 Wait a minute. Have you heard the strange tales of the Whistler? The Whistler. I get a terrible feeling of depression and then this awful urge comes upon me. The urge to hurt someone. The urge to inflict pain. The urge to kill. Another Sunday night and again CBS presents the Whistler. I, the Whistler, know many things for I walk by night. I know many strange tales. Many secrets hidden in the hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows. I know the nameless terrors of which they dare not speak. And so I tell you tonight the unusual tale. The urge to kill. Henry Drake sits in his big office staring out over the smoking stacks of his busy factory. Production is at its peak. The demands of the past year have brought untold problems to his desk and placed heavy loads on his shoulders. Henry Drake and his partner Philip Putnam had started this factory five years ago and built it into a smooth running highly profitable organization. Now the added demands of war have more than trebled the production and the worries as well. Phil had put up most of the money and Henry the brains. It was Henry who always had to make the decisions. But now something is happening to Henry. He is beginning to slip. His memory is playing tricks on him. Good morning, Mr. Drake. Oh, morning, Ethel. Mr. Putnam wanted to know if you studied those contracts last night. Contracts? What contracts? Why, once he gave you last night, you said you'd take them home. They must be signed by noon. Contracts? Why, I don't know what you're talking about. When did Phil give me any contracts? What, just before you left last evening? Well, that's funny. Don't you remember? What? Remember? Well, yes. I do remember now. Yes, yes, of course. Well, may I have them? Well, let me see. What on earth did I do with them? Tell Mr. Putnam to step in here. Yes, Mr. Drake. Mr. Drake would like to see you, Mr. Putnam. I'll be right in. I'll ring if I need you, Ethel. All right. Good morning, Henry. What's up? Well, about those contracts you gave me yesterday evening. Just what were they about? What? What do you mean? Haven't you read them? No. No, I haven't. Good heavens, man. They were supposed to be signed by noon today and it's 10 o'clock now. Now, where are they? I don't know where they are. Phil, I can't find them. I'm sure I didn't take them home. Oh, you must have. Strange. I can't remember a thing about them. Well, what did you do after you left here? Where'd you go? Well, I went home and, as I think, I did. I think you did. What's the matter with you, Henry? I don't know, Phil. I can't seem to recall a thing I did last evening. Are you kidding me? Certainly not. Why should I care about such a thing? Well, don't get sore about it. Certainly ridiculous. This is a serious situation. I know, Phil. I know that better than you do. Well, call your home. They've got to be there. Have Rita send them over by a special messenger. Yes, sir. I'm getting Mrs. Drake on the phone. You know, it looked very well. Henry, you're as pale as a ghost. Look at the perspiration. What's wrong with you, man? I don't know. I really don't know. I feel terrible and... my eyes are bothering me. Bright flashes keep passing in front of me and my ears drop. Hello? Well, Rita, this is Phil. Henry brought a contract home to study last evening. Look around and see if you can find it. It's very important. A blue binder of about 20 pages. What? I see. Thanks. She's in the library now. Yes? You can't? Yes. I see. Really? Well, all right. Now call me back. Well, what about it? You have no idea what happened to you after you left here last evening at six. Did I leave at six? Certainly. So did I. She said you didn't come home for dinner. She decided to go to the opera. When she came back at 12, you didn't come in until one. She said your shoes and trousers were all covered with mud. You went straight to bed. Was it raining last night? Of course it was. I don't remember that. Rita's going to look in the coat and suit you were wearing last night. She'll call me back. What on earth is happening to me? Where could I have gone? Yes? Yes, Rita. You couldn't. I see. Very well, thanks. Goodbye. Not a trace of the contract. Now what? Phil, Phil, I've got to tell you this. This isn't the first time this has happened. It's been going on for weeks. About twice every week a terrible depression comes over me. And then when I wake up, I can't for the life of me remember what happened the night before. Well, maybe the strain has been too much. You better see a doctor at once, Henry. Oh, I know I should, but I'm afraid to. Why? I'm afraid of what he might tell me. Nonsense. Go and see a doctor right now. I'll get out of your place and search it from top to bottom. Very well, Phil. I'll go now. I'll be back as soon as I can. Henry stumbles in a daze from his office and walks about the city for an hour trying to make up his mind to see a doctor. He doesn't have the courage to tell his own doctor. So he finally decides to visit a psychiatrist. Then he remembers the name of one of the most famous in the