 Tonight Columbia brings you as guest star Hollywood's genial character actor Stuart Irwin The story is by the author of The Thin Man and the Maltese Falcon, Dashiell Hammett One of America's acknowledged masters of the art of suspense Suspense is compounded of mystery and intrigue in dangerous adventure In this series a story is calculated to intrigue you To stir your nerves to offer you a precarious situation and then withhold the solution until the last possible moment Tonight for instance Stuart Irwin plays for us a pleasant easygoing assistant chief of police in a small town Who to everyone's surprise was instrumental in solving a murder We trust that with this tale we shall keep you in For suspense tonight CBS presents Stuart Irwin in Two Sharp Knives by Dashiell Hammett Shortly after 2 a.m. A poker game had just broken up at Ben Kamdoliz The Dr. Coroner of Dearwood City Scott Anderson, dearwood's chief of police and Wallace Shane his assistant were standing Where are we heading for Scott? It's well across street walling There's a station she aren't you afraid of the excitement chief Don't you think that watching the 211 come in as they have to be too much for your blood pressure? Well, it is one of you can always carry on. You've been a pretty good imitation of an assistant to me for some time now Yeah, yeah If anything happens to me, you'd be the chief. Don't worry. It won't be any harder for you to fool the public as chief Hi, I'm her. Howdy Scott Hello, Wally can't wait for you boys to be around in it. No, I don't know We sort of figured we'd put the town to bed tonight How's the 211 on time right on the nose if you ought to be blowing for the bend in just about three seconds now Yep, what'd I tell you? It's her now Expecting anyone owner Scott. No, I'm not expecting anyone Well, and I just thought we'd come over and watch it come in that's all you know I'll marry you never can tell who might get off though Dick Turpin and Henry Morgan Jesse James Dick Jack the Ripper six officers of murder incorporated or even your aunt Gussie. Yes, you're right, Wally There she be I gotta be rolling the wagon out to the baggage car Can't complain can't complain camp. Well, maybe you can tell me but I sure came if you hold us up with that freight there You got much more. Nope. This is the last piece now There you are kept all done. Okay. See you tomorrow Do you see what I see? I mean do I see the man who just got off that train answers? Yes. Well, he's a ringer for the guy We got a picture of that is the guy. Well, then what do we do now? We take him Wally my car is at the corner of the alley. I'm but scorn to tail him up the street Okay, Scott. There he goes now. We're toward the taxi stand. Come on. Let's follow him. Hello farman, huh? All right. I don't know. I'm not sure Yes, I am. Will it help you? Yes, I'm Scott Anderson chief. Please what? chief of What's happened to her happen to who? Oh? Wait a minute wait a minute Well, I am sorry for a moment there. I thought you weren't really a policeman. Thanks Nice to know I look almost human as it it was silly of me. I'm sorry Well, let's get going now before anything else happens. Okay for him and get in the car. I'll drive Scott Any oh I Give me two police headquarters. That's right. What for Philadelphia? I I don't think I understand you understand that you want it in Philadelphia for murder, don't you murder? Why that's ridiculous? That's Who told you that? Well, it's a cinch. He didn't make it up. But wait there must be I get easy now We will get out of headquarters And I'll show you what I mean Here's the circular on Lester Furman. It was sent out by the trans-america detective agency in Philadelphia. Take a look at it 1500 dollars reward for the arrest and conviction of Lester Furman alias Lloyd Fields alias JD carpenter for the For the murder of Paul Frank Dunlap in Philadelphia on December 8th, 1942 Well, it's a lie. Oh, yes, but that's your picture on the circular, isn't it? Yes. Yes, but I Got I see you and Wally got permanent. Oh, no, George. You're lucky stiffs Now you too split a grand and a half reward. I Never seen nothing like it. You know if it ain't vacations in New York at the city's expense, it's reward dough judge Someday if you don't remember you're the jail around here, not the DA You're gonna be wearing your teeth on the outside of your lips, and I'll be the guys who arrange in that way savvy Just cause you're caught a guy who's hot in Philadelphia. It's a lie. It's a frame-up. You can't prove anything. There's nothing to prove I never killed anybody. I won't be free. I won't be free I won't take it easy. You're wasting your breath on us save it for the Philadelphia police We're just holding you for them, but it's not the police. It's the trans-america detective. They turn you over to the Philadelphia police. Mr. Anderson, I I Well, then then there's nothing I can do now. There's nothing any of us can do it one morning You have to search you know, then we won't bother you anymore till they come for you. What are you look through his bag? I'll see what he's got in his pockets. Okay Now all he's got on them are some business cards few letters hundred and One hundred and sixty dollars a book of checks in the Philadelphia bank and few odds and ends What's with the bag? Well, I'm not much a couple of changes of clothes and toilet articles and here's a 38 Loaded pretty little thing. Isn't it? Okay, put those things what I got in the vault. All right, George You can take for an hour and lock them up. This is the most ridiculous Come on darling. Come on. We ain't had nobody in our little who's skull for three days runner Hey, yeah, they'll have it all to yourself