Who wrote The Beale Papers?
Most likely: james B. Ward, the named agent, wrote the narrative, the letters and the ciphersAhead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted.
Where it stands
Four answers have been proposed. James B. Ward, the named agent, wrote the narrative, the letters and the ciphers. leads, with evidence 2 for, 1 against: partly supported by its tests. Three are still possible. Of the one narrower question under it, none is answered yet.
Answers 4
History
- anonymous puts forward: the anonymous narrator was a real person who received real papers from Morriss, as the pamphlet says.
- anonymous: ward is named only as agent; nothing in the pamphlet or outside it records him writing it.Against: James B. Ward, the named agent, wrote the narrative, the letters and the ciphers.
- Nickell puts forward: james B. Ward, the named agent, wrote the narrative, the letters and the ciphers.
- Nickell: the letters use 'stampeding' and 'improvised' in senses not attested in English until after 1830.For: James B. Ward, the named agent, wrote the narrative, the letters and the ciphers.
- Nickell: morriss did not keep the Washington Hotel until 1823.Against: The anonymous narrator was a real person who received real papers from Morriss, as the pamphlet says.
- Nickell: robert Morriss was a real innkeeper in Lynchburg.For: The anonymous narrator was a real person who received real papers from Morriss, as the pamphlet says.
- Kruh: nickell's and Kruh's stylistic comparisons find one author across the narrative and the letters.For: James B. Ward, the named agent, wrote the narrative, the letters and the ciphers.
- Schmeh: cipher stories were popular after Poe's 'The Gold-Bug', giving a ready model.For: Someone else in Lynchburg in the 1880s wrote it as fiction or a promotion, with Ward as front.
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