New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-01-08

cordingi to the local tradition-threaded
into narrative by Mr.. Torbert-a French
fligate was chased in past Cape Henlo-
pen, in the Revolution, by an English
man-ofwar, both pursued and pursuer
moving along by Lewes soon after sur
set on cold December day. The frigate
kept her course up the bay, hugging the
shore until she reached the mouth Of the
Mlspilllon, fifteen miles above Lewes.
At the creeks mouth the frigate cast an
Choir, and under cover of The darkness
,, her officers rowed ashore in small boats.
tits recorded in the diary of Ezra Polk
that on the evening of the Goth of Decem-
Der, 1880, lights danced about his field
for two hours or more. Then the lights
disappeared, and the frigate weighed an
Choir. Next day the msn-of. war took the
frigate into Lewes as prize Old Ezra's
diary does not mention or even hint at
buried treasure. It refers to traces of
fresh earth. and intimates the gallant
Frenchman had probably buried a dead
officer there.
Time passed, the war ended, and the
year 1913 came. Then Milford was Wis
tied by two French officers, from whose
actions the notion of treasure trove was
first suggested. These officers lived in
house near the Milford mills. and spent
month leisurely traversing the Polk farm
foot by foot. They employed negroes to
dig IN several spots, to which they bad
seemingly been directed by measure
ments made from the mouth of the creek.
Three or four times the officers drove
over to the place straight, but it was
not noticed that they brought any thing
with them to the mills. In the early
part of January, 1914, the two men wen,
away from Milford as light-hearted and
to all appearances, as light in pocket
as when they began the search. Boys
Polk farm as the abiding place Of some
bonanza, and more than once parties
have used the spade in the old fields.
Whether the mysterious visits of the
old French officers and the French gen
| tleman OF this latter day may mean any
thing or not, it is a matter of history, as
Alderman Vincent, now City Treasurer
OF Wilmington, historian of Delaware,
member efthe London Golden Club, pro-
prietor of the Angl American Union
scheme, &C., tells one that there was
such thing as a chased French frigate
and chasing English man-of-war He
is authority for the statement that during
the revolution and John Halls Captaincy
over the garrison at Lewes French
frigate came booming into the harbo,.
The breakwater was not then inexistence,
but the frigate found good anchorage,
and the officers were entertained for
several days by Captain Hall and his
Delaware command-at that time regi-
ment. The frigate had been privateer-
ing down the coast, and was bound for
Wilmington with several valuable prizes
The treasure was landed, and the crew of
the vessel marched with it clear up the
State road to Wilmington, Captain Hall
and his troops acting as convoy. At VII
mington the French went into
quarters. The officers were housed
IN building which was for
merly on the site where the building oc-
eupied by W. S. McCauly in Marke+
street, above Sixth, now stands. Y
immense treasure was buried in the cel
lar of the building and cons family ruarc
ed. One night, several weeks after Il
arrival, the treasure was broken in uLy
and partly taken away, this robberys;l
ing 80 bold and altogether mystery
that the Frenchmen could never maze
head or tail of it. The thieves were not
caught. French street, now one of the
main thoroughiares Of Wilmington, was
given its name by this occurrence. One
of the French officers, upon his return to
Paris, published book about the trip
through Delaware, and the only copy of
the book IN this country, at the Mercan-
tile Library in Philadelphia, would seem
to bear out the story of the treasure steal
ing.
The POLK Farms" kegs of gold Ia
round million of Spanish dollars are, in
the belief of the Milford people, still
being sought for; and the Lewes folks are
occasionally led to think that certain
strangers are about to make a raid on the
coast down below Cape Henlopen
About eighty years ago the De Brock, q
large English man-ot-war, commanded
by James Drew, was capsized and sunk
while entering the bay. Besides a fab
ulous amount of treasure between her own
decks, the De Brock bad in Charge two
Spanish galleons loaded with specie, and
these galleons went down with the man
of-war. In addition 10 this, there was
once a Spanish prize ship, loaded with
gold and silver, that tried to pass the
cape in storm, but was lost of
Synepuxeth beach, near Ocean City,
several miles further down. Treasure
enough was washed ashore from this prize
ship to make rich the wreckers who dwelt
along the shore.
| The Princess Louise and Her Dog.