The Fifth Generation by Brad Andrews |
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| INTRODUCTION: The following is of circumstances offered me, some sixty years apart, to which I have full recollection and evidence to the facts, which for the first time, I have decided to put into print so some lucky person other myself might discover the missing link I have so feverishly pursued in recent years. To say that I am offering the following information with a certain measure of regret would be both accurate and inaccurate, as I hold a certain amount of sorrow in my failures, yet I anticipate future joy in some day learning that my research has possibly helped another to succeed. As to the events I am about to forward I can only proclaim them to be as I have uncovered them, extremely suspect, and as you will learn in the following pages, likewise baring a very strong accusation of motive. All of this evidence will be presented in due course, and often with my personal thoughts concerning each, however, it is evident to me that a certain measure of knowledge concerning both subjects should be attained by the reader, and likewise submitted by me in these first pages before the full complexity of the overall events and evidence will be fully understood. To this task I will place my best effort in the limited space provided, as an effort to produce the full scope of these two histories would, perhaps, require too many human years and untold volumes. To this present date, some one hundred and fifty years has past, and still, despite countless efforts of both genius and prudent inspiration, the full scope of their existence and truth remains hidden from clear view. Perhaps it is only now that this window of truth is finally beginning to open. In regards to the treasure, which is said to contain unthinkable wealth, which is, perhaps, the main focus of the subjects at hand, I feel it prudent to instill upon my readers a certain measure of resistance and caution. Though it is possible that the treasure still remains, just as it was possibly put to rest so long ago, and with possible sound reason, it should likewise be known that its access today will not come so easy once, and if, its actual existence is proven. Furthermore, as will be presented in this pamphlet, there is also the chance that it was removed long ago, if in fact it ever existed at all, which the presented evidence on the following pages might very well conclude that it did, and that some portion of it, in sound argument, might still remain today. As I have already commented, the complexity of the following events and circumstances lends evidence in support of both possibilities, to both its full and partial remaining. However, to your own conclusion you must be your own judge, and now, with the preceding statements having been made, I will expose to you my secret and what I believe to be the truth in regards to these very events and circumstances, and the possible treasure hidden somewhere within. Thomas Jefferson Beale: I first became acquainted with Thomas Jefferson Beale in the winter of 2001, his arrival into my home a most unexpected welcome at the time, outside the air was frigid, its bite as bad as its bark, the full force of its attack being delivered upon a howling northwest wind, my computer inside seeming a more reasonable companion this day. At first glance Thomas Jefferson Beale didn’t appear a very genuine fellow, taking notice quickly that his first and last name was that of a past president and the writer of the Declaration of Independence. Right from the very beginning I never trusted the man, yet I allowed him and his friends into my home anyway, the promise of their story too intriguing to let pass. Upon his arrival into my home he was in the company of three other men, two of them I have since come to know by name and past history, but the third too unwilling to relinquish to me the same honor. Right away I thought the third to be a mysterious sort, the type of man involved in many unknowns and likewise too fearful of revealing his identity and his true roots and means in life. To his terms, however, I gladly excepted, thus opening my home to all of them as long I pleased, which now some five years has passed and they are all still with me. As such, and as I would learn in the following hours and days, as it was explained to me by the unknown man, one of the men was a hotel keeper named Robert Morriss, whose fabulous story he had been authorized to write, to which he would then eventually turnover to James Ward, who would then act as the publication’s sole agent. Though I found suspect in this arrangement I offered to listen to the story anyway, to judge for myself the mystery at hand, and if possible, to someday discover the real truth in all of its details, as it is often that I have the leisure and likeness for such things. And so it was that the unknown man allowed me to read his story in full, to which I must now confess that it had an immediate effect on me that is still with me today. In order for my readers to better understand the mystery that was presented me, I am of no other recourse then to take the time to forward this story’s basic details to you so you might likewise be captive to the same infectious tale, for this is a story of fabulous wealth once brought from the west to be hidden in secret in Bedford Virginia. Now adding to this, let me further inspire your interest and continued reading by telling you that this treasure, as it was written in the unknown man’s pamphlet, has never been found to this day. As the story was written, Robert Morriss became acquainted with Thomas Jefferson Beale while he was tending the Washington Hotel in Bedford County, Virginia. Beale, who arrived in Bedford on two different occasions, once in 1820 and again in 1822, is said to have been an unusual gentleman of proper upbringing and education, a dark and swarthy man of unusual strength and character and possessing extremely handsome features. On both of his visits he always arrived in the company of two others, whose names and identities Morriss neglected to advise, other then to say that they always left his hotel for Richmond after only a few days stay. To this all three men claimed to be adventurers belonging to part of a much larger group of men, who, as we are told, always remained in the west to tend to the parties continued endeavors. As the story progresses, little did Morriss realize that during Beale’s last visit in 1822 that he was ultimately to be elected by the group as the keeper of their great secret, to which he was given a metal lock box, that if opened, would reveal the true nature of the party’s activities and the location of a secret vault. This he was not to do until ten years had passed, to which he was then to assume that the party had fallen victim to a horrible fate. In this event, it was further explained to him by the party’s elected leader, Beale, that upon such an event a key would arrive to him so he could decode the three ciphers inside the lock box. Since Morriss had become acquainted with Beale, and likewise considered him to be a friend and congenial guest, he found nothing objectionable to these terms and he accepted them without any immediate regret or concern. But as it turned out Beale never returned for the lock box, nor did the required key ever arrive. To the existing circumstances Morriss was greatly distraught, yet he remained ever hopeful. Not electing to compromise his own integrity it is explained in the story that Morriss waited more then twenty years before deciding to open the box, to which he discovered three pages of intangible numbers and a few letters addressed to himself from Beale. In the letters it was explained that the party had actually discovered a large quantity of gold and silver out west, to which they had all dedicated themselves until all in the group were satisfied that enough wealth had been obtained. In these letters it was further explained that the party had arranged a secret vault near Bedford, and that, not beholding to banks, at present it contained the fortunes of all their mining labors. The three ciphers ere said to explain all the details to Morriss so he could then carry out the party’s final wishes, to which he was also offered an equal share of the vault. As this story continues, it is learned that Morriss, not knowing what to do about the situation, decided to pass his secret on to the unknown author in 1863, who likewise decided to take it upon himself to unravel the ciphers meaning, to which he had only modest success. For several years he labored at the task, until one day, by accident, he discovered the meaning of one of the ciphers with the aid of the Declaration of Independence as its key. In this cipher the following text was discovered to exist: “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 parties 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 lined 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.” Though excited at first, this clear text would prove the source of his torment for the next several years, his remaining best efforts unable to reveal the secrets in the other two ciphers. This misery, and the sad realization that he would probably never find success, eventually led him to the releasing of his secret to the public through the hands of J.B. Ward. This was the actual story that was presented to me in the winter of 2001, though now condensed for the limited pages of this publication, but baring all that is needed for a better understanding of the remaining events and evidence that I am about to present in the following pages. Jean Laffite: The Beale Pamphlet had been written in excellent verse, thus, like so many before me, I too became instantly infatuated with the mystery of its tale. This infatuation led me to learn all I could about its characters, its mentioned places, its claimed dates, and its elusive treasure. This infatuation likewise led me on many pursuits, to which I was extremely diligent in my inquires and findings, no stone was left unturned and no clue was ignored, but to all of these fires the flames quickly faded, the many roads I had traveled all concluding at dead ends. As I was well versed on all the particulars by now, and still devoted to the task before me, my efforts soon caused me to veer onto one of the thinnest of likelihoods, which I must now add, as it has turned out, has since proven to be the strongest of possibilities. Though I had previously heard the name and the rumors of his past, it wasn’t until the winter of 2004 that I actually became acquainted with the man and his life most thoroughly. To say the he was of strong suspicion right from the start would be an inaccuracy, and in fact, at first the mere inkling of his name produced