Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: The Eastern-Western Matter 04/06/1958

Summary

Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Episode: Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: The Eastern-Western Matter
Host/Author: Choice Classic Radio
Release Date: March 24, 2025

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Introduction

In this thrilling episode of Choice Classic Radio Detectives, Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar takes listeners on a suspense-filled journey into the heart of Sarasota, Florida. As a seasoned freelance insurance investigator, Johnny Dollar is tasked with uncovering the truth behind a substantial insurance claim filed by rancher Bart Trimble. This detailed summary delves into the intricacies of Johnny's investigation, the characters he encounters, and the unraveling of a sinister plot that threatens to cost lives and livelihoods.

The Insurance Claim and Investigation Begins

The story kicks off with Johnny Dollar receiving a distressing claim from Bart Trimble, who reports the total loss of his cattle herd amounting to $78,750. Understanding the gravity of the situation, Johnny promptly sets out to Sarasota alongside his associate, Earl Poorman. Their journey begins at the Sarasota airport, where Earl shares insights about the region's leading cattle industry and the devastating impact of a recent freeze.

Bart Trimble [00:55]: "Maybe you better grab your Levi's, boots and saddle and a couple of six guns instead, huh?"

Upon arriving at Trimble's ranch, Johnny observes the grim scene: hundreds of cattle carcasses strewn across the soggy pastures, a far cry from the lush greenery he had anticipated.

Johnny Dollar [02:53]: "I saw it all right. Hundreds of acres of wet, brown, dead looking pasture land."

Encounter with the Trimbles and Shorty Skinner

Johnny's investigation introduces him to Mrs. Trimble and her son, Shorty Skinner, who appear visibly distressed and defensive about the incident. Mrs. Trimble, in particular, seems overly accommodating, possibly concealing deeper motives.

Mrs. Trimble [04:28]: "It's nice to see you, Mr. Foreman. Won't you come in?"

Shorty Skinner's hostile demeanor raises Johnny's suspicions further. The family's reactions and the state of the ranch suggest that not everything is as it seems.

Shorty Skinner [05:23]: "I'm telling you right to your face. What do you think you're going to do around here?"

Suspicion and the Chloroform Attack

As dinner progresses, Johnny senses underlying tensions. His probing questions about the delay in filing the insurance claim and the attempts to salvage some of the cattle hint at possible fraud. The situation takes a dangerous turn when Johnny becomes the target of a chloroform attack, orchestrated by an unknown assailant to silence his investigation.

Bart Trimble [13:23]: "Johnny, wake up. Johnny, you hear me?"

Johnny narrowly escapes the effects of the chloroform, awakening to find himself disoriented but unharmed, thanks to Bart's timely intervention.

Johnny Dollar [13:58]: "What are you talking? Deep breath."

Uncovering the Truth

Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, Johnny delves deeper into the Trimbles' past. He discovers incriminating letters urging the family to abandon the ranch and move to California, suggesting financial desperation and motives for fraud.

Johnny Dollar [20:29]: "I found out that Shorty Skinner has served time. Shorty? At least to the extent of working on a road gang. What for? I don't know."

Further investigation reveals that Mrs. Trimble, leveraging her nursing background, had access to chloroform, which she used to poison the cattle. Her plan was to collect the hefty insurance payout, thereby escaping the failing ranch without raising immediate suspicions.

Johnny Dollar [20:51]: "You kill the herd. You tried to kill me."

Conclusion of the Case

Confronted with the overwhelming evidence, Mrs. Trimble confesses to her crimes, revealing the extent of her manipulation and deceit. She had meticulously planned the poisoning of the herd and the orchestrated attack on Johnny to eliminate any threats to her scheme. With her confession, Johnny wraps up the case, ensuring that justice is served.

Mrs. Trimble [21:18]: "Yes. Yes, it's true. You know how I hated this place? ... Well, you wouldn't do anything about it, so I did."

