The Big Story: The Loneliest Man on Earth (EP4937)

Summary

---

Podcast Summary: "The Big Story: The Loneliest Man on Earth"

Podcast: The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio
Host: Adam Graham
Original Airdate: March 24, 2026
Audio Drama Episode: “The Big Story: The Loneliest Man on Earth” (Originally aired October 12, 1949)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Adam Graham presents a gripping installment of the classic radio anthology “The Big Story.” The episode dramatizes the real-life efforts of reporter Ray Sprigle of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, who becomes deeply involved in a crusade to exonerate a man wrongfully convicted of murder. The true story, renamed but rooted in documented events, weaves together themes of investigative journalism, justice, perseverance, and the personal costs of a relentless search for the truth.

---

Key Discussion & Story Points

1. The Case Introduction (02:27–04:52)

• Setting: A murder at the Cozy Corner Barbecue in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Three men rob the establishment; Keeber, the proprietor, is killed. $8 is stolen.
• Reporter: Ray Sprigle is introduced as the protagonist—a journalist known for his compassion and pursuit of justice.
• Client: Hortense Grayson, the ex-wife of Clem Grayson (the accused), pleads for Sprigle’s help to clear her ex-husband’s name.

2. Background & The Plea for Help (04:52–08:09)

• Exposition: Hortense reveals that Clem Grayson was arrested for robbery, but swiftly implicated and convicted for a murder he didn’t commit.

• Motivation: Hortense’s persistent advocacy is fueled not by lingering affection, but by a desire to protect their daughter, Kathy, from a future shadowed by her father’s wrongful conviction.

  “You see, I found out that a grown woman can put a man out of her life if she wants to, but a child can’t. And Clem was in her life whether I liked it or not…And as she grew older…what am I going to tell her?...Especially because her father’s innocent.” – Hortense Grayson (14:09)

3. Examining the Evidence (08:09–13:41)

• Sprigle’s Review: Ray sifts through confessions, court transcripts, and witness statements, discovering inconsistencies and plausible alibis.

  • Kramer, one of the actual killers, confessed Clem wasn’t present.
  • Multiple witnesses altered their statements, often after being coached.

  “The reason I didn’t then was I guess I was slightly muddled. What makes you certain now? Well, I thought it over and I had a talk with the sergeant in charge and he convinced me. And now I’m absolutely certain.” – Trial witness (10:48)

• Emotional Toll: Hortense details six years, five months, and 19 days of fruitlessly approaching prosecutors, police, and the governor’s office.

4. The Struggle for Justice (16:07–23:36)

• Sprigle’s Campaign: Ray publishes a series of articles presenting affidavits and conflicting testimonies, generating public scrutiny.

• Legal Barriers: The pardon board repeatedly denies Clem's release, citing technicalities and the original jury verdict.

• Attorney’s Insight: Sprigle enlists lawyer Tom Endor, who underscores the difficulty of overturning convictions: evidence must be overwhelming and airtight for a pardon board.

  “The law is no layman’s game. Specific, full-blown evidence is needed. What’s gossip? What they say in the gin mills and the flop houses doesn’t go very far in court or with a pardon board.” – Tom Endor, attorney (18:43)

• Persistence: Over several years, Sprigle and Endor exhaust leads, repeatedly confronting the actual killer Rogers and the remaining accomplice Jensen, but face continual resistance and apathy.

5. Breakthroughs and Resolution (23:36–28:55)

• Critical Confession: Hortense convinces Jensen to write a sworn confession exonerating Clem.

  “So he sat down and wrote a full confession clearing Clem. Aren’t you happy? Aren’t you pleased? Isn’t this what we were after?” – Hortense Grayson (24:06)

• Final Pressure: Eventually, after Rogers commits a violent crime and his alibi unravels, he is cornered. Although he doesn’t confess, he is finally prosecuted for the murder.
• Vindication: After 12 years, 5 months, and 22 days, Clem Grayson is granted a full pardon and promptly enlists in the U.S. Army. Rogers is convicted and sentenced.

6. Epilogue & Real-Life Context (30:37–34:00)

• Adam Graham’s Commentary: The host provides background on the real case and Ray Sprigle’s career:

  • Clem Grayson’s real-life counterpart was Paul Bar Boggs, imprisoned for a crime committed by Robert Bruner.
  • Both men were in prison for the same crime at one point.
  • Sprigle was a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist, renowned for undercover work.

