The Mystery of the Seven Chests - Production & Contact Info

The Mystery of the Seven Chests (1914)
Short | Short, Thriller

Primary photo for The Mystery of the Seven Chests

The Mystery of the Seven Chests (1914)

Short | Short, Thriller

Jack Lawless, a mysterious individual with a past life of criminality, places in storage seven chests, the contents of which he considers of great value, and yet does not divulge them to the warehouse keeper. Immediately after leaving the ...See moreJack Lawless, a mysterious individual with a past life of criminality, places in storage seven chests, the contents of which he considers of great value, and yet does not divulge them to the warehouse keeper. Immediately after leaving the warehouse, Lawless is run down by an automobile and is taken to the hospital, where he is pronounced fatally injured. Realizing that he is dying, he writes a letter to his sister, Cleo, giving her the name and location of the warehouse so that she can obtain possession of the chests. The letter is given to a nurse to mail, but it is accidentally knocked behind a desk. Fifteen years later, the letter is found and mailed to Cleo, sister of Lawless. Cleo receives the letter and reads it in a public place. Rose, the daughter of a convict, serving a life term for murder, looks over Cleo's shoulder and reads the contents of the letter. Rose believes that Cleo's brother, Lawless, is guilty of the murder for which her father is imprisoned, and believes that the murderer's confession is concealed in one of the chests. Cleo and her husband start at once for the city where the chests have been stored. In the meantime the chests have been sold for storage charges and have been bought by John Belmont, a man-about-town, who orders then taken aboard the yacht "Dawn." Cleo questions the warehouse manager about the chests. He explains that they have been sold for storage and points out to her the figure of John Belmont disappearing down the street. She hastens after him and endeavors to secure the chests from him, becoming excited and angry and finally making an offer of $5,000 for them. He is obdurate and Cleo goes away angry, informing her husband that this man has bought the chests and ordered them taken on board his yacht, "Dawn." Rose arrives shortly after the departure of Cleo and her husband. The puzzled warehouse manager repeats the information already imparted to Cleo. Rose hastens to the wharf, but arrives in time only to witness the departure in the distance of the yacht. The yacht arrives safe at the country home of John Belmont, where the chests are taken ashore and places in the library. Cleo and her husband, having made unsuccessful attempts to secure possession of the chests, first from the storage warehouse manager and afterwards from honest Captain Moon, commander of the yacht "Dawn," determine to follow the quest. The husband makes friends with a band of harbor pirates, who accept from him an advance payment with the agreement that they shall receive more money alter they shall have accomplished the stealing of the chests. The harbor pirates embark on board another yacht under the leadership of Cleo's husband. In the meantime, Rose, eager to discover the contents of the mysterious chests, engages an automobile, in which she drives down the Lake Shore in the direction of John Belmont's home only to be disconcerted by the statement of the chauffeur that the rest of the way is too rough for a motor car. Still there are six miles to go. Rose leaves the automobile and determines to make the rest of the way on foot. A heavy storm comes up and the poor girl is thoroughly drenched when she sees the lights of John Belmont's bungalow gleaming in the distance. Rose staggers up to the house and is admitted by the servants. In her exhausted condition, she can hardly speak, yet she informs them of the necessity for seeing John Belmont immediately. Belmont hears her story and comforts her by saying that the chest's shall be turned over to her and that in the morning they will discover the mysterious contents. Cleo's husband and his band of harbor pirates approach the house. They have arrived too late to prevent the landing of the chests. They reconnoiter and locate the chests in the library. In the early gray dawn, they boldly force an entrance through the library window and enter the house. John Belmont hears noises and slips quietly into the library, where he quickly perceives the open window. The pirates seize him and bind and gag him. Then they carry the chest. Rose arises early and hears a sound in the library. Hurrying in, she finds John Belmont bound and helpless on the floor. She quickly releases him and he tells of the successful raid of the harbor pirates. The household is quickly awakened and John Belmont, followed by Rose, hastens to the landing, where the crew of the yacht "Dawn" are aroused and informed of the raid made by the pirates. Lines are cast off and the yacht starts in pursuit. A tiny smudge of smoke on the horizon indicates to Captain Moon the whereabouts of the rapidly disappearing pirate craft. Soon the distance has been so shortened that firearms can be used. Cleo's husband is armed with a rifle, while his fellow pirates possess revolvers. They begin shooting at the pursuing vessel, but finding that bullets will not stop the approach of the "Dawn" they run close to shore, lower a boat and, placing the chests in the smaller craft, make a dash for the shore, where they take position behind the rocks and use the chests for breast-works. The crew of the "Dawn" follows and after a brisk exchange of shots Cleo's husband is killed and the harbor pirates surrender. The seven mysterious chests are taken back to the bungalow, where John Belmont, aided by the servants, smashes the locks and opens them one after another. Rose searches feverishly through the contents for the object of her quest and finally discovers it in the last and smallest chest. It is a confession of Lawless that he committed the murder for which Rose's father is serving a life term in the penitentiary. John Belmont demands his reward and Rose modestly and sweetly grants him her hand. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis See less

Contacts

+ Add

Become a member to see contact information for The Mystery of the Seven Chests.

Cast	+ Add Cast
6 cast members

Name	Known for
Edwin Wallock John Belmont John Belmont See fewer	Tammany's Tiger (1916)
Adda Gleason Rose Rose See fewer	The Sacred Bracelet (1915)
Lillian Hayward Cleo Lawless Cleo Lawless See fewer	The Child of the Sea (1913)
William Stowell Cleo's Husband Cleo's Husband See fewer	Fighting Mad (1917)
Cecil Holland Jack Lawless Jack Lawless See fewer	The Garden of Allah (1916)
William Hutchison Rose's Father (as William P. Hutchinson) Rose's Father (as William P. Hutchinson) See fewer	The Fair Barbarian (1917)