 Mr. District Attorney, starring David Bryan, Mr. District Attorney, champion of the people, defender of truth, guardian of our fundamental rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And it shall be my duty as District Attorney, not only to prosecute to the limit of the law all persons accused of crimes perpetrated within this county. But to defend with equal vigor the rights and privileges of all its citizens. This is David Bryan. In a moment we'll bring you another case from the files of Mr. District Attorney, the first a word from our sponsor. And now here is our star, David Bryan, as Paul Garrett, Mr. District Attorney. A District Attorney is not only a prosecutor, he's an educator. It's part of the job to teach citizens that small crimes can lead to big ones. And even the seemingly insignificant laws have their purpose. Like the law against hitchhiking. This story starts with a hitchhiker. I wish it had ended there. A ride? Yeah. All right, come on, hop in. Like I saw you on the highway this time of the night. Deadman City? Yeah. The farm truck dropped me back there by the turn off. How far do we have to go? Oh, about 20 miles. You're a stranger around here? Uh-huh. Salt Lake City? Salesman. What kind of business? Salt. Oh, I'm tired. I'm driving all day. Nice car. Thanks. You must have a pretty good job. Good money. Taxes, wife and a couple of kids, money doesn't go very far. Ain't that bad, though. I know the roads around here. Oh? If you're tired, I can drive. Would you mind? No. Pull up. Yeah, I'll slide over. You get out and come on around. No. You get out. Just as easy for it. What's that? Just what it looks like, a gun. I need money, mister, and you've got it. Boy, you little punk. Put that thing away and get out of the car or I'll slap you right in the face. Can you hear me? Yeah. I heard you. Oh. Oh. Oh. I heard you. Hero. And he sits right without you. All right. About 11 miles out in the state highway. Must have been dumped out of a car. Shot five times. One through the neck or through the chest. Large caliber, too. Forty-fives. Any identification on him? No, not a thing, chief. Whoever killed him, we moved all his clothes except shorts and necktie. And a pack of cigarettes that were in the shed pocket. It's all right there at the table. A laundry mark on the shirt might help. Medical examiner, say how long he's been dead? It's three or four o'clock this morning. And these cigarettes were there on him? Yeah. Why the hell did he? They might. Look at this. State of Utah text stamp. Oh. What do you get from that? Utah's a long way from here. It isn't likely that one pack of cigarettes could have lasted the entire trip. It's more probable that this pack is part of a carton he had with him. You mean he might have lived in Utah? Have photo stats made of that laundry mark. Get it off on a wire photo to all Utah law enforcement agencies. How about photos of the body, too, for identification? Yeah. You don't think he could have been on the road, do you? Walk him or hitchhike him? No, I don't think so. That shirt and tire are too good. It's too new for a hobo. District attorney's office. Mr. Garrett, Ms. Miller. Yes, Mr. Garrett. I want you to call the police lab and have them send a photographer to the Moire Groom of the receiving hospital at once. Moire Groom, yes, sir. Also notify the highway patrol, the county sheriff's office, and all city police units to be on the lookout for all cars bearing Utah license plates. Interview the drivers, check the cars for firearms. I understand, Mr. Garrett. I'm on my way back to the office now. Are you looking for a Utah car on the basis of that tax stand? He might have been in his own car. I figure this man was murdered by a traveling companion or a hitchhiker. Must have been a fool to pick up a hitchhiker, especially at night. Yes, a fool. The trouble with fools is most of them are nice people. And I don't like to see them murdered. Well, if the killer did take that car, you might be out of the county with it by now, out of the state either. Had lots of time for a good head start. Just the same, the murder was committed here. I don't care where we have to go to find them, so long as we do find them and bring them back. Is that all you're going to eat, sir? I ain't hungry, I tell you ma. Do the feed you good and everything, ma'am? Yeah. Yeah, everything's fine. How long are they going to let you stay home? Is it a furlough? Is that what they call it? Yeah, but it's just for a day or two. Oh, I don't like the way you're looking. It's a thin, nervous... Ma, will you leave me alone? When's Pop coming home? He'll be here for lunch in a minute. I'll