 WBBM FM Chicago Wrigley's spearmint chewing gum the refreshing delicious treat that gives you chewing enjoyment presents for your listening enjoyment John Lund as Johnny dollar Philip Martin Johnny. Oh, hello, mr. Martin. Got a job for you fine Man named Carl Nelson is insured with our company. He was killed. How shot to death got a police record Small-time hoodlum beneficiary is a woman named gilkes. Oh gilkes. Uh-huh. He disappeared Please think it probably has something to do with Nelson's death. I'll see what you can find out. Sure All right, you're down to New York as soon as you can contact Lieutenant Karchak and level the precinct homicide You'll give you all the help you can I'll get right on it The makers of Wrigley's spearmint chewing gum bring you John Lund and another adventure of the man with the action-packed expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator. Here's truly Johnny dollar For refreshing taste plus chewing enjoyment treat yourself to delicious Wrigley's spearmint gum When your mouth and throat feel hot and dry a stick of Wrigley's spearmint gives you quick long-lasting refreshment The lively full-bodied spearmint flavor cools your mouth and freshens your taste The chewing itself helps keep your throat pleasantly moist Best of all you can chew and enjoy refreshing Wrigley's spearmint gum almost any time and any place Keep a package handy right in your purse or pocket so you can chew a stick whenever you want it For refreshing taste plus chewing enjoyment treat yourself to delicious Wrigley's spearmint gum Millions enjoy it and you will too Expense accounts submitted by special investigator Johnny dollar to home office Columbia or risk insurance company Hartford, Connecticut The following is an accounting of expenditures during my investigation of the Nelson matter Expense account item one fifteen dollars and thirty-six cents train fare and incidentals between Hartford and New York City I arrived at 2 30 in the afternoon and after registering at the hotel went directly to the 11th precinct police station I introduced myself to lieutenant Korczak of homicide How much is your company insure the frog for the frog Nelson? He was called a frog. He looked like one. Oh He was insured for ten thousand and Maude Gilkerson gets the money You think she had something to do with the killing? No, I think she knows something about it any theories about why he was killed nothing definite Frog was a hood long record did time twice in an every racket from the numbers to stick ups Now you don't generally get anything definite on a killing like this Some of the boys wanted him dead who were wise hard to tell He's been associated with Ellis Hartjee for the past year or so. That's pretty big company Hartjee's about as big as a cum probably got unhappy with a frog and had him eliminated have you questioned Hartjee sure It doesn't matter routine if Hartjee had something to do with it. It's going to be tough to prove Well, I guess the first thing to do is find the beneficiary Maude Gilkerson. That's not going to be easy We've done a lot of looking well I got a friend in town that just might be of some help Do I know him probably but I'd rather not mention who it is He doesn't get along very well with cops Not many people do my friends got a king-size allergy But for the right people and the right price he can be very informative. Well, good luck dollar. Thanks. I'll let you know if I come up with anything Expensive count item two two dollars and thirty five cents cab fare from the precinct to skid roll and hetz hilarity a Saloon that always looked as though it wanted to collapse when the Sun hit it too hard Inside I found Wilbur Truett sitting at the almost deserted bar sipping muscatel through a glass floor Hello Wilbur Bucko you are indeed a sight for sore eyes and bucko my eyes are sore Pull up a hepper white and rest yourself. Can I buy you a drink? Oh the noble prince a king among kings You come in the nick Can you buy me a drink if it were not so early in the day in my spine not yet? Limber I would bend and kiss your feet. I'll just take a rancher in keeper a Flagon of your best amber tonic Bucko I've missed you do you realize what with economic conditions such as they are that your absence has been the bane of my Existence good will is a thing of the past Wilbur I once looked upon mankind with a warm smile and a kind heart But I find it difficult to keep from becoming a complete cynic People are pinching pennies completely out of shape Soon the ex-checker will be filled with a gigantic mass of un recognizable copper Why a year ago? I was averaging as much as 50 cents a day a whole bottle Maybe it's your pitch my pitch Sir my pitch is a thing of beauty an excursion of cogent peace hearts a Compassionate discourse on human suffering. Okay, my pitch would tear the heart out of Memphis stuffer leaves himself Wilbur Yes, buckle. Where can I find? Maud Gilkerson You know why my eyes are sore buckle. No, why are your eyes sore? I had to brave the morning sun things had become so desperate. I pawned my dog glass Oh, I'm sorry if things don't improve. I may have to part with my glass straw The only sure method of deriving substance when in the throes of the shade Maud Gilkerson is worth a bottle Granted in fact, I'd venture against that the lady is worth To bottle mmm, you're probably right That's the quarry. I'm staying at the Yorkshire. She may not want to see you tell her I've got 10,000 for her. I Beg your pardon tell her the frog left a $10,000 insurance policy and