1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,000 The Ashley gang robbed more than 40 banks while Dillon's are only robbed 24. 2 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:12,000 How much money did they get away with over the course of this crime spree? 3 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:15,000 In today's money, millions. 4 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:21,000 He couldn't put his proceeds in the bank. He had to hide it. 5 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:23,000 So, do you know where it is? 6 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:25,000 The money is stolen. 7 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:33,000 For almost 100 years now, people have been digging holes trying to find it. 8 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:35,000 Guys, come here. 9 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:38,000 Oh my God. Oh my God. Shut up. No. Woo! 10 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:40,000 Oh my God. My heart is beating. 11 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:43,000 This is what we've been looking for. 12 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:44,000 Are you kidding me? 13 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:46,000 Ashley, treasure. There you go. 14 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:49,000 This place is like a gold mine. This is insane. 15 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:57,000 Most gangsters are associated with big cities. 16 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:00,000 Al Capone was synonymous with Chicago. 17 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,000 New York had Lucky Luciano. 18 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:04,000 And LA, Mickey Cohen. 19 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:06,000 But unless you're from Florida, 20 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:08,000 well, you've probably never heard of John Ashley. 21 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:12,000 His story is like something out of the movies, except it's all real. 22 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:15,000 He was known as the king of the Everglades 23 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:20,000 and led a vicious gang that terrorized the Sunshine State from 1914 24 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:22,000 to 1924. 25 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:28,000 Back then, Florida was an un-air-conditioned, vast and lawless frontier 26 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:33,000 where the Ashley gang went on a notorious decade-long crime spree 27 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:38,000 of bank robbery, bootlegging, piracy, and murder. 28 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:41,000 Their criminal enterprises netted a fortune 29 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:46,000 and reports of millions in hidden Ashley loot have swirled for a century. 30 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:49,000 Now, research for a new museum exhibit on the gang 31 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:51,000 has turned up incredible new clues 32 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:54,000 and treasure hunters are finally closing in. 33 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:56,000 One has unearthed a lost document 34 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,000 that points to a real-life treasure island 35 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:01,000 that might contain actual buried loot, 36 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:05,000 while a historian claims to have located an entire lost town 37 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:08,000 and traces of the Ashley gang's hideout. 38 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:11,000 We're on a hunt for truth and treasure, 39 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:14,000 so put down the video and let us know what you think. 40 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:16,000 We're on a hunt for truth and treasure, 41 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:19,000 so put down the golf clubs, set aside your bingo card, 42 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:23,000 and get ready for an expedition to an unknown Florida from a century ago 43 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:26,000 where the only way to retire was with a bullet. 44 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:31,000 My name is Josh Gates. 45 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:32,000 Hello! 46 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:34,000 Explorer. 47 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:35,000 Adventurer. 48 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:36,000 Amazing! 49 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:37,000 Woo! 50 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:40,000 And a guy who ends up in some very strange situations. 51 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:41,000 Oh, s***! 52 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:43,000 Woo! That was exciting. 53 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,000 A Korean archaeology and a passion for the unexplained. 54 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:48,000 I travel to the ends of the earth, 55 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:51,000 investigating the greatest legends in history. 56 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,000 Okay, let's punch it! 57 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:55,000 This is Expedition Unknown. 58 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:06,000 We begin our journey in Miami, the Magic City. 59 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:08,000 No matter how hot it gets, 60 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,000 sooner or later there's a cool breeze coming in. 61 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:18,000 Okay, so this episode is about bank robbers in the 20s 62 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:20,000 and not drug cops in the 80s, 63 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:22,000 but come on, Miami Vice is a classic, 64 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:24,000 plus turquoise is really my color. 65 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:29,000 All right, down to business. 66 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:33,000 The heart of our story actually takes place 67 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:37,000 about 100 miles north of Miami in the quaint town of Stewart. 68 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:40,000 Along with classic Florida beachside vibes, 69 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:44,000 this town is literally calling out to me about the Ashley Gang. 70 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:48,000 Well, John Ashley grew up in the Everglades. 71 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:52,000 Those in the Wim City wasn't all that bad. 72 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:57,000 Those he murdered might just disagree with that. 73 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:00,000 Turns out people here are really into the Ashley Gang. 74 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:03,000 This band, they're called the Ashley Gang, 75 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:06,000 and they're singing about, who else, the Ashley Gang. 76 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:08,000 They went out looking for trouble, 77 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:10,000 Troubles what they found, 78 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:12,000 Sheriff Baker made a promise, 79 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:14,000 Before they laid him in the ground, 80 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:18,000 He'd see the Ashley Gang go down. 81 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:21,000 Thanks. 82 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:24,000 Even the beer here is named after the Ashley Gang, 83 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,000 and I'll give you one guest with the name of the bartender is... 84 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:27,000 My name's Susie. 85 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:29,000 I'm from the city of Miami. 86 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:31,000 I'm from the city of Miami. 87 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:33,000 I'm from the city of Miami. 88 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:35,000 My name's Susie. 89 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:37,000 I'm from the city of Miami. 90 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:39,000 I'm from the city of Miami. 91 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:42,000 And I'll give you one guest with the name of the bartender is... 92 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:43,000 My name's Susie. 93 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:44,000 It's Ashley. 94 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:45,000 It's definitely Susie. 95 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:47,000 Okay, nice try Ashley. 96 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:51,000 The City Ashley Gang go down. 97 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:58,000 In addition to bands and beer, 98 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:00,000 Stewart, Florida is also home to a new exhibit 99 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:02,000 dedicated to the Ashley Gang. 100 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:08,800 Founded in 1961, this terrific and eclectic collection celebrates the spirit of invention, 101 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:12,960 along with art and Florida history. 102 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:16,560 Amidst the miles of memorabilia, I find CEO Rob Steele. 103 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:17,560 Rob? 104 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:20,080 Josh, welcome to the Elliott Museum. 105 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:21,080 Nice to meet you. 106 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:22,080 I'm thrilled to have you here. 107 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:23,080 I'm thrilled to be here. 108 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:24,580 This place is amazing. 