Adventures of Father Brown: The Three Tools of Death

Father Brown investigates the death of a best-selling proponent of optimism. 

Original Air Date: July 22, 1945 

Episode Transcript

(00:28):
Mother Superior, and I've interrogeted everyoneand made a thorough investigation on our own.
I took notes. Yes, that'sthe way Father Brown does it.
Father Brown. Yes, he's anexpert Detective Brown. You wouldn't mean Fad
Brown. No, Father Brown,Father Brown. A few people have your

(00:48):
own detectives now, Oh my No, he's not a regular detective. He's
We're like Mother Superior and myself.Yes, he's in England. Saw some
really difficult cases. Here. I'llshow you see you right here, the
Triple Cross. Another exciting Father Brownmystery by G. K. Chesterton.

(01:14):
Oh yes, all but one ofthe Father Brown books. The Superior hasardant.
I get it after she finishes.Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old
Time Radio from Boise, Idaho.This is your host, Adam Graham.
That clip you just heard comes fromthe Big Actor from Dragnet. And it
was noteworthy because they don't usually mentionthe names of fictional detectives. That they

(01:38):
mentioned Father Brown was really made theseries stand out and inded it's a it's
an enduring detective series. The FatherBrown stories were first written in nineteen ten,
two years after G. K.Chesterton had published Orthodoxy. In it,
he tried to refute in Orthodoxy thepopular image of the Orthodox person as

(02:05):
a dull, superstitious, and easilygullible person. In writing Orthodoxy, Chesterton
argued that Orthodoxy could all actually containquite a bit of wonder and common sense.
And it seems he took that ideaand he put it in a cassock
with Father Brown, as he embodiedthe kind of virtues that Chesterton laid out

(02:30):
in his nonfiction book, So fromNonfiction Xay to fictional detective. Father Brown
was the first of a long lineof clergyman detectives, though none have been
near as successful. Since the firstFather Brown's story appeared more than a little
more than a hundred years ago,there have been many detectives of all sorts

(02:50):
that have common go. Yet FatherBrown still continues to survive in the public
imagination, and probably in terms ofa place in the public imagination, he's
lasted longer than any other detectives,say for Sherlock Holmes. Father Brown came
to radio in nineteen forty five withhis own program after several of the Father

(03:15):
Brown stories were adapted for Mutual forthe Mutual Broadcasting series Murder Clinic, which
featured a series of mysteries featuring thegreat detectives based on their actual stories.
None of the Father Brown series thatwere on Murder Clinics survive, but we

(03:36):
do have this nineteen forty five series. Mutual at this time really was the
king of mysteries. They had alot of shows that were going on the
last part of a or middle partof the forties. They revived the Sherlock
Holmes series which we hear on Thursdays. They also did a Poi Rows series.

(03:57):
They had Neck Carter, and theyhad Michael Shane and the Shadow.
So Father Brown made a really goodaddition to the Mutual lineup. The Father
Brown series was a combination of adaptationsof G. K. Chesterton stories and
news stories created for radio, similarto the Sherlock Holmes series we see on

(04:18):
Thursdays, where they'll do an episodelike the Problem at or Bridge, and
then you'll have other episodes like theApril Fools Adventure. This I really lent
itself to radio because Father Brown didn'thave any full fledged novels, just short
story collections. So we have twoepisodes that survive we're going to listen to

(04:38):
over the next two weeks. Thefirst is an adaptation of a Chesterton story,
and the second is one that thewriters came up with, so we
can kind of sample both. Oh, let's go ahead and get into today's
episode, The Three Tools of Death, The adventures of Father Brown. And

(05:08):
here he is, Father Brown,the best love detective of them all.
Humanity produces optimists only because it hasnever produced a really happy man. From
the masterful and exciting pages of G. J. G. K. Chesterton

(05:29):
comes that fascinating human being, FatherBrown, laid by Karl Swenson. Underneath
the modest exterior of Father Brown isthe rich character of a generous, deeply
human man, the sensitive and quickwitted mind. In addition to being a
man of God, he is aman of the world, a man of

