 The signal oil program The whistler that whistle is your signal for the signal oil program The whistler I am the whistler and I know many things for I walk by night I know many strange tales hidden in the hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows Yes, I know the nameless terrors of which they dare not speak Yes friends, it's time for the signal oil program the whistler Rated by independent research the most popular West Coast program in radio history In gasoline, you know it takes extra quality to give you extra mileage and signal is the famous go farther gasoline So look for the signal circle sign in yellow and black that identifies friendly dealer-owned signal service stations from Canada to Mexico And now the whistler strange story Windfall The man stood at the railing of the Jefferson Bridge Looking over the rail hesitant undecided In a way it was a foolish move, but on the other hand he didn't know He finally made up his mind put his foot on the rail and then stopped suddenly at the sound of steps. Oh Oh Good evening officer. What's the matter buddy? Nothing. I was just looking at the view. Hmm thought you might be planning something foolish What if I give you that idea? Well, it's been done before not far from this spot But it'd be getting on So long a half-minute later. He made up his mind disappeared over the side It was a good gamble the hat he'd seen on the ground near the bridge timbers was nearly new He smiled to himself started to try it on and then saw something that stopped him in his tracks frozen Not six feet away was the battered body of a man sprawled on the ground near one of the bridge stanchions He paused for a minute thinking and then moved quickly to the body and searched the pockets He wasn't lucky this time. There was no money. No identification not even a pocket handkerchief And then as he fumbled for a name tag inside the hat. He discovered something else Stuck under the sweatband was a slim black-covered checkbook He just had time to stuff it in his pocket when the sound of steps on the bridge above told him the strolling officer had returned There was only one thing to do now call the officer and he did it after a brief examination Can't figure it out not a mark of identification on him nothing in his pockets. You didn't touch him. Did you oh? I know better than that. Yeah, yeah, I climbed on here after that hat there. I see Is that a suicide not in my book? He didn't get battered up this bear jumping off any bridge We can't do anything for him. No, I guess that's up to the next to Ken if we ever find out Who the guy is a lot of them end up with a blank tag on their big toe, you know Well, I'm gonna call in you stick around buddy. They may want to ask you some questions And that's how it began Ted with a dead man and a checkbook Later when you're alone you examine it closely Find it's a standard one in a local bank with seven stubs showing large withdrawals and your heart almost stops It's a windfall Ted The stub shows a balance of over 104,000 dollars Your head begins to spin it's staggering isn't it Ted you wonder what'll happen if the dead man goes unidentified The strange man who carried his checkbook in the sweatband of his hat Who bothered to keep checkstubs with a bank balance of more than a hundred thousand dollars? If you can learn who he is learn how to forge his signature You try to stop thinking about it. Try to force it from your mind, but it keeps coming back again and again Even while you answer more questions during the inquest at the coroner's office that figure 104,000 dollars Keeps lighting up in your brain over and over again like a neon sign If the man's unidentified Ted if you can find a copy of his signature 104,000 dollars You sir, huh? Oh, yes, mr. Karner the inquest is over you can go now your name is Ted LeCarno Okay, please know how to get in touch with you. We'll call you again if we need you Nothing more we can do now. You mean you've found who he is. No Well, yeah, there's no way to trace him Of course these things take time, you know Sometimes a few days sometimes a week or a month before somebody misses a man and checks with us then What what's the verdict and the usual victim unidentified death at hands of person or persons unknown Tough huh? Yeah tough With the prologue of windfall the signal oil company is bringing you another strange story by the Whistler But now since this spring marks the 25th anniversary of signal oil It's interesting to look back on a formula for serving you better that signal has followed ever since the very beginning First of all signal products have always been sold only through dealer owned stations the reason Signal believes that a man with his own money invested in his own business has extra incentive to give your car more Conscientious more thorough service that spells long trouble-free miles Secondly because you want top quality products for your car each Individual signal service station is backed by a young progressive organization Now serving almost 2,000 signal dealers with resources to bring you every latest advance in petroleum science Obviously drivers like this combination of personal service at dealer owned signal stations plus fine quality signal products For signal has grown and grown year after year from a mere handful of stations serving Southern, California To an organization now serving six western states from Canada to Mexico If you haven't discovered how much extra pleasure this signal formula can add to driving Stop by your neighborhood signal stations soon See for yourself. Why every day more and more drivers are joining the switch to signal And now back to the whistler. Yes Ted it began with the dead man