The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1906-10-05
TREASURE IN FLORIDA
GREAT WEALTH REPORTED BUR-
led NEAR ST. MARKS.
Five Million Dollars Received by spain
for State Said TO Be Hidden
There Several Expeditions
Have Sought Gold.

Pensacola. Fla Hon II Clay Craw.
ford, secretary OF state, Is one Of the
most interesting men In Florida Con
nected with the office he holds all his
life, he is a yeritable encyclopedia Of
interesting information. and his latest
story Is one which should attract the
adyentnresome This is In regard TO
buried treasure OF 81 Marks. Fla.
and he tells II as given below
~ was near st. Marks that the
Spanish glnboat carrying the $4,000.
900 that was paid Spain in 1921 for
Florida WIS disabled. and It was there
that the money was buried History
relates that this amount was paid in
gold from the mint at New Orleans
and was loaded on a Spanish gunboat
The boat became disabled near St
Marks In the fear OF pirates. who in.
tested the coast. the captain, with sew.
eral Of the crew, landed and buried
the gold, and then returned to the
gunboat They drifted about for days
and we're finally picked up by vessel
bound for Peru During that voyage
a sconfge broke out on the ship and
the officers aud many Of the men died
Those who survived were landed In
Peru eventually. penniless
Many years afterward an old man
named Bell landed at st Marks lie
WAS an old man. feeble and IN and
was kindly cared FOR by man named
Smith lie fingered several months
and then died When he was about 10
die he told Smith the story Of his life
He said he was one OF the crew OF the
illiated gunboat that carried the gold
from New Orleans lie told OF the
boat being disabled and OF the crew
being carried TO Peru tie said he had
spent his lite trying TO get back 10 81
Marks and he gave Smith chart by
which the spot could be located This
was the last year Of the war. more
than 10 years after Florida had been
annexed 90 the union After Bells
death Smith set out in small sail
boat with two negroes 10 look for the
spot lie made careful search and
inspection ol The coast aud found, as
he believed the exact spot The chart
described three trees which grew AT
certain spot In ono OF them an iron
spike had been driven Smith found
what he believed were the trees re
ferred to in the chart and ON one Of
them he noticed q knot Into this he
cut and found aud iron spike lie
measured on the distance named In
the chart and began TO dig Being an
old man aud equipped with only a hoe
aud spade he did not make great
deal of progress He returned home
having decided 20 get better equip
ment Shortly afterward the war
closed. slaves we're freed and he was
left without money necessary TO con
tinuc the search Living in the hope
that he could find Il. and believing
firmly that IL was buried near the tree
with the spike In It, Smith also died
Some years after the advent Of
Rel another sailor appeared lie also
was an old man and OF very secretive
habits. He fitted out a boat. bought
picks. etc. and disappeared. AZ inter
walls he would return for supplies.
when his funds were exhausted he
taught school. boarding his earnings
like a miser. and spending them for
trips In the summer Finally. ex.
hausted from labor and the hardships
he had endured, he slckened and died
From his papers It was found that his
name was Ballon. and that he was the
survivor OF the crew OF the Spanish
gunboat that sailed from New or.
leans with the 81. OO0.O 900 for Spain.
Since that day many have sought
the millions that are hidden In the
marshes at ST, Marks That they lie
there few who have heard the story
from those who lived there in those
days can doubt Various expeditions
have been secretly fitted out TO search
for II in recent years.