(05:50):
science, and a brilliant amateur detective. And now the three tools of death
Facing me. At the globe ofa beautiful summer sunset, Father Brown sits
alone in the study of his modestparish house, is half dozing when Norah,

(06:14):
his housekeeper, enters Father Brown.Father Brown, No, yes,
Norah, what time is it timefor your tea? Here? It is
nice and hot, Thank you,he said it there. Please were you
asleep. Who's in between, Norah, just in between the beautiful state of

(06:35):
being. I assure you half outof this world and half in. It's
a good thing, young father.Peter took over your duties for the day.
I told you. There's somebody atthe door. Don't worry. I'll
take care of that, Father Brown. I'm sorry. No, no,
Norah. You you know flamboats alwayswelcome. Tell him to come in,

(06:57):
all right, tell me timm inFlambeau. I have a cup of tea.
No thanks, father, I'm allupset. A friend of mine is
in trouble. Oh will you comewith me to Oakloom? My car's outside,
Yeah, hear, no, notso fast. Get your breath.
Sit down. Father. You've heardof Aaron Armstrong, the philanthropist and lecturer,
oh wrong, the author of thosebest sellers on how to Be Happy,

(07:21):
etc. That's such a tremendous following. Yes, father, that's the
one. Yes. I read hisbooks, and I attended one of his
lectures once, in which he offeredhis followers an easier road to happiness for
heaven? Is he called us?That's the guy? Father? Yes,
As I remember, he apparently basedhis teachings on one of the proverbs of

(07:43):
Solomon. A merry heart doth goodlike medicine, but a broken spirit dry
at the bone. Yes, hebelieved in giving up all the physical appetite,
smoking over easing and drinking. Yes, and above all he believed in
being cheerful. He dealt with adrink problem with an enormous gaiety. Well,
he's dead. His body was discoveredearly this morning. Would you don't

(08:07):
say where? Right near his house, in a ditch on the parkway.
What happened nobody knows, but accordingto the police, it looks like murder.
Did you say his house is closeto the parkway? Yes, I'm
an embankment just about it. Well, what makes the police think it wasn't
an accident, Flambeaux, Well,he was wearing only his dressing gown and
another strange thing, Father, asmall piece of rope was tied around one
of his ankles. Who has anyweapon found? No, But it was

(08:30):
apparent he'd been struck on my headby a huge instrument of some sort.
Cut some bruises on his body showedsigns of a struggle. But who put
you on the case, Oh,no, one. The dead man's secretary,
Robert Royce is an old friend ofmine. I called him as soon
as I heard the news and openedhim my services as a private investigator.
But he refused to see me.That's strange. No yet yet, No,

(08:52):
not so strange if he were implicated. Who else is there beside Royce
in the household? Just Armstrong's daughter, a very attractive girl I here,
but completely dominated by her father's cheerfulman. And there's also a gardener,
I believe, Andy, your friendRoyce said, Well, what sort of
man is he? Oh, he'sa huge, genial sort of fellow,

(09:13):
a Scotsman. Did he and Armstrongget along well together? Royce was devoted
to him, Yes, Armstrong hadmany devoted followers. You know he's always
interested me, Flambor. He impuzzledme, in fact, puzzled you.
Yes. When first I heard himlecture, I remember thinking that he had
a troublesome roared ahead. I believethat somewhere in his life you'll find a

(09:39):
secret of his death. But father, according to the papers, he lived
as he preached. Oh yes,I know, I know, Flambour,
the old fellow's optimism was phenomenal.But somehow I don't believe he found that
easy roared to heaven, as hecalled it. No, no, neither
of ie. There is no shortcut to heaven, my friend. But
who would to kill such a man? Well, if ever I murdered somebody,

