Broadway Is My Beat: The Earl Lawson Murder Case 06/09/1951

Summary

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Podcast Episode Summary

Podcast: Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio

Episode: Broadway Is My Beat: The Earl Lawson Murder Case (06/09/1951)

Date: October 29, 2025

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Overview

This episode features a dramatic and suspenseful installment of “Broadway Is My Beat” entitled "The Earl Lawson Murder Case." Detective Danny Clover patrols the vibrant, gritty streets of Broadway and unravels a tangled web of family secrets, desperate criminals, and a conspiracy that entangles innocent and guilty alike. The show immerses listeners in New York’s post-war Broadway, where the sense of glamour and summer festivity is pierced by a brutal murder in broad daylight.

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Key Discussion Points and Plot Breakdown

1. The Murder on Broadway (00:25–02:53)

• Broadway is introduced as both lively and dangerous—full of life, yet the scene of sudden violence.
• The crime: Earl Lawson, a wealthy man with a reputation in stocks and bonds, is discovered stabbed to death in the middle of a crowded Times Square.
• Detective Danny Clover and Detective Mugavan arrive and quickly realize that, despite a midday crowd, no witnesses come forward.

“Safest place in the world to kill somebody … in a crowd. Walk up to him, stab him in the back, keep walking."
— Danny Clover (02:39)

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2. Home of the Lawsons: Family Tensions (04:06–06:29)

• Danny visits the victim’s lavish home and meets Dr. Harlan Lawson, Earl’s brother, a social worker embittered by a life in Earl’s shadow.
• Harlan reveals a strained, almost resentful relationship.
• Harlan claims an alibi (was home, served brunch by the butler).

“We suffer each other, let's put it that way. He has his world, I have mine.”
— Dr. Harlan Lawson (04:50)

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3. The Case File and A Crucial Photograph (07:27–09:39)

• Danny pores over Lawson’s records, assembling a list of enemies and suspects.
• Sergeant Tartaglia introduces Peggy Drake, a visitor from out of town, who claims to have evidence.
• Peggy provides a photograph that accidentally captured the stabbing in progress—a clear shot of Ray Brewer committing the murder.

“Wait till my society back home hears about this. I belong to the Literary Society. We have open forums. I suppose this will be in the paper as well.”
— Peggy Drake (08:45)

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4. The Hunt for Ray Brewer (09:39–13:29)

• Brewer is identified as a small-time hoodlum, recently released from the hospital and given one month to live due to a heart condition.
• Danny tracks him to his family’s address and almost apprehends him, but Brewer escapes in the chaos and confusion after a tense standoff.

“Throw away the gun, Ray. They tell me you've got a month. If you throw the gun away, maybe you can live a part of it out. All of it.”
— Danny Clover (10:26)

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5. Second Murder: Dr. Harlan Lawson (12:34–13:29)

• Danny returns to the Lawson residence, only to find Dr. Harlan Lawson murdered in the same manner as his brother—stabbed.
• The implication: Brewer has killed again or something more complicated is at play.

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6. The Investigation Unfolds: Motives and Connections (14:12–20:38)

• Sergeant Tartaglia offers comic relief with his family stories, but also provides leads.
• The detectives visit Milford’s Haberdashery where Brewer and Harlan Lawson had shopped together, and learn Brewer had planned a trip to Mexico funded by Lawson.
• A visit to a travel agent confirms that Harlan subsidized Brewer’s Mexican "final fling," cancelled last minute after the murders.

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7. Theories and Deductions (21:00–22:18)

• Danny and Mugavan piece together the puzzle: Harlan Lawson likely hired Brewer to murder his brother Earl, offering him a dying man’s dream trip to Mexico for payment.
• But when Peggy’s photograph was provided to the police, Brewer realized he’d been set up, cancelled the trip, and killed Harlan in revenge.

“Harlan found out Brewer only had a month to live. Promised him a fling that month in Mexico for killing brother Earl … Brewer killed twice, all right. The knife in Harlan matches the stab wound in Earl.”
— Danny Clover (21:47)

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8. Peggy Drake’s Trunk: The Final Confrontation (22:23–27:23)

• Attention returns to Peggy Drake, whose erratic behavior leads police to intercept her large trunk as she tries to leave town.
• After an emotional confrontation, it’s revealed Brewer’s body is inside the trunk—he died of natural causes after attempting to silence Peggy for betraying him.

