 Good evening. This is Crime Classics. I am Thomas Highland with another true story of crime. Listen. The sound of Baltimore, Maryland in the good old summer time. The great claw of steamed crabs between the nutcracker. And the wonderful beer. Hot summer night, August 14th, 1953. And the room on Utah Place. And one of Baltimore's favorite summer indoor sports. Chesapeake crabs, and the golden brew in the frosted glass. With the two-fifths of bourbon on the side and piquant conversation. Mickey, uh-huh, did you read where it says next year the Orioles gonna be in the American League? Just talk. Don't you believe it? Mickey, did you have a committment? Before tonight? Uh-huh. No. Never before tonight. Can we have this party someplace else? Don't worry. You got nothing to worry about. Just don't look at her. Tonight, with names changed to avoid any embarrassment of the principals who may still be alive. And my report to you on the death of a Baltimore birdie and friend. Crime Classics. A series of true crime stories taken from the records and newspapers of every land from every time. Your host each week, Mr. Thomas Highland, connoisseur of crime, student of violence, and teller of murders. Now, once again, Mr. Thomas Highland. I was in Baltimore last autumn when the Peabody Bookshop was still selling the dustiest books and the best beer in the world. It was a pleasant evening, cool enough for a small fire in the fireplace, and the hum of talk had just the right amount of laughter in it. And one of the patrons had brought along his violin, so the hours spun away. So it was after midnight when my friend let me pass the Red Brick building on Mount Royal Terrace and told me that a couple of murderers had lived here. And the next morning passed the house on Utah Place where they had done their murder. Busybody as I am about such things, I had to find out all about it. And I did. And I learned that it started when two young men were walking from Hyatt'sville to Baltimore. And they got an arena in the place called Collins Park I hear. Maybe I could get a fight there. Joe Anderson, a very bad middleweight, plumping into an even worse, light heavy. They hear what happened to you in Washington. They won't even let you walk down the aisles. Non-admiring friend Mickey Thayer, lately, since they met at the Salvation Army Center in Scranton, Joe Anderson's handler manager. What's the matter? You like to get your brains beat out, Joe? All of a sudden you're worried about me, huh? Uh-uh. Just interested in you as a type, that's all. You like to get your brains beat out? That I am, Mickey. I'm very slow and real stupid. You want to see if I can break you in half? How about him? Huh? A fellow walking towards us on the other side of the road. What about him? Another type, Joe. Pipe smoker and dog walker. You know what they call those dogs, chihuahuas. Lots of yaps, no more biking a flea. The fellow now were tweed coat and leather elbows, plucked pie hat and special walking shoes. Money. And we don't have any. I'm hungry. We don't have any money, Joe. I bet he has. Bet I'm hungrier than you. Then us would know, though. Go get some. Sure. Hey, mister, you got a match, mister? How did I do, Mickey? Let's see the wallet. Well, how'd I do? Just eight dollars worth. Not real good, Joe. Not very good at all. A few hours later, a Mr. James Henderson of Hyatt'sville, Maryland had picked himself up out of a ditch and wondered what he was doing there. As a matter of fact, he didn't even know he was Mr. James Henderson. And the fact that he had no wallet didn't help matters. He was led home by a small Chihuahua, and it was only last April that he recovered his memory. But the eight dollars served to assuage the hunger of the two hoodlums, one of whom the next night appeared as a contestant in a special event at Carlin's Park. Now, stay away from him, Joe. He looks awfully tough. I'll kill him. Yeah? How are you going to get in back of him with a lead pipe in front of all these people? Come on, get out there. One of the shortest fights on record at Carlin's Park, the home of notoriously short fights, but long roller coasters. Mickey ran to the center of the ring and assisted Joe to his corner. And three hours later, when they were walking around Druid Hill Park Lake, Mickey was still supporting him. That fellow knocked me out. It's going to be a champ. Yeah, Joe. Take my word for it. Joe. Yeah? The fella you fought tonight is 46 years old. First