Springfield Treasure Hunt The Work Of Prankster

By Marcus Gilmer in Miscellaneous on Oct 5, 2009 2:40PM

Last week, we posted about Patty Henken, a woman who found what was purported to be a treasure map to a stash of $250 gold coins somewhere in Springfield. Her search had turned up empty and now it seems it may have been a prank, albeit one from the afterlife. The note Henken found attached to an antique chair was signed by "Chauncey Wolcott." But it now appears as if Wolcott was nothing more than the creation of a jokester who loved pulling odd pranks. According to the Tribune:

An Iowa woman contacted the State Journal-Register after reading news accounts of the hunt last week. She says Wolcott's real name was John "Jay" Slaven and he used to work at the newspaper.

Indeed, Dave Bakke, a writer for the State Journal-Register, did a little more digging and found that Slaven lived in a house from 1941 until 1976 on the lot where Henken says the note told her to dig. As for Henken the Treasure Hunter, she, too, seems to be taking this all with good humor. When reached by Bakke and told about the likely origin of the map, Henken said, “I am one of the worst practical jokers. I deserve to get this letter. He’s got one on me. And I’ll have to wait until I die to get him back.”

We hope she then added, "Because it's their time. Their time! Up there! Down here, it's our time. It's our time down here!"