Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-06-30
a Gold Finder.

/ A correspondent Of the New York Sur
writes e. follows Of resident Of Middlebury
CT:
| His pams l. Ebenezer Worcester. He 4
about 50 years old, Of remarkably sturdy
build and intelligent features, and uses good
| language, intefspersed occasionally perhaps
With ..be gosh in genuine Yankee style.
| Some years ago he obtained from party Of
ranged that With them he could locate both
| gold and silver-one instrument for each
metal The knowing ones looked upon him
| and said that he was daft when he told them
about his powers.
Peoples jokes At his expense are now be-
ginning to decrease Recently q man from
Norwich came TO him to test his powers
Taking him TO the proximity of q national
bank, be asked how much gold there was in
the neighborhood. The instrument pulled
towards the bank and indicated Sl5. 600.
INQUIRY at the bank revealed the fact that
they had that day received $4,000 in gold.
The Norwich man then took him down the
sound TO the neighborhood of the place where
the Lexington went down with large amount
of gold. Divers have for some time been
trying TO locate the spot. among them Cap
tsin Scott, under the direction Of DR. Swift.
The instrument pointed towards the wreck 1t
. distance of eight miles and revealed the
very place where the vessel had gone down.
Word was ut once sent to relative Of the
Norwich man who is diver 10 Mexico, and
he il nov on his way here to search for the
booty.
Mr.. worcester's powers have frequently
been tested in private houses. and in one case
revealed the location of $3.50 which had
stolen and hidden in q drawer by one Of the
inmates of the house yea
OF late he has been attracting considera
BILE attention BY his delving on what is known
a. the Benedict lot. This Was formerly q
sandbank, owned by the late Aaron Benedict,
OF the firm of Benedict & Burnham. II was
levelled by steam-shovel to make room for
the Waterbury Watch Companys famous
factory. There is story here that 70 years
ago two pirates came from Fort Peekskill,
NJ H.. with large amount of gold which
they buried in this hill while they went on to
Boston. When they returned, marksfof in
dication had been lost, but Squire Frederick
j. Kingsburv, ST., remembers having gone
with them at the time with the owner Of the
property while they dug for the hidden gold.
They claimed that there was $4,000 in an
iron pot without having been enlightened as
to the story Farmer Worcester was brought
TO tue place, anu hekcu II Oc COulu iOCdtc Tic
gold After making the test he said that
there was about S20, 900 there somewhere.
Not until after the hill had been levelled did
he obtain permission to do any digging.
Then he found that part of the gold had been
carried away in the refuse. Going to the
place where this had been dumped, he sue
ceeded in finding few dollars. Now he has
commenced operations in earnest on the
Benedict lot. He has dug down some twelve
feet, notwithstanding the ridicule of the
whole community. At last his patient toll
has been rewarded by the finding of several
pieces, worth about 500 each, and coined in
the early part Of this century. The result is
that one or two offers, he says, have been
made to him tor the right to prosecute his
search in that place, but he refuses them all
and is very confident Of obtaining his fortune
here.
A California gentleman called on him the
other day and offered him a large sum if he
would go with him to the gold regions. He
will consider the proposition.