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 check us out on Instagram, Instagram, dot com,
slash Great Detectives. Today's recording is provided by Radio Archives dot com. Radio
Archives produces high quality full time radio collections, pulp fiction ebook reprints, and
pulp fiction audiobooks, and you can get a sample of each of these by
sending an email to Detectives at Radio archives dot com. They will send you
an email containing links to download one of each. Addition to that, Radio
Archives has acquired in the course of its many years of operations, thirty six
thousand Old Time Radio transcription desk, and they have digitized these and are making
them available to subscribers at a rate of six hundred transcription transfers per month.
You can get an idea of what the quality and variety of programs being offered
by going to transfers do Great Detectives dot net fifty nine dollars and ninety eight
cents, you'll be able to purchase the entire first month's worth of programs,
and the purchase price goes directly to benefit the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio.
And if you like what you hear, you can subscribe for sixty dollars
per month, which is half off the typical subscription price. Just go over
to Transfers dot Great Detectives dot net to try this out. But now it
is time for today's episode of follow Events. Original air date June the twenty
seventh, nineteen fifty and the title as the Argyle Murder Case. Hey Danny,
you'll never be a sailor, Joey? Why not? Sailors don't say
hey, They say Ahi, okay, So I ain't a sailf just a
deck can down the ferry boat? An he also, who cares if I
ain't no article? What's the matter of Joey? Lonesome? Down now?
And deck? Oh? Me? Yeah? How can I be lonesome?
It's three am. There ain't a soul on board except you and me and
the captain. But why should I be lonesome? I got life preservers to
talk to. There's a couple of chains that ain't doing nothing either. I'm
having a wonderful Hey, what's a matter of Joey, Danny, quick,
come down here on deck fast? Okay, okay, I'm coming. How
do you like that? I don't sound like you just stumbled on a million
bucks. It's a mante holy Leca. That's somebody, Danny, A dead
buddy looked when you was coming down. Yes, you wanted something to happen
on this run. Joy. You certainly didn't want this, no more than
that guy wanted it. Yeah, I wonder how it got here. When's
the last time you passed the spot of deck? I hate been here at
all tonight? I told just now and I could have been Brad. What
do you see Danny? But nothing? We didn't know he's dead, probably
have been shot. Well, we got a report to get the cups in
lea pulling. Hey he's wearing a double breasted blue suit. That's brand new,
I'd say, wouldn't you, Danny. Yeah, there's black shoes I
know too, and that shirt and that blue tie all brand new. Yeah.
Now, what would anybody expecting to be killed where a brand new outfit
for? Maybe he wasn't expecting to be killed. Maybe, Hey, take
a look at those socks he's wearing. It's matter, Danny, just stiff.
God, you so you forgot your talk? You said, hey,
you meant ahoy, didn't you? And what's the difference? His corps is
wearing brown woolen sucks. H girls sucks. They kin'd your wife knits for
you have chinken knit, which mine can't. So what so he's wearing brown
our girls sucks? So you don't wear brown socks with a blue suits?
Oh he wasn't a dude? What do you figure me? Yeah? You
not figuring anything. That's for the homicide Department, the district Attorney and the
das friend file of events to do. You've seen everything you wanted to do
when the morgue, haven't we vans? Yes? I suppose so, margam,
let's get out of here, all right. You've examined the body and
the man's clothes, vants. What do you make of the situation. I'm
not sure yet. I believe the man was killed by somebody who thought we
could never identify his victim, though in otherwise, the suit, the shoes,
the tie, and the shirt were purchased so that the original clothes belonging
to the dead man could be destroyed and identification by that means made impossible.
What about the socks. Fans could be the murderer forgot to buy new socks
and that the ones the victim was wearing were his own. That's fine.
It gives us a lot to go on, gives us a great deal.
For instance, I'll tell you this, the dead man habitually wore tweeds,
scotch grain shoes, woolen ties. And I think I know where to pick
up his trail. And you're making all of this up. Nobody has been
reported missing in this town that even remotely resembles the individual you describe. I
think the murderer knew nobody would report his victim missing. Here we go again.
