Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This
is your host, Adam Braham. If you have a call, an email
it to me Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net. Follow us over on
Twitter at Radio Detectives, and become one of our friends on Facebook, Facebook
dot com Slash Radio Detectives. Our listener support campaign continues. You can become
one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for as little less two dollars per month.
Just go to Patreon dot Great Detectives dot net. Well, now we're going
to bring you a new series that will only have for a week. This
was actually a juvenile targeted series, but it's not a bad one. It's
called The Adventures of Billy swift Boy Detective. And I'd not actually heard of
this and tell about nine months ago when a recording was released from the collection
of the late Joe Hen who was just a huge collector whole time radio.
From his collection, we've gotten other things as well, including the not Beat
episode and a couple episodes of The Man called X that we played earlier this
year. Billy swift Boy Detective was broadcast in nineteen thirty eight and nineteen thirty
nine, and followed him as he solved mysteries around the world. The series
was sponsored by the California Fruit Growers Association and was part of a program called
sun Kiss Time. I don't know if there was a specific network that this
aired over, or if it was syndicated to a bunch of California radio stations.
We know little about Frank Belan, who was the star of this program,
other than that he did go on to appear in some soap operas later
on. It's also worth noting I don't think we have had any detective programs
with a main character named Bell or William, and now we actually have two
at once, playing in the same week. All right, Well, all
of that out of the way, let's go ahead and dig into today's episode
of Billy Swiftboy Detective. The original air date was likely October twenty nine,
nineteen thirty eight, and this one is young Mountaineer mysteriously shot to day and
every Saturday morning, The sun Kissed Gors of California and Arizona Present transcribe for
boys and Girls the Thrilling Adventures of Billy Swift, the Boy Detective. This
week, the Boy Detective upholds law and justice. High in the mountains,
Jeff Buckley, a young mountaineer, has been mysteriously shot. Good morning,
sun Kissed Timers and members of the sun Kissed Secret Service. Good morning Ken
Kapent, Good morning Bill Goodwin, and boys and girls, And of course
it's always good morning when you begin with a big glass of delicious fresh sun
kissed rings juice. It has a keen taste that starts the day right.
But more than that, it's helpful in keeping those three important training rules.
Plenty of exercise, plenty of sleep, plenty of good food. It helps
you make the right kind of gains and height and wait, helps you build
sturdy bones, helps you have strong sound teeth, gives you a better appetite
for other good foods. So I'll be sure to start every day the right
way with a big glass of delicious fresh sun kissed Storings juice, and be
sure to listen at the end of this program when Billy Swift tells you how
to join the sun Kissed Secret Service. So here we go for the seventeenth
episode of The Boy Detective, Certain that his son Jeff has been murdered by
lem Cole, another young mountaineer Old John Buckley is determined that Cole shall be
found and made to pay the penalty for his crime. Outside his cabin,
Buckley, mounted on his horse, is preparing to join in the hunt for
the murderer when he's hated by his daughter. Where are you going? I
reckon? You knows where I'm goomed Sally? Are you joining up with those
men the hunt for lamb? I'm leading him. We'll beat these hills too.
We find that if you do fun and promise, you won't do aught
too. He's pice to be said, a chair to talk. I ain't
promising enough. Shame on you, sall. If you're steaming up for a
curse, would killed your brother? He's never done it. Poor knows he
never done it. Who's that? You're on the coming long trail? See
him coming a long an a horse? Oh, San, No, I've
never seen him before. He's f He ain't going no further than these hills
that I know. Who are I'm riding down there to stab him? Ye?
I'm kind of Oh oh, he comes? Poor all up? Where
are you going, old speaker? Where are you going? Going up to
see Tom Wallace? What's the idea of booking that rifle. I mean,
what's your business with the Wallace? I don't know that it's any of your
fair Come on, let me find it at worry to be we ain't lying,
no feigners and he's mountain. Lets me know who they are in their
business? All right. My name's Billie Swift. I'm spending a few days
with Wallace to do some honey and fishing. Is that satisfy you? I
don't know. You ain't a lyning so you think I'm lying? All right?
Wait a minute. Here's the letter Wallace wrote me asking me to come
up. Go ahead and read it. Show it to my god, I
ain't had no book liner, allow, it's all right, cool gels.
