 The signal oil program The whistler is your signal for the signal oil program The whistler I'm 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 whistler rated by independent research the most popular West Coast radio program and Remember that every traffic signal remind you with new signal gasoline. You do go farther than ever Look for the familiar big yellow and black circle sign that identifies those popular signal service stations throughout the west from Canada to Mexico And now the whistler strange story The witness at the fountain There were two things about Randy Dean that set him apart from the rest of the world Basic inner thing that made him different The first one was clear enough on first meeting. He was a newspaper columnist, of course But in a world of happy-go-lucky newspaper men, Randy was careful and methodical living his life according to plan Scheduling each day down to the minute. No, there was nothing slovenly or happy-go-lucky about Randy He'd mentally blueprinted his future on the first day He went to work on the Haristown Tribune some years before and had set to work building his career like a ship in The course of construction naturally enough He came to New York took a position on the Star Express and according to plan married the publisher's daughter and Now though. He was a syndicated columnist at the top of the ladder He saw no reason to let down the methodical planning the schedule still went on for major events at the newspaper Right down to the problem of his white shirts Cynthia Cynthia, where are you? Cynthia Come here a moment. Were you yes dear? It's 755 You're behind schedule. I've been looking for a white shirt for the past ten minutes Where did Anna put them? I forgot to tell you dear. She didn't send them out to the laundry until Friday Friday They go out on Wednesdays. She knows that you have to make allowances dear after all the poor girls just become engaged Hang it Cynthia her engagement has nothing to do with it The point is that white shirts are scarce as hands teeth and unless she sends them out on Wednesday when she's supposed to I don't care if she does it's about time. Somebody talk to her There's no leave the shirts my gray shock skin suit is still hanging in the closet. What about that? It's Monday darling my suits go to the cleaners Monday morning. I've told her a dozen times You won't wear it again for week. I want it ready when I need it. All right, dear I'll tell her now. You won't say a word to her about it at breakfast with her. Oh very well I'll go and see how your eggs are coming. All right. Oh, Cynthia No two and a half minute eggs this time three Yes That was one of the unusual things about Randy Dean the public one the other the private one Was even more unusual for Randy was basically a criminal The reason for example that he was so irritated about his shirts and his shark skin suit Became clear that very afternoon in the American wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art He was sitting inconspicuously with a dapper little gray haired man before a painting by Gilbert Stewart Properly attentive as the guy discussed its merits before a small group of spectators Washington perhaps his most famous we find Stewart at his best the delicacy of line the careful delineation of character Expression and so on. Let's pass on now to another example of the artist's work the portrait of John Jay No, no, thank you will sit here a moment longer if you don't mind all right Let's get it over with Broden. How much this time to 50 naturally. That's what I thought Here you are Thanks Going to have to raise it, you know Inflation raise it all you want you'll still get 250 a rash statement mr. Dean if I've ever heard one You'll pay what I ask when I ask it. I Have a career to you know career a more honorable one than yours of that At least it didn't include the merger of my first wife as the most convenient way of marrying a newspaper and poison at that The lowest form of murder mr. Dean quiet with you. Oh, we're quite alone mr. Dean and I feel like talking Yes, I had a career in mind too You see I didn't plan to spend the rest of my days as laboratory technician in a coroner's office So when the post-mortem was called on the death of the first mrs. Dean and I discovered poison in the stomach I said to myself Broden here's opportunity knocking of a door like a woodpecker Know you sending the poor man off to the gallows you'll be grateful to you Be happy to support you the rest of your life. You're a born optimist aren't you? I'm thoroughly practical mr. Dean And what we're living costs rising and all that I'm afraid beginning next week. It'll be 350 right have to think it over otherwise. I simply write a letter back to Harris town They'd be only too happy to assume the body of poor mrs. That's enough all right Now where will I meet you next week? I'll call you just tell me oh, no I'll call you mr. Dean Good day Yes, Randy mr. Broden had a blueprint for his future, too And for more than four years now you've been meeting him secretly once a week first It was a hundred dollars then 200 next week 350 and all he has to do is remind you of the