If you like mysteries and treasure hunting, then you have heard of the Beale Papers. I spent a good 6 or 7 months combing through trying to decipher #1, the locality of the vault. (image from rationalwiki.com)
Here’s the story behind the famous Beale Papers.
Thomas Beale supposedly buried a treasure in the Virginia Hills in 1819 and 1821. Beale drafted three encrypted ciphers of “numbers” that reportedly gave the directions to the vault where the treasure was buried, who was involved, and what was buried. These ciphers were given to Mr. Robert Morriss for safe keeping in 1822. Once an unspecified time went by, a “key” to the ciphers would be given to decode the ciphers. But the key never arrived nor was there ever any communication with Mr. Beale again. Mr. Morriss forgot about the box that contained the papers until 1845, in which he finally opened the box. And eventually the papers were found and were published in 1885, by J.B. Ward.
Now, cipher #2 has been decoded. Using the Declaration of Independence (since it is the only known document where the words were numbered) taking the numbers from the cipher and matching the number to the words in the declaration, then taking the first letter of the word that is that number. So for instance, the word “unalienable” is number #95. So if you find the number 95 in the cipher, then 95 represents the first letter of “unalienable” which is “u”. Get it. It’s a simple cipher code.
Anyway, the translation of the #2 cipher and I quote is:
I have deposited in the county of Bedford, about four miles from Buford’s, in an excavation or vault, six feet below the surface of the ground, the following articles: belonging jointly to the partied whose names are given in number “3”, herewith:
The first deposit consisted of one thousand and fourteen pounds of gold, and three thousand eight hundred and twelve pounds of silver, deposited November, 1819. The second was made December, 1821, and consisted of nineteen hundred and seven pounds of gold, and twelve hundred and eighty-eight pounds of silver; also jewels, obtained in St. Louis in exchange for silver to save transportation, and valued at $13,000.
The above is securely packed in iron pots, with iron covers. The vault is roughly lines with stone, and the vessels rest on solid stone, and are covered with others. Paper number “1” describes the exact locality of the vault so that no difficulty will be had in finding it.
So there you have it. The famous treasure. The last letter from Mr. Beale to Morriss was on May 9, 1822 in which he states that the “key” was left with a friend and was addressed to Mr. Morriss and to be delivered to him in June 1832. The letter also hints that Mr. Beale and his associates were engaged in “perilous enterprises” and was a “game they will play to the end”. (image below of solved #2 cipher from library.thinkquest.com)
Mr. Morriss waited until 1845 before finally opening the box, for he expected to see Mr. Beale again. But he never did. He never could decipher the “numbers” after trying and trying. Not until 1862, that he trusted someone enough to reveal the secret about the box.
In a letter dated January 1822, Mr. Beale explains where he and his associates found the treasures. About 300 miles north of Santa Fe, in a small ravine, they discovered a cleft in the rocks and saw gold. They worked for 18 months to dig this gold and silver out. They put it in common receptacles and agreed that each had an equal share of the treasure. They even got some Indians to help with the labor. The men decided to transport the treasure to Virginia, in a cave near Buford’s tavern. They also agreed that Mr. Beale would pick a person to carry out the provisions of the group to their relatives, in case of any accident to them. So Mr. Morriss was picked. Now he knows why he was given this task and the box.
Mr. Morriss was to divide the treasure in 31 equal parts, with one part for him, and distributed to the names given in the #3 cipher.
So that’s it. That’s the story. Has anyone ever decoded the other ciphers? Well, some claim that they have, and even claim that they found the spot where the treasure was hidden. But the spot was empty of treasure of course and they did not provide the public with how they decoded the cipher. So the answer is really no, no one has decoded the other two cryptograms. (image right of cipher #3 from akorra.com)
Most people think the other two ciphers are hoaxes. Especially due to the fact that a few words in the published version and some of the letters to Mr. Beale weren’t in use until after the 1840’s, making the letters written much later than claimed. And why would you write 3 ciphers and have more than one key to solving them? Only the Declaration of Independence is a key for only one cipher and not the others. And cryptologists have long analyzed the other two ciphers to no avail. So it seems that they must be hoaxes and just a lot of hogwash. And the third cipher is quite short, and it’s suppose to list all 30 members with their relatives and residences. I don’t think so, it’s too short.
But it is a mystery and we all love a good mystery. I spent way too much time on this one, along with the Zodiac ciphers. It is easy to get obsessed with these cryptograms and go crazy. But you just have to stop and say “okay, I’m done with this” and put it aside and live life. Go on. There will always be mysteries. 
