 Johnny dollar. Well, now, how do you Johnny? This is real potato worldwide mutual insurance Well, I rep house dear old Memphis, Tennessee I find us down on God's green earth Johnny always was always will be and how when did you join the Chamber of Commerce? Yeah, what's it say isn't it just about time for your big annual celebration? Oh, you're too late Johnny cotton carnival is all over and done with for this year now You should have called me sooner. Well now why Johnny these fine people here in Memphis They'll never give us any trouble. What are you calling about? Oh trouble Johnny. Why don't you just finish telling me? I did I did Johnny this little problem I'm calling about happens to be over in the nearby town of Somerville Well now make up your mind Rip. What's it? Which is it a little problem or big trouble? Well now I suppose that kind of depends on just how you look at it Johnny. Look at what? Murder? Yes, sir. Radio brings you Bob Reddick in the exciting adventures of the man with the action-pact expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator yours truly Johnny Dollar Expense account submitted by special investigator Johnny Dollar to the worldwide mutual insurance company Memphis office Following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the stock in trade matter I was able to make an immediate plane reservation so expense account item one is seventy two seventy five airfare to Memphis Tennessee and by shortly afternoon we started circling for a landing over the big industrial city there on the eastern bank of Ole Miss Soon as I cleared my baggage at the airport I spent item two six and a quarter for a taxi in the Ripley Tito's office on Union Street near 3rd Taxi Johnny. Now why didn't you all just rent yourself a car at the airport? Well sit down. Thanks. I'll have my secretary get one for you. Marybell honey have one of those nice rental cars brought around front for Mr. Dollar huh? What time? Right away thank you honey. You mentioned something about a town called Somerville. Yeah about forty forty five miles sort of east of him. What happened over there? Like I told you on the telephone Johnny murder. And the deceased is a client of ours named a Volny Beauregard Exum. That's a mouthful. That's three mighty fine old family names Johnny. Figures. Yes sir. And now early this morning his housekeeper found him laying over his desk with his head bashed in. Has the police over there any theories anything to go on? No sir not a thing. No fingerprints on that heavy and iron that was used on him. No clues of any kind. Nothing. So that's why I think maybe you ought to go over there and take a look around. How big a town is Somerville? Less than a couple of thousand I guess. I see. Now that used to be the heart of some real important plantation country. That's where the Exum money came from Johnny from Cotton. But by the time he got down to Volny Beauregard he was still living in the old plantation nice but most of the property around all been sold off. In other words old Exum wasn't worth very much money. And I'm afraid that's true Johnny. But he somehow managed to keep up the payments on his insurance. How much? Well face value at 35,000. I don't rightly know just where he got his living income from. Of course after the war and some of these fine old southern families had to sell off the land they made some investments and things. You mean the Civil War rip? I said the war didn't I? Go on. Well anyhow I don't really know where he got his living money except maybe from his kinfolk. Well that brings up the question of beneficiary. Those very same kinfolk Johnny only once he got left. Who are they? Well no wife or young ones of his own so let's see here on his policy. Yeah just a niece and a couple of nephews Johnny. Now let's see there's Clarabel Ockway Exum. You have her address there. Let's see. Let me use this scratch pad I'll copy the policy. Yeah go right here. And like you see she lives right here in town. Works in a five and dime I understand. And there's a nephew also named a volunteer Beauregard Exum. Lives down Corpus Christi Texas you see. All right I got it. Then there's other nephew named a co-pepper Van Buren Oberthalp right Van Somerville. Works at a real estate office. Although it beats me how he makes a living at it. Yeah that's all Johnny just those three. Okay in other words they're the only ones who will benefit by Exum's death. Well that's right Johnny but surely you don't think one of them could have killed him. Why not. Fine old southern family like that. Did he have any enemies that you know about. Fine old man like Bonny Beauregard Exum. Did he have many friends. Well no no I guess he didn't really kind of just kept