DEATH OF "SHERLOCK HOLMES."

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15301, 15 November 1911, Page 2

DEATH OF "SHERLOCK HOLMES."

ORIGINAL OF THE GREAT DE- . TECTIVE, / .

IFBOH OOBOWN CORHttJOKDOIt) • ;; - ' LONDON,- October 7. " Dr Joseph Bel!,- who is reputed' to be the .original 'of Sir' A. Coiiah Doyle's " Sherlock Hohnes," died this week in Midlothian. He .was born in 1837, and came of a family .which for tireo. generations had been distinguished in surgery. For 25 yeara he was surgeon at the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, and:, Sir A. C. Doyle, then a' young man, was one of his 6tudontß. It'was' at 'this. period .that ,tho novelist came * under' ••the ence, and it was doubtless largely due to tho impression'which tho famous Burgeon's wonderful powers of intuition'and' deduction made on the young student that' lie eventually abandoned tho «alDel for. the pen. ' " . With r«gard 'lo.old i rounding, the personality, of ."Sherlock Holmes '.'.' it is interesting to recoil that when RobertLouis.Stevenson, in Samoa, read the first of tho famous detective stories ho at once wrote 'to Sir-A. C: Doyle and asked him if he-had not taken Dr llell for the central figurb. .Sfovetison himself'had otudicd undflr'Dr Bell; and at orce recognised his old tt profeßsor;'. Dr Joseph Bell, was an interasting per-' sonality, and. is he traversed the streets of Edinburgh. wit,h .limping gsjt, alert, manner, atyl Kindly', clean-shaven face,, tho. passing citizens would nudge each'oj her and, .'.VThat is Dr.• Joeepli tfelL" In tho profession'he was furillarily 'And" affectionately known', by the siroplt title] 'of "Joe Bell."' • •* • •

Many'storks are told of his wonderful powers/of'' observation and analytical reasoning. "For imsLnnre, he could .tell froih 'the mud on a' patient's boots tjip, part of the'.,city or country no : had, come .from. \Vhen giving gratu-. itous advioo,'to outdoor patients-at tho Edinburgh Royal Jnfinnary. ho was fbnd of-mystifying thorn by givng tl>ern"]itil<S intimate tit-bits regarding their- occupfcHon or past lives."- " I he would observo slyly a patient, ,',' you are -Suffering froih',diihk you even carry , a, flask in the inside breast pucket of.your .coat. Throw.it awayi'\ To another.he ; would n9.nchalantly...,re-, mark : "Cobbler,.-1 ;*oe,"-having quickly observed ■ the/ mark where - the lapstono had_ worn th«) man's trousers. ■ To on anxious roothor ho would quietly observe: "Yourfirst child, my good woman."; The mystified,' simple 1 soiil wonderingly replying,' m;he had foreseen; in the aitirmt tiye. .Sbe wouW ' away/, s^ill_ rpajtvel; ling at tlie'intuition of tho great syrgeon, having' no idea thai tliera.-coiild.bo. anysignificance.in ,too brilliant tartan cope «h P had bought with such,pardonable extravagance for her flret-born< 'l'htn 1 a bricklayer would appear in the consulting ■ room, suffering from spinal complaint,, and'tlie kindly doctor's sympathy' was-'instant and comprehensive.' " It'nches.'doeß it? , no.doubl' it doei, and carrying a heavy hod of bricks won't improve ..'it,- will it!" ho would- ob--servo in-pis brisk .fashion. Tha afflicted bricklayer, being a reticent Scot, kept Ins surprise to ; himself)- till thoend of - theinterview,when he.asked somewhat cannily, " I- am no saying you're wring, but wha' telt ye I was a-'bricklayer to trade!" It,had never occurred to workman that the man, presumably occupied with his'spine, could , have noticed the rough, horny hands that to tho practised eye at once* revealed trade.

Dr Bell was : -well awaro of > the part he had played in creating the great detoctivo of fiction, and wtus modestly proud 6f tho fact, Ono winter evening sonio ladies were sitting round the fife, riding and discussing Conah Doyle's hijro, when there entered the great «nrgoon.' .VWith his habitual epirit. 01. inquiry 'ho , nked what they wore reading, and twy told.him tlrat it was the " Adventure* of-' Sherlock l Holmes," tho atoryof a-most entrancing individual whom they only wUlied'itwero prasiblo to meet in real life. . "I know Hie ;mitn," ob«rrved the doctor, quietly, hastening away before they had, time to. ply him wilh,piny.«ur. prising. qiH*tion« tliat-.naturally .rose to their lips. . Murning shortly .from, seeing his patient, • ho camo back for. ono brief minute to finish his story and to announco with as much modesty aa mieht be " I am Sherlock Holme*." S