Notable Quotes

Throughout the episode, several quotes encapsulate the tension and revelations of Johnny Dollar's investigation:

• Johnny Dollar on Initial Observations [02:57]: "No wonder the cattle haven't been eating well."

• Shorty Skinner Expressing Desperation [12:25]: "Sure, lots of times. For Betty's sake, too. Even thought of going out to California."

• Johnny Dollar Confronting the Truth [20:37]: "But look at it. Doesn't that curlicue on the letter T look like the one here when you wrote his address?"

Conclusion

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: The Eastern-Western Matter masterfully weaves suspense, character development, and investigative prowess into a compelling narrative. Johnny Dollar's relentless pursuit of truth exposes the dark underbelly of insurance fraud, showcasing his dedication and ingenuity as an investigator. For fans of old-time radio and detective stories, this episode stands as a testament to the Golden Age of Radio's enduring allure.

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Note: This summary excludes all advertisements, intros, outros, and non-essential sections to focus solely on the narrative content of the episode.

Transcript

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[Johnny Dollar]

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[Johnny Dollar]

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[Johnny Dollar]

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[Johnny Dollar]

My school uses Podbean.

[Earl Poorman]

My church too.

[Podbean Announcer]

I love it. I really do. Welcome to Choice Classic Radio where we bring to you the greatest old time radio shows.

[Johnny Dollar]

Like us on Facebook. Subscribe to us on YouTube and thank you for [e-mail] from Hollywood.

[Earl Poorman]

It's time now for.

[Johnny Dollar]

Johnny Duller, Earl.

[Bart Trimble]

Foreman Johnny down in Sarasota.

[Johnny Dollar]

Don't tell me, Earl. The Florida weather is finally behaving itself. The water in the Gulf is warmed up, so I'll grab my fishing clothes, tackle box, couple of rods and reels.

[Bart Trimble]

Maybe you better grab your Levi's, boots and saddle and a couple of six guns instead, huh?

[Johnny Dollar]

What is this, a western?

[Bart Trimble]

It may be an eastern western before we're through. Listen, Florida is the leading cattle state here in the deep South.

[Johnny Dollar]

I had heard something to that effect.

[Bart Trimble]

Okay, the freezing weather a short while back hit some of the ranchers pretty hard.

[Johnny Dollar]

To say nothing of the tourist trade, right?

[Bart Trimble]

Ordinarily, the year round pasturage makes it unnecessary to lay up a lot of hay and feed for the winter.

[Johnny Dollar]

That figures.

[Bart Trimble]

But this year, thanks to the freeze, the cattle were so weakened by malnutrition and then sloshing around in soggy pasture land that, well, at least a couple of hundred thousand of them have died.

[Johnny Dollar]

What's your problem, Earl? Outside of the high cost of steak.

[Bart Trimble]

A rancher has just hit me with a big fat claim.

[Johnny Dollar]

Ah, how much?

[Bart Trimble]

$78,750. Says that he lost his entire herd.

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, I knew a lot of them and lost quite a few, but the entire herd? Yeah.

[Bart Trimble]

You coming?

[Johnny Dollar]

I sure am.

[Earl Poorman]

Bob Bailey in the exciting adventures of the man with the action packed expense.

[Johnny Dollar]

Account, America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator, yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Expense account submitted by Special investigator Johnny Dollar to the Tri State Life and Casualty Company, Sarasota, Florida office. Following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the Eastern west. Expense account item 19480 Plane Vern Incidentals. Hartford, CT to Sarasota. As I expected, Earl Poorman met me at the airport. We headed north on Route 41. Thirteen miles later at Bradenton, we turned east on 64 after grabbing a late lunch. That's item two, 575. Then still traveling eastward, we crossed the Kissimmee river onto a narrow, unimproved road into the swampland. And it struck me that what should have been lush, green vegetation in this low, damp country was brown and lifeless.

[Bart Trimble]

That's what the cold weather did, Johnny. All that grass, that good pasture, froze and rotted away.

