Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: The Deadly Chain Matter 08/02/1959

Summary

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Podcast Episode Summary

Podcast: Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio

Episode: Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: The Deadly Chain Matter (08/02/1959)

Date: December 1, 2025

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Main Theme

This episode features “The Deadly Chain Matter,” a sharp, suspense-filled old-time radio mystery starring Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar, America’s “fabulous freelance insurance investigator.” The episode delves into a classic chain-letter scam targeting wealthy retirees, quickly escalating into attempted violence. Johnny is called in to both protect the eccentric millionaire Alvin Peabody Cartwright and pursue the criminals behind an apparently deadly racket.

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Key Discussion Points & Story Breakdown

1. The Emergency Call

• [00:49] Johnny receives a quirky, urgent phone call from Alvin Peabody Cartwright, a wealthy eccentric and repeated target for fraud—this time claiming his life is in danger from a threatening chain letter.
• "Johnny, I'm being threatened." – Cartwright ([01:28])
• Dollar is immediately suspicious, recalling Cartwright’s history of false alarms and eccentric fears, but is persuaded by Cartwright’s threats to cancel his lucrative insurance.

2. The Chain Letter Explained & Its Victims

• [04:33 - 07:48] At Cartwright's home, he presents the chain letter—promising fortune for compliance and “dire disaster” for breaking the chain within a dozen dozen (144) hours.
• Cartwright claims two wealthy friends died after failing to continue the chain, drawing Johnny’s skepticism on mere coincidence and the manipulative power of superstitious fear.
• "They all work on the same principle. They all contain a threat, and they all capitalize on fear." – Johnny Dollar ([11:41])
• Johnny quips about the hollow promises and exposes the financial scam element, as the letter requests $100 be sent to "Daniel Stringer" at a New York P.O. box.

3. Investigation and Danger

• [09:53 - 13:21] Johnny investigates further, noting the law prohibits all chain letters. He and Cartwright discuss how easily criminals can buy lists of wealthy people to target.
• As Johnny tries to phone the police, the line is found cut—escalating the tension and suggesting real danger may be present.
• "Maybe I was wrong, Mr. Cartwright. Your phone wire has been cut." – Johnny Dollar ([13:03])

4. Night Attack and Aftermath

• [13:34 - 15:09] Johnny is attacked while inspecting the phone line; Cartwright bravely knocks out the assailant with a cricket bat and locks him in the broom closet.
• The attacker only admits he was hired by “someone in New York” to beat Cartwright and make it look like a burglary.

5. The Racket Unraveled

• [16:23 - 18:05] Johnny calls Lieutenant Randy Singer of the NYPD and sets up a stakeout for the P.O. box owner. Meanwhile, Johnny and Cartwright warn other local victims not to comply with the letter, underlining the legal dangers.
• "If you do, it'll be a violation of federal law. That's right. And you could end up in prison for it." – Johnny Dollar ([17:29])

6. Culprit Apprehended & Closing

• [18:05 - 18:53] Lt. Singer catches Daniel Stringer—who possesses dozens of cash-filled letters and more blank letters ready to target Pennsylvania next.
• "He was opening... must have been 50, 60 letters he got. Chain letters and, Johnny, you know what he was taking out of them? Thousands." – Lt. Randy Singer ([18:24])
• Johnny advises listeners to report all chain letters to the postal authorities, emphasizing their illegality and exploitative nature.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• Cartwright's Eccentric Urgency:
  "If you fail to come here and protect me against this threat, only two things can happen. First, I can be murdered. And second, I'll cancel all the rest of the insurance I have." – Cartwright ([02:02])

• Exposing the Scam:
  "They all work on the same principle. They all contain a threat, and they all capitalize on fear." – Johnny Dollar ([11:41])

• Actual Danger Realized:
  "Maybe I was wrong, Mr. Cartwright. Your phone wire has been cut." – Johnny Dollar ([13:03])

• Cartwright’s Bravery:
  "I sneaked out after you and I took along an old cricket bat... when I saw what he was doing to you, I let him have it with all I had." – Cartwright ([14:49])

