The Blue Beetles. Weeping down from the Youngers slash Gangland, comes a friend
of the unfortunate, enemy of criminals, the mysterious, all powerful character a
problem to the police or a crusade of a law In reality, Dan Garrett
a rookie patrolman, loved by everyone but suspected by none of being the Blue
Beetle. As the Blue People, he hides behind a strange mask and a
sup of interrigable blue shade armor, flexible ourselves but stronger than still. Today's
episode of The Blue Beetles is entitled Mashing the Arson Rings. Numerous fires of
suspicious nature have stirred the civil authorities to a point where a concerted drive is
under way to discover who and what is back of this unprecedented wave of mysterious
conflagrations. As the city's fire inspection department become obsolete. Is the increase of
destructive fires and abandoned factories and all law tenements due to coincidence? Or is
an organized campaign of wholesale arson being engineered by a mastermind. As our story
opens, the Troman Dan Garrett, who in secret is really the Blue Beetle,
discusses the situation with his friend and confident doctor Franz. The Chemist and
Denny don't really believe that there's a ring of professional arsonist woods setting these plans.
I am positive. You know, we've had a long dry spell.
There's such a thing as spontaneous combustion. I know that. Then on what
do you base your suspicions? The fact that in each case the burned building
had been vacant for a long time, or had been operating on a losing
basis, and was heavily insured. Not those old tenements on River Street.
But surely the owners would be taking a terrible risk of discovery if they set
them on fire, not if I hired professional arsonists. They're pretty clever,
you know, yes, But look at the property loss and in some cases
loss of life. The property losses in each case I've found are all covered
by fire insurance. A loss of life such as in that last tenement,
fires and other things that's equivalent to wholesale murder. You're right, Danny,
and if someone deliberately set those fires, that person should pay the extreme penalty
they will if I can get the evidence I need to convict them of.
What do you intend doing? I'm asking the Chief to put me on special
duty to investigate these mysterious fires with Officer Mannigan. Yes, if Mike wants
to work on them with me, he will, all right. He likes
excitement as much as you do. I know I can't stand in activity as
long as there are criminals to run down. I'll only be happy when I'm
on their trail. And I do hope you'll always be as successful in the
future as you have been in the past. I've got a fire engines that's
my exit. Cue along that now, I'm Dan Garrett's a smoke here.
Oh man, God, more wild than the apartment house. But the challenge
your back on the top. Guy. He's a hard guy, these houses,
aren't. We're the part of the boat him up because as a girl
up as that's not fall window. He's gonna count here he killed if you
don't, John, But there's a cop warning or not to jump. Yeah.
Now we're going right into the buildings. Yeah, and there's another comp
fly right after him. But they'll be playing to a crystal let inferno.
Boy. Look at the flames pouring out of that window underneath. Yeah,
it's like counting for them babies, I guess. Look the fireman just got
a hose up that ladder. They're pouring a stream of water into the windows.
Too late up man, Yeah, that's the end of the cops and
the girls. Yeah, gee, what a crack. Look look up there
on the roof. Yeah, it's the two cops and the girl. What
do you know about that? They went up and set it down just in
time too. While I'm gonna landing a ladder over to them from the hook
and ladder truck where but it will reach it's too short. Oh why don't
they jump across to the next room. It's too far, honey, pot
camp, it never made it. The fireman's stretch your nets or if they
can't get hearing up to their buildings, that fire is too high. See
you four out of those lower windows. I'm just that tack. No,
no, no, look yeah, one cup's hanging to the edge of the
roof by his hands. Now the other one's crowing over him. But when
they drying the dude that's taking cops hanging from the face top's feet stuff.
He can almost break the ladder up. There's a fireman growing up the ladder.
Say. The girl's climbing down over the two cups hanging there. Look
out, see she almost lost hole. The fireman's gotta see, says,
he says. He's say yeah, but say, looks like he sainted time.
Two cups gonna get down? I don't know. They're still hanging up
past my not back in the hooking ladder truck a bed now out. The
end of the ladder is white under him, don't you there? He goes,
he dropped. He made it. Now there's only the top hanging into
the roof. He can't make it? Oh? Who is? He looks
like patrolman Dan Garrett. The other cup was manning in his town. And
I've cowered all right? Yeah, but how's he gonna get out of listed
him? He look the fire is looking up to him. Now he's trying
to climb back onto the room. Very close. He made it. How
is he gonna get down from that? Which means or I would like to
be in his place? Say he's fit, the feary ain't here? He
is, he's got a long pool. What's he gonna do? Hold warn
across for the other room, gosha. I hope he leaks it very good?