He wouldn't be aiming to show it to us. Why don't you leave him?
Go on? Go along with you then, but see you go right
to Wallace a place. Don't worry, I will you have the boy on?
M hmm. Here's to me like Wallace be too busy to go and
having visiting folks well. Being a furriner himself, I know he wants a
furner for company, wants in a while. Huh maybe maybe in this preacher
covering haty preacher. What was that yonder that just rid off or some furners
going into visit term Wallace. Look at here, Paul, he drapped something
that boy it's a card life is not a cell out in his pocket when
he took that let out? And what did it? Britain say, they's
Billy Swift detective, detective, detective whatever. That meaning means that there is
business a reckon. A detective is a fellow what tracks down thieves and murderers
in the line. So that's what he had. He's come here a medal
in the affairs of us mountain Bill. He ain't preachy wall It's invited them
in to do some hunting and fishing. That's so Bridget and let it from
Wallace. Well, that be getting on winds is starting out to hunt for
them cold. You're coming along, Bridget now, Buckley, I can't.
I got other matters to tend to them. Later in Tom Wallace's cabin,
So old man Buckley stuffed you with a rifle, did he, Billy?
I don't know if his name was Buckley, Tom, but you say the
girl's name was Sally's or it must have been Buckley. Well, I'm not
surprised. These mountaineer stuff. Everybody like that generally they do if they don't
know you. They're fine people, Billy, but very independent. You see,
they've lived in these hills since Revolutionary War days. They haven't had much
contact with the outside world, and they don't want any I see. They
like to mind their own business and be let alone. That's why they keep
their eyes open for furriners, as they call them. Well, in a
way, you can't blame them. Would you like a cup of coffee,
Billy, I can make something a very few minutes. No, it's hand
nobody. What's no trouble. No, really, I wouldn't care for any
You know, that rifle, old buckley head, was the strangest looking weapon
I ever saw in my life. Chances are it was an old flintlock on
flintlock. Yes, Reilly, the old timers in this country still use them,
a regular old flintlock musket that loads with a ramrod. They mold their
own bullets. Well, can you beat that is? You've got to realize
that you're stepping back about one hundred years when you come into these hills.
You'd be surprised at the superstition some of the older folks have. Yeah,
some of them still believe in witches as a matter of fact, Is that
right? Yeah? Oh, and speaking of flintlocks, is a legend to
the effect that the only satisfactory way to kill a witch is with a silver
bullet. You don't mean to say they actually shoot women they suspect to being
witches. Well, no, it hasn't been done in recent years, but
the belief about the witch bullets still hangs on. I guess we've got a
caller. Come in. Oh, hello, Sellyphtim is the switch? I
see how you out here? All right? Oh you're the girl I met
down on a trail. Yeah, sit down, Sally, thank you,
mister Wallace. That's like ray now, that's all. Yeah. But I
come anyhow. I just had to come, I see, mister Wallace.
Have you told mister Swift thought about Limb? Oh? No, I haven't,
Sally. He just got here a little while ago. Don't you want
him to know about lamb? Oh? Yes, I should do. That's
why I come here, mister Swift. I ain't aiming it before, and
I knows you're a ferner in all, but but I wasn't thinking you might
help me out being your detective. How do you know I'm a detective case?
You dressed this card over our place? Oh but Sally, Billy came
up here for a vacation, you know. Is I'm a known there?
What's it all about? Time? Well, all day before yesterday, Sally's
brother was killed, Billy. He was shot from ambush over near the coal
cabin and died a few hours later. And there is seeing Limb Call done
at mister Swift. But he know, but he couldn't have done it.
Young Cole's the fellow Sally's been keeping company with him. Oh, I see
we we were going to get married, mister Swift. But Noah, Rick,
you can never be You say they accused lim Call of his crime.
What do you mean by they? But Pau, mostly Paul and some of
the men is out of hunting for Limb right now. Yes, Belly,
you see, right after the shooting, Limb disappeared money after the shooting.
He went away a four the shooting. Well, Sally, I'm just telling
Billy the story as I heard it. Maybe you've got a different version of
I sure have. Mister Swift. Liam told me two days before the shooting
that he was aiming to leave for a while because he couldn't stand miss Millie
no longer. He said it was going to hunt for a job someplace so
he could take me out of the mountains after we was married. Who's missus
Millie? Shere? A old woman would come to live with the Calls.
