Weekly letters provide clues to help us build a theory of the case.
Holmes's solution will be shared at the February 9 Supper Sleuths meeting, then emailed to participants February 10.
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(Note: the photo of the letter is followed by its text.)
It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data.
Sherlock Holmes
JANUARY LETTER NO. 2
Text of the Letter from William Fallon, President of Lavenham Bank & Co., to Sherlock Holmes
Lavenham Bank & Co.
July 17,1901
Dear Mr. Holmes:
I must apologize if my recent letter caused any additional degree of confusion. I wrote to you on 12 July referencing a previous letter; an introduction of sorts. You might imagine my mortification at finding that very letter still folded away in my bureau, just yesterday morning.
Nonetheless, I do hope you'll forgive my discomposure, and I certainly appreciate your rapid reponse. I willingly admit that in far too many areas I was vague to a fault.
I have tried to rectify my shortcomings by following all of your suggestions to the letter, and as a result, I believe I have come across some information that may at least shed some light on the activities of this Beddoes fellow. I know the knowledge I have acquired has done little for me; still, I harbour a hope that you may find illumination where I perceive only darkness.
As you suggested, I quietly advised my staff at the bank that henceforth they were to bring all transactions in excess of 100 pounds to my attention. I explained that it was a new policy that had been implemented in an effort to modernise our bookkeeping and thus make balancing our ledgers at the end of the year significantly easier.
While none of my staff members raised any concerns about the change, they did bring five different customers to my attention over the next few days. Three of them would not explain why they were withdrawing the funds, which is certainly their prerogative. However, in casual conversation, I managed to elicit from two others that they planned to invest in a secret business venture with Mr. Beddoes. Both seemed assured of large returns upon their investments, but I could not ascertain more than that, nor did I wish to push my luck and possibly arouse their suspicions. I was also afraid that my queries might find their way back to Beddoes.
That being said, when you add those two clients to the others who spoke to me earlier, that makes at least four people who Beddoes has sought out as possible investors.
I fear the number may be larger as well, as not everyone in town avails themselves of my bank's services. I am at a total loss as to what type of business he might be setting up, nor can I explain why he is offering to let people he has known but a few months invest freely. Surely, he must have professional contacts who would be willing to back his venture, whatever it may be. Equally odd (at least from a banker's point of view), is the fact that all of these transactions involve cash rather than cheques or letters of credit. Lavenham Bank and Co. has always prided itself in a sterling reputation and exceedingly loyal patrons, so this sudden rash of large withdrawals worries me. Simply put, our small bank, reputable as it may be, is struggling after such a number of transactions. I'm thankful Mr. Beddoes opened an account with us, however, his savings account has gone entirely untouched, and the fellow seems to be convincing every passerby to withdraw funds from my institution.
Again, I cannot point to anything in particular, but this whole endeavour continues to strike me as rather peculiar.
I have investigated as much as I could without drawing attention, but I can't seem to uncover anything substantial. I know that Beddoes has contracted to have some renovations carried out at the manor house, and that he has also had a new outbuilding constructed, which he tells the workers he plans to use as a laboratory. All of this, I might add, was excellent news for the local tradesmen who received contracts for the work.
Beddoes has also been having standard wooden boards delivered from the local lumber yard to the tract for some time, alongside a number of enormous wooden posts. On the pretense of some bank business, I had occasion to visit Beddoes' home recently, and sure enough, work was being performed. I could see the obvious renovations and a new outbuilding, though nearly all of the larger timbers I mentioned were simply being stored in a corner. I can't imagine what the posts - nearly 8 feet tall - might be used for. Perhaps an outer structure yet to be constructed.
I did attempt to have a brief conversation with Beddoes before returning to the village, but the man was in a rush to meet "important associates." Still, I quickly mentioned my hopes of coaxing him into opening a chequing account with Lavenham Bank, and was able to briefly explain our bank's credit services. I reminded Beddoes that, as a man of scientific research, he might do well to enquire about letters of credit, as a strong reputation can make all the difference to potential investors. Though he seemed hardly interested, he was admittedly polite in spite of his rush.
