
Today's Mystery: The owner of an old-style brewery alleges that a blast by a rival building a clifftop brewery will destroy her operation. Original Radio Broadcast Date: September 15, 1957 Originating from Hollywood Starring: Bob Bailey as Johnny...
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Narrator
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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. I do want to encourage you if you enjoy the podcast, to please follow us using your favorite podcast software. And I also do want to let you know about our Great Detectives of Old Time Radio T shirts. They are available t shirt.greatdetectives.net There are four different designs that you can pick from, including our general Great Detectives of Old Time Radio T shirt, Donnie Dollar anniversary T shirt, Joe Friday Never said Just the facts, Ma'am T shirt and the Famous Investigator shirt. They make great gifts. And we also have pullover hoodies which will probably be more convenient for the weather. Many of you are located in. But now, from September 15, 1957, here is the JPD matter from Hollywood.
Johnny Dollar
It's time now for Johnny Deller.
George Reed
George Reed here, Johnny.
Johnny Dollar
Uh oh. What fantastic character is Floyds of England insured this time?
George Reed
Now what is that supposed to mean?
Johnny Dollar
More singing mice? Wayward cats? And how about the counterfeit Money problem, Johnny? No, no, let me guess, John, if you'll just listen to it, I got it. You're in trouble because you've done a switch. You've insured somebody against living instead of the other way around. That it?
George Reed
Of course not. Though I must admit we do have one policy of that sort in effect.
Johnny Dollar
There. I knew it.
George Reed
However, that is not the one I called you about.
Johnny Dollar
Okay, George, what is?
George Reed
We've issued a policy. Well, I guess it is a little unusual at that.
Johnny Dollar
I fear the worst, but go on.
George Reed
Well, it's on a small brewery over near.
Johnny Dollar
Brewery? You mean a beer factory?
George Reed
That's right. It's over near the town of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania.
Johnny Dollar
Oh yeah, I know that country pretty well.
George Reed
Good. We've insured the Dortmund Brewery against possible damage from a nearby construction project.
Johnny Dollar
Well, you said unusual. What's so unusual about that?
George Reed
Perhaps you'd better come over here and let me tell you.
Johnny Dollar
Yeah, when you say it that way, I guess I'd better.
George Reed
Bob Bailey in the exciting adventures of the man with the action packed expense Account. America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator.
Johnny Dollar
Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. And now, act one of yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Expense accounts submitted by Special investigator Johnny Dollar to Floyds of England North American office, Hartford, Connecticut. Following is an account of expenses incurred during my Investigation of the JPD matter. Expense account item $1.10. Taxi from my apartment at George Reed's office where he promptly dragged me over to a large map tacked to one of the walls.
George Reed
Here it is, Johnny. Between the towns of Tamaqua and Frackville, Pennsylvania, on a little river that's called Pinksutawney Creek. Old Indian name I believe.
Johnny Dollar
Uh huh.
George Reed
The Dortmund Brewery is just about here.
Johnny Dollar
Yeah, well, okay. I'll rent a car in New York and drive over there.
George Reed
Now wait. By making a couple of train changes, you can get most of the way over there by rail.
Johnny Dollar
Anything to save the company of Buck, is that it?
George Reed
Why not? When that freewheeling expense account of yours gets into operation.
Johnny Dollar
Okay, okay. What's the face value of the policy.
George Reed
Coverage for the whole plant? $820,000.
Johnny Dollar
Wow. Wee. So I'll rent a car in New York.
George Reed
All right, all right. Now as I told you, we've insured the Dortmund Brewery against possible damage from the building of a plant right next to it.
Johnny Dollar
What kind of a plant?
George Reed
Competition. Another brewery.
Johnny Dollar
Oh, I see. Possible malicious damage. Is that what they're thinking of?
George Reed
That's what JP Seems to be worried about. JP JP Dortmund, Owner, manager, President, Brewmeister and Anything else you can think of?
Johnny Dollar
Has anything happened yet?
George Reed
No, but I want you to go there and be sure that nothing does.
Johnny Dollar
Is this JP My contact?
George Reed
Yes.
