The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-01-14
The Off-Sought BOx of Gold in Ala
bama supposed to be DIscoyered--A
Story of the War;

bama supposed to be Dlscoyered--A |
story of the War.
The Carrollton (Ga.) Times, of Decem-
Der 10, tells this story, which has set all
the region thereabouts in furry: Just
after the close Of the war, gentleman
by the name of Bostwick, living in the
state af Alabama, came to this place, |
and after remaining here several days,
acting in rather mysterious manner,
having failed in the accomplishment of
his visit, stated publicly just before
leaving, that his object here was to dis
cover the whereabouts OF large amount
of gold coin, which was reported |
to have been buried near here. How !
he got possession Of his informa-
ton we have not been able to learn, but |
his tale, as told to some of our citizens, l
ran thus: That just about the breaking
out of the late war wealthy Virginian,
anticipating that the war would bring about |
an abolition Of slavery, sent two of his
nephews, young men, South for the pur-
pose of selling his negroes, and converting
the proceeds into gold coin. This the
young men did in accordance with the old
gentleman's wishes, the entire amount of
the sale panning out in the hard stuff, 940,-
900 in gold coin. On their return to Vir-
ginia, the young men, it appears, passed
through this county, and when not far
from this place conceived the idea of APP
propriating his money to their own use, or
in modern parlance, Of ''putting it where it
would do the most good"-that is to them
selves at some future day, if they should be
so fortunate as to live through the gigantic
revolution which was then looming up.
Carrying the idea into execution, they de-
termined to bury the gold four miles north
east OF Carrollton, on what is known as
the old Carrollton road, and but a hun
dred or two yards from it. Returning to
Virginia, they reported to their uncle that
they had been robbed, and to give plausi-
bility to their tale, said that they had not
only lost the gold for which the negroes had
been sold, but also their gold watches,
which the sequel proves we're stated to have
been put in the box with the buried gold.
Soon after their return, the tale goes, these
young men joined the Virginia army, and
one of them was killed at the
BATTLE OF SEVEN PINES,
and the other later in the war died at some
one OF the hospitals in Richmond. Just
before dying, however, he called the
steward of the hospital to his bedside, and
told him he had secret to impart before
his death. lie then told him about the sale
| OF his uncle's negroes by his brother
and himself, and the burial OF the gold,
together with their watches, and the
statement to- their uncle of having been
robbed, &C.. informing the steward that If
he could lind 1t he might have it. He then
gave the steward a minute description OF
where the treasure was hid, telling him that
| It was iour miles northeast OF here, on the
Villa Rica road, about 100 yards on the
| of - nlito osL troa ahn,,t snot "a a. =
half in diameter, which was blazed on the
roots, and upon which the letter stJ', was
cut. During the past week we have had
a revival of this Captain Kidd sensation in
its most exaggerated form. On last Satur-
| day evening about dusk as Mr.. B. Harris.
who lives out on the old Carrollton road
some four miles northeast of here. wa,
back of his house gathering lphtwood. he
came across two horses tied in a nine
thicket. and looking around he discovered
a man sitting bV tree and another a
little farther off living on the ground. Be.
lieying that these narties were here for mn
good, that they were horse thieves or some.
thing worse, he fastened home and having
secured Lis own stock went over to some Of
his nearest neighbors, and posted them SO
| that they might be on the watch. He was
| gone upon his GRAND some two or three
hours, and. upon his return to his house.
his wife informed him that she had seer,
two men bearing torch come from the d.
rection Of the place where he had noticed
the parties in the evening, and that unon
getting to the road. thew had mounted thei,
horses and rode in the direction of Carroll.
ton. This occurred about
,,,o 1870
iMo hoohs In TILE NIGHT.
Mr.. Harris, with several of his neigh
bors, next morning went down to the
place where ne had seen the men the
evening before, and upon getting there
they discovered that there had been a
good deal OF digging round about, and at
about eight feet from the root of white
oak tree, they discovered one hole which
particularly attracted attention. This
hole was about three feet deep and a
foot and half wide, and at the bottom
there was HAT stone and every appear
ance that box or barrel had lately been
removed from 1t. Upon the tree there
was the letter ID" and also some other
| marks. which are mot iptalli0ihla Ofcnupco