Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This
is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, email it
to me Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net. Follow us on Twitter at
Radio Detectives, and become one of our friends on Facebook, Facebook dot com
Slash Radio Detectives. Well, this is the last episode of The Fat Man.
Join us next Tuesday. We will be bringing you Call the Police,
and we'll talk a little bit about The Fat Man movie after we get into
today's show. Today's episode is Order from Murder, Originally broadcast May the twenty
third, nineteen fifty one. Stay tuned for tonight's adventure with the Fat Man.
Perhaps you don't believe in the kind of ghosts that's supposed to haunt houses,
but there are other kinds. Ghosts to words, once spoken, ideas,
once held, personality is once present. They linger in our memories,
and a walk in our nation's capital past the time haddled buildings which have witnessed
so much of America's history, can revive them. These are the memories,
the all pervasive ghosts of Washington. But for those of us who are unable
to visit the Capital. The same warm familiarity with the heroes of America's past
is possible through the program Mister President starring Edward Arnold. Mister President, Too,
brings history to life Tonight on ABC. There he goes, stepping on
the scale. Wait, two thirty seven pounds? Fortune dangers? Who is
it? Brad Runyon the Fat Man? Time, like death and taxes,
is always with us. As long as they are crooked politician us an ambitious
racket guys, the answer will be grand. If rich women continue to be
careless with their jewels, there'll be headline robberies. And until somebody can change
human nature, hatred in the heart and a gun in a hand will always
add up to murder. The American Broadcasting Company brings you in part transcribe the
adventures of Brad Running the Fat Man, starring Jay Scott Smart, an exciting
and fast moving criminologist who tips the scales of two hundred thirty seven pounds Tonight's
adventure Order or Murder. I've been in Washington, DC that day, finishing
up a cob and a friend of mine who lives some forty miles south toward
the Maryland coast and asked me down for the weekend. I hadn't seen him
several years since I had my car. I decided to go. I ate
dinner before leaving, and cleared Washington just after dark. Traffic dwindle off gradually.
Thirty minutes later, I was rolling along a dark, deserted stretch of
road on the Maryland side, not far from the Potomach River. I must
when the motor of my car sputtered in time, I got out and I
couldn't find the troubles. A warm night, and back in the woods the
carus of frogs were really whooping it out. I lit a cigarette, trying
to remember the last conse i'd passed. Then saw the headlights of a car
coming towards me. I stepped out and waved my lighted cigarette up and down
at the tubble my car broke down. Can you give me a lift into
the nearest time? I'm going at fun? Well? Do you live out
here where I could use the phone? Get in? I think it's far.
I'm gone at the house. I will drop you up. Don't they
have a phone where you're going? I wouldn't know. Get in if you
want to write okay, thanks yeah, and then lighting a cigarette. Fummy
you're keeping your mouth. I'll hold a match for you here. You sorry,
I should have warned you about the Scott Why didn't mean that's all right?
Come on hold the match boy here, Well go ahead. That's to
be how it happened. I'm used to it seven years. It's a long
time. Yeah, out of the island, that sweet, lovely, wonderful
war. Maybe you know? I know? Oh it was great, wasn't
it more fun? So funny? I thought i'd die, you know,
And aims O'Riley, Johnny O'Riley. And I'm not a kid. She couldn't
tell about the face because you no, I guess I couldn't remember that name,
mister, because you're probably gonna be staying in the paper soon. Why
I got a lot out of that war, but I didn't get the medals,
and I should have got one too, the big one. They didn't
get it. Tony got it? You know who've got it? Who a
major got it? Tie that if you can't a major back of the lines,
will let me do the work. And then took the credit. I
was hanging out in a hospital for more years than I like to remember.
Why didn't they try and plastic surgery. They did five times the best they
could do, and it's really fun. A long time coming back, but
I'm back now seven years lately. You were in the hospital seven years Yeah,
why didn't you protest when they gave this major the medal instead of you?
I did? It didn't do any good, No way, I'm glad
now, man. Yeah, I'm gonna make another protest in my own way
as far as I can. Take a turn off down that little road over
there. Thanks for the lift and that pleasure may mean somebody that talked,
mind if I give you some advice? No, I don't mind. Forget
the war. Make the best of things as they are. Guess what I'm
gonna do? The river down that way, isn't it? Yeah? Anything
else? Yeah? Major? Down it am. I stood there, watching
the tailight of his car quickly felt out of sight down the little dirt road.
It really it wasn't any of my business, but the guy sounded up
setting enough to do anything. At least I could do was to try and
stop him. I wondered how far it was the river and started walking fast
down the little dark road. I going about a mile when the road turned
off to the right and I could see the Potomac River through the trees.
