My Grandfather's Tale Of A Privateer & Hijacked Gold Shipment

[GhostMiner]

To put you in the mood.

 

 

[GhostMiner]

   Day 3

 

   We met a local historian today in an old three story grist mill. The building had been abandoned back in the early 1900’s and later used as a place to sell wood stoves. Then it was purchased by the man we were meeting.The first floor was full of old artifacts from the past. On one side of the old structure there were tall rows of wooden bookshelves that must have been fifteen feet high. They were crammed with books and small boxes of papers. The second floor contained even more boxes of historical records from all over the Pacific northwest. 

   The man we met was Charles Newburger. He was in his late 60’s and had been involved with local history his entire life. We all took a seat at a massive antique library table. On the table was placed an old wooden crate. Charles opened the lid and proceeded to pull out old maps and some yellowed and stained documents. He said he had some interesting information to show us that may help in our search.

   He spread out an old map that dated back to the mid 1800’s. It was wrapped in old paper and folded inside some weathered documents. He pointed out a marking for an old road or wagon trail that led from Drayton Harbor east where it eventually met up with another trail heading north by north east. Charles told us that parts of the old trail still existed but most of it was gone or grown over. Also, some of it was now private property.

   Next he pulled out a very old and fragile piece of paper that looked something like a document or bill of sale. It was actually a ship’s Bill of Layden. Some of the documents had been torn off and there were some areas that were torn or could not be read. There was part of a date showing at the top and a partial name of a vessel as well as the captain. The only part of the captain's name that was legible was Wi and the rest was gone including all of the last name. However, the month and first three numbers of the year were still there which put the document in the time frame of the transported heist.

   Charles told us that this Bill of Layden came from boxes of old records once kept for not only the Drayton Harbor but also some of the surrounding ports. The records had been stored in an old warehouse and were damaged when part of its roof leaked for many years before he rescued the documents. Charles believed that the Bill of Layden was of Captain Shears vessel. It listed numerous items such as tea and rum but also numerous shipping crates of no description or markings.This was unusual.Then Charles pulled out a long yellowed paper. He smiled at us as he laid it out on the table for our team to view.

   It was the Captain’s Articles which were the rules of conduct and contract for the ship and sailors. This document was more legible as it had been wrapped inside the folds of the Bill of Layden. It read as follows here  :  

 

I   The Captain is to have two full shares ; the Quartermaster one share and       one half ; the Doctor, Mate, and Boatswain one share and one quarter.

 

II   He that should be found guilty of taking up any unlawful weapon on board or to strike or abuse one another in any regard shall suffer what punishment the Captain and majority of the Company shall see fit.

 

III   He that shall be found guilty of cowardice shall suffer what punishment the Captain and majority of the Company shall see fit.

 

IV   If any gold, jewels, silver, & c be found on board of any prize and the finder does not deliver it to the Quartermaster within 24 hours he shall suffer what punishment the Captain and majority of the Company shall see fit.

 

V   Good quarters to be given when craved.

 

VI   He that shall be guilty of drunkenness shall suffer what punishment the Captain and majority of the Company see fit.

 

VII   No man shall open or declare to any person who they are or what designs they are upon, and any person so offending shall be punished by what means the Captain and majority of the Company see fit. 

 

   At the bottom of this document there were three letters in signature which read  C.W.S.   Charles stated flatly that this likely represented Captain William Shears. Our team just looked at each other in total surprise by what we had just been shown. Charles said that he believed these documents represented the ships official Bill of Layden and Company Ships Articles concerning Captain Shears trip involving the gold heist and other articles. He also believed the old maps were duplicates of the originals used in transporting the gold. We now had even more evidence and perhaps a good area to start searching.  

   TO BE CONTINUED .............

[GhostMiner]

We will be putting the metal detecting expert to work next.