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Transcript

The Whistler - "The Man Who Bought Death" (Old Time Radio, 1945) · The Whistler | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Marvin Miller appears in the Whistler's May 21, 1945 broadcast.
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: This is The Man Who Bought Death, Episode 156, heard
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: on the CBS Pacific Network under the sponsorship of Signal Oil.
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: Eddie Ford, a small-time crook, and his nightclub dancer girlfriend,
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: Ruth Sprague, hope that one profitable score will carry them
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: out of poverty. When a street robbery puts a $ 100
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: bill in Eddie's hands, Eddie moves toward the counterfeit money trade,
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: unaware of the situation gathering around him. And now, we
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: return to the original broadcast.
• 0:37
  Speaker 2: Signal gasoline.
• 0:39
  Speaker 3: Let every traffic signal.
• 0:40
  Speaker 4: Remind you, you do go farther with signal gasoline.
• 0:46
  Speaker 2: Yes, you do go farther.
• 0:48
  Speaker 3: With signal gasoline.
• 1:01
  Speaker 4: The Signal Oil Company and your neighborhood signal dealer bring
• 1:05
  Speaker 4: you another curious story by the Whistler.
• 1:10
  Speaker 3: Tonight, the man who bought debt.
• 1:29
  Speaker 5: I am the whistler, and I know many things, for
• 1:33
  Speaker 5: I walk by night. I know many strange tales, hidden
• 1:37
  Speaker 5: in the hearts of men and women who have stepped
• 1:39
  Speaker 5: into the shadows. Yes, I know the nameless terrors of
• 1:43
  Speaker 5: which they dare not speak. Love makes the world go around,
• 1:56
  Speaker 5: so they say. But it also causes a lot of trouble. Take,
• 2:00
  Speaker 5: for instance, the case of Eddie Ford and Ruth Spray.
• 2:04
  Speaker 5: They were in love, had been for a long time.
• 2:07
  Speaker 5: Childhood sweethearts and all. The kind of thing that usually
• 2:10
  Speaker 5: brings nothing but happiness and good fortune. But Eddie and
• 2:14
  Speaker 5: Ruthie were born on the wrong side of town... They
• 2:18
  Speaker 5: grew up on Second Avenue, and that's not exactly the
• 2:21
  Speaker 5: best environment. Eddie's love for Ruth began to show itself
• 2:25
  Speaker 5: in the wrong way. At seven, he stole an apple
• 2:29
  Speaker 5: for her. At 14, he stole a car to take
• 2:32
  Speaker 5: her for a ride. At 17, he'd spent his first
• 2:36
  Speaker 5: night in jail. And at 22, he is firmly established
• 2:41
  Speaker 5: as a small-time crook about town. But he and Ruthie
• 2:44
  Speaker 5: are still in love. just waiting for him to knock
• 2:47
  Speaker 5: over a big enough score to get married. Meanwhile, Ruth
• 2:51
  Speaker 5: works as a dancer in a cheap nightclub, and sometimes
• 2:54
  Speaker 5: Eddie goes over and sits at a table with her
• 2:57
  Speaker 5: between floor shows. Hey, what's the.
• 3:02
  Speaker 6: Matter with you tonight, Eddie?
• 3:06
  Speaker 2: Oh, I'm sick of being broke.
• 3:07
  Speaker 5: Oh, why don't you get a job?
• 3:08
  Speaker 2: What do you think I am, a jerk? Working for
• 3:11
  Speaker 2: 20 bucks a week? I don't know how to do anything. Yeah,
• 3:14
  Speaker 2: I know it, Eddie. I know how I could have
• 3:16
  Speaker 2: plenty of dough, though. If I could get some operating cash. Yeah, well,
• 3:19
  Speaker 2: how much? All I need is a C-note. Might as
• 3:22
  Speaker 2: well be a million. Of course, if I had a
• 3:24
  Speaker 2: hundred dollars, I'd give it to you. You know that. Yeah,
• 3:26
  Speaker 2: I know.
• 3:26
  Speaker 7: Hey, Eddie.
• 3:27
  Speaker 3: Hey, Eddie. I thought I told you to stay out
• 3:29
  Speaker 3: of here.
• 3:29
  Speaker 2: You told me. Who do you think you are, a cop, Pete?
• 3:32
  Speaker 5: Go on.
• 3:33
  Speaker 2: I don't want you in the place.
• 3:34
  Speaker 3: You're a cheap grafter.
• 3:35
  Speaker 2: And I don't want you hanging around the girls. Eddie's
• 3:37
  Speaker 2: all right, Pete. Look, if he don't stay out of here,
• 3:40
  Speaker 2: I'm going to fire you too, Ruthie.
• 3:42
  Speaker 3: All right, Eddie, take distance. I got a job for Ruthie.
• 3:44
  Speaker 2: Yeah, what kind of a job?
• 3:45
  Speaker 3: The kind of job I pay you for, baby.
• 3:48
  Speaker 2: There's a guy over there who's throwing money around like confetti,
• 3:50
  Speaker 2: and he wants.
• 3:51
  Speaker 3: To meet you.
• 3:52
  Speaker 2: Oh, that big moose with the brown suit, I suppose. Yeah,
• 3:55
  Speaker 2: that's him.
• 3:56
  Speaker 3: He's smiling at you, Ruthie.
• 3:58
  Speaker 2: Is that what you call it? Hey, maybe you better
• 4:00
  Speaker 2: go over to his table, sugar.
• 4:02
  Speaker 3: Yeah.
• 4:03
  Speaker 8: Maybe Eddie needs some dough.
• 4:05
  Speaker 3: Shove off, Pete.
