Latest / Great Detectives of Old Time Radio Volume 2|Mystery Audio Dramas / Pursuit: Pursuit and the Ladies of Farthing Street (EP1317)

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Pursuit: Pursuit and the Ladies of Farthing Street (EP1317) · Great Detectives of Old Time Radio Volume 2|Mystery Audio Dramas

0:14
Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This
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is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, send it
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to me Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net, follow us on Twitter at
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Radio Detectives, and become one of our friends on Facebook, Facebook dot com,
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slash Radio Attactives. Well, let's go ahead, and before we do
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get started, I want to let you know today's program is brought to you
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by the financial support of our listeners. Thanks so much for your support.
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You can support the show at support dot Great Detectives dot net, and I
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especially want to thank Michael for his support. We'll send access to the premium
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site as we do with alternations of seven dollars or more. All right,
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well, now it's time for today's episode of Pursuit. This one actually marked
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the beginning of the new ongoing Pursuit series that aired in the fall of nineteen
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fifty one into the spring of nineteen fifty two. The title is Pursuit and
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the Ladies Afar Thing Straight and Well Pursuit Pursue. A criminal strikes and pages
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quickly back into the shadows of his own doc world, and then a man
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from Scotland, John, the famous Inspector Peter Black, and the dangerous relentless
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urs you when man hunts man in just a moment Tonight's story. One of
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3:10
Now with Ben Wright starred as a famous inspector Peter Black of Scotland Yard,
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we bring you tonight's story Pursuit and the Ladies of Farthing Street. Raggy father
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Carl, listen things, this is right, muffatt see the sign. Oh
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oh yeah, just wait now us Percy, you've got the time. It's
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off past on the dot. We'll give it ten minutes. You can't tell.
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I don't know. So these anonymous letters rubbish stop. No, there's
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always one that isn't I hope this is one of them. There's a lot
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of places I'd rather be in here. Oh you cold up it a bit
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of rheumatism, sit fog gets your fat says you can't bring policeman's lot is
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not a happy one, happy one not off. If I may say so,
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I say yes, you may. We better move under the street lamp.
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You'll be able to see us better. Oh that's a matter, sire,
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blame. You say you have thought about retiring mother? One night's like
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this, I do. And that's a fit? What said? Bloody dog?
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Think he's doing fine? Hello? Yes, someone you gone, go
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on move along now I'll take you a win. Police. What is it
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about you? Mom? God, look at a little basically? Once you
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got a rat? I don't think so. Hey give me that. Come
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on, come on, come on now, stop me. Hey, it's
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a shoe. Nothing your hand. If the dog bited, sir, oh,
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it must have been on the shoe. Come on, mane dog came
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from over there. I think to shine your torch that way. Oh that's
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nasty. It is. Well, now we know where he got the shoe.
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That morning, the yard had received an anonymous letter to the effect that
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the writer was in possession of certain facts concerning a murder. We receive a
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number of such notes weekly, and all a given routine attention. This one,
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however, I thought, was not of the psychopathic variety. And so
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Muffin and I had obeyed the instructions. We're gone to an abandoned warehouse in
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West Ferry Road to ride there at half past ten that night, and waited,
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And now we stood over a man lying face down in an alleyway.
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There was a dark wetness han and around his body. One shoe was missing.
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I remember noticing a hole in the heel of the son and then Muppett
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was bending over the dead man stab would sir back and sidew I help you
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to turn him over? Won't you stay out? You know him? Now?
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All right, let's have a look through the puckets any identity gun not
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yet, sir? What? Oh? Here? Oh William Prue three six
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three Burdett Road. There's lime ass. Let me see the signature. I
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hold the torch down. Will you a same writing the letter we got from
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the check this morning? That's right? Yeah, h so I'd say it
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was the same. Say well there's this too, something written on the back
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of the bus ticket. It looks like h daffodil and tulip farming the street.
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Now what the devil is there? Let's define know, sir. Well,
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we'd better have him taken to the going to the devil. He knew
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something about a murderer, right too much. The next day at the yards,
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I didn't mapping and Eye began to work on the identification of the dead
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man, known to us as William Prue a fingerprint bureau sorting through over ten
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million prints in their files. Criminal record ofp is to determine the same with
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photographs. When you that that task could be considerably simpler, whether deceased or
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lone criminal. In further, it was necessary to establish the authenticity of the
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identity card which every resident of the United Kingdom is required to carry. At
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two o'clock a report came through on another inquiry which I had made to cro
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he've inspector black Yere. Hello, Blacktice is criminal records a road speaking,
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Oh hello Roachi here you break your arm the other day? Nothing serious?
