 The Equitable Life Assurance Society presents This Is Your FBI This Is Your FBI The official broadcast from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation presented transcribed as a public service by the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States and the Equitable Society's representative in your community From time to time in their 30s and early 40s most men and women ask themselves What will I be doing when I am 65 years old? What are my chances of being 100% self-supporting when it's time to stop work? Well, that's largely up to you and the decision you make right now One such opportunity for an important decision will be offered to you in our middle commercial It tells about the Equitable Society's independent 60s plan This plan means exactly what it says Financial independence for you in your 60s Do you like that idea? Then please listen carefully to this important message from the Equitable Society coming in about 14 minutes Tonight the subject of our FBI file Marriage Swindle It's titled The Runaway Corpse In very ancient days the fate of every woman was the same She did the hard labor for the family and her status was little more than that of a slave In certain of the older civilizations it was unknown for a woman to sit and eat at the same table as the male members of the group Those taboos and other similar customs have of course been discarded Today women have attained the highest ranks in science, art, literature and business Every year more and more members of the female sex find themselves in responsible positions once held exclusively by men No field of endeavor has remained closed to the women of America and that statement unfortunately includes the field called crime Tonight's FBI file opens in the downtown district of a large eastern city It is early afternoon as two middle aged women enter an undertaker's parlor They speak to the owner for a moment and are shown toward the rear Our complete line of caskets is in this back room There now sister, be brave This way please Perhaps you'd be interested in our perfect tribute service What's that? You select the casket We do the rest Ethel, I believe that would be better You needn't decide immediately Mrs. Carson Thank you Not at all We try to live up to our motto kind and personal consideration where the tribute never becomes a burden Isn't that sweet? The price tag on each casket covers the entire service This is a very good value The wood is the finest walnut and as you see the lining is crushed crepe Beautiful Oh Angus Let's pick one and leave Alright She's under such a strain Of course We'll take this I'm sure you won't be sorry When can you send the hearse? Did the deceased pass away at a hospital? At home We can call and prepare him for the reposing room at any time This evening? Certainly Your address? I'll be there with the casket coach at let us say eight Fine You may use the side exit if you like Thank you for thinking of us We'll see you later Very well Go ahead dear Thank you Well that's that I hope it works Oh it's bound to Agnes After all What difference does it make to them if the body they come for is dead or alive? Meanwhile at the local FBI field office Police detective Tommy Stewart approaches the desk of special agent Taylor Hello Jim Hi Tommy You've been a stranger lately I won't be from now on Why what's up? Wedding bells is out What? Wedding bells Herb Carson he escaped yesterday from the state prison Tommy I'm afraid I don't know him Oh I guess you hadn't been transferred here this time last year No We arrested him for working the marriage swindle He was quite a boy Huh? When we circulated marriage bureau clerks around the country with this picture we uncovered 24 brides and quite a few places that haven't been heard from yet Is this his record here? According to this the bureau had a detainer on him huh? Yeah he crossed more state lines than the super chief How'd you catch him? The last woman he married died shortly after the wedding Natural causes? Yeah we double checked In her will she left all her money to charity around $20,000 in cash and when it couldn't be fun and her new husband couldn't be either we put out an alarm Did you know then it was Carson? No Your lab gave us an eye to an office prints No I see I'm having four of his local wives brought to my office now Wanna question them with me? Well I have some work to clean up here Tommy I'll be in touch with you when I finish Why did I do it Ethel? Why? Spend half the day getting an undertaker to come to the house so your dear husband can steal a hearse But Herb needs the hearse to go to the cemetery and get that money for Mrs. Watkins vault And when he gets the money he skips out on you again Agnes Herb's my husband Fine husband You've been married 15 years and seen him 15 minutes It's not his fault he has to be away so much can't blame a man for being interested in his business Getting married is his business Of course What are his hobbies? You just don't understand Herb I don't understand you either Agnes, before we see Herb please promise me one thing What? Even if you don't understand him try to get along with him That's a large demand but I'll try How did you make out? The man said he'd be here with the hearse at eight o'clock Oh, that's fine What have you done to your hair? Just graded up a little Looks more like it's been breaded Thank you Ethel I've been thinking it's been a long time since we had a vacation together I know Well, to show my appreciation for this I'm taking you on a boat trip Oh, Herb, that'll be wonderful Wouldn't it be better to give her the cash? She won't need an issue to be with me For five minutes Agnes, what a thing to say What about three years ago when he took every