The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-06-06
Three Negroes Alarm Neigh
bors on FIeecydale Pike
by Digging for ''Gold."
SPIRITS WERE OUTWITTED
SEARCHERS FOR TREASURE.
TROvE GUARD AGAINST THE
GHOSTS IN A PECULIAR MAN.
NER-PoLlCE WERE CALLED.

Under the light of the glorious full
moon two negroes. VIII Revels and
Dan Mitchell, searched for buried
treasure last night at the top OF a
small hill on the old Fleecydale farm.
which is about two miles north of the
city on the Fleecydale Pike. The work
was superintended by Joe Jones, COM
monty known as "No-Legged JONES'"
but he did the 'bossing' from cart,
which he employees for scavenger
work when not actively engaged in
treasure hunting, as he was afraid of
coming In contact with spirits else
where. How long the men would have
labored in their search for wealth is
matter for conjecture. as it was
they were interrupted by the suspi-
cions of neighbors who saw them at
work and thought that they were dig
sing grave for the body of some
person who had come to an untimely
end by foul play. Numerous alarm
calls were sent to police headuuar-
ters and Sergeant Betzold detailed
two police officers to investigate the
case.
Neinhbors Were Armed.
After weary walk the officers met
Revels, Mitchell and Jones returning
to town, having been frightened away
from the treasure-trove by the ap-
pearance of about ten neighbors, sew
eral armed in anticipation of trouble.
The negroes were led back to the
scene of their labors and there the
astonished policemen found hole
about three feet in length and about
three and half feet in depth. The
hole had been dug in the shadow of
some shrubbery and around II were
three circles scraped in the sod with
a pick.
I'm sure they buried a corpse in
there" whispered one neighbor to
the blue coats they've got a cart and
1t has made several trips up and down
the road" When the negroes were
questioned as to their object In dig
ging the hole they were reluctant to
talk at first but finally Jones. seated
in the cart at the side of his wife,
said We'll if youse. is bound to know
I'll jest start in at de first and tell yo'
de whole story"
Jones Tells the Story.
He then related the following:
About three years ago old Uncle"
Scott, well known negro character
now dead, was driving out the Fleecy-
dale road to the Henry Putthoff farm
where he lived When Scott passed
the spot where the buried treasure
was sought for he. according to Jones
saw a fame shoot out of the ground
Whenever a flame shoots out oh de
ground, dats sure sign of buried
treasure" remarked Jones
Continuing with his story Jones
stated that the night following this
discovery he and Scott vert to the
place and began to dig for the gold
'h got hole three feet deep dug"
he said with an impressive roll of his
eyes when / heard voice say git
away from dere' | thought 1t was
some farmer yellin' to his dog and
l KEEP on diggin. In a minute de voice
yelled it out agin an still KEEP on dig
gin. Jes den a spirit about four feet
and half high jumped out of dat
bush there an hit me a lick II de
belly with great big boulder. He hit
me SO hard dat / WIS Knocked clean
out of de hole"
May Continue the Search.
Jones confessed that this exciting
episode so frightened him that he
never set foot on the haunted
ground again, an what was more, new
er would. but he never gave up his
determination to get the treasure. A
| few days ago he took Revels and
| Mitchell into his confidence and 1t
was arranged to search for the gold
last night. Everything went lovely un-
| til Fate, in the shape OF an alarmed
| neighborhood and two policemen. in
| terfered All three negroes. notwith-
standing their Ill luck last night, are
still confident that the treasure is
| where they searched for it and il per-
mission can be obtained, will probably
| renew their search.
| When Reve!s was asked why the
| three circles had been scraDed In the
sod around the hole he looked at the
| officers as If astounded by their ignor-
| ance and then replied why to keep
! de spirits away, don't you-all know
dat spirits don't dast to walk over
fresh eartn?" Jones had in his cart a
pick and a large crowbar for use in
| prying open the treasure chest. He
stated that firm in Philadelphia was
now putting on the market an instru-
ment which if carried in the hands
would notify the person carrying it
| of buried treasure by sending cur
rent of electricity through his hand.
He is thinking Of buying one of these
instruments. The three treasure hun