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this week's episode of Follow Vans. The original air date MAYENNI, nineteen fifty
and the title is The Whistling Murder Case. Please, Daniel, I'm sorry,
dear, I just can't help being nervous. To man once one hundred
thousand dollars, it's every bit of money we have in the bank. He'll
kill you if you don't give it to him, though he said he would
give him them money. Daniel, you know what happened to George Morris.
I won't do it. I told him I wouldn't do it on the telephone
this afternoon. I told him I wouldn't go to the police, but I
wouldn't pay him the money either, Daniel, Daniel, you did the wrong
thing. Maybe maybe that's what's making me nervous. The killer who whistles,
who just whistles and kills You told him you weren't going to call the police.
Yes, I told him I didn't have one hundred thousand dollars, but
he laughed as if he knew I had, Daniel, I won't have you
working yourself into a breakdown. I'm going to call the police. I Daniel,
those footsteps maybe butler, it could be coming downstairs, Daniel. That
can't be a butler, you know it can it's the killer. It's the
Whistling Killer. Who are you? Don't? Don't don't murder? You murder
you feel I tell you, Van, You've got to do something. This
isn't any scientific murder series. There aren't any clues. All we know is
that three people were murdered by the Whistling Killer. I know Markham, Believe
me. I understand the complications. Undoubtedly. All three victims, Morrissey and
mister and Missus Daniel Stewart, had been threatened and refused to pay. Why
didn't they call me? What good is being a district attorney off people won't
call on you for help? By the same token, what good is being
a private investigator if there's nothing to work once? I never heard you talk
that way? What else can I It wasn't a single place for me to
begin working. What do we know? Tell me? What do we know?
Well? We know the Stuart's butler heard someone whistle and shots. He
was on the third floor, and by the time he came down to the
library, mister Stewart was dead, and missus Stewart lived only long enough to
say that the killer wanted one hundred thousand dollars. Where does anybody go from
there? What do I do? Investigate the butler? He's been with the
Stewarts for years, absolutely beyond approach. The Butler's out, Vance, I
know he's out, but who's in? What do we do for suspects?
How do I find a killer nobody living has ever seen? I don't know,
Vance. All I know is that if there's anyone in the world who
can do it, that person is you, say Mullins, Joe, Mike,
I'm going a statement from the day I on the Whistling Killer murders.
Yeah, District Attorney Mark Emerges. Any citizen who was approached by the Whistling
Killer to call him immediately, and the Law and Order et cetera, et
cetera, et cetera. The DA asked we put it in the box and
paid one. I'll take it up the city editor. Nothing more to the
statement that said the usual business about the law being more powerful than any criminal
please have several leaves are tracking down, you know can do? Maybe the
Adam will give the DA something to work on. I guarantee he doesn't have
a thing on that whistling killer. Right now, sweetie, Oh sweetie,
I've been waiting for you, honey, it's good to see you. Sit
down here, Yeah, sit here in your favorite chair. That's email.
Come on now, honey, put your feet up right here on this dool.
That's better, isn't it. You're hungry, darling. Well, I'm
going to picture something super special here. Let me let me hope your color.
Huh? Is that better? Now? You sit right there, and
don't you move. I know you work very hard last night. I've been
reading all about it in the newspapers. Say you killed three people already.
The whole town's looking for you. Nobody knows who you are, but every
cup's on a muscle. Don't that scare you? Don't make it nervous,
Holly like that. He's fast as sleep, just like a baby. No,
markam not a thing I knows. The most helpless situation I've ever been
in. Nobody's calling after that item I had put in the newspapers out the
vans. Does this mean we'll have to wait for somebody else to be killed
before we do something about the Whistling Killer. I sincerely hope not the very
moment you hear. And mister Vans, I've got to talk to you immediately.
Hello, Matt, all you back, Margarem. I have a visitor.
