 showing Robert Montgomery and featuring Anita Louise, presented by the DuPont Company, makers of better things for better living through chemistry. Good evening. This is Bill Hamilton. Tonight, Cablecade comes to you from Niagara Falls, New York, on the border that separates, but does not divide the Dominion of Canada and the United States. Our story, Incident at Niagara, tells of a time of crisis, of storm and tension on the Niagara frontier. In the role of Jeremy Hallett, we present our star, Robert Montgomery, with Anita Louise as Mary McDermott, the girl Jeremy loved. All happened over a hundred years ago, when the shores of the Niagara River boundary between the United States and Canada were sprinkled with frontier towns and forts. Two of these on the American side, Tanawanda and Schlosser's Landing, were important to the isolated people on the frontier as shipping terminals. A river packet would start at Tanawanda, deliver its cargo to one of the islands in the river, such as Navy Island, then return to the nearest mainland town, Schlosser's Landing. This was the route of the Niagara River packet, Carolyn, on the fateful day of December 31st, 1837. And here's the story in the words of a young sailor named Jeremy Hallett. I had just returned from a long hitch in the West Indies trade, and I no sooner landed in Tanawanda than I went to the company office of a certain Captain Gore, intending to sign on as first officer of the Carolin. Well, young man, I've heard you've spoken highly of your abouts. You've had experience, that's sure. In all weathers and all conditions, sir. Good. You sail at three o'clock for Navy Island. Hear the ship's articles. Sign your name. There you are, sir. Mr. Hallett, if you don't mind my asking, why in thunderation did you want to come back here from the tropics in the middle of winter? Best reason in the world, Captain, is a young lady who lives on Navy Island. I don't know. We've been separated long enough. And besides, while I was away, I heard there was trouble on the island. Trouble? Nonsense. Well, your boson told me that now. My boson talks too much. It's true that people from the mainland have been settling over there during the past year, but it simply means more cargo for us, don't you know? By the way, Captain, what is your cargo? Mister, you signed on the Carolin to work. Not to ask questions. I'll get to it, will you? From the way the glass looks, we'll be heading straight into a blizzard. I stood on the bridge of the Carolin and thought about Mary McDermott, the girl I'd been missing for 14 long months. She and her father were settled on that island. Had been since Mary was a baby. She'd be able to tell me what was going on. Oh. She's cold as the hinges on deck, mister. Aye, boson. Will there be men at the wharf to receive this cargo, whatever it is? Sure there will. The czar was plenty of hands and eager to. The minute we unload the cases, their whisks sit away like it was hot potatoes. You've been making this run for some time, Gigan. Where are these new settlers coming from? Ain't from all I can tell, sir. It's a rum crew, a discontented riff-raff from both sides of the border. They're several hundred strong now, and they've started up their own government. What for? Don't ask me, unless it's true that they mean to try grabbing off some chai sacrage on the Canadian side. That's the craziest thing I ever heard of. And I think so, too, but there's plenty of folks in the mainland that don't. Why, you'd have your eyes opened if you went to some of the secret meetings they're holding. They get all fired up about how the Canadians burned down Buffalo back in 1812, talk about revenge just as if it happened last night. It wouldn't surprise me if they tried to use Navy Island as a jump-and-off place for an invasion of Canada. Listen, Gigan, I've got a girl living on that island if she's in any danger. But I know her, sir. That's Mary McDermott. And I've heard of her. I don't like to say it, but I'm told that she and her father's in on the scheme. I don't believe it. Not Mary. You don't have it your own way, sir. Navy on, dead ahead! They're coming in now, so you'll find out for yourself. Come aboard, hurry, and watch your step on that gangway. Oh, Jeremy, Jeremy. Just let me. That's you. Here, how's this? I waited a long time for that case. Double it and triple it. That's how long it seemed to me. Let's have a look at you. Oh, you're as pretty with snow and your eyebrows as you were when I saw you last with a daisy in your hair. Blarney. How many girls and how many ports have you said your pretty words to in 14 months? Oh, now, there was a trim young thing in Gloucester. Oh, there