Latest / Great Detectives of Old Time Radio Volume 2|Mystery Audio Dramas / Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Hapless Hunter Matter (EP1537)

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Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Hapless Hunter Matter (EP1537) · Great Detectives of Old Time Radio Volume 2|Mystery Audio Dramas

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Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This
0:33
is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, email 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 give us a call to a eight nine nine one four
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seven eight three. Well, before we do get started, I do want
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to encourage you as you're making your travel plans, remember Johnny Dollar air dot
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com. Johnny Dollar air dot Com is a priceline of few, so you
1:00
can name your own price on hotels, rental cars, and airline tickets,
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and you even see William Shatner on the front page. Well as you can
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also choose from great published fairs, and a portion of your purchase price goes
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to support the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio at no additional cost to you.
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So remember when making your plans, remember Johnny Dollarair dot Com. Well,
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now it's time for today's episode of Yours Truly Johnny Dollar. The original
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air date is December eighth, nineteen fifty seven. The title is The Hapless
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Hunter Matter. I should warn you in advance that this is the shortest Johnny
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Dollar audio we've played today. The little detail of the case is missing right
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from the beginning. I did decide instead of explaining to you, just to
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let the show play out, because the missing part is explained, but with
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no further ado and or explanation. Here's the hapless hunter Mattern Insurance Limited.
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Oh sure, Jerry, how are you named? Curtis Randall? Mean anything
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to you? The banker here in Highbridy that's the one. He's also one
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of our big policy holders. At least he was all what's happened to him?
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Eighty four? Yesterday? He in a front of his fellow named Byron
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Peters. He went deer hunting over near king of New York and there's some
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old character in the neighborhood actor's guide. Randall and Peters didn't know it,
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but the old goat was an alcoholic. So what happened At the end of
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the day's hunt. They raised Kine with Curley because he hadn't found him a
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deer Curry the name of the guide. Huh. Yeah. They had a
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big argument over five hundred thousand, hundred Wow, who's Randall's beneficiary? His
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hunting companion Peter's Peters? No wonder you want me to investigate Johnny. Only
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this one looks too weaky, Johnny. I'll be right over Bob Bailey in
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the Exciting Adventures of the Man with the action packed Expencer cow America is fabulous
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free lance Insurance Investigator Turley Johnny Dollar and now act one of yours, truly
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Johnny Dollars. Expense accounts a bit of by special Investigator Johnny Dollar to the
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Trimutual Insurance Company Limited, Hertford, Connecticut. Following is an account of expenses
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incurred during my investigation of the Hapless Hunter matter expense account out of one ninety
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for a text across town the Trime Mutual in the office of Jerry Holland as
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they opened the door, he might be halfway. Hey, what was the
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idea of hanging up on me? Johnny? And better call you back?
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You'd left for sure. I figured if this thing only half of a day
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or so ago, the fanster I could get working on it, the better.
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And I'll go along with you on math Peter in the hospital, because
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if anybody should be suspect, he shot after all of the beneficiary. What
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did you say? I tried to tell you on the phone, only you
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hung up Byron Peters is in the hospital where over in king of New York?
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Why because he was shot up to with that drunken guide when he tried
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to prevent him from killing Randall. Ah then Curly killed himself. Yeah,
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you know, if you'd stop going off half cocked, you might get somewhere
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on this case, if it really is a case. Sorry, I guess
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I jumped to a conclusion. Good word. Half a million is still a
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lot of money, Sure it is, if you need it, and Byron
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Peters doesn't. Well. According to the local police chief who called me,
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it was in Byron Peter's brand new El Dorado that they drove over the Kingman.
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It was Peter's who arranged for the guide service. Is he who supplied
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the guns in the quilty? Okay, Jerry, I'll take your word for
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it. What hospital is he in over there? Angel of Mercy is the
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only one. Any other information I out to have none that I can give
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you. As I told you, this is just routine because of the money
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involved company policy. Of course, for your report you might try to find
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out if this old Curly Summer is the guy that had any reason to have
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it in for Randall. Randall know him before Uh huh, I thought you
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said Peter's arranged for the guy. I guess I did. But now,
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Johnny, have Peters? I'm addressed with you and Randall's sure, why not?
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And I hope you don't think did you know Randall? Well? There
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was he a drinking man one martini before any of that. So yeah,
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why how about Peter's? I don't know what difference would it make? I
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just wondered. Don't kid me, Johnny. You've got something of your sleep,
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john Now what is it? You know something about these people that I
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don't. Not a thing, so help me. But five hundred thousand is
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a lot of money. And I tell you that if you suspect Byron Peters,
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you're crazy? Did I say I still suspect the way you've been talking?
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Did I? Wow? No? Well I do sure? It was
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so little to go on. I had no reason at all to suspect Peter
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except for hunch. But hunches have paid off for me more than once.