Goodbye. Well it's a little late for me to ask you in,
my friend, but would you mind closing the door? Vants. My name
is Wilbert Jones. I've received a warning the Whistling killer. You've got to
do something to help me. I don't dare go to the police. You've
got to help me. Somebody has to help me. Take it easy,
please, mister Jones, I was just talking to the district attorney. We
knew the whistling Killer would look for another victim. He hasn't been successful in
getting any money so far. He's killed three people and I'm going to be
the fourth unless you do something to prevent it. He warned me against going
to the police. He said he killed me if I did. I don't
dare go near the district attorney. I came to you. You've got to
help me. How much money does he want? One hundred and fifty thousand
dollars, every cent I have in the world. I won't give it to
him, my cat, It's taken me years to save it. What right
has he to demand I give it to him? Mister Vants, does something?
Please do something? What is the killer going to be in touch with
you? Again? I don't know. He didn't say he's too smart.
He won't take a chance on calling and having the phone call traste. He'll
come up to me on the street. Maybe when I'm alone, he'll kill
me. He'll kill me, sure of thanks, I don't think he will.
Mister Jones. Something you've told me has given me the first clue I've
had on this case. Something I have told you. Yes, I want
to telephone the bank where mister Stewart kept his money. We know the whistling
killer asked Stewart for a hundred thousand dollars. Yes, if I find out
one thing at the bank, I'll have the one thing I need to start
work on catching him. And you can bank on that. Yes, Yes,
come in, come in, Hello dnne oh, hello son, ill
come on, sit down, sit down. Thanks, But I I have
no time to adda Oh guess what I came in for well, I don't
have to guess. How much do you want this time? One hundred bucks?
Dad? O a big night tonight. But Jimmy, you're spending a
lot of money lately. Why not? Who taught me to spend money?
But my ever eleven father? That's not the poll Your fault, Dad,
You brought me up wrong. Well one hundred Dad, I'll look at here,
son, I'm not made pop. Listen. How would you like it
if James Whitby Junior went out with a dollar and thirty cents in his pocket?
What would people say about you? This is nothing to joke about,
Jimmy. Who's joking? James Whitby Junior, young banking executive with a buck
thirty in his kick? Is that funny? Oh? All right, Jimmy,
I'll give you the money, thanks, Dad, I know you would.
Maybe you won't have to keep shelling out like this, Pop, not
much longer anyhow. If plans I have come through, I won't have to
ask you for a dime ever. Come on, Markham, how Joel?
Our readers want to know what progress the police have made on the Whistling killer
case. Has nothing I can tell you, Joe, not a thing when
interviewed in his office, the district attorney asserted that the police are running down
several clues and an early arrest is anticipated. Want that, No, No,
I don't well, and you'd better, Joel, Can I tell you
something off the record that's against my better judgment? But go ahead. Wilo
Vans called me on the telephone a little while ago. Vans, yes,
He said he had found a connection between Daniel Stewart, the man who was
killed with his wife, and another man who shall be nameless, who came
to him after being threatened by the whistling killer. Oh you mean there is
a break coming up in this case if you don't print that, you know,
Vans, Joe, you know, all he needs is one little opening
and you'll crack this thing wide open. That's right just between you and me.
An early arrest is anticipated, at least by me. Mister Hohodby.
You were the head of the Layton Bank for many years, weren't you,
Yes, Vans, Yes, yes, I was. I still have an
interest in it. Why do you ask you knew Daniel Stewart, Well,
I've met him. He was a client of the bank. I have a
very important question to ask you. Oh, well, go ahead. By
all means your bank has two branches. That's right. What official of your
company would have knowledge of the depositors in both branches. I don't think I
know what you mean. I guess I haven't been very clear. Let's say
that I had a hundred thousand dollars in your Main Street branch. Yeah,
and a friend of mine had let's say two hundred thousand in your Maple Street
branch. How many people would know both figures? Oh? Well, now
let him see. Oh, I imagine none of the tellers would know about
both branches. I know that the vice president in charge of accounts would have
supervision over both branches. Fans, and who is he? I shirt anyone
else? Mister Whitby. Now let me think there's you got, mister Whitby,
No, I didn't. Well, come on, let's get after whoever
fired those shots? All right, I'm with here. He couldn't have gotten
very far. We'll get out this door. And whoever did it was pretty
cute locked the door from the outside, as Whitby. Have you received any
communication from the whistling Killer? Well? Have you? Yes, yes,
I have. That's what I thought. I'm on the right track. Anyhow,
only one thing puzzles me right now? What is that? Bence?
