The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-11-20

Standing few days ago at Twelfth
and Broadway, watched the work
men engaged In making an excava-
ton for new building on the south
east corner, and story OF the old
Civil war days connected with the
spot flashed into my mind-a mystery
Of buried treasure that remains I'M
solved to this day-and / wondered Ii
q chance shovel of dirt might not then
and there reveal the sequel. 1t Is a
story that was often told to me by
the pioneer priest, Father Bernard
DonnelIy, whose resignation in his ex-
IRENE old age as pastor of the old
church at that corner was mentioned
recently in the Star, the Rev. William
j. Dalton writes in the Kansas City
Star.
1t was the eve of the battle of West
port In the fall of "a. Panic was in
the air. Sterling Price of the Confed-
crate army had won victory over the
Union troops under Mulligan at Lex
ington and rumors of the approach
of his victorious army to attack Kan
sas City and Westport few thick and
fast. Before leaving Lexington, 1t was
learned, he had seized on the money
in the local banks and the fear was
widespread that he would do the same
Thing when he reached Kansas City.
There was rush on the banks, ac-
counts were checked out by hundreds
of people and the money taken to
their homes and concealed in various
places. Then the thought occurred
to many of them that perhaps their
homes would be looted, too, and they
began to look about for more secure
hiding place At that time Father
Donneliy was Kansas City's Vicar OF
Wakefield" known and trusted by ev-
erybody, Catholics and Protestants
alike. He was known to be an old
acquaintance of many of the Confed-
crate leaders, and friend of Gen.
Price, personally known and respect
led by his soldiers as well. He had
lived at independence and Kansas
ICity ever since the early forties.
Brought Money to Priest.
It was known, too, that previous to
his coming to Missouri his life. after
leaving Ireland, his native country,
had been largely south OF the Mason
and Dixon line. He had been an Irish
patriot, too, In the homeland, and that
meant q rebel. As q matter OF fact,
his natural sympathies were with the
South. SO the belief grew that Fa-
Their Donnelly would be one man that
would be immune from search by the
invading army and the one man who
could be trusted to conceal securely
the threatened funds.
The afternoon before the battle of
Westport hundreds of his own c0un-
trymen and church members, as well
as a large number of others, came
singly and In twos and threes up
through the woods and the ravine that
lay adjacent to the pastors residence
and church, bringing money in cans
and bottles and purses and asking Fa-
Their Donnelly to take care of it for
them until the trouble was over. They
felt certain that Price would not mo-
lest him. They knew that his minis
trations as priest would be in demand
for the dying and the wounded OF
both armies and that his person and
his property would be held sacred by
even the worst of the marauders.
He often told me that he had shrunk
at first from the great responsibility
thrust upon him as caretaker of other
peoples money in those troubIous
times that he tried to convince the
people that war was no respecter OF
persons when army needs were press