Eddyville Iowa treasure tale. Could anyone please help determine the exact location?

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BeauS

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Unfortunately the author of the book since passed in 2010. I have been away from this story for a few years now but it’s still on my mind. In my free time I’ll see what else can be dug up.
 

GoDeep

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I believe this story to be a hoax. There were a lot of these stories taking up newspaper space from the early 1870's to the early 1900's.

I've noticed this too. The papers were chuck full of treasure stories during this time. It must have been used to sell papers. The fiction of their time i'd guess.
 

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BeauS

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I've noticed this too. The papers were chuck full of treasure stories during this time. It must have been used to sell papers. The fiction of their time i'd guess.

You right is it a haox? Probably. But there’s still uncertainty.

I’m here to look at the truth in the story.

I’ve been to the spot in the turn in the road it’s there. Likely or could be made up from the author.

The author of the original newspaper article was real, Charles oldham the Mayer was real(apparently uncovered a human skull). Why did the original newspaper article have a chunk torn out of it that had the map?
 

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BeauS

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IMG_1497.jpg
 

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BeauS

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Hola BeauS

Yes it is strong possibility. That this is correct name of the women who rented a room to la barge? Her residence was not far from Pittsburgh. So technically its not unusual to say she was from Pittsburgh. It might pay to check Thomas Bennett weather he was still a border with them in 1910 Census?

To not too far a stretch to say between 1900 and 1903 this Le Barge rented room of them.

Kanacki
Hey Kanacki, @goldenrecoveries unsure if your still around but im back researching haha. Here's a few people I have found after searching.
Thomas Joseph Snow Birth July 25th 1873 Death 23 Feb 1959, Pittsburg, PA (unconfirmed to be this Joseph Snow)

Sidney Crosson Birth Jan 16th 1876 Death July 18th 1952 confirmed (known digger in the area at that time and in story)

William Weller Delong Birth June 4th 1858 Death April 25th 1941 confirmed(Eddyville postmaster, originally wrote the story)
Why is the map missing from the original newspaper article?
 

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BeauS

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Hey Kanacki, @goldenrecoveries unsure if your still around but im back researching haha. Here's a few people I have found after searching.
Thomas Joseph Snow Birth July 25th 1873 Death 23 Feb 1959, Pittsburg, PA (unconfirmed to be this Joseph Snow)

Sidney Crosson Birth Jan 16th 1876 Death July 18th 1952 confirmed (known digger in the area at that time and in story)

William Weller Delong Birth June 4th 1858 Death April 25th 1941 confirmed(Eddyville postmaster, originally wrote the story)
Why is the map missing from the original newspaper article?
 

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BeauS

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I did happen to find a Jerome Le Barge born in 1866 in Belgium. Residence in 1880 was Wisconsin. No death record found yet.
 

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Garry

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BeauS

I only read this thread a few days ago and you have done an excellent job of researching the story. One of the most interesting items, for me, was your search for the original image of the article in the Eddyville Tribune Weekly. It looks like you eventually found the complete contents [elsewhere]. The exception is the map, that DeLong said would be printed along with the story. WOW!

I did find a site that looks to be fairly complete with the images of the Eddyville Tribune. You may have already seen this?

I think that the digital creation of the images may be somewhat different than what you got from the microfilm. I believe the microfilm is the best version. Both versions are a hodgepodge of scraps of the paper for Nov 6, 1903.

https://eddyville.advantage-preservation.com/

If you haven’t tried this site, browse, start with the Oct 30, 1903 issue. There is a follow-up article that calls DeLong’s story a hoax. The interesting thing to me is that DeLong printed it! (Dick Turpin) [written Nov 9, but among the Nov 6, images] There is one more follow-up article on that page.

That’s about as far as I have gone, but you might find the original discovery of the skeleton in the Tribune? There may be more?

Oh, BTW, how do you know that the map was ever printed? I haven’t seen an image scrap with anything on it. Since Delong was an artist, I would love to see what the map looked like.

Again, Great Job!!

Garry
 

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BeauS

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BeauS

I only read this thread a few days ago and you have done an excellent job of researching the story. One of the most interesting items, for me, was your search for the original image of the article in the Eddyville Tribune Weekly. It looks like you eventually found the complete contents [elsewhere]. The exception is the map, that DeLong said would be printed along with the story. WOW!

I did find a site that looks to be fairly complete with the images of the Eddyville Tribune. You may have already seen this?

I think that the digital creation of the images may be somewhat different than what you got from the microfilm. I believe the microfilm is the best version. Both versions are a hodgepodge of scraps of the paper for Nov 6, 1903.

https://eddyville.advantage-preservation.com/

If you haven’t tried this site, browse, start with the Oct 30, 1903 issue. There is a follow-up article that calls DeLong’s story a hoax. The interesting thing to me is that DeLong printed it! (Dick Turpin) [written Nov 9, but among the Nov 6, images] There is one more follow-up article on that page.

That’s about as far as I have gone, but you might find the original discovery of the skeleton in the Tribune? There may be more?

Oh, BTW, how do you know that the map was ever printed? I haven’t seen an image scrap with anything on it. Since Delong was an artist, I would love to see what the map looked like.

Again, Great Job!!

Garry
There was no map printed in the 1903 Eddyville tribune. I read that he was “ill” at the time and never included it?

Apparently the original map drawn by le barge was given to Sid Crossen for safe keeping but was stolen from him.

