I saw this in the paper today.
Enjoy.
Hunting for treasure in Pine Lake Cemetery
According to a story reported in 1878 by a Dr. Gregg of La Porte, in May of 1877 a man started in a buggy from Michigan City, having a tin tray or box and four quart bottles, the first filled with U.S. bonds, the latter with bills. Feeling himself pursued, he stopped and buried the same in a cemetery about three miles from La Porte supposed to be Pine Lake Cemetery. He was then taken sick at Joliet, Ill., and telegraphed a friend (although he did not say it was Dr. Gregg, the inference is that he was) to whom he had imparted the secret of the buried treasure, but the man was too nearly gone to give anything like accurate information.
Supposedly this money was the sinking fund of a gang of robbers, to be used in case of their arrest, in suborning witnesses and buying the judges and juries. Dr. Collins, a well-known local doctor, was consulted in a clairvoyant capacity and he and Dr. Gregg, with a number of men, prospected for a couple of weeks without success. The whole thing appeared to be unlikely and might have some ulterior design which did not appear on the surface. The amount of bonds and money, from the doctor's account, was simply fabulous; running into the hundred of thousands.
In 1898, a story surfaced that such a treasure indeed was buried in Pine Lake Cemetery and that the rumor had circulated of the existence of this from time to time during the "past 30 years" which, of course, would place the time of the event well before the 1878 incident. However, the description has similarities and perhaps in the telling, dates were altered. At several different times, strangers came to La Porte in a quiet way and made a search for the booty of a bank robbery which was to have been deposited in the cemetery. So far as was known, however, these various prowlers got nothing, although it is easy to believe that if they did, they kept very quiet about their good fortune.
The plot thickens
In June 1898, three men came from Chicago bent on getting rich by a short and easy method, and so sought the solitude of the north part of the cemetery to try a contrivance which one of them claimed would locate any buried treasure, if gold or silver.
They were interviewed and their story went like this: About 30 years ago, after a series of large bank robberies in the east, the crooks engaged in the enterprise sent one of their number of Chicago with a portion of the booty. This man, learning that he was trailed, got off the train at Michigan City and, hiring a buggy, drove to La Porte. As he came past the cemetery along the north road in the night, he got out and went into the cemetery and, digging a hole, put in his plunder consisting of a large amount of money, bonds, etc. He went to town and was there arrested and taken to Chicago. Being sent to prison at Joliet, he took sick and died. On his death bed he told the story of his flight, and of where the money was hidden. After that time, various individuals as before said delved for this prize package without success.
An old, rusty baking soda can
Now, in 1902, came a story of an old man, who, although paroled and privileged to go where he wanted to go, preferred the life of prison and asked that he be permitted to stay there in prison the remainder of his days. Some years previously, John Rhoda was convicted in the St. Joseph County circuit court at South Bend of grand larceny and sentenced to the state prison at Michigan City for an indeterminate term of from two to 14 years. Early in August 1902, he was paroled and as light work had been obtained for him in Elkhart, he was sent there. He was almost forgotten when one day about two months later Warden Reid was coming out of the prison gates he met an old man in tatters. He was drenched to the skin, for it had been raining. The warden looked at him and was about to pass on when the old man spoke up. He proved to be John Rhoda who had left his work in Elkhart, had walked to La Porte and had also covered the rest of the journey to Michigan City on foot. He said he wanted to go back into the prison for he found it more pleasant for him there.
When the old man was asked as to what he had done with his money, for it was known he had a little saved up, he said that he had feared being held up on the road and so he buried it in the ground between La Porte and Michigan City. Efforts to find out where he had "planted" it, so that it would be recovered and placed in safe keeping, failed - the old man would divulge nothing. A couple of days later he learned that the Chicago and South Shore Railway Company was pushing the construction of its line onward from La Porte to Michigan City and this began to trouble him for he feared that in the excavations along the side of the road for the grade his money might be discovered. After thinking it over, he confided his troubles to the warden. The latter got his carriage and took the old man out over the La Porte road. After they had gotten a couple of miles into the country, the old man said he would get out. Toward evening the old fellow appeared at the prison gates and clasped tightly in his arms was an old baking powder can, still covered with dirt, but snugly reposing in the receptacle was the sum of $115.
As late as 1953 stories were still being circulated of incidents involving hidden treasure with each seeming to have occurred under similar circumstances.
This story goes as follows. The bank robbers escaped from South Bend astride horses in the 1870s and headed toward La Porte. There they became frightened and allegedly buried the hold in what is now Pine Lake Cemetery. The two robbers were later caught, tried for their crime and sent to the prison in Michigan City. One died there without telling the whereabouts of the gold; the other said the gold was buried "under a stone not far from a large house near three large oak trees."
A Mr. Koch of La Porte who remembered the story well as told to him when a boy, added to the story by saying that the house was an ice house and that there were many trees, not just three, and also that the stone was on the south shore of Stone Lake. Koch's story goes on to say that he and his father and a neighbor were fishing on Stone Lake and ran out of bait. His father dug around a stone along the shore and beneath this rock in search of bait and accidentally scratched his hand on a tin box - but didn't bother to dig it up and the trio went home.
La Porte County Historian FERN EDDY SCHULTZ has been researching the history of La Porte County for decades. Contact Fern with questions or comments at [email protected].
