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Leonidas Witherall - Murder on the Train

February 14, 2026·27 min·2 clips

Leonidas Witherall discovers the real murdered man is hidden in the coffin on the train.

This episode features Leonidas Witherall, a school headmaster and amateur detective who resembles Shakespeare, traveling by train to a convention with his housekeeper, Mrs. Mullet. The story is presented by actor Walter Hampden, based on the mystery novels by Alice Tilton. A staged funeral sees a coffin loaded into the baggage car, while two passengers, Danny Randall and a woman named Margie, argue about a stolen manuscript for an exposé titled "The Big Shot." A man named Sparrow, the alleged author, is supposed to meet Danny on the train for a payoff. The porter, George, discovers a dead man, later identified as Thomas Bridges, in compartment six. Witherall deduces the body in the coffin has been switched, finding Sparrow's stabbed corpse inside instead. He learns Benny was hired to switch the bodies to make Sparrow disappear, but someone else murdered Sparrow first. Witherall orchestrates a distraction so he can search for the manuscript, finding it in Danny Randall's briefcase. Danny confesses to killing Sparrow during a fight over the stolen book. Witherall reveals the criminal mastermind, "the Big Shot," is another passenger, Mr. Lear, a seemingly mild-mannered butterfly collector. The police arrest both Danny and Mr. Lear at the next station. The episode is a fast-paced, dialogue-driven mystery with a classic whodunit structure. The tone is lighthearted and witty, blending suspense with comedic moments from the characters. Fans of old-time radio mysteries and clever, plot-driven detective stories will enjoy this episode. Listeners who prefer modern, realistic crime dramas might find the theatrical style and convenient plot resolutions less engaging.

As heard by us

A train murder with comic timing, odd clues, and a memorably fussy amateur detective.

A tidy train-set mystery gives Leonidas Witherall the sort of trouble he seems made for: a dead body on the journey, a compartment that no longer looks quite right, and enough odd movement to send his schoolmaster mind into detective mode.

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Why you'd press play

Press play for a railroad murder with Leonidas Witherall, a Shakespeare-lookalike sleuth, and a dead man's ticket that does not add up.

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