 From Hollywood, it's time to our Bretman O'Brien has. Johnny Donner. This is Lieutenant Shark. You leave a message for me to call. Yes, I did, Lieutenant. I want you... It's about the Alonzo Chapman killing. I'm an insurance investigator. I was sent out here from Hartford, Connecticut to see what I could learn. We got the news at about eight last night. I was on a plane by midnight and in Los Angeles by noon today. The adventure of the man with the action-pact expense account to America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator. A special investigator, Johnny Donner, to Home Office Tri-State Insurance Group, Hartford, Connecticut. The following is an accounting of expenditures during my investigation of the Alonzo Chapman matter. Expense account item won $208.50 airfare and incidentals between Hartford, Connecticut and Los Angeles, California. After a delay of about an hour or so, I was able to make an appointment with the Lieutenant Jim Shark, the detective in charge of the case. I met him at about 2.15 and he brought me up to date. Chapman was registered at the Quincy Hotel. He met this girl in the hotel bar at about 7 last night. They left together about a quarter of eight. Turned in the alley to get to the parking lot where her car was parked. And that's where he was shot in the alley. Was it robbery? No. It was well-heeled, too, over $300. Hadn't he's coke pocket? What about this girl? We didn't hear about her. Well, we did normal sale. Picked up on our shoplifting charge last year. But she got a job and stayed out of trouble since. Pretty little thing. Born in Nebraska, she says she met an actor in a road company back there. He told her he'd introduce her to some important people in Hollywood and maybe she could... You know how it goes. Yeah, but I wonder if Chapman's wife is going to... She's on her way out here. How long had this girl known him? Well, she says she just met him last night. Yeah, I think that's what she said. She was transferred to County Jail this morning at 11.30, a material witness. I suppose you want to talk to her. Yeah, I'd like to. So would I. Might as well go on over. We've got too many people. We've got too many cars. Too much of everything, but streets. It's a mess. Well, if I don't know anything about Hartford, I've never been there. Well, I was a little slow at pace from Los Angeles, but it's kind of its problem. Yeah, I suppose every place has something. Yes, Lieutenant. We just called Cassidy when he wanted to send us back to ourselves. Yeah, all right, I'll do that. Thanks. And there's Mr. Dollar. He's an insurance investigator from back east. How do you do with him? Hello. You can just sit down. How are you feeling today? Not very good. I tried to talk to you last night after Mr. Chapman was shot. Did you remember? I sort of half remember. I want to piece this idea. Yeah, you did. Couldn't get anything that even sounded like a statement from you. That's why I had you held, so we can talk it over today. Sure. I don't know anything. We'll have to let it happen. How long had you known Mr. Chapman? I just met him last night. He made regular visits to Los Angeles. Are you sure you didn't meet him before? Of course I'm sure. Why would I lie about that? We just drank up a friendship last night. How did that happen? Well, I dropped into the bar at the Quincy for a drink and he started to talk to me. What all did he say? He was just one of those things that happens all the time. I knew it was a pitch, but he seemed like a nice guy. He just didn't want to be alone. He asked me if I knew any good places to eat and I told him about a place I like out towards Hollywood, so he asked me if I'd show him. You ought to be more careful who you get friendly with. Maybe I'd better turn around and say you ought to be more careful about who knows you're getting friendly with somebody. I guess I don't get you. We're looking for a reason somebody would want to kill Chapman. Maybe a man friend of yours? It couldn't be anything like that. I don't have any steady boyfriends. Well, that's not saying there isn't somebody who wants to be one, is it? There isn't anybody, and that's the truth. But it'd been somebody I knew I would have recognized him, wouldn't I? And it's possible that you might want to protect him if you didn't know him. I didn't know him. There isn't anybody who'd do anything like that. No, I can't hold with that, Norma. You're young, you're pretty. Why, I should think there'd be a bunch of young bucks after you. Boys from that store where you work with me. I'd tell you there isn't. It's the truth. There isn't. If there was, I'd tell you. Well, maybe you would. We've got to find a reason that Chapman was killed. I don't know. It wasn't because he was with me. All right now, Norma. Don't get all upset again. You've got to remember some other things. I hope you aren't holding anything back, Norma. You know that we can learn the truth from other people. Sure, I do. Ask the girls I work with. Ask Jeannie Steve, and she ought to know she's lived with me for almost a year. All right, Norma. Now, when you and this Chapman decided to go on a place to go for dinner, you left the hotel. You started for your car in the parking lot. Yes. You turned into the