Long before Limbs pawn Moore died. She ain't no blood kin of Limbs.
She shall have been making his life miserable because it was keeping company with me.
You see, Billy, there's been bad feeling between the Calls and the
Bucklers for years. And even though Millie isn't really a Call, she hits
the Buckley is just the same, I see. And I suppose the Buckley's
having mighty idea of Limb going with Sally either, oh hardly. A few
days before he was killed, Jeff threatened to get Limb if he didn't keep
away from his sister, but they didn't know. Probably I'm shot him.
Limb wouldn't kill him, my own blood brother, loving me the way he
didn't. Nevertheless, Sally, that's the reason, folks, thank you shouting,
Oh mister s will Cane. You see, it ain't true. If
you only hit me out, I'll be ever less in the mounting to you,
you mean you want me to prove that limb's innocent. Yes, he'll
have to be done mighty quick too. He might come back on these mountain's
most any time now and they'll string him up short as you're born. Did
they recover the bullet they killed your brother? Sally? You'd have to ask
Pritchard about that. Mister Swift, he took care of Jeff after he was
shot. He's pritchey to doctor. He's the nearest thing to a doctor they've
got around here. But if you ask me, he's a greedy, unscrupulous
old skin plant. Yeah. He makes these people give him the very clothes
off their back and exchange for his quick medical services. Oh there comes your
rings, Sallie. Say I better get my horse on his shoulders. Yes,
I'll get my coat. Yes it's still, so I'll take care of
him. Where can I put the horse? Well, there's a lean to
a round back. You'll see my horse there. But I better come with
you. No, I've got my coat on. No use about both get
anyway, mister Wallace. Do you reckon? He will help me out?
Well? I don't know, Sallie. You must remember it's pretty hard for
an outsider to do any investigating in these mountains. It was not a shot,
Yes it was Billy. Billy here, I am. We hit the
shot, I'll see right on my head. But they weren't hit the side
of the cabin. I'll see who done it? Yah? Did he go
hitting the tin by the horse? It's a man, Pretchard, Pritchard.
It certainly is Billy. What would he be shooting at me? Forward?
He never saw me before in his wife, Yes he did. He's seen
you riding away from our place. Does he know him? A detective?
He was there when I picked up the card. Well, I guess he
doesn't want a detective in these mountains. But I lay enough. Look Sally,
you bet I'll help you out. You go on home and wait,
let's get all horses and go to Pritchard's place. I want to ask that
guy a few questions. Thirty minutes later, Billy and Tom are well on
their way to the Pritchard cabin. I'm glad the rains led up for a
little while time. Oh it's so am. I we'll get some more of
it though. Oh, by the way, there's the cold cabin back there
through the trees. Is that so? I didn't know we'd passed the cold
place on the way to Pritchard's. Yes, right along here some places where
Sally and Jeff were walking when Jeff was shot. Was Sally with him when
he was shot? I guess you forgot to tell you about that. Let's
stop here. I want to size up this place. Whoa boy? Who?
So that's where Lemon all Millie lived. Yep. Even see how easy
it would have been for them to shoot through a window and hit Chat.
Yeah, but I'm not so sure Lim did it Tom, and neither am.
I Im showing you. One reason why the Mountain people suspect, you
see, is that Milly over by that shed, Yes it is, and
by George. There's Precher too, Yeah, seems standing there in the doorway
of the shed. So that's pretching. What's he doing here on one day?
I don't know. Looks like he and Millie are having an argument about
something. He certainly are she. I wish we could take it in.
Can't we ride around behind the place and get close to that shed? We
can try, Billy, Come on, I'll show you the way. During
this pause in our story, we hear from Ken capenter and all. There
are many delicious foods and money that are good for you, but it isn't
often you find one that's both as delicious and healthful as sun kissed oranges.
A big sun kissed orange is just the thing for dessert with your school lunch.
It's a good thing for between meals, eating in the morning or afternoon.
It gives you a quick energy, but doesn't spoil your appetite for lunch
or dinner. Ask your mother. Now back to our story. Behind the
underbrush near the shed, Billy and Tom listen to Pritchard and Millie talking.