was, was there? Yes, but she always had her mother with her. I'll give us another kiss and tell me what you've been up to. I've plenty to tell you all right, but are hardly anywhere to begin. Father becoming aboard, he'd explain everything to you. And Jeremy, we hope you'll be with us. With you? Mary, I'm going to be with you from now on. Thank goodness. I was so afraid you might not see things our way. You know, Father's been elected to a very important post here and... Wait a minute, wait a minute. Important post? Are you saying you're mixed up in this conspiracy? I'm not sure for that case, you idiot. Sorry, frozen. Now that you've done the inside, just spilling out all over the deck. Uh-oh. Mr. Hallett, will you come here, please? What's wrong, Gigan? Oatmeal crackers, it says in this case. But if there's crackers, I'm an Indian papoose. Ball and powder. Or rifles. There's a... Look, thousands of them. Mary, do you know anything about this? Certainly I do. Therefore, the rifles, you're carrying those cases over there. Mark, dried beef. I see. I suppose everybody here goes duck hunting in the middle of winter, just for the sport of it. It's land we're going to hunt, Jeremy. Land that's rightfully ours. And Gigan was right. Well, your father and his friends aren't going to get this cargo. Boys, you can knock off the unloading now, till further orders. Darling, please, please don't stop them. Why not? It's obviously contraband. Listen to me, Jeremy. You've been away so long, you just don't know how important this is, how people feel. For even the Canadians want their border towns to be taken over by America. And this island full of pirates represents the American government, does it? Well, not exactly. You mean not at all. You silly little numbskull. Don't you see that this could start a war? And suppose it does. You don't begin to know what war means. Uh-oh. Roku is coming. It's the captain. What's going on here? Why aren't you men unloading? Yeah, we're in for it. Where's the meat? Right here, Captain. Why haven't those cases been unloaded? They're full of arms and ammunition, sir, and they stay aboard. Mister, we have paid to transport unspecified cargo. We deliver to the walk where our bill of lading concerns it. Not by my order. It belongs to us on the island, Jeremy. Listen, don't you realize that you're just asking for trouble? If the Canadians knew an American boat was carrying contraband, they'd have good reason to open fire on us. And we passed two of their gunboats on the way over here. Mister Hallock, if you don't give the order to discharge cargo immediately, you and every last one of these men will go to the mass community. I wonder. Boston, men, listen to me. You've got to decide something in quick. Your captain wants you to unload a cargo of arms for the pirates on this island for the use in invading Canada. Are we going to follow his orders and be responsible for starting a war? Or are we going to return these arms to the mainlanders' loyal American citizens? You've got to make up your minds right now. I'm still captain here. I'll fall too. We're right under the muscles of them Canadian gunboats, remember? What do you say, boys? Jeremy, please, please. Sam, coxswain, iron this man. Well, Sam, coxswain, you heard the captain put me in irons. I didn't hear him say nothing, mister. Keep the gang wave. You'll pay for this, every man jack of you. I'll tie on a new crew-head saucer, and you'll swing for mutiny and worse. Mary, come with us, please. It's not too late. Oh, yes, it is too late, Jeremy. Mary, listen to me. Happy New Year, Mr. Hallott. I'm sure the captain will see to it that you spend it in jail. We brought the carolin back to the mainland at Schloss's landing cargo and all. As soon as we tied up, the captain disappeared. Gigan and I made for the inn, along with the rest of the crew, to see if we couldn't do something about taking the chill out of our bones. Two days, gentlemen, piping hot with a stick of cinnamon. Thanks, Jeb. You know, Gigan, if the crew agrees, maybe we can take the carolin on to Buffalo and drop the arms there. The captain had really clapped us in the break for that, sir. If he could catch up with us. Well, happy New Year. And the very best to you, sir. And if that down in the mouth, look, you're wearing this on the young lass's account. Don't I know there's no sense to a woman's ways? He doesn't understand, Gigan. I've been an orphan since I was so high because of war. I know what'll happen if a scrap starts. She doesn't. Well, you're more forgiven than I'd be, that's certain. I'd be turning her over my knee and giving her the wailing of her life. Mr. Hallett! What