Evidence & Clues:“Did you remark the postmarks of these letters?” “The first from Pondicherry, the second from Dundee, and the third from London.” “They are all sea-ports.”A sheet of paper John had found in the room that matched unburned pieces found among ashes of papers his uncle had burned. “Holmes moved the lamp, and we both bent over the sheet of paper, which showed by its ragged edge that it had indeed been torn from a book. It was headed, ‘March 1869,’ and beneath were the following enigmatical notices:“4th, Hudson came. Same old platform“7th, Set the pips on McCauley, Paramore, and John Swain of St Augustine.“9th, McCauley cleared.“10th, John Swain cleared.“12th, Visited Paramore. All well.”
Motive:To retrieve KKK papers taken from the organization by Elias Openshaw before leaving Florida to return to England.
Timeline:1869 or 1870 Elias Openshaw returns to England.1878, John Openshaw at 12 years old first meets his uncle Elias.March 10, 1883, Elias Openshaw receives the 1st letter containing the five orange pips, and KKK letters, with a Pondicherry India postmark.May 2nd night, 1883, seven weeks after receiving the letter Elias Openshaw dies.Beginning 1884, John’s father Joseph comes to live at Horsham, Elias’ home.January 4th 1885, Joseph Openshaw receives the 2nd letter, containing the five orange pips, and KKK letters, with a Dundee postmark.January 7th 1885, Joseph Openshaw leaves to visit an old friend, Major Portsdown.January 9th 1885, three or four days after receiving the letter, Joseph Openshaw dies.September morning, latter days of 1887 (two years, eight months after Joseph’s death) John Openshaw receives the 3rd letter containing the five orange pips, and KKK letters, with a London-eastern division postmark.1st Day Thursday, September 29thThe following day after receiving the letter, John Openshaw speaks to Major Prendergast, who advises him to go to Holmes.Evening, John Openshaw comes to Baker St. to speak with Holmes.“It is not yet 9:00 p.m.” Holmes tells John Openshaw he’ll set to work on the case tomorrow. John leaves Baker St. for Waterloo Station and a train to Horsham. Holmes and Watson sit discussing and analyzing information they have.Between 9:00 & 10:00 p.m., John Openshaw is murdered; Police-constable Cook, of the H division, on duty near Waterloo Bridge, hears a cry for help and a splash in the water.2nd Day Friday, September 30thMorning, Holmes is up early having breakfast when Watson comes in. Holmes has a busy day in the city and out to Horsham later, looking into the case. As he is finishing Watson opens the newspaper and sees the article about John’s death. Holmes, depressed and shaken, leaves.All day, Watson “was engaged in my professional work, and it was late in the evening before returning to Baker Street.”Nearly 10:00 p.m. before Holmes returns to Baker St. looking pale and worn, after being out. He tells Watson, “I have them in the hollow of my hand. Young Openshaw shall not long remain unavenged.” Captain Calhoun and his two accomplices sail for Savannah before Holmes reaches them. Holmes sends a cable to inform the police in Savannah about their arrival.Waiting long for a reply. It came. The Lone Star never made port; it was lost in the storm, with all hands lost.Captain James Calhoun, and the barque Lone StarPorts and dates where Lone Star put into, and where the letters were mailed fromPondicherry in January or February 1883Dundee in January 1885Albert Dock, London, arrived last week. September 1887.Left by the early tide this morning, homeward bound to Savannah.
Story Conclusion:“There is ever a flaw, however, in the best laid of human plans, and the murderers of John Openshaw were never to receive the orange pips which would show them that another, as cunning and as resolute as themselves, was upon their track. Very long and very severe were the equinoctial gales that year. We waited long for news of the Lone Star of Savannah, but none ever reached us. We did at last hear that somewhere far out in the Atlantic, a shattered sternpost of a boat was seen swinging in the trough of a wave, with the letters L.S. carved upon it, and that is all which we shall ever know of the fate of the Lone Star.”
