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Search still on in Hancock
for Copeland Gang’s gold
One of my earliest recollections is of being sent about 75 years ago by my father to an old man’s home about a mile from where he lived at Lake Como in rural Jasper County. My father gave me a note to give to this old man.
Upon my arrival at his home, I found the old gentleman sitting in a rocking chair up on the front porch. He greeted me in a most friendly way. I handed him the note. He opened it and read it. Without any hesitation he turned his head leftward and called to his wife saying, ‘‘Lena, bring me $50."
This old gentleman had the reputation of always having money on hand. He acted somewhat in the capacity of a banker for his neighbors and friends. While I thought nothing of It at the time, I have often thought since then of the complete trust of neighbors in one another back In the old days.
No note was enclosed by my
father to show that he owed the money, and none seemed to be expected by the old man.
I was Invited to have a seat while waiting for the money. My chair was so located that I could see out the back way.
Within a minute or so the good lady appeared and went out through the hall to the back of the house, down the steps and walked around a small log building which I assume was the smokehouse.
She dlsappared behind another small building which I think was the wash house. Within about 15 minutes, she came beck with 5 ten dollar bills in her hand.
He took the money and handed it to me, warning me to be careful not to lose it. About a month, later ' was sent to return the monty.
There were no banks in that part of the country back then. People had to safeguard their money themselves, much of lt in gold.
Because there were, no banks or other means of depositing their money, highwaymen often operated in many parts of the country. Many stories were told of robbers taking money that people had saved up.
Since I’ve been In business in Picayune, an old man living four miles out sold his farm and moved to town. The man who bought the old home said that when the day to move, came the old man loaded everything he had on the. mover’s truck.
The last thing he did was to go into the smokehouse and measure the distance to its center, then taking a shovel said the new owners of the property, he said, “I’ll now dig up my money." Ho proceeded to dig. Down about one foot deep he unearthed a glass jar. When he pulled It, out, the new owner told me, “It appeared to be full of paper money.”
Fear of thieves was not the only reason for people burying their money. There was always the danger of fire. Since I’ve been in Picayune, an old man out east of town lost his home by fire - he was reputed to have had considerable money.
After the loss of his home he claimed to have had over $3,000 secreted between the walls of his house. This money
was a total loss.
Bade from about 1840 to 1855 the Infamous Copeland gang operated over several states of the south, at times going as far away as Kentucky and Indiana and Texas.
They would go Into an area, thoroughly case it, and then strike, stealing mainly horses and money. When things got too hot they would make for one of their hideouts and lay low for up to a year or so.
According to Copeland’s confessions to the sheriff of Perry County, one of the principal hideouts was along Catahoula Creek about 8 miles east of Picayune.
Copeland told in his confessions of hiding money on a bluff of this little creek. Copeland was hung at old Augusta, the old county seat of Perry County about 1856.
For over a hundred years, treasure hunters have searched for the Copeland gold. Many stories rare told of its being found by this person or the other. Actually no one knows whether or not It was ever found.
■, The lure of this buried treasure has brought many people with all kinds of gadgets to search for this money. At different times, I’ve owned land on Catahoula Creek. On the bluffs of thid land there were several signs of digging.
I asked an old friend who lived nearby what it meant. He said, “That’s where they have been hunting for the Copeland Gold.”
Every bluff on Cathoula Creek for several miles out east of Picayune has signs of the hunt for Copeland gold. Even now more than 125
years later, treasure hunters are searching for the Copeland treasure. Several old places near the creek show signs of digging.
Strange as it may seem to younger people not familiar with old time conditions, people hid their money where they thought it would be safe from fire and from robbers. I have recorded numerous such instances as told to me by old people in my interviews with them.
When I reached 70 years of age in 1960, I started out interviewing old people, going to see only those who were 75 years old or older.
I have talked to over 300 people over a wide area. That is where I have gotten the information I have published in my book and in my newspaper stories.
One of the hiding places for this gang was east of McNeil near the McNeil exit to Highway 59. The gang made their counterfeit money there, and this spot to this day goes by the name of mint head. That area before the railway was built was hard to get to from all directions.