The San Francisco call., 1897-08-17
Alleged Discovery of the
Hidden Loot of
Pirates.
Returned Advanturer Claims
That He Has Found the
Treasure.
Brought to Victoria by the Aurora,
Whose Crew Sought for 1t
In Vain.

VICTORIA, B. c.. Aug. 16.-This port
has been the outftting scene of many
Cocos Island treasure-hunting parties,
but the usual no-luck story has been
varied to-day by the return of the sealing
schooner Aurora. When there appeared
to be nc longer any money in seal hunting,
CAPTAIN Hackett made a bargain with
Victorians who had money to bear the
cost of an expedition, and started with his
party on the Aurora about four months
ago. Mrs. Brennan, relict OF seaman
named Heating, had inherited from him
what she supposed to be the secret of this
Cocos Island treasure, and, confident in
the value of her inheritance, she had come
all the way from Nova Scotia to be the
star passenger on tine Aurora.
The island was duly reached and the
place marked on Mrs. Brennan's chart
was found, bearing indications of having
been thoroughly prospected with pick and
shovel already, but quite barren of gold or
other treasure.
Two OF the crew-A. b. Whldden and
w. Living to leave the ISL
and without the object of their search and
the Aurora has come without them, but
has brought as passenger Charles Hart
ford, an American soldier and adventurer.
claiming Rockport as his home, who in
sists that he has located the treasure, but
is under bonds to disclose the hiding place
to the Costa Rican Government ana TO no
one else.
According to Hartford, he was landed
on the island from Costa Rican gun boat
ten months ago. but since then has neither
seen nor heard anything of his patrons,
and accordingly lS was willing 10 make
the following agreement, which tells its
own tale:
81, Charles Hartford, have an agree
ment with and permission from the
Costa Rican Government to search for
hidden treasure supposed TO have been
hidden on Cocos Island. I was landed by
The said Government on Septem ber %.
1896. and that Government agreed to
come back for me inside of three months.
Nine months have gone and l have not
heard from them, the said Government
and, being in a starving condition, and
with nc means to obtain food, aad no way
to get off the island, and having located
large treasure | this day make an agree
ment with the captain and crew of the
schooner Aurora, of Victoria, B. c., to un-
cover and take half of the treasure of
whatever nature, whether gold or silver
or precious stones, for their side of the
agreement. and TO land me, Charles Hart
ford, at some convenient port in the
United States with the other half OF the
sa d treasure"
The otber parties to this agreement
we're the crew of the Aufora, with the
exception of Captain Hackett, who re-
fused to sign. The suggested agreement
was declared off, but Hartford was glad
to be allowed to come to Victoria on the
schooner. He uas been with the United
States Consul for several hours to-day,
prevailing upon that functionary to send
messages to the Costa Rcan Government.
which so far have not been answered. II
they continue this shabby treatment,
Hartford says, he will be willing TO renew
negotiations with Captain Hackett. In
the meantime the captain is disheartened.
but fully expects that the two men he has
left behind may discover something. He
thinks now that he sailed into the wrong
bay, and this theory they will test.
The paper that Hartford exhibits as his
concession from the Costa Rican Govern
menti is written in Spanish and dated Au-
gust "a. 1896. He was landed, with lit
tie negro boy as servant. and they found
on the island a German named Gissler,
with a concession from the Costa RIcan
Government for the plantation which he
now everlooks. Gisser did not take kind
ly to Hartford, who speaks of him as
bold, bad man, but the Aurora party say
they experienced nothing but kindness at
the Germans hands.