  “Sprigle wrote that there was a time when both Boggs and Bruner were in prison for the same crime, even though Boggs had been cleared.” – Adam Graham (31:44)

• Media Reflection: Graham notes the sanitized “happy ending” presented in the dramatization contrasts Sprigle’s own critical perspective on the legal hurdles of justice delayed.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the injustice’s toll:

  “First I took it to the prosecuting attorney…he told me to take it to the sheriff…he told me to go to the state police…they told me to see the governor…I saw the second assistant to the lieutenant governor. He told me to take it to the prosecuting attorney.” – Hortense Grayson (13:18)

• On justice and children:

  “If he’s free, what’ll she [Kathy] be able to say? She’ll say my parents are divorced…my father and mother never got along…If she can say that, Mr. Sprigle, that’s all I want.” – Hortense Grayson (15:45)

• On persistence:

  “Now, look, I got a lot older since you first saw me. Six years ago, I would have turned handspins. Now, I want to be sure…the confession is great. It’s terrific. But before we go back to that pardon board, I want to have an absolutely airtight case.” – Ray Sprigle (24:23)

• On legal complexities:

  “The law is a highly technical, complex, careful business.” – Narration (17:08)

---

Important Timestamps

• 02:27 – Start of “The Big Story” dramatization
• 04:52 – Interview with Hortense Grayson, the ex-wife
• 08:54 – Detailed review of confessions and court records
• 13:03 – Emotional breakdown; the cost of the fight for justice
• 16:07 – Sprigle begins his campaign and legal maneuvers
• 18:43 – Attorney Tom Endor explains the difficulty of overturning verdicts
• 23:36 – Years pass; repeated denials from the pardon board
• 24:06 – Jensen’s confession and new hope
• 28:55 – Clem Grayson finally exonerated; Rogers convicted
• 30:37 – Adam Graham provides real history and commentary

---

Host Commentary & Analysis (30:37–40:44)

• Adam Graham contrasts the radio drama’s celebratory tone with the real, drawn-out struggle for justice, citing Sprigle’s own critical article: “They Railroaded Paul Boggs.”
• Emphasizes that official resistance was rooted in concerns over exposing prosecutorial misconduct.
• He discusses Sprigle’s legacy as a persistent, fearless journalist, referencing Sprigle’s undercover work—preceding "Black Like Me"—and his risk-taking investigations.
• Listener feedback highlights the mix between mystery/detection and judicial exposé, as well as the importance of historical context in understanding the drama.

---

Episode Tone & Style

• The drama is urgent, empathetic, and sometimes bitterly cynical—showing the toll of injustice on individuals.
• Adam Graham’s commentary is thoughtful, historically-informed, and appreciative of both the drama’s artistry and its grounding in fact.

---

Summary:
This episode of “The Big Story” takes listeners through a dogged multi-year quest to overturn a wrongful conviction, offering a tense, emotional, and ultimately redemptive look at the intersection of justice, journalism, and the human spirit. Through the lens of Ray Sprigle’s real investigatory heroics, listeners are reminded how costly and crucial the fight against official indifference can be—and, occasionally, how perseverance can restore an innocent man’s name.

---

Transcript

[Commercial Announcer]

Tax season has arrived and doing taxes without the right help can feel overwhelming. Intuit TurboTax is here now to guide you through it with confidence. Match with a TurboTax full service expert who handles everything for you from start to finish. Your dedicated expert checks every single deduction and credit to help you get the best possible outcome so you can feel confident you're getting every dollar you deserve. And the best part? You'll see real time updates on your expert's progress right on your phone while you live your life. Plus, you get unlimited expert help at no extra cost even on nights and weekends during tax season. Visit turbotax.com Only available with TurboTax Full Service Experts Real time updates only on iOS mobile app. With VRBO's last minute deals, you can

[Ray Sprigle]

save over $50 on your spring getaway. So whether it's a mountain escape city break or a week at the beach, there's still time to get great discounts.

[Hortense Grayson]

Book your next day Now. Average savings $72, so select homes only.

[Adam Graham]

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 the Big Story. But first, I do want to encourage you. If you are enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. I also want to encourage you to check out our other podcasts. Today I'm highlighting the Old Time Radio snack wagon, Snapchat, snackwagon.net where every Monday we post a bite sized bit of Old Time Radio for your listening pleasure. It comes from a variety of genres and can be anything from comedies to histories to unusual music programs. These are rare, intriguing little bits of Old Time Radio. You can find [e-mail] or wherever you get your podcast from. But now, from October 12, 1949, here is the loneliest man on Earth.