(10:03):
I dare say it might well bean optimist of the proportions of Lord
Armstrong. His optimism was so outof proportion. I've heard cheerfulness third two
hours of virtue. Yeah, well, people like frequent laughter, but a
permanent smile Flambeaux. Well, nowthat that's something else. Again, as
Shakespeare says, the devil had powerto assume a pleasing shape. Oh father,

(10:26):
at six o'clock, just in timewith the news. Let's get on
the radio. That's a good idea. Perhaps there's something further on the case.
Listen, there's a life and tomorrowsomewhat poor. Now we bring you
as basotball at the turners up flamber. John Magis, the gardener, the
midianaire philanthropist, has been reported missing. Also negotiable bounds. The dead man
value to the hundred thousand dollars atleast received this report only a short pile

(10:50):
ago. When a're now conducting astatewide search for the garden. It is
believed. Well, that seems tobe the first real clue. Do you
mind if I use the phone?Father, I'd like to to Royce again
that Carl will cost you nicol taxtwo cents at seven cents it just drop
a dime in the poor box onyour way out. Hello Royce, this

(11:16):
is Flambeaux. Now, wait aminute. We just heard the news about
the gardener's disappearance. Hold on,hold on. Do you remember the friend
I was telling you about. Yes, father Brown, Well we'd like to
come up. What's that? Idon't get it, Ryce, Ryce,

(11:39):
my father, he's hung up.What did he say? He said,
if we valued our lives, wewouldn't go near that house. Interesting.
Well, well, well, Flambeau, that's what I call a real invitation.
Come on, my friend, let'sgo. Well, I'm sure there's

(12:09):
someone here, father, Bring again, Flambeau star, here's someone now,
Yes, why are you want?Good evening? Royce? So you flambo.
I thought I warn't your plain enoughover the phone. You did.
But look here, Royce, Idon't understand what plain English I spoke.
I know, but you sounded likeyou were in trouble and I'm not.

(12:31):
Oh, come man, don't actas though we weren't friends. Oh,
this is father Brown. I gatheredas much, And mister Royce, I'm
afraid I'm to blame for this.It's good to be to come, father,
but I wish you both he didmy warning. Man. What kind
of a friend would I have beenif I had? I tell you?
The police have already investigated. Iknow, I know I've talked with him.
Perhaps we can help you, misterRoyce, help in what way?

(12:56):
Well? Maybe we could tell betterif you'd ask us in by well you
may come in what you should havelet sleeping dogs lie? Blumble? Well,
Royce, I must confess I can'tfind anything here in Armstrong's room that

(13:16):
told us got it much? Andjust what did you expect to find,
mister Rice? Yes, what doyou make of the gardener's disappearance? Magnus
is a fool, maybe a thief, but he never killed mister Armstrong.
I'm sure it was the deed ofa madman. I see my mine.
Well, I would never have expectedthose to be there, Father. What
are you looking at? That hairof socks over there? Thrown under the

(13:37):
bureau. They shall be in thebureau drawer here, I'll put them away.
Wait, may I have a lookat those bureau drawers, mister Rice?
What for? And I just liketo look? What are you searching
for? And I'll take a peepat that closet too, You don't mind?
Well, no, that's funny.Everything looked so neat when we came

(14:03):
in. The Armstrong was always veryparticular. Everything is in order on the
surface, but underneath, underneath,things look different. Thing when in the
flaset of socks are stuffed in thehangars with the suits, and then the
bureau drawers under those beautifully laid outshirts. Yes, a whole lot of

(14:24):
ginger spilled from a box. Whydo you have to go on with this?
The police went over the room therethoroughly, but room perhaps, but
they seem to have missed this pieceof rope. Look here I found it
caught in the vine just below theledge of the window. It couldn't have
been there this morning that the policewould have found it. Well, I
just saw the wind blow and endof it out from under the vine.
Royce. Maybe you can tell mehow this piece of rope cut there?

