The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-11
COCOS ISLAND RICHES
TREASURE VALUED AT ssO,OOO,OOO
SAID TO HAVE BEEN FOUND.
Story of the Search on a Lonely Pm
cific IsIet for Wealth Buried by
People of Central America.

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 10.-The story
that the treasure buried on Cocos island
has been discovered is reiterated by passen-
gers who arrived here on the steamer City
of Sydney, from Australia. August Whd
den, partner of A. Geisman. who left this
port about five years ago in the sloop Hay
seed to search for the treasure, was among
the passengers and he says positively the
hiding place of the $50, OO0. 900 has been found
On Nov. 8 the Imperieuse, the flagship of
Rear Admiral Palliser and of the North
Pacific Squadron. returned to Esquimault.
B. c., completing a cruise of less than six
weeks duration, but full Of incident and ad-
venture When the vessel left headquarters
on Sept. %, there was mystery in regard
to her orders. not usually apparent, even in
the movement of ships of war. On board
were two civilians New York correspon-
dent and an interpreter. 1t was when Cocos
island was reached, on Oct. IA, that their
identity and the secret Of the trip was dis
closed. The supposed interpreter was no
other than Charles Hartford, the reputed
discoverer of the Cocos island treasure. and
his companion, e. A. Harris whom he had
interested in his remarkable tale Of buried
millions. The island itself was found to lie
300 miles southeast Of San Jose de Guata-
mala, although but 280 miles distant from
the nearest land, little green patch in the
sea, scarcely eight miles long by half that
wide. It's inhabitants at the time the I'm
perieuse landed her party were Mrs. Gerser
and new arrival from Nova Scotia. a
German, who was accompanied by his wife.
Gersler himself was nowhere to be seen,
nor was the negro servant, who played the
part of FRIDAY" to Hartford's Robinson
Crusoe." They had gone to the mainland.
Gersler explained. Gersler had made away
with the negro and secreted himself, ac-
cording to Hartford's theory.
No time was lost in beginning work under
Hartford's directions, and with the aid of
his much discussed chart, which Mrs. Gers
Ter cOntemptuouSly described as only a
copy Of the one we have" Digging for
though it was raining hard the watch re-
sponded with alacrity when Lieutenant Lee
informed them that all hands were, to go
ashore and dig diamonds. The digging
was commenced at spot indicated on the
chart and designated by Hartford. At
depth of five or six feet, he said, a large
fat stone or slab would be discovered. out of
which he had previously chiselled the dis
tinguishing number that it had originally
borne.
The slab was found at the depth he
named, and there was no lack of energy
In compliance when Hartford next gave the
order to dig ten or twelve feet deeper
when the tunnel would be struck, leading
to the cavern of gold and jewels. The con-
tinuous rain made the work extremely diff
cult. but it was nevertheless continued until
depth of ten feet was reached with no dis
closures. At this point the water had so
welled into the pit that large overhanging
rock was seen TO sway from undermining
and Lieutenant Lee retired his men Just
in time to avoid serious fatality. The
rock completely filled the excavation made
and neutralized the work already done. In
stead of blasting out the distractions and
opeIdIirs paSar gord To- rne
blast in the hillside itself, and this being
carried out without result, the Imperieusee
turned homeward despite the pleadings of
Hartford. The admiral said it was impos-
sible to remain longer from headquarters.
The officers and men of the snip united In
saving they believed the treasure was there.
MANY FRUITLESS QUESTS.
Commenting on the above, the New York
Sun of Nov. 4 said: IF the belief of the
officers of the British flagship Imperieuse is
true and the buried treasure of Cocos island
is actually there, there will be chagrin and
lamentation in many cities of both East
and West, among others this city. In the
last fifty years many excursions have been
planned with the lone Pacific islet for their
objective point. Some of them went SO far
as to get embarked Others lived and died
on paper. Few ever reached Cocos, and of
those few a startling proportion found death
on the rocky shores or by fever or starva-
tion None found the treasure. Charles
Hartford, the man who claims to have
found it, found also the skeletons of those
of failure He is back in this country now,
and the Imperieuse, which took him TO CO.
cos on his second trip, left a detachment
of marines to guard the hoard. Hartford is
the only man who has ever gone or tried to
go to CocOS twice.
'Cocos island is mountainous rock, with
thirty miles of coast line, that rises from
the depths of the Pacific ocean about 450
miles out from Costa RIGA, of which 1T Is
a possession. Only storm driven vessels
ever sight 1t. 1t is out of the travelled world,
the picked spot of the universe for cache
of valuableS. In 1920 when Central America
was in revolt against the cruel sway OF
Spain the richest among the colonists
formed a close-banded company for the
preservation of their gold, silver and
precious stones, and, fitting out schooner,
set sail for the far island. Written history
SAYS nothing of this excursion, but the his
tory which Is handed down from father to
son and eventually spreads and becomes in
terwoven with legend has it that half a
dozen picked men of the band buried the
treasure within the outer vein OF the noun
tainS that line the coast at night and in
close secrecy; that each had map OF the
cache and that upon mutual agreement
when the war should be over they should
sail away again to recover the hoard, which
was said to be of the value of $780, 900.
OF the six, so goes the story. one was killed
and two died within short time Their
maps of the islet disappeared. The other
three some years later fitted out an expedi-
ton which was storm beaten from the four
quarters of heaven and finally driven back
upon the Central American coast where
still another of the band persisted. I'm
daunted the remaining two fitted out an
other ship, were cast upon the rock-bound
shore of Cocos in a gale and persisted.
"Then begins a vague mortuary record
Early in the forties a party sailed from
Honduras in great secrecy, supposedly for
the treasure. The disappearing sails Of the
shin on the horizon were the last that NOR
tai eye ever saw of that venture. Two Ger
mans, wanderers upon the face of the earth,
reached Cocos with an excursion and re-
fused to return, preferring to stay and
search Another excursion three years
later found what had been the two Ger
mans One was a skeleton on the shore
The other was a foul animal human only
in form. They took him back-though not
until four of their party had died of mvs-
FERROUS fever-and he died raving, within
two DAYS after they reached the mainland
There are indefinite statements of two other
parties which found the island, but nothing
to reward their venture.
hearing alleged markings of the treasures
Local ton were travelling abroad upon the
earth in the hands Of sailors. Some came
TO New York. and there was an abortive
attenDt to organize an expedition here One
landed in Boston and a wealthy storekeep
er had such faith in It that ne fitted ont
!, -biy1 70 on around the Horn. only to die