A Salute to the Law (1934-02-20): The Avenging Angel Strikes Again

Podcast: Harold’s Old Time Radio
Host: Harold’s Old Time Radio
Air Date: December 1, 2025 (original broadcast: February 20, 1934)

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode presents the dramatic conclusion to "The Avenging Angel Strikes Again," a true-to-life crime story adapted for radio. Narrated by Detective Nicholas B. Harris, the story offers a window into the detective work and social issues of 1930s America, while highlighting the dangers of crime and the power of aid and redemption. The tale weaves together family drama, abduction, deception, and the ultimate striving for justice and reconciliation.

Segment Breakdown and Key Insights

1. Introduction to the Case (00:38–01:26)

• Narrator briefly sets the scene for Detective Nick Harris, chief of a renowned detective agency, as he introduces the episode’s featured case.
• Detective Harris recaps key events for the audience:
  • Mr. Collins (a wealthy benefactor) wishes to help those wronged and unable to secure justice.
  • The case centers on Jimmy Newton, a 10-year-old who asks Harris to help find his missing father.

Notable quote:

"Tonight I bring you the final chapter of the strange but true story of the Avenging Angel."
— Detective Nick Harris (01:26)

2. The Newton Investigation Unfolds (01:26–03:56)

• Detective Harris guides Mr. Collins to find Jimmy at school and then to the Newton home, where events quickly escalate:
  • The group witnesses a suspicious car speeding away from the Newton driveway.
  • Discover a woman unconscious inside, initially assumed to be Mrs. Newton, but Jimmy insists he doesn’t know her.
  • Mrs. Newton appears, leading to confusion and suspicion.

Tension-filled exchange:

"I meant to kill her."
— Mrs. Newton, on attacking the mystery woman (04:26)

3. Complexities of the Crime: Suspects and Motives (03:56–07:03)

• Characters introduced:
  • Lee Coralie, the woman found unconscious.
  • Reicher (the ‘German’), and Ortiz/Philippe (the ‘Mexican’), two shady men previously involved with Mr. Newton, suspected in his disappearance.
• Mrs. Newton recounts her confrontation with Lee:
  • Driven by jealousy and misinformation, Mrs. Newton assaulted Lee, thinking she was stealing her husband.
• Revelation of threats:
  • The men threatened Mrs. Newton, warning her not to seek help or contact her missing husband, or else her son would be harmed.

Insight into the social themes:

"He said if I tried to reach my husband... they'd grab Jimmy and I'd never see him again."
— Mrs. Newton (06:41)

4. Deceptions Revealed and Emotional Climax (07:03–11:10)

• The men, Reicher and Ortiz, manipulated Lee into delivering personal items to Mr. Newton to make it appear his wife had abandoned him.
• Mrs. Newton’s violent outburst is reconstructed:
  • Lee admits she was misled about Mrs. Newton’s relationship with her husband.
  • Mrs. Newton’s attack—was it attempted murder or a moment of blinded rage?

Raw emotion:

"I wouldn't say stolen, sister. You lost Jim before I ever laid eyes on him."
— Lee Coralie (08:04)

"That's how it was, Mr. Collins. I guess I was crazy for those few minutes."
— Mrs. Newton (08:55)

5. Reconciliation and Closure (11:10–12:37)

• At the hospital, Lee and Mrs. Newton meet to forgive and move forward. Lee explains she never truly had a relationship with Jim and regrets her role.
• The family is joyfully reunited:
  • Jim Newton returns after receiving Lee’s telegram.
  • The truth is unveiled: Jim’s absence was the result of deception, not infidelity or desertion.
  • Mr. Collins arranges for a mining engineer to help Jim with his claim, symbolizing hope and the restoration of dignity.

Heartfelt moments:

"Can you ever forgive me?"
— Mrs. Newton (10:55)

"If it's all right with you, let's just forget the whole thing and pretend it never happened."
— Lee Coralie (10:58)

"...they might like to, well, kind of get acquainted."
— Lee Coralie, encouraging Jimmy to give his reunited parents privacy (12:16)

Chronological Timestamps of Key Segments

• 00:38 — Show proper begins; narrative introduction.
• 01:26 — Detective Harris’s recap of the case.
• 03:03 — Mrs. Newton's return, confrontation with Lee Coralie.
• 04:26 — Mrs. Newton confesses to attacking Lee.
• 06:40 — Mrs. Newton reveals she was threatened by suspects.
• 08:01 — Lee's true feelings for Jim and the plan to deceive Mrs. Newton are exposed.
• 08:55 — Mrs. Newton admits guilt and remorse for violence.
• 09:18 — Hospital meeting: reconciliation between Lee and Mrs. Newton.
• 11:14 — Jim Newton’s return; family is reunited.
• 12:37 — Detective Harris concludes the case for listeners.

Memorable Quotes

• "Tonight I bring you the final chapter of the strange but true story of the Avenging Angel."
  — Detective Nick Harris (01:26)

• "I meant to kill her."
  — Mrs. Newton (04:26)

• "He said if I tried to reach my husband... they'd grab Jimmy and I'd never see him again."
  — Mrs. Newton (06:41)

• "I wouldn't say stolen, sister. You lost Jim before I ever laid eyes on him."
  — Lee Coralie (08:04)

• "If it's all right with you, let's just forget the whole thing and pretend it never happened."
  — Lee Coralie (10:58)

• "...they might like to, well, kind of get acquainted."
  — Lee Coralie (12:16)

Tone and Style

• The dramatization is classic melodrama, with rapid, emotionally charged exchanges and a focus on moral lessons.
• Detective Harris’s steady, moral-educator tone contrasts with the rawness and vulnerability of Mrs. Newton and Lee Coralie, bringing pathos to the tale of misunderstanding and eventual forgiveness.
• The conclusion emphasizes redemption, the strength of family bonds, and the positive influence of community aid (through Mr. Collins).

Summary for New Listeners

This episode encapsulates the spirit of “Golden Age” radio drama — a detective story blending suspense, domestic strife, and ultimate reconciliation. Detective Harris and his benefactor Mr. Collins help a fractured family untangle deception spun by criminal associates, leading to tearful forgiveness rather than tragedy. The story, while dramatized with period language, delivers timeless themes of trust, redemption, and the triumph of justice through compassion and tenacity.