Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:02,132 --> 00:00:04,004
NARRATOR: Tonight on
The Curse of Civil War Gold...
2
00:00:04,047 --> 00:00:06,571
I have heard rumor
of Confederate gold
3
00:00:06,615 --> 00:00:08,965
-underneath the Pritchard house.
-Oh.
4
00:00:09,009 --> 00:00:10,967
GARY:
Not every day you get to search
5
00:00:11,011 --> 00:00:12,708
the property
of a Civil War general.
6
00:00:12,751 --> 00:00:13,622
Hey, hey, hey, it's a coin!
7
00:00:13,665 --> 00:00:15,711
Oh, man.
8
00:00:15,754 --> 00:00:17,321
Pritchard didn't come home
empty-handed.
9
00:00:17,365 --> 00:00:20,281
Could what you see on the screen
there possibly be a tunnel?
10
00:00:20,324 --> 00:00:21,804
-It is possible.
-You just got wood.
11
00:00:21,847 --> 00:00:23,545
AL:
You're kidding.
12
00:00:23,588 --> 00:00:25,547
It could be part of a vault.
What is it? Bring it up.
13
00:00:25,590 --> 00:00:29,333
AL:
That's it!
14
00:00:29,377 --> 00:00:31,292
♪
15
00:00:45,697 --> 00:00:49,440
NARRATOR: 50 miles south
of Muskegon, Michigan.
16
00:00:49,484 --> 00:00:51,921
EVIN: So, are you guys nervous
at all meeting with Rob?
17
00:00:51,964 --> 00:00:53,575
I got butterflies
in my stomach a little bit.
18
00:00:53,618 --> 00:00:54,663
-A little bit, a little bit.
-I'm excited.
19
00:00:54,706 --> 00:00:57,666
NARRATOR:
Kevin Dykstra,
20
00:00:57,709 --> 00:01:00,147
his younger brother Al,
and team researcher
21
00:01:00,190 --> 00:01:03,106
Brad Richards are on their way to the town of Allegan
22
00:01:03,150 --> 00:01:06,240
for what could be
a breakthrough meeting.
23
00:01:06,283 --> 00:01:08,503
Okay, diver in the water.
24
00:01:08,546 --> 00:01:09,504
NARRATOR: During the past few weeks...
25
00:01:11,941 --> 00:01:13,986
...they have discovered
amazing evidence
26
00:01:14,030 --> 00:01:16,206
that a boxcar filled
with millions
27
00:01:16,250 --> 00:01:17,816
in stolen Civil War gold...
28
00:01:17,860 --> 00:01:19,775
Let it go.
29
00:01:19,818 --> 00:01:22,604
NARRATOR: ...could be lying at the bottom of Lake Michigan,
30
00:01:22,647 --> 00:01:24,823
just off shore
from the town of Frankfort.
31
00:01:24,867 --> 00:01:28,175
I would definitely call this
a man-made structure
32
00:01:28,218 --> 00:01:29,915
that needs a lot
of further investigation.
33
00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:33,919
NARRATOR: But while Kevin
and his team must now wait
34
00:01:33,963 --> 00:01:35,791
for the appropriate permissions
35
00:01:35,834 --> 00:01:38,881
to return to the lake and begin excavating their search area,
36
00:01:38,924 --> 00:01:42,711
they are using the time
to further investigate
37
00:01:42,754 --> 00:01:46,497
what Kevin believes
was a major conspiracy,
38
00:01:46,541 --> 00:01:49,761
one that suggests the gold
they might have found
39
00:01:49,805 --> 00:01:52,938
at the bottom of Lake Michigan could be only a small portion
40
00:01:52,982 --> 00:01:56,203
of the gold that was stolen at the end of the Civil War.
41
00:01:57,117 --> 00:02:01,860
Today they have arranged
to meet face-to-face
42
00:02:01,904 --> 00:02:05,603
with the great-great-grandson of a man who, Kevin believes,
43
00:02:05,647 --> 00:02:08,432
was a key player in the plot to steal the gold
44
00:02:08,476 --> 00:02:10,042
Confederate President
Jefferson Davis
45
00:02:10,086 --> 00:02:13,394
had with him at the time
of his arrest,
46
00:02:13,437 --> 00:02:17,180
Lieutenant Colonel
Benjamin Pritchard.
47
00:02:17,224 --> 00:02:20,009
EVIN: Well, guys, here we are.
-AL: Here we are.
48
00:02:20,052 --> 00:02:21,184
KEVIN:
Get this meeting underway.
49
00:02:21,228 --> 00:02:22,446
AL:
Let the games begin.
50
00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:26,581
-This is gonna be interesting.
-I know.
51
00:02:26,624 --> 00:02:28,496
NARRATOR: Because mainstream historians
52
00:02:28,539 --> 00:02:31,107
have long argued that Davis
did not have gold
53
00:02:31,151 --> 00:02:34,284
or any portion of the Confederate treasury with him
54
00:02:34,328 --> 00:02:35,851
on the morning
he was captured...
55
00:02:35,894 --> 00:02:37,853
-Mr. Proctor.
-Hey, Kevin.
56
00:02:37,896 --> 00:02:40,899
NARRATOR: ...if Kevin and his
team can prove otherwise,
57
00:02:40,943 --> 00:02:43,424
it would suggest that his
theory of a vast conspiracy
58
00:02:43,467 --> 00:02:47,776
and elaborate cover-up is true.
59
00:02:47,819 --> 00:02:49,995
Well, thanks for taking the time
to meet with us today.
60
00:02:50,039 --> 00:02:52,433
We've never had
the opportunity to speak
61
00:02:52,476 --> 00:02:55,740
with a descendent of
Mr. Pritchard, and I understand
62
00:02:55,784 --> 00:02:58,134
that you lived in the
Pritchard house for some time?
63
00:02:58,178 --> 00:02:59,744
I did. We lived there, uh,
64
00:02:59,788 --> 00:03:02,269
with my family from 1994
65
00:03:02,312 --> 00:03:04,488
to 2007, but I've been
around that house
66
00:03:04,532 --> 00:03:06,882
since the '60s,
when I was a little kid,
67
00:03:06,925 --> 00:03:10,277
and it's been in our family
since 1865 when he built it.
68
00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:12,235
-Been in your family that long?
-Yeah.
69
00:03:12,279 --> 00:03:16,021
So I'm sure you've heard of some
of the research that I've done.
70
00:03:16,065 --> 00:03:17,980
Yes. I-I've seen your research,
71
00:03:18,023 --> 00:03:21,679
and it's almost hard to grasp
what was going on at the time.
72
00:03:21,723 --> 00:03:22,985
You know, we're just
searching for the truth.
73
00:03:23,028 --> 00:03:24,073
Oh, yeah.
74
00:03:24,116 --> 00:03:27,772
NARRATOR:
It is Kevin's belief
75
00:03:27,816 --> 00:03:29,861
that Lieutenant Colonel
Benjamin Pritchard,
76
00:03:29,905 --> 00:03:33,865
a native of Allegan, Michigan, was operating under orders
77
00:03:33,909 --> 00:03:37,826
from his commanding officer, Colonel Robert H. G. Minty,
78
00:03:37,869 --> 00:03:41,003
who, in turn, was part
of a conspiracy organized
79
00:03:41,046 --> 00:03:42,396
by another Michigan native,
80
00:03:42,439 --> 00:03:46,487
lumber tycoon turned banker,
Charles Hackley.
81
00:03:46,530 --> 00:03:48,532
So growing up,
82
00:03:48,576 --> 00:03:50,665
when they were talking about
the arrest of Jefferson Davis,
83
00:03:50,708 --> 00:03:53,102
were there any other things
about the arrest
84
00:03:53,145 --> 00:03:54,756
that you have information of?
85
00:03:54,799 --> 00:03:56,279
ROB: Yeah, we had
a couple of articles
86
00:03:56,323 --> 00:03:59,630
that the general acquired
during the capture.
87
00:03:59,674 --> 00:04:02,154
If you'd like to see them now,
I have them with me.
88
00:04:02,198 --> 00:04:04,244
You mean, like, actual artifacts
from the capture?
89
00:04:04,287 --> 00:04:06,028
Yeah, they were in the
possession of Jefferson Davis
90
00:04:06,071 --> 00:04:09,205
-at the time of his capture.
-Ooh.
91
00:04:09,249 --> 00:04:10,902
-AL: Seriously. That's cool.
-Yeah.
92
00:04:10,946 --> 00:04:12,164
-Let's see 'em.
-Yeah.
93
00:04:13,601 --> 00:04:16,081
-Uh-oh.
-So...
94
00:04:20,825 --> 00:04:23,045
This is one of the buttons
95
00:04:23,088 --> 00:04:25,874
off of one of the
articles of clothing
96
00:04:25,917 --> 00:04:28,833
Jefferson Davis was wearing when
he was attempting to escape.
97
00:04:28,877 --> 00:04:30,792
-AL: Really? Oh, wow.
-BRAD: No way.
98
00:04:35,927 --> 00:04:40,323
-And we have one more.
-Oh, wow.
99
00:04:41,281 --> 00:04:44,980
-What in the world?
-This is the Tiffany chalice.
100
00:04:45,023 --> 00:04:46,329
AL:
Ugh, that's cool.
101
00:04:46,373 --> 00:04:50,377
KEVIN: And your family lore
says this was with
102
00:04:50,420 --> 00:04:51,769
Jefferson Davis at the point
of capture?
103
00:04:51,813 --> 00:04:53,467
-Yes.
-Wow.
104
00:04:53,510 --> 00:04:56,383
NARRATOR:
A Tiffany chalice?
105
00:04:56,426 --> 00:04:58,646
A genuine article of treasure
106
00:04:58,689 --> 00:05:02,824
taken from Jefferson Davis
at the time of his arrest?
107
00:05:02,867 --> 00:05:07,959
But if Benjamin Pritchard took this, could he have taken more?
108
00:05:08,003 --> 00:05:10,919
Perhaps six wagonloads
of gold and silver
109
00:05:10,962 --> 00:05:13,400
the Confederate president
had hoped
110
00:05:13,443 --> 00:05:16,664
to smuggle across the border to Mexico.
111
00:05:16,707 --> 00:05:19,275
KEVIN: It was amazing to hold
that chalice in my hand,
112
00:05:19,319 --> 00:05:20,972
knowing that Jefferson Davis
113
00:05:21,016 --> 00:05:24,062
and his wife probably drank
from that,
114
00:05:24,106 --> 00:05:26,456
and it also appeared
to be a trophy
115
00:05:26,500 --> 00:05:28,545
for Colonel Benjamin Pritchard.
116
00:05:28,589 --> 00:05:32,941
Rob, is there any specific story
handed down through your family
117
00:05:32,984 --> 00:05:35,596
that General Pritchard
118
00:05:35,639 --> 00:05:37,206
brought Confederate gold
back here to Michigan?