109 00:05:24,580 --> 00:05:25,580 It's eclectic. 110 00:05:25,580 --> 00:05:26,880 You never know what's around the next corner. 111 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:30,240 Well, that kind of brings me to my first question, I guess, which is the place is so 112 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:31,240 diverse. 113 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:38,160 These awesome cars and, you know, Americana baseball collection, and now a new exhibit 114 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:40,760 on a group of notorious criminals. 115 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:43,000 We love notorious criminals, the Ashley Gang. 116 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:44,000 Right. 117 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:46,600 The Ashley Gang is not, I would say, a household name. 118 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:47,840 They're really not. 119 00:05:47,840 --> 00:05:52,560 The John Dillinger's carry more notoriety, but the Ashley Gang robbed more than 40 banks 120 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:54,520 while Dillinger only robbed 24. 121 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:55,520 Wow. 122 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,640 In the course of their work, it was impressive. 123 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:02,520 It's a story that is waiting to be told that everyone should know about. 124 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:05,600 At the center of this gang is John Ashley. 125 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:11,320 When does John's criminal career kick off? 126 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:16,280 In his early 20s, John Ashley is in the Everglades and he has a partner who is a Seminole Indian 127 00:06:16,280 --> 00:06:17,680 named DeSoto Tiger. 128 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:22,140 They would routinely take a canoe and set trap lines to catch otters and sell the pelts 129 00:06:22,140 --> 00:06:24,520 for cash to the nearby trading posts. 130 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:28,960 At some point in the game DeSoto Tiger ends up shot dead and his body floating in the 131 00:06:28,960 --> 00:06:30,760 river. 132 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:36,040 Not long after, John Ashley sells a tall stack of otter pelts with Seminole markings at a 133 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:39,120 trading post in Miami. 134 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:43,560 Enter Palm Beach Sheriff George Baker, whose pursuit of the Ashley's will become a family 135 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:47,640 obsession carried on by his son, Sheriff Bob Baker. 136 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:53,560 With ties to the KKK, Sheriff Bob's participation ensures there are no good guys in the story 137 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:55,880 of the Ashley gang. 138 00:06:55,880 --> 00:07:00,920 In response to the murder of DeSoto Tiger, a detail of deputies are sent to arrest John 139 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:02,280 Ashley. 140 00:07:02,280 --> 00:07:03,360 And how does that go? 141 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:04,680 Not all together well. 142 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:08,320 They're met with the rifles of the Ashley family. 143 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:14,320 And John notoriously sent a message to the Sheriff saying, don't send any more chicken-hearted 144 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:16,800 men with rifles, they're liable to get hurt. 145 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:17,880 Wow. 146 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:19,000 At 19 years old. 147 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:22,680 19 years old, he stood toe to toe against the Sheriff. 148 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:26,520 And that was the beginning of a feud that lasted till the end of John's life between 149 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:28,840 Sheriff Baker and John Ashley. 150 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:30,840 Wow. 151 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:35,960 As the murder case attracts more attention and controversy, John Ashley eventually surrenders 152 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:39,960 himself to authorities, only to then break out of jail. 153 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:45,040 Once a fugitive, John forms a gang of outlaws joined by his brothers and occasional other 154 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:47,880 partners in crime. 155 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:52,320 This gang that he forms, this is largely a family affair, right? 156 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:55,920 Four brothers and a nephew, along with John and his father. 157 00:07:55,920 --> 00:08:00,800 The first few scores are a little bumpy, proving that even a life of crime has a learning 158 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:02,300 curve. 159 00:08:02,300 --> 00:08:05,480 First thing that they knocked over as a gang was a train, right? 160 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:06,480 Attempted train robbery. 161 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:09,080 It didn't go exactly according to plan. 162 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:13,360 The Teller windows from the Bank of Stuart, which was their first successful robbery as 163 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:14,360 a gang. 164 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:15,680 These are the actual windows from the bank? 165 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:16,680 Those are the windows. 166 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:17,680 Wow. 167 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:19,280 Did they get away with in that robbery? 168 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:21,440 $5,000 was their take. 169 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:22,640 Not bad for a day's work. 170 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:26,680 Not bad when you consider the fact that that's $140,000 in today's dollars. 171 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:28,600 Oh, that's a very good day's work. 172 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:30,040 It turns out I should be robbing banks. 173 00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:33,440 You might want to reconsider a career change when you hear how the getaway went. 174 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:34,960 Oh, they don't get away scot-free? 175 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:39,800 One of the gang members had a misfire of his firearm, and the bullet passed through John 176 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:43,880 Ashley's jaw, lodged in his skull, and caused his eye to be removed. 177 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:44,880 Wow. 178 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:46,640 So that's why we always see him with that eye patch. 179 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:49,400 With an eye patch and a glass eye. 180 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:56,480 Now every good story needs a little romance, and John Ashley's is no exception. 181 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:58,840 And there's also a Bonnie to his Clyde, right? 182 00:08:58,840 --> 00:08:59,840 Absolutely. 183 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:01,480 Laura Up the Grove has devoted. 184 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:02,880 Sorry, what now? 185 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:04,360 Laura Up the Grove. 186 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:06,520 Sir, this is a family program. 187 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:07,520 Her name is Up the Grove? 188 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:08,640 Up the Grove. 189 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:10,920 And she wasn't just a hangar on here, right? 190 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:11,920 Not at all. 191 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:13,480 She was a full partner in crying. 192 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:18,640 Laura earned her way into the gang with her solid marksmanship and cunning criminal mind. 193 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:24,120 She cased potential robbery spots, oftentimes planned to the heist, and even drove the getaway 194 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:25,120 car. 195 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:27,480 In short, she became a key player. 196 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:29,520 She was a stalwart member of the gang. 197 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:32,880 There was nothing they couldn't ask her to do. 198 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:37,400 With a gunslinging love interest now added to the team, John and the gang embark on a 199 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:40,840 10-year crime spree that is simply epic. 200 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:46,360 Along with daring bank robberies, the gang become major moonshiners in the swamps, producing 201 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:51,680 and selling illegal hooch and even engaging in piracy off the Florida coast. 202 00:09:51,680 --> 00:09:56,760 As a criminal enterprise, the Ashley gang is bold and very diversified. 203 00:09:56,760 --> 00:09:58,480 And what's he doing with all this money? 204 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:00,040 He's like a swamp guy, right? 205 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:01,880 So like, is he live in large? 206 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:04,360 John Ashley was actually reinvesting in the community. 207 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:09,520 There are lots of oral histories from people that were directly affected by his generosity. 208 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:14,880 Like Jesse James, Dillinger, and other criminal anti-heroes, John Ashley has gained a folkloric 209 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:19,800 reputation as a kind of robin hood, sometimes called the swamp bandit. 