fight he's won since he was... Mickey. What? No. Yeah. Lady in the convertible. Lady needs help. Yeah, she does. You need help, lady? Oh, I stopped her to look at the lake and I can't get started. Ah, move over. I said move over. Well, I... I'm going to fix it so as your car's going to work, so you move over. All right. Well... Well, I forgot to turn on my key, didn't I? Sure did. Uh, lady? It was stupid of me, I... Lady? Yes? I can tell you're not stupid. You don't have a stupid face. You don't do stupid things for no reason at all. Did you just stall the car when you saw us coming? What are you talking about? Joe. Huh? Get in the other side. This is Joe. Hi. Get out of this car, both of you. And leave you alone? Oh, that'd be dangerous. Like you? Pretty girl like you? Well, thank you, sir. Let's us drive you home. Why, thank you, sir. Where do you live? Utah Place. Not far from here. You tell us how to get there. Sure. Thank you, Mickey. I've never really. Alice, is that you? Why didn't you answer me? Oh, I'm sorry, Ms. Wilkinson, but I... Who are these men? Well, this is Mickey and this is Joe. This is Ms. Wilkinson, my employer. Oh, good evening, Mrs. Wilkinson. Alice, you should know better. Making noise at this hour of the night. Oh, it was our fault. Yes, ma'am, it was. When I gave you the night off, Alice, and the use of the car... You want me to quit or quit? I can get a job as companion any time I want. I can get any kind of... Oh, Alice, it's just that the neighbors... Myself, I don't mind. Uh, Mrs. Wilkinson? Yes? Well, why don't you get in the car and we'll all go get a sandwich or something? Yeah, a drive-in. Oh, well... Sure, Ms. Wilkinson. I don't know. Oh, come on. Joe, get out and let Mrs. Wilkinson in. Mind if I sit and back with you, Mrs. Wilkinson? Oh, uh, no. Not at all. Hi. Hi, Mrs. Wilkinson. Hello. I'm a prize fighter. Well, isn't that interesting? Oh, Alice? Yes, Mrs. Wilkinson? Joe here. Did you know he was a prize fighter? And they drove through Druid Hill Park. The ladies pointing out the famed mansion house, the zoo, and further east, the campus of Johns Hopkins University. All in all, it was quite a cultural ride. They found no drive-in that was open, but did find a liquor store that was. On the drive back through Druid Hill Park, they searched for Druids, and finding none, greeted Daybreak from the famed Hummock where the defending Baltimoreans broke and ran in 1812. Greeted Daybreak. And there is something friendly in that. Alice? Yes, Mrs. Wilkinson? Don't call me Mrs. Wilkinson. Call me Birdie. That's my first name, and I want everybody here to call me Birdie. You said it, Birdie. Everybody. Hi, Birdie. Birdie, you're a doll. A real-life doll. I like you too much to argue with you. That was the latter part of me, and in the middle part of June. Alice? Yeah, honey? Nice how we met and all, and how we took to each other and all. Do you want to know what bothers me, honey? What? Mrs. Wilkinson. Birdie. Yeah, Birdie and Joe. She's such a prim woman and all, and Joe's a real bum. He's a real bum, isn't he, Mickey? Yeah. I just don't figure it. Come here. Now, don't say a word. Baby? Yeah, Mickey. Shh. Don't answer. Don't say a word until I ask you a question. My, you look cute smiling up at me like that. Pretty girl. Where's your safe, Alice? Mickey. You work for her, you know. Where does Birdie keep her safe? If I didn't know you were kidding, I'd throw you right out of here. I'm kidding. And on July 4th... Wow! That was a beaut. Joe. Yeah, Birdie? You. You like me, don't you? You're a living doll. I mean, you enjoy yourself with me, don't you? We have good times together, don't we? Like sitting on the grass and watching the fireworks. It's just like we're young together, isn't it? Stars! How about that, stars? Look, look. Yes, I'm looking, Joe. Joe. Yeah? You're very nice. Mickey. Mickey, wake up. Huh? Hey, you know what? Huh? Birdie. She's crazy about me. You hear what I said? Yeah, I heard you. Sit down, Joe. I want to talk to you. Alice told me she's got 50 grand in her safe. Birdie? And jewels. Birdie? I think she ought to give her some of that, Joe. What? She said if I married her. What for? She said if I married her. It'd be easier if you didn't, Joe. Now, just step up and ask her for some of it. Yeah. Yeah, let's do that. Okay. Now, suppose she says no. Not to me, she won't. Well, just suppose. I don't know. I'll be there. I'll tell you what to do. Okay. And Joe slept the sleep