Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This
is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, email it
to me 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. If you are enjoying this podcast, please follow us using
your favorite podcast software. Well it is our four thousand and one, one
hundred and fiftieth episode special, and today I'm bringing you an episode of suspense.
The original air date is May the twenty second, nineteen fifty six,
and the title is Fragile Contents Death and now Tonight's presentation of radio's outstanding theater
of thrills, suspense. Tonight, we bring you a story of a postmaster
and his desperate search for an unwelcome package. We call it Fragile Contents Death.
So, now, starring Victor Perrin, here is tonight's suspense play,
Fragile Contents Death. All it took was a phone call until it came that
morning. Everything at the post office was the same as it had always been.
I was just another postmaster, forty years old with the postal problems of
some eighty thousand people to look after. All it took was that call to
make things a nightmare. As I said, the day was just a day.
I remember. I was making up my mind to get busy on the
stuff piled on my desk. It was nine fifteen morning, mister Jordan,
Ah, morning, Hartley. I'm just going to send for you. Don't
tell me all this heat is for me? That's right. Didn't anybody weed
it out? It's been weeded, mister Jordan. Wow, if I must,
I must even a parcel I see, yeah, yeah, it's marked
personal from Paxton and Brown something or other Broadway, New York. Oh,
I remember? Sure? This must be that new type of lawn sprinkler I
ordered for the wife. You should have had it sent to the house.
Put it over there? Would you all take along when I go home?
Here? That's fine? Post Office, This is Jordan Jordan at Postmaster Jordan.
That's right. What can I do for you? Lenny? You got
a bomb someplace and a mail down there? Is this a joke? Listen
carefully, this is no joke. A guy I know sent another guy a
bomb, a time bomb. It'll be delivered here in town. It was
supposed to be set to go off at seven to night, but it ain't.
You forgot to change the time or before he shifted. It's set for
two thirty this afternoon, five hours from now. I don't like that.
Maybe some poor a guy like a mailman get it instead of the guy you
supposed to. That's why I'm telling you about it. You gotta find it
and stop it. One other thing too, it's fixed so it'll go off
when you open the package. You got all that, sure, I got
it? But how do I recognize this bomb? Who's an addressed to?
I ain't telling who, Senator. I don't care about who, Senate?
Who gets it? Who gets the bomb? Hello? Hello hardly? Yes,
sir, you probably heard enough of that to know what's going on.
Something about about a bomb in the mail. Yeah, now listen carefully.
I'm only going to tell you once get out of here on the double.
I want the Assistant Superintendent of Mails and the dispatcher Stuart and Fox get him
in here as quick as you can. You got that, Yes, sir,
operator, this is Jordan. How many inspectors are in today? Do
you know? Just a moment, mister Jordan, mister Williams is in.
Mister Jackson left word he'll be out in Lincoln County until tomorrow. And mister
Thompson entered the hospital this morning to have his appendix out. We'll ring ed
Williams for me. Please tell him to get over to my office right away.
It's urgent, Yes, sir, Oh Fox men, sit down,
Yes, sir, something wrong, plenty bomb in the mail. You know
much about it? I'll tell you later. Williamson, Stewart, they're in
on this two and are we ever in for a busy day? Hardly said?
There was a hurry up call. And here's a door in my face.
Joe, come on in, d close the door. Sit down,
both of you. I'll sit down and listen. Oh no, Roises.
This year I've been waiting for him to spring it on. Button it up,
Joe. Here's what we do have staring us in the face. I
just told Fox a minute ago there's a bomb in the mail someplace. Hold
on. That's right. A few minutes ago I got a phone call.
I don't know who it was. All I got were these facts nine thirty.
Between now and two thirty, we've got to find a time bomb which
was mailed to somebody here in town. Somebody don't don't have any name at
all. He didn't get around to that. Either he wouldn't tell me or
he was cut off. I'm hoping, just a slender hope. I know.
