The evening times., 1899-03-21
A sULTAN's BURIED TREASURE
An American Starts to Seek a Boat
loHd OF Money and Jewels

load of Money and Jewels
Chadron, Neb., March 21-In a letter
from Hongkong to his brother, John En-
Joe, OF this place, c. H. Enloe tells of
sensational search for treasure on which
he was just embarking at the time of writ
ing. The wealth is said to have been con-
cealed on the island of Sulu, one Of the
smaller of the Philippines by Capt. Jorge
de Ovando, a former commander OF the
Spanish garrison there.
I'm starting on this venture" he writes
after a few preliminary remarks, 'on the
say-so of Chinaman named Foo Haou-
che a former merchant at Manila. His
word is the only guarantee / have that il
isn't a wild-g goose chase. The story GER
tainly sounds ishy. but ! believe il. In the
first place, I've checked over part of it
and found that the facts are just as he
represents them. In the second, he's will
ing 10 back the expedition with his own
coin, TO risk the dangers We are sure TO
encounter. and has maps purporting TO
show the exact location of the cache. So
81 looks If he thinks the yarn true him
self.
Prior TO Admiral Dewey's capture OF the
Philippines Spain maintained small gar
rison at Sulu. But the Spanish command
er's control was little more than nominal.
The real ruler was a Moro chief, or Sultan,
as the natives call him. for all the Sulu
Islanders are Mohammedans. These chiefs
winked at any amount of piracy and brig
andage among their subjects, and their
plunder was frequently exceedingly valua-
BILE The lions share naturally went 10
the Sultans, and. in the course OF years,
they were supposed 10 have accumulated
enormous wealth.
~ ha
ish governors revenue was the system Of
blackmaiI levied on the native rulers.
Among the foXiest of these Spanish rob-
bers was Capt. Jorge de Ovando, who boss
ed the island during the latter eighties.
Foo says he gathered in $500 900 or $500 ,0el
!n couple of years. Toward the end oi
1889 he seems 10 have scented native
uprising. for he arrested lot OF Moros,
strengthened his garrison and placed him
self generally on a war footing.
1T wasn't convenient for him 10 re-
move his wealth TO a safe place at the
time. and Foo is certain that &c protect IL
he planted il with his own fair hands in
an out of-the-way place among the noun
tains The uprising failed 10 materialiZe,
hut before Ovando had time 10 communi-
cate with his superiors AT Manila one of
the Moros assassinated him.
Prior to the murder Foo had been in
business al Manila and. according to his
own account. had been mixed up IN n good
many shady transactions with tie Spanish
officials Ovando was one of his best Gus
toners The Chinaman had acted as his
broken in disposing of the plunder squeez-
ed out OF the Moro Sultan, and. by using
his eyes and ears as only a Chinaman
knows how 10 use them had learned more
than Ovando suspected concerning the lat
ters affairs.
He was in Sulu for conference with
his principal at the time OF the killing
and was actually waiting in the captain S
house 10 talk with him when the corpse
was bro Ight in. Among other inkIines
that he had was one 10 the effect that the
Spaniard had concealed treasure on the