 Now, Roma Wines, R-O-M-A, made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. Roma Wines, present. Suspense. Tonight, Roma Wines bring you an all-star cast of Hollywood radio players headed by Wally Mayer in Dead Earnest. A suspense play produced, edited, and directed for Roma Wines by Williams Spear. Suspense. Radio's outstanding theater of thrills is 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 in entertaining guests, to your enjoyment of everyday meals. Yes, right now, a glass full would be very pleasant, as Roma Wines bring you a remarkable tale out. Suspense. Accident reports submitted to Police Inspector Blandon from Lieutenant Steve Healy. Place 15th Street and 4th Avenue, time 245 p.m. March 11. Remarks. Ernest Bowers, 834, was crossing intersection as signal light changed from green to red. A car driven by Theodore Tobi made a legal right turn from 15th Street into 4th Avenue. Hey, take the gun! Hey, hey! Alright, stand back. Let's have a look. As they heard that officer, I didn't see him. Honest, I didn't have the right of way. He's passed out. Hey, one of you people call an ambulance. I'll go. Yeah, alright, you. Okay, move back, move back. He's bleeding. Here, I'll prop up his head. Yeah, yeah, use his jacket. Here, I'll hold him. Golly, he's limp. He's like he's just like he's dead. Yes, Ernest Bowers felt like he was dead. Ernest Bowers suffered from catalepsy, a strange disease. He carried at all times a note in his inside jacket pocket stating that he was a cataleptic and that in the event of seeming death his wife should be immediately notified or his doctor in the event his wife is unavailable. The letter also requested that no autopsy or embalming should be performed on his body for 72 hours, although in his particular case the duration of the attacks were usually four hours or less. Ernest Bowers also wore a sterling silver bracelet with an inscription reading Do not embalm me. I am not dead. Catalepsy is a disease of the nerves in mind. The physical condition of the cataleptic when he's under a spell closely resemble death in all aspects including the primary stages of rigor mortis. Officer Abbott was on the scene of the accident. He administered first aid to the injured man before making out his report. Yeah, that ought to stop the bleeding. It's like just a cut on his forehead when he hit the ground. Nothing much. Well, he can't be heard. Bad officer. I didn't hit him hard. Yeah, that's right. It looked like just a little bump. That's all. All right. All right. Clear back. Clear back. Let's have a little air in here. I'll have to take down some information. All right. What's your name? Theodore Toby. Here's my license. Hey, hey, you kids. What do those kids do? They picked up something off the street. I saw. There's the ambulance. Here it comes. I hope he's all right. It doesn't look like he's breathing. My gosh, he ain't. All right. I told you to get back. Now he's back, all of you. I'm glad you got here, doctor. He's out cold. Oh, sir. Let's have a look here. Yeah. I'll see you. All right. Let's get him away. He's dead. Well, anyway, it didn't happen in the ambulance. Okay. We'll take him away. Keep him back with you, officer. All right. Keep back. All right. Clear out the shows over. All right. That's the second one today. Yeah. Well, let's go. Come on. Hey, whose coat was that he was laying on? I don't know. Did you pick it up? No. Hey, officer. Yeah? Where's the coat? Yeah. Oh, my golly. It's gone. Okay. Never mind. Let's go, Paine. Ernest Bowers had lost the identification of his condition. The letter was in the inside pocket of his jacket. The silver chain he wore on his left wrist had snapped and fallen to the pavement. Two youngsters picked up the chain. Robert Manelli aged nine and a half and Tommy Stoner eight. Hey! Hey, that cop yelled at us. Did you hear him? Yeah. Maybe we should give it back. Yeah, what for? So he can keep us? Screw on the back of your father's shop, Bob. Sure is a nice chain. Hey, there's writing on it. Maybe it's the guy's name. Would he hurt bad? Nah, just a little bump. What's it say? Well, just