Mr Chameleon 49-09-21 Hanging Judge

Summary

Podcast Summary: Mr. Chameleon 49-09-21 Hanging Judge

Title: Mr. Chameleon 49-09-21 Hanging Judge
Host/Author: Harold's Old Time Radio
Release Date: June 29, 2025
Description: Immerse yourself in the thrilling detective adventures of Mr. Chameleon, a master of disguise, as he unravels complex murder mysteries. This episode, "Hanging Judge," takes you through a suspense-filled investigation set in the prestigious Cyrus Blackstone Museum.

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Introduction

The episode opens with the iconic narration setting the stage for Mr. Chameleon's latest case—the murder of Judge Hatch, famously known as the "Hanging Judge." Listeners are introduced to the central characters and the enigmatic circumstances surrounding the judge's untimely death.

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Plot Summary

Early Investigation at Cyrus Blackstone Museum

The story begins with Judge Hatch visiting the Cyrus Blackstone Museum accompanied by his concerned daughter, Barbara Hatch.

• Barbara Hatch (01:24): Expresses confusion about her father's sudden visit to the museum.
• Mr. Chameleon (01:31): Appears alongside them, hinting at ominous events to unfold.

Inside the museum, tension escalates when Judge Hatch is found dead, prompting Mr. Chameleon to take charge of the investigation.

Key Developments:

1. Initial Clues:

   • Barbara Hatch: Reveals her father's unusual behavior and mentions her father recently instructing her to carry his gun, which mysteriously disappears after the murder (04:02-05:15).
   • Priscilla Ames (Ms. Ames): The museum's curator, is introduced as a potential suspect with a contentious history with Judge Hatch, stemming from a broken engagement and accusations related to her brother, Archie Craig (06:42-07:54).

2. Suspect Identification:

   • Andy Matthews: A known fence and confidence man, becomes a prime suspect due to his criminal background and recent release from prison (12:29-13:03).
   • John Clark: Barbara's fiancé, whose secret meetings with Barbara at the museum raise suspicions (17:45-18:40).

3. Unveiling Hidden Motives:

   • Mr. Chameleon uncovers that Judge Hatch was involved in uncovering stolen jewels hidden within an antique box at the museum, leading to the motive behind his murder (23:12-24:11).

4. Climactic Confrontation:

   • Disguised as an elderly man, Mr. Chameleon traps Priscilla Ames and John Clark, revealing their collaboration in the jewelry theft and Judge Hatch's murder (22:07-26:21).

Conclusion:

Mr. Chameleon successfully exposes the culprits, Priscilla Ames and John Clark, bringing them to justice for their roles in the murder of Judge Hatch.

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Character Insights

• Mr. Chameleon: The astute and resourceful detective whose expertise in disguise is pivotal in solving the case.

  • Notable Quote (03:16): "I'm Chameleon of Central Police Headquarters."

• Barbara Hatch: The distraught daughter of Judge Hatch, whose interactions reveal underlying tensions and potential motives.

  • Notable Quote (05:26): "I wouldn't kill my father? Whatever he did, I loved him."

• Priscilla Ames: The museum's curator with a troubled past and hidden motives linked to Judge Hatch.

  • Notable Quote (07:27): "If you'd wanted to kill him, I'd have done it long ago."

• John Clark: Barbara's secretive fiancé with a dubious background, entangled in criminal activities.

  • Notable Quote (17:45): "Is that a crime, John?"

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Key Themes and Discussions

1. Justice and Vengeance:

   • The episode explores the thin line between seeking justice and personal vengeance, especially through the character of Judge Hatch, known for his strict sentencing.

2. Deception and Trust:

   • Mr. Chameleon's use of disguise underscores the theme of deception, while the betrayals by those closest to the victims highlight issues of trust.

3. The Role of Motive in Crime:

   • The intricate motives behind the characters' actions, such as Priscilla Ames' bitterness over a broken engagement and John Clark's criminal endeavors, showcase the complexity of human motivations in criminal acts.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Mr. Chameleon (02:49): "What a place for murder. Dave. Quiet sanctuary like this, surrounded by wonderful works of art."

• Barbara Hatch (05:08): "I laid it down on the chair."

