 From Hollywood, it's time now for Johnny dollar Oh, thanks operator put them on one moment, please Hi Pat. Oh Johnny. Hey this message. I found what I'm glad you called Say what under the sun are you doing in Los Angeles? This down here for a confederate Jack Johnstone, you know the guy who dramatizes the cases I handle puts them on Yeah, yeah, I give them my best and I just wondered if you had anything out here I can do before heading back to hybrid and it's so it'll give you a chance to put your travel charges on the expense account What else? Johnny, I got a wire from him just a few minutes ago You contact Herb Schilling at the greatest Northwest insurance company right there in LA. Okay, we'll do And you can address your expense account to them, right? Oh, uh, Johnny. Yeah Have you got a gun with you? Sure, Pat. I always Huh, why do you ask that? Judging by Herb's wire Johnny, you may need it In the exciting adventures of a man with the action-pact expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator. That's truly Johnny dollar a young lady by the name of Scheherazade Kept her audience of one and trawl for a thousand and one nights with one of the longest stories in history That's a long time to devote to one chronicle But some of CBS radio's winning seven weekday dramas have put that record in the shade entertaining audiences in the millions with many times of thousand and one days of continuing dramatic serials Each weekday on the CBS radio network. There's a wealth of daytime drama Including such outstanding serials as the romance of Helen Trent the couple next door Ma Perkins Whispering streets the right to happiness the second mrs. Burton and young dr. Malone Monday through Friday follow these absorbing true-to-life stories Only CBS radio brings you the winning seven combination of top daytime dramas another important reason for the different sound of this CBS radio station and Now act one of yours truly Johnny dollar Expense account submitted by special investigator Johnny dollar to the greater Southwest insurance company Los Angeles office Following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the winsome widow matter Expense account out of one a dollar forty for a taxi from my hotel in West LA to greater Southwest insurance So one of those big office buildings on Wilshire Boulevard's miracle mile Herb Schilling almost fell off his chair when I barged in on hi a herbie look I know that some of those new jet flights are pretty fast But I only sent that why to Pat McCracken a couple of hours I didn't waste any time trying to make plane connections her just flew out under my own power You're kidding I know but where were you when you got the word from a cracker right here in your own fair city Oh, I wish I'd known that even those couple of hours could have been saved. Oh, what's the big problem a little matter of a Liquor store holdup only I'm afraid this one wasn't so little then tell me on yes Johnny For some reason or another these places that sell bottle goods are a pretty frequent target for stickups here in Los Angeles There've been quite a few of them over the years I'm surprised you insured and needless to say premiums are pretty high and At least so far as our company is concerned the policies are somewhat limited that is in so far as maximum allowable coverage is concerned Nice sense on the whole we've been pretty lucky But that I mean we've had to pay off relatively few claims But now in the case of Willie layman hose what a name his store is out in West Los Angeles at 10921 Santa Monica Boulevard And that's only about a mile from where I'm staying the old man opened up his place late in 1951. Oh Yes, 61 early 1952 he had his first holdup the bandits got away with something over $900 so we bought some insurance from us Well go on since then there have been seven more attempted stickups there a total of eight in as many years Then your company must be getting a bit tired of paying off. No because after the second time he know how to use it He certainly did He had a lot of medals from some German outfit. He was in during the last war Any how he suffered no more losses. That is until last night. Oh, how much? In money what else Something like over $400 out of the cash register as nearly as the police configure from the register slip or couldn't layman tell you how much no Because you see Johnny. He also lost his life. Oh And I take it you wrote his life insurance too. That's right $30,000 I see Look, it's a little late in the day, but you want to go out there check with the police. Sure. I'll be in touch I'm to $50 deposit on a drive your own car I passed up 109 21 Santa Monica Boulevard and went right on out west to West LA police headquarters There I ran down sergeant Mike Kirby who was covering the whole affair Mike turned out to be a young alert guy on the ball and completely cooperative That's right dollar eight times since he opened the place in 51 and that's way out of line Yeah, I should certainly think so and the last three stickups have been within the past ten weeks Sergeant Mike contacted the insurance company Herb Schilling tells me that Willie layman managed to fight off most of the bandits He told you're right dollar layman was not only a crack shot, but I guess he was pretty quick on the draw It was only last month that he killed one of the two men to try to hold them up two men. What about the other? I'm way ahead of you. Huh? We find that other man. We find the killer probably It seemed like a pretty safe bet But look Mike if there was so many tries at this one place and so many all at once staker Somebody watching over the place. We tried it as long as we had somebody there You know sitting in the back or working behind the counter just watching from across the street Nothing happened, but the minute we took them away being another hold-up try Somehow they seem to know whenever we had the place under surveillance and more important when you didn't Well, what have you got to work on? Well, nothing but a couple of bullets. I'm afraid Want to take a run over and look at the place sure Mike. Why not? The liquid store was closed but there were lights on and the living quarters above We knocked a couple of times but got no answer