 Autolight and its 98,000 dealers bring you Mr. Ronald Reagan in tonight's presentation of Suspense Tonight Autolight presents the story of a man who wanted to apologize for threatening a stranger and when he got there the stranger was dead And the police were waiting. It's called Circumstantial Terror our star Mr. Ronald Reagan This is Harlow Wilcox with a $100,000 reminder that total will be given to recognized charities in cash through the Autolight family charity drawing and You may be one of 25 persons selected to name your own church hospital or any other local or national Recognized charity to share in this huge sum. There's no obligation except printing your name and address But your favorite recognized charity may share in thousands of dollars To tell you how important this is to his organization We are privileged to present general George Kenny President of the arthritis and rheumatism Foundation This generous Autolight offer will greatly aid the work of such groups as the arthritis and rheumatism Foundation If you are one of the 25 persons chosen to name your favorite organization I hope you will remember the 10 million people who suffer the pain and the crippling of arthritis They will be most grateful for your help Good luck to you in this Autolight family charity drawing To enter this drawing just visit any of these Autolight family car showrooms and fill out a registration form DeSoto Hudson Plymouth Studebaker Dodge Willis Nash Packard Kaiser or Chrysler. It may mean thousands to your favorite recognized charity. So sign up tomorrow And now Autolight presents Circumstantial terror starring mr. Ronald Reagan hoping once again to keep you in suspense I wasn't the only one who was mad at him all the other guys fell just about like I did about curly weather that is You see if he hadn't let the pressure go too high would have all been in good shape right now As it was the boiler blew up and wrecked the cleaning plant where I worked The owner collected the insurance money and got out of the business which left us with no jobs After a few months of looking around for a job I was in a pretty bad way then I connected only trouble was it wouldn't start for three weeks by now I was broke irritable and mad at the world So I wasn't what you'd call a pleasant-type fellow when I walked into this liquor store for a package of smokes about 11 o'clock one night There I was with a gun my face and that phony salesman telling me I was gonna have to take what he gives me or get Nothing at all. What do you have to buy from him for his outfit has the distributor tied up 25% of what I make I make from his scotch and like a pack of cigarettes holds your horses. Mr. I got another customer So I check around town to see if maybe I can get the scotch somewhere else. How'd you make up go ahead? Take a guess come on mister get off the dime. Just give me a matter with you Ain't you got no manners just give me a pack of cigarettes and stop shooting off your mouth Me shooting up my mouth look buster. I got a pretty good trade right now. So why don't you take your two-bit sale somewhere else? I Don't even like the way you look listen smart guy I've taken a lot of lip from guys like you in the last few months one more crack out of you And I'll smear you all over the joint you here. All right, mister. All right take it easy Sam. Don't mean no harm That's just the way he talks and let him talk to somebody else like that. Why don't you give me cigarette Sam? We can talk some more after he leaves Okay What kind do you want mister? I don't want any kind. I just want you to remember something Next time you seem you'd better cross over to the other side of the street. It'll be healthier for you Remember that I went back to my room and poured myself a drink no doubt about it I'd acted like a fool that four months of being unemployed didn't exactly develop an even tamper It was a half hour before I realized I still hadn't got any cigarettes and another 15 minutes before I could talk myself And going back to the liquor store to apologize for losing my temper The street was dark and the only light on the whole block came from the glowing window with a liquor store I still wasn't sure what I was gonna say to Sam when I got there, but I knew I'd fix everything up All right I'd gotten within about a hundred feet of the store when I noticed a black or what seemed to be black coop parked in front of the store Just about the time I noticed it. I heard a shot Seemed to come from the direction of the store Stopped for a second and a guy rushed out of the store right in front of me jumped into the car And before I could do anything it roared down the darkened street out of sight I ran to the store and looked in nobody around and I look behind the counter The guy I'd argued with Sam was on the deck I could tell right away that it was a