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WILLIAM SHATNER:
A vault buried in the middle
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of the Mojave Desert.
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Plundered pirate gold
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at the bottom
of the Atlantic Ocean.
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And a forest in Upstate New York
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that may conceal a bootlegger's
forgotten fortune.
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For hundreds of years,
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there have been legends
about vast treasures
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that are hidden
throughout the United States.
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Stolen gold and other
ill-gotten gains
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connected to wars, piracy
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and even deadly acts of revenge.
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But are these legends
of lost treasure
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simply tall tales?
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Or is it possible
that the valuables
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are really out there,
just waiting to be discovered?
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Well, that is what
we'll try and find out.
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♪ ♪
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This wooded region, located
in the Allegheny Mountains,
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is a popular destination
for wildlife enthusiasts,
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and also for treasure hunters.
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Because, for more
than 150 years,
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Dents Run has been believed
to be the hiding place
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of a vast amount of stolen gold.
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DANIEL BARBARISI:
There's been a lot of attention
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on the Dents Run treasure,
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and that's tied to
something of a legend
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that came out of
the time of the Civil War,
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when it's believed
there might have been
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a wagon with lots and lots
of gold on it,
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hundreds of millions of
dollars' worth in today's money,
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that was used
to pay Union soldiers
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that was being transported
through Pennsylvania.
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SHATNER:
According to the legend,
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in early 1863,
a shipment of 26 gold bars,
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property of the U.S. government,
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was loaded onto
a Union Army caravan
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in Wheeling, West Virginia.
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The caravan was under orders
to take the gold
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to the United States Mint,
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
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where it would be used
to pay for the war effort.
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Gold shipments were
incredibly important
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for the Union
and its success under Lincoln.
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He was reliant on that gold
to pay soldiers,
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and to pay off some debts
to foreign lenders.
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And so these operations of
transferring gold were secret,
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and they were
protected by troops
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to watch it and guard it.
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That was the only way
it could be shipped.
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SHATNER:
11 union soldiers
and three wagons
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began the 350-mile journey
to Philadelphia,
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but just 60 miles
into their trek,
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an unexpected turn of events
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forced the caravan
to change their plans.
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JAMES BURKE:
The wagons were dead headed
for Philadelphia,
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but then Southern soldiers
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were getting close
to Pennsylvania,
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and they were afraid
it would get robbed,
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so that's when they detoured.
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So, they went up
the Allegheny River,
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and when they
got to Dents Run,
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the story says
one of the wagons broke down,
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up on the mountainside.
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SHATNER:
Unable to continue as planned,
three of the Union soldiers
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escorting the caravan
reportedly left to get help.
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But when they
returned days later,
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they found empty wagons.
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The other soldiers--
and the gold--
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had vanished without a trace.
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Now, according to
the gold story,
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the Union soldiers
robbed the gold.
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They took part of the gold
that they could carry,
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and they buried the rest
someplace around Dents Run.
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That's what brings
the enthusiasm to the story.
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SHATNER:
Could there be
stolen Civil War gold
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buried somewhere
in the Allegheny Mountains?
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It's certainly
an intriguing thought.
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But there's just one problem.
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No official government records
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of the lost gold
have ever been found.
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WARREN GETLER:
People would assume
that it would be
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in the record
of the U.S. government,
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in the national archives,
but it's not.
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And the reason it's not
is because it would have been
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a huge embarrassment
to the Union, to Lincoln.
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And it might have caused
an economic panic
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to have this amount
of gold go missing.
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SHATNER:
It wasn't until 1974
that an article
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in Treasure magazine
brought the mystery
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of the Dents Run treasure
into the public spotlight.
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The story reported that
in 1865, government detectives
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recovered two and a half
bars of gold
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buried under a pine stump
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near where the empty wagons
were found.
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In the years since
the article was published,
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a steady stream
of treasure hunters
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have done
their own prospecting
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in the hopes of finding
gold at Dents Run.
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BURKE:
We're talking
about 26 bars of gold.
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We've had several
people come to us,
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one claiming that they
found one bar of gold,
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another claiming that they found
a bar and a half of gold,
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and you don't know
if any of them's true.
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They're out there
looking for it,
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but I don't think
they found it.
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SHATNER:
Are there more gold bars
still buried
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in the hills
of northwestern Pennsylvania?
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Gold that has been hidden
for over 150 years,
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as treasure hunters believe?
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Well, while exploring
a dry riverbed in 2005,
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deep in the backwoods
of Dents Run,
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treasure hunters Dennis Parada
and his son Kem
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discovered some
intriguing artifacts,
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and a possible hideout,
that may hold the answer.
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Right at this location here,
we discovered a bonfire pit.
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And when we dug down
about six inches,
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we found a lot of bottles,
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broken glass, an animal trap
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and bullets all over
the place up there.
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All the bullets, the glassware,
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everything here was dated
around the Civil War period.
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And then I looked
off to the left,
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and there was a hole
in the mountain.
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As soon as I came down here
and I saw the cave,
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I was just drawn right in.
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I had to go in immediately
to see what was in there.
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SHATNER: After descending
into the cave
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to search for more
Civil War artifacts,
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Dennis and his son found signs
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that they weren't
the first people
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to enter the secluded hollow.
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My son's looking, and he says,
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"Dad, there's a hole
carved into the ceiling
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for a torch up towards
the back of the cave."
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He put a flashlight in there,
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and 32 feet back
from the entrance,
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there is a vertical shaft.
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SHATNER:
Dennis and his son were
unable to fully explore
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the narrow cave.
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But they spent years
drilling exploratory holes
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into the ground above it
to search for traces of gold.
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And then, in 2014,
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their efforts finally paid off.
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We drill down eight feet,
hook up the equipment.
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Gold. Off the scale.
Our machine's going, "Gold."
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KEM PARADA: It's saying,
"Large gold item, ten inches."
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So I says,
"100% the treasure was here."
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The Civil War treasure.
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And I'm, like, screaming,
"We found it, we found it."
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GETLER:
Dennis Parada had been
working with the state,
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getting permission
from government
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to doing it the right way,
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being correctly permitted,
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but they would not
allow him to dig it up.
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And so I called Denny
and I suggested to him
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that we work together.
I can help him with it.
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I said, "The only way
you're likely to see it
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come out of the ground
is to bring the FBI,
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the Feds, in to retrieve it."
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SHATNER:
What happened next
is subject to some debate,
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but according to Dennis Parada,
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the FBI took control
of the dig site
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in late January of 2018.
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They conducted a series
of scans of the area
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using a device
known as a gravimeter.
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A gravimeter measures density,
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and the density of gold is 19.5,
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and the density of sandstone,
which it was hidden in,
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in a cave underground, is 2.5.
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The differential
would show up hugely
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in a heat map of that site.
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They did those measurements
over a full day,
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and they came back
with the results,
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that showed
a very high reading of gold.
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That's when things get crazy.
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The FBI kicked us off,
and they said, "Go home."
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And then they returned
at 8:00 pm that night,
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and dug till the next morning.
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DENNIS PARADA:
When the FBI dug,
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I come up here, and I could
see what was going on.
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There was 20-some
to 30-some agents
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up here at all times,
standing around.
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The backhoe was
digging constantly.
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When the FBI left,
I came back up to the site
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the next day to retrieve
my hidden cameras,
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and then I ran some tests
on the site area.
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And the readings we had
before of metal underneath,
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gold and silver, were all gone.
Everything was gone.