she's the beneficiary good lord Perhaps I was wrong there are still a few good deeds left in the world. Sure. I just gave you two quartz worth Expense account item three two dollars and sixty cents for a cab back to the hotel Where I went up to my room and smoked a half a dozen cigarettes while I waited for Wilbur true it to call Around 4 30 in the afternoon the phone finally rang Johnny dollar buckle. Yeah, Wilbur Did you tell her about the insurance the first Nelson's insurance is not enough to bring color to her cheeks and a smile to her Ashen lips. What does she want some insurance of her own? What do you mean? She's hiding because her life's in danger. She has no money to leave town She'll make a deal with you go on enough money to leave the country. You said town a logical progression The town first then the country believe me buck. Oh her plight is worth considering What will she give me an exchange for the money that is all right Go to 107 River Street the last room at the back of the hall tell her Wilbur sent you right Thanks, Wilbur Put on my hat and coat crossed the room and opened the door to go out into the hall But I didn't make it They're standing on the other side of the door about to knock we're too ugly looking men dressed in loud jackets Your name dollar Yeah, mind if we come in what had happened if I did We come in that's what I thought Then why'd you ask I make little bets with myself? I want to talk with you for a few minutes, darling Okay What are you doing in New York? It's a nice town want some advice not especially make a little bet with yourself You're gonna get it anyway. I'm a lap in front of you then here it is When Bert ask you a civil question give him a civil answer, okay? Ask me a civil question Bert. What are you doing in New York? It's a nice town. Oh Why you hold it you just belt you again with a broken arm You're pretty tough, huh all in how you look at it if breaking his arm is being tough then that's the best name for it Okay, we don't want any trouble. That's a funny line. I won't ask you no more questions That'll save some time. I'm just gonna tell you Lay off the Nelson killing Understand. Yeah, you said lay off the Nelson killing good boy Because if you keep nosing around somebody will just have to come down and investigate the dollar killing Understand. Yeah, you said somebody will just have to come down and investigate the dollar killing fine Now that you understand we'll be going nice meeting your votes informally like this Expense account item for three dollars and twenty-five cents for another cab that took me down to a hundred and seven River Street The address was an old two-story frame house that faced the water. I went in and walked down the dark hall to the back room Wilbur sent me what's your name dollar come in. Are you more at Gilkerson? Yeah Wilbur said you'd make a deal That's right, but I want to know what I'm getting in return. Look Sonny take my word for it You get more than your pain for How much did you bring I got a couple of hundred couple a hundred? That's all I had on me if you want more I'll have to get it Sonny. I gotta get out of the country This is enough to get you out of town if what you've got is worth it I'll send you the rest not on your life when I leave this room Nobody's ever gonna hear from old mortigan. You've got ten thousand coming from Nelson's insurance policy How long will it take to get it? Well, that depends first. I've got a report on Nelson's death I gotta get out of here as soon as I can and other day or so they'll find me Well, it'll take at least three weeks before three weeks So if I stay here, I'll be buried in three weeks. What are you scared of? Diane, I don't like the idea. I don't blame you. How soon can you get me some more money? How much more 500 What am I buying? I'm not telling you anything until I get the money Okay, then we'll just forget it. Wait a minute Wait a minute. I'm not trying to be tough But what I got is too hot to go around shooting my face off about how do I know if I tell you that you won't take it to the cops? You don't Well, but sir, I could trust you. That's right Okay, okay, I'll tell you but give me the 200 on account There you are Okay, thanks. You want a drink? No, thanks. Mind if I have one go ahead. I Don't usually take this stuff, but I need it frog left me 10,000, huh? That's right Nice guy nasty disposition, but he was okay You didn't know him, huh? No. Well, he's been with the outfit about a year now the outfit boss. Hatchie Ellis Hatchie. Yeah, the frog done pretty well for himself until lately He always worried that hit him in the head. He was always planning. They shouldn't You know how it is with small guys like the frog You never know when something goes wrong and the outfit sends word to hit you in the head Frog always worried about getting hit in the head. Ah, but he was smart while he was alive Yeah, yeah, he figured as long as he was smart like he was he'd fix it So Hatchie would never be able to hit him Frog was in on most of the stuff Hatchie's been setting up in this town not big in it You know but in it and he kept his eyes open found out too much and they killed him Horton Yeah, but it wasn't only what he found out it was what he collected Collected enough evidence to send Hatchie and his boys away for a hundred years. Maybe the chair even did Hatchie You know it sure fog told him when he found out he was hot He told Hatchie if he got killed the stuff would go to the DA and you've got it I've got it. Why didn't you give it to the DA? Even