Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Iron Maiden 07/07/1947

Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio - Choice Classic Radio

In this classic Old Time Radio episode of 'Sherlock Holmes,' Dr. Watson recounts the eerie adventure of the Iron Maiden in Nuremberg, where Holmes

Key takeaways

• The Iron Maiden statue, though appearing as a harmless sculpture, is a deadly torture device with internal spikes designed to slowly kill its victim.

Main topics

• Historical torture devices
• Psychological manipulation and threats

Notable quotes

"The maiden's kiss, the executioners called it."

Conclusion

The episode concludes with Holmes solving the mystery of the Iron Maiden murder by connecting the threatening

Transcript preview

Speaker 1 (0:00) Welcome to Choice Classic Radio, where we bring to you the greatest old-time radio shows. Like us on Facebook, subscribe to us on YouTube, and thank you for donating at choiceclassicradio.com. ...hair Speaker 3 (0:27) tonic and cremel shampoo presents the new adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Starring Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson and Tom Conway as Sherlock Holmes. Speaker 5 (0:36) Now Speaker 3 (0:44) let's drop in on Sherlock Holmes' friend and ours, Dr. Watson. Speaker 4 (0:48) Good evening, Dr. Watson. Good evening, Mr. Bell. Here you are. Come and sit down. Speaker 3 (0:52) Thank you. Speaker 4 (0:53) I trust that you'll join Speaker 3 (0:55) me in Speaker 4 (0:55) a Speaker 3 (0:55) glass of port? Speaker 4 (0:56) I think Speaker 3 (0:56) I'd better. If only to fortify myself against the horrors of the story you promised us for this evening. The adventure of the Iron Maiden, you called it. Speaker 4 (1:04) Well, yes, Speaker 3 (1:05) Mr. Bell. For Speaker 4 (1:06) your last visit of the season, I promised you one of our most macabre adventures. And as soon as you had a word with our listeners... I'll tell you about the Iron Maiden, or, as she was known in Nuremberg, the Eisner Jungfrau. Speaker 3 (1:21) Men, on hot summer days, does your hair get out of hand and look dry, wild, and unruly? After a swim, does it feel sticky and stringy, so matted and tangled? Then remember, cremel hair, Tony, keep dry, wild, sun-baked hair looking perfectly groomed throughout the hottest, stickiest day, as if your barber had just combed it. You see, cremel contains a special combination of hair grooming ingredients which is found in no other hair tonic. This wonderful, natural-looking hairdressing has just enough light oil to keep hair neatly groomed with an attractive, healthy-looking luster. Yet Kreml never leaves the hair looking or feeling greasy or sticky. Kreml always looks and feels so clean on both hair and scalp. It leaves the scalp feeling so cool, refreshed, and alive. So make Kreml a daily must this summer for that handsome, clean-cut look from morning till night. K-R-E-M-L, Kreml Hair Tonic. Now, Dr. Watson, I'm sure we're all as anxious as I am to hear the strange story of the Iron Maiden. Speaker 4 (2:24) Well, it was just before the turn of the century, and Holmes and I had brought to successful completion the most delicate mission for the reigning family of Saxony. We were spending a day of relaxation in the picturesque old German town of Nuremberg, prepared to a leisurely trip on the Rhine, and then back to England. As we were getting up from breakfast in our rooms in the hotel, Holmes Speaker 5 (2:49) said, Wonderful weather, Watson. And I see you're admiring the excellent view of this quaint old town from our window. Speaker 4 (2:56) View? I suppose the view's all right. Speaker 5 (2:59) You don't sound very enthusiastic. Speaker 4 (3:01) I'm not. You know what the trouble with Germany is, Holmes? Speaker 5 (3:04) No. Speaker 4 (3:05) What? It's full of Germans. Must be the waiter. Come in, come in, come in. Speaker 6 (3:11) Have I the honor of addressing Mr. Sherlock