Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-11-25
A Remarkable and Audacious Swindie.

Their mode Of travel was by the old way,
camping out at night. They had the
usual accompaniment Of dogs with them
and the wagon was drawn by an attenu-
ated mule. The woman was painted up
like an Indian squaw and her occupation
was that of fortune-telling. She claimed
to be a half-sister of an Indian chief who
formerly roamed in the Indian reserve of
which this county is a part. OF course
she was no Indian, but a smar woman
who understood tricks as we'll as Signor
BlitZ. The man pretended to be one of
the old-fashioned root and herb doctors
and protested to cure all the aches and
pains that flesh is heir to. He was not
here to practice his profession as much as
to gather roots, which he did very large
ly, having il his tent, whose floor was
covered with rich, imported carpet, pots,
a small still, etc. The Englishman was a
gentleman who talked as learnedly as a
Senator. The sequel shows that they
were after an honest mans money, and
they got it. Not a great distance from
~ - O1LCGlOI 14FCS q wealthy IdILlltI,
whose name is Michael Lock, and who 3
in a condition that he need not labor any
more on the farm for support. The in
come from his farm would keep him. He
was the man the English party were look
ing Tor, and they took him in. The story
was that on Mr.. Locks farm was buried
500, 600 in gold. No living person, ex-
cept the woman present, knew of it. She
had the records, diagrams, ETC., and could
at any moment Unearth it. Fearing to
undertake its removal, and that they
might be arrested if it was undertaken,
she was willing, as the gold was on Mr..
Locks farm, to do the fair thing for him,
and for S., 600 in greenbacks would raise
the gold. He accordingly came to this
city and attempted to borrow that amount
from our banks here. but did not succeed,
as they were not d~iscOunting any paper.
a letter was given him to a bank at In
dianap0lis, stating that he was worth
$40, 900. He offered $500 interest for the
use Of the money for sixty days. The
bank officers stated to him that where they
loaned that amount Of money they must
know what the party borrowing desired
to do with it. This question he refused
TO answer, and they declined the loan. He
then returned to this city anG arranged
with DR.. Pennington here tor the loan Of
that amount. DR.. Pennington had $4,000
in three banks of this city. He drew il
out, telling the bankers it would be back
in three or four days. This he loaned to
Mr.. Lock, selling him at that time a lot
at the Junction for 81 900 worth 5000. He
took Locks notes for 81 900 in a year and
81, 900 in two years, with 10 per cent. in
terest. He probably retained money,
making the interest greater.
MI. Lock then visited the parties in the
tent, tells them he has the money, and de-
sires them to reveal the secret to him.
He showed them the money, when the
woman asked permission to count it to
see hit was all correct. It was handed
to her, the count was made, pronounced
correct, and she then appeared to wrap it
up for him. The package was handed to
him wrapped in a napkin with the stri,t
injunction that it must not be opened
until he had done what they requested.
The kind lady said she would not have
the money in her care, that Mr.. Lock
must hold it, but she gave it to him in
special charge that the particular and pc
Culiar knots in the napkin must not be
disturbed. If this were done during their
separation certain ruin would follow to
Mr.. Lock. He was to take the package OF
money home with him, keep it there, 90
cut into the field and get a shovelful of
earth, place it in a bucket or some other
receptacle, and take it into the State of
Kentucky and throw it there, the buried
wealth being Kentucky gold. A shovel
full Of Kentucky soil must be brought
back then in the same manner, thrown
into the hole where he had obtained the
first, when they would meet him, raise
the gold, and receive the money. These
instructions he carried out to the letter,
visiting Kentucky by the way Of Cincin-
natl and crossing on the suspension bridge,
bringing back some soil from the dark
and bloody ground. He then waited for
his "new-made friends to come, butthey
failed to put in appearance. Still he was
content, as he had the money at hand, as
he thought, and was out comparatively
nothing. Thus it remained until last
Thursday. In the meantime some of his
friends, including the bankers, his SON
in-law, w. B. Morgan, and Mr.. AID. Arm
strong, grew uneasy about the matter and
believed the Englishman was plotting Mr..
Locks murder with the intention of rob-
bling him of the $1,000. Accordingly,
med men were kept for several nights
around the house, MI. Lock not being
aware of the fact. One lay in a shock of
| corn, another in an out-house-indeed
every approach to the house was guarded.
Before this his friends, to satisfy him,
had dug down in the designated place
and found nothing. Let it be said to his
honor that M. Lock opposed this. He
was playing fair with the squaw(O and
meant to carry out every agreement. He
feared that digging would bring utter
ruip Init was assured of PROTECTION and