 It's a case for Nick Carter, master detective. Yes, it's the case of the Dictaphone murder. Another case for that most famous of all man-hutters. The detective whose ability at solving crime is unequaled in the history of detective fiction. Nick Carter, master detective. Don't be here any minute, Mr. Buckley. Told me on the phone that he'd be here at nine o'clock. That's why I came so early. It's only a few minutes after nine. Now it won't be long. You see, I've got a great... Oh, good morning, Percy. Hello, Nick. Oh, good morning, Mr. Buckley, isn't it? Yes, Mr. Carter. When I met you after your lecture at the club the other evening, I said to myself, that's the man I'll go to when I need help. And you need it now? Very much. I want you to thoroughly investigate Roger Denham, the man who's going to marry my daughter. Oh, what's he done? I don't know that he's done anything. I simply want to be sure that he's the right kind of man to be my son-in-law. Well, really, Mr. Buckley, I don't go in for that sort of thing at all. Oh, that's not the only reason. The Buckley Corporation is going to build a large new office building, and Roger Denham has been awarded the contract for the work. I want to know that he can carry it out successfully. The Buckley idea for the most part in crime that interests me and I've made it my life work. What you're asking me to do does not interest me. For the more, I don't have the time for it. I see. Well, perhaps this'll interest you. It's an anonymous letter I received in the mail this morning. I don't put much stock in such things, but... Well, here it is. Roger Denham is married, has been for six years. His wife is now on her way to the Royal Arms Hotel. Better warn your daughter. Does that interest you, Mr. Carter? Not very much. Information like that can be checked too easily to offer any problem as far as I'm concerned. Nothing very mysterious about this note. It's typed on a decent grade of paper by a fairly good typewriter. Half of the letter L is missing because of a defective type bar, and there's no threat in it, except one fact. Sorry, you won't act for me, Mr. Carter, but... I suppose you have really... Nick Carter's office, Patsy Bowen speaking. Oh, morning, Patsy. Nick Bear. Oh, yes, he is. Just a minute. Your Nick Sergeant Matheson. What got you down to your office early, Maddie? What do you mean, office? I've been there, and now I'm up here at the Royal Arms. You're not busy. You might take a run over here. What's up? Murder. A guy named Roger Denham. You say Roger Denham? I did. Why? Friend of yours? No, just coincidence. That's all. What about Denham, Mr. Carter? What's the story, Maddie? He's been strangled to death. If you're not busy... I'll be right over. What room? 312. I'll wait for you, Nick, but make it snappy. I will. So long. Mr. Carter, has something happened to Denham? Buckley? When did you see him last? Yesterday evening. I called on him at the hotel to see if I could find out something about him personally. Why? He's just been murdered. Murdered? Denham? Yes. Police are there in his room now. Let me have that letter again. Yes, of course. Here. Thanks. Top of the morning to you, Patsy. Nick, hello, Walter. Don't bother to sit down, Walter. You and I are going out immediately. I'm going to look into a murder. Hi, Maddie. Well, Nick, you made good time. It's only 9.30. Yep. Oh, hello, Buffalo Bill. Well, if it ain't the terror of the police force himself. Stuck, are you? No, I'm not stuck. Just thought Nick might like to have a look-see. Right, Maddie. What have you found so far? Oh, there's the body, Nick, right on the floor where we found it. He was strangled by some guy with an enormous pair of hands. He can still see the marks on his throat. Must have been a struggle the way the room was upset, but it was in robbery. Nothing is missing as far as we can tell. Any fingerprints? No, not a one. Maid found a body when she came in to clean about 9 o'clock. Coroner says death occurred about 8.30 this morning. All night party or an early morning blowout? I checked with a room clerk and he says he saw no visitors this morning, but the telephone operator says a guy named Johnny Casper called about 7.45 this morning. She said she knew his voice because he'd called so often before. He came here. He'd know the way without asking at the desk. Yeah. Said she wasn't listening, but she, uh, gathered from what she just happened to hear that Casper wanted to see Denim right away. Well, we can look into that when we... Wait. Room 312. Yes, Mr. Denim there. Who's calling? Mr. Allen of the Buckley Corporation. I'd like to talk to Mr. Denim. What do you want to talk