 Blair of the Mounties We present episode 32 in the dramatic series Blair of the Mounties Although the character names in the following story are entirely fictional the story itself is largely founded on historical fact the story of long-delayed justice Officially it is one of the few cases in which Inspector Blair failed to bring the author of a crime to justice And yet strangely enough a case in which the final outcome brought him no regret We present to you the disappearance of Alexander Pressman You came up very quietly no haven't had a strike for the last hour Sun's getting too bright. I think I'll call it off leaving. Yes. I don't think you'll get very much till the sun drops a bit That's why he came along. I want to have a talk need Let's sit here in the shade a while. Good. I suppose you want to talk about this pressman mystery So you guessed the real reason for my invitation. He's not a very difficult thing to get stuck there Prominent man disappears on the very strange circumstances. I get a sudden invitation for a week's fishing From a man I never met. It's fairly obvious. Yes, I suppose you're right As a matter of fact, I rather expected you to see through this scheme of man Well, let's discuss the business question. Do I understand you wish me to act for you in this investigation? Yes That was my idea apart from the fact that you were mr. Pressman's physician. What is your connection with him? Well, that's a fair question. I'm his executor in case of death. I see now The first thing is will you undertake this job certainly as we glad to do so excellent Yes, now the case, you know the facts. I believe so Mr. Pressman was a wealthy man rather eccentric. He lived in fear of an attack on his life I understand. Yes, that is correct. Yes, he disappeared suddenly in broad daylight three weeks ago Since then not the slightest trace of him has been found by the police Roughly speaking, that's all I know doctor. You have the main facts, but of course there are important details known to me No doubt now a question or two doctor What do you know of mr. Pressman's early life he started life as a poor boy in New York From there he went west Made money up in the Klondike. Hmm. Now that's interesting All right, go on doctor from there. He went to California made a lot of money His reputation was not a good one But he was very successful Five years ago. He retired and came to England. All right now these threats against his life. Know anything about them that early Yes Pressman was the or if he's still alive. I should say is a very peculiar type. I don't think he had a real friend in the world There was a strain of cruelty in his nature. I believe he delighted in other people's misery. Hmm. I saw the chap Yes As regards his fear of enemies he received a number of threatening letters It started after his wife's death and arrived regularly every month The local police have the letters anything special about them They are composed of words clipped from newspapers Strangest thing about them was that they all mentioned a June 21st the date of his marriage and also the exact date of his Disappearance that's queer now the details of this disappearance. It was about three o'clock in the afternoon Pressman had a suite of rooms overlooking the park and the second floor of his house The room has large French windows which open onto a stone balcony. How large is the balcony runs the full width of these private apartments? It's the only place. Pressman ventured out to take access. I anybody with him at the time of his disappearance Not precisely There was a man on guard in the passage outside the door of his suite and another out on the balcony with pressin You're pretty well guarded. Yes The disappearance is rather dramatic Pressman had gone out onto the balcony He was chatting with his personal guard when the alarm bell rang inside the private apartments The guard rushed into the apartments and found nothing there when he got back to the terrace Pressman had disappeared That's the whole story Inspector Blair. Not a trace of him since that moment you say not the slightest Very pretty case doc. Hey now. How about looking over the house? I can arrange that whenever you wish. Sooner or better. How about this afternoon? Certainly. I'll telephone to Lang with the pressman's private secretary He'd be glad to show you around. Good. You'll come along of course. Well If you think it necessary. I'd much prefer it doctor. Very well. Then suppose we run over to my house for lunch And I'll drive you out to stony Haven afterwards. That do? Excellent. Come along with me. Oh, there's Lang. Good afternoon gentlemen. Lang. I want you to meet my friend Inspector Blair How are you Lang? How do you do Inspector? What's this? A professional visit? How do you mean? Am I employed to inquire into the disappearance of Mr. Pressman? Well, since you put it so plainly. Yes, that's what I meant. No, I'm just a detective on vacation Interested of course in such an unusual disappearance. It certainly was unusual. Want to look around? Yes, you don't mind I suppose that's the balcony on there that you spoke of doc. Yes, that's it No way to get to it except through the private room. None. Whatever. It's a 30-foot drop. There were people working in the ground Gardeners and so on. I see Can I have a look at that? Well at those rooms. Well sure thing Right this way. Thanks This way inspector. You see the window leads directly out to the terrace. I see how about this alarm that went off just before the Disappearance was that accounted for? Well, no, it was quite a puzzle the rooms are wired The alarm went off a couple of times before by accident But the puzzle is why did it sound just at that particular time? It was checked of course Yes, police checked