This document is made available through the declassification efforts and research of John Greenewald, Jr., creator of: The Black Vault The Black Vault is the largest online Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) document clearinghouse in the world. The research efforts here are responsible for the declassification of hundreds of thousands of pages released by the U.S. Government & Military. Discover the Truth at: http://www.theblackvault.com \ ~- ··DOCID: . .. . .r 1' ' . ..-':,' 'J...; 65.6779· • • , . ··-··-······-· ::::.:.::::..-:-...=..·. ___ _.._._. __ ~:~~::~: !-•·---- ...... :.::: ... 7.:.··.:-:.·c· ;._-~"::~·:=~.:~-0~ ·····'····-·- ........ . ~. - -.~=·= BE f\L E PA' !) ~Q 5 ..._ 1 " • I I · (?resenting ~otail3 of en cll~~cd burial of gold, ~ilver a~d jewels n~ar Goose Creek, Dzdford, County, Vir3inia, ~y Tho~as J~fferson ::3-::a 1 e anci as ~ocic. t cs in ~!ove:.\bcr 1819 nnd Dec~n~er 1821.) :,y .. G~orge L. Hart, Sr. · ·. ln ·an· ettc~~t to brin8 up to-date ull that i~ kr.o~n end s~r~i3cd about ~be ~ubject. ·. ·.· 1964 .. ":" - ' . . -.. ·-·- -... -- . . .· • i . . . • . ~ t••• • =~. I. :::::·: I fjj;i. J::_: __ :_: . ~:::::.~ ···_····-· f:':': ~' , ..... ;~ !··· · · ~ l . i .. r . I DOCID; . . ·6567!:.~ TH(]EALE PAPERS. (Presenting details of an alleg~d buridl of gold, silver and jewels nG3r Goose Creek, B~dford, County, Virginia, by Thomas Jefferson Beale and associates in Nover.~8r 1819 and December 1821.) by : Geo. L. Hart, Sr In an attempt to bring . up-to-date all th<:!t is kno\·:n and surmised about the subject. .· · .... ... As of the present date, January 1, 1952, the writer will make effort to put ~n writing all that he knows or surmises about above subject, study and work upon which he spent manJ hours, , a total of many months, extending over a period from 1898 to ... 2, more or less in ~ollaboration with his brother, the late Clay- .. I. Hart) of Roanoke, Virginia. Along in the summer of 1897 my brother, then a stenographer the office of the Auditor of the Norfolk & Western Railroad, noke, Va.~ was requested by the chief clerk to th~ Auditor, . . ,. - • Hazlewood 2 .. then residing ~t 1/.ontvale,. (formerly Buford) ford County, Virginia, to make several copies of eight sheets ~otepap~r, two 1sheets headed simply "No.1", three .sheets headed .2u, and three shee~s headed "No.3". Curiosity impelled Clayton to ask I-.tx. Hazlewood what such Jres, most unusual in his experience in the office, could pos- ly mean. In the beginning of their conversation lr.x. Hazlewood :ed that th~y were connected with a treasure, said to have been ~ed some four score years before near the fo~t of the FGaks of ~r, which stood in all their majesty overlooking his residence; that, so far as he knew, said treasure had never been located • ·ton obtained permission to retain a copy of thci three ~iphers . . ' .ryptograms. . .. DOCID':, 656779 . . ' ,. Ciayton ir.uncdiately bega·n 'sfudy--i:·ng t.he. rr.-::~ninrJless figur€s, Page 2. discussif!g with Mr. Hazlewood from time to ti!':le this or that pos sibility; however, neither getting anywhere near the beginning of a solution. In~ ·fe...; months lk-. Hazle•soodts health began to fail,' . whereupon he expressed a·n intention to give no further attention to the mystery,_passing it on to Clayton with the admonition: ~Go ahead tin your own. I wish you success. Even though I have never made any headway in the matter of deciphering the figures, I remain reasonably confident the treasure lies buried where originally placed". . About that time Clayton learned that a nan by the name of Ward .· . . ... - had spent man)· ·years trying to find a·_ key, o:- keys, to the:: ciphers; • . . that he had found a key to one ciph0r, but had finally abandoned his efforts and published in pamphlet form all that he knew about the treasure. .. · .. ) I • Thereupon, _Clayb n journeyed to Lynchb;;rg, Va., 50 mi:J.~·s::- east of Roanoke, secured a copy of the printed pamphlet, and redoubled · ~ his efforts to find a solution. The ll_Januscript which will follow this foreword was prepared by James B. Ward, of Campbe-ll County, Virginia, contiguous to Lynch- ·. . burg, in the year ).885. It was printed in pawphlet form by the . Vlt"gining _Goose Creek, I following in the b.uggy. Th~ trail led tow\.\ our. le.nt:erns r:•ight pe seen in the ., neighborhood. Satizfied of -our safety fro~ intrusion, we asreed that each brother ~ . would c:!_ig, or shovel, for 10 :r.inutez, then to ~e relieved by. the other brother. This \rat to be continued until we locate~ the treasure, er were saticfie~ that it did not rest there. In the ~eanti~ the subject was re- lieved of his trance, and f.e_ lay do\m in the laavc$, apparently \voncerin,g h •• •. ~- 1~~~;£~~ ...... , f- -~ ~,=-­ r ' H~'"" "'ba.t we were ab?ut, but othenvise. zho\-lir.,g no intere::>t. ·~~ -- : ·.: He diligently set to work dig;in~. After cor~ six hours or more, in the we~ snall hou:$ of the f-:>llot-ri:-1; r::ornln_;, we ha;j succeeded in diggi ng a hole a.p!lroxi.r.~ately .six feet i:: .d ~~~h, ' ;. . .· , ) • I t~=-~-=o_ [;o:;;o: Ei3~_;_=_~ K::.::::; DOCID: 65677.9 .. ! Pago 6. l a~.d sll9htly le;~gc~ than a 9ravc• Our strength v;as about gone, we we're filled with "misgivings, and, •then, whE:n about 8 of the ., :I.! I .. :. • 10 min"utes of my brother's. turn had· been use.d, hi·s pi ek struck a rock that produ~ed a hollow sound. He looked up at me, his ,~ eyes flashing the fire of hope, and I 1 in my own enthusiasm, said: . . . "You 1 r~ pl&yed out! Permit me to relieve you now!" But, no, he replied: "Let me finish my alloted time 11 • After awhile we succeeded in removing the rock, but the hoped-for pots of gold and silver were not underneath it. Now, were we let down? To relieve: our chagrin the S\..!bj~:ct was again r· ~ . hypnotized and· a~:{ed to ·reveal the .wher<::abouts o.f th:: treasure. Rising on the oalls of his feet, as if" in disgust; he pointed to ·the left about two feet, directly undexneath.the great oak .. l txee, and exclaim~d!.-.'~Thexe it is! You got ovex too fax! Cant.t· you see it? 11 ...... ·.·-- Thereupon I Has completely let-down, and t:nwilling to make any further attempt, certainly so far as that trip was con- cerned. Crestfallen, we wended our way back heme. A week or two later my brother r~turned to ·the spot alone, I refusing to accom~ pany him. He provided himself with dynamite, and upon his return home he informed me that he blasted out the old tree, and about . · eve.rything near it--but, still no pots of gold, silver a·nd jewels. Was there anything more that we should and could. do? A.fter a short ·lapse of time my brother and I held a conf ere nee·. We re- ... . viewed all that we had done, .or attempted to do, and tried to map out a plan oj future action, if any, we should take. We agreed that we had never heard that a person could transfer to the mind of a hypnotized subject, his own beliefs or knowledge, and get the subject to repeat them; yet we ~~nderod if, after all, that - - - - - - - - - · - · - - - - - - - - - - ______________ ;;;;_ · - · · - - · - · - - - - --:; __ ~:-:: .. =:-=-o.~--;::-_,-,-- ----• ~-~ cJ9C -, •• DO~II!)C!'erfJ>§;t)"f'rf'lv~ere nc.ar:~ the spot to ~ .. hich the ·subject led us; . . . . .. . nox h~d he any thought that Beale and his pJrty had gone there while seeking a place to hide their treasure:. s", why did the subject . lead us to that spot? \'le could not then, nor d~ we now, find any . , ' satisfactory answer. Like many other questions· that flash through one's mind, there seems no way to turn in the hope of getting the mystery cleared up. Subsequent to my visit to the spot pointed out by'the sub- ject, I gave less and less time to a study of the ciphers; and, about 1912, ! ceased altogether. Cla~ton, on the other hand, made many visits to the spot, and continued his interest in the ciphers until his death September 6, 1949. ~ In 1919 I-move~ to Washington, D.C., and b~gan the prac- tt.:o~--=--0 i~--- t · - · ~ ~~ ~ ~;_;; ;> !::::::· L:·_-_- __ [:::::~~ c::::-:- f:-;-~ .. -:~--- ~III!l: ~~~~~~- tice of my profession in that city, whc:re, until 1946, I was ex-. •. . tremely busy, night and day • So, after 1919, j" only gave casua'l thought to the subject; :-pow· and then_· going back and :readir)g'' over my old papers, and writing to some one, or tall:ing with soma one about it. In th~ December, 1924, number of THE A~~RICAN I re~g an article about Colonel George Fabyan 1 wf Riverbank Laboratories, Geneva, Ill., and ~is success during World War I, ana since, in reading code messages. I wrote to him, sending a copy of the three ciphers; and, after some correspondence back and forth, I forwarded to him a copy of such data as I h~d, but with special reque·s·t t~at he not make any use of the manuscript, or ciphers, •ther than an attempt to decipher the ciphers. I made this re- quest because my brother Clayton, then living, was trying to . . prepare something hr publicathn, which he never did. Under date of February 3, 1925, Coltnal Fabyan replied, and, among other things of no special interest to me, said: DOCID: 6.5671·9 '· " "tk • .-<, in rt:ie::renco -tc {he t.hr~~" ciph~rr.: H. SJ:~Pm~ 3i.proh- able to us that a cipher cf this bharacte~ could be deciphered by .a novice without the key, 'regardless of whether he put 20 yea:r:s Page 8 • . : or 40 years on it~ The cipher would be classified as a complex ,J substitution cipher--variable-key system, or pseudo code; and even though one were .toldthat the Declaration of Independence was the key, unless it -~·1as intimated as to how it was used as a key, we· think that the novice would have been utterly baffled as to how tc use it. Th~ stumbling of a novice upon a method of this character lies !'ather beyond the range of possibility, and the conviction fol- lowe that the~ 'flere in possession of the key of noi;. only No.2, but ·. also of No.1 a.nd No.3, with the result that the treasure referred to has h·ng ~i.-nee · been removed and converted • "I repeat, that . the problem has my interest, and I am .. writing in ·the vain hope that either you or Clayton I. Hart can give us further Llformation, because the --··-l....,..., _,....,, of ~+ is abc-ut }J.->]~11\o•:""V~J .- ,., -...., ... all we have to go en in 'picking out our point of att~ck, · In the· meantime we will retain the pamphlet, and work on it as we can find time to doso.n But I neve!' heard further from Colonel Faby~n, and assume that he was unable to -d·· anything toward clearing up the mystery. ,; ...... ; __ ! E;~:·~~-- As I often said to my brother, and wrote to Colonal F ab- yan, it is possible that the whole thing is without basis. I have wond~~ed if '.'lard might have written his manuscript based upon some . . . . . · figures he fou~d, or made up.; and yet, w~ have the word of Ward, his son, and friends to. the contrary: Inquiry among some aged neighbors of i'lard showed the high respect they had for him, and brought forth the stater.lent that Ylard would never prt~ctice decep- tion. - · - - - - - - - - - - -.Page ':J. .. :. DO~Da:G a6.5t.ti11l.Qelight ~o·ri the ramifications of this work 1 . wil1 add-' the following; In 1917 my wife ·asked me to dz·ive her \.. own for a visit to her first cousin, Mr. Otey, ncar i!~ntvale; ormerly Buford. On arrival·-at-II!orrf::yale we v:are directed to drive ~:·· I ' long .Goose Creek,· cross· .that· stream ·at tha first crossing, and . . . . .. :. '" . ------ . ..... ..:':. : . .. _::: ··.:-~ .. . . ...... . - ... . "• .. OJ /j/ v '-~o . . , . rive up the other side, when we would raac:h i!.r. Otey' s place. 11 of \:lhich we did. While sitting out on the porch_ enjoying ·a lass· of lemonade, I remarked that some years before I had had ·ccasion to drive up the old road, on :the other side of. the creek, n a buggy. Being asked the:occasion for such a visit, I told .im the story of our digging. He laughed, loud ~nd long, telling . e it cleared up a·mystery that had worried the people along the . . . ~ . :ceek for upward~ of 20 y'ears. He stated that after the first ole we dug was discovered, some of his neighbors watched all night or·a few days, armed with shotguns; and that after what was de- -cribed as "the great explos_ion", a watch was again £et f~r a week r 10 days, without result. I have often wondered what became of the key, c-r keys, to . he ciphers, left by Beale with some friend 'in St • Louis, when he ;as there in 1822, and visited the Planters Hotel. / / ! t ' • The following is what Ward wrote, and had printed in pam- >hlet form, about the Beale Papers: "THE BEALE PAPERS urhe following details of an incident that happened many ·e-ars ago, ·but which has lost none of its interest on that account, ,re now given to the public for the first time. "Until now, for reasons which will be apparent to every ·ne, all knowledge of this affair was confined to a very limited :ircle--to the writer's i~mediate family, and 'riend, upon whose discretion he could al.ways to one rely. old Nor and valued was it I - {::;;;:_ i ~~';;;~ ~f~~E: i .a . ...... .o; ·. r~~~-~~ DOCI'f{:in~~~T-7gravel beyo~d that· circlel But circumstances " .over ~hich he had no control,· pecuniary embar~assm~nts of a .. pressing character, and duty to a·dc~r.rlant family requiring ·.his undivided attention; force him to abando!) a task to which he has devoted the best years of his life, but which seems as , .. v far from accomplishment as.at the start. ·He is,: t~t--~(o~\1- .c-tltt}- · pelled~ ho\vever unwillingly, to x-alinqtris!l to c.