 From Hollywood, it's time now for Johnny dollar My name is Jake Denham. I own a cattle ranch out here in Craig, Colorado How'd you like to come out here and see me Colorado? That's right I have a policy with one of your companies try Western office over in Denver Well, what seems to be the trouble mr. Denham trouble hold nothing like that not at all Then why have you called me? Well, you see the brand I use in my beef cattle is a lazy JD Yeah, you said your name is Jake dinner. That's right, but JD is your initials, too. Oh Yeah, yeah, and the lazy part fits me to a T. But now why have you called me? Well, you see I listen to your radio program every week all those insurance cases you handle all over the country glad to hear it and I just well, I thought the lazy JD being your initials to and all the local color out here and Well, maybe you'd like to come and get some local atmosphere for one of your story Oh, no, wait a minute. Mr. Denham if you have some insurance matter you'd like me to investigate Oh, no, no, no, I told you why I thought you ought to come so can you right away? You sure there's nothing wrong out there. No, like I said a lot of local color nice place to stay at the ranch How about it? Well, I've a couple of days work on some reports to finish up then right after that, huh? Well good good. I'll be waiting for you. Goodbye. Oh look and everything's really okay, huh? Bye mr. Denham I think you're lying through your teeth Bailey in the exciting adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator yours truly Johnny dollar And now act one of yours truly Johnny dollar Expense account submitted by special investigator Johnny dollar to the Tri-Western life and casualty insurance company home office Denver, Colorado Following is the kind of expenses incurred during my investigation of the bum steer matter Expense account item one three seventy long distance call to Halversky my contact at Tri-Western in Denver No, I'm still in Hartford how I want you to okay an expense account for me Listen, you know a client of yours for the name of Jake Denham Look I got a phone call from him begging me to come out there and see him He says not but I don't believe him Well only the half-baked excuse he gave me for wanting to see me Look how I realized this is just a hunch but certainly sounds like it to me But my hunches have saved your company a lot of dough on occasion so how about it run into something out there and clear it up We'll pay the price and not well you just go ahead and have yourself a vacation at your own expense Okay, oh now why don't you relax that iron grip on the purse strings for a change, huh? Why what would you do? Okay, okay, but I warn you hell if this does turn into a case for your company My expense account is gonna knock you right off your feet. I'll wait. Bye. Bye Johnny It took me nearly four days to clear up the reports. I had to finish. I wish now it hadn't but I'd left Hartford immediately Expense account item two a hundred thirty three dollars plain fare and all the incidentals I could think of Hartford to Denver I Got there shortly after 7 a.m.. Item three fifty dollars deposit on a drive your own car in which I promptly headed north and west On highway 40 that is after getting out of the traffic in Denver itself and believe me that town has it The 200 mile drive to Craig was routine except for the lush green hills the snow-top mountains the vast meadows and forests Colorful Colorado they call it and it sure is Finally about noon. I pulled into Craig and stopped at the Cosgrip Hotel for lunch. That's item four three fifty From the waitress. I got directions to the lazy JD ranch About eight miles south on the Amper River just off route seven eight nine you want some dessert? Oh No, thanks. This is fine Hey, you uh, you one of the relatives relatives. Oh, of course not. You're too late Too late for what? It was real beautiful though off the town turned out port and most of the big ranchers What are you talking about? Oh my gosh, it's after 1 30. Look, I'm not supposed to be on duty now I got a date with my boyfriend. Hey, well, now we're just going to get a cashier in the log. Well, but look I Okay, I Paid my check to the cashier went out to my car climbed in and headed for the lazy JD There must have been several thousand acres to the ranch all rich green healthy-looking Pastureland Lord knows how many head of beef cattle The main ranch house was a rather small but well kept affair near the gate to the road from the highway and then I saw it a Long piece of black crepe hanging on the door frame. Yes. I uh How do you do? My name is dollar Johnny dollar. Oh Johnny dollar why didn't you come before what he's begging to come didn't he to come right away? Mr. Denham? Yes, but I didn't you you might have saved him Saved it. Yes, we buried him this morning, and I think he was murdered Or is truly Johnny dollar in a moment the American writer Christopher Morley once wrote When you sell a man a book You don't sell him just 12 ounces of paper ink and glue You sell him a whole new way of life unquote Now that goes double when you give not sell a book but the gift of 550 books to little children increases the legacy tenfold near the end of 1960 the employees of the Chase Manhattan Bank started a people-to-people program With such a gift to school children of a town in Tanganyika. That's on the southeast coast of Africa I'll give you an idea how the books were received by the children. Let me first quote from Francis Bacon He's an English writer of a few centuries back. He said Some books are to be tasted others to be swallowed and some few to be chewed and digested in the past Children in Tanganyika may have done a little tasting and chewing and a little swallowing and digesting But there's one certain thing They wound up devouring the books they received from the United States and They did so much of it that they the ones in high school Anyway, we're able to reach the level of English children their age and pass the exams at the same time That takes a lot of book