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Phil Taylor
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Phil Taylor
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Phil Taylor
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Julia Parker
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Phil Taylor
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Phil Taylor
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Phil Taylor
My church too. I love it. I really do. 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 donating@ChoiceClassicRadio.com.
Narrator
The Equitable Society presents this is your FBI. This is your FBI, an official broadcast from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, presented as a public service by the equitable life assurance society of the United States and the equitable societies representative in your community. To your FBI, you look for national security and to the equitable society for financial security. These two great institutions are dedicated to the protection of you, your home and your country. Tonight's file, the allotment swindle. The war has now been over officially for 13 weeks. And all through the land, castles that crumbled two and three years ago are being rebuilt, being rebuilt because our servicemen are coming home from torrid China, from freezing Alaska, from Hungary, Europe, from all over the world, men are returning to this, their native land. In every man's life, there are moments of sheer exultation that tighten the muscles in his throat that make speaking impossible. Such a moment is being enjoyed by men this very day, being enjoyed as they sail into New York harbor, sail in past the lovely lady who still holds high the flaming torch, the torch they helped keep lit. Our story this evening opens in a small, unattractively furnished apartment on the west side of New York. Julia Parker, a sleazy blonde of 28, is half asleep in the secondhand Morris chair near the window. She is daydreaming, thinking of some of the men she could have married and of some of the men she did.
Julia Parker
Okay. Okay. Yeah. Juliet? Yeah?
Phil Taylor
Open up. It's me, honey. Bobby.
Julia Parker
Bobby who?
Phil Taylor
Your husband.
Julia Parker
My hat.
Phil Taylor
Julie. Julie. Baby.
Equitable Society Representative
Aw, gee.
Julia Parker
Oh, you.
Phil Taylor
Oh, honey, it's so good to see you. Gosh.
Julia Parker
Come on in.
Phil Taylor
Oh, sure. Just let me grab hold of this bag there. Oh, gosh, baby, this is what I've been waiting for.
Julia Parker
When'd you get in?
Phil Taylor
Yesterday. What a time I had trying to find you. This is the fifth address I tried.
Julia Parker
I moved.
Phil Taylor
Gee, you look swell. You know, I used to dream about this. When I'd be laying in a lousy hole filled with mud, I'd think about you.
Julia Parker
You getting out of the army?
Phil Taylor
Yeah. Got a 30 day furlough, then I go back to camp. Guy gives me a paper and I'm a civilian. Oh, great to see me, baby.
Julia Parker
Sure, it's wonderful.
Phil Taylor
Let me hold you again. Gee, you know something?
Julia Parker
What?
Phil Taylor
I almost feel embarrassed about this.
Julia Parker
What do you mean?
Phil Taylor
Well, like we were strangers or something.
Julia Parker
Strangers?
Phil Taylor
We only knew one another a couple of days before we got married. And me going right overseas. Well, we'll get over that. From now on, we're gonna be together for a long, long time. Right, baby?
Julia Parker
Yeah, sure.
Phil Taylor
Hey, got a couple of things for you in the bag.
Julia Parker
Presents?
Phil Taylor
Yeah.
Julia Parker
What kind of presents?
Phil Taylor
Oh, helmet. Nazi flag pictures. You wanna see Em?
Julia Parker
Not right now.
Phil Taylor
Oh, I can get them.
Julia Parker
No, wait. Let them go till after, huh?
Phil Taylor
Okay.
Julia Parker
I gotta go out for a minute first.
Equitable Society Representative
What for?
Julia Parker
Well, you must be hungry and I haven't got anything in the house to eat. Look, you get all cleaned up or something, huh? I'll be right back, honest. But, Julie, just make yourself at home. I'll see you later. Hello, Max.
Phil Taylor
Hi, Aunt Julie still around? Yeah. He's down the end of the bar.
Julia Parker
Theo.
Phil Taylor
Oh, hiya, baby.
Julia Parker
I gotta talk to you.
