The Silas Haywood Story

January 17, 2011 © Thomas J. Kollenborn. All Rights Reserved.

There has been a lot said about lost gold in the Superstition Mountains and the involvement of native Americans. The following is a story that supposedly occurred in 1960 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and first began with a letter written by John Kochera to Robert Simpson Jacob on April 4, 1974. John Kochera wrote the following:

“With this letter I am enclosing a copy of the assays I had made on the ore we found. They are not too impressive. Just thought you might care to know. Also enclosed is a map that I will detail to you. I don’t have the money to search for it. I am a darn good prospector but a poor salesman. I can’t get any man with money to sponsor me in a search. So I am giving it to you. You seem to be an honest person and since you have about all the maps available I would like you to have these also. I hope you find it and if you do remember me in some small way.

“In 1960 I met an Apache Indian named Haywood. He was from the Verde River country in Arizona. He was in Milwaukee going to vocational school, which the government sent him to along with some others. We became good friends and one night he was over at my house and we had been drinking heavy. I started talking about finding gold in Mexico and then he told me this story.

“He said in the Spring of 1942, he and fourteen other men went on horses up the Salt River to La Barge Canyon then up La Barge Canyon to Squaw Box Canyon. They passed by the box canyon, than passed on the north side of three red hills. Then turned north about one mile and turned west to a hill north of the box canyon. There is a tunnel at the south side base of the hill, with brush and small trees nearly hiding it. They then went to the top of the hill and uncovered a pit. They took out about $50,000 in gold. When they finished they covered the pit again. The vein of gold is in a soft black rock and on both sides of the black vein is red rock.

“Haywood was thirty-seven years old when I met him. He believes strongly that something bad would happen if he told a white man, but since I am part Indian. He thought it would be all right. In July 1960, he and another guy died in a head-on crash with a tractor-trailer.

“For fourteen years I’ve kept this to myself and you are now the only person I’ve told this to. I hope it does some good for you. I personally believe this is the Dutchman’s mine. I wish I could search for it, but just don’t see how I can.

“I would appreciate hearing from you on what you think of this. I’ll close for now and if you have any questions I’ll be glad to help you out. I believe you are the person all this was pre-destined for.

Good luck and best wishes, Johnny Kochera.” This letter to Robert Simpson Jacob from Johnny Kochera is interesting and certainly a different kind of perspective on a story about lost gold in the Superstition Mountain region. Many of our readers are familiar with Robert Simpson Jacob and his operation in Squaw Box Canyon and on Peter’s Mesa for more than a decade. Johnny Kochera reported he heard many of his stories about the Superstition Mountain from Silas Haywood. According to Kochera he met Haywood when he was attending school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Another man spoke about Silas Haywood on several occasions and said he actually met a man who worked with Haywood and heard the same story about the rock that was formed by alternating layers of red and black material. This same rock was filled with gold.

Stories often get confused over the years. The J.J. Polka story is very similar to the Haywood story, except it occurred in the area above the upper box of La Barge Canyon. The rock in the Polka story is almost identical to the rock in the Kochera story. There are several maps associated with these two stories.

Jim Butler, who knew Chuck Aylor, Roy Bradford and Abe Reid, spent a considerable amount of time searching for the ore associated with alternating layers of red and black rock filled with fine gold. Butler was familiar with the Polka story and the man named Silas Haywood. I don’t dare try to figure out the exact relationships between these individuals and how much they knew about the Haywood story. As far as I know most of the knowledgeable “Dutch” hunters knew something about this story. There were many simple and some complex versions of this story.

The Kochera letter of April 1974 did shed a little light on the subject of the lost gold ore in the Superstition Wilderness Area and the origin of the story. When Kochera talks about Silas Haywood and fourteen other men making a trip up the Salt River in 1942, I find it difficult to believe they rode up La Barge Canyon from the Salt River. There were enorThere were enormous obstacles to overcome with such a route. First and most important there is a large lake in the way. Possibly Haywood and the fourteen men were hauled with their horses to a point just east of Boulder Canyon and rode south into La Barge Canyon. Many individuals believe all stories of lost gold must be checked out thoroughly.

I first heard about this story while working on the Quarter Circle U Ranch in 1955. Jim Butler was still active in the mountains with Chuck Aylor and others. Butler stopped by the Quarter Circle U Ranch hoping to acquire access to the region east of the ranch. He asked for permission to use the road going through the ranch. I told him he would have to talk to Bill Barkley. Butler then told me a little about the mine he had been looking for. I believe he called it the Lost Polka Mine at the time.