I'm hoping you'll call back, But we can't count on it. How
do we know this isn't a leg pull dug? We don't, but we
can't afford to take chances with somebody's life. Would you know what kind of
a package? We don't know. Any kind? It's great that spreads your
field out, something terrific star. Oh well, you not only have your
truck packages, you have carrier packages too. Carrier wouldn't have that bigger package
still with the powerful explosives we have nowadays and the small wiring circuits possible,
why not? Yeah, I'll give you another one. How about a newspaper
roll? That's big enough, isn't it? Carriers handle them? Don't that?
That's right? Now? Here's what I think. If that thing was
mailed early this morning, it's either out there in the parts I'll post ben
or at one of the substations. If it was mailed last night, it's
probably on one of the trucks. Right now, or else it's been delivered,
or else it's been delivered. Yes, a lot of stuffs also trucks,
but no, that complicates it. But let's do what we can as
fast as we can. Fox. You round up all of the special delivery
cars, send them out after those trucks, and get all the packages back
here. We'll go over them after they get here. Okay. Try to
get the drivers to remember what's been delivered and where. Skip the insurance deliveries.
This won't be insured. Get as much back as you can. But
what if they can't remember everything? You lead that to me. But do
this too. Call the substations, get all their stuff in here, all
right? Anything else not? Now? All right, I'm on away,
Stewart. You'll go through our own stuff in the back. Let's see delivery
from New York Central's number three hasn't come over from the station yet, hasn't.
Oh now it makes it a little better. Get everything we've got together
in one place and keep it there. Keep the out of town packages out
of it. Just add the stuff from the substations and trucks as it comes
in, and the pickup trucks of course, But some of the drop boxes
out in the suburbs are for letters and parcels both. We'd get some packages
coming in on the pickups from those boxes. I've forgotten many. The trucks
should be in by eleven. We might as well go ahead with everything else
until I get here. Just so we got them as soon as they come
in. I'll leave that to you. If we're going to do all this,
i'd better get on it. No, you're standing around here any longer
than necessarily. Now go ahead. You want me to check the factors?
Right? I don't have to tell you your business head. I know your
record is an inspector is a one? Well fill me in a little more.
What you done? Okay? Shoot this a time bun. That's what
he said. We have less than five hours now, Yeah, I got
that. Well what else about it? Would it be safe to open?
No? No, it'll go off if you open it, he said,
so rougher and rougher. I'm going to get help, Doug. All you
want, use your phone? Help you step backs, operator outsideline, Thank
you, Stay police company A sergeant rock speaking all Rocky. This is at
William's Post Office? Is Jesse in today? Yeah? You want him?
No, don't call him no time, Tell him to come on over here
right away? Would you sure? What do you want with explosive experts?
You got a bomb? Maybe keep it under your hat? You know me?
Another thing, rocky. You guys got the fluoroscope just now I touch
you one huh. No, we loaned the company up and forming I could
use it, that's for sure. Tell me about one hundred miles. I'll
call him up and get him to fly it in. Probably get it.
Do you know about an hour a little over? Oh good, and you'll
tell Jess I will do now to work. Doug, same here, boy?
Yeah? How about those carriers? About one hundred of them are there?
Can you do it? Can you hit them all? I don't know.
All I can do is try. But you're thinking of the same thing
I am remembering the same case Bowling Green, Kentucky. Yeah, the poor
devil of a carrier alive but barely. That's one reason I want to find
this bond before our luck runs out. And we're going to see that,
but it doesn't run out. I hope you're right in I sure hope you're
right. You are listening to Fragile Contents. Death to Night's Brother presentation in
Radio's outstanding theater of thrills suspense. For you, the choice between living and
ethical life or that of a fugitive from the law may be an easy one
to make. But for the young Paroli and Tomorrow Night's drama on the FBI
in Peace and War, the choice is more difficult. His old criminal friends
want to involve him in an easy money scheme when he comes to the turning
point, that moment at which he must decide between staying straight or going back
to a life of crime. The temptation is most intense for drama that packs
a human interest punch. Don't miss the turning point Tomorrow Night, when the
FBI in Peace and War is on the air over most of these same stations.