quite the opposite effect. But as with any revelation, there comes that point in time when the undeniable evidence offers strong support to the speculation within, and as such, we are soon compelled to give credence to that very possibility. Such is the case of Jean Laffite, a man sworn upon by the masses to be nothing more then a legendary pirate, yet I assure you, and as you will doubtless learn, he was far more then simple pirate. As the supporting evidence will soon set out to prove, Jean Laffite was indeed a man of true purpose and conviction, and perhaps, rare genius. By physical account, he was an unusual gentleman of proper upbringing and education, a dark and swarthy man of unusual strength and character and possessing extremely handsome features, much like that of Thomas Jefferson Beale, who resided, as is the pamphlet’s ironic claim, in the same exact era. Also ironic, is the fact that both men were frequent travelers from west to east and then back again, and both were also daring adventures with gold being their ultimate bounty. A curious comparison, to say the least. But before we proceed into the obvious it is of the utmost importance that my readers should be made aware of the certain conditions that existed in Jean Laffite’s documented history, however debatable, as it most likely, and forever, is to remain. It is, with this in mind, that I must now reserve a few pages of text in regards to this man’s basic history, which is now presented accordingly; Jean Laffite first arrived in this country sometime around 1804, and then certainly again in 1805 after returning from Port- au-Prince with the intention of helping French refugees expand up the Mississippi River. It was Laffite’s belief that the Declaration of Independence was intended to inspire such things, its very promise being freedom and liberty for all. To this effort he and his brothers established a base of operations at New Orleans, their plan of finance being their subsequent attacks upon British and Spanish shipping interest by way of letters of marquee. In time Laffite had built a small empire at New Orleans, his fleet of privateering vessels being the mightiest on the high seas and his black market operations spanning nearly every artery in the United States. But to this success there were certain forms of resistance, most notably that of the officials in Washington and elsewhere who feared Laffite’s French enterprise was growing too strong too fast, the mere thought that he was preparing to settle French colonies along the Mississippi River quite troubling and suspicious. Though the United States had long since concluded peace with France, there were still those who feared the permitting of a French expansion into the very heart of the land, where if permitted, might open the doors for a strong Canadian insurgency from the north. If this were to be establish then the French could, at some point in time, choose to push eastward, thus forcing the Americas back into the sea from which they had come. Though the Laffites continued to actively pursue their cause, both on the high seas and through political channels in various locations, the officials in Washington remained ever resistant to this constant Laffite bidding. One has to understand that Laffite’s cause was one of peace with the US, the very words in the Declaration of Independence inspiring his very actions and future plans, to this he often referred to the DOI as being, “the most sacred of all documents.” It was by virtue of this one document that he also beheld its author with the greatest esteem and honor, thus, to the political avenues he would forever submit his request, to do otherwise would prove the same as attacking its very foundation, that sacred ground he would never permit himself to shake. So, as it was, Laffite continued his business and his profitable assaults on those two tyrants he hated the most, the Spanish and England, while his political bidding continued to be placed before those elected officials in Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Richmond. In an attempt to cast public shadow over his already questionable and suspicious activities, the New Orleans Governor launched the first major attack against Laffite’s base of operations. Hoping to apply pressure on Laffite, the Governor issued a $500 reward for his capture, a sum he hoped would produce positive results. However, in reply, as it would turn out, Laffite responded by issuing a $5000 reward for the Governor’s arrest. And when the government moved in and seized a large portion of Laffite’s local assets, Laffite responded by ordering that all of the Governor’s possessions be seized as well, and order which was promptly carried out, the Governor returning to his estate to find it had been completely emptied. As the charges and accusations continued to mount in Washington, Laffite continued to bid his case, even filing suit to regain his seized assets. With all of the controversy floating in the air it appeared the situation was growing worse, then suddenly, a new threat appeared on the horizon. In 1814 the British launched a major attack on New Orleans, an attack that was quickly and decisively turned away, and in part, because of Laffite’s historic contribution to the defense of that city, and to the entire country. Because of his role at the Battle of New Orleans, Laffite was eventually pardoned of any past circumstances, but to this he was never returned his seized assets or repaid for his tremendous contributions during the battle, contributions that included flints, guns, canon, powder, and of course, men. The fact that he was obviously a man of such influence and resources, thus added to the fact that he had somehow survived the direct scrutiny of several powerful officials in Washington, lends credibility to the fact he was far more then a simple pirate. And in fact, his history is so impressive one can feel certain that he had many influential contacts of his own at the highest levels, just as he claimed he had. Now all of this information is strong evidence that Jean Laffite was not only a skilled businessman and privateer, but that he was also an equally skilled leader and politician. On more then one occasion officials issued warrants for his arrest, a feat that was never realized even though they knew of his whereabouts. How was this possible? And how was it possible that a French privateer could amass such a large operation on US soil if his activities were unwanted and seen as a possible threat? History books most often lend favoritism to those who write them, certainly Jean Laffite was nothing so simple as the history books preset. This is what I came to learn about this man as I entertained his life and times, I learned that Jean Laffite was a man of mission, a skilled politician and a businessman of sound reason, to which all of his activities were in pursuit of one goal, the settling of French colonies on American soil, that sacred land which promised freedom, liberty, and justice for all. But this information represents only the basics of his life, a life that was, perhaps, far more complex then the history books record. John Andrechyne Lafitte: Later, in that same year of 2004, a man by the name of John Andrechyne Lafitte entered my house, and, just like all the others, John A. had a bit of mystery surrounding his life also. During our introduction John A. claimed that in 1941, while visiting New Orleans, he announced to the world that he was a descendent of the famous pirate, Jean Laffite, and to further establish his credibility at the time he also carried with him what he claimed were the compiled memoirs of the famous pirate. For a short time thereafter John’s life was a popular affair, but then, because of sudden accusations of forgery and impersonation, his reputation was quickly soiled and his status disregarded. Because of these events John’ s popularity never recovered and the rest of his life simply faded from view forever. The memoirs, however, have since been widely debated, though never fully tested to prove or disprove their authenticity one way or the other, a condition that might change in the near future now that this publication has brought them back into the thick of things again. However, leaving all of his to those with the means, I can only testify that if the memoirs are indeed real, then it is also by strong evidence, and my personal suspicion, that these memoirs are somehow intertwine with the story in the Beale Pamphlet, despite the two books having come to light some sixty years apart. One only needs to read both of these stories in order to sense the undeniable “connexion” they ultimately offer. As for the author of this publication, after long study of both books, I now carry the extremely strong notion that Thomas Jefferson Beale and Jean Laffite were indeed the same man. And as for the claimed treasure? I have concluded it was most likely real. The Calm Before The Storm: Robert Morriss, J.B. Ward, Jean Laffite and his brothers Pierre and Alexandre, John Andrechyne Lafitte, Thomas Jefferson Beale, they have all dwelled in my conscience, and thus my home, for quite some time now. To each of their histories I have been lured, and likewise, educated and enlightened. In the movie, National Treasure, the Declaration of Independence was key to the whereabouts of a massive treasure trove once belonging to the Nights Templer, and I have often wondered since, just where did the idea for this plot originate? The Beale Pamphlet’s mystery has entertained untold thousands, perhaps more, both scholar and practicing detective have explored this mystery perhaps more then any other. And now, with this publication, it is my turn to pass the torch forward so others might likewise build upon, and ultimately solve, this one true treasure mystery that has escaped so many for far too long. To this effort, I have placed my best attempts, to put before you, on the following pages, all that I know in support of the Laffite theory. Perhaps is it worth noting here that Jean Laffite’s Galveston history has been left out of this book’s early text as this I admit was by design rather then neglect, because it is from this Galveston history that the actual source of the Beale Treasure was most likely founded, so this bit of history I have left to the following pages. And in regards to the treasure, which I have already confessed was probably real, let me say now that there is every reason to suspect, if this theory is accurate, that all of it, or at least a portion of it, possibly remains. I say this for few reasons, but which you will doubtless learn in the following pages, and thus conclude as I have, that it is quite possible that the share belonging to Robert Morriss may still exist, if not the whole thing. To this