 And now the Mole Mystery Theater, presented by M-O-L-L-E. Mole, the heavier brushless shaving cream for tender skin. Good evening. This is Jeffrey Barnes, welcoming you to the program that presents the best in mystery and detective fiction. More than a year ago, we presented on this program a hard-hitting detective story entitled, Murder in the City Hall. I received many letters from you fans telling me how pleased you are with that story. And I wasn't surprised, but that story was based on a novel that entitled, Spanish Blood, written by one of the greatest of the modern mystery writers, Raymond Chandler, author of The Big Sleep and of the recent hit motion picture, Murder, My Sweet. Well, tonight we're going to repeat that fine story. So here it is, Raymond Chandler's Murder in the City Hall. Well, say Mr. Barnes, before we get started, let's turn the clock back to hate o'clock this morning. You know, hate o'clock? The time of morning that lots of men hate because they have to shave? That is, except the man who shaved with Mole, the heavier brushless shaving cream. Yes, sir, with Mole, it's smooth. So smooth. It's slick. So slick. It's a smooth, smooth, slick, slick shave you get with M-O-L-L-E. Mole, the heavier brushless cream for tender skins. That's right. Mole is the shaving cream that's heavier, the cream that's made for a wiry hard-to-cut beard or tender skin. Because Mole is heavier, it not only softens your whiskers, it stands them up straighter and lets your razor clip them off close and clean. So you shave faster, closer, easier, and you shave painlessly with Mole, the heavier brushless cream for tender skins. Mole. Now for tonight's Mole mystery, Murder in the City Hall. Down this corridor, Sam, it's the end office. Can you beat it, Sam? Bumping off Donoghan Marr. Boy, will this make trouble down at City Hall. Right, Pete. Two months till election and one of the candidates for judge is dead as a doornail. We went to school together, Donnie and me. Carried the torch for the same girl. He won. He always did. He's a great guy. Here, Sam, we turn down this way. Yeah, yeah. Donnie Moore was a great guy till he got into politics. And he changes, got mixed up with the mud. He bought up politics. That's my motto. Something happened to his marriage, too. What kind of sour. I feel sorry for his wife, Belle. Still carrying the torch for us, Sam? Yeah, maybe. Here we are. All right, officer, Lieutenant Sam Delle Garra and Pete Marcus have homicide taking over. Here's the body. Slumped over in his chair with two bullet holes in his chest. Anybody hear the shot, Pete? No. The office is probably soundproof. Who reported the killing? The secretary. She went to lunch an hour early today. When she came back, she found this and phoned the police and Mar's wife. Where's she now? The secretary. He sent her home. She was getting hysterical. Look, Pete, here's a gun in his hand. Hmm. Well, it hasn't been used, probably his own. Don't see any empty shells any place, Sam. Whoever did it must have been smart enough to pick up the shells. Here's his appointment plan. Hmm. Somebody named Imley was due here at 12.15. It's 1.30 now. Who's Imley? Wait a minute, sure. There's an assistant DA named Imley on Big Boss Master's ticket running for judge against Mar. Sam, you don't think... I don't know what to think yet. Maybe take a look at this writing on the pad. Hmm. Pretty shaky, isn't it? Yeah, very shaky, just as... Hello, boys. Good afternoon, Mr. Karner. How are you, Dad? Well, well. An important stiff this time, yes? Well, let's see what we can make of it. Two slugs, eh? Small ones. Looked like about 25 caliber. A lady's gun. Close to the heart, but not touching. Must have died about an hour ago. About 12.30. Maybe a minute or two after he was shot. You don't have to be so cheerful about it. Here they are. What, Sam? Missing shells. A murderer hid them in the humidor there under some cigar butts. Oh, let's see them. Yep, just as I thought. 