a second. We'll be out of the alley. Yeah. Pop's gone home to eat. Well, let me see it. Well, wait a second, will you? It says, Bo, do not something me. I am not dead. Let's screw it. Well, we do with it. Sell it, Dopey. That's stealing, Bob. It ain't stealing. We found it, didn't we? When we try to sell it, they'll ask us where we got it. What do we tell them? Nothing. Use your head. You know what we'll do. What? We lose Pop's welding torch. We'll melt it down. He told us not to use it. Pop ain't here, is he? No. Well, come on. There it is. Yeah. Here, put it on that brick. Okay? Yeah. Be careful. I don't know too much about this. Why are you kids just doing that? Huh? Huh. Hello, Pop. Nothing, Mr. Minnelli. We ain't doing nothing. Nothing, huh? I thought I told you kids not to go near that torch. Well, we want to melt this down. Give me that. Now, what's this all about? We found this chain, Pop, and we want to melt it down and sell it. Ho-ho-ho, Zazie. Oh, we don't know. Do we, Tommy? No. No, we don't. Well, where do you get it? We found it. Come on. Let me have it. Come on. There is nothing wrong, Pop. We just found it. See? It's ours. Let me see. Say something. Do not embalm me. I'm not dead. Mucky, what's that? It's screwy. What do you find? In the street. Huh? No. Pop, I asked Tommy. All right. All right. Go on. Get out of here, please. Well, how about melting it down, Pop? We can sell it and buy some baseball. All right. I'll keep it back. Bounce. Look at Tommy's feet. Yeah. Startin' to melt. See how he does it? Keep away, I told you. It's all melted. They sold the melted chain to a dealer for $1.30. $1.30. But the coat. The coat was the principal thing in the coat. In the inside pocket was the letter. The information about Bowers' condition was in the letter. The instructions that could save his life. The coat was picked up from the street by Honest Jerry Murdoch. Now, there's a big sign near the corner of 15th Street. It says Honest Jerry Murdoch Swap Shop. He brought the coat into his store. Rum is in there. He brought the coat into his store. Rummaged around on his shelves until he found some cleaner. Then started to clean the blunts. Some for sport jacket. Just a minute there now. What kind? Conservative. Will you come over here please? Yes. Something on that order? I'll pick out what you want there. How much do you want to spend? About $5 bucks. These cost more. How much? From 8 to 12. Over here we got some cheaper. This don't look so hot for eight bucks. From 8 to 12. Over here... I'll take a look. Now he's gonna appeal to me. Well, what size do you wear? Forty. Well, here. We'll try this one on. Nice and conservative. Oh, kind of tight around the shoulders. Yeah, it looks cheesy. Huh? Well, I guess you ain't going to... Oh, wait a minute, wait a minute. What's your hurry? I'm just putting a new one in stock. Over here with a counter. Huh? Hey, that looks all right. What size is it? I don't know. Here, try it on. Okay. Yeah, that feels all right. Kind of stiff in front here, though. It's almost no, ain't it? You'll break it in. Feels like cardboard or something. You want it? Five dollars. Okay. Uh, there might still be a couple of stains on it. I ain't had time to take up... Use some cleaner on it or bring it to the table. It'll be better than new. Yeah. Here's a five. Ernest Bowers was brought to the receiving room of the better general hospital at the time, 4-10. If Bowers was going to awaken, it would probably be before 6-45. Intern on duty, Dr. Weldon made out his report. He wrote it down while standing near the telephone switchboard. Now, listen, honey. Get this guy's wife on the phone. If he's got a wife, here. Here's his wallet. Another dead one? Yep. That is a macro. I'm going to stay that way, too. His home phone is here. I'll give it a whirl. This is better general hospital. Is there anybody by the name of Bowers at home? That's Bowers. B-O-G-S. She's going to see. How did it happen? Accident. Automobile hit him. Funny. What's funny? Superficial cut on forehead. Apparently, heart failure. I'm going to request an autopsy. I'd like to find out whether