210 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:24,360 John's enterprises bring some infrastructure and money to an otherwise undeveloped and 211 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:25,360 impoverished region. 212 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:30,240 And he had a lot of people on the salary too to run all these enterprises. 213 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:34,640 But other locals, like people in Stewart whose money was in the bank John robbed, see him 214 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:36,440 for what he was. 215 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:37,760 A crook. 216 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:42,160 But his spree eventually comes to an end, the culmination of his long grudge with Sheriff 217 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:43,760 Baker. 218 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:49,240 On November 1st, 1924, Baker's deputies are part of a trap set to capture John Ashley 219 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:55,080 and three of his men as they travel north to Jacksonville. 220 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:59,480 In the aftermath, John and his associates are shot dead. 221 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:05,280 Afterward, John Ashley's glass eye is plucked out of its socket and delivered to Sheriff 222 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:06,280 Baker. 223 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:10,400 The Sheriff has a twisted trophy to mark the end of their bitter feud. 224 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:13,960 Oh, my word. 225 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:16,560 Pretty amazing staring back at you. 226 00:11:16,560 --> 00:11:18,840 Literally staring back at me. 227 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:20,840 This is his actual glass eye. 228 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:22,440 Correct. 229 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:28,200 It's actually kind of hard to look at because suddenly it actually seems like this larger 230 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:31,560 than life character is looking back at us. 231 00:11:31,560 --> 00:11:33,960 The Sheriff intended to use it to make a key chain. 232 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:34,960 Okay. 233 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:36,960 That's a good way to keep an eye out for your car keys. 234 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:40,360 I'm going to give this back to you. 235 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:41,360 Thank you. 236 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:42,360 Back in the case. 237 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:44,840 Can I get the Purell? 238 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:49,000 But let's keep an eye on the prize and stay focused on the potential treasure. 239 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:52,400 How much money did they get away with over the course of this crime spree? 240 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:54,520 In today's money, millions. 241 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:55,520 Millions. 242 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:56,520 Okay. 243 00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:59,640 So I take it the money wasn't recovered at the time. 244 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:00,640 No. 245 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:04,480 For almost 100 years now, people have been digging holes in Martin County trying to find 246 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:05,480 it. 247 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:06,480 And what do you think? 248 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:07,760 Do you think that that treasure is still out there? 249 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:12,080 If that amount of money ever saw the light of day, we'd be aware of it. 250 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:13,240 Just sort of vanished. 251 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:14,240 Absolutely. 252 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:16,680 Well, well now we just got to find it. 253 00:12:16,680 --> 00:12:19,120 It's a tall task. 254 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:21,480 Somebody's got to do it. 255 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:24,680 Fortunately, several investigators are hot on the case. 256 00:12:24,680 --> 00:12:28,960 One is author Patrick Mesmer, who's written three books on the Ashley gang and is now 257 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:32,000 going after their treasure in the swamps. 258 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:35,520 I head to a nearby dock to meet him. 259 00:12:35,520 --> 00:12:36,520 Patrick, how are you? 260 00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:37,880 Hey Josh, good meeting you. 261 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:39,240 Nice to meet you too, man. 262 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:40,240 Beautiful day. 263 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:41,240 Oh, it's an awesome day. 264 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:42,960 Is it a beautiful day for finding treasure? 265 00:12:42,960 --> 00:12:44,600 Every day is a good day for finding treasure. 266 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:45,600 I like that attitude. 267 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:47,020 Okay, Ashley gang. 268 00:12:47,020 --> 00:12:50,920 Is there any truth to the idea that there's Ashley gang treasure out there? 269 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:52,240 I believe there is. 270 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:53,240 Really? 271 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:56,080 Because I've studied a lot about that period of history in this area. 272 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:57,080 Right. 273 00:12:57,080 --> 00:13:01,360 Patrick's research has turned up information about a largely forgotten Ashley gang moonshining 274 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:05,120 site, a place where John may have stashed the gang's loot. 275 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:07,800 And I guess more importantly, do you happen to know where to find it? 276 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:11,240 I have a pretty good idea of where it is, but it's not where you would think. 277 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:12,520 Is it in the middle of a marina? 278 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:16,840 No, it's not here, but we need to leave from here to get where we need to go. 279 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:19,040 All right, so which one of these yachts is yours? 280 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:20,040 Yacht. 281 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:21,040 Who needs a yacht? 282 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:23,080 I think everybody needs a yacht, don't they? 283 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:25,320 I've got something better and much faster. 284 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:29,920 What's better than a yacht? 285 00:13:29,920 --> 00:13:34,880 Everybody, everyone doesn't need a yacht. 286 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:39,920 Besides these little boater cycles are a lot of fun and very fast. 287 00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:41,920 Holy s***. 288 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:43,920 Come on. 289 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:45,920 Oh. 290 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:52,120 We're headed from Stewart to a tiny, narrow patch of land in the mangroves called Corset 291 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:53,120 Island. 292 00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:55,680 I'll see what you got, Patrick. 293 00:13:55,680 --> 00:13:57,920 Patrick lets her rip, and I'm in hot pursuit. 294 00:13:58,560 --> 00:14:01,920 On a quest for some good old-fashioned Sunshine State treasure. 295 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:13,720 Okay, Josh, this is Corset Island. 296 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:19,920 I found an old newspaper article from the 1920s that said that the Ashley Gang camp 297 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:22,080 was here on this island. 298 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:26,840 I'm jet skiing in Florida with author turned treasure hunter Patrick Mesmer as we search 299 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:32,040 for bank robber and bootlegger John Ashley's old hideout. 300 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:36,760 He believes this area was a base for one of their major moonshining operations. 301 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:39,040 This is impanetrable. 302 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:42,040 That is if we can actually get onto the island. 303 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:43,560 Just all mangroves. 304 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:47,160 Hey, Josh, I think we can get in over here. 305 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:48,160 Go for it. 306 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:51,520 Finally, a possible way in. 307 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:53,520 We dock at a break in the mangroves. 308 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:54,520 Okay, here we are. 309 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:56,520 Let's go find some treasure. 310 00:14:56,520 --> 00:15:04,520 So what's the move here? 311 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:05,520 We have some metal detectors. 312 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:09,360 I think what we're going to do is just check this little shallow area here. 313 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:11,360 There's some sandy beaches around the island. 314 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:14,520 We just kind of work our way along and see if anything pops up. 315 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:17,520 Okay, well, let's get after it. 316 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:24,040 The gang's moonshining exploits peak during prohibition, the period between 1920 and 1933, 317 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:29,320 when it was illegal to transport, buy or sell alcohol within the United States. 