 Mr. District Attorney! Well, that's great. The DA ain't gonna have a leg to stand on. You're a smart lawyer, Lester. Orlando, I ask you to come over here to my house today to clear up some of the details of the case I'm preparing for the Ohio kids' defense. There are certain angles I want to talk over with you. I'm leaving it all to you, Lester. I hired you to get my torpedo to the Ohio kid out of that murder rep that the DA has on him. You're the best criminal lawyer in the country. Do it your way. But you've got some good ideas too, Orlando. Hey, think so. A man who can build up the biggest restaurant racket in the country and line up all the food wholesalers and waiters in their city must have brains. Well, I got kind of a flair for organization. That does restaurant owners eatin' right out of my hand. You ain't cleaned up plenty of dough from the restaurant, Rackett. I just said you were a smart man, Orlando. You'd better stay that way. What do you get, Matt? You and I have an agreement, Orlando, and the smart thing for you to do is to live up to it. Well, ain't I? You're going to get that check for 100 grand just as soon as you win the murder case and the Ohio kid goes free. You agreed that check for $100,000 is mine win or lose. All right. But it's a nesco. Just to be sure you don't grab the dough and take a powder on me. You see, I don't like to get double crossed. Duke, as far as I'm concerned, the money is the least important part of our deal. Though I want it, of course, but the thing I'm most interested in is getting the nomination for the office of district attorney at the next election. Yeah, I'll get it. You beat the DA at the kid's murder trial and my political friends will fix that nomination for you. Okay, Duke. But just remember, I won't stand for a double cross either. Try anything phony and you'll wind up in the electric chair. I know how to put you there. I wouldn't double cross you, Lester. You're my lawyer. Lucky Lynch was your right-hand man and now he's in the hospital with a bullet in his stomach because you double crossed him. That's different. Lucky knows too much. Maybe I know too much, too. The same thing will happen to me. Lester, sometimes you get the scruest ideas. I need your help to beat the DA. I ain't going to double cross you. You'd better not. Okay, okay. Well, I got a blow, Lester. So long, Orlando. Oh, look, there's something I forgot to tell you. That check for a hundred grand. What about it? I borrowed that dough from the crime syndicate in Pittsfield. I know. I saw PJ Pierpont's signature on it. He's head of the syndicate. You know him? Not very well. I haven't seen him for quite some time, but we've had dealings in the past. Yeah? Well, look, don't say anything to him about that check if you see it. You see, he don't want anybody to know his syndicate has given me financial backing. Why not? Well, PJ's got his reasons. He wants to keep this deal under cover and I gotta do what he says. You're sure the check's all right? It's certified, ain't it? I mean, you're sure the syndicate really loaned you that money? Sure you're not trying something shady? Say, I wouldn't try to pull any funny stuff on those boys. Okay, dude. Okay. You have my word. I won't say anything about it. Thanks. I wouldn't want anything to get back to PJ. That would be bad. Yeah, that, that'd be very bad. Not too much off the top, Emil. My hair's thin enough up there as it is. Well, Mr. Vester, I'm glad you could come up here to see me. Well, I'm glad to see you, Mr. Pierpont. Sure is convenient to have your barber cut your hair right in your own home. Well, I have to do this. A banker can call his time his own. That's why I said I'd see you here, Mr. Vester. I knew when you called my office that this was the only opportunity I'd have to see you. My day is completely filled. A trim those sideburns a little higher this time, Emil. Hmm. Heading a big syndicate like yours must keep you very busy. Oh, yes, indeed. What did you want to see me about, Mr. Vester? About one of your, uh, interests, shall we say, Mr. Pierpont? I wasn't aware we had any dealings at present, Mr. Vester. Indirectly, Mr. Pierpont. Could, uh... Could we discuss it in private? Certainly. Uh, that's all for now, Emil. I'll call you when we're through. Well, Mr. Vester? Mr. Pierpont, I've been retained by Duke Orlando as his lawyer to defend his torpedo the Ohio Kid against a charge of