Certainly looks that way, it doesn't We understand something. Yes, you've
built the clothes. The dead man wore the tweeds, the woolen tie merely
from the fact that he wore woolen socks. Let me point out, I
didn't mark him. You didn't know. Did you notice the tie clasp that
was on the blue silk tie he was wearing. Yes, And except for
the fact that it was about to slip off the tie, I noticed nothing
unusual about it. It's an ordinary clip. Would be bought in any of
a thousand stores. But it was about to slip off the silk tie.
Now what does that mean? That the victim almost lost his tie? Class?
How do I know what it means? I think it means that the
dead man usually wore woolen ties. They spread the clasp. Consequently, it
couldn't hold a silk tie securely. Oh oh, I see, I grad
you a combination of woolen tie and woolen socks would mean tweeds and possibly Scotch
green shoes. But what's your clue to his identity? Did you look on
the inside of the socks, Markham? No, I did, and I
found something on the inside of the socks that will take me directly to the
inside of this case. Hold it. Yes, tough work, isn't it.
They never told me this in dramatic school. Mister stun't care if I
put this sawd down. It's heavy. If you can rest for a while,
if that's what you mean, that's what I mean, all right.
You know it's just my luck that after I knocked myself out learning this pot,
John Stanley will come back. That's possible that I doubt it. You
never know, he's always been threatening to leave show business, and this time
he's done it. I guess, I hope. So all this rehearsing for
nothing if he hasn't, you're ready to start again, as you're good.
But why couldn't we have been putting on something by Noel Coward instead of this
big Roman tragedy. Oh? Then all I'd have to learn would be to
drink tea. This sword business just isn't for me. All right, I'm
ready, miss, all right, here we go Old the God's Guide.
Oh I saw call on your God's Pool. It is on my arm that
well, go on it. What's the matter? Do you forget your lions?
Sat that noise out at the stage store, I went, I'll still
find out quite a record, Mike, Mike, where is that Doman?
Mister Starr? I'm sorry, indeed, I am this gentleman and sis shown
seeing the owner of this company? Would that be you? Mister Starr?
That is right? May I taught to you alone? I'm final Evans,
Yes, I guess events okay, any black somewhere Michael went back to the
door. Will Evans. I've heard about you, of course, that's very
flattering. Oh what do you want with me thinking of going in for dramatics.
Hardly What male member of your company is missing? Missing? You know,
not here anymore? Can't be found missing? Oh? Missing? Yes,
well it would be John Stanley. I imagine he quit show business obvious
said he wanted to oh man, well built, chestnut hair, war tweet
suits. Yes, that would be Stanley. He's been murdered. You don't
say I could have sworn I did. Is that the man found on the
petty boats dressed in brand new clothes? Yes, it hasn't been in the
newspapers, mister Starr, hasn't it No, but I must have heard it
on the radio. What made you think he might belong to this company?
Vans? In other words, what brought you here? I'll keep that to
myself. In other words, mind your own business. I'd like to,
but you remember you interrupted me. I was not teaching a young fellow Stanley's
Lions and the action of the play, mister Starr. Somebody went to a
great deal of trouble to prevent our identifying the victim. So I have no
doubt that Stanley's murderer intended to throw him off the ferry and into the water,
but he found he couldn't without being seen. Go ahead, dance.
I once played a private investigator like you and a play only I did it
better. Oh, of course, more conviction. Oh your last speech,
for instance, I have no doubt that Stanley's murderer intended to flow him off
the ferry is see what I mean? Who would want to? Oh,
mister Starr, the murderer of John Stanley wanted two things. He wanted to
make it difficult for anybody to identify the dead man, and he wanted to
avoid being caught or quite tell that to me. Oh, you might pass
the word along. Oh. I want the killer to be a little bit
nervous, and he will be when he finds out what I know. All
right, man, So I'll see the people in showbers. Just know what
a genius you are. Do then, and star, don't forget what I
said about spreading the word around about wanting the killer to be nervous. Oh
allow me, mister Starr, you dropped your cigarette coming, you know,
mister man, I'm Mala Martin. That's my stage name. May I come
in? Thank you? Thank you very much so kind of you, Miss
Martin. That's my stage name, La Martin. I'd like to sit here
on this red chair. May I thank you? Thank you very much.
You're wondering who I am and why I'm here, aren't you? Mister Bills
still in mind to find it? I always knit even when I talk.