if they send Hatchie up. He's got friends. I'd be dead before he went to trial You want another 500 and that's dirt cheap especially when the dirt's liable to be in my face How long do I have to get it? Just as soon as you can like I said, I ain't got much longer You found me and you ain't got connections like Hatchie. Oh, they'll find me I'll have the 500 in an hour. Okay. Okay. I'll make arrangements Yeah What is it what does it look like it's a key You've been okay with me. So I'll trust you. It's a key to a locker in Grand Central number four fifteen That's where the packages No matter what kind of work you do It's a real help to chew delicious wriggly spearmint gum right while you're working When you're warm or tired for instance the lively full-bodied spearmint flavor is really refreshing It helps keep your mouth and throat feeling cool and moist Chewing on that smooth good tasting piece of wriggly spearmint makes the time pass more pleasantly, too It seems to make your work go smoother and easier Keep a package or two of wriggly spearmint chewing gum handy all the time Enjoy chewing wriggly spearmint while you're working and at other times That's wriggly spearmint chewing gum healthful refreshing delicious And now with our star John Lund we bring you the second act of yours truly Johnny dollar After Maude Gilkerson gave me the key to the locker in Grand Central I left the old house on River Street and started back for town It was getting dark and there were no cabs in that section. So I headed west for the busy traffic I'd only gone about a hundred yards when a car pulled away from the curb about a half block behind me a Big black car with the lights off. I Thought about the key in my pocket and the evidence in the locker that would send the biggest hoodlum in the country away from life I had to get rid of the key before they caught up with me I turned a corner and there are a few feet in front of me was a blind man a beggar sitting with his legs folded and on his lap a tin cup with a stack of pencils Thanks, I'm gonna need it Well, good evening get in the car Get in In the backseat You just don't take advice to your dollar. You didn't say anything about taking a walk I told you to lay off and Nelson killing who says I didn't Who I Told you when bird ask you a civil question give him a civil answer. Okay, so I dug up Maude Gilkerson So what what you give you a lot of double talk. She gave me nothing Get lyin, but we let a couple of the boys off the talk to what they'll find out what happens in the meantime We drive around while a goon searches you then we go see someone who wants to have a little talk with you Okay, goon search Get down on the floor. Is that your name goon get down there. I should have guessed What oh nothing While Bert drove us around the goon made me stripped down to my socks while he searched my clothes When he didn't find what he was looking for he swatted me across the back of the neck Told me to get dressed then Bert drove us across town to a big apartment house that overlooked the river Bert parked in the basement garage and I was led into an elevator that took us to the penthouse Alice Harji the czar of the underworld looked up from his evening paper This is dollar boss did he find Maude. Yeah, Ernie and Franka with it, right? Sit down, Mr. Dollar All right Bert told me here and they go and paid you a little visit this afternoon I if you can call that a little visit They go and get rough don't tell me he can do something else You kind of fresh on I'm ripe enough to know I don't like getting pushed around sometimes You've got to take a push on around to understand things I don't take a pushing around from you or anyone else, Harji You think you've got a choice Not at the moment. If I want you to take a beating you'll take one. I'll make up for it You ain't making up for anything now. You gotta understand. I'm running thing see You ain't gonna say nothing about what happens or what don't happen So you just try and relax and take what comes huh? You cooperate It's gonna be nice. They didn't have anything on them Nothing, huh? I went over. I'm good. He didn't have nothing She'd tell you where it is dollar What you know what I'm talking about Whatever it is the frog left for my gilkerson. I found more gilkerson to tell her Nelson left her $10,000 She didn't say nothing about me not a thing. She didn't say anything, but thanks and get out He was in with her for about 10 minutes So it took her 10 minutes to say thanks and get out. Look, what do you think she said to me? That's what I want you to tell me how can I tell you something when there's nothing to tell I located more gilkerson to tell her that now. Okay. Okay. Okay. You said that I Don't know what you're so worried about me for For an old dame like Maude. What can we do to a big man like you? Make me mad now. Oh Yeah, all right. Take care of it Yeah, now that was Ernie Maude tell him anything. Yeah She told him that she gave dollar a key Is that right dollar she give you a key? She told him she gave him a key to a locker in Grand Central Station Is that right dollar? She told him the locker number was for 15 the stuff was in a locker Is that right dollar do me any good to say no no Lagoon search me. He didn't have no key in a boss. All right. Where is it dollar? I? Haven't got it Take him somewhere and find out what he'd done with it. Yeah, let's go dollar You're making a mistake, aren't you? Nice meeting you mr. Dollar The goon and Bert took me back down in the elevator Hustled me into the car and