 From Hollywood it's time now for Money dollar Billy Underwood Johnny they're trying to get you all over town Hotel said to call you at this skyline number. I'm out at Arnold Bennett's house. He's been shot. What right? Well, who shot him don't know yet. I'm a transfusion here before they take him to the hospital Look Johnny, I got something to show you know what some ashes. We just analyzed The Bennett building was fired by a pro. He used celluloid and a wick made out of paraffin. I can prove it I hope Bennett lives to hear that Tonight and every week day night Bob Bailey in the transcribed adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance Investigator us truly Johnny dollar Expense accounts submitted by special investigator Johnny dollar to the fourth state fire insurance corporation 4065 spear Boulevard Hartford, Connecticut The following is an accounting of expenditure is during my investigation of the Bennett arson fraud Arnold Bennett was removed to the hospital where he was given a 50-50 chance of recovering from a 38 slug that had entered his chest There was no weapon lying about and no witnesses in the remote hilly section of San Francisco where he lived to give any information concerning the attempted murder The police were more anxious than ever to find Tony Midas the man Bennett had put the finger on earlier The reasoning was that if he could burn down a building worth half a million to get back at Arnold Bennett He also might shoot him. I Told Andy court about underwood's findings when the police car got us to the scene of the shooting So you Lloyd and paraffin Wick. Did you say yeah, that's what bill underwood said on the phone Well, then it would point away from Tony Midas. He was an embezzler not an arsonist. Maybe Who's that policeman over there? Oh, that's an inspector thinking why don't I talk to him about it for a while He said Midas lived in San Quentin with a man named Hanley a professional burner Well, Hanley could have taught Midas a few tricks of the trade. Yeah, it's possible to him I don't know at least underwood is sure that he can prove it had an incendiary origin Well, that's the first hurdle Maybe we can't tie it to Bennett at that Johnny if Midas did it now Let's wait and see what Bennett has to say when he can talk. I think I'll get on over to the hospital Okay, oh, uh here's something that came up. Yeah, you said Bennett attributed everything to this Tony Midas Well, there might have been something personal in it too Midas is married to Bennett's niece Elizabeth What yeah, she married him a month before he was convicted Well, that might explain some things Yeah, she called me tonight and said she had some information for me about Midas I was on my way to see her when this happened. Oh, you haven't talked to her yet. Oh, no, let's see It is 1038 Murata Drive. What if that's far from here? No Johnny not far at all This happens to be 1038 right here. Oh, we better tell the police about her Andy Andy cord went on over to the hospital to await results on Arnold Bennett. I Spoke to the inspector in charge and told him the information about Elizabeth Bennett The police added the name to the APB already out for Tony Midas, and that's the way the case stood at midnight By morning the hospital reported that Arnold Bennett would recover from the gunshot wound Elizabeth Bennett had not been located nor had her husband Tony White always fix my own dinner poached egg and half and half ulcers Names dollar. Yeah, and that's right Insurance investigator and want something do you Coffee maybe no, thanks, mr. Angle mind if I finish go right ahead What led you to me? The notations about the trial mr. Angle you were the defense attorney for Tony Midas Or anxious to talk to him I defended him yes, I Don't think I'm going to be much help dollar. I haven't seen him since he got out of no idea what he is We'll find him mr. Angle and what's it all about? Well, Tony Midas has been identified as the man who started a fire in the Bennett building or At least who was seen in the vicinity of the building when I went up. I'm sorry to hear that Are you mr. Angle? Tony Midas was a nice kid who got in a little trouble everything was against him at the trial Bennett poured it on He didn't have to but he did he could have let him off. You were Midas's lawyer Did you try to talk Bennett into letting Midas off? No, I didn't nobody talks Arnold Bennett into anything. Oh Tony never would admit taking the funds. He said he was framed But he didn't have a prayer with all the evidence against him. Yeah, I read a transcript of the charm Then you know Tony Midas pleaded not guilty in the face of everything and he went up I wanted him to make a guilty plea and rest on the mercy of the court. It was his first offense Well, he's out now and it looks like he's trying to get even with Bennett for prosecuting all for a lousy ten grand Did he ever get in touch with you? I told you no no phone call. No Do you have any idea where he'd be in town mr. Angle? No, I don't Okay, then I guess I leave you to your eggs dollar yeah, if If you find Tony Midas, I'd like to know about it Why mr. Angle just curious. I'd like to see him. I'd like to see what five years in prison does to a kid like that mr. Angle Arnold Bennett was shot in his home last night. No That's all you have to say. What else is there to say? Well, you could have asked is he alive or is he dead for one thing? Suppose I don't care Okay, he's still alive. They think you're pulled through What do you think shot him mr. Angle? I don't know they're looking for Tony Midas for that too. Oh Did you know Bennett's niece Elizabeth? Yes, I met her looking for her too. She's married to Tony Midas. Yes Yes, I knew I knew about that. So now mr. Angle Oh, what is this going to be an inquisition that egg and that half-and-half doesn't interest you no matter How much you look at