The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-28
YARN OF THE BLACK WITCH
SPUN AGAIN BY G.. W. SUTTON,
HOME FROM TREASURE HUNTING
The Original spinner. Capt. Brown. who
Induced an Expedition to Go Search
ing for $50 .OOO. 900 In the South
Seas, Locked Up I'm San Francisco.

ing for $50 OOO.OO in the South
Seas, Locked Up In San Francisco.
NEW ROCHELLE, n. Y, Sept. 27.--After
voyage Of $4,000 miles in search Of fifty
millions OF dollars in treasure supposed to
have been hidden eight years ago by pirates
in the South Sea islands. former Alderman
George w. Sutton Of this city returned
home to-day to his wife and family, whom
he had not seen in fifteen months. Mr..
Sutton Is rich only In experience, for, after
he and his companions had spent about
S25, 900. they became convinced that the tale
of the buried treasure told them by Capt.
James Brown, an aged sea rover Of Auburn.
Mass, who organized the expedition, was
myth.
The schooner Herman. upon which the
party made the voyage, was sold at the
Island Of Tahiti, and the treasure hunters.
consisting Of Mr.. Sutton, his party, Capt
Brown, and his crew Of seven men, returned
to San Francisco by steamer. Mr.. Sutton
says that when he left San Francisco, Capt.
Brown, who is Is years old, was in Jail
charged with having assaulted the Japan
ese cook.
Although he lost considerable money,
and spent fifteen months away from his
family, Mr.. Sutton declared tonight that
he had good time and was not sorry that
he had made the trip. He said that 80 far
as he was concerned, he would not prosecute
the old sea captain. although he was firmly
convinced now that the yarn related by
him emanated from his imagination.
He said that the captain told them many
remarkable tales at sea, saying among other
things that Sherlock Holmes used to work
for him and that "Cap'n Kettle" was once his
first mate. The old skipper Mr.. Sutton
said, did not know that Kettle is a
character in fiction.
Mr.. Sutton said he had a launch and
visited many Of the South Sea Islands,
taking snapshots of the natives and buying
trinkets Of them. II have several trunks
filed with souvenirs Of all kinds,' Mr..
Sutton said. "and enough pictures and ma
terial to publish a book. l was in COM
mand Of the Herman for several months
after we deposed Capt. Brown, and during
the flag of the New Rochelle Yacht Club.
l have the flag in my possession and am 60
ing to give it to the club as a souvenir"
When asked if he thought there was any
truth in the story of the hidden treasure
Mr.. Sutton replied: If there is anything
will never find it. After the failure of our
expedition l don't believe he could ever
organize another company. No one would
have confidence enough in him to put up
the money"
Mr. Sutton said that he was induced to
become q member Of the expedition by q
friend in San Francisco. This friend,
said he, "heard Capt Browns story in
San Francisco and wrote on to me to in
vestigate. | went to Auburn. Mass, and
saw the skipper, who was a Norwegian.
He appeared to be very truthful man and
was apparently so much in earnest that I
went to San Francisco with him, taking
my lawyer with me to organize the
company"
The captain said that in 1920, when there
was revolution in Peru, all of the national
treasure and the gold and silver plate Of
the churches were loaded aboard the Ameri-
can schooner Black Witch and taken to
Cocos Island in the South Seas, where they
we're buried He said that in 1857 he and
Capt Smith, of Salem, Mass, who was
the son Of the master Of the Black Witch,
went to Cocos Island in sailing vessel
and found the treasure and removed it to
another island where they planted it
again.
Then they went on a piratical ship and
captured some vessels bound home with
gold from Australia. On the way back
to Australia, according to Brown. the
crew got 20 fighting and all were killed
or drowned except himself and Smith
Capt Smith tried to kill Brown, who shot
him in self-defence and threw the body
overheard This left Capt. Brown the
only survivor of the expedition. He went
to London, where he married, and then
came to America