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SHATNER:
Is it possible that
the FBI took possession
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of the Dents Run Treasure?
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For now, that question
remains unanswered.
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In part because the FBI
refuses to comment
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on what they recovered
from the underground cave
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in Dents Run in January of 2018.
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We want the truth to come out.
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This is a big moment
in U.S. history.
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If the FBI did take
the amount of gold
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that we think was there,
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based on our instruments
and our readings,
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this would be, by far,
the biggest treasure
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ever recovered on American soil.
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Until more information
is disclosed,
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the Civil War gold,
rumored to have been
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hidden in the hills
of Dents Run,
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shall remain an incredible
American treasure mystery.
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Just like another legend
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involving a notorious pirate
and his plundered gold
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that may lie off the coast
of North Carolina.
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SHATNER: Every year,
thousands of people gather
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at the Ocracoke Pirate Jamboree
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to experience a taste
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of swashbuckling life
on the high seas.
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The fair commemorates the defeat
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of the most famous and feared
pirate in colonial history,
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known by the name of...
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Blackbeard.
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BRADLEY WILLIAMSON:
Edward Teach,
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also known as Blackbeard,
is a legendary pirate.
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Now, not much is known
about him in his early years.
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But it's believed
that he grew up in Bristol,
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which is a town in England,
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and from there,
he moved on to Jamaica,
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where he worked as a privateer
in the War of Spanish Secession,
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and that was where his career
as a pirate really began.
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SHATNER:
During the War
of Spanish Succession,
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from 1701 to 1713,
the English government
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gave captains
of private merchant ships
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permission to attack
and plunder vessels
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that were owned
by Spain and France.
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Blackbeard was
one of those captains,
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who were referred to
as "privateers."
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After 1713, when the war ended,
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if you continued
to be a privateer,
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you were no longer a privateer,
you were a pirate.
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Blackbeard, and a lot
of them, became pirates
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because there was no other way
of making a living.
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SIMON:
In 1717, Blackbeard
got his own ship,
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and became one of the most
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infamous pirate captains
who ever lived.
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He made himself look
as terrifying as possible.
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He had a very long black beard,
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he had very long black hair,
and during battle,
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he would put fuses,
or even candles,
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into his beard and hair
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so smoke would,
kind of, rise up,
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and it looked like
he was coming out of hell.
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Imagine this huge,
towering figure
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with this big,
burly black beard,
249
00:12:26,085 --> 00:12:28,210
and slow-burning fuses
coming out
250
00:12:28,293 --> 00:12:30,876
from underneath his hat,
just sparkling.
251
00:12:31,043 --> 00:12:33,710
That really created
his reputation
252
00:12:33,793 --> 00:12:37,168
as the legendary
pirate Blackbeard.
253
00:12:38,376 --> 00:12:42,043
SIMON:
Blackbeard and his fellow
pirates were plundering
254
00:12:42,210 --> 00:12:44,793
and stealing loot
from ships all the time.
255
00:12:44,918 --> 00:12:48,501
In fact, so many,
we don't even know
256
00:12:48,626 --> 00:12:50,668
the exact number of ships
257
00:12:50,793 --> 00:12:53,043
that Blackbeard
was able to loot.
258
00:12:53,210 --> 00:12:54,793
But they're able
to take a lot of loot.
259
00:12:56,210 --> 00:12:58,960
SHATNER:
In 1718, after spending years
260
00:12:59,085 --> 00:13:03,043
capturing and plundering ships
on the high seas,
261
00:13:03,168 --> 00:13:05,043
Blackbeard's notorious career
262
00:13:05,126 --> 00:13:08,001
came to an abrupt end
when he was attacked
263
00:13:08,085 --> 00:13:10,793
off the southern tip
of Ocracoke Island.
264
00:13:12,251 --> 00:13:15,876
The governor of Virginia
told his coast guard
265
00:13:16,001 --> 00:13:19,168
to capture Blackbeard
at all costs.
266
00:13:19,251 --> 00:13:22,918
And so the job went to
Lieutenant Robert Maynard.
267
00:13:23,043 --> 00:13:25,585
And on November 22nd of 1718,
268
00:13:25,751 --> 00:13:27,210
Maynard came upon
Blackbeard's ship
269
00:13:27,335 --> 00:13:29,335
and immediately
engaged him into battle.
270
00:13:29,418 --> 00:13:34,043
And Blackbeard engaged
in a fight with one of the men,
271
00:13:34,168 --> 00:13:37,376
who ended up stabbing
Blackbeard in the thigh.
272
00:13:37,460 --> 00:13:40,043
And, supposedly, Blackbeard
shouted, "Well done, lad!"
273
00:13:40,168 --> 00:13:43,585
And then Lieutenant
Robert Maynard ends up
274
00:13:43,751 --> 00:13:45,835
beheading Blackbeard
on the ship.
275
00:13:47,460 --> 00:13:51,085
And Blackbeard's head was placed
on the bowsprit of a ship,
276
00:13:51,251 --> 00:13:53,710
and sailed up and down
the Eastern Seaboard
277
00:13:53,835 --> 00:13:55,168
so everyone would know
278
00:13:55,293 --> 00:13:56,918
that Blackbeard
had been killed in battle.
279
00:13:58,418 --> 00:14:00,543
SHATNER:
In the centuries since
Blackbeard's death,
280
00:14:00,626 --> 00:14:02,293
the mystery
of his lost fortune
281
00:14:02,418 --> 00:14:06,918
has captivated generations
of treasure hunters.
282
00:14:07,085 --> 00:14:11,210
If someone went out to
find Blackbeard's treasure,
283
00:14:11,335 --> 00:14:14,376
they would find
approximately $12.5 million
284
00:14:14,543 --> 00:14:16,210
in today's currency.
285
00:14:16,376 --> 00:14:19,210
And so, all kinds of rumors
and legends about his treasure
286
00:14:19,293 --> 00:14:23,126
are definitely still out there,
and people are looking for it.
287
00:14:23,251 --> 00:14:26,501
And, reportedly,
what Blackbeard said was,
288
00:14:26,626 --> 00:14:29,918
"Only the devil and I know
the whereabouts of my treasure,
289
00:14:30,085 --> 00:14:33,543
and the one of us who lives
the longest should take it all."
290
00:14:35,001 --> 00:14:38,043
SHATNER:
With little information
to go on as to where on earth
291
00:14:38,168 --> 00:14:40,168
Blackbeard's treasure
may be hidden,
292
00:14:40,251 --> 00:14:44,085
fortune seekers began searching
the waters of Onslow Bay
293
00:14:44,251 --> 00:14:48,501
for the legendary pirate ship,
the Queen Anne's Revenge.
294
00:14:49,626 --> 00:14:52,335
Just four months
before his death,
295
00:14:52,460 --> 00:14:54,293
Blackbeard ran
his frigate aground
296
00:14:54,418 --> 00:14:57,543
near the outer banks
of North Carolina.
297
00:14:57,668 --> 00:15:01,376
Some speculate that the pirate
wrecked his ship on purpose
298
00:15:01,543 --> 00:15:03,335
as a way to cheat his crew
from receiving
299
00:15:03,460 --> 00:15:06,418
their share
of the latest plunder.
300
00:15:08,001 --> 00:15:12,335
The sunken vessel
eluded discovery until 1996,
301
00:15:12,460 --> 00:15:14,960
when Mike Daniel
and a team of divers
302
00:15:15,085 --> 00:15:17,043
used their
treasure hunting skills
303
00:15:17,126 --> 00:15:20,043
to pinpoint exactly
304
00:15:20,168 --> 00:15:23,376
where "X" marked the spot.
