Having understood that you are skilled in deciphering any kind of cypher I have taken the liberty of sending you the above, with the request that you will send me its meaning when found out – I am confident it contains some hidden meaning – If you will bestow it some little attention I shall be greatly obliged as it is an Exact copy of a paper in my possession –
[At the top of the page appears the following cryptograph:
.The cryptography is composed of number, with lines above and below certain characters. (under construction) ]
956, 925, 921, 96, 692, 92595, 498, 9, 49991985,15, 7959, 64, 3931355, 1, 925, 46925, 469259, 64, 15868, 498
925, 95 –
[At the top left corner is written, apparently in Poe’s hand, “Chas. G. Percival,” with a pencil note underneath “Poe’s handwriting.” The letter, written in brown ink on standard off-white paper, is in rather poor condition. There is considerable fading of the ink and the paper is badly foxed or stained.]
[This letter is described in the Bangs Sale Catalogue of April 11, 1896 as item 113 1/2: “A. L. S. 4to. ‘City of Utica, Dec. 19, 1845,’ to Edgar Allan Poe, with address and post-mark. Encloses a cipher, which he desires Poe – having heard that he is skilled insuch matters – to read and decipher.” (Bangs, 1896, p. 31, item 113 1/2).]
~~~ End of Text ~~~
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