 This is Orson Welles speaking from London in Black Museum. It's a repository of death Here in the grimy stone structure on the Thames, which houses Scotland Yard is a warehouse of homicide Where everyday objects a photograph record a postcard a color photograph a simple statuette All are touched by murder Has two scribbled notes It's a paper with three words called across them slogan known around the world a slogan you recognize words created in the kind of lonely Found men far from home men at war have enjoyed through all of history. What's it mean inspector? It would be nice to know surgeon. I suspect that if we did know we'd have the answer to this nasty business Well, this killer sir. It's possible. He's an American that phrase was Americans are all through the war Kill Roy was here Kill Roy was here and He's still here in the black museum Annals of the criminal investigation department of the London police We bring you the dramatic stories of the crimes recorded by the objects in Scotland Yards gallery of death the black museum Here we are the black museum Scotland Yards Museum of Murder Here's a typewriter your secretary uses one perhaps your son or daughter right this school essays on machine like this This one used to write a letter that letter brought a woman to an address and Death to the author of that letter. I hear the notes Scrawled online papers such as children use children who are just learning to write and a photograph Showing the same three words scratched on a wooden surface Three times three was a number in witchcraft in ancient times Three times three words were written. This wasn't witchcraft nearly murder began for Inspector Liggett and Sergeant Porter in the usual manner a Telephone rang in the inspector's office at the yard Inspector Liggett here Sergeant Garth 11th District Metropolitan Police, sir. We're at the Royal Roost, sir private supper club 15 Mali court The proprietor Matt Bolton has been shot and killed inspector. Hey, well, we've been right along Well, sir Matt Bolton has finally departed this earth border in the expected manner in the expected manner He wouldn't know Matt Bolton 99 chances out of a hundred you never heard of him But enough people had heard of him to net Matt Bolton a neat six-figure income from various protective associations and entertainment enterprises such as the Royal Roost one of those small private supper clubs Manages to keep its license by operating just within the law Club was easy to find place of a neon sign. There was a police constable at the door I'll be in here inspector. It always is in these places Apparently a good many people prefer to amuse themselves breathing a combination of tobacco and poor liquor fumes Rather good fresh air quite a costume on those girls Roosters in the Royal Rooster If you get excited, I've never seen a rooster whistle it long besides tail feathers. Yeah, and I know I Look, we better get a work start But two policemen crossed the nightclub skirted the dance floor and quietly passed through the door We know the bandstand to their left another door stood open revealing a cubicle complete with mirror lights another girlish rooster a man and a body a Body full length on the floor The girl was saying Look, we simply can't send the chorus out once more. Do I get to do my act or don't I I'm in specter Sergeant the young lady may Do her act? I doubt if she'll try to go outside the club in that Costume well, thank you inspector. First this man said he thought the show ought to go on so the customers wouldn't be disturbed And then he held me here Well, that's my cue. I'll be back. Don't worry. I'm not going any place You're so right about that inspector knows the way around that girl sir found the body didn't turn her hair So in this is by the weapons sergeant. No, sir. Not in here Exits very good. We've done that sir only to the way you came in the back door fire exit No one in the kitchen saw or heard anything. We haven't touched the body waiting for you and the medical examiner, sir Oh, very good. All right Turn out his pockets for that. Yes, sir Here's something inspector. Dr. Knees breast pocket Quite a touch I Take it you didn't see this gas. No, sir. We left the body strictly as it was odd Or mr. Signature note Kill Roy was here for a moment memories of other days crowded into the tiny dressing and the phrase which had meant chuckles once Seemed incongruous in that atmosphere of violent death And then Mabel was back with May I inquire who your escort is miss Martin Larry King meet Scotland yard gentlemen How do you do it? Is this your usual practice, mr. King if you mean escorting miss Martin home, that's correct You are good friends. We're engaged. I see miss Martin before you leave us to get Get dressed during your employment here. Have you ever had any? Any trouble with mr. Bolton, do you mean did he make advances? Yes, naturally I see Mr. King, did you know about these these advances? I did Did you ever have any trouble with mr. Bolton? Nothing to speak of of course it never is anything to speak of You served during the recent war. I did a Tommy all the way from to Brookton, Northern Italy does the expression Kill Roy was here. I mean anything to you. The Americans Fifth Army and they used it and she did many times very well legal addresses better deal with Sergeant Garth here and don't leave the city We may need you that's all for now Now the routine begins Inspector Liggett and Sergeant Porter returned to the yard the orders go out Have them run a complete check on Bolton's pals. They'll all have alibis, but run the check anyway That was a start Now the patient waiting putting together the few facts available It's the hardest part of police work anywhere So Porter. No prints on that note except yours and mine correct inspector What do you got on King and the girl? She's a well remarkably respectable. Nothing remarkable sergeant What about him? He's a lawyer in the city rather successful good reputation Ever cross Bolton's