 New post war old Dutch cleanser famous for chasing dirt presents Nick Carter famous for chasing crime Every week at this time two great names are joined as new post war old Dutch cleanser brings you one of the most resourceful And daring characters in all detective fiction Nick Carter master detective Now let's have the truth whitey. Why did you get that suit of clothes? Fella that got croaked he took them off and give them to me himself Uh-huh, and I suppose he gave you his shirt and socks and necktie to sure sure He said I'd need him to go with his suit and he stopped the car so I could put him on Was that when you tried to kill him? No chief. That's when he tried to kill me. Oh, Nick This isn't getting us anywhere. You're wrong Patsy. Now. I know who really killed mr. Ratwell Now the case of the unexpected corpse today's adventure starring Lon Clark as Nick Carter Brought to you by new post war old Dutch cleanser It's about 10 o'clock in the morning as Nick and Patsy enter the office of Sheriff Tabor in the little town of Plain City, Texas Hi Sheriff hello Sheriff Tabor Well, I'll be dog Nick Carter and Patsy bone. What are you two doing out this way? Why we're on our way back home from California Sheriff and since we had to come through Texas anyway I reminded Nick of that invitation. You gave us three years ago remember sure I remember and you got here just at the right time We had a murder last night on our way. Sheriff. This is purely a social visit a murder here in Plain City Well about 10 miles east of here a big oil man from Dallas named our Leonard Atwell He was shot and killed by some hitchhiker. Oh, look Sheriff Well, how do you know it was a hitchhiker sheriff? Well, because we know at well started out from Dallas alone Ah, and when he we found the body was behind the wheel of his car with powder burns and a bullet hole in the right side of his head That sounds more like suicide. No, no, it couldn't have been that the gun was gone So was that was money his watch and a big gold signet ring that they always wore you found any clues yet No, can't tell yet I had everything that was in the car brought up here to my office and spread them out on those big tables over there Come on. I'll show you I I put the tools from the car in this table here Now what I want to use this piece of rubber tubing for yeah, search me Now over here. These were the clothes he was aware. I see And what's this little piece of adhesive tape? Well, that was on his right hand There was a little scratch there. Oh Now look at this piece of tape see that flaw in the weave where it was torn off the roll Yeah, thing like that might be a clue sure now on this table here I got his suitcases and the stuff that was in them clothes mostly. Hmm. This looks interesting Last will and testament of Leonard Frank Atwell. Mm-hmm. Yeah, he left everything to his wife in Detroit Thought he was from Dallas. Well, he was but he deserted his wife in Detroit 18 years ago There's a letter there in that envelope marked to be opened in case of my death Astin it'll forgive him and all that stuff looks of any much been carrying that around a long time Yeah, I guess so I suppose a man like that carried a lot of insurance $150,000 worth took out the policy only a couple of months ago right here in Plain City, by the way $150,000 who gets it well the wife I guess she's the sole air and the policies made out to his estate Hey sheriff, I don't see any first aid kit here. No, there wasn't one in the car Just that stuff you see here then where'd he get that strip of adhesive tape? It's perfectly clean Couldn't have had it on more than a few minutes Well, maybe when he cut his hand he stopped at a filling station or a lunchroom and they fixed it up for him Say Patsy now that sure sounds reasonable. Yeah Maybe if you can find that filling station or lunchroom You can get a description of the man who was writing with that well just before he was killed say that's a great idea I'll do that couldn't have driven more than a few miles without getting the tape soiled and if he should be That's okay buck folks, this is Buck Henderson my deputy as mr. Carter and miss Boyn How do you do? This telegram just come and I thought it might be important. Oh, thank you, but oh Say buck yes, sheriff. I want you to hop in your car and start out on a highway toward Dallas Stop at every filling station in lunchroom along the way and find out if at well stop there last night Good gravy sheriff Dallas is two hundred and ninety miles. Never mind. You just do what I Well, I'll be dogged something wrong where this telegram is from the chief of police in Dallas You see I wired him to send someone out to at well's home address and tell the folks there what it happened Well, well the chief says they ain't no such address. It's a vacant lot We came out here to see you Colonel Gardner because you knew mr. Atwell better than anyone in the county Well, yes in the course of our business deal as we became very close friends His death has been a terrible shock to me. You have any idea why he