 The Anchor Hawking Glass Corporation brings you Crime Photographer. All week I've been seeing the kids going back to school. Ah, school days, dear old school days. Education's a wonderful thing, all right. Sure is, Mr. Marvin. I didn't get past the fourth reader, but I learned something awful important since then. What was that, Elbert? You tell him, Mr. Marvin. Why? Anchor Hawking is the most famous name in glass. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Tony Marvin. Every week at this time, the Anchor Hawking Glass Corporation of Lancaster, Ohio, and its more than 10,000 employees, bring you another adventure of Casey Crime Photographer, ace cameraman who covers the crime news of the great city. Written by Alonzo Dean Cole, our adventure for tonight, Graveyard Gertie, a road on the outskirts of the city, a dismal road. On one side, it's flanked by dilapidated, grimy houses, billboards and vacant lots strewn with rubbish. On the other side is a familiar, battered-looking car approaches, man, as it draws near. Figure out that new rattle, Annie. Listen to it. I've been listening. But Casey, this poor old Jalabi makes so many strange noises. It's hard to tell. Now, this is something new, and it sounds like the battery support. Well, I'm going to pull up here and see if I can locate it. Oh, you picked a fine place to pull up. It's one of those cemetery gates. Oh, cool. Graveyards don't bother me. Well, I don't like them, especially at this hour. It's almost midnight, Casey. You see any spooks climbing out of the ground at the stroke of 12, Annie? Give a whistle. Ah, here's what rattles. What? The nicest place is a bolt already to pull out of it. Is that all? Yeah. Say, Annie, open the glove compartment. Will you give me the pliers, the flashlight, excuse me? Yeah, OK. There you go. That's it, that's it, that's it. Won't take a minute. Uh, midnight. Uh-huh. That's a good thing I stopped when I did. Another mile of this bolt would have fallen out. Hey, Casey. Huh? Something's moving among those tombstones. Where? That's there. I see, behind that mausoleum. Yeah, coming this way, it looks like a woman. Hey, it is a woman. Yeah, I suppose so, but she seems to be just floating among those graves, Casey. Loathing, Annie. Not she's simply walking very slowly and winkly. But why should any woman be walking in a graveyard at this time of night? Well, how should I know, Annie? Hey, Casey. What? The woman's figure had sank out a site behind that tombstone. Yeah, so it did. Yeah, it looked as though she went into the ground. You know darn well she didn't, but I'm going to find out what she did. Casey, don't leave me alone here. Come on with me then. Into that cemetery? Yes, really. Oh, okay, but I don't like this. Now just open the gate. Careful, I don't stumble over one of these footstones. Casey, I don't like it here. Act your rage, Annie. There, there's the tombstone where we saw her. Yeah, there's something behind it on the ground. A horrible black shadow. Yeah, that's much more than a shadow. That's an old woman. A real woman? Yes, a live one too. Hey, come here. Annie, I think she's fainted. Oh, Casey, she's terribly old. She's coming too. What? Who are you? Come on, take it easy, mother. We saw you fall down in here. We came to help you. Hey, yes, I had one of my spells. It's the youngest he used to be, and sometimes my heart. The rest is what you need right now. Yeah, we'll take you home. And see that you get into a warm bed. This is my home here. Huh? This cemetery? Yes, got myself a nice place here. Fine place, eight by four. Casey, it's all paid for too, but that I did for it, it's mine. It's a beautiful grave. Uh, well, I, I think it's your home right now, mother. It's my real home because I own it. I come here every day and every night to look at it. Oh, I see. My home. I'll be moving into it too. Well, not tonight. All right, now I'll carry it over the car. Annie, open the door, will you? Oh, yeah, sure. There, now I'll put you right here in the back seat, mother. Lie back and relax. Much obliged, young fella. Yeah. You're a nice boy. Thanks. You're welcome. Now, if you'll tell us where you live, we'll take you home. Live? Oh, yes, the place I