The Elbert County tribune., 1912-07-26


=. - IG~ for the treasure-hunting ad-
hs---9 venturers.
The most ardent seeker of
these troves King John. Most of his time
was spent in hunting buried treasures of other
centuries, assembling the gold and jewels OF
England and burying them again Only those
groups OF known value and OF certain or nearly
certain location be mentioned in this article.
30 numerous they.
1t was known that the King had knowledge.
CLEANED from old documents that the Romans
during the time OF their occupation. had great
quantities Of gold. silver. jewels and plate In
fashionable resort in the north of England. and.
being cut on In the rear by invasion OF Picts
and Scots, buried It in vast trove near the old
Roman wall in Northumberland.
King John made extensive explorations and
found a large cache made at later period. but
did not find the more important store of, wealth
He removed his find to Hermitage Castle and.
according to all accounts. the masonry OF the
wall was opened from the outside and the treas
ure hidden again.
Once since his day the true clue to the Roman
cache was found and lost again through the bru-
tality and stupidity Of some English county Of
ncials in Northumberland
Two poor and ignorant farm aborers were
working in field on the line of the old Roman
ruin one day and sat down. In the shade OF
heap OF stones for their lunch Idly they turned
over large stone. and In the bottom of the cavity
left they saw an enormously heavy chain.
Pushing away the dirt until they could get hold
length and weighed enough to make burden for
both of them. Seemingly 1t was brass. and they
left II till the next day. when they, working
with cart. At evening they loaded 1t in the cart
and carried 1t home leaving It against the wall OF
the stable = curious but useless find
One Sunday when idling with some neighbors
they fell to discussing the chain and OF the
neghbors scraped It with knife. He said 1t
looked and felt more like gold than brass and
was very soft Taking broken link to the
ket when he next went. the elder of the two
finders submitted It to jeweler who pronounced
It solid gold Of very nne quality.
The neghbor who had made the discovery of
the nature Of the fnd thought he should have
half and be let In on the secret OF the remainder
This was refused. SO he informed the authorities
and the two peasants were arrested. spent long
period in jail, and result of the III treatment
one OF them went insane
The older had steadfastly refused to disclose
the spot where the chain was found having taken
an oath whom he was fiogged in prison that he
would never tell any This his method
Of getting even and It proved very effective.
1t is curious indeed that the termination Of
the great treasure hunter and hiders career
amount great. greater. than that In
volved in any Of his previous exploits.
In his historic flight. King Johns party carried
with 1t not only enormous treasure in the
store OF gold that represented the royal funds.
but cumbersome weight OF treasures he had ac-
qured and valuable today than all the
others-the full regalia. crown Jewels, and in
sigma OF the great orders OF which the King
head,
The British Museum and the various orders
would pay at least $25000.000 for the recovery
Of these. and yet It does not seem difficult mat
ter Some individual or syndicate with the proper
backing could easily look up the circumstances
as contained in the old records and make a
sistent. determined effort
The royal fugitive and retinue were riding in
haste around the dip OF the Wash. and the ami
mails which the precious load carried
mired SO frequently in the owlands that It
decided to cache the treasure
Tho King and few faithful noblemen supern
tended the work, mpressng peasants for
the labor The records state distinctly that the
1nterment took place precisely where the road
crosses the river TO Lynn.
The old road ran where there is now morass
In spring and fall, baked dry in summer. few
years ago. during the drought season. some farm
ers sinking a well so to water the cattle that
were feeding the marsh grass, struck an odd
crown OF solid gold. but made no further excava-
ton.
BY the time London heard OF the find. the
son had changed and the spot swamp once
more There is no question In my mind. after
reading all accounts that the treasure is there
and can BIO excaveted with steam shovel hoated
on barge into the mouth of the great Ouse
In 1709. when England at with the
Netherlands. H. NJ 9. Lutine sailed from Var
mouth for Cuxhaven. She sank on the island of
vedeland. at the mouth Of the zuyder Zee. and
oulv two of those aboard were rescued. She car.