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 Greatdetectives dot net. Follow us on Twitter at Radio
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podcast software. Now, as we do get into the Christmas podcast on the
Great Detectives of Old Time Radio, I don't want to let you know about
what's going on on for other podcast We also begin Christmas specials on the Amazing
World of Radio at Amazing not Great Detectives. Today, our Round Robin Crossover
continues as I and two other old time radio podcasters our guest on Andrew Rhin's
Old Time Radio Westerns podcast with an episode of Challenge of the Yukon. And
tomorrow we'll have our second Christmas edition of the Old Time Radio snack Wagon over
at Snackwagon dot Net. Well, now let's get into this week's yours truly
Johnny do all or Cereal. Now, as always, if you are minded
to listen to all five parts together, then I would encourage you to pause
the podcast now and return on Friday, when episodes three through five will be
posted, and listen to Everything Together now here from December nineteenth and twentieth of
nineteen fifty five. Here now is the Nick Sher Matter, Episodes one and
two from Hollywood. It's time now for Johnny Dellar, JN Wilkins, Jenny
Prime, mutual Limity. Oh hi, don thanks for the Christmas present.
Well, just don't take out the cork near and open flame. Yeah.
See, do you know anything about a guy named mel Praanker? Nothing good
about him? Why got himself killed last night? Murdered? Franker was born
to be murdered? Maybe so, but not at our expense by holding one
hundred thousand dollars policy? Wow, what was the beneficiary? Is a partner?
Nick Shearn? Nick Shearn, you picked a fine pair of rats?
Yeah I know that. Now. The New York police are holding shirt,
but they've got no evidence. Come down there and check it out for us,
Jenny. If Nick did the killing, were of any witnesses? One?
Apparently the hap Check girl in that night club of theirs? What's her
story? I wish I knew She's disappeared. We're gonna find her, Johnny
coore some of Nick's foodlums finder don maybe they already have tonight and every weekday
Night Bob Bailey in the Transcribed Adventures of the Man with the Action Pact Expenser
out America's Fabulous Freelance Insurance Investigator, Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Expense account
submitted by Special Investigator Johnny Dollar to the home office Primutual Insurance Limited, Hartford,
Connecticut. The following is the count of expenditures during my investigation of the
Nick Suar matter. Item one twenty two eighty transportation to New York tips and
incidentals and taxi fair to the Office of Lieutenant Ed Rafferty Side Division, the
man in charge of the case. Oh hi, Johnny, have you been
that bad? An has a homicide business? Terrible if you look at that
teletype shoplifting five complaints right in a row the week before Christmas. That's all
we get. Shoplifters. Mel Pranker was in shoplifting. Oh you're working on
a Johnny. Yeah. The insurance angle. Nick Sharen's the beneficiary one hundred
grand policy. So you got a tough one boy. Sean killed him all
right, but I don't think we're going to be able to stick him.
Come on in the office. Hey, you know what that kid of mine
went for Christmas? Marilyn Monroe? Oh, next year, Johnny. He's
only ten, you know, Go ahead, okay, man, Oh you
want a motorbike? Can you tie that? Ten years old? And he
says he needs a motorbike? Have a chase? Okay, Well, look,
I know a factory representative here. I'll make you a good deal on
one. And oh now, forget that, Johnny. Know, I was
fourteen before I even had a pair of roller skates, and then I had
to buy him his head. Yeah, kids are spoiled today. That's the
half of what's wrong with him. Ah, there's the pile in the case.
What little we've got? Okay, mm hmm. How'd it happened?
Anne? I mean, how do I think it happened? That's good enough
for me. Melt Priker and Nick Sheran were both in the rackets for years,
as you probably know. I've heard rumors. Well, a while back
they teamed up and opened a string of supper clubs. That's where Priker got
it. In their main club, the Chess Colette strictlyttlegitleman, huh more or
less. I guess they could afford to be the though they were making and
arguing over according to the word around, that's the reason for the killing,
the way you see it. Sure, Nick figured if half was good,
all to take could be twice as good, and the insurance on top of
it. You're a fast one, Johnny. Anyhow, several people heard the
shots about two thirty in the morning, It was right after the club closed,
but none of them bothered to report it. The clean up crew came
in at three and found Praiker's body. He was lying in his office,
shut twice gone on the floor beside him. No prince with his own gun,
and it was kept there in his desk. Where was Nick Sharan?
