The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-09-21
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Interesting Tale Of Treasurer
Hunt Under Smooth Capt. Brown
PIRATES GOLD WAS NOT FOUND
Weather Beaten, Time Worn Map Old Not
Prove Effective Because Of Spirits Of
Dead PIrdtes."

10 shake the faith OF the most credulous,
the lure OF pirates buried treasure is as
strong today as II was at the beginning
Any seafaring man who can tell paus-
tbie story and exhibit map OF a treas
ure island can find plenty OF dupes to
invest their hard-earned savings in his
scheme.
Probably Cocos Island on the Costa
Rico coast has been the objective point
Of more treasure-hunting expeditions
.thsa any other place. But lately this
island 10 In bad repute. beca use an Eng
;ish naval commander. using the ma
rines on his flagship. dug all over the
place and found absolutely nothing
But the lateset South Sea treasure
hunting expedition has just returned
from year spent in voyaging among
the islands of the South Pacific rich
only In experience They took as lead
er Capt James Brown, who is alleged
20 have map OF the location OF pirate
treasure which he and a companion re-
moved from Cocos Island 10 a mysteri-
Gus isle in the South Seas
Now on their return they declare that
the venerable captain is a fraud and
that his story Is pure fiction.
In July, 1902. party Of sanguine treas
ure seekers sailed out OF the Golden
Gate in the schooner Herman. under
command OF Capt. James Brown OF Prov
idence. r. l. They included George w
Chetwood and ID. Stoney San Francisco
lawyers; Ogden Hoffman, a clubman of
this city, and DR.. G.. j. Snee and Frank
starrett, also OF San Francisco. More
than 80 people I'm this city and Oakland
took shares of stock in the expedition
ranging from SO to $1,000. The expedi-
tion was fitted out well. s25 900 having
been spent on II.
LOOT FROM MANY CHURCHES.
he
implicitly The captain Is a weather
beaten salt, who Is thorough law
yer. He is as persuasive as a preacher.
and he has the remarkable gift OF i'm
teresting all classes in his stories and
compelling belief by the mass OF cor
roborative detail that he presents
In this case his great card was a
coffee-colored map that showed a South
Sea island, on which was cieverly marked
the exact location OF a great pirate hoard
or treasure valued at $4,000. 600 The
captain. with his map on his knee. then
todd his story, which seldom failed TO
land his hearer for money In 1922 the
churches OF Peru were robbed OF all
their plate by piratical gang which
loaded the sacred loot on the schooner
Black Witch. The treasure was taken
10 Cocos Island and buried. Drink and
violence and the executioneer removed
All the pirates before any OF them had a
chance 10 return and dig up the treas
ure. In 1850 Capt. Brown met the son
OF the master OF the Black Witch who
told OF the hoard which his father had
helped bury. With Brown this man sail
ed Tor Cocos and the two found the treas
ure, loaded II on the schooner and buried
II again on small island in the South
Sea. OF which the captain made his time
stained map.
Many vicissitudes prevented the can
.ain from returning TO the island. but
he took with him and preserved some OF
the ancient coins and bit of the plate
These he exhibited with the map as his
vouchers for the truth OF the tale.
The captain declared that he would
never reveal the name OF the location OF
the mysterious treasure island The mart
ner who helped him, bury the hoard died
coon after. so he was confident no ono
had ever disturbed the hidden wealth
lt seems strange that anyone sho,iIs
put faith in such n sea yarn but ex-
superior Judge Daingerfield OF this city
drew up the papers OF incorporation for
e the company and took shares In H. % ala
D. stoney, prominent lawyer. The
raptain was an artist In keeping up the
Tfllusion OF his tale.
~ The Herman finally sailed When An,a
was reached some OF the crew comnlain-
-ed to the United States consul Of Browns
alleged cruelty. but the leaders OF the ex-
peoition managed 70 free the vessel and
BELIEVE BROWN is FAKIR.
Brown declared Il would he dangerous
4, 10 attempt 10 land on the treasure ISL
= nna so late IN the season and that the
only way 10 do was 10 winter M Svdnev
At Sydney the captain broke loose and
mao n royal time. But perhaps the story
~ better told In @. w Sutton's words
He said I'VE found ut sydney thar
Brown was buying liquor and champagne
ny the case and that he was drunk most
OF the time. He even tried TO sell tha
schooner and desert us So we appealed
10 the American consul. who made me
captain.
II appointed Brown super cargo and all
went well until after we sailed from
sydney. Brown then began to have fight
Ing spells. during which he beat the
crew and threatened TO kill us At the
Psumofu group we made n formal de-
mand on Brown To pilot us TO the treas
ure island. but he laughed at us and said
the island was only a Joke. Then he
fell III and did not recover until we
reHched Paputi.
There we made last attempt 10 In
duce Brown 10 carry out his agreement /
This failed. so we sold the schooner and /
returned home. We all believe Brown !
is a fakir and that he deliberately misied I
US. thinking he could sell the ship
They had Brown arrested on arrival /
here under civil process and today they /
had him turned over TO the United States /
officials and held for trial
Brown complains that he has been /
badly treated. lie said that the spirits I
OF the dead pirates warned him that ths \
time was not proptious for exhuming /
the treasure. lie told his remarkable i
tale with grave face and evidently ex-
pected that u would be accepted.
Capt Brown declares that he retired /
from the sea n few years ago and was !
living In peace In Rhode Island. when /
ne had a chance 90 visit San Francisco. /
Here he told his story Of buried treasure /
10 a chance acquaintance az his hotel. /
who proved 10 be Dr Luce. and from /
This the expedition started.