 Johnny dollar that McCracken Johnny universal adjustment Bad haven't had an assignment from you in there. Oh several days Listen this expense account of yours on that case you just finished. Oh now listen Pat after all these years And I not only gave you a full report, but a night of my statement I know that expense account was completely legitimate from start to finish Every single item was money out of my own pocket that they spent to solve that case What case the one you're talking about the one I handled for you last week whatever was you don't remember what it was Well, what difference does it make all I'm saying is that whatever expenses I put down there were completely justified remember What the total came to having the least I did then let me remind you now look that's beside the point Well, I tell you every penny of it was $12 and 30 cents. That's right. Now. Do you blame me for thinking maybe you were sick or something? Oh Oh, no, and I thought you were okay Pat arguments over You mean you are gonna question that expense account. No, I mean we never discussed a fee on that case Oh Well, the fact that you had a pretty rough time of it and almost got yourself killed Well, I persuaded the company to slap on an extra fee of five hundred bucks Pat you are a doll and I had a sluggy See on this one too We'll see I'll risk it then grab a flight to Buffalo Buffalo contact Edward J. McNair at McNair's Emporium McNair's what the Emporium. That's one of the big department stores Somebody lifted a few dollars out of their safe last Saturday how much Something over four hundred thousand Wow Well, oh keep Adam on my way CBS radio brings you Bob Bailey in the exciting adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator yours truly Johnny dollar And now act one of yours truly Johnny dollar Expense accounts submitted by special investigator Johnny dollar to the Universal Adjustment Bureau home office Hartford, Connecticut Following as the count of expenses incurred during my investigation of the Buffalo matter Expense account item one forty nine fifty plane fare and incidentals to Buffalo, New York item two eight dollars even for taxi fares After dropping my luggage at a hotel I went over to the Emporium in the big office on the top floor. I talked to mr. McNair himself 421,216 Dollars according to the books. Ah, that's quite a loss mr. McNair And I suppose mr. Dollar that to some extent it's my own fault My fault. Oh, why do you say that sir? Heaven knows John Harker suggested changing the procedure more than once John Harker Yes, my young personal assistant also company treasurer. Oh, I see but I've run things single-handed the same old way for so long And nothing like this ever happened before What do you want to tell me about it? We followed the same procedure every Saturday night for over 28 years Which is to say that as soon as the store was closed each department head in turn Brought his cash receipts up here to the treasurer this John Harker Then Harker gave the department head a receipt put the money in the vault and that was that Well, sir, it seems to me it would have been a lot safer to have an armored car deliver that money to the Depository of some bank during the day. Maybe several times a day exactly what John suggested some time ago I suppose I should have listened to him Well, go on sir last Saturday after we closed things went along quite as usual That is until mr. Ellery in sporting goods always the last to bring his money to the vault Until he knocked on Harker's door. Oh, right on cue. Excuse me. Come in Mr. McNair John John come in, please. I want you to meet mr. Johnny dollar. This is John Harker Dollar higher dollar represents the insurance companies. We trust will make good on our loss Well, I certainly hope you to make more progress than the police have mr. Dollar that bandage on your head have anything to do with the robbery Harker Yes, it certainly has terrible isn't it? I sit down John Tell mr. Dollar exactly what happened on Saturday the night when mr. Ellery came up to turn his cash over to you Thank you, sir Oh, I'm afraid it was all my fault. I'm not a bit of it. Yes. Yes for being caught off guard All right, what happened? Well when Ellery knocked on the door of the vault room. I asked who it was he told me and Well, I should have known by his tone of voice that something was wrong now John You're not to blame this sort of thing could have happened to anybody even Even to me Thank You mr. McNair, but it doesn't all to the fact that Well dollar I went over and locked the door for Ellery, but instead of walking in he was forcibly thrust into the room The door was thrown back so hard it knocked me down knock me unconscious Terrible terrible and when I came to the cash drawers of the vault were empty the keys had been literally Torn out of my pocket. You should have a new suit for that John. Thank you, sir Ellery poor mr. Ellery lay there bound with adhesive tape had to be badly beaten Did you see whoever it was came barging in that way if I hadn't been standing behind that door? I might have I see What about this man Ellery telling John yes, sir? Well poor Ellery did catch a glimpse of him But the man was wearing a sort of mask over his face. He gave what description he could to the police of course and Well, that's about it. Thank you John now go on. Yes, sir I want to wait a minute. I don't misunderstand me mr. Dollar But I don't want to keep John around here any longer than necessary. Well, but I don't want to be around I'll cancel the trip