The Columbia Broadcasting System presents Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. The next half hour has its baggage Pact to take a trip with America's fabulous freelance Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar at Insurance Investigation. He is just an expert at making out his expense account. He is an absolute genius. Expense accounts submitted by special Investigator Johnny Dollar to Home Office Honesty Life Insurance Underwriters, Criminal Building, Hartford, Connecticut, Attention Austin Farnsworth, General Manager. The following is an accounting of my expenditures and the investigation of policyholder Milford Brooks the third for your company. Expensive count at him one seventy five cents camp fare to your office and answer to your original hurry call. Tipped the driver one dollar expense account at him two twenty five cents shoeshine. You remember I got my shoes scup when I unsuspectingly walked through the private door to your office. Tell her pix seven he pinted, tip up that window. Then tell you I'll show you. Let me call you get away. I had a nice try twenty buy and I'll pay attention to the feature. So asked the Smith. Oh, mister Farnsworth, tell me what you had waiting for me? Had it? Warn my boxing gloves? Tell her this was all a complete surprise to me. Well, just in case you're a little chum on the floor there wakes up in a hurry, I I'll close the window now, My goodness, Dollar, what are you doing? I'm sitting on his head. I don't care this guy tries killing himself again. I just don't want him to try and kill me. After all, we haven't even been introduced. Dollar. That happens to be one of our largest policy holders. His life is insured with this company in the amount of two million dollars. Oh, now I can see why you're so anxious to keep him from puting a dent in the sidewalk. Decisely, he'd also put quite a dent in near company's bank account. By the way, Dollar, aren't you in danger of smothering the boys sitting on his head? That way? Maybe? Now tell me what's this guy's name and what's his story? That sir is Milford Brooks the Third. As I said, we have him insured for two million. His mother and father left him with a paid the policy for the sole purpose of enabling his heirs to pay the inheritance taxes on his estate when he dies. Unfortunately, due to the kind of life he's been leading, Brooks not only hasn't any heirs, he hasn't any money. He blew aall his care. That's right now, he's trying to get some out of us by threatening to kill himself. And that policy pays off on suicide. In a mortuary, he'd be a medineaire. Please dollar, sorry go on. One half hour ago, Milford walked into this office and changed the beneficiary in his policy. When that was done, he proceeded to demand, not request, mind you, five hundred thousand dollars in cash. Say that's quite a touch. When I explained to him that there was no loan provision in his insurance policy, he threatened suicide. He said I could either give him a half million cash or pay off the two million on his policy, So all you have to do is to keep him alive, and he managed to make that no small problem. The man he named his new beneficiary just before he made his demand for the cash, is well, it's downright frightening. Why who is it? One of the most notorious gamblers in the East. His name is Hatcher. Harold Hatcher, you know him. Yeah, I say that kid's been a post office been a boy for a lot of years. Well, there's the situation. Dollar. I'm engaging you to protect Milford Brook's future. Sure what there is of it? The way this lad operates, you think he had but two lives to give for his country. He's not only set himself up to get knocked up by somebody else, He's just dying to do the job himself. It just means that you'll have to work twice as hard. It also means something else, but that you'll have to pay me twice as much money. You'll get your money. The situation demands sacrifice, I'm afraid, but protect the boy dollar. Give him something to live for, an interesting life, an interest in life. Huh, let's see. I know here. This should help. What's that you've got there? It's what's commonly referred to in the more successful bachelor circles as my little black book. Now let's see Ruby. Now her favorite expression is dropped dead Bernardine. Now she'd be the new beneficiary by midnight. Oh here's one here, butter. But hey, Foinsworth, would you mind passing me that phone, the one with a long cord. No, no, not at all. My little friend here is showing signs of life. Here you are, Maybe you should let