 Another case for Nick Carter, master detective! Yes, it's another case for that most famous of all man-hunters, the detective whose ability at solving crime is unequaled in the history of detective fiction. Nick Carter, master detective! Tonight's curious adventure, Dead Witnesses or Nick Carter and the mystery of the murder room. How about having me lunch with me in an hour, so Pete? I haven't seen you in a dog's age. Well, of course we get to that. That guy across the street, they got him. Yes, come on, maybe he's still alive. Well, maybe, but he doesn't look so to me. The way he's all crumpled up there. I'm afraid you're right, Pete. Right here. Help me turn him over on his back. Okay. He's dead already. Hey, Nick, will you look at who he is? Our old friend Louis Morelle, the gangster. Well, he'll never muscle in on anybody's rackets again. He certainly took care of that. Ah, now they can take his name off the blotter at headquarters, but Nick, did you see who was in the front seat of that death car as it went by us? Yes, Pete, I did. Slug Baron. Yeah, Nick, Slug Baron in person. Do you realize what this means? We now have something we've been trying to get for the past three years. Evidence against Slug that will let us put him away. My every detective on the force, including me, has been trying to get something on that thug ever since he pulled his first job here. Right, Pete. This should be good news to the whole city. Pardon me, but is he dead? Yeah, very dead. Do you know him? No, I never saw him before, but I did see him shot by someone in that car that went by. And I think it's outrageous that such things can happen in this city. You say you saw him shot? Yes. I happened to look up as the car went by, and then I heard the gun shooting, and I saw him fall. You wouldn't be able to identify the man in the front seat of that car, would you? I'm sure I would. He was a mean-looking individual, and that big scar across his cheek was very plain. Oh, why? Nick, this is too good to be true another witness. Hey, look, fella, would you be willing to testify against that guy when we catch him? I certainly would. Such men should be put away where they can't get out. Here's my card. Let me know when you will. Okay, thanks. William J. Fletcher, 46th Main Avenue. Oh boy, oh boy, we'll call you all right, buddy. We've waited for this for three years. Nick, that's the best news I've had in this department in years. Have you picked up Slug yet, rally? Oh, but the boys will be in with him any minute now. And then with three honest-to-goodness witnesses against him, we'll put him in the chair and strap him down tight. And that'll be a happy day in my life. I know just how you feel, rally. That's been... Yeah? Just got a report that a man was knocked down and killed by a truck over on the east side. About 2.30 this afternoon. Apparently an accident. Although the body was pretty badly smashed up. I thought you'd like to know. And why did you think I'd like to know? Because the guy has been identified as William P. Fletcher, 46th Main Avenue. William P. Fletcher. Nick, that's the fellow who is going to be your witness for us against Slug Barron. So Slugger's up to his old tricks again. You think so, too, do you? I don't think there's much question about it. Slug finds there's a witness. If witness can't be intimidated, witness disappears. Simple as two and two. Hey, you'd better look out for a guy named Nick Carter, then. I've been doing that for years, rally. This won't be the first time I've come up against Mr. Slug Barron. Ain't shade. Look, we've calmed this whole town from end to end, including up and down and sideways, and there ain't a guy assigned a slug anywhere. What do you mean there ain't a sign of him? There's got to be. He ain't left town, has he? Well, I don't think so, but we can't locate him. Him or the death car, and nobody knows anything about him, either. Or if they do, they won't talk. Which is nothing new. Well, if Slug's still in town, Pete, and you guys don't bring him in in the next 24 hours, you can turn in your badges. Okay, I'll turn it out to my best. Your best ain't good enough. You gotta do better. Can you beat it, Nick? For three years, this Slug Barron has been headman in the city. For three years, me and him has been at it tooth and nail. He's been the head of every big racket we've had, while we've arrested him 20 times. And 20 times, we've had to let him go because we couldn't prove nothing on him. And every time we let him out of here, he laughs in my face. Now he kills this Morelle, and three witnesses see him daughter and they're willing to testify, and suddenly one witness is killed and we can't find Slug anywhere. No, no, no. Calm down, Ralph. Your biggest job right now is to keep your witnesses alive until you do find Slug. Well, we'll still hang it on him with you and Pete as witnesses, even if he did get rid of Fletcher. Now, look, Nick, wouldn't you like to get after Slug yourself? Why? You could call it self-protection, Nick. Don't forget you're a witness