 Lux presents Hollywood the Lux radio theater brings you Ronald Coleman in libel with Otto pruger and Francis Robinson ladies and gentlemen your producer mr. Cecil B. DeMille greetings from Hollywood ladies and gentlemen there are probably quite a few parents in the audience with daughters who are slightly moon-struck over certain motion picture stars and I'll offer them my sympathy right now you see I'm the grandfather of a certain young lady knee-high to a grasshopper who's very much that way about Ronald Coleman but as a producer not as a grandfather I understand her admiration perfectly in the theater of the air the magnificent voice of Ronald Coleman is a treat that comes only once in a blue moon so having him in the Lux radio theater tonight is something of an occasion and I I think we've got a play worthy of his talents a powerful drama called libel it ran for many weeks on Broadway and it's so so different from the usual run of plays that I think you'll remember it for many weeks to come libel is the drama of a trial for libel and of a man in the pitiless glare of the courtroom who hears his life torn apart shred by shred that man calls himself some Mark Lodden but when he goes to the witness stand to try to prove that he has a right to that name he sees the shadow of doubt cross even the face of his wife the presence of Ronald Coleman in tonight's exciting drama would quicken the pulse of any producer and I believe of any audience it's what all producers pray for and what most audiences love to pay for but of course our setup is different for this is your theater just as Lux Flakes is your product both made expressly to please you we prize very highly your loyalty to this theater and to our product and anything that we tell you about Lux Flakes will be more than borne out in actual performance make a test if you like and check your experience against what we say about our product we're not afraid of the answer because your letters have already told us what the results will be there's a stir in the wings now and our players are at the microphone as the curtain rises on the first act of libel starring Ronald Coleman as some Mark Lodden with Otto Kruger as Foxley and Francis Robinson as Lady Enid Lodden 1934 just 16 years after the armistice of the first World War in the present English countryside stands the home and the state of Sir Mark Lodden member of Parliament a wide drive bordered by trees leads to the front gate there hidden in the foliage a man and rough clothes peers intently at the house at last he enters the gate and moves slowly toward the door he rings the bell and as he waits he seems to smile inward layer good morning morning I'd like to see the master if you don't mind I'm sorry sir but I don't believe some mark was expecting anyone some mark is it will you go tell Sir Mark the pet bucket in a mosey you'll see me we surf together in the army sir Mark and I go and tell him very well sir you'll wait in the library I'll speak to Sir Mark did you wish to see me about something no no no sir don't tell me you don't remember me I'd hardly believe that sir I'm very sorry your face is familiar but just think a little sir the German prison camp at Obheim 1918 Hobheim of course you were one of the men I escaped with that's right there was three of us Sir Mark Lodden Frank Wellney and Pat Buckingham Pat Buckingham yes I remember now sit down Pat it's good to see you thank you you'll have to forgive me my memory isn't what it used to be how have you been Pat are pretty well has the world been treating you all right well frankly no those things are beginning to look up a bit that is I could stand the loan of a few thousand pounds a few a few thousand that's right I was in the neighborhood so I thought I'd just drop by and see if you could help me out you seem to be fairly well off well yes I am but so it won't be much of a loss to you a Frank Frank yes Frank Frank Wellney I'm afraid I don't understand this why do you call me Frank Wellney because it used to be your name what do you want to be called now Lord algae do you pretend you don't remember my name was Mark Nanny of Blarney Frank I don't want to be nasty after all this time you looked enough like poor old Mark to be his twin I always said that I remember joking about it the night we escaped I said if Sir Mark got killed Frank Wellney could always go back to England in his place and as it turned out Sir Mark was killed and here you are a Frank are you mad I am Sir Mark Lodden are you and I say your Frank Wellney I say you came home under his name took his estate and married the girl who waited for him get out of here get out no no no Frank for a few thousand pounds say four or five I'd be glad to get out but under the circumstance get out I tell you you're making a mistake Frank you see there's a newspaper in London that might be very glad to know what really happened to Sir Mark did you hear what I said they pay me big for the story even if you won't for keeping quiet about it get out of this house all right but it don't end here remember that Frank Wellney a political impostor the legislator recently returned to the House of Commons a Sir Mark Lodden baronet is not a baronet not even a lot mark what is this now read it in it that's all there in the paper it explains itself but it says you're not Mark Lodden it no go on read it the man who is now posing as Sir Mark secured his position in Parliament by practicing on the voters the same deliberate fraud that he that he practiced on his wife Mark this is mad it's it must be a joke that's what I thought at first but it seems it's not for what are you going to do about I intend to sue the Gazette for malicious libel so what else can I do I put the matter in the hands of Sir Wilfred he's going to represent me you're going to court you're going to let them drag your name through a filthy mess of lies that mark you can't in it listen if I could ignore this story believe me I would the last thing I want to do is to risk my career to risk