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The Shadow - "Murderer's Vanity" (Old Time Radio) · The Shadow | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Bill Johnstone appears as Lamont Cranston in The Shadow, with
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: Marjorie Anderson as Margo Lane in the Mutual Broadcasting System's
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: Blue Coal presentation. First heard March 17, 1940, this is
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: episode 191 of The Shadow, Murderer's Vanity. A man is
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: accused of killing his mother for money, and an execution
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: in the electric chair draws near. Lamont and Margo pursue
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: evidence of a calculated murder and framing scheme, with a
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: man's life at stake and little time remaining. Ladies and gentlemen,
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: the shadow in murderer's vanity. And now, our story begins.
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?
• 0:45
  Speaker 2: The shadow knows.
• 1:18
  Speaker 3: The Shadow, mysterious character who aids the forces of law
• 1:21
  Speaker 3: and order, is in reality Lamont Cranston, a wealthy young
• 1:24
  Speaker 3: man about town. The Shadow uses his hypnotic power to
• 1:28
  Speaker 3: cloud men's minds so that they cannot see him. Cranston's
• 1:32
  Speaker 3: friend and companion, the lovely Margot Lane, is the only
• 1:36
  Speaker 3: person who knows to whom the voice of the Shadow belongs.
• 1:39
  Speaker 4: Today's story.
• 1:41
  Speaker 3: Murderer's Vanity.
• 1:48
  Speaker 4: And we may say of this woman that she is
• 1:52
  Speaker 4: not dead.
• 1:54
  Speaker 5: Her memory lives in the minds of those who loved her.
• 1:59
  Speaker 5: It is given to all of us.
• 2:01
  Speaker 6: I can't stand this, Mary.
• 2:02
  Speaker 4: I can't stand it, I tell you.
• 2:04
  Speaker 2: But, Peter, you have no proof.
• 2:05
  Speaker 5: You can't... No proof?
• 2:07
  Speaker 2: He killed Mother.
• 2:08
  Speaker 7: He only married her for money.
• 2:10
  Speaker 2: And then he murdered her for it.
• 2:11
  Speaker 6: Please, Peter.
• 2:12
  Speaker 2: If you think anything of Mother's memory, don't make a scene.
• 2:15
  Speaker 2: People are looking at us now.
• 2:16
  Speaker 6: Looking at us?
• 2:18
  Speaker 7: Let them look at him.
• 2:19
  Speaker 8: Dr.
• 2:19
  Speaker 5: Walter Martin.
• 2:21
  Speaker 6: Dr.
• 2:21
  Speaker 2: Martin.
• 2:22
  Speaker 8: Murderer, that's what.
• 2:23
  Speaker 7: Peter, please.
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: It's not true. Please.
• 2:25
  Speaker 6: Oh, look at him.
• 2:26
  Speaker 4: Look at that false face of sorrow.
• 2:29
  Speaker 8: Watch him breathe, that hypocrite.
• 2:31
  Speaker 7: Oh, how happy he must be to get his hands
• 2:33
  Speaker 7: on the Elston.
• 2:34
  Speaker 5: Money at last.
• 2:34
  Speaker 2: Oh, Peter, please. Mother, how can he sit there like that?
• 2:39
  Speaker 3: Mary, I can't stand it any longer. Stop!
• 2:41
  Speaker 6: Peter! Stop it, I say!
• 2:43
  Speaker 8: There he is, there! Stand up and show that Judas
• 2:46
  Speaker 8: face of yours!
• 2:47
  Speaker 4: Peter, what did you say?
• 2:48
  Speaker 8: There, he's turning away. Stand up and show yourself! There's
• 2:52
  Speaker 8: the murderer of my mother, Dr.
• 2:54
  Speaker 2: Walter Martin.
• 2:56
  Speaker 8: He killed her to get his hands on the Elston money.
• 2:58
  Speaker 5: Peter, what did you say? You realize that I only
• 3:06
  Speaker 5: have your word that your mother was murdered, Mr.
• 3:08
  Speaker 6: Elston?
• 3:08
  Speaker 8: Isn't that enough, Commissioner Weston?
• 3:10
  Speaker 5: Unfortunately, no.
• 3:11
  Speaker 7: But all I'm asking you to do is get me
• 3:12
  Speaker 7: an order to exhume her body. The autopsy will prove it.
• 3:14
  Speaker 5: There'll be no autopsy, Mr.
• 3:15
  Speaker 2: Elston.
• 3:16
  Speaker 7: Doesn't my word count for anything?
• 3:17
  Speaker 2: No.
• 3:18
  Speaker 5: And I'll tell you why. You've been drinking. You're not
• 3:21
  Speaker 5: responsible for what you're saying.
• 3:22
  Speaker 6: A drink.
• 3:24
  Speaker 7: Well, who wouldn't drink knowing that his mother was murdered
• 3:26
  Speaker 7: and the killer going scot-free?
• 3:27
  Speaker 9: Well, you know, Commissioner, perhaps there's something to this after all. Now, please, Cranston,
• 3:31
  Speaker 9: I've seen a thousand cases like this. This young man
• 3:34
  Speaker 9: here imagines his mother was murdered, perhaps because he's never.
• 3:37
  Speaker 5: Liked his stepfather.
• 3:38
  Speaker 8: And I warn you, he isn't through yet.
• 3:40
  Speaker 7: My sister's life and my life are in danger.
• 3:42
  Speaker 5: Well, how do you know this, Elston?
• 3:43
  Speaker 7: I'll tell you how.
• 3:44
  Speaker 5: Dr.
• 3:44
  Speaker 7: Martin won't be satisfied until he has all the Elston money.