Leaving the former Dowling manor, I also realized that despite everyone's repeated contact with Mr. Beddoes, no one from the village seemed to have been able to ascertain exactly what branch of science he intended to pursue in his laboratory.
Thankfully, Lavenham's postmaster and I are on rather favorable terms, and your second task proved more informative, so we've at least been able to verify that he is receiving shipments of scientific equipment. While some test tubes, a Bunsen burner, and beakers have arrived via the post, to the best of my knowledge, nobody has seen any more telling apparatus arrive. Or if they have, they have remained closemouthed about it.
Moreover, since the outbuilding has been finished, no one except Beddoes and his own associates appears to have been inside. Again, when I visited, our business was conducted in a matter or minutes.
As for the second task that you assigned me, I was determined to succeed, so one evening, I made my way back to The Bottomless Barrel. I found Mr. Beddoes holding court with a few local businessmen and I joined the conversation, which grew somewhat less animated upon my arrival. I found this a bit disconcerting, but still, they insisted my arrival was quite timely. Beddoes taunted the others for talking business at the pub, and perhaps an hour later, he and I were the last men in the public house. Unfortunately, I am still unsure of what they had been discussing, but I stood him a nightcap, and as we sipped our drinks, I was finally able to ask him your question. He confessed that he had not seen that day's Times, and not a moment later, asked why I had enquired.
I informed him that there had been an interesting story about a William Rontgen who might be a contender for the newly established Nobel Prize in Physics. The name did not seem to register with him in the least. After an awkward silence, I added, "Perhaps someday we will be reading about you winning such an award." He dismissed that as a rather fanciful notion on my part, confiding that he was, as he put it, "simply a humble geologist." However, he also mentioned that he had several other "side interests," as he called them. He did not elaborate.
At the very least, we can now presume the man is studying geology, but to the best of my knowledge, which I admit is quite limited, there is little to attract a geologist to these parts. There are two sandy districts in the east and west of the county, but aside from that, most of the soil in Lavenham is essentially clay. I cannot imagine what a geologist might seek here.
Given the size of the tract Beddoes purchased and its many forested sections, I should not be at all surprised if he were planning to erect a mill of some sort and perhaps capitalise on that aspect of the land. Although I do hope that he is not planning to decimate the forest. The natural beauty that surrounds our village is one of its principal attractions. In my youth, I spent many hours wandering through the woodlands, and while I understand there is always a demand for timber, we must always have areas of natural beauty - that are protected and preserved from development.
Just between us, I should also disclose that I was actually hoping to purchase a portion of the tract once the Dowling family finally settled its disputes. I breached the idea to Beddoes, and though he said he would consider it, he would not commit to anything for the foreseeable future. This did greatly disappoint me, as I was working to negotiate the details of such a purchase with the members of the Dowling family before they apparently decided to sell the land altogether. The late Lord Downling's children, by his first marriage, are averse to dividing the land equally with his stepchildren; a dispute which has made any offers concerning the tract all the more unwieldy. Still, I was hopeful.
Apart from this I have but one remaining noteworthy detail. It concerns a new rumour of sorts. The postmaster, who told me about the equipment purchases, has been unusually giddy as of late. He seems to be convinced that this Beddoes fellow, based on recent orders, has some sort of gala celebration planned for the village. I think my dear friend is perhaps a bit too excitable, as he also seems to be enthralled by the recent rumours of lost treasure; however, Beddoes has seemingly been receiving numbers of large fireworks from a London purveyor. Perhaps he hopes to formally announce his venture with a surprise event?
In any case, I hope you find this information useful, Mr. Holmes. I shall continue to make discreet enquiries into any and all possible business ventures which Beddoes has offered my bank's patrons. However, both he and my fellow villagers are being quite tight-lipped about the affair, and I worry I'll further imperil my bank's reputation and clientele.
I am not certain whether this circumspection speaks well of the investors or bodes ill for all involved, but, I can say with certainty that several of the people investing with Beddoes are risking their life's savings. Perhaps I am merely being overcautious, but I cannot ignore the feeling that something is amiss in my village.
Sincerely,
William Fallon, President
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