← 1001 Radio Crime Solvers
1001 Radio Crime Solvers
THE EMBARKADERO MATTER and THE REALLY GONE MATTER YOURS TRULY, JOHNNY DOLLAR
00:39:57
Loading summary
Transcript1 lines
- [00:04]
A
Johnny Dollar. Monsieur Dolair, you will be amazed. You will be thrilled. Yeah, well, I think I've had all the thrills I need here in Paris. And who are you? I, monsieur, I'm the night clerk here in the hotel. Oh, what's all the excitement about? Monsieur Dolair, I have the telephone call for you. And monsieur. Yeah, it is wonderful. It is the long distance. It is the transatlantic. A transatlantic call from the what you call the United States. Well, bully for you. But across the ocean it must be the most important. Yeah, well, put them on and we'll see. Oui, monsieur. Hello, Johnny? That's right, George Reed here. Well, George. All right, clerk, you can get off the line now. What, Johnny? You hear me, clerk? Monsieur? Come on, hang up. Very well, monsieur. Now, George, you get my cable report on the only jewels? Yes, you did a great job in spite of all the money you threw around. I mean, what you gave that man de Marsac. But listen, I'm glad I caught you before you left. I'm flying on back tonight. See you in Hartford in the morning. What? Contact Mr. Maurice Rigaud there at our Paris office. Ah, what about getting those jewels back to America? No, that's all taken care of. But in talking with him a minute ago I happened to mention that you're there. So he. He wants you to stay around and see if you can help locate a Cellini medallion. Cellini, a famous Italian artist? Yes, the medallion was stolen from the galleries of the Louvre two or three weeks ago. Priceless. So it has to be found and returned to them. Well, I'll do what I can, George. Good. I'll contact this man Rigaud at our office there immediately. Contact Rigaud, huh? That's right. But why do you say it that way? Because maybe I won't bother him. What, George? Maybe I've got a better idea. CBS radio brings you Bob Bailey in the intriguing adventures of the man with the action packed expense account. America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator, yours truly, Johnny Doll. Expense accounts are made by special investigator Johnny Dollar to Floyd's of England, North American office. Or maybe it's the Paris office. We'll see. Following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the Embarcadero matter. Expense account item one, a few francs. Call it 10 cents American for a telephone call. Not to Rigaud at Floyd's of England, but to my old underworld contact Louis de Marsac, the strange little character who calls himself the great cat. Oui, oui, monsieur Dalais. C' est la cha gue. You most Loyal, most faithful friend. Yeah, yeah, I'm sure. Are you living it up on that money I gave you for locating the only jewels for me? Alas, monsieur, I have been most unfortunate. Only one small what you call investment. And now, easy come, easy go, huh? The 5,000 is gone. And I was so sure of this one. What kind of an investment? Amar Sack? Well, even. Even you would have been attracted. Oh, she was young. She was so beautiful. She. Oh, no. Ah, that. Marcel. Marcel. How could. How could such a lovely vision deceive me so? I'm Christ, A man without hope. And Monsieur. Yeah? I'm also very what you call broke. Uh huh. Think $100 might help to raise your spirits. $500. Oh, Marie. Monsieur. But for what? 100 for some information about what happened to the Cellini medallion. We stole him from the Louvre. Oh, you know about it then? But of course you know where it is. No, no. But for you, Nemi, I will somehow find out. Good. But it may be dangerous, Monsieur. The people. I will have to see the cutthroat. I will have to pay for the information, but for you and the $400 you have promised me. Okay, okay. 150. Want to call me when you've got the dopamine? No. If I bring the information to you, I can then collect for it right away. 200. I'll wait to hear from you. Okay. Now, George, don't flip your lid over. Some more money for de Marsac. After all, he knows more about what goes on in the Paris underworld than any other man alive. And if in a day or two, he can come up with the information I need. Put it this way. He saved the company a lot of time and money in the past, and I'm sure he can do it again. Also, if his poking around is as dangerous as he seems to. Yeah, well, come