There is a HUGE amount of additional disclosure in the following statements;
“and your reputation as a man of the sternest integrity, unblemished honor, and business capacity, influenced them to select you in place of others better known, but perhaps, not so reliable as yourself. It was with this design that I first visited your house, two years since, that I might judge by personal observation if your reputation was merited. To enable me better to do so, I remained with you more than three months, and until I was fully satisfied as to your character. This visit was made by the request of my associates, and you can judge from their action whether my report was a favorable one.”
What we learn in this information is that Morriss was well known to the party members before Beale had ever made his first visit. As already posted, in his disclosure Morriss confirms that he was well aware that the company of men with Beale were from the Richmond area, so very clearly he, at the very least, knew of them and where they resided. In this we can easily conclude that Morriss and at least many of the party members had interacted with knowledge of each other prior to the start of the grand adventure detailed in the pamphlet.AGAIN! This isn't speculation, this is readily established fact based on the testimony of both Beale and Morriss.