so Mike used the key that he had In his men had been careful to leave things as they'd been at the time of the killing He was lying right there dollars though. He'd come around the end of the counter Near that door to the back room. Yeah. Yeah, that door also leads upstairs to the apartment He must have taken a couple of shots at the bandit. You see where the bottles were broken over on the shelf Yeah, no blood stains or anything. I guess he missed for once but not the bandit Caught him right in the heart Johnny bullet went in at the right shoulder then down through his heart and stopped against a lower left rib Of course until you get a lab report on that bullet All must be his wife. The wife. She didn't answer when we knocked on the door Mrs. Layman Come around at all hours Layman had been 61 but his wife Gloria couldn't have been more than 30 tall dark She was obviously very proud of her highly commendable figure and she was pretty that is almost Maybe it was just a little too much make-up especially around the eyes that she knew how to use so well Little bell had rung in the back of my head. Yeah Since I noticed a phone booth at the gas station next door item 3 10 cents for a call That's right Herb and I'm sorry to call you at home. It's all right, but there's one thing I forgot to ask you about when I talked to you. Yeah, what's that? Who's the beneficiary of all-man layman's life insurance his wife Gloria Johnny? Thank you Herb Schilling Act two of yours truly Johnny dollar in a moment When Fidel Castro was biding his time in a remote fastness in Cuba Only a network like the CBS radio network had the equipment and manpower to go in and bring out the background of his Revolutionary movement his own words on what was to come and how it would come about When major news breaks anywhere in the world only a network like CBS radio has correspondence on the scene or within short range Only news like CBS news is global in scope and is up to the minute as a direct report from on the scene That's why millions prefer CBS news on CBS radio and its affiliated stations to every other reporting medium for speed for accuracy Remember when the story is big only a news gathering force like ours can scoop it up and send it slicing through space to your set Packaged for immediate delivery Get it first and get it right make CBS news on CBS radio your listening post on the world And now act two of yours truly Johnny dollar and the winsome widow matters After the phone call to Herb Schilling I went back into the liquor store where Sergeant Mike Kirby was still talking to layman's widow Gloria You mean you don't plan to reopen the store at all Mrs. Layman Not fighting the output. I'll sell this gum to the first person I find has enough money to buy it And then what Mrs. Layman? Why don't you call me Gloria? Hi everybody else does and who are you anyway Johnny? You are a cop and you don't look like a dick Well, thanks of mr. dollars here because of the insurance involved from the insurance company, that's right Listen, will he have some insurance? I know I mean on himself as well as the store I don't know how much it is, but he promised me that he'd buy some it was your idea that he insures land Sure an old guy like him. I figured he'd up and die sometime while I was still young and beautiful So I shouldn't I let him provide something for my future like they say Oh, whoever thought he was gonna die as soon as this Whoever planned and carried out his murder You mean somebody planned to kill him this way just where were you when it happened Gloria? I was upstairs in bed asleep. Look. I've told the cops all about it. Well, you must have heard the shooting I'll say I did what did you do? I put on a road and come running down here Well, I see the cash register open and poor old Willie land there and when I see that he's dead I phone the police. He didn't see anybody else down here. Well, at the time I got here whoever did it was gone You don't seem at all upset over your husband's murder You want me to put on an act? Don't you know that he was twice as old as I am then why did you marry him? Well, you know how it is Chance to settle down and let somebody else support you for a change made him happy to have me around I Guess I liked it okay too for a while Gee, what a bore all he did was talk about getting enough money to go back to the old country Well, who wants to go back to any old country when you can have such a ball on this one? I know I always have even when I was married to old Willie Of course, he didn't always know where I was at the time Don't you like having fun Johnny? I mean with people more like your own age Oh Don't answer it now. Don't answer it the place is closed. Well, it might be for me, Mrs. Layman. Oh Yeah Yeah, and listen Johnny. Oh, if you can get me that insurance money in a hurry. Well, I'll want you to know I appreciate it Gloria, how long ago you married to Willie layman last September? Oh Now why didn't you say it that way? I told you Johnny I married the old man so he could take care of me excuse me Johnny I got to get back to headquarters ballistics downtown is sending up a report on the bullets we found Oh good also Bob golden picked up a bum in a saloon and it looks like he's the one that did this job Pick up the guy that killed Willie looks like it. You want to come with me Johnny? Well do your don't you? Yeah, Mike. I'll go along with you I told you I told all those other cops I'm the guy that heisted the dough out of layman's lickers last night and you shot and killed him Benny Oh, no, no, I tell you I didn't do it. That's the truth. So help me. That's the truth Are you trying to say somebody else went in there and shot him after you left Benny? I don't know there was no reason if he's already taken his money I don't know how should I know you think I stuck around there after I got his dough How many shots did you fire at him bunny? How many shots? I didn't fire none You saw that gun the cops took off of me. It was made a rubber. That's all it was. It was made a rubber If I hadn't got stupid and gone out and got drunk and showed it to somebody and told him how I got away with the money from that liquor store with it You think these dumb cops that ever got wise