him breathe a bit more. I don't worry. He'll be all right. Hello. Hello, I want to call New York person, the person, Miss Theodora Butts. Yeah, that's right, and you'll get her at Hudson two four two nine two Dollar. You're not thinking of taking this point in New York? Are you? Ill? Love going there myself? And you want me to keep an eye on them, don't you don't, Fred Farnsworth, all is not lost. You do worry? Me's sitting on his head that way. Hello, Hello, butter, but of This is Johnny Dollar. I'll be in town and I don't want to see you. Look, here's what I want you to do. Yes, yes, this is all right to say over the telephone. I want you to reserve a table at the hatchery in my name for ten o'clock tonight. But you do that, okay. I'll see you in a few hours. Eh, But I can't make it any earlier. I'm sitting up on a sick friend. Okay, goodbye. I'm not sure that I agree with you a method. Oh, what's a matter of dollar to be hit? You hit me? No, he'd hit me. Spends account item three liquor eighteen dollars keeping Milford Brooks. The third Peaceful seemed to be the immediate problem, and a bottle of rare old brand He seemed to be the immediate answer. I poured most of it into him, loaded him into my car, and we headed from New York. As we passed through New Haven, he opened. When I looked up, saw the Ale bowl and gave ball. Yeah, Yale, right right right? Oh yeah? Would sure be proud of you? Why anybody would want to ensure you for two million dollars is more than I can figure. Well, my daddy loved me very much, and my mother loved me very much. Not only that, but I love somebody very much. And not only is that, but I hate somebody very much. Hey, you want to know something, Thanks Soana, that guy, I hate you most of anybody else. Hey, love a boy, It's cocktail hour again, Time for your bottle. Rolling along the merrit Parkway, I felt very much alone with my own thoughts, and believe me, they weren't very pleasant company. The way it had staked up for me. Brooks had built up a fat gambling debt to Harold Hatcher and had been forced to make him his beneficiary. The suicide threat that he was holding over Honesty Insurance Company was a little clever the figure, unless he was trying to finance a trip for himself to get away from the man with the custom tailored murder motive Hatcher. My hungry little mind nibbled away on those unsavory morsels of food for thought all the way to Butter's apartments. Hey, where are you taking me? I want to go to New York. If you don't behave buster or'll punch your ticket. Johnny Darling, Welcome to New York. Trip I ever met quiet? Wow? Where did you find this? In a box of cracker jacks? Come on, let me get you. I don't know about you, Johnny. Some men bring me flowers and some bring me candy. What do you bring me? A boiled owl and a Brooks Brothers suit. Oh, I'm pleased to reach you. My name is Brooks, but I haven't got any brothers. Lucky then takes the pillows on the couch with you. I look more at home in the bathtub. Come on, Butster, lie down, I'm charm this kid's liquor. Sure can hold him. He's passed out. How long have you been playing nurse maid to this bottle? Baby? Leave me to the bars. So let's get away from this buzza and I'll tell you all about it. Sure, come along. Final examples don't seem to bother you, do they? If you know how that guy has been bothering me, what do you do too? Oh, let's just say he put the bite on me. Ah, the river showed does look pretty to nine, like a brandy anything. But I've been slipping that second hand all the way from Hertford. Oh, make it a bowl root beer, you, butter. She had a big boat out there. Sure would like to be on it with you, sailing off to far away romantic places. Get with it, darling. That's one hundred and twenty fifth streets there. There's your roof there. Come on, now, tell Butter all about it. First things first, Now that I've got a dad's old fashioned root there, how about giving me one of mom's new fashion kisses, and then I'll tell you what about it. A few seconds later I proceeded to tell her all about it, and it wasn't easy. Everything about it kept flying down my train of frost. So here was a sympathetic listening to my story until I gave her the answer to her first and only question, Where do I getn't do all this? Baby? I thought you understood. My job is to give the poor, misguided boys something to live for. That's you. Well, he should live so long, don't butter? Wait a minute, Well don't, butter. Men, don't get excited now you misunderstand. I really mean it. I thought, if he had just got to look at