• The Climax—The Ringleader Caught:
  "I watched him unload the post office box myself… When I nabbed him, he was opening… must have been 50, 60 letters he got… Thousands. Enough money to hold him on suspicion of almost anything." – Lt. Randy Singer ([18:05–18:30])

• Final Word of Advice:
  "If you get [a chain letter], take it right down to your local postmaster. He’ll know how to go about helping to stamp out this racket. And believe me, that’s all it is. A racket." – Johnny Dollar ([18:53])

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:49 – 02:15] — Cartwright’s urgent call and setup
• [04:33 – 07:48] — Explanation of the chain letter, its dangers and psychology
• [09:53 – 11:47] — Detailed breakdown of the scam mechanics and legalities
• [13:03 – 16:23] — Attack, the reality of danger, and aftermath
• [16:40 – 18:05] — Reaching out to NYPD and warnings to other victims
• [18:05 – 18:53] — Culprit caught, discussion with Lt. Singer, and Johnny’s closing advice

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Tone and Style

• The dialogue brims with classic wit and brisk, hardboiled humor between Dollar and Cartwright (“You’re sure this isn’t just some? ...a couple of times in the past...”, [01:48]).
• The pacing rapidly shifts from skeptical banter to tense action, then closes with strong moral clarity and public service advice.

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Summary Takeaway

This “Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar” episode is a prime example of Golden Age radio—not only serving up suspense and lighthearted repartee, but also delivering a serious, surprisingly modern warning about scams, fraud, and the power of fear. Johnny drives home that even “little” chain letters are illegal and exploitative, calling audiences to stamp them out—not spread them on.

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Transcript

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[Johnny Dollar]

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]. Johnny Dollar.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Well, now, that's nice. What can I do for you?

[Johnny Dollar]

I beg your pardon?

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

It's quite all rise. And it's granted. Granted. And now that's all you have to say?

[Johnny Dollar]

No. Wait a minute.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Who are you? Wait a minute. What for? I'm busy. I'm a busy man.

[Johnny Dollar]

Alvin Peabody Cartwright.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Who?

[Johnny Dollar]

You.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

That's right. Cartwright.

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, what are you calling about, Mr. Caright?

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Calling.

[Lieutenant Randy Singer]

Who?

[Johnny Dollar]

Me?

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Who are you?

[Johnny Dollar]

Johnny Dollar. Listen.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Well, Johnny, what a fortunate coincidence. You're just the man I want to talk to. Coincident, of course, that you happen to call me this way.

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, I'm afraid it was the other way around. What's on your mind, Mr. Cartwright?

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Johnny, I'm being threatened.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oops. Again?

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Yes, sir. And since my life is insured by the Continental Insurance and Trust Company, well, that makes it an insurance matter.

[Johnny Dollar]

Yeah, well, now, look.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

And I refuse to let anybody but you look into such matters. So, Johnny, I want you to come over here to Lakewood and see me right away.

[Johnny Dollar]

Mr. Cartwright, you're sure this isn't just some. Some? Yes. Well, you know, a couple of times in the past, that is. These emergency calls are yours.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

You think I'm joking? Well, I'm not. You failed to come here and protect me against this.

[Johnny Dollar]

This.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

This threat. And only two things can happen. First, I can be murdered.

[Johnny Dollar]

And.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

And second, I'll cancel all the rest of the insurance I have with that.

[Johnny Dollar]

Company after you've been murdered.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

And so you get yourself on over here right away.

[Johnny Dollar]