rent. Keep for just down the road, please. All right, you point out the house and we'll get to it. Will it be somebody there to take care of you? Somebody to... Oh, yes. Roger will take care of me. Oh, he's your son or grandson? No, Roger ain't no relation. He's just a friend. Best friend ever had. When he asked you two to come in and meet Roger. Well, that's fine. When we meet your friend Roger, I'm gonna tell him not to let you wander around cemetery this time of night. You can tell Roger anything. You've got a mind, you young fella. But he won't hear you. Huh? Oh, you mean he's deaf and dumb? No. I mean he's dead. Huh? Dead? That's right. Folks never suspected from the meeting first. You wouldn't if I hadn't told you. Never dreamed for Roger'd been dead for four years. Been dead? Say, what do you mean? Yeah, that's what I'd like to know. Won't tell you no more now. You'll find out when you meet Roger. You'll find out when you're meeting. Ray will continue in just a moment. Is that good? Beer right from the bottle. Ah, yes indeed, Alex. Beer right from the bottle. And that's the only way to serve beer. Beer in glass bottle. For glass and glass alone can bring you beer that's brewery bright. Beer as it's meant to taste. Well, what about this bottle, Tony? It's a new kind of bottle. The anchor glass one way, no deposit bottle. You mean I don't have to take it back to the store, eh? No, sir. I don't have to pay any deposit. Not a cent. The anchor glass one way, no deposit bottle is so light, so compact, so inexpensive to produce that you pay no deposit of any kind. Never bother about empties. When it is empty, dispose of it as you would any other food container. And let's not forget, Tony, that this no deposit container is made of glass and glass never affects the taste or flavor of beer or ale. No wonder the anchor glass one way bottle is sweeping America. Yes, Alex. For perfect flavor, demand beer and glass bottles. For extra convenience, demand your favorite brand in the new anchor glass one way, no deposit bottle. A product of anchor hocking. The most famous name in glass. Well, young fella, you can stop your automobile. Okay. Terrible looking, Shanty Casey. Yeah. All right, I'll help you out, mother. I'm all right, young fella. That ride was nice. You'll get the automobiles very often. I'm gonna ride one again pretty soon when I leave this place a little bit and go home. Fine big black automobiles gonna take me and I'll be wearing a swell black wrist and be resting in a box all lined with sections. Well, let's take you to your door. Then you're coming in to meet Roger. Well, it's very late. I think we'd better be going. No, no. You've got to come in. I'll go ahead and lock the door. Light a lamp and tell Roger. Casey, what are we getting into? That's Roger. Is something the poor old woman imagined, Shanty? The mind doesn't run in very cheerful channels. To say the least. Casey, she's unlocked three different locks to open that door. Yeah. One of her eccentricities, I guess. You don't look. That's a lad, Lit. So, Roger. Come in, girl. OK, mother. Come on, kids. I don't like the looks of that tumble-down shack, Casey, but... OK. Get in. Get right in. Now, get the door. Hey, your place is nice inside, mother. I sweep and mop and dust every morning. Oh, you're a wonderful housekeeper. Also got a kitchen. Come and see through the steps. These cupboards are clean, too. I'll unlock them and show them to you. You keep your dishes locked up? I keep everything I can locked up. There's only to stop burglars who don't meet Roger first. Roger. Send them out of this house. Liquidy split. You are going to let us meet Roger? Maybe I shouldn't have told you that Roger's here and that he's dead. The curry's no fool. You two won't hurt me. Come back to the mother room. Now, Roger's there. Where? In that big trunk. In that trunk? Casey, you'll be scared when you see him. I'm warning you. Folks was always scared of Roger. He ain't changed none since he's dead. Look here, mother. Open that trunk and see for yourself. Get the lid. Trunk's the one thing in this house that's never locked. Lift the lid. Roger will scare you, but he won't hurt you. Lift the lid. Casey's got a dead