should have given a false address No, but I'm sure it wasn't done with any intent to deceive. I've never known a more honorable gentleman than Leonard Atwell Oh, then you didn't know he deserted his wife his wife Atwell told me he was a bachelor. Well, you'll get a chance to meet the bachelor's wife this afternoon She's coming here. Yep when I notified her of his death She wired back that she was taking the next plane Colonel Gardner Would you mind telling us the nature of your business dealings with mr. Atwell? Not at all He bought some oil leases from me a hundred and thirty thousand dollars. Well, you didn't sign those leases over to him without getting the money Did you as a matter of fact it did what he gave me a certified check for forty thousand at the time And he was on his way here last night to pay the balance and take up his note You mean the hitchhiker who killed him got away with ninety thousand dollars. Oh, no miss boy And it wouldn't have been in cash of course This sure to be a warranty you Colonel not to go picking up folks on the road. I'm afraid I'm too old to change my ways Now share you make a habit of doing that Colonel why every tramp in the country knows that this ranch is good for a meal And a night's lodging while last winter an old hobo got sick and died here and the Colonel even paid for his funeral Well sheriff there's little enough that we can do for those less fortunate than ourselves. Oh, yes, excuse me Hello Yes Yes, he's here in just a minute for you sure. Oh, thanks, girl. Let's be from the courthouse. Hello Yes, this is Sheriff Taber You did when Yeah Fine fine. I'll come right back to town Nick we got him a murderer. Yep caught him tried a paddle at Wells ring and watch is it somebody from around here No, it's some old bum just like I thought I'm sorry to rush off colonel, but we got a killer to take care of You got me wrong chief honest. I never croaked nobody and where'd you get his watch and ring? I told you I found and that suit he was wearing. I suppose you found that too. Yeah. Yeah, that's right chief It was all rolled up in a bundle like a decided to roll look you whatever your name is. It's Morgan chief Why do Morgan okay Morgan now? Why don't you open up and tell us what you did with the gun? I'd never had no gun. I'm a bum sure, but I never hurt nobody in all my life You hitched a ride with a gray haired guy in a big sedan last night, didn't you know? No, I never did hold the gun and you made him drive off on a side road I've never seen the guy and after you killed him you took his watch and ring Then you opened up his suitcases and got yourself a new solo clothes. No. No. No, I swear I didn't Hey, look chief You wouldn't send me to the pen for something I didn't do would you it ain't the pen you're headed for brother It's the electric chair But Nick he's bound to be the guy how else would he get at well's watch and ring and those clothes? They were at Wells to okay sheriff But why didn't they have any money in this pocket? You said at well always carried a lot of cash Yes, but you didn't think he really did find that stuff do you think no Ever I saw a man trying to lie on of a bad situation. It was Morgan But well that's pretty slim evidence and was to convict him of murder Yeah, I found it the place were at well got the adhesive tape Well, I don't know about that But he stopped at a filling station about 30 miles up the line and had the oil change in his car while I was eating dinner Good work, but yeah, there was somebody with him to sort of an old gent with white hair. Why do you Morgan? I knew that I got the kid from the filling station out in the office. You want to talk to him I can't right now not right now, but miss that was doing about five minutes I've got to go down and meet her come on Nick The Undertaken parlors are at the back of the store here, Miss. I would I want you to identify the body just for the record I can't believe it after all these years poor Leonard judging by the letter he left He must have still thought a great deal of you, Mrs. Atwell Yes, I don't suppose he ever married again or he'd have left the money to his second wife Yeah, it's quite a pile to a hundred and fifty thousand on the insurance alone. I can't imagine Leonard getting rich Why 20 years ago? He couldn't even hold a job Right through this door, man. The blue casket over there to think everybody used to call him lazy and shiftless I guess now they'll It's matter, Mrs. Atwell. Why? That's not not your husband or Yes, of course that's Leonard, but But what? Well, naturally he's Changed a lot in 18 years But that's definitely Leonard Atwell. Sure it is Nick. I know him myself Everybody in town did all right then since we've identified the victim Supposed to go back to the jail and see what the kid from the filling station can tell us You're sure you'd know this man if you saw him again Whitaker Oh, sure sure him and mr. Atwell stood around waiting while I finished changing the oil and I got a right good look at him Whitaker, when my deputy brings a suspect in here, I don't