Page 12 : Beale Ciphers Analyses
Suggestion for attacking C3There are many clues in The Beale papers regarding C3. Here are some that I have found:
| Clue from The Beale Papers | Information derived |
| Such a man was Thomas J. Beale…. | This is his chosen name. In the Hart Papers he also signs a letter to Robert Morriss as Thos. Jeffn. Beale |
| He registered simply from Virginia, but I am of the impression he was from some western portion of the State. | Lynchburg is in the western portion. |
| 2 letters from Beale to Morriss are datelined Lynchburg | Beale’s residence is in Lynchburg |
| …list of the names of our party, with their places of residence, &c. | |
| In such an event, you will please visit the place of deposit and secure its contents, which you will divide into thirty-one equal parts; one of these parts you are to retain as your own, freely given to you for your services. The other shares to be distributed to the parties named in the accompanying paper… | There are exactly 30 names in the list |
| You will find in one of the papers, written in cipher, the names of all my associates, who are each entitled to an equal part of our treasure and opposite to the names of each one will be found the names and residences of the relatives and others, to whom they devise their respective portions. | The name of residence is after each person’s name |
| In company with two others, he came to my house seeking entertainment for himself and friends. …….the gentlemen accompanying him would leave in a few days for Richmond, near which place they resided | The residence of at least two of the party is near Richmond |
| we determined to raise a party of not less than thirty individuals….With this object in view, each one of us suggested the matter to his several friends and acquaintances…The company being formed… we … left old Virginia… | All thirty residence names are most likely and perhaps all in Virginia |
| The following paper is marked "3" in the series, and as we are informed, contains the names of Beale's associates, who are joint owners of the fund deposited, together with the names of the nearest relatives of each party, with their several places of residence. | |
| BELONGING JOINTLY TO THE PARTIES WHOSE NAMES ARE GIVEN IN NUMBER "3," HEREWITH | |
| Names appearing in The Beale Papers: Mitchel Jackson Clay Coles Witcher Marshal Morriss Ward Buford |
Possible names of the parties |
| Location names in the papers: Loudoun Bedford |
Possible places of residences |
These comprise a lot of clues for cryptanalysis. The download below includes an Excel program structured as above, with the C3 codes structured in 30 lines, beginning with 12 of 20, and 18 of 21 characters. Beale's entry is in the last line, and those letters with the same codes are replicated thoughout. Here is a picture:
There appear to be important clues: In line 25, with the letter "U" at the end; there are only a half dozen location names in Virginia that would fit that pattern. At the end of line 13, the letters "B", space, space, "L". The only place names that fit this pattern are Cumberland and Northumberland, with the "umberland" portion being common. The suggested attack consists of experimenting with location names at or near the end of each line. As you enter, change, or delete letters, the Excel program will automatically make the same change in all the cells with the same code. As you succeed in inserting correct location names, some given and family names should start appearing at the beginning of the lines.
The download includes a list of county and town names taken from a 1755 map of Virginia, and a command on worksheet C3 to find place names from this list that match any two-letter combination. You can also add place names to the search list.
You need to have Microsoft Excel installed on your computer. Operating instructions are on worksheet "User Notes". Download now 149 Kb Note: This program is written in Excel 97 which is no longer supported or compatible with Windows Vista and Windows 7.
This Excel program works with Macros. You will probably get a warning about possible viruses. You will have to click on "Yes", and when opening the program, "Enable Macros".
This download file was updated February 19, 2004.
Comment
There is a large but finite number of possibilities. If the Beale story is true, this should yield results.