[Ray Sprigle]

The Big Story. Three men entered the Cozy Corner Barbecue in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania at 1:00am Yokiva. Yeah, that's right. Okay, let's have it. Well, what do you do? The cash register, Keeva, the cash register. What are you waiting for? He's. He's laying on the cash register. Well, push him off. You got a hand changer. There's money in that register. There was money in that register. $8. The three men left, leaving Keever behind dead. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The story of a murder and of a reporter who befriended the loneliest man on ear. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The story as it actually happened. Ray Sprigle's story as he lived it. This was before you won the Pulitzer Prize. Ray Striggle, reporter for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Before your brilliant and humane work on behalf of the underprivileged of America. But even then, a few years back, the same unmistakable signs were there. The perception, the respect for facts, the sympathy for other human beings. The woman at your desk, sitting on the edge of her chair, was 35. Maybe she was younger. What she'd been through made her look like, well, 35. And the story came out haltingly, as if it hurt to open the wound she carried. Her name was Hortense Grayson.

[Hortense Grayson]

That name, Grayson, doesn't mean much to you, Mr. Spriggan?

[Ray Sprigle]

I don't think so.

[Hortense Grayson]

No. I guess almost nobody remembers. Six years ago, Mr. Sprigel, my husband, was arrested for robbery. He broke into a doctor's office, and he and two other men.

[Ray Sprigle]

Sam Grayson.

[Hortense Grayson]

That's right.

[Ray Sprigle]

You said robbery. He's in for murder.

[Hortense Grayson]

That's right, Mr. Sprigal. He has a life sentence for murder, a murder he never committed. Maybe I ought to tell you first why I came to you. You see, your name. Well, maybe this doesn't sound like anything to you, but I read your articles, Mr. Spring.

[Ray Sprigle]

Well, we can skip that.

[Hortense Grayson]

No, I'd like to say I think if there's anyone in Pittsburgh who can do anything, you're that man. I don't say you'll have.

[Ray Sprigle]

Let's get back to the story, shall we?

[Hortense Grayson]

I told you my husband was a robber. I told you that he was arrested for a murder which he never committed. I want to tell you this, too. I divorced him three years ago.

[Ray Sprigle]

Oh, and what's a woman who divorced her husband doing fighting for his release?

[Hortense Grayson]

The answer is just that I know he's innocent. He didn't do it.

[Ray Sprigle]

Well, suppose you tell me all about it. Now,

[Hortense Grayson]

my husband and these two other men, they, Kramer and Jensen, were picked up after they robbed the doctor's office that was in Cambria County. There was no question about his guilt, and his trial was quick. He was sentenced to 10 years. He hadn't been in prison a week when witnesses came forward and testified that he and the other two men that robbed the doctor's office had also killed this man Cheever in his barbecue place three weeks before. The other two were guilty. They're now in jail. But Clem. Clem wasn't at Keber's place that night. I was sick in bed, and he took care of me. And there were two other people in the house playing cards with Clem. They swear he never left the House,

[Ray Sprigle]

is there any evidence outside of the statement that you've made?

[Hortense Grayson]

That's the terrible part. You see, Kramer, one of the men who killed Keeber, he admitted that Clem wasn't there that night. He wrote out a confession. And Jensen, the other killer, he admitted it to me that Clem wasn't there. But he wouldn't write a confession. And the court transcript? If you read the transcript, the way the witnesses changed their mind. He's innocent, Mr. Sprinkle, and I can't do anything about it.

[Ray Sprigle]

You pardon this question, Mrs.

[Hortense Grayson]

Still use his name.

[Ray Sprigle]

Do you have anything besides your word for all this?

[Hortense Grayson]

Well, I brought it all here. Just struggle. Transcripts, confessions, statements of witnesses. If you only read it, I don't know, write a story.

[Ray Sprigle]

Okay, just put it down on the desk. I'll read it and maybe I will write a story. Now tell me one thing. Why did you divorce him?

[Hortense Grayson]

I don't want to talk about it. Do I have to talk about it?

[Ray Sprigle]

No, that's okay. That's okay. Mrs. Wilson. Maybe it's as phony as a three dollar bill. But even if it is, even if everything she says is pure unadulterated fabrication. A pretty good story. Divorced woman seeks to free ex mate. Not bad, not bad. And on that somewhat cynical, somewhat casual note, Ray Spriggle. You get involved? Well, I suppose. Might as well start here. Confession of George Kramer.

[Hortense Grayson]

Wait.

