 Mr. District Attorney, Champion of the People, Defender of Truth, guarding of our fundamental rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Mr. District Attorney is brought to you by Vitalis, V-I-T-A-L-I-S. Vitalis, the famous preparation that keeps your hair well groomed and used with a speedy 60-second workout, helps you to keep your hair. Through the cues of crime, but to defend with equal vigor the rights and privileges of all its citizens. Our case tonight opens at the dairy farm of Samuel Putnam, a resident of one of the rural sections of your District Attorney's county. Mr. Putnam and his 15-year-old son, Billy, are working in their barnyard. Their chores are interrupted as the car renders the yard, and a man hails them from the driver's seat. Hello there! Yeah? Are you Mr. Putnam? That's right. Oh, very well. Who's that pop? I don't know. I never see him before. Nice looking car. Yeah. How do you do, Mr. Putnam? How do you do, sir? My name is Grant, sir. George Grant. I see. I wonder if I could have a few minutes of your time, sir. Well, if you're selling something, Mr. Grant, I can tell you right now. Quite the contrary, Mr. Putnam. Quite the contrary. I'm here to buy. How do you mean? Tell me, how many cows do you have here on your farm? About 60 head. 60, eh? Well, sir, I'm prepared to take them off your hands. Where'd you ever get the idea I wanted to sell? That's what your neighbors are doing. Pop, does he mean everyone's selling their cows? That's right, young man. Well, what's the purpose of all this? Haven't you heard of the meat shortage, sir? Yeah. Folks in the city need meat very badly. Oh, sure, yes, but this is dairy country. None of us has beef cattle. We all have milk cows. Well, they're beef, too. Sure, sure. But supplying them folks in the city with milk is a lot more important than giving them beef. Oh, look, Mr. Putnam, you farmers had better face the facts. There's a war on. That means a shortage of manpower needed to help run your farms. Well, me and my boy here can manage all right. Sure, we can. Yeah, and so can most of the other fellas around here if they just put their minds to it. Now listen, Mr. Putnam. No, you do the listening for change. You're coming up here to buy our stock is a pretty serious affair. How? Well, if my neighbors sell the cows to you, they're just killing off their only means of livelihood. Ordinarily now, I wouldn't pay no attention to their short-sightedness. But this very war that you speak of, that makes it more important than ever that we keep on producing milk. Is that so? Yes, sir. Youngsters and mothers down there in the city, they need all we can give them. I've got a little influence in this community, Mr. Grant. Really? Yeah. And I'm telling you right now that I'm going out and talk to these men you've been dickering with and get them to change their minds. Look, Mr. Putnam, I never get along very well with people who meddle in my affairs. You don't. You'd better lay off those other farmers. Listen, are you threatening me? No, just giving you some good advice. I came up here to buy beef, and you or anybody else had better not try to stop me. Oh, Chief. Yes, Mr. Putnam? Do you know where Harrington could be? I haven't had any word from him all day. Well, I can explain that. He's doing a special job for the mayor's office. Oh, I see. Yes, his honor is trying to put a check on some of the black market activities that have been overrunning our town. Oh, how? Well, he has men stationed on all roads leading into the city. What for? They're stopping trucks to see if they're carrying any meat that hasn't been tagged with a government-inspected stamp. Oh. If this stamp is missing, the men have orders to confiscate the meat. Well, that's a good idea. Yes, now if we can only enforce it. Excuse me, Chief. Yes, come in, Harrington. Thanks. How are things on the black market? Very good, Miss Miller. In fact, almost too good. Yes, what happened? Well, I was checking trucks that came off the ferry, and believe me, Chief, business was terrific. You found a lot of illegal meat? Oh, about six truckloads. And don't forget that was only my score. That half a dozen other inspectors working today too. Yes, I know. And Chief, wait, wait, let me tell you this. Yes? That job was just like old home week. What do you mean? Well, you'd have thought I was spending the day down at the police lineup. The guys who were driving those trucks took me right back to prohibition days. They were all acquaintances of ours. Every one of them. The only switch was they were driving meat instead of beer. Who were they, Harrington? Well, every one I, Peg, used to work for Mike Sutter's old mob. Mike Sutter? Yeah. I asked some of them if Mike was operating this racket, and they all claimed I'm here. Well, it's pretty safe to guess that he is. Well, here's one angle I did get out of him, Chief. Yes, what's