Latest / Great Detectives of Old Time Radio Volume 2|Mystery Audio Dramas / Pursuit: Pursuit at the Vicarage (EP1311)

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Pursuit: Pursuit at the Vicarage (EP1311) · 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
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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 check us out on Facebook, Facebook dot com slash Radio
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Detectives. Now let's get into this week's episode of Pursuit. The original air
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date August twenty first, nineteen fifty one, and the title is Pursuit at
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the Vicarage. In just a moment, we'll bring you Pursuit with Peter Black
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of Scotland Yards. But first, a brief word of interest to all of
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us. You know many great men have attained the highest office in our land,
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the presidency of the United States. Can you guess the name of this
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man? He has been called the father of American democracy. As a young
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man, he was a scientific farmer, and his work as an outstanding architect
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had a marked influence on both American and English architecture. In eighteen hundred,
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he and Aaron Burr received equal votes for president, and the House of Representatives,
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under the influence of Alexander Hamilton, voted this man in one of the
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most important acts of his administration was the Louisiana Purchase. As president, he
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also outlawed the Dangerous Alien and Sedition Act and encouraged the pioneering of the West.
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If you don't have his name by now here are two more clues.
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The decimal system used in our coinage and invented the dumb waiter elevator. Who
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was he Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States. His life is
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part of your American heritage. And now pursue pursue a criminal strikes and pain
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quickly back into the shadows of his own dark worlds. And then the man
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from Scotland Yard, the famous inspector Peter Black, and the dangerous, relentless
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pursuit when Man hunts Man now with then Wright starred as the famous and in
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fact that Peter Black Scotland Yard. We'll bring you tonight's story verse shot.
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That's the vicarage. Good afternoon, Good afternoon is the picker in uh,
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mister Black from London? Father, No, thank you, thank you,
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Jesus, I'm not you are being set back. I missed amongst because he'll
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do you do so good as you to come all this way. I touched
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that you didn't find the journey's retiring. No, not at all. I'm
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so glad. Of course, you know that it was a bishops insistence.
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Did he notified your commissioners? I was told that mine. Had it been
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my revitue, I should never never have brought the police into the matter.
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I'm afraid, sir, that I've not been informed of the measure of the
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case. No, no, certainly enough, no one must know. Even
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the police are indus. That's the reason for the Do I make myself there
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not exactly, sir? Oh well, then, personal I begin perhaps the
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beginning. The beginning is the most important part of word weld inning spectors.
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The beginning is that someone is trying to kill me, I assume if it
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were used to determine. The night before I received a call from Commissioner Harkness,
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an old friend of his, the Bishop of Saxmundon, at wired,
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begging the assistance of Scotland Yard and a matter of the utmost important. Nothing
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was added beyond the request for a man who worked until the proper time,
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remained anonymous. The whole thing was rather unofficial, no particular, no local
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police authority, simply the petition for a Scotland yard man to call upon the
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Vicar of Fusions and mister Horace Munkon. I had left London at nine o'clock
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from King's Glass Station, and at a quarter of prize three I was sitting
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in the wicker study. He was a tall, ascetic looking man, with
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thick eyeglasses slightly askew, giving him an appearance of perpetual surprise. And now
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he looked at me inquisitively, long neck stretch out, the rest of his
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body voted like a friendly concertino in the chair. God is out a huge
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and stay a very present help in trouble. But I fancy, Inspector,
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it is for you, rather than me, to be his instrument in this
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matter. I think I understand, Martha, I thought, will you tell
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me what has happened? Not very much? Said no letters, No mysterious
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telephone. Simply a bullet which passed and comes a bit close. Last week
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three days ago, another which removed my hat. Where did this happened?
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Let me see? The first time was Sunday a week ago. I was
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taking my after New York with a job. I believed that it was in
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the big meadows we call it. What was me and then you know one
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not a soul. I'm sorry, I go on my hat. That was
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the day's Tuesday kid, Saturday, three days ago, my hat. I
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had paid a call and oh it is okay it while walking home that the
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incident could and must admit that I was angry. Then my daughter suggested that
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I put a matter to the police instead. I thought it best to speak
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to the bishop. I seem the bishop takes it quite seriously. Quite well.