country, Dr. Schultz, the state psychiatrist. I know you're not a general practitioner, Dr. Schultz. As a state psychiatrist, I know you're a busy man, but I've read a few of your books and I thought you'd be willing to help me. Well, ordinarily I wouldn't, Mr. Drake, but I know who you are and what you've been doing. I'll do what I can. Thank you, doctor. You say you have lapses of memory? Yes. I wake up in the morning and can't remember what happened the night before. In the morning, I have headaches and see strange flashes before my eyes and hear throbbing noises. How often does this occur? About twice a week, but I remember everything I do during the day. Mm-hmm. Have you ever had a serious ailment? No. Ever had an accident? Anything that might have caused a concussion? Well, not that I remember. I may have had as a child. Mm-hmm. Have you been working under an exceptional mental strain? Yes. Yes, I have. The pressure's been more than doubled. For the last year, the problems have been so heavy that I've been unable to sleep. I've studied them until dawn until finally I was unable to remember them. Hmm, you don't go to sleep easily. No, I feel very late. From all appearances I wander about until one o'clock in the morning, where I don't know. Hmm, you're married? Yes. What does your wife think of your strange behavior? Well, naturally, she doesn't like it. She says I walk in and go to bed without saying a word. So now she doesn't even ask where I've been. Hmm, are you and your wife incompatible? Well, somewhat. Have you ever been interested in another woman? I have not. Any children? No. Have you ever been caught in a predicament where you were forced to do something dishonest in order to escape a severe penalty? Well, what do you mean? Well, I'll put it another way. Do you fear anything or anybody? No. Do you hate anything or anybody? Yes. Lately, I dislike my work, my business intensely. Why? I don't know why. Maybe I've had too much of it. Who is closest to you in your work? Well, I have a partner and we have a secretary. And who are they? My partner is Philip Putnam, my secretary, is Hathel Watson. Oh, you both have the same secretary? Yes. That way we keep things more orderly. Could you get along without her? Never thought of it. She's very capable, but I suppose I could get along without her. Does your partner have as much responsibility in the business as you? I do most of the mental work. You resent that? You mean do I think he should take more responsibility? Yes, I do, but he isn't capable. He plays golf and takes days off at a time. Yes, I do resent that. I know nothing can be done about it. Is your partner married? No. For a while I thought he and our secretary were growing fond of each other, but in the last few months it seems to have cooled. Are you a financial affairs in order? Exceptionally so, never better. Are you worried about the outcome of the war? No, no more than anyone else. I realize it'll keep every nose to the grindstone. Did you drink? No, I haven't. Temperate? Probably a little more of late. Never took nor caught. No, no. I've tried sleeping tablets, but they did me no good. I see. Have you anything further to add to this discussion? I know. But then I must ask you to leave and not come back. What? What do you mean, doctor? Just that. Leave and don't come back until you decide to tell me the truth. But I've been telling you everything I know. No, you haven't. There's something you've been withholding. Good day. Wait a minute. What are you trying to say? I'm not trying to say anything. I've told you that you're holding something back, some fear that you don't want known. But if you want me to help you, you'll have to divulge everything. All right. I thought maybe you could help me without my telling, but... All right. I'll tell you what it is. That's better. It happens on these mornings when I fail to remember what has occurred the night before. It happens during these spells of flashes and noises. What happens? I get this terrible feeling of depression. And then slowly, gradually, the urge comes to me. The urge to what? The urge to hurt someone. The urge to inflict pain, inflict injury on someone. On whom? Anyone. Any person who comes into my mind. Anyone I see or think about. The waitress in the cafe, my secretary, my chauffeur, my wife, my partner, a laborer, anyone. Have you ever killed anyone, Drake? No, no. I swear never. And I don't want to. That's why I'm here. I'm afraid. Afraid of myself. I don't want to harm anyone. I'd rather die. Would you? Yes. All right. Now you know. That's my great fear. Something's got to be done about it. You've got to help me. Very well, Drake. I'm glad you finally told me. Now I know what to do. Now where to start. Do. You don't think I'm going completely to pieces. Mentally, I mean. No, I don't think so. You think it's just temporary. Let's not talk about it anymore. What can I do? I want you to stay away from the business for a week. Don't go near it. Don't think about it. I want you to stay in bed as much as possible. Read something in