lj ,, . ··DOCID: 65.6779. <;;. • " • r 1' . • // . "-' .-"',• 'T •
...... ::::.:.::::..-:-...=.·. I ' ::::::r.::::::::
___...... _._._. -----~ __ !-•·---- E:-::::·~:£:::-~·-·
BE f\L E IPA' • ID~QS ..._ I " ·
(~resenting 1otail3 of en cll~~cd buria.l of gold, ::;j,lve:r arid jc'l~c!.s n~ar Goose Creek, D2dforcl, County,
Vir3inia 1 ~y Tho~es J~fferson 3eale encl as::;ociatcs in ~ove~bcr .· 1819 nn~ Decco~er 1821.) :,y .. G:?orge L. Hart., Sr. · ·. ln 'an' ettcx~t to urinb up- to-detc all that i:» kr.O\.li"l e.i-id ·~ ·;. =; stlr=i~cd about tbc :ubject. ·.
... 1964
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··--=~------
..
. . • .... - ' . . -.. ·- ·- -. .. -- DOCID;. ..,. . (Presenting details of an allcg0d buridl of gold, silver and jewels n~Jr Goose Creek, B~dford, County, Virginia, by Thomas Jefferson Beale and associates in Nover.~er 1819 and December 1821.) I by ,·' : Geo. L. Hart, Sr In an attempt to bring . .i .· ·.... . up-to-date all th<:?t is knO\':n . and surmised about ths subject. • ... . ~ As of the present date, January 1, 1952, the writer will make effort to put in writing all that he knows or surmises about
above subject, study and work upon which he spent man1 hours,
, a total of many months, extending over a period .from 1898 to ... l 2, mo:re or less.. in_ ~ollaboration with his brother, the lat~ Clay- . j I. Hart, of Roanoke) Virginia.
Along in the summer of 1897 tITf brother, then a stenographer .. r the office of the Auditor of the Norfolk & Western Railroad, . . ,. , I noke, Va.J was requested by the chief clerk to th~ Auditor, -
• Hazlewood 2.. then residing ~t ll.ontvale,. (formerly Buford) ford County, Virginia, to make several copies of eight sheets
~otepap~r, two 1sheets headed simply "No.l", three .sheets headed
11 .2 , and three shee~s headed "No.3". Curiosity impelled Clayton to ask Mr. Hazlewood what such l lJ ...... _.. __ _ - Jres, most unusual in his experience in the office, could pos- - J' ly mean. In the beginning of their conversation Mr. Hazlewood I :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 FG~ks of
~r, which stood in all their majesty overlooking his residence;
that, SD far as he knew, said treasure had never been located • . ' ·ton obtained permission to retain a copy of thci three ciphers
.ryptograms.
. . - 656779 Page 2. • ; ~ I t .. . C!ayton ir.uncdiately began study"fng t.he r.-1-::oninr;less figures, discussir;ig with Mr. Hazlewood from time to tir:ie this or that pos sibility; however, neither. getting anywhere near the beginning of a solution. In ~ ·few· months Ilir. Ha z.lewood ts heal th 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 bu:-ied whert: originally placed", - . About that time Clayton learned that a r:ian by the name of Ward .· . . .. had spent many ·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 ~nd published in pamphlet forrn all th~t he knew about the trE:?asure. .·
Thereupon, _Claytc n jou:rneyed to Lynchburg, 50 mi:l~s::- east -; of Roanoke, secured a copy of the printed pamphlet, and redoubled · •. his efforts to find a solution. ., ...... -:;. The n:ianuscript which will follow this foreword was prepared by James B. Ward, of Campb&ll County, Virginia, contiguous to Lynch- ·. . . burg, in the year ~885. It was print~ci in pa~phlet form by the .· Vlr-ginintl Job Print, Lynchburg, Va. However, Clayton was informed
- ~· . by Ward that. all but a few copies had b;:-en destroyed by fire, which broke out in the p:rinting plant before ~ plan of distribution and . sale at 50¢ a· copy had been made and carried cut.
About the year 1903 Clayton visited Mr. ?la.:-d, who then was at an advanced age. Ha confirmed all that is contain~d in the ~am- '• . phlet; and hi~ son1 then u.s, Mail transfer clerk at the union sta- tion, Lynchburg, added his own confirmation, but in Soli1c·what sad and solemn
~n+h ~~ ~ lnnQ since deceased. - .--- - ~6~Ht'=:~~~~·8--Z-_-7-·~-v-~ry::~~~~t ·af :the tr tparo ~irne in an off~::. l • · . .r • • • ... _ • • ... '\ to fiOd .a key, or keys, for the two c_ipher~ which are ~~ yet n1~an-
ingless. Residing then at Roanoke, Va., fourteen miles west of ' . . ·Montvale, (formerly Buford) Bedford ~.~rnnty. Virginia, frequent ." t::ips we~re made by one o.r othe:r of us, both of us together some
~imes1 to the supposed general location of the alleged buried
treasure. And, on visits to Lynchburg, whence. we journeyed oc
t:::::: casionally on professional work, we secured confirmation as to '------·· t:::::.~- ,_,;=~-"- __ ---' - the Washington Hot!:!l, and its proprietor, Mr. /.'?rriss, during the i~ ~~~-~--- period 1819- to 1862,-- ,. 1.tf brother Clayton and I, separately and j'ointly, turned to
.. the Constitution, Shakespeare, the Declaration of Indepenaence, ... ----·-.-- . . .. - .. and nume:rous · o"ther bo~~s and _dccurnents that we though ,!Ilight .have
t-·. been in the librar:r of the \'~ashington Hote 11 at Lynchburg, during ::,:··Beale's spjourn tht::re. We numbered the words forward and backward. ,'I'\,= 'I ".: finally skipping t:1e first word and beginning with the second, then
Gtarting w~th the third word, fourth and fifth vords, then taking
• ••. : c every fifth word, tenth word, etc. However, we found no solution. ' . .. In 1898 rrrf brother Clayton_. be_came in~er:st~d in mesmeri srn
and hypnotism, He r;ondered if this might b~ the means of securing
a lead. Finding an excellent subject, who grad.ually drifted into
crystal reading, Claytc~ began questioning him about the alleged
treasure. Thinking he was, by this means, securing a worthwhile . lead, Clayton asked the writer to sit in on a seance. The result . . . -of the sitting \'1ill be given in detail near the end of this story, Of
course, the writer, then as now, placed no faith in what came forth . . so glibly from the mouth of the crystal reader. But, like a drown-
ing man, we we~e catching at any straws that mi9ht float about. ~··_.- __ ....__ - ·----~------~------... ------Page 4. DOCID: :- ·i ! . .-..- ...... So,.. when. the. subJcct,°' during his trance·, claim~d ht:. could. sec not only the alleged buried treasure, but would be .able to lead us
to it, we d.eterminod to t~st him out. 1:· •
One nice Spring evening··· in 18991 ihe· writer and ·his brother•· departed from Roanoke about five o'clock p.m. in the· family buggy,
drawn by the faithful far.iily horse, Old Ne:ll. Vie carried what we
believed to be the necessary· equipment, (other than dynamite·, with
which I would have no part),. that equipment including picks, shovels, . . lanterns, rope, a'n axe, etc, ·And with us, of course, was our con-
fident crystal reader--that is, confident to the Nth degree when
he was gazing into the · cryst.~1 bal+.
. -. '. We drove by '.'The Great Li.ck", ·a mile to the east of our •' eld homestead,which~ it was clatmed, in th~ ~ol~nial days attracted
wild animals desiring salt;. on east through the gap of the Bl~e Ridge . , 1.~untains; to the tavern location in the village known in 1819-22.
as Buf ordJ (now Me;ntvale) .'said tav~r~ supposEd to have been visited
by Beale and his assC'lciates while seekin9 a pJ:.a~e to bury the alleged
:_'.'=== -
treasi:re, and1 the subs~que~t trip. Darkness had se.ttled over the land, as we: haci expected, and
which the better suited our purpose. Few people were moving about,
and the faint light of a receding moon afforded opportunity to see
objects of any size, which was just what we wanted. · ·
Driving across the rail~oad track, in the direction of the
Peaks of. otter, we stopped on reaching a clu.r::p of bushes and r.iany
trees, about a m~le up Goose Creek. My brother end the subject
alighted,· the subject wa·s hypnotized, and tht:y sto.rtad off al;)ng
.Goose Creek, I following in the b.uggy. Th;; trail led towurd a
gap in the r.:ountain that would> if followed, take one: over into
Botetourt County. i - - -·-· -.. _" ..... _, DOC ID : 11;15 tf'r)F§t not be ~rLi.~~ to pa~!;~ here. nnd ehplain, thnt. in the , ~ ·~o\.m,. of Buchanan, just over the noun~nin, there li vcd a quite prominent 1
faoily of the name of Scale, who owned a plP.ntntion bordering on the Jn~cs
River.
Dut, to rc£u~e our n~rrative: About f~ur ~ilQ~ up Goose Creek1the
subject stopped·, ~cc~ed to ~c takinil his bcarint:;!::, then clim~ed a rai:l fence,
ju~pcd across a sprin& branch, c~ccndcd a hill, w~lked over the "top and
p • • __ :.:~ down into a crater-like place, covered with old oak tre~$ &nd r..any leaves. r:.:-.-.-o. t==~~:f!; Haltin3 ~y the side of a lar&c oak the 3U~jcct pointed to the ground at its ~I0~; base and exclairr.eo: 11There's the treasure! Can't you see it?" ~e• a w. ~ - Fiifii: .. - ~ ~:.- ..... :~'"' ~ell,. had_ we finally ·reached the pro~is~d land? We did not ~elieve t::~ _ : ...... it po£siplc, an? _yet ;here was e cer_tain plausibflity abcut the confidence
o.f the ::mbjc~t, so we too_k f;tock of our :::ituation and planned our work.
Light in_£ ~n~~the~ lantern, we placed one on each side ~£ the :::pot pointed
out to ui::, end while · one brother asseablccl ~'he tools, the: other welked
up to the top of. the crater-like. place, .:lnd' then d?wn aro'und"" the spot, to
judge how puch of the li~ht fro\.\ Ollr. le.nt.e.rns r:•ight pe seen .,in the neighborhood.
Satisfied of.our safety fro~ intrusion, we asrecd that ea~h brother ~ .
would c!_ig, or shovel, for 10 :r.inutes, then to ~c relieved by . the other
brother. This \72~ to be continued until we locate~ the treasure, er were
sa~icfie1 that it did not rest there. In the ~eantime the subject was re-
1 ieved of his trance, and he.. lay down in the 1 eaves, apparently wonccrin3
what we were abc;:>ut, but otherwise. :;howir.$ no intcrc:>t.
-.:We diligently set to work dif-8ine. After cor~ six hours or more,
in the "1ea snal l hou;:-£ of the f-:>l lowi;;; ry:>rnln,;, we haj succeeded . in
dir;g i n~ a hole apriro~i.r.~ately .six feet i:: .d~~lh, ' .. ? . DOCID: 65 677.9 Page 6. ;. .. a.~.d slightly larger than a 9ravc• Our strength v1as about gone,
l :. • J :l.!I" , ) we we're filled with 'misgivings, and, 'then, whe-n about 8 of the ...... 10 minutes of my brother's turn had· been use.d, hi·s pi ek struck • I
a rock that produ~ed a hollow sound. He looked up at me, his ,~ :_-:_-..::_-:.-_·==- ...... ------L_-_ -_-- . . . [~~~:: eyes flashing the fire of hope, and I 1 in my own enthusiasm, said~ t-=-=_=o_ 1 "You r~ plr.yed out! Permit me to relieve you now!" But, no, he t:::;;~
11 replied: "Let me finish my alloted time • After awhile we succeeded in removing the rock, but the
hoped-for pots of gold and silver were not underneath it. How 1 r· were we let down? To relieve: our chagrin the S'-!bjQCt was again ~. h~pnotized and·a~~ed to ·reveal the ~her~abo~ts ;f ih3 ireasure. l Rising on ihe 6aiis of ~is f~et, as it in disgu~t; he pointed •. to the left about two feet, directly underneath.the great oak
txee, and exclaim~d: .'.''.There it is! You got over too far! Can t.t ·
11 you see it? .- .-.·-- Thereupon I Nas completely let-down, and ~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'eturned to· the spot alone, I refusing to accorn:.. pany him. He provided. himself with dynamite, and upon his return home he informed me that he blasted ~ut the old tree, and ab~ut everything near i t--but, still no pots of gold, silver a·nd jewels.
Was there anything more that ~e should and coul~ do? After a short... ·lapse of time my brother and I held a conference·. We re-
. viewed all that. we had done J .or attempted to do, and tried to map out a plan oi 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 ~r knowledge, and get
the subjnct to repeat them; yet we ~~nderad if, after all, that
------______;;;;_ --= ---=--~:-:::---.---:::-- .-.- ---. ~--~ u9e - , ·- DO~IJ!)C!lerE)>y6Vrl'/\·~ere nc.a:c~ the spot to ~ihich the ·subJcct led us; ...... nor h~d he any thought that Beale and his pJrty had gor.e there while
seeking a place to hide their treasure, 51" 1 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
r_=_=_===-- one's mind, there seems no way tc turn in the hope of getting the ['_"_:.-:.~--=.-o i----
f"'~"'~-~ mystery cleared up. b;;;;;;;:- 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, o.c., and h~gan the prac- •. . tice of my profession in that city, whci-e, until 1946, I was ex-.
trernely busy, night and day. So, after 1919, j. only gave casua'l thought to the subject; :-now" and then_· going back and reading'' over
my old papers, and writing to some one, or tall:ing with some one about it.
In th~ December, 1924, number of THE AUERICAN I re~g
an article about Colonel George Fabyan 1 wf Riverbank Laboratories,
Geneva, Ill., and ~is success during World War I, and 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, Col1nel Fabyan replied, and, among other things of no special interest to me, said: 8 DOCID: 65671·9 Page • I' "t~ov•, ln reference -le the three" ciph~r'C.: It sr.iPm~ 3rr.p'tnh- ' .. . . able to us that a cipher cf this bharacte~ could b~ deciphered by
.a novice without the key,· regardless of whether he put 20 years . or 40 years on it~ The cipher would be classified as a complex ,J
-----'--~ substituticn cipher--variable-key system, or pseudo code;. and even ;-..,-~-=~-:o-;= though one were .told.that the Declaration of Independence was the key, unless it was intimated as to how it was used as a key, we· .. think that the novice would have been utterly baffled as to how to
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~ were in po~session of the key of"no~ only No.2, but . . also of No.l apd No.3, with the result that the treasure referred
to has h·ng ~i.-nce· been removed and converted • .. "I repeat, that. ~he problem has my interest, and ! am
writing in the vain hope that either you or Clayton I. Hart can .- ,., -.,.. _,_.,_l-.,,..., _,....,, ... give us further L1formation, because the p,:,] ""'"v:-v~J 0!" it is abDut
all we have to go en in ·picking out our point c.f att~ck, · In the·
meantime we will retain the pamphlet, and work on it as we can
find time to dosc.n
But I never heard further from Colonel Faby~n, and assume that he was unable to ·d·· anything toward clearing up the mystery.
As I often said to my brother, and \'.Tote to Colonal F ab- . . yan, it is possible that the whole thing is without basis. l have . . . wond~:red if '.'lard might have written his manuscript based upon some
· figures he foui:id 1 or made up_; and yet, we have the word of 'ilard,
his son, and friends to- the contrary: Inquiry among some aged
neighbors of Ward showed the high respect they had for him, and
brought fo:rth the statement that Viard would never prtictice decep-
ti on. ------.Page ';I. DO~Da:s a6.fl1:.fii71Belight ~o·ri the ramifications of this work, . •·:. \. f wil1 add .. the following; In 1917 my wife ·asked me to dr-ive her DJ/// v'-~o . . , . own for a visit to her first cousin, Mr. Otey, near i/~ntvale;
' . ' ' . .:. '"' . ------ormerly Buford. On arrival·-cit-if.orrf::yale we v:ere directed to drive .--- I' ,_ ~::~~~------...... :':. :. ... _::: ··.:·- ~:·· t.::-.::-.::-.::".::"_--. long .Goose Creek,· cross· .that· stream ·at th.:: first crossing, and . ~~~~~~ ...... "'• . - ... ~~~~~~~ ~:~~::~~- rive up the other side, when we would rear:h i!.r. Ote-y' s place. ~~. 1~~~~:-~~ 11 of \:1hich we did. While sitting out on the porch. enjoying ·a ~~~-:~;~ [~'~~ lass· of lemonade, I remarked that some years before I had had r·----- ~~~~~~~: ·ccasion to drive up the old road, on :the other side of. the creek, VbI r:::p· n a buggy. Being asked the:occasion for such a visit, I told E~';;' t:::::~ .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 reek for upwatd~ of ~O iears. 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 e:xplos.ion", a watch was again r.et f ~r a week r 10 days, without result.