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Still after the ladder up here, I say about that address three six three
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per dead road belongs to a chap named Stephen Wing. Oh yes, we
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haven't got a thing. What is the place? As far as we now,
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a body has mostly Seamen Wing's registered with the police. All perfectly legitimate.
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I see. Is there anything about William Prue yet? Half a take?
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William threw proper right anyhow, Yes, not yet. We'll let you
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know. Probably now all right, thanks very much, Roach, I said,
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take care of your on. I shall sail out all math my mine.
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Javen's take the black an, I'll trace that fustige every daffodil and julip
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for Farley Street. Oh good, it's a t shopping right. Look,
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nothing's come in here, so have the car brought around? Will you all
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run down to the place. The daffodil and tunip turned out to be a
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very pleasant cottage, without the remotest sign of either daffodil or tulip growing in
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the gardens. It had been remodeled to attend the public needs, but retained
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the charm of a private dwelling. The season was evidently so, and I
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was received by a very large maiden lady who bore down on me like a
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ship of a line. Good afternoon, tea, sir? Would you like
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to be over there? You can see the fight turkeys. Of course they're
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voting and rather bad tempered this way please, Such delightful weather, don't you
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think, madam, Miss Montagu Don't you know I'm from Scotland Yard Chief Inspector
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Black Oh when you haven't come for tea? No oh, he hasn't come
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for tea. Letty dear turn off the guests. We saw you coming up
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the path. Business has been a little awkward, don't you know? Yes,
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I understand. Now I wonder if I may ask you one or two
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questions. Oh, is it about the grocer's bill? Letty? Yes,
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let ment to denial partners, Such a dear little place. Don't you think
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shame Letty? This gentleman is a policeman. He wants to ask us questions.
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Good. It concerns a man name William Pooh? Are you acquainted with
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him? Pooh? Will you pooh? No? We are not. Oh,
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we found a bus ticket which bore on the reverse side. This address
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really art, it's very during the past week or two. Do you remember
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serving any men? May be roughly dressed, possibly seamen. We do not
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cater to common people, inspector. Oh no, never, not vagabond?
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Surely enough. Well, this man was about forty five five ft seven,
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about ten stone at the gray hair, nose was broken blue. Wise,
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you speak as though he's dead. I'm afraid that he is. Ah,
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Oh dear, how hard? Isn't think it was only last week? Then
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you recognize the description. Yes, he said he'd known Percy, miss Minton's
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brother. Oh dear, we didn't know his name, though. May I
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speak to mister Minton pleas? Does he live here? We have. I
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never so good dry. I'm so sorry, dear, that was most unkind
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inspector. Everybody knows most unca I'm afraid I don't. You must have known
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about Percy. Everybody does at Chris Montague. What does everybody know? You
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say you're a policeman. You should know Percy has been in prison for fifteen
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years now. He was sent there for murder. When your hair starts standing
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12:41
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12:46
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12:50
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12:54
works because it destroys the germ pity rus Barmer Valley, which many outstanding authority
13:00
say is a common cause of infectious dandriff. Only by destroying this germ can
13:03
you get the real dandriff relief you need. Preparations that simply remove loose dandriff
13:09
have no effect on it. But double danderine, which is completely safe to
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13:18
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13:28
Get double Danderine now the second act of Pursuit and the Ladies of Farthing
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Street. How could you be so cruel, so heartless, Miss Montague?
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I didn't know. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I must still trouble you
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for some facts. First, that you were a gentleman. I perceived that
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you are not. What is it that you wish to know? This man
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in call Prouve? Did he give any reason for speaking of mister Minton?
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And did he want to see him? Or was he a friend? He
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said so that he had known him some time ago. Well he didn't say,
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you said that he gave no name. He did not. He had
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his tea like a gentleman, and then went away. And you didn't tell
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him where mister Minton was certainly not. Did the murder of which mister Minton
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was convicted take place in London? Yes? I see now, Inspector.
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I have nothing more to say neither, I'm sure has miss Minton if she
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had never seen or heard of the man before? Well, never do you
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wish to tell me where mister Minton was sent? That more prison? Good
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afternoon, I had been fired from Satisfied with my interview at the daffodil and
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tulip tea shop. There were several questions unanswered and others still to be asked.
