 The Columbia Network takes pleasure in bringing you Suspense Stories from the world's great literature of pure excitement a new series frankly dedicated to your Horrification and entertainment Week by week from the pick of new material from the pages of best-selling novels From the theater of Broadway in London the sound stages of Hollywood Will parade the most remarkable figures ever known CBS gives you Suspense tonight's presentation is one of the finest of the contemporary stories of mystery and terror John Dixon Carr's famous novel the burning court A glass of sherry by the fireside of a beautiful suburban home What could be more comforting? You're an admirable host mr. Depa and it's really a shame our first meeting is under such a cloud It's also a shame. I have so little time to tell you which one of your guests here Murdered your uncle last week. Now. Let's see now. I believe we're all here Your wife your friend mr. Stevens captain Brennan. Yes, and incidentally yourself Just who did you say you were? Well, no wonder you've had so much difficulty with the case captain My name is cross go down cross the writer as a matter of fact It's because of my just completed book poisoning throughout the ages that I happen to be here now and Ted Stevens there happens to be a member of the firm which publishes my work I'd never seen him until tonight, but I've been told what happened This afternoon. He began reading my manuscript for the first time on the train The commuters train which every afternoon deposits him safely and soundly here in Christmas Imagine he was halfway home by the time he finished the first chapter Then he turned a page Attached to the following leaf was a picture and Looking at it the young man stiffened suddenly and all but cried out his shock It was a picture of a young woman and Under it had been printed Famous Poisoner Marie Dobre 1676 Ted Stevens was looking at a picture of his own wife Imagine imagine his 25-year-old wife in 17th century costume The face the features even a wistfulness of expression were identical even the name Dobre was his wife's maiden name, but no no no that was ridiculous This woman in the picture was well one of his wife's ancestors. Yes, that was it Simply an amazing family resemblance Marie would be waiting for him at the station. You'd have to tell her about it He wondered why however, she'd never told him about oh well, but you don't discuss such an ancestor. Do you? Ted Stevens glanced down at the chapter to which the picture had been attached It was entitled the affair of the non-dead woman Stevens was almost jolted from his seat It was dr. Weldon professor of English at the college and old friend of his Quickly he thrust the picture beneath the manuscript and moved over. Hi. I didn't see you doc. Oh here have a seat Oh, I thought maybe you were giving me the uh, what did they call it the brush off? Oh, no, I Say as a matter of fact doc, you're the one man. I do want to see yeah, very flattering Remember those discussions we used to have about murders Better than bridge anytime Well, I got the idea that you'd made sort of a hobby out of the old cases the historical ones Well, I've studied quite a number of them. Yes ever hear of a woman named Marie Dobre read a brain Marie Oh, yes, that was her maiden name, of course One of the finest specialists in arsenic poisoning you could ever hope to find Oh, we're almost at our station Ted. Let's get to the door Yes, sir real charmer Marie was Must have disposed of half a hundred husbands lovers suitors and just plain friends before she was caught What happened to her doc? She was beheaded and burned Absurd laughable Ted Stevens kept saying this to himself and yet what he knew was a foolish dread followed him straight through the small suburban station and Clung to him as he reached the street and There in the roadster was Marie Leaning toward him a little to hold the door open and smiling at him What on earth are you staring at that streetlight shining on your hair? I like that. Oh, you're tight. Come on get in the car Then like a wisp of smoke it was gone the whole ridiculous fear the delusion When at home Marie brought the cocktails into the living room the logs were burning brightly in the fireplace Throwing a soft dancing glow upon a room that was darkening with dusk To you Marie and to you dear as Stevens placed his glass down. He noticed the manuscript of my book It was there on the table right where he placed it when he first came in Deliveredly he turned from it and then turned back the manuscript had been moved Only an inch or so, but it had been moved Keeping his back to his wife. He'd from through that early chapter and discovered just as he knew he would That the photograph was gone For a long moment. He thought of what to do Then slowly he turned around this Book by cross I brought home There was a story of poison in it rather funny her name happens to be the same as yours Oh, your maiden name that is. Oh, that is odd, isn't it? Darling Well, she a relative of yours why tears you're serious in a way. Yes. Oh, I don't mean it It's really important. It's just that well when you run across a person who's a dead ringer for your own wife And who lived 300 years ago and was a top-flight poisoner. Well, you like to hear about it. That's all What on earth are you talking about? Darling, be honest with me Didn't you look at this manuscript when I was out of the room? No You didn't take out a picture of a poisoner named Marie de Bray. I most certainly did not What is this all about are you getting it for just this? Somebody took that picture out of that manuscript since I've been home Who's that? Well, I'll take