25 caliber shells from a small gun. Like maybe a woman would use. I got it. Hello? Oh, oh, yes, commissioner. This is Lieutenant Pete Marcus. Yeah? Uh, no, nobody's been here but the coroner. Hold everything that you get her, sure thing. No, no printer, cameraman. You had only me and Sam Delaguera. Yeah. Yes, sir. Hey, Sam, the commissioner wants to talk to you. Hello, commissioner. Sure. What am I doing on the case? Well, I was just standing around, they sent me over. Well, sure I knew Donnie more, but it didn't room with him. Okay, commissioner, you're the boss. Right away. Pete, you've got to take care of things till the commissioner gets here. Me? What about you? He's ordered me to take a run up to Maher's cabin at Puma Lake. Don't tell anybody, only I'm calling on Donnie's wife first. What's the idea of sending you off like this? My guess is that he doesn't want me working on this case. Oh, Mr. Sam. Maher sure is good you came. Many I'm sorry about what's happened, but I've got to see Mrs. Maher right away. Oh, sure. Come on in, sir. No reporters yet? Oh, no, sir. Nobody ain't been here yet. Only the commissioner, he just phoned about five minutes ago. The commissioner phoned here? Well, yes, Mr. Sam. What'd he say? Well, I don't rightly know, Mr. Sam. He talked to Mrs. Maher. And she ain't said a word even to me ever since she heard the awful news. She just stands around like she's dead. Well, I'll go on into her. And don't talk to anybody many. Don't say anything, Bill. Oh, Sam. Sam, I don't know what to say. It's all so terrible. I know, I know. Donnie was in a tough racket, Bill, and when you play with fire... Who killed him, Sam? That's the important thing. Have you any idea? Well, there might be one suspect. A man or woman? A man, somebody connected with the master's gang. Donnie was running against. Oh, what's this rotten city government coming to? Bill, are you really so sorry Donnie's killed? Why do you ask that? I want to know. Yes. Yes, I am sorry, Sam. I really am. I didn't think I could be, but now that he's dead... I knew something went wrong between you two. Donnie had been running around with a fast crowd. Other women... Please, I'd rather not talk about it. Just as you say. What did the commissioner just say to you on the phone? Oh, how do you know he called? Well, let's not go into that, Bill. What did he say? Well, it seems that a man named Imly, one of Donnie's opponents in the election, had been mixed up with a nightclub singer called Stella Lamotte. The commissioner found some rather... sensational pictures of Imly and Stella in Donnie's desk drawer. What? Why, he's crazy. Pete and I looked. We never saw any pictures. The commissioner thinks Donnie was trying to blackmail Imly into withdrawing from the race. Evidently, he and Donnie had quite a row, and Imly beat him to the drawer. Do. Do you believe that, Bill? I... I don't know what to believe. Bill, do you want me to do anything about this? Oh, I do, Sam, I do. Donnie's eyes stare at me from the walls wherever I look. How about giving me the keys to his cabin up at Puma Lake? Why? I've been ordered to go up there and look around. Certainly, Sam, you can have the keys. But wait just a moment. I'm going with you. You know what I think, Bill? You're sending me up to Puma Lake to get me out of the way down there. Who's they? Oh, the commissioner and behind him, boss masters. Sam, do you think big boss masters might have had Donnie killed? Oh, no, Bill, that doesn't add up. Why not? Because masters would never have allowed Imly to become involved in such a thing. Imly was running on master's tickets. Well, then you don't think Imly is the murderer? I don't know. Oh, it might be just what the commissioner says it is. A quarrel over those pictures of Imly and Stella Lamotte. After all, Donnie might have threatened a blackmail Imly. Well, Donnie's done a lot of things lately. I haven't been proud of. Well, here we are at the cabin. See, a lonely little place. When was Donnie up here last? No, I don't know. He was always coming up here for conferences. At least he said he was coming here. Well, no, he's around. Let's see what I can find. I'll come along with you, Sam. No, Bill, no. No, you wait here in the car. You can turn on the radio if you like. I'll be right back. Take it easy, Kim. Calm down. I'll be all right. We interrupt this program to bring you the latest bulletin on the city hall murder of Donnie and Mar. The police are now working on the theory that Mar was killed in a quarrel resulting from pressure which he was putting on his rival, assistant district attorney Imly, in order to force his withdrawal from the coming municipal election. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Imly, but a present Imly's whereabouts are unknown. Keep tuned to this station for further bulletins. Come on, Bill, we're getting back to town. You find anything, Sam? Let's get going, and I'll tell you on the way. You did find something. You can tell by the expression on your face. Well, something I wasn't supposed to find. What? A dead man. A bullet through his temple. Sam, who is it? Imly. Imly? Yeah, and he's been dead for hours, at least since last night. But, but Donnie was killed this morning. That means that... Imly couldn't have killed Donnie, exactly. Then, who did? That's what I'm gonna find out. As the curtain falls on Act One of tonight's Bollay Mystery, it looks as though Mar and Imly don't stand much chance of being elected. Now? Well, thank you, Mr. Seymour. Well, Mr. Barnes, would you believe it if I told you that there are plenty of men who'd be willing to change places with either of them? Dad. Well, almost, anyway. For instance, there's the fellow who'd sooner be shot at than shaved. And say, man, if you don't believe it, chances are you have wiry whiskers or a tender skin. So try Mollay. The heavier brushless shaving cream for tender skins. Mollay gives you a shave as smooth as sailing, as slick as a whistle. Yes, Mollay is a heavier cream. The cream that not only softens your whiskers, but holds them up straight as corn stalks while your razor cuts them down quickly, easily. With Mollay, you shave faster, closer, easier, and you shave painlessly. Try it. See if you don't say, It's smooth. So smooth. It's slick. So slick. It's a smooth, smooth, slick, slick shave you get with M-O-L-L-E. Mollay, the heavier brushless shaving cream for tender skins. Mollay. Now here is Jeffrey Barnes and Act 2 of Mollay. Now here is Jeffrey Barnes and Act 2 of Murder in the City Hall. Young police lieutenant, Sam Dellegarra, suspects that the city's political machine is behind the murder of his old friend, Donagan Marr. The police believe that the machine candidate for the judgeship, a man named Imlay, committed the killing in self-defense. But Dellegarra knows Imlay could not possibly have killed Donagan Marr. Now he returns to police headquarters. Good thing you're back already. The commissioner wants to see you. Yeah, and I want to see him, too. Listen, Pete, but you and Marr's office were no stellar-the-mart photographs were found. Yeah, but I didn't find him. The commissioner did. Did you see him find him? No, but I don't think he planted him, if that's what you mean. That's exactly what I meant. Now, look, Marr has murdered. So the voters are going to think Big John Masters had him killed because he was giving the political machine a run for the money. You don't think that, do you, Sam? No, I don't. But even if the killing had no political meaning, Masters and his machine would have to clean this killing up fast or else. And if they can pin the killing on Imlay, the case is a cinch, and Masters gets all the votes. How do you figure that? Masters and the commissioner pin the killing on Imlay. You get it? But they do it so it looks like Marr was blackmailing him. So Marr's a villain, and Imlay's practically a hero because he's shot in self-defense. Good Lord, Sam, you don't think... Ah, there you are, Delegara. Evening, Commissioner. One of my officers here, I want to talk to you. Find anything up at Puma Lake? I wasn't supposed to, was I? This is no time to be making cracks. You're on the carpet. Well, what's up? You didn't do a very good job up at Marr's office this morning. You said you went over it, and yet you failed to find the photographs Marr had in his desk. So you walk in and find him immediately. That'll be enough, Delegara. Then when I order you up to Puma Lake, you stop by and pick up Marr's widow and take her along with you. Oh, word certainly gets around fast, doesn't it? What's wrong with my taking Mrs. Marr up there? Never mind. The trouble with you, Delegara, is that you're always too quick on the trigger, too fast on the pickup of your own good. That doesn't fit in with what the department expects of you. I suppose you're trying to say that you want my bag? That's right. Okay. Here it is. You're being suspended for a hearing, Delegara. And to lay off the Marr case. That's it, isn't it? There isn't any Marr case. Imley has admitted the shooting through his attorney. Claims self-defense. He'll surrender the morning. Oh, Imley admits the murder, huh? Yes. My advice to you is