 From Hollywood, it's time now for Edmund O'Brien as Johnny dollar, this is mr. Lavery at Washington life. Are you available for an assignment? Yes, I am a slavery fine You'll have to go to New Mexico little town near Gallup. That's all right. What's the case? We want to look into the death of a Merrill Kent It was generally accepted that his death was the result of an accident. He was buried a day before yesterday On that same day the police received information to the effect that he was murdered Well, this kind of thinking can be awkward. No, what's up? See I suppose Arranging one will be your first job. If the man was murdered we want to find out Edmund O'Brien in a transcribed adventure of the man with the action-pact expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator yours truly Johnny dollar Expense account submitted by a special investigator Johnny dollar to home office Washingtonian life insurance company Hartford, Connecticut The following is an accounting of expenditures during my investigation of the Merrill Kent matter Expense account I don't want a hundred and forty five dollars transportation via air train and finally rented car From Hartford to Fort Scott, New Mexico, which is a small village where the law is attended by a deputy sheriff named York After I checked into a hotel. I met him in his cubby hole of an office I don't know what to think about the darn thing get everything all settled and then some blame fool riles it up again Was it a local phone call local? Yeah. Yeah. Oh month ago I could have found out who made it just by asking the operator used to have their finger on everything in town But now we got a dial system now. I didn't recognize her voice because she was Tricking it up. What did she say? She called while the funeral was going on. Yeah, I understood that yeah She said something from the Bible and that she couldn't stay silent while the good man's body was being Submitted to the grave as she put it Then she said she wasn't sure enough to accuse anybody out in the open But that she thought mr. Tend had been murdered no more than that didn't she name anybody no no just hung up Isn't much to start from is it no You know, I knew Kent. He was a good horseman, but better ones have been killed the same way See the horse falls and the rider's foot slips through the stirrup then when the horse gets up He panics with this thing stuck there and dragging at him. He doesn't have to run a hundred yards the man's dead Well, Kent's horse must have run three miles. How do you know that now the way? He was blown when he got back to the ranch. He dragged Kent all the way home You know, but you don't know where it happened No, no Kent bit horses and was out all the time exercised them so it could have happened any place I just say the man had some hard luck He's dead and buried as far as I'm concerned. That should be the end of it Yeah, probably right the insurance company has a sizable investment to protect if they can They want to know top see so I guess we'll have to have one. How do you figure on working that out? I know the widow won't okay one and some survivor has to in this state. Have you talked to her about this? No, but she's been through enough as it is. Why should I want to open it up again? You'd think she'd want to know if her husband was murdered and she doesn't know anything about the phone call She doesn't I didn't think was worth telling her about I'm afraid you'll have to be told but I'll spare you the trouble small town like this. I know it's tough That's right. It is Who is the doctor that was called the the one that signed the death certificate his name's Snyder? Thanks, where's his office? It's in his house down on Elm Street second Street just past the hotel. I'll find it Thanks again sheriff. Sorry. I have to stir things up. I'll do it as quietly as I can Right then I didn't know how to figure the sheriff It was fairly obvious that he didn't approve of what I was doing the time being I charged it off to the fact that No law officer enjoys the possibility that a crime might have gone unpunished right under his nose Dr. Hugo Snyder shingle on a white fence identified the address on Elm Street the side door led to his office waiting room I was met there by a woman and a nurse's uniform. How do you do dr. Snyder? Yes, but he's busy at the moment. Do you have an appointment? No, I don't I'm not a patient. I Well here I have to talk to him about something else. Here's my card Insurance investigation that's right Mr. Donner, please don't think me an overly inquisitive nurse. I'm Mrs. Snyder. Oh That does make a difference. I want to talk to him about a death. He attended a little while ago. Mr. Merrill Kent Mr. Kent. Yes, the company that held his life policy sent me. Oh, I see They think an investigation is needed as a chance. Yes, that's