 From Hollywood it's time now for Johnny dollar Andrew court Johnny, how'd you like to go to San Francisco? What's up, Andy? No, we've written a lot of insurance for an independent contractor at their man named Arnold Bennett Ah, last night his latest project went up in smoke an office building He completed a month ago. How much is the policy worth? There were five companies involved They took it on at a hundred thousand a piece and turned it over to us half a million bucks Yep, I talked with the arson inspector for national fire underwriters in San Francisco. He said the fire looked phony I'll pack my things Tonight in every weekday night Bob Bailey in the transcribed adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator ours truly Johnny dollar Expense account submitted by special investigator Johnny dollar to the four-state fire insurance corporation 4065 spear Boulevard Hartford, Connecticut The following is an accounting of expenditure is during my investigation of the Bennett matter Expense account item one fifteen dollars flowers for my girl. I wasn't able to keep our date Instead I met four-state fire investigator Andrew court at his office, and we made immediate arrangements to fly to California Item two twenty five dollars and six cents one raincoat Item three one hundred and forty four dollars and fifteen cents air transportation Hartford, New York, San Francisco Our roots Andrew court fill me in on the details concerning Arnold Bennett Money is things stand now Bennett hasn't filed claim yet, although I imagine that'll be coming through pretty fast. I know him I Met him once when he was in New York getting money to finance one of his big subdivision. Yeah seems I've heard of him Oh, he's made time and life a couple of times each. Oh, yeah I met him. I said to myself Andy look well on this man. He may be the last of his kind Oh, how's that? Well, Arnold Bennett must be past 60 now. He's been everything in his lifetime Sailor soldier lawyer financier bootlegger gun runner. Lord knows what all Talk fast worked hard and what he couldn't get one way. He got another All in all he's done pretty well. It shows all over him. I Didn't like him Johnny Well go on well, maybe I was just jealous of his aggressiveness or Maybe it's that I've just heard stories of how he ran rough shot of a big and little Well About this new building then it's burned down. Yeah. Yeah, well the man in San Francisco is pretty sure the fire was of incendiary origin Well, can he prove it? Well, that'll be up to him and you and me For state and national fire underwriters are gonna handle the investigation Federal Great Atlantic and tri-state underwriters aren't gonna send any men at all Figure it's best not to clutter things up Proving the fire was incendiary may not be too easy handy. Well, we'll see when we get there There's a standoff motive in the whole thing. We can start with that. What's that? Bennett's in financial trouble big trouble taxes on the fire was an out. I see Well, who's the arson man in San Francisco Billy Underwood? Oh good. Good bill under was one of the best arson men in the business Well, it's gonna take all of us to get Bennett Johnny I will split it three ways We'll let Underwood handle the fire evidence you can play front for us with Bennett and I'll come around in the financial situation Yeah, well, we sure got our work cut out for us But listen, Andy you sound sort of scared of this guy Bennett. I Am kind of why Nobody's ever beat him Expense account item four seven dollars and a half Vincent Eddles upon arrival in San Francisco Andy Kourt and I checked in at the Fairmont and then went downstairs rented a car and drove out to the scene of the fire Bill underwood was already there had been there all day. We all shook hands and then underwood broke it down Bill was a bit of a pedant that things pretty well organized for us This way Watchman on duty saw a man loitering in the vicinity of the building when he came to work at six o'clock Three other witnesses remember the same man My druggers the filling station attendant on his way home from work and a news boy got a description right in male Caucasian 25 to 30 medium build Approximately 170 dark air and dark complexion That's it Have you talked to the police yet? I haven't had a chance Billy. You know, they got eight men on this Well, that much of a description it might make it easier. You sure hope so So far the description hasn't fitted anyone in the files yet The news boy swears that he saw this man sneak around the side of the building about six o'clock The fire broke out about 6 30 anybody see him leave Mm-hmm the news boy Says he saw him catch a bus on the corner right before the fire broke out might help us That the bus driver on the line wasn't any help. He's pretty busy that time of night Have you had a chance to go over this yet? Well, we started I'm working with a fire inspector on it and as soon as we come across anything I'll let you know we can't overlook any possibility on this Billy any Yeah, I Know about Bennett. He's been out here asking me who I am what I'm doing He doesn't like it. Oh, he doesn't yeah, you learn to swear somewhere along the line For has he filed claim yet? Oh, we haven't heard It's a professional firing job. I'm sure of it. You're sure Well, I haven't got what I need in the way of concrete evidence yet, but I'll find it Somewhere in these ashes The place burnt too well and too fast to be anything but professional It was drafted the fire got hot and going before anybody even spotted unless there's a little out of my league Billy Tell me more what you what you see an amateur will mess it up generally It'll smoke a lot and somebody will spot it And I'll bug You know a nut He'll do as good a job as a professional But but he'll stick around and watch it burn stand a good chance of getting caught You might even call up somebody and tell him how happy he is But this bird I won the news boys are getting out of here fast Well, he sounds like