
Today's Mystery: An elderly woman is found murdered in her apartment and three people confess to the crime. Original Radio Broadcast Date: October 13, 1950 Originated in Hollywood Stars: Larry Thor as Lieutenant Danny Clover, Charles Calvert as...
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Danny Clover
What do you think makes the perfect snack?
Ted Raymond
Hmm, it's gotta be when I'm really craving it and it's convenient.
Danny Clover
Could you be more specific?
Ted Raymond
When it's cravinient.
Linda Arnold
Okay.
Ted Raymond
Like a freshly baked cookie made with real butter, available right down the street at am pm. Or a savory breakfast sandwich I can grab in just a second at a.m. pM.
Danny Clover
I'm seeing a pattern here.
Ted Raymond
Well, yeah, we're talking about what I.
Danny Clover
Crave, which is anything from AM pm.
Ted Raymond
What more could you want? Stop by AM PM where the snacks and drinks are perfectly craveable and convenient. That's cravenience. AM PM Too Much Good stuff.
Danny Clover
Mmm. Mmm. Ooh, whatcha eating?
Ted Raymond
The new banana split cookie from AM pm. All freshly baked with real butter with banana, chocolate and strawberry flavors.
Danny Clover
Wow, that sounds amazing. Can I have a bite?
Ted Raymond
Um, sorry, but no. But you can't split the banana split.
Danny Clover
Not even a little.
Ted Raymond
Not even a crumb.
Danny Clover
What if.
Alfred Carroll
No, please.
Ted Raymond
Mine. When it's too legit to split. That's cravenience. Get a 3 pack for 99 cents with our app AM PM too much good stuff plus tax where applicable. Prices and participation may vary in terms of conditions applied.
Alfred Carroll
Welcome to the Great detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're going to bring you this week's episode of Broadway's My Beat. But first, I do want to encourage you. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. Also, I do want to let you know today's program is brought to you in part by the financial support of our listeners. You, you can support the show on a one time basis using the ZellApp to box 13@greatdetectives.net and of course you can become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for as little as $2 per month at patreon.greatdetactives.net well, now we go to Broadway's My Beat. From October 13, 1950, here is the Helen Carroll murder case.
Linda Arnold
Broadway's My beat. From Times Square to Columbus Circle. The gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world.
Narrator
Broadway is My Beat With Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover.
Linda Arnold
Broadway, where you walk through the October evening and hold close the things you want to save for memories. Then Broadway's as innocent and nostalgic as music drifting from a carousel and you move on. You get hit in the face by a guy fishing for nickels under a grating. Whatever you are pursuing is gone now lost and Broadway trails off into the side streets. Walk them like I did and try to close your eyes against the pattern of scars in the street of the tenements. The kids with the torn deck of cards under the lamppost. The dogs at the trash cans. The wide eyed girl who lurched against me.
Danny Clover
Pardon me.
Linda Arnold
That's all right.
Danny Clover
Pardon me. Pardon me.
Linda Arnold
That's all right. Is something wrong, miss?
Danny Clover
No, no, it's all right. I'll find it. All right.
Linda Arnold
Find what? May I help you?
Danny Clover
You've seen it. You know where it is.
Linda Arnold
You're not feeling well, miss. Let me take you home.
Danny Clover
Home?
Linda Arnold
That's right. Where do you live?
Danny Clover
I don't know.
Linda Arnold
Then tell me your name. We'll find out.
Danny Clover
I don't know my name. I don't know who I am. I don't know who. Tell me who I am.
Linda Arnold
I'll just take it easy. That's better. What were you looking for?
Danny Clover
Pocketbook. I remember I had it. I think I had it when I was rocking right over there. I fell down.
Linda Arnold
Let's go see. How long ago did you miss your pocketbook?
Danny Clover
A little while, I think. I don't know. An hour. I don't know. Just a few minutes ago. I can't remember when.
Linda Arnold
Here's where you fell.
Danny Clover
Yes, I remember because when it happened I stretched out my arm so I wouldn't hit the trash can.
Dr. Sinski
Uh huh.
Linda Arnold
Is this it, miss?
Danny Clover
Yes, yes, that's it. I can remember that.
Linda Arnold
Let's open it.
Danny Clover
Yes, yes.
Linda Arnold
Here. A wallet. Here's a driver's license made up to Linda Arnold. 1912 West 54th Street. 5, 4, blonde hair, green eyes. That fits. And this. In case of accident, notify Helen Carroll. Address the same.
Danny Clover
Helen Carroll. Aunt Helen? Yes, that's right. My name's Linda Arnold and Helen Carroll's my aunt.
Linda Arnold
Uh huh. Something else in this purse, Ms. Arnold. Recognize it?
Danny Clover
What? Why that's a letter opener. Aunt Helen's. And there's blood on it.
Linda Arnold
That's right, Ms. Arnold. It's sticky with blood. Which is your apartment, Ms. Arnold?
Danny Clover
That one. The one at the.
