bigscoop
Gold Member
- Jun 4, 2010
- 13,376
- 8,693
- Detector(s) used
- Older blue Excal with full mods, Equinox 800.
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
Recently I was involved in a conversation about the actual ciphers and during that conversation I explained a personal observation that I’d like to share with my fellow Beale enthusiast now. As I said, this is just a personal observation that I feel is accurate after employing many years and numerous methods while attempting to decode the remaining ciphers. It is my personal feeling that these ciphers can not be broken without the proper key, and that even then the location of the vault still could not be found without the accompanying clear text for C3. So here’s my personal thinking about the situation;
Let’s assume that I have given these same ciphers to Rebel for a period of ten years, after which he is to use the delivered key to decode the ciphers, find the vault location, and then distribute the funds equally to Rockhound, Lastleg, Kentucky Cache, and Jay. The first and most obvious problem that I would have to overcome is the ten-year period because a lot can happen in ten years. As example Rebel could fall victim to an illness, or he could simply have a change of heart and decide to keep the funds for his own personal use. Rebel could also be robbed or duped by an impersonator, or through error or some other cause the key could possible arrive to Rebel early and he could simply decide to retrieve the hidden wealth at that time. Ten years is a long time and many things could take place that could see my intended goal of the distributed funds altered in some way. So how could I make certain that the location of the vault remained safe and that my instructions were carried out according to plan? Rockhound, Lastleg, Kentucky Cache, and Jay are all counting on me, so how do I insure that their interest are protected from these many possible disasters? Actually, as it turns out, it wouldn’t be all that difficult if I simply incorporate a few basic practices to the over all scheme of things. And I really believe it is these other basic coding practices that has, and still is, protecting these ciphers today.
C2 was a basic substitution cipher, with each number representing a letter of the alphabet, this we know and can prove. C3 has all the signs of being just another basic substitution cipher, in fact, it even appears to be simpler and with more repeatable codes then C2. But C1, it has all the sings of being an entirely different monster with added protection. I say this because C1 has 19 four digit codes and it is the only cipher where these four digit codes have been employed more then once, as in C2 where 1000 is used for the letter “x”. Other then this one necessary four digit code, neither C3 or C2 employ these four digit codes. And this was/is very important to the over all brilliant scheme that was put in place to further protect the interest of everyone involved. And here’s why, and how it was designed to work…….
By its very basic design, it’s my personal opinion that the 19 four digit codes in C1 do not represent letters, but rather they represent the 19 “critical” words that are required in order for the vault to be found. And the reason for this added protection is simple, in that only myself, Lastleg, Rockhound, KentuckyCache, and Jay were issued one of my identical four digit keyword list/keys. So in essence, since Morriss didn’t have one he would have to locate one of my partners first in order to obtain that keyword list, which likewise serves to alert them that Morriss, or another threat, is attempting to access the vault. On the other hand, I don’t have to worry that Lastleg, Rockhound, KentuckyCache, or Jay can access the vault without first seeking out Morriss and the decoded ciphers. By it’s a brilliant design Morriss is left virtually powerless to continue even with the freshly decoded ciphers in hand, and my partners are powerless with only the keyword list because, and here’s the best part, “they don’t even know who has the ciphers”. So you see, it’s a win-win for everyone, everyone’s interest are protected as best they can be, especially mine. Morriss has half the puzzle, my partners have half the puzzle, but they don’t know who each other is. And on top of this, somewhere out there is another unknown player holding the appropriate key that Morriss requires. With all of this in place I remain in complete control over the entire affair.
This, after many years of toiling with the ciphers and the Beale mystery, is where I think the situation really stands. When the unknown author published the pamphlet he knew “exactly” what the true story was, and he already knew “exactly” what was contained in the ciphers, but what he didn’t have was that all-important four digit keyword list, or as he called it, ….”unintelligible writing” and ”missing paper”. If he had been looking for a basic code key to a basic substitution cipher, such as a published document or other form of published written text, “it would not have been an unintelligible writing.” However, a list of four digit numbers and random words would have certainly been an unintelligible paper. So I really believe with the publication of the Beale Pamphlet the unknown author was attempting to rattle the bushes with the hope of attracting the attention of someone with knowledge of the entire affair, by saying through the pamphlet, “Yes, I have the decoded ciphers, but I need your keyword key. Contact me through J. B. Ward and we’ll discuss a possible joint venture.”
Now I fully suspect this pamphlet was perpetrated by someone living in the Bedford or Richmond area, and I further suspect this individual either had the knowledge first hand, or that he gained the knowledge from someone with both a legal and military background. And quite possibly, if not likely, someone with a French heritage or French…..”connexion”. In my opinion, there isn’t too much in the Beale pamphlet that wasn’t given a lot of prior though and consideration.
