The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-02-15
THE CONFEDERATE TREASURE.
A Story from California Paper About n
Large Lot or Gold,


Large Lot Of Gold.
A San Francisco paper says TINT when
tho Confederate army under Gen. Lee
was forced back from tho trenches at
Petersburg President Davis hurriedly
ordered about fourteen millions Of dol
lars, the property Of tho banks
Of VirginiAs and OF the Confederate
States, to be placed on trains ut Rich
mond and sent South, intending to con-
yey it to the trans.ATississippi depart
mont, il possible, there to make iinhl
stand. The treasure was carried down
to Charlotte, N. O., where tho 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, wls placed in wig
ons, and the retreat continued. The
brigades of Gems. Basil Duke and
Vaughan, who Ind succeeded in escaping
from East Tennessee, and had arrived at
Charlotte a few days before, were placed
under tho orders OF tlon. John @.
breckenridge to net as an escort to the
treasure, and the command proceeded
south until Greensboro, Washington
county, Ga., was reached. At this point
information was received that tho Fed
eral general, Wilson, had captured Ma
con, q few miles distant, md in the line
Of retreat to tho mississippi de.
partment. Tho news soon got among
the men, They became tlemonlized, and
q rush was made for tho wagons con.
tanning tho treasure. It was speedily
divided up amongthem, theollicers being
unable to restrain the men. Among tho
lucky ones were two soldiers belonging
to Company B, Third Tennessee Mounted
Infantry, OF Vaughan's brigade, from
Munro county. Tenn. One Of thom was
named Albert Stevens, and tho other
We will call J. 7. Jones. They Ind
charge Of the wagon containing $3.50, 900
in gold; and when the panic spread
among the soldiers, and tho cry was
"saurc qui l,eal" they retained their
presence Of mind, and drove off in the
woods, where they divided the money,
making some $4,000 apiece, and sep
arated, Stevens taking his TO lis home
in Tennessee, where lio buried it, con.
filling its hiding place to his mother,
very old laly. Finding that it would be
dangerousfOrhim To remain in Tennessee,
owing 10. the unsettled condition Of
things there, the people being equally
divided on the questions Of the war, he
went to Goorgin, where he found Jones,
who had bought small place and was
quietly waiting until it would be safe
for him to return home. Stevens stayed
awhile with Jones, and then went of to
another part Of Georgia to visit some
relatives. Before going, however, ho
informed Jones about tho hiding OF his
money and his mothers knowledge OF
its whereabouts AS soon as Stevens
was gone Jones mounted his horse and
made bee line for Tennessee, to the
place where Stevens lived. Arriving
there ho presented his comrade's mother
with q forged letter, purporting to come
from hor son, directing her to deliver
tho money to Jones, which tho old lady
did. Jones then started direct for Cali
fornia. Arriving here he purchased n
large tract Of land in MendocinO county,
land being very low ut that at that time,
and has since amassed q large fortune in
addition to his ill.gotten gains, and is
now highly respected and member Of
the church..
In tho course Of time Stevens, having
ascertainod that 1t would be safe, started
for home, possibly dreaming Of future
life Of ease and comfort on some blue.
grass farm, raising fat cattle and blooded
horses, this being your ayengo Ken
tuckian's or Tenncsseean's idea Of m
earthly paradise. On reaching home he
soon found out his loss. Buckling on
his revolver, he secured the entire South
aud West in search OF his faithlcss
friend, vowipg to shoot him on sight,
and only recently ascertained his where
abouts. He is now in correspondence
with prominent lawyer Of this city,
and IN attempt will shortly be made to
bring Jones to account through the
courts.