- Mr. Jabez Wilson, a pawnbroker, responded to a newspaper ad from the Mysterious League of red-headed men and was accepted into the League.
- Wilson was required to transcribe the encyclopedia for 4 hours a day and was paid handsomely.
- After 2 months, Wilson arrived at the League's office to find that it had been disbanded and the interviewer, Duncan Ross, had disappeared.
- Wilson sought the help of Sherlock Holmes to solve the mystery.
- Holmes visited Wilson's place of business and interviewed his assistant, Vincent Spaulding.
- Holmes then led his companion on a stroll and instructed him to meet at Baker Street to prevent a considerable crime.
- At Baker Street, Holmes revealed that they were gathering to prevent the theft of French gold from a bank vault.
- They went to the bank's basement and apprehended Spaulding and Ross, who had been digging a tunnel to the bank vault.
- Holmes deduced that Spaulding was actually John Clay, a notorious thief.
- Holmes commended Wilson for his newfound knowledge and dismissed any pity for his lost job.

Download the Audible Original podcast “Moriarty: The Silent Order” and support TED-Ed's nonprofit mission: https://www.audible.com/ted-ed 

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One day in the fall, you called upon your friend, Sherlock Holmes, and found him in conversation with Jabez Wilson. Wilson had been working for the mysterious League of Red-Headed Men. Today, he arrived at work to find the group had disappeared, and now turns to Holmes to make sense of the events. Follow the detective and see if you can solve this adaptation of one of Sherlock’s most famous cases.

Lesson by Alex Rosenthal, directed by Skirmanta Jakaitė, Art Shot.

This video made possible in collaboration with Audible
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Sherlock Holmes, 1 day in the autumn of last year, and found him in deep conversation with a very stout, florid-faced elderly gentleman with fiery red hair.

Where I saw merely an unhappy tradesman, Sherlock observed a freemason who'd done manual labor, visited China, and written quite a bit recently.

And this last influence was at the heart of the matter.

2 months ago, he answered a peculiar newspaper advertisement.

The Mysterious League of red-headed men had announced an opening that came with a significant cash incentive, and every red-headed man above the age of 21 in London was encouraged to apply.

It seemed too strange to be true, but his assistant of recent employ, who found the ad in the first place, convinced him to.

Outside the league's office, they found hundreds of men, all awaiting their shots at the position.

Seeing Wilson's particularly magnificent hair, the hosts parted the Red Sea and ushered him through to a room with a little man.

This interviewer, 1 Duncan Ross, subjected Wilson to a single, painful test, then inducted him into the League.

All he had to do to receive his stipend was spend 4 hours here every day transcribing the encyclopedia.

He'd be paid handsomely, much more than his day job— Wilson, of course, accepted— and showed up to that address every day without fail for 2 months, including today, when he was shocked to discover a sign saying that the League had been disbanded.

Ross, meanwhile, had disappeared without a trace, so Wilson turned to the 1 man who might make red heads or red tails of these events.

Sherlock accepted the remarkable case and whisked me to Wilson's place of business, where his assistant, a young man named Vincent Spaulding, answered the door.

Sherlock asked him nothing more than walking directions to the Strand and concluded the interview.

The great detective proceeded to examine the area, then led me on a stroll around the block.

Satisfied, he instructed me, to my great surprise, to meet him at Baker Street at 10pm to thwart a considerable crime.

I ask you this, what was the crime and who was going to commit it?

That night, at the doorstep of 221B Baker Street, I discovered a carriage waiting.

Inside, Sherlock and 2 other men, a bank director and a police officer.

Sherlock explained, we'd gathered to prevent a robbery.

Not just any robbery, the banker added, the theft of a massive quantity of French gold on temporary storage in his bank's subterranean vault.

The carriage let us out, and there in the cold recesses of the bank's basement, we found absolutely nothing of criminal consequence.

Sherlock told us to hide ourselves in the darkness, ready for a fight, and at long last we heard a scratching, then a sliding sound.

We leapt into action, and after a scuffle, detained 2 men, Wilson's assistant Spalding, and the man Wilson knew as Duncan Ross.

The target all along had been the French gold.

Spalding knew it would be here, so he got himself employed by Wilson on account of the proximity of the pawnshop to the bank.

But in order to dig a tunnel undetected, he'd need Wilson out of the way for long stretches.

And that was when he dreamed up the Red-Headed League, for which he recruited his accomplice.

Every day, while Wilson toiled away for a pittance compared to the value they'd steal, Spaulding and Ross dug their tunnel, finally reaching the bank vault today.