119
00:05:37,249 --> 00:05:39,730
Specific story, no.
120
00:05:39,774 --> 00:05:42,516
I'm not aware of
a treasure trail
121
00:05:42,559 --> 00:05:43,995
story of Benjamin Pritchard
122
00:05:44,039 --> 00:05:47,477
getting gold from Irwinville
to Michigan.
123
00:05:47,521 --> 00:05:49,523
But I will level with you.
124
00:05:49,566 --> 00:05:51,829
I have heard conversation
125
00:05:51,873 --> 00:05:55,006
about gold underneath
the Pritchard house. Yes.
126
00:05:59,054 --> 00:06:01,535
You've heard of treasure under
the Pritchard house?
127
00:06:01,578 --> 00:06:03,885
Yes.
128
00:06:03,928 --> 00:06:05,974
We had stories of
129
00:06:06,017 --> 00:06:08,063
Confederate gold,
and it was folks
130
00:06:08,106 --> 00:06:10,239
that would say, "Oh, hey,
you live in the Pritchard house.
131
00:06:10,282 --> 00:06:12,328
There's a tunnel
under the Pritchard house."
132
00:06:12,372 --> 00:06:15,200
-Tunnel?
-I did say tunnel.
133
00:06:15,244 --> 00:06:18,029
I lived in the Pritchard house
for 13 years.
134
00:06:18,073 --> 00:06:20,641
I've been around it
since the '60s.
135
00:06:20,684 --> 00:06:23,426
Throughout time,
there have been folks that said,
136
00:06:23,470 --> 00:06:25,297
"Oh, there's a tunnel
in the Pritchard house."
137
00:06:27,038 --> 00:06:29,127
KEVIN:
Look at that.
138
00:06:29,171 --> 00:06:30,651
Look at that! Nice.
139
00:06:30,694 --> 00:06:32,392
NARRATOR:
Last week,
140
00:06:32,435 --> 00:06:35,133
Kevin and his team discovered evidence of a tunnel
141
00:06:35,177 --> 00:06:38,136
connecting Charles Hackley's
former mansion in Muskegon
142
00:06:38,180 --> 00:06:41,488
to a home that once belonged to Hackley's friend
143
00:06:41,531 --> 00:06:44,665
and longtime business partner Thomas Hume.
144
00:06:44,708 --> 00:06:46,188
It had to be a tunnel.
They just closed it off.
145
00:06:46,231 --> 00:06:48,277
Well, and we were told
there was a tunnel right here.
146
00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:51,236
NARRATOR: It is Kevin's belief
that the tunnel was used
147
00:06:51,280 --> 00:06:55,110
to secretly transport portions of the stolen Confederate gold
148
00:06:55,153 --> 00:06:57,765
from Hackley's house to Hume's,
149
00:06:57,808 --> 00:07:01,421
as part of their plot to sneak the gold out of Michigan
150
00:07:01,464 --> 00:07:03,684
and west to Utah,
151
00:07:03,727 --> 00:07:06,338
where it would be melted down
and laundered
152
00:07:06,382 --> 00:07:09,646
in one of Hackley's
numerous gold mines.
153
00:07:09,690 --> 00:07:12,040
So, with all this talk
of the possibility
154
00:07:12,083 --> 00:07:14,216
of tunnels and treasures,
do you think there's a way
155
00:07:14,259 --> 00:07:16,436
that we could ever get
into that house?
156
00:07:16,479 --> 00:07:19,264
-Do you know the owners?
-Yes, I do, very well.
157
00:07:19,308 --> 00:07:20,309
You think they'd let us come on
158
00:07:20,352 --> 00:07:22,659
to the property
and search around?
159
00:07:22,703 --> 00:07:24,618
Oh, I'm pretty sure
they would, yeah.
160
00:07:24,661 --> 00:07:27,490
KEVIN: You know, with my large
background in construction
161
00:07:27,534 --> 00:07:30,101
and being able to go
into the Pritchard house,
162
00:07:30,145 --> 00:07:32,800
which Benjamin Pritchard built--
it's exciting
163
00:07:32,843 --> 00:07:35,106
because I think
I might be able to see things
164
00:07:35,150 --> 00:07:37,065
that the average person
may not see.
165
00:07:37,108 --> 00:07:38,936
Rob, I can't thank you enough
166
00:07:38,980 --> 00:07:41,025
for coming up here
and meeting with us.
167
00:07:41,069 --> 00:07:43,463
This has been very valuable
for my research.
168
00:07:43,506 --> 00:07:43,854
I'm happy to help.
169
00:07:49,077 --> 00:07:52,950
NARRATOR: While waiting for permission to visit the home
170
00:07:52,994 --> 00:07:56,171
of Benjamin Pritchard,
Kevin, Al and Brad
171
00:07:56,214 --> 00:07:59,566
pay a visit to the Allegan Historical Society.
172
00:07:59,609 --> 00:08:02,090
They are hoping
to find further evidence
173
00:08:02,133 --> 00:08:04,222
of Pritchard's involvement
in a plot
174
00:08:04,266 --> 00:08:08,096
to steal and then launder
millions in Civil War gold.
175
00:08:08,139 --> 00:08:09,837
SCOTT:
Hey, guys. How you doing?
176
00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:11,882
Good. Couldn't be better.
Couldn't be better.
177
00:08:11,926 --> 00:08:13,928
-Hey, this is my brother Al.
-Hi, Al. Scott Kuykendall.
178
00:08:13,971 --> 00:08:15,190
-Nice to meet you.
-And this is Brad Richards.
-Hi, Brad.
179
00:08:15,233 --> 00:08:16,452
Scott Kuykendall.
Good to meet you.
180
00:08:16,496 --> 00:08:18,106
Nice to meet you, Scott.
181
00:08:18,149 --> 00:08:20,369
NARRATOR: Housed in a former
courthouse and jail,
182
00:08:20,412 --> 00:08:24,373
the Allegan Historical Society contains rare artifacts
183
00:08:24,416 --> 00:08:26,549
and historical documents
184
00:08:26,593 --> 00:08:30,074
dating as far back
as the early 1800s.
185
00:08:30,118 --> 00:08:32,120
So, as we spoke on the phone,
186
00:08:32,163 --> 00:08:34,035
you apparently have
a lot of artifacts here
187
00:08:34,078 --> 00:08:35,993
from Benjamin Pritchard
188
00:08:36,037 --> 00:08:38,256
and the capture of Jefferson
Davis, as I understand it?
189
00:08:38,300 --> 00:08:39,997
We have the largest collection
190
00:08:40,041 --> 00:08:42,130
of Pritchard artifacts
in the country.
191
00:08:42,173 --> 00:08:43,305
-Wow.
-Because he was from our county.
192
00:08:43,348 --> 00:08:46,917
And that's everything
from documentation
193
00:08:46,961 --> 00:08:49,137
to actual military artifacts.
194
00:08:49,180 --> 00:08:51,922
-Can we go see them?
-Follow me.
195
00:08:51,966 --> 00:08:54,272
KEVIN: I'm certain I'm gonna
find out things from Scott
196
00:08:54,316 --> 00:08:56,971
that I don't know
about Benjamin Pritchard.
197
00:08:57,014 --> 00:08:58,842
And I'm really excited to see
198
00:08:58,886 --> 00:09:02,150
how what he knows can propel
my research even further.
199
00:09:02,193 --> 00:09:04,195
I got a few items
you might be interested in.
200
00:09:04,239 --> 00:09:06,633
-Wow.
-The first one we've got here.
201
00:09:06,676 --> 00:09:09,810
This is Pritchard's saddle
and saddle blanket.
202
00:09:09,853 --> 00:09:12,203
-Wow.
-You got the "4"
203
00:09:12,247 --> 00:09:13,988
for the 4th Michigan Cav.
204
00:09:14,031 --> 00:09:16,686
This was on Pritchard's horse.
205
00:09:16,730 --> 00:09:18,645
-That was at the capture site?
-In Irwinville, Georgia,
206
00:09:18,688 --> 00:09:20,995
on May 10th of 1865,
this was there.
207
00:09:21,038 --> 00:09:23,345
Very nice.
208
00:09:23,388 --> 00:09:26,870
Uh, next thing we're gonna
look at here is...
209
00:09:26,914 --> 00:09:29,003
-AL: Wow, look at that.
-BRAD: Wow.
210
00:09:29,046 --> 00:09:33,137
Gentlemen, this is
the 1863 issue Colt .44.
211
00:09:33,181 --> 00:09:36,532
This was Pritchard's army issue.
212
00:09:36,576 --> 00:09:38,578
Al, why don't you put
some gloves on here?
213
00:09:38,621 --> 00:09:41,319
We're gonna let you hold
a piece of history.
214
00:09:41,363 --> 00:09:43,060
Be careful with that thing.
215
00:09:43,104 --> 00:09:44,888
-Right.
-I got it.
216
00:09:44,932 --> 00:09:49,066
SCOTT: This revolver on
Pritchard's hip heard
217
00:09:49,110 --> 00:09:52,069
the conversation when
they initially captured Davis.
218
00:09:52,113 --> 00:09:53,070
BRAD: That was aimed at the
president of another country.
219
00:09:53,114 --> 00:09:55,899
SCOTT:
Right.
220
00:09:55,943 --> 00:09:58,075
AL: As I'm holding this gun,
I cannot believe
221
00:09:58,119 --> 00:09:59,381
that this is a gun that Pritchard was carrying.
222
00:09:59,424 --> 00:10:02,297
If the thing could talk,
what would it tell me?
223
00:10:02,340 --> 00:10:06,649
Well, he was an amazing war hero
and this is a real honor.
224
00:10:06,693 --> 00:10:08,216
Yeah, he truly was a war hero,
225
00:10:08,259 --> 00:10:10,305
and he was so popular
in the state of Michigan,
226
00:10:10,348 --> 00:10:12,699
there were several folks that
wanted him to run for governor,
227
00:10:12,742 --> 00:10:14,309
but he didn't want to.
He wanted
228
00:10:14,352 --> 00:10:16,703
to stay local, he wanted
to stay here in Allegan County.
229
00:10:16,746 --> 00:10:19,444
So, if he...
if he wanted to stay local,
230
00:10:19,488 --> 00:10:22,273
why did he agree to become
the state land commissioner?
231
00:10:22,317 --> 00:10:25,059
A lot of his friends
were big players
232
00:10:25,102 --> 00:10:26,669
in politics
in the state of Michigan.
233
00:10:26,713 --> 00:10:28,323
So when they moved up,
they asked Pritchard
234
00:10:28,366 --> 00:10:32,109
to take on some of the
smaller jobs, in their view.
235
00:10:32,153 --> 00:10:33,458
Well, see, Kevin's got
this theory that the railroad
236
00:10:33,502 --> 00:10:36,679
that goes from here in Allegan
to Muskegon needed
237
00:10:36,723 --> 00:10:39,290
-a land commissioner.
