Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-08-05

THE HAUNTED TREASURE HULK.
good character and her business in these
shoal waters when she met her doom. A
dozen or more italian fishermen say they
have seen gold enough taken from the
wreck to sink fishing smack.
An enormous amount of treasure has
been taken from the old wreck by the
crew of a strange craft that dropped
into the bay few days ago, says the
New York Press. The stranger was trim
little steam yacht, plentifully supplied
with bright flags and streamers. Upon
many of the latter was the word We
loce." The treasure hunter took notion
to show her heels to several fast fishing
smacks. There never was more than
one man in this coast country who pre-
tended to know much of the wreck, and
he was Tomas Fasquez. He disappeared
from this locality about 20 years ago.
Though this Senior Tomas was n dark
Mexican, without the least education and
entirely too proud to soil his hands with
any implement of labor, his pockets al
ways were lined with gold and silver.
In his old age he became violently at
tached to a beautiful Indian girl. He
had a bitter enemy in noted border
bandit and revolutiOnist of the name of
Vidal This terror of the Rio Grande
captured the Indian maiden, and he sent
word to VasQuez that he intended to
hang her. The cruel threat grieved the
aged lover of the girl so much that he
made desperate effort to save her life.
He succeeded in communicating with the
terrible bandit, and he offered to ransom
the maiden with her weight in gold. The
proposal was accepted, and Vasquez was
allowed ten days to collect the money.
He Immediately made a voyage alone as
usual to Mustang island, and when he
returned he went to the place that had
been designated to meet one of the subor-
dinates of the revolutionist, accompanied
by one faithful companion, Juan Perez.
This man is still living in San Antonio.
He alone knows something of the history
of the old wreck. Old Vasquez carried
the secret OF the wrecked ship in his
bosom for more than half century; but,
while journeying with Senior Perez TO
rescue the Indian girl, he became unusu-
ally coniding. and in his distress he told
his companion the story of the mysteri-
Gus wreck. They met the agents of the
revolutionary party on an island in the
Rio Grande, and Senior Perez saw the
young girl seat herself on one end of
pole that had been balanced across
rock, and sacks Of gold were attached to
the other end until the maiden's body
rose from the ground and balanced.
Senior Perez says that old Tomas Vas
quez told him the wrecked ship was a
Spanish galleon that had sailed in 1920
from Matamoras loaded with treasure.
Her name was Senada. Laftte was at
hot Gal- cla To
at peace with all the world except Spain.
He had letters of marque and reprisal
from Venezuela against his old enemy,
and he never lost an opportunity to cap
ture the richly laden galleons that sailed
from the ports of old Mexico. He had
set up republic on Galveston island
and gathered about him at least 1000 Of
the most desperate characters that ever
cut throat or scuttled ship. He own
ed n fleet of 20 swift sailing vessels, and
with these he rapidly drove the COM
merce of Spain from the southern seas.
Tomas Vasquez was spy in the service
of the great pirate, and he happened to
the loading of tbs rich cargo on
the Senadn. He learned hat revenue
officer was returning to Spain with more
than 81, ,000, 900 in gold for his sovereign.
ana Ne SAW II lOnS tram VI DuTTos lodueu
with silver bars arrive at the pier. This |
to a rich old miner, whom po-
litical convulsion had scared away from
the interior. Tomas calculated that the
Senada would sail away from the coast |
of Mexico with little less than S2O00,OOO |
in gold and silver bars beneath her |
decks. and he lost no time in carrying
the news to his chief.
When Laftte was informed of the rich
prize that was boldly preparing to sail
almost within sight of his stronghold, he !
It once dispatched three vessels to cap
ure her. He would doubtless have com.
handed the expedition in person, but the |
American commissioner had just arrived
It the island with instructions To warn
he pirate to leave the waters of the gulf
II Mexico.
Tomas Vasque= sailed with the pirates.
md lie says they they first sighted the
Senada off the southern end of Padre
sland. The pirates at once spread all
lails and pursued the rich prize. The
aptain of the Senada evidently recog-
lized the character of his pursuers at