The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-10


the cave locking away the millions of
gold
cannot be found.
And the fox IS too sly to negotiate
treaty, and is certain not to do 50 since
the advent of Senator JEFF Davis
Years and years ago, men, discovered
later to be Mexicanss were seen by na-
tives of Arkansas at the base OF rne
cliffs. They pretended to be fishermen,
the Arkausans became suspicious.
They set watch.
From the opposite shore OF the White
River they could see lights along the
base Of the cliffs.
These little flames f1ickered Iiveliest
on dark, stormy nights.
The natives were curious enough, hut
they feared to approach very near the
lights.
Didn't they know that darlx-visaged
men knew how to use the swift. sharp.
steel blade
They did
But by and by the dark fellows dis
appeared and then others came who
made no bones OF their purpose.
But they, too, quit, discouraged.
little later came a distinguished
looking Mexican, who said he was the
descendant of Spaniard of a party that
had been almost wholly massacred TN
der the palisades generations ago.
He arrived at Rogers.
The next day a. car Of machinery. used
in blasting and boring and crushing
rock. was sidetracked at Lowell
Both towns are near the palisades,
near the home Of Coin Harvey.
But Harvey had not arrived yet; he
came later
The machinery was removed to the
palisades and work begun
The Mexican gentleman meant to force
the great stone which his charts proved
guarded the entrance to a cave wherein
was concealed the $50. 900 of gold,
somewhere half way up inside of the
cliffs in a little room reached by what
from the top of the mountains would be
a subterranean stairway.
The Mexican gentleman dynamited
and bored and dynamited again, scores
and scores of times, and spent a lot of
money in the little towns. Finally he
gave the search up in despair, and
spent a month in fishing and cooling
himself on hot days in the cold air
caves which abound in the valleys.
Now many stories are told Of how
this money buried itself away inside of
the face of the palisades or somewhere
at the foot at the bank of the river.
One story, which has become digni-
fed into a narrative. tells of the march
Of De SOtO'S men, after they left the
Mississippi and went westward. after
having returned from somewhere up
the Mississippi near what is now Ste.
Genevieve, Mo.
But history is not so accurate on
the exact point he reached, and some
books deny that he left the river for q
sufficient time to have reached the
point where the search for gold is be-
ing made.
And, besides. it is not believed that
De Soto had money with hmi.
However, another party of explor-
ers did have money. and lots of it.
They made up the force which ae-
companied Ponce de Leon to the New
World on his search for the Fountain
of Youth. They comprised a court
party, determined to live in youth for
ever, or until they saw fit to die II
some affair of honor or by sword on
the field of battle.
This party, so it is written. became
separated, and part of the following
disappeared into the wilderness of
America and was lost. These men
could have had lots Of money ssith
them, but did they find their way to
the palisades, there to be massacred by
the Indians2
Another story told in Benton county.
which Coin Harvey likes to repeat to
his statesmen visitors. is that a party
Of Spanish returning from raid on
the MOntezumas were captured in the
Gulf of Mexico by pirates, and that the
pirates themselves were later ship
wrecked
A few of them reached Mobile or
some other point on the coast and
Travelled inland.
Did they get up as far as the Sacred
valley over behind the palisades ? Har-
vey does not attempt to answer the
question-he shakes his head in de-
spair. He has succeeded, after twelve
years. in purchasing this valley.
But though the stories of the gold
have failed of substantiation by the
appearance of the treasure, there is
to ffc
The story of the Spanish party
which buried the gold is that the mem
bers of it camped in the sacred val
ley, where Coin Harvey's log study
now graces the bank of a little stream
called Silver creek, and that the IN
dams occupying Sacred Valley were
hospitable until the Spaniards insulted
them.
SO long as the Spanish remained in
the Sacred Valley they were safe, for
no murder could be done there. But
they made the mistake of leaving the
people who had taken them IN and
whom they mistreated, and left the
valley.
They camped at the base of the pail
sades one afternoon.
But they had hardly settled before
an Indian maiden warned them OF APP
preaching attacks by the Indians. She
feared to return to her people, and
wished to remain with one handsome
Spaniard. 50 the story goes, and was
brutally treated.
Soon the red men came.
And the Spanish party hurriedly
buried their golden wealth and tried
to escape But they were too late.
From time to time the skeletons of
white men are dug up by the men
who are digging for gold, and now
and then there is some trace or link
of evidence proving that the party
was Spanish, and that it must have
been composed of men of wealth and
rank They are not disheartened be-
cause Hoyt's ingenuity showed Capt.
Kidd's treasure box to contain nothing
but pawn tickets.
Still the search goes on
And on the bright days, after walk
Inc. tLrc.1, ..-c.ad sr,.,111a-