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It may be just as well to do servica, but you understand that
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no one must know. I begged the bishop to insist on that you honest
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the blessed an old friend who was being kind enough to pay a visit.
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Nothing more. May I ask why? Huh? I was afraid that you
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would. Will you see it's awkward, but that it's a man in children
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he might be suspected. Why two years ago I was instrumental in having him
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sent his prison. A terribly unfortunate affair for a soul, A victual drunker
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in his inaggregations. He took his tea. I caught him one evening in
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the church. He had been warned there was no choice for me. You
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had him taken in charge. Yes, I that's would my confidence. But
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yes, do you think that he is responsible for these attacks? No?
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No, at least I'm not sure. But if it were known, don't
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you see, because of his past, he would be persecuted. Has he
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threatened you since he left prison that he believes that I am responsible for his
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sad lot? He has made those rude remarks impact No, no, I
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should not refer to them, supress exactly? Would you mind repeating one or
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two of these remarks? Oh? Yes, he has suggested that I am
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a bloody or medles that's got all right already hypocritic, which sir, I
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am most certainly enough. Then the other day, in passing, he said,
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I'll pay you out some days. And what is this man's name?
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Please Thomas Queen. But you must not judge him too halfway. The man
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is so terribly unhappy. I cannot think that he need any physical harm.
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Well, we'll see, so I suppose you might. Is there anyone else
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anyone who might expect it? I am not as if there are others who
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hate me so much? I am not aware. I try to live according
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to the ten is thine enemy hunger feeding? If he first for in so
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going thou shalt keep cold of fire on the kid. That maybe just the
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point, Sir. I finally convinced the vicar that I could do no earthly
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good remaining in his house as his anonymous friend, and with the assurance that
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Thomas Quince would not be unjustly accused. He gave me a permission to make
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myself known to the local police. However, I did promise to keep the
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purpose of my visit to coution from the rest of the village declining is hospitality.
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I put up at the village in and then went to see the he's
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official in charge of the district, Sergeant Ben. He was horrified when I
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explained the object of the interview. I never knew he should have told us
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at once. I know a man responsible inspector Thomas Qrince. Yes, exactly
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his side, and that's why the Vicar didn't want it brought to your attention.
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He doesn't think the Quince is guilty, but who wilse nobody would hurt
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Nicker. You don't know this village, sir. There's not a man,
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woman, a child who doesn't think the world and mister monk them except for
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one. No vicers being too kind to me, just just a moment'sn't There
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may conceivable bit more to it now, I don't mind. I'd like to
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look around a bit before we make any arrest. Very well, sir,
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say you're my superior in Scotland yard. I can't very well say no,
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that's good on you. Of course, it's not my place to say so,
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sir, would be the doom. But I think you'll save yourself a
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lot of time if you let me bring in Quince. We'll get the truth
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out of him. No, I made a promise to the Vickers urgeant.
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I wouldn't want her to break it. Would you the way he wants it,
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sir? Then I'll be happy to carry out. For that's excellent.
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Will you tell me where I can find Thomas Quince where he spends most of
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his day and night, the White Peacock guttling. I see if he gets
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nasty, give us a ring. We know how to handle him. Yes,
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I'm sure you do, and I will. I stove bast to the
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white Peacock, which was where I would stay. The bare room was like
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many other old inns of England, aged with a warmth and the masteriness of
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wine and wood. It was still rather early on. Only two or three
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customers were there, but as I entered there was a sudden quiet born of
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curiosity. One man, however, didn't turn. He stood at the bar
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a great hawk, staring moodily into a tanker at the coin. What's your
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pleasure, sir, Guinness? Please? Yes, sir lovely, there's delightful
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you staying with us? Yes, for a few days. You'll find it
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very comfortable up there, sir, he was, Oh, you might ask
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you other gentlemen you find me? Oh, very kind of you said,
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boys Guinness, you pay for them? Yeah? Now, Tom does no
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need to go? All right? That's all right, is it? I
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didn't ask you for anything to die? That's enough, Tom did I.
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I can't say that you did? All right? Then? All right,
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I pay for my own. Give me another patch. You've had enough?
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Out out? That's all out. Call a please call him call him a
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bit better, call them, call him no language, if you please,
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Tom, go home and several up. Oh sorry, sir, A bit
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of a problem, Tom quince. Yes, I understand how he's all right.