He picked him up an hour later at another one of their clubs. The
manager was with him and oh, Benny's stark Now he was nna yeah,
no trigger man for nixt mob in the old days, fifteen years overdue for
hanging, that's our Benny. Anyhow, they both swear that Nick was there
from one thirty on. What about a perfect test and positive clear to the
elbow and you can throd it out the window what do you mean. Earlier
that evening, Nick spent two hours at a shooting gallery uptown hiring. Oh
smart, he really planned for it, he really did. Without a witness.
We haven't got a chance. I understand there was a witness, some
girl who was mixed up in it. Easy, Johnny, you're talking to
a rafferty mm hmm. So the girl's Irish. Miss Kathleen O'Dare old country
back three generations county killed there? Then, naturally, she says, innocent
as a newborn babe. Naturally, Then how does she figure? A taxi
driver knows her, said that he saw her leave the club five minutes after
the shots. She denied it, said she left the clothing time. But
now, in my book, she was lying, scared of talk, paralyzed
and with plenty of reason. You know Sharon's reputation. What about the cab
driver, Now I changed his story. He said it might have been some
other girl. Oh no, I'll tell me, ed, let me guess
that's right. These names, oh too, And I forgot to mention that
Kathleen's pretty. Naturally, anyhow, I let her go. I had too,
And when I went around to talk to her this morning, she'd flown
the coop. Any chance I'm her next boy's grambling, I don't think so.
It looked more like she came home packed in a hurry, took her
kid and blew kidd eight year old daughter Irish and a mother too. I
was on sacred ground. He was fingering the gun. No, seriously,
Joy, would you find her? She may be able to break Nick's alibi,
and it's our only chance, and it might be her only chance.
Next. Sharan's not the boy to leave a loose end line around. I
know I've got thirty men checking bus depots hell and I'll luck huh this mess
this time of year, I'm a hard boiled cop, Johnny, I've got
no Christmas for it. I'm glad it only comes once per annum. Well,
there's not very much to go, and that's for sure. I'll see
what I can turn up and check with you later. All right, that's
fine. Oh by the way, Johnny, Yeah, about that friend of
yours, well, friend, the guy with the motorbikes. How would a
you be getting in touch with you? Oh? Yeah, his name is
Ralph Sterner. He's in the phone book office in the MacLeay building. Hard
boiled car the kids, only young ones. Yeah, sure, now you
find that oh there, good, find her, keep her alive and get
her to talk. How long have I got to find her? What do
you mean, Nick Sharan? How much longer can you hold him? Johnny?
He was turned loose an hour ago? So that was it. A
lot of maybes, a lot of questions, and a lot of pressure a
John to be done and done fast. Find one Kathleen o there, former
hatcheck girl at the shake Collette keep Nick Sharen's hold lams from her and persuaded
to talk. And three to one Nick was looking for her too. He
was free now, on the loose, and he might be anywhere. Only
the way it turned out, he wasn't just anywhere. He was in one
particular place, Park writes, back in front of the precinct station, Jenny,
he was sitting in the backseat of a sedan and his trigger man,
Benny Stock, was at the wheel. Been a long time, hasn't it,
Jenny? About five years? As I remember, Nick, it was
that warehouse robbery over in Queens when you got away with forty thousand dollars worth
of furze. Ah, you've forgotten me? How was it quitted? On
that one. Oh yeah, I know, after they pulled the only witness
out of the East River, his feet in a bucket of cement. Just
coincidence. I never seen him before. You've seen miss o'dair before? Sure
I have. She works for me. She's a good kid, Jenny,
So I hear. I wouldn't hum a hell on that girl's head. She'll
be relieved when I tell her that. Get in, I want to talk.
Oh no, no, sorry, Nick, I like it fine,
just the way it is in the car, be outnumbered. You got me
all wrong, Johnny. I don't play that way anymore. What about Benny?