• Priscilla Ames (07:29): "If I'd wanted to kill him, I'd have done it long ago."

• Mr. Chameleon (17:21): "I know what I'm doing. I'm beginning to see why Judge Hatch objected to you as a possible son-in-law."

• John Clark (17:24): "Is that a crime, John?"

• Mr. Chameleon (24:09): "What you didn't know was that it would lead to murder. And your own arrest."

• Priscilla Ames (25:56): "And I'm not a jewel thief either. I was just afraid to interfere."

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Conclusion

"Hanging Judge" serves as a quintessential example of Golden Age radio dramas, blending suspense, intricate plotting, and memorable characters. Through Mr. Chameleon's detective prowess, listeners are taken on a captivating journey of mystery and revelation, culminating in the unraveling of a complex web of deceit and murder.

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Additional Notes

• Ad Breaks: The episode includes traditional endorsements for products like Bayer Aspirin and Ammoniated Dr. Lyons tooth powder, seamlessly integrated into the narrative without disrupting the storyline.

• Production Quality: The dialogue, sound effects, and voice acting contribute to an immersive listening experience, faithfully replicating the charm of classic radio shows.

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End of Summary

Transcript

[Narrator]

Next, Mr. Chameleon and the Hanging Judge murder case. Tonight we again present the famous Mr. Chameleon of Central Police headquarters in his famous cases of crime and murder, brought to you by the makers of genuine Bayer aspirin. Mr. Chameleon, as you know, is the famous and dreaded detective who frequently uses a disguise to track down a killer. A disguise which at all times is recognized by the audience. Tonight we give you Mr. Chameleon in the Hanging Judge murder case. The story opens as the famous Judge Hatch, known far and wide as the Hanging Judge, is seen striding rapidly and impatiently along one of the corridors of the Cyrus Blackstone Museum in a quiet residential section of New York. And with the judge is his young and obviously puzzled daughter, whom we hear.

[Barbara Hatch]

Saying, father, what's this all about? Why did you insist on coming here to the museum today?

[Mr. Chameleon]

You'll soon find out, Barbara.

[Barbara Hatch]

But I want to know now. After all, you've never come near this museum before, even though Cyrus Blackstone was your cousin. Then suddenly you decide that you have to come here this afternoon. Father, are you listening to me?

[Mr. Chameleon]

I've seen that man before.

[Barbara Hatch]

Which man do you mean?

[Mr. Chameleon]

Yes, I've certainly seen him before. Barbara, come in this room quickly.

[Barbara Hatch]

Father, what is this?

[Mr. Chameleon]

Come in here quickly. I don't want him to see me. I'll pretend to look at this antique wooden box.

[Barbara Hatch]

But, Father, the sign there says, do not touch. All these things are very valuable.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Never mind the sign. I'm going to look at this box. Then I propose to have a little talk with the head of this museum, Ms. Priscilla Ames.

[Barbara Hatch]

Ms. Ames?

[Mr. Chameleon]

Yes. Incidentally, this box is a work of art. Come and look at it, Barbara. Come.

[Barbara Hatch]

Father.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Father.

[Barbara Hatch]

Oh, good heavens. He's dead. He's dead.

[Narrator]

And a little later, we find Mr. Chameleon, the astute and dreaded detective, entering the still room where Judge Hatch lies lifeless. And he is saying to Detective Sergeant Dave Arnold.

[Mr. Chameleon]

What a place for murder. Dave. Quiet sanctuary like this, surrounded by wonderful works of art. Never expect violence to take place within these walls. But it did, all right. Bullet hole in his left temple. Shall I have the doors locked, Mr. Chameleon? Yes, please, Dave. No one has to leave the museum under any circumstances. Okay. Who's that weeping? Oh, are you Judge Hatch's daughter?

[Barbara Hatch]

Yes. I'm Barbara Hatch.

[Mr. Chameleon]

I'm Chameleon of Central Police Headquarters. Were you with your father at the time of the murder?

[Barbara Hatch]

Yes. He was looking at that antique wooden box when I. I suddenly heard a shot.

[Mr. Chameleon]

You didn't see who fired it?