[Ray Sprigle]

Come in it he was place one o'. Clock. We told him give us what's in the register. He went for a gun and Rogers shot him. When we left, we counted the money. It was $8. So me and Jensen and Rogers went home. Clem Grayson wasn't there. Depositions of convicted men aren't very much, you know. But when a man in prison for life admits he was involved in a murder and thereby jeopardizes his chance for parole or part. Hey, maybe there's something here. Sworn statement Robert. My brother Robert and I played both a regular with Ben Grazie the night of the Kieva killing. We started at 9:30 in his kitchen. His wife was sick in the bedroom. We played till 2:15. We remember because when we were finished, I said to my brother, five hours to lose 35 bucks. That ain't very smart. Transcript of testimony. Case of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania vs. Clem Grayson. Here's the section. The attorney then examined the witness. You positively identify the defendant Grayson as one of the trio? Yes, sir. I was eating barbecue sandwich. But you didn't identify Grayson when you were first taken to the county jail? Well, I'LL have to acknowledge I was a little confused. But now you're absolutely certain? Absolutely. The reason I didn't then was I. I guess I was slightly muddled. What makes you certain now? Well, I thought it over and I had a talk with the sergeant in charge and he convinced me. And now I'm absolutely certain. I had talked to the sergeant and thought I was muddled before. Now I'm absolutely certain. Gets more interesting early on. Now, it's testimony of Nellie Swenson, waitress Posey, to the fact, Ms. Swenson, that you were asked at the preliminary hearing, can you tell who was standing in the doorway with the gun?

[Hortense Grayson]

Yes, sir.

[Ray Sprigle]

What did you say?

[Hortense Grayson]

I said I couldn't tell exactly because, you see, he had his coat collar up and his hat down. And I didn't watch his face, I watched his gun.

[Ray Sprigle]

That's what you said at the preliminary hearing some weeks ago. Now, what did you testify to a few minutes ago?

[Hortense Grayson]

I can't exactly remember.

[Ray Sprigle]

I shall refresh your memory. You said, quote, the man I saw was Clem Grayson. Is that correct?

[Hortense Grayson]

Yes, sir.

[Ray Sprigle]

How do you explain your revamping your testimony?

[Hortense Grayson]

I can't.

[Ray Sprigle]

During the recess a few minutes ago, did you talk to the prosecutor in this case?

[Hortense Grayson]

Yes, I did.

[Ray Sprigle]

Louder, please.

[Hortense Grayson]

Yes, I did.

[Ray Sprigle]

Will you please tell the court what it was you talked to the prosecutor about? I object. The court sustained the objection on the grounds that the content of the conversation was immaterial. Immaterial? It's the most material thing on earth. This is fantastic. Edna. Edna. Get me Mrs. Grayson on the phone. Misses Grayson. If I look like a man who's controlling himself, that's just what I am. I've seldom seen anything so blatant, so open and shut. So, what are you crying about?

[Hortense Grayson]

There's nothing, Just. I'll be all right, mister.

[Ray Sprigle]

No, no, no. Cut that out.

[Hortense Grayson]

It's just that you're the first person in six years who understood.

[Ray Sprigle]

You've been on this six years?

[Hortense Grayson]

First I took it to the prosecuting attorney. He told me to take it to the sheriff of Westmoreland. I went to the sheriff. He told me to take it to the state police at Harrisburg. At Harrisburg? They told me to see the governor. Governor's a busy man. I saw the second assistant to the lieutenant governor. He told me to take it to the prosecuting attorney.

[Ray Sprigle]

And that's what you've been doing for six years?

[Hortense Grayson]

Six years, five months, 19 days.

[Ray Sprigle]

Now, tell me why. Why? You know what I'm talking about. Why, after being divorced, do you Keep the name. A murderer's name. Why have you kept going at it for six years, five months and 19 days? Lovely guy,

[Hortense Grayson]

no? If this was a movie, that would be the reason. I don't love Clem. I guess I haven't loved Clem for a long time. The reason is Kathy. Kathy's our daughter, Mr. Spriggan. Wild horses couldn't get me, huh? But after the way you've talked, I. I think you ought to know. Kathy was about 4 at the time Clem was sent up. You see, I found out that a grown woman can put a man out of her life if she wants to, but a child can't. And Clem was in her life whether I liked it or not. And as she grew older. She's ten now. Ten and a half. There got to be a lot of questions. Other girls have fathers. She has no father. And what am I going to tell her when she grows into young womanhood? What's she going to tell her friends? That her father's a convict? That he's in prison for murder? She'll have to lie and evade it. And that'll work. I don't want that. I don't want that. Especially because her father's innocent. So you see, I didn't solve anything by divorcing Clanny.

