 I haven't kept you waiting. Yes, this is the crime club. I'm the librarian. Death is a knockout. Yes, we have that story for you. Come right over. Take the easy chair by the window. Comfortable? The manuscript is on this shelf. Here it is. Death is a knockout. A very exciting story of a golden opportunity that was melted down by murder. Let's look at it under the reading lamp. It was the night of the Joey Troy Billy Samson light heavyweight boxing match. And the crowd was already pushing into Madison Square Garden, filling it up. A few blocks away, another match was taking place in a small cafe. Between Hank Barnum, a sports writer, and lovely Anne Cooper, a reporter. Look, Pete's sake, and you might try to be reasonable. Don't tell me, Hank. You're a personal friend of Pop Evans, Joey Troy's manager. You were the first one to give Joey Troy a break in print. There are no more tickets left. Why didn't you ask me a few days ago? I might have been able to swing a patch. I didn't see what I see now. What do you see now? A human interest story. The romance between Joey Troy and that girl of his. What's your name? Mabel Smith. Oh, yeah. Oh, but Anne, that's been going on for years. I told you all about it. It was never important until tonight. And tonight? I've got a yen to do a feature. Joey Troy, the brainless wonder fighting for a crack at the champ. Tonight, Billy Samson. Next year, the champ. Who pushed him up the cliff to those dizzy heights? Pop Evans. No, dear, not according to my story. It was a girl who stuck to him, inspired him, gave him the will to make good. Oh, by the way, who's that gorgeous redhead coming this way? Huh? Oh, that's Mabel Smith. I figured you'd be having dinner in this joint. You mind if I sit down? Mabel, this is Anne Cooper. Hello. Yeah, Hank, I got to talk to you about something very important. OK, go ahead. What about her? She's all right. Oh, OK. I trouble, Hank. You enjoy? No, it's Marty French. He wants Pop to get Joey to throw the fight. But Pop ain't doing it, and that means it. Oh, no, take it easy, Mabel. What's the proposition? 50,000 of Joey takes on the chin in the fourth round. Well, why didn't Pop tell me about it? He's scared, Steve. The story broken, the papers, the fight might be called off. Would that be bad for Joey's morale? He don't know what's cooking, Miss Cooper. We didn't tell him. Why not? Because he's a dumb cluck that gets mad. He'd go after Marty and kill him. What do you want me to do, Mabel? You're going to be in Joy's corner tonight, like always? Yeah. Well, keep an eye on the towels they wipe his face with between rounds. Make sure there's no drug on them. All right, honey. I'll do what I can. I'll be watching from the eighth row ringside. So long, Hank. I'll see you later. Goodbye, Miss Cooper. Goodbye, Mabel. Well, there's going to be a hot time in the old town tonight, and I'm burning up because I won't be there. Are you listening to me, Joey? Sure, Pop. You know I was listening. Now, keep pushing him. Don't give him a chance to get sick. You want me to take him this round, Pop? I'll let you know. You better tell me now, Pop. I don't hear so good when I'm fighting. There's the buzzer, kid. Now, we've got to clear out. But, Pop, what do I do? Go after him. But don't leave yourself open. OK. I'll knock him off. Now, Pop, that's the fourth round coming up. What's so special about the fourth round, Hank? I think it could be a lucky number. Is that all? What's the matter with you tonight? You've been barking at me like a mutt. And what's the idea of checking the stuff we take in the ring? There's no harm in smelling the towels, is there? Well, it ain't necessary, either. Joey, get after him. You got him going now. Use both hands. Both hands. Don't give him a chance to get sick. He's going to knock him out, Hank. He's going to knock him out. Both hands, Joey. Don't let him get off the ropes. Pop, what's the matter? I don't. Pop. Pop Evans. Hey, somebody get a doctor quick. I didn't think you'd do it, Hank. I didn't think you'd try to commit murder with 20,000 people around it. People, are you sure you saw the gun? I told you. Marty French was sitting next to me. I know where the shot came from. I didn't hear a thing, and there isn't a mark on Pop. There was a shot, Hank. Marty was telling me how tough it would be if me and Joey