 Autolight and its 98,000 dealers bring you Mr. Joseph Cotton in tonight's presentation of... Suspense. Tonight, Autolight presents a story based on fact. An American legend of love and death. As we recreate the tragic history of Tom Dooley. Our star, Mr. Joseph Cotton. Hey, Wilcox, where are you rushing like a local coyote? Hi, Sheriff. I've got a date to tell folks that for the swellest, sweetest and smoothest performance money can buy, you just can't beat those world-famous, signature engineered Autolight spark plugs. Well, even an agent critter like me knows that. Sure, Sheriff. And I'll bet you also know that if your presence spark plugs aren't functioning properly, your car won't give you the performance it should. Have those spark plugs checked by your Autolight spark plug dealer, the expert in cleaning and adjustment. And if replacements are needed, he'll recommend ignition engineered Autolight spark plugs, either standard or resistor type. Yep. Well, they're smoother in gram or slap jacks. Right, you are. So see your nearest Autolight spark plug dealer. To quickly locate him, phone Western Union by number and ask for Operator 25. Remember, from bumper to tail light, you're always right with Autolight. And now, Autolight presents Tom Dooley, starring Mr. Joseph Cotton, hoping once again to keep you in suspense. Bow down your head, Tom Dooley. Bow down your head and cry. Bow down your head, Tom Dooley. You know you're bound to die. You wait here, Nor. You're a fool, Tom. You ought to do it. You're going to stop me, cousin. Just watch the horses. Open! Yes? What? You be Paul, Cabot? Yes, I'm Cabot. What? Paul! Now, get up. Maybe I ain't going to kill you. I don't know. Get up! Here's what you just did. She won't mind. You any more, Nor. Go home. Yeah, you're laval away right along. Still a darling. Pretty as a... Let go of me. You better come in. I better. I thought you were dead, Tom. Dad, they were appiled high, but not Tom Dooley. Months ago, after Gettysburg, when the men came drifting back home, nobody had seen you, Tom. Some said they heard you were dead. Died early at Manassas. What's it talking for, Nor? What's all this talking for? Don't, Tom. Pretty mild. Wasting on Tom. Don't! Teasing and trembling in a way I remember. I'm sorry, Tom. Whatever you do after now, Nor, don't hit no more. Gentle me. You do that. Four years you've been away, Tom Dooley. I'm back now. You're back, and I thought you were dead. Over a year now, and I grieve for you like I had to do. And a man came along and gently, like I heard he did. Yes. Paul Cabot. I love him. That's the way things are now. A doctor. A Yankee. The war's done, Tom Dooley, and the killing's done, and the hate's done. What's happened to the loving, Laura? Yours to me. Over, Tom. They were grieving like I told you, and it's over. And I love a Yankee doctor named Paul Cabot. Love him. Come on, I'll take you to him. You what? Where he's laying on the floor. I think it was whimpering when I left him like a sugar candy baby. Come on, I'll show you. Get out of here. Maybe I will, but I don't know that yet. First, I want you to remember something, Laura. Get out! I want you to remember you're hanging on my horse and wailing. The tears on you four years ago, when I rode out to join with Bev Vance and his cavalry. You remember, Laura? I grieve. Tears on you. That was your grieving. Listen to mine. The fighting and the blood and the screaming and Bull Run and Manassas and the Yankees. Killing them and they always come in. Virginia and Pennsylvania and the killing and leaving your own blood every place you go. Tom. But you go because as long as you're going, you're coming back. Back here to the smokies. Back here to Laura Foster. That pretty mouth. Laura. Laura. Laura. No, no. I don't love you no more, Tom. I don't love you. You're going to love me. You'll remember how much I love you. Tom, Tom, not you. You ain't worth those four years. I can't if you couldn't wait for your man. You better go, cousin. Get out of here, Noah. You're my blood cousin and I'm holding a gun on you. And I'm saying you got to go. I kill you where you stand, Tom. No matter blame me. I would, Tom. Yeah. I think you would. Good night, Laura. You're not afraid of it, don't you, Tom? Sure I do. Nobody plays like you play, Tom. Oh, thank you, Jess. I don't miss you here on the stove. Why, all of us thought you were... Thought