The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1894-03-07
THE ORIGINAL SHERLOCK HOLMES.
lie Speaks of the Significance of Trifles In
Detective Work.

lie Speaks of the Significance of Trifles In
Detective Work.
Sherlock Holmes, the detective who fig
ures in many of Conan Doyle's short stories,
is probably one of the most popular charac-
tiers in contemporaneous fiction. 1t will
therefore interest the reading public to
know that this fascinating character was
drawn from life and that the original still
lives. His name is DR.. Joseph Bell, and he
is lecturer on medical jurisprudence at
Edinburgh university, where Conan Doyle
was once one of his students
In discussing his own career with Pail
Mall Budget reporter recently DR.. Bell said:
For 20 years or more have been engaged
in the practice of medical jurisprudence on
behalf of the crown, but there is little can
tell you about it, for, after all, any deduc-
tions and differences and SO on which
have been the means Of placing at the dis
posal of the authorities are simple and COM
monplace
1.-THE only credit can take to myself is
that appertaining to the circumstance that
| always impressed over and over again
upon all my scholars-Conan Doyle among
them-the vast Importance Of little distinc-
tions, the endless significance of the trifes.
The great majority of people, of incidents
and of cases resemble each other in the main
and larger features. For instance, most
men have a head two arms, a nose,
mouth and a certain number of teeth. 1t
is the little differences, in themselves trifes,
such as the droop of an eyelid or what not,
which differentiate men,"
"Will you give me an instance of the
manner in which you note these all i'm
portant trifes?"
This one struck me as funny at the
time. A man walked into the room where
was instructing the students, and his case
seemed to be very simple one. l was talk
ing about what was wrong with him. of
course, gentlemen, happened to say, he
has been soldier in highland regiment
and probably bandsman.' l pointed out
the swagger in his walk, suggestive of the
piper, while his shortness told me that if
he had been a soldier it was probably as a
bandsman In fact, he had the whole APP
pearance of a man in one of the highland
regiments. The man turned out to be moth
ing but a shoemaker and said he had never
been in the army in his life. This was
rather a floorer but being absolutely Ger
tain | was right and seeing that something
was up l did pretty cool thing. told
two of the strongest clerks, or dressers, to
remove the man to side room. went and
had him stripped, and under the left breast
instantly detected a little blue 'D' brand
ed on his skin. He was deserter. OF
course the reason Of his evasion was at once
clear.
II always regarded Conan Doyle as one
of the best students I ever had. He was
exceedingly interested always ID anything
connected with diagnosis and was never
tired of trying to discover all those little de-
tails which one looks for. l recollect he
was. amused once when patient walked in
and sat down.
"'Good morning, Pat l said, for it was
impossible not to see that he was an Irish
man. Good morning, your honor replied
the patient Did you like your walk over
the links today as you came in from the
south side of the town. asked Yes
said Pat. Did your honor see me?' Well,
Conan Doyle could not see how knew
that, absurdly simple as it was. On
showery day, such as that had been, the
reddish clay at bare parts of the links ad-