Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This
is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, email it
to me Box thirteen at Great Detectives not Net, follow us on Twitter at
Radio Detectives, and call us to await nine nine, one, four,
seven eight three. Well, today's episode is brought to you by the financial
support of our listeners. Thanks so much for all your support. Well,
we're going to play a very interesting series of programs. This one not noted
for being a multiple part episode of Sherlock Holmes. We skipped over a couple
of episodes to make sure that we would be able to play the Bluke Harbuncle
when we did. This particular episode comes from March twenty feet of nineteen forty
nine and the Tondel as the Elusive Agent from New York City. The makers
of clipper Craft Clothes for Men, and more than twelve hundred leading retail stores
from coast to coast present that immortal character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,
the world's most famous detective Sherlock Holmes, starring John Stanley. This week's story
the adventure of the Elusive Agent. It was the quarry we've followed from the
docks. Went into that room off the scolard of bike Watson. What are
we waiting here for? But are we just go in? Patience? Wats
and patience. We cannot precipitate ourselves into a trap on sheer impulse, Great
quick Watson into that room. The trap has spung. We must get to
the victim. We're at the door of doctor John Watson's study and we're about
to hear another of his adventures with the fabulous Sherlock holds. Well. Okay,
good evening, mister Harris. Good evening, doctor Watson. You have
a memoir for us tonight. I hope I have, indeed, mister Harris.
In fact, I had just finished editing it. When you kill it.
I might say that this particular adventure is a first rank importance, not
only in the life of my friend Holmes, but on the course of history
itself. The stakes were the highest, and on the outcome hinged the issue
of empire itself in no other adventure. So that I can recall, we're
are plutagonists, more ruthless, more shrewd, and more cruel. H sounds
like you've got a treat for us tonight. What do you call it,
doctor Watson? Will Holmes and I always refer to it as the adventure of
the Elusive Agents. And after you have enlightened our audience to the merits of
Clippercraft clothes, mister Headers, I shall proceed with this highly unusual story today.
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doctor Watson, what about the Adventure of the Elusive Agents? Well, mister
Harris, it began in nineteen thirteen. This was a year when Holmes's brother,
now Sir Maycroft Poems, had publicly achieved the post Administer at Large Whitehall,
which secretly conducted the affairs of British intelligence nineteen thirteen, I might add,
was a year of international tension, notably between Britain and Germany, which
a year later culminated in the First World War. It was behind the shadowy
scenes of espinage that this adventure first began, and specifically it began one dark
night on the Berlin Express, plunging northward the Budapest turned, the German capital.
There was a knock on a compartment door. Yah, who is it?
Hostap right in factor herm alone? What is it? What do you
want? I have a telegram for your hair. My hair. Oh my
moment I got. You're not gonna make a samelon. Get back in that
combat yours? Get back, I said, or I'll blow your head off.
That's better my frame, that's better. So you're an Englishman? What
do you want to the plans my hair plans? I don't know what you're
talking of. Down to Hammelin and listen las night in rude vest who nine
and englishman in the back because waterproof packet of paper from it You're on your
way to deliver them to the villam Strass and Berlin now and above the quick
about it. You will never get those plans. You'll swine Hiller Hermelin.
But I must have them now. No, yes, I must have yes
Hermeler. Congratulations, my dear Norton, You've done an excellent job in intersembling
at German agent and returning these players to our embassy here in Berlin. Thank
you for macro Unfortunately, our problem is only begun, my dear boy.
These plans are of the highest importance and we must get them out of Germany
and back to Whitehall at once. Are you understand these are the originals,
the only copies of the plans in existence. They were stolen by this German
agent you intercepted from the inventor himself before he was able to get them to
the War Office, and we could have copies made. But I understand your
returning to London tonight, are you not, Sir Macroft. I am,
but I cannot take the plans with me. No, why not, sir?
Ostensibly I am, Sir Microft homes British Minister without portfolio here on official
business. Actually, I am here to see that these plans get back to
London, and the Wilhelm Strasser knows it. I see. I have been
watched every step of the way. The Germans have revoked our form of privilege
and will examine all diplomats of the customs, and we can't risk relaying the
data to Whitehall by code on the chance that the Germans may already have broken
it. It will be a dangerous and delicate mission to smuggle about of German
in a moment. One moment, my boy, I joke, I believe
I habit, Yes, sir, I record reading in the newspapers that you
are to marry a British subject here in Berlin by the name of miss Pammela
Rivers. That's right, sir Maccoon. And if I remember, you were
to be married this Saturday, and we'll return to England for your honeymoon.
