 Mr. District Attorney, starring David Bryan. Mr. District Attorney, champion of the people, defender of truth, guardian of our fundamental rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And it shall be my duty as District Attorney, not only to prosecute to the limit of the law all persons accused of crime perpetrated within this county, but to defend with equal vigor the rights and privileges of all its citizens. This is David Bryan. In a moment we'll bring you another case from the files of Mr. District Attorney. The first a word from our sponsor. David Bryan as Paul Garrett, Mr. District Attorney. The psychiatric evaluation has contributed much to the analysis and solution of modern crime. For example, in getting at the core of motivations psychiatry has shown that a criminal's mental disorder may be of the obsessive, compulsive type. Inability to refrain from committing a crime. Like the one committed one night down in the city's warehouse in Truck Depot District. How do you even read? Donald and all the rest of them are strong. They can't push me around. I did see a flashlight in here. Stay where you are. I got a gun. What are you doing here, Schaefer? Not my name, huh? You work at Donald and Truck Company. Same as my son-in-law. I've seen you there. That's just too bad for you. What's in that jug? Something I've been saving up for a very day. Kerosene. I can smell it. What are you going to do about it? You crazy long-legged baboon. He ain't going to start any fire in here. Not while I'm watching. Try and stop me. Watch your turn. You're not your red-headed ape. Get away from my prickle lover. Out of my way, you fool. I had a kid that tried to push me around. Burn. Go on, burn. Oh, you're beautiful. This is so they can't push me around. I don't know where anybody else is. Is there any time getting here? I came right along. I need to get away from that bridge game. Find out who he is. No, not yet. Body badly burned. Fire marshal thinks he might have been the night watchman. A.L. Watchman's wife going to look at the body. To know whether it's murder or not, no word yet from the medical examiner. Thought about accordion, though. Was this fire set? Yeah, the marshal thinks so. Any witnesses that might point to the setting of the fire? Well, the B patrolman thinks he might have something. Name's McCluskey, third priest. Well, he just opened a call box on the corner to report in. Thought he had three cleanse shots. Started down this way, so a small coupé go out of the warehouse parking area. You got the license number? He thinks the coupé was black. Maybe dark blue, about a 49 model. Hope I'm wrong, but I'm going to hunch this is going to be a rough one. Chief in? Not yet. He's probably making up some sleep. A lot of excitement around here last night. So I gathered. Murder and arson. Mean combination. I can't for the life of me. I understand why anyone would set fire to a building deliberately. Same general reason. Make some shoot down an old night watchman, probably. This is rocker. What have you there? Fire Marshal's report. Fire set with kerosene. They found pieces of a gallon glass jug in the room. Oh, good morning, Chief. Good morning, Mr. Garrett. Good morning, Miss Miller. How are you coming along with the notes? Really done. I'll add this to them, please. The murder weapon was a .38 caliber pistol. Ah, they got the slugs now. One of the slugs, yes. I like bones. You might call Lieutenant O'Brien, Detective Division. Check to be sure he has that information. Also, tell him I want a thorough search made for the gun. I want it made in the warehouse, ruined in vicinity. Yes, Chief. Oh, come into my office. Sit down. I want to find a take-off point for this case. Let's see what we've got. Well, a guy drives a small, dark-colored coupe. Impossible. A mobster watchman with a .38 caliber gun and leaves his calling card. A smashed jug that probably contained you've seen the Marshal's report. Not the information by phone last night. Now, the motor's operandi won't help. We can't bring in any pyros for questioning. All known pyros are behind bars or in institutions. So, what do we do? Figure what type of criminal to look for. This is no gang hoodlum. I didn't. No trigger man for a horse-bedding ring or a policy wheel syndicate. This is a dangerous, long-wolf killer. Looks like a