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Nick Carter, Master Detective - "The Case of the Persistent Beggars" (1947) · Old Time Mystery Radio | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: A citywide outbreak of aggressive panhandling becomes a murder investigation,
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: and Nick Carter discovers that the street solicitors answer to
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: a disciplined criminal racket. From the Mutual Broadcasting System, this
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: is Nick Carter, Master Detective, Episode 272, The Case of
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: the Persistent Beggars, first heard January 26, 1947. Lon Clark
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: stars as Carter, with Charlotte Manson as Patsy Bowen. Sergeant
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: Matheson joins them as Carter goes undercover in ragged clothes
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: under the name Snuffy Davis. Written by Max Ehrlich, the
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: case moves through contested street territory and the Boulevard Tavern
• 0:45
  Speaker 1: before Carter's inquiry reaches the riverfront. We now take you
• 0:50
  Speaker 1: back to the original broadcast.
• 0:57
  Speaker 2: Old Dutch Cleanser, famous for chasing dirt, presents... Nick Carter,
• 1:01
  Speaker 2: famous for chasing crime. Every week at this time, two
• 1:11
  Speaker 2: great names are joined as Old Dutch Cleanser brings you
• 1:15
  Speaker 2: one of the most resourceful and daring characters in all
• 1:18
  Speaker 2: detective fiction. Nick Carter, Master Detective.
• 1:29
  Speaker 3: But, Nick, this panhandler syndicate must be headed up by
• 1:32
  Speaker 3: someone far more intelligent than Big Louie Arkin.
• 1:35
  Speaker 4: Obviously, Patsy.
• 1:36
  Speaker 5: But who?
• 1:37
  Speaker 4: I don't know yet.
• 1:38
  Speaker 6: But whoever it is, he's made a mistake.
• 1:41
  Speaker 3: What kind of mistake?
• 1:42
  Speaker 4: Murder. Now I can track him down and find out
• 1:44
  Speaker 4: who he is.
• 1:45
  Speaker 3: Oh, but, Nick, if he's as clever as you say
• 1:47
  Speaker 3: he is, he won't be easy to find.
• 1:48
  Speaker 4: Oh, I'm not going to find him. I'm going to
• 1:50
  Speaker 4: let him find me. Now, the case of the persistent beggars.
• 1:58
  Speaker 2: Today's exciting Nick Carter adventure brought to you by Old
• 2:02
  Speaker 2: Dutch Cleanser. Our story begins in a hideout in a
• 2:06
  Speaker 2: deserted riverfront warehouse. A masked man whose confederates fear and
• 2:10
  Speaker 2: know him only as the boss watches silently as his lieutenant,
• 2:13
  Speaker 2: Big Louie Arkin, opens a large bag of currency and
• 2:16
  Speaker 2: dumps it on the table.
• 2:21
  Speaker 5: There it is, boss. Today's haul.
• 2:23
  Speaker 4: Did every one of our collectors pay off, Louie? Yeah, yeah.
• 2:26
  Speaker 7: Every pen handler in the organization kicked in. Five dollars
• 2:29
  Speaker 7: a man, like they've been doing every day.
• 2:31
  Speaker 4: You've told them that my orders are to use no
• 2:33
  Speaker 4: actual violence when they solicit funds from the public?
• 2:36
  Speaker 5: Oh, yeah, yeah, boss. Just like you told me. No
• 2:38
  Speaker 5: rough stuff.
• 2:39
  Speaker 4: Precisely, Louie. No rough stuff. However, I have no objections
• 2:44
  Speaker 4: if our collectors are, shall we say, persistent.
• 2:48
  Speaker 7: Yeah, but some people, boss, well, they're cheapskates, eh? Only
• 2:53
  Speaker 7: come across with a dime or a quarter when our
• 2:55
  Speaker 7: boys put the touch on them.
• 2:56
  Speaker 4: Then tell the boys that's not enough. Better get a
• 2:58
  Speaker 4: dollar bill out of everybody they approach, even if they
• 3:01
  Speaker 4: have to scare them to death.