-KEVIN: My theory says, Scott,
238
00:10:39,334 --> 00:10:41,249
that a land commissioner
would have been the person
239
00:10:41,292 --> 00:10:44,252
who could have okayed
the transfer of land
240
00:10:44,295 --> 00:10:46,602
to be able
to put a railroad together.
241
00:10:46,646 --> 00:10:49,170
-Okay.
-Because, it's my belief
242
00:10:49,213 --> 00:10:52,086
that possibly the Confederate
gold could have been brought up
243
00:10:52,129 --> 00:10:55,698
to Muskegon on those railroads.
244
00:10:55,742 --> 00:10:58,092
NARRATOR: Soon after returning
home to Allegan
245
00:10:58,135 --> 00:10:59,746
at the end of the Civil War,
246
00:10:59,789 --> 00:11:01,312
Benjamin Pritchard
was appointed
247
00:11:01,356 --> 00:11:04,707
to the office
of state land commissioner.
248
00:11:04,751 --> 00:11:07,449
The job gave him oversight
249
00:11:07,492 --> 00:11:09,016
of, among other things,
250
00:11:09,059 --> 00:11:10,147
new railroad construction.
251
00:11:10,191 --> 00:11:12,280
In 1870,
252
00:11:12,323 --> 00:11:16,110
a 60-mile section
of track known
253
00:11:16,153 --> 00:11:17,894
as the Michigan Lakeshore
Railroad
254
00:11:17,938 --> 00:11:21,637
was built to connect the cities of Allegan and Muskegon,
255
00:11:21,681 --> 00:11:24,379
the hometown
of Charles Hackley.
256
00:11:24,422 --> 00:11:27,774
Because the rail line ended
right at the back door
257
00:11:27,817 --> 00:11:30,167
of Hackley's downtown office,
258
00:11:30,211 --> 00:11:33,605
it is Kevin Dykstra's belief
that the project
259
00:11:33,649 --> 00:11:35,259
was the result of a secret deal
260
00:11:35,303 --> 00:11:38,349
between Hackley
and Benjamin Pritchard.
261
00:11:38,393 --> 00:11:41,701
So, my-my thought
is that Benjamin Pritchard
262
00:11:41,744 --> 00:11:43,659
possibly became
the land commissioner
263
00:11:43,703 --> 00:11:47,750
to help with that process to get
that railroad to Muskegon.
264
00:11:47,794 --> 00:11:49,709
-Mm-hmm.
-And then
265
00:11:49,752 --> 00:11:51,232
Charles Hackley
would have benefited
266
00:11:51,275 --> 00:11:52,581
from the land commissioner
267
00:11:52,624 --> 00:11:53,930
deeding over the property.
268
00:11:53,974 --> 00:11:56,411
Would you say that there was
a good likelihood
269
00:11:56,454 --> 00:11:58,935
that Charles Hackley knew
Benjamin Pritchard?
270
00:11:58,979 --> 00:11:59,893
Oh, very well. Yes.
271
00:11:59,936 --> 00:12:02,417
Yeah, that's-that's a definite.
272
00:12:09,554 --> 00:12:11,295
SCOTT:
I do have some documents
273
00:12:11,339 --> 00:12:12,862
that you might be
interested in.
274
00:12:12,906 --> 00:12:15,996
So, why don't you follow me.
Bring your gloves with you.
275
00:12:16,039 --> 00:12:18,694
NARRATOR: While looking for evidence directly linking
276
00:12:18,738 --> 00:12:20,348
Lieutenant Colonel
Benjamin Pritchard
277
00:12:20,391 --> 00:12:22,480
to a conspiracy
involving millions
278
00:12:22,524 --> 00:12:24,744
in stolen gold and silver...
279
00:12:24,787 --> 00:12:26,441
All right, we're gonna be coming
in this room.
280
00:12:26,484 --> 00:12:30,401
...Kevin Dykstra has just been informed that Pritchard,
281
00:12:30,445 --> 00:12:33,491
in his capacity as the Allegan County land commissioner,
282
00:12:33,535 --> 00:12:36,016
would have had
extensive dealings
283
00:12:36,059 --> 00:12:37,408
with local millionaire
Charles Hackley,
284
00:12:37,452 --> 00:12:40,281
the man who Kevin believes
285
00:12:40,324 --> 00:12:43,632
was instrumental in the plot.
286
00:12:43,675 --> 00:12:45,503
SCOTT: The first document
I want you to look at here,
287
00:12:45,547 --> 00:12:47,462
it's from the First National
Bank of Allegan.
288
00:12:47,505 --> 00:12:49,725
-This is one of-- on his...
-AL: Oh.
289
00:12:49,769 --> 00:12:50,987
-The letterhead?
-You can see, up in the corner,
290
00:12:51,031 --> 00:12:52,293
he's president.
291
00:12:52,336 --> 00:12:54,208
AL:
That seem like an odd thing
292
00:12:54,251 --> 00:12:56,123
for him to be able to do
293
00:12:56,166 --> 00:12:57,515
after the war was over?
294
00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:00,431
Pritchard was, uh,
very connected in the community.
295
00:13:00,475 --> 00:13:02,607
He was able to raise
296
00:13:02,651 --> 00:13:05,175
the $50,000 that was needed
to start the bank.
297
00:13:05,219 --> 00:13:07,047
So, he obviously had that
298
00:13:07,090 --> 00:13:08,831
-or got that money
from somewhere
-Correct.
299
00:13:08,875 --> 00:13:09,353
-to start the charter.
-Correct.
300
00:13:09,397 --> 00:13:11,355
Okay. Okay.
301
00:13:11,399 --> 00:13:12,879
You know, in our paperwork
that we have here,
302
00:13:12,922 --> 00:13:15,359
we have no proof that he had
$50,000 to start the bank.
303
00:13:15,403 --> 00:13:18,536
KEVIN: Has any
of the townspeople ever wondered
304
00:13:18,580 --> 00:13:21,670
how was it he was able
to start a bank
305
00:13:21,713 --> 00:13:24,281
or did they just accept the fact
that he had...
306
00:13:24,325 --> 00:13:26,327
earned this money somewhere?
307
00:13:26,370 --> 00:13:28,285
Uh, I think, initially, no.
308
00:13:28,329 --> 00:13:31,332
Pritchard was
a very philanthropic,
309
00:13:31,375 --> 00:13:32,855
-very upstanding,
-Mm-hmm.
310
00:13:32,899 --> 00:13:35,249
-community-oriented,
-BRAD: Honest.
311
00:13:35,292 --> 00:13:38,556
honorable, courage,
commitment to his community.
312
00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:40,689
That's why it was
never questioned.
313
00:13:40,732 --> 00:13:42,604
-This guy is a returning hero.
-Right.
314
00:13:42,647 --> 00:13:44,214
He's not gonna be questioned
for anything.
315
00:13:44,258 --> 00:13:47,478
-He's-he's the capturer
of Jefferson Davis.
-No.
316
00:13:47,522 --> 00:13:50,351
NARRATOR: A small-town
schoolteacher and lawyer
317
00:13:50,394 --> 00:13:52,744
who becomes a banker?
318
00:13:52,788 --> 00:13:55,573
Could the money Pritchard used
to start his bank
319
00:13:55,617 --> 00:13:58,750
actually have been a payoff
for his complicity
320
00:13:58,794 --> 00:14:00,665
in an elaborate scheme
321
00:14:00,709 --> 00:14:04,756
to steal a large portion of the Confederate treasury?
322
00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:06,628
You know, the only thing
that makes any sense to me
323
00:14:06,671 --> 00:14:08,717
with Benjamin Pritchard
opening up that bank
324
00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:10,850
is he could have used
that Confederate gold.
325
00:14:10,893 --> 00:14:13,548
I can't wait to get
to Benjamin Pritchard's house
326
00:14:13,591 --> 00:14:16,638
and see if there's any remnants
of that gold anywhere.
327
00:14:16,681 --> 00:14:19,554
-Been a worthwhile trip. Thanks.
-For sure, it has.
-All right. Thank you.
328
00:14:19,597 --> 00:14:22,339
-Scott, thank you.
-Thanks, Kevin. Al.
-Great meeting you.
329
00:14:22,383 --> 00:14:25,081
SCOTT:
Good seeing you.
330
00:14:25,125 --> 00:14:27,257
♪
331
00:14:29,781 --> 00:14:32,045
NARRATOR:
Early the next day...
332
00:14:32,088 --> 00:14:33,437
AL:
There they are.
333
00:14:33,481 --> 00:14:34,874
NARRATOR: ...Kevin and the team arrive
334
00:14:34,917 --> 00:14:38,138
athe former home
of Benjamin Pritchard.
335
00:14:38,181 --> 00:14:39,530
Hey, guys.
336
00:14:39,574 --> 00:14:40,923
-Hey, Rob.
-NARRATOR: They have arranged
337
00:14:40,967 --> 00:14:42,707
to meet once again
with Rob Proctor,
338
00:14:42,751 --> 00:14:46,668
who has secured permission from the current owner, Diana Lloyd,
339
00:14:46,711 --> 00:14:49,714
to look around the house
and property.
340
00:14:49,758 --> 00:14:53,196
VIN: If Pritchard brought gold to Michigan, as my research
341
00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:56,504
shows, there's a good chance that gold could be in Allegan
342
00:14:56,547 --> 00:14:58,375
or it could be in his house
or anywhere around it.
343
00:14:58,419 --> 00:15:02,162
All right, come on in.
344
00:15:02,205 --> 00:15:04,164
As you can see,
345
00:15:04,207 --> 00:15:05,643
-the initial thing you see
in the house
-BRAD: Wow.
346
00:15:05,687 --> 00:15:07,558
is the hanging circular
staircase.
347
00:15:07,602 --> 00:15:09,560
-BRAD: Very cool.
-ROB: And what's really neat
348
00:15:09,604 --> 00:15:12,607
about this is this was built
by General Pritchard.
349
00:15:12,650 --> 00:15:16,916
NARRATOR: A spiral staircase built by Benjamin Pritchard?
350
00:15:16,959 --> 00:15:19,179
General Pritchard built
the stairs with his own hand?
351
00:15:19,222 --> 00:15:21,659
-This is all his work?
-Yeah. He was a carpenter.
352
00:15:21,703 --> 00:15:23,705
NARRATOR:
Could it be another clue,
353
00:15:23,748 --> 00:15:26,403
one that further connects
Benjamin Pritchard
354
00:15:26,447 --> 00:15:28,231
to Charles Hackley?
355
00:15:28,275 --> 00:15:29,537
Feel free to walk on up it.
356
00:15:29,580 --> 00:15:31,321
-Okay.
-This is amazing.
-Yeah.
357
00:15:31,365 --> 00:15:32,757
And see what you think.
Does it f...
358
00:15:32,801 --> 00:15:35,282
-All by hand?
-All by hand.
