(2) “Ichimai no Kippu” (A Ticket)
A wife was found dead on a railroad (Third condition, murder). A ticket was found under a rock near her (First condition, words). It was found that it was a suicide, and she wanted her husband treated as a murderer, because he betrayed her with a mistress (Second condition, sexual expression).
These two stories satisfy the conditions for “Conan Doyle Syndrome.” Should we now call it “Conan Doyle - Freeman - Edogawa Syndrome”? No, we cannot. “Conan Doyle Syndrome” is not a distinctive feature of Doyle. It is a common aspect of every work of detective fiction. At least, it does not need to be restricted to Conan Doyle’s work. You can find this symptom anywhere you want. It is a natural, normal thing, and it is not a “syndrome” or “disease.” Sherlock Holmes said “It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.” (SCAN). This would be a typical case of what Holmes warned against.
Bibliography:
1 Rosenberg, Samuel: Naked is the Best Disguise, Penguin Books, 1975.
2 Freeman, R Austin: Sondaiku Hakushi no Jikenbo (Casebook of Dr. Thorndyke), Sogensha, Tokyo 1977.
3 Freeman, R Austin: Dr. Thorndyke His Famous Cases, Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1929
4 Edogawa, Rampo: Shinri Shiken Shunyo-do, Tokyo 1925
(The New Baker Street Pillar Box No.33-34, 1999
& The Shoso-in Bulletin vol.13, 2003)
The Model of Sherlock Holmes
By Takata Gi-ichiro, MD
Translated and edited by Hirayama Yuichi
The translator’s comment:
Takata Gi-ichiro was a doctor who graduated from Kyoto Imperial University in 1912. His specialty was forensic medicine, and he became a professor at Chiba Medical College. He was also an earnest writer on medical subjects for the usual magazines.
This article translated below was published in Hanzaigaku Zasshi (The Magazine of Criminology), Vol.4, No.1, January 1931. It is not a magazine for everyone, but is of interest to scholars of criminology. Dr. Furuhata Tanemoto, the father of forensic medicine in Japan, also wrote articles for this magazine.
However, this article is out of place, and left the readers with many questions.
As you will find out, this article is not true. Conan Doyle was a medical student at Edinburgh University, and it was impossible for him to visit Eton, which is near Windsor. Bell’s first name was Joseph, not John, and he was not Doyle’s colleague or student, but his professor. The strangest point is that Takata said he found this article and translated it for readers. I cannot believe such an article was published abroad, as if written by Conan Doyle himself. I suspect it was an original story by Takata. If my guess is right, it is one of the earliest parodies of Sherlock Holmes. Several Sherlockian parodies had already been translated into Japanese at that time, but as far as I know, there were only five original Japanese parodies published before this article.
***
(Takata’s comments)
I was asked by the editor to write some comments on crime, but at the moment I do not have any particular opinions. However, I just found an interesting article which I now introduce for readers. It would be of interest to readers of this magazine that Arthur Conan Doyle, a mystery writer who died a short time ago, was also a doctor. In addition, it has a bearing on the study of criminology that Sherlock Holmes, the great detective who appeared in his novels, was modeled on a real person.
This article I produce below is by the late Conan Doyle, on the model for “Sherlock Holmes.”
***
When I was a student at medical school, I frequently visited Eton school to listen to lectures. One time, two days after my arrival at Eton, a case occurred.
Most students of Eton lodge in dormitories which have many rooms like hotels. One morning, a caretaker brought breakfast to Will Parett’s room, but there was no response to his knocking, and the door was locked. The caretaker reported it to a dormitory superintendent, and they broke through the door. Parett was dead on his bed, with a pistol in his hand. There was a paper with the words “Please do not ask any questions about my death. I commit suicide” on a table. There were no suspicious circumstances. The doctor who performed a post-mortem said the cause of death was a bullet in the chest. However, the pistol in his hand was fully loaded, with all six bullets in their chambers. The situation took on a new aspect, and Scotland Yard became involved.
