Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-10-26
BURIED Prize
Searching for Famous San
Pedro Treasure.
Spanish Money Lost in the
Caribbean Sea.
Another Expedition Being fitted
Out 70. The Search.

=
Y,rK par.. recently regarding Won
d.rrr, np,y ,livlr" sat. It was said TO
h.. 81 tout iron ;,s >t:"!.., as loco
n,n,ivt. boi.-r az Nl1H " ny improve
n,.rte such ae would l,;il !i-.>" of earl
i,r patterns entirety ~ t"'' Htde
frt il was ~; the description of the
diving suit that ST th"S'' people To m
.lul9n., in II :lli:ii+t'..l' HI. ->ot at an
il was another p;;r;fcrai'a, innocent ana
rm,btruSiN,. ANNOUNCING That arfayed
in This suit a certain diver would soon
% with an expedition to the coast OF
Ven, zuela and bring 10 the surface
three. millions in gold sunk with the
nI-starred San PEDRO de Alcantara III
the year 1Slo.
There is special reason why certain
Boston families believe that the exc
i,edition as planned would better be
given up and those who have been
urged to put money into that same take
steps to recover it. They feel sure
nothing will be brought back rs re-
suit Of their proposed search, ana gust
why they are positive comes out iii an
I'M: resting and somewhat romantic
story. which is as follows:
When the Boston Submarine and
Wr-c,ling Co WAS organized in Boston
somewhere about 1880 it WAS with the
| avuWcd purpose of getting the san
| Pt0ro treasure, which had then been
| under the waters of the Caribbean Sea
| for forty years. :. Renton Thompson
| was the president, and lie AMI ms
| friends put thousands and thousands
| of dollars into the expenses. which. rs
ma we'll be imagined. were not trivial.
| II should be said iii passing that tins
scheme practically ruined Mr.. Thomp-
| son.
They looked about for just the right
man as captain Of the ship; a man III
| fearless courage. wide experience and
executive ability was what they want
ed. They chose James Il. Couthouy,
VINO had visited every part of the
globe and knew forty-seven languages,
| including some Of the unwritten ones
ii far-cft islands.
| The san Pedro. ii seems. had carried
| Government money to pay the spa iliSh
| FOODS then stationed in South
America. 1t was generally believed
| that the snip was sent to the bottom
| in ? storm and. until these Boston men
| Undertook To find it, n" similar attempt.
as far as is known in this city, hau
ever been made. That idea was ac-
! copied probably. by captain CouthouE
| his CT, " and the three divers who went
| v.jth him They took their course to
the Venezuelan coast ana began the
search.
t;r,?tlv to their delight they found
he san Pedro bulk. 1t was made 81
solid mahogany and finished III the most
cla borat" style of spanish magnificence.
ivcr .tft"r forty years its timberS
were st;,nch ~ ever AMI much OF its
handsome glass, china. etc. were quite
perfect. But there was no treasure
trove
\ few scattered coins We're found
and brought back to this city where
they nc still in the possession or tht
captain'S family. The divers examined
,.v, ry nook and Granny and proved Il
| the entire satisfaction of the captain
that the san Pedro was scuttled; th'
men whom The Spanish Government
! trusted were knaVcS and traitors.
I;tlt The man at the head of the eX-
pcditiCn did not rest content with the
r4tcrt OF holes bored from within. lie
spent | long time in tn" quiet place:
along Cumana harbor -,Tar;lcaS, Va.
lpnCia. barcelona. aS Well as l.;
Guayra. Rio chico ana the little islands
of Torgt.a blanca Orchilla. Las Rogue:
. and others, picking NJ what inforina
ton Re could ana putting two and tw'
!: tu.tthcr. as the Yankees say.
He searched out people who recalled
l the ships fate and from them u
learned that on Tho night before TIL
II nl, all
II wcra given shore leave. When the!
returned. behold, no ship was there
III An the rest Of the story is conjecture
III Whether the officers in conspiracy ha'
III another craft in waiting to sail ava.
with the gold as soon as the sailors hI'
| departed. on whether they took it t.
III Ianl themselves and buried it. no on
I will ever know In those days, tn
H latter nlan could he easily accom-
II pliShed and the thieves he entirely SAT
from capture.
u This is the outline If the story w'c
Il Captain Couthory's friends think shout
ta retold II WIS printed in tie Trans
Il script ON his return from the truitleI
search. - also was a beautiful tIibut
FROM his lifelong fliend. Ri,rard II
4 Dana. the elder, at the time OF Ills deati
which was caused from shot hred h
a guerilla Willie he was or deck of hi
n own ship, the Chilco;he. in the Red Rive
- expedition of the Civil War in Aoril lS6
y part of the obit uarY l. here SiNcI
a. I'VE venture to say that no vniuntee
offl"c:' i'll Q II navy. engaged IN tins Wa
al more ciiC gifts of zeal and Capa
), city than Lieutenant CoIthouy, AID sure
, ~ no onH ii. either tr"nch Of the sci
= vice had inorC varied personal experience
= At greater extent or variety ot iut"lle,
:, tual accomplishment.
II Though born in the country. his fatl
r - WAS Il post captain II tne French Nay!
: Ills mother was an American. from I'll
j. two lie inherited ardoI. intensity, cntnu
SitSrl. stem. manly qualities. iCt"lertnI;
am !"hensiNenesS and a rare faculty Il
"a quick and sure mastery of languages.
~ He was the couCloloGist Of Wiki
exploring expedition. ANA his clear an
fall Journals We're claimed an. ff2 !
used tY ii:t officer in MS puili, alton
. His iif, IF thirty >eal> as . uainrd shil
~ master. which hau taken Lin 10 nCIl
vi every coast of thr habitahlo globe. la
~ rccr varied by a residence in Texas. /
II trai1ls in North and South America AT
II in the South Sea Islands.
IN He kept full and Mell-writtea iOurna
III | Of all his voyages and travels. viii,
have the double value OF inSpiritinC ne
snilal adventures and characteristics NJ
Nf of clear descriptions Of natural >rFneI