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
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Old Time Radio at no additional cost to you. So remember Johnny dollarair dot
com. Now it is time to get into the conclusion of this week's Yours
truly, Johnny Dollar Cereal. The original air dates are August the fifteenth,
sixteenth, and seventeenth, nineteen fifty six, and it's episodes through through five
of the Crystal Like Matter from Hollywood. It's time now for Johnny Dollar.
Hi Johnny, this is Betty Norton. I've been trying to call you.
I know I was out. I'm sorry you keep pretty late hours it's after
midnight, they'll wake you up. No good. Why did you come over?
Moon's realized tonight? The lake is luscious. I'll come over, Betty,
but not to talk about the moon of the water. Oh got something
else on your mind? Maybe, yeah, a little thing called murder tonight
and every weekday night. Bob Bailey in the transcribed Adventures of the Man with
the Action Packed expense account America's Fabulous Free Lacens insurance Investigator Yours Truly Johnny Dollar
expense account submitted by special Investigator Johnny Dollar to Amalgamated Life Associates Home Office,
Hartford, Connecticut assignment. The Crystal Lake matter expense account continued, itam six
two dollars tip to the Crystal Hotel garage attendant for rusting him out of bed
to get my car. I wanted very much to have another talk with Betty
Norton, the wealthy, glamorous girl on the other side of the lake.
She had told me she hadn't been with Edward Russell when he left the hotel
bar the night he was murdered, but the bartender at the hotel swore that
she and Russell had left together. If she lied about that maybe she'd lied
about a few other things. When I got to our lake shore mansion,
she had a few well spaced dim lights burning, a dreamy type record playing,
and some drinks mixed the whole bit. Here you are, Johnny Bourbon,
isn't it Yeah, you've got a good memory, buddy. Sure.
I always remember what's important or what you want to remember? Same thing.
Listen, how about the things you don't want to remember? Meaning a couple
of questions I want to ask you. Oh no, don't start making with
those dull questions again. Look, let's just have a drink. Last time
I had to go swimming with you before you had answered. This time,
it's going to be a drink. Huh. I thought we might dance too
with you, leading I suppose. Sorry, Betty, I know you probably
own quite a few things in this world, but the list stopped short of
me. I want some answers from you, and I want them now.
Okay, So be a party pooper, So ask questions. You told me
you met Edward Russell in the hotel bar the night he was murdered. You
had one drink with him and left. That's right, you lied, Betty,
who says so the bartender at the hotel. Man, I've always tipped
him so well too. Look, baby, suppose we cut the comic routines.
Huh? All right, so I left the bar with Russell. Why
did you lie about it to me this afternoon? It's very simple, Johnny,
part of the Norton training. I guess what does that mean? My
father told me long ago I could do whatever I liked, but to keep
it out of the newspapers. That's the way I've played it ever since.
Well, go on on that night you're talking about Russell and the bartender got
into a fight. I know, and that's why I lied to you.
Believe me. I just didn't want to be mixed up in anything that could
land in the papers. Let me see what happened. Then he and I
went to a coffee shop to sober him up a little. You can check
that, I will. Then, what kept mumbling about somebody named Billy was
looking for He said much about him? No, he wasn't making very much
sense. And then Hiram came into the coffee shop. Oh, Hiram,
the old fellow who drives what passes for a taxi here at the lake.
He told Russell, somebody wanted to see him. Russell left with Hiram,
and you didn't see Russell after that, No, I didn't. You don't
look convinced, Johnny, I'm not. You lied once before. You could
be lying again. Sorry, I told you I lied before, But this
time it's the truth. We're going to get in touch with Hiram. His
numbers on the cover of the local directory, Local directory, this one over
here? Yes, okay, Johnny. At this time of night, Yes,
at this time of night. He doesn't usually take calls after midnight.
Sleeper out somewhere. Ess, Well, I'll check him in the morning.
What is it, squid, Johnny? What is it? What's the matter?
I thought I heard something outside here? Could it have been one of
your servants. I only have a housekeeper with me here and she went to
bed hours ago. There are a lot of deer around here. Maybe that's
what it was. Yeah, maybe, Johnny, you call hire him in
the morning. He'll back my story up. It's crazy thinking I had anything
to do with Russell's murder. What possible reason? Could I have? A
pretty weird one? Maybe, but it might fit. You told me the
same afternoon. You had to play everything your way. You've probably been doing
it most of your life and getting away with it. Maybe Russell wouldn't cooperate,
are you kidding? Look, men like Russell or a diamond dozen So
I had a drink with him and got mixed up in a barroom brawl.
