Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-11-01
MISSING A
MILLION

utely dlleI over LOIly men Iteu.
Among these were two Americans
named Haynes and Bruner. They got
away to Shanghai, and from there they
fell In with a Frenchman who had
been in the country several years as
an agent. He had a story to tell about
the Human islands, story that had
been told him two years before while
he was at Ningpo. A Chinese sailor
whom he had befriended later on had
been cast ashore on the middle island
and had existed there for four months.
In roaming about he had discovered an
old wreck driven into q break in the
cliffs and had lowered himself down to
it to find that 1t was an old pirate craft
and full of treasure He had taken out
small amount when a fishing craft
appeared and took him off, and later
on, during a storm at sea, he had met
with an accident that had paralyZed
his lower limbs.
What the Chinaman wanted, Of
course, was that the Frenchman, whose
name was Supry, should get an ex-
petition and go after the treasure.
There were many difficulties in the
way. Supry was no sailor himself, and
he could put no faith in the natives or
the white sailors who deserted their
ships. There would be considerable ex-
pense, and there must be absolute Sc
crecy. Why he trusted Haynes and
Bruner was perhaps because he had
become desperate in his desire to over
haul the treasure, and as they were de-
serters from q man-of-war he had rea-
son to believe that they would not dare
serve him any trick for fear Of being
reported and recaptured. Whatever the
motive, however, he told them a story
and suggested an expedition, and few
weeks later one left the port of Ming
pc. The party was made up Of Supry,
Haynes, Bruner, an Englishman named
Webb and two Chinese laborers, and
their craft was junk.
1t was two weeks before the wreck
was found. The only way to get down
to her was to descend cliff sixty feet
hlSu w lCh BIC dS ul last anu
visited the report Of the treasure was
found correct. She had been fighting
junk, carrying about sixty men, and
the variety Of the plumber on board
showed that she had robbed right and
left Her name proved that she had
belonged to the piratical fleet Of old
Chingtoo, well known pirate of that
date, and one who was subsequently
blown out Of the water by British
cruiser There had been a great fall
of earth and rock around the treasure
wreck. This was tunneled through
and her hold found full Of cash and
plumber. In fact, cash and jewelry to
the amount Of $4,000 was taken out
before landslip occurred which killed
one Of the laborers. 1t was then seen
that the outlet was deficient. They
must have blasting powder and tools
and tackles, and 1t was resolved to run
back to port and secure them. Supry
was left ON the island to guard the
treasure, and the others set sail for
Ningpo. The man left behind had no
firearms, and how he was to act as
guard Is hard to see.
The junk reached Ningpo all right.
but as soon as the sailors began to buy
this and that suspicion was aroused.
Just as they had secured what they
wanted and were ready to return to
the islands they We're arrested and
thrown into prison as suspects. The
three white men refused to give up
any information, although the bamboo
was often applied to the soles Of their
feet, but the Chinese laborer was whip
ped into telling all about it. He could
tell all about the islands and the treas
ure, but he could not locate them.
! The Chinese government took hand
| in the matter and sent out two or three
vessels to scout around; but, while
they visited many other islands, they
did not land on the Humans. Twice a
week for two months the prisoners
were brought out and bastinadoed, but
all were firm. At length the English
man died under the punishment, and
at the end of three months, when the
government had determined ON torture
of the most savage kind to compel a
confession, Haynes and Bruner gave
| the story away. There was some delay
about getting an expedition off, and,
taken altogether, II was nearly six
months before one sighted the shores
Of the islands. All three Of them were
carefully gone over, but Supry could
not be found.
The wreck was there, but not as 1t
had been left. A force of men had
been there and cleared away the de-
bris and looted all the treasure. Not
so much as leash" had been left be-
hind Things had happened just as the
Chinese government might have looked
for. Old Chingtoo was still doing bust
ness, and it was certain that he would
and did hear of the finding Of the
wreck. If she had been given up for
| lost she was now located where he
could find her and recover the plumber.
| 1t Is likely that he sent an expedition
as soon as the matter became public.
| The Frenchman was found ON guard,
and the pirates made short work Of
him. There was hope for a few years
that he might have been made captive
and would be heard of again, but thir-
ty-hve years have elapsed, and no news
has come from him.
The government expedition had its