Gypsy Heart
Gold Member
WICKLIFFE BOTTOM: A STORY OF BARREN RIVER
By Victor Moulder, Published in "The Glasgow Times" a Barren Co, KY
newspaper on 16 Sept 1913
Wickliffe Bottom lies on Barren River about 20 miles east of Bowling Green,
by water. It is a very rich, productive strip of land, and today bears but
a small trace of the stirring events that occurred in its vicinity 150 years
ago. The mounds are leveled, the trees are gone, the Indian cabin and
wigwams are memories of the past, the cave around which the mystery is
hinged has as it were vanished and the vast treasure hidden therein is lost
forever. The basis of this bit of history, almost unknown to local
residents as well as to the
world at large, is taken from the manuscript of the story Lilanthals'
Curse", written by myself and which was given to me by my father, JACOB
MOULDER, just before his death in 1903, who had it from the late STEPHEN
CLAYPOOL, a pioneer of Warren County, to whom it was related, by two of the
parties, who participated in and were witnesses to the actions described.
STEPHEN CLAYPOOL was a Virginian by birth. He migrated, when a mere youth,
with his father to Kentucky. The family settled near Harrodsburg in 1778.
Young STEPHEN knew the Indians, ran races with them, fought them, growing to
manhood inured to all the alarms incidental to American pioneer life.
In the year 1792, he moved from the old settlements across the wilderness to
Barren River. A number of immigrants came with him, among them ROBERT
WICKLIFFE, HUT(?) MARTIN, ANDREW MCFADDEN, two of MR CLAYPOOL's brothers
and others. WICKCLIFF settled on what is known as __(name left out)
CLAYPOOL patented the lands on the southern bank of the river, opposite
WICKCLIFFE's claim, MARTIN settled and founded the now extinct town of
MARTINSVILLE,
MCFADDEN founded MCFADDEN STATION and the other two CLAYPOOL brothers
founded CLAYPOOL, KY. When immigrants came with him, among these hardy
pioneers, came to Barren River to found permanent abodes, a few scattered
Indians still skulked in the forests and along the water courses. One of
their lodges was on the lands taken by STEPHEN CLAYPOOL. This lodge and its
cultivated patches of maize and tobacco, was occupied by an old Indian
warrior and his squaw. They were about 70 years old when MR CLAYPOOL first
saw them. The squaw called her husband "WAHTUM".; the warrior called his
squaw "OUITA". This old pair of natives were friendly towards the white
men and were
extremely religious. In the course of time a lasting friendship sprang up
between the two old Indians and MR CLAYPOOL and he allowed them to live in
their lodge unmolested. WAHTUM often remarked to his
white friend that the vicinity of Wickliffe Bottom was haunted by heap white
devils who were slain and buried there many, many moons ago. MR CLAYPOOL
presses WAHTUM for a history of the place, which
bit by bit, was finally given in as follows ---
Many years ago, when he and his squaw were very young and were living with
their tribe, on the Kentucky River, a white man, MORGANTI and his sister,
LADY VARINA, were found floating on the river in a bark
canoe. They were taken from the river by some Indians and brought safe to
the village, where they were fed and restored to health. The strangers were
fair of face, beautiful to behold, gentle of voice and good of deeds. They
soon learned to speak the Indian tongue and told their Indian friends that
they had fled a great way in the boat from the lady's husband, who had
threatened to kill them and they begged the Indians to flee further into the
west with them and this request was granted and a band of some 500 migrated
with the fair white strangers on Barren River and pitched their tents in
Wickliffe Bottom. Here under MORGANTI's directions, a rude log fort was
built. This was defended by a double stockade and marooned(?) by lusty
warriors. For the time of a year, all went well, in Wickliffe's Bottom,
MORGANTI and his sister living happily with the Indians.
Meantime the deserted and irrate husband, COUNT LILANTHAL, who had been
stationed at Ft Pitt, 1756, resigned his command, returned to New York, and
thence across the Atlantic to his home, in Italy. He was a very rich man.
