 This is Crime Classics. I am Thomas Highland with another true story of crime. Listen. The high sheriff of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, and deputies carrying a coffin down the prison corridor. Stopping in front of the cell of Mr. Jonathan Dewitt and opening the door. Brought you something, Mr. Dewitt. Brought you your coffin. Sit it down right here, men. You'll find your hanging cap inside, Mr. Dewitt. I'd advise you to try it on to see it's not too tight. There's been trouble on the gallows with a too tight hanging cap. Look in on you later. Tonight, my report to you on Mr. Jonathan Dewitt, how most peculiarly he cheated the hangman. Crime Classics. A series of true crime stories taken from the records and newspapers of every land from every time. Your host each week, Mr. Thomas Highland, connoisseur of crime, student of violence, and teller of murders. Now once again, Mr. Thomas Highland. Nobody thought of rehabilitating criminals in 1815. Catch a man who committed a crime, or didn't pay his debts, or was not well enough like. Throw him into the local lock up and forget him. It was no different in Hampshire County, Massachusetts in this era. The jail was bleak and consisted of a series of stone pits of correct moisture content for the growth of a fungus on its surfaces. Of good temperature range to permit the flourishing of rats and some invertebrates. Of foul nourishment to quicken the descent of man into rot. And now, in a certain pit in this prison called cell four, lived three men together. George Bowen pacing, the caged brute pacing. Isaac Mitchell humming, motionless shaggy Isaac humming. Blea Partridge counting, doing what he most liked to do. Counting the cracks in stone from ceiling to floor. Tableau. Fast ladder out rag you so help me in a way you won't care for much. Get along. I said it Johnny and I mean it. Now here. Get in your home it is Johnny. Don't take to it too nicely because you won't stay too long. Chef. Yeah Bowen. New one, Chef. What's he done? Kill him a woman. Oh now? Hang him. Month from today, Bowen. He'll kick it the wind month from today. Stop it. George now. Now George now you. Now George now. George now you. You start humming more Isaac you get the same. George. What? What do you want? Listen George. Why? Why don't we talk to the one just came in? Why don't we slip out the stone and talk? That's right George. Doctor you. You. In there. Hey there you. You in there. Over here. Can't see me. Come here to the wall. Bend down now. Halfway to the bottom now. I've taken the stone out so there's a hole big enough to see through. Bend close now. My name's George Bowen. What's yours? Jewett. Jonathan Jewett. Murderer right here. Murderer right here. Didn't mean to. A woman right here. Didn't mean to. Tell me about it. Tell me tell me. Didn't mean to. Tell me. Oh welcome old Johnny Jewett land. We're cellmates we are and we're sharing things now we are old Johnny Jewett. Tell me now how you happen here. Was a lady out here. Please tell me. Hi. I met her at Bosswick's Tavern. She was sitting there and. She had yellow hair. No more your tummy Johnny. For now she was sitting there and she had yellow hair. Save the rest for later Johnny. Talk a little later Johnny. Well that's just a start. Yellow hair. Isaac. Blee. He killed a lady. And she had golden hair. That shined. And was soft as any silk you ever touched. Going to hang him. Poor boy. Poor boy. Going to hang him. And we won't get to see it. Now this was one of the biggest frustrations of all. The three friends never got to see anyone hang. The jibbit was outside the north wall of the jail and so situated they could see nothing. Isaac who had extraordinary hearing often claimed he heard the trap door drop. And the three of them would feel then somewhat entertained. And so the days of emptiness spun away but now with the arrival of Jonathan Jewett there was a very pleasant diversion and this is what it was. George Bowen would pull out the stone. Jewett. Yellow hair and apple cheeks. Tall for a woman and walked easily. And a few hours later. Jewett. Walked easily and the first time I saw her she came to me like some floating thing. That was enough for a while. Enough of the story. But one day you'll remember. All right. Lively. Lively men. And right in here brought you something Mr. Jewett. Brought you your coffin. Set it down right here men. You'll find your hanging cap inside Mr. Jewett. I advise you to try it on to see it's not too tight. There's been trouble on the gallows with the too tight hanging cap. Look in on you later. Johnny Jewett. Big thing. The name was. Was. No. No. Listen. I don't want to hear that right now. Listen. They brought your coffin didn't they. Hanging caps inside isn't it. Bowen. Uh huh. What. What's it like. What. Hanging. A public hanging. You really want to know Johnny. I want to. A show. Big show. There's some women's always there. And I've seen them. Come over and pinch your cheeks before you go up the stairs to the hangman. And the things they say. And there's people there that always cry. Same people all the time. And kids running around and hawkers. And you'll be a show Johnny. A big show. There's. What. What's the matter. Johnny. What what is it. Wouldn't hang me. Why not. Wouldn't hang me Johnny. What. What