359
00:15:35,325 --> 00:15:38,981
NARRATOR: Because the spiral serves as an important symbol
360
00:15:39,025 --> 00:15:40,461
in Freemasonry
361
00:15:40,504 --> 00:15:42,942
and it was well-known
that Charles Hackley
362
00:15:42,985 --> 00:15:46,554
was a prominent member of this very secret society,
363
00:15:46,597 --> 00:15:50,732
is it possible that Pritchard built this incredible staircase
364
00:15:50,775 --> 00:15:53,343
as a means
of illustrating his loyalty
365
00:15:53,387 --> 00:15:54,736
both to Hackley and the plot
366
00:15:54,779 --> 00:15:57,565
to steal millions
in Confederate gold?
367
00:15:57,608 --> 00:15:59,567
-ROB: Hear it creaking?
-No, it's solid.
368
00:15:59,610 --> 00:16:03,919
-KEVIN: Even with Brad on it.
-[laughter]
369
00:16:03,963 --> 00:16:06,313
The University of Michigan
Engineering Department
370
00:16:06,356 --> 00:16:08,880
has been here
probably three times,
371
00:16:08,924 --> 00:16:11,013
because they're trying
to figure out
372
00:16:11,057 --> 00:16:11,840
-how he's done it
-How he supported it.
373
00:16:11,883 --> 00:16:13,494
with this kind of support.
374
00:16:13,537 --> 00:16:15,931
And outside of taking it
all apart,
375
00:16:15,975 --> 00:16:17,454
-which we're not interested
in doing,
-No.
376
00:16:17,498 --> 00:16:19,021
it's staying there.
377
00:16:19,065 --> 00:16:21,197
KEVIN: You know, wondering for eight years if,
378
00:16:21,241 --> 00:16:23,199
at the Benjamin Pritchard
house,
379
00:16:23,243 --> 00:16:26,202
there was any treasure
buried anywhere on the property
380
00:16:26,246 --> 00:16:27,856
was always a thought
in the back of my mind.
381
00:16:27,899 --> 00:16:32,339
This great room used to be a
front parlor and a back parlor.
382
00:16:32,382 --> 00:16:35,037
KEVIN: But when I know he built it with his own hands
383
00:16:35,081 --> 00:16:37,126
the same year the war ended,
384
00:16:37,170 --> 00:16:38,475
that's where my thoughts ran--
385
00:16:38,519 --> 00:16:41,609
was where could he hide stuff
in this house.
386
00:16:41,652 --> 00:16:42,653
General Pritchard died
right there
387
00:16:42,697 --> 00:16:45,047
in that room.
That was his bedroom.
388
00:16:45,091 --> 00:16:46,483
-KEVIN: Oh, really?
-AL: No kidding.
-ROB: Mm-hmm.
389
00:16:46,527 --> 00:16:48,572
Yeah. He was 72 years old.
390
00:16:48,616 --> 00:16:50,531
And he came home and he said
he wasn't feeling well.
391
00:16:50,574 --> 00:16:51,706
Had some chest pains.
392
00:16:51,749 --> 00:16:53,664
He went in and laid down.
393
00:16:53,708 --> 00:16:55,101
They got worse.
They called the doctor.
394
00:16:55,144 --> 00:16:57,973
The-the next afternoon,
he passed away of angina.
395
00:16:58,017 --> 00:16:59,801
-AL: Wow.
-Passed right in there, huh?
396
00:16:59,844 --> 00:17:01,629
-AL: That quick?
-BRAD: Curious to see
397
00:17:01,672 --> 00:17:02,847
-the rest of the place.
-Yeah.
-Yeah.
398
00:17:02,891 --> 00:17:03,718
All right, there's a lot more.
399
00:17:03,761 --> 00:17:06,547
When Rob Proctor shared that
400
00:17:06,590 --> 00:17:08,636
his great-great-grandfather
died fairly suddenly...
401
00:17:08,679 --> 00:17:11,465
-All right. -I instantly started to believe
402
00:17:11,508 --> 00:17:12,944
those rumors
that Rob was telling me.
403
00:17:12,988 --> 00:17:14,642
He said to me
that if there was something
404
00:17:14,685 --> 00:17:16,948
buried underneath the basement,
405
00:17:16,992 --> 00:17:18,428
it may still be there.
406
00:17:18,472 --> 00:17:20,213
Here we go.
407
00:17:20,256 --> 00:17:21,779
-ROB: Watch your head.
-AL: Yeah.
408
00:17:21,823 --> 00:17:23,738
BRAD:
Watch my head here.
409
00:17:23,781 --> 00:17:26,349
AL:
Especially down here, Brad.
410
00:17:27,959 --> 00:17:28,873
Oh, wow.
411
00:17:28,917 --> 00:17:31,050
It is an old Michigan basement.
412
00:17:31,093 --> 00:17:32,268
ROB:
[laughs] I told you.
413
00:17:34,096 --> 00:17:34,923
KEVIN:
This is interesting.
414
00:17:34,966 --> 00:17:37,186
AL:
This is impressive.
415
00:17:38,753 --> 00:17:40,450
Is this a coal shoot?
416
00:17:40,494 --> 00:17:42,104
ROB:
Yeah.
417
00:17:42,148 --> 00:17:44,193
Look at this.
418
00:17:44,237 --> 00:17:46,413
KEVIN:
So, to me,
419
00:17:46,456 --> 00:17:47,849
an indicator right off the bat.
420
00:17:47,892 --> 00:17:49,633
I mean, we haven't been
down here five seconds,
421
00:17:49,677 --> 00:17:51,635
and I already see something.
422
00:17:51,679 --> 00:17:54,725
When I see this brick laid
like this on the floor,
423
00:17:54,769 --> 00:17:56,945
this is intriguing.
424
00:17:56,988 --> 00:17:57,902
BRAD:
What's going on here, Kev?
425
00:17:57,946 --> 00:17:59,774
KEVIN:
I think we're gonna find
426
00:17:59,817 --> 00:18:02,472
there's things underneath here
to look for.
427
00:18:02,516 --> 00:18:04,126
ROB:
Okay. I'm interested.
428
00:18:04,170 --> 00:18:08,130
If you look over there, you see
cement or you see concrete.
429
00:18:08,174 --> 00:18:09,566
But over here we see brick.
430
00:18:09,610 --> 00:18:12,395
When I see these bricks laid
like this, that means
431
00:18:12,439 --> 00:18:14,267
they can get back under it.
Why?
432
00:18:16,921 --> 00:18:18,923
Very intriguing,
either way you slice it.
433
00:18:18,967 --> 00:18:22,057
Obviously, those men had
the money to cement this,
434
00:18:22,101 --> 00:18:23,580
but they didn't.
I'd like to find the reason why.
435
00:18:26,279 --> 00:18:27,541
When I get down to the basement and I see
436
00:18:27,584 --> 00:18:30,500
that part of the floor
is concrete
437
00:18:30,544 --> 00:18:32,502
and part of the floor
is just bricks,
438
00:18:32,546 --> 00:18:35,418
which can easily be
taken back up,
439
00:18:35,462 --> 00:18:39,596
there very likely could be
something under this floor.
440
00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:42,295
I'm wondering if we want to look
at some ground-penetrating
441
00:18:42,338 --> 00:18:46,473
radar, which would show us what
could be underneath this floor.
442
00:18:46,516 --> 00:18:47,691
But I'll guarantee you
one thing--
443
00:18:47,735 --> 00:18:49,606
this brick was put in here
for a reason.
444
00:18:49,650 --> 00:18:50,738
ROB:
I am
445
00:18:50,781 --> 00:18:54,437
cautiously,
skeptically optimistic
446
00:18:54,481 --> 00:18:55,917
-about what you're going
to find.
-[chuckling]
447
00:18:55,960 --> 00:18:59,138
It would be very interesting
that if I was playing
448
00:18:59,181 --> 00:19:00,661
on this brick floor,
449
00:19:00,704 --> 00:19:04,186
six inches above millions
of dollars of treasure.
450
00:19:04,230 --> 00:19:06,797
My children would be... floored.
451
00:19:06,841 --> 00:19:09,322
-[chuckling]
-KEVIN: I'd love to get
452
00:19:09,365 --> 00:19:10,714
ground-penetrating radar
453
00:19:10,758 --> 00:19:12,586
and Gary Drayton out here,
454
00:19:12,629 --> 00:19:15,284
so we can really investigate
these grounds.
455
00:19:15,328 --> 00:19:17,634
This house is
really in amazing condition
456
00:19:17,678 --> 00:19:19,810
-for being as old as it is.
-ROB: Isn't it though?
457
00:19:19,854 --> 00:19:23,553
Boy, they've-they've taken
very good care of this place.
458
00:19:23,597 --> 00:19:25,381
BRAD: I'd like to investigate
a little further.
459
00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:32,606
NARRATOR:
Two days after touring
460
00:19:32,649 --> 00:19:36,044
the former home of Benjamin Pritchard in Allegan, Michigan,
461
00:19:36,087 --> 00:19:39,439
Kevin Dykstra has returned
with his brother Al
462
00:19:39,482 --> 00:19:41,876
and history teacher
Brad Richards.
463
00:19:41,919 --> 00:19:44,487
Joining them are ground-penetrating radar expert
464
00:19:44,531 --> 00:19:48,752
Joe Glidden and metal detection
expert Gary Drayton.
465
00:19:48,796 --> 00:19:50,537
-Gentlemen.
-BRAD: Hey, Rob.
-KEVIN: Hi, Rob. How are you?
466
00:19:50,580 --> 00:19:52,452
Good morning. Welcome back
to the Pritchard house.
467
00:19:52,495 --> 00:19:53,670
Thank you so much.
468
00:19:53,714 --> 00:19:55,150
NARRATOR: With the help of Rob Proctor,
469
00:19:55,194 --> 00:19:58,327
Benjamin Pritchard's
great-great-grandson,
470
00:19:58,371 --> 00:20:00,938
they have secured permission to search the property
471
00:20:00,982 --> 00:20:02,940
for evidence, evidence
472
00:20:02,984 --> 00:20:05,029
which could prove
Kevin's theory
473
00:20:05,073 --> 00:20:07,771
that Pritchard was involved
in an elaborate plot
474
00:20:07,815 --> 00:20:10,948
to steal a fortune
in Confederate gold.
475
00:20:10,992 --> 00:20:12,689
He's the master
metal detector guy.
476
00:20:12,733 --> 00:20:15,301
-All right.
-KEVIN: He-he can find anything.
477
00:20:15,344 --> 00:20:17,477
He's been working very close
with Marty Lagina up there,
478
00:20:17,520 --> 00:20:19,653
and he's found
some amazing things.
479
00:20:19,696 --> 00:20:21,959
And we're hoping he brings
that good luck down here for us.
480
00:20:22,003 --> 00:20:24,527
Marty says, "Do you want
to go search the property
481
00:20:24,571 --> 00:20:25,963
of a Civil War general?"
