A contractor cleaning up Galveston State Park after Hurricane Ike discovered buried treasure: a US Military ammo can full of valuables.
The ammo can’s rubber seal preserved perfectly the treasures inside: a pair of diamond rings; dog tags; military medals, possibly from the Vietnam War or World War II; an 1863 Confederate $50 bill; silver certificates with serial numbers in consecutive order; silver bracelets; watches; an Art Donovan football card; and a mint condition, glass, Model A Ford radiator cap.
Pate also found family photographs, along with what he thinks is the owner’s wallet with a $20 bill, driver’s license and Social Security card stuffed inside.
Pate said the name listed on the license is John A. Sidwell.
The name is the same as that of a 59-year-old island man serving a two-year state jail sentence following a conviction on intoxication assault charges. The ages, as reported by Pate, match up, too.
On Aug. 7, 2004, Galveston police said one John A. Sidwell struck three pedestrians walking on the seawall. His truck was said to have been traveling about 60 mph when it swerved onto the sidewalk, hit a man and two women and a parked surrey.
The driver reportedly tried to back up and leave the scene with a 41-year-old Pasadena woman still trapped underneath, according to a Daily News article published the following day. A New Orleans man was critically injured.
Bystanders pulled the driver from the truck and detained him until police arrived.
Sidwell’s release date from a Dayton prison is April, according to state records.
It sounds as if Sidwell hid his most valuable possessions while he was on bail for the driving arrest. It indicates that he either had no friends at all, or that he had no friends he could trust. He apparently didn't trust banks, either, since he didn't place the valuables in a safety deposit box.
Ammo cans make pretty good treasure boxes. They have the advantage of being cheap, also.
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