Phil Taylor
Okay.
Julia Parker
No, not here. This is important.
Phil Taylor
Now, come on back to the office.
Julia Parker
Okay.
Phil Taylor
What's the matter?
Narrator
You got trouble?
Julia Parker
Yeah.
Phil Taylor
What is it?
Julia Parker
I'll tell you inside.
Phil Taylor
Go ahead. What's wrong, kid?
Julia Parker
Bobby's home.
Phil Taylor
Bobby who?
Julia Parker
My husband.
Phil Taylor
Which one?
Julia Parker
The blonde one. Bobby Chase, I think his name is.
Phil Taylor
The marine or the sailor?
Julia Parker
The soldier. Oh, what am I gonna do? Phil?
Phil Taylor
How'd he find you?
Julia Parker
I don't know. He says he went to five addresses.
Phil Taylor
Tough. Give her up, huh?
Julia Parker
Well, after all, it was important to him.
Phil Taylor
I'm his wife, it says here.
Julia Parker
Look, this is real serious, Phil. What am I gonna do?
Phil Taylor
What does he want to do?
Julia Parker
He wants me to live with him. Naturally.
Phil Taylor
That wouldn't be fair to the other guys.
Julia Parker
It wouldn't be fair to you. Besides, what good is he now?
Phil Taylor
What do you mean?
Julia Parker
He's getting out of the army. No more allotment checks.
Phil Taylor
Oh, that's different. Where is he now?
Julia Parker
At the apartment, waiting for me to come back. Told him I was going shopping. I got to get back, Phil.
Phil Taylor
Yeah, all right. Go Ahead.
Julia Parker
Ain't you gonna do something?
Phil Taylor
Well, look, give me some time, will you? I'll have to figure an angle on this guy. I'll get in touch with you tomorrow.
Narrator
Back in the early days of the war, Bill and Julia hit upon the racket of having Julia marry servicemen who were about to be shipped out of the country. They repeated the process three times and with the aid of two forged birth certificates Julia was able to get $100 a month in dependency allotments. $100 a month for each of her husbands. It was a pretty good racket for Phil and Julia because all they had to do to collect their 300amonth was to wait for the postman to ring. Yes, it was a very good racket. And no one knows how long it would have gone on if the war hadn't suddenly ended. With the return of large numbers of servicemen to this country, allotment discrepancies began to turn up. Began to turn up in such alarming numbers that the Federal Bureau of Investigation was called in that morning in the New York offices of the FBI.
Phil Taylor
Oh, come on in, Lee. Okay. What's up? I've just been going over this list here. Tell me, all of those people are wanted? No. I guess maybe most of them are here by mistake. At least let's hope so. What is the list? Suspicious allotments being paid by the Army's Office of Dependency Benefits. All of these names are in the New York area only. Well, it'll take the whole Bureau to investigate that mob. I don't care if it does. Neither does Mr. Hoover. If they're all guilty, we'll bring them all in. Even if they have to build a dozen new jails to hold them. How are you gonna go about it? Well, first I thought we'd make a spot check on the whole list and get a percentage. Good idea. Then we'll know approximately how many of the whole mob will have to deal with. We'll make a 5% check. Sounds like enough. Suppose I take the list and have a new one made with 5% of the names. Go ahead. Now, how do you want me to pick the 5% at random? Just have Ms. Jenkins list every 20th name then break that new list down by neighborhoods. Right. When they're ready, we'll go to work.
Julia Parker
Mac, is Phil back in his office?
Phil Taylor
Yeah.
Julia Parker
Thanks. Excuse me, please.
Phil Taylor
Hi, Julie. Come on in. I just thinking about you.
Julia Parker
Well, that's very nice of you. I thought you were going to get in touch with me.
Phil Taylor
I didn't have anything to tell you.
Julia Parker
Well, I got plenty to tell you.
Phil Taylor
What's the beef now?
Julia Parker
The guy is driving me nuts all day. I got to sit around and look at souvenirs. What he said to the captain and what the captain said to him.