~~r?. the eluci dation of th: Beale Paperss not doubting that c! the mC\nY who will give the subject attentions some one, through fortuneo> or accident wil.l speedily solve their mystery al!d· s:cure. t.he p.dze which has eluded him. 11 It can· be r·eadily imagined that this course was not de- termined upon -all at once. Regardless of tho ~.rrtreaties of his ... family and the persistent advice of his friends,.who were formerly as sanguine as himself, he stubbornly continuec~ his investigations, until absolute wa,1t stared him in the face and forced him.:: tO::: yield to their persuasions. Having now lost all hope~ of benefit from this. source to. himself, he is .not unwilling thdt others may re- . ' ceive it, and only hopes tha:t the prite may fall to some poor, but honest man, who will use his discovery not sole~y for the promotion of his own enjoyl:lent, but for the wdfare of others, . . . 11 Until the writer lost all hcpe._of ultimate success, he toiled faithfully at his work. Unlike any other pursuit with practic~l and natural results, a charm attended it, independent of the ultimate benefit he expcct~d; and the possibility of sue- cess lent an interest and excitement to th~ work not to be re- sis ted. "It would. be difficult to portray the delight he experienced when accid~nt Tevaalcd to him the explanation of paper marked "No.2". Unr.:e~ning, as this had hitherto been, it was now i"~~~~-­r----·- -. ----- ... _ . . ··- -------- -- -·-= DOCID: 656719 . " •· fui.iy expla3..ned 1 and no difficulty w<>s ~pprt:~endcd in mastering . . . .. l •• . . PCJga ll. the oth~rs. But thi~ uccident, affordin:j so much pleasurt! at the time, was a most unfortunat~ one for him, as it induced him to neglect fc:mily 1 friends, and all legitimate pursuits for whut1 ~ . - has proved, so fa~, the veriest illusion • .. : ...... "It will b~ seen by a perusal of Mr. Beale's letter to 1..C.r. M:>rriss that he promised, under certain conti~gencies,. such as failure to ~ee or communicate with him in a given time, to fur- nish a key _by which the papers would be fully ·explained. "As the failure to do either actually occurr~d, and the pl·omised expl~nation has nev~r been receive?' rt ID?Y po~sib~y remain in the hands of some relative or friend of Beale's, or some . . other perso'! .engaged in the .enterprise with hi·m. That they would V, attach no importance to a seemingly unintelligible writing seems · quite naturul; but their attention being cc:lled to them by .t.be publication o_f U :is narrative, may ~OC11,.f- -\n • \w - - - ~ - · · : t to light the mis~ing papers. eventually bringing . ' 11 1.~. Beale, who deposited with (.f,r. :.~rriss the papers which. ./ form the subject of this his_tory, is described as being a gentleman, well educated, evidently of good family, and v:i th popular manners. What motives. could have influenced hi~ and so many others to risk . their health and their lives in such an undertaking, except the - . natural love of daring adventure, with its consequent excitement, we can only conjecture. "We . may s~ppose, and indeed we have his ~ord for so doing, that they were infatuated with the dangers, and with the wild and roving charact~r of th.:dr 1i ves., the charms of which lured thel:l farther and farther from civilization, until the:ir lives were sacrificed to their temerity. This was the opinion of Mr. 1.-!orriss, ~ft~ •n +h}~_w~v nnlv ~~n w~ ~ccount for the fact th~t the treasure DOCID: 656779 .. '· .• ' fCJr Which they Sucrified _t-O much, constituting almo~t fabulous . . Page 12. wealth, lies abandoned and unclaimed for more than half a century. . . . •. nshould any of my readers be more.fortunate than myself in'J . ... . . discovering its place of concealment, I shall.not only rejoice with them, but feel that I have.at le~st accomplish~d-something in contributing to the happiness of others. . ·. "Robert t.~rriss, the custodian of the Beale Papers, was ·. ''TH~ ·.LATE ROBERT }f.CRRISS. ~ . . . ... . . .. . .. . : born in 1778 in the State of Maryland, but removed at an early . . age, with his far:~ily, to Loudoun County, Virginia, where; in 1803, . ~ •. . .• he married i,uss Sarah Mitchell, a fin:- locking .and accomplished ....... young lady"of'·th:1t county. . . "In obtaining -~~ch a wife 11"\:r. Morriss was peculiarly for-:. ~. • . 1 tt.inate, as ht:r subsequent career,fully demonstrated. As . ...a. wife she was without reproach, as a genero~s ~rvl c:v .... "'=>+'l-,1' Zl. r.,.. '':' .. -J ·~t-'u ..... ~ . . she was without an equal--the poor will long r::me:nber her _charities, ... - ·- ....... _ .- ~·: · - 'I'Cman '".• ~ and lament the friend they hav~ lost. · "Shortly after his remqval to Lynchburg it.:r. 1;~rriss· en- . . . . - gaged in the mercantile ·business, and shortly thereafter he be- came a purchaser ~~d shipper of .tobacco to an" cxt~nt hitherto unknown in this section. In these pu:-suits he was eminently . . . successful for several years, and spe~dily accuQulated a comfort~ . abl~ _independenc~. '!It was d~ring this period of his success that ~~. ~orriss . . erected the first brick building of which the town cfuld boast, and which still stands on Main Street, a monument to his enterprise. l'""** "** o- ~i~~~~~~f- His private residence, the house no\'/ owned and ~ccupied by /.!ax Gug- . genheimcr, Esquire, at the head of Main Street, I think he also - -- - - - - - - - - - - - · - -- .......... - ~· .. _-;;:;._ .. - . ··r ~ . . ·---· - ~ •• • -·- • ..o.---=--- ___ ..;;.,_ . ...;..._ DOCID: ... 656779 t: ' • • .· c 1.· ' ; '·: ... ;J .. . . .. assembled there more frequently than elsE-where, ~nd there ara now living some whose pleasant recollections ·arc associated with that . . ~ . . - .~.·.\ •:. .. .. . . , · Page 13. period. (• . • f "The happiness of 1J!r. i!;Orriss, howcvel) was of short dura tion, for reverses carne when they were least expecb:d •. Heavy pur- chases "of tobacco, at ruinous f~gures, in anticipation of an.up- ward mark_et, which visions were never realized, swept from him . ..... , in a moment the savings of years, and left himnothing save his . . honor and the sincere sympathy o~ the cont'Tluni ty, with which to I • • •. begin the battle anew. "It was at this time that Urs. Morriss exhibited the love- liest traits of. her· character. Seemingly u~~indful of her .condi- tion, with a smiling.face and cheering words, she so encouraged, . . . . . . _. her husband that he became almost reconciled to his fate. :::: :'::;; .. "Thrown thus upon his own resources, by the advice of pis wife, Mr. ll.orriss leased for a· term of years t:hE! \-'Jashington Hotel, known now as the Arlington, .on Church St:r:eet, and cor:-:.rnenced the ·. , b~siness of hotel k~eping. }iis ~ind disposition, strict probity, excellent managerr.ent, and well-or~ere~ hou~ehold, soon rendered him famous as a host, and his reputation extended even to other States. His was the house par excel~~nce of the town, and no fashionable asser.~lages met at any other. ~~~inding, in a few years, that his experiment VJas sue- ·cessful and hi~-. business remunerative, he removed to the Franklin Hotel, now the Norvell House, the largest and best arranged in the city. This house he conducted for many years, enjoying the friendship a_nd countenance of the first men of ~he country. Amongst his guests and devoted friends were Jackson, Clay, Coles, - '• . . man who sympathized with their rnisfortunt:s, and was ever ready p:reciated Mr. l.'.orriss.:. Tne ·poor and· lowly had blessin3s :for .the . ., ~ to relieve· their distres·s. Many poor Qut worthy families, whose . . . descendants are now in our midst, can r~merr~~r the fact that his .. • I .. • ·I ·. . . table. supplied their daily food, not for days and waeks only, but fer months at a time. And, as a further instance of his forbear ance and unparalleled generosity, there are now living those \"lho will testify to the fact that he permitted a b()arder, in no way connected with him, to remain in his house for more than twenty years, and until ne died, without ever .receivin3 the slightest remuneration, and that he wds never made to feel otherwise than as a favored g~est. "In manner Irir. l~.orriss \'.'as courteous and gentle; but when occasion demanded he co"lild be stern and detarmined, too. He . . was emphatically the master of his house, and ·from his decision ' . . there was no appeal. As an uold Virginia gentleman", he w·as · ----~s~R~n~s~.nP.ur At s~ns rP.pror.h~ and to a i~markable extent possessed the confidence and affection of his friends. · "After a checquered and eventful life pf more than eighty years, passed mostiy in· busine:ss, which brought him in cnntact with all classes of people 1 he died, la~ented by all, and leaving not an enemy _behind. His cieath, ·which occurred· in 1863, was just two y~ars 'subsequent to that of his wif~~ It can be truly said . tha.t no pc:.rson~ ever lived !.n a cor.Jnuni ty for such a length of time who accomplished more ·g:>od durin:~ tht:ir l i v~s, of whose death· was more universally regrct~ed. "It was the unbl~mishcc character of th~ man, and th~ uni- vcrsal confidence reposed in him, .that induc~d Beale to ~ntrust him wi"th his seer.::~. and. in certain contingencies, selt'ct him for .a most important post~ th.at his confide:nce was not misplaced - - DDCI.D: 656779 ~very ~ne :remembering .•.fr. lrforriss will acknowledge. nit was in 1862, the s~cond yc~r of the Confed~rate war, t • that Mr. Morriss first intimated the possession oi a secret that .. . .. . . . . was destin~d to make some persons wealthy. At first he was not ,, very communicative, nor did I press. hi~ to reveal what he seemed to spe~k of with reluctance. In a few weeks, however, his mind s.eemed changed, and he volun:tarily proffered his confidence. "Inviting me to hi~ room, with no one to interrupt us, he gave me an outlin~ of the m~tter, which soon enlist?d my interest and cr~ated.an intense longing to learn more. About this time, . . -. however, affairs ~f importa~ce requir~d~my pr~sence in Richmond, ·and prevented furth..:!r com.rnunication between us until after my return, when I found 11~. Y~rriss ready to resume the interesting subject. A private interview wus. ~oon arranged, an~, after several .. preliminaries hac! been complied with,, the papers upon which .this history is based were del~vered into my po~session. "the reasons which influenced ~~ •. t~rriss in selecting me for th"=. t:t:ust he_ gave, and were, in subtanc~, c.s follows: First, friendship for myself and faoily, whom he would benefit if he could. - Sec~nd, the kno\~ledge that I was young and in circumstances ____ . to afford leisure for thetas~ imposed. And,_finally, a confidence that I would regard hi~ instructions and carry out his wishes re- garding his charge •. These, and perhaps others, he gave during our frequent _convcrsations"upon the subject; and, doubtless, he . . ·believed he was conferring a·favor which would redound greatly to my ad.vantage. that it has proved otherwise is a misfortune to me, but no fault of his. "The conditions alluded to above were that I should- devote as much time as was practicable to the papers he had given me; .. . \ . . I .;. . .. . . DOCID: ... naster, if pos.dbl~, thc:!ir ~cont-:·nts; ~rd if 'succC.ssful ~n dc.•cip~:erin~ 65.67"'1·9~ ~ . . ' .,·· • .. ~ . . · .. ';·. ·. ~ :· . . . .. ~ .... their ~aanin~ and ev~ntua11y finding the trca~ur0, to appropriat~ onc.-h:J.lf of his Frtio~ -as -~·.l'E"t'l:l'~!?::rat(on f.or .ny ·ser,;{ces, "the other ,J . half to be di~tributcd to certain r~lativcs·~n1 connactions of his . . , O'l-m, whose nar.ws he lf.avo 11e; tho rcr;ain<.fdr to be held "py m'3 in . trust for the benefit of such clai~nts as ni€-ht at any tine appear and be able to authentic!:J.te their cb.i.T":ls. This lntter 4mcunt to . ·.: . be left intact subject to such dc·'Hlnc!s for tho sp:lCC o£ hiC .. ty years, . · .. :· . : · .. :·. v7hen, if still unclair1cd, it should revert to ny~elf or -my heirs, ~ ·.:r.r:· . t • uAs there w--as nothine· objectionable in -::.his,· the r€!quir~d .: ·. ·:·: ... .• ;. _ • • • ~ ; · . • , . . .. ~ . 0 promise ·t-.ch th(:irho:rn~s, from '\-Ihich they had long be~n absent. -.. "They c-.11 apreared to be gc.;'ltlQ:ncn, :;.nd with a free and imkpcndent ?