Oh boy, he ought to get our medals for this day's work.
M Well, Danny, I understand you distinguished yourself at the fire today.
I almost extinguished myself with all I could do to hold on when Mannigan and
the girl were both hanging on to me. He's no lightweight, and I'm
proud of you, my boy. That took the nerve. You got to
have nerve to make good on the police force. And I know, but
you've covered yourself with glory. The important thing is I got some valuable information,
Kah, from whom the girl I rescued, Elsey Williams. Yes,
I talked to her at the drug store where the fireman took her when she
fighted. She worked for Gordon, sort of a secretary and rent collector.
Is that how she came to be in that building when the fire started?
Yes, she was collecting rents. She told me she saw one armed man
leave the cellar entrance in a hurry as she entered the building. Oh,
what's suspicious about that? He might have been a friend of the janitor.
Miss Williams told me that she'd seen him in a huddle with her employer early
this morning before the fire, But that still doesn't prove anything. Weight.
As he left, she heard him. Say to Gordon, don't worry.
Your troubles will soon be over. We won't miss as Gordon been having trouble
some sort, Yes, financial troubles, been losing money on his houses.
He also has a lost building. It's been empty for months. That's literally
looks suspicious. Yes, and I figure my trail begins with mister Gordon.
What are you going to do? Call upon mister Gordon and make him talk.
As the carman down, Dolf do you? I won't see you one.
I'm busy for so important to do. Oh well, i'll see him
the Calmann John guard did you go? Oh coming officer, Oh that's on
your mind? Very busy this afternoon, fire this morning, and everything very
upsetting. Every financial loss to you or to the insurance company. What's that?
I asked you to whom the fire was a heavy financial loss? So
you are the insurance company. Oh okay, just because you're right that uniform,
don't think that you can be impertan into the taxpass. I'll report you
just a minute, mister Gordon, I'm here on official business. Your buildings
were heavily insured. You stand the gain rather than lose by this fire.
Today, the fire chief reports evidence of incendiorism. What do you mean?
How can report such a thing I have, mister Gordon. I'm here to
help you if I can. You tell me who the ringleaders are and miss
Arston Rackett, and I'll do what I can to get you off lightly when
your case comes up in court. Court? Who said anything about court?
I did? I'm going to be arrested shortly on suspicion of being party to
a conspiracy to defraud the fire insurance company. No, no, you can't
do now now, now, why don't you break down? Give me the
information I'm after. What do you want to know? Who is the one
armed man who is seen to leave the building just before the fire? One
armed man fire? I don't know anywhere? Who had a confidential talk with
you earlier this morning, my secretary, or in knowing your secretary into this?
After all, she almost lost her life to day collecting rents for you?
All right, I'll tell you. His name is Joe Duranda. It's
called Stumpy. He worked for the Modern Wrecking and Construction Company. They wrecked
buildings and construct buildings that you're coming and going. What a profitable business,
I'd say, Oh, listen, I didn't want to do this thing.
They threatened to undermine my tenements, so they'd collapsed. I didn't hire them
to burn them down. The buildings collapsed, I'd get no insurance at all,
But did be a total loss? Oh that's their racket. What did
they get out of it? Thousand dollars down and twenty percent of the insurance?
Mm not sad. And I suppose they get the job of rebuilding hairs
huts part of the contract. Who's the head of the company. I don't
know. Somebody always spoke of his boss as uh the skipper. Something must
have been in the navy at one time. I don't know that. What
does the gang use that makes the fire spread so quickly? Cathleen, No
nothing. Will you go down with me to the DA and tell him what
you just told me? Now, look here, officer, my life isn't
worth a dime ride Now for talking, we don't worry. The DA will
have you guarded day and night. What was that one that sounded like my
secretary's boy? Hold on, let's see you going in there? God hear
not those men they're carrying along. You're right, hey, don't count count
taper. I'll fix you for sticking your nose. You know what, don't
consent. You come on good and take a walk with me. Oh kind
I've got this gun in your back, so don't open your trap. You
and me's gone for a little ride. This skipper wants to see you later
that evening, I up in one of the city's skyscrapers. Stumpy is reporting
to his skipper. You see, it was like this, skippers. I
seen the cuppa go into Gordon's office, and I figured maybe Gordon's secretary a
spill of beans to Garrett after he rescued it. Uh huh. So I
called some of the boys, of course, and when the copper stayed in
with Gordon so long, well, I figured the heat was being tained on.
