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 Yours Truly
Johnny Dollar. But first, if you are enjoying this podcast,
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So remember when making your travel plans, check Johnnydollar Air
dot com first. But now, from January eleventh, nineteen fifty nine,
here is the deadly doubt matter.
Speaker 2: Johnny Dollar is Caerl Carson.
Speaker 3: Mister Dollar, you don't know me, and I'm sorry to
be calling so late.
Speaker 2: What time is it? Anyway, when I am a friend of.
Speaker 3: Yours, mister Ralston mentioned your name to me today. He
said you were here in New York for the weekend
and mentioned your hotel.
Speaker 2: Look, Riss Carson. Yes, Carol Carson, it's nice talking to
you and all that, but it is right Later I
realized what had happened a few moments ago.
Speaker 3: You were the first person I thought of. Maybe you
can help me, mister Dollar. I need help.
Speaker 2: Actly what's the trouble.
Speaker 3: I'm at the apartment of Everett Read on East sixty.
Speaker 2: Seventh over any particular reason. Yes, I think I've just
killed him, mister Dollar. I'll be right over Bob Bailey
in the Exciting Eventures of a Man with the Action
in fact expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance Investigator as
truly and now act one of yours, truly Johnny Dollar
Expense accounts of ented by Special Investigator Johnny Dollar to
the Interstal Adjustment Bureau Home Office, Hertford, Connecticut, following as
a kind of expenses encourage during my investigation of the
deadly Doubt Matter expense accundine one a dollar any cab
from my hotelity apartment I've ever read on East sixty seventh.
Harol Carson was waiting for me at the door. She
looked sort of dazed as she pointed to a body.
Speaker 3: On the floor.
Speaker 2: He's dead.
Speaker 3: To Dollar, ever read, let's see, Yes, this is his apartment.
Speaker 2: You said over the phone you thought you'd kill him. Well,
he's dead, all right.
Speaker 3: That's not what I meant. I meant I thought I
was the one who killed him. I'm not sure I had. Oh,
I don't know. Doesn't seem to matter. He's dead.
Speaker 2: I guess that's all.
Speaker 3: I get hold of yourself, Carol, I guess I'm not
making that sort of funny lightheaded.
Speaker 2: Let us.
Speaker 3: Thanks?
Speaker 2: Oh, why didn't you start at the beginning?
Speaker 3: All right? I came to see tonight about eleven o'clock.
Speaker 2: I guess he was a friend of yours.
Speaker 3: Oh, he sent for me. I had to come.
Speaker 2: Why I'm telling me why.
Speaker 3: He insisted that I have a drink with him. Then
I started to feel funny, busy. I had to get
some air.
Speaker 2: You think there was something in the drink.
Speaker 3: He didn't want me to leave, but I had to.
Speaker 2: What time was that?
Speaker 3: I think a little before? Maybe I wandered around the streets.
I was in kind of a day.
Speaker 2: How long were you wandering around?
Speaker 3: It seemed like a long time.
Speaker 2: Then why I came back here.
Speaker 3: To the apartment. I had a terrible headache. I remember
walking in the door, and.
Speaker 2: That's all that's all. What do you mean, That's all that's.
Speaker 3: All I remember. I must have passed out when I
came to, I was lying on the floor and that
gun was near my hand. In front of me was
and I called you.
Speaker 2: That's all you can tell me?
Speaker 3: Great, So as much is it?
Speaker 2: The dollar?
Speaker 3: I can't believe I killed him.
Speaker 2: I couldn't you say you left this apartment a little
before eleven thirty. The police medical examiner will be able
to tell the approximate time of day if you weren't
here at that time.
Speaker 3: That's just it, mister dollar. I don't know how long
I was on the street. It seemed like a long time,
but oh my head was spinning and everything was pretty hatey.
Speaker 2: Well, you gotta remember where you went to try to think.
Speaker 3: It's no good. Wait, coffee, a cup of coffee.
Speaker 2: You stop somewhere for a cup of coffee. I think where.
Speaker 3: I remember a neon sign on on Third Avenue.
Speaker 2: You've got to do better than that. That's all I remember.
Did you talk to anyone while you were walking around? Yes?
Speaker 3: Yes, but he was following me. I think a man.
He was following me for quite a while. He told
me his name, no Tom, Yes it was Tom. I
remember that dark eye look.
Speaker 2: That description fits thousands of guys in New York.
Speaker 3: The whole story. Well, it doesn't sound very convincing, does.