Linda Arnold
Are you all right?
Danny Clover
Yes, I'm all right now. It's the one at the end of the hall.
Linda Arnold
I have your key.
Danny Clover
It's in my purse.
Linda Arnold
Who? Muggerbun. Hi, Danny.
Dr. Sinski
You got the call, huh?
Linda Arnold
What call?
Dr. Sinski
I'm assigned, Danny. You mean you didn't get it? Then why are you here?
Linda Arnold
Ms. Arnold lives here. She's ill. I found her wandering in the streets, so I brought her home.
Danny Clover
You said someone was dead. Who is it? Who's dead?
Dr. Sinski
Who?
Linda Arnold
Mugaman.
Dr. Sinski
Woman named Carol. Mrs. Helen Carroll. In the kitchen. Here.
Linda Arnold
Take care of her, Mugavan. Make her lie down someplace.
Dr. Sinski
Okay. Denny. Bedroom over there. I hear Ms. Honor. Let me help you, Danny. We've been waiting for you.
Linda Arnold
Hi.
Dr. Sinski
You got a cigarette, Danny?
Linda Arnold
Oh, sure. Dr. Sinski. It's here. How?
Dr. Sinski
Stabbed in the chest. Over and over. Pierced the lungs, the heart, the mitre. Made very sure, Danny. Like was what he'd lived for all his life.
Linda Arnold
Who called it in, do you know?
Dr. Sinski
Detective Mugavan Said some man from a coin box wouldn't give his name.
Linda Arnold
Stabbed. Boys know with what.
Dr. Sinski
No weapons in evidence, Danny. They think it was a knife. A small knife like that.
Linda Arnold
A letter opener maybe.
Dr. Sinski
The boys mentioned the possibility of a letter opener.
Linda Arnold
There's a girl in the bedroom, doctor. She'll need your help.
Dr. Sinski
Don't take me to her, Daddy.
Danny Clover
I killed her. I killed her. I hated her. She was mean and rotten. She twisted everything and made it dirty and mean. I killed her.
Linda Arnold
Hold it, Danny.
Dr. Sinski
You too, Mugavin. But gently. You'll be all right, miss. It'll be all right.
Danny Clover
I want Ted. Bring Ted. Do me. Tell him. Tell Ted. Oh.
Linda Arnold
Oh.
Danny Clover
Tell him I killed her. Tell him to come to me.
Linda Arnold
Dr. Sinski.
Mugavan
A moment longer, Danny. In a moment she'll be asleep.
Dr. Sinski
This girl murdered, Danny.
Linda Arnold
She's asleep. You're right. Dr. Sinski. Only took a moment. It only took a moment. And sleep took. Touched Linda Arnold. The face gouged with hysteria. Smoothed down to a kind of release. An innocence. Her lips formed a final word. Ted. Once. Then she surrendered to sleep. I left. Routine. Then. Questions. Questions prefaced with the word Ted. And answers from people who lived in the apartment house. Ted. Guess that's her boyfriend that always comes calling. Mister. The good looking boy in the uniform. Then a woman who opened the door for me before I knocked told me. Dad. You mean Ted Raymond, Mr. Linda's boyfriend? About as uniform. Mr. Gift. That's because he drives a bus. More questions and find out. Ted Raymond drove a bus for cross country tours. Go to the depot. Ted was off yesterday, but here's his address. But Ted wasn't home when I got there. Assign a man to call me. When Ted got in the next morning at 10, a phone call. Ted Raymond had been out all night. He just got in. I went there.
Dr. Sinski
You're the police?
Linda Arnold
That's right. Danny Clover.
Mugavan
Come on in.
Linda Arnold
Thanks. How'd you know I was.
Dr. Sinski
You were the police?
Mugavan
How did I know one of your boys was outside this house? When I came in, he was trying to look like a maple tree. Like the one that's outside. Real detective y looking fat man with a cigar trying to look like a maple tree. I came home, he went across the street and made a call. Then you came. Have a chair.
Linda Arnold
Thanks. You know why I'm here?
Dr. Sinski
Sure.
Linda Arnold
That's why you were packing that bag over on the bed.
Mugavan
Maybe I was doing the wrong thing. I don't know the etiquette about getting arrested. Do they furnish prisoners with small and necessary items like razor and toothbrush and combs and brushes?
Linda Arnold
Huh?
Mugavan
Go ahead, look. That's what I'm packing.
Dr. Sinski
Look.
Mugavan
And then arrest me.
Linda Arnold
Arrest you for what?
Mugavan
Come on, come on, I. Don't get cagey on me. Arrest me for murder. I killed Helen Carroll.
Linda Arnold
Where were you all last night, Ted?
Mugavan
Killing Helen Carroll and walking the streets, atoning to myself for my crime.
Linda Arnold
How'd you make out?
Mugavan
Fine. She needed to be killed. All her money. Linda never got a cent of it. Kill her, Aunt Hanlon. Marry Linda. Be rich.
Dr. Sinski
Logic.
