Speaker 1: Missus Orson Wells, speaking from London. Here in the Grimstone
Speaker 1: structure on the Thames, which houses Scotland Yard, is a
Speaker 1: warehouse of homicide for everyday objects. A woman's purse, a
Speaker 1: man's glove, a child's shoe, all are touched by murder.
Speaker 2: That is silent. He made to fit an army rifle,
Speaker 2: made for a killer, for striking, unseen and unheard in
Speaker 2: the dark.
Speaker 1: Perhaps interesting little instruments of scientific gadget to absorb sound.
Speaker 1: A change's sharp cracking report into a muffled gasp.
Speaker 3: I suppose I am being rather subjective about this, Sergeant,
Speaker 3: but I find myself hating that's silence on here. I
Speaker 3: understand how you feel, inspector a science here, Well, it's
Speaker 3: it's filth, he says me. It's something like a rattles snake. No, Sergeant,
Speaker 3: you're similarly is wrong. The rattlesnake gives warning before he strikes.
Speaker 3: He plays fair.
Speaker 1: Today That silencer can be seen here in the Black Museum.
Speaker 4: From the annals of the Criminal Investigation Department of the
Speaker 4: London Police, we bring you the dramatic stories of the
Speaker 4: crimes recorded by the objects in Scotland Yards. Gallery of
Speaker 4: Death the Black Museum.
Speaker 2: From you.
Speaker 1: We are in the Black Museum, Scotland Yards, Museum of Murder,
Speaker 1: ellis death, violent death and many guises, the long history
Speaker 1: of a great number of very murderous deeds on the shelves,
Speaker 1: on the tables.
Speaker 2: In the very air itself. This elephant come here.
Speaker 1: This was once used for hunting by a sportsman bread
Speaker 1: in the very best tradition, later used to shoot a
Speaker 1: friend in the back.
Speaker 5: Uh.
Speaker 2: Here we are a.
Speaker 1: Silencer, metal tubes within tubes, small and stubby, designed to
Speaker 1: swallow sound. There was a weapon too, of course, but
Speaker 1: no unthought of a weapon or of a silencer. The
Speaker 1: Knight Herbert and Josie Martin, who turned from a party
Speaker 1: to their new home in the equally new residential development
Speaker 1: in the suburbs of London.
Speaker 3: Oh it was a fine party, Joseph. But I don't
Speaker 3: mind telling you. I'm gad for sleeping.
Speaker 5: Oh. I like the new neighbors.
Speaker 6: But business, there's no time perhause warmings.
Speaker 3: The great these new houses are renting, will be going
Speaker 3: to house parties for weeks on end. Might as well
Speaker 3: make up our minds to it.
Speaker 1: A man and his wife tired in a pleasant sort
Speaker 1: of way pleased a meeting their new neighbors and preparing
Speaker 1: for sleep. Normal, quiet, nice people in a new hole.
Speaker 1: Nothing spectacular, no hint of headlines, no thought of death.
Speaker 5: Show the doors are locked herbit.
Speaker 6: Yes, oh dear, please pull down the blind because if
Speaker 6: he blows up during the night, didn't flap out the
Speaker 6: window A wakeners like last night?
Speaker 2: All right?
Speaker 3: If you didn't insist on opening the window some the top, Josh,
Speaker 3: the blinds wouldn't blow. What is it?
Speaker 5: What is it? What's taking you?
Speaker 3: Oh?
Speaker 1: A man reaches up to pull down a window blind.
Speaker 1: The lighted lamp is behind him. A bullet stars the
Speaker 1: window pane.
Speaker 2: The man is dead.
Speaker 1: A short while later, a telephone rings in an office
Speaker 1: in Scotland.
Speaker 2: Yard Inspector Foster.
Speaker 3: Here Sonty william speaking, Sir, does a call come through
Speaker 3: from himpstad Oble Herbert Martin short as he was pulling
Speaker 3: down the blind in his bedroom.
Speaker 2: Anyone with him? Why?
Speaker 5: Said any other witnesses up at the moment? Oh, well, Williams,
Speaker 5: bring a car, run and we'll have a look at
Speaker 5: the situation.