Let’s assume that I have given these same ciphers to Rebel for a period of ten years, after which he is to use the delivered key to decode the ciphers, find the vault location, and then distribute the funds equally to Rockhound, Lastleg, Kentucky Cache, and Jay. The first and most obvious problem that I would have to overcome is the ten-year period because a lot can happen in ten years. As example Rebel could fall victim to an illness, or he could simply have a change of heart and decide to keep the funds for his own personal use. Rebel could also be robbed or duped by an impersonator, or through error or some other cause the key could possible arrive to Rebel early and he could simply decide to retrieve the hidden wealth at that time. Ten years is a long time and many things could take place that could see my intended goal of the distributed funds altered in some way. So how could I make certain that the location of the vault remained safe and that my instructions were carried out according to plan? Rockhound, Lastleg, Kentucky Cache, and Jay are all counting on me, so how do I insure that their interest are protected from these many possible disasters? Actually, as it turns out, it wouldn’t be all that difficult if I simply incorporate a few basic practices to the over all scheme of things. And I really believe it is these other basic coding practices that has, and still is, protecting these ciphers today.
C2 was a basic substitution cipher, with each number representing a letter of the alphabet, this we know and can prove. C3 has all the signs of being just another basic substitution cipher, in fact, it even appears to be simpler and with more repeatable codes then C2. But C1, it has all the sings of being an entirely different monster with added protection. I say this because C1 has 19 four digit codes and it is the only cipher where these four digit codes have been employed more then once, as in C2 where 1000 is used for the letter “x”. Other then this one necessary four digit code, neither C3 or C2 employ these four digit codes. And this was/is very important to the over all brilliant scheme that was put in place to further protect the interest of everyone involved. And here’s why, and how it was designed to work…….
By its very basic design, it’s my personal opinion that the 19 four digit codes in C1 do not represent letters, but rather they represent the 19 “critical” words that are required in order for the vault to be found. And the reason for this added protection is simple, in that only myself, Lastleg, Rockhound, KentuckyCache, and Jay were issued one of my identical four digit keyword list/keys. So in essence, since Morriss didn’t have one he would have to locate one of my partners first in order to obtain that keyword list, which likewise serves to alert them that Morriss, or another threat, is attempting to access the vault. On the other hand, I don’t have to worry that Lastleg, Rockhound, KentuckyCache, or Jay can access the vault without first seeking out Morriss and the decoded ciphers. By it’s a brilliant design Morriss is left virtually powerless to continue even with the freshly decoded ciphers in hand, and my partners are powerless with only the keyword list because, and here’s the best part, “they don’t even know who has the ciphers”. So you see, it’s a win-win for everyone, everyone’s interest are protected as best they can be, especially mine. Morriss has half the puzzle, my partners have half the puzzle, but they don’t know who each other is. And on top of this, somewhere out there is another unknown player holding the appropriate key that Morriss requires. With all of this in place I remain in complete control over the entire affair.
This, after many years of toiling with the ciphers and the Beale mystery, is where I think the situation really stands. When the unknown author published the pamphlet he knew “exactly” what the true story was, and he already knew “exactly” what was contained in the ciphers, but what he didn’t have was that all-important four digit keyword list, or as he called it, ….”unintelligible writing” and ”missing paper”. If he had been looking for a basic code key to a basic substitution cipher, such as a published document or other form of published written text, “it would not have been an unintelligible writing.” However, a list of four digit numbers and random words would have certainly been an unintelligible paper. So I really believe with the publication of the Beale Pamphlet the unknown author was attempting to rattle the bushes with the hope of attracting the attention of someone with knowledge of the entire affair, by saying through the pamphlet, “Yes, I have the decoded ciphers, but I need your keyword key. Contact me through J. B. Ward and we’ll discuss a possible joint venture.”
Now I fully suspect this pamphlet was perpetrated by someone living in the Bedford or Richmond area, and I further suspect this individual either had the knowledge first hand, or that he gained the knowledge from someone with both a legal and military background. And quite possibly, if not likely, someone with a French heritage or French…..”connexion”. In my opinion, there isn’t too much in the Beale pamphlet that wasn’t given a lot of prior though and consideration.
"Scoop", I agree with your last paragraph in you "post" and it fits "in" with the CSA era "theory"... The BEALE PAPERS author was from LYNCHBURG, Va. 
MORE later! 
HA! Judy Hancock. 16 years old; later went on to marry William Clark of Lewis & Clark Expedition. For MORE info... "google" ONE LETTER, ONE ENCLOSURE; SUBJECT: THE BEALE TREASURE. 
And the tavern was just next to that property to the west, correct
Would love to go there and "camp out"! 