• 3:47
  Speaker 7: My sister Mary and I stand in his way.
• 3:50
  Speaker 4: Commissioner, the boy is telling the truth.
• 3:51
  Speaker 6: I wonder if you can afford to ignore this.
• 3:53
  Speaker 5: Now, please, Cranston. Mr. Elston, until you can bring me
• 3:58
  Speaker 5: positive proof that your mother was murdered, this case is closed.
• 4:01
  Speaker 6: That's all.
• 4:02
  Speaker 5: Good day, sir.
• 4:03
  Speaker 2: I see.
• 4:04
  Speaker 4: All right.
• 4:07
  Speaker 7: And thank you very much for your help, Commissioner Weston.
• 4:11
  Speaker 7: You don't know it, but you've just signed my sister's
• 4:14
  Speaker 7: and my death warrants.
• 4:23
  Speaker 6: But you see, Margo, young Peter Elston seemed so sincere,
• 4:26
  Speaker 6: so terribly upset, I... I almost believe.
• 4:29
  Speaker 5: Well, I'll tell you how I figure it, I'll tell you. Oh,
• 4:31
  Speaker 5: so you have a theory, too, ain't you, really?
• 4:33
  Speaker 8: Well, it ain't.
• 4:33
  Speaker 5: Exactly my own idea, Mr.
• 4:35
  Speaker 6: Cranston.
• 4:35
  Speaker 8: It's more the thoughts of my bosom friend and companion,
• 4:38
  Speaker 8: Big Charlie.
• 4:39
  Speaker 6: Well, who's Big Charlie?
• 4:40
  Speaker 8: He's a guy on my hack line.
• 4:42
  Speaker 7: Oh.
• 4:42
  Speaker 8: You see, Big Charlie figures that this here now Peter
• 4:45
  Speaker 8: Elston bumped off his dear little mother and is trying
• 4:48
  Speaker 8: to put the frame on that there now doctor.
• 4:50
  Speaker 2: And how does Big here now Charlie figure that?
• 4:53
  Speaker 8: He dreamed it.
• 4:53
  Speaker 2: You mean he based the whole deduction on a dream? Certainly.
• 4:56
  Speaker 8: He's one of them now, uh, psychics.
• 4:58
  Speaker 2: I beg your pardon?
• 4:59
  Speaker 8: He's a psychic.
• 5:00
  Speaker 6: Margo, I believe he means psychic.
• 5:03
  Speaker 2: Oh.
• 5:03
  Speaker 8: Yeah, you should hear the things he sometimes picks to
• 5:05
  Speaker 8: come through, you should hear.
• 5:06
  Speaker 5: Why, just the other thing.
• 5:07
  Speaker 6: Now, wait a minute, Shrevie. Big Charlie may have something
• 5:10
  Speaker 6: at that.
• 5:10
  Speaker 2: Oh, Lamont.
• 5:12
  Speaker 6: I'm not what you'd call sold on the mystical powers
• 5:14
  Speaker 6: of large Charles, but... I do think that his deduction
• 5:17
  Speaker 6: bears investigation.
• 5:18
  Speaker 8: Oh, boy, wait till I tell Big Charlie.
• 5:20
  Speaker 7: Lamont!
• 5:21
  Speaker 2: Peter Elton couldn't have killed his own mother.
• 5:24
  Speaker 6: Stranger things than that have happened, Margot.
• 5:26
  Speaker 2: You're not serious, Lamont.
• 5:27
  Speaker 6: Margot, I'm so serious about it that the shadow is
• 5:31
  Speaker 6: going to persuade Commissioner Weston to go to the cemetery tonight.
• 5:35
  Speaker 2: Mrs.
• 5:35
  Speaker 6: Elston Martin's body is going to be exhumed. Order or
• 5:38
  Speaker 6: no order.
• 5:47
  Speaker 4: I don't like this job here at all. What's that?
• 5:53
  Speaker 4: Just an owl or something.
• 5:54
  Speaker 5: Well, I don't like it. I'm getting out of this cemetery.
• 5:56
  Speaker 5: Fifty bucks or no?
• 5:57
  Speaker 4: You try to when you get your head bashed in
• 5:59
  Speaker 4: with this shovel. No, Joe, don't act that way.
• 6:01
  Speaker 8: Now, listen, we can use the money.
• 6:03
  Speaker 5: But suppose we get caught.
• 6:04
  Speaker 4: He said he'd watch out for us if he sees.
• 6:06
  Speaker 7: Anybody coming to whistle three times.
• 6:08
  Speaker 2: Come on, now, dig.
• 6:09
  Speaker 6: What do you suppose he wants the body for?
• 6:13
  Speaker 7: I don't like the idea of robbing a grave. Why
• 6:15
  Speaker 7: do we care?
• 6:16
  Speaker 5: As long as we get our money.
• 6:18
  Speaker 7: Just a few more shovels full and we'll be able
• 6:19
  Speaker 7: to get the top of the coffin off.
• 6:23
  Speaker 4: That's the seal.
• 6:24
  Speaker 2: Someone has called me. Come on, quick.
• 6:25
  Speaker 8: Let's get out of here.
• 6:26
  Speaker 7: Stop.
• 6:27
  Speaker 5: Stop or I'll fire. I'll get him, Commissioner. Stop you.
• 6:31
  Speaker 8: Stop.
• 6:33
  Speaker 5: Get him, Joe Donner. I fired above their heads with
• 6:35
  Speaker 5: one trip.
• 6:36
  Speaker 10: I've got him.
• 6:36
  Speaker 8: Now bring him here.
• 6:38
  Speaker 5: He seems to be hurt. I'll be right with you, Commissioner.
