I found this story in an old, scrapbook of my gr-gr-grandfather's. It was cut from a newspaper and has the date of 1910 written on it. It mentions the "New York World", but may have been reprinted in the Pittsburgh paper of the time. I found it very interesting and thought I'd post it to the list. If anyone knows anything about this story, or the people named in it, would you please let me know? Thanks, Dale Patterson VAIN SEARCH FOR GOLD Buried Treasure Cast Overboard in the St. Lawrence Ninety Years Ago Still Undiscovered. >From the New York World. Somewhere about the mouth of Chippewa Creek, hidden beneath the waters of the St. Lawrence River in the heart of the summer colonies there rest several kegs of gold and silver dropped overboard by the American patriot, Samuel Patterson, in the war of 1812. Some time before the war broke out Patterson moved across the St. Lawrence and settled with his wife and three children on a farm near Kingston, Ont. When the war came the British began enlisting Canadians and Indians. An effort to compel Patterson to enter the British ranks led to the discovery that he was an American citizen, and his property was confiscated. Patterson secretly secured a small dugout and embarked in it with his wife and children, and after a perilous trip, brought them to Chippewa Bay. There on the banks of a small creek, he built a rude house for their shelter. Patterson organized a small band of fellow patriots and from time to time they made sallies across the river. These incursions were a great annoyance to the Canadian outposts, and in order to check them, the government offered a reward for Pattersons' capture, dead or alive. Patterson continued his incursions, but after he had experienced many narrow escapes his friends tried to persuade him to forego his daring for a while, and at length won from him a promise to retire after one more expedition. One crisp autumn night Patterson, his brother Ned and two others started around Chippewa Point where they landed and built a fire, intending to wait there until the moon should go down before venturing nearer the enemy's lines. When the fire had died out the men lay down for a short sleep, while Patterson started through the trees toward the other side of the point to reconnoitre. He had lain in the bushes near the shore but a short time when he heard the cautious dip of an oar, and peering out he discovered a boat containing three men creeping up along the shore. Patterson withdrew a little further into the brush and awaited developments. The men rowed along until they discovered a little eddy, and into this they turned the bow of their boat. Drawing it up, they carefully concealed it with the overhanging limbs and started back into the woods in his direction. They went up a short distance until they were hidden in a clump of trees, where they halted and started a fire, around which they gathered to warm themselves. By creeping a little nearer Patterson was able to overhear their conversation, and from it he learned that they were bank robbers escaping with a large booty, taken in the city of Kingston. Patterson edged away from their camp and made a detour for their boat. Reaching it, he found in it several kegs of gold and silver coin. Quietly pushing the skiff off, he got in and drifted out of earshot, and then took up the oars and pulled for the mouth of the creek. He found a place suited to his needs and sunk the treasure, and then rowed back, beached the boat and went to awaken his comrades, to embark for the Canadian shore. Patterson insisted on rowing, and while he pulled the oars, he told them of his adventure of the night, ending by saying: "Boys, when we get back tonight I'll show you where I put the stuff, and we'll whack up." A moment later a rifle shot rang out in the stillness and the oarsman fell back with a bullet through his heart. It had been fired by a British scout on the shore. Patterson's compatriots sprang to the oars and turned the boat back reaching Chippewa Bay about daylight, bringing the body of their leader home to his family. After seeing him laid to rest in the earth Patterson's companions began to search for the hidden treasure, and for many days they dug in the banks of the creek dredged the river bottom and explored the bay without success. So far as known, it was never found. It is not doubted that Patterson dropped the kegs overboard at some spot which he could easily find again by landmarks in preference to landing and burying it. Many an old settler knows the story and has sought in the blue waters for the treasure. Many a river fisherman has gazed over the gunwale of his boat and longed for a divining rod to point him the way to it. Somewhere in the dark depths it lies, to be found some time, perhaps when the story of it's loss has been forgotten. Dale Patterson Hancock Co. WV - http://www.rootsweb.com/~wvhancoc/ Brooke Co. WV - http://www.rootsweb.com/~wvbrooke/brooke.htm