The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-06-13
INDIANOLA is AGOG
Over the Story of Buried Treasure
Near There.
TIE EXCAVATIONS 4 MYSTERY.
some Blasting Had Been Done to
Loosen the Earth-The NeighbOr1ng
Farmers Watch to Know Eject.

some Blasting Had Been Done to
Loosen the Earth-The NeighbOrtng
Farmers Watch to Know Effect.
The old settlers in the Indianola neigh
borhood are more and more convinced
that there must be some conn ection be-
tween the robbing of the U nited States
paymaster on the military road in 1858
and the recent excavations on the old
camp ground adjoining the site of ancient
Indianola-
At the time the paymaster was robbed
of $4,000 in gold, Indianola was flourish
ing and was the principal stopping place
between Fort Leavenworth and Fort
Riley. The town then had three hotels
and fourteen saloons. One of the old
hotel buildings is now used as barn on
Mr.. Phillips farm.
A STATE JOURNAL reporter visited the
scene of these excavations near Indianola
today and found them just about
as had been described by Sheriff Burdge
and others who visited the place on Sun
day.
From Mr.. William Reamy, who. ac-
companied the JOURNAL reporter to the
place, it was learned that the first digging
in this vicinity was discovered about
month ago
MIR. Wellman, who lives on the farm
owned by w. W. Phillips, pastures his
cows in the woods where the excavations
were made and he first noticed a small
hole about three feet square and two
feet deep.
He did not think much about it, at the
time, but few days later he found an
other larger hole about four feet square
and about six feet deep had been dug.
When he discovered the second and
larger hole he told some of his neigh
bors about it, and they commenced to
watch the place, hoping to see who was
digging 80 close to the old military
road.
Every day Mr.. Wellman or some mem
Der of his family went to the place, and
about two weeks ago a third hole was
dug. This third hole was about the size
of the first, but was ten or twelve feet
south of the first excavation.
1t was on Tuesday morning of last
week that Mr. Wellman discovered the
treasure searchers had again been in his
pasture during the night and this time
they had found something.
Another large hole about six feet
square had been dug south and west of
the first large hole, and the dirt from
the second hole had been thrown into
the first large excavation.
was left clearly imprinted in the earth
perfect mould of an old fashioned demi
| john of huge proportions, such as are
seldom seen nowadays. Mr.. Wellman
was somewhat excited when he
made this discovery, and he
called in some of his neigh bors, who
carefully investigated all the marks in
the ground and determined to do some
digging on their own RESPONSE bility.
/ TT
about the matter and watch for awhile
longer for the diggers.
Last Sunday morning bright and early
Pete Lawrence. farmer who lives in
the neigh borhood, went to the place
and found that during the night
the treasure hunters had again
been at work and had made another
find
This time they had started a tunnel
from the last large excavation towards
the first hole and the place from where
they had removed the old kettles was
visible.
This time the treasure hunters had
scattered sulphur in circle all around
| the excavations.
The JOURNAL reporter found a
piece of blasting fuse, which had
been used by the searchers who used
powder TO loosen the dirt SO it would
shovel out easily. The sulphur 1s still
| on the ground and there are marks on
the east side of the excavations, where a
drill had been sunk in three different
places as if to mark the ground for more
| digging.
The heavy rains of Sunday night had
caused the sides of the last excavation tc
cave in and partially cover the places
where the demijohn and kettles had been
buried.
A few shovels of dirt we're removed
and then the marks were plainly visible
just as represented by the officers who
were there Sunday morning.
Sunday morning the officers discovered
some fresh tracks across the corner of {
corn field leading to these excavations
One of the tracks was that of man who
wore a small shoe, about a No, 6, and
the other wore a large shoe, possibly {
No II. The marks in the freshly ploweC
ground showed that the man with the
small foot carried a cane.
About the time the demijohn was IN
earthed place was found in the woods
on the opposite side of the creek where
horse and buggy had been hitched fol
several hours.
The old settlers think that now since
this matter has been made public they
NAV get some clue which will lead t.
the naturalization of the person or per
sons who have been doing the digging.
rCur1Nn INDTNH lawn