The Cave of the Gold Bars

Discuss information about the Lost Dutchman Mine
TGH
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The Cave of the Gold Bars

Post by TGH »

All,

Does anyone know the TRUE story of the Cave of the Gold Bars? This is the story where Harry France got lost in a storm and discovered a treasure cave in which there werea couple of stacks of gold bars.

One hears so many different stories and theories, just wondering if there is any truth to this or if this just another tall tale.

Thx

P
TGH
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Post by TGH »

Sorry, after re-reading the previous thread, there doesnt seem to be much evidence or factual information given. I will just assume that the Cave of the Gold Bars is just another Superstition tall tale.

Oh well.
LDM
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Cave of Gold Bars.

Post by LDM »

LDM
Last edited by LDM on Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
buscar
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Post by buscar »

I was told by Tracy L Hawkins, that Harry France sold a gold bar for fifty-six hundred bucks to a Museum in Prescott. I was told it was the Miners Museum or something like that (not the Sharlot Hall), and is now closed. Does anyone know if there was ever a museum in Prescott by that name?

buscar :)
Joe Ribaudo
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Museum

Post by Joe Ribaudo »

Buscar,

I spent some time in Prescott researching the existance of such a Museum. Talked to a number of old timers and a local historian. Not one could remember the museum.

Peter says the details of this story are a little "hazy" in the other topic, started by me. That's pretty funny considering he is such a fan of the Two Soldiers and Joe Deering stories. The only thing I have in my topic is an eye witness to the existance of the gold bars and a person who put Harry on a horse and rode with him to some of his major landmarks. :lol:

Buscar has a taped interview, and I have a two hour interview with Tracy Hawkins, on tape. I understand that Peter and his boys are not going to respond to anything I say, and that suits me just fine, but they are a little late to this story.

I also have stories of Chuck Ribaudo and Ernie Provence, two of the other people who were eye witness to the gold bars and the search. I also have the signature of one Harry LaFrance, which is the name he was using.

Joe Ribaudo
buscar
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Post by buscar »

The reader can take Harry’s story in any mood they choose, and the debates continue whether or not Harry France was a teller of tales telling one of his best that owes more to fiction then to fact. But consider this one thing, if Harry was lying, would he have spent a total of ninety days searching for what was just merely a tall tale, and allow poor health to end his life?

buscar :)
TGH
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Post by TGH »

Buscar

Thanks for your input. Did Harry really spend 90 days searching? Were these
concurrent or did he spend 10 days on 10 days off, etc..... Am assuming if he was in the mountains for a 3 month period of time that he would have establised a base camp or two. Do you have any idea where his base camp(s) might have been?

P
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Post by Wiz »

The reader can take Harry’s story in any mood they choose, and the debates continue whether or not Harry France was a teller of tales telling one of his best that owes more to fiction then to fact. But consider this one thing, if Harry was lying, would he have spent a total of ninety days searching for what was just merely a tall tale, and allow poor health to end his life?

buscar :)
Bus,
That's a good point. It's my understanding that Harry was in pretty bad shape already. If he felt he was about to check out anyway, it's possible he would jump at the chance to spend time in the mountains just once more. Given the choice of the mountains or a hospital bed, I know where I'd rather cash in.
So, when the opportunity came his way, maybe he just went with it?
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Post by TGH »

LDM

The Brady story is interesting. Did he discover his own cave in the same general area where the France tall tale is placed...or is it in another area entirely?

P
LDM
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Bob Brady

Post by LDM »

LDM
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Wiz
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Post by Wiz »

I was told by Tracy L Hawkins, that Harry France sold a gold bar for fifty-six hundred bucks to a Museum in Prescott. I was told it was the Miners Museum or something like that (not the Sharlot Hall), and is now closed. Does anyone know if there was ever a museum in Prescott by that name?

buscar :)
There was another thing like this. In Helen Corbin's first book, (and I'm reaching into my fuzzy memory without a book to look at), there was a certificate from someone at the ASU mining College, or something like that, that swore that an LDM gold sample didn't come from any known mine. But in HIS book, Dr. Glover determined that the issuing authority had never existed, and that there was no way to make such a claim with any authority. Could this be another mystery story?
I wonder where Tracy got this information? Directly from Harry, or from some third party?
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Post by buscar »

