 It's time now for Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons. Presenting Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons in a new Mr. Keen series, in which the kindly old investigator will bring you his most celebrated cases on Mondays through Fridays at this same time. Tonight's case is entitled, The Shrieking Prisoner Murder Case. Our scene opens in a large old-fashioned home situated in a lonely section of New York City. It is night and a young man is entering the darkened house. He gropes his way through one of the rooms, unaware that he is moving towards sudden death. It's so dark in here. I wonder if I can find a light switch. Aunt Martha. Aunt Amy, are you at home? They're not here. The house is completely empty. What's that? Where is that screaming coming from? Oh, where's the door? It's so dark I can't see a thing. They're gunning at me. Put it down. Do you hear? No! Don't shoot! No! The office of Mr. Keen, the private investigator. It is, ma'am. I'm his partner, Mike Clancy. My name is Mrs. Jane Travers. I must see Mr. Keen at once. It's a matter of life and death. Oh, here's Mr. Keen now, coming out of his private office. Mr. Keen. Are you wish to see me? I'm Mrs. Jane Travers. Something horrible has happened. I've come to you hoping you can help me. I've heard so much about you, Mr. Keen. People say you're not only a noted tracer of lost persons, but you're also famous for solving murder cases. Many of my cases do involve murders. Oh, then, Mr. Keen, I'm hoping you'll help me. I'm so shocked and confused. I don't know which way to turn. Well, please sit down and try to propose yourself, Mrs. Travers. Has someone you know been murdered? My husband, Donald. He was shot to death last night in the home of my two aunts. One of them may be under suspicion for the crime. Please give me all the details, Mrs. Travers. I have two unmarried aunts, Mr. Keen. My aunt Martha Carson and my aunt Amy. They've been living alone for years in an old house in a quiet section of the city. And where your husband's murdered took place? Yes. I don't see my aunts very often. I'm afraid they're both rather eccentric. They don't encourage visitors. In fact, they have a rather frightening reputation in the neighborhood. Frightening, Mrs. Travers? In what way? They're known as... as the weird sisters. They hardly ever leave the house. And very few people get a chance to see them. Yesterday, my husband, Donald, went over there. For any particular reason? Well, I hadn't heard from my aunts in over six months and I was worried about them. I felt that something was wrong. They have no telephone, so Donald decided to investigate. By himself, Mrs. Travers? I was going to go with him, Mr. Keen, but I developed a violent headache a few hours before and Donald went alone. A good thing for you, maybe, ma'am. You mean, Mr. Clancy, I could have been murdered along with my husband? Well, when I think that Donald is gone... We understand, my dear. Anyway, Donald went over to see my aunts. And the next thing I knew, the police notified me of his murder. We'd only been married eight months and we were so very happy. What did the police investigation disclose, Mrs. Travers? As far as I know, Mr. Keen, they only spoke to Aunt Martha. She's 45 now. I think about 10 years older than her sister, Amy. And what did your Aunt Martha tell the police? She said she was out of the house when Donald was shot and that Aunt Amy is away in the country. But when the police questioned people in the neighborhood, they're bound to find out that Aunt Martha was lying. You're sure of that? Aunt Amy would never leave Martha and go out of the city for one thing. And Aunt Martha herself only left the house once in six months at the most. Mr. Keen, something must be terribly wrong with my aunts. Are you afraid that they may be involved in your husband's murder? No, I just can't believe that either of them had anything to do with Donald's murder. It's just that with those rumors going around... Rumors of their eccentricity? Some people have even said there's a streak of insanity in their behavior. The police may think that one of my aunts killed Donald in a burst of maniacal fury. Oh, Mr. Keen, please, please do something to find out the truth. Are you sure you will do our utmost to help you, Mrs. Travers? All Aunt Martha and Aunt Amy have in the world is each other. And in some ways, their relationship is almost like a stern mother and daughter. How do you mean? Well, Aunt Martha has always dominated Aunt Amy for one thing. Even to the point of interfering with her personal affairs. To what specific personal affairs are you referring? I... Well, I don't know. This is a positive fact. But I heard that my Aunt Amy once had a chance to marry with a man named George Wheeler. But Aunt Martha talked her out of it. Do you know why, Mrs. Travers? No, I don't, Mr. Keen. Oh, but please don't misunderstand me. Their relationship was always very warm and happy. At least as far as I knew. And in spite of their odd way of living, they got along together. I see. Well, more than anything else in the world, I want my husband's murderer found. But if it should involve an innocent person, someone who used to be very close to me, I... I... Suppose you take this to your Aunt's house, Mrs. Travers? I have an unhappy job to do first, Mr. Keen. Arrange for my husband's funeral. But I can give you the address and meet you there later. Very well. Write it down here, please. Yes. Mrs. Martha and Amy Carston. 