• 4:06
  Speaker 2: Where you looking? I'll be right over.
• 4:07
  Speaker 3: Okay.
• 4:08
  Speaker 2: Now, there's nothing personal unless you understand, Eddie. Just don't
• 4:11
  Speaker 2: want you in here, that's all. I'll see you backstage
• 4:14
  Speaker 2: after the show, huh, Ruthie? All right, Eddie.
• 4:16
  Speaker 6: Eddie, do you love me a little?
• 4:19
  Speaker 3: You know I do.
• 4:21
  Speaker 2: Honey, and if this guy's loaded, I want him. You understand? Okay, Eddie.
• 4:25
  Speaker 6: I'll see you after the show, huh?
• 4:31
  Speaker 2: Okay.
• 4:35
  Speaker 5: Yes, Eddie and Ruth are in love, but business is business.
• 4:38
  Speaker 5: So Ruthie goes to join the big moose in the
• 4:41
  Speaker 5: brown suit. She walked up to his table, smiled prettily,
• 4:44
  Speaker 5: and said....
• 4:47
  Speaker 3: Hello. Hello, baby. Sit down. Build yourself a lap.
• 4:50
  Speaker 2: Thanks. You're on the top of the night, aren't you?
• 4:54
  Speaker 3: Yeah, and you're going to join me, youngster.
• 4:58
  Speaker 6: Sounds like an interesting way to spend the evening. You know,
• 5:02
  Speaker 6: that bottle looks like champagne.
• 5:05
  Speaker 3: That's funny.
• 5:05
  Speaker 9: That's just what it is. And I bought it for you, lovely.
• 5:09
  Speaker 9: Nothing's too good for Frankie Ferrari's girlfriend. You're in the
• 5:12
  Speaker 9: big league now, sweetheart.
• 5:14
  Speaker 5: You talk a great game.
• 5:15
  Speaker 3: Stick around and watch me play it, baby.
• 5:18
  Speaker 9: I just hit town tonight and I'm fat with that stuff.
• 5:21
  Speaker 9: Want to help me spend it?
• 5:23
  Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, you know, I got a lot of talent
• 5:27
  Speaker 2: that way.
• 5:28
  Speaker 3: Well, what are you doing after the show tonight?
• 5:30
  Speaker 2: Nothing.
• 5:31
  Speaker 6: Well, that is nothing that you're not going to be
• 5:33
  Speaker 6: in on.
• 5:33
  Speaker 3: You're a lippy little damn, aren't you?
• 5:36
  Speaker 9: I like them lippy. I think you and I are
• 5:38
  Speaker 9: going to get along, baby. Keep the next couple of
• 5:41
  Speaker 9: weeks open. You're going to be busy.
• 5:44
  Speaker 6: Well, look, let's talk about that later, huh? Because I've
• 5:46
  Speaker 6: got to get backstage.
• 5:47
  Speaker 2: The show goes on a few minutes.
• 5:49
  Speaker 6: I'll meet you out in front five minutes after the
• 5:50
  Speaker 6: show's over, okay?
• 5:51
  Speaker 3: Five minutes? You must dress like a fireman.
• 5:54
  Speaker 6: I don't waste time at anything, Frankie.
• 6:06
  Speaker 5: So that's the way love works on Second Avenue. Ruth
• 6:09
  Speaker 5: steers the big bankroll Eddie's way. Well, that's one way
• 6:13
  Speaker 5: of filling a hope chest. After the show, Eddie's waiting
• 6:17
  Speaker 5: backstage to give her the proper instructions.
• 6:20
  Speaker 3: Now, look.
• 6:21
  Speaker 2: With this 12 o'clock closing, this guy's going to be
• 6:23
  Speaker 2: looking for a speak when he meets you.
• 6:24
  Speaker 3: See?
• 6:24
  Speaker 2: Now, you steer him down 12th Street. When you pass
• 6:27
  Speaker 2: the alley between Washington and Adams, I'll let him have
• 6:29
  Speaker 2: my persuader behind his ear, and you run. You bring
• 6:32
  Speaker 2: back the first cop you can find. That'll keep you
• 6:33
  Speaker 2: in the clear, and I'll have the dough and be
• 6:35
  Speaker 2: gone a long time before the gendarmes get there. Yeah, okay, Eddie.
• 6:38
  Speaker 2: I'll do it.
• 6:39
  Speaker 6: Maybe this will be our big break.
• 6:41
  Speaker 5: Okay, okay.
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: Down 12th Street, you're leading him to a speak, see?
• 6:51
  Speaker 5: Well, this looks like it might be very interesting, doesn't it, Eddie?
• 6:55
  Speaker 5: You scurry out the back door of the nightclub while
• 6:58
  Speaker 5: Ruthie makes a quick change and meets the amorous Frankie
• 7:01
  Speaker 5: out in front of the club.
• 7:05
  Speaker 3: Well, where do we go from here, Curly Locks? What
• 7:07
  Speaker 3: do you feel the mood for?
• 7:09
  Speaker 2: Oh, I feel in the mood for fun. And it's
• 7:12
  Speaker 2: been 12 o'clock closing, silly.
• 7:14
  Speaker 3: Now, that's for the squares, isn't it? Yeah. Don't you
• 7:17
  Speaker 3: know any joints that stay open?
• 7:18
  Speaker 8: Oh, yeah.
• 7:19
  Speaker 6: Well, I know one, but it's pretty expensive.
• 7:21
  Speaker 7: Oh, dough don't mean anything, baby. Where is this joint?
• 7:25
  Speaker 6: Over on 12th Avenue.
• 7:26
  Speaker 3: Shall we get a cab?
