From Watson’s Tin Box: His Last Bow | The Fourth Garrideb

“Somewhere in the vaults of the bank of Cox and Co., at Charing Cross, there is a travel-worn and battered tin dispatch-box with my name, John H. Watson, MD, Late Indian Army, painted upon the lid.”

– The Problem of Thor Bridge (THOR)

Von Bork pushed over a telegram. ‘Will come without fail to-night and bring new sparking plugs. – ALTAMONT.’ ~ WTB LAST Evidence Box

Watson’s Tin Box, a BSI scion that meets in Columbia, Maryland, shares a few select items from their tin evidence box for His Last Bow with us here at The Fourth Garrideb. These evidence boxes were originally created by the late Paul Churchill, BSI, one of the founders of Watson’s Tin Box and contains both genuine artifacts and genuine faux reproductions that he (and others) created. These items create a great deal of discussion at their monthly meetings and we hope it will do the same here. Enjoy!

Sparking plugs, eh?’
‘You see he poses as a motor expert and I keep a full garage. In our code everything likely to come up is named after some spare part. If he talks of a radiator it is a battleship, of an oil-pump a cruiser, and so on. Sparking plugs are naval signals.’ ~ WTB LAST Evidence Box

Altamont has a nice taste in wines, and he took a fancy to my Tokay. ~ WTB LAST Evidence Box

Only one window showed a light behind them; in it there stood a lamp, and beside it, seated at a table, was a dear old ruddy-faced woman in a country cap. ~ WTB LAST Evidence Box

‘The boodle. The reward. The £500. The gunner turned damned nasty at the last, and I had to square him with an extra hundred dollars or it would have been nitsky for you and me. “Nothin’ doin’!” says he, and he meant it too, but the last hundred did it. It’s cost me two hundred pound from first to last, so it isn’t likely I’d give it up without gettin’ my wad.’
Von Bork smiled with some bitterness. ‘You don’t seem to have a very high opinion of my honour,’ said he, ‘you want the money before you give up the book.’
‘Well, Mister, it is a business proposition.’
‘All right. Have your way.’ He sat down at the table and scribbled a cheque, which he tore from the book, but he refrained from handing it to his companion.” ~ WTB LAST Evidence Box

Von Bork undid a winding of string and two wrappers of paper. Then he sat gazing for a moment in silent amazement at a small blue book which lay before him. Across the cover was printed in golden letters Practical Handbook of Bee Culture. ~ WTB LAST Evidence Box

The next he was gripped at the back of his neck by a grasp of iron, and a chloroformed sponge was held in front of his writhing face. ~ WTB LAST Evidence Box

‘No, indeed. Well, it only meant that we waited half an hour or so until I saw your lamp go out and knew that the coast was clear. You can report to me to-morrow in London, Martha, at Claridge’s Hotel.’ ~ WTB LAST Evidence Box

When I say that I started my pilgrimage at Chicago, graduated in an Irish secret society at Buffalo, gave serious trouble to the constabulary at Skibbareen and so eventually caught the eye of a subordinate agent of Von Bork, who recommended me as a likely man, you will realize that the matter was complex. ~ WTB LAST Evidence Box

Thanks to the 42nd Garrideb, Denny Dobry, for the scans in this post. Thanks also to Debbie Clark, the 58th Garrideb, the current keeper of the evidence boxes.

Watson’s Tin Box, a BSI scion in Columbia, MD, is one of the most active Sherlockian groups in the Middle Atlantic region, Generally meeting on the last Monday of each month, the meetings feature canonical toasts, good conversations and dining, as well as a discussion of the month’s featured story and an educational presentation. For more information about Watson’s Tin Box, please visit their website HERE.

A Scion Society of The Baker Street Irregulars