1942-1-11 The Drums of Doom (Executioner)

Broadcast January 11th 1942 on Mutual at 5:30 p.m. EST sponsored by D.L. & W. Coal Company "Blue Coal" and syndicated for the summer by Goodrich Tires

This episode is included in Radio Spirits CD Set The Shadow: Evil Lurks

Written by: Sidney Slon and/or Peter Barry

Announcer: Ken Roberts

Cast: Bill Johnstone (Lamont Cranston/The Shadow) Marjorie Anderson (Margot Lane)

Music: Elsie Thompson

Synopsis:

Jennifer Cole is suffering from severe delusions that her late father, a notorious judge and executioner, has returned from the dead to seek new victims. She believes that he has just hanged her sister Norma and brother Edward. Almost running over the poor girl in the road, Lamont and Margot bring her to the Cole mansion to discover her brother and sister are alive and well and they question Jennifer’s sanity. Soon after, Norma is found dead by hanging. Margot is kidnapped when she discovers a hidden room containing a gallows. Lamont quickly discovers the truth: Edward Cole plotted with the house servant, Daniel, to murder Norma and place the blame on Jennifer with a clever plot involving fake deaths that would make any doctor believe Jennifer is legally insane. Norma’s death was to ensure that the inheritance from the judge will be split in half instead of three ways. Daniel attempts to hang Margot until The Shadow arrives to save the day. In the presence of Otterson, Cole’s lawyer, The Shadow overhears that the old man willed only one dollar to each of his children so the rest of the estate would be turned over to charity. Jennifer signed as witness, but with her sanity in question, the entire estate now falls into the hands of Edward. The Shadow exposes Edward, who beats the rap by drinking alcohol laced with poison that was meant for Daniel.

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Note:

An episode with the same title was broadcast on March 19th 1944, this plot involved a stage dancer and voodoo drums.