to Denim about? Who are you? This is Nick Carter. I'm sorry to say you can't talk to Denim. He's just been murdered. Denim murdered? Did you say murdered? I did. What do you want to talk to him about? I'm the chairman of the board for the Buckley Corporation. We've just awarded a contract to Mr. Denim for the construction of the Buckley Building. And I wanted to make an appointment with him to settle a number of details. And you say he's... Unfortunately, yes, Mr. Allen. Uh, terribly, uh... Well, goodbye. Goodbye. Some friend of Denim's, Nick? Business acquaintance, apparently. Wanted to make a date with him. It's a little late for that, I'm thinking. Hey, Nick, here's something. Yes, what is it, Mary? It's a piece of silk. Pocket off a shirt, I'd say. Found it clenched in Denim's fist. Ah, must have been ripped off in the struggle. A clue, by Golly! Now we can start investigating, Nick! Looks like it. Mary, will you let me have this? Oh, now, look, Nick, that's the only real piece of evidence we got. I know it, and I'll take care of it. Just want to find out what Mills made it, and what they did with it. Oh, but, Nick, look, why... Now, look, I can do it faster than you can, Mary. You know that? Oh, I suppose so, but I still... Thanks. Waldo, suppose you dig around and find out what Mills this piece of silk came from. Shouldn't be difficult, because there's a flaw here in the weave. Should make identification easy, you better get going. Leg work. Always leg work for Waldo. Oh, good detective like me, and I ain't allowed to detect. A good detective follows orders too, don't forget that. Oh, sure, Nick, sure, I was just... So long, Waldo, I'll see you at the office later. Okay, Nick, okay. Well, Nick, I guess there isn't much else here we can see. I'll just take a look around while I'm here. Huh? The room looks as if somebody been through it. Looking for something. The way it's all upside down. Yeah, that's what I thought. What are you supposed to be looking for? I wouldn't know, Maddie. I... Huh? You see this? This piece of wire sticking out under the closet door? No, what is it? Let's see. Hey, it goes up the closet wall and through the ceiling. The maid's still here? Yeah, right outside. Hey, maid! Yes, sir? Who lives in the room over this? Nobody, sir, it's empty. Or it was yesterday afternoon when I cleaned it up about half past four. That sounds suspicious in itself, an empty hotel room these days. Roy, hello. Desk clerk, please. Desk clerk. This is Nick Carter on the murder of Denim. Who has room 412? Uh, Mrs. Denim has it now, sir. Mrs. Denim? Yes, sir. When did she come in? Just a few minutes ago. Denim reserved the room yesterday for friends, he said. When Mrs. Denim came in, I suppose he meant it for her, so I gave it to her. I called Denim to check, but got no answer. What time was that? Uh, about five minutes from nine. You know anything about a wire in the closet of 312? A wire? No, Mr. Carter, I don't. That's all, thanks. Maddie, I believe this wire is a part of the answer to this murder. Yeah? Let's go up and have a look. Hey, that came from upstairs. It's a dinner. Come on, Maddie, hurry. That's no good, Nick, he disappeared somewhere, went down the fire escape and neither got to the bottom or slipped into a room on the way down. Too bad. Now, Mrs. Denim, suppose you tell me the whole story right from the beginning. Well, I got here this morning just before 9 o'clock. The clerk said Roger had engaged this room for me, so I came up. I was too tired to unpack, so I just lay down on a bed for a few minutes. I didn't sleep because I had a queer feeling someone was watching me. Then about 15 minutes ago, I got up, washed, and started down to get some breakfast. But after I'd gone a few steps, I thought I'd forgotten my lipstick, so I came back for it. As I opened the door, I saw a man in the room, just starting to climb out the window. I screamed and he disappeared. Did you get a good look at him? No, I didn't. But he looked like a large man with big hands. I saw those. Mrs. Denim, how does it happen you arrived here just this time? Well, I got an anonymous letter yesterday. Here it is. Thank you. Your husband has been out of the army for six weeks. He is staying here at the Royal Arms, pretends he's not married and is making big play for daughter of head of Buckley Corporation. Enclose this ticket from your town here. Better come if you want to avoid trouble. And the letter L on behalf of Prince. Same typewriter on both notes. What was that, Mr. Carter? Oh, nothing. Go on with your story, please. I didn't even know Roger was out of the army. The last I heard was two months ago when you wrote