possibility I will add no more at this time, as such conclusions you should, and likely will, debate on your own. This Book’s Author: Late one evening in the winter of 2001 I was sitting at my computer searching the web for possible treasure hunting sites. Being an amateur treasure hunter this winter activity is not an uncommon occasion in home. Winters in Indiana can be cold and long and unproductive, and though we do see snow from time to time the vast majority of our winters are usually filled with gray skies and biting northwest winds. In my younger days I enjoyed the cold weather but as I’ve grown older I find that I hold a great distaste for numb fingers and stiff toes. So it is that during the winter months I can usually be found spending my free time in search of promising places to visit once the weather breaks and the sun begins to warm things up. Forgotten beaches, old mining camps and homesteads, old logging trails, these are the types of places I visit each year in pursuit of my hobby with the hopes of finding a few lost relics from days past. But I also have a few larger pet projects I pursue to help me get through the winter months, which includes things like the researching of lost Spanish galleons and lost family heirlooms, the discovering of early American outpost and the mapping of early pathways across the continent. I simply love the hunt and the thrill I get whenever I pluck something rare or valuable out of the ground or from beneath the water. Now I’m only telling you all of this because it’s important that you understand that I am not a professional treasure hunter or historian, but rather I am simply a very dedicated hobbyist with reasonable researching skills. With this having now been said let us get back to the mystery at hand, the mystery of a long lost treasure and the undeniable similarities between two books that were brought to light some sixty years apart. The First Signs of Deception: As with most treasure hunters I found the story in The Beale Pamphlet to be too intriguing to disregard without further investigation. It all seemed very credible as it was extremely well crafted, even the names in the story turning out to be real people, many of them even being people of high influence and social regard. Adding to this was the main character’ s name, the elected leader of the band of adventures, a man by the name of Thomas Jefferson Beale. Was it by mere coincidence that this name strongly resembled the name of the author of The Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, or was it by some greater design that this name was used? Three ciphers, left in the safe keeping of a Bedford Virginia Inn keeper, the second cipher having already been decoded using the Declaration of Independence. At first it all sounds like a well arranged fiction classic, that is, until you look a bit deeper. Using just the information provided in the above paragraph, now let me present a much different picture in regards to what researchers discover in these same facts: “Liberty” was the very subject matter presented in the Declaration of Independence, the document used to decode cipher number two. Thomas Jefferson, the father of the DOI, had a summer home near Bedford Virginia, a town once named, “Liberty.” The name, Thomas Jefferson Beale, if you drop the capital letters from this name the remaining letters can likewise be arranged to spell, “freemason safe hole.” The entire Beale Pamphlet is written in English with the exception of one word, which we encounter very early in the pamphlet. “Connexions” is the French Creole pronunciation for the American word, “connections,” Jean Laffite was French Creole. And the list goes on and on. Now are you starting to see why The Beale Pamphlet has entertained an untold number of scholars, professional historians, and treasure hunters since the very first day it was published. And on a much bigger scale, using the examples I just listed, I could go on to further explain how the Freemasons were the surviving arm of the Knights Templer, a secret society believed to have originated in where else but, “France”. This is what The Beale Pamphlet offers scholars, historians, and treasure hunters from around the world, a true mystery with all the right elements tossed into just a few pages of text, not to mention the three secret ciphers that could ultimately lead them to a discovery of unbelievable proportions. When I first decided to place The Beale Pamphlet on my winter pet-projects list I had no idea in what direction it would eventually lead me, the above examples not actually being discovered until I was well into my first year of research. The Spanish and American War, the War of 1812, early Spanish settlements and mines in the west, America’s earliest expansions to the west, the Civil War, the missing Confederate Treasury, all of these subjects were eventually explored in search of a promising course. In nearly all of these subjects I was able to force together a few clues to start forming a theory but in the end, as was always the case, I usually ran out of credible evidence long before a rock solid theory could be formed. During this early research I learned quickly that just about every course possible had already been taken up by some other researcher, some of them even going as far as to suggest that Edgar Allen Poe had been the original source of The Beale Pamphlet. Yet to all of these theories I stood in serious doubt, and still do, and here are my reasons why; First, I felt it was extremely important to remember that all of the characters in The Beale Pamphlet were indeed real people, many of them being people of high regard and influence. Imagine the reaction of their sons and daughters when they suddenly discovered that their parent’s good names were being used in possible connection with a hoax or an uncertain story about a buried fortune. In order to put into publication any story containing real names and identities you must first have one thing, permission from those people whose names you will be using. For this reason I felt it was extremely doubtful that the children of judges and generals and respected hotel owners would risk their parent’s good names to something so uncertain and possibly open to negative light. Certainly Edger Allen Poe was aware of this, and certainly the unknown author of The Beale Pamphlet was too. In order to publish a story using real names and real events you’d better have a real story to tell, otherwise you might have found yourself on the receiving end of an influential lynch mod in a hurry. And that goes double for the representing agent. Given that there was no fallout from these families one can only assume that the greatest portion of the story must therefore stand on undisputed ground, otherwise somebody would have most likely stepped forward to challenge the story’s material. This has been my strongest reason for disregarding all the other theories, because even in the event that this story was published with prior permission, it is with great certainty that eventually one of the many participants would have spilled the beans, and yet, none did. My second reason for doubting these other theories is simply because of the way the supporting information has been compiled. The usual scenario runs something like this; first a pet theory is formed, then, the evidence will be arranged and likewise presented so that it supports the pet theory. Believe me, this is a very easy thing to do, forcing the evidence to fit the theory, some will even say that I’m doing it now in this publication. However, before you cast such a judgment on the information and comparisons compiled in this book let me remind you of one big difference, I didn’t form my theory first. Truth is, I completely disregarded the Jean Laffite connection during my first two years of research because I thought the notion was utterly ridiculous. In fact, if I had never read the Laffite memoirs I would probably still consider the notion to be a ridiculous avenue even today, despite the fact that his very description is virtually offered to us in Beale Pamphlet as the unknown author describes Morriss accounting of Thomas Jefferson Beale’s physical appearance and personality. It was only after I had read the memoirs and viewed all the similarities and information that it contained that I began to hold Jean Laffite in strong suspect as being the actual source of The Beale Pamphlet tale. Through all of this I have done my very best to not force any of the evidence, but rather I have tried my best to let the information lead me to my final conclusion. At this time it might be worth noting a personal belief of mine, “Any theory, including this one, can never be claimed to be anything other then speculation until the final proof is solidly in hand.” Theory By Evidence: Today I feel strongly that I know what the source of the Beale Treasure really was and how it came to be that in 1821 it ended up hidden in Bedford Virginia. In fact, I even feel strongly that I might know exactly how it was hidden and where it might have been hidden. These are strong claims, I know, especially given the yet explained details surrounding the theory that I am about to put before you, but as it is, I feel very strongly that this theory is correct. The following is what I now believe actually took place. I believe that approximately eight months prior to each of the two deposit dates offered us in cipher two of the Beale Pamphlet that Jean Laffite sent shipments of gold and silver and also important documents to a secret vault in Bedford County Virginia from Galveston Texas. I further believe that these two shipments were by ship across the Gulf of Mexico, through the Florida Straights, and then up the east coast to his brother Pierre in either Richmond Virginia or Charleston South Carolina. From here the shipments were secretly transferred by wagon from the Laffite’s warehouses in one of these locations to their intended destination in Bedford County Virginia. Furthermore, I also believe there is a better then even chance that all, or at least a portion of this shipment, could still exist in this same secret vault today. Ok, when you’ re through laughing I’ll try to explain in the following pages just exactly how it is that I have arrived at this bold conclusion. Who Was Jean Laffite, Really? Contrary to popular belief, Jean Laffite wasn’t your typical stereotyped pirate, in fact, he was perhaps everything to the opposite. Pirates ravaged the high seas without clear direction, whereas Jean Laffite ravaged the Spanish and British with real purpose under many letters of marque. His plan was one with simple purpose, to build a French stronghold in the United States with the spoils he removed from the world’s two leading tyrants, the Spanish