Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-02-05
CAPTAIN KIDD'S
TREASURE FOUND
WHO Excitement at SOmeTS
Point, lear Atlantic CITY.
DISCOVERED Ii A CAVE

Finders Of Treasure Believed to Have
Removed it-VIsitors View Cavern,
Which Had Been 6rieked Up With
Walls Two Feet Thick.
Atlantic City. Feb. 2-Somers Point.
near here. is wildly excited because
II is believed that the tabled treasure
Of Captain Kidd. of buccaneer fame
has been found. The excitement is nc
less because of the fact that the SUP
posed discoveries Of the loot made
away with IT, Old Inhabitants who
really credit the belief that something
OF value has been discovered and made
away with think It is possible tha.
the treasure trove may have been
plate and coin b-ried by residents Of
the ancient seaport when the British
war vessels showed up during the
Revolutionary war. but the more TO
mantle choose 10 believe that the
treasure was really the Kidd deposit
which had been searched for during
the past half century along this por.
ton OF the coast
The supposed recoverers OF the
treasure are believed TO have carted II
away during the heavy storm Of sat
urday night last. They left as clues an
old cave within a few hundred yards
Of the home Of County Judge Higbee
and hundreds OF curious townsfolk Wis
ited the spot.
The uncovered cave had been brick.
ed up with walls over two feet iu
thickness. which show the greatest
care in construction. The top is GOV
cred with slabs Of red and stone OF n
quality unknown In this locality and
believed TO have been brought here
along with the supposed treasure bur
Ted by Captain Kidd OF others who
g. Jught It's concealment. The bricks
are OF style similar 10 those known
TO have been brought here from Eng.
land during Colonial days. and both
stone and brick are so OLD that they
crumble to blows OF picks now being
used 20 discover the real extent OF the
cave
So far as can be learned from tho
formal examination made by Mayor
John Campbell the cave is at least $50
years old. When the first discovery
was made the signs left by the mys.
FERROUS visitors showed that the cave
had been opened and that the diggers
had continued their work until they
uncovered what Is supposed to have
been chest OF box. square and about
ak feet long by two feet wide. The
box had been dredged 90 wagon.
whose wheels marks we're plainly visi-
Bile. but trace OF the vehicle was lost
after 10 had taken the main road lead
ing TO Pleasantville The cave lies in
direct line with an aged cedar tree
and a stump OF another tree which are
believed - have been the marks BY
which the strangers found the spot
The strangers had evidently carried
their digging for about ten feet. but
stopped as soon as they found the sup.
posed chest Further digging disclosed
the fact that the cave runs back for
about twelve feet and has two other
entrances both bricked In the same
style an the one uncovered.
Captain Mark Doughty. one OF the
oldest residents OF the resort. believes
that the cave held valuables belonging
10 people OF Somers Point and sur
rounding country. left there during the
war OF the Revolution.
Captain Van SAINT. who is also one OF
the Oldest residents OF Somers Point.
recalled the fact that for years past
visitors. many OF whom were armed
with maps, have been digging In the
vicinity OF the city In search Of the
tabled treasure OF Captain Kidd. Most
OF the strangers carried cryptic charts
and carried out their searches In Sc
cret
Residents of the city have already
started on the work OF digging out the |
entire interior OF the cave In the hope
OF finding more treasure and Mayor
Campbell is considering the swearing /
in OF special policemen TO guard the |
spot to prevent the carrying away OF |
any other valuables which may be |
found there