The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-10-21
HIDDEN GOLD.
Story of Vast Wealth Hidden in
Mexico Believed.
Missourian Leads a Party to the
Interior.
HAS AN INDIAN GUIDE
Who Declares He Knows LOca-
ton Of Ancient Caches.
Rich Mines Seem to Be Near the
Capital.

New Orleans. Oct. 21.-A traveller tar
rying in New Orleans relates this story
of Aztec treasure in Mexico:
you have heard the old legend of the
fabulous gold buried somewhere in the
mountains by the Aztecs about the time
of the invasion of the country by the
Spauiards, when they robbed the people
and swept away into their own Golfers all
the golden treasures of the unfortunate
Aztecs- PrescOtts version of this story
is the best, and there is certainly more
truth than fancy in the legend. You re-
member there had been large expedition
sent out from the City of Mexico by the
Montezumas into the gold country, for
the purpose of gathering a vast amount Of
the precious metals for the ornamentation
Of the new temples that were being con-
strueted.
1.-THE record reads in the legend that this
expedition was just starting back to the
capital when word was brought in that
the nation was in the hands of the Spanish
robbers. They were instructed to bury
their treasures and return to their homes
empty-handed, rather than to give the ad-
The gold expedition followed instructions,
capital. Cortez was waiting for them, for
he had advice of their mission. He was
so enraged at their empty-handed return
that the entire party was ordered killed
Wei, ever since that day, at stated
times, miners and others have sought for
the treasure. Many diligent searches have
been made, but all have proven futile. The
the death of those who buried It, When I
was in Mexico travelling in the interior
some miles from the city, met an Amer
lean named Miles. He was from some
point in Missouri. He had three partners,
Mexieans, one of whom was an Indian,
and they were just starting for some point
in the interior, where the Indian said the
famous treasure was hidden. l have never
heard a word from the expedition. Miles
was confident that they would ind the
ore, Tor 1t seems he mad good reason TO
believe the Indian knew what he was
talking about.
Miles said that the place whittier they
We're destined was within 80 miles of Mex
leo city, within the range of the sur
rounding mountains. During the days of
the AZtecs there was a constant warfare
going on between the people Of the Mon
tezumas, living. within this range, and the
tribes living without that limit, so much
so that any effort to penetrate beyond was
met with armed resistance HENCE, he
reasoned, there was very little, if any,
conlnunicatlon between the Montezumas
from which the vast wealth of the Aztecs
was drawn must be within a few miles of
Miles believed that some day these old
mines would be redtScovered, and would
prove as wealthy as they evidently were
before the Spanish plundered the country.
This treasure buried SO many years ago.
the old Indlan SAID, was now IN the waters
of a small lake in the interior. This lake
I have watched the papers closely for
some account of the expedition, but have
never seen a word about it."
This gentleman spending several months
of every year in Mexico, IS convinced that
TIE tiers are vas SIG goi6 f ne + M In
Il remember" he said, zone day I was
in the store of a small country merchant
and an old Mexican came in bought a few
goods, and. taking the merchant off to one
side handed him a small tobacco sack
filled with gold dust learned afterward
from the merchant that he had many Gus
toners of this kind who came in quietly,
made their purchases and always paid for
them in gold dust. But he told me they
giving GIlI away the secret Of the preciou 19
metals location He told me that there
sometimes came into his town whole
bands of Mexican Indians, all having gold
dust, with which they made their pur-
chaos. But they showed the bittereSt
spirit toward all who make inquiries rela-
tive to the sources Of their crude wealth, .,