Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise Idahol. This is
your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, email it to
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at support dot Great Detectives dot net, or become one of our ongoing Patreon
supporters for its little as two dollars per month at Patreon dot Great Detectives dot
net. Well, now it is time for this week's episode of the Adventures
of Sam Spade. The original air date March ninth, nineteen fifty one and
the title is The Spanish Prisoner Caper. The National Broadcasting Company presents the Adventures
of Sam Spade Detectives. Still, how can you forgive me? Save?
I almost kill you? Why kicked yourself? F you would have done the
private detective profession a great favor. Fire Moving from its rolls, the only
operative in San Francisco, stupid enough to shake an apple tree for an entire
evening, trying to pick up an apron full of bananas. But they all
can't come out riding the end day. But you haven't heard the PostScript Angel
PostScript indeed, batten down the hatches and worn all within ear shot that they're
about to catch stupid Sam the incomparable in a new act. We're during the
next twenty nine minutes to thirty seconds, I shall down the mattle of don
kiote, shoulder my battered glance, and killed that windmills. In an object
lessens the Gullible entitled The Spanish Prisoner Taper Friends Cribe Bren DC William Fear,
Radio's outstanding producer director of mystery and crime drama, brings you the greatest private
detective of them all in the Adventures of Sam Spade. Effie, Oh now
there there, Rangeel. Don't cry, little girl, don't cry you might
have been Yes, we'll have no more word book pencil. They fill it
into Miss Marjorie Loveland Barkhaven Apartments from Samuel Spade still license number one, three,
seven, five, nine, six, down, fade down subject the
Spanish prisoner caper, dear dear Margarine. When they made too darling, they
threw them all away. In this day of the emancipated, self sufficient,
competent female. It came as a fresh breeze gone a boost of my masculine
ego to run across the lady, white haired and fragile with all who needed
protection. After meeting you, rhy know what the fellow Adam Mine when he
wrote Heaven will protect the working girls. As a matter of fact, who
could have been the very girls? And you and the song were about the
same vendors. I do please to down mister school where some tea I tend
to come to your office. But I I decided I just couldn't be going
out at this time, Oh my last wherely my come you see? And
I'd never forgive myself that I was out. Can you out TI now?
When better than the recood? You now? And I'm on pins and neothers.
I do an I'd be here at the Brockhaven, But there's the Brocco
Bank and the Brockhurst from the Brockhorton and and the Brocks. It would be
so easy for him to become confused, being strangers in town. Oh,
I'm a native. I'm confused myself. Then I thought, perhaps you could
locating. He should be that in Mexico. By now was so Louise,
excuse me? So many things could happened to them walking the streets with all
that money. What's money? The gold in the precious gems? How about
starting all over again? Why haven't I made myself here missus space. Well,
I have the end fairly straight yet, But if you'll give me the
beginning, we'll have everything. Oh, oh, a rest Where I suppose
the beginning was three weeks ago in the lobby of the Grand Hotel for Women.
I was saying there temporarily while I was waiting for this department. So
the day I got word I could move here, I passed up and had
them take my things out to the taste. Then I went to the desk
and got my money from the ball, eight hundred and forty es and bills.
My ammuity money had just come to me. Wow, I just put
the bills in My person was starting off the door when it happened this voice
came over my shoulder, a soft, lasting voice, saying, I come
to you on a matter of terrible agency and loan behold of the senor Palmera,
how did you know I have a feeling for those things? Go ahead,
Yes, he's ocus den Luis Alvara was in terrible trouble, he said,
in prison in Mexico City on some sort of trumped up political charge,
and the family, the noble was financially impoverished. Yes, except except for
a casket containing the family jewels and an assortment of priceless heirlooms, all hundreds
of years old handwroffs of the finest virgin goal. However, red caskets and
its precious Howard being hidden away in a secret place known only to Dan Louis.