now, too. Okay, Riley, since you put it that way, I'll do what I can to get Slug for you. Nick, Slug Barron is a dangerous killer, and you know it. Certainly I know it, Patsy. That's why I'd like to see him put where he'd be in the receiving end of illegal killing. You mean the chair? I do, and the sooner he gets there, the better out. Nicholas Carter's office. Put Nick on quick. It's Riley, Nick, and is he excited? Oh, thanks. What's up, Riley? Pete has just been found dead in his own garage, killed by the exhaust from his car, the coroner says. How did it happen, Riley? His wife says he got back to the house about 7.30 this evening. He drove in the garage and shut the doors, and he didn't come in the house yet, so she went to look and pound the body. Do you believe it was an accident, Riley? I do not. It was Slug did it. There's no question about it. He's getting rid of the witnesses, and you're next, Nick. Okay, Riley. I'll get to work right away. I owe it to Pete as well as to myself now. Good, Nick, but watch your step, lad. Right, Riley. Oh, and Riley, I'd like to donate $100 to the fund for Pete's widow. He was my friend. So long. Did he say that another witness had died? Yes, Patsy. Pete's just been found dead in his car in his own garage with the motor running. But that could be an accident, Nick. It could, Patsy, but it wasn't. No more than that truck's killing Fletcher was an accident. That Slug's specialty being clever. He's dangerous, Nick. Do be careful. Well, Patsy, there's one thing in my favor. I know that Slug will never shoot me down out in the open. He only does that with his fellow crooks. Fletcher's death looked like an accident, Pete's death looked like an accident, but it's true, which makes it easier for me to watch out for him. You mean he'll set a murder trap for you? Probably. Nicholas Carter's office. I'd like to speak to Mr. Carter, please. Just a minute. Here, Nick, for you. Oh, thanks. Hello, Nick Carter speaking. Mr. Carter, would you care to drop in on me and have a little talk? Who is this? That's not important now. The important thing is, would you care to come? Why should I be interested in you? I might be. In what way? I know something that you'd like to know. I have some information that would help you in your search. Oh. Where are you? I'm in the Cascade Night Club. Yes. How can I find you? I should look forward to seeing you and shall we say, about half an hour? Okay. I'll be there. Nick, you mustn't go. This is probably the very trap you were telling me about that for you. It may be, Patsy. Although I doubt that he'd use the Cascade Night Club, that's a little too well known for him. But Nick, people who have legitimate business with you... Patsy, I can't afford to overlook any source of information. But there are other ways of getting information besides sticking your neck out for it. This man's voice interests me, Patsy. I think I'll just see what he looks like. Besides, it isn't often that I get a chance to go to a nightclub like the Cascade. Maybe I can stick him with a check. Would you like a drink for me? Yes. Would you sit down? Thanks. Care for something to drink? No, thank you. Cigarette? No, thanks. Just interested in business, huh? Well, maybe I can help you with some information I happen to have. Yes. Mr. Carter, would you like to put your hands on Slug Baron? I'm afraid I don't understand you. Oh, I think you do. If you live long enough to get your hands on Slug Baron, it means the electric chair for him. But I happen to know that your chances of living are none too good right now either. He's left you alone until he got rid of the other two witnesses. But now that they're gone, your turn is next. How do you know all this? That's not important just now. What is important is that you may die tonight, tomorrow, or next week. But whenever it is, you are going to die. You won't have a chance to do anything about it. You'll probably be dead before you even know what the bullet that kills you feels like. Well, all this is very interesting. I feel to see where it's leading you, Mr. The name is Morelle. Morelle? Yes, Louis Morelle, the man Slug Baron killed was my brother. I came to town to kill Slug myself. But I find I can't do it alone. I can't get to him. But I can help the police to get him. You mean you know where he's hiding out? No, I don't. I do know something that's as good. I happen to know that he changed his hiding place every other day to make sure the cops don't trace him. The address of his new hiding place is left with one of his henchmen in an old-fashioned safe. I know the house where the safe is located. I know that for two hours this evening that house will be deserted. And what do you want me to do? Well, I've had some experience in breaking into houses and opening locked doors as well as locked safes. I'll take you to the house. The safe will be opened. You can learn Slug Baron's hiding place and then there it could do. All that you say is true. Why don't you get the address and bring it to me? The result will be the same. Look, Carter, I'm