Speaker 1: The Avenger wrote a crime ends in a trap that
justice sets, crime doesn't pay. The Avenger, sworn enemy of evil,
is actually Jim Brandon, of famous biochemist. Through his numerous
scientific experiments, Brandon has perfected several inventions to aid him
in his crusade against crime as the Avenger. Most remarkable
of these inventions is the highly secret diffusion consule, which
pokes him in the black light of invisibility. Brandon's assistance,
the beautiful Fern Cordier, is the only one who shares
his secrets and knows that he is the man the
underworld fears as the Avenger, and now.
Speaker 2: The Avenger and death rings the bell.
Speaker 3: I''ll drop you in, fern Off at your office, Jim Okay.
Speaker 4: Inspector, thanks for taking us to lunch, Inspector.
Speaker 3: There, you're welcome, fern oh San, Inspector. I have those
chemical reports ready on the Hadley case. You can pick
them up if you want them. Go it out.
Speaker 4: Do that look they must be a big buyer somewhere.
Speaker 3: Sure looks that way there the whole fire department out.
This is something big. What do you say we tag along, Inspector.
I think we're better. Jim there.
Speaker 4: It is that big Caman house at the end of
the block.
Speaker 3: I'm not able to save that. It's going up like
tender better park here, Inspector, here, come on, I help you.
Speaker 4: One within that house.
Speaker 3: It's an inferno, all right. That billing is ready to collapse,
and turning the hose on the next house lright as well,
that first one is a gunner. Now that the firemen
have pulled out and not send turned back to the office,
how about giving me the lowdown on why you're hanging
around here, Inspector.
Speaker 5: Our Gymnast tenement house belonged to a man by the
name of Roy Wade, and it just happens that this
is a fourth house owned by Way to burn downs
in the past few months.
Speaker 3: Well, that's certainly a good enough reason for a thorough investigation.
I wants your theory awesome insurance. So what I don't
know yet, But in two of those other fires a
life was lost. The same thing happened here today, And
tell me you'd be willing to call it murder, Inspector.
Speaker 5: Well, even if we couldn't find a thing to substantiate
such a theory as other cases, if anyone died in
this fire, I'm not going to be satisfied.
Speaker 3: There was an accident. How the world has turned? And
maybe I should make you convince me of that.
Speaker 5: Come on, Jim, let's give this place a good going over.
Speaker 3: Jim. Here's a complete medical report on the remains of
that body we found in the fire. Who was it, Inspector?
Speaker 5: An old recluse with the name of Adam Tanner. He'd
lived in that house of Roy Wade for almost twenty years.
But the important thing is that Tanner was dead hours
before that fire broke out.
Speaker 3: Oh, I thought so. Yeah.
Speaker 5: The doctor says he was killed by a blow on
the head at least four hours before the fire started.
Speaker 3: Well, I suppose you've called in Wade for questioning. Yeah,
I got him waiting outside. I wanted you to be
here when I put him on the girl. Fine, bring
him in right, Okay, wait in here.
Speaker 6: Listen here, Inspector, what's the idea of having me picked
up like a common criminal?
Speaker 7: If you had some questions, ask me why did you
shut down?
Speaker 5: Mister Brandon? And I will ask the questions. This happened
to be a murder investigation.
Speaker 3: Who's murder?
Speaker 5: Adam Tanner's your tenant? He didn't die, and that fire
was killed beforehand.
Speaker 3: That's too bad.
Speaker 2: I didn't have any use.
Speaker 3: Potato like you either.
Speaker 5: And during the past year he wrote several letters of
complaint on the Board of Health about the rundown condition
of that house.
Speaker 3: Of yours he lived in.
Speaker 7: Tanner was a crank and a trouble maker, always behind
in his runt too. And it wasn't because he didn't
have the money he had plenty.
Speaker 3: Do you have any idea who might have killed Tanner?
Speaker 5: No?
Speaker 4: No, I only saw him once a month.
