 Whitehall 1212 for the first time in history Scotland yard opens its official files to bring you the authentic true stories of some of its most Baffling cases Research for Whitehall 1212 comes from Percy Hoskins of the London Daily Express the stories for radio are written and directed by Willis Cooper Do brief you on case number 9 1 4 0 2 9 here is Chief Superintendent John Davidson custodian of Scotland Yards black museum Good afternoon When taken out of context the exhibits in the black museum seem often far removed from the murder cases in which they played most important parts either as clues or as actual weapons that cause someone's death Now these things here are examples You would think that a set of false teeth and up a plate to be exact and a small bottle Which once contained about two drams of petrol you would think that such a collection of items would have very little connection But I assure you you'd be wrong They both had something to do with a woman's death by murder She'd ever dreamed that these familiar things would one day encompass her death Nor could she have known they would be the death of her son whom she loved But they are here in the black museum today They've done their part in committing a crime and then in punishing it Chief Inspector Leslie Cameron under hill had a great deal to do with case number 9 1 4 0 2 9 He will tell you more about it. I Don't suppose one could say that a man has been hanged in England in a long time at least because he ran away Leaving an unpaid hotel bill But it is certainly a fact that an unpaid hotel bill was a contributing factor in this man's death No, he was not hanged because he defrauded the hotel But it is true that he might have escaped had he paid it. I Was called to Margate by authority of the Chief Constable of Kent who had asked for the CID's help on the 1st of November Inspector Charles Hatcher of the Margate police told me what was happening We've got him safe in jail and a charge of unlawfully obtaining credit We shall be able to put our hands on him when we want him. All right. I'm Don't understand what you need a CID man for and a charge like that one. Mr. Meena of inspector It isn't a mr. Meena. We want him for sir What do you want him for murder? Oh? We can't prove it of course yet So we can't charge the bladder but as long as he's in jail We can look about a bit and we're hoping that perhaps you can find out if we're right in our suspicions mr. Underhill, I'm glad you know my name inspector. Yeah, I Got the impression you thought it was home really now inspector Well, what's it all about? I know nothing of course well He did the hotel people in Metropole here in Margate out of I remember perfectly 8 pounds 13 shillings 11 pins happening food and lodging for himself and the old lady for a week Yeah, and then he got an advance of 40 pounds in their insurance was she dead of course in the fire He what fire when her room caught on fire when last week the 23rd What happens you die suffocated carbon dioxide smoke etc. Two doctors certified her dead by misadventure well then I Understand it He took her away to bury her but instead he rushed up to Norwich Buried her at Norwich her home was at great friendship, but he didn't go there. He went to Norwich Yes, yes, yes, you said then Norwich is the headquarters of the insurance company there He got an advance of 40 pounds, but he didn't bother to come back here and pay his bills Oh, I see and you went up in Pinchton. He's in jail here now awaiting trial on the fraud charge Well, then we have an idea that the old lady didn't set herself in fire accidentally You think he murdered her for her insurance with your assistance. We hope to prove that Let me tell you what we already know now excuse me Who was the old lady who got murdered? Oh, I thought I told you his mother Inspector Hatcher took me over to the jail in which the prisoner whose name I neglected to tell you was Sydney Bahola Wolf was being held in the fraud charge and I was permitted to speak to him Now I would remind you that according to the judge's rules by which all prosecutions are conducted an Officer is forbidden to speak to a prisoner on any subject concerning the crime or misdemeanor with which he is presently charged The prisoner is under no compulsion to speak except of his own free will He is warned at the time of his arrest Anything you say will be taken down in writing and may be used in evidence But he may be questioned freely on other subjects. That is not evidence. So he was brought him from his cell This is wolf chief inspector. Thank you. Hello, sir. Now. Well, I'm chief inspector under hills your name. Yes Did inspector Hatcher tell you who I am? No, sir. I Met you when you was a sergeant in the CRD seven years ago. Remember me Adwoking sir Well by I remember you Forgery wasn't wolf. I got two years for it, but it wasn't your fault did seem to me You had something to do with the wolf. Well, they said I did sit down wolf if you don't mind inspector Right ahead. Thank you, sir. Remember you've been warned wolf. Yes, sir Soft chair feels good. Not very soft. It is a softer than them back there on the cell, sir Hmm So you had your mother insured said I don't think it's a matter of record inspector. All right. Go ahead, sir What about it Sidney? Oh Wish I could have afforded more. It was only three thousand pounds Where'd you get enough money for an insurance policy? I'll generally get money when I need it badly enough How long has this policy been in force? Will you might as well tell me I can find out from