“You took the picture, Peggy, because you knew the murder was going to be committed. The murder you planned so well with Harlem.”
— Danny Clover (25:58)

“I won't look. I'm not going to look at him again. All the while I was putting him in there. Staring at me. Staring. And I couldn't get the trunk closed. His hand. I was alone.”
— Peggy Drake (27:02)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Broadway’s my beat. From Times Square to Columbus Circle, the gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world.”
  — Opening Narration (00:25)
• “Safest place in the world to kill somebody ... in a crowd.”
  — Danny Clover (02:39)
• “I've dreamed the wish sometimes. But I couldn't have killed Earl.”
  — Dr. Harlan Lawson (06:14)
• “I never could learn to be camera shy, poke a camera in my nose. I smiled for all birdies.”
  — Ray Brewer (11:13)
• “You figured by the time we found who he was, traced him, he'd be roaming around Mexico by the time we got to him, he'd be dead.”
  — Danny Clover (26:05)
• “His face staring at me.”
  — Peggy Drake (27:25)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment | |---------|----------------------------------------------------------| | 00:25 | Murder is discovered in Times Square | | 04:06 | Danny interviews Dr. Harlan Lawson | | 07:27 | Peggy Drake introduces the key photograph | | 09:39 | Brewer identified; hunt begins | | 12:34 | Discovery of Harlan Lawson’s murder | | 17:18 | Visit to Milford’s Haberdashery for clues | | 20:00 | Travel agent confirms trip details; motive unravels | | 21:15 | Danny and Mugavan reconstruct the crime | | 23:10 | Peggy Drake’s suspicious trunk intercepted | | 25:55 | The trunk is opened—Brewer’s body found | | 27:49 | Closing reflection on Broadway |

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Tone and Style

The episode is saturated with hard-boiled, poetic narration, a signature of mid-century radio detective dramas. Larry Thor’s Danny Clover alternates between world-weary cynicism and determined compassion, while the supporting characters add notes of wry humor, desperation, and pathos. The language is direct, colorful, and evocative of New York City’s mythic postwar shadows and lights.

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Summary Value

Listeners are treated to a brisk, suspenseful detective story packed with intrigue, character depth, and social commentary. The tangled motives—love, resentment, desperation—culminate in surprising revelations and a final parade of human frailty unique to the golden age of radio drama.

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Transcript

[Narrator]

Welcome to Choice Classic Radio, where we bring to you the greatest old time radio shows like us on Facebook, subscribe to us on YouTube and thank you for [e-mail].

[Detective Danny Clover]

Broadway's My Beat From Times Square to Columbus Circle, the gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world. Broadway's my beat with Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover. When the rumor gets around that summer has begun, Broadway is beside itself with glee. Somebody notices the sunlight and tells somebody else. And the word gets around. It drifts cross town and a man reaches into his closet for a hand organ, puts the funny hat on his monkey and takes a walk up to Broadway just to grind out background music for the big grin. It's the time for the dachshund, the silken ankle, the flowered print dress. The orange juice is sweeter, the knish is lighter. The guy runs down the street screaming, I'm in love. It's June. And it was June under the Translux 2. A rare day. And the Times Square crowd had gathered there to consider it and take the story of it home to the little woman, dad and mom. There was a man lying in the circle of their feet. He was expensively dressed.

[Detective Mugavan]

He's dead.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Danny, what happened? Mugavan.

[Detective Mugavan]

Ah, come on, come on, you people, break it up. Come on, get going. What is it with them?

[Detective Danny Clover]

Danny, what happened?

[Detective Mugavan]

How can you tell what happened? People milling around, crossing streets, going to lunch, looking at the want ads over there in the Times building. Suddenly a guy's face down on the pavement. Somebody laughs drunk and somebody sees blood. So we got him on the pavement and them watching.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Stabbed.

[Mr. Milford Jr.]

Yeah.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Know who he is?

[Detective Mugavan]

Uh huh.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Yeah. Wallet.

[Detective Mugavan]

Loads of identification.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Yeah. Earl Larson, Park Avenue. Earl Lawson.

[Detective Mugavan]

Earl Lawson. Stocks and bonds. He's got a name. Wizard or something. Makes money by the buckets.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Anybody see it happen?