(14:46):
What has that got to do withthe kids? You know perfectly well,
a piece of rope was tied aroundthe leg of the dead man. And
that rope in your hand was leftfrom fixing the windows. Well, now
I'm just wondering, wondering what,father, let me take a look out
of that window. Why for avery good reason. The police haven't yet
established why the dead man was foundon the parkway. No, no,

(15:11):
that isn't it. The window isn'thigh enough for the from the ground for
him to have fallen or been pushedor do a jump. Right, not
high enough for his body to haverolled down the embankment of the parkway.
Mister Rice, isn't there another floorto this house? Eh, there's only
an attic rother. That's miss Armstrong. She's been much upset since her father's

(15:33):
death. Boy. Yes, yes, you'll have to excuse me for a
moment. Father, I don't likethe look of things. This rope I
found in the vine was cut witha sharp instrument. The rope found on
Armstrong's ankle was also cut with asharp instrument. And did you notice the
cut on Royce's knuckle? Yes,yes I did, But you know I

(15:54):
haven't noticed any geniality. Is hardlythe person you had described me? Yes,
I no, father couldn't like him. Nevertheless, it seems to fit
his unshaven appearance. It's the firsttime I've ever seen him that way.
Either, we're worried about your friend'sinn as insign ship. I know how
the mind of the thief works.Father was once a thief myself. But

(16:18):
murder. Do you think he's carefulof murder? Answer to that one is
more up your alley. Father.In any event, he's hiding something.
But I think there is a secretin this house more important than his,
and I'm very anxious to find outwhat it is now. First look at
the stains in the wall, andyou felt the dust on the banisters as

(16:41):
we came up. Well, well, the question fairly screams at a slambole?
What question? Why are there noservants in this house? Armstrong certainly
had plenty of money, you couldafford them. There could only be one
reason, if the old man himselfself had something to hide. Father,

(17:03):
you mean you think Armstrong's Miss Armstrong'sin the drawing room downstairs. She liked
a dot your father, Brown.If you will please follow me, and
I hesitate to continue, Miss Armstrong, I know how badly you feel.

(17:26):
Please go on father Brown, I'mquite alright. But the bruise on your
forehead, in, miss Armstrong,that's nothing. It doesn't bother me.
I bumped it. Your father hada great many followers. Yes, he
helped so many people. Do youknow why your father decided to give up
other servants? Well, great menlike my father had their peculiarity. Their
ideas are often different from other people. Yes, very true, mister Ice,

(17:48):
very true. I was only wondering, Wait, what someone's unlocking the
door? Who could it be?No one has the key besides her.
Who's that me? Magnus, Magnus, Yes, Miss Armstrong, Magnus.

(18:10):
Then here is Inspective Vincent. Well, how are you, inspector? Fine?
Father Brown, Fine, Hello,Flambeau. I might have known you
two would be here. Well,i'll see you got your man, Inspector.
Is this the gardener who walked outof here with a hundred thousand dollars
worth of bonds? Walked out ofhere and right into my office to place
them in my charge? All right? Are you feeling better, Miss Armstrong?

(18:30):
Yes, thank you, Inspector.Now, Magnus, perhaps you'd care
to tell miss Armstrong why you tookthose bonds without consulting her. No one
in this household is to be trusted, not even miss Armstrong. Here Magnus
doesn't in a royce. What Iwant to know? Why did you wait
so long before reporting this gardener's absence. We didn't think much of an inspector

(18:51):
until I noticed the bones were gonetoo. I was waiting for you to
report it. Magnus has been tellingme some very interesting thing, A new
angle on the case, Inspector,ill like close of the case. If
Magnus is telling the truth, Inspector, what this man says is not to
be taken seriously. It's not beenhimself. What makes you say that?
Magnus used to be my father's personof ballot inspector. But he was taken

(19:14):
all set and put to work inthe garden. He didn't very upset.
He thought it was quite a calmdown upset, and I well, I
like that. I wasn't going totell the inspector about you too being in
love. But now, careful whatyou say, Magnus. You weren't so
careful what you said when I heardyou two talking in the garden the other
night. I've stood inspectedly. Imake a suggestion in just a minute,

