The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-09-06

on the Florida coast. and st. Louis mer-
chants have been asked to help recover
II. says the Globe-Democrat. The exact
location of the treasure is known, and
all that is needed to get it is the requi-
site nerve and energy and the paitry
sum of $4,000 TO At out an expedition.
The directors of the Merchants exchange
have the scheme under their thumb and
are jealousy guarding it lest an enter
prising private citizen grab the good
thing offered and secure the golden
booty The story of the treasure reads
like one of Robert Louis Stevenson's
ronnances. but Is vouched for by the
best of authorities Part of it is told in
a letter that George H. Morgan, secre-
tary OF the exchange, has securely
locked up in a ourglar-proof safe The
letter was received yesterday, and
was directed to the board Of directors.
After being discussed by the board it
was committed to the care of Secretary
Morgan. who allowed several members
TO peruse il without seeing the name
Then. when inquiries began 10 be made
about it and tke interest TO increase, the
secretary concluded to place the pre-
cious communication under lock and key
and await developments. To all en-
treaties after that he was deaf, and the
only information that could be CLEANED
was from parties who had been favored
with the privilege Of peTusal.
The letter is from a prominent Arkan-
sas merchant. II consumes four large
sheets of paper. closely written, and
makes a number Of very bold assertions.
The merchant starts out by telling the
president of the board Of directors OF
the exchange that he needs their aid to
the tune of $4,000 If he did not need it
he would GO ahead and get the gold
himself. UDon his marriage recently. he
saws. he came into possession Of chart,
a map and comprehensive guide to a
portion of the Florida coast where the
money is hidden His wife received the
data from a New Orleans physician sew
eral years ago, just previous to his
death Years before this physician, sit
ting at the deathbed of a poor patient,
had been given the secret as pay for his
services. Twenty years before this
deathbed scene the patient had been in
trusted with the papers by another dy-
ing man in New Orleans. This man
was the last survivor Of the party that
had buried the gold
The history of the sole survivors,
efforts 10 regain possession of the treas
uir Alc iidu utlptu buIN Was a palmetto
one worn out with fatigue he had
landed in New Orleans about the close
of the century. The frightful hardships
he had undergone proved too much
for even his frame of iron, and he was
taken from his sailors lodging house
10 the hospital more dead than alive.
He still kept the precious chart and
map, however, determined to return TO
the Florida coast as soon as conval-
escent. His sickness lasted nearly two
years, and WREN he was finally turned
out or the hospital he was a physical
wreck. With logged perseverance,
however, he set out to prepare for his
expedition after the gold. His appear
ance was against him, though, and men
10 whom he told his story regarded him
as a maniac He all but succeeded
several times, but as each scheme
seemed about TO develop, some untoward
event shattered his plans. The war OF
1912 coming on defeated what promised
10 be his greatest expedition. and after
that he had not the energy to try again.
He kept the papers until his death,
and only then did he resign all hope of
securing the fortune. Dying, he left
them TO his nearest friend, with the
promise that the treasure would De
searched for and found
The same fate. however that had pur-
sued the unfortunate pirate seemed to
follow the second owner of the papers
Try as he might. all his plans went by
the board, and he died es penniless and
as far from the treasure as the man
from whom he got them. Business and
FAMILY interests prevented the physi-
clan from searching for the gold, though
he had always intended To make the
hunt before he died.
The writer of the letter to the ex-
change grows quite melodramatic when
ne describes the events leading up to
the burial Of the treasure. 1t was in
the troublesome days Of the close of the
eighteenth century. he says. when the
gulf of Mexico was still a terror to
owners Of merchnat vessels from the
presence Of the pirates who infested
its roads Of travel and tree-grown isles
Foremost among these marauders was
the Skipper Of Sawyer's Key named
from the coral island upon which he
pitched his rendezvous. and TO which he
usually brought his booty. His craft
La Mort death, was more dreaded
than the cholera or yellow fever for
the skipper knew no mercy. For years
his black flag waved over scenes of
carnage too horrible for pen 20 picture
and the very atmosphere Of the south
western Florida coast was Stunned by
all vessels that did not bear regiments
OF soldiers and double rows of cannon
The last cruise of the pirate was a
singularly successful one. Ii was in the
autumn Of the year, when ships from
South America were bearing TO England,
France and Spain many a rich planters
profits of a twelvemonth. Some of the
ships bore ingots of gold and silver
mined from the southern mountains
Many a fine lady. bedecked with costly
gems. accompanied her lord to the old
world. The same fate that made the
harvests rich and the winds fair caused
dozens OF these vessels to fall into the
hands of the skipper aboard La Mort.
The planters were relieved Of their
money bags and ingots. and the ladies
OF their diamonds and rubies. Before
the cruise was over the skipper had
gathered in over two million dollars
worth Of gold
Finally he started for Sawyer's Key,
there TO divide the booty and spend a
winter in revelry and drunkenness. But
the Ike Of which seldom ever visited
the gulf. swept down upon LaMort and
tore her shrouds from her masts as
though they were but tissue paper. The
helm broke, the masts themselves snap
ped like pipestems IN the hurricane and
large waves rolled from stem TO stern
Of the ship, washing away the bulwarks
and scores Of unfortunate seamen. With
all haste the longboat was launched and
a few OF the crew loaded in the treasure,
a few provisions and a supply Of water
and resigned themselves to the mercy or
the waves. The storm lasted three days
and at the end only four OF the crew
lived. The skipper was among the sur
vivOrs. and directed that the treasure be
buried. A spot was selected near Ponce
de Leon bay, where they were washed
ashore. and with great toll and trouble
a hole was dug and the money planted.