Uh, Mr. Cut? Hello? Well, here we go again. And yet, I wonder. CBS radio brings you Bob Bailey in the exciting adventures of the man with the action packed expense account, America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator. Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Expense account submitted by special investigator Johnny Dollar to the Continental Insurance and Trust Company home office, Hartford, Connecticut. Following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the deadly chain matter. Thanks to Alvin Peabody Cartwright, I've been involved now and then in some real wild cases, real crazy. On the other hand, he's an erratic old eccentric, but extremely wealthy. As a result, he's not only been the target of a lot of rackets, but has come very close to being murdered more than once. So, item one on the expense account. A dollar for a taxi to the office of Bill Ferguson at Continental Insurance and Trust. No, Johnny, he hasn't said a word to me. Can he tell you what kind of threat he's received? No, Bill, as usual, he told me nothing. Well, it doesn't matter. But with the millions worth of insurance we've written for Cartwright, and I mean millions, and to be sure we don't lose his account or some other company, well, we can afford to pamper him a bit. Which is to say, we can, well afford to pay your expense account, even if all he wants to do is say hello to you. Okay, then, Bill. I'll run over to his home in Lakewood and see him. Of course, if he really is being threatened, don't worry. I'll let you know about him. Expense account item 2. 570 mileage on my car to Lakewood. For my money, it's one of the prettiest little towns in all of New England, home of a lot of wealthy retired people. The Cartwright place, where the old man lives alone, sits on top of a low hill at one side of the lake, with two or three acres surrounding the fine old house. Hi, Mr. Cartwright.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Johnny. Dolly. Oh, well, this is an unexpected pleasure.

[Johnny Dollar]

Unexpected.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Come in, boy. Come in, come in.

[Johnny Dollar]

Thanks. Well, sir, how are you this fine July afternoon?

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Afternoon? It's almost evening. Can't you see that?

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, how are you, anyway?

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Oh, I'm terrible, John. Oh, I'm just terrible. That rainy weather the past couple of days, I've hardly been able to talk.

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, there's been nothing wrong with today. A lot of nice, warm sunshine today.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Oh, today feeling fine. Whatever made you think otherwise? And tell me, whatever brought you here to Lakewood?

[Johnny Dollar]

A phone call, Mr. Cartwright. Oh, yeah? From you. You said you wanted to see me right away.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

I said I want to see. Oh, yeah. Oh, of course I did. And you know why?

[Johnny Dollar]

Why, sir?

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Because I refuse to do anything foolish, that's why. And yet if I don't, Johnny, I'll get myself killed just like Hector Kenworthy and Alpheus J. Perriman if you don't.

[Johnny Dollar]

What, Mr. Cartwright?

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Carry on the chain Lesser. I received.

[Johnny Dollar]

Now, wait a minute.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

That's a fact. That's a fact. Look here at this. I read you see what it says? Continue. This chain, it says, and you will not only receive a lot of money when your name reaches the top of the list, but in exactly a dozen dozen hours. A dozen dozen hours is exactly six days. I figured that one out.

[Johnny Dollar]

Yeah, yeah. Well, go on reathing. Yes.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Now, here, in exactly a dozen dozen hours, you will have unexpected great good luck. But if you break the chain in a dozen dozen hours, dire disaster will overtake you.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh, now, look, look, surely you don't believe that kind of junk.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

This very same letter was received by the two friends of mine I mentioned. Paramin out in Chicago, Kenworthy out in Los Angeles. They broke the chain. In exactly six days they were both dead. Co. Oh, no, no, sir. This is a vicious, murderous racket. I'm sure of it.

[Johnny Dollar]

Why do you say that, Mr. Car?

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Because of the way they died, Johnny. Ah, yes.

[Johnny Dollar]

Then maybe you'd better tell me about. But.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Johnny, my good friend Kenworthy out in Los Angeles died exactly six days after he broke the chain of these letters just the way the letter said he would.

[Johnny Dollar]

Coincidence, I tell you, Mr. Cartwright. Or at most a result of some superstitious fear that the letter instilled in him.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

No, sir.

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, that's what these chain letters do. They hold out that phony, hollow promise of giving you something for nothing, and they scare you into doing it. Work on your superstition, Johnny. And if you think superstition is dead in this enlightened age, you're wrong. Why, some of these chain letters even include a religious sounding prayer for good luck. And you know the only people who profit by the letters that ask to send money? The people who start them, or maybe one or two others out of the millions who sent them along. Millions of suckers.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

But, Johnny, that isn't.

[Johnny Dollar]

Look, ask anybody you know, anybody who's ever carried on the chain. How much did they get out of it? Nothing.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Well, now, this one is only for an exclusive group of wealthy retired people.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh, sure, but take my word for it, it's worthless.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

But don't you.

