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THE MAD BOMBER MATTER and THE CINDER ELMER MATTER YOURS TRULY, JOHNNY DOLLAR
00:50:57
During this time, Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar attracted some of the best writers in Hollywood, including Jack Johnstone, E. Jack Neuman (using the pen name John Dawson), Robert Ryf, and Les Crutchfield. Bob Bailey also wrote a script while he was...
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Richard Karn
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I'll tell you what an exciting radio exclusive offer just for you for a limited time. You can get a free pocket pivot and their 10 pattern sprayer with the purchase of any size Copperhead hose. Just text water to 64,000. That's water to 64,000 for your two free gifts with purchase W A T E R to 64,000. By texting 64,000. You agree to receive recurring automated marketing messages from Pocket Hose. Message and data rates may apply. No purchase required. Terms apply available@pocket hose.com Terms Johnny $My name is Parnell, Hank Parnell. I live out here in Muddy Gap, Wyoming. Ms. Parnell, you just call me Hank. All right, Hank. And what did you say the name of your city is? City? Why, it's only a little town. Dollar Muddy Gap, Wyoming. Muddy what? Well, just what it sounds like. Muddy Gap. Muddy Gap, I see. Yeah, due west of Casper, south of Powell River. It's not too far from where the Poison Spider Creek begins. You look it up on a map and, well, here we are. All right, I'll look it up. But what seems to be your problem, Hank? Oh, Donner. I'm the owner and editor and reporter and, well, just about everything else in Money Gap. Weekly Tribune. Yes, I'm also the only agent for at least 50 miles around here for the Great Southwest Insurance Company. Oh, I see. Yes, sir. Now, I wonder if you could hightail yourself out here in one big fat hurry. Well, that, and that means on that little old expense account of yours, can you do It? Well, that depends. You are talking about insurance business now, aren't you? Well, not yet, $, but put it this way. Yeah, unless you can give us a hand. Great. Southwest is plumb liable not to have any office or agent or anything else out here anymore. Afraid I don't understand. Well, then, let's put it this way. Yes. What I want you out here for is to keep the town of Muddy Gap from getting itself blowed right clean off the ma app. Well, sir. Well, sir, I'll be out to see you. The CBS Radio Network brings you Mandel Kramer in the exciting adventures of the man with the action packed expense account, America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator. Yours truly, Johnny Doll. Expense account submitted by special investigator Johnny Dollar to the Greater Southwest Insurance Company branch office in the town with the unlikely name of Muddy Gap, Wyoming. Following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the Mad Bomber matter expense account item 1, 192.80. Transportation by plane, train and car to Muddy Gap. That includes a stop and bite of late supper at Casper, Wyoming, where I picked up a rental car. Muddy Gap is in the middle of thousands of acres of arrange land for beef cattle in what used to be Indian country where the Sioux and Cheyenne carried out many a bloody raid against wagon trains plotting along the old Oregon Trail. There's oil in this country too. Muddy Gap consisted of a Railroad Siding, 1 Main Shopping street and a surprisingly neat residential section all of it pretty much surrounded by a tank farm. How many millions of gallons of crude oil were stored in those huge steel tanks, I'll never know. But it must have taken a mighty big pipeline to handle it. It was obvious that oil storage was the town's principal business. The combination insurance newspaper office sat alone at the end of the street. And despite the late hour, Hank Parnell was there waiting for me. He was a long, lanky, not too bright character dressed in jeans, an open shirt, cowboy boots and the inevitable white Stetson. Instead of a horse tied up out front, he had a battered old touring car minus the top and covered with oily dust to get out and around and dig up news items for his paper. He said, oh, and I guess I forgot to tell you, $. I'm also mayor of this town. A sort of city clerk and dog catcher as well. Hank. Well, now, you know something? If we had enough headed dogs around here to worry about, I'd probably be that too. Oh, and I'm also sort of acting police chief while Rafe Tucker's down to see his relations down in Texas. So you See, I got plenty of reason to be worried about this nice little town of ours. Worried about what, exactly? You notice all them big oil tanks all around out there? Oh, you sure got a lot of them. Yes, sir. Can you imagine what would happen if one of them, just even one of them was to maybe explode? Dar, There'd be just one long continuous boom and money got wouldn't be no more. And maybe nearly 300 nice, fine people either be dead or at the very least, homeless. Well, do you think something like that might happen, Hank? Unless you can somehow stop it, darling. Or rather, I mean, stop him. Who? Billy Benbow's his name. Born and brought up right here in Muddy Gap. Yeah, a real bad boy. Always in trouble. Been a little older, he'd spend most of his time in the jail. So when the last war came along, my father, he run this paper. Then he got an idea for ridding us of Billy. Yeah. So we wrote a couple of editorials or two to sort of pass on that idea. First thing, you know, the draft board kind of caught on. The first thing he knew, Billy boy was in the army. Well, I'd say that was a pretty smart idea. Yes, sir. Except that when