In all probability that was the whistling killer who fired those shots. But I
wonder why he didn't whistle stop it? What are you hit me for?
I didn't ever gonna do it. I only tell I might if you didn't
treat me far. Cut it out, get it out, get it up?
You? Who are you going? Where are you going? M M?
Clip me? Wi? What what did I do? Nothing? That's
what? Well? No, I'm really going to give you something to clip
me about. Who do you think you are? Anyway? You're clip me
for nothing? Well, you're never gonna do that again. I can tell
you. Journey markom speaking, I've got something spell of you. Who is
this? This is the dame who's calling up to do you a great big
paper? Yes, Malcolm, you're trying to find out who the whistn't killer
is? Aren't you? We most certainly are. Do you know who is
it? It's a guy who's gonna be awful. Sorry that he he was?
Hello, he was? I don't want the trouble. Hello? Are
you still there? Hello? Don't get you wrong? Hello? Hello,
Hello, Hello, Hello? Are you there? This is just your to
turning mark of the Whistling murder case concerns the killing by an unknown extortionist of
several people, most recent of whom was shot while talking on the telephone to
me bylo Vans. Appealed to for help by a man named Wilbert Jones uncovered
something that sent him to a former banker named James Whitby, and from Whitby
learned that his son, James Junior, knew the exact deposits several of the
victims maintain in their bank accounts. He's about to explain the significance of this
to me in my office. It's reasonably simple, Markham. Just before she
died, missus Stewart was able to tell her butler that the Whistling killer had
demanded a hundred thousand dollars. Yes, I know that hundred thousand represented every
sense Stewart had in the bank. Somebody knew that, or it was a
coincidence. It might have been, except that the Wilburt Jones who came to
me told me that the Whistling killer had demanded exactly the same amount as he
had in the bank, and both Jones and Stuart used the same bank,
although different branches. Oh, I think I'm beginning to understand, and I'm
trying to say it's about time I did. We almost had a break on
this case. That phone call I got from the girl who was shot,
she didn't live long enough to talk. We'll make our own break, Markham.
As you know, James Whitby told me that his son would know how
much depositors in both branches of the bank would have in their accounts. But
I've uncovered the strangest thing. Yes, yes, I discovered that mister Jones
is a director of the bank and that he too might very easily have access
to the accounts. You mean the man who came to you for help is
a suspect. Why not? That device has been tried before, pretending to
be a victim, so that suspicion is removed. I've got to do some
more checking. I want to find just how many people would know about the
deposits in both bank branches. Then I have a plan to make the whistling
killer show his hand. It sounds very interesting if one of the bank employees
is the killer. What goes on from here? Vans? I go on
from here, Markham, onto a series of questions with which I won't for
you. The next time you hear from me, I'll have some answers for
you. Yes, sir, mister Jonson, who should I see? He
is calling James Whitbey Junior. One moment please hello, Hello? What is
it? What is it mister James Whittbey Junior to see you? Mister June.
Hell No, I want you very wait wait just a moment. Maybe
you had better send him in through that dorms. Thanks, hello, Jones.
I mean I'll listen with me. I don't want you to do anything
foolish. I want you to listen to me for that. Hold the phone,
Jones. I came to see you. Remember, I know what you
came about, but you've got to give me time. Let's start from the
beginning. Well, I walked in here for one reason, Jones, because
I want you to lay off my father. What that's it? Lay off
my dad? What are you talking about? He told me a shot was
fired at him when he was talking to Filo Vans yesterday. I know that
the whistling Killer fire that shot? Is that what you think? Yes?
