The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-01-26
DIR. CONAN DOYLE.
Where and How He Lives, and His
Latest Literary Venture.

London Daily Mail
In the intervals Of cricket matches, golf
works at a house picturesquely situated at
the top of Hindhead, a house which, being
a Scotsman. he likes to remember is
almost high Arthur's Seat at Edin-
burgh. For the last few months DR.. Doyle
has been busy with the revised edition OF
The Great Boer War" and I'm collecting
materials for writing his categorical reply
to the charges made both by foreign and
English pro-Boers against our soldiers and
statesmen in connection with events In
DIR. Doyle has examined every specific
charge. and has ben able. from various
sources of information, to gather sufficient
evidence, in his opinion, TO completely meet
each one. His pamphlet will consist OF
nor the publishers. Messrs. Smith Elder.
propose 10 make any profit from its issue.
II will be sold to the trade at the bare cost
and the retail price being sixpence, the
margin Of profit will be sufficient 10 make
il worth the while of the bookseller TO push
its sale.
Every public man and every newspaper
in the country will receive a copy. DR..
Doyle has arranged for it's translation into
five European languages. and il is his in
tention to send a copy to every deputy.
statesman and newspaper editor. He has
given the American rights TO the Mcclure
Company, on the condition that they do the
same thing in the United States. II is
hoped in this way that the English reply 10
the charges or brutality VIII reach tne
hands Of every responsible person who has
repeated or believed them.
DR.. Conan Doyle has written twenty-five
novels. He is purposing shortly TO issue a
complete edition, leaving out all work he
considers immature. which will reduce the
number TO fifteen volumes. He commenced
story writing when he was eighteen. and
continued contributing TO maya zines Of the
caliber Of tho Cornhill and Temple Bar
for ten years. working all the time at the
profession of medicine. Most OF this early
work appeared anonymously. and Or.
Doyle remembers that the late George
Augustus Sala. referring 10 "A story OF his
that Mr.. James Payne had printed In Corn
hill, said that. although the authors name
was not attached TO ii, the practiced novel
reader would at once recognize the hand OF
Robert Louis Stevenson.
His first book was "A Study in Scarlet"
and this was followed by Micah Clarke"
one Of the earliest Of the long series OF his
tOrical novels that have been turned out in
recent years, and THE Firm OF Girdle-
stone" Sherlock Holmes as most people
know, was suggested 10 DR.. Doyle by DR..
Joseph Bell. under whom the novelist stud
led in Edinburgh, and who had acquired
an extraordinary deductive power. When
the great detective OF fiction was killed by
his creator he received a letter from an
indignant old lady. commencing. You
least" but the early adventures one OF
which is now being told IN a monthly mag
aZine, will doubtless be added 10 from time
In six-shilling form. The White Com
/ pany," an admirable novel OF adventure,
/ written simply and naturally has had the
| greatest success OF Or. Doyle's novels
| Though l5OO0O copies Of the six-penny edi-
| ton of sherlock Holmes were sod In al
/ most record time. and the numbers We're
| not increased in order not 10 initiate
| against the sale in more expensive form.
| The two books in which the author has
| put most OF his essential SELF are a
! Duet" and THE Stark Munro Letters" the
! latter and Round the Red Lamp" being
| the only medical stories he has Yet written.
| Besides novels. DR. Conan Doyle has writ
| ten two plays. Halves" produced i'm iSq9
! at the Garrick. and "A Story OF Waterloo"
| which Is a regular item in Sir Henry
! Irvings repertory. and one volume OF
poems.
! Dr. Conan Doyle was born In 1855. and Is
! a tall heavily-built man. whose open-air
/ life is evidt need in his face. He may per
haps be best described as typicalN British
and his point OF view NAV be gathered
from his remark that ''literature TO be
| really virie must breathe the spirit OF the
| nation in whose language Il Is written p"
Before devoting himself entirely 20 writing
| Dr. Doyle had been a ships doctor. a mil
! itary doctor a general practitioner IN both
] town and country. and a Wimpole-street
! specialist. Like Mr.. p T. Buiien. he has
/ also served on a whaler Being asked In
/ a recent conversation about his future
I work. ne said. Il hope 70 goodness no ideas
, viii occur 20 me for months 10 come, but
they probably WILL"