 The Anchorhawking Glass Corporation brings you crime photographer. What's puzzling you, Ethelbert? One of those quizzes, and it says here, uh, what are these men famous for? Sidney Porter, Samuel Clemens, Charles Dodgson. Well, they're all great authors. Well, how come I never heard of them? Well, you would if they printed their pen names. They're O'Henry, Mark Twain, and Lewis Carroll. Well, I'll be. Those names are famous. Everybody knows them. Like everybody knows Anchorhawking. The most famous name in glass. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Tony Marvin. Every week at this time, the Anchorhawking Glass Corporation of Lancaster, Ohio, and its more than 10,000 employees bring you another adventure of Casey crime photographer. Ace Cameraman, who covers the crime news of the great city. Written by Alonzo Dean Cole. Our adventure for tonight, the Serpent Goddess. Around two o'clock, a sumptuous suite in one of our city's finest hotels. There's a knock at the door, and a big, weather-beaten man opens it. I guess you're the newspaper folks have found me. I'm Dan Sykes. Ah, thanks for giving us this appointment, Mr. Sykes. This is Miss Williams. My name is Casey. Oh, I'm real pleased to meet you, Miss Williams. Thank you, Mr. Sykes. You're a swell-looking kid. Thanks again. Come in and make yourself at home. Thanks. Well, what can I do for you? Well, through a mix-up, Mr. Sykes, our paper didn't have anyone at the airport this morning to cover your arrival with Mr. Johansson. And the Morning Express wants to rectify its blunder now with a special interview. Pictures too. Take all the pictures you want and ask all the questions you want. We'd like to have you partner Mr. Johansson in on this. We phoned him, but he wasn't in. Oh, Chris went out to look for a cheaper place to live. He ain't like me. I'm going to enjoy my dough. According to our new service reports, you and Johansson have already sold part of the emeralds you found in South America for over a million dollars. That's right. I'm a nouveau rich. But we didn't sell the best ones. We brought the eyes back here to the States with us. The eyes? Well, that's what Chris and I call the two big emeralds we found. Reports on how you found all those emeralds have been rather conflicting, Mr. Sykes. What's the real low down? Well, Chris and I were flying an old crate out of Caracas on our way to Lima when our gas line broke and we had to bail out over the jungle. While we were trying to find our way out, we come under some ruins of an old engine town and under a stone we accidentally knocked over, we found their emeralds. And that's all there was to it. There wasn't another man with you and Mr. Johansson? No, we were alone. The first story we got on you, fellas, was a two very sick man, one with a pocket full of emeralds, had staggered into a village at the edge of the jungle, raving about a third guy they'd seen crushed to death by a big snake. A huge boar, constrictor, or an anaconda with, of all things, a human face. Well, actually, a yarn like that made news. One of them South American reporters dreamed up that crazy stuff. Whoever saw a snake with a human face. Excuse me, someone at the door. Oh, hello, Chris. I think I find me a place to live, Sykes. But such high prices? Oh, you've got company. Well, they're newspaper folks. This is Chris Johansson, Miss Williams. How do you do, Mr. Johansson? Well, you are a pretty lady, Miss Williams. And this is Casey. Hello, Mr. Casey. How are you? They've been interviewing me about our emeralds, Chris. I'd just been telling them that snake story was a lot of bunk. Yeah. Sykes and me was alone in that jungle. Also, we are not afraid of no drums. Drums? One of the goofy stories they told about us was that when we come out of that jungle, we raved about hearing drum beats all the time. We were sick with fever, Sykes. We didn't know what we were saying. We never said anything about drums. No, we never said nothing because we had no reason to. That's right. Well, I... I'd like a drink, Sykes. I see you've got the bottle there. Help yourself. Well, what other questions do you want to ask, Miss Williams? I'd like to know. Sykes, a drum. It can't be here. Oh, not in a city. It can't be here. What's the matter with you, fellas? Nothing. Nothing. Oh, there's music now, Chris. Look out of this window. There's only some Salvation Army folks down there with a bass drum and a