Maiming Outrages. Sir A. Conan Doyle's Advice

From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia

Maiming Outrages is an article published in the Daily Mail on 5 september 1907, including a part of an interview with Arthur Conan Doyle about the Edalji case.


Maiming Outrages

Daily Mail (5 september 1907, p. 3)

Use of Bloodhounds.

Sir A. Conan Doyle's Advice.

Mr. Kay, a master huntsman, has written to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stating that he is convinced that with a couple of well-trained bloodhounds he could find the residence of any person committing a fresh maiming outrage at Great Wyrley. Major Richardson, of Carnoustie, Forfarshire, who recently sold to the Sultan trained dogs for ambulance work in the Turkish Army, expressed much the same opinion in a letter in the "Daily Mail" on Monday. It is, Mr. Kay points out, almost impossible for the crimes to be committed without the perpetrator getting blood-stained. This would give the blood-hounds quite a holding scent.

Interviewed on the subject, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle said: "No doubt blood-hounds if got quickly on the scent would be of the greatest possible service. If Mr. Kay could sacrifice his time for a month or so — for it is very probable that no fresh outrage will occur in that time — he would be doing a great public service.

"If the police could convince themselves that there is a very strong case against one single person, and that only fresh evidence is needed finally to enmesh the suspect, it would not be difficult for them to provide themselves in advance with some article belonging to that person, and try when a fresh crime is committed whether they cannot lay their hands upon a scent.

"I have given all my information to the police and helped them all I could to get their man, and I have had a courteous acknowledgment. To the best of my belief the police are investigating the information."

The police, telegraphs our special correspondent at Great Wyrley, have now not a shred of material upon which to build up any clue.