Speaker 3: I realized this has been a terrible shock, missus Martin,
Speaker 3: but we need your help.
Speaker 5: At once anything insteact, anything at all. Did your husband
Speaker 5: have any enemies that you love?
Speaker 7: Oh no, no one, no one.
Speaker 5: Any trouble in his business, no nothing, No what was
Speaker 5: his business?
Speaker 7: Insurance accident?
Speaker 6: Mostly he was going on so well, that's how we
Speaker 6: could have thought to move out here.
Speaker 5: Then you've only come here recently, few months ago. We
Speaker 5: were one of the first tenants.
Speaker 6: It seemed such a nice place.
Speaker 1: Everything so new questions and more questions. There was obviously
Speaker 1: nothing missus Martin could tell the inspector. All she knew
Speaker 1: was what she'd seen one point. Puzzlive. The inspector came
Speaker 1: back to it several times. And you're certain, Missus Martin,
Speaker 1: that you heard no shot.
Speaker 6: Nothing, just the sort of noise of the glass.
Speaker 3: Well, it's possible, certain extreme range, the sound of a
Speaker 3: shot might have followed the arrival of the bullet. Missus Martin.
Speaker 6: Now I'm sure i'd have noticed, as only seemed so strange.
Speaker 6: There wasn't any sound, just the hole in the window
Speaker 6: and my husband's sort of crumpling up and falling.
Speaker 3: Well, that's not much to go on. Perhaps the bullet
Speaker 3: will tell us something. Meanwhile, we'll do our bet. Misters Martin,
Speaker 3: we'll try to do our bet. There was very little
Speaker 3: for the police to start on. The close scrutiny of
Speaker 3: Herbert Martin's life brought nothing to light. Martin's manner of living,
Speaker 3: the conduct of his business were exemplary. His friends, his
Speaker 3: business associates, his new neighbors all had nothing but praise
Speaker 3: for Herbert Martin.
Speaker 2: Death had come out of the dark.
Speaker 1: This alone was ground for speculation, particularly among the neighbors.
Speaker 1: Sydney and Elizabeth. Davis brother and sister were no exceptions.
Speaker 6: I can't help, thinks Sydney. It's so peaceful here that
Speaker 6: poor man.
Speaker 5: Barely in his grave real it is present.
Speaker 7: It would be a fit.
Speaker 6: Only Do you suppose his poor wife will keep the
Speaker 6: house now?
Speaker 5: I doubt it, but perhaps if you offered to help
Speaker 5: Elizabeth I.
Speaker 6: Have it'll take her quite a while to make up
Speaker 6: in mind, since she's all alone.
Speaker 2: For Sir.
Speaker 8: Sydney, I can't help Randa, and I can't what oh
Speaker 8: I had the strangest strangers, what it shoped, Sydney.
Speaker 1: Death had come to Hamstead Over once again?
Speaker 3: And you're absolutely sure you had no shot, mister Davis, absolutely, inspector.
Speaker 7: My moment, my sister was speaking to me about missus Martin.
Speaker 7: The next moment she was dying in my arms. There's
Speaker 7: no sound, only the blood I see. Mister Davis.
Speaker 5: Do you know the people who live in this development?
Speaker 7: Nearly all of them. We well, we felt rather like pioneers.
Speaker 7: I suppose we've been developing. Being so new, we all
Speaker 7: became friendly.
Speaker 3: And perhaps you can tell me. Are there any ex
Speaker 3: servicemen living here?
Speaker 2: Yes?
Speaker 7: There are two nice chaps, wives and children, you know.
Speaker 7: And I asked why you inquire.
Speaker 3: Because the bullet which killed mister Martin came from an
Speaker 3: early issue rifle, and I suspect the same thing will
Speaker 3: be found true in your sister's case.
Speaker 5: If it is true, we'll love that much at least
Speaker 5: to go more.
Speaker 1: The markings on both bullets were identical. The same weapon
Speaker 1: had been used. Inspector Foster sent Detective Sergeant William's visiting.
Speaker 2: Yes, and are you Thomas?
Speaker 3: I am excuse me saying I'm a detective of Sergeant Williams.
Speaker 2: The idea HAIRMC credentials.
