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Well, now it is time for this week's episode. I Filo Vans the
original airdate September the twenty seventh, nineteen forty nine, and this one is
the Shoeless murder case in the combats are the beautiful. You have a splendid
eye for a beautiful woman, mister Jordan. Each of the girls is lovelier
than the other. They make quite a picture walking around your pool. All
glad you took time off. We'll priv an investigating come down to my country
place. I most certainly am, and I'm very grateful for the invitation.
Although I'm hardly qualified to be a beauty contest judge, why not. You're
a man, You've got eyes and to be perfectly prank about it. It
doesn't matter who wins. I beg your pardon. I arrange this contest for
a group of guests as a sort of publicity campaign for the line of shoes
I manufact. I see each of the girls, as you can see,
is wearing a bathing suit, and each of the bathing suits is different,
but the shoes are all the same. I later smiled, what do you
think? Well, as you've said, mister Jordan, I'm a man and
I have eyes. Isn't it asking a little too much to think I'd have
looked at shoes? You will, and so will everybody when the winner's picture
appears in the papers, and no matter who wins, should be wearing my
shoes. Very glever. I'm not exactly experienced of being a judge, mister
Jordan. Uh, what am I supposed to do? Now? You're supposed
to select the one that looks most attractive, and whoever that is, wins
my ten thousand dollars prize? Which one of the five you think should be
the winner? Well, now that requires some five? Did you say there
are only four girls? Boy? Can it be? There must be five?
The four girls you have are really a nice Hello? What is it
better? Say? Come on, mister Jordan, what's happened here? That
be pro pleas? I you don't mind? Excuse me? What't if you
yelled, what is this? Is? Where? Jordan? Why here behind
the bushes? I think she's dead? And yes, she's dead, all
right. Mylon Stocking has been twisted around her neck. Who was shape one
of the models in the contest. I don't know what name. I'll have
to find out. Well, this is terrible. Why should anyone I don't
know, mister Orde, And I imagine you were going to say, why
should anyone murder such a lovely young lady? That's very important, of course,
that there's something else important. Look closely, you see something missing her
shoes. She's not wearing your shoes, that's right. So we have two
questions, mister Jordan, why should somebody kill a lovely young lady and then
steal her shoes? I'm glad you came to see means you realize that this
is one of the few times we've really gotten to jump on the case.
You were present at the time of the murder. Half of what you say
is true, Markham, I was there, but the murder is still completely
baffling to me. Why would anyone kill a lovely young lady and steal her
shoes? Fans I've been district attorney in this city for many years, and
I've never heard anything even close to so ridiculous a situation is this? I
don't believe it? Oh? Just a second a crime? Yes, Markrams
Bennett homicide. Yes, Bennett, we got another one? Another one?
What? Another dead one? What young girl? Name was Sally Morse,
one of them bathing beauties, was at the contest this afternoon. Go on,
this one was shot in her home and somebody stole her shoes? What
somebody stole her shoes? And what's going on in this town? Da?
I don't know, Bennett, but thanks for calling. Why I know,
markam I couldn't help overhearing a second girl has been murdered and her shoes stolen?
Yes, why why the shoes? If we could only find the reason
for that, no question, But that's the motivation behind the killings. What
do you think? Hello? Oh, yes, come in, come in.
Well the busy in your homicide department, isn't it he? Yeah,
Well I guess you heard another girl got it? Yes, Bennett and homicide
just phoned me. Bennett and he just phoned you. What are you talking
about? A girl named Sally Moss who was found shot with her shoes missing,
the second of the shoeless murders, Second's third. What I came up
to tell you, dear, I didn't know anything about this more scale.
It must have happened while I was on the way here, but about two
hours ago one of the model's named Betty Blake, got it with a bullet.
I what about our shoes missing? This is a fine case, no
shoes, no clues. If I were you, Mark, am I get
in touch with the remaining girls who were in that contest and offer them police
protection. I'll do that at once. Of course, where are you going
back back to see mister Jordan at whose home the first murder took place.
