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The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio| Daily Mystery Dramas
Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Denver Disbursal Matter (EP4747)
00:33:12
Today's Mystery: Johnny is called to Denver to investigate a mysterious series of accidental deaths that have resulted in big payoffs by the insurance company. Original Radio Broadcast Date: March 23, 1958 Originating from Hollywood Starring: Bob...
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- [00:01]
Narrator
Riverbend Motel and Spray salutes America's armed forces and all of our military veterans for the sacrifices they've made. Our troops are our angels of freedom and our wings of protection fighting to defend our country. So please honor our warriors for their dedication and bravery, as well as our veterans and those who have given their lives in the line of duty because they are America's true heroes. A message from Riverbend Motel in Spring Spray. That's Riverbend Motel in Spray. Craftsman days are here at Lowe's. With big savings on the tools you need. Save $100 on the Craftsman V26 Tool Power Tool Combo Kit now at $199. No matter what the project is, Craftsman's high quality, high performance products empower you to build on. Visit Lowe's and check out the full line of Craftsman tools today, valid through 79, while supplies last. Selection varies by location. Maximum initial battery voltage measured without a workload is 20 volts. Nominal voltage is 18 foreign.
- [01:28]
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 yours truly, Johnny Dollar. But first, I do want to encourage you. If you are enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. Also, please check out our great Detectives of Old Time Radio T shirts. We have several great designs for you to choose from, as well as a wide variety of different styles, sizes and colors. Check them out@tshirts.greatdetectives.net but now, from March 23, 1958, here is the Denver dispersal matter.
- [02:23]
Narrator
From Hollywood. It's time now for Johnny Duller, Harry Jameson, that Paramount Insurance adjuster. Johnny. Hi, Perry. It's been a long time. I begun to think you're neglecting me. Oh, how you talk. Matter of fact, I've just been waiting for a nasty enough case to come along for you. Yeah, you do have a habit of handing me the dirty ones. What is it this time? Forest State out in Denver. Oh, yeah, I've heard of them. Well, they're a small outfit by contract. All their claims are rooted through us. Damage appraisals, payment dispersals, and so on. So what's happened? Well, we've had to pay a lot of claims for them recently. Too many. What's more, they've all been big ones and on fairly young policy. Well, Perry, you know as well as I do that things will average out in the long run. Unless something's wrong. 60,000 on one policy, 35,000 on another. 70,000 and a cool 150,000 on one just last week shooting. And the beneficiary in each case has been the same man. No wonder. You just leave the door open, Perry. I'll be right over. Bob Bailey in the exciting adventures of the man with the action packed expense account. America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator. Yours truly, Johnny Doll Expense account submitted by special investigator Johnny Dollar, the Paramount Insurance adjuster's home office, Hartford, Connecticut. Following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the Denver dispersal matter. Expensive con. Item one, a $10 for the cab that took me over to Perry Jameson's office at Paramount. True to form the do wide open for me, I kind of thought this thing might get you down here in a hurry. Johnny, sit down. Yeah, thanks. And I took the liberty of calling TWA and getting you a seat on the plane to Denver. Good idea. When there's one leaving New York at 6pm okay. And I'll get you into Denver about old 1030 Mountain Time. Think you can make it? Sure. Charge your expenses to us. That's the deal we have with four state and the man to see out there. It's almost a one man outfit. His name is William Whitney. Got it. Now look, Perry, I've been thinking on the way over here. Woohoo wonders we'll never cease. Thanks pal, but how well do you know this man Whitney? Maybe he's in cahoots with this big beneficiary, this Don Ricardo. That isn't it. Yeah, such things have happened. No, no, Johnny, you're wrong. Poor old Willie Whitney's a mild timid milquetoast. His wife, an ex couse girl who probably thought he had money. Well, you can be sure she's the one who wears the pants in the family. Willie would