Sam Mason's Treasure Kettle

[modrian]

Anyone have any additional information on this? Has there been any attempts to recover this lately?

I read this a while ago about Sam Mason burying a chunk of his treasure he earned from his raids in an iron kettle, but was killed by Wiley Harpe before recovering it. Apparently it was buried next to an artesian well. Later a man purchaed a farm outside of Natchez Mississippi, w/ a well, where the gang had apprently camped. He dug up a kettle but lost it in the soft soil. Subsequent attempts were made in 1939 and as late as 1955 by an M.H. Bullock, who also lost it to the mud, but apparently probes showed it was still there.

Any truth to these stories? If so, and the farm with the hole still exists, it would be worth a probe. GPR could probably prove it something was down there, and excavation equipment is better than it was back then. Sounds like an interesting shot to go for.....

[boomer]

the harpe brothers robbed from cumberland gap in kentucky to way down
along the natchez trace. both died. read this on sam mason. boomer

The Boneyard - Sam Mason and the end of the Mason Gang - Kenneth p McCutchan
... by Kenneth McCutchan. Sam Mason was an ornery cuss. ...
http://www.members.evansville.net/us.../mccutch27.htm

[Lowbatts]

All these characters, and especially those involved in the river piracy operations seemed to share a common trait. They never needed to buy anything because they simply killed for food, weapons, clothing, etc..

But this begs the question, why would Little Harpe try to get reward money for Sam's head? Would he and his fellow brigand risk capture on the promise of a few hundred dollars if they did not need the money?

As for Sam Mason, he had spent some money on setting himself up, down that way and found himself following the same pattern of robbery once again. So did he have any to bury? Couldn't be that much if there was, could it?

Just reasoning and asking.

[modrian]

Wether he had treasure left or not, I still find it interesting that this thing supposedly exists. With the story of its hiding, and having found a kettle matching the story on site, whatever is in it would prove pretty interesting. I guess my main question is is there any more information to this story and location? With two modern attaempts at recovery, one in '39, and another in '58, there seems to be some truth to it. The farm location is listed, and unless it's now a Wal Mart or something, should still be there. The story I have was published in'77 so I wonder if anything else has happened since then. As I sai earlier, a quick peek with GPR shoule reveal if anything is really still down there, and if so, would be a pretty interesting dig. Any ideas would be great!