does it say him? I thought you ought to know it, sir. His nigh on a score of strangers aboard the carolin. She's gonna spend the night on it. What? It's a new crew captain Gore hired, so they claim. He hired them, didn't he? That's right. Boys, listen. Quiet! Quiet! Turn there, you! Mr. Hallett's got something to say. Boys, it seems the captain has hired some new hands and they're aboard the carolin fixing to sleep in our bunks. What do you say we celebrate the new year by going down and tucking them in? Hey! Come on, let's go! Now, mate, nobody but the crew allowed a board and all hands were accounted for. Sorry, Captain Gore can't sign on a new crew. The list one with me has been paid off. Oh, Hallett. From what I hear, you won't be paid off. Captain Gore will have you all in a break by sunup. We'll see about that at sunup. Come on, Gigan, man. Listen here, you can't come aboard. We can't, eh? Let's go, boys. Wait, mister. Look to Starbridge. What is it? Well, I can't quite make out it's dark as the ship's hole but like a log flow. No, sir. No, them's no logs. It's boats, small boats. The whole slew of them, right alongside. What are you talking about? Are you trying some kind of trick? Hey, look for yourself. Yeah. It's boats, all right. And they're even the boarders. And wider appellable orders! All hands on board! Yeah, what are you doing that for? Why are you getting those men excited? Keep quiet. You'd better find out who they are, sir. A bass there. Who are you and what do you want? Left and unruly of Her Majesty's Canadian troops. Stand by. We're coming aboard. Well, now we are in for it. Easy, easy, mates. It's a tight boot we're wearing. Let's see what they want. You know your orders, men. Search the ship. Aren't you on the wrong side of the river for that, Lieutenant? This ship is scupper deep with arms to raid Canada. I give you my word. Her cargo will be returned to Buffalo in the morning. Your word? Do you think our scouts hadn't kept us informed of what's been going on at Navy Island for the past six months? But it's going to be stopped. It's going to be settled peaceably. Oh, a sailor on a river pack is going to settle the whole thing single-handed. Ha! I have his word, eh? Standard time. Use your head, sir. What happens here tonight could start a full-scale war. Look out behind you, Mr. Harris! Head, head, head! I ran my head and all of a sudden I was floating along with no deck under my feet. Faster and faster and faster until I landed with a crash in the center of the North Star. Mr. Halit, sir. Are you after hearing me? I just came to and found you lying there in a pool of blood. The blather sky'd let you have it with the butt of his pistol and increased my skull with a bullet. Where are the men? Eh, they must have fought them out of the wharf. I can hear them back there. Hey, the ship's been cast off, sir. We're adrift. Head and smack into this current. She'll go over the falls. Dig and look out. She's a fire. Well, what do we do? We can't put it out by ourselves. Over the side quick before it reaches the ammunition. Right, you ask, sir. Come on. There goes nothing. The icy chill of the water pulled the breath out of me and as I came to the surface gasping I felt a deep, deadly current. Mr. Mr. Halit. You all right? I think so. Don't let it get you. Take for the shore. Aye. Looks to be a million miles away. I swam with all the strength I had left against that current. Geegan right behind me. Hours, years, centuries later we were sprawled on the rocky shore, gulping cold air into our lungs. They never thought we'd make it. Geegan, look. The cowl are out there in the river. Aye, she's caught in the current. She's blazing like a forest fire and heading straight for the falls. There she blows! You are listening to Incident at Niagara starring Robert Montgomery as Jeremy Halit and featuring Anita Louise as Mary McDermott on The Cavalcade of America, sponsored by the DuPont Company, makers of better things for better living through chemistry. As for refreshments for two-trounded rats. Aye. A couple of gallons of black coffee. In the river we've been the whole of the night, it seems. They all said you was dead. Who said we were, Jeff? The crew, what got mixed up in that they're a ruction with the Canadian soldiers? Where's everybody now? It's mighty quiet around here for a new year's morning. Oh, they all crawl back in the holds, I guess. There's no telling what'll happen next. Well, I can tell you, Jeb. Next, you're mixing me something hot with a stick of cinnamon. Have Jeb bring mine in here to the writing desk, will you, Bolson? Shouldn't there you stand, dripping wet. You're not thinking of writing