 My name is Russell. I'm the man whose adventures you will hear about in the mystery theater, which follows right away Hello headquarters, this is patrolman with reporting from police call box number five at rake Avenue any orders? Not a name. Okay Here? No, this beat is quiet as a church tonight Yep. Goodbye What? Gunshots came from that direction, too Here here. What's going on? Oh? The policeman I'm glad you came along officer. My name is Maria. How are you doing with that gun Robert? Yes, sir, but I want to report a murder a minute this man here. He's dead. Who is he? I don't know. Oh, you don't a put your hands up. You're under arrest Good evening ladies and gentlemen This is Jeffrey Barnes welcoming you to the program that presents the best in mystery and detective fiction You have just heard the opening scene of tonight's exciting story It is entitled the 11th Jura written by Vincent Starratt and presents one of the most unusual court trials in mystery fiction You have just heard the committing of the murder and the arrest of the accused James Murray But on with the trial We take you now to the jury room where you will meet the leading character of Vincent Starratt's dramatic story the 11th Jura Yes, my name is Russell Steve Russell I'm the 11th juror of the jury assigned to the case of the people versus James Murray We've been out for two and a half days and every ballot we've taken has had the same results 11 to 1 for a guilty verdict I'm the one I'm the holdout and by now my fellow jury winner crying to go home and beginning to hate me Hate me because I won't go along with them and hang an innocent man Wait a minute wait a minute, please now wait a minute quiet down Now look here mr. Dean being forming of this jury doesn't give you the privilege of writing roughshod I demand that we take another ballot riding roughshod. Huh look who's talking mr. Russell as you well know We've had 27 ballots now and unless you're ready to change hold on hold on How do you know some of the others won't change their vote? I'll let him have his ballot Dean Maybe it'll make him see the light. Oh, okay So we'll have another ballot get out the pencils boys. Well, I got right as cramp. Can't we just have a voice vote? Okay Okay voice vote it is and Russell if you lose this time I hope you'll get over your pigheadedness and come along with us. I'm not half as pigheaded as you are team Oh, you're not a let me tell you All right, all right All who vote guilty say aye All opposed Hey 11 to 1 same old song and dance. I'm sorry boys But like I've said before Unless one of you can prove to me that James Murray had some motive to kill Howard Oh, don't be hanged Murray was drunk he shot blessing in a drunken rage Oh, don't waste your breath arguing with him in two hours the judge will be calling us a mistrial And then some other jury can put the noose around Murray's neck Hang Murray so that they can go home Who doesn't want to go home and dare say my business suffers from my absence more than theirs does You know if it wasn't for Dean I think my argument about James Murray having no motive for this killing would carry more weight Because Murray didn't have any motive. He didn't have any at all Let me tell you about the trial and you'll see what I mean. That's just just the highlights First there was a testimony of patrolman wit. He was a policeman Continue officer wit well, I ran in the direction. I heard the shots come from Howard blessing lay dead with two bullets in him James Murray stood there just looking at the gun in his hand sort of days like I could tell he'd been doing a lot of drinking How long between the time you heard the shots and the time you reached the scene officer Well half a minute then isn't it possible at someone other than Murray could have fired the shots Drop the gun and run leaving Murray to pick the gun up before you reach the scene. Never mind. That's all state's witness Officer wit Is it not so that the murder took place directly beneath the street lights? Yes When you rounded the corner of Belvedere and Lambeth a quarter block away Did you see anyone else in the street anyone at all? No, sir Not a soul just the prisoner James Murray and the deceased Howard blessing. There you are gentlemen By the defense is evidently trying to confuse you by him crying that some unknown murder exists Had anyone else fired those shots and run leaving poor mr. Murray holding the gun Officer wit would have seen this unknown man in the streetlight objection Even the prosecutor could run out of the range of the streetlight inside of a few seconds. We are wasting time your honor I am not concerned with a mythical murderer a galloping ghost We are concerned with James Murray caught standing over a dead man and holding a smoking revolver in his hand Mrs. Pearson You live on the ground floor apartment on Lambeth Avenue near Belvedere Yes, sir Tell the court what you heard about