alley, which was a shorter trip than going around the corner, and this gunman was waiting there. It wasn't dark, was it? No, not quite. How far down the alley was this man? It was not very good at measuring, but it must have been about half way to the parking lot. There's a big trash box there behind one of the buildings. This man was waiting behind the box, and when you came by, he stepped out, fired three shots and ran away. And it was light enough so that you could get a good look at him? Yes, it was darker in the alley, but I'd have recognized anybody I knew. Would you remember if you saw him again? I'm not sure maybe I would. Now, Norma, it's up to us to figure out how come this killer was waiting there where he was. Beats me how he knew Chapman was going to pass by that box. I don't know. You can see how odd it looks, Norma. If he didn't know Chapman was coming that way, he must have known that you were. I don't know how it happened. I'm telling the truth. Maybe somebody heard his talking in the bar. Heard enough to know you and Chapman would go through the alley? Maybe somebody could have. I don't remember exactly how it went, but I told him where my car was parked. Yes, I said... I said just down the alley, I remember. And then did you leave? No, not right away. We had another drink. Well, that'll take about 10 or 15 minutes, I suppose. Well, how about it, Norma? I don't think I have anything more. Thanks, Norma. All right. I'll get Cassidy to take you down. I'd like to send you home, Norma. Maybe tomorrow. You know how it goes. With both Lieutenant Shock and me, the jealousy motive was still first choice. As a matter of fact, at that point, it was the only choice. Nothing in Alonzo Chapman's room or among his effects gave a hint of a murder motive. The Cleveland police had been requested to send anything they had on him and local men were at work checking his Los Angeles business associates and his movements. Shock left the question, Norma, sales roommate, and I went back to satisfy myself on the beginning of it all. I waited for the evening bartender at the Quincy Hotel. Uh, now I'm not busy. We won't get crowded for another hour. How about last night? Were you crowded about 7, 7.30? Oh, yeah, yes, well... If you'd asked me about anybody else in a place, I couldn't tell you a thing. But I remember this little blonde, Damon, a Sky Chatman. Glad to hear that. Usually doesn't happen this way. Yeah, I suppose. Now, but I'll tell you how it was. You see, a Chatman had been at a hotel for a few days, you know. Yeah, I got in Friday, that's me. I mean, I'm not sure when I first met him, but he'd drop in for an early drink like, you know, a quarter to five, five o'clock. Mm-hmm. Then we'd talk a little bit, then he'd go up to his room and come back around 7 o'clock and stay for another hour or so. And I'd tell you, it was five and a half. What do you mean? Oh, now he's getting killed, not that five o'clock. I mean a little blonde. I didn't know what he was saying or anything, but that when she came in the barstools were all taken. Chatman spots her in the kisser's place. How long had he been there? Just a couple of minutes. I hadn't gotten around to taking his order yet, but when I did, he ordered for the both of them. Then after that round, they moved to one of the boats. Did you happen to know it was another man who could have been interested in them and could have been close enough to overhear them? Oh, no, jeez, the place was full. I didn't know it. Well, maybe the bar girl did. The Grace Curcio. She'll be in a 5'30 if you want to talk to her. I'll have to come back later. Chatman's widow is due to arrive in about 20 minutes. That masher had a wife? Yeah, how about that? Oh, I've no stuff. Sure. But if that guy acted this way in all the towns he hit, she's better off without him. Now I'll ask Grace if you want. What's your hotel? The lock-in. If she does remember something about it, I'd appreciate a call. Sure. Sure. My name is Howard. Thanks a lot, Howard. See you later. If it does us any good, Mrs. Chatman just checked into the hotel. I'm in the lobby there now. How did you make out with Norma's roommate? Oh, if it's all right with you. Not counting the insurance money. But I don't know whether she knew it or not. I'll check with you later. I naturally expected to find the widow approximately the same age as the dead man, something near 50. But she wasn't. She looked to be only a few years over 30, if that. Don't feel like you have to try and make things easy for her, Mr. Dollar. You don't. All right, Mrs. Chatman. Did he suffer much? No, he died almost instantly. Well, it had to happen. I'm glad it went that way then. I hope you understand. I'm trying to. I mean, take it you weren't too fond of your husband. I wasn't. And it would be stupid for me to tell you anything else or to act any other way than I am acting. Well, I'm still looking for the reason your husband was killed. You said he was taking this girl someplace. He was, but we haven't been able to make anything out of that yet. She says there's nobody who would kill out of jealousy. I saw her picture in the paper. We doubted her, too. But our closest friend wouldn't have any reason to protect someone who had tried to kill Miss