[Detective Mugavan]

A million people on Times Square, high noon. Nobody saw anything. Nobody. Now look, you people, why don't you move along, Go home, get out of here.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Safest place in the world to kill somebody. Mugaman in a crowd. Walk up to him, stab him in the back. Keep walking. Well, it started off to be a pretty day.

[Detective Mugavan]

Yeah, real sunny.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Just across the street. The file. Waiting for the movie that was better than life. Held on close to its place in line. Held on close against the insinuating whisper of the violent dead. It was a trick, kid. A trick to make you lose your place, to cheat you out of a front row seat where love and beauty and other high class things are handed you on an air conditioned platter. But a few were sold by the Whisper and were drawn by it and joined the cluster attending the dead man. A woman pushed her way close and turned away. She opened her purse, smeared a lipstick nervously across her lips, studied their reflection in a window, and then carefully, carefully retraced them with the perfumed scarlet. And death had raised its banner on Broadway. The home of the murdered man was a place whose sounds had been geared down to the soft purr of wealth. The swish of the ankle deep carpets, the flute like trills of the parakeets taking the noonday sun in exclusive cages. The butler who murmurs you into the library and asks you to wait quietly. You don't dare open a book because turning a page would release a clap of thunder. And finally, when you'll wait no longer, the soft voice at your shoulder.

[Dr. Harlan Lawson]

I'm glad you made yourself at home, Mr. Clover. This is a difficult house to do that in.

[Detective Danny Clover]

It's quiet. You can say that for it.

[Dr. Harlan Lawson]

You're Harlan Lawson. Dr. Harlan Lawson.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Oh. Then the book's on this shelf.

[Dr. Harlan Lawson]

My one literary effort. All 20 copies. 20 copies of the same drivel. New Freedom, Pennsylvania. The utopia that Failed. Nice binding though, wouldn't you say?

[Detective Danny Clover]

Quite expensive.

[Dr. Harlan Lawson]

That's my brother. He's everything you say. He gave me those when I got my PhD. Made a grand gesture of binding my doctor's thesis and burying it 20 times over on this shelf. Every time he fingers the gold lettering, I tell him how grateful I am.

[Detective Danny Clover]

You don't get along, you and your brother.

[Dr. Harlan Lawson]

We suffer each other, let's put it that way. He has his world, I have mine.

[Detective Danny Clover]

And your world would be the back alleys of poverty.

[Dr. Harlan Lawson]

You see, I'm in the nature of a failure, Mr. Clover. I'm a social worker. Doesn't pay very much, but I take in tears and give in exchange. Baskets of fruit, my brother's castaway clothing, and the gestures of sympathy they taught me in post grad humanities.

[Detective Danny Clover]

But you keep on living here with your brother, With Earl Lawson.

[Dr. Harlan Lawson]

I exist here. Is this why you came, Mr. Clover? To run your hands over my brother's library? To probe into me?

[Detective Danny Clover]

Or is it.

[Dr. Harlan Lawson]

No, no, don't say to me Earle has somehow run afoul of the law. Don't say it, because I wouldn't believe it.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Earl. He's dead. He was murdered.

[Dr. Harlan Lawson]

Your manner of saying it. You leave me nothing but to believe you.

[Detective Danny Clover]

He was stabbed. Left lying on the street in Times Square.

[Dr. Harlan Lawson]

He must have shuddered that it found him in a place like that I'd swear he shuddered.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Your brother dies and that's how it hits you?

[Dr. Harlan Lawson]

To each his own way, Mr. Glover. You're implying that it was I who killed him.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Let's play it that way for a while.

[Dr. Harlan Lawson]

I've dreamed the wish sometimes. But I couldn't have killed Earl. I slept the morning through. Earl's butler will testify to that. He was serving me brunch when you came in. Expensive brunch with wine.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Who else would want your brother dead besides me?

[Dr. Harlan Lawson]

That would be your thesis, wouldn't it, Mr. Clover? I suggest the scholars approach.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Yeah, thanks, I'll try. Then back to headquarters and to the desk. Get on the phone, make inquiries. Send out to the newspapers for files. Read them, digest them, extract them. Start a file of your own. Label it Earl Lawson, Homicide. Fill out the form. Date of birth, hour of death, murder by sharp instrument, to be filled out in detail by the coroner. And on the lines on the bottom of the page, the incidental information. Jot down the phrases. A self made man, shrewd financial mind, known enemies, probably many due to financial manipulations. Send out for coffee and the sandwich because it's suddenly nighttime and read some more. Then your door opens and Sergeant Titaglia is all business.

