San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1879-02-22
WALKERS GOLD.
A Californian Who Claims to kaosr Ill
Ibomt the Spots Of Ttrsnfy Churches.


Correspondence of the Los Angeles Call Expressl
My attention was called to an article
in yesterdays Herald, copied from the
Herald of New York, concerning a vast
amount of treasure alleged to have been
buried in Nicaragua by the great fill
buster chief, William Walker, who was
publicly executed at Truxillo in Hon
duras in October, 1859, nearly twenty
years ago. The writer hereof knows
something of that treasure, and person
ally examined it, and in lieu of five
mule-loads there, were five tons of it.
1t is well known that the most horrible
of wars was the burning and pillaging
of Granada by Gen. Hennigsen, under
Walkers orders, in November, 1856.
The churches, some twenty or more,
immensely rich in plate and jewels,
were secretly despoiled, and their great
. booty was safely slowed away on board
Il Lake Nicaragua steamer before the
doomed city was given up to pillage.
What became of the immense spoils
has been mysterious secret, ald was
so regarded by the tilibusters ut the
time. 1t was worth millions. To allay
suspicion as to its true disposition,
Walker gave out that it was shipped to
New Orleans to be disposed of on ac-
count of his government, and that the
proceeds thereof would be used in pur-
chasing military supplies. That spoil
was buried, and to my own personal
knowledge, the officer who had it in
charge and commanded the squad that
guarded it, now lives in San Bernardino.
He informs me land we have frequently
discussed the matter) that, under the
immediate supervision of Walker, he
and five other officers and about twenty
men buried that treasure in the village
of st. George, on Lake Nicaragua, I'M
der room in the house wherein the
booty was so sacredly guarded. Walker
exacted the most solemn oath of secre-
cy, giving sufficient gratuities, and pro-
missing future rewards to the whole par
ty if they would faithfully guard the
secret of the hidden church spoil Of the
burned city. Inside Of month the
whole party who were in the secret,
save my friend and informant and two
or three of the officers therein engaged,
were sent away on o feigned expedition ;
were given out as deserters; we're pur-
sued by large party of cavalry, and,
by Walkers order, shot to man when
overhauled by the pursuing party.
Soon thereafter, at desperate battle
fought at st. George on the 18th day
of January, 1857, the last man of the
party who assisted in burying the
church spoil, save my friend of San
Bernardino, was killed, and in such a
way as to confirm in the mind of my
informant the opinion that all had been
killed by Walkers order, and that the
general intended to be the only custo-
dian of the secret of the hidden treas
IRE. Although my informant was n
faithful and trusted officer, high in
Walkers favor, still the prompt and
tragic ending of his comrades and sha-
rers in the dread mystery produced
such an impression on his mind that he
Mt once deserted. He carried the Sc
cret with him, and yet has it, and he is
the only man living who knows where
the Granada booty lies hidden, and he
don't know. And why not? Well, the
spoil was burned in December. In
January the enemy, by forced march,
possessed themselves of st. George.
Walker took position at Rivas, three
miles distant. and, within the next
three months, utterly exhausted his ar
my in his vain endeavors to repossess
himself of the insignificant village that
contained this immense wealth. In the
terrific encounters that ensued the vii
lage was razed to the ground. This the
writer hereof knows, because he fought
through all of those engagements.
Walker, e1hau.ting hi. strength at st.
George, as before stated, and having
fought his last offensive battle on the
23d day Of March, was beSeged at Ri
vas, and in May following was forced to
capitulAte, vas expelled from the ooun-
nv. and in his second endearor TO re-