that he and his buddy, Johnny Casper. Nick, Johnny Casper again. Yes. Go ahead, Mrs. Denim. He said they were getting out any minute, and he let me know as soon as they did. But when this letter came, I thought I, well. Yes, I know. And that's all? Well, yes, I think so. You mind if I have a look in your closet? My closet? Well, no, not at all. Anything, Nick? That certainly is a dictaporn machine. What? There's the wire that comes up from downstairs. This is what I rather expected, Maddie. Denim was making a record of an interview we had with someone, but the record is gone. That's what the guy Mrs. Denim saw was after. Maybe he got it, Nick. Mrs. Denim, how long were you out of this room? Just a few seconds, no longer. I went out and then came back almost at once. Then the man didn't get it, Maddie. Wouldn't have had time. But someone got it. That's the clue we ought to have, Nick. I bet it would tell the whole story. Yes, there must have been something pretty incriminating on it to make him kill Denim. Kill? Did you say kill Denim? Oh, no. I'm sorry, Mrs. Denim. I didn't realize you heard me. I'm very sorry, but it's true. Your husband was killed about an hour ago. Well, I did this. Maddie, take this machine to headquarters. See if there are any prints on it, it'll help. OK, get Mrs. Denim's two just in case. Nick, you don't have any machine. I don't know. Better take no chances. Let me get the serial number on the machine so I can have Patsy check on it, and I'll be on my way. Get on your way where, Nick? You see, Johnny Casper, he looks like a good starting point. You see, Mr. Cotter, we were buddies in the service. I liked Roger, so when we got out, I brought him back here with me. He'd been a contractor in a small town, about 100 miles north of here. And I thought perhaps we could go and business together. I'm a contractor, too, you know. No, I didn't. Oh, yes, I've done some pretty big things for a young fellow. Well, anyway, I introduced Roger to Mr. Allen, the chairman of the board of the Buckley Corporation, and to Buckley himself. Then I took him up to Olive's house one night. She's Buckley's daughter. I was engaged to her at the time. Well, I introduced him to her. What a heel that guy turned out to be. That's how do you mean, Casper? Well, instead of bidding on the Buckley building with me as partners, he submitted a separate bit of his own. And he entertained Allen and never remembered the board at parties. And he made a big play for my girl behind my back, knifed me every way he could. My pal. You say you were engaged to Miss Buckley. You're not now? Oh, I'll say I'm not. Two days ago, when I called her to make a date, she told me we were through. She was now engaged to Denham. So you have little reason to like Denham. I've never hated anybody in my life the way I hated that man. Where were you this morning about 8 o'clock? Morning? Why, I was right here, in bed. You're sure? You weren't at the Royal Arms talking to Denham. What in heaven's name makes you think that I was at the Royal Arms? I know, I... Well, yes, I was, too. Why should I deny it? I went down to tell Roger to lay off my girl. I'd tell his wife what was going on. And what did he say to that? He told me to go as far as I liked. He was on top and he was going to stay there in spite of the devil and me. And you two have a fight? With words, yes, but that's all. Got so mad, I left him and came back here to think. I see you have a typewriter. You mind if I try it? Well, no, go ahead. Thanks. So, was you who wrote those anonymous letters to Buckley and to Mrs. Denham? Yes, I did. I'm not ashamed of doing it. I hated Denham. Enough to kill him? Yes, but I didn't. I saw too much killing in the war. Funny, isn't it? I bring my buddy back here to help him out and he cheats me out of everything I want. Underbids me on the Buckley job and even steals my girl. What a laugh. No, I didn't kill him. But I wish I had long ago. Pardon me, but I was referred to you just... And am I glad you were. We don't get many in here like you, baby. I want to find out something about... I'm the boy that can tell you, baby. Anything you want to know. I have here the serial number. Now, look, let's not talk about numbers. Let's talk about you. You're the number I'm interested in right now. Well, look, will you please listen? Am I listening to every word you say, gorgeous? Go ahead, talk. I want to find out about Dickeyphone Machine number 248749AY. Hey, look. What are you doing tonight, flick chick? Working. Number 248749AY, please. I bet you do mean rumba. How's about giving me a whirl tonight, hmm? Look, I want to find out about the... Yeah, baby, I'm