two o'clock on the night of the murder Well, I was sitting by the window when I heard two men pass by they were arguing You've heard the prisoner speak was either of the voices his I beg your pardon I said it was either of the voices you heard that of the prisoner certainly not One man had a kind of whiny voice. The other was deep and rumbly life Gentlemen Howard blessing the murdered man had a whiny voice. We can prove that James Murray is far from having a deep one That's all miss Pearson. Thank you your witness mr. Prosecutor Mrs. Pearson, you didn't see these men did you I say you didn't see the men Oh, no, it was too dark but you heard them plainly. How but you heard them Yes, sir. I miss Pearson. Did you hear the shots fired a few minutes later? I said, did you hear the revolver shots? Mrs. Pearson heard two men arguing through a closed window yet. She couldn't hear three pistol shots less than a block away She can barely hear my questions in this room. That's all Mrs. Pearson Mr. Trap, you've known the deceased Howard blessing for some time about the five years We were pretty good friends and you knew blessing was aware where mr. Trap whose wife died some years back Yes, did Howard blessing ever show you a small framed miniature of his wife? Oh, yes many times he always carried it with him. Did he show it to you the night he was killed? Yes, did you see him put it back on his person? Yes What is the point of this line of questioning? I'm trying to establish your honor that this miniature disappeared that it was taken from the murdered man by some Unknown person that's all mr. Trap prosecutions witness no questions Mr. Murray How did you happen to be at Belvedere and Lambeth at the time of the murder? Well, I was on my way home. I'd had several drinks. I don't know frankly. Oh, I got where I was Well, I was just there. Did you have a gun on your person when you left the black gal tavern to go home? Certainly not mr. Murray Did you ever know or hear of the deceased Howard blessing until the morning of your arrest? Oh never so help me God. I never knew him never heard of him. He was a total stranger Yes Total stranger. That's all prosecutions witness Mr. Murray Mr. Murray, where do you live? 102 Bedford Road, and you were drinking at the black owl tavern on Oak Street Yes, sir, then how could you been on your way home at Belvedere and Lambeth? I don't know. I just wondered that way. I see in and you're wondering mr. Murray You plucked a gun out of thin air. Oh, no, that let is I I don't know how I got a gentleman Gentlemen, why go on in summing up mr. Murray's testimony. We find that he says he was innocent But admits he was too drunk to know we find that he was on his way home But going in the opposite direction we learned that mr. Murray didn't have a gun with him The gentleman the gun found in his hand and marked exhibit a on that table. That is no mirage Nor was the dead Howard blessing a mirage. No the bullets that killed him. That is stark truth. That is murder Now What has the defense offered as proof of Murray's innocence a Witness so hard of hearing that she couldn't hear a revolver shots yet who claims she heard two men argue as they Passed her window a vague story about a miniature which the dead man didn't have on his person and Then the fact that Murray didn't know blessing. Oh, that is a honey It's blessing any less dead because he was a stranger to this this gun toting drunkard No, gentlemen, Murray killed blessing stranger or not. He's guilty Murray missed hang Well, those were the highlights of the trial. Oh, I admit the circumstantial evidence against James Murray is pretty strong But the judge said if there was any reasonable doubt in our minds as to whether Murray killed Howard blessing We should find Murray innocent Well, there's plenty of reasonable doubt in my mind. Oh That must be the bailiff coming in to ask if we reached the decision. Yeah, the two hours are passed Well, now it looks like we'll have to admit a mist trial Well boys, this is it I'll let him in Oh just a minute Dean you drop something. Huh? What what I drop on the floor here Looks like it Matter Russell, what is it? This changes everything? Just a minute boys? Hey look come back in 30 minutes Hey, what goes what's the idea Russell? I was that you picked up off the floor. Look here Russell What do you think you are telling the bailiff to come back in 30 minutes? You'll find out all too soon. Mr. Dean Fellow jurors now you'll have to listen to me You all remember during the testimony that defense made a point out of the fact that a certain miniature During the picture of Howard Blessing's wife disappeared from Blessing's pocket just before he was murdered Boys before we decide to hang Murray Perhaps mr. Dean would like to explain what this miniature happened to be doing in his pocket And now back to Jeffrey Barnes and act 2 of the 11th juror James Murray a smoking gun in