the light vein. Put her about if you'd like. In the garden, say. Anything but business. At the end of the week, I want to see you again. But above all, rest. Rest your mind and your body. Yes. I understand. And you think you'll... You think that will bring me out of these spells? I think everything will turn out for the best. Thank you, Dr. Schultz. I appreciate all this, and I'll see you in a week. Goodbye, Mr. Drake. And Ms. Burton. Yes, Dr. Schultz. Did you take down that interview, Ms. Burton? Yes, doctor. I made a recording of it. Thank you. So Henry goes home and stays in bed for three days according to the doctor's instructions. Then, taught midnight at the third evening his wife Rita comes home and is startled to find him gone. Jackson? Jackson? Oh, yes, Mrs. Drake. Jackson, where's Mr. Drake? Mr. Drake is in his room. But he isn't. He's gone. Gone? But I didn't see him go out, ma'am. When did you see him last? Why, it was about 9.30. I looked in to see if there was anything he wanted before I retired. What did he say? Was he dressed? No, ma'am. He was in bed. He said he didn't want anything and that I might as well turn in. Where on earth could he have gone on a rainy night like this? Shall I go out and try to find him, ma'am? No. No, never mind, Jackson. You can go back to bed. Yes, yes, ma'am. Thank you. Can't imagine why on earth he'd go out when he wasn't feeling well. Hello? Phil? This is Rita. I just came in and Henry isn't here. I don't know. The butler said he saw him at 9.30 and he was in bed. Why would he go out in a storm? What reason could he possibly have? No, I don't think so. I hope he doesn't. Yes. Good night, Phil. Yes, I'll see you tomorrow evening if possible. Good night. As Rita hangs up the receiver, she suddenly realizes the library door is closed but a streak of light shows beneath it. She steps quickly to the door and opens it softly. Henry. What are you doing here? Oh, hello, Rita. Why aren't you in bed? In bed? I... I don't know. Who are you phoning? Phoning? Oh, I was just thinking about phoning the doctor. I wanted to talk to him. At this hour of the night? It's 12 o'clock. 12? Yes, so it is. Wait till morning. Yes, yes. Anyway, I can't remember what I wanted to say to him. Where have you been? Where have I been? I haven't been any place. But you must have. Look at your top coat. It's soaking wet. And look at your shoes, they're muddy. That's strange. I don't remember having gone out. I thought I'd been sitting right here all evening. But it's obvious that you haven't been here all evening. You have been out. Perhaps so. This is the second or third time you've come in with your shoes all muddy. Where do you go at this time of night? I tell you, I don't remember. I don't believe you. Whether you do or not, I don't remember where I've been. It's the silliest thing I ever heard of. A man like you, an intelligent man, walking around in his sleep. I couldn't have been asleep. I know that much. Nonsense. Oh, don't be so impatient, Rita. I don't like this any more than you do, but I'm sure I'll be all right in a short time. Dr. Schultz will pull me out of it. Well, I hope so. Have you been out, Rita? Well, of course. I told you early in the evening I was going to play bridge with the parkers. Oh, perhaps you did, but I don't remember that either. I told you just the same. Oh, I'm sorry, Rita. I know this must be very trying for you. It isn't very pleasant to have a man mope about the house all the time. You'd better go to bed, Henry, and get off those wet clothes. Oh, yes. Rita, why don't you go away for a few days, take a little rest? I know you're terribly upset about all this, and what it would do you good. It wouldn't be exactly right for me to go away at a time like this. What would people think of me? Well, who cares what people think? You could go up to the mountains or down to Miami or... Well, any place. Maybe by the time you come back, I'll be all right. Do you want me to go? I don't want you to go, but I think it would be good for you. You're becoming upset because of me, and I think you'd worry less if you got away for a few days. Very well, perhaps you'll right. We'll talk about it in the morning. All right. Good night, Rita. Good night. Henry sits for a while staring at the telephone and gets up slowly and shuffles up the steps to his room. He pauses for a few moments before Rita's door, then goes on to his own room and goes to bed. The storm continues in its fury, and from his kennel in the backyard, Duke, read his airdale, begins to howl. Finally, the storm subsides. Morning comes and Henry joins Rita at breakfast. What's the matter, Henry? You haven't eaten a bite. No, I'm not hungry. I don't feel it all well this morning. You do look pale. I've never seen you so haggard. No? What's the matter with your hands? My hands? Well, yes, you keep staring at them and flexing your fingers. Oh, I don't know. It seemed to... it feels like rheumatism. Have some coffee. Yes, yes, I believe I will. Here you are. Oh, good heaven! All over the floor. Oh, I'm sorry. I just