in, come in. Demonsac. Monsieur. Monsieur. Oh, the dangerous mission you send me on is a fait de complete. But I only talked to you on the phone about an hour ago. I've wasted no time. You have the $300 for me? 150. You have the information? The Cellini medallion. Well? Well, it's on the way to your own country. On the way how? Hidden away in the case of wine aboard the ship. The Clamper hall out of Lahau. The Klemperhall, huh? Destination San Francisco. Now, when's it due to arrive there? Late tomorrow night. The cargo is many cases of wine. Yes, bottles of wine. The medallion is hidden away in one of them. You're sure of all this demar Sac. But of course. One of me. Because if I fly all the way to San Francisco and find out you're giving me a wrong steer. Oh, no, no. How can you? My oldest, my dearest. Yeah, sure. Now, this means that someone over there is going to have to pick it up. Oui. At the warehouse at the pier. Monsieur Frank Gestel. Gestel. You know, if he's the one, I'm thinking of a fence who used to operate in New York. But they can never pin anything on him. He must be the same. But in the shipload of wine. How'll he know which case has the Cellini medallion in it? By this. By this mark, mon ami. A tiny circle. Yeah, With a Maltese crossing it. Oui, Lacso. Okay. To Marsac. I better pack up and catch a plane back to the States, mon ami. Oh, yeah, sure. Here you are. 50. 100. 150. Such a dangerous 179,200. Ah, merci. Merci beaucoup. Wait a minute. You dug up an awful lot of information in a very short time, de Monsac. Even about that mark on the case of wine. But of course, monsieur. You see, I put it there myself. You what? We. When I help my friends to smuggle the medallion aboard the ship. Expense account. Item two is a couple of hundred bucks to de Marsac. For the information about the stolen cellini medallion. Item $392American for my hotel there in Paris. Then a taxi out to Orly. Item 4, 5, 9, 9. Even plane fare. Paris to New York, to San Francisco. And a taxi to my favorite hotel, the Hunting Inn, up on Nob Hill. A pea soup fog had settled over the city. And the driver had to practically feel his way the last couple of blocks. By the time I cleaned up and changed my clothes, it was late and I was hungry. And after the long plane trip, I was glad for a chance to walk over to the Fleur de lis on Sutter Street. Cocktails and a rare good dinner ran up. Item 5. $11. Even then I started back to the Huntington again on foot. I say I started. It was late, remember? And dark. Not many people on the streets. And suddenly I was conscious of someone behind me. Slowly catching up with me in the fog. He was only a shadow, but I was sure he was following me. I slipped out my gun under my coat and slowed my face. All right, brother. What? Huh? Yeah. Hi, Johnny. Smokey Sullivan. Yeah. Well, what under the. How are you, Smokey? I thought that was you coming out of that fleur De Lis. Hadn't you better put that back in your coat, huh? Oh, yeah, sure. Hey, listen, you're just the man I want to see. Yeah? Yeah. And if you can dig up some information for me about somebody, I'll make it worth your while. You're real good to me, Johnny. I'll do anything I can. Now, listen. Yeah. I don't know why you're out here this time. And maybe this ain't got nothing to do with it. What's that? Smoking. I've been hanging around the docks the last couple of days, down to the Embarcadero. Doing a little honest work for a change. Yeah, I'm real clean now, Johnny. I've been going straight, lots of stuff, but I know how to keep my eyes open. You know what's going on down there? What? Smuggling, Johnny. There's a lot of smuggling all the time, you know what I mean? Keep talking, Smokey. Yeah, well, most of it comes in from Japan and China, places like that. It's the boys on the boats bringing stuff in. Ah. Well, what I'm interested in narcotics, Johnny. Mostly heroin, stuff like that. Yeah, well, now, Smokey, when you get any info about that kind of stuff coming in, you tip off the treasury boys, the Narcotics division. Me, Johnny? Me go to the cops? You mean because of your pass rate? Yeah. They wouldn't believe me, Johnny. That's the trouble with going legit. I mean, the kind of guy I was. Don't ever kid yourself. I don't want to lecture you, Smokey, but believe me, it's the best way in the world for you to make up for some of