482
00:20:26,007 --> 00:20:27,617
-Heck yeah!
-[laughter]
483
00:20:27,661 --> 00:20:30,185
-ROB: Well, this is it.
-KEVIN: I think
484
00:20:30,229 --> 00:20:31,665
what we need to do is split up.
Um, Brad and Gary,
485
00:20:31,708 --> 00:20:34,015
why don't you start
doing some metal detecting.
486
00:20:34,058 --> 00:20:35,451
-BRAD: Sure.
-And-and we'll head
487
00:20:35,495 --> 00:20:37,061
inside the house
and get this underway.
488
00:20:37,105 --> 00:20:38,237
-Perfect.
-That's good.
-All right, well, give me that.
489
00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:39,977
-You go help Gary.
-All right. Will do.
490
00:20:40,021 --> 00:20:41,109
KEVIN: We're gonna do
a thorough search
491
00:20:41,152 --> 00:20:42,284
on this property.
492
00:20:42,328 --> 00:20:43,938
We're gonna be looking
for gold coins
493
00:20:43,981 --> 00:20:45,331
or gold bullion--
494
00:20:45,374 --> 00:20:48,290
more evidence that might back up our theory.
495
00:20:48,334 --> 00:20:49,596
And we won't stop
till we find it.
496
00:20:49,639 --> 00:20:52,599
-This is a great place to start.
-Okay.
497
00:20:52,642 --> 00:20:56,255
I've searched
a lot of old homes,
498
00:20:56,298 --> 00:20:59,432
and the best place to start
is always close to the house.
499
00:20:59,475 --> 00:21:01,521
If you get a big hit, I'm ready.
500
00:21:01,564 --> 00:21:02,696
I got a big digger.
501
00:21:02,739 --> 00:21:04,654
[both laugh]
502
00:21:04,698 --> 00:21:07,266
-All right, mate,
let's find some cool stuff.
-All right.
503
00:21:10,269 --> 00:21:11,748
[detector chirping]
504
00:21:11,792 --> 00:21:14,795
-You see all these little
chirpy signals?
-Yeah.
505
00:21:14,838 --> 00:21:17,276
-That-That's iron.
-Okay.
506
00:21:17,319 --> 00:21:18,668
We're not looking for iron.
507
00:21:18,712 --> 00:21:19,843
We're not looking
for ferrous objects.
508
00:21:19,887 --> 00:21:23,630
We're looking
for non-ferrous targets.
509
00:21:23,673 --> 00:21:24,631
-Gotcha.
-It would be coins,
510
00:21:24,674 --> 00:21:27,764
jewelry, stuff like that.
511
00:21:27,808 --> 00:21:29,288
BRAD:
Yeah.
512
00:21:29,331 --> 00:21:31,377
[chirping, beeping]
513
00:21:31,420 --> 00:21:32,726
-Getting mixed signals here.
-Is that a double?
514
00:21:32,769 --> 00:21:35,642
Yeah. No, but that ain't worth
digging, mate.
515
00:21:35,685 --> 00:21:38,514
Okay. That's why you're here.
516
00:21:38,558 --> 00:21:41,125
[beeping]
517
00:21:41,169 --> 00:21:42,953
Now, that is.
518
00:21:42,997 --> 00:21:45,347
Let me just have
a little wiggle over it.
519
00:21:45,391 --> 00:21:46,261
[beeps]
520
00:21:46,305 --> 00:21:47,567
Straight in the middle, mate.
521
00:21:51,658 --> 00:21:54,051
That's why I like going next
to the house
522
00:21:54,095 --> 00:21:56,010
to try and find something.
523
00:21:56,053 --> 00:21:58,578
They wouldn't have ventured
very far away.
524
00:22:02,364 --> 00:22:04,235
[detector beeping]
525
00:22:09,066 --> 00:22:11,025
BRAD:
It's a nail.
526
00:22:11,068 --> 00:22:11,852
GARY:
It's a nail?
527
00:22:11,895 --> 00:22:13,897
BRAD:
It's an old nail.
528
00:22:13,941 --> 00:22:15,551
Which explains
the sharp poke I got.
529
00:22:15,595 --> 00:22:17,423
[both laugh]
530
00:22:17,466 --> 00:22:18,554
GARY:
That stinks.
531
00:22:20,426 --> 00:22:22,602
-Oh, that sounds good.
-What do you got there?
532
00:22:22,645 --> 00:22:24,560
-That's a good two-way
-A good one?
533
00:22:24,604 --> 00:22:26,475
repeatable signal, Brad, yeah.
534
00:22:26,519 --> 00:22:30,261
Unfortunately, it's not deep
but you never know.
535
00:22:34,744 --> 00:22:35,702
Yeah, it's out, mate.
536
00:22:35,745 --> 00:22:37,878
-It's in the plug.
-Yeah.
537
00:22:37,921 --> 00:22:41,185
Come on, baby. Be a coin.
538
00:22:42,926 --> 00:22:45,973
[detector beeping]
539
00:22:46,016 --> 00:22:47,583
BRAD:
That's a weird-looking thing.
540
00:22:47,627 --> 00:22:49,629
-GARY: Oh!
-BRAD: What is that?
541
00:22:49,672 --> 00:22:51,979
GARY: That is a Civil War era
belt buckle.
542
00:22:52,022 --> 00:22:54,808
There was a lot of Civil War
soldiers on this property.
543
00:22:54,851 --> 00:22:57,767
There are stories of his
soldiers returning back
544
00:22:57,811 --> 00:23:00,248
to this location,
the soldiers that he led,
545
00:23:00,291 --> 00:23:02,250
and they bivouacked on this hill
over here.
546
00:23:02,293 --> 00:23:04,383
That is crazy.
547
00:23:06,036 --> 00:23:08,691
If I was dating that,
I'd say that's late 1800s.
548
00:23:08,735 --> 00:23:10,693
Whoo-hoo!
549
00:23:10,737 --> 00:23:12,216
GARY:
What a start.
550
00:23:12,260 --> 00:23:14,697
That's unbelievable.
551
00:23:14,741 --> 00:23:16,395
Put that in the top pocket?
552
00:23:16,438 --> 00:23:18,788
GARY:
Wow, that is crazy.
553
00:23:18,832 --> 00:23:21,095
That is definitely
a top pocket find.
554
00:23:24,272 --> 00:23:26,709
Guys are gonna freak
when they see that.
555
00:23:26,753 --> 00:23:28,842
NARRATOR: As Gary and Brad
continue their search
556
00:23:28,885 --> 00:23:31,801
of the grounds around
the Pritchard house...
557
00:23:31,845 --> 00:23:35,762
Kevin and the rest of his team begin searching
558
00:23:35,805 --> 00:23:38,460
for a secret tunnel that could be hidden somewhere
559
00:23:38,504 --> 00:23:39,722
underneath the basement floor.
560
00:23:39,766 --> 00:23:42,638
Joe, so what's that?
561
00:23:42,682 --> 00:23:44,205
It's a ground-penetrating
radar unit.
562
00:23:44,248 --> 00:23:45,859
-So how far will it go down?
-I've been in sand before,
563
00:23:45,902 --> 00:23:47,861
and I've seen 20 to 30 feet
with it before.
564
00:23:47,904 --> 00:23:50,516
So if there's something ten,
20 feet down here,
565
00:23:50,559 --> 00:23:52,909
-we should be able to see it?
-It's very possible.
566
00:23:52,953 --> 00:23:57,087
NARRATOR: The DS-2000 ground-penetrating radar unit
567
00:23:57,131 --> 00:24:00,613
will send high-frequency radio
signals through the floor
568
00:24:00,656 --> 00:24:02,136
which will be able
to detect differences
569
00:24:02,179 --> 00:24:06,445
in ground composition, as well as any large objects,
570
00:24:06,488 --> 00:24:08,534
or voids below the surface.
571
00:24:10,057 --> 00:24:11,841
KEVIN: Isn't it interesting
how you can look
572
00:24:11,885 --> 00:24:14,888
through the brick
to see what's underneath it?
573
00:24:14,931 --> 00:24:16,193
-Yeah, it really is.
-That's just,
574
00:24:16,237 --> 00:24:17,717
just mind-boggling to me.
575
00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:19,980
Kevin, if you look at this
real quick.
576
00:24:20,023 --> 00:24:21,764
-See that hyperbola?
-Yeah.
577
00:24:21,808 --> 00:24:24,724
JOE:
You can see that layer
578
00:24:24,767 --> 00:24:27,117
at that four-foot mark
for-for most of this.
579
00:24:27,161 --> 00:24:28,945
-AL: All the way across?
-All the way across.
580
00:24:28,989 --> 00:24:30,817
Could what you see on the screen
there possibly be a tunnel?
581
00:24:30,860 --> 00:24:31,731
It is possible.
582
00:24:36,039 --> 00:24:37,998
RRATOR: Could Joe Glidden have eally just found evidence
583
00:24:38,041 --> 00:24:40,827
of a tunnel beneath the house
of Benjamin Pritchard?
584
00:24:40,870 --> 00:24:45,222
If so, what was it used for?
585
00:24:45,266 --> 00:24:47,224
And what might it still
contain?
586
00:24:47,268 --> 00:24:49,879
How do we get
more confirmation of it?
587
00:24:49,923 --> 00:24:51,228
Do we just move over
and try it again?
588
00:24:51,272 --> 00:24:52,055
Move-move over,
see if it shows up.
589
00:24:52,099 --> 00:24:53,361
KEVIN:
All right, well,
590
00:24:53,404 --> 00:24:54,580
you know what I'm gonna say.
591
00:24:54,623 --> 00:24:55,711
Let's move over.
592
00:24:55,755 --> 00:24:57,583
JOE:
About there.
593
00:25:00,324 --> 00:25:03,284
That's about the other edge
of the disturbance right here.
594
00:25:14,948 --> 00:25:18,038
-Well, that's odd.
-Mm-hmm.
595
00:25:18,081 --> 00:25:19,561
It starts to go that way.
596
00:25:19,605 --> 00:25:20,606
It's staggered a little.
597
00:25:22,390 --> 00:25:23,783
AL:
And so is that one.
598
00:25:26,350 --> 00:25:29,092
-AL: Oh, yeah.
-JOE: Somewhat strange.
599
00:25:29,136 --> 00:25:32,618
So it might...
600
00:25:32,661 --> 00:25:34,054
Let's draw these lines out
so we can see
601
00:25:34,097 --> 00:25:37,448
-right where that
possible tunnel is.
-Mm-hmm.
602
00:25:37,492 --> 00:25:41,670
JOE: That's where the bricks
have been kind of sinking there.
603
00:25:41,714 --> 00:25:44,368
-AL: Yeah, exactly.
-KEVIN: See how they're
caving in there?
604
00:25:44,412 --> 00:25:46,066
It shows the size of a tunnel.
605
00:25:46,109 --> 00:25:48,938
The top of the anomaly feels
like it would be a tunnel.