never got married. And then Joey went to work on Billy Samson and him. He's coming, too. Shot. You see? He heard it, too. That's when he fainted. Shot. Joey. Joey. Take it easy, Pop. You got to relax. Put him me up. I got to see Joey. He's been shot. He's all right, I tell you. Where is he? Upstairs winning a fight for you. Marty. I saw him carry your weight, Pop. I thought maybe I had an accident. You tried to kill him. Me? Hey, what's this? Something for the press? You got a gun on you, Marty. I'm going to tell you. Right if you'd rather talk to a cop. Hank, let's not have any trouble. Listen, Pop, are you afraid of this, Marty? I don't want any troubles. The way I let people talk about me, chalk it up to a good mood. I got news. Joey lost. No, sweetheart. His dumb boyfriend is the leading contender now. He gets first crack at the champ. When did it happen? Two minutes and 18 seconds to seventh round. I wasn't there to see him do it. I've been with him in every fight. And the biggest one so far. I've taken pictures now. And he's talking on the radio. You know how much I dropped tonight, Pop? That's got nothing to do with us. A hundred grand, sister. But don't get me wrong. I'm not sore. I'm considering it an investment. What does that mean, Marty? You know, Hank, I look at you and I get ideas. Stick around. I'll give you a story you'll never be able to write. Such as? Just stick around. Now, I bought a bottle of champagne. The best. What for? We're going to have a few drinks to Joey, to the next champ. Not with me or not. OK, then beat it. What? Say, who do you think you're talking to? Pop, tell her what I mean when I say, beat it. Maybe you better not wait for Joey. Yeah. All right. I know where I stand. I'll be at the apartment. What's the matter, Hank? You look puzzled. Pop, let me tell you. There was a deal on for the night knee re-naked. I didn't take any money from him, Hank. He sent one of his gangsters to train in camp with an envelope the sneak gave it to me and drove away. There was 20,000 bucks in it I didn't know. I promised you 30 more, didn't I? And I told you where to go. Where's the 20 grand? Where? Why, you dirty crook, I gave it back to you yesterday after Joey and I got back from the train camp. Oh, quit kidding, pal. You're not making any impression on the press. He is, Marty. I believe him. You don't say. Are you going to write about it? Huh? We'll wait for Joey, huh? Maybe he'll want to drink some of this champagne with us. I don't feel like talking. I'm depressed. You and Hank wasn't there to see me finish, pal. What took you so long, Joey? They was taking a lot of pictures, moving pictures. Where's Mabel? She had to go home, kid. Oh, for her? She always waits for me to get to work. She had to go home, big shot. I ain't talking to you, Marty. That's what you think. I don't want you to bother me. I don't feel so good. What's the matter, son? Get these gloves off me, Palmer. Sure. You don't have to act like you're lost. I ain't putting them on never again. What? I mean it. Fighting's too dangerous. What? I'll be a monkey step son. Oh, wait a minute. Let's find out what he means. You know what almost happened in the ring tonight? What happens every time some guy hits me hard? What's that? I get mad, and I don't know what I'm doing, and I might kill some guy sometime, and then I'd be sorry. Oh, no, you're tired, kid. Come on, I'll give you a rub down. I don't want to be sorry. I don't want to kill nobody. You haven't killed anybody yet, and you're not going to. I'm scared, Pop. I never said it before because I don't want you to feel bad, but tonight. What's so different about tonight? I think they took Billy Sampson to the hospital, Hank. Oh. You'll get over it, Joey. And next year, when you're beating the champs. I don't want you to talk to me, Marty. Then you tell him, Pop. He's in the big money now. You're not letting him quit, are you? Listen, Joey, we've quite a long time to get you to the top. And what do you think you're going to do to Mabel if you walk out in us now? Mabel. She wants to be the champ someday. Maybe she wants you to be famous and have a lot of money. She's been waiting for you, son. For me to be champ? Sure she has. Now, if you quit, now you'll break her heart. That's worse than getting mad, ain't it? Yeah. Yeah, I guess I'm just a dumb guy. I