 Johnny dollar like to hop aboard the next plane headed for the mighty sovereign state of Texas. Why not and who that? Jack Price here in Corpus Christi. Oh, hi Jackson. How about it? Oh, you know, I like that Tony is Jack I always have but unless your company plans to pay the freight forget it. I can't afford it Now you don't think for one minute I'd be inviting a character like you down here and just a social call. Why not? I'm a very sociable fellow You're sure especially when you're on expense account naturally or when your investigation saves us a lot of money And you can pick up a nice commission for it. Sure. But this time now is no way you can save us anything It's a matter of fact if what I suspect is true. You're only cost us money. Now that doesn't make much sense Doesn't it? Well does it? Why don't you come down here and see? On expense account. Yeah, yeah on expense account But no extras. Bare minimum expense account. Right. No chance of a commission. And none But maybe just a nice little service fee just for old-time sake. No. Oh now Jackson listen Do you really think I'd accept an assignment like that from you of all people? I cannot tell a lie Johnny I think you work. You want to know something pal? Yeah You're right The CBS radio network brings you Mandel Kramer in the exciting adventures of the man with the action-fact expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator yours truly Johnny dollar Expense account submitted by a special investigator Johnny dollar to try Western life insurance company Corpus Christi office Following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of The Ike and Mike matter Expense account item one five dollars and sixty five cents for a taxi out to Bradley field As for item two Well in spite of this demand for economy I'm sure the company treasure won't object to my not thumbing my way to corpus Christi So item two is a hundred and twenty two twenty three for a plane ticket But to make up for it after I got there instead of a taxi I took the airport limousine to the Robert Driscoll hotel. That's item three a dollar thirty five There I got myself a room Not as sweet mind you and unpack my bags Yeah, who is it? What do you mean? Who is it? Come on open up Jackson come in All right, Johnny now don't tell me you came around to make sure I didn't take too expensive a room sit down Thanks Getting close to dinner time jack. Why don't I order up a couple of drinks? No, I listen Johnny You'd better not Come on don't tell me you were that serious about holding down on the expenses Well, I was and I wasn't but something's happened since I talked to you on the phone Oh like what? Well, what I mean is it's That's too late now too late for what? For you to do what I wanted you to do down here to see if you could what are you talking about that is to say Look into this thing and see if I wasn't right about thinking Maybe the best thing to do would be just to cancel the policy What policy I mean because of what happened Just a few hours ago after I called you look Jackson This bush you're beating around is getting pretty big what policy to whom and for how much and what's the matter with it? okay Straight life, johnny 25,000 bucks and with the standard double indemnity clause. I know for accidental death. Yes, turn it. Well, who's the insured? Well, johnny do you um Do you remember a character by the name of lou liver come? No, I can't say that Wait a minute Little louie liver come that slippery old stock promoter. I chased all over the country a couple years ago And finally caught up with only to have a fast-talking mouthpiece get him off scot-free the same Oh Jackson don't tell me you issued a policy to a crook like little louie No, I didn't at least give me credit for some sense But one of the boys in the office a new kid sold this policy to a Mr. Isaac prelinger Better known around the local pool halls a smarty axe and that nickname is a pretty good description of him No visible means of support just a smart fast-talking bum recently in from san antole 25,000 dollar policy Yeah, when I found out about it. I didn't like it, but Well, I let it go through Then this morning in a routine checkup I found out who he named as beneficiary liver come liver come no kidding No kidding And when the wheels began to turn in this so-called brain of mine I mean the fact that I bought a policy that big though We apparently didn't have much though So maybe liver come put up the money for it on condition that he'd be named beneficiary with the idea of having him knocked off Yes And it wouldn't be the first time a crook like Louie tried a caper like that But until I could be sure it's the same liver come and the address we have for him is out in Eugene Oregon Oregon yeah Or then he did clear out of where he'd been working when I caught up with him Well, anyhow, that's why I called you I figured if it is the same liver come if you could find some evidence that he was paying for axe policy and planning to pull a Fast one on us and on Ike prelinches, right? Then I'd have sufficient reason to cancel out the policy Okay, Jackson Let me get some dinner and a good night's sleep. No Johnny and I'll run out there to Oregon Did you say no? It's too