 Good evening. This is Peter Laurel. This illusionment does strange things to people. When the world delivers a crushing and saddening blow, there is an impulse to renounce life completely. But a barred door is no insurance against death, as you will hear tonight in a mystery playhouse. The mystery playhouse is host tonight to that champion of the people and defender of truth, Mr. District Attorney. Well, Mr. D.A. has been putting a finger on a criminal element of the big city for some time now. He's dealt with all sorts, racketeers, thieves, murderers, and come out on top every time. Let's see how he does it tonight, huh? In a business district of Mr. D.A.'s city, surrounded by tall grey buildings, stands alone the house, its windows boarded, its walls faded, the unkempt and gentle remains of yesterday's plunder, striving valiantly but hopelessly to hold its own against the strong and overwhelming odds of today's commerce. Within the house, a single kerosene lamp, dimly lights a dusty, disordered room. Here, an old lady seated in a chair, rocking, rocking back and forth. Another old woman enters the room and speaks to him. Ella! What is it, Mary? I don't like to bother you, but isn't it time that I went to the store? You're not going to the store, sister, but I go every day. I have my reasons, Mary, but there's no food in the house. I know, and we need kerosene for the lamp. I'm aware of that. Well then, why don't these remember, my dear? I am your older sister. Oh, I am not questioning your decision, Ella, but what is your reason? We have no money. No money? Mr. Douglas has not sent us our cash allowance for the last four weeks. Why not? I don't know. Then what shall we do, sister? I am going to see Mr. Douglas. You... you are going outside the house? Yes. But Ella, you're vowed. You'd be breaking it. You haven't left this house for nearly 13 years. I know. Why can't I go, Ella? Oh, my dear child, you're much too young to handle business matters. I was 67 last month. You're still my baby sister. I have qualms every time I send you around the corner to the store. You could hardly expect me to send you on a errand like this. Oh, very well. Listen to me for a minute. Yes. I want you to wait here in the house for me until I return. Yes, yes, of course. You're not to answer the doorbell if it rings. Oh, I understand. I shall bring the food back with me. All right. I never intended to break my vow and leave this house. But for your sake and mine, I must. Oh, why? There's some important reason why we've not received our allowance. I'm going to see Mr. Douglas and find out. Mr. Douglas? Yes? I came here to your home for only one reason. Our allowance. Well, uh... My sister and I have not received any money from you in the past four weeks. Yes, I know that, Miss Crawford. Well? I've been meaning to drop around and go over the entire matter with you. Well, what do you mean? Well, I have some rather shocking news for you. Oh, what is it? You haven't any more money. You mean it's gone, all of it? Yes. I regret to say it is. I don't understand. You and your sister were receiving a weekly income from the interest and securities that were left to you both. I know. As the administrator of the estate, I have handled these securities to the best of my ability. Yes. Unfortunately, the companies that you held stuck in were non-essential industries. The curtailments of war wiped them out. Mr. Douglas, I don't believe you. Well, I... I'm sorry you feel that way, Miss Crawford, but it's true. I think you have been dishonest with us. Oh, not just a minute, please. And in view of that, you leave me very little choice. Why, what do you mean? When I leave here, I shall go to the police. Well, what for? Have you arrested for stealing our money? Oh, I see. It was too large a sum to just dissolve in the manner you described. Why did you lock that door? I've been hoping you'd come here. That's why I stopped sending you the money. Are you trying to frighten me? No, I'm merely going to kill you. You're joking. You think so? Keep away from me. Keep away. Keep away! Excuse me, Chief. Yes, Miss. Hi. Sam Green, don't you? He runs a little delicatessen store right off Main Street. Yes, yes, of course. Well, he's outside. He'd like to see you for just a minute. What about? Oh, it's something about a customer of his. Probably wants you to collect a bill for him, Chief. Well, Santa, ma'am, Miss. Right. Yeah, he's quite a guy. Go right in, Miss. Thank you very