you, realize that things like you exist, you'd make any man glad to be alive. If you can't stand it, I'll take him away. Thought, I sure need you, Butter. Come on, baby, melt a little. I wouldn't let you get hurt. You know that? Did I hurt you? I'm getting used to it. People have been taking folks in me all day. I'm sorry. That's better. I want you more, route, dear, I want some more of you. How about another kiss? Well? Help you so, john, I'll get it, Johnny. OK. Right. If a man man answers, hang up with him, don't worry. Hello, Yes, this is husband two fourteen nine to two well, it depends who's curling. Oh just a moment, it's for you, Johnny, mister, huh oh okay, I'll take it. Thanks, say one, I'm swalk can be a good girl, will you and take a look at Milford the other room? And while you're at it, get me in the roof here? Huh, I'm sure the service is good. A round Hello Farnsworth, Yes, doll, I'm glad I got you. How'd you get this number? It's the one you called from my office? I remember that I have a photographic mind. I hope you haven't got a picture of what I'm thinking. What do you want? I want to know how Milford is? I mean he's still alive. Of course he's alive. Good? Good? Do you suppose I could talk to him? I mean, do you think he'll talk to me? Well, the last time I saw him he was sound asleep. I'll take a look, holl the phone. Butter, Oh, butter, hey, butter plor Farsworth, Yes, yes, do you have any aspern there at your house? Of course? Well you better take a handful. Milford Brooks the third just took a powder. I'll call you back. You let anything happen to him, and you leave the aspirin. I've already got a headache. When Milfred left, he took my girl with him. In just a moment, we'll return to the second act of Yours, Truly, Johnny Dollar. But first we want to remind you that it was four hundred and thirty seven years ago. Next Sunday, the famed Spanish explorer Paul Stellion began his search for the confidant of you. My sheer coincidence. The man who's still looking for it at Jack Benny will be heard on CBS next Sunday at seven o'clock Eastern Time. Now back to yours, truly, Johnny Dollar. Well, nobody could say I wasn't working fast. I had only been in sound for an hour, and I had already succeeded not only losing your two million dollar baby, Milford Brooks, the third Mister Farnsworth, but in losing my million dollar baby, Theodora Butts. I tried to put myself in Milford Brook's forty dollars shoes, but they wouldn't fit. You can't out think a maniac. The best I could do was figure either that he was on his way to commit suicide or that Harold Hatcher, the man who now stood to collect two million bucks in the event of Milford's death, had snashed him out of Butter's apartments. With birds of that type flocking together, Butter stood a good chance of being a dead duck. I spent an hour unsuccessfully shaking down the neighborhood for them. I questioned cab drivers, harness, bulls, bartenders. Then I decided to ask for help from higher up. And I don't mean that. I said a prayer, expense A count at him four five cents. Phone called police head, give me missing persons, any particular one. Don't be a wise guy, Lieutenant Fisher yess, hello, dollar, what did you lose? Practically everybody, let's start with a girl, Theodora Butts. You mean you lost your girl? Once you call Dorothy Dix. Don't waste time being clever. Just check your reports. What ever hold on Buddington bumpus by us? Nope, nothing on her dollar? Okay, Well it's try this one. Brooks no for the third. Oh, Brooks no for the third. He hasn't been reported missing and we haven't found him yet, but we think we know where he is. Oh, this kind of a question I always hate to ask where the Hudson River at eleven fifteen tonighted. His top coat, complete with identification, was found taking a ride one hundred and twenty fifth Street Ferry. Anything else nothing much package of matches was found under the coat. You don't happen to know anybody who's initials are hh, do you hh? Well? This is always horace height. Thanks Fisher, I'll check back with you later. I'll be here, expends a count at them. Five nightclubs twenty eight dollars. Harold Hatcher's Hatchery was in a cellar under a hotel, but the prices were high enough to rate a penthouse. The club was draped in too much satin. It's lady customers and too little. The dcor was French, provincial, music Brazilian, and the food was nowhere. The drinks look weak and the oiters look strong. All in all, the joint was a sight for sore eyes from making them sore. The only pretty thing in