• 3:02
  Speaker 5: But, boss, you don't mean they should get too tough.
• 3:06
  Speaker 4: Not too tough, Louie, but tough enough. Understand?
• 3:12
  Speaker 5: Oh, yeah, yeah, I get you.
• 3:13
  Speaker 7: Still, boss, you ain't doing so bad right now, you know.
• 3:16
  Speaker 7: A thousand dollars a day.
• 3:17
  Speaker 4: Louie, do you by any chance envy my success? Yes.
• 3:22
  Speaker 8: Me?
• 3:23
  Speaker 5: Oh, no, boss, no.
• 3:25
  Speaker 4: I wouldn't want you to be unhappy working for me, Louie.
• 3:28
  Speaker 5: I'm not, boss, honest. I'm satisfied with my cut.
• 3:31
  Speaker 4: After all, it's I who organize these poor, downtrodden beggars,
• 3:35
  Speaker 4: assign them to their territories, give them what protection I can. Sure, boss, sure.
• 3:41
  Speaker 5: And it's a sweet racket I got here.
• 3:42
  Speaker 4: Louie, your choice of words is offensive.
• 3:46
  Speaker 8: Huh?
• 3:47
  Speaker 4: This is not a racket. This is a legitimate business.
• 3:53
  Speaker 4: all in the name of sweet charity. Certainly it's no
• 3:57
  Speaker 4: crime for a poor man down on his luck to
• 4:00
  Speaker 4: beg a dollar for food and shelter. Lady, can you
• 4:11
  Speaker 4: let a hungry man have a little something to get
• 4:13
  Speaker 4: a bite to eat?
• 4:14
  Speaker 5: Oh, well, here's a dime.
• 4:16
  Speaker 9: A dime?
• 4:17
  Speaker 4: Well, yes, I.
• 4:18
  Speaker 10: Give me that dollar, Bill.
• 4:20
  Speaker 3: I gotta have money.
• 4:21
  Speaker 4: I'm desperate, see?
• 4:22
  Speaker 3: Well, here.
• 4:24
  Speaker 4: Here, take it.
• 4:29
  Speaker 11: Hey, look, Jack. Can you spare a buck? My wife's
• 4:33
  Speaker 11: sick and I gotta buy her some medicine.
• 4:35
  Speaker 4: Hey, what goes on here? You're the third panhandler who's
• 4:39
  Speaker 4: approached me tonight. I'm not gonna give away any more.
• 4:42
  Speaker 11: Look, Jack, I'm a desperate guy. I need dough. And
• 4:46
  Speaker 11: you better not be a cheapskate about it.
• 4:49
  Speaker 5: Understand?
• 4:50
  Speaker 4: All right, here you are.
• 4:53
  Speaker 8: A buck ain't enough, Jack.
• 4:54
  Speaker 5: Not enough? I got a lot of medicine to buy.
• 4:57
  Speaker 5: Better make it two. Lady. It's all right, lady. I
• 5:06
  Speaker 5: ain't gonna hurt you.
• 5:08
  Speaker 3: Well, it's so dark in the street. Well, I didn't
• 5:11
  Speaker 3: think in that doorway.
• 5:13
  Speaker 12: Look, lady, could you stick a hungry guy to a dollar...
• 5:17
  Speaker 12: I'm done on my luck, see.
• 5:18
  Speaker 5: I'm starving. No work.
• 5:20
  Speaker 4: Oh, yes.
• 5:21
  Speaker 5: Oh, now, just a minute.
• 5:23
  Speaker 3: I've got a dollar here in my purse.
• 5:25
  Speaker 12: You've got a lot more than that in your pocketbook, lady. Look,
• 5:30
  Speaker 12: I'm pretty hungry, lady. I could use all that dough.
• 5:33
  Speaker 4: Oh, no.
• 5:34
  Speaker 3: No, no, please. It's all the money I've got. Hand
• 5:36
  Speaker 3: it over.
