Bernarr Macfadden Treasure

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seldom:

Karl Von Mueller talked about Macfadden in TTHM #7 but included little info. I was told by a relative of Karl's that he found 2 of Bernarr's cache's in the 1960's maybe thats why he had little to say about him 

Although most people believed that Macfadden died nearly penniless, Johnnie Lee Macfadden (his 4th wife)claimed that there was still money - that it was buried at various locations across the country. She said that he had told her that he had buried money in steel cartridge boxes, and it amounted to millions! A couple people reported that they had seen Macfadden leave one of his hotels carrying a bag and a shovel and return with only the shovel. However, as far as we know, all attempts to locate the buried treasure have failed. Many people close to Macfadden said that the rumors of buried money were false - that there was no money left. However, in 1960 a steel cartridge box was found buried on Long Island on some property once owned by Macfadden. It contained $89,000! Could it be that the rumor was true and there is actually some of the Macfadden fortune still buried?

I have just started to research this lead so who ever wants to jump in please do that includes the wrecking crew.

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hardluck:
Hello Seldom

Thank you for the interesting story.

I have not heard that one before. The first thing we need to do is establish a date of these events possibly through local newspapers. Anyone out there are more than welcome to comment.

After a little digging I found the following.

Bernarr Macfadden (16 August 1868 ? 12 October 1955)

He was an influential proponent of physical culture, a combination of bodybuilding with nutritional and health theories. He also founded the long-running magazine publishing company Macfadden Publications.

Macfadden founded Physical Culture magazine in 1899, and was editor up to the August 1912 issue. He eventually grew a publishing empire, including Liberty, True Detective, True Story, True Romances, Dream World, Ghost Stories, the once-familiar movie magazine Photoplay, and a trashy tabloid newspaper, The New York Graphic.

He was a celebrity who was an acquaintance of Shirley Temple, Clark Gable, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Will Rogers, and Rudolph Valentino. At the peak of his career, he owned several hotels and a major building in New York.

Macfadden contributed to many articles and books including The Virile Powers of Superb Manhood (1900), MacFadden's Encyclopedia of Physical Culture (1911?1912), Fasting for Health (1923), and The Milk Diet (1923).

Macfadden made an unsuccessful attempt to found a religion, ?cosmotarianism?, based on physical culture. He claimed that his regimen would enable him to reach the age of 150.

Nicknamed ?Body Love Macfadden? by Time?a moniker he detested?he was a flamboyant personality who inspired millions of people around the world to live healthful and vigorous lives. He was branded a ?kook? and a charlatan by many, arrested on obscenity charges, and denounced by the medical establishment. Throughout his life, he campaigned tirelessly against ?pill-pushers,? processed foods and prudery.

Macfadden's magazines included SPORT, a preeminent sports magazine prior to Time, Inc.'s Sports Illustrated.

Macfadden was married four times and had eight children, seven of whose names began with the letter "B".

Macfadden established many ?healthatoriums? in the eastern and midwestern states. These institutions offered educational programs such as ?The Physical Culture Training School?. Although he gained his reputation for physical culture and fitness, he gained much notoriety for his views on sexual behavior. He viewed intercourse as a healthy activity and not solely a procreative one. This was a different attitude than most physicians had at the time.

Macfadden's Macfadden Foundation established two boarding schools for young boys and girls in Westchester County, New York, the Macfadden School in Briarcliff Manor (Scarborough) and the Tarrytown School in Tarrytown. The Macfadden School took the younger children, with some being as young as 3.

On March 7, 1943, the advertisement in The New York Times Magazine for the Tarrytown School read: "To Meet the Needs of a Nation at War." The boys at the Tarrytown School wore uniforms and were subject to military type discipline. The Macfadden School operated from 1939 to 1950, the Tarrytown School from 1943 to 1954.

Macfadden died of a urinary tract infection in 1955 in Jersey City, New Jersey, after refusing medical treatment. Upon his death, Edward Longstreet Bodin became the president of the Bernarr Macfadden Foundation.

Although most people believed that Macfadden died nearly penniless, Johnnie Lee Macfadden claimed that there was still money - that it was buried at various locations across the country. She said that he had told her that he had buried money in steel cartridge boxes, and it amounted to millions!

 A couple people reported that they had seen Macfadden leave one of his hotels carrying a bag and a shovel and return with only the shovel. However, as far as we know, all attempts to locate the buried treasure have failed. Many people close to Macfadden said that the rumors of buried money were false - that there was no money left.

However, in 1960 a steel cartridge box was found buried on Long Island on some property once owned by Macfadden. It contained $89,000! Could it be that the rumor was true and there is actually some of the Macfadden fortune still buried?

We have a home in New Jersey he bought in 1929.

In 1929 he acquired the Jackson Sanitarium in Dansville, New York.

Hotel Deauville Miami Florida.

And the Arrowhead Springs Hotel and Spa near Los Angeles.

All these could be alleged sites of buried treasure. But the question we need to ask ourselves what was the reason why he buried money in the first place?

Was it because of his failed marriages?

or perhaps he was tax dodging?

Some interesting possibilities

Hardluck



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BitburgAggie_7377:
    I remember the reference in KVM's book that Seldom mentioned.   When it comes to caches, I find the McFadden type much more believable than the JJ/KGC/Yamashita type.   We're talking caches a single man could easily transport himself and could quickly bury in an obscure, but easily recoverable (at the time) area without attracting too much (or any, if he were careful) attention.   We are also talking about a person who was known to have had substantial sources of cash, was rather eccentric, and died with either more or less money than would have been expected (less in McFadden's case) even when taking the person's lifestyle into account.
    Definitely bears investigation.

BA

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hardluck:
Hello All

I think is worth a look if lived in that part of the world. The house in New jersey that he bought in 1929 might have a hidden stash because of traumatic events of the stock market crash.Unfortunately the house and grounds are now a nature reserve.

If I was to speculate a possible location where money might be buried I would be looking around the island in the Map below. It must be remembered however that the property is private property and permission should be sought.

Hardluck

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seldom:
Besides the caches found in the 60's there is rumors that KvM and Hardrock found 2 caches, guess we will never know.
This is a true lost treasure story that has never been not been published to death because there is no missing map, no signs cut in rocks, no 1000's of  oz of gold just small caches hid by one man that he could get to fast if needed. This is the kind of treasure that is dug up every year by hunters turned into cash and very few will ever hear about it.

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