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Expense of count Adam two three eighty a tankful of gas for the drive across
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Throughoute six to the New York state line. There ain't picked up nine w
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then two twelve to Kingman I found the Angel of Mercy Hospital on the way
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in the town. The chief resident physician at, doctor Matthews, was completely
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cooperative and of no help whatsoever. Quite pointless the theme at the moment,
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mister Donnet, Oh what do you mean, doctor, Mister Peters is sleeping
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under sedation. Oh, I'm afraid the ordeal with the police left him quite
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exhausted. The police have already seen in questioned him. Yes, and they
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had no business questioning him so long in view of his conditions. Shock,
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Tell me something. Do they suspect that he killed mister Randall two then wounded
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himself for an alibi? You mean that you do? Yeah? Do they?
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No? My boy, you must be joking, of course not ah,
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why not, whether you realize it or not. And you will if
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I permit you to see Peters, see the matter in which use wounded,
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See the extent of his wound. My realize what Oh, my boy,
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I asked you a question. Doctor, You will realize how impossible it would
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have been for him to shoot himself in that fashion, how narrowly he himself
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escaped death at the hands of that rum crazed guide. You're sure, doctor,
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of course, I'm sure. And so are the police. Well,
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where does that leave me? If I may say so? With egg on
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your face, act too, if yours truly Johnny Dollar in a moment,
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and now act too, if yours truly Johnny Dollar and the hapless hunter matter.
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A hunting guide had run him up in the little town of King of
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New York and, according to the report, was responsible for the death by
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shooting wealthy backer Curtis Randall for the wounding of Randall's companion, Byron Peters.
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But Peter's the beneficiary of Randall's half million dollar insurance bolloty, So naturally the
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old bucket suspicion began to gnaw away at the back of my brain until that
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is, I saw Peters his wounds the X rays and finally talked with Captain
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McManus at the local police headquarters. Oh sure, we talked to Peters met
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a dollar, but only to find out exactly what happened when old Curley went
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off his rocker and started spraying lead with his honey rifle, then shot himself.
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And my suspicion that Peters might have done the shooting, Well, didn't
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you see how mister Peters was hit for that thirty thirty. I look,
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he saw Curly pull a rifle on mister Randall and shoot him down. Yeah,
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so he lunched at Curley like this, Curly whirled around, pulled the
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trigger. Yeah. Well the X rays I saw. Sure. Well then
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you know, when Peters lunched at him, the bullet creased his head from
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the top, went right through the muscles in the back of his left shoulder,
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and laded in the floor. So it's pretty harpou is that Peters couldn't
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have shot himself. It's impossible. He would have had to have arms five
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or six feet long to shoot himself on the top of the head at that
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angle. Hey, when did you first learn about this whole thing? Captain?
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When mister Peters came to he phoned me from up at Curly's cabin where
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it happened. I went up there right away, and Curly and Randall were
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dead. Peters were still lying next to the fireplace where he'd falls, but
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if he was able to phone you, he pulled the phone over to him
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by the cord. Still had a good right hand. You know, I
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see where were Randall and Curly? Randall by the front door with a bullet
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in the back of his head curly lay between them. Just how much do
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you know about this curly character. Well, that's the part I don't understand
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why he did it. I heard he was an alcoholic. Sure, he
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was a town drunk in a harmless sort of a way, except when he
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go off on a rampage and get into a fight or two. But never
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during hunting season. Uh huh? Well, what did he do? Odd
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jobs of any kind? Most anything. People had always refused to pay him
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until the job was done, to make sure he stays sober. Huh Well,
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at least reasonably sober, and just as soon as he got paid,
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he'd buy a lot of cheap whiskey and hole up in his cabin. That's
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where the letter occurred. Yeah, except during hunting season, and then he'd
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never touch it. I was a good guide, mister dollar. He made
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a lot of money from the people who came up from New York City in
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Hartford and such. That's the part I don't understand. He's hitting the bottle
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during the season. Well, did he ever have any trouble with his clients
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before? We belly ache about them being so rich when he was suppoor that
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sort of thing. But he'd have to get awfully drunk. I swear I
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don't understand it. Well, look, Captain, I'd like to see the
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bodies of mister Randall and Curly, but they still hear about still well Worth
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the car in his office, Then let's go. I wasn't quite sure what
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I was looking for. Maybe that's the reason I found it. At least
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found something that started that all suspicion bug gnawing away again. Peter is back
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at the hospital and had had a bad powder burn on his forehead thanks to
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where the bullet increased to him. Okay, he had said that Curly the
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guide pulled the trigger when he lunged at him. Randall, there at the
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coroner's office, had no powder burns Okay, it was a parent that he
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had been shot from across the room. But Curly, who was supposed to
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have shot himself upward through the jaw, also showed no sign of powder burn.