Speaker 2: I called Detective Lieutenant Mike Tovich homicide and he was
there ten minutes later. He was still questioning her. When
I left. I had them two one dollar drinks for
me while I thought about the whole deal. Of all
the guys in New York, Why did she have to
pick on me? But yeah, I'd do what I could
to help her. It's that story of hers. It sounded
so pony, it just might be true. Act two, you
were truly Johnny Dollar. In a moment, it was truly
Johnny Dollar. And the deadly doubt matter. I had them
three two dollars and twenty cents a telephone called a
Pat McCrackan at Universal Adjustment Bureau. Yeah, Everett Reid had
been insured by one of the Universal's member companies. So
I got myself officially assigned to the case, and I
went to work kicking out Carol Carson's story what there
was of it, and it wasn't much. All she remembered
was wandering around the streets, getting a cup of coffee
somewhere on Third and being followed by a guy named Tom.
I started checking every Joint on Third Avenue from sixtieth
to seventieth Streets. An hour and a half later, I
had paid her to Eddie's Baring Grille. Yeah, yeah, I
think I remember, all right, Harson, Perrell, Carson, her name.
Speaker 4: Don't be nothing, but from the description you give me. Yeah, sure,
I remember now. I remember thinking she looked kind of
funny once.
Speaker 2: You walked in, like she was in a daze or something.
All right, all right, now, what time was it when
she came in here?
Speaker 3: Oh?
Speaker 2: No, two three hours ago? That's not good enough. Was
it eleven eleven thirty midnight? Well? What? Well, maybe around midnight? Maybe? Yeah,
be sure about it?
Speaker 4: Before I can remember, I kind of remember somebody in
the door, we have to come in, but I didn't
know somebody with her or not.
Speaker 2: What happened then? So she asked for a couple of coffee,
so I pored it and said it down in front
of her. So she left. She what Yeah, I'm left
still to her? Funny, I see, how much of a
time can you account for that? I mean, how long
was she here in your place? No more than about
one minute? Matt oh raach for a dollar. Lady camp
for at the police headquarters and Lieutenant Mike Tovich and homicide. Look, Johnny,
you're not trying to tell me I should buy an
aloe buy like Carol Carson's, are you. So it is
pretty vague, Mike, vague enough to be true. At least
she was telling the truth about going into that jo
on Third Avenue for a cup of coffee. So she's
covered for one minute out of two hours two hours.
She said she went to Reed's apartment about eleven o'clock, right,
the medical examiner says time of Read's death was between
eleven thirty and twelve thirty. She called you at one o'clock.
But if she can prove she was out of that
apartment for that hour, she's only proved she was out
of it for a minute, plus the time it took
to get the Third Avenue and back, say five minutes
each way, and would still give her plenty of time
to kill him. But if he could find this guy
named Tom she says she was, that was following her around,
maybe he could prove she was out of the apartment
during the time of the murder. Oh sure, that was
a real helpful description. She gave us. Curly hair and
dark eye. Yeah, Look, Johnny, so you're taking a liking
to her. That's too bad, But don't let it make
a fool out of you. Mike. Did Carroll tell you
why she went to Read's apartment? No, No, she wouldn't
talk about it. She also wouldn't explain the lump she
has on the side of her head. Yeah, we think
she got it fighting with Reed. What do you know
about him? Bad boy, a big gambler. And the way
we heard he'd been winning pretty big lately. Maybe somebody
he won from couldn't pay off except with a bullet.
Maybe anything, Johnny, prove it? And I'll listen. What did
Reid run around with? You know, usual crowd, Johnny, Jack
Mistil had outfit miscile. I've read one a lot of
money from him. Like I say, Johnny, anything you can prove? Yeah, yeah, Johnnie,
that's right. I'm Larry Bowman. I want to know what's
going on with Carroll Carson. Oh what's it to you,
mister Bowman? I'll say anything, are locked up? That's right,
suspicion of murders. She didn't kill anybody, and you know it. Look,
if I knew it, she wouldn't be locked up, would she? Now,
maybe you can tell us why she went to this
ever at Read's apartment last night. I don't know why
she went, and I don't supposed to ask her either.
I trust the lieutenant, and she went to seem she
had good reason. But Carol's not kind. You could kill anybody.
You must have realized that just talking to her. The
main thing that I realized is that my personal opinion
is besides the point, Bowman. Look, the thing we need
to know is if Carol was away from Read's apartment
for almost an hour and a half, why she seems
to think she was walking around the streets. Say that
sooner I can prove she was. I was with her.
Oh funny, she didn't mention it. She was probably confused.
You're not the one who was confused. Now, look I
tell you I was with her. Okay, where were you
on the street? What street? I don't remember? Sixty sixty
eighth Street. I think that's not the street. Carol says
she was on. As I say, she was probably confused.
As you go to a bar, would you have to drink? Oh?
Carol too sure? Why not? You're fighting a losing battle, bond.
Carol says she had a cup of coffee on Third Avenue,
and that a guy named Tom was following. I'll listen.