first mrs. Dean to make you a Co-operate Yes in his way mr. Broden is just as meticulous as you are he realizes of course That his career depends upon yours and he's been very careful to keep your meeting secret So that nobody has the slightest suspicion that any connection between the two of you exists That fact suddenly becomes important a few days later Terry Lund of the homicide department is your guest for lunch at the press club and of course he falls back on his favorite subject crime detection I'm afraid I I don't get it Terry What do you mean murder is a paradox? It's very simple the more effort you put into it the more you try to cover up your tracks The easier it is for us to come up with the answer. Oh now wait a minute. No. No. No. It's a fact So help me. I've seen it happen hundreds of times the fancy Dan kind of killer is a lead pipe cinch It's the stupid ones that worry us. What do you mean by that? Well, we start with a corpse, right? Yeah First we identify the guy next we start looking for motives Connections between the corpse and the people who might have reason to kill right now That's where the stupid criminal gives us a headache. Oh sure. You're a newest paper man You ought to know that just look at the dozens of little three-line Fillers that you throw in at the bottom of the columns in the back of the paper Unidentified robbery victim man found in alley Suspected suicide on beach. Oh my every one a case where some stupid bow honk Just walk up to someone he'd never seen before and slugged him walked away So there we are standing around a corpse all dressed up in no place to go Get it thought of it in that way, you know, that's that's interesting Terry I I might do a column on it. Hey, but let me read it first Tell you what I'll do I'll give you a ring next time we run into one let you in on it firsthand. How about it? Thanks, Terry Thanks, I'd like to get in on one first hand No connection Randy No way you could possibly be implicated should your friend mr. Broden find himself in one of those little Three-line fillers at the bottom of page eight It suddenly seems so simple that you wonder why you balked at murder a second time Why you submitted to mr. Broden's demands for four long years and at that point You make up your mind the next meeting with mr. Broden will be his last As usual his call comes in late Saturday evening and you're ready for it But I tell you I'm all tied up Broden until 11 Sunday night I can't meet you at all unless of course you can make it rather late. I see how late 1115, but that's ridiculous Why not meet you at 1115? Don't you think it was settled mr. Dean? Now where? Well, oh How about how about the fountain in Jackson Park? Don't worry Broden. I can almost promise you it won't happen again Prologue of the witness at the fountain the signal oil company brings you another strange tale by the whistler But now here's a question for you drivers to try your wits on what three things can your speedometer tell you three that is Well, let's see whom shall I ask oh? Here's Virginia Greg one of Hollywood's most charming radio actresses. What would your answer be Virginia? Well, let's see Marvin your speedometer tells you how fast you're going. That's one and Your speedometer tells you how far you've gone. That's true, but that third thing your speedometer tells you You've got me there. What is it you mean? You didn't know that your speedometer also measures the quality of the gasoline you're using tell me more Precisely what I plan to do after all isn't it only logical that a gasoline that gets more efficient performance from your motor Also gets more miles from each gallon Well when science put amazingly increased power into today's signal gasoline They naturally gave you quicker starting faster pickup and quieter higher anti-knock And it's because of this improved performance that you now go farther than ever with signal gasoline So that's why signal says look to your speedometer for the best proof of gasoline quality, right? For it takes extra quality to go farther which explains why so many smart drivers are switching to signal the famous go farther gasoline and Now back to the whistler so you finally made your decision Randy mr. Broden's appointment with you at the fountain at Jackson Park at 1115 Sunday night will be his last No more secret meetings. No more blackmail. No more threats And it'll be the stupid type of murder the kind of crime lieutenant Terry Lund told you it was almost impossible to trace The kind in which there is no connection between murderer and victim no traceable motive Because you're positive that no connection between you and mr. Broden will ever come to light Both of you have been too careful to keep it a secret But murder even a stupid kind is a terrifying thing And it's hard for you to keep your mind on your work during the next few days Harder still to sleep at night. It takes all your time. Doesn't it Randy? Just thinking about it Randy What's the matter dear? You almost jumped out of your chair. You startled me. I I was just thinking About Monday's column. I wish you'd forget that old newspaper for five minutes. I'm getting