 Whitehall 1212 quickly the first time in history Scotland Yard opens its secret files to bring you the authentic true stories of some of its most baffling cases Research on Whitehall 1212 is prepared by Percy Hoskins chief crime reporter the London Daily Express The stories for radio are written and directed by Willis Cooper Here are the participants in case number 604 MR 530 from the official files of Scotland Yard Leo M. Stefanovich former member of the Polish Navy Yes, I deserted the Navy Marianne Koniecki who'd fought in Spain, but I am interesting his money Kazemir Kashuba Who was found dead? Albert Stevens the copper's nark. It's a living Superintendent Alistair Watkins of Scotland Yard I must warn you that if you expect high adventure in Limehouse or Sinister Oriental's lurking in dark byways you'd best turn out your wireless now We're quite ordinary people at Scotland Yard professional policeman Catches of criminals and we don't go in much for the picturesque the way we are sometimes pictured However, if you'd like to see how we proceed upon a case, I'll ask you to step inside our black museum and meet the man in charge of it Come in This is Chief Inspector John Davidson who's in charge here. How do you do? I'm afraid that the so-called black museum is neither black nor a museum Nor is it the ground guignol? We have here large number of guns knives other weapons which have been used in crimes They've also disguises clothing exhibits of all sorts that have helped in solving many of these crimes I think you ought to explain John why we keep these gruesome relics. Yes indeed They're here for a purpose quite removed from idle curiosity They're principally for the use of the men of Scotland Yard in studying crime techniques and exemplars of crime methods They bring to life the cold words contained in our files and the most useful as well as graphic for example In this case superintendent Watkins is re-enacting for you. Now. This is a bullet that killed a man It was fired from this gun That it took caliber walk the automatic pistol And it was Scotland Yards job to prove that and this the top of an ordinary mechanical pencil This is a very important bit of evidence Just a cheap little metal pencil wasn't cheap for the man who lost it young cost him his life you see We were standing in the corner of a saloon bar in Whitechapel talking Albert Stevens the coppers knock and me I expect you don't know what a knock is N a R K in America. I think you call him a stool pigeon Every detective in the world has his pet knock and Albert Stevens was mine It's an insignificant place. We were in and Albert Stevens two-mile and bitters had set him talking 16 to the dozen I don't suppose you'd know him by sight sir, but I could tell you how to find them That is I've seen them about here and there It's American cigarettes are ending now But they ain't got many left and when they're sold out on they'll try something else regarding ideas of us No, sir, not yet, but it'll be something big. I'm sure of that. Do they know you do you suppose? Hey, nobody notices a taxi driver, sir They've wrote in my cab twice now, and they've never even looked at my face, but I've looked at them Will you have another mild and bitter Albert? Well, I wouldn't say no, sir. Yeah, miss Phillips up here. Will you again? Will you thank you? There's some kind of foreignness that they are. Thank you miss This I know They're in the black market up to here. You said that What kind of foreigners I can't understand them much except when they talk about well what they think is English Greeks or Spaniards or Russians. I think all three of them But they tip quite nice, too, but you're sure they're in the black market. No doubt about it, sir I hear enough about it. Don't know their names. Well, one is called Marion Marion and the other's name is Kashmir Maybe it's an Hindu and the other is a gentleman in some kind of Navy sir not ours some foreign Navy He wears a uniform who seems to be the boss. Well, I'd say this year Kashmir is The odd man is that all you know about them then that's all I know right now, sir Well ain't that worth three pints of mild and bitter sir. Yeah, just about Albert Well, I was sort of hoping you'd have a spare tensioning note on you sir I have Albert but not for you Milad When you've something better than a comic trio of foreigners who jibber about American cigarettes maybe but not till then Would you like to buy a magnificent new solid gold mechanical pencil, sir? Yeah, yeah sacrifice potential in where'd you get it a lady gave it to me, sir Now what say say seven and sixty user come now Albert you know that's worth all of nine points nine percent sir I need the money come off it Albert. Well, then sir what? What what did you say if I told you these foreign blokes is murderers shouldn't believe a word of it? They might be sir. Well when you can prove it come round and see me Albert. Well, don't I get another pine, sir? Yeah, miss another of the same for my friend here Night Albert Scotland yard next morning. I Walked leisurely down the long corridor on the second floor the lease to my office a Voice hail me as I opened the door to my office and I look back It was Detective Sergeant Llewellyn a Welshman who'd been a constable at the water Street police station when I was a