 It's time now for Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons. Ladies and gentlemen, Allison and Collinos present Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons. One of the most famous characters of American fiction in one of radio's most thrilling dramas. Tonight and every Thursday at the same time, the famous old investigator takes from his file and brings to us one of his most celebrated missing persons cases. Tonight's transcribed case is entitled The Skull and Crossbones Murder Case. Here is something you should know if you ever suffer from the sudden pain of headaches, neuritis, or neuralgia. It is a way to ease the pain, often within a few minutes. A way that is incredibly fast and effective. It's anison. Anison is like a doctor's prescription. That is, it contains not just one, but a combination of medically proven, active ingredients and easy to take tablet form. Thousands of people were first introduced to anison through their own physicians or dentists. For today, it is in such a widespread use that all drug counters have it and anyone may enjoy its benefits. Next time you suffer from the pains of a headache, neuritis, or neuralgia, by all means try anison. You'll like the convenience of anison tablets and you'll be delighted with anison's incredibly fast action. For most effective relief, use only as directed. A-N-A-C-I-N, Anison, ask for it today at your drug est. Now for Mr. Keen and The Skull and Crossbones Murder Case. Our scene opens in a handsome mansion that fronts both Fashionable Fifth Avenue and a side street in New York. An elderly man and his young wife are just finishing their dinner and are being served by a housekeeper, a woman with graying hair. The diners are eating quietly but somehow there's an air of brooding in the large and well-furnished dining room, as if in prophecy of trouble. Will you have a piece of pie, Mr. Barker? No, thank you, Emily. But it's your favorite pie, Lemuel. Aren't you feeling well? I'm quite all right, Audrey. I'll just have some coffee. I'll pour it for you, Mr. Barker. Thank you, Emily. Lemuel, something's been bothering you this evening. Not really, my dear. I wish you'd tell me. I can see you're worried. Let's finish our coffee, Audrey, and we'll discuss it inside. Frankly, I have something on my mind. Audrey, it's coffee! Lemuel! Lemuel, what's the matter? Lemuel! What's happened, Mrs. Barker? My husband, he's fainted. His eyes! Mrs. Barker, look at his eyes! He hasn't fainted. He's dead! When the police took my husband's body for an autopsy, Mr. Keen, they found he'd been poisoned. A very powerful poison had been put in the coffee he drank. A poison that reacted in a matter of seconds. You were fortunate not to have drunk some of that poisoned coffee yourself, Mrs. Barker. Well, Emily Cross, our housekeeper, served Lemuel my husband first. He'd drunk his coffee before I was starting to drink mine. Otherwise I wouldn't be here now telling you and your partner, Mr. Clancy, my story, and asking for your help. And the police believe it was not accidental poisoning but murder? Yes, Mr. Keen. And they believe they have a suspect in the case, but they have to find her first. Are you referring to your housekeeper? Yes. Emily Cross left the house before the police arrived and she hasn't been seen since. Well, sure, and that's pretty good proof that she's trying to hide something. Yes, Mike, it is. Mr. Keen, I've come here to ask you to help find Emily Cross. I owe it to my husband to do everything I can to find his murderer and do justice to his memory. A memory that I'll always keep with me as long as I live. You were fond of your husband, weren't you, Mrs. Barker? We hadn't been married very long, Mr. Keen, only a year, but it was one of the happiest years of my life. If I knew one week ago what I know now, maybe I could have saved him. But he only tried to tell me when it was too late. Your husband tried to tell you what, Mrs. Barker? The evening lamiol was poisoned. He seemed to be very worried about something. Yes, yes, you mentioned that before. After the police came, Mr. Keen, we found out what was on his mind. In his pocket was a small label, and on the label was a picture of his skull and crossbones. Since preservice, a skull