 Stand by for crime I'm Chuck Morgan newscaster and radio station KLP here in Los Angeles You know corruption and government is something that will probably always be with us Let's face it. We have our share. I guess just like every other large American city There are a few of us. We're in a position to do something about it So we keep trying with varying degrees of success and failure There are other forms of corruption too In sports for example like that basketball business a while ago and boxing That's a story. I'd like to tell you You've heard of lefty Luke Larson and K.O. McCrady light heavyweights both of them Well last week they were scheduled for a 10-rounder in the Starlight Stadium It was supposed to be a grudge fight But I had pretty good information that the scrap was fixed with lefty set up to kiss the canvas I tried for a week to get my hands on something concrete that I could use without a libous who'd been filed and got no place Well on the night of the fight I got back to my office just before 7 o'clock broadcast and found my blonde secretary Carol Curtis knocking herself out over something she'd been reading What are you doing the law says this weather reports or something? Oh, I chuck honestly, this is the funniest thing Some of your own dialogue I'll go bet Look this letter was addressed to the question and answer department and got to a mail by mistake. Yeah, who's from oh, that's an important Listen, dear sir, I have a small ranch in the San Fernando Valley For several months. I have been troubled by my neighbor's chickens wandering into my backyard and laying their eggs in my garden This morning there wasn't a single solitary egg there and I want to know what I can do about it Well, don't you think it's funny? Yeah, I'm dying now look Well, you don't get it chuggy boy. This woman says she's being troubled get that trouble by these hands laying their eggs in her yard and now Yes, yes, I get it. I get it now. She's mad because they've stopped Oh You do get it some people's sense of humor to the dockets come in what dockets that dockets to tonight's fights, of course Oh, yes, they're here and you don't have to bite my head off Who's going to use the other one other what was that lighter fluid of the ticket? There are two. Oh a friend of mine. Oh here it is. I See, you know glamour bus. I'm as convinced that tonight's fight is fixed as I am with the sunrise tomorrow It burns me up because there's nothing I can do about it. This friend the fight games always been pretty clean It's a lousy shame the way a gambler and syndicate can move in and put the fix on maybe your friend. That was the answer I don't think so Glamour bus is almost time to go on the air on this massive phone wave Chuck Morgan's office. Oh, hello, Bill. Yes, he's here. Where's the bill max? Yes. He sounds excited. Hello, Bill. How things What no kidding half-hour ago, huh Yeah, I can get on the show but talk fast There's only about about three minutes to airtime take this down glamour bus. Okay left. He looked Larson Contended for the light heavyweight championship of the world was found murdered in his apartment at 720 Citizen Street Go fight fans quite a shock with the story of lefty Larson's murder in my seven o'clock broadcast But that was nothing to what was coming At 715 I left the studio and drove out to 720 Citizen Street It was a small apartment house located up against the hills in a Las Vegas district Two cops were keeping a crowd of curious people moving both of them. I knew so they let me inside Larson's apartment was on the ground floor rear Tom Brady at the medical exam that was just leaving as I entered Bill Megs was inside another cop and a red-headed girl She was sitting in a corner staring day's at lay at the floor Her eyes were red and was obvious that she'd been crying How's it look Bill I'm not good Chuck the guy was murdered all right Tom says it was most likely cyanide poisoning Although he can't tell for sure until he performs an autopsy you got a cold bill. Yeah, I'm just getting over it It's too bad. What makes you so sure it was murder. I had to be come over here See that damp ring on this bedside table and glass containing some sort of liquid must have been there not long ago That's right Well the glass is missing Lefty had committed suicide. It's still be there unless someone else took it away It's very likely that someone would come in and take that glass away with left He's dead body lying there in the bed without doing something about it unless it was a murderer himself Unless it was the murderer himself, which of course it was figures on it. What's your idea? What happened though? Well, we've checked around and learned that Larson left Mosley's gym around 430 Said he's going home to pick up his good luck piece and maybe lie down for an hour or so before the fight Which I guess is what he did. I figure he poured himself a glass of milk sat on the edge of the bed drank it and then lay down Well, couldn't he have carried the glass back to the kitchen? Well, he could have But he wouldn't have had time to wash it and put it away not with that poison in him And he was found right here on the bed who found him that girl over there Her name's Lil Framingham They are They were