305
00:15:25,418 --> 00:15:28,251
MIKE DANIEL:
Over the years, I have
found a lot of treasure.
306
00:15:28,376 --> 00:15:29,710
A lot of gold,
307
00:15:29,835 --> 00:15:31,710
a lot of emeralds,
a lot of silver.
308
00:15:31,835 --> 00:15:34,418
For instance,
I found a shipwreck
309
00:15:34,543 --> 00:15:38,543
called the Maravillas,
1656 Spanish galleon,
310
00:15:38,626 --> 00:15:41,501
one of the richest ever to sink.
311
00:15:41,585 --> 00:15:43,126
The whole process of
finding a shipwreck
312
00:15:43,251 --> 00:15:45,626
is first,
you get the documentation
313
00:15:45,751 --> 00:15:46,876
that gives you
a pretty good idea
314
00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:48,835
of where
you should be looking.
315
00:15:48,918 --> 00:15:53,376
And so, in order to go search
for the Queen Anne's Revenge,
316
00:15:53,501 --> 00:15:55,376
you know, we started
looking through
317
00:15:55,501 --> 00:15:58,501
the various
historical documents,
318
00:15:58,585 --> 00:16:01,251
and it was said that
the Queen Anne's Revenge
319
00:16:01,418 --> 00:16:05,043
supposedly ran aground
trying to enter
320
00:16:05,126 --> 00:16:08,043
Topsail Inlet,
up in North Carolina.
321
00:16:08,168 --> 00:16:09,251
Even though
it's Beaufort Inlet today,
322
00:16:09,418 --> 00:16:11,418
it was Topsail Inlet
at the time.
323
00:16:11,543 --> 00:16:13,293
And once you've got
that pinned down,
324
00:16:13,418 --> 00:16:16,168
now what you do is
you set up a grid system,
325
00:16:16,251 --> 00:16:21,043
and then travel down that line
towing a magnetometer,
326
00:16:21,126 --> 00:16:23,001
a electronic piece
of equipment
327
00:16:23,126 --> 00:16:26,043
that measures
very minute magnetism.
328
00:16:26,210 --> 00:16:29,376
If there is an anomaly
in the water,
329
00:16:29,543 --> 00:16:31,835
it would tell you
something's there.
330
00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:33,626
And we had a pretty major hit.
331
00:16:33,751 --> 00:16:35,835
I go down, take a look,
332
00:16:35,918 --> 00:16:38,168
and I spot the three
cannons right away.
333
00:16:38,251 --> 00:16:40,626
They're sitting off to
the side of this big mound...
334
00:16:43,626 --> 00:16:47,085
And that's when we actually
said, "Yeah, we've got it."
335
00:16:48,251 --> 00:16:50,626
SIMON:
Today, over 400,000 items
336
00:16:50,751 --> 00:16:54,210
have actually been excavated
off of the Queen Anne's Revenge.
337
00:16:54,376 --> 00:16:57,835
And these include things like
24 huge cannons came out of it.
338
00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:00,918
They've also found other goods
such as personal effects,
339
00:17:01,085 --> 00:17:03,710
and they've found
weapons as well.
340
00:17:03,835 --> 00:17:06,793
SHATNER:
But despite the vast
number of artifacts
341
00:17:06,918 --> 00:17:10,376
archaeologists have salvaged
from the Queen Anne's Revenge,
342
00:17:10,460 --> 00:17:13,085
they found no sign
of Blackbeard's treasure.
343
00:17:13,210 --> 00:17:16,876
Which begs the question:
Where could it be?
344
00:17:17,043 --> 00:17:19,876
It's a mystery
that still fascinates
345
00:17:20,001 --> 00:17:22,168
treasure hunters to this day.
346
00:17:22,251 --> 00:17:24,626
SIMON:
The big question is
what happened to the gold
347
00:17:24,751 --> 00:17:26,626
on the Queen Anne's Revenge?
348
00:17:26,751 --> 00:17:29,043
It's possible that
some of it has just been,
349
00:17:29,168 --> 00:17:31,793
kind of, dispersed into the sea.
350
00:17:31,918 --> 00:17:34,043
It could be, perhaps,
that Blackbeard
351
00:17:34,168 --> 00:17:36,210
offloaded much of it before
352
00:17:36,376 --> 00:17:38,626
actually abandoning
the Queen Anne's Revenge.
353
00:17:38,751 --> 00:17:41,293
It's one of the big
mysteries about Blackbeard
354
00:17:41,418 --> 00:17:43,710
that we just don't really know.
355
00:17:43,876 --> 00:17:47,335
It's extraordinary to think
that the treasure of Blackbeard,
356
00:17:47,460 --> 00:17:50,043
the most notorious
pirate in history,
357
00:17:50,126 --> 00:17:51,793
could one day be recovered.
358
00:17:51,918 --> 00:17:54,376
But there's another gold fortune
359
00:17:54,543 --> 00:17:56,335
that may have been hidden
in the mountains of California
360
00:17:56,460 --> 00:17:58,126
that is no less compelling.
361
00:17:58,251 --> 00:18:01,293
It belonged to
a Mexican American vigilante
362
00:18:01,418 --> 00:18:06,168
who was known as the
"Robin Hood of the Old West."
363
00:18:14,210 --> 00:18:17,918
Here, 13 miles outside
the small town of Coalinga,
364
00:18:18,043 --> 00:18:21,876
stand three jagged
sandstone outcroppings
365
00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:24,376
known as the Joaquin Rocks.
366
00:18:24,543 --> 00:18:27,210
They are named after
an infamous outlaw
367
00:18:27,293 --> 00:18:30,085
named Joaquin Murrieta,
368
00:18:30,210 --> 00:18:32,210
who, according to legend,
369
00:18:32,293 --> 00:18:34,085
hid a treasure
beneath these peaks
370
00:18:34,210 --> 00:18:38,418
worth millions
of dollars in gold.
371
00:18:38,585 --> 00:18:42,876
Joaquin Murrieta was
my fifth great-grandfather.
372
00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:46,043
He was an outlaw, a vigilante,
373
00:18:46,126 --> 00:18:49,460
a robber, in the 1840s.
374
00:18:49,585 --> 00:18:53,210
And that is where the legends
of, not only his adventures,
375
00:18:53,376 --> 00:18:55,001
but the gold of Joaquin,
376
00:18:55,085 --> 00:18:57,418
and where he put his treasure,
come about.
377
00:19:14,001 --> 00:19:18,085
SHATNER:
Did Joaquin Murrieta hide
a stockpile of stolen gold
378
00:19:18,210 --> 00:19:19,918
in the Diablo Mountains?
379
00:19:20,085 --> 00:19:23,626
Perhaps, but according
to historians,
380
00:19:23,751 --> 00:19:27,585
Murrieta did not start out
as a dangerous criminal.
381
00:19:27,710 --> 00:19:32,085
In fact, he reportedly
immigrated with his family
382
00:19:32,210 --> 00:19:35,626
from Mexico to California
in the late 1840s
383
00:19:35,751 --> 00:19:37,960
to mine for gold.
384
00:19:38,085 --> 00:19:42,001
VALADEZ:
In 1848, gold was discovered
up in the foothills
385
00:19:42,126 --> 00:19:44,043
of the mountains
here in California.