He converted all his vast estates into gold and jewels, hired a band of
trusty warriors, armed them after the fasion of the "Knights of St John",
recrossed the Atlantic and set out across the wilderness with his followers
on a quest of vengeance against his wife and her FOSTER brother. At last,
COUNT LILANTHAL located the refugees, found them strongly fortified and
defended by the red-men A fierece battle, lasting three days, followed. By
the bravety and personal prowess of MORGANTI, COUNTY LILANTHAL's force was
completely routed and the COUNT himself, barely escaped from the
field with his life. The slaughter had been such, near half of LILANTHAL's
invincible army had been slain and over 100 Indians were killed. The
daunted[word is blured] LILANTHAL gathered the remnant of his band about
him, but half way __[blurred] the battle field on to the channel in the
river. Being a man of military training, LILANTHAL saw that it would be
impossible for him to accomplish his purpose of vengeance by force,
therefore resolved to resort to secret and under-hand methods. On the south
side of this river, below Wickliffe Bottom, he discovered a cave. A channel
led downward from the cave to the water's edge. Through this river entrance
LILANTHAL led his band of warriors, his train of pack animals, stores, and
treasures. "Great heap gold hidden in Magic cave" said WAHTUM,, "good squaw
she see it; death to injun or white man who seeks to get um". WAHTUM's
story was confirmed by OUITA, who declared that "ten hoss could not carry
great piles of gold and jewels hidden there by devil white man". From this
underground stronghold, LILANTHAL and his band would make secret and rapid
raids upon the unsuspecting Indians and when pursued, would plunge into the
water and disappear. The natives called this place in the river, "devils'
suck hole".
On one of these raids, LILANTHAL captured the Indian maiden, OUITA, and
carried her to his cavern. He made love to her, showed her his great
treasure hidden in hewn niches of the cavern and promised to make her his
queen if she would help him capture LADY VARINA. Being enamored of the
powerful and handsome white stranger, the maiden agreed to his terms and
began at once to accomplish this purpose. She secured an Indian canoe,
returned to the fort where she enticed the LADY VARINA aboard with her and
hurried with her to Magic Cave. Here LADY VARINA lay a captive for six
months, suffering untold tortures at the hands of her lord and master.
During this time the maiden, OUITA, learned the truth, found that her
would-be lover had deceived her and used her as a means to capture the
beloved LADY
VARINA. The love in the heart of the maiden turned to hatred. She resolved
to effect her own escape and at the same time, liberate LADY VARINA. With
the cunning of savagery, she accomplished her task,
restored the lady to her brother lover, had the undying gratitude of both.
Nothing more was seen of COUNT LILANTHAL for over a year. The settlers of
Wickliffe Bottom thought they were rid of him for
good. Not so; one October afternoon, MORGANTI and LADY VARINA, with an
Indian maiden, were gathering maize near the foot of the bluff. A horseman,
clad in black armor from head to foot, emerged
from the forest, rode furiously towards them, hit MORGANTI on the head with
a sword, snatched LADY VARINA up into his arms before him, charged over the
terrified maidens, and up the steep include to the
summit of the bluff.
On the north side of the river just below Wickliffe Bottom, the bluff is
over 200 feet above the water. The topmost cliff puts out over the river a
perpendicular wall of solid limestone. The water benat this cliff is
twenty-five feet deep. From this promentory the made horseman raced his
monster black charger; terror struck, the Indians stood spell-bound, gazing
helplessly after the fleeing horseman.
Sinking his rowels(?) deep into his horses' flanks and clasping his burden
close to his breast, COUNT LILANTHAL dashed over the ledge, going far down
into the water, carrying with him LADY VARINA. A
canoe with some Indians in it was on the water a few yards below. Among
them was WAHTUM who witnessed the wild leap. In the space of a few moments
something white fluttered in the water near the boat,
then the form of a face rose to the surface. WAHTUM and his comrades drew
the form into the boat. It was LADY VARINA. The boat was hurried to the
fort, where after hours of faithful labor the beloved
white lady was restored to life. For a month, both she and MORGANTI lay at
the point of death, in the little fort. At this juncture, a Catholic
priest, in the employ of VARINA's father, came to Wickliffe Bottom in quest
of the lost ones. On their recovery, MORGANTI and LADY VARINA were married
after both the Indian custom and the rites of the Catholic Church.