• 6:42
  Speaker 9: Shadow was right. You said he had an idea that
• 6:44
  Speaker 9: someone would try to rob Mrs. Martin's grave tonight.
• 6:47
  Speaker 5: Yes, Commissioner.
• 6:48
  Speaker 6: We've arrived just in time.
• 6:49
  Speaker 4: Shadow.
• 6:49
  Speaker 6: A few minutes later and the body would have been
• 6:51
  Speaker 6: stolen and all evidence of murder with it.
• 6:52
  Speaker 5: So you're here too? Yes, Commissioner. Well, what do you
• 6:55
  Speaker 5: want me to do now?
• 6:55
  Speaker 6: We must exhume the body of Mrs. Elston Martin.
• 6:58
  Speaker 5: But the exhumation order has to be signed by a
• 7:00
  Speaker 5: member of the family.
• 7:00
  Speaker 6: Commissioner, there isn't time for that. You must do as
• 7:02
  Speaker 6: I say.
• 7:03
  Speaker 9: Well, okay, Shadow, but I'll probably lose my job on
• 7:06
  Speaker 9: account of this.
• 7:08
  Speaker 5: Man, dig up Mrs. Martin's body. Here he is, Commissioner.
• 7:12
  Speaker 5: I just winged this one.
• 7:13
  Speaker 6: Yeah?
• 7:14
  Speaker 5: I didn't want nothing to do with it.
• 7:15
  Speaker 8: My buddy and me was going to be paid.
• 7:17
  Speaker 5: $ 50 to get this body.
• 7:18
  Speaker 6: Who was going to pay you to rob this grave?
• 7:21
  Speaker 8: Who said that?
• 7:22
  Speaker 6: The shadow.
• 7:24
  Speaker 8: I can't see anything.
• 7:25
  Speaker 6: No man has ever seen the shadow.
• 7:28
  Speaker 8: The shadow?
• 7:29
  Speaker 6: Who paid you to steal this body?
• 7:32
  Speaker 5: I don't know. Don't lie.
• 7:33
  Speaker 2: I ain't lying.
• 7:34
  Speaker 8: The man wore a mask all the time. He talked
• 7:36
  Speaker 8: to my friend and me.
• 7:37
  Speaker 5: Wore a mask, huh?
• 7:38
  Speaker 9: That's a fine story. All right, Cardona, take him back
• 7:41
  Speaker 9: to the car. I'll grill him down at police headquarters.
• 7:44
  Speaker 5: Right, Commissioner. Come on, you. You're going for a little ride. Shadow,
• 7:48
  Speaker 5: are you still here?
• 7:49
  Speaker 6: Yes, Commissioner.
• 7:50
  Speaker 5: Well, what do I do now?
• 7:51
  Speaker 6: After we get the body, Commissioner, we'll have an autopsy.
• 7:54
  Speaker 8: Yes.
• 7:54
  Speaker 5: Now, wait a minute. Commissioner! Yes? Well, what is it?
• 7:57
  Speaker 8: The coffin.
• 7:58
  Speaker 4: It's empty.
• 8:06
  Speaker 5: And Margo.
• 8:07
  Speaker 6: When Commissioner Weston pried open the coffin lid, Mrs. Elston
• 8:09
  Speaker 6: Martin's body was missing.
• 8:11
  Speaker 2: Why, Lamont, that's terrible. Is that why you phoned me?
• 8:14
  Speaker 6: Yes, Margot. And it proves one very definite thing. Mrs.
• 8:18
  Speaker 6: Martin was murdered. The murderer was afraid that the body
• 8:21
  Speaker 6: might be exhumed and the crime discovered.
• 8:23
  Speaker 2: Well, who did it, Lamont?
• 8:24
  Speaker 6: I don't know yet, Margot. But the shadow is going
• 8:27
  Speaker 6: to the Martin home tonight and clear up this mystery
• 8:30
  Speaker 6: of the empty grave.
• 8:33
  Speaker 5: Listen to me, Margot.
• 8:37
  Speaker 4: I'm leaving this house tonight.
• 8:38
  Speaker 7: Are you coming with me or aren't you?
• 8:40
  Speaker 2: No, Peter. I can't.
• 8:43
  Speaker 7: But don't you realize your life is in danger here?
• 8:45
  Speaker 7: He'll kill you just as sure as he's killed Mother.
• 8:47
  Speaker 2: Peter, I'm sure you're mistaken. Father's good and kind.
• 8:51
  Speaker 5: No, don't call him Father.
• 8:52
  Speaker 7: He's not our father.
• 8:53
  Speaker 2: Peter, please. You know I can't stand all this excitement.
• 8:58
  Speaker 2: My heart. Yes.
• 8:59
  Speaker 4: Yes, your heart.
• 9:01
  Speaker 7: You never had anything wrong with your heart before he
• 9:03
  Speaker 7: began treating you. Mary, can't you see he's doing the
• 9:06
  Speaker 7: same thing to you that he did to Mother? You're
• 9:08
  Speaker 7: being poisoned.
• 9:08
  Speaker 8: Oh, no, Peter.
• 9:09
  Speaker 2: You're mistaken.
• 9:10
  Speaker 7: He.
• 9:10
  Speaker 8: Oh, I.
• 9:11
  Speaker 4: I didn't realize there was anyone here in my study.
• 9:14
  Speaker 7: Don't worry, Dr.
• 9:16
  Speaker 6: Martin.
• 9:16
  Speaker 7: I'm leaving. Just as soon as I persuade my sister
• 9:19
  Speaker 7: to leave with me.
• 9:20
  Speaker 4: I see. And how does Mary feel about that?
