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This is Case Closed. One hour of mystery and crime from the golden age of radio. Every Wednesday on relicradio.com our first story comes from the Adventures of Philip Marlowe. This week we'll hear his story from May 30, 1950, titled the Bedside Manners. After that, it's Casey, crime photographer and the demon miner. That story aired March 20, 1947. Get this and get it straight. Crime is a sucker's road and those who travel it wind up in the gut of the prison of the grave. There's no other end, but they never learn. From the pen of Raymond Chandler, outstanding author of crime fiction, comes his most famous character in the Adventures of Philip Marlowe. Now with Gerald Moore starred as Philip Marlowe, we bring you tonight's exciting story, the Bedside Manners. Get your hat and hit the street. Piper. Piper. Get your paper. Hi, Mr. Marlow. Hiya, Tommy. Paper tonight. Okay, kid. Hey, thanks. Take it easy now. Sure. Hey, Mr. Marley, you change, Mr. Marley. Mr. Marlow. Don't try to hold. You're gonna be okay. Just take it easy now. That's the way it happened. Two weeks ago, when they scraped me up off the pavement, I felt like everything must have been broken. But finally the doctor boiled it all down to a fractured tibia and assorted bruises that had me 10 days in the hospital tangled up with enough pulleys, weights and trapeze bars to rig a circus tent. After which I managed to get sprung to the peace and quiet of my own apartment. There, on a special bed in my living room, I spent four days scratching my broken leg through an inch of plastic while I worried about the business I was missing. Until finally, Ordine Patterson, a girl with a multi million dollar estate I'd worked for, once insisted on seeing me immediately about a job. One she was sure I could handle, even flat on my back. Phil, it's about my brother, Maynard. Oh, another jam, huh? Yeah. Wait a minute, I gotta get comfortable. I guess your father knew his son pretty well when he left. He left all that dough in your hands, Ordine. Yes. Only this time I sincerely believe Maynard's learned his lesson. Phil, he's worried sick. And frankly, so am I. So am I, if I can straighten this leg out. Well, if you think I can help. In this condition, it can't be too serious. Hey, before you sit down, reach me a cigarette, will you? Yeah, sure. Sure, Phil. Here it is. Thanks, Phil. Last Saturday night, Maynard went out on a binge. He got home at 4 o'clock in the morning, awfully intoxicated. Well, it's not unusual for Maynard, is it? No. Except this time he was frightened, Phil. Scared stiff. Oh? What about? Well, that's just the point. We don't know. He was so drunk he couldn't remember anything. Didn't know where he'd been or with whom. Phil, it was. It was terrible. This was last Saturday. Why are you so worried? Anything had happened, surely by now you'd have heard. But something did happen, Phil. Oh? This morning I got a phone call from a man who meant business. Believe me. I made notes on a memo pad while he talked so I wouldn't forget any of it. Here, bag. Here. Here, read it. This is Fish. Fish? Yes, fish. Tell Maynard 50G's important money by tomorrow or trouble. Then he hung up on me. Phil Fish. Did you and Maynard ever hear of him before? Well, I certainly didn't. And when I asked Maynard, he didn't know him either. He had a. Oh, a cold, heavy voice and spoke with a thick lisp. You want me to peg this fish for you? Yes. So I'll know why Maynard owes that much money. Now, look, baby, I'm bedridden. I'm stuck. I can't even move. I know that. I know that, Phil. But you have the phone here. A lot of contacts and plenty of diplomacy. If this is something I can get Maynard out of by paying that money, then I'll pay. Okay, baby, I'll try. But look, if it's outside the law, turn Maynard in. Yes, yes, I'm aware of that. All right, where do I start? Where did he start? Saturday at the Colony Club with a female named Faye Altman. Well, whatever happened must have begun there. That's why I thought of you, Phil. You know the Colony Club? Well, I know their scotch is Johnny Walker and Sid Rayfield's the owner of that song. That may be enough. Will, you want to talk to Maynard? Yeah. Yeah, send him over in about an hour, will you? Yes, he'll be here. And that Altman girl's number is Sunset 0144. 0144. Yes. Okay, Odin, I'll get in. At least my dial finger isn't. Hello, Fish Marlow. What? Fish, I know my pigeons. With you now? I followed her. Don't clip her wings, pal. Back out now while you still can. I'm warning you. Still. Who. Who was that? You. You look upset. Yeah, well, my. My horse just ran forth. Look, you better run along now, Ordeen. Okay, Phil. And stay out of dark corners, huh? In spite of my sitting duck position, I told myself that a private detective who Listens to warnings today, is out of business tomorrow. So I put in a call for Sid Rayfield at the Colony Club. Sid was out, so I left a message for him to get in touch with me next. I tried Faye Altman, but the Sunset number went unanswered. After that, I started checking for the next best thing. The legs. I could think of a guy named Hunger Malloy by profession, a roving bookie by appearance, a slouch and threadbare houndstooth propped against any convenient lamppost. Hunger, by some peculiar instinct, either new or could find out about anything especially slightly illegal. And because I'd once pried him out of a tight spot, loved me like a brother. I finally located him in a pool hall on Melrose and told him what I needed to know. He promised it was as good as done and was off to the Colony Club and I would hear from him. Now, that left me with nothing to do but scratch my cast again, worry about my gun being in the desk drawer in my office, think about Fish and wait. Things went like that for 45 minutes and then come in. Who is it? Who's there? Why, it's me, Hunger. Oh, what's the matter, Philip? You're jumping. Yeah, I'm real glad to see you, fella. Likewise. How you feeling? Under the weather, huh? How's it been? No, it's bothering me a little. Look, I brought you some flowers. Oh, Hunger, you shouldn't have. I know. I tried to get long stems, but them plants in the park ain't doing so good this year. Hey, listen, are you