a look I don't feel like Why it's Mark. They're part mark Ted. Wait a second. Yes Ted whatever it is. He wants promise. You won't do it Promise I won't do it. I didn't promise you won't get yourself involved Please Ted don't go out tonight. See what in the world is? Well, anyway, we can't let him stay outside. How are you come on in? Thanks, Ted Thinking about giving you a call later. Oh, let me have your hat. Oh, thanks. I Marie, I hope you'll excuse me for popping in like this, but well, I wanted to talk to Ted It's rather important. No, I don't mind at all. Come on mark. We'll step into the library. Oh, you mind dear Of course not dead. I'll be making the sandwiches for her. I'll grab that chair in the corner mark Well, let's hear it What's the trouble Ted? My uncle Miles was murdered Murdered all the talk hasn't reached you yet, but it's already started nothing definite, of course Just that there was something wrong about Uncle Miles death, but I don't Mark, are you sure of this? You know he was murdered. I don't know of course. I don't I Just don't see how it could be any other way Uncle Miles, you know had been sick for quite a while But last Saturday he seemed so much better that Miss Corbett that was his nurse Decided to take the day off and well, you know all this you and Marie were over that afternoon Anyway, Lucy and I went to the club that night to that masquerade party and we left the old boy completely alone I've cursed myself a thousand times Saints, but what about your housekeeper? Mrs. What's her name Henderson wasn't she around sure in that little house out in back? We told you to look in now and then but well that wasn't good enough It was after midnight when Lucy and I got back Uncle Miles was dying Ted it looked exactly like one of his regular attacks, but then later After he was gone I Happened to glance under the chest of drawers in his room There was a small silver cup under there almost drained and Uncle Miles cat The cat was still warm But quite dead I managed to get the cat out of the house and buried without anyone seeing me Next day. I had the contents of the cup analyzed it was poison. Yes arsenic Well What do you want me to do help me open the crypt what I want to have a private autopsy performed Help me get Uncle Miles body out of that vault. Oh, I know it's a tough job The thing is sealed solid, but we can do it you mean without the police knowing about it without anybody knowing about it Mrs. Henderson's visiting her sister and I managed to send Lucy over to the club. You must be crazy You're playing with dynamite mark. This is something you've got to tell the police now I can't take that chance, but they'll have to know some time. You're only I've got to know first. I tell you You don't understand Ted There was somebody in Uncle Miles room that night handing him something in a silver cup Mrs. Henderson was on the porch by the window. She saw her She saw her head She thinks it was My wife. Oh Lucy it doesn't mean anything to Mrs. Henderson yet because she doesn't suspect anything, but well Ted you've got to see why I've got to be sure why I've got to know how Uncle Miles died Because it wasn't Lucy Ted. I know it wasn't of course not mark She had an alibi was she was with you at the club wasn't yes Except for half an hour. I see You will help me won't you Ted? When do we start soon as you can make it okay come on now? I'll get your head you try it on ahead now come over as soon as I can see Marie But you're not going to tell her about this course now. I'll think of something. Don't you worry about it? No, thanks Ted. Thanks a lot Mary Darling Mark asked me to I know Ted here. You better take these sandwiches with you. You'll be hungry. Oh, but You knew I was going out. Yes, I knew you listen to us I couldn't help it Ted. I had an idea what Mark's visit was about the talk about his uncle's death There's a lot of gossip about it in the village. That's why I tried to tell you Why I didn't want you to get mixed up in it But it's too late now. Isn't it? I mean you're going I can tell by the way you look Ted wait a second There's just one thing I want to tell you before you leave That is that no matter what happens no matter what you find or think or believe I Love you You remember that won't you? I'll remember you Said so Marie By the light of a dim kerosene lantern Mark and Ted Stevens Pounded their way through the thick shelf of rock that covered the departs ancestral tomb Pride opened the great slab of stone which lay across the subterranean door and Then at last descended to the dank ink black chamber They found the coffin They dragged it from its cripple and placed it on the coal stone floor They unclamp the lid and opened it Mark It's empty That's impossible. It can't be but it is Mark You know what this means That body wasn't in this coffin when it was placed here I'll swear it was Ted from the time that coffin was closed on Uncle Miles somebody the undertaker or Lucy or me Somebody was with it until it was buried and the crypt was sealed right after then somebody beat us to it Somebody's broken in here ahead of us broken in listen Ted Lucy and I have hardly left the house since the funeral Do you think anybody could break in here smash through that stone and cement without our seeing them without our hearing them well well What well you might as well come on out then but who was that? Me mr. Depa up here My name's captain Brennan. I'm from the office of the commissioner of police from the Like to talk to you if you don't mind mr. Depa here follow my flashlight up But I don't understand that how did you? How did you know about this by listening mainly your mind if we go up