Podcast Summary: 21st Precinct 55-03-02 (086) "The Dowager"

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode Date: February 27, 2026
Original Broadcast Date: March 2, 1955
Show: 21st Precinct
Episode: "The Dowager"

Episode Overview

This episode of 21st Precinct, "The Dowager," vividly portrays the ethical dilemmas and human stories at the heart of New York police work in the 1950s. The main theme revolves around a patrolman, Dylan, who receives an anonymous $100 gift as gratitude from an elderly woman he once assisted. The narrative follows Captain Kennelly and his staff as they trace the source of the gift, ultimately confronting questions of gratitude, rules, personal conscience, and the unbending code of police conduct.

Key Discussion Points & Narrative Breakdown

1. Discovery of the Anonymous Gift

• [00:35–03:45]
  • Patrolman Dylan receives an envelope with $100 and a note: "With much gratitude to a fine young public servant." No name or return address.
  • Dylan reports the incident to Captain Kennelly, explaining he found the envelope after his shift.
  • Captain Kennelly reminds Dylan of department rules against accepting gratuities:

    "Between you and me, Dylan, it's also contrary to the rules to think about it overnight." – Captain Kennelly [02:10]

2. Investigating the Origin

• [03:45–10:40]
  • Dylan and the Captain reconstruct possible encounters. Based on the handwriting and note, they deduce the giver is an older woman.
  • Sergeant Waters recalls accepting an envelope for Dylan from an elegantly dressed elderly lady.
  • Dylan traces his interactions back to incident in December: he helped an older woman after a minor taxi accident.
  • "Sometimes a kind word can go a long way." – Sergeant Waters [12:50]

3. Verifying the Woman’s Identity

• [13:49–17:39]
  • Sergeant Waters visits 783 E. 70th St., the address linked to the woman (Mrs. Edna Coleskill).
  • The opulent scene underscores her wealthy–dowager status.
  • Sergeant Waters returns the money, explaining police regulations.
  • Mrs. Coleskill protests:

    “If I want to give someone a hundred dollars, that’s between me and the person I gave it to.” – Mrs. Coleskill [16:57]

  • She expresses frustration at being unable to thank Dylan as she wishes.
  • "Now, you're not going to deny an old lady a small pleasure." – Mrs. Coleskill [18:43]

4. Resolution and Stubborn Resolve

• [22:17–24:59]
  • Displeased, Mrs. Coleskill visits Captain Kennelly at the precinct.
  • She argues Dylan went above and beyond his duty; Kennelly insists accepting anything would risk Dylan's career.
  • Mrs. Coleskill, revealing her eccentricity and willfulness, states her intent to "get around the rules":

    “I can name the boy in my will and there’s not a thing you can do about it. And I want to tell you that the amount will be many times the puny $100 you wouldn’t let him take.” – Mrs. Coleskill [24:29]

  • Captain Kennelly acknowledges he cannot control her last will.

5. Reflections on Duty, Temptation, and Integrity

• [25:03–End]
  • Dylan reiterates he did not regret doing the right thing, even if nobody else would have known.
  • Kennelly reassures him:

    "Take my word for it, you did exactly what you should have done. It might take a little while for you to get absolute proof of the fact. But you get it. I guarantee you will." – Captain Kennelly [25:40]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Captain Kennelly (to Dylan, about police ethics):

  "Well, I'm glad you understand it's contrary to the rules to accept gratuities." [02:05]

• Mrs. Edna Coleskill:

  "If I want to show my gratitude, that's up to me." [17:48]

• Mrs. Coleskill (on eccentricity and wills):

  "If I weren't so wealthy and so old, people might say I'm unbalanced. But with age and money, they're kind enough to call it eccentricity." [23:24]

• Captain Kennelly (on the moral test):

  "You did exactly what you should have done... you get absolute proof of the fact. But you get it. I guarantee you will." [25:42]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------|--------------| | Dylan reports the envelope | 00:35–03:45 | | Investigating the source | 03:45–10:40 | | Recalling the December incident | 10:41–13:15 | | Sergeant Waters visits Coleskill | 13:49–17:39 | | Mrs. Coleskill returns to the station | 22:17–24:59 | | Kennelly counsels Dylan | 25:03–End |

Tone and Language

The episode maintains the measured, procedural tone characteristic of 21st Precinct. Exposition is factual, clipped, and pragmatic, with occasional warmth and humor—especially from Mrs. Coleskill, who blends indignant upper-class stubbornness with genuine gratitude. Captain Kennelly is firm but quietly compassionate, embodying the ethos of ethical policing.

Conclusion

"The Dowager" deftly explores the intersection of human kindness, bureaucratic constraints, and personal integrity. The episode leaves listeners reflecting on the hidden heroism of everyday public servants, and on the odd, sometimes frustrating ways that rules interact with simple human gratitude.

For fans of classic radio, police drama, and warm–hearted character studies, this is a quintessential 21st Precinct episode: ethical, observant, and beautifully written.