Johnny Dollar
Okay, George, I'm on my way. Expense account. Item 2, 9:35, fair and incidentals. Hartford to New York. Item 3, $50 deposit on a drive your own car. Item 4, $0.50 toll. Through the Holland Tunnel, I cut straight across the top of Jersey, cross the Delaware at Phillipsburg and finally pulled into the little town of tamaqua shortly after 6pm Items 5, 6 and 7, 1220 for dinner, a place to rest my weary head and breakfast. The next morning. The Dortmund Brewery sat on the western bank of PinkSatawny Creek about five miles out of town and looked as though it had been sitting there for a thousand years. It was a small affair and the old framed buildings were badly in need of a coat of paint. Just north of it rose a towering cliff and on top of that cliff stood an array of cranes and machines and bulldozers that are used on modern large scale construction jobs. I parked my car at the entrance of the office building and was greeted at the door by a large raw bone woman of about 50, with straggly yellow hair and wearing a faded blue cotton dress that looked as though it hadn't been ironed in years.
J.P. Dortmund
Something I can do for you?
Johnny Dollar
Oh, why? I'm looking for Mr. J.P. jorphan.
J.P. Dortmund
Mister? That's a laugh.
Johnny Dollar
Is it? Why?
J.P. Dortmund
Because I'm J.P. what? That's right. Anything wrong with it?
Johnny Dollar
Well, I.
J.P. Dortmund
Hey, wait a minute. You another of those lawyers from that job up on the cliff come to fancy talk me about not having to worry in the world about what they're doing to me up there? How? I better mind my own business. What do you mean?
Johnny Dollar
No, my name is Dollar, Johnny Dollar. I'm here on behalf of Floyds of.
J.P. Dortmund
England, the insurance company. Well, now, that's different. You come on into my private office, Johnny.
Johnny Dollar
Her private office was furnished with a battered walnut desk, some ancient filing cabinets and a couple of straight wooden chairs. Nothing else. Hardly the kind of an office you'd expect for the president of a company worth $820,000.
J.P. Dortmund
There's nothing fancy about it, Johnny, because there's nothing fancy about any part of my brewery. But that isn't what counts. We've been here ever since my great great grandfather built it up and all we've cared about is making the finest beer in the country. Gretchen. And we do make it too. Gretchen, can't you hear me out? Yes, JP Gretchen, I want you to bring Mr. Dollar a pitcher full of my glass.
Johnny Dollar
Yes, ma'am. Well, look, I'm afraid I'm not much of a beer.
J.P. Dortmund
You will be when you've tasted this. It's the creek that does it, you know. Pinksatawny Creek. Finest water for beer in the whole United States. That's what makes good beer, you know.
Johnny Dollar
Yes, so I've heard.
J.P. Dortmund
That's why that dirty Clarkson Kemper bunch of building up on the cliff to get at that water.
Johnny Dollar
I understand they'll be your competitors.
J.P. Dortmund
Ha. All their fancy modern equipment and methods can't produce the brew the way I can. The long, slow, easy way, with all the good old fashioned apparatus. The old country methods. Yes, I see, my Johnny. We make our own barley malt and we grind it by hand and we come up with a wart that's second to none in the world. The old type sparger too. And the hopjacks and the finest strain of yeast there is. Yes, I'm sure that three full months we age before we rack a drop. Sure, we take more time and more trouble, but we come up with a better brew. Better than any modern plant can ever make.
Johnny Dollar
Well, then what's your problem?
J.P. Dortmund
They're getting ready to blast up on that cliff, blast a whole big chunk of it away. And when they do, that whole thing will come crashing down here. Thousands of tons of rock.
Johnny Dollar
Well, surely there's some state authority or something to prevent that.
J.P. Dortmund
Oh, they've bamboozled the authorities and your insurance company, too. They'll say it was an accident, a miscalculation. And when that rock comes crashing down here, it'll wreck this whole plant of mine.
Johnny Dollar
Well, you do have insurance, remember?
J.P. Dortmund
It'll wreck all my fine old equipment that can never again be replaced because there are no such things anymore.
Johnny Dollar
Well, when's all this blasting supposed to take place?
J.P. Dortmund
Who knows? Tonight, tomorrow, next week. Who knows?
Johnny Dollar
That soon?
J.P. Dortmund
Yeah. So, Johnny, if there's anything you can do, you'd better do it now. What's insurance money if I have to lose this for it?