(image of the pamphlet from 1885 from abebooks.com)
View the Source Article> Here
View the Wikipedia page on The Beale Papers Here
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
my name often appears on web sites and i feel i have to write something, im fed p with the Beale saga so ive decided to put the plot initials and grave name on the intrnet on July the forth 2013 and finish off the lucrative book trade that has been perpetrated with fancy theories and years of research,anyone with sense would know its impossible for thirty men with indians and servants helping them dig up a fortune in gold then give it to others to bury it a long way off,my book proves Poe wrote it first and others published it, its not a hoax like Poes GREAT BALOON HOAX ITS A GAME WITH THE KEYS TO UNLOCK THE CODES EMBEDDED IN THE CODE NUMBERS THEMSELVES AND LIKE ANY GAME THEY GET HARDER AS YOU PROGRESS TO DIFFERENT LEVELS, The grave name is hidden in my book so you have a chance of finding it and beat everyone to digging up POES LOST FORTUNE HIS NAME APPEARS IN MY DECODES AND OPQRS OF GILLOGY FAME plus whole sentences,sch as IN THE CONTY OF BEDFORD JOINTLY OWNED HIDDEN NEAR TO—IN LOVE OLD POE LNORF—ON THE BALCONY—OUR PIT TRYST MAP TO BURIAK SITE,IVE SENT SAMPLES TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SHOUTING FOR SOLUTIONS BUT THEY GO VERY QUIET OR EMAIL TO SAY ITS JUST A COINCIDENCE BUT YOU CANT GET ANY SIMPLER THAN ADD THE CODE NUMBER DIGITS 71= 8+7=15=O—194=14+7=21=U—38=11+7=18=R—OUR— NOW CARRY ON,The added 7 comes from the missing letter from ST LOUIS change the letters to alphabet numbers S=+19or-7,T=20or6 THESE ARE USED THROUGHOT THE CODES STAN CLAYTON
my name often appears on web sites and i feel i have to write something, im fed p with the Beale saga so ive decided to put the plot initials and grave name on the intrnet on July the forth 2013 and finish off the lucrative book trade that has been perpetrated with fancy theories and years of research,anyone with sense would know its impossible for thirty men with indians and servants helping them dig up a fortune in gold then give it to others to bury it a long way off,my book proves Poe wrote it first and others published it, its not a hoax like Poes GREAT BALOON HOAX ITS A GAME WITH THE KEYS TO UNLOCK THE CODES EMBEDDED IN THE CODE NUMBERS THEMSELVES AND LIKE ANY GAME THEY GET HARDER AS YOU PROGRESS TO DIFFERENT LEVELS, The grave name is hidden in my book so you have a chance of finding it and beat everyone to digging up POES LOST FORTUNE HIS NAME APPEARS IN MY DECODES AND OPQRS OF GILLOGY FAME plus whole sentences,sch as IN THE CONTY OF BEDFORD JOINTLY OWNED HIDDEN NEAR TO—IN LOVE OLD POE LNORF—ON THE BALCONY—OUR PIT TRYST MAP TO BURIAK SITE,IVE SENT SAMPLES TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SHOUTING FOR SOLUTIONS BUT THEY GO VERY QUIET OR EMAIL TO SAY ITS JUST A COINCIDENCE BUT YOU CANT GET ANY SIMPLER THAN ADD THE CODE NUMBER DIGITS 71= 8+7=15=O—194=14+7=21=U—38=11+7=18=R—OUR— NOW CARRY ON,The added 7 comes from the missing letter from ST LOUIS change the letters to alphabet numbers S=+19or-7,T=20or6 THESE ARE USED THROUGHOT THE CODES
Dear Regina i believe Poe wrote the original Beale pamphlets and we know someone else published them,which acconts for lots of errors.looking at the story it doesnt make sense, thirty men helped by indians and servants digging up a fortune each pooling it, and giving it up to be hidden some where else,then expecting a letter from StLouis delivered by pony express to be delivered Mr Morris in ten years time.
No Poe wrote it as a puzzle game the keys to the code are embedded in the code numbers which is prooved in my book which i know you havnt read, each bit decoded gives a clue to other keys
the last keys give the grave name which is hidden in my book, i did this to prove i had it in my next book but now ive decided to put the name, method, and plot number on this site on july the fourth 2013 so if you want to be first get solving, it entails moving decoded numbers from 12345 into 35241 for fifteen placed and starts at code number 1120 Stan Clayton
Stan – I don’t think that Poe wrote the Beale pamplets. But someone (Ward ?) wrote them and made a small fortune off the story. I think it’s all a hoax and the nonsense that has carried this story on and on is truly remarkable.
Is it possible that Poe wrote the original story – with codes within codes as a puzzle? Yes, but highly improbable. And I haven’t read your book yet, you’re right.
Dear Regina i believe Poe wrote the original Beale pamphlets and we know someone else published them,which acconts for lots of errors.looking at the story it doesnt make sense, thirty men helped by indians and servants digging up a fortune each pooling it, and giving it up to be hidden some where else,then expecting a letter from StLouis delivered by pony express to be delivered Mr Morris in ten years time.
No Pwrote it as a puzzle game the keys to the code are embedded in the code numbers which is prooved in my book which i know you havnt read, each bit decoded gives a clue to other keys
An analysis of the errors in the code are very revealing. This seems to point to Beverly Hemings as I describe in the appendix to my book, “The Jefferson Mysteries, Declaration of Independence” available on Amazon.