[Barbara Hatch]

I was so startled. Mr. Chameleon, who could have killed my father. I was always afraid something like this would happen.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Why?

[Barbara Hatch]

He was known as the hanging judge. Hard, but just. He sent many men to prison.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Yes, that's very true. Did he receive any threats recently? He.

[Barbara Hatch]

He wouldn't have told me.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Ms. Hatch, I'm sorry to have to question you, but of course I must. Silas Blackstone, who founded this museum, Wasn't he a cousin of your father's?

[Barbara Hatch]

Yes, Mr. Chameleon.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Well, then you came here often?

[Barbara Hatch]

No, we didn't. This was the first time we ever visited here.

[Mr. Chameleon]

What?

[Barbara Hatch]

Yes, but today Father insisted on coming here. He wouldn't tell me why, except he said that he wanted to see Priscilla Ames. Just a moment before he was shot. He mentioned her name.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Who is Priscilla Ames?

[Barbara Hatch]

She's in charge of the museum. Father's whole behavior lately was very strange, Mr. Chameleon. For a whole week he'd been absent minded and worried.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Now you say that he was disturbed by something. Have you any idea what?

[Barbara Hatch]

No. But just today he told me to put his gun in the shopping bag. I carried that bag there on the chair.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Oh, let me see the gun, please.

[Barbara Hatch]

Father had never taken the gun out of the house before. He kept one there because it's a big lonely house.

[Mr. Chameleon]

But it was evident that your father expected trouble in this museum today.

[Barbara Hatch]

Here at the museum?

[Mr. Chameleon]

But why?

[Barbara Hatch]

Mr. Chameleon? And Mr. Chameleon? Father's gun. It's not in my bag.

[Mr. Chameleon]

What? Let me have the bag, please. Ms. Hatch, think hard. Where was this bag at the time that your father was shot?

[Barbara Hatch]

Why, I laid it down on the chair.

[Mr. Chameleon]

The chair is right by the door and the bag is a loose one.

[Barbara Hatch]

Someone could have slipped the gun out.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Who?

[Barbara Hatch]

It must have been someone in the museum. All I know is Father said something about Priscilla Ames just before he was killed.

[Mr. Chameleon]

And you think this Priscilla Ames could have taken the gun?

[Barbara Hatch]

Well, I don't.

[Priscilla Ames]

Why would I take your gun? You malicious girl. Are you trying to make trouble for me the way your father did?

[Mr. Chameleon]

Oh, so you are Priscilla Ames. I'm Chameleon of Central Police Headquarters, Ms. Ames, suppose you tell me how Judge Hatch made trouble for you and why yours was the last name he mentioned before he was murdered.

[Priscilla Ames]

So Barbara Hatch told you that, did she?

[Barbara Hatch]

I said Father mentioned your name, Ms. Ames. And he did.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Just before he was shot. Ms. Ames, you said Judge Hatch had made trouble for you. What sort of trouble? I asked you what sort of trouble.

[Priscilla Ames]

I don't understand why I should be subjected to this inquisition, Mr. Chameleon, everybody knows that Judge Hatch was called the hanging judge. And I'm certain that there wasn't a man in New York more criminals wanted to murder than him. It seems quite obvious that one of them killed him.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Ms. Ames, I am still interested in what was the trouble between you and this murdered man, Mr. Chameleon, to you.

[Priscilla Ames]

This place is just a museum. But I knew it when it was a magnificent private house. And I should have been the mistress of that house, Mr. Chameleon, instead of working here on salary.

[Mr. Chameleon]

You're a very beautiful woman, Ms. Ames. And I presume you mean that the founder of this museum, Cyrus Blackstone, thought so too.

[Priscilla Ames]

Cyrus Blackstone loved me. We were engaged to be married. And Judge Hatch broke it up.

[Barbara Hatch]

Father. Really?

[Mr. Chameleon]

How, Ms. Hatch? Do you know anything about that?

[Priscilla Ames]

Don't ask her. I'll tell you, Mr. Chameleon. I didn't tell Cyrus about my brother. He was a confidence man who spent time in prison. His name was Archie Craig.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Archie Craig? I knew him well, Ms. Ames. So did Judge Hatch.

