The Problem of the Covered Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Problem of the Covered Bridge (1974) is a mystery
short story by Edward D. Hoch
which was first published in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
(Dec 1974 issue). It is part of a sub-type of the locked room mystery
known as an impossible crime story. It introduces the characters of Dr. Sam Hawthorn, Sheriff Lens, and the town of Northmont. It is included in Hoch's book Diagnosis: Impossible: The Problems of Dr. Sam Hawthorne (Crippen & Landru, 1996). It is also there as the last item in All But Impossible the famous anthology edited by Hoch.
Mr Hoch got the idea of this story while looking at a calendar's watercolor landscape page which showed a covered bridge and wondered what would happen if a carriage (seemingly) goes in but fails to come out. He says it took him two days to work out the idea and think up a story. He thought up a New England doctor who practiced in 1930s and named him Dr Sam (ironically after a famous killer
of those days). The editors of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine liked the idea but added a surname to distinguish him from Lillian de la Torre
's famous Dr Sam: Johnson series. It was also at the editor's suggestion that Hoch had to agree to make Dr Sam speak in a country dialect.
This was probably the most talked about story of the series. Hoch wrote one more The Second Problem of the Covered Bridge which was published in EQMM Dec 1998. Only three more stories of this series came after this.
. He focuses on the Bringlow family, Jacon and Sarah, their daughters Susan and Sally, their son Hank, and his fiancee Millie. Dr. Sam is treating Sarah, and has come to really know the Bringlows. He even notices that Hank is reading copies of Hearst's International magazine that include the two-part Sherlock Holmes
story, The Problem of Thor Bridge
. Hank has to take a jar of apple sauce to Millie's house in a horse and buggy. Sam and Millie ride behind Hank, also in a horse and buggy. Along the way, Walt Rumsey stops Sam and Millie's buggy by taking his cattle across the road to drink. Sam and Millie follow Hank's tracks to a covered bridge. The tracks enter the bridge, but don't come out the other side, and there is a smashed jar of applesauce in the middle of the bridge. The horse and buggy, and Hank, have disappeared.
The Bringlows decide to call Sheriff Lens, who believed that Hank would turn up because he was in the habit of playing tricks. Eventually, they do find Hank, sitting on the side of the road in his buggy, shot in the back of the head. The reins have been tied to the horse, and the horse was sent off on its own, meaning that Hank was already dead when the horse was set loose. Dr. Sam investigates Walt Rumsey, and tries to apply the solution of the Problem of Thor Bridge to this problem. When he works out what has happened, he gathers all of the suspects at the Bringlow house to reveal the solution.
What tipped off Dr. Sam was that Walt had been taking his cows to drink at a pond with ice on the top. Dr. Sam reveals that the disappearance started out as a joke by Hank, who had enlisted the assistance of Walt Ramsey. Walt Ramsey used an old pair of carriage wheels, linked by an axle, to create a fake horse and buggy track. When the cows blocked Sam and Millie, Hank and Walt created the fake set of tracks, and then Hank hid in Walt's barn. Walt had been in love with Millie and saw his opportunity to kill his romantic rival and escape punishment.
Mystery fiction
Mystery fiction is a loosely-defined term.1.It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction— in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction...
short story by Edward D. Hoch
Edward D. Hoch
Edward Dentinger Hoch was an American writer of detective fiction. Although he wrote several novels, he was primarily known for his vast output of over 950 short stories.-Biography:...
which was first published in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine is an American monthly digest size fiction magazine specializing in crime fiction, particularly detective fiction...
(Dec 1974 issue). It is part of a sub-type of the locked room mystery
Locked room mystery
The locked room mystery is a sub-genre of detective fiction in which a crime—almost always murder—is committed under apparently impossible circumstances. The crime in question typically involves a crime scene that no intruder could have entered or left, e.g., a locked room...
known as an impossible crime story. It introduces the characters of Dr. Sam Hawthorn, Sheriff Lens, and the town of Northmont. It is included in Hoch's book Diagnosis: Impossible: The Problems of Dr. Sam Hawthorne (Crippen & Landru, 1996). It is also there as the last item in All But Impossible the famous anthology edited by Hoch.