and crossbones? Where did it come from? My husband had evidently gotten it as a warning, Mr. Clancy, and that's what he was worried about. Do you have that label by any chance, Mrs. Barker? Police have it, Mr. Keen. All right, I'll check with them about it. Police feel that it might have been sent to my husband by Emily Cross, our housekeeper, as part of some kind of a black mailing scheme. How did they come to that conclusion? Well, I had to tell them the truth about Emily, even though I knew how bad it would make things look for her. The truth? She'd been keeping house for lamiol for eleven years. Lamiol came to New York originally from Nevada where he made a fortune in silver and retired when he was about forty-five. He bought the townhouse on Fifth Avenue and lived in it alone until a year ago when he married me. Emily Cross and another servant took care of the house. I see. Before our marriage, Lamiol had been a bachelor, and I think Emily had hoped that one day... Well... Did he marry her? Yes, Mr. Keen. I knew Emily resented me from the very beginning although she never dared to show it. For my part, I tried to get along with her knowing that Lamiol wanted peace and quiet in his home. In other words, Mrs. Barker, the police think the housekeeper Emily Cross wanted to marry your husband for his money. When she failed, she tried to blackmail him out of a large sum. That's what they think, Mr. Keen. Well, sure there might be more than one angle to it, boss. I agree with my partner, Mrs. Barker. This case may not be as simple as it sounds. Now, what about your husband's friends and acquaintances? Do you know of anyone who bore a grudge against him? Oh, no, Mr. Keen. No one. Lamiol led a quiet life and a simple one in spite of our wealth. He had only one living relative, a nephew named Peter Hunt. Certainly Peter had nothing but respect and gratitude for his uncle. Lamiol had been very generous with Peter financially, even setting him up in a business for himself. Tell me, was the nephew Peter Hunt mentioned in your husband's will? I don't know, Mr. Keen. The will hasn't been read yet. It's only been twenty-four hours since Lamiol's murder and I haven't even spoken to our attorneys yet. Well, I'm going to pay a visit to your home this afternoon, Mrs. Barker, after I've contacted the police and learned what they've discovered. Meanwhile, suppose you wait at home for me and try to keep calm and patient. Just knowing that you're going to help the police solve this case is enough to ease my mind, Mr. Keen. I can't tell you how grateful I am. You can expect to see us again around five this afternoon, Mrs. Barker. Very well. And thank you again. Goodbye, Mr. Clancy. So long, Mrs. Barker. Goodbye, Mr. Keen. Goodbye. Well, it's shown the way it looks from here, Mr. Keen. That housekeeper, Emily Cross, has got a lot of explaining to do. Seems to me, Mike, that anyone who deliberately planned the murder of this kind would be a little more careful. Well, the man is poisoned by food or drink. The first one who comes under suspicion is the person who prepared it for him. Now, Emily Cross, the housekeeper, must have known that. Yet... Fine. I get it, boss. Mr. Keen's office. Is this Mr. Keen? No, this is his partner, Mike Clancy. Please put Mr. Keen on the telephone. It's very important. Well, who's this Colin? My name is Emily Cross. Just a second. Boss, it's Emily Cross. The housekeeper and the police are looking for her. Let me take it, Mike. Hello? Hello? Hello? What's the trouble, boss? I think she's hung up, Mike. Hello? She told me her name was Emily Cross, Mr. Keen, and she sounded scared. Hmph. She either wanted my help or there was something she wanted to reveal. She may have lost her courage at the last moment. At any rate, Mike, it may prove one thing. This case doesn't begin and end with Emily Cross. Not if she would take a chance at calling me, knowing she is wanted for murdering Lemuel Barker. I guess we'd better report that phone call to the police, Mr. Keen. Yes, I intend to. And after that, we'll visit Lemuel Barker's with Avenue Mansion and begin our investigation there. Mr. Barker's home certainly is a show place, Mr. Keen. Look at the size of it. It's one of those old mansions formerly owned by a New