-ir, 'Hhich. rend-~red them· -peculie.rly attractive. n "'cr rcrr.a~n1ng a week or ~·f.l. • . -ten days ~he- two_ left) v:ith ex;>re~sions cfsatisf<:!.ction "hrith their visit. f.3eale, 1·1ho r~mained., soon bec3r.ie a ·f-avored· and popular guest. His social cisposition ~nd friendly dewcanor rcnde:.edhir. •. extr~uQL/ fOpular .~th ev~ry one, particularly th~ l?..dies, and a plc;;.sar,t and friendly int«:;rcourse r:<:~.s quickly csta.bJ.ish~d .between then • 11 In :pC?rson l3cala was about six feet in height, ·vn.:t~_jet black eyes, . ' and hair ofthc Sq:r:'~C.. color., worn lc~~z tho..n -...l.J.S the style .::.t that. time. - ... fom wasSyt":.letric:U an1 &ave evid~nce. of "'..l..iusual strength and activity. . - fb .. s .3nt posure to the sun and we~ther h~d thorou~hly tanned ar.d discolored him. - - - · • - fir' - · - - .. 11This, hO\·le.v~ ,· c:lir.! not detract frol') his a:p-ytJ?rn portion of the Sj:,ate::. Curiously enough, he n?ver.adv~rted to his f~ily or to his ant~ccdants, . nor did I c;uestion hi.'ITl concerninG thr:m, as i '"'ould h2ve done had I dre:unod ·. of the interest that in the future would attach to hi~ name • . tt'Hr. Beale r~!nained with me until about th~ latter Qnd of the him to r.1y P,ouEe and. who !"lad returned so::1o days be:iorc. 11AfteT this I heard nothin(; }.':rom l·:r •. ~c:-.~e until JanuaryJ 1822, 1-:hcn he once m9rc nadc his app:arance, the s~~c ~~nial and popular gentlenan as b~forc, but if -yossible, darker and s;::n:thicr th~ fNGr. :Iis welcome was a genuine one, . as a~ l•Iere. aclighted _to Si3e G:i..~. 11 In the Sp!"in~, at ~bout th-~ Sar.l(; time, he a~ain -i6rt. Pu~, befor~ doing so,· Beale ?-l:mdod to me this box, ·..;hie~, as he said, contained papers ' . . of value; and i.':l{-~-.Jrtunce, anC. -:vhich he de~ired to lf;:B-vc in my ch:s.r~e until . called f0r h~:rea:ft8r. Of course, I rli?.not decline to r0~ive tha'll, but little L~~6ined thsir ~~port~cc until his letter fro~ St ~ouis was rec~ived. . · . . This letter I ca::-cfully·pr~served, :md it •rl.ll be given 1tith these ?apcrs. "Tte box "H~s ofiron 1 c~r~fully locke-4, and :lf such weight as to render it a s:.i.:: ~h:p::>sitory fo:r article-s of vslue. I placed it in a safe and secure !ll::.cc, 1r1!v~ro it c'?uld not be disturBed until such tirile as it .· ' . should b-3 de:i:tnt.l\..'\.1 by its o-vmcr. "The· letter I alluded to .nb:lv~ \.:as the la.ct co~unication I ever rocnivcd frorn ~c~lG, a~d I never sm.' hin ar;ain. I c~n only suppose th~t he wa~ killcri by Inrii.ans, afar from his ho::tc, - - - -- L ~c:c . F -.: l-_~_-_ !~:~~~- ~t­ f_:-- l~_,_c_'_-- - --------- -~~_: ____ -·---··- ... . DQCID:. 656779; Page 19 .- thoQ.ch no Lhin~ '\OS hc:a.rcl or hi~ dc~th. l~s co~p~nion5, too, ~ust all have shared his fate ~s no one ha~ ever deManded the box or cl~imc~ his effects. nThe box was left in MY h~nds in the SprinG of 1822, and, by authority of his letter, I should ll~ve examined its contents in 18)2, ·ten , I years thereafter, havin; he~d nothin~ from Beale in the ~eantimc.· nut it was not until 181~5; sc:=~e 2) years after it CarlS into my possession, that I decided upon opening it. Puring that year I had th~ lock broken, ands with the cxcep~ion of the 'tv1o letters to :!"Jself, and some ·old receipts, found only some unintelligible papers, covered '1-"ith fi;;ures, and totally incompreh~nsible to me. 11},-cc_ordins: to . his letter thc~c p::.per~ convey . all the inform~tion necessary to find the treasure he has concealed, and upon you devolYes the rcs,onsibility of r<:covering it. Should you succeed you i·:ill bo amply •. !\ rc:i,.mbursed for your -vTork, and others ne~ an:l dear to r:Je will likc:n-:isc be benefitted. The end is vTorth _all your exertions, ~.nd I,.,ha'~:: e every ho?e ' 'that success w-.ill re-vrc>.rd your e;:f.forts. 11 Such, in substance, 'H-3-s_ the statcm<:nt o.f Br. l<..Prriss in answer ·t() the v~r~ous interroe~torics propound~d to h~. And, findinb that I could elicit no .further in.forrr.ation, I resolved to do the best I could i·lith the li~ted reeans at my dis?osal. . . 11 1 co~~cnced by reading over and over again the letters to }~. ~orriss, end~avoring to irn~rcss eRch syllable they contained on ~y memory, and to extract from them, if possible, scmc ~caning or allusion that might giv~, a faint or barely perceptible hint_ as a guide. i-!o such cle:-1, houcver, could I find, an~ where or how to co~-~cnca was a ?roblem I found most diffucult to solve. · 11To ~stcrr.o.tiz.e a plan for my work I arran.;ed the p:1~crs · ~~ ~~~ • . Pabo20 ~n t:hC: ortk·r of t.~L·J.r l:mcth, '1.n'J nunb·~:-orJ thr.:::; 1 do:::.r;r,~n;, to cor:l:r~cnce l-ri th the first and devote rny.wholc attention to tr•at until I h~d ~ithcr unraveled its m~aninb or was convinced of its imposs~bility--afterwar~s to take up the others, and proceed ~s before. "All of this I did in the course of tL~e, but failed so completely ·that r:1y hopes of solving the m:,rstery rmrc well nigh abandoned. !-ly thou.;hts, however, were constantly uron it, and the fisures ·cont~inea in e~ch paper, in their regular ordEr, l-rcrc fixed in r..y r:1e~ory. i·~T in?rt:ssion Has th~t c:ach figure represGnted a letter, but as the n~~bers so.&r~atJy exceeded the letters of the alphabet, I HOndcred if it Here rossible:; th.:J..t SO.r:le document had been used, and the words numbered. . i ! i I l ~ 11~ith this id6~ in r:;ind a test ~oras r:1ade of every book I could produc.;, •. by nwnbering the letters and comparins their n~~bars ·with those of the I ma._r1uscript. ,ill to no pur::'ose, hoi·rever, until the "Pecl~ation of \Indepc:mcl.cnce· afforded the clevi to one of the pa\'icrs, · and revived my hopes;-::. ·.\ ~ ·"To enable r:1y readers to bett~r understand the cx?lRnation. of this ' paper the DecL"lr.3.tion of Indepcntlencc is ejven herevrith, th0 v1ords numbere:l in consecutive order. ·I ~ sure th~s vrill be ofintGrest to those designing to follm·1 up my investigations. 'vlhcn I first p.ad~ this discovery I thnubht I h~d the key to the -whole, but soon ase·~rt"lincd that further l-Tork \·:as n0ccssary before r.JY task could be comple-ted. The encouragcncnt afforded, hoi·rcver 1 by this discovery enabled Me tp proceed, and I h:1ve persisted. in oy labors to the present time. ~-v:, as ·r }:l=ivc already said, I am !.'orc<:>d by circu."!.stanccs to devote ny ti:ne to other oursui ts, an:·~ to abandon hopes. \o~hich t-:er•J de;. tined never to be realized. f j ~ . I [ 1 j ; i i : ! ' . ; •. ; ' t ! ! : ~ I r i ; ; ' ! ; 'I ' . "' ; : f: -~--- .I ! l ! : , ... ~~~~-- d I .. I: ------ ·······~ .. ~ 0 .: ~OClD: 65.6179 Page 21. 'I ) · ' "The follov1i.n~ i sthe .let tQr addre::;::;c.-d t.o f1r. ~i~rriss by .Beale and dated 3t. Louis, :1ay, 1822, and was the latczt co~~unication ever rc~cived from him. ·. Robt. l·iorriss, !sq. Hy esteemed friend: .·· liSt. Louis, !!o., 1-:ay 9, 18(!2~ · Ever since leaving rny comfortable quarters at your house I have been journeying to this place, and only succeeded in reaching it yesterday. I have had, altogether 1 a pleasant tine 1 the \·:cather being fine and the atmosphere bracing. I shall ranain he~e a 'Heck or ten days longer J then "ho 11 for the plains, to hunt puffalo a.'t'2d cn~ounter the savage grizzlies • . How long I may be abse:.:nt · I cannot . noH- det~r.:-d.nc, certainly not less than •. \··!ith regard to the box left in your char~e- I have a fe-.-7 '\vords to say, and, if you will ~e~it ~e, give you some instructions concernihg it. It contains papers vitally affecting the !'ort.ur.es of rnysei}:·,:cfnd r..any others engaged in business 1dth ~e, and in the ·_event ,,f r:JY death its loss r.-.i.t;ht be ' irrepa.t:"able. :rou vl'ill, ·therefore, see the necc:s.sity of guardine it "n. th v~gilance and care to prevent so great a catasi..rophe. It also contains some letters addressed to yourself and which ~-11 be necessary to enlighten you concerning _ the ,bus~ness in i·!hich we are e:n.[;agc~. Should none · of us ever return you •dll plr;ase' prese~ve care.fully the 'box for a period of ten years from the date of this lett~~, and if r,·or_no on~ ~~th authority fro~ ~et during th~t time demands its restoration, you ~~11 op~n it, which can be done ·by removing the lock. You wiil find, in addition to the papers addressed to you, ·other papers which will be uninte1li;iblc ~~thout th~ aid of a key to assist you. I DOCID: 656779 · " · .::>u,cn .a Y.cy J. nave: 1.c ... · ... rt. · J.r, 1 . th r '"' c ,w.n•.1S o '- :'l .race :.::::.::: r~cnr; J n n~s r ;1c~-! sea c: r · 1 d , t'L · 1 ..t • ··- ··- addressed t,c, your!:clf 1 and endorsed 11 \fot. t':> b~ d0li V':~r<:d U.'Tlil June 1 18)2 11 • By means of t{:is ypu .,rill understand fully all y~:m "h'ill be required to do. . ~ . I. kn'?rr you \·!ill cheerfully ccimply 'ldth this roquest, thus. adding to . . the t:'lan;.' obligations under \·l!'lich you have alroady placed me. In the meantime , . ~ ·-­ ~:;:-. c.:.-_-_- f::~~~ !:"'=-=--,, ... r ... ------~ should death or sickness hapf:~n to you, to which all arc liable, rl1=1ase select . . from among your friends some one worthy, and ~o hin hand . this l<::ttcr, anj to hi~ delegate your authority.· I h~ve b8e~ thus oarticular in my instructic~s in consequence of the ~":>rr.e..,rh<:-1.. F~ril('us entcryrise in which we arc ~-:1Ja§ed, but trust 'He shall Jllcct long er€:. . t'l!c; tine .expircs, and so save you this trouble. ~e th~ result What it ~ay 1 hOWCVCr 1 the ftC..:iC is WOrth thC: Candle and v70 ~·rill play it tO the.end. .. .. · y!i th \find est wis~es foryour most cxc::clJ ent •nfe, co:.-:p_l~m-~nts to the ladies, a good \-vor_d to onqui.ring ~ricnds 1 i f U:(~G be any 1 and assurances of: ·:!. ·:~.~ ~ my hi;;!lcst esteer:t for yr~ur~elf 1 I rcrr.ain_, a:. c~·er, .. Your sincere f.ri~nd, s n. Tho • Jeff • Deale. · ~ •~- -~o e:-.o~'=c '!,\ft~r th~ r~e?tion of this lott.:!r t~r. Horris states that he -v:as · particularly careful to· sec the box ~ecuroly placed, wht:re it could remain in abst)lute saf.::ty so long as _the e>:iscncics of the ca:::;e might require. The le~ t!;-r, too, ho was equally. c~reful to t;r-a::crve for futuro uso should it b0 ne,:.'(j_ed. '. ''iiaving done all that -..Ias rcquir~d of hir., ~:.r. Morriss could only awai~· 3cale 1 s _ r~tur~, or so~c co~~unic~tion !ror. hL~. In cithnr case he was disappointc.t3., nor 1id a line cr :rncss~i~e ever r..:ach him. DOCID: 6567·79 Page 2) "During this : ... ~rio':! rw.ors of In'.li::m outr::~.;·:.::; aml m~ssacr~s were current, but no mention of 3~alc's n~~ ever occ~rr~1. ~mat bccane cf him and his companions is left entirely t_o conjecture. - "hr~thcr he vras sl~in by Indians, or killed by th; savage animals of _the .locky ~-~ountains, 'or IJ ~hcthcr exposure, and nerhar-s privation, did its work can never ~c told. One :thing at lE)ast is certain, that of the young and gallant band, -v:hosc · buoyant snirits led then to seek such a life and to forsake the comforts · of home 1 -rd th all its enjoyments, for .vf. nece~sarily encountor, ~o~ a Survivor the dangers and privations they must re:nains. 11Thourrh lir. l~orriss v:as aware of th& contents of the box in l8l1-5 it was not until 18IS2, forty years aft'3r he received it, that he thought propc;r to nentio~ its exist8nce 1 and to myself alan~ did he then di~Jlge i~. •. He had beco~~ long since s~tisfie~ ~hat the_ parties were no longer living, but his delicacy of feeling pr0vcntcd him assur.~ng as a fact. a matter so • • p , : p pregnant v:-Lth ccnsoquences. !!(: frequcmtly :::cc;i.d:"?d 'J;!on acing so, and as often. delayed it for anothc;r tine. And '"h~n, at .last, he qicl speak of th·~ matter it 1-ras with s~e:ming relu~tance, as if .. hc felt he • ..-as cow..:nitting a ~Tong. .~ut the story once told h~ evinced up to the time of. his death the greatest intereGt··.in 'hlY success, and in frequent intervie"rs encouraged me . to pr~ceed. 11 It is nqi-7 more than twenty years since these _p:rpcrs. cam? into my hands, and, vuth th~ exce?tion of one of t~cm, t~ey arc ~till as inco~prehen­ sible as ever. liuch time 1-1.as devoted to this one, and those ,_,.ho enbage in the matter will to savt::d ;.rhat has been consu.-ned UFOn it myself. "?eforo giving the papers t? the public I ;.;ould say a >-lord to those who may take an int~rcst in them, and give them a little advice, acquir~d r.:,!_:,::-0- ~==~~-~a~ DOCID: 65.6779 Page 24 by bit.tcr exr-~riencc. It is to devote only suer. liflic as can be: spared ·fror!l your legiti'Cl:'l.tc busine:ss to the tazk, and, if you can spare no time, .• let the matter' alone. Should you disrcgard.my advice, do not hold me .'· responsible that pov~rty you hav~ courted is more easily found than the ,~ . . . . . this - accomplishment of your "t-rishes, and I rrould avoid the sight of another reduced . .. .. .. to my condition. . is 11 Nor it necessary to devote the time that I did to !'latter, as accident alo:1e, without the pro!"