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Boston Blackie - "The Missing String of Pearls" (1944) · Old Time Mystery Radio | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: A string of pearls vanishes from Gordon's jewelry store, and
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: Boston Blackie is immediately under suspicion after leaving his watch
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: there for repair. He has seen the store's longtime clerk, Mrs. Phillips,
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: place the pearls in her handbag, but Blackie is not
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: convinced that she is simply a thief. From August 11th, 1944,
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: this is episode eight of NBC's RINSO-sponsored summer run of
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: Boston Blackie, starring Chester Morris as Blackie and Richard Lane
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: as Inspector Faraday. The script is by Milton and Barbara
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: Merlin from the character created by Jack Boyle. Here is
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: The Missing String of Pearls. Now back to the golden
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: age of radio.
• 0:54
  Speaker 2: Lever Brothers, makers of Rinso, R-I-N-S-O. Soapy Rich Rinso presents
• 1:00
  Speaker 2: Boston Blackie, starring Chester Morris.
• 1:03
  Speaker 3: A string of valuable pearls was stolen sometime today from
• 1:09
  Speaker 3: this shop.
• 1:21
  Speaker 4: I personally took them out of the safe and put
• 1:23
  Speaker 4: them in the showcase this morning.
• 1:25
  Speaker 2: That'd be an inside job. How about your employees, Mr. Gordon?
• 1:28
  Speaker 4: Well, just those two women you see behind the counters,
• 1:31
  Speaker 4: that's all.
• 1:31
  Speaker 1: Mrs.
• 1:32
  Speaker 4: Phillips, the short gray-haired woman, has been here 20 came
• 1:35
  Speaker 4: with us 18 years ago. And I trust both of
• 1:38
  Speaker 4: them implicitly.
• 1:39
  Speaker 2: Bonded delivery service. And nobody came into the shop today
• 1:42
  Speaker 2: except regular customers, eh? Nobody came in just to look around? Well,
• 1:45
  Speaker 2: not today.
• 1:45
  Speaker 4: And we always pay particular attention to strangers.
• 1:48
  Speaker 2: Do you have any kind of a record of people
• 1:50
  Speaker 2: who did come in? Yes, we have a complete list.
• 1:53
  Speaker 4: You see, when someone comes in to have something repaired.
• 1:56
  Speaker 2: We give him a receipt and keep the duplicate.
• 1:58
  Speaker 4: And when anyone purchases an article, well, naturally, we enter
• 2:01
  Speaker 4: that in our records, too.
• 2:02
  Speaker 2: Good. I'd like to see it. Yes, Mr. Gordon. Bring
• 2:04
  Speaker 2: me the day's sales records, please. Yes, sir. That list
• 2:08
  Speaker 2: might give me a lead, but with my luck, I
• 2:10
  Speaker 2: doubt it.
• 2:10
  Speaker 5: Here's the list, Mr.
• 2:11
  Speaker 2: Gordon. I'll take that, Mr. Phillips. Yes, sir. See, Mrs.
• 2:15
  Speaker 2: Van Dyke Smythe, George Ellis, Lady Mary Andrews. Let's see now. Hey,
• 2:21
  Speaker 2: this name here. Is this man a customer of yours? Oh, yes, sir.
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: For many years. He was in about noon to get
• 2:27
  Speaker 2: suspicious of him. Mr. Gordon, when a string of pearls
• 2:30
  Speaker 2: is missing from a certain store and a certain party
• 2:32
  Speaker 2: was in that certain store and that certain party's name
• 2:35
  Speaker 2: is Boston Bracky, I'm suspicious.
• 2:37
  Speaker 6: Oh, no, no, no.
• 2:44
  Speaker 2: In a few moments, we'll meet Boston Blackie. But right now,
• 2:46
  Speaker 2: I'm told by the best authorities that when you ladies
• 2:49
  Speaker 2: set out to buy a dress, you're mighty particular about
• 2:52
  Speaker 2: the color. And so it stands to reason that once
• 2:55
  Speaker 2: you've got exactly the right color, the one that does
• 2:57
  Speaker 2: the most for you is the expression, I believe, you
• 3:00
  Speaker 2: do your level best to see that it stays that
• 3:02
  Speaker 2: color by the most careful laundering. Yes, you'd pick a
• 3:05
  Speaker 2: soap you know to be reliable, like soapy rich rinse-o,
• 3:08
  Speaker 2: for instance. For you see, Rinseau's peppy suds get out
• 3:11
  Speaker 2: more dirt, but they're safe for washable colors. Leave them
• 3:15
  Speaker 2: crisp and vivid even after dozens and dozens of washing.
• 3:19
  Speaker 2: And because you don't have to do any hard scrubbing
• 3:21
  Speaker 2: or boiling with Rinseau, your clothes will stay new-looking longer.
• 3:25
  Speaker 2: So better get Rinseau before next wash day for an
• 3:28
  Speaker 2: easier wash day and for a wash that's Rinseau bright
• 3:31
  Speaker 2: and Rinseau white. And now to the latest adventure of
• 3:36
  Speaker 2: Boston Blackie. Enemy to those who make him an enemy.
• 3:39
  Speaker 2: Friend to those who have no friend. This will kill
• 3:51
  Speaker 2: Blackie Matthews. I'll have him so cold he could refrigerate
• 3:54
  Speaker 2: a warehouse. I don't know, Inspector. I don't know. Oh,
• 3:57
  Speaker 2: you don't know. Of course you don't know. Get this
• 3:59
  Speaker 2: set up. It was from Gordon's jewelry shop today when
• 4:01
  Speaker 2: he left his watch to be repaired. You going to
• 4:03
  Speaker 2: pick him up, Inspector? No, no, not now. But tomorrow.
