Amy Seril was Henry's good friend he had known in New York City since about 1947. She had told Franz Friedrich, an art dealer in New York, about her old friend Henry Schnautz who had known the "daughter" of B. Traven, the Mexican novelist who wrote "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre." Franz wrote Henry in 1992 and asked him, from his personal experience, if he could shed any light on the mystery of B. Traven. Henry replied. Franz forwarded it to a Traven scholar, Michael Baumann, who sent back his commentary. Henry writes a narrative, it reads like an adventure novel. Franz Friedrich and Michael Baumann are mystified. Traven could not possibly be the man in Henry's story, the father of Esperanza.
I am heavily indebted to Franz Friedrich for keeping the letter from Henry these many years, and sending it back to me. Otherwise I would not have it.
Henry to Amy Seril - Dec 7, 1990