Taking into consideration the scene of the crime, perhaps we can pool our information.
What is fun? No thanks, I'll just stay here on the edge
of the pool fail as long as you like to, we do get back.
I'm coming out its one. If you don't go in. What's on
your mind? Designed for some new shoe model you're dreaming of? Oh you
know better than that. That's what happened here this morning. What are you
worried about? We still't think you murdered the girl we found here, But
I know what I think, Walter Darling, what's that None of the girls
are in that contest is safe? And that includes me. In fact,
the district attorney called me before I came here, wanted to give me a
couple of cops for protection. You should have accepted, edith so murdering many.
I was trying to kill all of the girls who we're here today?
Why and why steal issues? Don't ask me. I don't know. Now
I know a possible reason for the first girl being killed. I mean,
you know, I mean a nz and you know what I mean when I
say I know a reason for her death, Walter, I think, Oh,
Van's glad to see you. Come on over, thank you? Oh
you Amos screamed, don't you she was one of the models this morning.
How do you do? I well, me for a plunge to the pool.
I see you tune a little while, John, you said, miss
Graham here was in this contest. Yeah, so you remember vaguely. So
much happened then and since that, I'm not particularly positive. Help me.
I can't swim, I can I'm coming Miss Graham here. We are just
Relxles Graham. I'll have you to the edge of the pool and no time
over here, Hends. Bring her overhead. I'll get your head. I'll
have them very soon. Here we are are reached down to George. I've
got her. I'll help you win good. Just let her lie there the
edge of the pool. I'm coming out till just head or happy. Though
she was all right before you got hit, you'll be all right again very
shortly, as soon as she gets her breath back. She didn't swallow much
water. Turn her over so that she's lying on her face. Yes,
I know a little about artificial rescue us. What you know. I'm going
into call a doctor. I used the phone up in the bath house.
It's the nearest wine. I'll be back in a good enough Oh, i'd
better you can stop all that foolishness. Waller's nothing wrong with me, all
right. It's something to say to you, and I wanted to say it
without vance being here. They'll be going for a few minutes to listen.
I know why Anez was killed here this afternoon. You do. I don't
get corny. I said I did, didn't I It's going to cost you
ten thousand dollars to keep my mouth shut. Oh that's the way it is,
eh, that's it ten thousand as a first installment. One word of
warning, Edith, you know what happened to the last person that was blackmailing
me? And yes, yes, but I'm talking about she got killed.
How about the other two? Were they blackmailing you too? And why did
you take their shoes? You seem to know so very much, Edith?
Why don't you figure that out too? Ey? Any baby, what's the
matter you sort me? No, Joey, I'm not sorry at you.
Only if you're going to stay here in my apartment be quiet. I gotta
think. I wish I could help you. Only thinking's one thing I ain't
very good at. Now. If you want something heisted a diamond, maybe
I could do it for you. Hey, how about it, dy A
diamond, A big diamond, Joey layoff. I'm sorry. I'm just trying
to take your mind off them killings. Hey, you don't think you're on
it. That's just because you are one of them models day. Maybe our
friend mister Jordan's a pre resourceful character. Oh yeah, I'm resourceful for him.
I'm not going half. We had a little talk with him last night,
a talk interrupted by final events Final vents. Well, I'm not kim
halfway at the same place. If he gets in the way, that might
be quite a chore you pick for yourself. Joey, maybe you know some
honey. What with them three gals out of the way, it'd be a
cinch to win that contest if they was to continue it. What does that
mean? Anger? Somebody liked you very much like me. They might want
to make sure you were a number one girl in that contact. Sure you
didn't, No, of course you didn't unless you figured I'd give you part
of that prize money. But what would you do with those missing shoes?
Why would you want them? I canna have a reason, Joey, did
you kill those three girls? Did you? I ain't saying I love you,
sure only I don't trust you not that much anyhow, Eady darling,
help me try to kill me quick afout. You can try to quick get
out of here. Yes, man, what's all right? You said the
girls made very contest yesterday. I just know I was can through the apartments
at me. Try to kill me? Her Man, A Wayne, I
found you, goodness, I found you at least time in my life again.