386
00:19:44,168 --> 00:19:46,376
And Joaquin Murrieta,
so we are told,
387
00:19:46,501 --> 00:19:49,835
he established a mining claim
388
00:19:49,918 --> 00:19:54,210
to make his fortune
with his wife, his brothers,
389
00:19:54,335 --> 00:19:58,335
and perhaps other family members
from Sonora, Mexico,
390
00:19:58,418 --> 00:20:01,501
and started making money
in the early years
391
00:20:01,585 --> 00:20:03,835
of the California Gold Rush.
392
00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:07,376
SHATNER:
By all accounts,
Murrieta and his family
393
00:20:07,501 --> 00:20:10,251
soon amassed
a substantial fortune.
394
00:20:10,418 --> 00:20:13,376
But then a gang
of American prospectors
395
00:20:13,501 --> 00:20:17,876
attacked him
and stole his land.
396
00:20:18,001 --> 00:20:21,210
VALADEZ:
According to the story,
his brother was lynched,
397
00:20:22,376 --> 00:20:26,210
His wife was brutally raped,
and then murdered.
398
00:20:27,418 --> 00:20:30,501
And Joaquin himself
was left for dead.
399
00:20:51,460 --> 00:20:54,376
VALADEZ:
Having just barely survived
400
00:20:54,501 --> 00:20:57,376
this harrowing circumstance
where he lost everything,
401
00:20:57,543 --> 00:21:00,335
Joaquin began to organize
402
00:21:00,418 --> 00:21:04,251
other bands
of dispossessed Mexicans,
403
00:21:04,418 --> 00:21:06,710
and then they began
404
00:21:06,835 --> 00:21:09,918
a series of attacks
for revenge...
405
00:21:11,835 --> 00:21:14,501
...from Los Angeles
to San Francisco,
406
00:21:14,585 --> 00:21:17,668
to Sacramento,
to the gold fields.
407
00:21:18,626 --> 00:21:20,168
SHATNER:
Over the next three years,
408
00:21:20,251 --> 00:21:22,710
Joaquin Murrieta and
his band of vigilantes
409
00:21:22,793 --> 00:21:25,626
delivered their brand of justice
throughout Gold Country.
410
00:21:25,751 --> 00:21:29,668
In doing so, they acquired
huge amounts of treasure.
411
00:21:31,793 --> 00:21:34,543
PETER MURRIETA:
Joaquin had a lot of gold
that he had amassed over time.
412
00:21:34,668 --> 00:21:38,376
And during the process of that,
he started to build a network
413
00:21:38,501 --> 00:21:40,543
of people that
were giving him harbor.
414
00:21:40,710 --> 00:21:44,668
And that's where the legend
starts of Robin Hood,
415
00:21:44,793 --> 00:21:48,543
of somebody who would
take money from white people,
416
00:21:48,668 --> 00:21:52,960
and then give it to a family
that gave him safe harbor.
417
00:21:55,043 --> 00:21:59,501
SHATNER:
Word of Murrieta's exploits soon
spread throughout California.
418
00:21:59,585 --> 00:22:03,710
Eventually, the governor
offered a $1000 cash reward,
419
00:22:03,835 --> 00:22:07,001
and called upon the newly formed
California Rangers
420
00:22:07,085 --> 00:22:09,751
to hunt Murrieta down.
421
00:22:09,876 --> 00:22:12,960
Joaquin knows that
these rangers are closing in.
422
00:22:14,751 --> 00:22:17,001
He's starting to figure out
he's got to do something.
423
00:22:17,085 --> 00:22:20,376
He's got this treasure
that he carries with him.
424
00:22:20,501 --> 00:22:21,751
What's he gonna do?
425
00:22:21,918 --> 00:22:25,293
The most prominent idea
would be that
426
00:22:25,418 --> 00:22:27,501
he buried
his treasure somewhere.
427
00:22:29,293 --> 00:22:30,668
SHATNER:
According to the story,
428
00:22:30,793 --> 00:22:32,543
the California Rangers
eventually caught up
429
00:22:32,668 --> 00:22:35,876
with Joaquin Murrieta
and his gang
430
00:22:36,001 --> 00:22:37,501
in the Diablo Mountains.
431
00:22:39,418 --> 00:22:41,043
(gun hammer clicks)
432
00:22:44,001 --> 00:22:46,376
The Rangers reportedly
returned to Sacramento
433
00:22:46,501 --> 00:22:49,876
a few days later with
a severed head in a jar
434
00:22:50,001 --> 00:22:53,376
as proof that Murrieta
had finally met his end.
435
00:22:53,460 --> 00:22:56,376
But that wouldn't be the end
436
00:22:56,460 --> 00:22:59,710
of Joaquin Murrieta's legacy.
437
00:22:59,793 --> 00:23:02,543
The way that we know
about Joaquin
438
00:23:02,710 --> 00:23:05,168
is that there was a young writer
439
00:23:05,293 --> 00:23:09,210
living up in the gold fields,
a guy named John Rollin Ridge.
440
00:23:09,335 --> 00:23:12,418
And he published a book called
441
00:23:12,543 --> 00:23:15,710
The Life and Adventures
of Joaquin Murieta.
442
00:23:15,835 --> 00:23:18,918
And when that book came out,
443
00:23:19,085 --> 00:23:21,126
it was the equivalent
of a New York Times bestseller.
444
00:23:21,251 --> 00:23:23,418
It was a blockbuster.
445
00:23:24,626 --> 00:23:26,501
MURRIETA:
Joaquin Murrieta's story
is the story
446
00:23:26,626 --> 00:23:29,585
that Johnston McCulley
used to create Zorro,
447
00:23:29,710 --> 00:23:33,168
and, of course, Bob Kane
used the story of Zorro
448
00:23:33,251 --> 00:23:34,710
to create Batman.
449
00:23:34,793 --> 00:23:38,501
And so, if you ask
a lot of scholars
450
00:23:38,585 --> 00:23:41,751
who's the first
Latinx superhero,
451
00:23:41,876 --> 00:23:44,793
they say, "Oh, that's
Joaquin Murrieta, no doubt."
452
00:23:46,085 --> 00:23:48,668
SHATNER:
Today, Joaquin Murrieta
is celebrated by many
453
00:23:48,751 --> 00:23:51,668
as a folk hero,
but the question remains:
454
00:23:51,751 --> 00:23:54,668
What happened to
all the gold he was rumored
455
00:23:54,793 --> 00:23:57,460
to have stashed
in the Diablo Mountains?
456
00:23:57,585 --> 00:24:01,293
Well, some historians
believe Joaquin Murrieta
457
00:24:01,418 --> 00:24:04,085
never buried his fortune
in the first place.
458
00:24:04,210 --> 00:24:08,376
They claim he wasn't killed
by the California Rangers,
459
00:24:08,501 --> 00:24:11,835
but rather escaped to Mexico.
460
00:24:11,918 --> 00:24:13,585
MURRIETA:
A powerful part of
the legend in our family
461
00:24:13,710 --> 00:24:17,501
is that the same people
that he gave help to,
462
00:24:17,626 --> 00:24:20,543
and gold to, and that hid him,
463
00:24:20,668 --> 00:24:24,210
also gave this great
last act of care
464
00:24:24,293 --> 00:24:27,543
by going to a courthouse
where there's a head in a jar,
465
00:24:27,626 --> 00:24:30,543
and saying, "Yeah, that's
totally him, I swear to it."
