 Take one man blinded by ambition. Follow him from poverty to public acclaim. That's our story, Detour, taken from the files of John Steele, adventurer. This is John Steele. Very often, my guests take you to far-off places of foreign scenes and intrigue. But this week's story takes place right here in the middle of a large city. Because, as I've mentioned on other occasions, adventure can take place anywhere. Yeah, that's right. Even in your own backyard. That's why I know that everyone has at least one adventure worth telling. Now, I knew Steve Molden's father many years before Steve was born, so his story has a special interest for me. And here's Steve Molden to tell you about it himself. Steve? I've always been an ambitious guy. I wanted to make a lot of money. My dad did. Only he wasn't careful with it, or else he trusted the wrong people. Anyway, dad died when I was five, and Mom and I moved to the Lower East Side to the ghetto of the city. The money that she'd gotten for her furs and jewelry saw me through high school. Working and going to school after that was a full-time schedule. I wanted to be a lawyer. I got to be one, too. Although it didn't lead me much money for any social life. My buddy Eddie and I had always hung around together pretty much, just the two of us talking, taking long walks. I liked it best when we walked uptown. It was clean and rich. The day I was taken on my first job at Steele and Wendell Law associates, Mom had Eddie up for a celebration dinner. Wouldn't have been a celebration without him. That's what I call real cheesecake. Have another piece, Eddie. Oh, no room. I've had seconds already. Seconds. Don't let him kid you, Mommy. Sneak the slice while you were out getting the coffee. She knows it, don't you, Mom? I'm not saying. See, Kivitzer, I got the lady of the house on my side. Yeah, some house. What are you talking about? Looks swell since you painted. Oh, sure. Too bad I couldn't paint in the bathroom and a couple of radiators. Radiators, he says, with sweat rolling down his neck. You can laugh now, but come winter, you know. Who's laughing? Hey, you think that dump of vows is Buckingham Palace? In a tool shop I work in? Oh, brother, suffocating the summer. Icicles in the winter. Stop your beefing. Come on. Let's get the dishes done, all right? Oh, no, this is a special occasion. Oh, no, nothing doing, Mom. You're going downstairs. Yeah, Mom. Cool it down on the front still. Tonight's my treat. Now go on both of you. Okay, Mom. Thanks. Hurry it up, Mom. Yeah, it won't be long. That's what Burns me. Washing dishes? Listen, lots of women. No, I know, but she used to have so much. The mom's not the griping kind. Oh, what a flat one dress in five years. The dress my mother had was longer going that. Well, things are going to be different soon. Two dresses, huh? Two closets full. Two for me, two. You wouldn't know what to do with it. Oh, I'll know, all right. T-shirts are cool. Well, I live in the air conditioned. Every room. No, no, Mom! Don't forget now, gotta have a whole bathroom of my own when I visit you. Yeah, we'll fix you up. Wine and gray. Yep, and a real light wood desk. That's shiny kind, you know. We're at your office now, I take it. Yep. Yeah, there's the answer. New job must be a honey. They give you your mop or do you have to buy your own? Okay, wise guy. Hey, Steve, I haven't said it, but I... I'm as pleased about it as a guy. Thanks, Eddie, I know. Wasn't just a break, neither, you know, your work. Oh, and Eddie is a darn good firm. John Steele himself interviewed me, said I could carry on private practice if I have the time. Looks like a nice guy. You ought to see this place, Eddie. Look, so big and so... Which I hadn't mined, have I? Yeah. Hi, Mom. Shook down some nice, refreshing hot air. Any request? Yeah, how about one for silent? Ah, you don't appreciate good news. Push cart. He waved you too, Stephen. All right, all right. Well, I'm too tired to wave at everybody who goes by. Ah, Abe's a nice old jet. Oh, he thought it would be... He was looking the other way when we were sneaking hunks of ice for his cart, remember? Now, those push carts are a menace. Abe's not working more than usual lately. Well, he could use a clean shirt, too. His wife has cancer. Thanks a lot, Eddell. We have two fans, Stephen, perhaps? Sure, Mom. The place is so poorly- Hey, I'll take it up to her tomorrow. Well, better get home and help. That's a big deal. Yeah, roughly clean up all of 50 cents. If that... Ah, what the heck, I get a kick out of Stephen. That's what counts, isn't it, Eddie? Sure, Mom. It helps. Besides, they appreciate my harmonica playing, so... Hmm. Well, thanks again, Mom. Swell party. We always like having you, dear. See you tomorrow, Steve. You didn't say good night. Hmm? Oh, oh, uh, good night, boy. Good night. You look like your father when you're found, Stephen. Well, that's good. I want to be exactly like Dad. Yes. You don't sound so happy. Success in business isn't everything, son. It's a lot. It makes a difference. Yeah, that's the right place you want to be. Nice neighbors