late. Hmm The dumpy little shack over on west maple street where he lived alone. Yeah, what about it? Just a few hours ago burned to the ground. Oh and Ike prelinger was in it Oh, yeah they're sure Fireman authorities. They're sure it was prelinger's body. They found there and the remains of the fire. No question of it, Johnny Who identified it jack? I did and I checked against the description on his policy Oh, that's a pretty complete description Oh try western really goes overboard on that Johnny not only a complete physical and medical history But pictures x-rays the works. I know then just to make doubly sure I had the lad who sold him the policy go over and take a look So there's no question of it the man who died in that fire was Ike prelinger So now we'll have to pay off for this Louis liver come Like I said Johnny you got here too late maybe What can you do about it now? What sounded the fire? You remember Pete Frawley The arson squad? Yeah, one of the best. Yeah, I know Pete says it was accidental and typical. Ike got himself drunk fell on the bed with a lighted cigarette First went to mattress then everything else Including him and Pete is sure that he's already made out and signed his report He should know he does Well, I think I'll talk to him anyhow by all means And I know what you're thinking if this beneficiary is the same Louis liver come There almost has to be something fishy Jack how about if I run a car and then meet you over at your office? You want me to have Pete Frawley over there? No, I'll dig him up at headquarters But first I'd like to look at the policy involved on this one. Okay, okay, John anything you say Item four a dollar eighty five for a quick bite on the Robert Bristol coffee shop Item five fifty bucks deposit on a rental car Then over at Jack's office despite the late hour I took a long careful look at the policy on Ike Prelinger Especially at the description of him Jack was right Try western does do a thorough job Pete Frawley the arson squad had gone home to the night But didn't hesitate a minute to get out of his robin slippers put on his shoes and meet me at headquarters We paid a visit to the morgue Well a dollar pretty badly burned no features left, but there's no doubt. It's Ike Prelinger same height weight teeth bill general characteristics everything Including fingerprints From this oh no impossible But dollar I checked him out against the description on the insurance policy and so did doc wyman the coroner It's about as positive an idea as we could want and that young fellow who sold him the policy We're sure of it too. Even he identified the finger ring and the watch Even old Jerry Deeks was certain Who's Jerry Deeks? He learns a pool parlor where Ike used to hang around Well You want me to fold down this sheet for a better look at him? No, no don't bother Um What about an autopsy pete? Now you don't think out of made out my report before doc wyman did his autopsy No dollar this is Ike all right and there is no doubt about it Jack price tells me uh, he said the fire was accidental Do you mean any signs of arson the answer is no there were none whatsoever Only all the usual typical signs of what actually happened. What do you mean, pete? Yeah, a flock of empty whiskey bottles around One of them that dropped out of his hand when he laid down on his bed same as I've seen it a hundred times Oh when I was even able to isolate the ashes from the cigarette He'd had in his hand that set off the mattress at the point the fire actually originated. No, wait a minute. Yeah I have reason to suspect that somebody might have wanted to kill him To collect his insurance and tried to use the fire as a cover-up. Yeah. Yeah, I thought of that too But doc wyman found absolutely no sign of injury nor any poison in his system What's more dollar? He wasn't killed before the fire because there were signs of smoke in the lungs and I mean plenty Of course pete, uh, yeah What is it dollar Well, I mean if somebody smothered it, you know with a pillow or something That would leave no marks Before the fire. Yeah. Well, did you miss my point and there wouldn't have been smoke in the lungs? Oh, wait a minute. He would have passed out before he stopped breathing entirely, wouldn't he? Yeah, possibly in other words a killer could have smothered him just enough to make him unconscious Then started the fire let him get his lungs full and Well, then the fire would have finished the job Got you reaching a little bit dollar. Maybe so maybe no Well, I mean unless you can somehow turn up some evidence that he was murdered No, it's just a hunch But a potent one Well, I know that neither doc wyman nor I could find anything to indicate it and believe me dollar I tried. I mean, I have just as suspicious of mine as you have Okay, pete. So you want to look at the autopsy report. I'm sure doc wouldn't mind. You want me to ask you? No, no, don't bother But why? Well, I mean why this powerful hunch. Oh Because of a man I chased halfway across the country a couple of years ago who now lives in Oregon I Don't get it He is the beneficiary of icke's policy I still don't get it I think maybe I better fly on out there and pay him a visit First though, I drove around the jerry deeks pool