path in his work. Nope. He's a copyright lawyer deals with writers mostly nothing there and Patience lots of it check and recheck wait for information Wait for the telephone to ring Inspector Liggett here Detective Ashton sir 23rd district a guy head ashen at 14 and a half Haven Mew sir We've been watching the place sir that King fellow lives there. Yes. I know the superintendent Wife has been found sir on the cellar steps strangled. We found the note in her apron pocket Kilroy was here it says Wait for the telephone to ring and when it does ring Another death another note no solution nearly complication piled on complication A short while later in the basement apartment of the newly widowed janitor You found her yourself miss Ravens. Yes, sir lying there. She was on the cellar steps I was going down to look at the oil burner. I see now Your wife have any enemies miss Ravens. Oh, sir. No Where would the likes of us come in having enemies? Quarrel some a little you might say but what woman isn't oh, she she quarreled with you With me mostly not that I could blame her. It's hard worker plays like this You know once in a while with a tenant well the children in 4b for instance, they write on the walls So my wife argues with the mother mm-hmm the nice young man in 6g lets the bath tub run over 5g complains my wife's called mr. King. I see yes now is mr. King at home now Why believe so sir all right. Thank you We'll do our best to find whoever killed your wife miss Redmond. Oh, thank you, sir She had a temper I know but she never did no real arm up in the self-service elevator in the sixth floor Finds 6g and ring the bell have it open not Mallory King but by Mabel Martin I'm more fully dressed than the last time the inspector saw her Well miss Martin Collected the insurance yet cut it out inspector I don't have to stand for that sort of thing In fact, I could ask you for a warrant before I let you in here, but you won't will you mr. King? Ask your questions Then about mrs. Evans. I assume Larry please don't worry darling ask your questions inspector You followed with mrs. Evans. I did I wanted my bathtub fixed the drain was backing up She told me to go to fix it myself. That's all you're sure that was all Murder seems to have a way of happening in your vicinity king. Is that an accusation? What's all this to do with Matt Bolton? I don't know And but there is a link quite a clear leak miss Martin You see on mrs. Evans. We found a bit of paper and on it was scrawled Kilroy was here Any ideas on that ex-soldier now solicitor King Solicitor King had nothing to say his puzzlement his lack of knowledge seemed honest enough Specter like it drew no conclusions. He waited the routine continued Reports came in The Martin ghetto is a new job same type of club. I've seen the act inspector same songs mall claws Nothing on Bolton's cronies every one of them has an alley by King seems to follow a set routine inspector to the office back home dinner and call for the girl Even eats his lunch at the same time every day in the same restaurant. How they much to go on there just a time of waiting a Week past Telephone rang once again Inspector Ligget here Detective Ashton sir. We've another one for you. What? Yes, sir a butcher this time name of Andrews Two blocks from the apartment house where King lives head bashed in with his own mallet Scratched on the chopping block with one of his own knives is the same old message sir Kilroy was here Kilroy was here familiar words with a smile in their words to remember fondly three times they appear on a butcher's block on scraps of paper and today They can be seen in the black museum bird killing and signed exactly the same way Kilroy was here More this murder taken place within a few blocks of 14 and a half Haven Muse where Larry King lived The same young man who was the secret fiance of the singer and who's dressing in the first part even found the same young man Who lived in the house where the janitor's wife had been strangled? Specter Ligget lost no time reaching the scene of the latest crime Oh, it's Anything fresh just the things I reported sir, there's the mallet the weapon. Yeah, the message was scratched with this knife Any prints of the laboratory crew are trying to raise some nothing yet Very well, who's the woman for the widow? Let me sit Andrews I I really disliked bothering you with questions at this time But you understand that speed may be the essence now. Yes. Yes, of course inspector I understand that it was you who found your husband Yes, I stopped you to get some money for a dress It'll have to be a black one now Did you always come to him for that kind of money? Well, Jim had his ways. He was considerably older than I am He seemed just strong when we first married Well later he was Well, it changed the domineering. I understand but now look just a few more questions, please Does the phrase on the chopping block mean anything to you? Kowaroe was here No No, it's well, it's just a I think I heard it on the radio once or twice From the way you described your husband, I'd say he was rather well positive It's a mild way of putting it positive Domineering a man who broke no argument So the questions went on the picture became more clear of a large Almost brutish man who covered his deficiencies with bluster and bullying Finally Just one more point miss Andrews Did your husband ever argue with his customers? I mean, did he make any enemies among them? Some Only over little things. Can you give me a specific instance? Well last week. Yes, it was last week. A nice young man said Jim was overcharging him. They had words The man of his name is Larry King from the apartment house on Haven Mewes. He swore he'd never buy here again I see Have I Have I helped inspector? You may Just a little time will tell I suspect just a little time Within the hour Larry King was in custody taken in charge for 24 hours on suspicion of complicity His fingerprints revealed Nothing His answers to the barrage of questions