You found under the Jefferson Bridge with a checkbook in his hat bag a man lying now on a slab in the morn Unidentified it's a windfall Ted if you can find out who he is and get a copy of his signature You sit alone in your hotel room after the inquest going over the stubs in the book There are seven of them payments to a jewelry firm A dress shop several to cash, but the one that interests you is the bottom one $350 to the briar cliff apartments Next morning freshly shaven wearing a clean shirt your suit carefully pressed you enter the briar cliff apartment The manager is a little startled when you tell him you're an OPA investigator and want to go over his records. It doesn't take long to discover a $350 apartment. There's only one I'm sorry. I don't have things quite up to date. Mr. Randers. Don't worry about it Everything seems to be in order This schedule covers the whole building. Yes, that's right Our apartments run 220 and 280 except this one, of course $350 what does this cover here at the penthouse? I see Now who lives there? I miss Harriet Stark Apparently you haven't received a payment from her this month. Oh, I'm afraid not. She's a little behind this month Oh, well, it doesn't make any difference. Thank you very much. I'd better be getting along How do you do miss Stark? That's right. My name is Anderson OPA mind if I come in Not at all I'll come right to the point miss Stark. We have reason to believe the rents in this building are over schedule I understand that you're paying That's right. Do you have any evidence of those payments canceled checks and so on I think so sit down, won't you? Oh, no, thank you. I better not I can only stay a minute. I Just happen to have this check for the current month rent. I intended to drop it off at the manager's office Here you are. Oh Edward Reese I See if you don't mind. I'll take it along. It'll be returned to you of course wait a minute. Yes Don't go. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm in a hurry and I lie wouldn't be in too big a hurry If I were you No No You see, I want you to tell me why you really came here. I Haven't known that 350 is official schedule for this apartment because I've checked it myself Now do you want to let your hair down or shall I call the OPA office? You're doing pretty well. Why don't you go on? You're a blackmailer aren't you? You're the man Edward was afraid of Edward Reese Who else he was afraid of a blackmailer, huh? Why? Suppose you tell me I don't know the answer to that one, but he had a good reason to be afraid. You see Edward Reese is dead Dead. Yes. I found his body night before last under the Jefferson bridge. It's down at the morgue now unidentified Well, I guess it's up to me to call them. Oh, wait a minute. Don't do anything rash What do you mean? I? Had a good reason for coming here. Mr. Stark. Did you? You seem to have done pretty well up to now Where do you go from here? I don't see what that has to do with you. You didn't answer the question What happens now that Reese is dead? Do you check out forget it or do you take a look to see if there are any more? Golden eggs around look mr. Likarno Ted Likarno before you go any further take a look at this Edward Reese's checkbook. I found it in his hat under the bridge is a balance of a hundred and four thousand dollars in the account And nobody knows that he's dead Does that suggest anything to you? I? Don't know I We couldn't get away with anything like this Thanks, baby. You just passed the exam Only one thing bothers you doesn't it can we get away with it? I I don't know answer that one Well, you can we get away with it? That's all that matters to you now, isn't it? Yes That's all that matters Good. Ah, let me see that check again Edward Reese Standard Spensarian probably picked it up in the fifth grade never changed it I'll have that signature down cold in 24 hours. You're pretty sure of yourself. Well, I need a little practice sure But how about that body in the morgue? What if someone identifies it? So it's a gamble I don't know about you, but with a payoff like that. I'll take a flyer We hold off a few days if no one tags and we go move in it's as simple as that is it And what's part of it? Oh I'm just wondering. I I know You're wondering what's to prevent you from learning to forge that signature and draw checks on the account yourself Maybe there's only one thing. That's me This is a two-way deal, baby. I said that understood right now Okay, okay Estead you need each other, but there's plenty to share $104,000 you spend all that night practicing the signature over and over you write the name Edward Reese 10 times a hundred a thousand By morning you can sign the name as if it were your own And with a little luck it might as well be You leave your room and buy a newspaper scan it hungrily as you gulp your coffee on page six in the lower right column You find an obscure item that almost knocks you over you can't wait to get to Harriet. Let her read it, too The battered body found beneath the Jefferson bridge was identified last night by Mrs. Rosa Montalvo. Oh read on Rosa Montalvo Who told police it was that of her husband Jerry? Ted they think Reese is Montalvo. Yeah, that makes everything perfect. It's clear sailing now and we can take our time Edward won't be missed for weeks Ted. He never let people know when he came to the city. Yeah, there's one thing his bank statements Is there anyone they go? No, no, it's a separate account. The statements are sent to a post office box. I have the key Mr. All you have to do now is start writing checks The desks right over there. Oh wait a minute. It's not that easy. We're not breaking into a piggy bank I thought you said yourself. They