Butler said Haywood supposedly told those who would listen there were two almost impassible boxes in La Barge Canyon. I am sure he was making reference to the Upper Box and Lower Box of La Barge Canyon. The Upper Box is located just above the confluence of Whiskey Springs Canyon and La Barge Canyon. This is the only part of his story I have found to be accurate.

It could be Haywood and Kochera were talking about two entirely different locations. Only time will prove it out. To this day I have doubted the existence of Silas Haywood and furthermore, neither I nor my research associates have found any documentation to support the concept that Johnny Kochera was part Native American. Searching for the truth often makes stories very complex and sometime difficult to accept, except as legend.

Author’s note: It is difficult to document or prove the existence of Silas Haywood. Could it be Johnny Kochera used the name to kept his story safe from those who might research thoroughly the background of Silas Haywood? Could this be the reason for the deception on Kochera’s part? Only research will prove or disprove the existence of Sila Haywood.  Tom Kollenborn

A Hound in Disgrace

January 10, 2011 © Thomas J. Kollenborn. All Rights Reserved.

Music, the Black and Tan hound that
 discovered Ruth’s skull in Skull Flats.

A story that might have climaxed the Arizona Republic- Phoenix Archaeological Commission’s Expedition into the Superstition Mountains in 1931 was a tale about the redemption of a Black and Tan hound named “Music.” This hound was one of the best lion tracking dogs in Arizona. Music belonged to Richie Lewis, rodeo star, operator of the Tempe Riding Academy and master of horses as well as tracking hounds. Richie Lewis brought Music along on the archaeological expedition hoping he might come across the scent of a mountain lion. Music found rustling beef steaks from the cook tent was far more to his liking than chasing mountain lions across a desert of cactus spines and thorns.

The goal of this expedition was to explore the various Indian ruins in the Superstition Mountain area. The expedition included Harvey Mott, editor of the Arizona Republic, Edward D. Newcomer, photographer for the Arizona Republic, Odd S. Halseth, archaeologist for the City of Phoenix commission, George “Brownie” Holmes, leader of the expedition and Richie Lewis.

George “Brownie” Holmes
in his World War I uniform.

On December 5th and 6th of 1931, Richie Lewis and George “Brownie” Holmes lead the expedition’s pack animals from Tempe to Barkley’s First Water Ranch northeast of Apache Junction. Shortly after daybreak on Monday, December 7, 1931, members of the entire expedition gathered at the First Water Ranch to begin a weeklong trip into the Superstition Mountain region.

The first day of the expedition was spent traveling to Garden Valley and setting up camp. The valley was filled with Native American artifacts and Cholla cactus. A major winter storm dumped rain all night on the expedition’s camp in Garden Valley. The next morning the expedition leaders realized this was a major winter storm for the desert. It rained continuously for two full days and nights totally paralyzing the expedition’s activities in Garden Valley.

The thief of the camp was Music, Richie’s hound. The hound had stolen and eaten all the beef steaks planned for the first two evening meals. Richie Lewis later said if Music hadn’t been such a good lion hound he would have shot him then and there. Music certainly was a hound in disgrace as far as the expedition members were concerned.

On Thursday morning, December 10, 1931, the expedition started for Charlebois Canyon. Finally the skies had cleared, but it was extremely cold for the Arizona desert and the ground was very muddy and difficult to ride across. The mud was so bad it was constantly loosening shoes or pulling the shoes off the horses. Richie and Brownie had tightened shoes on the pack and riding animals on several occasions. Brownie Holmes was in the lead, followed by Ed Newcomer, than followed the pack stock. After the pack animals were Harvey Mott and Richie Lewis. Odds Halseth brought up the rear of the expedition.

Adolph Ruth was
at the center of the
1931 search in the
Superstition Mountains.

Music roamed back and forth across the trail trying to pick up scent. Suddenly he broke away from the group as if he was following a scent. He headed directly for a small Palo Verde tree sniffing and then baying. The pack train stopped temporarily to see what Music had found. Music was staring into the sightless sockets of a human skull in the shade beneath a small Palo Verde tree.

The expedition dismounted and the horses were quickly tied. The expedition members walked toward the Palo Verde to examine what Music had found. Newcomer called out for everyone not to move the skull until he had a chance to photograph it. With camera in hand Newcomer photographed the skull beneath the Palo Verde. Finally “Brownie” picked up the skull and held it while Newcomer photographed him. Brownie and Richie Lewis were quite convinced the skull was that of Adolph Ruth, a Washington D.C. treasure hunter who had disappeared in the Superstition Mountains the summer before on June 14, 1931.