my life our life together on anything so stupid but they they won't let me ignore it you speak of a risk what risk can there be there are hundreds of people right here in our own village you can swear that you are Mark Lodden that's true well then well sir Wilfred has advised me to go through with the case to clear my name the Gazette is going to contend that that I look like Sir Mark Lodden that I came home after the war and took his name and his place here but that I am really someone else mark this is horrible how can they say such a thing they were probably glad to get the story they've been against me politically ever since I took office but they must realize what it will mean to them if you bring suits you can ruin them if we win of course if you win what doubt is there they've printed a malicious horrible lie as plenty we'll have to prove it a lie I think we can think mark I don't understand you mean it's not as easy as it sounds not easy to prove that you are yourself they're going to say that I'm not myself that I look enough like Mark Lodden to fool anyone to fool even you to fool me in it look at me look at me darling it's going to be very difficult these next few weeks it'll need all your strength and all your courage mark you frighten me you are Mark Lodden I know that you're my husband the father of my child you are yes yes in it of course I am then why are you so worried oh you were a boy in this village you lived in this house you were born in the East Room upstairs there are things about this house about the people who lived here that only Mark Lodden wouldn't know you can tell them they'll have to believe you then they'll have to mark darling there's something I must tell you you'll know sooner or later you'll know in court I want to tell you now what is it do you remember when I came home after the armistice I I had changed hadn't I you've been shell shocked yes but but no one knew how much I had changed only myself in it I had to piece my life together again in that prison camp at Hubheim I knew my name only from my identification disc I knew you only by the letters you wrote the forward to me there you say I can prove who I am by telling them things that happened here when I was a boy I can't see in it I have no recollection of anything I remember nothing that happened to me nothing before I was a prisoner in that camp in it why do you look at me like that in it you are you are the boy I knew you must be you must be you may proceed with the case for the plaintiff sir Wilfred thank you my lord members of the jury I'm not going to insult you by any further explanation of the libelous charges recently appearing in the Daily Gazette you've seen for yourselves that the Daily Gazette has informed a million or so readers that my client Sir Mark Laudan is an infamous imposter in every possible role of life public and domestic the first witness for the plaintiff will be the plaintiff himself Sir Mark Laudan you swear by Almighty God I swear by Almighty God the evidence you shall give the evidence I shall give shall be the truth shall be the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth your Sir Mark Laudan third Baron at a Bingworth Hall in the county of Norfolk that is so you retired with the rank of major after 15 years service in the rifle brigade that's right I believe you became engaged in 1914 to Enid the only daughter of General Edgar Winterton CB we were engaged just just before the war yes and after your engagement I believe you went to France with your battalion in August 1914 yes then you were wounded and taken prisoner at the Battle of the Marl I was what wounds did you sustain in that battle Sir Mark I was shot through both legs and badly shell shot I believe the farm in which you lay wounded was set on fire by the enemy's guns and you were nearly burned to death before you were rescued by the enemy very nearly now what affected that terrible experience have on you those few hours that afternoon turned my hair gray as you see it now what was it that morning oh I hadn't a gray hair I was only 22 what happened after you were taken prisoner I was in a German hospital for for three months and then sent to an officer's prison camp at Hobheim when were you released I was never released I escaped in October 1918 I reached the Belgian frontier three days before the armistice hasn't been then I made my way fairly easily to the English lines and was in for lead at home what did you do then I retired from the army and had a long rest cure after six months or so I I was as well as I suppose I ever shall be and and married my wife I think your son Gerald was born the following year that is so you have recently entered public life and last autumn you were elected Member of Parliament for the Rainham Division of Norfolk yes Sir Mark what is the present state of your health oh subject to a bit of a limp I I can indulge in any reasonable physical effort what about mental effort I suppose I mustn't say too much about that apart from memory I don't complain what of your memory I have practically no recollection at all of of events or persons before my imprisonment now I want to turn for the moment to the libel which is the subject of this action yes the jury has heard the allegations of which you complain to Mark is the one word of truth in them they are an infamous lie has anyone else any right to your title a state's opposition not a soul in the world has any member of your family at any time displayed any difficulty in identifying you know not one until this paragraph appeared in the Gazette I think I have only one more question to put to use a mark how did you first learn of this libelous publication it was sent me by friends and constituents but I first read it in my own copy of the paper I happen to be a registered reader of the Gazette I I don't agree with its views but I've always liked all sorts of fiction thank you sir mark that will be all does counsel for the defendant wish to examine the witness we do my lord so you've