 Dutch Cleanser, famous for chasing dirt, presents Nick Carter, famous for chasing crime. Every week at this time, two great names are joined, as old Dutch Cleanser brings you one of the most resourceful and daring characters in all detective fiction. Nick Carter, master detective. Nick, that's impossible. No, Patsy. Somewhere high up in the skyscrapers of this city, a deadly killer is running wild. I know, but how on earth are you going to track him down, Nick? Well, it's like looking for someone in a jungle of stone and glass. Well, at least I know whom he's picked out for his next victim. Who? A fellow by the name of Nick Carter. Now the case of the careless employees. Today's exciting Nick Carter adventure brought to you by Old Dutch Cleanser. Our story begins in the superintendent's office of the Park Window Cleaning Company, a large firm handling skyscraper contracts only. Bill Stevens, one of the company's window washers, is talking to the superintendent Frank Marston. I just dropped in to give you my notice, Marston. I'm quitting this coming Saturday. What? You heard me. I'm handing in my equipment Saturday. Wait a minute, Bill. Take it easy. It's more money you want. Who couldn't pay me enough to keep me washing windows for the Park Company, Marston? But Bill, you've been with the company a long time. Yeah, and I want to live a long time. I don't like all these accidents that are happening to pals of mine. Look at Ed Kelly. He fell 40 stories to the street two weeks ago. And then last week, Joe Drummond took a nose dive from the Embassy Hotel Towers. And then only yesterday, Tim Bollin hit the bricks. Dropped 20 stories from the exchange building. And each of them so badly smashed, you could hardly identify him. Oh, sure, I know, but we're bound never on a bad luck now. And then, Bill, those fellows probably got a little careless. Nuts! They were old timers and you know it. They know where to put their safety belts and how to handle themselves in a high wind. The truth is, this here company is jinxed. And what do you mean by that? You're the superintendent. You tell me. Oh, just because you've had a few accidents... Marston, we've had three accidents in two weeks, and that's too many. I'm getting the jitters myself. The next thing, you know, bingo, they'll pick me up off the street with a blotter. Bill, if I were you, I'd think it over, right? Think it over or nothing. My mind is made up, Marston. I'm going to get myself a nice, safe job on the ground. Good morning, Patsy. Oh, gosh! Do I feel embarrassed? Letting the boys beat me into the office. Ah, Patsy. What's the matter, Nate? Leave that bunch of fruit to call a hat right where it is. We're going places. So early in the morning. So early in the morning. John Farron just called and asked us to go to work for him. Farron? Is that Farron of Atlantic underwriters? That's the man. And I might remind you, his company pays us a handsome manual retainer for services rendered. In other words, you've got yourself a case. I have. Well, what's it all about? Well, Atlantic issues a special high premium policy to window cleaners. And three of these insured window cleaners have fallen from skyscrapers in the last two weeks. What does that have to do with you? The first place, statistics show that no window cleaner has died by accidental fall in the past two years. Now, for no apparent reason, three of the poor devils plunged to their deaths in two weeks. It could be coincidence, Nick. Yes, it could, but I doubt that it is. Listen to this. There are only two big contract window cleaning companies in town. The Park Outfit and the Community Window Cleaning Corporation. Between them, they handle millions of dollars worth of skyscraper business annually. And they're bitter rivals. Who had the accident? Park or community? Or both? All the accidents have happened to Park, none to community. I see. Of course, that could be coincidence, too. I'm afraid this case has too many coincidences. Well, what are we going to do about it, Nick? In other words, where now? The headquarters. I want to check a few details of Manny before we really get going. So you're sure these window cleaners fell by accident, huh, Matty? I can be absolutely sure of nothing, Nick. As far as we know, these guys just got careless. That's all. Well, from what we understand, they were all old-time as in the window cleaning business. Yeah, yeah, but even the best of them can make mistakes, Patsy. Yeah. And when they slip on a job like this, I should say shrouds. What about the safety belts these cleaners are wearing, Matty? Nick, I checked them myself. They were in perfect condition. Not a thing wrong with them. And the bolts on the sides of the windows to which they hooked their belts? Went over them personal. Every window where these men were cleaning when they fell. Those bolts were in solid, Nick. Not a loose one on the lock. Well, Nick, that's bad. I sure you're just wasting your time, Nick. The medical examiner looked over each of the bodies and reported death by accident. Fall and violent contact. Violent is right. Oh, Nick, I've seen men smashed up in my time, but these fellas... We could barely identify them. Well, nevertheless, I still can't get over the fact that these accidents happened so close together and only to the men in the