Gypsy Heart
Gold Member
THE TEMPLE TRIBUNE
February 23, 1956
Ferryman Dutch John Sought Treasure For 30 Years
(Editor's Note: The Tribune is indebted to a number of people for their
personal recollections of Dutch John, the Ferryman, who searched for a
buried treasure on Cache creek. Alva Henderson, Mrs. Ethel Voegelein,
Miss Allie Kneedler, Arch McClarty, Henry Smith, Tim Sorge, Jim Smith,
Sparlin Witt, Mrs. Slim Seward and Mrs. C. O. Wilson have all been
primarily responsible for the following account:
A few years after the Civil war, a dying man presented his son with a map
locating a $20,000 treasure in gold and silver. The treasure was buried
in an iron cooking pot on the banks of Cache creek, a stream in the
Kiowa, Comanche and Apache lands west of the 98th meridian.
Buried due to fear of Indians, the treasure was supposed to be only a few
feet from the creek, somewhere in a triangle formed by three large oak
trees. The trees were located in the first draw south of the East and
West Cache creek junction.
John Shuttlebar, known as Dutch John, was the son and he hunted for the
treasure for over 30 years. Dutch John originally operated a ferry across
Red river immediately south of Hastings. Some say he operated a ferry
near Ringgold prior to that. Half French and half German, Dutch John was
a small man; five feet six or seven inches tall, and he wore a beard. He
operated the ferry to gather a grub stake and then he would dig for his
treasure until his money was gone.
Dutch John paid good wages for help in the search for his treasure; he
paid Arch McClarty, now of Hastings, and his brother-in-law, Byron Spain,
$2 a day and board in February 1911. They had to do their own cooking.
The three men were completing a circle of holes around an original square
well, 26 to 30 feet deep, which Dutch John said he had dug 26 years
before that -- in May, 1885. In encircling the original well, Dutch John
thought he could locate his treasure, missed in the first attempt.
Around 70 years old in 1911, Dutch John was evidently born around
1840. He made no bones about the treasure or had any hesitancy in
displaying the map, according to Jim Smith, who lives south of
Temple. Smith recalls seeing the map several times; once when his
brother, Andy, now of Oklahoma City, was pumping seepage water from Dutch
John's treasure hole.
Questions concerning his past -- where he came from -- who his relatives
were -- questions of that kind -- received no answers. Dutch John lived
a near-hermit's life, working only to get enough money to drink a little
and dig a lot for his treasure. Life was less complicated back then.
At one time, Dutch John was sure he had found his treasure. Standing
neck deep in water, he could feel the "pot of gold" with his feet.
However, the "treasure" was a boulder -- 30 feet deep in quick sand.
Several people think that Dutch John knew a lot more than most people gave
him credit for. Skeptics laughed at Dutch John and his treasure -- but
his faith was too strong to be shaken by laughter. Dutch John KNEW the
treasure was there and he kept digging knowing that every spade turn,
every foot of earth moved, every grub stake, would be the one that paid
off in a treasure of gold and silver.
Some even think that Dutch John was in on the original loss of the treasure.
Another version of the treasure story is that a wagon train was held up
by robbers who then burned the train, baggage and other articles. Dutch
John once said that charred remnants of the wagons were still evident
when he first began to dig.
Regardless of how the treasure got there, John knew it was there. Probably
always thinking he was only a few inches from the golden hoard, Dutch
John searched for his treasure for a generation.
Dutch John looked other places for his treasure, too. One of the
reported locations was near the old Scruggs ranch horse wrangle on a farm
now owned by E. A. Horschler. Some even say that the treasure was
$40,000 or more, but no one knows.
Many people remember Dutch John; many rode on his rope operated
ferry. Alva Henderson, a young man hunting, talked to Dutch John; Miss
Allie Kneedler recalls that Dutch John ate at her home several times; he
was a friend of the LeBarre family; he and his ferry boat saved the lives
of the J. C. Spain family in the overflow of 1908; Bob and Euel Sudduth's
father helped Dutch John on his ferry.
Dutch John died in 1918 or 1919 and is supposed to be buried in Randlett
cemetery. And his treasure? Well, there are those who think there never
was a treasure.
There are those who think the Indians were closer than Dutch John's
father (or the robbers) thought, and the Indians dug up the treasure soon
after it was buried.
Then; there's the tale of an Indian who said that a white man dug up the
treasure many years ago and went north.
And there are those who think the treasure is still in the soil of Cotton
county on the bank of Cache creek.
About 25 years ago, two Texas men came with a machine that buzzed when
exposed to metal. Tim Sorge remembers that their machine buzzed and the
men became very excited. Their treasure turned out to be merely an old
tin can mashed flat and buried a few inches under the soil.
Just a few years ago, a group who claimed they had Dutch John's map, came
to the area and dug out Dutch John's diggings. They didn't find the
treasure. They didn't cover up the hole either, Sparlin Witt disgustedly
recalls. Witt's cattle are pastured in the field.
Dutch John's treasure hole -- still 12 to 15 feet deep -- is in the Witt
pasture. Nearby you'll find rotted stumps of trees which could have been
oaks; you'll see where someone has dug under one of the stumps. You'll
find a large tin culvert that the last searchers were going to use as a
water seal below the creek water level ... and you'll find large gravel
which has been turned up from somewhere maybe 30 feet deep -- maybe just
a few inches from Dutch John's $20,000 treasure.
Adolph Sorge, grandfather of Gerald Sorge,
bought this farm.]