• 7:27
  Speaker 6: No, it's only about a, oh, about two and a
• 7:30
  Speaker 6: half blocks.
• 7:30
  Speaker 3: All right, so we'll walk.
• 7:35
  Speaker 6: Oh, I love to be out, walking around at this
• 7:38
  Speaker 6: time of night.
• 7:39
  Speaker 2: Now, this time of year, ain't the fresh air just wonderful?
• 7:42
  Speaker 3: I don't know. I never noticed it.
• 7:44
  Speaker 2: Oh, you wouldn't notice it if you had to work
• 7:45
  Speaker 2: in a gin mill like I do.
• 7:47
  Speaker 9: Hey, what's a beautiful dame like you doing dancing in
• 7:50
  Speaker 9: a flea bag like the Club Modern?
• 7:52
  Speaker 3: Haven't you ever had a better offer?
• 7:55
  Speaker 2: Want to make me one?
• 7:56
  Speaker 3: Could be, if things work out.
• 7:59
  Speaker 2: Oh, this is 12th Street.
• 8:00
  Speaker 6: We've turned down here.
• 8:02
  Speaker 3: What's the matter, kid? Don't you like me? Oh, sure
• 8:05
  Speaker 3: I like you.
• 8:06
  Speaker 2: I love big men with money.
• 8:08
  Speaker 3: It looks like I'm made to order, chicken. I weigh 260,
• 8:11
  Speaker 3: and I make all the money I want. No limit.
• 8:14
  Speaker 6: Yeah, well, how do you do it?
• 8:16
  Speaker 7: Oh, I'm an operator, and that's all the conversation we're
• 8:18
  Speaker 7: going to have on that subject. Hey, this is a
• 8:23
  Speaker 7: nice dark street. How about a kiss?
• 8:26
  Speaker 6: Oh, no, not here.
• 8:28
  Speaker 2: Well, this place is only a block away. Can't you
• 8:30
  Speaker 2: wait till we get there?
• 8:34
  Speaker 3: Okay, baby. I like my Danes with spirit. Up to
• 8:37
  Speaker 3: a point.
• 8:39
  Speaker 2: Stick around.
• 8:40
  Speaker 6: You know, Frankie, I wouldn't be at all surprised if
• 8:43
  Speaker 6: you turned out to be the kind of man that
• 8:45
  Speaker 6: I could land a love.
• 8:46
  Speaker 3: Yeah? Yeah. Well, listen, baby. Eddie!
• 8:50
  Speaker 2: Run, will you? Give me a couple of seconds, then
• 8:54
  Speaker 2: yell for the cops.
• 8:55
  Speaker 5: Yeah, well, Eddie, is he dead?
• 8:56
  Speaker 3: Beat it, beat it.
• 8:56
  Speaker 5: Go on.
• 9:10
  Speaker 4: What do those signs mean? Ring around the moon, they say,
• 9:16
  Speaker 4: means rain tomorrow. Rosy sunset said to forecast a fair morning.
• 9:21
  Speaker 4: And that big black circle sign with the yellow letter
• 9:24
  Speaker 4: spelling signal gasoline, well, there's the sign that never fails
• 9:28
  Speaker 4: to mean most miles from your gas coupons. Yes, more
• 9:32
  Speaker 4: and more wise Western drivers are daily discovering that it's
• 9:35
  Speaker 4: not just a slogan, it's a fact.
• 9:36
  Speaker 2: You do go farther with signal gasoline.
• 9:40
  Speaker 3: And for good reasons.
• 9:41
  Speaker 4: One, true to its 14-year tradition of quality, Signal Oil
• 9:45
  Speaker 4: Company is still producing the very finest Signal gasoline that
• 9:49
  Speaker 4: can be marketed today. And two, the famous Signal formula
• 9:53
  Speaker 4: still places the emphasis on mileage. So if you haven't
• 9:57
  Speaker 4: tried Signal gasoline in your car... may I suggest there
• 10:01
  Speaker 4: never was a better time nor a better reason for
• 10:03
  Speaker 4: looking up the station in your neighborhood, displaying signal's yellow
• 10:07
  Speaker 4: and black circle signs, and getting acquainted with your signal
• 10:11
  Speaker 4: gasoline dealer.
• 10:13
  Speaker 3: And now, back to the whistler.
• 10:38
  Speaker 5: Yes, love on Second Avenue can lead to all sorts
• 10:41
  Speaker 5: of things, like the slugging of a big spender in
• 10:44
  Speaker 5: a dark alley. And Ruth carries out her part of
• 10:47
  Speaker 5: the bargain like an old hand at crime. She runs
• 10:51
  Speaker 5: screaming from the scene and brings the cops down in
• 10:53
  Speaker 5: a hurry.
• 10:57
  Speaker 3: Right here, huh?
• 11:03
  Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, it happened right here.
• 11:04
  Speaker 8: Oh, there's nobody here now.
• 11:06
  Speaker 3: What's the matter with you? You been drinking? No.
• 11:08
  Speaker 6: I tell you, I was walking along here with a man.
• 11:11
  Speaker 2: What was his name?
• 11:12
  Speaker 6: His name was Frank, true. Old Frank something or other.
• 11:14
  Speaker 2: I can't remember his last name. You better change your brand, lady.
• 11:18
  Speaker 2: You're having hallucinations. Somebody in the alley, they must have
• 11:21
  Speaker 2: lost their marbles.
• 11:22
  Speaker 3: Oh, yeah?
• 11:23
  Speaker 5: I ought to take you down to the station.
• 11:25
  Speaker 2: I ain't done anything. Okay, okay, get out of here.
• 11:28
  Speaker 2: Go on home and don't be bothering policemen. Take it away, Jerry.