to himself living out his days there on the plantation house. All along with just his pride just living out his days. Now you mentioned a housekeeper. Yeah well Miss Dollar Cato just did some day work for him. And don't you go suspecting her Johnny why she couldn't hurt a fly. Well you are a lot of help. Now maybe I better not suspect anybody huh. That's right. Well no what I mean to say. A thirty five thousand three beneficiaries. Yes sir. Equal. Yes sir. So maybe eleven twelve thousand a piece it's not very much. Well now I understand they'll share the rest of the estate too. What do you think that plantation is worth. That old run down house and a little bitty piece of land where it sits maybe. Ten thousands all. No idea what kind of money old Exum had to live on where it came from. No bank accounts and nothing Johnny even paid cash premiums on his insurance. I guess he didn't like banks and such. You sure don't give me much to go on. Now one more question to the killer ran sack the house. Well no not that I know of. So maybe you better take a look huh. Yeah I think I'd better. We being the CBS radio network to be able to bring you on this station each week day the songs of Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney. In addition to the sparkling Bing Crosby Rosemary Clooney show we're equally delighted to present at the same time each week day. The assorted talents of art link letter the house party man Gary Moore and Derwood Kirby and the rousing Arthur Godfrey time. There's no business like show business and nowhere else such a fine sampling of same than on this blockbuster CBS radio network entertainment fest. The nicest thing about it is should you miss any or all of these great stars on a Monday you can catch right up with them the next day or any weekday or so minded. Remember nowhere else can you enjoy each and every weekday the Bing Crosby Rosemary Clooney show the conversational gifts of Gary Moore and his perfect foil Derwood Kirby. The kids comedy and cut ups of art link letters house party and the air of Glee with gusto that's a specialty of Arthur Godfrey time. Before driving to Somerville to look over the scene of the crime I checked up on Mr. Exum's niece Clarabel. I found her in the stock room of the five and ten where she worked. She was a thin one looking girl of about 30 with long black stringy hair badly set in a knot. It bobbed about the back of her neck as she talked in a high nasal voice that fairly set my teeth on edge. Excuse me while I set this box of ribbons. Sure. And if you want the truth Mr. Dollar I am just as glad as I can be that old Uncle Volney died. He was murdered Miss Exum. Well he's gone. But all sorry about this poor Mrs. Cato how poor Clarabel. I am too. I see. I'll take your word for it. Now this Mrs. Cato if she had money why did she work as a housekeeper. Oh just that if you ever go out to see him. How did his money come from Clarabel. Funny now where did the money come from. Poor useless answers. Little old Clarabel simply didn't know anything that might be helpful to me and didn't care. Except that is whatever money might be coming to him. Maybe the Exum family was smart and prosperous once. But if she was any criteria and they done mighty poorly in the last couple of generations. I knew this. If she had anything to do with her uncle's death. She'd probably have left signs all over the place. So I drove on over to Somerville to the Exum home. Or rather what was left of it. A hundred years ago it might have been a mansion. Now it was just a wreck. Two of the eight big columns on the front had fallen. And simply left there to rot away in the sun and rain. Windows were broken and stuffed with newspapers to keep out the draft. They hadn't been a paint job in twenty years at least. But little was left was cracked and peeling. The yard was nothing but weeds and moss. And a thick matting of leaves had never been raked from under the big trees that were hung heavily with Spanish moss. At the door I was met by a sergeant Aiken of the local police. We're glad to see you Mr. Johnny. At Mr. Teeter from the insurance company phoned you'd be here. Come on in sir. Thank you Sergeant. I'd like to see just where and how Mr. Aiken was murdered. Yes sir. Right in here in the library. Only I guess the old man must have sold off all his books a long time ago. Now here sir. You see here he was kind of sprawled across the desk there. What's left of it. With that tin box by him pried open. Where is the body now. It's in town for the autopsy him being all alone when he was murdered. His housekeeper wasn't him. She's the one come in early this morning to do her work and found him laying here dead. I see. Go on. Well it's all pretty