Well, it ain't gonna do you no good to take on about it.
Oh hay, oh, I got to say to you, Pritchard here,
that's your riskcound running a thief. That's about it enough. Now, well,
yeah, you ain't going to be satisfied just taking the cow. Next
thing, I know you'll be making me give Wow, he'd be getting off
lucky after night. Did I get out of my way whilst I lead this
cow out of here? There he goes down the street. Millie, this
is Billy Swift, a friend of mine. How do you do we so?
Pritchard leaving your cow down the trail. Well, what about it?
Nothing? Only we were just wondering if you'd sold her. No, I
ain't solder the cow stick. He's taking her over to his place to give
her some medicine. Well couldn't he bring the medicine here? What business is
it? A yearn Why did you come here for bringing that boy? Where?
Mary? Where had he go here? I am say, what's this
thing here? Well, that's Millie's bullet, mold billy. You'll keep away
from there. I had no idea that's what it was. You leave from
there? My business? You got crowd and around the cabin. Oh,
Millie, don't get so mad. Is there any way to treat company?
I ain't want to no company. I want you both to clean out.
All right, let's go tom Oh, I guess we're better. I hope
you're in a better humor next time we call Millie. Well, did you
hear what she said about the cow? Yeah? I did. She's afraid
to tell the truth. She's afraid of Pritcher and she must be. What's
it all about? Anyway? Thanks for us to find out. In the
meantime, I found something that may help a little. Yeah, okay,
I found this in a crack on the floor right under that bullet. Bold,
Why it's silber. Sure she's been molding a silver bullets on remember the
story you told me about the witch bullets. Yes, but I don't see
any connection between a witch bullet and the murder of Jam. I think I
do. Come on, let's get our horses and go to Pritchard's place.
Meanwhile, in a dense thicket near the Buckley cabin, Lam, Lam,
it's you, know, Sally. I thought you never worked going to Jemmy.
Has anybody seen you? No, Sally, Thank the Lord for them
all. Then the terriblest thing has happened while she was away. I know,
honey. I heard about Jeff down and weaver crossing. I hear they
think I done it. They do him pull in the manner out of hunting
for you right now? Yeah, I see him. You see him?
Hu. It was just down a little piece down the mountain from here.
If they never see me, Honey, I won for I cut around through
the timber. I were wanting to see you. Sally. Tell you I've
never done it. I know you never done it, But you can't stay
in these mountains. You'll get you what they are I gonna do r I
don't know. I reckon. You'll have to go pur off someplace not there.
I could john him later on. You you have to join me,
salad, But you can't make a move till night for you stay right here
on the brush. I have to stop. Come out your mud. Oh
no, no, you have on your legs lamb taking it free. He's
good hanging three. Back to billion Tom arriving at Pritchard's cabin. They opened
the door and walk in. Well you're here, I see, Pritchard.
Why don't you mean walking in my house without knock? We want to talk
to you, and we're not standing on ceremony. Yeah, what was the
idea of taking a shot at me a while ago? Oh you don't try
to denoy it. Tom Sawyer and Sally Buckley saw you. You're crazy fun
night. You wanted to get me out of the way, didn't you.
You'll get out of my house, get out. Watch to come mind that
rifle, Pritchard. I've got your cupboard. Stop and that gun at me.
You'll sit right there and we point out where we want to know where's
the bullet that killed Jeff Buckley? Well, yeah, the bullet. We
know you've got it, well, I ain't. What'd you do with it?
All it away? Oh? I know you didn't. Might as well
tell us where it is, because we're gonna get it. It ain't.
Yeah, yeah, I guess you better have a look for it, Billy.
You bet I'll have a look for it. You'll get run out of
a company for this. We'll see about that. Try some of the drawers
and that all covered over there, Billy, I'm going to I swell,
have you a bat raw? Hide it down the mountain for this had to
come in an honest man's house. Honest, Why you old truck? You've
been cheating the people around here for years. I found its home. I
found good here it is. He's your silver bullet. So you threw it
away? Did you bridge it? It ain't the bullet that killed Jeff.
I play no. You'd be surprised if I proved it was, wouldn't you.
It's Sally come in. Sally got him. What do the fund to
take him to Oak Creek to hang him? Oh? Can't you do something?