what Bowen. Bowen. Bowen tell me. We'll have fun Isaac. I tell you we'll have fun. Bleed. Don't hit me. They're going to hit. And they'll tell you. We're going to have fun. Don't hit me. We're going to have fun. See. He's been knocking like that for the last 10 hours. Think I would open it to him. Bowen. Fun. Isn't this fun. Of course it's fun. Was you knocking on the wall Johnny. Please please. Please what. Listen. Yeah. Not going to not going to tell you about him anymore. Unless I what. Tell me how you wouldn't hang. You want to know Johnny. Yes. Really want to know don't you. Yes. Can't stand the thought those people jeering you to die. Can't stand that. Can you please tell me please please. I'll tell you. Yes. Hang yourself Johnny. Hang yourself Johnny. Hang yourself Johnny. Hang yourself. It's easy. It's easy Johnny. Do it. Do it. And I'd be the only one to watch. Isaac don't want to watch. Neither does Bleed. Just me. Do it Johnny. Cheek them Johnny. Cheek the hangman. Cheek the crowd. Oh do it. Go on. Oh do it Johnny. How. You are listening to crime classics and your host. Thomas Highland. Is there a possible connection between a strange ivory monkey. And the death of a wealthy oil magnet. Mr. Keane believes so. And sets out to prove his contention. In the case of murder and the ivory monkey. Friday night on CBS radio. Don't miss Mr. Keane at his exciting best. This Friday evening on most of these same stations. Now once again Thomas Highland. And the second act of crime classics. And his report to you on Mr. Jonathan Jewett. How most peculiarly he cheated the hangman. Winters they say are not as bleak today. Or as furious as they used to be in Massachusetts. Some storms in Northampton I've heard it recalled. Appeared from the north like shining pellets. Swirled in. Exploded. Then the snow was composed of great northern glaciers. And frozen sea spray. And another thing. A vast desolation from the pits of the world. And so it was in eighteen hundred and fifteen. The winter broke early. And the first snow blanketed the village. Piled high the drifts against the stone of the jail. St. Bitter winds down its freezing corridors. Condemned man Jonathan Jewett. Not knowing any longer whether he shudders from cold. Or a soul numbed with terror. Said a prisoner named Blee Partridge. And hugged his bluing arms about him. Isaac Mitchell sounds from the frozen recesses of his mind. George Bowen having fun. Watching Jonathan Jewett through a hole in the wall. What's he doing? Well, well. What's he doing George? Interested, ain't you? Now you're interested. Tell me what he's doing. Staring at his coffin. Now tell me what he's doing. Shivering. What's he doing now? Looking at his coffin. Now? Opening the lid to it. Now? Taking out the hanging cap. Taking out the hanging cap. What's he doing? What's he doing George? He's starting to put it on. No, no! Johnny. Johnny, come here. Come here Johnny. You didn't put the hat on, did he? Come here Johnny. Come. Hello Johnny. Now why do you get yourself all riled up like that? Trying to put on your hanging cap. Now yesterday you asked me how to hang yourself. So you won't have to go through all this letting. And so you won't hang in that freezing and all. How? You gonna do it Johnny? You going to do it? I don't know. I don't know. I'm going to help you Johnny. It's the truth I am. Now tell me Johnny. Tell me about the lady you killed. Tell me. Come on. I don't know. I forgot. Oh, now cut. I don't know. I forgot. You forgot? Let me alone. Let me alone. Let me alone. All right. All right Johnny boy. Get out of cut please. Don't hit. Get out. When I say get get. All right George. All right George. All right. Take this ticking now if you're caught. Tear a strip. Tear another. Now we got. What makes a rope? Oh George. Yeah Blee. Your strips. Give them to me. Give them to me. Give them to me. Sure Blee. Sure. Here. One. Two. Three. One. Two. Three. That's it Blee. One. Brade me a rope from those strips Blee. One. Brade me a rope from those strips. Oh Mr. Jordan. How do you feel? Came to tell you something Mr. Juit. Come Wednesday. There'll be a hanging. And. There'll be you. The governor sent word and he had this to say. No reprieve. So there's going to be a hanging. Now. I've got to ask you some things Mr. Juit. The law provides that I do. Do you want a man of the cloth Mr. Juit? Do you need a man of the cloth? I've seen them come Mr. Juit. And I've seen them go. And I've got to tell you this. Those that ask for the men of the cloth. Seem better fit for what's going to happen to them. Is a hanging of them that is. So if you want a fellow come up and preach to you. Talk to you. You just say the word. No. I got to ask you this. The hanging cap when you tried it on. Was it too tight? Was it too snug Mr. Juit? Can you breathe all right I'd like to know. And the coffin ain't too narrow is it? Seem as you're a. Smallish man and all but. It ain't too narrow isn't it? Now something else too. How you're to behave. As always a kind of woman comes. Come shine come rain. Come snow a kind that's always there. A toucher. A walker over. To pluck your sleeve or pinch your cheek. You pay her no mind but look ahead. And whatever else comes in front of you. Alongside. To distract you. Pay it no mind. And pay the gears no mind or the