 The adventures of Sam Spade detective brought to you by wild root cream oil hair tonic the non-alcoholic hair tonic that contains Lanolin wild root cream oil again and again the choice of men who put good grooming first Straight cut savvy. Oh really Sam? Why didn't you take it? Oh, but you couldn't of course. That's right. Angel taxes Oh, you mean it would put you in a bracket and the girl's name in case you were going to ask was sugar cane Was she sweet? Oh, not much of what no that is true But even though you do seem to be as you would say in a jugular vein I should be right down serious and frowning to dictate a chronicle steeped in the bitter tea of general confusion Brood in a witch's cauldron of murder green and aphorist. That's what gives it that nutty flavor Silly girl. I refer to the sugar cane caper on which I will forthwith my report be down to dictate on It Shashel Hammett America's leading detective fiction writer and creator of Sam spade the hard-boiled private eye and William Spear Radio's outstanding producer director of mystery and crime drama join their talents to make your hair stand on end with the adventures of Sam spade Presented by the makers of wild root cream oil for the hair Want to look better on the job yet? Wild root cream oil want to look better to that gal of yours yet? Wild root cream oil wild root cream oil hair tonic improves your entire appearance by grooming your hair neatly and naturally relieving dryness removing loose dandruff if your family hasn't yet enjoyed the benefits of America's leading hair tonic Here's what to do about it ask at your drug or toilet goods counter for the new 25 cent get acquainted bottle of wild root cream oil hair tonic again and again the choice of men and women and children too and Now with Howard Duff starring a spade wild root brings to the air the greatest private detective of them all in the adventures of Sam spade Sometimes you're so your colleague, but tonight what am I when the goober is tonight Do you were possibly mean I'm being lush with my verbiage Now that's because I've been at work in the environs of snob hill where they never use one word if 12 will do Are you ready for good? Dictation I guess it is I plan to be most amusing tonight already. I am yet Look, I haven't even started. Oh really. I haven't all right now pencil date Alan should have such an audience date October 3rd 1948 to Clifton Kavanaugh Esquire Down at the from Samuel spade license number 137596 subject the sugar cane caper On Thursday last at 11 a.m. As I waited for the traffic signal so that I might legally cross Powell Street and order the board a Cable car a cat rubbed up against my leg. I leaned over to stroke it and noticed that it had six toes I wanted if that meant anything it didn't Most knob hill addresses don't mean much anymore But yours still does the house was big hideous and reassuring are you from pepper snow? No, I'm in business for myself. Mr. Kavanaugh in oh Come on in Can't understand what happened to that boy from pepper snow. Oh Pardon me if I seem a little hungover gladly, but can you ever forgive yourself? I? Like you you got a sense of humor You'll need it you were trying to tell me you don't approve of mr. Kavanaugh that perfume pot head What did he do to you? He married my mother. Oh Stepfather yeah, I'm Fred Blair spades my name. Where do I find him detective check? I'll give you a clue Look behind you I did I turned and found myself looking straight into your handsome face You look several years younger than your stepson with regular aquilin features dark widely spaced eyes and blue black hair Well, so you're the notorious sounds paid well. I don't want to seem modest Coming to the conservatory is just a bearish chance that we'll not be overheard good There sit down What's your problem mr. Kavanaugh? Problem indeed problems plural starting with that junior grade lush that collared you at the door He's very funny you too. Well, you can't imagine what a trial that boy's been to me both the children For some reason neither Fred nor his sister Eunice ever quite accepted me as their father. You don't say I Suppose my youth counted against me. I think they misinterpreted my motives When any man marries a wealthy widow twice his age, yeah Why did you send for me mr. Kavanaugh? Well, it all started several months back before my wife their mother Where was I oh died The scandal quite literally killed her you sure of that's what did the trick Fred Who among other talents was a positive genius for knowing the wrong sort of people struck up an acquaintance with a hoodlum named Johnny Verona nice clean-cut gangster type runs a joint on Pacific Street precisely With a positively hysterical name of the subtropical Well, there was a sordid brawl of some sort a man shot obviously this Johnny Verona shot Fred had to give testimony before the grand jury It was all we could do to keep it out of the paper, but you did no and old