The Saint Paul globe., 1896-08-09

he lSldLU WAS low anu ildl. Inc
soil was sandy, and the trees which
All night we worked and the next day
we rested. The next night we worked
again, and then all the boxes were
buried. The captain of the vessel, a
wicked looking Frenchman, bossed the
job. A hole was dug to q depth of
about II or IA feet.
"In the bottom of this were placed
| hundreds of big conch shells, gathered
along the shore. Then the boxes and
they were filled with gold and coin and
other treasure-the result Of a recent
profitable capture
"Over the treasure was placed anoth-
Ell layer of shells. Then the hole was
about six feet deep. Into this was
lowered the bodies of the two dead
pirates, wrapped in pieces of a sail, and
the hole was then filed up. With the
corpses there the hole would look like
an ordinary grave, should any one ever
dig there. l was told that the value
of the gold buried amounted to several
million dollars.
1.-The next night we attempted to
make our escape from the place. The
captain Of the Yankee corvette, how
ever, was too willy for us. His vessel
remained outside the coral reef, and at
night he stationed boats across the
channel through which we had en-
tered. The shallow water prevented
his following, and he played a waiting
game. There was not much of a
breeze, and when we were discovered
the Yankee pursued. 1t was easy for
him to keep in sight of us, and in the
morning he and the Spanish man-of-
war attacked us.
THE PIRATES CAPTURED.
1.-THE pirates fought well, but they
were overpowered, and those who were
not killed were made prisoners and
| were taken to Kingston, Jamaica.
| There they were tried, and we were all
| sentenced to death. I was able to
prove my previous good character and
the circumstances under which I had
joined the band, and thus secured q
pardon. The young fellow who had
! joined at the same time was SO badly
wounded during the fight which pre-
ceded our capture that he died. Out
of the entire crew of the piratical craft
l was the only one who did not meet
| death within a few weeks after the
| treasure was buried on that little sandy
island.
After he was sentenced and before
his execution, and while 1 was still in
prison, Latrobe gave me little bundle
Of papers, which he made me promise
to deliver to Jean Lafitte, who was the
head of the pirates of the Spanish Main
at that time. He told me that would
find Laftte on the island Of Grand
Terre, in Barataria Bay, on the coast
of Louisiana, not many leagues west
of the mouth Of the Mississippi River
l made The promise and secured the
papers, but I never hunted up Lafitte
l heard of him afterwards as having
taken part in the battle of New Orleans,
but | never saw him. The papers I
have carried with me ever since'
This story was told by the dying
sailor to the young physician. Not at
once, as Is given here, but piecemeal
as the sailors strength permitted
The sailor was buried at sea, and Dr.
Dawson carried the papers to San
Francisco. They were written in
French, which language the young man
did not understand. He secured a
translation Of them, however. and
found that they corroborated the story
told by the man from whom he had OBJ
tanned them The exact location of the
island was given, the place where the
treasure was buried was described and
all necessary details for locating the
gold were set forth. The papers also
contained the names of vessels which
had been captured, an estimate of the
amount of booty secured from each of
them, minor details of the capture and
other matters of less interest
There was an estimate of the amount
OF gold buried on the island, which
was placed at $4,000, 900 in coin and
$l,5O 600 In jewelry and altar orna-
ments. It was story with fascinating
features, but Dawson was not in
clined to place much credence in it,
For dozen years he retained posses
sion of the papers, making no effort to
secure the treasure, but quietly looking
up the history of Laftte He learned
that all Of the things which the old
sailor had told were true.
Lattice did have the Island of Grand
Terre, in Barataria Bay, as his rendez-
vous from about 1907 until the war of
1872, and he did fight at the battle of
New Orleans which made Andrew
Jackson president of the United States.
He also learned that I.atrobe was
hanged at Kingston and that previous
to his capture and execution he had
secured rich booty from several Span
ish vessels.
Then DR.. Dawson concluded that
possibly the dead sailor had told the
truth.
THE FIRST EXPEDITION.
In 1887 DR.. Davidson came to New.
"a n. HC lie LQOuSQC OIL the
story told by the dead sailor the more
he came to believe in the existence of
the buried treasure and the more he
wanted to seek it. Lack Of funds to
equip such an expedition as would be
required prevented him from making
the effort by himself, even had he been
willing to risk the necessary money.
But still he believes that the five and
oEe-half millions of gold was to be had
and that the papers he possessed told
the exact location of the treasure.
In New York he interested John Ben
Jamin Peck, a special agent Of the
treasury department, who was for
years connected with the custom house
in his story. Peck offered to form y
syndicate to furnish the money to paw
the expense Of an expedition, and the
matter was placed in his hands.
Mr.. Peck soon interested H. T. Horn.
civil engineer. Edward Richards,
Prof. Barster and one or two other gem
tlemen in the scheme. A little money
was raised and the plan Of procedure
determined. It was necessary to secure
q suitable vessel. Peck well knew that
no yacht-owner would charter a vessel
Tor such purpose, except at a high
price, SO different story was told
when he applied to Courtland H. Bel
vim, of the American Yacht Agency.
No. 43 Broad street, for boat.
Mr.. Belvin was informed that Mr..
Peck and party of friends wanted to
secure yacht for pleasure cruise to
the coast of Florida on a fishing and
hunting trip. The yacht Maria was
placed at his disposal and was char
tered for four months. The charge for
one month, $500, was paid down.
Charles J. Ward was secured as can