The road now ran parallel of the river, and five minutes later I saw
the lights of a house up ahead. It stood well back from the road
and a clump of trees in fronted on the river. There were no cars
inside. Beyond it, a couple of hundred yards was another house. I
started toward it, when suddenly, down in the woods between the two houses,
I saw the flicker of a small light flashed on furtily around and went
out. I pushed into the woods and walked cautiously toward it. George,
they comes down there in the grave yards. I guess you're not, George.
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. Who are you are?
In one of them? One of who spirits? Who are coming for
the major? Major? Yes, Major Smith. I knew they'd come.
I knew they'd hear me. And now you're suffering. Now you're paid for
his wickedness. Does the Major live in that house? No, that's my
house. He lives over there beyond the grid yard. At least he did
live there, but he won't live there anymore, not after to night.
Nancy, where are you here? I asked, George over here, What
you're doing. I was here, Miss Nancy. You gets cool. You
just saw them. They were down there in the graveyard. Who's this man?
But I don't know My name is running. I'm looking for Major Smith's
house, a friend of you. No, I've never faceship, but I've
never watched this George, George, you see us for her? You see
she ain't quite right and they hit, but she don't mean no harm.
Mister Smith coming here to live after all these years and bringing a new young
wife with him just saw to set it off again. Why does she hate
Major Smith so much? Well, years ago when Miss Nancy and Miss Smith
with both young folks, he was engaged to get married, but he changed
his mind at the last minute. He left Miss Nancy waiting at the church.
You run off with another woman? What's all that crazy to talk about?
Sparring? Oh, that's just an idea. She's got that little graveyard
over They belonged to the Smith family. Miss Nancy thinks his instances is coming
out of the ground and take him away. My saying, this young wife
as Smith, she isn't the one he ran off for when he left Miss
Nancy as she Oh, no, that one died a long time ago.
This is a new one, and if he asks me, he's gonna be
sorry. Every late eye is on hook. What do you mean by that?
I mean she don't love him at all. It says you only married
him for his money, and she liked to get that just as soon as
possible. You only am and left me standing there in the woods. I
looked down toward the graveyard, but no more lights showed in the darkness.
I went back to the road and walked quickly toward the major's house. Just
as I reached the gate, I heard a car coming along the road behind
me. I stepped behind a tree and waited. The car stopped near the
gate. I saw a man and woman sitting in the front seat. As
I watched, they melted into a long embrace. Then the door opened,
the woman got out. She said something in a low voice to the man,
and the car swung around and disappeared up the road. The woman turned
and started up towards the house. She came abreast of my eyes. Stepped
out from behind the tree. Oh oh, you started me. Don't be
frightened. I'm not going to hurt you. Who are you? What are
you? Doing in my yard. You live here, of course I live
here, I missus Smith, your major Smith's certainly was that the major who
just let you out of the car? You saw it? It wasn't the
major wasn't. No, it wasn't. Who are you? My name is
Running. I'm a private detective. So my husband hired you to spy on
me. All right, I'll save you some trouble. There is another man,
and there always has been. I never loved Edgar, and he knew
it. He was no good from the start. That's why he was court
martial and discharge from the army. But if he wants to get rid of
me, he's going to have to pay plenty. Now, anything else you
want to know? Missus Smith? Your husband hasn't hired me. In fact,
I've never even seen him. Well, then why are you here?
What do you mean by it? A minute? I met an upset guy
in the road, and I mean hate Smith. I think you may try
to kill him. Sounded mad enough to be convincing. That's why I came
here. Your husband at home? Why, yes, at least he was
when I left several hours ago. Come on, let's go inside. Very
well, the guy dropped me back on the main road and headed in this
direction. He was in a car, yes, and I don't see it
anywhere. Oh does Smith have a gun? Yes, he has several of
them. Good. Hold, what if you look there through the French doors?
Is that the man? Yeah, you've got a gun. Yeah,
he's covering your husband with it. What do we do? Those French doors
are open? Can you enter the front door without making any noise? Okay,
take your time, go inside and go around and open the door to
that room. Open it fast and loud. What are you going to do?
I'll stepped over by those open French doors. Let door open, so
he'll turn around and I'll grab him from behind shoots when I opened the door,
don't step into the room, just bang the door open suddenly. Missus
Smith nodded silently and started to the front door. I used over to the
house and stopped in the shadows beside the open French doors and listen to Johnny
taunt the major air. How do you like it? How do you like
this? Nare waiting on and you're gonna get it in a minute. You're
inshane. Don't imagine that? Yeah, Lenny, man, it's been boiling
in me for seven years. You probably don't recognize because the name is O'Riley
Smith, remember Johnny O'Riley. I don't know what you're talking about. Talking
about a certain night in the islands on the water. Okay, come on
it, crap that gun chat from grab the gun? Smith? Try this
beside. Patty told him you'll get away. No, no, let him
go that gun. You can't. I'll stop him. I couldn't help it,
feelish. I couldn't seem to move. Yeah, I think so.