sure you gave me the right dope on the phone, Philip? Sure. Sure, I'm sure. Why? What'd you find out? That's just it. Nothing. I went to the Colony Club and got talking around, but not one thing worth noticing went on there Saturday night. Well, maybe it started there and moved out, huh? I tried that. Some of the customers went out to the Valley after to shoot little dice. Another bunch moved down to that Big Joe and Adams with some poker, that's all. Gambling, huh? Could be a gambling setup. Were they big games? No, just the usual. Nothing extra at all. And especially I couldn't pin down a thing on any 50 G's changing hands. Are you positive, Hunger? Well, you don't ask too many questions in that league, Philip. But I'm pretty sure nobody got rich or I'd have heard. You know, I got a hint at least. Well, look, what about this guy named Fish Blank? Some new faces in town, but no high rollers answering to Fish. And the Background on Fay Ortman. Yeah, some pick and shovel queen in a nice way. Been digging nuggets here and there for a year or so. The latest is the gill edge punk. You want to know about Maynard Patterson? Uh huh. Can I have one of these? Yeah, go ahead. Feed your face. Incidentally, they was among those present at the Colony Saturday night, if that means something to you. And that's about it, Philip. Okay. Hunger. Thanks a million. I'm sorry I couldn't be more help, but I think you're getting a bum pitch. Oh, well. Visitors. Hey, you. I got a back way out of here. It won't look so good. Sure, sure. Bedroom hunky. You can go out the window and down the fire escape. Hey, wait a minute. Is that a new shirt? No, I come into a bit of clink, so I had it washed. Ha ha. I hope you're feeling better, Philippo. Yeah, thanks. Come in. Or Dean. My sister. You wanted to see me, Mr. Marlow? Sorry about your leg. I'm sorry about it too. I can't get comfortable. Hey, I hear you really tied one on the other night, huh, kid? Yeah, but. But I'm through, Mr. Marlow. I swear it. Yeah, sure. Sit down. Thanks. What about the gambling? Lose your head over that too? Yeah, I guess I do. As far as my allowance goes anyway. Now look, I want you to tell me all you remember about Saturday night. Well, I. I went to the Colony Club with Faye. That's my girl, Faye Altman. By the way, how do you write stuff like Faye on your allowance, huh? Just a minute. Skip it. Skip it. Go ahead. Well, I was drinking quite a bit. And by 1:00, I guess I was pretty fuzzy. I lost Faye someplace. Then I went outside for some air. And there on it's just a blank. Now look, if you didn't pass out cold, you're bound to have some flashes you can remember. I want it all. Well, I do remember a couple of things, Mr. Monitor. They're more like a dream than anything else. I seem to remember a big old fashioned house. It was dark and gloomy with high ceilings and old ornate brass chandeliers. I don't know how I got there or what I was doing. Were you alone? Well, I don't think so. I've got a man's face in my mind. Flabby guy in a silk shirt. He had big hands. Freckles on the backs of him with kind of a reddish hair on him. I remember making something green. Did he lisp? Can't seem to remember. Just thinking about him gives me the willies, but I don't know why. I can't figure out why. I talked to Faye. She waited for me until the colony closed, then she went home. She was pretty mad about it. You sure that's all you can remember? Yep. That's everything. Does it make any sense at all? Not much. Sounds like you could have been mixed up at a poker game at a green top table in an old dump on Adams. Lost your shirt to a fat guy named Fish. You think that's all there is to it, huh? Well, not quite all. There's the little matter of 50,000 bucks you owe him. 50,000? Look, Mr. Marlow, if you and Ordeen get me out of this mess, I swear I'll straighten up. I'll never get into trouble again. Honestly, sonny boy, what you do later is your sister's headache. Strictly. I got trouble enough lining things up so you can get off the hook. Now go on home and stay there till I call you, okay? Okay. Mr. Marlow, I. I know you don't like me, but. Well, thanks anyhow. 50,000 bucks. Sunset 0144. I have to put cast on so tight. Hello? Faye, My name is Phil Marlow. I've been trying to reach you for two hours. Well, maybe you need longer arms, Mr. Marlow. No, just some conversation about Maynard Patterson. I'm in my apartment. Number 210, Granada arms on Franklin. Can you come over? Why would I want to talk about Maynard to you? In the first place? And why don't you come over here in the second? In the first place, I'm a private detective. In the second, I got a busted leg. How about it? It's important. Well, I've never dated a private detective with a broken leg before. It sounds entrancing. I'm around the corner on Bronson. I'll be right there. Good. I'll. Goodbye, Fay. Come on in. Well, well, well. Sid Rayfield in person yet? Yeah, the boys at the club told me about your urgent call, Peepers. So I came right out. Well, if I'd known you were coming, I'd have baked the snake. Sid, skip the cracks. I know what you want. Well, then you're clairvoyant, because I'm not sure myself yet. Try this. You're working for Ordeen Patterson like you did once before, because that punk brother of hers is in a bad jam with one Mr. Fish. Well, yeah, it's quite neat. Quite neat. You happen to know the guy? Yeah, Marlow, I happen to know the guy. That's why I'M here to tip you because you're a friend of mine, more or less. So I say leave it alone, Marla. Get out of it. Stay out. It's none of your business. You know, you talk like a man with a personal angle. What? Why, I ought to split your lip for that. I come here to do your attorney Mind your bedside manners. Said I'm an invalid. You'll be worse than that if you don't back out of this. I'm telling you, this guy Fish is too hot to handle Marlo, and you better. Who's that? How should I know? For a sick room, this joint's becoming more like Hollywood and Vine by the minute. I took a long chance coming here. I gotta get out without being seen. Well, try the bedroom window and fire escape. Everybody else does. Don't let him in till I'm gone, you hear? It ain't healthy. Marlo. Sid. Sid, what is it? Marlow? I'm hit. Sid. Cloudy