couple of horns. Yeah. Yeah, just Salvation Army people with an ordinary old bass drum. Good night, Mrs. Whalebrecker. Now, Casey, what was I saying? Saying good night to Mrs. Whalebrecker. Oh, I don't know, Pat. You hadn't started to say anything yet. Hadn't I? No. Oh, I remember. You know that fellow Sykes who you and Miss Williams told me about interviewing a couple of weeks ago? Mm-hmm. Well, he'd come into this bar today and I served him a couple of drinks. I recognized him immediately from the pictures you took for your paper. After the little blonde, he had with him called him Dan Sykes. No, afterwards. You're a little blonde along, huh? Mm-hmm. A few days ago, we saw him with a big brunette. Well, he told us he was going to enjoy his dough, Annie. He's a awfully nervous acting guy, Casey. Walter happened to hit the bottom of empty wooden ice tub. He was taken down cellar. And when it went boom like a drum, I thought Sykes was going to faint that away. Yeah, he and Johansson are certainly allergic to drum beats, aren't they? They didn't give you no idea why. No. Their only explanation was an obvious phony. The original news report were, hey, you really think there was another fellow with him in that jungle who was squeezed to death by a big snake with a human face? Well, it's a good reason to believe that a third man may have parachuted into the jungle with Sykes and Johansson. Yeah? According to Inside Dope, our paper can't print without risking a libel suit, Sykes and Johansson use their plane for smuggling jobs. And it's thought they specialized in smuggling people from one South American country into another. Like wanted criminals, red huts. Yeah, and political troublemakers. It's suspected that Sykes and Johansson were taking an exile revolutionist back to a country he'd been kicked out of when their plane went bad, and that he's the other man they talked about when they came out of the jungle. They were both delirious and fever then, but when they recovered and knew what they were saying, they quickly changed their story. You figure they told the truth while they were delirious. Well, they couldn't help it. Then it must have been true about the third guy getting crushed by a big snake, but a snake with a human face. Yeah. Oh, we can't worry about it here any longer. Casey, we've got to get back to the office. Yeah, yeah. Four city desks starts paging. What do I owe you, pal? Uh, it's only, uh, 60 cents. Oh, only 60 cents. That's too bad. I guess I got that much. Oh, excuse me. There's the bar for... Hello? Uh, just a second. Your city desk is paging you, Casey. Huh? Oh, give me. Oh, this is Casey. 301 Hawthorne Street, apartment 3A. Okay, I got it, Burke. Oh, what goes there? Who? Say that again, Burke. In a city apartment? Hey, that's a story, all right. Look it right up there. Hey, what is it, Casey? You look funny. Chris Johansson has been found dead in his apartment. Sykes Park? Yeah. Annie. He was crushed to death. Crushed, squeezed. As though a big snake had coiled itself around him. The story will continue in just a moment. 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The Anchor Glass One Way No Deposit bottle is a product of anchor hocking. The most famous name in glass. Captain Logan, did the medical examiner say that a big snake? He didn't say a snake did it, Miss Williams. He only said that a python or boa constrictor were the only things he knew of that would kill in such a way. Johansson was literally squeezed to death by something big and smooth that coiled around his entire body. In this apartment? Yes, Casey. What do you think, Captain? Only that a snake big enough to do the killing didn't do the killing. That's too crazy, Miss Williams. Oh, not Casey. I just can't figure this one out at all. You know about the first news story about Johansson and Sykes, huh? Yes, I think you told me about it, but that fantastic yarn can't have any bearing on it. Naturally, you're going to question Sykes. My men have orders to bring him here as soon as they can find him. Here's your Sergeant, now, Logan. Now, maybe now we'll get the load out. You found Sykes at his apartment, Sergeant? Yes, Captain. I gave it to him cold about Johansson's death. I thought he was going to pass out on me, especially when I told him it looked like the job of a big snake. He kind of whispered to himself, she followed us. She followed us? Yes, sir. Well, were you able to find out