San Francisco Final (Encore) (EP4591)

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio – "San Francisco Final (Encore)" (EP4591)

Release Date: January 3, 2025

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Introduction

In the 250th episode of "The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio", host Adam Graham celebrates this milestone by presenting an encore performance of a rare and compelling radio drama titled "San Francisco Final." This episode stands out as a unique addition to the podcast's lineup, featuring a gripping detective story from the Golden Age of Radio that previously had only one episode in circulation.

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Host's Opening Remarks

Adam Graham begins the episode by acknowledging the special nature of "San Francisco Final," emphasizing its rarity and the reasons behind its initial limited release. He shares his personal enthusiasm for the story, recalling his first encounter with the show and his decision to present it to his audience. Graham draws parallels between "San Francisco Final" and the iconic Dragnet series, highlighting similarities in tone and character dynamics.

"I think this is a Dragnet for newspapers. It's a very unique, well-done series. Incredible cast and writing, music, just a wonderful production all around."
— Adam Graham [01:30]

He also provides background information on the show, noting that it was recorded in 1954 but never aired, likely due to the rising dominance of television over radio media during that period.

"The big reason it didn't was that it was July of 1954. It was hard for anything to make it in radio. Television had passed radio in profitability three years before."
— Adam Graham [04:50]

Graham concludes his introduction by setting the stage for listeners to dive into the drama, inviting them to experience this "incredible story."

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Radio Drama: "San Francisco Final"

"San Francisco Final" unfolds as a riveting narrative centered around a series of mysterious events in San Francisco's Chinatown. The protagonist, Mike Rivera, a dedicated reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, becomes embroiled in a complex web of fraud, blackmail, and tragedy that spans multiple Chinatowns across the United States.

Plot Overview

1. Initial Incident: Sibling Conflict

   • The story kicks off with a violent altercation between two brothers, Johnny Shen (23) and Lee Shen (21). Johnny assaults Lee, resulting in Lee sustaining a severe head injury from a fall.

     "Johnny beat up on his own brother, hurt bad. He's in the emergency hospital now, unconscious."
     — Narrator [05:18]

2. Johnny Shen’s Dilemma

   • While receiving treatment, Johnny is entangled in a moral and legal crisis. Despite saving his brother’s life in a fire, he is later implicated in a bank robbery, where he is found with two $1,000 bills.

     "Johnny drew it out of the bank. Why $1,000 bills? Easy to carry, not bulky."
     — Narrator [11:05]

3. Lee Shen’s Tragic End

   • The plot thickens as Lee tragically dies by suicide, jumping from his hospital window. His sister, Ms. Chen, reveals that Lee's death was driven by shame—a concept deeply rooted in their cultural heritage.

     "She jumped out of the window... He died because he believed he was forsaking his grandmother."
     — Narrator [17:14]

4. The Blackmail Scheme Unveiled

   • Reporter Mike Rivera uncovers a disturbing pattern: multiple Chinatowns across the country are experiencing similar incidents of bank runs, extortion, and suicides. These acts are linked to letters from China demanding large sums of money for personal crises, hinting at a widespread blackmail operation orchestrated by entities in Red China.

     "This is about blackmail. Blackmail all the way from China."
     — Narrator [28:49]

5. Confrontation with the Chinese Service Union

   • Rivera confronts Mr. Yong of the Chinese Service Union, the influential body overseeing Chinatown affairs. Through their intense dialogue, Rivera exposes the depth of the extortion scheme and the cultural pressures forcing individuals to comply with the demands.

     "Tell me. I'm not just guessing."
     — Narrator [28:25]

     "They have come to us with this burden. What shall we do?"
     — Mike Rivera [29:18]

6. Resolution and Impact

   • The investigative reporting by Rivera culminates in a breakthrough when the story gains national attention. The involvement of the Trading with the Enemy Act leads to legal repercussions, curbing the blackmail efforts. The narrative concludes with a hopeful tone, suggesting that bringing the issue to light was pivotal in stopping the extortion.

     "The government invoked the law that made it a crime to send money to communist China under the Trading with the Enemy Act."
     — Narrator [31:19]

Notable Moments and Quotes

• Cultural Context and Shame:

  The drama intricately weaves the concept of shame—a powerful motivator in Chinese culture—into the narrative, explaining the psychological pressure leading to Lee's suicide.

