 Mutual presents the Mysterious Traveller. This is the Mysterious Traveller inviting you to join me on another journey into the realm of the strange and terrifying. I hope you will enjoy the trip, that it will thrill you a little and chill you a little. So settle back, get a good rip on your nerves and be comfortable, if you can. As you hear the story, I call the man who died twice. Tonight we're going to delve into a murder most strange, one that confused many of the greatest legal minds of our day. My story begins in the mansion of Judge Marshall, situated high on a hill overlooking a large New England city. It is early evening and Judge Marshall, one of the state's foremost jurists, is sitting in his library reading a legal brief. As he intently reads, the French door leading to the port slowly and silently swings open, revealing a huge white haired man standing in the doorway. His tremendous bent frame shows the remains of a man who'd been a giant in his youth. Suddenly the judge becomes aware that he isn't alone. He quickly turns and sees his visitor. Who? Who are you? What are you doing here? You remember me, Judge? No, I can't say that I do. Think back. Think back 16 years when you were judged at a murder trial. 16 years? My good man, I presided over a great many murder trials, as you call them, and I still don't know who you are. Just keep looking at me, Judge, and think back. Think back. You do look familiar. I'll help you remember. My name is Adams. Luke Adams. Luke Adams? Yes, yes. Now I remember. I sentenced you to prison for 25 years for killing a man. Yeah, yeah, for killing a man. You've aged, so that's why I didn't recognize you. Yes. It's hard to believe I'm only 45, isn't it? I presume you've been paroled. Yes. What do you want? I want to tell you my story, Judge. I want to tell you all the things I never got a chance to tell you at my trial. As far as I'm concerned, Mr. Adams, the case is closed. Now if you don't mind... Then we'll reopen it. I've come to tell you my story and you're going to listen. Very well, Mr. Adams. Sit down. Thank you. I don't know if you recall, Judge, but my wife, Millie, was a beautiful woman. Yes, I remember. She had the kind of beauty a man can't forget. Yes. Yes, and I suppose that's what caused it all. Millie and I grew up together. And I guess I loved her from the moment we met. The only reason she married me was because of the money I'd inherited. And when I lost it in 29, things were never the same again between us. She hated living in a small village, trying to stretch one dollar into two. Sometimes I think her smiling at other men was her way of getting revenge on me for the way we had to live. The angrier I got, the more she flirted, until she almost drove me out of my mind. Things went on like that, day after day, month after month. Here comes Luke. Hello, Luke. Getting home from work a bit early today, huh? Yeah. Mrs. and I were just talking about how hot it is. Yeah. You must have found it fierce, breaking stone in the quarry in this heat. Uh-huh. Well, I've got to be going. See you again. What was he hanging around for? He just happened to be going past. Stopped to say hello. Is there anything wrong in there? It's funny. Every time I see you talking to someone, it's always a man. How come I never see you talking to women? Because all the women in this village are a bunch of cats. They hate me because I'm beautiful and they're not. All right. But I'm warning you, I don't want to see Chuck, Riker, or any other men hanging around here. If I do, there's going to be trouble. The days went by. Millie hardly spoke to me. Nothing I said or did seem to please her. And yet, just knowing she'd be there when I got home was enough for me. And one day I come home from work. She wasn't alone. Oh, hello, Luke. Home early, aren't you? What's he doing here? Chuck was going past. Stopped in to say hello. Just like that, huh? I thought I told you not to let this happen again. If Chuck wants to call on me, why shouldn't he? Right, Chuck? Sure. After all, Luke, there's no use being old-fashioned. We've all known each other since we were kids. What harm is there in an old friend dropping in and why are you looking at me like that? There's lipstick on your cheek. You'd better let me wipe it off for you. Now, wait a minute, Luke. I can explain. There's no use fighting over... Get up. Now, wait a minute, Luke. Can't we... Get up. Talking won't help. You'll have to fight your way out. That's it. Pick up that