You need me the scommach not to window to me. He got away with
my husbands fault. He could have stopped him or his gun. Here it
is, give it to me. What are you going to do? Your
husband and I are going out and find that guy? Who are you?
Never mind that? Now? Your wife says you have some pistols? Why
are they here in this drawer? You take one and get your husband one.
You stay here. Come on, Smith, do you think it's wi
used to go out there? We've got his gun, yes, but he
might have another one. Mole's up that meat with you one Smith. It's
time he earned it. We left missus Smith in the house and went out
from the ground. The moon had come up and we could see fairly well
on the gyron. We circled the house once, saw nothing, and walked
down the road towards the graveyard. Here's the graveyard. Do you suppose he's
hiding here? He's hiding somewhere. We didn't hear his car drive off.
I think it. What's wrong? Look what somebody's been doing since digging the
grave? It's been open, Yeah, not very long ago either, A
kind of dirt as fresh. That explains to like you? So yeah,
I don't understand this. The coffin is still in the grave, isn't it,
Yes, still down there. Why would anybody want to open this grave?
Maybe missus Nancy, this is a crazy after all. Maybe somebody's just
making room to add another coffin. The shop came from, but it hadn't
been fired. From close up, Smith clutched his breast and then toppled forward
into the open grave. I jumped down beside him and turned him over.
His shirt front was covered with blood in his eyes, but wind up him
he'd never win any more medals or make any more enemies. He was dead.
I crouched there beside him for nearly a minute. But nothing happened.
And then I climbed out of the grave and started quickly back towards the house
where we had left his wife. Suddenly I heard somebody moving to the trees
ahead of me, stopped and waiting. Steps came closer and stopped ten or
fifteen feet away. Where are you over here, missus fencing a running?
I heard him shot a minute ago. I thought, where's my husband?
What's happened? He's dead, missus? Man dead? Then that man did
have another gun. I'm not so sure about that. What do you mean
Your husband wasn't a very popular guy. There were a few other people around
who might have liked to see him out of the way. Are you trying
to say that man didn't kill my husband? No, I'm just saying it's
possibly didn't. Are you intimating that I maybe? After all, you admitted
to me to night that you didn't love him, that you only wanted his
money. Oh that's true. I never loved him, and I did marry
him for his money. But that's no crime. Lots of women marry men
they don't love for that reason, but they don't all have another sweetheart on
the side. My husband knew there was another man. I don't think he
even cared. He might have refused to give you a divorce. That maybe,
But you're all wrong about this. I didn't shoot my husband. You
had a swell chance to do it. We left you in the house alone.
You could have easily followed us. You had a gun. Where is
it? It's here in my coat pocket. That's fit very well here.
Well, are you satisfied, Yeah, it hasn't been fired. There's one
other possibility, though, the woman who lives in another house down the road,
Miss Nancy. Yeah, she hated your husband and was prowling around out
here in the dark when I arrived. Surely you don't think she did it.
And somebody dug up a grave over there a little while ago, and
she was rambling on about spirits coming out of the ground to punish hers.
Sound fantastic, it is, But we'd better go have a talk with her.
And we've got to call a police. But my husband, he's still
lying out there. We can't help him now, and the police won't want
the body to be touched. We can call him from Miss Nancy's house.
There's a light on in the living room. She doesn't usually stay up this
lake wait a second, what's the matter? Look over there across the road
and a couple of trees. Car. Yeah, so one O'Reilly was driving,
but he's still here. It must have been he who killed and mister
running. I want let's have a look at that car. Stay behind me,
maybe hiding and signed all Riley. If you're in the car, you
better come off with your hands out, all Riley. Okay, I'm coming
after you. The car is empty. He's not here positively picked me up
in that tonight. What are we going to do? I'm gotta hunt.
You'll be showing up soon. If he hasn't spotted us, you better get
back on those trees and wait. I took missus Smith by the arm and
drew her into the shadows. He stood there silently waiting. Ten or fifteen
minutes passed and nothing happened. I looked up towards Miss Nancy's house, so
the light was still on the living room. Suddenly, I thought Missus Smith's
hand would ripped my arm, and I held my breath and waited, and
I heard it. Somebody was moving stealth the lad toward the car. A
second later, the figure of a man stepped into view. I stepped a
Ronnie's gun out of my pocket and moved toward him. Freeze all runne I
got you covered. Don't move You'll get a bullet in your back. Now
put your hands up. Yea, yea. What are you looking for a
gun? I haven't got a gun? No not now you haven't. Where
don't you throw it away or Ronnie throw it away? To throw it away?