Silencer. No. Oh, this stinkin leg. It's going. Mr. Fish. I suppose that makes me. Mr. Marlow. Mr. Marlow, it's Mitzi from the restaurant. Are you all right, Mr. Marlowe? Yeah, yeah, Missy, I. I'm okay. I'm fine. Well, I. I thought you was talking to somebody. No, no, I was reading. I. I didn't hear the buzzer. Oh, yeah, I know what you mean. Sometimes I get real carried away myself. That's fine. Look, I fixed up your dinner. Everything just like you ordered. Here, I'll drag the. No, Missy, I don't think I'll eat right now. Just put the tray down and beat it, huh? Like a good girl. Yeah, but what about the dishes? Get him in the morning, will you? Get out of here, will you? Go on. Okay, Fish, the girl's gone. Well, come on in. Did you hear me? I said come on in. I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be. In just a moment, the second act of Philip Marlowe. But first, this Wednesday night, CBS brings you the premiere of a bright new musical show, the ABCs of Music. Starring Robert Q. Lewis and Ralph Flanagan's orchestra, it promises a half hour of top hits and top entertainment every Wednesday on cbs. When also you hear the hilarious Groucho Marx Squiz Show, You Bet yout Life. And the drama of Dr. Christian. The ABCs of music, Groucho Marx and Dr. Christian come every Wednesday on most of these same CBS stations. Now with our star, Gerald Moore, the second act of Philip Marlo and tonight's story, the Bedside Manners. Man is Never ready to die, really. Sometimes saying you are helps. Sometimes. Like when you're flat on your back waiting for a killer with a silencer might step into view through your bedroom door. I kept on waiting for 60 seconds each as long as a fall down an empty well. Once I thought I heard the window close. At least another five minutes went by. Then I actually began to believe that for some reason, Fish had gone away. Well, that made the scoreboard real easy to read. Sid Rayfield, a guy who knew his way around, had been killed, and I hadn't been able to do a thing about was time for a call to homicide. But even as I reached for the phone, it went off. Hello? I said hello. This is your last warning motto. Oh, you got the phone fast, buster. What's on your slippery mind, Fish? Something you'd be smart to pay attention to. You see, Molly, you're only still alive because it's convenient to me. Too bad you didn't feel that way about Sid Rayfield. Rayfield got what he reserved, and so will you. Like I said, you're only still alive because it's convenient to me. You happen to be working for the lady who holds the purse strings. Go on. Therefore, there's very little more, Marlow. Except this Maynard Patterson's a lousy poker player. On Saturday night, he dropped 50,000 to me. 50,000? In two markets, Marlow. One for 2000, the other for 48. I want both paid promptly, won't it, then? Not quite. Maynard Patterson doesn't remember what happened Saturday night. So maybe you know all about it and you're making this up as you go along. No motto. That's not the case. If you drag yourself to the windowsill in your bedroom, you'll find all the proof you need. What do you mean? That I left one of the markers there in a white envelope. The one for 2000. And it's in the poor little rich boy's own handwriting. I left it there so you'd know I'm not kidding about the 48 grand. I'll be in touch. So long, mother. Lousy double cr. Come in. Yeah, why not? How could a girl ever resist the welcome in your voice? I'm Faye Altman, private detective. That figures. Ah. What happened to you? Fall out of a transom or trip over a clue? Which? Neither. It was a wisecrack, honey. I laughed so hard I fell down and broke my leg. Let's get down to business, huh? Yeah. For a starter, Faye, what's your connection with Maynard Patterson? How tight is the knot, huh? What Was that again? I said you and Maynard. Just how chummy are you two? I thought I heard you right. You know, private detective, I don't like being pushed around. Fay, there's a dead man in the bedroom. Dead man? Did you say a dead man? Sid Rayfield. He was murdered, Fay. Oh, no. Oh, not Sid. He was a nice guy. Marlowe Sharp, but. But nice. Faye, I want you to go in there and look for an envelope on the windowsill. An envelope? No, I don't think I will. It's important. Faye, I can't get out of this bed. Go on. It may help us tag Sid's killer, but. All right, I'll get it. You say it's near the wind. Oh, keep going, Kay. At the windowsill. Do you see it? Yeah. Oh, God. Here. Hey, the window's broken in there. Do you know it? Yeah, yeah. Now, Faye, my question about you and Maynard. Somehow or other, it make Cowdy in love with him. No. I mean, I like him, all right? He's a good time. Nice places, nice people, nice little presents. But no yachts. No, that's right. No yachts. And I like yachts. Private detective. They beat rowing around in MacArthur Park. I know. I've tried them both. Anything else? Yeah. Turn it around. How does he feel about you? Overboard, I guess. Look, you said that this might help catch Sid's killer. I like Sid, so I'd like to see that happen. But make this question a good one because it's your last. Fair enough. Maynard loves you, you love money. Maynard didn't have any. Now the question. Do you have any plan to change all that? Just one. He was saving up every cent he could squeeze out of that stuff. Stingy sister of his for a stake in a big card game. He was gonna run it into big dough. Any help, private detective? Yeah, if you call checking other people's stories out, I helped. Which translates into what Maynard did. Just that. Only he lost it all Saturday night. Lost his stake and 50,000 bucks more. What, he owes that much dough? Yeah, yeah. Now, tell me, have you heard from Maynard since you had your last question? Private detective, remember? Good night, Marlow. It's been a big fat pleasure. I'll bet. Anyhow, Fay, my best to the fish. Your very best to the fish. Yeah. I don't get it. What fish? Never mind. Goodbye, baby. And don't slam the door. The lady was gone. It was time to call the police. But I was dying hard. And even as I dialed the number, I turned the envelope that had been left on the windowsill. Over in one hand. The envelope was the cheap kind you find in any dime store with nothing written on it. And the