So I decided to pick up Gordon as well as a girl. You
took a terrible risk by kidnapping them and broad daylight. Well what else could
I do, Skipper? The heat was on? Where are they all?
I got him tied up in one of your budgets down at the end of
the River Street. You bring him out to my yard about midnight. We'll
see how much they've spilled to the police. Okay, skipper, and keep
away from waterfront saloons. If you get drunk tonight, you're all through?
Sure, Sure, Skipper, you can trust me. I won't take not
even one drink. You better not if you know what's good for you.
I've got a couple of jobs for you tomorrow, and I want you sober.
And you can trust me, Skipper. I ain't a where my bread
and burda comes from, all right? Remember that if you want to be
able to continue eating bread and butter. What will happen to Elsie Williams and
the brave little Secretary? Will Garden be bumped off for talking? Can Dan
Garrett recover from the blow on my head in time to catch the thugs?
Or will he lose the trail completely? Meanwhile, at doctor Franz's little apothecary
shop, the Troman, Dan Garrett is talking with Doctor Franz while donning his
blue beetle chain armor in math, Doc, I've got a hunch. There's
that sailor costume you brought along. Something to do with your hunch. Yes,
I'm gonna put it on over my blue beetle costume. And what's the
idea? Well, I'm convinced that the Arson trail leads down at the waterfront.
M that's an interesting thought. A fire trail leading to water, yes,
but nevertheless that's the way I see it. But what you see the
idea that clear leads in that direction. Stumpy's reference to his boss a skipper,
which may mean that Stumpy's been a sailor, or that the head of
the Arson ring may have headquarters on a ship of some kind. I see.
Also, I learned from Gordon today that napther's being used to saturate the
buildings before setting them afire. Napther is used extensively around ships to remove grease
and paint and rust. For what you going to do? Disguise myself as
a sailor and see if I can pick up Stumpy's trail in one of the
waterfront cafes. That will be dangerous, Denny, and I love danger duck,
and it's in the line of duty, a part of my crusade against
crime. Well you better it. Me change your face at it. There's
some makeup. I'd act a little tipsy if I were you, It would
be more convincing. That's a great idea. I'll hide my blue beetle mask
until I go into action as the Blue beetle, and when I do,
some people are going to get a pick surprise. As the matter tailor lost
a twatt. I'm looking for my friend Stumpy blossom pal Stumpy. You know
Stumpy? Sure, I know Stumpy. Gotta fine stumpages. What do you
want with him? He's gotta give me a job. He's my pounds said,
if I ever wanted a job ashore, he'd steer me into or a
good job. Oh, I ain't seen him. Maybe you could find him
down at the end of River Street, in the River Street or something doing
down there. Sometimes he sleeps on one of the modern recon and construction companies
barge. Well promised me a job. He did. I'll go find him
and buy him a drink or spy Stumpy. Oh good, this is maybe.
Look there's a guy coming down there looking for Stumpy. Yeah, he
said, he's a power of Stumpy attending these front But he ain't he's cold,
sober and he ain't snow power Stumpy. Okay, goodbye amer he rough
light and see can't find my pan Stumpy. You know Stumpy one arm Stumpy
grunt. I'm sure I know him. He's down on the barge there.
Come on bell. Let me see you are. That's very kind of you
made. Why don't mention it? I am a sea far and may and
mooselle a seat fair and men gotta stick together. Stumpy is a seat Farnell.
Watch your step matey. Yeah, he's the bodge Stumpy. He'll be
glad to see an old friend, Stumpy if you will find him right down
there. And he ain't down there now you can talk to the rats until
he comes. Yeah, what are you doing? I just knocked an old
family or into the hole of this scale. Who is he? I don't
know the mazy phone he was asking for you when playing drunk up at the
cafe. Yeah, probably a dick. Yeah, what are you doing with
him? Put the hatch cover on and pile some bags of sand on it,
and I'll go up the phone and skipper at the office. It's okay.
I'll take care of it. And if they're saying the hole gets noisy,
open up the hatch and fill the hole with sand and I'll keep him
quiet for a long time. What will happen to the blue people now?
