Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-18
A witch Hazel Rod OF value.


In the year 1864 man named SmartwOOd
made his appearance in NJ tcheil county, Ind,
claiming TO point out buried treasure by the
nse of divining rod. Several farmers en-
plOyed him to go over their lands, but he
failed to turn up anything. here was then
in that county, paying visit to his married
sister. young man named Abner Mills. who
had served for two wears in an Ohio regiment
and had been discharged on account of the
loss of his left arm. His home was near
Urbana, o. He had about $50 in money, and
Of this sum he gave SmartwOOd s35 for n witch
hazel rod and set out to look up buried treas
ure on his own account. When the transact
ton came to be generally known he as the
laughing stock OF the vicinity, and the ridicule
finally became so strOng that he had not the
moral courage to appear among a crowd who
knew him. He afterward asserted, however,
that he had strong faith in the rod from the
outset, and that he looked upon IL only as a
question Of time when it would lead him to
fortune.
One day, after he had tramped over fields
and through the woods for month without
any luck, and when ten or twelve miles to the
north of Salem, he sat down on the bank Of a
creek TO rest. The rod began 10 point TO the
northwest, and after awhile he followed the
dreek down toward the Ohio until he came to
an old saw mill in ruins. He entered this
place TO find beams rotted and roof about to
fall in. AS the rod refused to point to any
particular corner of the building, he laId il
down, took OF his coat and began a search.
Fortwo hours he hunted up and down. spy
ing out every nook aud hiding place, ana was
about TO give up his search when he diseOv-
cred. on the plate between two rafters, a roll
of cloth. That the roll had been there for
some months was evident from ia mldewed
condition. When 10 was unroled Mills found
himself possessed of leathern wallet con-
tanning $1,000 in greenbacks, gold watch, a
locket set with diamonds, and several val
liable diamonds which hao evidently been re-
movedfrOm their settings. The entire hnd
was worth TO him over $1,000.
Believing that he had fallen upon the pro-
ceeds of n robbery, Mills went to Louisville
and notified the proper authorities. They in
turn notified all the important towns along
the river, but not trace Of the owners OF the
property was discovered BY putting this
and that together, however, conclusion was
finally arrived nc. About ten months pre-.
vous TO the arrival OF Mills in Mitchell cOun-
ty, several soldiers enlisting from that county
had been home on furlough. Among them
were several hard cases, and IL was believed
that the property found In the old mill mad
been brought home by one Of them AVID hidden
away against the date OF his discharge from
the army. The jewelry was probably the re-
suit Of some toraglng expedition at the front,
and The greenbacks might have been ACQUIRED
by gambling or robbery, After "A few months
Mills came into legal possession OF everything
and the sum was sufficient o. give the crippled
veteran a good start In life. Though the
rod for that one time certainly led him TO a
treasure, he made no nse OF 10 afterward
much to the disgu't OF aoquaintances, who be-
lieyed that fortune had taken him in her keep
ing.