The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-02-25
MISCELLANY.
Hunting the Hidden Treasure OF q
Mississippi Pirate.
From the vickseurg Herald.

From the VicksSurg Herald
| In 1887. three Spaniaris. it is said.
came to this cLuniry, and while at the
Washington Hotel told negro porter
named Wiley that an immense 'treas-
ure" had been buried by their ancestors
| near the old Spanish fort, northeast of
the Walnut Hills, some two miles above
the city. Wiley communicated the in
formation to some friends, and was fin
ally persuaded to commence digging for
the treasure. He had good bank ac-
count with Brown & Johnson, and ex-
hnusted il all in the pursuit of the hid
dee millions of gold and diamonds.
The matter then died away, but in 1855.
Mr.. Pulaski Mann was interviewed by
shadows in slumher, marking the very
spot where the pnrest and most dOcile
of all metals had heen deposited by the
Spaniar,ls when pressed on one side by
the French and on the other by the In
dinns. Shadows of the place came wan
derine by, hut subsequently Mr.. Mann
~
soft dominIons, and moved to Delhi,
Louisiana. During his residence there,
in the land of dreams he wonld con-
stantly see the spot which marked the
hidden gold. Some months ago he re-
turned to- the city TO reside, and cummn-
nicated to his son his belief. The place
indicated was examined at night by Mr..
Mann and two others; they used spades
and picks freely. and were so encouraged
that early in January the owner Of the
land was consulted and he became
partner in the "big bonanza" Others
took stock in IN il, and three weeks ago
men were employed to dig way the
mountain jus; beyond the Walnut Hills.
We took a buggy yesterday, and went
out to see the work Of digging. Pass
ing the McGee place, we drove up the
hill to the right, and juss bevund the
place where JoneS' battery of Wards
artillery did good service during the
siege of 1868, and found a tent, with
a negro preparing dinner. Some dis
tance below could he seen FIVE white and
one colored man, digging, picking. and
otherwise exca waiting, under the super
vision of Mr.. Mann. whom we approach
ed, and who showed us specimens of hu-
man bones, umber. primitive crockerT,
glass and sheet iron, found some thirty
feet below the top of the hill. Mr..
Mann informed us the umber, used as
the body of colored paints. would repay
all the expenses of excavation, but he
felt satisfied that he was on the right
track to gain the golden treasure of the
Spaniards, as we'll as the wealth of the
closely pursued pirate Mason, who, the
oldest inhabitant" says, deposited his
''coin captures" near the meanderings
of the Mint Spring, some two thousand
feet from the point where it empties in
to the Mississippi river. Mr.. Mann al
so stated he was sufficiently encouraged
thus far to push on the digging, and we
hope he will be abundantly rewarded
While there Is no possession more un-
certain than unknown gold. none more
destructive Of peace of mind, none more
productive of crime and prodiRality,
yet there il nothing after which the ma
jOrity of men grasp more eagerly, and
for which they are willing to make
greater sacrifices, than this. The scrip
tnres say 'monry is the root of all evil" !"
and we hope our friend Mann will dia-
cover the glitIering coin without the ain
of covetousncss. Bunyan tells of .ome
pilgrims, who, on their journey to the
city, were induced to turn aside from
their road, and look at silver mine,
recently discovered in little hill, call
ed "Lncre." We hope our friend Mann
has been lured to such hill and that in
his lahors he will encounter no Ananias
and Sopphira TO keep hack any portion
of the golden possessions revealed in
dream land.