The record-union., 1897-08-18
LAFITTE'S LOST TREASURES.
FAMOUS PIRATES GOLD STILL
HIDDEN SOMEWHERE.
The Search for It Has Not Been
Given Up by Treasure
Hunters.

Hunters.
Having heard so many conflicting
stories concerning the visit of Lafitte,
the famous pirate, to Southwestern
Louisiana in the early days of the nine
teenth century, 1 concluded to investi-
gate the sources of these legends and
give the public the results of my re-
Searches. 1t is well known that Lafitte
used to run up the CaIcasieu and Mer-
mentau Rivers TO dispose of contraband
goods or bury treasure which had been
taken from the merchant vessels on the
high seas.
On one occasion he came up the Cal
casieu as far as Lake Charles and sold
one of his crew, a negro cook, to a resi-
dent. This negro died about four years
ago, and is supposed to have been 1lO
Years of age. This darky knew of many
places where treasure was buried, but
could never be persuaded to tell any
more than that a great deal was buried
along the COntraband Bayou, a tribu-
tary of the Calcasieu- He said that
p 'Marse Lafitte, when he bury dat mon
ey, kilt a niger, an put him in de hole,
too, right on top O dat money, an tole
US dat ef we ebber tole any libin' soul
Whar hit WuZ dat de sperrit o. dat Mig
ger shore gwine han't US until our dyin'
day, an wOuldn' glib US no res. Nah,
sab, yo' gemmen can do whatsomeber
20 like to me, yO' can kill me eff yo'
wants to, but I amt gwine show yo'
nothin' bout dat buried money, 'ceptin'
It's along Contraband Bayou some
where's
Besides this darky there is still one
other who is alive and whom I have
often seen, and is supposed TO have been
o. Lafitte's crew. He, however, stoutly
denies all knowledge of Laitte or his
treasure. I went to ranch about five
miles out from Lake Charles a short
time since, where I knew I would find
him 1 questioned him about many
thing concerning the early history of
this country, but when Lafitte was men
toned 1 could see that he was dis
pleased, and failed to obtain any fur
ther information from him than that he
knew nothing of Lafitte, and he even
declared that he had never heard of
him, Notwithstanding his previous
statement that he was IS years old at
the time of "JacksOn'S war"
4 French Canadian living on the bOr-
der Of the sea marsh has at times told
me many strange stories, and really
knows more about the great pirate than
any person I have met. I once hap
pened at his ranch while he was suffer
ing from the effects of a trip into the
great marsh I asked him what took
him in there.
"Oh, just looking for something" A
few more questions developed the fact
that he had been looking for the treas
ure. Having known him for a long time
1 did not hesitate to ask him why he
supposed the treasure to have been
buried in such place, and away from
a Watercourse. Then he told me the
following story:
"On the other side of the marshes,
southeast from here, right on the banks
of the Mermentau, there is a pile of
brickbats and mortar. the remains of
what was once a brick tomb. marked
simply by an iron cross, bearing no in
scription of any kind To the few sim
ple-minded Catholic settlers scattered
through that section it conveyed no hint
of being otherwise than the lonely rest
ing place of one of the faithful One
afternoon some years ago a schooner
sailed up the river and dropped anchor
nearly opposite this tomb. No attention,
however, was paid to this circumstance,
as small craft often passed up the river
TO the upper country. The schooner lay
at anchor for three or four days, and
sailed away under cover of night. The
next day some one discovered that the
tomb had been broken into. A large
iron kettle was found lying a short dis
tance away, and near by was picked up
a Spanish gold coin of ancient date.
Now, 1t is evident that Lalitte shrewdly
conceived the idea of building a brick
vault and placed therein the kettle of
gold, knowing that the supposed resting
place of the dead would probably re-
mained undisturbed forever. Having
no occasion to use the money the chart
showing its location probably passed
down to the descendants Of some of his
crew, which accounts for the appear
ance of the schooner"
Here my friend paused, and I ex-
planned to him that / stili failed to
understand why he should risk his life
searching in a vast marsh for treasure
, that had already been carried away.
Wait" he said, "and I'll tell you
Soon after the departure of the schoo-
ner young friend of mine living near
the Nerrnentau shot and killed one OF
three brothers in a difficulty, and OF
course he had to leave at once, as there
was no officer of the law in that Sec
tion. and the relatives of the dead man
swore vengeance. He was afraid tC