dime you had said he was going to a movie and didn't show up again till the following summer I explained that to Ethel I did go to the movie and I ran into a prospect We were married and, well, one marriage just led to another You see, Agnes? Yeah Ethel, dear, if that undertaker's coming at eight we'd better get inside and start packing Detective Steward Tommy, this is Jim Taylor Where are you, Jim? I'm still tied up at the office I need help You hear that babble? Those are Carson's ex-wives Have you talked to them yet? No Let me know if you get anything from them You're not going to let me face them alone, are you? I'm still working, Tommy but I'll get down there as soon as I can Well, all right But if anything happens to me remember it was all in the line of duty So long Bye I'm Detective Steward Where's my husband? We're looking for him, too That's why you were called in here You've got to find him for me Find him for you Look, honey, I'm married to him, too Girls, for your information I'm the only one he ever loved He's a bum Oh, he is not Dear, you say that All right, ladies All right, I'd like to get your relationship straightened out here Now When did you marry a man? Five years ago and I can prove I was his only wife Why, I've got his prize possession His uniform is an army colonel For your information, dear He was an admiral in the Navy Oh, you're both lying He hated war He only went into the Marines to get it over with in a hurry He's a bum Oh, yes Ideas Ladies, ladies, please Let's all be quiet Let's all be calm Now, we'll start from the beginning How long ago did you say the undertaker say he'd be here? About eight He's due now Where is your dear sister? She went out She said she'd stay out until we left here Yes, well, perhaps that's just as well The undertaker I'll see Hello, Mr. Martin Good evening, madam You, the undertaker? The funeral director My assistant will be up with the cot in a moment Where's the hearse? The casket coach is right outside May I see the departed, please? This way Through that door Thank you Just a moment He doesn't seem very happy about the closet Well, it's hard to please some people He said his assistant was coming out I know What will you do about him? That's easy, my dear We'll just give him the other closet Hello, Tommy Jim, am I glad to see you I gather the women are still here And still talking You look a little weary I feel like Clyde Batey Tell me, did you get anything from them? One possible lead What's that? Well, the other women agreed that Carson had one wife that he always went back to She apparently was the first woman he ever married I sent out a tracer on her and found that she lived here in town We got her address, but she's moved Any forwarding address? No, but one of her neighbors said that she went to live with her sister Her sister's name is Jones That's all we know How long ago did she move? About nine months ago While Carson was still in jail? Yeah Well, then you're assuming that he'll follow his pattern and go back to her, huh? That could be Mr. Steward Mr. Steward I refuse to stay in there with those women and he'll always be there Tommy, you better handle it No, wait, Jim I'm going to call the place that might have the first Mrs. Carson's outbreak Ethel, watch on your side Look for a vault with the name Watkins on it It's right along this street Was that your last wife's name? Yes I don't see how you remember one from the other When you've hidden $20,000 in someone's vault it's rather easy I hope Agnes isn't too angry About what? Those men in her closet She didn't know we were going to leave them there Well, what else could we do? Look, I think that one there says Watkins See? Oh, yes, yes, that's it I'll wait here No, dear, I'd rather you came in with me I'll need you to hold the flashlight Here's the light But don't use it till we get inside Where is the money? In a vase, in a niche in the wall I have a key someplace Here it is Turn on the flashlight I will Right in, dear Just follow me Now, just shine the light on that wall on the left That's it There's our vase Herb, I'm not sure that I like this very much It won't take long, dear Now, if the little bag is still in this vase And it is Well, there's the money Mission accomplished, my dear Herb, let's get out of here Oh, I almost forgot You wait here just one minute I brought some flowers along I left them in the hearse I'll go get them Just stay right here, my dear I'll be right back Where are you going, Herb? Agnes, what in the world are you doing here? I rode with you in the back I figured you'd pull something like this Like what? Running out on Ethel Now turn around and go back in there Just a minute Herb, I've got a gun Get moving Agnes, this is entirely un-called for Unlock that vault Go on Ethel, saving you from an all-night stay in the vault I'll take that money, Herb Ethel, will you please reason with your sister? What's going on? Your dear husband here was planning to skip out and leave you I planned nothing of the sort Where's the money? I didn't find it But Herb, you got it out of this vase No, that's not true, Ethel It's still in there Let's see the vase Here It's empty I don't understand it Maybe you will understand this Let's search him for the money And we'll take that little vacation We will return in just a minute To tonight's exciting case From the official file of your FBI But now, listen I'll answer the door That's the mailman with our check from the Equitable Society Every month, right on the dot Those equitable checks come to members who have paid up Their Equitable Independence 60s plans They're checks that mean financial independence for life After you're 65 years old And here's Mr. Arnold Muller Who started one of these plans