Well you're listening enjoyment, John Lund has Johnny Dallas. Johnny, how fast can you get to Kansas City, Missouri? Why maybe you can stop a homicide? Well, that sounds worthwhile. What's the dope. We underwrite complete insurance coverage for the Paterson Transport Corporation. They handle apostles delivery service for most of the department stores in town. Well, that should be profitab little bit hardly deadly. There have been six robberies and beatings involving your drivers in the past week, Johnny. Apparently one guy is responsible, and he's gotten increasingly brutal with each hold up. How far has he gone? The last hold up was yesterday afternoon. He went braserk the drivers from the hospital with five broken ribs in a fractured skull. If this guy hasn't caught a twenty a question of time before he kills somebody, I take the first plane out. You know, many great men have attained the highest office in our land, the presidency of the United States. Can you guess the name of this man? In eighteen eighty four, with a limited education and practically no experience in national affairs, he was elected president at the age of forty eight. During his administration, an income tax was passed but declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, and Coxey's army made its first march on the Capitol as a protest against unemployment. It was also during his administration that the Presidential Succession Bill was passed, which indicated the line of succession to the presidency from the president down through the cabinet. If you don't have his name by now here are two more clues. He was the first president to be married in the White House and the only president who served too non successive terms. Who was he? Grover Cleveland, twenty second and twenty fourth President of the United States. His life is part of your American Heritage. Expense account submitted by a special investigator, Johnny Dollar to a home office Eastern and Mnity and Insurance Company, Hartford, Connecticut. The following is in accounting of expenditures during my investigation of the Patterson Transport matter expense account out of won seventy three dollars and twenty cents airfare and incidentals between Hartford, Connecticut and Kansas City, Missouri. I was met at the airport by Walt Hendricks, Vice president and general manager of Patterson Transport. It's a rough one dollar six hold ups for the week over thirty seven hundred dollars. Cood money stole them. Three drivers, beat them so badly they can't work. One of them in the hospital in critical condition. A real rough one. I understand. One man has been pulling the job, sister Hendricks seems to stack up that way. So far we haven't been able to do a plast thing to stop. How's he operating us like this? He buys something at the department store. As the package sent out cod to a vacant apartment house. The driver gets out there, he lowers the boom. What about the police? Since yesterday morning they've had a playing clothesman riding the delivery trust with the drivers. Well, I should have brought results, and we thought it would too, Jill. Last night, the driver that's laid up in the hospital, Yeah, he got it in his own garage, coming home from a movie with his wife. Hendrix dropped me off at the Mulebach hotel. He said the Patterson Transport company was to fly a car for my personal news, and it was there ready waiting. After I finished checking in, I drove over the police headquarters at eleven twenty five Locks the street, where a Lieutenant Herman of the Robbery Division filled me in. Well, there's a few things about this that makes sense, Teller, not manning, but a few like wad with Tenter. We operates, for one, as a definite pattern. Every hold up's either at the fire and the driver's rout or the last stop or two before he checks in for the day. Sounds like he's pretty familiar with the delivery operations. And that's a bree figure. Maybe from Patterson Transport in, maybe from the department store. Then another thing, he's almost sure to be a cycle. The way he's man handled those drivers, there wasn't any reason for beating him. Drivers all have orders not to resist. Gets increasingly brutal with every holder. No sense to it unless he's a cycle, any description of them. Yeah, Partial always wears a blue bandana handkerchief over his face. But uh, here's what we've got on him. When it's worth say about sixth Street, one hundred and ninety to two hundred pounds, Gray Slaughter chat Baggy Gray's suit has a noticeable limp in the right leg. Hm, well that's pretty general, but that limp might help tie him down. I've got the personnel managers of Patterson in the department stores going over their records on the basis of that description. So far they haven't up with anything. But here's another Angleer, take a look at this man. Yeah sure, Now, the first robbery took place out here forty three under block and Seneca. A next here an observation park, and one here in Cyprus, the next to thirty second Terry, then fifty fourth in Jackson. Well that makes a rough circle around