I was dead. Well, what kept you, Tom? All of us come back since we here generally surrendered. Well, haven't you? I had never seen Pennsylvania. Walked around it. With a gal? Just walked. You walked too slow, Tom. You walked a lot too slow. Laura Foster passed you right by. Yeah, I heard. Tell me she's learning how to read and write. I heard that, too. Dr. Yankee. It was over, Jess. Fighting, hating. By your laughing. I heard you almost killed a Yankee doctor, Tom. You heard it, so I guess I did. Hey, Noah. What you want, Jess? Pass that jug over here. Give your cousin a drink. Ain't drinkin' no more, Jess. Hey, now. Reasons you ain't doin' a lot of things. Well, you changed, Tom. My ring I have. You gonna learn how to read and write? Doctors say you can teach anybody what's to learn. It is how you can learn a lot from that doctor. Stop it, Jess. Those Yankees are smart fullers. Recognize why they won the war. Won everything, those Yankees. You heat up my cousin, your tongue's gonna be real cold, Jess. Oh, be it now? What you got to say about that, Tom? Keep talkin'. I don't mind. All I can say is my gal start cheekin' with somebody else. Hi, Yankee. Hello. What are you on? I've got a list here. I need some groceries. We've just been talkin' about you. Me, Zach, woman, Josh, all of us. Know what, Dooley? His cousin, Tom, too. Here's the list. You read it to me, doctor. I ain't got the lining. Sack of potatoes? Like I said, we've been talkin'. Wondering. Sack of sugar? Wondering. You like North Carolina Yankee? Carolina Knights? Green beans and flour. How about North Carolina women? Pretty ain't they? Saw. Wait on him, Jess. And Lars put his damn mall, ain't she? Wait on him. Ain't she? Tom Dooley here used to think so. The man wants to buy something, shopkeeper. Sell it to him. I seen you walkin', Yankee, tryin' to get yourself lost with Laura. Jess. Yeah, what you want, Tom? Why'd you knock him down, Mr. Dooley? Mace up for things. I'm apologizing. I want to shake your hand. I'd be pleased. It's all right about the other night. I've forgotten about it. I want to be your friend. That's what you are right now, Mr. Cabot. I want to tell you this. What? Laura loves you, and that's all right. We're gettin' married, Mr. Dooley. I'm not saying you can. I'm saying I hope you'll be very happy. Laura will be very glad to hear that. Mr. Dooley? Yes. Laura says you play the fiddle. I hear you're having a betrothal party tomorrow night. Yes, that's right. Well, I'll play the fiddle for you. For you and Laura. It's the black, black heart within you. A schemin' for a life. Sayin' you'd play the fiddle while feelin' along your knife. Yeah, what you want, Tom? Spell me on my fiddle a little bit, Laura. Sure. Man, I bet you're tired. Fiddlin' two hours out lettin' up. Spell me, cousin. Take the fiddle. Why you goin', Tom? Just play the fiddle, pretty cousin. Don't worry about me. I didn't mean to frighten you, Laura. That's all right. Laura's playin' me my fiddle. I saw you come out here. I wanted to say something to you. Tom. Yes. I'm glad. I wanted to talk to you, too. Paul told me what you did. They teased me and called me Yankee. And you... That's all right. And I've been hearin' other things, Tom. What? How you're different. How you ease down and not so wild so much no more. I'm glad, Tom. But it don't make no difference to you, does it, Laura? How I feel you mean? No. Why you out here by yourself? Because I'm so happy, Tom. Because I danced a lot. Because my heart's poundin' so much. Because Paul's in the end. When I look at him... I know, Laura. Laura. Yes? Walk with me. That wouldn't be right, Tom. Things I've got to tell you. It wouldn't be right to listen, Tom. Just a fave I'm askin'. Complete. I changed. You heard that. Little walk, Laura. A little walk. Yes. And my heart will settle down. You remember we used to come this way? No talk of that, Tom. I remember we used to... I'm going back. No, no. I'm sorry. Tom. Tom, you'll find you a girl. There's no bitterness now, is there, Tom? Tom. Away that water run. From the top of the mountains to who knows where. You'll find you a girl and you'll be happy. A man like me, Laura. Tom, why the knife? Because a man like me never be happy. You the cause, Laura. You the cause! You feel better, Tom? I feel a lot better. It's bringing you Mr. Joseph Cotton in Tom Dooley. Tonight's presentation in Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills. Suspense. This is Harlow Wilcox speaking for Autolite. And I have here as our special guest, Lieutenant Colonel Sherman D. Cosgrove of the United States Army. Colonel Cosgrove, I understand that the Army has special relief funds that are made available to officers and enlisted personnel and their families in time of distress. We do, Mr. Wilcox. It's administered by the Army Emergency Relief in Washington. Now, where do these funds come from, Colonel Cosgrove? The money comes from voluntary contributions by the men and women in the services and from proceeds of a very few special outside events approved by the officers in charge of these three relief organizations. That's the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force. One of these events, by the way, is the supper party and reception to be given by the Autolite family at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City on April 7th. Well, tell me, how are these funds made available to those in distress? After thorough investigation, allocation of funds is handled by chaplains under the supervision of their commanding officers. Must require a huge sum of money to take care of all the needs that develop over a period of a year? It surely does, Mr. Wilcox. Since its incorporation in February 1942, Army Emergency Relief alone has dispersed over $24 million in rendering financial assistance to over 250,000 members of the Army and their families. Well, thank you very much, Colonel Cosgrove. Tonight, we have been privileged to have as our guest Colonel Sherman D. Cosgrove, who has brought you a special message on behalf of the Armed Services Emergency Relief Funds. And now, Autolite brings back to our Hollywood soundstage Mr. Joseph Cotton in Elliott Lewis' production of Tom Dooley, based on fact and well-calculated to keep you in suspense. On your head, Tom Dooley, bow down your head and cry. You're killed for Laura Foster. You know you're bound to die. Hello, Mr. Dooley. Nice party you got going, Mr. Cabard. Talk to you for a minute. Sure. Hey, Noah, spell me again, will you? Yeah, sure, Tom. What can I do for you? Have you seen Laura? Oh, wow, I go when I was fiddling. Nice, looks pretty tonight. There's something else I got to tell you. Yes? You yankers know how to give parties, too. How long ago did you see Laura? Well, like I told you when I was... How long ago was that? How far? An hour, maybe. Well, what's the matter? Well, she's not here. Well, outside, maybe. Not that I could find. Well, maybe. Would you come help me look for her? She don't need looking for her. She'll be around. Enjoy yourself, Mr. Dooley. I'll do that, Mr. Cabard. Aaron? Yes, sir. Have you seen Laura? I saw her go outside a while back. I haven't seen her since. Get a few of the boys. Let's go outside and look for her. Sure. Hey, Betty Lou, come on. Give me a dance. Tom? Tom, wake up. Come on, Tom, come on. Wake up. Get on your feet. Why are you... Why are you waking me, cousin? You listen to me. Why are you waking me when it's still black outside? You kill Laura, Tom. What? They found Laura snagged on a rock right under the north falls. She was stabbed. What are you saying, Nova? I'm saying it and everybody else is saying it. Saying what? You put a knife to Laura. Oh, you saw me dancing. No, everybody saw me dancing. People seen you go outside, too. They're coming after you, Tom. Saying I killed her? Knowing it. Knowing you, the only person had reason. But I... You're talking and they're coming after you. They're going to hang you, cousin. They're going to hang you for sure. You killed her, didn't you? You got to help me. You put on all the gentle and there was nothing but black inside you. You, my cousin. I'm your cousin and you got to help me. Kill her. Pretty thing like Laura. You blood kidney me, Nora, and you're going to help me. You're going to do what I tell you. No, I'm not, Tom. I'm doing nothing to help you. You're talking like a man who don't care if you die. You're going to wait until I get out of this cabin until I get on your horse and start riding to a Tennessee. And you're going to wait some more till you hear them coming. Then you're going to get on my horse and wear my hat and you're going to start riding the other direction. When you leave, I got the length of this room to the side whether they shoot you in the back. Now you get going. I'm