Minneapolis and Sherlock Holmes @ 50: Saturday Part The Second

 After a nice break and some shouting about the Tea Brokers, our next speaker is Stephen Lee, whose little book with the same name as his talk appeared in our conference packet. The talk? "The Silent Contest: How Sherlock Brought Down Professor Moriarty and Why Dr. Watson Lied." Using his experience as a federal prosecutor, Stephen is diving into the contradictions the Canon holds about Holmes, Watson, and Moriarty.

"Why did Watson lie?" Stephen asks, regarding Watson's "Never!" at being asked if he had heard of Moriarty before late April 1891, and then gets into the course of a full investigation of a criminal like Moriarty. Going back as early as A Study in Scarlet, Stephen proposes that Watson was playing down Holmes's knowledge and ability so Professor Moriarty would not think this guy was anywhere smart enough to come after him. Watson describing Holmes's astronomy know-how as "Nil" would have especially amused the writer of "Dynamics of an Asteroid" and make him feel less threatened. And that's just for starters. Stephen Lee has given a whole lot of thought to Holmes's investigation of Moriarty. (Just like every speaker so far at this conference. Minneapolis doesn't mess around.)

The statement "Everybody loves Irene Adler" did get some quiet "No" reactions from this side of our table, but that might have been the only big disagreement with his talk. And given that Stephen is all that stands between us and lunch at this point, that's pretty good. Even Holmes's occasional bashing of Scotland Yard comes into play. 

Lunch came up quickly, and the lunch lines were nicely short. More scanning the dealer's tables and talking to a wide array of Sherlockians before we resume at 1:30. The after-lunch spot on the schedule can be a challenge for a speaker, but luckily we have Burt Wolder speaking about artist Frederic Dorr Steele. Then again, as I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere listeners know, Burt's voice has an easy, comfortable tone to it that might relax one to the point of napping, should the content fail to keep one alert -- but as Burt moves through the details of Steele's life, that does not seem to be the case.

Steele illustrated a good many things, included some of Frank Stockton's work (Remember "The Lady and the Tiger?" That guy.). Created some new proceses for prints, met Mark Twain, defending the artists against particular criticisms, Monhegan Island . . . a life contains a good share of material, and Burt is strollling through it all. A big highlight was Steele's own little pastiches making fun of bits of his life, but complete with very Frederic Dorr Steele drawings of Sherlock Holmes.

Very aware of the dangers he faces as the after-lunch speaker, Burt also invited us to stand up at one point, and a good share of us do. And nothing against the next speaker, but I am finding I might need to take an afternoon break in my hotel room after this -- which has long been my course during Minnesota conferences. Is it because the talks go closer to an hour than some other venues? I don't know. But there seems to be a pattern. (Perhaps it's that speakers on the hour gives you that hour-long opening to get a short nap and only miss one talk. And once that thought is in your head . . .)

In any case, I will bid you adieu for this report. A lot more Saturday to go!