Buried Treasures

On April 20th, 1999 during second day of demolition of 1851 Auglaize County Jail in Wapakoneta, Ohio, while demolition workers tearing down south side later addition, I asked man in charge if I might make a last search of the old section’s first sheriff’s jailhouse residence? With reluctance since demolition had begun, equipment operator, man in charge (with added urging of a couple of sheriff’s deputies acknowledging me as local historian) granted my last search for half an hour. He handed me a hard-hat and sent young worker with me, who when we arrived at sheriff residence sneered “We combed this joint, what the hell you think you’re going to find?”

In my lifetime of searching for historical artifacts, I was used to this kind of negative skepticism. Looking around the heavily remodeled room, I realized the only place where something of value might be found was behind the paneled in, bricked over original 1851 fireplace. As I tore off paneling, exposing later brick, the young worker sitting, eating against wall said with a laugh “Whatever would have been in there would be burnt, man!” I knocked out newer brick to expose the original firebox brick. I had ten minutes left, as I used a flashlight to search within firebox. Then I saw the clue! That one old brick which had been laid differently than all the rest! When I wiped the soot from that brick, I saw the three X marks on its surface! “YES!” I exclaimed, which brought skeptical young worker to my side. Finding groove cut in brick’s corner, I pulled, brick swiveled out and as the worker dropped his sandwich, out fell an 1851 PISTOL! “I’ll be damned!” exclaimed that young worker. The pistol’s wooden handle had gone to pieces from the heat of the firebox. My conjecture concerning the pistol being concealed in the firebox of the Auglaize County Jail’s sheriff’s residence, was gun to be used by the sheriff, or his wife in case of a dangerous emergency.

After 1851 jail had been completely razed; I returned to the empty lot with the pistol and shared the spirit of that pistol as a last witness of Wapakoneta history, with a crowd of local citizens in a speech on the lost jail’s history.