want you to say anything till I ask you Oh, no, no, no sir by the way, did you notice the strip of it? He's of tape and mr. Atwell's right hand And he said well, I I don't think he had none or I don't notice it when he when he paid me for the oil Here they are. Oh chief chief you gonna let me go now That's why you had me brung in here. Ain't it so you can turn me loose, huh? Well, that all depends, Wally You still say that you didn't hit your ride last night with a gray-haired man in a big seat in oh chief So help me. I've never seen the guy in the car neither. How about that Whitaker? No, no He he's a liar chef. That's the fella that was with mr. Atwell when they stopped at the filling station I'll swear it on a stack of Bibles or foot high With the filling station attendance identification the case against whitey Morgan seems complete we'll see what happens in just a minute Now back to the case of the unexpected corpse today's adventure with Nick Carter brought to you by new post-war old Dutch cleanser After a sleepless night in the county jail Whitey Morgan has sent word that he's ready to tell the truth and the sheriff has asked Nick to accompany him to whitey's cell Now let's have the confession whitey. You admit you were lying about where you got this suit of clothes Yeah, chief. I didn't find them This fella got croaked he'd give him to me what he did so help me right after he picked me up on the highway He said it was an old suit that was getting too tight for him. That's suit was brand new. I don't care That's what he told me. I suppose the shirt and socks in the necktie. They were too tight for him, too I Said I'd need them to go with the suit Then later when it got good and dark He stopped the car so as I could get out and put them on and that's when you killed it No, no honest chief. That's when he tried to kill me. Oh, wait a minute. He did I Put on the clothes he gave me and then when I was getting back in the car. He's slugged me with a wrench Well, I've seen it coming too late to duck and That's all I know till I come to and it did someplace else someplace else Yeah, he must have hauled me there in the car and dumped me out for dead Yeah, so he got you all dressed up so you die happy, huh? Even gave you his watch and ring. I don't know nothing about the watch and ring when I come to Whitey when you were in the car with that will did you notice a piece of adhesive tape on his right hand? No, there was nothing on his hand. You're sure. Yeah, what difference does it make Nick? You're not gonna swallow this crazy story or is why didn't you tell us this at first whitey? Well, when the chief here said the guy had been croaked. I got scared Didn't think he'd believe me. You bet. I wouldn't and take it from me, brother. Neither will the jury Hi a sheriff. Hi Nick. Oh fancy. Hi. Well, where have you two been all afternoon? Oh lots of places the post office the photographers the garage where you put at well's car What'd you go there for wanted to check the speedometer at registers 9,485 miles and that boy Changed the oil in the car at 9,427 according to the sticker inside the door so what well from that filling station To where the body was found as a distance of 24 miles from that spot to the garage here is 10 miles That's 34 all together. Yeah, but the car had been driven 58 miles See what I mean sheriff at well must have driven 24 miles out of his way for that piece of adhesive tape For the love of Pete Nick. I think it's you're touched on the subject of that tape We found something else to share a spot of blood on the floor in the rear of Atwell's car I'm going to have it analyzed to see if it could possibly have come from that cut on Whitey's head Oh Nick Don't tell me that you take any stock in that wild story of his Why any five-year-old kid could make up a better lie than that and so could Whitey unless it happens to be true But he's got to be lying Why would that will give all this stuff to a tramp then hit him over the head and throw him out of the car Look, let me ask you a couple of questions sheriff. You said the suitcases were both neatly packed and locked Why would Whitey repack them after killing at well and stealing the clothes why I and what happened to the money at well always carried Okay, okay, I give up, but do you know the answers? No, not all of them, but I can guess it a few for instance Atwell took out a lot of insurance only two months ago payable to his estate Yeah Now suppose at well plan to stage a fake accident with a car and suppose he planned on having Whitey's body found behind the Wheel wearing his clothes his watch and his ring. Yes, but he couldn't got away with it Everybody in town knew at well. Yeah, why did he and at what were both about the same size and age? They both had gray hair and if the body were badly burned burned Remember that piece of rubber tubing could have been just the thing for siphoning gasoline out of the tank to be sure That the fire burned everything it was opposed to why every insurance company knows that trick sure if it's been done a