we've got. Being tired does that to people. Yeah, well, it's not going to happen to us. It hasn't. It could. But we're not going to let it, Mom. Not now. Put your finger on this string here, will you? Sure. It's quite what gives. We're moving. Well, why don't you let a guy know? See, I hardly seen you in two months. Well, I'll tell you the truth, Eddie. You're not been up so busy lately. Yeah. So much to learn. Yeah, yeah. Better ease up on that accelerator, boy, huh? Oh, I know what I'm doing, Eddie. Oh, what are you doing? I'm getting up there, Eddie. Dough security. I'm going to get all I can. There's a lot to you, don't you? Well, doesn't it do everyone? Hmm? Don't know anybody turns it down? Eddie, look, you're not like me. You suppose I'd be satisfied dealing out penny candy and ice cream cones? You think I like buying ready-made souce down on 14th Street? It's not for me, Buster. I want people looking at me and saying, hey, there he goes, Steve Maldon, the lawyer. Big time. That's going to be me. And I'm going to earn it, too. Well? Well, what? Well, why don't you say something? What do you say? No, no, no. I guess that's about it. After we moved up town, I lost all control of time. I stayed on at Steel and Wendell's about a year just long enough to make the contacts I needed for my own office when I moved on. I felt a little guilty taking so much of Steel's following with me, but I told myself they came to me. At first, I handled mostly divorces and lightweight stuff, but then I found myself hitting the more interesting cases. So I had Mom keep a clipping book for me and was filling up nice and fat since I'd been made district attorney. And the last was the announcement of my entry into the race for mayor. I hadn't seen much of Eddie in the past two years. Matter of time, I kept telling myself that I knew that wasn't it. So did Mom. Eddie must have known, too, because he didn't call anymore. And then one morning a bombshell exploded right in my face. The next case on my desk was the state versus Edward Sanger. The charge? Manslaughter. Yeah? Steven, the papers. I know, Mom. Have you been to see him yet? No, I just heard about it. Of course you'll be able to clear him. Why, don't... Steven, you are taking the cake. Yeah, Mom, I'm taking it. Oh, for a minute, I... Against Eddie, Mom. I don't understand, sir. We're prosecutors in this office. Couldn't you find a way to keep it out? No, there's nothing I can do. Yeah, but did it mean... I know. Yes, one of the best, John Steele. But our evidence is pretty heavy. I read it. I'd like to, Mom, but I... No, you certainly can't hold this sort of thing again. It's not just the voters, Mom. I see. Box. Oh, can I ask you again? I'm spending... Yeah. Steven, please... I'm sorry, Mom. All right, sir. You're going to have to call the accused to be... Now, come in. Your secretary said it'd be okay. Oh, it's a steal. Sure, sit down, won't you? I can't stay that long. Just wanted to ask you a favor. Oh, what can I do for you? I'd like you to take another look at Eddie Sanger's case. Why? The boy didn't do it. Oh, well, you were supposed to say that. You're his lawyer. You're supposed to think it. You're his friend. Well, the evidence is too strong. I couldn't... Sure, I know. There's no positive evidence, though, that he did not do it. Well, then I don't... That's a point. I'm sure we could prove somehow that he didn't do it. You have a lead? No, but if you keep it out of court, at least give me a little time. I'm sure with a little time I'll... The case is already scheduled. I know, but... It looked prejudice to the public. I thought he was voting public. Well... Look, if it got out that Eddie is a friend of mine... Don't worry. Eddie doesn't consider you a friend anymore. You don't know what you're trying to do. Should he? Oh, why not? Steve, I knew your father when he first started, and later, too. So, I was just a young inkwell filler in his office when he was making top bracket money. Now, dad played his cards, right? Your dad respected two ideals above everything else before he died. Personal integrity and friendship. Oh, he must have been a great guy. I said he respected them before he died. I didn't say he stuck by them while he lived. Now, look, you can't come in here and start them. He is me now, son. You should know. I don't want to hear. Your father didn't seem to have many friends when he failed, did he? How do I know? I was a kid. It was because he let himself down all the way and his worthwhile friends had lost interest. Get out of here. Son, it's for your own good. Get out of here! Now, get out! All right. And you can tell your client for me that I'll see the justices done. Tell them that for me! This is only one thing, Eddie. Let the court hears your true story. Remember, you're here under oath. Yes, sir. Eddie, suppose you tell us what happened on the night of December 20th. Well, I... I was working overtime. Will you tell the court what your work is? I'm a tool maker. You make screwdrivers, hammers and wrenches. Is that right? Yes, sir. Go on, son. Well, like I told