Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-09

hundred feet beneath me ~urfa r"
OF old Market street in Phisl"l-
pnia. 3ust above the water front
have unearthed what is in all Pr'p
bfty the clew to the foundation
OF famous old Stephen Gira-ds I'M
rense fortune.
Burrowinv down beneath the old GIraso
mansion in North water street one hdH-
d-ed PAGES from the Delaware River shofe'
the laborers have uncovered a series OF
ghastly underground dungeons, falling one
tier below another. Three such tiers nave
been barred, and there Is the posslolilty o.
still another below them.
With iron bound and barred windows
looking out on narrow three foot eorri-
dor between three foot walls, with manacie
irons stiL in the walls and in the corner
of one Of the cells a femur bone whose
nature Is uuu.stakeable, there is no DOUBT
as TO the use 10 which these sunken cells
were put.
They formed prisons for slaves, me
"b,ackb!rds' who IN the time Of G4TaFo-
were such profitable merchandise.
Historians, ancient denizens of the neigh
borhocd. the Board Of City Trusts, IN
whose hands are the countless millions OF
the old mariner and merchant have
had absolutely no trace Of knowledge OF
the existence Of this deep sunken prison.
The Board resists dutfuiy and strongly
the report that the creator OF the wealth
they hold derived II from 50 terrible a
source Nevertheless. experts. men VINO
know the South and the Old slave pens
there. say that there is absolutely no DOUBT
as o. the purpose Of the den beneath Cir
ards I'D mansion.
John W Jordan. librarian Of the Penn
sylyanla Historical Society. after inspect
ing the place. said that there was no douN
at ali as TO It's use. He had visited re-
Gently just such an underground struc-
tu-p IN E7ston, Nd. and this duplicated,
stone for stone almost, the one just found
Faz.erlnrs for chains and manaeles were
stll In It's walls. In themselves the dun
reops show clearly their reason for being
HIS FORTUNE A MYSTERY
Source OF the fortune OF Stephen GirA-d.
founder Of the great Girard College, in
Philadelphia. financial hacker OF the
Tn.-r5 states in the War Of 1872. hero -
the t-r-.sc yellow fever epdemic IN his
r.t-. has always ben veiled in mystery.
There has been a persistent story that
most of It came from the negro uprising
IN san Domingo; that a. that time Glrard,
i0 Command Of a vessel was IN the har-
arr. and that 10 him the whites had IN
trusted their jewels and money. The up
rising came before they could get 70 the
vessel whole families we're slaughtere1
and G.rard sailed with the treasure on the
other hand. there have been persistent re-
ports taat ne was actively engaged in the
slave trade. 1t Is no secret that he rept
caves In Philadelphia as his personal ser
wants and that on his grsat sugar cane
ulartstion in Loa siana he emp-oyed hun
drads
Re settled In Philadelphia in 177s. Soon
many ships belonging 20 him set ont from
the cltv. His riches increased. j. was
hfs wealth that really enab ed the UIlt i
States to win the War OF 1872 Some Of
Girard's sh, ,ps had been oveThau'ed by the
English and his sailors impressed The
strong, eccentric old man swore venge-
ance and financed the government 10 an
enormous extent Afterward. when the
yellow fever seourEod Philadelphia. and
when men were ~rnnirE from IT. O Grad
worried day and night arong the sure =
ers, utterly regardless OF personal peril
Al"na. evCapt fo~ his info tunate mar
ra-e he lived and alone he died
When his will was opened il was found
that he had created the tremendous in-
s,tuuon that now. occupying ten squares
% the mos. valuable land IN the city. bear,
his name. Every penny o. his immense
riches he had left f7r an orphans college
The old man had workei out alI the details
No minister mr. pr est was ever 20 cross Il,
threshold Religions Instruction was TO p,
c777nei purely 20 readings OF the BIB,
and sIrNt ethical training. The curriculum
vas TO be- kept atr,as, % the times
IHrolsh the years this college has growr
Until each year il turns out hundreds O.
zen educated men. 70 whom in no othe
Nay could eiucsaon have come tn.
original estate lef IN the hands 7g N,
Board is nov On the hundreds Of millions
IL takes in mines, railroads and Who'll
townships
RuUcT, rife during Girard's life az 10 IN
way 10 which ne gained his fortune. begai
q die away after his death. Untn IN
discovery OF these slave pens il rested onl
In historical documents and old letters
IN the course % It's operations IN build
ing Iae Underground trolley road that
10 stretch under Market street. the Phila
delphla RAPID Transit Company found
necessary 70 buy Girard's old house. q
No = North Water street. % make wa
for the foundation Of its river front tel
mlnAl The ancient dwelling. IN Whie
Girard had ed and diea was bought frol
the estates trustees. and early in oeto5s
The work of raEing as walls began
SECRET OF THE DUNGEONS.
Down 10 lts foundations the house ha
been torn when the 10. amen came seroi
a pazsageway leading from the cellar
had been blocked ana hlled, but the sI
france was sun visible. and ras lsbOFsi