back in 1928 You made your last payment in 1950 Didn't you, Mr. Muller? May 1st, 1950, I quit work, Mr. Keating I've been having the time of my life ever since In other words, Mr. Muller You're now enjoying the three freedoms That go with an independent 60s plan First, freedom from money worries and job worries Financial independence Mr. Keating, I haven't given money a thought Since I retired No need to with those equitable checks Coming in the way they do Second, with an equitable independent 60s plan You're free to live anywhere you please We've bought a little five-acre farm On the edge of one of the prettiest towns in America Third, freedom to do the things you've always wanted to do I've got one of the swellest gardens you ever saw, Mr. Keating With deep freeze, all kinds of fruits and vegetables And it cuts our food bills way down I tell you, that was the luckiest day in my life When I found out that you don't have to be rich To afford the Equitable Independence 60s plan That's a fact You don't have to earn big money To begin an Equitable Independence 60s plan Ask your equitable representative To explain why you probably have a big head start Toward independent 60s because of your social security And the life insurance you already own Often, only a small amount of additional insurance Is all that's required A few dollars a week, did it for me Friends, why not profit by Mr. Muller's experience Phone your Equitable Society representative Without delay Or send a postcard care of this station To the Equitable Society That's E-Q-U-R-T-A-B-L-E The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States And now back to the FBI file The Runaway Corpse As you listened to tonight's case from the files of your FBI You may well have said to yourself Only people of below average intelligence Could fall for such an obvious confidence game Unfortunately, such is not the case Throughout the country there are millions Of men and women who are lonesome Concerning these people, one writer says Every day the postmen of the United States Deliver a million letters to men and women Who have advertised for husbands and wives Men and women who belong to the vast and tragic army Of the unwanted At the offices of the 400 matrimonial correspondence And lonely heart clubs They are numbered in the hundreds of thousands In millions Every year they contribute to the pocket books Of club owners Several millions of dollars These people are not necessarily unintelligent They are just lonely And their natural human desire for companionship Often makes them easy victims for unscrupulous swindlers Tonight's file continues at police headquarters FBI Special Agent Taylor has just entered the office Of Detective Tommy Stewart Tommy, we just missed Carson Where? At his system law's home When I left here I called State Prisoner And had them check their mail file Yeah? They found Carson had written to his first wife Agnes Jones, 38 Adams Avenue And you just missed him there? Yes, he left with his wife a couple of hours ago In a hearse A hearse? Yes, they tricked an undertaker Into coming to the sister's house Locked him and his helper into closets And stole the hearse We better get out in a line I already have, Tommy Why would he want a hearse? He could have had a rental agency Deliver a car Yeah, I know Well, he shouldn't get very far on it You must know that, too Tell me, what was the name of that wife Of his that died? Mrs. Watkins Now, didn't you tell me that Carson Was suspected of stealing the cash In the state? That's right Well, isn't it just possible That he buried that money with her Left it there till he was ready to pick it up? Yeah Tommy, let's find out what cemetery She was buried in and get out there Ethel, will you stop crying? Never's very cruel of you What was leaving her about there that way? Cruel Don't you know what he was trying to do to you? If it's anything bad, I'd rather not hear it Well, you're going to One of the neighbors told me Darling Herb was out all morning But he said he was staying in That's what made me suspicious I knew he'd go out for only one reason To get married Agnes Let me finish I called that florist He always uses to send roses to his brides They had an order from him I knew how he worked So I called the marriage bureau Sure enough, somebody named Watkins Had gotten a license I came back to the house to tell you But you were leaving That's why I climbed into the hearse I still can't believe it How much proof do you need? Didn't he try to lock you in the vault? Didn't he lie about not having the money? Well... Ethel, if that isn't enough You saw what he had in his pocket One boat ticket You think that was for you or for him? Now let's find a place to leave this hearse I just spoke to the gateman He saw the hearse pull in here tonight A gray-haired man was driving it A woman was with him How long ago? Almost three hours Did he see it leave? Yes And there were two women in the front seat Going out The man was missing Later the gateman said he saw the man Stagger out the front entrance On foot? Yeah Come on, let's go in the vault Right What do you know? They left the gate wide open Tell me, look We're on the floor Pieces of a broken vase Doesn't it appear to be a fresh blood stain? Huh? Yeah Well, I can't see what happened to Carson He must have been knocked out with this vase Oh, because look here on the floor Change, key ring And what's this? What do you got, Tom? An envelope from a travel agency But it's empty Well, those two women could have gotten the ticket Ticket to where? Well, that's what we've got to find out The agency won't be open this time of night Yeah Well, let's finish up here And if nothing has come in on Carson or the hearse We'll check the