The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-18

where had been arrested was big
swamp. 1t was grown up to bushes
and full of mirea and water. told
them L had hidden the box there. ]
was secretly taken out of Jail at night
and driven over to the swamp to point
out the exact spot, but this L could
not do. L could only approximate it.
as I claimed that it was night when
buried it. I could only guess as to
the spot, but that was enough. When
1 was returned to jail the programme
was laid out: I was to have 800 cash
in hand and be arrafgned and dis
charged next morning, and go back to
the farmer for the rest of the month.
If uttered one word about the treas
ure I should be arrested for the Indiana
crime and convicted at all hazards.
THE programme was carried out,
and next day at noon / was eating din
ner with the farmer and the search
for the treasure had commenced. Had
one of the three started out alone he
might have escaped notice, but they
couldn't trust each other. Justice,
sheriff and constable went into the
swamp together and waded about in
the mire and water and thrust poles
day at the work without being OBJ
served, but next day a number of peo-
pie got hold of the secret and then
there was a rush. The officers didn't
dare to tell that I had: said there was
box of treasure there. That would
have made them accessories to the
robbery, you know. IT. would have
also put them in a hole for setting me
at liberty. They pretended that the
sheriff had dreamed of the box
''Say. but the affair tickled me half
to death. I put theY farmer next, and
the two of us would stop work to hal!
ha! hah In three days a hundred men
were looking. In four days the num-
Der was five hundred. Every man in
the = county VINO saHted1t6k get rich
quick was on the hunt Some of them
were half-drowned in the bitches, and
some were mired up to their necks.
gone over time and time again. The
hunt lasted for a fortnight. Even
merchants left their stores and joined
in. Even the village school was dis
missed that the teacher and pupils
might have a show. The three officers
who had received the secret from me
finally came to the conclusion that I
had been giving them hot air. They
were mad all through, but they didn't
dare to arrest me again. It would
have been a giVeaway on them you
see.
1.-THE hunt was finally abandoned
and the public began to cry April
Fool!' at the officers The facts in the
case were at least suspected, and of
course the three men felt very much
like getting even with me. I was
down in the field working my last day
for the farmer, when the constable
came out of the bushes and headed for
me. He had a meat-ax expression on
his face. and as he came near he NUT
tered:
"'You miserable, Internal liar; but
I'll learn you to joke with mel
what have I done?' I asked.
you've lied. You've, made fools of
US. But you amt going to get out of
it so slick. I'm here to give you the
licking a tramp ever got
HE pitched in and I didn't remain
passive. 1t wasn't resisting an officer
in the performance of his duty when I
led with my left and knocked him
down. He got up and came for more,
and I gave it to him. and 1 don't think
he will forget me for the next twenty
years. I got my money. shook hands
with the farmer and his wife, and
went gaily on my way. That's all of
that particular adventure, but as the
story papers say: CONTINUED in Our
Next. - Copyright, 1907, by c. H.
Eutcliffel