the city. What's he been doing moving from route to rout in a definite pattern? I'd say if hitting one driver after another in turn, well, then you should know who's liable to be next on the list. We do. Driver by the name of Milton Spears got the Southwest territory down here. If the man we're after follows this pattern, you'll get him. But if he breaks it like he did last night, Yeah, that's not all I can tell you now. Down we're hoping this guy will try again. With our men riding the trucks, it's our best bet for getting him. And even if he doesn't, maybe we can. Oh. Hi, Grayson, So you just got a report over a traffic provision. One of the Patterson Company's truck was in an accident I Underson Avenue. What kind of accident? Well, apparently the truck got out of control smashed into a parked car along the curved driver was killed. What about our man? You didn't have anybody aside of it. Truck has been in for repair and the driver was just road testing. It doesn't sound like a Tizon with a hold up as much better, Banks, Grayson, Let me see the complete report when you get it in surely time. Hey, sergeants, Yeah, did you get the name of the driver who was killed? Yeah, we got it. The name was Spears, Open Spears. When we got to the scene of the accident, an ambulance and squad car were already there. Terrible. One of the squad car men filled u Sin on what they'd learned. He was heading eastern Namers in here, lieutenant. Then for some reason he suddenly clamped the wheel of the light and clouded into that buick there at the curb. He must have been going in a pretty good clip, burned a lot of rubber off on the street when he swung in here. Yeah, what did the ambulance men have to say he was dead when they got here. He didn't look as though the crash killed him. No, impact wasn't heavy enough for that. I think you might have had a heart attack. Huh. And he witnesses you. No, I witnesses, Lieutenant, because a lady over there wants to talk to you. Okay, that's critic. Come over. And I haven't take the body down to the mort for an immediate autopsy. I want the results on it as soon as possible. Okay, Lieutenant, how does it hit you dollar? Well, a couple of things don't quite add up. Well, why he was road testing a truck on a quiet residential streak, why he was going fast enough to make heavy skid marks? W that? And why and had to have spirit? Yeah? Well, maybe the autopsy will give us something to go on. Oh maybe it's the lady I was telling you about, Lieutenant, Missus Robertson. How do you do, Missus Robinson? I understand you have something to tell us. I should say that you have something, you, lieutenants, it's about tiny police officers say something. You will take the interest of our citizens. We've got rights, you know, and it's your duty to see that they're protected. I'm not sure I understand. No, I didn't think you would. Things have come to pretty past when a taxpayer can leave the car parked out on the street without some drunken puck drivers smashing into pieces. It's your duty to see that such reckless and competent drivers that kept off our streets and highways. You're the owner of the buick that was hit, Missus Robinson. Well, isn't that just what I've been telling you, young man? And believe me, somebody is going to pay for the damage done to my car and put the shock and damage cast to my nerves. Didn you see the accident take place, Missus Robinson? No, I didn't see it, but not that I had to. I was upstairs in my apartment over there, playing whist with some friends. Then what makes you think the driver was drunk, very irresponsible? Oh, of course he was. What other explanation could there be smashing into a person's car like that in broad daylight on a quiet street. There's not the slightest doubt in my mind. Both of them were drunk, and there was somebody else in the truck besides the driver, of course there was. How do you know, missus Robinson, Oh, because I saw him. That's why I looked out of my window and saw him. A big husky man he was. He got out of the truck right after the crash and went limping off down the street. Additional questioning of the excitable missus Robertson brought no further information, but he got the same results from the other residents of Anderson Avenue. The men from the lab arrived and started working on the truck and buick for possible physical evidence, and we went back to police headquarters. I don't need View to stick around Alla unless you want to. You won't forgetting the autopsy report. I'm spears another hour or two. Well, I thought I might look over the driver's statements and the robbery of Lieutenant. Maybe something will hit me. I'm sure I'll have Grayson dig him out for you. Yes, Grayson, will you get out the driver's statements in the Patterson Transport fires. Mister Dollar would like to look him over. I'll get him right here the time. Adding another report to the list. What's that the call from General Hospital? The driver who was beaten up last night just died. I went over the driver's statements and the official investigation reports