a letter at a time like this. Well, this time's as good as any. Let's see now. Hey, Mr.... Well, dear sir. Well, that's not... Hey, Geegan. Hey, sir. How the devil do you start a letter to the president of the United States? I finally did get that letter written and asked President Van Buren to send someone impartial up to the Niagara frontier. I said, Mr. President, you owe it to the American people to find out what actually happened about the Carolin. There'll be a ruckus on this border, Mr. President. I can feel it in my bones. And everybody here will be telling a different story. Oh, Jeb, you should have seen them Canadians. Six foot tall, every one of them carrying cutlasses in their teeth. Oh, sure. There was at least five in our crew. Lay that flat. Stone dead. Five? It was nearer 15. Wait a minute, sailor, wait a minute. As far as I can find out, there was only one man killed and he slipped and broke his neck running for the wood. Maybe. But you've got to admit them Canadians have burned up American property. They ought to be made to pay. As time went by, the tales got taller and taller and the excitement spread. Canadian gunboats expecting an invasion any minute were ranged along the river. They kept a close blockade and there was no way to reach the people on Navy Island. We knew as the weeks passed that the Islanders must be close to starvation. I was so worried about Mary that I would have jumped in and tried to swim over. But then General Winfield, Scott, arrived at Slosher's Landing and sent for me. Well, Hallett, I understand you were first made to the Caroline. Yes, I was, sir. I've been sent here by the President to straighten out this embarrassing affair. Yes, I know, sir. I sent for you. Big pardon? I said I sent for you. I wrote that letter to the President from Bjorn. That was most kind of you. Of course, he did receive several hundred letters regarding this crisis, because it was the one he heeded. Yes. And did he tell you about my plan, sir? No, I can't say he did. Perhaps he thought I ought to hear it directly from you. Well, in that case, here it is. I've been thinking that since the people on Navy Island are starving, we ought to send them a ship loaded with food. What? To those renegades? I'm sorry, Hallett. I thought for a minute you might actually have an idea how to solve this. The report has gone out that the Canadians killed several American citizens during their raid on the Carolin. If we proved to our own people that we're alive by manning a ship with the Carolin's crew, sailing it with food across to the island, we'd serve a double purpose. But in the doing, you'd be sunk to the bottom of the river, son. Those Canadian gun boats won't allow any craft to reach Navy Island. They might. If you told them that we were on a peaceful mission, it might restore confidence on both sides. And what are the renegades themselves? You suggest they be allowed to elaborate their plot on full stomachs, eh? No, but I do think you'd have a hard time arresting several hundred people, especially since half of them are Canadians. Uh, I see. I see what you mean. Well, young man, what are you proposed to do? Well, I know of a river packet, sir. It's called the Barcelona. If you come and did it, the crew of the Carolin would man it. And would you take command? No, sir. No, sir. The only thing I want to see is Captain Gore in command of that ship. And how do I know this scheme of yours isn't simply a trick to get me to give myself up? They could find you here in Buffalo, Captain, if they looked hard enough. I suppose they could. How does my old crew feel about the idea? Therefore it. The men are loading supplies at Black Rock right now and General Scott is sending a letter to the Canadian Border Patrol. He's pledging his word that this is a peaceful mission. We're just waiting for you, Captain. Oh, he'd be sailing down river under a string of Canadian guns. We ordered our cause for any reason at all if we swerved in their direction, even trying to avoid a rock. They'd forget the general and his pledge. They'd fire on us, Mr. On the other hand, if no incident did occur, our intentions would be proof peaceable. Is that my affair? Need I remind you, sir, that if you don't take command, we'll go to prison for smuggling? Well... That this is your one chance to be cleared of suspicion? All right, Halit. I don't approve of it. But you may inform General Scott that I'll accept command of the Barcelona. We were ready to sail for Navy Island. Loaded to the gunnels with provisions. On Black Rock above us stood General Winfield Scott, old Fawcett and Feathers himself. Peering at the Canadian gun boats through his