I have of ten 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 vlsi ted ~he Planters. Hotel. / / The following is what 1/lard wrote, and had printed in paro- ihlet 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 apparont to every
·ne, all knowledge of this affair was confined to a very limited
:ircle--to the writer's i~.rnediate family, and to one old and valued i "riend, upon whose discretion he could al.ways rely. Nor was it .. ---···-"roo .. oo I - DOCI'tf:1nte~~1'§1'avel. beyo!'ld that circlei But circumstances --·--~-~.-L •over ~hich he had no control,· pecuniary embar~~ssm~nts of.. a ;_::_- pressing character, and duty to a· pelled~ however unwillingly, to ralinqttis!l to c.~~r$ the eluci dation of th: Beale Papers, not doubting that c! the m~ny who will give the subject attention, some one, through fortuneo> or accident wil) speedily solve their mystery ai:id· s:cure. t.he r-rize which has eluded him. 11 It can· be r·eadily imagined that this course was not de- terr.iined 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 coni:.inuec~ his investigations, until absolute wa,1t stared him in the face and forced him.::t_0::;yield ' i t~J---- to their persuasions. Having nov1 lost all hope~ of benefit from i;::: . this. source to. himself, he is .not unwilling thiit others may re- ceive it, and only hopes tha:t the prize may fall to some poor, but honest man, who will use his discovery not solely for the promotion of his .own enjoyr:ient, but. for the wdf are of others,. 11 Until the writer lost all hcpe._of ultimate success, he toiled faithfully at his work. Unlike any other pursuit with practicpl 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 exci ter.icmt to th~ work not to be re- sisted. -....-.; ... _- 11 It would.b~ difficult to portray the delight he exp~ricnced when acci~~nt Tevealcd to him the explanation of paper marked "No.2". Unr.:c " fuily explai.ned 1 and no difficulty w the others. But thi~ uccident, aff ordin:i so much pleasurt? at the time, was a most unfortunat~ one for him, as it induced him to neglect fc:mily, friE!r;ds, and all legitimate pursuits for whut,~ : .. . .. has proved, so fa~, the veriest illusion • ...... "It will b~ seen by a perusal of Mr. Beale 1 s letter to Mr. r.~rriss that h~ promised, under certain conti~gencies,. such as failure to s_ee or communicate with him in a given time, to fur- nish a key _by which the papc:rs would be fully ·explained. "As the failure to do either ~ctually occurr.~d, and the p~omised expl~nation has nev~r been receive~, i~ m?Y po~sib~y . . remain in the hands of some relative or friend of Beale's, or some ;.;,; ; __ - other perso1:1 ·engaged in the _enterprise wi. th hi·m. That they would attach no importanc~ to a seemingly unintelligible writing seems · quite naturu.l; but their attention being called to them by .. tJ:1e publication o_f tl':is narrative, may result in eventually bringing : : . ' to light the mis~ing papers. L·---- i=;_:=_:=~- 11 Mr. Beale, who deposited with (.\r, f,'.Qrriss the papers which . form the subject of this his_tory, is described as being a gentleman, . ~ well educated, evidentl~ of good family, and with popular manners. ./ What motives_ could have influenced hi:n 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 '""• r~-~ ~ ·_o .roving charact~r of their lives., the charms of which lured the1:1 / ·.;.;;;;; __ ---- farther and farther from civilization, until their fives were sacrificed to their temerity. This was the opinion of Mr. J,·!orriss, ~n~ •n +h}c_w~v nn1v ~~n w~ ~ccount for the fact th~t the treasure DOCID: 656779 .. '. .,.. . . Page 12. f~r Which they Sucrified ~O much, constituting almozt fabulous .. ' . waalth, lies abandoned and unclaimed for ~ore than. half a century. . . . •. ... f:::;:::~ ashould any of my readers be more.fortunate than myself in'~ t~~~':._";_ . . discovering its place of concealment, I shall-not only rejoice ~=:~ ~~-;-;-;,-;_ 1~~~:;.~.-:.- with them, ~ut feel that I have.at le~st accomplish~d-something !~~~;.- , . r~t~~ in contributing to the happiness of others. . r.;~~fr ·. ''TH~ ·.LATE ROBERT MCRR!SS. ~ . ·. . . . 11 Robert t.~rriss, the custodian of the Beoile: Papers, was...... born in 1778 in the State of Maryland, but removed at an early . ! .. . .· . . . .• age, with his f ar:iily, ~o Loudoun County, Virginia, wh6re; in 1803, ...... he married Miss Sarah Mitchell, a fine- locking .and accomplished . :.. .. young lady'of°·th:Jt county. . . : ~. • • 1 "In obtaining .:~ch a wife Mr. Morriss was peculiarly fo:r--, tunate, as ht:r subsequent career, fully demonstrated. As ·-~~-.:VJ.He she was without reproach, as a generous . .. . she was without an equal--the poor will long r:?me:nber her .charities, and lament the friend they hav~ lost. · . . "Shortly after his remqval to Lynchburg M:r. f;~rriss· en- . . . gaged in the mercantile 'business, and shortly thereafter he be- . . came a .purchaser ~~d shipper of .tobacco to an'. cxte~t hitherto unknown in this section. In these pu=suits he was eminently . . successful for several years, and speedily accuQulated a comfort~ abl~ _independenc~. '!It was d~ring this period of his success that h~. Uorriss . . erected the first brick building of which the town c1uld boast, and which still stands on Main Street, a monument to his enterprise. ,..,..,., •• o_ r::::~€~~- His private residence, the house now owned and ~ccupied by f.!ax Gug- . . genheiQer, Esquire, at the head of Main Street, I think he also -·------· ••• _ ..... - ~· •• _-;;:;._ .• - • "":&" - -- ·---· - ,___ ••• -·- _ _.. __-:...... ____..;;., __ ...;..._ DOC IDt :' ·· ·• 65 677• 9 c .· '·: .. ' ;J 1.· ~ I 1. 'lo .: :! .. ·'. •. '; . .. .':.· · Page 13. assembled there more frequently than elsE:where, ~nd there ar~ now . . - ...... ~ living some whose pleasant recollections ·arc associated with that period. ,~ r· . • I "The happiness of Mr. i/;0rriss, howcvez:, was of short dura tion, for reverses came when they were least expect€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 him nothing save his honor and the sincere sympathy o~ the co!r'-'Tluni ty 1 with which to I • • •. begin the battle anew. "It was at this time that Uirs. Morriss exhibited the love- liest traits oi her· character. Seemingly u~~indful of her .condi- tion, with a smiling.face and cheering words, she so encouraged, . .. . . _. . he.r husband that he became almost reconciled to his fate. :::: :'::;; : "Thrown thus upon his own resources, by thP. advice of jiis wife, Mr. U.o.rriss leased for a· 'term of years t:hf! r'lashington Hot-?!, known now as the Arlington, .on Church St:i:eet, and cor:-:.'nenced the ·. ·b~siness of hotel k~eping. His ~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. ~'finding, 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, t:;,r; 6770 F·agc 14. D?CIP~uf'"'t'f." was. nc51. the weal thy c:ind distingu_.isncd ;:i.lone who ap· p:reciated Mr. 1.'.orriss.:. Th£- 'poor and· lowly had bl1?:>sin3s :for .the • I . . . . man who sympathized with their rnisfortum:s, and was ever ready . .. to .relieve· their distres·s. Many poor Qut worthy families, whose • . ., ~ .. ·I ·. descendants are now in our midst, can .r~merr~~r the fact that his . table. supplied their daily food, not for days and weeks only, but for months at a time. And, as a further instance of his forbear ance and unparalleled g~nerosity, there arc now living those who 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 ~ntil he died, without ever receivin9 the slightest remuneration, and thot he wds never made to feel otherwise than as a favored gµest. "In manner lrir, 1~.oxriss was courteous and gentle; but when occasion demanded he co'l.ild be stern and determined, too. He . . was emphatically the master of his house, and "from his decision ' . . 1 11 there was no appeal. As an ' old Virginia gentlcman , he was · ----~S-R~n~S'-.nP.Ur At S~nS rP.pror.b!4 and to a remarkable extent possessed the confidence and affection of his friends. · "After a checquered and eventful life pf more than eighty years, passed mostiy in· busini::ss, which brought him in cnntact with all classes of people, he died, la~ented by all, and leaving not an enemy _behind. His ci;ath, ·which occurred· in 1863, was just two y~ars 'subsequent to that of his wif ~~ It can be truly said . tha.t no person.~ r:ver lived !n a cor.Jnuni ty for such a length of time who accomplished more pod durin:i tht.:ir li vt-s, of whose death· was more universally regrct~ed. "It was the unblemished character of th~ man, and th~ uni- versa! confidence reposed in him, .that induc~d Beale to ~ntrust him wi"th his seer.:~. and. in certain contingencies, sekct him -- for .a most important post~ th.<:d: his confide-nee was not misplaced nocr.n: 656779 ~very ~ne remembering .•.fr. Morriss will acknowli:dge:. .. nrt was in 1862, th& s~cond yc~r of the Confederate war, that Mr. Morriss first intimated tf!e posse~sion of a secret that . was destin~d to make snme persons wealthy. At first he was not I' 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, arid he volun:tarily proffer~d his confidence. "Inviting me to hi~ room, with no one: to interrupt us, he gave me an outlin~ of the mutter, which soon enlist.i:d my interest and created.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, wht:ri I found "Mr. Morriss ready to resume the interesting subject. A private interview wus.~oon arranged, an~, after several .. preliminaries had b.een complied with,. the papers upon which.this hi story is based were del~ vered into my po ~session. "the reasons which influenced ~~ •. i~rriss in selecting me for th'=. tJ::ust he_ gave, and were, in subtanc~, c.s follows: First, friendship for myself and f ar.iily, whom he would benefit if he could. · SecC?nd, the kno\~ledge that I was young and in ci:rcumstances _·-·. 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 oux frequent _conv~rsations"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 misfo:rtune 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 ,;. . l- :.l ",.. 16 . ·.. ';,· ... ~ . ". . .. DOCIIl: 65.67'7··9-' ... . . ·.. : .. ··- ; :· . r . '. ',. .. 0 nazte;, if pos~it;:;le., th~ir ~cont-:·nts,· ~rd if succC.~sful ~n dc.•cip~v~rin~ . .. their f'lCanin~ and ev~ntua11y finding the trca~ur~, to appropriate . , . . . 0 onc.-h~lf of ·h~s Frtio~ -as -~·.TE~~)'"a!(on for .ny Set'\;ices, "the other ,J . . . . ' half to be di~tributcd to c~.rtain r~lativcs·~n1 connections or his . F-- z • • o'Ym, whose nar.ws he gavo f'ie; tho rcr~inc1dr to be held "py m~ in L trust for the benefit or such cl~i~nts as ni€-ht at any tine appear . ·..: . and be able to authentic:::i.tc thc~ir cb.. i.r.is. This l:i.tter 4mount to be loft intact subject to such dc..,anc!s for tho sp:lcc o.f twc::-.ty years, : ~ ... :· ...... :·. when, if still unclai~cd, it should revert to I1)'5elf or ~y heirs, . ·. .:. as a lcGicy from hir;s~lf~ ~ ·.: r_,: ·. t'" ;. ~ • : ·. • ·:-: • ; .. • · • • uAs there w""as nothine· objectionable in '.:.his,· the r€!quired • , . . .. : . 0 promise was given,· a~d the box .and contemt.$ w~ra placed ·in rey -. . ·.. possession...... - .... 11 .• - \\h~n tf~e w~it~r · r;calls his anxious hcurs, his midnight . : . ·. : .., .. -....:-...... ;--'1c a--... , his toil: his hopes and dis;.ppointr.ients: all c0'1sGq1.ient .. upon this.promisa, he c.=i.n only.conclucc that. the leg~cy ell' Mr • . f'{orr.iss was -~~t--~s.;.he dcs.ion~d it"...-a biessing in ·C.is£;Uise, . . • I • • • () • . : ·,;~:t~ine. as~U.'m~Ci .the· responsibili tics and .~cnscntcd ·to '. the requirements of ~r. t{orriss, I dotc!"'f'l~n~~ to devote as ~uch time. to the ~c;omplish'.,c~t · ~f· the ta;k ~s could be consist~ntly spared fro:ri other dtJ.ticz. · )1i.th this purrose in view I. n1qucsted .. froM gr. IIorriss a stat~".?lE::lt of every- p:lrti.cular ·connected with the_~ff~ir or haVinG the sli&htest be,rin3 \i.pon it, ·tcb~th~r ~'ith 1 such viet-rs ·a~d. ~pinions of ·his o'l-m as rnibht ulti~~~tle~· benefit r.ic in ~y rcs~~rchcs. In.reply.he £~Ve nc th~ followini, which I reduced to wri tin~ an1. filed. ~·1i th the pa?c:rs for· future ref crcnco: . !. \ \ \ ~--.: :.. ··· n1 t "1as in thc:-.onth of J anu:lry, 1320, wh ilt:: kccpini;• the : \ ,.. [\'!~ \!ashinqto~cl, th:it I fi:-st saw ~n:l bcc~c n.cqu:iintcd with Bea.le. i - • DOCID:' 6567·79 tn co~p~ny wit~ two ot~~rs he c3~0 to ny house scckina cntcrt~iruccnt. r~r ._ . . . . himself a.nd.fricnils. Being a~nurcd of a comfortable proyizion for thc::i- selvcs anrl t1-ioir horses, ~ca1o stated. his intention of rornaining for the ~ 'h"inter, should nothing occur to alter his plans, but t~at the gentlqmen acco!"lpanyin~ hi.~ would loava in a few dr.ys for Richmond, near ~Thi ch pl~ce they resided i· and that thGy were anxious to rcci.cn th(:irhorn~s, from which they had long be~n .absent. - .. "They c-.11 apreared to be gc..1tlQ:ncn 1 :;.nd with a free and inf.cpcndent ?-ir, which. rend·:!red them· -pecul:ie.rly attractive. /iftcr rcrr.aining a week or -ten days ~he- two_ left) with ex?refsions cfsatisi'action with thl')ir visit. f3ealc, who r~mained., soon bec3.me a·f-avored.and popular guest. Jlis social cispozi ti on a..nd friendly der.;canor rcnd~edhi.;;-, .extre;uc.1/ -popular v:i th evt:ry one, particularly the l?..dies, and a plc.=..sar,t and friendly inti:;rcourse '\o::as r. quickly csta.bJ.ish~d .be.tween then. 11 . In :pC?r.son E~la. was about six fc.::t in hei.ght 1 wi.t~ _jet black eyes, and hair ofthc ~q:r:l.~ colo~, worn }b.. s form waSSJl'-":letric:U. an1 save evid~nce. of unusual strenGth and activity. .3nt posure to tha sun and we~ther h~d thorou~hly tanned ar.d discolored him. - --· • - t;.' -· -- .. 11 This, howe.v~ ,- c:lii;:! not detract frori his apy:iarance i and I thought ' him the h::indsor-::~.3t r.i beauty r favored by the Jv;.dii:'S and envicci by the men. hD the first be i-.".'.l.S reverentially tend~r and polite; to th~ latter, affable and courteous when t~ey_~cpt within bouncs, but if they were supcrciliOU$ or pr~suming. 1 tho lion . was aro':.lsc·d; · ;:qT:l \.:oc to. t!"l.e 83.n who offended !-ii~. . Instances of that cha.r:lcbrr occurred more· th=>.n once; w!;tile hQ i.:.:-i.; r..y g':.lest~ and always r-:.