• 11:32
  Speaker 5: This is a false alarm. That's funny, Ruth. You know
• 11:44
  Speaker 5: that Eddie sapped Frank Ferreri to the sidewalk just a
• 11:46
  Speaker 5: few minutes ago. And now there's no sign of either
• 11:50
  Speaker 5: Eddie or Ferreri. That's very funny. You can't see the
• 11:54
  Speaker 5: humor in the situation, though. And you're hurried to Nick's
• 11:57
  Speaker 5: all-night restaurant to keep your rendezvous with Eddie. He's there
• 12:02
  Speaker 5: in a rear booth waiting for.
• 12:05
  Speaker 2: You. Hello, baby.
• 12:05
  Speaker 5: Hello, Eddie.
• 12:06
  Speaker 2: Hey, look, the funniest thing happened... Well, keep it down.
• 12:08
  Speaker 8: To a college cheer, will you, baby?
• 12:11
  Speaker 2: Sit down.
• 12:12
  Speaker 6: Eddie, I waited to give you a chance to get away,
• 12:14
  Speaker 6: you know, before I started to scream to the police.
• 12:17
  Speaker 6: By the time I got back from the police, well,
• 12:19
  Speaker 6: it couldn't have been over, I guess, three or four minutes.
• 12:21
  Speaker 5: Well, there was nobody there.
• 12:23
  Speaker 2: You're nuts. That guy was as cold as a witch's foot. Well,
• 12:26
  Speaker 2: he wasn't there, Eddie. He thought I was crazy. Gosh,
• 12:30
  Speaker 2: I must be losing my touch. Well, the guy must
• 12:32
  Speaker 2: have come through and beat it. Oh, probably just didn't
• 12:34
  Speaker 2: want to get mixed up with the newspapers or something. Yeah,
• 12:36
  Speaker 2: I guess so. I thought you said he had a
• 12:38
  Speaker 2: lot of dough on him.
• 12:41
  Speaker 6: He did, Eddie.
• 12:41
  Speaker 8: I saw it.
• 12:42
  Speaker 2: Oh, nothing but chicken feed. Well, there it is. 78 bucks,
• 12:46
  Speaker 2: three 20s, a 10, five, and three singles.
• 12:49
  Speaker 6: You're lying to me, Eddie.
• 12:51
  Speaker 3: Oh, me?
• 12:52
  Speaker 2: Why would I lie to you? I shook him down.
• 12:55
  Speaker 2: That's all the dough he had. Gee, Petty, you're lying
• 12:59
  Speaker 2: to me, punk. Now, take it easy there, baby.
• 13:01
  Speaker 6: Look, I know he had a $ 100 bill, because he showed.
• 13:04
  Speaker 5: It to me.
• 13:05
  Speaker 2: There wasn't a C-note on him when I got him.
• 13:07
  Speaker 2: That's true, Eddie.
• 13:09
  Speaker 6: You understand him?
• 13:10
  Speaker 5: Now, what's the matter with you, baby?
• 13:12
  Speaker 6: I don't mind you robbing anybody else. And I never
• 13:15
  Speaker 6: beat when you spent every cent that I could make.
• 13:18
  Speaker 6: But I won't stand for you lying to me, Eddie.
• 13:20
  Speaker 2: No dame talk to me like that.
• 13:21
  Speaker 5: Oh, Eddie.
• 13:27
  Speaker 6: Keep the $ 100 bill.
• 13:28
  Speaker 2: It'll never do you any good. It'll do nothing but
• 13:31
  Speaker 2: get you into trouble, and I hope it kills you.
• 13:42
  Speaker 5: So after all these years, the love affair between Eddie
• 13:46
  Speaker 5: Ford and Ruthie Sprague hit the rock. And just because
• 13:49
  Speaker 5: Eddie stole $ 100, he did steal it.
• 13:53
  Speaker 3: You know.
• 13:53
  Speaker 5: Frank Ferrari was carrying $ 178 when Eddie knocked him unconscious
• 13:59
  Speaker 5: and robbed him in that alley between Washington and Adams.
• 14:03
  Speaker 5: Eddie hated to lose Ruth, but business is business. Next day,
• 14:08
  Speaker 5: he called on Bill Larimer at Bill's house in the suburbs.
• 14:12
  Speaker 5: Eddie'd always wanted to do business with Larimer. You see,
• 14:16
  Speaker 5: Larimer was a wholesaler in counterfeit money. Wholesalers sell it
• 14:20
  Speaker 5: for 20 cents on the dollar to the shovers. Those
• 14:23
  Speaker 5: are the people who actually catch it. Eddie had always
• 14:27
  Speaker 5: wanted to be a big-time shover. He'd had a little experience,
• 14:31
  Speaker 5: and he knew all the dodging. So this morning, he
• 14:34
  Speaker 5: walks into Bill Larimer's apartment.
• 14:38
  Speaker 2: I want to buy $ 500 worth of tents.
• 14:39
  Speaker 3: Yeah?
• 14:39
  Speaker 8: What are you going to use for money?
• 14:41
  Speaker 2: This C-note.
• 14:42
  Speaker 8: $ 100 bill, huh? Yeah. Where'd you get it?
• 14:45
  Speaker 3: Go on, look it over.
• 14:46
  Speaker 2: It was made by the Mint.
• 14:48
  Speaker 5: Yeah.
• 14:49
  Speaker 8: That's good, all right. You know, there's something about a
• 14:53
  Speaker 8: $ 100 bill. They feel different, you know?
• 14:56
  Speaker 2: Yeah. I like them. You could square a lot of
• 14:58
  Speaker 2: beasts if you got enough of them.