waste of time to check his pulse, but I did it anyway He was dead. All right, then I started with the door to call the cops Hey, what's going on? Oh, what'd I tell you I saw who did it? He ran out the door as I was coming up the street. Come on grab a move. He did it That's the guy I was telling you about come on buddy. Let go. I tell you I didn't do it I didn't do it. I saw the guy that did let go That's the guy Sam had to throw out of the store. He was casing the joint. That's what he was doing Let go of me. I'm good. I'm going for the cop. Don't worry. He ain't gone nowhere I Was getting up to go after the police these two guys rush in and hold me. I didn't do it I tell you he's lying officer. We'll find out if he's lying with the guys from homicide get here I don't even own a gun that gun laying by Sam's body is Sam's gun looks to me like this guy shot him with his own gun If you don't shut your mazy does it what happens when the guys from homicide get here You want my honest opinion, mister? Yeah, sure. I didn't put the cuffs on you for laughs. I Think you've had it, buddy It's only an opinion but what I can see here and I've gotten from these witnesses your nail buddy nail good And I was by the time it was presented to the grand jury the state had a real good case prepared against me The liquor store owner's gun only had his prints on it Which made it look as if I'd tried a phony hold up and jumped him when he drew it And it was money scattered all over the store Which made it look as if I'd been surprised before I had a chance to get away That guy Eddie who'd been in the store when I had my argument wouldn't let me up He pounded nails in my coffin every time he opened his mouth I had a job when all this happened that I had trouble giving me a motive and being broke and unemployed made it look that much worse As a result, I wasn't surprised when the grand jury came through with an indictment for first-degree murder As far as I was concerned it was all over with the hanging Frank Thompson right now. I wish I weren't but I am who are you I'm Ernest Gibbons I've been assigned as public defender in your case. You're wasting your time Why are you guilty? No, I'm not well, then I'm not wasting your time. Hey mind if I sit down go ahead Well, I think you got most of the facts straight in my mind now. I want you to tell me in your own words What happened? Did you read the transcript of the inquest? Yes, I did. That's all there is to it Well look Frank I'm here to help you if I can I don't make it tough for me I think we can beat this if you help me how first let's forget that story about running in after the storekeeper was shot And I nobody believes that and you believe it if I tell it to you again. Should I yes Because it's the truth Well, can you describe the man you saw running on more or less? What do you mean by more or less? Well, I got a pretty good look at his face. He had a mustache I couldn't tell you how tall he was or how much he weighed seemed to me to be just medium all around However, you said at the inquest that he got in a car and he drove on now can you describe the car? It's a black coupe. What do you don't know? How about the make couldn't tell it's too dark the license number all or any part of the license none of it All these lights were out in other words If you wanted to lie, this would be a pretty good way of blaming someone the police couldn't possibly track down I guess so, but I'm not lying All right, let's see the state has set the trial for a week from today You know hurry, aren't they? I guess they figured that they'd got you sewed up the Papers have public opinion running pretty high against you You know the man left a wife and three little kids That's tough real tough There's a couple of days later that Ernie came to me and said they were selecting the jurors who'd hear the case This was a part of the law. I didn't know a thing about so When he said I had a right to sit in the selection I went along only to get out of the cell for a few hours Well to put it simply it's more of an interviewer than anything else It also gives us a chance to get jurors We think might be more easily swayed through our way of thinking Under the point where I don't care much one way or another. I just wanted to get out of the cell for a little while Maybe I'd be better off I just played guilty and get it over with haha now you're talking foolish boy There's a lot that can happen the next couple of weeks. Yeah It's all gonna happen to me some of it might be good, you know, don't hold your breath Over here Frank I'm gonna try to get as many women as I can on the jury You're a pretty good-looking boy It helps sometimes what about the prosecution don't they have anything to say about it Well, I doubt if they challenge more than once or twice now They think they have such a strong case. It doesn't