The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-12-04
MISSOURI TREASURE HUNTERS
wealth ssppssed 20 Have Heen Buried by
QuantreiR-Fitxhue Geld.
FROM the kansas City Sta,

FROM the kensss City Star
Tho raid on Lawrence by Quan,rel
and his band occurred forty-sevsn Year,
ago. namely. in tho summer Of lssa IN,
band refreated out Of Kansas into Jack
son county and dissolved somewhere In
the Sni country and somewhere in the sams
region tho band reassembled at the ap-
pointed time. From time TO time small
campo Of auerrillas were established in
the deep woods OF the Sni hills and each
camp gave rise to legends and stories II
adventure. Of soldiery prowess. OF brigan-
dass. Of revenge. Of murder and Of mid.
night raids and surprises.
One Of these stories, persistent nov for
more than forty years. 10 that Quantrell
brought out OF Lawrence q large sum OF
money which no secreted In the rocks u
the Sni hills and which he never returned 70
get From time to time ever since the civil
war search has been instituted for this
lost treasure: and it may be said truthfully
that every craS and Granny OF the country
drained by the Sni Creek and every ravine.
every hollow and every cave has been
-crutinized over and over again by anxious
and hopeful natives: many n ton Of dir,
and gravel has been spaded up by the zeal
and energy OF the fortune hunters. who
lima gined that they had secured q new rIe
TO the location Of Quantrell's Lawrence gold
These innumerable treasure trove- hapa
provided every neighborhOod with its
special romance and have stimulated the
-earchers 30 hunt up and down the country
and especially over that wide and broken
region between Lone Jack and Blue Springs
But other parts OF the county have
also had periods Of excitement f-w
years ago ldlewild. northwest of lnde-
pendence. a beautiful stretch Of pasture
land broken here and there with picturesque
bluffs. was punctured all over by shallow
excavations made by some searCher for the
Lawrence gold.
The latest search for the Lawrence gold
has occurred within recent weeks Az some
time during the civil war ouantreli's band
made q camp in the almost impenetrabs
woods about a mile east OF the httle village
of Tsrsney. No Federal troop ever VEN
tured TO approach this stronghold For
year, after tho disintegration Of Quantrell's
band and the death OF the guerrilla chief
Z he site OF this camp vas marked by camp
litter. q few broken kettles and small logs
used for tents or managers for horses.
The camp near Tarsney. in Van Buren,
township. mus; have been maintained
for some time. But the usual story OF the
swrence gold was never associated with
this camp until few years ago. Some ono
the letter W cut out rudelr
on the top 81 a large boulder not quarter
OF a mile from the old camp. Nobody
intended to mark the location Of the bush
whAcksr treasure. However no search vas
made unui u few weeks ago. when a man
by the name OF -. Clair Of Welsh La
returned to the scene OF his childhood
armed he believed with extraordinary
information on the subject Of hidden
Treasures
He had consulted % negro conJursr IN tho
south Mr. ~ Clair had heard IN the days
OF his youth that Mrs. Harris. whose home
was near Tar-ney. had hastily buried -ons
money AZ the back nf her hou-. to hide "
from an approaching company Of soldiers.
She had never been bile to md the mon"r.
The negro COM rcr directed that The money
rould be found by digging into TN. ground
A. a point many feet IN such "a direction
from tho chimney. Mr.. ~ Clair dug a.
directed and un-arthed - IN silver Tho
chief value OF This discovery was the es'ab-
lishrnen' OF unboun'!..d confidence IN the Old
negro. Who's. directions wer. now followed
with reference To the letter W II was cef-
tam now that the second sight Of this con
Quantr-il Lawrence gold The search uas
accordingly made. but nothing was found
,nent IA tn. sighborhoOd OF Sni Mills
south OF Oak Grove. about a hidden treasure.
Somebody discovered a fat rock on which
smelling Company had buried n wagonloat
u gold and silver from Mexico and had
a abandoned u there. thoss in charge beng
IN danger OF massacre by a band OF Wild
indians. The whole nrighborhooi turned
Dut en- nasse and dug the hiltsid-s do~n.
The excitement continued with great IN.
'ensity for three or four days unit i h-caris
snown that the carving on the rock had bee,
lone by two mi schievous boys. After the
sca ef's so sh.m..Ses Seg bronssi
bout its discovery In manner to siNeui
widest and most sensational publicity