WAHTUM and OUITA were watching as COUNT LILANTHAL went over the bluff he
uttered curses upon the place and swore eternal death and damnation to any
who should seek and find his treasure. OUITA knew where Magic Cave was
located, knew its secret recesses, had seen its great treasure, but neither
love or threats of death, or money would induce her to go near the place or
reveal its exact whereabouts. In the course of time the old warrior and
his squaw were called to the "happy hunting grounds" and with their going
went the secret of Magic Cave.
In the fall of 1859, MR. CLAYPOOL related WAHTUM's story to my father who
jotted the words down as they fell from the lips of the old warrior. Chief
WAHTUM had fought by MORGANTI's side against the
white devils in Wickliffe Bottom, and was married to OUITA on the same day
that MORGANTI and VARINA were united by the Catholic Priest. WAHTUM and
OUITA died in 1799, being near to 100 years
of age. In their possession was a golden cross, gift of LADY VARINA, a
letter from LIEUT. BARCLAY, dated in New York, 1757 to MORGANTI warning him
of COUNT LILANTHAL's return on his __(blurred), a certificate of marriage,
written in Latin, by the priest and many other relics of the foregoing, all
of which came into MR CLAYPOOL's possession. MR CLAYPOOL fully believed in
WAHTUM's story, and he made several attempts to locate the cave and discover
LILANTHAL's treasure, but in every instance, his venture was a disastrous
failure. He barely escaped with his life on one occasion. He died, in
1863, at the ripe old age of 95, and to the day of his death he averred that
a great treasure was hidden in hewen and sealed niches in Magic Cave above
"devils hole" on Barren River.
Many others sought to discover the treasure hoarded away in a case on the
river, but to no avail. In the year of 1874, a white man,
hailing from Missouri, came to Claypool, (KY) acted in a strange manner,
made long excursions and had in his possession a paper which, he said, told
where to find a great treasure. After several days of mysterious
wanderings, he left Claypool's packing house, uttering that he was going
into a cave to get gold. What his fate was no on knew, as he was never seen
again, neither here nor in his home in Missouri.
In the fall of 1879, four Indians, from the Indian Territory, came to Iron
Bridge on Barren River. They camped in Wickliffe Bottom, below Lilanthals'
Leap. Their mission was strictly kept secret. One morning they broke camp
and disappeared along the cliffs south of the river. They were last seen by
MR. MILTON ADAIR, then the owner of Wickliffe Bottom. Later a scouting
party trailed them to a huge rock in the cliff, where all signs of them were
lost. Was this massive rock the way to LILANTHAL's treasure? Had these
Indians found a way to open the passage, and gone in and had been unable to
open the door? No man knows. The Indians were never seen again. There are
men now living who saw and talked to these Indians, know of their hunt for
gold hidden in a cave and know of their mysterious disappearance. One
witness made a statement to the author that one of the Indians said to him
that they were searching for treasure that their forefathers had told them
was hidden there many years ago.
In the summer of 1880(blurred)?, four young men of the vicinity, some of whm
had seen the Indian scouts, determined to make a secret search for the
treasure; armed with stone hammers, crow-bars, lanters, ropes, ladders, etc.
they went at the job with enthusiasm. The large rock was pried open and an
entrance to the cave effected. With lighted lanterns, they boldly pushed
into the interior. For some time all went well. Then a wierd, awesome
sound was heard to
come from the black depths of the earth and without warning two of the party
who were in advance uttered a wild shriek and and disappeared into the
bowels of the earth. Horror stricken, the other two fled from the place.
Some time later, a flood in the river closed up this entrance and since then
no attempt has been made to locate this underground treasure house.
According to tradition, the mound is still visible in Wickliffe Bottom. The
mound has been explored to some extent; in it were found human bones,
arrow-heads, tommahawks, swords, pieces of plate armor and rusty flint-lock
guns, a fact which indicates that both Indians and white men were buried in
a common grave. The old fort, built by MORGANTI, can still be outlined at
this day. It was standing intact when MR CLAYPOOL first came to this place.