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Gets into trouble now and again, but he's all right Bruges. Though
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Tom's not a happy man's never has been since I've known him. That was
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my introduction to Miss Quince. That same evening, I've got through a tunk
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card in London and Sargeantmuvin. Next morning I was having breakfast when mounted arride.
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He joined me and I gave him the details. You think he's the
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one, sir, No, I think there's more to it than that mufft.
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That's why I wanted you to come up. You don't have to keep
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an eye on mister Monkson. He won't like it, but that can't be
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helped. And what about the local well as a Sergeant Bennett, I gather
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he resents outside interference, so you better stay out of his way. Marvi
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will he's all for hauling up Quince. From what you say, he might
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have the idea you haven't seen the man who heard him. I don't think
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he's the one catcher morning, Sargant that's covering the llow here. Oh yes,
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adh, Oh something's happened, sir, something bad, Bicker. No,
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Sir Tom Quince, he's been shot. You know, many great men
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have attained the highest office in our land, the presidency of the United States.
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Can you guess the name of this man? He has been called a
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lawyer by profession, a fighter by choice, and a politician by force of
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circumstance, and he was outstanding in all three fields. In seventeen eighty eight,
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at the age of twenty one, he was appointed public prosecutor for the
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region which is now Tennessee. As president, he was the first to introduce
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the National Convention for the nomination of presidential candidates. During his campaign for the
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presidency, his opponents attempted to smear him by an unwarranted attack on his wife,
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Rachel, who never recovered from the ordeal and died just before her husband's
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inauguration. If you don't have his name by now, here's one more clue.
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During the Battle of New Orleans, as major general of the army,
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he accepted the help of the pirate Jean Leffie, who was he Andrew Jackson,
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seventh President of the United States. His life is part of your American
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heritage. Now the second act of pursuit. At the vicarage, he was
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on a hill other end of wattles Lee. Here it overlooks the road.
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Mister Petrie saw him waiting with a gun when the vicar came along taking his
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morning. What is mister Petrick doing there, oh rabbiting. Un Lucky for
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us, he saw Tom Quince raised the gun. He shot him before Tom
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could shoot. The vicar. Thomas Quince had been brought to the home of
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the Villet doctor. When they got there, a constables to guard outside the
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office. There were three other people in the wedding room, mister Monkton,
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he daughter Joyce and the third man and mister Julian Patrie Mobbitt sat Bennett and
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I went into the doctor's office, Doctor Grove, there's a chief Inspector Black.
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How are you doing today? Tim? What about Quince? They're not
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serious? Bullet caught him in the shoulder Lindent Payne and gave me a sedative.
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I see, I don't think so. I'd like to ask him a
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question or two if I may. You know, Harmony, I've already charged
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him, inspector. He's under arrest, all right, Adam in there,
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said lco Right Grimt, Why were you going to shoot the vickar? You're
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the one try to get me the trouble last night at why Peacock. I'm
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a policeman, Amy Watson. Why did you do it or did not?
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You were going to fire it, mister Moncton, according to the man who
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shot you, or pay him off to the first chaucy. Justice done.
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What do you mean? What I mean? And if you're not guilty,
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why don't you explain? I don't need nobody to take my side. Okay,
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that's all. We left the wounded man and went to the village police
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station. First I examon Thomas Quincy's gun. Then I wanted to obtain a
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complete story from both mister Julian Petrie and the picker. Inside in Tennet's office,
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I listened as mister Moncton, his daughter Joyce, standing by his side,
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told me at the morning defense, I've taken the same walk, the
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same road every morning since I've been here, inspector, a digestion and meditation.
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This never would have happened if Daddy listened to me. I told him
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it wasn't safe, My dear joy I am a creature of habits to follow
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my morning walk. It's unthinkable, rather fortunate. I was on the spot
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over gun. Yes, yes it was mister Pentree. You saw Quince raise
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his gun to aim at the vicar, so yes, yes, I was
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afraid to call out. Might have fired from the shock of hearing my voice.
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There's the time, nothing else to do. I'm only glad that I
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didn't kill him. Have you heard of the past attacks on mister Mountain,
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Not until the day, Benet, I think it's terrible, Daddy. If
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you'd only tell the police, that never would have happened. Whots would be
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locked up where he belonged. The law is good. If a man dos
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it Lostily's dead, he must been good. Now there's no use, surmonary.