[Johnny Dollar]

Even if it's one of those that doesn't require sending any money, you can be sure the crook who got it going either has some ulterior purpose or he's just a plain crackpot. Anybody who gets scared into going on with it ought to have his head examined.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Johnny, will you listen to.

[Johnny Dollar]

And if they want you to send money. Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Cartwright. Go ahead. Just how did your friend in Los Angeles die after the dozen times a dozen hours had passed?

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Yes, well, now, the same as my other friend, Alpheus Parryman in Chicago. Yeah, well, they were both of them run over by a hit and run driver at exactly the time the chain letters said disaster would overtake them.

[Johnny Dollar]

You know they're against the law, don't you? Chain letters for any purpose.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Of course they are, and they should be. But you just listen to this. And this is why I'm worried.

[Johnny Dollar]

Yeah.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

A dozen dozen hours after he received this letter and carried on the chain, Admiral Parley Baron came into a great fortune.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh, sure.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Yeah. You see now? And this one, Adjutant General Frederick Melchior was suddenly and miraculously cured of cancer.

[Johnny Dollar]

Same old junk.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

No, no, no, no. Listen, now listen. But a dozen dozen hours after Hector Kenworthy of Los Angeles broke the chain. Ask my friend Johnny.

[Johnny Dollar]

That Hector. Yes, I know.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

And after A.J. perryman of Chicago broke the chain, they were both dead. There, you see that?

[Johnny Dollar]

Right here. Let me see.

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[Johnny Dollar]

And if you break the chain, beware. The same thing can happen to you. It will happen to you. Yeah, I know.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

You see, Johnny.

[Johnny Dollar]

I think maybe you're right. This is the same kind of scare stuff, but it goes a little bit too far.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

It isn't the hundred dollars. I'm supposed to say.

[Johnny Dollar]

$100.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Yes. $100 in cash to the name at the top of the list.

[Johnny Dollar]

Exclusive list of honest, wealthy, retired people.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Exactly. And do you know who else has received one? Dylan Lakewood.

[Johnny Dollar]

Who?

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Mrs. Templeman, the rich widow who lives over at Piney Woods. And Wilfred W. Winterbottom, the retired oral millionaire.

[Johnny Dollar]

This name at the top, the one who gets the hundred bucks, Mr. Daniel Stringer.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Yes. Is the address care of Post Office Box 101, New York, Zone 84.

[Johnny Dollar]

New York. I don't know what part of New York that postal zone is, but believe me, I'm gonna find out. You are?

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

What do you mean? You're not gonna leave me.

[Johnny Dollar]

I'm not just gonna sit here.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

But don't you see, the dozen times a dozen hours are over for me.

[Johnny Dollar]

And you're superstitious, too. Enough to be scared by the threat in this chain letter. Enough to maybe hurt yourself by doing some fool thing or other. Because you are scared.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

No, John, no. Why, of course not.

[Johnny Dollar]

All right, then I'm gonna get you a bodyguard from the local police. Where's your phone?

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

There on the stand in the corner. But now, Johnny, if the police come around, wouldn't that warn anybody who might be coming here to harm me?

[Johnny Dollar]

Mr. Cartwright? Yes, Johnny, there are times when I think you're. Well, I think a lot of things about you.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Oh, sure, I know. Yes. Wild and crazy eccentric old man you am. Maybe I am a little bit.

[Johnny Dollar]

But when the chips are down, you're no fool. Oh, now, I wouldn't be too sure about that. I've never really given much thought to this chain letter thing before. Sure, I've tossed some of them into the wastebasket, but maybe I should have investigated them, even the little ones, because they all work on the same principle. They all contain a threat, and they all capitalize on fear.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Look.

[Johnny Dollar]

Look at that. It says exclusive list of honest, wealthy, retired people. Yes. Why, a list like that can be bought from a hundred sources, from companies that cater to. Yes, of course, maybe I'm all wrong. But suppose somebody bought a list of wealthy people all over the country.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Suppose he went to Los Angeles, where Kenworthy lives.

[Johnny Dollar]

Yeah. Suppose he rented a post office box, then he sent out a couple of hundred of these letters, Maybe a thousand. A lot of rich people live out there. The letters were all the same, with his name at the top of the list. Then half a dozen fictitious ones.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Fictitious?