[Ray Sprigle]

I'm beginning to understand. And if he's free, what'll she be able to say?

[Hortense Grayson]

She'll say my parents are divorced. My father and mother never got along. I live with my mother, but I hear from my father all the time working in Cleveland and Boston and California. If she can say that, Mr. Sprinkle, that's all I want.

[Ray Sprigle]

Yeah. Well, suppose we see what we can do, Mrs. Grayson. Let's see if there really is such a thing as power of truth. It's a good story and a big one. And you, Ray Spriggle, reporter for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, do it in three installments, three big half pages, setting forth the affidavits, the confessions and the conflicting testimony. And you wait and see what the power of truth is. You also go a step further with Mrs. Brayson. You help prepare the papers for the Pardon Board. Don't worry now. Don't worry. I think we've got one of the finest cases ever presented. Let's go in, Mr. After due and careful consideration of this pardon board, it is our considered judgment that the confession of the convicted murderer Kramer is inconclusive. That internal conflict within the testimony of witnesses has been demonstrated, but is insufficient. And let it be remembered that the prisoner Seeking this pardon, Clem Grayson is not only an admitted robber, but has been found guilty of murder by a jury of his peers. Gordon. Denied. Now you begin to understand those six years, five months and 19 days. This isn't a matter of simple justice. This isn't a matter of the power of truth or the press. The law is a highly technical, complex, careful business. And so you bring into the case an old friend, Tom Endor, lawyer. It's a good case, Ray. Good. But not good enough. What more do you want, Tom? Well, if you could get the jury each one of the jurors, that'll be something. If you could show about six more cracks in the testimony of the witnesses, that would be something. If you could get Jensen, the third guy to confess, that I guess would be almost inclusive. Almost. That's what I said, almost. No, what are you trying to do? Make it tougher than it is? No, my friend, I am merely trying to make it precisely as tough as the pardon board made it. Okay, I begin to understand now about you. What about me? Will you see this thing through with me? What do you think I'm doing here, twiddling myself? There's no money. Grayson hasn't got any. Neither is Mrs. Grayson. And all I can do is take you out for a shot once in a while. I'll cut it out. And as far as publicity goes, you guys need publicity. Don't kid me, Tom. You might come in for some, shall we say, adverse publicity. What do we stand around talking for? The guy's in jail. You move. Now, first in the Westmoreland county dives, pool rooms, flophouses. And there, when you ask the question, you get a common answer. No kidding. Bud Grayson never done that job. That was Rogers. Rogers all the way. Kramer, Jensen and Rogers. Everybody says the same thing, Tom. Everywhere I go, Kramer, Jensen and Rogers. What about Rogers? He's the third of the trio. No, I know that. I mean, what's he doing now? Well, the court didn't believe he was mixed up with the killing, so he never went to jail. Now he's a small town political out in Cambria County. Can we get anything on him? Look at the sheriff friend out there. You mean what I just told you was no good? It's common gossip. Rogers did it. Look, I'll say it to you once more. The law is no layman's game. Specific, full blown evidence is needed. What's gossip? What they say in the gin mills and the flop houses doesn't go very far in court or with a pardon board. Try your Sheriff. Friend. Break down Rogers. Get Jensen to admit that Grayson wasn't in on it. Then come back. We'll talk about what to do. Hey, this is tough. You move again. This time more slowly. Carefully. And it takes time. A month, six months, a year, two years. Finally, four years have gone by since Mrs. Grayson first came into your office. A thing you thought would take a few articles in the paper. And even now, after four years, all you've got to show is. Sheriff. You've got to get me something on Rogers. You've got to. Ray, there's nothing on earth I'd like to do better than put Rogers where he belongs. I'm sure he was the one who murdered Keever, and you know it. There's no proof. Look, I know all about proof. Can't we get something on him? The past four years I've watched Rogers, and all I can tell you is that the average choir boy has gotten into more trouble. But if anything shows up, I'll get in touch with him. What kind of a human being are you, Jensen? I ain't a human being. I'm a convict. I'm in for murder. Look, Jensen, you know Grayson had nothing to do with the murder. You know Rogers did it. Kramer admitted it. Why don't you give the guy a break? He served 10 years. Yeah? How long you think I served? There's an innocent man rotting in jail. So I'm a guilty man rotting in jail. Why don't you try your story on Rogers? He might listen to you.

[Commercial Announcer]

Me?