always liked all sorts of fiction have you yes I said so you've indulged that liking to a rather abnormal extent haven't you what do you mean I am suggesting that ever since November 1918 you have indulged in the unscrupulous fiction of being in English bernett that is an infamous libel for which your clients will have to pay of being the lawful owner of the modern estates I am the lawful owner keep calm some mark and the most unscrupulous fiction of all of being entitled to who and marry your wife my wife doesn't require the protection of the gutter press and my instructions I'm not so sure of that now before we go any further I want to be quite clear you don't wish to suggest to the jury that any physical or mental disability that is prison or escape experiences could possibly make you believe you were someone other than yourself do you suggest such a thing no I don't you've sustained no injury that could make Frank well may honestly believe that he was some mark blood done of course not whom did you say mr. Fox Frank well name a lot who is Frank well if your lordship will allow me to explore that in my own way certainly mr. Fox thank you my lord I am sure that the witness has heard of a man called Frank well there certainly he was a Canadian officer I believe so you ever know him yes I was at the same prison camp in Germany so I believe for how long nearly four years when did you last see him let me see it would be let me help you did you shave yourself this morning yes why didn't you see him then when you looked in the mirror I say didn't you hear me I'm suggesting that you are Frank well near and that he is you that's a lie is it we should see now when did you say you saw him last when we we escaped together in November 1918 we got parted got parted now when did you get parted we missed each other in the dark you missed each other in the dark hmm is that really all you can tell me of how you separated yes it's very easy to get lost in the dark the other fellows had got hold of civilian clothes but I hadn't I was in uniform so we had to move by night is anyone else in the party of escape yes a man called Buckingham now then that was the party so Mark Lodden Buckingham and Welney yes myself and the other two and how did you separate I've told you we lost each other in the dark yes in which of you got lost first well Buckingham went off first to forage for food he didn't come back ah that left Lodden and Welney together what happened then then Welney went off to to look for Buckingham he never came back either hmm both got lost the same fatal knight oh killed ah killed that was it was it I don't know I only mean well me I know Buckingham is alive so do you who do you say was killed well me or Lodden I won't answer that question you know I'm alive yes I know you're alive did you make any increase at the time about your shall we say mislaid companions of course I did and you've never heard from either of them since not from well me hmm do you think they are dead or alive I know Buckingham is alive and what of well me I've no doubt he's dead don't let us be unduly pessimistic would you please describe Frank Welney's appearance to the jury nothing peculiar very ordinary looking fellow come come I won't I don't want you to be so modest was he not in fact remarkably like you know I'll put the question another way wasn't he remarkably like Sir Mark Lodden I never noticed you never noticed it never did other people notice it did they yes who noticed it Buckingham he pretended to think that we were very much alike pretended hmm I wonder if you remember any physical peculiarities about this man well me no I can't say that I do no and I shall try to help you thank you I'm lucky enough to have an official description of well me from the army Canadian Army records oh most fortunate yes now let's see if it helps us at all height 5 foot 10 it's about your height isn't it and a good many millions besides I dare say blue eyes what color are yours you can see for yourself and so can the jury they're blue gentlemen thick crop of gray hair and how would you describe yours how would you describe yours if you've been through what I went through and now even a more important physical feature of Frank well me it seems from this record that he had lost the first two joints of the first finger of his right hand had he yes he had how did you lose yours my finger do you mean yes by a curious coincidence you've also lost the first finger of your right hand I don't know about coincidence I'm I'm I'm not ashamed of my wounds how did you lose it my my finger was shut off by a chance German bullet when when I was escaping of when you were escaping and that would produce the interesting result that no one who was at the prison camp with you could remember that Sir Mark Laden had lost a finger of course not but I remember mr. Foxley would you mind holding your right hand up to the jury so that they remember to thank you now I'm going to read one thing more from this official record of the unfortunate Frank well me it has the initials FW tattooed on his right forearm in a red and blue circle had he yes now I come to think of it I remember he was tattooed and I wonder if you would mind showing me Lord and the jury your forearm and what is your suggestion I'm glad to make it clear I definitely suggest your right forearm has the letters FW tattooed on it I don't want to conceal anything I'm I'm quite prepared to admit my arm is tattooed and has some letters on it but not though may we see for ourselves what they are certainly thank you would you show your arm to me Lord and the jury as far as I can see the initials tattooed on the plaintiff's arm are EW in a red and blue circle that is so my Lord but I suggest those letters EW were originally FW for Frank well me it would only require the addition of a single stroke would it not very true yes and perhaps the witness can explain those letters what about the E if you must have it E is my wife's initial her name is Enid indeed but if