Let’s remember that Bettye did have some mental health issues. I personally heard her daughter say as such at the 2007 TFM. I do not recall if the illness was specified, at any rate I do not know what form of mental illness it was. The mentally ill can have paranoia and delusions though, so maybe what she wrote in the book should be considered with caution.

Agreed but what she wrote sounded logical and intelligent. Who knows though one suffering mental issues may act rational while inside there not.

Doesn’t necessarily have to be them but could be a family member,friend or Associate. Also wonder did the Hardens suspect someone they knew of being the Zodiac ? I too find that statement made by her incriminating unless she is meaning she figured out his cipher and help to give him his persona.

Stitch, I agree with this being something to explore. I will try to do some research on their family during the next few weeks. If that signature has been or can be authenticated then to me it suggests additional knowledge about the Zodiac or else it’s the results of a mind descending into Alzheimer’s or other type dementia.

I can’t see her withholding a solution to the cipher because they seem to have readily offered their knowledge to the public but I could be wrong.

Also her using shock the world is a bold statement by her. Just wondering since she wrote in Graysmith book and pretty much what she wrote was about him. Maybe she seriously believes he may have been the Zodiac. Crazy thought but that would shock the world.

Interesting thought!

Let’s remember that Bettye did have some mental health issues. I personally heard her daughter say as such at the 2007 TFM. I do not recall if the illness was specified, at any rate I do not know what form of mental illness it was. The mentally ill can have paranoia and delusions though, so maybe what she wrote in the book should be considered with caution.

Thanks Seagull. I probably should have read all the new messages before responding.

Do you know if she was ill when she and Mr. Harden deciphered the first cipher? Also, do you know if she was mathematically inclined or was she an "Everyday Housewife?" I know her husband was a math teacher, iirc.

Doesn’t necessarily have to be them but could be a family member,friend or Associate. Also wonder did the Hardens suspect someone they knew of being the Zodiac ? I too find that statement made by her incriminating unless she is meaning she figured out his cipher and help to give him his persona.

Stitch, I agree with this being something to explore. I will try to do some research on their family during the next few weeks. If that signature has been or can be authenticated then to me it suggests additional knowledge about the Zodiac or else it’s the results of a mind descending into Alzheimer’s or other type dementia.

I can’t see her withholding a solution to the cipher because they seem to have readily offered their knowledge to the public but I could be wrong.

Patinky I agree and I think this needs further looking into. I’m glad you are willing and look forward to hearing you’re results.

Let’s remember that Bettye did have some mental health issues. I personally heard her daughter say as such at the 2007 TFM. I do not recall if the illness was specified, at any rate I do not know what form of mental illness it was. The mentally ill can have paranoia and delusions though, so maybe what she wrote in the book should be considered with caution.

Thanks Seagull. I probably should have read all the new messages before responding.

Do you know if she was ill when she and Mr. Harden deciphered the first cipher? Also, do you know if she was mathematically inclined or was she an "Everyday Housewife?" I know her husband was a math teacher, iirc.

Like I previously mentioned. She sounds quite sane to me from what she wrote at that point of time. But again who knows.

Let’s remember that Bettye did have some mental health issues. I personally heard her daughter say as such at the 2007 TFM. I do not recall if the illness was specified, at any rate I do not know what form of mental illness it was. The mentally ill can have paranoia and delusions though, so maybe what she wrote in the book should be considered with caution.

Thanks Seagull. I probably should have read all the new messages before responding.

Do you know if she was ill when she and Mr. Harden deciphered the first cipher? Also, do you know if she was mathematically inclined or was she an "Everyday Housewife?" I know her husband was a math teacher, iirc.

Like I previously mentioned. She sounds quite sane to me from what she wrote at that point of time. But again who knows.

Well, the term "delusions of grandeur" come to mind or a manic episode in bi-polar disorder. It could also be factual information. Something caused her to write that message in that book and like you say Stitch she certainly seemed sane when working on the cipher (and very intelligent).

