The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-07-05

concentrate my attention upon my
chemical researches. But I could not
rest, Watson, I could not sit quiet in
my chair, if I thought that such
man as Professor Moriarty were walk
ing the streets of London unchal-
lenged.'
s'What has he done, then9'
ellis career has been an extraordi-
nary one. He is man of good birth
and excellent education, endowed by
nature with a phenomenal mathemat-
ical faculty. At the age of twenty one
he wrote treatise upon the Binomial
Theorem which has had a European
vogue. On the strength of it he won
the mathematical chair at one OF our
smaller universities, and had, to all
appearances, most brilliant career be-
fore him. But the man had hereditary
tendencies of the most diabolical kind.
A criminal strain ran in his blood,
which, instead of being modified, was
increased and rendered infinitely more
dangerous by his extraordinary mental
powers. Dark rumors gathered round
him in the university town, and eventu-
ally he was compelled to resign his
chair and to come down to London,
where he set up as an army coach. 80
much is known to the world, but what
I am telling you now is what l have
myself discovered.
Gas you are aware, Watson, there
is no one who knows the higher crimi-
nal world Of London so well as do.
For years past have continually been
conscious Of some power behind the
| malefactor, some deep organizing power
| which forever stands in the way OF
the law that throws it's shield over the
wrongdoer. Again and again in cases
of the most varying sorts-forgery
cases, robberies, murders-I have felt
the presence Of this force, and have
deduced it's action in many of those
undiscovered crimes in which l have
not been personally consulted. For
wears I have endeavored to break
thru the veil which shrouded it.,
and at last the time came when
I seized my thread and followed
it, until it> led me, after thou
sand cunning windings, to ex-Professor
Moriarty of mathematical celebrity.
"He is the Napoleon of crime, Wat
son.. He is the organizer of half that IS
evil and of nearly all that is undetected
in this great city. He is genius. a
philosopher, an abstract thinker. He
has a brain of the first order. He sits
motionless, like spider in the center
of it's web, but that web has thousand
iradiations, and he knows well every
culver of each Of them. He does little
himself. He only plans. But his agents
are numerous and splendidly organized.
Is there crime to be done, a paper to
be distracted, we will say, house to
be rifed, a man to be removed-the
word is passed to the professor, the
matter.is organized and carried out. The
agent may be caught. In that case
money is found for his bail or his de-
tense. But the central power which
uses the agent is never caught-never
so much as suspected. This was the
organization which I deduced, Watson
and which I devoted my whole energy
to exposing and breaking up.
"But the professor was fenced round
with safeguards so cunningly devised
that, do what I would, it seemed impos-
sible to get evidence which would con-
Wet in court Of law. You know my
powers, my dear Watson, and yet at
, the end of three months I was forced
to confess that I had at last met an an
: togonist who was my intellectual equal
Ny horror at his crimes was lost in my
admiration at his skill. But at last he
made trip-only a little, little trip
but it was more than he could afford
g when I was so close upon him. I had
my chance, and, starting from that
point, I have woven my net round him
until now it is all ready to close. In
. three days-that is to say, on Monday
next-matters will be ripe, and the pro
= fessor, with all the principal members
the police. Then will come the greatest
? criminal trial Of the century, the clear
ing up Of over forty mysteries, and the
rope for all Of them; but if we move al
all prematurely, you understand, they
may slip out of our hands even at the
/, last moment.
z, "Now, if could have done this with
k out the knowledge of Professor Mortar
ty, all would have been well. But h,
was too willy for that. He saw ever,
step which I took to draw my toll
round him. Again and again he strov,
e to break away, but as often headel
y him off. I tell you, my friend, that if
. detailed account Of that silent contes
could be written, it would take it's plac
q as the most brilliant bit Of thrust-and
parry work in the history of detection
n Never have I risen to such height
o and never have 1 been so hard presse,
g by an opponent. He cut deep, and We
1t I Just undercut him. This morning tn
l. last steps were taken, and three day
$, only were wanted to complete the bust
u ness. was sitting in my room think
( ing the matter over, when the doc
opened and Professor Moriarty stoo
= before me.
My nerves are fairly proof, Watson
,e but must confess to start when
,e saw the very man who had been s
Is much in my thoughts standing there 0
M my threshold. His appearance was quit
e. familiar to me. He is extremely tall an
IS, thin, his forehead domes out in whit
I curve, and his two eyes are deepl
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