Has he reformed too? Well, that's what Benny. You go take
a walk? Yeah wash, I said, go take a walk. Okay,
get in? Johnny wants any of my nick You were working on this
case? Yeah, I'm on it. Why that's what I figured. I
was talking to my lawyer there. So you go to Rafferty's office. I
guess the insurance company's gonna try to welsh on that claim. At your party,
you talk, I had a better idea. What's that? You know?
It's real nice out in Las Vegas this time of year. Johnny the
man could have a lot of fun out there for the next month with maybe
ten thousand dollars to play with? What Manny talking about you? I don't
have ten thousand dollars. You will eighty minutes from now if you say the
word, Oh, Nick, You're lucky. We're not standing out there on
the sidewalk and a car seat. I haven't got room to swing. It's
still a fool. I don't know. Why don't you write me about it?
You'll have plenty of time up there in the desk. Cell. I
suppose I didn't make any claim on that policy, and you wouldn't have any
reason to stay on a cake. No, say on, Nick, one
hundred grand there's a lot of money. I'd want to find out why you
didn't make a claim. You know why you're out to pennis on me and
so the cops man with the wrecked hasn't got a chance. You should have
thought of that before you kill Milk Priker. Want to know something, Johnny,
I didn't kill him, Well, I'm betting you did. What do
you care who killed him? You're not shedding any tears over it, no,
but I'd sure hate to see you get away with it, and I'd
hate it even more if anything happened to that girl, Kathy Odd, Now
what could happen to her? She just might fall in the river. She
probably thinks she's safe as long as she hides from the police and refuses to
talk. She doesn't know you very well. Let me all wrong, Jenny.
You know you hear a lot about peace on earth goodwill toward men around
this time of year. But I don't have much goodwill toward the kind of
rat you are, and I figured it'd be more peace on earth if you
went on it. Push me, and maybe that's what will happen. At
least that's fair warning. Yeah, that's fair warning. I'm gonna tag you
for this, Nick. You can count on it. Expense account at him
two two dollars and forty cents taxi to the east side roomming house of Kathy
O Dare. I didn't have much hope of turning up anything. A Rapperty
and his men had already been through the place inch by inch, but it
was the only starting point I had. The landlady was out in the uniformed
policeman let me into Kathy's flat. I spent an hour and a half and
got nowhere. I went through her mail, bills, advertisements, casual notes
for men she'd met at the club, nothing personal, not even a postcard.
There were no pictures, photographs if Kathy or her daughter anywhere in the
flat. She made a clean sweep, then left in a hurry. She
didn't mean to be found, but I had to find her and fast.
It was dusk when I left. The street lamps were on and the colored
Christmas lights in the windows among the block. Snow was falling in big,
soft, gentle flakes, and it was a holiday feeling in the air.
It was neither the time nor the setting a murdering big contribution. Son,
You've do something to help pool. Oh sure, how's it going this year,
Santa? It's better than usual, but it just seems never enough to
go around, no matter how well. Blake you son, Thank you Cat.
I'll mention good luck, Pomp, Thank you son. Wow. The
city got to clean the streets better. I've been waiting for years. Sorry,
Benny, it's not my day for punks. Get some friends want to
talk to you. Start walking, Johnny down the alley, had Stark down
there, start walking. This ain't just my hand in my pocket. Had
better be Benny with two cops standing up there on the porch. Wat you're
talking about? There ain't no christ I smashed him in the mouth and knocked
him flat, followed it up and kicked his gun, and he rolled over,
came to his skad and rushman. I was hoping he had that coming.
He had a coming hand. Well, he sure did get it.
Yeah. Hey, you know something, pop, I think Benny wants to
make a contribution to help the poor. Well, oh, he's a good
boy at the moment. At least here you go that ought to help some
five hundred dollars for the world, do the most good. Well, Merry
Christmas Son, Happy New Years? Yeah, same to you, popping any
more of them? Hey, taxi dollars goler speak and Kathleen Lansley. Oh
yeah, that's word you wanted to talk to me. That's right. I'm
trying to find miss O'Dare. Do you know where she is? Friend of
her? I think I will be once I meet her. I'm an insurance
investigator. I want to help her. That's what the other one said.
What do you mean? What other one? While go short? Mean?
