Jack Farren (0:00)

Welcome back to Case Closed, your weekly hour of mystery and crime from the golden age of radio. Every Wednesday@ Relicradio.com. our first story comes from Under Arrest. This week we'll hear Van Gogh's Paris Road. That story aired June 26, 1949. After that, it's Mr. Keen, tracer of Lost Persons and the Case of the man who Invented Death. That story aired October 6, 1949. Mutual presents under Arrest, Directed by Martin Magner and starring Joe DeSantis as Police Captain Jim Scott. Under Arrest. Into yourselves Under Arrest. The story of Police Captain Jim Scott's fight against crime. Captain Scott speaking. Captain, this is the special guard at the Blake Art Gallery. Yes. I want to see you about the alarm. You've hooked up for us on the Van Gogh painting we're exhibiting. What's the trouble? I'd rather not say on the phone. It's very important. All right. Lieutenant Gavin and I will be right over. I know, Captain. Come alone if you don't want to cause unnecessary murder. Before we follow Captain Scott in his perilous way, may I have a word with you? A deadly killer threatens thousands. A killer that can be stopped short in time to save your life if you realize your danger. This killer is tuberculosis, killer of nearly 50,000 men, women and children in 1948. You can stop TB. You can protect yourself and help stamp out tuberculosis by getting a chest X ray. I started to ring Lieutenant Gavin, but something about the voice told me I'd better appear to comply with my instructions. As I drove out Sanctioned Boulevard, I felt like laughing. Nothing exhibited in this city had ever been as well guarded as that painting. Van Gogh's the Paris Road was on tour of the United States as goodwill gesture from a country whose goodwill we wanted. That's why the gallery had a special guard. That's also why we'd installed an electrical shocker alarm which could only be controlled at the police station. It had been a very hot day, and I stopped a minute on the gallery porch to loosen my tie and then I went inside. You're the guard here? That's right. Kevin Scott, headquarters. Something I can do for you, Captain? What was that phone call about? Phone call? What phone call? Look, I'm a tired man. Did you call police headquarters about 10 minutes ago? No, I haven't called anyone since. Excuse me. Blake Gallery. Yes, he's here. It's for you, Captain. Thanks. Hello? Police Captain Scott speaking. I'm glad you saw fit to do as I said, Captain. Who is this? That really doesn't matter. What does Matter is that there are people in that room with you innocent spectators who might get hurt, Captain, if you don't do exactly as I say. Don't stutter, Captain. Just listen to me. There's a gun somewhere in that room that's very anxious to go off. You can't see it, but believe me, it's there, pointed at your back. Here we go again. Why is it that every gun in town just naturally looks up my back for a target? I'm glad to see you've got a sense of humor. You may need it to explain the next few hours of your life. You see, you're going to help me steal the Paris Road. I call the guard over. Go on. Or should innocent people start getting shot? Guard, come here. Yes, Captain, he's here. Now that's better. Now listen carefully. Let the people leave at six as usual in exactly three minutes. Then have the guard close the door. But don't lock them. As soon as the doors are closed, put your hands above your heads and wait. Don't move, Captain. Don't try to loosen your tie or anything else. You've forgotten the alarm. Don't worry about that, Captain. I realize the Paris Road isn't guarded like it was just any painting. But you see, you're not messing with just any art lover. I stood there helplessly. There was nothing I could do without endangering the crowd in the gallery. Not now. Then at 6, the people filed out. The guard closed the door as I ordered. I saw then that there was only one place our gunman could hide. Behind the large ventilating screen in the opposite wall. But from where I stood, the information was about as useless as knowing where there's a bargain lunch counter in Moscow. My mind worked feverishly. I had to do something. But what? I glanced at the guard, but just then the door opened. The stocky little man followed a gun into the room. Then the ventilating screen shifted aside and an extremely thin shouldered man followed another gun into the room. I felt like I'd have been invited to an old fashioned vigilante party. You see, except for the slits where their eyes were, our intruders heads were completely covered with black hoods. Now, Captain Scott, I think you can give us a little help, if you don't mind. No, no, I don't mind. It's such a hot night to get shot. You got any more smart cracks you want to say, Captain, where did you learn to love me so much? You still want your head beveled, don't you, copper? Now if you haven't any more smart things to say. Call police headquarters and tell them that you're checking the alarm. Tell them to shut off the electrical shocking device. They'll know your voice. But don't get funny. I got a finger that likes to pull triggers. You know, Captain, I never realized how useful a cop could be before. Now pick up that phone and call. I could feel his gun in my ribs. I had to do as he said. There is a theory after all that it's hard to spend a police pension check in a graveyard. I phone Lieutenant Gavin. He asked no questions. The alarm was shut off. My itchy fingered friends glanced greatly at the painting. That was the moment when I thought I had a chance to draw my gun. His pistol butt came down on my head like a Mack truck. My eyes saw cobwebs. And somewhere below me my legs were doing a wicked Argo. And they parted company and I got my nap. When I finally returned to this world, the gallery was silent. Painting was gone. There had been murder all right. Guard was sprawled on the carpet with the aid of a bullet hole between his eyes. My head was aching. But I managed to get up and check over the room. And after phoning headquarters, I looked up the address of Ms. Janice Blake, the gallery owner. She lived in the apartments across the street. And I went over and knocked door open. And I was staring at something that even the policeman could tell belonged more on exhibition in an art gallery than owning one. Ms. Blake, you say it so nicely. I'm Captain Scott, police. Yes, I can seated. Would you care to come in? Thanks. Ms. Blake, the van Gogh painting has just been stolen. Stolen? Paris Road. Why? Why, you're