The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1894-10-11


the way we never took our horses nearer
than six or seven miles of the place
There was quite thicket of holly quar-.
ter of mile below the furnace; small
lick; mile above there is large buffalo
lick; five miles from the small lick an.
other water course we called Lick creek.
The creek the furnaces are on forks three
miles below the furnaces, and the left
hand side is Furnace creek. Below the
forks the creek is a smart stream Of water
running generally northeast direction.
Between the forks and holly thicket find
my name on Il beach tree in the year
l7G1 About mile below you will find
Messrs. Guest, Mundy and JefIerson's
names in the years l767-'65-'62. Near
the last important forks of the creek, and
between small lick and the furnace, is a
remarkable rock. 1t hangs quite over
the creek, and the water runs under it,,
giving it the appearance of natural
bridge, which in reality tits. Mountains
and hills covered with laurel, so much so
that man cannot travel without great
difficulty, the water courses being Gifted
on both sides, with here and there n gap
where YOU might cross, making it diff.
cult to travel through.
"In the year 1869 we made arrange.
ments to abandon or quit the mines, as
we had made as much money as we
needed and we wanted rest. We were
being watched by parties who were anx-
iOus to know where we got our silver
from. On our last trip we took especial
pains to destroy and erase all signs or
vestige of our work. So well did we con-
ceal the signs of recent work Of any kind
that any one going there in about six
months would see nothing to make them
believe any work had been done there
for long period. We had considerable
buried at different points in coin and
plate or metal. We generally brought
away from twelve to fifteen thousand
dollars every year for four years, the
other five years making two trips each
year, we brought away over one hundred
thousand dollars worth in coin and metal,
leaving over fifty thousand dollars buried
ut different points on the routes"
Trouble was brewing at that time be-
tween Great Britain and the Colonies.
Although an Englshman, Capt. Swift's
sympathies were with the Colonies. Some
time in the latter part of 100, Capt.
Swift set sail for England with the inten
ton OF getting Il mining company to
come over and get legal possession of
the mines but bad luck seemed 10 over
take him. After sailing for his native
land he got pressed on bOard.a man.of
war, and for some misconduct he was
cast into dungeon, and it was while in
there that his eyesight became impaired
1t was several years after the close Of
the Revolutionary war before Capt. Swift
returned to the United States of America,
arriving at Alexandria in the year 1880.
old manuscript
We will now relate sad incident that
on their ninth trip. While the
four men were returning to the settle
ment, Gas they did always go into Alex
lndria), when several days out on their
Journey, VIM. Guests horse was bitten
several times by q rattlesnake. In a
short time the horse was unable to travel,
md they were in section of country
hey wished to get out OF us soon as pos
'ible, so they had to leave the horse to
MS fate. He was loaded with Guests |
share of the silver, and they had to con-
zeal it for the time being. Guest then |
demanded of the other men that on arriv.
ng at the settlement they divide their
Dad into four equal shares. They were
Inclined to object to this, especially Nun
ly. Guest being Spanard, with a
quick, hasty temper said he would leave
hem and join the Indians and go and get
III the silver they had hidden or buried |
)apt. Swift said he would have been
Wiling to divide his part, while Jefferson
aid every one ought to abide by their
'wn luck; saying if he were Guest he
would not ask them to divide, MS he
Guest) was not needy. Mundy was a
nan of few words, and when Guest
threatened to let the Indians on them,
'efore any one could interfere he sho;
nd killed Guest, saying; 81 stop you
rom betraying us into the hands of the
indians" 1t was a great shock to them
here lay Guest. one of their most eff.
lent hands, dead. They all had to in
ulge him ut times when he would be.
ONE harsh and impetuous. He and
lundy had had some wrangling ut differ.
Mt times, Mundy declaring Guest should
ot impose on him. After we had buried
is package of money we set about bury
~ the remains OF our cO.labOrer in the
est manner we could. IL was agreed
etween ourselves, in order to account
Or his absence, To state that on our re-
urn home that Guest and his pony was [
1 advance of us and came upon den of /
that he and his horse were
, badly bitten that they both died. On I
ended knees they all swore to adhere to ,
nat statement. {
In 1870 the three parted near Alexan'
ria, Jefferson going to Havana, Capt. I
Witt TO England, Mundy remaining at c
laxandria IL WINS agreed bet ween the z