He shift the eye. Benny Stark was that his name? He didn't say
mister Dollar, I get you was too busy, busy doing what breaking my
good right arm. I'll be right over. From Special Investigator Johnny Dollar,
New York City to the home office Trimutual Insurance Limited, Hartford, Connecticut assignment
the Nick Sharan met her expense account continued, had him five two dollars and
thirty cents taxi to Missus Gotler's rooming house, the place Kathy O'Dare had called
home until she disappeared. Come in, get your hands. Look, I'm
Johnny Dollar. I talked you on the phone. It's all right if you
can put that gun down. Well, this is you all right, Sorry,
mister DOLLI but I've only got one good arm left and I'm having to
cheap it pull of a chair. Thanks kind of rough boy, Huh,
I'd showed him who was rough. If I could have got ahold of my
gun, i'd a blasted him Christmas week or not, I'd have blasted him.
Mister, do you feel me? With all these presents to wrap?
How can you wrap presence with one arm that's been a paper hanger. Well,
I'll be glad to help out missus Gunler. I won't guarantee what they'll
look like I'm sure to appreciate it, and don't worry about their looks.
I got to get them wrapped, it's all. Let's see. You know
this paper goes on that one? All right? The water muffler for my
nephew over in Brooklyn. You know them terrible winters they have over there.
Oh yeah, they're frightful. Of course. It may be better this year
the Dodgers won the pennanty. Nothing but luck it won't happen next year.
They tell me something, missus Gottler, I'll come, Benny, worked you
over? Why did he break your arm? Here? Pick this card on
it as soon as you get the ribbon tied. Okay, No time of
year like Christmas. He wanted to know where Kathy went, and I said
I didn't know it. Jumped on to me, said it was lying if
I could have got hold of that one? Where did she go? By
the way, you aiming to break my other arm? Mister dollar with all
these packages to wrap hold your finger on that that I had tight? Now,
im postman in Brooklyn are always busting things open. That's one down.
Where did you say she went? It didn't? No, this one I'll
deliver myself, so I don't need to be wrapped to careful. Kathy lived
out of here in the middle of the night. You think I sit up
twenty four hours a day spying on my rumors. You might if the rumor
happened to be one of your special favorites who told you that? What's the
difference? She was, wasn't she? Kathy was everybody's favorite. Anybody that
ever met her, Oh, you'll meet them as make remarks about a girl
that works in a nightclub. But I'll tell you one thing, mister Dallar,
Kathleen. No, there's a final lady as you'd ever cared to find,
and I would care to find it. Good luck to get in,
and if you do, let me know where she is. You helped her
pack, didn't you. Now? How did you do that? I thought,
as good as I can get it, be careful when you deliver it.
Though it was not time, very time. I didn't know, missus
Gottler. I was guessing, but it figured. Kathy was scared half to
death when she packed up and left here. All she had in the wind
was to run and hide. She wouldn't have thought of stripping that flat,
taking out every bit of personal identification. Somebody had to help her. How
would she go? I don't know. Look, you don't get the idea.
I'm on her side. She's up against a rough deal and doesn't even
know it. You've got a sample of the way those boys play, and
that was only a sample with Camp. He will be a whole lot worse.
They're looking for her, and sooner or later they'll find her her only
chances for me to get to her first. So I'm not lying, mister
dogger. I don't know where she went, and that's the truth. To
help me, tried to get her to tell me, but she wouldn't.
She said, if I knew it would be dangerous for me, I helped
her pack. Yes, but I don't know where she was going. Well
that's sad, I guess I don't know where to turn next. She apparently
didn't have any other close friends. I don't even know what she looks like.
I've never even seen a picture of her. I was hoping you,
well, if that'll do you any good, I've got one right here in
my throwing back on what a picture? What did you think? Give it
to me? About a year ago. She's never had many taken but here
it is. Thanks really pretty good, don't you think so? Yeah,
she's lovely. Well at least i've even a right. When was this taken,
missus Gubler? Now, how should I know? Three or four years
ago? I guess before she came here to this photographer's address. The name
of the town. Is that where she came from? Bramburry, Michigan,
Wall. Yes, that's her hometown, Bramburry. I'd forgotten the name of
it, and she was just talking about it a week or so ago.
