance or the utility of cacao beans, although they represented easily portable value."
Vaillant, "Aztecs Of Mexico".


I have never heard of the Aztecs having gold coins. The copper you speak of is well known. I believe "T" money was "bits of tin stamped with a character like a T". "The History of the Conquest of Mexio" by, William Prescott.

As with anything in this field, anyone can be wrong, (including us) at any given time.

Respectfully,

Joe

[bill711]

Joe ; the copper money that I have is shaped like your root . I didn,t know of them using any silver so I have to deferr to you on that BUT the gold was used for ear plugs and nose rings and such as far as I have known. MY money is in thin sheets shaped like a pecker and they are stuck togather because of the corosion" turned green". I liked their turq. work real well, especially the mask! I know that they were great traders. They would lay seige to other cities or tribes until they would trade with them. I think they mostly bartered but they did have some FORM of cash money. I,m just all over the place with my note" aint I" . bill

[LARRY WEBB]

buscar

The picture you posted in the archives of Colonal Sharpe appears to be
the right picture that Roy was talking about but I think that Jacob Waltz
was not the one on the right. John Murphy was on the left, Babcock was
next to him and McEntee was on the right. I believe that Jacob Waltz is
the one on the right of the middle two in the picture. Or the third person
left to right. Also, if you go to page 129 in Glover's first book then I
would pick the one with the suit, vest, full beard in the bottom left to be
the one that is most similar. What do you think?

Larry

[bill711]

LARRY; The Waltz was born in 1808/9. The war started in 1861; Waltz would have been 52/53 years old! This is a little old for him to be in war or a soldier? BUT the WALTZ was also clean shaven! bill

[Joe Ribaudo]

Bill,

Picky....picky.....picky.

Joe

[bill711]

Thank you JOE I needed that! Best thing said to me all week! I,m still all bruised and scratched up from Larry getting me off the ledge; He won,t get me out on another one anytime soon! bill

[LARRY WEBB]

bill711

Bill I'm so glad you got off that ledge with minimal damage and didn't fall
into the mine shaft and really get yourself hurt bad.

The man in the picture was clean shaven and could have been about 50
years old. It's not easy to tell from the picture. He could have grown the
beard later in life or even after the war.

Who better to have as a secret agent, a foreign speaking German that
hadn't been in the country that long. If, in fact he did go by other names
such as Wiser, Wisner, etc. as I have seen some suggest that maybe
why he was a bit hard to follow through the years and the reason for the
varied stories that have come down by finding letters in trunks etc.

Take care

Larry

[bill711]

Larry I sure thought the guy on the right had a big scraggeldy beard? Bill

[LARRY WEBB]

bill

Bill the one on the right does have a beard but I believe that man to be
McEntee and the one with no name is next to him.
I think the way it read under the picture is the one on the left is Colonel
Sharpe, real name John Murphy, next to him is a man called Babcock
and the man on the right is McEntee. That leaves the 3rd man from the
left with no name. I think that this man is the one that their calling the
Dutchman(John Murphy is calling the Dutchman) in the letter.

Take Care

Larry

[bill711]

Thank,s for clearing me up Larry; I was wondering if I was seeing thing,s! Bill

[Gregory E. Davis]

Gentlemen: I just obtained the ten volume set of the Photographic History of the Civil War by Miller. Referencing the story by Roy A. Wykoff Jr., He states that in Vol. 8 of this series on page 264, there is a picture which he alleges to be that of Sergeant Walz. Upon careful examination of this picture I find that it show one civilian and 3 men who are wearing the uniforms of OFFICERS! There are no enlisted men shown in the picture, thus NO Sergeant Walz. Cordially, Gregory E. Davis

[Joe Ribaudo]

Greg,

Nice job! Perhaps our boy received a battlefield commision.

Respectfully,

Joe