the place was a blonde. She came strolling up to my table, her hips unconsciously sending subtle little messages back to the rumba band. She opened her mouth, slid her tongue over her lower lip and little a few warm soft words, slide eyes looking for someone. Oh, well, you'll do untilary opening comes along. Sun. Thanks, No, I won't have a drink. My name is Janelle. I understand you were asking about mister Hatcher. Yeah, you know him more than somewhat. Are you missus Hatcher by any chance? I might be? Does that mean you might admit it or that you might talk an into it someday? I'll ignore that. What do you want to see him about? Mutual friends? Milford Brooks. I'm almost of the quiet clothes boys around here, So you want a cop? You don't look like the type of to be a society friend of the Brooks family, So what are you? I'll ignore that. Is Hatcher around? He might be Come on out. Where is his office at the top of the stairs in the back. Can I expect any trouble getting in? You act like you just saw a b picture. Harold is doing his best to act like an honest businessman these nights. You won't have any trouble. How do you know? Because Harold sent me down here to look you over. Hi, I think you're all right, So I've won myself the good house keeping seal of approval. Huh, keeping a house with you with the meets with my approval. I ran for my life. I had a slow walk across the dance floor, edged my way through a cluster of tables, and went up the backstairs. When I look get at the door to had your office, I knocked once and went in. Come on in. Thanks, I'm Johnny Dollar. I haven't hired by Honesty Life Insurance underwriters to protect the interest of a guy named Milford Brooks the third. What's that's supposed to mean to me? You know what, don't you? Well? He'sn't exactly one of my boozing buddies. How much money does he ow you? Who've got him on the books for a few grand? Why they picked up his top coat tonight on one hundred and twenty fifth Street, Ferry. He wasn't in it. It might have been a suicide, or it might have been a knockover made to look like a suicide. What's your choice? Where do you get off asking me to make a choice? Or were you around eleven thirty to night? What's a two year I don't know. I just thought you might like to rehearse a few answers the law. I'll be asking you some questions real soon. Now. I don't know why I should tell you, but I was driving around in my car getting some air. You'd better do better than less. They found a match photo under Brook's coat that had your initials on it. You're ready your mind. The guy owed me a couple hundred thousand. You think I'm going around knocking off my own assets. I don't know whether you're a stupid or bright. Hatcher, don't worry about it. I know what about that insurance policy? What insurance policy? Now? Look, Hatcher, we're big boys. Now. We both know that changing the beneficiary of an insurance policy is a legal transaction. That means witnesses. That means it isn't secret. You mind telling me what you're trying to say? That you and the Honesty Insurance Company and I all know that Brooks made you the beneficiary and his policy, and that you stand are coming a two million bucks when they fish out his body. I don't know anything about it. Motives don't come much bigger. I'm telling you, this is all news to me. You or nobody else is going to move me off that story. I feel the same about mine. It doesn't take a genius to know that Brooks didn't love you two million dollars worth. There's only one logical reason for his making you the beneficiary that I can see you forced them into it. Anything else, who cares? They'd have to prove it, and brother, that can't be done. How would you like what a minute? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, okay, Rocky? Thanks for the news, Tella. Did you turn me in out there here? Eh? Yeah? No, I didn't turn you in. What's the matter. You've got a good story at you. You're not worried, are you? Yeah? Have a cigarette? Thanks? I got Mike work the first time. Yeah, nope, I'm not worried. I'll be out for forty eight hours. You'll be lucky if you're out in forty eight years. Okay, boys, come on in the homicide boys invite that hatcher down the headquarters. He accepted, and invited them down to the bar for a no hard feelings drink. They accept it. I walked back down the stairs into the club. Place had and changed, same stale customers, the same stale music, same stale air, and the same lovely Janelle sitting at the same lovely table. Hello, how'd you make out. Oh, I left before they