Speaker 3: Oh coming, will you coming to the living room? I
Speaker 3: don't keep your moments, Larkin. I want to speak about
Speaker 3: the Martin and Davis murders. Yes, yes, of course. Do
Speaker 3: you happen to have a rifle in.
Speaker 5: Your possession, sir? No, I gave all that would. I
Speaker 5: was discharged. If I never see a weapon again, it
Speaker 5: will be too soon.
Speaker 3: I believe your husband is an ex serviceman, missus Goodson.
Speaker 5: Yes, he is five years of service Eighth Army and
Speaker 5: the General Montgomery I see, and tell me.
Speaker 3: Did he buy any chance to retain any weapon when
Speaker 3: he left the service?
Speaker 2: No? Is there any weapon in your house that you
Speaker 2: know of?
Speaker 5: Yeah?
Speaker 9: Probably, Well, Frankie, my husband insists we keep it.
Speaker 5: He's got a license for it.
Speaker 7: It frightens me after death just to have it in
Speaker 7: the house, work with.
Speaker 5: The children around in all. Oh, sergeant, are all of
Speaker 5: us in danger here?
Speaker 2: I needn't worry.
Speaker 9: Don't you have any idea who or what may be
Speaker 9: behind these dreadful shootings?
Speaker 2: Nothing except I drew a complete blank.
Speaker 5: I rather thought you would.
Speaker 3: Incidentally, a pathology found the Davis bullet and ballistic reports
Speaker 3: it's identical with the one that recovered from Martin's body.
Speaker 2: Well where he is.
Speaker 3: He's a fabulous shot, sir, and he uses a silence up.
Speaker 3: That's the only explanation I have for the absence of sound.
Speaker 2: It's not very much to go on, Inspector Foster, help.
Speaker 9: This is missus Thomas Larkin, Inspector. My husband and I
Speaker 9: live on Hempstead Over.
Speaker 5: Yes, Missus Larkin, I know what can I do for you?
Speaker 9: Well, mister Larkin and I have a meeting at our
Speaker 9: house for this evening. We hoped you and Sergeant Williams
Speaker 9: could be with us.
Speaker 5: What's the purpose of your meeting, ma'am?
Speaker 3: Oh?
Speaker 9: The entire development is living in fear, Inspector. We want
Speaker 9: to try to find some way to protect ourselves. We
Speaker 9: thought you might have some advice to offer.
Speaker 3: I'm somewhat doubtful about the advice, Missus Larkin, but Sergeant
Speaker 3: Williams and I will be at your meeting.
Speaker 5: Have you set a time for it?
Speaker 2: As yet?
Speaker 1: They came that evening to the Lark in the living room.
Speaker 1: Inspector Foster waited in the hallway with the larkins Is
Speaker 1: everyone here, mister Larkin?
Speaker 5: I think so, sir. Mister Maundy said he'd be over.
Speaker 6: His wife wanted to stay with her little boy.
Speaker 5: Well he's the only one missing then, Yes, that's right.
Speaker 5: How did you reach these people by telephone? It's not
Speaker 5: much trouble to do that. We're all on party lines.
Speaker 2: I see.
Speaker 5: Someone's at the back door. Tom must be Monday, and
Speaker 5: I'll get it if you excuse me, Missus Larkin, Yes,
Speaker 5: of course, go ahead, Inspector funny.
Speaker 3: Coming to the back door. I told his wife, particularly
Speaker 3: about the front door precaution. No matter at least, I
Speaker 3: don't believe it will matter here we are hell on, Mandy, Yeah,
Speaker 3: you can make it.
Speaker 5: Sorry, I'm late, Larkin.
Speaker 7: I rather thought the back way would present less opportunity
Speaker 7: for this unknown marksman to it.
Speaker 2: Mandon.
Speaker 5: Good grief.
Speaker 3: Up that door, Larkin, you're a perfect target yourself standing up.
Speaker 2: Today.
Speaker 1: That silencer can be seen here in the Black Museum.