gladly trip of course After what's happened that knock on the head was pretty serious John is taking my cruiser on a little trip. Oh, I can't say I blame You can leave tonight as you play. Have you say mr. McNair Parker? Wait a minute. Your friend already to go with you Oh, I hope you don't mind my taking him along Bit now run along run along have a good time and a good rest. Yes, it's customary Thank you very much. Mr. Dollar. I suppose you'd like to talk to mr. Ellery now well Yeah, I'd like to talk to somebody who was involved in this thing David Ellery the other victim of the robbery was still out to lunch So I grabbed a bite myself that's item three a buck seventy five and checked with the police Nothing helpful at all. No leads on the man who got away with over $400,000 from the store there in Buffalo, New York Then I went over to the Emporium to the sporting goods department Ellery was back and I talked with him in a little office in the corner of the stock room He was still suffering from the beating he'd taken It was awful terrible and Yes, sir, it was just like young mr. Harker told you it was I understand that you gave the police a description of the man who attacked you Well, yes, sir the best I could had you ever seen him before that. You know, of course I can't be absolutely sure Because of that mask he was wearing but I don't think so Was he waiting at the door of the vault room when you got there to put the money in the safe? Well, mr. Harker always does that sir. Yeah, I suppose so. I just go up and knock on the door And tell him who I am where you see he always keeps the door locked when he's taking the company cash that way So I knock on the door and shot my name and then he opens up and I give him the money Then he gives me a receipt and he puts the money in the boat But you didn't answer my question When did you first see this man in the mask? We're only when mr. Harker was opening the door for me. Yes He must have sneaked up one day and then just when mr. Harker opened the door He grabbed me by the shoulders and sir. He just threw me into that board room Oh, and John Harker was struck by the door as it was banged open. Oh, young fellow. It must have hurt him something terrible Knocking him out that way Looks to me like you got the worst of it Oh, I'm so sorry for John Harker. What nice young fellow like him Trying so hard to make his way in the company and then to have a thing Like this happen. Mr. Allery a little good for himself to do a real good for the employer now Well, I'm not telling you good ideas for building up the business And mr. McNear like that and kept pushing him ahead. Oh, yeah, so that someday John could be earning himself a lot of money not to us old timers ever complain I mean about the weight scale here to him wait a minute, please How long has John Harker been with the important About a year now and he's lived up to the recommendations. He come with so well It's just no wonder mr. McNear recommendations from where? Macy's and Kimbos in New York and John won a micro in Philadelphia From lots of big stores a couple in Chicago Yes, sir, mr. McNear told us about it himself when he hired mr. Harker and explained that's why he'd give him a better job than some of us old timers Jimbo's one of them. Don't believe me. You asked mr. McNear You know something mr. Allery. What's that? That's the one thing. I believe I'd better not do What well, thanks a lot you've been a lot of help I Had suddenly begun to wonder about the way mr. McNear had gotten harder out of his office before I got very questioned About the possibility that McNear might have engineered this robbery himself Because it had to be somebody completely familiar with the procedure the routines of that store because of the timing Somebody who knew the place would be virtually empty at that time of day Who knew that Ellery was always the last to take his money up to the vault? I'd noticed a checkbook on mr. McNear's desk. It made a mental note of the name of the bank But it was now after 5 p.m. So rather than push things until I was sure I went back to my hotel room to clean up Eat some dinner and get a good night's sleep But as I started to open my handbag wondering by the way if I'd forgotten to lock it for the first time in my life Yeah, I've heard that sound before I grabbed the bag get a dash for the open window and threw it as hard and as far Out from the building as I could out over the empty lot beside the hotel. I Got a sneaking suspicion about then That somebody in Buffalo didn't particularly want me around Needless to say I had to do a bit of explaining to the police about the infernal machine in my handbag that I'd tossed out of my hotel and The company will have to pay for some broken windows in that neighborhood and Needless to say their only theory about who might have planted that bomb was the man in the mask Whose identity was still unknown to them? But I had an idea Besides the police only three people could have known I was there mr. Ellery I did a type young John Harker Now he was off on a yachting trip and that left mr. McNear But like I said rather than push things without some proof Well, I'm four is seven dollars for drinks and a good dinner and I hit the sack for some much needed rests But first thing in the morning. I was in the cashier's office at the bank. Yes, sir. What can I do? Johnny Barton now what under the sun are you doing here? I'll have you know that I'm not only cashier of this bank, but a vice president too. How are you boy? Look, I got to