his hand has been found standing drunkenly over the body of one Howard Blessing All the jurymen with the exception of Steve Russell believe Murray is guilty of murder Russell has held out for nearly three days Just as the foreman of the jury a mr. Dean is about to report a mist trial to the court Russell electrifies the jury room by demanding to know how a mysterious miniature Supposedly belonging to the murdered man has found its way into Dean's pocket For the 10th time fellow jurymen. I tell you I never saw that miniature before in my life And I don't know how it could have gotten into my pocket and Dean's the man my friends who wouldn't believe James Murray when he said He didn't know how that gun got in his hand about that Dean story doesn't hold water All right boys just a minute just a minute, please just a minute I think this thing has gone far enough now. I've made my point. Huh? What point Russell? Here's what Dean dropped out of his pocket Well, I'll be That's my watch Bob what watch Bob. Hey, what goes here? What is this Russell? When Dean accidentally dropped that watch Bob on the floor I saw my chance to teach all of you a lesson a lesson I picked it up said it was the miniature and slipped at my pocket and what you fellow swarming all over Dean Ready to hang him at the drop of the hat on Circumstantial evidence circumstance evidence mind you now Don't you see that you're doing the exact same thing to James Murray? No one actually saw him shoot Howard blessing and Murray was too drunk to know what happened I claim somebody else could have shot blessing shoved the gun into Murray's hand and beat it now wait a minute Russell I admit you've made us all look like fools over this watch Bob But that doesn't prove your story about an unknown killer not for my money Why not perhaps a hold-up man a thug killed blessing. Why wasn't his money taken? Okay, so it wasn't a hold-up man Perhaps it was some enemy of his whether could have been a hundred different reasons why somebody might have wanted to kill blessing Oh, yeah, name one name one. Oh, I could give you a dozen right here and now I said give just one What's the matter Russell? Did he call you bluff? And wait a minute wait a minute Do I understand you fellas to mean that if I can make up a story showing how blessing was killed You'll admit. There's a reasonable doubt of Murray's guilt. Why not? Well, I'm for one word anyhow About the rest of you Okay, sit tight and hold your hats as I said I can make up a dozen different stories So this is just one way the murder might have happened Now let's say about ten years ago in a small Ohio town there's a guy named Smith Let's call him call him George Smith ten years ago some stock quiet Smith standing on the station platform with a girl We'll call her Elsie. She's crying a little and he's talking to her. He says I don't want to go sweetheart But I can't make a set in this Berg You want to marry me don't you do and she says yes darling yes, and I know you're right I know father won't let us married till you've got money and a good job But it might take so long and I love you so much there you get the picture Smith is leaving for the big city to make lots of money so the old man will okay His marrying Elsie well the train's about to go and they kiss and Smith hops aboard shouting wait for me darling Wait, and she says forever George forever. Well get this she doesn't wait No, no, no, no, no, no, it's not her fault Another guy comes on the scene He's a rat of a guy with flashy clothes and a fast line of pattern and he works on Elsie real slow and smooth and the rat says Hi, Elsie Was talking to Tommy in the barbershop today Said he heard George was doing well in the Chicago He says his father saw George at one of the hotspots there when he was in Chicago last one Yeah, you see you see this home base robber starts slow, but let's say in about a year He's got Elsie so she believes most anything now it Russell I don't see what this corny story of yours has to do with the case scene. Let me finish Okay, shoot by the way Russell. Who is this rat? Suppose we say his names Howard blessing Blessings murdered man. Hey, what are you getting that shot up and let him talk now? What happens next? Well Smith had no way of figuring out why when his letters weren't answered He stays on in the city and finally a wedding announcement reached him just a wedding So blessing is ruined the boy meets girl routine right right now Let's say Smith knows blessing from way back well it burns him up see Mr. And Mrs. Blessing instead of mr. And Mrs. Smith get it, but he's a right sort so he swallows it Only it hurts going down brother. Have you got an imagination? You are right for the movies Hey sure sure, but what's all this got to do with Murray? Why do you interrupt so much Dean? Well, don't you want me to finish the story? I have no objection. All right, then shut up go ahead Russell right