• 4:06
  Speaker 2: Tomorrow he's going to call for his watch and there's
• 4:09
  Speaker 2: going to be a tray full of very valuable stones
• 4:11
  Speaker 2: practically under his nose. And nobody will be watching him. Black,
• 4:15
  Speaker 2: you lift the trinket or two, and when he gets
• 4:17
  Speaker 2: outside the store, we grab him. How does it sound?
• 4:19
  Speaker 2: I don't know, Inspector. I don't know. But if it
• 4:22
  Speaker 2: just wasn't Black... Oh, Matthews, you're fired. Blackie. Hey, Blackie.
• 4:34
  Speaker 2: Has Faraday been here, Blackie? Has he? Well, not that
• 4:37
  Speaker 2: I can remember. I haven't seen the inspector in a week.
• 4:39
  Speaker 2: You know, I think I'm on his hate parade. Oh,
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: you'll be seeing him, Blackie. Yes? The boys just tipped
• 4:44
  Speaker 2: me off that he's after you for lifting a string
• 4:46
  Speaker 2: of pearls from the Gordon Jewelry shop this afternoon. Well,
• 4:48
  Speaker 2: isn't that nice? I didn't take them, Shorty. I know.
• 4:52
  Speaker 2: But that ain't going to stop Faraday from trying to
• 4:53
  Speaker 2: pin it on you. Oh, he does that from force
• 4:55
  Speaker 2: of habit. By the way, I left my watch to
• 4:58
  Speaker 2: be fixed at Gordon's this noon. Oh, that's probably what
• 5:01
  Speaker 2: gave Faraday his big idea. Yes, and you say a
• 5:03
  Speaker 2: string of pearls is missing, huh? That's what the man said. Shorty,
• 5:08
  Speaker 2: I saw one of the clerks put a string of
• 5:09
  Speaker 2: pearls in her handbag just before she went to lunch.
• 5:11
  Speaker 2: No kidding, boss? Yes. Yes, it was Mrs. Phillips. Oh,
• 5:14
  Speaker 2: you've seen her, Shorty, a little gray-haired old lady. She's
• 5:17
  Speaker 2: been at Gordon's for years. You think she lifted the pearls? Well,
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: I didn't at the time. Oh, no, it couldn't be.
• 5:23
  Speaker 5: Mrs.
• 5:24
  Speaker 2: Phillips isn't a thief. Well, she's a dear, sweet person.
• 5:27
  Speaker 2: She looks like everybody's mother. Okay, boss, okay. I ain't
• 5:30
  Speaker 2: the one who said she snatched them. But the pearls
• 5:32
  Speaker 2: are gone. I'll get it, Sheriff. Okay. Hello, Boston Blackie speaking. Oh, Mr. Blackie.
• 5:41
  Speaker 2: This is Mrs.
• 5:41
  Speaker 6: Phillips from Gordon's Jewelry Shop.
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: Oh, yes. Yes, what can I do for you, Mrs. Phillips?
• 5:46
  Speaker 6: I must see you right away. My address is 722 Alden,
• 5:49
  Speaker 6: apartment 4B.
• 5:51
  Speaker 2: I'm definitely at your service. Be right over. Goodbye. Gone
• 5:56
  Speaker 2: before dinner, boss? But something's cooking. You're right, Shorty. And
• 6:00
  Speaker 2: I'm going to find out what it is.
• 6:02
  Speaker 3: Good evening, Mr. Baptist.
• 6:15
  Speaker 2: How do you do, Mrs. Phillips? Won't you come in?
• 6:20
  Speaker 2: Thank you.
• 6:21
  Speaker 5: I'm sorry Mr. Phillips isn't here. Large night, you know.
• 6:26
  Speaker 5: It's been his one night a week with the boys
• 6:27
  Speaker 5: for the last 35 years.
• 6:29
  Speaker 2: Oh, I see. Well, what did you want to see
• 6:31
  Speaker 2: me about, Mrs. Phillips? Mr.
• 6:33
  Speaker 5: Blackie, I understand you're suspected of taking a string of
• 6:37
  Speaker 5: pearls from the Gordon jewelry shop. I heard Inspector Faraday
• 6:40
  Speaker 5: tell Mr.
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: Gordon. That's right. He thinks I took them, and I
• 6:44
  Speaker 2: think you did. Oh. You see, I saw you put
• 6:47
  Speaker 2: those pearls in your handbag.
• 6:49
  Speaker 5: You saw me?
• 6:51
  Speaker 2: Uh-huh. Oh, Mr. Blackie, please.
• 6:54
  Speaker 5: Please don't say anything to anybody about this. Please.
• 6:57
  Speaker 2: Well, I'm afraid I'll have to, Mrs. Phillips, if the
• 6:59
  Speaker 2: police get too annoyed.
• 7:00
  Speaker 5: I'm sorry I've implicated you. It's been on my mind
• 7:03
  Speaker 5: all evening.
• 7:03
  Speaker 6: That's why I phoned you.
• 7:04
  Speaker 2: Now, look. Look, suppose you just put those pearls back
• 7:07
  Speaker 2: in the morning, and then there won't be any trouble. Now,
• 7:09
  Speaker 2: how's that?
• 7:10
  Speaker 5: But I can't do that. I haven't got them.
• 7:13
  Speaker 2: Did you sell them? You know they could be traced
• 7:16
  Speaker 2: to you if you did.
• 7:16
  Speaker 5: I didn't sell them.
• 7:19
  Speaker 2: Oh, please.
• 7:21
  Speaker 5: I can't tell you anything about them. I'm in terrible trouble.
• 7:26
  Speaker 2: Well, why not let me help you, Mrs. Phillips?
• 7:27
  Speaker 5: Nobody can help me. It's something that happened years ago,
• 7:32
  Speaker 5: but I don't dare tell you about it.