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I think miss Montan, that your father has made a rather good point.
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However, there's nothing much more I can do now, sat Benet,
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Yes, sir, you seem to have been right. I was wrong.
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Well, Sir, we all make mistakes. It is kind of you to
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help though Another time you are returning to London, sect Yes, yes,
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I am to go. Well before you go, I do wish that you
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and s I could Mouffet would have lunch. Well, we need better move
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along, sir, and thank you very much. We said our goodbyes.
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The village policeman pumped up like a righteous pigeon with an extremely annoying pinch to
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my ego. Morvid and I walked back to the gain. His face was
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like a thunder glad. I'm afraid that mafus weakness is me right or wrong?
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Black or white? Black is right trying leaving you too to really movid.
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Yes, I'm afraid we'll have to missus. Oh, I have a
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call to pay. You make some excuse to the vicar, but go to
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his house and stay there until I come back. Yes, away, We're
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not finished here, no more, not yet. I didn't think. I
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didn't think so, Maloyd Bishop. Very good of you to spare me a
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moment. Not at all, the specter, the letters of the utmost important.
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You've learned something. A man has been arrested. However, I don't
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think that he is the coupridge. I shan't take up your time with particulars
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beyond saying that I made an examination of the suspected gun. There was a
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cartridge in the chamber, but the bullet had been removed. Really, the
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condition of the barrel would have made it improbable for the gun to have worked.
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Even if a bullet were used, more than likely the whole thing would
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have exploded. And I think if the suspect knew that a blank cartridge,
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though, could explode harmlessly. And the Vicar is still in. Yes,
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I must ask you a question which may be impossible for you to answer.
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I should do my best, inspector. Has the picker done anything in his
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past of which you are aware and which may be the answer to these attacts?
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Not exactly impossible, inspector, but difficult. May I put it this
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way? I found that it is impossible to categorize people. Man is not
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a murderer because you think he looks and sounds like a murderer. Servants not
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a servant because one sees what one wants to see. Therefore, the vicar
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is not a good man because he's a pickar. Mister monk And is virtuous
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because he's mister Monkton. As a man is makes mistake so Vi, so
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vi you, but none I think to call for an avenging day. Yes,
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he's unmarried. Now I didn't know were missus. Muncton died three years
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ago following a motor caring Paul. When did that occur and where? In
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York? Very tragically treaded. Mister Monkton was driving a woman darted out in
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front of the car. He tried to avoid her, but smashed into a
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lorry. The woman was killed instantly Missus Munkton survived for six months. No
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charges were pressed against the vicar. No, no, no, he was
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entirely innocent. Several witnesses destified to that mister Moncton has never driven a car
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in Can you tell me the name of the woman who was killed? No,
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I'm afraid I can't. But why I'll not ask him? And what
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was the date of the accident front of one bishop? I'm not sure exactly.
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Seems to me it may have been about this time and three years ago.
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It would be in August nineteen forty eight, wouldn't it. Well,
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I am very grateful to you alone. No, it is even grateful to
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you, inspector the vicars of there's the best for the people of Ilsham.
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I am selfish enough to admit that were the villager then the church to lose
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him, they would feel the loss no more key than I. I left
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the bishop and quart a bus for the city of York, and there were
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the aid of that excellent police force. I obtained the information I needed.
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The woman who had been struck by mister Monklin's car was named Edith Manning.
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That was her maiden name. She was divorced However, her ex husband had
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been present at the inquest and, according to witness, is extremely distraught.
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I felt this to be odd, in that the couple had been divorced for
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six years. Inquiries established soon after the accident, the man had left York
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and gone to Ilsham. I carried his photograph with me back to the village.
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Hi, I don't know what this is all about, Inspector. I
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thought you saying, yes I did in my charge. But do you see
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I've had a change of heart. I have quins all right, what do
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you want? Inspector wants to talk to it. If you don't mind,
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how's a showing what's the matter to you? And if it makes you feel
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any better. I don't think that you tried to kill the vicker. That's
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just may be. But you know who had been shooting at him, don't
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you. I'm not saying you saw him do it once, didn't you?
