Historic Places:  Murrell's Caves, Sabine Parish
Source:  Sabine Index, Many, La., Apr 21, 1999
Submitted by: Carl Dilbeck
              carlrad@earthlink.net 

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by Linda Vickers Seaman

  Erosion and treasure hunters will soon destroy what is left of these
caves, and a piece of Sabine Parish's history. These caves, to best of
my knowledge, were old Spanish gold mines, located southwest of Florien,
La., past the Antioch Church settlement.

  When Spain owned the Louisiana territory, they brought Apache Indians
with them from Mexico to use as their slaves. They found "flour gold" in
the sandstone earth near a spring and using the Indians, excavated a
series of caves and tunnels consisting of six rooms on two levels. The
expense of extracting the "flour gold" from the soil proved too great,
so they abandoned the mines.

  In time, these caves and tunnels were discovered by outlaws and used
to hide-out from the law and to hide their loot and belongings. Since
then, treasure hunters have found in and around these caves, old rotted
saddles, bridles, saddlebags, a few old coins, and spent bullets from
gunfights.

  These caves, according to some old way-bills, were said to have been
outlaw "Murrell's" number one "bank". The way-bills mention a seventh
room where over $15,000 in Spanish silver and gold bars were hidden. On
my exploring these caves, I saw no indication that a seventh room had
been found as of yet. Also, I want to add, these caves are very
dangerous. There are holes in the ground that appear to be bottomless,
and if someone were there alone and fall in, they could not get out.

  On my last visit to these caves in 1990, some treasure hunters were
there, busy at their digging. I did not venture close enough to see who
they were, but when they heard us approach, they stopped their digging
and got very quiet. One of them made a wide circle around us, hidden by
the forest, and at intervals, shot off a few rounds with their gun,
trying to scare us away. We then heard a car start up and they drove
away. We stayed where we were for a short time, then we left the site.
We didn't go down to where they had been digging for we weren't sure
they had not left someone behind to guard their dig. I have heard of
others being shot at when they went to these caves, so beware if you
attempt to explore them.

  Outlaw "Murrell", was supposed to have stayed in a small cabin that
had been built on the opposite hillside overlooking the entrance of the
caves. Stolen slaves were used to do various work in hiding the loot
that was stolen, and I would assume, were responsible for digging the
seventh room which Murrell speaks of. When the slaves were of no more
use to the outlaw, they were murdered and disposed of. They probably
had to dig their own graves. Murrell always said, "Dead Men Tell No
Tales".

  There were very old Beech trees in the cave area with various carvings
on them. One in particular, that I did not get a photo of, to my regret,
had a closed fist with one finger pointing in a certain direction. On my
return visit there, this old tree was missing. I could not even find a
stump where it might have been. Apparently, someone had removed all
evidence of it ever being there. The Finger pointed in the only
direction that the seventh room could possibly be in.

  Back during the time these caves were being used by the out-laws,
there were only two men who knew the location of that seventh room,,
and both of them were shot and killed by the militia on the very same
day. The way-bills Murrell had made for the hidden treasures were
consequently left in the hands of a young boy and his mother, and in
time have been scattered all over the country, stolen by treasure
hunters.

  Some of the loot has been found by following the directions of these
way-bills, but not all has been recovered.

  It is this history seekers opinion, that the treasure is still hidden
there, at "Murrells Caves", being guarded by the spirits of all the men
that were murdered there.