Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-03-15
WEALTH FOUND IN A CAVE.
slxty.Ave Thousand Dollars in Gold and
Silver Unearthed After Being
Buried In a Kentucky Cave
for Eighteen Years.

The following, alleged to be from
Cumberland county, KY, appeared in
the Cincinnati Enquirer of the 10th F:
During the last week a sensation of
considerable interest came to the sur
face, which | deem worthy of note for
the Enquirer. 1t was nothing more
or less han the discovery and recovery
Of gold, silver and precious stones
which have been buried since the
beginning of the war in a small cave
on the farm of Robert 0. Willis, one
mile south of this town. The treasure
consists of about $50, 1000 in gold and
silver coin, and about $4,000 present
value) Of jewelry, such as diamond
rings, pins, earrings, etc. 1t appears
that MIR. Willis placed all these val
.uables in an old sugar. kettle, which
he buried in the extreme end of the
cave, covering it over with boards and
loose rock from the side of the cave.
His wife alone he informed in regard
to the precise spot where the treasure
had been secreted. Of course it
would have been imprudent to
have impaired such an important
secret to any other person or per-
sons. A few weeks after s%ecreting all
this treasure, Mr.. Willis mysteriously
disappeared. 1t is supposed that he
was killed by guerrillas on the Cum
berland river, whittier he had gone
with several head Of cattle to ship to
Nashville. He was never heard of
afterwards, aud his wife mourned for
him up to the day of her death, which
occurred last Saturday, March 1.
Although she was we'll aware that
there was a vast fortune buried in that
cave, yet she did not impart her secret
to any person, and having a good in
como from the farm, had no particular
need Of any of the money, so she
thought she would let it remain there,
as 1t was fully as safe there as it could
be elsewhere. Grief over the loss of
her husband, and having poor health
combined, rendered her somewhat
careless and indifferent. She lived all
alono with an old negro man and his
wife as her servants and companions.
They wore old slaves-belonged to her
father-had nursed her in her infancy,
and she was perfectly content. She
had no children or near relatives, and
a few days before death claimed her
as his own she impaired the secret of
the hidden treasure to these old SCR
wants, also to Rev. John D. Hogan,
her pastor, and Messrs. 0wsley &
Gore, her attorneys, summoned TO ex-
ecute her last will and testament.
Tho treasure was found according to
directions, all safe and sound and in
6rst-class condition, and il was opened
in her presence. She beQueathed her
jewelry and $4,000 to her old servants,
also the old homestead, a rich farm Of
some 200 acres. The remainder she
odered to be invested in securities for
her husbands benefit, should he turn
up alive in twenty years. If not, that
it be donated to Catholic charitable
institutions that may be greatly in
need oft at that time, in Louisville,
KY, the interest to be- given from now
on yearly to theorphan asylums there.
This vast treasure was taken to Glas.
gov, KY, yesterday, and shipped from
there to Louisville, where it will be
deposited for the present with the
Safe Deposit Company. The old col
ored servants, who are thus abund-
antly rewarded for their devotion, ex-
pressed the wish that their portion of
the treasure DO invested for them, as
they did not wish to keep il in the
house, fearing they would be muir.
dered for it.
The cave wherein the treasure has
laid u%ndisturbed fer so many years has
been visited tho last few days by many
curious persons, aud our oitizens have
been greatly excited over an event Of
such extraordinary interest,
forgot TO mention that Mrs. Willis