Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-03-13
HIDDEN TREASURE.
fare-siXty-Five Thousand Dollars
i'm Gold and Silver Unearthed
After Being Buried In
Kentucky Cave for
Eighteen Years.

Cumberland county Ky special TO the
Cincinnati Enquirer: during the last week
sensation of considerable interest came to
the surface, which deem worthy of note for
the Enquirer. 1t was nothing u~re or less
than the discovery and recovery of a vast
amount of gold, silver and precious stones,
which have been buried sin. e the beginning
of the war In asmall cave on the farm OF
Robert .. Willis, one mile south of this
town. The treasure consisted of about sixty
| FIVE thousand dollars in gold and silver coin,
and about ten thousand dollars worth (pres-
ent valuet' Of jewelry, such as diamond
rings, pins, earrings, etc. 1t appears that
Mr.. Willis placed all these valuables in an
! old sugar kettle which he buried in the ex-
treme end OF the cave, covering 1T over with
boards and loose rock from the side of the
cave. His wife alone he informed IN regard
to the spo, where the treasure had been Sc
creted. OF course it would have been very i'm
prudent to have impaired such an important
secret to any other person or persons. A few
weeks after secreting all this treasure, Mr..
Willis mysterously disappeared. 1t is sup
posed he was killed by guerrilas on the Cum
berland river, whittier he had gone with
several head of cattle to ship to Nashville.
He was never heard of aterward, and his
wife mourned for him up until the day OF her
death, which occurred last Saturday, March
LIST. Although she was well aware that there
was vast fortune buried in that cave, yet
she did not impart her secret to any person,
and having a good income from the farm,
had no particular need OF any of the money,
so she thought she would let it remain there,
as it was fully as safe as it could be elsewhere.
Grief over the loss of her husband and hav-
ing poor health combined, rendered her
somewhat careless and Indifferent. She lived
all alone with an old negro man and his wife
as her servants and companions. They were
old slaves-had belonged to her father, had
sad hGrI hl~ info md no rUn TO
fectly content. She had no children Oh near
relatives, and a few days before death claimed
her as his own, she impaired the secret OF
the hidden treasure to these old servants,
also to Rev. John ID. Hogan, her pastor, and
Messrs. Owsley Il Gore, her attorneys, sum-
moned to execute her last will and testament
The treasure was found according to dlrec-
tions, all safe and sound, and In frst-class
condition, and it was opened in her presence.
She bequeathed her Jewelry and forty thou
sand dollars to her old servants, also the old
homestead. rich farm Of some two hundred
acres. The remainder she ordered to be in
vested in securities for her husbands benefit,
should he turn UP alive in twenty years. Ii
not, that it is to be donated to Catholic
charitable institutions, that may be greatly
IN need Off at that time, IN Louisville, the
interest to be given from now on yearly 10
the orphan asylum5 there. This vast treasure
was taken to Glasgow, Kentucky, yesterday,
and shipped from there to Louisville, where It
will be deposited for the present with the Safe
Deposit company. The old colored servants,
who are thus well rewarded for their devo-
ton, expressed the wish that their portion of
the treasure be invested for them, as they did
not wish to keep it in The house, fearing they
would be murdred for it. The cave wherein
the treasure has laid undisturbed for so many
years has been visited the last few days by
many curious persons, aud our citizens have
been greatly excited over an event OF
to mention that Mrs. Willis be-
queathed one thousand dollars to her
home paper, the Glasgow (Ky.) Times,
which, she asserts in her will, was source
of great comfort to her in her sorrow, bring
ing weekly news from her old home in Bar
ren county, Kentucky, and thus, for once in
the history OF the times, newspaper is kind
ly remembered in a last will and testament. -"