what I wanted to talk to the doctor about If I can see him now He's in the x-ray lab. I'll see if he can come out Yes, what is it? There's a gentleman here to see you. It's about Merrill Kent. What about him? Well, I don't know dear. He's an investigator from an insurance company. All right, I'll be right out. Hope you'll excuse me for being curious. Surely. Is it a usual thing in cases like this to have an investigation? Not exactly. It probably should be but unless something about a case seems to call for looking into nothing is done Dr. Snyder, this is Mr. Donner Yes You're an insurance investigator, Mr. Donner. He has a rare thing in Ford's car. I take it. Here's his car, dear Yes, I I don't understand why you're here. What is it about Merrill Kent? Well, it could be I'm on a fool's air and Dr. Snyder wouldn't be the first one But the day of Kent's funeral, Sheriff York got a phone call from somebody who hinted that his death wasn't accidental Well, that's ridiculous. Of course it was accidental. He was dragged to death by a horse and the first people to see him Were his wife and her brother who notified you, right? That's right. Harris phoned me and I went right out Now you as a doctor realize that you can't diagnose a patient's condition without examining and same thing goes for this situation I say that because I want you to understand that the things I'm gonna bring up are only Possibilities of course the symptoms I work on How long did it take you to get to the Kent ranch after you were called? No more than 15 minutes and Kent was dead when you got there. Yes, and probably had been for some time Where was the body when you first saw it near the corral? Harris had brought blankets out. I don't know what hopes he must have had that Kent was alive But he put blankets on the ground and won over him Then his foot wasn't stuck in the stirrup when you got there No, no, Harris had freed him as soon as he quit and you couldn't swear that his foot had ever been in the stirrup. Could you Good lord, mr. Dollar. I wait a minute doctor, please please. These are only possibilities Did you see his boot marks must have been left on it? Did you examine his ankle must have been bruised or wrenched? Of course, I didn't I wasn't concerned with his ankle or his boot Well, did anyone look at them? Sheriff York wasn't called in at all, was he? No, because it was a clear case of accident What about his hands and his arms and his clothes must have been torn as shreds I didn't notice he was covered from his shoulders down as I remember Well, who would have noticed what about the undertaker the body was taken to Leesburg that same evening the winery mortuary It's about 15 miles north of here Well, that's your examination doctor, but you tell me about it very little was necessary He died as a result of severe multiple fractures of the skull And I don't suppose you could tell which of these fractures was the fatal one. No, of course not or which was the first one Of course, I couldn't then he could have been hit on the head by somebody and then dragged by the horse couldn't he I signed a certificate to the effect that his death was accidental I firmly believe that it was now nobody doubts your sincerity doctor But you'll have to admit that since somebody has mentioned murder there are some angles that could stand looking into I tell you there aren't But what do you propose to do? We're going to order a nautopsy can't add a sister living in seattle. She's on her way here in case we need her authority to get one I want to thank you both and I hope I won't have to bother you again. Good day, mr. Dollar Hi chef Now you get along sound to tell you yet, but the doctor's death certificate could be full of holes How do you figure that starting against him? But he had to admit the cause of death didn't have to be accidental He said that yeah, so I want to find out everything I can about kent before I see the widow Assuming the possibility of murder for a minute can can you think of anybody that could have done it? No, no, I can't think of anybody How'd they get along in town? Was he well liked? Well, he didn't have much to do with the town He was away a lot the horse shows and sales things like that. How long would he be away on these trips? Why never kept tabs on that no reason to you take mrs. Kent with him Most often he didn't I'd say she seemed to be here pretty steady Do you have any idea how they got along? I wouldn't know anything about that never heard one way or another Where is the kent ranch sheriff? Well, you turn to the left at brian store. It's out five and a half mile. Thanks Oh, um, mr. Dollar. Yeah I know you think I'm acting kind of strange about this and Well, I guess I am These people are my friends and you grow close together in a place this size. I told you I understood that I