the letter was originally F that explanation would not do no but as it never was there is no difficulty and what is the W for the W the W stands for her maiden name winterton and when did you have them tattooed in Hobheim camp by a fellow prisoner why to pass the time time goes rather slowly in a prison camp I just did they permit you to write letters yes they did can you produce any letters written by Sir Mark Lodden while he was a prisoner no I cannot fortunately I can I have here some specimens of Sir Mark's pre-war and prison handwriting and your post-war handwriting are you look at them well they're rather different aren't they shoot off your first finger and see if your handwriting is the same you shoot yours off no I did not no it was a chance bullet of course it all comes down to this doesn't it that Frank Welney had lost the first finger of his right hand and you have lost yours Frank Welney had the letters FW tattooed in his right forearm before captivity and Sir Mark Lodden the English barometer had EW almost the same letters tattooed on the same arm during his captivity it's a world of coincidences isn't it yes it seems to me yes doesn't it all of the physical features which were wellies are also yours can you produce one physical characteristic which would identify you as Mark Lodden no not even a marker a scarf in your boyhood I told the court I don't remember my boy no you were shell shocked a very convenient explanation also happens to be the truth I didn't want to lose all the memories of my youth here I am a man of 40 over 40 and for all practical purposes my life began 15 years ago in the very nice life it was Mr. Welney I am Sir Lodden that is the question we are here to decide if I am not Mark Lodden what became of him shall I tell you Mark Lodden is dead Mark Lodden was murdered by Frank Welney and you are Frank Welney so the curtain falls on act one of LIBO starring Ronald Coleman with Otto Krueger and Francis Robinson in a moment Mr. Mill brings you act two meantime let's take an imaginary trip from coast to coast listen San Francisco Chicago Philadelphia New Orleans now that's a glimpse of the kind of thing that happened when an impartial survey was made in cities all over the country doorbells were rung and thousands of women were asked questions like this would you tell me please what soap you use for stockings why Lux Flakes of course then the same question was asked about other nice things and in thousands of homes east west north and south the answer was Lux finally when all the interviews were read and tabulated it was found that all over the United States it's new quick Lux Flakes two to one right twice as many women use new quick Lux Flakes for stockings under things and other nice things as use any other flakes chips or beads now that's a vote of confidence isn't it no wonder women are crazy about new quick Lux Mr. Ruick yes it's so fast why and water as cool as your hand it's three times as fast as any of ten other leading soaps tested that's a big help when you're busy Mr. Ruick it saves time and new quick Lux Flakes are so gentle safe for anything safe and water and that saves stockings and other nice things and new quick Lux is thrifty to use to because a little goes so far no wonder it's America's favorite way of washing all kinds of nice things why not get a generous big box tomorrow and give your stockings under things your washable dresses and blouses your gloves and sweaters this fast thrifty safe care new quick Lux comes in the same familiar package and it doesn't cost you are sent more now your producer Mr. DeMille act two of libel starring Ronald Coleman as some Mark Lodden with Otto Kruger as Foxley and Francis Robinson as Lady Enid it's the second day of the trial an hour before court is to reopen the man known as some Mark Lodden confers with his counsel some arcs faces white and drawn his eyes bright and feverish restlessly he paces the library as he speaks myself that I mind it's for Enid I watched her yesterday in court she was sober-wildered and hurt only there was some way of sparing her we had to bring the suit Mark it was the only thing to do I realize that you've said it 20 times Mark I'm sorry Sir Wilfred my nerves are all on edge did you sleep last night how could I sleep I went over every word of the trial hour by hour you should have tried to rest we have a hard day ahead of us could it possibly be any harder than yesterday what'll they do put Bucknam on the stand first I imagine after that I don't know back in them there's a witness for you I think I can take care of Bucknam Mark why didn't you tell me about those tattoo marks the letters EW on your arm why didn't you tell me well I didn't think it was important yet you knew that well they had almost the same letters on his arm the inference that F might have been changed to EW was something that I should have been prepared for and I didn't tell you am I supposed to remember every minor detail of something that happened 16 years ago that minor detail as you call it may prove very damaging if I'm to represent you mark you must not withhold anything that may have a bearing on the case hold why should I withhold anything from you I don't know mark you're beginning to talk like Foxley don't you believe me either I'm only trying to look at this through the eyes of the jury that's my job and in the eyes of the jury I am an imposter and a murderer is that what you mean I mean that minor details can sometimes blind the jury to the truth we must be careful mark very careful come in dear I didn't want to disturb you but we haven't much time in it do you think it's wise for you to come to court I must be there mark but it's horrible for you listening to all that it is horrible that's why I can't stay away I must be near you you're my husband in it darling you say that as if please mark not now there isn't much time to talk now all right darling mr. Bucknam let's get down to October 1918 what happened then our guards were reduced so we try to escape