Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-03-31
ROMANTIC STORY DIGGING FOB
TREASURE.

The Stockton Independent of Thursday
has local romance. a policeman Sunday
night last saw man stealing shovel at
midnight from blacksmith's shop on Main
street. The thief escaped. At A. NJ. a
| physician, who was out late and was driving
down Hunter street, noticed a man climb
over the fence into the vacant lot formerly
belonging to the Chicard estate, near the
Eureka Engine. house. Officers Hinton and
| Calm were informed, and they suddenly
| leaped over the fence and almost fell upon
their man, who was up to his knees in a
hole in which he was at work. He was
taken to the Jail and gave his name as La.
velle. He is about ftty-fve years of age
He is disinclined to talk, but mutters fire.
quently to himself, "Lost, after all these
years." etc. No investigations were made
as to what the man was doing until Sun.
day morning at o'clock, when the
officers, accompanied by David Landers,
Henry Jason and Phil Staples, took
turns shoveling, all of them remembering
and speaking of the legend for many years
treasures were buried there. After reach.
ing depth of five feet and a few inches, a
rotten board was struck, four feet long and
eleven inches wide. Lifting the board,
numerous packages, from one and two
pounds to ten and fifteen pounds in weight,
were found. They had not been placed in
box, but simply piled into the bottom of
the excavation and merely covered with
the board. The officers and other gentle.
men are very reticent about the find, not
even mentioning the number of packages.
1t is known, however, that an express team
made four trips from the lot to the Mer-
chants Bank of Stockton, where the bun.
dies were stored few hours after they
were discovered All the packages were
wound around with rope which had been
unraveled.
The Stanislaus Negs of the 18th instant,
published at Modesto, contained the fol-
lowing interesting item, which may have
reference to the circumstances related
above. All connected with the strange az
fair have nothing OF Importance to commu-
nicate, and in the meantime Lavalle, while
kept in confinement, is treated with
great deal of consideration. The Ne1s
article says: A strange and most singular
letter was opened not long since at this
place. The letter contained the last will
and testament of political prisoner, per
haps traitor to one of the most despotic
Governments in the world. Both letter
and will were written in French, though
not in nor OF that country. They were
written by priest at the request OF the
prisoner. The will and letter contain q
brief biography of an unhappy man. In it
he states that he had visited California and
at or near the city of Stockton buried a
vast fortune OF 1000, 600 francs, besides
masy valuable jewels. He returned to his
native country, sought to overthrow the
Government, failed, and was made a close
prisoner. He has one daughter whose name
1t Is not policy to give, now in Europe. He
makes an old Californian, native of Vir-
ginia, well known in Tuolumne. San Joa-
gun and this county, his administrator
and also the guardian of his young daugh-
ter. To this American he wills part of his
hidden treasures, part to the priest, part
to certain Catholic school, and the re-
mainder to his daughter. He also gives
instructions as to the finding of the key or
plan leading to the secret vault containing
the money and valuables. The plan is SO
admirable that no one but the priest or
administrator is ever liable to get hold of
the key or plat. The whole affair reads
like romance, yet the letter and will are
certainly genuine. We have purposely
omitted the names of country and parties
to the transaction through fear of spies of
the European Government. Certainly the
document contains all the evidence of ain.
cerity. Due formality has been followed
by the priest who transacted the matter as
requested by dying man. The seals.
marks, crosses and everything are perfect.
The American to whom the letter is ad.
dressed is now living, and no doubt, ere
this, has taken steps in the direction of
carrying out its object.