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Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Unfortunate Valet (EP0809) · Great Detectives of Old Time Radio Volume 2|Mystery Audio Dramas

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Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This
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is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, email at
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Tom eight box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net, follow us on Twitter at
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Radio Detectives, and give us a call two to eight nine nine one four
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seven eight three. Well, today's episode is brought to you by the financial
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support of our listeners. Thank you so much for your support. Well,
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now it's time for today's episode of Sherlock Holmes, and this one's called The
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Adventure of the Unfortunate Ballot From New York City, the makers of clipper Craft
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Clothes for Men and more than twelve hundred leading retail stories from coast to coast,
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present that immortal character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the world's most
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famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, starring John Stanley. This week's story The Adventure
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of the Unfortunate Ballots. Quick Watson, the test tube are hones. Now
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we call this solution and the contents of this beacon. And you see the
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cloudy white precipitate, I do indeed, what does it mean? Holmes death,
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Watson, slow creeping and malicious depth We're at the door of doctor John
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Watson's study and we're about to hear another of his adventures with the fabulous Sherlock
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Holmes. Well, good evening, mister Harris. Good evening, doctor Watson.
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I see you're just adding your signature to a new memoir. Yes,
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mister Harris, this particular adventure took my friend Holmes and me out of London
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for a few days to the historic English Shrine of Learning, Cambridge University.
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M sounds interesting, doctor Watson. What's this adventure called? I call it
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the Adventure of the Unfortunate valet, mister Harris. As soon as you've regaled
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to spare. And now, doctor Watson, what about the Adventure of the
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Unfortunate Valid? As I said, mister Harrison, began at Cambridge, seat
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of one of Britain's greatest universities, a quiet place of mellow buildings and green
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lawns. And specifically it began in the area of Keys College, the medical
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college of the University Holmes. And I became in Barrow because of my old
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friendship with Ashley Webb, professor of anatomid that college. But actually the story
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began at the home of doctor Charles Stanhope are the medical fecco who at the
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moment was engaged in a violent quarrel with his wife. I tell you,
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Alisha, you've got to stop seeing so much a Professor Webb. The whole
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university is going to talk about it, and the faculty talk. They will.
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Let me tell you something, my dear Charles, there is nothing between
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Ashley and myself. Oh so it's Ashley now is it? Unisia? For
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the last time, I forbid you to see Professor Webb. Who you do?
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Do you? And I shall see him all like keys. He's a
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fine man and I'll not let you dictate to me. I leave you first.
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You don't mean that, my dear, Oh yes I do. That's
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frightened you doesn't mean Charles, We're very clever, dear boy. You married
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money. But if I leave you, who pay your gambling debts? In
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London? Alisha? They are sack you from the faculty when they find out
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about your debts. Bhoopit, Charles, he'll be ruined, disgraced. And
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if I leave you, I'll change my will naturally you won't get a shilling.
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Well, Charles, now, are you going to be nice to me?
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Very well? Alicia, Thank you, darling. And so I'm going
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to have a few things to say around here from now on. There's one
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wish I want you to attend to immediately. Yes, I want you to
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discharge that new ballot of yours, Briggs. Discharge Briggs. But why,
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I simply cannot stand the sight of the fellow. He gets so vertim and
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he looks pale, and ill get rid of him at once. Charles is
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ready, doctors Channa, oh, Briggs, never mind the baths. I
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want to talk to you. Yes, sir, my wife thinks you look
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pale ill? You're feeling well enough? Why? I I think so,
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sir? Do you ever have pains in your chest? Sometimes? Sir?
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From observing your eyes and the pallor of your skin, it could be symptoms
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of of what, doctor Stanib. Oh, it's probably nothing, Briggs,
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nothing at all. Still, we can't be too careful, can we?
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Suppose we step in my laboratory while I give you a complete physical examination?
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All right, Briggs, you may put on your shirt now, Doctor Stanhib,
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what is it, sir? I'm sorry, Briggs, terribly sorry,
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but you've got only a few months to live, a few months a year
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at the most, doctor Stanhip, you're sure positive? My examination has been
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conclusive. It's your heart, Briggs. There's a severe weakness in the heart
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wall an aneurysm. We call it. A few months to live. I'm
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sorry, a few months walk in a tight rope, never know what moment
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will be the last, waiting to die in your sleep, maybe wondering whether
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you'll drop dead in the street. Well, doctor standerby, I can't stand
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it. I can't stand it. What'll I do? What'll I do?
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Well, for one thing, Briggs, I promise you there won't be any
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pain. I'll give you a special medicine for that. As for the few
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months of life you have, I would suggest that if you live, live
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oh to the full, Briggs. Have the things you could never afford before.
