Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: Black Museum - 09 - The Car Tire

Date: September 29, 2025
Host: Hosted by Harold’s Old Time Radio
Original Narrator: Orson Welles

Overview

In this episode of "Black Museum," Orson Welles tells the suspenseful tale of a car tire that became a centerpiece of a notorious criminal case. Set in the shadowy world of post-war England, the episode details how a simple stolen car leads to the murder of a policeman and, ultimately, the tire’s pivotal role in solving the case. Listeners are transported into Scotland Yard’s “Black Museum,” a collection of objects steeped in the history of crime, as Welles and a cast of police and suspects unravel the mystery behind "The Car Tire."

Key Discussion Points & Episode Breakdown

1. The Setting and the Murder (00:35–07:09)

• Introduction to the Black Museum:

  • Orson Welles opens by describing the eerie Scotland Yard museum where ordinary objects like a car tire are tied to gruesome crimes.

    “Here, in the grim stone structure on the Thames which houses Scotland Yard is a warehouse of homicide...” — Orson Welles (00:35)

• The Crime:

  • Two thieves, Ted and Harry, steal a sedan from a garage in South End for its valuable parts.
  • While joyriding, they're stopped by a police constable, Charlie Hacker, who questions them and requests their identification.
  • Tension escalates, and Ted shoots Constable Hacker, killing him.

    "Say your prayers, copper." — Ted to Constable Hacker during their fatal encounter (06:29)

2. Initial Police Investigation (07:09–12:42)

• Discovery of the Crime Scene:

  • Local townsfolk and Scotland Yard officers, Inspector Clancy and Sergeant Redding, discover the body and begin combing for clues.
  • Key observations include the constable’s unused torch and tracks that indicate a car sped off quickly.

• First Clues and The Car:

  • Tire marks are analyzed; the vehicle is identified as an "Evans car."
  • A list of stolen cars is compiled. Colonel Fentress reports his Evans car stolen—the same one involved in the murder.

3. Uncovering the Trail (12:42–18:27)

• Examining the Stripped Car:

  • The abandoned Evans car is found heavily stripped—tires, toolkit, and various parts are missing.

    “Those vandals, they've stripped the car of everything, even the four tires. Nothing left except evidence.” — Inspector Clancy (11:00)

  • Blood stains and a spent cartridge are found inside, tying the car to the murder.

• Strategy Shifts to the Black Market:

  • Clancy deduces that such an organized stripping operation must involve black market dealers in stolen car parts.
  • The investigation leads the police to several local garages to seek out anyone selling Evans tires.

4. The Garage Hunt and the Vital Clue (15:16–18:27)

• Policemen Go Undercover:
  • Sergeant Redding visits six garages. Suspicion arises at Randolph and Burns Motor Engineers when one partner, Ted, reacts defensively when tires are mentioned.

    "We can't set him. How can we when we haven't seen an Evans Tower in months?" — Ted Burns (17:25)

  • Redding senses guilt, prompting Clancy to dig deeper into the owners’ backgrounds via the Business Records Office and Scotland Yard’s Method Index.

5. Unmasking the Criminals (18:27–24:27)

• Suspects Identified:

  • Ted Burns’ criminal record, including auto thefts, places him at the heart of the investigation.
  • Police stake out the workshop, apprehend Harry Randolph, and confront him with evidence.

• Randolph Confesses:

  • Pressured with a deal, Randolph outs Ted as the mastermind and shooter, also revealing the location of the murder weapon and stolen goods.

    "I might have helped pinch the car but I'd nothing to do with the murder. He [Ted] shot a copper." — Harry Randolph (21:28)

• Apprehending Burns:

  • Clancy tracks Ted Burns to Liverpool, about to flee overseas; Burns is arrested.

    "Oh, yes, we have, Mr. Burns. All the evidence we need." — Inspector Clancy (24:20)

6. Case Closure and the Fate of the Tire (24:27–25:59)

• Orson Welles summarizes the impact: Constable Hacker’s murder is solved through methodical police work and the willingness of a guilty man to talk.
  • Randolph goes to jail; Burns is executed.
  • The tire, a seemingly mundane object, becomes a permanent artifact of murder in the Black Museum.

    “...another chapter of murder was closed, another record added to the Method Index section, and another exhibit, the car tire, was added to the Black Museum.” — Orson Welles (24:44)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Chilling Introduction:

  “Here, in the grim stone structure on the Thames which houses Scotland Yard is a warehouse of homicide where everyday objects—a pin, a garden hose, a handbag. All are touched by murder.”
  — Orson Welles (00:35)

• On the Scene of the Crime:

  “He was shot three times... He was about to take down some particulars from a person or persons whom he'd met. The evidence suggests that, Sergeant. But wait a minute, Inspector. His torch is here in his pocket.”
  — Inspector Clancy (08:19)

• Confrontation with the Thieves:

  “Say your prayers, copper. Give me that gun. Don't let him take it, Chad. I won't. Don't worry. You ask for trouble, copper. You're going to get it.”
  — Ted Burns, at the scene of the murder (06:29)

• Police Deduction:

  “If it was vandalism, it was well planned, Sergeant... What was taken out of this car would probably be worth 2, 300 pounds on the second hand market.”
  — Inspector Clancy (14:17)

• Randolph Turns on His Partner:

  “It wasn't me who thought of the scheme. I... I was talked into it by him... Ted said we couldn't get enough parts and tires to stay in business otherwise.”
  — Harry Randolph (21:28)

• Summing Up the Case:

  "A crook's plan misfired into murder, and neither Burns nor Randolph had the talent for outwitting the men of the yard... another exhibit, the car tire, was added to the Black Museum."
  — Orson Welles (24:44)

Important Timestamps

• 00:35 — Orson Welles introduces the Black Museum and the car tire
• 03:13 — Thieves steal the Evans sedan
• 06:29 — Constable Hacker is murdered during a confrontation
• 11:00 — Stripped car and vital evidence is discovered
• 15:16 — Police begin tracing stolen car parts and tires via garages
• 18:27 — Criminal records reveal the suspects’ identities
• 21:28 — Randolph details the crime; Burns’s role is revealed
• 24:27 — Orson Welles declares the case solved; the tire enters the Black Museum

Overall Tone & Style

The episode maintains an atmospheric, suspenseful, and methodical tone, enlivened by Orson Welles’ signature gravitas and the procedural voice of Inspector Clancy. Dialogue is crisp and dramatic, emphasizing the patience, logic, and perseverance of traditional police work. The story remains anchored in the era’s sense of justice and intrigue, with the car tire symbolizing the unpredictable intersections of ordinary life and crime.

For listeners interested in vintage crime drama, meticulous investigation, and the artifacts that bear witness to history’s darkest moments, "The Car Tire" is an exemplary tale in the Black Museum series.