guess I don't want any of them to turn out to be a killer Have you remembered something that you want to tell me? No, no, it's nothing like that. I wouldn't lie to you But it seems like you've got it in your mind that maxine kent might have had something to do with her husband dying I didn't say that Everybody likes her mr. Dollar loves her I guess is more like it. She was born here Now if you're gonna make it rough on her I'd watch my step about you Thanks for the advice sheriff The way you seem to feel I wonder that you reported that phone call at all I'd have expected the layout to be like the village and the other answers I passed Oh and badly cared for But the residence was chalk white with a tired roof and long shaded verandas Around it the grounds were well groomed and behind it were a few low white outbuildings A woman I assumed to be the widow was standing at the edge of the drive as I pulled up She was strikingly beautiful in her mid 20s with cold black hair and eyes A kind of slim almost bearish figure they write about The complexion and color prepared by the sun I could see why the town felt the way they did about it. Well, mr. Dollar Yeah, I seem to have been preceded by my infamy my brother's in town. He phoned me that you were on your way out He didn't tell me where he'd learned it, but I only told one man chef york. That isn't important. It really isn't They're all doing what they think is right They think they're helping me But I can realize that all I've done is give you more and more reason for suspicion Isn't that true so fine? Yes Come up on the veranda where we can sit down Then you can tell me what to do soon Hi a cheer. This is fine I made up my mind that I Wouldn't go to pieces, but if I do you'll have to forgive me How do I order an autopsy when everything In the funeral All that's needed is your signature mrs. Cantona form that says you're authorized one. I will It's the right thing to do. I'll do it Is that all as far as I'm concerned? Yes, the rest of it will be up to the county They'll ask if you suspect anyone. I don't I don't suspect anyone. They'll ask who you suspect of calling the police, but I don't suspect anyone Then it'll be up to the county's jury Signers can't I don't know if you can understand that that because of the phone call? I couldn't do anything but press this Don't understand I don't understand any of it, but I'll do what's right Unless there's something else I wish you'd go now The way from the ranch I would have given my salary and a lot more if I could have skirted the village and kept right I'm going I still wish I had the insurance company. That's right. Right sheriff york He's over doc sniders just phoned and said if he showed up to get right over there. Why mr. Snyder killed herself She left a letter She said she was the one who made the phone call that started this whole thing He will return you to yours truly johnny doller in just a moment Gangbusters shouldn't have relatives that would seem to be the moral of the exciting gangbusters case tonight Hear the case of the talkative boy in which a crook is corralled through telling testimony Furnished to san francisco police by his young nephew Don't miss gangbusters with another action packed story based on police records tonight On most of these same cbs radio stations Now with our star edmund o'brien. We bring you the second act of yours truly johnny doller Sheriff york, what's the story? Well, the doctor was in the office and he called for mrs. Snyder She didn't answer and he came out to look for her. He found her in there in the parlor She was dead on the couch The note what else did it say except that she was the one that phoned you? It's there on the table There's something about there was nothing behind it, but the false suspicion wrecking her life beyond repair I don't know it was kind of wandering What kind of false suspicion her husband and mrs. Ken? Looks that way Come on. We're born in you can read it yourself Where's the doctor? She's in his room Alone? Through here. Yeah, that's the way you want it It's mighty busted up over Have you reported the county yet? I called him as soon as I got here. There's no manner on the way I covered her up She never seemed like a person to kill herself The note was addressed to a woman may concern I won't attempt to quote it The main idea was that she had been driven upon sheriff york by a blind suspicion of her husband's feelings towards maxine kent Then when she learned these suspicions were groundless She realized that there was no longer any chance for happiness The closing words begged her husband's forgiveness and swore to his innocence Sheriff york would rather not go with me, but he guessed it would be all right if I talked to the doctor Yes, things haven't cleared up very quickly, haven't they? Oh, scott has accomplished