The Red-Headed League: Case Study and Analysis

The Red-Headed League Case Details

Initial Inquiries and Mr. Wilson's Situation

• His hair was **bright red**.
• He was paid **four pounds a week**.
• The requirements were for **red-headed men over twenty-one years old**.
• The location mentioned was **7 Pope’s Court, Fleet Street, London**.
• The setting was **Saxe-Coburg Square, in the City of London**.
• The person involved was **Mr. Wilson’s assistant**.

Reasons for Employment and Tasks

1. The initial reason for leaving his previous post was **for half pay**.
2. His previous occupation involved **photography**.
3. He was sent **to the cellar of Mr. Wilson’s shop**.
4. The job opened because **there was a vacancy in the Red-Headed League**.
5. Members of the League could **make a lot of money**.
6. The appeal was that upon becoming a member, he would be **paid an excellent salary for very little work**.
7. The primary qualification was that **his hair was bright red**.

Observations at the League Office

• **The whole street was full of red-headed men**.
• His color of hair was a **brighter red than Mr. Wilson’s own**.
• The purpose of the initial inspection was **to make sure that his hair was real – that he was not wearing a wig**.

Details of the Assistant's Work

1. The assistant's name was **Vincent Spaulding**.
2. He worked **every day, between the hours of ten o’clock and two o’clock**.
3. His task was **to copy out the Encyclopaedia Britannica**.
4. *(Student’s own answer could mention that there was no need for anyone to copy out the encyclopaedia.)*
5. Mr. Wilson did not want to lose his **pay**.
6. Information was obtained **from a piece of card on the locked door of the office**.

Developing Suspicion and Investigation

• They thought **there was something rather funny about the Red-Headed League**.
• He was advised **to wait**. Perhaps the League would write to him.
• Observations about Spaulding included:
  • He had a **white mark on his hand**.
  • They had **holes in them for earrings** (referring to his ears, perhaps).
• The next step was **to visit Saxe-Coburg Square**.

Holmes's Examination of the Area

1. Holmes **hit the pavement with his stick**.
2. When asked why, Holmes replied, “*No, but I wanted to look at the knees of his trousers*.”
3. The houses in Saxe-Coburg Square were **old ones in a poor part of London**. The street behind the Square was a **busy and important street, with expensive shops and important businesses**.
4. The building they were interested in was the **City and Suburban Bank**.
5. The plan was set for **ten o’clock that night**.
6. Holmes brought **his gun**.

The Confrontation and Discovery

• Holmes was accompanied by **a police detective** and **the manager of the City and Suburban Bank**.
• The target amount stolen was **thirty thousand pounds**.
• The motive was **the prize of a criminal he wanted to catch** (This sentence seems slightly misplaced; it likely refers to the bank manager's concern or Holmes's goal, but the context suggests the criminals wanted the money).
• **A huge amount of gold was lying in boxes in the cellar** (This detail seems out of place unless it refers to the bank's contents).
• The tunnel was intended to **catch criminals if they tried to escape through the shop** (This is likely incorrect; the tunnel was for the criminals to access the bank).

The Tunnel and the Criminals' Plan

1. The tunnel was dug **from underneath the floor**.
2. The cellar floor **slowly turned over on its side** (This action is not explicitly described in standard summaries, but implies a mechanism).
3. The **strange story of the Red-Headed League had made it interesting** (referring to why Mr. Wilson was distracted).
4. The purpose of the League was **to get Mr. Wilson out of his shop for some hours every day**.
5. **Spaulding – who was really Clay – spent many hours in the cellar of the shop**. The knees of his trousers were dirty. There was a bank behind the shop, and Holmes knew that the cellar was not at the front of the shop.
6. The criminals had **closed the Red-Headed League office**. They did not need to keep Mr. Wilson out of the shop any more. Holmes knew that the **tunnel was finished** and that the criminals were **ready to move**. It was Saturday, and Holmes knew no one would go to the bank until Monday. The criminals would have **two days to escape**.