• 5:37
  Speaker 4: No.
• 5:37
  Speaker 5: I said hand it over.
• 5:40
  Speaker 4: Come on.
• 5:40
  Speaker 5: Give it to me.
• 5:42
  Speaker 4: Call the cops, will you?
• 5:43
  Speaker 9: I'll teach you your wish.
• 5:45
  Speaker 5: You never met up with Foxy Farrell when.
• 5:47
  Speaker 4: I got through with you.
• 6:03
  Speaker 3: Oh, come in, Sergeant.
• 6:04
  Speaker 4: Thanks, Patsy. Hi, Mary. Hi, Nick.
• 6:08
  Speaker 6: Hey, what's on your mind?
• 6:10
  Speaker 4: Plenty, Nick. You know those panhandlers that have been mushrooming
• 6:13
  Speaker 4: all over town lately? Yeah.
• 6:14
  Speaker 3: I'll say we do. Well, you can't walk two blocks
• 6:17
  Speaker 3: these days without one of them approaching you.
• 6:18
  Speaker 8: Yeah.
• 6:19
  Speaker 4: Well, the pressure's on down at headquarters. Newspapers are after
• 6:22
  Speaker 4: us hot and heavy to clean up the city. So
• 6:24
  Speaker 4: is the mayor. And every day of the week, we
• 6:27
  Speaker 4: get our ears beaten off by the Citizens Reform League.
• 6:30
  Speaker 9: Oh, yes.
• 6:31
  Speaker 6: That's headed up by John Prentiss, the big real estate man.
• 6:34
  Speaker 4: Yeah, Prentiss.
• 6:35
  Speaker 3: Sergeant, can't you pick up these beggars on a vagrancy charge?
• 6:38
  Speaker 4: Sure we can. We do pinch a few of them,
• 6:40
  Speaker 4: but we can't arrest them all. And if you could, Patchy,
• 6:42
  Speaker 4: there isn't much you could do to them on a
• 6:44
  Speaker 4: simple vagrancy charge. Yeah, that's just it, Nick. The judge
• 6:47
  Speaker 4: can fine them or give them a jail sentence, but
• 6:49
  Speaker 4: the jail sentence is only a couple of days. Soon
• 6:51
  Speaker 4: as they're out, they go right back again begging on
• 6:53
  Speaker 4: the streets.
• 6:54
  Speaker 3: Oh, but suppose they're fined.
• 6:56
  Speaker 4: Big Louie Arkin is right there in night court to
• 6:58
  Speaker 4: pay off the fine.
• 7:00
  Speaker 6: What? Big Louie?
• 7:01
  Speaker 4: Yeah.
• 7:01
  Speaker 6: Well, that's very interesting, Matty.
• 7:05
  Speaker 4: Why should a big operator like Big Louie take such
• 7:07
  Speaker 4: an interest in down-and-out panhandlers? Oh, I wish I knew. Look, Nick,
• 7:12
  Speaker 4: the commissioner asked me to stop in and see whether
• 7:14
  Speaker 4: you would take a hand in this business, huh? I'll
• 7:16
  Speaker 4: be glad to, Matty. This panhandler situation isn't just a nuisance,
• 7:19
  Speaker 4: it seems. It's much more than that.
• 7:21
  Speaker 3: What do you mean, Nick?
• 7:22
  Speaker 6: I mean everything points to it being an organized racket.
• 7:25
  Speaker 3: An organized racket?
• 7:26
  Speaker 5: Yes.
• 7:27
  Speaker 4: First of all, there's Big Louie, always on hand to
• 7:29
  Speaker 4: pay the fine for any beggar that gets arrested. Second,
• 7:32
  Speaker 4: these beggars are sprung up all over the city, on
• 7:34
  Speaker 4: every side street, like the plague. And third, they seem
• 7:38
  Speaker 4: to use the same methods of terrorizing citizens. Hey, you
• 7:42
  Speaker 4: got something there, Nick? If we could only get some
• 7:44
  Speaker 4: kind of a break, maybe we.