obvious Mr. Johnny. Somebody just come in here found him sitting here with this little tin box in front of him. What was in it. May I touch it. Well as well. We couldn't find a single fingerprint on it. Not even Mr. Aiken. No prints at all. No sir. No prints at all. Chief he knows about them things he went around with a kit for prints dust and everything. Yeah whoever did this must have worn gloves and also wiped off everything he touched just just to be absolutely sure. Yeah must have been real careful. I see. Even this heavy and iron he used to kill him with. Chief even checked the door knobs everything else for prints. Any idea then how the killer might have got in. Chief and I have been through the place with a fine tooth comb Mr. Johnny. You asked me the old man must have let him in. When. Doc says he's killed sometime late last night. Late. Yes that's right. Well then what I've heard about Mr. Exum it had to be somebody that he knew pretty well. Yes sir. But trying to find anybody he knew that well this old recluse. Anybody he'd let in at night. Well. The chief had a couple of boys working on to it but I don't see how it's going to come up with anybody. Any idea what might have been in this old tin box. Well probably whatever money the old man had on hand. Where'd he get his money Sergeant. Now that's a good question Mr. Johnny. I know he never had any bank accounts but he would cash check now and then. If he had no account I can't. He never sold any real estate for the last twenty five years. Didn't have any sales except except this old place here. Now this box certainly couldn't hold enough to keep him going for. Wait a minute. What's this. Looks like a couple pieces of paper stuck there in the hands. There's a corner or something torn off. See if I can get it out without more tearing. And corners weren't tore off of any money. That's for sure. No. Now this looks like. Sort of parchment paper that's used for an insurance policy. Or maybe. Maybe that's where his money came from. What do you think I have Mr. Johnny. Two possibilities Sergeant. One the obvious one that he had a lot of money hidden away in some secret place around this house. Well now we we thought of that on the other hand if these torn off corners. Or torn to I believe that they mean what I. I listen as a nephew living right here in Somerville isn't there. Yes it is big enough to have wielded this heavy and iron so effectively. What's it certainly Clara Bell couldn't have done it. Mr. Johnny you're talking about his own. She's too stupid to have covered her tracks. Now if you're if you're talking about stupid. Well that that nephew on his mother's side. That cold pepper Oglethorpe living here in town. I mean one supposed to be working at real estate but he ain't. Kind of he ain't doing anything all he ever got was from his from his uncle. Go on Sergeant. Well he's so stupid that maybe he would kill one of his own kids. Where is he. Of course I suppose. Most anybody kills for money. Where will I find him. And you know none of. None of them three had any use for old Nixon. And only only one of the boys could use this. It's heavy and sergeants and with cold pepper the only one of the boys near enough to do it you know. All right where is he. What. All I said was all come on sergeants no no sure Mr. Johnny. Cold pepper didn't do it well how do you know how can you be sure. Well it seems he had some trouble a couple of weeks ago pulled a pull the knife on a man. And then he is the type he may be the type. Mr. Johnny but. Ever since he's been locked up in jail. Still is. Oh yes. A frustrating case this one. There was nothing I could really put my finger on. The Somerville police were doing just as much as I was and were accomplishing just as much. Nothing. What about the other nephew. Who also bore the name of Valny Beauregard Exum. Rapid mention that he lived in. Corpus Christi. Down in Texas. Yes sir Mr. Johnny five six years I'd say. What does he do on that side. Well I don't know that sir how I know is he had a fight with his uncle Wines. Mr. Exum gave him money to get out of town so he did. He hasn't been back. I wonder when I phoned him there in Corpus this morning told him what happened. He said he was sorry that he couldn't get down here. He was pretty tired up but he he'd be glad to pay for a. Decent fuel. Sure he would. Because of these torn off corners of paper what I think they are. Yeah it looks to me like young Volny Exum is the only one that's any good of them three. Yes sir. I mean if he can afford a nice funeral for somebody. You bet he can. Now listen Sergeant maybe I'm all wrong in playing a hunch that one of his relatives killed the old man but it's all I've got to go on. I'll say this