The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-28

and he no sooner saw Jones than he rec.
ognized him. While resting ~ oihitns
house Jones sickened of Q fever anu uiea,
but before he passed away he sent Tor ms
old comrade and made clean nreas' on
the whols Affair. The gold, " said the
dying man, lis buried on the neid OF
Buena Vista. and since 10 will serve no
man s purpose for IL to remain hid In the
earth. II you have mind TO 90 after ~
will tell you whero IL Is.
Mr.. Smith was very anxious 70 go aitor
| slO. 900 in gold, and he listened attentively
to the dying words Of his guest Jones
said that he was on his road TO the neid
| OF BueIia Vista when overtaken by SICK.
ness. 1.-The gold" he said. WAS buried
| at the root of q large pecan tree just
thirty steps south OF Walnut Springs
Smith hardly waited to see his old com
rade decentiy buried before he set out for
Mexico. When he returned 20 Texas,
some months later, he told his friends
that the trees had all been cut down on
| the old battlefield, and since there were
several springs in the vicinity he found
to his utter astonishment that - could
not locate the one that tho Americans
had called Walnut Springs. he said that
hs had dug around hundreds OF trees,
but that he finally became discouraged
and gave up the search. he told the
truth. He certainly did. not succeed In
finding the gold, but every old veteran
| iieves that there is mt this time slO,co IN
| gold concealed not far beneath the green
| sward of the famous field OF Buena Vista
An old Confederate veteran who had
been an attentive listener Co the strange
story of the gray haired heroes OF Buena
| Vista felt moved by IL to occupy their at
| tention concerning an affair OF inuch
more interest, to Missourians at least.
The Confederate's Story.
- ,
said the Confederate General Price
| took possession of very large building
| in the city, which had evidently been con
| structed for female college or seminary.
| Into this building our sick and wounded
were crowded, and / was detailed by Gen
| eral Tom Harris of Hannibal TO take
| charge of a large room in this hospital oc-
| cupied by the sick and wounded belong
| ing TO his brigade. Thinking that L
| would be detained in such inactive bust
| ness but short time and feeling sure
| that the army would cross the river ana
| carry the war into northeast Missouri, 1
| rode to the hospital. rather GLAD OF an
opportunity to be in town for few days
| General Price at once commenced q hur-
| ried retreat toward the exhausted nelds
| of south Missouri and the barren hills Of
Arkansas Some two weeks after the army
| had retired the warden OF the hospital,
whose name as j remember It, was either
Garner or Gardner came around ABOUT
midnight and volunteered the rather
startling Information that about 1000
| Kansas jayhawkers were within "a lew
miles OF the city, and he doubted
| whether they would show any respect for
| our hospital flag This rather soldierly
| looking, gray haired old man was followed
| by negro with IA bright new coffee pot
| full of whisky, and in obedience to nod
| or wink from the warden ne frequently
| poured a little Of the liquid In cup and
| offered it TO wounded soldier or hos
pital nurse. The warden advised the
| wounded and, lin fact the whole hospital
corps To throw all their arms, money and
| other yaluables in pile ana permit them
| To DO concealed for "a few days. The boys
appeared perfectly willing To act upon the
| suggestion, and the wounded at once LAID
| on the floor by the side Of their cots every
| thing that they possessed Of any value. Inc
| old warden followed by mys.lt and two
| or three other soldiers passed around
| through the hopsital and gathered every
| thing up and placed the stuff in pillow
| cases, using bed tick for the guns, pistols
and swords.
| Buried the Treasure.
There were several very fine swords.
| reniem Der one in particular, that be-
| longed TO "a younS man from ST Louis.
| The hilt fairly glittered with brilliants,
and the poor young fellow cried when he
| handed IL TO us saying that the sword had
boen carried 10y his grandfather in the old
wars waped by Napoleon There were
| at least bushel of pistols and nearly half
| that quantity of watches, rings, lockets,
| and pocketbooks. One wounded soldier
| VINO belonged to Raines' Brigade took u
| belt from his waist. which he said con-
| tanned $500 Another officer, In handing
| over heavy pocketbook, simply re-
| marked There is u good deal of money
| IN that" Never was piece of business of
| such Importance conducted with such care
| lessness and lack OF all system. No ques-
tions were asked and no names taken or
| attached TO the articles. Everything
without regard to value or ownership
| was thrown into tho pillow cases or bed
tick and carried Lurriedly out of the hos
! pltai. The old man, who was evidently
| honest and actuated by the best inten
| tions, led tine way. We did not go very
far. l am sure wo stopped In little val
| lev or ravine not more than 400 yards from
| the hospital. Here we dug hole about
| y feet deep In the earth, and after wrap
| ming thu pillow cases and bed tick in a
| hlanket. we consigned every thing -
| swords, pistols, watches and money-into
| tho excavation and covered all with dirt
and carefully replaced the green turf.
TDe enemy never appeared. and few
| DAYS after the scare every man who was
ablo to walk or ride left the hospita! and
set out to join tho army. leaving the citi-
zens of Lexington To care Tor the wound
Ell. Now l am just 6s certain Of the
fact" added tho old soldier with great
| earnsstness, "as | am that the stirs shine,
| that not one single man connected with
that affair ever went back to the spot
where we buried all OF that stuff. The
wounded soldier who gave up the belt
| containing $500 died and afterward saw
tho old warden and two others who were
| connected with tho foolishness in Price $
| army.
liter reaching the street in front of the
| hospital we turned to the right with our
backs to kths river, and some 200 or 800
| yards further on we turned ID the left,
| and it was In the first little vale or ravine
that we encountered that tie stuff was
| buried. l am very sure that we buried
several hundred.dollars and n considera bic
| quantity of valuable jewe!ry I'm that hole
on that frightful night, and for 80 years
! it has often been matter Of wonder with
me, as To- whether or not any uDe has
ever stumble upon the stuff. i believe
| could walk straight to the spot, but,
strangely enough, it never occurred TO me
to 20 there, though L have often needed