the things you've done in the past. Look what you've done in helping me. Yeah, I know, and it was you got me going straight. But don't you see? If anybody was to find out that I was informed. Don't worry. The treasury boys will never talk. Okay, Johnny. Now, the man I'm interested in. But now, like I was gonna tell you, Smokey, listen, like I said, most of this stuff is from the Orient, but down there to the docks a couple of nights running now. Well, Johnny, you ever hear of Frankie Gerstel? Are you kidding? That's a man I was gonna. You mean the one who used to be a fence back in New York? Yeah, long time ago. I'd done a couple of jobs for him. That was before, you know. You've seen Gerstel around here? Down to the Embarcadero? Sure. Waiting for the Klemper hall to pull in from Europe. The Klemper Hall, Johnny. Yeah. With a cargo of French wine. Yeah, that's it. How do you know? I helped unload it. You what? Yeah, come in ahead of time. Early this morning I got here too late, huh? Or maybe I haven't. Come on, let's get on down to the Embarcadero. Item 6. A buck and a half for a taxi. Pier 93, where the clapper hall was berth was dark, except that is, for a dim light in the office on the street side. Back in the huge warehouse extending out over the waters of the bay, there wasn't even a glow from a night light. Sure funny, Johnny. They're not having some kind of a light in the warehouse. Yeah, we'll find out about that. For the watchman. They're in the office if we can wake him up. Yeah. Sleeping on a job like that. Why, you. Hey, watchman. Watchman. Come on, open up, Johnny. Yeah, I see. Come on, Smokey, give me a. Here we go. Now wake up, mister. Come on. I said wake up. Yeah, Johnny. He's asleep all right. For good. Fog shrouded San Francisco or the Embarcadero at night. There, in the little office on the shore end of Pier 93, we found the watchman. Found him dead with a bullet in the back of his head. Which meant that in all probability, Frankie Gestel had gotten there before us. Had already taken the Cellini medallion out of its hiding place. Or was it still there? One of the cases of wine stacked up in the warehouse in the long, dark pier? There's only one way to find out. We better get out of here, Johnny. If the cops come around to find this watchman laying here dead. Even with Johnny Dollar to explain. Reach up and pull off that light, will you? But, Johnny. All right, here, I'll do it. But look, don't you see? If the cops come around, they see this office dark. Yeah. Yeah, we gotta chance it. This watchman had a flashlight on him. Yeah, in the side pocket of his coast. I found it. Here it is. What are you gonna do, Johnny? I'm going back into that warehouse. But, Johnny, don't you see? If you put on the lights back there. That's why I've got this flashlight. I've got to locate a case of wine in there with a peculiar mark on it. Something else in that case. A priceless medallion that was stolen from the Louvre. That was smuggled in so Gastel could pick it up. But if he's already been in here and taken. Well, I gotta make sure. You wait right here, Johnny. If a prowl car comes down the street. Okay, shove the watchman's body under the desk, turn the light on again and sit there in that chair with your hat pulled down over your face. If a prowl car comes along, wave to it. Whatever you say, Johnny. If anybody else comes along, tries to get in here, yell bloody murder and get out the best way you can. I'm going back in the warehouse. And don't switch on the lights in there. Be. Be careful, Johnny. Yeah. The light in the office, when Smokey turned it on again, made only a thin yellow line beneath the sliding door. It showed me nothing that seemed only to accentuate the gloomy darkness of the huge warehouse. Cautiously, I felt my way to a pile of crates, stuck my head around the corner of it and flicked on the flashlight for a moment to get the lay of the land. Bales, crates, packing boxes and barrels filled the place. The cargo of the clipper hall, and there at the far end were the cases of wine. I was looking for hundreds of them. After mentally plotting a course through the mass of shipping, I turned off the flashlight and worked my way back to them in the darkness. Finally reached them, and when I tilted one of them, it gurgled slightly. I was about to flick on the light again when I realized that if