weeping. But Mount the steps. Now listen Mr. Jordan. If you've got a little something dollar. A two three. I'll be glad to see the hangman gets it. And he'll treat you prickly. Tie the rope just right. And adjust just right. And drop you good straight and true. And not make you wait too long a time. Think it all over I'll return again tomorrow. We want John. I'll do it. I want to do it. Do what John. Hang myself. Well I'm going to hang myself on how. I'll stay in the coffin and it's down to the window and kick away the coffin. We're going to use for a rope. I don't know. I got a rope. Give it to me. Well I don't know. Let's see your ropes. Ropes the easiest. Ropes the only way. You get simple and use your shirt or something. You're liable just to stand there and cough. Ropes the only way. Let's see your rope. Sure Johnny. See ya. Give it to me. You haven't finished the story Johnny. I forgot I can't remember I swear. She was very homely and. And I was very lonely and she stole from me. Shut up Johnny. Here's the rope. George. Yeah. What's he doing? Staring. What's he staring at George? The rope. What's he doing now George? His head bowed down and he ain't doing nothing. Now what's he doing? Walking. Now. Walking around. He ain't put the rope down has he? No. What's he doing now? Ain't doing nothing. Is it coughing under the window? Yeah. Has he tied the rope to the bars? Yeah. What's he doing now? What's he doing? That's it. That's it Johnny. That's it. George. Is he? Yep. Yep. The next morning was Tuesday and a very cold day. Since it was the day before the execution holes had to be chopped out of the ice in order to set him the scaffold posts. Once this was done however the rest was easy. A simple platform at the top of 13 steps and a primitive but often adequate spring mechanism as a trap door. Having given the workmen any special instructions they may have needed the sheriff re-entered the prison and walked to Mr. Jewett's cell to remember what all the hammering had been about. Jewett? He said... Jewett? He went on. Hanged yourself? He noted. Dead? He made sure of it. Then vent his spleen. Cheat! To have done such a thing. To have cheated the law when the hangman... and the gallows being fairly built to have done such a thing. Cheat? How did you... You killed him, didn't you? Kill who? Jonathan Jewett. Killed him. Gave him a rope. He's hanging with strips of bedding and his bedding ain't touched. Must be you made him a rope. I ain't killing him sheriff. Giving a man a rope. What did you do to him? I looked for yourself sheriff. That stone wall between us. What could I do but talk to him? You talked him into doing it then? You were saying that? Just told him how it is to get hanged in public. No way for a man to die. Is it a way for a man to die, sheriff? You gave him rope and you told him what to do. You know what that makes you, Bowen? What? A murderer. Same as if you slipped a knife into him. That's what you are. A murderer. George Bowen was indicted and brought to trial. Charge, homicide, murder of Jonathan Jewett brought to trial on an interesting charge and the prosecution had this to say. By his own confession the prisoner admits he advised Jonathan Jewett to take his own life and a man who advises death I say is a principle in murder. No other causes incited Jewett to destroy himself. No other causes but the advice of the defendant. The living instrument of a murderer is a murderer and must himself die. I charge the jury to find this man guilty. And the defense had this to say. I say that the defendant is perhaps guilty of being accessory to murder but this is not the charge here. The charge is murder and while I do not stand here to justify his crime I say to you if you convict him as charged you yourselves are guilty of murder under the existing form of law. And the jury foreman had this to say. Not guilty. So Bowen was returned to his cell a certain pit in Northampton, Massachusetts prison called cell 4. In just a moment Thomas Highland will tell you about next week's crime classic. Jonathan Jewett tonight's crime classic was adapted from the original court reports and newspaper accounts by Morton Fine and David Friedkin. The music was composed and conducted by Bernard Herman and the program is produced and directed by Elliot Lewis. Thomas Highland is portrayed on radio by Lou Merrow. In tonight's story, Lee Millar was heard as Jonathan Jewett and Elliot Lewis is George. Featured in the cast were John Daner, Vic Perrin, Junius Matthews and Byron Kane, Bob LeMond speaking. And here again is Thomas Highland. Next week, Mexico City just 14 years ago. Tippi Tippi Tin was popular north of the border and south a man with four names and an Alpenstock had an appointment with history. It's listed in my files as the assassination of Leon Trotsky. Thank you. Good night. One of the most colorful practices of the Old West was that of sending for mail order brides. This Saturday night on CBS Radio's program titled Gunsmoke, hear the fascinating details of the arrival and old dodge of just such a woman with romance and double trouble resulting for the citizenry and for United States Marshal Matt Dillon. Don't miss Gunsmoke on most of these same stations this Saturday night. Gangbusters go into action Saturday nights on the CBS Radio Network.