Their investigation confirmed that nobody had entered or exited Parett’s room. All the windows and doors were closed and locked from the inside. There was no other way to exit from the room. But nothing was stolen, and there was no question that the farewell note was in Parett’s own hand. All the evidence pointed to a suicide, but it was impossible to accept that result, as the bullets of the pistol were not fired, and no other weapons were found. Furthermore, the bullet which had crashed through his chest and hit the wall was of a different caliber from the pistol in his hand! Investigation by the police was in vain; this case was wrapped in mystery.
One afternoon, I visited my friend Barnes’ room and was introduced to a friend of his, a student named John Bell. When we referred to the case of Parett, Barnes said, “I believe Bell can solve that mystery.” According to him, Bell was very interested in such mysteries and had solved some cases mathematically and logically before the police force, just by carefully reading newspaper reports.
As expected, Bell had already solved most of the Parett case, at that time.
Bell started to explain deliberately.
“I believe the Parett case would be solved in a short time, as it is so easy. I have been thinking on that matter, and I suppose I understand most of it. However, there are only a few facts I do not know. Barnes, did Parett have a girlfriend?” Bell suddenly asked. Barnes hesitated, but answered. “Yes, he did. His teacher’s daughter, Miss Mabel Firill.”
Two days later, we gathered again at tea time. The police had been totally incompetent. Barnes told us Mabel Firill had left for Africa suddenly that morning.
“I know the reason for her sudden departure.” Bell said. “I told her the Parett case would be solved soon.”
We were surprised to hear that, and Bell explained. “This case is basically simple. The result of investigation was, Parett did not commit suicide, but he was not killed by a villain as is shown by his last will, and the door was locked as well. It was certain there was a crime, and Parett was actually complicit in it. It might have meant Parett wanted the criminal who shot him to run away. Concerning the love affair, it is important. I did not know who she was, but the day before yesterday, you told me her name, Barnes. So, I met Miss Mabel yesterday. This proved my theory was right. Miss Mabel was deeply in love with Parett, but realized he was treating her coldly recently. On the night of Parett’s death, she visited him with her pistol. They had a quarrel, and Miss Mabel in jealousy and agony shot him. Wounded Parett realized it was fatal, and wanted to help the woman he loved. After her escape, he locked the door, wrote his will, and took hold of his pistol. But he had no more strength to shoot it, and fell down. That was the result, as we know.”
Later, it was revealed to be the truth.
I had the opportunity to be amazed by Bell’s splendid ability of investigation again and again. There are many cases which Bell helped the detectives of Scotland Yard to solve. I asked him to give me permission to write a novel modeled on him, and he accepted. By the way, concerning the name “Sherlock Holmes,” when we were walking in Piccadilly, Bell found this name on a poster at a music hall, and we took it for the detective.
(The Shoso-in Bulletin vol.13, 2003)
Sherlockiana in Japan, 2002-03
As Japan has slipped deeper into recession over the years, the number of members of the Japan Sherlock Holmes Club has declined. In its best days, there
were more than 1200, but it is now just over eight hundred.
There have been only a few publications on Sherlockiana, but SUZUKI Toshio’s SHERLOCK HOLMES THE CHRONOLOGY OF HIS ADVENTURES (privately printed) is the best of this year’s harvest. Suzuki compares famous chronologists’ theories, and shows his original ideas, creating his own new chronology of the Canon. Though it was printed privately, serious Sherlockian scholars should need a copy for their study. Regrettably, it was mostly written in Japanese, but it also has a simple summary in English, for each chapter. I hope I can introduce Suzuki’s fine works in English in the near future.
The Japanese translation of the Oxford edition of the Canon by Dr. KOBAYASHI and Mrs. HIGASHIYAMA was completed. Because of the expensive price, it is still not the most common edition of the Canon for Japanese Sherlockians, but it will be when paperback editions are available. In the translators’ afterwards, the two translators argue over a Freudian analysis of the Canon and Mary Doyle’s “affair” with Dr. Waller, but it is doubtful that such a theme was suitable for the translation’s afterwards. More discussion would is needed about this problem, but unfortunately there is no “Don Quixote” to challenge a former professor of psychology.