Phil Taylor
Okay, okay.
Julia Parker
And that ain't all. Remember that extra dough he sent home for me to save for him? That 2,800 bucks?
Phil Taylor
Yeah.
Julia Parker
Well, he wants it. He wants it right away.
Phil Taylor
What'd you tell him?
Julia Parker
Well, I couldn't say. I gave it to you. I said it was in the bank.
Phil Taylor
That ought to hold him for a while.
Julia Parker
Billy wants the dough right away. Gonna buy a lunchroom or something. And another thing.
Phil Taylor
Yeah?
Julia Parker
He wants me to go meet his father, folks.
Phil Taylor
Where?
Julia Parker
Boston.
Phil Taylor
When does he want to live?
Julia Parker
On the midnight train tonight. Look, Phil, you got it.
Phil Taylor
Wait a minute. I got an idea. Well, tell him you'd love to meet his folks. Tell him you're going with him. Only you don't take the train.
Julia Parker
You want I should walk?
Phil Taylor
Listen, go back and tell him. Your brother will drive you both up.
Julia Parker
My brother?
Phil Taylor
Yeah.
Julia Parker
Me, Phil, he can't meet you.
Phil Taylor
Why not?
Julia Parker
Well, if he was to know about it.
Phil Taylor
Look, all he has to know is I'm your brother. I'll take care of the rest.
Julia Parker
What's the idea?
Phil Taylor
You'll see. This guy is good for one more touch, baby. A big one. Bill, would you like me to drive for a while?
Narrator
No, no, I'm okay.
Julia Parker
Bill likes to drive.
Phil Taylor
With a road like this, I don't blame him. How was the driving on the other side, Bobby? Oh, not so good. Even when we found a good road, it was full of shallows. Guess you had kind of a rough deal, huh? Yeah, it was rugged.
Julia Parker
Sometimes Bobby don't like to talk about it much.
Phil Taylor
Phil getting out next month. I want to forget about the army. Sure, sure. I can't envy you, though. Must have been a great experience. I try to enlist myself. I know, Phil. Bobby, tell me something. What? Did you guys ever think about dying? Bill, I'm just asking a question. We thought about it plenty of times. Well, you have insurance, don't you? Oh, sure. GI Insurance. I got $10,000 worth. That don't help much if you stop at Bullitt, of course, but at least I know Julie'd be okay.
Julia Parker
That was very sweet of you, Bobby.
Phil Taylor
Well, can you keep that insurance up? Yeah, sure. I'm keeping mine.
Julia Parker
Just for me, Bobby.
Phil Taylor
Just for you. Uh. Oh. What's the matter? Oh, that left rear tire feels a little flat. Wait till I take a look at it. You Need a light? No, I got a flash right here. Yeah, it's going flat. Guess I'll have to change it. Can I give you a hand? Yeah. Okay. Get the jack and the lug wrench from the back there, will you? Sure. It's open.
Equitable Society Representative
Just lift it up and reach in.
Phil Taylor
All right.
Julia Parker
Can I help him?
Phil Taylor
No, no.
Equitable Society Representative
Just stay put.
Phil Taylor
Here they are. You want to set that jack under there? Yeah, sure. How about here? That's fine. Ever wonder what life is like with a phantom screen? It's magic. It is? Oh, wow. Wow, wow, wow. Wow, wow, wow, wow. What is that? This is amazing. Retractable screens for your home. Make life. Visit phantomscreens.com podbean your message amplified.
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Ready to share your message with the world? Start your podcast journey with Podbean.
Julia Parker
Podbean, the AI powered all in one podcast platform.
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Phil Taylor
Use Podbean to record your podcast.
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Phil Taylor
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Phil Taylor
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Julia Parker
So what happened?
Phil Taylor
What do you think?
Julia Parker
Oh, now I'm an heiress.
Narrator
We momentarily close the Equitable Society's presentation of the FBI file on the allotment swindle. We will return to this case in just a moment.
