Hid His Wealth in Fruit Jars

Walton, Ky., June 30 - Directed in their searching by old "Aunt Cass," a negro servant, searchers to-day found $15,000 which had been secreted in and around the house of John Fleet, who died on his farm near Verona, yesterday.

Fleet had the reputation in life of being a miser, and just before he died he confided to a man named Griffin. of this place, and to "Aunt Cass" who kept house for the Fleets, that he had hidden nine full quart jars, each containing silver, at various places around the house.

When the news of the old man's death reached town to-day, Griffin and some friends went to the Fleet homestead.  After searching several hours they managed to recover seven of the fruit jars.  These contained $13,000 in gold and $2,000 in silver and paper currency.  Most of the latter was in greenbacks of the first issue and a great deal of the silver commands a premium.

The searchers for the hidden treasure found a deposit book on the Farmers and Traders Bank, of Covington, Ky., showing that the late Richard Fleet had a credit deposit in the bank of $5,000.

By a will that was also found on the premises, "Aunt Cass" is made a beneficiary of John Fleet in the amount pf $3,000.  The old woman, although she is 96 years of age, has a wonderfully clear mind, and seemed to know just about where the cans containing hoarded wealth had been hidden.  Despite their hard work the men were unable to find two of the cans Fleet told about, nor were they able to locate some government bonds spoken of in the old man's will.

Hartford Herald (Hartford, Kentucky) July 6, 1904