 I hope I haven't kept you waiting. Yes, this is the crime club. I'm the librarian. The corpse wore a wig. Yes, we have that crime club story for you. Come right over. Take the easy chair by the window. Comfortable? The book is on this shelf. Here it is. The corpse wore a wig by George Bagby. The very intriguing story of a method of dying that was as deadly as murder. Let's look at it under the reading lamp. It was a few minutes before noon and Inspector Schmidt was already having his troubles in his office at New York City's police headquarters. As a matter of fact, he was having his hands full, rubbing his aching feet. And all howl they ached. Hello Schmidt talking, what do you want? Inspector, this is Cassidy. That's a big help. Which Cassidy are you? The sergeant, sir. I suppose it's wondered you are what me and Inspector McKee man is doing on one of your cases. I don't start wondering until I know what you're talking about, Cassidy. It's right, you are. You know the good Inspector McKee went on his vacation last night. Yes, yes, but what's that got to do with me? Well, I'm working for you now, Inspector McKee's orders. Oh, my aching feet. That's the reason, sir. Well, I'm down here in the coroner's autopsy room. You know that suicide cadaver that was brought in this morning? I had him brought in. That's Dr. Jeremy Bullock. I wanted a autopsy none. It's been done and it was no suicide, Inspector. What? Clear and simple. An open and shut case of murder. Let me talk to the coroner. Well, he just left a few minutes ago. He got a call to go out on another killing. And he asked me to... There we are. I'll be down as soon as I get my shoes on and learn to walk again. What's this about murder? It is the mortal remains of Dr. Jeremy Bullock, Inspector Schmidt, on that table. And here's the coroner's report, sir. All right. It's enough to make you wonder what people who do next to a case like this. In all my 32 years on the police force... Stop, Cassidy. Eight years, sir. Time of death between 11 o'clock and midnight. Last night. Contents of stomach, rye, whisky and chlorophyte rates. That's a sleeping medicine. Cassidy, there's nothing here that I didn't know before. I found the bottle of chloral in the desk in Dr. Bullock's consulting room. Where does the murder come in? It was no overdose of medicine that killed him, Inspector. No? No. According to what the coroner told me, there ain't enough of that stuff in the cadaver to be cause of death. Well, why isn't that on the report? Oh, no, no. Don't blame the poor fellow. He's doing the whole job alone. Because the rest of the staff has outgiven them smallpox vaccinations. All right, Cassidy. What killed Dr. Bullock? He was shot in the head, sir. What's that? It's a fact. And a very close range, too. It's a fact that the doctor marks and burns all over. Are you trying to tell me I looked at that corpse less than three hours ago and didn't see a bullet hole in the head? Well, nobody's seen it, not even the coroner. Till the wig came off. The what? Like it was his own hair it was. The coroner was just about to perform an autopsy on the brain when it happened. I see. It was a moment for start-outs. All right. To the top of the head. Where's the bullet, Cassidy? Here it is, sir. It's a slug from a 25. Small, huh? What did this guy need a wig? He's got more hair than I have. That's the one thing I couldn't understand. The wig he was wearing was the exact duplicate of the hair that was growing right out of his head. That's it on the chair. Bring it here. Yes, it's a puzzler, all right. There's only blood on the inside of this thing. On the lighting. No bullet hole? No, sir. Then Dr. Bullock wasn't wearing it at the time he was killed. He was put on his head afterward. Yes, sir. I'm going to do a complete job on it. And on that cute little nurse of his, too, Miss Theresa Chalmers, if she's still around. I heard you first time. What do you want? Who are you? I beg your pardon. Do you always lead with that tone of voice? I sometimes lead with my left. I'm Inspector Schmidt. Police had caught us. Please. Oh, oh, my goodness. Well, come right in. I didn't mean to be brusque. But there's so much to do here. So much. Oh, dear. He was a policeman, too. Well, I didn't listen to you, but... But he called me a character inspector. This terrible day, this dreadful day. What are you doing here? I'm Spencer Talcott, a scout specialist. My salon is just around the corner from here, one flight up. I give treatments for every known variety of scalp disorder. I also give beauty treatments, hair-waving, wrenches of every description. My salon is a byword. Have you got a card? Yes. Now, Mr. Talcott, what are