just like a sweet of the rich what come on in your gold I'll tell you you do you're making a mistake. I demand to be allowed to get in touch with my lawyer Hey, how about you boys cutting me in on a little of that blood money, huh? No sure George sure I'll forget all about that two and a half. You've been on me for three months make permanent comfortable as you can George They could carry him. He's valuable, huh? Yeah, now who is some bomb that didn't mean a nickel to you George Any day now I'm gonna forget that your uncle is county chairman and throw you back in the gutter just to see how high he'll bounce Remember that oh Scott. I I didn't mean nothing. That's all George. Come on the rest I'm going home now Anything's urgent. I can reach there, but get this I don't want to be disturbed unless it is urgent What time is it? It's five after six in the morning and you'd better come right down Scott that fellow ferments hung himself What? Women home self. Yep by his belt from a window bar dead in a mackerel I'll be right in Molly home doc Kamsley and tell him I'll pick him up. I'm away down No doctor's gonna do for him in any good Scott. I don't want her to have him looked at you better phone the chronic court It's Douglasville to and file a routine report already did that once more hold on your seat The DA is on his way over in person the a I believe before you hang up Wally Ted Carol the DA is here, and he's plenty hot under the collar. What's he burning about? Oh, he's just mad running up quite a phone bill on us to been calling Philadelphia every couple of minutes since he got here What kept you so long? I couldn't get me cast out it. Let's go in and see the old buzzard Oh Ted listen Scott. What is all this? Oh, what there's some funny business going on here What's funny about it man hangs himself just another case of suicide sure it was suicide But I just telephoned friends America Dug a guy out of bed there, and he said they'd never sent out circulars on Furman didn't know about any murder He was wanted for all they could tell me about him was he used to be a client of theirs You know what say Ted? I don't either. No a fine chief of police. You are what on earth kept you so long Castor him as quick as I could Which is so grabby Ted nothing I guess it's just the district attorney You know now come come gentlemen. Nobody'd know you two are staunch admirers of each other Okay, Wally Tell me What do you make of it? Well, there's plenty wrong Scott first that trans America thing They never send out circulars about Furman and now get this I talked to the Philly police just before you came in there wasn't even any Paul Frank Dunlap murdered Wasn't no, what did you get out of Furman before you let him hang himself? And it was innocent didn't you grill him didn't you find out what he was doing in town Wally didn't you what floor? He admitted he was Furman the description fitted him the photograph was him the trans America detective agency It's supposed to be on the level ain't it Philadelphia wanted Furman. We didn't put sky short Ted If I'd I know he was gonna hang himself. Yeah, but then if your aunt wore pants he'd be her uncle You said Furman had been a client of trans America They tell you what the job they did form was his wife left him a couple of years ago And he had them hunting for her for five or six months, but they never found her They're sending a man up here tonight to look things over. Yeah. Yes Well, I'm going out and grab a quick bite, but I might as well tell you scant There's going to be trouble over this. I know that Ted He usually is when somebody dies in a jail So what's becoming that 1500 fish now Scott what happened there last night George? Nothing Furman hung himself. Did you find him? Uh-huh Wally took a look in here to see how things was before he went off-duty and he found you're asleep. I suppose Well, I was catching a nap I guess but everybody does that sometimes Scott Even Wally sometimes when he comes in office beat between rounds But I always wake up when the phone rings or anything. Oh sure Well, suppose I had been awake Can't hear a guy hanging himself. Can you and I can't really say how long from it had been dead He done it about five o'clock. He said he guessed. Oh, you want to look at the remains cut They're over at Fritz is undertaking Paula and now hey and speaking of farming What are you going to tell the guys from trans America when they show up here tonight? I mean come in they told me I find you here. You're a chief Anderson, aren't you? Yes, that's right I'm Carl Riesing assistant manager the trans-american detective agency in Philadelphia This is mr. Wheelock who was less deferment's personal attorney better know him Mr. Riesing. How do you do mr. Wheelock? How do you do? I know you gentlemen are already in possession of most of the details concerning mr. Furman from the time he arrived in dearwood until the time of his death But perhaps you don't know that the police are most stoned in our corner of the state have also received copies of this same reward circular Take a look at it. Oh I must say this circular is an excellent forgery. You're sure it's a forgery mr. Riesing. Oh, yes, there's no doubt about it, but it's an excellent forgery Tell me mr. Wheelock was mr. Furman a native Philadelphian. No, my yes He was a well-known respectable and prosperous citizen of Philadelphia I don't believe in 1934. He married a 22 year old girl named Ethel Brian daughter of a Philadelphia family And if I'm inside a child, isn't that right, Mr. Wheelock? Yes born in 1936, but the child lived only a few months Mr. Furman's wife disappeared after the child's death. What year was it that she disappeared