poker. Come on, come on. What are you waiting for? Okay, you'll ask for it and you're going to get it. This will learn you not to hang around other men's wives before I'm through with you. No woman will want to look at you. Luke, Luke, stop it. He's out of his feet. Stop it. How does he look to you now, Millie? I'll throw him out, then you and I will settle a few things. Come on, you. Out you go. Here's a push to start you on your way. Now we come to you. You think I'm afraid of you. Go ahead, hit me. Ruin my looks so no man will ever want to look at me. Go ahead. Millie, don't talk like that. You know how much I love you. Why are you doing this to me? I know I haven't been able to give you all the things you want, but that's no reason to treat me this way. I won't stand for it, Millie. All right, then let's separate. You go your way, now go mine. No, no, I couldn't live without you. You know that. I'll never let you go. You mind, do you hear? No, stop it. Millie, don't turn away from me. You make me sick. All right, but I'll never give you up. Never. Millie just stood there looking at me, contempt in her eyes. I knew we were through, and yet I couldn't give her up. I clung to the small hope that something would happen that would change her. Make her feel toward me as I felt about her. Long, lonely weeks went by. I knew that Millie and I had been the scandal of the village ever since the day I'd beaten Chuck Riker. At the quarry, the men whispered to each other when they thought I wasn't looking. I could only give vent to my rage by smashing rocks into a thousand small pieces. Then one day in the autumn, an opportunity came. An opportunity to escape the villages and their gossip. Millie, Millie, where are you? Here. What is it? Millie, you've always wanted to get away from the village. Now we have a chance. Oh. Well, I met Mr. Anderson this morning. You remember him. He's an old friend of my father's. What about him? Well, he owns a small farm which he's willing to sell for only $300 down. You mean you want to buy it? Yeah. Just think of it, Millie. A place of our own, 20 miles out in the country, away from the village and the gossip. Do you really think I'd move to a farm? Cut myself off from everything? Well, it's what you need, Millie. A home of your own, a place to work and build. You'd love it, Millie. I know you would. You mean you would. Don't think I don't know what's going on in that head of yours. You want to cut me off from everybody? Take me someplace where you can keep an eye on me day and night? Well, I'm not having any part of it. But, Millie, you said yourself you're not happy here that you... Yes, but I do want a farm. What do women have? But we can't go to the city. There's no work to be had. We're living in a depression. Are we? Well, if you can't give me what I want, there are plenty of other men who can. They'd better not try. I'm warning you, Millie. I'll kill any man who tries to take you away from me. Weeks went by. Weeks in which Millie scarcely spoke to me. We lived as strangers in an uneasy truce. I worked from dawn to twilight at the quarry, and as I worked, I could sense the men gossiping about Millie and myself. I would think of Millie and wonder what she was doing at that very moment. Dee. Yeah, baby? I can't stand it anymore. I can't go on living with Luke. He stares at me with those big cow-like eyes. He's watching every move I make. Well, you just have to go on putting up with it for the time being. It's all right for you to say that. You don't have to live with him. Sometimes I wonder if you really love me. Oh, don't talk like that, baby. You know I love you. Would I be putting my neck out like this if I didn't? Nobody knows we're meeting secretly. Maybe not, but sooner or later someone will see us together and then they'll really be troubled. Afraid? I have never run away from a fight yet. Well, mind telling you, I wouldn't like to mix with that guerrilla husband of yours. I know, I know, Steve. You've got to be careful. Oh, worry. I intend to be. Just let me raise some dough, baby. Figure out one or two angles and you and I'll be off with a big city. What about Luke? He'd be sure to follow. You don't know what he's like, Steve. He'd never rest until he found us. And when he did... Yeah, you don't have to draw me any pictures. I know that type. If we run off, we'd never have a minute's peace. We'd always be wondering when he was going to catch up with us. Yeah. Oh, Steve, what are we going to do? I don't