York millionaire, Mike. Mr. Keen, look. There's someone at the ground floor window looking out into the street. Young man. I wonder if that's Lemuel Barker's nephew, Peter Hunt. He's turned away from the window now. Well, let's go in, Mike. Mike, there's a letter here on the doorstep, partly under the door. Oh, I have it, Mr. Keen. It's addressed to Mrs. Audrey Barker. Yes? We've come to see Mrs. Barker. Oh, you must be Mr. Keen and Mr. Clancy. Audrey told me you were coming. Please come in, gentlemen. My name's Ted Garrett. I am a friend of the family. Here's Audrey now. Oh, Mr. Keen, Mr. Clancy. I'm glad to see you. I don't believe you've met Ted Garrett. We've just introduced ourselves, Audrey, and now I've got to run along. Remember if there's anything I can do. You've been wonderful, Ted. I can't tell you how much you've helped me in every way. At least I know I'm leaving you in good hands with Mr. Keen. I'll call you in a day or so, Audrey. Very well, Ted. Glad to have met you, Mr. Keen, Mr. Clancy. Likewise. Good day, Mr. Garrett. Ted Garrett worked for my husband as a private secretary at one time, Mr. Keen. He left Lemuel for another position right after our marriage. He's a strikingly handsome young man. Yes, he is. He's been urged to make a career of the state, but doesn't seem to interest him. Oh, here's a letter for you, Mrs. Barker. We found it outside your door. A letter? I don't recognize the handwriting. Excuse me, I'll open it. Mike, we'd better examine the kitchen of this... Mr. Keen! What is it? Look what I found inside this envelope. Sam's Preservice. It's a picture of a skull and crossbones. Let me see that, Mrs. Barker. Mr. Keen, it's the same warning my husband received before he was murdered. It means I'm marked for death, too. Well, now take it easy, Mrs. Barker. No one's going to harm you as long as we're here. Look at this skull and crossbones, Mike. Do you recognize it? Well, it looks like one of them labels you find on a bottle of iodine or some other poison when you buy it at the drugstore. That's exactly what it is. It was taken from a bottle of poison, but it wasn't an iodine bottle. The label's too large for that. Mrs. Barker, where is the kitchen? Come with me, Mr. Keen. There's a service entrance to this house, isn't there, Mrs. Barker? Yes, there are two. The part of the house fronts on the side street and both the doors are there. One is for tradesmen and one for servants. This is the door to the kitchen in Pantry, Mr. Keen. We'll have to make a systematic search for all the cabinets, Mike. Oh, you start... What was that? It sounded like a door slamming. It may have been one of the bedroom doors upstairs, Mr. Keen. When a door is left open up there, a draft often slams a shut. Is anyone upstairs? I... I don't think so. Maybe I'd better have a look, boss. Yes, Mike, go ahead. Oh, Mr. Keen, you think there may be someone else in the house? Well, if there is, we'll find out soon enough, Mrs. Barker. And I'll keep Meg on handy, just in case. Dan, we are young fellow. What? Don't move or I'll shoot. Who are you? That's a question you'll answer first. If you're a thief... I'm a private investigator, Mr. My name is Mike Clancy. What's yours? Oh, Peter Hunt. Peter Hunt? You're Mr. Barker's nephew, eh? Yes. What are you doing up here snooping around the hall? I dropped in for some things. I left here several weeks ago. When I spent a weekend with Uncle Lemuel and his wife, would you mind putting that gun away? It frightens me. You could've told Mrs. Barker you were here. Come on downstairs with me, young fellow. I'm in a hurry. I mean, get out of my way. Come back here. What's up, Mike? Look out, Mr. Keen. He's running for the stairs. Just a moment, young man. Let go of me. All right, boss. I'll handle it from here. Let me go. Do you hear? Stay put, I say. You're tearing my clothes. Be quiet or I'll use my gun on you. All right, Mike. Let him go. Who is this young man? Well, he says he's Mr. Barker's nephew, boss. Peter Hunt, look what you've done. You've pulled my coat sleeve off and torn my shirt. So I see. Mike, look at his right forearm. Mr. Keen. What's the matter? What are you looking at? That's only a tattoo on my arm. Yes, a tattoo of a scull in crossbones. Mike, it's a