note itself, which read, I owe the bearer 2000 bucks, payable within 24 hours, was signed Maynard Patterson and dated Saturday. It was on a square piece of metal paper. It made me think about a little item which for quite a while had been sitting last row, last seat in the back of my mind, trying real hard to be star pupil. Now, Marlow, the fishing may be great. Oh, this leg. Come on, baby, be home. Hello, this is Marlow or Dean. Oh, Phil, what have you found out? I'm not sure, but among other things, I may have caught a killer. Now listen, do you still have that note? You know, the one you brought over here? The memo you made after Phish Call. Have you got it? Why, yes, it's in my handbag. Never mind the question, just get it, will you? All right. I'll only be a moment. I'll hang on. You better just hang up, Marlow. I wasn't expecting you just yet, Maynard. No, nor this gun, I'm sure. Hang up. It'll only make a call back, you know. Yeah, and won't my dear sister be exasperated when she keeps getting a busy signal no matter how long she dials? Only a busy signal. The pronunciation is Sh. Thignal, Maynard. Or do I call you Fish? And don't look so surprised your act stank. People who can't pronounce the letter S avoid it instead of going out of their way to use it as in Perth Strings. My mistake, Marlow. Yeah, among a lot of others. You never should have been careless about the kind of paper you wrote. The IOU on your sister, who you're trying to swindle. Came in here earlier with the same juttings on a piece of paper that's got the same top edge. Irregular because no doubt. I know. I know because it was ripped off the same telephone pad. And I wouldn't have used that paper since IOU's are customarily written during or immediately after a card game and I couldn't have been at home at the time of the game, I'd stop it, Marlow. There's no need for any more hypotheses. No, you can fill in all the blanks, can't you? Step by step. A rotten tailor made scheme to get your sister to save you by paying 50,000 bucks to a gambler named Fish who doesn't exist. I said stop it. Slimy setup that began with a fake one night stand of bottle and Bond, amnesia. Moved on to an also fake telephone call to Ordeen from a heavy named Fish, A man with a lift. Shut up, my love. And the payoff, the confession. Call to me. All for. Oh, yes, Mr. Marlow. Everything you say is so. But I'm still not beaten. And I won't be. You're the only one who knows all this. And even as Fish killed Sid Rayfield, Fish is going to kill you. Fish Marlow, not me. Fish, the ruthless gambler who never will be caught, but who my sister will pay nevertheless. Is that clear, Marlow? Not quite. Why did you kill Raphael? He had me convinced that Fish actually existed, which is the reason he died. He was playing my game. Oh, but not funny. Somehow or other, he found out what I was doing. Maybe because he always checked carefully when anybody got too interested in Faye Altman. And he decided to help things along, then cut himself in. You know the answer to that. Now, if you don't mind. Turn on the radio, Marlow. Why? Silence it as a. Turn it on louder. I wouldn't want anything to go wrong. Now, Milo, I've been so lucky. Lucky that I got away from my sister and was free to watch this building's apartment. Lucky so that I could see who came and who went and act accordingly. Yeah, I've been lucky, all right. You do grant me that, don't you, Milo? Yeah, sure, you've been lucky. Yeah, you've been real lucky, Patterson, up to now. But you know how it is with luck, kid. One minute you have it, the next minute it runs out. Look, do you mind if I turn this off? It's putting me to sleep. You are brave, aren't you, Milo? No, no, no. Just lucky. Lucky that someone's standing behind you. Who, the mounted police? No, no, no. Just a guy. A guy named Hunger Malloy. It's a funny kind of a guy. Maynard, He. He was here early at night, and he ducked out by way of the bedroom. At least I thought he ducked out. Oh, quit it, Marlow. Don't budge an inch. I'm not gonna turn around and give you the chance to go for that gun, which is probably under your pillow. Oh, no. Oh, but, Manny, you should do something. You're about to be hitting a noggin. Honestly, with a vibe. That Marlow I'll believe when it happens. He just wouldn't take your word. Woody. Philip. Well, that's the way it goes. I'll see you. Now. Wait a minute. Hunger. Come back here. I can't, pal. You got a corpse in there. That means Cops, them and me. Don't make. Don't worry about it. Just tell me before I bust you. Started for the window 20 minutes ago. What happened? Well, Philip. What happened? Hunger. I got delayed after that stuff was popping. This louse was in there. Then the corpse delicti. And then the louse again at the window. Leaving an envelope. Etc. Etc. Yeah, but the delay. Hunger. Before company started coming. What was it? Well, the. The truth, Philip. Yeah, Try it. Try it. It may not hurt at all. Okay. They was on your dresser. The jazziest pair of pearl cufflinks, Philip, I seen since I used to deal in Vegas. I. I was attracted. Hunger. The last favor to a guy you've already done a big favor for. Take him the cufflinks. Go ahead, kid. All right, Philip. As long as you put it so nice. I will. Now, like I was saying. Good night, Philip. Wait a minute. Hunger. The cufflinks. Take them with you now. Of course. That's exactly what I'm doing, Philli. See you around. Funny little guy. Funny, funny name. Hunger Malloy. You know, it's a strange thing, but a broken leg makes the old wheels go round. Well, that figures. Makes you think about brakes. And that brings me back to Hunger Molloy again. The only break he ever got was in his skull. Somebody once said we make our own breaks. I don't know about that. I didn't break my leg. Maybe I did. Did I really? Look where I was going. And Maynard Patterson. Look at all the breaks. He had loads of dough. Still, he didn't know where he was going either. And Sid Rayfield. I wonder if when the slug hit him, he thought, what a lousy. The adventures of Philip Marlowe. Bringing you Raymond Chandler's most famous character. Star Gerald Moore are produced and directed by Norman McDonnell and are written for radio by Robert Mitchell and Gene Levitt. Featured in our