Frankie had come here, if he'd killed a guard but hadn't left yet, somehow I had to find the case with the identifying mark on it. I put on the light again, and there in front of me was a case that someone had pried open. The cinch bar was lying beside it. On one corner was the mark that someone. I heard someone else in there behind me, behind one of the packing cases. I'd felt my way around in the dark. I heard him again. So I picked up the cinch bar. I waited then. Holy. At least. At least I'd seen the flash of the gun. But again I waited. Give up, $I've been here over an hour. I can see in here, but you can't. Now, while I can see the flash of your gun. You see what I mean? $Just keep on talking, Frankie. What? What'd you say? $Cinch bar. All right. Here, Frankie. Ah, that's a stupid trick. Too close. Too close. No. Now wait. Hey, your last shot, wasn't it, Frankie? Yeah. Hey, Smokey. Okay, Smokey, come out here in the warehouse, turn on the lights and we'll. Didn't figure I had two guns, did you, Dolly? You haven't. Not now. You're through. And by the time you can Reload. Yes. Smokey. Put on the lights. I can use them now. No, no, Smokey, no. That's right. And leave them on. And $, I'm gonna dig you out from behind those crates and kill you. You hear me, Dollar, you can't get away. Yeah. Because now I see you. So I pull this trigger, Smokey. Johnny. Johnny. I took the gun off the dead. Watch for the. Are you all right, Johnny? Yeah. Are you all right? Yeah, yeah, sure. Sure I am. You saved my life, Smokey. Thanks. Yeah, yeah, you're welcome. Johnny, listen, listen. The cops are coming. Yeah, I hear. Well, let Johnny. Stop worrying, Smoker. But don't you see? You're on their side now, remember? But if they. Yeah, yeah, I guess I am. Sure. The Cellini medallion in Frankie's pocket. It was pretty obvious that he'd killed the watchman taking the medallion out of the wine case. And was about to leave when Wheat showed up. Smokey's shot had killed him. Had Smokey a bit worried too, when the police barged in on us. But now, now he's a public hero. Oh, sure, there'll have to be some kind of a hearing on the whole affair. My deposition's already in, but Smokey's really in the clear. As for the couple of hundred bucks I gave him, well, forget it, George. It came out of my own pocket. So, expense account total, including the trip home, $1174. Even yours truly, Johnny Doll. Now here is our star to tell you about next week's story. Instead, let me say hi to three new CBS affiliates. They're KAAB in Hot Springs, Arkansas, W R I G in Wausau, Wisconsin and WOMI in Owensburg, Kentucky. Welcome to CBS Radio. Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Yours truly, Johnny Dollar, starring Bob Bailey, originates in Hollywood and is written, produced and directed by Jack Johnstone. Heard in our cast were Forest Lewis, Vic Parlin, G Stanley Jones, Tony Barrett and Frank Gerstel. Be sure to join us next week, same time and station, for another exciting story of yours truly, Johnny Dollar. This is Dan Cubberly speaking. This is the CBS Radio Network. Hey, this is Sarah. Look, I'm standing out front of a.m. p.m. Right now and well, you're sweet and all, but I found something more fulfilling, even kind of cheesy. But I like sure you met some of my dietary needs, but they've just got it all. So farewell, oatmeal. So long, you strange soggy. Break up with bland breakfast and taste AMPM's bacon, egg and cheese biscuit made with K tree eggs, smoked bacon and melty cheese on a buttery biscuit ampm. Too much good stuff. Percival Leslie Barefoot Percival what? He's headman at Tri Western Life Insurance Company in Eugene, Oregon. Oh, brother. With a name like that, what's bothering the dear boy, Pat? Exactly $50,000. Yeah. How'd he lose it? He didn't. He wants to give it to the beneficiary of a life insurance policy. What's the name of this beneficiary? Jonathan Doe, also of Eugene, Oregon. Jonathan John Doe. Oh, now wait a minute. You sure this isn't a gag of some kind? Hardly. I have a photo out of the policy right here in front of me. Okay, Pratt, I'll take your word for it. I also take it that Percy wants to hand over the money but can't find this John Doe. Right, but maybe you can. Expense account and my usual commission based on face value of the policy. Well, Johnny, we usually make that perception deal on whatever you may be