Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-03-22
BURIED MONEY FOUND,
Reported That $4,000 Was Found at Ro-
driguez House in East End of Town
Old Coins in Circulation Lend
Color to Story.

A find of buried money. reported to
consist of hearty SIG, 900, was made last
week while repairing an old house near
the brewery. Considerable secrecy is
maintained by the interested parties,
but the fact that numerous old coins,
dating back as far as 1887, are afloat in
the city, seems to indicate that the find
is not a pipe story
The facts Of the case, as given the
NEW MEXICAN representative, are,
that Juan and Eugenio Lujan and 9TH
ers, were repairing the Rodriguez home,
across the street from the brewery, and
n of the party, in removing a stone
from under the window, struck his pick
into a buckskin bag. The bag was filled
with gold and silver money and was
afterward removed to a safe place and
some of the coins of smaller denomina-
ton put into circulation. These fell
into the hands of coin collectors, who
have been assiduously searching through
authorities on old coin values in the en-
deavor to secure premiums. Naturally
a question was raised as to the source
of so many old pieces of money, and the
information was elected that they were
found in the Rodriguez residence.
Toribio Rodriguez, who works at Sol.
Lowitzki's store on San Francisco street,
says that he has heard of the find but
can gain no authentic information. This
is not strange, because, if9information
were given, beyond doubt, that the
money had really been unearthed, him
self and mother would come in for a
share of the spoils.
Young Rodriguez lives in the Rodri-
guez home with his mother, sister.
brother, brother-in-law and sister-in-
law. His father Rafael Rodriguez, pur-
chased the place in early days from his
mother. She was known to be very
wealthy and kept her money buried in
the house. She was 60 years old when
she died and told Mr.. Rodriguez that she
had removed all the money from the
house. Other relatives. however, were
not satisfied that the money had been
removed, When Rafael Rodriguez died,
one year ago, some of the relatives &C.
cused the Rodriguez family of having
found the money buried by the old lady,
because the imposing funeral was
thought to be beyond the available cash
supply of the family.
There is considerable feeling aroused
by members of the family, the brothers
and relatives of Mr.. Rodriguez believing
that the wife and family are secreting
the money and keeping them from Sc
curing a share.
Last week three men went to the RO-
driguez residence after dark and COM
manded Mrs. Rodriguez to deliver up
the money. She declared that she
knew nothing about it and was so scared
that sickness resulted from the visit.
She did not know who the night prowl-
ers were.
Toribio Rodriguez has been in the
employ Of Lowitzki IL years and is q
bright appearing young fellow. He says
that If the money was found he would
like to get a share of it and thinks that
himself and mother should have a share
of it.
While the recent Improvements were
going On Higinio Lujan was engaged
In plastering the place and Juan Lujan
did the carpenter work. A lot OF holes
were found where tin cans were buried,
but the cans were all empty. Doubtless
the repository under the window was
considered safe enough to have so vast
an amount in. One of the Lujan boys,
while taking in the sights" one night,
gave a companion some old coins to
change for him, which led to the belief
that he had secured the money.
That some n got away with the $16,-
600 is not doubted, but there seems to
be a difficulty in determining just who,
or how many are enjoying the benefits
of the discovery. The money is being
disposed of in a quiet way that defies
detection.
Besides being in general circulation
here, some old coins bearing dates 1885
to 1910, have been showed out in sur
rounding towns. The money is some
what discolored by vegetable matter
and has the appearance of being handled
but little.