learning as they say The gift of these books from the United States of America may have seemed a small thing to the senders But the boys in Tanganyika who receive them know that they've opened a whole new way of life They've greatly increased understanding in the classroom of freedom the right of all men everywhere And now act two of yours truly Johnny dollar and the bum steer matters The tall beautiful girl standing in the doorway of the ranch house at the lazy JD outside of Craig, Colorado was dressed in black The red about her eyes showed that she'd been crying But there were no tears in them now Jake Jenom was my father mr. Dollar. I'm Virginia and you think he was murdered. Why do you think he called and begged you to come out here? Any idea who might have done it? Yes big Mike Mike Craven Who's he owns the sea lucky star in one stone every other ranch around here, and he will unless somebody stops him How did your father die and track? That's what they said it was I thought that was a disease of cattle people to they get infected from the cattle That's what happened to your father that's what they say, but there's no anthrax around here. Our ranch is clean Look, let's go inside and sit down and talk about this sure. I'll talk about it only somebody'll listen And here John Are you all alone now that dad's gone? He and I ran the ranch now. It's up to me Virginia Were you trying to tell me out there that you think somebody tried to infect your herd with anthrax? What would you think? Who is your father's doctor doctor Regis Ross from in town? Who are you? My name is dollar insurance investigator. Hey, you fellas act pretty fast. Don't you sometimes you know right now, honey? I guess so I told the hands that you're in full charge now. They'll take their orders from you or from me Oh, that's from sure Sure, I guess that's best. Thank you. They might as well get used to it because after we're married Look honey, why wait any longer? I know this is a bad time to talk about it But I also know and you know that this is no time for you to try to go it alone What about your medical school? I'll give it up. This is a lot more important than You're a lot more important. Oh Look Jenny you've stalled me for a long long time. I know Pete because I don't you see I can run this ranch alone. No You need me honey, and I'm here to help you You know how dad felt sure that all I wanted was this ranch The same as he felt about anybody else who ever came here just who are you Pete? This is Pete Kermit Johnny mine Fiancé I guess that's right. Didn't I see a Kermit ranch on the way out here a small one? That's right my pops He's Carl Kermit. Well, what do you think caused the death of a genius Dan? Just what everybody says mr. Dollar Galloping anthrax from that herford, then why did he send for mr. Dollar to come? I'm afraid we'll never know honey. Well, I do it's because he knew something was going to happen to him Where is that steer now buried on orders from the vet and the state inspector? Mr. Dollar down you said investigator. Haven't you better talk to dr. Ross? Yeah, I guess so Well, let me have his address sure. I'll write it down for you and While you read it Tell me where I can find the veterinarian and that state inspector too Sure why not? What I left them a few minutes later people are still making it quiet, but I must say effective pitch for Virginia's hand Expense account item 5 10 cents for a phone call to the state inspector He told me he'd never seen the infected steer on the lazy JD He was confined to his bed at the time I Called the vets office, and he was expected back shortly So I sat around the hotel lobby and glanced over some magazines And then in one of them I found an article that made my eyes fairly pop out of my head Item 6 I called the vet again. He was in About to drive over to the sea lucky star range for dinner Mike Craven and I old friends that's all Ever since we've owned together colleagues. Oh, I see I Understand you're the man who spotted the anthrax out of the lazy JD. Yes, if that's right just that one herford I've got the human I'll never know the rest of that herds absolutely clean That poor old Jake denim to you think he became infected from that steer well how else could it be? Galloping anthrax Just like that doctor. Where is that steer buried? You know? Yes? I had a bird myself It's some miles out in the far corner of the lazy JD profit and fall in the sea lucky star and call off your dinner date You and I are going out to take a look at that car. Oh, no just a minute Investigate it. Did you say that's right? I Suppose you have some power what I don't have I can get Tell me doctor. Is there some reason why you don't want me to see the carcass of that steer? Along the way we picked up two fellows who were handy with picket shovel It was almost dark now, so I bought a couple of powerful flashlights one of the local hardware stores. That's item 7 925 It took a couple of hours for the two men to dig down to the carcass of the steer But they finally exposed one flank of the unfortunate animal. You sure planted this critter deep doc There's part of him give us a few more minutes. We'll have no wait Dalla come down here into the hole sure. Oh, what's the matter doc the color of that carcass? I Don't understand this What are you talking about this doesn't make sense the deterioration future faction that always occurs or the simply isn't here You mean it's possible. It wasn't anthrax killed this steer, but I'm sure that all the symptoms the swellings in the Subcutaneous connected tissues in the interstices of the muscles and lymphatic glands and in the membranes of the mountain tongue They were all there and they were Ademotus too, but some poison have possibly produced those symptoms Poison yeah, look I read in a magazine this afternoon that Strictly often produces symptoms very much like those of tetanus watch out Yes, that's true, but a poison it would Good yeah Why I haven't heard of it since my college days Quintanogen But why good question? No dollar because it wouldn't