park company. Well, Nick, look, these window cleaners stepped out on a windowsill and slipped. Or they were blown off these skyscrapers by a high wind before they got their belts hooked. No, I don't know. But we're booking them as accidents and that is that as far as we're concerned. It doesn't matter. You may be right. But until I've exhausted every possibility, I'm not going to be satisfied. Come on, Betsy. Where are we going this time? Uptown. I want to talk to the superintendent of the park company. Mr. Carter, it's beyond me. I still can't figure out how they happened to fall. Tell me, Mr. Marston, if you know any of them well, did I know them? I'll say I did. There were old timers with our company. I worked right alongside of them before I hurt my leg and took this inside shot. Well, they were friends of mine, all right. Knew their families, too. Now... We understand how you must feel. Uh, Mr. Marston, these accidents, how have they affected your business? We're taking a terrific beating, Mr. Carter. I see. You've already lost a couple of big accounts. The mercantile building and the arcade building canceled with us and went over to the community corporation. They didn't like the unfavorable publicity. I can understand that. Yeah, that isn't all. Just losing business is only one of our troubles. Suppose your men are quitting, huh? They sure are in droves. You know, window cleaners are pretty superstitious, Mr. Carter. Why do you think our company's hoodoo? Can't you get any help to replace them? There hasn't been a man come to our employment office in two weeks. We've advertised on all the papers and we haven't got a single response. Frankly, Mr. Carter, a little more of this kind of thing, and the park company's washed up where we're through. I see. And who's the man to see it, your competitors? The community corporation. A man named Whaley, Fred Whaley. It's a corporation with a board of directors, but he supervises operation. Why? What's he got to do with all this? Oh, I just want to get his part of you, that's all. Come on, Petsy. Let's go see Whaley. Look, Mr. Carter, I'm a very busy man. I don't have much time. Now, what do you want? Miss Bowen and I are investigating those accidents over at park on behalf of the Atlantic underwriters. Well, why come to me? Nothing's happened to our window cleaners. Why don't you talk to the park people instead of coming here to waste my time? Look here, Whaley. You don't have to tell us anything if you don't want to. But at least you can be civil. Okay. Well, what do you want? We don't quite understand why all the accidents seem to be happening to the park company alone. Meaning what, Carter? Meaning anything you like. Or nothing. Are you implying we're responsible? I'm not making any accusations, Whaley. We just thought you might have an idea. I haven't. I mind my own business operating the community window cleaning corporation. What happens over at park doesn't interest me. Is that clear? Clear enough. But is it the truth? Now, wait a minute. Wait a minute, Carter. Do I understand you to insinuate today? What I'm saying is common knowledge in business circles, Whaley. Park has already lost several big skyscraper contracts in the park company. They lose a few more, they'll fold up. Well, that's their affair. It's not mine. Though I'd be happy to see them fold up. Now, is that all? Yes. Yes, Mr. Whaley. That's all. For now. All you see mostly is a lot of sourpusses. But you, boy, you're the best-looking babe I've seen in any of these offices. Oh, you really think so? Honest. No kidding. Well, you're not so bad yourself. What's your name? Mabel. Mabel Lannigan. My name is Bill Meadow. Pleased to meet you. Must be a pretty doll working in an office like this all day. Punching a typewriter. Oh, I'll see. Sometimes I could scream. Take your job. Gee, that must take an awful lot of nerve. Yeah, gotta watch yourself. You just cared you'll fall someday? Well, I never was before. But lately, I've started smart enough. And tonight, I'm going to celebrate. Hey, that gives me an idea. What? How about you celebrating with me? Oh, I couldn't do that. I hardly know you. Oh, come on, Mabel. I'm a nice guy when you get to know me. Well, go to the blue grotto. You know, dinner, dance. What do you say, Mabel? Well, I... I tell you what. If it'll make you feel any better, we'll make it a foursome. Foursome? Sure. I've got a friend. You get a friend. Well, I've got a friend who works on the floor below. On the 32nd floor. Her name's Alice Hayes. I might call her up. I tell you what. If it's okay with her, me and my friend will meet the two of you at the entrance of this building tonight at six sharp. Okay? All right. Well, call your friend right now. I'll be washing the next window over, Mabel. And when you get through phoning, you stick your head out of the window and let me know how you make out, huh? So long, beautiful. Yeah, sure. It's embarrassing when you're tall and the man you're with, but I'll tell you what, Alice. Hold the wire. Bill's washing the window in the next office. I'll ask him how tall his friend is. Hold on. That Mr. Whaley is a nice, chatty man, Nick. Just a sweet, lovable guy if I ever saw one. Yeah. Certainly didn't get much out of him. If you ask me, we're on a wild goose chase. We've been running