murder. Yes, I... I heard so. My fee is guaranteed by a hundred thousand dollar check drawn against your syndicate. Our check for a hundred thousand? Oh, I realize I wasn't supposed to know about that check, Mr. Pierpont, but you can rely on my discretion. You actually saw a check for one hundred thousand dollars signed by you and certified. I see. There's nothing wrong with it, is there, Mr. Pierpont? Did you ever consider, Mr. Vester, that it, uh... might be a forgery? You mean you didn't give Orlando the money? Well, that's entirely possible. I get you, Mr. Pierpont. You don't want to talk about it. You're assuming that we are financing Mr. Orlando? I'm not assuming anything. I know you're backing him, but you needn't worry. I won't talk about private investments, shall we say? Call it what you will. I'd advise you not to say anything about this matter to anyone. Okay, have it your own way, Mr. Pierpont. I don't know Duke Orlando. I never saw the check, and I don't know anything about you or your crime syndicate. You're a shrewd article, Mr. Pierpont. He's very careless of Mr. Orlando to show you that check. Oh, he isn't entirely to blame. You see, I demanded cash in advance for my services as attorney. He had no alternative but to show me this syndicate's check. I'm glad you told me about this, Mr. Lester. I know you won't carry it any further. You can depend on me, Mr. Pierpont. Nothing will get out. I just wanted to know where I stand. Mr. Lester, you'll have to excuse me now. As soon as Emil finishes my hair, I've got to call a special meeting at the board. A certain matter needs immediate attention. Good afternoon, gentlemen. Is everyone here? Where's Reeves? He had to fly out to the coast, PJ. He's in trouble with the west coast company. We'll hold this meeting with Alam. Something very important has come up. What is it, PJ? Gentlemen, I believe you were all present a few days ago when Mr. Duke Orlando asked this syndicate for a loan of $100,000. Yes. And I believe it was the unanimous decision of this board not to approve the loan. Am I correct? What's all this leading to, PJ? This. You may be interested to know, gentlemen, that Mr. Duke Orlando has a certified check drawn on our syndicate in the amount of $100,000. That's impossible, PJ. We refused the loan. Nevertheless, such a check is in existence. I learned of it today from Mr. Lester, Orlando's attorney. Gentlemen, Duke Orlando has deliberately forged a $100,000 check on our corporation. We've got to get that check stopped. That's right, but gentlemen, there's a principle involved here that I must bring to your attention. Duke Orlando is misrepresenting to certain parties that he has our financial backing. We know Orlando is a poor credit risk and so do others. And when he claims he has our financial support, he's putting our syndicate in a very bad light. You're right, PJ. Our clients will get the impression we're careless in our investment. Exactly. Our reputation in banking circles is sound. Should it become known that we advanced money to poor credit risks such as Duke Orlando, our whole financial standing would be undermined. We can't afford that. Decidedly not, gentlemen. This is a matter for our collection department. And I suggest we send several of our credit men to dispose of the matter at once. Hey, buddy, can you spare a time? Go on, bum, get out of my way. Give me a time for a cup of coffee, will you, Duke? Hey, will you? Why don't you know my name? Take a good look, Duke. Don't you recognize me? Harry de Bum. Yeah. I got something for you, Duke. Go on, you tramp. I don't need any tips. Tell him someplace else. Things are kind of slow, Duke. I don't get much information to pass around to the boys these days, but I got something to do you some good. Something that'll save you a lot of trouble. Let's have it. Get in the doorway, will you? I can't talk to you on the street. All right, come on. Duke, I got a hot tip for you. Yeah, what? The money talks first, Duke. This tip's worth a hundred bucks. Yeah, you're nuts. All right, all right. It ain't my funeral. I don't want all your tips worth a dime to me. Oh, I got a reputation, Duke. My tips is on a level. And when I say something's worth a hundred bucks, it's worth a hundred bucks. I'll give you a fifty. Guess you don't hear good. I'll give you a hundred, Duke. Okay, fifty now and fifty after you tell me. So long. I don't do business with