[Johnny Dollar]

No wonder the cattle haven't been eating well. But didn't I read somewhere they were fed the ruined orange crops?

[Bart Trimble]

Yes, but that still didn't save a lot of the herds.

[Johnny Dollar]

Losses have been pretty heavy, huh?

[Bart Trimble]

Yeah, but as I told you over the phone, Trimble is the only one I know of who lost all his steers.

[Johnny Dollar]

That the one who's made the insurance claim?

[Bart Trimble]

Yeah. Bart Trimble. His fence starts at the next turn in the road.

[Johnny Dollar]

Have you had many claims, Earl?

[Bart Trimble]

Oh, a few a month or so ago. Small ones. Not many of these people insure their herds there. That's where Trimble's place starts. You see it?

[Johnny Dollar]

I saw it all right. Hundreds of acres of wet, brown, dead looking pasture land. I also saw the steers. Hundreds of them. Their carcasses lying there rotting in the sun, or what was left of them.

[Bart Trimble]

The Buzzards had done well, 525 head, Johnny.

[Johnny Dollar]

But surely some of them must have survived.

[Bart Trimble]

Not according to the claim I received. That's why I called you immediately, Earl.

[Johnny Dollar]

You said the other claims were filed a month or so ago.

[Bart Trimble]

I hoped you'd catch that.

[Johnny Dollar]

Why did Trimble wait so long?

[Bart Trimble]

That's another reason I called you.

[Johnny Dollar]

Y yeah, I see what you mean. Here's his gate.

[Bart Trimble]

Let's see what he has to say.

[Johnny Dollar]

The Trimble place was unexpectedly new and tidy looking. The main house was a concrete block affair, all white, with a slab roof. Behind it was a barn and a corral. The stack of bale hay was obviously for the horses and hardly big enough to feed a herd of steers. A few chickens pecking around here and there.

[Mrs. Trimble]

Coming, coming.

[Johnny Dollar]

The woman who opened the door was about 40, tall and nice looking, well made up, almost out of place on a cattle ranch.

[Mrs. Trimble]

Oh, Mr. Foreman, how are you?

[Johnny Dollar]

And her voice was soft, gentle, pleasant.

[Bart Trimble]

How do, Mrs. Trimble?

[Mrs. Trimble]

It's nice to see you, Mr. Foreman. Won't you come in?

[Shorty Skinner]

I hear you say Poorman. Betty.

[Mrs. Trimble]

Yes, Barton. He has a friend with him.

[Shorty Skinner]

Well, I won't kid you, Mr. Foreman. I'm glad to see you. Howdy. I hope you brought me a nice big insurance check.

[Bart Trimble]

This is Johnny Dollar, Mr. And Mrs. Trimble. He's with our company.

[Mrs. Trimble]

How do you do? Mr. Dollar, won't you please come in?

[Johnny Dollar]

Thank you. Dollar, I think I've heard of you.

[Mrs. Trimble]

Sit down, won't you? Supper will be ready in a little while. And, of course you're going to stay, aren't you, Johnny?

[Johnny Dollar]

Do?

[Bart Trimble]

Now, that depends.

[Mrs. Trimble]

Of course you'll stay.

[Bart Trimble]

I really should get back to Sarasota tonight. My wife.

[Shorty Skinner]

Now, wait a minute. How do I know? You're the insurance investigator.

[Johnny Dollar]

That's right.

[Shorty Skinner]

And what's he doing here, Pullman? What's there to investigate? You may be trying to say I killed off the herd myself to collect the insurance money.

[Bart Trimble]

I said nothing of the sort.

[Shorty Skinner]

And what's to investigate?

[Bart Trimble]

I told you I don't like this.

[Shorty Skinner]

And I'm telling you right to your face.

[Mrs. Trimble]

Oh, Bart, you shouldn't talk like that.

[Shorty Skinner]

Well, it's the truth. Just what do you think you're going to do around here?

