The Osceola times., 1880-04-03
BURIED TREASURE FOUND.
The story OF q Maine Veterans Life and
Wanderings and His Supposed Estate.
Portland (Me.) Advertiser.

Portland (Me.) Advertiser.
The Bloomington Ull.) Pantdoraph
publishes the following: The Pdntagrdph
has already referred TO the fact that two
gentlemen from Maine have been max
ing search at Dwight for valuable pa
pers surpassed to have been buried at the
cemetery there. They arrived in Dwight
on the 18th, and were seeking in the old
cemetery for treasure-box said to have
been buried there seven years ago by a
Swedish adventurer After a four hours
search the box was found buried at the
foot OF certain grave, and under hard
maple tree, which had marks and figures
cut deep within the bark. The box con-
tanned the will of one Edward Freese,
deeds to about $4,000 worth of property
near Brooklyn, New York, and nearly
$1,000 in money and jewelry. 1t is said
that Freese has relations living near
Portland Me-, and on his death-bed made
a statement that lac buried the box in the
cemetery near Dwight, where at one time
he had lived nearly five months"
A reporter for the Adpertser, instruct
ed to lock this matter up, proceeded to
call upon Mr.. w. l.. Freese, who lives on
Park street, in Deerng Mr.. Freese was
Aouhh az boiliC III tIlS CNClilllE. IIt
read the Illinois report in the Aauertis-
er and was satisfied that the story was
true. He said that all the circumstances
seemed to point to Edwin lie Forest
Freese, who married / daughter of Cap
tain Davis, of Deering, twenty years ago.
The man was not relative of his-only
an acquaintance. Edward Freese's
brother-in-law, Henry j. Davis, lived in
the neighborhood, however, and would
know all about it, So the reporter called
next on Henry j. Davis, who said 1t was
true that Edward lie Forest FreeSe mar
ried his sister in 1860. Edward was then
nineteen years old His family came
from the Penobscot region, and settled
at Cape Elizabeth, near the fort. Soon
after his marriage Freese enlisted in the
regular army and served through the en-
tire war with credit, receiving wound
in the ankle that made him ever after
slightly lame. For a time during his
military service he was stationed at Fort
Preble. After leaving the army Freese
found it hard work to support his fam
lily, having no trade and being disabled
from hard work by his wound. At last
he was told by his wife's family that he
had better leave her and their child, as
they would be taken care Of He at first
objected, but finally consented to the
suggestion as the best thing for her, and
soon after left the city. In the course
of time Mrs. Freese obtained a divorce
for desertion and married Mr.. Hill, at
one time a conductor ON the Deering
line of street cars.
Freese was never directly heard from
after his departure, and his family, who
were of Swedish origin, subsequently re-
turned to the old country, as was under
stood. At various times il has been re-
ported that Freese was ahvc and pros
porous, though leadinga wandering life.
AT one time he was reported TO be
in California, and again in the West,
but always as being in good circumstan-
ces. He is described as having been.
while here.a young man of good charac-
ter, of fair education and more than COM
mon ability. Tall, handsome and rserv-
ed, he was, as one of his friends remark
ed, lust the man to succeed if he had
the least show" His former friends in
Deering believe that beyond doubt he
was the man who died here, leaving TO
some as yet undiscovered parties his
property amounting as reported to SlO,-
900. They think that, finding himself
the victim of some slow but sure disease,
he left his wandering life in the West,
for this city, perhaps with some vague
idea of again meeting his wife, or it may
be merely with the wish to die here.
His wife, with most of her fathers fam
ily, left for California last June, and with
the party was the son of her first hus-
band Ii is surmised that Freese, on his
arrival, finding his wife divorced, mar
ried and gone; and not perhaps asking
many questions or caring to make him
self kno gn, probably decided to remain
here quietly till he drifted out of life,
making those with whom he spent his
last days his heirs. 81 believe" said
one of his former friends last evening,
'that he is the man mentioned in the
dd,erfiser. / have not the least doubt
of it. If so he has son, but | doubt if
any other relative is living III this
country"
With whom Frecse spent his last days
does not yet appear. 1t is probable,
however. that the two portland attor-
neys" will prove not to be members of
the legal profession but persons TO whom
he bequeathed his property in return for
their care during his last illness. lnqui-
nv at the probate office shows that no
will has been filed nor have letters Of
administration been issued upon the es-
tate of Edward l.. Freese.