Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1896-09-10

west of Panama, an island inhabited
only by herds Of goats and known only
rs having been at one time watering
station for South Sea whalers. Mrs,
Brennan is going there to find some
treasure, which she knows was there
Rfty-four years ago, and which she has
every reason to believe has not since
been removed. The old lady has no
reason for making any mystery about
her plans, except, Of course, as to the
precise spot on the island in which the
treasure lies, as 1t Is a matter Of COM
mon knowledge that there Is a great
deal OF gold hidden somewhere on the
Island, and extensive excavations have
from time to time been made by seach-
ers, who hoped that chance would
guide them to the cache, of which Mrs.
Brennan knows the exact location.
Most expeditions in search Of treas
ure are organized by mere dreamers
and enthusiasts, and not few of them
by skillful swindlers. But Mrs. Bren-
nan, who is investing no money but
her own in the venture, certainly
seems to be woman Of strong common
sense, and the story Of the treasure,
as she herself tells 1t, Is very much
more simple and direct than are the
narratives which form the stock in
trade Of the common run Of adventur-
ers.
Mrs. Brennan was married for the
first time in 1S4S to John Heating, of
st. Johns, Newfoundland, a seafaring
man, who died in 1882 Before he died
he gave her marked map of the island
and told her the story OF his own con-
nection with the treasure. In June,
1885, Heating was ships carpenter of
the Rose Blanche, of st. Johns, then
loading in Rio Janerio for home. A
man who looked like tramp came out
from behind pile Of boards on the
wharf one morning and asked Heating
II the Rose Blanche would like to ship
another hand. He was, he said, an
able seaman, and had been trying to do
some trading on his own account in
the Yguassu country, but had been
robbed and made his way to the coast
with great difficulty. Heating at once
assumed that the man was a deserter
from some other ship, if nothing worse,
but as two of the crew of the Rose
Blanche had run away at Porto SECURE,
he told the man to wait until Captain
HUMPHREYS came on board He gave
Thompson, as the stranger called HIM
self, something to eat, and later in the
day found the captain very glad to add
one to his depleted complement. The
Rose Blanche sailed the next day, and
as she made her northing Thompson
who had contracted a fever while
tramping down to the coast, was COM
PEELED to take to his berth. Heating,
who was good-natured young fellow,
did what he could for the sick man,
who made loud protestations of his
gratitude and talked vaguely about
great reward which Heating might
hope to reap for his kindness. When
the Rose Blanche reached st. Johns,
Thompson said he would like to find
board in some quiet place where he
could regain his strength before going
to sea again, and Heating said his
mother would be glad to take in any
well-conducted man. Upon this Thomp-
son said that he was not so poor as
ne looked, and showed Heating some
old gold pieces, which he CARVED in a
belt concealed beneath his tattered
clothing.
At Mrs. Keating's Thompson grew
suddenly worse, and 1t was when he
was about to die that he told John