Mr Hoch got the idea of this story while looking at a calendar's watercolor landscape page which showed a covered bridge and wondered what would happen if a carriage (seemingly) goes in but fails to come out. He says it took him two days to work out the idea and think up a story. He thought up a New England doctor who practiced in 1930s and named him Dr Sam (ironically after a famous killer
Sam Sheppard
Dr. Samuel Holmes Sheppard was an American osteopathic physician and neurosurgeon, who was involved in an infamous and controversial murder trial. He was convicted of the murder of his pregnant wife, Marilyn Reese Sheppard, in 1954, while residing in the Cleveland, Ohio area. Sheppard served...
of those days). The editors of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine liked the idea but added a surname to distinguish him from Lillian de la Torre
Lillian de la Torre
Lillian de la Torre was an American novelist and a prolific writer of historical mysteries. Her name is a pseudonym for Lillian de la Torre Bueno McCue....
's famous Dr Sam: Johnson series. It was also at the editor's suggestion that Hoch had to agree to make Dr Sam speak in a country dialect.
This was probably the most talked about story of the series. Hoch wrote one more The Second Problem of the Covered Bridge which was published in EQMM Dec 1998. Only three more stories of this series came after this.
Plot summary
The story, which is set in March 1922, begins with old Dr. Sam Hawthorn telling a story to an unnamed listener. He tells about how he came to the small town of Northmont, in his new yellow Pierce-ArrowPierce-Arrow
Pierce-Arrow was an American automobile manufacturer based in Buffalo, New York, which was active from 1901-1938. Although best known for its expensive luxury cars, Pierce-Arrow also manufactured commercial trucks, fire trucks, camp trailers, motorcycles, and bicycles.-Early history:The forerunner...
. He focuses on the Bringlow family, Jacon and Sarah, their daughters Susan and Sally, their son Hank, and his fiancee Millie. Dr. Sam is treating Sarah, and has come to really know the Bringlows. He even notices that Hank is reading copies of Hearst's International magazine that include the two-part Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
story, The Problem of Thor Bridge
The Problem of Thor Bridge
"The Problem of Thor Bridge" is a Sherlock Holmes murder mystery by Arthur Conan Doyle, which appears in the collection The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes...
. Hank has to take a jar of apple sauce to Millie's house in a horse and buggy. Sam and Millie ride behind Hank, also in a horse and buggy. Along the way, Walt Rumsey stops Sam and Millie's buggy by taking his cattle across the road to drink. Sam and Millie follow Hank's tracks to a covered bridge. The tracks enter the bridge, but don't come out the other side, and there is a smashed jar of applesauce in the middle of the bridge. The horse and buggy, and Hank, have disappeared.
The Bringlows decide to call Sheriff Lens, who believed that Hank would turn up because he was in the habit of playing tricks. Eventually, they do find Hank, sitting on the side of the road in his buggy, shot in the back of the head. The reins have been tied to the horse, and the horse was sent off on its own, meaning that Hank was already dead when the horse was set loose. Dr. Sam investigates Walt Rumsey, and tries to apply the solution of the Problem of Thor Bridge to this problem. When he works out what has happened, he gathers all of the suspects at the Bringlow house to reveal the solution.
What tipped off Dr. Sam was that Walt had been taking his cows to drink at a pond with ice on the top. Dr. Sam reveals that the disappearance started out as a joke by Hank, who had enlisted the assistance of Walt Ramsey. Walt Ramsey used an old pair of carriage wheels, linked by an axle, to create a fake horse and buggy track. When the cows blocked Sam and Millie, Hank and Walt created the fake set of tracks, and then Hank hid in Walt's barn. Walt had been in love with Millie and saw his opportunity to kill his romantic rival and escape punishment.