long chase. Could be. Right now, I'd say our best bet is to make a check of all gasoline service stations in the area. Get names and addresses whenever possible of everyone who buys kerosene. Process of elimination, huh? Yes. Alert station attendants to watch for a man who drives a small, black or dark-colored coupe. Maybe the guy will bring his own glass jug. Yeah, a long chase. Okay, so it's a long chase. Get on it. It's not a job. It's a nab this guy before he kills someone else. You sell kerosene here? Good deal, mister. Fill up this jug, will you? Okay. I got plenty in my oil heater. I'd like to keep plenty on hand, though. A little extra for rainy days. Good idea, mister. Hey, I hope you don't mind my asking, but your name's Stanley. No. Just come to me. I've seen you somewhere. Shut up. Hey, look, it's all bent. Your jug tip's over and you lose a lot of kerosene. Listen, when I want a new cap for that jug, I'll get it, see? You ain't pushing me around. All I meant was I got a cap in the office. How to fit that, I'll give it to you. Everybody's trying to push me around. They don't get away with it, see? They're trying to push you around. I'm telling you, you can have the cap for free. Here's your money. Out of a dollar. Out of a dollar? There you are. It's perfect. Hey, wait, don't throw that other one away. It's not good. Come on, give me it. I ain't going to be pushed around. You want some trouble? Okay, okay, you take it. Creepish, you don't have to get sore. I'm telling you, it might come in handy. Guy saves everything for rainy days. Better off. See you. Hey, wouldn't be the guy. You got that address right, Hanson? Well, that's what motor vehicle registration told me, chief. 797 Commercial Street. I asked them twice to be sure. I didn't know there were any dwellings in this district. All I know is it's the address on their copy of Shaper's registration. I don't know that we're down this far. We'll have a look at 797. It could be a dummy address, of course. Can you check his name with the police? Yep. No criminal record for any Fred Shaper. Like violation. Doesn't make it any easier. Yeah, at least we got a good description of the guy from the kid at that police station. Joe Hampton's the kid's name. What's that description again? Tall, skinny, red-headed, blue eyes, bulge out a little, walks kind of bent over. Besides phoning that in, Hampton planted a cap on the kerosene jug. No, you didn't mention that. What do you mean, planted? It's the kind of a cap, screws out to one of those glass jars, you know. After he made a punch mark on it with pliers. You get the idea, chief? If this Shaper sets another fire and smashes the jug the way he did before, well, Hampton can identify the cap. Not bad. Pretty sharp, I call it. Hey, how's that warehouse? I want to burn it. Yeah. 797 must be just down the street. Darlin's trucking company. Wouldn't live there. Come on, we're looking at this hanging. That's where the door is. Mr. Darlin? Yes. I'm Paul God, district attorney. My assistant, Hampton. How do you do? I'd like some information, Mr. Darlin. Sure, sure. Sit down. Thank you. You know a man named Fred Shaper? Yes, I know him. Did he work here? He did up till yesterday. Why? What about him? He quit. His towing cargo transfer costs nearly $1,000. Is he a mechanic? Yeah, maintenance. My foreman sent in half a dozen complaints about him. Low half the time. Tell him anything you'd say you were picking on him. Persecution complex. That adds up, chief. I called him up here to try to straighten him out. Didn't intend to fire him, but he told me where I could go. I had to fire him. What's he doing, bringing suit? I wouldn't know about that. It's a viral maniac. Wouldn't doubt it. A man dangerous. He threatened me. Said he was going to get even. Wouldn't be pushed around. This address is on his automobile legislation. I didn't know that. We want to locate him right away. Have you another address on him? Oh, look at his record sheet. I think it's still in the file. He could have touched off our warehouse up the street. Your warehouse? Yeah, partly. We share it with another company. Overflow story. Did Schaefer know you're an owner? Possibly. Why? Might be his way of getting back at you, but dressing him down. That seems a bit extreme. Schaefer's record sheet. Here's an address. 