and who were we laden well me and me we got off all right at the first attempt and treat towards the Belgian frontier moving at night go on a few days before the armistice we reached the outskirts of a small town Stavolo just over the frontier by Malmedy what happened then well it was my turn to forage for food I went off and left the other two in the wood about half a mile up the hill outside the town when I got back well near Dana bunk Dana bunk he disappeared only Lordin was there and he is what happened well I don't suppose we'll ever know the exact truth will you tell the jury what you saw I saw poor old Mark Lodden where I'd left him both he was lying on the ground with his head bashed in any signs of a struggle rather Lodden's clothes were more red than khaki his arm had been smashed to a pulp which arm his right arm he was smothering blood face and arm you say there was no trace of well me not a sign what did you do I saw poor old Mark was dead but I couldn't leave him there so I lifted him as well as I could and took him along to the door of the first big ass left him on the step and ran away but you're sure that some mark was dead as dead as mutton thank you Mr. Buckingham your witness so we'll fret Mr. Buckingham am I right in assuming that your suggestion is that Frank Wellney murdered some Mark Lodden of course he did I left them together what time was that about eight or nine o'clock the dark it was dark I've told you so then how can you be so sure it was poor old Mark and not well neither to carry no this was smothered in blood no doubt about it if I hadn't known his shape when I carried him I'd have known his uniform he was the only one of the party in uniform see now tell me Mr. Buckingham it's some years since you were demobilized it is and where have you lived during those years are different places I wonder if I can guess some of them did you spend nine months in Liverpool jail yes I did what for is that important very important well it was a misunderstanding that's all really and then did you spend 18 months in Newcastle yes in prison again well what was that for same sort of thing I was just wasn't it for blackmail something you saw blackmail and then did you get three years in the old Bailey yes another misunderstanding yes it was blackmail again some people might describe you as a professional blackmailer then some people would be wrong we'll let the jury decide that your witness mr. Foxley you have served several terms of imprisonment yes for fraud and blackmail well yes I can't deny it have you ever been charged with murder no or attempted murder no and of what do you accuse the plaintiff of murdering Mark Lodden and slipping into his shoes that's all witness excuse me and now my lord I should like to ask for a short recess recess at this time if it please your lordship it is most necessary I would not ask it the most important witness in this case will arrive here within the hour he must be a very important witness mr. Foxley you've had time to prepare this case why wasn't the witness summoned in time he was me lord they took some time to prepare for the journey this witness is coming from the village of Stavallot on the Belgian frontier so what is this what are they going to do I don't know you better leave the court mark go to that little restaurant around the corner I'll try to meet you there in 10 minutes another cup of tea sir no no no thank you no nothing wrong with it is this sir no no it's just I I don't want any more please very well mark mark sir Wilfred I thought you'd never come sit down well well I found out who it is the witness who it's a man named Flordon a doctor listen mark that body that Buckingham left at the door in Stavallot yes dr. Flordon discovered it that night he took it into the hospital and whoever it was mark that man is still alive what he can't be mark he's dead I tell you that man is dead he must be dead mark what are you saying what do you know about this man I I know nothing nothing pull yourself together mark yes of course I I'm all right now and you say dr. Flordon that you practice as a doctor of medicine in the town of Stavallot on the old Belgian frontier yes monsieur for more than 20 years at the soul and you were there 1918 I was do you remember something which happened two days before the armistice it comes back to me distinctly a boy summoned me to admit night to a farmhouse near the town they're on the doorstep lay a man in a very old English uniform I knelt down I felt the pulse the heart the man was not quite dead but so nearly a corpse has made no difference and what did you do there was no hope for recovery but I determined to do my best I dressed his wounds at the farm and the next morning had him removed to my hospital for mental cases then gradually a miracle occurred sometimes it so happens one life is cut short and another is spared sometimes a life that means nothing less than nothing let's get on please what happened as a result of your treatment as I have told you it was a miracle my poor unfortunate recovered completely in a physical sense for the appalling concussion of the blows which so nearly killed him has deprived him of all intelligence deprived him of intelligence no what do you mean can he speak I cannot say he has a tongue he has not ever used it he cannot understand a word written or spoken English or French he cannot think really how can you say that because I a meal floor don't have studies these things are no he is a living log no more and he has been an inmate in your mental hospital ever since the night you found him yes we call him number 15 number 15 why what does the name could we give him we knew him not and that has ever since been the number of a cell I believe that you can produce one or two exhibits associated with this sad case yes this is the khaki jacket number 15 was wearing at the time see how it is stained with tolerance of blood it has lost the right sleeve it is unfortunate I have to cut that off to examine the arm it could not