[Priscilla Ames]

Exactly. Judge Hatch told Cyrus Blackstone I was mixed up with my brother Archie schemes. I was innocent. I didn't know my brother was doing anything dishonest. But Cyrus believed Judge Hatch. He broke our engagement.

[Mr. Chameleon]

So in your mind, Ms. Ames, Judge Hatch cheated you out of Cyrus Blackstone's fortune?

[Priscilla Ames]

In my mind it's true. On his deathbed, Cyrus relented and saw to it that I had a permanent job here at the museum.

[Mr. Chameleon]

But that was not good enough for you. You hated Judge Hatch with a hatred that grew and grew until.

[Priscilla Ames]

Until what? If you mean I murdered Judge Hatch.

[Mr. Chameleon]

I didn't.

[Priscilla Ames]

If I'd wanted to kill him, I'd have done it long ago. Besides, what about his daughter?

[Barbara Hatch]

Ms. Ames, please.

[Priscilla Ames]

Barbara didn't tell you, I suppose that her father tried to wreck her life. He stopped her marriage just as he stopped mine.

[Barbara Hatch]

Mr. Chameleon, don't listen to her. You're a wicked woman, Ms. Ames.

[Priscilla Ames]

You mean your father was a wicked man, Barbara. He couldn't bear to see anyone happy. He wanted to keep you to himself. He didn't want you to have a husband.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Is that true, Ms. Hatch? Or did your father have another reason for preventing your marriage?

[Barbara Hatch]

Mr. Camellia? He said there was something wrong with John. John Clark. But there wasn't. There wasn't.

[Mr. Chameleon]

You still love this boy, I take it. And your father stood in your way. And you had a gun in your bag, Mr. Chameleon.

[Barbara Hatch]

What do you say? I wouldn't Kill my father? Whatever he did, I loved him.

[Mr. Chameleon]

You also loved that boy, John Clark. And that is the strongest love of all. You were faced with empty years in a lonely house with only your father, and it was too much for you.

[Barbara Hatch]

No. No, that isn't true. And why would I pick this museum as the place to kill him?

[Mr. Chameleon]

On the other hand, Ms. Hedge, you carried a gun with you, and that gun has mysteriously disappeared. You had plenty of time before the police arrived to hide it somewhere.

[Barbara Hatch]

I told you, someone took the gun, Mr. Chameleon. I remember now. There was a man when we first came in. My father seemed upset because of some man we saw here in the museum.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Upset? In what way?

[Barbara Hatch]

Father said, I've seen that man before. That's why he suggested we step into this room. That's why he pretended he was looking at that antique box.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Why didn't you mention this before, Ms. Hatch?

[Barbara Hatch]

It slipped my mind.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Could you identify this man? He must still be here. I gave orders that no one was to leave the museum.

[Barbara Hatch]

