 Now, Roma Wines, R-O-M-A. Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. Roma Wines, present. Suspense. Tonight, Roma Wines bring you Mr. Alan Hale as star of The Leading Citizen of Pratt County. A suspense play produced, edited and directed for Roma Wines by William Spear. Suspense, Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills. It's presented for your enjoyment by Roma Wines. That's R-O-M-A. Roma Wines, those excellent California wines that can add so much pleasantness to the way you live. To your happiness and entertaining guests. To your enjoyment of everyday meals. Yes, right now a glassful would be very pleasant as Roma Wines bring you Alan Hale in a remarkable tale of... Suspense. I'm an old man now, and I'm afraid I'm not a very good old man. In fact, by every conceivable standard I am a thoroughly bad old man. Not that such a thing is known or even suspected in Pratt County. To the contrary, here it is a universal and unshakable opinion that I combine the wisdom of Solomon with the virtues of the twelve apostles. But, since I now have every reason to believe that I must shortly shuffle off this mortal coil, both honor and what I freely confess to be a perverted sense of humor impale me to expose this pleasant notion for the outrageous fraud that it is. And so it happens that I hereby leave to my heirs and the signs this true account of how I became the leading citizen of Pratt County. It was some twenty years ago that I first found myself driving through this part of the country with an associate of mine. After the completion of a fairly successful operation on the west coast which necessitated our speedy trip east we had been driving along banks of a lovely stream of grassy plateau, known in some western states as a park and were heading toward a lush and fertile valley of farmland that could be seen some miles below. But for some unaccountable reason the intervening area was the hottest, the dustiest and the most desolate and altogether poisonous strip of country it has ever been my misfortune to encounter and right in the middle of this desert was a I use the word loosely, a town and it was right on the outskirts of this town that my partner at last forced me to devolve certain unfortunate facts that were destined to alter the entire direction of my life. Why you crook, you dirty lousy old crook. No, no, no, no, now Harry, how is I to know the horse would lose? You knew that half of the dough was mine, didn't you? You knew that much. But I thought I was doing you a favor, Harry. I had, I had the most positive assurances that that horse. Our whole take lost, six months' work. Every time we made on that oil stock racket and now you tell me now a thousand miles from civilization in the middle of a dust ball somewhere. Oh, I'm sorry, Harry. I'm truly sorry and I give you my solemn promise that such a thing will never happen again. You'll bet your life it won't because you and me are through. As of now, through to you here, finished, washed up. Now, wait a minute, Harry. Let's not be hasty. You heard me. Out. Now just a minute. By what right do you pursue? By this right. And here's your suitcase. And I wish you all a cup with him, Ma. Yes, of course. This poor fellow is about to fall in. We'd better take him inside. He ought to lay down for a spell. Yes. Can you make it now, stranger? Yes, thank you. You're very kind. Oh, that's all right. It's a pleasure. While you're the first stranger to stop off here in Pratchville since about 1929 anymore. You able to walk all right? Yes. Yes, thank you. That's it. Oh, my gracious, what in the world ever happened now? Oh, young scoundrel, hitchhiker. Picked him up a few miles back, and the next thing I knew he assaulted me, took my money, and made off with my car. Oh, that's terrible. Come on into the car. Yes, come on. Well, not that I care about the money. And the car is, of course, heavily insured. It's the inconvenience. I suppose I shall have to stay over somewhere until my agent can send me funds. Now, don't you give it another thought. You can stay right here with us just as long as you have a mind to. You can have this very room, Sonny's room. Well, Sonny will be coming home any day now, though. Well, then he can have the spare room. Sonny's our boy. He's up at State University. See? Here's his picture with the swimming team. Oh, yes. He's captain of it. And here he is with the lacrosse team. Yes, yes. Well, believe me. I am deeply grateful for your hospitality, but I'm afraid the air here wouldn't agree with my constitution and the heart, you know. Now, don't you worry none about the air. Of course, it is a little hot and dusty this time of the year, but it won't hurt you none. No, other times of year it's different, eh? Mm-hmm. The rainy season gets real muddy then. Yes, yes. I can see hot wood. Yeah. The funny thing about this town, though, they do say that when it was first settled, it was one of the prettiest little places you could ever find in the whole state. Of course, that was a long time ago. Yes, it must have been. You come down through the park, didn't you? Oh, yes, of course you did. Notice that fine-looking river flowing alongside the road? Yeah. Well, sir, that river used to flow right through the center town. You can still see where it did. And then