• 15:00
  Speaker 8: You're not kidding.
• 15:01
  Speaker 3: Hey, George.
• 15:02
  Speaker 2: Yeah? How'd you like to print up some hundreds for me?
• 15:04
  Speaker 8: One, ten, twenty, hundred... Don't make no difference to me.
• 15:07
  Speaker 8: Come in.
• 15:10
  Speaker 3: Here, take a look at this C-note.
• 15:12
  Speaker 2: Did you make a good plate on it? Yeah.
• 15:15
  Speaker 5: Yeah, that'd photograph okay. I could swing it.
• 15:17
  Speaker 2: Gee, wouldn't it be a little tough? 700? With all
• 15:21
  Speaker 2: the dough that is floating around these days? That'd be
• 15:24
  Speaker 2: duck soup. You push a couple of those a day, Eddie,
• 15:27
  Speaker 2: it'd be in the dough.
• 15:28
  Speaker 3: Yeah.
• 15:29
  Speaker 2: Well, how about it? You gonna make some up? What
• 15:31
  Speaker 2: do you say, Jerry? Will you buy them? I'll take $ 1, 000
• 15:34
  Speaker 2: worth the day they're finished. Okay, Bill, you just placed
• 15:38
  Speaker 2: an order. Well, uh, give me those 50 tens. I
• 15:40
  Speaker 2: gotta go get rid of them so I can buy
• 15:42
  Speaker 2: some of those hundreds. Better not try to shove hundreds
• 15:44
  Speaker 2: in that suit. You gotta get up front to get
• 15:46
  Speaker 2: away with that, Eddie. Take some of the dough you
• 15:48
  Speaker 2: make off those tens and buy yourself a front. You're
• 15:52
  Speaker 2: gonna be in.
• 15:53
  Speaker 3: The dough, kid.
• 16:03
  Speaker 5: So Eddie took a little trip out of town and
• 16:05
  Speaker 5: spread his phony $ 10 bills in railway stations, department stores, restaurants,
• 16:10
  Speaker 5: and grocery stores, and was never questioned. He was gone
• 16:14
  Speaker 5: about 10 days. When he came back, he thought of
• 16:17
  Speaker 5: calling Ruthie, but decided he'd better call Bill first. He
• 16:22
  Speaker 5: was pretty excited when Bill told him the hundreds were ready.
• 16:25
  Speaker 5: He went right out there. Bill was glad to see him.
• 16:29
  Speaker 5: He showed him the $ 100 bills, and they were beauties.
• 16:32
  Speaker 5: That George was a craftsman, Bill said.
• 16:34
  Speaker 8: There they are ready.
• 16:36
  Speaker 5: They're perfect.
• 16:37
  Speaker 2: The best job George ever did. Yeah. See, their beauty's
• 16:41
  Speaker 2: all right. Think you can pass them? I wouldn't be
• 16:43
  Speaker 2: afraid to pass those at the Federal Reserve Bank. Look,
• 16:46
  Speaker 2: here's the hundred you brought in. I'm going to mix
• 16:48
  Speaker 2: it up with the rest of these. Now see if
• 16:50
  Speaker 2: you can pick it up. Gosh. I can't tell.
• 16:55
  Speaker 3: Which one is it?
• 16:56
  Speaker 8: I could hardly tell myself if I wasn't an expert
• 16:59
  Speaker 8: on it.
• 16:59
  Speaker 2: Hey, you been selling these C-notes to everybody? Is the
• 17:01
  Speaker 2: town flooded with them? I haven't sold a patch of them, even.
• 17:04
  Speaker 2: Just got them from George today. You got virgin territory, son.
• 17:07
  Speaker 5: Oh, that's good.
• 17:08
  Speaker 2: Okay, here's a hundred bucks. Give me five of them.
• 17:11
  Speaker 3: Five?
• 17:12
  Speaker 8: That all I tell you again?
• 17:13
  Speaker 2: No. I'm not going to sell you a hundred bucks. Well,
• 17:15
  Speaker 2: give me two hundred. Well, okay, here you are. Now
• 17:18
  Speaker 2: you're stuck in business. Well, do you think I can
• 17:22
  Speaker 2: pass C-notes in this outfit?
• 17:24
  Speaker 5: Hmm.
• 17:26
  Speaker 8: Yeah, you look like a gentleman. You paid some dough
• 17:29
  Speaker 8: for this, didn't you?
• 17:30
  Speaker 2: Eighty-five bucks. Count up that money.
• 17:32
  Speaker 5: Where are you stopping?
• 17:33
  Speaker 2: Oh, I'm stopping at the Towers, best hotel in town.
• 17:36
  Speaker 3: Oh, boy, you ought to.
• 17:37
  Speaker 2: See my luggage.
• 17:38
  Speaker 5: Cowhide, real cowhide.
• 17:39
  Speaker 8: Now you're operating, Eddie. Let me give you one tip.
• 17:43
  Speaker 2: You can probably get away with spreading a couple of
• 17:46
  Speaker 2: these sensors here in town. You probably won't be caught
• 17:49
  Speaker 2: up with. Then they're going to start watching you. You
• 17:52
  Speaker 2: better get out of town. Oh, don't you worry. In
• 17:55
  Speaker 2: the first place, I'm not going to get nabbed. And
• 17:57
  Speaker 2: in a second, if I do, I'm not going to talk.
• 17:59
  Speaker 8: If you do, you'll be saying your last words, Eddie.
• 18:10
  Speaker 5: Yes, Eddie, be careful. Now you're in it for keeps.