I should have known better, But as far as getting interested in him,
I wasn't. Believe me, I can always find others who like to play
it my way? As you put it, what's the matter? Are you
kill me? That goal plated front you put on? I wonder if behind
it you aren't just a hollow, lonely kid. Thanks a lot for reminding
me, mister Freud. Oh sorry, I guess that was a little out
of line. I guess I was asking for it. But you're wrong about
me not being able to stand anyone who doesn't play it my way. You
see, I found someone who won't, and I kind of like it,
kind of like you, that is. Yeah. Look, I always do
better. Worry, I'm not going to try to appropriate you to buy you,
but about the loneliness, don't leave just yet, Johnny, stay just
a few minutes more, Okay, just a few minutes. I guess I
felt a little sorry for her. Loneliness, or maybe it was well anyway,
I stayed a few minutes more. I think it was just a few
minutes. I watch it stopped. First thing in the morning. I tried
to get higher on the cab driver on the phone again, but still no
answer. I headed for Deputy Sheriff Ansell Garrett's office. Clarence Pixby, who
owned the cabin where Russell's body was found, was with him. Good morning,
Johnny ants, mister Pixby, One morning, Dolly. Anything new?
Not much? Well, I won't take up any more of your time,
Sheriff. However, I would like to ask a favor. What is it?
So far? The Denver papers haven't mentioned which cabin up here the body
was found in. I'd appreciate it if it could be kept that way.
Otherwise, if it got out, I'm afraid my chance is ever selling the
place would be pretty dim. Yeah. Anybody who'd want to buy it for
that reason probably be the kind of person not very welcome here at the lake.
Okay, Bixby sounds reasonable enough. See what I can do. M's
your blige shaff cigar? No thanks, dollar, no, no thanks?
Well, I see you, lady, fellas. I'll be around day or
two Moorrow if you want me. Okay, Well, how do things look
this morning, Johnny? Just like Bixby's cigar wrapper. I wish he'd quit
tying those things and knots. Every time he does it. It reminds me
that we're right in the middle of a knot we cannot tie. It's a
bear or oh, brother, it's worse than that. A guy named Edward
Russell takes off from his home in Denver and disappears. He turns up here
looking for a guy named Bill, of which there are too many in this
time. Then Bixby brings a prospect up here to show you his cabin too.
He finds the padlock's been switched, Russell's body inside. Yeah, ant's
The only person who stood to profit financially on Russell's death is his wife,
Leona, beneficiary on his fifty thousand dollars insurance policy. But she couldn't have
killed him. The Denver police established her in Denver at the time. Oh,
incidentally, she's up here at the lake now, Johnny. Oh,
yeah, she told me over the phone you wanted her to confirm the identification.
How don't she bear a not too well? It's kind of rough you
get any information out of Betty Norton. Well, her story is she had
coffee with Russell after his frakus with a bartender hiring the cab driver came in
and told Russell somebody was looking for him. Russell went away with Hiram you
checked with I've been trying to get in touch with him on the phone.
No answer. Yeah, he's on the goal lot. He keeps his cab
behind the hotel garage. We can check there and leave a message for yeah,
okay. Hence, what about Bixby as a possibility. I thought of
that too, Johnny. It had taken awful lot of nerve to kill a
guy and arranged to discover the body in your own cabin, But it sure
would be quite a cover. Yeah, like you say, to take more
nerve than most men have got. Besides, we run a check on Bixby
and we've turned up absolutely nothing to time into the deal at all. Now
there's no evidence he'd ever known Russell, and Leanna Russell can't remember her husband
ever mentioning Bixby's name. I uh, hey, wait a minute, how
about Putnam with the guy who wanted to buy Bixby's cabin. Yeah, the
same thing could apply to him. He knew the cabin was empty. He
could have planted Russell's body there and then arrange for Bixby to open the cabin.
It could be except how does he tie? And I don't know.
He said he and his wife wanted to buy the cabin. It might be
interesting to check with his wife and see what she says. Not a bad
idea, Johnny, I'll put in a long distance call to her. Don't
count on much, though. At this point, Ansel, I'm counting on
nothing, and I wasn't. I was getting nowhere trying to match a logical
motive with any of the suspects. I decided I might as well continue checking
guys named Bill around town and see if I could find the one Russell had
been looking for. I went down to Bill's boat house at the landing Bill
Jensen ran. It was a stocky, heavy set man in his late twenties.
