The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-04-07
Singular Discovery.
A BOX of Coin and Valuable Ornaments, suppos.
ed to Have Been Buried by De Soto, Found

From the Natchez New South.

Near NateheZ.
From the Natchez New South.
Many of our readers will no doubt re-
me- mber the great excitement which ex-
listed about year ago in this vicinity,
caused by the assertion of an old negro
sorce~ess, that quantity of the treasure
OF the once celebrated Captain Kidd was
buried short distance from the Nation
al Cemetery, near what Is tamll1arly
known as the Devils Punch Bowl.
Quite number of our colored citizens,
believing the stories of the old woman.
engaged in the work of digging for the
hidden treasure in a spot which, by the
aid of black art, she had pronounced 1T
to be buried.
They progressed in the labor of love"
Cot gam for a number of weeks without
success and ffnally gave up in despair,
a heavy rain having disconnected them
to discouraging extent. Time passed
on, and the event has, perhaps, escaped
the minds of nearly all to whom the mys
terious affair was cogLizant, and but tor
the event which we are about TO chron-
icle would, perhaps, have never disturb
ed their brains again. However, we will
onto our story, which is as strange as 1T
is true.
Shortly after a heavy storm, few
weeks ago, couple of negro boys, while
hunting in the vicinity of the excava-
tions made by the discounted treasure
seekers of one year .ince, CHANGED To Hnd
O diugy, rusty, old square box, which was
bound about with metal as TO almost re-
semble an iron box 1t was with diff
h !
and to Carr it was out of the question
While one of them remained near this
queer-looking old box, the other went
home for his father The father, his wife
and another colored man repaired to The
spot, and remembering the old sorceress
tall at once concluded they had found at
least portion of the treasure. Even>
have proved that they were not amlss III
their coniectures. But they moved very
cautiously in this matter, lest they should
he discovered and so under the cover o
night the box was removed to their little
cottage Up to the early part Of this
week they con6ded their secret to no liv-
ing person, but a serious affair having oc
cured between the boys, the matter DE
ing at first but vaguely limited a) came
to the ears of our reporter. He repaired
to the house on Wednesday night for the
purpose of examining the treasure found
The box in which it was found is about
three feet long by two feet wide,e vident-
ly made Of a species of cedar, and is firm
ly bound by straps of iron, running
around laterally and diagonally and
fastened with long nails clInched inside
The treasure consists principally of Span
scI, nd oil uor n tod frpr
Np to 1880, and it is adjudged that there
Is at least 100000 worth Of them. Be
sidSs the coin there are several gold
buckles and various other articles, seem
ingly to have been worn as ornaments. A
great number of silver ornaments were in
the box, which it appeared were used in
some of their sword trappings.
1t was impossible to tell what kind of
metal any Of the coins or ornaments are
composed of by their looks, for all have
mouldy, green appearance, fully attest
ing to the lapse of time since they were
buried. A little golden cross, with an
image of our savior, established the re-
ligion of the people who buried the trea-
sure, and from the dates on the various
coins it is believed that the treasure thus
unearthed at this late day was buried by
none other than the great fernando De
Soto and his followers, about the year
a44o, as it is we'll known that the discov-
erer of the mighty Mississippi was in this
vicinity about that time. and also that
ne was seriously troubled by the hostile
Indians.
A piece of parchment found in the box
was 80 old and musty that no characters
could be discerned upon 1t. As whole,
the discovery of this long hidden trea-
sure forms no inconsiderable event in
our history, and will throw new light
upon the adventures OF the hardy Span
iards who frequented the spot where now
stands our beautiful city centuries ago.
A number of individuals have visited the
hut, and examined the coins,and all agree
with the views of the writer as to whom
the treasure was buried by.
4 prominent gentleman has bargained
for the box and s contents, with view
of removing them to New York, where
che coins will bring a large price from
antiquaries.