• 9:25
  Speaker 2: I don't believe what Peter says about you, Dr. Martin.
• 9:27
  Speaker 8: All right, I give up.
• 9:29
  Speaker 7: I'm going, Mary. Peter, what do you want?
• 9:32
  Speaker 2: Peter.
• 9:34
  Speaker 4: You've been drinking too much lately.
• 9:35
  Speaker 8: Suppose I have.
• 9:37
  Speaker 4: Well, of course, you're old enough to do as you please,
• 9:40
  Speaker 4: but as your physician.
• 9:41
  Speaker 5: You're not my physician.
• 9:43
  Speaker 8: My mother was foolish enough to trust you.
• 9:45
  Speaker 5: Now she's dead.
• 9:47
  Speaker 7: And you're doing the same thing to my sister. But
• 9:49
  Speaker 7: I warn you, Father, I'll find some way to stop you.
• 9:52
  Speaker 7: Even if I have to resort to murder. Peter.
• 9:55
  Speaker 4: Poor boy.
• 9:56
  Speaker 6: Oh, Peter.
• 9:56
  Speaker 4: Suffering from hallucinations. I.
• 10:00
  Speaker 5: Mary.
• 10:01
  Speaker 2: Mary.
• 10:03
  Speaker 7: Mary.
• 10:04
  Speaker 6: Mary.
• 10:05
  Speaker 2: What? Oh, I must have.
• 10:09
  Speaker 4: Now, just be quiet for a second, Mary. You fainted.
• 10:12
  Speaker 4: This will help. Oh.
• 10:15
  Speaker 6: Here.
• 10:16
  Speaker 2: Drink this. What is it?
• 10:18
  Speaker 4: Just a little heart stimulant, Mary.
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: Drink it. There.
• 10:24
  Speaker 5: Feel better?
• 10:26
  Speaker 2: Yes, doctor. I guess so. Peter was so.
• 10:31
  Speaker 4: Yes, yes, I know. Let's not speak of it. The
• 10:34
  Speaker 4: excitement was a little too much for you. Now I'd
• 10:37
  Speaker 4: advise you to go right up to bed. You need
• 10:39
  Speaker 4: the rest.
• 10:41
  Speaker 2: Yes.
• 10:43
  Speaker 5: All right, doctor.
• 10:44
  Speaker 4: Now go right to bed, Mary.
• 10:47
  Speaker 2: I will. Good night.
• 10:49
  Speaker 5: Good night, Mary.
• 10:50
  Speaker 6: Yes.
• 10:57
  Speaker 4: Now all this needs is my signature.
• 11:04
  Speaker 6: Now to put this document where it will be safe.
• 11:07
  Speaker 4: Now, let me see the combination. Eighteen to the left.
• 11:16
  Speaker 4: 39 to the right. 12 to the left. 47 to
• 11:27
  Speaker 4: the right.
• 11:30
  Speaker 6: I guess this will be safe in here.
• 11:34
  Speaker 5: Dr.
• 11:34
  Speaker 6: Martin.
• 11:35
  Speaker 2: What?
• 11:36
  Speaker 6: What was in the blue envelope you just locked in
• 11:38
  Speaker 6: the safe?
• 11:40
  Speaker 4: Who said that?
• 11:40
  Speaker 2: I can't see anyone.
• 11:42
  Speaker 6: Men call me the shadow, Dr. Martin. You can't see
• 11:46
  Speaker 6: me because I've cast a hypnotic mist over your mind.
• 11:49
  Speaker 8: The shadow.
• 11:51
  Speaker 4: Yes, I've heard of you.
• 11:53
  Speaker 5: Be one of me.
• 11:53
  Speaker 6: I asked you a question. What is in the blue
• 11:56
  Speaker 6: envelope that you just locked in the safe?
• 11:59
  Speaker 5: The blue envelope? Why, my will.
• 12:02
  Speaker 8: It contains my will.
• 12:03
  Speaker 6: Your will?
• 12:04
  Speaker 4: Yes, Shadow, my life is in danger. My stepson, Peter,
• 12:07
  Speaker 4: hates me. He's threatened my life several times. He believes
• 12:11
  Speaker 4: that I married his mother for her money and then
• 12:13
  Speaker 4: murdered her.
• 12:13
  Speaker 6: I see. What do you know of the disappearance of Mrs.
• 12:17
  Speaker 6: Elston Martin's body from her grave?
• 12:20
  Speaker 2: What?
• 12:20
  Speaker 6: The body of Mrs. Elston Martin was not in the coffin.
• 12:22
  Speaker 4: I see. Yes, Peter threatened to have the body exhumed.
• 12:28
  Speaker 4: When he was refused permission by the police, he must
• 12:30
  Speaker 4: have tried.
• 12:30
  Speaker 6: But the body was missing from the coffin before it
• 12:32
  Speaker 6: was buried, Dr.
• 12:33
  Speaker 5: Martin.
• 12:35
  Speaker 6: How do you explain that?
• 12:37
  Speaker 4: I can't explain it, Shadow. I can't explain it at all.
• 12:41
  Speaker 5: I beg pardon, Dr.
• 12:41
  Speaker 2: Martin.
• 12:42
  Speaker 5: What is it, Edwards? It's Miss Mary, sir. She's had
• 12:44
  Speaker 5: another heart attack.
• 12:46
  Speaker 3: I'm afraid it's very bad.
• 12:47
  Speaker 8: Where is she?
• 12:48
  Speaker 5: Out here, sir.
• 12:49
  Speaker 8: I found her at the foot of the stairs.
• 12:51
  Speaker 4: Good heavens, Mary.