cringe at the thought of hurting a fly. Well, it was an idea. I don't blame you, but no, forget it. What makes you so sure something's wrong? Well, I didn't say I was, but 215,000 to one beneficiary in a period of only three months. Well, I just want to be sure it's okay. And I called you in because I am willing to pay to make sure. No, don't worry, Perry, you will. Expense account item 2, $141 even plane, fair incidentals. Hartford to New York to Denver. Originally Indian country. The mile high city is now a maze of oil refineries, steel companies, grain mills, chemical and manufacturing plants, a huge downtown shopping area and beautiful tree studded residential sections. No wonder it's one of the big insurance centers. Item 3, $2 even for a cab at a town where I park myself at the world famous Brown Palace Hotel. Item 4, 10 cents. Phone call to an old newspaper pal from back east who is now working on the Denver Posts. Pete Packer. Johnny Dollar. Pete Packer. Okay, what's the story? Johnny Dollar. Okay. How are you? Great, great. You gonna be here long? We gotta get together. Where you stay? The Round Palace. You want I should dig up a couple of dates, we'll go out on the town. Remember the last time we tied one on together? Are you kidding? I had such a headache the next morning. It hasn. Hey listen, I get away from the desk at 2:00am no, you look, I'm out here on a job insurance investigation. Did you ever hear of a man named Don Ricardo? You, you know Don Ricardo? No. What do you know about him? Well, they say. Now mind you, I don't know for sure, Keith, but don't forget I did a hit show on the Chicago Sun Times a few years back. What's that got to do with Don Ricardo? It was back in the days of the Capone mob and Don Ricardo. Well, mind you, nobody was ever able to pin anything on him. Yeah, I see what you mean. Where does he live, Pete? Oh, 20, 30 miles east, the other side of golden. Little place called Millville. Uh huh. Now mind you, Keith, I don't want to really say anything against him. I mean, if I don't seem to be really telling you anything about it. Pete, I think you've told me plenty. Well now listen Keith. Thanks. And I'll be talking to you. It was late and I was tired, but I went downstairs to the cocktail bar and with the help of a big fat tip for a nightcap, got some more lowdown on Don Ricardo. The bartender talked plenty. Yeah, it seems Ricardo was living the life of Riley in the little town of Millville. Lovely home, expensive cars, threw a lot of big gaudy parties and always for people from out of town, mostly Chicago or Miami Beach. Yeah, the bartender talked plenty of until he spotted a lean, well dressed, rather too well dressed man sitting alone at one of the tables watching him. A man who'd somehow forgotten to take off the light gray hat that shaded his features and slightly narrowed eyes. The bartender clammed up. I paid for my drink, that's item 5, and was conscious of being watched closely as I casually sauntered out and took the elevator out to my room. First thing in the morning I looked up the address of Forestay. Instead of the striking new Mile High Center. As I'd expected, it was a dingy old office building on South Broadway. William Whitney looked a little old and dingy himself. Johnny Dollar, the special investigator? That's right, Mr. Whitney. Oh, well, sit down, won't you? All right. Thanks. Just here on a visit. I'm here because the insurance adjusters are concerned about some recent claims they've had to pay on policies issued by you. We've been very unfortunate lately, Mr. Dollar. Yeah, $215,000. Unfortunate on only four policies? Yes, and all paid to the same beneficiary by some odd coincidence. You sure it was coincidence? Who were the policyholders? Why, some old miners living over near Golden. Old miners insuring for those amounts? Yes, sir. They were all able to pay the premium. Give me their names. Yes, sir. Unless I'm cockeyed, there's something wrong with this whole thing and I intend to find out what it is. The policies were issued in good faith and the premiums paid. But I agree with you, sir, and I'm terribly concerned. I'm glad you're here, sir. It'll not only save the company a lot of money, it'll take a great load off of my mind. Here's the list. Do you know the beneficiary, this Don Ricardo? Only through seeing him when I've given him the checks. Barno, Mulligan, R. Smith and J. Smith. Did any of these insured have families? I don't know. You see the beneficiary in each case. Yeah, I know better. Let me see those policies. Whitney left me alone while I plowed through