Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 July 1901 — VEXED BY GOLD FIND [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

VEXED BY GOLD FIND

5* QUICKLY-GOTTEN TREASURE PLAGUE OF THEIR LIVES

Entanglements of a legal nature beset the paths of Messrs. Melville E. Wygant and John T. Redmond, two gold finders of Staten Island. The former owner of the property upon which the treasure was found has made a demand of >40,000 upon Mr. Wygant. Another member of the family has appeared to accept S2OO for his claim. Every mall brings demands for gold. Their pot of treasure has become the plague of the "discoverers’ lives. On this account they have spent anxious nights since they sprang Into fame. They say that they stood over the treasure with shotguns, reinforced by bulldogs. One of the animals, according to Mr. Wygant, while performing his duty, was poisoned. Legend of Tfeesnre. That at least a considerable quantity of the precious metal had been found there can be no doubt Mr. John T. Redmond told the legend which accounted for the presence of the treasure. The occupant of the house a century and a half ago built a tower,

on which were kindled beacons. These luring many a grand ship to destruction of the chill waters of the Kill von Kull. The wreckers abstracted doubloons from Spanish galleons and Louis d’Ors from French barks. These ill gotten gains are said tp have been placed in the Identical kettle which was found by Mr. Wygant and Mr. Redmond. They had engaged the services of Mr. Thomas Brown, an eminent young attorney, some days before they secured the contract for the demolition of the old house, which resulted in finding the treasure. Everybody in Port Richmond knows K Mel” Wygant and his livery stable. He is a man of large dimensions and a merry eye. He is around fifty, and is counted one of the richest men in the village. He owns many houses. The story that he had found a lot of gold under the ruins of the old Hatfield house excited the whole village to the fever point. The old house was a landmark, and was over a hundred years old. For all that time it was the home of the Hatfields. Many tales are told of the Hatfields. The original Hatfield owned over 100 acres of land in the vicinity. The last Hatfield to live in the old house was John D. He died in 1892. Then it fell into the hands of John J. Hatfield. Mr. Charles Rosenberg, a wealthy New York merchant, bought the farm, and is cutting it into lots. The house was torn down to get it out of the way. After removing the house the contractor sold the stone to Mr. Wygant for $lO. It was while digging in the masonry that he and Mr. Redmond found the pot containing, it is said, $40,000 in gold. The gold is kept carefully hidden away in a safe somewhere on the Island. Unless the claimants can Identify it they cannot sue for its recovery, and the finders do not mean to

let them identify it. They have hired a lawyer to take charge of the case.

THE OLD FIREPLACE.

MELVILLE E. WYGANT.

HATFIELD HOUSE.