Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1919-11-14
HUNT LONG FOR
BURIED FORTUNE
Hidden Treasure Has lured Men
to Toll for Hall Century
on Iowa Farm.
TRAGEDY WOVEN IN ROMANCE
Murder Of Man IS Years Ago Brings
Strange Characters Into
Court-Mystery Yet
to Be Solved.

Bedford, lathe mystery OF hid
den treasure, a mystery that has puz-
Eled the people Of southwestern Iowa
for half a century, has been brought
nearer solution by an investigation
which has shown how a little group
Of picturesque characters Of that Sec
ton Of the state toiled for years In
quest of riches buried, according to
tradition, on the Klondike farm. The
evil spell the buried treasure has
worked upon those intimately connect
ed with II has held to the last. One
by one the fortune hunters are pass
Ing from the stage, their dreams end
Ing In misery or poverty.
Lying 10 miles southwest Of Bed
ford, Ia, is the Huntsman farm, and
adjoining 1t is the Anderson home
stead. Pitted with holes and Scared
with many excavations, the farms
prove the arduous toll Of men driven
by dreams of gold. First 1t was DR..
c. r. Huntsman and his brother,
Bates, who searched for the treasure.
Now 1t Is Bates and his two sons
and their families.
Searching for the Treasure.
Samuel Anderson moved to Iowa In
the early seventies. Soon after he To-
Gated on the farm Anderson received
call from the Huntsmans, who told
him that there was lot of gold buried
on the place and that they wanted to
dig for 1t. Anderson was asked to
aid In the work. For nearly a quarter
century the three dug, plowed and ex-
cavated.
One day II years ago the searchers
uncovered three stakes set In q direct
line pointing to a spring. Anderson,
inspired by the vision Of his share Of
the fortune, dug on feverishly. He
irst came onto some white sand that
he knew was not common to that part
Of the country. Anderson then uncov-
cred a big rock. under which was a
metal box. One of the Huntsmans
told Anderson that he could go, prom
lsing him his share of the fortune
when the money was counted. He
never saw the box again nor learned
Of its contents.
Soon after the discovery of the
metal box the elder Huntsman died
suddenly. Samuel Anderson, weary
Ing Of long waiting for his share Of
the treasure he believed he had uncOv-
cred, fled suit against Bates Hunts
man, asking pay for his years of toll.
So peculiar was his story that state
officials became interested. An inves-
tigation followed, and other persons
acquainted with some of the circum-
stances Of the affair were found. One
Of these was Maria Collins Porter of
Quitman, Mo-, who spent her girlhood
In the vicinity.
The woman's story seemed to throw
clear light on the source Of the treas
ure the Huntsmans had sought so
| long. The story, too, seemed to link
the treasure with the hoard found in
the cabin of old DIR. A. M. Golliday of
Bedford, whose body was found In his
cabin IL years ago. 1t was story of
a murder gang, Of stolen thousands, of
crime committed so far back In time
that even the identity Of the victim
was a matter of uncertainty.
Held on Murder Charge.
Following swiftly upon the story of
Maria Collins Porter came the arrest
of Bates Huntsman, Sam Scrivner a
rich farmer, and John and Hank
Damewood. They were charged with
the murder Of man of unknown iden.
tity, presumably rich cattle buyer
from Missouri, 46 years ago. Even be.
fore the trial began speculation as to
the identity Of the murdered man be.
came rife. Although there were found
to be many contradictions In the evil
dence presented by some Of the wit
nesses the case Of the state might
have proceeded further but for one OF
the primary technicalities Of the law
Of homicide. The state could not es
tablish the existence of the man al
legged to have been killed. The young
attorney for the aged defendants only
had to move that the case be dis
missed to have this action taken.