Was there glad to see me? Take me home? Were more apartments
only I want to make a top friend night lady, and I know where
you want to step, police said quarters. Excuse me just a moment with
Advance. When I read this report, Sergeant Heath gave me a right ahead,
Markham. Well, Heath, what progress has the department made in tracking
down our murderer? Progress? Progress? What kind of progress can we make?
What kind of a guy kills beautiful girls and then steals their shoes?
How do we find a guy like that? I wish I knew. I
have a plan. Excuse me for interrupting events. This report is complete enough.
He's good. At least something around it here is complete. Van.
Sergeant Heath's given me the story of Doris Morgan, the model who claimed someone
tried to kill her in the park last night. She ran, got into
a cabin, came right down to headquarters. Any description of the man who
tried to kill her. No, No, she was so terrified she just
ran. Anyhow she got away. That's good. It's better than you think,
markham I figured that Vance, Well, Sargeant. If the killer,
assuming naturally that it's the same person who's doing all the killings, if the
killer tried again last night, Apparently he doesn't have what he's killing for as
yet. And what is that? The shoes? I get it, the
right pair of shoes he wants. There's a reason for him trying to find
just one pair of shoes, only he doesn't know which pair, right,
Vans? Probably you see Markham. All the girls in the contest the other
day wore different bathing suits, but all wore the same model shoes, the
identical models. However, there should be something about one particular pair that's different,
different enough for somebody to kill to get it. Yeah, but there
isn't. He got the shoes from the two modelers who are still alive,
and we ripped him apart. Only we didn't find a thing. Vans knows
that. Yes, it makes this case more puzzling, but it did give
me an idea. Well, before you tell us about that, Vans,
have you ever had any contact with one of the models who was at Jordan's,
a girl named Edith Graham. I practically saved her life, or at
least that's what she wanted me to believe when she pretended she was drowned in
Jordan's pool yesterday. Why why, I'll tell you why this Graham Dames got
a boyfriend named Joey Silo, and he's a very tough character. I'm thinking
maybe he ought to be picked up, even though I got nothing on him,
working on the theory that he'd kill all the other contestants so that his
girl would win the contest. Is that he's not It could be there was
a lot of cash going to the galloh won that contest? Maybe his girl
promised him a piece of it. What about the missing shoes? He Oh,
how should I know? Well, gentlemen, if you excuse me,
I have two letters to write. Letters fans. I was under the impression
that this case was dominating your activities at the moment. Oh, it is
Markham, definitely, and the letters are very pertinent to this case. Believe
me. In fact, if I were you, I'd hope I got an
answer to one of the letters. Well, who do you think he is
going to write that answer? Fans? Oooh, why the murderer? Of
course, this is just rict Attorney Markham. The Shoeless murder case involved the
killing of three girl models, all of whom it participated in the contest at
the home of Walter Jordan, shoe manufacturer. First to die was a girl
named Inez Stone killed while a contest was going on. Later, two other
models were murdered and their shoes stolen, a factor which we can't understand.
We do know that one of the models still alive, Edith Graham, has
a boyfriend who has a record, and Vance has an idea he can entice
the killer into the open with two letters he wrote. That's all. Whom
the letters were to go to, or what was in them, we don't
know. I just come by taking a breakfast. It was nice if your
Joey sit down hot nice, You're okay? Bring your mail up with me?
Just one letter? Yeah, thanks to Joe. I wonder this can
even films? Yes, yes, yeah, Joy, listener is I don't
know what dy? This letter? Here's all it says, missus Earth Graham,
I got what you want? Meet me to night tenth and Carver Streets
midnight and it's signed shoes. Oh does it mean? Joy? What do
you think it means? I know, honey, and I'm stoupid only not
STOUPI enough to think that you don't know what it means too. That's all
the mail this morning, mister Jordan, All right, except one letter marked
personal. Do you want me to open it, please do, Mark Personal.
