Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-03-05
4 Tale Of Treasure.

When the Confederate army. unde- Gen.
Lee, was forced back from the trenches at
Petersburg by the federal army, President
Davis hurriedly ordered about Sli, i,000, 900,
the property of the banks of Virginia and
of the Confederate States, 10 be placed on
trains at Richmond and sent South, intend
ind to convey it to the trans Mississippi de-
partment, if possible, there to make final
sta. /. The treasure was carried down 10
Cl.arlotte, ~ c., where the railroad ended.
AT this place it was decided to leave the
money belonging to the banks of Virginia
in keeping of their officers. The rest of the
money belonging to the Confederate States
was placed in wagons and the retreat con-
tinued The brigades of Generals BAIL
Duke and Vaughan, who had succeeded in
escaping from East Tennessee and had ar
rived at Charlotte few days before, were
placed under the orders Of General John c.
Breckenridge, to act as an escort to the
treasure, and the command proceeded south
until Greensborough, Washington County,
Ga, was reached. At this point information
was received that the Federal General W ilson
had captured Macon, few miles distant and
in the line Of retreat to the trans-Nlississippi
department. The news soon got among
the men. They became demoralze1, and
rush was made for the wagons containing the
treasure. 1t was speedily divided up among
them, the officers being unable 10 restrain
the men Among the lucky ones were Two
soldiers belonging to Company B, Third
Tennessee Mounted Infantry, Of Vaughan :
brigade, from Munro County, Tennessee.
One of them was named Albert Stevens. and
the other We will call j. I. Jones. They
had charge Of a wagon containing Slj0,O0O
in gold, and when the panic spread among
the soldiers and the cry was ''sauye qui
peut, they retained their presence OF mind
and drove off in the woods, where they di-
yided the money, making some $1j 900
apiece, and separated. Stevens took his
To his home in Tennessee, where he buried
it, confding its hidng-place to his mother,
a very old lady Finding that It woull be
dangerous for him 10 remain in Tennessee,
owing to the unsettled condition Of things
there, the people being equally divided On
the question Of the war, he went u Geor- /
sia, where be found Jones, who had bought |
a small place and was quietly waiting until |
it woGld be safe for him to return horne
Stevens STAYED while with Jones. AMI then /
went to another part Of GeorgiI To visit |
some relatives. Before g0in-, however. he /
Jones about the hiding Of his money |
and his mothers knowledge If its where /
lhJuts. As soon as Stevens was gone /
Jones mounted his horse and made q bee /
line Tor Tennessee. to the place where /
stevens lived. Arriving there be pre- sented /
his comrades mother with forged letter, Z
TO come from her son, dir scting .
Ter to deliver the money to Jones, which |
the old lady did Jones then started iirect 1
10 California. Arriving here he purchased /
1 large tract Of land in MendOcinO coInty, /
and being very low at that time, and has /
ince amaSsel large fortune in addition 70 /
lis ill-gotten gains, and is now highly rcs-
loctei as II member Of the church. In the l..
curse Of time, Stevens. having ascertainej
hat it would lie safe, started tor home, pos
lbly dreaming Of future lne OF ease ami
'omiort on some bluegrass .arm, raising
at cattle and blooiei horse this being
iour average kentuckian's or Isnne~-
eean's idea OF an earthly paradise. on
eaching home he soon found out his Joss.
}ack,iug on his revolver, he secured the
ntire South and West in search of bis faith
ess friend yowing to shoot hi on sight,
nd oalv recently ascertained his where
boats He Is now in correspoi udenco with .
Prominent LAWYER of this citv- and an at
enpt vii shortly be made to bring Jones
o account through the couri >a.ra-
luiJ i0iot.