By Victor Moulder, Published in "The Glasgow Times" a Barren Co, KY
newspaper on 16 Sept 1913
Wickliffe Bottom lies on Barren River about 20 miles east of Bowling Green,
by water. It is a very rich, productive strip of land, and today bears but
a small trace of the stirring events that occurred in its vicinity 150 years
ago. The mounds are leveled, the trees are gone, the Indian cabin and
wigwams are memories of the past, the cave around which the mystery is
hinged has as it were vanished and the vast treasure hidden therein is lost
forever. The basis of this bit of history, almost unknown to local
residents as well as to the
world at large, is taken from the manuscript of the story Lilanthals'
Curse", written by myself and which was given to me by my father, JACOB
MOULDER, just before his death in 1903, who had it from the late STEPHEN
CLAYPOOL, a pioneer of Warren County, to whom it was related, by two of the
parties, who participated in and were witnesses to the actions described.
STEPHEN CLAYPOOL was a Virginian by birth. He migrated, when a mere youth,
with his father to Kentucky. The family settled near Harrodsburg in 1778.
Young STEPHEN knew the Indians, ran races with them, fought them, growing to
manhood inured to all the alarms incidental to American pioneer life.
In the year 1792, he moved from the old settlements across the wilderness to
Barren River. A number of immigrants came with him, among them ROBERT
WICKLIFFE, HUT(?) MARTIN, ANDREW MCFADDEN, two of MR CLAYPOOL's brothers
and others. WICKCLIFF settled on what is known as __(name left out)
CLAYPOOL patented the lands on the southern bank of the river, opposite
WICKCLIFFE's claim, MARTIN settled and founded the now extinct town of
MARTINSVILLE,
MCFADDEN founded MCFADDEN STATION and the other two CLAYPOOL brothers
founded CLAYPOOL, KY. When immigrants came with him, among these hardy
pioneers, came to Barren River to found permanent abodes, a few scattered
Indians still skulked in the forests and along the water courses. One of
their lodges was on the lands taken by STEPHEN CLAYPOOL. This lodge and its
cultivated patches of maize and tobacco, was occupied by an old Indian
warrior and his squaw. They were about 70 years old when MR CLAYPOOL first
saw them. The squaw called her husband "WAHTUM".; the warrior called his
squaw "OUITA". This old pair of natives were friendly towards the white
men and were
extremely religious. In the course of time a lasting friendship sprang up
between the two old Indians and MR CLAYPOOL and he allowed them to live in
their lodge unmolested. WAHTUM often remarked to his
white friend that the vicinity of Wickliffe Bottom was haunted by heap white
devils who were slain and buried there many, many moons ago. MR CLAYPOOL
presses WAHTUM for a history of the place, which
bit by bit, was finally given in as follows ---
Many years ago, when he and his squaw were very young and were living with
their tribe, on the Kentucky River, a white man, MORGANTI and his sister,
LADY VARINA, were found floating on the river in a bark
canoe. They were taken from the river by some Indians and brought safe to
the village, where they were fed and restored to health. The strangers were
fair of face, beautiful to behold, gentle of voice and good of deeds. They
soon learned to speak the Indian tongue and told their Indian friends that
they had fled a great way in the boat from the lady's husband, who had
threatened to kill them and they begged the Indians to flee further into the
west with them and this request was granted and a band of some 500 migrated
with the fair white strangers on Barren River and pitched their tents in
Wickliffe Bottom. Here under MORGANTI's directions, a rude log fort was
built. This was defended by a double stockade and marooned(?) by lusty
warriors. For the time of a year, all went well, in Wickliffe's Bottom,
MORGANTI and his sister living happily with the Indians.
Meantime the deserted and irrate husband, COUNT LILANTHAL, who had been
stationed at Ft Pitt, 1756, resigned his command, returned to New York, and
thence across the Atlantic to his home, in Italy. He was a very rich man.