Billy realized how he'd been kind of, well, railroaded into the service, he swore loud and long as to how he'd come back here someday and get eaten with this town. Well, I don't see why. What's wrong with the army? Oh, not a thing, not a thing. Just the way he got put there, that rankled him. I see. Anyhow, all the time he was on the other side, they had him working on explosives. He got to be a real expert. Every time he'd set off a charge, you know, to blow up a railroad or a bridge or whatever, he'd say. Now, that's for so and so Bahoom. And this one's for so and so Bahoom. And every time he'd name somebody here in this town, starting, of course, with a draft board, became a real obsession with him. Oh, it was more than that. It was like a mania. Yeah, Billy Benho simply wouldn't forget. Now, surely, Hank, after all this time. Now, wait a minute. $. All right, go ahead. Whether it was all the damage and destruction he was doing or whatever it was, I'm not sure. But dollar there at the end of the war. Well, maybe it was shell shock or battle fatigue or whatever they want to call it. Billy went completely off base. Oh, that's too bad. Yeah. First thing he did when he set foot back in this country back there on the east coast was to start blowing things up. So, of course, he ended up in one of them state hospitals back there. He never rec. Got over it. Well, if he's in the hospital. Well, he was, but then a while back, he escaped. You see what I mean? You think he'll be coming here to carry out his old threats? Well, $, a couple of days ago, I got a phone call right here in this office. Yes. All the voice said to me was, I haven't forgotten. Then he hung up. The voice of Billy Benbow? Well, who else? Who else could it have been, I wonder? Well, I don't. It was Billy, all right. It had to be. And what he meant was, in his twisted way, Billy meant he's coming back here to get even. Well, now, Hank. Well, who knows? Maybe Billy's right here in town right now, hiding out somewhere just waiting for a chance to blow us all to kingdom come. And don't you forget for one minute, daughter, he was an expert with them explosives. But, Hank, if it was this. This Benbow, why would he make a point of warning you? Man with a mind like that? Well, you may be right. Tell me, have you mentioned this in your paper? Have you notified the townspeople? What, and got them all up into a panic? No, sir, but somehow, $ somehow we gotta stop him. All right, now, listen. Yeah. I take it you. You haven't much of a police force here. Well, we never needed much of a force in a peaceful little town like this. Well, how about the county estate police or whoever's available? Oh, sure. What. Oh, they'd be glad to help. Yeah, come right over here and help us all they can when and if Billy tries something. Well, by then it might be too late. Yes, sir. Because every day now, once a day, along about this time, this fool of mine is rung. When I answered, there wasn't nobody there. So it's Billy, wherever he is. Just adding up to that warning he gave me. Possibly so. Well, you got any ideas, $well, to be perfectly honest about it, Hank, before I believe that after all these years Billy would actually come back here, I think I'd like a little more convincing. Evidence. Evidence? Well, what's he got to do to convince you? You mean to say you won't believe it until. Until he. Oh, no. There it is again. Well, maybe it's one of your subscribers. You pick up that extension same time as I pick up this? All right, if you like. Okay. Yeah. Now. Hello. Hello. I think I'd better prove that I haven't forgotten Billy Is that you, Billy? That's right. Billy Benbow. Now listen, Billy. Hello? Hello? He's hung up, I'm afraid. Hey, now, you see now, $I told you he wasn't fooling. I told you that. Listen. What was that? I don't know. It sounded like it came from somewhere just outside of this. Remember how much racket automobiles used to make? Time was, you practically had to bellow to make yourself heard above the chatter and roar of the engine, the howl of the wind rushing by and the rattling a rough road gave your poor old buggy and brains. Nowadays, with vastly improved automotive engineering and magnificent new superhighways, you literally purr along the road. This is a vast improvement, but one that can offer danger if you're not alert. You're sitting behind the wheel with the miles of highway unrolling smoothly beneath you. Suddenly a sharp curve jumps in front of you. And you find that you have to use all the skill of a professional racer to navigate that curve without getting into real big trouble. Your car was so quiet that your speed had crept up stealthily during those long miles of straightaway. You were burning along without realizing it. The point here, a simple one, is this. Your speedometer was put there for a purpose. A purpose you can't afford to forget. Keep alert, take care and get there. The next thing I remember was crawling out from under Hank's desk. Hank himself had tried to make a dash for the press room. That was forced back by the blast and ended up beside me. As for the press room, that was the shambles. Oh, my. Why here, Dar? Why in here? Why did he pick to blow up my press this way? Hank, didn't you say it was your. Your father's idea that way of getting him out of town? Yeah, you're right. And he spread the word by putting the stuff in the paper. All right, then maybe this is all he wants to do. Put your paper out of business. Maybe so dollar I hope so. But he's still gotta be caught and locked up again. Yes, but where do we start looking for him? Well, he was here to set off this here bomb, wasn't he? Only seconds after you talked to him