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Why and women and song. We're the best clothes. Go to the
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theater, the music halls. Live a lifetime in a few months. Who's
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there? Who's in my room? Loop? No? Holding you here at
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the police station the charge of murdering Alicius Stanhope, Oh whim yes, John,
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and believe me. I am grateful that you should remember our old professional
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friendship and brought mister Holmes here at the Cambridge, Professor, whereby I must
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say that on the evidence it would appear that you are guilty and that we
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are wasting our time. Holmes, However, let us review the facts.
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Alicius Stanhope was found murdered in your home last night, while her husband,
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doctor Stanhope, was presumably traveling on the continent. Yes, yes, that
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is true, mister Holmes had gone out for a long walk, and when
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I came home she was there. The police believed, well, they believe
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I stabbed her in an amorous quarrel. But they lie, I tell you,
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they lie. I must confine myself to a healthy skepticism, my dear
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professor, at least until I'm able to interrogate doctor Stanhope, who I understand
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is hastening back to England from the continent. Come Watson, this hose where
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to the home of Professor Webb. Here the official police have not yet removed
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the body, and I should like to form my own conclusionsb Serve Watson.
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Alicia Stanhope was stabbed three times in the region of the hunt. Let contay
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anything to you. I cannot said, don't come come down. You're being
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up tooth. It's like a signpost on an open road. Hose, you
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mean you'll know who the murder is, not exactly, Watson, But I
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know who he is not. But observe again, my dear fellow. Although
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Alicia Stanhope was presumably stabbed on this couch, there's no sign of blood on
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the covering. Hose. You're right, quite the most peculiar phenomenon, Watson.
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Now I suppose we explore the garden adjacent to this room the potson.
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There are footprints here in the soil of the garden. Note how they go
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down into that steep gulley and disappear in the underbrush. Furse, Hose,
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there seemed to be two sets of footprints, one going charred the window,
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one moving away quite and they prove Watson, that the killer carried the dead
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woman into Professor Webb's house and left her there. How'd you know that was
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the elementary? My dear fellow. The tracks leading to the window are of
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a deeper imprint. Hence the killer was carrying a heavy burden. On the
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return journey, as you see, the footprints are lighter. Therefore he had
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been relieved of his burden. Jove hopes, your righteousness, h Oh,
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what is it, Hope? This gulley proceeds in the rear of several houses
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along the street here, and I shouldn't be surprised if one of them belongs
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to doctor Charles Stanhope. Hose, I hope you realize we're breaking and entering
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dock to Sterhope's premises. I cannot be concerned with legal quibbling now, Watson.
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It's obvious now the delicious Tenhope must have been murdered here, headed out
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to the garden, down along the galley, and from there into Professor Webb's
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hut brother wristless corps. Oh, there seems to be a small servant room
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here. Yes, it's been vacated very recently. What is it? Hers
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nork? Watson? The spoon on the shelf, it's covered with a light
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film of what seems to be some medical preparation. It proves beyond all doubt
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that some one is here last night. How'd you know that? Because the
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film on the spoon is still fresh and damp, it hasn't had a chance
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to evaporate. Soon. Must just come in. What's the meaning of this?
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Who are you? We might address the same question to you, sir,
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or you might but it just happens. I am doctor Charles Dunhope and
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this is my house. Well, doctor Watson, this is certainly an exciting
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adventure, and what happened after that? I shall be delighted to reveal the
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rest of the starty, do you, mister Herris, as soon as you've
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one six four oh eight Jamaica Avenue, Doctor Watson. Doctor Watson,
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you were relating to us the adventure of the unfortunate Valet. So I was,
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mister Harris. So I was Doctor Stanhope would come into his house with
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his baggage, and he was stained with a dust to trap. When we
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introduced ourselves, he immediately abandoned his idea of turning us over to the local
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police and became more tractable. He explained that he'd only just that moment returned
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from his trip to the cotton, that he had not yet seen the body
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of his wife, but he was quite sure as to her murder. It
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was Professor Webb, mister Holmes, Ashley Webb. He killed her. It
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couldn't have been anyone else. He was mad about her, wanted her to
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leave me, and he killed her when she refused. Then, doctor Stanhope,
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how does it happen that your wife Alicia was found dead Professor Webb's house.