replica of that label. And something tells me that Emily Cross, the housekeeper, isn't the only one in this case who has to do a great deal of explaining. In just a moment, we'll return to Mr. Keen and the scull in crossbones murder case. Meanwhile, stop tooth decay and unpleasing breath. Yes, stop tooth decay and unpleasing breath that breeds between the teeth. Use colonos toothpaste with dental floss action. Your dentist will tell you, brush your teeth after meals to stop decay. Clean those cracks and crevices deep between your teeth to guard against unpleasing breath. Now colonos gives you dental floss action. That is, sends thousands of active cleansing bubbles to help dislodge bits of food that can cause unpleasing breath. What's more, for me, refreshing colonos brightens teeth by removing ordinary yellow surface stains, helps stop tooth decay, get colonos toothpaste with dental floss action today. Now back to Mr. Keen and the scull in crossbones murder case. Mr. Keen, the famous investigator and his partner, Mike Clancy, are investigating the death by poison of wealthy Lemuel Barker. There have been two suspects uncovered thus far. One of them is Mr. Barker's housekeeper, Emily Cross, who is still at large and being sought by the police, and the other is a young nephew of the victims, Peter Hunt, who has just been apprehended in the victim's Fifth Avenue home. Now, as Mr. Keen and Mike continue to question Peter Hunt, Peter, I may as well tell you that you're under suspicion on the murder of your uncle, Emily Barker. No, no, I didn't kill him. Anyway, who are you to accuse me? My name is Keen. This is my partner, Mike Clancy. Maybe you've heard them names before, Mr. Keen. Mr. Keen, a great investigator. Well, I didn't know I... Before your uncle was poisoned to death, someone sent him a warning. It was the scull in crossbones from the label on a poison bottle. A few minutes ago, Audrey Barker, your uncle's wife, received the same warning in a letter. And now we find a tattoo of the scull in crossbones on your forearm, young fella. This tattoo was made years ago as a joke when I was a kid. I've grown to love it, but it's almost impossible to get rid of a tattoo mark once you have it on your body. You're telling us. I'll bet dollars to donuts. You'd have gotten rid of it fast if you could. You can't believe that this tattoo on my arm has anything to do with those scull in crossbone warnings. And my uncle's murder. It's just a coincidence, I tell you. Peter, you still haven't explained what you're doing here in your uncle's house. I told Mr. Clancy before. I came back for something I'd left here several weeks ago. What was it? Nothing important, Mr. Keen. I... Search it, Mike. No, no, wait. I'll show you what I took. You'll find it on me anyway, I guess. Here. Mr. Keen, it's a cancel check. No, it's not cancel, Mike. It's mark, no funds. It was made out to Lemuel Barker for $5,000. And it's signed by Peter Hunt. What's the story behind this, Jack Peter? Would you believe me if I tell you? You've got little to lose one way or another since you're in a very bad spot already. A week before my uncle was murdered, Mr. Keen, he found out I'd taken some money from his house safe here. I knew the combination. You took the money or stole it? I admit it was a theft, Mr. Clancy, but I was in trouble. Lots of trouble. A few months ago, Uncle Lemuel had staked me to $8,000 to go into business. Instead, I took the money and gambled it away. Go on, Peter. I gambled the money away and went into debt for $5,000 more, so I stole the $5,000 from Uncle Lemuel's safe to cover myself. And your uncle found out about it? Yes, Mr. Keen. He was furious. So furious I thought he was going to turn me over to the police, so I lied to him. I told him I'd put the money in my own bank account and hadn't used it yet. So you wrote out a check for him and checked you knew it was worthless. That's right, Mr. Keen. Oh, I've learned my lesson all right, but it was a little too late. Uncle Lemuel called me and told me about the bad check. Then he gave me 24 hours to make it up to him. He called me ungrateful. Said I hadn't deserved all the help and affection he'd given me in the past. Which is probably true, Peter. I suppose it was. Anyway, the