you doing here? I heard about the horrible tragedy in the midst of giving someone a treat. When my assistant, Ms. Foley, brought me the news. You can just imagine how I felt. Not now, if you don't mind. Jeremy Bullock, suicide. Unbelievable. He was so perfectly balanced. Good heavens, Inspector. What are you doing? Taking off my shoes. Any objections? Well, I must say... Well, don't. So you're a scalp specialist, huh? What do you know about wigs? Wigs? Are you talking to me? I hope so. I don't know anything about wigs. My job is to do everything I can to avoid them for my clients. I am a scientist. Yeah, where's the girl? Would you be crudely referring to Dr. Bullock's nurse? Where is she, Talcott? Oh, well, you're not the shalt inspector. Ms. Chalmers is resting in Dr. Bullock's living waters. The shock of her employer's unexpected death and frame? Tell her to come in here. Inspector... The poor child is just the tangle of nerves. Couldn't you forego the usual procedure... Get going, Talcott. Of course. You give me no alternative. If only there were not so many brutes in this world to tell decent people where to go. And that caused me a character. Forget it, Cassidy. You notice anything about this place that's out of line? Only that worm that just crawled out of here. If I were a private citizen without the dignity of a whole department to uphold, I'd show... Well, actually, this room is all wrong. Thanks for the cooperation. The furniture's old and broken down. Now, this is a high-class building and a fine high-class neighborhood. Pretty expensive, huh? Well, if I'm any judge of rentals, it's more than the likes of me... Well, I'll be an Englishman. What's the matter, Sergeant? Now, what would that dirty, dilapidated moose head be doing on the wall of a doctor's waiting room? A moose head with one eye and a crack under the chin. Take the sort of thing that gives peace of mind to Cassidy. But it is something to wonder about. Inspector Schmidt. Oh, Miss Chalmers. Mr. Talcott said you wanted to see me. Come in, come in. We don't have to talk long distance. I'm not feeling well, Inspector. I hope you'll understand. Don't expect him to do anything so human, my dear. I told him exactly how miserable you were, but he insidiously... Cassidy, go through this place and see what you can pick up. I'll do that, sir. Now, Miss Chalmers. What do you want? I told you everything hours ago. You told me you came to work this morning and found Dr. Bullock sitting at his desk. Dead. That isn't everything, young lady. What? I'd like to know more about Dr. Bullock. Why a sloppy waiting room like this and why that moose head? I don't know, Inspector. How long have you been his nurse? Six months. Just dump of an office. All kinds? What are you getting at? Miss Chalmers, I've been a policeman too long not to recognize a phony setup. You saw nothing wrong with it this morning. Bright girl. I wasn't looking for the same kind of evidence. The same kind... Inspector. You're catching on fast. Jeremy Bullock didn't commit suicide. I knew it. He took an overdose of that chloral hydrate by mistake. He murdered it. You take second, money talcant. But of all the ridiculous, utterly very tragic... Now go back to your stall. But you won't think of next, you policeman. Good heaven. Go back, talcant, or I'll have Cassidy give you a scalp treatment. Oh, good patient, please. I don't believe it. It can't be true. Somebody dropped enough chloral hydrate into some rye whiskey to put Dr. Bullock to sleep and then shot him in the head. In the head? Did you ever see this wig before? No. And what's more... Wait a minute. That looks like Jerry's hair. Jerry? Was he? No, he wasn't. How long has it been Jerry, Miss Choms? We were going to be married in two weeks. Is that so? I know what you're thinking. He was old enough to be my father. But I didn't care, I loved him. Was Jerry really murdered? Would you like to see his body again? Talcant, she killed him. Kate Foley killed him. Kate? My assistant? Well, you must be out of your mind. She threatened him. She was here yesterday screaming bloody murder because he was going to marry me. Don't stop, Miss Charmers. This is becoming very interesting. She said she'd kill me, too. That jealous lunatic. She had no claim on Jerry. He never promised to marry her. Are you saying you're waving paradise now? Of course. But, my dear inspector, you can't be thinking that... I'm going to tell you, huh? Come on, I want to get her side of the story in quick. But Kate, she's one in a million expert assistants. Oh, I almost forgot my shoes. Dear me, what am I going to do? Don't say another word. The minute I get into these, I start hating