sergeant Here was a welcome face David I said I've not seen you in six months longer than that indeed superintendent. It's ten months And I'm very glad to be seeing you where have you been to the army all this time, sir I was seconded to my five. Yes. Yes. I heard that was tiresome work, but now I'm back. Thanks indeed to the Lord Taking a well-earned rest. I expect oh indeed to goodness. No, there's no rest for the wicked I'm on a case already and we have dinner this evening then. I'm not so sure sir What have they given you oh a murder would bloody one. I've just seen the man He's bloody enough indeed. They found him shot to death in his car early this morning. Where? Chepstow Place Notting Hill the constable who found him in his car parked beside the curb thought he was taking with drink But it was a 32 caliber bullets in the back at his neck and out the front of his head very gory Know who he was a foreigner. It seems with the name of Kasmir Kersuba. Oh Whatever's the matter then do you know him come on in my room here? I Don't know the chap, but I have an idea. I know someone who does indeed to goodness. Come on in. Come on in while I telephone That is number in my book here At least a number where I can reach him Ah here it is Whoever is he's superintendent chap named Albert Stevens unlock talking to him just last night Mention the chap named cashmere. He called him far enough This might be Where is the beggar? Every little bit. Oh, oh, hello is Albert there Albert Stevens When he comes in tell him to telephone Watkins Watkins got that Watkins W-a-t-k-i-n-s. He knows me. What do you want? Just tell him to call me. That's all Where to call yes, it's very important you understand All right, have him telephone me at once. Goodbye Not there He'll telephone me I say where can I read you? I've got all this report on the man to write up for goodness sake I'll be in my office till noon. Oh, he'll telephone me before that. I'm sure Well, I must be going sir. I'm sorry. I couldn't reach him just now But I'll be in touch with you as soon as I hear from him I'll be very grateful to you sir. It was good seeing you again. I mean a long time Llewellyn Now goodbye. So long so long old chap. Oh, you dropped something. Hey, where? There on the floor beside your right foot. Oh I must lose this. What is it? Found it from the car with the dead man. Huh? A tough off a cheap mechanical pencil Let's see it. You mind not at all Don't have to be careful of fingerprints. They've had it in the laboratory. Nothing on it That's it. Pick up on sir. I've seen this pencil before Llewellyn Millions of them about in a doubt. The chap that was killed must have lost it. No Hey, I've seen this particular one before I saw it last night. I don't follow you sir That settles it. Look here closely. Yes See these initials scratched on it Very tiny here Probably done with a pocket knife Look at my A.S. By Crikey. A.S. That's what they are Who's do you suppose he offered to sell it to me last night? Who? Albert Stevens the copper's knock. I was just trying to telephone goodness sake So that's why he hasn't come home. Hey He said he knew this chasmier He said chasmier had money And money was what he needed. Well, chasmier was robbed. We know that But I never knew a copper's knock to have the courage to commit murder, sir Why I I bought him the courage old boy four pints of mild and bitter Suppose that makes me an accessory to murder The constables who were dispatched to the home of albert stevens reported that he was still absent At 11 the next morning. He had not yet come home. His wife knew nothing of his whereabouts Nor did the garage people where he usually kept his cab At noon a teletype signal was sent to all metropolitan police stations giving a description of the man And the number of his cab 301 the same information was published next day in metropolitan informations which goes to all police officers There was no immediate response neither the man nor the cab could be found By now superintendent watkins had been officially assigned to the case And on the morning of the fourth day. We held a strategy meeting in his office He had some new information for me They found the gun indeed, sir. They'd been taking the car to pieces down at hendon for it, you know They found a 32 caliber walther automatic pistol hidden in the lining of the top good Our friend chasmere was killed by a 32 caliber bullet, you know And ballistics assures me that this is the gun from which it was fired good fingerprints What fingerprints none The ballistics say they're sure that more than one shot was fired from the gun. How could they tell that? There are two cartridges missing from the clip and Seems they found too much powder fouling in the receiver and the barrel for one shot I I don't quite understand, but they are quite positive They find more than one bullet only the one that went through chasmere's head Was embedded in the dash of the car. Where's this out of one then somebody else's body, I say That who's I say yes Oh Superintendent Watkins him Hello, sir, hello again. Oh good Found him. Oh, where was he sitting in his taxi cab where? What has he dead? So that's where the other bullet went. I admit I'd more or less dropped a break in pinning all my hopes of a quick solution of the case on Albert Stevens