it? You ought to leave me alone and go find your firebug. Come on Let's have the story. I don't know any story to tell you was it spite that sent Tony Midas to prison because of him and Elizabeth Bennett. No, no they proved him a thief I'll throw one more thing at you angle Bennett wasn't always too good about paying his taxes our accounting man hasn't pegged pegged him for exactly what he is an Opportunist a Dodger a man out to get what he can for as little as he can a matter what Yeah, we cover everything in a case like this. You'll never get Arnold Bennett He's too good for you dollar too good for your insurance company your fire investigators everybody No man's stronger ever live. We've already got evidence that proves the building was fired I'm here to get all the story and I think you're the man who can tell it why me because you work for him I never worked for him never All right, we'll let that go for now, but you can tell me this Was Tony Midas the kind of man who'd start that fire? You can tell me if he really wasn't embezzler You can tell me if he tried to kill Arnold Bennett. I can't tell you anything for a fact dollar All I have is my own personal opinion. Well, that's what I want. I want that. I'd like your opinion Now there's something about Bennett's niece being married to Midas, isn't there a wife can't testify against her husband Everyone else in Bennett's office testified against Midas. She didn't I see Now the opinion. Oh Come on angle. Come on. You're right dollar. I have got ideas All of them make me sick inside Donnie Midas stood there and told me he was innocent He said it a million times if he said it once he said he thought Bennett was framing him to cover up from For income tax shortages. It's just so mys, but it fits Midas was a green kid hired into the company by Bennett He might have been hired to be framed on a phony embezzling charge that had give Bennett a good excuse on his taxes for a while I've I've been fooled a lot of times that Tony Midas fool. I don't know. I Wish I could have gotten him off. I tried dollar believe me. I tried to get him off Are you come here to me and say he's out of prison now and getting even he's burnt down a building and tried to murder Arnold Bennett Tony was a nice boy dollar, but now his whole life's gone and for what I Hope you don't find him or her I hope they go far away and stay away and don't have to talk to anybody ever they deserve that I hope nobody ever finds him But we did find Tony Midas He was right under our noses all the time When I got back to the hotel there was a message for me to get down to the county hospital Cord was waiting for me there They took us downstairs, and then we were both standing in a room looking at Tony Midas Before they took him across the hall to the morgue Funny thing Johnny There's been the alarm out on this guy for 36 hours Everybody's been looking everywhere for him and he turns up right here Only he's dead Yeah What killed him to you be he added awful bad. I'm San Quentin It's in the sick ward his last two years when his time was up last week. He made them release him But he wound up here and died in this hospital just a kid Yeah Up until that time there had been some kind of a case against Tony Midas But obviously since he had been dead almost two days It was impossible to connect him with the attempt on Arnold Bennett's life and the firing of the building So we were right back where we started from trying to make a case against Arnold Bennett Who still lay in this hospital room and refused to talk to anybody who came near him All right, Johnny now what? And it's gonna be hard. I'm gonna have to work around him. His niece is the best opening I can think of. I don't worry. She police haven't located. Yeah, I'm not a trace Andy She had some information for me when she called last night. I still want to get it if I Got a break George Fully's in town Who's that best celluloid and Wickman in the country if you happen to want a building burned down One of the policemen at the hospital spotted him in the lobby trying to see Arnold Bennett Not a tired Johnny or is he now they followed him to an address on Beringo Street. They aren't gonna move in until we decide something 12 minutes later Andy cord Bill Underwood and I were standing in front of a decrepit looking boarding house on Beringo Street talking to the three policemen from the San Francisco Police Department underwood. Hi Hey, uh, what's the story officer the way we see it fully still trying to get part of his money for burning the building He took a chance coming to the hospital tonight to see Bennett. No kidding. He'll probably make another try You boys have more at stake here than anybody if you want to talk to him try to make a deal with him to turn on Bennett Now's the time. What do you say Johnny? Oh, wait a minute. We aren't sure of anything about him He fills the bill Johnny Paraffin and wick jobs are few and far between with nothing more than that I'd stake my rep on fully being our boy for what it's worth all three witnesses now pick his picture instead of Midas Oh, well a good defense attorney get that thrown right out. What do you want to do? Oh? Let's shake him up a bit. Okay, go ahead. We'll be covering the back in front come on Watch out any that's enough You'll keep ill handy. Oh, yeah All right, tough boy get on your feet. Let's get out of here Here's our star to tell you about tomorrow's intriguing episode of this week's story tomorrow We have an arsonist right in the palm of our hands with very surprising results Join us won't you yours truly Johnny dollar yours truly Johnny dollar starring Bob Bailey is transcribed in Hollywood Written by John Dawson. It is produced and directed by Jack Johnstone Be sure to join us tomorrow night same time and station for the next exciting episode of yours truly Johnny dollar This is Roy Rowan speaking