606
00:25:48,982 --> 00:25:52,855
Or a place to put something
607
00:25:52,899 --> 00:25:54,944
-and cover it up.
-That's why you want
to dig so bad.
608
00:25:54,988 --> 00:25:57,251
I do. Yeah. I want to see
what's down there.
609
00:25:57,294 --> 00:25:59,949
I have to say, I am interested
to see what's under here.
610
00:25:59,993 --> 00:26:02,299
I think we need to dig
all the way down to it.
611
00:26:02,343 --> 00:26:04,127
I do, too.
612
00:26:04,171 --> 00:26:07,609
NARRATOR: While Kevin, Al, Joe
and Rob finish up
613
00:26:07,653 --> 00:26:09,568
their GPR scanning
of the basement,
614
00:26:09,611 --> 00:26:12,092
outside, in the front yard,
615
00:26:12,135 --> 00:26:14,311
Brad Richards and Gary Drayton,
616
00:26:14,355 --> 00:26:17,184
continue their search
for other important clues
617
00:26:17,227 --> 00:26:20,361
and evidence of treasure.
618
00:26:20,404 --> 00:26:22,363
GARY: I always like to put
myself back in the day.
619
00:26:22,406 --> 00:26:24,017
I can just imagine
General Pritchard out here,
620
00:26:24,060 --> 00:26:25,975
bending down
and losing some gold
621
00:26:26,019 --> 00:26:29,457
-or silver out of his pocket.
-Yeah.
622
00:26:31,328 --> 00:26:35,463
No, just not solid enough.
623
00:26:35,506 --> 00:26:37,378
[detector beeping]
624
00:26:39,293 --> 00:26:41,904
-I just can't walk away
from that.
-[detector whining]
625
00:26:41,948 --> 00:26:43,471
-I know. Let's do it.
-Yeah.
626
00:26:43,514 --> 00:26:45,125
-We didn't come
all the way to...
-No.
627
00:26:45,168 --> 00:26:46,343
-This could be the one.
-...General Pritchard's house
628
00:26:46,387 --> 00:26:48,519
to-to not dig up the ones
that you find.
629
00:26:51,087 --> 00:26:53,829
GARY: Yeah, whatever it is,
it's out, mate.
630
00:26:53,873 --> 00:26:56,919
-Sounds real good.
-Does it really?
631
00:26:56,963 --> 00:26:58,704
Come on, be a coin.
632
00:27:04,100 --> 00:27:06,668
[laughing]:
Hey, hey, hey, it's a coin!
633
00:27:06,712 --> 00:27:08,975
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
634
00:27:09,018 --> 00:27:10,933
-Oh, my God. That is beautiful.
-Is that a good one?
635
00:27:10,977 --> 00:27:12,543
Oh, man!
636
00:27:12,587 --> 00:27:14,981
BRAD:
Definitely a coin.
637
00:27:15,024 --> 00:27:17,418
That is an oldie.
638
00:27:17,461 --> 00:27:19,072
BRAD: With some old
imprinting on it.
639
00:27:19,115 --> 00:27:21,596
See, it looks like, uh,
some stars there
640
00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:22,945
around the s--
the, uh, edges there.
641
00:27:22,989 --> 00:27:26,688
-Can you see those?
-Yeah, I can. Yeah.
642
00:27:26,732 --> 00:27:28,298
BRAD:
Holy monkey.
643
00:27:28,342 --> 00:27:30,344
Dang, that is nice.
644
00:27:30,387 --> 00:27:31,693
That's gonna be an old one.
645
00:27:31,737 --> 00:27:32,389
That's what we're looking for.
646
00:27:32,433 --> 00:27:34,783
-That's sweet.
-Yeah.
647
00:27:34,827 --> 00:27:36,306
This reminds me of the coin
648
00:27:36,350 --> 00:27:37,786
that came out of the ground
in Georgia.
649
00:27:37,830 --> 00:27:39,135
Yeah. Me, too.
650
00:27:39,179 --> 00:27:40,746
Imagine that,
if it's the same one.
651
00:27:40,789 --> 00:27:41,311
That's sweet.
652
00:27:41,355 --> 00:27:44,663
[laughs] Whoo!
653
00:27:49,711 --> 00:27:51,321
NARRATOR:
Last year...
654
00:27:51,365 --> 00:27:53,454
Big fella in there
and dig it up.
655
00:27:53,497 --> 00:27:55,369
NARRATOR: ...while searching
for artifacts near the site
656
00:27:55,412 --> 00:27:58,894
of Jefferson Davis's capture in Irwinville, Georgia...
657
00:27:58,938 --> 00:28:02,332
You can see the stars going all
the way around the edges of it.
658
00:28:02,376 --> 00:28:04,073
ARRATOR: ...Gary Drayton found
what appeared to be
659
00:28:04,117 --> 00:28:07,598
-a silver Confederate coin.
-Whoo!
660
00:28:07,642 --> 00:28:09,905
But what made the team's discovery even more exciting
661
00:28:09,949 --> 00:28:12,821
was that it was found near
the exact same spot
662
00:28:12,865 --> 00:28:14,562
where Benjamin Pritchard
is believed
663
00:28:14,605 --> 00:28:16,172
to have buried millions
664
00:28:16,216 --> 00:28:19,306
in gold and treasure,
shortly after seizing it
665
00:28:19,349 --> 00:28:21,700
from Jefferson Davis's
entourage
666
00:28:21,743 --> 00:28:24,006
in the hours after his arrest.
667
00:28:24,050 --> 00:28:26,661
Look at that.
668
00:28:26,705 --> 00:28:28,097
NARRATOR:
Could Brad and Gary
669
00:28:28,141 --> 00:28:30,752
have just found
an identical coin
670
00:28:30,796 --> 00:28:32,798
in Benjamin Pritchard's
front yard?
671
00:28:32,841 --> 00:28:36,497
And if so, could it be a piece of the Confederate treasury
672
00:28:36,540 --> 00:28:38,717
that Kevin believes
Pritchard later smuggled
673
00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:41,720
to Michigan in 1870?
674
00:28:41,763 --> 00:28:43,460
-We might have just found one
of the spoils of war.
-Yeah.
675
00:28:43,504 --> 00:28:47,029
If that ends up being
a Confederate coin.
676
00:28:47,073 --> 00:28:48,465
I mean... [laughs]
677
00:28:48,509 --> 00:28:50,729
That's a big step towards
saying, uh,
678
00:28:50,772 --> 00:28:52,469
Pritchard didn't come home
empty-handed.
679
00:28:52,513 --> 00:28:54,341
And we're not going home
empty-handed.
680
00:28:54,384 --> 00:28:56,299
-That's right. That's right.
-All right, Brad.
681
00:28:56,343 --> 00:28:57,648
-I'm just gonna keep going
-All right.
682
00:28:57,692 --> 00:28:59,650
in the same direction.
683
00:28:59,694 --> 00:29:02,479
NARRATOR: As Gary Drayton continues to search the grounds
684
00:29:02,523 --> 00:29:04,699
around the Pritchard home
for more clues...
685
00:29:04,743 --> 00:29:06,788
Here we go.
686
00:29:06,832 --> 00:29:09,138
NARRATOR:
...Brad joins Kevin and Al
687
00:29:09,182 --> 00:29:10,923
as they look for evidence
of a tunnel
688
00:29:10,966 --> 00:29:13,273
beneath the basement floor.
689
00:29:13,316 --> 00:29:15,275
KEVIN:
The top of what we thought
690
00:29:15,318 --> 00:29:18,452
might be a tunnel is about
three foot below us here.
691
00:29:18,495 --> 00:29:20,933
So what we're gonna do is we're
gonna make a two-foot square box
692
00:29:20,976 --> 00:29:23,109
and we're gonna drive
that box down,
693
00:29:23,152 --> 00:29:24,806
excavate the dirt out of it,
694
00:29:24,850 --> 00:29:26,765
drive it down,
excavate more dirt.
695
00:29:26,808 --> 00:29:28,549
And we'll get down to about that
three-foot mark.
696
00:29:28,592 --> 00:29:31,900
There's something very hard
underneath there.
697
00:29:31,944 --> 00:29:32,945
All right, let's do it.
698
00:29:36,687 --> 00:29:39,342
NARRATOR: To dig a three-foot deep hole,
699
00:29:39,386 --> 00:29:41,518
and avoid a collapse
or cave-in...
700
00:29:41,562 --> 00:29:43,129
KEVIN:
Just like that.
701
00:29:43,172 --> 00:29:44,870
NARRATOR: ...Kevin and Brad
build a shoring box
702
00:29:44,913 --> 00:29:45,609
of heavy plywood.
703
00:29:45,653 --> 00:29:47,611
Grab that other piece.
704
00:29:49,918 --> 00:29:51,398
There you go.
705
00:29:54,270 --> 00:29:56,664
Okay, Albert...
706
00:29:56,707 --> 00:29:58,274
let's see how well you measured.
707
00:30:00,494 --> 00:30:02,888
Oh, not bad.
708
00:30:02,931 --> 00:30:05,542
Okay, you're gonna have
to just scoop
709
00:30:05,586 --> 00:30:07,457
and we'll undermine and scoop
and undermine.
710
00:30:09,590 --> 00:30:11,331
And that's the process.
711
00:30:14,551 --> 00:30:15,814
Nice.
712
00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:26,476
BRAD: You know, guys, this is
how Dan Blankenship dug 10-X.
713
00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:27,913
-Up on Oak Island?
-Yeah. He used railcars,
714
00:30:27,956 --> 00:30:31,177
but same principle.
One scoop at a time.
715
00:30:31,220 --> 00:30:32,482
KEVIN:
Yeah. Watch your arm.
716
00:30:32,526 --> 00:30:33,657
We're getting close.
717
00:30:33,701 --> 00:30:36,617
Perfect.
718
00:30:36,660 --> 00:30:38,575
Hand me that probe,
will you, Brad?
719
00:30:38,619 --> 00:30:41,317
Yeah.
720
00:30:41,361 --> 00:30:45,452
Al, can you just kind of step
towards the back of it?
721
00:30:45,495 --> 00:30:47,236
It's right there.
722
00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:48,368
BRAD:
You can't go no further?
723
00:30:48,411 --> 00:30:48,455
KEVIN:
No.
724
00:30:51,806 --> 00:30:54,678
I swear there's something there.
725
00:30:54,722 --> 00:30:57,246
Okay. Take a few more scoops
out of the middle.
726
00:30:57,290 --> 00:30:59,770
Here.
727
00:30:59,814 --> 00:31:02,817
It does feel like
there's something there.
728
00:31:02,861 --> 00:31:04,514
AL: I know. It really does.
It really does.
729
00:31:04,558 --> 00:31:06,865
[grunts]
730
00:31:08,518 --> 00:31:11,826
Oh, he just got wood.
731
00:31:11,870 --> 00:31:12,958
-Hey, Al.