• 7:34
  Speaker 2: Don't dare, huh? No. Sounds as if somebody was blackmailing you.
• 7:38
  Speaker 2: Does your husband know?
• 7:39
  Speaker 5: No.
• 7:40
  Speaker 6: No, he must.
• 7:42
  Speaker 5: He must never know.
• 7:43
  Speaker 2: He'll kill me. Well, of course you know your blackmailer
• 7:45
  Speaker 2: won't be satisfied with just the pearls, Mrs. Phillips. Next,
• 7:49
  Speaker 2: he'll want something else. You'll never be rid of him
• 7:51
  Speaker 2: unless he stops.
• 7:53
  Speaker 5: I'm... Afraid to tell you anything, Mr.
• 7:55
  Speaker 2: Blackie. But you're right.
• 7:58
  Speaker 5: He isn't satisfied with just the pearls.
• 8:00
  Speaker 2: He told me when I gave them to him. Uh-huh.
• 8:04
  Speaker 2: I see. He doesn't waste much time, does he? What
• 8:07
  Speaker 2: is it he wants now, Mrs. Phillips? Come on, please
• 8:10
  Speaker 2: tell me. A ruby.
• 8:13
  Speaker 5: A 20-carat ruby we have in stock.
• 8:15
  Speaker 2: I see. And what would happen if he didn't get
• 8:17
  Speaker 2: the ruby?
• 8:18
  Speaker 5: Something terrible. But I won't let it happen.
• 8:22
  Speaker 2: It mustn't happen.
• 8:24
  Speaker 5: I'll get him what he wants.
• 8:25
  Speaker 2: Well, perhaps what he wants won't be there for you
• 8:28
  Speaker 2: to take tomorrow. You mean you'll take it first? Well... Oh,
• 8:31
  Speaker 2: you couldn't.
• 8:32
  Speaker 5: You mustn't, for your own sake as well as mine.
• 8:34
  Speaker 2: For my sake? Yes.
• 8:37
  Speaker 5: This morning, Inspector Faraday told Mr. Gordon that he was
• 8:40
  Speaker 5: going to lay a trap for you tomorrow when you
• 8:41
  Speaker 5: come for your watch. They're going to put some jewels
• 8:44
  Speaker 5: on the counter where you can get them easily, and
• 8:46
  Speaker 5: then they're going to arrest you as you leave this door.
• 8:48
  Speaker 2: Oh, they are, are they? That's very interesting. You won't take.
• 8:52
  Speaker 5: That ruby now, will you, Mr.
• 8:53
  Speaker 2: Blackie?
• 8:54
  Speaker 5: I've got to get it to keep someone from talking.
• 8:58
  Speaker 2: Well, I don't know, Mrs. Phillips. I've got an idea
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: that from now on, I'm going to do all your
• 9:03
  Speaker 2: talking for you.
• 9:05
  Speaker 3: Matthew, all your tops out of sight?
• 9:09
  Speaker 2: Yes, sir. Hey, there's Blackie's car now, just coming along
• 9:23
  Speaker 2: the street. You see it? Yeah, almost opposite the store.
• 9:26
  Speaker 2: He's driving pretty slow. Come on, Matthew. Let's get out
• 9:29
  Speaker 2: of sight. Okay. Blackie, you're crazy. Here we were yesterday,
• 9:37
  Speaker 2: minding our own business. No pearls, no rubies, no trouble.
• 9:41
  Speaker 2: Now where are we? Right in front of Gordon's jewelry store.
• 9:44
  Speaker 2: And we're about to stop, Shorty. And we still have
• 9:47
  Speaker 2: no pearls, no rubies, but plenty of trouble. Huh. And
• 9:51
  Speaker 2: I'm afraid we're going to have more. You mean you're
• 9:53
  Speaker 2: going across the street to Gordon's and lift that ruby
• 9:55
  Speaker 2: like you said? Certainly. Mrs. Phillips is in trouble, and
• 9:58
  Speaker 2: I'm going to help her. Mm-hmm. I'd like to meet
• 10:00
  Speaker 2: whoever's blackmailing that lovely old lady, Shorty. And that ruby
• 10:04
  Speaker 2: is going to be my introduction. Okay, okay. So you
• 10:07
  Speaker 2: meet him, so you take care of him. That old
• 10:09
  Speaker 2: lady still stole the pearls. That's still a crime. I'll
• 10:12
  Speaker 2: get those pearls back. And give her the ruby to
• 10:13
  Speaker 2: put back, too. Then nobody will be hurt. Except our
• 10:16
  Speaker 2: blackmailing friend. What about the trap Faraday set for you? That? Well,
• 10:21
  Speaker 2: that makes it more interesting, Shorty. You see this cigar?
• 10:25
  Speaker 5: Yeah, yeah, sure I do.
• 10:25
  Speaker 2: Well, look. The center is hollowed out. That's why you're here.
• 10:30
  Speaker 2: You brought me along because the center of the cigar
• 10:32
  Speaker 2: is a hole in it? That's right. Now, when I
• 10:34
  Speaker 2: come out of the store, I'll be smoking this cigar.
• 10:36
  Speaker 2: And when Faraday grabs me, I'm going to be so surprised,
• 10:39
  Speaker 2: I'm going to drop it. And you're going to pick
• 10:42
  Speaker 2: it up. Me, boss? I'm going to pick up a
• 10:44
  Speaker 2: butt just like the old days? That's right, Shorty. And
• 10:48
  Speaker 2: you're going to take very good care of it. Because
• 10:51
  Speaker 2: in that hole in the cigar, there's going to be
• 10:52
  Speaker 2: a 20-carat ruby. So long. Okay, Blackie. Good luck. Thanks. Well,
• 11:04
  Speaker 2: good morning. Hello there, Mr. Gordon. Good morning, Mr. Blackie. Well,
• 11:07
  Speaker 2: I'm busy right now with this young lady. Oh, Mrs.