Yes, it can't be anything my assistant shouldn't know about. Go ahead
open it and read it. Yes, sir, it says mister Jordan.
But you'd better read this yourself. Mister Aller Jordan, I got what you
want. Meet me to night tenth and Carver Street, midnight, signed shoes.
It doesn't make sense to me, mister Jordan, Does it to you?
Yes? I'm afraid it does very good sense. Ten minutes after midnight
vance, our murderer hasn't shown up. Ten past midnight, tenth and Culver,
You and I, Markham, but no murderer is. I've got something
to confess to you. What's it? Either I'm not as clever as you've
always insisted, or our shoeless killer is a very smart individual, because he
didn't fall for this plan. Well why did you think he would? He
had to, Markham, don't you see? He was killing to get a
certain pair of shoes, a pair of which was worn by one of the
girls in that bathing contest, but he didn't know which girl wore them.
He tried to kill one of the remaining models the night before last. That
means he hadn't gotten what he wanted up until now. Logical enough I offered
to give it to him in a letter should have risen to the bait.
Unless unless our suspect list isn't complete. I'm pretty sure that if we could
find the reason for those shoes being missing from the victim's feet, we'd have
our murderer. Seems as if that's right, doesn't it? Yes? Well,
it may or may not be so. But one thing I know is
definite. I know where I'm going on this case. I wish I did
know that. No, Markham, My next move may possibly be wasted,
But I'm going back to the Jordan home for a look at some of Walter
Jordan's personal records. Do you think he'll show them to you? Or do
you want me to do it legally? I'd rather you didn't, Markham,
thanks, just the same, I'd rather Jordan didn't know I was doing it
either. I want to look at his records. Off the record. Stand
right where you are, whoever you are. Turn't taught me with your hands
up? Who as I say, now before I shoot, mister Orde,
who as I say, caught you in my library? I could shoot without
giving you this break don't taught me. I said, hello, mister Jordan,
I must apologize with this. Well, I certainly think you ought to
I didn't mean to you. I meant to myself or getting caught rather bungling
of me. Then, I've never done anything quite like this before, quite
like what like looking through a man's personal papers and de check books. I'm
rather glad I did, though, I've uncovered a lot of interesting information.
I'll tell you what you found. You found canceled checks made out by meet
to as Stone. Correct, Yes, and in as Stone was murdered in
this estate of yours, the first of the shoeless murders. She was blackmailing
me, I admitted, and I admit I Peter, in view of the
evidence here, you couldn't do anything else, but admitted you also admit you
killed her. No, I'm glad you said. That makes this case even
more interesting. There's a stub in your check book here I'd like to know
about. It's one dated yesterday and indicates a check made out to Edith Graham
ten thousand dollars. What was that for? She knew it, as was
blackmailing me and threatened to tell the police. How did you know I can't
figure that at all. I can understand her not saying anything to the police.
It would destroy her chances of continuing to blackmail you. Very interesting,
mister Jordan. I have an idea. I'll be seeing you again after I
see Miss Graham. I don't know why I did it, mister Markham.
I just don't know what my note was wrong, but I couldn't help.
I think I understand Miss Graham, and I'm glad you came to me.
How much money did you get from mister George Just one check for ten thousand
dollars. I cashed the check, but I'll return the money. I'm sure
we can straighten this out. And I'm very glad you came to me.
So Jordan was being blackmailed by as Stone, the first of the girls to
die, Yes, he was, and after she was killed, I thought
I could do the same thing. I'm happy you change your mind. You
know Vans has you on his list of suspects. This might do quite a
bit to change his mind, perhaps, Markham. Oh, hello Vans Graham.
Mind if I intrude Markham, You're not intruding Vans. Miss Graham was
just reporting something very interesting to me. She was telling you that an S.