Mugavan
Now I'm caught.
Linda Arnold
How'd you kill her?
Mugavan
I stabbed her.
Linda Arnold
With what?
Mugavan
How do I know with what? I picked up something and stabbed her. Let's go. Mr. Clover. Take me down to headquarters. Get me a secretary and I'll dictate my confession.
Linda Arnold
It could have ended there, with the boy's confession and arrest. Could have been easy. Easy to erase the words of a girl. The cries of a girl uttered in anguish and hysteria. The sickness of the lost. Easy to put out of mind. The blood on a letter opener found in her purse, found behind a trash can. A girl wandering aimlessly in the twilight. That never happened, but you know it did. All of it. So you make a call to Dr. Sinski and he tells you the girl is in the police hospital. Yes, she can talk to you. She's been asking for you. And the girl sitting upright in the bed is a girl who was never lost. Who never cried. Except alone.
Danny Clover
I've waited for you to come back, Mr. Clover.
Linda Arnold
You're better now. Feel all right?
Danny Clover
Look at me. What do you think?
Linda Arnold
You look fine.
Danny Clover
I tried. I made them bring me lipstick and powder. Miss Negligee. It's one I've been saving. You like it?
Linda Arnold
You consider this an occasion, Miss Arnold?
Danny Clover
Isn't it?
Linda Arnold
Can you remember what you told me when I brought you home the other night? When we found your aunt?
Danny Clover
I remember it exactly. Word for word. I said it killed her because I hated her. My aunt was mean, Mr. Clover, and rotten. That's why I killed her. This makes it an occasion, doesn't it?
Linda Arnold
You lived with your aunt.
Danny Clover
Ever since I was in pigtails. Ever since I was 12. I think it began the first night I stayed in her house. Yeah, that's right. That's when it began.
Linda Arnold
What began?
Danny Clover
The hate. The loathing.
Linda Arnold
Why?
Danny Clover
Because she made me cry. Because she put me in a dark room and let me cry all night.
Linda Arnold
You done something wrong?
Danny Clover
Mm. I did wrong. My mother and father were dead. That's what I did wrong. There was no one to take me except a school friend of my mother's. I call her Aunt Helen. That's what I did wrong.
Linda Arnold
And after that?
Danny Clover
Have you ever had to live on the charity of a bitter Old woman, Mr. Clover? It could have been so nice. She was that rich. A hundred thousand dollars. Alfred said $100,000. And we ate out of paper bags. We dressed Alfred.
Linda Arnold
Who's he?
Danny Clover
Alfred Carroll, my uncle. My aunt's husband. Poor thing.
Linda Arnold
We didn't even know about him. Where is he?
Danny Clover
I don't know. But find him, Mr. Clover. He'll be so relieved that I've killed her. So happy. I'd like to see his face. Find him for me, please.
Linda Arnold
We will. We'll put out an all points bulletin.
Danny Clover
Thank you. Now you'll put me in a cell, I suppose I'm well enough for you to do that.
Linda Arnold
Ted Raymond says he killed your aunt.
Danny Clover
You're not fooled, are you? He said that because he loves me. Turn your back, Mr. Clover. I'll get dressed. So you can put me away.
Tartaglia
Danny.
Danny Clover
Hi.
Tartaglia
O, Danny.
Linda Arnold
Oh, come on in, Tartaglia. Well, what's on your mind?
Tartaglia
Oh, thanks, Danny. Especially to extend to you formally the warm hand of welcome back from your vacation west of the Great Divide.
Linda Arnold
Thanks, Gino.
Tartaglia
And to remark that the western winds have indeed done wonders to your features. The sunburned brow, the hearty handshake and that Don Juan shirt. You look like a veritable Don Juan.
Linda Arnold
Thanks, Gino.
Tartaglia
And to tell you that I have prepared myself during your vacation for whatever problems perplex your brain.
Linda Arnold
Oh, tell me about it.
Tartaglia
Well, I have been studying the exploits of Mike Schreck, the bald headed miracle detective from Philadelphia. Detective Schreck is a man who has coined two interesting theories. First theory, find a woman. Second theory, the criminal always returns to the scene of his crime. Put them together.
Linda Arnold
In other words, when a man walks past the scene of the crime with.
Tartaglia
A girl, he's the killer. Hey, how did you know?
Dr. Sinski
Lieutenant Clover.
Linda Arnold
That's right. Come in.
Dr. Sinski
Thank you. I Understand? You're looking for me.
Linda Arnold
I am.
Dr. Sinski
My name is Alfred Carroll.
Linda Arnold
Yes. Yes. We were looking for you, Mr. Carroll. Do you know why we want you?
Dr. Sinski
Yes. Yes, of course I do. It's about my wife's murder.
Linda Arnold
It's this way. Two people have confessed to your wife's murder.
Dr. Sinski
What?
Linda Arnold
That's right. Linda Arnold and Ted Raymond.