You told us enough. Woman. I can't blame you too
much for trying. I guess, but it won't work. You
weren't with Carol, and you know it. I know she
didn't kill it. You mean you hope she didn't When
it comes to knowing right now, every bit of evidence
we got says she did, and we've got nothing that
says she didn't act pre you off yours truly, Johnny Dollar.
In a moment, yours truly, Johnny Dollar, and the deadly
doubt matter. Oh I dont five thirty cents coffee for
Larry Bowman and me had a little join around the corner.
Lieutenant Toby, you can talk about evidence until he's blue
in the face, do it. Carol's not a killer. You
proved that, and Tobach will be the first to listen.
But cooking up pony alibis for Carol's not gonna help
any Okay, Okay, So it was a stupid thing to do.
I can't just stand by and do nothing. Don't you
have any other leads? You can follow up one? Maybe? Why?
What is it? Reed? Was a gambler. Could be somebody
was losing big stual. Carrol's my fiance, and I know
she doesn't have that kind of money anyway, she doesn't gamble.
I wasn't thinking about Carol. Who then Jack Whistle, for instance,
we found out Read's been seen with vessels several times.
Lay question him about it. I may as well, after all,
at this point, we got nothing to lose. You're bucking
up a wrong tree. Dollar, what reason would I have
to kill Reid? Could be a real good reason, Vessel.
Maybe you lost money to him, Camra. Some nights you win,
some nights you lose. So maybe you lost one nights
and you won, so maybe you will read some money.
Oh that could be the motive. Look, Dollar, why don't
you take your crazy theory someplace else? Yeah, I ow'd
read money. I owe him all the two bits. Now
is that enough to bump them off? I started making
the rounds a long third avenue again, but I got nowhere.
Nobody remembered seeing her, and nobody remembered the guy named Tom,
the one she told me had been following her. Two
hours later, I gave up. I was preached. I went
back to my room and flopped on the bed. Yeah, okay, okay, yeah,
uh Johnny tellon, that's right. Who are you? I'm the
guy you've been looking for it. Why my name's Tom.
I ring a bell? It sure does? You the one
who was walking around the streets with Carol Carson. That's right.
I'm a alibi. So I bust my neck trying to
find you, and it ends up with you finding me.
I read in the papers that looked bad for Carol
unless they found the guy I was with it. He
didn't show up any too soon, believe me, brother. How
long were you with her? Oh? I figure at least
an hour. I kept following her, and once in a
while she'd stop and talk, but she seemed kind of
dazed and apparently re put something in a drink. Anyway,
I finally gave up. I figured, if it was that
tough to get acquainted, what's the use. But you're willing
to swear you were with her for an hour? Why
at least I'm around eleven thirty. After twelve thirty, he clears, there,
come on, I had am sixty dollars ready camp for
at the headquarters. Tom repeated a statement. Carol identified Tom
as the man who'd been following her. So it looked
like it was all over.
Speaker 3: Hi. I guess I'll never be able to thank you enough, Johnny. Well,
if it hadn't been.
Speaker 2: Well, let's just say on the stubborn type, Carol. Once
I believe your story, I had to follow through on it.
Speaker 3: It's hard to realize I'm free. It's been like a
bad dream.
Speaker 2: I'll bet Larry Bowman's glad it's over too. Have you
called him in?
Speaker 3: I'll call him from my apartment, Johnny. All I can
say is thanks again.
Speaker 2: Carol took a cab to her apartment. I started back
into the building, and then out of the corner of
my eye, I spotted another cat pulling up the curve
following Carroll's and it was Tom. I figured i'd better
join that procession. I tagged along to Carroll's apartment. Inside
I could hear voices. The door was unlocked. Carol was
in the process of handing over some money.
Speaker 3: Tom.
Speaker 2: Johnny, Yeah, looks like I got here just in time
to witness the payoff. So you butcher yourself an alibi, Carrol, No,
I look, Doll, I got to stay out of it, Carroll.
I got to hand it to you.
Speaker 3: You really had me for what you don't understand, Johnny, don't.
Speaker 2: Be a sucker. Dollar cut yourself in on the pie.
I'm willing to have a partner. What are you talking about?
Last night? When I followed Carroll back to Read's apartment,
just as I was leaving, I spotted somebody coming down
the fire escape. I followed him and found who he
was and where he lived. And when the story came
out in the papers, I realized I knew who the
killer was. I figured it makes him go out of it,
but not as long as Carol was in jail.
Speaker 3: Johnny, just not when he wanted money to keep him
from telling the police. Oh, I didn't know what to do.
I thought if I gave him what I had, it
would keep him satisfied until I could figure it out Larry.
