Speaker 1: Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho.
This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're
going to bring you this week's episode of Danger with Granger.
But first I do want to let you know that
today's program is brought you in part by the financial
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Detectives dot net. And I want to thank Larry for
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four dollars or more per month. Thanks so much for
your support, Larry. But now here is today's episode the
Triangle affair.
Speaker 2: Danger with Stranger.
Speaker 3: Saw you getting out today?
Speaker 2: Huski? Yeah?
Speaker 3: I want to what to be like if I got out?
Maybe I go fishing. I could even flame myself a girl.
You don't skip. I haven't seen a girl in eleven years.
Dames can be trouble, but you've got a girl. I've
seen a picture in color, even right curly hair on
big brownd.
Speaker 2: Got up. I have a smoke. Thanks.
Speaker 3: You're playing this solitaire game against Skip.
Speaker 2: I told you it's not solitaire, it's called patiently.
Speaker 4: I know.
Speaker 3: Gee, I can see you this afternoon.
Speaker 2: Skip.
Speaker 3: You'll be on broad where you're buying a new suit.
You're eating a swell meal in a swell restaurant.
Speaker 2: You're even get married. Shut it out and making me sick.
Speaker 3: But Gee, you're a free man.
Speaker 2: Don't have me that. I'm a can remember. Every place
I go, they'll be saying, there's Skip land tree. You
just get out of the pen.
Speaker 3: You sound like you didn't want to get out, Skip.
Speaker 2: I want to get out. Don't worry, because I'm going
to get the guy who frame me into this joint. See.
Speaker 3: I wouldn't talk that way if I was you. You'll
be back inside a month.
Speaker 2: Not me. I'm going to be smart.
Speaker 3: My first cell mate said that too, he went out
to get even. He died in this cell four years ago.
Speaker 2: I'm not dying in any cell.
Speaker 3: No, you'll be back Skipped unless you change your way.
Speaker 5: You're thinking.
Speaker 2: This is Steve Granger, private detective with a story about
a guy who came out of the penitentiary and walked
straight into trouble with me as his frontman. And just
a moment, I'll take you back to one of my
most interesting cases. This is Stranger. It'd been a pretty
dull morning where clients were concerned. I was getting tired
of the view from my office window when my phone
sang a very cute melody. It was Skip Landry, who
wanted to see me at his Midtown apartment as soon
as it was convenient. The price he mentioned for my
services made it convenient immediately. I mean, Hi, agree, Hello, Skip,
come over to that. Why do you want to see
me about Skip? I just get out of the pen
three years on a phony rap on. I want you
to get the people who cram me detail Skip a
lot of them. Yeah, wait till I finished this. What
are you doing by in a solitaire game called patience?
If you got me up here just to watch you
play card games, I'll scram Skip. You know why I
got you up here. I want to be cleared. If
I remember you were convicted of robbery, open and shutcase. Yeah,
they opened the cell door and shut me in for
three years. Understand, Granger, I'm not quarreling with the court.
The evidence was presented. Court had no other choice. That
was three years ago. We'll be easy. Can you give
me along the way of a lead? Nothing, I had
no alibi. What do you do now that you're up?
Lay low until you find out things. I've got money
in the bank. Now, how about it, I don't drop
down a center street. Maybe I can get a look
at the transcript of your trial by feeder on the level.
I'll go along with you, okay, by me, and that's
probably my lawyer come in well.
Speaker 6: Well, Skip, Nice to see him out in the open again.
Speaker 2: Thanks Kirk for everything you did. Don't mention it, my boy.
Speaker 6: You're fortunately you didn't get a longer term because of
your gambling activities.
Speaker 2: I know. Oh, this is my attorney, Kirk Masters, Steve Gringer,
the private eye. I didn't know you two were friends.
I know him before. He's working for me. You don't
need a detective, you need a job. I know what
I'm doing.
Speaker 6: You get out of line one step and I'll lock
you up again. You're on parole, remember, Skip.
