The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-31
"DieelNe FOR e0lD.D
The Everlasting Captain Kydd and
His Bags Of Treasure.
A GIGANTIC JOKE ON JERSEY.
How the Farmers Of Cape May Sought the Pt
rates Plumber and Did Not Find II.

The money finding fever has found Its way even
to this far-or, out of the way spot-this strip OF
sand and cedar shrub, washed by the waves OF the
wild Atlantic Ocean. Captain Kydd and his money
have been fruitful topics in every PERSONS mouth
in this locality for weeks past and still they not
happy.
AS every one knows, Cape May, the watering
place proper, or Cape Island (the narrow shelf OF
sand being enclosed by creek OF some DEPTH In
which schooners ind shelter ut high tlde, as It IL
called OF late days, Is but an extended suburb OF
Philadelphia, though 1t is elghtytw0 miles south OF
that gody city. The way to 1t at present is by way
OF Philadelphia from New York city, and then by
rail through dismal sandy bottom, the rails run
ming In an annoying straight line for forty or fifty
miles down the peninsula OF cedar shrub until they
end on the point of beach known as Cape May
There here nearly score OF hotels, empty ana
desolate Mt this time OF the year, capable Of pro-
vding for five or SIX thousand persons In the dog
days, notably among them being the Atlantic Hotel
and the Stockton House. At present it Is too cold
! to enter the water, and anecdotes are told OF
men who were rash enough to go in the surf In
May and come out only to be packed in Ice and
sent for final deposit to Laurel Hill Cemetery, In the
| City of BrOtherly Love,
And the society here at present is OF dcsultory
nature. For companions you have thea sharks and
king crabs, who come tumbling in from the waves,
and the only music is the thunder OF the break
4
on the smoothed beach, Out at seq, to the south
east the light OF Cape Henlopen burns dimly by
night, and the long outline OF the Delaware
| Breakwatcr Is seen shadowy-llke by day. Ships go
by slowly on the far or nat surface, scarcely NOV
ing, "a it seems, ana schooners, their canvas ex-
panded rock aziy to and fro, bent on their coast
ing business to the swamps Of Florida ana the
messy bayous OF Louisiana.
But the sea, the scenery the breakers not Of
|
| joke which has been perpetratcd on the Inhabitants
OF this very daso!ate portion OF southwestern New
Jersey and which was developed and had its
being during the last week. The JOKE at first only
the size OF mans hand, grew to monstrous pro-
portions under careful nursing and judcious
| training.
Along the Atlantic coast of Jersey there are set
| tied race OF thrifty and industrious farmers,
whose lands are irrigated by the many creeks,
inlets and sounds" as they are called, that have
issue in the ocean. Corn, wheat, garden truck,
such ~ onions, tomatoes potatoes, cabbages and
fruit OF all kinds are raised here In plentiful guam
titles to supply the New York and Philadelphia
markets To keep these lands ut for tillage there IL
much necessary drainage, consequent upon the
overflow OF the ocean, which comes betlmes rather
crcely upon the farmers and to drain it 1t Is neces
sary to dig good deal.
The farmers down here principally natives Of
the SOIL and, like all country people, are fond OF
money and superstitious in regard to legends and
traditions that have any connection with lost or
concealed treasures. Along the beach in Cape May
county, New Jersey, there have been many at
tempts during the past hfteen or twenty years to
find moneys said to have been buried by the ubiqui-
tous Captain Kydd, the black avenger of the Span
ish Main. If the unfortunate Kydd, by the way,
buried one quarter OF the money that he has been
accredited with, he must have labored half
fury In the work of digging up and covering down.
Well it is needless to say that this part OF Jersey
| discoveries finders
a. well as other places along the coast OF the United
One unhappy mortal some years ago, who resided
IN philadelphia, and was sure OF competency in
nothing would do him but that he should come
down to Atlantic county, and there after biting his
nails in an unsatisfactory way for some days-hav-
ing in the meantime traversed miles OF the beach in
semi-somnoent state--at last purchased an
forthwith to dig by the light of lantern into the
porus and soggy marsh. His dream had told him
in aa cu ss sasS az
gold For some weeks this unknown individual
kept on digging and digging until he had made
holes enough to bury a company OF soldiers, and
one mornlng-hc was never known to speak 10 any
one five minutes consecutively-he disappeared,
and was never again heard of in these parts. Since
then he has had various mitators, and the belief Is
II not, some blood vessels will certainly break In
| the bodies OF Jcrseymen.
that Kydds money had been found at a place
called Fishing Creek, or Green's Creek some ten
miles from S Cape May Island along tine w66
principally boarding house keepers, have nothing
TO do al this season. as 1t Is too early for summer
lOungers to visit the bathing and consequently
the rumor gained ground and became stronger,
until it finally fell out that farmer named Towns
bend GarrettsOn, VINO has q fine piece OF land on
Green Greek had found 100000 In pot deposited
by Captain Kydd In the bed OF DRAIN Great num-
bers Of people Of them strangers of course had
to 20 aud for themselves but Farmer Garrettson,
who is n sagacous aud comical character possess
ing Z26 OF good meadow land, with 1900 apple
and 1900 peach trees Kept his own counsel and
said nothing This reticence of certainty did no.
thing satisfy the curiosity-mongers but instead
it Unnamed their hearts until they became feverish
in mind and body. Garrettsons good fortune was
whom did not ike him because he had so many
peach and apple trees on his fine farm. His two
young fellow, who looks as If he could make ter
rble hole in q chunk of beef-kept their mouths
shut, and to all questions as to whether they had
found any money or not, they only put on a look OF
infinite wisdom and acuteness. People began to
talk OF buying Garrcttson's land at exorbitant
prices; but the Old farmer, who values his property
at Sl00 an acre, and who emlgrated from
mnnes eighteen years. ana from Whence he
returned to buy his present farm three years ago,
e wt 10 Se s a the oa eanr
the little six by nine sheets In this vicinity and got
hold Of the story Of the finding Of the gold and from
them II had gone forth all over the United States
copied from and enlarged upon.
And now comes the Joke upon the Jerseymen.
Happening TO be ont in the vicinity of Farmer Gar
rettsons-who, by the way, is firmly resolved to
wait for and abide by the decision of the Baltimore
found any Of the socaed Kydds money. The old
farmer laughed all over his lace before he replied,
and thought he would SURROGATE with sheer nirli.
Why," said he, ''there amt no truth IN u WHAT
ever. Ineyer found any OF the gosh deTned Money
There want no truth in any bags gold raound neru
You see, the way 1t was Jim here tJim g5 Jpn
ear to earl and Isaac there Isaac VINO was nn rs
q stick grinned tool were digging dram our ny, 10
the beach, In the salt meady and 9oy as g and
Finnimore who lives down the roaa-can'1 ny miu
asked what we were digging for, ana jim sald
Gold Jim joker he ~ and Jim he is joker KEY
| no Ia aez .ahouf two thousand dollars, more or
and II the OBJ boy didn't ITO go e eM ama
y ana " rya found 10 in pot, we dd-tnOrse
got inter the PaPe ss a1 ON Inc eeope
a mn bere-on all west Jersey, In fact.
:, oIhen there was money found In factf"
y .Nary cent; and my opinion Is, young man,