The gold bars, that both Harry and Brady found (according to Hawkins), were identical.

buscar :)
Wiz
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Re: Bob Brady

Post by Wiz »

Two men losing two seperate caves would be noteworthy
I'LL say! Two caves filled with gold bars is... well... twice as good as one!
buscar
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Post by buscar »

Tracy said that he was not involved directly with the Brady search, but Chuck Rabaudo, Ernie Province and Dale Howard did ask him to go with them but could not remember the reason he was unable to go. However, from the information Tracy received later on, the cave Bob Brady found was not far from Al Morrow’s camp and was about half way to the top of Bluff Spring in a narrow, brush chocked cut. Rocks had fallen revealing the opening. Brady claimed to have moved some of the rocks to get inside and replaced them before leaving. Tracy remarked, that the location of Brady’s cave did not sound like the cave Harry described and tried to lead his group later.

buscar :)
LDM
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Gold bar match

Post by LDM »

LDM
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TGH
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www.thelostdutchman.net

Post by TGH »

Last edited by TGH on Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:39 am, edited 2 times in total.
Wiz
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Re: Gold bar match

Post by Wiz »

buscar,

Thats interesting, if the gold bars Bob Brady found and the ones Harry France found , matched, I would have to say they came from the same cave and that Brady and France were in the same cave at different times even if the hazy direction to where each said they found the cave doesn't match.
Or, maybe they were two stashes places by the same party, from the same source.
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Post by buscar »

I guess it was the gold bar, Harry proudly displayed, that glimmered enough to persuade Tracy along with the others to grab what they needed and head into the mountains.

The people involved in the search, were Harry, Bus Bonner (a friend of his), Dale Howard, Ernie Province, Chuck Rabaudo, Doc Lafave, his two friends and a contractor from Phoenix, that Bus knew and three of his worker. Tracy Hawkins, however, could not remember their names.

The story Harry told them impressed Doc to the point, that he called a couple of his friends, and they flew out from back east (Boston ?), to hear Harry’s tale for themselves. After hearing what Harry had to tell them, they too, were so impressed, that they joined the search and put up quite a bit of money for the organized trip by the group.

buscar :)
TGH
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Post by TGH »

Last edited by TGH on Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
TGH
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Post by TGH »

Last edited by TGH on Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
LDM
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Gold bar caves.

Post by LDM »

LDM
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buscar
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Post by buscar »

The basic meaning from that of the crown and is a visible sign of authority. In such cultures as that of the Egyptian pharaohs, is a classic illustration of uncommonly shaped crowns with exceptional meanings. In fact, the mitre-like bonnets have been worn though the ages. The Spanish kings wore on their heads a golden crown.

Note the symbol of the crown on the inscription drawing of the gold bar (Member Archive) by Tracy Hawkins.

Absent was the official mark such as, production area, owner’s stamp, destination, assayer marks etc. In addition, the gold bar (including Brady's gold bars) showed no stamps indicating the king’s tax was paid.

buscar :)
Joe Ribaudo
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Nice Posts

Post by Joe Ribaudo »

Nice posts. All of this was covered in my topic, but it's good to see you boys rehashing it in Peter's "original" topic. :lol:

Lawrence,

I believe Bus Bonner was unable to join the search, which as I understand it is how LaFrance came to Tracy Hawkins, through Bonner.

You are correct that Tracy, who saw the gold bars from both stories, says they were identical in form. As a matter of fact, he says that in
MY topic.

Like I said, Peter, without me you really have nothing to say. Can't even come up with original topics. Have to drag mine up and see if you can get one bit of new information. :lol:

I like the plan, as not having you, Matthew, Wiz and Knun say anything directly to me, is wonderful.

In the spirit of the plan, I will make this my last comment to any of you, as well. :lol:

What's next........The Stone Maps? :lol:

Joe Ribaudo
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gold bar markings.

Post by LDM »

LDM
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TGH
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Post by TGH »

Last edited by TGH on Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
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