[Mrs. Trimble]

Dollar buy, please.

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, that depends, Mr. Turnbull.

[Shorty Skinner]

Does he have to say it's okay, Pullman before you can pay my claim?

[Bart Trimble]

Yes, he does.

[Shorty Skinner]

Well, believe me, if I'd known this was the kind of outfit I was dealing with. Paying premiums too. Okay. All right. Poke around as much as you want. Stay around as long as you like. We'll bed you down. We'll feed you. We'll show you what kind of people we are. Just don't get in my way. I've got a lot of work to do. And don't tell me I'm a crook.

[Bart Trimble]

Now, let's be reasonable about this.

[Johnny Dollar]

Me?

[Shorty Skinner]

I'm being reasonable. You're the one that. What do you want, Shorty?

[Bart Trimble]

Well, you told me to tell you, boss. Tell me why the truck has come to pick up them hides and help.

[Shorty Skinner]

Them load them on the truck. Go ahead. Go ahead.

[Johnny Dollar]

You're selling the hides from those animals.

[Bart Trimble]

I will? Sure.

[Shorty Skinner]

Why not? Oh, we could salvage that. Is anything wrong with that?

[Johnny Dollar]

Nothing at all.

[Shorty Skinner]

All right. You want horses to snoop around, help yourself. Saddles are in the barn. But just stay out of my way. Come on, Shorty, let's get out with the airs. Nice and clean.

[Bart Trimble]

Sure, boss.

[Mrs. Trimble]

I'm sorry, but Bart's been so upset over losing all those steers.

[Bart Trimble]

Well, of course, we can't blame him for that.

[Mrs. Trimble]

He's been working so hard trying to save some of the hides and sell the carcasses for fertilizer.

[Bart Trimble]

Yes, I know.

[Mrs. Trimble]

With so many ranchers trying to do the same thing.

[Johnny Dollar]

Why did he wait so long before Filing his claim, Mrs. Trimble, why?

[Mrs. Trimble]

Because he's been so busy and because he hoped he could salvage something from the herd.

[Johnny Dollar]

I guess because this lapse of time has given the bodies a chance to decompose. What has given the buzzards and other scavengers a chance to rem. Any evidence that maybe those steers were deliberately.

[Mrs. Trimble]

Oh, no. Surely you don't think for a minute that my husband would.

[Johnny Dollar]

Where can I find the nearest veterinarian?

[Mrs. Trimble]

Well, the vet we use is up in kiss. Okay, but Mr. Dollar, you. You don't. You can't possibly think.

[Johnny Dollar]

I'll let you know what I think after a good cow doctor has a look at those. An.

[Earl Poorman]

Act 2 of yours truly, Johnny Dollar, in a moment.

[Narrator]

From the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli is an exciting beginning to a stirring song. It is an historic salutation to the efforts of a valiant group of fighting men. Why is their history glorious? What spurred them on? Patriotism and desire for excitement are sometimes given for reasons, but these are not the answers. The answer is these were men of vision. Men who understood our country's needs. Respect, honor and prestige are things that go hand in hand with a country's greatness. Major Smedley D. Butler recognized this in the year 1915. At that time, our diplomatic negotiations with Haiti were disrupted by coco bandits who perilously affected the lives of some United States citizens in Haiti. A contingent of Marines under the command of Major Butler was sent in to bring the bandits under control. Though they were holed up in Fort Liberty, Major Butler found an opening in the wall and led a terrifying charge through the breach that resulted in very dangerous hand to hand combat for himself and his men. Amid a furious onslaught of cocker bandits and a hail of enemy bullets, Major Butler succeeded in overcoming the resistance and creating a peaceful atmosphere. His grateful country awarded him the Medal of Honor for bravery, forceful leadership and action above and beyond the call of duty. The second time he was awarded this high honor, Major Smedley Butler had a code of conduct born of years of devotion and service to the United States of America.

