IMPORTANT INFORMATION GATHERED ABOUT THE BURIED TREASURE.
The order of events will now be continued consecutively from the time of the Sheriff giving bond and being released. Before the opening of the city court he was left with thirty or forty days to prepare for defense, during which time he visited Ocean Springs and a few other watering places on the Mississippi Sound, remaining a few days at Shieldsboro, now Bay St. Louis, and there made acquaintance with old Mr. Toulme and two other prominent gentlemen, who informed him that just after the publication of Copeland’s confessions they took a copy of said work, and made a visit out to Catahoula swamp, in that county, in quest of the buried treasure referred to in the said confessions as having been deposited there by the clan for safe keeping. The map of this depository was lost during the famous Harvey battle, near Red Creek, in Perry county. These gentlemen informed him that they found the place as described by Copeland, and that every tree and line of demarcation as delineated in his description of the place could not have been more accurately given. They stated that there were three places of deposit, showing that in time there had been three kegs buried, which, from every appearance, indicated as though they might have been removed some eight or ten years prior to that time. The old keg staves and iron hoops were still remaining, and the perfect impress made by the burial of these kegs still existed, with a grown lining of moss which time had brought forth; on the whole exhibiting quite an antique appearance.
There has been much speculation and curiosity manifested among many as to who was the fortunate person who found this buried treasure. Let it be remembered that the Harvey battle occurred in some part of the year 1848. The description and mystic map of the place in connection with this treasure was lost in the time of this battle. Until the “confessions” were published in 1858 the public knew nothing about the buried money, but when they come out curiosity and opinion ran to an extensive height. Now this information was given to the Sheriff by one living in that section of country when the collision happened. He told him that a few days after the “battle” he found an instrument of writing which he could neither read nor in any way understand, and the same with all others around who saw it. To them it appeared more of a wonder and “puzzle fool” than anything else. He kept it by him for the sake of holding something partaking of mystery and curiosity. But having business some short time after in the city of Mobile, Ala., he carried this mystic paper along with him to this place. While there one evening on the streets he met with some of his former acquaintances. Thinking that this curiosity would amuse, he exhibited it for common inspection, and while examining and discussing the same, one by the name of George A. Cleaveland came up to peep, and requested to examine more minutely, when, after looking for a while, he folded it up in a very careless manner which then found a place in his pocket, remarking at the same time that it did not amount to much anyway, and walked off.
The person who brought this paper, not being aware of its value, did not care enough about it to make any objections to his carrying it away with him.
But the new possessor, in all probability, fully understood the mystic lines contained in it, and soon turned them to signal account. From rather a pecuniary condition of embarrassment at the time, as the Sheriff has been informed, he very soon afterward made an advertisement through the public journals of the city, expressing a desire to purchase twenty able-bodied negroes and the like number of mules and drays, all of which he bought accordingly in a short time afterward, and more; and from that time to the day of his death remained independent, all the while increasing rapidly in wealth and external prosperity.
THE TRIAL.
SIMPLE AND UNADORNED TRUTH STRUGGLING WITH ALL THE FORCES
OF TALENT, WEALTH AND PROPPED UP FALSEHOOD—THE CONVICTION
ONLY A VICTORY IN NAME FOR THE PROSECUTION,
BUT IN REALITY A LASTING TRIUMPH FOR THE DEFENCE.