Can't you? Stuff? You bet? I can do something, Billy?
Can we get there in time? I don't Billy, Tom I'm going
with Sally. You bring Pitcher to Oak Creek. I don't care how you
do it, but get him there. Bring all Millie too, and bring
a rifle. Get there as fast as you can. Tom As the driving
rain once more descends over the hill country, the angry mountaineers with lem Cole
and Custody arrive at Oak Creek. Right here, Oh boy, all right?
Getting down off that horse night. Then you throw his yard rope over
that limb, and be sure to make a good sniff. None you leave
me, I never tell I'll never get out, old head horse or a
greg get out. You're all are making a bad mistake. You ope be
sorry. Can't you even give my chance to say? Nothing? Chance?
A chance? You want? What chance did you give my poor boy jeff
Hey? Answer of that? None? Whatsomever you shot him in the back?
I know him. I swelled ahead, but I never gotten that rope.
Ready, Ben, if you're a ready, good, get him overlar
man. You're all are gonna be sorry for this. You're gonna be plum
sorry. Get the noose around his neck. Ben, you're hanging a man
your head, your gillies. Sin. I never done it, but I
was on my way to weave a crossing. When Jeff was shot, you
asked, Millet, we're done, Ask Milly, he says you right out
of the shooting. She said there, sure, sure, Milly said that.
No, what do you got to see? If you said no?
No, no, he didn't through. Let's star listening, old more its
puppy dog. Wow. Come on, man, I'm on man, come
on, live, you on this roope and string him up. Hold on,
hold on coming, you're on it. Oh it's selling man, Farner.
Stop, don't ain't that man? O? Wait, thank goodness,
we got here in time. Buckley, m call didn't kill your son?
What do you mean he's sailing bringing this middle and foreigner here? William's ain't
standing for no interference? Sure now wait a minute. Sure I'm a stranger,
but I'm going to see that justice is done. A you men of
the men I think you are, you'll want to see that justice is done
too. Sure, sure we want to see justice. Donn that's why we're
hanging in Lim didn't kill Jeff, I tell you, mister Buckley, old
Milly he did. Yes, she didn't see this bullet, see this silver
bullet? Why why that are a witch? Bullet. Certainly it's a witch
bullet. Billie molded it itself and killed Jeff with it. He trying to
tell Winds a minute, took Jeff for a witch. She didn't say anything
of the kind. Sally was walking right beside Jeff when he was shot.
Sali, you tell him about Aunt Millie, Well, she hated me because
if I'm mounted them, she wouldn't have no support. She's been telling folks
I was for witch. You see, she molded the witch bullet for Sally,
and she intended to kill Sally, but her rain wasn't very good,
and she hit Jeff. That are a crazy story you're telling. Oh no,
it isn't. I think I can prove it. When Tom Wallace gets
here with Millian Pritchet, Ritcheff, we're gonna have a shot on on this
all the way around. What's Pretchey'd got to do with it? Money?
He's known all along that Millie killed Jeff with his silver bullet, and he's
held it as ad over Milly's head. What do you mean? I mean
he's been blackmailing it, threatening to exposure if she didn't give him a property
Wallace and I saw him taking Millie's cow away from this afternoon. Told up,
there's Wallace bringing him into part of a gun. Who they are,
Billy? Everything? All right? So far a time I play. This
hasn't outright one minute, Pritchet, hold on he look yeah, Millie,
he fairly say you shot my boy with a witch bullet. You're a lie,
yeah, Pritchard, Richard is a scene. You know it all along?
Okays? And you took the witch bullet out my boy. He are
alive, Parna. He stole a silver bullet from my place, but it
won't tak out a chap. Oh no, listen, man, I'm so
sure I'm right about this that I'm going to prove it to you right now.
Tom did you bring Millie splint block? Here's Billy here? It is
all right. There's a way of telling him a certain boy came out of
a certain gun by the marks on the bullet after it's fire. And so
I'm going to fire a shot from miss plint lock into one of these trees
and we'll dig it out and compare it with the silver bullet. Ain't got
to get that man? What are you so anxious for him to get?
Richard Bourmelli he's a card to me, thief. He ain't going to leave
me hard and catch all the blame. Oh so you met, you've got
some blame coming. Sure, I ain't gun Hitch used to do it?