trying to find out, too. How late are you working tonight? Huh? I don't know. Ah, I bet you're not working at all. Just stalling me along to see how far I'll go. Well, I'll go a long way for you, good-looking. Oh, will you please? Listen, rib, how's about letting me call you when I get through the night? Me and my friends, how about together? I'll check the place. Come on, what do you think? All right, you win. Call me at Pennsylvania 686-01. Ask for Patsy. Atta, baby, now you're cooking on all four. Now, what do you want to know? Pray this machine 248749AY has been for the last 48 hours. Well, leave me look. 248749AY. Least to a guy named Roger Denham yesterday afternoon. Not back yet. That make you happy, baby? Heading the information does. Thank you. Hey, you can't go like this. It's almost my lunch hour. I was about putting on a pair of bibs together down in my place, hmm? You've got my phone number and my name, and that's all you're going to get from me. Goodbye. Oh, don't be like that. Gorgeous. I just want to know. We're waiting for you. Find anything? Nick, do I look fascinating to you? Hey, look, Patsy, this is police headquarters. Remember? Other men find me irresistible. Do you? Snap out of it, Patsy. Did you find out about the dictaphones? Huh? Oh, yes. Least to Roger Denham yesterday afternoon for 48 hours. That checks, Matty. He expected a visitor and one of the interview recorded. Oh, I wish I knew what was on that record. Oh, I was starting to tell you when Patsy came in, Nick. There were two sets of fingerprints on that dictaphone, Denham's and somebody else's. The others don't check with any we got. They must be the murderers when he got the record. Are they extra large? Hey, they aren't, Nick. They're small. So they couldn't have been his. Maybe they don't mean anything. Could have been on the machine when Denham got it. Matty, we. Oh, Walter. How'd you make out? You asked me to find out about that there piece of silk and out, didn't you? I did. Well, when you give all, did I glin a job? He does it. Yes, sir. And I had some job too, believe me. But I came through. Well, a lover, Mike Waldo. Stop talking and say something. I'm trying to, but you keep interrupting me. Waldo, what did you find out? Well, the silk was woven by the seasoned mills. Now they made up about a dozen shirts out of it, and then they discovered there was a flaw in the stuff. So they junked the rest. And they sold them shirts to the Lionel Men's Shop right here in town. Did you go there? No, I didn't. I thought maybe you would like to do a summer that detectin' yourself. OK, OK. That's my next visit, the Lionel Men's Shop. Come on, Patsy. Come on. This isn't a card, Mr. Buckley. I find that you bought a dozen white silk shirts from the Lionel Shop a few months ago. Yes, I did. They offered me a special price, I recall. Why? Did you keep them all yourself? No, I didn't. I got them just before Christmas, and I gave several of them away as presents. Could you tell me to whom you gave them? Well, now let me see. I remember giving Allen three of them, and I kept five for myself, I think, and the others. Oh, yes, yes. My daughter, Olive, gave the rest to Johnny Casper so he'd have some when he got out of the army. They were going around together at that time. Nobody else got any? I believe not. Couldn't swear it would, of course. All right, thanks, already bother you. Goodbye. What do you say, Nick? He kept some, gave some to Allen, and some to Casper. Casper? Coming back to him, don't we? Same so. He certainly had a motive. But if he did it, where does the dictaphone come in? Yes, I see what you mean. But who else is there? Allen? I suppose you better check on his whereabouts at the time of the killing this morning. Mustn't leave any stone unturned. Come on. No, Mr. Allen isn't at home just now, Mr. Carter. Can I do anything for you? Perhaps. What time did Mr. Allen get up this morning? At his usual hour, sir, about 9.30. Are you sure of that? Oh, absolutely, sir. He came downstairs in his pajamas and dressing gown to ask me about a suit he couldn't find. It was at the cleaners. What time were you up this morning? I start work at 8 o'clock regularly, sir. It's my habit. And you didn't see Mr. Allen until 9.30? Why, no, sir. May I inquire why you're asking all these questions? You may, but I'm not going to answer just now. Thank you. Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. Come on, Patsy. Let's try something else. Maybe we'll have more luck there. Well, Nick, you going to check up on Mr. Buckley? Buckley? Well, yes. You've investigated two of the three men who got the silk shirts. You can't omit Buckley, can you? I suppose you're right, Patsy. We can't afford to. Oh, I wish I had that record denomined. That would probably tell us the motive. Just now, we are completely missing a motive. Well, Casper had one. But as you've said, that doesn't account for the record. No, it doesn't. Huh? What is it, Nick? Wait. I want to call Maddie. We're going in the drug show here. OK. I'll be right back. All right. Besides, Sergeant Matheson. Oh, Maddie, Nick, tell me. When you examined the prints and the dictaphone, did you find any of the smaller prints lapping over denim's prints? Why, come to think of it again, Nick. Some of the little prints were on top of denim's. Why? Thanks. I'll see you later. Goodbye. Bye, Nick. I think I know now where the missing dictaphone record is, Patsy. And when I get that, I should have the motive. And the murderer. Let's go, Nick. For goodness' sake, what did you ask to speak to the chambermaid? Because I think she has the answer. Well, what answer could she have? You'll see. You're the chambermaid who found Mr. Denom's body this morning in room 312. Yes, sir. I found him when I went in to clean the room. Did you go to room 412 this morning? Well, I did, and I didn't. That's how do you mean? Well, you see, I cleaned the rooms that's vacant in the afternoon. Deadline's 5 o'clock, so I got to get him cleaned before then. So I cleaned up 412 yesterday, like always. That's a transient room. So this morning, I opened 412 to see if somebody's been in. But when I seen it like I left it, I just didn't go in. I see. You wonder the room at all this morning. Like I told you. I just looked in and seen nobody's been in, so I locked it up again. You won't mind letting me take your fingerprints, will you? Fingerprints? What do you want them for? Just for the record. You're not scared, are you? Scared? Why should I be scared? And you won't mind if I take your prints? No, I don't. I don't guess so. How, uh, how do you do it? Just press your fingers on this little ink pad, like this. Yeah? Then press them on this pad, like this. Yeah. Eh. Do they match, Nick? Match? Match what? So you didn't go in room 412 this morning? I told you, I just... I know what you told me, now tell me the truth. You went to the door, and you went in. And you took a record of a dictaphone machine, you found it in the closet, why? Dolly, mister! Can you tell all that for my fingerprints? I can. So you better tell me the truth. All right. Well, here's what happened, and it's the gospel truth. I opened the door, like I said. Then just as I started to close it again, I heard a funny noise. I listened, and it come from the closet. I looked, and there was a funny machine there with one of them trick kinda records on it. And you took it? Yeah. I didn't think it was steel, and I just wanted to see what was on it. So I brought it down here, and when I got a chance, I was gonna play it on one of the machines in the office. But I... I've been too busy. Do you know the denim was killed for that record? Honest, mister? And if the murderer finds you've got it now, you're next. Gee, I wouldn't like that. I don't wanna be killed. And you better get me the record right now. Sure. Sure, mister. I got it hidden, one of the cleaning closets. I'll get it for you, honest. You wait right here. We'll wait. And then we'll play the record, Patsy. I got to know what's on it. Excuse Mr. Buckley, Nick. Sorry to be late, Mr. Carter, but I got held up in traffic. It's quite all right, Mr. Buckley. Now that you're all here, Buckley, Alan Casper, and Sergeant Matheson, I'll tell you why I called you together. As you know, Roger Denham was murdered this morning in his hotel room, strangled. The only real clues we had were the prints of an unusually large hand on Denham's throat and a silk shirt pocket, evidently torn off during the struggle. We traced the shirts and found that each of you three men had one or more of those shirts. Casper has no alibi for the time of the killing. Alan, according to his butler, has. And Buckley, we don't know about. If you'd asked me, I could have told you where I was. I'm sure you could, Mr. Buckley, right to the very minute, no doubt. So any one of you might have owned the shirt with a torn pocket. We had to get at it another way, motive. Which of you had the strongest motive to kill Denham? Buckley and Alan don't seem to have any reason. But Casper did. Now look here, Carter. Are you trying to pin this on me? Sit down, Casper, and wait until I finish. I won't pin murder on anyone unless it belongs there. As I said, we needed a motive. But it was only late this afternoon that Chance, plus the rational and the logical elimination