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

Lady to see you, Danny.

[Detective Danny Clover]

What does she want?

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

She knows who killed Earl Awson.

[Detective Danny Clover]

What she says she bring her in.

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

This way, you see? Danny Clover, man.

[Peggy Drake]

Thank you. My name is Peggy Drake, Lieutenant.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Please sit down. Close the door to Taglia. All right, Art. You can stay. Ms. Drake. The sergeant said you know.

[Peggy Drake]

Not exactly, Danny.

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

She told me she knew all about it. She said.

[Detective Danny Clover]

What's on your mind, Ms. Drake?

[Peggy Drake]

I have the murderer's picture here. Here it is.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Yeah. How'd you happen to take this picture?

[Peggy Drake]

Well, I'm here on vacation. This afternoon was a good day to take pictures and I was at Times Square. I took a lot of pictures and, well, this is one of them. You can see for yourself. Yeah, I found a store with six hour developing service and I got them developed. I was looking through them and I saw this one. That's why.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Yeah. Come here, Tartaglia. Look at this.

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

Ray Brewer.

[Detective Danny Clover]

That's right. Ray Brewer sticking a knife into ER Lawson on Times Square. Call records. Gino, get the last known address on Ray Brewer and anything else they've got. Interesting.

[Peggy Drake]

Guess I did help with that.

[Detective Danny Clover]

I don't know how much. This man here with a knife, his.

[Peggy Drake]

Name is Ray Brewer.

[Detective Danny Clover]

A known hoodlum. A record of every misdemeanor on the books.

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

Yeah? Yeah. I got a Pencil.

[Peggy Drake]

Wait till my society back home hears about this. I belong to the Literary Society. We have open forums. I suppose this will be in the paper as well.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Front page, please.

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

What else is what else? Yeah. What's happened to him lately? Uh huh huh.

[Detective Danny Clover]

How you making out, Gino?

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

In a minute, Danny. Huh? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I got all that. We appreciate it and thank you. Very interesting. If I may comment on the material gathered from records.

[Detective Danny Clover]

What's interesting?

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

Up until a week ago, Ray Brewer was confined to the County Hospital for Incurables.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Yeah, I remember. He was a pretty sick man. Incurable?

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

His heart docs gave him a month to live. But last week he was discharged from the hospital.

[Detective Danny Clover]

How come?

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

To die in the bosom of his family, as the records guy phrased it.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Where is this family?

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

1212 West 16th. The man says. Where you going, Danny?

[Detective Danny Clover]

See that Ms. Drake gets home. Gino, I'm going to pick up a kill. Open up, Brewer, or I come in anyway. Brewer. Where are you, bro?

[Dr. Harlan Lawson]

Huh?

[Announcer]

Out here, Danny.

[Narrator]

Taking my ease on the fire escape. Watching you. Watching you spill out your strength.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Throw away the gun, Ray. They tell me you've got a month. If you throw the gun away, maybe you can live a part of it out. All of it.

[Narrator]

It's arranged. I live all of it. 30 days hath ray Brewer.

[Detective Danny Clover]

If I come out after you, Ray, it'll cut your time down to a half minute.

[Narrator]

You make me shake with fright. Stay where you are, Danny. I'll bring it to you.

[Detective Danny Clover]

The gun, Ray.

[Narrator]

Now, don't drool, kiddo. You'll get it. Funny, when you rang the doorbell, I thought it was a boy from Milford's. But no, it was you. How come you find me so lightning quick, Danny?

[Detective Danny Clover]

A girl. A visitor. Got you a picture. Sticking a knife into Lawson.

[Narrator]

I never could learn to be camera shy, poke a camera in my nose. I smiled for all birdies. Turn your back to me, Danny. I feel a new smile coming out.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Listen to me.

[Detective Mugavan]

You don't turn your back.

[Narrator]

You bleep in the face.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Turn.

[Detective Mugavan]

You did that.

[Narrator]

You brought sunshine into my short life.

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

One for the roadie.