body in that trunk. I'll see. No, no, Casey. Don't. The young woman don't trust me like I trust her. I'll lift the lid and show you what's inside. Here. Good Lord. A big snake. It's lifting its head. Oh, come on. Let's get out of this room. I'm right with you, Annie. All right, I'll put some on you. I warned you you'd be scared of Roger. I told you Roger's dead. A big snake is Roger. Look at him again. Annie, the thing is just that... Oh, it's a stuffed snake. That's right, young fella. We thought it moved. Its head rose out of that trunk. Its head's on a steel spring, young woman. I had the taxidermist fellow fix it that way. You see, when Roger was alive, he traveled in this trunk. When I opened the lid at the end of a trip, he always dipped his head like that, rub his throat against my arms. Roger had been my friend and partner for 20 years. And he died unmisting, so I've had him struck real lifelife. Roger was your partner? I used to be a snake charmer, young man. A snake charmer that's in the business. I did all the good, big tasks. When Blue Roger passed away, I lost interest in the profession and dropped out. There never was another python like him. He was a python, huh? 15 foot of every inch of him, high and lovable. You look a little pale, young lady. You're going to pitch a spot of tea. No, thank you. We must be going now. Oh, you can't do that. Please stay. Roger and me ain't had visitors for an awful long time. Sure, sit down, Annie. We're no hurry now. All right. All right. Now, some snakes ain't fruit. Take cobras, for instance, your copperheads, your rattlers. I could handle them. Still can, but I never got to really life them. Mother, you and I are liking that. Me too. Say, I knew we was going to find a lot of things in common. I'll put the tea kettle on, and then we'll have a nice long talk. Young folks and old birdies house again. It almost makes me feel as though the place I live in is my home. You and Miss Williams stayed up half the night with that old lady, huh? Sure did. We got a big kick out of it too, at the first. She had so many interesting things to talk about. Old circus days and the gay 90s. It was a wonderful evening. Outside of Roger. Oh, don't mention him. I'll never get over that shock. A snake. Poor old woman living alone with a stuffed snake. Yeah, wandering around that cemetery. You know, I found out that people in the neighborhood call her Graveyard Gertie. She's had nothing to live for except the prospect of a decent funeral. You say she's managed to put enough dough away for that? Yeah. Skimped and saved a few dollars here and there. Casey's old work, our city editor, on the idea of playing Old Gertie up in a Sunday feature for which she'll be paid. Paid? Sure. For letting me take pictures and forgiving Miss Williams. An exclusive interview. How much will your city editor pay her? Well, a tight ward said $100 was his limit. But Casey got him up to $300. Hey, that'll look like a million to the old gal. Mm-hmm. And we're going to call on her with the check tomorrow morning. Well, here we are, Annie. Uh-huh. Well, I'll go ahead and knock at the door while you get your camera and supply case. Okay, Annie. Stuff's all here in the back seat. I'll be with you in a second. That's it, Casey. Hmm? You must be out. Oh, I'll try the door. Oh, it's not locked. Well, then she's inside. She wouldn't go away without locking up. Mm-hmm. Push it open. Yell again. Yeah, okay. Casey, look. Huh? Somebody's been tearing this place apart. Look, if your drawers are all pulled out, those cabinets are all open. Stuff's strewn all over the floor. Oh, not just trunk is open. Ooh, that awful head sticking out. Well, never mind the stuffed snake. Where's the old lady? Don't you? She's not in this room. Wait, I'll look in the kitchen. Yeah, okay. Oh, she's not in here. Annie, these kitchen covers have been open, too. Yeah. Look, everything she kept locked has been unlocked, Annie. Nothing broken open. Oh, she wouldn't give up her keys unless... Unless... Yeah. But I'm afraid of it. Oh, Casey. I don't see any blood stains. There's no sign of a... Wait a minute. Look here on the floor. Yeah, a piece of mud. That's clay. Well, don't touch it. It may be