Weekly Chillicothe crisis., 1885-06-25
Searching for Treasure.

Capt. Thomas f. French, Of Atlantic
City, u candidate for the supcrintend-
cncy of the lifc-saving stations on the
Jersey coast, has recently succeeded
in 4 long cherished design-tho pur-
chase of tract of fast land known as
Chestnut neck, on the Little Egg llar-
Dor river, where it is supposed British
gold is buried. The property contains
l25 acres, and is situated in Galloway
township, Atlantic county, about
twelve miles from the ocean, and is
noted for its game and fish. Capt.
French is famous repository of local
lore and droll sea yarns, one of the
latter of which he spun to Vice Prisl-
dent Hendricks the other day at At
lantic City, which threatened TO
asphyxiatc that statesman with laugh
ter.
When boy he was told by an "old
inhabitant" the story of historic
skirmish that took place on the river
at Chestnut neck between party of
colonists and detachment of British
ers for the possession of valuable
English transport ship, This vessel
had been captured off tho coast of At
lantic county by an American pri-
vatcer and afterward run up the Lit.
tie Egg Harbor river to the fast land
at Chestnut neck. Here she was run
around and was supposed to be safe
from tho cohorts of George w. 1t is
said she contained vast quantities of
stores for the British forces then oper-
ating for the subjuSation of the colo.
nies, and it is vaguely limited that she
had on board several chests of gold
for the paymasters OF the English
armies. There was Yendue of her
effects, which lasted for several days
and was attended by the Jerseymen
from miles and miles around.
One dark night, before the auction
eer's hammer had knocked down the
whole of her cargo, the British or
gauized an expedition to recapturo her.
Their barges stole nOiselessly up the
little river, but before they reached
the spot where the transport laid high
and dry the watchful patriots dis
covered them and opened fire upon
them from the banks. One of the
heroes of the midnight battle was
William Gaskill, who was blessed with
cat-like eyes, to see in the dark, and
which popularity is inherited by his
descendants. Tradition says that
every time he blazed away at tho
barges with his old flint lock an oar
dropped into the river. He killed
eleven men.
1t is not now known which party
was victorious, but the transport was
set on fire and burned. At very
low tide her gaunt and charred tim
bers can yet be seen sticking out from
the sand. The recollection of this
episode of the Revolution had been
forgotten by every one except Capt.
Tom French and few old residents.
The captain had for years entertained
the idea of purchasing the wreck and
the adjacent property. Learning that
1t was for sale he quietly bought it.
He is confident that an explanation Of
the wreck will reward the searcher
for his pains.
There have been valuable pieces OF
gold mounted cutlery picked up in the
vicinity of the old hulk. The Town
send Wrecking company, of Somers
Point, has made proposition to Capt.
French to blow up and explore his
marine corpse for so per cent of what
ever of value is found. 1t is believed
that enough copper can be obtained
from her to more than pay for the
trouble of getting it. In a couple of
weeks Capt. French will organize
private expedition and begin active
operations in search of the supposed
treasure. - Philadelphia Record.