Yes, sir, those are our intention. Yes, I'm sure it will
work. Philip Norton British Chatache takes bride honeymoon's in England. Excellent, excellent,
very romantic, innocuous in purpose, not calculated to arouse suspicion. So
I don't understand Naughton, my boy, marry your girl, take your bride
to England with you, and take something else in addition, Yes, sir
mcra the plans. Norton, the plans Darling, Darling, Philip. Oh,
it all seems like a wonderful dream, does it, pa, Yes,
Philip, Yes, I'm glad you didn't dance that last dance. I'm
glad we came up on deck here together, just the two of us alone.
I think I'll always remember this moment, Philip, this moment of our
honeymoon. I'll always remember what the music was playing, and I had how
the moon shone up there on the sky, and the lights of England at
home shining over there on the shore. So will I, Pam, So
will i, Philip? Yes, put your arms around me, homely close.
Closer, Darling, closer. That's it, Oh, darling, Darling,
Philip, kiss me, No, tell me that you love me.
I love your pen I love you, I love you. Do you really,
Darling? What a surprise, Darling them you've got a name. Yes,
you're English swine and you're going to feel the blade again. No,
my dear departed bridegroom the plans, Yes, in your cold pockets, I
thought, No, if I can roll you over bought will the opening in
this reel? Over you go? Goodbye, my romantic darling, and thanks
for the wedding present. Pot Hole who's thought should be below in a small
boat. There's the arrangement. Who's that? Who's that? Are you there?
Line? You have a plan, Yes, hould them down to me
for the pot hole you are thank you for a line. That's swine.
Norton so he thought he could smuggle the plan one moment, coustaff only half
the plans are there. I have the other half. What does the meaning
of this? It means that the half I have is for sale? I
see. But they happy actor has paid your will tell you our master if
he wants the rest of these plans, he would have to be more generous,
you under stand. With that anywhere I shall tell him. And when
you come ashore, filite, we shall be waiting for you at the harmyfool
help you lisit? So? Young Norton disappeared while the Oceania lay at quarantine
in Southampton. Ay, Mycroft, Yes, Sherlock, I'm sorry to rouse
you and doctor Watson here in the dead of night on a mission you never
anticipated. But we have impounded the passengers and crew of the vessel at Southampton
for questioning, and we need your talents desperately now. Indeed, if the
plans are not recovered the life of England, and if the empire itself are
in Japanese, sounds like a formidable affair, I must said, fight.
But my dear Mycroft, since we are to become involved with these plans,
it might be helpful to know something of their nature. These papers ten in
all, were the designs of a new weapon, Sherlock, a kind of
land monster built to revolutionized modern warfare. In short, an armor plated mobile
vehicle we call a turn. But she serves it this sounds like something out
of Jewel's verse. Yes, it does, Indean Watson with sher like,
I beg of you to bend every effort of the recovery of those plans,
to use every passage of your genius to track them down. I'll be a
good chair, my craft. It's my opinion that the plans have already been
spirited from the Oceania, that it may not yet be too late. I
get aboard. I shall have some pertinent questions to ask. Whom will you
begin with, Hope, Since it's the bridegroom who's missing, my dear Watson,
I shall obviously begin with the bride. Now, missus Norton, exactly
what happened after you and your husband had gone to the upper deck of the
vessel here it was a little chili. I asked Philip to wait for a
moment. I left him alone, went down to my cabin to get a
rap. When I returned, it was gone. And after you searched the
boat and couldn't find him, you notified the captaman. Yeah, yes,
doctor Watson. Yes, it's the home side clean. I can't answer any
more questions. No, Philip's hes gone, loved it. I'm I'm sorry,
this is not I realize what a strain you've been undone, and there's
no need to detain you any longer. You are liberty retired your cabin now,
can't get me the Jews hole. I must confess I found it a
heartbreaking experience watched this poor girl, did you, Watson? What do you
mean? I mean that the woman lied? What come come, Watson?
It's painfully obvious. He distinctly said that she went down to get her rep
did she not? Yes, yes she did. But what is considered,
My dear fellow, if you were a bridegroom on your honeymoon and in a
chivalrous mood, would you allow your bride to go to the trouble of getting
her own rap no, no dash the precisely you would not know, man,
would Watson Hope notify the authors to allow all passengers to smbarkers. But
Holmes, you haven't questioned any of the other I don't think it necessary,
Watson, time is too short, and we must gamble at long odds.
From now on we shall concentrate all our energies on following the berieved bride.
Now, with your permission, we're going to transport Sherlock Holmes and doctor Watson
from England to America for a few moments. They are in a typical American
city. I say, that's a very successful looking chap standing there, isn't
it, eh, Banker, would you say not at all, my dear
Watson. He is not a man of wealth, opposition, but a man
of extremely good taste. He looked successful because he's succeeded in finding an excellent
tailor. That he's an athlete is at first glance, yes, but I'm
quite sure that his broad shoulders and tapering waist are ready the results of excellent
clothing design. We must be wealthy to a force to spendid tailor to see
what beautiful fabric because in his suit, or, my dear Watson, you're
obviously unfamiliar with the American way of life. That man to whom you refer
is wearing a clipper Craft suit, which, if I'm not the stick in
selves for only forty five dollars. But how will you see, Watson?