think he's alive. Oh look sweetheart You don't just walk into a bank and try to cash a check for 10,000 bucks the teller jump out of his cage But it's a business of transferring credit from one account to another. We got to work for this, baby Set up phony corporations letterhead statements invoices right down the line You seem to know your business they call me the bright boy who never got a break. I Got one now Well, what's our next move? Well, we'll need some cash to get things started. How much you got on hand not much The checkstubs say different. I Live well it goes fast. Oh How much is not much I bet $85 now you do live well All right, we'll have to take a chance you think the bank would hold still if you tried to cash one of Reese's Checks for a grand I don't know. I've never well, you'll know tomorrow. It's a gamble, but we got to try I Mean while I can use about 20 of that 85 bucks a year Okay until tomorrow Even thousand that's right. Excuse me a moment. Mr. Stark. I'll have to speak to the cash share Yes, Austin. Mr. Stark over there. She wants to cash this mr. Stark. Oh Yes Well Reese's account is good for and then it's all right. I think so. Yeah, I'll initial it See what you mean about cashing checks. I thought I'd die in there You did beautifully angel and it's the last time you'll have to worry about it. We'll be in business within a week See, it's like I told you last week, baby. We're in business wasn't easy Establishing identity in a bank is a neat trick, but I made it Ted. You're wonderful. Yeah three dummy corporations all of them Are you and me? EC look at this EC Layton jewelry company $700 Malcolm Ditmar Furrier 1250 Atkins Brothers $920 not bad. I wish I was actually getting some of those things Oh honey once we got all that dough spread around on these accounts We can get it out and skip before anybody here begins to wonder about it would Reese well It can't be soon enough for me. I don't get anxious sweetheart. We're doing great in another week We'll really begin to cash in Expecting anybody Relax, I'll get rid of them. Yes, excuse me, ma'am, but I'm from the Mary Ann flower shop. Oh, yeah Flower if we hate to trouble you, but there's a considerable balance It hasn't been taken care of and Mary Ann thought that you'd want it call. Well, of course. How much is it? $69 just a minute Redwood Yeah Right the gentleman in check. Will you darling? Oh Can't they send a bill please darling? I forgot to give it to you and they've been very patient as it is. It's only $69 Pretty please Okay, sweetheart save that talk for something expensive. Go get my pen. Yes, they They think it grows on trees Yeah, well, I suppose it does for some people sir. Yeah. Yeah, I suppose it does Yes, Ted, it does grow on trees at least for you and Harry Everything's going smoothly so far perfect. You're able to relax to feel more sure of yourself It's almost as if you are Edward Reese not only because of the money, but a growing interest in Harriet She's an exciting girl. Isn't she Ted? Very exciting Perhaps that's why you're thinking so much about your appearance lately Why you walk into a clothing store near the end of the week and get fitted for a new suit The clerk is gone for some time after you make your purchase You're standing in front of the mirror when he comes back embarrassed and apologetic. I'm Mr. McConnell, I'm terribly sorry, but the check this Mr. Reese gave you it. Oh, what's the matter with it? Well, just as a matter of routine of course for you called the bank and I'm afraid your friend hasn't sufficient funds to cover it What I hope it's only a mistake so that you know him well enough. Oh, yes Yes, I know him well enough and I'd better go and see him right away What did you do with it Harriet? Where's the money? I tell you I don't know anything about it over 80,000 left in that account and they couldn't cover a check for 200 That wasn't smart baby. Not at all. I don't know what you're talking about. No. No, why the suitcase? People start packing. They're going somewhere. Well, I was nervous about staying here Ted This apartment makes me nervous. You couldn't wait. You got anxious No, you never stopped figuring it from the first day. I walked in here. You could practice that signature, too Please it's no go baby. I won't be played for a sucker It's more than the money Ted. You had me hooked all the way But that's over And so are you sweetheart. No So are you You stand there for a moment looking down at her like a man in a nightmare The red rage in your mind slowly subsiding leaving you free to think and you have to think fast So you got that money somehow you're sure of it. It's here in the apartment somewhere You go through the half-pack suitcase first and then tear a room apart searching frantically You've almost combed the apartment when The door someone at the door You walk quickly through the kitchen to the trade entrance. Let yourself out cautiously Glance down the corridor to the front door The little man from Mary Ann's flower shop is standing there patiently You slip around the corner down the fire stairs and out of the building 20 minutes later, you're entering the dingy lobby of your hotel The man at the desk looks up nervously and the moment later You know why when a plain clothesman moves up quickly Locano, yes, I want to talk you down at headquarters. Well, what's the matter? I haven't just routine some questions about that guy you found under the bridge. They've arrested a suspect. Oh, oh Well, look do they have to talk to me? I've got an appointment won't take long buddy But I've told them all I know they want to hear it again Okay, but let's make it quick, huh? I got a car right outside the whole thing