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Maybe you put all the blame on the vicker, don't you. It's his
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fault nosing around. Let me put in quod I'll leave a man to himself.
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Well the next time he's done for, do you Well? Then,
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when you had a chance, why didn't you do it yourself. Why did
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you use a blank cartridge? I was just playing at it? Why did
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they give him a fright? Will you give me the name of the man
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you saw our shoot at the vicar? No? Have you anything against mister
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Julian Petrick wounding you? No? I suppose he'd done right. Oh,
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then you think about mister Moncton. Perhaps you can realize that he did right
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too. I telephoned the vicarage and had Moffett bring the vicar to the police
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station Sergeant Bennett South, for which I couldn't really blame him, And fifteen
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minutes later we were again in Thomas Quincey's cell, Bennett, Moffatt, the
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Vicar, and myself the big man, lying on his cut flowered at his
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good evening, Queen, I trust your feeling better. I'm all right,
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splendid. You would be up and about in no time. Vicar. Have
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you heard of a woman named Edith Manning? Manning? Oh? Yes,
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yes, of course, I'm sorry. Huh no, no, it's perfectly
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These things cannot be put away and forgotten. I have a photograph here.
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Have you ever seen this man before? Yes, yes, of course,
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But he was once married to Edith Manning. Oh or I didn't know.
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I didn't know. I didn't forget your face, mister Monkon at Edith's in
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quest, I hadn't been it. I'm so sorry. I didn't rifize that
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we were going to get married again. He made it all up. And
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then a week before, a week before the day you came along. Then
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I couldn't believe it when they told me at the station you're were on the
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York Force. Weren't you, Benette? Yes, I'd seen people like him
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driving glasses off blind shouldn't be allowed. And then then he killed reader.
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I'm sorry, so sad. Sorry, they don't touch you. It's all
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her for she's dead, and they let you go. Well, I swore
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i'd see that you didn't get off I got to transfer here. Didn't you
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think he'd recognize you? Bennett? I didn't care. I was going to
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harm him, make him supper. Why did you wait so long? I
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don't know. Maybe it was worth while looking at him and knowing any time
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I wanted I could do him in. Why didn't you shoot to kill?
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I wanted to fight him first, and so when I came here, you
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decided to put the blame on Quinton. I shouldn't have done that. That
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was wrong. Quince knew it was you. He saw you. Fine,
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mister Mountin Bennett, would you have killed me? Do you really hate me
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so much? I don't know, mister Monkton, perhap ti I'm sorry now,
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Perhaps I'm not. I don't know. Mister Monkton refused to prefer charges
28:10
against Sergeant Bennett. However, I had no choice but to take him to
28:14
York Camp turn him over to the Athalidies. I have heard that Thomas Quint
28:18
still resides in Nielsham. He regards the vicar with a jaundiced eye, but
28:22
no longer the utter's rude remarks pursuit and the pursuit is ended. We invite
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you to join us next week at the same time, When Pursuit, We'll
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bring you another dramatic story of the famous Inspector Peter Black of Scotland Yard,
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relentlessly hunting down those whose disordered passions read violence and murder. Another story of
29:22
man hunting man. When we bring you pursuit. Pursue, starring Ben Wright
29:37
is the famous inspector Peter Black of Scotland Yard. There's been a presentation of
29:41
the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service, welcome back a great episode
31:00
of Pursuit and really succeeds in creating this feel, you know, without too
31:07
many characters of this idyllic English village. I really do like the portrayal of
31:18
the vicar in the situation. Of course, there's a secret and there's a
31:23
reason for him wanting killed, but there's not some dark, sinister thing that
31:30
he's done, which you know, I think would probably be where this type
31:37
of story would go today. But you know, the in today's modern mystery
31:44
is kind of a tedious so that makes this actually really refreshing and adds to
31:49
the feeling of realism of the whole story. Well, that will actually do
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it for today. We will be back tomorrow with past Novak for Hire,
32:00
and then join us next Monday for another episode of Pursuit. In the meantime,
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send your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net, follow us
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on Twitter, Radio Detactives, and become one of our friends on Facebook,
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Facebook dot com. Slash Radio Detectives from Loiseadaho. This is your host,
32:21
Adam Grahamson and off