West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1914-09-03
YECCMAN'SWIDOW
KEPT FROM RICHES
Young Woman Can't Take Them
From Hiding Place.
ShADOWED BY U. S. SLEUTRS

| Sraokcr Shortly Before he Was
Killed by Dcteetive-ori Vito As-
| sorts Husband Gave His Life to Get
Gems and She Will Keep Them.
Savannah, Ga.-Dcfying tho agents
| OF tho United States TO wrcst from
her the secret of the hiding placc OF
| $4,000 worth of loot nmnRscd by
her ycggman husband aud buried near
Savannah. Mrs. Charles c.. Craven,
who IL twenty years old, returned to
Georgia determined Go regain the treas
uro for herself, but afraid To claim it
under the Dyes of Unclo Sans men.
Craven. one OF the most notorious
cracksmon the south has ever known.
was killed at wildwood, Fla, ilvo
months ago by railroad special agent
after running battle on top OF NOV
Ing freight train. The crncksman.
through series OF postonlcc and train
robborics In Georgia. Alabama aud
Florida, had amassod $4,000 IN cnsh
and $4,000 worth OF Jewels. which ho
took To Savannah and buried near
station on n suburban car line, telling
the secret OF It's location 10 mono but
hisf,ylfe.
After his death tho young widow was
arrested and held for several weeks
whilo government agents tried TO ex-
tract from her the secret of the locn-
tion or the buried treasure. After her
release the federal agents began To
shadow her. Wherever she went she
was followed. I'm tho hope that she
would make an attempt TO uncarth tho
treasure. Mrs Craven declares she VIII
never divulge TO the government the
location OF the treasure.
Charlie paid the penalty for his
wrongdoing with his life" she said.
"Ho risked his life to get the money
and Jewels for me- md they are mine.
1 VIII die before Will tell where they
are hidden"
When she married the cracksman,
eighteen months ago, IN Norfolk, Va,
she thought ho was n business man.
After honeymoon OF three weeks
they came TO Savannah, and here Cra-
ven told her he was yeggmnn, but the
news did not shake her love for him,
and she followed him wherever he
wished.
I'VE went all over the SOUTH" she
said. Last summer wo were Ia Mem
phs for awhile. II was seldom that he
left home without returning eighteen
or twenty.four hours later with $500 or
so. He seldom told me what he had
done or any OF the circumstances sur
rounding his operations / did not ask
But i lived In constant fear that he
would be arrested or killed
TN November we went To Chicago.
but did not stay long. Ny husband car
ried more than $4,000 through the
streets one day there. He spent his
money as fast ns he got It. He was
very liberal with his pals. He was
never without considerable fund with
which 10 pay the travelling expenses OF
himself and the members or his gang
after leaving Chicago we came
south. At Owensboro KY. my husband
blew safe In postoiilcc and got sew
ernl thousand dollars. Then we cnme
To Atlanta. We got there on the night
OF Dec. 81 1913. and walked down
Peachtrco street. carrying qunrt of
nitroglycerin I'm n satchcl. From At
lanta Charlie went 20 Augusta and I
came TO Savannah. Later Inc Joined me
I'm Savannah, but few days therein fter
he went 20 southern Florida. Shortly
afterward he came back 10 Savannah
with the $4,000 In cash and Jewels
worth $4,000, which he went out one
night and buried
Charlie did not stay long I'm Snvan-
nah after burying tho money. Then
ran short OF money and wrote 10 him
To ask II II would be all right 10 take
some OF the hidden money 20 live on.
That letter never reached him IL fell
into the hands Of The government nu.
thorlties aud that ls how they lenrned
OF the buried treasure.
"G was arrested. hut no chnrgc could
be made against me. as I had not re-
ceived the stolen goods. After / got
out Of Jail ! was besieged by people
whom / knew IN Savannah to tell the
location OF the hidden money. Some
Of them searched FOR II themselves un.
III they dug up bottle OF nltroglyc.
erin, which we had also hidden Tint
frightened them so badly that they
gave it up"
When Mrs Craven returned 90 Gcor
gia for the second time she received mn.
merOus lotters OF a threatening nature
from people in Savannah stating that
II would be best for her in tho end II
sho told the hiding place OF the money
and Jewels