mr. Riesing should remember that his agency worked on the matter. Oh, I remember it. Well, Mrs. Furman disappeared in 1937 we never heard anything of her again, although Furman spent a lot of money trying to locate her What did you look like Mr. Riesing? Oh in just a moment. I have a picture of her right here in my briefcase Here it is quite pretty isn't she? If you're careful that type. You see what you mean, Mr. Wheelock She's attractive as that Edging by this photo I'd say that she was a small featured Pretty blonde with a weak mouth and large so much staring eyes. That's an accurate enough description. All right If you don't mind I'd like to have a copy made of that photograph, Mr. Riesing. Oh, you can keep that one if you like It's one that we had made up the transamerica her descriptions on the back. Thanks Did Furman ever divorce her? No, sir He was a lot in love with her and he seemed to think that the child's dying made her a little screwy so that she didn't know What she was doing and that's right. Isn't it mr. Wheelock? That is my belief mr. Riesing You said Furman had money mr. Wheelock. Uh, but how much did he have? And who gets it? I should say his estate will amount to perhaps a half a million dollars left in its entirety to his wife It's quite a handy sum for anyone to have I'd say Mr. Wheelock Everything shows that somebody framed Furman into the day with jail that frame up drove him to suicide But there has to be something else A lot else Well then what are you going to do? I'm going across the street to the undertaking parlor and have a look at Furman. I'll see you later Hello doc Hi scott I figured you'd come over here to the undertaker pretty soon Send your mind doc Uh, let's uh get out of this crowd. I want to tell you something. I just got rid of two guys in my office Let's go back there suits me Two of those, uh bruises showed scott What bruises Furman well up under the hair. There were there were two bruises. Why didn't you tell me? I'm telling you now scott You weren't here while I made my examination This is the first time I've seen you since then Why didn't you spill the stuff about Furman's bruises when you were testifying at the end quest then? Uh, I'm a friend of yours Do I want to put you on a spot where people can say you drove this champ to suicide by third degreeing him too rough? Ah, you're nuts How bad was Furman's head? Well scott, uh, that didn't kill him. That's what you mean. Yeah, there's nothing to matter with his skull Just a couple of bruises nobody had noticed and unless they parted the hair Uh, thought you ought to know though Yeah Thanks Ben Yes, who is it? This is Fred's the undertaker listen scott. There's a couple of ladies over here that wanted to take a look at Furman. Is it all right? Who are they? I don't know them strangers What do they want to see him for I don't know Wait a minute, but I'd please see him Why do you want to see him? Well, I I'm His wife Furman's wife. Yes. Oh, oh, certainly. I'll be right over So long Ben. I've got to go back to the undertakers. So long scott What do you want Wally? I want to talk to you a minute over here where we won't be seen Okay, what is it a couple of dames came in the fritz's undertaking place just as I was leaving One of them's hot char randall a babe with a record as long as your arm She's one of that mob you had me working on in new york last summer. She know you sure but not by my right name She thinks I'm a detroit rum runner. I mean did she recognize you just now? I don't think she saw me Anyway, she didn't give me a tumble. You don't know the other one. No, she's a blonde kind of pretty Okay, Wally. Stick around a while but stay out of sight Maybe I'll be bringing these dolls back with me. Whatever you say chief All day last scott. I wondered when you were coming This is mrs. Furman and this is mrs. Crowder. How do you do? Hi, chief They just saw the body mrs. Crowder. I thought your name was randall. What do you care chief? I'm not hurting your town any Don't call me chief. You city slickers. I'm the town whittler. Thank you for letting me see him It's all right mrs. Furman But I'll have to ask you and your friends some questions So if you'll just come across the street to headquarters, we'll get on with the routine If I ask any questions, I want to tell you something mrs. Furman Your husband didn't commit suicide. He was murdered murdered. All right chief We got alibis. We were in new york and we can prove it and you're likely to get a chance to What brought you down here anyway Well, who's got a better right to come down here? She was still his wife, wasn't she? She's got a right to look out for her own interests, hasn't she? Uh, it reminds me of something. Uh, excuse me a second. I've got to make a phone call the next room This is scott. Yes Is walley around? He said you told him to keep out of sight. I'll find him for you though Right. Tell walley I want him to go to new york tonight. Send mason home to get some sleep He'll have to take over walley's night trick. Oh, mr. Anderson Mr. Anderson, do you think I had had anything to do with lester's With his death? I don't know mrs. Furman I know he was killed I also know he left you something like half a million. Wow dollars Dollars. All right, chief Let's stop clowning the kid here didn't have a thing to do with whatever you think happened No, no We read about lester furman committing suicide in yesterday morning's paper And about there being something funny about it and I persuaded her she ought to come down to deal with mason I wouldn't have done anything to hurt lester I left him because I wanted to leave him I wouldn't have done anything to hurt him for for money