 From Hollywood it's time now for Johnny dollar Al Davis Johnny, we're on our way what yeah, we're in Grand Junction now We ought to be in Clinton three hours running a couple of cars. I brought help I can use it now There's been a murder here what last night a building inspector named Richard Hobbs Tagging into my room tried to tell me something but died before he could get it out He's been shot three times. Oh, look, you be careful. Don't do anything until we get there. That's an order. Yes, sir Tonight and every week day night Bob Bailey in the transcribed adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance Investigator yours truly Johnny dollar Expense accounts submitted by special investigator Johnny dollar to the United Adjustment Bureau 418 West 61st Street, New York City The following is an accounting of expenditures during my investigation of the Clinton matter Expense account item 13 60 cents breakfast. I had it sent up to my room Right behind the bell hop appeared the tall figure of sheriff darty sure Sinon help yourself sure Thank you. You know you're a mighty lucky man. And what way I was almost holding you for murder boy That hob fella all that yeah, you're looking into it. I suppose. Yeah. Yeah, we're looking into it I hesitate to ask, but are you getting anywhere? Ah We figure he was shot sometime last night found his car downstairs all smeared up Might have driven in from someplace where we don't know Well, you know, he blew town when the school fire broke out. We talked to Mrs. Hobb. I talked to her myself. Yeah Naturally, we want to find out everything we can about this matter Now a hob came up here last night and died in this room gunshots Why do you suppose he came here? I never knew the man sheriff. I talked to someone who did know him once She said he'd been a pretty decent man at one time If you and chief Hanley and vickery didn't tell him to leave town when that fire broke out He might have told me himself His conscience might have heard him about passing a building that never could have stood an inspection Go on. He might have heard that I was in town investigating it He might have gotten sick and tired of the cheap rotten little schemes here in Clinton and come back to help me straighten it out You don't think much of our town do you not the way to sheriff and I don't think much of you In that case, I'll just try to keep out of your way Do that You do the same dollar here Two hours later Al Davies and a contingent of special operatives arrived in Clinton Toby O'Brien from continental states insurance Rob Schwartz and the mixed wins from Columbia adjustment giving us a friendly hand Todd Weaver who just finished a case with the Canadian adjust is limited Lou Doniger and Thad Thomas from Chicago a pretty imposing group of expert investigators Well Johnny, you look okay. Yeah, it's still a one piece. Hi at that Lou You want to get the door Toby Now this isn't any vacation trip boys. We're all gonna have to roll up our sleeves. All right, Johnny You want to break it down? Yeah Well, this is a big one fellas if you'll all sit I'll bring you up to date I'll sit right there Three days ago. I came here on a tip that building irregularities were suspected in the new school building The man who tipped the insurance company was the janitor name of Julian Osburn I never talked to Osburn because he died in the fire that destroyed that building. I Did talk to the man who designed the building his name is David Baines He claims none of his specifications were followed in the construction. So that's why it caught fire and went down so fast His statement right here I talked to the school principal Flory Hawkins. She supports Baines statement I wanted most of all to get a statement from the building inspector who passed the building Richard Hobb Hobb was murdered last night Wonder you need help. All right now the sheriff the fire chief and the building contractor are all in on it And there are too many leads for one man to follow too many people for one man to talk to The sheriff is making an Investigation of Hobbs murder, but we'd better make our own No, you Toby and youth that Hobbs your job find out everything about him his bank account his friends this troubles everything Especially who killed him his widows Lucille Hobb. I met her last night. I leave it to him to find the woman Okay, Rob. Yeah, your man is the building contractor Roy Vickery. He's big and tough and shrewd and he talks softly He owns and runs the whole show if I'm guessing right I take Toby and run Vickery down bank accounts purchase orders What kind of money spends and so on Jimmy now makes you to find out everything you can about Julian Osborne the janitor who has burned to death I Want Lou Doneger to stick close to fire chief Hanley same thing everything and anything you can get on him now You can handle sheriff Dorothy the rest of you spread out start talking with anybody in town who might know anything When you find one who's sick and tired of watching their town being run by a pack of hoolen send them up here to the room Or try to get statements from them making specific charges out. Yeah, I Want to guarantee every one of them security so take them down to Denver give them protection until it's safe to walk the streets here That's necessary. I'll arrange it's necessary All right now report back to me anytime you want. Don't push anybody around don't let anybody push you around Okay, let's get to work Each strange man moving through Clinton Colorado asking questions were as conspicuous as I wanted them to be I Know everybody in the little town would be hearing about them and watching them and sooner or later I hope that