things. All things. Kate. Oh, Catherine. Save your breath, Talcant. The door unlatched. And she has appointments. It could be she's got other things on her mind. Well, where does she live? She didn't run away, inspector. Oh, dear, such a splendid assistant. And with just the right attitude. Miss Foley's address, Talcant. Yes. It's in my book, right there on the desk. How can you be so unsympathetic? It's a tough world. Hmm. Say, this is quite a display of bottles you've got in this cabinet. All right. Oh, those are my products. Talcant's dandruff lotion. Talcant's henna rinse. Talcant's golden rinse. Talcant's hair dye black. Talcant's hair dye brown. Talcant's for dry scalp. Talcant's for oily scalp. You believe in Talcant's, don't you? Those are my own concoctions, inspector. I'm a scientist. Oh, I see. Dr. Bullock was about 55, wasn't he? About. It won't be necessary to go to her home, inspector. Their child left this note for me. She's gone to lunch. Where? For goodness sakes, how should I know? Miss Foley has a life of her own. She doesn't have to tell me. What time will she be back? She has an appointment with a very distinguished park having a matron at four o'clock. That gives me two hours to... Inspector Schmidt. I was just leaving, Cassidy. Yes, sir. The young lady told me where to find you to keep the records of his patients. I know, I know. We'll see. There was nothing in it. Not one record of a single patient. And that set me to... Sergeant, what about the evidence? Well, I'm coming to that, sir. It was the thing I was something a kosher. And then I looked and I found it in the bottom drawer of the desk in a medical book. You found what? This card, inspector, with Louis Denby's name and address on it. And it says... 974 West 52nd Street. Let's go, Cassidy. We'll find out the connection between Bullock and Denby. Inspector Schmidt. What do you want, Talcott? What shall I say to Miss Fowler when she returns? Tell her not to get lost. She's got an appointment with me too. All right, Cassidy. Will, will, will, but you know, this fellow believes in advertising, doesn't he? Talcott's dandruff lotion, Talcott's hair dye. Come on, come on. Are we going to pay Louis Denby a visit? You are. I'm going back to headquarters. Oh, it's your feet again. My feet and my head. But in between, there's a hunch I'll do better at headquarters than anywhere else. Are you having a good lunch, Kate? Oh, you. Checking up on me, Mr. Talcott? We didn't miss a formal, dear. With you, how can a girl be otherwise? I've just done you a tremendous favor. And at a great risk to myself. I'll bet. How much is it going to cost me? I told the police. I didn't know where you were, but of course I knew all along. Police? I knew you were a child of habit that you eat in this, this dreadful place every day. What do the police want with me? A certain Inspector Schmidt is frightfully upset about the death of Jeremy Bullock. So? It seems your friend did not commit suicide. What? He was murdered. Oh, no. Kate, where were you last night between 11 o'clock and midnight? I was... Say, who appointed you Chief Constable of Madison Avenue? The police are going to ask you the same question, dear. Yeah, why? Inspector Schmidt knows that you threatened to kill Jeremy. When? Yesterday afternoon. It was mad as a hatter because Jeremy threw you over for Tracer. If anything, you should happen to you. It won't. I wouldn't know where to look for another assistant. Have some coffee, Spencer. I'll tell you the story of my life. Oh, you don't have to. Oh, but I do. Jeremy Bullock never meant any more to me than you did. Now, look here, Catherine. Nothing personal. He was a guy I went out with a few times. I went out with you too, didn't I? Sure, but did we ever talk of getting married? Oh, dear, it gets more and more and more complicated. Why didn't Tracer tell Inspector Schmidt? Oh, so that's where he got it, huh? Naturally. Didn't you know? No, my pudgy little lamb. I thought it was from one of the other 2,000. Well, goodbye for now. Where are you going? To choke somebody with a wagging tongue. But, Catherine, you didn't have your coffee. Oh, dear. I wonder if she put too much sugar in it. You're still holding down the fort. You're not in the payroll any more, honey. I used to be wrestling champ with a finger wagging league. Nobody ever beat me. What do you want? A heart-to-heart talk. Yours better be wide open or I'll stop it for good. You're going to kill me. Now, that's up to you. Why did you tell the police I threatened to kill Jerry? Because you did. You said that if he married me. I know what I said, but why did you tell the police? What did you expect me to do? Jerry was