right now Let's say a few years pass and one day Smith gets a letter and it's a letter from the girl's mother It's a sad letter saying dear George My baby married a fiend who's brutality and unfaithfulness finally became more than she could bear We found my poor little girl hanging in her cellar last Monday a suicide Howard blessing is as much a murderer so he had done it. So let's say the letter went something like that Huh now a few fellows said in judgment on blessing What would you do? Wait a minute wait a minute Are you guys gonna let him go on with his third-rate version of East Lynn? No skin off your nose Dean. I looked Dean. This is the third time you've interrupted Are you sure you haven't some reason why Russell shouldn't finish the story? Well, no, okay? Go ahead Well, let's imagine blessing caught side of Smith in town one day might make a guy like blessing carry a gun from then on Might knit mine. Well, we're supposed so in here fine Now comes the night of the murder Smith runs into blessing on Lambeth Avenue Smith says he's gonna beat blessings head-off they go up the street arguing and that's what the Pearson woman heard through her window They get to the corner and blessing begins to why he takes out the miniature of his dead wife Else and he shows it to Smith and blessing says miss look I want to show you something Here I've got a picture when I carry it with me if I have loved it That's all Smith needs the sight of that picture He slaps it out of blessings hand and grabs them with a collar Blessing pulls a gun out of his pocket Smith grabs his hand and says give me that gun you idiot Blessing pulls a trigger once and Smith grabs blessings wrist Smith wants to protect himself. You see all right All right, the men struggle suddenly the gun goes off twice Blessing his head he goes down Right there is where Murray comes up He staggers up drunk as a hood owl and then Smith scoops up the miniature and beats it leaving Murray standing over the dead man Then the cop rushes up sees Murray and Murray's on the way to the gallows exactly absolutely right and that boys is one story of how it might have happened Now now you want to hear a few more possibilities not me I'm convinced there's plenty of reasonable doubt about Murray's guilt I vote for a quiddle All right, let's make that official let's make it official all in favor of a quiddle signify by saying I Well that does it I think we're now ready to inform the court that we've reached the very not so fast What I haven't voted yet a few questions. Yes, Dean. You say you made this story up That's right, then it proves nothing right sure it does Dean it proves somebody besides Murray might have killed blessing It proves reasonable now not in my book. It doesn't I still think Murray is guilty So this is still a mistrial what all right back where we start. This is the last straw So let's call the bailiff and get it over with You'll be here in a minute, and what do you think of that Russell? I think I'm licked. Huh? I think I can't stall any longer Dean I've convinced everyone but you Now I'm gonna convince you Take a look at this What is it? Let me see was it This is a miniature a miniature that's right And this means that you that you're right again Take a good look boys. The George Smith in my story is me Steve Russell Holy mackerel my coincidence luck chance. I was called on this jewelry And then I couldn't stand to see Murray die well We go from here You called me for me, huh? Oh Yes, bailiff you can tell the judge we've arrived at a verdict. Yes, sir and bailiff. Yes Yes, mr. Dean bailiff step outside a moment. Yes, sir boys We all know Murray is innocent But what are we gonna do about Russell? As you know the proceedings in this jury room are confidential Any recommendation we make must be made officially to the court now Do we turn Russell over for trial? or not Well, mr. Foreman. I yes Well, I I Say we forget Russell's story. What about the rest of you Dean in my opinion. Yes in my opinion Russell killed blessing and self-defense. I say we forget about Okay, then it's agreed We find Murray not guilty and let it go at that The case is closed. There is an epilogue to tonight's story Steve Russell eventually of his own volition Stood trial and was acquitted Yes, mr. Refence. I think we can call the 11th jurors attempt to save an innocent man a complete success This is Jeffrey Barnes again ladies and gentlemen Inviting you to be with us next week when we will present Eric gambler's Suspenseful study of mortal terror his popular adventure in mystery entitled Journey into fear It was especially adapted for radio by the very popular Milton Geiger So mystery fans be sure to listen next week to Eric gambler's Journey into fear The original music is composed and conducted by Jack Miller The 11th juror was written by Vincent Starrett and adapted for radio by Christopher Mayo This is the armed forces radio service