Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1849-05-31
Gold Hunting.


Quite an amusing story is going he rounds
in Charleston, in relation to The escape of one
Of the convicts from the State Prison, on Mon-
day last. No, long since, man By The name
of Something, alias Phillips. who had commit.
ted suntry burglaries in the ne,ghbo,h hood, was
sentenced TO nine years apprenticeship at stone
hammering. This be undoubtedly though, some-
thing of hardship, and con,rved his means
Of escape by prevailing upon The Warden. as
the siory goes, TO believe ,ha, he could inform
him where large quantities Of gold aud silver
were hidden, not exactly in the bosom of the
earth, bu, some four or FIVE feet under ns sur
face, somew here in the vicinity of New Bed
ford. Accordingly, by the permission of the
Slate Supervisors of the institution, who un
doubtedly participated in common with the CON.
munily al large, in the California fever. the
convict, procured, early on Monday morning,
cab, laid therein spade, shovel, pickaxe and
hoe, and in company with the City Marshal
Of the city of Charlesiown, and The consic,
aforesaid, made all possible speed 10 the Old
Colony Railroad depot,
Steam was soon put in requisition to accel
crate their movement 10 the heven where they
would be; and no, many anxious hours elapsed
before their faithful guide minated their ap-
Proclamation TO The place Of search. A halt sas
ordered; the implements aga!ns, mother estth
Of war taken from the cars TO al piece of woods
not far from the depot. where they aligned,
and digging in righ, good earnest was com
menced. Directions were given to Dig, first
down -four feet, and then excavate to the right
four feet, in a sub,eranean direction. Digging
was praciced alternately by the NJ aishal and
the convict. when the latter stated 10 the Mar
shall that he had well nigh reached The treas
ure, and proposed an exchange, as he was
much fatigued, and liue more digging on his
part would close the labors Of the day. The
idea struck The Marshal favorably, and he rea-
dlly assen.ed to the proposition. descended The
ladder, entered head foremost the sideway pas
sage excava,ed by his dlsinteres,ed fellowla-
borer, and commenced removing carefully the
earth supposed to be in The immediate vicinity
of treasure All are now, upon liptoe. The
Warden, bending over the small well, TO be in
readiness 10 receive the money as The Marshal
passes it up, is a, this critical moment uncere-
moniousIy showed into the hole on the top Of
the MafshaI by The convict, who Instantly
draws up the ladder, and all al once comes 10
the conclusion that his own personal interest
lies digging in another direction. He conse
quentIy took French leave without stopping,
undoubtedly. TO remind The injured parte, of
the old fable of the fox and the goat. Another
version of the story is, ,ha, the Marshal had
provided large bag for the reception Of lhe
coin, and by slIgh gh.-of-hand movement the con-
vict succeeded in bagging the Marshal bu.
from The nature OF The evidence before US, We
should hardly credit the bagglng. -
The Boston Post, in account Of the affair,
says that about sixteen years ago, the Wheel
ing Bank. Va, was robbed Of about S 90 900,
by The three robbers, Of which 500, 900 vas
recovered by The arrest of two Of the tobbers /;
bul the remaining $4,000 was never found
l. seems that Philips gave out that among ths
$50, 900 which he had buried was the $34 ,0C0
of the Wheeling Bank money. The Presiden,
of the Bank was written to, aud he forthwith
came to this city. had an interview with Phil
| lips, which convinced him that he was the
third robber Of the bank, and that the balance
OF the stolen money was really hid in Barn
stable. The Inspectors Of the Prison were
then consulted, and permission obtained that
Phillips might be allowed TO go TO Barnstable
and poin, ou. the place where The $5o,000 was
hiy. This Is The expedition which resulted as
above stated.