murdered. So, right away you sent me up for the frying pan. You robbed me of the only man I ever loved. That's the truth. And I'm not going to see you get away with it. You're not going to see anything, honey, unless you start telling the whole truth. Kate. I've put a lot of curls and hair in my time. I wouldn't like to put one in your neck. Help! What are you trying to do? Start a riot? Say when and I'll let you breathe again. You've got a lot of talking to do and you're not doing me any good yelping into my hand. All right. Don't try to catch any more flies. You almost smothered me. Well, shall we talk now? If there's any... When I came in here last night at ten o'clock you ran into the examination room and locked yourself in. I didn't want another scene with you. That's not what Jerry told me. He said you were crying. That's not so. He also told me that you and he were in the midst of a terrible bust. What? He wasn't going to marry you. I'll see you here, Kate, if you're making this up. I left at ten fifteen you were still in the examination room where Jerry kept all his medicines and drugs. He never had chloral hydrate. I can't believe you. But I... It doesn't pay to talk out of turn, does it, Theresa? I left a few minutes after you... Good for you, but who saw you? Well, the... You're wrong, honey. There was no night watch in this building last night. No doorman. You can't prove I was here last night, Kate. That's right. And if you say anything about it, I'll deny it. It'll be your word against mine. That's what it is now. About my threat to kill Jerry and about everything else. That's too bad. And I knew Jerry before you did. He told you last night that he never intended to marry you. Shall I go on? I can't stop you. He also told you that he was using you to get rid of me. What? I'm a veteran of the same dirty war that licked you. Jerry used that stunt on me to get rid of a previous commitment. So we're two of a kind. You fight for your life and I'll fight for mine. Maybe if we say the right things to the right people, we'll both live to a ripe old age. Yes? Yes, Captain. We'll put some men to work on it right away. Okay. Now get the board to switch me through the toxicology. Hello, Inspector Schmidt, talking. Sergeant Kasby at this insert. Well, hold it. I'm on the inter-office line. Hello, Dr. Jones, Schmidt. I want a complete story on everything chloral hydrate is used for. Yeah. Get the report down to me as soon as it's ready. Go ahead, Kasady. Thank you, sir. You don't say. What is? What about Louis? He stretched out in the middle of the floor. What's that? In the showroom, sir. And it was a bullet from a 25 that put an end to his lifelong career of crime. Murdered? Yes, Inspector, I felt exactly the same way about it. How do you know it was a 25 that killed him? Well, sir, the bullet went right through his body and packed itself in the wall. He was a very skinny fellow. It was a 25 that killed Dr. Bullock, too. Okay, Kasady, I'll be there in 20 minutes. Right through the heart at close range. He's been dead around six hours. Somebody didn't want Louis to talk, sir. Thanks for telling me. But why, Kasady? That's the question. Well, Inspector Schmidt, it's all in the record. What record? Louis, when I came to this little bear room with the mirrors all around the walls, the first thought that came into my mind was, why a bear room with mirrors? So I made a thorough investigation. Yeah? It was in that room over there that I found the reason. A factory where Louis Denby manufactured wigs. What? Yes, sir. All colors and all descriptions. Good Lord. Bullock gets a wig from Denby and they're both killed by the same caliber gun. We've got to find out why, Kasady. We'll see. It's about that record, I was telling you. After I see what the setup was here, I decided to look around. Just tell me about the record. I found it on this card in the drawer of Louis' work table. Now, let me see it. 23 Main Drive, St. Louis. Well, this is a business card. It's on the other side. The information that might be... January 6, 1940, lead poisoning. In St. Louis. Lead poisoning. Chloral hydrate. A wig. A moose head. Kasady, we're almost in. What did you say? Now, go back to headquarters, get the St. Louis police on the phone. I want a full report on Dr. Jeremy Bullock to have some suspects and hold a conference in Dr. Bullock's office. Not Inspector. My goodness, you must try to understand. Sit down, Talcott, you make my feet tired. But you have no right to detain Miss Foley. She has appointments. You're ruining my business. Don't disturb him, Spencer. I like it here. It's almost like a vacation. Miss Foley, how long have you been in New York? All