and the British, with a much stronger emphasis being placed on the Spanish. In his own words he believed strongly in the values contained in “that most sacred of all documents,” the Declaration of Independence. To this single task he and his brothers dedicated their lives and fortunes, it is the very reason he came to the aid of General Jackson at New Orleans in 1814 when the British launched their failed invasion on that city. In an entry dated November 9, 1846, Laffite writes; “…contrary to the Declaration of Independence, that sacred document which I have venerated to this very day, to which I, one day, sacrificed almost all that I possessed because I wanted to spare it from being trampled.” In this same entry he later writes, in regards to the American government’s treaties with the British and Spain, “Not daring to spread forth that sacred document before the world, they lost their footing and renounced the true principles of the great American and French Revolutions, based on life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Until the very present I have been a witness to the negligence with which the official powers have treated that sacred manuscript.” Notice in this last entry that Laffite finds reason to include the French. Jean Laffite was also a master politician and businessman, his activities on both fronts spanning the entire gulf and reaching the entire length of America’s east coast. His list of contacts, associates, and even his foes is extremely vast. Even before the Battle of New Orleans Jean and his brother Pierre were in constant conflict with the American government, mainly due to his huge black market operations in New Orleans and his constant disrupting of Spanish commerce and interest on the high seas. The situation was complicated, just as Laffite had intended it to be. Under letters of marque Laffite ran his huge operation from American soil, which in the era was perfectly legal, however, at times these operations presented themselves to be a double-edged sword in regards to the overall American interest. America was trying to rebuild a country without further conflict, yet Laffite was continuing to further ignite the tensions between America and Spain. In Laffite’s eyes he held no regard for the Spanish and the British, yet in Washington the country’s leaders were seeing future profit and progress by the signing of treaties with both. Throughout his memoirs Jean Laffite speaks of his constantly active business and political affairs in Washington, Philadelphia, Baltimore, New Orleans, Richmond, and Charleston. Obviously he was very well organized with a rather large list of allies on the political front and a business structure that allowed him to defend New Orleans against a major British assault, all of which were hardly the workings of a simple pirate. And then we have to consider the following. How is it that a Frenchman can be pardoned by the President of the United States for his obvious heroics at the Battle of New Orleans and yet this same Frenchman was refused any form of repayment for the huge financial losses he suffered during his vital defense of this same country? In fact, Jean Laffite was not even allowed the return of his previously confiscated goods, yet he still prospered in the following years. Add to this that arrest warrants for the Frenchman were frequently issued, yet never realized, something that is hard to imagine given that Officials often knew the man's whereabouts. The same can be said of his brother Pierre, as it is claimed in the memoirs that he was extremely active on the political front in these same previously mentioned cities. In his memoirs Laffite claims that he had many spies on his payroll and that he had several trusted contacts within the highest levels of the government. While we may never know just how deep Laffite’s connections really were one thing is for certain, his organization was widespread and his vast resources and access to information allowed him to prosper despite his continued conflicts with the U.S. government. This was the real Jean Laffite, he was an educated Frenchman with a true mission in life, a politically active privateer with superb survival skills and a good sense for business matters. Pressure VS Pressure: In their ongoing effort to control Laffite’s activities the US government eventually launched a much larger political attack against Laffite. The privateer’s political and business operations out of New Orleans were growing too strong and too counteractive to suit U.S. interest and as these pressures mounted it produced a trickling effect that eventually lead the US government to launch an all out smear campaign against the Frenchman and his troubling operations. Adding fuel to this fire was the fact that Laffite openly admits in his memoirs that he and his officers made a few critical mistakes along the way which opened the door to even wider public scrutiny. All of this began causing Laffite a certain amount of problems as some of his appointed captains and officials started jumping ship and exposing the secret activities within his business and political operations. According to Laffite this produced a most negative impact on his operations as the public began to “feed on the flesh” because of the negative light that was being cast over his business and political operations. As a result his cause began to suffer under the impact of the allegations and rumors that were drawing heavy attention in Washington and elsewhere. The pressure was once again being applied and Laffite knew he had to answer these pressures quickly in order to save his life’s work from the approaching doom that was certain to fall upon it. As it turned out Laffite responded in the most unexpected of fashions. Washington’s desired peace with Spain was perhaps the biggest single reason the US was applying so much pressure on Laffite’s operations, a fact that Laffite was ever aware of and one he strongly opposed. In Laffite’s eyes Spain was the ultimate tyrant and it was from their accessible commerce crossing the high seas that he planned to further fuel his cause. In response to the recent US pressure Laffite stepped up his operations against Spanish shipping interest and then in one bold move he further positioned himself right in the heart of the American and Spanish tensions. Texas was the debated ground, its boundaries uncertain and constantly being used as bargaining chips by both involved parties. This was the area of greatest tension between Washington and Spain and as such Laffite relocated his operations to Galveston under the touting that he was once again positioning himself to defend, “that most sacred of documents” against the aggressions of an oppressor. This unexpected move served to restore Laffite’s public image while at the same time it also forced Washington to step back by providing them serious cause to reconsider their options. By placing himself in Galveston Laffite would certainly apply more pressure on the Spanish, thus he had suddenly become an important pawn that the US could play as an additional bargaining chip in their future negotiations with Spain. In regards to the Spanish interest, Laffite’s move only served to infuriate them further as Laffite’s fleet of ships was now in position to inflict even greater damage on their high seas commerce. Spain’s only immediate option in countering Laffite’s move was that of a military conflict which they dare not make. On the political front Spain knew that Washington would respond to such a move in a manner that served their best interest, thus laying claim that Spain had made the aggressive move simply to strengthen their hold on the ongoing Texas boundary dispute. By relocating his operations to Galveston Laffite had managed a brilliant strategy to reverse the ills that had been placed upon his cause and business operations. The Galveston Commune: For a time Laffite’s political gambit proved most rewarding as his ships began raking in the Spanish spoils as never before, his French commune in Galveston was growing rapidly and the number of ships in his fleet was once again on the rise. During this period Laffite and his brother Pierre remained active in their bidding in Washington, their soul purpose to be granted US support in regards to their establishing even a larger French colony in Texas. In his memoirs Laffite claims that he had many spies on both sides of the border and that more then once he had even played himself off as a Spanish sympathizer in order gain a certain advantage over “gangs” of easterners who were hoping to establish themselves by armed force in the south Texas territories. Throughout Laffite’s memoirs he speaks of using assumed names and secret codes as if they were a daily part of his business and political operations. Furthermore, he often makes reference to the secret missions that were undertaken by himself, his brothers, his captains and lieutenants, and even a trusted priest. Offering us further testimony in support of Laffite’s strong Galveston negotiating position over Washington, in his memoirs he states, “Messrs, Graham, Johnson, Oliver, Davis were sent from New Orleans by the United States to examine my form of government.” If this latest testimony holds true then one can only conclude that Jean Laffite was pressing hard in regards to establishing his French colony in Texas and that the US was likewise investigating, or spying, on the actual conditions within the Laffite community. It was Laffite’s belief that Thomas Jefferson had intended that the west would be infiltrated with immigrants thus further expanding upon the American cause by more quickly becoming the completely free country as he had once outlined in the Declaration of Independence. This was also Laffite’s deepest desire, to establish a large French colony on the Texas coast and then further expanding upon these roots into the heart of the continent. In speaking of his convictions Laffite writes, “…to fulfill the mission I had given myself by establishing a good government based upon liberty, truth and justice, and equality for all and the elimination of special privileges.” With this last statement we are once again subjected to the overall influence that the Declaration of Independence had in regards to Laffite’s true cause, the establishing of French colonies on American soil. Given the size of his Galveston operations and then learning that the US sent a committee to inspect the Galveston commune, one can only assume that the US was interested in, or more likely, greatly concerned about the progress of Laffite’s “French” colony. One can also safely assume from this information that Jean Laffite was indeed a very influential Frenchman and that the political arm of his privateering empire did in fact reach far beyond