started playing twenty questions. But I wouldn't worry. You've got a smart boy in the bar there in some ways maybe what do you hand you? A big round? Zero? Wouldn't talk about what? Oh, just a little? Do that? A too million dollar life insurance policy? Wait a minute, that young Brooks kid. Yeah, that's right. I knew what I tried to tell. Anybody wouldn't listen to me trying to tell who what Hatcher? Did you get into trouble about that policy? It just looks funny Indy and made the benefit Fishery. You knew about it. I suppose you also know what was behind it. Sure Milford ought him some money, a lot of money. It's in writing. What kind of writing? It's a personal note the Brooks is going to get back if he made Harrow beneficiary something in his office. Hey, you must be awful close to Hatcher. I'm in the close friendly tape. I'll have that drink now you've earned it. Beautiful. She had earned it, and I had a hunch as to why, if ever I saw a gal busy putting his kids under her boyfriend, she was even if she helped send him up on a murder rap. I would about a quick fifty that she tipped him to the police. It's happened before. The boyfriend is the murdering type, and it's a nice, neat legal method of disposal. Janelle led me back up the stairs and at the Hatcher's office. I sent her back down to watch the bar to divert Hatcher in case he decided he'd forgotten something. Brooks' personal note made out of the gambler was easy to find, lying neatly in the middle of the top desk draw but I found something even more interesting When I went through his wardrobe closet. I began to see a glimmer of light, and then, encouraged by not too much thinking in my part, it turned into a vertible bonfire, which I hope wouldn't be too hot for me to handle. Did you find everything? I If I were a judge, i'd be ready to sentence the gilly party. Good, oh, waiter the check? Where are you going to the police? Bright girl? I'll see you later. Spends accounts item six cab fare one dollar, said the driver. One dollar. Once out of the Hatchery, I walked to the corner, got into a taxi and waited. In just a few minutes, my favorite suspect came out of the club, jumped into a taxi and the chase was on. We nazzled our way through the traffic, over the second Avenue and at a downtown and he took a right, then on forty fifth Street over to Lexington and headed uptown. But they didn't lose us. At seventy second, the cab ahead turned right and pulled to a stop. My driver was on his toes, and his toes were on his break. We stopped two half a block behind. Do you want I should wait? Oh? Here you are, keep the change. It was a garage that belonged to a residence on the parallel street a block away. I made out a for sale sign on one of the big doors. The living corners upstairs were dark enough to look interesting, and those in a bit of genteel breaking and entering. Entering that old barn didn't take much breaking. I tripped up. The stairs sounded like they were left over from an old ghost story, and so did the first voice I heard when I stopped halfway up. So we's got to be careful, especially about that Johnny Dallon, Are you sure he didn't follow you. That voice sounded awful dry to be coming from a guy who supposedly had spent most of the night snoozing on the bottom of the Hudson River. It was Milfred Brooks, the third. Get up on your feet, Brooks, Now, wait a minute. I started this thing slugging you, I might as well finish it the same way lived in Maloney's mind. Full on the floors, angel and sut on the flap. Oh you don't kill letting get a hic out, I'll kill you. Look, I'm the last guy in the world. And when joeys physical violence, you have awe take. But believe you two are coming money close to changing my whole character. Now settle around before I'd really lose my head. Get off of me. I should have known better than to get mixed up with a low class nobody like you got We've pushed the lady around up Brooks. Tell me to be careful. Why didn't you think of that before you let him here? Why for your nose, big boy, Why don't you get go getting fat headed, gorgeous niether. One of you is exactly what I'd call a master mind. When you plan that match Fowler runneath the top called on the ferry boat. You both should have been more careful. You think so, You bet, I think so. If I were planning a piece of evidence to incriminate mister Harold Hatcher, I would have left a cigarette lighter. I found one in the pocket of every suit he owns back there in his closet in the club. It wasn't hard to figure out that that guy never carries a book