She wanted to go home for Christmas, but she said she couldn't say,
mister dollar, do you think she might? Maybe it's the most likely place
a scared girl would run to home. Anyway, It's worth a chance,
Missus Gottlerton, I love you. What mister dollar? Mister dollar expense account
item six eighty eight dollars and thirty five cents, hotel in Nincinental's in New
York and transportation to Bramburry, Michigan. Bramburry turned out to be a lumber
village half hidden among the pine covered hills. It was a little bigger than
a wide spot in the road, but not much bigger a foot of new
snow had fallen within the past twenty four hours. A fluffy white blanket lay
softly on the trees and the housetops and filled the deep hollows in the frozen
ground. Men in bright red plannel shirts drove horse drawn logging sleds through the
forest trails, and their shouts sounded sharp and clear. Crystalline tinkled in the
icy air. Branberry looked like the place where Christmas was invented. It was
beautiful and very quiet. When it came to putting out information, I found
it out first when I tried the local telephone operator number. Please, I
just checked in here at the hotel operator. There doesn't seem to be a
phone book, so steal them. That's why traveling people going through, Oh,
souvenir hunters. I suppose that. Look, I wanted to call the
O dairs. Could you put on o'dares? There ain't but one that's old
Mike. Oh, and that's the one I want to call. Would you
mind ringing? Oh? Do no good, he ain't there. He's slabbing
up a number four meal today. Well, actually it's his daughter I want
to talk to. Yeah, that's right. Kathleen. Do you know just
growed up with hers? All? Oh, well, would you mind?
No, I've never met her, but from I came here from New York.
But Johnny Dollar, now, would you please ring Kathleen live here in
New York City. I know where she lives. And what give you the
idea she'd be up here? I'm psychic? You what law? Where can
I get in touch with her? I wouldn't know anything about it, mister
Dollar, and I can't give out that kind of information. You better go
on back to New York and writer a letter. Let me talk to your
supervisor. Supervisor. Well, I'm all there is so I guess that's me
started talking. I got it. You're welcome. I got the same kind
of run around from the hotel proprietor. As soon as I mentioned Kathy,
he suddenly forgot his own name age in the time of day. One thing.
Sure, this town took care of its own. I wondered if the
law in Branburry would take the same attitude. I decided I'd better go find
out. As it happened, I didn't have far to go. On the
sidewalk in front of the hotel, the law came to me just a second
there, and I said, Mmm, I'd like to have a little talk
with you, if you don't mind for the change to find somebody here who
wants to talk. I understand you just got in from New York. Here
own business. Look, you know why I'm here, But now everybody in
town knows got any identification on you? Yeah? Have you? My name
is Martin, Dan Martin. I'm the deputy sheriff in charge of this part
of the county. Oh, then you're just the man I was looking for.
Is that so? I'm Johnny Dollar insurance investigator. I'm looking for a
girl named Kathleen O Dare Do you know where she is? What do you
want with her? I'm working on a murder case. She's a witness.
Is there any kind of a charge against her? Oh? I just want
to talk to her. What makes you think she's here? Are you a
friend of hers? Mister Martin? I've been in love with Kathy since we
went to grade school. I'd be willing to die for a Does that answer
your question? All right? Let me put it this way. You think
you're helping her by hiding her out. All of you think so, But
you're wrong. You're helping her right into her grave. Kathy doesn't figure it
that way. She's scared. She doesn't know what she thinks. I know
these boys who were after her, they don't play kid games, and sooner
or later they're gonna find her. So if you love her, and if
you know where she is, you better take me to her before it's too
late. I don't know. I don't know what it is. Kathy's mixed
up, and I didn't want to ask her, but I know it isn't
the police she's afraid of, and I don't think it's you. No.
At the time she ran out, I wasn't even in the picture. I'm
on her side too, mister Martin, and I've got to see her.
Go talk to her father. Oh, Mike, see what he thinks.