All he needs is a paltry eight hundred boarding dollars. It was the
houses. I went to the bay a paltry thousand dollars to bribe a jail
official, and prestel, Dan Louis goes free, unearth the casket and rewards
you with an ample share of the family treasure. Missus Spade, you've trust
it in your Powdmera, Nope, how badly you need the dog? He
need it well? Good heavens Spade, it's that I haven't still a stused
there's a small attentions to the school board and kiokus. But dear me,
I don't know just how missus Spade you mean me. He isn't coming back
with my mummy. The truth of the matter, Marjorie, was the you've
fallen for the Spanish prisoners swindle A horry old Chestni to go back to the
day of p. T. Barn a man before that's you look like if
I gave you an honest answer, you dissolved in the tears. As I
said, I was in one of my heaven and Spade will protect the working
girl modes I made up a dishonest one. I'll try and look him up.
Maybe it's all a terrible misunderstanding that snipped two and snipp two isn't jarthy
free miss Prende agency, mister Spa, this is mister Spade coming one.
Oh damn, I'm sorry, Yes, Joy, and I'm trying to learn
a nitp argyle sauce fine drop all stitches and looking a file for me,
will you? I remember getting a circuit or a while back on a carn
man who was running the Spanish prisoner around here under sam Spanish prisoners can games.
I absolutely get out the file out, look at the file, happiness
sto. Oh yeah, I'm sure damn I found it. His named Pedro
Rodriguez, Rodriguez. There's no address, but he says he pbitually associates with
somebody named no Nita Montoya SI slightly slaightly any address for her, six fifty
Mason Streets. Fine, fine, that's all there is, says, Oh
goy, I'm so mixed up with these dark argyles. What's your talk about
that you want to try it sometime? What roar were you on? Twenty
seven? Nip three and sixth one, she says? And I he's wrong,
wrong, wrong, nip two, slip one, nip one, pass
one and nip one. You got it first? Nothing, nothing at all.
I've been going out with a gray lady. Six fifteen Mason Street was
a very large apartment building where the usual brass played in the empyre listening.
The inhabitants, among which I was happy to oath, was ld eat On
Montoya apartment four oh eight. I pick up a house bold and press the
button. Yeah, telegram for Lolita Montoya isn't here? By Lolita? Who
is calling the telegram? Stick it in the box money order somebody has to
sign for it may be important. I wish stick care of it. Understand
yes, yes, say Sonny yeah, climb back into that gap. I
saw you get out of hustle over the Western Junion and tell the president Lolita's
on a vacation. Get it go for you now, Hello, Hello,
nothing dauted. I pressed a few bells until one of the less suspicious tenants
gave me the front door of bus, walked in and took the automatic elevator
or fourth floor, or I should say toward the fourth floor, since halfway
between the third and fourth she quick cool the elevator. That is, there
were devices for such things. I pushed the button, mocked emergency, and
it took me only fifty minutes. They get out, assisted by the janet
or the manager and twelve tenants. The doors on the fourth floor it seemed,
have been carelessly pied open and held that way by a magazine carelessly stuck
in a crack. Continuing my stealthily approach to four or eight, I found
my man and his pal had somehow since I was coming, and run off
without stopping to close the door. The apartment was filled with cigarette smoke,
and not much else, a bad and empty dresser and a table on which
were one pot half full of foul black coffee, a little pointed gadget that
looked like a nuttick, and a handful of metal shaving. I was contemplating
what connection, if any, this had with your missing thousand bucks when young.
That's just I just wanted to inquire how everything is coming to look?
If they see gray? How much rare amazed? A thousand good? For
see? What do you think? A very dro just sive, joyous,
smooth like you said? Pedro, our Spanish prisoner is a valuable man.
Huh. I must hustle over to the lighthouse and inform the leaders lighthouse.