• 12:53
  Speaker 5: Here she is, sir.
• 12:55
  Speaker 2: Is she....
• 12:57
  Speaker 5: Is she dead?
• 12:59
  Speaker 7: Edwards, go into the study and bring my black bag
• 13:00
  Speaker 7: here immediately.
• 13:01
  Speaker 2: Yes, sir.
• 13:03
  Speaker 5: Oh, sorry, Master Peter. What is it?
• 13:04
  Speaker 4: What's that?
• 13:05
  Speaker 5: Peter, Mary.
• 13:06
  Speaker 7: What have you done to her?
• 13:08
  Speaker 2: Mary.
• 13:09
  Speaker 5: Please, Peter. Mary.
• 13:11
  Speaker 2: If you've killed her.
• 13:12
  Speaker 4: Don't talk like a fool, Peter.
• 13:14
  Speaker 2: Edwards!
• 13:14
  Speaker 6: Edwards!
• 13:15
  Speaker 7: Bring that bag in here, the stimulants.
• 13:17
  Speaker 6: I'm afraid it's too late for that, Dr.
• 13:19
  Speaker 5: Martin.
• 13:20
  Speaker 6: Mary Elston is dead.
• 13:36
  Speaker 4: Dr.
• 13:36
  Speaker 2: Martin did it. Lamont, I'm sure. He murdered Mary Elston,
• 13:40
  Speaker 2: her mother, too.
• 13:41
  Speaker 6: Well, I'm not so sure, Margo. Peter Elston may be
• 13:44
  Speaker 6: very clever.
• 13:45
  Speaker 2: Oh, Lamont, I'll never believe that of him. Why, he's
• 13:48
  Speaker 2: such a nice boy.
• 13:50
  Speaker 6: He couldn't... Suppose I were to tell you that I've
• 13:52
  Speaker 6: discovered several things about this nice Peter Elston that aren't
• 13:55
  Speaker 6: too nice.
• 13:56
  Speaker 8: What?
• 13:57
  Speaker 6: Our young friend was expelled from medical school two years
• 13:59
  Speaker 6: ago because of a scandal he got into. Something to
• 14:02
  Speaker 6: do with gambling.
• 14:03
  Speaker 2: Peter Elston?
• 14:04
  Speaker 6: Yes, Peter Elston. Perhaps he needs money now to pay
• 14:07
  Speaker 6: a gambling debt.
• 14:09
  Speaker 2: And you think that he.
• 14:10
  Speaker 5: Oh, no.
• 14:10
  Speaker 6: Mind you, Margo, I'm not accusing him yet. If he
• 14:13
  Speaker 6: is the murderer, he's covered his tracks pretty well. Even
• 14:16
  Speaker 6: throwing suspicion on his stepfather, Dr. Martin.
• 14:18
  Speaker 2: Well, I'll never believe that of Peter Elston until there's
• 14:21
  Speaker 2: conclusive proof.
• 14:22
  Speaker 6: Oh, to heavens, Margo, I just remembered.
• 14:23
  Speaker 2: What?
• 14:24
  Speaker 6: I've got to get back to the Martin home immediately.
• 14:26
  Speaker 2: But you just came from there.
• 14:27
  Speaker 6: Margo, in the Martin home is the evidence that will
• 14:29
  Speaker 6: convict the murderer. And the murderer will attempt to conceal
• 14:32
  Speaker 6: or destroy that evidence.
• 14:37
  Speaker 8: I told you Commissioner Weston is too busy to come
• 14:39
  Speaker 8: to the phone.
• 14:40
  Speaker 5: This is Cardona. Is there anything I can do for you?
• 14:42
  Speaker 7: I must speak with Commissioner Weston. Tell him that Peter
• 14:45
  Speaker 7: Elston's calling and it's very important.
• 14:47
  Speaker 5: Oh, okay. Just a moment, Mr. Elston. Hello, Elston.
• 14:52
  Speaker 6: What is it?
• 14:52
  Speaker 4: Commissioner, my sister's dead.
• 14:54
  Speaker 2: What?
• 14:55
  Speaker 7: I warned you this would happen.
• 14:56
  Speaker 5: Dead? When did she die?
• 14:57
  Speaker 7: About an hour ago. I told you my stepfather wouldn't
• 15:00
  Speaker 7: stop with one murder.
• 15:01
  Speaker 5: Just a minute, Elston. Just a minute. Why didn't you
• 15:03
  Speaker 5: call me sooner?
• 15:04
  Speaker 7: He wanted to have her sent to the undertakers immediately.
• 15:06
  Speaker 7: I fought to prevent it. I didn't have a chance
• 15:08
  Speaker 7: to call you.
• 15:08
  Speaker 5: I see.
• 15:08
  Speaker 2: I see.
• 15:10
  Speaker 5: It's wise of you to prevent the removal of the body.
• 15:11
  Speaker 5: I'll be over immediately. Oh, and Elston.
• 15:13
  Speaker 8: Yes, Commissioner Weston.
• 15:14
  Speaker 5: No matter what happens, stay with your sister's body till
• 15:17
  Speaker 5: I get there.
• 15:33
  Speaker 6: Oh, Commissioner Weston.
• 15:34
  Speaker 5: Yes, Elston. Come in, Cardona. All right, Commissioner. Now, Elston,
• 15:37
  Speaker 5: take her to the body.
• 15:37
  Speaker 4: It's... She's upstairs in her room. Right this way.
• 15:41
  Speaker 6: Uh-huh.
• 15:42
  Speaker 5: Who's guarding the body, Elston?
• 15:43
  Speaker 4: Well, I am, just as you told me.