He's not at home right now. Yeah, I know he's out at number
four mill. How do I get there? The County pickup trucked his park
down the block. The tire chains bit into the packed snow and pushed the
four miles of logging road behind us. It was late afternoon and the sun
had dropped behind the timbered slopes, throwing a pale sheet of cold yellow against
the western sky. Here and there, a few scattered lights were coming on
in the windows of the village, in the bunk houses of the lumber Champs
right twice smarts against the darning shadows, emptiness, loneliness, and somewhere in
it a frightened girl and hiding a girl who'd run away from the city of
one hundred million lights and from an unsolved murder. Michael Dare was winding up
a job working at the Big slabbing Song, and I stood by and waited
for n to finish. Good night, ridd you, mister Diller. This
is the last one. Okay, it's a last year it now? Who
leftter Christmas? Yeah, I'm sorry to keep you waiting. Not sorry,
mister O'Dare my name John my mind. I know all about you. Dan
Martin phone said you was on your way out, mister Dollan. The answer
is no. I see. I've had it over since Dan called. Before
i'd have anything happened to Kathy. I'd rather see ten murderers going home now.
Look, hiding out won't help. As long as Nick sher And is
free, Kathy's in danger. He can't hurt her if he can't find her.
I found her mister o'dair. Just by luck, there's not one chance
in a million of sounds like a car. Oh, the carnation had drive
out here this time of the evening. We walked over to the big doors.
The car had stopped about twenty yards away. A man got out and
turned toward us. I was standing under the dock light, so he recognized
me. Before I got a good look at him. He jumped back in
the car and went for his gun. Then he stuck Get back, mister
dare. It was too dark to get a decent shot. I tried once
more and missed, and the car disappeared behind the trees. We got one
of them. That's right, Mike, the found her. There will be
another intriguing episode in our story of the Nick Sharon matter tomorrow tomorrow. A
lonely vigil in the snow, a killer prowls the night, and a lovely
lady vanishes. Join us, won't you yours truly? Johnny Dollar? Yours
truly? Johnny Dollar is starring Bob Bailey, is transcribed in Hollywood, written
by Les Brutsfield. It is produced and directed by Jack Johnstone. Be sure
to join us tomorrow night at same time and station for the next sixt n
think episode of Yours Truly Johnny Dollar. This is Roy Rowan speaking welcome back.
What a strong start a good mystery, and despite any ideas you might
have about Christmas stories having to be light and sentimental, it's pretty clear from
the word go that Johnny isn't playing up to this point. I don't think
we've heard Bailey's Johnny Dollar get as angry as he was at Sharon, but
that was definitely understandable. At the same time, Johnny is also a font
of goodwill, both to Santa Claus in the first episode and the Landlady in
episode two. I think that Tom and Tom again in these first two parts
were having the general atmosphere of goodwill at Christmas being contrasted with the cruelty and
greed of Sharon and Benny, and that's what drives his anger. It's an
interesting dynamic. Only a few statements have aged as poorly as Old Mike,
who didn't even get to say no one would find Kathleen before he was proven
wrong. Also, I said, finally, but I will throw this in
some solid sound effect work so far. I particularly love what we heard at
the meal. Well listen are comments and feedback. Now, and we have
some comments regarding the Open Town Matter, and we start with this from Emmett,
who writes over on Spriaker. You can leave comments directly on Spriaker.
This was definitely one of those cycled stories we get now and then when I
heard the final episode, I was amazed so little had happened yet we were
at the conclusion, which was no big surprise since the guilty party essentially had
a neon sign on her forehead saying I am really up to no good.
But as is always the case with Johnny doll Or, the strength of the
acting made the entire set of five stories while worth listening to. It's just
so well done that for me, it could have been stretched to ten episodes
and I'd still love it. Contrast that with, for instance, mister Chameleon,
who's half hours sieve was just over thirty minutes. Well, thanks for
the comment, EMMITTT, And I guess that's certainly a perspective to take,
and I would agree that the acting on this is solid, and sometimes solid
acting can save media ocre stories. Met Us emailed in Hey, Adam,
I was writing to agree with you about the Open Town Matter being a subpar
serial, although for a different reason I found it to be a very thin
man sque case where you wait until the last ten minutes think about which character
had lines and no motive, and that's your killer. I will say I
enjoyed it more than a serial from a couple months ago that was so padded
that the first episodes were just Johnny interviewing a different person for ten minutes.
