The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-28
Stories of Gold Buried on
BatllefieldS.
Mexican Priest. Robbed of
$1O,OOOby Two Americans.
II Was Secreted on the Field Of
Buena Vista, ami is There Yet.


met in the City Of Cotulla Tex, few
days since, and while fighting their bat
ties over one of them related a very inter-
esting story connected with the field of
Buena Vista. Both OF these old warriors
are well known and highly respected in
Southern Texas. During the Mexican
war both of them served IN company OF
| Texas Rangers and scouts commanded by
| the famous Ben Mccullough who was
| slain in battle during the civil war on
| the bloody field Of Pea Ridge.
As the story runs-and "A part of IL ut
| least appears TO have been familiar TO the
rank and file Of Gen. Taylor's army-two
| young men, one named Jones and the
| other Straynorn, both of whom were pri-
| Yates in an Indiana regiment while
| scouting over the country on the san
| Juan river, met an Did priest from whom
| they demanded bread and wine. The old
| man had never before seen an American
| soldier and while trembling with tearih he
| invited them into his, church, where ho
| set before them an elegant lunch and
| treated them with the utmost courtesy.
| After the two soldiers had satisfied their
! hunger aud refreshed themselves with
| copious draughts OF the old mans wine
| they concluded to look around through
| the sacred ediiice. They saw
| great deal that astounded them, and it was
| not many moments before their cupidity
| got the better OF their Judgment.
| The candlesticks and numerous bright
| vessels used in administering tho solemn
| rites of the church excited in the breasts
OF these two simple country youths from
| the farms of the Wabash unlimited won.
| der, and when they asked the trembling
| old priest If they were really gold he an
| swered with the utm( st candor that they
| were, never dreaming that any man born
| of woman would dare To touch anything
| so sacred as those vessels Of the church.
| lie. however, soon afterward had potent
| reasons Tor regrettiDg his simplicity and
| the confidence be had reposed In his
| guests. The young soldiers were already
| heated with wine, and the devil put IL
| into their heads that an opportunity had
| presented itself for them TO make their
| fortunes They easily satisfied all con-
| suientious scruples by reasoning taat they
were engaged in the business OF making
war against Mexico and they had often
| heard IL proclaimed that TO the victors
| belonged the spoils.
l. More Wine aud Gold.
They demanded more wine of the old
| priest and he instantly complied with
| their request corrteously insisting that
| tfiey should drink as much as they de-
| sired After swallowing several glasses
| Of the delicious red liquid one OF the
| young soldiers in the most matter-of-fact
| way presented "a pistol in the face OF the
1
| had any gold coin. The Gffrighted man
! supposed that tho soldiers intended to Kill
| him on the SPOT, sand no instantly fell
| upon his knees at the feet OF the terrible
| Americanos, and begged them in piteous
| tones to spare his life, declaring that mo
| would give them every dollar that couid
| be found in the church They told HIM
10 get up and get the gold at once. The
| ter sori2ed old priest gave the robbers
| $40 OO0 IN gold coin, declaring that 1t was
| all that he possessed. He implorad them
| 20 spare the sacred vessels of the altar ard
church, and strangely enough they needed
| his request
| Neither Of these young men, rs one OF
| them afterward stated. had ever before
! seen SO much as SlD In gold at one time.
| When they got the bucsskin sacks in their
! hands which the priest had told them con
tained $40, 600 tbey felt themselves rich.be-
| yond the widest dream tba5 had ever DIS
| turbed their brains They instantly re-
| turned To camp, hardly realizing that they
had committed u crime for which they
| were liable to be court-martialed and shot
| but. fearing trouble in some shape, they
| buried every piece of the gold ana
| solemnly colnpacteu between themselves
never to whisper word concerning rhe
! affair to any living mortal. They were
| foolish enough to think that the matter
| was beyond all discovery. never dreaming
| that the old priest would venture into the
| American camp. They were destined TO
| sore disappointment for upon opening
| their eyes the next morning the very first
scene that presented itself to them was OF
| the most profound interest. They saw the
| old priest passing slowly through tue
| American camp, accompanied by Lieut.
Chrittenden, who WAS member OF Gen.
| TayIor's staff Later in tho day tho old
| priest identified both Of the young rascals,
| and they were at once arrested and placed
under guard Con. Taylor deemed the mat
| TOR of such Importance that be called TO SOC
| the accused young men, and after asking
| them "a few very pertinent questlo's ne
| left thom to pass the next twenty -lour
| hours under the very disturbing roilec-
| tiop that the commander of the army in
| tended to have them both shot the next
| morning at sunrise unless they Instantly
| confessed to the robbery and returned
| every dollar of the gold TO the lawful
| owner. On the next day Gen. Taylor
: had weiQbtier affairs to occupy his atten-
| tion. Santa Anna's army filed through
| tho mountain masses. and the great
| battle of Buena Vista was fought Whilo
| the terrible conflict was raging III oc-
| CURED To Jones and Strayhorn that they
| might do something that would eth er
| cause them TO lOso or save their lives.
| Taxing advantage Of tho confusion In
| camp they escaped from the guards and
| iotned the line of battle, where both OF
| them fought with such conspicuous gal
lantry that they attracted the attcntit n oil
many line officers. Al night when the
songs and hurrahs of victory were re-
| sounding over the hills Of Buena Vista
these two young rasc AIS both OF whom
were slightly wounded, returned To the
guard house.
sent to New Orleans to BE Tried.
The story Of their desperate courage in
hattie. of their wounds, and of their vol
untary return to the guards reached the
| ears of the commanding gonerai ~Snd nc
sent ChrIttendcn To toll thom that II they
would return the gold To the old priest
trey would bo permitted TO join their
company. They ucolaied that the priest
was mistaken, and Dramatically turning
their empty pockets and shaking them DO.
fore the officers, ttev solemnly sworo that
they did not possess n dollar on earth,
but doubtless mentally added that they
had sl0, 600 i'm the earth. They main
tanned the truth Of their story with sucn
earncstness that many officers believed
| them. and doubtless ten. Taylor hinsell
rad some doubts on The subject, Tor ne
~. to Ia