Podcast Summary: Sherlock Holmes – "Colonel Warburton's Madness" (09/10/1945)

Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Starring Basil Rathbone (Sherlock Holmes) & Nigel Bruce (Dr. John H. Watson)
Date of Original Broadcast: September 10, 1945
Podcast Release: December 5, 2025

Episode Overview

This classic episode of The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, dramatized for radio and featuring the iconic duo Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, centers on a strange case in the English countryside: "Colonel Warburton’s Madness." Dr. Watson, seeking to relax on holiday with his wife Mary, is drawn once again into mystery when an acquaintance fears her uncle, Colonel Warburton, is going insane. The story unfolds with mysterious whistles, violent outbursts, and questions of black magic, ultimately leading Holmes to untangle a sinister plot using deduction, a dog, and his acute sense of justice.

Key Discussion Points and Story Breakdown

1. Setting the Scene: Watson’s Holiday and Unwelcome Mystery

• [03:52 – 04:47]
  Dr. Watson, tired from a busy year, follows his wife Mary’s advice to vacation in Taplow, a quaint village along the Thames. Their plans for rest are thwarted when Mary recognizes Ellen Warburton, an old friend. Ellen is distressed over her uncle's mental state and asks Watson for help.

  Notable Quote:

  • “He’s going mad before my eyes and I can do nothing to help him.” – Ellen Warburton [07:49]

2. First Visits and Symptoms of 'Madness'

• [05:06 – 13:16]
  The Watsons visit Colonel Warburton’s home, Chevy Grange. The Colonel—ex-military with a collection of African artifacts—is subject to violent rages, paranoia, and, most curiously, claims of hearing an untraceable “shrill piping whistle” that no one else hears. During an outburst, he nearly injures his niece with a thrown spear.

  Notable Moments:

  • “Black magic, that's what it is… the powers of jungle witchcraft are completely unknown in this country, Dr. Watson.” – Colonel Warburton [11:44]
  • The arrival of Nada, a Zulu girl staying as Warburton’s guest, introduces an aura of the exotic and mysterious.

3. Holmes Joins – Deductions Begin

• [14:08 – 17:37]
  Watson updates Holmes by letter, and Holmes responds with an enigmatic telegram querying if the household has a dog. Ellen reveals her dog was mysteriously killed the previous week, head smashed in, with her uncle a possible suspect during his ‘fits’.

  Notable Quotes:

  • “Does the Warburton household have a dog?” – Sherlock Holmes (telegram) [14:08]
  • “Why on earth did you bring a dog?” – Dr. Watson [17:35]
  • Holmes arrives in person, bringing a nasty-tempered stray from London, hinting that dogs are central to the case.

4. New Crimes and Clues

• [18:50 – 19:27]
  Upon returning to the Colonel’s home, Holmes and Watson discover the dog Holmes brought has been killed with a spear—again implicating Warburton.

  Notable Lines:

  • “Poor brute. Stabbed to death by one of the Colonel’s spears. That proves it, Holmes. The man is mad.” – Watson [19:19]
  • “I think not, Watson. I think it proves that Colonel Warburton is a great deal more sane than some of the members of his household.” – Holmes [19:27]

5. The Barn, Black Magic, and Motives

• [20:43 – 21:43]
  Holmes and Watson witness Nada and the butler, Hacker, engaged in chanting and African drumming in the barn. Holmes suspects more than superstition at play.

  Memorable Exchange:

  • “Apparently assisting Ms. Nader in African mysticism. It’s black magic they’re dabbing with.” – Watson [21:33]

6. Experiment with the Dog: Holmes Lays a Trap

• [22:53 – 27:22]
  Holmes borrows a neighbor’s dog, Boojum, and gathers all suspects. He conducts a key experiment by blowing an ultrasonic whistle; the dog and Colonel both react, confirming a sound above normal human hearing but within reach for the hypersensitive Colonel and animals. The pattern matches the onset of the Colonel’s symptoms and the murders of household dogs.