318 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:33,320 You get bull sharks in here? 319 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:34,320 A few. 320 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:35,720 Good, good, good, good. 321 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:36,720 Perfect. 322 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:41,320 Remote, hidden and near the coast, Patrick believes this area was a base for one of their 323 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:46,200 major booze operations, as the gang took full advantage of prohibition, building enough 324 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:50,680 liquor stills to kick their side hustle into a large-scale production. 325 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:53,880 Hey, Josh, I got a hit. 326 00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:59,520 Let me see. 327 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:04,120 That's a hit for sure. 328 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:05,640 Certainly smells like treasure. 329 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:11,640 There it is. 330 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:12,640 A copper pipe. 331 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:13,640 Copper pipe. 332 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:15,760 Hey, a copper pipe was used in a still. 333 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:16,760 That's absolutely right. 334 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:17,760 It's old copper too. 335 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:18,760 Yep. 336 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:20,280 That could be still copper. 337 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:21,280 What's that doing here? 338 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:22,280 Right. 339 00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:26,880 Our first find elevates our spirits quite a bit. 340 00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:30,960 Now we press inland in hopes of uncovering even more. 341 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:36,360 Hey, Josh, looks like we got an opening here. 342 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:39,360 Let's see where it goes. 343 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:40,360 Wow. 344 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:45,360 Oh, look at that. 345 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:48,760 I found the interior. 346 00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:50,240 See this opens up in here. 347 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:51,240 Oh, wow, it really does. 348 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:52,240 Look at that. 349 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:55,240 It's building material. 350 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:56,240 Yeah. 351 00:16:56,240 --> 00:17:04,280 So this area looks like it had buildings on it. 352 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:08,280 After getting a lay of the land, it doesn't take long for Patrick to surmise how this 353 00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:12,600 would have been an ideal area for a bootlegging operation. 354 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:13,600 That is a road. 355 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:14,600 That looks like a road. 356 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:15,600 It is a road. 357 00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:16,600 Look at that, too. 358 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:18,600 It's like an old abandoned trail that connects the camp out to the water. 359 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:21,480 This looks like an old trail in here. 360 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:24,960 We got a bluff here. 361 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:27,920 Once the booze was made, it had to be moved. 362 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:33,240 Patrick explains how Corso Island operated as a staging ground for the Ashleys to transport 363 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:35,520 their product discreetly. 364 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:39,160 This would have been a great spot for the Ashley gang to have a camp. 365 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:42,080 On the other side of that is the ocean. 366 00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:47,240 This would have been a perfect departure point for trips to the Bahamas just 50 miles away, 367 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:53,240 where they could buy liquor legally and smuggle it back to the United States. 368 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:58,000 They would buy cases of booze and they would bring it back, unload it at a dock here at 369 00:17:58,000 --> 00:17:59,000 this site. 370 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:04,000 A lot of times the profit margin on booze was six times what they paid for it. 371 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:05,000 Wow. 372 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:08,080 It's $70,000 or $80,000 for one trip. 373 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:10,560 Imagine if you did five trips a week. 374 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:15,080 They actually had a lock on the rum running trade for several years, where no one could 375 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:16,080 do it except them. 376 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:22,560 But as lucrative as this was, the Ashley gang wanted even more. 377 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:25,040 They weren't just bootleggers, they were also pirates. 378 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:26,880 They would attack other rum runners. 379 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:28,480 You mean literal pirates. 380 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:29,480 These guys are crazy. 381 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:30,480 Yes. 382 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:32,000 How much money are we talking about here? 383 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:33,000 A lot. 384 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:34,880 And where is that money? 385 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:38,880 Underneath our feet. 386 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:41,800 Convinced we have the right spot, Patrick and I get to work. 387 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:54,480 Hey, Josh, I got a hit. 388 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:56,480 Here? 389 00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:57,480 Yep. 390 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:00,000 Right in that area right there. 391 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:03,960 Patrick, why don't you dive in there and get that out? 392 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:04,960 All right. 393 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:09,760 Patrick, you couldn't find stuff on land? 394 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:11,520 Hold on for a second. 395 00:19:11,520 --> 00:19:16,000 Remember kids, treasure hunting is dangerous business. 396 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:17,000 Just ask my camera operator. 397 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:20,000 Don't hit my leg. 398 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:21,000 What? 399 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:23,000 It's a crab. 400 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:26,000 What is happening? 401 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:28,000 You all right? 402 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:30,000 What was it? 403 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:31,000 A crab. 404 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:32,000 A crab. 405 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:33,000 A big crab? 406 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:35,000 No, a little crab. 407 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:39,360 Sure, there's a joke here to be made about my cameraman catching crabs, but I'm above 408 00:19:39,360 --> 00:19:40,360 that. 409 00:19:40,360 --> 00:19:42,200 I thought an alligator had your leg. 410 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:45,000 Okay, where were we? 411 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:49,000 Hold this for a second. 412 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:53,000 Here we go. 413 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:55,000 Oh, I got it. 414 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:59,000 What is that? 415 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:00,000 Wow. 416 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:06,000 I thought it was a beer tab for a second, but it's not. 417 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:07,000 You know what this is? 418 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:08,880 I think this is part of a lantern. 419 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:11,000 I think that's the wick turner on an oil lamp. 420 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:12,000 Yeah. 421 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:13,000 A really old oil lamp. 422 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:14,000 Wow. 423 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:15,000 Let's see it stamped. 424 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:17,000 It says Deets Company. 425 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:23,000 A trusty 1920s Deets oil lamp would have been the perfect way for the Ashley gang to illuminate 426 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:26,000 their bootlegging activities in the stealth of night. 427 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:35,000 That is so cool. 428 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:39,000 Gold coin, gold coin, come on, gold coin, come on. 429 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:41,000 Oh, whatever this is. 430 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:43,000 What do you think? 431 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:45,000 Some kind of armature. 