Streatham Tragedy

From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia

Streatham Tragedy is a letter written by Arthur Conan Doyle first published in the Daily Express No. 6726 on 4 november 1921.


Streatham Tragedy

Daily Express No. 6726 (p. 6)

From Sir A. Conan Doyle.

To the Editor of the "Daily Express."

Sir, — In your account of the youth who murdered two children you omitted to mention what religion he professed. That is reasonable enough, since no religion had always qualify an evil nature. But why, in the case of the Coates family, do you mention in large headlines that they were Spiritualists?

As many hundreds of thousands in this country profess that belief there must be weaklings among them. This particular case showed no connection between their belief and the deed, which was pathetic rather than wicked.

ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE.
Grosvenor Hotel, London, S.W. 1.