I talk much better when I you'd be surprised. How much better take quite
a shock to surprise me more than I am. You mustn't mind me.
I'm La Martinett. That's your stage name. Yes, why did you come
here, miss martin somewhere? Here to my apartment? I'm final vance.
Oh here, don't you remember? Oh so I did? Oh no,
I'm afraid I must be going favorite. Wait a moment. Don't scream.
It means to dance. I came to do you a favor. You see
how I was backstage when you were talking to Roger starter day at the theater.
I'm in the play. I play a Roman handmaiden. John got me
the job, of course whatever John would get me a job. He liked
mister Dance, and I liked him. No, he's dead, Yes he
is, and I want to find out who'll kill him. But that's what
I came up to tell you. What you screamed at me? And I
don't know whether to tell you and no not. You see, maybe the
next time you won't scream at somebody? Stop it? What stop it?
At once? You want me to stopting? Oh? What do you know
about John Stanley's death? I know who killed him? Oh? Per say
yes, how are you screamed dead? Oh? Killed John Stanley? You're
doing it again? And you look like such a nice man. You have
such nice red chairs. Rehe is my favorite time. I'll find you an
Indian. Always it that you think killed him? Think yes, think,
I don't know. I don't think. I know it was Milton Talbot.
Of course. Do you know where I could get a red lovely? I
told you what you wanted to know. We were talking about this always,
Milton Talbot. He's the editor of Talbot Tidbit. It's a newspaper. What
is Oh yes, it prints everything about everybody in show business? What size
sucks do you wear? Mister Van's If you don't scream at me, I'll
nitch you a peer. I'm sorry about the screaming, Miss Marley. Do
you know why Talbot killed Stanley? I don't know everything, mister Vans.
Only the Talbot did it because they had a great, big quarrel, and
Talbot said he was going to do. What was the quarrel about money?
What do you men generally quarrel about money? Money or women? Of course?
What was the connection between Talbot? Wait a minute, I know that
paper he puts out. He runs a lot of scandal, which performers can
keep out of print if they take an advertisement in his paper. You still
haven't told me what size sucks you wear? Talbot had an argument, Eh,
perhaps mister Stanley found out something about the blackmailing publisher of Talbot's tidbits.
You look like about a size nine. Night. Thank you for coming here,
miss Margaret. I'm ready to see mister Talbot. I'm going to find
out if he took time out from putting items in his paper to put a
bullet in John Stanley's heart. Talbot speaking, this is the Laws Williams.
You call me? Oh, yes, yes, I did. Let me
see Oh, Miss Williams. You have a film contract, haven't you?
Why? Yes, I leave for the coast in a month. Maybe what
do you mean? Maybe let me read you a story I'm publishing in the
next issue. Is my favorite? Lawrence Williams has been signed by ACMEE Studio
for the mother role in their new productions so high at the time. Yes,
act MEE believes Miss Williams is the typical American mother, and we'll start
an extensive campaign on her when she arrives in California next month. Oh,
that's very nice of you to print that, mister Talbots. The second paragraph
is much nicer will for me. It says, wonder if act me knows
that Miss Williams is really missus Bessie Doyle, who deserted her husband and three
children when they were infants, and they still wanted on a charge of shoplifting
in her native city. How did you find out about that? It's my
business to find out things, Miss Williams. Oh, it's very possible my
paper would be so crowded by advertisements that the second paragraph doesn't get in.
Oh I haven't any money, and isn't this blackmail? Is? Well,
it's certainly is. What have I asked you for? Oh? Nothing?
How much is a full page ad? I don't know if I want an
ad from you? Oh please, mister Talbot, I'll get the money somewhere.