of matches. What do you want? I'm only interested in one thing, saving the insurance company two million dollars. And Buster, I think you've done it for me. I wait, look, Dollar, this is insurance fraud. It has been ever since you put on a fake suicide attempt, trying to extort five hundred thousand bucks out of the company for you and Janelle. Wait a minute, dollars? So much for the company. Now something a little more personal and a little more serious. Where is my girl? Well, she's she's all right. Dollar. I couldn't help it, but I had to get out of that apartment. She caught me leaving. I had to take a with me. Where is she she? Well, I didn't mean to hurt her. I was afraid you yell are you liable? Tell you what she is? Dollar, I put her in a cab and send her to the emergency hospital. Yet no, tell the police. Please? Had you had your fun? Dollar? Now I want mine? How as you get here? New York City was most efficient police force. Remember when they think maybe a guy has jumped off a ferry boat and nobody's seen him do it, they checked the turnstile counters at each end. In the case of Brooks, here as many people got off that boat has got on. Yeah, that makes sense. And harly or a guy from murder just because somebody else lost a topcoat. How'd you know we were here? You know me to know you never go any place to that. I don't know about. Okay, Brooks, you felt like explaining, Now I feel like listening. Get it up. I don't know what you mean. I don't know what you mean. Asher Warny gave you a big fat, two million dollar motive for murder. And two he did his best to make it look like you did murder him, but had broken down match cover playing on the ferry boat. Why well, they wanted to get rid of you and live happily ever after the big mistake they made wasn't trying to shake the insurance company down for some ready cash. And you, baby, you put him up to it, didn't you, your cheap little muscler. No, hell, calm down, Hatcher. You don't need a gun around here. That's same. You don't know me very well. Dollar. I'm gonna teach you, all of you amateurs a lesson. All these things are really done. Come on, Brooks, no, Hatcher, you can have everything I've got. For a second, it looked like Hatcher was gonna take everything. But I hadn't gone that far to see Brooks knocked up with me as a witness. Hey, maybe I wasn't gonna be a witness. Maybe I was gonna be a victim too. When I thought it me, that's when I flew across the room and hit Hatcher on a too or die flying tackle from behind. Hatcher went down shooting. I went down chair in a lucky boot, knocked the gun out of his hand. Might beat him do it, and swam's free into his color. Half the people in the room are lying. They're bleeding. Brooks from a gunshot Hatcher from the gun butt. Janelle and I both stood their panty. But believe me not for each other. Well, he stood that boy until the police arrived. Johnny. I hate being in the hospital, but I look off, Butter, and Honey, you look lovely and white to his patch on my head, Johnny, they had to cut a big hunger my hair off to put in the stitches. That awful man. Well, if it'll make you feel any better, baby, that awful man got taken care of it. He's upstairs in the same hospital. Well, Johnny, no, Butter, I didn't have to. Harold Hatcher saved me the trouble. They don't know yet whether mister Brooks is going to live or die, but it doesn't make much difference to me or to the insurance company. He signed a statement admitting attempted fraud charged him right hitting a lady on the heads Johnny, what am I gonna do? My hair will look awful. It'll take months for it to grow out. Now, don't worry for her. I'll buy you something to cover it up. I know a guy over on Fifth Avenue who claims he makes something that looks prettier on a woman's head in her hair expense account out. I'm seven six hundred and forty dollars lady's hats, so come with a lump on lady's head. Expensive coun out of mates twenty dollars tipped the nurse for reminding Butter on the hour, every hour that accidents will happen. Expense account out of nine seven dollars. Mileage driving back to Hartford. Expense account total eleven and eighty two dollars and twenty three cents, for which you may say, mister Farnsworth, is a lot of money for one man to spend in a day and a half. But you must bear in mind that the amount of stake was two million dollars, and you know the price of state these days. Signed yours truly, Johnny Dollar, m HM. Listen in again next week when CBS brings you yours tool aide, Johnny Dollar with Charles Russell as Johnny