• 18:13
  Speaker 5: In the big time. A real big shot. So now
• 18:16
  Speaker 5: you decide to call Ruth. You find her at home, too.
• 18:20
  Speaker 5: And you make a date to meet her at the
• 18:22
  Speaker 5: towers in the cocktail lounge. You want her to see
• 18:25
  Speaker 5: your new clothes. Want to impress her with the fact
• 18:28
  Speaker 5: that you're living at the best hotel in town. Plenty
• 18:32
  Speaker 5: of money. You can't be blamed for wanting to gloat
• 18:35
  Speaker 5: a little, can you? So Ruthie meets you and you
• 18:38
  Speaker 5: sit and sip your drink.
• 18:41
  Speaker 2: Well, honey... How about letting bygones be bygones and let's
• 18:44
  Speaker 2: start all over again, huh?
• 18:46
  Speaker 6: Yeah, but that was a dirty trick, though, now, wasn't it?
• 18:50
  Speaker 2: You stole that $.
• 18:51
  Speaker 8: 100 from me.
• 18:52
  Speaker 2: Oh, but you framed the thing so I could get
• 18:54
  Speaker 2: the dough to start operating, didn't you?
• 18:55
  Speaker 6: Yeah, I mean, I'd have given you the money, Eddie, but... Well,
• 18:58
  Speaker 6: I just don't like the idea of you lying to me.
• 19:01
  Speaker 2: That's what I was mad about. Did you say was mad?
• 19:04
  Speaker 2: You're not mad anymore? No.
• 19:06
  Speaker 6: No, I'm not mad at you. I could never.
• 19:10
  Speaker 2: Be mad at you. Hey, you want to see something pretty? Yes, yes.
• 19:14
  Speaker 2: Take a gander at this. Well, that one is all
• 19:17
  Speaker 2: I can tell, isn't it? That's right. I'm lousy with them, baby.
• 19:21
  Speaker 2: You know where I got them? No. Well, what you
• 19:24
  Speaker 2: don't know won't hurt you, baby. Look, I know you've
• 19:28
  Speaker 2: got to go to a rehearsal, but how about me
• 19:29
  Speaker 2: coming up to your place about 5 o'clock?
• 19:31
  Speaker 5: Oh, as well.
• 19:32
  Speaker 2: Why don't you take the night off? I'll tell you
• 19:34
  Speaker 2: what I'm going to do. I'm going to buy some
• 19:35
  Speaker 2: presents for you. And I want you to be there
• 19:37
  Speaker 2: when I bring them. Okay, Eddie. I'll be home at five.
• 19:39
  Speaker 6: But look, I got to go now.
• 19:41
  Speaker 3: Okay.
• 19:42
  Speaker 5: How about a kiss?
• 19:43
  Speaker 2: Here? In front of all these people?
• 19:45
  Speaker 5: Well, sure.
• 19:46
  Speaker 2: You're uptown now, baby. You can get away with things
• 19:48
  Speaker 2: here that they'd never stand for. down where we live.
• 19:51
  Speaker 2: We're in a big time now, honey.
• 19:53
  Speaker 3: For good.
• 20:00
  Speaker 5: Don't be so sure of yourself, Eddie. In your racket,
• 20:03
  Speaker 5: that's not good. Take it easy. But you can't get
• 20:07
  Speaker 5: over being a big shot, can you? You can't resist
• 20:10
  Speaker 5: going to a swank department store to buy your girl
• 20:13
  Speaker 5: a real pheasant.
• 20:16
  Speaker 3: Thank you, miss.
• 20:17
  Speaker 2: Yes, may I help you? Yes, yes. I want to
• 20:19
  Speaker 2: buy a lapel pin for my girlfriend. I don't know
• 20:21
  Speaker 2: much about things like that. Would you mind helping me out? Well,
• 20:24
  Speaker 2: of course, I'd be glad to.
• 20:26
  Speaker 6: Do you see anything in this way that you think
• 20:27
  Speaker 6: she might like?
• 20:28
  Speaker 2: Well, she's a blonde, about five feet one, blue eyes,
• 20:32
  Speaker 2: and wears black most of the time. All right, well,
• 20:34
  Speaker 2: let me see it.
• 20:35
  Speaker 6: I think they'd probably like this kidney a very much.
• 20:37
  Speaker 2: Oh, that one, yeah. How much is that?
• 20:39
  Speaker 6: Well, it's just a minute.
• 20:41
  Speaker 3: It's $ 35.
• 20:41
  Speaker 6: I have to add the luxury section.
• 20:43
  Speaker 2: Oh, that'll be about $ 42. Oh, that's okay. Can you
• 20:47
  Speaker 2: take it out of this?
• 20:48
  Speaker 3: Oh, my, a $ 100 bill.
• 20:50
  Speaker 2: I'm sorry, it's all I have.
• 20:51
  Speaker 5: Oh, well, of course, that's perfectly all right.
• 20:53
  Speaker 2: I'll have the change for you in a moment.
• 20:57
  Speaker 5: Yes, Eddie, wait for your change. You stand there smoking
• 21:01
  Speaker 5: your cigarette, and after a few minutes, you begin to worry,
• 21:04
  Speaker 5: don't you? You try not to show it, but you
• 21:07
  Speaker 5: sense that something's wrong. Then you look around and see him,
• 21:12
  Speaker 5: the man with the unmistakable aura of a store detective.
• 21:16
  Speaker 5: He comes up the aisle and stops a few paces
• 21:18
  Speaker 5: from you. Something's wrong, Eddie. But they never arrest a
• 21:22
  Speaker 5: man for shoving queer dough. They follow him, try to
• 21:26
  Speaker 5: find out where his source is. You've only got one
• 21:29
  Speaker 5: of the bills on you, Eddie. You can say you
• 21:31
  Speaker 5: won it in a crap game. They can't prove anything.
