He is punished for this greed when he becomes the unwitting target of Clay’s scheme, but as Holmes points out, Wilson is still “richer by some 30, to say nothing of the minute knowledge which you have gained on every subject which comes under the letter A. Wilson is also happy to take an easy job for good pay when he fills the vacancy at the Red-Headed League, copying out the Encyclopedia Britannica for four pounds a week. Wilson admits that when he hired Clay (in disguise as Vincent Spaulding) for half a normal wage, he knew “very well that he could better himself and earn twice what I am able to give him,” but he was still willing to go along with it if it meant that he could save the money. He does not try to steal, but he does push the limits of morality in order to acquire a little extra money. Whilst Clay has no excuse for his greed (given that he is clearly from a well-off family), Wilson’s greed is more excusable because he is poor and struggling in his business.
Jabez Wilson, on the other hand, is a far more sympathetic character. Were it not for his desire to steal “30,000 napoleons” of French gold, Clay might not have ended up so badly. Greed, however, corrupts Clay, leads him into a life of crime, and eventually brings about his arrest.
In other words, were it not for his greed, Clay might even be as respected as Holmes. Holmes describes him as the “fourth smartest man in London” and “a remarkable man.” He is from royal blood, was educated at Eton and Oxford, and appears to be a “bright-looking, clean-shaven young fellow.” Holmes even praises him for his “new and effective” scheme and clever mind. This corruption is particularly noticeable in Clay, who-if not for his greed and criminal behavior-would be a respectable figure. The criminals John Clay and Archie are the characters most corrupted by greed in the story. Conan Doyle thus implies that greed in any measure is morally punishable, while moral integrity reaps rewards. Holmes, on the other hand, expects no reimbursement other than what he is fairly owed, and this fairness eventually earns him the ultimate reward: solving the case. Even Jabez Wilson, the innocent victim of their crime, is punished for his greed-after all, his decision to take on an assistant for half the normal wage, and to leave his shop unattended in order to earn four pounds extra a week, are two greedy acts that ultimately lead him to become the victim of a criminal scheme. The criminals John Clay (also known as Vincent Spaulding) and Archie (also known as Duncan Ross) try to rob a bank and are punished for this greed through their arrest.
In “The Red-Headed League,” characters who are greedy are eventually punished for their actions, whereas selfless characters (such as Sherlock Holmes) are rewarded.
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