John Clay

Fictional character.

In the Sherlock Holmes stories

Notorious criminal. Also known as Vincent Spaulding. Associated with Duncan Ross to rob the City & Suburban Bank by digging a tunnel from the pawnshop of Jabez Wilson.

He is a murderer, thief, smasher, and forger (REDH 395).
He is a young man and at the head of his profession. Inspector Jones would rather have his bracelets on him than on any criminal in London (REDH 396).
He is a remarkable man (REDH 397).
His grandfather was a Royal Duke, and he himself has been to Eton and Oxford (REDH 398).
His brain is as cunning as his fingers (REDH 399).
He is able to crack a crib in Scotland one week, and be raising money to build an orphanage in Cornwall the next (REDH 400).
Sherlock Holmes had one or two little turns also with John Clay, and he agrees with the police that he is at the head of his profession (REDH 403).
He is arrested by Sherlock Holmes and inspector Jones in the Coburg branch of the City & Suburban Bank (REDH 480).

He was small, stout-built, very quick in his ways, no hair on his face, though he's not short of thirty. Had a white splash of acid upon his forehead (REDH 275).
He was Jabez Wilson's assistant in the small pawnbroker's business at Coburg Square, near the City (REDH 78). He worked there since a month (REDH 265).
He accepted to work for Jabez Wilson for half wages (REDH 76).
He was fond of photography (REDH 87, 516).
He was a good worker. There was (apparently) no vice in him (REDH 89).
He was not red-headed (REDH 97).
He was one of the coolest and most daring criminals in London (REDH 519).