Speaker 3: When did you see him last?
Speaker 2: About a week ago?
Speaker 3: Was that when you threatened to have him put out?
Speaker 4: Well?
Speaker 3: Yes, yes, we had an argument.
Speaker 2: What are you two getting at? Do you think I
killed Tanner?
Speaker 5: Or We're not ready to bring in a charge as yet, Wade.
But there's no doubt about it. Tanner's murder puts you
in a bad spot.
Speaker 3: That's only your opinion, Inspector.
Speaker 2: I'm in no spy.
Speaker 3: Take a look at the facts, Wade.
Speaker 5: But in five months, four heavily insured houses belonging to
you have burned down. Now, three lives were lost in
those fires, and we can prove that at least one
of those persons was murdered.
Speaker 7: Well, you can stack up those factiony where you want
to inspect her. I'm getting a lawyer and I won't
answer any more questions unless he tells me to. And
the next time you bring me down here, you'd better
have a warrant for me, or you'll be in trouble.
Speaker 4: Jim, all these samples of Brent would look alike to me.
I don't think you'll find any clues here.
Speaker 3: I've already found some fren Yes, we believe Tanner was
murdered in the kitchen of that house, and that the
fire originated there. Now, this is a piece of burn
wood taken from over his left of the kitchen wall. Here,
take a look at it through the spectroscoop.
Speaker 4: I'm sorry, Jane, It's just another piece of chocolate as
far as I can see, I know it isn't.
Speaker 3: That piece of wood didn't burn normally. If it had
the cross checks on, it would have a definite size.
Those are finer and closer together than they should be.
That proves that some outside agent was used to help
the fire along.
Speaker 4: Gush Arson isn't what it used to be?
Speaker 3: Is it? No sciences fighting the fire bug? Every step
of the way these days.
Speaker 4: Do you think these fires were the work of a pyromaniac,
were planned with a motive?
Speaker 3: Jim. The murder of Tanner rules out the pyromaniac, But
murder wasn't the motive for those other fires?
Speaker 4: Assurance.
Speaker 3: Well, ninety percent of all arson cases or attempts to
collect insurance, so we can't disregard that.
Speaker 4: Then the case is solved. Roy Wade was the only
person who stood to gain anything by all those fires.
Speaker 3: What may I ask did he have to gain by
murdering Tanner? Why?
Speaker 4: That's a simple deduction, Jim. This is what happened. Tanner
was out, Wade used his pass key to get into
the house. He was out in the kitchen preparing everything
for the fire when Tanner came in and surprised him.
They had a fight, and Wade killed Tanner.
Speaker 3: Well, not so fast, Inspector Collier. It's been proved that
Tanner was killed four hours before the fire broke out.
Speaker 4: Well, Wade was terrified after he killed Tanner. He fled
When his terror wore off, he realized that he could
destroy all evidence of the murder merely by setting fire
to the house.
Speaker 3: So we went back and do just that okay, No flimsy.
Speaker 4: Flimsy?
Speaker 3: Why because so far we haven't been able to place
Wade at the scene of the crime. Take it furn hello, inspector,
Why Jim? I just wanted to tell you I've closed
the wait case. You've closed it, yes, sir, So it
up tight?
Speaker 5: Wo How and I found two witnesses who saw Wade
leading Tanner's place a few minutes before the fire broke out.
Speaker 3: How you like that? Well, I'll admit that looks bad.
Speaker 5: But I've sent my man out to pick up.
Speaker 3: Weight on suspicion of murder.
Speaker 5: Let's see him trying to talk himself out of that, inspector.
Not so fast, he shared le scoop Jons when Jim
so long, inspector?
Speaker 3: Oh, he hung up? What was it, Jim, The inspector's
arresting weight on suspicion of murder.
Speaker 4: You see, it's just like I said, I knew Wade
was guilty.
Speaker 3: You may be right, but so far all the evidence
is circumstantial, and the inspector won't be able to hold
Wade Long on the strength of it.
