The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-10-17
sourHERN TREASURES.

A Cabinet Meeting and What IL Left BE-
hind It-.JeweIry of the Ladies of the
south.
ATLANTA. Ga, Oct 10 The Constitution
of to-day contains the following, written by
T. A. Tate. of Seneca, 5. c.: During the
winter of lS64-65, the Confederate Govern
ment, on account OF their railroad communi-
cations being destroyed in so many places,
built a pontoon bridge across Savannah
River, a little over a mile below old Peters
burg, and which is at the mouth of Broad
River, or in other words, at the junction of
the two rivers. This pontoon was about half
way between Washington, Ga, and Able
Vile, s. C. In the early part of 1865 there
was an almost continual stream of soldiers
going and coming on that road. About
three and a half miles from the bridge, in
Lincoln County, Ga, lived the widow OF Da-
vid Minis Moss. with her three small chill
dren. They owned 4 fine plantation and
were prosperous.
One evening larger crowd came to her
house than usual. finer teams, finer dressed
men, everything betokening some distin-
guished parsonage At last tall. fine-look-
himself as General Breckenridge, asked for
supper and a room and said they would not
stay the night, but only wanted the room for
a short time. She opened her parlor to them,
and in short time the room was full OF gen
tlemen, also boxes OF various sizes Mrs.
Moss soon found out that she was entertain
ing President Davis and his Cabinet. Her
health at that time was very bad, and she
became very much excited over all that was
going OH, and could not sleep. About
O clock q. m. she heard knocking at the par
Tor door and answered it i'll person. She was
met by General Breckenridge, who gave her
$50 in gold, and, turning round and looking
at the confused state OF the paror, the boxes,
papers, etc lying in every direction, said to
her: I'VE give you what we leave
| was under the impression that the last
Cabinet meeting was held there. but Captain
McLendOn says in Washington. Maybe he
is correct.
After they had all gone Mrs. Moss retired,
and next morning she and youngster went
into the parlor to clear up. They COM
menced moving the boxes, but at last they
came upon one that very heavy. They
examined it aud found it was full of the
finest diamonds and iewelry. They secretly
moved the box into Mrs Moss bed room
and put it under the bed. and that night
those two lone ladies carried it into the gar
den and buried it. The garden had all been
freshly spaded up for the regular spring
work and it was not noticed.
For a short time things moved OH very
quiet. and at last several Yankees came up
and made inquiries about the box, but she
told them she knew nothing about it. and
they left. Then came on the gold excite
ment and several OF the best people were
taken and hanged by the thumbs to make
them tell about the gold.
All this excitement was too much for Mrs.
~ L
compelled to take her bed. While lying there
she brooded over her secret, and at last con-
cluded that she would tell everything 10 her
pastor, and act on his advice. She did so
Her pastor was, ii | remember correctly, Rev.
l.. W. Stephens, now of Hart. He. after
hearing her story, very wisely told her to
keep it. 1t was certainly hers. mere so than
anybody else's Ii was given her by General
Breckenridge, and even if by mistake, it was
hers until the proper parties called for it,
This quieted her, and for while things were
as usual.
About this time received message from
her to come to see her; that she wanted to
see me on important business. She said she
did not expect to live long Circumstances
over which had no control prevented me.
| never saw her any more.
A few weeks perhaps over a month before
she died, some Yankee officers came to her
house. searched il all over took her of her
everything connected with it. As a matter
OF course they found nothing. About two
weeks before she died a fellow came, took a
hook from his pocket and read to her a list
OF the articles and told her that he sent
for them; that they were overlooked that
night in the hurry OF departure aud | sup
pose he made everything very reasonable.
She was very low, nobody being about her
but ladies who knew nothing about the box,
and no one 10 give her advice, and this fell
low being so plausible, she told him where
it was, and the internal miScreant after
getting all, had to search everything to see If
there was nothing else, and she dying
woman. After this fellow and his squad
left, there were various Speculati0ns about
it, / put it up this way at the time This
box contained tue jewelry of the ladies
of the South sent on by them to assist the
Coniederacy. or it was jewellery deposited by
the ladies for safe keeping with the Treas
urer, and at the capture OF Richmond a
memorandum OF the things was found, ana
as they were not in Richmond they were
supposed to be with Mr.. Davis; and when
Mr.. Davis was captured they were not with
him; consequently they had been left some
where on the road. This last fellow reaped
his reward, and he got a fortune
To give you an idea of the value, there was
one brooch, made like humming bird. The
eyes were single diamonds and the wings
were alec studded with diamonds, and it
seemed TO be always III trembling motion,
and every motion seemed to give additional
brilliancy. A few days after Mrs. Moss had
given up the box that noble-hearted Chris
tan woman. Mrs Julia Cade, of Ebert. went
over to see Mrs Moss. She then repeated to
Mrs. Cade all that have stated above about
this box. and she also told her that she had
sent me word to come and see her; that she
had wanted to place the box in my posses
sion for the benefit of her children, as was
the nearest relation of her husband. he be-
ing my uncle and she thought could dis
pose OF it better than anyone else she could
think Of