able to save the company, but in this case. But in this case, you'll stretch a point and give it to me. I didn't. Okay, Pat, it's the deal. I'll be in touch, Johnny. CBS radio brings you Bob Bailey in the intriguing adventures of the man with the action packed expense account, America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator Johnny Doll. Expense account submitted by special investigator Johnny Dollar to the Tri Western Life Insurance Company, Eugene, Oregon. Attention Mr. Percival Leslie Fairfoot. Wow. Following his account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the really gone matter, Percy Fairfoot and a missing beneficiary by the name of John Doe. Oh, well, it's a living. So on spite of the late hour. Item 1, 162.85 plane fare, Hartford to New York to Portland, Oregon. For some reason or other, I couldn't get to sleep during the cross country flight. Of course, it may have had something to do with the good looking redhead in the seat next to me. In any event, by the time we pulled into Portland a few minutes after 4am I was bushed. Then I had to wait some four hours for the local flight to Eugene. It was after 11am when I finally walked into the office of Tri Western on Jefferson Street. I was tired, hungry and in no mood to bandy words with anybody by the name of Percy. The office Straight ahead, Mr. Dollar. Thanks. She's expecting you. Very anxious to see you. Oh yeah, I'm sure. Well, come in, Dollar. Close the door and come in and sit down. You're Peral Leslie? Yeah, that's right. Call me Lesson. Come in, come in. Sure. Well, you look like you've been run through a ringer, Johnny. How about a little break? Think that might help? No, no thanks. Or is it because you've been nipping at the jug all the way out here? Oh, hardly. Of course, there was that redhead in the seat next to mine. Oh, yeah, those redheads. They'll do it to you every time. Good looking. Well, I told you I didn't get any sleep. Baby, you're a man after my own heart. But now Listen, did Pat McCracken tell you why I wanted to see you? Something about a missing beneficiary. Here's a story in a couple of nutshells or two. We got a lot of farms around here. Big ones, little ones, all kinds of. A few years ago, Harvey Wakeman and his family came out here. That's Mrs. Wakeman and his 20 year old son, Ben. It's Wakeman's policy that's involved. Just let me give it to you my own way. It'll save time. Yes. Shoot. Well, Wakeman used to be a professor at some agriculture college somewhere back east. When his doctor told him if he didn't stop teaching and retire, he'd die before his time, why, he came out here and bought this farm up this side of Coburg and went to work on it. He called that retiring. Oh, he did wonders with it. And when he died a few weeks ago, that's. Yeah, a wife and son. That's right. But he left the insurance to somebody by the name of. That's right. To a man named Jonathan Doe. Just who is this John Doe? Ask me, Johnny, he isn't. Well, what do you mean by that? Ask me. Jonathan Doe is dead. Now, he must have known old man Wakeman was leaving him this money. So why isn't he around to collect it? I see. Tell me one thing, Les. What's that? How did Wakeman die? Sound asleep in his own bed, in his own house. Nothing to be suspicious about, if that's what you meant. Okay, now let's get back to Jonathan Doe, Wakeman's best friend. Johnny had a farm just north of Wakeman's on a little side road. The way I understand it, Wakeman spent almost as much time this past year over at Jonathan's helping him out as he did on his own farm. His best friend? Yeah, that's why he left him the insurance money. After all, he left his widow and his boy his own farm worth three or four times that. I see. But now my problem is I can't find Jonathan Do. Well, he Just disappeared. Just disappeared when? About the same time Harvey Wakeman died. Near as we can figure it, that was three months ago. What did the police think? Well, they decided the only thing we can do is wait. Maybe he'll show up again. But you ask me, Johnny. Yeah? That means wait for seven years until he's legally presumed not to be alive and then give the money to the secondary beneficiary. You legally presume not to be alive? That's a funny way to put it. That's the way Harvey Wakeman had me write it in his policy. But you know what it means, Johnny? Sure, the statute of limitations. When someone fails to show up for seven years, the law presumes him to be deceased. But this company doesn't like that sort of stuff hanging over its head. So, Johnny, it's up to you. Either find this Jonathan Doe or more likely, prove him dead. So how are you gonna start? You know something? Yeah. Well, you've given me so much to go on, right? Unless I haven't the least idea. Really? Expense Account Item 2. 