SEEK COCOS TREASURE
Millions Stolen From Peru Lie Hidden on South American Island.
Eagle Harbor (Wash.) Dispatch to New York Herald.
The bark Hesper will leave this port in a few days for Cocos Island, off the Peruvian coast, where the golden statues of Lima’s cathedrals and millions in gold, silver, and jewels, for which many have vainly sought, lie buried. In the only successful expedition in the past, Capt. John Keating obtained approximately $100,000 in jewels and money. At his death he transferred the secret to Thomas Hackett, from whom the present leader received the chart.
Capt. Fred Hackett in 1897 made his first trip to find the money, which has been covered by a landslide, requiring hydraulic work. Since that time he has been trying to obtain hydraulic apparatus, and now that the capital is all paid in a second attempt will be made.
The treasure was stolen from the Peruvian government by the crew of an English ship, to which it had been intrusted [sic] in the war with Chile to obtain the protection of the British flag. The crew hid the treasure on Cocos Island. A Peruvian gunboat hanged from its yardarm all but two of the men, saving these to get directions to the burial place. When the vessel was taking on supplies at Panama the men escaped. One of them fell prey to sharks, but the other, Thompson, reached shore.
On his deathbed, Mr. Thompson gave the secret to John Keating, who had befriended him. Capt. Keating made two trips, bringing away as much money and jewelry as he could without exciting the suspicion of his crews. Before his death he arranged a trip with Capt. Thomas Hackett, who died of yellow fever while outfitting in Havana, and his brother, the present leader, came into possession of the chart.
Some of the jewels brought back from the Island are now the property of Charles H. Hutchins deputy minister of justice, at St. Johns, Newfoundland.
Source: Seek Cocos Treasure, The Washington Post, Washington, District of Columbia, 24 July 1911, p. 6.
That’s crazy, almost sounds like a pirate story.