The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-12-09
OLD SHERLOCK. HOLMES.
INA UTRORIZED EXTRACT FROM TIE
DIARY or DR. WILSON.
What tho syr... Detective Saw I'm New York
Tricks With trsss wa Gu an
Automatic Carpet Bag

be In the line with the most popular
detective fiction. | should. IN iact' nav
killed him several times In the course
of each OF the adventures Whicn IL pas
been my privilege 10 chronicle. On the
contrary, 1t has been my aim 10 as,
tInguish these records from fiction, ana
TO convince the reader that they are
az near the actual truth as anyhlhB
founded on a married mans diary can
be. Therefore. while making a shSht
concession TO the general preJudlce py
Injecting fatal does OF cocaine into
Holmes on every possible occasion, l
have permitted him to die only once.
My gifted friend Is an Old man now:
His lofty forehead extends all the way
around TO his shirt collar behind ms
few remaining teeth are tied in with
string; but his eve Is as brlsht as ever
and, with the aid OF little extra CO.
caine. he can still see things which are
not present. with this brief introduce
ton / will proceed TO relate a series OF
incidents not intended to form a connect
ed narrative but simply to th nSNysn ns9'
as it has developed in these later years
TIE WONDERFUL SHERLOCK.
Referring TO my diary ] find that 1t
was in the fall OF 1918 Holmes, by we
continued exercise OF his rare inteliec-
tual faculties, bad renamed pdcnelo.'
He had the old rooms In BAKER street;
where the landlord, being quite dear. dlu
not object to Holmes performances upon
the violin. It was late In the evening
and | was doing before my stove When
a ring at the bell called me to the door'
"Ab. INV dear Watson" he said, "can
intrude upon your leisure Tor a lie"
minutes| ,,-,,.,-,o,s
poIiteness that his company was Deltei
than none at all. IT,, Ao.o ,,o,,, -,
$50 you've been smoking. have you
he said as he seated himself In my Once.
'My dear fellow" | cried, now Is II
- n know
III is perfectly simple" he replied;
there Is a strong odor of tobacco, in
the air. Now, as ! happen to know oIS tn art
YOU and Mrs. Watson are the only per
sons In the house what foffowst IL rs
true that your stove smokes. but II does
not smoke tobacco. So you see that,
though seemingly complex the prooieh
go To be sure it is" ! reioined, quite
"Ah, my boy" he said, Il fear that
| make a mistake in giving explanations.
They destroy the magic Of the thing,
But they fiji space and, nj guinea a
word, that is worth considering. ara ara
now to the point. Can you go TO Ne"
w WHY C Certainly" I FASTENED to say.
NV neighbor. the doctor, is as accom-
modating IA ever. He Will take III! prac-
tice for a few months ana my patienus
yUiIl not be much worse of than they are
now. When shall we sailf And what Is
the case"
MISSION TO AMERIcA.
I'VE shall sail at once" he SAID. ana
as for the case, II concerns the society
for the Encouragement OF Thieves.
PERHAPS not, / am its president and
in fact its only member at present.
have been unable TO ma ANYBODY else
who could be admitted without decTeds-
ing by one the number OF persons "hoH
the society is organized to discourage
That. of course, would not De ueSlI-
"And you intend to admit me?'
"My dear Watson, when you give up
the regular practice OF your profession
we will consider that question. Mih YOU
come with me to New York; There
expect to find thieves VINO really h he,i
ing things all their own way Tor ouO
years, since the Island of Manhattan was
stolen from the Indians.
"ITI be ready in two minutes, sald l.
Let me mention to my wife that I'm
going. She never objects, you know III
fact a reader Of these chronicles once
suggested that she seemed anxious 10
get rid of me-
uneventful, except that it served TO lnlt-
ate me into the workings of the society.
It's purpose as Holmes admitted, was
almost purely amusement lie had aIiias-
sed an enormous fortune by his PROBES
sion and was no longer compelled 10 40
detective work for pay. His services 10
the Prince Of Wales-chronicled IN Inc
adventures OF the Thin-Edged Deal
Rox"-put him in "A position of independ-
ence before the close OF the iaSt cen
tury. He now turns his vast talent 70
the benefcent task OF naklhs ne w W.
comfortable for thieves, through tne
medium Of simple tricks devised by MS
powerful imagination. Holmes handies
pack of cards In a way 10 make the
king of diamonds wink his other eye
and ne discouraged a large number oil
thieves around the card tables IN me
| smoking room before we reached New
York.
THE TRICK WATCH.
Our first considerable adventure in the
metropoHs of the New World occurred
on a Fourth avenue car on the tnlru ,r uay
niafform as the car bowled along. SUD
denly Holmes touched my elbow with
an imptrcepuble. gesture, ..,. .,o
lyon observe" he said, the gentle
man IN checked pantaloons waiting Al
tbe next crossing He will board the
car and will stand with us on the plat
form" --..;e., .,,,,t,or
those words than the man whom he
had indicated raised his hand ana sig
nailed to the driver to stop the car
Holmes. this is marvellous ! wits
pered; How dtd you know that he
o'Tbe fellow is a thief" replied Holmes.
ANYBODY could deduce that from the m
vious fact that he has got along Well
in New York. His attire told me mat
Seeing that he was thief ] took this
here he showed me a large and handsome
watch-from my pocket, while the man
had his eye upon us. lie VIII board inc
car with the intention Of taking it,"
Hc,-aes wound the watch in an os-
tentafjous manner and replaced IT IN
his waistcoat pocket He then stared
nm AT the top of the buildings / kept
NV eve on the stranger and in Few
minutes had the pleasure OF seeing him
deftIv abstract the watch from Holmes
pocket No sooner had he taken 1t than
a bell inside of il began TO ring with
noise like fifty alarm CLOCKS. ! re man
was SO startled that he forgot to put
the watch into his pocket. he stood and
etared AZ IT, Whereupon the watchs
case parted and the works fell out. They
consisted of a large steel spring ana
hell such as is used on alarm clocks.
The watch Is made OF brass, SAID
Holmes, as we gathered up the remains
OF the thief from the platform. 1T is a
very simple device. but somewhat sur
prising in it's action. | do not wonder
that the shock has proved too much
for out friend here, Let us hope that
when ne RECEIVERS, he will see cause to
adopt better mode of lie.'
POSING AS RAYsERDs.
II may we'll be imagined that after
this amusing incident / kept close TO
Holmes during all his rambles through
the city. We were frequently disguised
as visitors from the rural districts. on
such occasions Holmes was always pro-
vded with a large, black leather pocket
book, which protruded conspicuously
from the side pocket Of his coat, a stout
elastic band was fastened 10 II. and the
otNer end OF the band was secured 10 a
strong belt around Holmes waist. Moth