For your listening enjoyment. John lund As, Johnny Dollar. Mister Dawg,
this is Wilbur Runyon. I planned to meet you at the Dallas Airport,
but by the time I actually paid. Oh it's all right, I'm sorry
you went to that trouble. I took a cab in. Are you at
your office though, Oh yes, I'll be right over it. I hope
the Home office didn't think I was foolish asking for your help in this matter.
But oh no they didn't, not after paying our four policies in one
employee group in so short a time. That's the way I figured it.
Accidental dance at the oil wells are one thing, but wow, murder puts
a different light on Yeah, it usually does. I'll be there in ten
minutes. Right here, I have a few words to say, and I'll
say them as quickly as possible. You know, someone once said that everyone
and everything in America depends on speed, and that as our country grows older,
we all move faster. But it wasn't much more more than one hundred
years ago that the fastest anyone could travel was at the speed of a running
horse, which wasn't very fast when you compare it to the speed of our
latest jet planes and talk about going to the moon at twenty five thousand miles
an hour. And during that same one hundred years or so, we've grown
from the first crude telegraph to the perfection of color television. Yes, this
increased speed in transportation, communication, and everything else has changed almost everything in
our country, including the cabinet of the United States. For example, up
to World War II, there wasn't any reason why the War and Navy departments
shouldn't be directly responsible to the President. But then there was a growing need
for the speeding up of military action and decisions, calling for unified commands and
the more closely knit integration of military activities. Thus, our Department of Defense
was born, creating a new cabinet posed to coordinate and to execute the overall
general policies relating to the armed forces, and the secretary heading this new Department
of Defense became the representative to the President for the newly designated secretaries of the
Army, Navy, and more recently, the Air Force. In the future,
our fast moving world may add even more members to the President's cabinet to
ensure the safety and well being of our United States expense account submitted by Special
Investigator Johnny Daller to Home Office employees Cooperative Group Insurance Company, Hartford, Connecticut.
The following is an accounting of expenditures during my investigation of the Syndicate matter.
Expense account out of won one hundred and six dollars and forty cents airfare
and incidentals between Hartford and Dallas, including cab fare to the Alamo Building,
where I contacted Wilbur Runyan, manager of your Southwestern Division. You read my
report of the Home office, mister Dollar, Yeah, what there was of
it? Oh, there's much I can add to it. I'm afraid even
the sheriff that Tupelo doesn't know anymore than what I wrote. With a new
oil strike, the fellow's a boom town that always means a certain amount of
trouble. Four murders seems like an extra large helping though, even for a
boom town, I don't know what to think of it. Of course,
practically every man working in that field is insured with us under the group plans,
so it is not unusual it'll be paid off in all four cases.
No, but it is unusual for all four men to die the same way.
He said that each case the victim has been beaten to death. The
murders all followed the same pattern. That would seem to indicate that they'd all
been done by the same person or person that's right, and collecting the insurance
money might seem to be the answer if all the policies had been made out
of the same beneficiary. But they weren't. Who did benefit in all four
cases the wife of the victim. That still doesn't roll out of synicon.
What do you mean killers can be hired, mister Ruggan. They collect their
share of the insurance after an unhappy wife becomes a merry widow. Not in
this case. Why not? Oil company that made the strike at Dupello is
one of the best. They pay the premiums for their employees, no payroll
deduction. So so two of the wives who collected didn't even know about the
insurance until we contacted him. That could be an act. I'll let you
judge that for yourself. How last man killed was a driller named Gonzales,
Mexican. I haven't paid the claim yet. I asked his wife to come
in this afternoon to pick up the check. She'll be here in a minute.
Money comes from You mean, who's killed my husband? Uh no,
Missus Gonzales. It's insurance, life insurance. They all company paid for two
thousand dollars. Oh that's right. Now you have a family, Missus Gonzales,
somebody who can go to my mother and my brother and Sonora. But
my husband, well he always wanted a baby to be born here and it
stethers new anything was been to be so good. Did your husband have any
enemies? Enemies for what? Ye? He never heard nobody. There were
three other men killed, Missus Gonzales. Did he know any of them?
