New Book Series, THE GOLD HOUSE Trilogy Brings White Sands Missile Range and the Victorio Peak Treasure to Life

When John Dean told the Senate Watergate committee about a luncheon meeting and "an enormous amount of gold" held by clients of attorney F. Lee Bailey at White Sands Missile Range, the White House/White Sands connection was made. The authors allege documents and eyewitness testimony point to the theft of more than $1 billion during the Thanksgiving weekend in November 1973. Shortly after the theft was reported, FBI Agent Herb Greathouse was assigned to investigate. Clarence and Whittle allege that Greathouse's ostensible probe "was used in a cover-up of the theft." As the authors note, "the question is whether or not Greathouse was under orders to suppress information and turn the investigation away from Nixon. If so, were the orders initialed by Nixon himself?"

The authors allege that while efforts were made to deflect attention from any impression that Nixon had been involved, or even that such an operation had occurred, ample evidence shows otherwise. The authors allege that documents presented in The Gold House trilogy provide evidence that an official inquiry conducted at the Missile Range on the matter on March 5, 1974, did not include the testimony of Andrew Hospodar. Hospodar told Clarence in a recorded interview that he headed a three-man team from Army Intelligence at White Sands and arrived on the site the day after the alleged break-in. "We could see the tire tracks coming in, parking and then going out where the tire tracks were much heavier as though they had a sizable, heavy load on them." During the interview Clarence asked, "...Do you suspect strongly that a theft had occurred?" Hospodar replied, "Yes." Hospodar admitted he was never called to testify at the March 5th inquiry, which the authors call the "White Sands Whitewash."

The authors also allege a January 15, 1974, FBI report, and an earlier letter by Greathouse, read, "After the ingots are repoured, their sale is being transacted through the First National Bank of Albuquerque. Mr. Morgan, Sr., and Joseph P. Casey are the two individuals with the bank handling the sale." Greathouse's letter also revealed: 37 tons of gold was removed from various caves; the ingots were melted down by International Smelting and Refining Company of New Mexico owned by Kenneth Meadows; the name of the California refinery handling the sale of the gold overseas; "Paul Henson," an alias for Lloyd Tucker, an alleged CIA operative, was in charge of the operation; and David Austern, a Washington, D.C., attorney, had knowledge of the gold's removal. Clarence and Whittle's allegations are revealed in the pages of The Gold House trilogy.

Gerald D. McKnight, professor emeritus of history at Hood College and author of "Breach of Trust: How the Warren Commission Failed the Nation and Why," wrote, "The Gold House trilogy is a tour de force of research and reporting that shunts the Watergate scandal aside as little more than a sophomoric romp by comparison."

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