 Good evening. This is crime classic. I am Thomas Highland Listen, the man you hear breathing is named Thomas Edwin Bartlett. He's in bed and sleeping Breathing deep the night air of Pemlico, England. The Bartlett is a heavy sleeper A deep breather too Rhythmical and serene. An almost lullaby quality for young Mrs. Adlett Bartlett, his wife Who this night sleeps at the foot of his bed Rhythmical serene And just at the stroke of midnight, just when a new year has begun, Mr. Bartlett stops breathing Mr. Bartlett has just died From having drunk too much chloroform of all things His wife Waken sees it is a new year and celebrate tonight My report to you on the shockingly peaceful passing of Thomas Edwin Bartlett Greenbrook crime classic a New series of true crime stories taken from the records and newspapers of every land from every time Your host each week. Mr. Thomas Highland connoisseur of crime student of violence and Teller of murder Now once again Thomas Highland 1885 Some years before this one spring time when Mr. Bartlett was breathing 100% perfect He had responded to the delicate scent of a young French girl and the aroma went right to his heart He was suddenly in love with Adelaide Blanche de la Cremois age 16 And Adelaide Adelaide stop skipping rope. I'm talking to you You shouldn't say you might hear it's an immodest expression I'm sorry. I made you miss. I apologize And now will you do something for me anything of this you are sure anything I swear And tie an end of it to the tree and hold the other end and turn it and I will jump Don't you ever get enough of the sport? Adelaide we do you like me? Oh very much However, what you puzzle me intrigue you mean? I'm glad Why you put this time gone to fish and your grocery store this last week When it is not so you are here every afternoon in my yard when I come home from school I have permission from your brother At the day you have finished tying them up. Yes Are you hurt? Yeah, I'll leave you help me. I'm so tangled in the rope You are very nice Like this Will you marry me marry you? Yes, but I am Marry me and it will be the same. You'll still go to school and you will help me with my lesson every night And you'll play games with me and jump rope with me. I want to I will turn and you will jump now Now now all right I Did they we will you marry me but of course I did late we turn the real pasta came from the shelves of mr. Bartlett's group It was a springtime romance and an honorable one. They got married and according to mr. Bartlett's words the marriage progressed to each one satisfaction Mr.. Bartlett continued at the grocery store and Adelaide was still a student It is a matter of record that she was a good student in the subjects of geography history and But it is also a matter of record that one day she brought home with her a note from her teacher Yeah, mr. Bartlett Here is your wife last examination paper algebra as you see the grade is 43 Her square roots are especially weak as are her solving equations with true on nurse Something must be done. They'll show false and not pass into the next form Sincerely at your becker a squire P.S. I will be glad to tutor your spouse after school hours Then you be Why are you I am not a good wife you are wrong my dear I am not a good house I should have been helping you with your algea But you helped me so much with my lesson and you get tired and you go to your room Yes, I do not wish it anymore. I do not wish I want your school and mr. Becker to be proud of you My dear what's the matter? I do not wish to be a schoolgirl wife What a woman wise a mother wise you're so young A grade of 43 is nothing to fret over by my cousin Sibyl from Martin and we see 23 on her No child you listen to me. I've made you ashamed of yourself and now I'll make a min How I will find you a tutor Not mr. Becker Husband yes child whatever you say In Pemlico Simply this the girl wanted to grow up and her husband wouldn't let he told her she'd grow up soon enough But right now she should play and run and scamper This period in the married life of Thomas and Adelaide was marked by two events the first Here's presenting her upon her birthday with a game of the mind Domino hand card imported from Persia The second a tutor a veritable quiz and algebra imported from Bristol a young man of 21 Accomplished in the three hours and other branches of learning he doted on chemistry for instance and one report has it that he was forever Indulging himself with practical jokes at the school with chloroform They say his headmaster constantly fell asleep while admonishing him His name George Dyson Adelaide your tutor This is my wife Adelaide Here is your book open it to page one a minus one equal zero Therefore a equals one you understand that no Sit by me. I'll teach you I'll leave you to a little Now Yes, you are very young you are very pretty Since the minus quality of one changes to a positive quality as you transverse the integer to the right side of the equation mark It's obvious then if x minus one equals zero And x is equal to one quite obvious indeed. You are a very good teacher Did your husband tell you I was to live here? If x minus two is equal to zero What does x equal to? I'm proud of