JOHN CHUNNING AND THE LDM.....

[i-tsari-tsu-i]

Even though I don't believe John Chunning ever found the LDM, if you figure that Joe Deering may have, Chunning could have had the best description and best idea of where it was.

From a previous post on another site:

"Assuming that Joe Deering really did find the LDM, and then gave Chunning enough information to recognize it if he found it, why is it that the only place we have Chunning claiming he found the mine, was a short distance west of Weaver's Needle?

When he found the claim up on the Salt River, why did Bark say it was 12 miles from where he (Chunning) believed the LDM was? Where does that put you?

What if the claim, we are told was his, is not the same as the one mentioned in the newspaper article? It certainly does not resemble what he described, or what Bark says he described."

The question is, why was Chunning searching west of Weaver's Needle and claiming he found the LDM there?

Joe Ribaudo

[Dirty Dutchman]

Joe

To keep people away from where he really thought it was located?

Thanks
Travis

[i-tsari-tsu-i]

Joe

To keep people away from where he really thought it was located?

Thanks
Travis

Travis,

That is, of course, always a possibility. If you decide that was his motivation, you are at a dead-end. The first thing to consider is, what is the advantage to a Dutch Hunter in taking that tact.

The possibility remains that the article announcing his find, was the truth. By one of those strange coincidences that keep popping-up in the LDM legends, that puts him very close to Adolph Ruth's camp and Harry LaFrance's cave of gold bars.

Of course, you could be right.

Take care,

Joe

[Dirty Dutchman]

Joe

Have you ever considered that maybe Ruth camped AWAY from his intended "Search Area"? He was relying on other people to guide him in, so maybe he didn't camp close to his "spot" on purpose? I know there are a lot of questions surrounding Ruth, and he didn't hide the fact that he had maps and clues, but it's just a thought to ponder.... (I'm sorry to talk about Ruth in your "Chunning" post, but you brought him up)

Thanks
Travis

[i-tsari-tsu-i]

Travis,

After 50+ years of considering, there's not much that I haven't run up the flagpole, sometimes more than a few times.

I have heard that Ruth had been in the Superstitions earlier than has been reported. It's also said that he took day hikes from the ranch while waiting for Tex to return. There seems little doubt that he had previous contact with other folks, such as Cal Morse.

After all these years, I have come to the opinion that Ruth knew exactly where he wanted to be in the range, and If he had wanted to be closer to where his body was claimed to have been found, he would have camped closer. Many of the stories about what took place with Adolph Ruth, that are accepted as gospel today, may have been pure fiction.

It would be interesting to have Tom join in this discussion, as he probably has the most knowledge about those events. He may be able to shed some light on Ruth's possible earlier trips to the Supe's.

Take care,

Joe

[AshtonPage]

Gentlemen,

I believe Herman Petrasch said something along the lines of “The old man left a lot of clues that put the mine in the vicinity of Bluff Springs Mountain.” If somebody wants the source for that, I’ll have to so some searching. But that puts Herman's description in the vicinity of WN.

This is an opportune time to post my theory on “the trick in the trail”.
Reading Deering's account (paraphrased) "I found a trail to a rich gold mine and there's a trick in the trail.... oh (read oops), it's not much of a trick (back-peddling) it's a hole and you have to go through it."

I posted long ago that it seemed to me that Deering, in his excitement to tell someone about the mine he found, realized he was talking too much and started back-peddling right after he blurted out "there's a trick in the trail." You can read the account in Sims.

OK – so here’s the question -> Since when is a hole in a trail referred to as a “trick”? Sims thought it might have been a narrow passage… OK -> since when is a narrow passage in a trail referred to as a “trick’? See where I am going with this?

I submit that for a hole to be a “trick” is has to be a deception – get it? The hole is a “trick”. Here's my point - I believe that a hole, or a passage through a hole is not really a 'trick' unless the REAL trail picks up again somewhere else WITHOUT going through the hole. That’s the “trick in the trail.” To me a trick is something that deceives you.

For example, if a trail leads directly to a hole in a rock ledge, most people would be tricked into going through that hole. But instead of going through the hole, if you go up the rock ledge you will find that the trail picks up again at the end of the rock ledge. That’s the trick in the trail.

Best,

Ashton

[roc2rol]

That was excellent Ashton !
but you do realize I'm a joker
who's never went into the field
SO
"This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill -- the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill -- you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes."

[AshtonPage]

Thanks Roc,

I've already taken the red pill. How far does the rabbit hole go?

I found out the LDM is only the initiation. Once it gets in your blood there is no turning back.

Best,
Ashton

[WICKENBURG WILL]

While you all are looking for the dutchmans gold