engaged She says she called him here on the phone about 515 told him she'd pick him up and drive him to the stadium at 630 She got here. She found him dead. I see What was a good luck piece you mentioned a minute ago instead of rattles from a rattlesnake You find them in his pocket Other way Chuck I appreciate you're giving me a hand in this You know, I never was much of a fight fan Don't know many of the people mixed up in it. You have to in your work Yeah, sure. I'll be glad to do anything again. I don't suppose you came up with my fingerprints. No everything wiped clean Another one of those huh? You mind if I talk to the girl if she'll talk She's pretty upset. Thanks Hello, Lil. I loved him We were gonna be married. I loved him. Yeah, I know it's a tough break But now we've got to see if we can't find the man who did this thing Can you think of anyone who might have wanted lefty out of the way Lil? I loved him We were gonna be married. Did he have any enemies anyone who will hate at them hate? Yeah Anyone hate lefty Nobody hated lefty He was a swellest guy we ever lived. I Loved him Okay, Lil I'll ask Lieutenant Megs to have someone take you home. We can talk again later Well, how'd you make out? She's in the bad state of shock. Bill. You better get her home. I intend to Only kept her here this long so you could talk to her. Thanks. You were Sometimes have a way with females By the way, where's Carl? Back of the studio sweating over time for didn't want to come Yeah, she wanted to but I have to throw my weight around once in a while show whose boss What do you mean ha nothing only kidding Well, you got any ideas? Yeah, I know too. I'll tell you what I'll take a run down to Mosley's now talk to some of the boys Let you know if I pick up anything I changed my mind about going down to Mosley's and went back to the studio instead I Remembered that out in San Fernando Valley an old-time boxer named babes Starkey long since retired They bought a small ranch and was operating it for the few bucks. He needed in his old age Most of the boxes especially the young ones who came to town found time to go out to babes and swap yarns with him Babe knew more about fights and fighters than anyone It occurred to me that he might have the answer to a few questions. I wanted to ask So the next morning I picked up Carol around nine o'clock and we headed over Coenca pass into the valley By the way, what kind of a ranch is it that this babes Starkey runs? Oh, didn't I tell you? No? It's a snake ranch. Oh what a snake ranch. Didn't you ever hear of a snake ranch? Oh, I've heard of every other kind out here in Southern, California Orange ranches and chicken ranches and cucumber ranches and avocado ranches, but never a snake ranch What kind of snakes does he raise rattlesnakes? Oh Morgan you stopped his car once and let me out. Come now take it easy. Why I'm a post Chucky Bart won't let the nasty old snakes Did you say something about her pose? No Well, why not you're usually talking I was thinking with what I mean. What about I was thinking what a shame It is that you and your friend couldn't go to the fights last night. Yeah, it was oh here We are now remember those two gateposts. Well, Chuck this friend of the drive. Hey, hey, there's babe Hello, babe. How are you? Chuck Morgan, how are you boy? Get down from your saddle, son and squat in the shade of it Hey, who's that with you? You've heard me mention my secretary Carol Curtis. I never met the young lady, but I'm sure glad to do it now Hey, she's pretty Well, thank you, babe. You're pretty too. Well now that's plum decent of you say that ma'am Come on get out Did you latch on to that Western dog, babe? Well, no, it's like these Chuck my boy Figured as long as I turned rancher. I better talk like one Here yeah, just you sit right down there and they show you the sycamore tree miss Curtis. Make yourself comfortable You are pretty Thank you again. How's it about a snake business, babe? Well, it's like this I raise them and kill them and skin them and pack them eating cans and sell the hide Make a few bucks here a few there not much, but it's kind of fun Dangerous to dang critters like to kill you if they get a hold with their fangs How about me showing you're on the place got some powerful built sideline. Oh, thanks. Well, we've only got a few minutes, babe You heard about lefty last night's both. I sure did. What a shame Who do you suppose the one of them where they're lefty? He was a good boy It's only a month ago. He was out here spent the day with me. I give him some rattles for a lucky piece Tell me babe. Did lefty seem to be bothered about anything? Bothered yeah, anything seemed to be troubling him. Was he happy? Did he feel confident about winning last night's fight? Or had the gambling syndicate put the finger on him gambling Hey, that's pretty dangerous talk. Chuck. You better be careful. So they've got you scared, too, huh? Well, how's this for a guest babe? Lefty came out here and told you about the syndicate trying to get him to throw the fight He asked your advice because he respected you and you taught him to go ahead and throw the fight That's true, isn't it? Oh, no no Chuck. That ain't it at all. That ain't the way it happened it Well, I'm