Dr. Sinski
I'm not a young man anymore, Lieutenant. Would you mind if I sat down?
Linda Arnold
Please do.
Dr. Sinski
That's strange. Why should two people confess to my wife's murder? What? Why should they do that? I killed my wife. I killed Helen.
Narrator
You are listening to Broadway's My Beat, written by Morton Fine and David Friedkin and starring Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover. Keep your guard up. That's the key slogan of the 1950 National Guard Recruiting drive. And it's a slogan as timely as today's headlines. More than ever before, America stands prepared, and the National Guard must recruit approximately 220,000 men as soon as possible. By joining the National Guard, young men will have the advantage of choosing their own unit and preparing themselves for promotion by being in a job for which they are best qualified. Investigate the National Guard now. Help America to keep up its guard.
Linda Arnold
In the late October afternoon, Broadway stands on a corner, sips its coffee, snaps at a coney and sums up the day. Some days are better than others, you know, because the Trans Lux says it was. Our men in Korea are doing fine. It says. A horse out in far Hollywood paid 90 for 2, it says. But you went on it, were you, kid. For the rich they run again. Get this item. Look what it says. Three people confessed to murder of Helen Carroll. A field day for the police, I kid. Three tries, three scores coming up in the world. The police. And at headquarters, the husband sits quietly waiting for the police stenographer to catch up with him. Because his confession spills out of him like laughter, like it has to be shared with the world.
Dr. Sinski
Have you got that now, young man? All of it. Every word.
Linda Arnold
He's got it, Mr. Carroll. Go on.
Dr. Sinski
There's not much more. I wish there were. There are so many things.
Linda Arnold
Where did you go after you killed your wife, Mr. Carroll?
Dr. Sinski
I went to do things she'd never let me do.
Linda Arnold
Like what?
Dr. Sinski
Enjoyable things. Pleasurable things.
Linda Arnold
Like what?
Dr. Sinski
I went to a bar and had a drink. A lot of drinks. With her money? With Helen's money, What else? There was a girl there, sitting all alone. She came up to me and asked me if I was having a good time. I said, indeed I was. Then I asked her if I Could buy her a drink. And she smiled. What have you done with Linda? Where's Linda?
Linda Arnold
How much money did your wife have?
Dr. Sinski
A hundred thousand dollars. Imagine, $100,000. And she made us live like pigs, like beggars. She wouldn't even let me get a job so I could have money for myself.
Linda Arnold
Why does she keep her money?
Dr. Sinski
It's all in the bank, in her name. It's all coming to me now. You know what I'm going to do with it after I die? After you?
Linda Arnold
What are you going to do with it?
Dr. Sinski
I'm going to leave it all to Linda. To my child. I think of her as my child, but she isn't. You know, it's like a blessing to have Linda in our house. I want her to have all that money.
Linda Arnold
Let me look at the transcript, Florio. Thanks.
Dr. Sinski
You will see to it that Linda gets that money, won't you?
Linda Arnold
You said here you stabbed your wife with a letter opener, Mr. Carroll. What did you do with it?
Dr. Sinski
Didn't I tell you that? I must have forgotten the excitement. I walked around and all of a sudden I was on the dock. A garbage scow floated right past. So I threw the weapon onto the garbage. I thought that was ripe for Helen.
Linda Arnold
Is this the ladder opener?
Dr. Sinski
Let me see. Yes, that's it. It belonged to Helen. That's what I killed her with.
Linda Arnold
I found it in Linda's purse with blood on it.
Dr. Sinski
You lie. You're lying. I threw it away. I threw it on that barge. You're lying.
Linda Arnold
Taglia, see that Mr. Carroll gets home.
Dr. Sinski
I killed her. I killed her.
Linda Arnold
Take her home, Tataglia. There it was. Three people confessed to a single murder. An elderly man, Alfred Carroll, said he killed his wife. But the details of the killing were too cloudy. A young woman, Linda Arnold, said she did it. Killing done in a mental blackout. A young man, Ted Raymond, swore he was the killer. Take a premise. Consider it. Make up your mind that one of the suspects was the murderer. But who? All had motive. As far as I could gather, all had opportunity. That was the joker routine again. And questions again. The knocking on doors and tipping the hat, flashing the badge. And intrude into lives of people who thought the word murder was reserved for headlines only. A person like Mrs. Westfall, for instance. Landlady and purveyor of towels and clean sheets for Ted Raymond.
Mrs. Westfall
You're talking about Ted Raymond, ain't you?
Linda Arnold
That's right.
Mrs. Westfall
Ted drives a bus.
Linda Arnold
What are you looking at, Mrs. Westfold?
Mrs. Westfall
Get off, fiddlebird. Look at her walking down the street, giddled in her uppity ways. It's just October and she's got out the raccoon coat already. Look at her.
Linda Arnold
Ted Raymond.
Mrs. Westfall
He drives a bus. Bus driver. Jockey for a bus.
Danny Clover
Look at Gittel.
Linda Arnold
Do you know whether he made any phone calls?
