Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-08-28
A MILLION IN A CREST.
How Joe Marshan Came Into Possession
ola Fortune aud Held II for Day.

tune pore the very siNuincant name OF
Vide Poshe (empty pocket, there re-
sides one of the carly French settlers,
Joe Marshall by name.
Joe clings fondly to tho traditions
and supersutionS of tho early French,
and his stories OF events that occurred
In his early life about Carondelet arc
marvellous In the extreme Joe's lit
tic cabin on tho river bank near ELL
wood street is often filled with eager
listeners TO his marvellous stories, and
none of his friends ever question the
veracity of his accounts; for the mo-
ment they do the "Anoient Mariner"
as he Is sometimes called in oonse-
Quence OF his knowledge OF the river
will point significantly TO the door OF
his cabin with the worlds
"lou don't believe 1t you----p
There's the door.
Joe is In the habit OF prefacing his
remarks by stating that he romembers
tho time when the Mississippi was u
creek, II may not be generally known
that Joe was n millionaire for two
whole hours at ono time aud the cir
oumstanoos OF his riso and fall arc bost
.old In his own words,
lit was in tho summer Of 1871
was on the river thon, Tho river was
booming, and II was unsafe to so out
early steamboat days, when ovory ono
travelled by river and tho wharf In St
Louis was lined with boats which stuck
their bows SO close together, In order
10 get TO the wharf at ell. that they
formed n wall along tho river 'front.'
and when n fro broke out on one boat
tho others were SO tightly wodgod In
that escape was impossible, II had
been storming all day, and in the ovcn-
ing tho river was raging torronA
ready TO tear away It's banks or to dash
the hugo trees thai had boon uprooted
by Il In its mad course through tho
hull OF tho steamer that vonturod from
the bank out into midstroam
about niue o'clock that evening =
fire broke out on the lovoo among the
boats, There was n panic, Some OF
the passengers who wore spending tho
night on tho boats In order TO mako
sure of thor statorooms lost their livoe
In the panic which followed and others
left thoir yalunbes Tho loss was im-
mense both In lifo and property, Tho
red glnro of tho fire was distinctly via.
iblo In Vide Poohe and and my part
nor sat up and kept watch on tho river
expecting TO 500 some Of tho passon-
gers OF tho burning boats DRIFT by and
TO rescue them II possible, We
waited long, but no victims OF tho fire.
came. At last rs wo woro about TO
give up the watch, wo saw out In tho
current dark object that appeared to
bo raft, 1t shot swiftly into Wow.
and rs IL passed Ms we could SEQ the
white face of n man holding on 10 o
raft which he had constructed OF four
lifo preservors, and on which he ilont
cd large chest which from tho care
no had taken to place II In safety at
the risk OF his own life, we judged to
be very valuable, We resolved to eavc
him, II possible, and jumping out Into
our stiif we pulled toward him. ~
that moment the raft was caught In
one OF the whirlpools below tho Eli
wood street dixie and was broken TO
pieces. Tho mun lost his hold and
was swallowed In the vortex while the
Ghost, too. went down. We rowed
about the spot to pick up the life pre-
ssrvers which hnd separated, and In
picking up the second one found a
rope attached TO It. My partner want-
cd 10 cut 1t, but | stopped him and
told him 10 save Z 6 ropo, as IL might
DO usoful. He commenced pulling II
In. hut before he had cotton much OF
IL In the boat no called mo TO his
assistance and we worked away pull
Ing in the dead weight ut the othor
end OF the rope. Finally the task was
! finished, and as reward instead OF
tho body of the man whom wo had
! just soen drown before our eyes. we
found we had the chest which no val
ued more than his HE, We hauled II
ashore with more misgIvings an did
not opon II, but put IL carelossly DO.
foro my shanty The next day | had
plenty TO do picking up wrcckago and
/ watching for tho bodies Of those who
had persisted on the boats About D
o'clock in the evening gentleman
drove down to the 5hanty. He seemed
greatly excited. lilo was accompanied
by constable. They asked mo " !
had seen chest floating down the
river Well. 10 make a long story
short tho man was the owner Of tho
chest which contained his whole for
tune more than million, The man
who was drowned was lis brother
who had locked him IN his state room
| 10 perish and tried 20 y 10 OIL with
the treasure in the way crlbed
II told him OF his br' her's death,
and no remarkod Poor follow, I
/ forgive him. and shall not toll father
OF his attempted crime He was u
a member OF ono oil the best families
OF the city Mt the time and nftor TAXI
/ ing me 30 the nearest saloon, whore
we had tho best IN the house, he gave
me 50. 900 10 keep the whole affair quiet
and not 10, his name DO known What
did do with the 81, COOP ! lived like
| a gentleman on IL for year
"Did | ever SEQ tho gentleman
again? Yes, quite often, He Is one
OF the leading men OF New Orleans
tD-dav