[Johnny Dollar]

Yeah. Any names on that list that you recognize? No. All right, so maybe only a hundred people were scared into sending the money carrying on the chain. After all, like you said, it isn't $100.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

You're right, Johnny. And a hundred people at $100 a.

[Johnny Dollar]

Piece, 10,000 bucks even. Half of that would make it worth sending out those letters. By the time the six days are up, he's collected enough so he skips town.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

And people like Kenworthy and Palemen, you think he'd kill them to carry out the warning?

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, frankly, I doubt it. Just the same, I think I'll call the Lakewood police and have somebody sent out here to look after you.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Even though.

[Johnny Dollar]

Even though.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

What is it, Johnny?

[Johnny Dollar]

Maybe I was wrong, Mr. Cartwright. Your phone wire has been cut.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Johnny, the phone? The telephone isn't working.

[Johnny Dollar]

Ask me, Mr. Cartwright, somebody's cut the wires.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Then the threat in that letter, it means that somebody's come here to carry it out.

[Johnny Dollar]

Only one way to make sure. You stay inside here while I go out and take a look Around.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Maybe that's what they want you to do. Go out there in the dark, huh? Johnny, I'm going with you.

[Johnny Dollar]

No, you're staying right here. I'll be back in a minute.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

But there may be some danger.

[Johnny Dollar]

Or it may be that your phone is just out of order. We'll see. There was enough moonlight for me to see where the line off the telephone pole led to a connector box at the back end of the house. There wasn't enough light for me to notice a trailing vine as I edged my way along. So what happened? I tripped and fell flat on my face before I could get back up on my feet. So you come out to see what was wrong.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

You were, Mr. Cartwright for not reading your mail real good.

[Johnny Dollar]

When I finally came to, found myself on a big leather sofa in one corner of Mr. Car's library, my head felt like it had been the target for a bolt of lightning. And the lightning hadn't missed. A familiar face slowly came into focus.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

That's right, Johnny. Another little sip of this brandy and you feel much better.

[Johnny Dollar]

Mr. Conrad.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Here you are.

[Johnny Dollar]

Thanks. Thanks.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

I was afraid there might be somebody out there, so I sneaked on out after you. And I took along an old cricket bat.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh, no.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Yes. And when I saw what he was doing to you, I let him have it with all I had was slayed him.

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, who is he? Where is he?

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

I had an awful time dragging him into the house, but I did it, Johnny. Yes, indeed, I did it. And I locked him up in the broom closet, too. I locked him up tight.

[Johnny Dollar]

Good. I told you you're okay when the chips are down.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Oh, it's just that I caught him off guard.

[Johnny Dollar]

Sure. But now if I can get up on my feet.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Yes, the boy.

[Johnny Dollar]

Yeah, I think I'd like to talk to him. Our visitor turned out to be a pug. Ugly gorilla. Hardly the brains behind a chain letter racket. Except for admitting he'd been hired by somebody in New York to come up here and give Mr. Cartwright a beating that'd make it look like a burglary job. He refused to talk, so we locked him up again, and I laid my splitting head on a pillow for some much needed rest. By the time I awoke in the morning feeling somewhat better, Mr. Cartwright had fixed me a mess of bacon and eggs for breakfast.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

It's you, Johnny. I just walked down to Corner gas station and called the telephone company. And you know something? They came out here and had that line all connected up again in less than an hour, just like that. So maybe I'll buy a couple thousand more shares of stock in the telephone company, huh? Just to show them how I appreciate it.

[Johnny Dollar]

What about our little pal? I mean, the one who slugged me last night.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

You know, sir, Johnny, I decided that after the way he behaved last night, he doesn't deserve any breakfast.

[Johnny Dollar]

No, I mean, where is he?

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

He's still locked up in the broom closet. Do you think I ought to call the police to come and get him?

[Johnny Dollar]

No, not yet. Maybe I can beat some information out of him if we need it.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Well, of course we need it, don't we?