(19:37):
father Brown, Magnus, what areyou getting at? About four nights ago,
it was I heard them in thegarden. He was begging her to
marry him. They didn't know Iwas good by no, Robert, we
must you've no life of your own. Let's face your father now. It's

(20:00):
tell him how much we love eachother. But Robert, we must wait.
We really ought to. I knowhow important you are to his work,
But what about our our life?We can go on waiting forever,
Robert, Robert, it won't beforever. Go darling. You know I
love you. You must be sureof that. I am sure, my
dearest. Or if only I couldget my hands on some money, what

(20:23):
do you mean, rob I'd makeyou marry me then, Alice, Oh
Robert, I feel guilty even thinkingof it. We mustn't my guarding,
not now. So long as he'salive. I'll find some way out of
this. I thought I heard someone. We'd better not talking, Oh my
dear, That's all I could hear. But I suspected them what they were

(20:48):
up to, And now I knowyou know what that They would be off
with the money, mister Armstrong's money, the money he had wanted to be
used for his work. Inspect Otherstalk as ridiculous. You don't think to
rise? Do you use an oldfashioned razor? I you didn't use it
to day? Why why I misslaid when I don't know since I last

(21:12):
shaved. I guess that was yesterday. You can tell by his beard.
Magnets brought your razor to the precinctwith him with the bonds. I'm holding
it as evidence. Why because ithad a smear of blood on it.
I must have cut myself shaven andforgot the wiping or Inspector, was this
all the evidence? You have aRoyce's guilt? Who said anything about Royce's
guilt? Now, Magnus, tellthem what you told me just now in

(21:34):
the office. I was sleeping inmy room over the garage, and about
four this morning I heard shots followedby loud outcries which seemed to come from
the attic. An instant later,I saw mister Armstrong's body pitch from the
window and roll down the embankment.When I made jury was dead. I
rushed up to the attic and foundhis daughter unconscious from the floor with a

(21:56):
razor in her hand. You meanmiss hobscom killed her fall. It's a
lie, truly, the Brown You, for one, will take Miss Armstrong's
word against his gardness. But isMiss Armstrong's word against him? So far
she has said nothing. Miss Armstrong, can't you speak? Magnet told the
truth? There? You see.He'll get you for this. I'll get

(22:17):
you here. Now you'll love saythings like that. I will, and
I do. Ryce. Go noneof that, Royce, or I'll arrest
you for us ault. No,you'll arrest me for murder. Robert.
But man, you've been Armstrong's bestfriend. What possessed you? I was
drunk? Sure didn't I find thoseempty bottles hidden in the garden tiling up

(22:41):
week after week? Sure I knewwhat was going on here. Now,
now, Magnets, you've told yourstory, Let Royce tell hits. Maybe
he was too drunk to remember.Miss Armstrong did not pick up the razor
to attack, but to defend herfather from me. In the scuffle,
she hit her head against the eavesof the attic. I hurried down to
get something to revive her. Andit must have been then that Magnus came

(23:04):
in and found her. Robert Robertall right, Royce, come on,
wait, Inspector, before your rest. Royce, what is it now,
Father Brown? Well, so farwe've had opinions and confessions if we haven't
had facts, and we need facts? And where do you think we'll find
them? In the attic? Inthe attic, yes, Inspector, perhaps

(23:26):
by climbing a few steps nearer heavenwe can come closer to this evil.
But father, I can't figure outwhat you expect to find in this attic.
Hey, you you sleep here,don't you? Mister Royce, and

(23:47):
mister Armstrong slept in the room immediatelybelow that. Aye, But why all
these questions were now in the firstplace? Mister Rice? Why did you
bring your victim up here at thecrack of dawn in order to kill him?
Why didn't you go to his roomwhen I've confessed? Isn't that enough?
Well, confession is good for thesoil, let's grant it. But

