The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-24
OLD oRRIN IS GONE.
he Hunted Buried Treasures Until He
Went Daft and Vanished.
from The 81. Louis Republl

from the ~. Louis hepubHc.
GAINESVILLE Tenn, Sept. 1G.-The mys-
FERROUS disappearance Of old Orrin Bal
lard, an old-time ex-slave, possibly so
years Of age, has caused much comment
in the neighborhood near Port Royal, in
this county in which he lived so long, as
he was one of the oldest, as well as most
superstitious darkies ever living in this
section. For years old Orrin has been in
diligent search of buried treasure said to
have been hidden in the hills around Par
sons creek, and it is the opinion Of some
that he unearthed money and has at last
been made away with by unknown par
ties who may have obtained it.
At the breaking Out of the war between
the states there lived an aged planter on
one Of the hills near Parsons creek by
the name of Iachariah Grant He was
known to be very rich for those days,
owning over 100 slaves, about 1000 acres
Of land and possessing much gold and sill
yer. Often he would come through the
city from trading expeditions with both
sides Of his saddle bags well filled with
the glittering coins, and always took the
money TO his country home
A while after the war began there
were many bushwhackers, or guerrillas,
who infested that neighborhood, stealing
and robbing from planters, and not doing
the country any good by their services.
One day band of these outlaws, said TO
have been composed of men of the neigh
borhood ami well-known TO old man
Grant, went to his stables on a raid for
horses, as he had many fine riding ami
mails standing in his stalls. Farmer
Grant, who was rabid secessionist and o.
bitter hater Of guerrillas-more so If any,
thing than Yankees determined to de-
fend his property at ali hazards, and Sc
curing his rife went TO the stables and
dared any one of the intruders to lay
hands on an animal to take it off on pen
atty of his life. Seeing no other way to
accomplish their purpose, and not wish
ing TO be deprived Of the stock. the guerril-
las assassinated Grant, helped themselves
to his property and were permitted to de-
part unmolested by the numerous negro
slaves.
Thus the old planter died without dis
closing the whereabouts Of his money
to anyone and even his children never
derived aany benefit from it. The lost
money preyed upon the ignorant mind OK
the old negro Orrin, and he schemed and
brooded over the matter until he be-
came almost a manOmaniac on the subject,
always declaring that the devils kept him
from finding the lost riches He dug in
the hills. on the creek banks and in the
woods almost continually for years living
IN cabin on the plantation Of one Of old
man Grants sons, who fed and clothed
him. There are numerous excavations
made by this old darby all over the
farms adjacent to that portion OF Par
sons creek but no one knows whether he
ever found money or not Old Orrin In
latter years was considered dangerous at
times, as he has been known to attack
persons interested with his orgies when
he would be sitting in front of his cabin
fighting imaginary spirits and devils, who
he declared were harassing his life out OF
him and preventing his getting rich.
He was a terror TO the credulous
negroes of the neighborhood, and not one
of them would venture by his cabin aloue
after dark and many would not go in the
daytime for fear OF being bewitched like
they said he was What has become Of
old Orrin Ballard may never be known,
but that he had a foundation for his al
most lifetime hunt far buried money can
beattested by many Of the citizens now
living in the neighbOrhOOd.
Crummer-Ia always hate 20 90 70 party 40
40 MurdlsOn s.
Gileland-so do /. Mrs. Murdison works