How Many of You have Heard of L. Frank Hudson?

[capt dom]

This is an easy one for Dave Crooks!

But for many of you others here is an interesting case study
of learning how to read between the lines of past "research" and
documentation.

If this thread draws any interest I will elaborate.

 

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[Mackaydon]

Capt:
Here's part of an old thread:
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php?topic=67522.0;wap2
Don....
PS: Years ago, I worked your site with Lou U. and Dave H. off my vessel the R/V Explorer (Roatan).

 

[humble]

I knew L Frank Hudson, and several members of his club. I went on a couple of his guided hunts, followed up and expanded on some of his leads with my own research.

I still have his book & news letters in my research library. Why do you ask? Humble

 

[capt dom]

L. Frank Hudson published a few earlier works
One was on "Pirate Tree Carvings"...
I will go to my old book shelves and see if i have some of these handy.

 

[mad4wrecks]

Pete, Salvor6, knew Frank Hudson quite well and went on some land expeditions with him I believe.

 

[capt dom]

Did L. Frank ever tell Salvor 6 about his "hollow earth theory"?

Peter and I interviewed him back in the late 80's because one of his pamphlets
had a pretty accurate drawing of the first four cannons and anchor that we came across.

I seem to recall L. F. explaining to Pete and me he was with the O.S.S. toward the end of
the big one... WWII He was a pretty knowledgeable character but like many of us
was prone to go off onto tangents...

Ask Salvor 6 about the "hollow earth theory"

then I will get to the moral of the thread.....

 

[humble]

I would imagine that anyone familiar with Florida, would know of the Koreshans, and the hollow Earth theory, who built a settlement in Estero, Florida.

http://mwweb.org/koreshan/blog/ It is now a State park.

I was invited by the chairman of the Koreshan trust to conduct a discreet Treasure Search on Koreshan property ajoining the State park. I was accompained by veteran Treasure Hunter, Tommy Veal. We spent a week on site and video documented our findings. When State archaeologist learned afterwards that we were there, needless to say, they were Not happy. Humble

 

[diverdan]

Salvor 6 is out of town and will return Friday. He was taking care of Hudson before he died.

 

[TheRandyMan]

Sorry to hear of Mr. Hudson's passing, sounds like he was quite the adventure himself and I would have liked to have known him.

 

[Old Bookaroo]

capt. dom:

I believe L. Frank Hudson has been a forum topic before. His troubles with the authorities have been well documented. I do know a gentleman who went on a hunt with him, and he was very sorry to have wasted the time and money to participate in that expedition.

I read some his books, and subscribed to his newsletters for several years. It seems every pirate in Florida and the Southeast hid chests of treasure, by his account. His yarns were without documentation or research sources cited.

Some years ago I had the opportunity to review and edit a manuscript he had written. A potential publisher asked me to take a look at it. I don't think that book would have helped anyone find anything. Much of it was at odds with generally accepted historical accounts. That book never saw the light of day. I think that is a good thing. I don't think people should be getting amateur advice about using poison gas and flaming gasoline to kill poisonous snakes protecting caves with chests of pirate treasure.

Bottom line: I have not found Mr. Hudson's research to be very accurate. There are, in my personal opinion, many more books and magazine articles that are far more reliable and accurate. Many of the stories of his personal exploits strained the credulity of the listener.

Good luck to all,

~Fred Hollister
"The Old Bookaroo"

PS: I'm offering my personal opinions about a real person - and I'm putting my real name on them. I would expect anyone who wants to be taken seriously on this Forum to do the same.

 

[capt dom]

The point being that when one listens to the other he has to consider
well the source and what motivates the source of information.

Sometimes they can be filled with good or sound information
and turn out to be complete crack pots

But what drives them to full or partial unacy
most of us will never know.

The "hollow earth theory" he subscribed to was that flying saucers are really based
from inside the earth and fly in and out of somewhere around the north and south poles....
and that Hitler was in touch with them....

Yet this troubled gentleman new about our cannons long before we first
did in 1987! Like I later learned a lot of folks did.
We were just the first to actually take a legal stand over them.

It just shows to go ya....

 

[humble]

Granted Mr.Hudson, may have taken some literary liberties to make his publications interesting, and saleable, but he never claimed his research to be anything more than his own personal findings. He was not a total arm chair researcher. He did go into the field to try to follow up on some of what he had researched. That, I have to admire. He gave us leads to follow from his own experience.

Although we had many discussions he never made me aware of any belief he had in the Koreshan theory, or flying saucers, so I can't comment. Maybe Salvor 6 can elaborate?

I only purchased one shipwreck lead from Frank Hudson, for $25. It was an unknown that I could find no information about. I was amazed that his location was right on the money. How did he know? Dumb luck?

I'll be happy to give any one the the same general area I gave Mr. Hudson, to learn what location a more experienced researcher would come up with, if any?

State authorities made Frank Hudson, a scape goat example to discourage Treasure Hunting in the State of Florida. Frank Hudson's publications, were an irratance to our gods in Tallahassee and had to be removed. They illegally used the RICOU act (rackeetering & conspiracy) to arrest him. I too could have been arrested for purchasing research information from him and got caught acting on it. The attitude of the State against Treasure hunters hasn't changed much. Just a bit more subtle.