the insurance company Since the 22nd of April this year you kept it paid up Yes How have you and your mother been living was I remember it you you two had a rather rough time in the past We've had that Go ahead and answer them wolf Well, I had a pension sir. Oh, yes eight shillings a week from my disability in the war. What about your mother? Well, she had ten shillings pensions a week on account of my brother Ores was killed with a London Irish rifle, sir You remember 18 shillings a week between you Well, there's other ways, sir I dare say When I was sent down last year for 15 months by mistake Well Well mother went to the Wickers when I was a darty moor. She was sick. I'm sorry and then when you got out We came up here a lot of other places before though. I Think I look up some of those other places if I were you hatcher. I'll just do that wolf When did you come here to Margaret? That ten eleven days ago. Where did you live? At the blasted metropole the place where your mother died go rest her soul Were you there when your mother was killed Sydney? I'll try to rescue her I was overcome by the smoke that was On the 22nd of October was a 22nd of October at 9 7 in the evening was your hotel bill paid then No, sir Why? Because I haven't any money Wasn't next day the 23rd the sixth month after you take now show insurance policy on your mother's life Yes, did you have the money to pay that? No, sir, and so she died Wasn't there double indemnity in case of accidental death Sydney wasn't it? I think so Curious coincidence isn't it harsher what? She was killed on the last day her insurance policy was good Wasn't she said me you're accusing me of murder in my mother. Uh-huh. I didn't I Didn't I didn't have anything to do with it. How can you say such a thing? Why Sydney you were the one who said it I I didn't you can't make me say I did I didn't do it. It's a dirty lie She died of her own self a suffocation. She did what I even try to pull it out That's true inspector. Did you sit me? Why all but got my own self suffocated in the smoke He did get quite a lung full of smoke I nearly got myself killed. Well, let's not scream and shout Sydney. I Want to know what happened when your mother died if you please? She was Reading the newspaper. I told you you didn't tell me that what? Well, I've told everyone else She was reading the newspaper and the paper caught fire from the gas heater. You said she was suffocated So she was When does paper make enough smoke to cause suffocation? Well, there was a lot of smoke chief inspector enough to cause a person's death Do you suppose well the easy chair caught on fire too? I saw it out to the fire brigade put it out It was burned quite badly made a lot of smoke her clothes were burned too. I expect well I don't recall that they were must have fallen away from the chair. That's right sir She fell out of the chair away from the flames mother wasn't bended all suffocated by the smoke That's what the doctor said Where were you sitting? I? Wasn't Unconscious he was knocked out by the smoke. What did you do Sydney when you discovered the smoke? Huh first I mean oh Why I Ran into the room. I've been taken 40 winks in my room next door and I'll See my mother lying there through the smoke is through the smoke. Yes, sir. Where was she lying? Alongside the chair Go on Well, I tried to drag her out and to the hallway. No, sir. I threw my room next door, but she was so heavy and I was coughing so Couldn't so I'd staggered out into my room and closed the door and left your mother lying there in the smoke what? Well, sir, I was fair perishing. I was your mother wasn't she? Well, sir, I Didn't think you left your mother unconscious on the floor of a smoke filled room with the door closed in the place on fire What I I tell you I didn't think I Like to ask you something else, Sydney. Yes, sir What would you have done? If your mother hadn't died What sir you hadn't any money had you either of you I hadn't thought of that sir All right, Sydney, that's all for now Don't you want me to send him away a hatcher if you please I'll talk to him again later, right come along waltz Yes, sir Take him away constable. What's gonna happen to me now, sir? You're going to be tried for defrauding a hotel keeper If they don't decide to hang you The crime of matricide is probably the most atrocious one I can think of Because of its enormity it's even more important that a man suspected of it be protected from Gases and inferences guilt or innocence must be established within a reasonable doubt before a man can be accused It behooves those who pursue crime and criminals to walk softly. I Talked to the man a mr. Adam gun who carried Mrs. Wolf's body out of the hotel room the night of the fire Adam gun that's the name sir Fredon Eden mr. Gunn you're a guest of the metropole hotel. Hey, I understand You carried the body of that mrs. Wolf out of the fire the right. Hi, sir. I am that man. Was she dead then? I think she was sir at least when the doctor examined her after I laid her body on the pavement He said she was of suffocation. So he said sir Was she burned her clothing or anything? Well, she didn't appear to be sir She was lying on the bed when I came in I thought she was lying on the floor. I Was the one that went in the room inspector She was lying on the bed a good six or seven feet away from where the fire was smoldering and smoldering What was burning? Well, the bottom of the chair appeared to be sir and some papers beneath it and the carpet. Oh I don't know about that sir. The room was quite full of