[Earl Poorman]

And now, act two of yours Truly, Johnny Dollar and the Eastern Western Matter.

[Johnny Dollar]

At dinner that night, Burt Trimble had changed his tune. Was very apologetic, almost too much so and too nice.

[Shorty Skinner]

I didn't mean it, Mr. Dollar, what I said before. At least not the way I said it. But this whole thing has hit me pretty hard. Losing over 500 steers and handful of cabs.

[Mrs. Trimble]

I told you, Bart. When they all went so quickly that night, you should have been suspicious.

[Johnny Dollar]

What night, Mrs. Trimble?

[Mrs. Trimble]

It was the last big freeze.

[Shorty Skinner]

Yes, I got back here late. I went up to Lake Wales trying to beg some feed. No luck. Then it blew up cold by the time I got back here. Got the hands rounded up.

[Johnny Dollar]

How many, Mr. Trimble?

[Shorty Skinner]

There were five of us, including Shorty Skinner.

[Bart Trimble]

I've seen that Shorty somewhere before.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh.

[Shorty Skinner]

Anyhow, when we got to them, the cattle were all bunched up at the north fence. We thought we'd drive the strong ones back here where they'd have some shelter and we could give them the hay we keep for the horses. But they wouldn't move. Most of them couldn't move. And it was dark and freezing. Wind was cutting across the swamp, so all we could do was come back here and pray. Next morning, they were dead. All of them. I've put everything I had into this ranch, every penny I saved for my factory work up north. Betty's money from nursing even cashed in my own life insurance policy. And now they're gone.

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[Johnny Dollar]

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[Johnny Dollar]

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[Johnny Dollar]

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[Johnny Dollar]

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[Shorty Skinner]

So if I got a little nasty, well, I guess a man can take only so much.

[Mrs. Trimble]

It's been awfully hard for Bart these past three years. And just when things were going good.

[Johnny Dollar]

Your hands bunk out in that building beside the barn, huh?

[Shorty Skinner]

Only Shorty skinned out all the steers we could. The other boys left. I still owe Shorty some wages.

[Johnny Dollar]

I'm going to ask a pretty blunt question, and I want an honest answer. Had you ever thought of giving up, going somewhere else?

[Shorty Skinner]

Sure, lots of times. For Betty's sake, too. Even thought of going out to California. I see she has relatives out there, all doing fine. They've kept after us to go out There and crop farm with them. Maybe I should have.

[Mrs. Trimble]

But we stayed, didn't we, dear?

[Shorty Skinner]

Yes. I wouldn't give up. Even Betty reconciled herself to sticking it out.

[Mrs. Trimble]

If only we'd known that this was going to happen.

[Shorty Skinner]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Johnny Dollar]

We talked on for a couple of hours, but got nowhere. And finally Earl and I plunked into our beds in the guest room. Mine was beside the open window. Now, when Earl Poorman sleeps, he's dead to the world, but he snores mightily. So after throwing a couple of shoes at him, I gave up and managed to drop off with a pillow wrapped around my head. That was a mistake. An almost deadly mistake.

[Bart Trimble]

Johnny. Johnny. Johnny, wake up. Wake up, Johnny. Johnny, you hear me?

[Johnny Dollar]

Johnny, wake up. Oh, my head.

[Shorty Skinner]

Stand up. I'll help you.

[Bart Trimble]

Breathe deeply.

[Shorty Skinner]

Can't you smell it?

[Johnny Dollar]

What are you talking. Deep breath.

[Mrs. Trimble]

Deep breath.

[Bart Trimble]

Come on.

[Johnny Dollar]

What. What are the.

[Bart Trimble]

It.

[Johnny Dollar]

Chloroform.

[Bart Trimble]

Yeah, yeah. On your pillow.

[Johnny Dollar]

Holy.

[Bart Trimble]

I threw it out the window.

[Earl Poorman]

Your pillow.

[Bart Trimble]

It was saturated with chloroform.