-sult")d in his dem=mdin;~ knovm, ~nd he w:1.s no lont~cr tr011bled by irr::-z..-tin~ncc. I ------~-...--... - = ~··---·--·· ·-~- - -· .. ------. DOCID: 656779 .. ·"Such a ITL'.l~ w~5 ~nor.as Joffcrs~n Pc~lc, ~s ho and in hi:; subs,_-qucnt visits to my hr)use:. but I a."!l of the ir.:prcssion "'he W<:!.S from sooc we::-tJ?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 question hi.'l?l conccrninG them, :as i would h~ve done had I dre:unod ·. of the interest that in the future would attach to hi~: nar.ic • . 11 Hr. Beale r~!nained with me until a.bout t'ht:) latter cmd of the following f:'forch, · ;{!Hm he lcft 1 with tl1c s~r.ic Crie•C.s who first nccOTTJ.ranied him to :r.lY "ti.ouEe and. who !'lad returned so~e: days be:iorc. 11 Afte1 this I heard nothin(; _:f:rom i·:r •. ~c2.1:e until January, 1822, when he once m9rc nadc his app:arance 1 the s::..~c $~Dia.J. and popular gentlenan as b~forc, but if possible, darker and sw:n:thicr th~ evGr. :Iis welcome was a genuine one, _as a.::i were. aclighted _to Si3e G:l.~. 11 In the: Sp!"ini:;, at ~bout th-~ Sar.i(; time, he a~ain -icft, Pu~, bcfor~ doing so,· Beale ?-l::i.ndod to me this box, ·..;h.ic~, ~s ho said, contained papers ' . . of value; and :L-:q.. ~-.:>rt.o;.nce, anC. -:•hi ch he::: de~ircd to le:.:a.vc in my ch::ir~e until . called f0r h~reai't8r. Of course, I rli':inot decline to r0~ive tha'll, but little L~~6incd their :L~port~cc until his letter. fro~ St ~ouis was rec~ived. This letter I ca:;--cfully·µr.3scrved, .J.nd it lrl.11 be given 1-d.th these ?apcrs. . ·. . "Tte box w~s ofiron, c~r~fully locke4, and ~f such weight as to render it a s:.i.:: ~kp=>sitory fo:r articl~s of vtlue. I plac~d it in a safe .· and. secure !)l::.cc, -w!:..:iro it c'?u.ld not be C.istur~ed until such tif.le as it ' . should b'3 dc~:.nu~-d by its ov:ncr. "The.letter I alluded to :i.b~vr;: was the lact co:7.iunication I ever rccnivod frorn ~c~lG, a~d I ne:ver saw hiri ar;ain. I c~n only suppose th~t he waz killcri by Inr..:i.an5, afar frCJ.n his ho::ic 2 ------· -~-=------·---·- .-. DQCID:. 65677.9 Page 19 ,. thoq.ch no t.hin~ w:i.s hc:a.rd or hi?: dc~th. l1is co~p~nio~~, too, ~ust all have shared his fate as no one has over defl~nded the bo% or cl~imc-d. his cffocts. "The box was left in ~y h~nds in the Sprin6 of 1822, and, by authority of his letter, I should ~ave ~xamined its contents in 1812, ·ten years thereafter, havin;; he:ard nothin§; from Beale in the :::eantimc. · Dut it was not unti1 181~5; som.e 23 years after it Ca.?"lS into my possession, that I decided upon opening it. Puring that year I had th~ lock broken, and, filth the oxcep~ion of the 'two letters to :!"/self, and some ·old receipts, found only some unintelligible papers, covered Y'ith fi;,;ures, and totally incompreh0nsible to me. 11flcc.ordins; to. his letter these papGrc convey. all the inform::.tion necessary to find th-e treasure he has concealed, and upon you devolYes the •. rcS?Onsibility of rscovering it. Should you succeed you v:i.11 be amply !"' reimbursed for your· work, and others near an:i Clear to r:::e ·will likc;wisc be , benefitted. The end is worth .all your exertions, <=.nd L.,,h;:.:l.~e every hope 'that success w-lll revr.?.rd your E;fforts. 11 Such, in substance, w.::i.s_ the statemc:nt of Hr. t<°..Prriss in answer ·tn the v~r~ous intcrrog~torics propound:d to hilt.. And, finding that I could elicit no furthor information, I resolved to do the best I could with the li~ted means at. my. dis?osal. nr commenced by reading over and over again tho letters to }!r. Korriss, end~avoring to impress each syllable they contained on rny memory, and to extract from them, if possible, scmc moaning or allusion that might giv~, a f~int or barely perceptible hint_ as a guide. I!o such clew 1 however, could I find, anrl "1herc or how to corrM-:icnct) was a ;::irol:>lem I found most diffucult to solve. · · "To ~stcmatize a plan for my work I ~.rr:an;ed the p:i.;;ars ~QQ ~~~ .. Pabo20 in t:hC: ortk·r of t.:i1..·1r l:mcth, "l.n'] nunb·~:-orl thr.:::; 1 do:::..r;riin;, to cor.wicnce with the first o.nd devote my.whole attention to that until I hqd either unraveled its m~aninb or was convinced or its ir.lpcsz~bility--~fterwar~s to take up the .,~ others, and proceed ~s before. "All of this I did in th~ course of ti.~e, but failed so completely ·that r.iy hopes of solvint; tho m:rstery were well nit;h abandoned. My thou.;hts, however, were constantly uron it, and the fisurcs ·containea in e~ch paper, in their reeular ordt:r t \-ICT(! fixed in r..y r:ie~ory o j•~T in?rt:ssion was th.:it each figure represented a. letter, but as the n~~bers so.0r~~tJy 0xceeded the letters of the alphabet, I wondered if it were p:issible th.3.t so.r:ie document . had been used, and the words numbered. 11 ~ith•. this id6~ in r:;ind a test was r:l~de of every book I could produc~, f by nwnbering the letters and ccmparins their nu.~bers ·with these of the j I j .I ma._r1uscript. ,ill to no pur~ose, b:>w8ver 1 until the "Peclz..ration of \Indepr:ncl.cnce· I [ 1 j ; i afforded the clew to one of th£? pa1~crs 1 ·and revived my hopes;-:·.\~ i! :' ·"To enable my readers to bettf'..:r understand the cxril<>.nation. of this l . ; ; •. paper the DccL'lr.3. tion of Ir:.depcntlcncc is tiven herewith, th0 words numbcre::i . ' ! ! : ~ ar.:. th~s I r in consecutive order. ·r sure will be ofintGrest to those designing ; i ; ' 'I! ; to follow up my investigations. '.- ; : 1 v/.hcn I first p.ad~ this discovery I thnubht I hjd the key to the f : -==-~--- .I ! 1 'Whole, but soon asc·~rb.incd that further work was nl.)ccssary before r.iy task ! : ,...... ~~--- d I could be comple-ted. The encouragcncnt afforded, however, by this discovery .. enabled Me tp proceed, rmd I h:ive persisted. in r.iy labors to the present time. I: ~w, as ·r }l~vc already said, I am !.'orct."d by circu."!.stances to devote ny ti:ne to other oursuits, anr~ to abandon hopes. \.~hi ch Wt:lr·~ dn;.tine:d never to be realized. .\ ~OClD: 656179 Pago 21. 'l1 ·' ,; "The followin;: i sth:;; _lett~r addrc:;~c..-d t.o Mr. ~forriss by Ee ale and dated St. Louis 1 ~1ay, 1822, and wns the latest co~inunication ever rc~eived from hir.i•• ·. .·· llSt. Louis, !!o., i·'.ay 9, 18,22~ Robt. liorriss, Es~. Hy esteemed friend: · Ever since leaving roy comf ort~ble quarters at your house I have been journeying to this place, and only succeeded in reaching it yesterday. I have had, altogether, a pleasant tine, the weather being fine and the atmosphere bracing, I shall reMaln he;e a week or ten days longer, them "ho 11 for the plains, to hunt puffalo a."2d cn~ounter the savage grizzlies • .How long I may be absE.:nt· I cannot now. deti:::r=.:inc, certainly not less than •. \··!i th regard to the box left in your char~e· I have a few words to say 1 and, if you will ~eni"iit ~e, give you some instructions concernihg it. It contains papers vitally affecting the !'ortur:es of .:mysei}:·::a]ia r.any others engaged in business with r.;e, and. in the ·event ,,_r r:iy death its loss ~i.ii;ht ·be ' irrepa.t:"able. !'.'ou will,· therefore, see the necc:ssity of guardine it ·with v~gilance and care to prevent so great a catasi..rophe. It also contains some letters addressed to yourself and which ....:.ii be necessary to enlighten you concernin;.thc.bus~ncss in which we are e:r.{;agc~. Should none.of us ever return you will pl~se" presc~ve care.fully the . box for a period of ten years from the date of this lett~z-:, and if r,·or_no on~ with authority fror.i. r:ie, during th~t time demands its restoration, you will op~n it, which can be done ·c;y removing the lock. You lrl.ii find, in addition to the papers addressed to you, ·other papers which will be unintelli;iblc ~-ithout th~ aid of a key to assist you. I DOCID: 656779 ,, Su,ch .a key 1 have: left. iri the hands of :i friend j n this \'l;1cl'::,.. scalcid, 11 11 adi:lr~SSC'd LC. your::;clf 1 and t::ndorSOO \fot ti:> be d~li V':~T{;d U.'1til June 1 18)2 • Dy means of t{:is ypu will understand fully all y9u ·will bo. required to do. . ~ . . I.kni:>w you will cheerfully comply with this roquest, thus.adding, to . tho t:'lan;.· obligations under which you hava alroady placed me. In the meantime . , should death or sickness hapf:~n to you, to which a.11 arc liable, rlease select from among your friends some one worthy, and ~o hin hand.this l~ttcr, an1 to hi~ delegate your authority.· I hµ.ve b.:;cn. thus particular in r:::y instructicris in consequ8nce of .. the ~'JffieWh~\ r~ril_('US entcryrise in which WC arc ~-:1Ja§ed 1 but trust we shall ~cet long er~ t~G tin~.expircs, and so save you this trouble. ~e the result what it :iay, however' the fta.-:ic is worth the: can:ilc and we will play it to .. the.end. .. · y!i th \find est wis!ies foryour most cx~clJ ent wife, comp.lfm_~nts to the ..... ladies, a goo~ wo1~d to enquiring ;friends 1 if U:r~G be any, and assurances of: ·:!. ':~.-~ my hi;;!"lcst esteer:i. for yr.'ul'self, I rcn-.ain,, a.:; o~·~r, ~:=~=~= t~.o~==~ .. Your sj,ncerc f.ri~nd, s n. Tho . Jeff • Deale. · •!,\ft~r thi::: rC:ze?tion of this let t.:?r t~r. Horris sta tcs that he was ·particularly careful to" see the box .sccuroly placed, wht:re it could remain in absclute saf.::ty so 'long as _the e:>:is~ncies of the ca::;e might require. The le~ t;.r, too, ho was equally. car-::ful to t":r-asiffVe for .futuro us~ should it b0 net..~ed. '. ·. 11 iiaving dl')na a11 that was rcquir~d or hir., ~:.r. Morriss could only awai~- 3calc 1 s.r~tur~, or so~~ co~.municition !ror. hL~. In cithnr case he was disappointc.-'i, nor 1id a lino er rn~ss~ge ever r..::ach him. DOCID: 6567-79 Page 2) "During this ; ...~rio'.! rw.ors of In1i.:in outr:.i.;·:.::; antl m~ssncr~s were current, but no mention of 3c.:alc's nC!I."l~ ever occ~rr~1. 'ihat bccane cf him and his companions is l~ft entirely t_o cor.jccture. • ri.. ~thcr he was slain IJ by Indians, or killed by th; savage animals of _the .locky ~fountains, 1 or ~h~t.hcr exposure, and nerhar-s privation, did its work can never be told. One ~hing at least is certain, that of the young and gallant band, whose · buoyant SDirits led then to seek such a life and to f~rsake the comforts of home, with all its enjo~ents, for the dangers and privations they must -1 nece9sarily encount:;r, not a survivor rc~ains. 11 Thou[h 1ir. l~orriss was aware of th& contents of the box in 18li.5 it r;as not until 1862 1 forty years aft~r he received it, that he thought propc;r to nentio~ its exist8nce, and to myself alon~ did he then divulge it. •. He had beco~~ long since s?tisfie~ ~hat the_ parties were no longer living, but his delicacy of feeling pr0vcntcd him assur.:.ing as a fact. a matter so •• p , : p preenant v?ith ccnsoquences. !IE: frequc:ntly :.::cc;i.d:"?d lJ.;?on -acing so, and as often. delayed 5:t. for anothc:r tine. And whc:n, at .last, he 9id speak cf th·~ matter it was with s~er.iin::; relu~tance, as if.. hc felt he was co111.:r..itting a wrong. .3ut the story once told h0 evinced up to th~ time of. his death the greatest intcreut ··.in r.iy success, and in frequent interviews encouraged me . to pr~ceed. 11 It is no.w more than twenty years since these _papers. cam? into rr.y hands, and, with th~ exce?tion of one of them, t~cy arc ~till as inco~p~ehen sible as ever. Huch ti.r.le w.as devoted to this ona, and those who enba.ge in tho matter will tc ~2V(:d ;.rhat has been consu..-ned UFCn it myself. "?eforo giving the pap!::rs t? the public I ;.;ould say a word to those who ~ay take an interest in the~, and give them a little advice, acquir~d DOCID: 65.6779 Page 24 by bit.tcr cxr-~ricncc. It is to devote only suer. liflic as can be: spared .• · fror!l your lcgitir.i:i. tc busine:ss to the ta::k, and 1 if you can spare no time, let the matter· alone. Should you disregard.my advice, do not hold me ,~ .r. responsible that pov~rty you havq courted is more easily found than the accomvlishment of your wishes, and I would avoid the sight of another reduced ...... to my condition. - . . 11 Nor is it necessary to devote the time that I did to this ITlatter, - as accident alo:ie, without the pro!'!isi::d P:ey, ·~.rill ·ever develop the r:yst:ir-y. If revealed ·by acci.dent a few hours devoted to the. subject r-;aj' accomplish re.sults which wcr~ denied to y0ars ~f pati~nt .t·~il. ~~(";,..4r. .. o~-"-- 1 2 n'"·ve-• - ~ 1 "'SI~ · have ·aone, sacrifice your oi·m and you:r f:::.."lilY 1 s. intL..-£"5ts to wh?..t :::.ay prove an illi.ision; But, ·as I have ci.lready S!lid, when your day 1 s wnrk is done:, apd . . you a.re confctrtatly scat~d by your good fi:re, ·a s!1crt tirlc devoted to the . . subject can injure no one, an~ nay bring its r~~ard. '!.By ..pursuing this policy yo~r inter~2t! ·"'ill not suffer, your family will be cared for 1 and your t'!i~ughts will not r-e e>.bsorbcd to 'the exclusion of other :inportant matters. \!Tith this admonition I sub::;it to my readers the papC:rs upon "W"hicb this narrative is founded.• 11 Th~ first,·· in order, is the l.;ttc:.r fron ~ealc to )'1r. !forriss, which will giva the ~eadbr a-clcar~r conception of all the facts connected with the c.::i.se 1 an:l \'!n~blo him to understa:ld as full:: as l r.ysc:lf do the prascnt status of tho affair. The letter i~ as follows: ""~- .. : ,·.).:...... , ,._,; ...""' ...:-£,._.,,.._""" _.. -..,._. You will, anut>tl~s:, ~~:~~;--~ -:r t:f~t: ~:.=-~~;: ~~~ !:~:.;~:::r~:• s-·:-- .;-..J ... : .... _ .. ~f'r:.:'::-:·~ ~c: :-~: .....- "''""' - perusal of t11is lctt.~r, the i.T.~orla!1cc of t!1e truGt ccnficicd to you, and -·----~1:; DOCID: 656719 t~~-~ !-:_-_ ~'r,.J r:'-u;!:~;;!"!;!;: )-:-:~~';' ;-~ ~~~~ ~'~~ :: ~'·; '°tfi(: COrlfidenCi!? repo:::;;-;:d i.n y:..>ur honor 1 by pnrti-;:::::; ";Thor y:;u hU..VC m.:VC:r and whose nam~s you h:,..vc never h..::ar::J.. Th~ :--~a.ion::; r!;C si~pl~ and easily told, It was :impGrati-.re U?on us that £Otno one her~· ~bouid b~ solcctcd t - . to carry out our wishes in cas~ of acci~cnt to .·ourselv~s·, and you;. rt:p'.ltation as a JTJan of intcGrity, unblc11ished honor 1 and business sar,aci ty, innur:nce:l . .. . . them to select you in place of othc.rs bot tar known but, pGrh.