And now we bring back to our Hollywood sound stage, mister Victor Perrin's
starring in to Night's production Fragile Contents, Death Tail, Well calculated to keep
you in saucepan. They were all on it now, Williams, Fox,
Stewart and all the others we could trust to keep a cool head. The
lid was on every place possible. To the average man buying his three cent
stamp, it was business as usual. We didn't even let the majority of
the help know it, but often one of our fairly isolated corners, A
pile of packages was growing. I looked at the clock ten twenty, just
about an hour a gone, four hours left stew our thing's going? Who
knows wells can be expected? And a thing like this, I suppose better
wipe off that sweat before somebody tumbled that the day isn't that hot? Thanks,
sit down or any of them wise yet? I don't think so.
I'll probably get out. Things have a way that they do. How are
you standing at yourself? Well? Are you worried? I'm not very happy,
none of us are. I keep thinking what if I get hold of
the thing? Ever been in an explosion? No? You weren't in the
service? Now you ever see an explosion? Been close to one? Yeah?
Well I came by once just after a gasoline truck tangled to the pole
and took off. It was a pretty bad sight. See. Would would
you like to take the day off? I wouldn't think of it. Nobody'd
blame you. I wouldn't. I promise you. I can't do that.
Dug, What if I did and the thing got by and I could have
provided it I'm nervous. Maybe I don't like to set up. Maybe,
but I'm not chicken. I'm staying with it. I figured you would,
Joe. They say every soldier figures the next bullet isn't going to get him.
That's the way I'm figuring myself on this deal. Good idea. The
only thing we have to worry about, Joe, where is this one?
Aimed eleven thirty two hours gone? I went back to the mail room.
Hello, dog, how's it going? Well? Don't we have all this
over here so far? A lot of work? And he leads head,
not yet, not even anything suspicious. How can you tell? I can't
tell, really. Sometimes there's something about the handwriting or the printing of the
guess you just feel it. Sometimes I don't know. I don't get anything
like that. And this stuff not even a fake return address, not a
one in the lot. None of the locals anyway, check them off.
Louroscoping ya all the plants an They phoned me a few minutes ago. It's
on the way over here any minute as well, mister Jordan. Telephone,
Okay, what line? Money, thank you, I'll get it. This
is Jordan, mister Jordan, this is malloy and truck fifteen. Yes,
malloy, I got the word about getting back these packages. Everything's practically okay.
Only this my second delivery. I left one off at this place seventeen
twenty four Lime Street. I go back there a while ago, and nobody's
home. They were there when you left the package. Yeah, a fat,
bald headed guy took it, as I remember. Well, check the
neighbors I already have, mister Jordan. Nobody knows for sure where they went
or some talk about'em leaving for Washington this morning. But I can't put
it down. They drove anyway. Car's gone, garage is empty. It's
using your head, malloy. At least we have something to shoot at.
Do you remember the name? No, I don't, but that fat guy
sure looked like a crook. Tad them for one a minute. I well,
Miller came driving out and caught me in. Said you were hunting a
package of stolen goods in the mail. Maybe shot off his mouth too much,
John, wasn't I supposed to all? No, No, malloy,
it's all right. I forgot that he knew what we were after. Will
you say you got everything else? Yeah? Be right, in it.
You say, so, you do that, check Foxy. Yeah, look
up seventeen twenty four Lime Street and get the name. Anything else, get
that name, then get onto it. The state police to intercept them if
possible. Those people received the package this morning, and they may have left
town for Washington. They're probably driving with luck. They may not have opened
that parcel yet. It's a real long shot, sir, going on a
trip carrying in an open package. I doubt it. It's against common sense,
but we have to try. You try, Foxy. Twelve o'clock lunchtime.
