The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-16
NEGROES TREASURE HUNTING.
Midnight Searches In tho south for vnluabics
Buried During the war.


CHARLESTON, 8. c., Jan. ia supposed at
tempt by negroes to wreck q train near Charles
ton the other night has disclosed a curious
state Of affairs. The negroes were believed to
have arranged to wreck the train when they
were discovered, and all of them were arrest
cd. It is now thought that the men were not
trying to derail the train, but were digging for
hidden treasure on tho railroad track. The
treasure-hunting fever is rife among negroes
just now, and almost every night little bands
Of them may be seen moving about the subur BIS
Of the city under the leadership Of some devout
church member. who prays that their footsteps
may be directed to the right spots.
The hunt for buried wealth has been going
on ever since the war, when many rich planters
hid silver and Jewels in the ground. When the
war closed and the negroes wero left free, a
great many Of them began to hunt for the bur.
led treasures. They are still digging.
The fact that considerable wealth is buried
underground cannot be denied" said an old
planter to THE sun correspondent. During
the war we used TO bury everything Of value
when we heard that the enemy was coming our
way. Observation-Disclosures for this work were
in the gardens. The silverware was wrapped
In cloth and securely packed in boxes before it
was buried. The negroes in val times were as
dangerous to deal with as tho enemy. They
believed that they would be protected no
matter what they did. and consequently they
lid not hesitate to slip into the mansions mt night
and slip out again with what valuables they
could. Like the whites. they would bury it
until an opportunity came for them to escape
with their plumber. Many Of these rogues were
sold before they had q chance to dispose of their
booty, and unless they had n trusted black con-
federate the treasure was allowed to remain
where It was. When the war ended the negroes
were scattered. and the belief has always been
held that many of them lost track Of the stolen
property entirely. Hints of the hiddon wealth
ton Of blacks has been searching for it. Much
Of the property buried by white people has never
In the treasure hunts of the negroes slipersti.
tion plays a part. Their usual mode Of
R5HSss o1d S GasR E1iniE eP0 wit s ssaF q ch Is fS ss f6
pM 5Say to Tho GS %eo fG j Esg SiSao to then hen n the sc sections ans
only too glad, to offer the prayers. Some Of them
ure revealed to them in their sleep, 4 negro
dcnce is put In these dreams. The negroes
talk the matter over during the day, procure
prepare Sre'it to Sec sate'% rffch ao0' They s@" viii mott mta" WEEK.
until after u O'Clock: Usually some spot near
minister Il s 'pr"ys . his Followers Ser Ii 4 A sounding inc Eis
rod is the first tool brought into use. 1t Is
srinee Is so strud Into M 1es earth ri, q bnnne a solid 9hs ,s snb:
sr gives orders, TO shovel out the treasure.
There is a dull humping in the night. the earth
Dor until they have, reached what ID supposed
to be the gold or silver. When the hard sub.
stance is pulled out it is generally found to be
a stone. The digeerS are not disheartened, and
they proceed to use the sounding rod in an
other spot until another hard something Is dis
covered. The same thing is continued until the
break OF day, and then the searchers go home.
with tho hope thai they may be moro success
full in the next venture.
The police Of late have driven off numbers
OF midnight mining bands. The next night the
negroes will be found in tho Some places. The
digging in some parts of town has become such
a nuisance that guards have to be stationed
where the treasure seekers are anxious to work.
Recently the city opened up a large park two
lands. comprised In it surrounded an ancient
mansion once owned by tho Bulls. Stories of
and numberless holes have been dug there.