 This is Orson Welles speaking from London the black museum Here in the grim stone structure on the Thames, which houses Scotland yard is a warehouse of homicide Where everyday objects? Objects like a sugar bowl an ashtray a portable radio All are touched by murder Is a hammer Hammer that's a familiar object Everybody's used one at some time to drive a tack a poor nail a loose in the window sash or what have you Nearly everybody has it one time or another Taking part in a conversation like this big part man. Could you pass me my hammer your hammer? Oh, yes Yes, of course. Thank you, ma'am You're not going to use that hammer on the tiles over my fireplace. No, ma'am Not on the tiles over the fireplace Well today a Hammer an ordinary hammer But with a very strange story attached to it can be found in the black museum All of the criminal investigation department of the London police We bring you the dramatic stories of the crimes recorded by the objects in Scotland Yards gallery of death the black museum black museum Scotland Yards Museum of Murder He has within this room is proof that anything and everything May be part of homicide As he allies death Death in tombs and glass death on endless shelves Murder and exhibition tabulated indexed guarded filed Is a length of wire Wireless antenna sleep shining copper a designed to bring pleasure to the human ear this wire missed the ear instead It was wrapped around a soft white neck twisted twisted Perfect carot is a cigarette lighter. It's dainty Jewel monogram stolen from its proper owner and then flicked light it applied to no cigarette The victim had a bad heart who was to know this Question was it murder? Answer yes Yeah, here we are the hammer It's a claw hammer with two curved blades designed for pulling nails. It's heavy. Well balanced perfect tool One Saturday morning. It rested in a canvas bag The owner rang a doorbell in Oxford. Sorry, ma'am. Did I take you by surprise? Well? Yes, you see I was expecting a friend of mine and Well to see young man standing there when you're expecting an elderly lady nothing to take a miss ma'am My car. Oh, oh, thank you James night house repairs while you wait. Oh Well, thank you, but there's nothing wrong with my house. That's what everybody says only I don't mean the house itself I mean the household furniture and the like It's the little things gets people talking. Well, I'm sure I don't need anything done Now you take your door mat ma'am right there look along the edges the bindings going Notice it now a stitch in time as the saying goes and you'll not be needing a new mat in six months You're right now, ma'am if you'd just let me check your house. I'd be willing to bet I'd found a dozen little items cost you a few pence now help me to earn my living and save you pounds later Can I come in ma'am? Thank you You are a smooth talker aren't you young man? I need to be in my business Now if you just show me your living room through the pot here right there Yes, a very nice room blends with your personality if I may say so Now then right to work tools down Well, we'll just look about I'll bet anything you want. I'll find a dozen things need fix now. He's inside. He notes the room It's well aware of the brass crucifix on the mantle shelf The prissy draperies at the windows the antimicasses on the mahogany framed horse hair chairs. It's almost a museum Now you take this chair, ma'am the legs loose pound to be the glue dries out wood strings Well, you know what I never noticed how you wouldn't ma'am takes an expert's eye A drop of glue today saves a new chair tomorrow, and they don't build furniture like this nowadays. No, I guess they they don't oh Dear that's my telephone no one to answer it Well the girl who stays with me has gone to the country bank holiday weekend She won't be back on Monday night. Well, you just answer it. I'll be all right. Oh Big part ma'am. Could you pass me my hammer your hammer? Oh, yes. Yes, of course. Thank you, ma'am You're not going to use that hammer on the tiles over my fireplace. Oh, no ma'am Just tap them with the wooden handle see if they're loose anywhere. Oh, you can trust me ma'am You just answer your telephone. Oh dear. Yes, of course the telephone Hello Why Caroline? Mrs. Golden that's her name answers the telephone the young man in the living room front room to mrs. Golden taps the tiles merrily And then he stops he looks around looks at things and quickly in a few things He shuts the desk just as oh Dear this is a disappointment something's wrong with my friend's card. She can't come to me after all and it is such a nice day Oh, that is too bad, but not too inconvenient Now I can really get some work done. Oh You found a lot of things to repair About 50 pounds worth, but you said only a few pens today that was earlier Now it's going to cost you 50 pounds to get me out of this house I I don't understand. I think you