The Red-Headed League

The Red-Headed League Summary | Detailed Summary

This story starts out with the narrator, Dr. Watson, visiting his friend Sherlock Holmes at his home on Baker Street. When Watson sees that Holmes has a redheaded visitor he tries to leave but Holmes invites him in and introduces him to Mr. Wilson. Holmes tells Wilson that Watson has been his assistant on many cases.

Holmes then asks Wilson to repeat his story. He says that he wants it retold for two reasons. The first is so that Watson will get to hear it, and the second is that he himself can listen to the details again. He also notes that while he can usually compare things he hears with other events, Wilson's story is like nothing he has heard before.

Wilson looks proud of this, and immediately begins searching through a newspaper. As he does so, Watson examines him to see what he can learn about him. Watson says that he can see nothing very interesting about Wilson. He describes Wilson's clothing, and then says that Wilson's red hair is his only remarkable feature.

Watson then tells the reader that Holmes had been watching him observe Wilson, and he is prepared with observations of his own. Holmes tells Watson that Wilson has been a manual laborer at some point in his life, that he belongs to the Freemason society, that he takes snuff, has been to China, and has done a lot of writing lately.

Wilson is amazed by these deductions, and asks Holmes how he has figured all this out just by looking at him. He then asks about each fact that Holmes has brought out, receiving an answer from Holmes each time.

Holmes' clarifies with answers for each issue including:

1. Manual Laborer: Holmes says this is because Wilson's right hand is larger and more muscular than his right.

2. Freemason: Holmes says this is because of an arc-and-compass breast pin that Wilson is wearing. Holmes notes this is against Freemason rules.

3. Writing: Holmes says this is because of the wear on Wilson's sleeves. The right cuff is worn away close to the hand and near the elbow.

4. China: Holmes notes that Wilson has a fish tattoo that "could only have been done in China" because of the colors being unique to that country. Wilson is also wearing a Chinese coin on a necklace.

Wilson says that once Holmes has explained he can see all the facts were there all along. Holmes notes that he will have to stop explaining then so that people will still think of him as a genius.

Holmes then prompts Wilson to begin his story. Wilson does so by showing Watson a newspaper advertisement asking redheaded men to apply for jobs with the "Red-Headed League." The ad says that anyone over 21 with red hair can apply for a position that pays 4 pounds a week for "nominal" (minor) work. The ad directs applicants to report to an office on Fleet Street.

Wilson explains that he runs a pawnbroker's business. He notes that his business has decreased in recent years, and this has meant a reduction in staff - he previously employed two assistants, but he has recently been reduced to just one assistant who works at half wages "to learn the business."

Holmes interjects at this point, asking about the young assistant. He notes that Spaulding is a good assistant who could easily make more money elsewhere, but that he is not about to tell Spaulding that. Holmes agrees, noting that Wilson is lucky to have someone who works for half-pay. Wilson does say that Spaulding has faults, most notably a passion for photography that causes him to spend several hours a day in the cellar developing pictures.

Wilson goes on with his story at this point, telling Holmes and Watson that it was Spaulding who brought the advertisement to his attention. Wilson explains that Spaulding had explained that the League of Red Headed Gentlemen provided good paying jobs for red headed men and that anyone with red hair is virtually assured of getting one of the jobs.

Wilson says that he then asked Spaulding what the league was. Spaulding explained to him that the League provided an income of about 200 pounds a year for work that would not interfere with "one's other occupations" (such as running a shop). Wilson notes that he was very interested, especially since his business had been failing for several years.

Pressed for more details, Spaulding explained that the league was started by Ezekiel Hopkins, an eccentric American who had an interest in redheaded men. Hopkins's will apparently provided for a trust, which paid redheaded men a good wage for very little work.

Wilson then notes that there would be many applicants for these jobs. Spaulding replies that the patronage is only for men in London, and is only available for men with bright red hair, like Wilson. Spaulding encourages Wilson to apply.

