Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-06
A CAVE FILLED WITH SILVER.

All Attempts to Enter it Have Proven
Sadly Disastrous to the Venturers
The following curious story is creating
much sensation in Elmira, N. Y; A num-
Der of Pniladelphians are negotiating for
the purchase of large tract of land in
the town of Jasper, TiOga county, some
where on which legend has from time out
of mind located a silVer-mine, which the
parties hope to find. On the tract is the
.treasure-caYe," of much local fame.
The legend is that during the French and
Indian war two Quaker brothers by the
name of Dickinson came into the COshOc-
ton Valley to trade with the Indians.
They gained their confidence to such an
extent that the Indians revealed to them
the existence of a silver-mine somewhere
on Benefits creek. The brothers had in
their employ an old servant who had
come with them from Philadelphia. The
QuakerS worked the silver-mines, the ore
Of which was very pure, and hid the
treasure in a cave known only to them
selves, until such time as they could
convey it to Philadelphia.
Near the close of the French and Indian
war stranger appeared at the cabin OF
the Quakers, in the deepest part of the
wilderness. He said he was a deserter
from the French army, and begged TOR
shelter and food. This was given him.
The first night he was in the cabin he
overheard the Quakers talking about
their treasure after they supposed he was
sleeping, and learned that it was secreted
somewhere in the vicinity. He also
learned from their conversation that they
intended to start their servant for Phila-
delphia the next day, and had given him
a message for another brother there
which would inform him as to the hiding
place of the treasure in case anything
should happen to the brothers who were
working the mine. The diabolical
thought entered the mind of the stranger
to murder the Quakers in the morning,
pursue and overtake the servant, murder
him, and secure the message revealing the
place where the treasure might be found.
| He carried out his plans, but upon get
ting possession of the message found that
it was written in cipher. He was unable
to find a key that would solve the mystery,
and haunted by his truitless crime, he
fled to France, taking the cipher with
him. For years he studied it in vain,
| and finally died in a mad-house. This is
the legend of the first settlers in the
| region handed down to their descendants.
In 1920 Gregory Harding settled in the
town of Jasper. He had been there but a
short time when he dreamed that near
/ his place there was a cave, the opening
/ ofwhich was covered by large fiat stone,
upon which was copper kettle. In the
cave was stored enormous wealth in sill
yer, but it was guarded by two ghostly
sentinels. Harding did not investigate
the accuracy of his dream. Shortly after
ward a twin brother Joined him. This
/ brother had a dream corresponding in
every particular with his brothers. The
+ two men searched for the cave. They
found the locality just as they had seen
! it in their dreams, and discovered the
1 copper kettle and the fiat rock, but, re-
membering the spectres that guarded the
treasure beneath it, they did not venture
to disturb it. The next day Gregory
Harding was killed by a tree he was fell
! ing. and his brother was thrown from a
horse and killed. The secret OF the
| caves locality died with them. In 1880
a Methodist minister named Arson Green
came from the Genesee Valley with a wo-
man who had a glass by looking into
/ which she said she could see the secret
/ cave where the treasure of the murdered
/ Quaker was hidden, and its exact loca-
4 ton. They went in search of it. They
| found the spot the woman saw in the
1 glass. and then she was suddenly stricken
! blind and they were obliged to return
without discovering the cave. They
/ stopped for the night at the house of the
Rev. Jededah Stephens, who lived in the
vicinity, where they related what had oc-
/ Cured His son Silas tried the glass and
could see the cave and its locality, but he
was the only one who could see it. His
brother Nathan and himself started next
day to search fer the cave, but as they
neared the spot he became not only blind
but deranged, and the search was neces-
sarily given up again.
All the city is now wide awake and de-
! forrood IN nd tho silver cave