• 11:10
  Speaker 2: Phillips has your watch ready for you. Good morning, Mrs. Phillips.
• 11:13
  Speaker 2: Beautiful morning, isn't it? You have my watch?
• 11:15
  Speaker 5: Why, yes.
• 11:18
  Speaker 2: Oh, it's this cigar. I'm sorry, Mrs. Phillips. Oh, my,
• 11:22
  Speaker 2: what lovely rubies.
• 11:23
  Speaker 5: Here's your watch, Mr.
• 11:24
  Speaker 2: Blackie.
• 11:24
  Speaker 5: That will be $ 5. Please, please don't touch the ruby.
• 11:29
  Speaker 2: Five dollars, huh? Well, thank you very much. Here you are. Goodbye, Mrs. Phillips. Mr. Blackie,
• 11:35
  Speaker 2: you shouldn't have... Goodbye, Mr. Gordon. I'll take another step, Blackie. Oh,
• 11:42
  Speaker 2: Inspector Farrell. What? You... you startled me. Yeah, I see.
• 11:47
  Speaker 2: Now get back in that store and keep your hands
• 11:48
  Speaker 2: in the air. Matthews? Yeah, Inspector? Now get the boys
• 11:52
  Speaker 2: on all sides of Mr. Boston, Blackie. We're going back
• 11:54
  Speaker 2: in the store and searching. Say, the ruby's missing. No, no, no.
• 11:58
  Speaker 4: He took the ruby.
• 11:58
  Speaker 2: Take it easy, take it easy, Mr. Gordon. Of course
• 12:00
  Speaker 2: he took it. I told you he would, didn't I? Yes,
• 12:02
  Speaker 2: but when will I get it back? Just as soon
• 12:04
  Speaker 2: as we search Blackie. That's what we're going to do
• 12:06
  Speaker 2: in the back room right now, Mr. Gordon. All right,
• 12:07
  Speaker 2: all right, Inspector. Good. Well, it's nice of you, Inspector,
• 12:10
  Speaker 2: to have provided a police escort back into the store.
• 12:12
  Speaker 2: Don't mention it, Blackie. You make bad bargains. What do
• 12:15
  Speaker 2: you mean? You've only had that ruby 30 seconds, and
• 12:17
  Speaker 2: it's going to cost you 30 years. Now, let's get
• 12:20
  Speaker 2: back to the other room and start this search. By
• 12:22
  Speaker 2: the way, Inspector, don't forget to look in my pocket. Well,
• 12:33
  Speaker 2: what did you do with that ruby, Blackie? We searched
• 12:36
  Speaker 2: you from head to foot and I can't find it. Well,
• 12:38
  Speaker 2: he must have it. I saw it on the tray
• 12:40
  Speaker 2: just a minute before he came in. And after he left,
• 12:43
  Speaker 2: it was gone. You arrested him before he could move
• 12:46
  Speaker 2: from the door. He must still have it. Well, you know,
• 12:49
  Speaker 2: maybe I swallowed it. Very clever, Blackie. Yeah, very clever.
• 12:54
  Speaker 2: I've got an idea. Maybe you did swallow it. Are
• 12:57
  Speaker 2: you kidding? Well, we'll soon find out. I'm going to
• 12:59
  Speaker 2: see what you look like behind a fluoroscope. I see.
• 13:02
  Speaker 2: You want to get the inside story. Well, it seems
• 13:11
  Speaker 2: as though Boston Blackie's plan to steal the ruby might
• 13:14
  Speaker 2: have suffered disaster. However, we'll see about that in a moment.
• 13:17
  Speaker 2: Right now, maybe it's the heat, but I definitely feel
• 13:20
  Speaker 2: a poem coming on. Here goes. There was a young
• 13:23
  Speaker 2: housewife named May, who, if you asked her, would say...
• 13:27
  Speaker 2: My wife?
• 13:28
  Speaker 5: A delight. Yes, it's white.
• 13:30
  Speaker 2: Rinse-o-white.
• 13:31
  Speaker 5: For Rinto Suggs, it's his parade.
• 13:34
  Speaker 2: Yes, many a woman cheers those rich, peppy Rinto Suggs.
• 13:38
  Speaker 2: Not only because they help her to turn out such
• 13:40
  Speaker 2: a dazzling Rinto whitewash, but because they save her so
• 13:43
  Speaker 2: much hard work and time.
• 13:44
  Speaker 5: And these hot August wash days, that's something. Well, I
• 13:48
  Speaker 5: think I just give up.
• 13:49
  Speaker 2: If I had to pick up heavy loads of clothes,
• 13:52
  Speaker 2: put them in a steaming boiler, lift them out, scrub
• 13:54
  Speaker 2: the light out of them... Stop, stop. I can't bear
• 13:57
  Speaker 2: the whole idea. It certainly is different than the Rinto way. Heavens, yes.
• 14:01
  Speaker 2: I just plop my dirty clothes into a tub full
• 14:04
  Speaker 2: of rich Rinto suds.
• 14:06
  Speaker 5: Let them soak a little while, give the extra dirty
• 14:08
  Speaker 5: places a few quick finger rubs, and they're ready to rinse.
• 14:11
  Speaker 2: You hear that, ladies? It's a mighty fine prescription for
• 14:14
  Speaker 2: a hot weather wash day or any wash day. Better
• 14:17
  Speaker 2: get rinse-o tomorrow. And now back to Chester Morris as
• 14:27
  Speaker 2: Boston Blackie. In order to deal with the unknown man
• 14:30
  Speaker 2: who is threatening aged Mrs. Mary Phillips, Boston Blackie has
• 14:34
  Speaker 2: stolen a 20-carat ruby from the Gordon Jewelry Shop and
• 14:37
  Speaker 2: hidden it in a cigar. Inspector Faraday has been unable
• 14:40
  Speaker 2: to find the ruby, but now has an idea that
• 14:42
  Speaker 2: Blackie has swallowed it. I didn't swallow the ruby, Inspector.