do You know, I know you had 50 pounds in the mail yesterday You told a couple of your girlfriends and I heard about it now then grandma Hand it over you get out of here. Well, I'll call the police 50 pounds here. I will call Don't try anything on between you and the phone now. I'll pay up grandma or I'll have to beat it out of you You heard me. I'm through asking now. Now. Where's the money? Cut it put down that boss. Don't stay away from me Bank holiday in Oxford. No one do home until Monday evening Someone tried late Sunday Whoever it was kept trying but only the bells sounded empty house empty filled with death Monday morning a man somewhat younger but not much than Mrs. Golden Park to his middle class car in front of the house in Oxford He had a worried expression on his face as he walked up the few steps and pressed the doorbell Again he tried No answer Ran down the steps around the back not on the back door nothing Nothing but the sound of his own fists beating the thin panels Now he is upset. He peers in at the kitchen window Find he wraps his hand in his muffler as he's seen them doing the movies and punches a hole in the window Reges and unlocks the window lifts the sash and climbs in Walks through the house toward the front say for his own strangely empty footsteps At the portiers in the arch which lead to the living room He stops good heavens. What's this? It's oh, it's it's blood Operator, please hurry put me through this cotton yard. There's there's been a my sister's been married That's how it comes, you know first a bit of shock The cry on the telephone the hurried incoherent report and then the cars racing through the streets Pulling up the man piling out invading a once peaceful home Mrs. Golden was your sister mr. Bevin. That's right. I can't understand it inspector I just can't I know how you must feel and you want to help us all you can of course of course Well, well then time is very often the essence. I'll have to ask you a few questions right away So I'll try to answer them you told us you broke the back window yourself, right? Yes That's right when she didn't answer the phone Sunday evening. I began to worry I drove here this morning the doors were locked and no one answered the bell. I I broke in I suppose I should have caught a constable, but I didn't understand Tell me mr. Bevin did your sister have any enemies of course not pardon me inspector We found this under the crucifix on the mantel. It's 50 pounds. Thank you sergeant apparently robbery was the motive Mr. Bevin, do you happen to know where your sister would get 50 pounds? She had a small income perhaps money was a dividend preliminary medical report inspector Go ahead doctor. Well death occurred about 48 hours ago. Make it Saturday in the morning We'll tell more after the autopsy Saturday two days start on us Go on doctor. She was struck on the head by a blunt instrument several times a hammer or something of that sort But the fellow was taking no chances her carotid artery was severed by something very sharp That's why the blood whoever it was Well, it looks very professional the way the place was ransacked We're nothing much here, but shall we have a go at it sergeant? They had a go at it the inspector and the sergeant. There's nothing in the woman's house not even a smudged fingerprint But as sergeant Marshall put it I've seen this sort of thing before Looks like a house-to-house canvasser to me inspector. It has that familiar feel about it routine sergeant routine Door-to-door up and down the street Questions questions questions did a canvasser call here Saturday morning mom leave a card or anything Do remember anyone ringing the bell to leave a card, sir wanting to do repair work. Thank you, miss Yes, you've been quite helpful five houses up the street five down the street And strangely enough results a Bit too careful mr. Knight too careful inspector and too smart for himself He left his car at all the houses on the street and this one in the middle He picked up the car before he left Saturday morning foolish bound to attract attention to himself night James night. It's familiar Joe knows his favorite alias is James night Oh, I remember now sir two years in Dartmoor assault and battery on an elderly lady right well Call for a car sergeant. We may as well check the address on this card Mr. Knight. Oh, yes used to live here. I see used to live here Well being packed up and gone these two months now Quite sort of fella that I didn't cotton to him much. Thank you mom. Thank you very much. Welcome. I'm sure Not two days behind inspector two months. We're not doing too badly sergeant We know when and how he got in we know how he committed the crime and we've got a good idea Who is not too badly sergeant too badly? But the inspector forgot to mention the most important clue of all the murder weapon That self-same hammer Which can be seen today in the black