Mrs. Westfall
My phone always makes him. Broke a date with his girl. I heard him because I was peeping with my ear.
Linda Arnold
Then what'd he do?
Mrs. Westfall
I don't know. Maybe he went to work. Where he works at the bus depot. I bet it's not even real raccoon.
Linda Arnold
Bus leaving. Are you Mr. McLean? That's right.
Tartaglia
What can I do?
Linda Arnold
VC I'm for the police.
Danny Clover
Fine.
Dr. Sinski
I drive that bus for cross country tours.
Linda Arnold
I'm supposed to take it out to.
Tartaglia
Washington in five minutes.
Linda Arnold
Think I'll make it sure. This will only take a minute. The man at the ticket window said you were a friend of Ted Raymond's. Was Ted in trouble? Oh, I'm just supposed to answer the questions so you'll make the bus.
Dr. Sinski
I know Ted.
Linda Arnold
Did you see him last night? All night. Sat up with pinochle. All night? From 5pm to 4am that's funny. You know what's funny? Funny.
Tartaglia
He called me very early this morning.
Linda Arnold
Told me if anyone asked us. Say, I never saw him at all last night. Better catch your bus, Mr. McLean.
Danny Clover
Baltimore and Washington leaving in.
Dr. Sinski
Your name, Clover?
Linda Arnold
That's right. Who are you?
Dr. Sinski
My name is Jones and I've been looking for you.
Linda Arnold
Why have you been doing that?
Dr. Sinski
Because I read in the paper you were assigned to the murder of Mrs. Cross, therefore this.
Linda Arnold
Therefore what?
Dr. Sinski
Here. $100 bill. Take it. You see, I didn't spend a cent of it.
Linda Arnold
Look, Mr. Jones. What's this all about?
Dr. Sinski
It's about that boy, Ted Raymond. He gave me the hundred dollars and I'm giving it to you.
Linda Arnold
Why are you doing that?
Dr. Sinski
Because I'm the superintendent of the apartment house in which Mrs. Carroll was slain. Ted Raymond gave me the hundred dollars early this morning. Said to tell anyone that asked that he was lurking around the apartment house at the time of the murder.
Linda Arnold
I see. What took you all this time to come to the police?
Dr. Sinski
Yes.
Linda Arnold
What?
Dr. Sinski
Yes, it did take me a long time. What happens to the hundred dollar bill now, Mr. Clover?
Linda Arnold
Hello, Ted.
Mugavan
Your marbles must have come loose, Mr. Clover. You leave that door open, I make a dashboard escape, Become a fugitive from justice, make a name for myself in the papers.
Linda Arnold
But you won't do that, will you, Ted?
Dr. Sinski
A dreamer.
Linda Arnold
You won't do it because you like it here. Yeah, that's right.
Mugavan
I like it here. The walls are worn thin. Where guys have cried on them, where guys have beaten their heads against them. Oh, yeah. I like it here, Mr. Clover. Joe, be careful, huh? Careful I don't hurt you when I try.
Linda Arnold
It's open, Ted. All you have to do is walk out.
Dr. Sinski
So what is this?
Mugavan
This I never even read about.
Linda Arnold
You told me you killed Helen Carroll.
Mugavan
Yeah, who else should I tell you? Bring him to me. I'll whisper it in their ears.
Linda Arnold
She was killed in the evening at 7 o'. Clock. The medical examiner says.
Mugavan
Bless him, I killed her in the evening at seven o'. Clock.
Linda Arnold
You're lying, Ted. We know everything you did from 5 until 4 in the morning. You weren't even near Helen Carroll. How much did you lose at pinochle?
Mugavan
Ted, you're crazy.
Linda Arnold
The man you played cards with, McLean, is he crazy too? Ted? All of us. And Jones, the man you paid a hundred dollars to establish at the scene of the crime that the current price for a confession of murder. Answer me.
Mugavan
So I didn't kill anybody. So you don't have to put your hands on me.
Linda Arnold
Who did you do it for?
Mugavan
It's this way, Mr. Clover. Somebody gets killed, I feel guilty. So I confess. And I don't feel guilty anymore.
Linda Arnold
It was for Linda, wasn't it?
Mugavan
I do it for her too.
Linda Arnold
For Linda? Hot. Dad.
Mugavan
Leave her out of this. I want you to leave her out. Look, Mr. Cloveley, you're wrong. Linda couldn't kill. She's a sick, but she wouldn't kill. Not Linda. She's just sick, that's all. All she needs is how sick. Ask her doctor, he'll tell you. Dr. Malcolm.
Linda Arnold
Dr. Malcolm?
Mugavan
Yes, Dr. Robert Malcolm in the Equitable Building. Go ask him how sick a girl like Linda can be.
Linda Arnold
We won't need you anymore, Ted. The guard at the end of the tier will show you where to go. Goodbye, Ted.
Dr. Sinski
The case of Linda Arnold is not a very exciting one, Mr. Clover.