don't think. Open that bottle of champagne, Hank. We're celebrating. Open it yourself. I just seen a miracle go to waste. OK, I don't mind. Is that the meal stuff? Right out of my private cellar. You want to pour it? Yeah. I like champagne. I'll get the glasses. Yeah, do that. And then we'll drink to the partnership of Marty French and Pop Evans. Partnership? I'm taking a half interest in Joey, Pop. For how much, Marty? The $20,000, I left him on deposit. And the $100,000, I lost on the fights. I got none of your money. Now get out of here. Now wait a minute. First, you sign this paper. A partnership agreement, $50,50 on Joey as long as he fights. You're taking a big chance, Marty. Am I? Are you going to put it on the front pages, Hank? Or tell the district attorney? OK. Then I say Pop took the money from me. Let him prove that he didn't. Hey, what's this I hear about a partnership? This is nothing for you to worry about, Joey. I don't want you taking it for no partner. I don't like him. Yeah. You'll get over that, too. Well, I guess I picked the wrong time to be nice to you guys. Let's have the drinks. Yeah, here's yours, Marty. This one's for you, Pop. I'll get yours and mine off this tape, Hank. Here. One for you, one for me. Well, here goes to the next chair. And this is good. Can I have another one? Sure. Keep the bottle. Well, so long, pals. I'll see you tomorrow, Pop. Don't waste your time. You coming, Hank? With you. I said before I look at you and I get ideas. Come on. Where? For a little walk. I got some plans I want to discuss with you. Not tonight, Marty. I'm spending it with nice people. I said you're coming, Hank. Would that bulge in your pocket be loaded? You want proof? Good night, folks. So long, Hank. I'll be there, pal. Let's have it, Marty. That's the idea of pushing a gun at me through your pockets. A gun? You fool, easy, Hank. Take a look. A package of chewing gum. I'm going back. The gun's in the other pocket. I'm going with you. Yeah. Oh, here. Keep yourself entertained. Have a stick. Oh, thanks. Well, you don't mind if I do a little chewing, do you? You've got a mouthful already. Yeah, somewhere like it. Keeps me busy. What about those plans you wanted to discuss with me? Oh, yeah. You and I are going to be boozing pals for the night. Really? In the morning, I suppose you'll throw me over for a blonde. You don't get it. We're going to be inseparable. You're going to be my alibi. Your what? Yeah, that's right. Something's liable to happen to one of those lugs in the dressing room. Now, look here, Marty. If you think your gorillas are going to. Don't get excited. I said liable. And that means that I, uh, uh. Hey, what's the matter with you? I don't know. So there's just it being a story that I got pains off like. Marty. Marty. Well, I'll be. He's dead. That's an exciting situation, isn't it? What do you think will come of it? We'll return to the story in a moment. You see, I'd like to talk to you for just a minute. As librarian of the crime club, I'm extremely interested in what you think of crime stories. And all of us will be very grateful to you for a short letter about them. Do crime stories supply a kind of relaxation for you after your day's work? Do they perhaps take your mind off the various problems that you'd like to forget for a little while? Do you find them interesting as sidelights on the minds of evil doers and as illustrations of the eventual failure of evil? Won't you take just a few minutes to write to us to tell us why you listen to crime stories? Your thoughts are so important to us. A letter or a card will be most deeply appreciated. Won't you please write one to the crime club in care of the mutual broadcasting system, New York 18? You'll be doing a great service to us. And you'll be helping us in planning these programs for your enjoyment. The address is the crime club, care of the mutual broadcasting system, New York 18. May we hear from you? And you shall hear from us now as we continue the story of death is a knockout. Marty French is dead in the corridor outside Joey Troia's dressing room. It is 15 minutes later. And in the dressing room. I tell you, Hank, Joey didn't put a thing in Marty's drink. Listen, Pop, the police are going to be here in a few minutes. They're going to ask a lot of questions. He was all standing around this rub-down