The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-22
Opposing Heirs Guard the
Supposed Hiding Place
of Treasure.
STRANGE TALE OF THE SON.
Claims His Father Was In the Habit
of Secreting Large Sums Of
Money.


by Elezer Frost. Each night Erwin Frost
and his wife maintain watch over the
premises. 1t is supposed that Elezer Frost
buried his money, and it is this reason
that causes Erwin and his wife to main
tain strict watch.
The neighbors are beginning to fear
Frost, and last night neighbors of the
widow complained to the police. While
no demonstrations of any kind have been
made, it is said that Erwin Frost has made
all preparations to dig up the yard at the
first opportunity. When interviewed last
evening, Erwin told the following story:
People say am raising this trouble to
acquire newspaper notoriety. That is not
So as no one dislikes that kind of notorlety
more than do. merely want to see that
my fathers wishes are carried out. He
often used to make three statements, the
first of which was: Right wrongs no.
body the second was, An honest man,
woman or child will bear watching and
the third was "A rogue needs watching
Those three things constituted his religion
before he was led away by Spiritualists,
and what have done thus far has been
strictly within the lines of my old fathers
first religion.
81 think that my father honestly be-
lieved in Spiritualism, and the happiness
which resulted from that belief, if any re-
suited, was the only comfort he had in life.
His life with Dora Frost was not one of
heavenly happiness. 1t was his wish that
there should be no row in the family, but
the history of the Frost family may come
out, and if it does it will be worth 500 a
copy in book form.
II will tell you all about my suspicious.
When Dora Frost, Mrs. Ida Wissman, my
sister, and Mrs. Lucy Carpenter, my ia
theirs sister, prepared my fathers body for
burial they did so with locked doors. They
removed piece of white tape on which
was key and an oilskin bag, and gathered
up what money and papers there were in
the house at that time. When they came
from the house they were very nervous
and excited, but when they went back
there they were calm and collected, and
their actions seemed to say, we have ac-.
complished our ends
"At that time was overcome with grief
and had no thoughts of property and
money. The three women ignored me.
was asked no questions and
while they were holding their consulta-
tions l was locked out of the room. I
claim that it was merely an accident that
l was allowed to see my father before he
died. The Friday before his death hap
pened to be in the vicinity of his house on
business and met my niece, Eta Frost,
who told me that he was on his death-bed.
When he first saw me he gasped Erwin,
Erwin, want to talk business but told
him that it would be better for him not to
worry over business matters while he was
sick. / went to the house in company
with my wife before my father died. He
was barely able to talk, but he lay there
gasping Paper, paper, paper, and then he
would say Money, money, money l
know now that he wanted to tell me some
thing regarding his money.
1.-THE tape which l claim was taken from
around my fathers neck l saw the Satur-
day before he died. He always called the
key which was attached to it the key to
hidden wealth. The oilsilk bag contained
papers which told the exact location of the
buried treasure. Prior to his last illness
had not seen my father to talk to for two
months. Any one who says that was ever
in the room alone with him at any time
during the three days preceding his death
tells malicious falsehood.
at has been his habit to have two
thirds, yes, nine-tenths of his ready
money under ground. Harvey Swickard
will remember that once when my father
had trouble with his first wife he dug up
great deal of money, all he could carry in
ao1y 70 ,ol,
and put it temporarily in her care. That
good woman, who is long since dead, once
said that she thought my father had $780,
600 in ready money.
"He always used to hide his money
when we lived on the ranch. He would
take piece of lead pipe large enough to
contain a $20-piece, trim it down carefully,
seal up one end and fill it full of twenties.
Then he would solder the end up perfectly
solid. l have seen him do that many
times. He would have pipe cut according
to the amount he wished to put up, and he
had it figured down fine. He would then
find hiding-place for the pipes. Some
times he buried them in oatlandish places.
He also bored large auger-holes in stumps
and blocks, In which he placed large sums
of money. myself have found thousands
of dollars in loose-wheat bins. / would
take the money to him and tell him to
place it in the bank, but nothing could
make him change his views as to the
proper way to keep money, and have no
reason to believe that he ever changed
them. Mrs. May Taylor, Mrs. Mary
Letneridge and William Frost, the chill
dren of my fathers second marriage, will
all bear me out in my statements in regard
to my fathers habit of burying his money.
/ am satisfied that there is between SAC, 600
and 100000 buried either on the River
street place, near my mothers tombstone,
or on the ranch. The paper in the oil
silk bag tells the exact spot.
81 simply want what my father intended
me to have. do not wish any family liti-
cation, but l want my rights. / want
permission to dig for the treasure, and am
willing'that each side have representatives
to watch while the search is being made.
My father certainly had a great deal of
ready money. He has been accumulating
right along and has been spending very
little. If Dora Frost and Mrs. Wissman
produce the key everything will be all
right. There is enough for all of us.
at will foil you rubv mt a wa fob ouor