a safecracker and a burglar, but I'm not a stool pigeon. I may help the cops, but I don't hand them evidence and they'll likely well get for themselves. That's your rather... kind distinction, isn't it, Morelle? You have your ways of doing things, Carter, and I have mine. Do you want to work with me or not? Very well. Where'll I meet you and when? Let me see. It's five after ten now. I'll meet you at five minutes past midnight in a doorway at the corner of Perry and Clinton Streets. I'll be there. Just one thing. Come alone. I'm sorry to have anybody know I work with the cops. If you bring anybody with you, the whole thing is off. Remember, don't bring anybody with you. Very well, Morelle. I'll be there at five after twelve. And alone. No, we'd like it a pencil here. All right. Go ahead, Nick. What's he look like? Parts his hair way over on the left side. He's gone back and forth. Not offhand, Nick, but if he's in the gallery, I'll get him for you. Is there anything else? Morelle, meet me in a half hour at Daly's lunchroom. Where is Daly's lunchroom? Out on Palmer Avenue near the city line. But, Nick, they're three miles from here. Right. Daly's is far enough out so that nobody's going to bother us. I'll meet you there in half an hour. Okay, Nick, okay. I'll be there. I don't know. Sometimes I can't figure that guy Carter out of Tarleton. I think we can talk safely here, Morelle. I should talk so I have to get me way out here on the sticks. Did you dig up his picture? I found him right enough. His name is Lucky Warren. He's one of the big Chicago mobsters. One of the smoothest articles ever came out of Chicago. Oh, so that's why he looked rather familiar. He belongs to the E Street gang, if I remember right. Right, Nick. What kind of a line did he hand you? Oh, told me he was the brother of Louis Morelle, the guy Slug Baron killed. He's no more Morelle's brother than I am. And he gave me a song and dance about wanting to get Slug, but not being able to get near him. And what was his proposition? He had one, of course. He offered to open up a safe and a secret apartment and lead me to it if I went alone. And what did he say was in the safe? The address at which we could find Baron for the next two days. Well, that's a hot one. What a fawny setup that is. That's nothing but a murder trap, Nick. Now, when you walked into that room, you'd be riddled with bullets like a shoe. You may be right, darling. Maybe right. Maybe I'd never get any further than the door of the room. But on the other hand, we've been chasing Baron for three years now. If we should have him cornered... Cornered, me, I. He set in a trap to corner you. You can't be sure, Riley. It might work out. Work out? Nick, I've fought with you many a time in the past. And if the Lord spares me, we'll fight together many a time in years to come. But I think too much of you to see a walk into a house where you can't live five minutes. Five minutes. I could only be sure that I could live for five minutes after I walked in. Nick, is there anything that matters with you? Are you nuts or something? No, Riley, I think not. I think I have an idea. It might work, and it might not. And you might live and you might not. And don't you see, Riley, that's true even if I don't walk into this trap of his. If he doesn't get me one way, he'll get me another. My only chance to stay alive is to get him first. And this plan of mine may be the answer. Nick, you know you can't do it. Hold your tongue, Riley, and listen. Well, I tell you my idea. Because I'm going to need your cooperation, and never need it before. Now, here it is. Am I C corner? Yes, Merlin. Let's get going. Certainly. The house is not far from here, just around the corner, as a matter of fact. I guess come from there. The door to the basement is open, and the safe is in one of the upstairs rooms. And you think there'll be nobody there for at least two hours? For between two and three hours, the house will be deserted. You want to show me the room where the safe is? I've done all I'm going to do. The door is open, and the safe is open. The rest is up to you. I hope your information is correct. I shouldn't like to be caught in a strange house rifling the safe. That's the least of your worries. That is catching Slug Baron is much more important, isn't it? Oh, yes, yes, of course. Here, this is the house. It's all red brick. Number 42. Very inviting, doesn't it? That... Hmm. Gone already, huh? Didn't take you long to leave, did it? Well, Nick, you're on your own now. The thing here in the basement doing it with me. I thought to put new batteries in this flashlight tonight. Seems to be nobody here in the first floor. Must be all up on the second floor where he said the safe is. Probably won't bother me until I get up there. Which is just as it should be. Must be in a living room. Still furnished. Been a long time since anyone lived here. This'll do well enough for what I want. Have a cigarette, Nick. Hey, guys, thanks. Have another cigarette, Nick. Well, yes, thanks. Do you have another