• 7:45
  Speaker 3: I'll get it, Nick. Nick Carter's office, Patsy Bowen speaking. Yes,
• 7:51
  Speaker 3: he is. It's for you, Sergeant. Headquarters.
• 7:54
  Speaker 4: Oh, thanks, Patsy. Sergeant Matheson speaking. Yes, O'Rourke. What? Where?
• 8:03
  Speaker 6: What did she say?
• 8:05
  Speaker 4: Okay, O'Rourke, I'll get right on it. What is it, Matty?
• 8:08
  Speaker 4: It looks like the break I was just talking about. Yeah? What?
• 8:11
  Speaker 4: It's not just vagrancy anymore, Nick. This time it's cold-blooded murder.
• 8:14
  Speaker 3: Murder?
• 8:14
  Speaker 4: Yep. A woman was blackjacked and robbed by one of
• 8:16
  Speaker 4: these panhandlers on a deserted street. She died on her
• 8:19
  Speaker 4: way to the hospital. But before that, she was conscious
• 8:22
  Speaker 4: for just a minute and she talked.
• 8:23
  Speaker 8: Yes?
• 8:24
  Speaker 4: She identified her murderer as Foxy Farrell.
• 8:26
  Speaker 3: Foxy Farrell?
• 8:27
  Speaker 4: Right.
• 8:27
  Speaker 3: Hey, it's Wasn't he one of Big Louie Arkin's thugs
• 8:30
  Speaker 3: in the old days?
• 8:31
  Speaker 2: Yes.
• 8:31
  Speaker 4: I wonder what he's doing panhandling. Well, I don't know,
• 8:34
  Speaker 4: but I'm going to send out a pickup call for
• 8:36
  Speaker 4: him right away. Oh, and while you're about it, Matty.
• 8:37
  Speaker 7: Yeah?
• 8:38
  Speaker 4: Pick up Big Louie.
• 8:39
  Speaker 6: I'd like to ask him a few questions.
• 8:51
  Speaker 4: Now, look, Louie, there's a homicide rap that goes with this.
• 8:54
  Speaker 4: You better come clean. Now, for the last time, where's
• 8:58
  Speaker 4: Farrell hiding out?
• 8:59
  Speaker 7: Now, Sergeant, you're looking for Foxy, not me. Why don't
• 9:03
  Speaker 7: you find him?
• 9:04
  Speaker 4: Louie, you're up to your neck in this, and we
• 9:06
  Speaker 4: know it.
• 9:08
  Speaker 5: Then prove it, Sergeant.
• 9:10
  Speaker 4: Why, you... Hey, wait a minute, wait a minute, Matty.
• 9:12
  Speaker 4: No use getting upset. Louie's in this. We'll find out
• 9:16
  Speaker 4: sooner or later. Louie, why have you been paying the
• 9:20
  Speaker 4: fines of these panhandlers when they come into court?
• 9:23
  Speaker 7: Well, Carter, I'm a sentimental kind of guy, and a
• 9:27
  Speaker 7: lot of these drifters used to be old friends of mine. Now,
• 9:31
  Speaker 7: if you two coppers haven't got any more questions, I
• 9:34
  Speaker 7: got a date.
• 9:35
  Speaker 4: Nothing doing, you. You're staying right here until we're ready
• 9:38
  Speaker 4: to let you go.
• 9:39
  Speaker 5: On suspicion, Sergeant?
• 9:41
  Speaker 4: Wait.
• 9:42
  Speaker 7: Don't try to pull that phony charge on me. I
• 9:45
  Speaker 7: got a lawyer who busted apart in five minutes, and
• 9:48
  Speaker 7: you know it.
• 9:49
  Speaker 6: Now you better let him go, Matthew.
• 9:50
  Speaker 5: No.
• 9:50
  Speaker 6: We can always pick him up later if we need him.