joking. I wish I were. Not only that the guard was murdered. You know who did it? Not yet. There were two of them. That hardly tells you anything. I guess not. Except one of them didn't do any talking at all. The thin one. For other clues, I found some gritty stuff on the carpet near the guard's body. It looked like sort of. Maybe that's what they make guards of. You don't sound too interested in the fact that a guard's been murdered, Ms. Blake. I'm much more interested in that painting. You're quite cold blooded, aren't you? Am I? Why don't you sit down for a while, Captain? Well, the idea is good, but the time is wrong. Seem to forget that that painting must be back on that easel tomorrow morning at opening time. I left dear. Miss Blake went back to the station. I took the sawdust into the laboratory. Then I Went to my office and tried to scratch my head for some answers that wouldn't come. I must have been looking pretty sour when Lt. Gavin opened the door. Look at sad eyes. What's the matter, Jim? Nothing much. Just helped the two men steal that Van Gogh painting from the blank gallery. Sure, I just threw Lana Turner out the door too. Not kidding, Larry. You mean that painting's really gone? Good Lord, Jim, I thought that thing was fixed up so tight dynamite couldn't blow it out. It wasn't. In fact, they made the job seem quite simple. Let's get at it, Larry. Gotta get that painting back in a hurry. Yeah, I know. Any leads on who nabbed it? I know who one of them is. You what? Well, what are we waiting for? Facts. They've still got a law that says you can't hang a person without facts. Yeah, but, but, but how do you know who it is? Larry, what would you say if I told you that one of our friends practically told me over the phone that I had fumbled with my tie when I was standing on the entrance porch of the gallery? Obviously watched you come in. Right. You see, I was standing inside the entrance porch. The only place that anyone could have seen me from and still be close to a phone was the apartment house across the street from the gallery. And our friend Ms. Blake lives in that apartment house. Ms. Blake? Well, I thought there were men. That's what they hoped everyone would think. They both dressed like men. The real man did all the talking. Unfortunately, in a trial I couldn't even prove that. What a mess. Got any kind of lead on the man? Not much. But I do have a hunch I'm having some sort of Stanley's that may have dropped from his clothes. Check Johnny for me, will you? Sure. Meet Johnny, will you? Johnny Gavin. Found anything yet on that sawdust? Uhuh. Okay. Johnny says it's a type of teak wood. Teak? What do they use teak for, you ships? How about furniture? Furniture? Furniture? Frames. They make picture frames for one thing. Yeah. I'm going to play a hunch that our man works in some kind of a frame making outfit. You see, he used the word bevel too. That's a term quite common in frame making. Great. Now all we've got to do is search every frame making company in town. That's right. And we're starting tonight. Now some of them are working night shifts. Find out which ones and see that the word gets around that police captain Jim Scott is coming to make an arrest. No scare method, huh? Gonna try and Flush our little quail out that way. I hope so. And if we do, let's hope we can put a tighter squeeze on him than we could on our friend Ms. Blake. After all, I'd hate to know who both our odd lovers were and still not be able to make a move. Gavin did a good job. Even honest men looked nervous as I paraded conspicuously through the plants. But nothing happened. It was already past midnight when we came to the end of the list. True Frame Company Warehouse. It was a large shed like building with stacks of wood piled on either side of long aisles and catwalks circling about up above where men worked at straightening the top lung lock. But as usual, nothing happened. Looks a little hopeless, doesn't it, Jim? Well, let's go down this last aisle over here. Wait a minute. See that fellow up there on that last catwalk? The one tightening those steel joints with that giant monkey wrench? Yeah. There's something about the way he moves. Larry. You've been watching us pretty close, Jim. I'm going to wander down that aisle. Larry. Want to get a closer look at that guy? Looks like he'd use that monkey wrench. That's what we came to find out, isn't it? Keep your fingers crossed. I walked down the aisle. I could feel the sweat growing sticky on the back of my neck as each step brought me nearer under the catwalk. I could feel his eyes on me, but I kept gazing at the wood and walking closer. I wondered what kind of trade and value you could get in the policeman's heaven with a head dented in by a monkey wrench. And I thought that. Jim, look out. Jim, look out. I sprawled tight against the woodpile at one side, and my head ached just to hear that wrench clang against the floor. When I looked up, Gavin was racing up the ladder to the catwalk. And the foreman came rushing around the stack of wood. My friend with the slippery hands was just standing still on the catwalk, shaking his head and staring down. Hey, you all right? Yeah, no thanks to your little wrench throw up there. Those wrenches are dangerous. Sometimes they slip. What's that fellow's name? Hanson. Rick Hansen. I want to speak to him in your office. All right, Hansen. I'll give you one more chance to come clean. Thanks, Hansen. You're not kidding anybody you were in on that Blake Gallery job. Thanks for telling me. That hood may have hid your face, but I wouldn't mistake your voice anyway, Hansen. My voice? That's a great piece of evidence. Why don't you Cops have to have evidence anymore. Okay, okay, you can go, Hansen. But don't worry, we'll get the facts on you if we have to turn over every slimy rock in town. Thanks for the party, boys. That guy's not guilty. You can send me back to a beat. Of course he's guilty, Larry. So is Ms. Blake. They're the two as clean as ABC. What can we do about it? Without facts, our hands are tied. We only had a witness. We only one. What is it, Jim? Witness. A witness. That's it, Larry. We gotta get those two together tonight. What are you talking about? Just that. If we can get those two face to face somewhere where they'll talk, somewhere where we have witnesses, we'll get our evidence. Look, we gotta work fast. There's an all night bar down the street, isn't there? Yeah, Hank Clark's place. Good. See that the plant foreman sends Hanson to the bar at exactly