that of a typical pirate or businessman. However, this brilliant new strategy that Laffite employed only served to postpone the bigger threat that was looming on the horizon, and his name was Louis De Onis. The Louis De Onis Factor: Louis De Onis was a Spanish Ambassador who made it his life’s cause to force the American’s to uproot Jean Laffite’s French dream. Laffite was ever aware that De Onis was on the hunt and that he would likewise apply additional pressure on those officials in Washington, but circumstances within his own commune had become distracting and for a time his attention was drawn away from the political front that was threatening to oust him. In 1815 a hurricane of huge proportions had all but destroyed his commune and many of his ships. The need to quickly rebuild was foremost on his mind and in the following months his fullest attention was now set upon that extremely important task. Without a strong and productive commune all else would be lost, adding to this the extremely important task of rebuilding the fleet of ships that served to secure the commune’s finances and needs. As it was, Laffite suddenly found himself in a weakened state and he was ever aware that De Onis and others would take full advantage of the condition. Adding fire to the already burning flame, as with any demoralized community, Laffite soon discovered that his commune was being overrun with rouges and thugs and that his commune’s harmony was rapidly diminishing. By his own words Laffite considered De Onis to be “cunning” and “capable” yet he openly admits in his memoirs that his greatest concern during this period was his commune and his “fear” that it would be infiltrated by, “British spies.” Because of the conditions at his Galveston commune Laffite was forced to turn his back on De Onis and his Washington bidding, and as a result De Onis was finally able to gain the advantage. The Crossroads of Discovery: “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 parties 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 lined 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.” I found it interesting that the original author of this clear text, presumably the man named, Thomas Jefferson Beale, bothered to list the exact amount of each deposit when all he really needed to say was that he had hidden a vast fortune in silver in gold and diamonds. In the above clear text it’s interesting to note that these weights are given in such accurate detail, as if the exact weight of the shipments had held some significance to the transportation process, or perhaps, the shipping process. Since the very first day Spain began transporting gold and silver across the high seas it was required practice to list on a manifest the exact weights of their gold and silver shipments. In fact, this required practice was used by everyone in the shipping business, even privateers. What bothered me most about these exact weights was the fact that in the Beale Pamphlet we are led to believe that these shipments came overland from the west, a feat that is hard to imagine given the terrain and means of transport. At the time trains were not yet established in the west and wagons of the era could have hardly been trusted to support such a valuable cargo on such a long journey. Add to this the simple fact that such a trail of wagons and men would have certainly drawn unwanted attention, a condition that could have possibly put the entire shipment at risk. Given these facts it is only reasonable to consider that the two shipments most likely came to the east by way of ship. For these reasons it is my conclusion that the exact weights offered us in the above clear text were most likely those of a ship’s manifest. I only bring this into the light now because we are about to enter that portion of Laffite’s memoirs where some of the strongest evidence supporting the Laffite theory is found. Up to now I have only offered the early clues that gave me reason to follow this theory a bit further but they are nothing when compared to the undeniable similarities I’m about to expose in the following pages. All I have done so far is to enlighten you about a few of the similarities in the two books and to explain to you in greater detail the real life of Jean Laffite. All this was done first so that you will better understand the full implications of the unbelievable similarities I am about to provide. I am confident that as you discover the remaining evidence you will also offer this theory your highest considerations, for they are truly remarkable and possibly having been left to us with incredibly sound reason. The Adams Onis Treaty: As Laffite considered the overall condition of his Galveston commune and the forces that were at work against him he was not blind to the fact that his cause could be nearing its end. As early as 1816 there were already rumors in the air that De Onis and the US were making progress toward a signed treaty. This treaty, if it was signed, would all but end Laffite’s stand against the Spanish because if he continued to strike them he would also be striking at the United States, the very country he had chosen as his home because of their belief in that “most sacred of all documents” the Declaration of Independence. Given the likelihood of the treaty’s signing Laffite set into motion a secret plan to secure whatever he could in the event the treaty was signed. In the following months he ordered his captains to hunt down and strike as many Spanish commerce vessels as they could, an order he would later admit in his memoirs was of critical error. Months later one of his captains attacked a Spanish ship carrying American goods. Laffite also set into motion the secret securing of the commune’s assets, a portion of which was to be distributed to his French refugees in the event that Galveston had to be abandoned at a later date, an event he feared was just over the horizon. And now comes the most compelling bit of evidence recorded in the Laffite memoirs; “Between the months of November 1818 and February 1819 my commune had 476’000 put away.” Be still and be silent as you read this last piece of evidence again. Now then, what were the stated dates of the two Beale deposits? “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.” Today I believe with the utmost certainty that Jean Laffite was in fact the real source of the Beale Pamphlet’s secret treasure. Given the circumstances surrounding his life, his cause, and the fading conditions at his Galveston commune I strongly believe that he moved these funds to an area of secrecy for great reason. In his memoirs, in an entry dated April, 24th, 1848, he writes, “I feel happy; no one has found out what I personally possess. I have given presents to help other people, and now I feel more enthusiastic. My thoughts are always busy on the subject of future generations so that they will have “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” and love, peace, and tranquility to reign in complete mastery to infinity.” Notice that I highlighted the section of this statement where Laffite chose to use parenthesis, also make note that I have highlighted two other very important sections of this same text, “future generations” and “I have given presents to help other people.” To this it is also written in the memoirs, “People wonder why I felt an interest in the masses of future generations…” I believe that the dates offered us in the two books are not by coincidence, but rather they are offered to us by ingenious design. Jean Laffite was ever aware of the telling of history, even stating in is memoirs that the history books will always be written by the victorious. It makes one suspicious of the possibility that perhaps Laffite was also thinking of future generations as he prepared for the possible end of his Galveston commune, and ultimately his cause. As for his deepest fears, the Adams Onis Treaty was signed on, February 22, 1819 and ratified on February 22, 1821. Jean Laffite was finally exiled from Galveston on February 25th, 1821. Though the history books tell us that the American Navy blasted Laffite out of Galveston, in his memoirs Laffite explains that the American military had allowed him seven weeks to prepare for the evacuation and that it was a peaceful event. He further explains that he ordered fires set his commune to prevent looting and the re-settling of rouges and thugs. One can assume a lot in the writing of the two books, The Beale Pamphlet and The Memoirs of Jean Laffite, but in all these assumptions there is also a certain amount of supporting evidence that simply can’t be denied. Such is the case of the previously mentioned dates of deposit, the dates of exile, the dates of the Adams Olin Treaty, and of course, the dates Laffite presents to us in regards to his commune’s money. Perhaps now we should take a better look at these dates and likewise consider how they might have actually effected the overall events leading up to the two Beale deposits. Factoring in the Dates: Given the dates offered us in both books and the possibility that Laffite knew beforehand the fading condition of his Galveston cause, it is quite possible that the flow of events leading to the two deposits went something like this; At some point between the months of November 1818 and February 1819 Laffite ordered the commune’s 476’000 relocated to the east for safe keeping. At this point it was then weighed and loaded on a ship, or ships, and likewise transferred to his secret warehouses in Richmond Virginia or Charleston South Carolina and placed in his brother’s (Pierre) charge. Given advanced warning of these shipments, Pierre had already set into motion the arranging of the secret vault in Bedford County Virginia. Once these funds were received in unmarked crates the original shipping crew was sent back to Galveston, leaving only a few select men (possibly only one) with true knowledge of the shipments remaining at the secret Richmond or Charleston warehouses. The two deposits are said to have been made on November 1819 and December 1821, both of these dates falling in line behind the Galveston transfers to the secret Richmond or Charleston warehouse location, which allows the assumption that all of the Galveston funds had been received in the east before the first Beale deposit was ever made. But of even greater significance are the dates of the Adams Onis Treaty, signed in February 1819 and ratified into law in February 1821. Both of the claimed Beale deposits take place “ten” and “eleven” months following the “signing” and the “ratification” of the “Adams Olin Treaty.” This brings into view the following question; Did Laffite, hold in his secret warehouses, the commune’s 476’000 and then likewise order the two deposits to be made into the secret