the heart disease was chronic or not. Hello? Oh, here she is again. Nope, nobody home. Is Mr. Bowers married? His wife says he is. Oh, where can I reach her? There's been an accident. I don't know. She's out. Will you tell her to call the better general hospital? Yes. What happened? Mr. Bowers is dead. Can't reach her, huh? Nope. Gee, I'd sure like to do that autopsy. Maybe later. After he's gone to the morgue. Get me the orderly room. Okay. Hey, use that one over there, here. Okay. Hello, Payne? Yeah? And there's Dr. Weldon. There's a delivery for you to go to the morgue. I know. Yeah. Well, I ain't had nothing to eat since, uh... Yeah, yeah, yeah, since lunch. Go on now. It's down in receiving room B. The papers are down there, too. Uh, I can't wait a few minutes. It's got to go now. They'll want to start the embalming so they can go home. How about sending one of the other boys? I don't care just as long as it gets there. It was then 4.22 in the afternoon. Dr. Theodore J. Weldon left, uh, honey at the switchboard and walked upstairs to the intern quarters and settled down to reading the sports page of the afternoon paper. At that moment, if anyone had been in receiving room B of better general hospital where the body of Ernest Bowers lay on the patient carriage, they could have seen a fly crawl slowly across the face of the dead man. They would have seen his nose twitch. For Suspense, Roma Wines are bringing you an all-star cast of Hollywood radio players headed by Wally Mayer in Dead Ernest. A radio play by Celie Cluster and Merwin Girard. Roma Wines' presentation tonight in radio's outstanding Theater of Thrills, Suspense. Between the acts of Suspense, this is Ken Niles for Roma Wines. Yesterday, I read an article listing 20 ways to beat this dog-day heat. Among them were taking new naps, soaking wrists in ice water and taking salt tablets. But none sounded half so pleasant as my favorite cooler offer, Roma Wine and Soda Ice. Yes, Roma Wine and Soda is one of Hollywood's favorite ways to keep cool. And no wonder, for Roma Wine and Soda is so light, so ripe, so easy to serve. And believe me, so cool to come home to. Just half-filled tall glasses with Roma California Sautern or Burgundy or any other Roma Wine type of your choice. Then simply add ice and sparkling water. In seconds, you're enjoying America's smartest, coolest summer refresher. And remember, because Roma is selected for you from the world's greatest wine reserves, refreshers made with Roma are better tasting naturally. So for cool contentment all summer long at low cost, serve and enjoy Roma Wine and Soda. That's R-O-M-A, Roma Wines, largest selling wine in all history. And now, Roma Wines bring back to our Hollywood soundstage, Wally Mayer, who, as Police Lieutenant Healey heads an all-star cast of Hollywood radio players in Dead Ernest. A tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. Henry Prince had purchased the coat in which the leather was that could save the life of Ernest Bowers. When Henry Prince left the second-hand closed store, he stopped to have a chat with some friends, made some purchases at the grocery store and started home. At the time, a few minutes after five, he lived about two blocks from the scene of the accident. His wife was waiting for him. Well, how do you like it for five bucks? It looks all right. What's that? A spot? Where? I'll take it off for a second. Yeah, sure. I wonder what it is. Oh, he said there were a couple of spots. Cleaner will take them out. Yeah, it looks like it might be. What's this in the pocket? I don't know. Oh, honestly. To a room that may concern, please open and read. Oh, that's what Mr. Foster said. This note is carried on my person wherever I go. It is to advise responsible parties that I am a cataleptic, that if it appears as though I am dead, I am not. And that my body is not to be molested for a period of 72 hours, neither by autopsy nor by embalming. Although the maximum periods of my attacks usually do not exceed four hours. Please telephone my wife, Mrs. Margaret Bowers, at Fulton 11231. This is a boarding house. Address 841 and