DUBUQUE TELEGRAPH HERALD,
Dubuque, Iowa
Sept. 4, 1914
TOM KELLY’S BURIED TREASURE FOUND.
_______________
PILE OF SILVER COINS
WORTH $350 IS UNEARTHED
ON KELLY’S BLUFF
_______________
WORKMEN MAKE
LUCKY FIND.
_______________
Old Story Of Kelly’s Buried Wealth Develops From Romantic Tale
Into Reality Friday.
_______________
A romantic tale of early days had a real ending Friday morning and the odd story of Tom Kelly’s buried wealth turned to the truth rather than fiction.
The question of what became of Kelly’s money was for many years not discovered. Many believed the hidden wealth of the pioneer miner rested in the earth in which he had concealed it. Intending that it would not be safe in the bank.
While workmen engaged in digging the new reservoir on Kelly’s Bluff were hoisting a crane Friday morning when their notice was attracted by a glittering substance under the dirt, odd rocks. It was a pile of silver coins, dimes, half dollars, and dollars to the amount of $350. The coins were the coins for various dates from 1810 to 1868, and the half-dollar pieces were slightly larger than those of the present, differing also in the engraving and design.
The news of the find spread like wildfire and the hill was soon swarming with boys and men who had long cherished the idea of the gold. “Kelly’s Gold”. They left no stone unturned in their quest for more, eagerly digging up the earth.
The history of Tom Kelly goes back to the early 30s when he came here to work in the then little mining village. His work was successful and the mines yielded him enormous wealth. With his sister, they lived as hermits, beholden with no one and devoted their lives to amassing a fortune. Upon his death, she searched his property, which extended from Dodge Street to the south to Julian Avenue to the north, but the hiding place of the money was not made known.
Kelly was generally considered to be a little queer, due, no doubt to a tragedy in his early life. He went to Philadelphia in the early days, bearing with him some sacks of gold to be ruined in the mud on the way. Dressed in the regulation mining clothes he attracted the unusual notice and a crowd of boys passing along, jeered the questioning stranger.
Slays His Protector.
A man passing by tried to persuade the boys to let the stranger alone; but Kelly, thinking he was urging them on whipped out a pistol and killed the would-be protector. He served a long prison sentence; but the circumstances of the case resulted in his pardon years later.
He then returned to Dubuque and took up his work of mining.