I ordinarily eat at Bailey's, but not today. We had sandwiches and
coffee brought in. The coffee was welcome, but we didn't seem to be
very hungry. Alone in my office sipping coffee, all I could think about
was the time was half gone. This is Jordan's darling. Haven't you forgotten
something? Oh? Hello, dear, forgotten something. I'm down at Bailey's
waiting for you. I've been here twenty five minutes. We're lunching together today,
remember, Oh yes, Well, look, Alice, I'm afraid I'm
going to have to stand you up. Something's come up. You'll be sorry,
there's the best looking man sitting in here all by himself, the tall,
rugged, iron gray type. You know how I go for those.
He'd probably be very glad to buy me a meal. You try him and
see. I have confidence in you, sweetheart. Anything to save us a
buck, then you definitely aren't coming. I'm afraid not. I'll tell you
about it tonight sometime. Remind me never to marry a busy executive again.
Bye bye. What do you got foxy things in my mind? Doug?
First, let me get this one off. The cops picked up the Morgans.
The Morgans, Yeah, the couple who were driving to Washington found him
in a service station on the edge of tom They got the package, well,
they'd already opened it. Nothing much in it except some fancy sports shirts
from Morgan himself. Then they're on their way again. Yeah, with apologies.
I understand they were scared silly though Morgan offered to show the cop the
shirts. He even wanted to give him one, afraid they were stolen goods.
Glad that's cleaned up. Yeah, say, just had a call from
the Woodmot branch. Go on, So you remember Spicer. Spicer, Yeah,
suspicion of robbing the mails. What about it be as though he hung
one on himself this time? Well, how's that? Well? As I
say, this clerk out at Woodmot put a bunch of packages in the bins
just before he quit last night. He remembered one for doctor Turner. This
Turner, it seems, collects magazine first editions. Sometimes he's aren't worth insuring,
sometimes they are, but they're always worth something more than their original price.
And this package looked like one of those. About the carrier Spicer,
well, it seems he blew in just as the place was about to close
and he forgot a bag he his with some new shoes that he'd bought.
He drifted through and right out again. Nobody paid any attention at the time.
And this morning Turner's package is gone? Is that it? And where's
Spicer? This day off? Substitute's working. They're sure the package has gone.
What Turner called to ask of it? Came in and they couldn't trace
it. That's how they were shure it's missing. I don't have to tell
you the next move to it. No already tried called his rooming house,
he's not in. Didn't come in last night either. I call the police.
I'd better do that, foxing thanks. Even if he has the thing,
he surely opened it by now. I think so myself. But we
can't be sure. We can't take chances. I'd better call operator, get
me the police station. Any luck with this pile of stuff? Well,
one that's uncertain. Trying to make up my mind. So let's see here.
It's not very big. Wouldn't have to be addressed to Jack Gordon one
twenty eight Andrew Street. Is that anybody important? Never heard the name?
If you asked me, it's a kid? What makes you think so?
Return address Columbia Foods Incorporated It I'm cereal coupons. Flora scope indicates a watch
inside. Let's put a stufflet'scope on it, king get it ticks all right?
Question? Is it a dollar watcher? Is it watch? Probably?
Probably? Let's play it safe, That's what I thought. Take it outside
ordinarily, yes, what we detect anything that would trigger out the thing,
so we'll put it on the water bucket here? Did you put wedding agent
in the water? Yeah, those socks with there wrapping quicker and then throw
anything else inside that much faster that doesn't inside takes a little longer. Reminds
me of the time I put in as an inspector. Here. You were
pretty good, Doug, just lucky, getting the walkers. Lucky. Better
have a look at your toy here, easy, easy, uh che come
there, looks as though we were right the first time, Doug. Here,
I have a pocket watch, Januarine Hoppy, keep it for a souvenir.