Equitable Society Representative
One of the most meaningful words in the English language is security. According to the dictionary, it means freedom from fear, anxiety or care. Freedom from doubt or uncertainty. To one man, security calls up a picture of a little house which he owns free and clear, so that no one can ever take it away from him. Another man thinks of protection against the hazards of illness and accident. A third sees himself receiving a regular monthly check during his old age. A fourth wants to be sure that no matter what happens to him, his children will get a good education and his wife will never be dependent on charity. For 86 years, men and women have been bringing these and scores of other security problems to the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. Now, please take particular note of that word society in the Equitable's name. Society means that the Equitable Society is entirely owned by its members, that is to say, by its policyholders. In other words, all the officers and employees of the Equitable Society from President Parkinson down, who are working for the members and are always ready to give problems their personal attention. So no matter what kind of financial security a member may seek, he can be sure that the Equitable Society will do Its utmost to help him attain that freedom from fear, anxiety or care, which makes him a happier man and a better citizen. Yes, by serving its members, the equitable society serves America. And now back to the file on the allotment swindle.
Narrator
The basic ingredient in the character of a criminal is greed. The unhealthy desire to acquire what belongs to someone else without doing any work. Bill and Julia, being well supplied with greed, had evolved a novel racket. A racket particularly well suited to the times. Julia's three illegal marriages to servicemen about to be shipped overseas so she and Phil could defraud the government out of the allotments was a serious enough crime. But now, with their greed out of control, they had compounded the felony they had committed. Murder. Bobby's body was found the next morning and quickly identified as the body of Private Robert Chase. It was removed to the local morgue and the death was marked down as having been committed by a hit and run driver the next afternoon in the New York office of the FBI.
Phil Taylor
Can I come in, Nick? Come ahead, Lee. How have you been doing? I think I may have something. Really? Yeah. I paid a call a couple of hours ago on one of the names on our list. Mrs. Robert Chase. Yes. Before I could even identify myself, she gave me a very teary greeting and went into a long spiel about her husband's insurance. Oh? It seems he was killed last night in a hit and run accident up in Massachusetts. I see. She evidently thought I was the insurance man. When I told her who I really was, she seemed quite startled. What's your background? According to the allotment records, she's been getting money for herself and two children. You check on that? Yes. I talked to several of her neighbors. They've never seen any youngsters. Where was the husband killed? Near a town called Highland, Mass. Lee, I think this one's worth a thorough investigation.
Narrator
Special Agent Prize telephone the morgue at Highland, Massachusetts, and learned that the army was claiming the body the next day to take it for burial with military honors in the Chase family plot. Because of his suspicions, Price ordered the body held for further examination. And that night he and Special Agent Adams left for Highland. The next morning at the morgue.
Phil Taylor
Here's the body, gentlemen. Poor devil. Yes. Was there anything on his uniform, Doctor? Any marks? Yes, there were some tire marks where the car had apparently run over him. What do you mean apparently? Wasn't he run over? Yes, he was. But with what, Doctor? That isn't what killed him. He was killed by a blow at the base of the skull? How do you know that? Well, there was blood there and it was clotted. If he had been killed in the accident with the car and then sustained the injury to his skull, the whole appearance would have been different. Can I join you, Doc? Oh, yes. Joe, I want you to meet Mr. Price, Mr. Adams. They're from the FBI. This is Joe Benton. He's with our local police. How do you do? I heard you were coming, gentlemen, so I got this stuff ready. What is it? It's a set of plaster casts of some tire tracks. Now, how'd you get them? Isn't the road paved? Yes, but these were off the road.
Narrator
They're real good ones.