his files, satisfied at least that the policies themselves were okay. I finally left him, hailed a taxi and told the driver to head for the town of Golden. As we pulled away from the curb, a small black foreign car in the next block swung around and appeared to follow us, and I wondered. But then it cut off at an intersection and I decided I was imagining things until we pulled up at one of the addresses Whitney had given me in Golden. A ramshackle, unpainted old frame house on the edge of town. I told the driver to wait for me and walk up to the front door. It looks to me like that half deserted muster. You sure you give me the right address? Yeah, this is the address, all right. But I guess that. Huh? Hey, that door opened by itself. I don't know. Hello? Hello? Anybody? Oh, mister. Act two of yours truly, Johnny Dollar. In a moment, our flag now numbers 50 stars, and behind each star there stands yet another flag representing one of the 50 states Vermont state flag in its early form imitated our national flag, uniquely bearing 17 stripes and 17 stars, with only the inscribed word Vermont to distinguish it. The good people of Vermont assumed, as did our national government, that stripes as well as stars would be added as each new state entered the Union. Vermont entered the Union after Tennessee and Ohio, and with Kentucky to join shortly, the vermonters naturally put 17 stripes on their flag. In 1818, the United States Congress put a stop to this, and since then, the stripes have always been at 13, and only stars are added for each new state. Vermont's present flag captures the famous beauty of the Green Mountain State in its coat of arms and inscribed is the phrase Vermont Freedom and Unity. Vermont State flag. The flag of the 14th state to enter the Union was adopted on April 26, 1923. And now, Act 2 of yours truly, Johnny Dollar and the Denver dispersal. The old house at the edge of Golden, Colorado, looked empty, but I knocked anyway. You sure you give me the right address, mister? Yeah, driver, this is the address, all right, but I guess that. Hey. That door open by itself? I don't know. Hello? Hello? Anybody? Mister? Mister, Go back. Get away from this open door. But you're hurt. Your. Your neck. You're bleeding to death. Stay down. Barely. Nick me. I'm all right. Holy cow. I thought you was a goner. Here, let me help you. You will need help if you don't stay out of his line of fire. Well, who was it? You see anybody? Hey, listen. Yeah, That's a car pulling away from the back. Get a look at it? Well, I can't. Can't tell. That dusty side road back there looks like a little one, though. Fine. Car too far away now. I can't tell, but it's black. All right, come on. We're getting back into your cab. Yeah, yeah, I'll get you to a doctor. No, no, I'm okay. You know where Millville is? Sure. A few miles east. It's an old mine. Come on. You know where Don Ricardo lives? Sure. You want to go there? Does he own a small black foreign car? Yeah. Real expensive job. I've seen him in town. But, mister, come on, because I'll lay odds he's the one who fired those shots. You mind if I drop you off a few blocks away from his place? The cab driver relented. Drop me off at Ricardo's front door, then hightail it for other people. Parts. It was a nice home, very modern, seemingly out of place in what had once been a prosperous mining center, but was now little more than a ghost town. Yes. Mr. Ricardo? That's right. Who are you? I think you know, but I'll tell you anyhow. I'm Johnny Dollar, insurance investigator. Oh, come in, Mr. Dollar. We can sit in the den. Would, would you like a drink? No, thanks. What happened to your neck there? It's been bleeding. I will get to that later. I've been rather expecting someone like you to call in view of my good fortune and insurance money lately. Sit down. You sure you wouldn't like a drink? Tell me one thing. Yes? Who paid the premiums on those four policies that netted you a couple of hundred grand? Why, the policyholders, of course. At least to the best of my knowledge. Poor old broken down miners. They were still quite active, Mr. Mr. Dollar, hoping to find a new vein in some of the old workings in this region. Then maybe you grub stake them, huh? Well, as a matter of fact I did. And they promised me a share of whatever they might find. In return, they named me and their insurance policy. Oh, you must have given them plenty more than a worked out mind could ever yield. How do you mean to afford the premiums on those hefty policies. Now look, Dollar, it was all perfectly legal on the up and up. How old