matter much to them Who's on the jury? They're right too, aren't they that remains to be seen? Here they come Yeah, right now I'd trade places with any given one of them. I don't think you'd get any takers Not as many women as I'd like to have seen Ernie Ernie, what's up a guy with the gray suit well over there next to the dame with a fur coat Well, yeah, well, what about him don't challenge him what don't challenge him That's the guy what guy that's the guy that killed the shopkeeper That's the guy. I saw running out of the store that night. Get him on the jury. Don't let him get away I don't want to die for what he did Auto light is bringing you mr. Ronald Reagan in Circumstantial terror tonight's presentation in radio's outstanding theater of thrills suspense Hey Charlie, what Nash model is this? Well, this is the new Nash statesman Harlow You know this year Nash offers the widest range of models and prices and history and you can get such optional features as power Steering power brakes and even power lift windows and of course Harlow Nash has auto light equipment, too And auto light is proud of its long association with Nash and Nash dealers everywhere That's why we're privileged to salute Nash as a distinguished member of our auto light family Distinguished is the word for the new Nash Harlow and advanced to the 1954 Nash gives you greater safety with exclusive unitized Nash air flight construction Greater economy on regular gasoline greater comfort with a new exclusive Nash all-weather eye air conditioning system that heats Ventilates and cools at your command and Harlow next week Nash introduces a completely new kind of car watch for Okay, Charlie and thanks for the ride always a pleasure Harlow especially in a new Nash And now auto light brings back to our Hollywood soundstage Mr. Ronald Reagan in Elliot Lewis's production of Circumstantial terror a tale well-calculated to keep you in suspense It was tough sitting through the selection of the jury Especially when I knew that the prosecution could for no apparent reason disqualify the man I'd pointed out to Ernie if he was the man I'd seen run out of the liquor store the night of the shooting then he had to be where we could keep tabs on him Ernie sacrificed a couple of his limited number of pre-emptory challenges just to make sure the guy came up for selection When he did there was no objection on either side and we had him Later that afternoon when Ernie came to my cell we tried to figure out what we were going to do with him Well now that we've got him I what I'm gonna do it's your job to figure out Ernie You're the lawyer no better off now than we're at the beginning We haven't got a shrewd of evidence to substantiate your claim. I saw him. Isn't that enough? Well, you're on trial Not him Well, supposing I get up in court and say he's the man what would happen probably declare to mistrial and discharge the jury And go to work on another trial, but you'd stay in jail Wouldn't they question him? Maybe it was pretty obvious. He'd say you were off your rocker. Remember Frank You're the one who's accused Defending yourself by accusing him just on your say so is pretty flimsy. Who'd believe it? Would you? Couldn't you do it? Couldn't you tell someone proof Frank proof? What can I possibly do but quote you what am I gonna do just what we're doing go through with this trial Then I'll appeal no matter what the verdict is and see if we can rope our friend into making a mistake But he'll duck as soon as the trial is over probably but at least he'll be around while the trial is on now If you cause a mistrial he'll be gone a lot faster. It isn't fair I know he's a court of law the burden of proof is on the accuser What real proven they got against me They don't have to catch a man in the act of murder to convict him of a circumstance of evidence can be strong enough and In your case it seems to be That's driving me nuts to think that this guy's got to help send me away for a murder. He committed. I haven't sent stew yet Boy, let's see what happens and if it does happen. Maybe we'll have something I can use to ask for a new trial If we get into trouble Where's the trial going to be? Well judge Thurston will preside. I think let me see that'll put it in the city hall Annex, where's that in the annex? That's a small building on the north side of the city hall. That's next to the parking lot Why just asking that so Frank yeah, don't try any grandstand plays any tangle with the jury might result in a mistrial and I Don't think that's a good idea Okay, I won't mess with them. That's good Yeah, I gotta get going going home. I guess so Tell me something Ernie. Sure. Well What do you want to know? What are my chances Ernie and don't kid me? I wouldn't get you Frank. I don't know right now, but I should be lying if I said they were good Thanks, that's what