cast were Ann Stone, David Ellis, Vivy, Janis Wils, Herbert, Paul Dubov and Frank Gerstel. The special music is composed and conducted by Richard Orant. Be sure and be with us again next week when Philip Marlowe. This time it was strictly out of whack. From a perfect hostess who was rude to our guests. Past a big red fence that ran all the way from LA to Palm Springs. To a second story man stabbed to death in a basement apartment. Don't let a rainy day find you unprepared. Start saving for that rainy day right now by buying United States Savings bonds. There's nothing quite like these savings bonds. They're like a cash reserve, always available when you need them and yet they're always earning interest. If you hold on to your savings bonds until they mature, you'll get back three or four dollars for every $3 you invest. Start providing for the future right now. Buy United States savings bonds regularly. This is Roy Rowan speaking. This is cbs, the Columbia Broadcasting System. The Anchor Hawking Glass Corporation brings you crime photographer. Hello, Ms. Williams. Casey. Hi, Ethelbert. Ethelbert. Do you know what Casey just wanted to do? What, Ms. Williams? Well, they just put in a fresh cement sidewalk next door and Casey wanted to stuff and write his name in it. He'll never grow up. Well, Casey's a great name. Oh, well, I'll go you one better than that. Oh, hello, Mr. Marvin. Sure. What about Anchor Hawking? You know, Anchor Hawking is a great name in glass. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. This is Tony Marvin. Every week at this time the Anchor Hawking Glass Corporation of Lancaster, Ohio and its more than 10,000 employees bring you another adventure of Casey, crime photographer, ace cameraman who covers the crime news of a great city. Written by Alonzo Dean Cole. Our adventure for tonight, the demon miner Morning. A desolate little graveyard. In the distance beyond the great tombstones can be seen the stark outlines of a towering coal breaker and row upon row of coal miners cottages shivering in the cold rain. A small group of men stand bareheaded. Won't be long now, Eddie. No, Frank. In a couple of minutes they'll start shoveling dirt on poor Joe's coffin. This is the sixth time in just the last two months that you and me have come to the graveyard to watch a guy we worked with put away. I'm thinking of that, Frank. I've known plenty of accidents to happen. But when six in a row get killed by fallen roof rock one night after another in the same mine level, well, it makes you wonder. Yeah. Especially when you're cutting out coal in that level yourself like we are. Some of the guys say there's a hoodoo on Bristol level, Eddie. Old Gus Hapsel says there's worse than that. I've heard what that guy says, but that old guy's crazy. You think so, huh? Huh? Oh, hello, Gus. I am just stand close by and hear you talk. So you think I'd be crazy, Frank? Because I say demon is kill men in Bristol level at Slakeville Colliery. Any guy who says that is crazy. You do not know what we of old country know. I was talking to a welchman the other night, Frank, and he said when he comes from and he comes from t miners well, that's there's something funny that happens underground. Spirits called knockers and spriggans and demon miner Nuts. He says this demon miner works with a pick about 10 times the size of ours. A pick that makes a big hollow sound. And when guys hear means someone's gonna die. I have hear that pick in Bristol level. Also, I have seen a demon there. I still say nuts. It was when Nick Panofsky got killed. I'm working prison place next to Nick. All at once I hear big thump, thump, thump. And I hear Nick yell. I run creek from my place to see what happened in the tunnel. Number five tunnel. I see demon. He's dressed like miner. But his face. His face is white. White. Ah, he have big fat cheeks. Not like a mount. You tell that hoy to somebody else. All right, you be wise guy. But remember what I tell you. Someday in the mine, you will hear and see the demon miner. Hand me some more tamping bags, Eddie. Here, Frank. I've only got one more charge to fix, and then we'll hook up to the firing box. You're putting in a lot of powder. 30 sticks. You know, we've got the old croaker working next to us today. Gus. Gloomy gus. He's got 63 place. While you were out getting powder a while ago, he came in here to borrow my pick. Said he busted a handle of his. He's as crazy as a bat. He started writing about the evil spirits again. I guess I made him sore at the cemetery the other day. He seems to really believe he saw that demon miner. And he ought to have his eyes examined. Or his head. Hello, guys. Oh, hello, Douglas. Hello. I just thought I'd tip you fellas off at the inside. Foreman's down here again this morning checking up. The big bosses don't like all the accidents that's been happening. That don't bother me and Eddie. Oh, I forgot, Frank. You're one of the best boss miners we got here. And of course, you wouldn't let your little helper Eddie get careless. Now, look here, Douglas. You're supposed to be an electrician. All your cables and connections are out in the tunnel, not in here. Suppose you attend to him. Sociable guy, ain't you, Frank? With people I like. Okay. So long. So long, Douglas. Someday I'm gonna poke that guy right in the nose. I'm no hypocrite, and I'd like you better, Eddie, if you had a little more guts enough to tell him off. Oh, I shouldn't have said that. I'm Sorry, fella. It's okay. I. I know I'm kind of a soft. Ah, you're all right. And we'll have a couple of beers when we knock off. On me. Thanks, Frank. Well, everything is set here. I'll string these fuse wires to the box outside. Pick up those tools and come on. Yeah. The inside foreman spends most of his time in Bristol Level these days. The accidents here have got him plenty worried. Mr. Travers is a nice guy. Too bad he wasn't made superintendent. Travers would have made a good super. I guess he was plenty sore when Bill Jerome got the job. Well, I'm all hooked up. Eddie, sing out the warning. Okay. Fire. Here she goes. That'll kick up a lot of dust. It'll settle in a minute. We can start loading the cars. Oh, just touch one off, Frank. Hey, Mr. Travers. How are you? I'm fine, thank you. How