much, ma'am. Hello there, Sam. Oh, hi, you, Mr. Harrington. And you, Mr. District Attorney. Hello, Sam. What can I do for you? Well, it's about a customer of mine. A very nice little old lady. Oh, yes, yes. She ain't been into my store for the last two days, and so I'm worried. What did I tell you, Chief? I know there'd be something like this. He wants you to find customers for him. You're some joker, Mr. Harrington. But that ain't it. For this particular lady not to come in, there must be a special reason. Well, how's that? For over 12 years now, this is the first two days she has missed. Huh? Who is she? Her name is Crawford. Miss Marie Crawford. Maybe you remember reading about her in the papers a couple of years ago. Crawford. She's the sister living in that old tumble-down house right in the business district. Oh, yes. Yes, I know the house. Oh, yeah. I remember the story, too. The building inspectors were going to close it up, and the two old ladies wouldn't let him in. Oh, boy, did the feature writers jump on that one. Exactly. They were a very wealthy family once. Well, this woman is coming to your store every day until just a few days ago. Is that it? Yes. So I'm worried. If something has happened to her, if she is sick or something, there's no way to find out. No one goes into the house. Well, Sam, we'll be going through that neighborhood a little later on. And we'll stop by at the house and see what we can find out. I'm wearing my knuckles to the bones knocking on this door, chief. What do we do now? I think we'd better try to get in somewhere. Yeah. Now, how about skeleton key? Yes, yes. Chances are the poor old woman is sick. Neither that or very deep after all that knocking. Well, I'll try this key here. This one ought to do it. Well, there we are. Go ahead, chief. Thank you. Well, we'll have to use a flashlight in here, all right? Those windows all boarded up just like night. Yes. Oh, there we are. Oh, this is quite an establishment. Yeah, looks like an abandoned junkyard. What are all these empty boxes scattered around the hall? Well, I guess they might have been placed there to trip up any unwelcome intruders. Hey, look down there at the end of the hall. Hmm? Three pianos. Yes, covered with dust. Well, let's see if we can maneuver around these boxes. Yeah, all right. Let's be a little quiet. Yeah, sure, chief. I feel like little fever hopping cakes of ice. Hey, wait a minute. Huh? Listen. Hey, what's that? I don't know. There seems to be a faint light coming from that room down there. Yeah, and that's where that sound comes from, too. Let's see what's in there. Hey. Hey, look, chief. It's an old lady. She's sitting there rocking. Oh, we're here. Is that you, Ella? No, ma'am. May we come in? Oh. Oh, I thought it was Ella returning. Well, who are you and why are you here? Well, we've just come to see if you were all right. Of course I'm all right. But you really shouldn't be here. Ella will be angry. Who is Ella, ma'am? She's my sister. Is she around? No. No, she went out on an errand. I'm rather worried about her. She's been gone for such a long time. How long? Well, almost two days. Two days? Where'd she go? Well, I've been trying to remember. It was something about money. I know that because that's why I didn't go to the store. Why didn't you let someone know about this? Well, because Ella told me to wait here. I always do as Ella says. You see, I am her younger sister, Marie. Are you sure you can't recall where she went? No. No, not quite. But it did have to do with money. There was nothing to eat in the house. And she was going to get money for food. You mean you ain't even since she left here? No. No, I guess I have. Well, have you a lawyer or a business advisor? Anyone who handles your affairs? Oh, yes. Well, you know who that is. Well, I'm trying to think. Wait, this might help. Ella wrote out a card a long time ago. I carry it when I go to the store in case anything should happen to me. I have it here someplace. Oh, here it is. May I see it, please? Surely. Thank you. Ella wrote it down very plainly. Yes, yes, I see. In case of accident, notify William Douglas, 14th floor, Spire building. Oh, that's it. Yes. That's who she went to see, Mr. Douglas. Yes, sure. Oh, yes, of course. Well, Harrington called Miss Miller to have her bring some food over here. And we'll pay her call on Mr. Douglas. Won't you sit down, gentlemen? Oh, thanks. Now, what can I do for you, sir? Well, Mr. Douglas, we'd like some information