In May of 1984 Tom Kollenborn received a call from Walter Gassler. It was Sunday evening and the old man seemed anxious. He asked Tom if he knew where he could get hold of Bob Corbin. Tom told him his friend was enjoying a brief vacation at his cabin in Prescott and that there were no phone lines on the attorney general's mountain. Gassler seemed upset.
He said he had finally figured out the puzzle and asked Tom if he could accompany him into the mountains the following day. Tom said he was truly sorry but business would prohibit him from doing so. "Besides," Tom told Bob later, "how many times have we heard that same story over the years."
On Thursday of that week Tom Kollenborn called Bob Corbin's office to tell the attorney general that Walter Gassler's body had just been found on the trail above Charleybois springs. there was to be a coroner's inquest but it looked as though he had died of a heart attack. Of course, both men were shocked and felt remorse that they hadn't been able to accompany the old man on what was to be his last journey.
That weekend a man appeared at Tom Kollenborn's home. He introduced himself as Walter Gassler's son. Tom invited the man in and after exchanging pleasantries the man brought out some rich gold ore. He said it was in his father's backpack when he was found on the trail. Tom was shocked. But, maintaining his usual dour façade, he examined the ore and later said it looked exactly like the gold which came from under the Dutchman's bed. The man listened patiently. After a bit he said, "I understand that my father gave his notes to Bob Corbin, is that true? Tom nodded, saying little, in true cowboy fashion. It was apparent the man wanted those notes back. Tom suggested he call the attorney general at his office in the state capitol, and the matter was left right there.
A week later Tom called Bob to see if he had heard from Gassler's son. Bob said no, but he would gladly give the notes up to the family; he felt that was only fair.
Again, fate seems to work in strange ways.
Tom Kollenborn is inveited regularly to show a slide presentation of the Superstitions during which he tells the tales of the Dutchman's mine, exotic tales of the 68 murders and wonderful stories of the characters who live and some who have died in those canyons. The slide show is so well accepted that it has traveled to Europe and throughout the US. This particular show was down in Florence, Arizona, the county seat of Pinal Country, home of the old Silver King, Tom Weedin and the place where the swamper was last seen. Right after the show Tom was approached by a man who stood in front of him was well-dressed and polite but bore absolutely no resemblance to the person who had come to his home with the ore. The man proceeded to make the same request about the diary and was given the same answer as Tom had given to the first man. Only this time, Tom went right to a phone to call Bob Corbin.
Two days later Bob received a call from a man claiming to be Walter Gassler's son. Bob said he was busy and would return the call shortly, then asked for a home number. That telephone number was the same one Walter Gassler had given him. This time, it appeared, he had the right son. Bob Corbin was also impressed with the fact that the man said, "I don't want to take the notes away from you; my father wanted you to have them. But, if you could Xerox them and give them to me for our family mementoes, I'd appreciate it" Of course, the attorney general complied.
The pair met for lunch. During the course of the meal, the son was politely questioned as to his father's effects which were brought into town by the sheriff's office. Bob said, "Ron, did you find your dad's backpack?"
Ron looked puzzled and answered rather hesitantly, "Why, no. It was listed on the paper which recorded his effects but when I picked them up it wasn't there."
Bob Corbin later said he believed the man was sincere.
Had Walter Gassler gone in alone, discovered Jacob's secret, extracted some ore, hurried away in fear and had a heart attack on the trail? The inquest confirmed he died of a heart attack. He was in his 80's and surely a shock of that magnitude might have killed a younger man. Or, was he followed by some unknown person who stalked him and then tried to force him to take them both back to the mine. Or is it a simple fact that someone found the pack and removed the ore? Was the gold taken from the pack on the trail? Or did someone in the sheriff's office take it in the excitement of the moment? Whatever happened remains a mystery.
Tom identified the gold. He has looked at a lot of specimens in his day - he has a degree in geology - he is not a novice. He stated the gold was almost identical to that which came from under Jacob's deathbed.
All of the above are facts which cannot be disputed.
Walter did go into the Superstitions on that last quest; Walter did say he knew where it was and Walter died in possession of valuable gold ore.
<affidavits follow here attesting to several points.>