Johnny Dollar
Who knows? Maybe she was right. Suspecting her rivals might try a stunt like that to put her out of business. But it all seemed a little too far fetched. And yet when I think of some of the unscrupulous things that have been done to put down competition. Maybe she was justified in suspecting this Carlson Kemper crowd of. Yeah, maybe she was. 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. Massachusetts State flag bearing a green pine tree is the descendant of the famous Liberty Tree flag that came out of Boston to serv of all the original 13 colonies. It was under the Liberty tree flag that the sons of Liberty met and planned the Boston Tea Party. That our floating batteries on the Delaware river defended Philadelphia, and on the Charles river defied Howe's cannons. Trees inscribed the state motto ensu petit placidem sub libertate quietum. By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty. These words were originally written by the famous English patriot algernon Sidney about 1659. This was a message intended for King George III. Unhappily, it went unheeded. Massachusetts state flag. The flag of the sixth state to enter the union was adopted on March 18, 1904. And now, Act Two of yours truly, Johnny Dollar and the JPD matter. If JP Dortmund was right, if there was the least possibility, she was right in her suspicion that Carlson Kemper would blast thousands of tons of rock down on a little plant in order to put her out of business, well, there was only one thing to do. I got back into my car and drove by a roundabout way up to the top of the cliff overlooking the Dortmund brewery. There, in the middle of the vast array of heavy construction equipment, giant cranes, trucks, huge cement mixes and so on, I found the main construction shack. And by a stroke of luck, one of the partners in the proposed new brewery, Mr. James Carlson.
James Carlson
Ah, that crazy old lady's being absurd.
George Reed
Mr.
James Carlson
Darling, you really want the truth? Why, I think she'd welcome our smashing that antiquated brewery of hers out of existence.
Johnny Dollar
Is that what you plan to do, Mr. Carlson?
James Carlson
Can you be serious? By blasting a few tons of rock off the face of the cliff into the river?
Johnny Dollar
Or a few thousand tons.
James Carlson
Or a few thousand tons won't do that place of hers a bit of harm.
Johnny Dollar
You're sure?
James Carlson
Of course I'm sure. Only thing I'm not sure of is why she stays in business.
Johnny Dollar
What do you mean by that?
James Carlson
Well, she can't be making any money. Methods she uses were out of date in this country 50 years ago. The product's good, sure, but today you've got to snowball. Did you know dollar that out of the goodness of my heart, I offer to take that crummy plant of hers off her hands?
Johnny Dollar
Or because her location is better down next to the water supply.
James Carlson
Oh, Parker, I offered her nearly half a million for her spot. 400,000 to be exact, but no dice. She just kept bothering Us trying to get out a lot of injunctions against our building there.
Johnny Dollar
I assume you have the necessary permits for this blasting operation?
James Carlson
Whole draw for them. Hey, look at them yourself at the same time. Appreciate the volume of red tape necessary to do anything these days.
Johnny Dollar
But suppose that something should go wrong, that quite by accident the top of that cliff should drop down on JP's brewery.
James Carlson
Mr. Dollar, it's to obviate any such possibility that I called in one of the foremost blasters in the country, who purely incidentally, is top man for one of the biggest makers of explosives in the world. You talk to him, Mr. Donner.
Johnny Dollar
Maybe I will.
James Carlson
Believe me, I can understand why you might not take my word for the safety of the operation we're about to undertake. But certainly you can't question his word.
Johnny Dollar
You say about to undertake when I.
James Carlson
Believe he's planned the big blowoff for tonight.
Johnny Dollar
Tonight? Yeah.
James Carlson
Come on, I'll take you to it.
Johnny Dollar
We found this expert, a Mr. Sydney Crutchfield, in a small, tiny shack set out near the edge of the cliff, working over a series of complicated diagrams with a busy slide rule in his hand. And I must confess, he turned out to be one of the most interesting men I've ever met. Tall, slim and gray haired, he had a quiet, easy, yet confident manner that completely belied his hazardous occupation. This was the man who had done the dynamiting for some of the biggest jobs in this country. Had moved mountains and rivers in the construction of huge dams, had blasted the way for some of our vast highway networks. As you can see by the dates on these sheets, I finished planning this blast over two weeks ago. But I find that constant checking and rechecking never does any harm. Mr. Carlson tells me you plan to set off this blast tonight. Yes, actually. I shall push the plunger at exactly 2:00 tomorrow morning, if Mr. Carlson is ready.
James Carlson
Don't you worry about it, Mr. Crutchfield. We're moving the equipment and the shacks away right now.
Johnny Dollar
Excellent. And at the time of the blast, no one is to be here but me.
James Carlson
That's what your contract says.
Johnny Dollar
And that's the way it must be for safety, Mr. Crutchfield. Well, call it a fetish of mine. Uh huh. And there'll be no damage to the brewery plant down below. I'll stake my reputation on it. Come, Mr. Dollar. If you like, I'll show you how I've made the sets for this blast. We spent the rest of the day inspecting every tunnel shaft and drill hole into which the explosives have been. Packed and fused, and the artistry of this man was evident from the word go. By 6pm all the machines and shacks and equipment had been moved back from the edge of the cliff that was to be blown off. The place was deserted except for Mr. Crutchfield and me and. No, you must get into your car and leave, Mr. Dollar. But if there's no danger. Please. I prefer it this way. Surely you're not still concerned about the blast. To be honest about it, no, not one bit. And I wasn't at the moment. Yeah, this amazing man simply couldn't do anything wrong. I would have staked my life on it. But by the time I'd driven the long curving road to the Dortmund brewery below had found the place not only deserted but completely shut down, a funny little hunch began to grow in the back of my head. Even the office building was dark as far as I could see. With the help of a business card, I slipped a lock on the front door. And then I saw the thin streak of light under the door of JP's private office. I thought I heard something in there. The office was a shambles. Account books and papers scattered all over the place. A couple of cartons. The drawers of the crusty old files were open and for the most part, empty. Somebody had been hastily packing and removing all the important papers. But why?
J.P. Dortmund
I'm sorry, Johnny.
Johnny Dollar
AWA Sorry. Oh.
J.P. Dortmund
And you seemed like such a nice boy too.
Johnny Dollar
Act three of yours truly, Johnny Dollar In a moment.
Sydney Crutchfield
Anyone who has survived the rigors of basic training is familiar with a great variety of milk that is dished out. Period. In the armed forces there's frozen milk, concentrated milk, frozen concentrate, and good old powdered milk. But sometimes supplying wholesome fresh, real milk has been a problem when servicemen have been stationed in out of the way places. The United States Air Force came across that problem some time ago in the island of Tesira in the Azores, those Portuguese islands that dot an eastern portion of the Atlantic Ocean. The air base there was considered powdered milk country for a long time. Although cattle have played an important role in the economy of the island of Teira, the herd was badly inbred and milk production was very low. Modern milk processing was not a part of the picture, and with the help of Portuguese veterinarians, the men in the United States Air Force unit worked out a free breeding service by using a small herd of milk cows acquired in England, and the cattle there at Te Sara improved. Then a complete pasteurizing, homogenizing, sterilizing, bottling, refrigeration plant was flown in from the United States. As soon as this activity got underway, milk production began to climb steadily and thirsty Air Force men and civilians were soon buying and drinking the new fresh milk. When economy of the island began to rise rapidly, the people were happy and grateful. You might say that a little milk of human kindness increased understanding on an island of freedom. The right of all men everywhere.
Johnny Dollar
And now, act three of yours truly, Johnny Dollar and the JPD Matters. When I came to in the office of the Dortmund brewery, my head fell as though it had been split wide open. The sash weight that had been used on it lay beside me. But why had JP Struck me down from behind the door where she'd been waiting for me? And why before that had she been hastily packing A lot of business papers, bills and so on to take away? A couple of them still lay under me where I'd fallen. It was several minutes before I found strength enough to roll over and try to push myself to my feet. As I did so, two things I saw two things. One was a bill she'd overlooked in her haste to get away. A bill from Frankline powder company addressed to her personally. A bill for 21 cases of dynamite and some other explosives. The other was my watch. I'd been out for hours, too many hours. For according to my watch, it was 1:52am exactly eight minutes before the tremendous dynamite blast on the cliff above was to be set off. And suddenly I knew where. Somehow, by her plan, those thousands of tons of rock would land, and not harmlessly in the river below. And I knew why JP had left me here, so I'd be crushed by them. Come on. Come on. Come on. Oh, please. Please, come on. Hello? Hello? Oh, please. Hello? Hello, Operator. Operator, this is emergency. Yes, sir. Hey, look. Now, I'm calling from Dortmund Brewery. It's between.
J.P. Dortmund
Yes, I know where it is, sir.
Johnny Dollar
There's a big construction. Carlson Kemper, that's the name. Up on the cliff above this story here. But those lines were disconnected late this afternoon. What? But look, surely there's some way to. Operator. I'm sorry, sir, but there's no way to ring them. Oh, no. I've gotta get out. I just gotta get out of here. Somehow, I got to get out there and get this thing. Oh, no. Please. I gotta. I gotta get in. I gotta get in. I get that handle. Oh, no, no, no. I can't. Hey. Hey. Stop. Stop. Who's that? What are you. Crutchfield. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Don't do it. I thought I told you. Don't push that plunger. I'm sorry. Don't set off that flash. That's exactly what I'm going to do right now. No, you're not. No, no, no. I'm sorry, Mr. Dollar. You have no right to interfere. Now, stand back. You Hear what I said, $? Put down that gun. You touch that plunger, and so help me, I'll pull this trigger. Wait a minute. $. $, what's the matter with you? What's happened to you, man?
J.P. Dortmund
Good heaven.
Johnny Dollar
I guess it was just luck that I was still hanging on to that bill for the dynamite that I found. I guess it was luck that made Crutchfield grab it when he tried to keep me from falling. Made him look at it carefully by the light of his flashlight. But it was his good sense that kept him from going ahead and setting off that charge. When daylight came, he found the spot on the face of the cliff where JP had another charge planted. It was set to go off by concussion from the blast that Crutfield had set. It would have diverted the rock from Crutchfield's blast to smack dab on top of her little beer factory. Nobody would ever have known who'd really done it. And JP would have collected 820,000 insurance for it. Incidentally, when the police caught up with her, which wasn't hard, they also found the book she'd taken from her office. Yeah, JP Dortmund was broke. Stony expense account total, including a handful of doctor bills for my aching head and all the incidentals I could think of. $204.80. 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. The origin of Hawaii state flag has been the subject of much debate. It is now believed that it was the work of foreign advisors to King Kamehameha. Legend also has it that it was designed at the request of King Kamehameha by George Beckley, an English sea captain. The flag consists of eight horizontal and alternating stripes of white, red and blue, representing the eight major islands in the chain. Also represented is the British Union Jack, a reminder of Captain Vancouver, who, on his voyage around the world in 1794, gave King Kamehameha a British flag and the promise of British protection. The Union Jack is also a reminder.
George Reed
Of Captain James Cook, who discovered the.
Johnny Dollar
Hawaiian Islands in 1778. Hawaii state flag. The flag of the 50th state to enter the Union was adopted in 1845. Now, here is our star to tell you about next week's story next week, the ideal vacation matter. But believe me, it turns out to be neither ideal nor a vacation. Join us, won't you? Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Yours truly, Johnny Dollar, starring Bob Bailey, originates in Hollywood. It is produced and directed by Jack Johnstone, who also wrote Tonight Story.
George Reed
Heard in our cast were Eleanor Audley, Gene Bates, G. Stanley Jones, Allen Reed and Austin Green.
Johnny Dollar
Be sure to join us next week, same time and station for another exciting story of yours truly, Johnny Dolly.
George Reed
This is Dan Cubberly speaking.
Narrator
How do you feel when you switch to GEICO and save on your car insurance? It's like going to work on one Thursday morning and thinking to yourself, just one more day until Friday. But then somebody in the elevator says, happy Friday. Then you check your phone quickly and discover today is actually Friday. So yes, Happy Friday. Random stranger in the elevator. Happy Friday indeed. Yep, switching and saving with GEICO feels just like that. Get more with Geico.
Johnny Dollar
O'Reilly. You've got questions. O'Reilly Auto Parts has answers. Need a pro you can trust? We've got that too.
Narrator
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Johnny Dollar
Parts people have the training and expertise to help you do things right. Deep automotive knowledge. Just one part that makes O'Reilly stand apart. The professional parts people.
Adam Graham
Welcome back. The outcome of this story is one that modern listeners might find surprising, if for no other reason than who the villain turned out to be. Today, developers are more often they're not portrayed as the villains, and the established landowner trying to maintain a way of life ends up getting more often than not portrayed as the hero. One reason why you get the reverse of this is a very specific feel to this era of history. One of the big focuses of the 1950s was on progress. This is something that's often forgotten because there are people who are nostalgic for a lot of things and aspects of the 1950s, which colors the views both of people who have positive feelings about the decade as well as those who are detractors of the decade, who imagine that the 1950s were all about nostalgia, when in reality the 1950s were all about progress. Bigger, better, faster, more efficient. Thus, Carlson is not only acting completely responsibly, but JPD is an actual, sure enough, villain, as evidenced by the fact that she could have gotten $400,000 to sell out, but instead was willing to endanger lives for a bigger insurance check. Well, now we turn to listener comments and feedback and we have a couple on YouTube regarding the Smokey Sleeper matter, with one listener writing, the sad fact is that this episode could have been a public service announcement. This was standard operating procedure in the 40s and 50s when it comes to furniture, construction materials, appliances and clothing manufacturing. I can definitely see that feel to it. In many ways it reminded me of one of those episodes of Quincy that talked about a real problem that was going on and certainly, as you said, that certainly could be an issue for consumer protections. And then Victor writes because I talked about which programs tended to do a little less well on YouTube and Dragnet was one of the ones that did the worst. Interesting that Dragnet is the weak show. I really like it, but I meant I generally don't listen to it on your podcast because I heard most of them before I discovered your show. That's a good point and probably part of the reason why we enjoy such success on YouTube with shows that are not as well played. There are more YouTube channels that play Dragnet than you could shake a stick at and over on Facebook Emmett Comments Regarding the last Bulldog Drumming episode Not only did I enjoy the final Bulldog Drumming episode, but I got to hear a truly hilarious spoof with Ronald Coleman and a special guest star. Thanks for doing a proper farewell to a great detective. Well, thanks so much, Emmett. And I know not everyone who listens to Johnny Dollar listens to Bulldog Drumming, but you might want to go back and listen to that particular episode for the bonus portion at the end. And we're glad to play Bulldog Drumming, and I hope there are more episodes that emerge. We've got about half a season's worth of episodes circulating, and it was on the air for about seven and a half years, so plenty of missing episodes and I would definitely love to revisit. Well, now it is time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day, and I want to go ahead and thank Alan. Alan's been one of our Patreon supporters since February, currently supporting the podcast at the Detective Sergeant level of $7.14 or more per month. Thanks so much for your support, Alan, and that will actually do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. And I would encourage you, if you're enjoying the podcast on YouTube, to like the video, subscribe to the channel and mark the notification bell. All those great things that help YouTube channels to grow. We'll be back next Friday with another episode of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. But join us back here tomorrow for Dragnet, where my headache didn't bother me anymore.
Johnny Dollar
He said that relief would only be temporary if I didn't take regular treatments.
Sydney Crutchfield
Well, did you see him regularly?
Johnny Dollar
I saw him twice a week. Twice a week? Always here at the college. Then it closed. I don't know why. He telephoned and said he would continue here.
Sydney Crutchfield
Well, where did you get in touch with him when the college closed?
Johnny Dollar
I never did. He always called here.
Sydney Crutchfield
Do you have any idea where he is now?
Johnny Dollar
No.
J.P. Dortmund
I just know that he's a thief.
Sydney Crutchfield
Yes, ma'am.
Johnny Dollar
Why don't you lie down, Miss Hutchins?
J.P. Dortmund
You look tired.
Johnny Dollar
All right. Thank you, Miss Hudgens. Yes, ma'am. Thank you very much. All right.
J.P. Dortmund
Would you gentlemen like some coffee?
Sydney Crutchfield
Oh, Ben, I could sure use some. Well, it'd be very nice, Miss.
George Reed
Thank you, Officer.
Sydney Crutchfield
Yes, ma'am.
J.P. Dortmund
If this man's just a common thief, the treatments he's been giving Ms. Hutchins couldn't have been very good, could they?