1432 Ninth Street. May I take that sheet with me? Certainly. I don't need it now. Excuse me a moment. I just phoned our houses on fire. This is David Bryan. Before we continue with Mr. District Attorney in the case of the pyromaniac murder, when one of the service station attendants we'd alerted reported that a man in the small poop had bought kerosene in his place. Through motor vehicle registration, we traced the man, Fred Schaefer, to the Donlan Trucking Company. Only to learn he'd been fired. About then, Donlan's wife called in a panic to say that their house was on fire. Now, a couple of hours later at the office, that should complete the fill-in, Miss Miller. You read it back to me too. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. Please. Surely. Pyro discovered setting fire in basement about 11 a.m. by Mrs. Donlan. Investigating smell of smoke. A scream attracted Carpenter working on garage roof. Carpenter, name of L. Wood Brown, 665 River Street, saw Pyro run out of basement by way of bulkhead. Not certain can identify. Brown put out fire before apparatus arrived. Yes. You better add this. Name of suspect, Fred Schaefer. An obsessive-compulsive disorder. Is there any smashed jug at this fire? Not this time. Crossed us up would be our luck. Jug cap all marked for evidence. What about an APP, Mr. Garrett? Not yet. Not enough concrete evidence. Murder weapon hasn't turned up. District Attorney's Office. It's me, beautiful. My day is now perfect. You want, Mr. Garrett? That's right. The address is 1432 9th Chief. Schaefer's wife and daughter live there. What about Schaefer? A guy had talked. He said she ordered Schaefer to get out. The guy knows the misses. He trades it as delicatessen. She might just spill over too, he says. Does he know where Schaefer is? Nope. So he never asked him. Didn't want to seem curious. Well, we'll ask her. How are you now, Hankan? I'll pick you up there. Mr. Miller, you gave Schaefer's description to Lieutenant O'Brien, didn't you? Call him back. How long I want to stake out, put on that address right away. 1432 9th. Man might come back there. I'll be back later. This may be just a break we want. Walk ups, kill me. I'm going on a diet. 41. This is the one. You say the girl's about 12? Call. Just tell him anything I ain't interested. We're not. Are you Mrs. Ruby Schaefer? That's correct. I'm God, District Attorney. This is Mr. Hankan. Okay, to come in now? Did you say District Attorney? Yes. Yeah, you can come in. We're here about your husband, Mrs. Schaefer. Is he in trouble? I'm afraid so. We'll get to that in a moment. Thank you, Mrs. Schaefer. You got him there, honestly. It'll help us if you answer the questions. Might also help your husband. He may be a very sick man mentally. If so, we'll see that he receives treatment. Well, something's sure wrong with Fred. He used to be a pretty good guy. Lately, he seemed to think Francis and me, when she's our daughter, was making fun of him, talking behind his back to the neighbors. Remember how you ordered him out? Well, how much trouble is he in? Well, we wanted him for questioning in connection with one murder and two set of fires. Oh, well, you could be kidding me. No, I'm not. Well, but murder, that's also... Well, where is Fred? Well, I don't just remember it. Try and remember. Try hard. You've got to find him. He's killing someone else. You can understand that. Yeah. Oh, poor guy. Hmm? Okay, I'll give you Fred's address and I've got it written down. I'll get it for you. I've never figured out nothing like this, honestly. Finally, you said it was okay, man. I told her what we wanted. She handed over the key. It was a fair key. She said we could keep as long as we needed it. Oh, she'll keep her mouth shut. Well, bet on it, she. She said she'd be glad to get rid of Shaper. She said she never saw such a cluttered room in her life. Did she say where he's gone? She went out to look for a job. Yeah, we'll take a chance. He won't come back right away. I locked the door. Cluttered is right. Look at this room. You need a job to find the gun in here. It's here. Yeah, she'll look like your hunch is good, chief. About if not to throw anything away. So the gun ought to be around here somewhere. Check the mattress on that bed. I'm looking to be able to draw it. Well, these are the men. The guy must be stable for more