Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1890-07-11
FREE LEWIS TREASURE.
A Thrifty Negro Who Buried $4,000
Without Telling Whore.

Without Telling Wherc.
In the old ante-bellum days, when our
people lived in peace and plenty, the
village of Salem, Oconeo County, S. c.,
was fourishing little town of several
hundred inhabitants.
Forty or fifty years ago Salem was a
resort for tho prominent mon of all that
section contiguous to tho place, COM
rri5inI; portions of Oconee (thcn Clarle),
Morgan, Greene and Oglethorpe. A
iloTriShing school of several hundred
pupils was located thorc, and few of
the Old mon now living in that section
spent their young days at this school.
AS tho railroads were built in tho coun-
try. Salcm's citizens followed tho wake
OF tho iron horse, and her population
gradually decreased. At period just
before the war, thero lived in this quiet
little village an old negro who was
known rs "Frcc Lewis" What his real
ra!no Was, it is now hard to say, as no is
only remembered by few old people as
''Froo Lewis" He was an honest, hard
working negro, and had tho knack of
making money and still tho greater
faculty Of saving it. He had once be-
l3nGCd To = Mr.. Sweeney, of Salem. Ono
day nc carelessly asked his master il he
could buy himself free. His master told
him yes, and named tho price, 81 1000.
Lewis then began saving his money,
earned at odd times, and at tho end of a
few years he had accumulated tho
amount. Joyfully he went to his master
and paid the sum. Freed from tho fet-
tors OF slavery, Lewi0 began his trade,
for be WAS q carpenter and blacksmith,
and by hard work and close living he
soon had a small amount of money laid
H&iGc. This pile never diminished, but
t.aily increased as his wages werc added
to 1T.
just at the approach of tho late war
FREQ Lewis had in actual gold 81, 900.
This is said to be fact we'll known.
"Aly father" said Mr.. Sweeney Smith
t. Il Mndisonian reporter, had counted
this money over timo after timo for old
Proc Lowis,' and no had just $4,000 at
tho beginning of tho war AS tho war
was drawing nearer and while yet tho
thundcrS of artillery werc ready to peal
forth ut Fort Sumter, Lewis was sud-
denly taken i'll one day and died in
few hours after his attack. In his dying
breath he tried to tell his whito friends
where his money was, and all they
couid catch Of tho dying mans words
wcrH: "Aloncy-in--ground.
Tho thunders of war shook tho
h0avcns and Salcms sons marched off
to do battle for their country. Gallant
~ they fought, and many lost their lives
f3r tho Southern Confedcracy. The war
over. the warriors returned to their dos.
oiGto bones. The men of Salem,
stripped of their property, remembered
tho words of "Froc LOWS" and at once
began b work for the buried Treasure.
Knowing that Lewis had not kinSman
III the world and that tho findor would
be entitled to tho money, tho mon
worked with all thcir might and power.
Acre after acre OF land was turned up
by pillow. shovel and pick and ovcry
rock w::G upturncd, but tho treasure was
never found. Years have passed away,
whose lying periods navo Witnessed
other efforts upon tho part OF Salcm's
people to discover tho treasure, still tho
SPOT is unknown.
To-day $4,000 lie hidden in tho quiet
h,&ic village Of Salem just beyond the
picturesque Appalachcc river, in Oconee
County, and "I'rcc Lewis" secret is
Htc"9;mm III his humble grave with his
n0ldrrinT remains. The memory of
"rrrG wis" and his treasure only eX-
ISIS III til" minds of q few old people of
that section and his namo is rarely ever
heard.
That tho treasure is buried in Salem
I" on" doubts, but tho exact spot no one
!:nows.