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Sure the bullet hole indicated he could have shot himself by holding a gun
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at arm's length. A thirty thirty is fairly short, but no powder burn.
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I said nothing of this the Chief mcmanat It pretty much bears out what
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Peters told me and I told you, doesn't it? Curly shot Randall?
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Then Peters himself suppose, just for the sake of argument, that Randall did
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the shooting first. That is well, now, mister Dollary, say wait,
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speaking of argument, Peter said that Randal and Curly had a pretty big
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one, you know, because Curly didn't find him any dare that's when he
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started to get drunk and abuse eat. But for mister rand on the other
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hand, suppose that Peters started the whole thing. Oh now, look,
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you know that doesn't make any sense and try to kill himself. Well,
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isn't that what you're saying? Curly did? Sure, but that's different.
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No, good old bum realized he'd gone too far. There was no other
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way out for him. But a man like Peter's with money everything he wants.
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Where is this cabin at Curly's? Oh? Right away? Ten twelve
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miles? Do I get there? Straight down Para Street to the mobile gas
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station. You know where that is? Yeah? I saw them away in
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Okay. You turn left there, you go six miles and take the first
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right hand road right up the side of Deer Mount until you get there.
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Here's the key to it. Oh good, thanks, Chief I'll see you
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later. You want me to go along with you? No, according to
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you, this hunch of wine is all wrong. I'm sure of it.
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Okay, then I better winging alone. From the outside, Curly's cabin was
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a shack, nothing more, and there were enough cheap whiskey bottles scattered around
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the yard to think a battleship inside. However, it was pretty co partibly
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fixed up. And back into the kitchen sink, I found a case of
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Prince Francis scotch nearly full. Had Curly suddenly changed his taste for them better,
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or had somebody decided to bait him with it? By the dark things
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in the floor, I could see where both Randall and Curly had fallen where
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Peter's had gone down. There was also the rifle slug embedded in the floor,
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and I noticed the angle at which that slug had ended, as though
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it had been fired from the ceiling, certainly from higher than any normal man
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could reach, and Curly was only five foot two or three. Then I
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saw something else, a heavy cord hanging down from one of the raptors about
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where Peter's had lain. It was frayed at the end, as though forcibly
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broken. I suppose someone had hung a loaded rifle there by the trigger so
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the slightest pull would set it off, had stood under it, holding the
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muzzle carefully next to his head to one side, just close enough to yeah,
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hello, yeah, listen? Are you You may be right? Oh?
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I still don't see how you can be What do you mean? Look,
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I've got doctor Matthews at the hospital here on this party line. If
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you still are doctor right here, jeez, well, then you better tell
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mister Dollan, Well it's about it's Peters. Yeah, he's left left.
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I thought you had him under sedation. I guess it didn't take hold the
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way I thought it would. What happened? He woke up and asked me
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who it was and been here to see him while he was drowsy? Did
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you tell him who I was? Yes? And he seemed to drop off
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again, so I left him a few minutes later I heard his big fancy
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car pulling away there. I went back to his room and he was gone.
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Doctor. I don't know what it means anymore than you two, but
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if I was you, I would get away from that isolated cabin. Do
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you see what I mean? Dollar? Sure? Chief, I'll leave right
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away. That was very smart Dollar Byron Peters. Yes, that's right,
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Byron Peters. Act three of yours, truly Johnny Dollar in a moment,
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and now Act three of yours, truly Johnny Dollar and the hapless hunter matter.
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Oh, you weren't as badly hurt by that bullet as you pretended.
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That's right, Dollar. Does that help bear out your third suspicions about me?
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Not nearly so much as you're coming up here to this cabin? Peters,
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what's that supposed to mean? You rigged the whole thing pretty well,
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but not well enough. Why you wanted to get rid of Curtis Randall?
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I don't know. You're out of your mind. Randall was a friend of
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mine. I must have had some reason for killing him. Curly Summers murdered
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Kurt. We had a big argument because he hadn't found us any game.
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The only reason that got out of hand was because Curly was drunk on What
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on? Some of that expen to Scotch I found in the kitchen? How
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should I know? Yes? Where did he get that? How should I
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know? I? Do? You brought it here to help bolster your phony
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alibi to indicate that Curley had it up here, had been hitting it,
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but she pulled a boo boo. Why don't you talk sense, detective?
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Are you trying to tell me Curly wouldever have stuff like that? Look?
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Look at the old bottles scattered around outside, cheap rot gout, that's all.
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What's Mary never touched a drop during hunting season. That's about as thin
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evidence as you could possibly dig up dollar and you know it. Peters,
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Why did you come up here just now? Okay, I'll tell you that
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too. Lying there in the hospital nursing your sore shoulder, you didn't plan
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on that injury, did you? I told the police. I hear you
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told the police. Lying there, you suddenly remember the one thing that could
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show how you cleverly wounded yourself after you killed Lamblin Curly. That piece of
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cord up on the raft where you're hung Curly's gun up by the trigger carefully
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along the side of your head, then yanked on it to set it off.