Wilson says that Fleet Street was full of men waiting to apply for the position and that he began to lose hope. Spaulding, however, tells him not to worry and gets Wilson to the head of the line and into the office. Wilson states that the office was bare except for a small redheaded man who looked at each applicant and dismissed him.

Spaulding introduces Wilson to the man who says that Wilson looks perfect for the job. He then pulls Wilson's hair to check if it is real. He tells Wilson that they have been deceived in many different ways by men pretending to have red hair. The man then tells the waiting applicants to leave, since Wilson has been hired.

Ross offers him the job and asks when Wilson can start. Ross tells Wilson that that he would have to work from 10:00 until 2:00 each day. Wilson tells Holmes and Watson that this suited him fine, since pawn-broking was mostly an evening business, and Spaulding could easily handle the daytime trade.

Ross explains that the pay is four pounds a week and that there are conditions to the job. The most important of these, says Ross is that Wilson remain in the office for the whole four hours and that if Wilson leaves during this time he will lose his job. Wilson agrees and learns that the job entails copying pages of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Wilson is amazed at this job and begins to worry that the whole affair is some kind of joke. The next day Wilson sets out to start his new job, which turns out to be legitimate. He explains how Ross set him up in the office and then left him there to copy out the pages of the first volume of the Encyclopedia.

Ross did not stay to supervise Wilson, instead checking on him periodically. Wilson reported that he was paid regularly and on time, and that Ross's visits reduced in frequency to only one a day over the next 8 weeks. Wilson reports that he had almost copied all of the "A" entries when the position abruptly ended that morning. He then shows Watson and Holmes a placard that says the Red-Headed League has been dissolved. Holmes then asks what Wilson has done since discovering that the league is no more.

Wilson reports that he then asked the landlord what happened to the Red-Headed League. The landlord tells him that Ross's real name was William Morris, and that he had moved out that day. The forwarding address, said Wilson, turned out to be a factory and the people there had never heard of Morris or Ross. Wilson says that he then went home to ask Spaulding for his advice. Spaulding tells him he should wait for a letter explaining the affair. Wilson says that he was unsatisfied with this and instead went to Holmes for advice.

Holmes commends Wilson for seeking his help, noting that there may be no serious matter resulting from the deception. When Wilson notes that it already seems serious because of the money he has lost, Holmes tells him he has been fortunate to get more than 30 pounds for doing very little. Wilson replies that he would like to know more about the league and especially whether or not he has been the victim of some sort of practical joke.

Holmes agrees to help him, and asks Wilson a series of questions. He learns that Spaulding started working for Wilson about a month before the ad for the Red-Headed league appeared after answering Wilson's own ad for an assistant. Wilson says that he hired Spaulding because he was talented and would work for lower wages than other applicants.

Holmes then asks for a physical description and is particularly interested when he learns that Spaulding has pierced ears and a white mark on his forehead. Home then solicits the information that Spaulding still works for Wilson and has done a good job.

Holmes tells Wilson that he will find the answer for him by Monday - two days from that day. He and Watson send Wilson away and then sit down to discuss the case. Holmes tells Watson that the strangest cases often turn out to have the simplest solutions. He then says he must think about the case while smoking and asks Watson to leave him alone. Holmes curls up in his chair with his eyes closed. Watson tells us he had "come to the conclusion that he had dropped asleep" when Holmes burst into activity. Holmes tells Watson that they are going to a concert to help him think but first they will visit the city.

Watson then describes how he and Holmes traveled to the road in front of Wilson's shop. Holmes looks at the neighborhood and then bangs in the pavement in front of the Wilson shop with his stick. He then knocks on Wilson's door and asks for directions. After receiving a curt response, Holmes says that Spaulding is a very smart man.

