Concetti Chiave
- John Openshaw seeks Holmes and Watson's help regarding his uncle Elias's mysterious death after receiving threatening letters with orange pips.
- In 1883, Elias received a letter with "K.K.K." and five orange pips, leading to his sudden death, leaving his estate to John and his father.
- John also received a similar threatening letter and was found dead, prompting Holmes to deduce a connection to seaports and a ship.
- Holmes identified "K.K.K." as the Ku Klux Klan, a secret society known for sending warnings before killing their victims.
- Holmes linked the murders to the ship "Lone Star," which eventually sank while en route to Savannah, preventing further investigation.
One evening, Holmes and Watson were sitting in their study when John Openshaw entered to ask them help. He had a serious problem about a strange story. In 1869, his uncle Elias came back to England, after some experienced years in USA as planter. He didn’t want any friends, not even his brother, but he liked very much his nephew.
The Mystery of the Oranges
One day, in March 1883, John’s uncle received a letter with only “K.K.K.” written on and five orange pips enclosed.
Elias was very scared and then made a will: he left his money and his possession to his brother and asked John to sign it.
In these days, Elias was very strange and one morning was found dead in the garden.
So, John and his father went to live together in your uncle’s house. A year later, though, Johnson received another letter containing a message and five orange pips: he must put some papers on the sundial. 
The boy wanted call the police, but his father refused because he thought that it was a joke.
The Tragic End of John
Three days later, Johnson Openshaw was found dead in a cliff.
Suddenly, John received a letter like the one that his uncle and his father had received too.
Holmes told John that he must put on the sundial the small piece he found in his uncle’s room.
After Openshaw leaves, Holmes deduced that the murder was on a ship, because the letters were postmarked in three different seaports. Holmes deduced also that the letters came by steamship and the killer came by sailing ship, so these arrived before the sender.
The Fate of the Lone Star
Holmes also recognized the “K.K.K.” as Ku Klux Klan, a secret society started in America: the members killed the people who were opposed to their political opinions and they always sent a warning to their victims.
The next day, John was found dead in a river. Holmes went to the Port of London and found a ship called “Lone Star” that was in the three seaports. Now, the ship was bound to Savannah, so Holmes sent a telegram to the police. But the Lone Star never arrived there because it sank in the Ocean.
Domande da interrogazione
- What was the significance of the letters with "K.K.K." and orange pips received by John Openshaw and his family?
- How did Holmes deduce the connection between the letters and the ship "Lone Star"?
- What was the outcome of Holmes's investigation into the "Lone Star"?
The letters with "K.K.K." and orange pips were warnings from the Ku Klux Klan, a secret society known for targeting individuals opposed to their political views. These letters signaled impending danger, as seen in the tragic deaths of John Openshaw and his uncle.
Holmes deduced the connection by noting that the letters were postmarked from three different seaports, indicating they were sent via steamship. He concluded that the killer traveled by sailing ship, which allowed the letters to arrive before the sender. This led him to identify the "Lone Star" as the ship involved.
Holmes's investigation revealed that the "Lone Star" was the ship linked to the letters. He sent a telegram to the police in Savannah, where the ship was headed. However, the "Lone Star" never arrived as it sank in the ocean, preventing further action against the perpetrators.
Accedi a tutti gli appunti
Tutor AI: studia meglio e in meno tempo
