The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1896-07-04
A PIRATES LAST ABODE.
Odd Legend OF Colonial Days Iolo
In the Ancient City
of Lynn.

Lynn. Mass, June 2I.-hany faSclnat-
ing stories have been written about lie
in New England in the early days, When
the Puritans were struggling with inc
Indians on the one hand and with star
Walton and the witches on the other.
Few of them have more interest TO the
present generation than that connected
with what is locally known as Dungeon
rock. a high hill back of the city of
Lynn. and within the tract of several
thousand acres of land taken by the city
as a public park, and known as Lynn
woods Away up in the highest part OF
this tract, that a few years ago was a
dense wilderness, is Dungeon rock, and
here is the story connected with II:
In the year 1858 there were few
houses in what is now the city of Lynn.
and these were built in line quite near
the banks of the Saugus river. tortuous
little stream that is navlgahle only a
short distance from where il emptles into
Massachusetts bay. There were wild
stories of piracy along the entire New
England coast, and any strange craft
that made its appearance was regarded
with suspicion until its mission was
made known. One evening in the spring
there appeared in the Saugus river lit
tie vessel that more of the inha hltantS
of Lynn had ever seen before.
At about mile or so up the stream II
came to anchor. and four men lowered
away q boat and made a landing. Then
they went up into the woods. On the
following morning il was found that dur
ing the night they had returned 10 their
boat and sailed away. After that the
craft returned few times, and soon the
men built a little cabin in the lonellest
part of SauguS, across the river from
Lynn. and lived there when they were
4t,.,t ttgT
and the well which they dug are pointed
out TO this day.
One morning while the craft was an
chOred in the river one of the mon en-
played in the iron foundry. at that time
bout the only institution of its kind IN
= country. found a note telling him that
he would make certain amount Of
>hackles, handouts and matches and
leave them in q designated place in the
woods the amount Of money equal to
their value would he found in their
place The articles were made and left
at the spot mentioned. and the money
was found. according to promise.
This. of course. convinced the 1nha hi
tantS thai the mysterious strangers were
pirate. and their convictions were furth-
or strengthened when one Of the King 5
cruisers appeared in the harhor, captured
three of the men and carried them off to
England. The one who escaped was
Thomas Veal and he fed TO a cavern in
the woods where he remained in hiding
for some time. Then he came out and
made frequent visits Ia the settlement tO
purchase food. still having his place of
abode in the dungeon on the hill.
II Was in los that an earthquake C Wis
tied New England, and after tn" shock
was over it was found that a great rock
had rolled down the hillside aud GOV
cred M the mouth Of tho cave wherein
L ,iV,ry hin
securely that his bones arc supposed 10
b. resting there now. The incident was
almost forgotten by the people of tho
growing settlement until there appeared,
in 1892. man named Hiram Marble
who purchased Dungeon roc. from the
city Of Lynn, and announced that he had
received spiritual Information to the
effect that there rested with the bones
of Veal, in the cave under the great rock,
a large amount of gold and silver, the
plumber of the four pirates of POO years
before upon the high seas Marble was
a man OF apparent intelligence. He had
a keen eye, a high forehead and faith
in clairvoyancc that was intense With
in short while after his purchase he be.
gan digging and blasting for his treas
ure, and, working for the most part
alone, he continued his digging for u
period of twenty-five years. when he died
and his work was taken up by his son
" nv ''tliHA'' IL III 'iEilL years iiIbIf.
The rock through which these men dug
is of hard porphyry. Marble struck
into the rock by blasting out 4
hole about four or five feet in
width and varying from five tc
seven feet in height, and these dimon.
sions were maintained to the end of the
dungeon. 10 feet from the opening
Sometimes the course taken is almost
stirvc and' PT0Seet1S" HpW7.art. only 10 sink
deeper into the rock a the next turn.
Tn" work was done under what Mar
bic and his son considered spiritual di-
rectionS. and they had frequent inter
views with the spirit Of Veal tho robher
who was buried in tho cave under the
rock. and one of his companions. whose
name was Harris. Some Of these com
munications came in written form and
were in a iocUlaT vein. Marble frequent
ly showed them to his visitors at the dun
ge0n.
The entrance To the dungeon is now
guarded by an iron gate. aud the city
Of Lynn keeps guide at the place to
conduct visitors into its depths.