Speaker 2: Lantree nodded me on my way with a tight look
around his eyes and mouth. I known him before his
brush with law, known him as a gambler, but an
honest one and a nice character. When I got the
police headquarters, Lieutenant hal Kramer looked at me in disgust. Grader,
sometimes I think you're playing nuts. I'm trying hard to
keep our personal feelings out of this howl. I'm working
for Skip Lantry. But I told you I know all
about his trial. The apartment had him dead to write,
I'm part of the loot in his apartment. I know that.
But out of the boys find out a phone tip anonymous?
Of course, naturally, all, Lieutenant, wouldn't that make it look
like a frame. We get lots of anonymous tips from
people who want to want to stay anonymous. I know, Look, Lieutenant,
how about helping me get a transcript of the trial.
It'll take you two hours to read it, for which
I'm grateful because it'll be interesting, because it'll keep you
out of my hair that long. Kramer got me a
transcript to Skip Lantry's trial, and this time I felt
like a man at a very dead dead end. The
testimony was all there, as iron clad as a matron's girdle.
Lantry had even been tentatively identified by the janitor of
the apartment building where the robbery had occurred. I jotted
down his name and went out there. What do you want.
My name is Granger. You're Alvin Fredy, the janitor. Three
years ago you testified a trial of Skip Lantry. What
about it? You testified that you saw him or somebody
who looked a lot like him coming to the building
here and go upstairs. Suppose he did. How positive are
you that the man you saw was actually Skip Lantry?
You expect me to remember something like that? That was
three years ago. I got a step farther with you.
If I brought Lantry out here, could you still identify him?
I don't know. Okay, Freddy, hang around, I'll bring him out.
We'll see how good your memory is. I'll continue with
this interesting story in a minute. There was something about
the face of that janitor, Alvin Fridy, that I didn't
like much, but that didn't actually prove he was lying.
I drug Star and call Lieutenant Kreamer. I asked him
to check on the janitor for me, and then I
grabbed some transportation and went back to Skip Lantry's apartment.
Why did you find out green Jet an't checked the
testimony if you tryal oh, and they had you dead
to rights. I know, say about janitor at the building.
He looked a little suspicious to me, meaning what if
somebody really tried to frame you and they could have
pulled the robbery and fed the janitor a few bucks
to say out of recognized you. It could be. I
think I'll get an investigator friend of mine to Tailum. Hey,
I've got somebody will help you. A little dame named
Phyllis Preston. Oh no, not a lady detective. Yeah, we
used to live in the same block when we were kids.
Look her up. She's in the book. I better get
out of here. Hang around a second. I know who
it is, darling.
Speaker 3: I'm so happy to see you again.
Speaker 2: Okay, baby, don't take it so good.
Speaker 5: Tonight you and Kirk and I can go.
Speaker 2: Who's he? Well? This is Steve grangef my girl, little
seal of the name Glad, I mean your mister name.
Speaker 3: Hello, Oh Skip, I brought that stuff?
Speaker 2: You mean the dog you can talk in front of Grange?
How much did you bring?
Speaker 3: Almost all of it?
Speaker 5: You had in the bank, two thousand?
Speaker 2: Here here it is, thanks baby. I think I'll be
running along skip y cardion a little while going over
to see the Preston girl. Yep, get her number out
of the phone book. She must still be listed. Okay,
you'll be here if I call. I'm not going any place.
I'm the patient type. I found plus Preston's address, made
my way over to a rooming house on the west side.
I found a door, and the door along the passage opened.
She ain't even mister, you see her?
Speaker 5: Go up?
Speaker 7: Sure I've seen her after about half hour ago. Okay,
she couldn't wait for you. She was with another guy cackling. Yeah, sure, mister,
didn't me no harm, no issue. Went where I happened
to hear the guy mentioned the green lantern. Thanks, chum,
think I'll dropped down there.
Speaker 2: I wouldn't go there if I as you, mister, not
in that nice new suit. I'm mind a nice new suit.