432 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:47,000 Whatever it is, it's not treasure. 433 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:49,000 Keep moving. 434 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:56,000 We continue to search and to dig and dig. 435 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:57,000 Have at it, Patrick. 436 00:20:57,000 --> 00:20:59,000 How's it going, Patrick? 437 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:00,000 I'm determined. 438 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:02,000 Yeah, that's how I started. 439 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:06,000 Now I'm determined to find a daiquiri. 440 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:10,000 After a few hours of investigating, it feels like we need a new tactic. 441 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:13,000 All right, so promising spot for sure. 442 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:14,000 A couple cool finds. 443 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:15,000 No treasure yet. 444 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:16,000 No, but I'll tell you what. 445 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:21,000 I brought a couple of special tools that I think might give us an edge. 446 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:26,000 All right, what do you got? 447 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:27,000 Magnets. 448 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:30,000 Magnets? 449 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:32,000 Magnets. 450 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:38,000 Magnet fishing, as the pros call it, is actually a surprisingly effective way to recover items 451 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:39,000 underwater. 452 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:42,000 And it's also a hell of an upper body workout. 453 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:47,000 Okay, Josh, this magnet has 3,600 pounds of pull. 454 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:48,000 I take it that strong. 455 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:49,000 It's very strong. 456 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:50,000 Okay. 457 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:55,000 It won't pick up gold or silver, but sometimes those items get concreted in with other things, 458 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:57,000 like a case or a box. 459 00:21:57,000 --> 00:22:03,000 After 100 years of storms and erosion, anything the Ashley's may have buried on Corse at Island 460 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:08,000 is just as likely to be bogged down in the water's edge as it is in the ground. 461 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:10,000 Now, is there a specific technique to this? 462 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:13,000 We take the magnet, we throw it in the water. 463 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:14,000 Okay. 464 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:15,000 Run that by me one more time. 465 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:18,000 We take the magnet and we throw it in the water. 466 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:24,000 I got it now. 467 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:26,000 That was a good one. 468 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:28,000 I feel real good about this one. 469 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:34,000 We cast out into the water again and again, until finally Patrick feels a little added 470 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,000 resistance on his line. 471 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:37,000 Oh, I got something. 472 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:41,000 What do you got? 473 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:46,000 Come on. 474 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:47,000 It's shiny. 475 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:49,000 What is that? 476 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:51,000 It's a knife. 477 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:54,000 It's a steak knife. 478 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:55,000 All right. 479 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:57,000 Well, is that a weapon from the Ashley gang? 480 00:22:57,000 --> 00:22:59,000 I don't think so. 481 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:02,000 John Ashley was known for holding up banks, not steak houses. 482 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:03,000 You get three more of those. 483 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:06,000 We got a set. 484 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:09,000 Oftentimes success relies upon perseverance. 485 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:12,000 With magnet fishing, that's even more so. 486 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:14,000 There's worse ways to spend an afternoon. 487 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:22,000 We continue to toss our magnets into the water in the hopes we can drag in some of that sweet Ashley gang treasure. 488 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:24,000 Old nail. 489 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:32,000 Unfortunately, hours later, we have little to show for it, but some sore shoulders. 490 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:35,000 I got a fish hook. 491 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:38,000 What's it going to take to find Ashley gang treasure out here, you think? 492 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:42,000 I think it's going to take dedication and hard work, just like we've been doing today. 493 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:50,000 Florida has 1,300 miles of coastline, and for hundreds of years, it's been all about smuggling and piracy all along our coast. 494 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:53,000 And a lot of that story is still buried here. 495 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:54,000 Right. 496 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:58,000 And as we see over and over again, and even today, that history keeps coming back to the surface. 497 00:23:58,000 --> 00:23:59,000 Yes, it does. 498 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:00,000 All right. 499 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:01,000 Well, we got to keep looking. 500 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:03,000 We should probably go make sure those jet skis are still there. 501 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:04,000 I agree. 502 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:05,000 Let's go. 503 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:06,000 Let's go. 504 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:13,000 Patrick and I jet back towards civilization, having explored what might be one of the Ashley gang's bases of operation. 505 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:19,000 But there's another critical location associated with the gang that might yield even more. 506 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:26,000 Back in the town of Stewart, I'm following in the gang's footsteps to see where they lead and where they end. 507 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:29,000 This restaurant over here used to be the old Bank of Stewart. 508 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:31,000 It's where John Ashley lost his eye. 509 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:34,000 And in fact, the gang robbed this place not once, but twice. 510 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:39,000 By the second time, they were so recognizable that they couldn't just walk in unnoticed. 511 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:44,000 So John's nephew slipped in by wearing a dress. 512 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:51,000 As for John, he found himself in and out of prison, escaping for the third time in 1923. 513 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:59,000 By this time, the Ashley gang kicks their robberies into high gear, operating out of a homestead and moonshining headquarters deep in the swamp, 514 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:03,000 where many believe their ill-gotten treasure was ultimately buried. 515 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:05,000 The only problem? 516 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:09,000 The town was torched to the ground and then lost to history. 517 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:12,000 But now, two experts believe they've found it. 518 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:19,000 I'm on the trail of the notorious bandit and moonshiner John Ashley. 519 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:33,000 Now, Florida historians Steve Carr and Chessie Ricca believe they relocated a lost town that might contain the lost treasure of the notorious gangster. 520 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:36,000 So let's start with a little orientation. Where are we? 521 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:38,000 Well, you're standing in the town of Fruta. 522 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:40,000 I'm sorry, the town? 523 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:41,000 The town of Fruta, yeah. 524 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:43,000 The ghost town of Fruta. 525 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:46,000 I don't even see a ghost town. Like, where is it? 526 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:48,000 Well, you gotta look hard. It's here. 527 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:52,000 So there was a town here. And when was this town in existence? 528 00:25:52,000 --> 00:26:03,000 Roughly 1910 through 1912, it began its roots homesteaded by Joe Ashley, the father of the notorious bandit John Ashley. 529 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:07,000 John Ashley actually called this home and this was his base of operation. 530 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:09,000 And their home was where? 531 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:10,000 It was right here where you're standing. 532 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:11,000 Like right here? Right here? 533 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:15,000 Yeah. This is the Ashley homestead. You're standing on top of it. 534 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:22,000 If Steve is right, this is the location of one of the most dramatic and bloody events in the gang's history. 