Well, I'm. I'm not sure, but. But I can try.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Ms. Hatch, you and Ms. Ames wait here, please. I'm going to find Detective Sergeant arnold. Dave. Yes, Mr. Chameleon. I was just coming in to see you. Mr. Crosley and I have been looking for the murder weapon. Who are you? Mr. Crossley. Philip Crossley. At your service, Ms. Chameleon. I'm Priscilla Ames, assistant. I help her run the museum. So you've been looking for the murder weapon. Any luck? Not yet. Tell me, how many people were here at the museum at the time of the shooting, Mr. Grassland? Oh, quite a few. School teachers, tourists. They're all in a room upstairs, as you instructed. Any men? Judge Hatch mentioned seeing a man who looked familiar to him just before he was murdered. Oh, of course. There was one very distinguished looking man. Looked like. Well, a Hollywood conception of a foreign diplomat. Mr. Chameleon. Gold headed cane, homburg hat, striped trousers. Foreign diplomat? Wait a minute, Mr. Grassley, does he also sport a monocle? Why, yes, he does. Mr. Chameleon, you don't think. Indeed I do. Dave, go and tell the distinguished gentleman that I want to see him. Oh, Dave. After that, call the Police Commissioner. Send someone to Judge Hatch's house. Go over his effects and see if he'd received any threatening letters. Yes, sir. Mr. Chameleon, this will probably be one of the easiest cases you've had to solve. Why? Because Judge Hatch was known as the hanging judge. And from everything I've ever read about him, a lot of criminals would have liked to kill him. It looks as if all you'd have to do is check up on the people he's given stiff sentences to check on them. And among them you'll find your man. Say, you're interested in criminology, Mr. Chrysler? No, I'm afraid that's a little far removed from the quiet occupation I follow. In a museum. Well, your hunch may be a good one at that. Dave, you send in our friend with a Monocle, please. Okay, Mr. Chameleon. Particularly anxious to see him. Mr. Chameleon. Do you mean that you know this man, Mr. Crosland? Unless I am much mistaken, he's Andy Matthews, a well known fence and confidence man. And I see that I am not mistaken. Hello, Andy. Hello, Mr. Chameleon. Well, this is a pretty mess. I walk into a museum to get a little culture and what happens? A man is murdered. Police all over the place. Oh, it's awful tough on you, Andy. But tougher on Judge Hatch. Now look, Chameleon, I'm going straight. You haven't had much chance yet. You were just released from prison after serving an eight year term. Judge Hatch didn't sentence me. No, he didn't. But he sent your best pal and partner, Shorty Mason, to the chair. Now, what do you know about this murder, Andy? What were you doing in this museum? And where's the murder gun? Why don't you search me, Chameleon? Because I think you're too smart to kill a man and keep the gun on your person. And I think you're too smart, Chameleon, to even dream that I'd kill Judge Hatch. You haven't forgotten, I hope, that he was well known as the hanging judge. When I was in stir, at least 20 men said their first act on release would be to knock off that old beat. Do you get my point, old man? The point is that those 20 suspects you so kindly present, and they are still in stir. But you are out and on the scene here. And I'm quite sure that Judge Hatch's daughter will identify you right now, Andy. Ms. Hatch, you step in here, please, to identify someone.

[Barbara Hatch]

Yes, Mr. Chameleon.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Ms. Hatch, is this the man that your father saw just before he was shot? Is this the man who disturbed him so that he ducked into a room to avoid being seen?

[Barbara Hatch]

I. I don't know, Mr. Chameleon. I honestly couldn't say.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Sorry, Chameleon. Your mistake. Ms. Hatch, you go back into that room, please, and ask Priscilla Ames to step out here.

[Barbara Hatch]

Yes, Ms. Ames. Mr. Chameleon. Wants you.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Ms. Ames, is this man familiar to you?

[Priscilla Ames]

What do you mean? How would I happen to know a cheap crook.

[Mr. Chameleon]

You forget, Ms. Ames, that your brother was a crook. A confidence man, just like Andy.

[Priscilla Ames]

Well, I never saw this man before. I never laid eyes on him.

[Mr. Chameleon]

That's very odd, because at one time he and your brother were partners. Mr. Crossley. Yes, sir. What's that in that showcase on the wall? Why, that's a display of antique guns, Mr. Million. Let me look at them. Antique guns? Well, you don't say. And is that little automatic in the corner an antique? When did you put it in there? Andy, when did you hide the murder gun in that case? I didn't, Mr. Chameleon. I never saw it before. Mr. Crossley, open the case, please, so I can get the gun. Well, what are you waiting for? I said open the case. I can't, Mr. Chameleon. I don't have the keys. Who has? The only person in the museum, Mr. Chameleon, who has the key to that case is Priscilla Ames. Well, Ms. Ames, how do you explain this?

[Narrator]

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[Mr. Chameleon]

Give me the key to that showcase, Ms. Ames. One with the antique guns and the murder gun among them.

[Priscilla Ames]

I. I haven't got the key with me, Mr. Chameleon.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Mr. Crosley, your assistant says you are the only one who has a key.

[Priscilla Ames]

But I must have left it somewhere. I haven't got it with me.

[Mr. Chameleon]

I don't intend to wait while you look for it, Ms. Ames. I'll have to smash the glass case. And here is the disappearing gun. The gun that killed Judge Hatch. Ms. Ames, you're the only person who had the key to this case.

[Priscilla Ames]

Someone could have stolen my keys, couldn't they? I left them in my desk.

[Mr. Chameleon]

You just told me that you didn't know where they were.