[Johnny Dollar]

Let's wait and see. First, I'd like to make a phone call. The call was to my old friend, Lieutenant Randy Singer, New York Police.

[Lieutenant Randy Singer]

Post Office, Box 101. Yes, Postal Zone 84.

[Johnny Dollar]

And if he comes around to pick up his mail, you nab him.

[Lieutenant Randy Singer]

On what charges, Johnny?

[Johnny Dollar]

Fraud, sending threatening letters through the mail. Anything you can think of.

[Lieutenant Randy Singer]

Yeah, okay, I'll dig up something, But I can't hold him for long unless you come down here and prefer something definite against him and Johnny.

[Johnny Dollar]

Yeah?

[Lieutenant Randy Singer]

You still haven't told me what this is all about. And if I didn't know, you just.

[Johnny Dollar]

You grab hold of that box holder. If he shows, and I hope he does.

[Lieutenant Randy Singer]

Yeah, well, just you be sure and get on down here.

[Johnny Dollar]

Mr. Cartwright and I piled into my car. We drove over to call on first the wealthy widow Templeman, then the retired millionaire, Mr. Whittabotta.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Why, yes, Mr. Teller. I was just about to mail in the hundred dollars to the name at the top of the list.

[Johnny Dollar]

Don't.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Then later I'd mail out the other letters to some of my friends.

[Johnny Dollar]

Don't do it.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

But if I don't, something terrible might happen to me. The chain letter said so.

[Johnny Dollar]

If you do, it'll be a violation of federal law. That's right. And you could end up in prison for it. Prison? Well, Mrs. Templeman, Prison.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Mr. Dollar.

[Johnny Dollar]

Yes, sir. Yes.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

Better do as he says, Mr. Winter.

[Johnny Dollar]

Basil.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

But I didn't realize. I didn't know that.

[Johnny Dollar]

You do now, sir. Then back to Mr. Cartwright's home on the hill. Just in time to answer the telephone. Johnny Dollar.

[Lieutenant Randy Singer]

Johnny. I've got him. And what a fox. Yeah, Randy Daniel stringer, alias Danny McKay, alias Willie Daniels, and half a dozen other things. I watched him unload the post office box myself. Johnny. Then I tailed him to a cheap rooming house.

[Johnny Dollar]

Go on.

[Lieutenant Randy Singer]

When I nabbed him, he was opening. Must have been 50, 60 letters he got. Chain letters and Johnny.

[Johnny Dollar]

Yeah?

[Lieutenant Randy Singer]

You Know what he was taking out of them?

[Johnny Dollar]

I can guess, Randy.

[Lieutenant Randy Singer]

Thousands. Enough money to hold him on suspicion of almost anything.

[Alvin Peabody Cartwright]

And Johnny?

[Johnny Dollar]

Still here.

[Lieutenant Randy Singer]

He also had a bunch of new letters he'd written. All addressed to folks in a wealthy section down near Germantown, Pennsylvania.

[Johnny Dollar]

Then hang on to him, Randy. I'll be down to make formal charges against them.

[Lieutenant Randy Singer]

Okay.

[Johnny Dollar]

Maybe I'll pick up a chief inspector from the post office department to do it.

[Lieutenant Randy Singer]

Okay, Johnny?

[Johnny Dollar]

Yeah, maybe some of those chain letters. The little ones are harmless. But again, maybe they're nuts and they're all against the law. But there's only one thing to do. Avoid them like the plague. Or better still, if you get one, take it right down to your local postmaster. He'll know how to go about helping to stamp out this racket. And believe me, that's all it is. A racket. Expense account. Total, including mileage on my car and the trip to New York and back. 2735. Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Now here is our star to tell you about next week's story. Next week, mystery, suspense and, yeah, murder. Take me to Columbus, Ohio. Join us, won't you? Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Yours truly, Johnny Dollar, starring Bob Bailey. Originates in Hollywood and is written, produced and directed by Jack Johnstone. Heard in our cast were Virginia Gregg, Howard McNear, Paul Duboff, Frank Gersel and Herb Vigram. Be sure to join us next week, same time and station for another exciting story of yours truly, Johnny Dollar. This is Jim Matthews speaking.