about, oh, 80, 90 years ago, there was a trembler or something up in the mountains and a big hole opened up in the ground and that river just dropped plum out of sight right on the edge of the park. Really? Yeah. And she didn't come out of the ground again now until clear down in the valley about 10 miles away. Oh. See, that's why it's dry up here. Well, well, you don't say. Yes, I do say. A few years back, there was talk about the WPA closing up that hole, so as the river had run through town again, folks here got pretty excited about it, too. Oh, even offered to put up half the money and they raised it, too, they did. They did it. They raised the money, eh? Oh, yes, folks around here got money all right when they got a mind let loose of it. I see. And if I'm not too curious, how much did they raise? Oh, they come pretty near to $50,000, that is, a town share of it. Yes. Some fella come up from Washington, looked things over, and he said if we closed up the hole, it'd dry up the valley down below and ruin all the farmers down there. So then, of course, we just had to drop the whole idea. Well, now, that is interesting. Most interesting, Mr. Neff. Woodrow Neff, of course. This is Mr. Neff here. A great pleasure, Mr. Neff. Mrs. Neff. Thank you. My name is Witherspoon. Alonzo P. Witherspoon. Professor Witherspoon. A professor? My little sonny hears we got a real professor in the house. Yes. As I say, Mr. Neff, this is most interesting, particularly interesting to me. As it happens, I am a professor of geology and in that capacity, I serve as technical advisor to Senator Cotton of the Committee of National Parks, Monuments and Subterranean Waterways. You've heard of the Senator Cotton, of course. Oh, I sure, yes. Well, say, Jim, if you've already heard of this river of ours, Green River, it's called. Precisely what I was coming to, Mr. Neff. As you were speaking, I began to remember the discussions we had had in committee. It was some years ago, wasn't it? 1936, wasn't it, Pa? The summer of 1936 was when the flood had come out here. Exactly. And I remember telling Senator Cotton at the time that we must look into the whole project again. When the sedimentary substrainer has been given time to settle. And then, of course, it was forgotten in the press of other matters. You know how these things are in Washington. Well, I declare. And now by the merest chance I am given the perfect opportunity of examining Green River for myself. It's a little wind indeed that blows nobody good, eh, Mr. Neff? Well, say, now you will have to stay with us for a while. Yes, yes, Mr. Neff. I think I must. I really think I must. For suspense, Roma Wines are bringing you a star, Alan Hale, in the leading citizen of Brat County. A radio play by Robert Richards. Roma Wines' presentation tonight in Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills. Suspense! Between the acts of suspense, this is Truman Bradley for Roma Wines. One of the best-natured men I know has a knack for enjoying life's leisure moments. He's a hard worker on the job, but when he comes home, he and his wife make a ritual of a quiet, companionable chat and a glass or two of delightful Roma California sherry before dinner. Millions of other men look forward daily to such a welcome with Roma sherry. For millions of wives have made golden amber Roma sherry, America's favorite first call to dinner. Yes, Roma sherry, with its mellow, inviting nut-like taste, makes mealtime more welcome, helps you appreciate more keenly the good food to come. Enjoy the tempting fragrance and satisfying taste luxury of Roma sherry yourself. Make glorious Roma sherry your first call to dinner, as I do. If friends drop in later on, greet them graciously with Roma sherry, the keynote to a friendly hospitality. And best of all, Roma, America's favorite wine, costs no more than ordinary wines. So tomorrow, insist on Roma, R-O-M-A, Roma wine. Remember, more Americans enjoy Roma than any other wine. And now Roma wines bring back to our Hollywood soundstage, Alan Hale, as Professor Alonzo P. Witherspoon, in the leading citizen of Pratt County, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. And thus in Bonnie Prattville, I became a professor of geology, an advisor to a senator whom I had never met and a Senate committee which I was not even sure existed. Of course, at first I had no way of knowing whether this pitch, as we call it in the trade, was merely good for cashing of a modest check on one of my many non-existent accounts or whether it could be run up into something really big. But as a firm believer in aiming always at the maximum objective, I made my plans accordingly. That night, with the aid of certain gadgets, I never permit myself to be without. I wrote myself a couple of checks on the Federal Treasury, contrived some quite impressive looking business cards and was ready to go to work. Sonny arrived. Yes, that's right, Sonny. Professor Alondra P. Witherspoon, and he's staying right here with us. Come on, now, I'll introduce you. Professor from Washington? Wow. I knew at a glance that Sonny would be troublesome. He was a student at the State University and his education had progressed just sufficiently to fill him with a lot of bright ideas, but not enough to acquaint him with the worldly advantages of a