• 14:46
  Speaker 2: I'm strictly on a milk diet. We'll see, Blackie, as
• 14:49
  Speaker 2: soon as you stand in back of that machine. Faraday,
• 14:51
  Speaker 2: the fact that the ruby was 20 carats is throwing
• 14:53
  Speaker 2: you a little. You see, a ruby is completely indigestible,
• 14:56
  Speaker 2: believe me. Very funny. Now get back of that machine, Blackie.
• 14:58
  Speaker 4: All right, all right.
• 14:59
  Speaker 2: But supposing the ruby doesn't show up? Am I excused
• 15:02
  Speaker 2: for the rest of the day, teacher? Get back of
• 15:04
  Speaker 2: that burrito! All right, all right. Now, how's this? Yeah. Now,
• 15:11
  Speaker 2: just stand there. All right. Turn on the machine, Doc.
• 15:14
  Speaker 2: All right. How do I look, Inspector? It's an improvement.
• 15:20
  Speaker 2: I can't... How does this work, Doc? Any object that
• 15:23
  Speaker 2: is a ruby will show up clearly if you swallow it.
• 15:25
  Speaker 2: See anything? Now, don't tell me you see a strange
• 15:28
  Speaker 2: man and I'm going on a date. Me neither. Okay,
• 15:30
  Speaker 2: turn it off. Come on out, Blackie. All right, put
• 15:35
  Speaker 2: your shirt on and then beat it. I can't hold you. Oh,
• 15:37
  Speaker 2: bless you. Bless you, Faraday. Bless me. You know, it
• 15:39
  Speaker 2: takes a big man to know when he's licked. I'm
• 15:41
  Speaker 2: not licked yet. That's what I mean. Good day, gentlemen.
• 15:53
  Speaker 2: Just a minute. Did you spread the rumor that I
• 15:55
  Speaker 2: got away with a ruby shooting? Yeah, yeah. I spread
• 15:57
  Speaker 2: the story all over town just like you said, boss.
• 15:59
  Speaker 2: Then if I'm lucky, this is the fish that swallowed
• 16:02
  Speaker 2: the bait. Coming.
• 16:03
  Speaker 6: Coming.
• 16:07
  Speaker 2: How do you do? Orson Blackie? Yes, that's right. My
• 16:11
  Speaker 2: name's Tom Elliott. Thanks. All right if I sit down? Certainly.
• 16:15
  Speaker 2: Make yourself at home. You can give me the ruby
• 16:19
  Speaker 2: you took from the Gordon jewelry shop this morning. I
• 16:21
  Speaker 2: know you've got it. Oh, you do, huh? Well, why
• 16:24
  Speaker 2: should I give it to you? I believe you're going
• 16:26
  Speaker 2: to want to give it to me. And just why
• 16:29
  Speaker 2: am I going to want to give you the ruby, Mr. Elliott?
• 16:31
  Speaker 2: You know Mrs. Noah? Ever meet her husband? Wonderful man.
• 16:35
  Speaker 2: They're crazy about each other. Have been for 35 years. Well,
• 16:38
  Speaker 2: what about it? Rather interesting story. You see, before he
• 16:41
  Speaker 2: married her, that's 35 years ago, he escaped from prison.
• 16:44
  Speaker 2: Of course, she didn't know anything about it when she
• 16:47
  Speaker 2: married him. When did she find out? When I told her. Oh.
• 16:51
  Speaker 2: I had to tell her, you see. If I had
• 16:54
  Speaker 2: come to him with this story, I'd have gotten nothing
• 16:56
  Speaker 2: out of him. He'd have committed suicide and given himself up.
• 16:59
  Speaker 2: I see. So, uh, so you want his wife because you, uh,
• 17:02
  Speaker 2: you went to his wife because you knew you'd do
• 17:04
  Speaker 2: anything to protect her husband. Even steal to keep him
• 17:07
  Speaker 2: from going back to jail. Is that right? Yeah, that's right.
• 17:09
  Speaker 2: And her long and trustworthy service in the Gordon shop
• 17:12
  Speaker 2: completed the setup. Well, you know, that's just about the
• 17:14
  Speaker 2: way I figured it. Only I didn't know the details. Uh,
• 17:18
  Speaker 2: I told them to you for one reason. Yes? If
• 17:21
  Speaker 2: you don't give me the ruby, I intend to turn
• 17:23
  Speaker 2: John Phillips over to the police. Well, do I get it, Blackie?
• 17:28
  Speaker 2: You get it. Good. And I don't want any interference
• 17:30
  Speaker 2: from now on, either. Let's understand that, too. I understand.
• 17:35
  Speaker 2: All right. Here's the stone. Now, get out of here
• 17:38
  Speaker 2: before I forget that your scheme is foolproof. Goodbye, Mr. Blackie.
• 17:45
  Speaker 2: What's up? Tell that man that just left here. I'd
• 17:47
  Speaker 2: like to know why a rat like that lives. And
• 17:49
  Speaker 2: I'd also like to know where. Mr.
• 17:57
  Speaker 6: Black.
• 17:58
  Speaker 2: Oh, hello, Mrs. Phillips. May I come in?
• 18:00
  Speaker 5: Please do, Mr.
• 18:01
  Speaker 2: Black. Thanks.
• 18:03
  Speaker 5: The police didn't find the ruby?
