New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-07-04
CRAZY FOR HIDDEN GOLD
MARYLAND Farmers Think Kidd
Treasures Found.
DETECTED BY MONEY ROD
Seventy Acre Plantation Near
Salisbury in Danger of
Being Dug Up.
by Telegraph to The Tribune. ]

Laurel. Del. July 3.-People have gone
crazy over hidden treasure down around
Salisbury. Nd. since the story came out
yesterday that AsbuTy Hammond an old
farmer. had rooted out of the sand with
fis plough a strange box containing So 600,
and to-day before the news Of the good
luck of Hammond had become cold there
We're a hundred perturbed and money seek
ing citizens of the neighborhood on the
scene ready to dig up the whole seventy
acre plantation and get the rest of the gold
they believe is buried there.
Many tale of the pirate days of Captain
Kidd was born again, for down in these
parts the name of that reckless rover OF
the seas always is referred TO in hushed
tones. and that name is on every tongue
just now. People are speaking in whispers
Of the easy way Hammond ploughed up
fortune in q good-for-nothing corn patch
The only man who isn't talking and who
isn't all wrought up is Hammond himself
He walked quietly into mis- field to-day
through the burning sand with reporter
to the spot where he had unearthed the
brick mound which has been the cause Of all
the mystery. and he told the whole story
of the thing-the same story he has been
pumping into the ears of suspicious and
unbeIieving neighbors-
! There's the place" he said without any
flourish of emotion You see those bricks
piled in a heap? Those are the bricks Of
which the mound was built
He tore out hundred bricks all formed
carefully by hand and some of them SO
mouldy with age that they crumpled as he
picked them up. This is all that hap
pened on the day the brick covered mound
II jHaI .
stronghold as being as big across the top
as the bottom of a bed and ten inches
through It was hollow and in corner
were some bones that ratified and gave off
an offensive odor when he disturbed them.
The climax came when Billy" Babcock,
farmer living five miles to the east,
brought his money rod down TO the place
and sounded the sand for hidden treasure.
The money rod is an instrument composed
of thin piece of iron six inches long
and with either ivory or amber handles.
L must be used by a man with an I'M
finchfng faith in it. Billy Babcock had
lust such faith. He held the magic
money rod directly over the spot that
Hammond indicated to be the centre Of
the subterranean mound. There was an
apprehensive moment of silence Ham
mond observed. Suddenly Babcock grabbed
Hammond by the arm, pulled the tall man s
head down toward the ground, and ex-
claimed:
DO you hear that jangling sound?" he
asked Hammond. There's money in
there. It's in a kettle, and it may be worth
thousands of dollars. Dig right straight
down there four feet below the surface
and you'll get it
Hammond said to-day he was for going
straight into the house and bringing out a
spade to tear the whole inside of the
mound and the bottom, too, for that mat
ter, but Babcock warned against such
hasty and unthinking course.
You can't find the treasure now. de-
clared Babcock. Tonight when every
thing is still and every one is asleep you
steal out into this field and do your
digging.
Before departing BabCock eXaCted a
promise that if any money were shovelled
up he was TO receive his just and fair
Shara of il. To this Hammond agreed
gladly He hadn't thought of money until
Ba bcock's mysterious revelation. And here
is where all the trouble started Hammond
denies stoutly that he found strong box
with 5000 in il. while Babcock points
out positively that the treasure has been
removed. and that nobody but Hammond
laid fingers on it.