His face looked friendly enough, that is, if you weren't paying much
attention to his eyes. They were about the coldest shade of blue i'd ever
seen. What can I do for you, mister dollar Boat? Maybe a
little information, maybe What about a man named Edward Russell, the guy who
was murdered? But what about him? Did he come around here to your
boat house? Not that I know of, But he was seeing for a
man named Bill, and I thought you might be the one. No,
No, Aunt Scarrett was telling me about him, but I'm not the one
he was looking for. Sorry. Did you have to see him around town
anywhere? Russell? No? The first time I saw him was his picture
in the paper after the killing. I see him. You got quite a
lot of boats here in Jenson, Yeah, pretty big investment in him.
You keep the ones here in the boat house paradlocked? I said, Oh,
I have to used to get one stolen now and then say you want
to take one out in the lake now, mister Donnr. Uh, not
right now, Jensen, Maybe later, see you round. All of a
sudden, I was real interested in Bill Jensen in his boat house because some
of the padlocks in the boats looked very much like the one that had been
placed on Bixby's cabin door, the one he pried off when he discovered Russell's
body. I wanted a closer look at those padlocks, but now wasn't the
time I went on back to the hotel to look for Hireum, but his
taxi still wasn't there, so I left him a message to contact me as
soon as possible. Then after dark, I went back to the boat house.
There was nobody around me. I slipped in the back and took a
close look at the boat padlocks. Ye had no doubt about it. They
were the same kind as the one on Bixby's door, and one of them
was missing. Yeah, Bill Jensen could be my boy. I hit the
deck fast behind one of the boats and looked around me. It was a
bad spot to be in. I was pinned against a wall. I edged
toward the rear, then dole for the door of the tiny office, and
I realized my mistake. I figured that the office would have an outside door,
but it didn't. I was trapped. It looked like I just saved
the murder the hard way, Johnny Dollar Ansel Garrett, Johnny, I was
out when you phoned a minute ago, and get over here fast. I'm
trapped in the office of Jensen's boat house. Trap. Look, I've got
no time to explain. There's a man outside with a gun, and I
can't hold him off much longer. I don't know, but I've got a
strong hunch is the one who murdered Russell, and he's trying to do likewise
to me. Expense accounts submitted by Special Investigator Johnny Dollar to Amalgamated Life Associates
Home Office, Hartford, Connecticut, assignment the Crystal Lake matter expense account continued
item seven two cents just about what I figured my life was worth at the
moment. The tiny office I was in had no windows and no outside door,
a real trap. And outside in the dock and boat house, somebody
with a gun was stalking me, probably the killer I've been looking for,
but now he was looking for me. I stacked what furniture there was against
the door. He started throwing his weight against it, and it couldn't last
very long. There was nothing I could do but wait. Right then,
the sound of ansk Garrett's voice outside was just about the sweetest music this side
of heaven. Yeah, yeah, just a minute, I'll get this stuff
away from the door. Okay, switch here somewhere there. Well, Bill
Jensen, so you're my boy Gensen. What are you talking about? What
are you doing here? Anyway? Dollar getting shot at by you? Mostly
Look, this is my boat house. Remember, you've got no business to
come prowling around here, simmer down. Bill, simmer Down, I thought
he was a prowler. Answer, Oh yeah, sure you knew I was
getting close to you. Jensen. You designed to put me out of the
ball game, and you came pretty close. Believe me, I tell you,
I don't know what you're talking about. I figured it was somebody after
my boats. Get me to buy it. Story like that. Just hold
it a second, both of you. I can get a word in edgewise
around here. Maybe we can straighten things out. They're pretty straight right now
as far as I can see. Maybe, Bill, you claim you figured
Johnny was a prowler trying to steal something. Huh, how would you figure
it? Ants, I see somebody sneaking into the boat house and catch a
glimpse of somebody else hanging around. Wait a minute, somebody else who man
or woman? I couldn't tell if it was got out of site mighty fast.
Oh sure, pretty convenient story, Jensen. Somebody around here has been
keeping an eye on me right from the start. But right now I figure's
to be you, Bill. A couple of Jensen's boats have turned up missing
lately, Johnny, it's natural he might think that. Yeah, and something
else has turned up missing here too. Ants, What do you mean that's
why I came here to the boat house tonight in the first place. When
I was here this afternoon, I noticed that the padlocks on his boats were
missing. One of them was missing. They looked an awful lot like the
one that Russell's killer put on the cabin door when he planted the body there.