Some twelve hundred retail elections all over to Medica have pooled their tremendous buying power
to make these really extraordinary clippercraft nus possible rock Watson as a symbol of the
honest New England quality and value of clippercraft clothing. They have adopted the name
clipper Craft in emulation of the famous New England clipper ships and the modern aircraft
of the same name. These are synonymous with New England quality. Oh,
I see it. But tell me, Holmes, how did you recognize that
chap as the wearer the clippercraft suit elementary, My dear Watson, he's the
best dressed man in sight? All right, you are, Sherlock Holmes,
the best dressed man in sight. A successful looking man is the man who
wears a clippercraft suit. Yet Clippercraft new spring suits cost only forty five dollars
and clipper Craft Gaberdine and covert coats only forty to forty seven fifty See the
new clipper Craft spring styles tomorrow. Clipper Craft clothes are sold by your local
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visit the clipper Craft store in your city. These leading stores in the metropolitan
area are proud to add their names to Clippercraft in your suits and top coats.
In Manhattan, John Wannamaker's Men's Stores Broadway at eighth and sixty seven Liberty
Street, Sacks thirty fourth Broadway at thirty fourth in Brooklyn, Abram and Strauss
in New York, New Jersey Boulevard Men's Shop Kresgi, Nork, And in
Jamaica the B and B Clothes Shop one six four o eight Jamaica Avenue.
Do doctor Watson. Doctor Watson, you were relating to us the adventure of
the elusive agents. So I was, mister Hens, So I was our
tusk Is homes that explain to keep the bereaved bride, Missus Philip Norton,
under our watchful surveillance, and this in the theory that she might lead us
to the stolen plans for the new British armored monster named the Tech. We
saw it take the train to London and we followed. Then at London she
took the underground and we followed, keeping out a side in the next car,
and finally she emerged at the suburban station of Goldi's dream spent into this
house. I believe I saw someone admitted of that door there, and the
colonels quite you shall wait here for her to emerge? Ons, Why don't
we just go in nations, my dear man patience. Our belief is that
Missus Naughton did not see a shadow in her, but we cannot be sure.
Shrewd, my dear fellower and summit actress, and no fool, for
all we know this may be a trap. Have your sad This revolva will
be once it right here that I had it ready at, My dear fellow,
it is short time you may have occasion to use it. Ah,
so you have already come tusius or not. I do not wish to be
caught prow any longer. The vokery is over, and that pool not nestad
as your wish, whereas your master. As you know, we have a
business appointment. The actor has delegated me to represent in these negotiations. Very
well, I have half the plans. Your master has the other half.
But that's one portion. The other portion is listed. How much of my
big good stub the hand we night dos in climbed to be generous. You
have already been well paid, but he realizes that a certain expenses he's willing
to pay you ten thousand pounds on the seat of your heart, ten thousand
pounds. There's a handsome some idea to pay up black. It's a pittance.
The artists know. The price is fifty thousand pounds. You must be
mad with Greek. Fifty thousand pounds, My dear good stap, I know
what bolt these downs are worth. Price is low, and have no confquence
to the organiztion you represent. Consider what the British would pay for those papers?
Well, Gutta, I remempower the goals higher. Twenty thousand pounds.
That is my final offer. Fifty thousand and death is my final offer.
You have the papers with you I have. Oh, I don't think you
can take them from me by violence? Will start and remove me for good?
It really wouldn't be worth it. You know, I have a trusted
friend in London and he has a sealed letter. In this letter is all
the information I possessed concerning the German Eskiana's dring. Not only are the continent
but in England too. You understand that, fol and I understand. And
finally, the letter contains the identity of the ringleader himself, Gutta, you
are master and mine. In the event of my disappearance, my friend is
to mail this letter to the cheaper British intelligence at quite all the crisis still
fifty thousand pounds will stap? Perhaps you had the talk that they had like
a personally, My dear Folland, isn't the next moment I would summon him?
The Folne is here naturally, I'm sure with the consistance, and who
do you mean for her life? So consider talking able to visit our little
hideaway far out here in Golden Street. I understand who've named the price for
those plans? Fifty thousand pounds. It's a little high. May I make
a counter of her. What is it? This simple, hey, good
stub the idea way to make a bargain quick, efficient, ruthless. And
so we beat a farewell to the brand. But the letter, the letter,
you also take me for a full destob But the friend and the letter
would destroy long before she arrived in England. I haven't my agents, honeycoming
this powl and miserable island for nothing? Quick now search up at the Yeah,
open open the door they've gotta knocked. Okay, it's here's quicker out
the back way. It's not fine now by while we can have the part
of the sea. Quick with your pistol. Wats this right? The thing's
gonna wear with the gun walls. Well, who's you've got the plans?