I don't know. No, I don't think so. We were in too
Pella forty three weeks. Three weeks. Uh, I forgot to mention that
my report, Dollah, all the men killed have been newcomers to the Tapella
field. Or why'd they work before they came there? They all come in
from the same job someplace else. Oh, no, all came from different
places. None of'em would worked for a couple of months or before hitting
Dupella. According to employment records, was your husband out of worked for a
long time before you went to Dupella, Missus Gonzales, Yes, we have
no money she wor only did your husband drink uh cammel? Oh? No
good, He wants a good monch. He try hard to work every day,
even when he was hurt. Hurt? Where how when it was some
accident? To when you know anything about that? Rigon? No? But
uh one of the other women mentioned the same thing. Uh, an accident
the week before the killing. What did your husband say about his accident?
Missus Gonzales really tell me he falled this off, but he has marks all
over for two days, he stay him there. I tried to make him
stay longer, but she cried, See, he must get up and go
back to work. He said he's afraid he would lose their job. Well,
not for an i'm the job injury. He wouldn't. There isn't any
record of an on the job injury dollar. He was afraid for something he
wouldn't tell him, but he was afraid. How do I get to Torpello?
Oh? Uh? Raidaways bus people right across the street. But like
I said, even the sheriff is stumped on miss I'm not going to see
the sheriff. I mean to get myself a job in that oil field.
Oh see, I want me to contact the company. Make sure there's an
open now. I don't contact anybody. We already know four openings. Expenser
count item two five dollars and twenty cents per a used suit of dungarees and
a pair of work shoes. Item three six dollars and twelve cents. Bus
fare from Dallas to the Topella oil Field. I found quarters in a Rundown
boarding house, and at seven the next morning I was at the employment office.
Before at nine am, I had a shovel in my hand and was
taking a sludge shop. Hey you a new man, kock all a minute,
you're talking to me. Yeah, come here? What your need?
Johnny Dallas, arm bul farrow, draw a balk on the joor? Hi,
smoke ou Thanks, new man coming on a job, or I could
get to know him, help him along again? Where'd you world class?
Before you come here? I was, Uh, I was out of a
job for quite a while. Ooh, that's too bad. No money coming
in and gets rough on the feller. Yeah he broke. I ain't being
nosey dollar just thought if he was, or might figure out a way to
help. Thanks. I'll get by all right. Well, if you do
get stuck, let me know ah, I didn't go back to work.
He was friendly, all right, a little too friendly. I was a
stranger, but he wanted to help me out with money. And when I
said I didn't need it, he didn't like it. It was too late
to go back to him without making him wonder. I had to figure out
a way to make him offer again. By lunch time, I had a
ticket. I left the while and crossed the field of the office. I
went up to the payroll window. Something I can do for you? Yeah,
I just signed on this morning, Wednesday day weekend Wednesday. You get
your money thirty Any chance of getting a little advance. I'm broke your first
day on the job. What do you think you see it? Oh?
I gotta get buy until pay day. I gotta eat. I can't help
that. Advances are against the rules. Well thanks anyhow, Hey this many?
Yeah, you need some money? See bull Pharaoh? See bull Pharaoh.
All road led back to the straw boss and, seeing it wasn't hard,
he was leaning against the wall a payroll shack when I came up.
Hey, dollar, wait here raising the case here for an advance? Uh?
I could have told you that wouldn't work. You're right, it didn't.
Why didn't you come to me like I told you? All right?
You wanna lend me some money? I wish I could, but uh,
I'm just a working stiff myself. Well, I don't why the offer.
I thought i'd send you to. Frankie Robling runs a tool department and or
somebody died and left him a bundle. He likes help guys along just like
that. Huh, Well, I really expect a little. I'm very trouble
a little interest. After all, he's taking a chance. You're new on
the job. Do you wanna see him or don't you? Yeah? Yeah,
I wanna see him, he said the tool chair. I don't bother
him on a job Room twelve the Capella Hotel tonight, all that I'm looking
for Frankie Robling, my Robbling you dollar a press him? Johnny Dallas ah
ah, still out of come on the next room. Don I understand you
need some doll that's right? How much? How much can I get enough
to live on? So pay day? If you ain't plan on, I'm
taking any trips when you live kill gallants boarding house twenty bucks? See you
through right? It sounds all right? Wow? Yeah, and on payday,
you will drop into me in the thirty back right, thirty for twenty
or just to show you appreciate the fame and you wanted it, don't you.