Halseth placed the skull in a gunny sack and the expedition continued on to Charlesbois Spring for the night. Music’s reputation had been redeemed with the discovery of Ruth’s skull. The expedition made camp that night at Charlebois Spring. Halseth was quite convinced the skull was not that of Ruth, but that of an ancient Indian. Holmes claimed there was still flesh clinging to the skull when he picked it up. The skull was far too fresh to be that of an ancient Indian insisted Holmes and Richie. The consensus of the group agreed the skull was far too fresh to be that of an Indian. It was agreed by all members of the expedition they would return to Phoenix the next day.

Halseth hung the skull in a tree for the night so that animals would not haul it off or damage it. After nightfall a slight wind caused the skull to do a footless dance as it dangled from the branch of a large Sycamore tree.

Music had been redeemed, Adolph Ruth’s skull had been found and the expedition had obtained two out of three of its original exploration goals, however this did not please the expedition leader. Halseth wanted to continue on to Roger’s Canyon, but Harvey Mott wanted to return to Phoenix immediately to report the finding of Ruth’s skull. A majority vote of the expedition members decided the fate of the expedition. On Friday morning, December 11, 1931, the expedition returned to First Water Ranch. The next day newspapers reported the finding of Adolph Ruth’s skull in the Superstition Mountains. The discovery of Ruth’s skull ended one of the most enduring missing person mysteries of the Superstition Wilderness region.

The mystery of Adolph Ruth’s disappearance in the Superstition Mountain had finally been solved by the keen nose of a hound named “Music.”

Major League in Apache Junction

January 3, 2011 © Thomas J. Kollenborn. All Rights Reserved.

The memory and dreams of major league baseball in Apache Junction faded when Geronimo Park was dismantled and the materials sold to the Mesa Unified School District in 1969. Geronimo Park (where the Apache Junction Moose Lodge stands today) had been the winter home of the Houston Colt 45s (now Astros) some forty-eight years ago.

The Colt 45s were an expansion team in 1962, the same year the New York Mets made their major league debut. There are not too many of us around today who remember the Colts being here for winter training, but I recall Jerry Burgess being a batboy for the team. Jerry later graduated from Apache Junction High School and went on to serve on the Apache Junction City Council after the city was incorporated in 1978.

When the ballpark was planned and construction started in the fall of 1961 the project was the “talk of the town.” A group known as The Lost Dutchman’s Baseball Association financially backed the project. The association contracted PG&R Engineering Co. of Phoenix to build the park for an estimated cost of $20,000. During construction there were weekly reports in the newspapers about the park’s progress. Even the length of the grass (turf) and the date it was first cut was reported in the news. By mid November 1961 the park was rapidly taking shape. It was at this time it was discovered the park had no name.

Gene Chambers, president of The Lost Dutchman’s Baseball Association started a contest to name the park and offered two season tickets to the winner. A name was not chosen until mid-January when the “Name the park contest” ended. Victoria Vala of Riverside, Ill. entered the winning name for the park. Her nomination, “Geronimo Park” was selected.

The first game was played in the park on December 5, 1961. The Colts dropped a 5-3 decision to San Francisco in winter league play. On December 15, 1961, manager Paul Richards announced the Colts would officially start spring training at Geronimo Park on March 10, 1962.

According to some sources “Geronimo Park, Apache Junction, Arizona,” would soon appear on the pages of sports magazines and newspapers. This dateline would put Apache Junction on the sports pages of American newspapers. This without a doubt was one the biggest promotions of Apache Junction since it’s founding in 1923.

The new park was almost completed and named when it ran into financial difficulty. Members of The Lost Dutchman’s Baseball Association put out a call for funding and support from local merchants. The local support came through and the park was completed.

Bill Giles, traveling secretary for the Houston Colt 45s, announced that Apache Junction was destined for fame with baseball as a headliner. Giles further announced arrangements had been made to broadcast all of the team’s spring training games over the network of sixteen stations covering Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas.

It was a big day on March 12, 1962, when William W. Creighton, president of Lost Dutchman Baseball Association tossed out the first ball. He was a substitute for Governor Paul Fannin who had originally been scheduled for the event.

After six weeks of Cactus League play the Colt 45s left Apache Junction short of the $24,000 they had been guaranteed at the gate, but vowed to return the next year for spring training.

Yes, they did return in the spring of 1963, however after March of that year baseball’s spring training was over in Apache Junction. Geronimo Park was a long trip from the rest of the Valley and there was no Superstition Freeway in those days. Unfortunately, Apache Junction (with a population of around 3,000) did not meet the Houston Colt 45s expectations as far as attendance at their games.

So, by 1964, no longer could you hear the crack of a bat or the cheers of the fans in Geronimo Park. The treasure of major league baseball had slipped away from Apache Junction.