You know, locks a lock, Johnny, Yeah, but one of
Jensen's is missing. Don't forget that. Oh yeah, come here, take
a look right there. Yeah, so it is. How about it,
Jensen, I didn't even know it was gone. How do I know what
happened to it? Somebody stole it, Probably the same guy who stole those
boats last month. Look. Look, if you're trying to involve me in
Russell's murder, you're wasting your time. I didn't even know the guy,
and you got nothing to tie me into it. No, then you better
listen to a few facts. Jensen. Edward Russell took off from his home
in Denver and came up here to Crystal Lake looking for a guy named Bill,
which just happens to be your name. Half a dozen other bills in
town too, Dollar, No, what is that proved? Russell's body was
found in Bixby's vacant cabin when Bixby brought a prospect up to showing the place.
Bixby's lock had been taken off the door and a new one put on
your pad lock, Jensen, I already told you somebody must have stolen it.
First. Then I come around to your boat house here to check on
the locks, and you start throwing shots at me. You figure it out.
You haven't got a case against me, and you know it. Dollar,
just the same, Jensen, you better come down to my office with
us. I got a few more questions I want to ask you, and
I'd like to check your gun against the slug that killed Russell. Go ahead,
check it. Sure, I'll come down with you as I want to
get this straightened out. Too. Well. Let me tell you something,
Dollar, next time you come around my boat house without a search warrant,
I won't miss. We questioned Jensen for an hour, but he didn't change
his story. He kept denying any connection with the murdered man Edward Russell or
his wife le Owner. After when Anson and I went into his office I
don't think we got enough to hold him on. Johnny. For one thing,
his gun's a different caliber than the one that killed Russell. Oh sure,
he could have used a different gun, but we'd have to find it
to prove anything. What about the padlock. That's a point, all right,
but it's our only point. Somebody could have stolen it, Like Jensen
said, a frame could be Jensen sure sticks to his story. Yeah.
I throw everything I could think of at him, but he didn't crack an
inch. After all, Johnny, you were out of line going into his
boat house like that, so I should have had a search once. I
wasn't time. You know, you got quite a knack for stirring up trouble.
If you're wrong about Jensen and the other suspects, you're gonna a few
apologies. Apologies. I don't mine hand an ounce Russell's killer. I want
Do you think I don't, Deputy Sheriff Garrett speaking, huh oh, yeah,
yeah, put it through. It's Missus Putnam and Denver Jenny, wife
of the man who wanted to buy Bixby's cabin. Yeah. I put a
call into her earlier, hope. Hello, Oh yeah, Missus Putnham This
is Deputy Sheriff Garrett up at Crystal Lake. The reason I'm calling your husband
tells us you and he had been interested in buying a cabin up here for
some time. I thought i'd check with you. What's that you sure about
that? I see? Thanks very much, missus Putnam. Well, I
guess your hunches are still clicking, Joenny. She didn't know anything about it,
huh, not a thing. Didn't even know her husband was up here.
Look, gentlemen, I've already told you all about it. I saw
Bixby's ad in the paper about his cabin here being pre saled. It sounded
like just the thing that you and your wife had in mind, mister Putnam.
Yeah, yeah, exactly, so I can hold it right there.
Putnam, you lied to us. I most certainly did not. Your wife
doesn't seem to know anything about it. My wife, good lord? Is
she up here? No? No, I talked to her on the phone.
You didn't tell her about my wanting to buy the cabin? Yeah,
Putnam, I did. You lied, Putnam, And there could be a
pretty good reason for it. Look, you knew Bixby's cabin was empty.
You could have planted Russell's body there, and then pretended to want to buy
the place so Bixby would open it up and the body'd be discovered. It'd
make a pretty good cover for you. Oh gentlemen, please, I'm in
enough trouble as it is right now without you piling moron. I had nothing
to do with Russell's murder. I didn't even know the man. What do
you mean about being in trouble and with my wife? Lookie, it's probably
hard for the two of you to understand. You don't know my wife,
don't know your wife. What about I did lie about her wanting the cabin.
She didn't know anything about it. We know that I just wanted the
place too well to get away from her once in a while. Ants looked
at me, and I looked at Ants, and I guess we both had
the same idea, the idea that we do on another. In a long
series of blanks we heard, putting them out a long and familiar tale of
wall. We could establish no connection between him and the dead man, so
we finally left. We left him in the middle of a long sentence about
what his wife said to him every time he got home from the office late.
Ants and I went outside the lake was silver in the moonlight, and
a million stars were crowding in the sky. A good night to be young.
