 The signal oil program The whistler is your signal for the signal oil program The whistler and the whistler and I know many things for I walk by night I know many strange tales hidden in the hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows Yes, I know the nameless terrors of which they dare not speak Yes friends, it's time for the signal oil program the whistler rated by independent research the most popular West Coast program In gasoline, you know it takes extra quality to go farther and signal is the famous go farther gasoline So look for the signal circle sign in yellow and black that identifies signal service stations from Canada to Mexico And now the whistler strange story Eight to twelve at three o'clock that afternoon Danny brine had been riding high The top crime reporter in San Francisco with a nice apartment on Russian Hill 200 a week from the Express and a lot more on the side at four o'clock He was nobody just another newspaper man out of a job He'd walked into the club nocturne just after dinner Decided he might as well give it to Teddy right from the shoulder She'd know about it sooner or later anyway By nine he'd had four martinis wasn't caring too much what he said one way or another Job all I'm still a reporter, baby Brother Graves doesn't like my work. There are plenty of others who do Graves is an important guy They'll all listen to him. He's a stuff shirt. I help put him where he is and he knows Napoleon they call him down there. I'd like to ring his scrawny neck Danny. Hello, Danny, huh? Oh Stan oh boy Huh teddy darling. This is Stan Macintosh one of my erstwhile colleagues Teddy Eldridge is Stan. They're down. Let's talk over old times on the Express I've only got a minute. Oh What's on your mind? What about oh go ahead go ahead Teddy knows the story. I see Just wanted to tell you Graves called us all into the office this afternoon You want to know what he said? I got a rough idea He said you were taking hush up dough from the dame in that murder case across town Said you put the bite on her. That's why you got canned. Oh Anything else? Told us he was gonna make an example of you That's all self-righteous little jerk. I could kill him sure I could throttle him with my bare hands right now Take it easy Danny. You better go home and sleep. Oh shut up. I don't care who knows doesn't matter what you think Keep it to yourself. I tell you I could kill him Well, does that shock you Stan, huh? I could snuff him out right now like that tell that to the boys in the city room And tell them not to worry about Danny brine. There are plenty of other jobs Stan plenty of jobs But there aren't plenty of jobs either Danny Three other papers in town and you can tell by the way the city editors look across the desk at you that Martin Graves has been there first that though. It's all very polite and friendly They're part of a closed corporation and if Graves has given the word the answer is no By the following Saturday night you've afraid that he's licked you though. You won't admit it to anyone not even to Teddy Danny yeah Danny I've got good news Mr. Merrill called me in this afternoon raised me to a hundred and a quarter say that's great Oh, it's more than they've ever paid for a girl singer and Danny. I just want you to know if Well, if you need any money now wait a minute. What are you talking about? Well, since you're not working, baby Get this through your head. I'm not out of a job. I'm taking a rest. That's all when I want a job I'll get one like that. Oh, don't try and kid me Danny. I know how it is. I I Want you to remember I'll do anything for you Danny Anything sure baby. I know that but just forget about the job business. Well, yeah, I'm not worrying why excuse me Oh, yeah, what is it Mike? There's a telephone call for you. Mr. Graves. He says it's important great Thanks, Mike. You see Teddy nothing to it. Huh? Just like that Yes, mr. Graves, right? Yeah, what is it? Oh, where are you apartment? Wait a minute. It's uh, 915. Oh, what about 10? Oh, I'll think it over it better decide tonight. I may feel different tomorrow He finally came around But it's a matter of pride now, isn't it? You deliberately stay at the club for another hour knowing it won't hurt to let Graves know you're taking your time It's 10 30 when you walk up to the door of his apartment Drop him a cordial nod as he lets you in and shows you to a chair and pours a drink He wasn't kidding about the cold the air is strong with eucalyptus oil He's wearing a wool robe a heavy towel around his neck Five minutes later. He gets to the point Danny there's no use kidding each other. You're a great reporter. We need you on the express Thanks, you ought to come back. I've made up my mind a lot of other jobs, you know, how did San Francisco? Why not? You ought to know You've been to the chronicle Examiner the news They all turned you down. Well, they're other towns. Ah, but you ought to stay here. You belong here. Oh, maybe I Don't want to go into what you did Danny. I'm