one-half with 25th Street. If she is not there, please try Ex-Mr. 4342. This is the number of Dr. Benton. It is of vital importance. It may mean my life. Thank you, Ernest Bowers. That's a funny one. Where'd you get the coat, Henry? Get on it, Jerry Merder. I wonder what we can do. Nothing is probably forgotten already. Somebody sold the coat to him. I've got to take the letter out. No, it doesn't sound like something a guy'd forget. Oh, the devil. Well, it might be important. Look at that, Henry. The spots look like blood. No, too dark. That's the color blood turns. I'm going to telephone that number. Go ahead, but I think you're wasting your time. All right, all right. I didn't want to mess her out. Oh, shh. Oh. I'd like to talk to Mrs. Bowers. She ain't in. Well, how do you know? You didn't even go- She let out. You ain't the first after her. Who else wanted to get in touch with her? Somebody I don't know who. Oh, huh. Well, thank you. Hey, you see? You're wasting your time. Oh, I'm going to try that. That Dr. Benton. Oh, shh. I'm going to try that. You'll- Look, I'm hungry. Oh. Oh, busy. How about some dinner? It's cooking. It's cooking. You know, I just can't get it out of my head. That guy, whoever he is lying there, people thinking of him dead when he ain't. Maybe doing things to him. What's him bombing? Well, he'd do that at the morgue. It's preparing his body for burial. I think they'd take all the blood out of his veins. Well, that would kill him if he wasn't already dead. Well, it couldn't kill him no better. Henry, I'm going to find out about that coat. Where's this place you bought it? Oh, that's just- Oh, now, wait a minute, Francis. Look, I put in a good day's work. I'm tired. Listen. I don't want to run around the city looking for something I don't even know about. Well, I'll go myself. How about me at home here while you go out? I want to eat. I'm hungry. Well, dinner won't be ready for another 15 minutes anyway. Where is the place? Oh, all right. I'll go with you. Oh, why don't they answer? What? Well, he ain't back yet. What's the sign say? Ten minutes? Yeah, but those guys put up signs like that if they're going away for an hour. Well, we can wait just a few more minutes, Henry. Oh, come on, Francis. Hello. Is Mrs. Bowers in? No. Mr. Bowers? No, he's dead. Oh. He is? That's what they tell me. Look. You're bothering me, lady. I got a meal set on the table. I can't be answering a million questions. Yeah, listen. All I want to know is when Mr. Bowers dies. How do I know? Ask Mrs. Bowers. She'll be home soon. Oh, yeah, thanks. Well? Mr. Bowers is dead. I found that out. Oh, see? I told you. Well, what about the letter then? What if he ain't dead? What if they only think he's dead? Well, what do you want to do? Wait here all night? No. I'm going to go down to that place where you bought the coat. You're going to traipse around the whole city? If I have to? Well, without me then. Well, all right, all right. Do as you please. I'll be home. I'm hungry. If you think more of a crazy letter, you do it feeding your own husband, and that's all. What do you mean that's all? Just like I said, that's all. Henry, the trouble with you is you just don't have no imagination. No, I just don't have no imagination. I'm just a home-loving guy. That's all. I don't go sticking my nose where it don't belong. Well, go on home then. I'll find out about it. Busy, busy, busy. How can a doctor's line be always busy? Hey, pardon me. Sure, sure. What do you have? I just want to find out about the man next door. Do you know when he'll come back? Who, honest Jerry? No. Any there? No. There's a sign on his door. 10 minutes. I've been waiting for him for more than a half hour. Maybe he went home. Oh, yeah. Do you know where he lives? That's me, lady. Well, he will come back. Well, he's usually there when we close up here. That's about seven o'clock. Yeah. Well, thank you. Officer. Yes, ma'am? Officer, do you know where the fellow who owns that swap shop lives? Oh, ma'am, I don't. Oh. Well, I want to get in touch with him. There's a sign on his door. Well, I should ask him, ma'am. There he is