1124 Ivy Road. Make. We'll proceed to that address immediately. And see if we can start unraveling the mystery of Donald Travers' murder on the scene of the crime. Well, this is the house, Mr. Keen. Sure, and it's nothing but a rickety pile of shingles going to seed. It doesn't seem to be a doorbell, make. Miss Carston? I'm Martha Carson. Yes. My name is Keen, and this is my partner, Make Clancy. We're investigating the murder of Donald Travers, your niece's husband. Who sent for you? We were asked to take the case by Jane Travers, your niece. The police have already been here. If you're not from them... Let's not have any trouble, ma'am. We usually work along with the police. May we come in, Miss Martha? Well, just for a minute. Are you alone? Yes. I understand your younger sister, Amy, lives here with you. Amy's gone. She'll be away for the rest of the month, at least. I'd like to ask you a few questions, Miss Martha. The police have already talked to me about my nephew's murder, Mr. Keen. I told them I knew nothing about it. You were out of this house when it happened? Yes. Where may I ask? I was just out. That's all. Doing some shopping. Then perhaps someone at the store where you shopped would be able to identify you. Why should I need that, Mr. Keen? Miss Martha, according to your niece, you and your sister, Amy, may come under some suspicion in this murder case. And I want to help you, if I can. I don't need any help. I can take care of this by myself. What's that chopping noise? Mr. Keen, there's a fellow standing out there chopping down a dead tree. I can see him from this window. That's our handyman, Luther Praig. He does work around here. He looks big enough to pull that tree up by the roots with his bare hands. Mr. Keen, do you really think the police might suspect me or my sister, Amy, in some way? Your niece seems to think so, Miss Martha. I don't want anyone to say I'm hiding something. I could tell you about someone you might want to talk to, but I don't want him to know you heard it from me. Who is it? A man named George Wheeler. The man who wanted to marry your sister, Amy. How do you know about that, Mr. Keen? Your niece, Jane Travers, mentioned it. Well, she had no right to. Well, anyway, George Wheeler had it in for Donald Travers. He did? Why? My sister, Amy, found out that George Wheeler couldn't be trusted, and it was Donald who told it to her. That's why, well, that's what broke up Amy's romance with George Wheeler. And Wheeler hated Donald Travers for that? Naturally. Was George Wheeler anywhere near this house when young Travers was murdered? He could have been. He lives only a short distance away. Mr. Keen, I never trusted the man myself, and when he loses his temper, he's capable of anything. You realize, of course, Miss Martha, that your accusations are very grave, and that they might make George Wheeler an important suspect in this murder case. I'm telling you the truth, Mr. Keen. What is George Wheeler's address? He lives in the small grey house on the corner. You can't miss it. Perhaps we'd better question him, Mick. Sounds like a good idea, Mr. Keen. You'll find him at home now if you go right over. Very well, Miss Martha. St.'s Preservice. Who is that, Miss Martha? None of your business, Mr. Keen. Boss. It almost sounds like a trapped animal. Miss Martha, where is that shriek coming from? I won't tell you. Get out of my house and leave us alone. Mick, let's go upstairs and investigate. No, no, I won't let you do it. Loser! Loser, come in here quickly! Mr. Keen, she's calling that big gorilla, the handyman. I'm afraid we're in for a little trouble, Mick. No, don't you dare! Stop these two men! Don't let them go upstairs! Mr. Keen, it's the axman. He's got that chopper in his hand. Nevertheless, Mick, we're going upstairs right now to find out who is doing that shrieking and why. Who is imprisoned in the room upstairs in the home of the strange Carson sisters? And what part did the prisoner play in the murder of Donald Travers? The rest of this exciting story will be heard on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at this same time. Be sure to listen again on Wednesday for Mr. Keen, tracer of lost persons. A most unusual Western program is the many-time-cited CBS radio series called Gunsmoke. This half-hour Saturday night adventure program recreates the authentic atmosphere of Old Dodge City when the West was young and wild. In the character of United States Marshal Matt Dillon, you have a composite of all the restless, uncertain men who did their best to fight the battle for law and order according to their own lights. Remember, Gunsmoke is yours for thrills every Saturday night over most of these same stations. Your announcer, George Bryan. Gangbusters go into action Saturday nights on the CBS radio network.