would pay off an hour went by before I got any action Johnny dollar you the fellow with the insurance company. Yeah, that's right. Who's this? We're gonna take lots more. Do you have anything to say? Yeah name the place you could down stand in front of your hotel I'll drive by and pick you up. I went down and stood in front of the northern hotel five minutes past ten minutes And then a car drove up two men in the front seat three in the bank One of the leaned out Yeah, come on get in oh I'm Merle Kennedy Construction foreman on the school. Hi. I thought you were gonna be alone man next year's Frank Ibson I'm the city editor of the Clinton Times those three boys in the back of Chuck Borden Pete Geiger and John Newton They all work for me on the construction. Hi We've seen the guys you brought into town really some pretty heavy boys You know the town's little edgy with all that's happened fire the janitor getting burned Murder of dick hop none of which were caused by any of my investigators How long are they going to be in town as long as they have to be we're gonna get to the bottom of all this How many did you bring in eight? I'll bring in 80 if I have to aren't you talking kind of big This is a big job This far enough turn in here. Just want to talk to you Well We're all willing to make statements dollar I Can charge Vickery with short changing the city on materials these guys in the backseat will tell you the same thing They came to me to ask my advice. I told them to talk to you see what kind of man you were I'll print anything. That's the truth. I'll add it help a lot. Mr. Ibson the papers at your disposal Provided it's the truth fair enough All of you be wanting to testify. I am okay Now a couple of other things first about Richard Hobb you tell him Frank Hobb had big ideas. He played ball with Vickery and the rest of it also looks like he was murdered because he was going to try To make it right now about Roy Vickery. He was born here in Clinton brought up here He's built about one-third of the structures in this town. Every one of them standing today Every one except the school any angle on that your insurance $200,000 okay Where can I get a copy of the actual purchase orders used in the building from Vickery? But I don't think he'd let you have him if he's still got him only gave me Specifications that look like forgeries. I want the real thing. I'll have to have the real thing now. Let me look around Now when and where do we make the statements? Let's go over to my hotel room and do it right now Better use the newspaper office. You're probably being watched by now, mr. Dollar Expense account item 14 $10 legal fees Two hours later. I hired a notary to attest the sworn statements of Earl Kennedy Frank Gibson Charles Borden Peter Geiger and John Newton They were damaging statements that would bear considerable weight in a courtroom But they were not enough to bring them out of before a court Al Davies was waiting for me when I got back to my hotel room. Hi Come here. What is it? We've got friends Yeah one two three Seven mm-hmm They've been gathering around the hotel now for the last hour or two any of the boys run into trouble yet. No none. They couldn't handle This could be ticklish though Johnny. Well, if those down there provoke to an open showdown Yeah, that might be the idea. We aren't ready for anything like that yet. We're getting there Come in. Hello, Sheriff This is mr. Davies our chief inspector Davies. Are you the man who brought these troublemakers into town? I brought eight assistants with me sheriff. They're troublemakers. They've been going around asking questions upsetting folks getting in the way I'd hate to see any of them get hurt like with those out there on the street Those men out there a group of indignant citizens who came to see me in a body and protested this investigation And the way it's being handled. They look more like hired bully boys, Sheriff I am asking you and mr. Davies to withdraw these men you have working in Clinton I am asking you to do that by sundown suppose. We don't sheriff Then you'll take the consequences wait a minute. What I don't want to keep you in a state of suspense sheriff We're willing to take the consequences what if that crew out there shoot as well as they look they're pretty rough people to go up against Let me tell you every man in this investigation is armed We won't be intimidated shoved around or bullied by you those bums out there or anyone in this town Now you tell that to mr. Vickery and chief Hanley and Then you go home and stand in front of a mirror sheriff and tell it to yourself You gave us till sundown to get out I'm giving you until sundown to resign as sheriff now if you don't do that. I'll see that you're forced out of office Now what do you think of that? You must feel mighty strong to talk like that to see this and this this this and this These are all sworn statements from people in this town who aren't afraid of you and vickery and the others You'd be surprised how many other people around here are on the verge of making statements on the verge of not being scared of you anymore So where are we sheriff? Now now you want come on get out of here Now here's our star to tell you about the final exciting episode of this week story tomorrow The end and the beginning of Clinton Colorado. It all happens when the smoke clears Join us. Won't you yours truly Johnny dollar yours truly Johnny dollar starring Bob Bailey is transcribed in Hollywood Written by John Dawson. It is produced and directed by Jack Johnstone Be sure to join us tomorrow night same time and station for the next exciting episode of yours truly Johnny dollar Roy Rowan speaking