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I felt that at the time that the knowledge I had gained would be
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amplified by whatever evidence I'd been uncovered at the yard. When I reached the
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office that reports were already on my desk. Here we are SWI ah got
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it. Yes, this is our man Prue all right? Oh sa uh
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huh thing it Print Bureau, William Henderson, aged forty six, centeen center
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And I listened to this muppet cro o report William Henderson three arrests, two
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convictions at nineteen twenty five, nineteen thirty one, nineteen forty eight. Yes,
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with the last two put in the way. And let's see it's the
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first count of buglary insufficient evidence and then forgery in nineteen thirty one and nineteen
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forty eight. Teddy stuff. Ah, Yes, it's interesting here. Something
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he was in Dartmoor and the last conviction. I thinking you Minton there,
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and we're going to find out. Well, the identity card is obviously a
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fraud, and so is the name Prue. Now look here, I want
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you to find everything in the file on Minton's case, right you. Also,
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I'm going to call the governor at Dartmoor and arrange for an interview tomorrow.
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Fifteen minutes later, I was leaping through the file of Percival Minton.
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The murder and subsequent trial were remark of a uniform in the simplicity in Minton
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had shot and killed a friend who was visiting his plant. They had been
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drinking and a quarrel. No witnesses, only the admission of guilt on the
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part of the accused. His sister, Miss Leticia Minton, had been attending
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a play with a companion, miss Edwena Montague. On their return, they
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were met at the door by Minton, who told them to call the police.
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This was done and the case for the crown was completed three months later,
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Minton pleading guilty, sentence life imprisoner. The next day, Marfa and
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I drove through a cold, gray mist and arrived that evening at the lone
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pile of stone, which is dark. More. They went a meter to
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the Governor's office. Now it's maker you wish to see Minton. And on
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the phone you were inquiring about a release prisoner. Yes Henderson, Sir William
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Henderson, Oh yes, tell me did they share a cell in just a
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moment. Minton has been in the second gallery since his arrival. It was
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nineteen thirty six October the twenty u and Henderson was brought here May the twelve,
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ninety forty eight. He was in the first gallery, number six.
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No they when they were together? I see? Or would there have been
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any possibility of a close friendship between these two rather down through Minton is a
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long term prisoner, class number three medically some task over sixteen. Henderson was
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class number one. He was employed showing mail bags, and their recreation periods
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were separate. Now their chances were contact with NILA, should say I would
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that be any way of knowing if the two men had known each other previcely
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to Henderson's arrest, I mean possibly visits by Henderson to Minton. I don't
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think so. However, they would take some time when you have to go
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through the visitors book yes, very well, sir, and I I'd like
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to talk to the prisoner, and of course I'll have one of the staff
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take you. The rules of English prisons are rigidly enforced both the conduct and
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visiting officials. In order to question Percival Minton, I had to submit to
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the presence of a member of the prison staff. Now, this is a
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provision which protects police and prisoner alike from the possible suggestion that in questioning coercion
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was used. In America, it's called the third degree. The guard led
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me to the second gallery and past quiet and cells where men dressed in grays.
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That's smoking or reading. They looked up, eyes alight with a momentary
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interest, and then we're gone from my side. Hello, Percy, got
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a visitor for you after you, Sir Linton. My name is Black.
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I'm a policeman from Scottland Yard. Hope I haven't done something wrong. No
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person, no lip, That's all right, Linton. Since you've been here,
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have you run across a man named William Henderson? Henderson? No,
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are you sure? Gray hair, broken nose. That description would fit half
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of dartmore. No. No. Percy says that he was an old friend
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of yours. I have no old friends, no young ones either. He
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went to see your sister two weeks ago. No, no, no,
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that's not true. He didn't. I didn't believe, and you didn't know
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him. No, I didn't. I just don't want my sister to know
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anybody from this space, nobody, not even meat. I don't allow her
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to visit. No lying to me. I'm not mentioned now. This man
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was found dead, murdered. He had an address in his pocket, a
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daffodil and tulip tea shop. She didn't she didn't. No, no,
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no, he didn't know easy on person. We received a letter from Henderson.
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He stated that he knew something about a murder. He wished to give
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us that information. I told you I don't know this person. He doesn't
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know me. Please leave me alone. It's not fair. You shouldn't be
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allowed to follow me in here. I'm paying. You have no right.
