Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-10-26
FORTUNE SLOWED ON ISLAND
BROUGHT INTO COURT.
STORY OF SEA VENTURES
Tale of Smugglers Mate Who Re-
covers the Money Long Hidden
Alleged Son of Captain Makes
Claim for a Division and Now the
Courts Take a Turn.


interest and romance, two men have
commenced legal battle in the county
court at jackson, o. The suit recently
commenced involves the ownership OF
a large amount of treasure found IN
the South Atlantic known as Tristan
d'Acunah. The plaintiff in the action
is Howard +. Summers young man
who claims the treasure as the son and
heir of Captain William Ii. Summers
while the defendant is Captain Charles
A. Henderson, grizzled and determined.
- Young Summers alleges that he IS
the son and heir of Captain William II.
Summers, who before the war was
master of the clipper-built brig the
Lark. At that time she was SNUG
gler, but during the war she turned prl-
vateersman and was SO successful that
her captain and crew grew rich.
The captain was especially fortunate
and succeeded in amassing fortune or
$175 900, all of which he kept in gold
and notes in a heavy chest in his cab
in. In 1864 the bark ran into terrific
hurricane and was blown away into the
South Atlantic, near the Tristan d Acu-
nah islands, where she was sighted by
man ofwar and was run ashore and
scuttled by her crew. All of the crew
were taken prisoners with the eXcep-
ton of Captain Summers and his first
mate, Charles A. Henderson, who sue
ceeded in getting the chest with the
fortune in it ashore ana concealing It,.
After living the lives OF Robinson
Crusoes there for some time they ii
nally managed to escape, but could not
take their treasure with them. On the
voyage home Captain Summers caught
the smallpox and died, leaving Hender-
son the sole possessor OF the secret.
Henderson finally reached home, but
was unable to secure the money neceS-
sary to fit out vessel to go after the
treasure. For thirty-three years ne
| labored to earn money, eating his
heart out with the knowledge of the
great fortune that lay beyond his
grasp. After many failures it was not
until last year that he finally started
from New Orleans in the Rover. He
reached the island in April without
mishap and secured the money,
amounting to $173,320. He got home
safely and since that time has been llv-
ing quietly, enjoying his fortune.
1t was not until a few days ago that
anyone aspired to dispute his owner
ship of the money. Then Il man about
N . Innlyunn and
after short investigation and con-
ference with Captain Henderson, filed
the suit noted above. lie asks for the
sum of $S6,GG0, or one-half OF the
amount secured by Henderson. He
claims that Captain Summers had Il
wife and son at Baltimore, that the
wife has since died ana that he is the
son.
His father sailed away on what was
to be his last trip in 1868 and his
family never heard anything more
from him. 1t was known that the
bark had been caught in violent gale
and it was supposed that she had 1oun-
dered. Mrs. Summers knew that her
husband was possessed of a large for
tune, but supposed that it had gone
down with him. She died in ignorance
Of his fate and it was only recently that
his son learned Of what had become OF
the money and at once took steps to re-
cover his share of it.
Captain Henderson declares that
Captain Summers never mentioned his
family and wants young Summers to
prove his claims, which the latter al
leges he can do without difficulty.
The islands where the treasu was
SO long secreted and but recently in
earthed is situated about halfway be-
! tween the coasts of Africa and South
America, in latitude 3S degrees II min
utes south, longitude "a degrees -
minutes east, and has been christened
Summers island. Here was enacted
several years before the rebellion one
Of the most exciting dramas of the
high seas.
While yet mere boy Captain Hen
derson ran away from home ana
shipped before the mast. In 1888 he
had just returned to the United States
after cruise to the West indies and
in Philadelphia fell in with Captain
Summers. He said he was shipping
his crew in his skipper built brig, the
Lark, engaged in the fruit and spice
trade with the West Indies and South
America, and offered Henderson po-
sition as mate. Henderson accepted
) the offer.
Just about the time the civil war was
opening the Lark started homeward
from South American port and ran
into violent hurricane, which blew
her out Of her course eastward and
southwark for over week During
this time there had been no opportu-
nifty Of taking an observation and
Captain Summers had no definite idea
Of his whereabouts. On the ninth day
the weather cleared and an observation
showed that the vessel was far out ii
/, the Atlantic only about thirty miles
7 south OF the Tristan q Acunah group