of the innocents. Not Mickey. He paced. Paced. Sweltering night. Walked over to Joe's bed. Wiped Joe's brow. Smiled upon him. Good weapon, Joe. Dependable. Something to watch over and take care of. Get your rest, Joe. Sleep. You are listening to Crime Classics and your host, Thomas Highland. CBS Radio brings you the great news reporters of the CBS Radio Newsroom. Edward R. Murrow, Lowell Thomas, Robert Trout, and all the great news reporters of the radio, Lowell Thomas, Robert Trout, and a long list of familiar names for news. And remember, every week night, CBS Radio broadcasts a complete, up-to-the-minute summary of the Army McCarthy hearings. Throughout the hearings, tune in to CBS Radio for complete evening coverage of each day's significant events. Now, once again, Thomas Highland and the second act of Crime Classics and his report to you on the basis of a Baltimore birdie and friend. A few more words about my last trip to Baltimore. There stands out the walk through the old cemetery below Easterwood Park, where the headstones are remarkable for verses like this one. A young man, as you pass by, as you are now, so once was I, as I am now, so you will be. Prepare for death and follow me. Baltimore is filled with such tidbits. A charming city of marble stoops in Goucher College and beautiful women and crab cakes and waterfront. It's interesting to note that more Baltimoreans changed their names per capita than any major city in the world. And I want to tell you, too, what the house on Utah Place looked like, not far from the Francis Scott Key Monument. It was of three stories, granite construction, and a maple tree grew up from the curb. Its facade was Neo Baltimore Rococo, a style somehow found nowhere else. The interior suited the character of Birdie, a 45-year-old Baltimore widow. China closet, Dresden figurines, grand piano. So many things I own, Alice, and I don't own love. Birdie? Carved canopy bed, Italian chest, a John Sargent portrait, and I don't own love. Birdie? Yes, my dear? Is it true? Is what true? All that money you told me you have in the safe? Oh, $50,000? Oh, yes, for an emergency. It was a thing that my husband... Well, I don't understand. I don't understand it at all. Well, now, what do you mean? Well, all that money, just lying around. Oh, my husband used to say to me, suppose I get killed or something, Birdie. It may be tied up in litigation, and what would you do for money? So, you'll keep this amount of cash in the safe. Oh, Birdie. What? What's the matter? Well, suppose you got hurt. Suppose, for example, you went to New York and you got sick or got hurt. You couldn't get to your emergency money at all. And suppose the banks were closed, holiday or something. Oh, I should give you the combination of the safe, shouldn't I? Do you think I've worked for you long enough and you trust me? Of course I do. Just in case you got hurt or something and couldn't get to the bank, you know. I'll write it down for you. Now, remind me to write it down for you. All right. You know, Alice, I'm worried. Oh? Well, I'm getting forgetful. Forgetful? Yes, I'm misplacing things. My little pearl bracelet is a $50 bill I put down. Now, I thought I'd put it down on my dressing table. And you remember that cameo brooch? Oh, you remember my cameo brooch? What, have you looked everywhere? And some other things, too. Birdie, you know what? What? I think Joe likes you. Oh. He's such a child. He likes you a lot. Well, children aren't very discriminating, Alice. As I said, Joe is just a child. You'd be surprised. What do you mean? I've heard him talk about you. Not childlike at all. Oh. Tell me what he said. Oh, tell me. Believe me, it wasn't childlike. Here, Mickey. This watch. She won't miss it. She's got three or four more. Oh, you're a little thief, Alice. I love you. You know, I was thinking, Mickey, I might be able to get us $50,000 for a wedding present. Oh, marry me, Mickey. But Mickey would always get rogous when the subject came up. And somehow he had a trick of making her forget her immediate plans of wanting to get married, stalled her, as it's known in the trade, and relieved her of whatever bobble she had filched and pawned and go have his with Joe. And one day, the two fellows had a heart-to-heart talk. She's got a safe. And she's got $50,000 in it. And probably who knows what else she's got in her. Yeah. And that evening, another heart-to-heart situation. The way you hold me so tight, Joe. So strong. So