you yesterday, Mr. Steele, was at the shop later unusual that night. How late? After dark? Oh, sure about ten, I guess. Anyway, I was interested in this here new kind of wrench we're making. I wanted to take it home to study for weight and stuff, so I stuck it in my locker while I took my shower. And when I came out of it... Stop one moment, Eddie. Was there anyone else in the locker room with you? Nobody, but me was in the shop that I know of. Objection, Your Honor. I had a speculation on the defendant's part. Objection sustained. Go on, Mr. Steele. You know, on second thought, Judge, I could be wrong... What makes you say that, Eddie? Well, it's a big building and I was in the shower. I see. Well, go on, please. Yeah. Well, anyway, I've been having things in my mind lately. What was my mother being saying? I object, Your Honor. That statement is irrelevant. The defendant is trying to gain sympathy by this obvious method. But it's true, right? Objection overruled. Continue, please. Like I say, I wasn't thinking too much of what I was doing, I guess, because I got all about that wrench and started home without it. Didn't think of it till I was sitting in a beanie at the corner having a cup of coffee and shooting a breeze with the guys. One moment, Eddie. Did you mention to the man in the restaurant that you were returning to the shop? Sure. They give me the horse laugh for my good memory. All right. Go on. Well, I went around the back way. This time I get to my locker and the wrench ain't set in sideways on the shelf like I left it. The wrench was gone? No, it was there all right, but it moved. This time it was facing the front of the locker. Um... Eddie, what did you do then? Stuck it in my pocket and started out. Only got to the front entrance when I almost fell over the big guy lying on the doorway. Thought he was drunk. Anyways, as I was bending over to look at him closer, I thought it might be somebody I knew. Wrench slid out of my pocket. I was just picking it up when a cop come around a corner. The tall guy on a sidewalk and then he saw something I hadn't noticed. It was blood on the edge of the wrench. It must have got that way falling near the guy because the top of his head was all made of... Objection. Your honor, this is pure supposition on the part of the defendant. Objection sustained. That's fine, Eddie. I think that'll be all for now. Just one moment, Mr. Sanger. I would like to clear up one small point. I gather that you work at night very often. Is that true? Yeah. Are there many other men who work overtime? No, none of the guys do. They're all commuters from Hoboken. Then it is reasonable to assume that no one else was there the night of the attack. Objection, your honor. That's fine. All right, let's put it this way, Eddie. Did you actually see anyone or know of anyone who was in the building or near enough to kill the man inside the doorway? I didn't see nobody, but... You're under oath, Mr. Sanger. Gosh, I... I think... Of course, there are rats making noise. But did you actually hear anything? Well, I... Maybe I... Are you sure? Well, it's just... Are you? Nice going, Mr. Maynard. I think so. They gave Eddie 15 years. He looked so small and white, leaving in the courtroom, I wanted to go over and say something to him, but Gerber, my campaign manager, was there and it wouldn't have looked right. There was that same puzzled expression on Eddie's face. I thought it was a good idea. I thought it was a good idea. I thought it was a good idea. That same puzzled expression on Eddie's face I'd seen when we were kids. The time the rich boy kicked him for dragging his white pup out of traffic because Eddie's hands were dirty. Well, the election looked good. The papers on our team played up the quick conviction as Gerber had said they would, all except Jimmy Cranon on the Star Herald, who was always beating a drum for some cause or other. I could have dragged the trial out longer if I'd looked into a little thing that occurred to me, but like I say, fast trials are cheaper than boys that campaign headquarters happy, so I didn't bother. Mom didn't talk about it, but I knew she was seeing Eddie every visitor's day. I could tell. Well, it's a fine thing. I take my mother to the best restaurant in town and she doesn't even eat. I'm just not hungry. Oh, sure you are, Mom. Now let me order you something else. No, this is fine. Well, why don't you say it? You really want me to? No. He's so little. He always was. Oh, I don't know. Five, six. Yeah. He looks so hurt, so be willed. Mom, look, I'd rather not... All those people accused. We eat your dinner. I can't believe it. Mom, will you please? Oh, Eddie, you couldn't. I was only doing my duty. I know he did. Mom, will you stop? I can't believe it. No, stop it, please. No, Eddie, it just isn't... Stop it, stop it. Yes. Oh, shut up. Oh, shut up. Why? You were right on the ball there, Stevie. That last run-through was a godsend. What's his name? Sanger. Will you knock off? Yeah, I'd like to be sweeter. Time like this. Mr. Spoodle, hold out. Oh, boy, oh, boy. What, headlines? Yeah, yeah. Yes, that's