The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-12-04
ROMANTIC STORY
OF HIDDEN GOLD
Robber Confesses After
Many Years.
BUR TREASURE.
Federal Soldier Offers to Reveal the
Hiding Place.
LAW SUIT FOLLOWED LOSS
MIR. Waddill's Statement That Money En-
trusted to Ills Keeping Was Taken from
Him Vas Disbelieved by Pel>
low Directors, Eu. is
Now Proved 10 lave
Been True.
Federal Soldier Offers to Reveal the
LAW SUIT FOLLOWED LOSS

A story with all the romantic interest
Of the adventures of Captain Kidd, and
containing such details as {, robbery, law
suit, a hidden treasure and q confession,
was told by Judge Bergman Grsen yes
terday The robber, who was a fedcfai
soldier. not only admits having stolen the
gold, bat has a map of the place where 1t
;s hnri.G and offers to show the hidden
treasure on condition that lie be not
prosecuted.
Near the close of the war, When the
Federal forces were overrunning Danville,
the directors Of a bank there divided out
the cash, amounting to five thousand
dollars in gold each, among themselves,
for safekeeping, the idea being that IN
this way most, if not all of the assets
Of the Lsank could be saved.
After the war the directors held a
meeting and each one produced the five
thousand dollars in gold except Mr.. Wad-
dill, VINO stated that he took his flVe
thousand dollars home and that yam
kee soldier entered his house and alter
severely choking him and threatening ms
life succeeded in getting the money. Mr..
a
wife in every particular. The other di-
rectors were incredulous, and there was
the usual suspicion against Mr.. Waddill.
| The bank sued for the money and long
| and expensive litigation began, which re-
| suited in Mr.. Waddill being declared by
| the Supreme Court of Appeals not re-
! sponsible.
| ADMITS HAVING TAKEN 1T.
| Mr.. Waddil was represented by Judge
/ Bergman Green and Hon. George w.
| CabeIl. The bank was represented by a n
equally strong array of counsel. All the
| parties to the litigation are now dead, eX-
| cert Judge Green, who brought re-
markable story from Danville yesterday
He says that just before taking the
train the postmaster came running TO
him. bringing him a letter he had re-
ceived from Ohio. The postmaster said
he remembered as a boy carrying some
law books to Judge Green when he was
trying the celebrated Waddll case IN
Daaville. and being the only living man
engage in the trial. thought he could tell
| him something about the meaning of the
| letter Judge Green says the writer
| went on to state that he was a Federal
| soldier and while in Danville Just before
| the end of the war he had gone into a.
mans house and sectIreG five thorsand
dollars in gold: that being pressed for
time he buried the gold and was Fur-
rind off with his regiment before he was
able to return ard unearth it. The writer
| sta tes that he has a. man of the location
| and will return to Danville and secure
| the gold and return 1t n the owner If
| lie is guaranteed protection from arrest
ar prosecution by the authorities Of Viz
| ginia.
WANTS E:T1oE,NSES PAID.
He offers If this is done to come to
! DanvilIe, locate the money and deliver it
| the proper owners, provided that out Of
| the aolnunt his travelling expenses Will
| be paid Another interesting phase OF
! the case is that Mayor Sutherlin. long
| since dead, and father-in-law Of Col.
Francis L. Smith, a member of the Con-
| stitutional Convention. bought up all
the assets Of the Bank Of DanEille, ard
i if the mercy is recovered it will be de-
clared assets. and will go to Mrs.
Smith, as heir of her father.
IS FULL Or INTEREST.
Tt is a fresh bright story Judge Green
is the central figure in. and has enough
! of tragedy. romance and originality about
II tn awaken the interest of the most
nrosaic. The lifting of the veil of suspi-
cion from the names Of Mr.. and Mrs.
Waddll long years after their death and
inc prospect Of five thousand dollars. less
a hundred or two. to a charming LADY
ore not the least interesting denouements
| of this most unusually interesting story
from, real life.