good sound, dishonest proposition. Could not be had. Gee, Professor, Pop tells me maybe you're going to put old Prattville on the map. Possibly, possibly. Certainly we're trying, eh, my boy? Oh, you bet. You know, I've been thinking along those very same lines myself lately. After all, what's Colorado Springs got, or Tucson, Arizona, or any of those places that we haven't got right here in Prattville? We got the altitude, the sunshine. All we need is water and they can do terrific things with irrigation nowadays. Precisely, my boy, precisely what I've always told Senator Cotton. And you really know Senator Cotton? I mean, that well? Oh, yes, intimately. I might say we're very close. Gee, I was reading something about him just the other day. Oh, but say, you're really sure something can be done without drying up the valley? It'd be terrible for those farmers down there if their water was cut off. Sonny's got a girl down there. That's the reason he's so worried. Well, I guess the professor knows his business a little better than we do, Sonny. Oh, sure, I know. Hey, you must know Dr. Hawks. Up in the state, you? He's a geologist, too. Ah, Hawks? Let me see. Ah, you must know him. John Lyman Hawks. Of course, of course. John Lyman Hawks, yes. Gee, I'll bet he'll be excited when he knows you're here. He's supposed to be quite an authority on this part of the country, you know. Yes, yes, but I wouldn't trouble Dr. Hawks just yet, not until we're a little more sure of our ground. Well, sure, of course. Oh, Sonny, the professor hasn't got all day to stand around here talking to you. He's got to go down to the bank and see Henry Wink. Oh, sure. But, gee, I sure want to talk to you some more about all this, Professor. This thing can be terrific. It will be terrific, all right, my boy. You don't know the half of it. Now, you can see what I mean about Sonny. Henry Wink, on the other hand, was quite another proposition. He was, and still is, the town's mayor, only banker and chief real estate owner, and the answer to a confidence man's prayer. Mainly because he was always so busy thinking what a smart crook he was that it never occurred to him that he might be dealing with someone who was even smarter and crookeder. Mr. Wink had larceny in his heart, and I knew we were going to do business. Well, all right, what's your proposition? Well, well, it's always refreshing to see a man with whom one can get right down to business. All right, all right, let's get down to it. Well, you know, of course, Mr. Wink, but if this Green River project goes through, if we do run the river through town, real estate values will skyrocket, and when they do, somebody is going to make an awful lot of money. Meaning mostly me. That's right. Well, what about it? Well, now, let me ask you something about these farmers in the valley. If their water were cut off, if they were inconvenient... Yes, they'd be finished, and you know it. Yes, yes, but how much would you be concerned that it's financially, I mean? Well, I'd be sorry to see it happen, but financially it wouldn't worry me a bit. I see. The courier quoted you as saying that wouldn't happen, that we could have our river and the farmers would get their water just the same. Yes, but then you know how inaccurate the newspapers are, Mr. Wink. Then it would happen. Mr. Wink? Have you ever stopped to consider how much you would personally make and go through? Well, I'd say it could run up to three or four million in time. Well, you can sometimes get things done in Washington. I knew you had a proposition. You realize, of course, Mr. Wink, that I'm an essential factor in this whole thing. You can't just send anybody to Washington on a day like this. You have to have someone who is in on the inside who enjoys the complete confidence of the right people. I know all about that. I just want to know how you get yours. Well, by the simple expedient of becoming your partner, Mr. Wink, in a small way. Uh-huh. How small? I have here a government check for $2,500. I suggest we form a little syndicate. I think this check should entitle me to a modest share of, oh, say, five percent. Then you figure the whole thing can be swung for 50,000. Approximately. Can you raise the money? It's a lot, but I can get it. Uh, we'd better put this in writing. Oh, really, Mr. Wink. One hardly puts things of, well, this nature in writing. Then how do I know you'll come through with your end? You have my check. I'll endorse it to you. You hold it. Any investigation of how a man in my position happened to be giving you $2,500 would be seriously embarrassing for me. Yes, yes. Sure would, at that. One more thing, Mr. Wink. You understand that all this has to do with confidence, and all transactions will have to be in cash. Don't you worry about what I understand. I, uh, I wasn't born yesterday, neither. The technique is scarcely new, but almost invariably successful. The victim is made to feel that he is the chief conspirator, and his own dishonesty and greed accomplishes the rest. So, with Mr. Henry Wink, and I headed a small group to look over once more, the crucial spot where Green River dips into the earth to begin its subterranean wanderings, and once again I clam it down over a mass of rocks to do a little, a little ledge some 20 feet above the