Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-10-19
SOUTHERN JEWELS.
How Vast Wealth Fell Into tho
Hands Of q Rascal.
A MYSTERIOUS MIDNIGHT MEETING.
Diamonds Of Untold Value given by Wa-
men to Aid a Dying Cause left
With a Woman Who Lets
Them Slip From Her.

ATLANTA, October lS-The Constitution
to-day contains the following, written By
E. A. Tate, OF Seneca, s. c.:
During the winter Of '6i and '65 the
Confedente government, on account Of
their railroad communications being do
stroyed in 90 many places, built pontoon
bridge across Savannah river, . little over .
mile below old Petersburg, which Is ct the
mouth of Broad river, or. in other words,
at the junction OF the two rivers. This
pon.oon was about half way between
Washington. Ga. and Abbeville, S @. In
the early part of IS there was an almost
S1trSi Ss1t nile: ls lfSa 4 sis s'NfSa NSfass "'2I Ii anh
county, Georgia, lived the widow OF David
Minis Moss with her three small children.
They owned Q fine plantation, and were
prosperous.
"0ne evening q larger crowd came 70 her
house than usuai, hper teams, tner dressed
men, everything belokening
some Di.Usxaished PevssssSe.
At last tall. fine locking gentleman came
M, and introduced himself ss General
Brocken bridge, asked for supper and
room and said they would not stay all
night but only wanted the room Tor
short time. She opened her parlor 10 them
and in n short time the room was full oil
gentlemen, also boxes Of various Sizes. Mrs.
Moss soon found out that she was enter
tanning President Davis and his Cabinet.
Her health At that time was very bad, aud
she became very much excited over all that
was going on aud could not sleep. Aboutl
O'Clock A. NJ. she heard knocking at the par
lor door and answered IL in person. She
was met by General BrtckenbridSe, who
CAV. her $50 in gold, and. turning around
and looking at the confused state OF the
psrior, the hoNss, papers, etc, lying In
every direction, said to her: We give You
what We leave. | was under the impress
sion that
The Last Cabinet Meeting
was held then, but Capt McLendon ssys In
Washington. Maybe he IS correct.
After they had all gone Mrs. Moss re.
tired, and next morning she and young
lister went in the parlor to clean up They
comm enetd moving the boxes, but al last
rney Came upon one that WAS very heavy.
They examined it, and found that IL vas
full Of the finest diamond lswelry and all
other kinds. They secretly moved the boz
in Mrs. Moss bedroom and put IL under
the bed, and that night those two lone
lsdirs carried II in the garden and buried
H. The garden had all been freshly spsd d
up for the regular spring work, and II was
not noticed. For q short time things moved
on very quiet. At last several Yankees
came up and made inquiries about the box,
but she told them she knew nothing about
| il and they left Then came on the gold
| excitement, and several Of the best people
were taken and hanged by the thumbs 20
| make them tell about the gold. All
This Ex xcitemcst ~as too mach
| for Mrs. Moss already enteebled system,
| and she was compelled TO take her bsd.
| While living there she brOOdrd over her
| secret, and at lsst concluded that she would
| tell every thing 10 her pastor and act on his
| advice. She did 81. Her pastor was, II
| remember correctly the Rev. l.. w. Stevens,
| now Of Hart lie, after hearing her story.
| very wisely told her TO keep II, IL WAS Ger.
| tninly hers, more SO than any one slses.
| Il was given her by General breckenridge.
| and even IL by mistake. IL was hers until
| the proper parties called for H. This
| duieted her, and for a while things were ~
| usual. About this time ! received mess
| age from her TO come and see her; that str
| wanted to see me on important business:
| and that she did not expect 10 live long.
| Circumstances over which had no control
| prevented me. never ,aw her any more.
"A few weeks. perhaps over month. be.
fore she died, some Yankee officers came
10 her house, searched IL all over. took her
of her bed and searched IL, also the mat
tresses and everything connected with u.
As matter OF course they found nothing.
About Two weeks Befose she Died
fellow came and took book from his
pocket and read 10 her n list OF the articles.
and told her that ::he was ssDt for them.
hat they were overlooked that night in
/ he hurry OF departure, and suppose he
made eyery thing very reAsonsbie. bhe Wss
very low. Nobody being about her but Ia
lies Who knew nothing about the boz Ani
no one TO give her advice. and this fellow
IsirG 80 plausible, she told him where IL
saS. and the internal miscrelnt, After get
ing ali, bad to search -yery thing TO see "
there was nothing else, and she Q dying
soman. After this fellow and bis ,Iusd
IT there were various spPculAtiOns abrut
l. put II up this way nj the time: This
or contained The jrwslry Of the ladies Of
be South. rent on by them 10 assist the
'onk dersCy. or II vss jswslry deposited
ny the ladies' for safe keeping with the
,fFa, urer, snd at
The Capture Of Rishmoad
a memorandum VI the things was found.
rpd ss they were not In Richmond they
were with Mr.. Davis. and when Mr. Davis
was captured they were not with him con
'tguebty ihey bso oren hh hhbesnfrs oh
he road. This last fellow rsaped his re-
ward, snd he got q fortune.
TO give you an idea Of the vsluc. tlfSs
vas one brooch mad. like bumming Odd.
To. eyes were diamonds aud the wings
ssrs studded with the ssns. and IL seemed
TO he always in . trembling motion. and
every motion seemed TO give additional
briIllsncy. A few days alter Mrs. Moss
hsd given up the Dor that noble hearted
Christian woman. Mrs. julia Csds of
Ebert, went over 10 sse Mrs. Moss Bhs
tbsn related ~ Mrs. Csds a!l that hsO
stated above sbout this bor. snd she also
told her that she bsd sent me word 10 come
and bee her; that she bad wanted 10 place
The boz In my posses.ion for the benefit of
her children, - ! wss the nearest relation
Of her husband, he being my uncle. ssd
tbe thought could disposs OF u bsttsr
tbsn any one else ,he could think oL"