You've got to take it. Miss Williams, Who are you? My
name is Vance there was nobody in your outer office, so I came right
in. I hope I'm not intruding. You're right with you, certainly it's
Williams. Yes, I'll call you back. You're sure you want to put
an ad in my paper? You no, I do. I'll be speaking
to you. Goodbye, bye, Well vance, you talk quite loud,
Talbot. I heard most of your conversation with that miss Williams. People just
begged but adds in my paper. I don't know why. Oh, yes
you do. If I wanted working on a murder case, i'd blast that
record of your as white open. You'd what and don't leave papers like that
little notation on Roger's Star lying around on your desk very revealing. Are you're
going to blast my racket? Uh? Oh, you're going to get to
help yourself. I don't need any help to break your recket or you people
do talk. I'm glad you did that. It's illegal to start a fight,
but this is self defense and I'm great. Oh, put that in
your newspaper, Talbot. While you're at it, Why don't you insertain that
verdis mad under help wanted just those two words help wanted. Sign it with
your name this is just returning Markham. The Argyle murder case opened with the
finding of the body of a man dressed in brand new clothing, the exception
of a pair of Argyle socks. Fance, with only this meter clue to
work on, has identified the body and has managed to interview three people,
Roger's Starr, owner and featured performer in the theater company in La Martin,
an actress, and Milton Talbot, publisher of a theatrical newspaper. Vans is
now in my office, and all right, marcom Ile, tell you thanks
Vans, inasmuch as you're certain that the Argyle socks John Stanley was wearing put
you on the trail of his murderer. But I think I'm entitled to know.
It's relatively simple for you. You mean, we'll see what you think
after I explain. All right. As you know, I'm working on the
assumption that Stanley's clothing was taken from him, that he was garbed in brand
new clothing by his killer. The killer intended to throw the body from the
ferry, but found he couldn't, so he let it lie on the boat
to be found. I go along with that. Good. Now, when
the murderer bought the new clothes, he forgot to buy socks, and he
thought nothing of leaving Stanley's own socks on the body, believing they couldn't be
traced. But you trace them? No, what do you mean? No?
He told me the socks sent you to the theater where that Roger Star
company was rehearsing a Roman play that I did. But it wasn't the socks
themselves, wasn't. It was a smear of makeup I found inside the socks.
Makeup inside a pair of socks. Yes, what would make up be
doing inside a pair of socks? My answer to that seemed logical. If
the dead man were an actor, and if he were appearing in a play
that called for bare legs, like a Greek or Roman drama, he'd have
makeup on his legs. Oh, there was only one such drama in town,
Roger Star's production. You went there and found John Stanley was missing.
I see now, I'm glad, and there's something I'd like to see,
and that is my way clear to a solution of this case. I refuse
to believe you have no idea who killed Stanley. I refuse to believe.
I can't prove my idea, and so I will. When that is something,
only the murderer continue the murderer. The Stanley killing was for Prophet Markham,
but his slayer is going to give himself away. I'm glad you sent
for in, mister Telford. John always talked about you and I wanted to
meet you, and isn't it funny? But now that he's dead, here
I am in your office. You don't mind to find it an if you
do anything? But why did you stop talking? Well, I've got to
talk. If a person has something to say, a person has to talk
else how would anybody know what it is she has to say. I used
to hear you and John talking all the time. All right, all right,
now look like La Martin. It's my stage name is La. Listen
to him? But I am all right. You know that John and I
had a business arrangement. Of course, I know. Have you always touched
wood when you're talking business like? Yase? Change? So you want as
eccentric as you're saying, are you me? I don't think I'm eccentric.
Other people do, but I'm not responsible for them. Why don't you keep
talking to Albert? Well, that's Betty Lyla. You in that wacky act
you put on are accepted in a lot of places I can't get to.
You can get me a lot of information, like your friend John Stanley used
to do. I pay for information. Do you want to stand enough to
keep listening? That's all I is. Get me some dope on stage people
that they won't want to see published, and I'll see that. There you
are, tell but I'm going to kid Oh no wait, I'm delars Williams.
You have us story about me. I can't afford to take the ad
we talked about, and I can't afford to have you print the story.
So I'm going to kill you. A woman with a gun says she's going
to kill you, mister Talbot. I don't think she will look Miss Williams.
Put down that gun. Let's be reasonable. Reasonable. There's only one
kind of reason, you understand, and it's I knocked her on up hold
a town. Oh pretty good, slugging with my hand bag, don't your
pink Talbot? I guess I rate an assist. Yes, she certainly do.
She comes to I'll cut her out of here. Thanks for your help,
Lilo. We ought to understand each other better, you know, John
Stanley was tired of you. Of course, I just wanted to make sure.