[Ray Sprigle]

I am too busy. Rogers. My name is Armand Rogers. I like to be called by my name. You don't mind? You're pretty sure of yourself, aren't you? Sitting pretty. You don't care that Grayson didn't do it, that he's taken the rap for you. You don't care about anything. I wouldn't say that, Mr. Spriggle. I like a good cigar, I like music, and I like fine food. About Grayson, sure, I care. I care the same way as when a fly gets in my way and I gotta kill him and flick him off. And it goes on. Now the four years have become five. The five have become six. Every two years, you and attorney Tom Endor have gone before the pardon board. Three times you've gone, and three times you've heard the words pardon denial. Who's there?

[Hortense Grayson]

It's me.

[Ray Sprigle]

Oh, you. Well, you'll be pleased to know they turned us down a third time. Tracy, what are you smiling about? What are you to smile about?

[Hortense Grayson]

You know what they say about women. Mr. Sprinkle, cut it out now.

[Ray Sprigle]

What are you talking about?

[Hortense Grayson]

How weak we are. We can't do anything by ourselves.

[Ray Sprigle]

What have you got?

[Hortense Grayson]

I went to see Jensen today. I told him the Pardon Board had turned down Clem's plea the third time. And what he think he did?

[Ray Sprigle]

You got it, he said.

[Hortense Grayson]

Gee, I thought the Pardon Board would give it to him long ago, but I guess they won't. So he sat down and wrote a full confession clearing Clem. Aren't you happy? Aren't you pleased? Isn't this what we were after?

[Ray Sprigle]

Now, look, I got a lot older since you first saw me. Six years ago, I would have turned handspins. Now, I want to be sure the confession is great. It's terrific. But before we go back to that pardon boarder, I want to have an absolutely airtight case.

[Hortense Grayson]

What more can we possibly get?

[Ray Sprigle]

Rogers. I'm waiting for Rogers to crack.

[Hortense Grayson]

Meantime, Clem's in jail.

[Ray Sprigle]

Now, believe me. Please believe me. Let's make sure we get him out. So you said, with a sworn confession of gentleness. Making two sworn confessions that Clem Grayson is innocent and Rogers is guilty. You wait for the call which finally comes. Sprinkle speaking. Ray. Run over. I got something to tell you. Rogers. Rogers. And so you finally slipped, Rogers. You beat up your wife last night. You beat her up and put her in the hospital for a month. Look, I don't have to sit here and listen to you. That's where you're wrong. The sheriff said stay with him as long as you like. Ray. That's me, Ray. Till you get just what you want. And just what I want is a signed confession that you killed Keeber. You, not Clem Grayson. I never killed Keeber. Should I read you the confession of Kramer? The whole thing, with every one of its lousy, sordid details. You want to hear the confession of Jensen? How? He says you were the one pushed the body off the cash register and took the money out. I don't care what you got to say. Shall I tell you what your wife told me and the sheriff about that night? About your alibi? The liars. Both of them liars. Okay, Rogers, do it the hard way. Get in court and face them. Everything about the murder will come out, every dirty piece of it. A confession would have made it much easier for you. But you won't talk. Well, Rogers, it'll be a pleasure, a great pleasure to take you apart bit by bit in a courtroom, right in front of the whole world. And on a winter day a little later. You and Hortense Grayson wait. The chairman of the pardon board says the inevitable words, setting Clem Grayson free. The wheels of justice grind slow sometimes. In this case, 12 years, 5 months, 22 days. But the important thing is they do grind. Now, we read you that telegram from Ray Sprigle of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Grayson granted full pardon on the murder conviction. When released, he quickly enlisted in the United States army and served overseas with distinction. Rogers, the actual killer, was convicted and sentenced to a long term in the Western Penitentiary for his complicity in the murder. And so ends another big story. In order to protect the names of people actually involved in tonight's authentic big story, the names of all characters in the dramatization were changed. With the exception of the newspaper reporter. The big story has been a presentation of the United States Armed Forces Radio Service, the voice of information and education. Sam,

[Commercial Announcer]

Most people would rather attend a corporate team building workshop than search for auto and home insurance.

[Adam Graham]

Go, team.

[Ray Sprigle]

Feel that synergy.

[Commercial Announcer]

That's why the skill zebra searches for you. Comparing over 100 insurance companies to find savings no one else can Compare. [e-mail] who's ready for the trust fall? And Doug, there's nowhere I wouldn't go to help someone customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual, even if it means sitting front row at a comedy show. Hey, everyone, check out this guy and his bird.

[Ray Sprigle]

What is this, your first date?