table, wasn't he? Did you see him do anything out of line? Not here. But we didn't see him pour the champagne. Wait a minute. I don't like what you're saying, Hank. That ain't friendship. All I want is the truth. Do you take that back? Take it back? No, Joey. Stop it, Pop. Pop, you're the boss. But he's got no right to put ideas in my head. All right, Joey. Now get dressed. We're going home. Maybe we're waiting. When did this happen, Pop? On the way home from the garden. After the cops told us we could go home. We dropped Hank and then Joey began to act up. I killed them, Naples. Oh, shut up, you dumb adonis. I remember while I was pouring the champagne, I was listening to Marty tell Pop he was a pop. I was getting mad or every time he opened his mouth. It was a bottle of rub-n-down stuff on the table with the skull and bones on the label. You didn't use it. Do you understand? I understand, honey. But maybe I did. Hank kept saying I did. How am I going to deal with him? How can I go after a match with a champ as long as this idiot thinks he's a murderer? Matches and money. That's all you ever think about. Squeeze the gold out of him. What do I do to you? Maybe that ain't no way to talk to Pop. Don't tell me how to talk. Why don't he let us get married? Why don't he cancel that no-marriage clause in your contract? Well, I signed, Naples. Did you know it was there? Did you even bother to read the paper? No, honey. I was a kid and Pop said it was OK, so I listened, Pop. Joey, have I been a good manager to you? Oh, who says you wasn't? Didn't I take you into my house when you had nothing? I fed you. I clothed you. I'd built you up to be a leading contender. Well, I ain't complaining, Pop. All right, then. Believe me, son, marriage is no good for you now, not until you're the champ. You can't have too many things on your mind. You hear that, Mabel? I got it to what Pop says. Oh, you make me sick. Even so, now that I'm thinking, you wouldn't want to get hitched in no murderer. That again, huh? Well, maybe you know why you killed Marty. Yeah, he was getting them Pop's hair. He made me mad. Pop's hair? Sure. Say, Pop, even if Joey had 50 managers, he'd still get his 60%, but a partner would cut your profit in half. What are you getting at, Mabel? You had a reason for killing Marty, and all the time you've been letting Joey think he did it. No, that ain't so, Mabel. Pop ain't no killer. No. Watch me prove it. Get away from that phone, will you? Try and make me. I'm going to call the cops, and I'm going to get them the whole set up between you and Marty. Drop that phone. Hey, Pop, got it, are you trustin' on me? Well, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lose my temper. But I want no more talk of murder. Now, look, Ann Cooper, you may be the light of my life, but you haven't got a better reason to be. But, Ann, darling, a girl can be lonesome. Oh, but, Ann, it's against the rules at two o'clock in the morning, and besides, I'm tired. Pop, you're out of circulation? Good night, dear. Good night. What is this, lover's lane? Go home and let me die in peace. So, all right, all right. But you better not be the milkman. Hank, I'm sorry to be bothering you. I think nothing of it, maybe I'm running open house. Joey's in trouble. Something besides murder. I'm serious. I just saw something in the papers. The coroner found poison in Marty's stomach. No kidding, and how did he get there? Joey thinks he did it. Hank, you gotta help me. Joey's innocent, but when I left the apartment he was talking about giving himself up. Now, that, maybe, may be the only idea he ever had. I thought you were his friend. What motive did he have for killing that gambler? He's crazy about Pop, and Marty was trying to hone in. Sure, on Pop. Now, would Joey rub out a guy with poison? You think it was too subtle for him? I know it. He'd do it the hard way with his knuckles. Could be. Say, Mabel, was the glass that Marty drank the champagne from Tessit by the police for poison? I don't know. Why? I thought that might have been in the papers, too. How'd you like to drive downtown with me? Where to? The Morgue, for a bird's eye view of Marty. Yeah, I'd like to, but I'd better stick close to Joey. In his frame of mind, you never know what he'll do next. Oh, it's you, Mr. Barnum. Come in. I'm always glad when somebody