are you, Eddie? Okay, Mr. Travers. Are you fellas seeing that electrician, Douglas around here? Just a few minutes ago. He went down tunnel number five. Oh, thanks. I want him to do a job. Yeah. Frank? Yeah? You and Eddie are always careful to test roof rock after you blast. Oh, sure, Mr. Travis. Okay. Okay. See you later. He's worried, all right. I bet he ain't as worried as that new super is. Jerome's the guy the big bosses hold responsible for production. And that's dropped off plenty on account of them accidents. Yeah, a lot of guys are superstitious. They won't work in Bristol Level anymore. Croaking old gloomy Gus has had a lot to do with that. Dust should be settled by now. Let's go back. Okay. Hand me that safety lantern. Burns all right. No gases here. Coal broke up nice. Gus has my pick. Get it from him. Eddie, I'll use yours to sound the roof rock while you're gone. I'll get your pick from Gus. Solid Here. This is okay. That chunk has to come off. Yeah, everything looks all right now. What was that? Look. Makes that knocking. Hey, who are you coming in here? That white face there is a demon. Don't. Don't, don't. Oh, my God. There's been a seventh peculiar death in that Slateville coal mine. Huh? Yeah. Happened yesterday. Ethelbert Miner named Frank Adams was killed apparently by a piece of falling roof rock. Like the other men before him. Yeah, and a few minutes ago, city desk gave Annie and me an assignment to go to Slateville and look around. We're taking an early train tomorrow. Wanna come along, Ethelbert? Who, me? After last week, I've had enough excitement. You're a softy. You write up the story, Ms. Williams and Casey will take pictures, huh? Oh, no, our assignment's a little bigger than that this time, Ethelbert. Yeah, the superintendent of the mine knows Casey. And while the state police have all the facts, he's asked the paper to have Casey do a little private investigating. You're going to Slate Villas Detectives, huh? Bill Jerome. The super knows about a couple of lucky breaks I've had working with the cops. So he's got an idea that I. Well, I don't know. When I'm in the city here, I know my way around. I've got a lot of smart, friendly cops to back me up when I make a play, but, well, I. I don't know anything about coal mines. Afraid you won't do so good when you're on your own, huh? I think our boyfriend has a case of cold feet, Ethelbert. Huh? What? I guess you're right, Annie. Look, I'll. I'll see you for later. Where are you going? Well, I'm going to the public library. It'll read up on coal mines. And when I see Bill Jerome tomorrow, I won't be altogether a dope. Well, Casey, this latest roof rock accident differed from the previous ones in an important particular. Frank Adams lived long enough to mumble a few words. Yeah? What were they, Bill? White face, Demon miner. Demon miner. Say anything else? Nothing that could be distinguished. This. This Gus Hapsel you mentioned, he. He described the demon miner before as having a white face. Yeah. After Nick Tarnowski was killed. Yes. And this thing was dressed in miners working clothes and had very fat cheeks. Yeah. Well, who was the first to reach this miner? Frank Adams? Gus Hapsel was. He usually worked next to Adams, but he had gone to borrow a pic. Gus says he heard Adams scream and he hurried back. Was Eddie Bliss the second to reach out? Yeah. A few seconds later he and Gus were joined by one of our electricians, man named Douglas and George Travers, our inside foreman. Gus claims that after the scream he saw a shadowy figure disappear into a passage off Number five tunnel. He's sure it was the demon miner. Where were the other two men? Douglas and Travers were number five tunnel too, but at a considerable distance from each other. You've got to find out what's in back of this, Casey. Demon miner theory is ridiculous of course, but it's ruined morale, cut production in half. Now that Adam's dying words apparently confirm the demon story, now we're in for further trouble. Yeah, well, just one more question, Bill. Like on Previous occasions was a large piece of roof rock found near the dead man's head. Yeah, a slab of rock that'd take three or four big men to lift. Three or four? Yes, Ms. Williams. As in the other cases, Adam's hard hat had been crushed and his skull fractured. What's a hard hat, Mr. Jerome? Well, it's. It's the miner's name for the protective helmet he's required to wear, Annie. Oh, yeah, yeah, I know a little bit about mines and miners. Library. Well, we'll go down to the mine, build Bristol Level. Yeah, I'll arrange for it right away. My inside foreman's wedding in the other office. George, come in, please. Okay. Okay. Jerome. Ms. Williams, Mr. Casey, this is Mr. Travis. How do you do, Mr. Travis? I don't know you. Nice to know you. I've told you about these friends of mine, George. They want to get acquainted with Bristol Level. I'd like you to be their guide. I'm all right. Mr. Travis. What's your opinion of these accidents in the Demon Miner? Same as mine Casey. Both are phony. Why don't you let me speak for myself, Jerome? I never went to college like you, but I grew up around mines. My father was a miner in England. He's told me about strange, unexplainable things that happened there. And well, I'm. I'm not sure that there aren't demon miners. You're not serious? You can quote me if you like, Ms. Williams. Mr. Casey. I'll get you overalls, hard hats and lamps, huh? Travis is a nice fellow, Casey, but he thought he should have had the job I got. I see. Yes. I want to become better acquainted with Travers. Yeah. Meet Douglas, Eddie Bliss and old Gus. Planning interesting, well balanced menus is hard enough at any time and during Lent it's doubly difficult. But here's one more occasion when Fire King oven glass comes to the rescue. All sorts of delicious nourishing meals can be planned around a single big Fire King oven glass casserole dish. Macaroni and cheese baked with milk and covered with a magnificent crown of golden cracker crumbs. Old fashioned New England baked beans with a rich brown molasses sauce, scalloped oysters and literally hundreds of other mouth watering main courses. Fire King oven glass is a must in American homes for these four all important reasons. It simplifies