Eleanor my wife that is a Drop dead when the butler brought in the Chronicle, but the worst was yet to come Sam Well, don't keep me hanging Clif Well Fred continued to frequent the spistro this dive of Verona's I understand I believe the bait is a toothsome little teaser with the unlikely name of sugar cane She likes Fred no woman in her right mind would look twice at that idiot even if he were twice as rich in only half a Sodom that Where was I oh, yes this This this Verona person came here several times on the pretext of pouring Fred through the front door and thereby bet met my My my stepdaughter Eunice. Well, that's a very interesting story. Mr. Kavanaugh Now, maybe you'll tell me what you want to detect it for Because my stepdaughter has brazenly informed me that she intends to marry this gangster I want you to help me prevent that marriage. I don't see Don't see what I don't see how I can Perhaps I didn't make myself clear When Verona was arrested for that shooting in his club Fred didn't tell the grand jury all he knew Now if you could prove that Verona is guilty Then we'd be rid of him for good. Is it Verona? You want to get rid of your steps, son? Good Lord You don't you don't think Fred did it. Do you why no of course not okay? Supposing Verona did it then Fred goes up in a perjury rap. Maybe accessory. Oh Well, I have no overwhelming desire to end your Fred Look, why don't you tell me what you have an overwhelming desire for under the terms of her mother's will Eunice will inherit three million dollars as soon as she marries when When what when do I meet her be serious man? Now I will pay Verona $50,000 in cash if he'll stay away from her would you take 50 grand as the payoff and a three million dollar caper in this instance? Yes, Eunice is not very well and you may quote me on that book chapter and verse to Johnny Verona to Johnny Verona Okay, water's mighty cold this time of the year at the bottom of the bay, but if you don't care, I don't thank you Let me know how it comes out. Don't give it a second thought. You'll know I don't get up. Mr. Cavanaugh I know the way out Wait up. Well, you look a little better. Listen to something you ought to know He was my sister's boyfriend before he married my mother He did it out of revenge because Eunice threw him over he still wants to marry her Any particular reason? Oh my mother put that crazy marriage clause in her will He's been systematically getting rid of every man who's been interested in her bought him off threatened him off Anyway, he could why he thinks Eunice will eventually marry him to get her inheritance, but she won't She'll kill in person if she doesn't I'll do it for her. Oh, yeah, Fred What on earth are you saying? Who is this man? Well, he's the detective Sam Spade your Eunice Blair Yes, I want to talk to you Fred go go and yeah See you later spade. I know why my stepfather hired you Mr. Spade If you need the money go ahead, but this time it won't work you look as if you'd like to be a nice girl How did you happen to settle for a cheap grifter like Johnny Verona because we understand each other and he can't be scared off Any message I can take him from you Tell Johnny I'll meet him at the usual place And tell him I still like my coffee black No sugar I didn't ask her what kind of sugar. She didn't want any of I thought I knew The only thing wrong with sugar Cane's dance was her dancing, but the customers didn't seem to mind and I didn't either It was a pleasure to size her up carefully as I would have thought applies to do anyway in my professional capacity She was a black haired number with affluent features and widely spaced dark eyes It's a beautiful combination. I wondered where I'd seen it before quite recently. I decided to find out No customers in the dressing room then let's go someplace else. I want to talk to you take it easy This is on business. Good. I'll fix it up with the ball Yeah, sugar What's the matter this Joe giving you trouble On the pretext of discussing business affairs, okay, I'll check Sorry, I had to give it Bums rush routine. I don't want to get her excited. She's a nice kid and she doesn't know why you're here I take it you do. Yeah You just call me and told me you'd be down Okay, Johnny, I'll give it to you fast and get out Clifton Kavanaugh will pay you 50 grand to leave Eunice alone He also made a few idle or not so idle threats about what might happen to her if you don't take his money For example, he said she hasn't been feeling well might not live long enough to get married I don't have to tell you what I think about that kind of talk and I wouldn't be peddling it if my office rent Wasn't do that's why when you started giving me that bums rush. I made only shall we say a token resistance? About me Marion Eunice you can tell Clifton to stop worrying. Hmm. Yeah, Eunice, and I got married three weeks ago. You what? Mary I don't want to see the papers By the secrecy Don't want her