# Mr. Mottram — The Three Taps character guide > Mr. Mottram in The Three Taps by Ronald A. Knox. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Mottram, poor Mottram, poor old Mottram, powerful rich Mottram **First appearance:** 0001-the-three-taps ## Snapshot A wealthy, powerful man found dead at the Load of Mischief, whose fortune and quarrels supply half the village with motives. ## Who they are Mottram was rich, known in Chilthorpe from boyhood, and estranged from his only local blood relation — a nephew he quarrelled with over politics and never met again. His wealth makes his testamentary dispositions the first question any serious investigator must settle, and a letter signed 'Brutus' hints at enemies in Pullford. Though dead before the story properly begins, he dominates it: every suspect's behaviour is measured against what Mottram was, what he owned, and whom he had wronged. ## Relationships ### [Mr. Brinkman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/mr_brinkman) _professional_ Mr. Brinkman and Mr. Mottram share a professional relationship, possibly as colleagues or in a business hierarchy. ### [Miles Bredon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/miles_bredon) _professional_ Miles Bredon and Mr. Mottram interact in a professional context, likely related to the investigation or business matters. ### [Mr. Leyland](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/mr_leyland) _professional_ Mr. Leyland and Mr. Mottram are professional associates, possibly working together in the same firm or case. ### [Angela Bredon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/angela_bredon) _professional_ Angela Bredon and Mr. Mottram interact professionally, likely as part of the case or business dealings. ### [Simmonds](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/simmonds) _professional_ Mr. Mottram and Simmonds interact professionally, possibly as employer and employee or colleagues. ### [Miles Bredon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/miles_bredon) _professional_ Miles Bredon and Mr. Mottram interact in a professional context, likely related to the investigation or business matters. ### [Angela Bredon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/angela_bredon) _professional_ Angela Bredon and Mr. Mottram interact professionally, likely as part of the case or business dealings. ### [Mr. Leyland](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/mr_leyland) _professional_ Mr. Leyland and Mr. Mottram are professional associates, possibly working together in the same firm or case. ### [Mr. Brinkman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/mr_brinkman) _professional_ Mr. Brinkman and Mr. Mottram share a professional relationship, possibly as colleagues or in a business hierarchy. ### [Mr. Brinkman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/mr_brinkman) _professional_ Mr. Brinkman and Mr. Mottram share a professional relationship, possibly as colleagues or in a business hierarchy. ### [Simmonds](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/simmonds) _professional_ Mr. Mottram and Simmonds interact professionally, possibly as employer and employee or colleagues. ### [Miles Bredon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/miles_bredon) _professional_ Miles Bredon and Mr. Mottram interact in a professional context, likely related to the investigation or business matters. ## In the story ### [The Three Taps](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/the-three-taps) Found dead in a locked room; the central mystery of the chapter. ### [I: The Euthanasia Policy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/i-the-euthanasia-policy) A wealthy client of the Indescribable Company, aged about 63, who is disappointed by a doctor's prognosis and tries to cancel his Euthanasia policy for ready money. ### [II: The Detective Malgré Lui](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/ii-the-detective-malgr-lui) Mentioned as the deceased; his death at Chilthorpe is the subject of the phone call. He had an interview at Indescribable House about a fortnight earlier. ### [III: At the Load of Mischief](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/iii-at-the-load-of-mischief) Deceased; his body is in a locked room at the inn. He had visited regularly for the fishing season, and his signature in the visitors' book is dated June 13th with a blank end date. ### [IV: The Bedroom](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/iv-the-bedroom) The deceased; found dead in the locked bedroom from gas poisoning. Evidence includes a sleeping draught, a clean shirt with studs, a wound watch, and a letter to a newspaper. ### [V: Supper, and Mr. Brinkman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/v-supper-and-mr-brinkman) Discussed as the deceased; his background, health worries, and insurance are central to the conversation. ### [VII: From Leyland’s Notebook](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/vii-from-leyland-s-notebook) The deceased; Leyland analyzes his actions (ordering an early wake-up, not taking the sleeping draught) to argue against suicide. ### [VIII: The Bishop at Home](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/viii-the-bishop-at-home) Discussed as a friend of the Bishop; had misgivings about his health and was heavily insured. ### [IX: The Late Rector of Hipley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/ix-the-late-rector-of-hipley) Discussed posthumously; his will leaves Euthanasia policy to the Bishop; his house and habits are examined. ### [XV: A Scrap of Paper](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xv-a-scrap-of-paper) The deceased; the burnt paper fragment is part of a copy of his will referencing the Euthanasia policy. ### [XXIII: Leyland’s Account of It All](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xxiii-leyland-s-account-of-it-all) The victim; his death and the circumstances surrounding it are central to the discussion. ### [XXV: Bredon's Account of It All](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xxv-bredon-s-account-of-it-all) Deceased; his plan to test the Bishop and his accidental death are explained. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/mr_mottram - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters