Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Net of Circumstances Matter (EP4945)

Summary

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The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio

Episode: Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: The Net of Circumstances Matter (EP4945)
Host: Adam Graham
Original Air Date (Radio Drama): March 8, 1959
Podcast Release Date: April 3, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode features “Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: The Net of Circumstances Matter,” a classic radio detective story starring Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar. The episode follows Dollar as he investigates the robbery of a Sarasota haberdashery and the presumed murder of the store’s night watchman. The case takes numerous twists, including questions of loyalty, deception, and a suspenseful hunt for the truth. Adam Graham adds insightful commentary, discusses fan feedback, and highlights notable character moments.

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Key Discussion Points and Plot Breakdown

1. Case Introduction & Crime Scene

• [02:17] Johnny Dollar is called back to Sarasota by Earl Foreman, an insurance agent, following a robbery at Webb’s Haberdashery.
• [02:25] $10,000 worth of merchandise is stolen; a $10,000 insurance policy covers both the goods and the night watchman, Jimson Cooley.
• [04:13] The store is a mess, and the night watchman, Jimson Cooley, is missing — presumed murdered due to blood and signs of a struggle (bits of his clothing covered in blood).
• Recurrence of past crime: The store was robbed a year earlier by a trio; two apprehended, one never identified or caught.

2. Initial Investigation & Theories

• [05:47] Clues suggest the possibility of Jimson being complicit, or at least present at the robbery, rather than simply a victim.
• [06:55] Sergeant Drummond introduces a witness: a drunken bystander saw a loaded pickup truck leaving at the robbery time, covered with canvas, recognized as Jimson Cooley’s 1930 shrimp-hauling truck.
• [07:42] Suspicion builds that Jimson may be involved, either as a victim or a participant.

3. Doubts and Red Herrings

• [10:45] The police admit they hadn’t checked Jimson’s home, working under the murder assumption.
• [12:30] Johnny develops a hunch regarding blood evidence and visits Doc Crutcher for forensic help.
• [13:22] Interview with Mrs. Cooley: She shows little concern for her husband’s fate, suggesting he might be off shrimping or that he could have sold his net for liquor. She also accuses him of being abusive and possibly collaborating with old criminal contacts.

4. Evidence Examination

• [15:14] Johnny buys a chicken from Mrs. Cooley, ostensibly for comparison of its blood with that found at the crime scene — an early forensic strategy.
• [18:59] Doc Crutcher tests the blood from the crime scene: it is human, but not Jimson Cooley’s type — the first major plot twist.

5. Resolution & Climax

• [17:46] Jimson Cooley is found alive, unconscious in his car. He claims to have been forced to open the store, beaten up, and left for dead by the robber.
• [19:39] Johnny connects the dots: the blood at the scene is NOT Jimson’s, the night watchman likely helped the actual burglar, then killed him over a falling out.
• [20:29] Johnny and Earl search Jimson’s favorite shrimping spot, trawling for evidence.
• [22:20] They recover a shrimp net from the bay containing the real victim’s body, confirming Jimson’s involvement in murder and disposing of the body.

6. Case Wrap-up

• [22:47] Jimson breaks under questioning, confesses, and reveals the location of the stolen merchandise.
• The murdered man was the third criminal from the earlier unsolved robbery.
• Store owner Webb will install a burglar alarm system.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the case's complexity:
  “You keep saying they, Bill... One man couldn’t have done it alone very well.”
  — Johnny Dollar, [04:46]

• Mrs. Cooley’s dark humor and pragmatism:
  “Now, why should I [care]? Lazy bum... ever since he got that soft job... I figured maybe he’d gone out to do some more shrimping—or else he’d taken it out and sold it so he could buy some more of that rot gut he’s been drinking lately.”
  — Mrs. Cooley, [13:58]

• On blood evidence:
  “It was human blood, all right, but not Jimson Cooley’s.”
  — Doc Crutcher, [19:35]

• Dollar’s approach to sleuthing:
  “Yeah, it was a hunch, nothing else. But I learned a long time ago that sometimes it pays to play a hunch for all it’s worth. Particularly when you haven’t anything real solid to work on.”
  — Johnny Dollar, [12:08]

• Climax revelation:
  “All you’ve done is get snagged up in some old hunk of rotten fish net... or a shrimp net, if you’ll just help me get it aboard.”
  — Earl Foreman and Johnny Dollar, [22:14]

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Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:17]–[04:54]: Initial discovery of the crime, robbery and presumed murder of a night watchman.
• [06:55]–[07:39]: Introduction of a critical witness and the truck clue.
• [10:45]–[12:33]: Dollar begins to question assumptions, drives investigation in a new direction.
• [13:22]–[15:28]: Interview with Mrs. Cooley, introduction of red herrings and character quirks.
• [17:46]–[18:59]: Jimson found alive, police get more testimony; blood testing implies deeper deception.
• [19:35]–[20:26]: Crutcher’s blood analysis provides pivotal forensics twist.
• [22:12]–[22:47]: Discovery of the second body in the shrimp net; Jimson’s confession.

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Host Commentary & Listener Feedback

Adam Graham’s Reflections

[26:11]

• Adam enjoys the episode, noting it's not a masterpiece but is tightly plotted, logical, and entertaining with a “mystery magazine” vibe.
• Highlights Mrs. Cooley as a “fun character,” lifting the episode above generic mysteries.

Listener Comments

• Vicki appreciates detailed episode reviews for podcast navigation.
• David comments on another episode’s “diamond X-ray” fact, drawing amusing real-world links to pilots turned chauffeurs.
• Joey and James comment on the enduring appeal of Johnny Dollar’s eccentric characters and serials.

Adam discusses the show’s emphasis on quirky, vivid personalities over intricate plotting—particularly in the Bob Bailey era.

Patron Acknowledgement

• Recognition for long-term Patreon supporters (Andrew, Adele, and Jim).

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Tone & Style

The episode retains its classic radio drama tone: terse, wise-cracking, and full of period color. Graham’s commentary is warm, knowledgeable, and lightly humorous, echoing the communal and nostalgic vibe of the podcast.

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Summary

This episode of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar exemplifies Golden Age radio detective drama: a hard-boiled investigator, small-town intrigue, red herrings, forensic innovation (for its time), and a clever narrative twist. Adam Graham’s post-show conversation provides context, humor, and a connection to a community of fans who love the form and its history.
A must-listen for fans of vintage mystery, radio storytelling, and the enduring power of a dogged detective’s hunch.

Transcript

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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. But first, I do want to encourage you. If you are enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. A reminder, as you're making your travel plans, Remember to check johnnydolleraire.com johnnydolleraire.com is a Priceline affiliate link. So part of your purchase price benefits the great detectives of Old Time Radio at no additional cost to you. So remember, when making your travel plans, check johnnydoller air.com first. But now, with one lost episode in between, here from March 8, 1959, is the net of Circumstance Manor from Hollywood.

[Sergeant Drummond]

It's time now for.

[Johnny Dollar]

Johnny Dollar, Earl Foreman. Johnny Earl, I just left you down in Florida. Where are you?

[Earl Foreman]

Right where you left me, right here in Sarasota.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh, well, if you're worried about my expense account for that case we cleaned up together, I was just about to mail it to you. Why don't you bring it down here instead, huh? A couple of hours after you hopped aboard your plane back to Hartford, I got a phone call from Bill Hall. Remember him? Fellow who runs that men's shop on the Tamiami Trail? That's right. Webb still owns the place. Sure, I bought a sport jacket and a couple of pair of slacks there at Webb's. Well, somebody cleaned him out of about $10,000 worth of merchandise last night. Oh, and you'd insured it for him? Yes, I'd also issued a $10,000 policy on the man he had there as a night watchman. Earl? Yeah, Johnny? The police think he was murdered. Okay, I'll grab the first plane I can. Bob Bailey in the exciting adventures of the man with the action packed expense account. America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator, yours truly, Johnny Dollar. And now, act one of yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. Expense account submitted by special investigator Johnny Dollar to the Tri State Life and Casualty Company, Sarasota office. Following is an account of expenses Incurred during my investigation of the net of circumstance matters. Expense account item one, $75. Plane fare and incidentals. Hartford to Tampa, Florida. There I figured on changing planes. But Earl Pullman met me in his car and by 7pm we arrived in Sarasota. We drove straight to Webb's. The place was in a mess.

[Earl Foreman]

Well, I'll say this, Mr. Pullman, you certainly didn't waste any time.

[Johnny Dollar]

I didn't see any reason to.

[Earl Foreman]

Bill.

[Johnny Dollar]

Johnny, you remember Bill Hall? Yeah, sure.

[Sergeant Drummond]

How are?

[Earl Foreman]

Not good, Dara.

[Sergeant Drummond]

Not good.

[Earl Foreman]

Look at the place.

[Johnny Dollar]

I see you lost a lot of your stock.

[Earl Foreman]

We haven't finished checking yet. I sent the boys home to get some sleep.

[Johnny Dollar]

But as nearly as we can tell,

[Earl Foreman]

whoever did this got away with over 9,000 worth of clothing and accessories. Never knows what they did to old Jimson.

[Johnny Dollar]

Jimson?

[Earl Foreman]

Jimson Cooley, the night watchman, sir.

[Johnny Dollar]

You said over the phone that you thought he's been murdered. Yes, sir. Somehow they must have got old Jimson

[Earl Foreman]

to open the back door for them.

[Johnny Dollar]

Then when he saw what they were

[Earl Foreman]

up to, he tried to fight them off. You'll see the marks of a big struggle out back.

[Johnny Dollar]

And bits of his clothing were lying around covered with blood. But no sign of him.

[Earl Foreman]

Johnny, the police figure that they must have killed him and then dumped his body somewhere.

[Johnny Dollar]

You keep saying they, Bill.

[Earl Foreman]

They had so little time that, well, one man couldn't have done it alone Very well. You see, it all happened between the regular rounds of the PD's prowl car. Last time this sort of thing happened, there were three men in on it.

[Johnny Dollar]

Or you been robbed before?

[Earl Foreman]

About a year ago, something like 18,000 worked. The police managed to track down two of them.

[Johnny Dollar]

Ah. What about the third? Well, he was never identified.

[Earl Foreman]

Or rather, he was identified but never located. Anyhow, it was after that that we put old Jimson on his night watchman.

[Johnny Dollar]

I wonder about that third man. Was your store the only place that Jimpson watched?

[Earl Foreman]

Yeah. After all, he was a pretty old man. I gave him the job to help him out as much as anything else. And I figured his just being around would keep something like this from happening again. I guess I was wrong. Jimson used to run a shrimp boat in his spare time.

[Johnny Dollar]

Used to work the spot east of Humpback Bridge.

[Earl Foreman]

A lot south of City Island. That's right. And to think of it, I heard a boat working out there last night. The point is, he couldn't really make a living at it. So he was glad to take what little we could give him for this Watchmanship.

[Johnny Dollar]

And in return, somebody's taken his life.

[Sam]

You?

[Earl Foreman]

Afraid so.

[Johnny Dollar]

Of course, you can't be sure until his body's found. What are you thinking of, Johnny? Well, if by any chance this Jimson Cooley isn't dead, police say that according to all the evidence, if he's still alive, he's the one person who could tell us something about whoever cleaned out this shop. Have the police found any actual clues to work on?

[Earl Foreman]

Well, no.

[Sergeant Drummond]

That's where you're wrong, sir.

[Earl Foreman]

Sergeant Drummond?

[Sergeant Drummond]

That's right. Danny boy.

[Earl Foreman]

How are you?

[Johnny Dollar]

Hiya, Sergeant.

[Sergeant Drummond]

So they dragged you in on this?

[Johnny Dollar]

Yeah, I'm afraid so.

[Earl Foreman]

You know how it is, Drummond.

[Johnny Dollar]

When the police can't get anywhere, you call in the experts.

[Sergeant Drummond]

Oh, and I thought you were a friend of mine, Mr. Pullman.

[Johnny Dollar]

You said that Bill was wrong, Sergeant.

[Sergeant Drummond]

What's it?

[Johnny Dollar]

When he told me your boys haven't found any clues to who did this job and knocked off Jimson Cooley.

[Sergeant Drummond]

Knocked him off, huh?

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, now, what's that mean?

[Sergeant Drummond]

One of the boys picked up a drunk last night. Right in this neighborhood. Yeah, Late this morning, when he'd sobered up enough, we sent him home. A little while ago, he comes barging back to headquarters. Seems he suddenly remembered something he saw around here last night.

[Johnny Dollar]

Come on, Sergeant.

[Sergeant Drummond]

Oh, must have been around 2 or 3am that's when we figured the robbery occurred.

[Earl Foreman]

And the murder of Jimson Cooley.

[Sergeant Drummond]

Yeah.

[Johnny Dollar]

Please get to the point, Drummond.

[Sergeant Drummond]

Well, he was holding up that building across the street, minding his own business and his bottle, when all of a sudden he saw a car come round from the back of this building and head north on the trail. Maybe two of them, he wasn't sure. Anyhow, the one he noticed was a

[Johnny Dollar]

little pickup truck, but in his condition, I suppose he didn't get a license number.

[Sergeant Drummond]

Didn't need to, Johnny, because he recognized that truck. Oh, yes, sir. And he said it was all loaded down with something with an old piece of canvas stretched over it.

[Earl Foreman]

The stuff that was stolen from me, maybe.

[Johnny Dollar]

You say he recognized that pickup. Whose was it?

[Sergeant Drummond]

Yeah, Johnny. It was that old 1930 model he used to haul shrimp in.

[Johnny Dollar]

Wah. Who's.

[Sergeant Drummond]

That's right. That's right. It was that old truck.

[Johnny Dollar]

The Jim's Dooley, Act two of yours truly, Johnny Dollar. In a moment.

[Cora]

And now for another episode in the life of Sergeant Donald Bellwether, my husband.

[Johnny Dollar]

Good morning, Mrs.

[Earl Foreman]

Bellwether. Would my lady prefer to have her breakfast in bed this morning?

[Cora]

Oh, well, perfect husband. Thank you, darling.

[Earl Foreman]

Ah, here's the tray with the coffee, the toast and the orange. Oh, fine. I forgot the orange juice. Hold a tray, honey.

[Johnny Dollar]

I'll be right back.

[Cora]

What happened?

[Earl Foreman]

I stuck my door in the corner of the dresser.

[Cora]

The National Safety Council was right.

[Sergeant Drummond]

The what?

[Cora]

Last night I read something in a National Safety Council pamphlet.

[Earl Foreman]

Oh, Reba, how can you sit there talking about a pamphlet when I'm dying a slow, tortuous death?

[Cora]

Aw, come over here, darling. I'm sorry.

[Doc Crutcher]

All right.

[Earl Foreman]

Now what's this about the National Safety Council? Did they predict I would stub my toe this morning?

[Cora]

No, silly. It's just a coincidence. Only last night I read the statistics that proved that more home accidents occur. In the bedroom, of all places. Not the bathroom or the kitchen or the home workshop. The bedroom.

[Earl Foreman]

Okay, from now on, when I walk around the bedroom, I'm going to wear my combat boots instead of these open toed Huron.

[Cora]

Well, that might help here, but what everyone should be most careful of is taking medicine in a of ton.

[Earl Foreman]

Okay, my living safety encyclopedia, I will now fetch your orange.

[Cora]

Oh, you're sweet. And it's just too bad that you nice men are so prone to accidents in the home. And the reason is because you brave men usually tackle the hazardous jobs around the house.

[Earl Foreman]

Hey, I'll remember those kind words as I slowly limp back to the kitchen.

[Cora]

One thing in your favor though, Sarge. Married men stand a better chance of avoiding fatal accidents in the home.

[Earl Foreman]

Now, is that a fact?

[Cora]

You know, in one state, 75% of the men involved in home mishaps were unmarried.

[Earl Foreman]

Well, I'm sure glad I'm married.

[Cora]

Because the accident odds are better, you

[Earl Foreman]

know, because I like my wife even when she first wakes up in the morning.

[Cora]

That's my Donald. That's my dog.

[Johnny Dollar]

And now, act two of yours truly, Johnny Dollar and the net of circumstance matter. Yeah, everything indicated that whoever burglarized Webb's Haberdashery there in Sarasota had murdered the night watchman, old Jimson Cooley. That is, until somebody reported having seen a loaded pickup truck at the time of the robbery pull away from the back of the store. And whose truck was it?

[Sergeant Drummond]

Yes, sir, he swears with that old 1930 pickup of Jimson Cooley.

[Johnny Dollar]

And he says it went north on the Tamiami Trail.

[Sergeant Drummond]

Yes, sir.

[Johnny Dollar]

What have you done about it, Sergeant?

[Sergeant Drummond]

Alerted every police department from here to the Georgia state line to be on the lookout for him.

[Johnny Dollar]

Didn't you know that truck was missing from wherever Jimson lived?

[Sergeant Drummond]

Well, we hadn't actually got around to Checking on this place.

[Johnny Dollar]

Yet you thought he was murdered and you didn't even bother to check his home.

[Sergeant Drummond]

Well, we called his wife, Johnny. And when she said he hadn't come home with all the evidence of a big fight out back of this store.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh, fine.

[Earl Foreman]

You can't blame him, Johnny. All the blood back there, bits of Jimson's clothing, and we're torn off on.

[Johnny Dollar]

Look, look. Maybe it's just a wild hunch, but.

[Cora]

Earl.

[Earl Foreman]

Yes, Johnny?

[Johnny Dollar]

You suppose Doc Crutcher's at home?

[Earl Foreman]

Probably lives just up the street from my house.

[Sergeant Drummond]

We got a doctor connected with headquarters, you know, Johnny.

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, how do we get out the back way?

[Earl Foreman]

Why, right out here, Johnny.

[Johnny Dollar]

What's this hunch you've got? Tell you, Earl, and it probably turned

[Sergeant Drummond]

out to be wrong.

[Earl Foreman]

Yeah, now you can see for yourself.

[Johnny Dollar]

$.

[Sergeant Drummond]

Why, we figured I'm a dead one. Old Jimson, I mean.

[Johnny Dollar]

Yeah.

[Sergeant Drummond]

Busted railing, blood spattered around. And look there where somebody hit the dirt.

[Johnny Dollar]

Pool of blood there, too. He must have lost plenty.

[Sergeant Drummond]

And also we picked up a short length of lead pipe with blood on it.

[Johnny Dollar]

Is this the piece of cloth from the shirt he was wearing?

[Earl Foreman]

Yeah, Johnny. It's from the shirt I gave him thrown off in a fight.

[Sergeant Drummond]

Well, I guess we must overlook that little piece.

[Johnny Dollar]

Yeah, maybe that isn't all. Mind if I keep it?

[Sergeant Drummond]

Oh, sure, go ahead. What'd you mean?

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, if you feel like driving me around a bit, there are a couple of people I'd like to see. Sure. No, no, wait a minute. We'll see you later. Yeah, it was a hunch, nothing else. But I learned a long time ago that sometimes it pays to play a hunch for all it's worth. Particularly when you haven't anything real solid to work on. Ignoring Earl's questions, I had him drive me to Doc Crutcher's home out on St. Armand's crew. Fortunately, he was at home. Even better. We found him in his study pouring over a microscope.

[Doc Crutcher]

Sure, Johnny, I'd be glad to. Just as soon as I finished making this hemoglobin count.

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, there's no hurry, Doc. I'll drop by and check with you later.

[Doc Crutcher]

Jimson Cooley, huh?

[Johnny Dollar]

We. We'll see. Look, Johnny, do you mind telling me what this is all about? Not until I'm sure myself. Earl, listen, do you think you can find out where old Jimson's wife lives?

[Earl Foreman]

Sure, I guess.

[Doc Crutcher]

I don't. You mean widow Tony, maybe?

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, last I heard, everything I've heard. Well, it doesn't all tie up. But Johnny, If Jimson's still alive, that's what I'm banking on. Come on, Earl. The coolie place, far out on the edge of town was a shack and nothing more. In the darkness, it didn't look much better than the beat up chicken house at the back of it. As for the chickens, well, half of them were asleep out in the yard until we got there.

[Cora]

Yes, I'm coming. I'm coming. Yes. What? Oh, Mr. Pullman, Mrs. Cooley, this is

[Earl Foreman]

Mr. Johnny Dunn listening.

[Cora]

Now, Mr. Pullman, they found Jimson's body yet?

[Earl Foreman]

Well, no, as a matter of fact.

[Cora]

I sure hope they do. That's all I got to say. Cause if they don't, at least what Miss Cannawell told me today. If they don't, I might have to wait five, six years for it and collect that insurance that Webb boughton on him. Dad. Well, got any news about him or not?

[Johnny Dollar]

Johnny?

[Doc Crutcher]

You.

[Johnny Dollar]

You don't seem to care much whether your husband's alive or not, Mrs.

[Doc Crutcher]

Cool.

[Cora]

Now, why should I? Lazy bum. Wasn't for me raising these hips. I said we were shrimping and selling them for bait to them Yankees that come down to fish around the other winter. He done pretty good. We had meat on the table now and then besides chickens. Ever since they gotten that soft job sitting around that store every night.

[Johnny Dollar]

Did you notify the police when he failed to come home this morning?

[Cora]

I did not. Besides, when I seen that one of them nets was missing. You see where he keeps them? Hung over the limb of that tree out there.

[Doc Crutcher]

That's cool.

[Cora]

What I figured is maybe he'd gone out to do some more shrimping. Or else he'd taken it out and sold it so he could buy some more of that rot gut he's been drinking lately. I got this broom handy by the door.

[Sergeant Drummond]

What do you mean?

[Cora]

To keep him out so's he wouldn't try to come in and beat me.

[Johnny Dollar]

Beat you?

[Cora]

Sure, like he always does when he's been drinking. Then when he didn't come home at all, when Ms. Canterwell stopped by and told me he'd been killed. Well, you know who I thank, Donnie?

[Johnny Dollar]

Who?

[Cora]

One of that gang that tried to rob Webb last year.

[Johnny Dollar]

Now, why do you think that?

[Cora]

Because Jimson told me one of them was around town, that's why.

[Johnny Dollar]

Jimson knew who he was and didn't report it to the police.

[Cora]

How should I know?

[Earl Foreman]

I wonder why not.

[Cora]

Now look, if you all didn't come around to pay me my insurance, what is it you want?

[Johnny Dollar]

What I really stopped by for Mrs. Cooley was to see if you'd sell me one of your chickens.

[Earl Foreman]

Why.

[Cora]

Why, sure. Only it'll cost you money. Maybe 75 cents.

[Earl Foreman]

All right.

[Johnny Dollar]

Here. Here's a dollar and we'll call it even.

[Cora]

Thank you. Here, you look out for them fancy clothes of your, and I'll wring its neck. There you are. Only I suppose you want it plucked, too.

[Earl Foreman]

No.

[Johnny Dollar]

No, thanks. Suppose you just give me the head, eh? Yeah, you can have the rest of it for dinner tomorrow.

[Cora]

What?

[Earl Foreman]

And.

[Johnny Dollar]

Come on, Earl, let's get back to St. Armand's Cay.

[Doc Crutcher]

I'm sorry, Johnny, but I really ought to have some of the materials down at my office before putting that specimen you gave me under the microscope. Of course, if you could wait until morning.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh, sure, why not? Once more, I could use a little shut eye.

[Doc Crutcher]

But here,

[Johnny Dollar]

take along a sample of the blood from this tool, would you?

[Doc Crutcher]

You've been out raiding somebody's chicken coop.

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, you may want it for comparison, if you know what I mean.

[Doc Crutcher]

Yes, Johnny, I think I do.

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, I don't, Earl. Why don't you and I go home and get some sleep? Act Three of yours truly, Johnny Dollar. In a moment.

[Doc Crutcher]

Do you know who said, that man is free who is protected from injury? Those words came from Daniel Webster, one of the most eloquent orators in American history. Webster knew that a man could not be free unless he lived in a country which recognized his right to freedom and created laws to protect that freedom. A slave state may say that its citizens are free. But as long as a single citizen can be harmed by the whim of a country's rulers, true freedom does not exist. A man is free only if his rights to freedom are protected. Remember the words of Daniel Webster. They are part of your American heritage. The free man must be protected from injury.

[Johnny Dollar]

And now, Act Three of yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Early the next morning, I get a phone call from Sergeant Drummond down at headquarters. Yes, sir.

[Sergeant Drummond]

Johnny. Some of the boys found him laying in his car on a little wagon trail just off B Ridge Road.

[Johnny Dollar]

Jimson Cooley.

[Sergeant Drummond]

Jimson Cooley Must have been laying there unconscious ever since a burglar slugged him and took him out there. But he's a rugged old cuss, so he's in pretty good shape now.

[Johnny Dollar]

What did he say about that burglary, Sergeant?

[Sergeant Drummond]

Same as we figured. Man made him open the back door, beat him up, cleaned out the place and probably thought he'd killed him. So he drove him out to that side road and left him There.

[Johnny Dollar]

What about the stuff that was stolen?

[Sergeant Drummond]

Must have transferred it to his own car when he left Jimson there.

[Johnny Dollar]

Was Jimson able to identify him?

[Sergeant Drummond]

Said he claimed to be the man we never did get for robbing that store the first time. You want to talk to Jimson?

[Johnny Dollar]

Yes, Sergeant. I'll be right over. I had Earl driving down to headquarters. I saw Jimson. Cooley talked to him, but learned nothing from him I didn't already know. He was a disagreeable old coot. The sort who would get drunk and beat his wife. He still wore his badly torn clothes. And yes, he had a couple of cuts and bad bruises. But were they enough to account for all the blood we found at. Back at the store? I asked Earl to drive me over to Doc Crutch's office.

[Doc Crutcher]

Well, just finished, Johnny. And I'm sorry, but the blood that was spilled out in back of that store was not chicken blood. But.

[Earl Foreman]

Well, now I see what you were driving at, Johnny. You figured maybe Jensen had done the robbery himself.

[Johnny Dollar]

Wait a minute. Then he covered the place with chicken

[Earl Foreman]

blood to back up that story of

[Johnny Dollar]

a fight with some burglar. Oh, I think he was in a fight, all right, but I don't think he lost.

[Doc Crutcher]

Doc, as I started to say, I wanted to check the blood on that piece of his shirt you brought me here in the office where I have a record of Jimson's blood type. I got it when I made his insurance examination.

[Johnny Dollar]

Or was it his on the shirt?

[Doc Crutcher]

It was human blood, all right, but not Jimpson Cooley's.

[Johnny Dollar]

All right, then.

[Earl Foreman]

I guess his story of having been

[Johnny Dollar]

forced to open the store, then beat

[Earl Foreman]

up and knocked out and left out there in his car by the burglar is true.

[Johnny Dollar]

Wrong, Earl. Well, what do you mean? Why not? Didn't you say you heard a shrimp fold out on the bay last night? Sure, but what's that got? His wife said one of those heavy weighted shrimp nets was missing, didn't she?

[Earl Foreman]

Yes, I did.

[Johnny Dollar]

Remember this? Bill hall said that one man wouldn't have had time to take all that stuff out of his store alone.

[Earl Foreman]

So maybe there were two burglars. And I still don't.

[Johnny Dollar]

Simpson said there was only one, though. I think he was helping him. And Earl, do you think for a minute that Jimpson lost all the blood we saw out in back of that store? You saw him there at headquarters? Well, he didn't exactly look as though he didn't. But then, Johnny. First we wanted to find Jimson's body, but then he turned up alive. Now, we'd better find the body of this other man, whoever he is.

[Doc Crutcher]

You're right, Johnny. Then you'll really have a case.

[Sam]

Sure.

[Johnny Dollar]

So, well, let's go fishing.

[Cora]

Fishing?

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, you know how it is when I'm really stuck in a case. Everything all muddled up. Well, it's time to relax and kind of let your head clear. Come on, let's go. Sure, Earl thought I was crazy, but we unhitched the boat from his private dock and headed up to Fire, then passed under Humpback Bridge and into the outer end of Sarasota Bay, out towards City island, where WSPB has its radio tower. I tied on a heavy trolling rig and tossed the line overboard. Johnny, you're crazy to use Use that heavy rig. Out here the water's real shallow. All it'll do is drag the bottom a little slower. Earl, here in the bay, we use live shrimp to get sea trout. You know about a number two hook and no sinker. We bottom fish slower, will you? Okay, whatever you say. And so we trolled back and forth over the place where Jimson ran ashore. Johnny, it's no good fishing here with that heavy tackle. And this is where he got his shrimp. There ought to be fish or something. Maybe I'm after that something. I think you've gone nuts. 10, 15, maybe 20 times. I had to reel in the line and take off a clump of seaweed that had gotten tangled in. Bill began to get impatient. If we were really going to fish, why didn't we do it right then? Suddenly, the old foolger started to sing. Hold it, Earl. Kill the engine. Yeah. What is it? Just hold your horses. What, under the sun, have you tied into, Johnny? If this line will hold, we may have what I've been looking for. Can't imagine what kind of a fish would be that big here in the bay. Oh, fine, fine.

[Earl Foreman]

All you've done is get snagged up

[Johnny Dollar]

in some old hunk of rotten fish net. Yeah, or a shrimp net, if you'll just help me get it aboard.

[Doc Crutcher]

Sure.

[Johnny Dollar]

Just a little more, Johnny, and I'll be able to reach the part where you've hooked into it a little more. Yeah, I got it. Now give me a hand.

[Sergeant Drummond]

Right.

[Johnny Dollar]

Yeah. Now, put a lot of lead on these nets, but I never thought they could be this. John, look what's in it.

[Earl Foreman]

Yeah.

[Sergeant Drummond]

Good Lord.

[Johnny Dollar]

When Jimson was faced with the man's body wrapped in the net he'd sunk out there in the bay, he broke down and told us what had really happened. Even told us where the stolen stuff was hidden. Yeah, the dead man was one of the gang who'd robbed the store a year ago. He persuaded Jimson to help him do it again, offered him 100 bucks. But then when he had the stuff, he tried to run out without paying off. So Jimson had killed him. Now the courts will have to take over. Incidentally, I understand that Webs is installing a foolproof burglar alarm system. Expense Account Total 151.50 Yours truly, Johnny Do. Yours truly, Johnny Dollar, starring Bob Bailey, originates in Hollywood and is written, produced and directed by Jackson Johnstone. Heard in our cast were Lillian Bayev, Vic Paran, Harry Bartel, Barney Phillips, Bartlett Robinson, and Bill James. Be sure to join us next week,

[Doc Crutcher]

same time and station for another exciting

[Johnny Dollar]

story of yours truly, Johnny Dollar. This is dan coverly speaking. Sam. Johnny Dollar has come to you through the worldwide facilities of the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.