now, just going in. Oh, gee, thank you. Mr. Murdock? Mr. Murdock? Yeah? Oh, gee, Mr. Murdock, I'm glad you came back. I was just having a bite of tea. Yeah. Come on in. Thanks. What can I do for you? You sold my husband a jacket, a sports jacket this afternoon. Did I? What kind? It was a light blue one. It had a few stains on it. Oh, I'm sorry. I can't take anything back once it's sold. No, no. I don't want to give it back. I, uh, where'd you get it, Mr. Murdock? Well, I don't even know which one you're talking about. I sell a lot of stuff. A few hours ago, blue, blue with, uh, with thin red boxes. Oh, what about it? Where'd you get it? What do you want to know, fool? Well, uh, because there was a letter in it, an important letter. I don't know. How can I remember where I got it? Long ago. Was it long ago? I don't see where it's any of your business where I got it. It may be important. I've been trying to reach the numbers. The doctor's number's always busy and his, uh, his wife isn't home yet. I don't know what you're talking about. Please, I'm busy. I've got lots to do with. Yeah, but you've got to tell me. Just listen, look, tell me one thing. Did, did you have the jacket in here a long time? Well, uh... Oh, please. It's very important. Uh, well, no. No, I just got this afternoon. Oh. But where did you get it? You said one question. You asked it, I answered it. It's all... There was blood on it. That I can't help. Now, if you... Oh, no, listen, Mr. Murdock, you've got to tell me. Please. I don't have to tell anybody anything. Mr. Murdock, I may be all wrong. I'm probably just crazy doing this, but... Listen, if that man's alive and they do anything to him, I'll just never get over it. I'll just never be able to live with myself. What are you talking about? Well, listen, listen, there was a letter in the inside pocket of that jacket, you see. It said that Ernest Bowers was a cataleptic. What's that? You mean he goes into... No, no, no, no. A cataleptic is somebody who looks like he's, he's dead at times, and he isn't. He, he goes into a spell and it looks as though he's dead, you see. And sometimes they take dead bodies to the morgue. They, um, um, bomb them. And that means they take all the blood out of their veins. Now, now this fellow Bowers is a cataleptic. I don't know whether he's dead or alive, or even if he's, he's even worried about this letter, but I gotta find out. Uh, well, there was, uh... What, what? An accident before the... Where? Who, who was in it? I don't know. Believe me, lady, I didn't know anything about all this. You, you, you think this guy who was taken away in the ambulance was a cataleptic? That coat. Was it his? Yeah, lady, but it was left there in the street. They drove away and left it. Who? The ambulance. What ambulance? Oh, I don't know. It was on the corner. The cop was there. He told somebody to call an ambulance. It came and took the man away. Is that the cop? Is that the cop out there now? Yeah. Uh, but look, you gotta protect me. I ain't done anything wrong. I don't know anything about it. Officer! Officer! Officer! Ernest Bowers lay on a slab in the morgue. If he were alive, probabilities were that he would regain consciousness before 645. Two embalmers on duty at the time had decided to get a bite to eat. When the phone rang. I know, but we're going out to eat. Yeah. Oh, I know another one just came in. We got it here. Well, what's a rush? No, no, we just want to grab a cup of coffee and then we'll get right on it. Well, is it our fault if it comes in just when we want to have a... A what? Well, we can go home after? Oh, well, that puts a different complexion up. Okay. Yeah. Hey, what time is it, Tony? 6.30. Doc says if we embalm this one, now we can go home. Well, let's start in then. I'm hungry. Okay. I'll start the motor. Hey, young guy, ain't he? Yeah. I was speaking to the wife about that yesterday. We'll get the injector out, Tony. And she was saying more and more people die older and older. Hey, here. Looks like we can open through the neck. Yeah. Hey, give me a piece of that gauze. I said the way she should be around this