be worried about you, Lanny. So do I. I'm weighing the army. Never write. Oh, will you can it? I'm not a baby, I'm 23 years old. If you can't be nice to me, at least be nice to him when he gets in. He's not the young man anymore, and he works hard. In that railroad tower, he sleeps half the time. I don't know why he didn't wear your uniform home. It would have been nice for the neighbors to see. I don't want to watch the neighbors down my neck. I don't even want them to know I'm here. All right, Lanny. What's that? That must be him now, putting the car in the garage. Ma, look. Let me see him alone. What? You said he'd be surprised. Well, let me surprise him. Go upstairs or something. All right. Let me be nice to him, Lanny. Okay, okay, but go upstairs. Me? I'm home. Me? Hello. It's you. Yeah, it's me. The soldier boy. What do you mean? Where's your mother? You know what I mean. She doesn't, but I do. I got the letter from the army. Dissert her. Are you crazy? Not crazy enough not to get out when I got fed up. Just like that. I'm sick of having nothing. What do I get out of it anyway? He was learning a good trade. Sure, to be stuck in some rotten job all my life. Like you in that railroad tower. It's like a jail. Except you can come and go when you want to. There are easier ways to make a living. Look, Pop. I didn't come home to argue with you. I brought you a present. Some smokes. Almost two cartons. Thanks. Why did your mother go up? Is she crying? No. No, I just wanted to see you alone. What did you come for? Money? No, I got a couple of hundred dollars. I've been working around. What do you want, Lenny? Well, with the army and everything after me, I thought you might help me out. I've been thinking of going to Mexico. Maybe get a freight out of here. One going close to the border. It ain't only the army, is it, Lenny? You're in some other kind of trouble. No, no, that's all. Pop, you can help me. Put me in a boxcar. You know where they go. Why don't you go back and turn yourself in? Maybe if you went back on your own. I can't. They got an informer, Pop. They always push me around. You gonna help me or do you want them to find me and lock me up? I'll help you. But not for your sake. If it wasn't for your mother, I'd let them take you. I'd send for them to come and get you. One, can I get a train? There's a hot-shot freight tomorrow morning. Leaves at 3 a.m. I can't stay around home until then. Look, I'll go down to the yards and wait. Those hot-shots don't stop. It'll be four days. The cars will be sealed. You'll need food. Mark can fix something for me to take. You can bring it to the yards tonight. Yeah, all right. You remember the old spur near the tower? Yeah. A couple of old boxes and flats there. I'll meet you there tonight, around 12. Thanks, Pop. Thanks. Wait a minute. You leave this house without saying goodbye to your mother and I'll do what I should have done years ago. Now, get upstairs. Go ahead. Get upstairs and break her heart again. Telechive from Salt Lake City Chief of Police. The murdered man's name was Roger Bradley, traveling salesman for the White Desert Salt Company. Is the identification positive? Yes. Pictures, laundry marks, everything. Police there traced the laundry mark. Bradley's wife made the final identification from the wire photos. All right. Yeah, two children, too. Any left there alone? Driving his own car. And that's the one we're looking for. It's almost brand new. We bought it three months ago. Here's an eight license number by sound color. Hello, Chief. Hello, Harrington. We just got a report. Hasn't the highway patrol or the sheriff's office got anything on a Utah car yet? Nope. Only three they found so far with family groups. There's one other thing on this report, Mr. Garrett. A list of all the clothing the victim was carrying on this trip. It's a pretty complete description. Yeah, Harrington. Let's take this list and call them every pawn shop and secondhand store in town. See if any of it's been sold or pawned today. We need a description to go on. I can't understand why nobody's seen the car, though. Yeah. The killer of the car, probably 500 miles from here by now, couldn't sell it safely. He just took it to Rugwood. The surrounding states have all been alerted. He must have gotten frightened. Bits it someplace. Ms. Miller. Yes, sir. I want a more thorough search of the rural areas out of town. Side roads, gullies, any place where an abandoned car might be hidden. How many of you come with me? Well, where are we going? Secondhand stores on Skid Row. We'll check some of them ourselves. Well, why secondhand stores instead of pawn shops? Because I don't