Holmes of London, England? Speaker 4 (3:16) This is Mr. Sherlock Holmes, sir. My name is Watson. Dr. Watson. Oh, Speaker 6 (3:21) ja. Mr. Holmes, so celebrated colleague. Speaker 4 (3:24) Very good of you. Speaker 6 (3:26) Permit me that I introduce myself, gentlemen. My name is Werdan Langer. Yes, Mr. Langer. My friend, the chief porter of this hotel, told me of your arrival. And I have come to beg of you if perhaps you can help me with my so difficult problem. If Speaker 5 (3:43) it Speaker 6 (3:43) is a matter for the police, Mr. Langer, I Speaker 5 (3:45) fear that I shall be unable to assist you. I have no official standing here. And besides, Dr. Watson and I will be leaving tomorrow. Ah, Speaker 6 (3:53) the police! To the police I have been, Mr. Holmes. At me they laugh. I am, how do you say, chief keeper of the fifth Egger term. Speaker 4 (4:02) What? Speaker 6 (4:03) The five-cornered tower of the castle of Nuremberg. Speaker 4 (4:06) You Speaker 6 (4:07) have Speaker 5 (4:07) heard of it? Of course. And of its famous torture museum. Speaker 4 (4:11) Torture museum? That sounds distinctly unpleasant. For 35 Speaker 6 (4:15) years now I've worked in the tower. The last 18 years I am chief keeper. All this time there is never a complaint about me. But now, these last few weeks, the letters have started to come. Each one with more awful threatenings. Threats, Mr. Langer? Threats of what? That too old I am getting. That I should resign my position. That if I do not, something terrible will happen. Here, here is the latest. For yourself you shall see, Mr. Holmes. Speaker 5 (4:44) Ah, yes. Speaker 5 (4:47) If my knowledge of German serves me, vague threats, Speaker 4 (4:50) nothing specific, quite a typical letter. From Speaker 5 (4:54) the irregularity of the handwriting, Mr. Langer, the slanting lines and certain other definite characteristics, I'd say that the writer of this letter is definitely unbalanced. Speaker 4 (5:02) Ach, you Speaker 5 (5:03) mean Madhouse? Perhaps not outwardly so, but most definitely abnormal. And from the fact that these threats are evidently designed to make you resign your position, Mr. Langer... I deduce that the author of them must be connected in some way with the affairs of the Tower. Have you any suspicions? Speaker 6 (5:22) This I do not like to say, Mr. Holmes. But there is a young man, my assistant, Heinrich Schiller, who but waits to step into my shoes. He even presumes to pay court to my daughter Elsa. Speaker 4 (5:36) Oh, well, well, well, we're only young ones, Mr. Langer. Oh, my Speaker 6 (5:40) daughter, I have better things in mind than this insolent young man. Speaker 4 (5:43) So, Speaker 6 (5:45) you too, Mr. Holmes, think Heinrich wrote these letters? You think I should have him arrested or dismissed? Speaker 5 (5:52) I think you'll require more evidence than a mere guess, Dr. Langer. But Speaker 6 (5:56) how shall I get him? Speaker 5 (5:58) Well, perhaps we might combine business with pleasure. What do you say, Watson? Suppose we have Mr. Langer show us through Nuremberg's most famous fight, the Five-Cornered Tower. Here we Speaker 6 (6:27) are, gentlemen. If you will just follow me through this gate here. Speaker 6 (6:38) This way, gentlemen. Speaker 7 (6:40) Just a moment, my man. Are you in charge here? Speaker 6 (6:43) Yes, madam. Speaker 7 (6:44) Then why are these people being admitted to the tower while my friend Miss Simpson and I are kept standing about and demurred to barge from entrance? Oh, do please be careful, Amelia. It isn't as though we were home. Nonsense. I insist upon knowing. Speaker 6 (6:57) I am sorry, madam, but the tower is not open for visitors until 11 each morning, as you will find if you obeyed that you will consult. And it is now but 10 o'clock. Then why Speaker 7 (7:07) are these two men being admitted? Speaker 6 (7:10) Because... No excuses. Speaker 7 (7:12) I'm English, my man. And in England,