Phil Taylor
Rained the night before. Tell me, did the track show that the car backed up about 15ft, then when it started forward, it went back onto the road? Yeah. Doesn't seem to be much doubt from what Dr. Jones says that Private Chase was murdered. Well, how do you figure that? Well, let's assume that he was murdered by the people in this car that ran over him. They want the murder to look like a hit and run accident. Yeah. So they dragged the body out onto the road and back up and run over it. Yes. So thanks for having the foresight to get these casts of the tar prints made, Benton. Oh, glad to be of any help. Now, Dr. Jones. Yes? One more thing. Can you tell me what instrument was used on Chase's skull? Well, I'd say it was straight, like an iron bar. I see. Thank you, gentlemen. Oh, that's all. Goodbye. Goodbye. Should I call New York now and have him pick me up Mrs. Chase? No, I don't think so. Why yet? Don't you think she did it? I think she was in on it, but she's not smart enough to be working alone. You want to put a watch on her? Yes. She should lead us where we want to go.
Julia Parker
Just a minute. Who is it?
Phil Taylor
Me, Phil.
Julia Parker
Oh, okay. You got my message, huh?
Phil Taylor
Yeah.
Julia Parker
Thought you'd never get here. I got so scared, Phil, I didn't know what to do. I was.
Phil Taylor
How do you know the guy was from the FBI?
Julia Parker
He showed me a badge or something.
Phil Taylor
What do you want?
Julia Parker
Well, nothing, really.
Phil Taylor
Talk sense, will you? He must have wanted something.
Julia Parker
Well, he said he was looking for some guy broke out of jail.
Phil Taylor
Why'd he come here?
Julia Parker
He said they were looking all through the building.
Phil Taylor
Now, that was a phony. Did he ask about your husband?
Julia Parker
No, he didn't seem to care about that. Not even when I told him he'd been killed.
Phil Taylor
Well, how'd you come to tell him.
Julia Parker
That I thought he was the insurance man.
Phil Taylor
Oh, you stupid.
Julia Parker
Well, how was I to know?
Phil Taylor
We ain't seeing any insurance man.
Julia Parker
Why not?
Phil Taylor
We got a bump steer on our 10 GS. What do you mean you don't get him? No, lump. I checked up today. You get a measly 36 bucks a month for life.
Julia Parker
Oh, that's awful.
Phil Taylor
Well, that's the deal, sweetheart. And you may not even get that.
Julia Parker
Why?
Phil Taylor
FBI came here for some reason. And I guarantee you it's not the one they gave you.
Julia Parker
How would they know anything was wrong?
Phil Taylor
That happens to be the business they're in.
Julia Parker
What do we do?
Phil Taylor
You gotta blow, Tom. Oh, fair and fast, baby. You're getting out tonight. I can put you up at Chuck's place for a couple of months.
Julia Parker
In the country?
Narrator
Yep.
Julia Parker
With all them trees.
Phil Taylor
Maybe it's better to look at trees than be hanging from them. Meet me at my garage at 12:00 tonight. Say, Nick, I've got the report on the Chase children's birth certificates. Fakes like a three dollar bill. I thought so. Well, what do we do now? Well, one thing we've got to do is to see whether our candidate has a car. Who's our candidate? I wasn't here when he was nominated. Fellow named Phil Taylor. How does he fit into the picture? Well, he endorsed every one of Mrs. Chase's allotment checks. Who is he, a check cashier? No, he's just a petty larceny crook. Done time a couple of times, but all small stuff. Well, if he's mixed up in this, he graduated to the big leagues. Yes, this is the man we want. What else have we got on? He paid a call on Mrs. Chase this afternoon. Why don't we grab Taylor? We can't prove anything against him yet. It's not against the law to cash government checks, you know. You don't look as unhappy as you should. I'm gambling on a hunch. I'm having a check now. Anything else come in from the Massachusetts police? No, not a thing. But they did enough price talking. Yes, yes, let me write down those dates. That's fine. Thank you. That was Johnson down at City Hall. Lee. Yes. When Robert Chase was married, his bride gave her maiden name as Julia Prescott. That was a mistake. Why? Because two years before that, on September 11, 1940, this same Julia Prescott was married to our suspect, Phil Taylor.