I wanted to know That's what I liked about Ernie. We asked for the truth. He gave it to you After he left I lay back in my cotton thought about the whole mess Everything had happened so fast. I really hadn't had time to take stock of my position Now I did what I came up with made me want to beat my brains out against the steel bars out of sheer frustration Wasn't anybody's fault if you discounted the guy that actually did the killing I didn't have any beef with the law the people who were carrying out the law It was just that they didn't know they were going to convict an innocent man For hours, I guess I lay there thinking about ways to clear myself Most of the ways were more daydreaming than anything else I finally came up with the conclusion that anything I did was going to have to really go from the time I started There wouldn't be time for talk or reason The morning I got dressed and ready for the first day of the trial when I got to the courtroom I was seated beside Ernie Then came the time when papers were being shuffled and everyone was getting set for the opening arguments Now then you take it easy Frank. We're gonna fight real hard. You know what a backfire is You mean like when a car? No, I mean like when you're caught in a bad brush fire without any water I'm not with you kid. What are you going for? You light another fire downwind let it give you a big burn spot to stand in while a main fire goes fast You explain it to me later Frank the judge will be here in a minute or two and I want to get my paper straight in here He doesn't like to see an unprepared attorney Listen to me Ernie. I'm in the path of a real big fire right now. I know you're a boy I know but so I got to try a backfire a guy can get killed in a backfire But at least you got to take a chance. What are you trying to tell me when I'll say it fast because you'll hear from me Stick with me Ernie. I'm a pretty good guy, but I'm in real bad trouble and I'm the only guy that can get me out of it But what are you gonna do this? Get out of my place It was the only thing I could do I couldn't sit by while 12 people tried to make up their minds whether I was Died for a murder I didn't commit as I went out the window I folded my arms in front of my face to keep them being cut to ribbons with a broken glass I Let feet first in the parking lot and started running I didn't know where I was going all I knew was I had to get away fast By the time everyone got organized. I'd pretty well lost myself in the alleys of the city I got to a place where they were putting up an office building and ducked into the sub basement crawled into a corner and stayed there Somewhere around midnight. I slid out and started to the only guy in town I knew wouldn't turn me in as soon as he saw me Ernie Gibbons And I got there his place had a light out in the kitchen, so I went around the back Let me in well come on here If they find out about this, I'll be disbarred. I won't stay long wait till I turn the light off Sit right there Frank Don't move around too much. Tell me why you did it. I told you this morning in court This is my backfire. I couldn't just stand around while they made up their minds whether to kill me or let me rot in jail I didn't do it. I'm gonna get the guy that did oh, then they'll really have you and they'll have me for something I did not something I didn't why'd you come here? I need an address an address. You mean the guy with the mustache Yeah, got anything on him. He isn't around Frank. How do you know by the time I got through with the mess You left behind and it was pretty late in the day. What are you talking about just this? We knew he'd duck out as soon as the trial was over, but during the trial We might have been able to work something. That's why I warned you about causing a mist trial Well this afternoon I went over to the address he'd given and he moved out a few hours after your break any forwarding I don't be so naive the man is a murderer. I don't think he knows you saw him running out of the store But he isn't taking any chances. He's lost Frank and you're in a bigger jam than before No, I do now. Oh, yes, you tell me I won't give myself that's up to you. You're on your own now What's your position in this? They should turn you in but you won't oh you're a since they have the book thrown at you when they get you I got it Thank you. Yeah, I'm sure Ernie do something for me will you I might what is it? I'm a pretty hungry man. Could you rustle me up some food? Sure, I'll fix you some food Ernie. Yes, what about that witness that claims he saw me casing the place that Eddie character Yeah, well, what about him? He's the state's number one witness, isn't he? Well, I guess what's he got against me? Why is he trying so hard to get me? Well, I think that for the first time in his life. He's somebody and he's going all out to