Sale. She said there was nobody. Well, there are other men who'd have good reason to kill him. You didn't know him, did you? No, I'd never seen him. He was good-looking. Not tall, but he sort of looked it. He took care of himself. The iron gray hair. He was better-looking when he passed 45 than he ever was when he was young. I was surprised that you were so young, Mrs. Chatman. That's why he was attractive to women. My bad luck was leaving Cleveland and letting myself get roped into a marriage. I found out about one of these girls, and then he started bragging about all the others. You mean it's possible that a man followed him to Los Angeles from someplace else and killed him? I don't know, but I do know that he must have hurt a lot of people. Well, he... he's through hurting me. I've stuck it out because I knew this was going to happen someday. Every time I've read about a murder like this, I knew it would happen to him. Now it has. Now I own a house. I have a bank account. Insurance money. I'm finally getting something from my marriage. I've owned Lieutenant Shocker a report on my meeting with a overly honest Mrs. Chatman. But he was out of his office getting the teletype answers of the request he'd made for information from the Cleveland police. So I calved over to see him. Again, that what Mrs. Chatman says is impossible, but I don't want to go off half-cocked on a wild goose chick. I didn't think you'd like it. I don't either. Chatman came here from Fresno by train, so say it would have to be some guy from there. We'll see why he didn't. Well, say he didn't kill him in Fresno because he thought he wouldn't draw suspicion down here. How did this guy locate him? Chatman didn't reserve a room at the Quincy. He usually stayed someplace else, so he'd have to be followed. Ah, it's no good, Donald. Why you couldn't expect an inexperienced man from Fresno to do a job of tailing like that through Union Station for marriage at the Quincy and all this traffic? Well, it's possible, I suppose. You're going to check and turn? I guess so. Probably wouldn't be too hard to get a list of the people who got on that train at Fresno. Yeah, a list of hard-up promotives. Now we got them all over the country. He was old enough to know better. Lieutenant. What? Here's a follow-up on the stuff from Cleveland. Oh, thanks. Great. Oh, this is darn nice of those boys. Hmm. Get something? Hey, Chatman phoned Cleveland that day. He checked in, didn't he? Yeah, it was Friday. Why? Look at this. It seems like his misses were seeing a lot of a man named Nicholson. He's known to have left Cleveland on Friday night, and he hasn't been seen since. Hmm. Like this a whole lot better. Yeah, this could be what we wanted. A man with a motive who knew where Chatman was. You think it's time you met the honest widow? Here's to the second act of yours, Julie Johnny-Dollar, in just a moment. Melody knows no boundary. Neither does Joy as Russ Emory and Judy Lynn sing their hearts into yours. And Ray Block's orchestra and chorus offer the music that's great from the 48. It's the full-hour Ray Block music party every Friday night over most of these same CBS stations. Listen for it this Friday. A whole hour of the song's America loves. The music the nation dances to and lives by on Ray Block's music party. We return you to the second act of yours, Julie Johnny-Dollar. This is Lieutenant Shock investigating a husband's murder. How did you know? Well, I didn't meet you, Miss Chatman. Well, I'm sorry about circumstances. It's not very pleasant. Miss Chatman, we never did get around to talking about your friend, Carl Nicholson, did we? What do you... What do you mean? Well, you told me about some of the improvements your husband's death was going to bring you, but you didn't mention Carl Nicholson. Please. I know I sounded hard when I talked to you. I shouldn't have said something. I thought you were being honest. I was too honest, I'm afraid. I don't think so. Miss Chatman, I've been in touch with the police back in your own town. They found out somehow about this Carl Nicholson. First, they said you'd been seen quite a lot of him, especially when your husband was out of town. Is that right? Yes. It's true. Yeah. What were your feelings toward Nicholson at that time, at his prior to your husband's death? I'm fond of Carl. I never made any secret of that. He's my age. We have a lot of things in common. You know what he is? Why, including him. Well, that's funny. The police told me he was out of town. I don't know what this means. I don't understand. You didn't know he'd left town? No, I didn't. Now, if you were fond of each other and you had all these things in common, it seems to me you deserved to be told if you were just going up and leaving town. When did you see him last, Miss Chatman? It was last week. Friday, by any chance? No. It was before then. It was Wednesday or Thursday. Why are you asking me these things? The police back there went on to tell me that this Nicholson left town on Friday. The Cleveland police? Why should they even care about Carl? Because I told him that on Friday your husband had telephoned you from the hotel where he was staying here in Los Angeles. Isn't that right? Yes, but I... I don't know what you mean. Didn't