And you're the whistling Killer what. I figured it all out when I told
vance about the amount of money I was asked for. He figured it was
somebody at the bank. You know how much everybody has deposited. You've got
to be the killer. I'll kill a lover. Call for Hilp. That's
a good act you're doing. But you have as much opportunity to look at
our accounts as I have. You know the amount East Depositor has. But
I'll give you a break, Jones. You lay off my father and I
won't tell anybody what I know. What you know? Just what is it?
You know? You're the whistling killer? Of course, Markham speaking,
This is Vance, my friend. I've been waiting for your call. Vance
means you've asked all your questions, doesn't it It most certainly does. Are
there any newspapermen in your office at the moment? There generally are a few
within call. Why I want you to make an announcement to them, Markham,
here's what I want. What question? What's the on the whole train?
Let's shut out and get lost. Guy can't come home from working to
sell away reading this paper without get into an argument. We'll just give me
a little room to read my paper. Who bit a while? Okay,
so you got room, So shut up. Go ahead, read big front
page story. Yeah what about I read it yourself. You kept shoving to
get yourself room to read. Is pushing me the on a side. What's
on the front page? First, I get shoved around. Now I gotta
read to the guy. It's about the whistling killer. Yeah, you could
say that again, only this time he didn't kill nobody this time. The
papers say he made a date to call on Fino Vans. You ever hear
of Fino Vans? Yeah? Sure, who hasn't. Killer's got some knife
full around with Vance. So he's got some knives. So what what's he
gonna see? Vance? Ah? The paper says the guy called Vance and
said he oh, sorry, this is my stock. Oh you got room?
Now read it from your own path. I could use another scene,
note Dad, what yeah? Another hundred? Another hundred? Look here,
boy, I gave you one hundred dollars the other night. I guess you
did, but it's gone. I meant to ask you for it today down
at the bank, but you left before I had a chance. Well you
might as well know this. I'm not giving you any more money, Jimmy,
but damn I don't have it. Come on now, Dad, let's
stop with that talk. You've got plenty of dough. You've got stocks,
bonds. I don't have anymore. You don't what happened? The wrong stocks
went up, the wrong ones went down? Oh what's the difference. You
got plenty of cash. Come on, Pap, A hundred that's all I
need. One hundred. No, and that's definite a pop. You wouldn't
want me. I was there, file of Vans. What does he want
here? Open the door and see what's the matter, Jim? What are
you afraid of? Nothing? Nothing? I open it all advance. I'm
on the way. Well you're young Whitby. Well that's my son Vans.
He doesn't seem particularly pleased to see me. How are you, mister Whitby.
I'm pretty well, thank you. What do you want here, Vans?
I merely want to invite you over to my office, young man?
What for to meet the whistling Killer? What are you talking about? Just
that the whistling killer is calling on me? Your son won't be alone,
mister Wilburt Jones will be there and District Attorney Mark. Are you what do
you want with me? Huh? I'm not going there. I won't go.
I think you can convince him differently, can't you, mister Whitby,
Well, my office in an hour. You want to bring your son,
mister Whitby, just to make sure he gets there. Of course, I
told you, mister Markham, I have worked to do tonight at the there's
no reason for me to be here advances office, jeopardizing my life. He's
right, you can say that again. I'm sorry, mister Jones, and
my apologies to you. Mister Whitby and your son. Vans said he'd be
here at eight o'clock. It's only seven thirty. Well, look, what's
all this business about the whistling Killer? Vans believes the killer will keep his
word and be here, providing we don't have the buildings surrounded by police,
and we're doing without any policeman for that reason. Well, I don't think
I understand, mister Markham. I can explain it partially. I believe mister
Whitby, the whistling killer has been in touch with you demanding money. Yes,
yes he is. I told that to Vans and you, mister Jones.
Well, Vants knows that I told him the killer was after me.
What is he trying to do set me up here in this office to make
it easy for him. I honestly don't know what Vance is trying to do.