it over nothing wrong with it just went off That's all and within a minute of that alarm sounding. Mr. Pestman was gone within a few seconds I should say Simmons the man on guard hardly waited a moment inside make sure that there was nothing wrong And he rushed back the chief had disappeared There are three dimensions here, of course a man would have to go somewhere Either down over the balcony out through the rooms or up on the roof and all three equally impossible two of them Yes, but how about that roof? That was nearly the first thing that we thought of what it couldn't be There were workmen on the roof mending the bricks in the chimney with Tim me well You can see the top of it here. They're big one over there to the left. Oh, yes Yes, I see the new bricks. Yes, they acted according to instructions whose instruction boy. Mr. Pressman's the chimney was dangerous. He wanted it very strongly reinforced. I see What's on the other side of this house? Nothing but the cliff a shared drop of over a hundred feet to the sea And he beats the foot of the clips and practically none There's no chance for anyone to get up the cliff. Mr. Pressman liked the place for that reason votes hardly ever come in there No That's a mystery sure enough and the police never got a single clue not a thing Anything else you'd like to see? No after all it's no business of mine. I'm afraid I was rather inquisitive Matter of habit, I suppose. Oh, that's all right. Yeah, come and see us again sometime. Thanks Well, okay, let's get along all right. Bye Lang Goodbye, Inspector. Goodbye. Good. Bye. Goodbye Well Blair, did you see anything interesting? No, can't say I did although I'm interested in that fellow Lang I rather like him. Yes, he's not the kind of man. You'd suspect of any crooked work. Oh, no He's not the criminal type But he strikes me as the sort of man who pays debts. Oh, oh, yes, yes Lang's a very honorable sort of chap. What next inspector? I think I'll get you to run me back to tell I want to go up to London to London. Yeah, all the sudden decision isn't it? Yes I'll be back probably tomorrow I wanted to things connected with the story who told me a pressman's life, but I'd like to check up, right? Then we will get along Inspector Blair. Ah, good evening, Lang. Very good of you to come. Dr. Sherwood is dining with me, too Hmm, that's all good. Yes, he'll be here later. I Asked you to come half an hour early because I want to have a little talk with you. Why oh, yes Certainly, it's about the pressman case. Oh Still interested in that disappearance. Yes still interested, but my interest in the case is nearly over It's going to end in about half an hour. What? I never mind that Lang you're a Canadian, aren't you? Eh? Yes Strictly speaking I am although I was brought up in the state. I thought so you were born in the Dawson City in 1900 why? Well, what of it? Nothing I Remember the day well a Bitter cold day in spring ice just starting to move in the Yukon River you You were there. Yes. I was there. I Knew your father well He was a good friend of mine But his name wasn't laying she here inspector. I Don't know what you're after but better sit still Lang. I Mean, you know harm This is a public place You better listen to what I have to say All right Your father had a partner named pressman He had a bad name in Dawson. I'll say he had your father was killed in a slide on the old Cinderella claims They never found his body Pressman was blamed but there was no evidence against him none that would hold in court That's right, but he was guilty just the same. Yes. I think so, too. You do I Don't understand What is it you want not what you think? But I'd just like to tell you an instinct theory well go ahead this man pressman double-crossed every partner you ever had Three men in particular your father and two others each of these men had a son These three boys were close friends. There was you John Leeson and Clyde must grow that's right What held these three together was a sort of a pact they formed in childhood That's some day they'd pay the family debt to pressmen. That's a guess isn't it well call it a guess Leeson as a contracting engineer must grow was an architect both of these men were in London just before the pressman Disappearance and you were down here. Isn't that so so far? It's all quite true good Now let's come to the day of pressman's disappearance. There are two workmen on the roof Pretty good workmen to one an engineer the other an architect Pressman was particular Wanted good men on those repairs That's what you got for him. You can't prove that no just a guess The alarm went off in pressman's room. That was easy the guard rushed inside and a noose Dr. With pressman's head from above. Oh, what's the use of going any further inspector? Hold on now, young fellow Don't be impatient. I'm just in the middle of my theory Pressman was jerked up over the roof in a matter of seconds There was a block and tackle rigged on the chimney They swung him out over the other side and dropped him over the cliff What do you expect me to say nothing? I'm anxious over one little point though. What's that? You see for a perfect crime the body has to be disposed of properly Now if it was picked up later and dropped into deep water with weights attached I should feel that it was a perfect job and that our friend pressman would never be found Don't worry good One likes to be sure of these little matters. Well, here's our friend dr. Sherwood No, you're just in time and by the way dr. Lang and I have been going over the details of the disappearance. I've come to a definite conclusion And that is that mr. Pressman will never be found Well, glad to have your opinion inspector you have listened to another episode in Blair of the mountains