The Saint Paul globe., 1896-08-09
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Tuarnlffa, one of a chain of Islands in
the Spanish Main. For nearly ninety
years this rich treasure, buried by the
pirate Latrobe has remained hidden
from human eyes. but how it is to be
recovered, and unless the plans of a
party of New York men fail those
Spanish doubloons will soon be re-
coined into American money.
For several weeks the promters of
the expedition, which is to secure the
booty for which a score of pirates were
hanged, have been quietly at work
cornelius Healy, who has followed the
sea all his life, is the active leader
III the AFFAIR Having no money him
self with which to equip the expedi-
ton, he has interested a number of
New York people, and they will fur
nlsh all necessary funds for the trip.
Healy is not crank Neither is he
scamp. He is an honest sailor who
believes that he can take a party of
men to the spot where treasure enough
to make five score men independently
rich lies buried. He has convinced
half dozen New Workers of the truth
OF his remarkable story, and they are
| willing to back him with their money.
1INA1 f1OARD.
The gold which the enthusiastic New
Workers hope to win was hidden in
! lSoS by Latrobe, a noted French pirate,
a co-partner of Jean Lafitte, in those
days. The amount is estimated at S.
5O0,OOO 100000 of which is in gold
coin and the rest consists of gold jew
elry and altar ornaments, stolen by
vandal hands.
The expedition about to start in
| search of the millions is not the first
one that has left New York on the
same mission. Eight years ago SINH
lar party was formed and reached the
island of Tuarniffa.
Con Healy was one Of the men in
that party, and while they did not
secure dollar Of the treasure and the
members counted themselves lucky to
escape with their lives they did find
all the indications that the money was
there.
| Healy was convinced at that time
that the treasure was buried at the
place where he and his comrades spent
so many weary hours digging, and
since then he has dreamed night and
day of the time when he would lead an
expedition which would be successful.
His dreams are now about to be real
lied, ard he expects as confidently as
man ever expected anything that with
| In few months he will be rich enough
! to quit the sea forever and pass his
old age in peace and quietness with
more than enough money to keep him
from want.
The story of the disastrous expedi-
t1on OF eight years ago, which might
have cost Con Healy his life, has mary
romantic features. After 1t is told it
VIII be easier to understand on what
the hopes Of the present hackers Of
the hopeful Irishman are based.
A SAILORS SECRET.
twenty years ago a young doctor
named Dawson was coming from the
Sandwich islands, as Hawaii was then
called, to San Francisco. On the ship
was an old sailor who had passed four
score years, and was near the end Of
life's journey. He became Ill on the
voyage and DR.. Dawson attended him.
Partly to relieve the tedium Of the
voyage and partly because he was re-
Gently graduated, the young doctor
nursed the old sailor tenderly and care
fully, ard thus gained his good will.
For several days the aged mariner lin
gered, growing weaker hourly. Finally
the doctor told him that human skill
could do no more, and that he must
prepare to die.
Then the old sailor told a story to
which the young doctor listened with
FEELINGS Of amusement and amazement
The story was startling enough If true,
but the doctor believed that it was the
vagary Of a dying sailor, and worthy
Of little credence
II am an old man." said the sailor.
Il followed the sea perhaps before
your father was born. So long ago as
1903 was a sailor, and was familiar
with the Spanish Main at a time when
pirates were thicker than islands, and
when the names Of Lafitte, Latrobe
and others would make the captains Of
merchantmen tremble. Being famil-
lar with the numerous small islands.
and knowing where safe harbors were.
those pirates were able to pillage
vessel with safety, and then escape
when pursued too closely by a man-of-
war.
For short time 1 was a member
of one of those pirate crews. Do not
look shocked, doctor; I could not helm
it. / was pressed into the service
and 1 swore to follow the black flag
only to save my life. 1 was young
then and life was precious. The shin
on which 1 was serving was captured
by the pirate Latrobe During the
fight two Of the pirates were killed.
The entire crew Of the ship on which
l was serving were either killed or
captured. There were too many oh
the pirates, and they fought like de-
mons.
when I and another young man
we were both little more than boys
were offered the chance Of Joining the
pirate band, we accepted the offer.
Life was sweet to us, and we knew
our fate II we refused. So we swore to
be faithful to the skull and cross bones
and became members Of as bloodthirsty
crew as ever trod a deck
'sThe day after I Joined the pirates
we were pursued by a Spanish man-of-
war and a Yankee corvette We had
started for rendezvous Of the pirates.
where division was to be made of
the booty on board, which I UNDER
stood was quite rich. We still had the
corpses of the two dead pirates on
board, the inetntion being to bury
them on some island.
Those hardened murderers, guilty
Of atrocious crimes, had an objection
to burying fellow criminal at sea, so
the two dead men were slowed aWay
in the hold. While making for the pi-
rate headquarters the Spanish man-of-