you In the next form she's shown algebra was her strongest subject One day. Mr. Becker was astounded when Adelaide stood right up in class and said the cubos of a cube minus 3a square b plus 3a b square minus b cube is a minus b Then came geometry George was also a quiz of this more so George share to talk stop that pay attention to your lessons George please these what please please me first the theorem Two triangles are congruent when the two sides of the included angle are coincident All right Trigonometry wife and tutor caught up in the mysteries of logarithms and signs and cotangents and secants There were field trips to to the garden because George Dyson Tudor believed in practical application of theory This particular late afternoon They were endeavoring to determine the height of the flagpole in the garden Using the length and angle of the shadow cast by the pole as points of reference It was a fine afternoon in the ball It was an afternoon to be young You always ask me to do that at least and you always do Who's your husband should walk out here and see him knows about us You're joking. I'm not he knows Do not worry All right Mr. Bartlett of course kiss of this the Dyson you deserve it you both deserve it master and puke You've done so well together Go on Dyson Trigonometry coming Dyson fine fine fine Well cook said dinner will be ready soon. I'll call you when it is Adelaide what? Don't you find your husband But I mean strange what happened just now he is a boy and I despise him He's your husband. You shouldn't speak like that about him. I'm sorry. He's my husband. What would you do if he weren't? You know I know I want you to tell me the things were talked about They weren't my husband. I want to tell you something about me. You didn't know Adelaide I was quite a chemistry student too. I could teach chemistry if I wanted to be very interesting Clariform for instance is a chemical Laura from I've heard of it It belongs to the class of neurotic chemicals which act on the brain and produce loss of sensation Carelessly used it can cause death then it is a poison It's strolled in the gut. I want to Clariform is a colorless heavy and volatile liquid having a peculiar And they spoke of many things husband's autumn roses cabbages Can't lay poison No, but it is not the time to speak of it. We were speaking of other things I used to have fun with Clariform when I went to school Is it difficult to obtain? In large quantities it is However However what? It can be obtained. It has a peculiar odor. These are the detectable. You're almost impossible to get someone to drink Unless someone wanted to drink it Who would want to? Some people I suppose Some You're sure? I've noticed something What's your husband? He looks poor He suffers. Sometimes at night he comes to my bedroom and tells me how much he suffers From what? His billiards Poor man He complains of his stomach I thought that A nervous depression at night sometimes he sits in my room depressed It's stomach And the doctors have told him that Has he tried mercury? Mercury Much easier to obtain in Clariform I could stop at the apothecary after dinner Do stop. His stomach is much worse after dinner I'm hungry. Let's have the dinner, Adela I'll give me around dear George Just setting the suckling pig on the table when the young folk entered Mr. Bartlett greeted them with a wave of his fork and they said The dinner was a success and as usual Mr. Bartlett exhibited his clean plate For the applause of his wife and her tutor Over fruit and cheese George Dyson begged to be excused I'll be back in a shake, Mr. Bartlett, with a surprise for you Why should not the melon for me do that later? And in half an hour George returned Which was good time for the course The house to the apothecary and back But George was in a hurry And when he returned Adelaide was waiting for him in the great hall Quickly, calm What's the matter? After dinner he almost fainted He managed to get into the library when he was lying down His stomach? In the middle of a melon slice Mr. Bartlett, Mr. Bartlett, here I have something for you What? What is it? Here not Let me help you sit up Adelaide, that wine glass I have something for you Mr. Bartlett Something that will make you feel better What is it? The surprise I promised you To make your stomach feel much better George was very good in chemistry at school You're a good fellow George Drink it Drink any more I'll leave it here beside you Sit it when you can You'll see that when you develop a taste for it It will be very beneficial You're a good fellow Adelaide Don't worry about me You have your things to do Yes, George and I have our lessons I wouldn't interrupt them for the world Go George Adelaide We'll look in on you later Mr. Bartlett In an hour Good fellow Good Good fellow Mr. Bartlett's stomach quieted after a while And lying there he had a thought That perhaps it was George's surprise that did it So he forced himself to sip again of the glass However, in time Mr. Bartlett did develop a taste for mercury And made it a habit to indulge in a sip after every meal Somehow his stomach responded suitably And his complaints were not nearly so many Of course it should be noted that Mr. Bartlett