[Detective Danny Clover]

It splintered through me, puncturing, ripping into the dark cells where pain lay waiting for it being released. Scurry darted through me, opening endless doors on endless hurt. These new ones took over, finally gave up because they'd overdone it. I couldn't feel it anymore. And then the hall went cold on the sweat that had drenched me. And looking for Brewer, knowing he wasn't there. And call into headquarters and tell him to put out an all points bulletin on Ray Brewer. Then to Park Avenue to ask a question. Why had Brewer wanted Lawson dead? What had Lawson been to a hoodlum like Brewer? Help me. In my bag.

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

Gets in my bag.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Help me. You didn't. You didn't help. Down the long hall I could see the parakeets pulled, preening, pecking into their clipped wings. The new stillness of the man lying there with a knife in his back. Dr. Highland Lawson dead. The nap of the thick rug furrowed where his hands had tried to tear life out of it. And suddenly the flute song of the parakeet started again. And it wasn't still anym.

[Announcer]

You are listening to Broadway's My Beat, written by Morton Fine and David Friedkin, with Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover. The sensational young tenor Mario Lanza will take the place of Charlie McCarthy and Edgar Bergen on CBS while the famous pair are on summer vacation. Mario Lanza starts his new series tomorrow. And you'll be heard each Sunday this summer on most of these same stations. And while Jack Benny is off for Korea, Guy Lombardo and his orchestra will be on hand to entertain you in CBS familiar Jack Benny time.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Last year's bride. Mannequins are dusted off, brought out of Broadway's basements, propped up on a rod and arranged tenderly at the the side of last year's groom mannequins. And Broadway knows June is passing through it presses its nose against the shop window, sighs at the cascade of white satin flowing slowly over the wax figure, sheds a tear at the coronet of cloth lilies of the valley and blows its nose for the sweetness of it all. It's the time of youth. The two week romp in the Catskills. The burial in the sand at Far Rockaway. The breathless ecstasy on the heights of the roller coasters at Corny. And for the stay at homes, other sweets, other delights. The subway ball games, the band concerts in the mall. The moon burned girls on the dark grass. And the my hand and your hand talk about two brothers dead of knife wounds. Summertime talk at headquarters. The next morning it was difficult to talk about anything because Sergeant Ataglia had his mouth and his fist full of hammer. Building something, Gino?

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

Oh, it's you, Danny. Yeah, you might say I'm building. I'm building a site for sore eyes.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Oh. Mind if I look?

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

Well, my pleasure. Pardon me for obstructing your view.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Nice.

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

I think so. Also, a pin up picture of Mrs. T hammered to the door of my closet. This I consider a worthy hobby, Mrs. T. I call Mrs. Tartaglia that whenever I'm in a hurry. Consider her Danny in her Catalina swimsuit, Jones beach. Underneath her, the Tartaglia progeny forming a garland of angels at her feet.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Nice family picture, Gino. You mind taking the tax out of.

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

Your mouth now so's I can tell you about Ray Brewer, huh?

[Detective Danny Clover]

So's you can do that?

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

Naturally. Permit me to close the closet door on Mrs. T first. I don't want every. Tom, Dick and. Well, nothing on Brewer, Danny. The hoodlum killer is still at large. All points bulletins have been sent.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Nothing, huh?

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

Bread and butter. There is something I forgot. The Milfords of which the hood spoke to you is Milford's haberdashery on Madison Avenue. But Roman Curcio traced it down after thousands other Milfords, it seems.

[Detective Danny Clover]

I'll check it.

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

Well, don't go away, Danny. I got something else.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Another pinup?

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

You might say that. Remember that Peggy Drake came in here with the snapshot of Brewer killing Lawson?

[Detective Danny Clover]

What about her?

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

Precinct 12 picked her up last night running down East 60 street in her, you should excuse the expression, negligee.

[Detective Danny Clover]

What was someone running after her?

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

The precinct boys asked her the same question. She said no. She said she dared herself to do it and she took the dare. So the boys decided on a small fine and let her go.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Lonely girl in the big city. Sometimes it hits them that way. All right if I leave now?

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

You always leave me, Danny. I'm used to it. Go, Danny.

[Mr. Milford Jr.]

Good morning, sir. Is someone helping you?

[Detective Danny Clover]

I'm looking for Mr. Milford, Mr. Milford.

[Mr. Milford Jr.]

Milford is dead.

[Dr. Harlan Lawson]

What?