the planning of meals. It simplifies housekeeping because it cuts dishwashing time by a full 2/3. It saves the precious vitamins which are boiled out of foods on Top of the stove cooking. And its cost? Well, it's incredibly low. Ask for Fire King oven glass at your favorite chain, variety, hardware or department store. Each piece is guaranteed for a full two years against oven breakage. Beautiful, practical, inexpensive Fire King oven glass is a product of Anchor Hawking, a great name in glass. Now, the place where Frank Adams was killed is only a few hundred feet ahead. Now, Mr. Casey, we've really been. Golly, I. I never dreamed that coal mines had telephones in them. And electric lights. The lights aren't very bright. Well, that's because coal dust settles on them. Yeah. Well, where's the passage that Gus said this demon miner went into? Over there. You can see it leading off just ahead. Frank's place is right here in that dark hole. Yes, Miss Witness, you must depend on our cap lights alone when we go in there. Let's go in, Granny. I'll help you. It's kind of rough going. Okay, thanks. Frank and his helper had just blasted a face before he was killed. Naturally, the coals heaped all over Jerome gave orders not to let anything be touched. Here we are. Show me where you found the dead guy. There. You can see the blood stains. This the slab of rock that's blamed for the death? Yes. Must weigh half a ton, Casey? Yeah, at least that. You in there, Travers? Yes. Who? It's me, Douglas. Super phone down for me to meet you here. There's Eddie Bliss and old Gus. How should I know? They supposed to be here, too? Yeah. Yeah, this is Ms. Williams and Mr. Casey. Bert, Douglas. All right. Thank you, Mr. Douglas. Look, if you're a cop, Mr. Casey, I might as well tell you right now. I don't know anything about those accidents. You think they've been accidents, Douglas? Well, I certainly don't believe in that demon miner stuff. Maybe you have more sense if you do believe. Well, here's old gloomy Gus and helper Eddie. Hello, Mr. Travers. Hello, Douglas. Gus and I just got a message. Mr. Casey here and Ms. Williams want to have a talk with all of you. Eddie Bliss and Gus Hapsel. How do you do that? I need a. All I know about the accident, Mr. Casey, is that poor Frank was lying there with Gus kneeling beside him when I come running in. And that big slab of roof rock, that hunk of roof rock, do not kill Frank Adams. It was the demon miner's beak that bossed his head. Ah, you're nuts, Gus. Maybe he isn't, Douglas. Say, Mr. Travers, you don't. I'm keeping an open mind. Wonder how this got here. What'd you just pick up out of that coal, Mr. Casey? Nothing. Nothing at all, Casey. It was something. You just stuck it in your pocket. I see. You do? I will talk about it later. Well, now there's no reason for me to keep you from your work. You can go ahead. Go after. We just got here. Yeah. Douglas. Yes. I want to talk to all of you again about an hour from now. Okay. Going down number five. Eddie. Yes, Douglas. Come on. This is Screwy taking that guy off his job. You want talk with me later, huh? Yes, Gus. All right, I go back to work. Mr. Casey, I don't quite understand. Look, I'd like to examine this place with Ms. Williams alone, Mr. Travers, if you don't mind. Well, you want me to go too? Yeah, if you don't mind. Only outside in the tunnel for a few minutes. I'll call you when I'm through here. All right, I'll wait for your call. What's this all about, Casey? Annie, I want one of those four guys to get very nervous. All of them seem very nervous. When they left just now, what was it you picked up out of the coal? Here, Take a look. A black powder puff. It's just an ordinary powder puff covered with coal dust, Annie. And underneath the coal dust, when I ruffle it up like this. White powder. Get it, Annie? The white face of the demon miner. And then covered his coal grime face with white powder. Sure. And then after he made his kill, all he had to do was to rub some coal dust on his face over the powder and he could reappear almost instantly in his normal character. Listen, all of those seven men have been murdered then. I think so, Annie. But how? Nobody could lift the huge rocks that crushed their skulls. Annie. Look, couldn't the killer have bashed his victims with a hunk of rock that he could handle and then have dragged the bodies over near another piece too big to handle just to make things look like they weren't? But why were the murders committed and who done it? I don't know yet. Look, I'm gonna call Travers back and leave you here with him. The excuse that I want to explore some of those side passages alone, which I do. After that, I'm gonna make whoever dropped that powder puff a very nervous guy. Oh, so you're back, Mr. Casey. Yes. Sorry, Travis, I had to keep you and Ms. Williams waiting over an hour. Time passed very quickly. Casey. Mr. Travers here has been furthering my education about coal mine. That's good, Mr. Travers. I'm going to Throw a question at you. If the recent deaths here were really murders, whom would you suspect of committing them? I think the man you should investigate is Douglas. Why? Well. Well, he's always got a chip on his shoulder. He doesn't like anybody. Nobody likes him. Have you got anything real on Douglas? No. Okay. Well, look, would you bring him in here? And old Gus and Eddie Bliss like to talk to all of you together. All right. I'll be back with him just as soon as possible. Annie, these boys seem to be playing a game, you know that? Each one trying to throw suspicion on the other. Did you learn anything worthwhile from the others? No. The killer knows he lost that powder puff and he suspects that I found it in this pile of coal. So he's afraid, see? You gotta try to get it back and to bump off the only two people who know about it. You don't mean us? Yeah, who else? Annie, switch off your cap light. Oh, now, now, why? Look, I want you to stay here in this corner in total darkness. I'll be at the other end of this little working where I can be seen. Don't worry. I'll be set for trouble. Annie, go ahead. Turn the light off. Okay, but now we wait. All right. Hey, you know, Casey, I've been thinking about that powder puff. It can account for the dead white face