Get back in your room. Take a look at yourself
in the mirror. What for see? How much nice you
look with that mouth shut? The green lantern down the
street ten blocks was everything the name implied, a typical
honky tonk with the usual number offbeat characters waiting for
a chance to make a dishonest dollar. The honor was
another socially minded girl I knew named George Slater. And
I got inside. I looked around. There wasn't a girl
in sight. The bartender remembered one going into Georgie's office.
Mind if I come in that case, pardon me? Who
do you think you were? Where is Phyllis Preston Slater?
I don't know, crature, honest, I don't act like you're lying, mister.
Don't wear in there that room. Thanks, you can come
out now. I'm as Preston is jerk lucky.
Speaker 3: In You don't think I was playing post office?
Speaker 2: And there? Do you? What's all this? Slater? You got
the dame so blow. I don't have to talk. I
don't loan your heir, and I mean permanently. Pal, that's
for nothing. Try something and see what really happens. I'm
Steve Granger Phillis.
Speaker 5: Oh, I've heard of you.
Speaker 2: How come there?
Speaker 3: Just a minute of time rescue at the Green Lantern.
Speaker 2: Skip Lanter. He told me to contact you, said you
were a lady private eye.
Speaker 3: I do a little investigating.
Speaker 2: Why did George Slater lock you in that room? How
do you get you out of your apartment? Simple?
Speaker 3: He was there when I got home, he had a gun.
He implied that it would be smart of me to
come along quietly. Why because well, listen, grange a wild question.
Speaker 2: Lantry claims he was sent up on a false charge.
He wants to be cleared.
Speaker 3: I think he was praying too, I'll come.
Speaker 2: I'll have my reasons private one. Maybe well I get
a job for it. Yes, Watching that janitor Alvin Freedy, Oh.
Speaker 3: The one who testified it skips trial.
Speaker 2: That's the one that out just for last. It might
not be that funny. I told for this person to
be careful when she was checking the janitor for me.
I dropped her off at her place. Wondered if I
should have George Slater booked unattempt at kidnapping, but decided
to let him alone for the time being. I stopped
off a few minutes later at cal Hendrick's place. A
newspaper man seemed pleased to see me. Steve, my boy,
you are very popular around these parts. Wow, am I
You've had more telephone calls and a chorus girl turned
practical nurse skip Lantry for one? Who else? Lieutenant Kramer
of homicide. He applies the eight nine double four nine
Well that's no precinct station. The good lieutenant sounded like
someone had ruffled his feathers. Solely his odd for him.
I think his ancestors were all ostriches. Hello, Lieutenant, this
is Granger.
Speaker 4: You can stop trying to prove Skip Lantry's innocence.
Speaker 2: What are you talking about?
Speaker 4: I'm up as apartment. Lantree's sitting at his desk. Also,
he's carrying a bullet in him.
Speaker 2: Murder.
Speaker 4: Huh, suicide.
Speaker 2: This was something that didn't add up. Skip Lantry dead well,
it was tough, but suicide. That didn't figure that with
a guy who played a game he called patients of
his last words to me whether he was the patient type.
Just a minute, I'll bring you the climax of the case.
Lieutenant Craman's voice announcing the death of Skip Lantry was
cut off sharp as I slammed down the phone, constant
a bible on my shouldered the cal Hendrix, and made
for my client's apartment, my dead client. There you are, Granger.
The whole way out, just as we founded. Doesn't make sense, Cream,
I don't care what you say. He must have thought
you could never prove anything, so he shut himself. Where
was the gun on the floor next to his body
to go throw him. Naturally, he had two thousand dollars
in his pants. Pocket man might be dead, but it's
still my client. Leave everything untouched in this apartment for
a couple of days, Ranger. This is an out and
out case of suicide, says Opious, as that forty cent
necktie you're wearing, which is better than the two bit
shoe string you've got holding up your Adam's apple. When
the police photographer and the print men that finished their
respective chaws, I was left alone and skip Lantry's apartment.
I moved around, examined the dresser, the closet, et cetera.