[Mr. Milford Jr.]

12 years ago, like that. Zut. He was discussing plans with a buyer and.

[Detective Danny Clover]

I know. Zut. Who are you?

[Mr. Milford Jr.]

Mr. Milford Jr. May I be of some service?

[Detective Danny Clover]

I'm from the police. I want some information.

[Dr. Harlan Lawson]

Oh, what is it you want?

[Detective Danny Clover]

The police department called you a while ago. You said you had some dealing with a man named Ray Brewer.

[Mr. Milford Jr.]

Oh, yes, I did. I did indeed.

[Detective Danny Clover]

You want to tell me about it?

[Dr. Harlan Lawson]

I don't see why not.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Then tell me.

[Mr. Milford Jr.]

Surely. Last week Mr. Brewer entered Milford's and was fitted for a complete outfit from linens to huaraches.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Huaraches?

[Mr. Milford Jr.]

Buttery a la Mexico. Mr. Brewer was going to Mexico. Note that I said was.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Note that Mr. Brewer changed his mind.

[Mr. Milford Jr.]

Well, that's a man's right.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Mr.

[Mr. Milford Jr.]

Brewer decided to stay around the city. Thus he cancelled the Mexican clothes and ordered town ware gaberdines.

[Detective Danny Clover]

And he paid you? I only ask because it's been bandied about. That Mr. Brewer is not A wealthy man.

[Mr. Milford Jr.]

His friend paid me. The friend who was with him when first he ordered.

[Detective Danny Clover]

This friend here. This man's picture in the newspaper?

[Mr. Milford Jr.]

The very one. Dreadful clothes. Not ours. Is he from here in town? What's his name?

[Detective Danny Clover]

Says right Here, Harlan Lawson.

[Mr. Milford Jr.]

Ph.D. it says this chap was murdered.

[Detective Danny Clover]

That's right. Do you have any idea why Mr. Brewer changed his mind about going to Mexico?

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

None.

[Mr. Milford Jr.]

He was so delighted too, the first time he was in here. Showed me a travel brochure put out by the airplane People. Central American Lines. I think I've been to Mexico. You know, ridden on a donkey.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Thanks. Thanks a lot.

[Narrator]

May I be of service to you, senor?

[Detective Danny Clover]

I think so. I'm from the police. Danny Clover.

[Narrator]

Oh, my privilege. You wish to tour Central America to observe our police methods? It can be easily arranged. I will speak to the Latin consul.

[Detective Danny Clover]

I just want to know about Ray Brewer. About Brewer?

[Narrator]

The name has a familiarity. See. See? Senor Brewer. The man who wished to live out his days in Mexico, the land of tradition and romance.

[Detective Danny Clover]

He's a murderer. You think he'll make it?

[Narrator]

What a dying man sets his heart to do is difficult to restrain him from, senor. At least from my father I learned. But Senor Bruo will not make Mexico by way of Central American lines, senor. Of this I am certain.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Tell me why.

[Narrator]

Because only yesterday he cancelled the ticket. It took me so long to prepare. He canceled the tour I had mapped for him. Capulco, Zapateca, the floating gardens.

[Detective Danny Clover]

When Brewer came in here to arrange his trip, was he alone?

[Narrator]

With another gentleman who subsidized the excursion?

[Detective Danny Clover]

This one in the newspaper picture.

[Narrator]

See? See this one? Dr. Lawson. A gentleman of refinement. Now dead, I perceive.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Yeah. Brewer didn't give you an address, by any chance?

[Narrator]

Oh, no, no, no. He simply took the cancellation money. Told me he preferred your city as. Who would not?

[Detective Danny Clover]

You peddle tickets to romantic places and you like it better here.

[Narrator]

Who would not? Why pay extra fare, Senor? Romance is where.

[Detective Mugavan]

Danny.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Come in, Maggovan. Sit down.

[Mr. Milford Jr.]

Thanks.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Got anything? Nothing.

[Detective Mugavan]

Guy Brewer's hiding someplace where? I can't even begin to guess. Nobody knows anything. Stool pigeons. Old friends of Brewer's? Not a thing.

[Detective Danny Clover]

If he gets out of the city, it's gonna be tough. Yeah.

[Detective Mugavan]

How do you figure it, Danny?

[Detective Danny Clover]

Figure what?