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I don't know, mister Holmes. I'm sure that he had some power
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over her, the blackmail. Possibly, perhaps Alicia had to go to his
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house. Perhaps she had no choice. I don't know. I'm afraid,
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doctor Stanhope. This affair would provide a holiday for the gossip monger and Doctor
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Stanhope question. Yes, were there any servants on the premises while you were
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abroad or no? I did have a valet named Briggs, but he left
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my service a week ago. Maybe a squile. He was in ill health,
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doctor Watson, very bad heart condition, a severe anneurism. In fact,
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Fellow had only a few months to live. I see, and where
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might we find this fellow Briggs? I believe you can find him at the
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Carlton Hotel in London. Well, Holmes, I confess I'm puzzled. Indeed,
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why Watson, will we telegraph the customs of dover founded Doctor Stanhoak did
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not pass through into the spot. Yes, therefore he couldn't have murdered his
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wife last night, bag in cambridgets Well, I hate to say at home,
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but you think Professor Webb might be guilty after all? Yes, the
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rubbish eh, a single glance at the corps were sufficient to exonerate Professor Webb.
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Firstman, how remember the killer plunged the blade into the victim's body three
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times in the area of the heart. But Watson, consider that Webb is
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the professor of anatinae. If he were the assassin, he'd obviously know how
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to find the heart with one swift blow. Two, Holmes, you'll quite
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But how can a ballot live in splendor at the first class hotel like the
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Carlton. Secondly, how could a man with a severe heart anneurism carry a
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heavy body along a strenuous path up and down a steep gullet yes, everywhere.
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More Champagne's nothing like the old bubbly? Is they? Old bubbly makes
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men forget? That's what it is. Drink up some drink up. You're
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a real sporting gentleman. Sink so, I should say, a real top
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the sweet at the Carlton and dinner and squab at the caffe, and all
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the champagne and fling you more bubbly where they come from. All this champagne
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you can drink. Heary, you and me are going to do a lot
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of living pretty frocks, and we'll go to the races in the music halls
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and living like royally. You will drink up for the bubbly. Briggs,
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someone's coming up. Oh, I don't know a couple of men. I
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beg your pardon. Your name is Briggs, that's right? Who may you
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be? This is doctor Watson, and my name is Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock
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Holmes, what do you want? Briggs? We understand that you were valid
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to doctor Charles Stoner, as you no doubt know his wife has been mud.
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We should like to ask you a few questions. He would you would
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you? Indeed? Well, I don't know nothing. See, I give
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up my post with a stand ups a week ago and is for a Nibb's
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good riddance. I see look here, Watson, supposed we question this fellow
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another time time he seems to be in no condition to make sober answers at
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the moment, Well, Homes, we didn't seem to find out much from
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this Briggs fellow. Oh. On the contrary, Watson, we did.
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What do you mean our friend Briggs, my dear fellow, happens to be
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an ex convict. Eh, how'd you know? That? Exlimentary? Watson?
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The panel of his face was characteristic of long confinement, and his hands
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proved the point even more. His hand, yes, the kind of scarred
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hands any convict might acquire in the duke workshop of a prison. And as
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speaking of prisons, Watson, our next step is to find which institution Harbord
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Briggs as its guest, and after that it would be most interesting to examine
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the fellow's medical record. Watson, Look here an interesting medical report today.
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What do you mean? According to the physician's report here at you get prison,
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there's nothing wrong with Briggs's heart. Note the report is marked excellent,
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and this is as recent as six months ago, and Briggs was released.
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That doesn't make sense. On the contrary, Watson, it does. You
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have a spoon we found in the servants quarters at the Stanhope house, the
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spoon with a film of medicine on it. Yes, I wrapped in a
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piece of paper, got in my pocket. But what now, Hope?
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Back to Baker Street. Back to Baker Street to conduct a chemical experiment.
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Quick, Watson, the test tube here you are home. Now we pour
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this solution in the contents of this bacan and h you see this cloudy white
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precipitate verse, I do, indeed, what does it mean? Death?
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Watson, A slow creeping and malicious death. Quick, my dear fellow,
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get your hat. We must get to the Carton Hotel at once, Carl
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to precisilate to have another talk with a ballot called Briggs. Well, Briggs,
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there's the evidence, as I've related it to you. You murdered Alicia
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Stanhope at the instigation of a husband child. You still denied, Bridge,
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deny it now? Why should I? You got my kid to ride?
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And what do I care? I'm going to die anyway soon. I got
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a bad heart, I am, and I'll cheat the Angman's nose before it's
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time. Briggs, I'm afraid you've been played for a fool. Yes,
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you'll have some excellent condition. The strolls an ox at allah. Not according
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to an examination given you by the Newgate prison physician, not six months ago.
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But doctor Stanhap it's his diagnosis. He dupped you and deceived you,
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Briggs. He lied to you about your heart, bribed you with money,
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and used you as a tool. You thought that with a severe heart condition,
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you had nothing to lose, but you are wrong, Stannup. So
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hey lie, tell me, hey lie. You carried Alicia Stanhope's body from
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your house to Professor Webb's up and down, a steep, gutty little effort
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for a man with your alleged condition. That led me to question the diagnosis
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from the stock and I could have lived, have three men without murder on
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me ends and then stan Up. He even gave me medicine from the art
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exactly. But that medicine happened to be a slow and insidious poison, Briggs.