That's one kid, we all watch. We'll a budget standard. It'll
strain it, but it won't break it. And let's step up back.
I need a cigarette. Good idea that you heard about this carrier, Spicer
Fox. He told me get him, yet the police haven't. Maybe the
police haven't got him, but has it. The clock's hands were still going
around one thirty, just about one hour to go, and still we hadn't
found that bomb. We hadn't found it, We hadn't found the missing carrier.
All we had found was a new headache every few minutes. This is
Jordan, mister Jordan, This is Malloy again, the driver you know.
Oh yes, molloy, do you have something new? Well sort of,
you see, mister Jordan is like this. While I was eating lunch,
I kept thinking, and all of a sudden I remember this other package I
delivered this morning out on Beach Avenue, so I drive over here to see
about it. I'm at the house. Now, have you got the package?
Have they opened it? No? It ain't open. Well, you
better talk to this lady, mister Jordan. She won't listen to me here,
Missus Bates, this is a big postmaster on the line himself in person.
Hello. This driver says you're the postmaster. Is that right? That's
right? This is Douglas Jordans. I don't understand all this about the package
which came from my husband versus man delivers it now. I wants it back.
He's perfectly right, Missus Bates. We'd very much like to have that
parcel. I don't see why it has my husband's name on it. It's
a correct address. I'm afraid I can't give it back until my husband has
a chance to examine it. What did our driver tell you, Missus Bates.
He had some story about stolen good but that doesn't make sense. Anyone
would know that my husband was someone. Someone may have confused him with another.
Bates. Have you thought of that? No, I hadn't. But
I'm still sure that my husband should pass judgment on this. If I were
to take the responsibility and I were wrong, let me take the responsibility,
Missus Bates. He might not see it that way. He might say,
I'll let myself be talked into something, Missus Bates. Believe me. I'm
sure your husband would be the first to thank us, if he only knew,
on my word of honor, we must have that package. Well,
it's your responsibility, understand, very young man. But I don't think my
husband will thank you. He doesn't like anyone connected with the government, none
of you. For that. I'm sorry, missus Bates, but thank you
for giving us that parcel. But it wasn't what we were after. A
box of advertising pencils. That was all. Then it was half an hour.
I forced myself to stay in my office waiting for a call that they'd
caught Spicer, or that someone somewhere had turned up something head any luck,
not a bit. We've combed everything, not a thing. They haven't caught
up with Spicer yet. I think that's a false lead. Anyway, If
he has the thing, he's opened it by now that leaves his nowhere.
Yes it does. Somebody's forgotten something that that must be it, and maybe
could be all a hoax. You know s matter? Don't you want it
to be a hoax? All the suffered and nothing to show for it that
it? Want to repeat the Walker business? Catch a murderer through the mill?
No, d No, I just want to be sure by the way
he's at. You know who Steve Walker, the brother he's out of jail.
Didn't you know? What? Are you looking so funny? Team Walker?
He said he'd get me? Yes? Or what where did I put
it? Where's that lawn? Sprinkling lawn street? Now I know where'd that
package come from? I've had it right here all day. I didn't even
think about it came early this morning. Let's not think. Let's move.
Gimme that is there time? I think, so better be get it unto
the floorscope. Look that's it, brother, that's it all right. Do
you have time to take it out to a safe place, No, sir.
All we can do is put in the water bucket, taken into the
alley and tray. Okay, here goes, daughter gets through that wrapper,
Doug Miller, I'll give it an hour just in case. Five minutes,
fifteen, thirty minutes, forty five, one hour and then, well,
Doug, there it is all in little pieces to speak like those pieces,
aren't you? I am? I am pretty good collection of evidence. You
can go out to Steve Walker with this, Doug. Mister Jordan telephone coming.
This is Jordan. Well, I couldn't bear the thought of you plodding
away down there. Now. Maybe you'd like to hear the story about my
lunch and it was the most think it had better be good? Honey?