from you. Anything at all, sir? We've just come from the home of a woman named Crawford. Marie Crawford? Yeah. That was her first name, Chief. Oh, yes. Do you know her, Mr. Douglas? Oh, very well. I handle her estate. Oh. Nothing wrong with her, I hope? No, it's her sister that concerns us. Her sister? Yes. She's been missing for a long time. Yes, she's been missing for almost two days. Yeah, the old lady told us that she left the house to come to see you. To see me? Yes. Didn't she ever show up? Tell me, Mr. District Attorney, how did you ever get mixed up with Marie Crawford? A storekeeper brought her to our attention. He was worried about her because she hadn't put in her daily appearance at his shop. So you went to her home to investigate? Yeah, yeah, that's right. Was there anything about her behavior that struck you as unusual? Uh, vagueness of manner, perhaps? Yes. Yes, she did have trouble recalling things. I'll bet she couldn't even remember my name. Oh, that's quite true. Well, what's that got to do with her sister disappearing? Oh, a great deal. Yeah? You see, Miss Crawford indulges in flights of fancy. Huh? You mean she hasn't a sister? No. I mean she had a sister. She's a north side cemetery. She died in 1931. Hello? Oh, I see. Well, get that information for me, will you please? And call me back. Thank you very much. Yes, come in. You busy, Chief? No, come in, Harry. Oh, thanks. Well, Chief, I just been out to the north side cemetery. That old gal's buried out there, all right? You see the grave? Well, uh, it wasn't a grave, Chief. It was one of these, uh, well, these here above the ground jobs. Here's the mausoleum. Yeah, that's right. I copied off the caravan, though. It said, uh, Ella Crawford, born January 10th, 1870, died December 25th, 1931. Oh, Christmas Day. Yeah, I also checked with the records out there. This was the Crawford family plot. Yeah, that Marie's down for some space when she kicks in, too. I see. Yeah, I guess the poor old dame is just a little loose upstairs, huh, Chief? Well, she is eccentric. There's no doubt about that. You know, for a minute and a half, I thought we had a red-hot case. Yeah, I'll take it, Harry. Hello? Speaking. Oh, yes, yes. In 1935. You're sure of that? Well, thanks a lot. Goodbye. I think I have an assignment for you, Harry. Right, Chief. I want you to go over to Sam Green's delicatessen. See if he kept a copy of the grocery list that Miss Crawford used to bring him. Right. And if he hasn't got the mask, I'm going to recall just what food she ordered. Yeah, sure. Have you got a new angle? Yes, I have. I've just found out something makes me question whether Ella Crawford did die in 1931. Take a little more soup, Miss Crawford. Thank you, Miss Miller. Now, you really haven't eaten a thing. Yes, I know. Ella would scold me for that if she were here. She's always after me about my eating. Oh, really? You're very dependent on your sister, aren't you? Oh, yes. I don't know what I'd do without her. You see, mother and father both died when I was quite young, and Ella took charge of me from that day on. I've always been with her. Even when she married. Married? Yes, Ella was married to a very wealthy young man named Robert Elliott. They fell in love at their first meeting, and two weeks later they were married. Well... His parents, however, did not approve. They forced them to separate before they'd been married a year. Oh, how awful. Ella was never the same. Did she ever see him again? About 50 years later. When he died. He'd been killed in an accident. His parents had long since passed on, and he died alone and penniless. They found a picture of Ella in his procession, so she was the one who was notified of his death. I see. He died on Christmas Day in 1931. She buried him two days later, and never left the house again. She felt that her soul had passed on. And that's why you lived like this? Yes. Ella took a vow that she'd never leave the house again, and I've stayed with her. I see. Miss Crawford, do you mind if I leave you for a few minutes? I want to make a phone call. No, I'm not at all, my dear. I'm sorry there's no telephone here, but we had so little use for it. I understand. That nice Mr. Green on the corner has a telephone in his store. All right. I'm sure he'd let you know Well, thanks a lot. I'll be right back. It's such a nice child. I do hope she finds Ella. I don't think she will leave. Oh, who's there? Mr. Douglas. Oh, Mr. Douglas. Well, how did you get in? I