Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp said:
Gentlemen: I expect, and even ask others to doubt me, and I AM A SAINT. Everyone that is involved in lost mines, treasures etc should realize that this is just a normal part of it, and should be ready to stand by their data or find out why it may be faulty. this includes 'personal activity related to it'.
We can find fault in personal behavior with almost everyone involved in searching or looking for the LDM, so I wonder why Tumlison is exempt?
In following up a story or legend, every one is suspect, especially authors, whether it is the legendary fountain of Youth, Cibola, Peraltas, Jesuit mining, LDM principals, and other activies. Most are not here to defend themselves either.
As for our friend who produced the stone maps, present evidence supports his report and subsequent actions as true, HOWEVER 'logic' says other wise, so we must question. Why not?
Don Jose de La Mancha
Jose,
The name is Travis Tumlinson
Now, NOBODY is exempt from examination, especially the original finder. This goes back to the thing with you and Roy on the other thread. BIG PICTURE!
The little picture is that here is the story as told by Tumlinson ... "blah, blah, blah."
The BIG PICTURE is that Tumlinson (in his lifetime) never wanted the Stone Maps to be made public. With the exception of some people he personally knew and was friends with, he NEVER wanted them to get any publicity. He NEVER asked one person for a penny to help him find the treasure. He did everything secretly and out of his own pocket.
The only REALLY trustworthy sources for Tumlinson's Story are:
>>His Wife Aileen; naturally
>>His Uncle Robert (Bob); Travis' partner for several years and who possessed the stones for a period of time. Was given a map by TT showing where he found the stones
>>Family Friend Clarence Mitchell; After the death of Travis, Aileen sold the stones to Mitchell. One can safely assume that she told him the whole story about how Travis had found the stones. If you think that Clarence O. Mitchell ever doubted the authenticity of the stone maps to his dying day, then you don't know anything about Clarence O. Mitchell!
To use someone else's words, I believe that Travis' intentions were as pure as the driven snow in this matter. Maybe Springfield can explain to us WHY he would feel the need to lie? His plan was to keep the stones a secret and use them to find a treasure. For the most part, he kept them a secret from the day he found them until the day he died (12 years 1949-1961). Their existence might have been known to some extent around Apache Junction and to a lesser extent around Hood River, Oregon (Tumlinson's home), but Travis NEVER publicized them IN ANY WAY!
The main version of how Tumlinson found the Stone Maps comes from his Uncle Robert. WHY on God's Green Earth would Travis lie to his uncle and partner about where and how he found them? Why would he draw his uncle and partner a map pinpointing the location of where he found them knowing it was a lie? Its not like he was writing an article for TREASURE! Magazine. IT WAS HIS FREAKING UNCLE! That is the part that people keep forgetting: THE STONES WERE A FREAKING SECRET! The ONLY people that knew of their existence were a few people close to the Tumlinsons and a few more that the info got leaked to. I would guess maybe 15 or so people. THAT IS FIFTEEN OR SO PEOPLE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD that knew of the existence of the Stone Maps. Where is the need to lie?
If this were about Clarence Mitchell, I would be more willing to question the story as he DID use the stones to generate income. I can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt that Clarence Mitchell firmly believed in the authenticity of the Stone Maps to his dying day. He did something that 99% of you armchair treasure hunters would NEVER do! He believed so strongly in the stones that he gave up everything and devoted the better part of 10-15 years trying to unravel the secret of the Stone Maps. He gave up his old job. He went through every penny he possessed. He hung it all out there for those four little chunks of rock. He paid a hefty price for that devotion too. Mel Fisher did the same thing, but for him it paid off. HAHAHA
Sorry Springy and Jose, but the KNOWN evidence does not support in any way your suspicions that Tumlinson lied about anything.
........... and I'm not calling anybody an armchair treasure hunter. I know there are a lot of them that read these threads and don't post. That was meant for any of them.
Best-Mike
.Heck the stones coulda been cleaned with hot air,for all I know.