prove it I'm gonna see you know you're not you're in enough trouble. They offer him give me his address Ernie Well, you're out of your mind. Give me his address. I want to talk to him Oh, but Frank I know you've got it. You've got the addresses of all the witnesses get it. It's here in my briefcase What? Well, that's funny. I never noticed this before noticed what what are you mumbling about the witness against you? He lives right over the liquor store where the guy was shot Ernie Yeah, just a thought but he's the fellow that accused me of casing the shop Suppose it was the other way around Suppose he was casing it for our friend with the mustache Well, you'd have to prove a connection between the two men, but So how are you gonna do that? I don't know Figure that out when I get there. I can't let you do that friend. Don't try to stop Well, you could get picked up on the way there. I'll be there in a few minutes three or four miles from here You're lending me your car I am yeah, give me the keys Okay here So long Ernie, I wish I could stop you don't try it. I wouldn't want to hurt you. Oh, thank you So mighty Wilson come on open up. I Don't know any but you know me Eddie Thompson, that's right Frank Thompson fall guy. What do you want from me? I want to know why you're so anxious to see me burn you tried to hold Sam up and kill them That's why you know better than that I do What are the reason what I have? Hold it down to a roar Eddie. I gotta get some sleep. Come on in mister you with the mustache Thompson yeah, that's what Eddie said when he saw me. All right Eddie. What's this guy doing here? He's uh He's my brother, but they don't mean cozy. Yeah one guy in a witness box and one guy in a jury You really got it made yeah What are you gonna do about it make you tell the truth? What are you talking about? Why'd you kill it? Need the money get out of here after you write me a confession so I can burn instead of you. That's right You're wasting your time. Am I? Get the cops Eddie Get up you am I wasting my time? Am I I don't write nothing you won't Okay Okay now Start writing You've done the cops You're dead. No, mister. You are if the cops get here before you finish writing. I'll kill you I'm gonna fry for something you did. I'm gonna be sure you go with me now make up your mind You want to die right now or take a chance with a jury? Okay Give me a pen. I hope you understand why I sent for the cops Frank. I didn't want you getting any more trouble. Oh sure That's all right Well, how's it feel mighty good? It's pretty time when you don't have to look at it from behind steel bars. Yeah What are you gonna do now? It looks like I'll be able to make that job I told you about only a few more days to wait where to be staying. I don't know you got any money enough You got any money? No, then it's settled. It'll stay with us until you get on your feet. All right. You heard me Okay, lend me a quarter What for how to buy a pack of cigarettes from a machine? Suspense Presented by auto light tonight star mr. Ronald Reagan Congratulations on an excellent performance Ronald. Well, thanks, Harlow say what about this hundred thousand dollar auto light family charity drawing? Am I eligible? Well, if you're over 18 you are I'm eligible Well, all you do is visit any auto light family car dealer showroom Print your name and address on a registration form and have the dealer sign it And if you're one of the 25 people selected you can name your favorite church hospital or any other local or national recognized charity To share in one hundred thousand dollars and all I do is fill out a form You mean there are no puzzles to solve or anything like that. That's right Ronald Nothing to solve buy or try and where do I register at any of the following showrooms the soto Hudson Plymouth stuta Baker Dodge Willis Nash Packard Kaiser or Chrysler sounds like a wonderful opportunity, Harlow Thank You Ronald Reagan friends You can help your favorite recognized charity share in one hundred thousand dollars just by signing your name and address So why not sign up tomorrow? Next week the story of a cross-country train trip during which a police officer finds himself torn between his assignment and His personal feelings for the girl in car 32 our star. Mr. Victor mature. That's next week on Suspense Suspense is produced and directed by Elliot Lewis with music composed by Lucian Morrowick and conducted by Ludblom skin Circumstantial terror was written for suspense by Ross Murray in tonight's story Howard McNeer was heard as Ernie Pigeon in the cast with big perm Clayton post Charles Calvert hell Gerard and Kurt Martell Ronald Reagan is currently starred with Steve Forrest and Dewey Martin in the MGM production prisoner of war and remember next week Mr. Victor mature in Thomas Walsh's story the girl in car 32 This is the CBS radio network