!isr.:d key, ·._.rill ·ov-er develop the myst£lr-y. If revcaled.by accident a feH hours devoted to the subject r;ay accoi!lplish re.sults -vrhich w~r~ denied to yGars ~f pa.ti~nt .t·~il. :1g~ ~,., n'"·ve- ~ .. -~·- 1 2 • - "'s I ~ 1 ~ · have ·done, sacrifice your m·m and your f::t'"'lilY 1 s. intc:-£"·sts to i·rhat ~ay prove an ill,~sion; But, ·as I have already S!lid, when your day 1 s ":v()rk is done:, apd you a-rc cmfc,rtatly scat£:d by your good fire, ·a s!1crt tir!C devoted to the . subject can injure no one, an1 nay bring its r~~ard. . . . '!.By .pursuing this policy yo~r inter~st! .1---ill not suffer, your f2mily will be cared for,and your th~ughts ;.rill not r-e e>.bsorbcd to 'the exclusion of other i.r.lportant matters. N'ith this adrnonition I sub;';jit to my readers the papC:rs upon -...;hicb this narrative is founded .• nTh~ first,·· in order, is the lo:ttcr fron ~ealc to 'Y1r. }:;orriss, which will giva the rcadbr a-clcar~r conc~ption of all the facts conn~cted \~th th~ c~se, ann enable him to und~rsta~d as fully as I r.ysclf do the present status of tho affair. The letter i~ as follows: Lynchburt;, Va., January 4-th, .... ....t T"' ""...:..~ • .1 - . . . . , ... ' Hy dear friend ~ 10Triss: ..... ~- .l ~~ ... ..,,,t.""' · · • . . . : : : ' " ' " v ..... .......... ..... ~"""~·- .. -.,.-. ,·).: . ..., ~ .. = ....... ~ '; .. :" ,£,. _ , . . - " " " ~- You will, anu~tl~ss, DOCID: 656719 , 'r """"' .J ,..r•.- ,; ~ '--.;).'.,It\ .., ',. •. ~""' t:'-";.J.,,._.,.It"' r"' ~ ... ~~·:) l,. > •) ~ ~,~;: .,. tfi~ confidence repo:::;;o;:d i.n your honor 1 by pnrti•::::; ~-rhor :J :;u l':.U.VC m.:VC:r Sc)CD and \-7hose nam~s you h:,.vc never h.::ar:J.. Th.:: :-~aionG r!..;C si~pl~ and easily ....,,... t.-> a ~ '• ·,.,·. -' ~ told. It was imperativ·e U?On us that £oroo one hcr.:1. chouid be: selected t . . to carry out our '.-rishcs in case or acci~cnt to _·ourselv~s-, and you~. rcp:ltation ·l:; t~~~~ !-:_-_ as a ~an of inteGrity, unblc;1ishcd honor 1 and business saGacity, influ~nce~ . .. . . them to select you in place or others bottor knovm but, pcrh~ps, not so .· 'relia~le as yourself. It vras with this design that I :tirs_!. visit-8d your h~, to-m y.:::ars since, that I might jud,;;;e by LJCrsonal o":•scrv~.tion if your reputation -..ras merited. To enable me the better to do so I rc~aincd ifith y0u ~ore than three . . ·. months, and until I ·;.ras fully s~.tisficd as to your character. This visit .. was made by .the request of my associates, and you can ju:i:;o from their actions whether. my re;ort· r~Ul·i be plea~:>.:tt cor;p:i:1ions and • ) ! - -··-----·----- . -··----------·- . ·.·--·- ·-;-:-· -.-·~· • -- • • • • - • --· ·----o.. •• .'!.,;;,_ •• • • DOGkE);;l.nt 6®ttinl~9 and finnncially able tC? encounter the cY.pcnse. ·With ' • • t'his objcc:t in vic\>' e!lch one of us sug~ested the subject to his several j• . .. friends and nc~unintances, and in a few w~ck~ the requioite nu~ber had -signed the'conditions nn9 were adnitted a~ nen~ers of the party. Sone few refused to join us, ~eing, doubtless, deterred by the danger,s, but . . such ccn we did not want, and were glad of their refu~al. The company being foroed, we forthwith comnenccd our preparations, .and, early in.April, 1817, left old Virginia for St. Louis, Mo., v.•here .., we e:ipecte:d to purchase the necessary outfits, procure a 3uide anc tHo .. or three servant~; and oStain such infor~ation.and. advice co cizht be beneficial. hereafter. All was don~ as intended, and we left St. Louis the 19th of Eay, to. be a·!:Jsent tt.•o ye~rs, cur objecti vc point being Santa Fe, t·Jhich v7e intended to reach in the ensuing Fall, and there .. establish ourselves in \o7inter quarters. .. ) After 1 e·avi n6 ··st. Louis we were advised. ~y our guide to fo"J:'"{!l a .. ' regular cilitary organization, with a captain, to be sel~c~ed by the necbers, to v7hon should be given sole authority to canage: oiir an~, in case of necessity, ensure united action. This was agreed to, and e~ch ner::ber of t':1e party bound hinself by a _sole;:;:n obligation to 'obey, at all tines, th~ ~rclers of their captain, or, in event of refusal, to leave the company at once. ' This arrange~ent was to re~ain in force for two years, or for the period of our cxpecte~ absence. Tyranny, partiality, incc~petence, or ·----~-""-o-~ r-.. -"""""'"~=-- other ini?roper conduct on the part of the captain v7as to be punished by depo:;ing hin froc his office if a ~ajority of t'he cor:!pany desired hi:; dis~issal. All this being arranged, and a set of law:; fraoed, by which the conduct of the , .... ~·--~-· ,... ............ -~-- ·······----- , ...... .... ,,~=- ::::::::::~o_- r..::::::~ .. ---o ;.;.; ... ..-..;..::.;:.:..:...;:_ cl:oos{n~ r.e llS their lenc!cr. "· .. .. .. ~ ...... .. ····~ . 1 t i~ not r:y · pur:,:>o5a no\-7 to ci ~-c you clctci 1 s of our ~-lanclcri.nss, or . , "[~~~~~=- ~:::::: ~:..:._~:.~~- !: : : ::~~-- 1= = ~ ---­ ,~ .. ~ .. ~== ~ ~--~o-_e:=_=- ·of the plea!>urc~ o; dan~P.r:::: £:ncount(!red- All this 1 ~-till reserve until we .occt n:;ain, t-1hcn it will be a pleocurc to recall incidents that will f ah;ays be fresh in r:~ mc:.:ory. About the first of Dacc!':.ber -..1e reachc:::l our destination, Santa Fe, ; .. and prc~~red for a long and velco~e rest £roc the fati~ues of our journey. ··Nothin~ of inte:r~:;t occured du't'ing the winter, en:3 gf t~i.s little ~iexican town we soon bccn~e heartily tired. We lonGed fo~ the advctit of weather . . : '· .. ... .. which \-mule enable us to resume our· ~andcrinE~ an~ our exhil~ratinr; ~ ... • - , . ' .·. pur sui t.s. · ..... ~ •. £arly in Y~rch soDe of the party, to vary the nonctony of their lives, dete.rn:i.ne.d upon a :;ho:rt excursion, for. the purpose of hunting and exaoin- -~ Ins. the country ar~>und us. They c'xpected to be: ?nly a few~ days absent, but . ' .. ·. - day::; passetl into w•::eks, 1.mt.! weeks int~1 H .. <-1onlh or t·Jore, hcfore we had any tidings of the par~y. ·' H~ had ~ecome exceedingly uneasy ·~nd >-7cre ?rep8.rina to send out scoutn to trace thCI"\,. if posni"blc, when t•.;o of t~e party arrived and gave D.ll cxplanaticn of t::eir abse~ce. It appears thc.t w:hcn they left Sante F!:l they pursued_a northerly cou~se for scr.e clays, ~cin~ ~uccessful in finding . . . an abundance of ga~c, which they secured, anc were on the eve of returning when they discover~d on thei= left an i=r.cnsc herd of ~uffaloes heading for a vcll~y just pcrcertible in the distance. They dctcrc;incd to follov! them, and secure as oa~y as pozsible. Xeepin~ ~'ell together they follotved. their .tt·nit for two week:; or rorc, r.ccuring ncny, e.nJ stm::pe.:!in;; the r~st. Ou~ dAY, "'r:}d 1 c foll..·wl n~ thnr:!, the pnrt.y PnCP.r.pcd in n DOCID': 656779. . . ' •.. ·' ~tncrcd, tJcrc prcpori n~ thc.:i r evt.mi nn mco 1 d1cn one- of the rnen di scovcred in " left of the rocks something thot hod the oppconmcc of gold. Upon sho~·1ing it o the others 1.t \'IUS pronounced to be gold--'Und rnuch.ex:dtcmcnt \"I~s the noturol - onscqucmcc. Hessengers t·tcre ut once di sputchcd to inform me of the f~cts Dnd I 100: equest my presence t·Ji th the rest of the porty--ond \'Ji th supplies for un inde- ·; ni te time. All the P.le~sures und temptut"ions \·Jhich. h~:Jd lured them to the plDins 1ere no~ forgottcn 1 ond visions of boundless weulth_ond future gr~ndcur were :he only ideos entcrtu1ned • . Upon reaching the 1oculity I found oll ~s 1t hud been reprcscnted 1 und :he cxc'itemcnt intense. Every one \"!DS di1igentl}' ut vJork \·rith such tools and Jpplionces as they hDd inprovised, and quite·a little pile hcd ~lreody Jccumuloted. Though all y~~re ~;t \:Iori~ there \·Jas nothing like order or method in. their plans, and my first efforts wcre.to systemcti~e our operations and reduce .- .... --r:- . everything to order~ \lith this object in vie\·t an ugreement ~-:cs entered into to ~-iork in corr:mon, uS joint pDrtners, the accumulations of euch one to be placed in D I • corr~on ·reccptilcle, und ·J~ch be intitlcd to ~n equol share of the \•!hole \·shenevc:r he chose to \·J1 thdr~111 it; the \·:hole to remain under rny charge unti 1 SC8~ other di sposi ti on of it ~·sus ogrccd upon. Undu. this urro~gc:ment the \·iork progressed favorobly for eighteen months or more, und a greut deol of gold hod accumulated in my hancls~ us well ns silver 1 which hod likewtse hcen found. Everything nccessnry_for our purposes and for the prosecution of tha work had been obtc:Jined from Sontc: F'e, ·nncl~~o trouble W.:lS experienced in procuring ossistc:mce from the ·---:.-------.:; - - - - -~-~·-:-;:;;;-... _ _..... -~-·-...-..-.--.=..o..=;-;- -.;.._,;o,.-----:-:;-" DO~FD~xp·t65~?1~procu-ri'!g. t>.~dst~ncc .~roc::. t~c., lp.C.inn:;. in our labors. · P>:1tters went on thu,!; until the: 5u:::-:::-~r ').f i.B19, v.'ha;, the question ·' . •1:.. of transferring our wealth to· ... :lor.tr st::cure plc.~~ ~es fr~qucntly di scu::;~d • a .. • • · • • . • It wD.s not considered advisable to. retain so lar,ge· r:..n aoount in so wild an~ dan~crous a locality, where its very posses~ion ~ight endanger our • . • ~· .. & ... lives; a~d to conceal it there would avail nothi~~~ as we night at any tine be £breed to reveal its place of conceal~ent. We were in· a dile=-.na. Son.e advised one plan, s.o=:e another. One ·reco=ncndcd Santa Fe a~ the safest place to deposit it, while others objected and advocated. its shipnent at once to the States, where it was ulti~ately to go, and wh~r~ alone it would be safe •. The idea s~c~ed to prevai 1, end. it '-7as doubtless correct, that when outside parties a seer- tained, as they v10Ul d do, that 't~e kc;:>t nothing· on hand to te::!;:>t their cupidity, our live.s v1ould be nora secure tbe.n at present. •. lt was finally. decided that it would· be best. to sen:! it to Virainia, under r:1y charse, and there be se'cur:cly buried in a ca.ve .n~~ Buford's Tavern,.in the CrJunty of l3ed£ord, which all of us had visited, .anr.l which was considered a perfectly safe depository. This was· accepti~le to all, and ·r at once r.:ah preparationz for rJy dep~rture·. The whole party were to: accoopany r:.e· for the ·first five hundred t'l.ilos, \'1hcn all 1:>ut ten would re- turn, thl'!se latt-er to re~ain with r-.e to the en~ of the journey. All •~as carried out as arranged, and 1 arrived safely Hi th r.1y charge. Stopping at auford Is Tavern, Hhere lve rcr::ained for a nonth, under pretense of ~unting, ~tc., we vi~ited the cave but found it unfit for our purp~se. It was too frequently visited oy the neigh~orinb farmers, who used it as a .receptacle for. their sweet cf<'~ ·--.~ -------=-- -; ... , _______ . -'"'"-·- -=-----=----·--·--· ... --_ .---::.. ___ ---- -. - .. ....::. ·- - . _, DOCID :· 656779 · .:! ~oon ~_c1c_ct.cd rith their places of reside~ce, etc. I thought, at first, to give you their names in this .letter, but reflecting that some one may read the letter, and thus be enabled to impose upon you by personati_~g some member of the party, have dedded the present plan is best. . DOCI.D: 656719 .. ~~ ' .. You will be ewnre fr~~ w~ot l hnvc ~ritt~n thct we arc cng~gcd . " ... in ll pcri.lo_u.:;;- t:ntcrpr~::;e:; one:. whi_c~. r.~or·~s~.s giorbus re~ul ts i,~zucce~&ful, but dan~cr::; inter·~~nc, end of the enu no on~ cs~ .t~ll. v7a can only hope ( for the bc:;t, e.nc pen:~vcro u:ttil our t-:orl~ is e_cco!'·.p~i.shec, end tb~ _5tL""l .. sccurcj for wbich we ~re strivin~. .; />.~ ten y~rs ..-i-1:::;~ ·ele.pse b.;fcre you· ~rill see thi!: let_ter,: y~u ~y well conclude hy that tiria tbat t!io "t>:orct )1::.~ h!:lppc.na_d, end . . . ~ .· that nona of us is tc be nur:-.be:red with the ~i ving. In such !lnevent you will pleosa vi_s~t the place of deposit end ~ecura _its contents~ \-Jhich you t·:ill divide into ·thirty-one _eque.l pa.!.·ts.- C:1e of these p.:;...:-ts you ore to retain ns . ':"" ~ . . . . . ~ . ; : . . - . . . your own, f~ealy giv~n you for.your services •. ~he other shares to be dis- . .. . .. . . . . . . - " . .. "" ... . . : . . triput~d to th~ pc:rtics n~~ed in the acc~~anyin§ p.ep_c.r. Th_c~e let;::.cies, so une~:pacte~ly rccE!ivcd, vrill e.t least serv~ t::> rocoll na:-:es thct nay :;till b£.~ . " cherished thouih partial~y ~or2ottcn. In conclusion, r:ry dear frie:ncl, I bcg·thot·you will, not allow any false or idle punctillio to prevent· your receiving an~ ·appropriating the por.- tion n::;sic:;neo to yourself. It is a tiift, not fron cys~lf alone but frolOl ·~och nc~~er of our porty, end will not be out of pr~porti~n to the services r~quired of you. • . . . 1 trust, fiY deer 'Mr. l;orris:;, that \-.?c 11ay rleet l.: Dco.r Hr. l1orri:::::;: You will fin<.! in one of t!lc ·. .;f: written in cipher, the Lynch~ur~, Va., J~nu~ry 5th, 1822. DOC!D -=. ~- 65 6 7:_7 9----'------ --------- '. ,. . "?ac:;c 32 ~~ of each on~ will be found the nal"':e::; !!nd rasid •. mct:D· of rclot~ ves nnd othc:-!:, . •: . to who~ they devise their respective portions. . . Fron this you will 'be cno!Jlcd to cer:-y out the \·lishcs of ell :,y distribu~in~ the portion of. cnch to the ?nrtics dc=ienatcd •. Thi~ will. not be aifficult- es their rc!:idencc~' ~;c. ~ivcn·,. nnd they can easily be fo~nd. "The tTh'o letters given above were ell the boY. contained thct \lerc . T.J.B. intclligi~le. The others consist~d of pc?ers·clonely ~overc~ with figures, ·. . which were, of course, un.""''ce.nin:; until they could !