of the demon miner, but it doesn't explain the puffy cheeks and all that. Casey. What? That powder puff you found was mine. Yours? Of course. I had one of that size in a pocket of these overalls before we came down here. And now it's gone. Annie, for look, this means the whole idea's cockeyed. Why didn't you tell it? I didn't know it was gone till now. It never occurred to me to look until I just. Casey. Casey. Do you hear that knocking? I sure do. That is the sound of a giant pick. Annie, you stay here. Don't leave me. Casey. It's coming closer. Oh, Casey, that face. Listen, this mat thing isn't human. It is a demon. And look how it's gonna kill you. Oh, it's not. Casey. I'm okay. Annie, you only broke my cap light. Yeah, but I can't see. Annie's broken away from me. Turn on your light so I can see. Wait a minute. I can't find the switch. Oh, there. There. I have it. Now, where is he? Well, the. The thing seems to be. Wait a minute. He ran back into the tunnel. Annie, I'm going after him. Don't leave me. You stay there. Oh, gee, all right. I didn't run into the tunnel. I was behind this pile of coal. Come any closer to me, keep away. Now. Now no one will find us. Did the lady faint or did my fingers press too tight on her throat? We'll switch on a cap light so we can see what the lady's afraid when she sees my face. I. Where have you brought me? To an old working of the mind that's boarded up. No one but me knows that the boards can be moved like a door. I fixed him that way. You're a man. You're not anything supernatural. That money. These big cheeks, just wide mouth. Your friend Casey was trying to trap me. But he won't trap me. And to pay him for his meddling, you are going to die in this. After you're dead, he'll feel the pick in his skull. Only it's not a pick I use. It's a heavy rock. Like this. Oh, don't. Please don't. He won't. It's okay, kid. We got our demon miner right on the button. Spotted this place when I was snooping around a while ago. Casey. You know, you got here just in time. Seems I did. That rat's coming through. Let's have a look at him. Well, let me go. Casey. Casey, is Eddie Bliss. Yeah. Meet little Eddie. Yes, meet little Eddie. A guy without guts. That's what chumps have always taught me. 30 years I worked in mine as a helper. They wanted to keep me. Just a shoveler of coal. A helper. I've shown them what I can do. Now, little bosses like Frank Adams and big bosses like the Super. I made guys afraid to work here. Yes, I kill. I'm the boss now. I'm. I'm. I'm the boss now. I'm Casey. They never sent him to the. No. It's a squirrel's nest for Eddie. There are. There are still a few things I don't understand about this. Well, I can explain them to you, kid. After I get a camera. I've got to take some pictures of this demon miner. You know, I was brought up on a farm. And we used to figure we were pretty lucky. Particularly when we thought of the people who lived in the cities. Why, all year round we enjoyed fresh food. Fish from the lake below our farmhouse caught through the ice in the wintertime and. And fresh vegetables from the vegetable cellar. Magnificent hams and sausages during the slaughtering time after Christmas. Well. Well, now that I've become a city man myself, I find that there's no longer any need to envy the people back on the farm. Crystal clear sanitary Anchor glass containers bring you all the products of orchard, field and stream, packed at the very peak of perfection 12 months a year and then two. Glass lets you see exactly what you buy before you buy it. Glass containers preserve their contents perfectly with no effect on taste or flavor. They're easy and safe to open and can be resealed to protect the unused portions. Anchor glass containers and easy to remove. Anchor vacuum caps, so widely used for the packaging of foods of all kinds are products of Anchor Hawking, a great name in glass. I can see why. Heavy powder accounts for the guy having a white face in that dirty mind. Casey. But how did he make his cheeks so white? That was simple, Ethelburn. He used an old kid trick. Stuffed a couple of walnuts in his mouth, which of course bulged out his cheeks, widened his mouth and distorted his voice. But one. Casey hit him. Yeah, he coughed him out. Hmm. There's one more thing. The sound of that giant pick you heard. Letty made that sound by bumping a rock drill against a wall. Boy, did we have luck in busting that case, Ethelbert. You know, Annie, since it was your powder bluff that I found in that coal, I. I can't understand why Eddie made that risky attempt to kill us. He had no reason to believe that we had any evidence. And we didn't have. Boy, I'm. I'm a hot detective or. Everything that I did was based on that powder puff. You know, Casey, I have a confession to make. What's that? I found my powder puff in my coat pocket. I didn't even take it in the mine. You did. You didn't? Nope. Ethelbert. What's this stuff I hear about a small timer called Sherlock Holmes? Prime photographer starring Stotts Cotsworth as Casey is brought to you each Thursday by the Anchor Hawking Glass Corporation, makers of Fire King oven glass, Anchor glass containers, anchor caps, enclosures, all products of the Anchor Hocking Glass Corporation, a great name in glass. Ryan Photographer is directed by John Dietz and features Ms. Leslie woods as Anne and John Gibson as Ethelbert. Eddie was played by Ted Osborne. Thursday night on CBS is the biggest show in town, so stay tuned for exciting dramatizations on Rita's Digest radio edition, which follows immediately. Over most of these stations, the Red Cross carries on for veterans, for military hospitals, and for all communities in time of disaster. You can help by giving generously. Now this is Tony Marvin saying good night for the Anchor Hawking Glass Corporation of Lancaster, Ohio. The world's largest maker of household glass. This is cbs, the Columbia Broadcasting System. There's more from Philip Marlow Casey, crime photographer, case Closed and all of the other Relic radio shows at the website relicradio.com you can donate through that website if you'd like to help support this and all of the shows. Thanks to those who have. Thanks for joining me this week. Be back next Wednesday with another hour of Case Closed.