The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-27
SAY CAPT. BROWN FOOLED EN-
TREASURE HUNTERS BACK IN
FRISCO, DISGL STED.
Expedition to Mysterious South Sea Island
an Opera Boune AFFAIR In Which Serious
People Took Part-My! but the Old
Boston Captain Could Spin Yarns.


Boston Captain Gould Spin Yarns.
SAN Francisco, Sept. 15.-Despite long
roll OF disappointments that would seem
to shake the faith of the most credulous,
the lure Of pirates buried treasure is as
strong to-day as it was at the beginning.
Any seafaring man who can tell plausible
story and exhibit map Of a treasure island
can find plenty of dupes to invest their
hard-earned savings in his scheme.
San Francisco. as the chief seaport on
the Pacific coast, is the natural home OF
the ancient mariners who carry on the
business Of searching for the hordes OF
sixteenth and seventeenth century pirates.
Occasionally this lucrative trade is inter-
rupted by such sensational episodes as the
gold rush to the Klondike, but It is a poor
year when several we'll equipped expeditions
do not sail out of the Golden Gate in search
of vast riches buried in some South Sea
isle.
And the remarkable thing about this
headed business and professional men are
found among the dupes OF these profess
sional swindlers.
Probably Cocos Island, on the Costa
Rica coast, has been the objective point OF
more treasure hunting expeditions than
any other place. But lately this Island ID
in bad repute because an English naval
commander, using the marines on his flag
ship, dug all over the place where the
pirates horde was said to be, and found
absolutely nothing.
| To the mind Of any unprejudiced person
he settled for all time that the Cocos Island
treasure tradition, upon which thousands
of dollars were spent, was myth.
But the latest South Sea treasure hunting
expedition was variation OF the usual
voyage to Cocos Island It's members
have just returned from year spent in
voyaging among the islands of the South
Pacific, rich only In experience. They took
as leader Capt. James Brown, who ella lined
to have a map of the location OF pirate
treasure, which he and a companion re-
moved from Cocos Island to a mysterious
isle in the South Seas.
Now, on their return, they declare that
the venerable captain is fraud and that
his story IL pure fiction. They have appealed
to the law; they have thrown Capt. Brown
State prison for obtaining money under
false pretences.
In July. 1902, a party of sanguine treasure
seekers sailed out Of the Golden Gate in the
trim schooner Herman, under command Of
Capt. James Brown Of Boston, Mass. They
included George w. Sutton Of New Rochelle
N. Y; John Chebwood and Donzel Storey
San Francisco lawyers; Ogden Hoffman
a clubman Of this city, and DR.. G. j. Snee
and Frank Starrett, also Of San Francisco
More than fifty people in this city and Oak
land took shares Of stock in the expedition
ranging from SO to $1,000. The expedition
was fitted out well, $25 900 having been spent
on It.
Capt. Brown, the leader, was trusted
implicitly. The captain is a weather beaten
salt who is a thorough sea lawyer He is
as persuasive as preacher, and he has the
remarkable gift Of interesting all classes in
his stories and compelling belief by the
mass of corroborative detail that he pre-.
sents.
In this case his great card was coffee
colored map that showed South Sea isl
and on which was clearly marked the exact
location OF a great pirate hoard OF treas.
ure. valued at S5000O,OO0. The captain
with this map on his knee, then told this
story, which seldom failed to land hi,
hearer for money:
In 1922 the churches Of Peru were robbed
OF all their plate by a pratical garg, which
loaded the sacred loot on the schooner
Black Witch. The treasure was taker
TO Cocos Island and buried. Drink and VIC
lence and the executioner removed all the
pirates before any Of them had chance
to return and dig up the treasure. lr
1850 Capt. Brown met the son OF the master
of the Black Witch, who told him Of the
hoard which his father had helped bury.
With Brown this man sailed for Cocos, and
the two found the treasure, loaded it OIL
their schooner and buried II again on a
small island in the South Sea, Of which
the olptain made his time-stained map.
Many vicissitudes prevented the oiptair
from returning TO the island, but he took
with him and preserved some Of the ancient
coins and BIT Of the plate. These he ex
hibited with the map as his vouchers for
the truth Of the tale
The captain declared that he would never
reveal the name or the location Of the
mysterious treasure island. The part mel
who helped him bury the hoard died soor
after, no that he was confident no one had