where he was last night when Johansson was killed? Sykes was throwing a big party in his place. His alibi is perfect. Now, bring him in. Yes, sir. She followed us. That's a screwy one, Casey. Yeah, another screwy one like his fear of drums. Mr. Sykes, sir. Oh, I'm Captain Logan, homicide bureau, Mr. Sykes. You already know Miss Williams and Mr. Casey? Let me see, Chris. Now, the body is still in the next room where it was found. Now, step in. Take a look. So that's what she does to our man. Who is this she? Let me out of here, Captain. I can't look anymore. Now, let's go back into the other room. Sit down, Mr. Sykes, and tell us what you know about this thing. I may as well tell you that I know now there's no way of getting away from her. Vasco said we couldn't. Vasco? She got Vasco first. Now it's Chris. Soon it'll be me. You explain what you're talking about? Okay. There were three of us who bailed out of the plane over the jungle. Casey, he said... Quiet. Vasco had caused a lot of political trouble in his own country and he'd been told to stay out of it or else. They paid Chris Jonson and me a thousand bucks to fly him back there without anyone getting wise. We'd have done it if our plane hadn't gone wrong. But it did, and we had to jump. We were in luck, we thought, because all of us landed safely clear. Then, all of a sudden... Sykes, what was that? It sounded like a drum, Chris. It is a drum. Oh, that's not, Vasco. There's nothing but animals in this part of the jungle which are from the air. We're deep in the bush. Ah, look there. Yeah, guys with spears and claws. Indians. They are all around us clearly. You got the only gun, Sykes. Shoot. No, no, don't. The biggest man have laid down his spear and left his hand in a sign of peace. Sy, they're all laying down their weapons. It looked like they are coming as friends. They were friendly Indians. They took us to their village and treated us well. It seems we were the first white men they'd ever run into. An isolated tribe. The Vasco called them a lost tribe, Casey. They had houses built of stone and they acted civilized. That is outside of their religion. Their religion. They worship snakes. Now go on. Four constrictors were sacred to them. And they made human sacrifices to the poor. How? When anyone broke a law, they tied them up in big drums. After a while, a big snake had slid out of the jungle. I saw it done, but it didn't warn me. Let's have the rest, Helen. The top medicine man, the head priest of the tribe, had a good-looking daughter who felt for me hard. She had a bracelet of emeralds. Wait. After I picked up a little of her language, she told me where there were bigger, finer emeralds. I told Chris and Vasco what she'd said, so... one night the three of us started out. We must be getting close to the place she told you about, Sykes. As I get it from her, Chris, we'll find a long stone building completely hidden by jungle drought. A hundred-two-inch higher, Vasco. All right. I do not like these business Sykes. You're going to start that again. If they catch us before we can escape, well, you'll have to see what happened to men who break their law. They're not going to get me squeezed by any big snake, not while I have a gun. Listen, those drums... Right here. They're calling the big snake for the sacrifice tonight. Yeah, that's why I picked tonight to come here. The whole village will be attending the ceremony. You are sure nobody guards that temple where we go to? The girls says it's guarded only by the spirits. They won't bother us. We shall be robbing their temple. Oh, look. There is the long stone building. That's the place. You can walk right in. Sure, take what we want. Come on. It is so dark in there, and these torches give so little light. They'll give it up. The emeralds aren't back. On a statue, you said. Here, come on. I see. Holy snake. A big snake. Ron, get out. Chris, you fool. It's the statue. The statue? Yes, Chris. A character of stone with a human face. Look, I see now. It has a woman's face. And it's eyes are emeralds, the biggest I've ever seen. And they're emerald necklace. We'll be millionaires, Chris. Oh, I'm envious. I'll climb up and get them. What's that? The drum. It started when you touched the snake's statue. Maybe. It's a warning. Fuck. Hand me a knife, Chris. Here. And be quick, Sykes. You are going to do what I came to do, Basker. Cut off this necklace and pry out their emerald