three o'clock. Have him. Have him send Hanson down there for some sandwiches or something. Then meet me at that bar as soon as you can. Fine. I'll figure up a way of having the lady friend come too. Larry, I think things are beginning to crack for us. I left Gavin and raced across town in Ms. Blake's apartment. I slid a note under her door and rang the bell buzzer. Then I went to Hank Clark's. After Gavin and I had briefed Hank, we hid underneath the bar so that we could see out but couldn't be seen. We waited. I watched the clock and I thought of some of the sharply worded cables that would fly back and forth between a couple of countries if that painting wasn't back in the morning. Glanced over Gavin. The only thing his scowling face was thinking about was why the police manual had never taught him how to squat under a bar. And he nodded. And I saw that Ms. Blake had come through the door. Shouldn't be long now, Larry. I think she'll get right to the point when Hanson gets here. Where'd you get her? Here. Just left her a note telling her to come here at three. Signed at you know who. I imagine she and Hanson had agreed to keep clear of each other for a few days. Less chances. That's why she's so nervous. Hank's got us sitting over at the right table. Yeah. What time is it? Three on the nose. Ready? Yeah, I'm ready. And speaking of ghosts, here comes Hansen through the door. Hasn't seen her yet. No. Now he's looking over that way. He's. He's. He doesn't seem to recognize her. Hey, Hank, how about a couple of bottles of cold beer to take out? Coming up. It'll be 60 cents. See you later, Hank. Jim, that must be a mistake. They saw each other, but say maybe they were wise to us and pretended or something, huh? No, they wouldn't have even shown up if they were wise to us. You still sure they're the ones? Yeah, and I'm sure they pull that job together. That's why I can't figure out those two don't even know each other. We'll continue our drama in just a moment. National, state and local law enforcement officers stand guard to protect you and your family against crime. But you and you alone can stand guard against tuberculosis. For your own chest is the hunting ground for TB, the disease that last year claimed nearly 50,000 victims. Yet as deadly as tuberculosis can be, a chest X ray taken in time will seek out this killer so that modern medical science and treatment are able to effect a cure and to prevent the spread of tuberculosis. It is a crime in this day of medical advancement to permit tuberculosis to claim thousands of lives needlessly when chest X rays are available easily and in many communities at no cost to you. An estimated 500,000 cases of tuberculosis exist in the United States now, and only half of these are known to health departments. You yourself may have tuberculosis and not know it. For TB in its early stages frequently has no symptoms. Only a chest X ray can tell you and tell you positively that you do not threaten your own life and the lives of your family and friends. See your local doctor or health authorities check your chest. Get a chest X ray at once. Be safe, be sure. Do your part to stop tuberculosis. Now we return you to under arrest. Gavin and I went back to the station house and dropped down like a couple of beaten rag dolls. Time slipped past, and then it was daylight again. Just one hour until the gallery opens. We've got to crack this thing, Larry. What now? Oh, it's got me. How in the devil could they have worked together so closely and still not know each other? What did they do with that painting? You can't just carry a painting as big as that around the streets without being noticed. No, you can't carry it around like that. Yeah, what a life. Where else would you spend your time trying to prove that a couple of total strangers are running a business together? Total strangers. Total strangers. What a dope I've been. Larry. Come on, let's get a move on. Where to? Have you got it figured, Jim? What do you. I don't know. But if I have, we'll find our answer in the magazine files. Here's the last stack, Jim. Eastern artist and art dealers. News. That's all there is. Never mind, Larry. I think I found what I want right here. Let's get back and talk to Hansen again. Well, if it isn't the Rover boys again. What do you guys want me to do? Go out and paint a new picture for you? Sit down, Henson. We haven't got time to play with you anymore. Sit down. Where's that painting? It's home, hanging above my kitchen sink. I've got a calendar hooked to it. It makes a real pretty calendar. This boy's just filled with smart answers. Sure, I've got lots of them. Especially when the questions are so smart. Now, look, Hanson, I don't guys want me to say that I carry it back and forth with me to work. Sure. That's what I do. You cops haven't got a thing on me, and I know it. Do you? We know you took that picture, Hansen. We know who you worked with. We'll get you both. But what we want right now is that painting. You couldn't have gone far with it. But it's not hidden in the gallery. Sergeant Quinn's gone through that gallery from top to bottom. I even had him look under the carpets, have men crawling through the ventilating plates. You're what? Henson, you'll tell us where the painting is. I don't know. I told you, I'm clean. If you're so sure of everything, why don't you go pick on the other guy? Or do you get a special kick out of pushing me around? The other guy. Gavin, maybe we ought to go talk to Ms. Blake. Ms. Blake? Yeah. You knew your partner was a woman, Hansen, but you didn't know it was Ms. Blake herself. Never heard of the dame. Have you guys got any more quiz games you want to play, or can I go back and get to work? Sure. Sure, you can go now, Hansen. See you in jail, Rat. Jim, I didn't know you had Quinn go over the gallery. Yes, Larry. And I wanted Hanson to know that I think I got just what I wanted out of him. Good Lord, look at that clock. 