get right to the point. I Want to know all I can about the financial condition of not only mr. Edward J. McNear, but also the story owns the important Johnny you know the things like that or of a confidential nature between a banker and his client Oh, I can see you're gonna be a lot of help. I'll tell you this though McNair is worth millions millions Johnny. How about outstanding debts against the store? McNair is old-fashioned. He pays cash cash on the line for everything That store has no to penny for oh, I'd say over 25 years nor has McNair himself Johnny if you're by any chance thinking 400,000 is still a lot of money. Well him. It's only a drop in the bucket But of course he's entitled to recover it and if one of the companies you represent has to pay it wait a minute Let me use your phone. Oh, I surely Them 5 840 long-distance calls to New York and Philadelphia Macy's gimbals and John Wanamakers to the personnel directors And from each of them I get the same answer They'd never even heard of John Harker. I Left the bank and went over to the Emporium to the office of mr. McNair I know mr. Dollar. I haven't the least idea where John and his friend are going in my cruiser He simply asked if he might have it for a few days as far as I thought it was your idea That he take that trip. Well, of course, I agreed that he should get away for a few days to rest recuperate a few days And also get away with your $400,000 What played right into his hands? You know anything about this friend he's taking along Well, I presume being a young man with lots of lady friends. Well, I presume It's the guy who helped him with that robbery. What are you saying mr. Dollar? Brother how nicely things are beginning to add up around here to begin with it had to be somebody here in the store and listen I'm listening sir. Harker told me right here in your office He told me that when old man Ellery knocked on the door of the vault room that he that Harker should have known Something was wrong when Ellery called to him and identified him mr. I should have known by the tone of his voice that something was wrong now Those were the words that Harker used you heard him say it too, but he was lying Yeah Because Ellery didn't know the robber was even there until after John had opened the door for him You're sure of that I'm sure Mr. Dollar Are you trying to say that John Harker that fine one? I am trying to tell you that you have made an old fool of yourself that you made your first mistake when you hired that smart young crook I'll have you know that John came here with the highest possible recommendation Yeah, well Macy's and Gimbal's and the rest never even heard of them What so in your blind fate you not only taught him how to stage the robbery he and his pal Whoever he is, but now with your cruiser you've helped him get away with it with your money But good heavens mr. Now if you'll just give me a hand come up with some bright idea for finding that boat of yours Somewhere out in the middle of Lake Erie Yeah, and probably headed for some remote little port on the Canadian side of the lake Believe me if ever I needed a stroke of luck. It's right now You know something well lady luck must have been tagging along right at my heels and don't ever underestimate the United States Coast Guard a Big south-western buildup over Lake Erie so they'd contacted every small boat within a hundred miles The boys aboard McNair's yacht hadn't dared not answering the call It would only have sent the Coast Guard out looking for them and where were they? We're riding out the blown the lee alone point off the Canadian shore Here it is in the chart Or is that just where they say they are Radio compass checks have verified their position right there But now mr. Dollar, you know put some in Canadian waters doesn't know for it So which means we have no jurisdiction no authority, of course our friends across the board will be glad to cooperate anywhere They can I'm sure that yeah by the time we take whatever legal procedures may be necessary Listen yes, sir now off the record unofficially Suppose I were to go out there after them myself. Oh, no mr. Dollar. Well somebody has to have them Suppose I could find a boat on a skipper willing to weather this storm Huh, how about that? Well, I think maybe No, I'm not sure mind you, but I think I've heard of some chap around here that owns a converted sub-chaser Whether out any kind of a story. Yeah, but now of course you understand I'm partly in a position to recommend that you Expense account item six five hundred and eighty five bucks rattle of the sub-chaser in the skipper to go with it and While I'd like to give you a thrilling dramatic ending for this case Well the trip across Lake Erie in that storm did have its moments But from there on in it was just a matter of running down John Harker and his pal Clapping him into chains and hauling him back to Buffalo with the money So expense account total including transportation home Well now wait as it turned out there's a lot more to this thing Yeah, I'll tell you all about it my next report yours truly Johnny down Oh, here's our star to tell you about next week story next week Well as I told you there's a lot more to this case as a matter of fact It turned out to be the most exciting most dangerous assignment Well, join us. Won't you yours truly? Johnny dollar Hollywood and is written produced and directed by Jack Johnstone Heard in our cast for Lawrence Dobkin, Bartlett Robinson, James McCallion, Dick Kremmer, Junius Matthews and Gil Stratton