smoke. Oh, it's no wonder. She was suffocated Arnie Lee was you had to open the door to get in. Hey, you saw no signs of her having been burned No, she was unconscious though. Hey Where was mrs. Wolf's son? Oh him. Oh, he was yammering on the hearing out in the hallway I got that the smoke had overcome him. He didn't say his mother was inside With the doors closed I the one to the hall was locked with the one to her son's room was only just shut and you are sure She was unconscious at the time you found it Okay, she was unconscious enough What's what's funny? Well, I wouldn't say anything ill of the dead, but I think the old lady died happy Well, what do you mean mr. Gunn? She was lying on an empty whiskey bottle sir. She was drunk I Talked with dr. Edmund Whitaker the physician would examine mrs. Wolf. Yes, I examined her Immediately after a choose brought out of the room. I Was passing by on my way home from my odd fellow's lodge and I you certified that she died of suffocation Hmm of heart failures you put induced by the effects of suffocation. Yes was her heart week She was 67 years of age Do you have evidence that she suffered from heart disease dr. Whitaker, but I had already prescribed medicines for that sir She had a very bad heart. She was not burned. Huh? No, sir that I can be sure of too. Well, could Could anything else have induced a heart attack of this type dr. Well? The whole effect of the shock might have sir Could drink have done it. What in my opinion? No Could carbon monoxide poisoning of course her death what well undoubtedly carbon monoxide poisoning might have yes The fact that I certified suffocation in this case implies that carbon monoxide was present and had a great deal to do with her death I'm not cross-examining you dr. Whitaker. I I'd like to know if she breathed carbon monoxide and sufficient quantities to kill her One breathes in the presence of a fire of this sort my dear sir one must necessarily breathe carbon monoxide Then there is even now Carbon monoxide and traceable quantities in her body. Well Unquestionably sir the inner passages of the woman's lungs will be coated with soot and smoke and the mere process of breathing would introduce Carbon monoxide into her blood that you didn't look to see of course not That would have required a post mortem operation and I saw no need whatever for that Besides, I'm not a surgeon. Do you suppose dr. Whitaker that you could supply me with the name of a competent surgeon Yes, sir. No in great friendship. Hmm Why that's where the woman was buried Precisely my dear doctor Wasn't necessary to find a surgeon a great friendship I asked the home office and they sense a Hubert Crosby the best known of the home office pathologists up there a Crew of local laborers conducted the exhumation The body was taken to a room and a temporarily vacant school building for the post mortem While Crosby went to work with his assistant Hatcher and I studied the blackboards in the adjacent room Takes me back to my kid days. Well, it doesn't take me back to mine. Why not, sir? We didn't have dead people in our school room Come to think of it. I don't believe we did either did have a master. We often wish dead. Yes, one of those in every school I wish that hotel manager hadn't been in such a hurry. What are you talking about? I went over there yesterday to have a look at the room where the old lady was burned up She was suffocated sir kill let's say till Crosby finds out. I went over there to have a look and the Blight has got it all repaired already that helps got new flooring put in Carpet before the gas fire replaced the burn chair thrown out everything cleaned up like new. What were you looking for? Evidence old man remember. Oh, I Wonder if he threw it on the corporation dump. He didn't say like me to find a telephone and call him Why if you would and if you did I'll put a console or two onto the dump to see what they can find Shall I do ask them to bring back anything at all that they can find right? Oh back at once And I'd better see someone from the fire. I didn't hear me. Oh, well if they find anything Oh, hello sir. You would found out anything. I thought I had someone come in. No, it was Hatcher going out Find anything yet? I mean and see. Oh, thank you. Well Fine watch is dead. Yeah, what you dialed. I don't know yet. Oh, man. I can tell you what she didn't dial What? application I Musted up courage enough to open the door where Crosby was holding his post mortem and went in How do you know I asked look here? Oh come closer man. She won't hurt you and where the forceps here See here That sir That's her throat Excellent old chap now. I ask you to look very carefully I had that for Maldehyde bothers you brief through some cotton wool See there isn't a sign of sort or smoke discoloration on the inside of the mouth passages If she'd breathe smoke at all unless the passages have been carefully cleansed there'd be unmistakable signs of it here and Here and here you see Apparently she didn't breathe any smoke at all Well, what does that mean then it could mean she was dead when the fire started Are you sure? Amamons testing a sample of blood over there for traces of carbon monoxide find any yet a woman no indication so far Sir, and if we can't find any then we know she was dead when the fire started. I Don't know what killed her yet. Sure of one thing though What's that? She was full of alcohol when she did die. What does that indicate? She didn't know either So Hubert Crosby returned to London and his laboratory that night With certain specimens