[Johnny Dollar]

Give me. Give me a hand, Earl. I'm. I'm dizzy.

[Bart Trimble]

Oh. Somebody came in that window. The pillow was over your head.

[Shorty Skinner]

You.

[Johnny Dollar]

You see him?

[Bart Trimble]

No, no. But Johnny.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh, let me sit down again. Yep.

[Bart Trimble]

Here by the window.

[Shorty Skinner]

Now breathe deeply.

[Johnny Dollar]

Yeah.

[Bart Trimble]

I rolled out of bed in my sleep. That narrow bed, or I'd never have wakened. I heard the door slam.

[Shorty Skinner]

Then I smelled it. But who?

[Bart Trimble]

Johnny? I knew I'd seen that Shorty Skinner somewhere.

[Johnny Dollar]

Yeah.

[Bart Trimble]

Was on a road gang over near Sarasota.

[Johnny Dollar]

A prison gang? Sure.

[Bart Trimble]

I was driving my brand new cat as I passed him and the rest of that glowering bunch he let fly with a handful of mud. Now, if you ask me, he's the one who came in here and tried to chloroform.

[Johnny Dollar]

But why?

[Bart Trimble]

That's what I'm gonna find out right now.

[Johnny Dollar]

No, wait. I'll be feeling okay in a minute. Let me handle it. By the time I was able to navigate and get dressed, Mrs. Trimble called us for breakf. To say the Trimbles were upset over what had happened to me would be an understatement. Breakfast waited while we all went out to the bunkhouse. Shorty was gone.

[Shorty Skinner]

Took what little he owned with him, too.

[Johnny Dollar]

Has either of you any idea why he'd attacked me?

[Mrs. Trimble]

Good heavens, no. But I never did really trust that man. He was such a sneaky looking like a little rat.

[Shorty Skinner]

Yet he was the only one who stayed when I couldn't keep their wages up to date.

[Bart Trimble]

Where would he ever get hold of chloroform.

[Mrs. Trimble]

That's the part I don't understand.

[Bart Trimble]

From the locker deer back at the.

[Shorty Skinner]

The barn, huh? You know, the stuff. We got to put that old sick mayor out of the way.

[Mrs. Trimble]

Oh, yes, of course.

[Bart Trimble]

I think why Shorty did this is pretty obvious, Johnny.

[Johnny Dollar]

Yeah.

[Bart Trimble]

He was afraid you'd find out what and who killed off this herd.

[Johnny Dollar]

Mark.

[Bart Trimble]

Look here, Betty.

[Mrs. Trimble]

The note on top of this bunk here.

[Johnny Dollar]

Let me see it. What's it say?

[Bart Trimble]

Johnny?

[Johnny Dollar]

I'm tired. I'm tired working for no pay. I will leave. You know where to send my pay when you collect on that there insurance. Shorty.

[Mrs. Trimble]

Shorty. Shorty Skinner.

[Shorty Skinner]

Crazy fool wanted his money. He knew I had none. But I could collect plenty on the insurance if he poisoned my herd.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh, was it poisoned, Trimble?

[Shorty Skinner]

What?

[Johnny Dollar]

You didn't seem to think so before, but now that you have somebody to depend it on.

[Shorty Skinner]

No, no.

[Johnny Dollar]

Now you seem pretty sure of it.

[Mrs. Trimble]

It's a dollar.

[Bart Trimble]

No, Johnny. It must have been Shorty.

[Johnny Dollar]

Maybe, maybe not. When the vet arrives, if he decides the herd was poisoned, okay, we'll take it from there.

[Earl Poorman]

Act three of yours truly, Johnny Dollar. In a moment, our flag now numbers 50 stars, and behind each star there stands yet another flag representing one of the 50 states. Wyoming's state flag pays homage to the monarch of the Great Plains, the bison, or buffalo, as we call him. Set over the bison is the great seal of Wyoming, almost as a brand. The red on the flag's border represents the Indians who knew and loved the country long before white settlers arrived. It also represents the red blood of the pioneers who gave their lives in reclaiming the soil. The red, white and blue border of the flag indicates Wyoming's oneness with the Union. Wyoming's state flag. The flag of the 44th state to enter the Union was adopted on January 31, 1917. And now, Act 3 of yours truly, Johnny Dollar and the Eastern Western matter.