to relax a bit. Stop trying to blame everything on the political machine in the city. Pay a little more attention to being a good cop. That's a trouble, Commissioner. As a good cop, I can add up a few things I know about this case, and they don't make sense. But I can promise you one thing. The killer of Dornigan Marr isn't going to get off unpunished. Who's there? It's me, Sam Delegara. Hello, Joey. Okay, Copper. Come in. What do you want? I got $100 for you. This ain't Christmas. Why? You know a girl named Stella Lamont. I don't know. I might... Well, you ought to. Stella Lamont's only her stage name. Her real name, Stella Chill. She's your sister. So what? What about her and assistant DA named Imley? Nothing. You better talk fast, Joey. You're going to be sorry. Stella's accused of the killing of Donnie Marr. She'd have even knew Marr. But she did know Imley. But what's wrong with that? She was playing him for a shakedown. Yeah, tell me more. Stella and a guy named Torebo were working together on it. He put Stella up to it. So she put some drops in Imley's liquor and he passed out. Then she and Torebo set up those pictures. She put an arm around his neck and put a bottle of liquor in his hand. And just like a dame, she gets scared and spills the whole thing to me. Why'd she get scared? She got to like Imley. She was afraid Torebo might rub him out. So I followed Torebo. And I was in a shudder. After a while I trailed him to Big John Master's apartment. I see. Did I get my hundred bucks? That listen's good so far. What do you make of it, Joey? Only that Stella didn't kill Marr. Imley must have done it. Where can I find Stella? I think maybe she's left town. Just like I'm going to do. It ain't healthy for me and it's not. Get your hands up over your head, both of you. Get away, copper. Keep your back turned. No, no, I... I don't know you. That's why I'm here, Torebo. I want to get acquainted with you. Shall I come in? Why not? You're halfway in already. Yeah. Well, a nice little place you got here, Torebo. Must be in the money. Did you come here just to admire my apartment? No, but I might as well as long as I'm here. Who are you anyway? Take a look at my back. Have you ever seen it before from a broken window? What's the matter? Are you nuts? You've been out of here in the last half hour? Who cares? You've been doing any shooting, Torebo, with a stool pigeon named Joey Chills? No. All right, little girl, who are you? Shut up, Stella, and get back in the other room. I'm Stella Lamotte. I'm Joey's sister. Don't tell me he's been killed. About 20 minutes ago, he was telling me all about what... There. How do I keep that copper quiet? Torebo, what do you know about Joey being killed? What do you mean? What do I know? Who killed him? How do I know? You've got to talk fast, Torebo. You've got to tell me where you were a half hour ago. Shut up, Stella. Get on the phone and get master's here in a hurry. This is Jeffrey Barnes again. In just a moment, we'll return you to act three of murder in the city hall. 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Buy double dandrine at your druggist. Mr. Masters, he's coming too. All right, still all right. Pretty tough lieutenant, isn't he, Durybaugh? Too tough for his own good. Come on, copper, sit up here. Well, quite a reception, huh? Well, boss Masters is himself. What's the idea? All right, Delegate. From now on, I'll do the asking. What do you want coming here to Torebo's apartment? I was looking for Stella Lamart. Why? I want to find out who killed Donnie Maher. What's there to find out? Imley has confessed to his attorney that he killed Maher. Why hasn't he appeared and made his own confession? We expect him to do that in a day or two. Only he won't, because he's dead, lying flat on his face in that cabin up at Puma Lake. Imley? Dead? He can't be. And what's more, he was dead before Maher was killed. He couldn't have killed Maher. Well, a girl of what you say is sure. Sure. Imley probably went up to talk with Maher as soon as he got one of those pictures you had to Rebo fake. Why wouldn't he? Well, he went to see Maher last night and not this morning. He must have got into a fight and Imley got killed. You mean Maher killed Imley? Who else could have done it up there? And who killed Maher? Yeah, who killed Maher? How about it, Masters? Oh, why should I have Maher murdered? You must have