Stone was blackmailing Jordan, and that after Miss Stone's death, she took
over. That's right. How did you know, Markam? I left Walter
Jordan about an hour ago. At that time I found out about Miss Stone
and Miss Graham here, but she didn't know that. She came down to
my office to tell me what she'd been doing without knowing you already knew,
Vans. That's fine, but incorrect. As soon as I left Walter Jordan,
he called Miss Graham called to tell her her blackmailing was over. That
I knew. I overheard him calling the number, and her being here now
indicates the conversation. Miss Graham knew I'd be after her to admit she was
blackmailing Jordan, so she beat me to it and came to you, thereby
eliminating suspicion from herself. She thought, that's all very cute and clever.
Vans. But now what now? I want you to tell me how you
knew and s Stone was blackmailing George Vans. Please, I'm sorry, but
how can that be important? Why should it have resulted in the depths of
two other models? The answer to the question I asked Markham will tell you
what you want to know, Miss Graham. How did you know in s
Stone was blackmailing Jordan? I overheard of fighting women. It all came out
while they were arguing. Where were they and you at the time. I
was putting on my bathing suit. The pool bath house has a roof,
but there's an opening between the floor and the walls, an opening about two
feet high running right around the bathroom, so you could hear what was going
on outside, right. I see, That's all, miss Graham, except
for one thing. I'll want you down to that bath house tomorrow morning and
bring your friend Joey with you. Oh you know about him? Huh,
of course we do. We'll expect you and him there tomorrow morning, Miss
Graham. Okay, can I go now? Man's yes, but you're entitled
to know this. Mister Jordan will be invited to his own bath house tomorrow
morning too, and Marcom and I will be there planning a party, ending
a party, Miss Graham. It's high time our killers stopped having a good
time out of making fools out of us, Markam, can you hear me?
Yes? Yes? Good? You have Joey at mister Jordan in the
bath house with you. That's right, very well. You are now in
the position that miss Graham says she was in when she heard Jordan and in
es Stone arguing. Can you hear this? Very plainly? Listen, Go
ahead, miss Graham, say the words you overheard. Okay, don't give
me that water. You'll keep paying. You're blue in the face. And
incidentally, I'm winning this contest today. Don't forget it. You're paying and
I'm winning, or I talk. And then here Jordan tried to get at
a quiet down, but she wasn't having I mean, she said, don't
shush me, Walter. Jordan's suppose everybody knew how you took over your shoe
business by swindling the man who wounded How long do you think you'd be such
a big man? Well, how long? That's about all vants. You're
all that Markham very distinctly party. She's joining the true vans. Yes,
come out here, will you, Markham? All right, Miss Graham?
Who was in the dressing room with you when you heard all this? Nobody?
I came in early. That's why Inez and Jordan talked out here.
They didn't know I was inside. I see and Ane Stone was killed in
almost this same spot a few hours later. I suppose that's right. Where
were you at the time. I don't know where I was when she was
killed. You don't treat me, Van, what's up? Markham looked down
at the opening in the bath house. The bath house wall, it doesn't
extend all the way to the floor. What do you see see? Yes,
I see a pair of legs belonging to mister Jordan, another belonging to
Joy. Why shouldn't I see them? They're both in the bath house.
That's right. And now if you will, you can make your arrest.
You mean you know the murderer, why the three girls were killed, and
why the shoes were missing. Yes, I'll tell you all about that later,
but right now you can arrest Edith Graham or murder. Wait right there,
Markham, I know I'm coming out of the pool. Hurry in figurating.
He certainly looks good, I said mister Jordan to let me use his
pool. Yes, he was, And it'd be very nice of you,
Hans if you brought me up to date on the shoeless murder. You want
to know first why they were shoeless? Is that right, Markham? I
want to know why the shoe were removing the dead bodies. Yes, that
was the most confusing part of this case, and it still is. It
was intended to be confusing, Markham. In fact, that was the only
reason the shoes were taken. I beg a pardon. The murderer, who
we know now was Edith Graham, knew that we would try to find some
link between the missing shoes and her. There was no link, of course,
but she was trying to lead us up a blind alley. Well she
most certainly succeeded. In other words, the shoes were taken merely to throw
us off. She was sure we'd concentrate on them, and we did.
