Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1873-10-29
The Stolen Gold.


erence to the money which he obtain
ed from the Mcbride mansion aftel
the preparation of the fiendish doubl,
assassination which has heretofor,
been recorded in thece columns.
In recent conversation, says the
Williamsport Bulletin, Wade remarked
that everything was all right now, al
individuals in the city were in posses
sion of all the gold no had secretcc
and that those persons had visited
himin prison. Upon being question
ed as to who these individuals were
he replied that that was bis business
and that he intended that it should re
main secret; he had always said
that no rich man should ever get hold
OF it and be had fulfilled bis promise
1t will be remembered that during
the session of court at which Wade
was tried he confessed to having Sc
creted a largo amount of gold near
the aqueduct in Lycoming creek that
be had several bags, one containing
twenty shilling pieces, another five
dollar pieces, a third ten dollar coins
and the fourth twenty dollar pieces.
All OF these be poured into one large
bag, then walked into the water and
sunk the money, placing upon it three
large stones. Upon search being
made the stones were found in the
very place described by Wade, but no
bag of gold. 1t is now alleged or
suspicioned that boatman has be.
come the possessor of it; that Wade,
after secreting the money, repaired 10
boat lying not far from the aqueduct
and leaped upon the deck, the water
dripping from his clothes; that he did
not divulge anything at that time,
but that after his capture ho twice
sent word for certain man 10 visit
him. The man complied with the re-
quest, as he had been intimately &C.
quainted with the prisoner, and from
this and other facts it is coniectured
that tho individual referred TO was
told by Wade where he could obtain the
money.
This part of the prisoners pro.
gramme carried out, be was free TO
confess where he secre.ed the gold,
knowing full well that it had been re-
moved, and that he had made good
bis word that no rich man should pos.
sess it. And now he boasts that II is
in good hands, ard even goes so far
as TO say that some of this gold has
been exchanged for greenbacks
and that he has been supplied with
paper money obtained by the ex
change. To what extent his story is
correct is for the reader TO determine,
but it is generally believed that he Sc.
creted money near the aqueduct, and
it is certain that If he did so some one
was directed TO the spot, or it would
have remained there.
1t is well known that searches were
made of Wade's person, and the cell
in which be was confined at tha. time
examined in every nook aud corner
Tor money, but none could be found.
The officers, after retiring, were sur
prised TO see the prisoner present
bills, and ask that certain articles bo
purchased for him. He now states
that he had in his cell bar of soap
with q spoon he dug q hole in the
centre, deposited therein the money,
replaced the soap, and with his hand |
made smooth surface so that il |
would not be observed. He takes
great pleasure in relating how he
fooled the officers.
Various estimates have been made
as to the amount of money the Nc
Brides possessed, some placing il as
high as $4,000, basing their belief
upon the fact that the old man.
short time before he was murdered
endcavored to persuade a gentleman
living in this locality to take the
farm, work il, and live upon It; that
he had about SAL 900 secreted in the
house, and that he could stand in the
door and look upon tho spot where he
had $4,000 more. He was old, and
would like to have a man upon the
farm in whom he could place conf
dence and who could assist him in
case he should ever be attacked. This
gentleman urged Mcbride TO deposit
his money in one OF the Williamsport
banks, but the old man did not favor
the idea, and replied that either him
self or wife always stood guard, and
with the guns be kept loaded be could
give any plundorer "a warm reception.
But the sequel shows that the old man
was too confident Of his power to pro-
tect his boarded treasure. A board
was found in the house upon which
column of figures added
up, and presenting total of si1, 900.
This, it is urged, comedies with the
statement made by Mcbride, and dem
onstrates that there was secretcd on
the premises s56,OO0, tho largest por.
lion of which Wade succeeded in
bringing away with him on that
eveDtful afternoon and evening Of Ju.
" %.
Enough has from time to time been
printed in reference TO this desperate
villain to concIusively prove that the
annals of crime produce but few in
stances of hardened men his equals.
II is true that these stories are related
by the prisoner himself in q style
eadng the hearer to doubt their cor.
rectness, yet when the disposition and
british propensities Of the man are
studied there is ground to
l a r