But at the moment I was feeling ninety years old. Getting you down,
Johnny, Yeah, yeah, right now, I feel like an old
beat up merry around. I've been going around and around, and my bearings
are getting creaky. Trouble is, we've checked out just about everybody who could
possibly be involved. It's motive that beats me. Aunts. The only one
we know of to gain by Russell's death is his wife, Leona, beneficiary
of his fifty thousand dollars insurance pollas. Yeah, but the Denver police established
her in Denver at the time Russell was killed up here. She couldn't have
done it. We've got only one war lead as far as I can figure.
The guy who drives the local taxi here at the lake. Huh yeah,
he keeps his car right over there. And that shit, I know.
That's why I was heading this way. She had's empty though, Benny
Norton told me when she was with Russell the night he got killed. As
Hiram came up, untild Russell, somebody was looking for him, drove him
away. Hiram could have a line on the killer. But I can't seem
to get a line on Hiram. I've tried to call him half a dozen
times. I left a message for him to contact me, but I haven't
had a word from him. I don't like it. Our boys are looking
for him. No sign yet. Well I'm not getting anywhere right now.
Look at you're off duing the answer while you're drinking a hotel I am,
you got a deal, curse. There's one possibility been in the back of
my mind all along, Johnny, probably in yours too. You mean the
killer could be somebody we don't even know about, A stranger. Yeah,
yeah, those are the toughest ones to crack, I know. Hmm.
Lobby's kind of crowded tonight. You're getting into the busy season, mister Dollar.
It's Leona Russell. Excuse me a minute, dance meeting the bar right,
get any of missus Russell. I didn't know you were still here.
I'm leaving in the morning. The sheriff asked me to come up here and
make an identification of the body. I know. Afterwards, I just couldn't
seem to get myself organized. I took one of the hotel cottages for a
day or two. Such a peaceful spot up here, it's hard to believe.
Yes, I understand, Missus Russell. Your husband came up here apparently
looking for a man named Bill. I've questioned two bills so far, calling
the bartender and Jensen the boat keeper. Those names mean anything to you,
not that I recall. That's what's so terrible about this whole thing, mister
Dollar. There just doesn't seem to have been any connection between anybody up here
and my husband. Why would anyone have done it? That's a good question,
Missus Russell, and right now we don't seem to have an answer for
it. I went into the bar, but ANSD. Garrett was nowhere in
sight. The bartender told me he'd been called away. Expensive con had I
made seventy five cents one drink? I waited, Still no Garrett. After
a while, I went on and back of the hotel to check on Hiram's
taxicab. Nothing. The message I'd left him was still there. I went
back into the bar, but Ants didn't show up. Finally I went up
to my room. Johnny Dollar, Johnny, oh, Hi, I tried
to call you in the bar just now. They told me you'd gone to
your room. I got tired waiting for you. Sorry, I got a
hold ofway on official business. I'm calling from a gas station up near the
three mile grade, ten miles north of the lake. Trouble plenty, Johnny,
seems like when you go looking for people, it always turns out to
be bad luck for them. What do you mean you came up here to
Crystal Lake looking for Edward Russell? He turned up? Did now you've been
looking for hire Um? The taxi driver don't tell me afraid, So we
just fished his body out of a ravine. Expense accounts submitted by Special Investigator
Johnny Dollar to Amalgamated Life Associates Home Office, Hartford, Connecticut, following us
a final accounting of expenses and report of my investigation of the Crystal Lake MATAE
id him nine one dollar tip to the garage man to get my car out
in a hurry, I drove up to the three mile grade. Deputy Sheriff
Ansel Garrett was waiting for me beside the highway and led the way down the
ravine. Watched your foot and Johnny, it's pretty tricky. Yeah, who
discovered Hiram's body. One of my boys patrolling the highway. He spotted a
glitter of metal down here in the moonlight. Yeah, here we are.
Yeah, oh brother, taxi cabinall Uh, what a wreck? Yeah,
he crashed the guard room and came down the slope. I doubt if it
was an accident. Ants, When the guy's got a bullet hole in his
forehead, it's no accident. Johnny looks like the same person who killed Russell
killed Hiram to shut his mouth. I guess that's about the size of it.
Hiram's murder opens up another keg in nails. Ants so well. Betty's
story is that the last she saw of Russell the night he was murdered was
when he drove away in Hiram's taxi. But that story depended on Hiram for
confirmation. You'll never be able to confirm it now. Earlier tonight you were
beat because you were fresh out of suspects, Johnny, Now you got a
real live one again. Maybe, but trying to find a motive to fit
Betty Norton as a blind alley. The only one who could benefit financially from
Russell's death is his wife, Leona and she was in Denver at the time.