to your house mr. Depa why no Not at all. Oh, thank you. Oh Freddy. Look here captain. I Freddie this is mr. Depa It's not great. I don't know you mr. Depa and mr. Ted Stevens, isn't it? Well, how did you? How did you know my name very simple? I got the names of everybody who was here at the day far as the day the old man died You and your wife were included Oh, here. We are but I don't captain who gave you those names. Why your housekeeper, of course Mrs. Henderson you didn't think mrs. Henderson saw the dead cat did you mr. Depa but she did she also saw you bury it and We've been interested in the case ever since Nice place you have here mr. Depa Now let's see According to mrs. Henderson your wife was wearing some kind of a masquerade costume that night What kind of a thing was it? Well, it was it. Oh there you can see it It was copied from the dress and that old painting over there. Oh, yes Where's the woman's face? It's always been that way long as I can remember Somebody must have thrown acid on it or something. I can't blame them much. She was a poisoner poisoner Yes, the story goes that one of my ancestors was responsible for her execution Marie Dobre her name was oh, yes I have read about it learned all the poison tricks from one of her lovers guy for the name of good ass a crop good Oh, yes, mr. Stevens we cops read now and then did did you say good as a clown? That's French We call it cross Absolutely no limit to a cop's education is there But to get back to your wife mr. Depa She was dressed like the famous Marie Now when mrs. Henderson looked through that when just a minute captain mrs. Henderson can't prove she saw a thing and you know What do you mean? I mean you haven't any right to insinuate that my wife was in that room. Well who's insinuating? I'm trying to say that mrs. Henderson have to think it over realize that she was tricked by the costume The woman she saw the funny clothes handing a cup of poison to your uncle wasn't your wife at all. What? Because your wife is an unusually tall young woman and the one mrs. Henderson saw was fully half-ahead shorter more on the order let's say of Mr. Stevens wife my wife. This is read absolutely ridiculous. I don't know Hi, what's the matter mr. Stevens? You're traveling like a leaf Tell me now just for fun Where was mrs. Stevens that night? She was home with me the whole evening certainly She retired early. Yes, we both did you I suppose was sound asleep by midnight as I was and how do you know where your wife was? Look here Stevens. She had to have a custom that was match mrs. Dick Paz. How did she manage that? Where did she get it? Well, she she never had one She never had a dress like that. What about our motive? Why did she poison him? Oh, I don't know for money certainly done. What was it hate? Did she hate my estate? Oh, yes. Yes, she's dead. No. Oh, I don't know. I don't know I tell you Yes, ready. I've owned and got hold of mrs. They find the nurse. All right that mrs. Stevens Couldn't reach her phone won't answer Come back here. Oh good evening. Uh, who are you? I? My name is cross go down cross cross Where's my wife? What have you done to her? You fiend, what have you done to my wife? You why nothing at all young man here here here sit down You're lying something's happened to her the police just phone. There wasn't an answer Why are you here? Why am I here? Well because your wife reading my chapter on the Dubrae is realized I knew more about the family than even she did Because she found my phone number on the front cover of the manuscript And because I know an exceptional case when I hear one does that answer your question? No, and you know it doesn't Can't you see I've got to I've got to know whether yeah, I see whether your wife is that Marie Dubrae who was burnt Burnt by order of the high tribunal for all poison cases the burning court of france witchcraft black magic The world across the threshold You're quite sure no doubt also that I'm godin sankra who first voodoo. No no my boy No, my real name happens to be of all things tom simpson Most unsuitable for a distinguished writing career Amory dubrae is no more your wife's real name than mine is godin cross What your esteemed wife was an adopted child mr. Stevens adopted by people in canada named dubrae Remote members of the real family of poisoners I can't believe it Why Why didn't you tell me if why because until I told her half an hour ago? She didn't know it herself. You see in the course of my research on the family. I found out about it And in the course of talking with your wife. I found out something else How for years she was haunted by the fear That she might be a poisoner by inheritance by blood And you can see can't you why she never talked about it Her past to you. Yes. Yes, and yet mr. Stevens you had all but made her forget that past you And that's why she was willing to lie to steal a picture do anything in order to hold you to her Oh, yes. Yes. I I see that now. You know young man. I I rather think she loves you But as you will see though, I she comes only when I call her Uh, mr. Stevens, you mean she's Marie it's you you're all right. Oh, yes, dear. We're both all right now and nothing can change it ever Marie listen don't say Marie dear say Maggie Maggie. Well, that's my name my real name Maggie McTavish and it's a lovely name dear the most beautiful gorgeous darling darling, please you don't understand The police they think you had something to do with miles death They think I did so now mr. Stevens before we go back to the departs Don't you think you'd better tell me everything that's been said and done up to date Having just saved your wife's soul from the