466
00:24:30,626 --> 00:24:33,085
And that was how he was able
to get away and live,
467
00:24:33,251 --> 00:24:34,918
because that wasn't his head.
468
00:24:35,085 --> 00:24:37,626
The biggest mystery to me
469
00:24:37,751 --> 00:24:40,376
is where did that gold go?
470
00:24:40,501 --> 00:24:42,876
We certainly don't know where,
471
00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:45,168
but it's got to be somewhere.
472
00:24:46,251 --> 00:24:50,001
Did Joaquin Murrieta
stash his gold treasure
473
00:24:50,085 --> 00:24:51,668
in the Diablo Mountains?
474
00:24:51,793 --> 00:24:53,876
Or is it possible that,
as some believe,
475
00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:56,418
he escaped with it to Mexico?
476
00:24:56,585 --> 00:24:59,793
Either way, the fate
of this storied bandit
477
00:24:59,918 --> 00:25:03,835
and his treasure
is a fascinating mystery.
478
00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:06,293
As is the case
with a notorious gangster
479
00:25:06,418 --> 00:25:09,376
and a vault
that he reportedly buried
480
00:25:09,501 --> 00:25:11,210
in the Catskill Mountains,
481
00:25:11,293 --> 00:25:14,918
filled with
millions of dollars.
482
00:25:18,710 --> 00:25:21,585
SHATNER:
Phoenicia, Upstate New York.
483
00:25:21,710 --> 00:25:25,335
This quaint town
at the base of the Catskills
484
00:25:25,460 --> 00:25:29,043
is primarily known for being
a popular vacation destination.
485
00:25:30,126 --> 00:25:32,543
But it is also known
as the hiding place
486
00:25:32,710 --> 00:25:35,793
of an incredible lost fortune.
487
00:25:35,918 --> 00:25:39,251
Because, according to legend,
somewhere in this area,
488
00:25:39,418 --> 00:25:42,876
a safe was buried that contains
489
00:25:43,043 --> 00:25:46,876
tens of millions of dollars
in cash, bonds and jewelry
490
00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:49,543
that belonged
to a gangster named
491
00:25:49,626 --> 00:25:52,460
Dutch Schultz.
492
00:25:52,585 --> 00:25:54,876
Dutch Schultz was
one of the most iconic
493
00:25:55,001 --> 00:25:58,626
early 20th-century
mobsters in America.
494
00:25:58,751 --> 00:26:03,168
He was someone that had
a name and a reputation
495
00:26:03,251 --> 00:26:06,876
that spread across the country
as a real tough guy,
496
00:26:07,001 --> 00:26:11,085
and he became a millionaire
during prohibition
497
00:26:11,210 --> 00:26:14,960
on bootlegging
and various other rackets.
498
00:26:16,751 --> 00:26:18,210
ALTERMAN:
Dutch Schultz became
what was known as
499
00:26:18,335 --> 00:26:20,168
the "Beer Baron of the Bronx,"
500
00:26:20,251 --> 00:26:24,043
because during prohibition,
it was hard to get beer,
501
00:26:24,210 --> 00:26:26,043
and if you wanted beer,
502
00:26:26,168 --> 00:26:28,126
you had to get it
from Dutch Schultz
503
00:26:28,251 --> 00:26:31,710
because he controlled
everything above 57th Street
504
00:26:31,835 --> 00:26:34,001
and in the Bronx.
505
00:26:35,001 --> 00:26:36,835
SHATNER:
In the early 1930s,
506
00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:39,793
the FBI started building
a case against Dutch Schultz,
507
00:26:39,918 --> 00:26:43,710
in an effort to crack down
on organized crime.
508
00:26:43,876 --> 00:26:49,376
The investigation was led
by U.S. Attorney Thomas Dewey.
509
00:26:49,501 --> 00:26:52,543
Thomas Dewey was
a very smart prosecutor.
510
00:26:52,710 --> 00:26:57,543
He went methodically after
all of the criminals.
511
00:26:57,668 --> 00:27:00,293
So, Dutch became so paranoid
512
00:27:00,418 --> 00:27:02,335
that he wanted to
bury his wealth
513
00:27:02,460 --> 00:27:04,293
before they could take it.
514
00:27:04,418 --> 00:27:07,876
BURNSTEIN:
Supposedly, while he was
under indictment,
515
00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:11,543
Dutch Schultz had
a customized safe
516
00:27:11,668 --> 00:27:14,668
constructed for him
that was airproof,
517
00:27:14,751 --> 00:27:18,001
soundproof, weatherproof.
518
00:27:18,085 --> 00:27:20,876
Him and his bodyguard
put what was thought to be
519
00:27:21,043 --> 00:27:24,543
anywhere between $5
and $10 million in that safe,
520
00:27:24,626 --> 00:27:27,793
as well as jewelry and bonds,
521
00:27:27,918 --> 00:27:31,751
and they allegedly
took that safe
522
00:27:31,876 --> 00:27:35,418
up to the Catskills
and buried it somewhere.
523
00:27:37,085 --> 00:27:39,668
NATE HENDLEY:
The Dutch Schultz treasure
is an intriguing notion
524
00:27:39,751 --> 00:27:42,043
because one of the items
525
00:27:42,210 --> 00:27:44,960
allegedly put into
the treasure box
526
00:27:45,085 --> 00:27:47,918
were Liberty Bonds,
and these are simply
527
00:27:48,085 --> 00:27:50,251
bonds that could be
redeemed at a future date
528
00:27:50,418 --> 00:27:52,876
for more than the value
you paid for them.
529
00:27:52,960 --> 00:27:57,043
But no Liberty Bond
associated with Dutch Schultz
530
00:27:57,126 --> 00:28:01,668
or any of his accomplices
has ever been redeemed.
531
00:28:01,793 --> 00:28:03,043
This is used as one of the clues
532
00:28:03,210 --> 00:28:05,501
that this treasure
is still at large.
533
00:28:05,585 --> 00:28:07,751
SHATNER:
If it's true
534
00:28:07,876 --> 00:28:09,876
that the Lost Treasure
of Dutch Schultz
535
00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:13,460
does, in fact, exist,
then where could it be hidden?
536
00:28:13,585 --> 00:28:15,710
Well, according
to many researchers,
537
00:28:15,793 --> 00:28:18,168
the most likely place
is somewhere along
538
00:28:18,293 --> 00:28:22,710
an old brook named
Stony Clove Creek.
539
00:28:23,751 --> 00:28:25,626
ALTERMAN:
Even though Dutch
was a city kid,
540
00:28:25,751 --> 00:28:28,585
he knew the Catskills well
because that's where
541
00:28:28,751 --> 00:28:30,918
he had his stills
making the whiskey.
542
00:28:32,210 --> 00:28:34,626
He'd stay
at the Phoenicia Hotel,
543
00:28:34,751 --> 00:28:37,876
and then drive up
and look at all of his stills.
544
00:28:38,001 --> 00:28:42,626
Back in 1935, there was a train
545
00:28:42,751 --> 00:28:46,710
that went from New York City
up to the Catskills.
546
00:28:46,793 --> 00:28:49,210
It went through this area
547
00:28:49,335 --> 00:28:52,501
near Stony Clove Creek
and Phoenicia.
548
00:28:52,626 --> 00:28:55,210
One station
was called Lanesville,
549
00:28:55,293 --> 00:28:59,376
which was really nothing
more than a little shack.