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Stanhope wanted to get rid of you. You've done your work, and
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you would have died soon just as he promised you. See sick pones,
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look out he's got either of you. Don't try anything. You're not gonna
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take me in, not yet, not until I keep an appointment with a
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certain gentleman. You just come to London from Cambridge and I know you'll be
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glad to see me. Oh Briggs, all right, what on earth?
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Allow Stan up? What the devil you're carrying a revolver? You've got your
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bad art Briggs, Watcher told me doctor with a straight face. To remember,
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I'm sorry, Rice, it's bad news. You got for a few
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months to live. You lie to me, you cheated me, made me
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chill for your dirty money. A thousand pounds Jet got me, and then
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finger tried to poison me with your medicine. Dinge up, get away from
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the desk. Always for the guns. But I'm still not trying to send
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you that. I'll make sure of it. Remember it told me I didn't
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have long to live, and you're right, You're right. But this time
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it's better this way than dangling on the end of a roof. Ridge,
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Ridge, That's why I'm coming here, Watson, for those shots. Who's
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good, good lord? They both yes, Watson, they're too late,
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but no tiw justice has been done. They both have a bullet through the
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hot well, Doctor Watson. That was certainly an unusual adventure. Thank you,
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mister Harris. Oh I almost forgot one thing, yes, doctor Watson.
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A subsequent investigation of doctor Stanhope's background revealed that he was not entitled to
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practice medicine at all. He had cleverly kept this secret for many years.
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See but now what about next week's case, Doctor Watson. The next week
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I shall relate to you the adventure of the Elusive Agent. It concerns an
23:51
interrupted honeymoon, the odor of a rare tobacco, and a strange New British
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invention which made a dramatic pudents during World War One. The makers of clipper
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Craft clothes and more than twelve hundred stores from coast to coast have brought you
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another in the new series of broadcasts featuring the world's most famous detective, Sherlock
24:19
Holmes. Our stories are based upon the character Sherlock Holmes, created by Sir
24:27
Arthur Colan Doyle, and the program is produced and directed by Basil Loachran.
24:32
Sherlock Holmes is played by John Stanley, Doctor Watson by George Spelton. This
24:37
week's story was written by Max Erlick with special music by Albert Berman. If
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you don't know your Clippercraft dealer, write Clipper Craft, two hundred Fifth Avenue,
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New York City. The Red Cross is always ready, always there.
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You two can act and help through the Red Cross nineteen forty nine fund.
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Be sure to listen next week to Sherlock Holmes in the Adventure of the Elusive
25:22
Agent. Mister s I Harris speaking for Clipper Crack Clothes. This is the
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mutual broadcasting system. Welcome back. Well. One thing is that this season
25:44
does seem to do. In this episode we heard today is kind of an
25:47
illustration of that. Is play episodes that really seem to the strength of the
25:52
episodes not so much the mystery or the chase of Sherlock Holmes. Rather,
26:00
it's the sensationalistization of the characters, of the crime and of what is actually
26:10
being proposed. And it was quite popular a lot of true crime top stories,
26:18
not detector stories, and also episodes of shows like suspense. They would
26:26
have episodes that focused on sensational crimes, and certainly this sort of thing did
26:32
have its popularity in the golden age of radio. I'm not a particular fan
26:36
of this type of story. But it did seem to play pretty well with
26:41
the audiences back then, as Sherlock Holmes's overall ratings increase. Now, the
26:47
next series is not so much a sensational crime story, much more experimental when
26:55
you get into the Elusive Agent. We're going to hold off on that particular
26:59
series for just a while longer yet, though, I'm going to wait while
27:07
we have a couple episodes after that Elusive Agent Saga then, which is a
27:15
three parter, and then we'll play episode we skipped, a Blue Card Uncle,
27:21
and then we'll come back to the Elusive Agents. So we will get
27:25
to all the episodes this season. We're just gonna skip around a little bit.
27:27
We have a total of thirteen programs left in this particular series, and
27:34
a total of thirty episodes with Sherlock Holmes. We'll have a couple other things
27:40
we're gonna do after this. A particular series is over all right, well,
27:45
that we'll do it for today. Join us tomorrow for yours truly,
27:48
Johnny Dollar, and then join us on next Thursday for another episode of Sherlock
27:52
Holmes. In the meantime, send your comments to Box thirteen at Great detectors
27:57
dot net. Follow was on Twitter at Radio Detectors and call us two await
28:02
nine nine one four seven eight three from Boise, Idaho. This is your
28:06
host, Adam Grahamson and off.