chisels. Wait. I'll buy Harry. Yeah. Here's a seno. Thanks, Duke. Well, what do you know? I hear some of the boys from this crime syndicator in town looking for you. How'd you know that? I heard a couple of fellas talking about a check you forged on the syndicate. Two of that crowded men are out to take care of you. How'd they find out? I don't know who they sent, but they got Trigger Smith and Smiley Jackson and a payroll. All them credit men are killers, Duke. When they go after a guy they... they don't miss. I thought you'd like to know. Hello. Hello. District attorney speaking. Hello, D.A., this is Duke Orlando. Duke Orlando? Yeah, I understand you're looking for me, D.A. Not particularly, Orlando. Well, I'm coming right down to see you. I don't want to see you now. Now, listen, D.A. Well, I want you, Orlando. I'll come and get you. Good night. Well, Arrington, that's one I can't figure out. Duke Orlando wants to give himself up. The pressure must be getting too tough for him, D.A. Maybe he wants to make a good impression when we get him in court. He can say we didn't have to go out looking for him. He sounded pretty nervous on that form. Something's got him scared. I don't know just what, but after I get through with these reports, I'm going over to the hospital and have a talk with Lucky Lynch. He ought to know what's up. Yes, if he's well enough to talk. It's not been coming along so well the last day or so. Now, you get out of here, Arrington. I've got about two hours' work on these reports before I can get over to the hospital. Well, Mr. District Attorney, good afternoon, Doctor. I am on my way in to see your patient, Lucky Lynch. How is he? I want to speak to you about him. He's been in a coma most of the day. I didn't know he was that bad, Doctor. The drains we have on his wound show that infection is setting in. It's serious, isn't it? Bullet lodged in the stomach wall, and when infection develops that close to a vital organ, we've got a fight on our hands. Then it may be fatal? It's a 50-50 chance, Mr. District Attorney. Can I see him now? Yes, he's conscious, but I wouldn't ask him to talk very much. He's extremely weak. A strain of talking would react un-paperably. All right, Doctor. Thank you. Hello, Lucky. Now, don't say anything. Let me do all the talking. The doctor says you shouldn't exert yourself. Now, I'm going to ask you some questions. Just answer yes or no if you can. Lucky, I've been in my office for the past two hours, and in that time, Duke Orlando has telephoned three times. He says he wants to give himself up. Each time he called, he sounded more nervous and jittery than the time before. Can you think of anything that would make him so panicky he'd run to me for help? Has he any underworld enemies who might be out to get him? Can you answer that, Lucky? Has he any enemies? Lucky. Lucky. Oh, nurse. Come here right away. His patient is unconscious. He may be... Hello, D.A. Hello, Harrington. Did Duke Orlando call again when I was at the hospital? No, D.A. Did you find out anything from Lucky Lynch? No. Lucky's very low. He passed out when I was there. You mean he's dead? No, but very close to it. He lost consciousness just when I started talking to him. He didn't even answer me. I left word at the hospital to call me when he comes to. That's tough, D.A. He's your key witness against Duke Orlando. If Lucky dies, your case dies with him, and Duke will be free to continue his racket. Well, Lucky has a 50-50 chance, Harrington, and so have I. Must be the hospital now. District attorney speaking. Listen, D.A. What's the matter, Orlando? It's important, I tell you. You got it? I'm not falling for this trick, sir, Orlando. It's not a trick, I swear. Hello? Hello? Hello? Harrington, something's happened with the Duke. I've got to get out of his house fast. Mr. District Attorney, dramatized by Phillips H. Lord, will be with you again tomorrow. All names of characters used in this program are for obvious reasons fictitious. Mr. District Attorney, subsequent to Friday of this week, will come to you once a week in half-hour form, commencing June 27th, 10 to 10.30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Saving Time. It will not be heard during the intervening week. This present period will be occupied beginning Monday of next week by Fred Waring in Pleasure Time. This is the National Broadcasting Company, RCA Building, Radio City, New York.