vault with the coming of these two events? The evidence certainly points to this very possibility. And if so, did he also deposit anything of historical value for future generations? His entries in his memoirs certainly offer us this possibility as well. In The Beale Pamphlet Morriss claims that Beale’s two visits at his hotel took place on January 1820 and January 1822. Both of these dates fall only eleven months behind the dates of the signing and the ratification of the Adams Onis Treaty. Treaty signing date: February 1819 Beale’s first visit: January 1820 11 months Treaty’s Rat. Date: February 1821 Beale’s second visit: January 1822 11 months Going a step further it’s interesting to note that both deposit dates fall closely in order between the dates in the above table, nine and ten months respectively. Treaty signing date: February 1819 (9 months) First Deposit date: November 1819 (2 months) Beale’s first visit: January 1820 11 months Treaty’s Rat. Date: February 1821 (10 months) Second Deposit date: December 1821 (1 month) Beale’s second visit: January 1822 11 months Jean Laffite was exiled from Galveston on February 25th, 1821, four days past the treaty’s ratification date and ten months prior to the last Beale deposit date. Given that Laffite was aware of the rising treaty issue, then using the dates he provides us, we can now assemble a possible timetable as follows; First shipment leaves Galveston in: November, 1818. (3 months) Adams Onis Treaty is signed in: February, 1819. (0 months) Second shipment leaves Galveston in: February, 1819. (9 months) First secret deposit is then made from warehouses in: November, 1819. (15 months) Treaty is ratified into law in: February, 1821. (0 months) Laffite is exiled from Galveston just days later on: February, 25th, 1821. (10 months) Second and last Beale deposit is made in: December, 1821. If we break the previous dates down into probable factors it might have gone something like this; In 1818 Laffite gets wind of the treaty’s signing so he orders half of the commune’s money transferred to the secret warehouse as a safeguard, then he waits. In February of 1819 he learns of the treaty’s actual signing and knowing the end is near he reacts quickly in regards to the transferring of the remaining monies. Once all of the commune’s money has arrived at the same place in the east he once again gives the order to have half of it relocated to the secret vault, then he awaits final word on the treaty. Fifteen months later, in February of 1821, as expected, the treaty is ratified into law and the end is upon him. Just days later Laffite is exiled from Galveston and his cause is officially defeated. Ten months later, in December 1821, with no immediate hope in sight for the reviving of his cause, the last deposit is made into the secret vault. One has to remember that prior to the Battle of New Orleans the US government seized a great deal of Laffite’s possessions and never returned them to him, nor did they ever repay him for the large quantity of supplies he provided them during that historic battle. With these events fresh in his mind there is every reason to believe that he would have set into a motion a plan to protect the commune’s assets from falling prey to this same type of seizer. Once bitten, twice shy. Given this history and the added fact that Laffite had gained most of his assets from Spanish ships there is every reason to believe that he even expected an attempted seizer once the treaty was ratified. Even today treasure salvagers are encountering strong Spanish intervention once they announce that they have located lost Spanish ships in American waters, as by legal treaty these possessions still belong to Spain! If Laffite was aware of this prior to the Adams Olin Treaty’s signing and ratification then there is every reason to believe he would have taken steps to secure those assets he had taken from Spanish ships. And there is reason to believe that Laffite was expecting his commune’s end in the near future, as offered in the following entry dated, December 1, 1846: “The population of my commune was shrinking. Several men requested their payments in gold so as to become privateers on their own. Privateering commissions no longer existed. I began to make arrangements with the men and their families, furnishing them with small vessels to go where they wished. Although the commune was ending, I kept my calm and was ready to help those who needed it. Several vigorous men were with me to maintain order.” In The Beale Pamphlet, during his first visit to the Morriss hotel in January 1820, Thomas Jefferson Beale is described, “In person he was about six feet in height, with jet black eyes and hair of the same color, worn longer then was the style at that time. His form was symmetrical, and gave evidence of unusual power and activity: but his distinguishing feature was a dark and swarthy complexion, as if much exposure to the sun and weather had thoroughly tanned and discolored him….” And then later, during his second visit to the hotel in January 1822, Morriss recalls, “…when he once again made his appearance, the same genial and popular gentleman as before, but, if possible, darker and swarthier than ever.” Texas is hot and in his memoirs Laffite remarks of this Galveston condition, and few lifestyles provide exposure to the weather like that of a seaman. Clearly all the outlined events and dates fit comfortably into the Laffite theory. After Galveston: In his memoirs Laffite tells us that he stayed in Charleston for quite some time, as provided by the following entry. “I remained in Charleston from that date until November 15th,” 1821. From here it appears that Laffite and his brother traveled quite a bit under various assumed names, often returning to Charleston. And then finally we encounter this entry. “I decided with Pierre to end it all immediately, before the Spanish Army chanced upon our factional war. During the night my brother and I set sail, leaving it to be understood that I had been killed near Guanajay. We headed toward the Isla de Mujeres in November 1825, claiming that I had been stabbed by the leader of the opposing faction.” In the next paragraph Laffite continues, “On New Year’s Day of 1826, my brother and I decided to give up the cause and split up our property.” For several years following his exile from Galveston Laffite records frequently that he spent a great deal of time in Richmond and Charleston. From this point on Laffite reminisces about his life, often speaking of his sacrifices at New Orleans, his losses and personal treatment in that regard, and the values contained in the Declaration of Independence. He makes claim that he started many rumors about his death in order to hide his own survival under assumed name. Then on the last page of his memoirs, dated Monday, December 2nd, 1850, he concludes with the following; “I have described my past: the mission that I have accomplished, my true convictions. The greatest part of my wealth has been sacrificed without regret so that others may do good work, all of it without a trace, without leaving my name. I do not hesitate from the beginning to be positive in my writings and my journal. I fervently believe that all future events can be guided with precision and certainty. If God wishes to love the fifth generation to come, he will unveil the intentions and the spirit of the dead. And with my help!” In this last entry, as noted by the highlighted text, is Laffite perhaps offering clue to something he has left behind? Certainly, as we have learned in his memoirs, he had the motive and means for doing so. Assuming that the memoirs are real, as one must until the appropriate testing is indulged and likewise proves to the opposite, there is every reason to believe that Jean Laffite was the source of The Beale Pamphlet’s story. Perhaps now the only question remaining is, where? The Secret Vault: “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 parties 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 lined 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.” Bedford Virginia, December 1821: Under the darkened veil of night a lone wagon makes its way along the narrow county trail, the evening air brisk and taunting and nipping at the driver’s neck and cheeks. As the wagon moves slowly across the hardened earth the passenger’s eyes are quietly scanning the forest edge and distant horizons. It is well past the midnight hour and most should be sleeping now, the frigid night air and stiff northern breeze no longer inviting late night strolls under the moon. Christmas is just a few days away and it appears there could be a covering of snow for the holiday, the tiny flakes now drifting through the air like summer cottonwood. The two brothers have traveled this route many times since their exile from Galveston, always arriving at their destination at night and always transporting the same cargo. Now all the way from Charleston they are nearing this same destination one last time, the contents of their wagon to be secretly placed with the rest of their hidden cache. The lone passenger pulls the collar of his winter coat tight against his neck as his dark eyes meet his brother’s. The moment carries no exchanging of words yet their silence speaks volumes of understanding. Someday these truths will be known. Little more then three years ago the wagon’s driver had arrived at this place, the masons he had hired extremely talented at their craft, to his brother’s design the structure had been built to perfection. No one would suspect that it housed a virtual fortune of wealth and knowledge but someday they would find it, its contents prepared in such a way that it will rewrite its known history. Lessons learned are better remembered then those which are taught, what is written by man so seldom speaking any real measure of truth. Causes will rise and fall, just as they always have, the death of old warriors perhaps postponing but seldom ending the conflict. The quest for liberty and justice for all will never be stopped as long as there is air for men to breath. Thomas Jefferson knew this, with pen in hand his words giving birth to a completely free nation. In time the fifth generation will expose this secret hiding place, but for now it must remain silent until these first two warriors have safely fallen from grace. In terms of years, the Webster dictionary often defines a generation to be; a period of 30 to 33 years. The United States founded its Independence in 1776, thus doing the math we can conclude that this country’s fifth generation would have arrived sometime between the years of 1926 and 1941. John Andrechyne Lafitte showed up on the scene with his descendant’s memoirs in, or about, 1942. Given the closeness of the dates, we might conclude that