>e dccipherec. To do this wcs the tnsk·-~o-which 1 now dev~tc::l ·~ycelf, ~nd ,.;rith bu.t p~rtic't success, that is, ar; to dcciphcrin;; paper :::a~~e:.i ,;!-lo~ Z11 t:, be de;scri:,e:::l. lctcr ont , . criping the exact locality of the vault wberc the treasure i$ buried; the ~r.e · ... . .. . . ... . ·- nar.ked "No. 2 11 stating the contents of the VB;Ult; P.rid paper r.;a~ked 11No. 3'' · stati-r.g the OS.Cef. anC e;jdreSSC!; of t!'le perso:l~ invo·l.vc1! ·:: ·:: ~ -1/tJ I / • 4 ' • ... : . ' 25, 4Bs~ ~ 435, \ . 65, ~4, 200_, 283, 118, 320, 138, 36~ /:7') . '' .. ~.J I, i 416, 280, 15' ·71' 224, 961, 44, 16, liOl, 39, 88, Gl, 304, . . , .. ( ·. 12, 21, 24, 283, 134, 92, 63, 246, 486, SB2, 7, 219, 184, ~ / 360, 780, ,18·, .54, 463, 474, 131·, 160, 79, 73, 440, 95, ~ ~--~ D~~_lli: ~-~J~ti_j.ly{h;;4~/f\-gt.::;:- r.(;; 33-. - --- ---- ---~-.. ,1:~~ ~~ ~ J:::: 6:~ 5:~~' 3::~' r.;:~: ?.:::: 36::~: e::: ~' : :; ::81::::2, :~ ~J ~::~· ~~~ s1z, 4· ea. 4, . ;o, 44, 11z ..... Zf~ _147, .. , , ... \ 99, 35, _ps!) 21, 1)5, o72, 4"L' 195~ J20, )".J' 15, )7, 122, ?lfD; 11:3, 6, 140, 8, 1?.0, 30,?, 'PC ~2, 408, 680, 9J, 86, 89, . 71·, 216, 728, 116, 5)0! 9 I 965, 818, 2, 121, 195, 14 • I )26, ~::~·,=:: ;= :---- 44, )01' 1), 106, ' 102,· ._38, 416, 148, 234, r- i18~·. 55, 131, v 2)4, 961, 201, 19 s. 26, 33, 10, 1101, 365, 206, 86, 36, •2!9, 3201 829, 81 1 623, .3611 824, 5 I ::..so 92, 88, 181, 275, ·6~f) 6 : 1 . 81 32 1 191 4:t 115; 92, 157, 96, 26, 1C6 I 290, 314t-·47, 400, !'/{ 190, r::2.:.:~­ !;~:;~=~" 113, 140, )53, 48 ' 120, 106, 11 l.l-, • 20 , -37, 105, 281 46, e11 822, 35, :;.:;.o 219, 19, 37, 11), 125, 110, 8c 71 . 818, 140 I -4 ~(., 496, 18, 79, J44, J4, 20, 59, 66, 1.54, 20, 50, 52,' J), . JO, 29, . ,·~1 . .. 6J, 5J, -79, 118; J5J, . 10_5, 5~. 15, 38, 8, 14, OJ, c-.. , 57. 43, 131, 29, 1J8, 51 t 44, 6), . 5"5'7 371, 566, /9C .. 195, ;j.f { 210, TJ, ~3'1 ..,,.., _:c, 2 4., { , 12, - ..... 515, ~c~ ?.04, >C~ . 1)8, 115, 48, ?J, J4, 252, 1~ 1 , ; , ;)..C~. 204, 287, c,q ~ 612, 38~, :;l-~C· 219, 117, 7 37. 107, 154, 5.i/D 549, 216, 115, 71, 2l!.S, :).FJ 110 t 61, ~-~-k, ::J.-39 2J8, 5lt9, 52, 125, )60, 1JJ, 143, ?.tl 822, 26, 112, J, 49, 79, ·:,::::_'"_'•,::,':.-_-:__ .316, 6;, ;;-:;.c 219, 7, ·' •••~~ ........ .,.~-o DOCID: I C' ( \.' ,!f(z 52, lS, 40, 37, 157, ~11.}37. J c 9fD 229, 5l}9, 320, 29, 66J 33,-101, 818, .138, 301, 316, 353_, !Sf( 33, s~ t;.a, 101, ·Y.J, s22, f:t:'7 / 3~0, 219, 37, 5~, 28, 549, 320, 7, ~~ 113, 73, 16, 125, 11, 110, 67,.102, 818, ~3. 59, · r5'2 157' 38, 43' ' 590, 130, .19, 85' /.f00' 33' 43, 77' 14' S"E ( · · .. 81, 5J..ff) . 1'77 .~ .. ~ 8, 4i, 138, 63, 140, ·44, 35, 22, 176, 106, 2.50, 31L;, too>' 2, JO, 7, 99l;., 4, 20, 25, lTL~, 40, 7, ec7 1'1 I 818, 190, 34, 112, 147' 44, 110_, 121. z6~ t16, no~ v 125, 96, l~ 1, S";.rc Be.., 51,so, 14o, ss, 47, 152, s4s, £3, s18, 2s, ,;:C... . t;lj?;, 3~ .>r.2- . . 138, 591, 9C, 653~\{107, 140, 112, Z.S, 5?. 50, 20, 125, 371, 38, 36, 10, 52, 113, 1~$, 102, 420, . . 150, 112, 71, 14, 20, 7, 24, 1!::, 12, 3!.8, 37, 57, 110, z-c1 . 42, 250' 511[) 85, 138, 549, 27' -,..,7 21G, •;4';o 229, "t' Pc Stl Fit ~(..:J-0 I c 62, 33, 21, 95, 219, 520, 102, S22, 20, 83, ~~ 305, 5~9, . _(~ ,_-; .. o f 1s, ~~~219, 106, 353,·~os, 1o6, 60, 242, 72, a, -( 50, 2~~~: ~s4, 112, 12s, st.:;;, 65, 106, aie, l?O, 96, no, 16, 73, 33, ~fd, 150, l~O?, 4;0, SO, 151~, 2S5, pG, 105, lc1 I F9 ")J)!J !. t!~ ..., . ::z-rzs-· . . V g'{li '. '. r: r-1 t I[ ")..~I 316, ~70, 204, 101, 822r 400, n, 44, 37, 52, 40, 24~. J.t:!> >c..; 34, 204, e,c7. 818. 85. 38, 16, 46, 47, 05, 24, 4ll, 15, 64, 73, 130, I 78. 110, 33, 420, 515, 53, 37, 38, ~?., 31: 10, ~-c-:.;- -. ' 150/ 96, . JJ, 84, 15; J8 f J t 5 t ~ f 7 t · 5/1 1?.5, 8181 190, . 96, 520, ao~ 191 - ... _.- -. ;,. 287, 135, ~'ltJ 110. 459, J?O, Co3 '.1-~ 107 1 612, 219, 275, JO, 1.50, 105, 49, t"lf~ 65J, 466, 106, 411 ·~a 250, . 207' : Jtt:J 495, 112, 287, 140 t 421 16, e;o-.3 612, 5.. 4,. 251 '1~ 81, 95, 353, jo?., 8, • 1 1.1'1 <+~,.•5 I J.1 I . . j~(} 1J11 159, 40, 671 101, 102, t'l't' 193.. 138, 53, -12, 47' 85, 6)1 1)8, 110, 7 t .>75"" ;of.'S" 7b!/ 515, 14, 7JI 85, 5R4, 994, 6/( ,~ .150, 1 42, 8, 16, 822, 125, 159, 32, e-'( /~f> C·CO . 609, 1)6, 14, 20, 28, 140, ..- :u~ 204 , 84, 440', 51, 5), 42, ').I/ 240, 16, 5~D 5491 21, -J.,ct• 199, '}-Ob 204, 26, .gu 822, 122, 8, '10, 63, 140, 47, 48, 140, 2S$. 317, 8, 92, •. ?" . ) , . . -------000------- . , J · 1 r r.' v 0 ··0 • . . l•.i . 112, 89, . 67, .318,· 28, 96, 41, 631, 78, 146, 397, 118, 98, 114, 21:--5, 348, 116, 74, 88, 12 t . 65, 32, 14 • . : .. 8~1 19, '76, 1?.1, 216, 85, 33, 66, :.15, 108, 68, 77, 4), ?.4, 122, 96, 1171 36~ 2111 JOL ..... 15 1 :--;.:·:- 44, 11 I ·46, >;9 • J 181 136, 68, 31?1 281 90, 82, L~). 221' 19B, 176, 310, 319, 81 -· 99, )19," 2, 4!J.V' 53, 2R -1 r.r, "'1"TI 75 QR' • - 1 I 102 J 37' ·)~}, ... """,...' . ' )80, 56, · 37, 107, 117, 64, 88, 1J5 I 48 I 89, 315, 78, ('{;_~) 99 r 1?5, . 214, 21P., 311, 43, 89, 51, 90, ?5, . 12-3, 96, 33. 28, 103, 84, 65, 26, 246, 84, 2?0, '98 1 116, .32 t 59 t 74, 66, 69, 15, 8, 121 I 20, 77, R?, )1, 11, 106, 81, 191, ., ... ,, 217, 18, 224, 328, 82, 117 t 21,_ e-4,· 35. 54, 10?, 12s1 49, 771 ssl 1, 81, 217, 64, 201, 2.7 .. 52, 55, 83, . 116, 251, 269, - )11, 1021 219, 211, 84, .. 150, 2191 75, 47, 21 t • 291 J7 t 81 1 ~'· .v'/_o.r, o: 2751 .) 1 ~z 120 • t 1R ~~ 132 I )12, 64, 10, 106, 87, 1P. • I 1261 115, 1)2, 1 'o .0 I 181, 20), 76 1 81 t 7.99 r 314, . J')? 1 )51, 06· , ' 11, 318, 238. 10< '-' I ?h QJ ._ I I 31 19, 17, 26, 60 I I - · .,~ 97 ~~y ' as, DOCID·: 656779 ... .• ll~, 12/), 1JR, 2)4, 28-.;, . 2~7, )21, fare )7 • JG5, ~64, 19, 22, 84, 107, 9?., 12J, 111, 7, 3:3, L~.s' 40, 13, 28, ?.OJ, 247, 116, 1 . ~19,r 8, 2)0~ 31, 6, 328, 65, 48, 52, 59, 41 t 122, 33, 117, 46., 42, 107, 196, 227, 344, 198 1 . 212, 11, 36, 45, 83, 76, 1~ ls .. ~ z.l t 8), 9o, .27, · 33. 50, 61, 180, 194, 143, 171, 205, ?.96, 87, 34, 4·1 t 208, 1 7"- • .-Jt 6f: '-' t . 9, 1111 t\'35,/ 1h. ,·· - 89, 92, 31, 65, 70, {1~0) 13b 1 149 t 176 t 12, 44, 51' 98, 175, 90, 56, 203, 19, 177, 183, 206, 157, 2CO, 218, 260, 291, 305, 618, 95~. 320, 1~, 12~, 78, 65, 19, 32, 124, 48, 5~'/·57,. 8/J., 96, 207, 2l.J1J..,. 66, 82~ 119, 71, 11, 86, 77, z{J, · 54, 82, 316,/45, 303, 86, 97, 106, 212, :18, 37, 15, ?1, 89, 16, 7_, . -81, 3~. 96, 14, hJ,. 21.6, 118, 29, 1•55, 109, 136, 128, 296, 1 '?U.. J I ' 66, 213, 64, Y?. 18,· 8, 227, v' ·..,~,. .~, 611, 319, H\ _...,, 8't 1 . 120, 96, 2)0, 77, 101, 12?, 9)6, 171, 61, 226, .,~ ") .-J-. .-J I 215, 18, 66, 59, 119, 34, 127,. 139, ~I~, 48, 27' 19, 12e .• ~·- 129 .L 74, 6J, -(ol) ~. 13, 82, 120, 11, 61, 73, 92, 180, 66, 75, 101, 124, 265, 89, 96, 126, 274, 896, 917, 434, 46i, 235, 890, J12, 41J, 328, 381, 96, 105, 217, 66, 119, 22, 77, 64 I 12, 7, .55, 24 I .. 83, 6? 1 ,_ .. -- J4, 77·;.· 97, 109, 121, 135, 181, ... 675, 92, 16, 6J, 46 t 55, 2~3. ~1~, 228, 256, 21, 717, 86!;-, 74, u 2., 203.~ 4, . f(}/f) \'J5, 1c6, 1~, 175, 119, 213, 416, 312, J43, 264, 119, 186, 213, )43, 124, ?09, 49, 617, &56, 921;., 91'> • I 72, 42, 56, 85, 94, 112, 6_5, C2 1 115, ,/ DQC~~ : __ 6_?ft{hY._~ /ZJ 3f-J 4/) T:;, r;":,), ---~~~---~. - . .. · ··-~---.o.....:... -· ---. .. - 124,211,314, :n9, 2?.1,'641~~ D17, ·~ 8/.1, s;34, 9'-2, lJ-16, !)75, 10, 22, 13, 45, 137, 1!')1, 101, -~ ... 39, 86, 103, 116, 138, 164,. 212, 218,· 296, 815, 380, . . . . . . . 412, 460, 495, 675, 82C, 952. -----ooo----- "The. papers ·given above wc.rc all that were contained in the box, except t-v·o or thrc~ of an uni~portant chera'=tcr, and hevint; no connection •-•h"'t'"'vc- ····l.·t•n th- -u·-.··ect J.·n ~--nd • '!.:: ~ .;. ..! •• c.:.. ""' ., '-' ... w • Th:-oy w.-·-·r"' :;.. "'" '-= .... -a,.-:-o_'"ull'y co.".;"~, .. n~ .. ~ c.-. 'J ... ~ -1 - '-=,. ... - carefully co:r.~~rcd -v;ith th~ ori~inals, an:! no error i::: .!Jcli~ve~ to exict. 1'Co:::;plete in the.":lscl ves, thoy a:-c · nov7 :re:;?oct:fully su~.itte-:1 to the public \·Jith the hO;?C that all that ic Ge.r!'.~in thc~~y receive li~ht, . . than thr'7~-quarters_ of a t:;illion d.olle.rs, v1hicb hac re:;tc:;1 so long un- ·. prod~ctivc of :;coc!, in the· hands of e. prope= person -:-..ay eventually accor.:plish itc !.1is:;ion. \ .. only one ! ~·la!: evar a~le to decioher, 1 ~·crc"t:i th ~iva the .v~cle.rs.tion or . lnC.epcndencc, with t~e \·10rci~ nur:bercc conce.c\.=tivcly! ~y the c.::si:tance of . which that paper• ~ hidden r.~canin.; ~.:ra!; 151-~c pi ~i~; IN CON:;~3S5 JULY 4 .· 1776. A Declaration by the Representatives of the UNIT~D sr;.r::::s OF A"SIUCA ln C~neral Con.:;rc;:s ;.sse:::blad. -----ovo----- · 4 6 in ........ 1 :!hen, .... ~W\,... 3 :.t ::-=. ~ !.,·~ ~~ -. ,._- --~· .. ~' .. · .. ' _, it .... - ....... ~"'"'- i4 18 neccsc{lry for one 'lCOI)lC to C:i::::::olvc the !'Olitical ~and~ ~~;:.~~'::s: '-- ., .... ~ ~ ~:;::;.~:: • w -. '-~ .. •'-= '- ~;- f'9 . . - ·-~_. ·~::--.'Q .. : .., -"\ )'... ·- ..... 3 7 5 the course o:: huc.~n ev~nt:: .. "'-~ -............ 13 17 1'1 12 t"'' -- . ~ lS lC 6 ~ :;ace 39 . DOC~.P: &p671~ t3 hev1.connectc:: the;: 1-15. th .... ..... ... ~- • ~. ~ ,, , . ~ " ~ :--. ..... • ~. • .._ 24 ~7 c.n'6thcr, on~ to c..::a:u:.:c o:.:on.:_ the ~Ot..7cr~ ;. - -t-"\ ,... '• V ~ f\a.,. i .. ., .. ..., e • ~ '1 't: I •1. V:: J • _. ~ ~ .... .._, t. '-roo- 2~ SO 29 J ' • 33 ' A-1· 42 31 32 .37 .... 38 of the earth the t>c:,c.rc.tc :tn.:. • ccu~l ~tati~n t~ \·:~,it:h· the La.v!: .. ,:'-- ,,ro.o. .... : .... ..,-"' • .•·.) ~....L:~--.W"'I~ v~:--· . • '-~~~ ....... -l"' 4? 43 l•7 of Nature end of llatu=Q• ~ ~C: entitle th~:s a decent r~:::;>oct to .,~ . . . ·' . : . .. 5_3 . ~ 50 51 . .39 40 . 45 46 . 48 3'• . 3G· 44 3.5 54 52. ' .._ 25 2G - . ()4. 65. 60 55 the opinions of ~nkind requircc thc.t they shoul~ =ecla.re the ca.u::;es . 63 . 57. 61 56 58 59 , &2 t .... : . 66 . 67 68 69 70 71 Yhich it~pcl thcr.! to the scp~ration. 76 77 72.. 73 ~'c hole th.~sc truths to oe 7l; . 75 79 81 62 73 ~elf- C\'iclcnt; that ~ 11 ccn .· .. 30 . es · 84 s 3 ea 83 are crcatocl equal, thet =hey ere cn·.:":Oi·lec1 ~y their ~reeto-r \:lith .. . ..... ~ • .,.. . ·. : .. -. , . .. 102 . : 98 97 - . 90 . 91 9 2.. . ---· .. :· .... , - .101 100 . _-i.:. s~ 9.5 87 09 ... • • certein unalienn~le aeon;:: thenc are L~£~, .... : . 103 104 105 106 and the pursuit ~f: Ho!Jpin.ess. ·. . 116 117 .. . ·113 :;ov:;rn=cnt~ are iri~ti tutcc a:-:o:.::; t·~en, .114 . . 115. That to 103 109 . . . 111 1.10 112.. secure thcze rights 118 . 119 120 121 --in" t ... • ... -:- ..... n ..... , . - - . . 107. .• .· . .. 122 123 . fro~ the i24 ,.. . ~ -Cnwen- c~ -~3 ~w~-~··~~. .125 126 ;: rl-. .,:. .. 127 .-~· ....,~~ "' ..... . • .. . _ .... . "128 r~.et \~hcncyc.r 1~9 130 131 i3t. 133 13~· 1::.9 v~o tl}1 of ::;.ov~rn~cf"!t :.,eco=c::: .. ~~::trcctiv~ cf t:1ccc cnci.::, it i~ t":la 13'' 135 ..... . 136 137 142 143 1~4 145 146 147 .· ~i;:;ht of th~ :~c;?le to c.l ter 148 149 to o:.- 150 1.:.1 1=2. 153 it, anc! to 154 158 institute new ~ove~~e~t, lcyinb i~~ founcation on ouch principle~ ~59 162 1'61 155 160 157 156 163 1~4 165 15G 167 16a 169 170 171 l7Z 173 175 176 17l} sce~.?o~t'likcly 177 to 17S lc."' un 17 9 th~ir ~afcty end .... 182 1c3 137 :?ruc!cncc, ind~c~, t~ill :li~tate thr.t ~v.ar:x~ent:: lon.? ecta".;lichcd . ·184 138 1es i~G lS; 1DO 192. 193 1~1 should not ~c l9l:- . 1S5 196 197 198 19~ ZOO ch.::!.n~cd £or li::ht .::!.n.l t-:-c.nsicn= cc.u:-;c::;; a.rd, .. 201 ~oa 209 accordingly, all er;pcricncc hnth ·:;ho\.w-n that ::tnnkind arc oora 20~ 20s 20~ 203 205 201 .. ------- ··;------ DOCID: 65-6779 212 211 ' 1.10 • di::poced 217 214 215 to !:uffcr, -while evils arc r.uffcrn~le, t~an 21P 213 :. nee 40 /.19 213 to rii;ht 220 221 222 223 224 . - th~selves ~y abolishing the forns .. 225 2?.6 2?.7 22S to which they ere 2/~ - e.ccustor..e::l. ?.30 nut, when 231 232 . 233 234 . ·235 236 a lon~ train of abuses an~ u~urpatiorl§• 237 238 239 241 242 ~43 pursuing invari~bly the sece Object, evinces a dcsiJn 245 244 240 245 247 to reduce 248 249 251 thcc under. absolute Despotis=:!, 250 252 253 it -. 254 - 255 is their rizht, 2:S6 2.57 258 it is 259 their 260 261 262 263 264 266 duty to tbrov1 off such Govern::::ent, an::! 265 267 to provide ne>v Guar:is 268 . 269 270 .. · .... 275 276 277 271 272 for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance. ?.78 279 274 273 280 281 282 of these Colonies; end such 283 284 285 286 287 288 290 is now the necessity which 239· ·- . 291 cons-trains the1.. to ~1 ter their for=.er Systec:s of Goverm:::ent. ! . 297 . .,._ 2:~8 -299 300 The history of 301 302. 303 . 305 3o6 · ·307 the present Y.:in:; cf Gre~t·D!~~Qin 304 30~ 30.9 is 311 310 a history of 312 . __ , -"!'