hundred times Yes, but at well didn't do that. There wasn't any accident. The car wasn't burned All right, maybe something went wrong at the last minute and the plan was changed Remember how surprised Mrs. Atwell looked when she saw the body. Yes, I know but she explained that yes And she has some more explaining to do I've been in touch with the Detroit police and the surprise she got yesterday Is nothing to the one I have in store for her today Mrs. Atwell you recognize this picture Well, where did you get that the Detroit police found it in the bedroom of your apartment and transmitted it here to Nick by wire photo Isn't that a picture of your husband? Well, yes, but well it was taken more than 20 years ago and he let me see it next Yeah, yeah, that's that will all right But I wouldn't have known it unless I was looking for the resemblance now look at this picture What is it an ear right Sheriff the left ear of Leonard Atwell in large 50 times from that snapshot You see Mrs. Atwell ears are as individual as fingerprints They never change from birth to death except in size say I didn't know that and this year Leonard Atwell's ear is an entirely different Shape from that of the man you identified yesterday as your husband. All right. I I lied about it I knew that wasn't Leonard But Nick it is Atwell. I know him myself You mean you knew the man who posed as Leonard Atwell. I don't understand. Why should anyone do that? There's one obvious reason Mrs. Atwell that hundred and fifty thousand dollars insurance money. Hey, I get it Nick He was going to fake the accident like you said and split the money with her But then she killed him in order to keep it all to herself. You're accusing me of murder you better No, no no no sheriff according to the Detroit police Mrs. Atwell was attending a bridge party the night of the murder I checked that angle. Well, she could have hired somebody to do it for her couldn't she perhaps but I don't think so There was big money behind this impersonation Nick Nick. I have an idea Didn't the colonel say that he signed those oil leases over to Atwell? Absolutely. Yes in return for a check The promissory note for the balance then maybe that was the real reason behind it And the insurance was only part of the scheme to carry out the idea that he was a rich man If you think he was cheating the colonel you're barking up the wrong tree Patsy Nobody gets ahead of that old bird. Yeah, but the dead man did get absolute title to a hundred and thirty thousand dollars worth of oil leases And all he actually paid out was forty thousand. Well, even if the colonel never gets another cent He's doing all right. What do you mean? Why those leases ain't worth anything He couldn't have pedaled him to anybody around here for more than five or ten thousand. So that's it. Come on Patsy Hey, where you going? You look for a roll of adhesive tape Here's my first aid kit mr. Carter Oh, it's an awfully big one, isn't it? On a ranch. You never know what may happen, miss Bowen May I look through the kit colonel gardener? Certainly, mr. Carter. I'd like to know why you're so interested I'm interested because the man who was murdered two nights ago had a fresh grip of adhesive tape on his right hand And I'm wondering whether it came from here. Well that will never got to my ranch. I told you he was on his way I know that's what you said colonel There was an extra 24 miles in a speedometer In other words, he must have made a side trip of 12 miles and back and this ranch is exactly 12 miles off the main highway Are you calling me a liar, sir? Worse than that colonel I'm calling you a murderer Ridiculous Leonard Atwell was my friend the man who called himself Leonard Atwell was your stooge You paid his expenses for four months while he built up the illusion of being a wealthy oil promoter. You're out of your mind Why should I do such a thing so that he could take out a big life insurance policy payable to his estate And then make a will starting with the usual clause about paying all just debts Meaning that promissory note you whole colonel there's a neat way to collect 90 000 for your worthless oil leases You're imagining things maybe so the way I see it the plan went like this Atwell picked up somebody who roughly resembled him dressed him in his clothes They knocked him out this man was whitey morgan who was to be found dead in atwell's car And would be taken for atwell because his body would be too burned for positive identification Then you and atwell would share the money you would collect from atwell's estate because of that note for 90 000 you held But when atwell with morgan's unconscious body in his car came here to get your help in faking the accident You decided that a substitute wasn't as effective as the real thing. So you killed atwell This is ridiculous Then you emptied atwell's pockets to make it look like a robbery Then you took the unconscious morgan miles away and dumped him by the side of the highway knowing he'd be the logical suspect and atwell's murdered And you didn't burn the car because