I had the State comptroller, and his assistant, show up unannounced at my house one day seeking information about Treasure Salvor, Don Johnson.

He sat on the couch in my living room and began bragging about how he was the one who put away L. Frank Hudson. He said that Frank Hudson, was a pervert that needed to be put away because when they raided his office and confiscated his research files, there were pictures of naked women on the walls.

I not so polietely asked the Florida State comptroller to leave my house. Humble

 

[Digger54]

And just when I don't think that the Shipwrecks forum can get any more entertaining, this thread comes along.

Nice touch with the jack in the boxes Capt Dom.

 

[capt dom]

When the system gangs up on you it can
be overwhelming.

Even trained professionals can crack when put
under the massive pressures of unscrupulous
public servants - with private agendas financed with
the public wallet.

I brought L.Frank up to make multiple points.
Another being in this business listen to everyone
then make your own decisions.
and don't get too hung up on
the judgements of others

 

[jeff k]

Hudson was arrested for bulldozing Mound Key, and as it turned out, he had the wrong Mound Key. He also claimed to have contacted Jose Gaspar's descendants in Spain. I always thought he was a flake, and never bought any of his books.

 

[humble]

Jeff K, would you consider the possibility that it was not Frank Hudson, that hired a Buldozer to bulldoze the island, but perhaps the legal owners of the island at the time (I believe the DuPonts) were concerned that someone might be injured if they fell into some of the massive holes dug by inconsiderate Treasure Hunters, and they were having them filled in as a safty precaution?

It is rumoured that the BD operator seized an opportunity and did some Treasure Hunting on his own. It is my understanding the State blamed Frank Hudson, but had no proof of it.

As always, an open minded person will know there are two, or more sides to every story. Humble

 

[Salvor6]

Hi Humble. Just got back from Cedar Key and saw this thread. I was arrested along with Frank Hudson, Ron Webb and Don Williams of Lehigh Acres for digging a hole on Cayo Costa in 1992. Its a state park. We were charged with rackeetering, grand theft and criminal mischief. The first time the RICO law was applied to treasure hunters. Capt. Joseph Subic is the FDLE officer that put Hudson away. They finally released him after 5 weeks because he was diagnosed with cancer. Hudson DID NOT HAVE ANY NUDE PICTURES IN HIS CONDO! I saw his passport and his I.D. card from the Archive of the Indies in Seville Spain. Some of his research was original but some other stuff he copied from other writers like Terry Thomas. Its easy to bash someone who is dead and can't fight back.

 

[humble]

I was relating what the State Comptroller said about Frank Hudson, when he was bragging that he was the one that was responsible for putting Hudson away.

I remember reading an account of Treasure Hunters illegally digging on Cayo Costa, and having their boat & equipment confiscated. I had heard that the authorities obtained a warrant to search one of the Treasure Hunter's house, and it was there they found research material purchased from Hudson, along with a letter from him and that's when the state used the RICO act to arrest Hudson? The same law that was used to get Gotti, and other high profile criminals and gangsters. It just goes to show the extremes the State of Florida, will go to put Treasure hunters out of business.

Hudson, took me to an area where he said he was with Coffman, when Coffman, suffered a heart attack while diving for Treasure in shallow water. Is that true?

As I said, there are at least two sides to every story, and folks seem inclined to believe the worst without knowing the full truth. I for one was very happy with the knowledge that Mr. Hudson, shared with me. He has my respect, and appreciation for his contributions to Treasure hunting. Humble

 

[ivan salis]

frank wanted to go to a island near cuba ( I know but will not say where) the island was used as a staging point for the bay of pigs invasion * at said island there was reported to be a few million in gold bars to be used to bribe castros "generals" to give in once castro was killed off -- the US had 2 plans to kill castro in effect during the bay of pigs invasion --#1 was a former mistress who was to poison him by putting poison in his drinks--(she got cold feet and never went thru with the attempt )-- #2 was one of his body guards that if #1 failed was to shoot castro --he entered castro's bedroom to shoot castro but as he went to unholster his weapon to do it castro pulled a "unknown of" pistol from under a pilllow and killed him -- once the hit attempt failed castro found out about the "invasion" fleet and ordered the russian MIGS he had been give by the russians to take them out --kennedy was unwilling to start a hot shootiing war and get "personally" involved so he did not called out the US air force to fight the cuban MIGS-- with no air cover the invasion fleet was doomed .-- the cia forces and "others" on the island near cuba had to do a emergancy "bug out" --the gold was left behind --frank wanted to get that gold -- the US Govt did not want frank to mess with the gold (which they veiw as US Govt Property) and they also did not want him stirring up "old issues" that might expose US Govt involvement in the bay of pigs.

theres times when "knowing too much govt info , is not a good thing" --esp if it is info that the govt would rather the general population not know about.

in his "late years" frank got a bit well "loopy" --but long ago frank worked with the us govt at very high levels --a lot of "special info" filtered thru his hands and frank was not a fool -- in his later years he might have been well "loopy" but he was not always like that.

his early info and research can be frankly very interesting .

 

[humble]

Ivan, are you familiar with Hudson's story regarding "Boggs Hole" in Charlotte Harbor? Humble