Memory's Storehouse Unlocked, True Stories: Pioneer Days In Wetmore and Northeast Kansas
John Locke · en
Going back to the Grasshopper-Delaware crossing, the new line ran
northwest to the mission, crossing Gregg’s creek—now Walnut creek—about
midway. From the mission, the road crossed the Bill Garvin lands and
went almost due west to Granada, crossing Gregg’s (Walnut) creek again
downstream from the present bridge east of Granada. Joe Plankington
recently found a cache of rough “diamonds” in a hollow at the base of a
tree near this crossing. The “rocks” were supposedly hidden there by a
returning traveler, back in the sixties—probably a prospector afraid to
chance crossing the Kickapoo reservation, carrying his precious find.
NOTE—Since this article was printed in 1936, Joe Plankington tells me
that one of the old Kickapoos—Pas-co-nan-te, father of John “Butler
” —told him the Indians were stalking the traveler and that he,
Pas-co-nan-te, watched the wayfarer hide the rocks in that tree, many
moons ago. And Joe said the old Indian accurately traced the way — on
paper—tree by tree, from the Trail to the right tree.
And furthermore, Joe believes he has seen the scalp of the former
possessor of his rocks—and at the same time had his own hair standing
on end. Because of a slight favor by Joe, Pas-co-nan-te asked him if he
would like to see a scalp, and at the same time told a young Indian whom
Joe thinks was a grandson, to fetch one. When the scalp was laid down
where Joe could get a good look at it, Pas-co-nan-te grabbed Joe by the
“topknot” saying, “Maybe me show you how.” The knife the Indian held in
his other hand cut Joe to the quick—but the blood froze in his veins,
and not a drop was spilled. Then the old Indian said, “Me foolin.’ Me
know better now.” The young Indian told Joe, later, that he was pretty
sure the old Indians had killed the traveler.
Joe also says he sent one of the “diamonds” to a niece in Boise, Idaho,
and that the cutter who dressed the stone—for $25—pronounced it a
high-quality pigeon blood ruby.