I like these small stories Jeff. Murder, misery death and insight into era long gone. Some times these sad events can lead to a long forgotten money cache.
These stories are more priceless to me than the more famous treasure legends as some times they can bare fruit.
Good find.
The first decline of farm values began in 1920 when agricultural land values averaged $69 per acre. ...It take that as a benchmark to work from. And take in account rural Alabama was a slightly depressed market at the time. Say properties was selling say 50 dollars per acre? That was still 15000 dollars generated by 1920 standards. So if he was paid in gold coin? It might make a nice haul by today's prices of gold coins?
Well Done!
That might be grown up his children. the article gives us good idea that the property the 3 roomed house and 2 roomed house if it still exists will be roughly 1-3 miles from the school. So we have starting point to work From.
Its stinking hot in my part of the world I have all the hatch's open to let the sea air in.
Time for swim and then a drink or two?
Hello Jeff her is potential search site. Three things that make it the possible home John M Pate? It is just under 2 miles from the school at Bhul and it is along a road mentioned in the papers as Hughes road today its called Shelly Hughes road. Finally the construction type as what I can seem pre 1940's.
So amigo a possible contender?
Regardless it does high the value of these little hardly known stories that in deep if all the facts add up can lead to recover of treasure.
Here is another view across the field.
I should add I do not condone trespassing as its private property but the right friendly approach might yield permission to detect the site may yield a cache. If of course the Treasure hunting gods shine on you?
While there is no guarantee any treasure was there. or correct location or if money was buried there is still there?
What this does show for the more serious treasure hunter some times its smaller hardly known stories that have more potential than the more famous researched to death treasure legends.
These little hardly noticed newspaper stories may well indeed be the money ticket for those daring to seek.
If amigos the treasure gods gave shined down upon us. and its the correct location. reading the lay of land in context of what was happening in the 1930's. many rural banks collapsed in the great depression and the gold act? So its not beyond the realms of impossibility that John M Pate in fear of losing money in bank collapses his money. There was a very real fear back then.
If I was to search such site I would detect along fence line searching for a post home cache using in view of the main bedroom. People like to keep an observant eye on the location they have buried their money.
Its a subconscious thing I am constantly touching my ass pocket to feel for my wallet. habitual habit. Well its the same when you hide some thing? And like me anyone who buries money is attached to it wants in in plain sight. it human nature amigos.
Failing that with post holes along the fence line . I detect around the larges trees old enough to be around in the 1930's around the house once again in plain view.
Failing that around the foundations. With John M Pate saying he had no money he was doomed regardless they killed him anyway for not revealing it and even if he had they would of killed him anyway because he knew his killers.
So knowing your going to die either way there was no way in hell I would revealed I had buried money either as one last act of defiance.
I live about 35 minutes from this area. I’ll see if I can dig some info up on it, find out who owns it, and try to get permission. Thanks for the information!