Julia Parker
Phil, I don't like this one bit.
Narrator
Ah, country air will do you good.
Julia Parker
Oh, sure, sure. Can't you come along?
Phil Taylor
Because I happen to have a business to take care of.
Julia Parker
Well, I ain't staying up there any two months. You can bet doe on that.
Phil Taylor
Look, baby, if the law nails you, two months will seem like a real short time.
Julia Parker
I got a good mind to go back to one of my other husbands.
Phil Taylor
Stop your beefing.
Julia Parker
It's open. You don't need no keys. The garage door is open.
Phil Taylor
That's funny. Come on. Wait a minute. I'll put on a light. Okay, just stay where you are, both of you. Who are you guys? Mrs. Chase should remember.
Julia Parker
He's from the FBI.
Phil Taylor
That's right. What do you want? We've been comparing this plastic cast with your left rear tire. It matches perfectly. Bill, this lug wrench is important evidence, too. Well, you get your way, Julie. You ain't going to the country.
Narrator
On the strength of the evidence uncovered by the special agents of the FBI Bill and Julia Taylor were tried and convicted for the murder of Robert Chase. The racket broken up by the FBI tonight was a wartime racket. But do not labor under the misapprehension that the underworld will not find peacetime rackets. They will. The FBI will continue to stamp out as many rackets and as many racketeers as possible. The FBI can help, but only you can really put a blockade on the underworld. Only you, by a concerted effort, can starve them out of their positions and force them to seek other means of livelihood. The servicemen now coming home after years of privation are returning to a country they've been dreaming about. They deserve to have you do your part to make their dreams come true. You will hear about next week's case in just a moment.
Equitable Society Representative
This week at the Equitable Society, I happened to go up in the elevator with the secretary of the society. You know, he said to me, I'm a very determined man. About a month ago, my wife started talking about buying a dog, a Scotty. I said, no. Dogs bark. I said, dogs chew up rugs. Dogs have to be walked. We're not going to have a dog, and that's that. Well, he continued, that little Scotty and I are great pals already. He's the friendliest little pup you ever saw. Sure, my face is red, but I'll bet a lot of Equitable Society members know just how I feel. I'm thinking of all the people who say they don't want any life insurance, don't need any life insurance, and then.
Narrator
One day you hear them bragging about.
Equitable Society Representative
How smart they were to buy it. Especially from the Equitable Society. Yes, it's a great business. We're in this Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. Think of how many happy people there are in this world because an Equitable Society agent kept on trying. Think of all the old folks that are enjoying security and independence. Think of all the kids who are getting good educations because someone from the Equitable Society didn't get discouraged, didn't quit. And that's why it's so important for every one of us in the Equitable Organization to keep plugging. Not to be disheartened by the perfectly natural human instinct to say no.
Phil Taylor
Yes.
Equitable Society Representative
For only by keeping our organization alert and progressive are we able to say that this week and every week for 86 years the equitable Society has been building security for you, your home and your country.
Narrator
Next week we will bring you another colorful story from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Bobby Sox Bandits. The incidents used in tonight's Equitable Societies broadcast Are taken from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. However, all names used are fictitious and any similarity thereof to the names of persons, living or dead is accidental. Programs in this series of particular interest to servicemen and women are broadcast overseas through the worldwide facilities of the Armed Forces Radio Service tonight. The music was under the direction of Frederick Steiner. The author was Jerry D. Lewis. This is your FBI is a Jerry Devine production. This is your narrator, Dean Carlton, speaking for the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States and the Equitable Society's representative in your community. And inviting you to tune in again next week at this same time. For this is your FBI. This is the American Broadcasting Company.