50 Bucks Deposit on a rental car. After a big lunch at less spare expense, I crossed the Willamette, then drove north. A couple of miles this side of Coburg, I found the prosperous looking Wakeman farm. As I pulled up in front of the house, a clean cut young fellow in blue jeans came over to the car. Afternoon, Mr. Can I help you? I'm Ben Wakeman. Yeah, hiya, Ben. My Name's Johnny $$. Insurance Investigator. Oh. Oh, then you must be here because of Jonathan Doe. Yeah, that's right. Sure save you people a lot of time and trouble. If Mr. Doe showed up, wouldn't it? Any idea what might have happened to him then? Me? Why, no, sir. Well, I have. Mr. Dollar. I could hear you through the window. I'm Mrs. Wakeman, and I have a couple of ideas about what happened. How do you do, Ms. Wakeman? You know what I think? Well, now, Mom, I think Jonathan Doe was just so broken up over my husband's passing that he couldn't bear just staying around, not being able to do anything about it. They were the closest friends that ever lived. Harvey and Jonathan spent more time with him, helping him, loaning him his implement. Well, maybe he. I guess our Alice chap is still over there, Ben. I know it is, Ma. And as soon as Mr. Waverly says it's okay. All right. Yes, Pa spent more time with him lately than he did here. And with the shock paws going, well, I just think he went away, Ma. I don't mean to argue with you, Ben. The more you say no, the more I believe it's true. You just know the best way to keep me thinking something is to say it isn't so. You're just like your father was. You. You said you had two ideas, Mrs. Waitman. Well, of course, Mr. Dollar. Any reason why this Jonathan Doe wasn't just, well, murdered? Ma, please. Any reason you know of why somebody might have murdered him? Well, no, but just the same, it's a possibility, isn't it? What sort of a man was Jonathan Dole? Well, according to Pa. No, no, I. I mean, in your own opinion. Well, you see, I just never did get around to meet him. Goodness knows I told Pa to invite him over here to Sunday dinner. Often enough, Ben. Sir? Well, that is, I never met him either. I offered to go there with Pa a couple of times and maybe help him out. But you want the truth? Neither Ben or I ever really saw his pa, him close up until they told us he disappeared. It wasn't that Pa kept us away from him. It's just. Well, who around here did know Jonathan Do? Well, actually. Well, I guess even we wouldn't have known about him if it hadn't been for Pa. That's true, Mr. Dowler. It's just, well, kind of funny that they knew so little about Mr. Wakeman's closest friend and beneficiary of his insurance. But the more I questioned them, the more sure I became that they really didn't. More important As I was, Mrs. Wakeman's constant jabbering nearly drove me off my rocker. So after learning that the Eugene police had made what little investigation there was, I drove back to town. Dropped in at headquarters. Well, you really should ought to talk to Sergeant Conroy, Mr. Dolly. He's the one really been out looking for that Jonathan, though. John. Oh, ain't that a laugh. Yeah. Well, is Conrad around here now? It's his afternoon off. I don't know where you'd find him. He'd be on duty. 8:00am in the morning, though. Okay, thanks. I'll catch him now. I spent the rest of the afternoon contacting everybody I could think of who might have had some contact with Jonathan Do. At the post office, I learned the delivery man had only seen him at a distance, driving away from tractor across the field. None of the merchants remembered his having ever come in. I drove out into the country again, talked with other farmers living nearby. None of them knew anything about him, nor had ever seen his face. I drove to his farm, went over the place with a Fine tooth comb. Result? Nothing. Except perhaps that it was obvious he'd never owned a car or any livestock, nor many of the usual agricultural