~ps 1 not so . · "reli.a~le as yourself. It was with this design that I :tirs_:!. visit'8d your h~, two yi:!ars since, that I might jud6e by 7Jcrsonal 0"::1scrv~.tion if your reputation was . . merited. To enable me the better to do so I rc~ainc months I and until I was fully SC?.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 r.ry reDort· was a favorable one. I will now give you some, idea o.f tho (:nterprise in which' ....-e are ~ ...... ~·:· ....,.,... engat:;od, and the duties will be r.::!quired of you· in· connection V"?erewith; . . . . first assuring you 1 hoµever, that your ·co~~~n~:ation for th<:: trouble ·will be ample·, -~s you ha.v~·· be~~ unru;ir;ously ::i.a.dc one of o~r associc..tiqn, and "' J : T:• : .& • as such are antitled to snare equally ~vith th.::l 0thcirs. ~ Som·e· five ·yc:ars' since I, in connection with .several friends,· who, ...... like myself 1 ·wero. fond of advent.ure·, and "if r-i.ixed with a little dan~er all i ~ the more acce:>table, detcrr::.ine:d to visit the ·;r!:;at Y.!cstc:rn plains and enjoy t-_=- in huntin~ buffalo, grizzly bears, anri ·such otb<)r ga..~c as the country would afford. .This, at that ti~e, was our sole object, and ....:e at once ~roceeded . . . to put it in execution. On account: of Indians and other da..~gcrs in~idc~t to such an under- taking, we dct~r:r~incd to ~aisc a party of not l~~s th~n ~~irty individuals, of good charac·ter a.r.d standi:"l;, w!io \;~ul·i be plea:::;:>..:1t cor;p:;.:iions ar.d • !) - -··-----·----- . -··------·- . -.-----·---·-.--~·---. --- -·--·-----...... ,;;,_ __ _ DOG~E)s4nt 6®16.~~Q and finnn~ially able tc;> encounter the cY.pcnse. · Witn J .1· • • .. t'his object in view c!lch one of us sug;::;estcd the subject to his several friends and nc~uointonccs, and in a few w~ok~ the requi~ite nu~ber had -signed the.conditions nn9 were adnittcd a~ ncn~ers of the party. Sane . . few refu5ed to join us, ~eing, doubtlc5s, deterred by the danger,s, but such ccn we did not want, and were glad of their refu~al. The company being forncd, we forthwith cornnenced our prepnrntions, .a.nd, early in.April, 1817, left old Virginia for St. Louis, Mo.,- where WC CXpectt:d to purchase the necessary outfits, procure 8 .JUide anc two .. or three servant~; and oStain such infor~ation"and. advice as cizht ~e beneficial. hereafter. All was don~ as intended, and we left St. Louis the 19th of Eay, to be a·:isent two years, cur objective point being Santa Fe, which.. WC intended to reach in the ensuing Fall, and there establish ourselves in winter quarters. .. ) After 1 e·avi n6 "St. Louis we wera adviscd. by our guide to form a , .. regular cilitary organization, with a captain, to be scl~c~c.d by the ner.:bers, to whon should be given sole authority to canage: our anp, in case of necessity, an$ure united acticn. This was a~recd to, and c~ch ner::ber of t":1e party bound hin!:elf 'by a. sol.e;;:n obligation to 'obey, at all tines, th~ -0rclers of their captain, or, in event of refusal, to leave the company.at once. This arrangc~ent was to re~ain in force for two years, or for the ·--.. ---.. = i-----.,--~=-- period of our expected absence. Tyranny, partielity, incc~pctcnce, or other i::il?roper conduct on the part of the captain was to be punished by dcpo:;ing hin free his office if a ~ajority of tbc cocpany desired hi:; dis~issal. All thi~ being arranged, and a set of law:; fraoed, by which .::=:~...... -- ..-__,,-; _ _,;:_-_-_- the conduct of the ,...... -.. -- ,, .... ~~--~- ,···-···-----...... - ::::::::::~:_- r..::::::.... --- .. ; ...... ::.;: ...... ;:_ ...... ~--- - 1 · .-. Pnge 27 DQC~~ w~~cP~c7r~ulo~cd, ·tha ctccHon W{l;S held; and resulted in : ... . . -··· 0 cl:oos{n~ r.c llS thclr lcnc!cr. .."· •. .. t ...... 1 t i::: not r:y -pUr?o5a now to ci ~-c you clctci ls of our ~.,anderi.n£S, or ····-: . •I ·of the plaasurc~ o; dan;P.r::: e:ncount€!red_ All this 1 will reserve until ' r-~··· ..... we .r:icct o.:;ain, when it will be a pleocurc to rec!!.ll inciccnts that will ~~;;;.,-~-- j- -- ~-~-o-:C-- - p;;. always be fresh in I:'-Y mc.--::ory. About the first of Dace:r.'t.er we reachc:::l our destinotion, Senta Fe, ; .. and prc?~rcd for a long an~ ~clco~e rest fro~ the fati~ues of our journey. -.Nothin~ of intc:r~:;t occured du'ting tha winte:r, er.:3 f?f t:ti.s little Vie>xican ~:.:-- .. .. :. '· ...... town we soon bccn~e heartily tired. We lon~ed fo~ the advetit of weather ·which would cnc.ble us to resu.nc our· wandcrinE£ ~n-:! our cxhil~ratinr; ~ •• .• - I . ' .·. pursuits.· ..... ~ •. ~arly in V.$.rch soDc of the party, to vary the nonctony of their lives, detern:i.ned upon a :;ho:rt excursion, for. the purpose of hunting and cxanin- -~ Ins. the country ar~>und us. They c'xpected to be: ?nly a few~ days absent, but . ' ..·. - day::; passe H~ had ~\:!come excecdin;:;ly uneasy ·and were ?rcpEl.rina to send out scoutz to trace thCl'"'\1. if pos!:iDle, when two of t:ic party arrived and gave D.11 cxplanaticn of t::cir abse~ce. It ep;iears tha.t when they left Sante F~ . . . they pursued.a northerly cou=se for scr.e clays, ~cin~ successful in finding an abundance of ga:.1c, which they secured, anc were on the eve of returning when they discovcr~d on thci= left an i::r.cnsc herd of ~uffaloes heading for a vcll~y just percertiblc in the distance. They detcri.incd to follow them, and secure as oa~y as pozsible. Kcepin~ well together they followed.their .tnd.t for two week:; or rore, r.ccuring nany, cnJ stor::pe:.:!in;; the rest. Ow~ dAY, w}df<: foll .. •\.lln~ thnr:!, the pnrt.y POCP.r.pcd inn -••• ;:,,;·~--::- _::..7 . . . . ~ ----·----·----. . DOC ID': 656779. . ' 1 :i~"in7 1 ~or;ic 250 or )OOm"ilcs to the north of Szmto Fe, ond, \·rith their horses ..... ~tncrcd, tJcrc prcpori ng thc.:i r cv1.mi nn mc.:i 1 d1cn one- of the rncn di scovcred in " 1 cf t of the rocks scmcthi ng thot hod the oppcunmcc of go 1 d. Upon shoi·1i nD it - o the others \.t \'ms pronounced to be gold-"'Llnd rnuch.cx:citcmcnt \"I~s the noturol I": I onscqucmcc. Ucssengcfrs \-/ere ut once cli spt:itchccl to inform me of the f~cts ~md equc::st my presence \·Ji th the rest of the p.:irty--and \'Ji th supplies for on inde- [_=_=_"--· ·; ni te tlme. All the P.leDsures c::nd tcmptt:it"ions \·Jh"ich. hud lured than to the pl Dins 1cre no~ forgotten, and visions of boundless weolth_und future 9r2ndcur were :he only 'idcus cntcrto1ncd • . Upon reoch"ing the 1ocul1ty I found u11 ~sit hnd been represented, und :ha cxci temcnt intense. Every one i·Jtis di l'igGntl}' .:it i·1ork ~-ri th such tools and Jpplicnccs as they had inprovised, and quitc·a little pile hcd ~lreody :iccumuluted. Though ull ~'."-~re ~;t \:4ork there was nothing lil~e order or m~thod in. their plans, and my first efforts were.to systemcti~e our operations and reduce . .- ..... ~ everything to order~ \llth this object in vic\·s an agreement \·:cs entered into to ~-iork in corrmon, as joint purtners, the accumulations of each one to be placed in D I • corr.rnon 'receptacle, ancl ·~ach be intitlcc1 to i:ln equ;:il share of the \•!hole \·shencvc:r he chose to \·J'i thdr~w it; the \::hole to rc~moin under rny chorgc unti 1 scra~ other di sposi ti on of it w.:is c:igrccd upon. Und~r. this .;irri:l~gc:mcmt the ~·iork progressed favorably for eighteen months or more, end u great deol of gold hud accumulated in my huncls, as well ns silver, which had likewtsc heen found. Everything nccessnry. for our purposes und for the prosecution of th~ work hcid been obtui ned from Sonta Fe, ·<:incl~~o trouble w.:.s experienced in procuring Dssist~ncc from the ____ :;-.---.:; -- - DOC"'?'D~Xf>"t65~?1,procu"di:i~. n~dst~ncc .~roe:. t~c., lp.cinn:;. in our labors...... · Pi,:itters went on thu.i; until the ~u:::-:::-~r. t;J.f ie19, "'hc:i the question ·' • 11:.. of transferring our we."llth to·._.:wr.cr si::cure plc.~~ wes fr~qucntly discu::;::.d...... ~ .. ' lt was not considered advisable to. retain so lar,gc· !1.n ...ar.iount in so wild an~ dan~crous a locality, where !ts very posses~ion °r-:iGht endanger our lives; a~d to conceal it there would avail nothi~~~ as we night at any tioe be £breed to reveal its place of conceal~ent. We were in· a dile=-.na. Sorr.e advised one pla.n, s.o:::e another. One ·reco=nendcd Santa Fee~ the safest place to deposit it, while others objected and advocated.its shipnent at once to the States, where it was ultiwately to go, and wh~r~ alone it would be safe •. The ide~ s~c~cd to prevail, end.it was doubtless correct, that when 6utside parties ascer- tained, as they would do, that we kc;:>t nothing· on hand to te::!pt their •. cupidity, our live_s would be nor~ secure tbc.n at present. lt was finally. decided that it "Would· he best. to sen:! it to Vir[linia, under r:1y charse' and there be S<:(Ctn::cly buried in a ca.vc .n~~ Buford Is Tavern,. in the cr.mnty of pedford, which all of us had visi tecl, ~nr.l which was considered a perfectly safe depository. This was· accepti~le to all, and ·I at once r.:ak preparationz for rJy dep~:rture'. The whole party were to: ecco~pany r:.e · for the .first five hundred ::i.i las, when all l;rnt ten would re- turn, thl"!sc latt'=r to re~ain with r-.e to the en~ of the journey. Al 1 was carried out as arranged, end 1 arrived safely with r.1y charge. Stopping at auford 1 s Tavern, where we rer::ained for a oonth, under pretense of ~unting, etc., we vi~ited the cave but found it unfit for our purp~se. It wes too frequently visited oy the neigh~orin~ farmers, who used it as •.receptacle for. their sweet ~....,c;;f;::c;, ·--..;;: ------==------; . -.. ~------=-=------· ...-._ .---::.. ___ ---- -. - ...... ::. -- - . _, DOCID :· 656779 · .? ~oon ~.c1c_c.tcd <'l better pl<:icc, .:·nd to this the treasure t·ms scfcly tronsfcrrcd. ·.:·· Oc::forc lc~ving my comp:mions on thci"'pl.::ins it \·/.:JS 5'J!J!:ICstcd th.:;t, in c~sc f Dn uccidcnt to ourselves, the tre.:isure so cohcc~lcd ~10uld be Jost to their elutivcs without some provisiol) Dgainst such a contingency. I t·ms, therefore, ,~ nstructcd to select some perfectly reliable person, if such anyone could be ound, \·1ho sho"uld, in the. event of his proving ucceptuble to the p.:irty, be onfided in to carry out their wlshe~ in regard to their respective shures, and •pon my return ·report \·1hether I hod found such a person. It \·1.::is in ·occordzince rith this instructions th~t I visited you,, macJe you_r ocqudnt<:>ncc, \·ms sutisficd :hat you would suit us, and so reported. ·. On my rctu rn I found the t·1ork s ti 11 progressing fovorab 1y, and, by making . 1arge accessions to our force of laborers, I was ready to return 1ast Fall with . . 9n increased suppJy of metal, which came through safely and was deposited with the other •. It was at this time I handed you the box, not disclosing the nature of the contents but a~king you to keep, it safely ti:t cal Jed for. I intend ...... -- writing. you, however 1 from St. loui s, and impress upon you its irilportance sti 11 .. ~or:e ford b 1y. '. ·The papers enclosed herewith will be unintelligible without th~ key, which will reach you in time, and will be found merely to state the contents of our --- depoos i tory, w'i th its exact l oca ti on, and a 1 is t of the names of our party, with !______their places of reside~ce, etc. I thought, at first, to give you their names in this .letter, but reflecting th~t some one may read the letter, and thus be enabled to impose upon you by . personati_r:19 some member of the party, have decided the present plan is best. { -· 656719 DOCI.D:.. ·~ ' .. You will be ewnre fr~~ w~ot 1 hnvc ~ritt~n thct we arc cng~gcd . " ... in a pcri.lo_u.:;; - t:nt~rpr~::;c.; one:. whi.c~. f.~or·~s~.s Giorbus rczul ts i1 ~zucce~sful, ( but d~n~crl:; inter~~na, end of the en-1 no on~ caq _t.all. 'Vfo can only hope for the p~::;t, end pen:~vcrc U:ltil our wor!~ is e_cco!'·.p~ishec!, end th~ _GtL""l .. sccurej for which we ~re strivin~. .; A~ tan ye?Crs •"1::>~ ·ele.pz:e b.;fcre you· will see tbiz let.tcr,: y~u niay well conclude hy th~t tin~ t~at t:ic \~orct !1:!.t: h!:lppc.na_d, .:.nd .. · ..· that none of us is to be nur:-.be:red with the ~iving. In such unav~nt you will ple.:lsa vi_s~t the plnce of deposit end secura _its contcnt.sj which you will divide into ·thirty-one .eque.1 parts. - C:ie of thesa p.e..A:'ts you .:ire to retain ns . . - ...... ; : ~ . . . ':"" ~ . your .own, f~c~ly. . .giv~n you for.your .. services. .. Jhc other. shares to be dis- .. . : .. , - . -· .,...... triput~d to th~ pc~tics n?~cd in the acc~~anyini p.ep_er. Th_c~e leL:?.cia~, so une~:pccta~ly rc.cE!ivcd, will e.t leozt scrv~ t::> re:call na:-ies thct nay ::;till b{~ . , cherished thouih pertial~y ~or2ottcn. In conclusion, r:ry dear frie:ncl, I bcg·thot·you will, not allow eny false or idle punctillio to prevent· your receiving an~ ·appropriating the por.- tion a::;si<;neo to yourself. It is a tiift, not fron cys~lf alone but frol!.1 ·~och nc~~er of our party, end will not be out of pr~porti~n to the services . ' . r_equired of you. • I truzt, ciy dcor 'Mr. Morris:., that WC r13Y neet l. • I! future, but l.~ t:1~ Fetcs forbid, with t-1Y lE:.s t con~~nic~t '.on I ..:ould es sure you of t~c e:ntira respect and confidcnc~ of Your friend, s n Tho • Jeff • Seale. ''The second letter in the box is es follow:;: Ly~ch~ur~, Va., J~nu~ry 5th, 1822. Dear Hr. Horri::::::-o: .;f:" You wi 11 fin<.! in one nf t!lc written in cipher, the nocrn-:· ~-6s 61:_19----'------ '. .. '?a;:;c 32 . ~~ of each ona will be found the ncMc~ ~nd rasid~nceD·of relatives and othc=~. to who~ they devise their respective portions. . . Fron this you will "be cna!Jlcd to cc.r:')" out the wishas of ell ';iy distribu~in~ the portion of. ~ach to the ?nrtics dc=fenatcd •. Thi~ will.not be difficult. es their rcddcncc~' ~~~ ~ivcn·,. und they ce.n easily be fo~nd. . T.J.6. "The tTh'o letters given above were c:!ll the boY. contained thct were intelligi~le. The others consist~d of pc?c=s-clo~cly ~ovcrc~ with fi~urcs, ·. . which were, of course> un.,canin~ until they could ~~ ccciphcr~c. To do this WC:; the tn.5Y:·· ~O. which l nDW dev~tc:i ":~)'eel f, ~nC With bu.t p~rtic 'l SUCCGSS, 11 that i:;, o:; to dcciphcrin!; paper ::n~~c:.i ,;No~ Z , ti:'i be de;.'.