around in circles. Hey, what's the matter? Nick, that ammium's just up where the crowd is. Must be an accident. Yes. Let's have a look. Right. Hey, what happened, bud? It's another winter cleaner. Yeah, poor guy smashed right through the ornate. And on the sidewalk, he must have dropped on the 40th floor. Nick, it's another one of those accidents. Oh, I see. Come on, Betsy. Oh, but Nick, the body's over there. I'm not interested in the body. I want to find out what office that poor devil dropped from. You say it was the office next to yours. That right, Miss Landigan? Yes, sir. He just finished our window and he was working on the next one. He was just fallen backward from the window sill. Kind of. And that's all you saw? Yes, sir. Nick, I think we better let Miss Landigan go now. She isn't feeling very well. Yes, of course. Just as soon as she tells us which office it was. It's this one right here. It used to be rented by the Burger Woolen mill, but it's empty now. I see. Thank you very much for your help, Miss Landigan. You're welcome, I'm sure. All right, let's go in, Betsy. Right, Nick. I don't know which office, but it's just been repainted. Yeah. The floor is still a little sticky from a fresh coat of varnish. Hey, Betsy, look. Look at what? The floor. Huh? A very faint imprint of someone's feet and the varnish. Nick, you're right. Wait. Hmm? See those little round spots beside the footprints? Yes. Those are undoubtedly made by the rubber tip on the cane. So the man who came into this office was lame, huh? Does that suggest something to you, Nick? Wait a minute, wait a minute. Hey, look. Hmm? A number of prints at the window, too. Must have been left by the window cleaner. Apparently he was cleaning the inside of the window when the lame man came through the door. Nick, I still don't see what to do. But the window washer's pale is on the outside seal of the window. What of it? Well, look at the window, Betsy. Look at it. Hmm? Sorry, it had been washed on the outside, and the cleaner had started on the inside surface. That means the cleaner was working on the inside of the window, Nick. If that's the case, why is the pale on the outside of the window? Precisely, Betsy. It shouldn't be. I'll let someone deliberately put it there after the window cleaner was dropped to the street. Then this was no accident. I'll say it wasn't. It was murder. Now back to the case of the careless employees. Today's Nick Carter adventure brought to you by Old Dutch Cleanser. It is Monday now, and Betsy is just coming into the office after doing a job of research for Nick. Well, Nick, I checked back on those three accidents that preceded Bill Meadows. And? And your hunch was right. Every one of those window cleaners fell from the window of an empty office. Good going, Betsy. This proves that the murderer was someone who knew the schedules of the park company crew. And knew them to a dotted I and a cross T. Ha! He showed perfect timing picking empty offices where he wouldn't be disturbed. And his motive certainly is obvious enough. Still, even with what we know, it isn't going to be easy to nail down this killer, Betsy. Oh, I'll say it isn't. Well, there must be a hundred skyscrapers in the city with thousands of windows, and heaven knows how many empty offices. And looking for this murderer is going to be even worse than trying to find a taxi on a rainy night. Betsy? Yes. Did you ever wash windows? What? I said, did you ever wash windows? Well, well, yes, of course, but I never enjoyed it. Why? I've decided to get a window cleaning job with the park company. Nick, for the love of Pete, have you gone mad? No, Betsy. I've got a hunch that if I set myself up as sucker bait, the killer may look me up. Well, Hallie, know where you are or what you're doing. I'll make sure the word gets around. Nick, you can't do it. It isn't the killer I'm worried about so much. It's the idea of you hanging on a safety strap 40 stories above the street and then suddenly... Oh, Nick. Now, Betsy, don't worry. High places don't bother me. Maybe you don't know it, but if you look at my high school yearbook, you'll see that a kid named Nick Carter was champion high diver of the swimming team. You say my men were murdered? Carter? They didn't fall just by accident? That's right, Marston. What makes you think that? Well, I won't go into the details now except to tell you I know they were murdered. And the killer is a man who uses a cane. Probably walks with a limp. Walks with a limp? That's interesting, Carter. Is there anything I can do to help you track him down? Yes, Marston. You can give me a job, cleaning windows. Did I hear you right, Carter? You want me to give you a what? A job with one of your regular crews. Well, by all its holy why? Because I have a hunch that if I'm on a window washing crew, this skyscraper killer may pay me a visit. Well, I'll look here, Carter. You're out of your mind. This is the whole idea. Well, it's crazy. You've never had any experience. This kind of work's pretty tricky and dangerous. I'll take the chance. You're sure you want to do this? I am. Okay. It's against my better judgment, but I'll give you the job. All I can say is you'll be careful. Now, don't worry, Marston. I expect to be careful. Very careful. Now, to whom do I report? The crew boss is Al