shouldn't take more than an hour You're still all right Ted that is if you can talk to the police quickly answer their questions and be on your way As you ride across town in the police car You hope that the little man from the flower shop didn't get into Harriet's apartment or raise any kind of fuss At headquarters the lieutenant in charge is almost apologetic You run through the story telling it exactly the way you did the first time the lieutenant seems satisfied You didn't move the body or touch anything. Locano not a thing I know better than that just called the officer on the beat. Is that it right? It seems to cover it all you see we didn't have much to go on in this case Yes, sergeant Still haven't been able to talk to the stock name. We've called and can we's been over to her apartment twice We've got to talk to her sergeant breaking her the apartment if you have to bring her in okay Well, I I guess I can be running along hello tenant Just one more thing. Locano. There's a stenographer in the next room here. Would you mind repeating the story to her? The whistler will return in just a moment with a strange ending to tonight's story Right now however, I'd like to say a word about the current trend back to good old-fashioned value in buying Frankly, we at signal are delighted to see this After all signal gasoline the famous go farther gasoline has long been the choice of drivers who appreciate extra value and for two good reasons One of course is signals good mileage and number two is the thing which makes that good mileage possible signal superior performance Here's what I mean in order to put that thrilling knock-free power back of your accelerator signal gasoline has to help your motor run more efficiently and When your motor runs more efficiently naturally you enjoy extra mileage So you see mileage is the result of the same features a gasoline must have to give you superior performance That's why signal says in gasoline. It takes extra quality to go farther and Remember signal is the famous go farther gasoline And now back to the whistler So you have to fight it through for another five minutes 10 and a police station is the last place in the world You choose right now with a picture of Harriet lying dead in her apartment still fresh in your mind It's too bad. Isn't it Ted? Everything would have been so different if she hadn't insisted on taking it all the untapped balance in Edward Reese's Fabulous checkbook would have bought the world for both of you But you have to forget that now concentrate on the matter at hand Tell your story and get out of the police station before the lieutenants men break into the apartment Before anything develops that will link you to the murder of Harriet Stark You follow the lieutenant to the door of the stenographer's office Only take you a minute. Oh Wait When I read all about mr. Ease in the papers I went right up to miss Stark's apartment Nobody answered so I thought I'd come down here and take it up directly with mr. Ease Oh, she's busy lieutenant. I'll come back. This guy isn't important. No, no later Look, I tell you it's all right That guy is no witness. He's just been pestering us to let him talk to Edward Reese Reese. Yeah, he's the suspect I told you about knocked off that guy you found under the bridge. You've arrested him You've got Reese here in the tank and we've got all we need to hang him I'll get to mr. Reese I seem small to you people but when a 69 dollar check bounces it means a great deal to marry Ann Flores and believe me Why mr. Reese hello, I've been begging them to let me see you. Huh? Did did I say something wrong? Why are you looking at mr. Reese the man's made a mistake lieutenant? You know, my name is lakarno You were there that night in the apartment here I have the check you signed Edward Reese. Let's see that check of course He signed this now wait a minute. I how long has this been going on lakarno? I tell you I don't know anything about it No, just a minute lieutenant. I'm not going to stand here and have someone tell me I'm lying He was in miss dark's apartment that night. He wrote this check. He did, huh? What's wrong lakarno you look a little pale ever take a crack at forgery before lakarno You know I'd have given you a credit for more sense How did you figure to get away with it? Reese would get wise the minute he saw his bank statement Reese is dead He's the guy I found under the bridge. Don't you read the papers the guy's name was Montalvo his wife identified him She made a mistake. We checked it. It's Montalvo right down to his bridge work. He'd been blackmailing Reese for months wait him You mean sure Reese got fed up with blackmail and killed Montalvo We picked Reese up last night after he cleaned out at bank account and tried to get out of the country the bank account Then that's what happened to it. He was a clumsy operator to lakarno, huh? Yeah Reese made as big a mistake as you did He left his hat at the scene of the crime Let that whistle be your signal for the signal oil program the whistler each Monday at 8 Brought to you by the signal oil company marketers of signal gasoline and motor oil and fine quality automotive accessories Signal has asked me to remind you to get the most driving pleasure drive its sensible speeds be courteous and obey traffic regulations It may save a life possibly your own Featured in tonight's story where Frank Lovejoy and Francis Cheney Whistler was produced by George W Allen with music by Wilbur hatch story by Joel Malone and Harold Swanton and was transmitted to our Troops overseas by the armed forces radio service This is Marvin Miller speaking for the signal oil company. This is CBS the Columbia broadcasting system