>cri:,e:::l. lctcr ont ...... criping the exact. . locality of tha vault where the trc~surc i$ buried; the ~r.e - ... . ·- nar.ked "No. 2 11 stating the contents of the va;ult; P.rid paper r.:a~kecl"No. 3'' .. · stati-r.g the naceE. an~ e:ldresscc of t!-.e perso:l::: involve:!: ·:: ·:: ~ -//()I / ... ' .... : . ' . \ 25, z.Bs~ ~ 435, 65, S4, .200_, 283, 118, 320, 138, 36~ 1:7, '·'' i .~l 416, 280, 15, ·71, 224, 961, 44, 16, '•01, 39, 88, Gl, 304, , . . , ·.... 12, 21, 24, 283, 134, 92, 63, 246, 486, SB2, 7, 219, 104, ;---f.:::::::;~:...... --=--- t·--'··-''' ~/ 360, 780, "118·, .64, 463, 474, 131·, 150, 79, 73, 440, 95, ~~::~:.::_e:_:_- ~·-~ ,' 121, 890, )6, 150, 568; 614,. lJ, 120, .. ,.. \ 812, ?.1, 1)5, 672, 15, ~l,r 2160, I' 1 i~~' 99' )5, ./18!) ?/fD; ~- 88 4'"'~ )20, 122, . I 4, . 30' 112, ,-z~~ .147 I )';;If 195~ J7, 'PtJ 11:3, 6, 140, 8, 120, JO,?, ~2, 461, 44, 106, )01, 13, ' 408, 680, 9.3' 86, 116, 530_. 9, 102,. .38, 416, t:?~·,=~~ ::.::--- 216, 728, 965, 818, 121, 195, 14 )26, ,..... • I 148, 2)4, i18~·. 55, 1J1, 2)4, 361, 824, 5 I 81, 623 r 4 122, 85, . 216, 861, 326.1 . 98.5 1 • 2):3 t 6!~ I -68, ?32, .. I . v v ,/ 'i lj_ . 1... 60~ f-012.=.. 1__ 4~1~ 960', 50, 81, 216 r J2, I .)7 14 I 81, h0,- -· /. ~-'76 ··1 ,36, 51", . 62,· 194, .. 78', 60, .200 I ._., I 112 ' 1} I 28., L"l"i;\ PQ~ ~ 0 61, 1)6, 247, 819, 921, 1060 I lJ.$1~ t v .... ) t l. 1 6' .-96., 119, . ·1 ... . - '{ 38 • ~-1 , 1~9 I 602, 4231 962, J02, 294, ~S!5, .. 111, 109, 62,. 31, 501, 82.3, 216,. 280, J4, 24, 150, 1QOO, 11./ ~1 7.e6, :19-, . 21, 17, 340, 86 I . ' 115, ·3'.3, ~91,_ 67, · 104, a6, 52,. c.a, 16, Bo, . - ·I ,. 95, 122, 216, 548, 96, 11, 2C1 1 77, ;64, 218, 65, , ,-. . .. (/ 667, ·690, 236, 154, 211, 10, 98, J4,_ 119, 56, 2(6, 119, 71, 218, 1164:, ~ \i:s1i} 51, J9, 210, J6, J, 19, 540, 232, 22, 141; 617, B4 I 290, 8-'.) I 46, 207, 411, 1.50 r 29 I .J - 172, 194, 36, 261, . 54J, 89?, 624, Jr81 2_12, l_J v' 41~, 127, .9)1, 19, 4, .6J~ 96, 12, 101, l.;.18, 16 1 140 I V .. ! r., • '" .. 2JO, 460,· s;a, 19, -_~7. as, 612, 1431, 90, 71~, 275, 74, ~/ 8J, 11, 72, 84, ;;JOO, ) 1706, ' 8\!4, 1J2, 40, ,. mr./!9, ~~1, I \'. 102, 34, . 850, 975, 1101, 84,· 16, 7?, 23,· lb, 81, 122, / )24, 40J, 912, 227, 9J6. 447, 55, 05, . J4, 43, 212, 107, t/ ·-·- ·------· ·- ---'----~--- --;,-~ ·. ··----- DQCII): 656779 . /.· {). I / rar.c )4. .. -~' ' !/ 96, ;i·4, 264, 1065, :·J2;,).42a;F601, ?.03·, 124, 95, 216, - ~ . • __ ./ . \ 'f"'\.'VV'V~~ ./ -~:~~654, 820,. 2, 30~ •. 112, 176, 27,J. 71, 87 • .. .. . • •• ,J 96, 202, J5, 10, 2, 41; 17', 84, 221, 7J6,_ 840, 2K., \ " 5'g. .. , '? I If p. b~7. 11,. 60 I 760 • . J\o. 2 'Cio7 ·115, 73, 818, 37, 52, 17. 31, ~-;yi 10 . 140, 47, 107, 79, 84, 56, 218- ' ' . /bO .,. // 308, 85 52, 159, 136, 59, 210, 36, 9, 46, 316, . . ·- 122, . 106, 95, 53, 58, 2, 42, 7, - J5, 122, 5J, 31, ·/'fl< . 82 77 t ·250 I 195, 56, 96, ' 1 oc,;f' .'f!O 7 . . 147, 21.J.., 37, 994, 65. I 818, .316 I 1.01,· 41, 73, 102, 57' ·72, J4, 73, 85, 35, 371, . ;.. ... G~O ;J-J.6 106, 27J, . oO, 394, 629, 270, 219 I • 106 1 J-38, ?87, 1'7t ~3/' 6J,. 3, 6, 190,· · 122, 4J, 2.)J, 400, 106 t 290, 314r.·47, 1>:t 1•1[ (fl 4-S I 96, 26, 115; 92, 157' 190, .l ';/'.JI 46, 113, 140, 48 120, 106, 2, 4__?~ , J5J, ' e11 19' 1 • 822, 1~, 20 ' -37. 105, 28, ?.t.8, 1?, ~58, 7, .q ~(., :,-11 35, 19, J01, 125, 110, 496, 117 I • 520 1 62 t 51, :;.:;.o 8c 1T 219, 37, 11), 140 I . 818, 287, 38~, 117 t (;.ti :, ;l-'J..C. 7 18, 79, J4.4, J4, 20, .59, 107, 612, 219, 37, 66, 1.54, 20, 50, 154, 21!.S, 110, 61 t 5.i(D ').r:J 52,· )), . JO, 38, 8, 14, c-01... , 57. 549, 216, 115, 71, ::L-39 f>-~,, 4., 29, . ,·~1. '.6J, 43, 131, 29, 1Je·, { , TJ, 2J8, 51t9 t 52, ')..31 /t/C.. ")'"' 118," t 2 5J, .79, 51 44, 63, 195, 12,...... ~. 112, 3, 49, 79, . 5"57 ;j. / { :,- c:, 353, . 105, 51), J71, 566, 210, 515, 125, J60, 1JJ, 14J, ~-J.to ~c~ ?. I I 15, -t;U.9 , 252 I 1~ 1 ?.('4 r )!:.l: t 26 t 822, I/"' '-C'!J. ;;-~ . 138, 115, 48, 73, J4, 204, J16, 6;, 219, 7, ·' ...... ,...,,,,_..:: ___- ,s-q' DOCID: I \·' I ~R q_?o? ~4, S2, lS, 40, 37, 157, ~11.J 31. J 16, 73, 33, ~fd, 150, l~O?, 4;0, 50, 151>, 2S5, .9G 1 IO!>, . J.i.:.::.- t t I -)..'t I 316, 270, 204, 101, s22, 400, n, 44, 37, 52, 40 1 24~. ><...; 34, 204, 38, 16, 46. 47, 05, 24, 4l1. 15, 64, 73, 130, eic7' ~-c-5' I a1a. es. 78. 110, 33, 420, Sl5~ 53, 37, 38. ~?.~ 31 1 10, ...... _.- , . ;. 15; JB, J, 5, ~. ?, 9B, 287, 1)5, ao~ 191 · S'll J!f'ttJ ' 150/ 96, . JJ, 84, 1?.5, 818, 190, 96, 520, 11~' 459, J?O, t°lf~ Co 3 z;J-O 65), 466, 106, 41, 10?, 612, 219, 275, JO t . 150 I 105, 49, ·~& 287, 250, . 207, 134, 7, 5), .12, 47, 85, 63, 1)8, 110, :#fe:J .tf!~ 7bf/ e.L( .575" /OC'5° ,~ 21, 112, 140 t 495. 496, 515, 14, 7J, 85, SM, 994, .1.50, ..,..,,. fJ /( /61' 199, 16, 42, 5. 4,. 25, 42, 8, 16, 822, 125, 159, 32, -;..ob' e;c'.3 '14' ,,,, • 1 l·C'C' 204, 612, 818, 81, 95, ~·5, J.1, . 609, 1J5, 20, 28, . . /~C' 26, 353, jo?., 8, 1J1, 159, 140, ... 84, 42, 16, t0 II 1'1'1" :U;;> ~II ;;>"1D 822, 40 , 6?, 101, 102, 19J_. 138, 204 I 51, SJ, 240, 549, 63, 140, 47, 48, 140, 2S$ . . ------000------. .... ,o. J . l ~(.'.0 . I~ . 317, 8, ?". ), 112, 89, . 67, 318,· 28, 96, 41, .. 631' 78, 146, 397 t 118, 98, 114, 21~'5. 348, 116, 74, 88, 12, . 65, 32, 14 •. :.. 8~, 19, ·76, 1?.1, 216, 85, 33, 66, :.15, 108, 68, 77, 4), 24, 122, 96, 117, 36: 211, JOL. _)5, ~ :·:.....,.. 44, 11, ·46, >;9• J 136, 68, Jl?, 28, 90, 82, 1 ·>~J. ' L~J, 221, 198, 176, J19, 8-r 99, ... """ ...... ' J80, .56 t, 37 I 319,· 2, 2B, 44, 75, 98; 102, 37, 85~ 107 1 117 I !t;;'t) 64, 88, ~51, 99, 1?5, 89, J15, J26, 78, 96, . 214, 21P., JH, 43, 89, 51, 90, 75, . 12.3, 96, JJ. 28, 10), 84, 65, 26, 246, 84, 2?0, 116, 32, 59, 74, 66, 69, 2!1-0, 15, 8, 121, 20, 77, Jl, 11 1 1r6, 81, 191, 224, )28, 18, 75, 52, 82, 117, 201, 217, 27 ,· 21,_ e-4,· 35, 54, 10?. 12s, h-9, 77. 88, 1, f31, 217, 64, o~ ~ 1 • ~2 120 1R 132 55, 83,. 116, 251, 269, - )11, .v',/ .,.. .. , .J I • > ~1 I 102, 219, 211, 84,.. 150, 219, 275, )12, 64, 10, 106, 87, ~. 75, 47, 21, .29, 37, 81, 1 . I 126, 115, 1)2, 1.0 'o I 181, 203, 76 t 81 t 7.99 , 314, . 337' 351, 06·, ' 11, 318, 238, 10"'I< ?h._ t QJ I ), 19, 17, 26, 60 7J, ' I - · DOCID·: 656779 Ii:.-, .. ... fare )7 • .• . ll~, 121), 1JR, 2)4, 28-'1, 297, )21, JG5, ~64, 19, 22, 84, 107, 9R, 12J, 7, L~.S' 40, 1.3, 28, .33' . 46_, 42, 107, 196, 227, .344, 198, ?.OJ, 247, 116, '~19,1 8, 212, 41 122, 117, . 2)0~ 31, 6, 328, 65, 48, 52, 59 I I 33, 11, 1_~, ls .. : ?_1, 83, 76, 92, 31, 65, 70, Y- ·- {1~0) BJ, 9o, .27, · 33, 61, 112, 13"5 I 149 r 176 I 180, 194, 14}, 171, 205, ?.96, 87, 12, 44, 51, 98, (11'1 .34, 4·1, 208, 17J, . 66, 9, J5/ 16~- 175, 90, 56, 20), 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, 2i.i.1~ •. 66, $2~ 119, 71, 11, 86, 77, 2D, · 54, 82 r J16, /45, 30J, 86, 97, 106, 212, 18, ')7, 15, !?1, 89, 16, 7_,. -81, 39, 96, 14, l.:.J,. 216, t18, 29, 1•55, 109, 136, 172, 213, 64, 8, 611, 319, 375, -.o '7i 296, Y?. 1s,- 2;, -~ , l .... ' 8'i t . 120, 1'?1.l-.7 It 66, ?J, 89, 96, 230, 77, 12?, 9)6, .,"( ") 21B, 226, .J-...J I 215, 102, 18, I 2~. 66, 59, 27 t 19 I 13, 82, 119, 127,· 139, ~h, gs.. ~·- 122.sL 7u., 6J, 11, ( ol) I 61, 73, 92, 180, 66, 75, 101, 124, 265, 89, 126, 274, 896, 917, 434, 46i, 2}5, 890, J12, 41J, J28, 381, 96, 105, 217, 66, 119, 22, 77 I 64 I 12, 7, 55, 24 I 109, 121, 1J5, 181, Z~), il~, .. 8J, 67, 97, .... 228, 256, 21, ,_ .. -- J4, 319, 675, 717, 86!;-, 20)~ 4, 18, fJJtiJ . 92, 16, 6J, 46 55, 74, 112., \J5, 126, ' 175, 119, 21J, 416, )12, )4), 2.64, 119, 1R6, 213, )4J, 124, 49, 617, 9~• I 72, 42, 56, 85, 112, 6..5, E.2, 115, ,/ ------~ ---~ - ..... _-_____ ...__,__ .. - DQC~~ :_ - ~? ftfhY._~ ,_ 1 4 ., 9 "21' 641. ~i1 ·~ /Z 1 3f- 1 41, T:!., ~;":,), 12~, 21 , 31 1 .;il , "-. , ~. c) , 8/.1, s;34, 9'-2• L,.16, ,75, 10 2 22, 13, 45, 137, lf)l, 101, -~ - 39, 85, 103, 116, 138, 164,. 212,. . 21£1,.. 296, 815, 380, 412, 460, 495, 675, 82C, 952. -----000----- .,~ "The. papers ·given above we.re all that were cr:>ntaine::3 in the box, eY.ccpt t-v·-., or three of an uni~portant charai:tcr, and hevinG no connection •-•h"'tw .._ ....'-' vc- ... ···i.·t•n•~ th-• ~ -····-··ect.:> ..,.~ •.! i·n •--ndLoC.:.• • Th;-ov'-!.t w.-··-rc.:;...... ~a'1'-;-o_'"ult'y - '-!,. co."i·e~,'J -I <-... n~ - ~.. s carefully co:r.p~rcd with tho orij3inals, an:l no error i::: .Jcli~ve= to cY-i!:t. "Co:-::;plcte in the."'.lsclvcs, th:::!y a:-c ·now t«?.:;?oct:folly su1.J.:'.:j.ttc-:1 to . . the public with the ho;,:ic that all that ii:. cer~; in the~ ~Y receive li~ht, then thr':~-quarters_·. of a i:;i llion d.ollerz, whicb hac re::;tc~ so long un- prod~ctivc of :;co accor.:plish itc ~.1is::;ion. \ .. 11To c.;1c.~lc cy :-caclcrs the . only one ! ·wac evar a~le to ~2Cinher, 1 ~-icrc\:i th ~iv~ tl--,c ])~cl.are ti on or ln:::.cpcndencc, with t~e worciz nur:bercC. con!:cc\.:tivcly s ~y the ccsi~tcince of . which that paper' z hidden r.~eanin~ w~c 151.C.:,c p1 ~i~; IN CON'.;~35$ JULY 4 .- 1776. h Declaration by the Representatives of the UNIT~D sr;.r::::s OF !\!-SIUCi\ ln C~nera.l Con_:rc;:s ;.!>ze:::bled. -----ovc----- 1 6 3 4 -·<: 6 7 3 :Jhcn, in the course o:: huc.~n ev~ntc it n- w .... ~W\,...... ~ ""-~ .t:: "!. ': !.! ~ ~~ ..... -~· .. ~' ..· .. ' ~ .. - ...... "'"'"" .. -.... "' ...... - lC lt 12 13 l4 15 lS 17 18 neccz:::~ry for one ~co~lc to ~iccolve the ~oliticel ~and~ ~~;~>~'::s: ::;~.;';;~~~~~~:: ~.; -·"·~-·\:'-c--;- ...... -·-~--·~:--!_ •· .. '"',._._ 3~. DOC~.P: ~~671~ 23 24 25 :7.G 29 .. he.v~ -conncctc:: the;: w1. '1:11 c.n'6thcr, on-! t:::i c.::t:u~Q .c:.:onf, the l'.!o\.Jcre • • ;i '1 "t: t •1. V: J • "" ~ i -.., 72.. 73 ]l; . 75 76 77 73 79 80 81 62 ~~c hole! th.czc truths t(.\ 1::>e that a.11 ccn 83 . s4' .es s5 87 ea 93 ere created equal, thet ~hey arc cn·::owccl ~y th~ir ~rce.to4 ,:,i th . _-t. : . •• ~ .... o:; •.*.. ••• ,,,. • ·-.4:·• ·., .,,.· .·. 94 · . 9..5 :· S6 s1 ss s;; loo .101 102 · ' certein unaliena~le r~~h~~; that aeon: the~e are'!..~£~, !..i'-'erty,_ ·. : .. r. . ... 103 104 105 106 . 107 . 108 109 1.10 111 112.. That to secure thcze Lights ·113 .114 .115. 116 117 118. 119 120 121 ~vern:icntz. arc. iri~ti tutc~ t·~en, . . . a-::o:::.. . 122 123 i24 .125 125 127 . 128 1i9 130 131 .fro::. th~ ~cncent·cf ch~ ~ov~?nee . The.t whcncy~r .- .. •...... _... . . ' i32.. 133 13f; l --?c; !36 1..37 13'· 139 v~o 141 t~1ccc encl:::, it ic t:ia 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 1.:.1 1;;2- 153 .· ~i~ht of th~ :?~c?le to e.l ter o:.- to e~oli~~ it, and to 154- 155 156 157 158 ~59 lGO 1"61 152 institute new ~overn:~e~t, lcyin~ i~::; founcation on :;uch principle~ 163 164 165 15G 167 168 169 170 171 17l 173 ...... 17 L~ 17.S 176 177 11s 179 I&."O in1 1B2 sce~ . ?oot'likely to cf:cct th~ir ~afcty end 1C3 ·104 185 i~G 137 138 lS~ l~O :'ruc!cnc 201 2oi 203 204 205 205 Z07 208 209 accordin61Y, all CY;pcricnce hnth 5ho~"n that ~ankind arc acre .. ------··;-·--·- DOCID: 65-6779 ;. O(:C 40 ' l.10 . 211 212 213 214 21:S 21f> 217 210 n9 di::poced to r.uffcr, ....hilc evils arc r.uffcrn~lc, t:-icn to rii;ht 220 221 222 223 224 225 2?.6 2?.7 22S .- thc::>selvcs ~y a~olishing the.. forns to which they ere 2/~ ?.30 231 232 . 233 234 . ·235 236 237 238 · e.ccusto:>r..e::l. nut, ~hen ~ lon; train of ebuscs an~ u~urpatiorl§• 247 248 239 240 241 242 ~43 244 2li5 246 L __ _ pursuing invaricbly the sar::e Object, evinces a dcsi.Jn to reduce 249 250 251 252 253 254 . 255 256 2.57 258 259 r~---_-- thee under. absolute Despotis::!, it ia thei:- rizht, it is their ·• ;;.;..:-~---_ 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 . 269 270 duty to throw off such Govcrn::::cnt, an::i to provide new Gunr:is ..· 271 272 273 274 .... 275 276 277 ?.78 279 280 for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance. ?.81 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 239· 290 of these Colonies; end such is now the necessity which •. . 291 ~-. 232· 293- . 294 . 295 . 29$ . 297 . "'". 298 -299 cons.trains the;:. to cl ter their for=.er Syste?::::: of Govarn:::ent. ~ . 300 301 302 . 303 304 . 305 306 . "307 30~ 309 The history of the pi-esent Kin:; cf Gre.:it · D!~_t;;iin is ...... ~~. __ , .,~I: 310 311 312 . -'.!.'-lo _, ... _, 316 317 31B a history o_f _s_cpeat_cc! injuries anC. u!:urpa"-':iom;, ell havi_n0 .. 319 320 321 322 323 . 324 325 326 327 ..:..::...::...__-_ in di~ec~ o~j~ct tt.e establish=ent ·of an ebsolute Tyranny ·------_-L: ___ - i~-.. ---- 328 330 . 331 332 333 334 335 336 327 . 338 over thc$C ~tutcs. To prove this, let Facts ~e su~~itt~d to r--- ( ..:.,,:0~-~-~ f:::.:_-_- 339 31~0 341 . . t:-::o~- ...... ·- . . . ;~---- - ;~-o .. -_ - e c~ncic world:- f:;_;_:.oo; t~=~~~;_= (~~~-~~ 342 ·343 344 345 346 347 34S 3·!19 350 351 r.::;~:,~; f..7~::-.,,-:._-__ He h~s refused his ~~sent to Luws, t'he r.:?ost wholasone 352 353 354 355 355 357 enc necess~ry for t:-ie public zood. .. 358 359 360 3~1 352 353 364 365 365 H~_hos fcrbi~cen. his Governors t'J ?C!:S Lcw:o; of 367. 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 ir.::i.e;iate and pressing i:portonce, unless suspended in their ,_ __-_-.,_.:-; f;;:';:~- 375 375 377 376 379 380 3e1 3e2 3r3 384 r.. ::;::=--- operation till bi~ ~ssent s~oul~ ·~a o)t~incd;.. 3nd when so 385 386 387 3~8 389 3JO 3_91 39~ 3?3 suspendcc be ho~ utterly nctilcctcc to nttcnd to thcr~. ··-· ,, . - ______----- ·:------'Ll~C '~l-- -- DOCID: 93!)t- 3117 ·3ij~ 399 403 1 DQ 5J7s7 .. Hc he.:. r!;!fu:;c;~ t:> pn::~ ot~cr for the ncco:".'.r:io~n.tion ' 404 405 406 40.9 410 l\11 . 41?. of large districtz of people, unlcsn those pco?lc W:j!JJ.c - - 413 414 415 416 l;l7 418 41.9 420 rclinqui~h the right of ~eprcscntatf~n in the Lcc;i:;taturc, , .. 421 422 423 424 425 '~26 427 429 430 a right" incstine~le to th~ encl forr.idablc Tyrants only. 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 433 He hp~ called to6ethcr legislative bodic~ nt; place.~ 439 440 441 442 443 444 445 446 unusual, unconforta~le, end distant fro~ the depos~tory of 447 448 449 453 454 455 456 their :u~lic ~ccords, for the ~olc pu:i;posc of =eti~uin~ the'° 457 4~8 45? 460 4Gl into co:::pli;;;.nce with hie :::ee!;urc.!'.;. · . 462 463 - 46l> l~65 . . 466 t,67 ·- l!58 - · H~· . hll!i dissolved ~.:?preccntcti vo !louGcc repeatedly, for 469 470 471_. - ·- 472 473 47 4- 475 476 477 l~78. 