only to forget it if you are I Think you learned a lesson. Hey look Let's not even talk about that, huh? All right You ought to come back Okay, chief when you report Monday morning to the Stan Macintosh Macintosh, what do you mean? You're a rewrite man now Rewrite Who do you think you're talking to you heard what I say rewrite? Why you to bit Napoleon you think you can run me like a monkey on a string wait a bit of bright Well, you picked the wrong guy graves. You can pull the strings only. I don't take your head. Oh, we wanted to tell you Oh, let's go. I'd be bright. Oh Hit me. What are you? Oh, you want to play rough? Do you okay? You forget where you are everything stops There's nothing inside you but a blind red rage the ends of the towel around his neck tight in your hand It's quiet now, Danny. No sound but the blood pounding in your head And then things begin to get clearer The room comes into focus again a chair overturned the desk swept clean It's vase of flowers the clock the statuette smashed on the floor and On the floor to his Martin graves lying very still You don't have to look any closer Danny as a crime reporter. You've seen murdered men before Lots of them You sit down let your head clear a little look at your watch 1045 you know it's hopeless Danny But you'd have a better chance of getting out of this one if you'd murdered Martin graves in the middle of the Union Square at high noon Emotive the opportunity Everything's there already for the police You find yourself thinking of Teddy of what you're going to tell her and then you think of something else To 12 the signal oil company brings you another strange tale By the whistler remember those trick radio voice effects. I demonstrated on the whistler a few weeks ago Since then many of you have written in asking about other effect. So tonight. I'll show you a couple more I'll speak into the flutter box and say in gasoline it takes extra quality to go farther and Signal is the famous go farther gasoline, but listen it comes out like this In gasoline it takes extra quality to go farther and Signal is the famous go farther gasoline On the other hand through the public address system. It sounds like this in gasoline it takes extra quality to go farther and Signal is the famous go farther gasoline but after all the important thing is what you say not how you say it and In gasoline the important thing is it takes extra quality to go farther and Signal is the famous go farther gasoline You see you get those quick signal starts that fast signal pick up and smooth knock free signal power Because signal helps your engine run more efficiently and naturally the more efficiently your motor runs the more mileage you get That's why signal says in gasoline. It takes extra quality to go farther and Remember signal is the famous go farther gasoline And now back to the whistler Yes, Danny standing there over the body of Martin Graves You know, there's only one thing that can save you an alibi Danny You've got to have a sworn statement from Teddy Eldridge that you couldn't have been up here in Graves apartment That you were with her at the club nocturne all evening just as always from 8 to 12 You get up start for the phone and then stop remembering the switchboard operator then as you turn You hesitate decide to answer Put your handkerchief over the mouthpiece lower your voice the cold Martin Graves had a bad cold Yes, Martin. Yes, this is Stark at the city desk. How did you come out with Danny Brian? Oh, he yeah, he hasn't showed up Looks like he might not come at all. Just as well. You'd have a hard time making him eat crow Say that cold sounds pretty tough. How do you feel? Oh not so good. Just going to bed. Oh better not bother you then Plenty of rest, you know keep warm. Maybe a hot potty. That's right. Good night, Martin. Good night Yes, Danny There's only one way out To somehow leave the apartment without being seen find Teddy and get the questions answered before they're asked You take care of your fingerprints then walk to the door Open it The halls vacant you step out quietly close the door behind you and Tiptoe down to the back stairway on the main floor. You walk up to the side door opening onto the alley It's locked. You've got to leave by the main entrance now Knowing if anyone sees you here. You might as well drive up to headquarters and confess The lobby is empty you hurry across it out the main door. Mr. Brian. Oh You remember me names bleaker Horace bleaker met you while I go through Mr. Graves. I live in the same apartment house Is something wrong? Oh, no, no, nothing's wrong. You were well, you startled me. Oh, sorry I'm on my way to the airport leaving tonight for Los Angeles Seems the streets are full of taxis until you really want one. You were waiting for a taxi. That's right Look, let me give you a lift. I have my car. No, no, I wouldn't think of putting Oh not at all. Come on. I insist. That's all I insist You help bleaker into your car start south across market street