on the phone. Oh, yeah, you're right. If he was somewheres on the telephone, there's no other buildings nearby. How could he be around here too? Wait a minute. Look. Looks like this is the answer right here. Why, that's a clockwork. That's right. A little timing device. That means, Hank, that he could have been 100 miles away. What is it, Hank? What's happened around here. Sounds like a big explosion. Yeah, that. Oh, looks like one too. Yep, it was all right. Pete, what happened? Hey, smells to me like dynamite in here. Dynamite? What's the matter with your smeller, Bowie? Huh? Just that big can of benzene I had for cleaning up the tap I use on the paper. It was, huh? Yeah, that's what it was. I had the dang thing up a little too close to the heater and it blew up, that's all. Boy, sure. Funny it didn't start a fire then, Hans. What do you mean, funny? We were lucky, that's all. I guess you were. I'll tell you this, though, Hank, I just. Don't bother right now. It was only the can of Benzi. No, no, I mean about you saying there wouldn't ever be any excitement around here when I took on this job. Oh, yeah, yeah, it looks like OS room. What is your job, Pete? Oh, I'm sorry. I should introduce you to. This is Pete. Pete, Pete Branson. Oh, yeah. Him and Tony Batten are the rest of the police force here in Muddegat. Yeah, glad to meet you. What'd you say your name is? Johnny Dollar. But now, listen, you hear the hoax out there? Yeah, Tony's out there, too. Well, you and him just keep that mob out of here, will you? Tell him everything's okay. It was just that. Just that can of benzene, like I said. Sure, Hank. Now, go on now. You and Tony keep that mob out of you. Okay. It's okay, folks. Just had a little accident back there in the print shop. Everything's under control. But just to make sure, Hank don't want anybody hanging around. Now, Tony, let's get him away from here. Don't happen to anything. What, you mean his face? Where it's all cut up that way? Well, it tells me he wants Got drugged by a horse. You know, foot caught in a stirrup. Oh, I see. So the one thing he won't ever do anymore is get himself on top of a horse. Me, I don't blame him. Hank, that excuse that you gave for the explosion. Oh, you think I should have told him the truth and let him spread the word and get the whole town into a panic? If we were sure there won't be any more of them that Billy satisfied his yen for revenge by putting your paper out of business. Okay, but if your fellow townspeople are still in danger. And didn't you mention the draft board? Who are they? Oh, they're all long gone, darling, except for Grandpa Weedon. Oh, Lord. Well. Oh, Lord, that old house of his. It's. It's. It's right over near the terminal end of one of them pipelines off the tank farm. And if that place were to get blowed up, and if one of the tanks were to go, why, there'd be nothing left of this town. Then. If Billy is still around, how can we know? Wait a minute. Telephone. What? It's the old fashioned kind. No dial. Which means you have to call an operator. Oh, sure. Which also means that the operator has to call you. Come on, Hank. What are you. What are you gonna do? We're gonna find out where that. Hello, Hank Parnell. Whatever happened down there at your newspaper office? Listen, operator, whatever you had blow up over there fairly shook me out of my chair. I haven't had such an explosion here in Muddy Gap since Allie Briscomb's still blew up and everybody thought the whole tank. Look, miss. Look, Hank, you better tell me what happened so I can. Well, I mean, you know, in case somebody calls in and wants to know. Operator. Well, will you listen to me a moment? What? Who are you? I'm speaking for Hank Parnell. Anything happened to him? Is he all right? He's all right. Now, listen. Yeah? Just before the accident, you rang this phone. Oh, that's right. I had a call for him. You know who was calling? No. He kept his voice low. What'd you say your name is? Well, I didn't and it doesn't matter. But what I want to know is where. Did you know something? You sound exactly like that Johnny doll on the radio. Operator, listen, please. If you are and you're in town, miss. Well, the folks around here would sure like to know that they would. Now, listen, do you know where that call for Hank Parnell came from? Well, of course I do. Where? The one outside phone booth we have over outside the drugstore. Okay, thanks. You heard? Yeah. Dollar Then he is in town? I'm afraid so, Hank. You better take it. Okay, I'll listen in. Hello. You got the sample, Parnell? The big one's coming. Later, Billy. That's right. Later When? What do you mean by later? Maybe. Maybe tonight. How about. Billy, listen. Hello? We gotta get the people out of this town, 300 of them, before he can strike again. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know, but we gotta try. It's too late and you know it. Well, then what can we do? $it's a long chance, Hank. I know it is. What? But I'm betting that he's been around this town a long time, maybe for weeks. Now, doesn't that mean anything to you? Well, I. I don't. I don't. I don't get it. All right, listen. Now, this crazy hunch of mine may be all wrong. But if you'll let me handle this my own way. Will you, Hank? In spite of the fact that it may mean jeopardizing all the people in town. Anything you say, Dollar. As long as we do something. All right. Those two boys in the force, do you know where to reach them right now? Who? Tony and Pete? Yes. Yes. All right. Call them up and have them come over here. Then if you and they will follow my orders to the letter in without question, well, we'll do anything. Okay. Get them over. It meant staking