She's been very conscientious in the Ncy grain. It's not every girl who would
tell out her grandfather so readily. Big. Nope, we must not take
a little leader for granted. I would give it a new rumble and we'll
see it a night. It's simpler, right, see right a report,
Pedro? A revoir? What a revoir, hey snide. The only lighthouse
signer was a gin Nill first midway down the embarcad arrow south of Market,
surrounded by shoals from the human wrecks of all descriptions. I place your night
for fine shell game Man and Connie Grippers, but hardly a habitat tract con
Man, it's moving up to work. The Spanish prisoner a lighthousekeeper who looked
like he'd retired from the sea after losing the battle of Movie Dick. He's
been over a pinball machine next to the door. As far as I could
see about a one light on the jointing. It was empty. Oh,
little bad lighthouse keeper. Yeah, yeah, what do you have? Well,
a bear when you're ready, you know. Pedro Rodriguez, Yeah it
worked for me. What a couple of years ago, I can the Yeah,
he's a swab only hotist thickly the ever day was what he was here?
Ah, thanks, Yeah, crooked swab is Pedro Rodriguez. He's up
to something right now. If thesb Spanish prison or you mixed up with it
too, huh no, Frank, just wanna be how does it go?
Well? I don't over about your bottle. Only it seeks to smell stick.
Figer was sitting at the Body to Night with another swap talking about an
old Spanish kid, The Good Night of the Bedia Dollar just come over from
Spade, nice shut body, English period simple. So what about the Spanish
thing? Well, I didn't hear no more about that. I'll tell you
what you would do. You ask Lolita about it. Anything kid goes big
stuff and she generally goes about good. Where do I find Lolita? Let's
say, sure, whether it's the third or the fourth? Third or fourth?
Win the boots from the back there. She's been sitting there all night,
write letters. It better be careful though she got all fourth temper a
thanks line housekeeper. How about the beer? Sure? Hey, Larry go
one? So Larry Drew was and I took it down to the Bible to
a point. Out was a boot number four, which indeed contained little Leita,
fragile little thing wearing a turtle next her my stillman's gym. The table
was covered with writing paper, and her elevator bro a manth of unsightly wrinkled.
As you choose the end of her punt, I'd know soon to settled
down. I'm on the front door, open on what appeared to be the
reincarnation of dark Guns. You with a gorilla only with clothes steamed down the
island, slid in next to a leader who was not alarmed at all,
believing. Listen to this immaking progress. Grandfather, dear, you cannot know
how dire is the peril into which I have been thrust. Okay, maybe
maybe a grandfather belover. As I take up my pen in hand, I
am overcome with steer. Things look very black. Indeed, I have fallen
into the clutches of arbuton who are you greening there? I have just con
vert to paid you and the telephone we are in. You need no more
letting, he says it. M are we interfering that you have trained to
it? But no, no, no, no, go right ahead,
I'll just sit here. Thanks. Wait a minute now, look, George,
there is plenty of bar down near the front door. He's just a
shmooth. I'm not so sure he's got an host look about him. I
do not like what is on your mind. Yours had great? Huh.
Yeah, he's getting careless shut changed a friend of mine. A thousand bucks
is just big. This man is so stivy, and you are anxious to
put the bite on Pabrio for a groand a is up? How much paper
wants to set a five year reps up to him? Why year rep for
what stupidity. You gotta know better than to try to get by with a
Spanish prisoner hunter and I tell you to shake down black divers. Violence will
get you nowhere very not the bird. You better let me have it,
baby, the lo per and per I got hold of the gun with one
hand while we'll leader shoot on my other one, meanwhile putting my head under
his arm like a nutcracker and taking me in the stomach with his name.