you see Nicholson on Friday after you talked to your husband? No. Do you mean that you think... I told him where Al was staying and that he came out here to... Now, now, Mrs. Chatman, we didn't say we thought anything, but it's our job to solve this murder. We aren't saying we think you and him planned the whole thing. And he hopped out of here the first thing after he learned where your husband was staying. But there are a lot of things that aren't clear in our mind. The theory you gave me about all these wronged men around the country didn't hold up too well, Mrs. Chatman. It wasn't a theory. I just told you what I'd been thinking. You said you'd been waiting for it to happen with the way we see it, the way your husband was killed, where he was killed, makes a jealous out-of-town man seem too far-fetched. Well, we're looking into it. Don't you worry about that. Duke, do you have a reason to think that Carl has been in Los Angeles? We're covering the possibility that he might have been. Maybe you just mentioned the Quincy Hotel in passing, casually, so you hardly remember. No. I haven't seen Carl or talked to him since before Al called me. I didn't tell him. Why did he happen to leave town on Friday? I told you, I don't know. I didn't know he'd left. With all these things in common, what did you think when the news about your husband reached Cleveland? Didn't you wonder about why you hadn't talked to this Nicholson all those days? Yes. I did wonder. Yeah, now. Why didn't you tell us all that without all this back and forth? Because it would have sounded so awful. Do you think you improved things by holding back? I don't know. Maybe I didn't. The last time I saw Carl was on Wednesday. We had a fight and he walked out. You can prove that's the last time you saw him? Prove? I haven't been thinking about anything like that. We fought over the same thing for almost a year. Carl wanted me to get a divorce, and I wouldn't. Because you were waiting for your husband to get killed. Did you ever tell Carl that? Yes. You tell him that during this fight on Wednesday? I think so. But you didn't talk to him after that. No. Could you have learned someplace else where your husband was staying? I don't know. I don't know who else Carl called. Carl wouldn't kill him. I'm positive of that. Would you happen to have a photograph of Nicholson? Why? Somewhere on their way by radio photo and some others by email. But we might be able to save time if you have some. I have one. I want to erase something off the back. No, don't you fret, Mrs. Chapman. We'll show it to a couple of people if Carl is innocent like you think he is. This is the quickest way to prove that, too. It sure would like to help you. You know, if I'd seen this snap of sure and don't say anything un-sure. What did the bar girl say? It was the same thing you did. It was crowded and she wasn't sure. Oh, I'm awful sorry. That's all right. I'd rather have a careful witness like you than one who thinks he has to say something to live up to the toilet. Well, this guy could have been here and he couldn't have been. That's the best I can do. I'm sorry. Thanks, Howard. It's okay. I'll do better next time. I'll keep my eyes open from now on. Maybe I'll get on a force someday. Hello, tenant? They say a boat is so expensive to keep up that before long, you don't own it. It owns you. So he sold it and there went my fishing trip. You get much back there? Yeah, but I haven't gotten back into it since before the war. Yeah, you are there. Everybody are there. It's the best nerve-conic. Here's the pen, hello, tenant. Well... Oh, thanks. We won't be long. Let's take a job when you're through. Come on, Norma. Oh. We've got a picture of a man we want you to look at, Norma. Why? Well, you look at it. Come on, get a good, bright light on it here. Who is he? Have you ever seen this man? I couldn't swear, but I think he could be the one that shot Mr. Gert. I hate to say for sure because Mr. Chapman was on that side. Look at it again, Norma. What is there that you think you recognize? Maybe I'm wrong, but the way he's here, right here, the way some of it hangs down across his forehead. This man's about dollars height. Well, I'm not sure of that. He's kind of crouched. But you think you saw the hand. I don't even know why I think that, but when I close my eyes, it seems like I can see his face. Yeah, well, now you take a long look at it. Study it. We'll have some more pictures of this man tomorrow. And if you can be sure, well, then maybe we can let you look at him flesh and blood. What happened so fast? Just take your time and forget the lieutenant and me. If I could, I'd leave it so you could study it all night. But it's a piece of evidence, and therefore it belongs to the state, so I can't leave it. As it turned out, we didn't have to take that photograph or any other picture back to Norma's sales for identification. The first reason turned out that night. There was another message from the Cleveland police. The body of our chief suspect, Carl Nicholson, had been removed from the remains of his car. The crash had occurred within 200 miles of his home. Witnesses said that he had been returning from a friend's country place, and the alcoholic content of his blood gave credence