gripping the wheel hard to keep from shaking Tense nervous a sick tight feeling in your stomach You know, you've got to kill bleaker too. There's no other way By the time you hit the fringe of the city, you know how it's going to happen and where But there's really no hurry mr. Brian my plane doesn't leave till midnight and it's only 11 Sure, I know I Well, I just wanted to give you a little leeway And another thing your gasoline gauge looks almost empty There's a signal oil station at the next corner. Perhaps we'd better stop. No, no, not now I can't stop now. You better slow down speed limit 25. I just saw the sign I didn't see him. I didn't play you you cut right in front of that car. Look here comes the driver. Hey, you Hang on Forget it bleaker That's he didn't run. You can't I said forget it. It's like a nightmare. Isn't it daddy? You don't think anymore you only feel and above everything else, you know, you and bleaker must not be seen together now He knows something's wrong Out of the corner of your eye You see him hunched in the seat like a frightened rabbit ready to jump out if you slow down Dear city, but that's not the way I said I get you to the airport didn't I but We'll take skyline boulevard drop down to the airport at Millbrae. I it's a little longer that way, but faster see There's no traffic At 11 30 you turn on to the skyline boulevard dark and deserted now Winding through the trees and the crest of the hills overlooking the bay and a moment later You make up your mind hold your breath pull over onto the shoulder of the road near an old water tower Why are you stopping here? Oh? That fender I banged up at scraping on the wheel You pick up a rock from the edge of the highway pause a moment then Bleaker yeah, give me a hand here. Well, yeah matter now take a look down there, huh? Well, I don't see You carry his body to the foot of the embankment drop it in a depression behind some bushes As you climb back up to the road the shale slides down in a rush Covering it completely that ought to do it You reach for the choke and then your eye strikes the gas gauge and you turn cold inside as you realize What's wrong? I'm out of gas Minutes to 12 Danny and you're stuck next to the water tower with bleaker's body lying in the ditch 10 feet away Teddy will leave the club not turn at 12 30 and unless you get that call through to where the whole plan The solid life-saving 8 to 12 alibi is gone You've got to flag a car get some gasoline But the skyline boulevard is almost deserted at this time of night Then it lasts to 12 15 a pair of lights round the bend in the distance and a small coupé pulls up to a stop Buddy I'm out of gas You picked a great place, mister. Hey, you got a hose or something. Could you let me have a little out of your tank? Brother, you don't know how lucky you are. Well, let's take a look. I'm uh, I'm in a hurry I've been waiting here for almost a half hour. Oh say, you know, that's dangerous Never know who might be riding around here this time night But like I said you're a lucky man you mean you can Siphon hose and the gas can never catch me on the road without them You fumble around awkwardly trying to help him as he siphons a gallon of gas out of his tank 12 30 Teddy might be gone now. It seems a thousand years before he finally finishes up Well, yeah, pal that ought to get you into station anyway. Oh, I'm sure well, thanks a lot Oh, here here take one of my cards. Look me up. Sometimes I better be going now. I'm in a hurry Just a minute. What's the matter? the gas I Think 50 cents ought to do it fair enough. Huh here take my card Before he's had time to get back in his car You're pulling away from the spot the accelerator down to the floor Hoping you'll never have the bad luck to run into him again Somewhere along the way you find you're still holding on to his business card and you toss it out the window Yes, Danny the only thing that counts now is Teddy and ten minutes later. You're on the phone praying She hasn't left the club. Oh Teddy Danny Never mind. Listen. Listen, honey. Is Mike still there? You've got to help me Mike to if you think we can trust him. Oh, you've got to be sure I can't tell you now just get this you've got to swear I was at the nocturne from 8 to 12 that I didn't leave You said you do anything for me, didn't you you meant that Teddy anything? Then don't ask questions. Just do as I say Well Danny somehow the worst is over the 8 to 12 is going to be the answer and you know Teddy will make it solid You weren't at Graves apartment you never saw a bleaker and that man on the highway couldn't have possibly seen enough of you in the darkness to identify you You stay home all day Sunday knowing it will be smart to keep away from Teddy now You spend the morning in the afternoon listening to news reports waiting waiting But it's not until 10 o'clock Monday morning at the phone ring It's your old friend Neil of homicide asking you to Drop in at headquarters Neil more than Danny. What's this all about? Why