The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1856-08-14
Treasure Trove OF the steamer Atlantic e

We published a few days since. the state
ment OF the recovery Of the Express Company
safe which went down on board the steame
Atlantic on her upward trip from here durin.
'rhc fisht T. the s:;rffi ss:rfi or rather inoidhg [,
the 10th August. 1852. That statement wa
embellished, or rather obscurcd, by some ianci
fal description, which We copied from a IVES
tern paper, all Of which, il is hardly necessar,
10 say, was manufactured on shore hy n wrI
ter sitting in dry boots
The facts, as We learn them from the gentle
men of the Express Company, are as follows
The diver made his first descent so as 10 strik,
the hull of the wreck too far forward lie was
in response 10 his signal, drawn up and agar
descended, this time landing upon the extreme
after part Of the wreck. In this way he came
10 the surface and mas lowered down eleven
times, when he landed near the state room il
which was deposited the treasure sought. The
express messenger, Mr.. John Murphy ou that
trip occupied what was known as the bridal
chamber state room on the hurricane deck
Just aft the pilot house. Had the messenger
been below with his charge. it would not have
been practicable TO rescue the property without
raising the hull entire. The diver on his elcv-
enth descent found the SAFE or iron box such as
art carried by oil OF the messengers, and making
fast to it, the long sought treasure was drawn
to the surface. Had the diver searched little
arther he might have found in the corner oI
The top birth, the keys Of the safe, left there
by the messenger when he locked the sale and
led for his life But all was dark. and the
main object had been attained
The party concerned ia the salvage CONSISTED
OF four persons, AMI on forcing open the iron
chest, and finding the contents in a condition
TO he made available they divided the treasure
trove equally. by the law they oughi to have
gone before al United States Court, related the
case, and taken an order ~ TO the disposition oi
the money, &c. Bat this they omitted to do.
and the EXpress Company, through their attor.
ney, represented the case 10 them, showing
them wherein they had erred, and offered them
the terms Of a compromise, 10 which the sal
vors at once accsled IN the lulGlment Of this
stipulation, the salyors were put in possession
0i the gold coin recovered, $4,000, and $1,000
in bank notes, making the sum Of 3. 900 paid
over To them by the Company. Besides this
sum, there is missing. said to have been lost
by carelessness or want oi skill IN drying
and handling the bills recovered. some 80 :
500. which makes the loss 10 the Company
about $4,000. in case this last sum should
ever turn up; the banks having ia their p0s.
session the Companys bond Of indemnity AZ
collateral security for the bank notes reissicsl
on the supposed total loss oi money Should
these notes really have be- destroyed, the Com
pany's loss will he recovered. Of course. by the
amount Of $1,000 paid To the salyors The
total sum in the safe, when the steamer went
down was about $4,000.
We were shown part of tue contents. which
had lain in the water for nearly four years
The bank notes, most OF which were entirely
new, and some actually in sheets, uncut look a,
Il they had been slightly stained and dried. The
faces Of the bills are not injured in the least
The messenger way bills are turned complete.
y black 90 the outside but. within, the en,rie.
are all persctly legible. aud even the checl;
marks, in pencil. are as PLAIN as when written
BESIDES the money there was parcel Of Michi-
gan State bonds, a warrant on the United
States treasury, drawn in favor of. y Gaine.
Psymaster. L. 3. A.. for 10000, No. 2sil
dated August IL, 1852; four watches. and
some minor articles. The treasury warrant
win be- returned a il has been rciysued Ia
government.
a suit involving the bonds will be dccidSl
by the rsappesrance Of the property at issue
cases.
The recovery Of the safe may be deeIneI a
most fortunate occurrence for all concerned. a.
long As il lay at the bottom OF tie lake. ther'
was left q chance for raising questions as 10 tn,
honesty Of ibe messenger, aud indeed. Of others
who had more money lut no more character
than he a, stake The suit concerning tb.
bonds has already lei 10 some expression o
wonder that the owner of them should hAv,
preferred bringing all action at Law. 10 prefer
euce 10 seeking their issue from the Michigan
State Treasury. anil some Of the Michigar
newspapers have openly raised the question o
possible fraud 10 the premises. The plaintiff
"a the action IL now released from al suspicio'
Of duplicity.
The last act OF the messenger NJ Murphy
teiorr he sought saiety for himself while III
water wsts gurgiing ai.Oat hrs ieei, and le VA
unahle 90 apparel himself evcept in his trnw
-ers, wss Ia take o1t thn moOsy pockets iron
the safe with the hop a saving this lary'
amount oi treasgrr. Thinking. however. tha
he might NJ, hImssif i,e rrsc'tAl and that 'h.
ldckei sae s1aI at least oIutain. fnr oeniu
rIss. all that was pat into ii be returned th
monsy lockel The >afe. thres the k,ys upg
the h.rd IN the topms; birth. aDd grorei hi
xsy gu, Of the stern VI the steamer. vb-pc,
after hanging Airpai fii,rn miuutss hy thu gun
xale h. was taken n by the propeller. ~
has sincs eh anxious and unhappy i-.i b
might b. accuset q having robh~d him-cl
anil cieiraai,d b.s employer, aDl we vertur
20 .ay. th~, no.e of the yartDss interested II
This rssarrrcsion fe~l' u,ore gratihed With N
result ihah lo.s this "a ihial w-ssLger