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Dangerous but a great album, I told the police. The doctor Curly
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pulled that trigger when I lunched at him, struggled with him. Little Curly
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held that gun high enough so the bullet would creaseh your head from above.
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I was bent over lunching at it, and then entered the floor from up
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here where this cord is hanging. You're pretty smart, aren't you. Dollar.
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Curly was supposed to have committed suicide. Huh. Yes, he must
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have, because I heard him shoot himself as that passed, Dole. Oh.
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Sure, the bullet entered his lower jaw, went up into his brain.
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That's right. I had many had to hold that thirty thirty at arm's
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length, so the muzzle right next to his jaw. That's right where it
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would have left powder burn. But Peters, there were none because you shot
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him from across the room, the same as you did Ramble. Yes,
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yes, the same as I'll shoot you if you can. My right hand
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is still good, Dollar, and so it's a thirty eight. You and
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your fool insurance company should have left things as they were shin up. Dollar,
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tell me one thing. Sorry, I haven't got time. When I
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left the hospital, I made sure I was seen heading for New York and
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a carefully set up alibi. I still won't get away with it, you
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know, any more than you got away with killing Randall. I had until
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you came along and I will when I've killed you. So if you have
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nothing more to say, one thing? Why did you kill Ram? You're
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trying to stall me? Why? All right? All right? Because I
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forced him to name me in his insurance. I was the only one who
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knew about some shady operations in his early business career, the old story.
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Huh, that's right, blackmail. That's why he's been paying me off,
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supporting me until recently. So you're threatened to expose him? No, what
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would that get me financially? Then tell me that I've got to get out
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of here to New York, just one the more. I don't know why
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you're trying to stall me, but it's no use. So if you have
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any prayers, Dollar, sure sure that Chief McMahon is standing there in the
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doorway, will slug you before you pull that trigger. Oh no, not
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that old chestnut. Why not people? You yog gon a Dollar? I
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thought I told you on the phone to get out of here. Expensive gout
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total including gas to get you back at Hartford thirteen dollars and thirteen cents remarks
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Why why don't they ever learn? Yo? It's truly Johnny Dollar. This
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is the United States, tim The force is radio and Television service Welcome back.
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Very interesting episode and once again Jack Johnstone wrote this week's episode I thought
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a fairly solid scrap, though it did reuse a plot device, the supersonic
20:48
policeman. It was something he used back in The Indestructible Mic Matter, where
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a policeman inexpectably shows up in a way that doesn't make sense since he was
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just on the phone, and it's implied that there's a bit of a distance
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between this cabin kind of out by itself and town by. There the police
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officer is to save the day. But it was a good mystery case,
21:15
very well set out in an enjoyable detective story. I like the idea of
21:22
casting doubts on Johnny's initial suspicion. He certainly should have been open to of
21:29
the person who actually committed the crime being guilt, but before he actually gets
21:33
on the case. To have very strong suspicions reminds us of Sherlock Holmes warning
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that it's a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Johnny, though,
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tends to go very strongly on instinct, and thankfully for him, his
21:48
instincts are usually pretty good all right, well on to some listener comments and
21:55
feedback, and we got quite a few regarding episode fifteen twenty five, which
22:00
is the Hope to Die matter. In addition to the confusion about the death
22:06
policy. I think I heard Johnny use the line just let George do it,
22:11
referring to George with the insurance company, which was a nice nod to
22:14
his previous radio program. Well, maybe I tended to think it was just
22:21
an allusion to what was a pretty common scene at the time and a little
22:26
bit less so today, But that was the saying was the reason for the
22:32
radio show, and the radio show itself was a little bit obscure just because
22:37
it was only West Coast, but it could have been an illusion. I'd
22:40
never thought of that. Thanks so much for the comment. Carrie OTAs says
22:44
the story was confusing. Bobby Lee says, wow, I didn't expect the
22:48
story to go that route, but Justin says it's still okay. I love
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Johnny Doller, and on that I'll agree. You know, sometimes we've poked
22:57
fun at an ass of a show or of an episode, but it's not
23:03
because we're dissing the show. It's just having some good humored fun regarding those
23:08
little flaws in one of our favorite programs. Well, that will actually do
23:14
it for today. We will be back next week with another episode of Yours
23:18
Truly Johnny Doller, and join us tomorrow for Dragnet. In the meantime,
23:22
send your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net, follow us on
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Twitter at Radio Detectives, and become one of our friends on Facebook, Facebook
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dot com, slash Radiodetectives. From Boise, Idaho, this is your host,
23:37
Adam Grahamson and Off