Mister Whitby Junior. Well, no threat from the Whistling Killer to you?
Oh what could he get out of me? Which leads me to ask
what am I doing here? I'm sure Vans will explain that he was most
anxious to have you. I believe he'd call on you in person. Did
indeed so, so I'm quite certain. Wait, it's the whistling Killer,
the whistling Killer. He's coming here. I'm here to kill me, Markham.
You have a gun. You must have a gun on I don't carry
one. I'll get down behind Vance's death. That's for me. You you
okay, Dad, Dad, I'm staying here. Son, I want to
get this over with that. Don't be crazy. He'll kill you, Dad,
He dance. What's going on? I never heard about it? He's
so ridiculous. Well, everybody, that's quite a true reprimanding me for pretending
to be the Whistling Killer. I'll explain all I should would. Yes,
thank you very much. This little experiment was very necessary, gentleman, definitely
necessary. All right, all right, it was necessary to scare all of
us to death. But why did it prove? What did it prove,
mister Whitby. That's what I said, Nothing very much except that you are
the whistling killer. Is going from no no, no more killing my after
pool, let go but healthy, young man Markham, which I'm sure you'll
see to it that the whist killer it talks all right, all right,
what's the point of my denying it. I'm the whistling Killer. Although how
you knew how I gave myself away, I'll never know, Vans. It
so happens that I don't know either, Whitby. Vans. Let's see if
I can start from the beginning of this case and bring it right up to
date. I'll admit that some of this is pure supposition, but I believe
you lost all your money in the stock market. Correct, mister Whitby.
It's your story, Van, It's correct, Thank you, Margaret. Anyhow,
Whitby hit upon the idea of the whistling Killer, an idea that would
cloak his identity. He investigated the bank accounts of his friends, bound just
how much cash they were worth, and went to work. There was a
girl killed, wasn't there Vans, how do you explain, amen, that
Whitby was your girlfriend? Of course you two probably had a falling out.
Incidentally, when Markham was talking to her on the phone just as you shot
her, he heard your whistle, which was how I could imitate it in
my office. You still haven't told me how you found me. I will.
There were some details to fill in. One of them was the shot
that was fired when you and I were together. Whitby. You see,
your son knew you were the killer. I'm sure he did. He fired
that shot missing purposely just to throw me off. Young Whitby knew about his
father. I think. So you want to see my client, Wilbert Jones,
and accused him of being the whistling killer to keep Jones from suspecting mister
Whitbey here. After all, there are only three men who had access to
the accounts in both branches of the bank, the two Whitbees and Jones.
As you say, Vants, this is all hypothetical, although it does sound
completely logical. But let's get back to your office. When you named Whitbey
here, how would you do that? When I, impersonating the whistling killer,
came to the door, Markham you and young Whitbey and Jones were behind
my desk. Only Whitby here was in the open with a much feared killer
closing in. Why would he stay out in the clear? No reason,
Vans. One reason, because he knew it wasn't the Whistling Killer at all.
It couldn't be he was the Whistling Killer, so he knew he had
nothing to fear. He realized it was a trick. Oh no, that's
how I gave myself away. Yes, you imagine the killer would do just
that, didn't your Vans. I hoped he would, But we were in
the middle of this case before I got the idea for it. It doesn't
matter that you got the idea in the middle vance. It only matters that
we've reached the end of the Whistling murder case. On Welcome Back, there
is really something unst adeline about that whist lane before and after the murder that
was pretty effective. I also had to appreciate the two passengers crimped together on
the subway cars to react to the minor plot point in the newspaper. It
was patting of a plot that was kind of thin, but it was a
fun patty. On the other hand, trying to blackmail people out of their
whole account was kind of dumb. Not only did the exact account balance serve
as the only lifeline the police or final of Vans could get in this case,
but people are not likely to give up every petty they have as to
how Vans solve the case. Okay, so let me understand here. The
killer did not hide because he knew who the whistling murderer was, and he
knew it was him. His son, on the other hand, had known,
and that's why he fired the shot and tried to throw suspicion on the
bank board member. And he had he knew his dad was the killer,
and that his dad was inside and couldn't have been out in the hall whistling,
but the whistling scared him anyway of Okay, some logic problems in that
conclusion. Well, we turned a lesson our comments and feedback, and we
start with an email from Derek, who writes on the Latest File Advance episode.