to Mrs. Chapman's story that they had quarreled. It became obvious later that he had been on a week's drunk. In addition to killing him, it had removed him in other respects as a suspect. The other thing that changed the direction of the matter was not as closely connected to any of the principles. As a matter of fact, hardly connected at all. It was a story on the front page of the next morning's paper. A man named Max Gerber, with a criminal background, had been found shot to death. Along with a year-old picture of him, was printed the fact that he had been staying at the Quincy Hotel. With Lieutenant Shark, I went to view Max Gerber's remains and his effects. And at ten that morning, Norma's sale was once more ushered into us. Well, Norma, we seem to keep you busy, don't we? Sit down, Norma. Would you bring some more pictures? Not the same as we brought last night. That wasn't the man you saw in the alley. I wasn't sure. The bartender at the Quincy says he'd never seen you in there before the other night. Why'd you happen to go there? I don't know. I guess it seemed like a good idea that you hadn't been there. Was there something special that took you there, Norma? There must be quite a few bars where you haven't been. There wasn't anything special? I think it's fair to tell you that we checked the store where you worked and found out that you left there at 3.30 that day. I didn't feel very good. You felt good enough to go to the Quincy. You felt good enough to let yourself get picked up by this man. What? I guess that's my business, isn't it? What I want to do and who I want to be with? Of course it is, Norma. Who did you want to be with? What do you mean? A man named Alonzo Chapman or a man named Max Gerber. I just went in. That's all and I met this guy. You didn't go into that bar expecting to meet some special man, did you? No. Not even if you were paid to meet him? No, I don't know what you're talking about. That man that was killed. I mean the one you were with. Did you know what he did for a living? That he was a salesman. Well, that's what we're getting at. He was a salesman. The picture's out of the paper, Norma. Here's one. This the man you met at the Quincy? Yes. You sure, Norma? Yes, I am. This man wasn't killed on the alley the other night. He's the man I was with. No, he isn't. This man was killed last night, Norma, right outside the Quincy Hotel. Here's the picture of the other man. They look alike, don't they? They're the same. It was Gerber. It was Gerber, you were supposed to meet. It was Gerber. No, it wasn't going. You were supposed to pick up Gerber in that bar, weren't you? I didn't know what they were going to do. But you did pick this man up and take him down that alley. The money, and that's all they wanted. Tell us how you found this man in the bar, Norma. They planted him out in the lobby. He made a phone call and then he went into the bar. I would have asked him. Brown suit, gray hair? Yes. What happened? You took out to get killed? No, it wasn't. Why should we tell you it was, if it wasn't? You're lying to me. You're trying to trick me. No, they just made a mistake. They planted him out. Then you made the mistake. No, I didn't. I didn't. I did what they said. I had to, and I did. They sent me because I was blind. It was the right woman. Not anybody to get killed. In total, $672.08. Remarks? The second murder, Max Gerbers, was a gangland rubout planned with the aid of a young blonde as bait. The first murder was only a mistake. The apparent moral is that companies shouldn't hire salesmen. Women shouldn't marry them. Young blonde should stay away from them. But, confidentially, some of my best friends are insurance salesmen. It was truly Johnny Dollar. Johnny Dollar stars Edmund O'Brien in the title role and is written by Gildowd with music by Eddie Dunstitter. Edmund O'Brien can soon be seen in the Paramount Pictures production, Warpath. Featured in tonight's cast were High Everback, John McIntyre, Harry Lange, Jeanette Nolan, and Virginia Gregg. Yours truly, Johnny Dollar, is transcribed in Hollywood by Jaime Delvalle. Beginning next Wednesday, yours truly, Johnny Dollar, will be heard one half hour later on most of these same stations. If you want to join us next week at 9.30 Eastern Daylight Saving Time, when Edmund O'Brien returns as yours truly, Johnny Dollar, a United States defense bond. You help in our defense effort and you help build your personal security. Yes, defense bonds are good for you and good for your country. Remember, defense is your job by United States defense bond. 45 minutes of cleaner fun would be hard to find. You'll enjoy this evening's session of songs and stuff with guests, flatters, chatter, and assorted pleasantries. It's the Robert Q. Lewis Waxworks open for business five evenings a week, Monday through Friday, on most of these same CBS stations. Today, the United States is celebrating the 175th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Stay tuned now for the official U.S. anniversary program with President Harry S. Truman, Secretary of Defense General George C. Marshall, Chief Justice Fred M. Vincent, who follow immediately over most of these same CBS stations. CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.