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I'm a murderer. This is what I knew. I want alone, Leave
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me alone away. So there was something rather terrible about his passion. He
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was a very little man with a gentle face now transformed. Tears streamed from
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his eyes, and the voice became shrill, almost a scream. I left
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the guard to quiet a minut. As I walked back to the Governor's office,
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I was reminded of a phrase from some dimly remembered novel. There is
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no loneliness to compare to the loneliness of a prison knight. The governor's records
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in the Visitor's book showed no indication that Henderson had ever come to see Minton
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in the supposition, then, was that there had been no contact between the
21:33
men in Dartmouth. Therefore it was our job to link them elsewhere. And
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we proceeded with this theory the following day, and for as many men as
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you can spare on it, will you, and in particular find out Henderson's
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whereabouts between nineteen thirty two nineteen thirty six. There's nothing much else we can
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do at the moment, Marping, I'm afraid, doctor, there has to
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be a motive. Why kill Henderson? Maybe there's no connection between Minton in
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heaven loot All, No, there's something there. Why did Henderson go to
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the t shop in Kent? And we've got to assume that he knew he
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wouldn't find Minton there? Why flow to find her? Sir? You know
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there's a funny thing of it. According to Minton, he never allowed his
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sister to visit him. I just wonder hello back here he vic, This
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is Governor Xwood. Oh yes, sir, look here. I made further
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inquiries about he may now a year ago there was a mild influenza for jimmacare.
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The hospital report states that both Henderson and Minton would admit it. Go
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ahead, go answer than They were in the same word for two weeks next
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to each other. Is what you're looking for? Wonderful? Thank you very
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much, sir. Up to that moment there was no positive proof. But
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three hours later we had it. A eight on a bus ticket and two
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gray hairs which biological laboratory found on the clothing of the dead man. And
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when I went back to the daffodil and tulip, I knew who had murdered
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William Henderson. It only remained to learn. Why have you come to Tea
23:14
this time? No, miss Minton, is there an office where we can
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have a few words. I'm afraid that can't be helped. Oh, No,
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will the lips in the country. Eduen is there well? I should
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like to speak to her too, dear, oh as ill attended this.
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Dear you take the tea, No, Miss Montague, tea will have to
23:42
wait. Now. You told me that a man had come to your shop
23:45
a week ago asking about mister Minton. It's true he did, I'm sure
23:51
of that, Miss Minton, and you didn't see him after that nod He
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we did not. Well, I have here a bus ticket which proves that
23:57
he made a trip down here that day before he died. I'm sure there
24:00
are two long gray hairs which were found on the deceased clothing. I believe
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they'll be shown to be yours, Miss Montague. How stupid of you?
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Why should I dream killing the man now? It may be better if you
24:14
told us. However, I must warn you that anything you say will be
24:17
taken down in evidence. Adena to see me. I suggest, Miss Montague,
24:22
that the murdered man was in possession of certain facts which he had obtained
24:26
from Miss Minton's brother, facts with which he was attempting to blackmail you.
24:30
Bill, that you were unable to meet his demands and killed him. I
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did do it, didn't I at him? Stop it? Letty? Yet
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I killed him. You are quite right, didn't I Eduena? All this
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time? You say had nothing. What's whether to do with this inspector?
24:45
I killed him. He came here a week ago, then again the night
24:49
before it happened. He said, you'd tell the police about something. What
24:56
doesn't matter. Then he told me that if i'd meet him at quarter past
25:00
ten at the warehouse on West Ferley Road with a thousand pounds, he wouldn't
25:06
say anything to the police. We had no money, so I went there
25:12
and stabbed him. I confess, forgive me, Letty. Why miss Montague,
25:19
why did you do it? I know, why stop it, I'd
25:22
lady you. No, I'm sorried. I so thought, I thought she
25:32
when you behaved strangely after the man came to see us, she said it
25:34
was nothing. That I know her. You get to know people whom you
25:38
love. No, no, don't listen to how I never really believed you
25:42
were Percy had rena inspector. My brother is in prison for what I did.
25:49
He took the blame for the murder I did fifteen years ago. Yes,
26:08
it's true, and you were willing to ruin your life for Herminton.