This one out for some time. Then I became vaguely aware of Sidy's fists
as big as a ham coming up from the floor. Put me on the
side of the head, and I shit it down the marble floor after all
brings like a ball on a bowling alley, scoring a pen strike on the
pinball machine, which leaned brokenly over me, stuck out its coin drawer and
flashed our red light in my face, reading hould ball try again, stupid
me, I did you are listening to the weekly adventure of radio's most famous
detective, Sam's face. Three chimes mean good Times on NDC. There's Music
and Mystery tomorrow on NBC. For music, your hit parade brings you the
top Tunes in the Land, as selected by you and presented by Raymond Scott
Orchestra, Eileen Wilson and Snookie Lanson. For Mystery, Herbert Marshall's stars as
the man called X, an intrepid adventurer in international intrigue who travels to all
corners of the world wherever there is danger, romance and mystery. There you
will find the man called at And now back to the Spanish prisoner caper Tonight's
adventure with Sam's fade. I came to with my head jam between the fransce
rail and the bar next to what poop to be the lighthouse keeper is left
shoe pacts always in front of a pinball machine. All right, that's up
front. I can get up, Get up, get up, get up?
All right? They hop holds all still the tree boards to go your
antulations? How about Lolita and the Maga alright, head, get up,
get up up? Oh deb took off blast them. I had some holiday
eight thousands points run up, but they had to go and throw you at
the machine because it tilts. And I sat until the buzzing in my ears
clouded down and trying to hark back to the phone conversation with Stidy in the
apartment. It came eventually, and I pride mine host the lighthouse keeper away
from the pinball machine and sat him down next to me with a yellow and
standard sections of the telephone book. Tipplex far supply No, No, you
do a garden furniture? No? How about Simplex pretty company? If I
vote, I had said some street, No, Simplex office, Simplex service
station twelve. Well, how do you know? Right? There's forty two
simplexes in his book alone find on It sounds like a front for a corn
operation on bias place cleaners. No from Simplex Associates. What's that? That's
a that's a suspicious Simplex associate. This is Opportunities, Investments, Goals or
other a mighty securities, bock cards, loaded dice and Las Vegas real estate.
Doesn't that just sounds like it might be a possibility. Permishade, Dundee
sham Downe. They do me a favor where you pound, run across the
hall and check the bunko files. There's an outfit called Simplex Associate and started
out as a clown game. A griffin took my client for a thousand bucks
on a Spanish prisoner, Spanish prisoner. Yeah, what's that gonna do with
me? Called bunker yourself? They're closed down at this time of night.
Done, they'd be a sweetheart, now, little sweetheart, I'm a homicide
lieutenant and I don't run a service agency for private detectives unless there's a corpse
in it. You can take your business elsewhere. Then they look with hold
it, William, I can't hold it down on the couch your back.
No, no, no, don't easy, No, she's here. They
must free her. He must goosey policians free Why why was Pedro holding her
to make me do? This team, this terrible team. Now you have
it. But you must stop him. Now you will let me go now,
then you must stop him. Millions millions bass in my honor. You
must, you musty the team backs. He's in a bad way by not
anymore. It was an aristocrat then, faced silver hair and the look of
a bourbon. It stopped me, Marjorie, because here it was just like
you're a senior palmeraposed the nobleman and a ragged clothes and dangling from one of
his ankles, the broken chain of a leg iron. In short, it's
a complete Spanish prisoner. Find me. It's legitimate. Now you've got your
courts. There was nothing on him to indicate who he was or where he
came from, but I had a feeling I've seen him before. After making
the lighthouse keeper promised me he'd lay off a pinball game until Dundee rand I
took off of my office on a very practical errand buckling on my forty five
sweetheart. If I had a light tank in a berserk, I'd take them
to I know, I know, well, there's a real Spanish prisoner in
this one. After he's dead now, by the way, and from the
cheap drift of a thousand bucks from a poor retired school teacher, we're now
up in a million dollar bracket. They got a murderous ex corene playing like
she's been kidnapped and writing extortion notes to a grandpa and a mother looks like
a monkey's nightmare, and nutpicks and metal shavings, and from place or somebody
named Simplex, not the mentioned so much, souls. I was so missed
up with the argyles. What are the argyles got to do? When you
called about the file? The secure are on the confidence man. Yeah,
I was looking at the call on the the seed I got off the one
next good by, miss say no, yes, the one my counterfeiters.