535 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:27,000 Remember Sheriff Bob Baker, the one who would eventually use John's glass eye as a key chain? 536 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:38,000 Well, having had quite enough of the Ashley gang's exploits, Baker orders a large group of heavily armed deputies to raid the Ashley homestead in the pre-dawn hours of January 9, 1924. 537 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:49,000 A massive shootout ensues. 538 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:57,000 And while John escapes, the sheriff's men burn the Ashley home and their moonshining operation into oblivion. 539 00:26:57,000 --> 00:27:04,000 Right here, Josh. That's ceramics from the, probably from the Ashley homestead. 540 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:09,000 This place was burned to the ground. The dishes inside it, of course, were crushed. 541 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:10,000 Wow. 542 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:13,000 There's archaeological evidence that the house existed and was here. 543 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:16,000 Look at that. A dinner plate that might have been in the Ashley home. 544 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:19,000 John Ashley made it, eaten off of that plate. 545 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:27,000 How crazy is that? This famous raid that went down, that was supposed to have taken place near one of the big stills. They were moonshining, right? 546 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:38,000 So in one fell swoop, the idea was to bring enough deputies here. And Josh, they didn't come with warrants. They came here to do business, to take this place out. 547 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:42,000 Frutta is gone. It was destroyed in one night. 548 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:45,000 The main target of the raid was the gang's whiskey stills. 549 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:52,000 Steve and Chessie not only believe they've found that area, they think the Ashley treasure could still be buried there. 550 00:27:53,000 --> 00:28:00,000 So let's talk about this treasure, right? There are these rumors, these stories that it might have been hidden out near this still site. 551 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:05,000 Do we know where this raid took place, the actual kind of flash point out here? 552 00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:09,000 Yes, we do. We're lucky to have photographs of where the site was. 553 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:15,000 And I think with 99% certainty, Josh, I can put you on that whiskey still site, which was the whole point of the raid. 554 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:16,000 Can we see it? 555 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:17,000 You ready to go? 556 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:18,000 Please. 557 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:26,000 Now, Josh, I want you to keep an eye out for these cactuses here. 558 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:27,000 Yeah. 559 00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:32,000 Also, there's one other thing you've got to keep an eye out for. We've got pygmy rattlesnakes. 560 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:34,000 What the hell's a pygmy rattlesnake? 561 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:38,000 It's like a rattlesnake, but small and it has no rattle. 562 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:41,000 But the rattle's the one way you know they're there. 563 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:43,000 Welcome to Florida. 564 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:45,000 This state is crazy. 565 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:46,000 Alright, come on. 566 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:53,000 Keeping an ever-watchful eye out for non-rattling snakes and whatever other wildlife Florida has in store for us, 567 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:58,000 we finally arrive at a clearing which Steve believes was at the center of the police raid. 568 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:03,000 So, Josh, where we're standing, this was that major still site. 569 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:05,000 The big whiskey still was right here. 570 00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:06,000 Right here in front of you. 571 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:13,000 Now, there's an old photograph that showed the sheriff's deputies who raided this place in 1924. 572 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:16,000 Yes, I've seen that. They're all lined up, right, in front of a building. 573 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:19,000 Correct. And that building was right there. 574 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:23,000 And was that building the still? 575 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:25,000 It was the still house. 576 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:28,000 It was the operation during prohibition. 577 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:31,000 They were producing over 100 gallons of whiskey a day. 578 00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:33,000 Sorry, 100 gallons of whiskey a day? 579 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:36,000 100 gallons of whiskey a day. This was a massive operation. 580 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:40,000 This was one of the most productive activities anywhere in the country. 581 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:42,000 So, how do we know that still was right here? 582 00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:44,000 I'm going to prove that to you. 583 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:47,000 So, Josh, I got something I want you to see here. 584 00:29:47,000 --> 00:29:49,000 Oh, look at this. What do we got? 585 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:54,000 I believe that's going to be part of the foundation stone for the still that we were talking about. 586 00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:56,000 I mean, that is a cut stone for sure. Look at that. 587 00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:57,000 It is. 588 00:29:57,000 --> 00:29:58,000 What do you got? 589 00:29:58,000 --> 00:29:59,000 That's some blue glass. 590 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:01,000 Blue glass? So, what's blue glass doing out here? 591 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:08,000 Well, John Ashley's brother Bill produced his own brand of moonshine, and he put it in those blue bottles. 592 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:09,000 That's it right there, right? 593 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:10,000 Yeah, that. 594 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:13,000 We've got moonshiner's glass and a foundation stone in the middle of nowhere. 595 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:15,000 And we've got a lot more over here to show you too. 596 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:16,000 Wow. 597 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:18,000 All right. Well, let's go find it. 598 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:22,000 Everything points to this being the location of the raid. 599 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:24,000 I got a broken whiskey bottle. 600 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:25,000 Look at that. Whiskey bottle. 601 00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:28,000 If you find a full one, Chessie, let me know. 602 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:33,000 If this is the spot, it makes sense that treasure could be buried here too. 603 00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:38,000 After all, the gang was making a lot of money here, and most of it has never been found. 604 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:46,000 A lot of people believe that they could have been producing as much as $5,000 a day in revenue. 605 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:49,000 That's a hell of a lot of money in 1920. 606 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:54,000 Ashley had a penchant for swapping paper money out for gold. 607 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:56,000 He couldn't put his proceeds in the bank. 608 00:30:56,000 --> 00:30:57,000 He had to hide it. 609 00:30:57,000 --> 00:30:58,000 Yeah. 610 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:06,000 If he's producing $5,000 a day, Josh, we could be talking millions, if not billions of dollars in gold. 611 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:12,000 It's believed that John may have buried boxes of gold coins out here near their base of operations. 612 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:20,000 Our mission? Look for the loot, but also see if we can find any remnants of the gang's presence, which would be historic. 613 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:25,000 We point our noses to the ground and slowly start walking the site. 614 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:27,000 Oh, I got metal. Steve. 615 00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:30,000 So what do you think? 616 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:33,000 Uh, it could be part of a stove. 617 00:31:33,000 --> 00:31:41,000 As we scour the land, I can't help but feel goosebumps at the idea that John Ashley and his gang may have stood in this very place. 618 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:44,000 Hey guys, I think I got something cool over here. 619 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:50,000 Where? Look at that. Wow. 620 00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:56,000 Hey guys, I think I got something cool over here. 621 00:31:56,000 --> 00:32:01,000 We're in the swamps of Florida searching for traces of the Ashley gang and their treasure. 622 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:04,000 I think I got a bullet. Wow. 623 00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:09,000 Now, we may have just uncovered a remnant from one of the bloodiest chapters in their history. 