  "Out of shame. I don't understand that. What you do. Explore other people's shame."
  — Narrator [17:25]

• Reporter’s Determination:

  Rivera's relentless pursuit of the truth is highlighted through his interactions and unwavering dedication to unveiling the masterminds behind the blackmail.

  "We need a good, strong follow-up."
  — Mike Rivera [19:09]

• Climactic Revelation:

  The confrontation with Mr. Yong serves as the climax, where the full extent of the blackmail operation is revealed, showcasing the interplay between cultural obligations and moral integrity.

  "We Americans here have ties to an old country. Ties of blood and tradition... What shall we do?"
  — Mike Rivera [29:18]

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Host's Commentary and Analysis

After the conclusion of "San Francisco Final," Adam Graham provides insightful commentary, reflecting on the episode's significance, production quality, and its place within the broader context of old-time radio detective dramas.

Production Excellence

Graham praises the show's superb production values, noting the involvement of seasoned actors and crew members who lent authenticity and depth to the narrative.

"This was a radio tour de force with so many great radio veterans involved. The ending was incredibly moving."
— Adam Graham [32:55]

He highlights the contribution of Walter Schumann, the musical composer known for his work on Dragnet, who enriched the episode with a fitting musical backdrop.

"Walter Schumann, who did the music for Dragnet in 'San Francisco Final,' added a lot to the atmosphere."
— Adam Graham [32:55]

Historical Context and Relevance

Graham contextualizes the show's setting within the mid-20th century, pointing out the challenges radio faced from the burgeoning television industry during that era.

"If this show had been made four or five years earlier, it would have lasted a season or two."
— Adam Graham [32:55]

Emotional Impact

Reflecting on the narrative's emotional depth, Graham underscores the show's ability to evoke empathy and provoke thought about cultural pressures and ethical dilemmas.

"The Dragnet feel was definitely present. Grief's always a story."
— Adam Graham [32:55]

Legacy and Connections

Graham draws connections between "San Francisco Final" and other classic radio series, emphasizing shared themes and character archetypes that resonate with fans of the genre.

"Jeff Chandler was actually good friends with Jack Webb, and the two worked together with Webb doing guest work on the New Adventures of Michael Shane."
— Adam Graham [32:55]

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Conclusion

In this landmark episode, Adam Graham not only presents a rare and masterfully crafted radio drama but also offers a profound analysis that honors the legacy of old-time radio detectives. "San Francisco Final" serves as a testament to the enduring power of storytelling, cultural exploration, and investigative journalism within the medium.

Listeners are left with a deeper appreciation for the intricate narratives and historical significance of radio dramas, as well as an invitation to explore more rare and nostalgic detective stories through "The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio."

For further engagement, Graham encourages listeners to share their thoughts via email, social media, and voicemail, fostering a community of over 400 fans connected through Facebook and other platforms.

"I hope you've enjoyed this episode, our 250th episode special. We'll be back on Monday with Box 13."
— Adam Graham [32:55]

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Key Takeaways:

• "San Francisco Final" is a standout, rare radio drama that intricately blends cultural themes with detective storytelling.
• Host Adam Graham provides valuable insights that enhance the listening experience, connecting historical context with modern appreciation.
• The episode underscores the timeless appeal of old-time radio detectives and their relevance in exploring complex social and cultural issues.

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Listen to more episodes and explore the rich collection of detective stories from the Golden Age of Radio by subscribing to The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio.

Transcript

[Narrator]

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[Adam Graham]

From Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Graham, bringing you yet another encore of a program that only has one episode in circulation. A reminder that this program is old and so any of the offers and information contained in the episode may not currently be valid. If you want to check out more episodes of programs that only have one or two episodes in circulation, search for the rare Detectives of Old Time Radio in your podcast app. But now, here's today's encore. Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, email it to me. Box13reatetectives.net cast your vote for the show on podcast ally podcastally.greatdetectives.net and join our 400 fans on Facebook. Facebook Great. Before we get started, I do want to let you know a little bit about the Roku. I requested the Roku as a Christmas present so that I could better enjoy the Netflix streaming videos through my wireless connection. Well, since I've gotten the Roku, it's gotten even better with a wide variety of different channels that you can try out for free. There's the Newscaster Channel. Also one of my favorites, of course is the Blueberry Channel and the Mediafly Channel where you can listen to this podcast as well as the Old Time Dragnet show and the Old Time Radio Daily Westrooms so you can make your television into a radio. There's also a lot of great channels with pictures, videos and music. The Roku has never been a better deal. Available now starting at just around $60. Go to great detectives.net and click on the Roku banner. Well, for our 250th episode special, I'm bringing you something I think is truly special. It's San Francisco Final I heard this show several months back and the moment I heard it, I thought to myself, I've got to bring this to the audience as a special. I think they'll really enjoy it. I know many of you started listening to the great detectives through the old Time Dragnet podcast. This particular show has a lot in common with Dragnet in terms of its tone. The star of the show is Jeff Chandler, and those of you who are detective fans will remember Jeff Chandler from his role as Michael Shane in the widely syndicated New Adventures of Michael Shane. This is kind of a Dragnet for newspapers. It's a very unique, well done series. Incredible cast and writing music, just a wonderful production all around. The show is dated from 1954 and I listened to Jim Widner and Widner says that it never actually made it to air. And the only reason I can think of that it didn't, the big reason was that it was July of 1954. It was hard for anything to make it in radio. Television had passed radio and profitability three years before. But this is an incredible story, an incredible show. So let's go ahead and take a listen to Jeff Chandler in San Francisco.

[Mike Rivera]

Final Ladies and gentlemen, this is San Francisco. Final this is the story of a newspaper.

[Narrator]

This is the story of the daily.

[Mike Rivera]

Record of a city of people and events and a search for truth. From the pages of the San Francisco Chronicle, a true story reported by Mike Rivera.

[Narrator]

It has a latitude and a longitude, but the names can tell you better. The Gulf of the Farallons washes against it, westerly and north. There's a Golden Gate. East, too, there's ocean water called a bay. Now so that San Francisco itself is the tip of the peninsula, and there's a part of it that centers on Grant Avenue and houses the largest Chinese community outside of China. City within a city. Not very many months ago, a story started here, a story that exploded all over the world. The fog tumbles over Twin Peaks from the ocean before it rolls up Mission Street. When it touches 5th, any Chronicle reporter working city side can look out of the window and see the edge of town turn gray the way it did early Wednesday afternoon when I was working rewrite. I had on the headphones and was taking notes. Hank Peters on the Chronicle police beat was calling from the press room at the hall of Justice. They brought in this fellow, this Chinese fella, 10 minutes ago. He beat up on his own brother, hurt bad. He's an emergency hospital right now, unconscious. Doc Bauer says he's in pretty bad shape. Possible skull fracture, definite concussion what were they fighting about? I don't know. All I checked out so far as. They got in a fight, Corner of Waverly and Washington. The boy knocked his brother down. The brother cracked his head against a fire hydrant. Okay, well, wait a minute. Yeah, I got it. How about some names? Boy in jail is Johnny Shen. That's S h e n. 23 years old. Brother's name is Lee. Doc says maybe a year or two younger.

[Mike Rivera]

That's about it.

[Narrator]

Chinese fighting in public. Never knew that to happen before. Me neither, Mike. In 20 years, they always keep their trouble to themselves. Yeah. You got an address? Yeah. Both boys live at 612 Clay. 612. Thanks, Hank. Right. Selma, give me the clips on a John Shen or leash.

[Lee Shen]

What'd you want, Mike?

[Narrator]

Clips on John Shen or Lee Shen. S H E N, if you have any.

[Lee Shen]

You got.

[Narrator]

Johnson and Lee?

[Lee Shen]

I got one for both brothers. Same story, Mike. One cup for each.

[Narrator]

Let's take a look. Sign me out for these, will you?

[Lee Shen]

Yeah, sure.

[Narrator]

Landfill Copy. I might want to go for five takes on it. What do you think? Yeah, sure. It'll go a column one. Yeah. Anyway, I'll see how it goes. Hi, Mike. Hi. You got a minute, Abe? Yeah, sure. What Hank just gave me. Maybe I better read you something first.

[Mike Rivera]

Okay.

[Narrator]

Dated March 3, 1953. The head reads, brother saves brother in Chinatown fire. Early this morning, John Shen saved his brother from suffocation when a tool on fire raged in A tenement at 6012 Clay St. Shen, age 22. City desk. Melancholk. Run it down for me, Charlie. Sausalito. Okay. Benight. Four, three zero for the first. Johnny Shen, age 22. Shen braved the smoke to enter the back room of the third floor and carried his brother Lee to safety. Lee, two years younger than his brother, had been overcome by the smoke but was recovering at Chinese Hospital. Cause of the fire was undetermined. Saved his brother's life, Abe. Well, a little while ago, he almost killed him in a fist fight in the sidewalk down in Chinatown. What'd they fight about? Hank said he didn't know. You know, when I covered stories in Chinatown, I never knew him to bring trouble out where people could watch. That's the point I want to make. Good point. I'll go talk to Johnny. All right. Can Art handle those two stories I have hanging? Rewrite?