to get hurt. You're scared of Clifton. No sugar. She's got a very low boiling point. She's it. Oh, pardon me Yeah, yeah Nick What is? go ahead Yeah, I heard you No, no, don't touch anything Don't let anybody I'll be right over Bad news. Yeah Eunice. She's dead. Oh One of my boys found her in my apartment She was supposed to wait for me there. How did it happen? He's not sure He thinks she took poison. I Had to give Johnny Verona one thing. He didn't make any pretence about being grief-stricken After all he just inherited three million bucks sugar cane took it standing up to But she just lost the rival and got her man back three million bucks richer I wasn't with you when you got the news, Mr. Kavanaugh But the one I really wanted about was Eunice's brother Fred What brought that on was something I picked up in Johnny Verona's apartment where we found Eunice's body Scrawled out over a tray of coffee things It was a medicine bottle with a doctor's prescription number on the label The name of the drug is that had put it up was Phephesh now Remember what Fred had said to me when he admitted me to your house that afternoon quote Are you the man from Phephesh now? I Wanted if I'd answered yes Would Eunice still be alive? Here's a wild root cream oil are presenting the weekly Sunday adventure of dashel Hammett's famous private detective Sam Spade If you want the well-groomed look that helps you get ahead socially and on the job listen Recently thousands of people from coast to coast who bought wild root cream oil for the first time were asked How does wild root cream oil compare with the hair tonic you previously used the results were amazing Better than four out of five who replied said they preferred wild root cream oil Remember non-alcoholic wild root cream oil contains lanolin it grooms the hair naturally relieves dryness and removes loose ugly dandruff So if you want your hair to be more attractive than ever before get the generous new 25 cent size of wild root cream oil America's leading hair tonic on sale at all drug and toilet goods counters It's also available in larger economy bottles and the handy new tube get wild root cream oil again and again The choice of men who put good grooming first By the way smart girls use wild root cream oil to and mothers say it's grand for training children's hair back to the sugar Cane caper tonight's adventure with Sam Spade papers didn't carry anything new on Eunice's death Cause was put down to an overdose of a toxic drug Doctor who prescribed it said she'd requested it for migraine headaches Which he suggested might have driven her to suicide He did not explain why she had taken four doses and capsule form and dissolved the rest of it under the canter of coffee. I Thought somebody else had dosed the coffee and so did you mr. Kavanaugh Hit it of course He knew she was taking those pills and dose the coffee just enough to be fatal when added to what she took voluntarily You knew all that too. Well, so did Fred, but you had more reasons three million more, but they were already married You know that when you hired me Yes, then how come I knew she was planning to do away with herself I thought if we could pin it on Verona after all he's guilty of that old murder Fred's a witness to that Well, if you were convicted the money would revert to me nuts. You don't believe me. She wasn't planning suicide and you know it Well, then I don't care who takes the floor, but I got less on Verona than I got on you And I'll give you something owners lawyers sent this around before her body was cold a claim for three million dollars Notarized yesterday while Eunice was still alive Well, mr. Spade Pardon me when I dropped dead Didn't wait it. Hopefully, but I managed to stay on my feet I even managed to make it down the hall of the bar where I found your steps on ambushed behind a row of empty bottles Fine detective you turn out to be I warned you Set up like a man make sense. Where's my drink? Who took my glass my shirt? Listen to me. This is very important important You were expecting a delivery from a drugstore when I arrived here yesterday morning. Who ordered it? She did You know she told me to watch for and bring it to her. Did you do that? No, no, she wasn't here What did you do with that bottle of medicine? Wake up. I said wake up Listen you took that bottle with you when you went out. Where did you take it? By telling you let me go to sleep. You took that bottle with you didn't you? You're guessing I know your third degree You went to Verona's apartment, didn't you? Who's gentlemen of Verona? Well, he's Shakespeare. You doped that coffee, didn't you with a poison that killed your sister. I Didn't mean it for her. I didn't know she was gone there. Go on talking. I Want a lawyer. I know my rights. Listen, I'm not a cop. I'm not taking a statement You're too drunk for it the whole anyway, so you can tell me Okay There's all that happened She she took her four