The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1885-07-04
SPANISH GOLD.
A Party of NIfchiganders START
for New Orleans to UmenrtIa a
Hidden Treasure


A dispatch in the Detroit Ere
Press from Howard City, June 2a
says: The reigning sensation in How
are City has been the fact that a part,
was soon to start for New Orleans Il
cxcavate and reclaim three and one
half millions of dollars which it i
claimed was buried near there som,
seventy years ago by band of pirates
The story is as follows: Lafittc,
noted pirate Of Spanish origin, had I
band of pirates preying on vessels IL
the Gulf of Mexico about the veal
1918. His headquarters for himself
and men was on an island about forty
miles below New Orleans. On this
island Latitte had erected a brick house
and there it was that their prizes and
captured trophies were brought for
secretion.
Things became too warm and risky
for the pirate and his men and it was
decided to bury the gold and silver
concealed in the house. Starting from
the southeast corner of the brick
house on this island and going SO
many rods in the various directions,
using the compass, so as to have the
"signs and tokens in after years cor
rect, they buried at the foot Of Il
gigantic live oak tree four feet below
the surface this unlawfully accumu-
lated wealth. The amount buried was
three and one-half millions of dollars,
composed mostly Of Spanish gold
doubIOons with some English and
American gold and silver. The weight
of this specie was several tons, and it
WAS placed in nine wooden chests. III
luck soon came to the pirates. They
We're driven from their haunts and
killed, with the exception of one man
named Antonia Lafitte died on the
Island of Cuba.
This man Antonia, three weeks he-
fore his death in the city of New Or
leans, called to his side tried and
old time friend, Capt. Crabtrees then
commanding a vessel in the Southern
waters. Antonia related to Capt.
Crabtree the entire details of the bury
ing of the gold, and every mark and
sign by which the place could be dis
covered. Within three weeks from
this time Antonia was dead but not
until Capt. Crabtree had had a second
talk with him about the matter so as
to be perfectly snre of every mark and
sign. Capt. Crabtree went on a for
eign crnise Immediately after Anto-
MAS death and fully explained to
your correspondent, few days ago,
the reasons for his not returning earlier
tn his hidden treasure. He married !
and had large family, and being in
reduced circumstances has never seen
Lhe day that he could stand tho ex-
pense of the trip. Capt Crabtreo, at
he present time, lives twelve miles
northeast of Howard City,
He has been nearly blind for eigh-
een years, is very old man in feeble
lealth, and constantly led by an at
endant. lie has been urging several
prominent business men in this city to
'dvanee money for the expenses of
he party to go there, and last week
he arrangements were completed,
yesterday morning party of four,
including Capt. Crabtree and his eld-
st son, William, started for New Or
cans, where they as confidently be-
ieye they will unearth three and one
alf millions of money as that they
siIl reach their destination. A good
lany citizens were at the train to see
he party off, and opinions are evenly
iyided as to the success of the expe-
ition.