Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-06-18
A GREY HUNTER.
Hunting for Buried Treas
ure-The Dim Vista Of
the Past---The Hid den
Mine The Open Sc
same Never Found,
(CumberlAnd Alleganian, May 20 J

ing over the NdtlOIat TOau, some
twenty or thirty miles west of US,
one bright moonlight night,
was TERRIBLY unneryed by huge
mass of stone rolling down the
steep side of the mountain in
front of him, and looking up he
discovered man with grey locks
holding a huge croWbar in his
hands. The strange man seemed
to regret that he had scared the
traveller, and offered words of
apology as he came towards the
buggy. Our friend nervously
tWitched at his hip-pocket until
he observed the decrepitude of his
new acquaintance, who informed
him that he lived three miles east
ofthere and was on hunting ex.
petition. Our friend invited him
to seat in his vehicle, which he
accepted, and the two came east
ward together. The Old mans
mind turned to Braddock s defeat,
when our friend said he had an
ancestor named Giles in Brad
docks army.
"Giles,' said the old man, she
was q messmate of my father,
and the two were of the six guards
who had charge of the treasure of
Gen. Braddock, kept for the pay
ment of troops. They were close
ly pressed bytheir French and In
dian pursuers, that though they
sought to reach Fort Cumberland,
they were compelled to hide the
money in cave among the rocks
which an old hunter had pointed
out to them on the march to Fort
Pitt. | am glad to meet you.
Stop with me over night in my
hut beyond the gap to the right.
Ny father was very young when
he went through here with Brad
dock, and after the battle he lived
in New York until the Revolu-
ton, when he joined Gen. Wash
ington's Virginia troops, and
fought through the war, after
which he married and came here,
and in that hut was born. 1t is
dear to me, and l love it more
than if it was a palace. Let me
lead your horse through this
woodland road to my house, and
l will tell you little secret about
Braddock'S money!
Soon they reached the hut which
was more inviting inside than out.
The old man then gave a history
of our friends ancestor, when
satisfied him that the Old man
spoke the truth when he said:
my fat Ell was in command of
the guard who had charge Of the
money, believed to.bo about $I5,-
coo in gold, besides valuable Orna-
ments of the officers They were
dispatched ahead Of the troops in
the line of retreat and instructed
to make for Fort Cumberland. II
was expected that the Indians
would harass the retreating army,
but not that they would push "a
head and intercept them after they
had reached the Meadows. The
guards found 10 their sorrow,
however, that there was danger
ahead az well as in the rear. Just
as the sun WAS setting they re-
ceived volley from behind a
ledge Of stone which killed two
and wounded another, The FIRE
was returned and the horses whip
ped up. Another voliey killed a
third and wounded my father.
The horses kept on, and the pur-
suit ceased at nightfall. Two OF
them were wounded badly; the
third mOrtally. Arriving at a
point where the run divided into
two Streams, flowing around a
large rock, they buried the treas
ure, and tHe lWo who were worst
w0un led mounted the horses and
started Tor the Fort, leaving my
fatter ia watch the treasure. Ten
days later my father was found
wandering along the banks Of
Wills creek, the wound having
brought on q fever which depriV-
cd him OF his reasoning powers.
lie was taken 10 tue Fort and
properly cared for. On his recOv-
cry he learned that nothing had
ever been heard of the treasure.
He started with the scouts TO
find the hidden treasure, but how
far he had wandered or which of
the many points where the stream
divided had been selected to hide
the money he could never find
out. He was suspected Of hiding
i; for his own use, and this preyed
upon his mind until he determin-
Ell 10 go TO New York. At the
close of the Revolutionary war, he
returned here, and ever since i
can remember he or | have been
seeking for this hidden treasure.
There is something that tells me
that | shall yet finu it before We
seen eighty winters. l have
sought among the rocks that bord.