a lot on my limited knowledge of the criminal mind, possibly risking a lot of innocent lives. But I felt sure now that my hunch was right. Fortunately for my plan, Tony Batten got there first. When I told Hank and Tony what their job was, for a moment they couldn't believe I was serious. But they agreed to say nothing to anyone, not even to Pete. Tony went outside, then waited in Hank's old car. When Peter Branson arrived, Hank put him under my orders, and he and Tony took off. And I guess I was right, huh, Mr. Dollar? That was some kind of set explosion in here, wasn't it? That's right, Pete. It was set all right by an expert. And you got some idea who might have died. Either you and I are gonna find out or this town's in danger of being blown to bits. Are you kidding? Not a bit of it. I. I see you carry a gun. Yes, sir. Right here in Handy. And if what you say is true, maybe you ought to have one too. Well, you better let me have yours then, Pete. Well, now, wait a minute, Mr. Dollar. It's your idea. Well, yeah, I know, but let me have it. Orders, Pete. You're under my orders, remember? Yes, sir. All right. Yes, sir. Here you are. Good. Now, should we go? Where are we headed? Out to see an old man. Old Grandpa Weedon. Oh, now, you don't think he had anything to do with this explosion, do you, Pete? I think this mad bomber plans to hit him next. Did you say mad? That's right. Oh, I see. We're gonna go over Grandpa's place with a fine tooth comb. Because a bomb may be planted. May be ticking away out there right now. And if we don't find anything out there, well, we'll see. Well, why do you think this. This man would Pick on him? Is it a man? Well, I certainly guess so. But why on Grandpa? Well, because once he was a member of a draft board. Well, that don't make sense, does it? Maybe not. But does anything make sense where a madman is concerned? You're calling him that again? You don't like that? Wouldn't. Well, it makes no difference to me. But if there. If it was a madman out on the loose out there, he might look every bit as harmless as you do. Or as I do. I see. Okay, then let's go on out there and have a look. But I'm betting we don't find anything. You don't think so? I bet on it. Well, then maybe we won't. It seems to me Hank had a little trouble remembering your last name, Pete. How long is it that you've been on the force? Few weeks, I guess. Ever since you first came to town. Why? Yeah, practically. And before that? Oh, you know, working around the ranches. Oh, I thought you didn't ride. Well, no, not anymore. What do you do then? Oh, you know, odd jobs. Well, why you ask that? Well, your hands, they look kind of soft to me. You know, another thing, come to think of it, seems to me you immediately recognized the smell of dynamite when you came in here, didn't you? Oh, look, you want to go out there? Let's go. And those scars on your face, what you getting at? They're from an explosion, aren't they? I said, what you getting at? I've seen too many of those kind of scars not to recognize them. And you knew that because of them nobody around here would recognize you, didn't you, Billy? Okay, Doc, that's enough. You see this? Got another gun. That's right. So instead of reaching for the one I gave you, just you reach up high now. Reach. Reach. I knew I'd have trouble when you come in town. Cuz you ain't dumb like the rest of these jerks around here. But not anymore. $Because I'm gonna kill you. You think so, Billy? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then I go back to my place and I get the rig. It's all ready except for the setting of the clock on. Billy. Shut up. You know where I plant it then? Yeah. Out by old Grandpa Weed. You hear me? Out there by the tank farm. And I set the clock so I only got time to get away. Get away? In that nice car of yours, Dar. Now, Billy, listen to me. No, no, no. You're only trying to stall me. So first it's you and then I go get that Rig this. Rig, Billy. This bomb we found over in your room. You found it. You better drop that gun, Billy. No. Come there. You pull that trigger, Tony, I still get off a shot. He's right. Let me take care of this. Wowee. Had some mighty good left you got there, Dar. I guess he was right though, Hank, about you being pretty stupid. Well. Well, now you just wait. Didn't you think about what might have happened if Tony pulled off a shot right next to that bomb you have in your hand? Oh, my gosh. You should have remarks. Why bother on this one? As for the expense account, let's call it a total of 350 bucks. Yours truly, Johnny Doll. Now here is our star to tell you about next week's story. Next week, a beautiful girl, a handful of coins and a mysterious disappearance. Join us, won't you? Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Yours truly, Johnny Dollar is written by Jack Johnstone, produced and directed by Bruno Zarato Jr. Music supervision by Ethel Huber. Johnny Dollar is played by Mandel Kramer. Also featured in our cast were Court Benson as Hank Parnell Lawson Zerby as Pete Branson, Cliff Carpenter as Billy Benbow and Barbara Cassar as the operator. Be sure to join us next week, same time, same station for another exciting story of yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Art Hannah speaking. The number one network for news expanded CBS News on the CBS Radio Network. This is WROW Music in Albany, New York. A newcomer in town can feel mighty lonesome. Welcome Wagon host make these newcomers feel wanted when they make their cordial welcome Wagon business. Their baskets contain useful gifts from civic minded businessmen. Invitations to participate in varied social and volunteer activities of the many civic