he knows his business Mm-hmm It's business with him then it'll be my job to connect him and Bennett somehow and that's the tough part Yeah, all I got to do is play around in the ashes Oh Johnny, yeah Watch a step with Bennett Sure. He doesn't care about anybody I spent another two hours with cordon underwood covering the ruins of the ten-story office building that had been gutted the day before Underwood acquainted cordon me with all of the necessary details all he could That night we sat with the three witnesses at a special show up in the Hall of Justice 60 odd suspects were paraded out. There were no identification The next morning while cordon underwood carrying on with their part of the investigation I went out to Arnold Bennett's real estate office near the procedural Remember that old saw how a woman in love is always beautiful When I walked in I had no idea Elizabeth Bennett was in love and no idea that she was beautiful Her cello face without makeup framed in a wisp of stringy blonde hair wasn't flattered by the shapeless black dress and low-heeled shoes She was worrying certainly not the going idea of beauty now did her conversation reveal anything to indicate love Mr. Bennett, please my name is dollar dollar. He's not expecting me your business Four-state fire insurance cooperation. It's about the fire that destroyed the office building. Oh, yes, just a moment, please Well, what is it lives? Mr. Dollar is here uncle Arnie. I don't want to see anybody today. I told you that you idiot Mr. Dollar's from four-state. It's about the fire and go out to lunch. Yes, sir It's all right. Mr. Dollar straight ahead. He always like that. He's nice today Thanks, Elizabeth. Hmm. That's your name isn't yes. I'm Elizabeth Bennett. Go straight ahead Dollar that's right. Mr. Bennett. Come in come in I'm not going to ask you to sit down. I know why you're here You have insurance investigator written all over your face Well in that case we can get right down to the business at hand. What caused the fire? They don't know yet. It was deliberate What somebody started that fire? That's what and I know who get him and you'll save yourself some work Tony Midas Tony Midas. Who's that the crackpot that set fire to my building? He's out of prison now And he swore he'd get me well I look maybe you'd better tell me just who he is and why he'd want to get you Tony Midas worked for me once I caught him stealing money and I prosecuted him He was sent to prison for five years and he's the one you want. You seem pretty certain of that. Of course I'm certain of it. I know what enemies I have what friends Don't tell me I'm gonna have to pussy it around with someone like you and get any place in this whole affair Well, there are some witnesses who got a look at the man who started the fire or at least it's a good bet He's the one we're after so tell me. What does this Tony Midas look like? I don't remember I hardly ever remember faces But you remembered his threat you bet your last nickel I remember his threat and he's the kind of screwy punk to carry it out Last week there was a small story in the newspaper that he was being released from prison Well, and we'll certainly look him up and have a talk with him. That's very good of you. I'm sure oh Now look this can be a very difficult thing all the way around or we can all cooperate mr. Bennett. I'll cooperate. I Know why you're in town. I know who you came with I met that glorified fire inspector to yesterday Underwood you people don't fool me and I'm not trying to fool you get Tony Midas and you've got your man Did you tell the police about Midas? No, I was waiting for some bird like you to walk in here with your high-handed attitude Now I've told you now you can get out and get busy looking for him Arnold Bennett lived up to all of his advanced notices and then some I'm paid very well to stand and take what I have to to find out what I want to find out Sometimes it's not enough money a review of the trial and proceedings in which Tony Midas had been convicted of grand theft His threats at the time of his trial substantiated Bennett's information That didn't surprise me What did surprise me was that one of the three witnesses identified Tony Midas's mug pictures the man seen in the vicinity of the building the night of the fire An APV went out for Midas the San Francisco police began to turn the town upside down looking for him By five o'clock in the afternoon the other two witnesses had made up their minds that he was the man They had seen after all the case against Midas became stronger. It was imperative that he be located Johnny dollar, this is Elizabeth Bennett mr. Dollar remember in my uncle's office. I remember mr. Dollar. You're looking for Tony Midas, aren't you? You don't have to answer. I know you are I think I can help you find him, but he's not the one you're looking for Look if you turn him in let me finish and then we'll talk about him. I live at 1038 Mirata Drive I'll be home in an hour. We can talk there Two minutes later when I was putting on my coat. I received another phone call this one from Bennett's lawyer Advised me that Arnold Bennett a file claim it would bring suit if his claim was not honored in the prescribed length of time I thanked him for the information and went downstairs began to look around for a cab a Police car careened into the driveway and a familiar hand on top of a familiar head leaned out Yeah, any court Inspector truck inspector came what's up somebody shot Arnold Bennett ten minutes ago Now here's our star to tell you about tomorrow's intriguing episode of this week's story tomorrow The trail gets so rough a couple of people just fall off dead Join us. Won't you yours truly? Johnny dollar yours truly Johnny dollar starring Bob Bailey is transcribed in Hollywood Written by John Dawson. It is produced and directed by Jack Johnstone Be sure to join us tomorrow night same time and station for the next exciting episode of yours truly Johnny dollar Roy Rowan speaking