were they? Barno Bono? About 68, I believe. Mulligan and Smith and the other Smith? About the same. So what? A company was crazy. How did they die, Ricardo? By some strange coincidence, the poor old fellows all went the same way. Accidents there in the mine they were working. Did the police investigate those accidents? I imagine so. Now look, Ricardo, as you know very well, I was shot at a few minutes ago. Shot up at a little isolated house on the edge of Golden. You were a lousy shot. I. Now look here. Oh, so you should have known better than to park that little foreign job of yours in the driveway. At least without washing it down. What are you talking about? That kind of purplish dust. It's covered with dust. Yeah, I'm talking about the side road back of that house where you tried to plug me. Well, okay, okay, Darla, maybe you're right about the whole thing. So what if I did try to knock you off? Oh, you admit it, huh? Yeah, why not? But since I didn't kill you then. Oh no, you know. All right, all right, all right. Put him up. Face wall. Ricardo, that's awful. Come on, get your hands. Officer, I've never seen a prettier uniform in my life. What is this? What is this? We've been waiting a long time to nail you, Ricardo. Get him out of here, boy. All right, take it easy. Take it easy, Pete. So help me, Keith, I knew if anybody bring Ricardo out in the open, you would. You mean to say. Yeah, I figured I'd bring these. Better bring these state police out here. Oh, Pete, you're a doll. Now let you and me go out and tear the town apart, huh? Later, after I finish this job. Act three of yours truly, Johnny Dollar. In a moment, over 150 years ago, the Swiss poet Henri Amiel wrote, heroism is the brilliant triumph of the soul over fear. Heroism is the dazzling and glorious concentration of courage. During the Korean campaign, Corporal Ronald Rosser was attached to the Heavy Motor Company of the 38th Infantry, 2nd Division, United States Army. Rosser, a veteran of World War II, rejoined the army and shipped to Korea when he heard that his brother had fallen in the winter assault of the Chinese Communists. One day, Rosser's company moved into enemy territory. At the time, the corporal was a forward observer and carried a radio. Suddenly, in the midst of an enemy attack, Rosser handed his radio to a buddy, slipped the safety off his carbine and filled his shirt with hand grenades. He charged at the enemy through fierce mortar and artillery fire. Shooting from the hip. Straddling a bunker, he riddled its occupants. Still advancing, he accounted for two more of the enemy, shooting one through the head and clubbing another to death. Continuing his one man charge, he jumped into a trench full of enemy soldiers, opened fire and forced his way relentlessly down the length of the trench, killing right and left with grenades and carbine fire. Out of ammunition, he returned to his company where he replenished his supply. Then he charged the enemy again and again. Finally, he returned to his own area and taking the radio back from his friend, he moved out with his company. Corporal Ronald Rosser was awarded the Medal of Honor for his action. Action which had shown the enemy that his personal code of conduct wouldn't let them push around either his kid brother or his country. And now, act three of yours truly, Johnny Dollar and the Denver dispersal matter. It took hours, even with Pete Packard's help, and he finally had to go back to his job at the Denver Post. But there, in Don Ricardo's house, carefully hidden away under a drawer lining and a. I found what I was looking for, a handful of cancelled checks. It was well after dark when I appropriated one of Ricardo's fancy cars and drove back to Denver to a little house in the south end of town, not far from the office of Four State Insurance Company. As I pulled to a stop, a big fancy truck Nearly sideswiped me good. It covered the sound of my stopping there. As unobtrusively as possible, I walked up to the front door of the place. Even above the sound of passing traffic, I could hear voices. Loud ones, coming from somewhere in the rear of the building. Cautiously, I edged my way around the side to where I could see the lighted window of a bedroom. All right. All right. I hate you. I mean, why don't you tell me why? Stop asking questions. Get your things back. Make sure it's only enough to put in the car. We're traveling light and fast. All right, Willie. All right, already. Boy, you're bossier than Don ever was when you wanted me. Forget Don Ricardo and collect your stuff. If it wasn't for me, you'd