implications. As a matter of fact, The Alice Chalmers Mrs. Wakeman mentioned was the only motorized piece of. Wait a minute. No car. I went back to Eugene again. Checked with ticket offices, bus, plane and railroad. Nothing. I began to wonder if this John Doe ever existed. But then, at City hall, in the hall of records, I had that idea knocked right out of my head. Well, here are the records, Mr. Dollar. All in order. Malik, tell me this. Did you ever see and talk to this man? Well, no. Well, who in this office might have talked to him? Well, I would have, but you see. Hey, now, wait a minute. Where's his signature on these? Well, you see, they were all signed by Mr. Waverly. Waverly? Well, that's lawyer John Waverly had his power of attorney. Where'll I find him? Well, I understand he went up to Portland this afternoon. Oh, son of a gun. Somebody around this town must have known this Jonathan Doe. Must have seen him somewhere sometime. Of course, Mr. Sarah. All right, who? Well, now, that's something. I just don't know. It was late and I was beat, so I grabbed dinner in a room at the barkley. That's item three, 1170. And spent the next nine hours getting some much needed sleep. Item four, first thing in the morning, a buck 85 for breakfast. Then I barged on over to police headquarters again. Sergeant Conroy was cooperative enough, but not very helpful, if you know what I mean. Well, you've learned just about as much about Jonathan Bo in one afternoon as I am in three months. Yeah, but, Sergeant, it did. It just doesn't make sense that no one, not one around here is. Well, if only I didn't know young Ben so well. You've seen him chip off the old block. Just as hardworking, just as honest as his father was. Well, what about him? Well, anybody else but him, I'd have locked him up first and asked the questions later. What are you talking about? Speaking of that, do you ever get so many answers? The question you didn't ask is when Mrs. Wakeman start. Nice enough woman. I guess I always did feel sorry for Mr. Wakeman having that mouth of hers around all the. Wait a minute. What? What do you mean about young Ben? The insurance? What? What? Secondary beneficiary. You know, it's Ben who gets that money if Jonathan do never shows up. That's right. At least that's sure of that. That's what I understood from Les Fairford. He's the. Yeah, yeah, I know who he is. But why he didn't tell me that? All right, I'll see you later. Oh, look, Dollar, I told you about that boy. That boy is somebody I want to find out more about for myself. Expense account, item 5. 10 cents for a telephone call. The last Fairfoot. Johnny, you're not trying to tell me Ben could have killed Jonathan Doe to get that 50,000 seven years from now, didn't he? I know that boy. I've known him for years. Or maybe he paid him off to disappear this way when by simply staying around, he could get 50,000 bucks. Are you sure that Jonathan knew he was beneficiary of that policy? Well, I'd certainly imagine old man Wakeman would have told him so. Wakeman never say he did. Oh, no. You ever tell us of Jonathan? I never even met him. Not you nor anybody else. And I've been wasting all this time trying to find someone who did. Who did knew something about him. But, brother, that's all beside the point now. What are you gonna do? Go out to that farm for a showdown with Ben Wakeman? Showdown? I'm afraid I kind of made a fool of myself trying to trick that boy into confessing that he disposed of Jonathan Doe. He had an answer for everything. But I mean a straightforward, honest, eye to eye answer. As for his mother. Ben, who's worked so hard to take care of me and Pa ever since he first got sick. How can you say such a thing? It's all right now, mother. It's just Mr. Dollar, not that he's accusing you of the most horrible, the most awful things. And he has no right to. Well, look, you think that Ben, this wonderful boy who's taken such good care of this farm, just like his father wanted, and who's even taken care of Jonathan's place ever since he. And taken care of us. I ought to scratch your eyes out for even thinking such a thing. Well, I. I'm sorry, Mrs. Wiggly. You'd better be. And you just gotta get out of here. Mother, please. Have any sense? I'd sue you. I'd call up John Waverly and tell him. Wait a minute. Waverly? That's right. Sawyer Waverly. He was Dad's