Alright, do you want me to sign some kind of a note and
I owe you at four I'll remember it, and if you forget, I'll
remind you twenty dollars and the poor dead workman. There was a big gap,
no way of linking them together, but somewhere the pieces had to fit.
Then Thursday came and I drew my first pay Yeah, alright, God,
get your door right huh oh oh, yeah, well I got it
thirty two eighty h on the three days. Frank Atrobring will be expecting to
see you tonight. I know. He just asked me to remind you.
Some of these roughnecks get abs in minded makes tough on everybody, especially themselves.
Don't worry, bou, I got a good memory. Oh more than
fifty men were in Robbling's room that night, all of them in work clothes,
all of them giving him money, and none of them in giant.
I waited until the last of them paid up and drifted out a dollar.
I see you hanging back with the other boys and shelling nod. I wanted
to see you a long Yeah. You know that means you wanna talk.
And when you wanna talk, it means you wanna stall about payin. I
only had three days pay come. You knew that when you borrowed the money,
I had the boarding house to pay. I had to live. Don't
I do you? All I'm asking for is more time? Oh I don't.
I'll get him what time next pay day? Only then it'll be forty
bucks, not thirty, as I say, I won't pay it. What
do you do then, rubbling take me outside. You're thinking of getting a
hard dollar? No, no, rubbling, just curious. Yeah, big
two, ain't you? Big hard guy? Next week forty bucks. I'll
figure by next week you may soften. Now now, with our star John
Lund, we bring you the second act of yours, truly Johnny Dollar.
I went into a couple of the hockey talks along the main drag and tried
to strike up conversations with men I've seen in Roebling's room, but they shied
away from the subject like skittish horses. I was ready to give it up
when a man I recognized from the job came over and set his beer down
next to mine. Mind if I sit down, help yourself. My name
is Prescott, Wally Prescott. Yeah, I know you were behind me in
the pay line. This happened. Yeah, when I saw you up at
Roebling's room tonight. How are you doing that? Man A Yeah, I
saw you too, but you didn't pay off? How do you heard some
talk? Let it roblink and both farrell. It's not my business maybe,
but uh, you better pay. I'm sure of cash. Look, a
lot of us are short. I'm just telling you for your own good.
I'm gonna book myself. I don't like it. Let him sue me.
That isn't the way they working. How do they working? We'll asking a
couple of the others could tell you you don't pay up in full by next
week, you're michael to get worked over. That doesn't convince you. Yeah,
and few guys are dining around here, sins the field open. Too
bad if you guys didn't have a talk with a sheriff instead about what a
beating in a dark alley from a bunch of guys you can't identify? What
would it prove and what happens next? When the guys you want behind bars
can't be put there. Every pay thing I just about managed to pay off.
I got a wife and two kids, so I gotta borrow all over
again to feed'em. Blunsky's in the same boat, so a dozen others.
I wanted to walk and think about it. Oh. I left the
main drag behind and started toward the boarding house, cutting across lots on the
gravel walks between the trailers. Yeah, did you give me a hand?
Where are you back here? Into the tailor? What's the matter? Oh?
The chain? Take quad or something? Myself won't work? Just last
night? No, huh, I'll see what I can do, though,
haven't you got? A waves of pain swirled over me, and then I
was sucked down into a whirlpool of blackness and I came out of it.
I was alone. I could feel the gravel biting into the side of my
face and said a while. I ran in to get on my feet make
my way to the boarding house. I fell across the bed with my clothes
on and passed out again. Oh, come in, well, what happened
to you? Dollar? I had a little accident though, isn't that what
usually happened? Uh? Rough Town? I don't know'em better, and you
could lick it up on pay night. And I know that's what happened when
you didn't show for work this morning. But I just say it, well,
and oh what are you talking about? You know what I'm talking about.
You and Roebling had me watch over. I wouldn't go around saying foolish
things I couldn't prove. If I was you, things could be worse.
You know, you might have been hurt as bad as Queskuit was prescin.
Yeah, he got to talking through a bottle last night and somebody resented it.
He's over at the hospital. I ain't saying much today, though.
Get he sobered up. Guy with two kids probably do the whole week's work.