Frederick. You'll find him in the locker room down the hall and don't you think you'd better come along and introduce me? Well, I... Well, Carter, I think I'd better stay here. I'll look to my ears and work. You go ahead. I'll phone Al from here that I'm sending you with. Oh, one more thing. Shall I tell him who you really are? Might as well. If you consider him trustworthy, I may need his cooperation later. Well, Frederick? Yeah, that's right. Mr. Marston told me to report to you for work. My name is Carter, Nick Carter. Mr. Marston told me over the phone just now, but I don't like it. It's pretty dangerous work, especially for a green hand. Oh, I know what I'm up against. Okay. I'll put you on the first thing in the morning. I don't know exactly what you're up to, Carter. But let me tip you off to one thing. Yes? Be careful. This is Office Patsy Bowen speaking. Oh, hello, Patsy. I'm on my lunch hour. Anything doing at the office? No, no, there's nothing new. Oh, Nick, for heaven's sake, I just went to this window-cleaning business and come back here to the office. I've been going crazy ever since you started work this morning. Now, Patsy, there's no point in getting jittery. Oh, there isn't. Well, Nick, let me tell you something. I dreamed about you last night. You were crawling up the side of a big, tall building like a human fly, and then when you almost got to the top, a huge bird swooped down and started to attack you. You tried to fight back, but you had to hang on and you couldn't. And then, then all of a sudden, oh, Nick, I thought I lost you. Now, now, Patsy, I'm doing fine so far. Don't worry. Oh, I'm all right, Nick. I'll try not to. Anything new? If you ever want to look me up this afternoon, you'll find me on the 32nd floor of the Globe Building. I've decided to look for you. Keep facing that window and get your hands up if you don't want a bullet in your back. Nick's hunched that the skyscraper killer would finally look him up turned out to be accurate with a vengeance. We'll be back to see what happens in just a moment. The illusion of the case of the careless employees. Today's Nick Carter adventure brought to you by Old Dutch Cleanser. As we pick up our story, Nick is facing the window with his hands up while the man with the limp points a gun at his back. I see you picked out a nice empty office as usual, Marston. Do you know me, eh, Carter? I do. Not that it matters much now. How did you know? When I first met you, you mentioned the fact that you had a bad leg. It was stupid of me, wasn't it? Very. Then later, when you refused to get up from your desk and walk with me to the locker room, I was pretty sure. Why didn't you do something about it then? Because courts require airtight evidence before they send a man to the chair, Marston. I wanted you to tip your own hand the way you're doing now. I figured you'd get worried and come after me. You're a smart detective, Carter. But this time, you've outsmarted yourself. Have I? You sure have. It's 32 stories to the street, Carter. You've got a one-way ticket. Suppose the community corporation is paying you off to ruin your own company. Ah, no. Not the corporation. Just my friend, Whaley. You see, Whaley gets a big bonus if the community does a big business. I get a dividend. $25,000 for turning over to him a million dollars with a park business. I see. Now, Mr. Carter, I'm going to treat you just as I did the other. No favoritism. Gonna tap you on the back of the head with a butt of this gun. Knock you out. Then I'm gonna drop you out of the window. Of course, they'll never notice a little bump on your head after you hit the street. They'll call it an accident. Just an accident. Hey! Don't like water in your face, do you? Too bad. You're Mr. Marson. You won't get another kiss. Well, Mr. Marson, looks as if you're the one who suffered a little accident, not me. An accident that should please my friend, Mary, very much indeed. At the airport, he's just trying to get a plane out of town. Makes two customers for the chair instead of one. Yeah. And if these two don't burn, I'll go back to pounding a beat. Oh, Sergeant. Nick, there's still one thing I don't understand. Yes? You were facing the window, and Marson was in back of you with a gun. Yeah, how did you get out of that spot, Nick? Well, I had to take a long chance. I watched Marson's reflection in the window as he came toward me. My pail of cleaning water was beside me on the sill. When he raised his gun to crack me over the head, my pail of water right over my shoulder and into his face. And that blinded him just long enough so you could knock him out. Well, I'll be doing good. Nice work, Nick. That's my boss, Sergeant. If he can't wash windows with this cleaning solution, he catches murderers with it. Her master detective, produced and directed by Jack McGregor, is copyrighted by Street and Smith Publications Incorporated. Lon Clark is starred as Nick with Charlotte Manson featured as Patsy. Mattie is played by Ed Latimer. Today's script was written by Max Ehrlich. Original music is played by George Wright. This program is fictional and any resemblance there into actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental. This is Bob Martin saying, one minute's count, use old Dutch cleanser. This is the mutual broadcasting system.