glass. Mr. Halit... Hurry up, Geegan. What's captured? Mr. Halit, sir, I think you ought to be known. They say the Canadians are sure now that this is the start of a real invasion. They have Scott's word, but they're manning their guns anyway. If we make one false move, they'll open up. What did I tell you, Halit? We'd better stay here for the time being that if General Scott can write them another note they're making the matter clear. There's been no change in our orders to proceed, Captain. There'll be no mutiny by any of us from now on. Yes, yes, you're right, I suppose. Shall we get on the way? Aye, sir. Cast off! These are a bit boasting. Steady to go. Steady, sir. Rockledge, dead ahead! I can just see them touching off their cannon as soon as they mark a spear into port to avoid it. We'll have to pass it in shore and take our chances. Aye, sir. But if you'll not mind me saying so, my heart will be in my mouth a while. We're broaching back. The day was dark and through the gloom we could see the little players of fire as the Canadians lighted their tapers. At any minute they might set them to the fuses of their cannon. They're a little starved. Steady. Steady. Don't worry, B. We ever come through this with our skins. I'm going to be a changed man. I'm going to send every cent of my pay home to my wife every week. Slowly, steadily, the Barcelona plowed her way through the gray waters. I stood by the boasting with my eye on our course and my heart and my throat. And then I heard the look out. We'd made it. The day was Navy Island and not a gunboat had fired on us. A few minutes after we tied up at the wharf, a crowd was there waiting. And among them I saw Mary. Stay there, Mary. I'm coming ashore. You all right? Oh, yes. And you're really here. How in the world did you manage? We saw the ship coming but we didn't dream it was you. We brought provisions, Mary. Thank heaven. It's been so terrible here. Where's your father? Well, he's here somewhere. We were watching together. Here he comes, Jeremy. Jeremy, lad. I cannot tell you how glad we are to see you. It's an odd way for us to meet again after all this time. Have you come to arrest us? We're ready. You and the rest of your government? Yes. Well, I brought you a message from General Winfield Scott. There'll be no prosecution if every one of the conspirators goes back to his home. You and the other leaders in the plot will be taken to Grand Island for questioning. And after that, I don't believe you'll be held. I don't understand. After what has happened? As General Scott's wish that the incident be closed, he feels that the less we make of it, the easier it'll be to keep peace on both sides of the border. General Scott is a kinder man than I'd be under the circumstances. I'd like to thank him personally, Jeremy. All right. I'll take you back with me. But with your permission, there's something I'd like to do first. Mary, my love. Yes, Jeremy? Come here. You've had this coming to you for quite some time now. What are you doing, Jeremy? My bosom claims that the only way to make a woman behave is to turn her over your knee and spank her. And young lady, I think, he knows what he's talking about. Here's our star, Robert Montgomery. Incident at Niagara. It is good for us tonight to recall that over 100 years ago, here on the Canadian border at Niagara Falls, a misunderstanding that might have led to war between ourselves and Canada was cleared up because of man's determination not to break the peace. Reason and vision prevailed, and the resulting century of friendship and mutual prosperity of the peoples of Canada and the United States is one of the magnificent achievements of the new world for all nations to remember today. Next week from the Longacre Theatre, its radio playhouse on Broadway in New York, Cavalcade presents the popular young Hollywood star, John Dahl, an NBC's distinguished commentator, Robert Kraut, in action at Santiago. It's an exciting radio report of the exploit of Lieutenant Richmond Hobson at the Battle of Santiago, Cuba, an act of heroism that thrilled the nation during the Spanish-American War. Be sure to listen. Tonight's DuPont Cavalcade, Incident at Niagara, was an original radio play by Peter Rurik and Virginia Radcliffe, and was directed by Jack Zoller. Music was composed by Arden Cornwell and conducted by Donald Brian. Robert Montgomery can currently be seen in the Universal International Picture, the Saxon Charm. This is Ted Pearson inviting you to listen next week to action at Santiago, starring John Dahl and presenting Robert Kraut. Cavalcade of America is brought to you each week by the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.