Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-01-23
TONS OF GOLD
The Spoil Of Twenty Rich Churches Of
Grenada HOpelessly LOst--.Ths
Immense Booty Of FIJI.
buster Walker.

| who was publicly executed at Trux.
lilo. in Honduras, in October, 1859
nearly twenty years ago. The writer
hereof knows something of that treas
ure. and personally examined it, and
in lieu of five mule-loads there were
FIVE tons of it. 1t is we'll known that
the most horrible chapter in that most
horrible Of wars was the burning and
pillaging Of Grenada by General Hen
ningsen, under Walkers orders. in
November, 1856. The churches
some twenty or more. immensely rich
in plate and jewels-were secretly and
systematically dcspoilcd, and their
great booty was safely slowed away on
a Lake Nicaragua steamer before the
doomed city was given up to pillage.
What became Ofthat immense spoil
has been a mysterious secret, and was
so regarded by the flibusters at the
time. 1t was worth millions. To al
lay suspicion as to its true disposition.
Walker gave out that il was shipped
to New Orleans to be disposed of on
account of his government, and hat
the proceeds thereof would be used
in purchasing military supplies. That
spoil was buried, and, to my own per
sonal knowledge, the officer who had
it in charge and commanded the squad
that guarded it now lives in San Ber-
nardino. 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. under a room in the house
wherein the booty was so sacredly
guarded. Walker exacted the most
solemn oath of secrecy, giving sub
%stantial gratuities and promising fu-
ture rewards to the whole party il
they would faithfully regard the Sc
cret of the hidden church-spoil of the
burned city. Inside of a month the
whole party who were in the secret.
save my friend and informant and two
or three of the officers therein en-
gagged, we're sent away on a feigned ex-
petition were given out as desert
ers were pursued by a large party Of
cavalry, and, by Walkers order, shot
to a man when oyerhauled by the
pursuing party. Soon thereafter. at a
desperate battle fought at St. George
on the 10th day Of January, 1851, the
last mar Of the party who assisted in
burying the church spoil, save nv
friend Of San Be~rnardino, was killed
and in such a way as to confirm in the
mind of my informant the opinion
that all had been killed by Walker.
order, and that the General intended
to be the only custodian Of the secre-
of the hidden treasure. Although
my informant was a faithful anC
trusted officer, high in Walkers ia
yor, still the prompt and tragic endint
of his comrades and sharers in tn,
dread mystery produced such an i'm
preston on his mind that he at once
deserted. He carried the secret witt
him and yet has it, and he is the only
man living who knows where thC
Grenada booty lies hidden, and he
doesn't know. And why not =? Well
the spoil was buried in December
In January the enemy
BY A FORCED MARCH
possessed themselves of st. George.
Walker took position at Rivas. three
miles distant, and, within the next
three months utterly exhausted his
army in his vain endeavors to repos.
sess himself Of the insignificant vii
lage that contained this immense
wealth. In the terrible conflicts that
ensued the village was raised to the
ground. This the writer hereof
knows, because he fought through all
of these engagements. Walker, ex-
hausting his strength at St. George, az
before stated, and having fought his
last offensive battle on the sd OF
March. was besieged at Riyas, and in
May following was forced TO capitu.
late, was expelled the country. and In
his second endeayor to re-enter it was
captured BY a party Of British marines
oh the Rio Nero in Honduras: was
turned over to the Hondurian authori-
ties; was tried, condemned and shot.
as stated at the beginning Of this brief
sketch. No other member Of his ex-
petition was shot-not even the Lion
sam or his cousin Ned-because
neither Of them was there. Captain
, our San Bernardino man. ON de-
serting, made his way to Panama. and
a few years later, induced the owner
Of a schooner to accompany him Il
San Juan del Sur (St. George beint
twenty miles inland) and try to un.
earth and convey the plate and Jewel,
to the schooner and get away with il
Now, my friend knew well enough tn,
house in which the interment wa
made, but, to his surprise and mysti
fcatlon, a new village, Phoenix like
had
RISEN FROM THH ASHES
of the burned and RACED one, and h,
was completely lost as to the localit,
OF the house wherein he expected t.
unearth without difficulty so great ,
prize. They rented every house ON the
street and probed the earth in ever,
conceivable and incOnceivable Mac,
until the poor captain was led to dis
believe his own identity. and lost faitl
in everything. Finally, he and NH
companion became objects of sus
picion, were arrested, and considered
themselves fortunate in escaping Will
whole hides from the country. |,
discussing the question of locality. tn,
writer said TO the captain
why, captain, ] we'll remember Tn,
house where you guarded the church
plate, and, by George, | could spot II.
so thought l." said he, but Il /
not the same town, and, should yol
revisit the place, you wouldn't know
it, much less the house. There is onl,
one way to find the treasure con
tinued he, and that is TO dig ditcho