Speaker 4: Well, after all, Jim, there aren't any other suspects.
Speaker 3: You mean, we haven't uncovered any other suspects, and that
doesn't mean there aren't any. Come on, friend, let's set
up that microtome. I'm going back to work, Jim, why.
Speaker 4: Are we making a check on all the houses? Weight over?
Speaker 3: I'm just not satisfied with the set pattern of this case, friend,
A man in Wade's position would have to be awfully
stupid to believe he could get away with four fires
and a murder, and Wade is far from stupid.
Speaker 4: Well, here's the last address on hon Oh. Look, here's
an ANTIQ shop on the basement.
Speaker 3: Yes, and it seemed to be either selling out or moving.
Come on, friend, let's go in and have a look around.
Good day. Anything I can show you? Well, we'd like
to look around if you don't mind, of course not.
Speaker 4: There's a nice table.
Speaker 3: Everything's in pretty much of a mess. I'm in the
process of moving all Why don't you find this a
good section for antiques? Oh, the section's fine. Nearly all
the old people living around here have wonderful old furniture.
I'm just moving across the street. It's only this house
I object to. While the house is it's owned by
Roy Wade. What with him being such a firebug? You
never know which of his houses will go up next.
After that last fire, I decided to get out of here.
After all, I've got a lot of money tied up
in these antiques. Why you shouldn't have anything to worry
about now that weighed safely in jail. But he's not
what they released him. A flash came over the radio
about fifteen minutes ago. Insufficient evidence. They said, Hello, mister Douglas,
Hello Winston.
Speaker 6: I just dropped in to tell you that I think
I finally persuaded Uncle John to sell you a few
of those old pieces of furniture you asked me about.
Oh good, drop around to his house sometime this week
and look him over and see that you offer him
a fair pride.
Speaker 2: I'll do that all right, Okay, let me know how
you make out the old ud.
Speaker 3: I will thanks Winston. Who was that young pelle? It
looked familiar, but I can't place him. Oh he's Winston Maddon,
Old John Madden's nephew. Oh yes, as Uncle Lis in
that house roy Way. It owns on Seventh Street.
Speaker 4: That's rights the table we need for the office.
Speaker 3: Okay, have it sent Fern.
Speaker 4: It's that one next to the china closet send it
to Jim Brandon nine twenty.
Speaker 3: Excuse me, are you Jim Brandon the detective? Yes, well,
I'm mighty proud to meet you. My name's Hubert Douglas.
How do you do, say, mister Brandon, maybe you could
use your int something done about the shocking condition of
this house. I thought you said you were moving. Well
I am, but I'm sorry for old mister Forsyth on
the second floor. He'll be left alone here. And what
about the top flooropoven While those people moved out three
days ago. After tonight, old Forsyth will be here alone.
And I think Roy Wade should be forced to make
certain repairs for that old man's safety. Why look after
the matter, Douglas, Come on, Farren, settle the matter of
that end table. We've got to be getting along.
Speaker 4: You have the Board of Health summoned mister Forsyth an
interviews so we could examine this house, didn't you.
Speaker 3: Well that's right, Burn. Now we'll take this empty top
of coffin first and work our way down.
Speaker 4: I felt like a thief sneaking in that back window. Jim,
why are you so interested in this particular house because.
Speaker 3: The facts concerning it tally with those of the other
white houses that have burn down.
Speaker 4: Jim, do you open that windows? Please? Exciting anyway?
Speaker 3: Okay, burn right? Hook was cotting to all the house?
Speaker 4: Why it's mister Wade. What do you suppose you wouln't here?
Speaker 3: I don't know, but I intend to stick around and
find out, Jim.
Speaker 4: If Wade finds us here, there'll be fireworks.
Speaker 3: Now, don't worry. There's no reason for him to come
up to the empty apartment.
Speaker 4: Hip, Jim, he's leaving rank.