think our killer wanted to sign a pawn ticket. Not with the kind of merchandise he's selling. Mr. Garrett. Yes, I see. Where? Well, I'll tell him how to weigh things. What was it, Ms. Miller? Radio division. The patrol car called in. They think they found the car he was looking for. Where? The abandoned road under an old railroad treacle. The car, have you told our license plates? They don't know. Oh, the killer might have stripped the place to avoid identification. Get a fingerprint crew out there. That won't do any good, Mr. Garrett. That's why they can't even tell about the plates. Why can't they tell? Because what they found is all black and isn't too hot to touch yet. The car has been burned. A brand new car. Why would he do a thing like that? To destroy evidence and cover his trail. Well, there's one thing he won't destroy, and that's the thing I want most. What? The killer himself. This is David Bryan. Before we continue with Mr. District Attorney, in the case of the murderous hitchhiker, here's an important message I'd like you to hear. And now, back to David Bryan, starring as Paul Garrett. Mr. District Attorney. A salesman had been murdered. His clothing stolen. His car burned almost beyond recognition. Our killer figured to be a hitchhiker. But who was he? Where was he from? Where was he running to? Harrington and I tried to find the answers in the second-hand clothing stores along Skid Row. By late afternoon, we had checked more than a dozen places with no results. There's a couple of stores in this block, chief. Down by the Mission House. That's the first one. Right. Chowhounds winding up early. They always do down here. That overruns the Mission Service. Pretty good food out here. Yeah. He's helped a lot of Joes over the roof spots. Let's get going on the stores. Yeah. They try to keep Chowhounds first. Wait a minute. Look at that, Harrington. I don't know why. A place across the street. A bizarre. Oh, the guy dressing the window. The city's hanging. Gray herringbone. Hey, that fits one of the suits on the list. Let's get a closer look at it. That's it, all right, chief. I hope that label hasn't been removed. In return, a minute, gents. Be with us now. Come on out of the window and bring that herringbone with you. Ah, sure. Now, gents, this is a real good suit. Be perfect on one of you, gents. Yeah. Feel that. This suit cost over a hundred bucks, no. But you have it for 25. Get the label, Harrington. Let's have it, mister. Nobody'd ever know it wasn't new. If it needs alteration... Here it is, chief. Yeah. Emporium men's shop's not like city Utah. Where'd you get this suit? I bought it. Where else would I get it? The guy brought it in this morning. You know who he was? I don't know nothing, mister. You come in here to buy a suit, and you... Hey, what's the matter? Utah law? I'm the district attorney. Oh, this is hot. Burning. Now, what do they look like? Little guy, about five-seven skinny, 130 pounds, maybe. How is his haircut? What color? Hair. It's kind of dirty blonde. Brown, I guess. Eyes were blue, maybe. You buy anything else from him? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Show me this wallet for a buck. Yeah. Yeah, take everything. Making a total loss. Yeah. Identification cards and everything, chief. Did you take anything out of here? No, no, I just shoved it in my pocket. A man we're after must have emptied the manhunt. If he removed the identification cards from those plastic cases, he might have left some fingerprints. Yeah. We'll take everything into the lab. Hey, look. Look, how about me? Can't you help me get my door back? Give me some kind of a tip on what to do? I'll give you a tip. If I ever have to come in here again, you'd better know who you bought things from and who they belong to. He's on the phone to Salt Lake City. There, they just hung up. Is that the lab report he's been waiting for? Yeah. Mr. Gareth? Yes? Harrington's here with the lab report. Be right out. Chief will be pleased, Harrington. There were prints on those plastic card holders in the wallet all right? Most of them were Bradley's own prints. But there was one clear left thumb impression that wasn't. Any chance of identifying it? It's already been identified by wire photo through Washington. It matches the left thumb print of an army deserter named Lenny Trevor. And the physical description checks perfectly. What's his home state? Came from right here in the city. Lived with his father and mother at 1137 North Kilburn Street. That's in the 9th precinct. Well, who did you belong to? Us or the army? We can decide that when we get him. Ms. Miller? Yes, sir? Notify military police. If