Lieutenant Herman and his manage covered every angle I could think of, and a couple I hadn't. When I got through, the autopsy on Milton Spears hadn't been completed yet. So I drove out to the Patterson Transport Company in the Northeast Industrial District. I found Walt Hendrix and the offices of the company, which were located to one side of their busy garage. Oh, it's a terrible thing about Milk Spears. Dollar a terrible thing. Men have been with us for fifteen years, perfect safety records and gets himself killed in an action. It that way. If it was an action, well you think it's connected with the hold ups. We'll know more about it when we get the autops in the book. Well, I suppose it could. Guy. According to the pattern, Spears was the next driver to do to get hit. Sure, and if it had happened while Spears was out on the route, I'd say okay, But he wasn't. Just what was he doing, mister Henricks, Well, his truck broke down the clutch linkage. We sent a substitute out and the garage got through. Milt took the truck out to road test it. Anybody go with him. No, Milk was a good mechanic, no reason to send anybody along, and we don't allow our men to pick up any riders, the or hitchhikers. Now, there couldn't have been anybody in the truck him, or maybe he picked up somebody knew well, possibility, I suppose. I don't know. Dollar. This thing's got me so busy, I can't think straight at all, And I guess there's one consolation though, Yeah, what's that? If you count Spears, every driver in the organization's been hit by now. Unless he starts over again, this guy has any place to go. I'll give you eight to five. He'll think of something. It was getting late in the afternoon, so I figured i'd pay one more visit the headquarters before going back to the hotel and knocking off for the day. As I walked into Lieutenant Hermann's office, he was just finishing a phone call. Gay, Doc, thanks your board. I'll buy you a dinner some day if you're lucky enough to catch up with me. Hi, Dolly. That was Doc Winters, autopsy surgeon. There was a twenty two caliber bullet in Milton Spears brain woll nothing very accidental. About that is there not likely fired at close range? Behind the right ear point of penetration was covered by hair. Bullet lies in the bone. Why the ambulance attendants couldn't catch it? Now, wonder he crushed the truck? Uh, we don't have ballistics examine the bullet. I don't know that they would come up with anything. Now, well, it's been a long day. Well these say we go out and have a bike da oh by that we'll come in. There's a good steakhouse right down so Dennet Hermann, I remember, we'll be right there. Now, let's roll, darling. What's up? Remember that missus Robertson, the woman who that smashed up y Wick? Yeah, I just saw a man there after. He's out in front of her place. Right now, Mind if I cut into say something fellas, it won't take too long. Since a word to the wise is sufficient And in the English language, there is one word which is important to just about everyone in the world. That word is security. Security has several different meetings. However, usually we think of it in connection with the protecting of our military installations and defense industries. But it means more than that. There is a security which applies to every man, woman, and child in America, the security which comes from being in good health, having a good education, and being well taken care of in case things get a little too tough to handle by oneself. This kind of security is the problem of the President's newest Cabinet member, The Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, ties together the work of several governmental agencies. First, there is the United States Public Health Service, which strives to make certain that the general health of the people in our country is in the best of conditions. Then there is the Food and Drug Administration, which guarantees that the food we eat is pure and safe to eat. The Social Security Board, which takes care of ole people, children and the blind who need assistance, also comes under the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, as does the United States Office of Education. This office does research on the educational possibilities, changes, and opportunities and passes on its information to the various state boards of education. As you can see, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare is one of the most important agencies in our government, assuring off as it does, of a normal and healthy way block. And now, with our star John Lund, we bring you the second act of yours, truly, Johnny Dollar. When Lieutenant Herman and I got out to the address Avenue address, Missus Robinson was waiting for us in the vestibule of the apartment building. It's the man. The very same man got out of the truck had smashed my car, and I want you to arrest him at once. You hear if he's a man, we'll arrest him, Missus Racause he's a man. I ought to know. I saw him get out of the truck and limp down the street, and I saw him again just before I called