He was as neat as a pin. One second, Well.
Speaker 6: Mister Masters, I was on my way back here I
met that police lieutenant. Is it true, Granger?
Speaker 2: I'm afraid so that's terrible. Yep. Did you discover anything
it might have helped skip Poob's innocence? No, no, not exactly,
and I didn't think you would.
Speaker 6: I tried my best at the trial. I couldn't get
him off. You know his girlfriend, Lucille Donaine, of course, No.
Where she lives, yes, at the towers on the East side.
Speaker 2: Seeing it today. I chatted with Lucille on the phone.
She said she was coming over to see Skip. She did.
By the way, did you handle all of Skip's legal
transactions for five years? Yeah? So much money? Did they
have a couple of thousand? He spent nothing during his
stay up state? Okay, mister Masters, I think I lock
up this place. Could I see you to the door?
Just why did you remain after the police left, mister Granger?
While I have a theory, you don't think Skip was murdered.
It's entirely possible. Kirk Masters with a typical barrister and
atle aged with a convex front instead of a concave one,
bright blue eyes in a pleasant manner. I said good
evening to him, hung around five minutes and beat it
over to see Luciale. The name, Oh, mister Granger, come in.
You've heard about Skip?
Speaker 5: Isn't it terrible? He must have done it just after
I left?
Speaker 2: How long did you stay at his place?
Speaker 5: Just a few minutes.
Speaker 3: I came home to get changed.
Speaker 5: But tonight, Kirk Masters and I were giving a big
dinner party.
Speaker 2: Too bad, poor Skip.
Speaker 3: The time he spent in prison must have unbalanced his mind.
Speaker 2: What makes you say that.
Speaker 5: I watched him this afternoon in his apartment, still playing
that solitaire game over and over and all the time
he had that cold look in his eyes.
Speaker 2: That money you brought him was that from his own account?
Speaker 5: Oh? Yes, you see, Skip gave me a power of
attorney while he was away.
Speaker 2: They see. But why are you asking all these questions.
I'm a funny person, mister name. I don't like to
take on clients and then have them commit suicide on me.
Mister Green, it hurts my reputation. I apologize for intruding
and left Lucille d Nane's apartment. There was a payphone
in the lobby of her place. I let a nickel
down its throat and dial Phyllis prest him. Hello, this
is Granger.
Speaker 4: Oh you caught me just in time. I was leaving
to keep an eye on the janitor.
Speaker 2: We're in trouble. Phyllis Lantry was found dead in his
apartment a little while ago. The police say it's suicide.
Oh no, no, she'd never do that. I don't believe
that makes two of us alisten. I'm gonna give you
a little help watching that janitor's trouble. I don't know.
Meet me at Cal Hendrick's place. He's a newsman. I
want him with you. Elice Preston was right on time.
I introduced her to Cal, and I could see the
look in the news hand's eye, which meant that the
story wasn't the only thing he was interested in, so
naturally he was only too happy to cooperate. Five minutes later,
I walked in the office of Lieutenant Kramer. I suppose
you want to know about Predy the janitor. Precisely, old pal,
He's been a janitor for seven years. He lives alone
in that basement apartment under the building. Police Reagan. No,
he's as clean as a dog's favorite bone. Oh it's that. Also,
the coroner will direct a verdict of suicide when Skip
Lantry's inquest comes up in the morning. I thanked the
Lieutenant and went back to my office. I sat there
trying to dream up a new leave. My brain cells
just laid there.
Speaker 4: Yep, well, Granger, this is Philip Preston. I'm calling from
a store across the streets from George Slaty's Green Lanterns.
Speaker 2: What are you doing down there? I told you and
Cal to keep an eye on that janitor. That's just
did he came down here? Did he?
Speaker 5: He came out again a bit later.
Speaker 2: I'm not long after that.
Speaker 3: Lu steals and then went in with Kirk.
Speaker 5: Masters, that lawyer.
Speaker 2: Regular gathering of the clowns. Huh, what do we do?