• 18:05
  Speaker 2: No, of course not. But your friend, Mr. Elliott, called
• 18:08
  Speaker 2: on me.
• 18:08
  Speaker 6: He told you?
• 18:10
  Speaker 2: Mm-hmm, everything. Now, look, Mrs.
• 18:12
  Speaker 6: Phillips.
• 18:13
  Speaker 2: I guess maybe I'm a sentimental sort of a fella,
• 18:15
  Speaker 2: but I believe anybody who's gone straight for 35 years
• 18:19
  Speaker 2: is entitled to a break.
• 18:20
  Speaker 6: Oh, it sounds so wonderful to hear you say that.
• 18:22
  Speaker 2: Why, there's a story in the papers almost every week
• 18:24
  Speaker 2: about some governor pardoning a man who gives himself up
• 18:26
  Speaker 2: after years of going straight. Oh, providing he hadn't been
• 18:29
  Speaker 2: convicted of a major crime.
• 18:31
  Speaker 5: Well, you see, John had been gambling and signed.
• 18:34
  Speaker 2: It at all.
• 18:34
  Speaker 5: I investigated his case. Of course, he doesn't know it.
• 18:38
  Speaker 2: Well, he won't. Now, I think I have a plan
• 18:40
  Speaker 2: that'll work. We have two things to do. Get back
• 18:43
  Speaker 2: the pearls and the ruby and prevent Tom Elliott from talking.
• 18:46
  Speaker 2: The first is easy. The second, well, we've got a
• 18:50
  Speaker 2: slim chance.
• 18:51
  Speaker 5: Is there anything you want me to do?
• 18:53
  Speaker 2: Yes, definitely. In half an hour, I want you to
• 18:55
  Speaker 2: call Inspector Faraday and tell him that you know a
• 18:57
  Speaker 2: man who escaped from jail 35 years ago. What? Now,
• 19:00
  Speaker 2: please trust me, Mrs. Phillips. It's the only way I
• 19:02
  Speaker 2: know that we can stop Elliott.
• 19:04
  Speaker 5: But I don't see how that will stop him. Oh,
• 19:06
  Speaker 5: and I couldn't do that to John.
• 19:08
  Speaker 2: Well, don't you see you're doing it for John? Now,
• 19:10
  Speaker 2: first of all, you ought to tell Faraday that the
• 19:12
  Speaker 2: man who escaped from jail 35 years ago is a
• 19:14
  Speaker 2: man named, oh, make up any name, say, Fred Mullins.
• 19:18
  Speaker 2: Then act a little bewildered. Don't tell him who you
• 19:20
  Speaker 2: are and just say you know Mullins is free, but
• 19:23
  Speaker 2: you don't know where he is.
• 19:24
  Speaker 5: Then what do I do?
• 19:25
  Speaker 2: Then you're to hang up.
• 19:27
  Speaker 5: I don't understand, but if you say so, I'll do it.
• 19:30
  Speaker 5: Thank you, Mr.
• 19:31
  Speaker 2: Blackie.
• 19:32
  Speaker 5: And that thank you comes from my heart. I was
• 19:35
  Speaker 5: afraid my world had come to an end.
• 19:38
  Speaker 2: Oh, Mrs. Phillips, this is only the beginning. Oh, come on.
• 19:42
  Speaker 2: Let me see your smile. Yeah, that's better. Bye.
• 19:48
  Speaker 3: Hello?
• 19:57
  Speaker 2: Shorty? Oh, hello, boss. Hey, I got that guy's hideout, Peg.
• 20:01
  Speaker 2: It's 1761 East 13th. Uh, uh, apartment 6B. Good. Now listen, Shorty.
• 20:09
  Speaker 2: I want you to call Faraday. Yeah? This guy's your Alanby,
• 20:12
  Speaker 2: who happens to be in the city, and who also
• 20:14
  Speaker 2: happens to have escaped from prison 35 years ago. Who's
• 20:17
  Speaker 2: this Alanby, boss? Gee, I thought I knew him all. Oh,
• 20:19
  Speaker 2: I just made it up. Oh. Play dumb, Shorty, and
• 20:21
  Speaker 2: we'll have Mr. Faraday good and confused. Won't be the
• 20:24
  Speaker 2: first time. Okay, Blackie, it's as good as done. Thanks.
• 20:27
  Speaker 2: See you later. Inspector Faraday, I have some information. Yeah?
• 20:36
  Speaker 2: Who is it? Oh, that ain't important, but there's something
• 20:38
  Speaker 2: that is. Huh? You know, I know a man who
• 20:41
  Speaker 2: escaped from jail 35 years ago, and his name is
• 20:45
  Speaker 2: Edward Allenby. Yeah? There'd be a feather in your cap
• 20:48
  Speaker 2: if you arrested him. Look, I got enough feathers now
• 20:50
  Speaker 2: to be an Indian chief. Where is this Allenby? I
• 20:53
  Speaker 2: don't know. What jail did he bust out of? I
• 20:55
  Speaker 2: don't know that either. Uh, what is this? April Fool's Day? Goodbye.
• 21:04
  Speaker 2: Fairly talking.
• 21:05
  Speaker 6: I just wanted to tell you, Inspector, that a man
• 21:07
  Speaker 6: named Fred Mullins escaped from jail 35 years ago. You
• 21:11
  Speaker 6: can find him if you hurry, but I don't know
• 21:13
  Speaker 6: where you're to hurry to.
