Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-07-22
A FAIRY TALE


NV YoRx, July al--A sensational
,tIry is brorgh! TO this city Of the dtding
of an enormous treasure in one Of the sub
terraneAn vaults Of the old castle Of San
ADtoaio, Af Rio Jaaeiro, Brazil. where il
h.d lain hidden since some time in the last
century. Ell CAIreo de Caracas, published
si Caracas, Venszusls, in It's issue Of Joly
l, gives \ desailsd secouat OF The discovery
10 an article which occupies almost the en-
tire front psge Of tue newspaper. Accord
ing 10 this account the find was made
by the chief engineer who has been fer
sometime engaged in the demolition of the
Castle San Antonio. Befo-e it was con-
vsrted into q castle San Antonio vas =
monastery nader the control Of the Jesuits
and il WAS during this period Of its history
that the treasure is supposed TO have been
hidden. Uhdsrnessh the castle are vaults
built like The corridors Of . mine and in
one Of these q large number OF cases,
chests and buudlss were discovered. The
contract for the demolition of the csstie
stipulated that in the event of 4 discovery
Of any pre- cious metals half of the treasure
should belong to the state. Accordir ely
the engineer IN charge promptly notified
the Brazilian government, making q state
ment of the fed aud soliciting the tfiic.sl
sdvice and assistance. The memorandum
Of the engineer enumerated the following
articles rs taken from the vaults; One
hundred and twelve wooden boxes. with
iron clasps ard ihree locks on each, ard
apiece. Fur csst-iron th ,sts, weighing
sacks, sewtd, weighing 80 kiios
srat a .,I parE-
apes Of parchment, with total weight of
ps,ers. Twsnty six packages slightly dam
aged, Au examination of the contents OF
these chests and packages resulted 10 =
most astonishing hud. The il2 wooden
cases contsined gold money to the value OF
about SO. COO 900. in the shape Of old
Portuguese cruz.d9s tsncient mir IL,
worth about so cents eacb), and The AZ
couoiirg Of the treasure WAS verified by
documents found in the cases. Among the
papers found was a receipt of Frier
Dessrte Anton, superior of the Order
of ,Iesuits. acknowledging having received
so, 900 000 cruz ados in gold, TO be turned
over 10 Don Johl ", as q tribute of honor,
upon his voyage to Brazil. These twenty
millions out of the seventy millions found,
together with 2500 Kilograms of geld
powder contained In the four iron chests,
and 945 kilos Of gold bars, ve,s SIS
and richly worked ornaments, where
TO have gone TO Portugal aboard
tie royal squadron OF csrayels and
galleons which, under the COZ m md
of Don Sebsntisn, was to touch at brazil
en- route to Lisbon. II is said that when.
in the last century, the Marquis of Pombsl.
The great Portuguese Statesman, denapded
the remittance of the above nsmed sum,
Father Anton buried the treasure il the
vaults OF his monastery. and denied that ii
had ever been il his possession, deelar-
ing that it had been taken sway during the
previous reign. In consequence OF this
denial-which did not deceive the Mar
quls-,he Jssuits were expelled from Btszl
aud Portugal. The 26 packages were
found to contain n variety OF precious
stones. whose value cannot be stated, IS
they have not yet been appraised, excep.
that II must be enormous, The excavations
about the castle are not yet been fioishe1,
and new discovery of new treasures is
not impossible.