550
00:28:59,460 --> 00:29:02,001
At that time, Dutch was afraid
551
00:29:02,126 --> 00:29:06,585
of being nabbed in a checkpoint
with the treasure.
552
00:29:06,710 --> 00:29:10,043
So, treasure hunters
have theorized that
553
00:29:10,126 --> 00:29:12,710
he got off the train
at Lanesville,
554
00:29:12,835 --> 00:29:15,376
buried the treasure
somewhere along the banks
555
00:29:15,460 --> 00:29:18,751
of the Stony Clove Creek
because it's extremely remote.
556
00:29:20,251 --> 00:29:23,085
SHATNER:
Is it possible that the Lost
Treasure of Dutch Schultz
557
00:29:23,210 --> 00:29:28,001
is buried somewhere along
the banks of Stony Clove Creek?
558
00:29:29,085 --> 00:29:31,835
We may never know for sure,
because in 1935,
559
00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:36,751
a rival gangster named
Charlie "Lucky" Luciano
560
00:29:36,918 --> 00:29:40,460
ordered a hit on Dutch Schultz.
561
00:29:41,626 --> 00:29:44,668
ALTERMAN:
Dutch Schultz had
set up his operation
562
00:29:44,793 --> 00:29:47,251
at the Palace Chop House,
563
00:29:47,418 --> 00:29:49,918
a small restaurant,
bar establishment
564
00:29:50,085 --> 00:29:52,668
in Newark, New Jersey.
565
00:29:52,751 --> 00:29:56,085
And two assassins,
Charles "The Bug" Workman
566
00:29:56,210 --> 00:29:59,835
and Mendy Weiss,
walk into the bar.
567
00:30:01,626 --> 00:30:04,085
Charles shoots Dutch twice.
568
00:30:06,126 --> 00:30:10,043
And there's that famous
picture of Dutch Schultz
569
00:30:10,210 --> 00:30:13,460
with his head on the table
after he's been shot twice.
570
00:30:14,418 --> 00:30:16,543
He's grievously injured,
but not dead.
571
00:30:17,793 --> 00:30:20,501
SHATNER:
Dutch Schultz was immediately
rushed to the Newark Hospital,
572
00:30:20,585 --> 00:30:24,043
and some researchers believe
that, on his deathbed,
573
00:30:24,126 --> 00:30:27,585
Dutch left a final clue
as to where
574
00:30:27,710 --> 00:30:30,543
his treasure vault is buried.
575
00:30:30,668 --> 00:30:35,043
HENDLEY:
During his deathbed rant,
he's giving little tidbits
576
00:30:35,210 --> 00:30:38,543
of possible information
about his treasure.
577
00:30:38,710 --> 00:30:40,918
At one point he says,
578
00:30:41,085 --> 00:30:43,876
"Don't let Satan
draw you too fast."
579
00:30:43,960 --> 00:30:46,460
That could just be a ramble,
580
00:30:46,585 --> 00:30:48,751
but some
treasure hunters believe
581
00:30:48,918 --> 00:30:51,210
this line could be a reference
582
00:30:51,335 --> 00:30:54,876
to a geological formation
in the town of Phoenicia
583
00:30:55,001 --> 00:30:58,043
called the "Devil's Rock."
584
00:31:00,293 --> 00:31:02,626
ALTERMAN:
There have been scores
of treasure hunters
585
00:31:02,751 --> 00:31:03,918
trying to find this treasure
586
00:31:04,085 --> 00:31:06,876
up in the Catskills
around Phoenicia.
587
00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:09,626
It is worth so much
588
00:31:09,751 --> 00:31:11,376
that today you could
probably buy
589
00:31:11,501 --> 00:31:12,918
a fleet of jumbo jets
590
00:31:13,085 --> 00:31:15,126
with just what's in
that treasure box.
591
00:31:15,251 --> 00:31:18,585
And that's why
everyone's looking for it.
592
00:31:19,751 --> 00:31:21,210
Will the alleged clue
593
00:31:21,376 --> 00:31:24,001
that Dutch Schultz
left on his deathbed
594
00:31:24,085 --> 00:31:26,918
reveal the location
of his hidden vault someday?
595
00:31:27,085 --> 00:31:29,751
It's a fascinating possibility.
596
00:31:29,876 --> 00:31:33,376
But there's another
famed treasure vault
597
00:31:33,460 --> 00:31:35,710
that was buried
in the Nevada desert
598
00:31:35,793 --> 00:31:37,543
that is just as intriguing.
599
00:31:37,668 --> 00:31:41,293
It was built by the owner
of a Las Vegas casino,
600
00:31:41,418 --> 00:31:46,001
and is believed to contain
20 tons of silver.
601
00:31:54,960 --> 00:31:56,418
SHATNER:
Just beyond the Vegas Strip,
602
00:31:56,585 --> 00:31:59,543
in the affluent neighborhood
of Rancho Circle,
603
00:31:59,668 --> 00:32:04,376
detectives are called
to 2408 Palomino Lane.
604
00:32:04,460 --> 00:32:08,793
There they find the owner
of the popular Horseshoe Casino,
605
00:32:08,918 --> 00:32:10,835
54-year-old Ted Binion,
606
00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:14,251
lying dead
on the floor of his den.
607
00:32:15,585 --> 00:32:18,126
Ted Binion was made
to run a casino.
608
00:32:18,251 --> 00:32:20,126
He had a big personality,
609
00:32:20,251 --> 00:32:23,460
and lived a life
on the wild side.
610
00:32:23,585 --> 00:32:25,126
Definitely a big partier.
611
00:32:25,251 --> 00:32:29,043
And so, when police
first examined the scene,
612
00:32:29,168 --> 00:32:31,043
they thought that Ted Binion
613
00:32:31,168 --> 00:32:33,376
probably died
of a drug overdose.
614
00:32:33,501 --> 00:32:35,960
People thought
that Teddy's lifestyle
615
00:32:36,085 --> 00:32:38,001
had caught up with him.
616
00:32:39,251 --> 00:32:41,335
SHATNER:
Binion's Horseshoe
casino and hotel,
617
00:32:41,418 --> 00:32:45,210
located in the mesmerizing
neon section of Las Vegas
618
00:32:45,335 --> 00:32:49,251
called Glitter Gulch,
was founded in 1951
619
00:32:49,418 --> 00:32:53,835
by gambling legend and
career criminal Benny Binion.
620
00:32:53,918 --> 00:32:57,460
DOUG SWANSON:
Benny Binion opened up
the Horseshoe
621
00:32:57,585 --> 00:33:01,710
as the great gambling club
of Las Vegas.
622
00:33:01,793 --> 00:33:06,418
Benny was part of this wave
of mobsters, racketeers,
623
00:33:06,543 --> 00:33:08,501
coming into Las Vegas
at this period.
624
00:33:08,626 --> 00:33:12,876
Moe Dalitz,
Moe Sedway, Bugsy Siegel,
625
00:33:13,001 --> 00:33:17,168
they were coming to Las Vegas
where gambling was legal,
626
00:33:17,251 --> 00:33:19,001
and they could
set up their operations
627
00:33:19,126 --> 00:33:21,168
without having to
worry about being arrested.
628
00:33:21,251 --> 00:33:25,626
SHATNER:
In 1964, at only 21 years old,
629
00:33:25,751 --> 00:33:29,543
Ted Binion became casino manager
for the family business.
630
00:33:29,710 --> 00:33:33,001
And for 30 years, he lived
a life filled with parties,
631
00:33:33,085 --> 00:33:36,126
drugs and connections
to organized crime.