-~- .J~.J 316 . --- . .. rcoeatcc injuries and u~urpa~ion~, 321 322 ·- . 324 325 326 319 320 in di~ec~ o~j~ct tt.e e~tablish=cnt ·of an ebsolute Tyranny 323 327 .- ..... ~ --.:::. 317 318 ell havi.n0 328 330 . 331 over these ~tGtcs. To 329 332 333 334 335 336 prove this, let Facts ~e 327 su~::-:itt::d . 338 to 3/l-0 339 341 . e c~ncic world:- 344 345 346 Be has refused his ~~sent 352 enc necess~ry for t~e public zood • 354 355 355 353 357 . _358 359 360 3~1 352 . . . . .. ... ...... . .. 347 to 3!19 350 34S Lu\·ls, t'he r.2ost t·!holesone 351 H~.h~s fcrbi~cen. his Governors 371 368 367" ir.~e;iate and pressing i:portonce, unless suspended 370 369 Lew~ 373 in 353 364 to ?C!:S 372 355 of 374 their 379 380 375 operation till hi~ ~ssent s~oul~ ·~a 375 377 378 385 386 387 3~8 389 suspendec be bn~ utterly nctilectec 3e1 382 3t3 384 o)t~incd; and when so .. 3JO 3Jl to nttcnd 39~ to 3?3 thcr~. r_-__ _ ;;.;.;.-_-_ r·· .,.--- s:_.::;::;:~ .. ,.......,.,...:-- -~ ~., --- - 1 ) ~ 1 : : , DOCID: Jil5 6.3"js7 9Jt;t- 1 ·:- -------- 3'17 •Jlj~ 399 400 -'~01 407. -- ~li~e '~1-- -- 403 He hc.s refuse;~ t:> po.!:~ ot~cr for the nccor-.no~ntion .. ' 404 405 of large districtz 406 of people, unlcsn those pco?lc ,.,:j~J.c 40.9 410 411 . 412 - . 413 415 416 414 relinquish the right of 417 :.eprcsentatf:m in 418 419 420 the Lcc;i:;taturc, ,_. 421 422 a 424 423 right" inestine~le to 425 l;26 th~ ancl forr.idablc 427 1;.26 to 429 430 Tyrants only. 431 432 433 434 435 436 He hf~ called to~ethcr legislative bodies 433 437 .nt; place::; 446 439 unusual, uncoofortable, and distant fro~ the depos~tory of 443 444 442 440 445 441 456 447 their :u~lic ~ccords, for the ~ole pu:Pose of =eti~uin~ the" 453 454 449 455 448 457 into co:::p lienee with hin ~ee!jurc.n. · 45? 460 4Gl 4~8 . _ 462 463 - 46L• . 466 · H~· . htl~ dissolved ~cpreccnteti vo !lou~cc repeatedly, L~58 for 4S9 470 471_. opposin;:; "1i th r::ar.ly £i r;-~e:;s . .. 472 475 473 hio i~vo~ions. en 474- 476 477 L~83. 48J t~ac l•78. 479 of ·the people. -:: ·:·:. 4'9o Ile h·a..!:. rafuz;cC for ? lo_n; ti~_c, after !:UCh ci!?solution-S 1,92 491 to couGe oth2r~ to bo clcctcc; vlh.er~:;y th~ Le~izlative -- 493 Li94 L~95 4.96 ~99 -. 4r;7 . t~~s 500 501·' : 502 503 504 ~owers, incopa~lc of ~nnihilatio~, hevc returnee 505 to 507 508 th~ ::co?le 514 515 509 . 510 511 51~ e't l~rze for- their' e~ercise; the State renainin;;, in th~ :-:1ea.nti:-:e, 517 516 ._516 513 5i~ 521 520 expo~cd to 52?. 523 525 oll the donzcrs of 524 530 '531 convulsions within. 531 .. I-l 0 533 53l• 535 endeavored. to . 525 529 invasion fror: ~vi thout end 528 527 '536 537 539 prevent the popcl~tior. of 538 540 these 541 542 5t~3 544-'• 546 547 Sl;8 Ctatcs; for th:'-t pur:>o:.c o~structing the La;_y::; f:~::- ~Zat.urol izetion ;··.5.51 D;~~~~~~:;;~,,~~-o='~-=~--':. -=c~=c:==::~=='~f.~~42'~=o-=,~co-==;~"i [~-~ [~.~_:_- . ~-5P. 5.so or Fol·cicnc:rs. re:fusin;; to pa!;S oth~r~ t"l cr:~c:-ur=ti"'C their . 0 .. . 565 .. 566 56J the con~tions of n~~: ~prop~i~t~~~~ ... _, . . . .560 ~i~ration r~thcr, an~ raising .55J 5.54 . 55S . .s~ . 557 9S4 .559 .562 5.5?. .5~1 .567 . 0 . . . . . . 568 or 569 ;Lanr!s. 5?G 571 Re has obstructe~ the !~~inistration sso s81 582 9-3 934-. . 572 . 573 574 .57? .576 575 of. Ju::tice,·. by .sss - 579 . 578 re:rusing his .f.ssent to r :;.ws ror est~blisnint:: Ju'li~iar.r ?ouers. . 591 592 593 ,-1 .s·J4 595 596· riepF1!1':"1~nt on !lis ,. 1ill alone, .!or 59q .589 has Made {"'.ld;es 587 He .586 588 ~~ [ . .. .. 597 the .598 tenure 599 600 their of 608 609 their sal~ries. 601 602 60) offices, a.n:-1 t.1,.e . 6(1lj. 606· 605 607 2::iOU."1t and payment of .. . . : . ..... ! 0 . .· .. 610 "611 has He 612 614. 61) . erecte1 a rnultit~~e 615 ,616. 0 617 of )'ew p.riices, ! 618 and 621 ° 6?2 . s"..wrns . 623 of ,Officers ! '625- 621;. to harass 626 Our I 627 ,resn:;li: I • ,£,.~ .. 628 and 620 619 sent hither . .6JO. 6Jl 629 eat out th~ir suhsta!"lce. 6)2 633 634 He ·has kept anong us, 6J6 637 6)8 in . 6:15 .- . .. , .. 6)9 640 641 ... times of peace, · 642 · · ~ 64j · . s~ \·:i thout Standing jrrnies, :S45 647 648 the . consent of our ler.isl~ture. 649 . 646 6'51 has 'r::.J o •. · to 654" render 655 . the 1-ili tary inj~pen~cnt , 656 657 6;8 of 659 an·3 660 superior 661 662 to the 66) 664 (:i vil F'm·:er. 665 666 na ha:3 667 con-J.ne ... ~· ~ 66e ~ri th 669 others 670 to ~ubject 671 672 673 to us ~sz 68J our by ·:::: .... ' ....... 674 a 6?5 juris1i~tion 676 .foreit!) 6e-.s 677 678 to our 6e.-s b87 684 · laws; ~i vine his assent • 693 692 protendcd le&islation. 694 h95 679 6SO cons ti t".l.tion and una~l:nowlertged 681 6R~ to 6?.9 590 691 their acts or 697 - · · .. - • ... ,...; "',... 1 :~r.-P. bo-1ie::; 496 "1:'-- 69B 699 700 701 702 or arnod ~roops a~on~ us. - "-~-----·- - -- ---- -· - · __ .,. ______ _ DOCID :- 6:5677-9 ' - .... ,. 705 704 '(UJ For rrotoct.in;; t.hc:-1, 706 707 708 709 710 by" a· Mock -~~ial, fro~ ?11 ! U'1i!3hmcnt 712 !'or .. 71J 718 715. 716 .al1y Hurders -ri'hich they should corril!li t 714 717 724 States. 721 719 720 . on· ... ~... ... ··• ·"· the Inhabitants of . .... , .. ~ ... 722 723 these , . .- E: 725 . 726 For cutti-ng off our 727 728 ?29 'Ira de 7JO 731 }Ii.th all parts of 733 734 the 732 735 'Horld. . 7.36 For 737 iMposing 744 For depriving us;. 745 7)8 739 740 741 742 743 taxes on us without . our Consent. 7¥ ?ll-7 748 749 750 751 752 in nany cet3es, of the benefits of . 753 ·754 756 755 Trial by Jury., :.. -: .· :; .. ·- ·. . - .. . ~ ... . · . . : .. -. ' -7rS1 757 . For·· tr~ns~ortin~ us beyond Seas . 758" 759 760 762.763 764 -7S5 to oe tried for . •.767 ?66 pretended · offences.·- 768 . . - ·For abolisr·.ing '769 .... 77() . 7?1 the free .. ?78 . 779 . . • ,_,_ ue::Lgm.or~r:.g .-r,:".'?-nce, es .;!r-:_~s .:t.n~; 780 . 1. h. r: t • .- · .... -- 772 Syster:1 ... 774 775 773 of -:n~:ti:::h 'Laws . 776 in 777 ~. a 722 ?~).': ::;, 784 . h -r. ere1.n an -~bitrary_ government, 7?.1 . - - 785 787 7P6 and enlareing i~s 788 7R9- Pounr=l.c::ries .so as ?90. '791 712. _7G3- 794 to renier it at ' · 795 796 once an exa~ple and fit instrunent 797 798 ?99 R02 for introducing the 80) 804 same 8oo ... · ~oi 80.5 ?06 absolute rule ~07_ P.08 in th~se Colcni~s. 809 -.. . 811 810 812. For .taY.i~g away ~13 cur Ch.;rters, abali~hing ~ 815 P14 ;. 220 -· B2i and altering ~und~~ental~ the~of our )82~ 826 . . R22 - . 816. 817 our most . ;··_,.--. ... ~23 1·: 82 1t P.t9 I.aws, 818 valuahle 827: Governr.1ents. 828 ~29 For _suspenninr.:: our ~30 P-31 01-m . 8)2 legi:;lature ~33 and declaring e34 835 ther:1selves RJ6 837 invested -.,..ith 8)3 839 ro~·~er to ?-LO le;ds".at.c 8C.1 P42 ?43 for us in 844 f<45 all cases -.?46 what~oever. I DOCID: 65677·9' Page 44 •· 81.7 · He 8~8 hus 849 854 abdicab.:c! Governm~nt here, by declaring us 851 852 S53 850 g:,:, out 856 857 . .of his 858 863 860 protection, and waging Ylar against us: 862 859 8.61 . 872,- ' 864 865 868 He has plundered cur seas, 866 867 869 870 871 ravaged our Coasts, burnt 873 our 874 towns, 876 875 877 and destroyed the 878 lives 879 of 880 our 881 people. 882 883 884 at is He &85 this" 886 ~ime transporting larg~ armies 887 889 858 890 of 891 892 893 ' 894 fol'eign mercenaries to_ compleat 985 the 896 _· 897 of ·works 898 death, 899 900 901 902 903 904 905 906 907 desolation an9 tyranny, already begun with circW':'lstances of cruelty 9o~9o9 & perfidy{'sc.arce~y paralleled 911 . I 91o 912 in 914 913 the most 915 916 barborous ages, . 918 917 and t~ta1ly unworthy 919 920 ' the 921 922 923 a of head· 924 925 civilized nation. 926 He 927 has 928 929 ' 930 931 932 933 constrained our fellow citiz:ns taken ~pfive 934 935 the on 936 . high 937 938 939 Seas 944 tC' bea!' Arms against their Country~ to 942 943 940 941 945 become 946 ·the execu·:_ioncrs of their fl'iends and Brethren, or 948 949 952 951 947 "950 953 954 .. 955 fall themselves by their Hands. 957' 958 959 956 965 966 967 960 961 He has excited domestic insur!'ecticns amongst us, and . 963 962 964 to 968 has 969 970 971 972 973 endeavored to bring on the 974 978 inhabitants of our frontie!'s, tha 975 976. 977 . : 979 982 merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warefare 983 984 985 986 981 980 987 is 988 an 989 990 991 992 993 994 995 undistinguished destruction of all ages, se~es, and conditi~ns. 996 - 998 997 In every stage of . 999 1000 1001 . 1003 these Oppressions We !'002 1004 have 1005 1006 1007 1008 1009 1010 the most in f~r Redress lOll humble 1012 1013 terms. Cur Pctition~d .-••oo-- f" • ~ -~ ~ - - !1~~~:~: ~{~ ;--- -,_ DOCID: 656779 __ ... ____ _ 1014 rcpe~ted F"·etitions have b~cn ansvrcre~l 1017 1Q1P. 1015 1016 ~=----~:_- -· ........ --.- • » - - - .. - - .... ·_ Page 45 1C1?. 1020 by · only :1021 rcpc..r:.erce, 1277 ~27? _1279 to and do 1285 ~hic't\. 12P.6 1287 Inr.l~'!"'endent St::ltes \ 12~0 12P.1 all oth~:r 1?.8;: 1283 . 1284. (-cts and Things 12R~ 12~9 1290 1291 ~ay of riF,ht no. 1292 1293 for And 1294 . 12?5 1296 1297 th~ surport of 1298 1299 this Declaration, with . 1300 a 1301 firm 1302 reliance on 1)0) 1304 1305 1306 the Protection of 1307 ili. vine 1)08 . ·1 (.) 1 roV"l. .. ence 1J09 we 1311'> mutually 1311 1)12 to plE'..de~ 1J13 each 1)14 other 1315 1)16 our 1317 Live~, our, 1318 1319 1320 . Fo:-tuncs, arid ou:r 1)21 s.'lc:rnd. Hc~or. ·1):>2 ---obe--- i. I 1' I f t t i· 1~ L .. -· - -- ::::_~_= DQC'ID~ 656779 .:·"I furnish herc.>•'i!-!1 a translation of i::aper :ro. 2, in.licatin{; of . wh~t tho treasure con:;ists. bnsed upon th<.~ 1)!;(.: · n i 0 t· 29 125 . t· .h e 14 20 .37 a e p 105. 28 248 16 158 7 r i s :35 h 'H 19. 301 . 125 0 s m n 287 98 117 520 62- e a r a 51 2f9 e :37 -i .. v n g 113 140 818 138 549 e e 3 190 110 y 822 e s 110 496 .I DOCip: 656779 . ~ 8 44 !'! e 287 JR8 117 ~B 'l') 'b u t:'l !' )44 h. r e t. J4 20 59 5?.D 55? D ·-. ..... t,- . ~- e e w h. h 107 612 219 37 66 154 41 20 r i t e h T 50 6 584 . t 122 154 ?.48 110 61 s r ! i e d 52 JJ p 0 JO 5 t s i J8t~ 8 ,14 0 t c s 84 57 549 216 115 71 29 n s i e d ·85 6) r 0 43 1)1 t e 29 . 138 n 47 ; h u n 73 238 549 . r d n 52 53 ?9 118 51 44 6) 195 12 233 112 a d. d u f 0 e r e t 3 49 79 353 .e n o n p 105 56 371 566 210 515 125 s o f )60 u d d g 1JJ 143 101 15 1 0 E:=-- ~: a i d r y n 1li..C 344 26 822 284 549 252 ·n n e d u d h D 204 316 61.6 63 219 7 52 52 1~(1 44 t ill.. 204 d h r t h i e ).38 115 48 73 f. t. w c 1 .40 37 157 t ;.4 v e 818 37 . s p 121 12 95 10 . 15 35 ~ n d 0 0 .f. 12 .131 s. 62 i . r, 115 102 818 49 53 e 16 • . 1' v d d 135 138 30 . 31 · ·6z 67 41 c5 63 p t :s o e e i •. 10 0 v •. -106 818 -e. n e h 138 8 113 20 32 33 37 )53 ·g e t i n 237 :~t ... :.-::::!! e e i 140 k7 85 50 37 n n. e 49 4? .• T h , . 64 ~ 0 a .e d 207 229 15 190 -Ill e 7 0 c s e 71 33 4 43 e 520 e c. D 246 85 94 d t:;~ -, g a w ' s n 1 27 609 47 e e i 2 .2?0 2C 39 7 33 h t n. 44 t w. e e 22 40 7 10 3 822' 106 44 496 n n y t 0 - . d i· c 199 31 10 38 140 297 61 612 J20 n e s t 0 .· s a n d ·229 353 210 0 .f J02 676 .. . ' DOCII): i6~67J9t c 520 4l~ JJ ·J2 e n .557 10 n u h 6 2.50 556 r - d d 21~1) 53 37 5Z e -· .1-'uGC ~7' • - . - - . 287;.· 2 ' a • n 83 47 320 d e n s 3B 33 818 7 44 · v e .. 0 U· s p )0 Jl 250 10 15 35 d n £ ·g .o d 0 106 159 11.3 31 102 406 1 a i'l 229 549 d )20 w t 1 29 66 JJ 101 e v e '818 ,_138 u· h d. d )01 316 353 320 . 219 37 52 n e r a d n 28 549 320 i e y 33 8 49 107 50 822 h ~ t i t e g 7 2 113 73 16 h 0 f 125 11 i 5 110 67 10?. 818 JJ 59 v e r· I 1 a 1 0 81 157 38 43 5 e w j 590 138 19 85 400 38 . 1 e 5 b a d 0 4J . 77 14 27 8 47 138 63 e n i t ... . . . . . i n 140 44 t. 5 3J 22 L 176 . s . 0 io6 250 314 . 216 u i n i 2 10 X e e 7 994 4 20 25 44 48 7 n g h c d ; t 0 26 . :46 a s 110 229 818 190 e v r . a t 5- 34 112 147 44 110 n p 0 121 125 96 r ' ... a i t' n, t ;H 51 50 140 56 47 ·u e t 0 a v d 818 28 42 250 138 591 '1 a 98 65.3 0 h ' t u 50 20 125 3?1 . .T .e h 14 20 7 ~ 5 )8 · n a d )6 10 52 b a 24 18 13 818 v 0 e c· u 5 62 JJ 21 95 r '219 e 1 .520 102 822. y a d n 152 549 6J .- .·: ......,... t r .t 32 107 140 112 -26 85 1.38 h e e i ·. -.. ~ n .549 d .r 118 136 102 420 150 112 1 1 0 a 5. 7.1 e · .37 :i. 67 . 5 110 a p d 30 8J 84 J05 620 15 k e c i 2 n 10 i 8 .... n . 0 • 219 106 353 p 105 106 60 242 ·0 t ? · . ~_.Cil.- i~ ( I j'l/f) . (.L f ""' ) 1i 1;.~. ·' ' /0 I '-/ jp,.-<. I ?_.!__'}. ___ _ ~ 9 ~ 1 u~ 5 I L V ~ fC ~ ,.I (I q ) \ . 1 r 2·; ( . ? ._.., .. , /) L . .,-tr, II \ · nl C( ~· l ~ )''I,.-. ~· ~ .... .,.1'-1 r? ?\' *'- ;:-:i (:) d J~ ~· - - · - - t. ,J .. . -- ----- - - - DOCID :· 656779 . . h w 72 8 50 204 t i ;, h T 16 7") 53 e v a 818 150 ·-- --- - - -- .. - .r-- - -·- -- .. --. - ---~--- -- rnr.e 50 • -- -- n i 184 112 125 549 T ·o . u . 1 t !1-09 400 . 50 0 e 65 106 .. ~18 1~0 96 110 P. v r s • i s 1)4 285 y g r 96 106 J16 270 204 101 822 1 h u 0 i 1 400 8 n e 41~ J7 52 d · ,~ t h i 2l1-0 J4 204 'W 40 . :t.. h e. 64 73 . 