[Detective Mugavan]

This. The case. The killing of the Lawson brothers. You know what I mean.

[Detective Danny Clover]

You piece it all together, it comes out easy.

[Detective Mugavan]

Show me.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Sure. Harlan Lawson wanted to get rid of his brother for money. Maybe. But more than that, I think Earl Lawson was a man who beat up the world. Harlan just stood there and cried for it.

[Detective Mugavan]

Harlan was a social worker, Danny. He probably did a lot of good where it counts.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Sure he didn't. But I met Harlan. It's the way he impressed me. Muggerman. He felt sorry for himself, so he.

[Detective Mugavan]

Finds a little hood like Brewer, hires him to kill Earl.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Like you said, Harlan was a social worker. Brewer was in a charity hospital. That's where they met. Harlan found out Brewer only had a month to live. Promised him a fling that month in Mexico for killing brother Earl.

[Detective Mugavan]

Well, then why did Brewer turn around and kill the hand that fed him? If we go on the assumption that he killed Harlan too.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Brewer killed twice, all right. The knife in Harlan matches the stab wound in Earl. He killed both brothers.

[Detective Mugavan]

But why?

[Detective Danny Clover]

I don't know why he killed Harlan. Another thing I don't know is why Brewer changed his mind about going to Mexico. If he found that out, we.

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

Danny. All I can say is thank goodness.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Then say it and sit down in a corner. Mugavan and I were discussing it.

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

It's about Peggy Drake.

[Detective Mugavan]

Peggy Drake? Say, isn't she the girl?

[Detective Danny Clover]

Yeah, the girl who took the snapshot.

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

She should have taken the snapshot and left the city, what, Just a few minutes ago at 500 midnight, to be specific. She had a to do with a cab driver. Tried to force him to take a wardrobe trunk in his backseat. Broke a window while so forcing quite a scene. The police suggested a moving company and. And?

[Detective Danny Clover]

And what?

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

Give me a breathing spell, Danny. And Officer Podunick suggested his father in law and stood guard over the trunk until his father in law, the Murphy movers, hauled it away. Thank Jeep as this girl leaves for her hometown of New Freedom Penns in the morning. Where New Freedom, Danny, the trunk has already left by Murphy Trucking Company. And the girl Peggy Drake leaves tomorrow. For which leaving the police only again waved a finger under her nose.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Highway patrol Margovan. Pick up that van, escort it back to Peggy Drake's place.

[Detective Mugavan]

Right there.

[Detective Danny Clover]

How do you know? So that's why Brewer changed his mind about going to Mexico. Then I waited. It was a little less than an hour when the phone call came. The highway patrol had picked up the van at the entrance to the Delaware Bridge. There was plenty of time. Time to grab a bowl of chili and walk over the 60s into the rooming house where Peggy Drake was staying. Inside, the banisters of the staircase had been worn smooth by a thousand respectable hands. The color had just begun to drain from the flowers. In the wallpaper on the third floor landing was a trunk beside it. Detective Mugavan.

[Detective Mugavan]

She's in there, Danny.

[Detective Danny Clover]

She know we're here.

[Detective Mugavan]

We talked loud. She knows.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Stay with the trunk, Magavin. Okay.

[Peggy Drake]

Oh, it's you, Mr. Clove. Glad you're here. Come in. Please, come in. What goes on in your town? I don't understand you people.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Something wrong, Peggy?

[Peggy Drake]

There was all that noise a little while ago. I opened my door a bit. I saw my trunk. Explain it to me, Mr. Clover.

[Detective Danny Clover]

You were sending it back to New Freedom, huh?

[Peggy Drake]

Of course. Where I live, where I came from.

[Detective Danny Clover]

That's where you met Harlan, wasn't it?

[Peggy Drake]

What's he got to do with. I need some sleep, Mr. Clover. My bus leaves early tomorrow.

[Detective Danny Clover]

You're not leaving? You want to bring your trunk back in here and unpack?

[Peggy Drake]

Not leaving.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Wait a minute. Magavan, bring that trunk in here.

[Peggy Drake]

What are you doing? I don't have to unpack.

[Detective Mugavan]

Trunk's pretty heavy. Danny. I'll need some help.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Okay, I'll give you a hand. Yeah.

[Detective Mugavan]

Better grab the handle on the other side. Okay, Danny.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Uh huh. Wait outside.