[Johnny Dollar]

The veterinarian arrived from Kissimmee. He, Bart Trimble, Earl Poorman and I rode out on horseback to inspect the dead cattle. As I had anticipated, the vet made it plain that the bodies were too far decomposed for him to tell anything. Until, that is, he noticed a pale purplish line around the inside edge of a watering trough at a far corner of the fence.

[Bart Trimble]

Whoever used it didn't realize that it'd leave this telltale ring around a trawl.

[Johnny Dollar]

Used what?

[Bart Trimble]

Doctor, let me scrape off a little. Make sure.

[Shorty Skinner]

You think it's a poison, Doc.

[Bart Trimble]

If I can taste it without getting enough to hurt me. Well, no doubt about it. Anorfic acid. That's what killed the herd. And beyond the shadow of a doubt.

[Johnny Dollar]

That's not a very well known poison, Doctor.

[Bart Trimble]

I know. It's used almost entirely infected laboratory experimentation. I remember it well from my college days.

[Johnny Dollar]

But out here.

[Shorty Skinner]

Who did this to me? Who did it?

[Bart Trimble]

You don't know, Shorty?

[Narrator]

Who else, Mr. Dolan?

[Johnny Dollar]

Look, I'm going back to the ranch house to a telephone. I'll see you when you get back there. I called the state police to get out on all points on Shorty Skinner. Then I started on the police in the neighboring towns. The second call to headquarters at Lake Wales got me unexpected results. Sure.

[Bart Trimble]

We got him right here in the clink, sir.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh. What are you holding him on?

[Bart Trimble]

Just vagrancy. No visible means of support. Found him sleeping on a bench in the park about 9:30 last night. So we hauled him in, let him put his ex on a police blotter.

[Johnny Dollar]

His what?

[Bart Trimble]

His ex, you know.

[Johnny Dollar]

I certainly do. Thanks very much. The others hadn't got back from the pasture yet. Mrs. Trimble was in the kitchen making lunch, quietly as possible. I sneaked into their bedroom, carefully hidden in a desk. I found a lot of letters from the relatives in California. Letters urging that they give up the ranch, do something, anything, to get the money out of it and move to California. Those letters were addressed to only one of the Trimbles they were addressed to. And then I saw it neatly framed on the wall. A diploma. A diploma from the famous Lippenwall school of.

[Mrs. Trimble]

Why, Mr. Dollar. What are you doing?

[Johnny Dollar]

Mrs. Trimble, I found out that Shorty Skinner has served time. Shorty? At least to the extent of working on a road gang. What for? I don't know.

[Mrs. Trimble]

Then he is a criminal. Then there's no question about who poisoned the herd.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh, you know about the vet's findings? That they were poisoned?

[Mrs. Trimble]

Well, no, no, but I thought it was understood.

[Johnny Dollar]

A lot of things have been understood. Wrong things. Did Shorty give you a home address when he came to work here?

[Mrs. Trimble]

Yes. Yes, he did. Do you think he'd go there after?

[Earl Poorman]

I'd like to see it, please.

[Mrs. Trimble]

It's here in this top drawer. Yes, here.

[Johnny Dollar]

That's not his writing.

[Mrs. Trimble]

No, that's mine.

[Johnny Dollar]

You see, Shorty can't write. Oh, so he couldn't have written this note you found in his bunk.

[Mrs. Trimble]

But who.

[Johnny Dollar]

But look at it. Doesn't that curlicue on the letter T look like the one here when you wrote his address? And how about this capital, I. Heavens, Mr.

[Mrs. Trimble]

Darling.