room Just why I'm not sure now that I stopped to think about it But you know something It was jerry deeks who convinced me beyond the shadow of a doubt that my hunch was right 100 percent What he what he done for a living mr. Dollar. Yes, mr. Deeks Uh Anything icke I planned your mate. He made it right here Yes, sir You mean with a pool cue? Yeah, one of the steadiest shots I I ever see most consistent So there's a in spite of the way he liked his liquor I Lick it never would touch You sure of that? No sir never never touched his sir, and I know Well, how do you know? Well, I tried to give him someone's like I just sort of present for the way that he's Brought a lot of customers in here Said no he did said Such stuff was nothing but poison Thank you, mr. Deeks Thank you very much Yes, sir Oh, you may not know it, but you've said one word to me loud and clear. Oh, what's that sir murder It's a welcome change sometimes to have neighbors drop in unexpectedly for a visit Weekdays here on the cbs radio network We have a group of friendly folks who like to drop in on you cheer your day along and never once get in the way They're arthur godfrey art link letter gary moor Bing Crosby and rosemary cloney CBS radios daytime stars every weekday they furnish fun and frolic mixed with music at this lilting location on your radio dial Tune in the daytime stars. They're good company Although it was now quite late Item six is ten cents for a phone call to jack price at his home For us He's still out and circulating around sure am jackson. Why don't you get some sleep? Hey, what's up as soon as I can i'm heading out to Eugene oregon to check up on that beneficiary Yep, among other things. What do you mean other thing in the first place? I'm sure now that we have a murder case on our hands. Ike was murdered then Oh, I didn't say that what what do you mean just got me a wild idea jackson You remember that old saying ike and mike they look alike. Well, sure, but well just give that a thought While you're driving over to your office to meet me 20 minutes later in jack's office, I took another look at icpelling's policy I also went over the original application for it and particularly the medical report in x-rays. Well Okay, jackson Now if you don't mind i'll use this phone sure go ahead johnny after stuff But you still haven't told me what you're meant by the ike and mike fit Just a hunch, but if it's a right one, there's a lot more to this case and meets the eye So lack what first? Like the possibility for instance Hello Hello, johnny donald pete. Oh, why don't tell me you got on out there to harrigan already No, but listen i'll call you from there sometime in the morning in the meantime And you still think it was murder, huh? Now i'm sure of it You found some bottles in the remains of that fire And that made you think ike got drunk and made that typical mistake of setting off his mattress with a lighted cigarette Well, I still think that's what happened in spite of the fact. He never touched the stuff. Yes, sir in spite of that What did you say you heard me? Listen, i've just looked over the x-rays on icpelling's your first thing in the morning at the crack of dawn Get your doc wyman to do a further autopsy on that stiff a further Yes Have him look for marks from an old fracture of the first metatarsal on the right foot Why if he doesn't find any then you get busy and form a complete description of icke to the missing persons bureau Up in san antonio. That's where icke lived one time before he came here. You think they might be looking for him for him? No Then I don't get it, but if that description ties in with somebody who is missing from up there Or listen pete, yeah, if it doesn't then you'll have to try every other town in texas if necessary until somebody does recognize that description And if the name turns out to be mike somebody or other I still don't get it Just do it pete call missing persons bureau until you get a positive reaction of that description I'll phone you tomorrow from eugene oregon All right now jack I got to get me on out to the airport and see what kind of connections I can make The connections I could make were anything but good item seven is 199 dollars and 75 cents And my routing took me to houston to los angeles to portland and then finally eugene Because of a stopover at every point it was well into the next morning by the time I got there item 8 1250 for a cab to lou libercom's place off deming road out beyond the furnridge reservoir So the kind of modest well-kept sort of home you'd expect a retired country gentleman to live in rather than a crook The reason for that high taxi charge is because I asked the cabbie to wait for me Remember that As for libercom, he was the same suave slippery old character. I'd known two years before Yes, I heard from uh from old contact of mine that like frelinger died down there in profits christine Too bad dollon. He was an old friend of mine. Yes, so I understand as a matter of fact He made me the beneficiary of his insurance. I have already mailed in a claim Why did he name you libercom? Why not? We used to work together. I can I you're still working together Don't be ridiculous dollar. How could we be if he's dead? Tell