be helped a milord members of the jury please notice that this jacket is of the type one by officers of the rifle brigade so mark laden was a captain in the rifle brigade now doctor can you produce anything else yes I have bought with me another exhibit from Belgium number 15 himself number 15 yes milord that's so unfortunate body was out the brain may my assistant bring him in he is of course in a wheelchair I'm sure milord will allow it let him come in bring in number 15 this milord is number 15 you will notice milord that the features are unrecognizable bring him closer please thank you you will also notice that he breathes with great difficulty the bone structure of the head was badly smashed with some heavy instrument very heavy possibly the bot of an army rifle I see now dr. Fordon there is a very important question in this case yes monsieur it is whether the real name of this poor man here is well ne or whether his real name is so marked London that is indeed an interesting question poor number 15 he does not know he cannot tell it would obviously be useless to question him useless indeed monsieur nevertheless with milord's permission I should like to establish that this this man is incapable of knowing who he is you have my permission you may question him number 15 do you hear me number 15 do you know your name it is no use monsieur please please number 15 look at me look here here attorney said this way look at me now try to think try to remember have you ever heard of a man called sir mark London stop it stop it let him alone let him alone you see what they've done they've brought a dead man here I can't stand it I can't look at him no because you can't bear to see the result of your handiwork he's not alive look at his face yes look at it he's a cop he's been dead for 15 years take him back to his grave let him rest let him rest well on recess please so mark has collapsed after a short intermission mr. de mille and our stars Ronald Coleman Otto Kruger and Francis Robinson return in act three of libel now a question to the women in our audience when you want to know the best way to care for something that you've bought what do you do if you can you ask the person who made it don't you well take leather gloves for example nowadays beautiful gloves are being designed and made here in America and in a practical American way more and more of them are washable now that's a great convenience and a great saving of cleaning bills but of course you want to know how to wash them safely if not washed properly they may come out stiff and shrunken well here's advice from the experts the National Association of leather glove manufacturers whose members are the people who make leather gloves will you read what they say Sally they say never use a strong soap because harsh alkali can rob the fine mothers of their oils leave them dry and stiff never rub with a cake soap either because this may boil the finish we recommend new quick-lux flakes now that's expert advice and it's sound because new quick-lux has no harmful alkali and with the instant rich luck suds you don't need to rub maybe our audience would like some tips about glove washing mr. rewick I think that's a good idea Sally well here they are wash chamois and dough skin off the hands all other leathers on the hands use cool luck suds and press the suds gently into the gloves rinse in cool water and for a last rinse use some fresh light luck suds squeeze out the moisture in a towel when partly dry work the leather between your fingers it will come out soft as new thank you Sally and remember the American craftsman who make the lovely gloves now on sale in stores want you to get splendid wear follow the advice of the national association of leather glove manufacturers use gentle new quick-lux flakes for all washable gloves we pause now for station identification this is the columbia broadcasting system the curtain rises on the third act of libel the third day of the trial with the evidence mounting against the man called london so wilfred in desperation put lady london understand but her testimony lacked conviction and now the opposing council is cross-examining and your husband was married to you as sir mark london yes now uh only a few more questions from me lady london did mark london ever write to you from captivity at regular intervals after the first two months hmm i want you to search your memory most carefully did any of those letters reveal to you any uh loss of pre-war memories i no he said nothing of it he asked me to wait for him and you did yes i waited did he ever complain in those letters of shell shock he never complained of anything one final question lady london do you now believe your husband the plaintiff in this action is really mark london well is he or is he not so mark london i don't know i don't know i don't know well sir wilfred have you decided to adopt any particular course is this case to go to the jury our position my lord is very difficult but i fear i must yield to my client's insistent desire that i should exercise the right your lordship reserve to me the right to recall the plaintiff on the question of the uniform jacket which was produced by dr floridorn yesterday i believe i did reserve that your client has the right to give his evidence on that one point so mark will you go into the witness box please seems to be under great strain he can if he likes give his evidence sitting down thank you my lord so mark you had an opportunity yesterday of seeing the uniform jacket produced by dr floridorn yes you admit it's a rifle brigade jacket but most certainly i have no doubt that jacket was mine you identify the jacket as yours oh yes my lord do you mean your uniform was on number 15 when he was found by dr floridorn i do i should very much like to know why we are coming to that my lord will you tell the courts a mark how your jacket came to be on number 15 yes well you see buckinham was speaking the truth when he said he went foraging that night leaving uh well me