Mexico weekly ledger., 1886-12-02
BURIED TREASURE.
A Cuban Refugee Hides a Fortune
in q New York Park.
His ~Checkered Career After His Flight and
subsequent Return to Ro-
mantle Story Whose Truth Is Souchea
For by u Reputable Firm.

-hstNA A'S
Subsequent Return to HAVANA Ro-
mantle Story Whose Truth Is Souched
For by u Reputable Firm.
IN. Y. World.1
The attempts from time to time 10 locate
the spot where Captain Kid buried his ILL
gotten gains, and the unearthing of acre
after acre of real estate with the hope of
coming across the treasure chest of the il
lustrious pirate, is familiar to all. The
scene of the search for gold is likely to be
transferred to Central Park with the pub
LEGATION of the following romantic story.
A firm of reputable lawyers in Broadway
will vouch for the truth of this story:
At the end of the year 1879 or 1880 Senior
Don Juan Alvarez (the name is fictitious,
as the attorneys for the family deem it jul
dicious to withhold the real name un-
til the mystery is cleared up). a de-
scendant of one of the oldest and
nObiest families of Spain, then living in
Havana, was the leader of one of the rev
olutionary parties of Cuba. Its chief aim
was to overthrow Spanish dominion and to
make the island of Cuba independent of
the mother country. a w~elLconceived
revolutionary movement was being quietly
prepared when Alvarez, betrayed at the
last mOme by a confederate to the Span
Ash police. was forced to fly for his life.
With the assistance of his political friends
he managed to leave the island disguised
as a steward on board of an outgoing
pleasure yacht belonging TO ali English
nobleman. As soon as his flight became
known all his fortune and real estate were
confiscated by the police.
Alvarez was of a philosophical nature
and felt but little disheartened at this mis-
fortune. He remained on board the yacht,
whose owner was ignorant of the rank and
title of his steward, for many months,
travelling around the world, when, finally.
tired of his new life, he left the English
lord when the yacht touched at Alexan-
dria, Egypt, and there obtained the posi-
tion of intendant to q rich Turkish mer-
chant In this capacity he remained as
satisfied as ever, when a new Incident oc-
CURED in his e%ventful career.
Arabi-Bey made his coup d'efat: the Eli
glish bombarded Alexandria,, which, be-
fore its surrender, was pillaged by the ma
lives. During the pillage AlvareZ's life
was spared, but his master, the Turkish
merchant, was killed, his house ranSackei
and every object of value contained in it
stolen. When the English re-entered the
town and order was again restored AL
TareZ found himself safe but penniless;
his earnings, which he had accumulated
since he loft Havana, having been stolen,
together with tho merchants money.
Alvarez remembered that the merchant,
at the beginning of the bombardment,
had gone down to the cellar and remained
there u long time. The idea suggested to
him was that the merchant, who was very
wealthy, might have hidden a part of his
fortune in the cellar. Watching his OPP
%portunity. Alvarez went down to the cell
lar, and, after searching, found a tin box
containing gold pieces and notes of the
Bank of England, which, all together,
were worth, in American money, about
one hundred and thirty thousand dollars.
This he appropriated, knowing that the
merchant had no relatives, and then, be-
ing again the owner Of q fortune, his mind
turned to his own country, to Havana,
where, before leaving, he had left a young
]senorita to whom he was engaged.
He left for London and from there took
passage for New York. Arriving in this
city, he Immediately made arrangements
to go to havana. His fortune he had I'M
til then carried in n belt around his waist,
but on the eve of his departure for Havana
he thought it imprudent to carry so much
money to q country from which he had
gone as q fugitive, and where, if recog-
nized, although now somewhat changed in
appearance, he would undoubtedly he ar
rested. He knew from experience that if
this was done his money would be confis-
Gated. Distrustful by nature, and not
knowing a soul in New York, he went to
the only public place he knew-Central
Park-and there buried his fortune, which
amounted to S1lO, 900.
The next day Alvarez sailed for Cuba.
where, as he had feared, he was recog.
nized, arrested and the money he had
about him, nearly so, 0O0, confiscated. The
authorities placed him in Jail. fixing his
ransom at $50, 900.
The young girl to whom he had been en-.
gagged learned of his return, and visited
him several times in the prison. He re,
lated to her his adventures, and they con.
Guided the best thing for them to do was
for her to go to New York, with the neces.
sary instructions, to unearth tho money
buried in the park, bring it to Cuba, pay
his ransom, and together they would leave
the country with the remainder of thei,
fortune. But, as she knew nothing about
New York or, in fact, a word of English
Alvarez resolved to write TO a gentleman
well known in this city and whose reputa
tion is equally as we'll known in Havana
and ask him to escort her during her stay
in this city, promising for his trouble a lib
eral remuneration.
This was lone and shortly thereafter
favorable reply came from the RESPONSE
bic New York citizen. In the correspond
ence between Alvarez and the laxye,
which was shown the reporter, though the
fact of the money he buried was stated, ne
mention or clue was given as to the spot
Alvarez evidently not caring to in
trust the secret TO any one excep
the young lady. All arrangements were
made for the young lady's departure ans
her reception i'll this city, when Alvarez
who had contracted a malignant disease
in Egypt and whose treatment in the Gu
ban prison was almost barbarous, dice
suddenly before he could reveal to hi
sweetheart tho hiding-place Of his fortune
Aftor his death a thorough search wa
made among his effects in the hope o
finding some information which Nigh
lead to the discovery of the money. /
trunk, which had boon seized by the Cuban
police, contained several plans aud dia
grams supposed to have some reference t.
bne nlliflk place III central Iark. I'M
fact coming to the ears of q few of Alva
REFS friends, a sufficient amount of money
was paid to purchase tho trunk, and
fuller explanation of the drawings re
vealcd them to be a plan of the fortified
tons about Havana. All further attempt
proving futile, the hope of ever securin.
the money was abandoned, and in all like
lihood will always remain so.
In concluding this strange story of Alive
REFS wealth it might be well to state tha
the park police have been given strict or
ders to arrest any one seen entering tn
park with q pick or shovel.
STRANGER THAN FICTION.
fhe Peculiar Story Developed in n Penn
sylsania Registers Omce.
IReadiug pa Special
A strange story was developed in Count
Register Struuk's office recently whel
judith Pauley, a lady seventy years old
set forth by petition that a fter forty year
had elapsed she discovered at last hi he
husband, whom she had mourned as den,
during all that time, was not dead, bu