seem to have no grip. I'm getting bad, and I can't even hold on to a cup. Rita, Rita, what have you decided about that trip? I wish you'd take a few days' vacation. You sound as though you want to get rid of me. I'm only thinking of you. Very well, if you insist. I'll go up to the mountain place. Maybe it'll do us both some good. Mrs. Drake! Mrs. Drake! Jackson, what on earth are you so excited about? Something terrible has happened. Terrible? What do you mean? I don't know how to tell you, but it's awful. What are you trying to say? It's Duke, your Erdell. What happened to him? He... he's dead. I just went out to the kennel to unhook his chain, and there he was, ma'am. Oh, good heaven! Well, what happened to him? He's been strangled. There he was beside his house, and his tongue sticking way out. Oh, it's awful, ma'am. Strangled? But why? Well, maybe he got tangled up in his chain, but it didn't appear so, ma'am. But somebody did it deliberately. Oh, the poor fellow. I... I can't imagine such a thing. Wait a minute, Rita. I wouldn't go out there. But I must. Please don't. It'll just upset you. Please don't go. Very well. Oh, I'm... I'm just sick all over. Oh, now, Rita, I know how you feel, and it's a shame. Jackson, tell the maid to pack Mrs. Drake's things. She's going to the mountains for a few days. Henry Drake sits staring at his hands for a few moments. Opening and closing them. Opening and closing them. Then suddenly, he leaves the house and rushes to Dr. Schultz's office. What is wrong with you, Drake? You were to come here after tomorrow. I had to see you, doctor. Something terrible has happened. Now, now, now, now. Just calm down, calm down. Take it easy. Sit down, Drake. It happened in the night. What happened? You. My wife's dog. He was killed last night. Killed? Well, how did that happen? He was strangled, choked to death. Well, who did it? It... I must have done it. You? Oh, come now. What makes you think that? I can't remember a thing about it. I can remember nothing of last night, but I must have done it because of my hands. What's wrong with your hands? I hurt. The muscles are terribly sore as though I'd been doing something strenuous. I see. And look at this mark on my thumb. It's a long cut as though something sharp dragged across it. You mean like a tooth? Yes. Why not the dog's tooth? Hmm. Certainly does. You really think you killed the dog? What do you think, Doctor? Well, I suppose it's possible. But there's no proof. Could be coincidental. I don't think so. I must have done it. He never disturbed the neighbors that I know of. Did you like the dog? Of course. I was very fond of him. Don't you see what this means? I've been afraid of something like this. Heaven knows what else I've done when I've been in these lapses. You've got to do something for me. Drake, I'm going to have to put you through all the tests. It'll take some time, but I think we can get at the root of your trouble. I'll do anything. Anything you say. We'll start right now. Miss Burton, get Dr. Fenton. I want him to assist me in a complete examination. Yes, Doctor. Now, Drake, just relax and continue staring at this little beam of light. We want you to answer these questions as quickly as possible. Yes. You're crossing a street. An automobile suddenly bears down upon you, you see? Yes. In an effort to save yourself, you jump out of the way. Yes. You jump forward or backward? By... Backward? Why? I can jump backward quicker than I can forward. Repeat after me as rapidly as possible. One, two, three, five, six, eight, nine. One, two, three, four, five, six, eight, nine. You have no children. No. But you are married. Yes. Suppose you had a child. You come home at night and discover your house is on fire. Your wife and child are alone asleep on the second floor. Would you try to rescue them first to call the fire department? Call the fire department? I see. You had all that for the timing, Miss Burton? Yes, Doctor. Now, Drake, keep your eyes on the black dot. Follow it closely as it moves. I'm going to call out a series of words. As I call them, you will answer the word or phrase suggested by what I say. Yes. Green. Grass. Roses. Funeral. Orange. Sunset. Honey-suckle. Home. Violets. White. Red. Blood. Dog. Hands. Auto. Wreck. Rain. Mud. Love. Hate. Very well, Drake. Rest for 10 minutes and we'll proceed to the next test. How do your hands feel? Huh? Oh, well, about the same. All right. Come with me, Miss Burton. So on through the day at various intervals the psychiatrist continues his examination. And finally, Drake goes home completely exhausted. For an hour or two, he doses in the library. In about 9.30, Jackson the Butler steps into the room. Take part in, sir. Oh, where have you been, Jackson? Well, no one was here, sir. I went over to visit my brother for a few hours. Where's Mrs. Drake? Well, she's gone to Miami for a few days, sir. Said to tell you, she thought she'd better go today. Took the six o'clock train this evening. Oh, I see. Anything you want, sir? No, no, you can turn in if you like. Yes, thank