they're interested, they can send a squad along. We'll meet them at the 9th precinct in 20 minutes. He'd be able to use these things with no place to warm them up. You'll have to eat them cold, that's all. You got a little money, Jess? You've got to go, eh? Couldn't we give him train fare? He's got money. Heaven only knows where he got it. He's got it. Why is he going like this? He's in some kind of trouble, me. It's more than the army. What? I don't know. And I don't want to know. If I did, I might turn him in. He's your own flesh and blood. Don't worry, I won't do anything to hurt him. He'll always manage to hurt himself. Those eggs boiled yet? See, that'll be done. Oh, boiled. I'll get him that way. He can't have him poached in a freight car. Jess, who could that be? I don't know. You'd better go. What do you want? Just a good turning. You'd better let me in, ma'am. I've got a warrant. Warrant for who? Lenny Tripper. He isn't here. You mind if I come in to make sure? Let him in, ma'am. What? That's only my assistant at the back door, Mrs. Tripper. You mind letting him in, too? Better do it, ma'am. There's nothing out back, chief. Where's your son, Mr. Tripper? We don't know. We haven't seen him in years since he joined the army. About in the last two months, since he deserted from the army. You know about that. You've had a letter of notification. Is this your cap, Mr. Tripper? Yeah. Railroad, huh? Towerman. Give me a smoke, will you, ma'am? You both seem like good people. If you want to help your son, you can start by helping us. If you want to know, he's in Mexico. He's been there for more than a month. Mexico. Thanks. Where did you get these cigarettes? Where would I get them? I bought them. Not in this city, you didn't. Not with the state of Utah tax stamp on the package. These cigarettes were stolen from a man who was murdered less than 24 hours ago. Oh, no. Yes, murdered. Shot five times. A man with a wife and two children. Chief. Here, look at this. All kinds of food. Box full of it. Doesn't boil eggs on the stove there, too. Mm-hmm. All right, Mr. Tripper, where is he? MPs have the house surrounded. He can't get out. He's not here. Tear the place apart. You won't find him. Where would I find him? Down at the railroad yard? No. No, we... We don't know where he is. What's all that food for then? Where are you going to take it if you don't know where he is? Food isn't for him. Maybe not. But your husband works on the railroad, and your son is running away. They don't have dining cars on freight trains, do they? We told you all we know. Now leave us alone! Your boy has wanted for murder. The best thing you can do for him is to take us to him and ask him to surrender. We didn't know about the murder. I didn't even know the army was after him. You just don't mean today. Come on, all right. We'll find him ourselves. Those yards are big, Chief. We ought to hold a father. He could get to him and tip him off. No, that's why we're not holding him. You call the MPs. Ride with him. Bruise around the block after me and stop her on the corner. I see. You go let the old man lead us to him. Yes. They're all after me like we're going someplace. The trip is watching us from the window. Right. Oh, Lenny. We know about every rotten thing. I wish he was dead. It wasn't for your mother. Please, Pop. This is no time to pick on me. Pick on you? Oh, sure. Pop, you've got to help me. I never want to see you again. It's a great make-up. It'll get you as far as Chicago. It pulls out in ten minutes. Chicago's the police. No. They'll be combing the yards. They can't wait for the other one. Come on. The yards spread out. I saw one of those MPs. Over there by the switch. Get him and move him on a line of fire. Take this line. Flash it while I ask. Shoot me while... He's going to fall. Lift his head up. I'm sorry, Mr. Tripper. You'd have killed somebody else. I know. It's better this way. I'm not crying for him. Not me more. I'm thinking of his mother. You'd better come with me. I'll take you home. This is David Bryan. I hope you enjoy this case from the files of Mr. District Attorney. I'll be back in just a moment after this message from our sponsor. District Attorney, David Bryan, with a word about the program you have just heard. Lenny Tripper died as he had lived, violently. You may not remember this particular case. There have been too many like it. It's one of the reasons most states have laws against hitchhiking. Now, this is David Bryan inviting you to join us when we present our next case based on the facts of crime from the file of Mr. District Attorney. Mr. District Attorney was originated by Philip's H. Lord.