• 21:35
  Speaker 5: But then you turn and see them. Two uniformed policemen
• 21:39
  Speaker 5: coming down the aisle. And suddenly you're not so sure.
• 21:43
  Speaker 5: You're not calm now, Eddie. You're scared, panicky. You've got
• 21:47
  Speaker 5: to get out.
• 21:48
  Speaker 3: Run.
• 21:49
  Speaker 5: Run, Eddie.
• 21:49
  Speaker 2: Run.
• 22:02
  Speaker 5: You got away all right, Eddie. But you've got a
• 22:05
  Speaker 5: bullet hole in your shoulder. You switch cabs five times
• 22:09
  Speaker 5: and cover your trail. But your handkerchief won't sop up
• 22:12
  Speaker 5: the blood that's pouring from your shoulder. You've got to
• 22:15
  Speaker 5: get attention. And Ruth is waiting for you. You finally
• 22:19
  Speaker 5: get to her little flat. You get out of the
• 22:21
  Speaker 5: cab a block away from it. And wait until the
• 22:24
  Speaker 5: cab pulls away before you start walking. You're tired when
• 22:28
  Speaker 5: you get there. Weak from loss of blood.
• 22:34
  Speaker 8: Yeah.
• 22:35
  Speaker 2: Now, let me in.
• 22:38
  Speaker 3: Oh, Eddie. Eddie, what's happened to you?
• 22:40
  Speaker 2: I don't know. I think the cops on this town
• 22:43
  Speaker 2: are going crazy.
• 22:44
  Speaker 3: Oh, you've been shot. Yeah.
• 22:46
  Speaker 8: Yeah, they got me through the shoulder.
• 22:47
  Speaker 6: Well, what are you going to do, Eddie?
• 22:49
  Speaker 2: I'm going to stay here till he dies down.
• 22:51
  Speaker 6: Well, come on in the bedroom. You've got to lie down.
• 22:54
  Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, I don't feel so good.
• 22:57
  Speaker 5: Now.
• 22:59
  Speaker 6: Let me take a look at that wound.
• 23:01
  Speaker 2: Wait a minute. Let me lay down, will you?
• 23:05
  Speaker 6: Oh, baby, baby, how did it happen?
• 23:09
  Speaker 2: I tell you, the cops are going nuts. Oh, yeah, honey,
• 23:11
  Speaker 2: let me put this pillow on your shoulder.
• 23:16
  Speaker 8: I think the best thing to do with a baby
• 23:17
  Speaker 8: is just to lay still so.
• 23:20
  Speaker 2: It stops bleeding.
• 23:21
  Speaker 6: What happened, Eddie?
• 23:23
  Speaker 2: Well, this morning when I got to town, I bought
• 23:25
  Speaker 2: them phony $ 100 bills. Counterfeits, you know. Shoving queer money?
• 23:31
  Speaker 2: I don't go pure on you. Of course I've been
• 23:32
  Speaker 2: shoving queer money. What do you think? Robbed a bank?
• 23:35
  Speaker 6: Well, then why did they shoot me?
• 23:37
  Speaker 2: I don't know.
• 23:38
  Speaker 8: I don't get it.
• 23:39
  Speaker 2: Even if they knew the bill was queer, they wouldn't
• 23:42
  Speaker 2: send for the riot squad and start shooting up the
• 23:45
  Speaker 2: department store.
• 23:47
  Speaker 6: Oh, don't you think we ought to call a doctor?
• 23:49
  Speaker 2: Oh, sure, yeah. That'd be a brainer move.
• 23:52
  Speaker 3: Who's that?
• 23:52
  Speaker 8: Yeah, I don't know.
• 23:53
  Speaker 5: I wasn't expecting that.
• 23:54
  Speaker 2: I'd better get in that closet and hide. Whoever it is,
• 23:56
  Speaker 2: get rid of them.
• 23:56
  Speaker 3: Now, will you?
• 23:57
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I will, sir.
• 24:04
  Speaker 3: Your name Ruth Frigg?
• 24:05
  Speaker 4: Yes.
• 24:06
  Speaker 3: Looking for a friend of yours, a guy by the
• 24:07
  Speaker 3: name of Eddie Forbes. Know where he is? Well, no.
• 24:10
  Speaker 8: No, I ain't seen him.
• 24:11
  Speaker 3: Well, we'll just come in and take a look around.
• 24:12
  Speaker 8: Well, don't let Jack come in here, because.
• 24:14
  Speaker 3: I know. All right, boys, take the joint down. What's
• 24:20
  Speaker 3: the matter, Frigg? Cut your finger?
• 24:21
  Speaker 9: What's that blood doing on the floor?
• 24:23
  Speaker 2: A guy stood there for a while and went through
• 24:26
  Speaker 2: that door over there.
• 24:27
  Speaker 3: I see.
• 24:28
  Speaker 9: Nice of him to leave a tail like that. Get
• 24:30
  Speaker 9: your guns out, boys. This guy's hotter than a four-alarm fire. Now,
• 24:34
  Speaker 9: you stay out of the way, Miss Sprague. There's liable
• 24:35
  Speaker 9: to be some fireworks. We're going in after that guy.
• 24:38
  Speaker 3: We're coming in after you, Forbes.
• 24:42
  Speaker 9: When I kick this door in, be standing there with
• 24:44
  Speaker 9: your hands up or we start blasting.
• 24:46
  Speaker 2: Come and get me.
• 24:47
  Speaker 5: Oh, no, Eddie, no.
