The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1879-02-07
TONS or GOLD.
Tire SpolIs Of Twenty Rich churches o
Ssreu..s;s EaopcIeEsis Masl.
Letter ia the Las Angeles Express.
l.....i... -. ILL - IN - 1,

Herald Of New York, concerning q vast
amount of treasure alleged to have been
buried in Nicaragua by the great tiIibus.
ter chief, VIM Walker, who YVES publicly
executed at Truxiilo, in Honduras, in
October, 1859, nearly twenty years ago.
The writer hereof knows something Of
that treasure, and personally examined it
ana in lieu of five mule-loads there were
fye,ton Of it. II is well known that the
NEST horrible chapter in that most hor-
rible twars was the burning and pillag-
ing Of Grenada by General HenningseD,
under Walkers orders, I'M N"ve"ste'-,
SsA.= ahes-zs.aalsI-- -AasasatsE-.ss-
sfl Jre, immensely rich in plate and jewels
were secretly and systematically des-
peiled, aud their great booty was sa'ely
slowed away on a Lake Nicaragua steam
er before the doomed city was given up
to pfllage. What became Of that im-
mense. spoil has been n mysterious secret,
and was SO regarded by the filibusters at
the time. II was worth millions 10
sllay suspicion as to its true disposition,
Walker gave ont that it WIS. shipped to
New Odeans TO be disposed of on account
Of his government, and that the proceeds
thereof would be used III purchasing mil
tsry supplies.
That spoil was buried, and, to my own
personal knowledge, the officers who had
it in charge and commanded the squad
that guarded it now lives in San Bernar>
dino. He informs me (snd we have'fre
quenty discussed the. matter) that,
under the immediate supervision of
Walker, he and FIVE other officers and
about twenty men buried Chat treasure
in the village of st. George on Lake
Nicaragua, under q room in the house
wherein the booty was so sacredly guard
ed. Walker exacted the most solemn
oath Of secrecy, giving substantial gra-
tuities and promising future rewards to
the whole party if they would faithfully
regard the secret of the hidden church
/ spoil Of the burned city Inside OF
month the whole party who We're in the
secret, ave my friend and informant and
two or three of the officers therein en-
gagged, we're sent away on a feigned expe-
dition we're given out as deserters were
pursued by a large party Of cavalry, and,
by Walkers order, shot to man when
overhauled by the pursuing party. Soon
q greater, at a desperate battle fought
at ST. George on the 18th day Of Janus
ary, 1857, the last man Of the party who
]. assisted II burying the chu.ch spoil,
save my friend of San Bernardfhos was
| killed, and in such 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 custodian Of the secret of the
hidden treasure! Although my inform
ant was faithful and trusted officer,
high in Walkers favor, still the prompt
and tragic ending of his comrades aud
sharers in the dread mystery produced
suck an impression on his mind that be
at once deserted. He carried the secret
with him and yet has it, and he IS the
only man living who knows where the
Grenada booty lies hidden, and he
doesn't know. And why not?
Well, the spoil was buried in Deem
Der In January the enemy by forced
march possessed themselves OF St. George
Walker took position at Riyas, thre,
miles distant, and, within the mex
three months utterly exhausted hi
army in his vain endeavors to reposses
himself of the insigni6can village tina
contained this immense wealth. In tn,
terrible conflicts that ensued the 7illag,
was rszed to the ground. This thr
writer hereof knows, because he Tough
through all of those engagements. Walk
er, exhausting his strength at ST. George
"a before stated, and having fought hi
q last offensive battle on the 23d of March
, was besieged at Riyas, and IN May fol
lowing was forced to cspitulate, wa
expelled the country, aud in his secout
, endeavor to re-enter it was captured b,
f party of British marines on the. Ri,
Nero in Honduras was turned over Il
the Hondurian authorities was tried
condemned and shot, as stated at TIA
; beginningof this brief sketch. No othe
member OF his expedition was shot-no
even the Lion Sam or his cousin Ned
because neither of them was there
/ Captain -, our San Bernardino man
on deserting, made his wsygto Panama
and, few years later, inducedthe owne
of schooner to accompany him to Sal
Juan del Sur (St. George being twent,
miles inland) and try to unearth an
convey the plate and jewels to th
Schooner and get away with it.
4 Now, my friend knew well enoug
/, the, house in which the interment ws
1 made, but, to his surprise and mystifc,
e ton, new village, Phnnix-like, ha
}. risen from the ashes of the burned an
= razed one, and he was completely lost
s to the locality of tbe-house wherein l
a expected to unearth without difficult
d 80 great prize. They rented ever
o houss.on the street and probed the ear
!; in every conceivable and inconceivab
,e nlace until the poor captain was led
,e disbelieve his own indentity, and Il
le faith in everything. Finally, he and
G. com panions became objects of suspicio
sr were arrested, and considered themselv
a fortunate in escaping with whole hid
4 rom the country. In discussing t
10 question Of locality, the writer said
t. the captain:
as Why, captain, I we'll remember
,e the house where you guarded {
a. church-plate, and, by George, cor
n spot It," :,
W sso thought !, p said he, but it
or not the same town, and, should y
q. revisit the place, yon wouldn't know