The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-11-21
SEEK
BURIED TREASURE
OF SLAIN HERMIT
Mysterious Persons Are Nightly
Digging Around Farm in
Search for Wealth.

murder OF Francis Marion Brown, at
his home in the western part Of Cod
ington county, a short distance east OF
Clark, in which he had lived for a
period of twenty-four years, has been
followed by one Of the strangest treas
ure hunts on record.
Brown was wealthy, and those famil-
lar with his affairs are confident that
when he died he had from
$50, 900 to $60,0 0 in cash. He
had not the slightest confidence
in banks, and as only a few hun
bred dollars have been found on deposit
in q bank, il is fully believed that tens
Of thousands of dollare have been
buried on his farm.
1t is in the hope of finding this hid
den wealth that certain mysterious par
ties are nightly digging around the
Brown farm. Neighboring farmers tell
Of mysterious figures fitting about at
night, and enough is known to make 1t
certain that a systematic search is be-
ing made for the hidden gold.
Brown was q bachelor and from the
time in taking up his residence on the
farm until he was murdered. he lived
alone. He was somewhat eccentric, but
jovial and pleasant. !
Feared an Attack.
For years before his tragic death he
was aware that he was in danger Of
being waylaid and robbed, but he was
no coward, and to those friends who
cautioned him to be careful, he said: '
Il know / am being watched. but
they will not get me. 1 will get them"
But he never stated by whom he
thought he was being watched. Had he
done so, the authorities might have less
difficulty in running down his murder
ers. 4,
1t is known that Brown was accus-
toned to carry two pocketbooks and
these were not found by the
authorities. 1t is not thought
likely, however. that he carried
I'm the pocketbooks, and thai the re-
mainder of his great wealth. outside
of the few hundred dollars In the bank,
was buried on his farm. 1t is not be-
lieved the men who murdered him sue
ceeded in finding this hidden wealth, as
their search necessarily would be a hur-
Tied one.
Treasure Is Buried.
Because Of this belief there appears
little doubt that Browns cache" Of
gold yet remains OF his farm. and the
mysterious persons who are reported
to haunt the farm nightly evidently
have strong hopes of finding the money.
The dead hermit vas born in st.
Louis county. Missouri. in September,
1858, and moved with his parents to Nc
Pherson county, Kansas. when in his
teens. Nearly a quarter of a century
ago he came to what now is South Da-
kota and located on the farm where
he was murdered. He had always been
a money-maker, having acquired the
habit when a mere boy. He used to
act as banker mo collector for his play
mates, di%scounting and collecting small
accounts, and loaning money to his
chums on ar interest basis.
When he arrived in Dakota he had
$1,000 in cash. From the time Of his ar
rival until his death he had never Wis
tied or been visited by any of his rela-
tives. The old hermit is survived by
six brothers and sisters, as follows:
William Brown, Woodward, Okla: Os-
a Brown, Canton, Kas.; Bentley
Brown, Hennessy, Okla; Belle Powell.
Haskey, Okla; Mary Switzer, McPher-
son, Kas.; Martha Welch, Haskell,
Okla.
The murdered man left personal prop
erty valued at nan thousand of dol
lars. This consisted of 100 acres of land,
about 1880 bushels OF grain, Eve head
OF valuable horses, three head Of cat
tie, about sixty-five head Of 200-pound
hogs. and other farm and personal
property.