The Alien Extradition Act of 1905 would send Carlos Garcia --- the great Spanish social reformer, currently directing his followers from a safe perch in England --- back to Spain. Once there, the corrupt government would kill him.
No one with a conscience wants this to happen.
The man proposing this English law --- Philip Ramon, the Foreign Secretary of Great Britain --- is a good man. A public servant of unquestioned integrity. He has a conscience in working order. And yet he is about to commit a crime. A legal crime. But a crime nonetheless.
So, anyway, say The Four Just Men.
Are these unknown men terrorists? Vigilantes? Heroes? I'll skip over the question of labels to state the obvious: This short, easy-to-read novel is one of the most interesting thrillers you will ever encounter.
The thrills are of the Sherlock Holmes variety, for The Four Just Man are civilized, witty and brilliant. Indeed, they are gents. Because they believe Sir Philip is a good man with a single blind spot, they have sent word to him: Drop the bill, or die.
And not just die, but die at a certain time. With a number of warnings along the way. And a final warning --- delivered in person. As the author notes, "The honesty of the Four was their most terrible characteristic."
Naturally, almost every policeman in London is assigned to protect Sir Philip. The question is: Are they up to the task? For it turns out that The Four Just Men have killed more than a dozen officials and others who, in their view, have given grave offense or delivered deep hurt.
And yet, despite their history and their openness, no one can identify The Four Just Men.
They commit the perfect crime --- every time.
Very quickly you too will get past the moral question --- terrorists? vigilantes? heroes? --- and find yourself lost in the whodunnit. And the howtheydunnit. You may even find yourself rooting for The Four Just Men.
How does it end? Glad you asked. Edgar Wallace held a contest when he published this novel, offering 500 pounds --- not a small sum in 1905 --- for the correct answers to some esoteric questions about the ending. Several readers guessed the answers. Wallace lost money. Or did he? For Wallace hyped 'The Four Just Men' as if it were a new flavor of Coca Cola. He took out full-page newspaper ads, put posters on subways and buses, even advertised in the movies. The publicity launched his career.
And Wallace went on to become the most famous writer in the world.
He was quick --- he could write a novel in a weekend. He was good. And he was prolific: 175 books, 24 plays and countless articles. The only title known to the contemporary reader? 'King Kong.' Maybe you've heard of it.
'We kill for justice,' The Four Just Men claim. On that morally uncertain but dramatically delicious boast rests the second of Edgar Wallace's titles that the world should remember --- and relish.
--- by Jesse Kornbluth, for HeadButler.com
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