No sooner had Bob from the Silver Star ranch reached Italy than a telegram arrived asking for $1,000. A pretty woman was behind it, but that wasnt all. This early work by Earl Derr Biggers was originally published in 1916. The Ebony Stick is one of Biggers shorter stories, published after his death. The son of Robert J. and Emma E. (Derr) Biggers, Earl Derr Biggers was born in Warren, Ohio, and graduated from Harvard University in 1907. While on holiday in Hawaii, Biggers heard tales of a real-life Chinese detective operating in Honolulu, named Chang Apana. This inspired him to create his most enduring legacy in the character of super-sleuth Charlie Chan. Many of his plays and novels were made into movies.