John Andrechyne Lafitte’s appearance arrived during this country’s fifth generation as well. Laffite’s last entry, “If God wishes to love the fifth generation to come, he will unveil the intentions and the spirit of the dead. And with my help!” The two brothers continue on steady course, the very image that marks their cargo’s final destination now present upon the evening horizon. Moments later the wagon is guided onto a small two-track, this lane even narrower then the rugged trails they have endured through most of the day and night. Soon the gathering of cast iron pots and documents will be complete and the secret vault will be sealed until the century has turned. Until then they can write what they wish but time will provide them little forgiveness. In the forward section of his memoirs, as he speaks of the confidential memoirs he is preparing to write for his descendents, Jean Laffite enters, “For several months I have refused to reveal my past, which is completely private and concerns no one other than myself. If my records were missing, I am afraid that I would not be able to write the facts about the events in detail, just from memory, so as to avoid exaggeration.” The few remaining cast iron posts are set in the last open space, the two brothers pause in quiet reflection as they view the collection of secret wealth before them. In every cast iron pot they recall memories both bitter and sweet. Countless names and faces and places pass before their eyes so quickly there’s a deep sense of reverence in their silent stares. Finally the oldest brother turns to warm his hands by the lantern, “We must go now,” he says, “it will be light soon and we must not be seen leaving this vault.” The younger brother nods his head, his eyes stealing one last moment before he grabs hold of the large flat stone in front of him. A few moments later with the help of his brother the heavy stone is slid back in place. This time the eldest will drive, his thoughts and concerns now focused on two futures, the one he will possibly see and live and the one that he won’t. “Alexander should have been here for this,” he remarked, the chill of the winter breeze seeming damper then before. It takes a few moments but finally Pierre forces his eyes away from the sealed crypt as the wagon begins to move forward, his slow reply assuring Jean that he is aware of both possibilities. “It’s all here for Morriss if the worst should come upon us.” Jean glances at his brother and then his jet black eyes return to the shadowed trail in front of them, “He’s a good man, Pierre, and I rest easy knowing he will proceed with our wishes if it comes to that.” Authors note: A crypt is dry, secure, and most often accessible by key, and they reside in places that are, “roughly lined with stone.” Add to this that crypts are/were often designed to step down once entered, frequently to “six feet below the surface of the ground.” Anyone who has watched an old horror film can probably recall that moment when the stone lid of the “vault” is slid to the side thus exposing the mummy within, the immediate surroundings composed of a “stone” floor and a single “stone” pillar. In the Laffite memoirs, in an entry dated, June 4, 1850, Laffite enters; “Mr. Freeman Little, the undertaker is a member of my son-in-law’s family.” Is this where the notion of a crypt came into play? The Unknown Author: The Beale Pamphlet was published in 1885, the author of the book deciding to stay anonymous. This is perhaps the toughest portion of this mystery to investigate because we have very little information to follow. All we know is that the Author was supposedly a man with first hand knowledge of the tale and that he had decided to produce the pamphlet so others might benefit from the failures of his past. But if we read the first few pages of this text very carefully we might gather a strong sense that the Author wasn’t acting alone. Notice in the first few paragraphs of The Beale Pamphlet that the author uses “he” and “him” as he begins to offer us the reasons for the Pamphlet’s production. At first we might assume he is speaking of the hotel owner, Robert Morriss, except that in just a few more paragraphs he continues to translate the same story with “me” and “I.” I found this to be a very odd circumstance, one that caused me to consider if the author hadn’t gotten the original story secondhand? In other words, it raised the question, Who was “he” and “him?” In the Laffite Memoirs many names are brought to light, but none more suspect then that of a “Mr. Sherman” and a “Mr. Ward.” Here’s why: The Beale Pamphlet was “published in 1885 by the Virginia Book and Job Print,” and likewise “entered into the Library of Congress by a man named, J.B. Ward.” Even more ironic is the fact that, “the Virginia Newspaper, which ran an add for the Pamphlet’s sale 84 times, was housed in the same building as the print shop and was owned by a man named, John William Sherman.” Though the date of Beale publication is some sixty years past the offered dates of the deposits in the pamphlet and the dates of the Galveston commune’s $476’000 transfers, one thing remains constant within the two publications, and that is the names, “Sherman” and “Ward.” In the Laffite Memoirs, in an entry dated January 4, 1847, Laffite claims that on February, 24, 1821, during his preparations to depart Galveston, “William Cochrane arrived with news of the return of Lieutenant Kearny, I recommended to Mr. Hall, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Sherman, and those of Bolivar to keep our promise and distribute the gold to the indicated places.” This entry directly connects the name “Sherman” to the secret transferring of gold. This fact immediately brings about the following question, was this Mr. Sherman a direct descendent to the Pamphlet’s James Sherman? Was “he” the real unnamed voice in the Pamphlet? And if so, is this where Sherman Jr. got his story of hidden treasure? This appears a very possible scenario. However, much the same can be said of J. B. Ward, the pamphlet’s acting agent. As a young man he spent time in St. Louis, the very place where the cipher key was supposedly being held by an unnamed person. And then we have to consider the following, in the Laffite memoirs, in an entry dated June 4, 1850, Laffite writes, “Mr. Ward, Mr. Kingsley, and Mr. Peabody seem to me to be very honest, nice men to take care of the railroad.” Was this “Mr. Ward” a descendent to J. B. Ward, and if so, was this man the “he” and “him” in the first few paragraphs of The Beale Pamphlet? It is, at the very least, another possibility. But what is even more ironic to these two possibilities is the fact that both J. B. Ward and John Sherman, two men who have very possible ties to the two men in the Laffite Memoirs, both managed to end up living in such close proximity in 1885, and that they were both involved in the production and advertising of The Beale Pamphlet. Coincidence, perhaps, but not very likely. One is only left to wonder if these two men somehow acted in collaboration in the Pamphlet’s writing and publication? Did one, or both of them, act in direct collusion in the telling of someone else’s true story? While there have been many theories as to the identity of the real Beale Pamphlet author, it is this author’s opinion that these two suspects certainly appear to be the most credible candidates to date. In the Beale Pamphlet is written, “It was in 1862, the second year of the Confederate war, that Mr. Morriss first intimated the possession of a secret that was destined to make some persons wealthy.” Was either of the Laffite Memoir’s Mr. Ward or Mr. Sherman still alive in 1862? It is very possible that one or both of them were as their ages would most likely have been a few years on either side of 70. Beginning to End: In the Beale Pamphlet it is recorded, “It was in the month of January, 1820, while I was keeping the Washington Hotel, that I first saw and became acquainted with Beale. In the company of two others, he came to my house seeking entertainment for himself and friends. Being assured of comfortable provision for themselves and their horses, Beale stated his intention of remaining for the winter, should nothing occur to alter his plans, but that the gentlemen accompanying him would leave in a few days for Richmond, near which place they resided, and that they were anxious to reach their homes, from which they had long been absent. They all appeared to be gentlemen, well born, and well educated, with refined and courteous manners, and with a free and independent air, which rendered them peculiarly attractive. After remaining a week or ten days, the two left, after expressions of satisfaction with their visit.” Alexander, Pierre, and Jean Laffite were brothers, all of them having received the finest education’s, their grandmother also further insisting upon them the values of proper character. According to the memoirs, Laffite writes, “When I was six, my grandmother began to teach me to spell in Spanish. When I was eight, Madame Requel Seuria was my teacher of arithmetic, history, geography, and grammar. At the age of twelve Mr. Jn Christophe Chauterys was my teacher of navigation and maps. When I was fourteen, my brother Pierre and I were sent to Martinique to continue my studies. The Cruger Brothers taught us. When we had finished studies at our private school, we went to the Island of Saint Croix to take courses in psychology to acquire a better understanding of human nature. We took courses in military preparation on the island of Saint Christophe to learn swordsmanship, navigation, and artillery marksmanship. Upon returning to Port-au-Prince, we learned the art of fencing and dueling with masters of arms who taught us the secret principles of that art.” A few paragraphs later Laffite enters, “We all received a good education, being taught by tutors who held classes in private homes.” In the beginning it is recorded in the memoirs that, in regards to their New Orleans base of operations and the purpose for their return to Port-au-Prince in 1805; “We returned to Port-au-Prince to help all the refugees disembark along the lower Mississippi River.” St. Louis, the supposed home of the key holder, is situated at the heart of the Mississippi River. Now, going back to The Beale Pamphlet, I strongly suspect it was Jean, Pierre, and possibly Alexandre who arrived by horseback at Morriss home in 1820. At that time, for the many reasons offered, it was critical that they locate a strategic safe heaven for the fortunes of their true cause. Bedford Virginia was centrally located to their various affairs at Galveston, New Orleans, St. Louis, Charleston, Richmond, and up and down the entire East Coast, including Washington. With the expected ratification of the Adams