Letter to an editor about a besieged debtor
![](/images/thumb/d/d3/Letter-SACD-1905-01-17-debtor.jpg/250px-Letter-SACD-1905-01-17-debtor.jpg)
This letter was written by Arthur Conan Doyle to a man on 17 january 1905.
Peter Costello, in his book "Conan Doyle, Detective" (1991) used this letter as an example of the private detective work of Conan Doyle:
"This must be the sort of case which Adrian and his mother were thinking of when they spoke of Conan Doyle's private detective work. Alas, I have been unable to track down any more details about the case or the outcome of Conan Doyle's private inquires. It may seem a small matter beside some of the famous affairs he was involved in, and yet on such small issues a great deal might ride, matters perhaps of life or death, if we could only know. [..] But here, surely, is evidence, indeed actual proof, of his continuing interest and his vigilance."
Letter
Private
Undershaw
Hindhead
Jan 17 /05
Dear Sir
There was a paragraph on page 5 of your issue of yesterday Jan 16 called "A besieged Debtor" about a man in Bristol who had obtained goods on false pretences. It exactly corresponds to the tactics of a fellow whom I am following up, as I should be exceedingly obliged if you could tell me whence the information came or where I can get further particulars.
With apologies fro troubling you
Yours faithfully
Arthur Conan Doyle.