The Vanishing Gold shipment

Sometimes we hear stories of vast treasures, often times the story lacks the evidences to show the possibility that it ever happened, often times some of these stories are held as a false story or hoax usually due to poor research or just plain the inability to believe. If the story in question is in fact a hoax, and the research is thorough, the chance of finding a good solid clue will most likely never come about. I am going to tell you a story that is not well known, and the evidences to validate its likelihood were not easy to find, it is too early in the research to say definitively as to whether is in fact true, but the alternative leaves me wondering what was the motive if in fact not true, disproving a story is actually easier than proving one. I will say at this point, I have plenty of evidence to convince even skeptical me of its authenticity.

From the historic view, gold was discovered in Colorado as early as 1700’s Gold held its value for many years at about $20 per ounce until about 1862 when gold prices began to rise. In 1864 gold having more than doubled its value at $47 per ounce brought many new ventures to the Colorado Mountains. Those who were able to find this precious commodity during those year were quite fortunate. Over the next 5 years gold began to drop and settled again, but not more than about 21$ per ounce where it held close to this for another 60+ years. Sometime between 1864 and 1866, a major discovery was made in the Colorado Mountains, it is difficult to find any information regarding this as it was kept very quiet due to the Civil war and the unrest afterwards of many who had come out of the war with no lively hood and of the Confederate underground who remained active for many years to come. Reports of large gold heist were kept quite for several reason, but mainly because it posed as an embarrassment to those who financed and planned the shipment.

From 1859 and for the next 60 years, 500 million in Gold (43 Billion today) from just 4 key counties, would go “Reported, Over one Billion in the wealth of those days was shipped according to the records.

By August of 1869, a vast hoard of gold dust and nuggets accumulated and was getting far too large for shipment and too risky to transport the entire hoard to Denver, however it was decided with secrecy, the right people and armed guards it could be done without detection. It was decided an alternative route would be made rather than the usual shipping route. Whether the entire accumulation was shipped or part held back, over 66 tons was sent heavily guarded on its way. However doing so without detection, they were wrong. Somewhere along the route, many oxen and an unknown number of  freight wagons and many guards and teamsters many of which were Frenchman, and over 66 tons of Gold just seemed to disappear. The total shipment was valued in the day it left its origin of $39,600,000, that would be valued today at just a hair under 2,700,000,000.

What happened to it? 

Well... in the mid to late summer in 1869 William Cole was laying low under his current alias in Pleasantview Idaho on a ranch some 5 miles or so south west of Malad Idaho having married a local girl by the name of Susan Palmer. The dust of the overthrow of our free Republic by world Banker elites, (Civil War) was not quite settled nor would it be for many years to come. Being still very much activated William Cole, better known as Colonel Jesse Woodson James, received a dispatch requiring him to leave immediately for Fairplay Colorado and leaving behind a pregnant wife who would later give birth in May 19th of 1870 to Alice Susan Cole, a daughter he would never know of. Jesse's first priority and loyalty in this life was to the Confederacy, Confederate underground through the division known as the KGC. When duty called Jesse responded.

"Jesse W. James rode all the way from Malad City, Idaho, to lead ex-Confederate raiders in the capture of a wagon train hauling 66 tons of gold dust and nuggets, known as placer gold. All horses, mules and oxen vanished. The treasure was buried 22 feet deep under a big slab of rock at an elevation of 13,000 feet. The wagon train was in route from Granite to Denver, Colorado, when overtaken by Jesse and his Golden Circle agents."

To this date I have not been able to find in the old newspapers that this event even occurred. But I am not surprised. I have however gathered facts as to where it occurred, who was responsible and where its resting place likely is.

This is just one of the many projects I hope to get to one day, should I find my way out of this ironic situation I am in. Many have raised their hands in interest when I have sought a partner in the past, to date, I have yet to find one that is adventurous and serious enough, and one who has what it takes to see it through to the end, If only, I could push back the hands of time, about 20 years would do it. I wonder how old JC was back then….