The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-11-04
COC0s ISLANDS TREASURE
Wealth i'm an Uninhabited Pa.
cifie Ocean Region.
BURIED ABOUT A CENTURY
Reports of Gold Hidden by SPANISH
Americans Nearly a Hundred
Years Ago Investigated and Found
TO BE No Myth-British Warship
Finds Evidence OF It.

Victoria, u. C.. Nov. 4.-The British flag
ship Impeiieuse returned yesterday from
Coc1s Island, in the Pacific Ocean, about
500 miles west or Panama. 1t went to the
island fOt the purpose OF searching for the
treasure. supposed to DE worth about $50,
have beln hurled there in the early part OF
this Century. snc the hiding place of which,
a man named Hartford declares he discov-
cred about two wears ago.
Tac Officers % the flagship say that
HarforTs stories are no dreams, and that
tie treasure actually exists. Their belief in
the story is shown by the fact that they
have left guarG OF marines on the island
under tEt con, nland of a lieutenant, aud
enc Of the smaller vessels OF the squadroB
VIII return. Immediately TO the island. one
story afloat here tonight Is that the Inn
perieuse has ol. board about SIS 900 900
in gold and leNelry, and that the vessel
which is about TO start for CocoS Island
will bripl- tack thc balance of the tire assure,
which consists OF silver. Harris and Har-
ford have returned 10 TINS pert on the Im
perieuse.
Ini~ treasure " as taken TO COCos Island
from the Pacific coast OF Sopth America
during the trouhlods days of the revolu-
uonary wars in the secona decade Of this
ceutJrv, when tie Spanish colonies won
th,!r Independence from the mother coun-
try. Many or tne wealthy persons III the
towns know ng that they would be strip
ped of az J2eir possessions II the Spanish
soldiers came among them. placed most Of
their -Jlu silver and lewelry IN the hands
OF agents, who transported the entire prop
erty 10 uninhabited CooOs Island. where
il wasburie,l. Onlyoucor two maps. show
ing thu plsccof cOncealfuent OF the treasure.
were Drepsred. Many II thu persons u
whom the ueaaue helOnred Were Killed
or 0raieddu1iHg the wars.inclading the agents
who 1lnri.g Itan The lonely COoba rock, and
il has never i-een recovered
Some years ago "A chart purpOriing 10
show W hare the treasure was hidden came
into thu possession of woman in Maine,
and the result was that She got SOme money
together, hired schooner on the Pacific
coast, and, with a small party, went to he
island absuta year A. 20. one of the men IN
her party was Harris, W no was referred to
above a. having Just arrived here on the
lmpcrieuSe. When they reached the island
they found Hartford there all alone, and
nearly d. a OF hi> priyations. He, too, had
gone there 10 scare for the treasure, having
induced Z vessel To land him on the de>olate
coast, nearly year earlier. HIS supplies
had become EXIT listed, aud ne would soon
have died il >uccOr had not reached him.
lie tCiG The party that he had found the
treasure. that is enormous value rdny
justified the reports Concerning IL; that
the map thry nAd was entirely miSieldmg.
that ht alone possessed the clew that had
ei,ah!ed hlm To find the wealth, and that
the party might raBSack tie island tin
they hecamc gray and they would never
find the Tca sure without his assistance.
The party die not believe that Hartford
could keep monopoly Of the secret, 50
they madc a careful search of the island
while he clnplacently fed al their board,
looked On and said nothing. Finally the
party gave up the search an1 tried Ia
come TO terms with IIarfGrd. He wanted n
good deal mere than half of the treasure
for his STARE. Nobcdy was willing to give
him nearly 5 n,nch "a he demanded. and
after days OF talk they were as FAR from
an ac-eoment as when they startde. SO
the party started back 10 Victoria, taking
Hartford with them. He at once set about
securing the services of a vessel i0 take
him back 20 Co,sl island. but finally started
un the flagship !mperieUs- "a l,ok after
his own Interests. while Harris waSthsrep
rcscntatiyc of the party Of treasure
eeeSer- from Maine.