or anything else Had I wanted money from him, I would only have had to ask him for it. That's the truth chief See years. I've been telling her for she was a chump not to tap him But she never would I wouldn't have hurt him. Why'd you leave me? Oh, I don't know how to say it The way we lived wasn't the way I wanted to live I wanted Oh, I don't know what Anyway after the baby died I I couldn't stand it anymore Excuse me Hello Oh, yeah hammer Hmm You gave Wally the message Yes, yes, I want him to go to new york tonight Okay, where is he home He is home, huh? Okay, thanks This is uh foreman At this circular that's got your husband in the jail Did you ever see that picture before no Well, that's what can't be it's a snapshot. I have it's an enlargement of it Who else is one? Nobody that I know of I don't think anyone else could have one you still got yours Yes, don't remember whether I've seen it recently With some old papers and things I must have it. Oh, Mrs. Farman. It's stuff like that. That's got to be checked up Neither of us can dodge it Now there's two ways we can play it. Yes Mrs. Farman I can hold you here on suspicion until I have a time to investigate things Or I can send one of our men with you to check up in new york Yes If you're willing to do that if you'll speed things up by helping them all you can If you'll promise you won't try any tricks. I promise. I'm as anxious as I can All right, all right How'd you come down? We drove down. We got a great big car. That's my car. See that big green job across the street Yeah My man can ride back with you, but No funny business. Oh, I don't worry chief Come on. We're gonna see what a shame the man is gonna drive to new york with you Scott buddy Ladies first Ethel now you don't know you don't all you was reaching with that gun molly Already got you covered I guess you win scott. Yeah, I guess I do Coming on back to that cause would be like good little boy molly You're under arrest for murder Scott the minute I saw those two dames going into fritz's Then when I was ducking out of sight I ran into you and I was afraid you'd take me over there with you So I had to tell you one of them knew me figured you'd want to keep me undercover for a little while anyhow Long enough for me to get out of town Why didn't you get out molly? Well, I dropped in home to pick up a couple of things before I scram and that phone call of hamels catches me and And I fall for it You see scott. I figured you're not on to me yet and they're gonna send me back to new york to see What dope I can get out of the dames Well, you fooled me brother And I thought you'd fall for that Then you didn't just stumble into all this accidentally, did you? No, I didn't molly I figured famine had to be murdered by a copper To no reward circular as well enough to make a good job of forging one Incidentally Well printed that permit circular for you molly. I'm not dragging anyone in with me. There's only a poor mug that needed dough Okay, molly You see, I knew only a copper would be sure enough of the routine to know how things would be handled Only one of my coppers would be able to walk in a firm and sell Bang them across their head and string them up on the Those bruises showed you know, they did I guess I should have wrapped two towels around that blackjack No, jeez scott. I seem to have slipped up on a lot of things So that narrows it down to my coppers and Well, you told me you knew the randle woman There it was I figured you were working with him I thought you liked this quality Same thing that gets most saps into jams again for easy dough And I was in new york see scott working that dutton job for you Pallin around with big shot racketeers passing for one of them and yes Well, I got to figuring that my work takes more brains than theirs and they're taking in big money And I'm working for coughing cakes that kind of stuff gets you scott Anyway, it got me Then I ran into this ethyl firman and she goes for me like a house of fire I liked her too. See so that's dandy But one night she tells me about how much door husband's got and how he feels about her and I get to thinking thinking why I think she's nuts enough about me to marry me So I get to think and suppose he died and left her his role Mm-hmm. I see so I run down to Philly a couple of afternoons and look firmin up and everything looks fine I took my time working out the details meanwhile writing to her through a fella in detroit Go on finish one Well, I decided to do it. I sent those circulars out to a lot of places not wanting to point too much to this one And then when I was ready I phoned firman telling him to come to dearwood hotel that night and sometime before the next night He'd hear from his wife Ethel. I knew he'd fall for any trap that was baited with her Only I guess I'm not as sharp as I thought I was scott Maybe uh, Wally Maybe uh That doesn't always help Old man camsley ben's father used to have a saying To a sharp knife Comes a tough steak Well Sorry you did it Wally I always liked you I know you did scott. I was counting on that So ends dashel hammits two sharp knives starings to a rowan tonight's story of suspense columbia presents these tales of mystery and intrigue and dangerous adventure for your relaxation and enjoyment Next week suspense will not be heard because of a special holiday broadcast columbia's review of the events of the year 12 crowded months Which has been scheduled On the following tuesday january 5th, there'll be another in this series same hour 9 30 eastern wartime William spear the producer john deets the director and benard herman the composer conductor our collaborators on suspense This is the columbia broadcasting system