The Adventure of the Banker's Note

Gabriel Van Zandt, a senior partner of the Bank, has been kidnapped. Bank clerk Charles Barlow claims Van Zandt left the premises for home shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday afternoon.

Scotland Yard has established that Elton Tobias, a suspect with a prior arrest for kidnapping, was seen outside the Bank on the day of Van Zandt's disappearance.

During the evening, a newspaper boy has delivered a note in Van Zandt's handwriting to the victim's family. Although the original message was unfortunately destroyed by Nona Van Zandt, the banker's daughter, she has recalled that the text stated the family was to have ready twenty thousand pounds in cash. Sherlock Holmes was named to act as intermediary in the ransom demands and would later be contacted and advised of the location to deliver the money.

Terrance Van Zandt, the banker's adopted son and a columnist for the Newspaper, has expressed doubt that his father would so readily accede to a hooligan's demands; however, Miss Van Zandt has brushed aside her brother's objections and decided to meet the abductor's ultimatum.

This morning a surly carriage driver, Uriah Wiggins, acting on the instructions of a woman he says tipped him five pounds, has arrived at 221B Baker Street to present an envelope to Sherlock Holmes.

The enclosed note in Van Zandt's handwriting reads:

My very dear Holmes, Please obey instructions I'm enclosing. Follow implicitly in every minute detail the following; at the Chemist proceed to Pawnbroker's. This is important, their man might follow you. My advice is obey kidnapper's demands. At Docks don't leave until the ransom is finally collected. Me, I'm fine.