The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-10-02
CAPTAIN KIDD'S HOUSE.
Still Standing Near Allenwood, N. J..
An Object Of Wide Interest.

Between the quaint, little hamlet OF
Allenwood, n. j., ana the village of Sea
Girt, made famous through the annual
encampment of the New Jersey State
Militia, stands an old fashioned shingle
house, which antedstes the recollection
OF even the Oldest resident and has be-
come the show place of the country. Not
only does the great age of the old house
make IL interesting TO visitors, but also
the story that the.body of the late lament
ed Captain Kidd, whoe treasure is buried
somewhere along the coast, and has been
searched for from Florida to Maine, lies
uneasy In its grave, and makes periodical
visits to the house once occupied by that
wealthy but somewhat erratic gentleman.
The house Is two story structure,
conspicuous chiefly for the fact that
instead OF having only a shingle roof,
as was customary in the days when the
house was built, it is constructed alto.
gether OF shingles and presents the ap-
pearance OF having been built with the
idea to repel an attack should any
such emergency occur. The old men OF
Allenwood all say that the house was
built years before Washington assumed
the Office OF President OF the United
States, and that one of the early settlers
in that part OF the country, Morris by
name, cut each and every shingle by
hand and with only the assistance given
by,a strong pocket knife.
The house is at the junction of three
roads, one leading TO Allendale one 10
Sea Girt and one to Brielle, another small
town four miles away. A mile or two
from the house the Manasuuan river
flows steadily on its tortuous route to
mother ocean, ana several times in the
memory OF the present inhG bitants the
banks of the river have been searched for
relics OF Captain Kidd. while many per-
sons have gained permission from the
farmer, ana armed with charts and maps,
have dug Tor miles around for the miss
ing buried treasure. Even now party
Is hard at work on the Toms River, but
ten miles from the old house, diligently
working on the old claim and believing
that each new day Will see discoveries
which viii make work for the treasure
hunters unnecessary in the future. And
still the glittertng prospect Is held as a
bait before their eyes, and when the pa
thence OF one party OF searchers gives out
another is ready and waiting to take up
the pick and shovel and keep up the
good work.
The old Morris house, as il Is still call
ed, is now on the Tilton farm, old grand
father Tilton having purchased the farm
from the Morrises many years ago. The
farm house OF the Tilton family is but a
stones throw from the old house, which
Is tcnanted by several OF the farm helpers
during the busy season. The room in
which 1t is alleged that Kidd's ghost
walks is at the top OF the house, and II
is said that when he was travelling
through that part of the country he
would always stop at the Morris house,
where he was sure of welcome and a
bed. could find nobody during a recent
visit to that part OF Monmouth county
who would confess to having seen the
ghost, but II Is fable which has been
handed down from father to son that on
stated occasions he would be heard NOV
ing about In his room until early in the
morning, az he was wont TO do in the
early days OF the settling OF New Jersey,
when visiting at the old house.
The house was built with but few win
dows, and although, several have been
added recently, there are only eight, and
two doors on the front, while the sides
only have one each. Captain kidd's room
was under the caves OF the roof, and only
one window furnished him with light
and air when he slept in II. The window
opened out on the rear of the house and
IL Is said that even now on stormy nights
the captains head is often thrust out, a.
though surveying the heavens and figur-
ing upon the kind of weather a day
would bring forth. New York Hs-sld.