eyes. Pride the emerald eyes out. The three of us beat it fast. But when we slept, we dreamed of drums. That big statue of the serpent goddess. The snake with the woman's face. And sometimes deep in the jungle, we'd hear drums. Or think we heard them. Basker kept saying we'd never get away with what we'd done. He wanted his cut just like the rest of us. We kept on chopping our way through the tangled bush. Hoping we'd finally get out of that jungle. One day, when we lay down... There is no reason, Sykes, why you do not divide those emeralds now instead of waiting. I told you. Chris and I have ordered now. We're two to one. Yes, two to one. And every day we get closer to the edge of the jungle. Will you cut it off, Basker? We ain't going to do nothing to you. Not a thing. It's your turn to scare up some grubs before you get at it. Why will you never lend me your pistol, Sykes? Use your knife, I told you. I'm a good shot and I don't waste bullets and I'm saving the few I've got left. For what? For emergencies, of course. I see. Now get going. I'm hungry. I go. Listen to what? I don't hear nothing but birds. I hear drums. I don't hear any drums. You don't hear them now? No. There are no drum sounds. Maybe, maybe I hear them because I will be the first of us to pay for robbing the serpent goddess. I go to hunt for food. Guys drive a mean nuts, Chris. Me too. Sykes, you... you didn't hear no drum. No, I'm sure. Did you? I do not think so. I'm not over sure. You said maybe he heard them because he'll be the first of us to... Sykes! It's Fasca! Snake! Come away, Sykes! Run! Away, Chris! Away! I tried to help him. We knew it would be no use. We were afraid. Just left the guy to die. Yes, Casey. We did this run until we dropped and couldn't run anymore. Then the fever got us. I woke up in a village where the news reporters came and, well, Chris and I denied the true things we'd said while the fever was in our heads because... I can guess why you denied this story. Now she's followed us. She's paid off, Chris. And I'm next. I didn't see nothing in a paper today about the Johansson killing Casey. Hmm. Ain't Captain Logan going to arrest Sykes? What for? His alibi was 100%. Everybody confessed to stealing their memos. In another country, pal, from jungle Indians. Oh. There is one thing, Ethelbert, but it doesn't look very promising. What is it for you? Well, Logan's turned up a witness who says he saw Johansson let a woman into his apartment about a half hour before he was killed. A woman? Yeah, described as a small brunette and carrying a small leather traveling case. Oh, a little skinny girl couldn't squeeze a big guide at that. No. You think Sykes will be bumped off like Johansson was and that basket? Well, he seems to think so. That's funny. That guy's trying to pack a month of life into every hour because he figures every hour will be his last. Say, Annie, what do you say? Let's drop off at his new apartment on our way home. Maybe we can cheer him up a little. OK, Scout, if you must do a good deed. Well, it's a selfish good deed. I'd like to hear Sykes talk some more about that guy, Vaska. Oh, there's a parking spot, Casey, and back in that old Fort Coupe. That's for us. All right, somebody put a bad dent in the fender of that jalopy. I'll say. Sykes certainly got himself a swanky place to live when he moved out of that hotel. Whole first floor of these new garden apartments. Yep. I'll get you out of the car. OK. There's a light behind those Venetian blinds of the guys at home anyway. Let's go in. Ow! I am sorry. Excuse me. OK, sister, but what's your hurry? Well, she is in a hurry. I almost knocked you over and got into that old Fort. OK, so hers almost cracked my shin. She came out of Sykes' door. It's Annie. She was a small, pretty brunette with a traveling case. Casey. She and her porter out of site. Hey, look. Let's get into Sykes' apartment quickly. OK. Hey, hey, she didn't close the door tight. Nuts with ceremony in the bell. I'll open it myself. Sykes is lying on the floor. Just like Johansson. Hey, is he dead? He's dead all right. Oh, Casey. I think he's been squeezed to death. Oh. Just like Johansson. The serpent goddess. But that little brunette, she couldn't have crushed him. Don't see how. When gal's answering the same description or something. Huh. Where'd you just pick up? The valve cap off a tire. I wonder how that got here. Tire cap? Well, that won't help any. Hey, it's