I still think Russell's murder ties in with the fact that he came up
here looking for somebody named Bill and apparently had it in for him. It
could be trouble, as Johnny, we got too many guys by that name
at Crystal Lake, Bill Cullen, the hotel bartender, Bill Jensen at the
boathouse. Both of them are still possibilities. Ants. The bartender had a
fight with Russell on the night of the murder, and it was one of
Bill Jensen's padlocks on the cabin where the body was found. Yeah, it's
true enough. Whoever killed Russell and hid his body in Bixby's vacant cabin didn't
know that Bixby was planning on selling the place and would bring somebody up to
show it and discover the body. Sounds real convincing, Johnny. Now all
you have to do is figure out somebody's name for the whoever and a good
motive, And you're also, oh yeah, sure, real simple. You
know one thing that's been bothering me from the start. Though, Why did
the killer plant Russell's body in a cabin with all the wide open spaces around
here? Why a cabin. Yeah, he could have figured dogs or animals
that uncover the body was outside somewhere. How about the lake. The bodies
have a way of coming to the surface. Yeah, I guess you're right.
If we could only have gotten to him before this. You haven't to
know where he lived. No, a little rooming house not far from the
hotel you threw here. No, not yet, Johnny. I got a
couple of my boys beating the bush around here. Okay, I'll head back
to town and see if I can turn up anything of interest at Hiron's rooming
house. On the way back to the village, I stopped at Betty Norton's
Lake Shaw mansioned but she wasn't at home. Her housekeeper told me she'd gone
to Denver for a couple of days. On hearing that, my interest in
her as a suspect shot up again, Expencer con hadem ten a dollar forty
five long distance call to the Denver police, requesting them to try to locate
Betty Norton prefer the questioning. Then I went to the rooming house where hirem
had lived. I couldn't find anything in his room that would give me a
lead on his killer. But as I was coming out, I found someone
in the hall home, whites Well, Bill the bartender. Oh hello,
Dolly, what are you doing here? Real simple? I live here all
same rooming house as Hiram. Huh, that's right, I'll look. Don't
go trying to tie me into his moutar. He was friends. I didn't
know the news of his killing was out. How did you know he was
dead? Bill? Well, I just talked to one of Vance Garrett's boys
at the hotel. He told me, Oh, I see, No,
you don't see, Dolly, you still fight. Look, whoever killed Hiram
is the same one who killed Russell. You had a fight with Russell on
the night of his death. Yeah, I explained that to you before.
He was looking for somebody named Bill. He thought I was the one got
tough about it. But that's all it was to it. I didn't kill
him. I didn't kill Hiram. You'll never prove it. I did.
Yeah, Going round and round on the Alry go around, Somewhere along the
line, I must have missed something, but I didn't know what. I
decided to go back and start from the beginning, in this case, Bixby's
cabin, where Russell's body was discovered. I found Bixby in the hotel bar.
Alright, dollar here for a dream? No, no thanks, Bixby.
Yeah, I got a little good news earlier this evening. Sheriff Garrett
told me he was through checking over my cabin so I can get it cleaned
up and repainted. Now you're gonna advertise it again. Not too optimistic about
my chances of selling it. Even though the location of it's been kept out
of the papers, everybody at Crystal Lake here knows about it. Eh.
You never found out who put that new padlock on the door? Huh?
All the lot came from Jensen's boat house, but we haven't been able to
tie in Bill Jensen with any of the rest of it. Look, Bixby,
you mind if I take another look around your cabin? Not at all,
Dolly, you want me to go with you? Now? That won't
be necessary. Okay, here's the key. Help yourself. It was my
last chance. Maybe there was something in the cabin that neither Ansell, Garrett
nor I had noticed before, something anything that would give me a lead.
I spent an hour going through an inch by inch, and I drew a
great big blank. Everything was in place. Nothing had been touched, even
my cigarette butt on the front porch and Bixby's cigar wrapper twisted in a knot
where we'd sat and talked after he'd re enacted the discovery of Russell's body inside.
Only marks on the floor where Ansel Garrett's boys had measured the distance of
the body from the door. Stuff like that. But as far as anything
that would give me a fresh lead, there was nothing, nothing at all.
I was licked and I knew it. Oh, mister Dollar, good
evening, missus Russell. I just dropped into say goodbye. It was very
thoughtful of you. Please come in. Thanks. When are you leaving?
I'm checking out in the morning. What are your plans? I'm not sure,
mister Dollar. I'll probably get rid of the house in Denver and take
it apartment for a while. After that, I don't know. Have you
filed your claim yet on your husband's insurance policy? No, not yet.
