There's a story about Celeste Jones finding an alabaster cross atop Weaver's Needle, and subsequently blowing it up in her search for the Jesuit treasure. I know I've seen references to this event in a couple of places, but I don't recall where at the moment. But there wasn't much more than what I just wrote.
Does anyone have any more info on this?
Is anyone still on this forum?
Alabaster Cross
References
wiz,
I do not have my books with me right now. But, I will look into this tonight. You have my curiousity up. I recall that story as well. My gut feeling is it is in Gentry's "Killer Mountains" or Bob Ward's book or Sikorski's "Fool's Gold/Quest for the Dutchman." Seems I recall that story from long ago - when I was a teenager. So, I bet it was buried somewhere in "The Killer Mountains" as that book really facinated me at the time. However, I might be wrong. But, that brings to mind many such stories that either are true or are just folklore. Whatever the source, they are still interesting. There many many stories related to the Piper-Jones fued that are interesting. Most are probably tall-tales, but they certainly peak one's interest.
S.C.
I do not have my books with me right now. But, I will look into this tonight. You have my curiousity up. I recall that story as well. My gut feeling is it is in Gentry's "Killer Mountains" or Bob Ward's book or Sikorski's "Fool's Gold/Quest for the Dutchman." Seems I recall that story from long ago - when I was a teenager. So, I bet it was buried somewhere in "The Killer Mountains" as that book really facinated me at the time. However, I might be wrong. But, that brings to mind many such stories that either are true or are just folklore. Whatever the source, they are still interesting. There many many stories related to the Piper-Jones fued that are interesting. Most are probably tall-tales, but they certainly peak one's interest.
S.C.
It was "The Killer Mountains"
Well, I found it. The incident Wiz mentions is related in Gentry's book "The Killer Mounatins." That is probably the only place it is documented. And, of course, there is not much detail.
I have the 1968 hardback first edition and it is on page 29. In Glenn Magill's early researches he met Robert Crandall a former partner of Ed Piper. Crandall brought Magill up to date on the Jesuit treasure he and Piper searched for. And, also discussed the "feud" with Maria Jones. Crandall told Magill background on Jones, how she financed her operations, etc. Supposedly, she had 14 "symbolical clues" to lead her the the Jesuits' treasure and an alabaster cross she found on top of Weavers Needle was one of them. She subsequently began her dynamite operations claiming she'd blast the entire peak away (Weavers Needle) if she had to to get the treasure and she started with the alabaster cross.
That's it. I cannot find any other direct reference to the existence of the cross. Whether there was really a cross there is hard to say. But, it could only be a tall tale. If there was such a thing, you'd think an old timer would have known about it and document it. But, I know of no such cases. Maybe someone else does. Never the less, it sure is an interesting story. So is the one Bob Ward tells about the bag of gold crosses he help Maria and Louie bury... Are they true? Who knows...
I have the 1968 hardback first edition and it is on page 29. In Glenn Magill's early researches he met Robert Crandall a former partner of Ed Piper. Crandall brought Magill up to date on the Jesuit treasure he and Piper searched for. And, also discussed the "feud" with Maria Jones. Crandall told Magill background on Jones, how she financed her operations, etc. Supposedly, she had 14 "symbolical clues" to lead her the the Jesuits' treasure and an alabaster cross she found on top of Weavers Needle was one of them. She subsequently began her dynamite operations claiming she'd blast the entire peak away (Weavers Needle) if she had to to get the treasure and she started with the alabaster cross.
That's it. I cannot find any other direct reference to the existence of the cross. Whether there was really a cross there is hard to say. But, it could only be a tall tale. If there was such a thing, you'd think an old timer would have known about it and document it. But, I know of no such cases. Maybe someone else does. Never the less, it sure is an interesting story. So is the one Bob Ward tells about the bag of gold crosses he help Maria and Louie bury... Are they true? Who knows...