The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-17
a TALE OF BLOOD AND GOLD.
The Second and Final Chapter in a
Search for stolen Gold Dust.


search Tor stolen Gold Dust.
From the Rocky Mountain Ne,ss.
The story has been told in the columns OF
the NeIOs Of the strange adventures of the
prospector, Robinson, who recently arrived
in Coeur d'Alene town in Idaho with his
coyuse loaded down with enough gold dust
to start bank. He brought out sS6, 900
and reported finding great quantity OF
dust that had been buried by robbers In the
Bitter Root mountains thirty years AGO.
With suitable guard he at once set out
into the wilderness of the Clearwater coun-
try to bring out the balance Of the treasure
about 1865, 600
The expedition, after passing through in
credible dangers and hardships. has arrived
safely IN Lewiston, Idaho, and the money
rests at last in a colossal bark safe.
One Of the men who accompanied the ex-
pedition, whom we shall call Anderson. has
returned to the Ceur d'Alenes and thus
tells OF the extraordinary adventures that
befell the party.
when l was asked TO join the party. u
said Anderson, with an air of pardonable
pride, II was told that only men OF tried
nerve, unquestionable integrity and un-
Hinching courage should compose the puard
The wages were large and the dangers unS
questionably very great. Each man on the
force received $50 day and expenses. We
had fourteen guards, armed to the teeth and
well mounted; twenty-five pack mules and
five trained packers, the whole cayalcade
being under the charge of Robinson. the
man who found the 5000, 900 cache of the
robbers. This guard was necessary, as we
anticipated being waylaid by highwaymen.
Think Of it We proposed TO convey
over $500, 900 in ready cash through a vast
wilderness and sparsely settled region, and
the purpose OF our expedition was pretty
thoroughly noised abroad before we started.
Fhe wonder is that we ever ESCAPED with
our lives, TO say nothing of protecting the
treasure.
Gas the snow was already too deep to 20
into the country by way of Montana and
the st. Regis valley (the nearest route to
the cache) We were obliged to take a wide
detour through the state of Washington.
Then, passing through the Potlatch coun-
try, we forded the north fork of Clear
water at It's junction with the south fork.
on the Nez Perez reservation, and entered
upon the historic Lo Lo trail, which would
take US to our destination.
'Our camp every night had the appear.
auce Of veritable fertilization. Martial
law was the rule Of the camp. Seven
guards were on duty while their associates
slept. We were all 10 a strange state of ex-
element, and as we entered the wild region
back of the reservation, in what Is known
as the Weippe country, and began to meet
on the lonely trails Indians and uncouth,
savage looking backwoo1s men, for one be-
gan to wish l hadn'E come.
well, our trip into the mountains was
uneveutful enough, although the snow
proved terrible obstacle Gt was then late
in November). We found it impossible to
get nearer than within twenty miles Of the
cache so we made snow shoes and sleds. and
leaving two men to guend the animals. we
set off for the cache. Snow was falling CO.
piously. Our camp was far up in the range,
and had it not been for the abundant supply
of grain we had brought with us our ami
mails would certainly have persisted of STAR
walton. The necessity for haste in securing
the cash and getting out of the mountains
before the snow rendered travelling impossi.
BILE added not a little to our excitement and
agitation.
without suspicion of impending cal
amity Except on the part of our leader; he
believed that we were being followed. our
party set forth. Before we had gone Ave
miles party of twenty masked men swooped
down on our camp, killed the two guards.
took possession of the premises and there
laid wait for our return.
Meanwhile we proceeded up the mount
ain to the robbers cache. We were sup-
piled with long Norwegian snow shoes and
drew a hand sled with broad runners upon
which we proposed to load the 5000 pounds
of gold dust.
SIN due time we reached the cache and
so thoroughly bad Robinson marked the
spot that he had no difficulty in finding it.
With shovels we cleared away six feet of
snow, made an excavation, and behold the
pile Of moldY old buckskin sacks filed with
the precious dust lay before US.
"Ah, gentlemen, who can explain the in
toxicating, maddening influence of goldq
II.
the frail human hearth Since my return
from this terrible expedition have had a
tender feeling for the old pirates of bygone
days. They were madmen and prao-
ticslly irresponsible. AS we looked
upon that colossal fortune in
that lonely mountain glen, with the thick
storm sweeping around US. and no one to
take notes OF our exploits, no ears to hear
the death cry of victims suddenly smitten,
only the tall, senseless forest trees to behold
a possible;deed Of horror and injustice each
man stared horribly at bis neighbor. Once,
when one OF my associates, close friend of
mine, too. made some uncertain motion, my
blood froze; actually thought for an in
slant that he proposed to butcher as ali in
order to seize the treasure The nightmare
history of the stuff rose before our fancles
wildly. How easily. then, we appreciated
the motives OF the two soldiers, who, in
the old lawless days Of 1862, slaughtered
their associates near the very spot in
order to seize this same heap of useless
gold. How leniently we judged them
The horror of that tragedy In some way
seemed lessened; we were all under the
same spell that led those men to stain their
souls with crime. For few moments we
all looked with horrible apprehension upon
the actions of our companions half expect
ing that murder and treason would be done.
But soon our senses returned; we remem-
bered the perils Of our situation and q
wholesome and loyal determination to do
our duty wiped out the. hideous suspicious
of our minds.
Transferring the pretty yellow stuff to
stout canvas sacks, we loaded the 5000
pounds on our sled and lost no time in
leaving the accursed spot through thick
storm Of snow.
"And now the cunning generGlship of our
leader became apparent Always on the
alert, he seemed now incapable of taking
rest or Sleep We were within few miles
OF the camp when Robinson halted the pro-
cession and called council of war.
Gentlemen said Robinson, If we
have been followed it is more than likely
that the enemy has captured the camp and
Is lying in wait for as. ! have prepared for
this contingency. | have marked out
route which will leave the camp few miles
to the right. Now we will follow this
route, go into hiding in a certain cave that
know Of, then send a man back to camp
to see il all is well. II it is, we will then
proceed homeward with all speed. If it is