Give me a seal full of diamonds in a day. But it's kind of
interesting here because Emmett said that the killer was obvious, and Matt said it
wasn't obvious, and it wasn't somebody that you would have expected. And I
guess it comes down to the question of whether you view the Mayor or Marty
as the ultimate villain of the story or the ultimate responsible party, because Marty
was obvious and the Mayor, I think, particularly to modern listeners, was
a little less so As to the one with the episodes where Johnny was interviewing
multiple people, I think that was referring to the Broaderick matter, and I
liked it because I can really enjoy and get into multiple different types of stories,
and the Broaderick matter was really about really coming to grips with who this
character was, and you learn that through all of the interviews that Johnny did,
so it was building towards a mystery. But you know, different people
obviously have different castes, so I can respect your perspective on that. And
then we have a common This one comes from Facebook, and Preston writes regarding
that the plot of this one is kind of ponderous compared to others in the
series. Also, what is a wide open town? Well, Preston,
that's actually a good question, and that's one of those phrases. You asked
that question and I had a picture in my mind of what it meant.
But it's one of those things where you know what it means, but it's
kind of hard to put into precise ways. And the best thing I could
do, because I couldn't find like a dictionary definition what makes a wide open
town is find a town that was described that way that explains why it was
viewed that way. And I found a book description for a book on Amazon
about Kansas City during Prohibition and what's known as the Pendergast Era, which threatst
essentially from the turn of the century to nineteen forty and the book description says
during the post war era, political boss Tom Pendergast reigned and Kansas City was
said to be wide open. Prohibition was rarely enforced, the mob was ascendant,
and urban vice was rampant. So in essence, in this town you
had a situation where there was a lot of organized criminal activity, rackets,
public vice, operating illegally but without any effective opposition from the law. Now,
I did mention that mayor may not have been seen as an obvious suspect
to modern listeners, but I think many who heard that original listeners who knew
what an open town was, would not have been shocked that some of the
political corruption included the mayor being in on it. Then we go to YouTube
where we had a comment on the Perling matter where Eugene writes, Johnny's a
social worker, He's a people problem solver, to quote the immortal mister Peevy.
Regarding the first part, I would say, well, now I wouldn't
say that, but people problem solver Johnny will do that if he can help,
we'll certainly do that. And regarding the Academy Award Theater adaptation of the
multi Falcon Tz three to one eight rites crazy and convoluted plot, but who
cares? Thanks well, Thank you so much, appreciate your comment. Now
it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day, and I want to
go ahead and thank Lisa. Lisa has been one of our Patreon supporters since
May of twenty twenty one, currently supporting the podcast at the rookie level of
two dollars or more per month. Thank you so much for your support,
Lisa, and that will do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast,
please follow it using your favorite podcast software. If you're enjoying the podcast
on YouTube, be sure to lock the video, subscribe to the channel,
mark the notification bell, and if you like, leave a comment. We'll
be back on Friday with the conclusion of this week's Yours Truly Johnny Dollar Cereal.
But our Christmas programming continues tomorrow with Dangerous Assignment where mister Mitchell Kurt has
disappeared. Yes, that little girl who just left my office was Ilsea,
a playmate of his. I've been questioning her, but she has no idea
where he is. I'm worried, sick. When did he disappear? I'm
not sure? Really, what do you mean when last evening, a woman
came to see Kirk. She told me she was his arm Kurt's father told
me Kurt had no other relatives. How was I to know that? She
said she was his aunt? And I saw no reason to doubta go on,
I sent her to his room. I believe she left when regular visiting
hours were over. That would be at turn nine o'clock last eating. What
do you mean you believe she left? Aren't you sure? Well? As
a matter of fact, I turned in rather early last night. Had a
splitting headache. Sounds like a pretty careless waiter on a boarding school. Doctor
Wakefield, I resent that, mister Mitchell, and I hope you'll be with
us then. And as I mentioned at the top of the podcast, the
Round Rob and Christmas crossover that I'm doing with three other old time radio podcasters
continues on Andrew Ryn's Old Time Radio Westerns podcast, where we are going to
be listening to an episode of Challenge of the Yukon. Will include a five
minute sample after I sign off. If you want to listen to the rest
of the program, as well as our commentary, you can check us out
at the Old Time Radio Western 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 Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham, sign and
off hw was gunshots echo across the wind swept, snow covered reaches of the
wild Northwest. Quaker popwheek Quaker pop right rex for cereal shot from gun Sergeant
Preston off the YU car. It was an hour before midnight on Christmas Eve.