water. There. Now, look down there, Professor. You see, it falls into that big pool down there, and it just, uh, disappears. Ah, yes, yes, yes. Excellent possibilities. Excellent. Hey, you see, gentlemen, the Professor is just about here. The trap was baited, set, and ready to be sprung. All seem for the best in this best of all possible world. Well, good evening, good evening, sunny lad. Oh, oh, hello, Professor. It's a matter, my boy. Have you had a spat with that young lady of yours? No, nothing's a matter. How are things? Things are definitely progressing, and that reminds me, I shall be leaving you soon. That is within the next day or so. Aren't you leaving, Professor? Oh, just for a short time. Have to get things started in Washington, you know. Have a talk with Senator Cotton, so on. But you will be coming back. Oh, by all means. So, uh, Professor Witherspoon. There's my boy. Look, I'm going down to see Jane Osterman and her mother for a little while this evening. Seeing you may not have another chance to meet him for a while, why don't you come along? Well, uh... Oh, but the Professor don't want to go to the valley tonight, John. Why not? He's never even seen the valley. I think before he goes to Washington, he ought to see it. I didn't want to go, of course, but every instinct told me that there was something in the wind and that I should. Contrary to my expectation, however, the evening was a quiet one, and indeed a most pleasant surprise. Jane Osterman turned out to be a very charming little thing, and her mother was a most attractive and, in fact, an altogether stunning woman. And it was with genuine regret that I found myself at last standing on their veranda under a brilliant moon saying goodbye. It's been grand, Professor. I do hope you'll drop in on this again when you come back. My dear lady, wild horses couldn't keep me away. Well, that's a promise then. Good night. Good night, my dear. Well, what do you think of them, Professor? Oh, they're charming people, my boy. Charming people. And isn't Mrs. Osterman nice? Oh, nice. It's hardly the word. In fact, I'm quite smitten. Yeah. It'd be terrible if anything was to happen to people like that. I mean, this whole valley, they're all like that. I mean, if anything was to happen to hurt them... Sonny, what have you got on your mind? Oh, heck, I have something on my mind, Professor, and I just thought if you could see these people, like the Ostermans, you'd understand better how I feel. All right, my boy. Out with it. What is it? Well, I just remembered today what it was I saw about Senator Cotton. Senator Cotton? Yeah, in Time Magazine. He's just been indicted for grabs. Senator Cotton? Indicted? Yeah, some sort of land grab scandal. Why, I can't believe it. There must be some mistake. No, it's true, all right. Oh, so that's it. But surely, my boy, you don't think that I am involved in anything like that? No, I couldn't. But don't you see, I... I thought he might be fooling you some way. I see, I see. If there was something wrong, if something did happen to all these people in the valley, well, it'd be terrible. Well, I'd better get off the telegram to Washington right away. Well, look, Professor, I've got a telegram here in my pocket. You have? To Dr. Hawks, up at the university. I want him to come down here. Oh, it's not that I don't trust you, and if he says it's all right, then I know. But, uh, you haven't sent this telegram yet. Well, I was going to, but, well, I didn't think it would be fair without telling you. Well, you do understand, don't you? Oh, of course, my boy, of course. Boy, is that a weight off my mind. But I think I have even a better idea. Look, why don't you and I, first thing tomorrow, get in the car and drive up to the university and bring Dr. Hawks back with us? I don't have any more information. I'm sure he'll find out. He'll find out about the situation to him. Gee, that is an idea. If you ask him, he'd be sure to come. Gee, well, Professor, you're sure a wonderful guy. And you just won't even have to bother with the telegram. We'll just tear it up. I had grown quite fond of Sonny, but when it's a matter of $50,000, particularly to one of my advancing years, it's a field to necessity. So when Sonny and I started out in the family car the next morning, I had my plans prepared. I also had the $50,000 in cash. We ought to be there sometime this afternoon. It's only about 300 miles. Splendid, splendid. Well, look there. We're about to go right past the place where Green River goes underground, aren't we? Well, now, why don't we stop a moment? You know, there's a couple of things for yourself before we talk to Dr. Hawks. That's John Lyman Hawks, that is. Well, all right. I may be able to prove to you right here on this spot that the old professor's ideas aren't quite so wild-eyed as you may suppose. Ah, Professor, you know I don't think that. Just joking, my boy. Come on. Oh, careful climbing down over those rocks. The treacher, you know. Yeah, yeah. I'll be careful. There we are. Now, come out on this little ledge. You see, there's plenty of water here. Perhaps, uh, perhaps we wouldn't need to divert all of it. Yeah, I see. Now, notice the formation of this rock. Typical of the, uh, Neoplasis and period, a marked tendency to form vast caverns with underground