(24:07):
then, Inspector, you remember Magnustelling us he was awakened by shots?
Yes, what about those shots,Inspector? Where any bullets found in Armstrong's
body? We investigated and didn't findthe one way? Wait, here is
my pistol. I fired those shots. You can see the holes in the
carpet. Why should anybody fire atthe carpet. I'd drunken man, wal

(24:27):
let's fly at anything. He doesn'tpick a card with his feet. And
there's the rope. It was frommy window here that Armstrong was thrown.
And the piece of rope I foundfelt of the vines below. What about
the blow on the head. Accordingto our report, he was struck by
a massive weapon, A massive weapon. Indeed, inspector, sure, the
good green earth was the weapon.Okay, so the good green earth was

(24:49):
the weapon. But look, thisroom was the beginning of the murder.
Even I can see from the disorder. Come on right, let's go.
But the disorder here is all onthe surface, the very opposite of Armstrong's
wrong. No, no, itdoesn't fit. Too many inconsistencies. Father
Brown Royce has given himself up.No, no, no, no,

(25:11):
really this won't do at all?What won't do? But first the police
said no weapon was found at all. Now we're finding too many, too
many. There's the razor to cuta person in the rope, to strangle,
the pistol to shoot, and afterall this, Armstrong broke his skull
falling out of a window. No, no, no, No, it
won't do. It's not economical unlessthey won't believe me. You tell them

(25:37):
infector Yes, young may, mayI speak to father Brown alone for a
moment if you must, but bequickly. Can't wait around here all night.
And now, what is it,my child? What is it that
you wish to say? You're tryingis to aprob it. But it's no
use. I should have realized beforethis is case is hopeless. Before I

(26:00):
came to us. He was aprisoner of war. He had to be
shocking experience. Do you think thatwas the reason for his drinking. Yes,
he wasn't himself at time. Wethought he was getting over it.
But Father, I saw Robert committhe crime myself. I heard the shots.
I ran up just in time tosee him leap at my father.

(26:21):
Where was your father, Stanley?He was clinging to the window, still
in terror. Robert tried to stranglehim with it. Father bought back,
and the rope slipped from his shouldersto his feet, tightening round the leg.
Robert was like a maniac. Isnatched the razors from the floor and
managed to cut the rope before hepushed me against the eat Armstrong. What
we see with our eyes is sometimesfarless from the rule. Now, you

(26:45):
thought that you saw a man aboutthe commit murder. What you actually saw
was two men struggling, and thenyou lost conscious. But start that,
bron I want you to go downstairs, my dear, I don't understand one
now, Please do as I sayvery well, Thank you, my dear.

(27:07):
Well, Father Brown, I've seenand heard enough to convince me.
Unless you know something pretty startling,I'm taking Ryce down and booking him,
if you don't mind, inspected I'dlike to talk to Ryce a bit before
you do. What about father?But where's Alice? She's out of the
air shot, mister Royce, Sowhy don't you tell us about it?
Now? Tell you about what nice? But then I'll tell you, Inspector.

(27:32):
Those three tools of death were notused to kill Armstrong, but to
save him. Save him, father, I don't get to save him from
what from himself. At the timeOld Armstrong died, he was a suicidal
maniac. No Royce, you weren'tdrinking, no no, And you were
the only one who knew what lurkbehind Old Armstrong's laughter. No no,

(27:53):
yes, you knew that behind thatmerry mask was the mind of an atheist,
no, and who knew nothing ofGod. He didn't realize until it
was too late that human beings needsomething to worship greater than themselves. I
warned flamboo Nut to bring you here, father. I was afraid it might
come to this. Well man,what harm is there in the truth?