that? Well, all of the trucks came from in and around Centerville. Centerville? Yeah. Well, that's dairy country. Sure. Yeah, I don't like the sound of that. Hmm? It means this beef must come from slaughtered milk cows. Hey, hey, I guess that's so. Well, Chief, won't that have an effect on milk production? Yes, it will very indefinitely. Well, isn't there anything we can do about it? I believe there is. What, Chief? I think we can carry the mayor's campaign one step further. How? By checking this racket at its source. We're going to pay a little visit to the farmers of Centerville. What are you doing in town? I came in to see you. Yeah? Yeah. Looks like we're in a little trouble. You mean the trucks? Well, that's just the mayor trying to grab a headline. I put him out of peace to work. We'll get the meat back. You think so? Sure. Same thing happened out west. The operators got their meat back before the headlines even got cold. Well, those things are going up in the country. Well, that's what I come into the office to talk to you about. What's the matter? Is something wrong? Is he truthful with you? Yes. Well, what is it? Well, a lot of the farmers have canceled out on me. Well, how do you mean? They changed their minds about selling their cows. Well, how come? There's one man who's responsible for the whole thing. Oh, yeah? He's called several meetings and influenced them to hold on to their stock. Who is this guy? A man named Putnam. What's his angle? Is he moving in on us? No, no, no, just some stupid patriotic motive. Patriotic? He feels that milk is more important than beef. He's got the others taken the same way now. Did you talk to him? Sure, but he just won't listen to reason. Reason? Now, listen, Grant, you never get nothing with that stuff. I know, but... This guy has really jammed up the work, Sam. Yeah. Well, it looks like maybe it's time for me to take over. What do you mean? Now, listen, I put you in the front for this thing because you're the white collar guy with the smart approach. I figured that would work a lot better than muscle. Yes? But the collar's no good on a deal like this. Your Putnam guy needs a different treatment. Oh, now, look, you're not going to use any violence. Remember, you promised me when I came into work for you there'd be no rough stuff. Who said anything about rough stuff? But you, this old farmer, just needs a lesson, that's all. And we can give it to him without our ever seeing the guy. Sir, I'll call him over, Chief. Hey, son! Yes, sir? Is this the Putnam farm? Yes, sir, that's right. Is Mr. Putnam around? No, sir, he's gone into the village. Are you his son? Yes, sir, my name's Billy. Golly, ain't you the district attorney? That's right. Gee, I'd know you in a minute. You look just like you. Really? Sure. My brother took a lot of pictures of you when you made that speech in Centerville last year. Remember? Oh, yes, yes, of course. My brother was a photographer on the Centerville Herald. He's in the signal corps now. He takes pictures for them, too. Oh, I see. That's what I'm going to do when I'm old enough. Go in the signal corps and take pictures. Well, that's fine, Billy, but just remember that working on a farm is very important, too, right now. Oh, sure. Yeah. When do you expect your father back from the village, son? Oh, he'll be gone most of the day. You see, we've had some trouble here at the farm. Trouble of what? I saw it. Five of our cows died last night. Oh, what a shame. Pop thinks there was something funny about it. Yeah? He had Dr. Thomas the vet out here this morning. Dr. Thomas thinks they was poisoned. I see. Pop has gone into the high school laboratory. They're going to analyze stuff for him and make sure. Billy, your father has been active in trying to organize the farmers around here against selling their livestock, hasn't he? Yes, sir. Chief, do you think this poisoning was done to get him to lay off? It could have been. Yeah, sounds like something Mike Sutter might do. Yes, but the description that the other farmers gave us is a man who tried to buy their cows doesn't sound like Sutter. Well, he probably has a frontman working for him. Yeah. He's always been a smart operator. If the cows were poisoned, you sure could find out who'd done it. Couldn't you, Mr. District Attorney? Well, I could certainly try, Billy. I think we'd better be moving, Chief. We're going to cover the rest of this territory. Yes, you're right, Henry. What shall I tell my pop? Well, just say that we were here to see him and we'll come out again to the morning. So, boss, so, that's the girl. That's you, Billy. I got a pail of water once this evening, son, but if you want to... Good evening, Mr. Putnam. Huh? Remember me? Grant is the name. Oh, yeah. Yes, I'd like you to meet an associate of mine, Mr. Sutter. How are you? What'd you come here for? Just dropped in to see you. Yeah? I wondered if