Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 February 1882 — Treasure in a Trec’s Heart. [ARTICLE]

Treasure in a Trec’s Heart.

Alamace Gleaner In the southern part of this county, in Newlin’s Township, about ten days ago, Joe Woody contracted with a colored man, Ephraim Alston, to have some rails split. Near a school house Woody had allowed the pupils to cut a tree and use the top for fire-wood. Ephraim went to work upon the butt cut of this tree, splitting it into, rails. When it had been quartered, the next thing was to heart eacli section, as practical rail-splitters understand. Iu doing the latter act he struck a regular bonanza, and twenty-six pieces of glittering gold coin fell out, worth $lO or more each. These coins were concealed in an inch and a quarer auger-hole, over which the treehaa grown,in thickness about four inches. On the outside no traces of the hole could be seen. From the growth of the tree sinee the boring of the hole ivia supposed that’the coins were put there not later than 1812. In diameter the tree was about two feet, and it is not likely that the concealing dates as far back as revolutionary times. The concealer of this treasure is supposed to havq died suddenly without ever revealing his secret.