26:11
It's not ruined, Inspector. I haven't been so unhappy here. I've known
26:18
that what I did was right. My father would have wanted it. Your
26:22
father, oh, yes, he died a long time ago. He asked
26:26
me to take care of Letty. I always took care of her, you
26:30
know. And then fifteen years ago, she must have been thirty five,
26:33
then she met a man, not a tall, suitable person. You know,
26:37
she became infatuated. I didn't realize how much. So father would never
26:41
have approved. Oh it was disgusting. Why did you kill him? She
26:47
was drunk one even revoltingly drunk. Didn't know what she was doing a dueen
26:52
and I as she was a very old friend. You know, we had
26:55
gone to a play. Letty invited that man to are flat. It happened
26:59
just before we came home. The shame would have killed father had he been
27:03
alive. And so you took the blame for what she did. Edwina agreed
27:07
to look after her, just as father would have wanted me to do.
27:11
And you weren't aware that you told all mister Henderson, when you were in
27:14
the hospital together, I know I was quite ill, I suppose delirious.
27:22
Now I expect I shall have to leave here. I wonder what it would
27:27
be like outside. It was a sensational trial, sordid and tragic. The
27:45
odd little man who had relinquished fifteen years of his life was pardoned and soon
27:51
afterwards disappeared. The daffodil and tulip is once again a private cottage in Farthing
27:56
Street of Kent. Pursuit and the first is ended. Are you among the
28:22
thousands who never have any fun because you lack energy and ambition? Has the
28:26
color that once bloomed in your cheeks faded and gone? If life is passing
28:30
you by solely because you don't have enough iron in your blood, remember that
28:33
blood that is starving for iron simply cannot carry the load necessary to keep you
28:37
at your feek. It puts an added burden on your heart, makes its
28:41
work harder to keep you going, and it drains the vital strength and vigor
28:45
from your body. So use an iron tonic ironized yeast daily. Regular use
28:51
of ironized yeast tablets provides an abundance of iron to your pale anemic blood,
28:55
transforming it into rich red bloodstream that restores the precious energy in vites the healthy
29:00
color that once were yours. Tiredness and power may be due to other causes,
29:04
so to be sure of your conditions, see your doctor. But if
29:07
your trouble is simply blood that hungers for iron, then try ironized yeast.
29:11
Tablets now available in half month, one month, and two month packages were
29:15
as little as four cents a day. Pursuit is produced and directed by Elliot
29:29
Lewis and written by Anthony Ellis. Music was composed and presented by Eddie Dunsteader.
29:33
Ben Wright stars as Inspector Peter Black, with Raymond Lawrence as Sergeant Moffatt.
29:38
In tonight's story Byron Kine was heard as Broach, Jeanette Nolan as Atwena,
29:42
Iron, tedrows the tissue, Bill Johnstone as the Governor, and Joseph
29:45
Kerns as Percy. We invite you to join us next week at this same
29:51
time. When Pursued, we'll bring you another dramatic story of the famous Inspector
29:55
Peter Black off Scotland Yard, relentlessly hunting down those whose disorder passions read violence
30:00
and murder. Another story of man hunting men. When we bring you Pursuit,
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keep it clean with energy. Dirty grease spots go right before your eyes
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in a jiffy. When you use energy and cleaning fluid, it's unsurpassed for
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use on blouses, hats, almost anything you can think of. And it's
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easy to use too, get energy at drug grocery or variety. Stars.
30:41
Bob Stevenson speaking, this is the CBS Radio Network, Welcome back. You
31:00
know that episode might be a case of I wonder if our prison system's too
31:04
easy, if the guy's like not so bad who never actually did a crime.
31:11
But at any rate, an interesting story with a couple of pretty good
31:14
twist And we turn now to some listener comments and feedback, and we have
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comments here from from stitcher dot com. One Bobo twenty four says, loved
31:29
the old time great detectives. Love how Adam introduces the show and then wraps
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it up at the end. And Buddy nine to five writes, takes me
31:37
back to radio days. Really enjoy it, try it well, Thanks so
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much for your support to appreciate that and the two thousand people who have this
31:48
show in their playlist on Stitcher. All right, well, that will actually
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wrap it up for today. We'll be back tomorrow with Pat Novak for hire.
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Join us back next Monday for another episode of Pursuit. In the meanwhile,
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send your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot app, follow us
32:07
on Twitter, Radio Detectives, and become one of our friends on Facebook,
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Facebook, dot com, Slash Radiodatactives from Boise, Idaho. This is your
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host, Adam Graham signing off.