an old man Chuck this little acres all I got I can't afford to lose it. They Yeah, they got here while lefty and I was still talking they said then unless I kept my mouth shut they Well, yeah, okay, babe Okay, that's all I wanted to know you won't tell him Chuck. You won't tell another word, babe I'll keep your name out of it entirely now quit worrying. We're yeah. All right, Chuck. Thanks. Come on. Glamour for such good Chuck did you ever talk to him like that? He's so harmless and sweet Get into the car now. I'm a plus Unless I missed my guess I'll be able to announce the identity of the murderer of lefty Larson and my seven o'clock broadcast tonight When I got back to the studio, I began to wonder if I hadn't been a bit hasty in making the seven o'clock broadcast a deadline There's a lot to be done during the next few hours But first I wanted to have a talk with my boss Papy Mansfield owner of KLP Papy listen patiently while I explained what I had in mind It's a good idea Chuck and it might work, but you can't do it. Good for you, Papy That's exactly what I told him if he thinks it can glam the purse what drop dead What do you mean? I can't do it Papy if my guess is right We'll have one of the biggest stories of the year. Yes, and if your guess isn't correct I'll be minus one good newscaster. No, not a chance. All right, Papy. I'll make a deal with you It's now two o'clock. I'll start from Mike Mosley's gym right now If I'm not back by four you get hold of Bill Megs and come looking for me Well, why don't we get hold of Bill Megs right now and go down there with you for obvious reasons name three How about a Papy? Well, I don't know good. It's a deal. You stay here glam a person wait for the phone to ring When it does it'll be me with the solution to the mystery of the boxing champ murder Mike Mosley's gym was located in a loft over a pool hall on Santa Monica Boulevard. I Went up a flight of outside stairs and found the door the top unlocked I went in But the big cavern like room was deserted, which was unusual Most any day you could find a half a dozen more pugs working out here. They're trainers and handers all over the place Fresh air had been a strange in the room for quite a while the place stank of stale tobacco smoke and sweat and rosin I Walked around the ring that was set up in the middle of the room and found the door that led to Mike's private office I knocked there wasn't any reply Then I heard a sound behind me and turned to find Mike standing there Behind Mike were a couple of beat-up looking kids wearing trunks and boxing gloves Hello Morgan. What's on your mind? Hey Mike? Your place looks deserted What's that for out of respect for a dead pal? It could be But I got another reason for shutting up shop, too. Huh? Yeah, I've been expecting a visitor. Yeah, who's that you? No kidding Now why would you be expecting me Mike? Well, you got a habit of getting ideas Morgan and their sum of us in a fight game that don't like them such as the fact That you've let the gambling syndicate move into LA You bought yourself a couple of new cars in a place at Malibu within the past six months Ideas like that Mike. Yeah. Yeah, ideas like that Ideas that you can't prove and never will be able to So why don't you get an idea to talk about the Iowa State picnic on your show tonight? Be a cleaner story than the one I'm going to broadcast. Yeah While you're here Morgan, I want to introduce you to a couple of new boys. I'm bringing along a buck come over here Buck this here's mr. Chuck Morgan He's a newscaster on one of the big radio stations in town. Ah, yeah, there's a lot of other things, too But I'm too polite to mention them Now buck I want you to show mr. Morgan that right hook you was practicing yesterday a slim Are you stand over there when I give the word you demonstrate that left jab of yours? These are things mr. Morgan likes to know about Okay, buck. I don't have it not just a minute Oh Came out of that one. I was in a cab heading down Santa Monica Boulevard My face felt like a boiled beat. I put my hand up where my nose should have been cabbie Cabbie don't ask me nothing. Mr. I ain't seen nothing. I ain't heard nothing Just doing what I got paid for who paid you Alright Where are you taking me any place? You're saying mr. So long as it don't cost more than two bucks Okay Take me to KOP I Could tell by the expression on the faces of the people I met when I walked into the KOP building that Mike's boys had really done a job on me Grandma post let out a yelp when I walked into the office. Oh Chuck get me a drink of water will you chuck? Oh, you poor boy. What happened? Were you in a fight? You know no, no, I got this way sitting under a sun lamp. Get me a drink of water. Will you all right? Carol, uh, well, who's this Chuck? Hello, baby. What happened? Were you in a fight? Oh, no, not you too And here's the first aid kit and don't you dare tell me you're all right and don't need attention Hold still what happened Chuck. No some of ouch. We got take it easy glamour pus Oh, don't be a sissy some of Mike's boys work me over why I guess they don't like me Oh, I hope this will teach you to take someone else's advice once in a while If you had let Bill and Papi go down there with you