[Johnny Dollar]

Friends who wanted you to go to California. And you wanted to go, of course. But as Bart told us, you reconciled yourself to staying here.

[Mrs. Trimble]

Apparently I did. I did stay here, even though I wasn't happy.

[Johnny Dollar]

And the big freeze gave you a chance to kill off the herd, collect a lot of insurance money and get away with it.

[Bart Trimble]

You thought Mr. Dollar.

[Mrs. Trimble]

How dare you.

[Johnny Dollar]

The method, a little known poison you'd learned about back in the Lippenwall School of Nursing.

[Shorty Skinner]

No.

[Johnny Dollar]

But you hadn't expected me here to investigate, so you had to get rid of me. How? As a nurse, you knew all about chlorophyll. Look, Mr.

[Mrs. Trimble]

Darling.

[Johnny Dollar]

Natural with me sleeping with my head on the pillow. And you knew that Earl was a sound sleeper. He's been here before. And who'd get blamed? Shorty. Because he'd left. Only Shorty had left long before that.

[Mrs. Trimble]

What?

[Johnny Dollar]

He was picked up in Lake Wales at 9:30 last night.

[Mrs. Trimble]

What? Well, then.

[Johnny Dollar]

No.

[Mrs. Trimble]

Listen.

[Johnny Dollar]

You kill the herd. You tried to kill me.

[Shorty Skinner]

Is that true, Betty Martin? Tell me. Is it?

[Mrs. Trimble]

Yes. Yes, it's true. You know how I hated this place? This horrible, miserable cattle ranch. This living out in this godforsaken wilderness. Well, you wouldn't do anything about it, so I did.

[Johnny Dollar]

Good Lord, I failed.

[Mrs. Trimble]

But I fail.

[Johnny Dollar]

$350 to a lawyer at the county seat who took my deposition. It'll be used in the trial of Betty Trimble. As for Bart Trimble, well, I'm sorry for him. Expense account total, including transportation Back to Hartford, $207. Even yours truly, Johnny Do.

[Earl Poorman]

Our star will return in just a moment.

[Narrator]

It doesn't take a war to make a hero. Nor does it take a situation filled with an onslaught of deadly enemy gunfire, bombs and mortars. It takes a man to make a hero. And the man's qualities of greatness are based on his code of conduct. It serves him in peace as well as War. In August 1916, when the United States was still at peace with the rest of the world part of our fleet was anchored off Santo Domingo City. The USS Memphis was in danger of total destruction from a hurricane. Only the efficient operation of the engines and boilers could get her out of the critical area. Lieutenant Claude A. Jones was senior engineering officer aboard. In rapid succession, boilers and steam pipes began bursting about him scalding him with clouds of steam. Thousands of tons of water came down on him in complete darkness. Lieutenant Jones nobly remained at his post as long as the engines would turn over. His supreme, unselfish heroism inspired the men with him. When the boilers exploded, Jones, with two men, rushed into the fire rooms and rescued the men trapped there in the face of death by drowning, burning or suffocation from the scalding steam. Lt. Claude Jones performed a heroic feat because he felt was his duty to do what he did. He earned the Medal of Honor because he had a code of conduct that served him well.

[Earl Poorman]

Now here is our star to tell you about next week's story.

[Johnny Dollar]

Next week. One honest woman, two honest men. Yet a hundred thousand dollars was gone. Fact. Join us, won't you? Yours truly, Johnny Dol.

[Earl Poorman]

Yours truly, Johnny Dollar, starring Bob Bailey, originates in Hollywood and is produced and directed by Jack Johnstone, who also wrote today's story. Heard in our cast were Virginia Gregg, Vic Paran, Jack Moyles, Marvin Miller and Herb Vigren. Be sure to join us next week, same time and station for another exciting story of yours. T.R. johnny Dollar. This is Dan Cubberley speaking.

[Narrator]

This is the United States Armed Forces.

[Johnny Dollar]

Radio and Television Service.