Now where were we in the middle of a business proposition? Oh that's
right. I'm going to give you a phone number. It's my pencil.
I write it down. I wanted my own, my gold pencil. It's
my gold pencil. I've got to have my pencil. Now you're talking like
me. Is a gold pencil underneath that letter? Oh? Yes, thanks,
got to have it. When I write something that has to do with
my business, here's the phone number. Here's it. When you wear anything
I can print, okay, and tell me something. What are you faking
when you're talking normally like nah, or when you're a babbling to tell you
the truth? Tell But I've been doing that babbling act so long I don't
know which is the real me. Look here, mister fans, the last
time you were backstage, you're talking to mister Starr. There is trouble.
Maybe you better go away. I will, Mike, but I'm expecting a
friend of mine to meet me here mister Markham read him outside. Mister Starr
says if you got here again, I should throw you out now. Mike,
please, he said, get the stage. Chance to help me.
That, of course is different problem, no problem that you can solve.
My friend, say, I remember you really you were rehearsing a duel with
mister Starr when I was here last That's right, you were taking John Stanley's
place. So so you must have known Stanley. I still say so.
So if you wanted his job badly enough. What wait a minute, he
didn't kill John Stanley. Eddie here had a job with the company Jo always
headed. He comes to mister Starr's hometown. Oh he does, ain't like
sure, Eddie. Yeah, I've got some information on mister Starr, some
trouble he got in back home. So what year was that? That was
a long time ago. How did you find out? I saw a memorandum
on the desk of a man named Talbot when I went to see him.
I imagine John Stanley knew about mister Starr's trouble. I made the mistake of
telling Stanley one night. And it's not Fancy's Poe hit out like, yes,
mister Starr out the hill. I don't want him to do him,
Ouster Vance, I'm sorry, but I'm not ready to leave yet. I
am give me Frankie, Sam mister Starr, I watched the guy thrown out
come on advancy, better move reinforcements arriving. Eh, well, I still
okay. This isn't the subway. Subway you're on no subway. This is
where you get off. I think you're like leaving a place of your own
free will? Is there? Oh? Markolm, you arrived just in time
to be too late. Two of us might have given the five of them
a little action. Only five of them. Well, let's go back in.
It's a luxury I can't aboard right now, Markham, I want you
to have Roger Star, owner of this company, in my apartment in an
hour. Oh, it sounds like we're nearing the end of his case.
I'll do advance. But why because he had a motive for killing John Stanley.
So did a man named Talbot. I'd like you to have there too,
And likewise, a girl named Lilam Martin that's her stage name. That
shouldn't be too much trouble the showdown, Vance, I think. So if
you can get all three to show up while we're waiting for this Evans to
get here, I think I'll sit in the same cheer I said in when
I was here before the red one? All right with you, mister Starts,
certainly? Well, then get up. You're sitting in it. I
want it. I always did when I'm sitting around with just my patience,
Markham, what's the big idea of getting us straight here? I'm sure Vans
fans will explain everything now that he is here. Mister Evans, if you'll
only tell me what size sucks you were here, I'm sorry I kept you
waiting. I had to stop at a stationary store. I have in my
hand three pads and three sets of pencils. What are we going to do?
A play school? Yes, but I'm the only one who's going to
learn anything. That's one set of pencils and a pad for you, Miss
Martin. Martin, it's your stage, one set of pencils and a pad
for you, and mister Start. I suppose I should say thank you.
Perhaps I'll have occasion to thank you. Ribber, you're set, mister Talbot.
Just what I always want? A pad and three pencils, each of
a different color. Gee, what do we do with these? Each of
you? Take your green pencil and write the word green on the pad.
Go on, do it, oh brother? Are to yourself. Please,
Now what the next pencil is, the red one, Take it and write
the word red on the pad. Now do the same thing with the black
pencil, writing the word black. What's this you'll see? Markham already?
Yeah, of course, good your pad, Miss Martin. Oh yes,
here, green, red black, yours, mister Talbot, here, green,
red black, mister Starr, here you are, thank you, green,
red black. Take a look at these three slips, Markham, I
am looking. Everyone seemed to write what you told him to, except mister
Starr. What's going on here? I wrote green red black. Didn't die,
certainly, but you used the wrong pencil. You used the black pencil
to write green and reverse the other two. Also. Oh, that's terrible,
isn't it. What's it's supposed to approve? Nothing very much, just
that you killed John Stanley? Please, fans very well. You have a
confession from Roger's Starr. But you want to know how I discovered he was
the killer from that red, green and black test? That is it exactly?