(28:15):
Now? Alice must never know?Why? Why shouldn't she be told you
weren't the enemy? Her father feared, Shall I name the enemy? Royce?
All right, father Brown, youwin this morning. Armstrong was determined
to do away with himself. Heknew I kept my service pistol in my

(28:37):
dresses, and when he heard mego down to the kitchen earlier dawn,
he left his room and came uphere, and you came in and accidentally
surprised. I got the pistol outof his hand, but in the struggle
I had no time to one load, so I fired at the carpet.
Then he found my razor and triedto slash himself. I snatched it from
him and flung it to the floor. I ran after him with the rope
to tie him up. And itwas then that the unlucky girl ran in

(28:59):
and miss understanding the struggle, shetried to cut her father free with a
razor. She cut the rope slashin my knuckle just as I pushed her,
and he went crashing into eternity outof that window. But Paula Brown,
you spoke of an enemy, oldman Armstrong, fear I did.
Yes, you mean the enemy wasin this room with him at the same
time as Royce. Yes, whatthe sin? The very thing? Armstrong

(29:25):
was so vehement? Again, youmean alcohol? It was his worst enemy.
The moment I saw the ginger inone of the bureau drawers downstairs,
I suspected it was the fut leffortof a man who was trying to give
up drinking. Isn't that right,Rice? Yes, father Brown, Armstrong
was living a lie, and itpreyed on his mind, and he feared
his public might find him out.I the more despondent he got, the

(29:48):
darker visions he had of failing hisfollowers, the people who looked in for
guidance. So fearful was he ofanyone praying into his secret. That he
hid from his friends and got ridof all his servants. And you were
the only one he could confide in. Hey, he didn't understand your loyalty,
did he No? But it wasfor her sake, you see,
so you kept the knowledge of hisspells to yourself, letting his daughter believe

(30:12):
it was you the result of thewar. Hey, all right, I
can't imagine why you didn't speak upbefore, don't you see? It was
because she must never know, neverknow what? Why that she killed her
own father? I see why,trying to free my son. I think
she should know. After all,it was only an accident, and accidents,

(30:37):
no matter how tragic, do notpoison life like sins. I think
you should both be happier now.Surely two private lives are worth more than
the public reputation of Adan Armstrong.Well, father, at last you're back.

(31:03):
Yes, we were worried. Hello, Hello, Peter. Have you
had dinner? No? No,I don't think I had. That's a
shame. I'd better go picture somethingright away. Oh nice to sit down
again. Oh Peter, you missedyour story to night. I'm sorry,
father, I heard a nice story, many versions of it you did,

(31:26):
how from the news commentators over theradio or they've been reading bulletins on an
every half hour or so? Comingfather, what made you suspect Royce wasn't
guilty. We're looking into the hiddenplaces of his attic room convinced me of
Royce's in Nate Nathan Speter, Idon't quite see well. I knew that
no one as orderly as Royce couldcommit such a murder. The whole thing
was too sloppy, I mean,the three tools of death. But how

(31:49):
did you discover that Armstrong was asuicide? You the same method, but
in reverse. I'm afraid my methodand are not orthodox. Peter, I'm
no real detective. To me,a man's inner nature must be revealed first.
Armstrong's habits revealed his nature, justas Royce's did. They justified certain

(32:10):
suspicions I had when Flambeau told meof his death. What do you mean,
well, Armstrong's erratic character was clearto me when I looked into his
bureau drawers. See there there Isaw the compartments of his mind, the
neatness mixed with the disorder which hisfriend Royce had tried to cover up,
the litter reflecting the mind of thedepressed. Surely you had something more than

(32:32):
that to prove he was a suicide. Well, yes, piece, I
had myself yourself, Yes, Idare say that I would feel his armstrong
did if I had ever preached aneasy road to happiness and then had slipped
into a ditch by the side ofthe rod. Yes, Father, I
see. Yes. Well now,good night, Father Peter, Good night,

(32:59):
Father Brown. You've been listening tothe Adventures of Father Brown with Carl

(33:37):
Swinson as Father Brown. Father Brown'sadventure tonight was called The Three Tools of
Death. The character of Father Brownwas created by G. K. Chesterton
in the detective novels called The Adventuresof Father Brown. This is the Armed
Forces Radio Service Welcome Back. Thereare a few things that stand out in