agencies in the community. In addition, every welcome Wagon call recipient in the Greater Albany or Schenectady areas as well as Del Mar, Latham or Scotia is invited to attend the local welcome Wagon Club. This is an organization of newcomers all anxious to make friends. Various welcome Wagon Clubs vary from 30 to 150 members who meet monthly. Their interests include bowling, golf cards, handcraft and dancing. You can help to make your new neighbor feel at home. Call state 59640 today and make your neighbor eligible for the many opportunities in a welcome Wagon club. Remember state 596 for all WROW music time now 25 minutes before 7pm Johnny Dollar. Tell me, old boy, how's the weather? Cold, wet and miserable. And who are you? Charlie Warren, Johnny, out here in warm, sunny Southern California. Oh, you lucky dog. Don't I know it. I spent too many long cold winners at the home office there in Hartford. Not to know it. You're still with Worldwide Mutual? Sure am. Always will be, I guess. Unless they try to move me out of this Los Angeles office. Boy, when I think how you must be suffering back there in New England with all that cold and snow. And snow. Okay, okay, Charlie, don't rub it in. We can't all be as lucky as you are. And just think of all the beauty you're missing. Yeah? Like what? The clean, crisp, invigorating air. The sparkle of the sun on sleep. Covered branches, the sound of sleigh bells. Rolling fields drifted high with pure white snow and all that mud and slush you have to plow through there in town. And don't tell me otherwise. Okay, you've made your point. I'm feeling even worse than I did before you called. Now, what's on your mind? Any good reason why you shouldn't be out here enjoying the sunshine, the warm breezes, the smell of orange blossoms, the palm trees and beautiful broads barging around bikinis and all the other delights the of subtropical paradise? And I want a badge from the Chamber of Commerce. Yes? What? Money. Well, now, that's no problem. Oh, it isn't? Why should it be when the company's going to pay the freight? Provided, of course, you keep that crazy expense account within reasonable pounds. But just once in your life. Oh, Charlie, you touch me to the quick. Have I ever done otherwise? Oh, no. I mean, except for an occasional nickel or dime here and there or an occasional C note now and then after all, Charlie. Well, seriously, Johnny, I need you. I need your help. Are you free to fly out here? I don't know. Why not? Okay, now, according to my watch, it's a little after 4pm and according to the clocks here in the wilds of Connecticut, it's a little after seven. Huh? Oh, yeah, that's right. Look, suppose I take a prop job. That'll give me time for a little sleep along the way. And I'll see you first thing in the morning. Okay, I'll meet you at the airport. Okay. The CBS Radio Network brings you Mandel Kramer and the exciting adventures of the man with the action packed expense account. America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator. Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Expense account submitted by Special Investigator Johnny Dollar to Worldwide Mutual Insurance Company, Los Angeles office. Following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the Cinder Elmer Matter expense account item 1, 176. 40 taxi to Bradley Field and a plane ticket. It was close to midnight by the time I could get a flight out of Hartford. I Don't know why so many people have to travel this time of the year. And it was nearly three by the time my plane in New York took off and headed west. All my plans to sleep along the way went to pot. Not only because of the several stops we had to make, but because of the cute little brunette who occupied the seat next to mine. A real charmer on her way to LA for a winter vacation. And did I have any ideas for how she might enjoy herself out there on the coast? Did I have ideas? But after we landed, then she introduced me to the blonde giant who met her there at the airport and took her in tow. Well, who am I to argue with a man who plays right tackle for the LA Rams football team? Anyhow, I was was sadly lacking in sleep when Charlie Warren finally found me at the luggage stand, picked up my bags and led me out to a car parked at the curb. Oh, here you are, Johnny. I'll just toss these bags in the back. Hey, here, Johnny. Here's the keys to a nice quiet room with a soft bed in it. Are you kidding? To this car? Oh, Charlie, why don't you drive? Well, this is one of those rental jobs. H. Sure. My car's over there in the lot. Oh, and I had him throwing a set of chains. Oh, you mean skid chains. Yeah, up where you're going, you're gonna need. In sunny Southern California. Excuse me, let me get my glove compartment. Be my guest. You mind telling me just where I'm going and why? Now, here's where we are, see? LA International Airport. See it? I'd rather see a comfortable bed, Charlie. Yeah. Now, you go north on Sepulveda Boulevard to Manchester, east to Harbor Freeway, Turn north, then east on the San Bernardino Freeway. I do? Yeah. San Bedou is maybe 65 miles or so. Then you turn north here, up into the mountain, see? And there's Crestline. There you are. At least that's where you can get directions to Hillcrest Lodge. I can? Oh, boy, I wish I could go along with you. That's the most beautiful country up there this time of year. It really is 75 or 80 degrees of hot smog down here. And up there at 5,000ft altitude, it's all covered with snow. Beauty. Oh, Charlie, you're a dirty dog over the phone. You give me the chamber of commerce pitch to get me away from an Eastern winter. And when I get out here. Yeah, but this is different, Johnny. You'll