He converted all his vast estates into gold and jewels, hired a band of
trusty warriors, armed them after the fasion of the "Knights of St John",
recrossed the Atlantic and set out across the wilderness with his followers
on a quest of vengeance against his wife and her FOSTER brother. At last,
COUNT LILANTHAL located the refugees, found them strongly fortified and
defended by the red-men A fierece battle, lasting three days, followed. By
the bravety and personal prowess of MORGANTI, COUNTY LILANTHAL's force was
completely routed and the COUNT himself, barely escaped from the
field with his life. The slaughter had been such, near half of LILANTHAL's
invincible army had been slain and over 100 Indians were killed. The
daunted[word is blured] LILANTHAL gathered the remnant of his band about
him, but half way __[blurred] the battle field on to the channel in the
river. Being a man of military training, LILANTHAL saw that it would be
impossible for him to accomplish his purpose of vengeance by force,
therefore resolved to resort to secret and under-hand methods. On the south
side of this river, below Wickliffe Bottom, he discovered a cave. A channel
led downward from the cave to the water's edge. Through this river entrance
LILANTHAL led his band of warriors, his train of pack animals, stores, and
treasures. "Great heap gold hidden in Magic cave" said WAHTUM,, "good squaw
she see it; death to injun or white man who seeks to get um". WAHTUM's
story was confirmed by OUITA, who declared that "ten hoss could not carry
great piles of gold and jewels hidden there by devil white man". From this
underground stronghold, LILANTHAL and his band would make secret and rapid
raids upon the unsuspecting Indians and when pursued, would plunge into the
water and disappear. The natives called this place in the river, "devils'
suck hole".
On one of these raids, LILANTHAL captured the Indian maiden, OUITA, and
carried her to his cavern. He made love to her, showed her his great
treasure hidden in hewn niches of the cavern and promised to make her his
queen if she would help him capture LADY VARINA. Being enamored of the
powerful and handsome white stranger, the maiden agreed to his terms and
began at once to accomplish this purpose. She secured an Indian canoe,
returned to the fort where she enticed the LADY VARINA aboard with her and
hurried with her to Magic Cave. Here LADY VARINA lay a captive for six
months, suffering untold tortures at the hands of her lord and master.
During this time the maiden, OUITA, learned the truth, found that her
would-be lover had deceived her and used her as a means to capture the
beloved LADY
VARINA. The love in the heart of the maiden turned to hatred. She resolved
to effect her own escape and at the same time, liberate LADY VARINA. With
the cunning of savagery, she accomplished her task,
restored the lady to her brother lover, had the undying gratitude of both.
Nothing more was seen of COUNT LILANTHAL for over a year. The settlers of
Wickliffe Bottom thought they were rid of him for
good. Not so; one October afternoon, MORGANTI and LADY VARINA, with an
Indian maiden, were gathering maize near the foot of the bluff. A horseman,
clad in black armor from head to foot, emerged
from the forest, rode furiously towards them, hit MORGANTI on the head with
a sword, snatched LADY VARINA up into his arms before him, charged over the
terrified maidens, and up the steep include to the
summit of the bluff.
On the north side of the river just below Wickliffe Bottom, the bluff is
over 200 feet above the water. The topmost cliff puts out over the river a
perpendicular wall of solid limestone. The water benat this cliff is
twenty-five feet deep. From this promentory the made horseman raced his
monster black charger; terror struck, the Indians stood spell-bound, gazing
helplessly after the fleeing horseman.
Sinking his rowels(?) deep into his horses' flanks and clasping his burden
close to his breast, COUNT LILANTHAL dashed over the ledge, going far down
into the water, carrying with him LADY VARINA. A
canoe with some Indians in it was on the water a few yards below. Among
them was WAHTUM who witnessed the wild leap. In the space of a few moments
something white fluttered in the water near the boat,
then the form of a face rose to the surface. WAHTUM and his comrades drew
the form into the boat. It was LADY VARINA. The boat was hurried to the
fort, where after hours of faithful labor the beloved
white lady was restored to life. For a month, both she and MORGANTI lay at
the point of death, in the little fort. At this juncture, a Catholic
priest, in the employ of VARINA's father, came to Wickliffe Bottom in quest
of the lost ones. On their recovery, MORGANTI and LADY VARINA were married
after both the Indian custom and the rites of the Catholic Church.
