Podcast Summary: Case Closed! – 21st Precinct “The Trip” & This Is Your FBI “The Unwilling Hostess”

Date: January 14, 2026
Podcast: Case Closed! (Old Time Radio by RelicRadio.com)
Episode Theme: Crime dramas from the golden age of radio, reviving classic stories of law enforcement and criminal intrigue.

Overview

This episode of Case Closed! features back-to-back presentations of two classic radio dramas:

1. 21st Precinct – “The Trip” (September 8, 1954):
   A seemingly straightforward payroll robbery in New York City grows suspicious as police piece together the truth from conflicting evidence.
2. This Is Your FBI – “The Unwilling Hostess” (January 9, 1949):
   A tale of extortion and murder, with the FBI hot on the trail of a criminal couple who exploit a woman’s past while hiding from the law.

Both stories showcase the procedural, character-driven storytelling of mid-century crime radio, illustrating both the police perspective and the emotional toll of crime.

Story 1: 21st Precinct – “The Trip”

Main Theme

A payroll “stick-up” turns out to be an inside job, uncovered by meticulous police work and discrepancies at the scene.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Robbery is Reported

• Office manager Lester Mappin claims two men kidnapped him outside a bank, forced him into a car, and robbed him of the $3,129 company payroll (03:30).
• The robbery is dramatic and supposedly executed in broad daylight.

Police Routine & Early Investigation

• Captain Kennelly describes his daily routine and banter in the precinct, providing an immersive look into station operations.
• Lieutenant King checks call logs and procedures: "Those guys are supposed to enter every outside call they make. We batted a great percentage last month." (06:50)

Evidence at the Scene

• Officer Lasky, on patrol at the corner during the alleged robbery:
  • Swears he never saw the event.
  • States he gave a parking ticket at the exact place and time the crime allegedly happened.
  • "If anything was going on at that time, I would have seen it." (23:15)
• Discrepancy noted: If the crime occurred when/where Mappin claimed, Officer Lasky and his records would have caught it.

Police Begin to Doubt the Story

• Kennelly becomes suspicious: "If there wasn't a car, Lasky, there wasn't a stick up." (28:19)
• Investigation shifts to checking Mappin’s movements and statements.

The Truth Unravels

• Under questioning, more and more details emerge, and police coordinate with other divisions (34:00).
• The police pressure Mappin on his inconsistencies and knowledge of the area.
• Detectives link his story to his trip to his sister's home in Forest Hills.

Confession

• Mappin breaks down: "Yes, it's there. I didn't even unwrap it… It's there." (50:10)
• He admits stealing the payroll to finance a trip to Europe.

Memorable Quote:

• Captain Kennelly: "Well, Lester, I don’t think you’ll get to Europe. But I do guarantee you a trip." (51:50)

Police Procedural Closing

• The episode ends with a reminder of the relentless, routine nature of precinct life.

Notable Moments & Quotes (with Timestamps)

• Police Bickering About Honesty:
  "Being honest, you’re getting a jam. You’ve got to be honest faster." – Patrolman Jaffe (03:00)
• Lasky’s Defense:
  "Captain, I would have noticed something like that if that happened." – Patrolman Lasky (23:12)
• Discrediting the Robbery:
  "If there wasn't a car... there wasn't a stick up." – Captain Kennelly (28:19)
• Mappin Confesses:
  "Yes... It's there. I didn't even unwrap it... I just had to..." – Lester Mappin (50:10)
• Dry Humor from Captain:
  "Well, Lester, I don't think you'll get to Europe. But I do guarantee you a trip." (51:50)

Story 2: This Is Your FBI – “The Unwilling Hostess”

Main Theme

A criminal couple uses blackmail against a woman, “Libby,” exploiting her hidden past, as the FBI investigates a connected murder and extortion case.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Setup: The Threat of Blackmail