you. What was he doing, Missus Robinson looking over my car? That's what a nerve of him? A criminal returning to the scene of his crime. There's no doubt about the identification. I told you there wasn't, didn't I A big, heavy set man, dressed enough a grace to walking with a limb. He's the man, all right? Where is he now? Where would a man like Patsy? I told you he was drunk when he smashed into my car. He went into that bar at the corner there he is at the bar. Yeah, only guy in a place answered the description. Do you want to take him over? There? Just got the places. I mean, police officers keep their hands on the bar. What's going on here? Hands on the bar? Take him down? Down? Yeah? Sure? What do you think you're doing? Mack? I ain't got no rod on me. How about it? He's clean with him? Sure, I'm clean. I told you I was today. What do you guys want with me? What's your name is n what's it to you? Your name Wesley? Joe Wesley? Where do you live? I ain't decided yet, just got out of town. What are you doing in this neighborhood? Look, you guys ain't got nothing on me. Guy's got a right to come in and have a drink without coppers hopping all over him. Why are the interest in the car? Isn't what a smashed up buick down the street? Who was interested in a smash buick? You were? You were looking at it? Why so I looked at it? Any law against that? Man was killed when that car was hit with me? So what's they gotta do with me? We've got a witness who says you were involved in the accident. Yo, witnesses nuts. All I was doing was walking down the street. I've seen the car, took a gander out of you talk it over downtown, Wesley. There ain't nothing to talk. I didn't have nothing to do with that car. Somebody getting bumped off. You heard the lieutenant. We'll talk about it downtown. Might as well come clean, Wesley. Make it easier on yourself. There's nothing to come clean. Upt I told you coppers that you ain't got nothing on me. We've got a witness, and says different. I told you he's lying. I never been in that neighborhood before. What did you do with the gun? What? God? The one you used to knock off Milton Spears. I never heard a gun and I never heard of the spears. Now, why didn't you guys lay off? Let me out of here? Pretty good racket you had, Wesley? How'd you happen to think of it? What racket? The parcel delivery gimmick? You nuts sept. I didn't have nothing to do with them Patterson trucks. We didn't mention the name of the outfit, Wesley, So you didn't mention? And how do you know what we were talking about? I can read the papers, can I. They've been full of them parcels delivery stick ups. You know more about it than that come on, let's have it was I tell your nuts. I just got into town yesterday from where California. Where in California bolts and we can check on that. Wesley, so check. You'll fight out as like I said, you ain't got it. The thing I met coppies, not a largey thing. Lieutenant Hermann sent in a teletype request for verification from Fulsom, along with telephoto copies of Wesley's prints for comparison. We got the answer back in an hour. Well there it is, Bella. Wesley wasn't sprung from Folsom until yesterday morning, served his full time. We made one more check. We had missus Robertson try to pick out the man she'd seen from a lineup including Wesley and six police officers. She made a positive identification of Sergeant Drayson. Expense ac count adam two seventeen dollars and eighty five cents dinner and drinks for Lieutenant Herman and myself. Afterwards, the Lieutenant called it quits for the night and I headed for the Patterson garage. I wanted to talk with Walt Hendrix again. Pluggy to catch me in dollar don't usually work this late, but it's different now, Well, what's different about it, mister Henricks. I've got some drivers to get a couple of substitutes for those who were laid up, two permanent ones. Yeah, yeah, Well I won't take up too much of your time. I just wanna get a two things straight. Sure, and it's pretty obvious that whoever we're after knows the operation of this business. That means he knew he wasn't gonna get much of a take on those mornings stick ups. The drivers hadn't time to collect many CODs. No, but he got over thirty seven hundred of the afternoon gal ring along with that. I don't say there is but it's possible that money is only the frosting on the cake. Thinking that somebody might have a grudge against the outre numb there's enough evidence to support it. Well, the systematic way he's going after the drivers, the beatings he's ditched out for no apparent reason. Yeah, yeah, I've been thinking the same thing. Come up with any ideas, No, not a one. Company has always had a good labor record, and he busts with competitors. I even checked with Missus Thompson about it. Who's missus Thompson. Oh, she worked here for almost twenty years as my assistant and secretary. Had an auto accident about six months ago. After trippleed, uh, it's tough. Yeah, but she knows the business as well as I do, so I thought maybe she'd come up with something have any