My lawyer will take care of it for me. I'd rather not have any
more to do with things like that personally than I can help. Mister Dollar.
Have you gotten anywhere with your investigation? Have you found anyone at all
who could have had a reason to kill my husband, to tell you the
truth, Missus Russell. Up till now, I've gotten Then I saw it
something in Leona Russell's room, just a little thing, but all of a
sudden the whole deal slid neatly into place. But I had to be sure
somehow. I had to start the ball rolling and see what happened, you
were saying, mister Dollar. Oh, yeah, I was saying that.
Up to now, I haven't been able to get any What time is it
a quarter to ten? Oh? I got to make a phone call.
Mind if I use your phone? No, not at all. I was
supposed to call Deputy Sheriff Garrett to check on a new lead, and if
it's panned out, looks like we're in Deputy Sheriff Garrett, Johnny Dollar,
Ants, how's that new lead? Look? What lead? Yeah? Good?
Oh? Maybe putting on that for somebody, Johnny, That's right.
It looks like we're on the right track at last. You can't beat a
lab test. Thanks Ants, something new has developed, mister Dollar. Yeah,
looks like we're finally closing in on the right man. Missus Russell.
I gotta run now. I've got a date with the sheriff, but I'll
keep you posted. I went outside a hotel cottage and waited. I could
hear her on the phone. In a moment, she came on, started
along the trail and then the lake shore. I followed. I was sure
I was finally getting close to Russell's killer, but then a gun barrel on
my back told me I'd gotten a little too close. Older Dollar, Well,
mister Bixby surprised. As a matter of fact, no is that you
Bill Dollar? Hello, Leon Leoni A super little falling for a gig like
Dollar just pulled on you. But I had to talk to you to warn
you. It looks like you're a little stupid too. Bixby. You have
a habit of tying cigar wrappers into knots. I just spotted one of them,
and Leona's conne I should never come to your cottage of the owner,
you insisted, I had to see you. Bill. Yeah, Bill,
that's what threw me about you. Bixby, Clarence Bixby, but a middle
name of William huh wilf. If it'll do you any good now, it
was you and Leona right from the start. Her husband found out about it,
but all he had to go on with the name Bill. Somehow he
got a lead that brought him up here to Crystal Left. Of course I
arranged for him to get the lead. Yeah, you wanted to be easy
to find. You had him the taxi driver to Corey Russell to you,
then killed him to shut his mouth, Bill, get rid of him.
Then you killed Russell in your own cabin and left his body. I had
to the people in the next Captain moved in that night. I was afraid
they'd see me if I moved the body. So you played it's smart.
You stole a padlot from Bill Jensen to throw suspicion on him. Then you
advertised your cavin and discovered the body when a prospect wanted to see the place.
A pretty neat cover, Bixby, You had a lot of night.
I still have dollar enough to do what has to be done now. And
sweet little Leona Russell, the poor grieving wife in it with you right from
the start. Hurry up and do it. Bill, Then you and I
can go, oh no, that's for your wrong, leoner. It's not
gonna be you and I anymore. Bill. You can't say that you engineered
the whole deal right from the start, and I'm sick of it. I'm
getting off. You can't get out, Bill, You hear me, You
can't you? And this is deep as eye ally, Yes, I can
get out all right to the owner. I know what good way. Oh
yes, I've used it before and it works. He is for you,
baby, No Bill, he swung the gun tot her. I drove out
him a too late. I hit him twice in the face and down.
I've been over Leona, but she was gone. She must have been dead
when she hit the ground. Eleventh and final, Ah'm on expense account one
hundred and forty five dollars and twenty cents. Transportation and incidentals from Crystal Lake
Home. Total expenses four hundred and twenty three dollars. Even remarks about Bixby
in jail awaiting trial on three counts of murder, Edward Russell, hire him,
Leona Russell, about Leona whod engineered the whole deal for a payoff?
Well, she got paid off all right. End of remarks. End of
report. Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Now here's our star to tell you
about next week's story. Next week, beginning on Friday night, Because I'm
sure you'll want to listen to the Republican Convention Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and
Thursday of next week. A simple string of beads, and each bead on
it a motive for murder. Join us, won't you? Yours Truly?
Johnny Dollars. Yours Truly Johnny Dollar is starring Bob Bailey, is transcribed in
Hollywood, written by Robert Rife. It is produced and directed by Jack Johnstone.
Heard in this week's cast were Dick Krenner, Charlotte Lawrence, Geene Tatum,
Howard mcneer, Forrest Lewis and herb Ella's musical supervision by A Marigo Marino.