20 minutes to late. I've got to make tracks. Where to now? I'm going to the gallery, but I want you to stay here and keep an eye on Hansen. If he makes a phone call or anything, I want you to call me at the gallery office right away. Keep your fingers crossed, Larry. May my boss if I got this Thing figured wrong. I pulled up in front of the gallery. It was 12 minutes till 8. I glanced quickly at the apartment house across the street. There was a light on in Ms. Blake's apartment. Then I let myself into the gallery of my passkey. The place on my head where Hansen had tried to fit a gun butt. Was beginning to throb like a suction pump. But I got around all right. Even up the stairs and into the gallery office. Where I sat down at the desk and stared at the phone. And waited. And waited and waited. Hello? Jim speaking. Jim, Hansen's giving me the slip. Ouch. I was watching for him by the phone, and suddenly he just wasn't anywhere. How long ago? I don't know. I have been looking around here for several minutes and I haven't been. Oh, Lord. I better get over to Ms. Blake's apartment. Meet. Be there as soon as you can. We're lucky. We may be in time to prevent a murder. I made tracks out of the gallery across the street and started up the stairs into the apartment building. I wondered if I would get there in time to keep Hanson from playing target games with Ms. Blake as the target. But I didn't know how much of a start Hansen had. I rounded the first flight and started up the second. Sounded like a rather lovely art dealer had just been put out of business. I pulled my gun, stood for a moment outside the door. And I kicked it open. Yep. Body lay very sprawled out and very dead in the middle of the room. But it was not Ms. Blake. It was Hansen. The rest of the room was silent and shadowy. Except where the gray morning light came through the fire escape window. It was wide open. I rushed over and looked down the fire escape, but no one was there. And suddenly I knew it was too late to grow smart at my age. There's no one out there, dear Captain, but keep looking. I know how to use this gun. I can see that, sweetheart. A smart cop would have looked behind the door first, wouldn't he? Perhaps. But don't turn now. My floor is a little too untidy as it is. My colleague was a most untidy man. It just shows that you shouldn't go into business with a person you haven't investigated. That's what he began to think when I told him you'd taken the painting out of the ventilator. What? I thought he'd be up here to investigate his partner in a big hurry. People don't like their partners running off at the loot. Then you knew where the painting had been. Hidden? No. But when your friend Hansen began joking about how hard it would be to carry a big thing like that through the streets, I made a good guess. And when you told him it wasn't in the ventilator, he thought I double crossed him. Well, you were nearer right than you thought, Captain. I wouldn't share that painting with anybody. Not anybody. You've got it bad, haven't you? That painting is mine. Just mine. It made me sick to even let that crude little man touch it. And me, I suppose I get shot for having touched the tomb. Yes. Yes, I'm afraid you get shot too. But not for the same reason. I had a hunch when you first came here that you might catch up with me. I should have shot you then. But you're not the kind of man a woman cares to shoot. I always knew I was in the wrong profession. You'd have made a nice partner, Captain. Not like the scum who come in and gawk at my painting. What do they know of beauty? Well, they won't gawk any more. It's mine now. Completely mine. No one else will ever see it. Sorry, Captain, but I'm going to have to untidy my rug with you. Maybe not. Oh, good shot, Captain. Don't worry, sweetheart. You just scratched Jimmy. Oh, I see you've got everything under control, huh? Yeah, Larry, we can take Madame Dracula down to the station now. Maybe she can think up some more new angles down there. You think you've got this all figured out, don't you, captain? I have, Ms. Blake. All of it. Jim, you said yourself they were strangers. They were, but they worked together just the same. You really let me in on it, Larry. Back at the station house when you said a couple of total strangers running a business together. You know the most common failing crooks have squealing. You see, Ms. Blake was wise enough to know that crooks always squeal on each other. But you couldn't squeal if you didn't know who you were working with. So she put the sad and the personal column of some of those art magazines I checked. Wanted silent partner to enter business with. Very silent partner. Big risk, big return call. Evergreen 65139 at exactly 5:00 Monday. I don't get it. Is that how they met? They didn't meet, Larry. Evergreen 65139 is a drugstore phone. You still doubt whether I have it figured out or not, Miss Blake? No, Captain. I'm afraid you've dispelled all my doubts. Good Lord. You mean they Worked this whole job out together over telephones? That's about the size of it, Larry. That way they didn't have to know each other. They even used drugstore phones where they couldn't trace each other's calls. I'll be a rusty nut. Oh, and they. They wore hoods, huh? When they got together, probably at some place like. Like a darkened park. Was a smart idea, Larry. And it probably all would have worked had Hanson trusted his partner. But then, if he'd ever seen her without a hood on, they might still be out in that darkened park. Captain Jim Scott will be back in just a moment to tell you about next week's case. First, let me tell you about nearly 50,000 tragic cases of fatal tuberculosis in 1948. Well, perhaps you say too bad, but those things happen. Indeed, they do happen, but they need not. For tuberculosis is a curable disease, one of the great killers that has been defeated by modern medical science. Tuberculosis detected in time can be stopped. And that's up to you. It's up to you to discover if you're one of the nation's quarter of a million TB victims and who don't know they have tuberculosis. And you can be sure easily and quickly with a chest X ray in many areas. Chest X rays are available at little or no cost. And health departments everywhere cooperate to make this sure test for tuberculosis open to everyone. Resolve now to check your chest. Get a chest X ray and be sure. Captain Jim Scott speaking. Next week I have an unusual case for you. Police find the hijacked trailer and a murdered driver. This leads me on a chase with a notorious fence, a killer, a baby faced blonde and a mysterious button. I'll tell you all about it next week when I present the case of the shining button in my fight against crime. You have heard Under Arrest, presented by Mutual and starring Joe DeSantis as Police Captain Jim Scott. Today's case was especially dramatized for Under Arrest by Cheryl Hendrix. Original music was composed and played by Milton Cave. Heard in today's cast were Joan Alexander, Ralph Bell, Carl Eastman, Louis Van Rooten. All names of persons used in Under Arrest are fictitious. Any resemblance to names of actual persons, living or dead, is coincidental. This is Jack Farren speaking. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System. It's time now for Mr. Keane, tracer of Lost Persons. Ladies and gentlemen, Anison and colonos present Mr. Keane, tracer of Lost Persons, one of the most famous characters of American fiction and one of radio's most thrilling dramas. Tonight and every Thursday at the same time, the famous old Investigator takes from his file and brings to us one of his most celebrated missing persons cases. Tonight's case is entitled the Case of the man who Invented Death. If you want incredibly fast relief from the pain of headaches, neuritis or neuralgia, try Anacin. Anacin is like a doctor's prescription. That is, it contains not just one, but a combination of medically proven active ingredients that give effective relief. If you've not been introduced to anacin by your own physician or dentist, let me urge you to try it yourself. You can get Anacin tablets at any drug counter for most effective relief use only is directed. I'll repeat the name for you. Anacin A N A C I n. Now for Mr. Keen and the case of the man who Invented Death. Our scene opens in a rather shabby rooming house in metropolitan New York. A well dressed middle aged man is just descending the stairs to the second floor as a heavy set woman in an apron calls up to him irritably. Who's there? Who's climbing up them steps? His name, Mrs. Marley? George Rockwell. Well, if you come to see that crazy Amos Piper, he's not in. But he must be. I tell you he's not in. Tomorrow I got half a mind to lock him out. He hasn't paid his rent in over three weeks and I'm not running a charity home. I'm just a poor landlady who's trying to get along. All right, Mrs. Marley, I understand. I'll pay him his rent for him. Well, that's more like it. But I'm sure he must be in. I had a very important appointment with him. At this hour? I know he wouldn't break it without letting me know. Did you see him go out, Mrs. Marley? No, just as I haven't heard him tinkering around with his fool inventions all morning. Anyway. What, was the electricity going bad? I've had more trouble this morning. The electricity has gone off. I call for this service man, but he hasn't come. Ms. Marley, do you smell smoke? Well, sure I do. It is smoke. It's coming from under Amos Piper's door. Quick, open it up with your key. All right, I will. Where? The place is on fire, there's smoke. It's just a burned electric wire. Mrs. Molly, look. Oh, it's Amos Piper. He's lying on the floor. Don't touch him. Call the police. Amos has been electrocuted. He's dead. Are you sure that Amos Piper's death Wasn't an accident, Mr. Ruckle? Positive, Mr. Keane. But if Mr. Piper was fooling around with high voltage electricity, as you say he was. Seems to me he was just letting himself in for trouble. And I agree with my partner, Mike Clancy. Tell me, Ms. Rockwell, why are you so sure it was murder? Because someone had tampered with amos electric equipment, Mr. Keane. The police agreed with me when I pointed it out. Certain wires had been deliberately changed and an electric booster had been added, raising the amperage and the voltage. That's why the lights in the rooming house blew out. Amos had used that equipment many times before. It would have happened much sooner if the invention had been dangerous, as it was when we found the body. Just what was he trying to invent, Mr. Rockwell? A machine for turning base metals, like lead and brass into gold. Saints preservers. What do you think he was? A magician. Many years ago, Mike, certain men who were called alchemists believed it was possible to turn cheap metal into precious gold. Yes, that's true, Mr. Keane. But in modern times, we recognize how impossible that is. Amos Piper must have been an eccentric. I suppose he was. But he was also a dreamer. One of the kindest men I've ever known. And I'm going to miss him. How long have you known each other, Mr. Rockwell? At least 20 years. When we were younger, we both dreamed of being important scientists and startling the world with our inventions. I was more realistic than Amos. I knew after a while that dreams alone won't make one successful. So I entered business and forgot about inventions. I see. I now own a manufacturing plant. But Amos kept right on trying to invent things. Did he ever hit the jackpot, Mr. Rockwell? No, Mr. Clancy. His big ambition was the gold machine. Once or twice he turned out a few trifling inventions which he sold. He managed to eke out a small livelihood on his royalties from those. But more often than not, I had to come to his rescue financially. Although most of the time he never knew. I can see that you felt very close to Amos Piper, Mr. Rockwell. Tell me, did he have any enemies that you knew of? No, Mr. Keane. He was a man who never harmed a living soul. Some fiend devised a way to get rid of him for some reason. And I want to do everything in my power to see that the murderer doesn't go unpunished. I understand. That's why I came to you, Mr. You have a reputation for being one of the greatest investigators in the country. Not only that, but you have a genuine sympathy for the underdog, for people who are wronged. Well, Amos was wronged. No matter how eccentric his Ideas were he was a good man and no one has the right to take anyone's life, Mr. Rockwell. Then you'll enter this case and investigate it, along with the police. I'll do everything I can. Thank you, Mr. King. I knew I could count on you, sir. Now, tell me one thing more before Mike and I have a look at the scene of the crime. You say the day you found Amos Piper's body, you had an important appointment to see him? Yes. He phoned me the night before and begged me to come over on the following morning. Did he tell you why? No, Mr. Keane. He just appeared very excited and said he was on the verge of some great discovery. Up to now, neither the police nor I have been able to find out just what that discovery was. Perhaps this mysterious discovery might provide us with an important clue to Amos Piper's murder. At any rate, we'll keep it in mind, Mark, as we try to put our hands on one of the cleverest killers we've ever come up against. There's no doubt of his cleverness, Mr. Keane, when you think of the way he set up that contraption to electrocute poor Amos. We can bring him to justice, Mr. Rockwell. We'll show him a more reliable electric machine invented by the state. The electric chair for murderers. Yes? Are