The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-08-07
A SEARCH
For the Hidden Treasures of the
Murrell Gang,
That is Now Being Prosecuted in Adams
County by a Party of Young
Men From the East.

| PORTSMOUTH, o., July 30.-The peonle in
| the ncighborhood Of Wrightsville, small vii
| lage thirty miles below here, in Adams county,
are in state of wild excitement over the an
| pearance OF three yonng gentlemen who are
there from the east to search for treasures sup
| posed to have been buried near that place by
river pirates in the earlier part of the century.
just back of the village of Wrightsville, set
back against the rocky cliff and surrounded
by forest trees on every side except the front,
stands an old mansion of the aFcAtecture and
handiwOrk of three or four ger srations ago.
The building has long since fallen a prey to
decay, and looks gloomy and weird in its soi-
tude beneath the drapery of the surrounding
forest.
1t is two-story structure with basement,
and running back from this latter apartment
are two large cellars-gloonny, damp, moldy,
and gradually filing up time and heavy rains
having rotted away the picketing that formed
tho walls, and given free egress for dirt and
stone TO invade and fill up tho once roomy
vaults. From the long, broad porches, now
frail, rickety and far on the road to ruin, the
view is a most charming one. A rill that leaps
over small cascade near the house leaps
down the hill and halts at the base long
enough TO form brook, which, in its peaceful
course through green fields, can have no more
apt comparison than thread of silver running
at random through pattern of emerald plush.
From the Old building the hills diverge in
graceful angles, opening tho valley lands like
tor. Far away the Ohio runs, a blue crescent
its clear water rejecting the deeper azure and
golden lights of the great canopy above. Be-
yond are the Kentucky hills, green III the rich
Yerdure OF their yielding grasses and dotted
with handsome Durhams, fine draught horses
and fleet racers, all forming pleasing and
appropriate background to picture of happy
prosperity and oontentment.
Tradition has it that this house in the earlier
days of our history was the headquarters of
band OF river pirates and outlaws of the Krill
and Murrell stamp, and there is much in
history to bear out this idea 1t was in those
days the resort of people whose tendencies
were toward the arstocratic to a far greater
extent than their simple surroundings would
seem to warrant. Summer after summer
acknowledgement persons came on the river
IN barges, or rode across the country on fine
horses, TO spend the season in peace and
pleasure. The place was presided over by
lady OF foreign birth, who possessed rare cul-
ture and intelligence, and a charm of manner
which captlvated all who claimed the honor of
meeting her. She had three sons all fine
looking, handsome fellows, bearing the I'M
doubted evidence of fine blood and high breed
ing. The story of Blennerhassett was st i
fresh in the minds of the people who lived IN
that vicinity, and they, in their simplicity,
never questioned but that the occupants of the
house on the hill were nobility, banished from
some land beyond the sea-
This splendid condition of life at the house
continued for years, and then the ending came
as suddenly and as startingiy as clap of thun-
der heralds the lightning'S ruin. Esculapia
Springs were just beginning to attract atten-
ton, and several cottages were erected about
them by the owner of the land for the use of
those who desired to spend a season there. One
spring the finest and roomiest of all these was
engaged by the lady of the Wrightsville place.
and III few days she came, with her sons and
their guests, and took possession They lived
in princely style, but so exclusively that their
history was Just as much of secret there as it
n no ar tbnfr 10
The following August, on bright afternoon
party OF horSemen in the uniform of the
American army rode up to the Wrightsville
place. They found it deserted. The one sem
tinel left to look after the place had espied
their coming, and secreted himself After
searching the premises the party retired to the
bottoms, where man was at work, to learn
the whereabouts of the absentees. They were
informed of the locality and the man was en-
gagged to pilot them to the Springs.
The quick ear of the watchman had heard
their mission, however, which was to arrest
the occupants of the house for counterfeting
and robbery, and he started Immediately for
the Kentucky shore, and then plunging into
the forest made his way directly to Esculapia.
The following morning the woman and her
family and friends were gone They had
taken with them such articles of value as they
could carry, and so earthly concealed their
tracks that nothing could be learned Of their
course or destination.
1t then transpired that the woman, whose
name was Martin, was in league with one of
the worst bands on the Ohio and Mississippi
rivers, and that her sons were among the most
daring raiders of the lot
The house at Wrightsyille which had been
left by the soldiers under guard, was thor
oughly searched, but nothing of value was OBJ
tanned aside from the household effects, the
robbers having evidently concealed everything
of moneyed or treasure character before
leaving.
The grounds about the house were afterward
honeycom bed by searchers after the hidden
treasures but nothing was found, and in time
all memory of the robber clan passed from the
public mind
The presence Of these young men at this
time has given rise to much speculation con-
corning their movements. The prevailing
idea is chat they have lately come into infor-
nation that may lead them to the discovery of
the hidden wealth. AT any rate, it is not
probable that they would be here without
some tangible basis upon which to work, and
further movements and developments are
anXiously awaited by the peonle among whom
the history of the old house and its occupants
have been so suddenly and so strangely re-
vived
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