America Unearthed, Season 4, Episode 6, Culper Spy Ring

I have to admit I had never heard of the George Washington's Culper Spy Ring, let alone the mysterious Agent 355, before filming this episode.  I had certainly heard of my tipster, Valerie Plame, before having the pleasure of meeting her in person.  Back in 2003, she was outed as a CIA spy by the George Bush administration upon the direction of then Vice President, Dick Cheney.  Valerie's outing was the vindictive response to her husband's editorial that essentially accused the Bush administration of getting the U.S. involved in the Iraq War under false pretenses their country was hiding weapons of mass destruction.  It turned out the editorial was right, but damage to Valerie's career was done.  She was the perfect person to launch me into this investigation with truly fresh, unbiased eyes.

Allison Pataki and I quickly concluded that Peggy Shippen Arnold was not working for George Washington behind her husband's back thought she was a fascinating woman regardless.  The second suspect, Anna "Nancy" Strong's contributions to the war effort was heroic for sure, but her lack of proximity to New York City eliminated her as the female spy who we know spent a lot of time working behind the scenes and under the radar of the British army.  That person could only have been Elizabeth Bergin, who risked her life helping prisoners on death ships escape to freedom.  She was the right person, in the right place, at the right time.  She should now be recognized as the Revolutionary War hero that she was.  What do you think?       

Former CIA spy, Valerie Plame, mysteriously appears under the bridge in Central Park, New York, to deliver information to me about Agent 355 who was park of George Washington's Culper spy ring during the Revolutionary War.

Valerie Plame and I pose for a photo between takes on a bitterly cold night in Central Park.

Brandon Boulay captures a beautiful shot of Cleopatra's Needle on a cold and wet January night in Central Park.

Allison Pataki and I together after filming a scene where we discussed if the wife of traitor Benedict Arnold, Peggy Shippen Arnold, could have secretly been working for George Washington's Culper spy ring.  Allison wrote a New York Times best-selling novel about Peggy's life titled, "The Traitor's Wife." 

The Committee Films crew captures the view Anna "Nancy" Strong had overlooking Port Jefferson Harbor where Caleb Brewster would appear in a rowboat after crossing the Long Island Sound with intelligence about the British intended for General George Washington. 

Anna Nancy Strong would hang clothing in specific patterns on her "Magic Clothesline" to alert fellow spy Abraham Woodhull what bay Caleb Brewster would arrive in to avoid British troops. 

Abraham Woodhull's view across the bay shows the three white towels (center to the left of the white house) were visible and coded clothesline communication under the nose of the British indeed did work. 

The grave and monument of Anna "Nancy" Strong lies only yards from where she risked her life to hang her coded clothesline in support of the American Revolution. 

The conclusive evidence in my mind that Elizabeth Bergin was Agent 355 is in this December 25, 1779, letter written by George Washington.  He wrote, "From the price I entertained of her service and suffrage I have ventured to take the liberty of directing the commissary at Philadelphia to furnish her and her children with rations..."  Her service must have be mighty indeed for the General to personally write such a letter.

America Unearthed, Season 4, Episode 5, Good Luck Charm

How this artifact got the top of the mountain bluff outside of Rock Springs, Wyoming, back in the 1950’s is anybody’s guess.  But according to the late Harvard Professor, Barry Fell, the text was Phoenician script which started this whole journey.  The highlight of this episode for me was seeing the "Water Ghost Woman" petroglyph along with all the other amazing indigenous carvings at the sacred site very few people ever get to see.  Of course, exploring the design and history of the only replica Phoenician ship in existence that has actually sailed the Indian and Atlantic oceans was a treat as well.  I came away more convinced than ever that ancient Phoenician sailors could have made the voyage to North America, and into the Great Lakes, thousands of years ago to mine and collect 99% pure float copper.  The metal was extremely precious and no where in the world is there a better source than what is known as the Upper Peninsula of Michigan now called "Copper Country."  Although I'm convinced we proved the Phoenicians likely did not travel to the Wyoming/Colorado area to mine copper, I am more convinced than ever they did make to the Great Lakes region over thousands of years mining the precious metal that fueled the Bronze Age.  What do you think?            

Don and Patrice Bolen and I pose for an early morning photo on the first day of shooting on a bluff overlooking Rock Springs, Wyoming.

Early morning fog created a surreal scene with a giant glowing orb of the sun at our first stop on our first day shooting this episode along a rural road in southern Wyoming.

Pat Luce give the double thumbs-up sign standing on the rails where copper ore was mined from the Ferris-Haggerty mine.  The green and blue colors in the bottom of the pond are the copper carbonate minerals malachite (green) and azurite (blue) that precipitated out of the copper rich groundwater's flowing out of the mine shaft.

The world’s only known reproduction of a Phoenician era ship anchored in the United Kingdom which is appropriately named “Phoenicia.”

Captain Philip Beale and I pose for a pic on the good ship “Phoenicia.”

At an incredible secret petroglyph site in Colorado, many unique indigenous carvings are seen including the “Water Ghost Woman” on the far right.  These carvings are believed to be at least 1000 years old.

Director of photography, Brandon Boulay grabs some beautiful “B” roll footage of the setting sun along the continental divide in Northern Colorado.

Above the railroad tracks geologists and rock hounds will appreciate the basalt-filled dikes intruding older meta-volcanics in the Rocky Mountains of Northern Colorado.

