The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-08
FREE LEUIS'S TREASURE
A Thrifty Negro who Buried $4,000 and
Died without Telling Where.

In the old ante belum days. when our poo
nle lived in peace and plenty Tho village Of
town OF several hundred inhabitants.
Forty or fifty years ago salem was a resort
for the prominent men OF all that section con:
tiGuouS to the place. comprising portions OF
Oconee then Clarke. Morgan. Greene. and
0gethorpe A tourshing school Of severn!
hundred pupils was located there, and few of
the old men now living in that section spent
their young days at this school. AS the railroads
were built In the country; salem cltl2ens FOL
lation gradually decreased. At a period lust
before tho war. there lived in this quiet little
village an old negro who WAS known as " Free
Lewis" What his reai name was. II Is now
hard to say. as he is only rememhered by few
old GeopS Free eWis b me was hs an hCpest
making money and still the greater faculty Of
saving il. he had once belonged to Mr..
his master II he could buy himself free. His
master told him yes, and named the price,
soO eTis then began saying say hiS 81 money
years he had accumulated tho amount. JOY
fully he went TO his muster and paid the sum-
his trade. for no was carpenter and black
smith. and by hard work aud close living he
This riIc never diminished but daily Increased
as his wages were added to it.,
Just al the approach Of. the late war FREQ
t. ESE BE- Tact well Known y fathe S p sail sail
Mr.. Sweeney smith TO N1d'SonlG" reporter.
h o sS eS mO ae s sfr G e
the beginning of the war" As the war was
drawing nearer. and while yet the thunGors Of
artillery were roady to ,poa forth AT Fort
Sumter. Lewis was suddenly laken III ono
day and diod IN fow hours after bis attbck.
In his dying breath no tried 10 tel his white
friends whero his money was, and al thoy
could catch OF the dying mans words were.
money-in ground"
The thundors OF war shook tho heavens and
Salem's sons marched OIL TO do bRttle for their
country. Calamity they fought Tor tho cause
OF The right. and many lost their lives for the
Southern CON lederacy. The war over the war
riors returned TO their desOato homes. The
men of Salem, stripped o. their property TO-
rendered tho words If " FREQ Lewis" ard at
once began to work for the huriad treasure.
Knowing that Lewis had not u Kinsman in tho
" orld and that the finder woul be entitled to
the money, the men worked with all their
might and power Acre after acre OF land
was turned up by plough. shovel, and pick. and
every rock was upturned but the treasure
was never found. Years have passed away,
whose flying periods have Witnessed other ef-
forts upon the part OF Salems people to dis
cover tho treasure, still the sIOt Is unknown.
To-day $4,000 lie hidden ~ the Guet little
village Of Salem, lust beyond tho picturesque
ApnaRchao liivrr, in Oconce county, and
freo Lewis'h' ,.ecrct is Sleeping In his hum.
Bile grave with his mouldering remains. Tho
memory of Free lawisf' and his treasure
only exists in the minds OF a few old pe .pie Of
that section. and his name is rarely ever heard
That the treasure Is buried in Salem no one
doubts. but the exact spot no one knows.