479 l~8C opposin3 with r::L?.r,ly £ir;-~css hi~ i:wodon~ on ri~~t~ of the people. l~83_ 4S4 !~35 · 4S6 l~27 0 Ile h C:.!- re::fuscC for f!- lo_n; ti~_c, after ~uch Ci!::SOlution-S . 491 1~92 ·- 493 1;94 l~95 496 4'07 li~S 499 - · to cD.uce oth::!r~ to b~ clcctcc; wh_cr~".;y th~ L~~iclativc 500 501-- _. 502 503 504 505 507 508 :'ewers, incopa~lc of ~nnihilatiou, hevc returnee to the: ::co?le 509 . 510 511 51~ 513 514 515 ._SlG 517 516 Si~ e·t l~r:;:;e for- their' e~crcise; the State renainin,:_, ir. t:hc :-:iea.nti:::e, 520 521 52?. 523 524 525 . 525 527 528 529 expo~cd to oll the dcnzcrs of invasion fro~ without end 530 -531 convulsions within. 531 533 53l> 535 ·536 537 538 539 540 - ·Ho endeavored_ to prevent the pop~lctior. of these 541 542 543 54~-- 5~5 546 547 548 549 Ctatcs; for th:'-t pux:>o:::;c o~st:ructing the La;_y::; f:i::- ~foturcl ization D;~;~~~~:;;~,'~"-o='~-="--'::-=c==:c:==::~~=='~f.~~~4z'~=0-='~"-==;~"i 550 ;··551 5.5?. 553 5.54 . 55S . .5~ . 557 . ~·5P. [f- or Fo1·cii:;nc:rs. re:fusin;: to pa~s oth~r~ t"l cr:~c:-ur=tt"'C their [~.'._-_--_._ 559 560 5~1 .562 56J ~ . 565 .. 566 ... 567 . . ~ r:i~ration r.ithcr, an~ raising the con~tions of n~:: ).Ppropri&t~~~~ f ... _, . . . 568 569 ...... or ;Lanr!s. 57a 571 . 572 . 573 574 575 576 577 He has obstructe~ the f~..l'l'.inistration of. Ju::tice,·. by . 578 579 S80 5B1 582 583 934 -. 585 - 586 .. re:fusing his .f.s!;ent to 1:;.ws for establishini::; Ju-li~i 610 ·611 612 61J . 614" 615 ,616 . 617 618 1 He has erecte1 a rnultitu~e of )'ew p.riices, and ! 619 620 621 . 6?2 . -623 621~ "625- 626 I 627 628 sent hither S"..WrI!lS of ,Officers to harass and our re9t:;li:'• ,£,.-...... ! 629 .6JO. 6Jl 632 .- . eat out their su"bsta!"lce. .. ,.. 633 634- . 635 636 637 638 639 640 641 ... Re · has kept anong us, in times of peace, . 642 .. ~ 64j . .544 "i45 646 647 648 649 . ~tanc!ing. ·frmies,. without the .consent of our ler.isl~ture. 650 6)1 :. .:r..€5~ o"'c:3 •.· 654· 655 656 - ;,;: ...., . ' . 657 ·He has a.f1ected to render the i·:ili tary injevenctcnt. . 6i:'8., 659 660.. 661 '562 66) 664 of an·~ superior to the (;ivil rower. 665 666 667 66e 669 670 671 672 673 .. Ha ha:l con-::i...ne~· ..~ with others to ~ubject us to 674 6?S 676 677 678 670..• 680 681 4" • a juris-3ic_tion ... ore::i...i:!) to our cons ti t'.l ti on and una ~l:nowlertged 682 683 684 Ge.5 6BoS b87 6R~ 6?.9 590 691 ·:::: .... ' by our laWSi ;!ivinr. his a!:isent to their acts ...... or • 692 693 pretended le&islation. 694 h95 496 697 69B 699 700 701 702 "I:'-- -·· .. -• ... ,..; "',... 1 :ir.-P. bo"iic:; of arncd ~roo?S a~on:, US. - "-~-----·------· -·-- --·---- DOCID' - ...... :- 6:5677·9 '(()J 704 705 706 707 708 709 710 ?11 712 For rrotcctini; the:.'!, b:i. a. MOCt: . ~'!'"i a1, frot:l ! u11i3hmcnt .for .. 71J 714 715. ?16 717 718 719 720 721 722 723 .a11y Hurders rihich they should corriili t . on· the Inhabitants of these ...~...... , 724 ··• ... I • ." St.ates. E: . 725 . 726 727 728 729 ?30 731 732 733 734 735 For cuttfng off our 'Irade with all parts of the world. 7.36 7J7 7)8 739 740 741 742 743 For irlposing taxes on us without - our Consent. 744 745 746 71.,.7 748 749 750 751 752 753 For depriving Us;. in r:lany cci.:;es, of the benefits of . ·754 755 756 by :..-.· .• :J" ·- . Trial Jury. ·. . - . : .... ' -· . ~ ... - . 757 . . 758" 759 760 - 7~1 762. 763 764 .7S5 For_. tr~ns~ortin~ us beyond Seas to oe tried for ·.. · ?66_ . ··767 ' pretended . off e!Jces •.. . - . 768 ·769 .... 77() . 771 772 7TJ 774 775 776 777 ~. · For aboJ.isr·.ing the free Sy-;ter:i -:n~li:::h Laws in a .. . - .. of 778 . 779 780 7?.1 ?e2 7#.-:-r ::;, 784 . • '-'- • T:' • t . 1. h. . h . ueigm,orir.~ .-::r,:''.'?--nce, e;:; .;ir-:_i.s .:i...ni; t. erein an ·'-rbitrary_ government, .- ' - 785 7P6 787 788 7R9- ?90. 791 712. .7Q3- 794 ' · and enlarfing i~s Poun~.?..ries .so as to renier it at 795 796 797 798 ?99 800 _. .· ~oi R02 80J 804 once an exa~ple ann fit instrunent for introducing the same 805 ?06 ~07. P.08 809 absolute rule in th~se Colcni~s. -.. ;. 810 . 811 812· ~1) P14 ~ 815 816. 817 For .taP.i~G away cur Ch.;rters, abali~hing our most . ;··_,.--..... 818 P.!9 220 . . c.2i . . R22 · ~23 r·, 82 1t- )825 826 valuahle I.aws, and. altering funda~ental~ the~of ·our 827: Goverm:ients. 828 829 ~JO P.31 . 8J2 ~3J e34 For suspenninc.:: our ol-m legislature and d~cl.iring 835 RJ6 837 833 539 ?-LO 8C.1 P.42 ?43 the::iselves i:wested ..,,.i th ro~·rer to le;?is".atc for us in 844 f<45 ·. ?.46 all cases what~oever. I DOCID: 65677·9 Page ·44 .. a4.1 8~8 849 850 851 e52 853 8$4 85$ ·He hus abdicatt.:C: GovernlTlr:nt herct by declaring us out 856 857 858 859 860 8.61 862 863 - . of his protection, and waging Viar against us: 872 ,~ . 864 865 866 867 868 869 870 871 He has plundered cur seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt 873 874 875 876 877 878 879 880 881 our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people. 882 883 884 &85 886 887 8SB 889 890 He is at this· ~ime transporting largi:: armies of 891 892 893 " 894 985 896 _· 897 898 foreign mercenaries t~ compleat the ·works of death, 899 900 901 902 903 904 905 906 907 desolation and tyranny, already begun with circtlI:'lstances of cruelty 90~909 I 910 911. 912 913 914 915 916 & perfidy .sc.arce~y paralleled in the most barborous ages, 917 . 918 919 920 . 921 922 923 924 925 and t~tally unworthy the head· of a civilized nation. 926 927 928 929 , 930 931 932 933 He has constrained our fellow citiz~ns taken O'apfive 934 935 936 931 938 939 940 941 942 943 944 on the . high Seas tc- bear Arras against their Country~ to 945 946 947 948 949 . ·950 951 952 953 954 '• become · the execu·:_ioncrs of their friands and Brethren, or to 955 956 957· 958 959 fall themselves by their Hands. 960 961 962 . 963 964 965 966 967 968 He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has 969 970 971 972 973 974 975 976. 977 976 endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, tha : ~79 960 981 982 983 984 98~ 986 987 988 me.rciless Ind~an Savages, whose known rule of waref are is an 989 990 991 992 993 994 995 996 - undistinguished destruction of all ages, se~es, and conditi~ns. 997 998 . 999 1000 1001. 1002 1003 1004 In every stage •f these Oppressions We have 1005 1006 1007 1008 1009 1010 1011 1012 1013 Petitioned f c-r Redress in the most humble terms. Cur __ ... ____ _ » ___ .. ______-· ...... --·~·· DOCID: 656779 ~=----~'._ - Page 45 1014 1015 1016 1017 1Q1~ 1C1?. 1020 j021 rcpe~ted ;·etitions have bocn answcre~l only by · rcpc 1633 1034 ·1035 10J6 ·1037 10)8. 1039 .lOhO 1041 1042 which· define. a Tyrant is u..Tli'it to be the 1043 1044 1045 1046 1047 ·ruler of a free people. 1048 1049 1050 1051 1052 1053 1054 1055 1056 Nor have :..Je bet:n '\ 1057 . 1058 . 1059 1060 1061 1052 . 1063 1064· 1065 1066 British bre:thren. We . have warned time to · time .. them fr on 1067 1068-. 1069 1070 1071 · :1072 1073 1074 of ·atter;pts by their legis) Ftture to ext.enc an ~---:"'~ 1075 ... 10?6 1077 1078 1079 1080 , i'081 ..' 1082 unwarrant::ible r'eminded · t.hem jurisdiction over us. ~Ie have \..____-.--- 10~[; 1083 1084 10?5 1086 1Cf.7 1089,. .... ~. --' 1090 of the circ\lJ'llstances of our e-r::i;:-r;.tion and settle::ient 1091· 1092 1093 1004 io95 · 1096 1097 1098 1099 1100 here. We hRVE:: arpe.aled to their nctive justice a~d magnanimity, 1101 . 1102. 1103 1io4 · · 1105 1106 1107 1108 . 1109. 1110 i111 and we have conjured then by the ties of our corimon 1112. 1113 1114 1f15 1116 1117 1i18 1119 kindred to · disavc:iw · these ~~urpations, which would ine1.ri ta ~ly 1120 1121 1122 1123 .1124 1125. 1126 1127 1128 interru~t our connections and correspondence. They, too, have been 1129 11JO 11J1 11)2 1133 1134 1135 11;6 1137. • J. • deaf . to the voice of JUS .. J.~e and of cnnsanguinity. .. . 11.)8 "1139 1140 1141 1142 114) 1144 1145 We. must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity which 1111-6 . 1147 ,114.~ 1149 1-150 1151 1152 1153 1154. 1155 ;.:_~------denounces our Separation, and hold ther.i, as we hold 'the 115rS 1157 1158 1159 116C 1161 1152 !t6J 1164 rest of ·nankind; Snc;.ics in War; in ?eacc, ?rien-:ls. 1165 1166 1167 11h8 . 1169 1170 11/i i. DOCIDi:O· 6-~~"Jo1c9 th~ ~crrc~cnt~tivc~ of the United 1·I ' ,.: 1172 1173 1174 1!75 1176 1177 1170 States of hn~rica, in· Gen~ral Conrr~zs Assc!'lblcd, . '1179 1180: 11Bl 1182 118J 1184 11~5 1186 1187 appealing to the Supre!'1le Judge or the world. !or· ,.. 1188 1190 1191 1192 119J 1194 1195 1196 the do, in the NarrLe 1197 1200 1201 1202 1203 1204 1205 and of the goo~ Feople of these ~ 1206/'L. 1207 1208 1209 1210 . 1211 1212 1213 \ \ Colonies, sole;.inly publish and declare that these United // -t / 1214 1215 1216 1217 1218 1219 1220 1221 1222 Colonies are, and of ~ight ought to be, Free ·. 1223 1224 1225 1226 1227 1228 t2?.9 1230 12J1 and Independent States; that they arc ;..Osolved from all 1232 1233 1234 12:35 1236 1237 12JB 1239 1240 .Allegiance· :to the British Cra....m, and that a.11 political . . 1241· 1242 1243 12~ 1245 1246 1247 1248 1249 .. connection betY een ... ther.1 anti the State of Gr~at Britain 1250 1251 .1252 125; 12.54 '1255 1?.5.6 1257 1258 is, - and ought to be, totally dissol·1ed; an:: •that, .. 1259 ·1260 1:!61 1262 12t;3 1264 1265 1266 ' 1267. as Free · 1268 1269 1270· . 1271 1272· 1273 1274 1275. to :-l"evy Hart conclude feace, contract ~liances, establish 1276 . 1277 ~27P. .1279 12~0 12P.1 1?.f.t;: 1283 . 1284. . CoIT'..r:.erce, and to do all oth~:r (-cts and. Things 1285 12B6 1287 12R8 12~9 1290 1291 whic~ In~e~entlent St~tcs ~ay \ of riF,ht do. 1292 1293 1294 . 12?5 1296 1297 1298 1299 . /\nd for the surport of this Declaration, with 1)00 1301 1302 1JOJ 1J04 1305 1306 1307 1)08 a firm reliance on the Protection of ili. vine 0t roVl.-.• ·1 ence 1309 131"> 1311 1)12 1.313 1J14 1315 1316 1317 we mutually plE'..r:lf;f" to each other our Live~, our, 1J18 1J19 1J?O 1JL'1 ·1J:>2 Fo:-t.uncs, arid our s:Jcrn:i Hc:1or. ::::_~_= ---O~C--- DQC'.ID ~ 656779 ./I furnish herc.>·'i~~ :i tr":lnslntion of i ::aper :ro. 2, inJicatinG of . w;h~t tho treasure con:;ists I bnsed UF•Ofl U1{~ 1)~(.: Independence as the k~y: ,~ . I h a vr\e d e p 0 s ~t e d 115 7J 24 (818/ 37 52 49 .17 31 62· ~ 22 7 15 i. n t. h\--15 County of 140 47 .. 29 107 79 84 56 2)8 10 26 822 5 195 ab 0 u t f Jo B e d ~o r· d 210 )6 0 46 )16 54J ·122 106 95/ _5JV/ 308 85 52·. 159 1?6 ~ ...... d f r 0 rn B u f a r s m i 1 e s 118 71 58 2 42 7 35 122 .53 Jl 82 77 2.50 19.5 56 96 .. a·t 0 n:· i n a n e ·0 c a ·V i- 140 287 28 353 37 ;994) 65 147 818 24 3 8 12 47 .'CJ .. f e e t 0 r v. a U· 1 t s i x ' 16 43 59. 818 li-5 J16 101 41 .7 s· 154 994 122 138 190 f a c e .. b e .. 1 .. 0 w t . h e s ·u r 49· 10? 85 35 371 59 195 81 92 190 -I 77 .57 72 J4 73 't h e 0 .d3 t b·· e g r o u n d 2701l219 106 303 287 63 J "6 190 106 27J . 60 394 629 __ t'..... ·-- ·- -·· ~ .. -?'- f~".~ .. t i c 1 e 3 f 0 i l. ...l. a '!--l i- n g ~ r ")4 11 J,,.., Oh 190 110 122:. :233 400 ""'6.J.V "91'\i:. V ..J. .l.-r ...,. ( 48 81 ,,, .. 26 115 92 157 . . -.4J . ~ 0 i n t 1 y --b e l 0 n g i n ,,,. j 106 2 -616 61 420 822 77 85 1~:5 46 10 113 140 353 ..48 120 e t· . t· .h e p a r t i e s w h 0 s 0 110 496 29 125 14 20 . 37 105 . 28 248 16 158 7 35 19· 301·. 125 .. n a m e s a r e g -i v e n 287 98 117 520 62. 51 219 37 113 140 818 138 549 .1 ..... t,- ·-. DOCID: 656779. .. i. !"!. ?"! '!! t:l 'b e ?" t. h. r D e 8 44 287 JP.8 117 ~e 'l') 344 J4 20 59 5?.D 55? ~· h e r e w i t h, 107 612 219 37 66 154 41 20 T h e ! i r s . t d e p 0 s i t 50 6 584 122 154 248 110 61 52 JJ JO 5 J8t~ 8 ,14 E-- c 0 n s i s t e d 0 r t e n ~: 84 57 549 216 . 115 71 29 ·85 6) 4J 1J1 29 . 138 47 ; h u n . d T e d a n d f 0 u r t e .e n 7) 238 549 52 53 ?9 118 51 44 6) 195 12 233 112 3 49 79 J53 p 0 u n d s 0 f g 0 1 d 105 56 371 566 210 515 12.5 360 1JJ 143 101 1.5 a n d t h i r t y e i f. h t 284 549 252 1u 204 1h0 344 26 822 ).JS 115 48 73 ;4 h u ·n d r e d D n d t. w c 1 v e 204 J16 61·6. 63 219 7 52 1~(1 44 52 .16 40 37 157 818 37 .1· p 0 ~ n d s 0 f. s- i v e . r, 121 12 95 10. 1.5 3.5 12 _131 62 115 102 818 49 53 d e p 0 :s i t e d .. 0 v •. 135 138 30 . 31 .. 62 67 41 e5 63 10 ·106 818 e i ·g h t e -e-. n n i n e :~t... : .. ~ e e n. 138 8 113 20 J2 33 37 )53 zg7 140 1:..7 85 50 J7 49 47 T h e s e c 0 n d w a , s 64 ~ 6 7 71 33 4 43 47 t:;~-.., 1 27 609 • l'1l a d .e D e c. e i g h t e e n. 207 229 15 190 246 85 94 520 2 .2?0 2C 39 7 33 44 t w. e n t y - 0 n e a n d 22 40 7 10 3 822· 106 44 496 ·229 35J 210 .- c 0 n s i· s t e d 0 f 199 31 10 38 140 297 61 612 J20 J02 676 .. . ' I -· . ni.co ~,. • DOCIJ): i65n67J9t 0 e n h u n d r· e d ' 287,;.· 2 41~ JJ . J2 520 .557 10 6 250 556 21~') 53 J7 5Z a . n d s e ·v e n p 0 U· n d s BJ 47 J20 38 33 818 ? 44 .... JO Jl 250 10 15 35 0 f ·g .o 1 d a i'l d t w e l v e 106 159 11.'.3 31 102 406 229 549 )20 29 '56 JJ 101 1 818 ,_ 1}8 h u· n d r e d. a n d e i {! h t y 301 J16 35.'.3 J20 . 219 .'.37 .52 2.8 549 J20 '.33 8 49 107 50 822 . e i g h t 0 r s i 1 v e ri 7 2 113 73 16 125 11 110 67 102 818 33 59 ·. a 1 s o j e w e 1 s 81 157 JS 43 590 1J8 19 85 400 JS . 0 b t a i n e d i n 5 t. 4; . 77 14 27 B 47 1J8 63 140 44 22 ...... JJ L 0 u i . s . i n e x c h a n g e 176 io6 250 )14 ·216 2 10 7 994 4 20 25 44 48 ? ; t 0 s a v e t r . a n S- 26 . :46 110 229 818 190 34 112 147 44 110 p 0 r t .... a t" i 0 n, a n d" 121 125 96 ;.J.1 51 50 140 56 47 152 549 63 ...... ~- y a ·1 ·u e d a t ·. -. t h i r .t e e n 818 28 42 250 1)8 591 98 653 J2 107 140 112 -26 85 1,33 .549 ~ ;" t h" 0 u s a ·n d d 0 l l a .r s. 50 20 12.5 371 JB 36 10 52 118 136 102 420 150 112 7.1 .T . h .e a b 0 v e· :i. . s 14 20 7 24 18 1J 818 37 67 110 s e c· u r e l y p a c k e d 62 33 21 95 '219 520 102 822. JO 8J 84 J05 620 15 . 0 i n i ..... n p -0 t ~- 2 10 8 219 106 353 105 106 60 242 ~:Ci L- i~ ( I j'I If ) / 0 I '-/ ,tf.,,..4.. _t' . ( / f ~I ) I ?_!__'l_. __ 1i 1r.1,,.,. '-9 2 I U~ -- . ·----·---- ~-----;====-=--·=-----.-_- -·· ...------·-·~-- DOCID :· 656779 rnr.e 50. ;. I' i::> v P. r s • t h i T ·o n c w i 106 .. ~18 1~0 96 110 72 8 50 204 184 112 12s 549 65 . s v a u . l t i T h e 1)4 285 16 73 5J 816 150 l;.09 400 . 