Rodger Garrick-Steele’s The House of the Baskervilles, one of the largest news items for Sherlockians all over the world, was published in Japan. (translated by SAGA Fuyumi, Nan-Undo, Tokyo, 2002) Its contents was reported as a news item in England and other countries. Most Sherlockians were surprised and angered by his claim that Conan Doyle stole the idea of The Hound Of The Baskervilles from Fletcher Robinson, and that Doyle and Mrs. Robinson later poisoned him, but the original manuscript has been never published in English. I do not know why this manuscript was only published in Japan, but I suppose SHIMADA Soji, supervising translator and one of the most famous mystery writers in Japan, was interested in this manuscript and recommended it to the publisher. Though Shimada wrote a Sherlockian parody in the past, it is doubtful he has much knowledge of Sherlockiana and Doyleana. There are too many elementary mistakes in this book. For example, Garrick-Steele says SOLI was published after HOUN. The author suggests Robinson’s short story, “The Tragedy of Thomas Hearne” is the original of HOUN, but there are no points of resemblance between these two works, except that they are staged in Dartmoor. This short story is included in The Chronicles Of Addington Peace and The Trail Of The Dead (B. Fletcher Robinson & J. Malcolm Fraser, The Battered Silicon Dispatch Box, Shelburne, 1998). This book is still available from the publisher, one of our members, Dr. George Vanderburgh.
There is no evidence about the “murder” of Fletcher Robinson by Doyle and Mrs. Robinson. Garrick-Steele insists, but I must judge it as just a fiction. It seems Mr. Shimada was also disappointed with this situation, but he says that Garrick-Steele is writing a second work, and he hopes there would be evidence of the murder in that one. But I do not think Garrick-Steele can provide any reliable evidence in the next volume, even if he can find a publisher. I’m now finished writing a review of this notorious book in English.
The Summer Convention of the Japan Sherlock Holmes Club was held (though it was not in summer) on November 2-3, 2002 in Nara, where the Shoso-in is. Ninety-eight members attended. The Spring Convention was held in Ryogoku, Tokyo, on March 21, 2003. It was the 50th convention of the JSHC. Ninety-seven members gathered, and the special guest speaker was Mr. ASHIBE Taku, a mystery writer who also wrote a Sherlockian pastiche. He made remarks on the aspect of “adventure” in the Canon. Another special presentation was a performance of “KODAN.” This is a traditional Japanese storytelling performance. Originally war stories were performed, but about one hundred years ago, there was a boom in telling mysteries. Mr. KYOKUDO Nanko, a Kodan storyteller, intends to revive the mysterious Kodans. On that day, he showed a new performance called The Speckled Band. It was about forty minutes of storytelling, and we were pleased to hear the story of the Master in our traditional style.
Nobody received The Sherlock Holmes Award of 2003, but the Encouragement Prize was presented to SUZUKI Toshio’s Sherlock Holmes: The Chronology of His Adventures.
(The Shoso-in Bulletin vol.13, 2003)
“The Illustrious Client”
“The Illustrious Client” (ILLU) is one of the cases in the Canon in which Sherlock Holmes was contracted by the British Royal family either directly or indirectly. It is widely believed the illustrious client represented by Colonel Damery was King Edward VII, the son of Queen Victoria, who had just succeeded to his mother’s throne. I also had no reason to question this well-known theory. However, the letter from the Bootmakers of Toronto announcing a special contest about discovering the identity of the illustrious client planted a small question in my mind. That is why I started to write this article.
First, I needed to check whether Edward VII was suitable for the illustrious client or not. According to Sherlockian chronologists, this adventure occurred on September 3 (the Canon, Baring-Gould, Christ, Dakin) or September 13 (Bell, Zeisler) or October 3 (Folsom, Hall), or just some day in September (Brend) 1902.