Linda Arnold
I don't want to write a magazine article, Dr. Malcolm. I'm just trying to clear up a murder.
Dr. Sinski
I'll wager the material you police come in contact. Look, doctor, of course, let's. She came to me some years ago.
Linda Arnold
How many years ago?
Dr. Sinski
Oh, about 10, I'd say. Charity patient. Later I found out her aunt was quite wealthy, so I had a dollar for my fee.
Linda Arnold
Her aunt was the one who was murdered.
Dr. Sinski
Really? Now that's interesting.
Linda Arnold
Oh, why?
Dr. Sinski
Well, let me ask you a question, Mr. Clover. Did Linda kill her aunt?
Linda Arnold
We're not sure. Maybe she did. Why do you ask?
Dr. Sinski
Well, there might be a pattern for murder there. Linda was an emotional girl. And when an emotional crisis presented itself, well, she would. Well, blackout.
Linda Arnold
In other words, at times, rather than face reality, Linda would.
Dr. Sinski
I said it. Blackout.
Linda Arnold
Would you say you cured her, Doctor?
Dr. Sinski
I can only say she hasn't had need to see me for the last three years. I'd say she was a perfectly healthy, normal girl. Anything else? No. Good day, Mr. Clover.
Linda Arnold
It was 5pm When I walked out of Dr. Malcolm's office. It was 10 minutes after 5 when I called the police headquarters and had them release Linda Arnold. Then back on Broadway for a hot pastrami sandwich. I almost had some cream soda too, but Morris the waiter said, ah, Danny, you look dyspeptic. I prescribed celery tonic. Then the theater crowds began to gather and Broadway became crowded. So I left it. Linda Arnold should be home. I went there to her apartment. But it wasn't Linda Arnold who opened the door for me.
Dr. Sinski
Oh. Oh, it's you, Mr. Clover. Please come in.
Linda Arnold
Thanks, I will. Where's Linda?
Dr. Sinski
She was just admiring the clothes I bought for her. I opened a charge account for her because I'm going to get all that money. And I bought all those beautiful clothes for her. Silks. Linda looks so wonderful. And sick. See these and these and these.
Linda Arnold
Where's Linda, Mr. Carroll?
Dr. Sinski
And this. You should have seen Linda in this. We played that record you're listening to so Linda could walk around to it.
Linda Arnold
Let's get rid of it, huh? Where's Linda, Mr. Carroll?
Dr. Sinski
Oh, she's in her room changing into something else. Call her because you want to take her back for murder. It won't work, you know. Linda has no mental responsibility for what she did. And besides that, if she were brought to trial, I'd say I did it. Linda. Doesn't she look beautiful, Mr. Clover?
Linda Arnold
How do you feel, Linda?
Danny Clover
I'm happy. What happened to the music?
Linda Arnold
I'd turn it off, but I'm happy.
Danny Clover
I need music to go with it. Look at these things. Look at them. Uncle Alfred bought them for me.
Dr. Sinski
Yes, I did, didn't I, Linda?
Linda Arnold
Ted signed his confession, Linda.
Danny Clover
What?
Linda Arnold
Yes, the district attorney's going to arraign him tomorrow morning.
Dr. Sinski
That's wonderful.
Danny Clover
Ted did that.
Dr. Sinski
Isn't that wonderful, Linda? I asked you, isn't that wonderful?
Danny Clover
Ted's in jail now.
Dr. Sinski
We have nothing to worry about. Don't you see? Linda?
Danny Clover
Yes. Yes, Uncle Alfred.
Dr. Sinski
Linda, don't call me uncle. I'm not your uncle. Linda. Linda. Linda, you're so Lovely. So lovely. Lovely. Lynda.
Danny Clover
You take your hands off me. You old man. You take your hands off me.
Dr. Sinski
How dare you talk to me like that.
Danny Clover
Get out of here. Get out of my sight.
Dr. Sinski
How dare you. I killed for you. Planned this whole thing for you. The years I waited for you.
Linda Arnold
You.
Danny Clover
You old man. Old, Old man.
Linda Arnold
Leave her alone.
Dr. Sinski
I'll show you. Take her, Mr. Clover. Take her. Me too.
Danny Clover
Alfred. You're crazy.
Dr. Sinski
Listen to me, Mr. Clover. I planned it all. It was I who told her to walk around. To be found in a daze with a knife in her purse. No jury would convict her. I killed my wife. And Linda helped me to do it.
Danny Clover
All those beautiful things. They'll take them all away. All these. These things. All these beautiful.
Linda Arnold
In the time of autumn, twilight sighs down on Broadway. You walk toward it. Someone smiles and takes your hand. Whispers to close your eyes. Then bangs your head against a wall. Your scream mixes well with the shriek of the night. It's Broadway. The gaudiest, the most violent. The lonesomest mile in the world. Broadway, my beautiful.