50 1~ y l i n e d· r 0 u g h 1 41~ 52 96 106 J16 270 204 101 822 400 8 J7 a n d t h s t 0 n e, w i 85 24 44 15 40 21~0 J4 204 >8 16 46 47 e s t . '.t.. s 5 e 1. s r h e. v e 37 JS 22 64 73 . 138 818 85 78 ·110 33 420 515 53 5 t 0 n e, 0 n s 0 1 i d 101 140 15 )8 3 5 44 7 31 10 110 106 ·. e d .a r e c .o v e· r a n .. d 818 i90 96 520 118 98 28.7 135 f 50 96 JJ 84 12.5 t h c r s • w i· t h 0 ·275 J70 653 4¢6 106 41 107 612 219 459 •. e r 0 n e p a· p .. e r n u m h JO 150 10? 49 53 28? 250 20? 134 753 12 47'. 85 s t h e . d e s .c r i b e 110 21 112 140 495 496 .515 14 7') 85 61.. lJ8 . y 0 r .c t l. .o c a l i t e x 'i 42 8 16 822 125 159 584 994 . 159 199 16 Li.2 5 .4 25 . I t h 2 t . t e v a u 1 t, s 0 h 135 14 20 28 26 32 204 612. 818- 81 95 405 41 609 t y d i f · r i c u 1 n 0 42 16 822 353 302 246· 8 131 159 1q.O 84 4!.!.0 i n b e h ~ d lv i 1 l. ?40 .· 549 40 67 101 102 193 13B 204 51 6) r i n d i n g i t. 122 8, 10 63 140 47 48 140 288 .. .·:. '• I - . ·- --,- ·- · ------·------"' DOCID: 656779 Paec !)1. num1·.crod word. rc:.ferre_ ~ to,, c:r.cf)pt,-. Hord 822, fun·!ammtally, hi! us~d the final 1.ctt~r, y. Word 994, sexes, he used the ~edial letter, x • . 1forn 95, inalienable is sp~lled by Thor.ias JE'f!'erson with a nu", so that ]"'ale properly .!'01Jnrl a rrorrl in the Declaration ~ ~ ·~~ a . o.r I n"e~n~ence beg1n~1n~ . . ~"l.~•• "u • "In conclusion, it r.:ay not be inapp·opr iate to say a few worc!s regarding r:.yself: In consequence· of the tiI11e lo~t in the above \ investig.:Jtion I have been 're.-\uce1 from cor.;parative a.ffluen-::e to absolute penury, enta il_ing suiferine upon those it. was -ny duty to protect; and this, too, in spite o:t their remon~trances. I~y e~·es were at last opened .• to their con~ition,.. and I resolved to sev~r at once, and forever, all • . . . conn.ect'ion Hith the ::Jffair, and retricve 1 if possible, ~y errors. To do this, and as the·bestmeans of placing te~ptation beyond my re~ch, I d~terrriine::l to mak.e ·public the Hhole r-aatter, ;:md shift fron my shoulders my re::>pon5:i1;-lili ty to l-~r. Morriss. ur antif?ipatE for these paDers a larr.e circulatS.on, and, to avoid the . . . · multitude of letters with which I should be. assailed, !rorn a11· sections of the Union, propounrling a°ll· sorts of questions a~d requirine answers . . which, if attenr:e~ to, ·would absorb my entire tir:e, and only change the character ·or .my '·!ork, I havc .. d.ecided upon uithdrc.".·:ir.g: my nc!:ne fro::-:-1 the + 4 L' T } • publ ica. t'ion, a.:.~t er assuring• a 11 !.:1. ... ~r!?s ~L.'21.. •• \,,na t - 1~ve given a 11 th• a t I know of the r::8tter, an'i th.:t I cannot a\'!d one \~ord to the stater.tents herein contain"?d. "The gentleman ,.~hol'l I have selec:t~d as r:y a~e=-it to puhlish and '~'-- ~- ~ ".':-:~:~~ circulate the!;~ pap~rs, was P.ell kno;·;n to }·'sr. Harriss; i.t was at his .. .- -~ --- houl:;e t'hat f:rs-. ?"ior?"iss died, and he -,rould have t-een one ' ·-~ ~- !------·-.~-- - -~- DOCID: 656779 ,oi thr. bcn0iiciaric~ in the event of r.y :-:ucco:;s_, Lit.:c: e:.very one else, he .; . was iencrant of this episode in Hr. Morriss' career until the manuscript was placed in his hands. ' . ·. "Trusting that he will be benefittcd by the arrangement, wh1'ch I know would have :::et the approval of Hr. Horr~ss,. I have le.ft the whole subject to his sole ~anage~ent and charge. All business comr1unications snould be addressed to ~im. It isneedless to say that I shall await with much anxiety the dev-::lop;:ient of the r:.ystery. 11 (And thus ~ndeth what was contained in the print- e9. pa.'1'.phl&t pr~par.ed by James B. Hard, of Ca~pbell County, Virginia, practically all .. .. copies of which 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. l. H~rt will resu..-ie where he lE..ft off in his foreword to. this typewritten ~ccount of the Beal~ Papers: When my brother Clayton secured a copy of the printed parnphlet containing l-l'ard' s story about the Beale ~apers 1 I think in the su."Tu-ner of 1898, he asked ke to read sa.Ilie twc or three tim~s and then sit dovm and ~:::::_ '-----,. discuss the subject -.d. th hirn. Th:.s I did. We were at a lo-ss to know how to begin .any new or untried ef('o:-t to unravel the mystPry. ·Th~t Ward, by accident as he suggests, succeeded in finding a ·key to cipher·no. 2 1 o~tlining the ~u.~ber of pounds ofGold and silver, along. ~-=-=~- with· jewels of ·a· \•alue of ~l)iOC'O, clai.'T1ed to have 'been buried, created a · sus:i:lcion ~ ~story mi.!2_t h~ b~ ?!'~ U..E_ in=:t~ad of founded 01} fact, l@ the ~ o.t.Jinrling !-£1~. r.e;,;.ny sale o.f_ tb,Q_ pn:::ohlet. P.i.;alc' s letter to Hr. ~!orriss, accc!!'l!)~rnyinc the ciphers, did not st'.\tc which of the t'1ree ciphers desr.rjhcd the pl~ce of co=iccalment, but one would think that cirhcr \ . -·--.-----·------· DOCID :· 6!56779 Page SJ. MQ.1 \-rould .'be tho. st'1rtin6 point rinrl h::\vr;: the ..-io:;t ::itt~ntion. /11d why :would Bcale e:;o to t!--.c tro11hlc 1.l'o pr"!pnrc thro~ cipli~rz, each based upon a different docur.i~nt? ...... ~ ·, ·...... I.r th~ :Stor;v was not based upon ~act· but -soncthinr, ;:r~rrired with th!' . ·. .•. ·. " . -. . _,.,,,.. idea of .ma'kine; Money from the sale of it 1 why was it allo:·md to re:-:ain in the pz:inting plant until an accidental .fire consWlled practically all .. .. copies of it?.. I sui;;r.e!?ted that rriy grothe~ Clazt:::n t:iake a trip to I.y:i c!:burt;:: and secure any infor!1lation within reach, visiting \ford if he could loca.te him. He m;ade several b··ins, and inauired all rou:ld the town, b~co:::.i!"'.f conv-i need _---... ------~ -- --- that it wa·s more th~n probably ~ sto;y- "';as founr3ed unon fact. . ..--- ~------.... ----. ~ ..- : . -. . . . . ~ . . .---- Thereupon Clayton redoubled his efforts i.o find 'a key, or keys, to Ciphers ?fo.1 and ;fo.J. He worked every nir;ht for UF;·/ard·s of .two years •. wi thou\ ~a~in~ an:r: h~~dway t butt like \{Jar1, vm s unwilling to lay the r-- ,--~ r...... - : ..• . ...- r.=:_ - subject aside. .------[~o- I I 1 i Having studied hypnotism and Mesr.ierism, -rhich had becorr;e some\·;hat L__. ·.. . f~:-- ~• .;n Do=nol~P- ""'"'out .Lhat.. t1.'"' 0 ;..s· a r s··"lt. of' o:o.·-.,,,,. •• ~"I ..:i,,. __ :.,_'-_..,.:..; ...... ~ Of a fa _ .,1.. f'- - .. - t::,U V • l•'-'-J ":\ e ~ ... -:::v'ii;;;ii.!C1..L u-.:.•.&VU.:JW.&.C""..r.."""••,::> .. - • . • . ... . " • . - c.. on the stage of the /r.cader:.y ;:r ~.rusic, Clayton h~gail to try out his powers on ·nufll:ro~~ l pror.risini ~~bj~cts •. rinding one e~cepti~nally good subject, ...... in the person of an eig!:teen-year-old lad in the neighborhood of our .· .. old hem~, lfagnoliq, on the extreme northe:-n lin~ of the Ci:ty of Roanoke, . •. Va., he, after a ti."'le, tried hir.1 ·out as a crystal re~der or clarvoyant. To Cl:>yton's c.stonish.r:;ent the "hoy, -:·:hile· in a st~te of trance, re lated a w;>nd2rful story', o~e which fitted in so well with what he had le;:irncd about the tr-"'C!~ure thc:i.t hi) dctcrnincd to unravel the !'!yst~ry, if possible, throuf!'h th.:at neP.n~. So hoe invited !:lC to idtness a seance and tell hi.91 what I tho1;pht of what I w:>uld sr>e and hear. '• DOCID :The6~'Q~s a quiet; unilssumi.ng, diffidi:!nt boy. In his normal Stilte he SE:!C!r.. .::d qui to e:ff ~mim1t~, and never indulged in the use r-f profane lapguage, Under the spell, however, he .. . seemed transformed into a vigorous, determined man of the world, • 1~ confident of himself, swearing blandly, and ready to meet all . comers, The following is an account of that incident, written me 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, Hov1evert the foliowing depicts the occurrence as I remembered it·, with Clayton acting as ~nterrogator, I being merely a quiet listener .. ·· arid observer. •. .A CRYSTAL READIKG. "Jewels, By Gosh! Diamonds! Rubies! Pearls! Emeralds! . .... : .. Whew! Ain't the c ld 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 ~ur 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 Buford's Tavern, in a village of that name just to t~e east of the Blue Ridge i'l.ountains, and watch for the coming of several prairie schooni:rs. Tell me DOCID.::; 6§6779 · .• ~ ~,.; • ...... Page 55 as,soo~da~ they ~~me in sight, and relate o~~~ything that those . . . . in ch1arg~··do·~- ·N;w, ~t~il. ni~ eve:;ything th·&~.:h~ve with them, and ·everything they do. Keep close watbh on thom, ·and don't let them . . ; .. ·. : .. · .. ; .•. \. : . get out of your· s·i.ght!" t~~~=-.: t"~~-- .. ?··. . . . .• .:~ .,. . : •.... With~n about thirty seconds the medium straightened up, and, trembli~g as if .from excitement, began to talk: ·"Here they come! They're just passing through the ga~.in the mountain. :" ...... "rfatch· them carefully: Don't 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."' .; • -- • .. .a. ... :. .. .. •"':.· : ·..... :: : - .. :·· wagons? -. ·.. : ...... · "Yes; {ive· mc;n .o.r'l':horses...... :. .· .. ,... ' . .. ' :; . -: .. "How· many ~e-11 a're there al together? . '\.... "Let me se.e? (As if counting. on his .fingers) There's ten; ·r. five men driving th~· ~ago.ns and five men on horseback. . ... , 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.boking 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·f the wagons. "Have the ~en any guns or pistols? •. -- ~sure! Each man riding h~rscback 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. ' r=::-- I - DOCID: 656779 Page 56 . ~ "'Each driver has a rifle and a couple c,f pistols •n the scat j... - • ' beside him. Oh! They're fixed for g~~c, ·ar.:i, I reckon, for Indians, ·too!· . . .• ·. .. : . .. "Watch them carefully and tell me if they ·stop anywhere? . • , . • I There was silence for a minute or two, when Clayton steppe~ ...... up the time with a command. .. .: "They''ve done stopped. . . . .~ ."Vlhere'( "At a place that has a board up over the deer and ~n it marked ' . 11 11 Tavern • And, on a little building right by the side of it, I see_ another boar~ which s_ays 11 Buford Post Off ice". 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 1~ss ~f the outfit, has done g>t off his ?orse, . ~- . handed the reins tts another fellow, ar.d .g~ne into the t~vern., ..... "Watch them closely an~ tell me all that is done. "The boss is talking to s~me man·inside the tavern. I guesi 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 bt)SS man has take~ his saddlebags off his horse, turned· the bridle reins over to an old gray-:-·haired negrl'),- and has done gor.a into the tavern. "Don't let him get out of your sight! Watch him clC's~ly, and tell me all that he does! "the bnss ma~ is done gone upstairs, It's nearly dark. A negro slave is showing him to a roC'm. But the big fellow w:"'luldn't .. DOCID: .656779 . . Page 57 1 a~ if he thinks it's mighty unusual dninas t~r a gcntlcm~n •• ~I :.- . guess in those- days· ncgro slavt:-s wer1:::. c:.xp.ect:cd: to do evc:rything .for the guest except sp{t. "Well, never mind about your,wise cr.acks •. Keep a close ,. ., watcn on. .the big feliow! D~n't let him g~t out of your sight! \'/hat is' he doing? "He 1 s done xaised the "window and is motioning tn one of his pals, who is out in th$ yard, to cc-me 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 do\·m the. st~ps, while the other man" stays in the room. He 1 s done gon_a in and sat down at the supper· t_able. "Time· is passing a 1i ttle faste:t n0w. ·Tell rr:: what the boss man,- as yo"u te:::i:zi him, is doing. ·...... "He's done gone back upstairs to his room. He's r.:otionlng . .f..'hn r..f..'ho .... ~,,,.,,,...,., "-n o,,~ o~ tho ,..o~m· _T ho_rs +_o__ 1l_-i_n_n •. h~_,..,, "-••- V ~·-• • --.-...... , "'• 9'"'w .-... ., ••.- ._ U•••J a1_10_5c:_- _. UI to go downstail's and get his grub. . . ~ . . "Watch the boss man .caxefu11y, now, an~ tell me everything he does. TimG is passing more slowly, rememberJ The boss man is pulling down the shades. tt.yZ Those shades .. are on strings; th~y don't rC1ll down like shades do nowadays, on springs. He 1 s locking the door; and, by gosh! d~n't you know, he's _stuffing SOffic paper into the keyhole. No wonder, for tha key~~le fs almost as big as three fingers of a man's hund. The key must be ~ighty big. Yes, it is, f dr I see it there bn the tablp. .. "Well, go alnng ·and tell m~ what that man is doing. "Now he 1 s putting his old big pis~ol on the ·table, right by the side of the candle. He's laying his Su~dl~bags across tha •, --.---~---- ··----- QOCJ;D: 656179 Page 58 ... , f ~ a ...pottle ~f rum? ·. 11 l'ievcr" mind· ubC'ut any b\'ttlc~ \"I a 'let: thilt rn.m ·chscJy, and ·"tell me everything he docs? ...... "lfy God! The old man is opening tip"a, regular diamond , ; mine! Th.ey glitter so they hurt my eyes~- I dioen't 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! Pear:.s! Emeralds.! Whew! Aintt 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 tf, 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 fell ow and tell me everything he.does", Clayton admcnished. "Now, he's VY'!'apping up the jewels in something that loaks like fine skins, and putting them back into 1-)is saddlebags. He's putting the saddlr~bag_s under the pillow, 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 1 s reading t)"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 ts dl')ne ·:replaced the bible on the table. He's snuffing out the candle. The r~~m is now dark. "Go out to the stable and toll me what is being done by his corr.panions out the:r~?" Clayt"ln suggested. »rhe horses are in stalls, munching hay. The five prairie DOCID: 656779 Cow st61:>le. There':; e ~mn sitti_n~ in coch wc:s~n, thc_:!.:::n !>cing, in each· co::;c 1 in the .front of on<: wanon nnd in the rce.r oC the ocljoinin~ -;mi:;on. 1 Eoch can ha:; two pistols in bi::; belt, with· a ;~flc ct hi:; zide. 'Now, th!i t s ,~ c!ar:n funny; Wh)' don It they go in ~he tnvc:rn enC t;O to ..~ed.? 11 lf you' 11 keep your shirt on rr.aybe we will find out • Where . arc the other four ocn? ''Ohl they've done gone to bed in the tavc~n. "Look throu.;h thcµ-ai:t-ie· sch?oncrs cerc:fully end tell r..e whet you finC:? 'What GO you c~~?