place a while. We get them all ages. Hey, want me to do it? Oh, that's all right. You'll get the injector ready. Hey, look at him. You'd never think that such a little thing like his heart stopped beating could make him dead and not alive. Yeah. Hold this steady now, will you? Yeah. Okay. You ready? Just a second. Yeah. All right. Here we go. Oh. What's the matter? My glasses. They're clouding up. Well, take them off. Oh, no. It's all right. I'll just clean them. What did the wife say to that? What? Oh, about all ages? Yeah, yeah. Oh, she didn't have anything to say. Only that most of the guys we deal with probably come to a violent end. Well, there's something to that. Oh, okay. I got my glasses cleaned. All right. Let's... Hmm. What's the matter? They're steamed up again. Funny. Every time I bend over and they're... I wonder. What? Oh, it must be my imagination. What? I could have sworn this guy was breathing on my glasses. Oh, is he? No. How could he? Well, come on and let's go. It's quarter to seven already. Yeah. Oh, hold it. Hold it. I'll get the phone. Oh, let's get this started first. Okay. I will just now. What? Wait. What's the matter with you? I... I thought I saw the guy's hand twitch. Oh, don't be silly. Oh, boy. Oh, it gave me a scare. Hey, let's wait a second. I'll get the phone. Oh, no. It'll probably be another job. We'll never get out of here. Let it ring. That might be my wife. Oh, well, if people are going to hang up before you can pick up the phone. All right. Let's get this thing over with. All right. Okay. Give me the knife again. That's it. I'll make a nice, neat little ins... Tony. Yeah? Look. I'm bent over like this. I ain't going to move. My glasses are full of steam again. Oh, Lord! Is... Is he alive? Hey, look at me. I'm shaking all over. Look at him now. Look at his lips. Listen... Shut that thing off. The life of Ernest Bowers was worth a dollar and 30 cents for a silver bracelet and five dollars for a bloodstained jacket to honest Jerry Murdock. Their petty thefts brought a man to the brink of death. As for the busy telephone in Dr. Benton's office, it wasn't busy at all. The good doctor had unwittingly replaced the receiver on the stand incorrectly. There's just one more episode which perhaps doesn't belong in an accident report, but which I would like to include. After regaining full consciousness, Ernest Bowers put in a telephone call from the morgue. Hello, Mrs. Brawley. Is Mrs. Bowers in? I don't know. I didn't see her come in. Who is it? This is Mr. Bowers. Mr. Bowers? They told me he was dead. The hospital called us. Yes, I know Mrs. Brawley, but they made a mistake. Oh, well, here she is. Well, darling, it's quite a long story. You see... Never mind. You just get right home. You hear? Dinner's getting ice cold. Suspended. Presented by Roma Wines, R-O-M-A, made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. This is Ken Niles for Roma Wines. Perhaps you've noticed how summers open doors and backyard living promote neighborliness. How often these warm days, casual over-the-fence invitations, mark the start of pleasant, friendly evenings. More and more, the keynote of such friendly hospitality is Roma Wine Lemonade, a tall, cold refresher that's an invitation to settle back and enjoy life. Guests enjoy the tangy, thirst-quenching refreshment of Roma Wine Lemonade. Hosts acclaim Roma Wine Lemonade because it costs so little, is so easy to prepare. You simply squeeze half lemons into tall glasses, add ice, and pour 3 quarters full with Roma California Burgundy or any other Roma wine type you prefer. Then fill with water, sweetened to taste, and you have refreshers that make thirst a pleasure. And remember, Roma Wines are selected from the world's greatest wine reserves. That's why refreshers made with Roma are better tasting every time. So insist on Roma. R-O-M-A. Roma Wines, enjoyed by more Americans than any other wine. Next Thursday, same time, Roma Wines will bring you Mr. Henry Daniel as star of Suspense, Radio's Outstanding Theater of Thrill. Produced by Williamspear for the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.