you'd change your mind about selling your cows. No, sir. We heard down in the village that you had a little tough luck up here last night, Putnam. Yes, we understand you lost some of your livestock. That's right. Too bad. What happened to him? I was just wondering whether you fellas couldn't answer that. Why? Them cows was poisoned. Is that a fact? Now, why should anyone want to do a thing like that to you, Mr. Putnam? Well, I sort of have an idea. Really? Yeah. I got to thinking that if somebody wanted to show the other farmers hereabouts that he didn't pay to interfere with certain transactions, well, killing off my cows might be a good way of doing it. Oh, now, Mr. Putnam, surely you weren't implying that we had anything to do with your misfortune? I am. Well, you make us sound like very desperate characters. I imagine that's what you think you are. Well, that's hardly the answer. Wait a minute, Grant. Quit kicking the words around. The old guy knows what goes on. You mean to say that you're admitting that you did poison my cows? Sure. That's only the beginning, Mr. Is that so? Yeah. We got a nice touch working here. And we ain't going to let you jam it up first. How do you intend to stop me? We'll kill every cow you get in this barn if we have to. I wouldn't advise that. Now, listen. We're running this show. You do as we tell you. Do what? Get to them other farmers. Tell them you was wrong about not selling that beef. Not a chance, Mr. Hey. You can't pull any of your cheap gangster stuff on me. Them farmers are keeping the cows. Yeah. Yeah. And furthermore, I'm having you both arrested for what you've already done to me. You talk real big. This is more than talk. Yeah. I happen to know that the district attorney is in Sandoval right now. I'm going to call him up. Wait a minute. You stay right here. Let go of my arm. I'll take it easy, mind. This guy ain't calling no district attorney. Oh, ain't I though? Come back here. Oh, no. Mike, why did you do that? The old bum had it coming to him. He's bleeding badly. So what? I think he's dead. I ain't that a shame. Pop. Pop. That's his kid. Yeah. He may have someone with him. We better get out of here quick. Pop, what's the matter? Yeah, that door. There may be another way out. Come on, Mike. Okay. Okay. Pop. Yeah, this is okay. The car's right outside. Come on. Right. The kid didn't get in there in time to see us, huh? All right. Quit worrying. Yeah. All right. Get in quick. You better drive, Mike. I'm too jittery. Sure, sure. That's the way out. Around the front of the barn. Okay. No, Mike, I never thought you'd... Stop. Stop not for you. The kid. Yeah. He's running for the car. I know. Stop. Hey, look out, Mike. He's running right in front of us. You'll hit him. That's what I was trying to do. Our case tonight makes very clear one reason we should all help stamp out black markets. Your district attorney has an idea of what's behind this brutal crime, but securing proof is another matter, as we'll learn in just a moment. Right now, word to the men. Do you know that you can have a smooth, close shave and, at the same time, have the cool, refreshed feeling on your face that every man likes to have when he's through shaving? Yes. You can have both benefits with ingrams. Again, G-R-A-M-S, Ingram Shaving Cream. You get a close, smooth shave with ingrams, because ingrams helps condition your face for the razor, gives you an abundance of velvet smooth ladder that helps wealth the toughest beard. And in addition, you get a cool shave with ingrams, because ingrams is made to be cool, made to leave your face feeling delightfully fresh and invigorated when shaving is over. So remember for a face that feels fine, after a shave that makes you look your best. It's ingrams. Ingram Shaving Cream. Back to Mr. Destric Attorney. Boss Chief. Well, maybe they're down in the barn. Yeah, okay. We'll take a look down there. Ah, you know, it's mornings like this that make you wish you lived in the country. Yeah, this is swell. I'll say. Say, Harrington, have you any idea where Mike Sutter makes his headquarters? Sure, I have, Chief. I think I could put my hands on him any time we want him. Good. The Chief, I wonder where he ever got the idea. Hey, hey, hey. Wait a minute. Hey, look right there beside the road. That grass is covered with blood. Yes. Well, what in the world? Yeah, trails on up the road. You see? Yes, in the direction of the barn. Yeah. Do you suppose it could be some animal? Well, I don't know. I think we should find out. It's easy to follow, all right. Whoever or whatever it was seemed to have fallen down right here. Men got up again. Yeah, that's right. And then the trail leads right into the barn. I don't like the looks of this. Neither do I, Harrington. Come on, let's go into the barn. Go ahead, Miss Miller. Yes, sir. Hey. Look, the lights are still on at the place. Oh, so