know, baby. I don't know. We'll just have to sit tight for the time being and be careful not to be seen together. All right, Steve. Oh, cheer up, baby. We'll make the big city yet and until then, we've got this. Oh, yes, Steve. Yeah. Emily, you want me? Yes. I've moved all your things up to the attic. I want you to sleep there from now on. Why? Because you're keeping me awake half the night with your tossing and turning, and you're talking your sleep. I talk in my sleep? What do I say? You keep yelling my names if I was murdering you or something. Oh, Millie. You'll be all right in the attic. Yes, Millie. Millie, can I talk to you for a minute? What is it? I saw Mr. Anderson again today. Millie, he says he's willing to let us live free for a year on his farm, so we can see how we like it. And if we do, we can buy it. I told you before. I'm not going to live on any farm. But, Millie, why can't we just try? It won't cost us anything. If we don't like it, we can give it up. No, I tell you. I won't let myself be trapped like that. You're willing to take a chance on farming, but you won't consider going to the city. But there are 15 million men out of work. What chance would I have of getting a job in the city? If you had an ounce of courage, you'd talk. You don't hear men like Steve Hopkins whining about the depression and trying to make excuses for staying in this miserable whole? Steve Hopkins, eh? I... So that's it. You've been seeing Steve Hopkins? No. No, I... I haven't been seeing him. You're wrong. You're lying. It's written all over your face. I... You're afraid, aren't you? You're afraid of what I'm going to do to Steve Hopkins? No. Luke, listen to me. I tell you, there's nothing between Steve and myself. When I'm finished with him, you'll never want to look at him again. Where are you going? To the village tavern. He's always there and sadly not... Luke, I'm back! Luke, I'm back! Hopkins, I want to talk to you. Well, go ahead, Luke. No one's stopping you. You've been making a play for my wife, and I don't like it. You're either drunk or looking for a fight. I haven't spoken to your wife in a year. You're lying. I know you've been seeing her these past weeks while I've been working. You better take it easy, Luke. You're getting to the point where you're suspicious of every man in the village. Don't try to smooth-talk me. I know you've been seeing her, and if you try seeing her again, I'll kill you. Ah, you don't frighten me, Luke. And if I wanted to see your wife, not you or anyone else could stop me. I know. I'll show you. Ready, boys! That's it. Let go of me! Let go of him! Hold on to him, boys. Now, Luke, as sheriff of this village, I'd advise you to take it easy. I'll kill him. I'll kill him. I don't like that kind of talk. Now, mind your manners. You'll spend the night in a lock-up. No man's going to make a fool out of me and live. Now, get hold of yourself. If Steve was seeing your wife, it'd be common gossip. In no time, you know that. He may have fooled you, folks, sheriff, but I know better. You can protect him here, but just wait until I catch him alone. Just wait. He got home that night from the tavern. Millie was in her room. Her door locked. I went up to the attic and tried to sleep, but I couldn't. I kept seeing Steve Hopkins' face and the way he had smiled at me in the tavern. He might have fooled the others, but I knew. And he knew that I did. Hours later, I managed to fall asleep. I dreamt that I was alone with Steve when we were fighting. He kept hitting me, but I couldn't feel his punches. All I could feel was my fists smashing again and again into his laughing face. I woke to hear church bells ringing. It was Sunday morning. All that day except for meals, Millie avoided me. After supper, she went to her room, and I went down to my workshop in the cellar. The next morning when I arrived at the quarry, the men were standing around in small groups, talking to each other. They stopped when they saw me. Then, from one of the groups, I saw Sheriff Rodin coming towards me. Luke, I want to talk to you. What about? A number of things. Is your sledgehammer? Well, sure. That's my initials on the handle. Why is it all wrapped up in paper? I'll ask the questions, Luke. Where were you last night around 11 o'clock? 