  Notable Exchange:

  • “This wooden whistle in my hand is the answer to the mystery. The sound made by this cunningly designed instrument is above the normal range of pitch. The Colonel has hypersensitive ears.” – Holmes [27:05]
  • “Someone has deliberately been trying to drive the Colonel mad… That’s why the dogs were murdered.” – Watson [27:18–27:22]

7. The Reveal: Motive, Means, and Culprit

• [27:39 – 28:49]
  Suspicion falls on Nada, but Holmes reveals Ellen Warburton, the Colonel’s niece, engineered the plot to invalidate a new will possibly favoring Nada. Educated in physics, Ellen had the knowledge to craft the whistle.

  Notable Exchange:

  • “It should be obvious who had a motive for making the Colonel appear mad: his niece and heiress.” – Holmes [28:12]
  • “I did it for your sake—to save you from Nada. She’s just an adventuress.” – Ellen Warburton [28:40]
  • “My niece? I have no niece, Mr. Holmes.” – Colonel Warburton [28:49]

8. Resolution and Epilogue

• [29:09 – End]
  Holmes restores peace, Watson is impressed by Holmes’ reasoning, and Boojum the dog is safely returned to her owner—with the promise of scrupulously meaty bones. Brief technical talk about dog-whistles follows, rounding out the adventure.

  Memorable Closing:

  • “You mean there really is a whistle that only dogs can hear?” – Host [29:52]
  • “If I want you to come quickly, all I have to say is: would anyone like a glass of Petri wine?” – Watson, in a playful nod to listeners [30:07]

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “He’s going mad before my eyes and I can do nothing to help him.” – Ellen Warburton [07:49]
• “Black magic, that's what it is… the powers of jungle witchcraft are completely unknown in this country, Dr. Watson.” – Colonel Warburton [11:44]
• “Does the Warburton household have a dog?” – Sherlock Holmes (telegram) [14:08]
• “That proves it, Holmes. The man is mad.” – Dr. Watson [19:19]
• “I think not, Watson. I think it proves that Colonel Warburton is a great deal more sane than some of the members of his household.” – Holmes [19:27]
• “This wooden whistle in my hand is the answer to the mystery. The sound made by this cunningly designed instrument is above the normal range of pitch. The Colonel has hypersensitive ears.” – Holmes [27:05]
• “It should be obvious who had a motive for making the Colonel appear mad: his niece and heiress.” – Holmes [28:12]
• “I did it for your sake—to save you from Nada. She’s just an adventuress.” – Ellen Warburton [28:40]
• “My niece? I have no niece, Mr. Holmes.” – Colonel Warburton [28:49]
• “If I want you to come quickly, all I have to say is: would anyone like a glass of Petri wine?” – Dr. Watson (outro punchline) [30:07]

Important Segment Timestamps

| Time | Content | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:52 | Watson and Mary begin their country holiday | | 07:49 | Ellen Warburton reveals fears about her uncle’s madness | | 11:44 | Colonel’s claims of “jungle witchcraft” and whistle | | 14:08 | Holmes’ cryptic telegram: “Does the Warburton household have a dog?” | | 17:09 | Holmes’ arrival—brings a dog; hints dogs central to case | | 19:19 | Holmes’ dog found dead, stabbed | | 21:25 | Holmes and Watson observe Nada and Hacker in the barn | | 27:05 | The dog whistle experiment—mystery revealed | | 28:12 | Holmes identifies Ellen as the culprit | | 28:49 | Colonel Warburton disowns Ellen | | 30:07 | Punchline about Petri wine and dog whistles (light outro) |

Episode Tone & Style

In keeping with classic Holmes radio drama, the episode is rich in period dialogue, suspense, and clever deduction. Watson’s affable and sometimes blundering narration keeps the tone light, while Holmes’ incisive questions and occasional witticisms bring intensity and wit. The interplay of superstition, science, and personal motives is handled with a brisk, engaging style, highlighted by lively exchanges and a satisfying denouement.

In Summary:
A delightful, twist-filled rural whodunit that showcases Sherlock Holmes’ scientific mind, the perils of hypersensitive hearing, and a very clever use of a dog whistle. The presence of African mysticism, an exotic houseguest, and the classic inheritance motive bring period flavor, all wrapped in the warm, nostalgic style of Golden Age radio drama.