• Ruth Clinton visits Libby Anderson under false pretenses and reveals:
  • She and her husband, Walter, have evidence (old newspaper clippings) of Libby’s troubled past.
  • They blackmail her into letting them stay in her home while her husband and son are away (57:00).
• Walter: “Some folks collect stamps, but I collect people. Only difference is I use the people I collect.” (62:40)

FBI Investigation (Alternating Scenes)

• Special Agents Jim Taylor and Dick Madison are introduced to the case after an extortion/murder is reported.
• Evidence links “Charlie” (the blackmailer) and “Thomas Norton” (alias) to the crime:
  • "Apparently there are two charges. One of them is extortion. The other one is murder." – Jim Taylor (60:10)

Blackmail Escalates

• The Clintons, emboldened, demand $10,000 from Libby to keep her past secret from her husband (73:30).
• Tension between Ruth and Walter Clinton, as self-interest and mistrust mount.

FBI Closes In

• The agents trace Clinton via pawned goods and hotel records.
• A torn page from a local phone book whittles down the possible blackmail victims.

Resolution

• Libby tips off the FBI, who set a trap.
• Walter’s duplicity is revealed—he tries to run off with both the money and to betray Ruth.
• Arrest scene:
  “Clinton, I’m from the FBI. The maid let me in the back way.” – Agent Taylor (83:50)

Final Outcomes

• Walter Clinton is sentenced to 10 years for extortion, then handed to local authorities for murder.
• Ruth is sentenced to 6 years.
• The episode closes with advocacy for public support of local law enforcement and the need to report crimes like extortion.

Notable Moments & Quotes (with Timestamps)

• On the Criminal Mind:
  "One of these is that the criminal is basically a moral isolationist, living alone in his own small world." (55:00)
• Walter, on Collecting People:
  "Some folks collect stamps, but I collect people. Only difference is I use the people I collect." – Walter Clinton (62:40)
• Libby’s Dilemma:
  "I refuse to let you stay... I want you both to leave at once." – Libby Anderson (65:40), confronting her past.
• Demand for $10,000:
  "It'll be a slight charge... $10,000." – Walter Clinton (73:30)
• FBI Analytical Work:
  "Take a look at those page numbers... There's a page missing... Let's get back to the office and start calling." – Agent Madison (81:00)
• Arrest and Final Words:
  “Come on, Clinton. And you, too, Mrs. Clinton. Let's not keep my partner waiting too long.” – Agent Taylor (83:50)
• Civic Message:
  "The biggest step you could take would be to join with your fellow citizens in seeing to it that you have a strong and alert—and above all, a politically unhampered local police force..." (88:00)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Start of 21st Precinct story and precinct routine: 03:30
• Initial details of the “robbery”: 12:20
• On-scene investigation with Officer Lasky: 20:00–26:00
• Doubts about the victim’s story: 28:00
• Mappin’s confession: 50:10–51:50
• Introduction to This Is Your FBI and criminal psychology: 55:00–57:00
• Ruth Clinton confronts Libby: 59:00–65:00
• FBI analysis of the extortion-to-murder case: 60:00–70:00
• $10,000 blackmail demand: 73:30
• FBI closes in, phone book clue: 81:00
• Final confrontation and arrests: 83:50
• Closing civic message: 88:00

Tone & Language

• 21st Precinct: Direct and methodical, emphasizing routine, suspicion, and the dogged uncovering of deception through careful police work.
• This Is Your FBI: Dramatic, psychological, alternating between the cold pragmatism of criminals ("I collect people... I use the people I collect") and the calm diligence of federal agents.

Conclusion

This episode of Case Closed! expertly demonstrates the intersection of procedure and drama in golden age radio crime fiction. Each story builds tension through small, credible details, twisting the expected answers, and ultimately delivering catharsis through confession or capture. Listeners are treated not only to riveting period storytelling, but also to the timeless message that vigilance, honesty, and the rule of law are the community’s best defense against wrongdoing.