-Yeah.
732
00:31:13,001 --> 00:31:14,133
You just got wood.
733
00:31:14,176 --> 00:31:17,484
Where? Down there?
734
00:31:17,527 --> 00:31:19,225
In that last one you dug,
you just got wood.
735
00:31:19,268 --> 00:31:21,183
You're kidding.
736
00:31:21,227 --> 00:31:21,444
BRAD:
I'll be doggone.
737
00:31:23,794 --> 00:31:24,752
AL:
We're on to something.
738
00:31:29,452 --> 00:31:31,759
NARRATOR: Beneath the basement floor of Benjamin Pritchard's
739
00:31:31,802 --> 00:31:33,892
19th century home,
Kevin Dykstra,
740
00:31:33,935 --> 00:31:36,198
along with his brother Al,
741
00:31:36,242 --> 00:31:38,200
and researcher Brad Richards
742
00:31:38,244 --> 00:31:41,029
have just found
what could be evidence
743
00:31:41,073 --> 00:31:44,206
of a secret underground chamber, where Kevin believes
744
00:31:44,250 --> 00:31:46,121
Lieutenant Colonel
Benjamin Pritchard
745
00:31:46,165 --> 00:31:47,949
may have hidden
a stash of stolen
746
00:31:47,993 --> 00:31:51,170
Confederate gold
after the Civil War.
747
00:31:51,213 --> 00:31:53,955
AL: I don't know why wood
would be down there that deep.
748
00:31:53,999 --> 00:31:55,739
-Doesn't make any sense.
-KEVIN: There's a few options
749
00:31:55,783 --> 00:31:57,959
that it could be, you know.
750
00:31:58,003 --> 00:31:59,526
We thought
possibly it was a tunnel.
751
00:31:59,569 --> 00:32:01,354
We thought possibly
it could be a vault.
752
00:32:01,397 --> 00:32:03,965
The fact that there's wood
three feet below the surface
753
00:32:04,009 --> 00:32:05,314
of this floor...
754
00:32:05,358 --> 00:32:07,664
We know a human being put
that wood down there.
755
00:32:07,708 --> 00:32:09,275
Yeah. And there's
no doubt about that.
756
00:32:09,318 --> 00:32:11,625
KEVIN: When we started finding wood,
757
00:32:11,668 --> 00:32:14,236
you could tell
this wood was old.
758
00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:16,456
That soil down there
is very dry.
759
00:32:16,499 --> 00:32:18,893
And this wood was
very well intact.
760
00:32:18,937 --> 00:32:21,504
So somebody
had excavated that floor.
761
00:32:21,548 --> 00:32:23,724
Could have been
a treasure chest.
762
00:32:23,767 --> 00:32:25,856
Could have been
some type of a box.
763
00:32:25,900 --> 00:32:28,250
But it was definitely
made out of wood.
764
00:32:28,294 --> 00:32:29,686
You want to switch with Brad?
765
00:32:29,730 --> 00:32:31,210
-Why don't we let Brad
get down there.
-All right.
766
00:32:31,253 --> 00:32:32,254
-BRAD: Take turns.
-KEVIN: You want to try
767
00:32:32,298 --> 00:32:34,213
-a little bit with the shovel?
-Yeah.
768
00:32:46,355 --> 00:32:47,966
I know there's something hard.
769
00:32:48,009 --> 00:32:50,490
Every time you shovel
right there, I can hear it.
770
00:32:50,533 --> 00:32:52,361
But I keep getting deeper,
and I think this might be
771
00:32:52,405 --> 00:32:55,712
just a layer
I'm chiseling away from.
772
00:32:55,756 --> 00:32:57,714
-Yeah, it just keeps caving in.
-Yeah.
773
00:33:01,892 --> 00:33:04,243
I think I just punched through
that layer and now I'm back down
774
00:33:04,286 --> 00:33:07,159
into the, uh, softer sand.
775
00:33:10,205 --> 00:33:12,555
-I think that's
what we're hitting.
-That's what we're hitting,
776
00:33:12,599 --> 00:33:12,991
is wood.
777
00:33:13,034 --> 00:33:14,731
It's cut.
778
00:33:14,775 --> 00:33:15,732
Yep.
779
00:33:15,776 --> 00:33:18,997
KEVIN:
All right.
780
00:33:19,040 --> 00:33:20,868
Let's take a break a minute.
781
00:33:22,826 --> 00:33:25,046
That's indisputable,
to have cut lumber
782
00:33:25,090 --> 00:33:26,526
-that far deep.
-Yeah.
783
00:33:26,569 --> 00:33:28,484
Somebody was down here.
784
00:33:28,528 --> 00:33:30,921
Pritchard put his treasure here.
785
00:33:30,965 --> 00:33:33,533
This is where he had
his personal vault, I bet.
786
00:33:33,576 --> 00:33:35,274
Yeah. I'd agree with that.
787
00:33:35,317 --> 00:33:37,276
Something man-made
was down here.
788
00:33:37,319 --> 00:33:39,017
Why don't we do this.
Just on the chance
789
00:33:39,060 --> 00:33:41,410
that maybe there is a hinge
790
00:33:41,454 --> 00:33:42,977
-or a latch or something...
-Hit the metal detector.
791
00:33:43,021 --> 00:33:44,457
Why don't we hit
that metal detector.
792
00:33:44,500 --> 00:33:45,545
BRAD:
You never know.
793
00:33:45,588 --> 00:33:46,807
KEVIN:
Can you get up?
794
00:33:46,850 --> 00:33:48,243
-BRAD: I believe.
-AL: There you go, Brad.
795
00:33:48,287 --> 00:33:49,375
[groans]
796
00:33:49,418 --> 00:33:51,812
♪
797
00:33:51,855 --> 00:33:55,946
[beeping]
798
00:33:55,990 --> 00:33:57,948
[beeping]
799
00:33:57,992 --> 00:33:59,689
[Al laughs]
800
00:33:59,733 --> 00:34:01,822
Yeah, well,
it's close to the surface.
801
00:34:01,865 --> 00:34:04,433
He just touched it,
and it went right off.
802
00:34:04,477 --> 00:34:06,609
[beeping]
803
00:34:06,653 --> 00:34:07,958
-You got it. You got it.
-What is it?
804
00:34:08,002 --> 00:34:10,178
Bring it up. Bring it up.
805
00:34:10,222 --> 00:34:12,093
[beeping continues]
806
00:34:14,965 --> 00:34:17,751
-[beeping]
-Yeah.
807
00:34:17,794 --> 00:34:19,013
Whatever it is, it's in there.
808
00:34:21,233 --> 00:34:22,973
-Is it a coin?
-Oh!
809
00:34:23,017 --> 00:34:24,932
-[beeping]
-That's it!
810
00:34:24,975 --> 00:34:27,282
-AL: Is that a coin?
-[laughing]
811
00:34:27,326 --> 00:34:30,677
-It's a coin!
-No way!
812
00:34:30,720 --> 00:34:32,113
[chuckles]
813
00:34:32,157 --> 00:34:33,854
-KEVIN: Hit that with the...
-[beeping]
814
00:34:33,897 --> 00:34:34,855
Nice job, buddy.
815
00:34:34,898 --> 00:34:36,857
A coin in the hole.
816
00:34:36,900 --> 00:34:38,989
Ha-ha!
817
00:34:39,033 --> 00:34:42,297
-It could be gold.
-AL: It very well could be gold.
818
00:34:42,341 --> 00:34:43,994
KEVIN:
I agree.
819
00:34:44,038 --> 00:34:45,431
It very well could be.
We need to get this
820
00:34:45,474 --> 00:34:47,476
to somebody who can analyze it
and tell us what it is.
821
00:34:47,520 --> 00:34:49,043
Can you see a date
or anything on it?
822
00:34:49,087 --> 00:34:51,001
No, I can't.
And I don't want to rub it,
823
00:34:51,045 --> 00:34:52,916
because I know
we could damage it.
824
00:34:52,960 --> 00:34:56,529
Feel it. It's heavy.
825
00:34:56,572 --> 00:34:57,921
It isn't silver, and it's
almost perfectly circular.
826
00:34:57,965 --> 00:35:01,273
So, what do you think?
827
00:35:01,316 --> 00:35:03,753
-It's definitely man-made.
-Mm-hmm.
828
00:35:03,797 --> 00:35:05,190
Man-made? Wha...
829
00:35:05,233 --> 00:35:08,541
what business
does a man-made object have
830
00:35:08,584 --> 00:35:11,109
almost four feet
below this floor? It all points
831
00:35:11,152 --> 00:35:13,894
to a strong likelihood that
there could very well have been
832
00:35:13,937 --> 00:35:16,201
something of value
below the general's floor.
833
00:35:16,244 --> 00:35:17,245
-Yeah.
-That's right.
834
00:35:17,289 --> 00:35:20,379
KEVIN: So either Benjamin Pritchard
835
00:35:20,422 --> 00:35:23,033
removed what was down there
before he died,
836
00:35:23,077 --> 00:35:26,820
or he told somebody
to remove it for him.
837
00:35:26,863 --> 00:35:30,040
But nonetheless,
it was taken out before he died.
838
00:35:30,084 --> 00:35:33,696
Three feet below
General Pritchard's
839
00:35:33,740 --> 00:35:36,917
-basement floor.
-This is a major discovery.
840
00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:39,180
[laughter]
841
00:35:39,224 --> 00:35:42,749
NARRATOR: Discovering evidence of what could be the remains
842
00:35:42,792 --> 00:35:45,143
of a wooden tunnel
underneath the property
843
00:35:45,186 --> 00:35:48,885
of Benjamin Pritchard further validates Kevin's belief
844
00:35:48,929 --> 00:35:51,018
that Pritchard
wasn't only involved
845
00:35:51,061 --> 00:35:53,151
in Jefferson Davis's arrest,
846
00:35:53,194 --> 00:35:57,503
but also continued to serve
as a key player
847
00:35:57,546 --> 00:35:59,809
in Charles Hackley's plot
848
00:35:59,853 --> 00:36:04,901
to launder millions in stolen
Confederate gold and silver.
849
00:36:04,945 --> 00:36:06,990
I'm convinced
that Benjamin Pritchard
850
00:36:07,034 --> 00:36:09,732
was involved
in moving that gold.
851
00:36:09,776 --> 00:36:12,213
Marty always says,
"Put something in my hand."
852
00:36:12,257 --> 00:36:13,780
We got some trinkets.
853
00:36:13,823 --> 00:36:16,870
We got some cool stuff
to put in Marty's hand.
854
00:36:16,913 --> 00:36:18,176
Yeah, it was a great day.
855
00:36:18,219 --> 00:36:20,221
Let's get another box
and get back down here.
856
00:36:20,265 --> 00:36:22,441
I would really like
to show Diana a handful
857
00:36:22,484 --> 00:36:24,921
-of coins instead of just one.
-Yeah.
