Dodge City treasure

Hello All

There is story reported in Auckland star on 5th July 1929. The story tells of a Mexican mule train in 1853 on their way to Independence Missouri over the Santa Fe Trail. The Mexicans was attacked by Indians in a running battle over 5 days and all the wagons were burned and all but of the one of the Mexicans were killed bar one.

The survivor buried 42 bags of 1000 silver Pesos in some mound about four miles west of Dodge City, and returned to Mexico. How the knowledge of burial became known is a mystery but we can perhaps assume the traditional treasure legend or death bed confession passed on, or lost letter with directions that somehow came in the passion of a treasure hunter in 1929.

In 1929 E T Mecklin of Moline Illinois attempted to use a primitive early type of metal detector to search for the money. There was no follow up story telling the success or failure of his search.
 
Anyone interested following up the story may find fruitful to search old maps of area and try to establish the facts of the story, as with all treasure legends. A search through old local newspapers and journals about the massacre and Mecklin’s later search in 1929 may also help.
Like with all treasure legends one must establish the existence of Mecklin and Dodge City in 1853 as well the Mexican mule train.

Hardluck


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Hello Pop Top

Its good to hear local information about area in question. Sometimes private land can be a bonus providing you present a convincing enough presentation. Some home work in local historical societies and old local newspapers, old land maps of your area. Plus using Google Earth might narrow down the search area, might bear some fruit.

And beides I am sure only scalping is done these days are gamling in reservation Casinos

Hardluck

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Hello poptop

Had a look via Google earth a lot farms west of Dodge City is under intense agrifarming so perhaps these alleged mounds may have been destroyed by land clearance?

Hardluck

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hello poptop

I think if we find a Santa fe Trail map from around 1853 may be of help.

A little more history.

Dodge City, Kansas is rich in western heritage as one of the wildest of the wild, wild, west towns. The town, founded in 1872, was preceded by several other settlements. The first was civilian built Fort Mann, established in 1846 built to protect people on route to Sante Fe, New Mexico and abandoned in 1848 because of attacks by Indians. Next established was the military built Fort Atkinson, located two miles west of the present Dodge City. Fort Atkinson, which opened in 1850 as a way of protecting people traveling westward from Indians, was abandoned in 1853. Fort Dodge was opened from 1865 to 1882. Dodge City was started in 1871 by cattleman Henry Sitler who built a house a few miles from Fort Dodge, so he could look after his cattle business in that area. In 1872, Dodge City was plotted out. The town became a focal point for economic development. Initially, trade was for buffalo hides and bones, but that changed when the railroad arrived and the shift was to cattle. From 1876 to 1884, Dodge City was the boom town of the cattle industry, known for the saloons and gambling institutions it offered cattlemen. In 1885.

Technically Dodge city did not exist until about 1872 but to two previous fort settlements could of been the starting out point for the mexican mule train. So if the Mexicans has set off from the settlement at fort Akinson which is 2 miles west of present ay Dodge city perhaps the distance of where the mexicans was attacked was about 6 miles west instead of 4 from present day Dodge City?

It is interesting to note that historical sources confirm that indian attacks of caravan wagon trains did happen in the era.

It is known that several large Tribes of Indians roam over these prairies, and they will whenever an opportunity offers, attack caravans for the sake of plunder, and sometimes murder our Citizens. These Indians can only be restrained by having among them, or in striking distance of their hunting grounds, a military force able to pursue and punish them whenever they, commit aggressions upon travelers. On so long a route through an uninhabited region, it doubtless would be well to have one, or more intermediate posts, where the weary traveler, after a tedious journey, could rest securely, and be enabled to replenish his exhausted supplies, etc.

Kansas historical society

Hardluck

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Hello Nicholas

Possible. Another problem would of been modern day land clearances for farming may have destroyed any relevant landmarks. But we also must remember according legend the Mexicans buried the treasure under duress under the threat of constant attack from Indians. So they would not have had the time make a complex burial.

The best solution to get to the bottom of this story is to hunt down and identify who this E T Macklin was in 1929 to get more detail information. They may some information to be found in old local papers from the time. Or try hunting down the descendants of E T Macklin.

Hardluck

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