138 t n e, s 0 J8 16 46 47 85 1 s e v 818 85 78 s s ·110 JJ 420 515 e d a n 24 44 15 e t r 53 37 J8 22 s n 0 31 10 s d 110 106 101 140 15 1 i 0 . . d n a 98 28.7 135 .a e r f50 96 33 e, n t s 0 38 3 5 44 7 ·. r v . o c 84 125 818 e · d i90 96 520 118 e i 'W h · 459 370 653 466 t •. 0 h 106 41 107 612 219 t c r s • '275 r p JO 150 10? 49 53 p. .. e a· e r m n 287 250 207 134 753 h u e n 0 12 47 '. 85 s c . c r d 61 1)8 110 21 112 140 495 496 515 , a i b e s t e 584 994 . 150 199 16 .c '! X I . t e h 32 204 612 t, u v 818- 81 95 405 41 1 a t y c 1 - 0 i 1 1.!.2 5 .4 25 42 8 16 822 125 159 t t h 14 20 28 26 s 609 135 e 0 0 e . h t 14 73 85 r . n 353 0 )02 i f d 246· 8 131 159 f· y i 11}0 84 4!!-0 42 16 822 1 c u t i 1 lv 40 67 101 102 1 e b 193 138 d h 204 51 63 ~ n i ?40 .· 549 i g d f 122 8, 10 63 140 47 48 n n i .. .··.· i t. 140 288 { '• -----~ -· - ·-·-. - - -·- - - · -~-'------''-"' . ·· - DOCID: 656779 Paec 51. num1·.cr~d word_ rc:!'crrc_~ to_, except,-. Vord 822, fun·.:.a~entally, h~ us~;:d the final lctt~r, y. Word 994, sex~s, he used the nedial letter, x. 1forrl 95, inalienable is spelled by Thor.1as JE'f.!'erson ;.rith a nu", . . so that _Boale properly :'ounc! a Ford in the Declaration of Inne~nclence begin:1in~ i."'ith "un. . . 11In COnC}USiOri 1 it r.:ay not be inapr!"Op! iate tO Sa~T a fe·~: \vOrc!S regarding r:;yself: In consequence· of the tii!le lo2t in the above investig.:;,tion I have been 'rerl.uce1 from cor:;parati ve affluen-:;e to absolute \ penury, entailing sui.ferine upon those it. was "AY (iuty to protect; and this, too, in spite of. their remon~trances. !~y e~'es •~ere at last opened to their con~ition, an1 I resolved to sev~r at once, and forever, all .. ' . . . conn.ect'ion Hi th the .:3 !'.fair, and retrieve, if possible 1 ~y errors. To do this, and as the · bestmeans of placing te~rtation beyond my re~ch, I d~termine1 to ma k.e ·public the i.-!hole !"l::rtter, ::md shift fron my shoulders my respon5:i'1:1ili ty to }~r. Norriss. "I antic::ipate- for these paryers a larr.e circulat':i.on, and, to avoid the · multi tude of letters rd. th •·rhich I should be. assaile-d, !rom all sections of the Union, propounding· a'll· sorts of questions a:-~1 requirine ans\·;ers -v;hich. if attenr:ed to, 1-lould absorb my entire tir:e, and only change the - . ' character ·of my i·!ork, I have. ·decided upon uith.:lrc.".:ir.g my nci;ne fro::-1 the bl . . t. pu l.ca l.On 1 o.l. er assurl.ng n ~t . 11 . + ::!..n ... A>r~s ~..e .... ~..na ~· 4 .z.' t T - 1~ve gl. ven a } • 11 th t • a I knot-T of the r:;atter, r1n:t that I cannot add one \vord to the stater.tents herein contnin .. ~d. "The gentl:enan "~hon I have sele<:t~d as r:~ a~e:1t to puhlish and circulate theze papc-rs, v1as P.ell l=nol-:n to }-·r. Horriss; i-t ·Has at his hou~e that t:rs-. t-"orriss died 1 and he -.rould h<1vc "t-een one : · -~ 0 - ' .::: :: - ~-:-~~~-~- E~:~~,~: f. 0~ '~ " i: ~:- -- o r;~~~-~~ r~-~~~~- i:.~:._:..:_::._~ i{~;~ ~~- t·_-_- -~ - ' DOCID: 656779 ,oi thr. bcn0iiciaric~ in the event of r:y ~ucco:;s_, l.it.:c: e:very one else, he was iencrant of this episode in Hr. Horriss' career until the manuscript was placed in his hands. ' . ·. "Trusting that he will be benefitted by the arrangement, which I know would have :;:et the approval of Hr. Horr~ss,. I have left the whole subject to his sole ~anage~ent and charge. All business co~1unications snould be addressed to ~im. It isneedless to say that I shall await with much anxiety the dev-::lop~ent of the nystery." .. (And thus ~ndeth 'Hha..t ;.ras contained in the print- e9. p~-r.p~lc,t pr~par.ed by James B. Hard, of .. Ca~pbell County, Virginia, practically all copies of ivhich pa.~phlet were destroyed by fire which broke out in the plant of the Virginian Job Print, Lynchburg, V~., be~ore. ' a plan of sale had been carried out.) Now Geo. 1. H~rt will resu..'"'le where he le..ft off in his foreword to. this type,rritten ~ccount of the Beale Papers: . . Hhen my brother Clayton secured a copy of the printed parnphlet containing l-l'ard' s story about the Beale ~apers, I think in the SU.":l."'ller of 1898, he t.sked r.,e to read sa.Ilie twc or three tir.t'3S and then sit doi·m and discuss the subject \o.'it!'l him. Th:.s I did. 1.-Te 1-1ere at a lo-ss to knm-1 how to begin .any neH or untried effo:-t to unravel the mystf'ry. ·That Ward, by accident as he suggests, succeeded in finding a ·key to ciFher·no. 2, o~tlining the ~~~ber of pounds ofgold and silver, along. l-lith · jeviels of ·a· value of ~13 iOC'O, clai:ned to have 'been buried, created a · c._ ___ _ ,- ;:_ ___ _ L ____ _ ;.__:_:-_:--- sus~fcion thRt the story mi~~t h~ve been made un in~tP.ad of founded on fact, - - - . - . - ......_ - - - - . - - . .___ :.t:_ - - - to Hr. ~!orriss, accC;!'l!)anyinc the ciphers, did not st:tte \vhich of the t'1ree cirhcrs descrjhod the pl:;.ce of co:1ccalment, but one would think that cirhcr \ DOCID :· 6fi6779 . ··--.-------------· Page 5). NQ.1 ~rould. .·be tho. startin6 point l:lnrl h"'lv':! the i"IO:it ~tt~ntion. /11d why \rould B~ale e:;o to t:-.o tro11hlc 1. pr"!f.':l!'c thrl)~ ciphP-rz, l'o each based upon a different docur.1~nt? . . . . . . ~ ·, ·. . ~ . . . I.r th~ :5tor;v was not based upon ~act· bUt. -soncthinr, ;::r~r<:~red rrith th!' • •• • •. ·• " . -. • -1..,.. idea of .ma'kine; noney frotTt the $a'le of it, \·lhy was it allo:.;cd to rc:-rain in the p;r:inting plant until an accidental .fire consWlled practically all .. .. copies of it? .. I sugr.e~ted that rr~y grothe~ Cla:d:::n tnake a trip to l-y.:1c!:burt;:: and secure any infor!1lntion \ori thin reach, visiting \\ard if he could locate him. _...--...... -- --- ------- He made several tz··ins, and inouired all rou:1d the toY.'Il, beco:::.ir,p com~ need --. ~ - - - - - that it 't·ra·s more than probably ~ sto;:Y' 1-.;as founded unon fact .. ~ . . .---- ~--- . ~ . . : . ..... . ..--- ·. - .... Thereupon Clayton redoubled his efforts i.o find ·a key, or keys, to Ciphers !Jo.1 and 1\o.J. He v10rked every nie;ht for up-;·/ard·s of .two years •. withou\ ~a~ing an~ heach-;ay, but, like\{Jar-:1, vms unwilling to lay the .. subject aside. ~ . .. . . . . r a . - ... .. ... - Having studied hypnotism and Mesmerism, •-rhich had becorr;e some\·:hat · . . . - ..._ £"'- Of a fa r<, "n Do=no1 ~P- on the stage of the /r.cader:.y ;:r Pusic, Clayton h~ga:1 to try out his pOi·:ers ;..s· a res··"~t. of' ~·-v~-·-"~ ...:~, __ :.,_+--."".:: ......... - -:::= v.!a..L u-.:.•avu.:;Jw.&.o""•"""·•~ ":\ '""'""out . .Lhat·· tJ..·.,.,. l••'-t r .. - ~u • . • . .LL ·"" ~ • .. - .... • • • c.. . . . .. . .. . ... . . on'num:ro~s 1 proF-~sini subj~cts •. finding one exceptionally good subject, . . . . in the person of an eig!:teen-year-old lad in the neighborhood of our old hom~, 11agnoliq., on t.he extreme northern lin~ of the Ci:t-y of Roanoke, .·. Va., he, after a ti."'le, tried hir.:.out as a crystal re~der or clarvoyant. . •. To Cl:>yton 's a.stonish.r:;ent the boy, -:·:hile· in a st~te o:f trance, re lated a ';l~md2rful story', o~e ;;hich fitted in so i·:ell Hi th >-ihat he had le~rncd about the tr"'C!~ure thCl.t hi) dcternincd to unravel the !'!yst~ry, i.f possible, throuF'h that neP.n!l. So he invited !:lC to \o:itness a seance and tell hi.""l v:hat I tho,;pht of v!hat I w:mld s(">e and hear. '• DOCID :The6~{/~s a quiet; unussumi.ng, diffident boy. .. his normal stute he SE:!C!r .. ~d qui to t:ff Crilinut•.:, and never indulgc:d In in the use r-f profane lapguage, Under the spell, however, he seemed transformed into a vigorous, determined man of the world, confident of himself, swearing blandly, and ready to meet all . ,~ . me comers, The following is an account of that incident, vii'i tten by~some ten years thereafter at the re~uest of my brother, .. . Clayton. I had no ~otes made at the time, so this account came purely fr_om memory--and C?ay be more or less inaccurate. Ho·l'lever, the foliowing depicts the occurrence as I remembered it·, with Clayton acting as ~nterrogator, I being merely a quiet listener .. ·· arid observer. •. A CRYSTAL READING. "Jewels, By Gosh! Diamonds! Rubies! . .... Pearls! Emeralds! Whew! Ain't the old man rich?" ~ . : These and oi.her similar exclamations came from the lips of medium as he gaze~d. into the crystal ball. Oblivious of his surround ings, apparently in a trance, eyes bulging, features tense, a death like grip on what was opaque to the bystande·r, but which, when re- volved in the hands of the medium, like the earth on its axis, seemed an inspiration, the clarvoyan~ quickly turned back the pages of time to a century before, and claimed to read event~ then taking place. I stepped into the dimly lighted room, on the second .floor of ·our old home, Magnolia, Just after the medium had entered the state of ~-::-ance, and while my brother, Clayton, was commanding: "Time is moving backward quite"fast, and will continue so moving until you reach Nove~ber 1819. Go to Bufbrd's Tavern, in a village of that name just to t~e east of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and watch for the coming of several prairie schoont:rs. Tell me DOC!D.:: ; 6§.6779 .._., - . . . .. . ·.. ...... as. ~.oo~ ... as they ~~rnc in sight, and relate everything that those in ch1arg~··do·~- ·N;w, ~teil. n.~ evc:;ything th.r:/h~ve with them, and~ . . . .. .. . . . Page 55 . .: . . ; .•. \. :. ·everything they do. Keep close wathh on thom, · and don't let them ·- get out of your· s'i_ght!" . .. . ; Withj.n·~~o~t thirty s~cond:~ ~he ·~~dium straightened up, and, trembli~g as if from excitement, began to talk: · "Here they come! They're just passing through the gap in the mountain. :' . . ... . .. "riatch· them carefully: Donrt let them get out of your sight: .. ·. How many w~gons ~or_ prairie ;ch~one~s do· you see?. .. .. ... . . .... ,. . . ~-. : .· .. · .. .. - .... . .... .. ~ . - . . •' .. - "Are· there any me~ riding horses·, or mules, accompanying the • r. .; wagons? -. · .. • -- • .. .a. .. . : .. .. .. •"':.· : ·._ ... :: : - .. :·· . : ... ....... "Yes; {ive· mc;n. o·n.:horses. .. •• • • • :. •• • • !"'- ' • .. ' :; ... : • 0 "How' many ~e·11 a're there altogether? 0 - : . • . . . "Let me se.e? (As if counting. on his .fingers) There r s ten; five men driving th~- ~ago.ns and five men on horseback. _ .. , "Where are ·~h~/ ;idi;-;g in ref ~renee to the -~agons? I mean, ·:. .. ' are they in front of the wagons, by the side of the wagons, or in ~ .. •. - :· the rear of the wagons? : .. •:. .. ·. - "A big, fine l~oking fellow is riding alohc in front, two men are riding abreast just in his rear, followed by the five .. . .. men driving the wagons, and two men are riding abreast at the rear o'( the wagons. "Have the ~en any guns or pistols? •. ~sure! Each man riding h;rseback has a rifle slung across the front of his saddle, with two· pistols in leather containers slung from his belt, one to his right hand, the oth~r to his left . . .· .. hand. t~~~=-.: t=-~~-- C~--- ,------ ff~~~--- r_-_-----=--- [_-_-_-____ _ b~~=_-- . .. · ·- ::==~~:~ t:':."'".-:-.. ==--=- 1"'"·· ' I - DOCID: 6:56779 Page 56 . ~ n Each driver has a rifle and a couple c,f pistols •n the scat j... ' - 0 beside him. Oh! They're fixed for g~~c, ·ar3, I reckon, for Indians, ·too!· . ;; : .• 11Viatch them carefully and tell me if thcy·stop anywhare? . . ·. . . ' . . t . . ... . . . . ... There was silence for a minute or two, when Clayton steppe~ . . . . .. . . . . . up the time with a command. .: "They"':ve done stopped • .. . " Ylhere'( "At a place that has a board up ovar the dcor and ~n it marked ' • And.' on a li ttl~ building right by the side of it, I see_ . "Tavarn11 another boar~ which s_ays 11 Buford Post Office11 • And I see .a few ... other houses .scattered about. . . . ~ . . . • : ... · .. . !" "Watch them carefully, now, and tell me everything they do. "The big. fellow., the one who was riding in front, and I guess he is the t~ss of the outfit, has done g)t off his ?orse, . ~- .. . .. . handed tha reins tcs ant~ther fellow, ar.d _g~ne into the t~vern., ..... "Watch them closely an~ tell me all that is done. "The boss is talking to st.me man· inside the tav.:rn. I guess· hers asking _can he- take care of his men and horses. Anyhow the . tavern-keeper smiles and bows his head, pushing forward a much- worn book. The boss man is writing in it. .... "What are they doing now? .. - . . ... . ·. .. - . .. - . ,.They are driving around to the stable. The bbss man has take~ his saddlebags off his horse, turned· the bridle reins over to an old gray-=-·haired negrl'),- and has dona gon= into the tavern. "Don't let him get cut of your sight! Watch him cl~sely, and tell me all that he does! "the boss rna~ is done gone upstairs. It's nearly dark. A negro slave is showing him to a ro~m. But the big fellow W:")Uldntt . . DOCID: .65 6 7 79 · · -. a~ if he thinks it's mighty unusual clr.ings .f"r a gentleman •.. . ··r Page 57 :, . . guess in those- days· negro slav~s we1·\::. c:xilect:cd: to do everything .for the guest except sp{t. "Well, never mind about your~wise cr.acks • . Keep a close watcn on the big feliow! Dcn't let him g~t out of your sight! . . \'/hat is· he doing? .