plenty help. Annie, pick up that phone and get your story into the paper. Yeah. I'm getting Logan at headquarters to tell him to locate an old Ford coupe with a dented rear fender. That's the car, Logan. I'm sure of it. The garage guy here says that Ford belongs to Miss Isabella Vaska. Is Isabella Vaska? Yes. I'm Captain Logan, homicide bureau. Remember me, Miss Vaska? It wasn't smart to use that dented car for a getaway after you murdered Sykes. I did not try to be careful or smart after my work was accomplished. I'm very tired. Please, take me to jail. You admit the killing of Sykes? I proudly admit it, but I am Pedro Vaska's sister. So that's the connection. Where is your brother, Miss Vaska? He never really believed he was killed by any human-faced bore constrictor. He wasn't. He got out of the jungle. And he wrote me a letter. Tell me about it. My brother was sure those men, Sykes and Johansson, intended to kill him. So when he called to them that his serpent goddess had him in her coils, it was a trick. He knew they would run away quick and leave him as I did. Then, alone, he made his way to a village at the edge of the jungle where he write to me of everything that was happening and asked me to avenge him. How did you do the job in such a fancy way, Miss Vaska? How did you crush those men to death? I know how she did that, Logan. You know his. I think so. Oh. First, I want to know why she did it. Why didn't your brother do his own avenging, Miss Vaska? Because when he wrote me that letter, he was dying. Just before he reached that village at the edge of the jungle, his body was broken in the coils of a big snake. We'll join the crowd at the Blue Note in just a moment. Very seldom do you hear a commercial announcement as important as the one we have for you tonight. It's about a brand new kind of dinnerware, a product of Anchor Glass. Its name is Jadite. J-A-D-E-I-T-E. Jadite. It looks and feels like rare Chinese porcelain. And it's as sturdy and heat-proof as the fire king oven glass you use in your oven. And its cost is unbelievably low. Now, for instance, a beautiful Jadite cup and saucer costs only 15 cents. In fact, this revolutionary new Jadite costs less than half as much as the very cheapest dinnerware on the market. Now, you can buy Jadite items separately for a complete dinner service for six for less than five dollars. Now, the demand for Jadite is enormous. To avoid disappointment, go to the nearest chain store, department store, or other store selling Chinaware or Glass tomorrow and ask for Jadite by name. Jadite, J-A-D-E-I-T-E is the newest triumph of Anchor Hocking. The most famous name in Glass. They tell me how a little woman like that Miss Vaska was able to kill them two big guys like she did, Casey. And how did you know? Well, that valve cap I found was a tip-off, Ethelbert. That and the suitcase she carried. And that suitcase contained a long, thick rubber tube and a portable electric air compressor pump. And Isabella Vaska is a pretty woman, Ethelbert. Both Sykes and Johansson were wolves. She let them pick her up and take her to their apartments, and then she tapped them on the head with a well-patted blackjack and wrapped the big tube around them and inflated it with the electric pump. You know, if a doctor ever used one of those blood pressure gadgets on your arm, pal, you know how air can squeeze. Of course, a doctor only uses a small bulb to pump it in a small tube. Gee, it was as simple as all that. Well, all this certainly wrecks the notion that that serpent goddess was paying off them three for stealing her emeralds. Does it, pal? Hmm? Think about it, Ethelbert. Gee. Gee. Time photographer starring Stott-Scotsworth as Casey is brought to you each Thursday by the Anchor Hocking Glass Corporation. Makers of Fire King Oven Glass. Anchor Glass Containers. Anchor Caps and Closures. All products of Anchor Hocking. The most famous name in glass. The original music is by Archie Blyer, and the program features Miss Jan Minor as Anne and John Gibson as Ethelbert. Herman Chittison is the Blue Note pianist. Help save lives by buying Christmas seals. These seals support the fight against tuberculosis. Buy and use Christmas seals and be sure to mail your packages early. This is Tony Marvin saying good night for the Anchor Hocking Glass Corporation of Lancaster, Ohio, the principal cities of the United States and Canada. Columbia Broadcasting System.