[Priscilla Ames]

Don't try confusing me, Mr. Chameleon. Barbara Hatch could have taken them and hidden the gun after she'd killed her father.

[Mr. Chameleon]

And so could Andy Matthews. Look here, Chameleon. What is it? Suppose you tell me, Andy.

[Priscilla Ames]

Mr. Chameleon, I'm certain Andy Matthews had as little to do with this murder as I did.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Well, awfully nice to meet two such completely innocent people. Andy, get out of this room and wait for me upstairs. That suits me, Chameleon. Get going, andy. Okay, okay.

[Priscilla Ames]

Mr. Chameleon. Why do you dismiss a person like Andy Matthews and hold me here?

[Mr. Chameleon]

Mr. Chameleon, look what I dragged up from the basement. Yes, Dave. Let go of me, you big bully. Let go of me.

[Narrator]

Not until Mr. Chameleon has had a.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Little chat with you. Who is he, Dave?

[Narrator]

Mr. John Clark, the former fiance of Barbara Hatch.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Just why were you hiding in the basement, young man? I was trying to keep out of sight while Judge Hatch was here. If you knew what a so and so he was, you wouldn't blame me. Judge Hatch has been murdered by an unknown killer. And you were here in the museum at the time he was shot. Sure I was. So what? What does that prove? A lot of people were in the museum, John.

[Barbara Hatch]

Be careful. I mean. I mean. Don't be so disagreeable.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Keep out of this, Barbara. I know what I'm doing. I'm beginning to see why Judge Hatch objected to you as a possible son in law. John. Are they police going in the romance business, too? What affair is it of yours if Barbara and I have been had? Been? You mean that you and Barbara have been meeting here secretly in this museum? That's what you've been doing meeting here, isn't it? Is that a crime, John?

[Barbara Hatch]

Don't you see what you're doing, acting this way.

[Mr. Chameleon]

I told you to stay out of this, Barbara. I think that she said enough to reveal that you and Barbara have been using this as a secret meeting place. And you, Ms. Ames, you knew about these meetings, didn't you? In fact, you encouraged Barbara to meet this young man.

[Priscilla Ames]

Mr. Chameleon, Judge Hatch broke up one romance. Mine. I took great pleasure in helping along his daughter's romance.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Yes, and Judge Hatch got wind of it. He came here, Ms. Ames, to tear you to pieces. And possibly he thought he'd run into John, too. But he didn't run into me, Mr. Chameleon. I wonder. Go on wondering, Mr. Chameleon. Let's see the great brain work.

[Narrator]

That's enough out of you.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Let him alone, Dave. Let him alone. I only hope that he's talking himself out of Barbara's affections. You may finally catch on to the idea, Chameleon, that Judge Hatch was known as the hanger and plenty of guys were after him. I was waiting for that from you, John Clark. It's what everybody in the case has told me so far. And it makes me wonder more and.

[Priscilla Ames]

More, Mr. Chameleon, in the name of heaven, give us a rest from this constant insinuation and questioning.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Ms. Ames. There won't be rest for anyone till Judge Hatcher's murderer is caught. Get that straight, all of you.

[Narrator]

It is now the next day, and we find Mr. Chameleon at Central Police Headquarters. In the office of the Commissioner of Police.

[Mr. Chameleon]

He is saying, Good morning, Commissioner. Tell me if the boys picked up anything for me. Well, the newspapers have certainly picked up plenty, Chameleon. The idea of the hanging judge being murdered seems to be most intriguing to them. Putting you and me in the same sack as a couple of nitwits. Don't take it so much to heart, Commissioner. Well, anyway, here's what the boys picked up, Chameleon. First, this partly burned letter taken from Judge Hatch's room. Oh, thanks. A note that definitely reveals the judge had been tipped off that his daughter Barbara was meeting the unsavory John Clark at the museum. That, of course, is why the judge took his daughter there yesterday, Chameleon. That and perhaps something more, Commissioner. What more is there? A report yet on whether Barbara had been carrying any packages or anything else from the museum after meeting the boyfriend, John Clark. It just came in. And your guess was right. Chameleon got the story from the doorman at the museum. So she has been carrying things away. Where'd she take them, Commissioner? The Apex Coffee Shop. Down the street from the museum. A hangout for Andy Matthews and a number of other crooks, including a couple of fences. The Apex Coffee Shop. Well, well, Chameleon. You don't think Judge Hatch's daughter killed her own father, do you? Incredible. Ghastly. It's happened before, Commissioner. Love crazed girl, Domineering, arrogant father. Anyway, it gives me an idea. Commissioner, order that museum reopened to the public right away. Open to the public? Why take that chance? Because it'll draw a big crowd of morbid curiosity seekers and give me the chance to go in there disguised as one of them. I want to draw the Apex Coffee Shop and that museum closer together.