[Commercial Announcer]

Oh, no. We help people, customers, and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual. Together we're married. Me to a human, him to a bird. Yeah, the bird looks out of your league anyways. Only pay for what you [e-mail] Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty.

[Adam Graham]

Welcome back now to the scripts for our credits. The reporter, Ray Sprigel was played by Bill Smith. In addition to that, the cast also featured Barbara Weeks, George Petri, Joshua Shelley, Eric Dressler, Humphrey Davis, and Jim Bowles. And the narrator, Bob Sloan, also got into the action playing a voice. And this was another week where everyone, including the star, was doubling up. Now, Bill Smith is not one of those that we heard a lot of. He was mainly a supporting actor. He's been in programs such as Call the Police, but not a lot of starring work. I thought that this was an incredible story. The. The information on it from Dr. Joseph Webb. The. The stories behind the Big Story essentially track with what we heard in the episode. The name of the robber in this case was Paul Bar Boggs, who was found guilty of a 1931 robbery of a doctor's office. And he got 10 years. And then they brought this other case against him involving the killing of a restaurant owner named Francis McGreevey. The man who actually did the crime was named Robert Bruner, who admitted that he did it, and he was convicted in 1943. But Boggs did not get out until 1949. And as Joe Webb points out, Sprigel wrote that there was a time when both Boggs and Bruner were in prison for the same crime, even though Boggs had been cleared. And then once when Boggs got released, the first thing he did is he went to the draft board and said, let's go ahead, I need you to get me inducted because there's a war going on and I need to do my part. And he went off and served with distinction. Now, interestingly enough, the Big Story puts a far more positive spin on the situation than Sprigel himself did with their talk about, at the end of the day, justice was served. Spriggle had actually written a big feature item looking back on the story earlier in 1949, entitled they Railroaded Paul Boggs. And essentially the prosecutors fought this at every turn because getting this overturned wouldn't just put Boggs out of jail, it would shine a light on their own misconduct. And when it takes that long to wreck obvious injustices, it undermines the whole system. I mean, the whole justification of the parole board, after all, he was convicted by a jury, rings hollow if the prosecutors were coaching and manufacturing evidence pretty blatantly. So much that all Spriggle had to do was look at the transcript. Now, it should be noted that this is one of those cases where you just had to stick with it. And Spragel kept working on this whole story even while he was doing other things. He actually won his Pulitzer Prize while this was going on as he uncovered the history of newly appointed Justice Hugo Black. As a member of the Ku Klux Klan, he had a very strong career and took on a lot of risk. Got himself committed to a mental institution in order to report what conditions were like. And people who listening on the radio would have known him for some of his more recent work, which was referenced subtly at the start of the episode. He went to the Deep south undercover disguised as a black man. And he wrote a major series of articles on what that experience was like and letting his readers know what was going on. Now, of course, novelist named John Howard Griffin's efforts are more famous about a decade later, and that was published in the book Black Like Me. Now, Spragel was, We don't know how he felt about the radio adaptation, but he was not a fan of the television program. According to Dr. Joe Webb, he said, when it was adapted for TV in 1955, I think the True Story would have made it a lot more effective and powerful dramatization. And the critic who wrote about the series, Wynn Fanning, said that was true of most of the Big Story TV productions. With Fanning writing, actually, what might be one of the best programs on TV is one of the worst. Now, of course, we don't have a ton of the TV episodes of the Big Story to judge this by. The one thing that's worth noting is that the big story TV series had the exact same time slots of around 24 minutes of story time as the radio version. And on radio, you can do a good job breaking down an event and being fairly faithful to it with half a dozen actors in a studio. On television, there are so many other visual elements that you need to care for. On radio, you can have unlimited settings. On television, you really do face some restraints in terms of budget, in terms of talent available. Though it's worth noting, the Big show ran for non season on television, so apparently the viewing public was more impressed with it than some of the critics. All right, listener comments and feedback now. And we have some comments on Spotify regarding the Bitterest man on Earth. Harrison writes, this was one of those stories that frustrated me due to everyone's conviction that this guy wasn't who he said he was. And yet it took the reporter and not the state that was, to find out the truth. While I'm enjoying the series, I wish it set the stories in the time period when they took place. It's not like it's Dragnet, where it's the same protagonist each week, so the stories have to take place in the here and now. It's not like it makes it less entertaining. I definitely understand the concern. Harrison and I tend to agree. I think it really becomes an issue when the events of the time would make more sense of the story. Like in that story a couple weeks back that ended in suicide. Understanding that this was during the Great Depression, that they were doing this, it makes a lot more sense. And there are other events that change the typical behavior of, like, if you think about the war or the housing shortage after the war leads to behaviors that don't make sense without the context, like, why are you doing that in 1948 or 1949? So I think it tends to complicate the production if you don't address those, because the logic can be weak, dawn writes. Please don't take this as a complaint. This was an interesting story, but not much of mystery and not a lot of detection needed. It was fascinating to see a judicial justice story presented with 1940 sensibilities. Well, I definitely understand what you're saying, and truthfully, the Big Story is kind of a stretch to our format. It's the type of series I probably would not have thought I'd end up playing when we started doing great detectives, but it's one of those series that's close enough as we began to run out of material. And certainly not every case is going to fit neatly into a typical mystery bucket. Although I think there are also several episodes of Dragnet quite honestly that are very entertaining but don't fit that as well. You take something like the Big Break, which is one of my all time favorite Dragnet episodes, where you're dealing with this fugitive robber and they know who the robber is, they know he did it, and it's just a matter of finding him and bringing him to justice. And the same can be true of so many cases where it's just a matter of finding the fugitive. And episodes like that one and this one are about how is it that you are able to correct an injustice and prove to the satisfaction of the parole board that this man is