next thing I knew, I was told that Uncle Lemuel was murdered. So I wanted to get that bad check back in case... In case the police found it and concluded that because of it, you'd murdered your uncle? Afraid your story only makes things more difficult for you, Peter? Mr. Keen, you've got to believe me. I didn't murder my uncle. Peter, Peter, what's the matter? Aunt Audrey, back me up. They think I murdered Uncle Lemuel. Oh, no, Mr. Keen. No, Peter was very devoted to Lemuel. I believe in his innocence. Circumstances happen to be against him, however. Mrs. Barker, what have you got there in your hand? The bottle of poison you were looking for, Mr. Keen. When you left the kitchen, I continued to search for it and I found it. It's a form of poison we used once to kill ants in the kitchen. And the label is missing. The label was one of these Cullen Crossbone warnings that were sent to you and your husband. That's your telephone, isn't it, Mrs. Barker? Oh, yes, there's an extension up here in the bedroom, Mr. Keen. Well, perhaps you better let me answer it. Mike, take Peter Hunt downstairs and remain with him. Move along, young fella, and no funny business. Hello? Is this Mr. Keen? Yes. This is Ted Carrot. Glad you're still there at Audrey Barker's house. I'm calling from my apartment. Emily Cross, the housekeeper, just came to me for help. She's with you now, Mr. Carrot? Yes, I persuaded her to talk to you. How soon can you bring her over here to Mrs. Barker's home? Ten minutes. I have my car. All right, come over immediately. Okay, sir. Mrs. Barker, Emily Cross, your housekeeper, seems to have given herself up. She's with Ted Carrot? Yes, they're coming over right now. Meanwhile, I want you to show me just where you found this poison bottle. Maybe the clue I'm looking for. The clue that'll break this case and identify your husband's murderer. I found that poison bottle right here, Mr. Keen, in this cabinet with these other bottles. They're mostly cleaning fluids. Are they, Mrs. Barker? Do you know anything about poisons? No, nothing at all. When you wanted to get rid of those ants that invaded your home, who bought the bottle of poison? Why, Emily Cross, the housekeeper did. She told me she was going to. She handles everything connected with the kitchen. I see. Well, boss, Ted Carrot's here with the housekeeper, Emily Cross. All right, Mike. I'll go in and see them at once. Where is Peter Hunt? In the study, boss. Well, perhaps you'd better stay with him while I talk to Emily Cross. Mrs. Barker, I think you'd better be there with me when I do. It looks for me, Mr. Keen, but I didn't murder Mr. Barker. Then why did you run away, Emily? I ran away because I was afraid. I thought the police would suspect me. When I gave myself up to Mr. Carrot, I did it because I couldn't stand hiding like an animal anymore. You tried to reach me before by phone, Emily? Yes, Mr. Keen, but I lost my nerve and I hung up. Then later I thought of Mr. Carrot. He was good to me when he worked as Mr. Barker's secretary, and I thought he might help me some way. I just can't believe it, Emily. You, a woman Mr. Barker trusted. Mr. Carrot, you think I murdered him too? Emily, I have an envelope here and a picture of a skull and crossbone sent to Mrs. Barker. Is the address on this letter in your handwriting? No, Mr. Keen. No. I never sent that letter. Mrs. Barker. Yes, Mr. Keen? I'm afraid I must ask you to do something rather distasteful. What is it? I have a warrant here in my pocket. I want you to sign it and then I'll fill it out. For Emily crosses a rest on a charge of murdering your husband. Emily crosses fading, Mr. Keen. Help her to that couch in the next room, Mr. Carrot. Get her some water. All right, I will. Mrs. Barker, you can use my pen. Will you sign this paper, please? Yes, Mr. Keen. And now your address underneath. That's fine, Mrs. Barker. Why, Mr. Keen, I thought you said that this was a warrant for Emily Cross's arrest. It's only a blank piece of paper. Yes, but an important one. It proves to me that Emily Cross is innocent. Emily is innocent? Yes, Mr. Carrot. It was Audrey Barker, Lemuel's wife who poisoned him. Are you out of your mind, Mr. Keen? Far from it, Mrs. Barker. You made a slip a few minutes ago when you brought