632
00:33:36,251 --> 00:33:40,543
But by 1996,
Ted's fast lifestyle
633
00:33:40,668 --> 00:33:43,918
and criminal activity
finally caught up to him,
634
00:33:44,085 --> 00:33:46,835
ending his career at the casino.
635
00:33:48,293 --> 00:33:50,501
SWANSON:
Ted Binion was
arrested in a drug bust,
636
00:33:50,585 --> 00:33:55,710
and the FBI believed
that he was laundering money
637
00:33:55,835 --> 00:33:57,168
out of the Horseshoe.
638
00:33:57,251 --> 00:34:00,210
So, he had this whole
array of problems,
639
00:34:00,376 --> 00:34:03,001
and which ultimately
culminated in him
640
00:34:03,085 --> 00:34:05,043
losing his gambling license.
641
00:34:05,168 --> 00:34:08,376
SHATNER:
After being forced out
of the casino,
642
00:34:08,501 --> 00:34:10,543
Binion was faced
with the challenge
643
00:34:10,668 --> 00:34:13,876
of where to stash a massive
collection of silver and cash,
644
00:34:14,001 --> 00:34:16,168
which he had
accumulated for himself,
645
00:34:16,251 --> 00:34:20,043
and had locked in a vault
at the Horseshoe.
646
00:34:20,126 --> 00:34:22,835
DAVID ROGER:
Ted Binion had, in the basement
647
00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:26,168
of the Binions'
hotel and casino,
648
00:34:26,251 --> 00:34:27,960
large bundles of cash,
649
00:34:28,085 --> 00:34:31,751
40,000 pounds of silver coins,
650
00:34:31,876 --> 00:34:35,043
silver bars, bullion,
651
00:34:35,168 --> 00:34:37,418
and when he lost his license,
652
00:34:37,585 --> 00:34:40,501
he obviously had to
move the silver out.
653
00:34:41,751 --> 00:34:44,335
SWANSON:
There were rumors
that Ted buried
654
00:34:44,418 --> 00:34:47,376
$7 million to $14 million worth
655
00:34:47,501 --> 00:34:52,376
of silver bars and coins
somewhere out in the desert.
656
00:34:52,501 --> 00:34:55,168
And so, what happened
to the silver?
657
00:34:55,251 --> 00:34:57,251
Are there still millions
of dollars' worth of silver
658
00:34:57,376 --> 00:34:59,543
floating around
out there somewhere?
659
00:35:00,835 --> 00:35:03,626
SHATNER:
Shortly after
Ted Binion's death in 1998,
660
00:35:03,751 --> 00:35:06,835
there was a surprising twist
that proved that the rumors
661
00:35:06,918 --> 00:35:11,835
concerning his buried silver
were, in fact, true.
662
00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:16,626
A deputy investigating Binion's
ranch in the Nevada desert,
663
00:35:16,751 --> 00:35:19,751
caught a team of workmen
loading a dump truck
664
00:35:19,876 --> 00:35:22,543
with more than $4 million worth
of silver bars.
665
00:35:22,668 --> 00:35:26,418
Their leader was
a man named Rick Tabish.
666
00:35:27,460 --> 00:35:31,043
Rick Tabish operated
a trucking operation
667
00:35:31,126 --> 00:35:33,376
that was very successful,
668
00:35:33,460 --> 00:35:35,376
and he knew
a lot about construction,
669
00:35:35,460 --> 00:35:39,085
and the story is that
Teddy had Rick help him
670
00:35:39,210 --> 00:35:43,210
construct an underground vault
on his property,
671
00:35:43,376 --> 00:35:46,710
about 80 miles outside
of Las Vegas,
672
00:35:46,835 --> 00:35:50,710
where Teddy put millions and
millions of dollars of silver.
673
00:35:50,835 --> 00:35:54,335
And so, Rick was subsequently
arrested in that case.
674
00:35:55,585 --> 00:35:58,085
ROGER:
Rick Tabish knew
what was inside the vault,
675
00:35:58,251 --> 00:36:00,376
and right after
Ted Binion's death,
676
00:36:00,460 --> 00:36:04,001
he got a group of guys,
a belly dump truck,
677
00:36:04,085 --> 00:36:06,043
and went and dug up the silver.
678
00:36:06,168 --> 00:36:08,793
SHATNER:
Rick Tabish was found guilty
679
00:36:08,918 --> 00:36:13,376
for stealing $6 million worth
of silver bars and coins.
680
00:36:13,460 --> 00:36:17,710
The stolen silver was
returned to the Binion family,
681
00:36:17,835 --> 00:36:19,876
but that's not
the end of the story.
682
00:36:20,001 --> 00:36:22,001
Because there are many who claim
683
00:36:22,085 --> 00:36:24,335
that the recovered
silver bullion
684
00:36:24,418 --> 00:36:26,751
was only a fraction
of the hidden fortune
685
00:36:26,876 --> 00:36:30,710
that Ted Binion had buried
out in the Nevada desert.
686
00:36:32,751 --> 00:36:35,793
ROGER:
We recovered all the silver
that Rick Tabish had,
687
00:36:35,918 --> 00:36:38,418
but it isn't a stretch
of the imagination
688
00:36:38,585 --> 00:36:41,835
to think that there may be
other items of value
689
00:36:41,960 --> 00:36:43,543
that we don't know about.
690
00:36:43,626 --> 00:36:48,293
People have hopped over
the fence at Ted Binion's ranch
691
00:36:48,418 --> 00:36:51,251
and tried digging in
the middle of the desert
692
00:36:51,376 --> 00:36:54,168
to find the buried treasure,
693
00:36:54,251 --> 00:36:58,501
but nobody knows where
Ted Binion's silver went,
694
00:36:58,626 --> 00:37:02,876
and nobody really knows
how much is missing.
695
00:37:02,960 --> 00:37:05,251
Only Ted knows, and he's dead.
696
00:37:07,751 --> 00:37:10,251
SHATNER:
What is it about buried treasure
697
00:37:10,376 --> 00:37:13,293
that compels people
to risk everything
698
00:37:13,418 --> 00:37:16,835
in search of something
that may not even exist?
699
00:37:16,918 --> 00:37:18,543
Perhaps the answer lies
700
00:37:18,626 --> 00:37:21,626
in examining another
modern-day treasure hunt,
701
00:37:21,751 --> 00:37:24,210
one that took place
deep in the Rocky Mountains,
702
00:37:24,335 --> 00:37:28,251
where, against all odds,
a fortune of hidden gold
703
00:37:28,418 --> 00:37:30,293
was actually found.
704
00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:40,585
SHATNER:
The Thrill of the Chase hits
bookshelves across the country.
705
00:37:40,751 --> 00:37:43,293
The book, written by
an eccentric
706
00:37:43,418 --> 00:37:45,668
80-year-old man
named Forrest Fenn,
707
00:37:45,751 --> 00:37:48,210
traces his
incredible life story,
708
00:37:48,376 --> 00:37:51,626
from serving as a pilot
during the Vietnam War,
709
00:37:51,751 --> 00:37:54,085
to becoming one
of the most successful
710
00:37:54,210 --> 00:37:56,168
art dealers in America.
711
00:37:56,293 --> 00:37:58,710
But even more excitingly,
712
00:37:58,876 --> 00:38:02,043
the book also reveals
that Fenn buried
713
00:38:02,210 --> 00:38:05,918
an incredible treasure somewhere
714
00:38:06,085 --> 00:38:07,626
in the Rocky Mountains.