11 o'clock? In my workshop in the basement. Why? Anybody with you? No, I was alone. Luke, you're under arrest. Under arrest? What for? For the murder of Steve Hopkins. For the murder of Steve Hopkins? Yes. His body was found in his cabin an hour ago. He'd been brutally beaten to death last night around 11. With this sledgehammer, it was found at the scene of the crime. You mean you think I did it? It sure looks that way. Let's go, Luke. No. No, I won't. I didn't kill Steve Hopkins. You'll get your chance to prove you didn't. Now, let's go. No! I didn't do it. I tell you, I'm innocent. Grab him, man. Let's go, man. That's it. Hold him while I get these caps on him. I didn't do it. I tell you, I didn't do it. In the courtroom. Proceed, Mr. King. Sheriff, will you tell the jury in your own words the time and circumstances under which you were notified of the death of Stephen Hopkins? On October 12th last year, I received a phone call at 7 o'clock a.m. from Sam Morris. It said that he'd just stopped by at Steve Hopkins' cabin to pick him up for work, and had found him murdered. I told Sam not to touch anything. I got to the cabin 15 minutes later. Will you tell the jury what you found? Well, so that cabin looked like a slaughterhouse. I don't want to upset anyone with the details, so all I'll say is that Steve Hopkins had been beaten so badly the body was beyond recognition. You say the body was beaten beyond recognition. That's right. Then how were you able to identify it as being Steve Hopkins? Well, first by the ring and wrist watch that was on the body. But most important of all, by the tattooing. By the tattooing? Yes, sir. Steve was quite a tattoo artist, and on his left arm he tattooed a heart with his initials and some girls on it. I reckon just about everyone in this courtroom saw that tattoo on his arm at one time or another. And although the body was beyond recognition, the tattoo was clearly identifiable. Yes, sir. No question about that. Sheriff, when had you last seen the deceased? Saturday night, October 10th at the Village Tavern. Did anything unusual take place at the tavern that night? Yes. Luke Adams came at the tavern around nine o'clock. He accused Steve Hopkins of hanging around Mrs. Adams, threatened to kill him. Sheriff, can you remember Luke Adams' exact words when he made that threat? Well, his last words before he left the tavern were, just wait till I catch him alone. Just wait. I see. Now, Sheriff, when you arrived at the scene of the crime, did you find the death weapon? Yes, sir. Steve Hopkins had been beaten to death with a sledgehammer. I found it in the cabin covered with blood. Was there any identification on the sledgehammer? Yes, sir. On the handle were carved the initials. LA. Now, Mrs. Adams, you say there was no justification whatsoever for your husband's suspicions. No, none at all. In other words, he was mistaken when he accused Steve Hopkins of forcing his attentions on you. Yes, he was. I see. Now, your husband has testified that on the night of the murder, he was working in the cellar of your home. Where were you that night, Mrs. Adams? Upstairs in my room. Did you see your husband at all that night? No, I didn't. Would it have been possible for him to have left the cellar that night without your knowing about it? Yes, it certainly would. Silence in the courtroom. The prisoner will rise. Luke Adams, you have been found guilty of murder in the first degree with a recommendation for mercy. The court hereby sentences you to 25 years imprisonment in the state penitentiary. 25 years imprisonment. Yes, Judge, that was your sentence. The towering iron gates of the penitentiary closed behind me. I no longer had a name, only a number. A year after I was in prison, I was informed that Millie had divorced me and disappeared. With that, my last tie with the outside world was gone. Years passed. World-shaking events took place and scarce reached the prison workshop, for I spent long days repairing shoes. Then one day I was notified by the warden that I'd been paroled. I was free. The gates of the penitentiary opened and once again I joined the living. I came to the city, a stranger, and found employment in a shoe repair store. Day after day I stood by the store window repairing shoes, watching the hurrying crowds. Then late one afternoon I saw a woman pass, a woman who was a stranger and yet wasn't. With a sudden shock, I realized that Millie had just passed. Throwing down my tools, I rushed out of the shop and down the street after it. I found her in the crowd and followed. She had hardly changed at all in the 16 years that had gone by. There were streaks of gray in her hair, but she was as beautiful as ever. I followed her