• 21:14
  Speaker 2: Goodbye. Hey, hey. Hey, wait a minute. What is this,
• 21:18
  Speaker 2: an epidemic of crackpots? Hello? Hello? You're hung up. Yeah,
• 21:26
  Speaker 2: Faraday speaking. This is Blackie, Inspector. Oh. I've got a
• 21:29
  Speaker 2: tip for you. I know a man who escaped... If
• 21:31
  Speaker 2: you're going to tell me about somebody who was supposed
• 21:33
  Speaker 2: to have broken out of jail 35 years ago, Blackie,
• 21:35
  Speaker 2: I'll wring your neck. All right, Inspector. All right. Then
• 21:37
  Speaker 2: I won't tell you. Goodbye. Six o'clock. Getting out, please.
• 21:48
  Speaker 2: Thank you. Boston Blackie. Oh, no, you don't, Elliot. No
• 21:59
  Speaker 2: closing doors in people's faces. It isn't polite. Do you
• 22:03
  Speaker 2: mind if I come in? What do you want here? Well,
• 22:06
  Speaker 2: I want that ruby I loaned you. And the pearls Mrs.
• 22:09
  Speaker 2: Phillips gave you yesterday. Oh, you do, right? Uh-huh. You see, Mrs.
• 22:13
  Speaker 2: Phillips is going to put them back in the store
• 22:14
  Speaker 2: tomorrow morning when Mr. Gordon can find them. You'll think
• 22:17
  Speaker 2: they were just misplaced. Your memory isn't very good, Blackie.
• 22:21
  Speaker 2: You weren't supposed to interfere anymore, remember? And I was
• 22:24
  Speaker 2: supposed to forget about John Phillips cracking out of jail? Yes, yes, yes,
• 22:27
  Speaker 2: I know. Only that doesn't matter now. Now, let's have
• 22:30
  Speaker 2: those pearls and that ruby, Elliot. Sorry, Blackie, but they're
• 22:33
  Speaker 2: staying with me. And I'd advise you to stand still. Oh,
• 22:37
  Speaker 2: a gun, huh? Pretty unoriginal. But I'd expect that from
• 22:40
  Speaker 2: a small-time crook that blackmails old women. This gun has
• 22:43
  Speaker 2: killed two men, Blackie. What's up? With me on the trigger.
• 22:47
  Speaker 2: And you know what they say about all things coming
• 22:50
  Speaker 2: in three years. The expression is all good things. Don't worry.
• 22:53
  Speaker 2: This will be good. I'm going to leave town until
• 22:56
  Speaker 2: I need more money. Then I'm coming back and put
• 22:58
  Speaker 2: a little pressure on Mrs. Phillips again. I know a
• 23:01
  Speaker 2: fence out west will pay a fortune for those pearls
• 23:03
  Speaker 2: and that ruby. My bag is packed and I'm on
• 23:06
  Speaker 2: my way. But I'm afraid I've got to kill you first. Well,
• 23:11
  Speaker 2: you know that. 38 is liable to make a lot
• 23:13
  Speaker 2: of noise. Yes, but this silencer will make sure nobody
• 23:16
  Speaker 2: hears it. I see. Hey, keep your hand out of
• 23:18
  Speaker 2: your pocket. I haven't a gun, Elliot. I just wanted
• 23:21
  Speaker 2: to get my cigarette case. Okay? Yes. But it'll be
• 23:25
  Speaker 2: the last cigarette you'll smoke. Well, at least this is
• 23:28
  Speaker 2: one way of breaking the habit. Will you have one? Sure. Hey,
• 23:33
  Speaker 2: that's an expensive case. Yes. Now, take it with me
• 23:36
  Speaker 2: when I go. I have a lovely gold inlay you
• 23:38
  Speaker 2: might like also. Now, don't get too close. Just stand
• 23:41
  Speaker 2: where you are and hold that cape out as far
• 23:43
  Speaker 2: as you can. I can reach. Oh, good. You mean
• 23:45
  Speaker 2: like this? Yes. Thoughtful of you, Blackie. I'll take this. Ow! Sucker!
• 23:54
  Speaker 2: I don't know when I've enjoyed doing anything so much.
• 23:57
  Speaker 2: Those pretty little fingers of yours are going to hurt tomorrow, Elliot.
• 24:00
  Speaker 2: So you killed two men, huh? Well, I can't wait
• 24:03
  Speaker 2: to tell Faraday. Now, come on, hand over that jewelry, Rat.
• 24:07
  Speaker 2: I'm in a hurry. I can't wait till I see
• 24:09
  Speaker 2: the expression on a lovely little old lady's face. All right. Faraday,
• 24:24
  Speaker 2: you've got me in jail, and I suppose you're sending
• 24:26
  Speaker 2: my fingerprints up with that pride, Elliot. Blackie finally got
• 24:29
  Speaker 2: around to doing me a favor. You've got a little
• 24:31
  Speaker 2: record in this city, too. You didn't tell Blackie that.
• 24:34
  Speaker 2: I think we've got a priority on you. It doesn't
• 24:36
  Speaker 2: matter where I go to jail. I just want to
• 24:39
  Speaker 2: tell you this, Inspector. I've got a little information for you. Oh, yeah? Yes.
• 24:45
  Speaker 2: I know a man who escaped from jail 35 years ago.
• 24:48
  Speaker 2: You too? Look, Elliot, if I hear one more word
• 24:50
  Speaker 2: out of anybody about some guy who was supposed to
• 24:53
  Speaker 2: have busted out of jail 35 years ago, I'll bust
• 24:54
  Speaker 2: that guy in half.
• 24:55
  Speaker 3: I sent for you, Blackie.
• 25:05
  Speaker 2: On account of you've got a right to know. Oh, thanks.
