1936 – The Hunt for Sunken Treasure

Will Hunt For Sunken Money, La Plata Man Plans Expedition in Search of Treasure Off Florida Coast – The article states Dent will be searching for a sunken treasure. The prize is a golden 3,800 pound table lost some 400 years ago. Its current value is estimated at $1.5 million. The Albatross has grown under Dent’s command and is now described as a 50-foot schooner. Dent is named as the author Kenneth Robeson who writes the Doc Savage stories. Dent may go to Honduras and search for Inca silver if his hunt for the golden table does not pan out. In any event, Dent says he will find new material for his adventure stories. Source: Macon Chronicle Herald, Saturday, November 30, 1935

Gillette Boy to Hunt Treasure – The local paper has an article mentioning Lester Dent and his uncle, Bert Norfolk. Source: Casper Star Tribune, Sunday, December 1, 1935

La Plata Men on Trip – Another article about Dent’s expedition on the Albatross to hunt the lost golden table. Kenneth Sien will accompany Dent. The remaining information is a rehash of the prior article. Source: Macon Chronicle Herald, Tuesday, January 7, 1936

Nudist Ship Aground Near Mouth of Bay – This was article about an auxiliary schooner that had sailed without a navigator and had run aground in the bay. The vessel was carrying passengers who wanted to establish a nudist colon in the Virgin Islands. Source: The Tampa Tribune edition dated Tuesday, February 4, 1936

The local La Plata newspaper was quick to pick up on this story and tease Lester Dent. The article mentions Lester Dent and Kenneth Sien as well as the treasure expedition they were mounting. The La Plata Home Press goes on to state, We wonder what Lester Dent will do for a navigator when this nudist schooner gets going again. Source La Plata Home Press (La Plata, Missouri), Thursday, February 6, 1936

Ready for a Caribbean Treasure Hunt – The article includes a picture of Lester Dent and the schooner Albatross. Lester Dent announces a writing contest for the high school boys living in northeast Missouri. The winner will receive a ticket to Florida and join Lester Dent and Kenneth Sien on board the Albatross as they search for the lost golden table. Source: Moberly Monitor Index, Tuesday, February 11, 1936

  • The following articles all contain the same essential information. They are in effect press releases promoting Lester Dent.Great Opportunity for a High School Boy – Source: The Marion County Standard, Wednesday, February 12, 1936
  •  Caribbean Treasure Hunt – Source: New Cambria Leader, Thursday, February 20, 1936
  •  La Plata Boy in the Caribbean Seas Looking For Lost Pirate Treasures – Source: La Plata Home Press (La Plata, Missouri), Thursday, February 27, 1936
  •  Little Exciting Adventure Found on Lester Dent’s Albatross Yet – Source: Macon Chronicle Herald, Saturday, February 29, 1936
  •  Two Planning Hunt for Legendary Gold – Source: The Racine Journal Times, Friday, March 6, 1936
  •  Hunt Planned For Legendary Table of Gold – The Vidette Messenger, Saturday, March 7, 1936; Big Spring Daily Herald, Sunday, March 8, 1936; The Edwardsville Intelligencer, Monday, March 9, 1936; The Times, Wednesday, March 11, 1693
  •  Adventure Story Writer on Treasure Hunt – This article is much longer and includes a lot of local flavor. Source: La Plata Home Press (La Plata, Missouri), Thursday, March 12, 1936
  •  Legendary Table of Gold To Be Sought – Source: The Evening Times, Friday, March 13, 1936
  •  Missourians Plan Golden Table Quest in Caribbean Sea – Source: Great Falls Tribune, Sunday, March 15, 1936
  •  Gold Table Tales Starts Sea Hunt – Source: Democrat and Chronicle, Sunday, March 15, 1936
  •  Hunt Planned For Legendary Table of Gold – The Vidette Messenger, Saturday, March 7, 1936; Big Spring Daily Herald, Sunday, March 8, 1936; The Edwardsville Intelligencer, Monday, March 9, 1936; The Times, Wednesday, March 11, 1936; The Hammond Times, Wednesday, March 11, 1936; Terril Record, March 19, 1936; Sioux County Index, March 20, 1936; The Lima News, March 20, 1936; The Charleston Daily Mail, March 25, 1936
  •  Legendary Treasure Is Sought By Writer – Source: The Ogden Standard Examiner, Thursday, March 19, 1936; The Republican Courier, May 8, 1936
  •  Hunt Planned For Legendary Table of Gold – Source: The Terril Record, Thursday, March 1936; The Sioux County Index, Friday, March 20, 1936; Macon Chronicle Herald, Tuesday, April 21, 1936
  •  JOHN YAUK – A student from Novinger won the writing contest. Source: Moberly Monitor-Index, March 25, 1936
  •  Novinger Boy Wins Free Trip – The article talks about the writing contest winner John Yauk of Novinger. Source: The Laclade Blade, Friday, April 3, 1936
  •  Novinger Boy To Go On Treasure Hunt – The article talks about the writing contest winner John Yauk of Novinger. Source: La Plata Home Press (La Plata, Missouri), Thursday, March 25, 1936
  •  To Hunt For Golden Table Aboard Sunken Galleon – Source: The Daily Courier, Friday, May 22, 1936; Source: The Kingston Daily Freeman, Wednesday, May 27 1936; The Daily Reporter, Friday, June 5, 1936; The Observer, Saline Michigan, May 14, 1936; The Daily Courier, Friday, May 22, 1936; The Kingston Daily Freeman, Wednesday, May 27, 1936; The Daily Reporter, Friday, June 5, 1936;

DUMAS SCHOOL SCORES A WIN WHEN STUDENT RANKS AT TOP – The article highlights one of the high school students who entered Lester Dent’s writing contest. The article features a letter written by Lester Dent to William McElroy, a student at the Dumas School. Dent praises McElroy for his effort and says his letter was one of the last ones eliminated from the competition. What makes this especially notable is that McElroy was a student at the “Dumas Colored School.”

In his remarks, Dent writes: I liked your paper. You had some sound ideas. They dig right in at the roots of the trouble weed, as it were, instead of trying to kill the weed by picking off a leaf or two.

Dent’s remarks refer to McElroy’s essay in couched terms. I suspect that the subject of McElroy’s essay was racism but without seeing the material it is impossible to say with certainty. Lester Dent goes on to say that he would like to meet William McElroy during one of his frequent visits home. Source: Macon Chronicle Herald, Wednesday, March 25, 1936