a lead to the police. Yes. And the cops don't like to find things monkey with. Annie, go find a phone. Call the cops. Get Logan. Well, Captain Logan's homicide bureau. We have no murder to report. Don't touch, Annie. Get Logan. Casey, your hunch has wasted a lot of valuable time for me. My guys have searched every inch of this neighborhood, and there isn't a sign of that old woman or her body. What do they go over that cemetery, Logan? She walked in there every night. They look behind every tree and tombstone. You have no business to call me in on this. Before the homicide squad can go to work, they have to have a dead body. Yeah, sometimes I think they got one for a cat. Oh, yeah? Look, Logan, that old woman wouldn't have given up her keys without a scrap. It's too frail to stand a scrap. Well, there's no evidence there was a scrap. This is a case for the precinct cops and missing persons bureau. I'm going back to headquarters. Okay, smart guy. Go ahead. But my hunch still says this is a murder case, and I'm going to prove it. Yeah, so long, Miss Williams. Goodbye, Captain. Looks to me as though you put yourself out on a limb with him, Casey. How are you going to prove this is a murder? Well, maybe I did talk a little too big. He got me sorry. Hmm. A piece of mud must have come off the shoe of whoever ransacked this place. But how to get on his shoe? Well, how does anyone get muddy shoes? A cemetery. Now, Annie, let me think. Would you be... Old Gertie had so many deluxe and bars around this place that the neighbors probably figured that she had dough getting here. So someone in the neighborhood laid for her, huh? Somebody who was familiar with the neighborhood and her habits. He killed her. According to your hunch. Yeah. Be quiet, Annie. Are you OK? Took her keys. Hit the body. Place unknown. Huh? Oh, I didn't say anything. Oh. And he came to this shack and searched for the dough that he thought was here using Gertie's keys. And he didn't find what he was looking for in a locked place, so he lifted the lid of that trunk that wasn't locked. And the head of that stuffed snake popped out. Yeah, the burglar reacted, Annie, just like we did when we first saw Roger. Only he got out the door, slammed it behind him, and kept going. Wait a minute. There's one place that does cinch that burglar didn't look. And that's inside of Roger's trunk. The burglar thought the snake was a real McCoy and ran out. Annie, let's see. I'm right. Hey, there's a metal box in the bottom of the trunk. Roger's coiled around it. A big cash box with a locked lid. Oh, Gertie did have money hidden here. She did. It's in this box. Annie. I think I see a way to prove that Gertie was murdered and to guess whoever did it. How? Whoever used that old woman's keys still has him and still wants the dough that he didn't find. Well, I don't see how that works. Annie, go back to the office and tell him I won't be in for quite a while. Well, what are you going to do? First, I'm going to pay a visit to the sexton of that cemetery down the road. Yes, Mr. Casey. I know old Gertie. She's been a familiar figure around this cemetery. Of course you know she disappeared, sexton. Cramer's a name. Mr. Craver. Yes, the policeman who searched the grounds told me what had happened. They found her yet? No. Oh, yeah. But they figure she's okay. She just wandered away. I sincerely hope they arrived. Yes. My paper was about to publish a story on the old girl. Is there anything that you could tell me, Mr. Craver? I've already told the police all in all, which is really nothing. Oh, maybe some of your workmen. The grave diggers, for instance. Maybe they could give me some dope on her. You might talk to them. You'll find most of them working at the northeast end today. Oh, well, I'll look them up and get acquainted. Oh, was there a burial this morning? Three of them. Three? Yes. Why do you ask? Oh, I just wondered how business was. The manner of speaking. You know, I'll tell you a funny one. If a burglar killed that old lady, he didn't find her money. Didn't? I think the money is in a locked metal cash box beneath a big stuffed snake she had. Big stuffed snake? Uh-huh. Well, thanks for your courtesy, Mr. Craver. I'll go