still be working in one of his nightclubs in Chicago. Lucky you never talked his way down to that insurance office. Oh, stop that. I thought we was going to stay in Denver until you made a lot of dough at the insurance racket, huh? I left this happy domestic scene to walk slowly back to the front door. Yep, my original hunch at the office in Hartford had been right. Somebody at the front door. Why don't you go after it, huh? Rolling. Oh, Mr. Dollar. That's right. Oh, my. I'm glad you're here, sir. Well, you look upset, Mr. Whitney. I am, sir. I am terribly upset. Handbags. They're in the hall. Yes. Going somewhere? That Don Ricardo. Oh, I thought you didn't really know him. I didn't. Oh, if only I'd done it before. I'd never have issued those policies naming him as beneficiary. Done what? Mr. Whitney investigated that Ricardo. But I did, after you left me this morning. He's a gangster. An ex gangster, Mr. Dollar. No. Yes. I suddenly realized that in your investigation, you. You'd investigate him, and he'd think I'd had you investigate him. He'd think I was trying to make trouble for him. Frightened me. Frightened me terribly. And that's why you decided to leave town, huh? Yes. Yes, of course. Until this whole thing blows over. He's a dangerous man. He'd stop at nothing. He might even try to kill me. I must leave here immediately. Oh, I wouldn't be too sure of that. Where did you plan to go? Far away. Anywhere where he couldn't find me. And where maybe I couldn't find you, of course. What? Why did you say that? Well, I was just thinking. This morning, while I was going through the files at your office, you left me alone for a while. Yes, Yes, I recall That I did. Why? To make a phone call, Maybe to Don Ricardo. What is that? Why, he just happened to be waiting in his little foreign car a block or so up the street. About the time I left your office in a cab, Mr. Darwin. Pretty good theory, isn't it? Especially when I have these little scraps of paper to back it up. What are those? Some of Don Ricardo's canceled checks. Made out to you. 20% of the take on those big fat insurance payments. Where did you get those? Funny, too. They're all dated one day after you paid off on each of those big claims. Give me those. You don't. We're gonna need these. I'll kill you, Mr. Milk Ghost, huh? You dirty. I'll kill you. Okay, baby. All right. All right. Okay, Willie, get up on your feet. Yes, sir. Anything you say, Mr. Dollar. But please, you must believe me. I'm an innocent. That timid soul pose of yours may have sold insurance to a handful of suckers, wouldn't he? But it hasn't sold me a thing. I suppose you find them in every trade. That still doesn't justify their even being alive, though. Fortunately, in the insurance business, they never get away with it for long. Even a team like Whitney and Ricardo. I wonder if they're sharing the same cell. Expense account. Item 6. $10 to the doctor who sewed up my neck. Item $784 for a night on the town with Pete Packard. Strangely enough, I still have a bit of a headache from it. Expense account total, including a little gift to that taxi driver. Incidentals and transportation Back to Hartford. $391.80. Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Our star will return in just a moment. Our flag now numbers 50 stars. And behind each star there stands yet another flag representing one of the 50 states. Idaho's state flag depicts the prime industrial pursuit of its citizens mining. Balanced against this image is a female figure combining the virtues of the goddess of Liberty. For she carries the spear and cap of liberty. And the goddess of justice represented by the scales in her hand. A bright shining star in the heavens. Is an indication that Idaho has joined the nation. Overall is the motto. Esto perpetua. May she endure forever. Idaho's state flag, the flag of the 43rd state to enter the union. Was adopted on March 12, 1907. Now here is our star to tell you about next week's story. Next week, a killer's list. That's right. A list of victims. And guess who's on it. Join us, won't you? Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Yours truly, Johnny Dollar, starring Bob Bailey, originates in Hollywood and is produced and directed by Jack Johnson Stone, who also wrote today's story. Heard in our cast were Virginia Gregg, Forest Lewis, Barney Phillips, Edgar Barrier, Frank Gerstel and Peter Lee. Be sure to join us next week, same time and station for another exciting story of yours truly, Johnny Dollar. This is Dan Coverley. This is the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.