me that bottle of poison. Of course you didn't realize it, but... What do you mean? You told me you knew nothing about poison. And that Emily Cross handled everything in the kitchen. Yet you picked out one bottle of poison in that cabinet correctly. Even though there were several bottles inside with no labels on them. Wait, it was just by chance, that's all. No, not by chance. You knew which was which, Mrs. Barker. Because you used this bottle of ant poison to murder your husband. You knew the bottle all too well. No! No, that's a lie! This blank piece of paper I gave it a sign will prove my theory completely. The handwriting is exactly the same as the handwriting on the envelope which you sent to yourself in closing a skull in Crossbone's warning. Like you sent your husband before his death. Audrey, is it true? Ted, Ted, don't look at me that way. Mike? Mr. Keane? You have your handcuffs with you? I sure do, sir. A murderous. You, Audrey? Oh, you're faulted. I only did it so we could be together. So that we could... When you left Daniel's employ, I... I knew it was because you thought you were falling in love with me. That was crazy about you, Ted. Couldn't you see? Is that true, Mr. Garrett? Yes, Mr. Keane. I left Mr. Barker when he married Audrey. But I swear I had nothing to do with... with this horrible crime. There was more to it than love for you, I think. Lemuel Barker was years older than his wife. And she's a beautiful woman. She could have married many younger and handsomer men. But she chose one with money instead. I could kill you, Keane. You planned your husband's murder, Mrs. Barker, knowing you'd inherit his wealth. And believing you could later marry Ted Garrett. But you made one mistake too many. Did I? You came to me trying to use me as a foil to throw suspicion on an innocent woman, Emily Cross. It was all part of your scheme. But you'll find that by coming to me, you only provided it a noose around your own neck. Put the handcuffs on her, Mike. No. No, you won't. No, there's no use of putting up a fight, lady. It's all over. We'll be able to tell the housekeeper, Emily Cross, that she's free of all suspicion. And instead, Audrey Barker will face a judge and jury for her husband's murder. And so Mr. Keane finds the solution to the Scotland Crossbones murder case. The next time you're suffering from the pains of headache, neuritis, or neuralgia, try Anacin. You'll bless the day you heard of this incredibly fast way to relieve these pains. Now, the reason Anacin is so wonderfully fast-acting and effective is this. Anacin is like a doctor's prescription. That is, Anacin contains not just one, but a combination of medically proven, active ingredients and easy-to-take tablet form. Thousands of people have received envelopes containing Anacin tablets from their own dentist or physician. And in this way have discovered the incredibly fast relief Anacin brings from pain of headache, neuritis, or neuralgia. So next time such pain strikes, take Anacin. For most effective relief, use only as directed. Your drugist has Anacin in handy boxes of 12 and 30, and economical family size bottles of 50 and 100. The name is Anacin, A-N-A-C-I-N. Mr. Keen Tracer of Lost Persons is based on the novel, Mr. Keen. The radio sequel is originated and produced by Frank and Dan Hummert. Dialogue by Lawrence Klee, directed by Richard Leonard. Then at Kilpac plays Mr. Keen. It is on the air every Thursday at this time. Don't miss Mr. Keen next Thursday. Ever suffer heartburn or upset stomach from acid indigestion? Safe new bicep ailments medically proven, quickly rid stomach of that blown up feeling. Give longer lasting relief than baking soda. Yes, hours of relief. Bicep ailments not only neutralize, but actually carry away excess stomach acids. Soothe irritated stomach lining. Let you sleep all night long when acid indigestion strikes. Carry new bicep ailments for fast relief anywhere, anytime. Mr. Keen Tracer of Lost Persons will be on the air next Thursday at this same time. This is Larry Elliott saying goodbye for Mr. Keen and the Whitehall Pharmacal Company, makers of Anacin and Colinose, and many other dependable high quality drug products. This program was transcribed. This is CBS The Columbia Broadcasting System.