going to shoot. That's my friend, Salmon, you might see me. You can't see it all because I'm at your back. Now you just stand where you stand in. Well, what do you want? You stand where you stand in. And you're going to feel something. Feel it? My gun to your back. All right, Salmon, take his gun. Give it to him. Give it to him. That's it. You come out to George. You two Dawson. I don't know you, man. Who? Yankees. What do you want me for? Well, we don't know, Johnny Reb. We just come down here on a visit. You want my money, that's why. Now there's a thought. Where's your money, Reb? I got none. Oh, you got none. You got none. Where you come from, Reb? From back there. Ah, you're still wearing the rebel jacket. Don't you know the war's over? War's over and you still... Enjoying it, living off the fat of southern land. Won a war, we did, Reb, and we're enjoying it. I've got no quarrel with you now. Once you had a quarrel. Where'd you fight, Reb? Manassas. Get his men. Manassas. You take a look at the wood I wear for a leg, Reb. I changed them at Manassas. A Reb bullet. You shoot that bullet? Maybe I did. Ah, you got us a brave one, settlement. Make him cry a little bit. Go! Get up, Reb. Get up. You, uh, crying? You smiling? Can't tell with that face, uh, settlement made for you? Now, let me look real close. Well, you ain't doing nothing at all. Just, uh, let me get out of here. Night's entertainment. That's what we're looking for, Reb. And you don't do nothing. Life, cry, nothing. Ah, you dance, I bet. You Rebs. I tell you what, you dance for us. Dawson, get us a rope. You've got no cause to hang me. For dancing purposes, you do us a do-see-do on the air from that tree over there. Thank you kindly, Dawson. No cause at all. Don't like to dance? Then what you can do for us, Reb? I know a thing. Sing us a tune. Nice Yankee tune. Reb, uh, you know one? Sure you do. I'll help you, Reb. Yankee tune, keep it up. Sing. Let him along. Who are you? A Yankee. Like you. Isn't that right, Tom? Yes, sir. Yes, sir, Mr. Cabot. A Yankee, gentlemen. Who says with this rifle that the hating's over. I'll leave this man alone and get out. All right. All right, men. Get... Oh, Mr. Cabot. They were going to kill me. I'm... I'm grateful. Grateful? For saving your life? Mr. Cabot. You're going back right where you came from, Tom Dooley. No, I... To where you kill Laura. Walk ahead of me, Tom Dooley, or I'll shoot you where you stand. Doctor. Yankee doctor. Who's going to see that you die legal, Tom Dooley? Hearts ready for you, Tom. Time for hanging. Scrub oak tree. Go on your horse, Tom. Rope tight to the branch up there. Yeah, real tight. Mr. Cabot. Reckon you want to fit the noose to Tom's neck? Yes. Lean down, Tom Dooley. All right, it's done. You got anything to say, Tom, before we slap your horse out from under you? Oh, Tom, your head, Tom Dooley. May your soul rest in peace. You're killed for love. Suspense. Presented by Autolite, tonight's star, Mr. Joseph Cotton. Suspense has again been brought to you by Autolite, world's largest independent manufacturer of automotive electrical equipment. Autolite is proud to serve the greatest names in the industry. That's why, during these early months of 1953, the Autolite family has again saluted the leading manufacturers who install Autolite products as original equipment. Next week, as a climax to this salute series, our show will originate from the Easter Parade of Stars Auto Show in the grand ballroom of New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Our story will be a dramatization of the first and only round-the-world auto race ever held. Our star will be Van Johnson. So be sure to be with us next week for the auto race that stirred the world. Next week, a story based on fact as we recreate the first international automobile race. The time, 1908, the story, Around the World. Our star, Mr. Van Johnson. That's next week on... Suspense. Suspense is produced and directed by Elliot Lewis, with music composed by Lucian Morrowick and conducted by Ludglosken. Tom Dooley was written for suspense by Morton Fine and David Friedkin. Featured in tonight's cast were Sammy Hill, William Conrad, Joseph Kearns and Bill Bissell. The singer was Harry Stanton. Joseph Cotton may currently be seen in the 20th Century Fox picture, Niagara. And remember, next week, Mr. Van Johnson in... Around the World. This is the CBS Radio Network.