Narrator
Broadway's my beat. Stars Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover with Charles Calvert as Tartaglia. The program was produced and directed by Elliot Lewis, with musical score composed and conducted by Alexander Courage. Included in tonight's cast were Joyce McCluskey, Herb Butterfield, Peggy Weber, Lou Krugman, David Ellis and Jack Crucian. Jack Smith, Dinah Shore, Margaret Whiting, Bob Crosby, the Andrew Sisters, Lowell Thomas, Beulah, Ed Murrow. Anywhere else, they'd make up an all star list for a week. But at CBS the Stars address, you can hear them every evening, Monday through Friday. Dan Cubberly speaking. This is cbs, where yours truly, Johnny Dollar, brings adventure Saturday nights on the Columbia Broadcasting System.
Danny Clover
What do you think makes the perfect snack?
Ted Raymond
Hmm, it's gotta be when I'm really craving it and it's convenient.
Danny Clover
Could you be more specific?
Ted Raymond
When it's cray venient. Okay, Like a freshly baked cookie made with real butter, available right now in the street at am pm. Or a savory breakfast sandwich I can grab in just a second at a.m. p.m.
Linda Arnold
I'm seeing a pattern here.
Ted Raymond
Well, yeah, we're talking about what I.
Danny Clover
Crave, which is anything from am pm.
Ted Raymond
What more could you want? Stop by ampm, where the snacks and drinks are perfectly craveable and convenient. That's cravenience. Am, pm Too much good stuff.
Alfred Carroll
Welcome back. Danny may have gone away, but the Herb Butterfield did it trope didn't. Also, if you're wondering about that $100,000 that Helen Carroll had today, in terms of purchasing power, it would be $1.3 million, which is nothing to sneeze at. But not super wealthy in terms of net worth. A lot of people with that sort of net worth going around, though I should say most with that sort of total assets have them in their home equity or locked up in retirement investment accounts. Having that much money down at the bank ready to draw on and live on in an apparently cheap and miserable way is probably a bit rarer. Ted is probably the most unique character in this story. It's pretty common, I mean relatively, for there to be multiple confessions that a detective has to sort through. But for someone to work so hard to frame himself for murder is just kind of oppressive. Even though, as I gathered from his landlady finding a dozen different ways to say it, he works at a bus company, I believe as a bus driver. I think I got that right. We turn now to listener comments and feedback and we start over on YouTube where a listener writes, I've only heard four episodes of the show, but it seems like this police officer gets beat up a lot. Well, I appreciate your comment. Now of course that was regarding the Jack Giorno murder case. I wouldn't say that Danny gets beat up a lot compared to your average private detective, you know, your Richard Diamonds or your Barry Craigslist. But he does get beat up a lot more than you would expect for a police officer. I mean he even got beat up on Christmas Eve. I mean, Danny couldn't get out of a light hearted Christmas episode unscathed. One thing about Broadway's My Beat is it's kind of like a quasi procedural at times, but it's really written in the style of like a hardboiled detective program, which makes it a bit odd but also unique. Alright, now we go to our listener survey. We have a couple of comments there. CW writes this show is classically entertaining. It reminds me of my younger days. Keep up the good work. And then we have a comment no name given. I enjoy the stories, of course, but what separates this podcast is Adam's facts and commentary. It adds depth and understanding. I also enjoy the original Old Time advertisements, believe it or not. Thanks so much. And I definitely believe that on my other podcast, the Old Time Radio Snack Wagon, I actually have done a couple of episodes that are just compilations of different Old Time Radio ads. There's a definite fascination with them and they had some really interesting approaches and hopefully we will do more of that over at the Old Time Radio Snack Wagon. Of course enjoy the ads that are on these episodes as well. All right, well, now it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day. And I do want to go ahead and thank Tristan, a patreon supporter since November 2024, currently supporting the podcast at the Showmas level of $4 or more per month. Thanks so much for your support and and that will do it for today. We will be back next Wednesday with another episode of Broadway's My Beat. But join us back here tomorrow for Dragnet, where we've been on this guy.
Dr. Sinski
For a long time. He pulled the same thing down in San Diego, was knocking down about $2,000 a month, then he laid out. Now he's at it again up here in la. As you know, we've been getting reports of the thefts and the passing of the checks about 10 days ago. Yeah, I know. We've got five checks passed by this same thief. According to handwriting analysis, we know it's the same guy. Talk to the victims and the bank tellers. Description of the guy seems to tally with what you people have on him. Yeah. There's just one thing we haven't been able to piece out yet. What's that? Joe. When he steals a check, how does he know what bank to pass it on? I think we got the answer to that one. Well, let's say that he steals a letter. We know he doesn't only hit the community mailboxes. Sometimes he goes to a private residence, fishes the letters right out of the mail.
Linda Arnold
Slide.
Alfred Carroll
I hope you'll be with us then. In the meantime, send your comments to box13greatdetectives.net Follow us on Twitter at radiodetectives and check us out on Instagram. Instagram.com greatdetectives from Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Graham, signing off.