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[Adam Graham]

Welcome back. This is one of those stories that I enjoy. I think works fairly well, but I'm under no illusions that it is a great episode. But this is one of those that really it has a plot. It feels like it's out of a mystery magazine for what it is. It's engaging and as far as I can tell, holds together logically. And Mrs. Cooley is a fun character, which makes this a cut above other sort of mystery magazine type stories. And while this does reference the previous week's episode, you don't lose a whole lot by not having that as the two cases aren't related other than occurring in the same part of the country. All right, well, listener comments and feedback now. Vicki writes. Thank you for posting reviews of each episode. This is helpful to find what I want to hear. Too many shows use a generic review for all the episodes and it makes it hard to navigate. Well, glad to be of assistance, Vicki. Over on Facebook, David writes regarding the Shankar diamond matter. Hi Adam. I usually don't comment, but this episode on the diamonds prompt me. First, it was interesting to learn that diamonds do not appear in X rays. I shared with my dental hygienist this morning as she X rayed my teeth. She said she had not learned this factoid in school, so she was impressed regardless if it's true it Second, my main comment is about the chauffeur in this episode. He drives the car and he pilots a twin engine plane and from unless he's a chauffeur for Goldfinger and also trained in the martial arts, these occupations don't seem comparable skills. He would have done better staying with the pilot work instead of trying to steal diamonds. I've not yet met an Uber driver who also has a pilot's license. Enjoy the show. Keep it up. Well, to be fair, if you'll recall, a few months, well, it was nearly a year back, we were doing the Charlie Chan and the Landini murder mystery and in that particular story there was a pilot who had been a chauffeur. And this was in the book too. I think the thinking behind that idea is that if you operate one thing, whether it's a plane or a car, well then you might also be skilled and talented at operating the other. I admit that the real world logic has some problems and honestly I don't think that you hear of any real chauffeur who say, got drafted in World War II and went off and became a pilot and the skills don't necessarily coincide, but I don't think it's inconceivable. Joey writes, the Joanie Dollar radio program sure does love eccentric characters. It is their bread and butter. Joey outside of the serial era during Bob Bailey's run, I think as a series it was much more the characters and all their quirks that added to the show's entertainment value as opposed to the mystery. Then James writes over on YouTube regarding the Henderson Matter omnibus. I love these Johnny Dollar serials. Johnny Dollar at its finest. Happy to hop this video. Thank you so much James. Great episodes. Many blessings, writes another listener. And another Taskimo writes, it's fun to see how entertainment was before tv. Well, in the case of Johnny Dollar, it's more how radio was trying to compete or keep up with television. But thank you so much. Appreciate the comment. Now it is time to thank our Patreon supporters of the day. And since this is our first episode in the first Friday in the month of April, Excuse me. It is time to thank those who have been supporting the podcast for five years this month. And I want to thank Andrew, currently supporting the podcast at the Master detective level of $15 or more per month and Adele and Jim supporting the podcast at the chalmes level of $4 or more per month. Again, thank you 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 Friday with another episode of yours truly, Johnny Dollar. But join us back here tomorrow as we give way to counterspying the great adventurers of old time radio. Where?

[Sam]

Turn into that dirt road ahead.

[Cora]

Why?

[Sam]

It's a shortcut. Now stop.

[Cora]

I will not.

[Sam]

No. Then I will. Now take the key.

[Cora]

Sam, please.

[Sam]

Better relax, Cora. I won't hurt you.

[Cora]

Sam, please give me that key when I tell Mary. She's not gonna like this, Sam.

[Sam]

But you're not going to tell her.

[Cora]

Sam, she'll kill you.

[Sam]

I swear I can take care of myself. What's more, I'm gonna take care of you.

[Cora]

Sam, you wouldn't.

[Sam]

That's not what you think. I'm just going to sort of hold you in protective custody.

[Cora]

Protective? What for?

[Sam]

I just want your sister to come to terms.

[Cora]

I thought she. You hadn't this evening at the restaurant.

[Sam]

That's what I wanted Mary to think. Or she doesn't know that I'm the leader of the Cicero mob.

[Cora]

Why you?

[Sam]

I don't want to have to hurt you, Cora. This is a private fight between Mary and me. I'm taking over the New York territory and I'm going.

[Adam Graham]

I hope you'll be with us then. In the meantime, send your comments to [e-mail] 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.

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