WAHTUM and OUITA were watching as COUNT LILANTHAL went over the bluff he
uttered curses upon the place and swore eternal death and damnation to any
who should seek and find his treasure. OUITA knew where Magic Cave was
located, knew its secret recesses, had seen its great treasure, but neither
love or threats of death, or money would induce her to go near the place or
reveal its exact whereabouts. In the course of time the old warrior and
his squaw were called to the "happy hunting grounds" and with their going
went the secret of Magic Cave.
In the fall of 1859, MR. CLAYPOOL related WAHTUM's story to my father who
jotted the words down as they fell from the lips of the old warrior. Chief
WAHTUM had fought by MORGANTI's side against the
white devils in Wickliffe Bottom, and was married to OUITA on the same day
that MORGANTI and VARINA were united by the Catholic Priest. WAHTUM and
OUITA died in 1799, being near to 100 years
of age. In their possession was a golden cross, gift of LADY VARINA, a
letter from LIEUT. BARCLAY, dated in New York, 1757 to MORGANTI warning him
of COUNT LILANTHAL's return on his __(blurred), a certificate of marriage,
written in Latin, by the priest and many other relics of the foregoing, all
of which came into MR CLAYPOOL's possession. MR CLAYPOOL fully believed in
WAHTUM's story, and he made several attempts to locate the cave and discover
LILANTHAL's treasure, but in every instance, his venture was a disastrous
failure. He barely escaped with his life on one occasion. He died, in
1863, at the ripe old age of 95, and to the day of his death he averred that
a great treasure was hidden in hewen and sealed niches in Magic Cave above
"devils hole" on Barren River.
Many others sought to discover the treasure hoarded away in a case on the
river, but to no avail. In the year of 1874, a white man,
hailing from Missouri, came to Claypool, (KY) acted in a strange manner,
made long excursions and had in his possession a paper which, he said, told
where to find a great treasure. After several days of mysterious
wanderings, he left Claypool's packing house, uttering that he was going
into a cave to get gold. What his fate was no on knew, as he was never seen
again, neither here nor in his home in Missouri.
In the fall of 1879, four Indians, from the Indian Territory, came to Iron
Bridge on Barren River. They camped in Wickliffe Bottom, below Lilanthals'
Leap. Their mission was strictly kept secret. One morning they broke camp
and disappeared along the cliffs south of the river. They were last seen by
MR. MILTON ADAIR, then the owner of Wickliffe Bottom. Later a scouting
party trailed them to a huge rock in the cliff, where all signs of them were
lost. Was this massive rock the way to LILANTHAL's treasure? Had these
Indians found a way to open the passage, and gone in and had been unable to
open the door? No man knows. The Indians were never seen again. There are
men now living who saw and talked to these Indians, know of their hunt for
gold hidden in a cave and know of their mysterious disappearance. One
witness made a statement to the author that one of the Indians said to him
that they were searching for treasure that their forefathers had told them
was hidden there many years ago.
In the summer of 1880(blurred)?, four young men of the vicinity, some of whm
had seen the Indian scouts, determined to make a secret search for the
treasure; armed with stone hammers, crow-bars, lanters, ropes, ladders, etc.
they went at the job with enthusiasm. The large rock was pried open and an
entrance to the cave effected. With lighted lanterns, they boldly pushed
into the interior. For some time all went well. Then a wierd, awesome
sound was heard to
come from the black depths of the earth and without warning two of the party
who were in advance uttered a wild shriek and and disappeared into the
bowels of the earth. Horror stricken, the other two fled from the place.
Some time later, a flood in the river closed up this entrance and since then
no attempt has been made to locate this underground treasure house.
According to tradition, the mound is still visible in Wickliffe Bottom. The
mound has been explored to some extent; in it were found human bones,
arrow-heads, tommahawks, swords, pieces of plate armor and rusty flint-lock
guns, a fact which indicates that both Indians and white men were buried in
a common grave. The old fort, built by MORGANTI, can still be outlined at
this day. It was standing intact when MR CLAYPOOL first came to this place.
