The Diamonds?

[bigscoop]

A) Where/who did they come from?

B) How do you ride into 1820's St. Louis to exchange a load of silver for diamonds without being noticed and the word getting out? There were all kinds of fortune seekers in 1820's St. Louis at the time just waiting for a chance to jump on an opportunity. Regardless where the silver came from I'm thinking it would have been pretty big news had the word gotten out and I'm equally sure that would have been an unwanted event for everyone involved.

 

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[bigscoop]

Where does diamonds come from? I read it as jewelry.

Could be? But even if this is the case how does someone go riding into St. Louis to seek out this type of transaction without drawing attention to the event? Certainly you would have know of a source beforehand, otherwise how would you go about finding that source without attracting unwanted attention?

Not suggesting it never happened, only that it would have required some very good and well established connections in St. Louis.

 

[bigscoop]

My point of the original post was this:

At first read a party of thirty capable adventurers bringing gold and silver from west to east in complete secrecy seems fairly reasonable, but when we start to dissect all of the elements that are said to have been involved then perhaps it's not quite so reasonable. The issue of the diamond exchange is just one of those questionable elements, and here's why;

In 1820's St. Louis there were a lot of agents moving in and out of that city, French, British, Spanish, as well as a lot of private interest invested in the growth of the region. Given this, it seems reasonable to assume that very little would have slipped past these people without these very opportunistic people noticing. Gold and silver being discovered in the west would certainly have been big news and raised curiosity, unless all those involved in the exchange had the means to keep the transaction completely quite. Exchanging silver for diamonds in complete secrecy raises a lot of questions in regards to just how well established a party of men would have to of been in the region in order to have pulled such a transaction off. Basically, when we look at the basics of the story it is a tale about a party of adventures who managed to smuggle wealth clear across the country, not once, but twice, without anyone discovering their enterprise, and all this while making at least one large transaction along the way. Common men? Not very likely.

 

[bigscoop]

You must remember one thing Bigscoop, TJB owned the house in Fincastle where Julia Hancock lived, she later married Governor of the Mississippi and Louisiana Territory----------He lived in St. Louis. Don't you think Governor Clark could have made arrangements for this silver exchange?

No. I've not forgotten any of that.

But a "Thomas J. Beale" never owned a house at Fincastle. If you have such an authentic document then you have gold many would be willing to pay handsomely for.

But as to your point, once we arrive at including such figures as governors then it is certain that our party was way more then just simple adventurers and that a lot of planning and pre-arranging went into the affair, such as the case with the alleged diamond transaction. Quite a "network" would have of been in place, even if we consider your governor possibility.

 

[bigscoop]

Bigscoop, I will go back to Fincastle soon and copy this information. Not only did he own property so did his father of the same name. Also the younger TJB was an attorney and a surveyor.

But aren't you referring to a much earlier time? There were two Thomas Beale's who were attorney's but I believe they were both much earlier then the period in question. At least that's what I recall regarding them.

PS: I hope you are correct! That would certainly fill in some holes for me.

 

[bigscoop]

Franklin,
Never mind. I didn't realize you were talking about Fencastle in the geographical sense, my mistake. And yes, you are correct, there was a Thomas Beale in the region during the period. And, as I have said before, you may just be closer to the truth then you realize.

 

[Kentucky Kache]

bigscoop, I mentioned something to you in a PM about the jewels. Do you remember? You never replied as to what you thought about it.

 

[bigscoop]

bigscoop, I mentioned something to you in a PM about the jewels. Do you remember? You never replied as to what you thought about it.

KK,
Sending you a PM.

 

[wacouta]

I think if you have 30 men and say there are 5 jewelry stores, they could have each purchased wedding rings at each of the 5 stores. That would seem ok if it was in June I think. I'm just saying...

 

[bigscoop]

I think if you have 30 men and say there are 5 jewelry stores, they could have each purchased wedding rings at each of the 5 stores. That would seem ok if it was in June I think. I'm just saying...

Five jewelry stores in 1818 - 1820 St. Louis? These were not pieces of jewelry, but rather diamonds, and most likely they originated overseas.

 

[lastleg]

Sometimes it seems what's the use of posting when you revisit to find you never were here to begin with.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Sometimes it seems what's the use of posting when you revisit to find you never were here to begin with.

LOL! Why are YOU here, then? ROFL.

 

[lastleg]

Beats me Reb, it's your forum. Where did the posts go? Better yet, why?

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Beats me Reb, it's your forum. Where did the posts go? Better yet, why?

LOL! How so...? I "post" bc no one else does; what cha got? BEALE CODE has THREE "sections". Find the one ya want, and "post" away... or, check BEALE CODE ARCHIVES; I have found GREAT stuff there; start a "thread" over, again, for an "up-date". COULD be interesting...

 

[bigscoop]

Sometimes it seems what's the use of posting when you revisit to find you never were here to begin with.

You just have to revisit more then once a year. We don't mess around here, it's like speed posting, he who snoozes loses. Group hugs are every Thursday, new conspiracies are on Wednesdays, Saturday and Sunday is open house, Monday and Tuesday are re-post it days, and Friday we all meet at the Tiki bar.

 

[lastleg]

I would like to apply for a whole day of New Conspiracies this coming Wednesday. Some rat ate the post containing
"the babbling Mexican". He was kin and he weren't nothing but red-blood Kentuckian. It was on the thread about jewelry
stores and other nonsense.

 

[bigscoop]

I would like to apply for a whole day of New Conspiracies this coming Wednesday. Some rat ate the post containing
"the babbling Mexican". He was kin and he weren't nothing but red-blood Kentuckian. It was on the thread about jewelry
stores and other nonsense.

DONE!......would love to hear some more about the Kentucky connections. By any chance, would he have been from the Louisville region?

 

[lastleg]

Bardstown, do I get the whole day?

 

[lastleg]

I just checked the 1815 thread and BM was not there. Although this subject has been covered in the past the reference
to James P is one I had not encountered before.

 

[bigscoop]

Bardstown, do I get the whole day?

As far as I'm concerned you can have the entire day. Post away!