[Mike Rivera]

Yeah.

[Narrator]

You say Johnny almost killed his brother? That's right. When you write it, try a new approach on it.

[Mike Rivera]

It's been covered before.

[Narrator]

What do you mean? Genesis, chapter Four, verse eight. Cain and Abel. I took the elevator down to the street floor, stopped at the cigarette stand in the lobby, then walked out into the fog. I grabbed a cab and took the 10 minute ride up Stockton street to Washington and down to Carney to the hall of Justice. At the end of the second floor corridors, a roommarked Chinatown detail. I went in. Sergeant Lou Morrissey was at his desk. I told him I wanted to talk to the Shen boy, but Calvi will bring him right down. Thanks. Hear anything more on his brother? Doc says critical. Why'd they fight? Who knows? You talk to him? I brought him in. He hasn't done anything but sneer since I picked him up. She got any record? Mm, Mm. No. He's got a job. His boss says he's a fine boy. Show you something, though. There's a sheet on him. Look right here. $2,000. Mm. Two $1,000 bills. I didn't find him when I shook him down. They were taped to his body when they took him to the shower room. Where'd he get all that money? Bank of America in Chinatown. Did he tell you? He did after a while.

[Mike Rivera]

Yeah.

[Narrator]

After we told him we'd throw a robbery charge at him. On top of everything else, he said bank of America and which branch? It checked out. John and Lee Shin joined account up to last Monday, 2000. $16.23 now. $16.23. Ask him about it and you get a stare. Just. Oh, thanks, McKelly. Sit down, Johnny. Over there. Mr. Rivera, here's a reporter from the Chronicle. Hello, Johnny. How do you feel? Look downstairs. I told him that. Look, I've got nothing to say to you. Don't have to tell you a thing. That's right. So tell a sergeant we're all finished. Or just one thing. I read something about you before I came up here. Why? About the fire. How you saved your brother's life. It was a brave thing to do. You think so? No. On account of you, he might die. You're in a lot of trouble, Johnny. Go write about it. All right. What do you want me to say? What are you talking about? Well, there are two ways I can write it. I can say you're a thief. You were taking off with your brother's money. What other way would you write about it? I could start from the beginning. Like what? Your story. And your brother's. You live on Clay street, don't you?

[Mike Rivera]

Yeah.

[Narrator]

How long have you lived there? As long as we've lived in San Francisco. How long's that? 22 years? I was born in Beiping, China. Came here when I was a year old. And your brother was born in this country? Uh huh. Just a wild guess, Johnny. This fight, this hassle you have with Lee, anything political about it? Political? Yeah, you know, Red China National? No. Where'd you go to school? Chinatown. Nom Q school. Lee did. Not me. Just plain public school. Tell me about the two $1,000 bills. I drew them out of the bank. Why $1,000 bills? Easy to carry, not bulky. Look, Yeo, get me out of here. I want to go back to my cell. Okay, Johnny, let's go. Why all of a sudden, Johnny? We were getting along fine. Get me out of here, Sergeant. Wait a minute. Maybe I can help. Maybe. Johnny, if your brother dies, you might be charged with murder. I want to go back to my cell, Mike. Now, you just want me to write it any way I want to, Is that right, Johnny? Any way you want. Kelvin, take him upstairs. Well, not much of a story, huh, Mike? Grief's always a story. Thanks a lot, Lou. Hi, this is Mike in the city desk. Will you add Mike on that Chinese story? Johnny Shen had two $1,000 bills taped to his body. No. That's right. When they stripped him for a shower. No, no. Johnny drew it out of a joint bank account. They had. I don't know. Maybe. Well, hold on a minute, will you? Yellow. Lucky I didn't call from outside, or I'd have missed you. What's up? Just had a call from Emergency Hospital. Li Shen's dead. Not murder, huh? Mm, mm. Not suicide. He told me Li Shen had leaped from his hospital room window and killed him. I gave it to Art Hoppy on rewrite. I told him I was going to check out the boy's family. It was a short walk from the hall of justice to the tenement at 612 Clay Street. The Shen apartment was on the third floor, second door of a corridor where last year's fire had been charred into its walls and still showed.