• 15:45
  Speaker 5: You are? Well, what are you doing downstairs? Didn't I
• 15:47
  Speaker 5: tell you not to leave the body unguarded? Come on,
• 15:49
  Speaker 5: I hope we're not too late.
• 15:50
  Speaker 6: I don't understand.
• 15:51
  Speaker 5: Your mother's body was stolen from the grave.
• 15:54
  Speaker 2: What?
• 15:54
  Speaker 5: All right, all right. Which room is it?
• 15:56
  Speaker 4: This one. Good heavens.
• 16:00
  Speaker 5: Mary, she's... She's gone. Body's been stolen. That's exactly what
• 16:06
  Speaker 5: I was afraid of.
• 16:08
  Speaker 6: Cardona.
• 16:08
  Speaker 5: Yes, Commissioner. Whoever's done this can't have gotten very far.
• 16:11
  Speaker 5: What's going on here? Peter.
• 16:15
  Speaker 4: What is the meaning of this?
• 16:16
  Speaker 8: You needn't look any further, Commissioner.
• 16:19
  Speaker 6: There he is.
• 16:20
  Speaker 8: There's the murderer.
• 16:21
  Speaker 5: But, Peter, I... Dr. Walter Martin.
• 16:24
  Speaker 6: Yes?
• 16:25
  Speaker 4: Who are you?
• 16:25
  Speaker 5: I'm Police Commissioner Weston.
• 16:28
  Speaker 2: Dr.
• 16:29
  Speaker 5: Martin, you're under arrest for the murder of your wife
• 16:30
  Speaker 5: and your stepdaughter, Mary Elston.
• 16:32
  Speaker 4: There must be some mistake.
• 16:33
  Speaker 8: There's no mistake, murderer.
• 16:35
  Speaker 7: What have you done with my sister's body?
• 16:39
  Speaker 4: I see. I see everything now. At last you have
• 16:45
  Speaker 4: your wish, Peter. I'm out of the way.
• 16:48
  Speaker 5: Come along, Doctor.
• 16:49
  Speaker 8: You're going to pay for your crimes, Dr. Martin.
• 16:51
  Speaker 5: Cardona, put the cuffs on him. Okay, Commissioner.
• 16:53
  Speaker 4: Are you happy now, Peter, to see me disgraced?
• 16:58
  Speaker 7: Can you be happy knowing that another man will die
• 17:01
  Speaker 7: to pay for your crimes? No other man's going to
• 17:03
  Speaker 7: die to pay for my.
• 17:04
  Speaker 5: Commissioner, he's... Dr. Martin, here, give me a hand here, Cardona.
• 17:08
  Speaker 5: Lift his head. Martin, what's the matter? I.
• 17:12
  Speaker 2: The.
• 17:13
  Speaker 4: The water bottle in my bedroom.
• 17:16
  Speaker 6: Huh?
• 17:17
  Speaker 8: Now I know.
• 17:19
  Speaker 2: He... He must have.
• 17:21
  Speaker 5: What are you talking about, man?
• 17:22
  Speaker 2: The.
• 17:24
  Speaker 4: The water.
• 17:26
  Speaker 6: I drank some.
• 17:28
  Speaker 2: It... Tasted strange.
• 17:32
  Speaker 4: It was poisoned.
• 17:35
  Speaker 5: Pete, you.
• 17:36
  Speaker 6: Martin.
• 17:37
  Speaker 5: You.
• 17:38
  Speaker 8: Dr.
• 17:38
  Speaker 6: Martin. He's dead.
• 17:43
  Speaker 2: No.
• 17:44
  Speaker 6: No, I don't understand.
• 17:45
  Speaker 5: No, but now I understand. You're the murderer. You killed
• 17:48
  Speaker 5: your mother and sister, and now you've killed him.
• 17:49
  Speaker 2: Oh, no.
• 17:50
  Speaker 7: No, I didn't.
• 17:50
  Speaker 5: All right, Cardona, take him out to the car and
• 17:52
  Speaker 5: guard him well.
• 17:52
  Speaker 8: Okay, Commissioner.
• 17:53
  Speaker 5: Come on, you.
• 17:54
  Speaker 8: But you don't understand.
• 17:54
  Speaker 5: I couldn't... Save your alibis for your trial, Elston. Take
• 17:57
  Speaker 5: him away, Cardona. Now, now to search this house. The
• 18:02
  Speaker 5: body of Mary Elston must be still here somewhere.
• 18:05
  Speaker 6: You're sure you have the murderer, Commissioner Weston?
• 18:08
  Speaker 5: Shadow, so you're here again.
• 18:10
  Speaker 6: Yes, Commissioner. The Shadow will always be here to fight
• 18:13
  Speaker 6: crime and injustice.
• 18:14
  Speaker 5: Well, I won't need your help this time, Shadow. I've
• 18:16
  Speaker 5: got the murderer. Peter Elston did it to get the money.
• 18:19
  Speaker 5: He blamed it on his stepfather to clear himself.
• 18:21
  Speaker 6: I see. As simple as that, eh?
• 18:23
  Speaker 5: Yeah.
• 18:24
  Speaker 6: Tell me, Commissioner. If Peter Elston convinced you of his innocence...
• 18:28
  Speaker 6: and had you ready to send Dr. Martin to the
• 18:30
  Speaker 6: chair for the crimes... Why did Peter Elston kill Dr. Martin?
• 18:35
  Speaker 6: Why was that necessary? What?
• 18:38
  Speaker 5: Well, I don't know. Oh, Shadow, I've got the right man.
• 18:42
  Speaker 5: It's an open and shut case.
