The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1894-07-26
KING THEEBAW'S TREASURE.
One of the Richest Finds that Ever Made
Glad the Heart Of an Adventurer.


Glad the Heart Of an adyenturer.
1t was a room in the palace. The
walls were covered with mirrors. Here
and there were beautiful screens. tipped
over as if with great violence. On the
floor was a heap of gold coin. \ pile
of jewel cups and gold and silver dinner
plates were near by. Farther on was a
gold cradle. All over it were diamonds
and rubies which b,azed like stars.
Jewels were scattered all about In his
flight King TheebaW had not time To
take his treasure.
The British troops that marched into
Mandalay Oct. 2S. 1880, struck one of
the richest finds that ever made Glad
the heart of an adyentmer.
II was gold and gems and jewels all
about them. The first thing they did
was to break for the royal palace. King
Theebaw was in the act of removing
his treasure when he heard the foot
steps OF his foes. Dropping everything
he dashed out of the palace and thought
of nothing but his own safety. He had
hardly escaped through the doorway
when the British dashed into the palace
Their fighting blood was up, but before
the pile of gold and precious gems they
came to a dead stop. Never before had
any one of them ever seen SO much
riches in all his life. They could hardly
realize it. Before their eyes was untold
wealth In-an instant the lust of gold
turned their heads and made them for
get all thoughts of fighting.
The first man to pick up q jewel was
James Troon. a private in the ID battal-
ion of the Hampshire regiment. At his
feet he saw blazing a diamond set in Il
heavy piece of gold. The Gem seemed
| one mass of solid fire. 1t was part of
the setting of King Theebaw's crown.
The next instant this solid chunk of
gold and its priceless gem disappeared
III the soldiers pocket The other day
Jim" TrOOn loosened his tongue little
bit. He is Row brawny commission
aire in London and his chest Is covered
with medals. He did not care to 90 i'll
to details as to the way Theebaw's pal
ace was looted. He didn't have any
thing TO say rs to who carried off the
gold and gems that were found in the
royal palace. He wouldn't mention
names. But he said he was in the pal
ace all the time from the moment the
soldiers arrived and was one of the first
to be selected for guard duty. Soon
after King Theebaw's Diamond regalia
disappeared Troon thinks this regalia
will never be recovered and. as he says
himself:
IN tell you why he said to rep
resentativc. 1t must have been two
hours after we GOT into Mandalay that
we found the king. We found him in
! a small building in the midst of trees in
the palace garden. was put sentry
on No. post over him. The following
evening he was taken away from Man
daiav to India As | was one of the
oldest soldiers. | was selected to 90 10
another post-Where the crown jewels
were"
where was this?"
1T was room in the palace. 1t
struck me as being the room where the
queen used to sit. The Jewels were in
this room. They were placed all to-
gether in Z heap. The heap was on
the floor. The officer lay on one side
of it. We two sentries marched up
and down the other side
(which of the jewels do you remem-
ber?"
Il only took notice of several cups
There were plates of silver and gold
The golden cradle was there. 1t was
set with diamonds and rubies, like
stars. ! ought to remember ii, for |
had a little bit off it."
"What?"
a bit of star. | looked for the
crown. but l did not see it. There was
no difficulty getting into the palace.
There were 4 lot of men on the staff.
They could 90 where they pleased.
Need only say they were going up TO
the roof to signal. In fact, every SOL
der there was trying TO get hold of
what he could. picked up a bag of
rupees i'll knocking about and I'm sure
there was more where it came from.
The orders at the palace were not 10
allow any men out but to allow women
out. All night long women kept Ieav-
ing the palace just a ut a fair. Many
of them may have been men. The blue
jackets packed up all the valuable
things in boxes and sent them home.
This was loot. ! saw more than a hun
bred boxes. The government had that,
of course. But the crowp will never be
found. A golden peacock was taken
by the men and smashed up. l had
piece of it."
1roon would only return half an
swers when asked what was done with
the spoiIs. He acknowledged that the
value Of the booty would run into mill
ions. The raid on King Theebaw's
treasure reads like one of Rider Hag-
CARDS tales. What has become of the
money?