you, sir. Good night. All right. Henry sits staring into the dark for almost an hour. And slowly he rises. As if in a daze puts on his hat and coat, slips out of the house and starts to walk about in the night. Finally, he comes to an apartment house, climbs to the top floor and knocks on the door. Henry, what are you doing here? I want to talk to you, Phil. Well, come in. What's the matter with you? Sit down. I don't want to sit down. Just as you like. What do you want to talk about? You have your bags packed. Are you going someplace? Well, yes, I'm driving down to Boston for a week on business. On business? Yes, on business. I tried to reach you today, but I was unable to. What on earth is wrong with you? What are you staring at? Are you sure you're going to Boston? Certainly I'm sure. What are you laughing about? You aren't going to Boston. I know where you're going. I tell you, I'm going to Boston. I don't believe you. What are you talking about? Rita's gone to Miami. Why don't you go to Miami, too? Wouldn't you like that better? I think that'd be very jolly. For heaven's sake, stop this nonsense. Is Rita here? Certainly not. Why should she be here? I wonder. Couldn't you think of any reason? I think you're out of your mind. Do you really? You certainly act like it. Oh, but I'm not. I'm perfectly sane. Oh, crazy people think they're sane. Maybe I am crazy, but I don't feel crazy. I'm perfectly normal. You'd better go home. There are no conditions to be wandering around. Where's Rita? I don't know where Rita is. She hasn't been here? You're lying, Phil. She has been here. That's ridiculous. Look, here in the ashtray, one of Rita's special made cigarettes. Why, I put that there. I thought I'd try them. Really? When did you take to using lipstick, Phil? All right. She was here, but she left to catch a train at six o'clock. And you'll catch the next one. Is that it? She came here to talk about you. She's terribly upset about your condition. She thinks, well... Well? What does she think? She's become afraid of you. Oh, has she? And what caused that? Well, she... Why wouldn't she be upset? You've been acting like a lunatic. She thinks you killed a dog. Did you? I don't remember. Maybe I did. I... I've got to hurry. My train leaves in half an hour. There's no train for Boston for three hours, but the train to Miami leaves in half an hour. You'd better go home, Henry. Why don't you admit it? Why lie about it? You're meeting her in Miami. Get out of here. You and Rita are in love. I know it. I've known it for weeks and weeks. Last night, I found out for sure. You're crazy. Maybe I am. But I heard you both talking on the phone. She didn't know I was listening in on the extension in the library. I heard you agreed to meet at a certain time. That's what I've been waiting for. Now I know. All right, all right. What of it? Where you've been acting is enough to make any woman dislike you. Oh, so you admit it? Yes. Now get out of here. Henry, put away that gun. All right. I'm going to leave it right here when I'm through with it. I'm going to kill you. You're insane fool. You can't get away with a thing like this. You can't prove anything about Rita and me. They'll hang you. I don't think so. Don't you remember? I'm crazy. I'll fix you. Police department. Go ahead. Call them. That's fine. Hello? This is Phil Putnam. I'm rest of your partners. There's a mad man in my room. He's trying to kill me. He's crazy. What a shame, Phil. You've missed the train. Well, it's all over, Henry. You can sit down now and wait for the police. You won't have any more mental lapses now, will you, Henry? You won't need to. A slick job, Henry. And very beautifully planned. Everyone knows about your mental lapses, your illness, your desire to harm people. Rita knows about the dog. Your secretary knows about the contracts. And most important of all, Dr. Schultz knows that you've been suffering from a mental disorder for weeks. Oh, there'll be a trial. Your plea will be insanity. You'll go away for a while, and then all of a sudden you'll be cured and walk out of free man. Now we're in the courtroom. Dr. Schultz, the psychiatrist, is speaking. Mr. Drake came to me with his trouble some weeks ago. Later, Dr. Fenton and I psychoanalyzed him thoroughly. Here is a signed statement of our findings at that time attached to our findings as of yesterday. Henry Drake was then, and is now, absolutely sane. The whole thing was a plan to escape the death penalty for premeditated murder. Well, there you go, Henry. The whole thing blew up in your face. A beautiful plan gone haywire. You should have spent less time thinking about your revenge, Henry, and more time studying psychology. Too bad. CBS has presented The Whistler. Original music for this production is composed and conducted by Wilbur Hatch. The Whistler is written and directed by J. Donald Wilson and originates from Columbia Square in Hollywood. Next Sunday, 9.15. I, The Whistler, will return to tell you the strange story of... death in the morning. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.