what I call cooperation. Every paper we counted on came through. How about the Star Herald? Yeah, that training's a prank. You always get a cause. Yeah, yeah, but... Steve, I gotta remind you again. The boys of Campaign Headquarters don't like training. A lot of people read the Star Herald. Steve, like I said... Okay, Gerber open. Well, stop looking to worry, Stevie Boy. It's in the bag. Why, both alone... I don't want to hear about it. We're not worried. I even ordered me a new car. Man, who'll be in my position? We're not in yet. Bolton's just a technicality, my boy. We know where we stand. Well, then why the big rally tomorrow night? Pep meeting, boy. Good publicity. After you read that speech, are yours? It's mine. Well, saves us time, uh, striking your speeches. Oh, Steve. Well, Mr. Craning, glad to see you. Glad to see you. Yeah, it's all fair. How's your mother, Steve? I've been looking... She's not here. Hasn't got a strong stomach, eh? Uh, the food over there is good when I try. Thanks, I will. Oh, uh, how about a lead on your speech tomorrow night? Well, I haven't decided yet... Oh, come on now, Steve. We must be promising, folks. Why, sure, Steve's pointin' up how he'll save the city money. He knowed economy, you know. I'd say, uh, fast trial. Why, say fair one. Hit it right on the button, Mr. Craning. Yes, sir. Steve's got the interest of the city at heart, all right? Interest. With or without? I don't get you. That's a good one, Craning. Sharp, boy, sharp. You're not laughing, Steve. Fraid your sense of humor, too? Steve's putting tired, Craning, after all. Oh, sure, I understand. I mean, I'd rather sleep nice. Meaning I don't. Meaning you used to be able to. Didn't you? Come to think of it, Craning. You don't look so hot. Now, I'd recommend lots of fresh air. Outside. Come to think of it, Steve, you're right. I could use some clean air. Steven Morgan. Yep, the boys have got great plans, man. I'll bet. Headquarters, get your feet. I've got it. Fine. This place is jammed. I hope I do all right. Ah, nothing to worry about, Steve. Got our boys' faith in every tent seat. How about the others, Steve? Ah, what's there to worry about? You going to tell them what they want to hear? Yeah. What do you care, anyway? Public use of promises. What's the matter there? What's going on down there in that first row? First row, that's where it... No, man, why are they shoving them? I told them those first rows were party members. Well, that... that looks like... Always something. I'll take care of it. Hey, that's old Abe. Come on, get him back. Abe, no. You shouldn't have pushed him around like that. That's probably a crack part. Hey, there's a signal. I better get started. And we know there can be one and only one man to be our mayor. There's only two answer for the good of the... You lost your mind. Ladies and gentlemen, please. Ladies and gentlemen. But it means... It means I wouldn't be able to guide you fairly because of commitments to those who put me in office. I seem to have... to have misplaced. All right with me, Gerber. I'll sign the back of the auditorium until all the angry voices were gone and the big building was dark. The rain felt clean. The news truck dropping off a bundle of the early papers made me realize that I'd been standing there for hours. The top paper had come loose. I looked for my name. It was there. But not in headlines now. The bold banner type carried the name of the party's new... found my name buried in the story toward the bottom of the page, already in small. I knew what I had to do. I hopped a cab to the station and caught the first train out to state prison. Hi, Eddie. Eddie, I... It's okay, fella. Fixed yourself up good last night, didn't you? You've seen the papers, huh? Guard, let me see his a minute. Paid up the new man a lot more. Oh, yeah, yeah, they don't waste time. People forget quick. Yeah, like, for instance... Oh. Okay, boy, let's get with this now. The man on the sidewalk. How tall would you say he was? You mean a stick? Yeah. How tall? How tall? Your height? My height? Oh, what's his cut to do with it? Answer me, Eddie, please. I don't know. What's taller than me? Six-two, I'd say. Maybe more, why six-two? What I thought. Well, what's that cut to see? The blow that killed him was on the top of the man's head. You couldn't have done it. You've reached? See? Okay, sonny. Hey, guard, let me out of here. I'll be in touch, Eddie. Probably after lunch. Hold it, will you, buddy? Yeah. Yeah, you bet. Personal integrity for an empty success. And if you like Steve's story, friends, why not come back next week? I'll have a man who is trapped in the red sands of hate. I like to call it Box Canyon. So until next week, this is John Steele saying, A life of adventure is yours for the taking, wherever you find it. Only don't look for it. It'll find you. Well, go long and good hunting. Remember, next week, Mutual presents Box Canyon, another story of suspense and action from the files of John Steele, adventurer. This is the world's largest network, the Mutual Broadcasting System.