love it. Skiing, tobogganing, magnificent view of all the peaks up there on the Rim of the World Drive. It's right near Lake Islehead, you know. No, I didn't know. And what's more, I don't care unless I can get a little sleep. Charlie, I sleep, Johnny. Up there in that clean, clear, crisp, cold air on that high altitude. You'll sleep like you've never slept before. You mean like sometime tonight? Sure, if I'm lucky. What do you mean by that? Well, you still haven't told me what kind of a case I'm supposed to be working on. Oh, yeah, that's right. Yeah, that's right. Disappearance, Johnny. Name is Bartley Harmon. Bartley Harmonies. He and his wife, Nora. Real good looking doll, by the way. And his business partner, a man by the name of Elmer Wrightson. Yeah, well, like they always do this time of year. They all went up to Crestline Hillcrest Lodge for a few days, though Nora phoned me just before I put in that call to you. Seems the poor little shrimp took over. Little shrimp? Yeah, her old man, Barkley. Oh, Both he and his partner, Elmer Wrightson, stand about 5ft 3, about 115 pounds. Ringing Wet. Look almost like twins. I see Joy. Well, not that Nora. Bartley's wife. She's a good 5ft 11. But Johnny boy, I mean, good. She's built like an Olympic champion blonde, beautiful and wow. Take your word for it. Now, what happened to Barley Harmon? Well, he turned off for a tramp in the snow and he suddenly and completely disappeared. Sheriff's Department put out an ATV in the whole area, but nobody's seen High and a hair of them. Go on. And, Johnny, that San Bedou Sheriff's Department, well, they know their way around out in that country. If they haven't been able to find them, Bartley Harmon is really lost, you know, the way it gets cold up in those mountains. Anyhow, sheriff's boys are expecting you. They'll cooperate. Just what is your stake in him, Charlie? Got him insured for 200,000. Accidental death, double indemnity. He's fallen off a rock and busted his neck or into a chasm or something. Now, Charlie, and on top of everything else, heart isn't too awfully good either. Of course, if somebody. Well, you know what I mean. No, I'm not sure I do. Does Bartley Harmon have a lot of enemies? Not that I know of. For that matter, I don't think he has any real friends either. Tell me, who would benefit by his death? Well, of course, the business will all go to his partner, Elmer Wrightson. How do they get along? Only because they have to, I guess, keep the business going. I see. And the insurance goes to his wife. All goes to Nora. And how do they get along? Well, she's a beautiful dame. He has a lot of money and, well, she's a lot younger than he is, you know. No, I didn't know. Now wait a minute, Johnny. Somebody did murder him. Well, you mean you think that maybe. You think that maybe one of them. Charlie. I think I better get on up to Chris. Line. Here's a friendly and important reminder from your postmaster. This is the time of year when the post office handles its biggest volume of mail. The extra load often takes extra time. So if you want your cards and packages to arrive at their destination before Christmas, mail early and often. Make sure addresses are clear and correct. Use postal zone numbers and send your cards by first class mail for a merrier Christmas, shop Early mail early. That long, hot drive through the valley to San Bernardino, San Berdu, as the natives call it, almost did me in. I really felt the lack of sleep. But then as I swung up into the mountains and at the 4,000 foot level had to put on snow chains and turn up the windows. Well, it really is beautiful country up there. Not only because of the white clean snow, but the mountains, the magnificent big pines anchored to the sides of them and the colorful, picturesque little cottages. At Hillcrest Lodge I found that a young fellow from. From the sheriff's office, Roy Turner, was waiting for me. After helping me up to my room with my bags, he got right to the point. I can't say that I like this situation, Mr. Dollar, not a bit. Why, Turner. Call me Roy. All right, call me Johnny. Well, Johnny, simply because of the people involved, man falls in love with partner's wife, does away with said partner. Not a chance. At least there's no chance you'd give him any kind of a break. I just bet on it. Why? Because Wrightson is the same kind of homely, pedantic facts and figures little shrimp as her husband Bartley is. And there's no question but that she's had enough of him. Enough to want to get rid of him. Roy. Well, Harmon's worth a lot of money, I understand. A lot of insurance, too. Yeah, that's true. And she's a much younger, good looking, athletic. Well, what do you say? I'd like to. You will. And don't think for a minute she doesn't make the most of it of what she has, Johnny. For the few days they spend up here every year she brings along enough expensive clothes to sink a battleship. In addition to snow and ski and skating outfits. I mean, she has a whole trunk full of shoes alone. Anyhow, we're making sure that she sticks around. Rights. And two, for that matter. Roy. If they're all on such lousy terms, why do they come up here together? Only because she likes it so much. So Bartley tags along to keep an eye on her and Mr. Wrightson to keep an eye on him. I guess. I take it you've combed the hills around here pretty well as thoroughly as we know how. What about all those little cabins that I've seen around? Been through them all, apparently. Harmon headed over toward Old Iron side. That's just north of here. Has a sharp face on it where the snow doesn't stick. And beyond it. Well, in order to save time, we have a helicopter out there