Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-06-21
The Adventure Of
the Six Napoleons
Nos of the Series

I Sherlock Holmes and walked to-
neither to the High street, where we
btopped at the shop of Harding Bros,
whence the bust had been purchased.
IA young assistant informed us that
Mr.. Harding would be absent until
inter noon and that he was himself
d newcomer who could give us no in
formation. Holmes face showed his
disappointment and annoyance.
81 tWell, well, we can't expect to have
It all our own way, Watson" BE- said at
last. 1--WE must come back III the aft
ernoon, If Mr.. Harding will not be here
until then. am, as you have no doubt
surmised, endeavoring to trace these
busts to their source in order to find II
there is not something peculiar which
may account for their remarkable fate.
Let us make for MI. Morse Hudson of
khe Remington road and see If he can
throw any light upon the problem
A drive of an hour brought us to the
picture dealers establishment. He was
i small, stout man, with red face and
D peppery manner.
eyes, sir. On my very counter, sir,
Eaid he. ''Wh:t we pay rates and
taxes for don't know, when any ruff
dan can come in and break ones
goods. Yes, sir, it was l who sold Or.
Barnicot his two statues. Disgraceful,
Sir! A nihilist plot-that's what l
make it. No one but an anarchist
would 60 about breaking statues. Red
fepublicans-that's what call 'em.
Who did get the statues from? l
don't see what that has to do with it.
We'll, If you really want to know, I
Tot them from Gelder & Co, in Church
street, Stepney. They are a well
known house in the trade and have
been this twenty years. How many
had I? Three-two and one are three
two Of DR.. Barnicot's and one smash
ed in broad daylight on my own count
er. Do l know that photograph? No,
4 don't. Yes, I do, though. Why, it's
Beppo. EIe was kind of Italian piece
work mar, who made himself useful IN
the shop He could carve bit and
gild and frame and do odd Jobs. The
Fellow left me last week, and I've
heard nothing Of him since. No,
don't know where he came from nor
where he went to. had nothing
against him while he was here He
was gone two days before the bust was
smashed
i .sWell, that's all we could reasonably
expect from Morse Hudson" said
Holmes as we emerged from the shop.
1--WE have this Beppo as common
factor, both in Remington and in Ken
eington, SO that is worth ten mile
drive. Now, Watson, let US make for
Gelder Il Co. Of Stepney, the source
and origin Of the busts. shall be sur
prised IL we don't get some help down
there.
In rapid succession we passed
through the fringe Of fashionable Lon
don. hotel London. theatrical London.
literary London, commercial London,
and, finally, maritime London. till we
came to riverside city Of 100000
souls, where the tenement houses swell
ter and reek with the outcasts Of Eu-
rope. Here, In broad thoroughfare.
once the. abode Of wealthy city mer-
chants, we found the sculpture works
Tor which we searched Outside was a
considerable yard full OF monumental
masonry. Inside was a large room In
which fifty workers were carving or
molding. The manager, a big blond
German, received US civilly and gave
a clear answer to all Holmes ques-
lions. A reference to his books showed
that hundreds Of casts had been taken
from marble copy Of Deyine's head Of
Napoleon, but that the three which had
been sent to Morse Hudson year or
so before had been half Of a batch OF
six, the other three being sent to Hard
ing Bros. of Kensington: There was no
reason why those six should be differ
ent from any Of the other casts. He
could suggest no possible cause why
any one should wish to. destroy them
IN fact. he laughed at the idea. Their
wholesale price was shillings but the
retailer would get IL or more. The
cast was taken in two molds from
each side Of the face, and then these
two prcfiles Of plaster of paris were
3oined together to make the complete
bust. The work was usually done by
italians in the room we were in. When
finished the busts We're put on table
In the passage to dry and afterward
stored. That was all he could tell u.s.
But the production Of the photograph
had remarkable effect upon the man
ager. His face flushed with anger, and
his bro,ws knotted over his blue leu
tonic eyes.
".Ah. the rascalr' he cried. Eyes. IN
deed, know him very WELL This has
always been a respectable establish
ment, and the only time that we have
ever had the Police in it was over this
very fellow. 1t Yves more than year
ago now. He knitted another Italian in
the street, and then he came to the
works with the police on his heels, and
he was taken here. Beppo was his
name-his second name never knew.
Served me right for engaging man
with such face. But he was good
workman-one Of the best"
what did he get?"
1.-THE man lived, and he got off with
year. l have no doubt he is out now,
but he has not dared to show his nose
here. We have cousin of his here,
and dare say he could tell you where
he is"