February 23, 1956
Ferryman Dutch John Sought Treasure For 30 Years
(Editor's Note: The Tribune is indebted to a number of people for their
personal recollections of Dutch John, the Ferryman, who searched for a
buried treasure on Cache creek. Alva Henderson, Mrs. Ethel Voegelein,
Miss Allie Kneedler, Arch McClarty, Henry Smith, Tim Sorge, Jim Smith,
Sparlin Witt, Mrs. Slim Seward and Mrs. C. O. Wilson have all been
primarily responsible for the following account:
A few years after the Civil war, a dying man presented his son with a map
locating a $20,000 treasure in gold and silver. The treasure was buried
in an iron cooking pot on the banks of Cache creek, a stream in the
Kiowa, Comanche and Apache lands west of the 98th meridian.
Buried due to fear of Indians, the treasure was supposed to be only a few
feet from the creek, somewhere in a triangle formed by three large oak
trees. The trees were located in the first draw south of the East and
West Cache creek junction.
John Shuttlebar, known as Dutch John, was the son and he hunted for the
treasure for over 30 years. Dutch John originally operated a ferry across
Red river immediately south of Hastings. Some say he operated a ferry
near Ringgold prior to that. Half French and half German, Dutch John was
a small man; five feet six or seven inches tall, and he wore a beard. He
operated the ferry to gather a grub stake and then he would dig for his
treasure until his money was gone.
Dutch John paid good wages for help in the search for his treasure; he
paid Arch McClarty, now of Hastings, and his brother-in-law, Byron Spain,
$2 a day and board in February 1911. They had to do their own cooking.
The three men were completing a circle of holes around an original square
well, 26 to 30 feet deep, which Dutch John said he had dug 26 years
before that -- in May, 1885. In encircling the original well, Dutch John
thought he could locate his treasure, missed in the first attempt.
Around 70 years old in 1911, Dutch John was evidently born around
1840. He made no bones about the treasure or had any hesitancy in
displaying the map, according to Jim Smith, who lives south of
Temple. Smith recalls seeing the map several times; once when his
brother, Andy, now of Oklahoma City, was pumping seepage water from Dutch
John's treasure hole.
Questions concerning his past -- where he came from -- who his relatives
were -- questions of that kind -- received no answers. Dutch John lived
a near-hermit's life, working only to get enough money to drink a little
and dig a lot for his treasure. Life was less complicated back then.
At one time, Dutch John was sure he had found his treasure. Standing
neck deep in water, he could feel the "pot of gold" with his feet.
However, the "treasure" was a boulder -- 30 feet deep in quick sand.
Several people think that Dutch John knew a lot more than most people gave
him credit for. Skeptics laughed at Dutch John and his treasure -- but
his faith was too strong to be shaken by laughter. Dutch John KNEW the
treasure was there and he kept digging knowing that every spade turn,
every foot of earth moved, every grub stake, would be the one that paid
off in a treasure of gold and silver.
Some even think that Dutch John was in on the original loss of the treasure.
Another version of the treasure story is that a wagon train was held up
by robbers who then burned the train, baggage and other articles. Dutch
John once said that charred remnants of the wagons were still evident
when he first began to dig.
Regardless of how the treasure got there, John knew it was there. Probably
always thinking he was only a few inches from the golden hoard, Dutch
John searched for his treasure for a generation.
Dutch John looked other places for his treasure, too. One of the
reported locations was near the old Scruggs ranch horse wrangle on a farm
now owned by E. A. Horschler. Some even say that the treasure was
$40,000 or more, but no one knows.
Many people remember Dutch John; many rode on his rope operated
ferry. Alva Henderson, a young man hunting, talked to Dutch John; Miss
Allie Kneedler recalls that Dutch John ate at her home several times; he
was a friend of the LeBarre family; he and his ferry boat saved the lives
of the J. C. Spain family in the overflow of 1908; Bob and Euel Sudduth's
father helped Dutch John on his ferry.
Dutch John died in 1918 or 1919 and is supposed to be buried in Randlett
cemetery. And his treasure? Well, there are those who think there never
was a treasure.
There are those who think the Indians were closer than Dutch John's
father (or the robbers) thought, and the Indians dug up the treasure soon
after it was buried.
Then; there's the tale of an Indian who said that a white man dug up the
treasure many years ago and went north.
And there are those who think the treasure is still in the soil of Cotton
county on the bank of Cache creek.
About 25 years ago, two Texas men came with a machine that buzzed when
exposed to metal. Tim Sorge remembers that their machine buzzed and the
men became very excited. Their treasure turned out to be merely an old
tin can mashed flat and buried a few inches under the soil.
Just a few years ago, a group who claimed they had Dutch John's map, came
to the area and dug out Dutch John's diggings. They didn't find the
treasure. They didn't cover up the hole either, Sparlin Witt disgustedly
recalls. Witt's cattle are pastured in the field.
Dutch John's treasure hole -- still 12 to 15 feet deep -- is in the Witt
pasture. Nearby you'll find rotted stumps of trees which could have been
oaks; you'll see where someone has dug under one of the stumps. You'll
find a large tin culvert that the last searchers were going to use as a
water seal below the creek water level ... and you'll find large gravel
which has been turned up from somewhere maybe 30 feet deep -- maybe just
a few inches from Dutch John's $20,000 treasure.
Adolph Sorge, grandfather of Gerald Sorge,
bought this farm.]