Speaker 3: Yes, come on, Farren, let's continue with our investigation. We
haven't any time to lose him.
Speaker 4: Is it my imagination or do I smell smoke?
Speaker 3: You're right, person?
Speaker 4: We better get out. Isn't here?
Speaker 3: Yeah? This way, this trolley stairway. Ooh, Berne, get back.
The whole tour bulow is in.
Speaker 4: Plain Jim, what are we going to do? Wit s up?
Speaker 3: Now?
Speaker 2: Back to the Avenger and death ring the bell, Kim.
Speaker 4: We can't stay in this room another minute. The whole
wall is burning.
Speaker 3: The engines of a ryeburn, they'll have the ladder up
in no time. Turn over here, that won't kicking it?
Run out of a ledge. I'll already from the inside. No,
I won't go and let you come to Well, all right,
take hold of my hand and go ahead the hole
tight y.
Speaker 4: This ledge is only if you.
Speaker 3: Don't look down. Steady now, it'll want to be for
a minute. They're putting the ladder up. We're perfectly safe.
I'm holding onto the window sash. Keep your nerve, burnt.
Speaker 4: I will kim there.
Speaker 3: The ladders right at your feet. I'll steady you while
your step onto it.
Speaker 8: Okay, you'll come on, Jim, inspector, I sent to you
to come over here for the laboratory to watch up
the EXPERI.
Speaker 3: Well, that's not why I came, Jim. I want an
explanation of that statement you made on the phone, or
you mean my warning that you'd be making a fool
of yourself if you're arrested. Way to get it.
Speaker 5: Yes, now, you yourself admitted that you saw a weight
at fores size house just before the fire broke out.
Speaker 3: I said, in front of the house, not inside it. Oh,
we must be guilty, Jim.
Speaker 5: Now, why don't you try to help me prove that
instead of fighting me every step of the way.
Speaker 3: Because I know now how those fires were started and
there's an even chance that someone is trying to frame waves.
Come out of the kitchen and I'll show you the kitchen. Yes,
Brandon and I have everything ready for the demonstration.
Speaker 5: Ah better be good.
Speaker 3: One more fire and I'll be back in the harness.
Founding a bead I don't know exactly, Hold, fern, what
are you up to over here? Inspector take a look
at this doorbell. This is where it rings when anyone
presses the bell out front.
Speaker 5: Oh jim, what does your doorbell have to do with
an arson and merricase?
Speaker 3: Do you notice anything peculiar about this bell? Oh? Good,
because right inside that bell, I've rigged up a tiny
container of sulfuric acid. Directly underneath is this waste basket
containing paper and rags soaked and oil. When the bell rings,
when the hammer breaks the acid container, the wasted knights
and presto, our fire has a good start. Now, if
I really wanted to make sure this whole house would
burn down rapidly, I would spray that wall with gasoline,
gunpowder or flashlight powder. In a matter of seconds, the
whole place would be in flames. Or the fire extinguish
is ready for now here. You take one of them, Inspector,
and I'll take the other. Be ready to put out
the blaze in that basket. Okay, Fern, you can go
out and ring the bell now er tastes.
Speaker 5: Like this gim perfectly innocent person might press the door
bell and set the fire going precisely the point of
this demonstration, Inspector.
Speaker 3: That's why I didn't want you to arrest Weight again
until we're certain he did the rigging as well as
the ringings.
Speaker 4: There.
Speaker 3: How do you like that? Get that instiguish you're working?
I haven't much insurance, Jim.
Speaker 4: Why are we going to Douglas's antias shop again?
Speaker 3: I want to find out Douglas or anyone going in
or out of Forescience House yesterday.
Speaker 4: Friends, that demonstration you made this morning certainly leaves to
a wide open as far as sus Sex a concern, doesn't.
Speaker 3: Oh you mean you're no longer convinced it was Wading?
Speaker 4: No, but I'm not convinced it wasn't either.
Speaker 3: We can't eliminate Wade. But on the other hand, the
criminal could be someone we've had no reason to suspect
so far.