• 25:07
  Speaker 2: I sent this Elliot's fingerprints out west, and he's wanted
• 25:09
  Speaker 2: for two murders, just as you said. Uh-huh. And for
• 25:11
  Speaker 2: one right here in this city, too. Oh, thanks for
• 25:14
  Speaker 2: the tip, Blackie. How did you manage to catch up
• 25:16
  Speaker 2: with him? Oh, a little old lady told me. Huh? Yeah,
• 25:19
  Speaker 2: so I put two and two together to coin a phrase,
• 25:21
  Speaker 2: and I said to myself, dear old Faraday, he's been
• 25:24
  Speaker 2: so nice to me lately. What better way of showing
• 25:27
  Speaker 2: my appreciation than to make him a present of a murderer? Thanks, Blackie. Oh,
• 25:30
  Speaker 2: not at all, old man. By the way, now that
• 25:32
  Speaker 2: you've looked inside my heart, certainly my stomach, did you
• 25:35
  Speaker 2: ever recover the pearls and the rubies? Oh, yeah. Didn't
• 25:38
  Speaker 2: you hear what happened? No. Well, Gordon called to tell
• 25:41
  Speaker 2: me that they were right in the shop all the time. No. Yeah,
• 25:45
  Speaker 2: can you be said?
• 25:46
  Speaker 6: Old Mrs.
• 25:47
  Speaker 2: Phillips, who works there, found them in another drawer. Well, well, well, well, well.
• 25:51
  Speaker 2: And they lived happily ever after. What'd you say? Oh, nothing, nothing.
• 25:55
  Speaker 2: I just said they lived happily ever after. In just
• 26:05
  Speaker 2: a moment, we'll hear a preview of next week's exciting
• 26:07
  Speaker 2: adventure with Boston Blackie. Meantime, ladies, I have a real
• 26:11
  Speaker 2: piece of advice for you about dishwashing. I've mentioned it before,
• 26:15
  Speaker 2: but if you haven't done it already, I'd suggest that
• 26:18
  Speaker 2: you tote that big green and yellow rinse-o-box up from
• 26:21
  Speaker 2: the laundry and see how much simpler the job can be. Yes,
• 26:25
  Speaker 2: Rinseau's rich thugs really go to town for you in
• 26:27
  Speaker 2: the dishpan. Get dishes, pots, and pans gleaming in a jiffy.
• 26:31
  Speaker 2: Rinseau's kind to your hands, too. So get Rinseau tomorrow,
• 26:35
  Speaker 2: and be sure to use it on wash day so
• 26:37
  Speaker 2: you can join in the chorus of women who sing
• 26:39
  Speaker 2: their way through washing clothes like this.
• 26:42
  Speaker 5: Rinseau, wait. Rinseau, wait.
• 26:44
  Speaker 6: Happy little wash day time.
• 26:46
  Speaker 7: Rinseau, wait.
• 26:48
  Speaker 2: Rinseau, wait.
• 26:49
  Speaker 7: See, see, see, you're holding on. You're found for the
• 26:52
  Speaker 7: time of day. You can't go.
• 26:55
  Speaker 5: Wrong Room so white Room.
• 26:58
  Speaker 7: So white Happy little Boston town But, Inspector, how.
• 27:09
  Speaker 2: Do you know Borson Blackie's dead? I told you, Matthews.
• 27:12
  Speaker 2: All I know is some guy called me on the
• 27:14
  Speaker 2: phone and said that after I'd come down here to
• 27:15
  Speaker 2: Blackie's apartment, I could pick up the remains. Who called you?
• 27:18
  Speaker 2: I don't know. He hung up on me. You think
• 27:19
  Speaker 2: it's another one of Blackie's tricks? Well, we'll know pretty soon.
• 27:22
  Speaker 2: If it is, I'll break every bone in his body.
• 27:24
  Speaker 2: Here we are, sixth floor. He's in 6B here. Hey, Keith. Huh?
• 27:31
  Speaker 2: There's a guy flat on his face right outside the door. Blackie,
• 27:39
  Speaker 2: I don't believe it. He's bumped off right outside his
• 27:43
  Speaker 2: own apartment. Yeah. He's a swell guy, Matthews. One of
• 27:47
  Speaker 2: the best. Sure, he got me sore now and then,
• 27:50
  Speaker 2: and I used to rib him, but when I came
• 27:52
  Speaker 2: right down to Keith's, he was a swell guy. I'll
• 27:55
  Speaker 2: get the guy who did this if it's the last
• 27:56
  Speaker 2: thing I ever do. Writing my epitaph, Faraday? Huh? I
• 28:00
  Speaker 2: hate to disappoint you, but that body isn't mine. Austin Blackie.
• 28:10
  Speaker 2: Summertime means warm weather, and that means more perspiration. Use
• 28:14
  Speaker 2: Lifebuoy in your daily bath or shower to protect yourself.
• 28:18
  Speaker 2: You'll love its rich, purifying lather. Remember, too, that of
• 28:21
  Speaker 2: seven leading brands, Lifebuoy gives you the most soap for
• 28:24
  Speaker 2: your money. And besides, it's the only soap especially made
• 28:27
  Speaker 2: to stop... B-O. B-O. Be sure to listen at this
• 28:48
  Speaker 2: same time next week for another exciting adventure with Boston Blackie.
• 28:52
  Speaker 2: You can see Chester Morris as Boston Blackie on the
• 28:54
  Speaker 2: screen at your favorite movie theater. Boston Blackie's latest Columbia
• 28:58
  Speaker 2: picture is One Mysterious Night, soon to be released. Richard
• 29:02
  Speaker 2: Lane appears as Inspector Faraday. Music by Charles Cornell. This
• 29:06
  Speaker 2: is Harlow Wilcox saying goodnight for Boston Blackie, brought to
• 29:09
  Speaker 2: you by the makers of Rinto, the soap that gets close.
• 29:14
  Speaker 2: Renzo White. This is the National Broadcasting Company.
• 29:22
  Speaker 1: That was Boston Blackie with The Missing String of Pearls.
• 29:25
  Speaker 1: Good night, and thank you for joining us.