The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-03-11
BOY FINDS A
JAR OF GOLD
On Way 10 School When He
Stumbled Over and Broke II.
YELLOW COINS ROLLED OUT.
Some Of These Were Double Eagles and
Were Sold for a Cent Police 6atheT
In Some Of The Treasure.
YELLOW COINS ROLLED OUT.

ST. Louis. Mo. March n.-"Kerry
Patch" is IN fever of Wild excitement
over the unearthing by Martin Head, an
1l-year-old boy OF 1909 North Sixteenth
street. of heap Of gold coin.
So far the police have no theory as to
who put the money where 1t was found.
or whether anybody viii put I'm a claim
for the gold Captain Boyd. OF the
Fourth police district. has $1Z750 OF the
money. His officers collected that from
the parents OF the boys who found the
| hidden gold.
II VIII keep the money at the station
unless ordered 20 do otherwise. for
month or two" said Captain Boyd Friday
morning. ''Then II anybody puts I'm
claim. II I have my way, tire original
| finders Will get It back"
All kinds of rumors are ahoat regarding
the amount OF treasure found. Estie
mates vary from 500 TO $4,000 Fourth
district policemen are securing the
Patch in hopes Of recovering more OF
the money
The unearthing OF the coin came about
through Head mistalSlng the ringing of
! a scissors grinders bell for the school
bell about 1890 o'clock. The lad hurried
out OF the house for school He took the
back yard for short cut.
In a blind alley which runs into Leon
ard estate holdings, exactly In the rear
of 1911 @ Fallon street. "Pecky' stumbled
His heels struck something; that some
thing proved TO be "A glass jar, and #
broke with the contact. Running down
the alley behind young Head were several
others hurrying TO school.
AS the jar broke and the contents
spilled about the ground Head stopped
10 investigate. So did the others. None
I'm the group understood that money had
been found Head and his companions
imagined they had found lot OF Worlds
Fair souvenirs. A dozen or more took
as many pieces as they could comfortably
carry in their hands and continued on TO
school.
In vacant lot more boys and girls
were met They were older. The golc
was displayed and then questions had 10
be answered. A return trip was made TO
the place and soon all the yellow coins
had been gathered up So plentiful was
the find that the smaller ones took de-
light in hurling the money in the air.
Nearly every school child in the neigh
borhood managed 10 get one or more
pieces.
Young Head. It is said. gave away or
sold $l60 of the money. one $50 gold
piece he is reported to have disposed OF
for penny. Others Of the younger ones
who got hold of some Of the coins sold s.
Some $50 pieces brought as high as five
cents. n is said
The story is told by one finder of the
money that one man attracted 10 the
spot picked UP a large amount OF the
money and said he would take II away
and see what II really was. "He would
return soon" ne said. 'and tell them all
about IT, Some of the lads are still
awaiting the return of the suave
stranger.
The treasure find was made close to
where. until two years ago, stood a build
ing known TO all residents OF Kerry
Patch" as the "Rookery." This building
was arranged in compartments to accom-
modate some 40 or 80 families. Renterg
could have one or more rooms The
tenants were cosmopolitan In the extreme
and respectable residents OF the neigh
borhood alege that many characters well
known to the police made the old 'Rook-
cry" their abode.