Seagull, I don’t mean to put you on the spot and if I’m over-stepping my bounds here just tell me to go away. But …..
Since you have had contact with the daughter do you believe the inscription is likely nothing other than a bi-product of some sort of psychological disorder? TIA

I do not recall Bettye’s occupation or if she worked outside the home, she was obviously very bright, though. I tend to think that what she wrote may have been a delusion but really have nothing to base that on.

Here is a post made by her daughter at Tom’s and it tells a little about Bettye. Maybe that will help you decide.

http://www.zodiackiller.com/discus/mess … 1171642363

I do not recall Bettye’s occupation or if she worked outside the home, she was obviously very bright, though. I tend to think that what she wrote may have been a delusion but really have nothing to base that on.

Here is a post made by her daughter at Tom’s and it tells a little about Bettye. Maybe that will help you decide.

http://www.zodiackiller.com/discus/mess … 1171642363

Thanks a bunch Seagull!

A quick update.

I’ve gathered some information and will continue looking for a while longer but so far nothing indicates the Harden’s were involved other than solving the cipher. Interestingly, it appears Bettye is the one who did most of the work on deciphering. My guess is Mr. Harden took the most credit because, emotionally, he was better able to deal with the press and public than was Mrs. Harden.

Based on what I’ve found so far, imo, the inscription in the book appears to be from the imagination of someone of similar mindset to the math professor in "A Beautiful Mind."

I personally don’t believe that they had anything to do with writing the Z letters.

I personally don’t believe that they had anything to do with writing the Z letters.

I don’t either.

Based on what I’ve found so far, imo, the inscription in the book appears to be from the imagination of someone of similar mindset to the math professor in "A Beautiful Mind."

The book and especially the movie version of A Beautiful Mind is a somewhat fictionalized depiction of a man who has Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia can cause delusion and hallucinations. If Bettye was in fact Bi Polar she would probably not have exhibited these symptoms. Bipolar disorder, formerly called Manic Depression, causes a person to have difficulty regulating their emotions, not their cognitive function. In extreme cases a person with bipolar disorder, depending on the type, can have psychotic episodes, but these are atypical.

Her daughter said that she was diagnosed with Alzhemiers, a disease of brain degeneration mostly effecting the elderly which exhibits symptoms similar to bipolar disorder. These two conditions are not related.

She also said Bettye was diagnosed with Bipolar, Schizophrenia, and Multiple Personality Disorder, now called Dissociative Identity Disorder. DID is extremely rare and develops during childhood so she almost certainly did not have this. She would not have had all of these things so her actual condition, if any, cannot be evaluated based on the information we have…Not that we would be in a position to do so any way.

I don’t think we should be discussing a persons mental health or other medical issues because that is a private matter and it has not been demonstrated to be relevant here. I know this wasn’t your point Patinky, I just felt like it was necessary to offer clarification on these issues since they are different conditions that should not be used interchangeably.

I apologize if anyone was offended. My intentions were to find, if possible, information about the inscription in the book previously mentioned and whether or not it had bearings on the actually Zodiac suspect.

I believe I tastefully handled the question and no harm was intended.

It appears to me that your lecture included far more discussion than necessary about the mental health issues, especially for someone who seemed so offended by my post.

I’ll leave the rest of the story on this to some other interested party, if there are any.

Duckking I think if you go back and reread the link I posted above to what the Harden’s daughter said you will see that it was Don Harden that had Alzheimers, not Bettye. I had the impression reading the daughter’s post that over the years Bettye was given different diagnoses for whatever it was that ailed her not that she suffered from all of those conditions at once. Mental health has been given more attention and study in the past four decades. The criteria has changed for diagnosing these illnesses, too. What may have been called one illness in the ’70’s became a different one by the ’90’s. I think that might account for the list of illnesses given by the daughter.

You are certainly correct in saying we can not know what Bettye suffered from, apparently her doctors did not know for sure either. I don’t believe anyone here was trying to diagnose Bettye.

The most telling thing to me, in what the daughter said about her mother and the unsolved 340, is that her mother worked on it for the rest of her life. I do not believe she possessed any special knowledge about who Zodiac was or his motive.