New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-05-16
SEEKING LAFITTE'S TREASURE
A VICTIM TO THE INFATUATI0N
SEEKING BUT NEVER FINDING

Nothing further concerning the death of
Mr.. Newell has come to light, but it
seems pretty well settled that the body was
his. Mr.. Lawless, who sold the saiboat to
deceased, visited police headquarters and
confirmed the statement that he had sold
the vessel to Mr.. Newell, and knew that de-
ceased intended making an excursion in the
direction of Fort Pike. 1t has transpired
that Mr.. Newell entertained belief that
he could find treasure buried on one of the
many islands in that section. There ex-
listed tradition in his family, coming from
his father, who, years ago, lived
in St Tammany parish, that Latitte
and his men had secreted almost
untold riches ON one of those lonely islands,
and the father had written description of
the particular locality which the son had
inherited. The father had made three at
tempts to gain the desired spot, but each
time, it is reported, failed by peculiarly for
tuitous circumstances. The son has long
been firm in the belief that he would yet
discover the buried wealth, and had made
one or more unsuccessful attempts. Last
summer he impaired his secret to another
printer in the Picayu.e office, and the two,
having fully prepared themselves, started
out, saying to their friends that they were
to take summer excursion to shoot and
fish. They were wrecked, nearly losing
their lives, when they returned home to re-
cuperate.
Mr.. Newelrs companion, although in part
accepting the theory of hidden treasure,
would not make second attempt, and last
month Mr.. Newell started off once more,
alone, in fat bottomed boat. No one but his
former companion knew his mission, for they
kept the affair to themselves. Mr.. Lawless
is inclined to believe that the unfortunate
man met his death in gale, and that the
holes in his body were made by falling on
pointed pump handle, when the shallop was
tossed about in tempest. He also states
that it was quite impossible for one man to
manage the boat in a gale. This phase, it
is hoped, will prove true, and the fact that
small sum of money was found i'll his
pocketbook seems to dispel the idea of muir
der. But what has become of the sloop
That is a question which should be solved.
This is not the first valuable life sacri.
feed in hunting for gold that Lafitte never
left buried long, if he ever buried any,
Certainly he never deposited any in that To-
cality. His rendezvous was west of the
Mississippi, beyond and on Grand Terre
island, near the spot where Fort Livingston
Is now situated. To-day portion of one
of his barricades can be seen near the fort
Men have diligently delved on almost every
inch of that and neighbOrng islands, seek
ing for that which they can not find Even
at the present time several infatuated per
sons are spending their lives in that section
shoveling sand, as if for wages.
Last March quite an excitement
broke out on the old subject, and it was
rumOred that some one had dug up chest
on an island in Cote Blanche bay. This
circumstance renewed the fever, and men
left their plOws in the furrow to go treasure
hunting, an account of which was published
in the New Iberia papers. A poor man is,
and has been for years, wasting away his
life in a like pursuit, on Dernier Island.
Other men, on other islands in those bays.
occasionally get gold on the BRAIN and take
up a residence IN some lonely Place, ex-
pecting to be the lucky one.