strong. Baby. You face, baby. Well, I was just going to tell you something, Joe, about me. I'm a new woman since I met you. It seems like things I only dreamed about before. I find myself doing because of you, Joe. Because, well, you're not complicated. You're not caught up in the welter of being a civilized human being. And I find myself spinning when I'm near you. Joe. Joe. Anything I have is yours, Joe. How about the $50,000 in the safe? Oh. I see. How about me? No. Well, you just said... A thing a woman always says when she's spinning. Not to be taken literally, Joe. You mean... I mean I'm not going to give you any money. You mean you just get through your teeth. Get out of here. Come to Joey. Come on. Joey, don't. Don't. Come on. Get out. When you can say forgive me. Come back. But now, get out. Please marry me. Oh, Mickey, please. Mickey, I know the combination of the safe. She wrote it down for me. I have it. Will you marry me, Alice? Please marry me. Yes. Oh, yes. Good. I'll bring Joe. We'll have a party. Tonight I'll bring some steam crabs and beer. You got the beer, huh? The four of us will have a party. Alice, Joe, and you and me. Will morning. Oh, please. We've got to be quiet. Now we've just got to... I know about your husband, and I do hope he's feeling better, and it was very inconsiderate. I was too made so much noise, and we won't anymore. I promise you. Now you see, that was Mrs. Garvey again. Now that's the third time. She said she'd call the police if we're not more quiet. No. No. So please, let's all of us keep having a good time, but let's... I mean you too, Joey. Joey. Joe. Leave him alone. Leave him alone for a minute. Joe. Okay, I'm okay. Is she dead? Did I kill her? Yeah, yeah. Alice? Yeah, come here. The safe's right in here. Right in the back of that desk. Hurry up, Mickey. Hurry. Just keep quiet, that's all. Please, look, Mick. Look. Look at all that. Yeah, yeah. Hey, Alice. Hey, Alice, say something. Let's just get out of here, please. Please, please. Joe. Please, please. Sorry, Alice. Explain to me again. I forget. What? Well, it dawned on me again, and I forget your answer. I could have married pretty. Real nice, Dane. Everybody's dead. Oh. No, don't worry about it. All this dough. Let's get back to the party. Huh? Read where it says next year the Orioles gonna be in the American League. Just talk. Don't you believe it. Mickey. Did you have a committment later? Before tonight? No, never before tonight. Can't we have this party someplace else? Don't worry. You got nothing to worry about. Just don't look at her. Okay. All that dough, huh? Wow. Hey, that must be Mrs. So-and-So from next door. Always tell us to keep quiet. Shut up, Mrs. So-and-So. Go shut her up, Joe. Now you shut up, Mrs. So-and-So. Oh. Mickey. It ain't Mrs. So-and-So. No, it wasn't Mrs. Garvey at all. It was Officer Ned Gleel, Bad 715 Baltimore Police Department. Come to quiet down the neighborhood at Mrs. Garvey's house. A walking through the house then, Officer Gleel quickly determined that Birdie and Alice would no more disturb the peace. And neither for that matter would Joe or Mickey. Ever. In just a moment, Thomas Highland will tell you about next week's crime classic. Baltimore Birdie tonight's crime classic was adapted from the original court reports and newspaper accounts by Morton Fine and David Friedkin. The music was composed and conducted by Bernard Herman and the program is produced and directed by Elliot Lewis. Thomas Highland is portrayed on radio by Lou Merrill. In tonight's story, Paula Winslow was heard as Birdie, Ted DeCorsia as Joe, Jerry Hausner as Mickey and Mary Jane Croft as Alice, Bob LeMond speaking. And here again is Thomas Highland. And this week, that portion of the Ottoman Empire known to us as Albania, there used to be a fellow there who killed everyone who got in his way. Friends, passersby, uncles, aunts, brothers, brother and law sister, even mom. It's listed in my files as Ali Pasha, a Turkish delight. Thank you. Good night. Tomorrow night, the Fork of the Road is a warm human dramatic document with a glamorous viewpoint of a mother looking backwards over the years. Kathy and Elliot Lewis on stage are the principal performers in this delightful original play. CBS Radio is happy to present Kathy and Elliot Lewis on stage over most of these stations at their new Thursday night time. Don't miss them tomorrow evening. Everybody loves Junior Miss Thursday nights on the CBS Radio Network.