drove me back across town to a warehouse in the Bowery In a small room on the second floor of the warehouse the goon went to work While Bert stood by with a gun Where's the key dollar? I don't know and you're the guy that was gonna bust my Your whole lot easier if you just tell us I can't tell you about something. I haven't got The goon worked on me until I passed out Then he threw some water in my face and started working on me again. Oh, he knew his job. It hurt, but it didn't kill me When I was coming to for the third time the phone rang Bert left the room to answer it. I knew this was the only chance. I was gonna get When the goon leaned over me with a bucket of water. I grabbed the cuffs of his trouser legs and pulled I Staggered up to my feet as the goon started up off his back. I kicked him as hard as I could in the face Grab the heavy bucket and stumbled over the door. Just as Bert came back from the phone call Asked me a civil question, but I tied them up as best I could Then took Bert's gun in the car keys I found my way out of the warehouse climbed in the big black sedan and drove across town to the block that ran into River Street All the way. I kept my fingers crossed that the blind man with the tin cup and pencils would still be there Pardon me. Yes, I came by here a little while ago and dropped a key in your cup. Yes. I found it Here it is. I'd like to buy it back by it. Yeah Here. Oh Thank you. Thank you. I guess I'd better be going. It's beginning to rain. No, it isn't It's just bleeding out. I wheeled the big car back across town to the 11th precinct and caught lieutenant Corchak just going off duty He took one look at my face mumbled something about careless truck drivers and sat down to listen to my story Bird and the goon. Yeah, I left them in a warehouse. They won't stay tied up long The boys that picked up Maude Gilkerson were named Ernie and Frank Ernie Phillips and Frank cellar I'll have them picked up this key could bust this town wide open I hope you're right dollar a lot of people have tried to get hard. Yeah. Yeah, let's get down to Grand Central, right? Oh About Maude Gilkerson What about it? They fished her out of the river about an hour ago Okay, give me the key here Hargy knows about this locker Ernie and Frank forced Maude to tell him before they killed her sure they called hard you while I was in his apartment Now let's see what we've got Package Corchak look out I'd seen them just as they came around the corner The goon was grinning through the teeth I'd kicked out and Bert had a big lump on the side of his head where I'd nailed him with a bucket Everyone came out with our guns all at once Corchak jumped to one side and I dropped to my stomach while I squeezed out all six shots from the gun I'd taken away from Bert and the smoke cleared Corchak was down, but he was smiling He caught one high on the shoulder, but Bert and the goon were through being bad boys The goon was dead and Bert didn't have far to go to catch up The wagon cleaned it up and Corchak and I got ourselves patched up at emergency They wanted to keep us in for observation But Corchak had waited too long to get Hargy and nothing was gonna stop him from making the arrest. I didn't want to miss it either Corchak collected a squad and we paid a visit to the penthouse I think he skipped. Stakeout said he hasn't left the building Come on Hargy, open up. This is Corchak and I got a present for you Corchak, I got a little something for you too Now I'm kind of glad he wanted it this way. I'll shoot the lock and then we go in Right, hit the door All right dollar. Yeah, sure Is he dead? He sure is Expense account items five and six The $200 I gave to Maude, which they never recovered and a dollar fifty for the two bottles I gave to Wilbur who recovered three days later The contribution to the blind man is on me Expense account items seven and eight seventy five dollars and ninety five cents hotel bill train fare and incidentals back to Hartford Expense account total three hundred and one dollars and one cent and multiple bruises yours truly Johnny dollar Remember friends for refreshing taste plus chewing enjoyment Treat yourself to delicious Wrigley's spearmint chewing gum The taste of fresh spearmint is cooling and delightful and there's lots of it in every stick of Wrigley's spearmint gum It freshens your mouth helps keep your throat moist and sweetens your breath besides You'll enjoy the good chewing too because Wrigley's spearmint is so smooth and pleasant to chew on There's nothing else quite like it Next time you're at the store Stop at your friendly merchants display of chewing gum and get a few packages of good tasting Wrigley's spearmint gum Always keep some handy for refreshing taste plus chewing enjoyment. That's Wrigley's spearmint chewing gum healthful refreshing delicious Yours truly Johnny dollar brought to you by Wrigley's spearmint chewing gum Stars John Lund in the title role and was written by Blake Edwards with music by Eddie Dunsteader Featured in tonight's cast were Victor Rodman Joseph Kearns Herb Butterfield Jim Nussar James McCallion Martha Wentworth and Bill Conrad Yours truly Johnny dollar is produced and directed by Jaime Delvalle The makers of Wrigley's spearmint chewing gum Hope you enjoyed tonight's story of Johnny dollar and that you're enjoying delicious Wrigley's spearmint gum every day This is Charles Lyon inviting you to join us again next week at this same time One from Hollywood John Lund returns as yours truly Johnny dollar This is the CBS radio network