 From Hollywood. It's time now for Johnny dollar John John. This is don't tell me Harry Branson at Philadelphia Mutual Yes, yes, it is listen John. I know you found his amati violin. Are you sure? But Ricardo Amarillo himself nothing and after all there's not only the twenty thousand dollar policy on him But what do you mean am I sure are you sure it was Amarillo's amati violin? I found why of good What do you mean what if it wasn't what if it was just an imitation John stop it that's in What do you mean that $30,000 well insured fiddle I picked up in the south Jersey swamps may be a phony Oh, no for heaven's sakes come over here to the office and tell me oh take it easy Harold boy until I've had time to find out a few things John. Yeah Tonight and every weekday night Bob Bailey in the transcribed adventures of the man with the action-packed Expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator. Yes, truly Johnny dollar Expense account submitted by special investigator Johnny dollar location Philadelphia, Pennsylvania To the Philadelphia Mutual liability and casually company Following is a final accounting of expenditure is incurred during my investigation of the Ricardo Amarillo matter When Ricardo Amarillo's car was hauled out of a swamp somewhere near Port Morris, New Jersey There was no sign of his body only a sword through steering arm on the car that indicated somebody had done him dirt However, I did find the fiddle the $30,000 a moddy that had helped him become one of the world's top concert violinists Anyhow with a fiddle under my arm I ended up at the shop of violin maker Eric Snowden for final confirmation that it was the genuine a moddy that I'd found This Eric confirmed However, while we were in the second floor workroom of his shop on Isminger Street talking about the fiddle somebody pounded on the Street door downstairs. Oh bother. I'll be back in a moment, Mr. Dollar And that's when I accidentally and so helping it was accidental I knocked open the door of a cabinet and discovered another violin identical in every respect with the one I'd found in the swamp at the scene of Amarillo's accidental death Okay, so I did exactly what you would have done I put the one in the cabinet into Amarillo's case and the one from the case into the cabinet One of them was the genuine a moddy But which one he was so insistent I thought he was one of my shall we say better clients as it turned out It was just a youngster who wanted to see one of the new G strings a youngster See you're joking, but now let me take this magnificent instrument Re-adjust the sound post and bridge so that no no wait mr. Snowden Hey, it's later than I thought there are some things I must do immediately suppose I come back here later very well mean time I shall make the adjustments on the Amarillo restore no no I've got to take it with me But I don't understand there are a few things in this case I don't understand right this minute, but I hope to be for very long Mr. Dolly you talk in riddles. Why don't you leave the violin? No, thanks. I'll see you later But please be careful with it if anything should happen to that priceless. Don't worry nothing will happen to it. I Found that I'd almost spoken too soon for a pounder down the stairs across the floor of the store and out of the door Without the caution the book says one should exercise when leaving a suspect in a case. I'd no sooner get on on the street It was a flower pot big enough to have killed a horse in its fall from the upper-story window ledge But I didn't wait Expense account item 14 10 cents phone called a Harry Branson at the insurance company to have the police put a man on Eric Snowden shop Immediately to make sure he wouldn't try to skip item 15 750 for a cab to the house of fiddle playing Jerry Goldsmith out in Lanark Mr. Dollar hello Goldsmith I didn't expect it Left and rather a hurry earlier. Sorry. I had to keep a date Hey, look Jerry when I was here before I'm still have the violin. Yes Yes, when I was here earlier and you played it you didn't seem to think it was really Ricardo Amarigo's amati No, no, I didn't say that at least well at least it didn't sound like it when you played it. Yes, Mr. Dollar, that's right. Oh now think a minute. You were a bit upset excited Whatever you want to call it when I brought it to you. Yes, that's true Nevertheless, and I think you were also afraid I might have suspected you of Amarigo's murder when you admitted His violin was the one thing you wanted more than anything else in life except of course to have Ricardo straighten out Become himself again become the artist again deserve to have this I don't know whatever I say seems to make it sound like a I don't know what Jerry calm down Well, yeah, I'm not trying to pin a murder rap on you calm down and do something for me. Would you? Yes, of course what here? Have you had something done to it to restore the tone it used to hasn't been touched by anyone else since I laid my hands on it But I want you to play it again. Yes, of course I will but didn't you say that some old fool with a music store cleaned it up Jerry it hasn't been touched by anyone else since I laid my hands on it Now play it All right Go ahead Jerry. It's the Amati, isn't it? Yes Yes, it's it's the Amati beautiful wonderful funny I Never