Davis Levy was a Boise businessman in the 1880s and 90s whose businesses seemed to be on the seamy side, from a pawn shop to houses of ill repute. The man was liked little and when his life had a homicidal ending in 1901, the sobbing was much subdued.
I’ve already told that sordid story, and the link above will take you to it. Today’s story is about the aftermath of his murder.
Levy was a well-known miser. Stories of his having buried gold here and there were common. In August, 1902, a thief told law enforcement officers that he had found some of the Levy money buried somewhere when they took up the floorboards of a house and discovered gold coins. It turned out the thief had forged a signature on a stolen bond and cashed it.
Davis Levy was said to have once asked a group of workmen to lift up a part of the sidewalk around his place, and to their astonishment they uncovered a pot of his gold.
So it is not surprising that when the murdered man had little cash in his estate that people assumed he had buried some of it somewhere. The most popular “somewhere” of rumor was Cottonwood Gulch just outside the city. Levy had allegedly been observed leading a donkey laden with bags into Cottonwood Gulch, only to come back with empty bags. Speculation was that Levy was putting all his spare gold in a cave somewhere in the gulch, or burying it.
After his death gold hunters dug up acres of dirt in Cottonwood Gulch looking for Levy’s loot. A pair of treasure hunters had a better idea than just randomly digging. They got hold of Levy’s donkey and turned him loose at the mouth of the gulch, certain he would lead them to an oft-visited spot. The donkey took off with a purpose to the delight of the men. When they caught up with him, Levy’s donkey was happily munching away at a haystack.
No one ever came forward to say they had found the legendary gold of Davis Levy. But would they? Would they quietly spend it, instead? Or was there no gold to begin with? Levy did leave a sizable estate. Most of it was in property, not cash. So, we don’t know if there ever was a real rainbow’s end to this pot of gold story. Maybe nothing was ever hidden. We only know that Cottonwood Gulch, near old Fort Boise, is still there.
I’ve already told that sordid story, and the link above will take you to it. Today’s story is about the aftermath of his murder.
Levy was a well-known miser. Stories of his having buried gold here and there were common. In August, 1902, a thief told law enforcement officers that he had found some of the Levy money buried somewhere when they took up the floorboards of a house and discovered gold coins. It turned out the thief had forged a signature on a stolen bond and cashed it.
Davis Levy was said to have once asked a group of workmen to lift up a part of the sidewalk around his place, and to their astonishment they uncovered a pot of his gold.
So it is not surprising that when the murdered man had little cash in his estate that people assumed he had buried some of it somewhere. The most popular “somewhere” of rumor was Cottonwood Gulch just outside the city. Levy had allegedly been observed leading a donkey laden with bags into Cottonwood Gulch, only to come back with empty bags. Speculation was that Levy was putting all his spare gold in a cave somewhere in the gulch, or burying it.
After his death gold hunters dug up acres of dirt in Cottonwood Gulch looking for Levy’s loot. A pair of treasure hunters had a better idea than just randomly digging. They got hold of Levy’s donkey and turned him loose at the mouth of the gulch, certain he would lead them to an oft-visited spot. The donkey took off with a purpose to the delight of the men. When they caught up with him, Levy’s donkey was happily munching away at a haystack.
No one ever came forward to say they had found the legendary gold of Davis Levy. But would they? Would they quietly spend it, instead? Or was there no gold to begin with? Levy did leave a sizable estate. Most of it was in property, not cash. So, we don’t know if there ever was a real rainbow’s end to this pot of gold story. Maybe nothing was ever hidden. We only know that Cottonwood Gulch, near old Fort Boise, is still there.
Levy’s boarding house. Photo courtesy of the Idaho State Historical Society digital collection.
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