and me together he was away a very long time we thought we thought he'd been caught so well they went to look for him when neither well nor buckinham came back i i began to creep along the edge of the wood towards the town suddenly i i bumped into a german soldier he was as frightened as i was without a word he fired off his rifle before he'd put it to his shoulder the bullet hit my hand and and and that's when i lost my finger yes what happened then i dashed in and and wrenched the rifle out of the man's hands he put up his arm to save himself and i i brought the the butt down on his head he dropped like a stone it was horrible go on go on then then i suddenly realized what i stood i'd lost my two companions i felt sure they'd been caught and on top of that i'd killed a german soldier and that meant that meant certain death if they found me the only chance of getting through was to get out of my uniform and get into a german one so i changed with the man i i thought i had killed of course i took everything out of my own pockets if i hadn't made the change i'd never have got through never is there anything else you wish to add some mark uh only this unless someone changed the uniform again after i got away that poor devil whom dr florid on saved is not an englishman at all he is that german soldier that will be all some mark mr foxland thank you uh tell me uh witness are you sure that you're fitting for cross examination uh whatever view the jury may take there is no doubt you've had a great shock yes i've had a great shock yet in some ways i feel fitter to answer your questions than i was two days ago no no what does that mean that shock seems to have brought a few things back to me i believe i might be able to tell you a bit more now of pre-war events than i could then very interesting hmm uh when you first gave evidence did i hear you take the oath of course you tell the truth the whole truth yes then why didn't you tell the whole truth i thought i did thought you did why didn't we hear a word of this encounter with a german soldier i i i didn't think it mattered oh didn't think it mattered and if it was true why suppress it can't you see it was only yesterday that i knew that that poor devil was still alive whether i'm frank well nay or not had nothing to do with that german soldier until you produced that jacket oh and uh when did you first tell this story to anyone but this morning because of wilfred uh did you never tell your wife no and why not i i didn't want her to associate me with that sort of thing what sort of thing i've told you the way i killed him i have a note of what you said i brought the butt down on his head he dropped like a stone yes yes yes is that all the truth have we got it all even now oh no not all not all i'll tell you he he gave a dreadful scream and fell down helpless i had to finish him off i had to if i was to have a chance of getting away getting home seeing take your time sir mark how many more blows how can i tell i've tried to forget all these years i can't think of it even now so uh we seem to be right you are a man capable of brutal murder did you ever serve in the war mr foxley learned counsel do not expose themselves to questions when they're cross examining i don't want his answer if he can't see the difference between murdering a fellow captive and killing an enemy soldier who was fired on yes yes yes well let's uh not get off the subject please can you produce a shred of evidence that would substantiate this story no no it depends on my word with nothing to support it and uh what became of the german uniform you say you escaped in i i burnt it i wanted to forget that seems unfortunate it might have given the name or regimental number of your mythical german i can give you the poor devil's name and regimental number never mind the number and perhaps i can tell you the name wasn't it mark lotton no it was not my lord it doesn't appear to interest my learned friend but i'm sure it will interest the jury so mark i want you to tell the court the name of that german soldier it was carl geist carl geist are you certain of that name yes my lord how here it is on his identity disc let me see it here my lord you swear this was on the body of the german soldier whose uniform you exchanged for your own that night at stavlo i do and you've kept it all these years yes my lord has anyone beside yourself ever known of the retention no my lord i i've kept it locked up it seems to me it becomes increasingly difficult for a jury to give a verdict in this case my lord i only want the verdict of the jury for the sake of one person and that is my son i've already lost the only verdict i wanted for myself has the witness anything more to say my lord yes something has just come back to me and what is it may i look at my jacket certainly pass the jacket to the plaintiff well will someone lend me a knife a knife what for i want to cut something i sewed in the back of my breast something you sewed in two fifty mark notes and i don't know we can let you mutilate an exhibit oh my lord i i've admitted it's my jacket and you can see where i sewed it up where you sewed it you sewed something in the lining yes milord when did you do that oh when i was at hubheim if i might have a knife to cut these stitches you may who has a pocket knife sure my lord give it to the witness thank you before i started to escape from hubheim with wellney and buckinham i wasn't too sure of my companions or what might happen to things in my pockets i don't seem to have been far wrong so i sewed inside the lining of this breast pocket a photograph and two fifty mark notes if this is my jacket they should be here now well cut it cut the lining yes yes of course yes well here are the notes and here is the photograph may i see the photographs a mark it was taken many years ago but i i suppose you can recognize it it all begins to come back to me milord this is the first photograph my wife gave me when we were engaged i took it with me to france i always had it