The sun., 1897-11-29
SOUGHT TREASURES IN VAIN
Old Folly Wood Invaded by Gold
Hunters.
HISTORIC FOLLY WOODS
Scene of Pirates, Orgies and Many
Narrowing Adventurers---
Some Interesting
Stories.

Narrowing Adventurers---
Some Interesting
Stories.
Treasure seekers have invaded this "
cinity. The seat Of their operations is
"Folly" woods, that interesting piece oi
land between this city and Newport. 1t
was their intention to show the people
of Wilmington that money is plentiful
here in the bowels OF the earth. Not i'll
natural condition, but in a form that i.
ready for the pockets of the spcnder.
Last week crowd Of youthful adyen-
turcrs from down the State, near the
town of Camden, came to Wilmington
and journeyed out to 'FolIy" woods fer
the purpose of searching for buried
treasures supposed to have been placed
there by pirates who formerly operated
on the Christiana and Delaware rivers.
After tearing up much Of the ground and
faithfully searching the cavities thus
made, the disappointed treasure-hunters
returned to their homes without the
hoped-for reward and minus the amount
of money necessary to make the journ'
here.
These Kent county adventurcrs are
but the latest addition to an army OF
persons who have from time to time
made an expedition to the historic
"Folly" woods in an endeavor to locate
supposed wealth hidden there.
Over two hundred years ago some PAL
ties seeking a suitable site for settle
ment arrived at point on what is now
the Newport pike, where the road is
forked. They built one large house and
then realized that large boats could not
navigate the Christiana creek that tarup,
SO the site was abandoned. Hence the
woods at that point were named "Foily''
woods.
This mistake seemed to bode evil to
the woods, and from that time up to the
present fear of unknown dangers and
mshaps pcrvade all who approach the
place, and the woods themselves have
given up many horrible tales.
Early in the eighteenth century tho
old house was occupied by Il band oi
pirates. The desperadoes would make
tours Of pillage during the day and the
woods rang with the sounds of tEcil
orgies at night. Tradition says that
those desperate fellows buried money il
the woods, and hundreds Of persons
have journeyed to the place hoping tc
find it. Deep holes are to be seen at
frequent intervals, dug by some persons
in a vain search for wealth. At "Uld
Dam" there are two holes on each side
of the cart road and two more are on the
marsh driveway. There is also deeE
. cavity on Indian hill and one along the
Newport pike.
Folly" woods has been the scene o1
many disastrous happenings i'll late
years. In 1867 Philip TiIghman anc
Thomas Butcher, both colored, were al
work in the woods cutting wood. The
latter was dilating upon the peculiar
history of. Folly" woods when he sud
denly dropped dead. Nearby residents
claim that his ghost makes regular visit
ations to the spot where Butcher breathec
his last.
The Pennsylvania railroad runs
through the woods, and employees OF the
company have had some narrowing ex
periences there. One night several years
ago one of the company's track walkers
was approached by a large black dog
The animal could not be driven away
and stayed by the employe all night
Three days after this incident the track
walker was struck by al express trail
and killed instantly. Upon several oc
casions engineers thought they saw the
form of man standing in the centre O
the track. Bringing their train to ;
standstill and going forward to make al
investigation, they have discovered no
thing whatever. What was supposed tt
be a mans form was nowhere to be seen
and there was no explanation Of the ap
partition.
Fifteen years ago Mrs. John Hercy
whose husband was a shoemaker a
Newport, attempted to hang herself il
the woods, but was prevented by some o
the residents.
-Four years ago colopd man was. dis
covered sleeping in the woods. BY hi
side were two rcvolvers, Il large dlrl
knife and a shot bag full of money. Ht
claimed that he found the coin in a cave
in the woods.
Last spring a Philadelphia policeman
insultcd an Indian girl in that city ant
was discharged from the force. He cami
/ down TO "Folly" woods and there, OF
the scene Of so many peculiar incidents
r and tragedies, committed suicide. Sev
eral other suicides are recorded as takin!
. place in the same spot. 1t was at on,