New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-25
SEEKING HIDDEN TREASURES
A DISCOVERY IN THE TEMPLE OF Esru
NOUN. IN TUNIS-FORTUNEs SPENT IN
AncIrrN.r E0p pIfDIIfD wv, Al III.

Paris correspondence Of Tho London Globe
Another treasure has just been brought N
light not in Spain this time. but in Tunis III,
said to be composed Of valuable objects, such a.
ingots OF gold, jewels set with diamonds ,M
other precious articles 1t vas discovered !
the Temple Of EschmOun. one Of the gods whom
the Carthaginians venerated, and Is therefor,
no ordinary treasure. Eschmoun had his tenn.
pie in Byrsa. the citadel of Carthage Pilgrim,
were wont to assemble there to pray for tbs
protection of the god. The Romans were on n.
point Of taking Byrsa when a prudent citizen
removed the treasure and hid II at the bottom u
a grotto, which was closed up With large stopes
There ii was found the other day by coupls
of natives Desiring to be on good terms viii
the law, they laid the matter before French.
man. who in his turn Informed the Residency
the event An agreement was come to accord
ing to which the State gave half Of the treasln
10 the Frenchman and the two natives, and tie
other half to the Beaux-Arts.
True or false, the history of this treasure mus
not he forgotten. At all times human creduiu
has had a weakness for hidden treasures Ths
reader may remember the stir that was maA
by the reported treasure which Was believed 4
be hidden in the ground surrounding the cathe.
dral Of St Denis. The authorities ordered 4
search 70 be made but nothing was found Bn
II was especially after the Revolution that Tho
stories Of hidden treasure turned the heads II
the people In some cases there appeared 10 b
foundation for the reports. Many noble fam
HES. it is said. at the moment Of leaving t1
exile. afraid Of taking their jewels with then
preferred to bury them secretly in the hope d
finding them again on their return. The fear
Of domiciliary visits led others TO secure their
Valuables in the same way. Now, as many o.
the nobility who are said TO have hidden Their
property were either executed or never cane
back from exile. it results that their treasures
were lost or stolen In connection with tbs
subject a strange adventure is stated to have
happened 10 u brakeman in Paris named Pau
vert vino in the year l19S was placed BY an
individual VINO signed himself Saint-Flrmin 10
the secret of the researches which he vas max.
ing for the recovery of small casket contain
ing the sum f 1000 crowns. 1t Is not said Il he
treasure was ever discovered.
A "DISCOvERER OF TREASURES"
Very different was the old Com,e villiers q.
rIsle-Adam. father Of the We-known writg
and one OF the most original figures Of u.
Restoration. Persuaded. and not without a.
appearance Of reason. that the recovery OF bis
family. one Of the oldest in Brittany was De-
pendent on the existence Of a treasure hidden
under the ruins Of one Of the numerous castla
which he formerly possessed. he began by max
ing explorations on his own account in differ.
ent parts of the country They were not sue
! cessful, but the decrease Of his little fortune
did not discourage him. and he hit upon the
idea Of extending his researches not only %
his own account. but also on that Of others who
were believed to have treasures. He established
himself in 4 little broken down house at Saint.
Brieuc, and styled himself the "Dscoyerer Of
Treasures" Being learned in armorial bear
ings. he showered his circulars on all sides. not
only on the noble families whom the Revolution
had plundered. bu' also on those families who
were still in possession OF their fortune but who
desired to increase IL
Everybody knew that Yllicrs was a perfectly
honest man: IL was not surprising. Therefore
that he soon found customers. Numerous fsms-
lies of the nobility took great interest In h1
enterprise. His strange Cabinet dafaires'
worked we'll during the whole Of the Restore
ton, but II then gradually died out without any
practical result being obtained from the r.
searches. Ii must be confessed that the seeker
Of treasure are rarely happy in their explors.
! ticns. Some say It IS owing 10 4 want OF method
others to lack of documents. but perhaps
We shall be nearer the mark II we attribute II
to the scarcity Of treasures. VIII IN are all more
or less imaginary. Most OF the treasures are
brought TO light by accident Fer example,
laborer in the fields may come across q vase
containing more gold coins and medals than
were ever discovered by the seekers Among
the latter may be found believers who have re
duced themselves 10 misery and ruin IN tneh
! pursuit OF treasures.
THE SwINDLERS OF BARCELONA
Villiers still believed in the existence OF treas
ures. but this delusion was not shared by tns
swinders OF barcelona. who. although wen
! known. never failed TO make dupes among 81
classes in France. At one moment II was q 'e1'
/ ter from a fictitious jailer in when al ga
! CarliSt officer. condemned 10 SeFetaI years ~
/ prsonment. secretly informed one that oeIV ,s
his arrest he was able to cross the frontier wiz.
4 the funds of his regiment. that the fuhus w.
hidden in France in place known only 70 mn. III.
/ self and that he was willing to disclose Wv
! spot on receipt Of three thousand or Tour Wv,
! sand francs on another occasion instead 81
/ taller. IL was a daughter Of the carlist ome...
who. not having sufficient money to take as. ~ y
France solicited one To help her make the ~,
ney and bring back the treasure. winch 49,
! i,c iNI
more was heard of the affair. The Pfeiec. "
Police has on many occasions warned tne e, ~ =, :
lie against the swinders of Barcelona vSs ..c,,
difficult to understand how such ma .eia, n
have been allowed to escape from tue """'
| the law. ..., they
| ThA nativns Of Ennis who pretenl tnae w.