than just a rainy day. Boxes, wrapping paper, chairs, string, dishes, pans. You know the size of the mess. There's no gun under the mattress. And these drawers. I'll try that closet. Cluttered in here. Everything from an umbrella to a broken bird vat. Look in the pockets of that top coat. Yep. Oh, nothing in them. You seen any jugs of kerosene around? No. Maybe you realize that this clutter as far as it is enough without kerosene. How about a steak out on this boarding house? Yes. Have a Brian put on Kovalevsky if possible. Good man. I want sheafer tail everywhere it goes. Also on telephone reports on anything unusual. I'll take care of the sheep. Now let's give this room a go on over, but leave everything as you found it. You wanted to get suspicious. Ruby, let me in. Good to get in out of that rain. Poor enough, I should have worn my raincoat. What are you doing here? I thought I'd better come to talk to you, Fred. You know, you ain't a bad guy. A couple of men were at my place that afternoon. What about it? Who were they? Don't get sore if I tell you. Come on, come on, what is it? One of them was a district attorney. Why? Well, he wanted to know where he could find you. What did he want to find me for? How much does he know? What did you tell him, Ruby? Nothing, Fred. He'd have found out anyway. Good morning. Don't say that. He said it was for your own good, but well, I got to thinking. Maybe you'd better beat it out of town, huh? How much money you got? Just enough for bus fare back. I got the money at home, Fred. Fifty bucks, maybe. You call there and you can have it. Okay, okay. I'll go get the car. Come on, you get back to the party. Take the umbrella, Fred. Where is it? I'll get it for you. I said never mind it. Come with me or I'll hit you again. Tonight, Chief, that rain, regular flood. Not dry in this office and it is out there. Oh, you are so right. You are speaking? Hold it. Get in on the siren. Okay. Go ahead, Covey. She just came out of the boarding house. Fine, he went down the street. Other way. You got a good look at her? Not too good, medium height, kind of stocky type. Probably his wife. Anybody trailing Shaver? Oh, not right now. I better report to you. Shaver won't go far. No hat, no coat, no umbrella. Better get on it, Covey. Don't tell him where I'll go or what I'll do. I'll go to his wife's place. We got a stake out there, Mr. Guy. Listen, get on it quick. Get on the umbrella. Suppose his wife tipped him off about our call. I know I'm playing the bounce. Umbrella, rainy night. Let me take that umbrella that's in the closet. Not at mine. The umbrella could be a symbol of security. Yeah, it could be, Chief. Let me have something hidden in that umbrella. The pants of that security. The gun. The only place we didn't look. Let's go, Heinz. Kind of heavy. There's something down in there. Here it goes. Your hunch was good, Chief. Careful how you handle a gun. Fingerprints. Yeah, I'll wrap up this handkerchief. The 88 caliber could be the right gun. You know, after ballistics, test fire that... I'll take it. Oh, we got company. What are you guys doing up here? This is my room. Hey, where'd you get that umbrella? Mr. Gun, you use, Shaver? You kill that watchman? I... I ain't saying nothing. I know you seen your picture in the papers. You got a district attorney. What about the gun? I'll tell you what about it. You can't push me around. You hear that? You can't, you can't. Don't worry. He'll drop it at you right now. You okay, Chief, did he cut you? No, just sliced my coat. Well, you sure nailed him. Right on the button. I had to. Let's get him down the headquarters, Heinz. The town will be safer. This is David Bryan again. I hope you've enjoyed this case from the file of Mr. District Attorney. I'll be back in just a moment after this message from our sponsor. Attorney David Bryan, with a word about the program you have just heard. You may remember the case. The gun with Shaver's fingerprints on it was the murder weapon. By mutual recommendation of prosecution and defense, Shaver was referred to the court side character. A judge insane and committed to a state institution. Now this is David Bryan inviting you to join us when we present our next case based on the facts of crime from the file of Mr. District Attorney. Mr. District Attorney was originated by Phillip H. Lord.