[Lee Shen]

Yes?

[Narrator]

I'm Mike Rivera from the Chronicle.

[Lee Shen]

Yes.

[Narrator]

This is where Johnny and Lee Shen.

[Lee Shen]

Yes.

[Narrator]

I'd like to talk with you about them.

[Lee Shen]

Come in, please. This is my mother, Mr. Rivera.

[Narrator]

Good evening.

[Lee Shen]

What in tongue? My mother speaks only Chinese.

[Narrator]

I see.

[Lee Shen]

Ms. Shenros 1. Matias. My mother wants to know what you want. Your being here disturbs her. Earlier there were police.

[Narrator]

I want to talk to you about your brothers. I'd like to know more about.

[Lee Shen]

She wants to know about the $2,000. If you have it, she wants you to give it to Us.

[Narrator]

I told you, there's a newspaper man the police have.

[Lee Shen]

So, like, go de Go. I'm moving. I'm moving.

[Narrator]

What's the trouble?

[Lee Shen]

Nothing.

[Narrator]

But you.

[Lee Shen]

I said nothing.

[Narrator]

Well, your mother's upset about the money, and. Well, I don't know exactly. I'm thinking out loud. If she knows about the money, she knows Johnny drew it out of the.

[Lee Shen]

Bank and that now the police have it. We're not wealthy. My mother's concerned about $2,000, that's all.

[Narrator]

@ a time like this.

[Lee Shen]

What do you mean?

[Narrator]

Your brother.

[Lee Shen]

They won't do anything to Johnny. It was an accident.

[Narrator]

I'm talking about Lee.

[Lee Shen]

He'll be all right.

[Narrator]

Don't you know?

[Lee Shen]

We were at the hospital about an hour ago. We looked in his ward and saw him. The doctor said he'd be all right. What was that about between my mother and me? Mr. Rivera, it doesn't concern you.

[Narrator]

Listen, Lee is dead.

[Lee Shen]

What?

[Narrator]

Just a half hour ago, Miss Jenny jumped out of the window.

[Lee Shen]

Ah. Mama.

[Mike Rivera]

Yeah.

[Lee Shen]

Ali, say hello. Ziyala. Leah. Leah, Leah.

[Narrator]

Ms. Chen, tell me something.

[Lee Shen]

What?

[Narrator]

Why did he kill himself?

[Lee Shen]

Out of shame. I don't understand that. What you do. Explore other people's shame.

[Narrator]

All right. Yes, it is Zola.

[Lee Shen]

Mo yang. Mo yang.

[Narrator]

What did she say?

[Lee Shen]

Listen to her. Does it need a translation?

[Narrator]

We were talking.

[Lee Shen]

No more. I think you'd better go, mister. Mother. Mother, what are you doing? Take it. Take the letter, Mr. Rivera. Perhaps my mother is right. I don't know. Take it.

[Narrator]

It's written in Chinese. How am I supposed to.

[Lee Shen]

Letter came 10 days ago from China. It says my grandmother is sick. She might die unless we send $2,000. She needs medicine and surgeons. Please get up. Go. Please, please. Please.

[Narrator]

She went to her mother, took her hand. They turned their backs on me and moved to a place where a candle burned against carved brass. I was an intruder. I left. I walked down the hill onto Grant Street. Fog was gone now, and the Chinatown neon lighted up the tourists and the brocade and the carved ivory. I thought about Mrs. Shen. The words she'd used was shame to explain why a son of hers had taken his own life. Then about the letter from China. Then the two one thousand dollar bills and Johnny Shen's defiance. Mostly the letter from China. I felt I hadn't got a story at all, but only incidents. And the story was still going on, even while I was thinking about it. Next morning, I checked with Abe Mellenkopf now on the Shen story we had this morning. We need a good, strong follow.

[Mike Rivera]

It's not cleaned up by any means.