my life, honey. I'm from Brooklyn, and I root for the Giants. I came here from Philadelphia two years ago. Your next, Talcott. Appointments are going to waste, and you dare hold a geography class. How about it? Where did you float in from? I don't float. I'm a native New Yorker. And if you don't stop asking this ridiculous... I'm going to... Shut up. So none of you has ever been in St. Louis, huh? What? And I suppose not one of you ever heard of Louis Denby. Not even you, Miss Charmers? No. What? I know lots of people who know too much about lead poisoning inspector, and wish they didn't. Thanks, Miss Foley. Artists and painters. Would you know what usually happens to them? Are you kidding? They lose their hair. They even get bald. But Dr. Bullock didn't get bald, did he? He didn't have lead poisoning, dearie. He did, seven years ago. He had to have a week. But Jerry wasn't bald. No, Miss Charmers. He wasn't. But he was a terrible mess at one time. No, nothing. Suppose we find out. Do you think this couch will mind if I stand on it? What are you going to do? Find out if this crack under the chin was a result of a fight with another moose or the work of... Holy angels. Spencer, look, there's a door in the darn thing. I'm not going to look. It's too disgusting. Well, what will Mother Nature think of next? And I'm not going to stay here while a vandal wastes my precious time. You have nothing more to say to me, Inspector. There are two blue uniforms out in the hall. And they're very anxious to go for a ride. You've got no right to keep me prisoner. I won't stand for it. Inspector, did that water paper come out of that moose end? Surprise, Miss Foley. Well, aren't you? Since when does a moose read newspapers? From St. Louis. And papers seven years old at that. But there's something else. A list of some of the worst gunmen in New York. What about these, Miss Charmers? I don't know anything about them. Hmm. You wouldn't even try to remember, would you? I said I don't know. All right, we'll give you a chance at police headquarters. You're not going to arrest me. I haven't done anything. Oh, no one ever does. Come here, Talcott. What do you want? So you've never been in St. Louis, have you? I didn't say that, Inspector. I said I was a native New Yorker. So you did. Now tell me your name's always been Talcott. Aren't you going to? Are you afraid of this news photo of a man called Tal Spencer? Who's the image of you? Well, so I did make a mistake. I did manufacture a hair dye that Jeremy, Dr. Bullock and other people use that had lead compound in it. This paper says that you were sued by 128 people and that you skipped town. Naturally. I didn't have enough money to face it. But I'm ready to pay all damages now. Of course it was a terrible mistake. Seven years ago. You hang a man for that. Not for that. But for murder. Let's take a ride downtown. There's so much I'd like you to tell me about the truth. What are you talking about? It's urgent custody, sir. Do you know what time it is? It's exactly 9.42. I'm sorry to disturb you at home. I was giving my feet a hot bath and you dragged me across the living room to the telephone. What for? I'm still down here at headquarters. I've got a teletype report. Dr. Bullock was no doctor. He lost his license four years ago because he... Hatching up the wounds of robbers and gunmen. Yes, that's what he was doing in New York too. Oh, my. His real name was Spencer and Bullock was blackmailing him. Oh, that again. Spencer made up a hair dye in St. Louis that almost ruined Bullock's scalp. It was a big scandal. What? Horal hydrate. Used as a base in most dandruff remedies and Spencer Talcott used it in his. Oh, he comes to beat in the police department of our great city of New York in New York. Good night, Cassidy. It closes tonight's crime clubbook. The corpse wore a wig based on a story by George Bagby. Steadman Coles did the radio adaptation. Roger Bauer produced and directed. Cameron Poudin played Inspector Schmidt. Ted Osborne was heard as Spencer Talcott. Barry Thompson was Cassidy. Elsbert Eric was Kate Foley. And Elaine Kent played Theresa Chalmers. Oh, I beg your pardon. Hello. I hope I haven't kept you waiting. Yes. This is the crime club. I'm the librarian. Yes. Come over a week from tonight. Good. We have a very unusual story of a double cross, but doubled and redoubled with murder. It's called death is a genius. In the meantime. Well, in the meantime, there's a new crime clubbook available this weekend. Every week at bookstores everywhere. Yes, it's available now. Fine. And we'll look for you next week. This program came from New York. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.