Hey you are, mister Buckley. We don't need to fire that gun.
But that Richard ain't gorn to go free. He's been making me give him
the very bright arm ask ke Chell. He won't go free. They got
him now, so enough how they come with him? Well, mister Buckley
wanted to see that justice was done, So now you know how to go
about it. Ricking, you're right, boy, you know, I'm I'm
sorry. But lim Well, if that's the case, why don't you get
him over here and bury the hatch? It means everything to your daughter's happiness,
mister Buckling, Yeah, Rickon, you're right, button man, Lam
Yeah, damn come here, yeah, Berkley, m yeah. Kind of
hard for me to see this, but Reckon, you can never forgive a
hard headed old fool like me, right right, short, cam h Limb
if new and Sally wants to get Hitch and go right ahead, because you've
got my blessed oh Paul, Well, Tom, I guess we'd better get
back to your cabin. We've got a lot of hunting and fishing to do
well, boys and girls. Right now, here's Billy Swift to give us
a few words about the sun Kissed Secret Service. I should say so.
A lot of members are writing us that they are forming sun kiss Secret Service
clubs in their neighborhoods with everybody joining. And that's fine because we want to
have every boy and girl who has a liking for adventure, mystery and detective
word. When you join, we send you the official Sunkiss Secret Service Membership
god and tell you how to get your detectives badge, your fingerprint outfit,
your secret automatic code maker, and lots of other equipment you need in secret
service work. But the first thing to do is to send for your membership
card, and if you listen carefully, I'll tell you the easy things to
do to get it. First, write down the passwords sun Kissed Secret Service
on a card. Second, below that, print your name and address.
Third, cut the trademark from the skin of one sun Kissed Orange for it.
Put the card and trademark in an envelope and mail it to sun Kissed
care of this radio station. That's all there is to it, but be
sure to do it right and right away, so that you get your Operatives
card with Billy Swift picture on it, be a member and enjoy all the
advantages of the sun Kissed Secret Service. And so that's the end of chapter
seventeen of Billy Swift The Board Detective and chapter two hundred ninety four of sun
kiss Time. And here's ken Coppenter the reminder to keep those training rules.
Plenty of exercise, plenty of sleep, plenty of good food, and be
sure to start every day the right way with a great big glass of delicious
fresh suncast starrings juice like Suncist Time. It'll bring a good morning to you.
Good Suncist morning to you. Welcome back. Well, we don't know
much about the star, but those two announcers really went on to have some
power house careers in the world of announcing. Ken Carpenter, Bill Goodwin all
over the golden age of radio, Ken Carpenter working on programs like The Red
Skelton Show, Bill Goodwin working with Bob Hope and later with Burns and Allen,
where in my opinion, he did some of his most enjoyable work in
a great comedy work. The story in here was not bad, and I
thought I actually enjoyed it. I liked Billy. The accents in the story
I think were something else. I don't know if anyone has actually talked like
that or this seems like it was entirely concocted in Hollywood, though what basis
there might have been for it, I have no idea. Now, I
will note that the only other evidence of this program being around that I've been
able to find is there were a couple of differents where you could buy Billy
Swift pens. Both the places I saw selling them, we're going for around
thirty dollars. They seem to be in pretty good condition, and I think
that's probably about a moderate price for memorabilia from that era. Now, I
do want to go ahead and thank our Patreon supporter of the day. Thank
you to Jeremy. Patreon supporters since February of two thousand and sixteen, currently
supporting us at the Detective Sergeant level of seven dollars and fourteen cents or more
per month. Again, thanks so much for you the support. Jeremy,
and if you'd like to join, Jeremy and two hundred and fifty others.
You can become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for as little as two dollars
per month. Just go to Patreon dot Great Defectives dot net and get a
regular monthly newsletter, early previews of different episodes, and you also helped pick
our summer series. Check it all out Patreon dot great Detectives dot net.
That will do it for today. If you have been enjoying this podcast,
be sure to rate and review it wherever you download your podcast from. Join
us back here tomorrow for Yours Truly Johnny Dowler, and then next Thursday follow
Vans and then next Saturday Tales of the Texas Rangers. Be sure and listen
then, if you do have a comment, email it to me Bocks thirteen
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