Remember, next week's story will start on Friday night because of the Republican
Convention on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. So join us Friday a
week from tonight, same time in station for another exciting story of Yours Truly,
Johnny Dollar. Roy Rowan speaking welcome back. I think the solution of
Bixby being involved was somewhat obvious from a mystery construction standpoint, as they repeatedly
called back to the idea that Bixby had a special way of tying his to
guers and that would be a weird thing for a show to obsess about if
it had nothing to do with anything. Ideally, there'd be some counter clue
to be a red herring so that we wouldn't guess it, but they didn't
include that for some reason. Still, the final piece was missing, and
the series serves as a warning that going off half cock punching every guy named
Bill is a bit of a fool's Errand well, the most Bill is the
first name Williams. There are a lot of folks named Bill, particularly in
that generation where there are some names where I read the full name and I'm
like, okay, how did you get Bill out of that? Now,
Richard Krenna is credited, and old time radio fans who are listeners to just
the main body of popular stuff will no doubt can consider Richard Krenna as associated
with Walter Dentton on our Miss Brooks. And so it's a bit of a
trait to hear him in his natural voice the way it sounded in nineteen fifty
six. And I guess Rambo fans can also more easily project him forward a
couple decades for his role in the Rambo films. The Indian Announcement goes a
bit more insight into the culture of the time, with the idea that not
only was the show going to be off for the Republican convention, but it
was thought that listeners would no doubt tune into it. The idea was,
of course not partisan, but it was the practice of many Americans, regardless
of political party, to watch the party's conventions. To people in my generation
and maybe a bit younger, this probably seems a bit odd, but conventions
back during this time could be quite exciting and dramatic affairs. Party nominees were
not necessarily known, with most delegates going to the convention free to vote for
whoever they would and the party leaders battle over policy issues and national tickets could
actually be worked out on live television or radio. For all the contrary to
experience with most scripted TV and radio programs on summer break, the conventions could
offer a certain flare of entertainment value. With the shift to presidential primaries and
call becaus is choosing delegates who are pledged to support a particular candidate, and
the nominees being known well in advance, the convention began to diminish importance.
Today. I think it's fair to say that because the nominee is usually known
well in advance of the conventions, there's little drama at the primetime public portions
of the convention, which serve as a sort of coronation or infomercial for the
pre selected national ticket. Whether this is a good thing or not is a
matter for debate, but it does explain why our view of these events is
very different in twenty twenty four than it was in nineteen fifty six. Now,
for our purpose, I should say that the nineteen fifty six Republican Convention
would necessitate one of only two Johnny Dollar cereals not to be a five parter.
And so next week will be slightly effort, but only slightly, as
we'll have a six part story and we'll essentially do three parts on Tuesday and
three parts on Friday, so that'll be the main difference. Now it's time
to turn to listener comments and feedback, and we start over on YouTube and
the Riots Rights regarding the Nick Suar matter, love the show, and then
we also have some comments on our listener survey. Lisa writing in Hiltonhead Island,
South Carolina, Riots. I listen every night. It's my way of
shutting off the crazy world that we're living through. And Matt says it's my
go to podcast, and Timothy says, I love the old time radio shows.
It's like someone is reading me a bedtime story. Well, thanks so
much, Timothy, and thanks so much. Appreciates you all completing the listener
survey. Oh it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day, and
I want to go ahead and thank Jennifer. Jennifer has been one of our
Patreon supporters since May of twenty sixteen, currently supporting the program at the Detective
Sergeant level of seven dollars and fourteen cents or more per month. Thank you
so much for your support, Jennifer, 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 will be back on Tuesday with another Yours truly Johnny Dollar Cereal, but
join us back here tomorrow for Dragnet Where ambulance on the way, Jorge and
use it both? Did you call a crime lab there on the way?
Okay, we better take a look at that back round right, So where
you found him? Calling, nothing's been touched. Safe was up when we
got here, cleaned out, shut twice through the back, both of them.
They both did. When you got here. The old man was she
wasn't she said anything, She said the whole up. Guy wanted all the
money in the safe. The old man gave it to him, pleaded with
him not to shoot. Yeah. While I was handing over the money,
the old man dropped a ten dollar bill. He said he was sorry,
stooped to pick it up. Guys shout him through the back. Woman said
she turned to grab her husband. Guy shot her through the back. Hope
you'll be with us then. In the meantime, do send your comments to
Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot nett, follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives,
and check us out on Instagram, Instagram, dot com slash Great Detectives
from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham signing off.