I think the shoe designer sounds like mister chameleon. Any chance I'm right?
Oh, my, mister chameleon, you are a master of disguise.
Well, Tim, I will say this, I think you could be right,
but I'm not one sure. I'm not the best at recognizing actor voices,
particularly someone like Carl Swinson, who really did have the ability to play
a lot of different voice roles, and who also did most of his work
in New York, where the voices are not nearly as familiar. But it's
certainly possible because Swinson was working in New York. Of course, he was
starring in Mister Chameleon at the time, but starring in one detective series didn't
really stop actors from going and appearing in another series. So while I can't
confirm it Swinson, it's not far finched that it could have been. And
then we turned to Facebook and Emmett, who writes regarding the same episode,
this was one of the better file of vance stories. Oh, I know
the script is utterly silly, but for Fillow this is top drawer. Well,
thanks so much, Ammon, and I'd agree that that was a pretty
good story for Filo Vans and I am once again really grateful to Radio Archives
for sharing their copy because we wouldn't have been able to play it otherwise because
the one in circulation was only half there. So I'm so glad that you
enjoyed it and it was a really good episode for Filo Vance. Well,
now it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day, and I want
to thank Dawn Don has been one of our Patreon supporters since October twenty twenty
one, currently supporting us at the Detective Sergeant level of seven dollars and fourteen
cents or more per month. Thank you so much for your support, down
and that will do it for today. If you are enjoying this podcast,
please follow us your favorite podcast software, and please be sure to write and
review the podcast wherever you download it from. Follow Vans will return in two
weeks, taking next week off for our celebration of the birthday of Bob Bailey,
but join us back here tomorrow for the conclusion to the Flat Sex matter.
Where you happen to know this girl Marvel Terrence A by sight? I
mean she has been pointed out to me. Did you see her at the
airport? See? I did. I was under the impression she was going
to leave on the plane, but after it departed, she was still in
the terminal. Did you notice her talking to anyone before the takeoff? Yes,
to some American I believe, right here and Stocky built about thirty five.
She he would fit that description, Blakely, did you see her talking
to anyone else, any of the baggage handlers or the ground crew. I'm
afraid I did not notice. Is it important? It could be? Well?
Thanks for your information, Don Serrano. My only concern is to see
justice done. I'm sure it will be. And I suppose we take a
look at what you didn't tell me, senior, the fact that Maria took
out a flight accident policy for twenty five thousand dollars named you as a beneficiary.
By considered it dear a mere whim of my sisters. But the way
things turned out, it was a pretty valuable whim, wasn't it, Don
Serrano? For you, I mean signor are you implying I'm implying that Roman
wasn't the only one with a motive. Wasn't the only one who will profit
by Maria's death? You'll do pretty well yourself. Half for a state and
twenty five thousand dollars cash. That's not a bad deal. I should kill
you for such an insult. You'd like to, wouldn't you. You're very
big on this killing business. That's how you planned to handle things with Raman,
wasn't it as soon as Maria went back to Havana. It is only
what he deserves, and now you're trying to use me to do it.
That's why you came here. You don't care about justice. All you want
to do is get Roman. He is guilty. If he is Don Serrano,
I'll find it out and I'll tend it on him. But if he
isn't, I'm not going to be pushed into framing him. So you can
take these dirty, underhanded insinuations of yours and you can get out down sir,
run on. I hope you'll be with us then. In the meantime,
do send your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot and net.
Follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and check us out on Instagram,
Instagram, dot com, slash Great Detectives from Boise Idahold. This is your
host, Adam Grahamson and Off