burning court now. I'll rest her body from the electric chair Yes, mr. Deppar truly excellent sherry, don't you think so miss corbett? Yes Yes, it's very nice Well that ladies and gentlemen is how I happen to be here So let us consider first that supernatural hocus pocus in the crypt That body that walked out of the sealed tomb That body that never was in the tomb never was in the tomb. No mr. Deppar The murderer knew that very soon mrs. Henderson story would bring about an investigation He had to get rid of the well-known corpus delecta. Yes, but Who could have kept the body out of the tomb who mr. Deppar? Why you sir? I don't understand it is very simple you had the opportunity I believe you said yourself you were alone with the body before the burial And you had the strength I dare say you carried it down to the furnace Where it's now probably nothing but ashes ridiculous Why would he spend an hour smashing into a crypt for a body? He knew wasn't there why captain? To impress mr. Stevens his witness and also apparently you Fantastic Oh, no lucy just karmic And I suppose mr. Cross that I also put on a woman's masquerade costume Went into my uncle's room and handed him a nice cup of arsenic No, no, no that had to be done by a woman You're accomplice as matter of fact Oh now come come come you mustn't all look at mrs. Deppar because mark deppar's one noble act Was his frantic effort to prevent his wife from being charged with the crime A crime which he and nurse myra corbett committed myra corbett Yes, sir. Yes, mr. Stevens this quiet little lady beside me Why would I do such a thing money miss corbett a cut out of mark deppar's inheritance payments for services rendered That's an absolute lie cross. You see ladies and gentlemen captain brennan never bothered to check miss corbett's whereabouts on the night of the murder Why even think of the nurse she was the custodian of the old man's health Oh, you're crazy you're crazy and yet who but a nurse could so naturally offer the old man a cup a cup He was sure contained medicine. You're making it up And who but miss corbett living right here in this house would know what kind of masquerade dress she must copy Would know when mrs. Henderson would pass the window that night pass and see her and accept her she hoped for lucy deppar That's not true. Oh, yes, miss corbett. Yes, miss corbett that dress was the touch that wrecked you That was your own idea wasn't it not marks you weren't content with a mere murderer share of the prophets You wanted a white share half of the whole estate. You wanted lucy deppar convicted and out of the way for good Well I give you a toast miss corbett With mr. deppar's excellent sharing To a particularly Roofless poisoner And yet you know on the whole I'm rather partial to female poisoners Why only tonight I What's the matter brunette This man's dead And from cyanide if I know anything cyanide from that glass of sherry Cyanide that a nurse could get quite easily that glass was right beside you miss corbett or nobody else was near it Too bad. He didn't drink it as soon as you hoped Second ago. We had nobody to use against you, but we have now miss corbett. We have now And I arrest you for the murder of god damn cross Night mara corbett pays with her life for that crime the former nurse at first protesting her innocence Yes, I'm in here dear. Oh, I thought you might What did you cut it off for? Huh? What do you mean the radio Oh I thought you wanted to talk oh Ted, don't you think I know you're better than that? What was on the radio? Well, there wasn't any Okay It was about mara corbett. She goes to the chair tonight. Oh, I didn't think you wanted to be reminded I don't really but making such an effort to hide it only keeps it alive doesn't it? All right, darling Know what I came in to ask if you wanted a cocktail before dinner the largest one you've got Fine, I'll get off the ice cube. I know if I'll fix up the fire. Okay, marie Uh, where are some papers to start it? Right there by the bookcase and the name's not marie It's maggie because darling marie's dead and gone forever It never did neither of us It was your hand that touched that glass I know that now Then I could return the favor But instead I shall ask that you dispatch your husband This one like all the others now Just a little bit of poison in the drink marie Any kind of what kind Ted? What kind of a cocktail shall we have? Oh Oh Any kind darling any kind at all You've just heard the burning court from john dixon car's famous novel The first in columbia's new series of outstanding classics and chills by world famous authors Tonight's play ladies and gentlemen has one rather special significance. We think you'd like to know about As you perhaps have heard every fine comedian is said to cherish a secret desire to do an abrupt about face He pines for the part of a blackboard Well, tonight you witnessed the fulfillment of one such desire The role of that literary and quite infamous diehard gordon cross Was portrayed by none other than hollywood's expert provoker of laughs charlie ruggles Here in new york for the world premiere of his latest screen success friendly enemies The role of marie Well, that was enacted by a young lady who long ago one national acclaim as one of broadway's most accomplished dramatic actresses Miss julie hayden. Thank you charlie ruggles and miss julie hayden for your splendid performances The play tonight has all plays in this series was produced and directed by charles van der Written by harrell metford and scored barbannard herman Next week. We bring you an intensely exciting and moving drama The life of nelly james This is the columbia broadcasting system