museum It looked like a long haul two months behind and no trace Not a thing to place him in Oxford on the Saturday of Bank holiday The calling cards true, but they might have been left anytime And one confused witness would make any jury doubt the exact pinpointing of the date still the man had to be found Scotland Yard began its long steady methodical routine Circulate Knights description from his prison record have prints made of his picture. Somebody will remember him somewhere. They always do The Somebody did The landlord of a tavern in Oxford half a mile from the house where death had struck that Saturday morning I remember that fella certainly do you're sure now positive come in here look like he needed a drink Took two whiskers straight one right after the other was carrying a tool bag of some kind I think how long did his day just till a bus stopped outside He threw the price on the bar or not the bus real quick like you happen to know where the bus was headed Alesbury no other bus stops right outside that door A break in the lock Alesbury the town was investigated to all practical intents and purposes Before long Inspector Graham and Sergeant Marshall were in the lobby of a small run-down hotel talking with a combination desk Telephone operator Do you remember mr. Knight ms. Marsh? Oh, I do that of course. He's not the kind I'd pay much attention to I remember him All right, it's in trouble. Why do you ask? Oh well sort of Well, you know how it is a man leaves here sudden like after being in and out for a couple of months Then a couple of fellas come looking for him. Well, you wonder that's all we're from Scotland Yard, miss Then he is in trouble. Maybe maybe not we'd like to look at his room. I'll show you just one flight up Watch my board. I'm busy This way gentlemen An obliging girl miss Marsh completely basky. She ushered the men up the one-stairway along the dim hall She fitted the key Open the door There you are inspector. Thank you miss Left a bit of baggage inspector so he has This is nice isn't it miss? Oh Didn't I mention it? Oh, he said he'd probably be back So would I mind if he left his bag even though he didn't want to keep on with a room rent So I left it here just in case he came back before we let the room nice of you open a target Not looked well careless type of fellow a new hammer Nothing much else Look around sergeant. Look around. Yes, sir. Oh Funny this book sir in the bag a dictionary. I just a knight isn't a book one odd Dictionary look a bit further sergeant. Yes, sir Anything familiar about this miss Marsh? I was waiting for you to ask me sir It's mine. He borrowed it one night after he came in with the newspapers. Oh newspapers Oh, yes, sir. He was a great one for the papers Especially the globe news. You've been a fury if we didn't save one for him at the desk. I see Did he do much writing up here? Well now that you mention it sir. He did lots of letters always to the papers Do you suppose you wrote those dear editor thing? No, I doubt that but I have a fair idea what he did write Nothing else sergeant. No two things are clean as a whistle back to the yard, sir back to the yard indeed a Hammer which may be a murder weapon side-by-side with a dictionary a possible killer writing letters to the editor Or were they letters to the editor? Inspector tackle the hammer first canvas every iron monger and hardware dealer in Oxford find out which carries this make of hammer Check their sales slips for that particular Saturday try to jog the salesman's memories find out where that hammer came from The newspapers in the mail ever look into the globe news sergeant sometime, sir I'm not much of a crossword puzzle fan myself Yes, sergeant our Joe knows earliest James Knight is obviously a crossword puzzle addict I think we're due for a little redetail at the globe news with samples of our friends handwriting from his prison record Hop to it sergeant and keep your eyes open It turned out to be quite a problem 10,000 entries per week in the globe news's puzzle contest with the average number not a pleasant prospect under all Starletly the crew from the yard started to go through 10,000 puzzles checking against the photostatic copies of James Knight's handwriting The second morning of the John Spectre Graham here Sergeant Marshall sir at the newspaper you found something sergeant not in the file sir in the morning mail from Brighton an entry in the latest contest address 912 leader street name of John kinder, but there is no mistaking the handwriting They'll do it every time won't they Joe knows James Knight's now John kinder. Yes, sir I noticed all was the same initials on the aliases JK this time bring the puzzle and the envelope. I'll have him picked up in Brighton 912 leader street you said 912 leader Street Brighton, England The order moved swiftly now on the teletype along the wires in the banks of the Thames