worried about you Randy I was talking to Barbara Melvin today. She and Jimmy are coming over Sunday night. You know what? What did you say the Melvin's dear? You knew they were coming for dinner Sunday night. You didn't tell me anything of the kind I'm sorry, Randy. I'm gonna have to make it another night But dear it's all I'm sorry Cynthia Sunday night is out. I I'm simply not up to having company for the rest of the week I'm I'm tired out exhausted the terrible pressure at the office. All right, Randy dear. You don't have to explain. I understand I'm glad you do You don't have to tell me Randy Tell you what while you're acting this way. I'll simply tell the Melvin's it will have to be another night That's all Yes, Randy it does make you a little jumpy doesn't it but you keep telling yourself It's worth it that after Sunday night. She'll be a new man and Strangely when Sunday finally arrives you discover you're more relaxed cooler than you expected to be It's six o'clock when you stop at the corner drugstore on the way home for a box of sleeping powders Here you are, sir. Now it'll be 52. You say this is perfectly harmless. Oh, yeah, sure Would make a habit of it though 55 Tasteless hmm or most might take it in orange juice or maybe wine Excellent in a dear that steak was delicious. You might tell Anna Hmm, I think you've been very unreasonable with Anna during the past week. You're perfectly right. I'll make it up to her right now Anna Anna. Oh Your coffee, I forgot it all Anna not at all. I want to ask your forgiveness Cynthia tells me I've been quite unreasonable and I agree with her Mr. D. I don't know what to say. Well, let me say it then. I'm sorry And now I think it's high time we did something about your engagement Anna a toast that's it a toast You sit right down here in my chair. I'll go out in the kitchen and pour the wine What's the matter with me? Dead to the world and it's only nine In bed she gave up the ghost a half hour ago Go to bed. I'm tired too. Oh the wine I suppose what always affects me that way Shouldn't know better than to give me one Come on, let's go to bed Yes, Randy it must have been the wine by 10 o'clock Cynthia sound asleep Both she and Anna would swear you were here all night, but it will never come to that The car it is deserted when you quietly leave the apartment and tiptoe down the hall and ring for the automatic elevator Found it. Wouldn't you know? Thank you You wish you hadn't picked the fountain it's too exposed Lawn stretching in every direction from the path around it the shrubbery and trees at least 50 yards away But luckily the light over the fountain is blown out the darkness will cover you Over here in the world you ever picked up God for second place like this It's the last time Dean if you think I'm going through with this again. I told you it wouldn't happen. It better not happen again Where's the money here? You want to count it I suppose count it. I can't even see my hand in front of my Told you this was the last time It's all over now Randy you let him slump to the ground Yeah, bro The last time Now his identification The contents of his pockets suit label laundry marks. It should only take you a minute and then No way to run Randy lawn in all directions He'd be sure to hear you and then you see a park bench a few feet away at the edge of the path. It's your only chance For the life of a night maintenance man running around in the middle of the night hunting for blowing out bulbs There's that a light over the phone. Yeah, I'll go back the truck and get along check Hey, what's your matter pal? Oh my my friend here is a little drunk I'm afraid I was walking him through the park, you know To help me you like all the rest of them. That's no way to do pal You got to keep walking, you know the sober a guy up. I let them pass out on you sitting on a bench like that He'll be all right and a look you're talking to an experienced drunk brother. Yeah, let's walk him small Let me give me a hand. Don't I tell you'll be all right Don't get sore about it. I'm only trying to help just just let me alone Well, you know if it was me I tried him around the fountain four or five times and then you know what I don't care what please go on Then I dunked his head right in a fountain. Yeah, that's not without him like that. Hey, come on. Come on Let's give it away. I tell you Yeah You sure yeah He's nuts. There's a whole box up in there. Look around pal. Yeah, I'll be right back Your knees are so weak you can hardly get up off the bench as the night maintenance man walks back to his truck You know you have about 30 seconds to get him across the lawn to the shrubbery But somewhere you find the strength the shrubbery seems a mile away, but finally you make it Okay, my friend. I'm coming in there There's a body in here You thank heaven for the darkness At least they couldn't see you The maintenance man that kid and his girl They'll never be able to identify you in a million years. Will they randy? An hour later you're back in the apartment safe in bed With synthia sound asleep at the other side of the room Still safe randy Still no connection no motive Still safe still