Speaker 2: When am it was too late, open door, It struck
Larry's arm, the flipped his shot before he could shoot again.
Speaker 3: I nailed him, Johnny, Are.
Speaker 2: You all right? Yeah, Larry Bowman's the killer.
Speaker 3: I guess I was afraid of that right from the start.
You see where he'd been gambling with Reed and losing
to him. I tried to make him stop, but he
wouldn't I more than he could pay.
Speaker 2: So you want to read his apartment of try and square. Huh.
Speaker 3: He told me maybe something could be worked out. He
put something in my drink. I realized what he meant.
That's why I got.
Speaker 2: Out and Larry out of the apartment when you were away,
killed reed, slugged you when you came back and planted
the gun on you.
Speaker 3: I guess so I wasn't true until Tom told me
he'd seen Larry climb down that fire escape. First, I
just I just couldn't believe that Larry would How do
you figure a thing like that? Johnny? How do you
figure it?
Speaker 2: I didn't try to answer that one because I didn't
have an answer. Yes, it just isn't any I had.
I made thirteen dollars and forty cents in Sinnettal's in
transportation back to Hardrid expense account total and forty one
dollars even. Yeah, Larry Bowman's gambling was a big fat mistake.
First with ever read and in trying to frame Carol.
I guess with the trouble, Yami push you luck too far,
and sooner a lady bound to loose us? Truly, Johnny
Dale our star will return in just a moment. Ah,
here is our star to tell you about next week's story.
Next week at Doulting Dollager who sets me out on
the wildless case I ever handled? Johanne, Won't you yours truly,
Johnny Dale, Yours Truly Johnny Dollars Salute Station k r
MG and Tulsa, Oklahoma. K r MG is our newest
to Philliot station and serves nearly a million families in
the Southwest. Yours Truly Johnny Dollars, starring Bob Dailey, produced,
I'm directed by Jack Johnstone. Today's story was written by
Robert Stanley. Heard in the cast where Virginia, Greg, Julius Matthews,
Paul Dubar, James Mcalliam, Allan Reed, and Frank Gristoll join
us next week. What another exciting story of Yours Truly,
Johnny Dollar. This is damn coverly.
Speaker 1: Speaking, welcome back, well, a decent script overall, a good mystery,
and I think a surprising ending too. Now, of course,
there are many, many documented cases of Johnny Dollar using
scraps from other programs, but this is one of those where,
even though there's not a documented duplicate, I am really
really suspicious that this was a reused story. First of all,
the Fry has a very non standard way that Johnny
gets involved in the case, as well as an insurance
angle that feels somewhat tangential and added to justify his presence.
And there are lines of dialogue like Johnny saying, of
all the guys in New York, why did she call me?
Speaker 3: That?
Speaker 1: Do make me think that this was originally written for
some sort of New York private Eye. Now the writer
Robert Stanley. The only writing credits I could find for
him were Johnny Dowler and Luke Slaughter of Tombstone, and
obviously I don't think this was reused from Luke Slaughter
of Tombstone. However, there are a lot of old time
radio detective programs with quite a few lost episodes, and
so it's possible that Stanley wrote this script for another
program that we just don't have access to. I'd actually
be surprised if we ever definitively found proof that wasn't
the case. I would not be at all surprised if
an old time radio program came into circulation for some
obscure detective series with the exact same storyline. As this
episode listener comments and feedback now and we go to Spotify,
where doctor who Done It wrote I think the real
twist here is that the woman Johnny was interested in
wasn't guilty and she didn't wind up dead. Guilty, dead
or both are the popular outcomes for Johnny Dollar love interest,
so I guess it's worth noting in the hair raising
manner that it didn't work out that way. Thanks so much,
appreciate the comment. Now it is time to thank our
Patreon supporter of the day, and I want to thank
Zant Patreon supporter since February twenty seventeen, currently supporting the
podcast at the Detective Sergeant level of seven dollars and
fourteen cents or more per month. Thanks so much for
your and that will actually do it for today. If
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channels to grow. We'll be back next Friday with another
episode of Yours Truly, Johnny Doller, but join us back
here tomorrow as we give way to the great adventurers
of old time radio and counterspy where this is going to.
Speaker 2: Be a tough enough to crack munting half a minion
force gasoline.
Speaker 5: Coupons, bud counterfeiting or all bring gasoline coupons just as
bad now as counterfitting money work. I have a hunch
of this is even more serious than it appears on
the surface. How do you mean I'm afraid that this
gas is being obtained by counterfeit coupons to be used
to lead you animy submarines.
Speaker 2: Do you think it goes that deep?
Speaker 1: I hope you'll be with with us then in the meantime,
send your comments to Box thirteen at Greatdetectives dot net,
follow us on Twitter, 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.