The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-04-10
SEARCH IN SOUTH RFRlCA
Chamberlain Hopes to Find Treasure
s Supposed to Have Been Hidden
by Kruger.

score of detectives have been busy
working on the problem OF locating
the vast hoard Of gold supposed to
have been hidden by the former Of
ficials of the Transvaal and Orange
Free State. This news is surprising,
for the public had come to consider
this talk only for effect, and that no
hidden fortune ever existed.
Stories have come from Hamburg
and other places in Germany that
when the officials of the Transvaal
fled to Europe they brought sums ap-
preaching $7,OOO,0OO. While Secretary
Chamberlain does not credit many OF
the rumors, he thoroughly believes
that there is $5,O0O,O00 concealed
somewhere, and he purposes to find it
it possible. With this end in view
he has score of secret service men
at work. 1t is not explained just how
he can get hold Of it if his men do
find any part of this sum.
According to the official quoted, Mr..
Chamberlain has good evidence that
there are at least two sums concealed
in Germany or Belgium. One OF these
is known to amount to $3,75O,0O0, and
was brought to Europe in July, 1900,
by .Jonkheer Sandbergh, private sec
retary of Ir. Leyds. The other sum
is for $1,250,0O0, supposed to have
been brought to Hamburg by Paul
Kruger This sum was commandered
| by the president OF the Transvaal the
day before he fed to Lourenco Mar
ques.
While Mr. Chamberlain was in
South Africa he did little quiet de-
,tective work himself, but he could not
get trace of any bullion. He believes,
however. that there is large amount
of it buried away on the veldt, and
! that it will stay there until things
have quieted down. Then those who
know where it is planted will return,
| dig it up and depart.
The subject is touchy one with
the colonial secretary. and he referred
to it more than once in his speeches
| in South Africa. Since he has had
men at work in Hamburg some startl-
| ing developments have cropped out.
! The evidence on which he places
reliance is that his men have discov-
cred that the hidden treasure amounts
to s2O,OOO,OOO, mostly in gold bullion,
| although much of it is in drafts and
| orders. The English detectives have
been working in all the coast cities OF
| Germany, Holland and Belgium as
| dock laborers, stevedores and sailors.
They have found that the treasure was
not brought under specie bill OF
! lading, and therefore it must have
been falsely billed.
An international detective agency
is also working in Hamburg. The
| head of the agency was promised D
percent commission on all the money
he could locate. This agency, not
finding any important clews in Eu-
rope. sent several men to South A1rl-
ca. The director himself left Naples
! on February 27 on the steamer Cen
eral Of the German East Africa line.
| His passage was booked for Del
agoa bay, from which place he intend
| ed to begin his hunt for the treasure,
| and he was accompanied by an Eng
| lish officer who had spent long time
in South Africa, and who was under
| orders to afford him all assistance
| possible.
This director, it is asserted, is un-
! able to speak word of English, but
his plan was to prosecute his inquiries
| in the guise OF an inoffenslve un-
| known traveller, particularly since IT
| was thought that his German nation
ality would inspire greater confidence
among the Beers.
A most careful plan was worked out
and it would probably have succeed
ed only it is asserted that it had been
betrayed. The betrayer is alleged TO
have put himself in communication
| with DR.. Leyds at Utrecht and receiv-
ed from him friendly invitation to
visit him in the town, which he dld'
The matter was then laid before Mr..