safe Randy darling, uh, what time is this? I hope you don't mind dear. I'll let you oversleep 45 whole minutes You seem so exhausted I was exhausted and is bustling around in the kitchen now getting your breakfast Oh Randy you're a sweetheart You know sometimes I tell myself. I'm married to an old stick Then you surprised me like you did last night and I know i'm wrong Last night what you made a new woman out of anna. It was a nice thing to do. What are you talking about? Apologizing to her that way dear and the wine She was almost in tears And believe me it works. You don't catch flies with vinegar, you know She got your cleaning off this morning right on the dock and there's a big sign on the kitchen calendar laundry wednesday Well, I I hope she keeps it up That better better get going. I'm never gonna get to work. Oh that reminds me randy terry lund called What do you want? I don't know I told him you were asleep and he said to have you called when you got to the office That's all he said Why yes Is that important? Why? Why does it sheet? Lieutenant london, please just terry. This is randy deane What happened to that schedule? Well, he better talk to synthia. She let me oversleep What's on your mind? Oh, oh Is that so? You got any leads? What do you mean? That's what I mean by a bad example. No, no terry. I'll be right over We're in just a moment with a strange ending of tonight's story Meantime, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the many of you who have dropped me a line telling of your experiences with signal products Or of little extra services. You've enjoyed a dealer owned signal service stations Mr. A. M. Stevens for instance of 72 74 fountain avenue los angeles was kind enough to write as a former independent businessman An automobile dealer on long island May I express my appreciation for the service I received on my first visit to a signal station My car had scarcely come to a halt at the pump when he attended wiped off the windshield Then he asked about the air and water After offering all a service he could he finally got around to selling some gasoline But perhaps this is is not of the ordinary for a signal dealer As signal seems to realize that the man at the pump is one of the most important men in the organization The signal dealer at 73 18 sunset boulevard certainly lives up to your claims By showing as much interest in serving a customer as in selling him It's a real pleasure to have your car serviced by dealers like this From now on i'll be with signal all the way. Thank you, mr. Stevens signal oil company is genuinely grateful For such expressions from the motoring public Letters that make independent signal dealers want to do an ever better job of caring for your car And now back to the whistler There was no connection between you and mr. Broden randy You repeat it over and over in your mind as you hurry across town to terry lund's office in the homicide department No connection No way they could link you with the murder at the fountain in jackson park And yet terry told you just 15 minutes ago that they had the killer already Some itinerant perhaps some wayward bum who happened by at the wrong moment Well, no matter mr. Broden is out of the way and the bum goes to the chair and that's that 10 minutes later you lean back in a chair and try and appear unconcerned as terry goes over the story You knew pretty well already maintenance man sees the two of them sitting there on the bench The killer pretends the dead man is drunk. You see oh, yes We just went over the records at the cleaning plant chief and found out the cleaner the suit came from oh good Where the elite cleaners on 86th street? Shall I call him and get the guy's name? No, we better go out there get a couple of men. We'll be down the second Mr. Dean will go out with us So the guy bluffs it out and then when the maintenance man goes back to his truck This guy tosses the body into some bushes and runs Leaving the world's best witness behind him at the fountain. That's what I mean by too stupid. You see witness What do you mean a witness? Yeah, he might as well have tied himself to that body with a pair of hand cuts Well, come on. Let's go. Wait a minute terry Tell me what he was all through the minute he left his suit at the cleaners this morning What do you mean witness the bench randy the park bench with a nice coat of wet green paint On the at nine o'clock the whistler will bring you another strange tale The whistler is broadcast for your entertainment by the marketers of signal gasoline and motor oil and fine quality automotive accessories And by your neighborhood signal dealer Featured in tonight's program were howard duff and margaret brayton This program directed by george w allen with tonight's story by herald swanton music by wilber hatch Is transmitted to our troops overseas by the arm forces radio service Is your signal for the signal oil program? The whistler This is marvin miller speaking reminding you to look for those familiar yellow and black circle signs that identify those popular signal oil stations Throughout the west from canada to mexico This is cbs the columbia broadcasting system