realized what a violin could Can you hear me Jerry and to think it's taken something like this to lead me to a killer Expense account item 16 420 care to Philadelphia Mutual the office of Harry Branson But if you're right John, you mustn't go out there alone Don't you understand if he's the man who planned the murder of Ricardo Amarillo? He wouldn't stop it Yes, yes, I had the police put a man out there to cover his shop But John I still think it's expense account item 17 $1.60 the buck was a tip for going through a couple of red lights Back to the shop of the violin maker Eric Snowden Mr. Dolly hi, Mr. Snowden I'm afraid I left you rather abruptly a while ago mentioned Mr. Dolly at you I that near accident when you left that flower pot I don't know how it possibly could have shifted on the window ledge up on the third floor window ledge of this little Combination store workshop and home of yours that much I did notice while I was ducking it if it had come off a second floor window You know I might have suspected you of giving it a helpful shot good heavens, Mr. Dolly You can't possibly mean that I forget it for the moment, but how let's go up to your workshop on the second floor come on Yes, of course But may I ask why I want to show you something and I think you know what no I certainly don't Unless something has happened to the Amati. Oh something certainly has you damaged it since you were here. No such luck Mr. Dolly, please. What are you talking about? Okay here now tell me The truth Is this Ricardo Amarillo's Amati violin? Yes. Yes. I've told you so you're sure Of course, I'm sure you know something you want, but I am what now open that cabinet there beside your work table What's because I tell you to but but I Just what are you getting at dollar? Are you going to open it or shall I know? Get out of here. This is my shop my place you you can't do this sort of thing to me Would you rather the police did they're on their way the police? But I well There's no need to open it Ricardo Amarillo's Amati is in it. Well, that's what you're wrong This is the Amati in this case The one in the cabinet is the identical copy of the Amati that you made Yes, mr. Dollar Why Snowden? Because the loss of this priceless instrument would have been unthinkable $30,000 insurance on it money doesn't buy a violin like this It must be played by an artist by many artists like the artist Ricardo was so So when Ricardo disappeared always murdered when Ricardo disappeared I had to make sure that the Amati would would still I Didn't murder him Isn't this the hacksaw that cut the steering rod in his car? Well Snowden, isn't it? Yes No, I mean because of it and your crazy plan to keep the real Amati you and you alone are gonna take the rap for Amarillo's murder No, no, please Ricky No, sir, that's right, mr. Dollar I'm Ricardo Amarillo What the dirty drunken has been that started all this Sawed through the steering rod on my car wrecked in a swamp left some of my clothing there That phony fiddle was my idea Not to collect the insurance on it. Not that alone But to make sure it could come back again be played again by somebody that deserved to play it the way I The way perhaps one time I deserve to play it but Man disappears murder or whatever There's a fuss about it for a while and it's over but this now Now this must live This violin you will now The world will be the better for it but you and this apparent murder the insurance was my Last hope of paying back Pete Corbin my agent and the others who tried so hard to strike me out Pay back some of the money and the heartbreak they spent on me or Let your insurance company pay him back because I never could I Couldn't even leave my hiding place here in Eric's house Because I knew that sooner or later. He pity me enough to give me more of the drink that's been all I've been living for Eric God bless him Eric knew of course, but only he Be kind to him if you can Ricky that's all mr. Dollar No, but unless Will you buy me a drink before you're calling the police? Expense account item 17 850 one bottle of the best I could buy before I called in the police Hide-em-18 hotel in Philadelphia miscellaneous fare back to Hartford total expense account 182 65 remarks No insurance payment necessary on either the amati or the man and I guess he really was a man more than he knew What the courts will do about him and about Eric Snowden? Well, the courts will do and I'm glad I have to have no part in it You know it's funny Somehow I think I have a little better appreciation for music now than oh well yours truly Johnny dollar Remember there'll be another intriguing story for you beginning next Monday night next week the Duke Red matter a racehorse That can only be stopped by a killer and the killer didn't stop with horses Join us. Won't you yours truly Johnny dollar yours truly Johnny dollar starring Bob Bailey is transcribed in Hollywood It is produced and directed by Jack Johnstone who also wrote this week's story Heard in the cast were Harry Bartell Lawrence Dubkin Victor Perrin Barney Phillips forest Louis Eric Snowden Herb Vigran and James McCallion Musical supervisor and violinist Amarigo Marino Be sure to join us on Monday night same time and station for another exciting story of yours truly Johnny dollar This is Roy Rowan speaking