[Narrator]

What have you got here? Been waiting for you to come in to show it to you. Financial gave it to me a little while ago. Chinatown bank reports minor run. The period of 60 days. Over $2 million. Withdrawals from 500 to 3,000. What do you think? I'd say Johnny Shen had company. You take pencil and paper, you can figure he had practical all of Chinatown for company. How come all those people need all that money all at once? That's a good question. I got another one. What? Wonder if it's happening in other Chinatown. I'll call down la, talk to Cassell, ask him. I'll have it put on the Times wire. Find out what's going on in New York. Westfall's in Baltimore. He can check out Chinatown there. I'll get a reading on Chicago and Boston and Philly. Starts with a street corner fight and we call all over the country. This keeps rolling. It can be quite a thing. Already is. Her mother's been told her son's dead. Morning. And the kind of November day that happens sometimes in San Francisco. Sunlit city in strands of cloud. November winds and freighters from the tropics tied up at the Embarcadero. 10 o'clock of a November day. And pick up the home edition of the Chronicle. Crease it lengthwise and consider headline first as concerns of Senate Investigating Committee. Then the current communique about the current war splice between the two of them. The death of Li Shen. Continued on page six. Now more legwork to be done on Stockton street in Chinatown. Number 5000, 143. House of the Chinese Community Service Union. Overlords of local Chinese affairs. All powerful, all discreet, all knowing. Tin Young saw me come into the office. Looked at me for a minute, then beckoned me over.

[Mike Rivera]

I'm fairly busy, Mike. You've come at not a very good time.

[Narrator]

I want to talk to you, Mr. Yong.

[Mike Rivera]

Not that I mind for. Surely you must have a reason.

[Narrator]

I have, Li Shan.

[Mike Rivera]

That's not the reason.

[Narrator]

The way he died and why he died.

[Mike Rivera]

You already know that.

[Narrator]

We wrote what his sister told me. Li killed himself out of shame. We wrote it but didn't understand it.

[Mike Rivera]

And for that you have come to the Chinese Service Union. Because you don't understand the word shame.

[Narrator]

Because the Chinese Service Union runs Chinatown and its people and everything in it. If you want to know anything, that's where you go.

[Mike Rivera]

I'll state it for you, Mike. Gladly. Li Shen jumped out of the window because Johnny Shen wouldn't Give him grandmother money. It's a type of culture.

[Narrator]

Then you know about the letter the Shen family got from China.

[Mike Rivera]

Mike. Mike.

[Narrator]

And the run your people made on the bank here in Chinatown. You know about that too? Why? Why are they doing it? Why are there other letters from China saying somebody's grandmother is sick and please send a couple of thousand dollars to make her well? Is that what's happening?

[Mike Rivera]

Listen to.

[Narrator]

Or maybe if I put it this way. Blackmail. Blackmail on a scale.

[Mike Rivera]

That tell you something?

[Narrator]

Go ahead. Give me the official statement of the Chinese Service Union. I'll listen. I'll write it. This.

[Mike Rivera]

You will not write what you're saying. I'm saying this is our statement. It concerns no one except the people in this community.

[Narrator]

Except a boy who.

[Mike Rivera]

Except a boy who is dead because of the letter. Official statement as to you. What I've been trying to say to you. Don't make more people die.

[Narrator]

I left. Follow up now. I walked down to Grant Avenue, the 900 block. The Chinatown branch of the bank of America. Said they'd cooperate and furnish me with a list of the people who'd made sizable withdrawals during the bank run. I started to check it out. Alcohol. 412 Jason Street Be told that Mr. Chen was away on a business trip. Couldn't be reached. Then two doors down, Tom Shu. Too busy to talk to anyone now. Next around the corner to see Yu Ching. 108 Spofford style. And a child on the sidewalk said no one was at home. And it went like that. It was mid afternoon when I walked into Sam Shank's curio shop.

[Mike Rivera]

I can help you, mister.

[Narrator]

I'm looking for Sam Shang.

[Mike Rivera]

I am Sam Shang. We're looking for some nice china. Bells?

[Narrator]

No, thanks. I just want to talk to you. Mr. Shang? I'm from the Chronicle.

[Mike Rivera]

Oh, you want good Chinatown story. You will mention the shop of Sam Shang.

[Narrator]

Sure. Sure, I will.

[Mike Rivera]

Thank you. Many stories of Chinatown. Many, many.

[Narrator]

Did you know Li Shen? John Li Shen? Mr. Shang, there's something else I want to ask. It's personal. Maybe I have no right.

[Mike Rivera]

I cannot know until you ask.

[Narrator]

A couple of weeks ago, you withdrew $1,200 from the bank. A lot of other people took their savings out, too. My paper wants to know why you.