pills and went to bed. Yeah, I Sneaked the bottle out of the medicine chest and I went over to his place His boy Nick was there making coffee for the boss. He said when he got home I hung around talking for a while. I Slipped some of the stuff in the percolator while he was getting out the cups and That's all why did you want to kill Johnny Verona? So you this wouldn't have to marry him What do you mean have to She was doing it for me, so he'd keep quiet about that brawl in the club that old killing they tried to nail Johnny for Yeah, that's it. That's the gun that did it. He got rid of it before the cops arrived. That was my gun Fred's straightened up. Look, yeah, Johnny dictated the story. You told the grand jury How do I know he didn't dictate the one you're telling me now? Who are you covering for? I didn't say anything. I didn't tell you anything What's the matter with you? The crash to the darkened window pane behind the bar spoke twice. I Answered it. I looked out into the darkness making myself a good enough target to draw some fire I fired back at the flashes. I was depending more on luck than aim and luck was what I wasn't having much of My back to the place where credit fall the shots that had dropped him were lucky. He'd been dead before he hit the floor What is it what's happened here see for yourself Who shot through the window couldn't see anything but the gun muzzle looked like a 45 Johnny Verona he packs a 45 who told you that it came out of that investigation one of the reasons they couldn't indict for that old shooting There are a lot of reasons they couldn't get that indictment What are you driving at neither one of the leading suspects was guilty? I don't follow you sugar cane did that job That's wild. What if I told you Fred made a statement of that effect before he was shot. You're lying. He confessed Did I tell you that well, he must have he always talked about it when he was drunk All right. All right. I was bluffing why just a crazy hunch I thought there might be something between you and sugar now. I'm sure there isn't of course not should have spotted it before you too Much the same type even look alike. I Can't make you out. Well, don't try it's not worth it You better call homicide about Fred here tell lieutenant Dundee if he wants my statement I'll be at my apartment After I pretended to leave I came back into the leaves dropping of my own You didn't phone homicide, but you did spend an hour filing out the barrel of a 45 automatic then you went up I Telled you to an address on slope Boulevard a short time after you went in sugar cane came out alone I followed her do you know the answer my apartment? I went in the back way via the fire escape and arrived in time to answer her buzz Thank heaven I found your home. So am I come in. I know it's terribly late. I get it Don't you take off your coat or something can't stay very long. It's not safe. I may have been followed here Oh, surely not Sam you don't mind if I call you Sam. I'm so frightened. It's about Johnny Verona I don't know what he may do. He's convinced that Fred killed Eunice and he's out gunning for him right now We've got to stop him before he does anything rash. You come to the wrong party sugar. I'm working for the enemy enemy Kavanaugh It's no skin off his nose if Johnny Verona drops Fred Blair if you all drop all he does is sit back and collect Can't be a cynical as that you ought to know as he told you anything about me. I'd rather hear it from you Maybe sit down Well There's not much to tell I Played along with Johnny for one reason and one reason alone to save Fred from that old murder rat Were you figuring on marrying into that family to a regular pence's movement was a Johnny and Eunice you and Fred all right It's true. I wasn't in love with Fred, but it wasn't all the money. I was sorry for him Money's not what I really want. I know that now What do you want someone someone I can trust Me too sugar. Oh Sam you're what I want. Say you want me to please say it Why not Johnny may have followed me here. He's insanely jealous And I gotta face it out with him sooner or later. Why does well be now? Sam be careful stand out of the way sugar. No Sam. No, no, please Don't reach Johnny. I'm not gunning for you spade in that case. Come on in Well sugar, I didn't believe him that you were coming here. I had to Johnny He got some crazy confession out of Fred while he was drunk I had to stall until you and clip could talk to him to save Fred Stop horsing around we all know that we all know Fred is dead and we all know that we all know who killed him Oh, then clip was leveling You are trying to pin that on me. I don't need it But if you want it you can have it there's three million bucks in my part of it I'll split down with the middle with you if you're throwing with them It's a three-way split. There's no split at all if you take the rap for Eunice's killing and you will if you're throwing with me