The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-10-20

II Bears the Date 1885 and It Was f"und
Under the Court House In New London

NEW LONDON. CONN. oct. T.-While
digging under the courthouse here, which
was built in 1884. one Of Ray Smiths
workmen day or two ago eNeayated an
odd coin undoubtedly Of Arabic or Moor
ish make. and how that piece Of money
got into Yankeeland is a question in
New London
The coin bears the date OF 1885, and
there are many theories afoat here TO ac-
count for its presence. The most likeiy
one associates il with strange ana true
tale Of Spanish galleOns and lean witches
that IS narrated now and then by the
venerable John II. Bollcs, Of this city.
Mr.. Bolles rccitod IT anew no longer ago
than last week to a fellow townsman.
1T was some time i'm l,a5,' he sald'
that the Spanish ealleOn ST. Joseph OF
st. Helena, much bruised by the sea-
put into this harbOr for repairs Dut ii
making port she ran upon an outlyihs
reef. was cracked like q cocoanut, ana
down she went The water was not deep
where ST. sank. Nevertheless, she was
in an awkward situation, and 1t was
necessary TO unload her before Shc Wouiu
float.
Accordingly her cargo was taken out
Of her and committed to the care OF
Joseph Hin. collector Of the port, ana
the galleon came on to the town, where
in due time she was repaired. The sup
orcargo OF the vessel was Don Joseph
Miguel St. Juan. and he said that his
galleon was bound from Havana 10 Cadiz,
and laden, IN part. with gold bars and
coin.
"The galleon idly chafed all the winter
at tbe strong wharf % which she
was chained, and Don Joseph Miguel
chafed. also. The Don. however was
determined on one thing, TO get away
early in the spring, and he chartered
little craft Of 20 tons and made her ready
TO sail in the following April
But when the transfer Of his vessels
property from the strong house OF Col
lector Hin 10 the hold OF his galleon was
pretty well accomplished it was found
that "A very important part OF the cargo
namely. a goodly share of gold bars ana
coin-had been lost
AT least. that is what the collector
revealed TO the Don. At the same
time the Don suspected that The
gold was not lost, but had been purloin-
ed by some Of the thrifuess Yankees.
'"The Don naturally made great stir
about his loss. eventually petiuoning the
General Assembly of the colony ia the
following October, praying them TO heip
him out Of his scrapc. but the General
Assembly declared enthusiastically that
they'd like TO. but didn't See how 80 time
they could do IT, The whole traisdolioH
made a big scandal.
"Now the witch phase of the matter
begins. She was Nine. Granny StiicK-
land. witch Of Vermont. Her most pre-
cious possession was an enchanted pen
nle. gazing into which she beheid wonder
full pictures.
Looking into the pebble one day, she
saw a picture Of New London, ana IL
revealed TO her in followed chamber III
the earth. many feet beneath the surface
of the ground and close TO the river S
brink. a great quantity Of Spanish com
and gold bars I'm heap; and she knew
that she was looking upon the treasure
from Don Joseph Miguels galleon.
"she said nothing them But years
afterward some time after the close OF
the Revolution, she called her two grand
sons TO her one day. and communicated
TO them the vision OF the gold bars.
"The Strickland grandsons came 10
New London and went TO work AT the
river bank with a will, and IL is n ira
dition that they soon reached and UNI
covered boxes filed with gold.
'Then the spirits Of darkness fright
oncd them away, and for many years no
one strove to unearth the buried treasure,
but as late as July 18th, lS27, two men,
who were said TO be descendants Of
Witch Strickland. came 10 New London
and dug about lawrence wharf. They
found nothing precious or unusual it Is
said."-New York Herald.