Only then that I remember where I had seen the old man before. The
paper was still on my desk and his picture was still on the front page
over an article that ran something like this search on for ex Spanish treasury officials.
At least today, we're still without definite leads in the search for Raymond
Montoya, former chief engraver of the Spanish minth Montoya, who arrived in San
Francisco three weeks ago to visit his granddaughter, vanished from his hotel room shortly
after checking in et et ETCETERA call Lieutenant Dundee at the Lighthouse on the Embarcadero,
also called the Treasury Department, tell him both Pedro Rodriguez and his two
assistants are even now basically running off currency from place in great by Raymond Montoya
at the Simplex Pinning Company, five L nine Sansom Streets, Mexican pesos.
It was by the basketball and the Treasury dicks agreed it was a happy thing
from Mexico that Raymond had kept his engravers tool on the right side of the
loft. And now, as to the matter of your Senor Palmera and his
Spanish prisoner, I had excusively, I hope, lost my enthusiasm, and
so it was, Marjorie that I walked into the Palace hotel lobby a couple
of hours later to call you. I'd like some nicols. The phone plays,
no, no, no, no, they're phony Mexican vill Oh dear,
dear, Oh good heaven. Deuce didn't show money around like I was
just sucking in my pockets for everyone forgot to turn them over the treasury.
Ah, here we are here, yes, and New york Y, Senor,
he dropped some big one a huh back from the pocket. Excuse me,
Brook, I want to book on, Marjorie. It's the same spade.
Did you find it? I'm sorry, Marjorie, I beg your pardon
just a minute, Marge. Look, buddy, you can have the phone
in a minute. And will you relax? You mean my money is gone.
I'm afraid, saw, Marge. It's an expensive lesson, but it's
worth it, if you remember, honey, from now, I never flash
your money in public places. You'll I'm almost through with you. Wait a
minute. I never trust strangers, Marge. A world is full of sharks
looking around crazy at middle aged ladies with bank rolls. But that's the trouble.
The way he came up to me and said, I come to you
on another terrible urgency. I know, I know he's all your bank roll
and he's called you want a matter of terrible origin beggared you look like any
mark mark, So you know that's a minute, Marjorie, What did you
say? I say, I come to you on a matter of terrible urgency.
My uncle Don Luis hall Raval kissing awful trouble. Oh oh, there's
going to be great rewards, Senor, you helper. You know, we
just might be able to work something up. Well, Marjorie, he had
one thousand, three hundred and fifty eight dollars from which I deducted dun a
thousand and clothes here with plus fifty eight dollars representing my standard retainer period.
And the report must be awful to be gullible like that, dear sweet little
soul, imagine they're falling for a transparent swindle like that. That's fun thing
I've learned from you, Sam. I had my savings in a in a
real good cold thing. What's that an alvocado mine? An alvocado mine?
Where you know? That's an light? So you know? Well, nevertheless,
and notwithstanding, goal tight that up. Three chimes mean good times on
NDCs. For something new about the army, here the Phil Reagan Show every
Sunday on NBC. Coming from a different service base every week, Phil Reagan
brings you songs and fun and brings prizes to talented gis. It's an exciting
newcomer in your Sunday chime lineup on NDCs and Sunday also means carry Grant and
Betsy Drake as mister and missus Blandings sing Nip two, pearl free, slips
one and nip one. You see how many road did you do? I'm
on fifty seven? Are you sure? You right? We look at it.