across the north down to the south downs The famous resort city on the English Channel In our police No need for all the melodrama sir you were looking for me your James Knight Also known as Joe knows and John kinder you ought to know officer your wanted night You'll have to come along. I have to warn you anything you see may be taken down and you as in evidence against you You did a good job selling picking him up so quickly he came along a surprising quietness fellow probably knows we've little to build a case on Hello, what's this? Well, it looks like a hole in the floor sergeant. I knew sir But there's four more in the floor sir square holes now the floor is the ceiling of the room below Oh who lives below seldom there and lady eccentric so we warned us several times She will keep her rent money in a jar on the mantelpiece. Oh, that's why he watched her That's your theory sergeant. Well, you can see every corner of that room sir through these holes and they're recent What a wood still fresh and white inspector square holes Why when you dig a hole with a chisel seldom you not only get a square hole You also can keep the shavings from falling in the room below a chisel Where would he have ditched it possibly through the window when you knocked a chisel seldom is sharp enough to cut other things Beside wood a carotid artery for instance So you prepare the statement night. Yes inspector I've been informed of the charge you may lodge against me I'm told it entails a murder in Oxford on the Saturday of the bank holiday. That's correct You'll find my movements for that day accounted for in my statement It may be troublesome locating some of my witnesses, but I doubt if you all have much difficulty You were in that street in Oxford though. Oh, yes. Oh, yes indeed Trying to make an honest living sir. No doubt the strange you fail to leave a card at mrs. Golden's I rang several times on my way up and down the street No answer and you didn't push it under the door. No Cards are expensive inspector. I prefer to explain my business first and leave a card if there's any interest You're um having this taken down aren't you inspector? You've got all this sergeant. Oh, yes, sir And we'll enter night statement in the record also. Yes, sir. I See no reason for holding me any longer. Do you inspector? You'll be quite comfortable No rent to pay night just until we check your alibi and find your witnesses After that night. Well, we'll see All right sergeant take this man back the end of a trail the suspect perfectly at ease willing Even slightly overwilling, but they held him anyway There's still some loose ends to tie up One of those ends might be the key to the puzzle one of those ends just might be the end of a hangman's noose We've got a report on the hammer inspector at last day where how an iron monger in Oxford sold a hammer from his stock Here's a sample to a fellow answering night's description on bank holiday Saturday, sir The sales slip is dated and the salesman is prepared to identify the slip also includes a chisel. I see Seems identical to the one we've had What's the slave are the salesman says it's all on this type high-class steel forging nothing on ours is that oh no, sir Let's have a look in that village. We found the hammer in a dales. Yes, sir An empty traveling bag Just lint a few tiny crumbs of something they might have been dried dough or even breadcrumbs inspector or Paper sergeant Would you pass with a sponge there the one for sealing envelopes? I think there's a dump water on the dish gently not specter Moisten a tiny pellets of dough like substance on the glass top of your desk gently now Roll them back and forth loosen them spread them out on the desktop Slowly gently We'd better have this photograph sergeant. I doubt if we can preserve them for the trial. Yes, sir We've broken his alibi night was an ox for that day. He bought the hammer high-class steel forging He should have burnt this label sergeant not merely crumbled it in this way I do believe our careful mr. Knight our clever cooperative mr. Knight is going to be hung and very shortly at that Well today that hammer complete with its proper label Can be seen in the black museum? Inspector Graham was right the hammer plus the label did hang James Knight His alibi was broken by the salesman in the hardware store in oxford who sold you a night that hammer on the Saturday Mrs. Golden died Inspector Graham needn't have worried about his case and he drew worry about the hammer in your kitchen drawer There is any moral to this story beyond the inevitable lesson that criminals are nearly always caught. It's this Be careful whom you land in your house when you're alone to demonstrate a new gadget or even to fix your furniture Your visitor might mean death And now do we mean next time in the same place for another story about the black museum? Our remainers always obediently yours