Sydney Crutchfield
She still got the headaches, hasn't she?
Adam Graham
I hope you'll be with us then. In the meantime, send your comments to Box13REAT detectives.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.
Narrator
How do you feel when you switch to GEICO and save on your car insurance? It's like going to work on one Thursday morning and thinking to yourself, just one more day until Friday. But then somebody in the elevator says, happy Friday. Then you check your phone quickly and discover today is actually Friday. So, yes, Happy Friday, random stranger in the elevator. Happy Friday indeed. Yep, switching and saving with Geico feels just like that. Get more with Geico coming up this.
Adam Graham
Week on the Old Time Radio Snack Wagon.
Johnny Dollar
Well, boy. Yes, Mr. Finley? Where are you, boy? What about my house?
George Reed
Well, I'll tell you, Mr. Finley.
Johnny Dollar
Where's your word? You said you'd be over with a down payment. What do you made of boy? Brock meets Something has come up, Mr. Finley.
Adam Graham
Listen to the old time radio snack wagon, snackwagon.net or wherever you get your podcast.
Narrator
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Release Date: November 29, 2024
Host: Adam Graham
Featured Series: Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar
Narrator: Bob Bailey
Producer/Director: Jack Johnstone
Starring: Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar
In this gripping episode of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar, the seasoned insurance investigator Johnny Dollar delves into a complex case involving the Dortmund Brewery in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania. Faced with potential sabotage from a rival company, Dollar must navigate deceit, danger, and corporate malfeasance to uncover the truth and protect his client's livelihood.
The episode opens with Johnny Dollar receiving an unusual insurance policy alert from George Reed of Floyds of England, notifying him about the Dortmund Brewery's insurance against potential damage from a nearby construction project.
Determined to investigate, Dollar travels to Tamaqua, where he meets J.P. Dortmund, the brewery's president. Dortmund expresses grave concerns that a new construction project by Carlson Kemper Company may lead to malicious damage to her brewery, jeopardizing her business despite having a substantial insurance policy of $820,000.
Johnny Dollar confronts James Carlson of Carlson Kemper, who blatantly admits to plans of blasting a cliff to destroy Dortmund Brewery. Carlson's motive is clear: eliminating competition to monopolize the local beer market.
Dollar also meets Sydney Crutchfield, a skilled explosives expert, who is tasked with executing the destructive blast. Suspicious of their intentions, Dollar meticulously inspects the construction setup, uncovering the meticulous planning behind the malicious act.
As the planned dynamite blast approaches midnight, Johnny Dollar faces a life-threatening confrontation with J.P. Dortmund and Crutchfield. Upon collating evidence from a hastily removed bill for explosives and realizing the imminent danger, Dollar urgently attempts to thwart the catastrophe.
In a tense climax, Crutchfield hesitates, influenced by a crucial piece of evidence Dollar uncovered. The timely intervention prevents the massive rockslide from destroying the brewery. Authorities soon apprehend J.P. Dortmund, who is revealed to have orchestrated the entire scheme to claim the insurance money, as her brewery was on the brink of financial ruin.
After the dramatic conclusion, host Adam Graham provides insightful analysis of the episode, highlighting the reversal of typical 1950s narratives where developers are often portrayed as heroes. Instead, Carlson is depicted responsibly, while J.P. Dortmund emerges as the villain driven by desperation for financial gain.
Listeners shared their thoughts on platforms like YouTube, expressing appreciation for the episode's depth and relevance. One listener noted, "This episode could have been a public service announcement," drawing parallels to real-world issues of consumer protection and corporate responsibility. Another listener praised the nostalgic portrayal of classic radio drama, despite some series like Dragnet being less favored due to prior familiarity.
"Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The J.P.D. Matter" masterfully intertwines suspense, moral dilemmas, and the classic charm of old-time radio detective stories. The episode not only entertains but also prompts listeners to reflect on corporate ethics and the lengths individuals might go to preserve their livelihoods. Through Johnny Dollar's unwavering dedication, the narrative underscores the value of integrity and justice in the face of greed and corruption.
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Thank you for tuning into this detailed summary of "Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The J.P.D. Matter." Join us next week for another enthralling mystery from the Golden Age of Radio.