Speaker 1: Neighbor London was dead, the rifle bullet neatly placed in
Speaker 1: the back of his head. The silent marksman was another
Speaker 1: story entirely. Who he was, where he was, why he
Speaker 1: struck With the unanswered questions which Inspector Foster had to
Speaker 1: face as he stood before the terror stricken residence of
Speaker 1: Hempstead Ov.
Speaker 3: All I can say is the police are doing anything
Speaker 3: and everything.
Speaker 5: They'll find this killer. In the meantime, Inspector.
Speaker 7: I'll answer that in the meantime, it can all get
Speaker 7: picked up as my sister was, or Martin or Monday.
Speaker 3: He's write, Inspector, I for one won't leave my children
Speaker 3: open at the risk of being orphaned or worse. No,
Speaker 3: moving away, giving up your homes won't find a murderer.
Speaker 3: I'm asking you, all of you, to do something quite
Speaker 3: difficult under present circumstances.
Speaker 5: I want you to stay here for another few days.
Speaker 3: He fashions, remain indoors at night, stay away from doors
Speaker 3: and windows.
Speaker 2: If it's possible to.
Speaker 5: Find him, then that is always possible.
Speaker 2: We'll do it.
Speaker 5: I promise you that the entire machinery of the London.
Speaker 1: They watched him, the good neighbors who henced it over
Speaker 1: with doubt and fear in their eyes.
Speaker 2: What they did is Inspector Foster ask.
Speaker 1: They stayed in their homes and waited the welcome light
Speaker 1: of morning found the Inspector and his sergeant with tom
Speaker 1: Arkin in the kitchen of his home.
Speaker 3: You're about the same height as Mandon, aren't.
Speaker 5: You, Larkin?
Speaker 2: Just about? Good?
Speaker 3: Targeant set up the transit here where Mandon was standing
Speaker 3: when he was hit, and adjusted height to mister Larkins.
Speaker 5: Some byers changed it in my kitchen. I don't understand
Speaker 5: and stick that you will shortly almost ready as harden ef.
Speaker 2: The men work quickly methodically.
Speaker 1: The transit was set up the lens of its telescope,
Speaker 1: placing the open backyorder. Inspector Forster adjusted the eyepiece and
Speaker 1: then slowly scan from Lindall to Lindell through the open
Speaker 1: doorway back. He moved the instant, adjusting it vertically as
Speaker 1: well as horizont returning the brass thumbscrewed carefully precisely stepped
Speaker 1: away from the transit.
Speaker 3: That seemed to be the best possibilities, Ardant, pleavor yourself.
Speaker 2: Yes, it lines up well.
Speaker 5: The angle seemed to be right, so we have.
Speaker 2: A look at it. Yes, yes, care to come with us?
Speaker 3: Ka, Yes, I was a three with a clear line
Speaker 3: of fire right through your back door. The distance seems
Speaker 3: to be about five hundred yards.
Speaker 2: So that's what the transit was for.
Speaker 5: Exactly.
Speaker 2: Let's go, shall we? Two?
Speaker 3: Bad as beings of dryer light Later there might have
Speaker 3: been footprints marks on the tree trunk, sir. Well here
Speaker 3: here notices are straight in on this box, sir, as
Speaker 3: if someone in heavy brute had climbed the tree.
Speaker 5: That's wheat and too, you know for a boost up
Speaker 5: charging here? Said, there are marks up here?
Speaker 2: Is there quite a comfortable perch?
Speaker 7: He?
Speaker 3: Hello? The lim faults here, scratches on the bark could
Speaker 3: have been a rifle rested here.
Speaker 5: Very good, Come on down, sargant, All.
Speaker 2: Right, instead done. I may have found something over here.
Speaker 5: Under this branch. Don't touch anything.
Speaker 2: Markin right, Yeah, in the weeds.
Speaker 5: Looks like a rifle corpage to me. Brass. The sun
Speaker 5: caught it, good man, good eyesight. Take care of that, sergeant.
Speaker 3: Once we find the rifle and the owner that bit
Speaker 3: of brass, may well send him up thirteen steps early
Speaker 3: one morning, starting from nothing.
Speaker 1: The facts were coming together one by one in the
Speaker 1: quiet office of the yard.