walks in here. How's business? Very quiet. What brings you to us at this hour? Marty French. Oh, yes. Would you like to see his body? Not this minute, but I would like to examine his clothes. Are they here? You, too? Who else? Well, there's a lady looking at him now. A lady? In the wardrobe room. She's very beautiful, Mr. Barnum. I don't often get a chance to... Is she about this tall? Yeah. And has she got blue eyes and a full mouth? A lovely mouth, Mr. Barnum. And when she walks, does she... Yes, Mr. Barnum, just like that. Is she a friend of yours? She was. And you don't know who I am for you, a live woman. Oh. Hello, darling. Hey, what are you doing here? Are you still lonesome? You wouldn't take me to the fight. Did you know there was going to be a murder? No, Ann, dear, but that's no reason for you to be picking a dead man's pocket. The police said he was poisoned. He drank champagne a few minutes before he died, and there was no poison in his glass. Are you sure of that? That's what they told me. So I came here looking for a clue. I'm a reporter, remember? What did you find? Oh, nothing much. This package of cigarettes, some loose change, and this package of... Oh. And just imagine how I felt when I pulled that out of his pocket. Let that be a lesson to you. Where's the package of chewing gum? How'd you know about that? I'm psychic. Let me have it. Oh, Hank, it's my favorite brand. Well, you better switch, honey. That kind good is what, for what, ails you. If you want to stop ailing for good. How can you be so sure that gum contains poison? You're a tough kid to convince, Ann. I like proof. All right, I'll give it to you. Here? Why not? It's a beautiful spring night, and the bugs run all their glory. Pardon me if I think you've gone. What? Bugs. Thank you, sweetheart. I take a stick of this gum, unwrap it, break it up into little pieces, and lay them on the sill of the car window. My mother always told me never to trust a sportswriter. In a few seconds, little bugs with wings will zoom out of the atmosphere to nibble at the bait. And won't they be surprised? You're so cruel. Ah, here they come. Look at them go for that sugar-coated poison. Have a good time, little brothers. You're helping me find the murderer. Oh, but Hank, are those bugs? Yes. Isn't it amazing? They're dying like flies. Joey, will you stop moping and go to bed? I ain't staying here in the apartment with you. I want Mabel. No, I don't know where she is. I've looked all over town for her. You ain't telling me the truth, Joe. You don't like Mabel. You twisted her arm. What's the matter with you? Boy, you're like a wild animal. Yeah, a wild animal. I get mad, and I don't know what I'm doing. I could kill a guy and not know I'm doing it. Come on, now you're tired. Go to bed, sleep it off. I notice you getting mad like that, too. I killed anybody. I didn't know about it. That's the way you got it on me, Pop. Everybody knows I'm a dope. What are you trying to do, pin that murder on me? Mabel said you got the reason, didn't she? Well, that's it. Well, now listen to me, son. I'm not taking the nap for you or anybody else. What's so funny about that? You ain't so smart, Pop. I just tricked you up. Huh? You seen me do it, didn't you? So you do what? You saw me slip the poison in the glass. Now look at here, Joey. I don't want any more talk. Go to bed. I'm going to find Mabel. And then I'm going to give myself up to the cops. Look, Joey, please listen to me. You've got a brilliant career. We worked hard. We're near the top. You can't throw it away. Get out of my way, Pop. Think of me. I'm an old man. I can't go out and start looking for somebody else now. It takes years to build a good fighter, and I haven't got the time. Pop, you're making me mad. You owe me something. I pulled you out of a poor woman's agent or a human being. You're not going to let me down. I don't want to covet the appetite. I'm the winner. Pop, you're right. Don't be there like it was dead. I don't mean to hit you. We're going around in Central Park at 4 o'clock in the morning. What do you think we are, Hank? A couple of sailors? I don't like it any more than you do, Ann. But we've got to find Joey. We're not going to find him. Go to bed. Huh? There he is, sitting on that venton of the obelisk. Well, of all things. His favorite spot. That's where he met