lot was Ransford Rogers, of Connecticut. He was
a plausible man who had the power of inspiring confidence, and though
somewhat illiterate, was ambitious to be thought learned and pretended, it
is said, to possess deep knowledge of "chymistry" and the power to dispel
good and evil spirits.

It will be remembered that Washington Irving remarks, in his description of
the family portrait gallery, of Bracebridge Hall at twilight, when he
almost hears the rustling of the brocade dresses of the ladies of the manor
as they step out from their frames,--"There is an element of superstition
in the human mind". It seems there had long been a conviction prevailing
that large sums of money had been buried during the Revolutionary War by
tories and others in Schooley's Mountain, near by. There also seemed to be
something of the New England belief in witchcraft throughout the community.
Says the Preface of the early volume; "It is obvious to all who are
acquainted with the county of Morris, that the capricious notions of
witchcraft have engaged the attention of many of its inhabitants for a
number of years and the existence of witches is adopted by the generality
of the people." And we read on page 213 of the "Combined Registers of the
First Presbyterian Church," a record as follows: "Dr. John Johnes' servant
Pompey, d. 17 July, 1833, aet. 81; frightened to death by ghosts."

To obtain the treasure of Schooley's Mountain, then, was the occasion of
the occurrences related in this story. Two gentlemen who had long been in
search of mines, taking a tour through the country in 1788,
"providentially," says David Young, fell in with Rogers at Smith's Clove,
and discovered him to be the man they were in search of, and one who could
"reveal the secret things of darkness," for they, too, were "covetous of
the supposed treasure of Schooley's Mountain."

A society was organized by Ransford which at first numbered "about eight"
but afterwards was increased to about forty. His first object was to
convince them of the existence of the hidden 