The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1889-08-21
CAPT. Npp's BURIED TREASURE.
A Comfortable fortune Unearthed ~ Al
Old Farmer In Massachusetts,.

A Comfortable Fortune Uneaft7had hR 4
Old Farmer In Massachusetts,.
/ Many fruitless attempts have beer
made by visionary and optimistic peo
pie to find the treasures said to have
been buried by Capt. Kidd and Other
buccaneers Of the New England coast
and along the Hudson and Connecti-
cut rivers. But there is only one au-
thenticated story of the discovery OF
it subsequently that | know Of, says a
Great Darlington, Mass, correspond
emit of the New York Herald.
About the year 1916. and from that
time until 1924, there lived In the town
of New Marlboro, Mass, an old far
mer named Allison Mills.
He had two yoke Of oxen and an old
mare, Nance" by name. with which
to do his farm work on the 14J acres,
about half arabic and iialf woodland.
He had two stout boys, aged 16 and
Is, and pretty and buxom daughter.
Susie, about 20 years of age, toward
whom the stalwart farmer lads OF the
section were attracted.
About 1918 three strangers drove up
to Mills house one afternoon and said
that they were searching for iron
mines, and asked him what he would
charge to let them dig quietly over
one or two fields. The farmer looked
his visitors over and told them that
about $40 would be fair thing. One
of the men was about IS years of age,
and had a military aspect; the other
two were young.
Aftar a,snnar thar mt Nv, kI,a;,. l. $3.50.
and paid old man Mills his $40, and
told him that they would probably 20
away during the night, and they asked
that as little as possible be said to the
neighbors of their movements.
Mills agreed, and the parties took
their mineral rods, pickaxes and the
like over into the back lot, not far
from what is now known as Lake
Buol. Mr.. Mills and his family never
saw them again. but the next day It
was seen that they had by moonlight
dug at several points in the field. but
there were no indications that they
had found any treasure.
For the next two years parties came
from abroad and asked permission TO
search for minerals. Many % and
$40 bill did the old man receive from
treasure-seekers. 1t seemed as II old
man Mills made more money out OF
the operation than anyone else.
In the spring of 1920 the old man
made up his mind that he would plant
corn in the cold back lott As he was
blowing the point Of the pillow caught
in something and the old man With
drew it and saw that he had flashed
up broken pot lid. He stopped. and
with pickax went to work and soon
unearthed q heavy iron pot.
It was then about o'clock in the
afternoon, and the old man started up
his team and continued his work.
Three times around and he struck
another iron pot in the same manner.
This he took out and placed with the
other. IL was then after 5 o'clock
and the sun was yet over an hour
high.
: Twice more the old man plowed
around, and then as the sun was near
setting he called his boys and told
them that II WINS quitting time. They
thent sxamined theit A~A -snd ~ el1
leather apron 1here were 200 pounds
or more of what seemed TO be yellow
ish or c0pper-colored bars about the
size of old-fashioned harrow teeth.
That night the old man hitched up
his mare and drove toward Hartford.
where he arrived next morning. He
effected an exchange of his harrow
teeth, which were actual bars of gold.
for about $50. 900 in good bank notes
and gold and silver coin.
n.,.s., ~ Ii ot.on.na
kept the oxen at work and had plowed
over surprisingly large piece Of
ground, but they had found nothing,
nor was there ever anything found
after that.
From 1920 on the Mills family SEEM
ed to be very prosperous The boys
had nice horses and saddles and wore
Suwarrow boots, which at
that time marked the gentleman in
apparel. Susie went away to school
and came back a highly accomplished
young lady. Soon after she married
q merchant from Hartford, and the
old man was elected colonel Of the
state militia, and he bore his military
honors proudly.
But he never lost his thrifty disposi-
ton. From time to time many search
ers after treasure came and wanted
permission to dig for minerals In the
old back lot. The old man used TO
collect the $40, but was conscientious
enough to say: II don't believe you
will find enough to pay you for your
trouble, gentlemen And so far as
learned they never did.
It was not until fifteen or twenty
years later that the story came ont.
and even then the Mills family used to
be perfectly astonished when asked
whether or not it was true that gold
bars were found in the old back lot.
But that the family showed the out
ward and visible marks Of prosperity
was fixed fact.
1t was supposed that the gold bars
were buried during the revolutionary
war probably by some one In the Brit
ish army, and that the military-look-
ing man who first came was one that
helped TO bury it, or else knew very
nearly where It had boon placed. Bnt
the money fell into good hands, and il
is said that the descendants Of the
Mills family are to-day protiting by