Speaker 4: Oh, Jim, there's all mister Foresize's he said, it's a
Douglas's door too.
Speaker 3: Oh yes, I'm good afternoon, mister FARSI.
Speaker 4: Today she now you're mister Brandon Dodger.
Speaker 3: That's right.
Speaker 4: Had you found another place to live, mister four side?
Speaker 9: Yet miss spent the night at the settlement house?
Speaker 3: Everything I had went up in that fire.
Speaker 9: That's oh yes, everything, even my wife shan't take jewelry.
Speaker 3: I'd held on to it. Holdy, here's to chickens in?
And was it valuable? Joy mister Porshart, Oh yes, she
has indeed tic.
Speaker 9: And mister Douglas sharp had made two thousand dollars for
I'd more than once, but I would never bring myself
to sell it.
Speaker 4: Oh, here's mister Douglas shop. Are you coming in?
Speaker 9: Oh yes, yes, she's the only friend I have, the
only one who's ever bothered to be very kind to me.
Speaker 3: Oh, mister Douglas, it's was I be right with you.
Oh he has some wonderful old furniture here.
Speaker 9: Hasn't it often bought old pieces?
Speaker 3: Oh, mister Brandon, good afternoon, Douglams Douglas.
Speaker 9: I came in to see if you could let me
have some of that old furniture back I sold him.
I thought maybe I could rent a little room someplace
to see.
Speaker 3: Oh, I'm sorry, mister Foresight. Oh that's furniture has been sold.
Speaker 5: Oh that's too bad.
Speaker 3: I have a little room on the second floor that
I don't use. Why don't you stay there for the time? Ding,
that's very kind of your Douglass mention it. Go up
now and take a look at it right at the
head of the stairs.
Speaker 9: All right, I won't impose on your kindness long I
find someplace.
Speaker 3: Oh, mister Brandon, Douglas, do you see anyone entering or
leaving Fortey's house yesterday before the fire? Well, I wasn't
going to say anything about it, but I did see
mister Wade going towards the house just before the fire
broke out. No one else, No, Well, I guess you're
a hunt right, you move just in time. There's no
cure for a firebug, mister Brandon. I wouldn't live in
one of Wade's houses if he paid the rent for
the privilege. Well, thanks, Douglas, concern.
Speaker 4: Well, who seemed to be a disappearing commodity these days.
Speaker 3: Of course, I've gave us a clue, Fern. I'll tell
you later right now, we're going to call on John Madden.
Madden lives in the last remaining house that Waite owns.
Speaker 4: I know, but you checked him on him and the
other day. Seem surely you don't think that, Wade.
Speaker 3: I'm not stopping to think fren this time. I'm not
going to give death a chance to ring the bell.
Speaker 4: Ooh, l there's old John Madden's house, Kim. He doesn't
live in that big place all alone, does he.
Speaker 3: Yes, his nephew Winston has an apartment on the upper
side of town. I'm going to lose the knocker on
this door.
Speaker 4: And just to play safe, Jim, you don't think Wade
intends to turn down this lovely.
Speaker 3: Old house grew No, I never said any such things.
What do you want? Please? You're Winston John Madden's nephew,
aren't you. That's right?
Speaker 4: Oh?
Speaker 6: I saw you in douglas a shop the other day.
That's cose Douglas sent you to pick up the furniturey board.
That's it there on the hall.
Speaker 3: Oh, mister Douglas did buy that furniture from your uncle Lenny.
Of course, See, aren't you from Douglas? No? Where is
your uncle Uncle John was taken in last night. He's
in the hospital. Nay weeken in. Please, I'm Jim Brandon,
connected with the police department. Oh what do you want.
I'm busy packing. I'm taking uncle. Want to live with me?
We're coming in, step aside, step aside. Come on, friend, now, Winston,
what's wrong with your uncle? I don't know.
Speaker 6: There's something he ate doctor said. Anyways, none of your business.