Robling lights him. Oh, you seem true. Better be back on
the job tomorrow though. You got obligations too. You know they're due next
Thursday. Don't worry, bo, I'll be paid off in four expense to
get at him four five dollars to doctor Wayne Libbertt of Topello for patching up
some of the damage done by Frankie Roebling's bill collectors. I had him five
eighty cents round trip bus fare to the county seat at Langham, where I
laid the story on the line for a sheriff at McMahon, I wants can
you prove dollar? I specul it. I could probably put a couple of
deputies. Got luck, we might be able to hang a loan shark charge
on Robling. He'd get bail and scare all the witnesses out of town in
five minutes. Sure he would. Sorry, I want him from murdered.
I want him very hue do yeah. I know everybody's been on my necks,
the Pellow mess letter from civic groups who are covering the churches, the
ill for action, but they forget about evidence when they get a position where
they couldn't testify personally. That's when they lose their tongues. Press could can
testify to the setup. Do you think you'll testify now? After what happened
to him? Just pretty gave you a warning? Can you point to one
single man I line up and say he did it? No? I neither.
Can I wait a minute, I suppose you got him trying to kill
somebody before they succeeded me. I was jumped last night for failing to pay
Robling. Gonzales and the others drew one beating that way before they were killed.
Yeah, I see what you mean. Robling expects me to kick him
with forty bucks next to day night. Suppose I don't pay him again.
You're willing to be the clay pigeon on it. You keep me tagged next
Thursday night from the minute I eave that hotel. How about that. But
if we stopped them from killing you, we still wind up with an assault
shot. Although they've done murder before, those sheriff. When you take'em
in and split them in different cells, each one is gonna be worrying about
how much the others are talking. Somebody in that Seneca that is gonna get
nervous. I went back to the job. For the first couple of days,
my head dropped and my sides ached till the beating finally wore off.
Baul Pharaoh was at his post outside the payroll shack when Thursday came. I
saw him speak to a couple of the men with me. He didn't think
it was necessary. When we knocked off for the day, I headed straight
for the Tupelo Hotel and roblings Hello teller, Hello Rubbling, come up on
business or just to talk again. I came up to tell you I couldn't
pay you this week. Oh it's too bad. I'm sorry to hear it.
I had an accident, had a fair doctor built. I borrowed twenty
bucks from you, and you'll get it next week. Twenty bucks. That's
a bad Disney stole it, lend money without interest. You gonna do something
about it. A big guy like you know? Your two drinks for me
much too big? You know what I'm gonna do. I got an idea.
I'm gonna make that twenty a gift dollar from me to you, no
string, no strings at all. I left the hotel and hit the main
drag as I had the week before. I started a sweat. The sheriff
and his deputies were around, I couldn't see him. I pretended to have
quite a few drinks and a half a dozen bars before I headed to the
boarding house. Once I got away from the center of town, the streets
were like a cemetery. Biggar, who's that oh wear friend of yours?
With me? Fella like you met last week, wanted to take you to
a party with it? No thanks, Come on, boys, you can
do it here alright. Hold, you could have listened to Prescott. He
told you a couple of guys who was killed. Okay, boys, give
him the full drop his kind. Alright, that's a lie. I got
poor deputies right and hurt on his party. But it's one here to move.
Stop the pullet. I just stay. I get your hands up.
You all right, Donnar? Yeah? Why the devil? Were you right
in the car and away? I turned into the driveway across the street.
How do you know where to take out this big mind later after his playmates.
I gonna tell bar right after you left, my deputy was standing list
ten feet away from him. Okay, so I beat the guy up.
He didn't pay the fine. I got a half a dozen murder warrants here
in the name of John Doe too. What do you want to do about
them? White your corp? You kidding? No, I'm not prescottin Bronskin.
Twenty other men are in jail right now, protective custody, and they've
all made statements. Some one of them is bound to recognize one of your
boys. H We got all of you except Frankie Rupley. He's the boy
who's gonna pay the fine. Bow While he was sweated out. He'll pay
a fine for loan shocking and then get out of the state. Huh,
whore you grew uffing You guys, keep your mouth shut. You got nothing
on any of us. It's all go in and wait and see. Huh.
They waited, but they didn't break. We knew that by Monday morning
Robling would have a high powered attorney in the spring him on a wrint.