explain the adeptive old Jake Denham if it was anthrax What I was he poisoned to good heavens you mean you wait a minute Doctor the brand on the rump of this animal. Well, that's a denim zone brand the lazy Jake. Yeah, but it looks to me like it was put on over another brand Yes, yes, you're right any way of finding out what the original brand was no Yes, yes, mr. Dollar The other side the inside of a hide might short and doctor you got a skinny job to do Okay, go to a doctor thank you that poisons how much to infect a man Yeah, even even a small scratch on the skin could absorb enough to be fatal I wonder the doctor Ross Ross was the one who treated Jake Denham. Yeah, I wonder we couldn't understand why death came, sir Well Can you see what the original brand was? Yeah, I'm afraid so let me hold the line a little I see But I can't believe it mr. Dollar Pretty clear though, isn't it? See Lucky Star Act three of yours truly Johnny dollar in a moment a couple of thousand years ago the ancient sage Diogenes remarked that all Things are in common among friends Well, he didn't mean that only material goods were in common among friends But that they shared their troubles as well for a long time the United States armed forces have been a friend in time of need During fires floods and pestilence all over the world Many peoples of the earth have come to believe in the friendship which the u.s. Military personnel have spread for so many years And the calls for help they answer in time of personal emergency a response Which has always been immediate? Not long ago a Korean Buddhist nun was suffering from Berry Berry an advanced form of acute malnutrition But she was living in an isolated monastery deep in the Korean Hills and valleys Her sister nuns contacted the nearest army signal core relay station and wheels began turning In no time an army helicopter landed at the station's helipad American soldiers carried the stricken nun to the copter She was flown to awaiting ambulance and whisked away to the hospital her recovery was rapid Thanks to the United States Army her new found friends Army helicopter man helped in many other ways Over the 108 islands of the Ryukyu's that spread from southern Japan to northern Formosa Army helicopters are constantly whirling their blades as they hop from one island to another on missions of mercy They bring food donated by American women on Okinawa or they bring vital medicine to save a life They also bring friendship and understanding and freedom the right of all men everywhere And now act three of yours truly Johnny dollar and the bum steer matters Pretty bad doesn't it mr. Dollar yeah doc it looks as though this Herbert steer was brought over from the sea lucky star Was rebranded with a lazy JD was given the poison to make it look like a diet of anthrax But Mike Clare Van Wolves the sea lucky star. I know him dollar. I've known him ever since our college days medical college Oh, no just during the preparatory years But big Mike couldn't have done a thing like this big Mike has wanted to get his hands in the lazy JD for years I think of course over a lot of other big ranches, but I'd take my life on and he'd never do it Hey, wait, wait. Yeah, you should have taken that left turn to get to the sea lucky star That's not where we're heading Well, then where if I remember correctly, it's this road to the right here. Well, you mean the K bar K Got any better ideas. This is dark. It won't be for long What you call this a good ranch doc Oh, Carlos from just a hang on he hasn't made the place paid quite so Johnny dollar Pete. Oh I want to talk to you See We're going on upstairs We'll be right up Nice place you have up here How'd you make out with Virginia denim beat convince it a marry in Mr. Dollar Now just what do you want pretty nice ranch to get your hands on that lazy JD? I beg your pardon Combination bedroom and study as Virginia told you I've been going to college. Yeah medical school I said a book you have here Of course, I'll have to give that up now. Oh, you're gonna have to give up a lot of things What? Where did you get it Pete? I wasn't even that stuff doctor Quinn Tanigan so far. What do you know about? well, I Don't know what you're talking about then why the marker in this book on toxicology Marker that was a foolish thing to do Pete a dead giveaway. Yeah, I told you I don't know what you're talking about Yep, right here Tanigan so far I Never heard of you're lying Pete. No giving it that herford was probably a cinch Listen, you but how did you give it to Jake denim? That's something you'll never live to know now wait. I'm gonna put the thing away No, I'll stand back. I said look how cute. I Guess he'd forgotten all about you until you landed that chair in his head. Yes Yeah, I suppose I'll have to patch this Patch him up a bit. Oh, absolutely. He'll have to look nice for the trial won't he doc? Expense account at a mate 55 95 living expenses in Craig while waiting for the autopsy on Jake denim and Yes, the same drug was used on him as on the herford steer a small bottle of the rare drug was found in Pete Kermit's truck So Pete's not only lost a chance for a nice ranch but for living very long Expense account total including incidentals and fare back to Hartford 6 18 50 On second thought How's about just sending that check to the community chest? Then I'll feel a little better about this case And about myself to yours truly Johnny doll And now here is our star to tell you about next week story next week an old ghost town out of Montana But one of the ghost carries a 38 colt join us. Won't you yours truly Johnny dollar? Holy Johnny dollar starring Bob Bailey originates in Hollywood It is produced and directed by Jack Johnstone who also wrote tonight's story heard in our cast were Virginia Greg gene Tatum Will write Jack Edwards Howard McNear Sam Edwards and Forrest Lewis Be sure to join us next week same time and station for another exciting story of yours truly Johnny dollar Dan coverley speaking is the United States Armed Forces radio and television service