out and talk to your grave diggers. It's really been swell letting me interrupt your work and telling all you know about old Gertie. Thanks a million. Ah, grave diggers are not such bad fellows when you get to know us. There, Mr. Casey? That's right, Tony. Sorry, I couldn't give you no hint about where to look for the old guard, Mr. Casey. I sure hope she turns up in good health. Yes, so do I, Pat. Yes, so do I. I didn't know the old dame, but I'd like her to be okay. Me too, Joe. Me too. Well, thanks again. I'll be running along, I guess. Oh, uh, since you knew old Gertie, that is all except Joe here, I'll tell you a funny one. If a burglar did kill Gertie, which the cops don't believe, he missed the place where I think she kept her dough. He did? Yeah. In a locked metal box beneath a big stuffed snake she had. Stuffed snake? Stuffed a snake, are you saying? Stuffed snake. Yeah. Hey, see, what makes you think the murderer will come to old Gertie's house tonight? I'd find it into come. See, I talked to him today. I see. You talked to him? I think I did. I think he's a guy named Joe. That's identifying him for me. I also think I know where he hid the body, Logan. Huh? Where? I'll tell you, but first, look, first you've got to agree to follow a plan that I've laid out. Now, is it a deal? All right, Casey, it's a deal. Big scheme has worked out well so far, Casey. We've now been enjoying the discomforts of old Gertie's two-before-kitchen just four hours. And in the dark. I don't think he'll show up at all. All right. We'll lay for him again tomorrow night. Oh, that's a pleasant prospect. Yeah. Standing in the dark. Yeah. Doing nothing. Yeah. Yeah. We can listen to Logan's sparkling conversation. Yes. Nuts. Casey, what are you supposed to do in that box of Gertie? We'll find out, I think, when it's open. Well, I'm surprised you didn't have a locksmith open at Captain Logan. Why should I? Hey, she's quiet. Listen. Your key's turning in the lock. Who do you think is using that key, Logan? Shut up. Hey, the door's opening. It's a man. Yeah, he's turned on a flashlight. He's opened it. Do you stop, Logan? Put him up, you! Put him up, I said! Don't shoot, don't shoot! Where did you get that bunch of keys, Joe? Yeah. All right, all right. You can run me in for rendering this house just now, but that's all you can pin on me. That's all. You think it'll be all when we find old Gertie's body where you buried it? I didn't bury no body. You killed that old woman. Oh! You killed her and buried her in one of the new graves that were dug yesterday. You dug one of those graves a little deeper last night, put Gertie's body in and covered it to the grave's normal depth. I don't know what you're talking about. You tracked fresh clay into this house last night from the graveyard. Try to prove it was me, mister. I guess there's nothing to do but take a man, Logan. Come on, you! Wait a minute. He's got the keys, Logan. If that box we haven't opened, we might as well see what's in it. Yeah, that's right. Open it up, Joe. Me? That's what you came here to do. All right, all right. So you've got an attempt at burglary wrapping against me. So what? So open that box. Okay, anything to oblige, you copper. And I'll open it up and take out what's inside. Okay, okay. What's the matter? A snake's in a box, a live snake. Snake? Yeah, look at my hand. The box of its fangs. Oh, Gertie kept a live snake in there, too. Logan, that snake's a copperhead. Copperhead. Oh, they're deadly. Yeah, I know that. Get me to a doctor. Get me to a doctor quick. We knew the old girl liked snakes, Casey. Hey, what a lover. I didn't know she liked copperheads, though. If a doctor don't take care of me in a few hours, I'll be dead. That's right. Well, then do something for me. Not until you tell the truth about old Gertie. I told you the truth. Ain't get over, Joe. A few minutes your hand will begin to swell. The poison will be going through your system. Hey, you can't do this to me. You can. That snake bite has to be treated quickly and there's not much hope. Tell us about Gertie, Joe. My hand's beginning to swell, Joe. Tell us about Gertie. Logan. The doctor doesn't get to your quell. Tell us about Gertie. All