The Raymer enterprise., 1911-06-22
Under the Rose
Passages from | -...
the Case Boob | l Ak nRBIuhI lIv1AkD
of Inspector | uuH WVVUINvVsv III III
l FINNEY | ssss y N"ssSSV vs. ss6U
VALENTINE. | / ====--
InpeJtg0tor
Extraordinary | ny TAEDGHlC REUOALE
Copyright BY ". G. ChapmAn)

borne received a royal patent under
the seal of the then Earl Of Stirling
Ever since that time the estate has
remained in the hands Of the Wiborne
family. descending directly from
father to son. There has always been
John Wiborne, and hope there al
ways Will be. We have lived on the
land. farmed 1t, and It Is probably
the oldest piece Of property in this
country that has so descended. The
first settler. my ancestor. was a man
Of good family. born in 1899. dying In
1863. and being buried In Easthamp.
ton churchyard on the mainland of
Long Island. where his tomb exists to
this day."
The narrator paused, and Finney
Valentine nodded to indicate that in
a general way he was familiar with
the facts-as indeed SO well.informed
a man would likely be. Thus encour-
aged John Wiborne again took up his
tale.
Now We come to the Captais Kidd
part. 1t Is matter of historical rec.
ord that the notorious pirate frequent.
ed the east end OF Long Island In or
about the year 1898. and that he land.
ed on Whitewater Island. where he
careened his ship. the Adventure gal.
ley. for repairs. From this fact, l sup.
pose, arose the legend or rumor that
he there cashed some Of his ill.got.
ten gains. That was the popular be.
lief. anyway. for good many years
after his death at, Execution Dock in
1901. and In this case rumor was and
is backed up by traditions In the WI.
borne family. But no one ever set
eyes on the treasure.
However. there are some collateral
facts that help out the story. For In.
stance. We have It on record that dur
ing his stay at the island Kidd fell Ill
and was nursed by the mistress OF
the manor To show his gratitude, the
story goes, the buccaneer filled her
apron with gold and silver pieces. On
his departure he needed fresh meat
for his crew, and the reigning John
Wiborne gave him some cattle and
sheep. Recompense being declined,
Kidd presented my ancestress with a
very beautiful quilt, embroidered with
gold and semi,precious stones. This,
he said. had been taken from the crib
Of little Indian princess on an East
lndiaman which he had attacked and
sacked. The relic still exists In the
Wiborne family, having some years
ago been cut into four quarters and
distributed among several Of our
ladies'"
THAT parts all new TO me-" com.
mented Valentine, ''and a mighty In.
teresting yarn 1t makes. But where
does the treasure and this cryptogram
fit in?'
I'm coming to that answered
John Wiborne. What I've told you
merely establishes basis for the
rest-the local color for the historical
setting, as We may say"
Valentine nodded again and once
more composed himself to listen.
The story that Kidd secretly buried
some of his plunder on Whitewater
Island would not down. To this day
in Sag Harbor, Greenport, Easthamp
ton and Shelter Island you may run
across oldtmers. baymen or boatmen
who believe It implicitly. We know
that some digging was done at various
times, mostly under cover of darkness
by adventurers in search of the loot
for the island being held strictly pri
vate, no outsiders might trespass BY
daylight. Whether the succeeding
proprietors-the Wibornes. | mean
ever took the thing seriously and ex
plored the likeliest spots In the little
domain on their own account, there Is
nothing to show. Yet certain 1t Il
that the legend or whatever you