a great deal Suppose I was being too objective I meant the two lives have been ruined since you arrived The wives of my own You didn't mean that I wrote Oh, no, of course you did Circumstance Circumstance that should have been entirely harmless not even now Just understand me and not defend see no reason to anymore Those circumstances drove your wife to breaking the case open with you in the middle her own version of them I am in love with maxine kent Divorce my wife None of this would have had the meaning that it has now But one doesn't do things like that in a small town unless one is prepared to leave We weren't fine Doctor's money is nothing she had done But we were intelligent people we had control of our emotions So we talked and decided not to see each other again I admit I lied to my wife Not well, she suspected the truth When kent was killed I think she lost her mind with doubt You did say killed Yes, I mustn't forget that my motive is now public, isn't it? That part of her note will be remembered That she realized she was wrong isn't important, is it? That depends I itself this is a good story all of it But it falls to pieces when it's told by the doctor who signed merrill kent's death certificate Yes, I suppose it does but it's the truth if it is you can prove it Where were you the afternoon kent was killed? Sometimes you can't prove the truth. I was in the office working with my wife And why did she think you had killed him? Because she left for about an hour to shop What did you do during that time? I came here to this room Is there any way to prove that anyone see you? No And if you can't prove it, it's not the truth If you can it holds up better and caught You're convinced that I'm guilty, aren't you? All I can do is work with what's at hand if you are you'd better plead it If you aren't you better keep your fingers crossed for a quick confession from someone else Mr. Dollar tell me Has it been proved that he was murdered? The autopsy should be underway by tomorrow afternoon Kent's sister has arrived We don't need her. His widow is authorizing one Nice Anything more to say? No, no I don't think there's anything more to say He's from county headquarters arrived at 6 30 p.m. None of their owners, Dr. Snyder, was removed to the single cell of the Fort Scott jail He doesn't question that evening But the headquarters men quite pointedly had their doubts that his wife's death was due to suicide But I've given them everything I had I drove back to the Kent ranch This time I wasn't met by the beautiful widow Our man stood waiting for me at the edge of the driveway I saw your wife coming up the road I came to see Mrs. Kent She's not here Where is she? She had to go to Santa Fe I'm her brother, can I do anything for her? I don't need any help, thanks We'll have the Santa Fe police pick her up Wait a minute It's a pretty sudden trip to Santa Fe, wasn't it? No, she does this a couple of times a month It's not as close as Albuquerque, but she likes it better Your name, Dollar? How soon did she leave after Mrs. Snyder killed herself? I think it was before Couldn't have been, I was here Here with Maxine? You people ought to get your signal straight I told her that I was on my way out from town How come you didn't know it? Or didn't you really call? You're right, things got confusing I sure did Where's your sister? It's true, she's in Santa Fe I told her not to go because everything she did like that was making it look worse That's right Why'd she go? When she heard about the doc's wife, she flew apart Until then, she was sure Kent hadn't been murdered When that happened, she seemed to change her mind I guess we can charge it off to the old beat up, prerogative women as opposed to him I'll rain back to my hotel and get some sleep Wait just a second I want to tell you this Whatever happened, Maxine didn't have anything to do with it What did happen? I don't know, I'm no expert I was here when the horse dragged Kent in I took a split out of the stirrup and laid him down Maybe I should have waited until the governor came I don't know Anyway, you took him down To me, he was dragged to death But you say he might have been hit on the head by somebody I don't know Doc Snyder? I don't know Do you see him out here that afternoon? No As far as I'm concerned, he quit coming out a couple of weeks ago Before that, he kept after Maxine She told me that, then she made him stop How'd she stop him? She told him she couldn't divorce Kent You're trying to clear her, and that's natural I'd like to see the truth come out Well, let's work on that then When was the last time your sister and Snyder were together? A couple of weeks ago I didn't hear it, but I was here when she told me to stop That was the last time he came out Did she meet him anyplace? No, I'm sure of that I made up my business to