The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-11-12
Local Observation
MONEY IN HE'LL A II
New Plan for Finding the Hussar's
Treasure.

There Is a new plan afloat to raise the
treasure that went down with the British
Port Morris in 1850 and carried to the bot
tom seventy prisoners, who were manecled
on her gun deck, and British guineas to the
amount Of A,s0O,000. says the New York
Herald Of the both ult. There have been
many attempts to recover the sunken treas
ure by the use Of dynamite and the work
been fruitless. The plan which is to be
put in operation in a few days is the most
novel yet devised: George W. Thomas. of
syndicate, with a capital of $4,000, has
chartered the tug Chester, owned by E. r.
Lowe, a Coenties slip wrecker, and fitted
latest pattern. The boat has been under
going repairs in Hallet's cove for some
weeks. and is now about ready for her
work.
The Chester will be moored exactly above
the spot where the wreck lies, and SO
CARELESS of the tides. This in Itself will be
a feat attended by no little difficulty, for.
it viii be necessary to carry two Stout
anchors which will be got down to seward
and from the bow and stern. The work of
previous explorers of the bottom has been
current filled up their submarine excava-
tons. The plan upon which Mr.. Thomas
The wreck is almost completely buried.
and the sand is packed completely about
the hull. Divers will be sent down to loos-
en the at sand = e, aaa e earth that IA thai hides eo,nt the E
big tube, connected with a powerful sue
ton pump on board the Chester, will be
applied. The loosened material will thus
through a giant sieve. The sieve will not
permit the passage Of anything as large as
a guinea That is the general plan The
until they have filled the sieve with Brit
ish gold, or are satisfied that they have
worked over an area SO large that the
Ef0rv Of the HlISSQr'C tran r1ra has hoap
proved a myth.
The men who have attempted to reach
the thsisS golfers f. Of the Hussar since 17so have
believed, but the story Of the sunken gold
has just as many believers to-day as it
ever had. No later than june last q Con-
~necticut syndicate was digging up the bot
tom Of the sound off Port Morris, and
many similar attempts have been made be-
lieved, now that the hull of the wrecked
ship has been located to a nicely, and that
by examining with care an area Of about
two hundred square feet the treasure story
may be settled definitely at last. And IL
1T proves true-this story Of British guineas
the SPECTATORS will be richly rewarded.
The Hussar was a thirty,two-sun ship and
about two hundred feet long. She arrived
here I'm November. 1850, in company with
the man-of-war Mercury. Together they
carried s. 800 600. which was intended to pay
Off the British troops In America. The
Mercury remained here, and the Hussar,
taking on board the treasure of her sister
shin. set sail for New London.
Although the pilot was not very familiar
with the channel the captain decided to
save some time by taking a short cut in
passing He'll Gate. The Hussar struck a
sunken reef and, as she was badly dam
aged, her commander decided to run her
ashore. She had taken on board seventy
prisoners Of wal from the prison ship be-
fore leaving New York and, as her hold
was filed with stores, they had been
chained on the gun deck. AS their fate
was Of little consequence the captain did
not release them, but kept his crew at work
in an attempt to get the Hussar to the
beach before she .Jundered. Hawsers were
attempt was made to warp the vessel in,
but before much progress had been made
she filled. heeled over, tore up the trees
by the roots and sank in eighty feet of
water, drowning her manacled prisoners.
Some Of the crew escaped. From that time
guineas led to all sorts OF attempts to
acquire sudden wealth by their recovery.
A British company sent two briggs to the
spot In 1919, but the United States govern
ment refused to permit them to anchor over
the treasure. Later OF attempts were made
to blow up the wreck with dynamite, but
up to date-unless some lucky and secret
i've individual hid success and fortune under
the guise of fa~ilure-the guineas nave been
undisturbed.
There is one story that has always caused
the treasure seekers some uneasiness. IL
Is to the effect that the Hussar was wrecked
Intentionally and that her treasure was
carried away by men who had Matched the
plot under her ensign. Mr.. Thomas and
his suction pump, however, are new, and
ne. at least, believes that he will pump
up something more valuable than the rusty
buttons and water buckets which have re-
warded the treasure seekers who have pre-
-~ln1 him