Podcast Summary: The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio | Broadway's My Beat: The Helen Carrol Murder Case (EP4772)
Release Date: August 6, 2025
Host: Adam Graham
In this episode of The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio, host Adam Graham delves into the intriguing murder case featured in the classic detective drama Broadway's My Beat. Titled "The Helen Carrol Murder Case," this installment weaves a complex narrative of deception, psychological turmoil, and relentless investigation set against the vibrant backdrop of Broadway, New York City.
The story unfolds on Broadway, where Detective Danny Clover (played by Larry Thor) is called to investigate the brutal murder of Helen Carroll. The case is complicated by multiple confessions from three individuals: Alfred Carroll, Linda Arnold, and Ted Raymond. Each confesses under different circumstances, creating a tangled web that Detective Clover must unravel to identify the true perpetrator.
Detective Danny Clover (Larry Thor): The seasoned detective leading the investigation into Helen Carroll's murder.
Linda Arnold (played by Joyce McCluskey): A young woman claiming to have killed her aunt, Helen Carroll, amidst a psychological breakdown.
Dr. Sinski (Herb Butterfield): A medical professional involved in treating Linda Arnold and providing insights into her mental state.
Alfred Carroll (introduced later): Helen Carroll's husband, whose confession adds a new layer of complexity to the case.
Ted Raymond & Mugavan: Characters who provide additional perspectives and potential motives related to the murder.
Initial Confessions ([07:35] - [10:52]):
Linda Arnold arrives disoriented, searching for her missing pocketbook, which leads Detective Clover to discover her connection to Helen Carroll. Linda reveals a letter opener stained with blood, indicating the murder weapon. Shortly after, Alfred Carroll and Ted Raymond come forward with their own confessions, each presenting conflicting accounts of the crime.
Unraveling Motives ([13:21] - [17:40]):
Detective Clover explores the motives behind each confession. Alfred Carroll's admission of killing his wife for financial gain raises suspicions, while Ted Raymond's involvement as a bus driver introduces a potential link to alibis and witness testimonies.
The Turn of Events ([19:12] - [24:50]):
As the investigation progresses, inconsistencies in the confessions emerge. Dr. Sinski's interrogation of Alfred Carroll reveals discrepancies in his story, suggesting possible manipulation. Ted Raymond's frantic behavior and shifting narratives further complicate the case.
Climactic Reveal ([27:19] - [30:28]):
In a dramatic confrontation, Detective Clover exposes the true murderer—Alfred Carroll. Through meticulous interrogation and piecing together the timeline, Clovert uncovers that Alfred orchestrated the multiple confessions to divert attention and secure his financial gain, ultimately leading to his downfall.
Detective Danny Clover on Craving Convenience ([00:05] - [00:44]):
"What more could you want? Stop by AM PM where the snacks and drinks are perfectly craveable and convenient."
(Ted Raymond, [00:19])
Linda Arnold's Revelation During Investigation ([12:05] - [12:45]):
"Ever since I was in pigtails. Ever since I was 12. I think it began the first night I stayed in her house."
(Danny Clover, [12:07])
Alfred Carroll's Admission ([26:09] - [26:25]):
"I must have forgotten the excitement. I walked around and all of a sudden I was on the dock. So I threw the weapon onto the garbage."
(Dr. Sinski, [18:43])
Final Confrontation ([29:37] - [29:51]):
"Listen to me, Mr. Clover. I planned it all. It was I who told her to walk around. To be found in a daze with a knife in her purse."
(Alfred Carroll, [29:35])
Broadway's My Beat: The Helen Carrol Murder Case masterfully illustrates the complexities of psychological disturbances intertwined with criminal intent. The episode emphasizes the importance of thorough investigation and the dangers of false confessions. Detective Danny Clover's methodical approach and unwavering dedication ultimately uncover the truth, highlighting the timeless appeal of classic detective storytelling.
Adam Graham's insightful commentary brings depth to the analysis, reflecting on character motivations and narrative techniques that make old-time radio dramas enduringly captivating. The episode serves as a testament to the craftsmanship of Golden Age radio, preserving its legacy through engaging and meticulously crafted mysteries.
Character Development: Linda Arnold's portrayal of mental anguish provides a poignant exploration of trauma and its impact on behavior.
Atmospheric Sound Design: The use of sound effects and musical scores by Alexander Courage enhances the immersive experience, capturing the essence of 1950s Broadway.
Engaging Narration: Adam Graham's seamless integration of storytelling with historical context enriches the listener's understanding and appreciation of the genre.
This episode of The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio not only entertains but also offers a window into the rich narrative structures and character dynamics that defined the Golden Age of Radio. "The Helen Carrol Murder Case" stands out as a compelling example of mystery and drama, skillfully brought to life through stellar performances and thoughtful commentary.
For those new to the series, this episode is a perfect introduction to the enthralling world of old-time radio detective dramas. Whether you're a fan of classic mysteries or seeking a nostalgic journey into bygone storytelling formats, this episode promises a captivating listen.
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