Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-09
SEEKING TREASURE
LEGION OF EARLY DAYS In IOWA
INSPIRES HUNT FOR GOLD.
$4,000 Buried at Col. Taylor's Orders
Remains Hidden-Soldiers Intrust-
ed With It Killed by Indians

EId0ra tI0WG) Cor. CnlcagO CnrohucAe.
Seventy years ago the soldiers OF Col.
Zachary Taylor were in Iowa in the vicin-
ity of where the town of North McGregor
now stands and in hiding some government
gold from the Indians buried a treasure
that many men since that ime have dill
gently searched for without reward. Thus
rich prize of some $SO,O00 awaits some
fortunate individual who will some day dis
cover its whereabouts. This money has
now been buried for nearly three-Quarters
of a century.
During the Blackhawk Indian war In 1880
Zachary Taylor, then colonel in command
of Fort Mckay, was kept busy keeping
order in this western community, always
turbulent through constant outbreaks of
the Indians. His little band of men was
always on the alert for trouble and few
nights were spent In complete repose. An
early morning inspection of the earthworks
might unsuspectingly reveal dead sentinel
outside the walls of the stockade his scalp
missing and his life blood oozing upon the
ground where he lay. Backhawk was
taken for exactly what he was, a sly and
crafty chief who stopped at nothing In the
way of murder and rapins to accomplish
his ends on the advancing foes and pio-
neers.
The tale of the lost thousands has its be-
ginning at the middle of the Blackhawk
war. The fort over which Colonel Taylor
had command was preparing for attack at
any time Scouting expeditions were sent
forth from time to time to scout the sur
rounding country, but the willy natives
were always en- the move and battles were
seldom more than backwOOdS scrimmages.
A small scouting party, If not constantly
on the alert, ran every chance of being
surprised at an inOpportune moment, the
next moment killed and their only message
to their comrades would be the CHASTITY
scalped heads, the work Of Blackhawk.
Four Men Hide Gold.
received at the fort to be used in the pay
ment of the United States soldiers on duty
at the Gtockade. The gold was in coins of
large denomination and the total amount
OF the consignment amounted to $4,000.
This was the largest amount of coin ever
shipped to a western point and the utmost
secrecy attended it's transportion and its
care after it had reached it's destination.
Colonel Taylor when apprised of It's arrival
made all possible arrangements for its safe
keeping until such time as the Indians
would be driven away. Calling together
the command he chose from the men four
of the bravest and most trustworthy, and
after informing them gave them each
bag of gold, with instructions to carry it
to g. safe retreat which they should select
and there hide 1t from the Indians. An at
tack being feared at any moment which
might result in the loss of the gold, the
four men at once went their way with the
four bags of gold In their possession.
Hardly had they left the stockade when
a well-planned attack was made, and after
the repulse many of the brave defenders
of the fort were found dead where they had
fought. The battles and skirmfshes were
kept up for many days and at the conclu-
sion of the hardest fighting an expedition
was sent out In search Of the four men to
whom had been entrusted the four bags of
gold coin. After three or four days of
strict search the bodies of the men were
found stark and dead
Not the smallest suggestion of the where
abouts of the gold could be found about
the place where the men had lost their lives
in the defense of their trust, but after a
party was rewarded by finding a slip OF
paper near the body of one of the men
known as Mercierre. Upon this scrap of
paper was scrawled the intelligence that
the money had been buried on the highest
of the bluffs across from the place where
the men were found. 1t is commonly sup
posed that the poor fellow, upon finding
That his minutes were numbered, hastily
then threw 1T into the bushes in the hope
that his comrades would find It before he
met his death.
Search Fails to Find Treasure.
At the close Of the hardest of the fight
ing parties were sent out in search Of the
money, but the four bags were never found.
The men had evidently fulfilled their trust
carefully, burying the money SO well that
not the slightest sign of disturbance OF the
soil could be found at any place about the
bluff
Hundreds of people have worked by the
day In an effort to locate trace of the
thousands Of dollars buried In the lonely
BLUM, but all efforts have been unavailing
and the gold yet lies where 1t was buried
by the brave fellows who took their lives
In their hands to protect the earnings OF
their fellow soldiers. Today the great mass
of gold would be more valuable than Its
weight, for the reason that a premium has
been offered. yet the premium has only in
creased the desire for its recovery without
practical results.
A dozen landmarks still remain, showing
where Blackhawk spent his last DAYS Of
battle. Far down the Father Of waters
stands the old blur known as Blackhawk's
watch tower. 1t is little south OF the
present site of Rock Island and has been
made over into q pleasurable summer re-
sort. The tradition Of Blackhawk's last
fight on the upper Mississippi river Is still
fresh about the scene OF his former home
Intricate measurements have been taken
by persons visiting the scene in an effort
to locate the gold which should have been
paid to the government soldiers, but all
have been banned. The four trusty SOL
diers may have lcst their gold to their cap
tors. but the general presumption II that It