Watson replies that Spaulding is deeply involved in the mystery of the Red-Headed League. He assumes that Holmes has knocked on the door to see Spaulding. Holmes says no, that he wanted to see" the knees of his trousers" and then refuses to answer any more questions. The two then look at the next street over, behind Wilson's shop.

Holmes then notes all the businesses on that street and then takes Watson off to have some food and head to the concert. Watson takes great care in describing Holmes as he listens to the music. Once the concert is over Holmes tells Watson that he thinks the Wilson case is serious. He asks Watson to meet him at 10 that night at Baker Street and urges Watson to bring his revolver.

Watson then tells the reader he feels he is smarter than some people are, but that talking with Holmes often baffled him. He confesses that he cannot see what has caused Holmes's alarm and cannot figure out why they need to go out in the middle of the night.

Watson then describes how he left for Baker Street. He notes that there are two horse drawn carriages parked outside when he gets there. He discovers Holmes has two visitors: Mr. Merryweather and a policeman named Mr. Jones. Holmes then tells Merryweather about John Clay, a criminal with a remarkable history. Clay, says Holmes, is brilliant and is descended from royalty. Holmes adds that Clay is elusive, and that he has been pursuing him for several years.

The group then set off, and Watson is unable to get any information from Holmes on the way to their destination. Holmes tells Watson that Merryweather is a bank director who is "personally interested" in the Red-Headed League case. He adds that Jones has been brought along for his tenacity and perseverance.

Watson notes that the two cabs travel to the area around Wilson's shop, and then travel up an alley to a door Merryweather opens for them. The men proceed underground into a cellar filled with boxes. Holmes notes to Merryweather that, from above, this cellar is safe. Merryweather agrees and bangs his stick on the floor only to discover a hollow spot.

Merryweather expresses anger at this and Holmes advises them to be quiet and sit on the crates. Holmes then reveals that they are in the basement of a bank that Merryweather runs. Merryweather explains that the cellar is full of French gold that has not been placed in the bank's vault. He also notes that the bank has heard rumors about possible theft of the gold.

Holmes notes that the bank was justifiably worried. He then asks Merryweather to cover their lamp and arranges the group to pounce on anyone emerging from the floor. He also asks Jones if he has placed police officers outside Wilson's shop to prevent the escape of the thieves. On hearing that all is in readiness, Holmes tells them all to wait in the dark. At last, there is a light emerging from the floor, and eventually a hand appears.

The hand is followed by a person who emerges from the floor. The person looks around and then starts hauling his accomplice up behind him. When he perceives that he is not alone in the cellar, the first man tells his friend to run away. Holmes grabs the first man and knocks a pistol out of his hands. Holmes then tells John Clay (the intruder) that he has been caught. Clay (who is also Spaulding) congratulates Holmes on doing a thorough job of catching him and his friend.

In the last scene of the story, we see Holmes explaining his brilliance to Watson over drinks at Baker Street. He explains that the "Red-Headed League" was simply a hoax to get Wilson out of his shop long enough for Clay and Ross (Morris) to dig a tunnel to the bank behind Wilson's shop. He notes that Spaulding/Clay's willingness to work at half pay was what piqued his curiosity.

When Watson asks how Holmes knew the thieves' target, Holmes replies that Wilson did not have enough money to be a target himself and that there was no romantic motive. This left him curious, and he deduced from Spaulding/clay's frequent visits to the cellar (supposedly for his photography hobby) that he was digging a tunnel. Holmes and Watson's visit to the area, rapping the street and looking at Spaulding/Clay were all in an attempt to prove his tunnel hypothesis. Once he saw the bank, said Holmes, he knew exactly what was going on and called Scotland Yard and Mr. Merryweather.

Watson then asks about timing. Holmes replies that he knew the crime would be committed that Saturday night because a) they ended the Red-Headed League ruse (b) a Saturday night would give them the most time to escape before the bank noticed the theft. Watson praises Holmes for his brilliance and Holmes ends the story by noting that his work is all that saves him from boredom and unhappiness.