It's their word against mine two witnesses against one and all I've got is a confession by a drunk who is now dead Oh, Sam. Oh sure for a moment. Get away from me Go on go to work on him. I should have given you a little more time. That wasn't fair. Was it sugar? I hate you. I hate you both Why were you running away Johnny double-crossed us now Sam knows everything what does he know the whole caver part of it I wasn't quite sure of until I saw you and sugar standing side by side That blue black hair the same eyes plus the fact that the bell on sugar's apartment and slow boulevard reads cane for Anthesis Kavanaugh You took a crazy chance when you knocked off Fred with me right there in the room The kind of a crazy chance a brother would take to keep his sister clear I could have told you that it would have helped a lot Johnny, but you didn't a Man lets a sister go on dancing in a joint like yours after he's in the chips and she goes on liking it You can be sure they're both playing for big stakes and for nobody but themselves What do you think you were supposed to wind up Johnny? I'll tell you Drinking that poisoned coffee that Eunice got hold of by mistake. That isn't true Johnny I never told Fred a thing. He thought you really loved Eunice I don't know how he found out you were forcing her into that marriage Yeah, did you also neglect to tell him that he was innocent that you pulled a trigger in that all killing and and shoved A gun into his hand when he was too drunk to know what he was doing. I've heard enough watch it Johnny I winged you split second before you fired your aim went wild all I saw at first was that it missed Johnny And I saw him move forward in her direction She was leaning against the wall a puzzled expression on her face her hand plucking nervously at a spot of red That was spreading against the white of her dress He caught her as she pitched forward and carried her over to a couch She didn't speak again You and Johnny know beside her until the cops arrived If you were aware of each other's presence neither of you showed it Period and a report Sad ending Sam. Yes it is. I'm sorry it ended so sadly Well, it was bound to one way or the other there wasn't anybody in the whole gallery that thought about anybody but himself Except poor Fred I guess and his his only friends arrived in bottles and left in the ash can all those millions and millions We'll get the money now Sam. I'm glad you asked that it leaves me cold go type that up Well, I nipped myself a sweater And now listen to this It's the smart mother who sees to it that wild root cream oil is always kept handy around the house For she knows that wild root cream oil grooms her family's hair neatly and naturally relieves dryness removes loose dandruff Get acquainted by asking for the new 25 cent bottle Also, ask your barber for a professional application of wild root cream oil hair tonic again and again The choice of men and women and children too I Unfortunate as you say it just had to end badly if you hope to get back in my good graces by quoting me to trick me into a Graying with you you have succeeded. There you go, Sam. So Lagubi Effie, what is this? What means lagoon? Oh, Sam? It's wonderful. It's my new habit Every time I read a book now, you know like you read a book and there's a word You don't know what it means. Are you not sure? Well, I make it a practice now to write down and learn three new words per day and learn the definitions to use them in conversation You know like Dessertory and legubrius. Yes, that's one of my three for today. See the goobrius right here to talk a great deal um, you colleague say to being sorrowful and Verbose to be out in the country. I see. I see very praiseworthy In lies in your vocabulary. Love it. Love it, but I don't expect to be really a legubrius for oh Look Effie, why don't you go verbose for the weekend? It's the best cure for the bucolic Sam look what I've done. What have you done? I've put the wrong definitions to the right words for instance legubrius Well, it isn't that at all and bucolic Sam. I've learned them wrong. I wasn't gonna tell you Effie. It's better to find out for yourself It's more Effie cases my new habits. Good night, Sam. Good night, sweetheart The adventures of Sam Spade national Hammett's famous private detective are produced and directed by William Spear Sam Spade is played by Howard Duff. Lorraine Tuttle is Effie The adventures of Sam Spade are written for radio by Bob Tallman and Gildow Musical direction by Lud Gluskin with score composed by Renee Gerrigan Join us again next Sunday when author Dashel Hammett and producer William Spear join forces for another adventure with Sam Spade Brought to you by Wild Root cream oil again and again the choice of men who put good grooming first This is Dick Joy reminding you to get wild Wild Root cream oil Charlie It keeps your hair in frame. You see it's not this is CBS the Columbia broadcasting system