you Mrs. Marley, the landlady? I am. My name is Keen. This is my partner, Mike Clancy. Mr. Kean, the famous investigator. Well, please come in, sir. Thank you. What can I do for you, Mr. Keen? I'd like to look at the room where Amos Piper lived before he was murdered. Why, of course. Come this way, please. It's on the second floor, front. Seems everybody wants to look at that room. First the police and Mr. Decker, and now you. And who is Mr. Decker? Oh, he's quite a gentleman. He comes here lots of times to see Amos Piper. He's in some kind of business. Office equipment, I think. He's in the room right now. Um, there's the room, Mr. Keene, right in front of you. Well, thank you. I just want you to know that I was a friend of Mr. Piper's. A good friend, and the murder was a terrible shock to me. If I can help you in any way, I'll be certain to let you know, Mrs. Molly. Oh, very well, Mr. Kean. She was certainly anxious to prove what a pal of Amos Piper she was, if you ask me, boss. Yes, I noticed that too, Mike. Now, let's go in. Oh, excuse me. That's quite all right. I was just leaving. Are you Mr. Decker? Norris Decker. Yes. And you are, Mr. Keen. This is Mr. Clancy, my partner. Oh, yes, yes, of course. The great investigator. I presume you're here to look into the death of Amos Piper. Yes. Is there anything you can tell us about it, Mr. Decker? You can find out all I know, or the police for that matter, by examining vets apparatus in the corner. That's what killed Avis. I'll have a look at it, boss. Do that, Mike. It was an unfortunate affair, to say the least. When I first heard about it, I was sure it was an accident. But after talking to the police, I realized now it was premeditated murder. What made you think it was an accident at first, Mr. Decker? Because of Amos Piper's idiotic scheme to turn lead into gold. For a while he almost had me believing it too. You're a close friend of his? No, I was interested in his work in a business way. I'm an investor, Mr. Keane. I use my money to back inventions that are worthwhile, particularly ideas in new business equipment. And is that what you were seeing Amos Piper about, Mr. Decker? Yes. He told me of an invention he had for a new type of carbon paper. Thin enough and strong enough to make over 50 copies at once. I see. Well, it seemed like a saleable idea, and I thought we could both make a bit of money out of it. But then he was killed and the invention has disappeared. And that's why I came here today. I wanted to see if I could find the sample. That's some contraption, boss. It's set up like some kind of an electric oven. That was another of Piper's ideas for turning base metals into gold. He was an extraordinary man, but a bit on the eccentric side. And his private life seemed to be even more peculiar. How do you mean, Mr. Decker? Well, once I walked in here, Mr. Keenan found him in an argument with a lovely young girl, at least 30 years younger than he. She wore a mink coat and was fashionably dressed. As I came in, I noticed her motor car and chauffeur in front of the door. Who was the girl? I don't know. She left when I walked in. And the landlady told me later that the girl had come once and had had a terrible row with Piper. I see. Did she know why? No. And neither of us knew how. A man is simple man as poor as Piper could have any relationship with a woman who was obviously very wealthy and, well, young enough to be his daughter. She couldn't have been his daughter. I'm told that Piper never married. Well, whoever she Was I in the room now, miss? The police. Well, there's Mr. Keen, the famous investigator. I'll come back some other time, Mrs. Morris. Mr. Keen. That sounds like the voice of the girl I was just telling you about. Don't say anything about my being here, please. Boss, look at the car parked in front of the door. It looks like one of them fancy foreign makes. Mike, come along. I don't want that car to get out of our sight. We'll follow it and find out a bit more about this mysterious girl and her connection with Amos Piper. She just went into that house, boss. It's certainly an elegant one. Let's drop in for a chat, Mike. Well, I'm looking for a young woman who just entered here. My name is Keane. We. What young woman? Sure, in the pretty one with the fur coat. A chauffeur just left her at the door and then drove away. You must have the wrong house. I'm sure we haven't. And I say you have. This young fellow must think we're a couple of kids, boss. Maybe he'd like us. He may have been mistaken, Mike. What, Mr. Keane? We were halfway up the block when she disappeared. She could have gone around the corner, Mr. Keene, with me own two eyes. I'm sorry to have troubled you, Mr. Webb. The name is on the door. Oh, yes, yes, of course. Good day, Mr. Keen. You don't really think we made a mistake, do you? Of course not, Mike. Mr. Wegg was lying, so obviously. I preferred to find out in our own way what he was up to. What time is it now? It's a little after six. Will be dark soon and we can enter the house of the rear. Perhaps we can get a little more information from Mr. Webb and the young woman we followed when they least expect it. Information that might lead us to Amos Piper's killer. In just a moment, we'll return. Return to Mr. Keen and the case of the man who Invented Death. Meanwhile, beware of unpleasing breath that breeds between the teeth. Use Colanose toothpaste with dental floss action. Those cracks and crevices where food particles can decay must be reached to have a really clean mouth, a welcome breath. Your dentist knows this to be true. Use Colonos toothpaste with dental floss action. Kalanose gives amazing dental floss action, that is, sends thousands of active cleansing bubbles to penetrate hard to reach dental areas. Helps dislodge bits of food that can cause unpleasing breath and tooth decay. Use Kalanose toothpaste with dental Floss action. Kalanose has high polishing action, too. Brightens dingy teeth by removing ordinary yellow surface stains. Kalanose is gentle, safe, even for children's teeth, and tender gums enjoy its cool, clean, minty flavor. Kalanos dentist recommended. Cleans your teeth bright, keeps your breath right. Use Kalanos toothpaste with dental floss action. Get Kalanos with dental floss action today. Now back to Mr. Keen and the case of the man who invented death. Mr. Keen, the famous investigator, and his partner, Mike Clancy, are investigating the strange murder of Amos Piper, an eccentric inventor who was electrocuted when one of his inventions