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

Yeah.

[Peggy Drake]

I wish you'd tell me what this is all about.

[Detective Danny Clover]

How long did you plan to stay in New York, Peggy?

[Peggy Drake]

Four days.

[Detective Danny Clover]

You needed a trunk that big for a four day trip? That's a brand new trunk, Peggy.

[Peggy Drake]

Yes, I just bought it. It's for things I want to take home. Books, lamps.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Books, huh? I like books. Let's see what you bought.

[Peggy Drake (emotional/distressed voice)]

Don't open that. Don't.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Why not, Peggy?

[Peggy Drake (emotional/distressed voice)]

Leave me alone. What does the girl have to do?

[Peggy Drake]

I come here for a good time.

[Detective Danny Clover]

I'd say you had quite a busy trip. Running down the street at night in a negligee.

[Peggy Drake]

I had something to drink. I didn't know what I was doing then.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Creating a stir with this trunk with a cab driver.

[Peggy Drake]

It wasn't my fault. People here aren't helpful, Peggy.

[Detective Danny Clover]

We're looking for a man, Ray Brewer. We want him for two murders.

[Peggy Drake]

Brewer?

[Detective Danny Clover]

You know him, Peggy? You took his picture, brought it to me.

[Peggy Drake]

That's right. I remember his name.

[Detective Danny Clover]

I'm sure you do. Let's open the trunk, Peggy.

[Peggy Drake]

No, don't.

[Peggy Drake (emotional/distressed voice)]

Get it out of here. Take it away later.

[Detective Danny Clover]

You took the picture, Peggy, because you knew the murder was going to be committed. The murder you planned so well with Harlem. Get out of here.

[Peggy Drake]

Just get it out.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Gave us a picture of the murderer. You figured by the time we found who he was, traced him, he'd be roaming around Mexico by the time we got to him, he'd be dead. Because Ray Brewer only had a month to live.

[Peggy Drake (emotional/distressed voice)]

I didn't do anything. I didn't kill anybody. It was harmless.

[Detective Danny Clover]

One thing was bothering me, Peggy. Why? Brewer changed his mind about going to Mexico.

[Peggy Drake (emotional/distressed voice)]

He saw me taking his picture. We didn't tell her we were gonna do that.

[Detective Danny Clover]

You double crossed him, huh? That's why he killed Harlan. That's why he was going to kill you.

[Peggy Drake (emotional/distressed voice)]

I ran from him. It's like a nightmare. Somebody grabbed me by the shoulders and choked me. And I was in the middle of the street, dressed. Dressed.

[Detective Danny Clover]

When you finally got back here, Ray Brewer was dead. He didn't live his month. His heart gave out. Let's open the trunk, baby. There he is. Ray Brewer.

[Peggy Drake]

I won't look. I'm not going to look at him again. All the while I was putting him in there. Staring at me. Staring. And I couldn't get the trunk closed. His hand. I was alone.

[Detective Danny Clover]

All alone.

[Peggy Drake (emotional/distressed voice)]

His face staring at me.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Dawn touches Broadway now. The remnants of the night are driven back into the earth. You walk the streets. From behind a doorway you hear the old sound. The sound of weeping. You know the nighttime will never leave. It's found its refuge. It's Broadway. The gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world. Broadway. My beat.

[Announcer]

Broadway's My Beat stars Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover with Charles Calvert as Tartaglia and Jack Crucian as Mugavan. The program was produced and directed by Elliot Lewis with musical score composed and conducted by Alexander Courage. In tonight's story, Peggy Weber was heard as Peggy Drake, Ted Osborne as Harden Lawson, Anthony Barrett as Ray Brewer and Don diamond as Milford.

[Sergeant Tartaglia]

For a full.

[Announcer]

Hour of outstanding musical entertainment, plus one of radio's biggest cash awards play Sing It Again Every week over most of these CBS stations. Laugh along, win along with Jan Murray as he picks up his coast to coast telephone and invite you to Sing It Again and land a big batch of loot. It's exciting. It's outstanding radio entertainment. Stay tuned now for Sing It Again, which follows immediately over most of these same CBS stations. Bill Anders speaking. This is CBS where you meet Adventure with Charlie Wilde Sundays on the Columbia Broadcasting System.

[Detective Danny Clover]

SA.