travel agency first thing in the morning Well, I checked the travel agency, Jim I showed him the envelope They didn't remember anyone answering to Carson's description No, I was afraid they wouldn't This agency specializes in ocean travel No Having the passenger list checked on all boats sailing today You'll probably be using an assumed name Oh, and the hearse has been located Oh, where? On McKinley Street McKinley, that's down to the docks, isn't it? Yeah Our men went over it, no leads Jim, how about giving each steamship company a description of Carson? Oh, I'm afraid that wouldn't pay off either, Tommy Our file, show Carson is having dark brown hair But evidence at the cemetery show that it's now gray And I've just been going over these photo stats of his marriage licenses There's a different description on every one of them Yeah, that's bad Tommy, I've been trying to get some form, some pattern out of these Just about to range them in sequence when you came in So, here's number one Mm-hmm Number two Uh, here's number three Yeah, thanks Uh, number four Hey, wait a minute Tommy, there is a pattern here Let's look through the stack and find his last license One-twenty-one One-twenty-three Here's our cabin Good, I couldn't walk another step Come on, we'll leave our coats here and then go up on deck Just a minute You must be in the wrong cabin Well, isn't this one-twenty-three? Yes Well, here's our ticket That ticket has the same number on it, too And I'm sharing the cabin with my husband Lady, is your husband a tall, gray-haired man with glasses? Yes I'm sorry to tell you, but he's her husband, too What? Yes And he's also married to Mrs. Adams, Mrs. Bentley, Mrs. Randall, Mrs. Clifford, Mrs. Hall His real name is Herb Carson And he's a cheap, four-flushing, double-crossing And just don't talk about Herb that way For your information, my husband's a bachelor and he's always been one Now please, get out of here Herb, darling Herb, dear Well, lady Sorry, wrong cabin Herb, it's me, Marie Yes, and it's her Ethel and me, Agnes Herb, who are they? Answer me, Herb Two extremely jealous women But are you married to that one? Well, I used to be But you said you were a bachelor When he was nine I've heard enough from you Your attitude compels me to tell the whole truth These women have hounded me, Marie And when they heard I'd married you They vowed they'd do everything in the world to break it up And last night, when I refused to give in to them They waylaid me and stole my money I came here to get that money back That's a good story, but we're keeping the money Oh, no, you're not You're forgetting the gun, Herb Agnes Here it is, Tommy Well, if you're from the steamship company Put those women out of here I'm from the FBI and they're all under arrest Herbert Carson was sentenced in federal court to ten years For interstate transportation of stolen property violations And Agnes Jones and Ethel Carson Were sentenced in federal court to six months For harboring a federal fugitive Special Agent Taylor and Detective Stewart Were able to arrive at the boat Because of the pattern in the marriage licenses Agent Taylor noticed that Carson Always used the maiden name of each wife For the marriage which followed It was assumed he would continue the pattern In making his reservations, a fact which was born out When Agent Taylor called the steamship line And so your FBI was able to close another file Because of the aid and cooperation of the local police Without such cooperation Many cases would be almost impossible to solve That is why your FBI continues to ask you, the people To exert your every effort To obtain an adequate local law enforcement staff For law enforcement, like charity Must begin at home One final question on the cost Of the Equitable Society's independent 60s plan I already have a good bit of life insurance I don't think I could add the cost Of an independent 60s plan on top of what I'm now paying You don't have to Your Equitable Society representative Will show you how to integrate your present life insurance Into an independent 60s plan Often because of life insurance already owned And social security Only a comparatively small additional amount of insurance Is all it's required Your Equitable Man will be glad to give you the exact figure Or send a postcard care of this station To the Equitable Life Assurance Society Next week we will dramatize another case From the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Its subject, murder, its title The Tribal Shakedown The incidents used in tonight's Equitable Life Assurance Society's broadcast Are adapted from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation However, all names used are fictitious And any similarity thereof To the names of places or persons living or dead Is accidental Tonight the music was composed and conducted by Frederick Steiner The author was Jerry D. Lewis Your narrator was William Woodson And special agent Taylor was played by Stacey Harris Others in the cast were Polly Bear, Betty Bly, Mildred Byron, Florence Lake Jeanette Nolan, Ted Osborne, Peggy Weber And Carlton Young This is your FBI is a Jerry Divine production This is Larry Keating speaking for the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States And the Equitable Society's representative in your community And inviting you to tune in again next week at this same time When the Equitable Life Assurance Society Will bring you another thrilling transcribe story From the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation The tribal shakedown on This is your FBI Stay tuned for a life in your hands Starring Lee Bowman when it comes your way next Over most of these same stations This is ABC The American Broadcasting Company