looking over that big valley. Roy. Yes, Johnny. You know, over the years, I've investigated an awful lot of disappearances. Yeah, and you would be surprised at how many people disappear deliberately just to get away from things once and for all. But leave behind that beautiful wife he's so jealous of and his share of a prosperous business. It is a possibility, though, isn't it? Well. Oh, that may be for me. I told the operator I'd be here. Hello? Yeah. Yeah. Where? Okay, leave it there. Have him go back and pick me up at the port. As I started to say, it is possible, Roy. Not anymore, Johnny. No. The copter just found Bartley Harmon out there beyond Old Ironside. Or rather they found. Found his body. We got to the airport on the edge of San Berdo in less than 20 minutes. The copter was already there and waiting for us. We piled in, took off and headed back to Crestline. Then past it, then circled the cold, gray peak that was called Old Ironside. Beyond it was a long, narrow valley edged on both sides by a heavy growth of timber. And 100 yards or so from the tree line out in the open, there in the cold, dry snow, lay the body of Bartley Harmon. I don't see any mark where you landed this crate, Steve. I didn't try to land, sir. Just took her down low enough to make a positive id, Then got all the horn and reported in. They told me to run back to Purdue and pick you up there. Looks to me as though you may have got down there too close. What, sir? I mean, this chopper apparently blew a lot of snow on top of it. Hope it didn't cover any clues. All right, sir. Now find a spot to land us up there ahead of it. I can't help wondering what Harmon was doing way out here and alone. Oh, he in Wrightson believes that old legend about a cave full of gold out in this valley. Often came to look for it, you know, while his wife was busy skiing or skating or tobogganing. With his bad heart, Roy? Well, actually, it's only a mile or so from the lodge, so I guess he figured it wouldn't be too much for him. Looks like he figured wrong, though, doesn't it? Yeah. Kind of knocked my theories into a cocked hat, too. You've given up the idea of murder? Yep. Send us down here anywhere, Steve. Right, sir. And we shall see what we shall see. What we saw down there was more than we'd bargained for. The body was that of Bartley Harmon, all right. And there wasn't a mark on. Looked as though the old boy, overextending himself at that high altitude had simply had his heart give out on him. Until we found two. Two things. One, another set of footprints leading to the spot. Much smaller prints that could have been made by a woman's snow boots. And second, beside them, there in the snow, a cigarette butt with lipstick on it. Looks to me, Johnny, like this settles it. In spite of her alibi, Nora Har. Alibi, Roy, that she was over in Arrowhead Village shopping when he took his little walk out here. Anybody try to check up on it? Yeah, but nothing really definite either way. Well, then that doesn't prove that she did this, Roy, that she or anybody else did anything. You mean because of no marks on the body? That's right. And, Roy, there's something about this whole setup. But I don't know. I don't know. Let's face it, Johnny. Why'd she say she was in Arrowhead when she was really out here with him? Was she? And who else had such a motive? Did Elmer Wrightson have an alibi, too? Asleep in his room all that afternoon and no reason to doubt him. I wonder. But, Johnny. Johnny, the footprints. And more important, this cigarette butt with a lipstick. If a lab test shows it to be the same kind that she uses. Steve, when you and Mr. Dollar haul the body into San Berdu for the autopsy, have Doc Hanley analyze the lipstick on this cigarette, too. Have him do that first while we take the body in. I want to follow those two sets of footprints back to the lodge. I'll meet you there. Okay. What's the matter, John? Oh, nothing. Nothing, Roy. It's just that. Well, if we've overlooked something out here. Yeah, like what? No, forget it. Come on, Steve, let's get the body of born. Yes, sir. Doc Hanley told me that the lipstick was quite unusual. While he went ahead with the autopsy, I had Steve drive me up to the lodge. A five dollar tip to a light fingered bellboy got me one of Nora Harmon's lipsticks out of her room. When I got back and showed it to Hanley, he was certain it was the same as that on the cigarette. As for the result of his autopsy? Beaten to death, Mr. Dull Evan without a single mark on him. There were several intestinal and mesentery perforations. Blood in the peritoneal cavity. So you saw no external bruises. Because death occurred so quickly, the blood stopped circulating immediately. Without circulation, there can be no hemorrhage into the tissues. Little known fact, my boy. I see. So it looks then as though Roy may have been right in spite of this hunch of mine. Hunch? In this modern day and age? Don't be ridiculous, my boy. Look at the facts. She not only had the motive, but if I understand correctly, is physically capable of such an action. And with the cigarette butt as proof that she was out there with him. Yeah, I'll phone Roy Turner at the lodge and tell him to charge her with murder. I wonder though. Wonder why? What's there to wonder about? Well, Doc, unless she is pretty stupid. Well, I'm certain from what I've heard about her that she isn't far from it. Then why leave such obvious incriminating tracks? Both the footprints and the cigarettes. My boy, even the cleverest of criminals sometimes overlook little things like that. Little things? Doc, this is more like leaving a couple of neon signs. I better get back to the lodge to assist Roy with