attorney, Mr. Dollar. Your father's too, of course. Then he's the one I want to see. Just don't you worry about that. You'll just come around here like this anymore and you'll see him in. Call Mrs. Wakeman. Go on now, get out. Mrs. Wakeman. I may end up by owing you a big fat apology. You certainly will. But right now, until I talk with this lawyer. Right. Now you can just get out of here. Yes, ma'. Am. Well, I can't say that you were very wise, Mr. Dollar, trying to, we say, cross swords with Mrs. Waitman. You see, she was one of the reasons Harvey W. Wakeman spent so much time on his. On the farm of Jonathan Doe. Just to get some peace and quiet. Yeah. Now, Mr. Waverly, let's stop beating around the bush. Are you gonna tell me something about this John Doe? No. No. You're the one person I found you had his power of attorney. You're the one person who must have seen him, must have known him. No, Mr. Dawn, no. What? What are you talking about? Did you see Wakeman's insurance? I know about it, naturally. First beneficiary, Jonathan Doe. Right. The money to go to the second beneficiary. That's Van Wakeman. Yes. At such time as Jonathan Doe legally is presumed not to be alive. Sure. When the statute of limitations runs out at the end of seven years. Well, it's kind of a screwy way to put it. I had him put it that way. Huh. True. Said until such time as Jonathan Doe legally is presumed deceased, would have meant nothing. What? That's right. For the simple reason that he was never alive. Ben is a young man. His father loved him very dearly. The boy meant everything to him. Mr. Waitman. Wakeman knew he didn't have long to live. He arranged it so that his farm and the profits from it would pass to his widow and his son. Well, of course. But he wanted to do more for the boy after Ben had really reached maturity. And do it incidentally, without seeming to slight his widow. So, by inventing this Jonathan Doe, putting the other farm in Jonathan's name, All of it completely legal, by the way. I attended to thus myself. It means the 50,000 can't possibly. Can't possibly go to Ben while he's still a kid. Exactly. Nor could his widow. And she's not the most level head woman in the world. Nor could she possibly upset the whole plan. And the other farm? I can show you papers in my files that will turn that over to Ben when he receives the insurance. But I will be a monkey, sir. Then this Jonathan was the real McCoy? A real John Doe in the true legal sense. The fictitious name of a completely non existent person. But for such a sound, logical, for such a good reason, Mr. Dollar, that I. I. Tell me. Yeah. Don't you agree it's best if neither Ben nor his mother find out about this until, say, until about seven years from now. Yeah, sure. So, Les, you can just hold this $50,000 payment outside and outstanding for a while and don't forget to keep up the interest on it. Also, I think you have sense enough to keep your mouth shut about it. So expense accounts total, including another hotel bill and the trip Back to Hartford. 40105 yours, Charlene Jenny Dol. Now here is our star to tell you about next week's story. Next week, a very clever device to cover a murder. And it almost worked. Join us, won't you? Yours truly, Johnny Doll. Yours truly, Johnny Dollars, starring Bob Daly, originates in Hollywood and is written, produced and directed by Jack Johnstone. Heard in our cast were Virginia Gregg, Lawrence Dobkin, Marvin Miller, Sam Edwards, Judith Matthews, Stacy Harris and Bart Robinson. Be sure to join us next week, same time and station for another exciting story of yours truly, Johnny Dol. This is Dan Coverley speaking. Marketing is hard, but I'll tell you a little secret. It doesn't have to be. Let me point something out. You're listening to a podcast right now and it's great. You love the host. You seek it out and download it. You listen to it while driving, working out, cooking, even going to the bathroom. Podcasts are a pretty close companion. And this is a podcast ad. Did I get your attention? You can reach great listeners like yourself with podcast advertising from Libsyn Ads. Choose from hundreds of top podcasts offering host endorsements or run a pre produced ad like this one across thousands of shows. To reach your target audience in their favorite podcasts with Libsyn Ads, go to libsynads. Com. That's L, I B S Y N Ads. Com. Today.