Yes, Watson, they've got on Missus Knaton's body here. And fortunately,
however we have only half the packet half fright, Only five designs are here,
and you'll record my cock doors of a ten in all this would the
other five where could they be? No doubt in the hands of the roofless
agents who just truck Missus Knaton here might very well have been that she came
here with the idea of selling them and Watson. This, who you detect
a faint owner of tobacco in this room? Be yes, yes, Come
to think of it, I do, interesting, sent Watson. Very what
do you mean? Smells like ordinary tobacco to me? On the contrary,
this one's a rare and very unusual blend. It's a cross mixture, Watson.
The faces are strong and heavy, peric tempered with a bit of burley
and more than just a touch of Euphrate's yellow leaf grown in the river valleys
of eastern Turkey. Only one expert in London, or in all of England
will create an extra like this Grimsby. Grimsby, the tobacconist. He specializes
in these rare and exotic blends. He owns a little hole in the wall
in soho By serve those we can go there. And I certain who ordered
this blendby precisely. One thing is sure, my dear fellow. One thing
is certain. Now that we possess half the plans, our constant companion is
danger and we are marked men. So you did mix that blend, I
described, Grimsby, Yester Holmes. I did. I most certainly did A
very unusual format, a very unique I made it to the purchases who quest
the court? And who was this purchaser right now? It was a foreign
gentleman named Marcos, the amy macOS Marco. Would you describe him too?
A soul, yes, mister Holmes. He had the most unusual face,
one that who wouldn't soon forget her? A tall man, he was her
very prestidiously dressed. Today he takes somewhat like a hack, but it was
his mouth would notice anywhere? Yes? What about his mouth and adapter watching
it? He had a sort of unportant twitched the corner every now and then,
a very annoying habit, to be sure. Would you know where this
Emuel Marco lived Grimsbre Yes, mister, course I would. I had a
messenger deliberate in it. Did tobacco mixture to its paying the back littel?
I said, I say the rule block. Yes, gentlemen, what could
I do for you? We're looking for a gentleman named Marco, Emile Marco.
What whom did the occupy? Why he did occupy his sweet on the
third class? Did you mean his left three? Yes, sir, he
left early this morning? Would you know his destination from here? Let's see
Marco Emile Market. The utmost important that you remember. Well one moment,
I do remember this, What did you girl? I recall his luggage was
routed for the hotel Metropol in Paris. I remember it from the label Metropol
in Paris. Come up and there's no time for us upbraid them? You'd
be city nine two three? Yes, are you there? This is Bradley
at the bar day. The gentlemen were here. They found out about Marco
in there trading into Paris. Yes, sir, I told them where they
could finding myself. Well, doctor Watson, you've got us sitting on the
edges of our chairs. What happened next in Paris? Patience, my dear
mister Harris's patience. Next week I shall rob with the adventure of the Elucidation.
I can only tell you that from her on events moved forward with breast
ticking speed, that we walked in the midst of the strange espionage plot,
met some rootless and deadly persons, and almost lost our lives. So until
next week, at the same time, mister Harris, I shall say good
nights. The makers of clipper Craft clothes and more than twelve hundred stars from
coast to Coast have brought you another in the new series of broadcasts featuring the
world's most famous detective, Sherlock Home. Our stories are based upon the character
Sherlock Holmes, created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and the program is produced
and directed by Basil Lochran. Sherlock Holmes is played by John Stanley, Doctor
Watson by George Spelton. This week's story was written by Max Arley with special
music by Albert Berber. If you don't know your clipper Craft dealer, write
clipper Craft two hundred Tip Avenue, New York City. Be sure to listen
next week to Sherlock Holmes in Part two of the Adventure of the Elusive Agent.
Socie Harris, speaking for clippers Flap Polls as Demitral Broadcasting, welcome back.
Well. The way that Microft's guy was murdered was just particularly cold blooded.
Of course, we're left with a lot of questions. Is tough as
to where the ringleader really is, who that guy at the nesk was,
and so much more that we'll have answered in future episodes. One thing we
don't need answered is whether clever Craft can possibly get any more cheesy with its
advertisements. I think we can answer after today safely. The answer is no
using Holmes and Watson in character to sell suits. To quote the great chessler
Riley, what a revolting development. But storyline is developing interesting. We'll see
what will happen next week in part two of The Elusive Agent. Be sure
and join us then for that Tomorrow is yours truly, Johnny Dowler, and
this will be our last week of five episodes a week. Starting next week
we will have six episodes a week, with that six show being the lineup.
In the meantime. Sandra comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives, not
met, follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and be sure and rate
the show on iTunes. But from Boise, Idaho, this is your host,
Adam graham Son and off