Stay there? I should be down inside a half hour.
I slept on my coat and hat, had a cab
and pulled up in front of the apartment house where
the janitor held sway. Fortunately he was the only basement tenant.
I got some light on the subject and went through
his place. When I came up with the records, I
was amused at the fact that I could tell Lieutenant
Kramer that the janitor was a bookmaker. I left and
went over to another apartment, this one on the third floor.
The door was locked with a thin sheet of plastic.
Handled the right way let me in. I flicked on
the lights and went on the prowl. I know that
Lucille du Name must have Skip Lantry's bank books around
some place, and I set a draw of Lucille de
Name's desk. I found Skip Lantry's deposit book, which handed
me a surprise. Then I found another record, big as
life and twice as potent as an h bomb. What
I saw sent me to the phone, stabbing the private
number of Lieutenant Kramer.
Speaker 4: Littleton of Kramer speaking.
Speaker 2: This is Granger. Can you get in the Hall of
records for this time of night? If it's an emergency,
don't tell me your pot that skip Landry. Can you
get in sure? I'm playing a long hunched Kramer. Check
up on the ownership of a joint called the Green
Lantern and meet me there right away over here, Kramer, Well,
what kind of fairy tale is this?
Speaker 4: Granger?
Speaker 2: I checked up for you? Krk Masters owns a piece
of the Green Lantern with George Slater. That's what I've thought.
Now listen, the Green Lantern must be a book making headquarters.
Player's got a record, you know, he was a fund
said one time. All we need let's go inside. His
office is over there.
Speaker 4: Now what just go on and bluff your way.
Speaker 2: You haven't got a shred of evidence, you know. We
are listen for a second. Maybe we can hear somebody George,
that Preston girl. But you saw her what he plays
from across the seat? He follow him here, He doesn't
think so. But we can't take any chances okay, and
you have to get with a brain care too.
Speaker 6: You must have told for the girl you can skip
the apartment there they're snooping around all.
Speaker 2: Right, I'll take care of both of them. Don't worry you.
Make sure you didn't leave a clue at the apartment.
I woke drugs. Nobody hears the shot here that lieutenant,
we still go.
Speaker 6: Back to your place and burn those records tomorrow or
ten close keeps the count of the banker.
Speaker 2: He case grains to get away from George and snooze.
So don't worry about Grace. You didn't need any more, Kramer.
Let's make these charming people in person lessons. Didn't I
put him up? George, get out of here, or we
call a police in a minute. That's a name. How
much money did Skip Lantry have in his account?
Speaker 5: Just a few dollars.
Speaker 2: Take a look at this bank book I got out
of your apartment made out to Skip balance thousands of dollars.
Here are the records of a bookiey headquarters with your name,
Kirk Masters and George Slater. I will here greenery. From
where I stand, it looks like you were using Skip's
account to hide the profits of a book making. Was
it on account of Uncle Sam and the income tax? Boys?
Were you afraid that Skip would insist on seeing his
bank book? George, don't try it, George Masters, you're in
a suspicion of the murder of Skip Lantery. Who bad
your pall? George is such a blabber mouth. We heard them.
You are not arresting me. You sink out. Thanks Stranger
Quest shooting, you'll kill him. I'm going to the police.
You won't have to the police. I hear this is
Kramer of homicide. But then I take this parrot on
a headquarters. The paraffin test ought approved. Masters fired a
gun today, So I'm stetcher Athlet go all right? Master,
All right, Ranger, you hit a lady on the conjurary Lieutenant,
I defended myself against a wildcat. Well, friends, that's the story.
I'll be back to wrap up the case in just
a minute. Kramer had the local precinct men come to
the Green Lantern and take the trio to jail. They
also rounded up the janitor, who was more than willing
to tell her his part in the booky record. Kramer
was elated, but I was still puzzled about Skip Lantry.
Why had he been framed in the first place? Very simple, Granger.
Skip Lantry was in love with Lucille Daname. She was
in love with Kirk Masters. Uh the faint glimmer of
lighters coming through the fog. Now Skip had marriage in mine.