are you? Teddy Mike, what are you doing here? They can skip the act Danny. You must have seen the papers on the way here. Oh, you mean graves. I mean graves So I didn't like the guy does that mean I killed him according to Stan Macintosh You were a hot prospect a few nights ago. Oh sure a guy has a few drinks. He's sore, but what you didn't do it, huh? Oh, I didn't do it Mike and Teddy have you covered from 8 to 12 on the night it happened that right? Yeah I didn't put my nose out of the club until midnight. That's the truth. Mr. Neal Mike and I were with him all the time It's just like I told you lieutenant. He was right there in the corner booth. We've been through that once. Let's leave it there Well What about it Neil? Well, I guess there's no argument about that Danny. You weren't at the club that turned from 8 to 12 The whistler will return in just a moment with a strange ending to tonight's story But now in place of the message about signal gasoline usually heard at this time on the whistler Signal oil company has asked me to talk with you about something much closer to your heart About the less fortunate individuals you'll want to lend a helping hand to this year through the American Red Cross Who are they? Well, they're the victims of disasters such as fire wreck tornado hurricane or epidemic Disasters that can strike any one of us anywhere any time without warning Who else? Over 1 million discharged veterans got a helping hand from the Red Cross last year and don't forget the 80,000 hospitalized veterans who may depend on the Red Cross for a long time to come for their recreation and entertainment Their letter writing shopping and other assistance These are just a few of the hundreds of ways the Red Cross is called upon to help every day It's going to take 60 million dollars to answer all the calls for help the Red Cross will receive this year So give as generously as you can Remembering you're the lucky one to be in a position to give help Rather than to need help And now back to the whistler Well Danny you're in the clear You feel it know it as your friend Neil of the homicide division leans back in his chair and studies the three of you Teddy and Mike really came through Insisted you couldn't have killed graves because you weren't out of their sight from eight until twelve And you know only too well that graves died at ten thirty So you put it over Danny It took two murders instead of one, but your alibi is airtight Bleaker the only man who saw you come out of graves apartment house is lying dead outside of town By the old water tower you haven't a thing to fear Danny not a thing You know this sort of thing isn't too easy when you're dealing with old friends You're right Neil But since you've just heard that I couldn't have had anything to do with a murder Well, let's forget all about it, huh? I wish I could Danny only I can't figure you're in the clear Now you said you left the club at 12. Yes, but I told you mr. Neil Mike and I were with him right up till then I heard you miss Eldridge, and I'm sorry. It doesn't mean anything You see we've placed the time of the murder at 12 15 12 15 on the nose during the struggle an electric clock on graves desk was disconnected wait a minute You're wrong this go on Danny. What's wrong? Everything's wrong. Isn't it Danny? They've made a terrible mistake Don't sit there with your mouth hanging open Danny. You kept that appointment with him Didn't you only a 12 15 and you killed him? No, no, wait a minute. I did keep the appointment, but not a 12 15 I went up there a little after 10. I left at 10 30 you expect me to swallow that who saw you leave Who saw you come out of that apartment? You're in a corner now Gulping is Neil Pounds at you. Who can you turn to now Danny? Who can prove you weren't in that apartment at 12 15? He's dead Danny where you left him under two feet of shale on the skyline boulevard Lost in the heart of the city in the maze of streets out of market. I'm waiting Danny Let me think there was one more another guy. What are you talking about? Yeah another guy. I didn't get his name, but Took his card. I threw it away. Will you get to the point? Where were you at 12 15? Did you hear what I said? Yeah, yeah, I heard you I I Guess I haven't got the answer Let that whistle be your signal for the signal oil program the whistler each Monday at 9 Brought to you by the signal oil company marketers of signal gasoline and motor oil and fine quality automotive accessories Signal has asked me to remind you to get the most driving pleasure Drive at sensible speeds be courteous and obey traffic regulations It may save a life Possibly your own Featured in tonight's story where Joseph Kearns and Doris singleton The whistler was produced by George W. Allen with story by Joel Malone and Harold Swanton Music by Wilbur hatch and was transmitted to our troops overseas by the armed forces radio service This is Marvin Miller speaking for the signal oil company. This is CBS the Columbia broadcasting system