(34:59):
this episode where the writers have takena little bit of license with the Chesterton
stories. I'll get into in asecond, but this really does I think
hit on the spirit of the story. It does appear they have kind of
adapted the story more to modern times. The Three Tools of Death was published

(35:20):
in nineteen eleven, and there wasno use of a telephone and no use
of a radio in the story.Radio was still a relatively new invention.
Plus, the show had them usingAmerican money and American accents for all of
the actors other than fall The Brownwith Carl Swinson doing a bit of an

(35:44):
It really seemed to have a bitof an Irish inflection, and that may
be part of the reason why theseries didn't last as long. I think
a lot of people who are fansof the British mysteries in particular expect them
to be done exactly a right,to be in line with the vision of

(36:05):
the author, rather than strain forAmerican adaptation. The poiro radio series had
a similar problem still, though,for lovers of great mystery stories, I
think this was a great performance ofa classic with those issues mentioned and addressed.

(36:25):
By the way, if you likeFather Brown, you may also like
a book written by by a friendof mine, Donna Fletcher Crowe. She
has a book out called A VeryPrivate Grave. It's the first in a
series called The Monastery Mysteries. Thisinstallment follows Felicity Howard as she tries to
solve the murder of a beloved priestat monastery, and it takes her all

(36:46):
over to over England as she learnswhat it was that led to Father Dominic's
death. If it sounds interesting,now check it out over Great Detectives dot
Net. We've got it in thesidebar. Well we have an email from
William on our previous series regarding JeffRegan. Is it just me or are
they Frank Graham episodes of Jeff Regansignificantly lighter in tone than the Jack Web

(37:09):
ones. I've noticed it even inlittle things like the organ music. Take
one of the recent episodes that hada subplot about the line trying to eat
healthier, which serve no purpose otherthan to be humorous. And then there's
the silly ending with the line beinghorrified that Regan turned down an invitation to
a barbecue on his half, followedby the organist drumming shortening bread for me.

(37:30):
I'll always remember the Web episodes bythe moment in one where a man
is enumerating a set of points ashe's dying, but before he can complete
his thoughts. I'm probably remembering itpoorly. All I know it was a
very dark moment. I think,well, you're right, I've said it
before. I think the characterization thatFrank Graham used was really much more of

(37:52):
a of a Richard rope, whichwe're gonna hear after we get done with
Neural Wolf, which is coming intwo weeks, by the way, really
used that hap of lighter Dick powelasquetype approach, and I think that was

(38:13):
really what they were going for,and I think it worked in a lot
of a lot of humor. Ithink it was still in the hard boiled
genre, and in fact they evenreused at least one script from the Jack
Webb era with a few changes.So good observation. We've been writing about
old time or radio music, andKaren writes in on Facebook, HadAM,

(38:39):
how about Pete Kelly's Blues? Willwe ever get a chance to hear this
one? I've fallen for Jack Webb. Thanks for all your hard work.
I love the show, and Patrickput in a like on that as well.
Pete Kelly's Blues is on the listof shows that I want to do.
It'll be a while till I getto it. In ritrospect, the

(39:00):
one thing I thought about, afterwe'd already started into the schedule is that
it would have been better not tobunch Pat Novac, Johnny Madero, and
Jeff Reagan altogether, because that takesthe vast majority of web led detective shows
already done. So I'll wait awhile on Pete Kelly's Blues. But if

(39:22):
you are a subscriber to the Dragnetpodcast. That is gonna be one of
our quarterly extras I think coming upin January and you can follow that over
at Radio Dragnet dot com. Butthat'll do it for today. Gotta come
an email it to me Box thirteenat Great Detectives dot net. Cast your

(39:43):
vote for the show on podcast AlleyPodcast Alley dot Great Detectives dot net,
and please follow us over on Twitterat Radio Detectives from Boise, Idaho.
Though this is your host, AdamGraham signing off.