Roblin was getting generally himself though. He didn't know what was going on inside,
and it was killing him. They watched him from the upper window of
the courthouse. Get him down there. He's more nervous than the ones that
got here under lock and key. Yeah, than hanging around all day.
But could only get him in here for twenty four hours on the loan charge.
He'd bail himself up before he got the key turned. Hey, who
is that? He's talking to Jailia going over the tree to get supper for
the other. Every time he crosses the street rob and trucks the pumping.
It's a frightened manager. He could blow up any minute. Dont less we
find a way to light the fuse. Hey, wait a minute, may
but we can get a match under him huh. They're putting on a show
for his benefit. Suppose he thought we were going to bring Bull in here
tonight and work him over. I don't handle prisoners that way. Dollar,
you don't have to. All we want is for Roblin to think you're doing
it. Is there a telephone over that to say, yeah, call over
and get your jailer on the way back. He can tell Robling the bull's
getting a workout tonight. I'll get what you're driving in. What do you
think Robling will be tonight? After he gets that piece of inform right,
Donna where he is now? Switating it up by Priory? Will then what
about ten o'clock at Bull out of the sell and bring him in here?
Our won't man handle him? Daughter? Listen to me? Will you you
bring him in and seat them over there? Robling's across the street, he'll
see it. Yeah. Who's at deputy ears the big guy, Mike Lackin.
Yeah. After we get Bull in here, we pull the shades.
Then we march him right out again and put locking in that chair instead.
If we can stage it right, we put the overhead lights out and turn
that desk lamp on the chair. So throw shadows against the shade. From
where Robelin stands, it looked like the shadow and the chair is bulls.
We can also make it look like we're giving him a terrific beating. Then
what what would you do if you actually got a confession out of somebody in
this room? Well in the next dollars, tie it up, have him
sign it. So oh, that's what you do. M typewriter in there
is right next to the window. Then you bring Ball him to sign it.
He won't sign a confession all that, he'll sign a denial. It
isn't what Bull signs that matters. It's what Roblin thinks Bull Pharrell is signing.
M. I won't say all idea, what do you pull him me
in here for? Won't take him in at boll just want you to sign
his and and what what is? You can read it? It's a statement
you made when we brought in denying any connection with the murder. Would I
have to sign it for routine book or you can't let me get back fleet
here? Excuse my uh, shake hands friend, you've been a real big
have fine, Joe take him back herself. Yeah, he's hoping though,
won't take long to know the share of Robling thinks that. But man yet,
I good, No, I'll handle myself. Let's show down. It
worked, Yeah, Deputy, I think out of the cafe that Robing bolted
like a rabbit. As wos both took your farm, and Ben we'll get
him at the hotel, and Leibo wounded up. There were six up them
all together. Both steered the suckers to robe Ling for half his take and
kept the staff of three musclemen to enforce the payoffs. The girl who got
me into that dark trailer park was the wife of one of the muscle boys.
Expensive count items six same as combined totals of items one and three one
hundred and twelve dollars fifty two cents. Transportation from Tupelo to Dallas and back
to Hartford again, incidentals and miscellaneous were covered by my earnings on the well
job, proving that I live within my means. Expense account total two hundred
and thirty six dollars and four cents. You're thirty thirty dollars. You know,
many great men have attained the highest office in our land, the presidency
of the United States. Can you guess the name of this man? His
great grandfather fought in the Revolution at eighteen. This man was a school teacher
in Ohio, but quit to enlist in the Civil War. In eighteen sixty
seven, he was admitted to the bar and in eighteen ninety six was elected
president. During his administration, the Filipinos were promised their independence, and he
was re elected on a full dinner pail platform. If you don't have his
name by now here's another clue. During his presidency, Major Walter Reed discovered
the cure for yellow fever. Who was he William McKinley, twenty fifth President
of the United States. His life is part of your American heritage. Yours
Truly Aid Johnny Dollar stars John Lund in the title role and was written by
Joel Murcot with music by Edy Dunsenter. Featured in Tonight's cast where Joseph Turns,
William Bias, John McIntyre, Parley Bear, Stacey, Harris, High
Apperback, Virginia Gregg, and Tom Tully. Yours Truly Aid Johnny Dollar is
transcribed in Hollywood by him Dalvaie