right, all right. I'll tell him. I'll tell him. Get a doctor. Talk fast and tell the truth. I killed the old woman. How? I sneaked up behind her and hit her on the head. What grave did you bury her in? One of the new graves. I'll show you. You'll find her there just like I said. Now get me to a doctor. Get me to a doctor, please. Yes, as soon as we checked your story, Joe. Look, that grave is open, and we know you've told the truth. It is poison. We'll wait till you open that grave. I'll be dead by then. Confidentially, Joe. We don't really care. You're going to let me die. You're going to let me die. You're going to the cemetery and point out that grave. And I'll take your picture. Wait a minute, Casey. I'm not sure, Annie. What is it? Did you and Logan know there was a snake in that box? Confidentially, Annie. We put it there. A copperhead? No. It's the harmless, hog-nosed snake that we bought from the zoo. It doesn't even bite. You bit that man's hand. I saw the marks. We had the box rigged so that anybody sticking his hand at it would strike a pair of sharp-pointed nails and scratch himself. Oh, no. Joe won't die of snakebite. He's going to die in a chair. We'll join the crowd at the blue note in just a moment. Here's an interesting experiment. Take a sunburst crystal picture, set it down on a fine linen tablecloth, and then ask anyone to guess what this picture should cost. Well, guesses would run up to very large sums of money, many, many times as much as this sunburst crystal picture actually costs. Yet, believe it or not, you can buy this beautiful two-quart sunburst crystal picture for only 50 cents or slightly more in distant cities. It has the same diamond-like sparkle you see in the most costly hand-cut crystal, the kind of crystal that's handed down for generations as a family heirloom. Yes, here is truly an amazing bargain, a really great value. Now, you'll find this sunburst crystal picture and other equally great sunburst crystal values at any retail store selling household glass. Ask for sunburst crystal by name. You'll recognize the traditional sunburst pattern immediately. Sunburst crystal is a product of anchor-hawking. The most famous name in glass. The cops found that poor old woman's body just as that guy Joe said, huh? That's right, Edward. Which means that Joe's all washed up. What was in that box before you put the harmless snake in it, Casey? All of old Gertie's wealth. An old photograph of Roger when he was alive, the deed to Gertie's burial plot and an undertaker's receipt for the funeral that she'd paid for in advance and a $10 bill. Gee. And she's getting that proper funeral with trimmings. A $300 check that we weren't able to give her is buying her a nice monument. She'd like that. Yes, she would. Say, Casey, what's gonna be done with Roger that 15-foot python in the trunk? Oh, say, I'm glad you mentioned that, Ethelbert. We almost forgot. Gertie made a will the day after we met her, which leaves Roger trunk and all to Annie and me. What are you gonna do with him? Say, your bartender, is there a guy around here by the name of Ethelbert Gibson? Oh, yeah, that's me. What's on your mind? I'm from the express company. I got a big trunk outside for you. Where do you want me to put it? Come on, Casey. I, uh, think we'd better go. It's so long, pals. Huh? Wait, you mean a trunk? What am I gonna do with it? Say, you can't do this to me! Barring starts Cotsworth as Casey is brought to you each Thursday by the Anchor Hawking Glass Corporation, makers of Fire King Oven Glass, Anchor Glass Containers, Anchor Caps & Closures, all products of Anchor Hawking, the most famous name in glass. Music is by Archie Blyar, and the program features Miss Jan Miner as Anne and John Gibson as Ethelbert. Herman Chittison is the Blue Note pianist and Gertie was played by Abby Lewis. This is Tony Marvin saying good night for the Anchor Hawking Glass Corporation of Lancaster, Ohio with offices in all principal cities of the United States and Canada. Thursday night on CBS is the biggest show in town, so stay tuned for exciting dramatizations on Reader's Digest follows immediately over most of these stations. 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