~Ct r.:c to f in::l? You a.in It sot not:iinr; to co with the:-;_ C.c:-;.ncd, all-f~recl wagons! . "Never r:-:ind about that. You Gon't have to look af t2r the ' . welfare of: tho.;:;e r::en; they're well able to protect the::::sel ves. You just GO ah~ac and look in each We.tion, one after the other, and tell r.oC what yo.u fin.d. :· ;...... j-:_':_=_-_-:_-__ _ i._-_-_-_:---- but ~o_n~~c ztilled, turne~ his heac one way a11cl then another, while hie eyes, opencc! wider t_ha~ uzual, were 8lucd to 1;hc crystaL "Tell nc• what you see?" con;::andcd Clayton . . "Two_ iron pot.z! They a:-e cover<:~~ with a !;ll buried un::lc:- stra·w .. ,"Whet clo you sec in the pots? .''erect Go~! .!u:;t look at t~.~ r;oltl! r\~ silver, too! .. vccrr.iny crl!ckeG corn, I clon' t wonG.cr they :.ave ::;o :::any shoot in;:: iron::; rcndy for instnnt use. '~ook in the next wagon ond tell ~c whnt you sec there. : ''Ohl there'~ ju::;t so:r.e ·ckin!: of wild. o'ni:-:als, some jerkc:l '~ook nore carefully. Are you sure there i~ nothing else in that wat:;on? ''\foll, I shoulC: -;;-a-y not! ~There's twc r.~'=>re pots in that ,~ gol-darnpd m1gon. · "Tel.I r;c w':tet is in then. 1 '!Silveri Go.od Lore!, I ~ien .t know there ":.Ia.S !;o·:.!uch !:ilvcr in one place nnywhc::e in the world. Th2y ere filled ~lith silvc::. And the fellow watching th.it p.:rairie schooner has just kicked then, I guccs t:o r.1.:ikc sure they're still there. 11 I~n 1 t there eny gold in either of tboze pots? 11 · • . No. Gcd.dann i_t. to hell, do yo~ think they'd r:ix gold end •. . Sil Ver. • /,nd 1 JUit Want tO Warn YOU I that bee::; Dan ain It 3oin:; tO let -. anybody cor.1e near. so" yo"u ke~p away. . . 11 • Nevcr. nind a!:>out that., l just want; you to tell r..e ever;thing .. ·- ..... --· ' . you find in thos1 wagon~. Now, go on to the third prairie schm.>ut-.r a.-,·d look the t over car.eful ly. · · 1?\·1ell, 1 see sone :::ore corn' and hay-:.an°d, 1 bclic\'e, there ere I sone oats. Yes, that's right. And t~erc arc so~e anir:el skins. I guess ·. thet fellow he=n't ~ot a ~lank~t. And he. was nocdin~, too, anci his pal in the ncY.t wa;;°on. told hi!:! to waka up an~ keep hi.:; eyes wicl.:? open. "Isn't then? anythinz el::;c in that wa3on? "l don't nee anythinr; ~lsc. ·"Look core carefully, fro::. one end of the wa3on to the other. . . . . ·. 11\-lelll w~ll! if that don't beat the old ~cratch! Sure! thcre'c another o!::! iron pot in thet wa3on, but it wa=: so ~ell covc:-c:! up thet 1 thou~ht there ~o~ just coon skin coot£. '~hat i~ in thnt pot? ---.& ...... : ...... - .. ~ ------.. ~------!'ogc 61 DOCID: hin't there no end to thi::; thin~? Why I it ccir1tnSn:;. silver, nothin-:... but silv.:i::.. l wonder whnt they're ~oin~ to .do ~ith all this cold.end cilvcr? ~ . "Go on to the fourth prairie· schoonar and tel 1 rJc whot you find 1~ in it? -"That old fellow is fest asleep, leaning ago inst the top. He better ·we.kc up before the boss ::ien in the tavern catches up \·~i"th hie, for 1'11 be he'G ~kin hin alive. ·. "Never nind, for the r:-.o:::cnt, .the bo:;s r...an in th~ tavern. Do you find anythinz unuzunl in thet waaon? "No. "Just sone hay, and corn, and ~t;raw~ and skins. Also sor.ie . . ceopin3 utensils . bnd, 1 believe, there's a tent or two in there. .. •. -'~Ail ~ight. No"?' go on to the last wagon. What, if onything of interest, co you. f~_x:>d there? .. "Ju!;t. th.: saoc kinds of things. ?-:ore co-:-n and hay nnd oats . bnd· I see. sone ln·.lian trinket!:.,· so~e Indian bo'P~ e.nd arrows. That's al 1. 111~11 ri3ht. · Let everything be nc:-tural with you for a tioe. You ore at ease. 1 thinl~ you need a rc::;t.· We wil 1 have cor::c eats pcfore we rcsuoe ~ur"travc.1 alon3 the.old trail." Thereupon, Clayton and l, 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 eac~, rosuo~d his usual deneanor, rather diffident and rctirint;, ·with little to say evc.n when asked a quest~9n. ~1hen intcrro~atcd a~out ~hat hnd transpired during the sc~nce, he cecocd to recall. .. . nothin";... subject, handed to hi:.! the crystnl ~o.11, .nnc the cc.:incc w=is rc::;ur.1ed. 1 Dcr 1019, and ;r~nch Ituford':; .Tevcrn:·· !ourtccn r-:ilco cast of here, to the cost of the .Blue f>.i:ic;c ?fount11in::. Tell ~c whnt you find ~ein~ done Iii . •• • • . .. - .. about Buford's Tavern? ·1~ .After e. few concnt:::; hesitation, the &u!.tject caid: ·, J;... •... th~hy, thc;e .is the bo$S ~n, out there on a horse. And, you ~:'i ~~~;, b"ct, he ba; the::· ssddlcbazs ~trapped .securely onto the. rce.r of his saddle. One of his pals is leavin3 the first wa~on end conin3 U? to hio. He'~ gottin~ on a horse, too. .·. "Well, watch th.en carefully and tell· oe where. they go and . ' .. ··:... what they do. A •• "There they so' out to the ri:'.!ht' over towar::'!~ th "How t!!3ny cen are in this party? .. : .. ' . b ·-: .... - d ''Only t·wo; the boss :::en, es he see.-::s to i:!e to e • ·" l!Tl one of .. his pals. ' '"~el 1, watch thee car~fu!ly. now, ar.d tell ne where they 30 and .. 'What they do? . "They're ·ridin3 alon:; on an old rutty roac, ~ore like a trail than a ree.1 rcec!. , Now they' re leavin::; the rc<•d and· followin3 a peth up ... into the edge of the ~ounta.in. ·~1a tch thc..-:l, a.nd tell r:e eve:ry th inti thay do. !'Well, ain't 1 doin3 it? They've .;ottcn off their horccs. ·. \ The::i're goin;; into e. cevc. They've cendlco \;ith th~. They've H:;htcd .. . their candles .;:x:id are c>:c.ninint; the cave. Th~y'vc found so::lc pot~tocs end other ve~e -tnblcs, e.nd the ncn shake their hceda, e.s if surpri~::d 11nd dis~ppointcc •.They're ~nuffinG ·thcir.cnnclcc et the ccl~e of the cnvc. They're cctting on tpcir horccs aznin on1 are stnrtin~ back tow~rd the tavern. " f ------··· ---· ------···-u----·- ---· The sun i~ richt ov~rhcec. The bo!>:> r~on i::; rook~ng up ut it. I • . "Well J tel 1 :::c ....h~t ·thoy do ncY.t I c::!H?Ci~lly when they cat beck • · .to the tavern. Ti=c is hurryin~ elcn~. "Ihcy 1 re back et the tevern. Tnc nc:z:-o slc:vc hes tekc'ri th~ boss ~.an•s horse, ·also the other ~:en's hor!ie. The b~~s ~..an end his pal have · tiOne into the tavern, and up to the bo~s nan's rooc. T'ne bo~s can {s · . "Very well, tioe is fa.:;t pa:;sing alonz. Tell cc when. their nezt r.iovc is oadc. · ."Roostcrc are crowing. 1 see the first streaks of dawn _restinc . . . on the f-eak!i of Otter. "The boss na~ is lir;hting hi::: candle. He Is now 1 slipping on ._his trousers~ a~d puttin3· on hi~ boots. t.le ::: putting 'hi~ b_el t around 'his ·waizt, · end ec!ju~tin3 his pi:;t~li:;. Nc•. .1 he':.:: ~rr.~,,bing up hi::> .. . - . oaddlebag~ 1 end is gb-ing cown the steps of thf: tevcrn. ·''"watch hie 7ercfolly. T.:?11 ~e ell t.hat he cocz-: ::--~ . . "Bl ess ny sou 1 , uo~ you. ,~now, t.a~ h n~gro . $leve ~es out currying. ' . and suddlin; encl hridlin; the boss r:ien's horze. There he is, leedinG the :·: horse around to the front of the te.ve:rn. The !--o:;s ·~an i:; edjustin;; his saddlebags, and the n~~ro zlove is hovin~ trouble to hold the horse, ~ho se~:; to b~ pranc~ng to be off. Now the '!:>0~s· t::an ·is astrice his horse, and is ste.rting off north, to the left of tho peaks o"f Otte:-.. "Hatch hi~ ~aref:ully, e.nc tell cc all that he does. "There he gocss the hor!"e in e. fa~ trot, alonr; the trail which bor1crs Goose Creek and lendin~ to 9 cnr in the Blue rrid~c not fer froo the >' . . Twin ::'eaks. It ·is on the tr.iii whic'h "run:: fro:.• r.cdford County ac;ross the r.:ountain. to not!:!tourt .County. The:rc 1 !: occc::ion~lly e hcucc, with ~ little clear~d lend nr~untl it, ~ut ··-~·-· -·==---=------~~?ar.c b~. ·- ·- ·· DOCID': 656779 . ·- the boss Man· is leavin~ the trail• is ridin~ off into the;:) .,~oods 1 ·. .. . but is shakinc his head, as ii' he ooe:m't like v~hat he secs; and go~s back to the trail again. .~ "Keep close watch on the boss nan, as you.tern him. Tell '· me ·all that he noes. rtHe '·s aFain le and going throur.h the r:oods, .up a lit~lc hill. ,.Tell, isn't that a stranr;e place--a sr.iall hill, with a cur.:_like forr-.ation or indentation ~n it,. all covered with giant traes. The boss J'llan is looking around carefully. Re's hitched his horse .to the lir:b of "' . . - a tree·, and now is axanining the place, as if pe 1 s hunting for ~ . . ,. ,.. something. He rmst like what he has found, for he is sr.ri.ling. He 1 s knocking the bark off a spot on a big oak tree with the butt of one of his pistols, .and now !-te is cutting the spot more deenly ~~ ~~.. ~ ~-~- ..... ~ with his hunting knife. He's on hi~ horee again, C&n.&- is ret11rni..ng ·toward the tavern. ~-f m_,ratch hi,-n ·carefully, and te11· me anything unusual that he.may do. ,:::..':'.c ~----- Time is passing faster, and tell me when the boss r.ian reaches the tavern. "He's done got hack to the tavern. The ne;ro slave's out ready to 1- . .. serve the boss man: 'I'.he boss t:1an throws him the bridle rein, grabs his I saddlebags, and walks into the dining roo:;. Yes, ann he's laid his .---..,-~--- . ·. saddleha~s carefully under his chair and set his foot on the leather .. •I 1 · corinecti!"lg_ the bro b?.€;S. He ain t takint; no chances with losing them ====~-- jewels, and I' don't blame hi'!'ll.. "Hell, til'lle is .p:assing a little faster. Skip o~.~er the :nore unimportant details, an:' t~ll. r.&e what is done by the_ ~oss ~:m and his associates. . DOCID: 656779 .. r.' • j .. . . "It 1 s the nc:xl !:!•J!'i'..J..nt< The ;.rac;on.t.rni.n i:1 ~tart.inc orr JU:3t. .. •... liko it arriv~d at th~ tDvcrn ·except th~t the rifles arc in the waccns 1 .• . and the horse~~~ onl; h;~~ \ricir ;·ist.pls. in their ~1 ts~ .!hey' re uavine, . , ... f . apparently 'a cood hye, to the t:wern keepi::?r. 11 \•/iich way ar~ they going? . . . "The same way. the hoss ?r. Peaks of Otter. . •. "Tine. is sp:!edins along·. Tell Ille where th~y go. 11 They are· .fellowing· the ~arne ·route the boss rr1an \io'ent yesterday · . . :rr,orning. There; ·they' ~e havinr,· a little· trouble foTding the hranch. Noi.".i- they' re goi.n'g along· the creek,· a·nd have· stopped where· the boss man went ·- . •. c J up .the J.i t tle hill .... I don't bcl ieve the tear:;,::; can get up the hill. Ho . . 1 they ~an 1 t. The' bo~s ~an rs pojr.ting. a:i picks and shovels up the hill. · :- . ': ·. "h'here are th~y placing the pots? 11 Close by the: foot o.f the p:iant oak that" the boss I!ian 'chipped bark off of when he w::ts there before. !fow th~yr:re: ~Jg5;lnc., ta.king turns at the job. ,. . -· ... . . -- ; nTirne is passing faster. Tell ~e what·i~ fin9lly done· with the p~ts. "Your re Mighty i..":tpatient! ~~~Y don 1 t .you lat me take my tim.:! to s~e • an~:tell you about the whole job? "We. d.~n rt care P.bcu.t all the details. 'Ye just 1.;ant to know ;·that was finally done vrith the· pots. "Hell, they've rlug n hole ·ahout" as de~p a:; a I"1an is tall. It rs about the size of a ·:-:rave, eY.cept :l.t 1 ~ wid~r anrl rcim::!cr, They've hunt~d up a lot of flat stohcs a!1':l p:.:ived the hot.tom '!" ·-·· _ ~arth taken fro~ it, carefully ~moothing over the top, and spread- ing leaves over the·fresh earth. f .~ "1e11. me evcrythi ng they do. "All of the men have ~one back to the wagons, except the boss man. He's cutting a larger place in the side of the tree, a marker I :reckon. Well, what a fool! The boss man pulled s:::ime- thing like flour out of his pocket and threw it on the freshly cut place. Now the boss man is making some marks or. a paper, looks like a sort o~ diagram. He's done and is joinin~ the other feliows, . who had moved .clown the trail. Now they're on. their way back down •. .. ~ the creek, the way they came. ,,) 11 :. Time is passing ___ ~aster. Tell me when they stop anywhere. ~ · :· "They've reached the tavern, ,and the boss inan is talking . . ~"':' ~ '.'· .::;:- to the tavern keeper. He seems to be welco::cd. The horses ciro; being unhitched • ."Time is passing f9ster now. Tell n:.e v:hat they do when . I 'they make their next move. "Well, it is next morning, after breakfast. Seven of the men, with the five ··wagons and tw"· ,f ~he saddle horses, are starting off east, al~ng the well traveled road. The boss man and tw~ of his pals, are remaining • .''.Time is passing faster .now. Watch the three men ... . and tell me if. they go anywhere near the buri~d treasure, er when they take their departu~e in any direction. "The boss .man and his two pals seem to be sticking around the neighborhood, riding around during the day, and oc- casionally entering into conversation with the villJgers after suDoer. . ,- ..., ' . - D9~¥l,J' is~~r~?nJ ~on3• ~ump over evcr1thir.g until the boss ...__ .. '\ ' man~ "as yo[~ tcro him, nr en~ Ctf his cisscci nit 1s now the end of about tpree. wecjcs. Th~ boss man is ,~ bidding the tavern k_eeper good bye. They are on their horses ' and aie he~ding east." "Well, that is enough for the present. You may be at rest. We may resume our travels SOr.Je time later. 11 Thereupon the subject seemed let down. He resu:ued his former normal demeanor, diff idcnt and uninterested in anything about him. He v:as tha.nked f~r his visit, and-left /,!CJgnolia, going in the direction of his home. lkf brother, Clayton, and I discussed the seance 1 not b~lieving anything that had transpired, and, still, wondering if there c~uld be the possibility of some trut..'1 in what the subject had blurted forth. Now; in conclusion: Not being present at a later seance, when Clayton attempted to get from the subject what had happeT'ed to Beale and his 29 associates, I can onl}' state, in a few words, what Clayton }:old me about it: That, when gazing into the same crystal ball, he asked the subject to follow the party of 10 west,_ after their second trip to the St~tes 1 and have them join tha 20 left behind to continue searching for gold and silvc.r, and keep with ·t~e entire party. until, either they returned to their homes, er were no more, the subj~ct, in a most realistic but shocked manner, detailed their being set upon by Indians, as they were preparing ...... ~ __-_:-_ to leave their operations, when all were kill€d and scalpwd. i::::::='= ,;:::::::::::~-:__:_...... - ::::::...~:::.:-, .. :::::::::::~- And thus cndcth a ~cird and almost unbclicvoble story. _....., ______:::.~:-:.·.:...-_~~~ ---oOo---