It is a well known fact that Edward VII’s coronation was scheduled on June 26, 1902, but it was postponed because of his sudden illness. He was finally crowned on August 9, 1902, at Westminster Abbey. Many kings, queens, princes and princesses gathered from all over Europe; in addition, many soldiers from British colonies all over the world attended the coronation parade. The great Imperial festival was concluded with the review of the Fleet in Portsmouth five days after the coronation, that is, August 14. According to Edward VII: His Life and Times by Sir Richard Holmes, “The King was not thoroughly convalescent at the Coronation, and he spent the month following the ceremony of the Royal yacht recruiting his health.” This means Edward VII left England with his yacht after August 14 for one month at least, and he did not return until September 14. As I stated above, there were so many guests that he might have left much later in order to hold parties for them. Anyway, Edward VII was not in England on September 3 or 13, dates proposed by many chronologists as the date of ILLU. In addition, even on October 3, the King would have just returned from his holiday trip, and would have had not had any time to hear General de Melville’s problem right before or after his coronation. My good friend the eminent Sherlockian scholar Mr. John Hall told me in our private communication that Colonel Damery could contact with the King by telegram, and he did not need to be in London. It’s possible the King ordered the Colonel to lend the precious dishes to Holmes by telegram. However, in the last scene of this story, Watson wrote “A brougham was waiting for him. He (Colonel Damery) sprang in, gave a hurried order to the cockaded coachman, and drove swiftly away. He flung his overcoat half out of the window to cover the armorial bearings upon the panel, but I had seen them in the glare of our fanlight none the less. I gasped with surprise.” Why did the Colonel get on such a coach? If it were the King’s coach, why did the King lent it to the Colonel? If he was alone, he could have chosen a hansom cab to conceal his identity. It would be too dangerous to use the King’s coach without it being necessary. If the King was on the sea, and the Colonel used the king’s coach without his permission, it would be a betrayal. The only possibility was that it was the “Illustrious client” himself in the coach. That is the simplest answer. But the King was on the sea. As a result, we must conclude that the “Illustrious client” was not King Edward.
It is an unexpected truth, but it is safe to say that there is only a slight possibility that King Edward VII was the illustrious client.
If not he, who was the illustrious client? There were several possibilities. At least, he was a member of the Royal family. Dr Watson would not have been amazed by just Dukes or Counts. He was over middle-age, as he knew Miss de Melville from her childhood. He had a good collection of Chinese pottery. He knew General de Melville well. These are the bits of evidence we can use to find him.
King Edward had three younger brothers. The oldest one
was Alfred Ernest Albert, Duke of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1844-1900). He was already dead when ILLU occurred in 1902, and there is no possibility that it was him, though he was a collector of glass and ceramic ware. The youngest brother, Leopold George Duncan Albert, Duke of Albany (1853-1884) also died long before the case.
The last possibility was Arthur William Patrick Albert, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (1850-1942). He was the only brother of Edward VII alive when ILLU occurred. He joined the Royal Military College in his youth, and served as an army soldier throughout his life. He was promoted to the Field Marshall in 1902. He also served in India (1886-1890). He visited Japan with his wife privately when he was the Governor of India. He might have had a connection with General de Melville during his service in India or at some other place. It is possible he first met Miss de Melville in the community of Indian British army officers. He was fifty-two years old in 1902, long enough for an “old friend, one who has known the General intimately for many years and taken a paternal interest in this young girl since she wore short frocks.” He was the only child of Queen Victoria who did not give her any trouble and was the favorite son. This would mean he was a gentle and reliable person.
Later, the Duke became the Governor General of Canada (1911-16) and many Canadian places are named after him. He is one of the most popular sons of Queen Victoria in Canada. It was a joy for me to find a Japanese and Canadian connection with my “Illustrious Client,” as I started my research motivated by the Canadian competition.
In addition, concerning my country, his son Arthur Frederick Patrick Albert (1883-1938) also visited Japan in 1906 to make Emperor Meiji a knight of the Garter, in 1912 to attend the funeral ceremony of Emperor Meiji, and in 1918 to present the title of Field Marshal to Emperor Taisho.
East Wind Coming Page 12