Well, let's go back to the argyle socks. Mark, all right,
the brown argyle socks that were on the legs of the dead John Stanley.
I'm back to them. I told you that the killer in reclothing the
body had forgotten to buy socks, simple error of which he thought nothing.
But he left the corps wearing a blue outfit suit and tie and brown socks
with black shoes. I'm beginning done stand Bans. You're beginning to understand correctly,
too good. Roger's Starr saw nothing wrong in leaving Stanley's own socks on
the body because he didn't know they were brown. Uh huh? Who was
colorblind? As my test proved, you knew the murderer had to be colorblind,
or he'd never have left, save as a clue that the dead body
had been reclosed exactly when Starr couldn't tell what color pencil he had in his
hand. I knew he was colorblind. I knew his motive, of course,
desire to keep John Stanley from selling information about his past to Talbot.
He didn't know Stanley had already told the black Man editor, against whom I
have already prepared an indictment. Food. It'll be the end of this black
meaning paper, believe me, thanks, just as this is the end of
the Argyle murder case. Markham a boy, Oh wait, I'm not a
sailor, so welcome back, because sailors they always say ahoy. I knew
a guy who had been in the Navy and he never said ahoy to me.
Maybe it's just because he didn't like me, but I digress. I
love the performance of Lila. Now, this is a stick that can get
really annoying, and you can understand why the characters in the story were annoyed
by it, but the way the actors did it was just perfect. So
it's interesting that the actor who was murdered was named John Stanley, given that
that was the actual name of a New York radio actor. John Stanley played
Sherlock Holmes in the two seasons that were sponsored by Clipper Craft, and I
can't help but wondering if there's some inside joke we might be missing here,
because that's a weird coincidence. Follow Ants continues to get his exercise, and
I have to admit, of all the beatdowns he's given in the show,
probably no guy deserved it more than the blackmailing newspaper guy. Although I think
that they do kind of try to ground his abilities here with the idea that
he might be able to win some two on one fights, But He's not
going to be one of those action guys who beats up five people. Apparently,
if he wanted to, the district attorney was more than happy to go
in and get into Fistikovs with some stage hands in order to further the investigation.
So at last Vans had that going for him. All right, Well,
listen to our comments and feedback now, and had a comment from Joel,
who writes, I cheered to hear that Dragnette is coming back. This
was my entry into the podcast and honestly the world of old time radio.
That being said, I've also really enjoyed Tales of the Texas Rangers, and
I'm sorry to see that program coming to an end. Well, thank you
so much, Joel. I appreciate your comment. And now it's time to
thank our Patreon supporter of the day, and I want to go ahead and
thank Mona. Mona has been one of our Patreon supporters since June of twenty
sixteen, currently supporting the podcast at the rookie level of two dollars or more
per month. Thank you so much for your support, Mona, and that
will do it for today. If you are enjoying this podcast, please follow
us using your favorite podcast software, and if you're enjoying the podcast on YouTube,
be sure to lock the video, subscribe to the channel, and mark
the notification bell, all those great things that help YouTube channels to grow.
We will be back next Thursday with the final episode of Final Vance. Join
us back here tomorrow for the conclusion of the Lamar Matter where Johnny. Dear
Johnny, this is Vunny. Oh yes, please come out here to the
house right away. There's something wrong, Johnny. I you said you came
back at a South Bend too well, because you didn't want me to have
to be alone to face the death of my father. Yes, dear Johnny,
you also said you have business here. Well, yes, it is
it connected with my father's death. Unny, Please, do you don't lie
to me? He was insured for over a million dollars or do you know
that? Listen? Was this business of yours connected with daddy? Was it
because you too think he was murdered? Johnny? I'll come on and see
him. I hope you'll be with us then. In the meantime, do
send your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net, follow us on
Twitter at Radio Detectives, and check us out on Instagram, Instagram, dot
com, slash great detectives from Boiseatto. This is your host, Adam graham
Son and all