Captain Kidd's Cache Found ?

[SimonLakeSub]

The following article is from the Sun newspaper dated May 18, 1897

Curious Old Coins Found
Turned up In The Sand On A long Island Beach

There has been, since "that time whereof the memory of a man runneth not to the contrary," a tradition along the shore of Long Island between Astoria and North Beach that Capt. Kidd of piratical memory suffered shipwreck about two miles above hell Gate. According to this tradition the ship was driven on the treacherous sands, and the Captain and his murderous crew barely escaped with their lives. But the next morning they went back to the wreck and took off their treasure and buried it not far away, with the intention of returning for it. For some unaccountable reason the treasure was never recovered, but has remained buried ever since to vex the soul of many a hunter for gold. If, indeed, the old coins of different centuries and different countries now in the possession of Mrs. Kate Woolsey of Woolsey manor, Astoria, were not a part of Kidd's buried hoard, at any rate they are sure to stimulate the narrators of the old traditions, and perhaps even the pirate fortune hunters. They were found in the neighborhood of the place where tradition has buried the treasure, and seem to be genuine. If genuine, they are probably of very great value. They are gold and silver, of different sizes, and much worn; in fact, there are but two or three whose inscriptions are legible.
A small boy found the coins about a week ago. Mrs. Woolsey has, had some men at work on Casino Beach, a part of her property, preparing it for the bathing season.
On the beach was a big boulder that the men had turned over. A small boy was seen around it, and after a bit he left, carrying something in his hat. One of the men stopped him and saw that the hat was full of queer old coins, most of them silver, a few of them gold.
When asked where he got them he said that he picked them up from the sand underneath the boulder. He refused to give them up and Mrs. Woolsey was told about it. She sent for the boy and managed to secure a part of them by giving him a silver dollar for each one.
The coins range widely in date. Those which she showed the Sun reporter yesterday ranged from 1120 to the sixteenth century. Some of them were coined in England. One in Prussia, and one in Spain. Several were carved with what seemed to be Arabic characters, and the rest were so worn that even with a glass an unpractised eye could not make them out. One of the best preserved coins is a very thin silver piece, an Elizabethan sibling or crown, fairly round, which bears the date of 1561, and is about the size of a half-dollar.

Happy Hunting

Simon

[godisnum1]

Astoria... that kid was a blasted Goonie!!!?

Bran <><

[SimonLakeSub]

This site may well be worth the effort!!!!!!!!!

Simon......

[keysync]

The best part of this story is the lady have to bribe the kid with a silver dollar.

That's Great!

[Skrimpy]

I call B.S. on the story. There was no control over the newspapers then. What are the chances a funny article like that would come up just a Mrs. Woolsey was preparing her beach for the bathing season? Yeah. Still worth a few passes after a storm or some erosion if you can track down Mrs. Woolsey's beach...but I don't think it would be worth swining a detector on secluded waterfront property in Queens though. With a 500-1000 dollar instrument in your hands and the possibility of old coins in your pack, it wouldn't be long before you attracted the wrong kind of attention. Find the beach, and make sure it's a high traffic public beach before you go.

[utah hunter]

I call B.S. on the story. There was no control over the newspapers then. What are the chances a funny article like that would come up just a Mrs. Woolsey was preparing her beach for the bathing season? Yeah. Still worth a few passes after a storm or some erosion if you can track down Mrs. Woolsey's beach...but I don't think it would be worth swining a detector on secluded waterfront property in Queens though. With a 500-1000 dollar instrument in your hands and the possibility of old coins in your pack, it wouldn't be long before you attracted the wrong kind of attention. Find the beach, and make sure it's a high traffic public beach before you go.

Lay all doubts to rest Skrimpy, for I was that kid.

I relocated the treasure to my yard in Utah, and have lost track of it. For $500,000 anyone can search my yard for 1 week and keep all their findings. For an extra $100,000 I will let you buy the property with the 3600 sq foot rambler built on the property to live in comfort while you search...

[Skrimpy]

No problem. I'll pay you when I find the treasure.

[SimonLakeSub]

Guys your wasting your time!!!! I recovered the Treasure years ago .....

Thanks for your interest,
Simon.........