revealed Nothing Where are they the inspector and sergeant Porter returned to the office to face unrelated facts and a no-progress report? Where are they the inspector picked up the receiver of his office intercom? Yes, sergeant you have a caller, sir Who is it? Miss Mabel Martin, sir? He insists on speaking with you Miss Martin was ushered in seated in front of the desk. I am I I've got something to tell you inspector, please do well Larry didn't kill anybody Didn't he? No, I did Steady, sir, and please take down Miss Martin statement. No, I must warn you Miss Martin Anything you say will be taken down in writing and may be used in evidence Yes, I understand now the floodgates opened I Killed all three of them and left the notes to make it look as though Larry did it So simple so obvious Matt Bolton threatened me He said if I didn't come back to him it he'd change his insurance policies and tell Larry about us like I Shot him it was a 22 that Larry had given me one death accounted for The policeman listened gravely Mrs. Evans was always snooping She threatened to tell Larry about Matt and me. I Did it in the cellar behind the coal pile. I I strangled her quite logical The inspector waited Andrews the butcher I Used to shop there for Larry Andrews made some advances he reached for me and I grabbed a meat cleaver and then I scratched the note on the wood That's the story inspector Yes Tell me how much do you weigh miss Martin? About £107 What's that got to do? Yes, I don't bother. What does the caliber of the bullet found in Matt Bolton? 0.38 caliber. Thank you. And did you notice a co-pile in the cellar at 14 and a half Haven muse? It's an oil but not quite modern. Thank you And the weapon in the Andrews case a mallet sir not a keeper a mallet and sergeant Can you picture a young woman of a hundred and seven pounds knocking out and killing a man of Andrews size? Not very well, of course it obvious her heart and her courage are as large as she is if not larger, but All right, have you fun? I've made a fool of myself, but Larry didn't kill anyone. I know that I know it You can't do this to her. Look look look I wouldn't worry miss Martin if I were you in In fact if I wear you I'd hurry out on the front of the building Mr. King is about to be released and I think you'll want to meet him there, won't you? How about it Porter Care to have a girl like that to marry yes for more reasons than one Where are we now sir? Oh hand Porter I'd say we were just about where we were when we first heard of the Andrews killing Put on your thinking cap sergeant. This is quite a problem. They sat there in silence Their minds sifted fact after fact And once they've been through the meager supply of facts on hand They started over again At one point the inspector said half to himself There's something we're overlooking Probably quite a simple point. It usually is but he was quite right in fact the inspector was quite a Paul So appalled he spoke in what amounted to a whisper Sergeant Hand me that telephone directory, please what oh, yeah, yes Can I help you sir? No, no, no, thank you Look just get your hat sergeant get my hat. Yes. We're going back to 14 and a half Haven muse that's Kings of that. Yes, and according to the director It is also the residents of one Joseph kill Roy or one of the seven kill Roy's listed in the London telephone directory Doesn't take long from Scotland you had to Haven muse not when you travel by police car with a siren going it doesn't take Long to race upstairs to a third-floor apartment ring the doorbell Come in gentlemen. I heard you're a rival in the street. What took you so long gentlemen? Really, no, Mr. Kuroi. I must warn you anything. Oh, that's all right. I understand don't mind in the least Well, I'll be watch him sergeant. I am sir. Thank you Inspector Liggett. Oh, yes. Thank you Frankly inspector. I'm rather annoyed with you Here I go to all the trouble of killing a man So that nice young fellow in 6g could marry that cute little baggy. She's going with and you arrest him Instead of me. I see I Am sorry about that too, sir. So you killed Bolton Saw him one night Treating the girl really nastily front of his house. I may ask why the woman Oh, she was a nagger really annoying and after I killed one Struck me. I couldn't be hanged more than once. So I might as well do 11's too Thoughtful of you. Mr. Kuroi mad butcher was a private matter though. He kicked a dog once I saw him didn't treat his wife any better. No kids Figured he'd leave for his money So I got him with his own mallet quite simple you see and You signed your name to each one. Oh, of course Good deeds are scarce in this world Thought I ought to get proper credit each time Now if you'll excuse me Sergeant Good work sergeant. He's strong sir stronger than he looks cases like this usually are Well We'll need the ambulance not the wagon this time and use the telephone director sergeant I find them quite useful books when I remember to use them who would have thought it up How many of our martyrs are considered enough to sign their killing sir? Murders don't sign their work. Do they unless of course their sense of humor is as twisted as the evaluation of human life This killer did autograph his killings And today those notes can be seen in a usual place for such things In the black museum Joe Kilroy was insane of course by every normal standard insane enough certainly to sign his name to three murders And by every normal standard the gentleman of Scotland yard acted correctly within the rules of their profession in tracing every possible Motivation every possible suspect before they came to the obvious solution After all it is logical that when men spend their lives dealing with the deliberately obscured They can actually fail to notice the openly obvious Now the notes remain in their usual place in Scotland yard in the black museum Until we meet again in the same place For another story about the black museum Their main is always obedient for yours