Mabel for the first time. Hello, Joey. Oh, it's you, Hank. Yeah, and this is Ann Cooper. How do you do? Pleased to meet you. What are you doing here, Joey? I couldn't find Mabel, so he wanted to be alone with my thoughts. Oh, you poor thing. She throw you over for a wrestler? She wouldn't do nothing like that. She's a good kid. Now calm down, Joey. Have you seen Pop recently? Yeah, about an hour ago. And you know he's dead. Huh? What are you trying to give me, Hank? He ain't dead. He was when we saw him, Joey. Well, I hit him on the jaw because he made me mad. But I brung him through and he went to bed. We didn't find him in bed. He was on the floor. Somebody had cracked his skull with a hammer. Wait a minute. Do you say it was me? Would I dare? Not if you know what's good for you. Oh, I'm Mabel. Mabel, honey. I figured you might be sweating it out here, Joey. I couldn't find you anyplace else. They're telling me I killed Pop. Don't pay attention to him. They're not your friends. So you know about Pop too, huh? Why shouldn't I? I found him and I called the cops. Would you know who killed him? One of Marty's boys. And Pop got him because he killed Marty. Is that what you told the police? Yes. And I gave him the whole inside story about Pop and Marty too. Well, I guess that settles that. How about some gum? You got some, Hank? Mm-hmm. Right here. What kind is it? A popular kind. A kind Marty used to chew all the time. We found it in the pocket of his coat at the morgue. Huh? You're not afraid of it, are you, Joey? I'm not afraid of nothing. Give me a piece. OK. One for you too, Mabel? No. I never chew. Oh, that's too bad. How about you, Ann? I don't mind. Don't forget to take the paper off, dear. Stop it, Joey. Well, what's the matter? Don't put that gum in your mouth. Why not, Mabel? Come on, Joey. We're getting out of here. Just a minute. We've got a few things to talk about first. If you add them up, they'll total like murder. Tell me, Ann, do you think the automobile will ever replace the horses? This is much more romantic. Carriage ride in Central Park by the dawn's early light. Yeah. Ann, darling. Hold your horses, Ann. When did you decide that Mabel killed Marty? When you found that package of chewing gum. He wasn't killed by the champagne, so therefore, and to whip. But how could she have slipped it into his pocket? You were all in Joey's dressing room together. She didn't do it there. She performed that bit of hocus pocus during the fight while Marty Frank was sitting next door, thinking about Pop's business. Oh, I see. And Marty was much too absorbed to know what was happening. But why did she kill Pop? Because of Joey. What do you mean? Well, her idea in getting rid of Marty was to frame Pop. The old guy had a hold on Joey. She couldn't break. Then the unexpected happened. What unexpected? Joey, the big dope, developed guilt feelings and was going to throw himself at the chair. Oh, you never know, do you? Oh, well, Hank, don't you think the horse has many advantages over the automobile? Well, you can't eat an automobile. I mean, lie back in a carriage and listen to the trot, trot, trot. So romantic and so peaceful. Darling, have I told you tonight how lovely you are? Not yet. But it never hurts. Like a moonbeam on it. And look at me. What was the matter? Would you kill a couple of men just to get me? Don't be silly. Of course not. But I'd slaughter a couple of dozen women. And so close is tonight's crime club story. Death is a knockout. Steadman Coles wrote the radio script. Roger Bauer produced and directed. Tonight's cast included Sidney Smith as Hank Barnum, Ted DeCaulcia as Joey Troy. Barbara Joyce played Mabel Smith. Bill Smith was Pop Evans. Arthur Vinton was heard as Marty French. And Joan Tarkin was Ann Cooper. Oh, I beg your pardon. Hello. I hope I haven't kept you waiting. Yes, this is the crime club. I'm the librarian. Yes, come over a week from tonight. We have the very exciting story of love and politics in which the deciding vote was cast by death. It's called Herces, Don't Hurry by Stephen Ransom. In the meantime, well, in the meantime, there is a new crime club book available this week. And every week, it bookstores everywhere. Yes, it's available now. Fine, and we'll look for you next week. This program came from New York. This is the mutual broadcasting system.