715
00:38:07,751 --> 00:38:09,835
The treasure chest
that Forrest hid
716
00:38:09,918 --> 00:38:12,460
has actually been photographed
and put in his book.
717
00:38:12,585 --> 00:38:16,126
It was a bronze chest,
718
00:38:16,251 --> 00:38:20,543
ten inches by ten inches
by five inches deep,
719
00:38:20,668 --> 00:38:24,668
and it contained
hundreds of gold coins
720
00:38:24,793 --> 00:38:27,585
worth more than
half a million dollars.
721
00:38:28,835 --> 00:38:31,168
SHATNER:
To entice treasure hunters
to look for the hidden gold,
722
00:38:31,293 --> 00:38:34,251
Forrest Fenn composed
a cryptic poem
723
00:38:34,376 --> 00:38:38,001
with nine clues
pointing to its location.
724
00:38:38,085 --> 00:38:40,043
And just as Fenn hoped,
725
00:38:40,210 --> 00:38:43,210
the poem inspired people
726
00:38:43,335 --> 00:38:45,626
to take him up on his challenge.
727
00:38:47,543 --> 00:38:49,501
Forrest Fenn's treasure
became a real phenomenon,
728
00:38:49,626 --> 00:38:50,710
a worldwide phenomenon.
729
00:38:50,793 --> 00:38:52,043
People would come
from everywhere
730
00:38:52,210 --> 00:38:54,418
to seek this treasure.
731
00:38:54,543 --> 00:38:56,876
Forrest Fenn liked to say
that he thought there were
732
00:38:56,960 --> 00:38:59,751
something like 350,000 people
looking for his treasure.
733
00:38:59,876 --> 00:39:02,043
There were some people
who became a little too obsessed
734
00:39:02,168 --> 00:39:04,501
with Forrest Fenn's chase,
and it cost them their lives.
735
00:39:04,626 --> 00:39:08,376
A man fell down from a mountain,
736
00:39:08,501 --> 00:39:11,501
another was
washed away in a river,
737
00:39:11,585 --> 00:39:15,210
and a third man died
from exposure to the elements.
738
00:39:15,335 --> 00:39:16,876
And so, at a certain point,
739
00:39:17,001 --> 00:39:20,543
there were a lot of calls
for Fenn to end the hunt.
740
00:39:21,918 --> 00:39:23,876
SACHA DENT:
Forrest begged people not to go
741
00:39:24,001 --> 00:39:27,876
where a 79 or 80-year-old man
could not go.
742
00:39:28,001 --> 00:39:30,168
Unfortunately, I think
743
00:39:30,293 --> 00:39:32,793
the larger
the financial incentive,
744
00:39:32,918 --> 00:39:35,543
the more common sense
goes out the window.
745
00:39:36,751 --> 00:39:38,585
SHATNER:
Ten years after Forrest Fenn
launched the hunt
746
00:39:38,710 --> 00:39:41,710
for his treasure,
on June 6th, 2020,
747
00:39:41,876 --> 00:39:45,418
he announced that
a 32-year-old medical student
748
00:39:45,585 --> 00:39:49,543
named Jack Stuef
had finally found the fortune
749
00:39:49,668 --> 00:39:52,085
in the Wyoming desert.
750
00:39:52,251 --> 00:39:54,460
BARBARISI:
After it became known
that Jack was the finder,
751
00:39:54,585 --> 00:39:56,751
initially, people
were very excited.
752
00:39:56,918 --> 00:39:59,418
And then they figured out
that he wasn't gonna tell them
753
00:39:59,543 --> 00:40:00,710
where the treasure was found,
754
00:40:00,876 --> 00:40:02,335
and so, that put him
in opposition
755
00:40:02,418 --> 00:40:04,043
to the community
in lots of ways,
756
00:40:04,210 --> 00:40:07,543
and that's a perfect ground to
breed conspiracies and questions
757
00:40:07,668 --> 00:40:09,751
and all that because
you don't have all the answers.
758
00:40:09,876 --> 00:40:12,043
Probably the most
prevalent conspiracy theory
759
00:40:12,168 --> 00:40:13,501
is called the "nudge,"
760
00:40:13,626 --> 00:40:16,043
which is the hypothesis
that, in some way,
761
00:40:16,126 --> 00:40:18,585
Forrest Fenn quickened
the end of his treasure hunt,
762
00:40:18,751 --> 00:40:21,710
that he singled out Jack Stuef,
763
00:40:21,876 --> 00:40:24,293
and, in some way,
pushed him towards
764
00:40:24,418 --> 00:40:27,460
the actual spot
where the treasure was.
765
00:40:28,501 --> 00:40:29,626
SHATNER:
Did Forrest Fenn give away
766
00:40:29,751 --> 00:40:31,501
the location
of his hidden treasure,
767
00:40:31,585 --> 00:40:34,376
perhaps because numerous people
had died looking for it?
768
00:40:34,501 --> 00:40:36,501
We may never know for sure
769
00:40:36,585 --> 00:40:40,418
because Forrest Fenn passed away
on September 7th, 2020,
770
00:40:40,543 --> 00:40:44,960
and Jack Stuef has refused
to address the rumors.
771
00:40:48,543 --> 00:40:49,793
DENT:
Whether or not Forrest
helped Jack,
772
00:40:49,918 --> 00:40:52,543
in the end, there could
only ever be one winner,
773
00:40:52,668 --> 00:40:56,543
which meant there would be
hundreds of thousands of losers.
774
00:40:56,668 --> 00:41:00,543
It's mysterious that
people will devote
775
00:41:00,668 --> 00:41:02,085
their time and energy
to something
776
00:41:02,251 --> 00:41:05,626
where they are, in all
likelihood, going to fail,
777
00:41:05,751 --> 00:41:08,710
and will do it with
such energy and life,
778
00:41:08,835 --> 00:41:10,918
as if they know
they're going to win.
779
00:41:11,085 --> 00:41:15,501
But treasure hunting
is innately human.
780
00:41:15,585 --> 00:41:17,501
It's part of our curiosity.
781
00:41:17,585 --> 00:41:19,168
It doesn't matter
if the treasure
782
00:41:19,251 --> 00:41:22,210
is really out there or not,
783
00:41:22,335 --> 00:41:25,585
it's the adventure of it
that matters.
784
00:41:26,960 --> 00:41:29,585
Are we captivated
by legends of hidden riches
785
00:41:29,710 --> 00:41:32,210
because we truly believe
they're out there?
786
00:41:32,376 --> 00:41:34,543
Or do such tales exist
787
00:41:34,668 --> 00:41:37,710
only to fulfill
our dreams of adventure?
788
00:41:37,876 --> 00:41:40,543
Well, while some lost
treasures may be mythical,
789
00:41:40,668 --> 00:41:42,876
others are almost certainly
790
00:41:43,043 --> 00:41:45,918
stashed somewhere
in the United States.
791
00:41:46,085 --> 00:41:49,876
And it's that possibility
that compels people
792
00:41:50,001 --> 00:41:53,418
to keep digging
and diving and searching
793
00:41:53,585 --> 00:41:56,418
for those incredible fortunes
794
00:41:56,585 --> 00:41:57,960
that, for the moment, remain...
795
00:41:58,085 --> 00:42:00,376
unexplained.
796
00:42:00,460 --> 00:42:02,543
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