Large drifting flakes of snow fell softly and lay in shimmering whiteness on the
trail as Sergeant Preston and a young Maudy recruit drove along the main road from
Dawson towards Silverton ten miles so instead of the usual dog team and sled,
the two Maudis drove a horse drawn sleigh known as a cutter. The great
dog King seemed to enjoy the unusual experience as he lay on the edge of
the fur lap robe at their feet. The young Maudy was saying, I
appreciate your invitation to go to Silverton with you to night, Sergeant. I
don't know what it's all about. But I don't think it it'll change my
opinion that once someone passes the Santa Claus stage, Christmas says little meaning.
Tom. I invited you to come with me tonight because you expressed that opinion
when I asked if you were going to the Barracks Christmas party tomorrow. I
think Santa Claus is a symbol of the spirit of Christmas, represents kindness,
generosity, and good fellowship. I'm hoping Tom, you'll find out tonight the
real spirit and meaning of Christmas. Why are we going to silverton Sage?
What's this all about? I think I have just time enough to tell you
a story, Tom, to care to hear it? Of course, you've
heard of mister Sawyer who came to Silverdon above eight months ago and bought the
mining company there, haven't you. Yes, Yes, Iagin. I was
in the general store there last summer when his boy, a young upstart about
ten and twelve, was boasting about his father's wealth. That boy, Jerry
Sawyer, is part of my story. About three weeks ago, Bill Hawkins,
manager at the mine, went to mister Sawyer's office in Silverdon to get
the payroll and take it back to the mine headquarters. Very, good morning,
Good morning with Sawyer. Is the pay roll money ready? He keeps
the bank a sure time ago? I'll count it. Knock at him the
bag for you to take out of the cashi at the mine. By the
way, how's old Marlow getting along? As a matter of fact, Sir
Marlo resigned, took a job at the bank and das well. I took
on a new man last week, my young cap who was recommended by Marlin.
I understand he was a bank teller and sell kirk are about six months
ago. Where did he leave the bank? Cashier's job at the mine pays
more and he needs money badly. An invalid wife and an eight year old
girl. That's too bad. What happened to the wife to cause the condition?
Thrown from a horse two months ago? I haven't been able to walk
since. Bentley hopes to earn enough money some day to pay a good the
surgeon to examine her bad leave. He's at the new man's need. That's
right. David Sadley and his family live in that rather dilapidated little cottage at
the east end of town. David Bentley, you see right, didn't see
Kirk about six months ago. That's ractor came here from Seattle. He handles
the cash. Here's job at the mind very well, good, well,
I'll get the money from the save. I hope that new fellow is trustworthy,
considering the thank he'sa family need the cash. Oh, I'm sure he
is, mister Sawyer, he's a cash Hit the bag on my desk and
open it, all right, sir, Yes, the cash he's usual.
He's in bundles of five hundred dollars each. You're eleven bundle used to make
the necessary five thousand, five hundred for the p rule and put them into
the bag and to dream. And I say, by the way, Bill
makes sure I love to see if yes, sir, miss Sawyer. Good.
At least he's ready for him. You better get started. Back to
the mine man, all right, new cash here. They will need time
to make out the envelopes. Heyya, I'll start back right away. Bentley
will be able to have the envelope fuilled and ready by noon later. Bill
Hawkins arrived at the mine headquarters and turned the locked bag over the cash here
David Bentley and went out, leaving Bentley alone in the office to make up
the envelope. Short time later, Hawkins returned to the headquarter's office. Mister
Hawkins, I was just coming to find you. The payroll is short.
Look here, only ten bundles when there should be eleven. It's five hundred
dollars short. As to Sawyer, must have made a mistake. Oh no,
I saw him put eleven bundles of cash in that bag. He locked
it at the town office. And you're the only other person who has a
keat unlocked. When I unlocked the bag, there were only ten bundles in
it. Lesten David Well, the man rode back from town with me,
and that bag was locked. Only you and the boss have keys to it.
And I know for certain he put in eleven bundles of keg. There
are only ten now