it's... Oh, look! Holy... It's the mother body, Chief. Yeah, don't come any closer, Miss Miller. Harder, Chief. Well, the old man is dead. Huh? Hey. Hey, that must be the kid's father. Oh, Chief. Two bullet wounds in the head. What about the boy? I'm just looking. I'm afraid no other... Hold on. I seem to feel a faint pulse, Chief. Here? Yes. Yes, the boy is definitely alive. Good. Chief, is there anything I can do? There's something we've all got to do. Get this boy to a hospital at once. And there's none in center field. I know we'll have to take him into town. Here, give me a hand, Harrington. Right. And Miss Miller, bring the car down here. Sure, Chief. I don't want to save this youngster. We've really got to make time. Times have I told you to knock before you come into my office. I just got the afternoon papers. They got the whole story. About the father? Yeah, look here. The kid didn't die. So what? He may identify us. Is that what it says in the story? No, according to this, he's still unconscious, very close to death. Then what are you worried about? Well, I guess... Now, look, you said yourself last night that the kid never seen us when we did it. Huh? He didn't even know we were in the barn. I know, but... Then even if he lives, what have they got on us? The boy might have seen the license plates or the tire marks might even be traced. And that makes it tough on somebody else, not us. Why? That was a stolen car yet, chump. Well, the boy's picked it up for me before we went after the sticks. Oh, I see. Now listen, Grant. I'm going to get awful fed up on this crybaby routine of yours. Well, I can't help being concerned. Let that be my department. Well, the only thing we got to do now is to let this thing cool off for a few days before we start operating again. You mean you're going to continue this thing? Why not? It's better set up now than it ever was. How? That old man being dead will teach them farmers a real lesson. I guarantee we won't have to poison no more cars to get them guys in line. Oh, but Mike, it'll be much too dangerous to operate up there again. I for one to one any part of it. No. I should say not. Oh, look, chump, you're in this thing whether you want any part of it or not. But I shut up. Yes? You and me are going to go over the books this afternoon and figure just how many cows is left up there to grab. I'm over here, Miss Miller. Oh. Did you call the office? Yep. No messages. Is the boy still in the operating room? Yeah, yeah. The chief's in there with him. Oh, I do hope they can save him. It's going to be a tough fight. That kid took plenty. He's been in there over two hours now. Yeah, I know. It was my own kid. I couldn't feel any worse. Yes, I know. Harrington, do you think Sutter was behind this thing? Sure, he was the dirty punk. But how are we ever going to be able to prove it? We got to, Miss Miller. But there wasn't a clue even. I know our only hope is this kid. If he pulls through and can talk, we may get some... Oh, I wish that... Here's the chief. Oh. How is he? Well, he's still alive. Oh, good. Has he got a chance? We don't know yet. Is there anything I can do? Yes, Miss Miller. They're taking the boy up to one of the hospital rooms. Yes. I want you to go up there and stay with him. I'll join you up there as soon as I talk to Harrington. Yes, sir. He's on the fifth floor. Right, I'll find him. What have you got for me, chief? I want you to pick up Mike Sutter and take him to my office. Oh, chief, believe me. This'll be a pleasure. Come here. Look, the boy's moving his hand. Do you think we should call a nurse? Oh, she'll be right back. Do you suppose he's coming around? I don't know. Well, what should we do? Nothing. Just watch and wait. Oh. Did you hear that? Yes. Yes, he seems to be regaining consciousness. Bob. What happened, Bob? It's all right, son. It's all right. Just take it easy. Bob's been hurt. Don't try to raise your head, Billy. What? Where am I? You're all right, Billy. And just try not to talk too much. Yeah, yeah. Billy, you recognize me? Sure. District attorney. That's right. Now, can you understand what I'm saying? Sure. Good. Now, listen carefully, Billy. Can you tell me what happened to your father? To... To Bob? Yes. Yes, you were Bob. What happened to him? I... I don't know. Billy, I gotta get back to the barn, though. Back to the barn. Easy, son. Easy. The door. The side door of the barn. District attorney will get you. He knows. He's delirious, too. Yes, yes. Signal core. Side door barn. Billy, please. Signal core. Side door barn. Chief, I think he's trying to tell us something. Madam, I think he has. This is all a great mystery to me. How's that, Miss Madam? In this place, we come all the way out here to Putnam's barn just because of a little boy's delirious talk. Yes, that's quite true. Then the first thing you do when we get here is pick up a broken piece of string and wander