Texas Jay
Bronze Member
- Feb 11, 2006
- 1,147
- 1,354
- Detector(s) used
- Garrett AT Pro, Garrett Scorpion Gold Stinger, Garrett Ace 350, Garrett Ace 250, vintage D-Tex SK 70, Tesoro Mojave, Dowsing Rods
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
I originally posted this article on here a couple of years ago but it first got derailed and then was deleted because of a rules violation so I'm re-posting it in accordance with the rules this time. Please refrain from commenting if you can't stay on-topic.
I ran across this story while researching William C. "Bloody Bill" Anderson recently. Today, the value of the gold coins found in 1912 would be at least $600,000 in gold value alone. That's using the minimum estimated value ($10,000) of it in 1912 and isn't counting the coins' numismatic value so it's safe to say that the value of those coins today would be well in excess of a million dollars and that's a very conservative estimate. Bill Anderson was a member of the Knights of the Golden Circle.
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"Pot of Gold at Yancey Inn.
This is from the Higbee [Randolph County, Mo] News
of 13 Sep 1912 under the headline, "FINDS BURIED LOOT":
Farm Hand Discovers Can of Gold in Missouri--Wycke Patterson Flees With
Fortune Secreted by Civil War Bandit--Refuses to Tell Amount--May Share With
His Employer--Liberty, Mo--
One stroke of the pick made Wycke Patterson, a farm hand, rich beyond his fondest expectations when he struck a pot of gold concealed in the wall of an old building which he was helping to raze on the farm of his employer near Huntsville, [Randolph County], Mo. A notice of the discovery of the treasure was received here by C. E. [Charles Edwin] Yancey, owner of the place. How the farm hand's quick wit enabled him to make away with the thousands in gold before the eyes of seven helpers was told in the message. The old building, used before the Civil war as an Inn, had long been an eyesore on the big mule ranch owned by the Yancey family. A force of workmen under the direction of Patterson began tearing down the ruins last week. After removing a stone casing in the second story, Patterson struck something that gave out a sharp metallic sound. Two white laborers and five negroes crowded about him as he dug into the masonry and found a sealed pot. One blow knocked off the lid and the group gazed upon the vessel filled with gold pieces. Jaws dropped and eyes opened. "Good Lawd, we'se all struck it rich," said one negro. "What'll we--" But Patterson had his presence of mind. He seized the treasure pot and darted down the steps and out of the door. By the time his companions had recovered and followed, he was out of sight. Through Saturday night and Sunday the farm hand guarded the pot of gold. Not even his wife was permitted to know how much it contained. "If Yancey don't know how much is in it, he won't know how much to sue for," said Patterson. Monday morning a man walked into the Bank of Yates, a small town near the Yancey ranch. He carried a heavy package under his coat. After recovering from his surprise, W. H. Stark, the cashier, counted out the thousands in gold coin. Much of it was in Mexican money of 1831. How much the total was had not been given out by the finder or the banker. That it exceeds $10,000 has been admitted. That it might run as high as $30,000 or $40,000 has been reported. Although the law gives the treasure to the owner of the property, Yancey said he was willing to divide with the finder. The two men probably will divide the sum equally. The theory that Bill Anderson, a noted desperado of the Civil war period, hid the treasure while stopping at the place when it was used as an inn, has been advanced. Anderson spent the night at the inn two nights after banks at Huntsville and other towns had been robbed of 30,000 or $40,000 [in 1864]. He was killed near Orrick, Mo, a day or two later by Confederate bushwhackers."
***
~Texas Jay
I ran across this story while researching William C. "Bloody Bill" Anderson recently. Today, the value of the gold coins found in 1912 would be at least $600,000 in gold value alone. That's using the minimum estimated value ($10,000) of it in 1912 and isn't counting the coins' numismatic value so it's safe to say that the value of those coins today would be well in excess of a million dollars and that's a very conservative estimate. Bill Anderson was a member of the Knights of the Golden Circle.
***
"Pot of Gold at Yancey Inn.
This is from the Higbee [Randolph County, Mo] News
of 13 Sep 1912 under the headline, "FINDS BURIED LOOT":
Farm Hand Discovers Can of Gold in Missouri--Wycke Patterson Flees With
Fortune Secreted by Civil War Bandit--Refuses to Tell Amount--May Share With
His Employer--Liberty, Mo--
One stroke of the pick made Wycke Patterson, a farm hand, rich beyond his fondest expectations when he struck a pot of gold concealed in the wall of an old building which he was helping to raze on the farm of his employer near Huntsville, [Randolph County], Mo. A notice of the discovery of the treasure was received here by C. E. [Charles Edwin] Yancey, owner of the place. How the farm hand's quick wit enabled him to make away with the thousands in gold before the eyes of seven helpers was told in the message. The old building, used before the Civil war as an Inn, had long been an eyesore on the big mule ranch owned by the Yancey family. A force of workmen under the direction of Patterson began tearing down the ruins last week. After removing a stone casing in the second story, Patterson struck something that gave out a sharp metallic sound. Two white laborers and five negroes crowded about him as he dug into the masonry and found a sealed pot. One blow knocked off the lid and the group gazed upon the vessel filled with gold pieces. Jaws dropped and eyes opened. "Good Lawd, we'se all struck it rich," said one negro. "What'll we--" But Patterson had his presence of mind. He seized the treasure pot and darted down the steps and out of the door. By the time his companions had recovered and followed, he was out of sight. Through Saturday night and Sunday the farm hand guarded the pot of gold. Not even his wife was permitted to know how much it contained. "If Yancey don't know how much is in it, he won't know how much to sue for," said Patterson. Monday morning a man walked into the Bank of Yates, a small town near the Yancey ranch. He carried a heavy package under his coat. After recovering from his surprise, W. H. Stark, the cashier, counted out the thousands in gold coin. Much of it was in Mexican money of 1831. How much the total was had not been given out by the finder or the banker. That it exceeds $10,000 has been admitted. That it might run as high as $30,000 or $40,000 has been reported. Although the law gives the treasure to the owner of the property, Yancey said he was willing to divide with the finder. The two men probably will divide the sum equally. The theory that Bill Anderson, a noted desperado of the Civil war period, hid the treasure while stopping at the place when it was used as an inn, has been advanced. Anderson spent the night at the inn two nights after banks at Huntsville and other towns had been robbed of 30,000 or $40,000 [in 1864]. He was killed near Orrick, Mo, a day or two later by Confederate bushwhackers."
***
~Texas Jay