• 18:43
  Speaker 6: No, Commissioner Weston. The mystery is still unsolved. Peter Elston,
• 18:58
  Speaker 6: you have been tried and convicted of murder.
• 19:00
  Speaker 5: In the first degree.
• 19:02
  Speaker 8: Have you anything to say before sentence is passed upon you?
• 19:06
  Speaker 5: No, Your Honor.
• 19:08
  Speaker 7: Except that I'm innocent.
• 19:10
  Speaker 5: I see.
• 19:11
  Speaker 8: It is my duty to sentence you to die in
• 19:14
  Speaker 8: the electric chair. You will be taken to the penitentiary...
• 19:17
  Speaker 8: and on a particular day in the.
• 19:27
  Speaker 2: Week.
• 19:27
  Speaker 6: Peter Elston dies in the chair tonight... Margot, I have
• 19:31
  Speaker 6: a feeling that the boy is innocent, and I'm powerless
• 19:33
  Speaker 6: to help him.
• 19:33
  Speaker 2: Then the governor refused to grant him the reprieve?
• 19:35
  Speaker 6: Yes. The evidence against the boy is too damning. Dr.
• 19:39
  Speaker 6: Martin was poisoned. Peter Elston admitted that he hired the
• 19:42
  Speaker 6: two men to exhume his mother's body. I failed, Margo.
• 19:46
  Speaker 6: For the first time, I failed.
• 19:49
  Speaker 2: Oh, Lamont, you mustn't think about it. It isn't your fault.
• 19:52
  Speaker 6: In two hours, Peter Elston goes to the chair and
• 19:54
  Speaker 6: there's nothing I can do to stop it.
• 19:56
  Speaker 5: Oh, Mr.
• 19:56
  Speaker 8: Cranston.
• 19:57
  Speaker 6: Yes, Shrevie?
• 19:58
  Speaker 8: Big Charlie's been dreaming again.
• 20:01
  Speaker 6: Who's Big Charlie?
• 20:02
  Speaker 8: You remember my bosom friend and companion who's a psychic?
• 20:05
  Speaker 6: Oh, yes. Well, anyway, Margo.
• 20:06
  Speaker 8: He's been dreaming about the trial.
• 20:09
  Speaker 5: Who has?
• 20:09
  Speaker 8: Big Dreamy, the charlor.
• 20:10
  Speaker 5: Uh, Big Charlie, the dreamer.
• 20:12
  Speaker 6: Oh, please, Shravey, I'm not in the mood to listen
• 20:14
  Speaker 6: to any of Big Charlie's nocturnal notions.
• 20:16
  Speaker 8: Okay, Mr. Cranston, then I won't tell you nothing about
• 20:18
  Speaker 8: what Big Charlie said.
• 20:19
  Speaker 5: About the will or nothing. I won't. Will?
• 20:22
  Speaker 6: What will?
• 20:23
  Speaker 5: I don't know.
• 20:23
  Speaker 8: All Charlie says is, why don't they see who's gonna
• 20:26
  Speaker 8: get all the Elston money when Peter Elston cloaks? Maybe
• 20:29
  Speaker 8: it's one of the servants or something looking the will,
• 20:31
  Speaker 8: he says.
• 20:32
  Speaker 7: The will?
• 20:33
  Speaker 5: That's what I've been trying to remember, the blue envelope.
• 20:35
  Speaker 2: What blue envelope?
• 20:36
  Speaker 6: I can't tell you now, Margot. But there's a chance
• 20:38
  Speaker 6: that the shadow may be able to save Peter Elston's life.
• 20:41
  Speaker 6: I'm going to the home and speak with Edwards the butler. I.
• 20:51
  Speaker 4: I don't know who you are, sir.
• 20:52
  Speaker 8: You call yourself the shadow.
• 20:54
  Speaker 5: I can't even see you.
• 20:55
  Speaker 6: Never mind about seeing me, Edwards. Hold the flashlight up
• 20:57
  Speaker 6: so I can see the dial on the safe.
• 20:59
  Speaker 5: Now, if you're a burglar... I'm not a burglar, Edwards.
• 21:01
  Speaker 3: I'm responsible for this house since Master Peter Elston is.
• 21:03
  Speaker 6: Edwards, I'm here to save Peter Elston from the electric chair.
• 21:08
  Speaker 6: There's a document in this walled safe that may save
• 21:10
  Speaker 6: his life. But, Mr.
• 21:11
  Speaker 4: Shadow, I don't see how a document in this safe can.
• 21:13
  Speaker 6: A combination. Let me see.
• 21:14
  Speaker 4: 18 to the left.
• 21:16
  Speaker 5: 39 to the right.
• 21:17
  Speaker 6: 12 to the left. And 49 to the right.
• 21:30
  Speaker 4: Now.
• 21:33
  Speaker 6: Here. Here it is. What is it, sir? Edwards. This
• 21:38
  Speaker 6: is the paper that will save young Peter Elston. Now
• 21:41
  Speaker 6: I must get Commissioner Weston. There's only 20 minutes left.
• 21:50
  Speaker 6: Commissioner Weston. Wake up. Wake up.
• 21:53
  Speaker 2: Hmm?
• 21:54
  Speaker 6: What?
• 21:55
  Speaker 4: Who is it?
• 21:56
  Speaker 6: Commissioner. It's the Shadow. Oh.
• 21:59
  Speaker 5: Shadow, what do you want?
• 22:01
  Speaker 6: Peter Elston is innocent.
• 22:02
  Speaker 5: Now listen, Shadow, that business is out of my hands.
• 22:05
  Speaker 5: He's been tried and convicted. Here, Commissioner, read this. What
• 22:07
  Speaker 5: is it?