cigarette, Nick? Well, yes, thanks, I will. Sounds as if they're getting nervous upstairs. Don't worry, friend. They'll be up and said you told them the safe was up here. I did. Yeah? And what the deuces are you doing down there? How do I know? I still think you should have brought some of the boys to help you. What's the matter? You're afraid of them? You don't push over, I know that. You guys are... quiet. Here he comes now. Yes, dears, I ever heard. You can see the safe. This is some room. No windows in it. Look at this door. It's still built like an ice box. It's so heavy. And still no one here to meet me. Well, at least I can look into the safe while I wait. Yeah, the door's open to crack just as advertised. Wonder why he... So that's it. Very interesting. Well, if that's the setup, I think I'll leave the examination of the safe till later. Uh, Jair looks comfortable. I'll wait for my host there with my gun in hand just in case. Now let's see. It's been just four minutes since I came up from downstairs. If I can hold out here another two minutes at least before they... So you've come to welcome me at last, have you? Well, Nick Carter, it's been some little time since we saw each other. Swarmily. It's hardly my fault, Slug. I've done my best to find you any number of times in the past year or more. Slug, let me take a shower. Yes, yes, of course. You're here, too. Have you managed to avenge your brother yet, Mr. Lucky Warren? Well, the devil you are. Come in and close the door. Don't forget you're only a guest at this party. Look, Slug, let's get this over with. Fooling around with Nick Carter as dynamite. I don't really see why you should feel that way, Lucky. Nobody knows where I am, so nobody's going to interfere with you. You ain't telling us nothing, Carter. We made sure of that ourselves. We had two men shadow you from the nightclub to the lunchroom where you talked to Lieutenant Riley. We had two men shadow Riley back to headquarters, and two more. Follow you when you came here to meet Lucky. Now, Carter, we're sure there ain't no cops following you this time. You've been to a great deal of trouble, Slug, seems to me, just to get me to walk into a death trap that was corny and as obvious as this one. Well, now that I'm here, what's going to happen? Carter, I've been waiting three years to take care of you, and I'm going to see that you get up... I see that you've cut the current off from the safe. If I hadn't heard the hum of the transformer a few minutes ago, I should probably have touched it and been knocked unconscious. Or is that what you wanted? If you'd have touched that safe, you would have been dead. Oh, that's what happened to that headquarters cop they found on the third rail of the elevated last winter. I thought it didn't look right at the time. You got him to touch this safe and that electrocuted him. Then you dumped him on the third rail where they found him. Very clever, Slug. Learning that a little late, ain't you, Carter? Too bad it didn't work with me. Now you've got to find some other way to get rid of me. Some less clever way. Now, we're going to stand around here all night, you and the ragger, we're going to take care of this guy, and now... Take it easy, Lucky. Now that we're all here together, there ain't no hurry. Carter ain't going nowhere. And with the door closed, the way it is, this room is soundproof, isn't it? Lovely room for a murder. And it probably won't be the first time it's been used for that either. Let me take him, Slug. My finger's getting anxious. All right, Lucky, but make it good. I'll make it good, all right. Sure, Lucky'll make it good. If he doesn't... Now, still... What are you doing? Slug, I can't hear you standing in front of him. That's the idea, Slug, and he's going to stay there for now. Yes, sir, you think you're safe as long as you've got him held in front of you. Do you, Carter? Well, you're crazy. Slug, you can't shoot me. You can't do that. Now, watch me. We've been too long to get this gun. So long, Lucky. Slug, go! Slug, you... kill... Yes. You killed him. And missed me. What now? Lucky's body is pretty heavy for you, ain't it, Carter? Now that he's dead. Not too heavy, Slug. He's better protection than nothing. But you've got no gun. So how long do you expect to last? No, I have no gun, but I do have a weapon. You ever think of that? Yeah, what is it? It's Lucky's body. You expected it, huh? I'll put the cuffs on that mug and guard him with your legs. Take him down to the wagon. Thanks, really. I'm about all in. Turned away. It feels so weak. Are you hurt bad, Nick? No, no. Just a scratch on the head. It's nothing. Oh, nothing, is it? Sure it's bleeding enough for two men. Hey, get the dock up here on the double. Okay, sir. How about that hole in your shoulder, Nick? I suppose that's nothing, too. You almost did for me, rally. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to hold him for you. Hold him, did you see? Sure, Nick, you're done noble. Nobody could have done better. Even half is good. I'm proud of you. I brought this old hurry-up wagon because I thought we might need to use it as an ambulance, or as a hearse. Are you feeling better, Nick? Oh, yes, yes, rally. Thanks. Very much better. Sure, Nick, you scared me out of ten years' growth this night. I hope you got your killer, didn't you? Sure, I got him after he almost got you. What a fool you were to walk into a trap like that, Nick. Perhaps you're right, rally. Somebody had to get slugged. I hoped I'd be able to take care of myself once I got in the trap, and as it turned out, I was getting pretty weak from loss of blood. I'm darn glad that you didn't derive any later than you did. You're a lucky guy, Carter. Had I killed you, those guys hadn't have butted in. Well, you didn't. So that's that. Ah, that's that, he says. Just like that. What a man. Look, Carter, these guys didn't follow you up to this house. I know that. How did they know where you was? Curious, huh? Oh, and I'll tell you. When I was talking to Riley last evening, some fire engines went by, and they gave me an idea. We knew that this house of yours had to be in this district somewhere, and we knew that around here, everybody's so afraid of fire that they'd report even a suspicion of one. So I had Riley wait with the fire chief at the nearest fire station for the alarm. When they got the alarm, they knew where I was, and they came running. When they got what alarm? The alarm one of your neighbors sent in when he saw the fire. What fire? I don't know nothing about no fire. It was a good fire slug while it lasted, but the boys from the firehouse put it out as soon as they got there. Where was this fire? Well, slug, it was like this. When I stopped in the living room on the first floor of your house tonight, I lighted three cigarettes. I put a pack of matches under the curtains in each of the two windows, and laid a cigarette across each pack of matches so that it would burn for a couple of minutes before it set off the matches. Then I did the same with a third cigarette and a third pack of matches, putting them under some dry stuff while I piled up under the desk. And when the matches went off, they set fire to the curtains and the other stuff and started a nice little conflagration. And within two minutes, somebody phoned in an alarm just as we figured they would. It was a grand scheme, and Nikhil thought it up all by himself. Look, Mr. Brains, why did you just set fire to the house and not bother with all that trick stuff with the cigarettes and matches? Oh, if I had done that slug, you and your pals would have smelled the smoke and beat it before we could stop you. But I figured that by having the fire start after you and I got together, you'd be too busy to notice it until it was too late. Of course, I wasn't there till it was all over, but judging by the results, that's exactly what happened. Huh? It's too bad the house didn't burn down with you when it caught up. If it was one of the chances I had to take, but it was worth anything to get you out of circulation. Which will be just as soon as we can get the electric chair dusted off for you slugged me, boy. Exactly. The murder trap you set for me turned out to be a death trap for you, which is certainly poetic justice. This has been another of the strange adventures of Nick Carter, Master Detective, which are brought to you regularly at the same time by W.O.R. Mutual. How about a little preview of next week's story, Nick? Well, next week I want to tell you about an adventure that we had in which Cubby was much more concerned than I was. Well, that isn't quite true, Mr. Scott. What Nick really means is that while he was doing the detective work, it finally solved the case. Cubby was having the real adventure. You mean that in this case, the solution and the excitement were two different things? Well, yes, yes. We were up against the hijacking gang that stopped at nothing. Cubby set out to help me by getting some information from the inside. But all he succeeded in doing was to get himself in a real man's eyes jam. With Nick getting him out of it, of course. Oh, of course. Well, if it's exciting, I'll be around listening. You'll find it plenty exciting, I promise you. So until next week, so long. So long. So long to you both. In the strange adventure you have just heard, Nick Carter was impersonated by Lon Clark, Patsy by Helen Schott, Lieutenant Riley by Humphrey Davis. Original music was played by Lou White. The entire production was written and directed by Jock McGregor. Next week at the same time, listen to another curious experience of Nick Carter entitled Death in the Pines. Or Nick Carter and the Mystery of the Murdered Driver. This story is a copyrighted feature of Street and Smith Publications Incorporated. The return of Nick Carter is produced in the studios of WOR and is broadcast over most of these stations every Saturday evening at 7 o'clock Eastern War time. And don't forget that the adventures of Nick's adopted son, Chick Carter, are broadcast over most of these stations Mondays through Fridays at 5.30 p.m. Eastern War time. This is Mutual.