it I won't shut up You're a newscaster not a detective. Oh here turn your head this way. Obviously. He's not a prize fighter either Yeah, well, let me tell you to something. I'm not bad at either one You haven't seen those other two guys yet and don't forget it was I who figured out that fingerprint deal two weeks Hey Let me have that phone. What's got into you? It must be the effects of the sun lamp. I'll show you whether or not I'm a good detective Police Department. This is Chuck Morgan. Get me Bill Megs. Just a minute. Listen, Bill Did you tell me that you didn't find any fingerprints when you dusted that room where lefty was murdered? Think hard Bill. Weren't there any at all? You bet. That's it my friend. You got the address sure Good, I'll meet you there in 10 minutes Ignoring the protests of Carol and Papi and 10 minutes later. I was pulling up in front of an apartment house on North Hobart Bill Megs was waiting for me in the doorway the heck happened to you you've been in a fight. Yeah, I've been in a fight. Come on Let's go The mailboxes give us the number of the apartment. We were looking for it was on the second floor We went up a flight of carpet stairs and knocked on the door of 2a Try it again Hello, Lill. Mind if we come in? Well, it's Lieutenant Megs and Mr. Morgan. I know of course not. Come on in Oh Morgan, my Imagine finding you here. What's the matter you bring? Yeah? Yeah? Yeah? Yeah? You know Lieutenant Megs My he's from headquarters. So Mike and I are old pals Oh, so you men know each other. Mr. Mosley has been so kind to me since lefty passed on Some of the boys it is Jim took up a collection and gave me the money when did this happen why? Today, I guess how much money was there none of your business Mike that is Mr. Mosley asked me not to tell you can call him Mike. We understand. What do you mean by that crack? Well, I'll tell you my You've got your coat off and your tie loosened That's rather informal and the girl only knows you well enough to call you Mr. Mosley. You're being rude You're being stupid Lill Seems to me you got over your grief pretty fast yesterday. You were too stunned to talk I don't like your manner at all lieutenant. I wish you'd leave. Oh, we're gonna leave all right, and you're coming with us Why because you murdered lefty Larson? I murdered lefty Why lieutenant you can't be serious. I'm serious all right. You're in love with lefty Lill. You only pretended you were Actually, you're in love with this two-bit chiseler Mike Mosley When lefty wouldn't throw the fight and threaten to expose you you murdered him Mike's as much to blame as you. How do you like that? I'm as much to blame. I wasn't even near the joint No, all you did was provide Lill with the poison and tell her what to do. Well now ain't that something? You can prove it. I suppose We won't have to prove it. Lill's going to tell Lill's got a drop dead Morgan Well ain't gonna tell nothing to nobody like you said. She's in love with me. She does what I say Okay, Lill get your hat. Let's go wait a minute Mike are you gonna let me take the rap for this? I don't worry kid. I'll get you out of it You're gonna let them take me out of here without doing nothing to stop them. Take it easy kid. I told you Why you cheap two-time and jerk you're in this as much as I am it was you shut up. I won't you gave me the point Shut up. I said all right Mosley that does it take your hands off me That was when I sure old That settled that one Lill gave a full confession which of course implicated Mike Mosley We guess pretty accurately is how the thing had been worked out There's just another one of those cases in which a murderer thought he'd covered his trail enough to be very sure of himself Will they ever learn? Of course, I had a lot of explaining to do to a certain blonde secretary and a gentleman named Pappy Mansfield Okay, genius gather around Pappy. This is the moment that Chucky Boy likes the hand Glamour bus you're just sore because you didn't figure this one out yourself. All right. All right now If you two have exchanged the usual number of insults to assure each other that you're really in love Suppose you give it to us Chuck sure Pappy. It was really quite simple. Oh, you modest man you go ahead and brag For the moment glamour bus. I'm going to ignore you and talk to Pappy It was like this Pappy Lill said she called lefty at his apartment and talked to him on the phone an hour before he was murdered Yet Bill Megs couldn't find any fingerprints except his own which were on the phone My guy Lill had wiped everything clean of fingerprints including the telephone But Bill used the phone when he got there So both bills and lefties should have been on that receiver Oh my my and to think our Chucky forget it all out by himself. Oh say Pappy. Yeah, check those tickets I had for the last McCrady fight. They're sending me two others for the air gun bout next week So we won't miss out entirely. Oh good Chuck. Oh Was Pappy the friend who was going to use the other ticket? Sure. Didn't I tell you? No, you did not. I'm sorry Chuck Morgan. I think you're dreadful. Why you knew I thought you were going to take some other woman And you let me think so I'm a post what? You're pretty I think you're pretty too