block after block and soon we were in a residential section. She turned up the path to a large cottage, unlocked the front door and went in. A moment later, I was ringing the doorbell. Yes, what is it? Don't you recognize me? No, I'm afraid not. It's me, Millie, it's me. How dare you force your way in here like... Yeah, Millie. Luke, after all these years, I was paroled six months ago. I'm glad to hear that, Luke. You must leave now. I'm busy right now. Millie, who is that? Millie, who are you talking to? Who's he? Steve. Steve Hopkins. Oh, you're mistaken. The name is Reed, Robert Reed. Steve, it's Luke. Luke, you're not dead. You're not dead. The body in the cabinet wasn't yours. No, no. I went to prison for your murder, but you're alive. I said I killed you, but you're alive. Yes. You let them put me in prison. You frame me. Luke, you must listen to me. You frame me. No, Luke, don't. I didn't... You frame me. Let go of him. Let go of him. Don't, Luke. Whose body was that they found in your cabin? A young hobo. I picked up by the railroad tracks, but the tattooing on the arm. After I'd killed him with your sledgehammer, I tattooed his left arm to look exactly like mine. I put my wrist watch and ring on the body and then beat him beyond recognition. And then you ran away. Leaving me to stand trial for murder. Luke, what are you going to do? What am I going to do? You remember Judge Marshall, don't you, Millie? Yes, I remember him. Well, I read in the papers a few weeks ago that the judge lives here in a fine mansion overlooking the city. What are you getting at? Steve and I are going to visit Judge Marshall. No, Luke, no. You know what that would mean. Luke, we have the money. If you'll just forget what's happened, we'll give you money plenty of it. Yes, well, we'll give you $10,000. $20,000. I'm not interested in money. Come on, Steve. Luke, you can't do this to me. You can't. Luke, you once loved me for my sake, don't. Come along, Steve. No, I won't go if they find out about that hobo. They'll hang me. I wouldn't have a chance. They'll... You'll come, Steve, one way or another, understand? Yes. Yes. He didn't want to come here, but in the end he came. In the end he came. Incredible. Simply incredible. A man is a monster to have done what he did. Where is this man, Steve Hopkins, now? He's out on the porch, Judge. Bring him in, Mr. Adams. I want to see that man. All right, Judge. Why are you carrying him? He can't walk. Can't walk? What's wrong with him? He's dead. Here, Judge. Yes, Judge. But I understood he was alive. He was, up until a half hour ago. You mean you? Yes, Judge. I put my hands around his throat and squeezed. Squeezed until he was dead. I killed him. And there's nothing you can do to me, Judge. Nothing. Remember you sent me to prison for killing Steve Hopkins? For 16 years I rotted in prison. I paid my debt to society for Steve Hopkins' debt. I've paid it. There's nothing you can do to me now. Nothing. This is the mysterious traveler again. Did you enjoy our little trip? What happened to Luke Adams? Well, his case became one of the most celebrated controversies of the day. Some legal minds claimed he couldn't be set to prison again. He'd already been punished. Some illegal experts insisted he should be tried again. But in the midst of this raging controversy, poor Luke Adams died when his case was never decided. What do you think? Should Luke Adams have been tried for murder again, or having already served 16 years for Steve Hopkins' murder, should he have gone free? I should like to know what your verdict is. Send your letters to the mysterious traveler, care of mutual broadcasting system, New York 18, New York. You have just heard the mysterious traveler, a series of dramas of the strange and terrifying. All characters in today's story were fictitious, and any resemblance to the names of actual persons was purely coincidental. In today's cast were Maurice Tarplin, Art Carney, Alspeth Eric, Frank Behrens, and Jackson Beck. Original music was played by Paul Topman. The mysterious traveler is written, produced and directed by Bob Arthur and David Cogan. Listen next week to a tale titled... The Ivory Elephant. Another strange and suspenseful tale of the mysterious traveler. This program has come to you from our New York studios. Another program of tense and dramatic action will follow in just a minute. Stay tuned to this station for official detective. Carl Caruso speaking. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.