- [27:17]
Adam Graham
Welcome back. I like getting a story that was set out west in Denver, but my problem with this one is that Ricardo is supposed to be this tough hood from Chicago and back east, a dangerous character that everyone is afraid of. And I'm fully prepared for Johnny to be facing off against a fight. Fully experienced, dangerous criminal with serious power backing him up. But what we get instead is someone who never could have been this person because you don't get that reputation. You don't get those criminal underworld credentials. Being as sloppy as he was, he follows Johnny in his own car and takes a shot and misses. He leaves his car parked in the driveway with evidence of where he'd been, not even in the garage. He sets up an insurance fraud scheme that involves getting life insurance from men who are over the age of 65 and all with the same insurance company, which increases the chance that it will be noticed and investigated. He then pays off the inside man by writing him a personal check. And then to cap it off, make things really easy on the investigators, he keeps the cancelled check. This is such a clumsy case. It's not even a credit to Johnny that he solved it. It is probably more of a detriment to the Denver police that they weren't able to get to a solution because it's all painfully obvious. On a brighter note, I will say that the information on the Idaho flag is interesting, is true, and the flag had just had its most recent revision in 1957, a year before this episode aired. Though I suspect the PSA was made several years later. Though interestingly enough, our flag is known for its proportion. It officially has a 26 to 33 proportion which is unique to all flags on the face of the earth. I'm not sure why this got written into law, and to be fair, it was more of a matter of stating the flag's dimension in inches through which the proportion can be extrapolated. But my two theories, theory number one, the person who wrote that did not care much for flag makers and just wanted to find a way to make things difficult. Or he wanted to create an opportunity for Idaho citizens. You know, we are out of state and we see somewhere that has the state flags up and they went ahead and they print the Idaho flag in a standard three by two proportion. As someone who lives in Idaho, you can walk up to someone there and you can point at the Idaho flag, hold it and say that is wrong. And then just walk away and leave them wondering. Because we can all use our little entertainment even on vacation and when we're outside the state. Well, now we turn to listener comments and feedback. And we turn to Deb, who writes on Facebook, I love Johnny Dollar Old time radio stories. And then we go over to YouTube where Saysoft writes regarding the diamond dilemma matter. I don't care what anyone says. It was definitely aliens. And that right there is the story of most alien sightings that persist. Thanks so much. Appreciate the comment, asoft. Now it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day. And of course, course, this is not only Independence Day in the United States. It is the first Friday in July. And I want to go ahead and thank those who've been supporting us for five years this month. Thank you to Christine and Steven supporting the podcast at the Detective Sergeant level of $7.14 or more per month. To Sarah and Charlie supporting the podcast at the shamus level of $4 or more per month and Ray and Jeff supporting the podcast at the rookie level of $2 or more per month. Thank you so much for your support. Appreciate five years of continuing to support our podcast efforts. That will do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. And if you're enjoying the podcast on YouTube, be sure to like the video, subscribe to the channel and mark the notification bell. All those great things that help YouTube channels to grow. We will be back in two weeks with another episode of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. But join us back here tomorrow for Dragnet, where Well, in addition to the.
- [32:29]
Narrator
Regular broadcast and teletypes, we got out a special bulletin on Instantly. That's right. All the thefts were listed license, make, model and color. Been sent to all major cities and border patrol stations. Nothing so far. I was checking through the sound salvage reports. Salvage buys. Do you have the last two months escape from March and April? Yeah, right here. I know, it's the same thing. That outfit down on San Pedro Street. Yeah. Let me see. Oh yeah, this is a composite on the reports for the past two months. That's right. This one here, Herman Salvage, 2716 West San Pedro. They seem to deal a little heavy on General Motors cars, don't they? Yeah, they do. I've been watching the buys on this place for the past few weeks. Wanted to make sure it wasn't coincidence. Well, looks like a good place to run down, anyway. You two want to check it out? All right, fine. 2716 West San Pedro. That's it. Outfit appears to be okay. Never been out of line. Seems funny they should deal with the top avian GM cars, doesn't it? Right when our recovery percentage takes a dive. Yeah. Do you have the last salvage report there? Cabinet? Yeah, the last one. Here you are. Thank you. Yeah. Here's one for Herman's. 1949 Cadillac. A little further down Herman's again. 47 Olds. Yeah, there's five GM buys on the list. Herman got four out of five of them. Let's find out why.
- [33:50]
Adam Graham
I hope you'll be with us then. In the meantime, send your comments to box Thirteenreatetectives.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 Graham, signing off.