Are you moving your uncle's things out of here? With
or without his consent?
Speaker 3: Now this is a private matter.
Speaker 6: I don't like your attitude, Brandon.
Speaker 3: Get out of here and don't go back without a war.
Speaker 4: Okay, that's the way you wanted, well, mister Brandon, I
think that is what is known as the bum's rustle.
Speaker 3: Turn. Go back to the office and call the inspector.
Tell him to stand by for a call from me.
Speaker 4: Okay, Jim, it's that nephew with her. He's a guilty one.
Speaker 3: You'll know everything within a few hours. I'll run them off.
Speaker 4: What are you going to do.
Speaker 3: Jim, I've got a date with a firebug as the
avenger find No, Old Madden capital is money in this bureau.
Gotta be here somewhere. What's that? Who's in here. It's
the Avenger, Douglas. I've been waiting for you, the Avenger.
What do you want here? I've taken the precaution of
removing the money and valuables you hope to find in
this apartment. I don't know what you're talking about, Avenger.
I bought this furniture from Madon. It belongs to me.
You took the furniture you bought out of here an
hour ago when Winston went to visit his uncle. Then
you came back to rob and burn this house. I'll
make you wish you didn't know so much, Avenger. You
might as well give up, Douglas. The house is surrounded.
Oh no, I have another plan. When the police bring
the bell, they'll set this house a fire. We'll be
trapped here, Avenger, you'll die with me. You would prepare
death by fire to a trial by Jordy Douglas, But
the bell will not set off the fire. This time.
The Avenger removed the acid from the bell. Your schemes
are over, Douglas. You'll stand trial for arson and for murder.
Speaker 4: Contests.
Speaker 3: Yes, friend, and you were partly right in your deductions
about the death.
Speaker 4: Of Tanner, except that I accused Wade instead of Douglas
of his murder.
Speaker 3: Yes, Douglas's motive throughout was robbery. He used his antique
business as a means of getting into the homes of
old people he thought had money under the pretext of
examining various pieces of furniture, he found out whether both
were hidden.
Speaker 4: Then later when he went back to load the furniture,
he stole the valuables, rigged up his fire device and
lift the first person to ring the bell, set off
the fire, and all the evidence went up and plain right,
then those first two persons who died really were caught
in the fire.
Speaker 3: Yes, But Adam Tanner got wise to what Douglas was
to do, and Douglas killed him.
Speaker 4: But what led you to suspect Douglas.
Speaker 3: Jim Douglas had bought furniture from every house where a
fire occurred. That in itself was suspicious but not conclusive. Oh,
mister forsythe gave me the real clue. He told us
Douglas knew about that antique jewelry he had. I knew
that jewury hadn't been burned because we had put the
ruins of that fire through the sieve Therefore, the jewelry
had been stolen, and since Douglas knew of its existence
and value, he was the logical one to suspect.
Speaker 4: But why did Douglas concentrate on Roy Wade's houses?
Speaker 3: For several reasons. He knew it would be easy to
throw suspicion on Wade because Wade's houses were ensured for
all the traffic would bear perfect fire traps. Also, besides,
Douglas knew enough about Wade's business to know when he
made his rent collections.
Speaker 4: You mean he deliberately stayed some of those fires so
that Wade would be the wonder ring the bell exactly, Frin.
But Jim, what made you so sure you could cap
Douglas at Maden's house?
Speaker 3: Well, I wasn't sure, friend. As a matter of fact,
I wasn't sure until I discovered that Douglas had bought
that furniture from Maddens. Then I knew the stage was set.
Speaker 4: Yew, who do you suppose that.
Speaker 3: Is probably the inspector bringing us the Afternoon papers his
pictures on the front page of every one of them.
All characters, names, places, and plots used in the Avenger
program are fictitious. Any similarity to persons living or dead
is purely coincidental. This is a thought, a thought, a thought.
Remember listen for another adventure of the Avenger.