it was no longer necessary with a real atwell dead in it How do you expect to prove any such wild story atwell had no adhesive tape on his hand when he picked up morgan He did have it when he was found dead If that tape came from your first aid kit, it'll prove he was here after he had set morgan up for the fake killing A very interesting theory carter, but not proof You'll hand me the rule of adhesive tape from your kit. I think it'll give me the proof I need Very well All right, what get your hands up bothy nick he had a gun in the kit Yes, I put it there when I went out of the room to get this kid carter I thought there was something odd about your wanting to inspect my first aid supplies Why because you remember the last time you used that kit was just before the murder A very shrewd guess mr. Carter, so you did kill that man just as nick said With this very gun my dear It's too bad that you have to be so clever mr. Carter What do you mean by that? I mean that you two are the only people who suspect I killed that stupid fool So I'm going to kill both of you Right now With his hands in the air nick hasn't a chance of reaching his own gun before colonel gardener's finger closes on the trigger We'll see what happens in just a minute Now for the conclusion of the case of the unexpected corpse today's adventure with nick carter Brought to you by new post war old dutch cleanser In the living room of colonel gardener's ranch house Nick and patsy stand with their hands in the air staring at the revolver in the colonel's hands as he says You two are the only ones who suspect I killed that stupid fool So I'm going to kill both here Right now you're wrong colonel the sheriff knows all about this. I told him not half an hour ago I'm too good a poker player to fall for a bluff like that carter. This is no bluff colonel Drop the gun table you I've been standing outside that window that was a mighty interesting confession And thanks for telling us that this is the gun you killed your partner with But nick you were right about this adhesive tape. It does match that strip on the dead man's hand You can tell by that same flaw on the weave So even if we didn't have the gun that would prove he was here just before he was murdered You're pretty smart nick no mistake By the way colonel will you tell us why atwill or whatever his name was Had that adhesive tape on his hand He scratched it while he was getting his suitcase out of the luggage compartment didn't amount to anything but it was bleeding some Well colonel You ought to be right proud You'll go down in history as the first man who ever hung himself with a piece of adhesive tape Well patsy, I hope we can get home without any more distractions Uh-huh Nick, do you suppose they'll ever find out what happened to the real Leonard Atwell? Well patsy that came out in the colonel's confession Remember the sheriff telling us about that old bum that died on the colonel's ranch last winter? What? He was Leonard Atwell? Nobody else when the colonel went through his effects He found that letter to his wife asking her to forgive him for deserting her 18 years ago Uh-huh That's where the colonel got the idea for cashing in on those worthless oil leases Oh, then it's no wonder the force at will resembled the picture of the real one The colonel knew the type of person he needed for the impersonation And they found him in hollywood a broken down movie extra with a shady reputation Uh-huh You know, Nick, I bet he never knew to the last minute that he was cast as the corpse in the colonel's little drama Well, that corpse was an unexpected shock to almost everyone Mrs. Atwell expected it to be her husband the imposter expected it to be whitey And only the colonel knew who the unexpected corpse really was and um, he wasn't telling And now Nick, how about the adventure new post-war old dutch cleanser is going to bring us next week Well, Mike, if you were a young man with all the money you wanted and if you had everything in the world to live for Can you think of any reason why you would want to die? I can't think of a reason for wanting to die under any circumstances Well, a young man named Miles Kincaid had a different attitude Yes, he was found drowned in a lake and yet he wasn't drowned in a lake And before the case was over Nick uncovered the reason for not just one but for three mysterious depths Well, it sounds as though we're in for a lot of excitement as well as mystery What do you call the adventure nick? I call it the case of the flowery farewell Nick Carter, master detective, is presented each week at this time by the Cuddehy Packing Company It is produced and directed by Jock McGregor and is copyrighted by Street and Smith Publications Incorporated Charlotte Manson is featured as Patsy today's script was written by Jim Parsons Original music is played by Henry Silver This program is fictional and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental This is Michael Fitzmaurice saying when minutes count use new post-war old Dutch cleanser This is the mutual broadcasting system