Yes, a very clever idea. Now tell me this. Why were the
three girls murdered? The answer is simple. When Edith Graham murdered Iness Stone
out where she had heard Stone and Jordan arguing, she looked down and saw
a pair of girl's legs in the bath house. She immediately assumed that whoever
owned those legs had heard Miss Stone's death struggle, probably had heard Miss Stone
mention her Miss Graham's name go ahead. But by the time she'd killed Miss
Stone and made her way into the bath house, wherever it was in the
bath house it disappeared. As Graham knew was that one of the girls was
a possible witness to the murder, a murder she committed to enable her to
blackmail Walter Jordan. She had to get rid of that possible witness. In
order to do that, she had to kill three more girls. That's right.
She had no idea which one of the three other girls in the contest
was a possible witness to what she'd done, and there was no way to
find out, right, listen to this, Vans. Originally there were five
girls. Miss Jane was killed. That left four. Two of the other
girls were murdered. That left two, Doris Morgan and Edith Graham. The
killer tried to get Miss Morgan in the park, which she escaped. That
left only one girl who could have done the killings. Miss Graham. You're
right again, Markham. Now we know how and why and that she killed
the others. Now we have her confession. We know one other thing,
two Vans, we know. This is the end of the Shoeless murder case.
A welcome back. While an interesting episode where it turned out the key
Kloe was a red herring and they definitely didn't have me fools, so I
will give them credit on that, though I will admit confusion on one thing.
If stealing the shoes was a way to just distract them so that she
could, you know, create this string of murderers by taking the shoes,
did she go back to where she had killed the first victim and then took
her shoes? And what did she do with the shoes? It wasn't like
she had somewhere that she could have hid them on her But I guess those
are not questions that would have her to Markham, who fell for one of
the most audacious lines in the series when Miss Graham came and confessed to the
blackmail and said she didn't know why she had done it and it's obvious why
she had got it for ten thousand dollars, and Markham being Markham, it's
like, oh, they're there, Well, we'll see what we could do.
And of course the episode ends with Follow Vans in a bathing suit,
and I don't think this is something that we have heard as much in later
episodes of Follow Vans, but they did try to mix up a bit how
the reasoning for the case was explained to the audience. There was one,
you know, several months back where they had newspaper men recounting it, and
another where they were watching television Vans came on and talked about it. So
that's one of those little touches that I think does make fill Evans stand out
a bit. Now it is time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day.
Thank you to Maggie, Patreon supporter since January twenty eighteen, currently supporting
the program at the Shawmut level of four dollars or more per month. Thank
you so much for your support, Maggie, and that will actually do it
for today. If you are enjoying this podcast, I encourage you to follow
us using your favorite podcast software, and please be sure to rate and review
us wherever you're downloading us from. We'll be back next Thursday with another episode
of Fill Evans, but join us back here tomorrow for the conclusion of Yours
truly, Johnny Dollar. Where As it turned out, it was just a
youngster who wanted to see one of the new g strings a youngsterday. Let's
see you're joking, but now let me take this magnificent instrument readjust the sound
post and bridge so that no no, wait, mister Snowdon, it's later
than I thought. There are some things I must do immediately. Suppose I
come back here later, will meantime I shall make the adjustments on the amarty
to restore No. No, I have got to take it with me.
But I don't understand. There are a few things in this case I don't
understand right this minute. But I hope to be fo very long. Mister
Dolly, you talk in riddles. Why don't you leave the violin? Oh?
Thanks, I'll see you later, but please be careful with it.
If anything should happen to that less, don't worry. Nothing I'll happen to
it. I found that I'd almost spoken too soon, for I pounded down
the stairs, across the floor of the store, and out of the door
without the caution the book says one should exercise when leaving a suspect in a
case. No soon I got on on the streets. There's a flower pot
big enough to have killed a horse, and it's fall from the upper story
window. Ledge. I hope you'll be with us then. In the meantime.
Do send your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net. Follow
us on Twitter at Radio Detectives and check us out on Instagram, Instagram,
dot com, slash Great detectives from Boise, Idaho. This is your host,
Adam Graham. Sign and off.