"The Six Napoleons"

The Six Napoleons.

The case begins Wednesday, June 4, 1902.

Why?

THE BUST-BUSTING SEQUENCE:
"The first case reported was four days ago," said he. "It was at the shop of Morse Hudson, who has a place for the sale of pictures and statues in the Kennington Road."
"The second case, however, was more serious, and also more singular. It occurred only last night."
"The development for which my friend had asked came in a quicker and an infinitely more tragic form than he could have imagined. I was still dressing in my bedroom next morning . . ."

THE LENGTH OF BEPPO’S SENTENCE:
"It was more than a year ago now. He knifed another Italian in the street . . . . The man lived and he got off with a year. 

THE DATES OF BUST SALES AND ARRESTS:
"When you referred in your ledger to the sale of those casts I observed that the date was June 3rd of last year. Could you give me the date when Beppo was arrested?"
"I could tell you roughly by the pay-list. Yes, he was paid last on May 20th."
"Mr. Horace Harker is a customer of ours. We supplied him with the bust some months ago. We ordered three busts of that sort from Gelder & Co., of Stepney."

THE PRIDE OF THE YARD:
"We’re not jealous of you at Scotland Yard. No, sir, we are very proud of you, and if you come down to-morrow, there’s not a man, from the oldest inspector to the youngest constable, who wouldn’t be glad to shake you by the hand."

WHAT THE BARING-GOULD ANNOTATED SAYS:
June 8, 1900. 

WHAT ZEISLER, THE KING OF CHRONOLOGY, SAYS:
June 11, 1900.

THE BIRLSTONE RAILWAY’S TIMETABLE:
In finding the year of this case, I found myself irresistibly drawn to that statement of Lestrade from the case’s conclusion. Every man at Scotland Yard wanted to shake Holmes’s hand. They’ve known him for years. He’s been successful before. And the men of the Yard haven’t even heard of his solution to the Borgia pearl business. Why are they suddenly so "not jealous?" Why are they so eager to shake his hand?

Only one reason seems satisfying enough, and that reason can be found in "The Adventure of the Three Garridebs," where Watson writes: "I remember the date very well, for it was in the same month that Holmes refused a knighthood for services which may perhaps some day be described. I only refer to the matter in passing, for in my position of partner and confidant I am obliged to be particularly careful to avoid any indiscretion. I repeat, however, that this enables me to fix the date, which was the latter end of June, 1902, shortly after the conclusion of the South African War."

It was a June in which Holmes was offered a knighthood. It is also June in which "Six Napoleons" takes place, if we add a year to Beppo’s arrest for his jail time. The men of Scotland Yard would all know of such an event as Holmes’s impending knighthood. And one would think, as Lestrade says, that they would be very proud of their advisor of so many years. Since it’s after June 3 (or else the reference to "June 3rd of last year" would have been unnecessary) and still before the June Honours are presented, I’d have to say that this case starts on Wednesday, June 4, 1902.