This story first became public in 1967. A patient in a Kansas City hospital knew he was dying. His name was Henry Williams and the year was 1912. He told his story to another patient by the name of Tom Hoots.
In October of 1862, Henry was working in a livery stable in Pocahontas, AR. Col. Joseph Porter arrived in town with about 900 Confederate soldiers. They had plans to join General Marmaduke to battle the Federal troops in Northern Missouri. Henry didn't like the Confederates and decided to take his horse and mules and head west.
About 15 miles west of town he met some three men that were leading two heavily laden mules. The men were from Walnut Ridge. Henry offered to load some on his mules as the other animals were going lame.
It turned out that the mules were carrying silverware, watches, and gold and silver coins. The men had been traveling ahead of the Confederates and scaring the local folks into fleeing the war front. Then they would loot the abandoned houses and farms, and steal anything of value. Henry rode back to see what was happening with the troops. The Confederate troops did not immediately follow toward Franklin, and did not leave Pocahontas until December 2nd.
On December 4th, Henry and the other men sounded the alert in a small town called Sturkie. They picked up some more loot as the people abandoned their homes. The headed north and camped at a spring about four and one-half miles north of Sturkie, MO. (There are two springs in the area.) They heard some troop coming and made a run for a hollow about 400 yards from the spring. There was a small cave nearby, but not large enough to cache the goods. Henry put on a Union soldiers uniforn that he had taken off of a dead soldier on the road. The men hurried to bury the goods before the soldiers arrived by digging a trench about 2 feet deep and covering the bags of loot. A couple of Confederate troops captured them, but within just minutes shots rang out as a group of Union soldiers captured the Confederates and the looters.
Henry thought fast and told the Union troops he had been captured. The three men with him were hung along with the remaining Confederates. He told the Union soldiers that Col. Porter had left Pocahontas on Dec. 2nd, and they seemed impressed with the information that Henry provided concerning General Marmaduke's Missouri raids. Henry accompanied the troops to West Plains where he was assigned to help three families travel to Rolla, MO. Henry served as a soldier for the rest of the war.
For the rest of his life, Henry Williams thought about the cache. He knew that he was the only one alive that knew where it was buried. He never ever got back to find the bag of silver and coins. Soon after relating this tale, Henry died. He was 77 years old.
Tom Hoots got out of the hospital and went on with his life. He didn't do much with the story until 1935 when he went to Lost Springs. He found the hollow as it was described, but he did not locate the loot. Tom's son, Carl F. Hoots, often thinks of the treasure, but there is no record of it being found.
In October of 1862, Henry was working in a livery stable in Pocahontas, AR. Col. Joseph Porter arrived in town with about 900 Confederate soldiers. They had plans to join General Marmaduke to battle the Federal troops in Northern Missouri. Henry didn't like the Confederates and decided to take his horse and mules and head west.
About 15 miles west of town he met some three men that were leading two heavily laden mules. The men were from Walnut Ridge. Henry offered to load some on his mules as the other animals were going lame.
It turned out that the mules were carrying silverware, watches, and gold and silver coins. The men had been traveling ahead of the Confederates and scaring the local folks into fleeing the war front. Then they would loot the abandoned houses and farms, and steal anything of value. Henry rode back to see what was happening with the troops. The Confederate troops did not immediately follow toward Franklin, and did not leave Pocahontas until December 2nd.
On December 4th, Henry and the other men sounded the alert in a small town called Sturkie. They picked up some more loot as the people abandoned their homes. The headed north and camped at a spring about four and one-half miles north of Sturkie, MO. (There are two springs in the area.) They heard some troop coming and made a run for a hollow about 400 yards from the spring. There was a small cave nearby, but not large enough to cache the goods. Henry put on a Union soldiers uniforn that he had taken off of a dead soldier on the road. The men hurried to bury the goods before the soldiers arrived by digging a trench about 2 feet deep and covering the bags of loot. A couple of Confederate troops captured them, but within just minutes shots rang out as a group of Union soldiers captured the Confederates and the looters.
Henry thought fast and told the Union troops he had been captured. The three men with him were hung along with the remaining Confederates. He told the Union soldiers that Col. Porter had left Pocahontas on Dec. 2nd, and they seemed impressed with the information that Henry provided concerning General Marmaduke's Missouri raids. Henry accompanied the troops to West Plains where he was assigned to help three families travel to Rolla, MO. Henry served as a soldier for the rest of the war.
For the rest of his life, Henry Williams thought about the cache. He knew that he was the only one alive that knew where it was buried. He never ever got back to find the bag of silver and coins. Soon after relating this tale, Henry died. He was 77 years old.
Tom Hoots got out of the hospital and went on with his life. He didn't do much with the story until 1935 when he went to Lost Springs. He found the hollow as it was described, but he did not locate the loot. Tom's son, Carl F. Hoots, often thinks of the treasure, but there is no record of it being found.