Sherlock wasn't sure exactly what Spalding was up to until he saw the worn and dusty knees of his trousers and recognized him as notorious thief John Clay.

He tested the pavement by the pawn shop and, finding it hollow, rounded the block, where he discovered the true target.

Poor Wilson, I concluded, out of the best job of his life and 4 pounds per week.

To which Sherlock retorted, have No pity, Watson.

The man is richer by far in his newfound knowledge of aardvarks, abacids, acupuncture, and assorted other subjects that begin with the letter A.

What if Sherlock Holmes' most villainous nemesis was actually an innocent man?

Visit audible.com slash ted dash ed to start unraveling the mystery in Moriarty, The Silent Order, an Audible original podcast.

And remember, listen closely and assume nothing.


Speaker 0: I called upon my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, 1 day in the autumn of last year, and found him in deep conversation with a very stout, florid-faced elderly gentleman with fiery red hair. Where I saw merely an unhappy tradesman, Sherlock observed a freemason who'd done manual labor, visited China, and written quite a bit recently. And this last influence was at the heart of the matter. This gentleman, Mr.

Jabez Wilson, was a pawnbroker. 2 months ago, he answered a peculiar newspaper advertisement. The Mysterious League of red-headed men had announced an opening that came with a significant cash incentive, and every red-headed man above the age of 21 in London was encouraged to apply. Wilson was hesitant to go. It seemed too strange to be true, but his assistant of recent employ, who found the ad in the first place, convinced him to.

Outside the league's office, they found hundreds of men, all awaiting their shots at the position. Seeing Wilson's particularly magnificent hair, the hosts parted the Red Sea and ushered him through to a room with a little man. This interviewer, 1 Duncan Ross, subjected Wilson to a single, painful test, then inducted him into the League. All he had to do to receive his stipend was spend 4 hours here every day transcribing the encyclopedia. He'd be paid handsomely, much more than his day job— Wilson, of course, accepted— and showed up to that address every day without fail for 2 months, including today, when he was shocked to discover a sign saying that the League had been disbanded.

Ross, meanwhile, had disappeared without a trace, so Wilson turned to the 1 man who might make red heads or red tails of these events. Sherlock accepted the remarkable case and whisked me to Wilson's place of business, where his assistant, a young man named Vincent Spaulding, answered the door. Sherlock asked him nothing more than walking directions to the Strand and concluded the interview. The great detective proceeded to examine the area, then led me on a stroll around the block. Satisfied, he instructed me, to my great surprise, to meet him at Baker Street at 10pm to thwart a considerable crime.

I ask you this, what was the crime and who was going to commit it? That night, at the doorstep of 221B Baker Street, I discovered a carriage waiting. Inside, Sherlock and 2 other men, a bank director and a police officer. Sherlock explained, we'd gathered to prevent a robbery. Not just any robbery, the banker added, the theft of a massive quantity of French gold on temporary storage in his bank's subterranean vault.

The carriage let us out, and there in the cold recesses of the bank's basement, we found absolutely nothing of criminal consequence. Sherlock told us to hide ourselves in the darkness, ready for a fight, and at long last we heard a scratching, then a sliding sound. We leapt into action, and after a scuffle, detained 2 men, Wilson's assistant Spalding, and the man Wilson knew as Duncan Ross. Sherlock explained. The target all along had been the French gold.

Spalding knew it would be here, so he got himself employed by Wilson on account of the proximity of the pawnshop to the bank. But in order to dig a tunnel undetected, he'd need Wilson out of the way for long stretches. And that was when he dreamed up the Red-Headed League, for which he recruited his accomplice. Every day, while Wilson toiled away for a pittance compared to the value they'd steal, Spaulding and Ross dug their tunnel, finally reaching the bank vault today. Sherlock wasn't sure exactly what Spalding was up to until he saw the worn and dusty knees of his trousers and recognized him as notorious thief John Clay.

He tested the pavement by the pawn shop and, finding it hollow, rounded the block, where he discovered the true target. Poor Wilson, I concluded, out of the best job of his life and 4 pounds per week. To which Sherlock retorted, have No pity, Watson. The man is richer by far in his newfound knowledge of aardvarks, abacids, acupuncture, and assorted other subjects that begin with the letter A. What if Sherlock Holmes' most villainous nemesis was actually an innocent man?

Visit audible.com slash ted dash ed to start unraveling the mystery in Moriarty, The Silent Order, an Audible original podcast. And remember, listen closely and assume nothing. The game is afoot. Of food.

See all TED-Ed transcripts on Youtube

Sherlock Holmes and the case of the Red-Headed League - Alex Rosenthal