[Mike Rivera]

Have talked with these other people.

[Narrator]

I've tried. So far I haven't been able to.

[Mike Rivera]

And you ask this personal question of Sam Shank.

[Narrator]

Mm. But only because something's happening here that we don't understand. Why a boy killed himself after his brother beat him up. Why so many other?

[Mike Rivera]

Also, you have talked with the Chinese Service Union?

[Narrator]

Yes, I have.

[Mike Rivera]

And they told you. What did they tell you?

[Narrator]

I could tell you. They said for you to talk to me.

[Mike Rivera]

But you will tell me what they truly said.

[Narrator]

That it was none of my concern that Li Shen was dead because of a letter from China.

[Mike Rivera]

That others might die, including you.

[Narrator]

I got that impression.

[Mike Rivera]

If it is the wisdom of the Chinese Service Union.

[Narrator]

How wisdom? Your people being bled of every dime, of every dignity. They. Thanks, Mr. Chang.

[Mike Rivera]

Wait.

[Narrator]

Yeah?

[Mike Rivera]

I had such a letter two weeks ago. Such a letter as was received by Mrs. Shen, the mother of Lee.

[Narrator]

Go on.

[Mike Rivera]

It was from my sister from Canton. My sister said she was very sick of a disease of the eyes, that she needed. What monies. I. I sent her $1,200.

[Narrator]

Have you?

[Mike Rivera]

Three days ago, I have received another letter from Canton. It wrote of something. I did not know what my sister has been dead for.

[Narrator]

It was late afternoon when the story began to shape itself. Just about the time the first edition was being trucked down the peninsula, there was a phone call from Cassell in Los Angeles. Maybe it's nothing at all. Mike, what have you got? Just yesterday's suicide. A Chinese named Hou Liang swallowed poison and died quietly in a restroom at Union Station. Why'd he do it? Your guess is as good as mine. But this is the first suicide down here in Chinatown in 23 years. Anything on why he killed himself? No suicide note, if that's what you mean. Mm. But there was a letter on him from China? That's right. From swatow. Asking for $500. Who would die unless the money was sent. His uncle from cancer, letter said. How'd you know about it? We get mailed here, too. Thanks a lot. Hey. Yeah? What's it all about? I don't know yet. I'm not writing for the papers anymore. Mike, what's it all about? It's about blackmail. Blackmail all the way from China? Not China. Red China. The next day was Wednesday, and the third item on the New York Times teletype told of a small run on the Mott street bank, the one most patronized by Chinatown. And later, a similar item from Chicago. Nothing from Boston, but in the afternoon, there was a phone call from Baltimore. A man named John Tu Quo had robbed a supermarket of over $500. The first Chinese involved in the felony in Baltimore for over five years. Tu Kuo gave himself up three hours later, but refused to say what he had done with the money. The pattern was clear. I went back to Mr. Yang of the Chinese Service Union.

[Mike Rivera]

Tea?

[Narrator]

No, thanks.

[Mike Rivera]

You won't mind if I do? Mr. Young, the tea isn't very good.

[Narrator]

Listen.

[Mike Rivera]

No, you listen, Mike. I enjoy making comments, so indulge me. The tea isn't very good.

[Narrator]

I'm sorry.

[Mike Rivera]

That's better. The pleasantries have been taken care of. Now you can talk to me. These last two days, been knocking on doors and asking questions and getting no answers. Not quite getting answers.

[Narrator]

Some.

[Mike Rivera]

Not very good, you understand, but not bad. I can remember.

[Narrator]

You want to hear some of the answers?

[Mike Rivera]

You're being rude again.

[Narrator]

Oh, let's get off it now, Mr. Young. I'll stop bowing my head and you stop being so colorful.

[Mike Rivera]

It is time for that, isn't it?

[Narrator]

I would say so.

[Mike Rivera]

Tell me what you know.

[Narrator]

There was a run on the Chinatown bank here in San Francisco. There was one in New York and.

[Mike Rivera]

Chicago, New Boston, Tu.

[Narrator]

We got no word from there.

[Mike Rivera]

It probably wasn't noticed. It's not a very big colony in Baltimore.

[Narrator]

A man named Tu Quo committed grand theft. He sent the money to China and ended his life by going to jail.

[Mike Rivera]

True? I've heard.