to me. You didn't fire a single shot. How could I? Wave my rubber gun at me. He reaches under the counter. He comes up empty. So he gives me the dough and I leave You're lying Benny. You make a paraffin test Mike. Yeah, and I think this is the result of it Well, Conroy a paraffin test was negative. Sorry. No sign of powder on either of his hands Also, sorry. You see I told you I told you I never had no real job. All right, I told you all I did was rob that Shut up Yeah, Conroy also sergeant. Here's the report from downtown on the bullets from the list Good. Let me have them and also they returned that gun to mr. Layman's that they found beside his body There's no prints at all on it. No, Johnny. Is there anything else? Hey, look at this. Yeah, Conroy Yes, get this bum out of here lock him up upstairs. Yes, sir. Come on You guys can't get no murder rap on me. You ain't like a lawyer. Oh, yeah, we'll wait What's it say Mike? Listen the bullet that killed Willie layman and the bullets we pulled out of the wall of that store, huh? Johnny they all came from layman's own gun Well, how about that in other words with the help of that phony rubber pistol Benny somehow got layman's gonna wait for them Maybe layman had already pulled off a couple of shots and missed but the one that killed him Oh, yeah, the paraffin test showed no powder on Benny's hands, then he must have worn gloves He must have killed layman you want to bet then who did? well First I think I'd better get some proof Act three of yours truly Johnny dollar in a moment When friends drop in let your hospitality show you're sociable in the modern manner Have you tried a Pepsi lately now act three of yours truly Johnny dollars Like what Johnny that Benny's a shaky old bomber whine-o Suppose he'd gone into that liquor store with a real gun instead of that phony little rubber one you boys found on him Well, you think for a minute he could have stood up against a crack shot like you say layman was well now That's besides now could he get layman's gun away from him and kill him with it Ever since he kept a gun in that store not a single hold of man has got the better of him even kill one of my month ago That's very true. All right. I think I can get your killer for you Only you have to let me get her my own way Her that's right. You mean layman's wife. Gloria. That's right Johnny I thought of her to motive opportunity everything but true Let me handle it my own way, but if she didn't do it by him wrong It won't be any reflection on you on your record. Oh See what you mean, okay? We'll take my car and you got to promise me one thing What's that that you'll stay outside that you won't make any move until I ask you to no matter what happens Well, now John otherwise you can try hauling her in yourself What a course if you're wrong about Okay, Johnny, let's go I'm tired of having all those cops around here. All right. Listen, Gloria You are gonna get that 30,000 insurance money for me Thank you You know how long it'll take for me to get the rest of his stuff here in this state a Guy dies at sometimes a couple of years before they What's matter Johnny? 30,000, huh? I Thought you didn't know the amount of that insurance. Well, Johnny, Gloria The only recent attempts at a holdup were made between the times the cops had a stake out here, right? Yes, that's right Johnny then somebody must have passed the word around when everything was clear Yeah, and I also think that the only people who knew when the police weren't here Were you and your husband? Well, you don't think he'd go around blabbing it. No, I don't well then Now wait a minute Johnny dollars. I'll get you back here up. Gloria. Not yet But your husband was good enough with a gun to a thwarted seven robbery attempts in a row That's right. So I think he could have prevented his own murder If he'd had his gun last night, well, of course he had it They found it laying next to his body somebody was glad to see these holdups these attempts anyway because it provided a perfect excuse to kill him Now listen Johnny gun under the counter didn't sure Right here under the register. Okay? Okay, I'm gonna put my gun there What are you up to Johnny get behind the counter a minute about where he'd stand when a customer came in sure Right about here So last night a man came in and he stood about here He pulled a toy gun out of his pocket the man of the money in the register is this What would your husband have done? Well Grab the gun like this You're pointing that right at me, you know But there was no gun there last night because you had taken it When the bandits left you were standing up on the stairs there at the back you'd come down from your apartment Are you talking about the bullet that killed him went from his right shoulder down to his heart down to the lower ribs Because you were up on the stairs when you shot him Then you find a couple of shots into the wall and you call the police prove that Johnny enough to the cops when I tell him Gloria you won't Johnny because it happened just the way you said but you're never gonna tell you That's right Gloria You happy sergeant pretty obvious, I guess right from the beginning But as I said getting proof or in this case a confession isn't always so easy Anyhow expensive count total including mileage on the rental car and the trip back to Hartford. I'll call it 250 even okay Because truly Johnny dollar our star will return in just moments Can you get premium gasoline performance at regular gasoline price? Find out what so many other car owners have found in three out of five cars Regular price Sinclair dino gasoline matches performance of premium gasoline Saves you up to four cents a gallon Almost anywhere you see the Sinclair sign you can save up to four cents a gallon with dino and still get premium performance and mileage Drive with care and buy Sinclair dino gasoline Johnny dollar is written by Jack Johnstone produced and directed by Fred Hendrickson Johnny dollar is played by Mandel Kramer Also featured in our cast where Jackson Dex, Joseph Julian, Jack Rhimes, Bob Maxwell and Peter Fernandez Music supervision by Ethel Huber, sound patterns by Walter Otto All begins a new week's hilarity with Arthur Godfrey time on the CBS radio network