This is the same guy who uncovered the skull in the road. He had the original map AND found the skull?

Is the original letter written by Le barge still out there somewhere as well ad the map? Or was this a hoax and the story was made up which is why they didn’t include a map?
 

Garry

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There was no map printed in the 1903 Eddyville tribune. I read that he was “ill” at the time and never included it?

Apparently the original map drawn by le barge was given to Sid Crossen for safe keeping but was stolen from him.

This is the same guy who uncovered the skull in the road. He had the original map AND found the skull?

Is the original letter written by Le barge still out there somewhere as well ad the map? Or was this a hoax and the story was made up which is why they didn’t include a map?
BeauS,

Just an observation. If the article reprinted in 1920 was identical to the one in 1903, DeLong states that after
Gunton was murdered; "There was but one thing left to do – to hide all traces of the crime, divide the money and put all possible distance between us and this spot.

I appears to me that Delong's story was a simple MURDER MYSTERY, with not a whisper about a treasure. It doesn't become a Treasure Story until 1920??

I agree about the map and Delong decided to not go to the effort of creating an engraving so it could be printed in the paper. He does tell us in the previous paper he is going to print the map. He also tells us the case is now in the hands of officers. In the 1938 article, I believe Lomax identifies them. Lomax may well have interviewed Delong for the article in the Writer's Project.

For what it is worth, its interesting to follow the evolution of the story [or Tale} 😀

Garry
 

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BeauS

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BeauS,

Just an observation. If the article reprinted in 1920 was identical to the one in 1903, DeLong states that after
Gunton was murdered; "There was but one thing left to do – to hide all traces of the crime, divide the money and put all possible distance between us and this spot.

I appears to me that Delong's story was a simple MURDER MYSTERY, with not a whisper about a treasure. It doesn't become a Treasure Story until 1920??

I agree about the map and Delong decided to not go to the effort of creating an engraving so it could be printed in the paper. He does tell us in the previous paper he is going to print the map. He also tells us the case is now in the hands of officers. In the 1938 article, I believe Lomax identifies them. Lomax may well have interviewed Delong for the article in the Writer's Project.

For what it is worth, its interesting to follow the evolution of the story [or Tale} 😀

Garry
Hey Gary I can’t find the 1938 article can you reply with it here. I’ve found some new articles I’d be willing to share soon!
 

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BeauS

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Mar 6, 2015
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BeauS,

Just an observation. If the article reprinted in 1920 was identical to the one in 1903, DeLong states that after
Gunton was murdered; "There was but one thing left to do – to hide all traces of the crime, divide the money and put all possible distance between us and this spot.

I appears to me that Delong's story was a simple MURDER MYSTERY, with not a whisper about a treasure. It doesn't become a Treasure Story until 1920??

I agree about the map and Delong decided to not go to the effort of creating an engraving so it could be printed in the paper. He does tell us in the previous paper he is going to print the map. He also tells us the case is now in the hands of officers. In the 1938 article, I believe Lomax identifies them. Lomax may well have interviewed Delong for the article in the Writer's Project.

For what it is worth, its interesting to follow the evolution of the story [or Tale} 😀

Garry
For whatever reason I cannot find a single legit article about an unknown “Skull” being found.

There was no discovery of a skull on this day and time at this location. I see stories but they don’t add up.

Supposedly Charles oldham and his crew dug it up when working on the road. October 1920 or 26.

He held onto it and later gave it to a photographer in Des Moines to borrow but was never returned.
 

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BeauS

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Apparently a 1858 Remington cap and ball pistol was recovered a half mile from the location according to this article.

There were three of them who would go look for William guntons body (William Delong, Sid Crosson, Arthur Beamer) and a heavy mob would also follow them.

They were known as “soldiers three” Delongs story was also known as “delongs headless hoax”

If those three went searching themselves wouldn’t that indicate they too were interested in finding the gold? I read Delong himself had went searching multiple times.

Could DeLong have been tricked himself?

 

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BeauS

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Mar 6, 2015
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Apparently a 1858 Remington cap and ball pistol was recovered a half mile from the location according to this article.

There were three of them who would go look for William guntons body (William Delong, Sid Crosson, Arthur Beamer) and a heavy mob would also follow them.

They were known as “soldiers three” Delongs story was also known as “delongs headless hoax”

If those three went searching themselves wouldn’t that indicate they too were interested in finding the gold? I read Delong himself had went searching multiple times.

Could DeLong have been tricked himself?

You have to click the link and hit download button for these to show up on mobile BTW
 

Garry

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Apr 19, 2009
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Hey Gary I can’t find the 1938 article can you reply with it here. I’ve found some new articles I’d be willing to share soon!
BeauS, Sorry, I really screwed that up!! The year was 1936, NOT 1938 and the author of the story was Lenox, NOT Lomax. Newspapers.com
I suspect you have already seen this. It names Crossen, Night Marshall and Beamer, Town Marshall.

Garry
 

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BeauS

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BeauS, Sorry, I really screwed that up!! The year was 1936, NOT 1938 and the author of the story was Lenox, NOT Lomax. Newspapers.com
I suspect you have already seen this. It names Crossen, Night Marshall and Beamer, Town Marshall.

Garry
Yes I’ve seen it! What’s your opinion on Delong himself searching for the gold? Along with the other two. Were they actually searching as well and Delong could’ve been fooled too?
 

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