You took it away from me Smith's house. I mean the second gun,
the one you shot the Major. I didn't shoot him running. I
swear I didn't sure I came out here to kill him. But when I
didn't do it, I couldn't have done it because I didn't have a second
gun. Where did you hang around here? Why didn't you beat it when
you left the house. I'm afraid of trying like a break the car,
So while I hit those woods over the graveyard, I was hiding out there
when you're in. The Major found that grave and started talking about that crazy
woman. If you open the grave. Rhyney Us not heard the shot.
Mis saw Smith take that nose, dive into the hall, waiting until you
left and try to sneak over here to my car. You're lying you killed
my husband. Okay, all right, I started walking. Well, we
got to call the police and have a chat with Miss Nancy. You remember
me. You're the gentleman who was down in the woods earlier this evening.
That's Ryan. Who are these people? Murder suspects? Where's Miss Nancy?
But he's gone to bed, he just sleeps. Did you say murder?
Yeah? Please wake miss Nancy? Who's been murdered? Major Smith? Work?
Miss Nancy's room right over there, he sleeps on the ground floor.
Okay, wake around, yes, miss Nancy. Miss Nancy, open the
door and get her up. What's wrong? God? Miss Nancy isn't here.
Let me have a look in there. George, I killed people.
Don't here, Miss Nancy. That's the second. Who's dead? Miss Nancy?
Why is the major? Of course? How did you know? How
do I know? I know because I killed him and I've just seen his
body in the grave. You killed him? Acute? Did you do with
a gun? What guns? The gun you shot him with? I didn't
shoot him. I didn't have to. For years, I've been praying to
them, but they wouldn't listen. To night I decided to help them.
Oh it was you who opened the grave? Yes, yes, I got
and dug and finally they were freed. I went up just now to see
if they've gotten him, and there he was, did in the grave,
in the grave thing, Ryan, do you know what you're talking about?
You're right, but she's harmless. She hasn't killed anybody, neither of you.
Right. I told you that. I don't understand. Maybe this will
help clear it up. Sweet Art, you killed the major and O'Reilly here
put the noose around your neck a few minutes ago. I did. That's
right. You told us you were hiding near the grave when we found it
tonight. You heard the Major and me talking about miss Nancy, so you
had to be pretty close to us because we were talking quietly. The shot
that killed Smith came from forty or fifty feet away, so it couldn't have
been you fired it. But you saw my gun. You know it hadn't
been fired. That gun hadn't been fired. But you told me the major
had several guns. Very simple matter to carry two guns and talk one away
after the shooting. You're wrong now, I'm not the sweetheart. The other
gun will sense it when the police find it. The important thing to know
is we have to look for it. Where's the phone, George. I've
got to put in a call to the police and tell them I've got a
murderer out here for them. The Batman, starring Jay Scott Smart in part
transcribed, was directed by Clark Andrews, the script written by Richard Ellington.
Heard on Tonight Show where Vicky volas Phyllis and Jimmy McCallan as Johnny O'Reilly.
The music was conducted by Bernard Greene. Listen next week to another exciting adventure
of the fat Man. Welcome back. Well more of an okay episode compared
to some of the other ones. I'll get a little bit of a different
opening sequence, but overall, I'm definitely gonna miss the fan Man. And
it's been great to bring you all the existing complete episodes over these past ten
weeks. And the movie, I think is is special as well. You
do get to see a little bit of the talent of Jay Scott Smart on
display with the dancing and the acting. But it also was an early showcase
for Rock Hudson and Julie London, and in some ways it was modeled a
little bit on The Killers, which also which it was a movie where Edmund
O'Brien was the detective, but the leading man and the focal point through most
of the movies was the guy who had been murdered, who was played by
Burt Lancaster, and they accomplished that through flashbacks. Will Speaking of The Fat
Man, I did receive an email from Joan Richards who comments, I came
across a show on one of my other podcast radio Mirror, Okay, I
downloaded it from iTunes, and the actor who plays in The Fat Man is
playing in this Charlie Chan show and I'm sending it to you to have a
listen and and appreciate that. I'd heard the episode before, but I had
not drawn the connection. But I listened to it, and j Scott Smart
does indeed appear as a police detective in a Charlie Chan radio mystery. And
Charlie Chan is on our list of play. We've got to work a few
things out. There's actually only one American episode of Charlie Chen that half hour
on. There are a few complete cereals out there. We have that on
the list of play. So we've not heard the last of Jay Scott Smart.
Well. That will do it for today. Join us on Wednesday for
let George do it and then we will be back next week in a week
with call the police from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam
Grandson and off