had those pictures of Stella here planted in Maher's desk. All right, Delegate. We did plant those pictures. We had to do that. Only now I... Now it won't work, because Imley is dead. Delegate, I'll pay you five grand if you can find me the murder of Imley. How much did you know about the case? Several things. First, Maher evidently got a fake phone call from someone making an appointment for Imley at 12.15 today. Now that must have scared Maher if he knew he'd killed Imley the night before. So what could he do under the circumstances? I stall, of course. Send his office girl off to lunch. Put his gun where he could reach it in a hurry. Be all set for trouble. And when his 12.15 visitor arrived, he got his gun out. But he didn't use it. So what? I'm not sure yet. But Maher was no slouch with a gun, and he was on edge. He was all set. Why didn't he shoot? Why? Because there was a woman who called on him? A woman? You mean Stella here, because she loved Imley, even though she started to frame him. Why, you dirty... No, I didn't kill Maher. Come on, Stella. Talk. You must have known that Maher was going to blackmail your boyfriend. Sure, Stella. You lousy... Look out! This is for you, Torebo. You killed Joey. Why, you little... No, Torebo! I got him. Didn't I? Yes, Stella. I don't mind kicking off myself. Only... Yes, Stella. You got to believe me. When I say I didn't kill Maher, somebody else did that job. Mr. Sam. Hello, Minnie. Where's Mrs. Maher? In the other room. She's just sitting there in the ocean. Okay, okay. Sam, I've been waiting and waiting. What... What's happened? Stella Lamar just killed a skunk by the name of Torebo. The case is officially closed, I guess. A tendonis murder on Torebo somehow. A bien inqueste, of course, investigations. Plus, a lot of people shooting their mouths off don't warn in on the publicity. Now, papers will play it up big for a while. But as far as the police are concerned, the case is tied up in a package. Oh, Sam, I'm so glad it's all over. Yes. Only I'm pretty sure now a woman really killed down me. A woman? Yes, Belle. But they'll never know who. Oh, one of those women he'd been running around with. Maybe. What makes you think a woman killed him? Because he was shot with a small gun, such as a woman might use. Sam, that doesn't prove it was a woman. No, not exactly. For a while, I was sure Stella Lamotte might have killed him. But she didn't? No, I'm positive of that. Her dying words to me tonight were that she didn't kill Donnie. And you believed her. Oh, Sam, how could you take the word of her? I had to believe her, Belle. The caliber of her gun didn't match the shells I found in Donnie's office. And then on my way here, I began adding up all the clues. Then you know who killed Donnie. And I, right away, Belle, the coroner said that. And Donnie had nerve. He tried to protect someone. Someone very close to him, Belle. And the writing on his appointment pad was pretty shaky. He must have written him lay's name on the pad afterwards when he was alone and dying. Maybe Donnie was sorry how he had treated you, Belle. What? Anyway, he wanted to shield you. All right, Sam. It was the horrible kind of women he went around with. I was desperate. I had to stop him. Downtown, I like the cases it stands now. Nobody will ever figure out who killed Donnie. I'll get my police job back, all right? And you, Belle, you're going to do what Donnie wanted you to do. Do? Do what, Sam? You're going to suffer, Belle, the way you're already suffering. No, no, Sam, I can't stand it. You're going to suffer the way Donnie wanted you to suffer. You're going right on living with the memory of how you killed him until you've really paid. A hard way. No, Sam, I'm not. I couldn't bear that. I'll give myself up. Okay, Belle. Let's get going. And now this is Jeffrey Barnes again, inviting you to be with us next week when we present the greatest modern mystery classic of them all, when Lynn Williams' famous play and motion picture, Night Must Fall, and as guest star, Miss Virginia Field, star of the Broadway hit Doe Girls and the motion picture, Waterloo Bridge. And now this is Dan Seymour saying good night until next Friday at this same time when the Mystery Theater presents Night Must Fall. Tonight's Mystery Theater presentation came to you from Radio City in New York. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.