624 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:11,000 Oh, big one. Look at that. 625 00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:14,000 That is too cool. 626 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:16,000 So that is... 627 00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:21,000 That's 12 gauge. Look at that. 628 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:23,000 Look, we got another one. 629 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:25,000 Two of them. They're just literally laying there? 630 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:26,000 Yeah. 631 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:29,000 Josh, this speaks to the violent nature of the story. 632 00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:33,000 When Sheriff Baker's men come to the homestead, they're not here to negotiate. 633 00:32:33,000 --> 00:32:36,000 They immediately open fire on the gang. 634 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:41,000 In the mayhem, Joe Ashley, John's father, is shot and killed. 635 00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:47,000 Having witnessed his father's death, John immediately fires back in retaliation, 636 00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:52,000 killing Officer Fred Baker, cousin of Sheriff Baker. 637 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:58,000 John's girlfriend, Laura, is also seriously injured, taking three wounds to the abdomen. 638 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:02,000 John, however, miraculously escapes. 639 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:08,000 And, like almost every other part of John Ashley's story, though, they don't kill him. 640 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:11,000 Yeah, he has kind of a sixth sense about these things. 641 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:15,000 And while everybody was sleeping, John always seemed to have one eye open. 642 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:16,000 Remember me? 643 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:20,000 Well, it's all he had. Sorry, it was right in front of me. It was right in front of me. 644 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:26,000 Just the idea that we may be holding the shells that were used to kill somebody out here. 645 00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:27,000 Absolutely. 646 00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:28,000 People died out here. 647 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:30,000 This was a life and death situation, man. 648 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:33,000 This was one of the biggest battles in Palm Beach County history. 649 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:42,000 One of the reasons John survived is that he was sleeping in a campsite away from the main whiskey still and the Ashley home. 650 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:49,000 This site must be close by, and there's been a long-standing local rumor that another whiskey still was there as well. 651 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:55,000 We head deeper into the swamp to search, and Chessie almost immediately detects something. 652 00:33:57,000 --> 00:33:59,000 Hey guys, I got a good mark over here. 653 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:04,000 Could just be a piece of metal. See if it'll come out here. 654 00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:05,000 Is that it? 655 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:09,000 Is it a scrap iron or something? 656 00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:12,000 Yeah, that's what it looks like. Just a thin piece of scrap metal. 657 00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:13,000 Okay, well... 658 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:15,000 That's a good sign. 659 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:18,000 Soon, even more metal comes out of the ground. 660 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:21,000 There's like a little nail in there. 661 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:25,000 It's got that rounded kind of edge. 662 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:29,000 This was attached to whatever the remainder of that is over there. 663 00:34:29,000 --> 00:34:32,000 Like edge of a crate maybe? Something was here. 664 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:35,000 I don't know if it tells us that we're at this campsite, but... 665 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:39,000 It tells you that man at one point in time was in fact right here. 666 00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:41,000 That's a start. We'll take it. 667 00:34:41,000 --> 00:34:42,000 Alright, let's keep looking. 668 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:46,000 What might be the edge of a box handle is an intriguing sign. 669 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:49,000 In fact, there are signs everywhere. 670 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:52,000 Ah, hey Josh, I got something for you. 671 00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:53,000 More scrap metal? 672 00:34:53,000 --> 00:34:55,000 Well, I don't think so. 673 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:58,000 This looks like an old trap. 674 00:34:58,000 --> 00:34:59,000 Oh my lord. 675 00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:01,000 They were otter hunters. 676 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:02,000 Careful that thing's not still loaded. 677 00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:04,000 It is definitely a trap. 678 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:05,000 Yeah! 679 00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:06,000 Ow! 680 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:07,000 We can take it off at the top. 681 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:08,000 Son of a... 682 00:35:09,000 --> 00:35:10,000 Yeah, it's a trap. 683 00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:12,000 It's an old animal trap. 684 00:35:12,000 --> 00:35:14,000 And what's cool about it is it's got a lot of stuff. 685 00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:15,000 It's got a lot of stuff. 686 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:16,000 It's got a lot of stuff. 687 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:17,000 It is a trap. 688 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:18,000 An old animal trap. 689 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:21,000 And what's cool about it is it's still got the chain stuck to it. 690 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:22,000 Right? 691 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:24,000 I don't want to break it obviously, but the crazy thing is, look at that. 692 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:25,000 You can still... 693 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:26,000 You can still move and... 694 00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:27,000 You can still actually set this trap. 695 00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:29,000 All the pieces of it are here. 696 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:33,000 All the things these guys are known for, the moonshining, the guns, the traps, the... 697 00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:38,000 Like, we're finding all of these things that are so closely associated with these guys, too, right? 698 00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:45,000 That's the beauty and archeology is it allows us to tell their story from what they left behind. 699 00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:53,000 Hey guys, I think I got something cool over here. 700 00:35:53,000 --> 00:36:02,000 I think I found something crazy. 701 00:36:02,000 --> 00:36:03,000 What? 702 00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:06,000 It's ripped on the side like a coin, but it's thicker than a coin. 703 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:07,000 Thank you so much. 704 00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:08,000 That's probably that. 705 00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:09,000 What? 706 00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:11,000 Is that a coin? 707 00:36:11,000 --> 00:36:12,000 It's a silver dollar. 708 00:36:12,000 --> 00:36:13,000 It's actually... 709 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:14,000 It's two silver dollars. 710 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:15,000 Those are coins. 711 00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:17,000 It's two silver dollars stuck together. 712 00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:18,000 Are you kidding me? 713 00:36:18,000 --> 00:36:19,000 Ashley, treasure. 714 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:20,000 There you go. 715 00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:21,000 Right there. 716 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:22,000 What? 717 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:24,000 Look at that. 718 00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:33,000 These are two peace liberty dollars, minted between 1921 and 1928, which puts us right on the money for the Ashley gang. 719 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:35,000 Hey, nice job. 720 00:36:35,000 --> 00:36:37,000 Thank you, sir. 721 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:47,000 These discoveries are strong indicators that we may be close to the camp and long lost moonshine still, where John Ashley was sleeping the night of the raid. 722 00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:51,000 Encouraged, we press our search into more unforgiving territory. 723 00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:53,000 Josh, this is getting thick back here. 724 00:36:53,000 --> 00:36:55,000 I mean, super overgrown. 725 00:36:55,000 --> 00:36:58,000 This is the old, uh, old Florida. 726 00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:01,000 This is like prehistoric Florida. 727 00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:08,000 If you were a pioneer back in early Florida, this is what you had to survive. 728 00:37:08,000 --> 00:37:09,000 Seen him glass? 729 00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:11,000 I'm not seeing much. 730 00:37:11,000 --> 00:37:15,000 I mean, neither. 731 00:37:15,000 --> 00:37:18,000 Hey, Josh, check this out. 732 00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:20,000 This is what we've been looking for. 733 00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:22,000 This is what we've been looking for. 734 00:37:22,000 --> 00:37:24,000 Look at this. 735 00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:25,000 This is part of a stilt. 