Episode Overview

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode: In the Name of the Law 36-08-02 10 – "I Didn't Do Nothing”
Release Date: September 10, 2025
Theme:
This thrilling episode is part of the "In the Name of the Law" crime drama series, drawing from real police case files. The episode dramatizes a rural double homicide and the ensuing manhunt, illustrating Golden Age radio’s gritty portrayal of justice, dogged investigation, and community unrest. The plot follows the violent hold-up of elderly farmers, the murder of August Reiter, and the intense investigation by sheriff’s deputies to catch the culprits before a lynch mob takes justice into their own hands.

Key Discussion Points and Plot Progression

1. The Crime at the Reiter Farmhouse

• [00:13–04:48]

  • John is accosted at his farmhouse by masked men looking for money and bonds. Despite his protests, they force him to help rob the neighboring Reiter brothers.

  • The robbers threaten violence and show little concern for the age or innocence of their victims.

  • The Reiter brothers hand over their life's savings under threat:

    • Quote [04:28]:

      "We worked all our lives, both of us, to save that money." (Otto Reiter)

  • August Reiter is beaten severely, later dying from his injuries.

2. The Investigation and Community Tension

• [04:49–07:29]
  • Sheriff Welch teams up with state troopers Keeling and Stone.
  • The town is in turmoil, state police brought in, and the threat of vigilante justice looms:
    • Quote [07:16]:

      "The people of our county are in an ugly mood. They want this case solved right away." (Sheriff Welch)

  • Sheriff addresses an angry mob, urging patience and legal justice:
    • Quote [08:02]:

      "But that revenge will have to be meted out legally... Just give us a chance..." (Sheriff Welch)

3. The Dragnet: Tracking Down Clues

• [07:30–11:13]
  • Law enforcement searches every car and property for evidence; even schoolchildren are asked to help look for the stolen jar.
    • Quote [10:29] (Teacher speaking to children):

      "On your way home from school today... look very carefully behind bushes and trees, every place for a jar... If any of you see one, don't touch it. Tell me about it."

  • Tips from the public are pursued – a gas station attendant remembers a hurried car with Oklahoma plates; extensive review of phone calls and telegrams.

4. Suspects and Interrogations

• [11:14–19:40]
  • Suspicion falls on local Cunningham due to discrepancies tied to telegraph evidence and his explanations about his whereabouts.
  • Investigators connect seemingly benign telegrams to possible coordination among suspects.
    • Quote [13:35]:

      "If he was in Dodge City on the 23rd, why should he receive a wire on the 24th inviting him to dinner…?" (Keeling)

  • Cunningham is interrogated and cracks under pressure, naming "Babe Pyle" as someone who "knows who killed Reiter."
    • Quote [18:25]:

      "I didn't do it, sir. Then who did? Ask Babe Pyle. He knows who's who killed Reiter, but I didn't have anything to do with it." (Cunningham)

5. The Break in the Case: Linking the Chain

• [19:40–22:55]
  • The police track a burnt-out vehicle (matching the crucial Oklahoma plates) and bring in more suspects: Harry and Alan (Babe) Pyle.
  • Interrogation reveals Pyle didn’t know about all the loot — he’d been double-crossed by his associate, Wilbur Stover.
    • Quote [22:42]:

      "$15,000 of the bonds and $400 in cash were stolen. … Well, I didn't know there was any cash, see? ... Maybe. Who did it? I don't need no help. I'll take care of them." (Babe Pyle and Sheriff)

  • The chain reaction of betrayal is revealed, as suspects turn on each other to evade full responsibility.

6. Climax: The Football Game Ruse & Final Arrests

• [23:00–27:00]
  • A dramatic moment unfolds unexpectedly during a football game: troopers apprehend “Lightning,” a football hero, who is implicated in the case and taken off the field in chains.
    • Quote [26:20]:

      "Sure. Only you can't run so fast with them chains on your legs, can you? ... Warden’ll take them off for you. You’re a football hero." (Deputy, to Lightning)

  • The episode underscores the tragic outcome: the murderers, now revealed and chained together, face life in prison—the “chain that the dicks made.”
    • Quote [26:57]:

      "It's a regular chain the Dick's made. Yeah, regular chain for the chain gang. And they're going to be together for life. Ain't that nice?" (Deputy)

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• Sheriff’s Call for Calm [07:49]

  "You have my word as sheriff... this case will be solved. Just give us a chance to go to your home... We shall need your help." (Sheriff Welch)

• Community Enlistment [10:29]

  "On your way home from school today... look very carefully... If any of you see one [a jar], don't touch it." (Elementary school teacher)

• Suspect Interrogation Breakthrough [18:53]

  "You mustn't believe everything we say, Cunningham. I said Pyle was outside because I figured that would make you fatigue. Is that so? You figured it'd make me talk, eh? Well, I'm going to stop you from talking so much." (Sheriff Welch and Cunningham)

• Irony of Justice [26:49]

  "They're gonna be together for life for killing a couple of old fans." (Deputy, about the convicted murderers)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |---------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:13 - 04:48 | The Farmhouse holdup and brutal robbery | | 04:49 - 07:29 | Police learn of the crime and community prepares for vigilante action | | 07:30 - 11:13 | Sheriff’s public address; citizens, children, and phone companies enlisted | | 11:14 - 19:40 | Gathering clues, analyzing telegrams, and cracking Cunningham | | 19:40 - 22:55 | Pyle interrogated; car with Oklahoma plates found; suspects unravel | | 23:00 - 27:00 | Football game climax; final arrests; the “chain gang” conclusion |

Conclusion

This episode exemplifies classic radio storytelling, with a tight script that layers suspense, moral ambiguity, and a race-against-time structure. The relentless, methodical investigators, the frightened and sometimes vengeful townspeople, and the ultimately doomed suspects all bring vivid life to this law-and-order procedural. Through its web of clues, betrayals, and community cooperation, the story affirms—but questions—the efficacy and righteousness of justice in the American heartland of the 1930s.

Final Line:

"Be with us again when truth and justice triumph in the name of the law." (Narrator, [27:00])