Nevada Prison Treasure

Empire City, Nevada

Empire City, Nevada

Long ago, a Wells Fargo Stagecoach was held up along the 13-mile trail between Virginia City and Carson City, Nevada. William Manners, the stagecoach driver, and guard, Mike O’Fallon, were nervous, knowing their load included a 300-pound strongbox filled with gold destined for the Carson City Mint. Breathing a sigh of relief when they spied the Mint in the distance, they pulled over at the small town of Empire, about a mile from Carson City.

Giving their passengers a short reprieve from the coach, they soon took off again on the last short leg of their journey. However, no sooner had they hit the dusty trail, four outlaws jumped up and held up the stagecoach.

The four bandits took the strongbox and relieved the coach’s passengers of their jewelry, then fled on foot. The coach headed to Carson City in a mad dash, and a posse was on the bandits’ trail within half an hour.

Nevada State Prison

Nevada State Prison

When the posse caught up with the bandits, a shootout ensued, leaving three dead on the ground. The last remaining bandit, Manuel Gonzales, was quickly arrested, but the gold was missing. Gonzales underwent intense questioning by the Wells Fargo agents and local law enforcement, but he steadfastly refused to divulge the location of the missing loot.

Gonzales was sentenced to 20 years at the Nevada Territorial Prison, where he often talked of the treasure stating to fellow prisoners that he could see the burial site from his prison cell window. After eight years, Gonzales was released on good behavior but died shortly after that without retrieving his cache.

Most treasure hunters believe that the loot is located on a small mound very close to the Nevada State Prison, and some of the prison guards are known to spend their time off looking for the loot.

 

© Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated June 2023.

Also See:

Nevada Treasure Tales

Outlaws Across America

Stagecoach Tales

Treasure Tales Across America