Can he escape from the racking fested tomb or will he be smothered to death
by sand. In the meantime, several telephones are busy. Yes, mister
mayor, Yes, yes, you're right, something should be done about these
costly fires. Whan Yes, yes, sir, yes, need of be
glad to serve on the Citizens Committee. Thanks, anything but the good of
the city. Oh, by the way, mister Mayor, I'd like to
have you and your wife spend the weekend on my heart some die. Oh
no, not at all, not at all that it'll be a pleasure.
Yes, it's alright, Well, just let me know where. Goodbye jumpy
On the other songs y hello, yes, huh mm, that sounds suspicious.
It maybe that the throeman Dan Garrett playing detective what Yeah, it's a
good idea something. Tell us to open up the sand elevator and fill the
hole. Yes, sinker if necessary. We're in short. I'll meet you
out at the yacht in a half hour. Bring Gordon and the girl.
We find out the same, squealed, you'll know what to do. Good
Bye, Hello doctor, friends speaking Hello doc, can you hear me you
standing? Yes, I'm talking to my portable wireless telephone. But where are
you in the hold of a sand barge at the foot of river streets.
Are you in danger? Not yet with what happened. Someone knocked me into
the hold and now they're filling the bridge with sand. But Henry, you'll
be very deling. I'll look back. Hellophone the police to come at once
the Modern Wrecking and Construction Company's warehouse. I'm in the bridge, hied up
to the pier. Hurry back, hurry. Where are you taking it out
to the skipper's yacht? Who's the skipper? Don't you wish you knew and
could tell somebody? I know who you are and what you do. Yeah,
but it ain't gonna do you no good. You'll never tell what are
you moving? This skipper ain't taking no chances on you or your boss at
squealing heiny garden, You awake? Oh eh, he's awake. You'll never
get away with this. Patrolman Dan Garrett is on your tail. Say it
did squeal? That's who the guy was that Gus knocked into the hole of
the sandbarge. Well, he'll never tell nobody nothing. He's buried alive by
this time. All that must be the skipper now on his way out to
the yacht. We're both thinking about the same yay, or maybe it's summer.
Hide the counter. I'll slap you overboard. I should have left the
gag in your mouth. That's what a guy gets for being saw counted.
Okay, skipper sir, are you coming? Yeah, he's got your fire.
Follow it of be off. Okay, just be yill and I'm gonna
get you up again. Aunt. I regret very much Miss Williams and mister
Gordon that you saw fit to express yourselves to their poverties to the extent you
have. In my business, long tongues means short lives. What are you
going to do with it? My lawyers? Your lawyers will assist in settling
your estate, mister Gordon. Only your heirs will benefit by your long tongue.
No, no, you can't mean that. That was my meaning.
Very quickly, mister Gordon, we're all going for a little sea boys,
if you and Miss Williams aren't coming back. Yes, the flu people,
your prop that gun thumpy you might injure the young lady. Why it won't
save you. Your record is smashed. Your folke of respectability will no longer
shield you. Listen, you guys, not goey. Don't let this guy
bluff you. Any of you I'll blast you with my ray guy poast.
I'm gonna take me alive. Now I'll dive by water with timby Daddy,
how did you escape from the hold of that sand bar? I discovered one
of the hatches wasn't tight, so was the hole filled with sand. I
climbed up in the sand, laized the hatch and crawled out. That was
a matter escape, Yes, when what did you do? Then? I
heard a girl scream across the water, so I figured it must be Miss
William's voice. I dived overboard, swam out to a speedboat board nearby,
and climbed the board. Luckily, I found the ignition key in the switch
and started her up. Rest was easy. Drove the boat out to within
a quarter mile of the yacht Typhoon, dived over and swam out to her,
and then on. It was just a matter of getting aboard without being
seen. He certainly had an exciting night. Yes, but that's what the
blue beetle craves who were try away. And did they find the skipper's body?
Not yet? Well, as he said, he lived by fire and
died by water. My by but a strange epithaph. Yes, but I'd
prefer one which would read here sleeps the Blue Beetle. He did his job.
Now dressed in peace. That's just what I'm going to do. Goodn't
I doc a fire and a flood can tain me for my self appointed task.
I'm gonna get them sleep. And so the Blue Beetles smashed another crooked
racket and chalked up another victory for his crusade against crime. Further adventures of
Patrolman Dan Garrett will be presented in the next episode of The Blue Beetles.
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