Weather:DAY 1, * The equinoctial gales had set in with exceptional violence. All day the wind had screamed and the wind had beaten against the windows.As evening drew in the storm grew higher and louder, and the wind cried and sobbed like a child in the chimney.DAY 2, * It had cleared in the morning, and the sun was shining with a subdued brightness.
Payment:None.
Quote:“Put the papers on the sun-dial.”Holmes“I have been beaten four times—three times by men, and once by a woman.”“It is true that I have been generally successful.”“I am the last court of appeals.”“We sat in silence for some minutes, Holmes more depressed and shaken than I had ever see him.”“That was surely the bell. Who could come to-night? Some friend of yours perhaps?” “Except for yourself I have none,” he answered. “I do not encourage visitors.”“It’s not so impossible, however, that a man should possess all knowledge which is likely to be useful to him in his work, and this, I have endeavored in my case to do. If I remember rightly, you on one occasion, in the early days of our friendship, defined my limits in a very precise fashion.”“Yes, yes,” I answered, laughing. “It was a singular document. Philosophy, astronomy, and politics were marked at zero, I remember. Botany variable, geology profound as regards to the mud-stains from any region within fifty miles of town, chemistry eccentric, astronomy unsystematic, sensational literature and crime records unique, violin-player, boxer, swordsman, lawyer, and self-poisoner by cocaine and tobacco. Those, I think, were the main points of my analysis.”Holmes grinned at the last item. “Well,” he said, “I say now, as I said then, that a man should keep his little brain- attic stocked with all the furniture that he is likely to use, and the rest he can put away in the lumber-room of his library, where he can get to it if he wants it.”“Tut tut,” cried Sherlock Holmes. “You must act, man, or you are lost. Nothing but energy can save you. This is no time for despair.”We sat in silence for some minutes, Holmes more depressed and shaken than I had ever seen him. “That hurts my pride, Watson,” he said at last. “It’s a petty feeling, no doubt, but it hurts my pride. It becomes a personal matter with me now, and, if god sends me health, I still set my hand upon this gang. That he should come to me for help, and that I should send him away to his death—!”“I have them in the hollow of my hand. Young Openshaw shall not long remain unavenged.”Crime and DeductionSherlock Holmes closed his eyes, and placed his elbows upon the arms of his chair, with his finger-tips together. “The ideal reasoner,” he remarked, “would when he has once been shown a single fact in all its bearings, deduce from it not only all the chain of events which led up to it, but also all the results which would follow from it. As Cuvier could correctly describe a whole animal by the contemplation of a single bone, so the observer who has thoroughly understood one link in a series of incidents, should be able to accurately state all the other ones, both before and after. We have not yet grasped the result which the reason alone can attain to. Problems may be solved in the study which have baffled all those who have sought a solution by the aid of their senses. To carry the art, however, to its highest pitch, it is necessary that the reasoner should be able to utilize all the facts which have come to his knowledge, and this in itself implies, as you will readily see, a possession of all knowledge, which, even in these days of free education and encyclopedias, is a somewhat rare accomplishment. It is not so impossible, however, that a man should possess all knowledge which is likely to be useful to him in his work, and this I have endeavored in my case to do. If I remember rightly, you on one occasion, in the early days of our friendship, defined my limits in a very precise fashion.”“I said then, that a man should keep his little brain attic stocked with all the furniture that he is likely to use, and the rest can be put away in the lumber room of his library, where he can get to it if he wants it.”“As Cuvier could correctly describe a whole animal by the contemplation of a single bone, so the observer who has thoroughly understood one link in a series of incidents should be able to accurately state all the other ones, both before and after.”
The Man With
The Twisted Lip
Publication & Dates:Strand, December 1891The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. (6th story) 1892Illustrations: Sidney Paget (10)Conan Doyle’s 8th storyHolmes’ 23rd case
Story Introduction:Isa Whitney, brother of the late Elias