springs. Oh. You mean you've got some idea about there being caves under that? Well, yeah. Well, in a way. Oh, yes, that's it. Exactly. Just step a little closer to the edge and shine your flashlight down there. I wouldn't be surprised if you could see the beginnings of some quite extensive carnivorous formations even from here. Yeah. Yeah, I do see. Gee, maybe if there wasn't so much water, people could even go down there and explore. The rock was quite slippery, and he was very near the edge when I slipped against him. I saw his flashlight bobbing for a moment in the dark pool below, and then the current swept it on, and it was gone. It was with a heavy heart and all possible speed that I headed for the Mexican border. I was on the main highway, booming along and just coming out into the valley when I saw the thing that spelled my doom. For there, dead ahead were two police cars and a group of men standing in the middle of the road, and most prominent among them dripping wet and wildly waving his arms was Sonny. Are you a professor with a spoon? Well, yes. We got a young fella here who'd kind of like to talk to you. I knew you'd come down this way after what you said about the caves. Oh, but this charge is preposterous. When I slipped and fell in, G.R. was scared for a minute. But you must have known all the time, didn't you? Known? Known what? About the caves. Boy, what caves. You know I'm quite a swimmer, and I had my flashlight, and I just went along with the current all the way down and came out the other end here. And what I saw, boy, were you ever right? Well, was I? That's your mammoth cave in Kentucky. Why, once we'd diverted some of the river out of there, boats could go down all the way. With Henry Wink's money, we could put in lights and everything. People would come from all over the country. Honestly, they're one of the seven wonders of the world. They're terrific. Well, gee whiz, aren't you excited? Excited? My boy. I think I'm going to faint. If you have ever been in this part of the country, you will surely have heard of the marvelous underground river of Pratt, a source of endless delight to tourists and a very substantial revenue to our citizens and our famous falls, Pratt Falls, and Prattville, now not only enjoys the wonders of irrigation, but of innumerable hot dog stands, motels, gambling casinos, and all the other adjuncts of those noisome communities known as resorts. As for myself, I am General Manager of the Caverns at a very handsome stipend and have been living for many years in solid and respectable domesticity with the former widow, Osterman. What I have done is nothing really nothing. It is no more than any public-spirited man would have done, but I must confess, call it vanity if you will, it is a source of enormous and constant enjoyment to me whenever I am proudly pointed out to admiring newcomers as the leading citizen of Pratt County. Suspense. Presented by Roma Wines, R-O-M-A, made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. Before we hear again from Alan Hale, the star of the leading citizen of Pratt County, tonight's suspense play, this is Truman Bradley for Roma Wines. When the butcher can't help you and you come home with ground beef instead of that choice juicy steak you had ordered, here's a sure way to save the day. Join the millions of clever homemakers who've discovered that serving delicious Roma, California burgundy makes even plain hamburger a meal to remember. Yes, your simple meals will delight the most particular palates when served with red robust Roma burgundy. For Roma burgundy brings out subtle hidden food flavors usually lost to the taste. Yet Roma, the nation's favorite wine, costs no more than ordinary wines. When you shop tomorrow, insist on Roma, R-O-M-A, Roma Wines, America's first choice. And remember, to make a bridal shower or wedding reception truly memorable, serve pale gold, sprightly dry Roma, California champagne. And for the bridal couple, Roma champagne makes the perfect going away gift. Friends, this is Alan Hale. It has been a real pleasure to appear on suspense a long time favorite of mine. And I'm sure you won't want to miss next Thursday's show when that fine actor, Mr. Robert Young, will star in a suspense play about a man who wakes up one morning to find that he has lost track of several months and that the room in which he finds himself is a cell in an insane asylum. I know you'll be listening, as I will. Thank you. Alan Hale appeared through the courtesy of Warner Brothers, producers of Night and Day. Next Thursday, same time, Roma Wines will bring you Robert Young as star of Suspense Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrill. Produced by William Spear for the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California. Here is a message from your government. Millions of men, women and children in Europe and Asia today face starvation. America, the best fed nation in the world, can relieve this crisis by making available to foreign purchases increased amounts of wheat, rice, fats and oils. You can help vitally. Eat more of the plentiful foods. Don't waste food. Turn in all used fats and give in money or canned goods, but preferably in money to your local emergency food collection. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.