· . "He's done raised the"window and is motioning tn one of his pals, who is out in th~ yard, to cc-mc up to his room. That fellaw is now·going up the steps, and is entering the room. The bPSS man is talking, motioning to his saddle bags, and is now going back dovm the . st~ps, while the other man" stays in the roQm. He t s done gon.a in and sat down at the supper· t.able. "Time· is passing a 1i ttle faste:i n0w. ·Tell rr£? what the boss man,- as yo·u te_:r:r_n him, is doing. . . ;- ·. " ... 11 He t s done gone back upstairs to his room. He t s r.:otionlng . th~ o~her fellcw tn go o~~ of th~ room; I guess he 1 s telling him to go downstairs and g~t his grub. . . . . . "Watch the boss man .carefu1ly 1 now, an~ tell me everything he does. Time is passing more slowly, remember~ The boss man is pulling down the shades. tt.yZ Those shades are on strings; they don't roll down like shades do nowadays, on .· springs. He 1 s locking the door; and, by gosh! d~n't you know, he's .stuffing son;a paper into the keyhole. No wonder, for the keyh.~le i's almost as big as three fingers of a man r s hund. The key must be ~ighty big. Yes, it is, fdr I see it there ~n the tabl9. "Well, go all')ng ·and tell m~ what that man is doing. 11 Now he's putting his old big pis~ol on the ·table, right by the side of the candle. He's laying his sa~dl~bags across tha •, T .,,,..n.4.:.,.. i ( h ... i c; hunt{ nn --.---~---- ··----- -------------------- ---- ---~-----····-· - D,OCJ{D: 656779 f t a pottle t~f rum? ... ·"tell me everything he docs? ... , · . Page 58 Watch that rn~n ~l~scly, and .. . . .. . "llif God] The old man is opening up·a, regular diamond , ; mine! Th.ey glitter so they hurt my eyes~- I dioenrt know there was so many fine jewels in all "the world. It beats any je0eler's show case I ev~r saw. "Tell me about what he has. What do you see? "Jewels, By Gosh! Diarr.onds! Rubies! Pearls! Emeralds! Whew! Ain't that big fellow some pumpkins? And the subject shaded his eyes with his hands, as though the brilliance of the precious stones was dazzling him; and, all the while he was turning his head t6 right and to left, as if either to sec more or·to shake away the sight.he was beholding .. ' "Keep close watch on the big fellow and tell me everything . . ' he.does", Clayton admcnished. "Now, he's VY7.'apping up the jewels in something that looks like fine skinss and putting them back into ~is saddlebags. He's putting the saddlr~bag_s under the pillew, between featherbed and pillows, and has thrown the bolster off onto a chair. He's undressing, btit he ain't taking off all of his clothes. Now_ he's reading tJ'le bible, which was lying on the table. "Time is passing ~ore quickly now. Tell me what the boss man, :a-s you call him, does before he snuffs the candle? He t s dl)ne ·replaced the bible on the table. He 1 s snuffing out the candle. The ro~m is now dark. "Go out to the stable and toll me what is being done by his corr.panions out there? 11 Clayt'ln suggested. nrhc horses are in stalls, munching hay. The five prairie DOCID: 656779 s Covr st61:>lc. There'::: e ~mn sitti_n~ in each wc:s~n, the f!.~n being, in each· co::;e, in the .front of on<: '.:anon and in the rce:- oC the acljoinin'? -;mgon. Eoch r.oc.n ha::: ti-10 pistols in bi::: belt, >-rith. a ;:-~flc ct hi::: !:ide. NoH, that's clacn funny; why don't they go in ~he tevc:rn end t;o to .. ~cd.? "If you '11 keep your shirt on f',aybe we will find out • Where arc the other four oen? . '~hi they've done gone to bed in the tavern. 11Look throu.;;h thep-ai:tie· sch?oncrs cardully and tell r::,e whet you £inC:? 'vlhct ~0 you m~?~Ct r.:e to find? You ain I t sot not~inr; to co v1ith the:-;_ C.a_::.ned, all-f~recl tvagons! "Never r:-:ind about that. You Gon't have to look aft2r the welfare of: tho;:;e !::en; thcy'r_c v1ell able to protect the::::selves. You just . ' . . co ahead and look in each \·1e.~on' one after the other, and tell r.•c \·7hat yo.u fin.d. :· ;. ..... "In the first one there i::; ::;o~c hay, co~n and. :::t::m, anc--- but ~o_nti~e ztilled, turncc his head one \.;ay aud then another, -...:bile his eyes, openec wider t_ha~ usual, v1ere slued to 1;hc crystaL "Tell oc• what you see?" con;::andcd Clayton . "Two_ iron pots! They a:-e covcre~ with a .!:;.llankct, and arc . buried un::le:- strav1 .. .'~·1ha.t clo you sec in the pot.s? .'~Greet ~o~! .!u::;t look at t~~ r;ol~! r\~ silver, too! .. ~ccrr.iny crl!ckeG corn, 1 oon't wonclc.r they :.ave !iO :::any shootin:; iron!i ready for instant usc. "Look in the nc:..t wagon and toll ~e whnt you sec thero. : 1'0hJ there 1 1:: ju:>t SO:r.e .Skin!: Of WilQ OOi:-:al.s, $0I!lC jcrkc:i '~ook nore carefully. Are you sure there i~ nothing else in that \·1ur'travcl along the.old t:rail.tr Thereupon, Clayton and 1, and the subject, rcpaire~ to the other end of the roor::, and ate what Clayton had prepared for our u·se before begin- ning the ~cancc. The boy bcin~ ~t ea~~, rosuned his usual dencanor, rather diffident and retiring, '1-Jith little to say cvc.n \·lhen asked a qucst~9n. ~1hen intcrro~atcd a~out ~hat hod transpired during the sc~nce, he ~ecoed to recall nothin";. . . . . ... subject, handed to hi.:! the: crystol ~all, oncl the !;cnncc \v:lS rc~ur.1cd. ·. D<;>GIP: . 656779, :-~gc 11Now; titc ir. ~nscinr; very fo::;t until you ;::;ct ~ack to 62 ~ '. ----· ·- - - -- -·-·--·. - · ··· Novc;::!>cr 1019, and :rcnch Fuford':; Tc.vcrn:·· !ourtccn :-:ilco cost of here, to the eo~t of the .Blue P.i:ir;c Jiountnin!:. Tell ~c what you find ~cin~ done . . ... . .. . . ...... . . about Buford'& Tavern? -,~ .After e fe~7 co~cnt!: hesitation, the cu!Jject &aid: .•· • thJhy, there ·is the bo~s ~an, o~t there on a horse. And, you b'et, he ha; the:::. s::.cldlcbazc ..stra??cd .securely onto thc ree.r of his saddle. _One of his pals iz leavin3 th~ first Ha~on end conin~ U? to hiu. He'c gettin;:; on a horse, too. ''\~dl, \·1atch th.en carefully and tell · oe \·Jhcrc they go and . . .. what they do. A .. "There they go, out to the ri::zht, over tot-:ar:i~ thCi nountain, •. but to the south. ------------------~ "How m3ny ~en are in this party? ~ . : .. · .. - .. . , _____ :: ~ -----· b~::_~- , . . · - g~~ ~·~ ·-" r----- F-~::; __ t r~::.::_: -- !:.....--- "Only t\'lo.; the boss ;::en, as be sce.-:-:s to r:::e to be:.;:·~rrnd one of his pals. '~ell, m~tch thee car2fully, now, ar.d teil ne where they 30 and -what they do? ·. "They're ·ridin3 a16n;:; on an old rutty roac, r-orc like a trail than a reel roac •• No..:. they're leavin::; the ro<•d and follovling a path up ... into the edge of the ~ountein. tt•~Jatch thc..":l, and tell r:c everything they do. 11t-1ell, ain't 1 doin3 it? They've .;ottcn off their horaes. , ·. \ 'Ihe::i'i-e goin~ into a ce.ve. They've cendle~ \Jith th~. They've H::;hted .. . . . . their candles and are Cl~anininc the cave. Th!!y 'vc found so~e pot~ toes end other vege.tnbles, end the n.en shake their head~, es if st.:rprizod nnd dis~ppointec • . They're ~nuffinG ·their cnnclec et t~e e~cie of the cave. They're 0etting on tpeir horcez agnin ~n1 ere stortin~ back towc.rd the tavern. .. f . -- -----· - - · · - - - - --- · _____ ___.:.:...__..:::.;__ ______ _ The sun i:. ri;ht ov~rhcec. The bo!>:o r~on i::; -----···-v---··- ---· . . took~ng up ut it. . "Hell, tell :::e -.,h~t ·they do ne:r.t, e::!H~ci~lly \·Jhcn they cet bc.ck . . · .to the tavern. Ti=c is hurryin~ alon~. "They're back at the tavern. The ne:zro slcvc has taken th~ boss ~~n•s horse, ·also the other c~n 1 s hor~e. The bo~s ~~n end his pal h3ve · tiOna into the tavern, and.up to the bo~s nan's rooc. Tnc bo~s can is cbaldnc; hi:. head. · . "Very >">'ell, tioe is fa:;t pa:;sing alonz. Tell cc when. their nezt oovc is nadc. ·. "Roostcrc are cro>-.ring. . on the f-eak!J of Otter. . . "The bos~ naf!_ is lir;'hting hi~ candle. He Is nOv] 1 see the first streaks of dawn _resting slipping on .>is trousers~ and putting· on hi~ boots. Be 1 ::; putting his b_el t saddlebago:, and is gc:>ing co\m the steps of thf: tavern. . · rt-watch bit: 7arcfully. T~ll ::;e all that he coes-: :::~ . .. - . .· !IT'll u ess PY sou , ~o you ~now, t.a~ n~gro slave was out curry~ng . and saddlin~ end h~idlin~ the boss nan's horse. There he is, leedinG the h • . ' .J 1 • . . 1 :·: horse around to tbc f"ront of the tavern. The !--o:-;z ·~.an i:; edjustin; his saddlebagz, and the n~~ro zlave is hovin~ trouble to hold the horse, ~ho se~:. to b~ pranc~ng to be off. No\·1 the bo~s· t::an ·is astrice his horse, and is ste.rting off north, to the left of tho peaks o"f Otte~.· "Hatch hi~ ~a.ref:ully, e.nc tell ce all thet he does. "There he goes, the hon·e in a fox trot, a.lonr; the trail 't,•hich bor~ers Goose Creek and lendin~ to 9 cnr in the Blue rrid~c nvt far froo the T't"in :?eaks. It ·is on the triil whic'h 'rune fro::.• r.edford County ac;ross the . . r.:ountain. to not~tourt _County. The:re 1 s occc::iona.lly a houcc, l-lith a little clcar~d lend nr~uncl it, ~ut -----------------------~--~ .. --· -· ·· DOCID': 656779 ----------------~- . ·--~-- - ·-·--==--=-........ ~----------- ?ar.c ·b'f. ·- ·- :· · ·-:--·· for· • the tno;:t part the: h; J.l:> ::1rc cov!:'rc:~ v:i t.'h fGr(·~t trr>o~. !Tow the boss Man· is leavinc,:: the trail• is riding off into the;:) t-~oods, ·. but is shakinc his head, as if he doesn't l.ike v!hat he sees; .. . and go~s back to the trail again. .~ "Keep close vratch on the boss nan 1 as you· tern him. Tell '· me ·all that he does. nHe'·s ap-ain le(!ving the trail, crossing a little b,ranch, and going throur,h the ;.mods,.up a lit~lc hill. ,.Tell, isn't that a strange place--a sr:1all hill, -..rith a cur;_like forr-.ation or indentation ~n it,. all covered •ri th giant trees. The boss !llan is . - looking around carefullY. He's hitched his horse .to the lir:b of a tree·. and no-v;r is axamning the place, as if ]:lets hunting for . -. . ~ . . something. He Must like what he has found, for he is smiling. He 1 s knocking the bark off a spot on a big oak tree with the butt of one of his pistols, _and nm·7 !-te is cutting the spot more _deeply ~ .... ~~ .. ~ with his hunting knife. He's on hi~ horee again, and is returning · t.o-v1ard the tavern. '~'Hatch hi,-n ·carefully, and tell. me anything unusual that he.may do. Time is passing faster, and tell me ,.;hen the boss Fian reaches the tavern. nHe's done got hack to the tavern. The ne;ro slave's out ready to \. ... serve the boss man: 'J.!le boss r.1an thro;.rs him the bridle rein, grabs his saddlebags, and walks into the dining roo:;. Yes, anrl he's laid his . ·. saddleha~s carefully under his chair and set his foot on the leather .. ·connecti~~ the t~o b?.~s. He ain't taking no chances }nth losing them • I jewels, and I· don't blane hi~. "Hell, til'lle is .p:assing a little faster. Skip o~.~er the :nore unimportant details, an:' tell. I!le what is done by the-~oss r.:an and his associates. f ~- ~:..'-:'..' ~----- 1·· I f.:.g··. § t::.::0::- :.~:.~~-_,. .. - h .. .;.~~~ DOCID: 656779 . ' ~ • j . nc:x t. ::!•J!"ilJ..nt". The ;..:aeon. trni.n i:t ~tart.S.nc: orr JU:Jt like it arriv~d at th~ tavern, ·except th~t the rifles arc in the waeons and the horse~~~ onl; h;~~ \ricir r·istpls.in their ~lts~ .'Ihey're uavine, apparontly 'a GOOd hye I to thO t:wern keeper e ., ... f . .. . . .. .. . . ·-·· . . "The same r1ay. the hoss !!mn -vrcnt C:.n hi~ trip hors~back the. morning . '· . ' before. He 1 s ·talking to the b-10 Men in front, and po~ ntine to the Peaks of Otter. . ~ 11 Tine. is sp:!eding along·. Tell l!le where th~y go. . •. 11 They are· ·follor:ing ·the ~ame ·route the boss rr,ari t.."ent yesterday · JT,orning. There~ ·they' ~e having a little· tro~ble fo::-ding the hranch. !·!o'~ they're &oing along· the creek,· a·nd have· stopned where· the boss man \vent - ·- . ~ up -the J.ittle hill .... I don't believe the tear.;.:> can get up the hill. Ho, . ' r~- they ~an' t, The' bo~s ~an 1 s po:lr.ting. ann tall0.:-:1g. They 1 re carrying .. "t.he . . pots up the' hill: Hy! but tho:::epots I'!ust be hec:r\'Y. !~01-1 they.' re carrying picks and shovels up the hill. · :- . : ·. ' "Hhere arc th~y placing the pots? 11 Close by th<=: foot of the r.:iant oak that" the boss rnan 'chipped bark ta.king turns at !~OW they 1 :rt: ~:igs;lnf. 1 off of Hhen he Wr!S there before • the job. I> • -· · - • • - - ; 11 Time is passing faster. Tell me what·i~ fin9lly done· with the p~ts. "You 1 re rlighty i.":'lpatient! ~~~Y don't .you let me take my tima to see • an~:tell you about the whole job? "We. d~n' t care P.bcu.t all the details. 'Ye just '\.;ant to know ;-that '1-:as finally done vri th the· pots. "Hell, they've rlug n hole ·ahout· as de~p a:; a I"1an is tall. It's about the size of a ·:-:rave, eY.cept :l.t 1s wid~r anrl rcun=.cr, They've hunt~d up a lot of flat stohcs a!1':l p:.wed the hot.tom '!" ·-·· D