luck. Nothing. Even talked to her husband about it. Did he work for the outfit too, No? No, but he got to know it pretty well through her, and he figured it the same way we do. But he couldn't come up with anything either. He did try to warn Milt Spears, though, how was that? Well? He had the guys pat and figured out too a new Milt might be next, so all we wanted him to be careful. Missus Thompson's husband was here at the garage before Milt Spears went Yeah, that's right. He drove up just a few minutes before Milt took off the road test the truck. I went back to the hotel and put on a call to Tomson and Hartford. In the company's interest. He was willing to bunt up his bridge game and go down to the office. He called me back in about forty five minutes with the information I wanted accident took place last Christmas Eve. Johnny Thompson's were leaving a party at the Patterson offices. Apparently the husband had a little too much to drink, drove out of the garage too fast, skidded as he hit the street, and wound up on the wrong side. One of the delivery trucks were just coming in met head on. Uh huh. What's the medical report there? Well, the driver the truck was killed out right. Missus Thompson suffered too broken vertebrae left her permanently crippled. We paid all medical expenses. She's got a life income of one hundred dollars a month. What about the husband? He was in the hospital look until a couple of weeks ago, had a depressed skull fracture, back compound fracture the right tibia. Outside of that, he should be as good as now. Help Jenny, Johnny, I wouldn't be surprised. The Thompson home with a modest spraying bungalow on Prospect Avenue, less than a half mile from the Patterson Garage. I was met at the door by a practical nurse who checked with Missus Thompson and then let me into the bedroom to see her. It is awfully kind of you to call on me this way, mister Darley, and I want you to know that Charlie and I are very appreciative of everything your company is done for us. You're only getting what you're entitled to, Missus Thompson. Well perhaps, but when you've been used to making your own way of life, ending your own living, then suddenly find yourself in a position like I am in, well, thoughtfully nice to know that there are people like you around. Well, thanks, Missus Thompson. Is your husband at home? I'm dreadfully sorry, but he left just a few minutes ago. And you did want to talk to him about those robberies, didn't you. What makes you think that? Oh, mister Hendricks told me you were in town. And Charlie's been so interested in those hold ups. Well, he just feels terrible about those poor drivers, you know. No, I didn't. Oh, yes, just terrible. He's been so worried about them ever since the trouble began. But he even wanted to ride along with some of them on their routes to help protect them. Is that so? Yes, he's felt that way, you know, protective about them. Ever since that accident happened to us. Some men might have felt the driver was to blame that night, might have felt resentful toward them because of what happened to me, But not Charlie. He's a wonderfully forgiving man. Mister Darbey, where is your husband now? Yes, he even had a presentment about what was going to happen to them after the hold up started. He told me he was afraid that robber would go from one driver to the next, beating them, perhaps even killing him. He even made a list of the one who's afraid would be her. Where is he now, missus Thompson. That's why he went out tonight, mister Dollar. He's determined he won't let anything like that happen again. That's why he went out to protect him, to protect who well the next one on his list, of course, my form room lawyer, mister Hendrix. The poem was in the living room. I put in two fast calls. The first two police headquarters. I love a car right out Dollar. The second was to the Patterson Garage to Warren Hendricks. The garage was only a few short blocks away, and I made it before the squad guard did. There was a light in Hendrick's office, but it was empty. I tried the darkened garage the next Tompson, is that you Thompson? Tompson, what's going on out there? What's the shooting about? It's Dollar Hendricks. Dollar, Yeah, throw some lights on with him. Yeah, sure, going on here? Dollar? What do you do? Oh, Charlie Thompson? Yeah, where were you in the back room? But Charlie, what what happened? Well, somebody had to stopped him from protecting you. Expencer count adam three twenty two dollars and ten cents. Hotel bill and miscellaneous expense account ADAM four seventy one dollars and thirty cents. Airfare back to Hartford expense account total one hundred and eighty four dollars and forty five cents. Remarks when ballistics verified that Thompson's twenty two cold had killed Milton Spears, my official job was over my unofficial one. Informing missus Thompson wasn't nearly as easy. I guess I got a little confused. It's the only way I can account for the fact that she believes her husband died a hero getting the bandit single handed. You're truly Johnny dollar w