came in the side door. Where is my sister? She's all right, Marie. Well, but she's gone for two days. Is someone taking care of her? I took care of her. Now I've come to take care of you. Well, Chief, have we got something on this case or right with you? I'm beginning to think we have. Yeah? Yes, before you got here, I miss met her phone from Green's now a contestant. Yeah? I must have just missed her. Yes, she called a report that Marie Crawford's sister, Ella, was once married to a man named Robert Elliott. Robert Elliott? Yes, it seems as though it was an unfortunate marriage. His parents broke it off. Robert Elliott, let me think a minute. He died on Christmas Day in 1931. Hey, hey, hey, wait a minute. Wait a minute. December 25, 1930. December 25, 1931. That's on the old gal's epitaph, don't you? Yes, I know. That's why I think I'll take it. Hello? Hello, Chief, it's me again. Back at Green's Delicatessen. Yes, Miss Miller. What's up? Well, he's found that Mr. Douglas there. Yes? And what was he up to? He was trying things and leaving with him. What? Did she do it? Well, no, I stopped it. Good. Mr. wasn't having any of that. Well, good for you, Miss Miller. Where's Douglas now? Oh, it's still here. Well, that's all right. I'll send him to Crawford. Oh, wait. She's right outside the phone booth now, listening to what Sam Green thinks about Hitler. Oh, well, that's fine. And don't let her out of your sight. I'll send Rofi out to stay with you. You've done a good job, Miss Miller. Thanks, Chief. Bye. Bye. Hey, hey, look, Chief. Yes? While you was talking, I remembered something. Yes? Robert Elliott. That name is carved on a tomb right next to the Crawford games I saw. Well, that buttons it up then. Come on, the herrings. Where to? Oh, what Miss Miller had said. Never mind that now. We're going out to Northside Cemetery. You know, Chief, this ain't exactly my idea of a pleasant way to spend an evening. Taking a walk through a graveyard. Well, if you feel like whistling, go ahead. Oh, no. That only wakes up the ghosts. You remember the location of the mausoleum? It's right along here someplace. Wait a minute. I think that's it right down there. Good. What are we looking for on this excursion, Chief? Proof that Miss Crawford did not die in 1931. What? What if she didn't die? Where is she? That's something Mr. Douglas may have to answer. What? You're thinking he knocked her off, Chief? I'm not sure. Oh, wait a minute. Hold on. I think this is it. Shine your flashlight on. Right. There you are. Ella Crawford. Yeah. Hey, look. Look here, Chief. Right next to her. That was right. Because here's the tomb of Robert Elliott. Yes, I see. He died on December 25th, 1931. Yeah. Well, what do we do now? I'm going into that mausoleum. Yeah. Huh? Yes, it's quite necessary that I do have it. Well, Chief, do you think it'll be OK? I mean, why don't you think we ought to get permission for a thing like this? Well, no, no. I'm afraid that might lead to complications. We'll just have to do it on our own responsibility. Yeah, yeah. All right. Well, how do you get into one of these places? Just open the gate, I imagine. There we are. Do you wait out here? Yeah, yeah. I mean, right. Yeah. If you get stuck, holler, Chief. I will. Yeah, shut up, you. Yeah, Chief? Come on in here. I want to show you something. I was afraid of that. What is it? There's the answer. Where? Oh, I get it. What do you know about that? Well, that's that, Chief. Come on, let's go. No. Well, let's wait here. Huh? I said, put your flashlight out. I want to wait here. Yeah, OK, OK. Yeah, I guess he's part of the franchise here. Yes. How much longer do we wait in here, Chief? Just a little while. I have an idea of something might happen. I guess maybe I was wrong. Yeah? Hey, hey, Chief, I just been thinking. Wait a minute. Huh? There's a car coming. Right. Somebody's getting out here. Yeah. You need some help, Mr. Douglas? Who's that? I'm a district attorney. Well, what are you doing here? I was going to ask you the same question. Well, I have come after Miss Crawford's grave. Yes, so we see. What's that you're carrying in your arms? Cover him with your gun. He's carrying the dead body of Ella Crawford. Sure, and he wants to put it in that empty casket we just looked at. Oh, I really, gentlemen. Never mind the alibi, Douglas. Come on with us. Well, ladies and gentlemen, the clever plan that Mr. Douglas had evolved to cover up the death of Ella Crawford failed. And he pained the