was cleverly tampered with by the murderer. Now, Mr. Keane has followed a strange young woman to a well to do house in the suburbs. A woman who Mr. Kean believes may have a strong bearing on the case. At the door, however, Mr. Kean and Mike were blocked by a rather belligerent young man. Now, a short time later, the two investigators decide to enter the house through a rear entrance. There's a light in the room right in front of us, Mike. Let's see who's inside. Right, boss. I'm leaving the house. Elliot, wait. Mike and I say you're staying here. Do you want to be picked up by Mr. Keane? I have nothing to hide. And maybe I can help him solve Uncle Amos murder. Now, you listen to me, Lorna. I've got a reputation to think about. You want to ruin me in business. Doesn't my Uncle Amos mean anything at all to you? No. Besides, he's dead now and there's nothing anyone can do about it. That's where we disagree, Mr. Webb. Elliot, who are these men? How did you get in here, Keane? My partner and I decided to enter without an invitation. Mr. Webb, inasmuch as you are so anxious to keep us out, why, I'll throw the two. Elliot. It won't do any good and you know it. Not only won't it do any good, but I'm not so sure he can manage it. I overheard you say that Amos Piper was your uncle. Yes. Mr. Keen, I'm Lorna Webb, and Elliot here is my husband. May I ask why you made those secret visits to your uncle before he was murdered? I'll answer that for you, Keane. She was trying to keep me from finding out. Is that right, Mrs. Webb? Yes. But after your uncle was murdered, didn't you realize how serious the situation was? Didn't you think of contacting the police and identifying yourself even then? No, Mr. Keene. Why not? I. I don't Know? Go on, Lorna, tell him. Tell him you think I'm a murderer. Turn your own husband into the police for a crime he never committed. Elliot, why do you talk that way to me? We used to be so happy. That was before I found out you were seeing Amos again, in spite of what you promised. What was your objection to Amos Piper, Mr. Webb? He was nothing but a lazy sponger, Mr. Kean. He knew Lorna married a man with money, and he was just biding his time to take advantage of it. That's not true, Elliot. I begged Uncle Amos to come and live with us, but he refused. I. I know I handled this the wrong way, and I know you were jealous of Uncle Amos. Jealous? I don't quite understand the situation, Mrs. Webb. Perhaps you can explain, Mr. Keane. I'd been fond of Uncle Amos ever since I was a child. I worshiped him then. But, Elliot, my husband didn't want me to worship anyone, even a poor old man. He wanted all my affection for himself. I'm afraid now I've made a mess of things and I'm going to regret it. Mr. Webb. Does that explain your attitude, Mr. Keen? I admit I didn't like Amos Piper, but I wasn't jealous enough to kill him. That's ridiculous and there's no basis for believing it. Is that what you believe, Mrs. Webb? No, Mr. Keane. Of course I didn't believe my own husband killed my uncle. If I did, I wouldn't be here now. We followed you here from the rooming house where your uncle lived, Mrs. Webb. Why did you return there today? To get Uncle Amos things to look for his invention. He has a sister, my Aunt Martha, who is old and very poor. Whatever Amos had should go to her as his closest survivor. Exactly what invention were you looking for? The carbon paper or the machine he hoped would turn metal into gold? No, I was looking for the die. The die? Does that have anything to do with the new type of carbon paper he invented? I don't think so. I remember Uncle Amos telling me something about that carbon paper. He said the idea had been stolen from him. Did he know who stole it, Mrs. Webb? No, but he really didn't care. He didn't think it amounted to much. But the dye seemed to be worth something. Even Elliot thought so. I don't know anything about it, Lorna. When I described it to you, you said it might make a fortune. Well, maybe it was another one of your uncle's crackpot ideas, like the gold machine. Just what do you know about the dye, Mr. Webb? Well, Mr. Keane. According to Amos, it was a. It was a brighter, faster and cheaper dye than any other now on the market. That he could make it in all colors. But he might have been dreaming again. Wonder if Mrs. Molly, the roaming housekeeper, would know anything about that dye. Or the carbon paper, for that matter. Mrs. Webb, would you get your coat? What for? I want your wife to accompany me back to Mrs. Marley's rooming house. Mr. Webb, you've got nothing on Lorna. I won't let you involve her in that murder. Then you do care what happens to me. After all, Elliot, do you think I ever really stopped caring? Oh, then we have nothing to be afraid of. You come too. Let's do everything we can to help. Mr. Keenan. Mr. Clancy. Is it okay if I go along, Mr. Keane? Of course, Mr. Webb. As a matter of fact, I want everyone involved in this case to be present when we discover the solution to amos Piper's murder. Mrs. Marley, the room and housekeeper doesn't seem to be in, Mr. Kean. The door may be open, Mike. Try it. It is, Mr. Keane. Good. Come inside, Mr. And Mrs. Webb. All right, Mr. Keane. Come along. Lorna. The house is pitch dark, sir. There's no one here. Chance. Preservice. What's that? What is it, Mike? I stumbled into something here on the floor. Wait till I get my flashlight out. Mr. Keith. It's the body of a man, boss. It's Mr. Rockwell. Yes, and his neck's been broken. Oh, no. Steady, Lorna. Keep your flashlight on his body. Mike, I just noticed something on his wrists. It looks like some kind of paint. It's a dye. A green dye. What was that? Sounded like Mrs. Marley. She's upstairs, boss. Yes, she's probably in the room where Amos piper was murdered. Mr. Webb, you and your wife stay down here and don't touch the body. Come on upstairs, Mike. Take your hand off me. I know you're here. Certainly after I turn you over to the police. Mrs. Marley and Mr. Deckerboss. Oh, Mr. Keen. Oh, you've come at precisely the right time. Well, what's going on here? If you're looking for Amos Piper's murderer, there she is. Such a lie. I didn't kill him. Are you also going to deny you stole one of his inventions and sold it in your own name before it was patented? How do you know about this, Mr. Decker? Because I caught her one day coming out of the patent office. Mr. Keen and I investigated. She stole Amos Piper's invention, then killed him so he wouldn't turn her in. Do you deny that, Mrs. Molly. Mr. Keen. I'll