[Narrator]

Down the street, Sam Sheng got an anguished letter two weeks ago, supposedly from his sister in China. Except she's been dead for over a year.

[Mike Rivera]

Also true.

[Narrator]

And where it all started, as far as I'm concerned, the Shen family. Lee killed himself because his brother wouldn't let him send money to China. He died because he believed he was forsaking his grandmother.

[Mike Rivera]

What do you want from us?

[Narrator]

All over every Chinatown in the country, people are getting letters from China.

[Mike Rivera]

I asked you, what do you want from us?

[Narrator]

Tell me. I'm not just guessing.

[Mike Rivera]

About what?

[Narrator]

Your people are being blackmailed by Red China, is that it? Communist China, Soviet China. The money you send gives the enemy comfort. You're an American, Mr. Yang.

[Mike Rivera]

As much as you. Then an American as much as you believe it. And try to understand what I'm going to tell you. We Americans here have ties to an old country. Ties of blood and tradition. Because America is what it is. The end of a search. It has roots all over the world. The roots of us here are in China.

[Narrator]

Yes?

[Mike Rivera]

How does a man forsake his home? How does a man forsake his sister, his grandmother? His father? How do you turn your back on your own blood's anguish? Listen. There's a proverb. Fire burns worse than it burns your own flesh. Listen to me. They have come to us with this burden. What shall we do? They ask. We must send the money, they say. Or this one will die. Or that one. What shall we do? They ask. Give us time, we say to them, and we will think of something. But we must send money, they say, or there will be dying. So we tell them to send the money.

[Narrator]

And when will it end?

[Mike Rivera]

Now. These papers contain names and addresses. Families here in Chinatown who have gotten letters and who have paid ransom. The blackmail is more than $2 million. Mike. It's this list. And any help we can give you, ask it of us.

[Narrator]

Thanks.

[Mike Rivera]

Now, permit me a question. What will happen now?

[Narrator]

The story will be printed, it'll be read, and the world will know about it.

[Mike Rivera]

How the communists hold their people hostage and demand ransom from America.

[Narrator]

That's the story.

[Mike Rivera]

But now it'll be in the papers and out in the open.

[Narrator]

That's right.

[Mike Rivera]

And the ransom will stop. Take it out of darkness. Evil dies.

[Narrator]

You just coined a proverb.

[Mike Rivera]

This has been a true story from the pages of the San Francisco Chronicle. In a moment, the story's follow up. The story was headlined Red China Ransom and run on the front page. The wires picked it up and printed.

[Narrator]

It all over the world.

[Mike Rivera]

The government invoked the law that made it a crime to send money to communist China under the Trading with the Enemy Act. Before it was over, more than $5 million had been extorted. But the story broke it. San Francisco Finals stars Jeff Chandler is Mike Rivera. It is written and directed by David Friedkin and Morton Fine and produced by Michael Meshikov. Music is composed and conducted by Walter Schumann and arranged by Nathan Scott. Heard in the cast were Harry Bartel, Jerry Hausner, Olin Soule, Lillian Byoff, Virginia Gregg, Herb Butterfield, Vic Perrin, Barney Phillips and Tony Barrett. The engineer was Raoul Murphy with sound by Bud Tollefson and Wayne Kenworth.

[Narrator]

There are parts and then there are B Pro Auto parts. Parts built for every vehicle. Parts built to fit and function. Parts that are refining how we drive and redefining the category because every vehicle is a sum of its parts. So do yourself a favor and put B Pro Auto Parts on the vehicles you service. Parts now, parts into the future. Welcome to the new Aftermarket.

[Adam Graham]

Welcome back. Now, this was a radio tour de force with just so many great radio veterans in there. And that ending, I thought, was just incredibly moving. It was an incredible story. And I can't help but thinking if this show had been made say, four or five years earlier, it would have lasted a season or two. This was just top notch work. The Dragnet feel, I definitely felt it. So many people were involved in this, including Walter Schumann, who did the music for Dragnet in San Francisco, Final as well as a lot of the actors. And Jeff Chandler was actually good friends with Jack Webb as well, and the two worked together with Webb doing guest work on the New Adventures of Michael Shane. Well, I hope you've enjoyed this episode, our 250th episode special. We'll be back on Monday with Box 13. In the meantime, send your comments to [e-mail] follow the show on Twitter radiodetectives and give us a call by voicemail 208-991-4783. From Boise, Idaho, though, this is your host, Adam Graham, signing off.