The well and I moved at once to realign our strategy This was our estimate of the situation It is possible that Stevens did murder chasmere, of course Uh possible but not probable the forensic laboratory people the ballistics people Say that the bullet they found in Stevens body was fired from the same gun that killed chasmere The 32 walter automatic they found in the car But then Who killed who? I suspect that since the gun was found in the car with chasmere He was the last one shot, wouldn't you? Well, then of course Stevens couldn't have killed him right Stevens must have been dead and at the bottom of the Thames when chasmere was shot Then who killed chasmere? Obviously not Stevens The forensic laboratory can tell us who died first. I hope we know how the gun It was with chasmere remember Unless someone shot him then took the gun and killed Stevens with it pushed him into the Thames And then brought the gun back Sounds silly indeed Then who shot chasmere? One of Stevens friends might have if he knew chasmere killed Stevens revenge How do we know chasmere shot Stevens? Well, besides Stevens didn't have any friends Except me And I don't think I did it his wife perhaps. Yeah Perhaps Well, besides how could she get that gun? No friends None I know I knew Albert rather well Ha what? chasmere had friends Albert told me about them who? A man named um woman's name um Marion I don't know him and a man who wears a foreign navy uniform Polish Chasmere was Polish and a deserter. I suspect our man's a deserter too They were all mixed up in the black market Albert said what sort of black market sir. Oh all sorts it appears Why should they kill chasmere and or Albert Stevens? Well, Albert that's simple They found out he was an informer a knock Why chasmere? Oh people have been murdered for money before Perhaps chasmere was cheating them. He was apparently the boss Well a crook who cheats a fellow crook is asking for it Let's get on to Marion and the navy officer All we have to do is find them Now allow me to digress for a moment There was of course no record anywhere of chasmere's former address We put people on that at once Suspecting that Marion and the navy officer might live close to chasmere's home But another day dragged by without tangible result I was sitting gloomily in my office Trying to think of a more tenable theory than the one we had tentatively adopted. Oh plus the phone Yes, walk into you. What's her name? What's she want? Send her in and ask sergeant Llewellyn if you'll just step in here Come in Good afternoon madam Sit down madam. I thank you You said you knew something about chasmere Kashuba. Yeah, I found the express that he's dead extremely and good enough for him, I'd say You knew him? He was a crook I'm afraid you're rather late in telling us that madam. Well, I mean to say I What sort of dealings did you have with him? I never had any Well, I mean you cheated me and now he's dead. How am I going to get that the 17 pounds I gave him? That's what I want to know. Why did you give him 17 pounds? Oh, excuse me, sir. Oh, come on in Llewellyn This is miss dot here. Yes, sir. I'm a music host out the Shibascus Empire How do you do madam to sit down Llewellyn? Seems miss tougher has given chasmere 17 pounds. Whatever for miss? Well, it's rather silly of me, but I couldn't resist it. Resist what? Well, I was having a late supper after the show last tuesday and there was a man Kashmere, Kashuba it turned out to be sitting two tables away from me. That's the first time you met him Of course. Do you think that uh On the table before him was the most magnificent handbag handbag a woman's handbag the kind I hadn't seen for simply years I couldn't resist doing what I did What did you do madam? Oh, I know it's breaking the law, but isn't everyone in the black market? Not everyone exactly. Oh, well I just stepped over to the table and introduced myself and he gave me his name and I said Would you mind terribly telling me where you've got that adorable bag? I wanted one myself, you know black market So he said he manufactured them and that I could have one if I liked All I had to do was to give him 17 pounds so that he could buy the special leather it was made of And in a day or two I could call at his flat And it should be ready for me. Do you see and you fell for that old one? You called at his flat Would you believe it when I called he professed never having seen me? He said he was not a manufacturer And nothing I could say would make him give me back my 17 pounds or the bag And did you kill him then? I did not later perhaps. I never killed anyone in my life I'm a lord Will you give us the address my dear law abiding young woman? No, it's in made of ale somewhere I think I have it here in my shabby old handbag Thank you very much miss An actress I think you said yeah. Well, that'll be all miss telfer and thank you very much come along well Yes, but you're not going to get it back miss telfer. What? You're very fortunate The black markets cost you only 17 pounds. It cost casimir's life ready one Within 20 minutes a scotland yard car dropped us at the address in made of ale miss telfer actress had supplied us We interviewed the proprietor of that dismal place A cross-eyed young man in an unusually dirty waistcoat in the red mingis tartan His name