Podcast: Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Episode: This Is Your FBI: The Allotment Swindle (Original air date: 11/16/1945)
Summary Date: October 5, 2025
This vintage radio drama episode of This Is Your FBI explores "The Allotment Swindle"—a criminal scheme set in the wake of World War II, where a woman and her accomplice exploit government dependency allotments by orchestrating multiple, fraudulent wartime marriages. The episode weaves together themes of post-war adjustment, greed, and the diligent work of the FBI. It’s a compelling snapshot of both the period’s anxieties and the enduring vigilance of law enforcement.
Julia Parker, an opportunistic woman, is living in a shabby New York apartment, visited by her husband Bobby Chase, recently returned from the Army.
Quick revelations:
Julia has moved several times, making herself hard to find.
She married Bobby quickly before he shipped out.
Julia is emotionally distant; conversation hints at ulterior motives.
Bobby brings souvenirs, but Julia is uninterested, indicating a lack of real affection.
Notable Quote:
"We only knew one another a couple of days before we got married. And me going right overseas. Well, we'll get over that. From now on, we're gonna be together for a long, long time. Right, baby?"
— Bobby Chase (04:51)
Julia steps out, meets Phil Taylor (her lover and accomplice), and reveals her distress: Bobby, one of her multiple husbands, has arrived home.
The pair discuss how Julia married various servicemen as part of a scam, collecting government allotment checks from each.
Notable Quote:
"He's getting out of the army. No more allotment checks."
— Julia Parker (06:57)
They acknowledge that Bobby’s return—and the war’s end—threatens their scheme.
A new scene with FBI agents, who have flagged suspicious Army dependency payments.
The Bureau begins a systematic investigation to uncover the scope of the swindle.
“Neither does Mr. Hoover. If they're all guilty, we'll bring them all in. Even if they have to build a dozen new jails to hold them.”
— FBI Agent (08:46)
The trio (Julia, Bobby, Phil) drive toward Boston. Conversation turns from casual to tense.
Bobby’s GI insurance is discussed, foreshadowing darker motives.
"Well, you have insurance, don't you?"
— Phil Taylor (12:35)
A tire “goes flat,” the party pulls over, and the pretense unravels; the scene implies Bobby is murdered ("Oh, now I'm an heiress." — Julia, 14:43).
The body of Bobby Chase is found—the death staged as a hit-and-run.
The FBI, led by Agent Price, grows suspicious after interviewing “Mrs. Chase” (Julia). They discover irregularities:
Julia claimed to have two children—neighbors never saw them; birth certificates are fake.
They link Phil Taylor, a petty criminal, to the case through forged endorsements on checks and marriage records.
Notable Quote:
“Lee, I think this one's worth a thorough investigation.”
— FBI Agent Price (18:59)
In Massachusetts, forensic evidence proves Bobby was murdered (not an accident). The FBI puts Julia under surveillance, hoping she’ll lead them to Phil.
Julia prepares to flee with Phil's help but is uneasy.
At Phil’s garage, the FBI confronts and arrests both with hard evidence:
Plastic casts of tire tracks match their car.
The murder weapon (the lug wrench) is found.
Notable Quote:
"Well, you get your way, Julie. You ain't going to the country."
— Phil Taylor (25:58)
The narrator confirms their conviction for murder and warns listeners about ongoing rackets.
On Motivation:
“The basic ingredient in the character of a criminal is greed. The unhealthy desire to acquire what belongs to someone else without doing any work.”
— Narrator (17:07)
On Julia’s Calculating Nature:
"He's getting out of the army. No more allotment checks."
— Julia Parker (06:57)
On the FBI’s Resolve:
"If they're all guilty, we'll bring them all in. Even if they have to build a dozen new jails to hold them."
— FBI Agent (08:46)
On the Racket’s Fate:
"Well, you get your way, Julie. You ain't going to the country."
— Phil Taylor (25:58)
This episode is a gripping tale about how wartime chaos breeds opportunity for both heroism and criminal enterprise. While Julia and Phil exploit a system designed to support real sacrifice, the diligence of the FBI ultimately brings them to justice. The episode closes with a call to citizens to remain vigilant, and a promise that the FBI’s work continues tirelessly—both then and now.