736 00:37:25,000 --> 00:37:29,000 This is the boiler tank for a skit out of here. 737 00:37:29,000 --> 00:37:30,000 That's insane here. 738 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:31,000 That's too cool. 739 00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:33,000 We found the boiler tank. 740 00:37:33,000 --> 00:37:36,000 Dude, that's unbelievable. 741 00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:38,000 Take a look at this. 742 00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:39,000 Is that blue paint in there? 743 00:37:39,000 --> 00:37:48,000 Yeah, well, no, it's a ceramic finish inside, which is important because in the moonshine still, you had to keep the mash perfectly clean. 744 00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:50,000 It couldn't mix with rust or anything else. 745 00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:52,000 Guys, look. 746 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:53,000 Sitting right here. 747 00:37:53,000 --> 00:37:55,000 A bottle literally right in front of you. 748 00:37:55,000 --> 00:37:56,000 Right there. 749 00:37:56,000 --> 00:37:57,000 That's insane. 750 00:37:57,000 --> 00:38:00,000 This whole site, I think, is just littered with this stuff. 751 00:38:00,000 --> 00:38:01,000 Yeah. 752 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:04,000 This is now, I think, a significant place. 753 00:38:04,000 --> 00:38:08,000 This old stilt is a remarkable piece of American history. 754 00:38:08,000 --> 00:38:14,000 It's the very tool of the trade that the Ashley gang used to amass great wealth during the time of prohibition. 755 00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:16,000 This place is like a gold mine. 756 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:18,000 There's stuff everywhere. 757 00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:20,000 All right, everybody keep looking around. 758 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:21,000 Everybody. 759 00:38:21,000 --> 00:38:22,000 Got it, Josh. 760 00:38:22,000 --> 00:38:23,000 This is insane. 761 00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:30,000 Believing we're now in the heart of John Ashley's camp, we immediately fan out around the still to see if anything else is here. 762 00:38:30,000 --> 00:38:32,000 Getting a lot thicker in here. 763 00:38:37,000 --> 00:38:38,000 Steve? 764 00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:39,000 Yeah. 765 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:40,000 What the f**k is this? 766 00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:42,000 Guys, come here. 767 00:38:42,000 --> 00:38:44,000 There's a huge hunk of metal here. 768 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:45,000 Wow. 769 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:47,000 What the hell is this? 770 00:38:54,000 --> 00:39:05,000 Life is a journey filled with crossroads and choices, but in Stuart, Florida, one of the more terrifying feats of civil engineering lies here at an intersection affectionately called confusion corner. 771 00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:08,000 It doesn't seem so confusing. 772 00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:09,000 Sorry. 773 00:39:11,000 --> 00:39:15,000 I guess I go here and comes here. 774 00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:17,000 Oh, good lord. 775 00:39:17,000 --> 00:39:22,000 Eight streets, a traffic circle and a train all meet in one jumbled junction. 776 00:39:22,000 --> 00:39:25,000 What could possibly go wrong? 777 00:39:25,000 --> 00:39:27,000 Look here, it's Big Ben. 778 00:39:27,000 --> 00:39:29,000 Who designed this? 779 00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:35,000 So the next time your life is at a crossroads, no matter how bad you think it is, it could always be worse. 780 00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:39,000 Oh, and merge carefully. 781 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:41,000 Go ahead. Go ahead. 782 00:39:41,000 --> 00:39:43,000 We got it. 783 00:39:43,000 --> 00:39:45,000 Sweet lord above. 784 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:47,000 I'm alive. 785 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:49,000 Somebody's got to fix that. 786 00:39:51,000 --> 00:39:53,000 Guys, come here. 787 00:39:53,000 --> 00:39:55,000 There's a huge hunk of metal here. 788 00:39:55,000 --> 00:39:56,000 Wow. 789 00:39:56,000 --> 00:39:58,000 What the hell is this? 790 00:39:58,000 --> 00:40:09,000 Having found a long forgotten whiskey still, we're scouring the location of a lost campsite belonging to the notorious John Ashley, and we've just made another find. 791 00:40:09,000 --> 00:40:11,000 Wait, is this actually a car? 792 00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:13,000 Whatever it is, it's big. 793 00:40:13,000 --> 00:40:14,000 Oh my god. Oh my god. 794 00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:16,000 Well, that answers your question. 795 00:40:16,000 --> 00:40:18,000 Dude, it's a car. 796 00:40:18,000 --> 00:40:20,000 You asked and I think- 797 00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:22,000 Why is there a car in the middle of the forest? 798 00:40:22,000 --> 00:40:24,000 Can you just grow out of it? 799 00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:27,000 You got a tree growing through the center. 800 00:40:27,000 --> 00:40:33,000 John would have had a vehicle out at this camp to move moonshine into town and across the state. 801 00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:35,000 There's a headlight. 802 00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:36,000 Look how tinny these- 803 00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:38,000 That's a headlight, look at that. 804 00:40:38,000 --> 00:40:40,000 That's ancient. 805 00:40:40,000 --> 00:40:41,000 Old car. 806 00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:43,000 1920s, definitely. 807 00:40:43,000 --> 00:40:47,000 Wait, this could be John Ashley's car. 808 00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:49,000 That's insane. 809 00:40:49,000 --> 00:40:51,000 Yeah, look at this, Josh. 810 00:40:51,000 --> 00:40:55,000 This kind of looks like maybe the griller where a radiator could be. 811 00:40:55,000 --> 00:40:57,000 It's a lot of metal, like you said. 812 00:40:57,000 --> 00:40:59,000 Yeah, it is a lot of metal. 813 00:40:59,000 --> 00:41:01,000 This is a fender. 814 00:41:01,000 --> 00:41:07,000 I'm thinking it might be a truck, because the trucks from the 20s had the door cut out. 815 00:41:07,000 --> 00:41:10,000 Can you see how it follows like a cut out pattern right here? 816 00:41:10,000 --> 00:41:14,000 I think this is an old truck, like an old Model T. 817 00:41:14,000 --> 00:41:19,000 Based on the pieces we've found, Steve believes this could be a Ford Model T-T, 818 00:41:19,000 --> 00:41:24,000 which debuted in 1917 and fits the timeline of John Ashley. 819 00:41:24,000 --> 00:41:26,000 This is truly a remarkable discovery. 820 00:41:26,000 --> 00:41:29,000 This changes everything, Josh. 821 00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:33,000 In my mind, I can almost see the whiskey camp right here. 822 00:41:33,000 --> 00:41:38,000 Boiling whiskey over here, the truck to load up the whiskey when it's ready to go. 823 00:41:38,000 --> 00:41:41,000 Trails running back here to who knows where. 824 00:41:41,000 --> 00:41:45,000 We're finding bottles that clearly date to the period. 825 00:41:45,000 --> 00:41:47,000 I mean, what more could you ask? 826 00:41:47,000 --> 00:41:49,000 This is really a treasure. 827 00:41:49,000 --> 00:41:52,000 To me, this is treasure. 828 00:41:52,000 --> 00:41:56,000 Finding an antique truck in the middle of the Everglades, 829 00:41:56,000 --> 00:41:59,000 clearly nobody has been here before us. 830 00:41:59,000 --> 00:42:01,000 I see no signs of modern. 831 00:42:01,000 --> 00:42:03,000 No, nothing modern. 832 00:42:03,000 --> 00:42:05,000 Not a beer can, not anything. 833 00:42:05,000 --> 00:42:09,000 I'm just discovering the whiskey camp of the Ashley Gang. 834 00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:11,000 This is treasure. This is real treasure. 835 00:42:11,000 --> 00:42:14,000 To an archaeologist, this is a lifetime of work. 836 00:42:14,000 --> 00:42:16,000 I mean, this is a whole camp here. 837 00:42:16,000 --> 00:42:19,000 An archaeologist could work out here for years. 838 00:42:19,000 --> 00:42:21,000 This is so awesome. 839 00:42:21,000 --> 00:42:27,000 As for John Ashley himself, he escapes the raid, but not the long arm of the law. 840 00:42:27,000 --> 00:42:32,000 In November of 24, fed up and embarrassed by John Ashley's exploits, 841 00:42:32,000 --> 00:42:37,000 Sheriff Baker receives a tip that the Ashley's will be traveling north on the Dixie Highway. 842 00:42:37,000 --> 00:42:42,000 The police place a chain across the road, stopping the car and handcuffing the gang. 843 00:42:42,000 --> 00:42:46,000 According to one of the deputies, John Ashley makes a sudden move, 844 00:42:46,000 --> 00:42:51,000 giving the officers no choice but to shoot all of the men. 845 00:42:51,000 --> 00:42:56,000 The gang, like this site, will eventually fall to ruin. 846 00:42:56,000 --> 00:42:59,000 Laura, it is said, lays low in Palm Beach County, 847 00:42:59,000 --> 00:43:03,000 operating a gas station until 1927 when she dies by poisoning, 848 00:43:03,000 --> 00:43:06,000 possibly having taken her own life. 849 00:43:06,000 --> 00:43:11,000 The so-called King of the Everglades finally receives his Florida retirement. 850 00:43:11,000 --> 00:43:16,000 Today, the Ashley Family Cemetery resides within the bounds of a private country club 851 00:43:16,000 --> 00:43:20,000 near the 18th hole of a beautiful golf course. 852 00:43:20,000 --> 00:43:25,000 Given John's crime-ridden past, it's a pretty decent lie. 853 00:43:25,000 --> 00:43:29,000 And while he's received a reputation as a beloved scoundrel, 854 00:43:29,000 --> 00:43:33,000 the fact is he was undoubtedly a ruthless criminal. 855 00:43:33,000 --> 00:43:40,000 Personally, I'm more intrigued by those who are trying to preserve the early history of this wild state 856 00:43:40,000 --> 00:43:44,000 and rediscover the gang that thrived in its humid swamps. 857 00:43:44,000 --> 00:43:48,000 Beneath the overgrown vines, we've unearthed historic finds 858 00:43:48,000 --> 00:43:52,000 that help to paint a fuller picture of the Ashley gang. 859 00:43:52,000 --> 00:43:59,000 I thank Steve and Chessie for the incredible adventure and wish them luck on future excavations. 860 00:43:59,000 --> 00:44:06,000 Oh, and of course, I remind them to call me if and when they ever find a missing box of Ashley treasure.