As someone who had spent countless days on the ESOPUS River in Phonenica tubing - Along the tubing route the locals set up on the banks = selling adult refreshments -- I have stopped many times ans spoken to then on a hot afternoon --- There are several facts most treasure hunters miss --- 1--- the area along the Esopus has flooded out many time including the BIG Flood I beleive in the 50's that cut the banks way back and took out all the railroad bridges - With that history of flooding The area where the trunk ( if it still remains ) has long since been washed out 2- One of his body guards is supposed to have gone back after his death and removed the trunk == since the majority was Cash ect There would be no way to know , the liberty boand were proberly destroyed since they could be traced and 3---- I dont recall where it was on the web but there exists a long post / Blog from the late 1990"s that indicated that a person had found the location , near the tree and there was evidence of something having been buried there --- The last time I was there in 2006 I could not believe how much work has gone on , infact at the end of JAY or Jason Street Cant recall exactly the whole area about the river has been overpassed , dug up and Filled with rock --- They used to be a great bar in the town on main street , that did a great seafood buffett in the summer, That is supposed to be that BAR that is mentioned in several of the stories , any good luck You never know ,,,,,, also MALONE NY sits right on the Canada Border and has a huge gangster and bootlegging history , There might be something up there Have FUN