[Ray Sprigle]

not

[Adam Graham]

guilty and merits a pardon or new trial? And then mechanic66 writes that Goodwin could have been Tenney and went under different names at different places. I don't recall any mention of him having any identification under any name. It's a fair point, but there's also not any suggestion that the man whose wife was murdered was some sort of transient. In fact, my recollection is that up until the time of the murder he was pretty much in the same place. As to the identification point, it was really not common in the early 1930s for everybody to carry ID around, so it was a lot more informal. So the absence of ID wouldn't really prove anything. Well, now it's time to thank our Patreon Supporter of the Day and I want to thank Rhonda patreon, supporter since October 2020, currently supporting the podcast at the Psalmist level of $4 or more per month. Thanks so much for your support and that will do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software and be sure to rate and review the podcast wherever you download it from. We'll be back next Tuesday with another episode of the Big Story, but join us back here tomorrow for Broadway's my beat. Where?

[Ray Sprigle]

Through here, senores. Down these steps. He's in the cellar. You were the one who found him. See, I went down here to my stove inn to replenish the beer for my customers. Well, you will see. Is there any other entrance to this cellar than those steps we just came down? You will see, senor. Look, don't make a drama out of it, Luis. Just tell us. Take it easy, Gomez. There. And the big cases stretched out wet, dead. Now tell us, Luis, how did it get in here? You see a window through which deliveries are made from the alley mirror. The window is broken through. So take a look in the alley, Gomez. Okay. You know who he is, Luis. See is Ricardo Miguel, a boy who lives near. A boy who works at the pastel area. Arsenio Loca, the bakery shop. Also not found. Stamped four places. The night was the floor show, senor. Be gone. Yeah. Take the time to see, senor. It is exciting. The sad you have not the time.

[Adam Graham]

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 Great detectives from Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Grahams, signing off.

[Commercial Announcer]

It's tax season, and by now we're all a bit tired of numbers. But here's an important one. You need to $16 billion. That's how much money in refunds the IRS flagged for possible identity fraud. But it's not all grim news. LifeLock monitors millions of data points per second and alerts you to threats you could easily miss on your own. If your identity is stolen, they'll fix it, guaranteed. Save up to 40% your first first year. Visit lifelock.com iheart terms apply. Here's the truth. You could literally be adored by everyone and then come home and still get completely ignored by your own cat. It's classic cat behavior. But new Sheba Premium Puree is a lickable treat that changes all that. They're protein rich, made with bone broth, and have the smooth, creamy texture cats go crazy for. Especially when it's hand fed. Yeah, it's more than a treat. It's a fast pass to favorite human status. So feed your cat Sheba and go from totally ignored to truly adored in just 12 days, guaranteed or your money back. Learn [e-mail] and Doug, there's nowhere I wouldn't go to help someone customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual. Even if it means sitting front row at a comedy show.

[Ray Sprigle]

Hey, everyone.

[Commercial Announcer]

Check out this guy and his bird.

[Ray Sprigle]

What is this, your first date?

[Commercial Announcer]

Oh, no. We help people customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual. Together. We're married. Me to a human, him to a bird. Yeah, the bird looks out of your league. Anyways, Only pay for what you [e-mail]. liberty. Liberty. Liberty.

[Ray Sprigle]

Liberty.