With the number of web sites asking for solutions to the Beale Treasure Code im surprised the Marshall institute, and fort mead, havnt replied to my request for an evaluation of my findings, i sent them samples to save them buying my book, Beale Treasure Map to Cipher Success.Maybe they think its another lipstick cross on a rock spoof, or perhaps they think my revelations will close all the Beale museums and finish the lucrative trade in perpetrating the Beale Treasure Saga, So far no one has found the grave name in my book,its been confirmed as a name in one of Poes stories, This certainly prooves that Poe wrote the Beale pamphlets and others published them. Stan Clayton.
Stan, I don’t agree that POE wrote the Beale Papers. It has pretty much been thoroughly analyzed and discarded that Poe wrote the Beale Papers. Poe died several years before the Beale Papers were even written. Even that was confirmed on the episode of Brad Melzer’s “Decoded” regarding the Constitution and the Beale Papers. I truly think that Ward and his editor partner cashed in by having the publishing rights to the story and publishing it in the Virginian paper to drum up badly needed business. Which it indeed did. Everybody loves a good treasure hunt and buried treasure. It makes sense. Perfect sense. But if by chance, I and others who don’t believe Poe was involved and the Beale Papers are nothing but a hoax are wrong – then you may actually be on to something. And it makes sense that the powers to be don’t want someone solving the mystery. It would indeed close down the books, museums, and treasure hunting tourisms. Will it ever be solved?
Now its been proved obvious Edgar Allan Poe wrore the Beale Treasure story as a brilliant game, its not a hoax like his GREAT BALLOON HOAX which he had to publish an apology for,the decode prove ther is something buried in a plot but i cant get the cemetry name,ive proved the code keys are buried in the code numbers themselves, ive put enough samples on different forums but heres a sample.
46 added = 10 double the added number and add to the next added code number
172 added = 10 + 20 = 30 + 8 = 38 = L.
85 added = 13 + 20 = 33 + 8 = 41 = O.
194 added = 14 + 26 = 40 + 8 = 48 = V.
39 added = 12 + 28 = 40 + 8 = 48 + 9 = 57 = E. Use this key to decode more later.
261 added = 9 + 24 = 33 + 8 = 41 = O.
543 added = 12 + 18 = 30 + 8 = 38 = L.
897 added = 24 + 24 = 48 + 8 = 56 = D.
624 added = 12 + 48 = 60 + 8 = 68 = p.
18 added = 9 + 24 = 33 + 8 = 41 = O.
212 added = 5 + 18 = 23 = 8 = 31 = E. EVALUATORS HAVE TOLD ME THIS IS ALL COINCIDENCE I THINK MY BOOK PROOVES DIFFERENT EMAIL ME IF INTERESTED STAN CLAYTON
172 added =
You are correct in part because James Ward Junior left a message in a mail box # 1317
which explains Mr. T J Beale treasure. James Junior invented his method to the Beale enigma
code which would not be found in another one hundred years.. see some Beale de coding
in the Roanoke Va. Public Library ‘Va Room’.. Jas. B. Ward wanted his gold story to run un solved
for two hundred years , so it will.
William C. Durham
703 Pontiac Ave.
Danville Ky.
40422
The reason that people are confused by the first paper has been reveled to me.Once decoded it does not make much sense because you have to use a mining claim form and fill in the blanks.I live in Va.Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Talking up Arms. July 6, 1775 by Thomas Jefferson.
Regina:
For another approach to the Beale mystery, you might check out:
http://www.angelfire.com/pro/bealeciphers/Graphics/Observations.pdf
The Last Haunting of Edgar Allan Poe
Hiding In Plain Sight: Observations Concerning the Text of The Beale Papers
The monograph reports on the identification of hundreds of words from the Declaration of Independence embedded into the text of The Beale Papers. This discovery suggests an alternate approach, besides the ciphers, to solving the enigma.
“The anonymous author of The Beale Papers, a cryptographic, treasure mystery published in 1885 in Lynchburg, Virginia, embedded into the text of the story hundreds of words from the Declaration of Independence. These DOI words were seamlessly written into the text with such skill and artistry that they have remained hidden for more than one hundred and twenty-five years. The placement of such a high volume of DOI words throughout the story suggests a purpose and design that may conceal a code or some other type of secret writing. The identification of these DOI words throughout the letters, statement, decryption and narrative included in the story, all purportedly written by different individuals, also presents persuasive evidence that The Beale Papers was authored by one man.”
By the way, the best resource for Beale Papers research is Ron Gervais’ website, Beale Ciphers Analysis here: http://www.angelfire.com/pro/bealeciphers/
Good luck!
Regina:
Would you be interested to update your web page based on new evidence and arguments that rebut the popular arguments against the validity of the Beale Treasure Story? If so please have a look at the web page “Arguments and Counterarguments” found on my website http://www.BealeTreasureStory.com
Incidentally, the copy of the pamphlet displayed on your web page is a photo taken from my personal copy of Ward’s pamphlet.
Regards,
Stephen
Stephen, absolutely I would gladly do an update on the Beale Story. Going to read your website now. Thanks for letting me know there is more out there on this intriguing mystery.
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