The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-20
AN IDOL OF GOLD.
Treasures of Aztec Ruins in
Nicaragua.
A TRAVELLERS BIG STORY.
Gus Baroner Says He Has Found a
Heather God of Virgin Gold
at ChontaIes.

Gus Baroner, who registered at the
| Golden West Hotel last Friday and wrote
| Nicaragua after his name, tells a remark
able tale of his wanderings in the western
| province of Chontales, in Nicaragua.
His business in the Central American
! republic was that of prOspectoF, and. ac-
cording to his own tale. he has been sue
cessiul to en- extraordinary extent.
among the prehistoric remains found in
| Chontales," he told CALL man, I'VE came
across q solid gold statue that weighed a
ton if pound.
Did bring it back with me? did not.
and I'll tell you why. It's perfectly safe
where it is and Pm going to New York
now to organize a company to go down
there and carry off that idol.
I'VE will probably erect small smelling
works on the spot and make over that
barbarian god into portable gold ingots.
No; | don't think we run any risk in
giving this out to be published. No one
can find the place where the idol is hidden
and most people will not believe the story
am telling you.
"But l have proof enough to convince
the proper parties that what say is true.
and do not apprehend any difficulty Gu the
score of getting together sufficient capital
TO go down to ChontaleS in the fall and cart
away that idol.
"lhe native Caribs know nothing of its
existence and are not likely to become any
wiser for the next hundred years, for they
would as soon take their own life a. to enter
one of those ruined and crunbling Aztec
temples.
"Doubtless, the statue has been seen by
other white men. but they have failed to ap-
preciate its Immense value. We found it
covered with the accumulated dust of many
centuries. This dust has become hard,
aim 0st petrifled, and forms crust of more
than an inch in thickness around the entire
idol.
you have TO penetrate many dark and
dangerous pasSages-nOw the home of the
sacred croc0diles-befOre you reach the in
ner sanctuary where the idol of gold is. We
killed no less than fifteen crOcodles during
the two days we spent in the temple, and
we had to be on our guard continually for
the venomous cOrali and the big python ser.
pents.
It's a dangerous undertaking to pene-
trate one of these old temples. especially
where the ground is moist and tha yegeta-
ton rank. ! don't believe THIS temple had
ever been entered by a human soul since
the aborigines built it ana Worshped
there.
There were four of US altogether. and
we had heard OF the reputed treasures in
these old temples. Without q guide we
sought out the ruins ana came upon our
find. 1t is q rich one, and will eventually
repay Us for all the peril and hardShips we
have undergone and will still have to go
through before the treasure is finally ours.
There are other temples besides the one
we penetrated, in fact these prehistoric
ruins are thick In all the provinces Of Nc
aTasua. The climate there is fatal 10 the
average white man and our golden idol is
safe enough. l am sure.
when we first saw this dusty old heathen
LO0 Of had thA giiphfnct iHaa mol
was made of anything but mud or stone
Inen Frank Hun, one of the party, struck
the image heavily with small AK to see in
what stages Of decomposition the old god
was. When we heard the metallic ciink of
MS blade striking against the gold we were
amazed, but still we hardly thought the idol
was composed of anything more precious
than copper or iron.
But the blow from the AK cracked off
big chunk OF the outer coating of dust and
there we beheI brilliant yellow metal
that shone as brightly as though fresh from
the mine.
1--WE tested the metal and found it virgin
gold. We then cracked off all the rest of
the dust caking and everywhere we found
the same brilliant metal that assayed the
same TO each test.
The province or State of ChOntaies lies
east Of the lake OF Nicaragua, and is inhab-
tied very sparsely by the native Caribs of
many tribes, who are supposed to be the
direct descendants of the Aztecs.
Julius Carlottl and John Wardorf were
the other men with me. Together with
Frank Hall they have remained at Leon
the capital city of Nicaragua, awaiting tho
result OF my errand.
There's a good big fortune in it for a
dozen men who are willing to invest a few
thousand dollars. We ought to charter a
ship and so down there with all the needed
appliances not only for securing this idol,
but for the discovery of many similar ones
Ing"
Mr.. BarOner says the Nicaragua planters
and shippers are enthusiastic over the new
opposition steamship company. They will
be loyal to the North American Navigation
Company's ships, though the Pacific Mail
should offer to carry their coffee free.