of other possibilities gave me the answer. I now have the motive. And with it, the murderer. And what is it, Mr. Carter? Yes, don't keep his waiting this way. Here it is. Listen. All right, Betsy. What brings you out so early in the morning? I think you're no Denham. Stop that machine. Give me that record. What's the trouble, Mr. Allen? I said stop that machine. I don't even know. Take that record and now. I want these gentlemen to hear what it says. Can't phone you, Carter. I'll put a bullet right here. Put a bullet? No way, murderer. Give me that gun. Come on. Give it to me. That's better. All right, gentlemen. Now that Mr. Allen is quiet again, I'd like you to hear the rest of this record. Start it again, Betsy. All right. What brings you out so early in the morning? I think you know, Denham. A little matter of money. Money? What money? Do I owe you some? Hey, what is this? You trying to kid me? No, no, indeed. I just don't understand. You know, you bid on the contract for the construction of the new Buckley Building. Remember? That's right. You were not the low bidder and came in second. You were over $50,000 higher than the low bid. Right again. I reported to the board that I was convinced that the low bidder was not equipped to do this job and recommended giving it to you in spite of your price. That's very decent of you, Allen. Decent? You promised me $10,000 if I got you that contract. That's why I am here. I want half of that $10,000 now before the contract is signed. Well, Allen, I never promised to pay you to give me that contract. I don't do business that way. Why you double-crossing jib artist? You'll pay me what you promised, or that contract will never be signed. I promise you. But the board awarded it to me. On my recommendation. And they'll award it to someone else if I don't get what's coming to me. I bossed that board, and don't forget it. They do what I say. And you're going to do what you said. You order else. That's the end, Nick. That's the most incredible thing I ever heard. So, Allen, too. Mr. Allen, would you care to tell us what happened after the record was shot off? Nothing. I left at once. May I see your shirt? No. Yes. Open your vest. That's a good boy. Becky hasn't changed his shirt. His pocket's missing. Very probably. Didn't even know it was gone and all the excitement of the murder. And a further proof is needed. I believe his hands will correspond to the marks on Denim's throat. I see you have unusually large hands, Mr. Allen. Denim was a louse. He shut the machine off and told me he'd been making a record of our conversation. See, if I tried to collect what he'd promised me, he'd take the record to Buckley. I knew that would ruin me. And so I. You killed him so you could find the record, so you could destroy it. I wouldn't have believed it possible. Well, you're right about one thing. You're through. Finish, as far as I'm concerned. And as far as the state is concerned, too, the chair will finish him. That's the case, gentlemen. Oh, that's for me, Nick. Well, you bet. Who is it, you know? Oh, I'll say I do. Wait till he hears what I'm going to tell him. Oh, but I do wish somebody else would talk to me that way. Just once in a while. Hello. Nick, isn't it about time for you to give us a glimpse into next week's story? Why, I shouldn't be surprised if you were right, Ken. Well, I suppose you take over then. Right. The ingredients of my story next week are first, a man who died of heart failure but who was really murdered. A will, which was the will the old man wrote but which proved to be not the will he wrote. And a signature which was forced by a person who wanted it known it had been forged. Sounds like a fine collection of contradictions to me. What do you call it, Nick? I call it the case of the clumsy forgeries. Nick Carter, master detective, which is produced and directed by Jock McGregor, is copyrighted by Street and Smith Publications Incorporated. Pictured stories of Nick Carter appear in every issue of the Shadow Comics. In the broadcasts of Nick Carter, master detective, Lon Clark is starred as Nick. Charlotte Manson is featured as Patsy. Mattie is played by Ed Latimer. Waldo by Humphrey Davis. Original music is played by George Wright. Script is by Jock McGregor and Peggy Mayer. Any resemblance in these programs to actual persons living or dead or to actual places is purely coincidental. Nick Carter, master detective, is presented over most of these mutual stations each week at this same time. This is Ken Powell saying, so long until next week. This program was heard in Canada through the facilities of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.