• 22:08
  Speaker 6: It's a full confession to the murders. Read it.
• 22:10
  Speaker 5: This is the most.
• 22:11
  Speaker 6: Read it, Commissioner.
• 22:12
  Speaker 5: All right, all right. I killed Mrs.
• 22:15
  Speaker 9: Martin and her daughter by poisoning them and destroyed the
• 22:19
  Speaker 9: bodies to throw suspicion.
• 22:20
  Speaker 5: I'm doing this to let the world know that... Perfect crap.
• 22:23
  Speaker 5: Good Lord!
• 22:24
  Speaker 6: Are you convinced now, Commissioner?
• 22:25
  Speaker 5: Shadow, this is amazing.
• 22:27
  Speaker 6: There's only ten minutes left to save Peter Elston.
• 22:28
  Speaker 5: Hurry, call the governor. Yeah, sure, of course. Hello? Oh, hello, hello, operator.
• 22:33
  Speaker 5: This is Police Commissioner Weston calling. I want to speak
• 22:35
  Speaker 5: to the governor of the state. In the state capital, yes.
• 22:37
  Speaker 5: I don't care how you do it, but do it fast.
• 22:39
  Speaker 5: It's a matter of life and death.
• 22:48
  Speaker 2: Oh, Lamont, come in.
• 22:50
  Speaker 6: I hope I haven't disturbed you, Margo. I thought you
• 22:52
  Speaker 6: might still be up.
• 22:53
  Speaker 2: I couldn't sleep tonight. Tell me, Lamont, is he.
• 22:56
  Speaker 6: Yes, Margot. Peter Elston is saved. Weston was just able
• 22:59
  Speaker 6: to reach the governor in time to have the execution stopped.
• 23:02
  Speaker 6: Two minutes later and.
• 23:03
  Speaker 2: Oh, thank heavens for that. But what was in that
• 23:06
  Speaker 2: blue envelope, Lamont? I'm dying to know.
• 23:08
  Speaker 6: It was Dr. Martin's full confession to the crimes.
• 23:11
  Speaker 2: Dr. Martin? But he.
• 23:13
  Speaker 6: He's dead, yes, I know. He killed himself, Margot. You see,
• 23:18
  Speaker 6: he had originally intended to murder Mrs. Martin and her
• 23:20
  Speaker 6: daughter for the money... But when he found out that
• 23:23
  Speaker 6: he was going to die himself of a heart disease,
• 23:25
  Speaker 6: he decided to commit the perfect crime by committing suicide.
• 23:29
  Speaker 2: Oh, Lamont, that's awful. He made it look as if
• 23:32
  Speaker 2: Peter did it.
• 23:33
  Speaker 1: Yes.
• 23:34
  Speaker 6: He hated Peter because Peter of the whole family suspected
• 23:37
  Speaker 6: his motives and hated him. He even suspected the boy
• 23:40
  Speaker 6: of knowing he was a charlatan and had been denied
• 23:42
  Speaker 6: a license to practice.
• 23:44
  Speaker 2: I see. But the confession, why that?
• 23:47
  Speaker 6: It was vanity, Margot. Murderer's vanity. Martin committed what he
• 23:51
  Speaker 6: believed to be the perfect crime, and he wanted to
• 23:53
  Speaker 6: feel that the world would someday know how it was done.
• 23:55
  Speaker 6: That too late, of course, to save Peter's life. Fortunately,
• 23:59
  Speaker 6: I remembered his putting the blue document in the safe.
• 24:01
  Speaker 2: Then Dr. Martin stole the bodies of Mrs. Martin and
• 24:04
  Speaker 2: her daughter?
• 24:05
  Speaker 6: Yes, to conceal the fact that they'd been poisoned. When
• 24:08
  Speaker 6: Peter couldn't get the exhumation order from the police, he
• 24:11
  Speaker 6: hired the two men to help him get the body
• 24:14
  Speaker 6: of his mother. He wanted to prove that she'd been murdered.
• 24:16
  Speaker 4: Come in.
• 24:17
  Speaker 5: Come in.
• 24:19
  Speaker 2: Mr.
• 24:20
  Speaker 8: Cranston, would you mind if I didn't wait for you
• 24:22
  Speaker 8: no longer?
• 24:22
  Speaker 6: Why, Shrevie?
• 24:23
  Speaker 8: Well, you know Big Charlie.
• 24:25
  Speaker 6: Your friend and companion who was a psychic?
• 24:27
  Speaker 5: Yeah, the same.
• 24:28
  Speaker 8: Well, he had another dream, so I got to run along.
• 24:30
  Speaker 2: What's the trouble, Shrevie?
• 24:31
  Speaker 8: Well, Big Charlie had a dream about taking a few
• 24:33
  Speaker 8: drinks and getting into an argument with a cop and
• 24:36
  Speaker 8: winding up on the clink and calling me up for bail.
• 24:39
  Speaker 6: Well, what does that got to do with you, Shrevie?
• 24:41
  Speaker 8: This time it wasn't no dream.
• 24:59
  Speaker 3: This program is based on a story copyrighted by the
• 25:01
  Speaker 3: Shadow Magazine. The characters, names, places, and plot are fictitious.
• 25:05
  Speaker 3: Any similarity to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
• 25:08
  Speaker 3: The Shadow Magazine is on sale at your local newsstand.
• 25:13
  Speaker 10: The Weed of Crime bears bitter fruit. Crime does not pay.
• 25:25
  Speaker 5: The Shadow knows.
• 25:32
  Speaker 1: The Shadow's investigation concludes with murderer's vanity. Until our next
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: rendezvous in Radio Mystery, good night.