America Unearthed, Season 4, Episode 4, "Jack the Ripper"

This episode was really interesting to make as I never knew the intricate details of the case beforehand.  This probably helped as I had no preconceived notions about the case and truly went in with a wide-open mind.  The perspective of the Friedman’s was eye-opening to say the least, and as they described the wounds of the victims two things quickly became apparent; first, there was a clear connection to one aspect of Freemasonry, and second, this aspect was something I have taken vows not to discuss with anyone other than a brother Mason.  Talk about being torn!  On one hand, here was clear and distinct evidence the Ripper had highly secret knowledge known only to Master Masons (even today details about this aspect are scant on the Internet).  On the other hand, this important evidence I was not allowed to discuss!  What I was able to say was, if true, this evidence could only have been known to a Freemason.  Most importantly, our very famous suspect, Arthur Conan Doyle was a Freemason with an interesting Masonic resume.  I found it very curious, and suspicious, that he was raised as a Master Mason in 1887, the Ripper murders happened in 1888, and in 1889 Doyle dropped out of Freemasonry and we have not been able to find out why.  While not conclusive evidence Doyle committed the murders, these facts were a huge red flag for me.

Of course, additional evidence began to fall into place as the episode unfolded painting a damming picture of our suspect.  While doubtful we would have secured a conviction at trial that Doyle was indeed Jack the Ripper, but in many ways, he was the perfect suspect leaving many lingering questions about this deeply complicated man.

Daniel Friedman, and his father, Gene Friedman, pose for a photo in Gene's home on Long Island, New York, after shooting a great scene for the "Ripper" episode.

While the Committee Films crew prepares to shoot a scene at the Newberry Library in Chicago, Illinois, Physician Daniel Friedman, poses for a photo with Arthur Conan Doyle’s Master Mason apron, and Masonic code book, along with first edition copies of Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes writings.  

Ripper expert and guest, Andrew Gough (center) and the Committee Films crew waits while a “Jack the Ripper” tour group moves on.  This is the location where the last ripper victim, Katheryn Eddowes, was brutally killed and disemboweled on September 30, 1888.  

On the street directly across from the Grand Lodge of England are several granite curb stones with interesting carvings.  This particular stone, with two "X" symbols with dots in the four quadrants, is an identical prototype to the Masonic Knights Templar cipher code.

British Masonic scholar, David Harrison, and I pose for a selfie in front of the residence where Arthur Conan Doyle lived in London when he wrote some of his Sherlock Holmes mysteries. 

I paused for a photo in the middle of my dissection of a silicone cadaver containing the internal organs of a pig that are nearly identical to humans. 

The front side of the original "Dear Boss" letter received by London police on September 27, 1888.

The back side of the original "Dear Boss" letter where it is signed by "Jack the Ripper", which was the origin of the infamous name of the killer. 

Shepard Girl submitted artwork for this episode and I though it was something worth sharing.

America Unearthed, Season 4, Episode 3: Courtney Cave

One of the most personally enjoyable episodes we’ve made had to be this one.  It centered around a mysterious limestone cave that touched on several poignant moments in the history of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania.  Thousands of years ago it was certainly home to many creatures looking for shelter as well as a temporary shelter and source of water for Native Americans.  It could then have served as a hiding place for the whiskey during the Whiskey Rebellion in the 1840s.  It could have also been at least a temporary shelter for slaves, like others in the area, on the run who had escaped from the south making their way to freedom along the underground railroad in the 1860s. 

Meeting Valerie Still and hearing the story of her research into her brave ancestor, William Still, was truly moving and inspiring.  One of the most powerfully moving moments we’re ever filmed was watching Valerie examine for the time the detailed journal of William Still who documented the personal information of slaves who had just escaped with the assistance of Harriet Tubman.  Another moving moment came when curator Dr. Lee Arnold, showed us one of the 50 original copies of the Emancipation Proclamation personally signed by President Abraham Lincoln.  He relayed how recently an African American woman doing research asked if she could touch the signature of Lincoln on the original proclamation.  He said normally he would never let anyone touch a document like this, but in this case, he made an exception and let her run finger over the signature with tears in her eyes.  It's time to put Harriet Tubman on the twenty dollar bill now!    

Based on Chris’ discovery of the Knights of the Golden Circle medallion, the history of the original owner of the property, and the mortared entrance leading into the cave that once inside a building it appears certain it was used as part of the rituals of the Masonic-like organization.  It was very gratifying to get the bottom of the mysterious cave and learn so much in the process.    

Chris Courtney (far left) and Janey Klebe (left) look on as Brendan Harris shoots at the entrance as a diver explores the flooded cave on a very brisk January morning in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania.

Brandon Bouley, Director of Cinematography, prepares to shoot while standing in water inside Courtney Cave in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania.

 I paused for a quick photo while descending into Courtney Cave with Director, Andy Awes, looking on at the entrance.

The Knights of the Golden Eagle Chris Courtney found in the vegetable garden behind his home in 1981 when he was 12 years old (left).  An undated photo of the cast for a ritual of the Knights of the Golden Eagle (right).

Andy Awes directs a scene from inside one of the caves known to harbor slaves in the 1860s who had escaped via the underground railroad while Brendan Harris (smiling) and Janey Klebe look on. 

Pennsylvania Historical Society Curator, Dr. Lee Arnold, looks on as Valerie Still reads for the first time early 1800s era adds of slave owners offering rewards for the return of their escaped slaves.  The adds were pasted on the inside cover of a detailed journal written by Valerie’s ancestor William Still, who working with Harriet Tubman, documented information of each escaped slave.

A powerful photo was taken by Brandon Bouley of Valerie Still’s hands next to the handwritten journal of her ancestor, William Still, she was reading for the first time.

Chris Courtney and I toast a glass of whiskey at a distillery near the Mason Dixon Line where we filmed the final scene of this thoroughly enjoyable and personally moving episode; thanks Chris!