he informed us was ian caldplyche and he had a cold There he ain't here. We're quite aware of that my good man He's dead. Did you murder him? So are you in the black market too? Though may we see his room Tate is very boy. Who's is it then? About the bad who? officer Navy officer. Oh rn rnr or rnvr not one of ours Polish daily when did this polish naval officer take the room mr. Caldplyche Day after the murder or you know the day of the murder then I can't read Was it all the paper is this man here now? No, will he return He always has was this naval officer a friend of kasmir's I don't know. May we see the room? Got a warrant. Yes. All right Second door on the left. Come on Lou It's a lot. Come on No, leave the door open Lou our friend with a runny nose might just warn him that we're here Right. I'll keep watch While louellen kept watch from the open door I made a quick search of the place. I found nothing at all of any apparent importance Until I went for the pockets of the navy great coat in the closet I was about to exhibit my findings to louellen when he hissed sharply at me from the doorway What's up chap coming in wearing a navy uniform If you'll come in commander will be glad to tell you Who are you sergeant louellen of scotland yard? I think you'd best come in sir Come in sir What is the meaning of this may I ask? What is your name, please? Leo ms. The funwoods commander of polish navy What do you want? I should like to ask you a question Well, may I ask you where you've got this mechanical pencil, sir? I will tell you I got it. Uh Well, where did you get it? I didn't kill him kill whom commander why kasimir kashova This was albert stevens pencil commander I didn't kill albert the top of this pencil was found in the car with kasimir kashova's body commander I didn't do it perhaps you can explain then yes, I well Marion did the killing oh indeed marion. Yes, I told him not it was marion who did it not me Oh our friend marion he did it Yes, I am telling you the truth marion. You know where marion is I will take you to him. Yes, I will help you. He did it and I will help you find him Please let me take you to him. Will you please kasimir was my friend I'm just wondering something inspector. Huh? I am wondering if albert stevens was also his friend Let's go and find your friend marion shall we commander It was a quiet little hotel we drove to in the west end Inspector whatkins and me and the commander all jammed in the police car together The clerk nodded in a familiar way to stapanovitz when we entered is my friend in yes, sir Oh, don't announce us, please. We will work to lift ourselves Get in gentlemen Now we shall see just is done. Indeed The first floor gentlemen the door directly opposite Uh here early old marion No one We are from scotland yard, sir I warn you both of you that anything you say will be taken down in writing and maybe you should never Murderer what yes these gentlemen have come to arrest you for the murder of kassimil So correct. You traitor. You you you coward arrest him gentlemen. He's the mother Look this man. He's the one who fires shot The one who did it I I see him do it. You see me You know you did it I'm not he should catch the from behind as I sit in front seat. I was in a front seat He did a shot craft. Oh, thank you sir Gentlemen gentlemen marion connect me and leo stapanovitz I arrest you both on suspicion of having been involved in the murder of kassimil kasuba and of albert steven You've both been warned Have you nothing to say At the trial the two men admitted all the details of the two murders Albert stevens it seems had talked too much about his relations with the police and Someone in a moment of rage had shot him and his cab had been dumped into the Thames Walking away from there together. They'd stolen a motor car Kassimil kasuba who had been drinking heavily tweeted his companions about the new hold he had on them as murderers He boasted that he'd had no part in the crime And one of the two men had shot him in the back of the neck with a walter automatic pistol Each man blamed the other The jury took 25 minutes to decide who was guilty Mr. Justice mcconnick. He placed the black cap on his head marion connect me and leo stapanovitz The jury have found you and each of you guilty of the murder of kassimil kasuba It is the sentence of the court that you and each of you be taken to a lawful prison and pledged to a place of execution That you be there each of you hang by the neck continue that day The two men appealed the verdict and one They were immediately tried for the murder of albert stevens and again heard the fatal words That you there each of you be hanged by the neck continue that day The latter sentence was carried out You have heard the eighth in the series whitehall one two one two Compiled by special permission from the official files of scotland yard Only the names have been changed. Otherwise the story is true Research for whitehall one two one two is prepared by persie huskins of the london daily express And the stories for radio are written and directed by willis cooper and produced by jack goldstein and collie small Three chimes mean good times on nbc. There's adventures zooming your way today with jewell mccray featured in another authentic story based on the files of the texas rangers