The Helena independent., 1889-07-28
TEN THOUSAND IN GOLD.

Hidden Fortune In Pennsy iSania-
Philadelphia Record: Warden Hoyt Of
the Colorado state penitendsry, is in the
city on his way home from g successful
search after hidden fortune in Hunting
don county. he received the information
of the buried treasure fr IN q convict in the
state prison at Canon CITY, Colorado, who
had been sentenced to life term for muir
der. and who died few weeks ago. This
convict was James Hoover, a well-known
resident of Franklin county twenty years
ago.
In lS74 Hoover, 70 avenge 3 wrong done -
his sister by a physician of Frank4.n
county, shot and killed him. Before be
could be spprehended he fled, finally 10
eating at one of the numerous mining
camps In Colorado. There he met a man
named George Simpson, Of Ohio, and the
two, after joining fortunes finally struck it
rich. When the two had amassed a con-
siderable fortune in gold dust and nuggets
Simpson fell i'll and Hoover decamped
with all their wealth. Fearing to remain
longer IN that part of the country he de-
clded TO come east again and brave the
chances OF being arrested for that murder.
The wealth he brought with him consist
ed partly OF gold nuggets, valued at SlO,-
OOO, tied in canvas bag. Hoover fOu d
his parents had moved from Franklin
county To McCOnnellstOwn, Huntington
county, and he went in search Of them,
but his search proceed unavailing, and he
left McCunnellstowu and started ia the di-
rectiOn OF Alexandria, ten miles distant.
When half of this distance had been COW
cred, Hoover became very weary with the
weight Of his treasure, and, stopping by
the wsysice on the farm of Michael L.
Brenneman, he hid his gold nuggets be-
meath the roots of white OAK tree. He
then made a careful draft of the surround
ing country, entering into the minutest de-
tails, and after famlliariZing himself with
the surroundings, resumed his journey.
He stopped at the adjoining farm mouse of
George Miller, where he remained all night
and obtained the names of the owners of
the near-lyinR farms which were included
in his diagram of the locality where he had
secreted his treasure, thus perfecting his
description OF the place.
HOOver's frnitless search for bis parents
continued until the latter part of the year
tlSlsl, when he returned TO Colorado with
out taking with him the gold nuggets
which he had buried on the BrennemAn
farm. On bis second journey 10 Colorado
he encountered Simpson, his former part
ner whom he had robbed, and at first sIght
both opened FIRE at each other. the fracas
resulting in the killing of Simpson. For
this Hoover was arrested, tried aud sent TO
the state penitentIary at Canon City for
life. After serving ten years there he died
last month.
had hidden his treasure in Huntington
county eleven years previously, Hoover
left an autobiography and a will, in which
he bequeathed to Warden HOyt, of the
Canon City peniteDtlary, and to his father,
should the latter be found, all his posses
sions, which consisted principally of his
buried nuggets. Armed with the neces-
sary papers Warden Hoyt came east.
found HOOver'S father in q remote part of
franklin county, and a week ago the two
arrived AZ Huntington in search of the
buried treasure. Going to McCOnnells-
town they followed up the route taken ten |
years ago BY James Hoover, and by careful
Inquiry located IA general way the place |
where the gold was hidden. On Tuesday
of last week they reached the house of /
Michael Il. BrenneGan, and upon exhibit /
ing to him the draft of the ground found to /
their Joy that their search was about to be 1
ly recognized the draft as diagram of his /
property.
The old farmers eyes were then opened |
TO their fullest capacity when he learned /
from the strangers the object OF their visit |
There, within 4 hundred yards OF his |
home, where he had cooled his heated |
brow on countless occasions beneath its |
grateful shade, stood she white oak tree
under whose protecting roots Was hidden
veTitable miae OF wealth
Why" said the agxsisVed Old farmer, i
"when they told me this it fetched kind /
of nZzle over me when | remembered that
l need only TO have stretched my hand out i
to gain fortune :"
And the old mans bewilderment was
still noticeable as he told his story.
leaving Mr.. Brenneman, as be says, /
stupefed by their startling recital, W arden
HOyt and the old man Hoover repaired 10 \
the foot of the white oak tree along the /
roadside. and there beneath its overlapping i
roots, but little covered by the soil, they !
unearthed the golden treasure which
eleven years before James Hoover, the /
fugitive, had hidden. The will, the dia-
gram and the autobiography were all
shown TO Mr.. Brennema0 and bore ample /
evidence of their genuineness and legality. /
George Miller, the neighboring farmer who
Judge Hoover over night
dead but his widow remembered dIstluct
ly the circumstances of the mysterious
strangers brief visit of eleven years ago, |
and the many cOnjectures that were then /
made concern ng his searching Inquiries
of persons and places The value of the /
recovered treasure is gotten from the eSti /
mate given of il in James Hoover's will, |
which places il at about $4,000.