[Minelab Ron]

Here's a link to the Woolsey Mansion: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb....asinafarm.html

And here's a couple of newspaper articles...enjoy!
Annmarie

[Skrimpy]

And here's a couple of newspaper articles...enjoy!
Annmarie

So that last article says that there were several wealthy families in that area of astoria when it wasn't quite as developed. So the coins could have come from anywhere...not that it makes me believe the articles about the boy finding coins anymore than I did (or didn't) before. I still say the original article (now seemingly picked up by other papers after "the finds") was probably just a marketing story for Mrs. Woolsey and her beach. Wouldn't that make you go pay a few bucks to get into the beach? I certainly would.

[Mainedigger]

Woolsey House was built in 1726...that alone would make it worthy of detecting there...regardless of the "reported" coins in the article.

[Minelab Ron]

There were more articles I saved where Mrs. Kate Woolsey (WIDOW) needed $83,000 not soon after her husband died, so she went to the man handling your deceased husbands money. When she found out where he got the money from, she went directly to them for the money so not to have to pay the man $4,000 in fees. He took her to court and won! Then another article states she sold the house....but I did find a Woolsey Mansion in California too...not sure of their connection to the NY Woolsey's.

For some reason, I find it odd that the coins were found under the boulder....and I hope that kid still has those dollar coins as well as a few that he found.

Is it true or not? I can't say, as I wasn't there....but what I was trying to find is the location of the Mansion...it seems it was on the East River. Didn't have much luck on Casino Beach or sometimes I found it spelled Casina Beach. I'm from NY and never heard of it?

Also, my family, when they came over from Ireland, settled in Astoria. There is ALOT of history in that area! (if you can find some vacant land not built on.) I remember my grandpa telling me about alot of places in that area, big houses, etc...then the highways came in and apt buildings and homes...and you know the rest...progress!

[Skrimpy]

....but what I was trying to find is the location of the Mansion...it seems it was on the East River. Didn't have much luck on Casino Beach or sometimes I found it spelled Casina Beach. I'm from NY and never heard of it?

Good luck with that! My thoughts are that most of the shores of the east river have probably been built on. Parking lots, retaining walls, buildings. Look at google earth or maps.live and have a look. Look for anyplace that is still covered with trees, get your but there and hope.

[lgadbois]

There have been other caches found that were claimed to be made by Cpt. Kidd. Without an associated map or waybill or identifying content, I think that a lot of these stories are fanciful speculation.

The Woolsey Manor was destroyed in a fire, July of 1898.

http://www.bklyn-genealogy-info.com/...8.Woolsey.html

[Skrimpy]

There have been other caches found that were claimed to be made by Cpt. Kidd. Without an associated map or waybill or identifying content, I think that a lot of these stories are fanciful speculation.

The Woolsey Manor was destroyed in a fire, July of 1898.

http://www.bklyn-genealogy-info.com/...8.Woolsey.html

You want to find the exact spot of this mansion?!?! If it burned in 1898 look on a Beers Atlas Prior along the East river for the name Woolsey. It will be there. Corelate that to maps.live.com or google maps and you will find the spot. Better yet, I will do it and tell everyone where it is!!!! See you all there Saturday Morning!!!!

[lgadbois]

The Woolsey Manor was located on the 400 acre Casina Farm. The Manor was on Woolsey Point overlooking the river at Hell-Gate Neck. On some maps the location was called Woolsey Point.

According to the referenced link, the land is now the property of Poletti Power.

http://books.google.com/books?id=fI-...um=4&ct=result

[Minelab Ron]

What I find very interesting is in my newspaper research, I find a Woolsey Street and a Woolsey Mansion in both Astoria, Queens, New York and in Oakland, California, same time frame!

Thanks for that link Lgadbois.... really great pics in there.
Annmarie

[Skrimpy]

The Woolsey Manor was located on the 400 acre Casina Farm. The Manor was on Woolsey Point overlooking the river at Hell-Gate Neck. On some maps the location was called Woolsey Point.

According to the referenced link, the land is now the property of Poletti Power.

http://books.google.com/books?id=fI-...um=4&ct=result

So what the heck are we doing here?!?! Why aren't we detecting Poletti Power?

[SimonLakeSub]

I for one, have not detected the area, because I don't like the idea of being arrested for trespassing.
Second, The thought of being shocked to death by electric currunt does scare me.


Regards Simon....

[Skrimpy]

I for one, have not detected the area, because I don't like the idea of being arrested for trespassing.
Second, The thought of being shocked to death by electric currunt does scare me.


Regards Simon....

For Pete's Sake Simon! Get the permission! I want to see some of Mrs. Woolseys gold pieces she took from that kid!