the arrest. Maybe to keep him from arresting the wrong person. As I walked into my room at the lodge, Roy was just hanging up the phone. Okay, okay, Doc. Yeah, that's good enough for me. I'll. I'll bring her in right away. Roy, before you do that. Yeah, I know, Johnny. The doctor told me what you said to him and I agree with you. It was pretty foolish for her to leave such obvious signposts. Not at all like her. Okay then. But following up those sets of tracks out there really clinched it. How do you mean? Oh, he went for his little walk in the snow alone, all right. But she followed him. And every time he stopped to rest, she also stopped but a couple hundred yards behind him and well hidden by the the trees. And more important, Johnny. Yeah, Every time she stopped, she lit up and smoked One of those cigarettes. And they are the same brand she uses. I've checked on it. Then when he took off again, she dropped the butt in the snow and followed him again until finally, when she had him far enough away to be safe, bangle. Now, wait a minute. One other little thing, too, John. Roy, while you were down there in San Berdu, I compared those footprints with a pair of Nora's shoes. Same type and size. Wait a minute, will you? Well, Roy, it has finally got through this thick skull of mine. The butt. The cigarette butt we found by the body before you picked it up. Yeah, what about it, Johnny? Listen, did you find some more out there? Several. Just further proof. Did you leave any of them laying around out there? Well, sure. One or two are all I need for evidence. All right, come on, we're going out there and look at him. Why, yes. Unless you can visualize exactly what that first one looked like lying there beside the body. Well, I don't know. Because I can. And, Roy, before you do anything foolish, like arresting Nora Harmon, you better have a look at some of those others. Now, come on. Stopped is just ahead. Good. Glad it hasn't snowed for a while. But I still think this is a kind of silly waste of time, Johnny. And I tell you that both of us ought to be shot for not having been more observant. You still haven't told me what this miraculous inspiration is. That. Oh, here we are. And you see that butt lying there with that same lipstick on? Here, I'll take it away, huh? Just take a good look at it, Roy. Don't you see? It wasn't crushed out. It was simply dropped there on top of the snow. Sure. So what then? What put it out? Well, the snow. What else did it? What do you mean? If that cigarette was still burning when it was dropped here on the snow. Don't you see, Roy? Don't you see? It would have melted some of the snow while it was going out. Wait a minute, Johnny. You're right. Of course I am. All those butts you found were smoked and put out somewhere else. No doubt by Nora Harmon because of the lipstick. Then somebody else carefully picked them up and saved them. And for only one reason, Roy. To plant them out here beside these footprints. Wrightson. Wright. Elmer Wrightson. The only other person with a motive. But this footprint from her shoes. Didn't you say that she's a big girl and that Elmer is a little shrimp? Yeah, and if he wears a snow boot like hers, we've got him. But if he doesn't Johnny, did you also say that she has a whole trunk full with her? Yeah. Well, wouldn't she have at least a couple of pairs of snow boots? Sure, I've seen them myself. Any reason then why he couldn't have borrowed a pair of hers and then put them back? Yeah, but if he didn't. Johnny. Well, well, let's try it, Roy. Let's try the Cinderella bit on him. Only it'll be Cinder Elmer. We'll make him put on a pair of her snow boots and if they fit. Well, are you game to try it? Nothing to lose, Johnny. Let's go. Her snow boots fit him all right. And little old Cinder Elmer. Oh, the dumb jerk should have known better. He should have made us come up with some really concrete evidence. But luckily for us, Elm just broke down and confessed to the whole bit. So once again, it's up to the courts. Expense count total including the trip home. 37780. Yours truly, Johnny Do. Now here's our star to tell you about next week's story. Next week, one of the cleverest cover ups for a fire bug I've ever seen. And believe me, I've seen plenty. Join us, won't you? Yours truly, Johnny Doll. Yours truly, Johnny Dollar is written by Jack Johnstone, produced and directed by Bruno Zorano Jr. Music supervision by Ethel Huber. Johnny Dollar is played by Mandel Kramer. Also featured in our cast were Cliff Carpenter as Sheriff Roy Turner, Eugene Francis as Charles Warren, Bob Dryden is Dr. Hanley, and Jim Stevens is the helicopter pilot. Be sure to join us next week, same time, same station for another exciting story of yours truly, Johnny Dollar. This is Stuart Met speaking. Enjoy the Gary Moore Show Weekdays on the CBS radio network at roll 59 on your tri Cities dial. This is WROW Music in Albany, New York. A newcomer in town can feel mighty lonesome. Welcome Wagon hostesses make these newcomers feel wanted when they make their cordial welcome wagon business. Their baskets contain useful gifts from civic minded businessmen. Invitations to participate in varied social and volunteer activities of the many civic agencies in the community. In addition, every welcome Wagon call recipient in the Greater Albany or Schenectady areas as well as Del Mar, Latham or Scotia is invited to attend the local welcome Wagon Club. This is an organization of newcomers all anxious to make friends. Various welcome Wagon Clubs vary from 30 to 150 members who meet monthly. Their interests include bowling, golf cards, handcraft and dancing. 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