• 24:52
  Speaker 9: Kick that gun out of his hand, Jordan.
• 24:55
  Speaker 5: Cold meat, Simon.
• 24:56
  Speaker 3: Hey.
• 24:58
  Speaker 8: He's trying to say something.
• 25:01
  Speaker 3: You haven't got long to live, Ford. If you want
• 25:02
  Speaker 3: to say anything, spit it out.
• 25:03
  Speaker 2: What's the matter with you, Cobb?
• 25:08
  Speaker 3: You're crazy.
• 25:10
  Speaker 2: Shooting a guy for having queer dough.
• 25:13
  Speaker 3: What are you talking about?
• 25:14
  Speaker 5: Oh, no.
• 25:16
  Speaker 6: He's gone, Judge.
• 25:19
  Speaker 5: Okay, it must have been this.
• 25:21
  Speaker 3: What was he talking about, queer dough?
• 25:23
  Speaker 6: That's what you were after him for, wasn't it?
• 25:27
  Speaker 2: Having taught her with money?
• 25:29
  Speaker 3: No. Where'd you ever get that idea?
• 25:31
  Speaker 9: We had this guy bracketed for that quarter million dollar
• 25:34
  Speaker 9: bank robbery in Capital City a couple of weeks ago.
• 25:37
  Speaker 9: He even tried to spend some of the money today.
• 25:39
  Speaker 9: That's how we got on his tail. The Whistler will
• 25:50
  Speaker 9: return in just.
• 25:51
  Speaker 3: A moment with the strange ending of tonight's story.
• 25:55
  Speaker 4: Meantime, here's a $ 64 question that every driver should have
• 25:58
  Speaker 4: a ready answer for these days. If one of your
• 26:01
  Speaker 4: tires should suddenly be ruined, what would you tire that's
• 26:05
  Speaker 4: still hard, mighty hard to find, which makes now, before
• 26:09
  Speaker 4: you have tire trouble, the time to take advantage of
• 26:11
  Speaker 4: your signal dealer's complete tire service? By catching and repairing
• 26:16
  Speaker 4: small injuries before they spread and ruin the carcass, And
• 26:20
  Speaker 4: by suggesting retreading before the tread is worn too thin,
• 26:23
  Speaker 4: your signal dealer can.
• 26:24
  Speaker 2: Add thousands of miles of tire wear.
• 26:27
  Speaker 4: And because of your signal dealer's experience, plus modern equipment
• 26:30
  Speaker 4: and the best of materials, you're assured the quality kind
• 26:34
  Speaker 4: of job that can make such a big difference in
• 26:36
  Speaker 4: tire life. So make it a point soon to stop
• 26:39
  Speaker 4: at one of those friendly stations displaying signals, yellow and
• 26:43
  Speaker 4: black circle signs, and have your tires inspected. There's no
• 26:47
  Speaker 4: one who can give you finer or more complete tire
• 26:49
  Speaker 4: service than your neighborhood signal gasoline dealer.
• 26:54
  Speaker 2: And now, back to the whistler.
• 26:57
  Speaker 3: The Whistler.
• 27:11
  Speaker 5: Yes, Eddie Forbes died for his crime. But the police
• 27:15
  Speaker 5: were after him not for passing counterfeit money, the crime
• 27:18
  Speaker 5: for which he was guilty. No, they cornered him for
• 27:22
  Speaker 5: a crime he didn't commit, a crime he didn't even
• 27:25
  Speaker 5: know had been committed. Remember how Eddie got that $ 100
• 27:29
  Speaker 5: bill from the heavy spender Ruthie steered his way? The
• 27:33
  Speaker 5: counterfeiters made an engraving of that same bill, printed a
• 27:37
  Speaker 5: few hundred of them, and sold some back to Eddie Forbes.
• 27:41
  Speaker 5: But every cashier in the country was watching for the
• 27:44
  Speaker 5: serial number on that bill. And on all the counterfeit
• 27:48
  Speaker 5: made from it.
• 27:49
  Speaker 8: The heavy spender had picked it up illegitimately.
• 27:52
  Speaker 5: From a bank in Capital City. And Eddie died because
• 27:56
  Speaker 5: he didn't know that. Ruth? Her wish came true. Remember
• 28:01
  Speaker 5: when she was sore at Eddie for lying to her?
• 28:04
  Speaker 5: She made the wish that that hundred dollar bill he
• 28:07
  Speaker 5: held out on her would cause his death. Yes. Wishes
• 28:11
  Speaker 5: do come true sometimes. And love ends up in funny ways.
• 28:41
  Speaker 4: Next Monday at 9 o'clock, the Whistler will bring you
• 28:44
  Speaker 4: another strange tale. The Whistler is broadcast for your entertainment
• 28:49
  Speaker 4: by the marketers of Signal Gasoline and Motor Oil and
• 28:52
  Speaker 4: fine quality automotive accessories and by your neighborhood Signal dealer.
• 28:56
  Speaker 4: This program directed by George W. Allen with tonight's story
• 29:01
  Speaker 4: by Ray Buffum, music by Wilbur Hatch, is transmitted to
• 29:05
  Speaker 4: our troops overseas by the Armed Forces Radio Service This
• 29:08
  Speaker 4: is Marvin Miller speaking and suggesting that you let every
• 29:12
  Speaker 4: traffic signal remind you that you do go farther with
• 29:16
  Speaker 4: Signal Gasoline. Yes, you do go farther with Signal.
• 29:26
  Speaker 2: This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.
• 29:29
  Speaker 1: We conclude with The Whistler, The Man Who Bought Death.
• 29:33
  Speaker 1: Follow The Whistler for more classic broadcasts.