me where've you been the past couple of days? Right here. I haven't gone out beyond the mailbox for nearly a week. Can you prove that? Yes, I can prove it ask my next door neighbor. Oh morgan. I've seen and talked with him two or three times every day And mrs. Teller on the other side I helped to gather in some wood yesterday morning yesterday morning. Yes Yesterday afternoon she brought me over an apple pie. She'd made all of which makes a nicely set up alibi for you, doesn't it? Now look here dollar I don't know what you're getting at but if you think you can tie me in with frelinger's getting knocked off did I say that? Didn't you learn a couple of years ago that when you try to pin something on me All you're going to do is fall flat on your face Suppose we see might have I used your phone? Well You go ahead. Thanks The call was to Teak Frawley at police headquarters back in Corpus Christi And the result of dr. Wyman's further autopsy and Pete's call to san antonio Dollar, I don't know how you do it. Yeah, Pete No broken bone in the foot of that stiff. So your hunch was right. It wasn't hot pellet. You're at all It was somebody who was a dead ringer for it Taken there planted there by ike. Well that we can't be sure of anywhere. Not yet. I'm sure of it. Now listen Like you suggested I called the mpb in san anton. Now the missing man on their list fitted ikes description perfectly His name was mike ringler. So how you figure that one? I'll never know. All right. Now. Do you see what it means, Pete? No, you tell me when ikes found that he had a double there in san antonio. It gave him an idea So we moved down to corpus to carry it out. What was it? He got in touch with a made a deal with his old colleague in crime Lou liver come out here in Eugene if Lou would pay the premium on a nice hunk of insurance Then when he supposedly died they could split it in this case with double indemnity a total of 50 000 bucks Well, I'm a son of a gun. Yeah, it's an old one, but it's worked more than once now. Wait We still have to round up ike pralinger. Don't give that a second thought, pete I'll simply make the most of Lou's hospitality here in his home for a while you'll walk for just as long as necessary Oh, yeah. Yeah, I see then when ike arrives to pick up his cut of the insurance money. He thinks Well, pete, I'll be right here and ready and waiting Okay, buddy. Hang it up Hang it up. I said Johnny You hear me? You see this I'll uh Talk to you later, pete Well ike pralinger. That's right. Who are you? Who is he Lou? Don't you know him? That's johnny dollar the insurance detective Oh it is, huh? Without her you won't be talking to anybody not later not any time You see this haven't you made enough mistakes already ike. Love him ike. Let him have it. All right. All right. No, that's exactly what i'm gonna do Now listen mister cabbie. Hey, I have my way. Hey, what's going on? Look out cabbie. Watch him Oh, no you do. Oh, yes, I do And now you move Holy mother. Wow. Thanks cabbie for barging in the door that way and throwing him off balance Wow. We want you done to him Say what goes anyhow, buddy? I'll tell you all about it while we drive these babies into police headquarters Yep It was good hunting Not only because ike will have to pay for the murder of mike ringler But more important to me Because little libra cum is finally ending up where he belongs behind bars Expensive count total Oh, why don't you figure it out jackson and uh, don't forget my commission on the insurance that won't have to be paid out yours truly johnny dollar And now here is our star to tell you about next week's story next week Only the shadow of a doubt Locks up the case for me Join us, won't you? yours truly johnny dollar First truly johnny dollar is written by jack johnstone Produced and directed by bruno zerato jr. Music supervision by ethyl hubert Johnny dollar is played by mandel kramer Also featured in our cast where william redfield as pete brawley marie tarplin is jack price randall osburn as louis libercum Lawson's erby as beats Ralph bell is ike prulinger and bill lixon as the cab driver Be sure to join us next week same time same station for another exciting story of yours truly johnny dollar This is bill gillian speaking If someone you know has had an accident or an operation the chances are he was given blood or blood plasmids to prevent shock or to replace lost blood Or perhaps one of your children came down with the measles and was given a shot of gamma globulin That required blood for its manufacture Whenever emergency arises in accidents operations or disasters blood is urgently needed And there's no time to get it after the emergency arises. It must be there always ready for immediate use The agency that collects the blood for our military and civilian hospitals and keeps blood banks all over the country well stocked Is the red cross This is only one of the countless invaluable services performed by this wonderful organization One of the ways in which you can help the red cross is by giving blood regularly There are many other ways you can help too Doing various kinds of other useful volunteer jobs Right now during red cross months join and serve and help the red cross stay on the job for you