[Narrator]

Yet even as Mr. Chameleon is talking to the police commissioner, a trembling girl is waiting in the Apex Coffee Shop down the street from the museum. And Barbara Hatch half rises to her feet as Priscilla Ames swoops down upon her.

[Priscilla Ames]

Well, Miss Hatch. My dear little Barbara. I thought I'd find you here and I came to warn you.

[Barbara Hatch]

What about, Ms. Ames?

[Priscilla Ames]

You know what about Barbara. So help me, I'll kill you. If you say one word to Mr. Chameleon that implicates me in your father's murder.

[Barbara Hatch]

I didn't mean to, Ms. Ames.

[Priscilla Ames]

I'll see that you don't. I've had enough of your sanctimonious family interfering in my life.

[Barbara Hatch]

I'm afraid. I'm afraid you should be, Barbara.

[Priscilla Ames]

I suppose Chameleon will be coming to the museum in disguise. That's his specialty. But if he does, I'll recognize him. I'm sure I will.

[Barbara Hatch]

And then what?

[Priscilla Ames]

I don't know. But don't forget this. I know a lot about you, Barbara, and don't you ever forget it.

[Narrator]

Now we find Mr. Chameleon in his disguise as a senile old man, Mr. Wheeler. And he is entering the museum saying to Detective Sergeant Dave Arnold, who is with him.

[Mr. Chameleon]

All right, Dave, the coast is clear. I don't think anyone's seen me with you. Or if they have, I'm just an old man who's been asking a few questions. So keep out of sight. Have your gun in readiness. Don't worry, Mr. Chameleon. I'll be, uh. Oh, here comes Priscilla Ames. Just the one I want to see. Beat it, Dave. Okay.

[Narrator]

Just in time. Dave ducks out of sight behind a curtain. Mr. Chameleon shuffles forward to intercept Ms. Ames. And he speaks in the quavering voice of his disguise.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Good morning, ma' am. Is this the room where Judge Hatch was killed?

[Priscilla Ames]

Oh, good heavens. I'm sick and tired of answering that question, people come here now out of morbid curiosity instead of wanting to see these beautiful works of art.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Can't blame him much, can you? Human nature being what it is. Was this the room where Judge Hatch was murdered?

[Priscilla Ames]

Yes, it is.

[Mr. Chameleon]

My, my. Think of that. My name is wheeler. What's yours?

[Priscilla Ames]

Ms. Ames. I'm the curator of the museum. And now if you'll excuse me.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Ooh, that's a pretty box. What? I say, that antique box is mighty pretty. Mind if I look at it?

[Priscilla Ames]

Certainly I mind. I run this museum. Nothing is to be touched.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Be careful. You get mad because people come here out of morbid curiosity. Then you get mad and people look at your works of art.

[Priscilla Ames]

Mr. Wheeler, that antique box is not to be touched. Don't you see the sign? Do not touch.

[Mr. Chameleon]

I'm not hurting it, Ms. Ames.

[Priscilla Ames]

Put it down.

[Mr. Chameleon]

You've got no call to speak to me like that. All I want to do is look inside the box and I'm going to. Got him, Dave? Yes, I've got him, Mr. Chameleon. Your shot nicked him in the arm and bring him out.

[Priscilla Ames]

Mr. Chameleon. You are Mr. Chameleon?

[Mr. Chameleon]

Yes, Ms. Ames. And here is John Clark, the murderer of Judge Hatch.

[Priscilla Ames]

Barbara Hatch's fiance?