Mr. Johnny. A hunch is no kind of proof. I know I know and proof is what I need. But even without it I'm going down to Corpus Christi. I believe me I'll be the first to admit it. To admit that luck sheer luck is what helped me to solve this one. It came by way of a pile of letters just inside the mail slot by the front door. On top was an envelope with a familiar company name across the upper left hand corner interest state telephone company. Before the sergeant could stop me I tore it open. And sure enough a dividend check for two hundred and fifty dollars with interest state telephone paying fifty cents a share and I know because I own some of that stock myself. Here was a dividend on some five hundred shares of a forty thousand dollars worth. All right. Expense account item three after a mad drive back to Memphis fifty one fifty plain fair to Corpus Christi. It was late by then. So item four is twenty two dollars even and that includes a cab into the Robert Driscoll hotel cocktails and dinner and my room bill for the night. First thing in the morning and a brokerage office on Lawrence Street I was talking to my old friend Wayne Stocksworth. Well to answer them in order Johnny I'm fine thank you. And I do think ours is the biggest stockbroker's office here in town. And yes we do have a client by the unlikely name of all name Beauregard Exum. But it's a very small account. Is he a young fellow when. Oh I'd say. Somewhere in his 30s. He's been my customer about five years now. Does he own much in stocks. Wayne I have got to know does he buy or sell in lots of a hundred five hundred shares at a time maybe. Exum. Now look Johnny I mean you know how it is. I know how it is a client's business is confidential. Why don't you ask him. What he called a little while ago. Seems that he has some old securities that he wants to cash in. And he. Wait a minute comes now. Interestate telephone. Well that's right. The world you haven't. Right over here. All right now I'll sit over here at this other desk. Pay no attention to me. Johnny I don't understand. Morning Mr. Exum. Morning Mr. Stocks. Sit down won't you. Thank you sir. Now these are the two certificates. You want to cash in. Yes sir. I just signed these over to us. Sign right here if you will I believe there's a little ink in that pen. Right here sir. That's right. That's quite a bit to sell all at once. I know I know. I must say I didn't realize that you had this sort of. I want to cash for these Mr. Stocks here. All in cash. I got to make a business trip maybe gone some time. Well I don't know Mr. Exum. Let's see this would come to over 40,000. Now look here sir I'm an old customer. Yes I know that's true. So here you are just get me the cash and I'll be on my way. Don't bother Wayne. What Johnny. I said don't bother just call a policeman. Who are you sir. Call a cop Wayne. These signatures are forgeries. What are you talking about. You're trying to say that I ain't. That I'm not Balney, Beauregard, Exum. You tell them Stocks. This is Balney Beauregard Exum. Sure it is Wayne but these signatures are forgeries. You're crazy. They were stolen from his uncle up in Memphis also named Balney Beauregard Exum and they were stolen from him when this man murdered him. Murdered him. You. You think you can prove that. I can prove it Exum. Now listen here. With two little pieces of paper that you left behind in a tin box where your uncle kept these Stocks certificate. No I didn't leave any. Do you see how these corners tore off it perfectly on these certificates. I thought I took everything out. You mean after you killed him. Yes I know. Let me out of here. Stop him Johnny. Stick around. Exum. You want to call the police now Wayne. Yeah. What Exum didn't know of course was that Wayne would have been a lot of investigating before handing over all that money. Inspired of the way that he'd carried a small account of the firms set things up for the murder and robbery. Expense account total including the trip back to Memphis and then back to Hartford. We'll call it three hundred and twenty five even. Yours truly Johnny Dollar. What is our star to tell you about next week's story. Next week one of the cleverest rackets and jewelry that I ever saw over a million dollars worth. Join us won't you. Yours truly Johnny Dollar. Written by Jack Johnstone. Produced and directed by Bruno Zirato Jr. Musical supervision by Ethel Huber. Written our cast were Wendell Holmes as the police sergeant. Joan Loring as Clara Bell. Robert Dryden as Ripley Teeter. Mandel Kramer as Wayne Stockseth. And Ralph Dell as Volney Beauregard Exum. Be sure to join us next week same time same station for another exciting story of yours truly Johnny Dollar. Art Hanna speaking.