Click here for Part Nine of The Lost Dutchman Mine
The death of Adolf Ruth brought national attention to the legend of the Lost Dutchman Mine. Given that these events occurred during the height of the Great Depression, when the public was desperate for distraction from daily hardship, it is easy to see why it captivated the public’s imagination. It also served as a kind of validation. If Ruth was murdered while searching for the mine, then there had to be something there worth killing for. This renewed interest inspired a veritable army of treasure hunters to descend on the Superstitions, seeking their fortune. No telling of the Dutchman story is complete without acknowledging the eccentric characters who, through their searching, came to define the story of the Dutchman, and became legends in their own right.
One of the first books on the subject was Thunder Gods Gold by Barry Storm, published in 1945. Storm purports the events to be his true and actual experiences in the Superstitions, though it reads equally well, and arguably better, as fiction. To his credit, he recounts the Dutchman story as accurately as any early author, though always with his own flair. His narrative is filled with secret trail markings, Spanish mines, and other unsubstantiated archaeological discoveries, all uncovered while being stalked by a mysterious sniper he calls Mr. X. So dramatic was his tale that it inspired the 1949 Hollywood movie Lust for Gold.
One persistent belief in Dutchman lore is that the early searchers perpetuated a deception to misdirect future seekers to the western side of the mountains, specifically near Weavers Needle. Regardless, more than a few Dutch Hunters have been enthralled with the landmark, fixating their efforts there. None more memorable than Celeste Marie Jones and her mortal enemy, Ed Piper.
Jones came to the Superstitions in 1949, making her first claim at the Needle. Little is known of her outside of her time in the mountains. The popular story is that she was an opera singer from Los Angeles. It was her belief that Weavers Needle possessed a solid core of gold and she that intended to extract it to help fund her church in L.A. She spent the better part of ten years trying to do just that, even going as far as installing a rope ladder to the top of the peak!
Weavers Needle has long been a focal point in the search for the Lost Dutchman Mine, its towering silhouette casting both a literal and figurative shadow over the Superstitions. Whether drawn there by the misdirection of early figures like Holmes and Barkley or by their own conviction, many came to believe the treasure was hidden within or near the landmark. More than a few Dutch Hunters became enthralled with the sombrero, focusing their efforts on the Needle. None more memorable than Celeste Marie Jones and her mortal enemy, Ed Piper.
Jones came to the Superstitions in 1949, making her first claim at the Needle. Little is known of her outside of her time in the mountains. The popular story is that she was an opera singer from Los Angeles. It was her belief that Weavers Needle possessed a solid core of gold and she intended to extract it to help fund her church in L.A. She spent nearly a decade trying to do just that, even installing a rope ladder to the top of the peak!
Ed Piper arrived in 1955 and set up camp below Weavers Needle in East Boulder Canyon. At first, his presence coexisted peacefully with Jones’s operation, but tensions soon rose. Like many treasure hunters, Piper was suspicious by nature and began accusing Jones’s men of raiding his supplies. Over the years, several confrontations escalated the conflict. It reached a breaking point in 1959, when Piper shot and killed one of Jones’s men, Robert St. Marie. According to reports, St. Marie confronted Piper and threatened to kill him for trespassing on the Jones claim. His gun allegedly misfired, prompting Piper to draw and fire. He reported the shooting to the Pinal County Sheriff and was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing. Not long after, the Forest Service closed Weavers Needle to mineral excavation. The landmark has yet to yield any gold.
One of the most enigmatic figures to emerge after the death of Adolf Ruth was Robert “Crazy Jake” Jacob. Though he made no verified discoveries in the Superstitions, Jake left a lasting impression on the Dutchman legend. He arrived in 1966 and maintained elaborate camps near Peter’s Mesa for over two decades. Nearly everyone who crossed paths with him had a story to tell. Described as charismatic, fast-talking, and vaguely threatening, Jake walked the line between showman, businessman, and con artist.
Respected Dutch Hunter Clay Worst recalled his first encounter with Jake while hiking out of the mountains. Jake, just heading in, explained that he had found a Spanish mine in the Red Hills based on the research of a man named Clay Worst, who, in his words, hadn’t dug deep enough. As they parted, Clay introduced himself, much to their mutual amusement.
Jake was infamous for claiming he had found the Dutchman’s lost treasure and for convincing investors to fund his supposed recovery efforts. He was eventually prosecuted for fraud. Bob Corbin, the Arizona attorney general at the time, noted his difficulty in prosecuting Jake, as many of his backers refused to testify against him. Apparently they still clung to the belief that the treasure was real. Corbin would later retire to become a Dutch Hunter himself.
Even after his alleged death in the early 1990s, rumors persisted that Jake was still alive. Tom Kollenborn once received a phone call from someone claiming to be Jake, and according to Kollenborn, the voice was convincing. Given the man’s reputation, many still believe Jake faked his death to avoid prosecution, or maybe just to keep the legend alive.