Onis Treaty in 1821 the future of all these operations were left hanging in the balance and as such certain measures had to be taken in order to protect and preserve their life’s effort and true cause, as well as their own uncertain fate. In closing my own effort I would like to present you with two final entries from the Laffite memoirs. Perhaps it is in these two entries that the real mystery is best explained; This first entry is dated, October 7, 1846; “My brother Alexandre died on November 14, 1830. He presently lies in the New Orleans cemetery, and on his tomb inscribed with the name of Dominique You, after a long, elegiac passage, is a Masonic emblem of the charitable society of which he was a member.” Author’s note: Remembering that if we drop the capital letters from the name, “Thomas Jefferson Beale” the remaining letters can be arranged to spell, “freemason safe hole” or “freemason hole safe.” The Freemasons were an extension of the Nights Templer, the roots of their birth being traced back to “France.” James B. Ward, the representing agent of the Beale Pamphlet, is also known to have been a member of the Freemasons. This second entry is dated, August 8, 1845; “In any case, the intentions of my grandmother, who believed that by the power of our pens we would participate in the emancipation of suffering humanity, caused a crowd of thoughts to file through our poor heads and made us feel as though we were on the edge of an abyss. We had only one hope, that one day we would be able to strike a great blow, on the sea, against those two beast: Spain and England.” This author believes they may have succeeded in doing both! And now for the presenting of a strange occurrence, which I will let you weigh the possible coincidence or truth in it’s possible arranging. For the longest time I was highly suspect of the use of the word “parties” in cipher two, unless the author was resisting with some real purpose the use of a more accurate, simpler word, such as the three letter word, “men.” To this I present the following possibility: “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 parties 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 lined 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.” Anagram; (as defined by Websters) “word or sentence formed by rewriting in a different order the letters of another word or sentence,” such as, in this case, “parties” for “pirates!” “If God wishes to love the fifth generation to come, he will unveil the intentions and the spirit of the dead. And with my help!” Down with the British Dragon. Monday, December 2, 1850 . Jn Laffite Last Light: As for those of you who still doubt that Jean Laffite could have assembled such a high level of secret organization, allow me to present the following two entries: The first entry is dated, March 4, 1847, and Laffite writes, “I remember the numerous good friends I had long ago. Many of them held high positions in the armies of the United States. General Wilkinson was a good confidant; Mr. Wade Hampton, and Sam Williams were very close to me in Baltimore, New Orleans, Charleston, and Washington.” The second presented entry is dated, December 1, 1846, and is in regards to Laffite’s meeting with De Onis. Here it is written, “My second meeting took place with him during my third mission to Washington in the presence of Secretary Adams and President Monroe. The Spanish government had about 110 of my men Havana prisons. I had 298 of their subjects in my prisons ready to be exchanged, including two monks and a bishop whom my officers had captured and relieved of their gold jewels. During my interviews Mr. De Onis always entered into crazy rages in regard to the three members of the clergy, a bishop and two priest, whom I was keeping in my prisons with my eye on a prisoner exchange.” Was Jean Laffite the real source of The Beale Pamphlet? And if so, did he arrange the two secret deposits of treasure and likewise leave them, or a portion of them, for future generations? Did John William Sherman or J. B. Ward have a hand in the writing of The Beale Papers, and if so, had one of them actually learned of the event from a family descendent? Were the Freemasons involved in a secret transferring and hiding of gold, and if so, to what extent? Are the two publications, The Beale Pamphlet and the Laffite Memoirs, connected in any way? And if so, does the missing key reside somewhere within? These are the questions presented to you in this publication. The Remaining Ciphers: Cipher One: (Said to contain the locality of the vault.) 71, 194, 38, (1701), 89, 76, 11, 83, (1629), 48, 94, 63, 132, 16, 111, 95, 84, 341, 975, 14, 40, 64, 27, 81, 139, 213, 63, 90, (1120), 8, 15, 3, 126, (2018), 40, 74, 758, 485, 604, 230, 436, 664, 582, 150, 251, 284, 308, 231, 124, 211, 486, 225, 401, 370, 11, 101, 305, (139 or 130), 189, 17, 33, 88, 208, 193, 145, 1, 94, 73, 416, 918, 263, 28, 500, 538, 356, 117, 136, 219, 27, 176, 130, 10, 460, 25, 485, 18, 436, 65, 84, 200, 283, 118, 320, 138, 36, 416, 280, 15, 71, 224, 961, 44, 16, 401, 39, 88, 61, 304, 12, 21, 24, 283, 134, 92, 63, 246, 486, 682, 7, 219, 184, 360, 780, 18, 64, 463, 474, 131, 160, 79, 73, 440, 95, 18, 64, 581, 34, 69, 128, 367, 460, 17, 81, 12, 103, 820, 62, 116, 97, 103, 862, 70, 60, (1317), 471, 540, 208, 121, 890, 346,36, 150, 59, 568, 614, 13, 120, 63, 219, 812, (2160, 1780), 99, 35, 18, 21, 136, 872, 15, 28, 170, 88, 4, 30, 44, 112, 18, 147, 436, 195, 320, 37, 122, 113, 6, 140, 8, 120, 305, 42, 58, 461, 44, 106, 301, 13, 408, 680, 93, 86, 116, 530, 82, 568, 9, 102, 38, 416, 89, 71, 216, 728, 965, 818, 2, 38, 121, 195, 14, 326, 148, 234,18, 55, 131, 234, 361, 824, 5, 81, 623, 48, 961, 19, 26, 33, 10, (1101), 365, 92, 88, 181, 275, 346, 201, 206, 86, 36, 219, 320, 829, 840, 68, 326, 19, 48, 122, 85, 216, 284, 919, 861, 326, 985, 233, 64, 68, 232, 431, 960, 50, 29, 81, 216, 321, 603, 14, 612, 81, 360, 36, 51, 62, 194, 78, 60, 200, 314, 676, 112, 4, 28, 18, 61, 136, 247, 819, 921, (1060), 464, 895, 10, 6, 66, 119, 38, 41, 49, 602, 423, 962, 302, 294, 875, 78,14, 23, 111, 109, 62, 31, 501, 823, 216, 280, 34, 24, 150, (1000), 162, 286, 19, 21, 17, 340, 19, 242, 31, 86, 234, 140, 607, 115, 33, 191, 67, 104, 86, 52, 88, 16, 80, 121, 67, 95, 122, 216, 548, 96, 11, 201, 77, 364, 218, 65, 667, 890, 236, 154, 211, 10, 98, 34, 119, 56, 216, 119, 71, 218, (1164, 1496, 1817), 51, 39, 210, 36, 3, 19, 540, 232, 22, 141, 617, 84, 290, 80, 46, 207, 411, 150, 29, 38, 46, 172, 85, 194, 36, 261, 543, 897, 624, 18, 212, 416, 127, 931, 19, 4, 63, 96, 12, 101, 418, 16, 140, 230, 460, 538, 19, 27, 88, 612,(1431), 90, 716, 275, 74, 83, 11, 426, 89, 72, 84, (1300, 1706), 814, 221, 132, 40, 102, 34, 858, 975,(1101), 84, 16, 79, 23, 16, 81, 122, 324, 403, 912, 227, 936, 447, 55, 86, 34, 43, 212, 107, 96, 314, 264, (1065), 323, 428, 601, 203, 124, 95, 216, 814, (2906), 654, 820, 2, 301, 112, 176, 213, 71, 87, 96, 202, 35, 10, 2, 41, 17, 84, 221, 36, 820, 214, 11, 60, 760. Cipher Three: (Said to contain the names of those parties involved.) 317, 8, 92, 73, 112, 89, 67, 318, 28, 96,107, 41, 631, 78, 146, 397, 118, 98, 114, 246, 348, 116, 74, 88, 12, 65, 32, 14, 81, 19, 76, 121, 216, 85, 33, 66, 15, 108, 68, 77, 43, 24, 122, 96, 117, 36, 211, 301, 15, 44, 11, 46, 89, 18, 136, 68, 317, 28, 90, 82, 304, 71, 43, 221, 198, 176, 310, 319, 81, 99, 264, 380, 56, 37, 319, 2, 44, 53, 28, 44, 75, 98, 102, 37, 85, 107, 117, 64, 88, 136, 48, 151, 99, 175, 89, 315, 326, 78, 96, 214, 218, 311, 43, 89, 51, 90, 75, 128, 96, 33, 28, 103, 84, 65, 26, 41, 246, 84, 270, 98, 116, 32, 59, 74, 66, 69, 240, 15, 8, 121, 20, 77, 89, 31, 11, 106, 81, 191, 224, 328, 18, 75, 52, 82, 117, 201, 39, 23, 217, 27, 21, 84, 35, 54, 109, 128, 49, 77, 88, 1, 81, 217, 64, 55, 83, 116, 251, 269, 311, 96, 54, 32, 120, 18, 132, 102, 219, 211, 84, 150, 219, 275, 312, 64, 10, 106, 87, 75, 47, 21, 29, 37, 81, 44, 18, 126, 115, 132, 160, 181, 203, 76, 81, 299, 314, 337, 351, 96, 11, 28, 97, 318, 238, 106, 24, 93, 3, 19, 17, 26, 60, 73, 88, 14, 126, 138, 234, 286, 297, 321, 365, 264, 19, 22, 84, 56, 107, 98, 123, 111, 214, 136, 7, 33, 45, 40, 13, 28, 46, 42, 107, 196, 227, 344, 198, 203, 247, 116, 19, 8, 212, 230, 31, 6, 328, 65, 48, 52, 59, 41, 122, 33, 117, 11, 18, 25, 71, 36, 45, 83, 76, 89, 92, 31, 65, 70, 83, 96, 27, 33, 44, 50, 61, 24, 112, 136, 149, 176, 180, 194, 143, 171, 205, 296, 87, 12, 44, 51, 89, 98, 34, 41, 208, 173, 66, 9, 35, 16, 95, 8, 113, 175, 90, 56, 203, 19, 177, 183, 206, 157, 200, 218, 260, 291, 305, 618, 951, 320, 18, 124, 78, 65, 19, 32, 124, 48, 53, 57, 84, 96, 207, 244, 66, 82, 119, 71, 11, 86, 77, 213, 54, 82, 316, 245, 303, 86, 97, 106, 212, 18, 37, 15, 81, 89, 16, 7, 81, 39, 96, 14, 43, 216, 118, 29, 55, 109, 136, 172, 213, 64, 8, 227, 304, 611, 221, 364, 819, 375, 128, 296, 1, 18, 53, 76, 10, 15, 23, 19, 71, 84, 120, 134, 66, 73, 89, 96, 230, 48, 77, 26, 101, 127, 936, 218, 439, 178, 171, 61, 226, 313, 215, 102, 18, 167, 262, 114, 218, 66, 59, 48, 27, 19, 13, 82, 48, 162, 119, 34, 127, 139, 34, 128, 129, 74, 63, 120, 11, 54, 61, 73, 92, 180, 66, 75, 101, 124, 265, 89, 96, 126, 274, 896, 917, 434, 461, 235, 890, 312, 413, 328, 381, 96, 105, 217, 66, 118, 22, 77, 64, 42, 12, 7, 55, 24, 83, 67, 97, 109, 121, 135, 181, 203, 219, 228, 256, 21, 34, 77, 319, 374, 382, 675, 684, 717, 864, 203, 4, 18, 92, 16, 63, 82, 22, 46, 55, 69, 74, 112, 134, 186, 175, 119, 213, 416, 312, 343, 264, 119, 186, 218, 343, 417, 845, 951, 124, 209, 49, 617, 856, 924, 936, 72, 19, 28, 11, 35, 42, 40, 66, 85, 94, 112, 65, 82, 115, 119, 236, 244, 186, 172, 112, 85, 6, 56, 38, 44, 85, 72, 32, 47, 63, 96, 124, 217, 314, 319, 221, 644, 817, 821, 934, 922, 416, 975, 10, 22, 18, 46, 137, 181, 101, 39, 86, 103, 116, 138, 164, 212, 218, 296, 815, 380, 412, 460, 495, 675, 820, 952. From The Author’s Personal Notes: A) If the clear text for the remaining two ciphers were in “French” would this negate the results of past cryptology studies involving the Beale papers? Should we possibly convert the DOI to French? B) In C1 there are (19) four digit codes. If the last code in the following sequence 1164, 1496, 1817, represents an event that occurred in that year, what relating event would this date be in reference of? (Do a search and prepare to be curiously enlightened!) C) Using the following example, if we hyphen the name, Thomas Jefferson/Beale, and then assume that “Thomas Jefferson” was used as clue to the key for C2, then what significance, if any, does the “Beale” portion of this assumed name maintain? |
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| If you'd like to look into this mystery
yourself let me suggest these two informative books: The Beale Treasure New History of a Mystery, by Peter Viemeister The Memoirs of Jean Laffite, translated by Gene Marshall. |
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