Enjoy.
Hunting for treasure in Pine Lake Cemetery
According to a story reported in 1878 by a Dr. Gregg of La Porte, in May of 1877 a man started in a buggy from Michigan City, having a tin tray or box and four quart bottles, the first filled with U.S. bonds, the latter with bills. Feeling himself pursued, he stopped and buried the same in a cemetery about three miles from La Porte supposed to be Pine Lake Cemetery. He was then taken sick at Joliet, Ill., and telegraphed a friend (although he did not say it was Dr. Gregg, the inference is that he was) to whom he had imparted the secret of the buried treasure, but the man was too nearly gone to give anything like accurate information.
Supposedly this money was the sinking fund of a gang of robbers, to be used in case of their arrest, in suborning witnesses and buying the judges and juries. Dr. Collins, a well-known local doctor, was consulted in a clairvoyant capacity and he and Dr. Gregg, with a number of men, prospected for a couple of weeks without success. The whole thing appeared to be unlikely and might have some ulterior design which did not appear on the surface. The amount of bonds and money, from the doctor's account, was simply fabulous; running into the hundred of thousands.
In 1898, a story surfaced that such a treasure indeed was buried in Pine Lake Cemetery and that the rumor had circulated of the existence of this from time to time during the "past 30 years" which, of course, would place the time of the event well before the 1878 incident. However, the description has similarities and perhaps in the telling, dates were altered. At several different times, strangers came to La Porte in a quiet way and made a search for the booty of a bank robbery which was to have been deposited in the cemetery. So far as was known, however, these various prowlers got nothing, although it is easy to believe that if they did, they kept very quiet about their good fortune.
The plot thickens
In June 1898, three men came from Chicago bent on getting rich by a short and easy method, and so sought the solitude of the north part of the cemetery to try a contrivance which one of them claimed would locate any buried treasure, if gold or silver.
They were interviewed and their story went like this: About 30 years ago, after a series of large bank robberies in the east, the crooks engaged in the enterprise sent one of their number of Chicago with a portion of the booty. This man, learning that he was trailed, got off the train at Michigan City and, hiring a buggy, drove to La Porte. As he came past the cemetery along the north road in the night, he got out and went into the cemetery and, digging a hole, put in his plunder consisting of a large amount of money, bonds, etc. He went to town and was there arrested and taken to Chicago. Being sent to prison at Joliet, he took sick and died. On his death bed he told the story of his flight, and of where the money was hidden. After that time, various individuals as before said delved for this prize package without success.
An old, rusty baking soda can
Now, in 1902, came a story of an old man, who, although paroled and privileged to go where he wanted to go, preferred the life of prison and asked that he be permitted to stay there in prison the remainder of his days. Some years previously, John Rhoda was convicted in the St. Joseph County circuit court at South Bend of grand larceny and sentenced to the state prison at Michigan City for an indeterminate term of from two to 14 years. Early in August 1902, he was paroled and as light work had been obtained for him in Elkhart, he was sent there. He was almost forgotten when one day about two months later Warden Reid was coming out of the prison gates he met an old man in tatters. He was drenched to the skin, for it had been raining. The warden looked at him and was about to pass on when the old man spoke up. He proved to be John Rhoda who had left his work in Elkhart, had walked to La Porte and had also covered the rest of the journey to Michigan City on foot. He said he wanted to go back into the prison for he found it more pleasant for him there.
When the old man was asked as to what he had done with his money, for it was known he had a little saved up, he said that he had feared being held up on the road and so he buried it in the ground between La Porte and Michigan City. Efforts to find out where he had "planted" it, so that it would be recovered and placed in safe keeping, failed - the old man would divulge nothing. A couple of days later he learned that the Chicago and South Shore Railway Company was pushing the construction of its line onward from La Porte to Michigan City and this began to trouble him for he feared that in the excavations along the side of the road for the grade his money might be discovered. After thinking it over, he confided his troubles to the warden. The latter got his carriage and took the old man out over the La Porte road. After they had gotten a couple of miles into the country, the old man said he would get out. Toward evening the old fellow appeared at the prison gates and clasped tightly in his arms was an old baking powder can, still covered with dirt, but snugly reposing in the receptacle was the sum of $115.
As late as 1953 stories were still being circulated of incidents involving hidden treasure with each seeming to have occurred under similar circumstances.
This story goes as follows. The bank robbers escaped from South Bend astride horses in the 1870s and headed toward La Porte. There they became frightened and allegedly buried the hold in what is now Pine Lake Cemetery. The two robbers were later caught, tried for their crime and sent to the prison in Michigan City. One died there without telling the whereabouts of the gold; the other said the gold was buried "under a stone not far from a large house near three large oak trees."
A Mr. Koch of La Porte who remembered the story well as told to him when a boy, added to the story by saying that the house was an ice house and that there were many trees, not just three, and also that the stone was on the south shore of Stone Lake. Koch's story goes on to say that he and his father and a neighbor were fishing on Stone Lake and ran out of bait. His father dug around a stone along the shore and beneath this rock in search of bait and accidentally scratched his hand on a tin box - but didn't bother to dig it up and the trio went home.
La Porte County Historian FERN EDDY SCHULTZ has been researching the history of La Porte County for decades. Contact Fern with questions or comments at [email protected].