would reel suddenly And fall down at odd times And then he was constantly bumping into things And his teeth dropped out Some of his more observant friends would mutter among themselves About Mr. Bartlett's slightly bluish complexion One morning Mr. Bartlett woke up completely beardless And from that day on he never had to shave But since generally his stomach felt much better Mr. Bartlett deemed himself ahead of the game A philosophy which caused comment Adelaide to George My husband seemed happier Yes, I've noticed My stomach has improved Because he doesn't eat so much Because he lacks sufficiency Your husband has developed a tolerance for mercury Yes Mr. Dyson Mr. Dyson? Who means you? When will you be finished tutoring me, Mr. Dyson? What do you mean? Tomorrow I should meet Mr. Dyson For what? Tomorrow is the eve of a new year My husband has asked me to join him In private celebration in his room We shall drink to your leaving us But you, you and I But there's one last favor you can do for me Why, I don't do anything While you're at your pottery Pottery While you're there While you're making the purchase of chloroform Bring me one sachet of lavender A dozen cinnamon sticks And a dozen licorice twisties for my old friend And then you are giving me one more chance at a lid Mr. Dyson, at least a day When I shall call you George again Lavender, cinnamon sticks, chloroform, and licorice twisties Two dozen twisties, Mr. Dyson Good night Eleven o'clock at least One hour until the new year And our anniversary Next year Thomas Yes, my dear You remember how you used to come And watch me jump rope? I had a beard then And I called you Balboa A drink Six years, Thomas, we have been married A drink I have had enough drink You, you finish the bottle I want you to look at me, husband Very well Yes When we were married I was sixteen a child Six years ago At a late, at a late, at a late You see, husband No longer a child I drink to you a woman Adelaide What is it? Have you drunk from this bottle? Yes, I think so It has a pungency to it, doesn't it? Let me say Shantry 1871 I've been spraying vintage A decided pungency And a robe, too Smell it Nice, good What is it? Longing The tassels from your nightcap It tickles Does it? So attractive, dear Thomas Makes me attractive, huh? Let's have a cook to order a bit long Later, finish the bottle, dear And then I'll have something to tell you All right Oh, you confess it now Not that I am a woman An attractive woman, yes I'm finally a wife, my husband It's years now, and you have observed me Only as a child And it's three years Wean them on this Their six New Year's Eve together And their wedding anniversary On further passage History is obscure It is known, however, that they were alone in the house Except for their service It is known, too, that five bottles of champagne were consumed Two bottles, Chantilly 1871 Of pungent vintage According to the record, it has been said That a few moments before the New Year was ushered in Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett were both asleep He stretched across the width of the bed She at his feet And once more I refer you to Mr. Bartlett Asleep For his stomach Evidence of having contained a considerable amount of chloroform And there was a verdict of willful murder Against Adelaide Bartlett and George Dyson At the trial, each made a statement It is true that I purchased chloroform At various apothecaries And it is true that the total amount I purchased there by was sufficient to cause death However, I used the chemical Nearly to clean spots for my clothing I have many pieces of clothing and believe Neatness is next to righteousness It is true also that I became attached to Mrs. Bartlett But only because she was well-versed in matters mathematical It was a constant source of joy to me To be able to sit and speak with her Of an evening of theorems and theories Postulates and corollaries I loved my husband He encouraged me to pursue studies of various kinds And decided to please him On the night of his death My husband was in good spirits and drank heavily He, I must confess, was never more attractive But he fell asleep A deep sleep From this he never awakened I never know why Know why? The jury debated for two hours And returned a verdict of It is not known whether George or Adelaide Never saw each other again Whether they ever again tasted together The dusty fruits of a Pimlico sunset Whether there were any more math lessons Or talks of matters chemical But it may be safe to assume That some of the dust breathed by the Pimlicons On evening walks Some of it has been contributed by George And Adelaide and Mr. Bartlett You might be interested in knowing Where once stood Mr. Bartlett's grocery store Now stands an apothecary This is all the information I have The original court reports and newspaper accounts By Morton Fon... Music was composed and conducted by Bernard Herman And the program is produced and directed by Elliott Lewis Thomas Highland is portrayed on radio by Lou Merrill Thomas Edwin Bartlett was played by Herb Butterfield Adelaide by Betty Harford And George by Terry Kilburn Bob LeMond speaking With the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service