he wanted to examine more thoroughly and the remainder of the body of Mrs. Rose Wolf was reburied in the church yard a great friendship. I Went back to Margate with Inspector Hatcher who told me that the corporation dump was already being examined a man from the fire brigade Called of me early the next morning and Well, he wasn't much help Yes, he'd been at fire. No, he hadn't seen body. No, nothing had been burned except few scraps of newspaper under easy chair Well, how about the carpet between the gas fire where it started in the chair? Hadn't been damaged at all. Not at all. I said not at all. He remembered that Well, that was strange So Hubert Crosby telephoned me. I'm not sure. Wait. I'll ask Hatcher. Hatcher Did Mrs. Wolf wear false teeth? I'm sure she did. Yes. I don't see you but Hatcher says she did Where are they Hatcher? I mean, wasn't she wearing them? Wasn't she wearing them? Well, we'll look around I I don't mean to be impertinent Hubert, but does it really make any difference. I'm afraid I don't quite get it, sir Yes, and she swallowed them what happened then sir almost time to talk to Sydney Wolf again I told Inspector Hatcher the information about him being up for obtaining unlawfully has gotten to the police cassette They'll be wanted in half the towns in England when we get through them if we do forgery too. I Picked him up for that once as I remember offering false checks defrauding hotel keepers He and his mother both They've been living on their wits for years. What was he up for just before he came here? Seems he went to visit a widow friend of his mother and walked out one evening after she'd gone to bed They got him for one then walked out thoughtfully leaving the gas turned on She hadn't waked up and smelled it. He would have been down a wandsworth long before this I think he'll be there soon enough. I think we'd better telephone the metropole They should have some information for now. Oh the hotel there sir Come in Constable Harris serve from the corporation dump. Yes, sir. What'd you find out? We found a lady's dress, sir Here. Oh, where was it? Well, they throw the rubbish from the fire exact spot the hotel dustman said He remembered this dress to Recognized it in fact, who's is it? Mrs. Wolf sir. He says. Oh, you'd seen her wearing it that very day She always stopped and had a word of greeting from him. Is he sure about yes, sir? He'll testify to it. Oh, excuse me Specter on the hill here. Where were they? Are you sure they're the ones? Good Send them over here at once Thank you. Thank you very much I beg your pardon. Oh you have hers, of course Would you send it over to please? Yes. Yes right away. Thank you What is it, sir? Let's have wolf in here, right? Now go out and get him Harris. Yes, sir What was it sir hotel people called us they found something. Oh, what? Let's let Sidney wolf try to guess Hello Sidney bring him in here Harris. Oh No, no, no, no, no, don't sit down Sidney. We won't keep you long. I don't know anything. We'll see Where are your mother's false teeth? You remember now, don't you Sidney? She had them on. No, she didn't You know perfectly well She always removed them and put them in a glass of water before she went to bed She had them on she didn't go to bed. She was sitting in the armchair not after she drank the whiskey Sidney The whiskey you bought her for a present. I didn't You knew she'd go right to sleep Didn't you Sidney after all that whiskey that she wasn't used to I never gave her didn't you But I didn't kill her you said she was lying on the floor She was lying on the bed Drunk unconscious No wearing a dressing gown her dress hung up quite peacefully No, I say quite unconscious from the liquor her son gave her and choked to death with her son's hand No, it's true inspector hatcher Then he went over and set the fire that he claimed killed. Oh, yes. Yes. Yes. Yes We found the bottle of petrol your mother used to clean that dress and it's empty now Her insurance was due to expire and you didn't have much time. So you killed her Choked her with her own false teeth. I didn't we can prove it Sidney You said your mother was wearing her teeth. She was I've seen them. I tell you so you did Sidney when you choked her You didn't notice they dropped out of her mouth afterwards. Did you They found them on the floor behind the bed No, Sidney won't wash I Arrest you on the charge of murdering your mother and I warn you that anything you say will be taken down and maybe used in evidence Will you have this man taken away from here inspector? Yes, of course. He was found guilty He was hanged at Wandsworth 37 days later, I wonder if the Lord did have mercy on his soul Heard today in the order of their appearance on Whitehall 1212 were Harvey Hayes Horace Brayham Winston Ross Lester Fletcher Pat O'Malley, Ronald Long, Carl Harbert and Edward Ashley Whitehall 1212 is written and directed by Willis Cooper There's a critical shortage of scientific and engineering manpower American industry will need 30,000 engineers annually for the next decade and only about half of this need will be supplied according to present estimates The engineering manpower commission of engineers joint council urges the American public to consider the scope and the seriousness of this problem and Consider also the effect it will have on the nation's economy You high school students are urged to consider careers in science and engineering and Consider the advantages of engineering training for positions of leadership in many many fields This is NBC the national broadcasting company