around with it. Well, I admit that... just a minute. Do you see something, Chief? Yes. I'll get this box over here to stand on. Oh, can I help you? Oh, that's all this crossbeam. You have to find what I've been looking for. Oh, that's wonderful, Chief. Is it a definite clue? I have a feeling it can break the whole case for us. Oh, good. Come on, Miss Madam. What to now? Back to the city. We've a lot of work to do. Copper. Yeah? How much longer do we have to hang around this mousetrap? Until a district attorney gets here and, brother, that may be a long time. I hope you know that you're violating our rights as citizens by detaining us here. No kidding. What about the rights you violated, Mr. Grant, when you guys knocked off that old man? Ah, listen, are you digging that one up again? Sure, Sutter. I'm just keeping in practice for the time when I really go to work on you. You ain't never going to get a chance to work on me. Don't be too sure. Look, we don't know nothing about that old bomber. Ah! Oh, hi, Chief. Oh, hi. Did Miss Miller get here yet? No, but I got some customers for you. Sure. This here is Mike Sutter. He knows me. And this added attraction is Sutter's front man, the one he used on the farmers. I see. He was in Sutter's office, so I brought him along. I demand to know why we're being held here, sir. I hasn't, Mr. Hang, been explained that to you. I did, Chief. But we know absolutely nothing about the death of that man in the country. I'm inclined to think otherwise. Ah, look, DA, I can tell you right now. You're wasting your time on this. I don't think so. What does he mean? What happened to that old man and his son was one of the most vicious crimes I've ever encountered. Listen, save the speeches, DA. What evidence have you got on this? Excuse me, Chief. Yes, come in, Miss Miller. This may be the answer to your question, Sutter. Here's the envelope. Thank you, Miss Miller. What do you got there, Chief? It's the evidence we've been waiting for. Huh? Definite proof of who killed Mr. Putnam here. Errington, you may arrest these two men on the charge of murder. Your district attorney will be back in just a moment to explain what he learned from Billy Putnam's delirious cries that led him back to the farm and clinched his case. First, though, here's the fact about Vitalis you'll be glad to know. While wartime Vitalis is manufactured under government restrictions that affect most products during these times of war, Vitalis and the 62nd Workout gives you the same three benefits that you and thousands of other men have always enjoyed with Vitalis. 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Well, ladies and gentlemen, the evidence that solved tonight's case was given to us by a very alert and courageous young man, Billy Putnam. It was his timely thinking that enabled us to try and convict Mike Sutter and his accomplice grant on the charge of first-degree murder. And they paid for their crime with their life. Chief, don't you think you ought to tell the folks just what that evidence was? Yes, Miss Putnam. I learned about it in young Billy's hospital room. In his delirious ravings, Billy repeated two important things. Side door of the barn and signal core. I remember the side door of the barn but the signal core reference eluded me until I suddenly recalled our first conversation with the boy. You mean about his brother being a photographer in the signal core? Yes, Harrington. I took the chance that this meant he had some camera arrangement hooked to that side door. Which he did? Yes. The boy had rigged it up the day after the cows were poisoned. He hoped to get a picture of anyone who might attempt it again. And he sure got a mighty important one. Grant and Sutter leaving the place with the old man dead on the floor. Chief, I'm sure that everyone will be glad to know that Billy has fully recovered from his ordeal. Yes, Miss Putnam. And we're seeing to it personally that he gets a good home until he's old enough to realize his ambition to join his brother in the Army signal core. Good. Now, what about next week, Chief? Well, it's a case I believe every one of our listeners will find very interesting and exciting. The case of the weekend murders. And so, friends, join us again next Wednesday and until then, thank you and good night. The names of all characters in the night's dramatization are fictitious and interasemblance to names of living persons or actual places is purely coincidental. J. Justin was featured in the title role. Len Doyle is Harrington. Vicky Bola is Miss Miller. The music was under the direction of Peter Van Steeden and the author was Jerry Devine. Mr. District Attorney is brought to you by the Bristol Myers Company. Makers of Vitalis. Used by more men to keep their hair well groomed than any other preparation of its kind. Now, just think of the word vital and add I-S. Vitalis. Vitalis for your hair.