[Mr. Chameleon]

No, your accomplice, Priscilla. Help me. Help me. She won't help you, John. Instead, she'll tell me everything she wants to save herself from a murder rap was she who gave me my first clue when she lied about not knowing where her keys were. Mr. Camellia, Judge Hatch had picked up this antique box. He was raising the lid, just as I did now. And hidden inside this box was a fortune. And stolen jewels like these. He was murdered because quite by accident, he found those jewels. Are you saying that I handled stolen jewels? That's exact what I'm saying, John Clark. And I'm also saying that you killed Judge Hatch. But the gun was Barbara's gun. The gun you sneaked from Barbara. Shopping bag, you mean. No, no, I. John Clark, you and Priscilla Ames were working together, passing stolen jewelry. And this is how it was done. Barbara Hatch used to come in here to meet you, John. And if you weren't here, she took a small package from that antique box and turned it over to a messenger at the Apex Coffee Shop who in turn gave her a love letter from you. The Barbara was a romantic game. She'd no idea that she, your judge's daughter, was being used by criminals to pass stolen loot. I'm saying nothing, Chameleon, but I am we found a half burned note in the judge's room. A note for Barbara from you, John Clark, which thanked her for following instructions. Well, the judge found it too. He suspected what was happening. He followed his daughter and saw her meet a known criminal at the coffee shop. And you, Ms. Ames, were in on the whole scheme.

[Priscilla Ames]

I didn't murder Judge Hatch. It was John Clark.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Why you. Hold him. Dave, enough. All right, that's all. Thank you, Ms. Ames. I can use your testimony.

[Priscilla Ames]

And I'm not a jewel thief either. I was just afraid to interfere.

[Mr. Chameleon]

Afraid? You're enjoying it. It was sweet revenge. A bitter joke. A bitter joke to both of you. That the daughter of the judge you so hated should have been tricked into helping a ring of criminals. What you didn't know was that it would lead to murder. And your own arrest. You, John Clark, as the actual killer. You, Priscilla Ames, as a possible accomplice.

[Priscilla Ames]

No, no. I had nothing to do with it.

[Mr. Chameleon]

You had full knowledge that crime was being committed. And your failure to report it is in itself a crime.

[Narrator]

And with these words, Mr. Chameleon concludes tonight's murder case. It's only natural that when you have an ordinary headache, you want fast relief. And to find out how quickly Bayer aspirin is ready to go to work, all you need do is test it in a glass of water. What happens to a Bayer aspirin tablet in the glass also happens in your stomach. And the speed with which it disintegrates indicates the speed with which it's ready to go to work. When you make this test, you'll see that Bayer aspirin tablets start disintegrating almost instantly. Are actually ready to go to work in two seconds. Hence, they provide remarkably fast relief. So when you need something to relieve pain, be sure of how quickly it will act. Be sure with Bayer aspirin. When you buy, ask for Bayer aspirin. Not just for aspirin alone. Get the 100 tablet bottle and you get Bayer aspirin tablets for less than a penny a piece. Listen. Next Wednesday night at this same time for Mr. Chameleon, the man of many faces in the friendly divorce murder case. The part of Mr. Chameleon is played by Carl Swenson with dialogue by Marie Balmer and Frank Hummert. From the original story by Frank and Ann Hummert. Music directed by Victor Arden. Your announcer is Howard Claney. To millions, tooth decay means suffering, worry, expense. But now, thanks to a remarkable scientific discovery, you can actually cut down tooth decay simply by using new ammoniated Dr. Lyons tooth powder. Based on a formula developed by University of Illinois scientists. It actually destroys bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus, which cause tooth decay. As a result, dentists by the thousand recommend this type dentifrous.

[Mr. Chameleon]

So to cut down tooth decay, to.

[Narrator]

Have sounder, healthier, handsomer teeth, use Ammoniated Dr. Lyons toothpowder. Both regular Dr. Lyons tooth powder and new Ammoniated Dr. Lyons are at all drug and toilet goods counters. Listen for Mr. Chameleon in the friendly divorce murder case. Next Wednesday night at this time, this is cbs, the Columbia Broadcasting System.

[Mr. Chameleon]

RA.