Have you ever seen such a gone well, that's what I mean,
Sam sort of billow out? Well, who cares? That guy you're making
the poor probably won't appreciate him anyway. We look at that. It'll make
a perfect sleeping bag for a fat tat tell him you a boss. Whilst
no, well, I'll treasure in the sweetheart. That's the beautiful Just what
I wanted that's my boss. Good Night, good Night. The Night's Transcribed
Adventure of Sam Spade was produced, edited and directed by William Spear. Sam
Spade was played by Stephen Dunn, Laurene Tuttle is Effie. Also in the
cast were Verna Felton, Lou Merrill, Shirley Mitchell, Ed, Max Gary
Hausner, Nestor Piva, and Tony Barrett. Clip for Tonight's Adventures by Harold
Fonton, musical scoring by Lud Glaskin, conducted by Robert arm Brewster. Join
us again next week, same time for another adventure with Sam Spade. For
more mystery excitement tomorrow, It's the Man called x on NDC Welcome back.
In many ways, the Spanish Prisoner sounds a whole lot like a precursor to
what we call the Nigerian Prince emails, with the same general elements, only
different geography. The trick and overall premise are the same, so nothing new
under the sun. Honestly, the mystery felt a bit convoluted and confusing,
with the counterfeiting feeling like a side quest that Sam stumbled into that had nothing
to do with his client, and then a relatively coincidental resolution to her problem.
Still, I think the storytelling and the performance made this an interesting listen.
One odd thing I've noticed about some of these stories from the early nineteen
fifties, particularly on NBC and you know Sam spade Tales of the Texas Rangers
Dangerous Assignment, is that there seems to be a weird variation with the end
credits. Often on Spade we only get done and toddle, and then on
other episodes we'll get a prominent guest at character actor like Wally Mayre, but
here we get a full cast list and you'll hear those same variations on the
other series as well, And I wonder what is going on with that.
Wasn't a matter of staying within the time slot, for example, if the
story runs a few seconds shorter, they can or you know, not only
the story but PSAs and things like that, they can credit more actors.
But it is really odd how it varies from week to week. And speaking
of that, we have a comment from YouTube from Judy who writes regarding the
sure Thing Caper. Does anyone know the name of the actor that played five
dollar Frankie. I do not. I'm not the ratist at identifying radio actor
voices better than I used to be, but you have so many performers and
they often have variations and different voices they do, so it's hard to keep
track of everybody. I can recognize quite a few now, you know,
Alan Reid, Gerald Moore, Howard mcneer, and some other voices that I've
heard quite a bit, but I don't recognize them all. So if anyone
knows the actor who did that voice, feel free to let me know and
I'll mention it on a future episode. Might have narrative down if we had
a full cast list, but I digress. And also over on YouTube,
Betsy said the Prodigal Panda caper was very fun and I definitely agree with that.
Now it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day. I want
to go ahead and thank Paul. Paul has been one of our Patreon supporters's
August of twenty twenty, currently supporting the program at the Shamus level four dollars
or more per month. Thank you so much for your support, Paul,
and that will do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please
follow us using your favorite podcast software and be sure to rate and review the
podcast wherever you download it from. We'll be back next Monday with another episode
of Sam Spade, but join us back here tomorrow for another Yours truly Johnny
Dollars serial where Yeah, I guess. So how's business buck at two a
day? Father in the whole? Well, Kreen's no, I'll take it.
Blame sink of with it? Oh thanks? Are you? Red Willies?
So that's it? What do you mean you've enough fur case? Ain't
you? Maybe I thought you was the same one, but I couldn't be
sure. Senior cross the street, you come up with that cup? Guys
see you a while, I go, don't you? That's right? I'm
an insurance investigating. Well, you're coming wrong, I'd rest, mister.
I don't know nothing about nothing. Who was in the lunch room here just
before the robbery? I don't remember any young kids here. No, it
was all old men with long bid I see ten cents for the coffee.
Yeah, they got you real scared, haven't they? Haven't they? I
don't know any days? All right? Look you know Chrisman watchman over at
the warehouse. He comes in. He didn't know any days either. ORD
have bought it. Nothing except he's dying I'm at the Rokens Hotel. If
you change your mind, Room three twelve, Johnny Dollar, Sorry, I
don't see no use of mead dying too. Follow me man. I hope
you'll be with us then. In the mean time, 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 Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam graham Son and Off