Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1875-03-04
Another Story About Brown.

me in the CaN," remarked Brown the other
night, as we sat smoking together
by the way" he continued, ''did I ever
tell you of shrewd financial operation was
engaged eng sye in once, near Chattanooga, Tennes-
He never had.
''Another fellow and tried to get up a
corner on wealthy old planter down there"
'In cotton ?" | asked.
''No, it was in gold. We tried to control
the market"
lin Chattanooga:
''No, out back of it abou; four miles. We
levied q very heavy assessment on him, and
came very near collecting it, but things went
was in this wise:
I'm the spring of 1868, while at home on
veteran furlough, | suffered from a severe
attack of pneumonia This necessitated my
remaining behind when my regiment left for
the front in Georgia. | hung around the
Louisville hospitals for a while and then
drifted down to Chattanooga. Here became
acquainted with curious chap by the name
of Wright, belonging to a Wisconsin regi-
ment. He was something of an artist and
had deserted from his regiment in order to do
some sketching around Lookout Mountain,
intending to report to his company again as
soon as he could make it convenient to do so.
He was detained longer than he expected,
however, and hence my good fortune in meet
ing him. We used to lounge along the Ten
nessee River together good deal, fishing,
playing chuck-luck with the boys, and hunt
ing up good points to take sketches from.
We lived in dog tent up on hillside. drew
rations down town, and did pretty much as
we pleased in all respects. Being quite un-
~r.a1 lnx I ~nl h,,,oIx 7 c<o
in the afternoon Wright came home. accom-
fairly glittered with massive array of ivory.
1--WE hunted all over town for this colored
gentleman" remarked Wright, as he spread
himself on his bunk sit down outside. there.
somewhere, my loyal FRIEND
''Yis, Massa,' responded the black, grin
ming, and perching himself on a log in the
SUN.
''The upshot of the matter was that the
darkey was runaway slave. He had arrived
in camp that morning and had stated to vari-
Gus persons that his master had SO, 600 in
gold buried where it was very handy to get
at, and Wright, hearing Of the circumstance,
had hunted through most of the day for the
auriferous refugee, and had at last secured
him. The next thing was proposition that
we take him along with US that night and 60
in quest of the treasure. ct is a notorious
fact that nine Southern planters out of ten
who buried money during the war had one or
two darkies present at the obsequies, in order
to do the diggng.)
81 had some conscientious scruples about
going into such business, but Wright urged
them out of me. His crowning conundrums
beat me.
''Isn't it right to steal from the government:
he imnetuOuSlv demanded
Il couldn't answer that in the negative;
too many honored precedents forbade.
"'Well, and if it is right to steal from our
own government, isn't it good deal more
right to steal from an enemy's governments
81 admitted that it was.
".Well. and isn't this nigger's master
fractional part of the Confederate Govern
ment, and shall we higgle over technicalities
in this whirlwind age, when glorious oppor-
tnnity is presented? Look at the immortal
thieves OF history-AlexanGer, Caesar, Titus,
Cortez, Pizarro. Did they ever hesitate?
81 agreed to 60.
"At 10 o'clock that night, totally unarmed,
we sailed forth. We found canoe on the
river shore, and padded up stream to the
picket line, where temporary halt was ne
cessary. There was post of six men and
corporal on the river bank, and they had the
strictest kind of orders We gave them an
inkling OF the business, and promising cheer
ful dividends to the whole of them in case of
success, requested the privilege of eluding
their Argus-eyed vigilance. After some talk
and discussion the corporal finally marched
his squad into the woods little way, to see
what was going on over there, and by this
time he found out that we had slipped past
"A pleasant voyage of several miles ensued,
the motive power being supplied by our Af
rican friend. While he was thus occupied,
Wright and decided how the So, 900 should
l was to have s., ,499 so. The darkey was to
have rs cents, and the balance was to go to
the pickets.
In due course of time our guide suggested
the advisability of halt We hid the canoe
in the bushes, and after considerable jour-
ney through fields and bramble patches, ar
rived in close proximity to the planters
house. 1t stood on the summit of an un-
wooded hill. About twenty-five yards dis
tant from it was rude stable, under the floor
OF which the money was buried. Directly in
front of the house. three horses were h;tched,
and, as we ascertained by accommodating, |
they were all saddled and equipped in mill
tary style. and were evidently owned by Con-
federate scouts or guerrillas. This called for
q hasty consultation. was in favor of post
poning operations until more convenient |
season, on the ground that Confederates were
certainly in the house, and that we would be
if our project miscarried in the
slightest degree. Wright, however, was for
an instant move on the buried treasure. After
some argument on his part, I finally acqui-
esced, and we approached the stable. 1t was
built OF logs, and was large and clumsy
affair. An entrance was easily effected, and
the dsrkey pointed out to US that portion of
the floor beneath which the gold was con-