Podcast Summary: "Calling All Cars 34-01-24 ep009 - Case of the Three Grooved Bullets"

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Date: October 12, 2025
Original Air Date of Program: January 24, 1934
Episode Theme:
A dramatization of a true crime case from the 1920s: the investigation and solving of the murder of Barbara Mauger, a young woman found dead in Stone Canyon, Los Angeles. The episode highlights classic detective work, early forensic methods, and police pride and perseverance.

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode uses Golden Age radio storytelling to recount the landmark murder investigation of Barbara Mauger. Through dramatized dialogue, narration, and period-accurate detective methods, listeners are taken through the progression of the case—from the initial disappearance to the conclusion of a high-profile trial. The episode exemplifies how classic radio shows blended entertainment with real-world crime stories, emphasizing the role of police tenacity and emerging forensic science.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Police Perspective and Pride

• [02:25] Chief James E. Davis (Los Angeles Police Chief) introduces the episode, underlining police pride and motivation, noting their personal attachment to solving difficult cases despite the lack of financial incentive:

  "There is an element of pride in the makeup of every member of your police force... their greatest reward is the satisfaction of writing 'solved' on the records of the case."
  (Chief Davis, 02:31)

2. The Setup: Barbara Mauger and Her Relationships

• The story opens on the home life of Barbara Mauger, her engagement to Russell Berholm, and a telling conversation with her neighbor Mrs. Roberts.
• Gun as a Key Detail:
  • Russell calls to get the serial number of a gun so he can buy bullets before a planned picnic:

    "Don't be frightened, Mrs. Roberts. It's just Russell's gun. It's loaded. Let's see... Jason, make out these numbers."
    (Barbara, 05:00)

  • Mrs. Roberts is unnerved:

    "Get that gun out of the place as soon as you can. I tell you, I'm frightened of them. No good ever come of having a gun around the place."
    (Mrs. Roberts, 06:45)

3. The Murder and Initial Investigation

• [09:00] The body is discovered by hikers Vernon Johnson and Edgy Hitchcock after they see buzzards circling in Stone Canyon.
• Detectives note the following at the scene:
  • Gunshot wound to the temple.
  • No clothing or identification present.
  • Only loose clue: a string of white beads.

4. Tracing the Victim: Diligence and Breakthroughs

• Detectives painstakingly comb Missing Persons files, nearly giving up until a connection is made via a friend's tip about a girl named Barbara being suddenly absent.
• The landlady and Mrs. Roberts (neighbor) fill in crucial details about Barbara, her romance with Russell, and the suspicious gun request.
• The beads found at the scene are identified as belonging to Barbara.

5. Suspect Identification and the Trail of Russell Berholm

• Interviewing acquaintances, police get a possible workplace (Metropolitan Theater), but staff deny knowing him.
• The detectives probe further, uncovering that the "Metropolitan 1525" phone number is not the theater, but an engine room. Ultimately, they trace Russell (who also uses the alias Russell Sinclair and Beitzel) to an engineering firm.

6. Interrogation of the Suspect

• During questioning, Russell claims he argued with Barbara on their picnic, she left him, and he never saw her again. He admits to being married and using a false name.
• Detectives note inconsistencies, especially Russell's knowledge of the crime scene and his efforts to dispose of Barbara’s belongings.

  "You must realize your story is pretty thin. Won't hold water at all."
  (Detective, 24:40)

• He refuses to speak further without an attorney.

7. Forensic and Circumstantial Evidence Build the Case

• Police trace a package of Barbara’s clothes sent by Russell to a false address; it is returned and matches the victim via forensic hair comparison.
• Philadelphia police reveal Russell is wanted for embezzlement. A taxi driver places him near the murder location.

8. Ballistics Breakthrough and the Trial

• At trial, expert Captain Crosby gives compelling testimony.
• Ballistics Evidence:
  • The murder weapon, a gun with a sawed-off barrel, leaves three unique grooves on bullets.
  • Bureau test bullets and the murder bullet match exactly.

    "The bullets you will notice are marked identically. The ones on the right and left were test shots made from this gun. The middle bullet was taken from the skull of Barbara Morgan."
    (Captain Crosby, 28:45)

• The jury convicts Russell St. Clair Beitzel (alias Berholm, Sinclair) of first-degree murder; he is sentenced to death.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On police motivation:

  "Every man is eager to be the one who clears up a mysterious case."
  (Chief Davis, 02:30)

• On the peril of guns:

  "No good ever come of having a gun around the place."
  (Mrs. Roberts, 06:45)

• Suspect’s indifference:

  "If you aren't guilty, you won't need an attorney."
  (Detective, 21:47)

• Science triumphs:

  "The barrel has been sawed off... the grooves were cut by the saw mark... The bullets you will notice are marked identically."
  (Captain Crosby, 28:30)

• Mrs. Roberts’s foreboding:

  "Oh, I just knew something terrible would happen that morning... I just had a cremation when I saw that gun."
  (Mrs. Roberts, 14:42)

Important Timestamps

• [02:25] - Chief Davis’s introduction on police pride and case overview.
• [04:44] - Barbara and Mrs. Roberts discuss the gun and the pending marriage.
• [09:00] - Discovery of Barbara’s body and initial forensic observations.
• [13:48] - Detectives interview the landlady and Mrs. Roberts; key clues about Barbara and Russell.
• [18:01] - Detectives' search leads them to the Metropolitan Theater and then to Russell’s workplace.
• [21:35] - Initial confrontational questioning of Russell.
• [24:00] - Police confront Russell with evidence at the crime scene.
• [28:30] - Ballistics testimony at trial; crucial forensic connection made.
• [29:50-end] - Conviction, sentencing, and Russell’s ultimate execution.

Episode Tone and Delivery

The episode maintains the brisk, clipped pace and melodramatic flair typical of 1930s radio crime dramas. Police and witnesses speak in vernacular, the detectives are methodic but compassionate, and moments of suspense are punctuated by factual narration. The significance of new forensic science (i.e., ballistics) is highlighted, demonstrating evolving crime-solving methods.

Conclusion

This "Calling All Cars" episode expertly illustrates the dogged determination of 1920s police detectives, the value of witness accounts and tiny physical clues, and the early application of forensics in criminal justice. The dramatization is both a window into old-time radio storytelling and a showcase for the real-life triumph of diligent detective work and forensic science.