in that pocket i see something is written on it too darling don't need that to be read aloud my lord i think it should members of the jury on this photograph these words are written to darling mark with all my love enid with all my love my lord yes mr foxley my lord my client has made a great mistake we are more than sorry for the great trouble we have caused this man is obviously so mark lotton oh my god i'm so ashamed can you ever forgive me you didn't know i hardly knew myself at times mark you're so tired will you come home with me mark will you in it yes milord sir mark before you leave may i hope that something more than a name has been recovered by this trial uh milord i cannot believe that the merciful providence which allowed sir mark and lady lotton to come together after all the dangers of the war will not again avail to bring them through this final tribulation milord you may rest assured in that point my wife and i are going home in just a moment mr demille brings back ronald colman for a curtain call some people call men the logical sex say that women go by intuition not reason well i think women are logical and i'll tell you why for a long time we've been giving them good reasons for using new quick lux flakes for dishes now we're sure that they are acting on those reasons because more and more they are using new quick lux for their dishes the reason for doing this is simple there is a great difference between harsh soaps and gentle lux flakes new quick lux contains no harmful alkali nothing to irritate the skin nothing to leave it coarse rough dry that's why in hundreds of dramatic one-hand tests lux proved so much kinder to hands these tests as i've told you were absolutely impartial made by a well-known scientific laboratory they included five soaps widely used for dishes in the tests each woman dipped one hand in lux suds the other in suds from a different soap the lux hands remained amazingly soft smooth and lovely while the other hands became distressingly red and rough now you can easily prove this difference in your own dish pan if you've been using a harsh soap just changed a new quick lux for your dishes you'll see the difference in your hands very soon it's such an inexpensive way to have soft lovely hands in spite of dish washing get the generous big box of lux flakes tomorrow and start using it right away now here's mr. demille with our star i've known our star and admired his art for a good many years i think tonight's performance was one of the finest he's ever given as he comes back to our microphone now we take our hats off to ronald colman oh my thanks to you cb and to otto kruger and frances robinson for their fine performances i'm very proud to be a member of your company this week each time i've come here you surpassed your reputation as a host our only complaint ronnie is that you you don't come often enough as one sailor to another cb don't go overboard i might wear out my welcome we'll take a chance on that right now ronnie i've received instructions from a good many of our audience to get a firm answer from you to a certain question well i've been on the stand most of the evening one more can't hurt the suggestion is that you pin down all the rumors and tell us what your next picture is going to be it'll be with our k.o and at the moment it's my life with caroline though before we get through it may have another title now i've i've a question for you cb you may fire one ready ronnie well it's about another picture land of liberty the film which you edited and assembled for the entire motion picture industry i understand it's going to be released very soon yes on january 24th to be exact you see land of liberty was made originally for the two world fairs as a kind of story of america in motion pictures it has literally dozens of stars in scenes taken from 112 different motion pictures and many newsreels but a great many people didn't didn't get a chance to see it at the fairs so now it's going to be shown in theaters throughout the country because of the nature of the picture and its timeliness as a living saga of our country all the proceeds are being given to charity so i have no hesitation in recommending land of liberty to every loyal american it's a great subject and it's for a great cause cb and i know the whole country is looking forward to seeing it now i think the audience is anxious to hear about your play for next week and it's something to tell the world about ronnie next monday night we're going to have merle oberan and gene ortrey in the cowboy and the lady it'll be gene's first appearance in the luxe radio theater but he'll be right at home in the part of a reckless and romantic buckaroo and you'll hear merle oberan in the same role she played in the samuel golden picture the cowboy and the lady and i for one won't miss it good night good night ronnie good night that applause is your second verdict tonight our sponsors the makers of luxe flakes join me in inviting you to be with us again next monday night when the luxe radio theater presents gene ortrey and merle oberan in the cowboy and the lady this is sasselby demille saying good night to you from hollywood francis robinson is currently seen in the columbia picture so you won't talk heard in tonight's play where vernon steel is sir wilfred alec hofford is buccanum jeff courier is dr flodon eric snoden as judge jack lewis as his associate noreen gamille as waitress and lou merrill as miles our music is directed by lewis silvers our luxe radio theater production of libel has come to you with the good wishes of the makers of new quick luxe flakes the tissue thin soap flakes used by smart housewives everywhere and by the great motion picture studios to protect a million dollar wardrobes that you see on the screen join us again next week be part of the coast to coast audience that gathers each week to enjoy this hour of dramatic entertainment this is your announcer melville ruik bidding you good night and this is the columbia broadcasting system