Old Time Radio Westerns – “Colonel Crown Is a Mad Man”

Series: Dr. Sixgun
Air Date: September 30, 1954
Podcast Host: Andrew Rhynes
Summary Date: October 10, 2025

Episode Overview

In this tension-filled episode of Dr. Sixgun, the wandering frontier doctor Ray Matson (Dr. Sixgun) is swept up in a harrowing ordeal at a remote cavalry outpost. When a battered and bleeding cavalryman seeks his help, Dr. Sixgun uncovers a regime of brutality and growing madness under Colonel Crown, the fort’s commanding officer. The episode thoughtfully unpacks the consequences of fear, unchecked power, and the moral duty to stand up to injustice on the lawless Western frontier.

Key Points & Discussion Breakdown

1. Trouble on the Road to Hawthorpe City

• [03:00] Pablo’s Encounter
  • Pablo the Gypsy and his raven, Midnight, are accosted on the road by a severely beaten man, later revealed as Sergeant Dale Franklin, a cavalry deserter from Fort Apache.
  • Quote (Pablo, 03:45): “Pablo has no gun. No gun? No gun. Get down off the wagon. Good. Walk over here behind this rock.”
• [05:45] To the Doctor's Care
  • Dr. Sixgun treats Franklin’s wounds and, through astute observation, quickly realizes Franklin’s military background and the severity of his abuse.

2. Exposing Brutality at Fort Apache

• [06:50] Franklin’s Confession
  • Franklin asserts he is being unjustly blamed for the murder of military surgeon Dr. McKenzie, and details the sadistic punishments inflicted by Sergeant Brock with Colonel Crown’s approval.
  • Quote (Franklin, 08:28): “In case you don't know it, Doctor, Colonel Crown is a madman.”
• [09:15] Return to the Fort
  • Dr. Sixgun brings Franklin back to Fort Apache, where Crown outwardly appears reasonable and requests Dr. Sixgun as a temporary replacement for the murdered surgeon.

3. Colonel Crown’s Cruelty and Increasing Instability

• [12:30] Discipline on the Parade Ground
  • Crown’s leadership is revealed to be harsh and capricious; nervous and punitive, he drives his men under the relentless sun, ordering excessive punishments for minor offenses.
  • Quote (Colonel Crown, 15:30): “I'm going to make soldiers of you. Or kill you.”
• [17:20] Tensions with Pablo
  • Crown is suspicious of outsiders, forbidding Pablo from moving freely around the camp.

4. Franklin’s Death and the Cover-Up

• [18:40] Tragedy in the Stockade
  • Franklin is reported dead, allegedly shot while “trying to escape”; Dr. Sixgun suspects foul play, noting new bruises inconsistent with the explanation.
  • Confrontation (Dr. Sixgun and Colonel Crown, 20:09):
    • Dr. Sixgun: “Dead men don't bruise, Colonel. That's a medical fact.”
    • Crown: Rips up Sixgun’s report, forces a cover-up, and invokes the necessity of ‘hard men’ to maintain discipline.
• [21:30] Crown’s Paranoia Intensifies
  • Crown insists they are surrounded by hostile Apaches—though Dr. Sixgun protests he saw no signs of war.

5. Dr. Sixgun and Pablo Take a Stand

• [23:00] Dr. Sixgun Moves to Report Crown
  • Dr. Sixgun prepares to send a message to Fort Dodge, documenting Crown’s madness, with support from Pablo.
  • Quote (Dr. Sixgun, 25:00): “It is my considered medical opinion that you're a madman, Colonel Crown.”
• [25:35] Violence and Imprisonment
  • Brock intercepts Pablo, and both he and the Doctor are imprisoned by Crown, who prepares to lead a suicidal charge against the peaceful Apache village.

6. Climax: Madness Unleashed

• [27:00] The Raid on the Village
  • Crown, now fully deranged, disregards all advice and insists on attacking; he orders his men to prepare for a catastrophic charge down a dangerous cliff trail.
  • Sergeant protests, but Crown threatens him at saber-point:
    • (Colonel Crown, 28:54): “Count to three, Sergeant. Either you give the command or I'll run this saber through your chest.”
• [29:20] Dr. Sixgun’s Brave Intervention
  • In a dramatic turn, Dr. Sixgun and Pablo intercept the charge with their wagon, and present a telegraphed order reliving Crown of command.
  • Crown, in a final act of madness, destroys the official order and rides over the cliff to his demise.
  • Sergeant’s realization (30:40):
    • “Good Lord. The village is as peaceful as can be. Nothing but squaws, washing blankets and a few braves sitting around. Why, Colonel must have been crazy, sir. He was a sick man, Sergeant. His sickness was fear. And there's nothing so dangerous or so contagious.”

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 03:00 – Pablo meets and helps the beaten Sergeant Franklin
• 06:50 – Franklin describes the atrocities at Fort Apache
• 09:15 – Dr. Sixgun confronts Colonel Crown
• 12:30 – Harsh military drill and punishments
• 18:40 – Discovery and cover-up of Franklin’s death
• 23:00 – Dr. Sixgun attempts to alert higher command
• 25:35 – Doctor and Pablo imprisoned
• 27:00 – Crown leads troops to attack
• 29:20 – Dr. Sixgun intervenes; Crown’s demise
• 30:40 – Aftermath and Sergeant’s reflection

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Franklin, (08:28): “In case you don't know it, Doctor, Colonel Crown is a madman.”
• Colonel Crown, (15:30): “I'm going to make soldiers of you. Or kill you.”
• Dr. Sixgun, (20:09): “Dead men don't bruise, Colonel. That's a medical fact.”
• Dr. Sixgun, (25:00): “It is my considered medical opinion that you're a madman, Colonel Crown.”
• Sergeant, (30:40): “He was a sick man, Sergeant. His sickness was fear. And there's nothing so dangerous or so contagious.”

Tone & Themes

The episode is tense and foreboding, with a somber undercurrent. Dr. Sixgun is rational and compassionate, upholding justice and ethical medicine in an environment wracked by brutality and paranoia. The script explores the devastating effects of unrestrained fear—demonstrating how one man’s instability can become a contagion, sowing death and disaster among his followers. The West is depicted here not just as wild in landscape, but as a crucible for moral courage.