Will you hear the one I've got for you? Suspense, in which mister
Victor Perrin starred in Tonight's presentation of Fragile Contents Death. Be sure to listen
next week when we again bring you another presentation of radio's outstanding theater of thrills
Suspense. Suspense is produced and directed in Hollywood by Anthony Ellis. Tonight's story
was written by John F. Suter. The music was coms by Renee Arragancin,
conducted by Wilbur Hatch featured in the cast where Vivi Channis, Leonard Winribb,
Helen Cleeb, Herbert Ellis, Ted Bliss, John Larch, Charles Seal,
and Frank Kurstell. This Friday Night, the CBS Radio Workshop takes you
on an exciting excursion into the world of fantasy as it recounts Antoine de Saint
Zuperi's delightful story of The Little Prince. A bestseller in America as well as
France and a joy to readers of all ages, The Little Prince is sure
to be one of your all time dramatic favorites. As you hear it this
Friday night over most of these same stations on the CBS Radio Workshop, Stay
tuned for five minutes of CBS News to be followed on most of these same
stations by my son Jeep. You hear America's favorite shows on the CBS Radio
Network. Welcome Back Well a really intriguing episode. It's a great premise,
a great mystery with a ticking time bomb, and a really ironic conclusion.
I did actually notice the package being delivered to the postmaster at the beginning on
this second lesson through the episode, but I think that made just have been
because I knew how it ended. I came across this episode a few months
back and really enjoyed it and decided that I would love to play it for
this particular special. This is actually the second time that Suspense performed the script.
The first was in nineteen fifty one with Paul Douglas playing the lead role,
but it was this version that I heard. Plus, I do think
that this era of radio is interesting to listen to because you have actors who
have mostly been cast in supporting roles getting to actually play a more significant part
and really show their talent. And I think Victor Perrin does a really good
job here. This is, of course a story that is kind of well
suited to an actor who's not like some big star, as he's playing a
very grounded character. And this is just such an interesting story with all of
the details that they managed to work in and how they managed to build suspense
throughout. So I really enjoyed it. I hope you locked it as well.
Now it's time for me to go ahead and thank our Patreon supporter of
the day, and thank you so much to Philip, Philip supporting the program
at the Detective Sergeant level of seven dollars and fourteen since per month has been
a Patreon supporter since December twenty one teen. Thank you so much for your
support, Philip, and that will do it for today. If you are
enjoying this podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software, and be
sure to rate and interview the podcast wherever you download it from. We'll be
back tomorrow to start our regular Great Detectives lineup with Sam Spade, where I
have another point of beer by vendor. Let me buy it, Sir,
you're can blain me drinks all night, but don't make the mistake a drain
to get me drunk. Make it too, will you? Eddie him?
Same? That means he knows you. You're okay by the oas well,
then you're okay by Captain Nostro. Hey, you want jilbiz. What's the
rest of its? Sim Spade? Well, I'll tell you something about you,
Sam's Spade. You didn't come here to drink with me, You came
to talk. I should we go over in a booth. That's a good
idea, right, Yeah, now I'm ready to listen. Do you know
Kelly Green, Kelly the dancer? Yeah? Why every blasted sailor in the
Orient knows Kelly. Let me see now. The last time I remember her,
she was dancing on a table in Singapore for some Dutch officers. Now
she's in town right now. She said she has some information you'd want to
buy I'll bet she has you a friend of hers since this morning. That's
long enough for me. Now, what are you private? Detective? I
am? And that brings up one other point. She said you would pay
me for finding Oh surely, what's your fee at twenty final though year you're
is fifty? No? No, no lot? Take it now, as
far as I'm concerned, you've earned it. Then what's her address? Embassy
Hotel, room six two seven. No, we'll get in touch with her.
Well, see you're around. Hey, wait a minute, spade,
how would you like to find someone for me? Why not? 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, signing off.