Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1911-02-09
Hidden Treasure Found.

From the Daily Star of Wanensburg,
Missouri, sent us by Daniel M. Hout, we
take the following account of the discov-
cry OF a hidden treasure which will be
read with interest by the people of this
section. The ]. H. Ronemous referred
tots Jack" RonemouS, who formerly
lived near Shepherdstown, but who NOV
ed to Missouri some thirty-five or forty
years ago. He has number of relatives
in this county. The Stars story is as
follows:
When two old people live alone for
years on good-sized farm which is in
differently worked, when they live as
though their income were meagre, when
they present merely a respectable ap-
pearance with sufficient money always to
buy what they need in town, using an old
spring wagon drawn by ateam OF shaggy
mules, ii is but natural that they should
not be suspected OF possessing more
wealth than that which is in evidence on
their modest appearing farm.
But things are not always what they
seem, and recent developments have
brought out the fact that when the late J.
H. Ronemous and his wife, Rebecca
Rouemous, who died within twenty-four
hours of each other, as was told in last
weeks Star, were carried side by side to
their last resting-place in the little grave
yard on their farm, where the same grave
now holds their remains, they were leav-
ing within the house, where they without
children lived for twenty-seven years,
mute evidence OF economy, thrift and
their distrust or fear of banks, which
caused them to deposit their savings in
various parts of the house.
This interesting fact became known in
the days following the death Of Mr.. and
Mrs. Ronemous when relatives on both
sides took charge of the old Wiley home.
They did not suspect the presence ofany
money in the house until they began to
clean up, when to their establishment it
was discovered in old cans and coffee
pots, in an unused room, in an old trunk
and various places. In the trunk men,
toned two wills were found, signed by
each, bequeathing the property TO the
other, but not specifying where any OF it
might be located. There was also in the
trunk number OF papers, notes, deeds OF
trust and other evidences of indebted
ness the amount OF which will not be
known until an administrator is appoint
ed by the probate court. The wills have
been sent to California to be identified by
the witnesses, Mr.. and Mrs. John Cord.
An old coffee-pot was half full OF gold,
covered over with hominy. Other mon
ey, currency, gold and silver, was found,
and the searchers thought they had it all
Thursday, when they brought to town the
old trunk, also 1851 in currency and
$776 in gold and silver. The treasure and
valuable papers were turned over to E.
N. Johnson, of the Peoples National
Bank, who placed them in box and
gave a receipt which is now in the hands
OF Probate Judge Fitch. But this was
not all of the hidden treasure, for on the
following day. in came the relatives with
$436.65 in silver and 1897 so in gold
which further search revealed. Much OF
the treasure was fonnd in dark, dust COW
cred places which almost suffocated the
SearcherS.
The first inStallment was delivered in
town by ]. H. Hawthorne and q. M.
Ronemous, and receipt for the second
batch of money contained the names OF
H. S. Ronemous, J. W. Ronemous, F. H.
Hawthorne, J. H. Hawthorne, L. D. Ster-
ling and ]. A. Sutton.
The amount of the deeds, notes, ETC.,
can not be known until an administrator
is appointed, which will follow the return
OF the wills from California.
The finding OF all this wealth has cauS-
ed great interest and relatives are looking
into every nook and corner. There may
be other funds buried about the place, but
if such is the case the secret is also bur-
led with the two old people. The Ron
emous farm is about six miles southeast
of Warrensburg.
Some interesting legal entanglements
are likely TO develop, since the representa-
tives of both families will probably not
agree as to the disposition of the savings
OF the old people Their treasure will
now be scattered.