Speaker 3: The bootmarks and the tree trunk. Sergeants that were rather
Speaker 3: close to the ground. I noticed your first jump was
Speaker 3: at least two feet higher. Yes, I wasn't caring a rifle, sir, No,
Speaker 3: but a man of average weight in good condition would
Speaker 3: have made markings closer to yours. I'd say this fellow
Speaker 3: was either very heavy or not exactly young past middle age, at.
Speaker 2: Least the beginnings of a description.
Speaker 5: Either military or hunting experience. To be able to shoot
Speaker 5: like that at night.
Speaker 2: The beginnings of the background.
Speaker 3: Whoever it was, must have lived in that area for
Speaker 3: some time to know the position of that tree relation
Speaker 3: to Larkin's back door. Start a quiet house to house
Speaker 3: check Williams. Have the men watch for anyone who fits
Speaker 3: these points. Yes, then find me a detailed ordnance map
Speaker 3: of Hempstead Oval. The builder of the renting agent will
Speaker 3: have one. We find one sniper's touch. I'm curious about
Speaker 3: the other interesting layout Architecturally, according to the contour of
Speaker 3: the land, the main line of the houses seemed to
Speaker 3: curve around this rise just off center. It must have
Speaker 3: been quite a place in the old age in the
Speaker 3: building tell me and estates so for Texas family named
Speaker 3: was the Wardman old line. The grant went back nearer
Speaker 3: to the first.
Speaker 2: Queen Elizabeths history.
Speaker 5: Fascinating anymore, here's.
Speaker 3: Quite atyp seems the land was soul on condition that
Speaker 3: the soul survivor of the family be given a house
Speaker 3: rent free for the rest of his life.
Speaker 5: And this person is still there.
Speaker 3: It seems to be he's an elderly gentlemen, keeps very
Speaker 3: much to himself. This is Hou's here on the end
Speaker 3: of the main line. I see now, then this would
Speaker 3: be the Martin place and this is the David Yeah,
Speaker 3: that's right there. The Martin bedroom and the Davis porch
Speaker 3: faced the same way along.
Speaker 2: That curve of the hill. Yes, that's it.
Speaker 3: It seems they didn't originally intend to build on the hill,
Speaker 3: but they they've started a new house right here. They
Speaker 3: fella stitched in for me. The demands being very high.
Speaker 3: They wouldn't mind them with them after we get this killer.
Speaker 3: Oh yes, I have to ask me that ruler will
Speaker 3: in all right?
Speaker 2: Thank you.
Speaker 3: Here, Williams, the Martin window and the Davis porch are
Speaker 3: in direct clear.
Speaker 5: Line with the new building.
Speaker 3: I wonder now, I assume the contractor isn't working his
Speaker 3: men at night.
Speaker 5: I wonder now.
Speaker 3: This is the top floor, inspective. Hard wood isn't in here,
Speaker 3: but that floor will take your weight. That's the dorm
Speaker 3: the window you asked about. Look around, Willis Addams. It's
Speaker 3: about the progress of this building. Here said how long
Speaker 3: has this top floor been.
Speaker 2: In this half finished?
Speaker 3: Their a fortnight, sir, crazy is a due end of
Speaker 3: this week.
Speaker 5: Carpenters will get the flooring right after that.
Speaker 2: Anyone here at night.
Speaker 3: She's a watchman for the old development. One of these
Speaker 3: stations is just across the road. You can see it
Speaker 3: through the window. There, I see I have them saying here.
Speaker 3: They were lying along the wall under the window. Now,
Speaker 3: oh go this tenpany nails in the window sill. Someone
Speaker 3: will catch it for this.
Speaker 5: No doubt someone will.
Speaker 3: Someone put those nails in to help steady a rifle,
Speaker 3: the same someone who left those two brass cottage cases
Speaker 3: behind him.
Speaker 1: How do you catch a killer who strikes silently in
Speaker 1: the darkness.
Speaker 2: How do you match his craftiness? Perhaps you say to
Speaker 2: Tom Larkin that may be dangerous. Larkin, will you cooperate?
Speaker 5: We'll have you under five before now, inspector very well.
Speaker 3: No, then, I believe someone told me the telephones hereabouts
Speaker 3: are on party lines.