find out where she went And who she saw She never met him Did he phone her? Yes, but it finally got to the point where I answered the phone That she wouldn't talk to Do you know if she ever phoned him? I don't think she did I don't know why she should What are you driving at? I want to find out if Snyder could have discovered That Kent was out riding that afternoon Maybe he could have found out where he was going And could have met him Well, my sister couldn't have told him Because she didn't know Sure, then She was in her room resting I'm the only one who knew where he was going Are you still protecting her? It's the truth I talked to him just before he left He was breaking this horse to shoot off of And he went out toward McNeil Canyon To find some jack rabbits They'd make better witnesses if they could talk I have to have your sister picked up How soon will that order go on? Why? I just thought she might get a hold of herself And come back tonight It'll be a break if you wait till morning She didn't ask for a break by leaving I'll think it over and check back with you Things moved slowly Mrs. Kent did come back on her own And signed for an autopsy I didn't see her By that evening Her husband's body had been exhumed And by noon the following day The coroner's report was out There was no actual post-mortem evidence of murder But the openings were still there Considering the circumstances There was no proof that it wasn't murder either The inquest verdict was the familiar Death by misadventure Or at the hands of personal persons Unknown Dr. Snyder and the body of his wife Were caught off to the county Seemed to more questioning and examination I spent the rest of the day with Sheriff York And a flock of volunteer citizens Going over everything we had from the beginning Again It was a long, hot afternoon After a shower and some food that evening I started back to the Kent Ranch Thought you'd be through with this Since Dr. Snyder was arrested Not quite, you sister here What do you want with it? I'm not far to her Forgive my apologies Apologies I have no society view With a brother with him Is she here? She's too upset to be bothered Thank you, Mrs. Kent Why'd you run out the other night, Mrs. Kent? I don't know And here goes what? I lost my head She came back to me, Chief I'm glad she did She had nothing to run away from What do you mean? Well, they're satisfied now That your husband's death was accidental Oh, you mean this, darling? I was with Sheriff Ewell To an outdoor McNeil canyon Found the spot where it happened Your husband fired a rifle, we found it His horse reared and fell The marks on the ground show that It was dragged from there There are traces of that, too It's over, it's over Expensive count item two, Miss Elenius $88.40 Item three, same as item one Transportation back to Hartland Expensive count total $378.40 Remarks I'm sorry about the happy ending The fact that everybody told the truth And that nobody was a criminal And that the insurance claim Is as good as New Mexico Road Yours truly Johnny Dollar Yours truly, Johnny Dollar Stars Edmund O'Brien in the title road And is written by Gil Doud With music by Wilbur Hatch Edmund O'Brien will soon be seen starring In the Tremont Pictures production Silver City Featured in tonight's cast were Ray Hartman Joseph Kearns, Jeanette Nolan Edgar Berrier, Virginia Gregg And High Everbank Yours truly, Johnny Dollar Is transcribed in Hollywood by Jaime Delvalle This is Clarence Cassell And inviting you to join us next week at this time When Edmund O'Brien returns As yours truly, Johnny Dollar This is Edmund O'Brien again I'd like to speak to you for a moment About one of the most important duties Of American citizens Today every American has an opportunity To share in our common defense effort And right now this opportunity Has become a duty for all of us Beyond forces of the United States Need blood, our blood The Korean campaign Has gravely depleted the supply on hand And this must be replenished If we are to afford our servicemen The protection they are giving us No matter what your age, sex Or a station in life You can contribute to American defense By donating a pint of your blood To the men of your army, navy, air force Or marines Call your local blood donor center Or Red Cross chapter today For an appointment Remember, your donation of blood May save the life of a wounded serviceman Give your blood today To save a life tomorrow I know that if you're looking for exciting Western adventure, you've come to the right Network. Every Saturday on CBS Radio Most of these same stations bring you The Gene Autry Show and Bill Boyd Is hop along Cassidy. Listen tonight Stay tuned now for the Vaughn Memorial Show which vaughn is immediately over Most of these same stations. Gene Autry every Saturday evening on The CBS Radio Network