admit I stole it and sold it to someone. But I only made a couple of thousand dollars on it, and I certainly didn't kill the old man for that. What about George Rockwell? What? The dead man downstairs. Dead man? You mean another man's been murdered, Mr. Keene? Yes. Mr. Decker. Didn't either you or Mrs. Marley see the body down there in the front hall? I didn't, Mr. Kean. Who entered this room first? She did. I found her here when I came up. I was still searching for that new invention of Amos Piper's. I found her here fooling around with that devilish contraption in the corner that killed Amos. Well, what have you to say for yourself, Mrs. Marley? I didn't mean any harm, Mr. Keene. I just wondered if there was anything in what Amos Piper believed. That he could turn metal into gold. I thought maybe I'd find something. And this was the first chance I got to look for myself. Up to now, this room has been filled with policemen and investigators. But I never touched that machine. Why, I'd be afraid to. We've cut you red handed and you know it. Take her away, Mr. Keane. I'll be happy to testify against her. I imagine you would be, to save your own skin. Decker. What? Decker. Did you say you caught Mrs. Marley red handed? Well, I've caught you green handed. You mean here on my hand? Why. Why, this is just paint. Really? And when did you get it on your fingers? Well, two or three days ago. Odd that it took so long to dry. You left some of it on George Rockwell's wrists. What? Only a man with strength could have killed Rockwell. He was a pretty big man himself. But someone with a knowledge of, well, let's say judo or jiu jitsu could have accomplished it. You must know a little something about judo yourself, Keane. Enough to tell when it was used to break someone's neck. Search him, Mike. Don't make a move. I warn you. He's even got himself a gun, boss. Now you're pretty clever, Keane. I've got to hand it to you. I imagine you even know where this green dye came from. Amos Piper's invention. Right. And tonight I found a sample of it at last. Along with a formula the old fool never even realized he had. Something that would bring a fortune on the world market. But you did, Decca. I most certainly did. I also knew I had to take care of Rockwell. You see, he was a little too close to Amos Piper. And sooner or later he might have surmised why Piper was killed. And then he'd have thought of me. I'm afraid you won't get away with it, Decker. You posed as an old man's friend and benefactor to defraud him of his valuable invention, then killed him to cover your fraud. You're not going to get away with either the theft or the murder. And who's going to stop me? Maybe I will, mister. Come on and try it if you want a bullet through your head. Don't move, Mike. He means what he says. I'll say I do. And what's more, I'm. He tripped on the machine. Help me, Mr. Keane. Cut your electricity off outside quickly, Mrs. Molly. Boss, he's getting a terrific electrical shock. Don't touch him until the current's been cut. Mike, he'll pass the shocks onto you. Sainsbury's office. He's dead, Mr. Keane. Yes. He shorted some wires in that machine when he fell over it. You mean he died the same way his victim died? Boss, in Amos Piper's case, the electrocution was deliberately planned. Decker's was caused by a short circuit as he tripped over the machine. In any event, Mike, the result was a form of poetic justice. Amos Piper may have thought he was inventing a machine that turned things into gold, but it appears as though he actually invented death. And so Mr. Keane finds the solution to the case of the man who invented death. The next time you're suffering from the pains of headache, neuritis or neuralgia, try Anacin. You'll bless the day you heard of this incredibly fast way to relieve these pains. Now, the reason Anacin is so wonderfully fast acting and effective is this. Anacin is like a doctor's prescription. That is, anacin contains not just one, but a combination of medically proven active ingredients in easy to take tablet form. Thousands of people have received envelopes containing Anacin tablets from their own dentist or physician and in this way have discovered the incredibly fast relief Anacin brings from pain of headache, neuritis or neuralgia. So next time such pains strike, take Anacin. For most effective relief use only is directed. Your druggist has anison in handy boxes of 12 and 30 and economical family sized bottles of 50 and 100. The name is Annison. A N A C I N the community Chess asks you only once a year to contribute or to pledge your share in their wonderful red feather services which benefit your community the year round. The list of services supported by the community chest is almost endless. Whether day nurseries, guidance clinics, scouts, visiting nurses, help, YMCA or neighborhood centers. The value of all their services to you and to your community is very great. Everybody benefits, so everybody give Mr. Keane tracer of Lost Persons is based on the novel Mr. Keane. The radio sequel is originated and produced by Frank and Anne Hummer. Dialogue by Lawrence Clee. Bennett Kilpack plays Mr. Kean. It is on the air every Thursday at this time. Don't miss Mr. Keane next Thursday when the kind the old tracer turns to the Silver Dagger murder case when muscles are stiff and sore from unusual exercise or strain, many people now use heat liniment. The liniment that's strong yet does not burn the skin. Wonderful relief from muscular soreness comes as comforting heat quickly starts to penetrate. Just brush it on the sore place with the applicator for a liniment that starts at once to ease muscular pain and keeps on working for hours. Ask your druggist for heat liniment. H E e T Heat Mr. Keen Tracer of Lost Persons will be on the air next Thursday at the same time. This is Larry Elliott saying goodbye for Mr. Keen and the Whitehall Pharmacal Company, makers of Anison and Kalanos and many other dependable high quality drug products. This is cbs, the Columbia Broadcasting System that's Case Closed for this week. There's more from under arrest, Mr. Keen, this podcast and all of the other Relic radio shows@ Relicradio.com also find our Shoutcast stream there with even more old time radio lots to listen to there, all made possible by your support. If you'd like to help out, visit donate. Relicradio.com or click on one of the links on the website. Thanks to those who have thanks for joining me this week. Be back again next Wednesday with another hour of Case Closed.