Speaker 2: A telephone call is made on the party lines.
Speaker 5: I want to talk to you, goodson about this killer.
Speaker 5: I think I know who it is.
Speaker 3: I'll walk over in half hour with a friend of
Speaker 3: mine and I'm picking up Sit Davis on the way.
Speaker 1: No mention, of course, that the friend is search at
Speaker 1: Williams c ID. Will walk alongside Tom Larkin, staying between
Speaker 1: him and the files on the hill.
Speaker 2: No mention of the.
Speaker 1: Inspector, crouched on the hillside in the dark shadow of
Speaker 1: the half built house.
Speaker 3: Sorry, you are certain the men are the orders mission?
Speaker 3: Yesip paid anyone into the cordon, but no one gets out.
Speaker 3: He kept the watch the god. Now let's see.
Speaker 10: Yes, time, Williams and Larkin were starting on the wall.
Speaker 10: Let me have the glassy massion through the night glasses.
Speaker 10: The inspector watch almost tif a mile away. Two men
Speaker 10: left the Larkin house started slowly along the road.
Speaker 1: On the hillside. The shadow slipped quietly toward the half
Speaker 1: finished house.
Speaker 5: The inspector whispered, yeah, that not a sound.
Speaker 1: Now, unsuspecting, a shadow moved through the line of police,
Speaker 1: past the hidden and space into the building.
Speaker 2: Come along, Mason, He's gone into the.
Speaker 1: House, into the empty building, empty except for a killer
Speaker 1: climbing steadily, no lights, only the vague outline of the
Speaker 1: unpainted banister and the clean smell of new wood. Suddenly,
Speaker 1: the footsteps ahead stop. The inspector and his companion pause.
Speaker 1: At the head of the stairway, the glassless window shows
Speaker 1: the night sky right with stars. Her black shadow kneels
Speaker 1: at the sill, places a long, heavy object between the
Speaker 1: two tendeny nails.
Speaker 5: Alright, Mason take him, ok, No, you shall take me.
Speaker 7: No.
Speaker 5: I have a right here than anyone.
Speaker 2: I have a right.
Speaker 5: In charge, but not much.
Speaker 2: Warn you, but anything you say may be taken down
Speaker 2: in writing on my mind. Mession. He doesn't understand.
Speaker 5: Yes, sir, you're a Philip Wardman, aren't you.
Speaker 1: Who are you?
Speaker 2: He seemed to be a gentleman.
Speaker 3: My name's Foster. Why are you here in this empty building,
Speaker 3: mister Wardman.
Speaker 5: I'm the rights.
Speaker 2: Was in my land.
Speaker 11: Family's lad and told me when I sold it for
Speaker 11: the money, I could go on living here. The houses
Speaker 11: brought strangers and driving them out and hunting them out
Speaker 11: as in Africa. And you were a boy, had my right.
Speaker 11: I came to live on my land.
Speaker 5: Christmas is a law.
Speaker 3: There's a law to mister Warmer about rifles.
Speaker 2: Like this and silencers.
Speaker 11: Silences have a good shot, pick them up like crail
Speaker 11: hand me the silencer supposed to spoil the accuracy of
Speaker 11: a rifle, and not mine. I'm good and trophies when
Speaker 11: I'm younger, I never knew.
Speaker 2: I never knew.
Speaker 3: You were an excellent short mister Wardman, even with a silenter.
Speaker 1: And today that silencer can be seen in its place
Speaker 1: here in the Black Museum. It's true, of course, that
Speaker 1: in many countries men have loved their land to the
Speaker 1: point of desperation. Philip Wardman loved his to the point
Speaker 1: of madness and murdered the rifle belonged to his grandson,
Speaker 1: a veteran living far away in Canada. Where the old
Speaker 1: man bought the silencer was never learned. The secret of
Speaker 1: that went with Philip Wardman to the place where his bitter,
Speaker 1: lonely life drew to its close. The silencer itself remains
Speaker 1: in its usual place in the Black Museum.
Speaker 2: Now to me.
Speaker 1: Next time, I'll tell you another story about the Black Museum.
Speaker 1: I remain as all as obedient, free us