The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1903-04-03
SAYS he GAN FIND
TREASURE ISLAND
900 Offered to Fit GU,
Expedition to the
Place.
SPIKES MARK THE SPOT
Booty Stolen From South American
Revolutionists, Who Had
1t in Safe Keep
a inu,
SPIKES MARK THE SPOT



= WANTED-To exchange a half in
terest in buried treasure, worth
S,000,00. for transportation for one
to an unknown island In the Pacific,
and facilities for carrying ava the =
loot. T
The foregoing exactly expresses the
desires of A. e. Williams of San
Francisco. but it doe not tell the
story of piracy n plank-walking
that is responsible tor SO much good
gold goin' a-begging like water-soaked
dried apples at a fire sale. The mar
rative belongs to Mr.. Williams, even to
the mar drawn on a bible by a dying
man, and he gives it freely to the pub
hic, reserving to himself only h loca-
ton Of the treasure, that it's recovery
may hereafter round the tale and en-
able him to take more leisure in its re-
rcital. Here it is:
In 1886 I was a sailor on the United
States man-of-war Suwanee, COM
manded by Captain Paul Shirley. We
spent some time coaling at an island N
che Pacific which l will not mention,
and then anchored in a harbor Of the
mainland. I was IN shore leave, and,
as sailors sometimes do, visited a sa-
loon. Behind the bar 1 saw three ships
spikes Of copper, HI proprietor kindly
related the manner in which they had
come into his possession.
Story Of Three Spikes.
About twenty-five years ago. said
he, an Indian who had been gathering
b~readfruit OF In island off the coast
them for liquor. Iasked him where he
had found them, and he told me that it
was on the island'I will not mention
its name-'where he had been gath
erfng breadfruit. 1t was the same is
land at which we had just coaled, and
I was very familiar with it. A few
days afterward,' continued my host,
an Ecuadoran cruiser dropped into the
harbor and some of the officers visited
the place seeking r~efreshment. They
saw the copper spikes, and, like o
asked where I a got them. When I
Informed them they began a search for
the Indian, which they kept up for
months without intermission, but he
disappeared as If the earth adtopened
n swallowed him up. When they
finally decided 70 abandon the search
for the missing Indian, one of them
told me why they had sought him with
such persistency. The three spikes
had marked the hiding place Of an i'm
mense treasure, which had been stolen
AVN u SopC11 1llltLil. i IeA one Oh
them told ms the story Of the crime.
Account of Theft.
"a revolution was in progress in our
country" said he, al the rebels were
marching against the city with the in
tention Of sacking 1t. We had little
hope Of a successful defense, so we
took all of the governments gold and
the C Of the churches and placed
them on al American schooner in the
h n ~ ~ 49, 49,
the rebels would not dare attack it.
That night the c-ptain of the schooner
fled with the treasure, valued at S 7,000,-
900, and we pursued him as soon as
possible. We overlook the vessel but
not before the treasure had been buried.
We compelled every one OF the crew to
walk the plank when they refused to
tell us where it was concealed. The
captain II mate were last, and they
told us where it had been buried and
that the place was marked by three
copper spikes. They walked the plank
then as punishment for their crime,
but when we searched for the treasure
we failed to find it or the spikes. That
is why we have searched for the Indian,
and If he ever is found he will be hand
somely rewarded If he can guide us to
the spot where he found the three
spikes. But he has never been seen
since"
History OF the Map. j,
But I nave since learned that the
captain and mate were not compelled
to walk the plank. They sprang over
board and swan toward a Whaler in
the harbor. The captain was drowned,
put the mate, named Walker, was res
tued. He was taken to Honolulu,
fyhere he died Of fever, but just before
his death he drew a map of the island
upon which the treasure was hidden
and gave 1t to Captain Rowland. who
had saved his life. The captain gave
1t and h e bible upon which 1t was
written to his son, who is now in San
Francisco. The map bears no name,
and I am h only one who knows
where the island is. A copy of the map
ts now In my possession, and 1 know
that I can locate the treasure in a few
days, for I nave an instrument Of my
own invention which will find treasure
If It Is not too deeply hidden.
II will give half Of that treasure to
anyone who will transport me to that
island and provide the mean of carry
Ing the treasure away in safety"