858
00:36:24,965 --> 00:36:27,315
KEVIN: This is gonna go
in my top pocket.
859
00:36:31,493 --> 00:36:32,538
KEVIN: I love giving
reports like this.
860
00:36:32,581 --> 00:36:33,974
BRAD [laughs]:
Yeah.
861
00:36:34,017 --> 00:36:35,889
NARRATOR:
After making a number
862
00:36:35,932 --> 00:36:38,979
of important discoveries on the property of Benjamin Pritchard,
863
00:36:39,022 --> 00:36:41,068
Kevin Dykstra,
his younger brother Al,
864
00:36:41,111 --> 00:36:45,159
Jeff Zehr and Brad Richards have gathered in his workshop
865
00:36:45,203 --> 00:36:50,120
for a video conference
with Marty and Alex Lagina.
866
00:36:50,164 --> 00:36:52,253
-Hey, guys.
-Hello!
-KEVIN: Hey. How are ya?
867
00:36:52,297 --> 00:36:53,385
-ALEX: Good.
-Fantastic!
868
00:36:53,428 --> 00:36:54,690
It's good to hear from you.
869
00:36:54,734 --> 00:36:56,562
I saw you sent me a bunch
870
00:36:56,605 --> 00:36:59,478
of interesting photos
but no explanation, so, uh,
871
00:36:59,521 --> 00:37:01,088
let's talk about
what I'm looking at here.
872
00:37:01,131 --> 00:37:02,916
We've got a lot
of explanations for you.
873
00:37:02,959 --> 00:37:04,004
Good. Proceed.
874
00:37:04,047 --> 00:37:07,660
We actually met
with Rob Proctor,
875
00:37:07,703 --> 00:37:11,620
who is Benjamin Pritchard's
great-great-grandson.
876
00:37:11,664 --> 00:37:15,102
Pritchard-- he's the guy that
captured Jefferson Davis, right?
877
00:37:15,145 --> 00:37:16,712
-Yes.
-MARTY: Was he cooperative?
878
00:37:16,756 --> 00:37:19,759
I mean, 'cause you're talking
about his family, you know?
879
00:37:19,802 --> 00:37:22,022
I was a little apprehensive,
but it was the opposite.
880
00:37:22,065 --> 00:37:23,980
He was a stand-up guy.
881
00:37:24,024 --> 00:37:26,026
Rob Proctor shared that
882
00:37:26,069 --> 00:37:28,550
for years rumors persisted
that there was items buried
883
00:37:28,594 --> 00:37:31,901
beneath the Pritchard basement.
884
00:37:31,945 --> 00:37:32,685
-Wow.
-Wow.
-He was able
885
00:37:32,728 --> 00:37:35,557
to actually get us access
886
00:37:35,601 --> 00:37:38,647
to the Pritchard property
and inside the house, as well.
887
00:37:38,691 --> 00:37:40,649
-Fantastic.
-Wow.
-What I realized
888
00:37:40,693 --> 00:37:43,304
when I first laid eyes
on the basement,
889
00:37:43,348 --> 00:37:46,176
half of the basement floor
was poured with concrete,
890
00:37:46,220 --> 00:37:47,917
and the other half
of the basement floor
891
00:37:47,961 --> 00:37:49,571
was laid with pavers.
892
00:37:49,615 --> 00:37:52,139
-And I thought that unusual.
-Okay.
893
00:37:52,182 --> 00:37:54,402
We pulled out a metal object,
894
00:37:54,446 --> 00:37:57,405
circular in shape
with a flat side on it,
895
00:37:57,449 --> 00:38:00,669
which was about four feet
below the top of the brick.
896
00:38:00,713 --> 00:38:02,671
-You guys mean this thing?
-Yeah, that's exactly it.
897
00:38:02,715 --> 00:38:07,023
We believe that
if we can identify what it is,
898
00:38:07,067 --> 00:38:08,895
we could probably come up
with a good reason
899
00:38:08,938 --> 00:38:11,637
why it was below Benjamin
Pritchard's basement floor.
900
00:38:11,680 --> 00:38:15,075
Wow. That is fantastic!
901
00:38:15,118 --> 00:38:16,163
KEVIN:
It's unbelievable.
902
00:38:16,206 --> 00:38:17,643
So huge success in the basement.
903
00:38:17,686 --> 00:38:20,254
But I'll tell you what, guys,
904
00:38:20,298 --> 00:38:23,170
what Brad and Gary Drayton
found out in the yard,
905
00:38:23,213 --> 00:38:25,651
I'll let Brad talk about that.
906
00:38:25,694 --> 00:38:27,696
We found a coin that,
907
00:38:27,740 --> 00:38:28,654
when we pulled it
out of the ground,
908
00:38:28,697 --> 00:38:30,656
Gary immediately said,
909
00:38:30,699 --> 00:38:32,614
"That's a really old coin."
910
00:38:32,658 --> 00:38:34,616
Oh, my God!
911
00:38:34,660 --> 00:38:37,227
-Is that a good one?
-That is beautiful. Oh, man!
912
00:38:37,271 --> 00:38:39,926
BRAD:
He got really excited,
913
00:38:39,969 --> 00:38:42,145
and Gary thought
it was almost identical
914
00:38:42,189 --> 00:38:45,018
to the one we found
in Irwinville, Georgia.
915
00:38:45,061 --> 00:38:47,455
Very, very interesting.
916
00:38:47,499 --> 00:38:48,978
KEVIN: What are the odds
that we find a coin like that
917
00:38:49,022 --> 00:38:53,983
down in Irwinville and we go
to Benjamin Pritchard's house
918
00:38:54,027 --> 00:38:56,508
and we find the same type
of coin out in his yard?
919
00:38:56,551 --> 00:38:58,510
Yeah, that's exciting.
920
00:38:58,553 --> 00:39:01,164
-Seems to link the two sites
pretty conclusively.
-MARTY: Yep.
921
00:39:01,208 --> 00:39:03,906
KEVIN:
I think sharing the results
922
00:39:03,950 --> 00:39:06,953
of searching the Benjamin
Pritchard property with Marty
923
00:39:06,996 --> 00:39:08,781
is really great, because...
924
00:39:08,824 --> 00:39:11,087
it's just
more compelling evidence
925
00:39:11,131 --> 00:39:13,394
that pushes this story forward.
926
00:39:13,438 --> 00:39:16,745
Guys, is there any news on
the Lake Michigan permit front?
927
00:39:16,789 --> 00:39:18,617
You know, where are we at
in the permitting process?
928
00:39:18,660 --> 00:39:20,880
We are working on it
with the state.
929
00:39:20,923 --> 00:39:24,274
There's no definitive word yet,
but we are working on it.
930
00:39:24,318 --> 00:39:26,451
Okay, great. Let me know
if I can help somehow.
931
00:39:26,494 --> 00:39:28,844
KEVIN: We will. At this point
in time, while we're waiting,
932
00:39:28,888 --> 00:39:30,063
we're gonna be researching
933
00:39:30,106 --> 00:39:31,804
where else we're
gonna find missing gold.
934
00:39:31,847 --> 00:39:35,111
What we're seeing here, guys,
is that what started off
935
00:39:35,155 --> 00:39:36,809
as one cache of gold
down in Irwinville, Georgia,
936
00:39:36,852 --> 00:39:39,377
it's really looking like
937
00:39:39,420 --> 00:39:40,900
we're just at the tip
of the iceberg here.
938
00:39:40,943 --> 00:39:44,164
It wouldn't surprise me
if more people reach out to us
939
00:39:44,207 --> 00:39:46,819
with information that leads us
to other caches of gold.
940
00:39:46,862 --> 00:39:49,735
Maybe many more.
941
00:39:49,778 --> 00:39:52,520
You know, at the risk
of being a person who is viewed
942
00:39:52,564 --> 00:39:54,609
as never being satisfied,
943
00:39:54,653 --> 00:39:56,655
I am truly impressed
with what you've done.
944
00:39:56,698 --> 00:39:58,134
I mean, it's really remarkable.
945
00:39:58,178 --> 00:40:01,442
-Keep at it.
-We will.
Thanks for your time, guys.
946
00:40:01,486 --> 00:40:04,402
-Good talking to you guys. Bye.
-Thanks a lot, guys.
947
00:40:04,445 --> 00:40:05,577
KEVIN:
Well, let's get back at it.
948
00:40:05,620 --> 00:40:08,144
Yeah, let's go.
949
00:40:08,188 --> 00:40:11,365
NARRATOR: For Kevin Dykstra and his team,
950
00:40:11,409 --> 00:40:14,455
the notion that wagonloads of Confederate gold and silver
951
00:40:14,499 --> 00:40:17,327
came to Michigan
after the Civil War
952
00:40:17,371 --> 00:40:21,419
is less a question of "if,"
but "how much,"
953
00:40:21,462 --> 00:40:23,377
and "where is it now?"
954
00:40:23,421 --> 00:40:24,944
They are also
more convinced than ever
955
00:40:24,987 --> 00:40:29,427
that they are on the verge of uncovering a vast conspiracy,
956
00:40:29,470 --> 00:40:33,387
one that involves a number of wealthy and powerful men.
957
00:40:33,431 --> 00:40:36,259
But as they dive
deeper and deeper
958
00:40:36,303 --> 00:40:38,871
to solve the mystery,
what will they find?
959
00:40:38,914 --> 00:40:42,265
Millions in stolen gold?
960
00:40:42,309 --> 00:40:45,921
Or, perhaps, something
of even greater value?
961
00:40:45,965 --> 00:40:50,143
Something that has been hidden from the eyes of history
962
00:40:50,186 --> 00:40:52,450
for 150 years.
963
00:40:57,193 --> 00:41:00,501
Next time on
The Curse of Civil War Gold...
964
00:41:00,545 --> 00:41:02,111
Isn't it great to be back
in Georgia again?
965
00:41:02,155 --> 00:41:04,244
BRAD: There were six wagons
full of gold.
966
00:41:04,287 --> 00:41:06,202
GARY: And it was stolen at this site?
967
00:41:06,246 --> 00:41:07,813
Once the robbery got underway,
968
00:41:07,856 --> 00:41:09,162
it was just a free-for-all.
969
00:41:09,205 --> 00:41:10,903
GARY:
If you was running
970
00:41:10,946 --> 00:41:12,557
with gold in your pockets,
971
00:41:12,600 --> 00:41:14,254
this is the type of place
you'd hide it.
972
00:41:14,297 --> 00:41:15,864
-What is that?
-I don't know.
973
00:41:15,908 --> 00:41:16,822
I've never seen
anything like it.
974
00:41:16,865 --> 00:41:19,302
Oh, wow! Nice!
975
00:41:19,346 --> 00:41:21,653
JEFF: It's time to go down and see
976
00:41:21,696 --> 00:41:22,567
if that's real gold.
977
00:41:25,178 --> 00:41:27,180
CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY
A+E NETWORKS
71643
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.