full penalty for his crimes. Yeah, and for his swindling those old women out of their dough, don't forget that, Chief. What a mean guy. Yes, indeed he was. What made you first suspect Douglas, Chief? It was the identification card that Ella had given to her sister Marie. It was in Ella's handwriting, and it gave Douglas's address as the Spire Building. I recall that the Spire Building hadn't been erected until 1935, and I had this point confirmed. And that was four years after the supposed death of Ella Crawford. Yeah, how about that mausoleum, Chief? That had us fooled for a while. Well, Ella Crawford built that for herself when her husband died. In her own eccentric way, she believed that it was a harbor for her soul, the soul that she had lost when he passed away. As we know, she'd even gone so far as to have the date of her husband's death carved on her own tomb. Well, in her mind, she regarded it as the date of her own death. And that little eccentricity nearly enabled Douglas to get away with the murder of Miss Crawford, too. Yes, Miss Miller. Unfortunately, we were able to catch him, proving once again that the criminal never can win. Seeing her Douglas fellow was a pretty low character, huh? Can't you just see him as a little boy playing happily, pulling the wings off the flies? Well, Mr. District Attorney, more power to you, sir. Many thanks, and I hope you and your cast pay us another visit soon. Now, my friends, are you ready for our trip to the green room? Huh? To play us out rehearsing our next performance there, you know? Well, just come with me. Please. Come. Come, come. That sound like a rock. It's a little hollow. Dig it up, whatever it is. A skull. The Spears is right. This place must have been an old Indian burial ground. Well, please put it back. No, I'll keep it. A skull. Perhaps you'd better put it back. Oh, please, please bury it again, Mr. Cruz. It will bring bad luck to all of us. No, Spears. That's just a silly superstition. Well, what about the rest of the skeletons? Well, it doesn't seem to be one. No, just a skull. You bring it into the house, will you, Spears? Mr. Pan, I'd rather not. All right, I'll take it in myself. Don't either of you mention this to my brother, Arthur. He's terribly scared of things like this, and it's just gotten over. He's never spiked down. Carl, perhaps you should put the skull back. What do you see? You're not being taken in by this hokum about curses, are you? Come back. That sounded like my wife, Mary. She was cleaning the windows. She fell out of the window. Mary, Mary, Mary. Well, she's unconscious. Please do something. You must do something. I'm afraid there's nothing we can do, Spears. She hit her head against a rock. She's dead. How's Spears? He's quieted down. I can't understand it. There's only one rock underneath the window, and Mary hit that, that one rock. There isn't even a pebble around for yards. Well, don't go imagining things again, Arthur. Spears kept talking about a curse. Spears believes in pixies and gremlins, too, don't forget. Well, I feel rather funny about it all. Oh, Carl, maybe you'd better switch some more lamps on. This living room feels gloomy. Oh, let's cut this nonsense out. Wait. Do you hear anything? Oh. I don't. I think it's coming from the ceiling. What's coming from the ceiling? I don't hear... What is? It must be the beams. They sometimes do that from the heat. It's not the beams. It's too regular a sound. What room is directly above us? It's an old bedroom. We use it as a storeroom now. It hasn't been open in years. Something up there? Of course, there's a lot of old things. They're years back. Did you put the skull in the scoreboard? Yes, as I did. What are you two whispering of coming down the stairs? We'll take a look and settle this. So far... At your feet, Carl, the skull... How did it get down here? It came down the steps. It seems to be looking up at us. A skull? How did it get into the house? Carl found it while digging. Spears said it belongs to a million. Spears was right. There is a curse on the house. We'll all be killed. I'm leaving. I can't stand this. Skulls that come bouncing down the stairs. All by themselves. See, that's a little unusual, isn't it? Well, why don't you try to be on hand next time? When the innocent tomb's boy Raymond gives us the lowdown on some skull dug grave. This is Peter Lorre closing the doors of the mystery playhouse. Good night. Sleep tight. 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