So Masters and the dname girl framed him to get
him out of the wave. And she got the bright
notion to get a power of attorney over his bank
account to hide illegitimate dole take the head of the class.
What about the janitor he gets up? No, no, he's
up for perjury. Say where's that Preston girl? I I
rather like her. Cala Hendrix rather likes the tube he's
got to ride for dinner, ending in a line that
reaches from here to Albany. Well, how do you know
I invited a two? She turned me down flat? Whoa,
So Granger the great gets the gold by huh listen, pal,
one more crack out of you and they'll be locking
me up for assaulting a police officer. Steve Granger, again,
you've just heard one of the most interesting cases in
my files. I'll have another one for you, so be
around next time.
Speaker 1: Welcome back. Well, actually, a really intriguing case, and the
solution is quite reasonable one way, because it is actually
quite common for convicts to be the victims of financial fraud,
and certainly someone who a convict trust is in a
good position to take advantage of them. Now, today, the
more common ways that convicts get taken advantage of is
through having assets stolen and for their identities being used
for identity theft. But in this case they had an
entire money laundering scheme working out of his bank account.
Now I did get a little bit of a sense
of deja vu from the Wayward Diamond matter, as our
detective comes in on the criminals laying out their complicity
and guilt in really strong details. But I give credit
to Granger that it did not go on as long
as it is on Johnny Dollar. Now, the big distinction
that Skip makes between patience and solitaire is a bit baffling,
maybe reflecting more of a philosophical preference than anything else.
At the root, patience and solitaire are essentially the same thing,
with patients being the older term for a group of
games that you play by yourself arranging cards. Now, what
we tend to think of as solitaire, Like I played
solitaire on my computer is Klondox Solitaire, although there are
many other games, so Skip's use of patients doesn't actually
tell us what he was playing. The big argument for
calling the games like that patience is that solitaire can
refer to other types of games that you play by yourself.
For all we know, Skip could have been playing Klondike
Solitaire but just really insisting on calling it patients. Also
kind of surprised that Alan Scott's name wasn't on the
deed of the Green Lantern. Now. I know some of
you might be thinking, how Jordan, but that version of
the Green Lantern wasn't created until nineteen fifty nine. But
the Green Lantern had been a character before Hal Jordan,
the Golden Age version Alan Scott, who was also at
one time a member of the Justice Society of America.
But whatever the case, the character did not make an
impact that was so big that an Australian radio show
wouldn't think of naming a watering hole after the Green Lantern.
Now it's time to think our Patreon supporter of the day,
and I want to go ahead, think Chris, Patreon supporter
since August twenty nineteen, currently supporting the podcast at the
Shawmus level of four dollars or more per month. Thank
you so much for your support, Chris, and that will
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with Granger, but join us back here tomorrow for the
Big Story.
Speaker 2: Where Hi, hello, hot Nasala. You bet you know I
ain't seeing you before. I'm no ane of the boys
to sing for. Well, I'm no.
Speaker 6: Right mm hmm marked. But Cloyd, uh huh south sign.
That's right, Claude don't operate on the south side.
Speaker 2: He does. Now, what do you mean he started this morning?
Speaker 6: You mean he's gonna muscle in on Daniels. Figure it
out yourself.
Speaker 2: Wow, that's good nerves.
Speaker 6: Gad to hear it.
Speaker 2: They called me tinny.
Speaker 6: Haven't been sure.
Speaker 2: I'm read pleased to meet you?
Speaker 6: Then two beers ready? The reason I cased your first stop.
I gotta be careful sure. The newspapers that get laughters.
Sure this guy caught me in the constitution. There is
one prize louse. Sure it's gonna wake up someone and
then find himself dead.
Speaker 2: Have another bear tiny sure path Sure I jamain got
this week elected two thousand, seven hundred and eighty for
one hours. You know something found. People are awful Sundays.
Speaker 1: I hope you'll be with us then in the meantime.
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.