• 9:54
  Speaker 4: All right, come in. I... Oh, it's you, Mr. Prentiss. Yes. Sergeant. Nick,
• 10:01
  Speaker 4: this is Mr. Prentiss, head of the Citizens Reform League.
• 10:05
  Speaker 6: Yes, I've met Mr.
• 10:06
  Speaker 4: Prentiss. And I think you know Big Louie Arkin. Yes,
• 10:10
  Speaker 4: very well. Don't I, Louie? Yeah.
• 10:13
  Speaker 5: And I'm not forgetting you, Prentiss. You sent me up
• 10:15
  Speaker 5: the river for two years, and one of these days.
• 10:18
  Speaker 4: One of these days, we're going to clean such scum
• 10:20
  Speaker 4: as you out of this town.
• 10:22
  Speaker 5: Ah, you reformers give me a pain. Now, remember this, Prentiss.
• 10:26
  Speaker 5: This town ain't big enough to hold.
• 10:28
  Speaker 9: You and me both.
• 10:29
  Speaker 4: Huh. What's Big Louie doing here, Sergeant? We've been trying
• 10:33
  Speaker 4: to nail him down on this panhandler killing. I see.
• 10:37
  Speaker 13: Oh, and speaking of that, Sergeant, when are we going
• 10:39
  Speaker 13: to get some action? It's getting so a decent citizen
• 10:42
  Speaker 13: can't walk the streets anymore. And now, now it's come
• 10:44
  Speaker 13: to murder.
• 10:45
  Speaker 6: I'm sure we'll find the killer, Mr.
• 10:47
  Speaker 4: Prentice. Well, I hope so, Mr.
• 10:48
  Speaker 5: Carter.
• 10:49
  Speaker 4: I'm glad to see that you've taken an interest in
• 10:51
  Speaker 4: this case.
• 10:52
  Speaker 13: And as for the police, Sergeant Matheson, we demand that
• 10:55
  Speaker 13: every resource of.
• 10:55
  Speaker 4: The department be thrown into solving this case.
• 10:57
  Speaker 6: Yeah, sure, sure.
• 10:58
  Speaker 4: We're doing everything we can. I'll see that you do.
• 11:02
  Speaker 4: Our league has considerable influence at City Hall. And if necessary,
• 11:06
  Speaker 4: we'll shake up the whole police department. Good day. Nick,
• 11:13
  Speaker 4: he's out for blood, no mistake.
• 11:15
  Speaker 6: Yeah. Look, Matty.
• 11:18
  Speaker 4: What?
• 11:18
  Speaker 6: There's only one thing to do.
• 11:19
  Speaker 4: Yeah? Get on the inside of this panhandling setup. Try
• 11:23
  Speaker 4: to find out who runs it. I'm convinced that Big
• 11:25
  Speaker 4: Louie runs it.
• 11:26
  Speaker 9: I'm not.
• 11:27
  Speaker 4: Take a bigger brain than Louie's to organize and run
• 11:29
  Speaker 4: a racket like this. Well, maybe. Have you got any
• 11:33
  Speaker 4: idea how you're going to get on the inside?
• 11:37
  Speaker 6: What do you think?
• 11:38
  Speaker 2: THE END.
• 11:49
  Speaker 4: Hello, boss.
• 11:53
  Speaker 12: Big Louie said you wanted to see me.
• 11:55
  Speaker 4: Sit down.
• 11:56
  Speaker 5: Yeah, yeah, thanks. What's it all about?
• 12:00
  Speaker 4: Foxy, you shouldn't have killed that woman.
• 12:04
  Speaker 5: Oh, now, listen, boss.
• 12:06
  Speaker 4: You knew my orders. No violence.
• 12:09
  Speaker 12: Yeah, yeah, yeah, but, but, boss, when I hit her
• 12:12
  Speaker 12: up for the touch, she started to put up a fight. Gee,
• 12:14
  Speaker 12: you can hear her yell for the cops a mile away.
• 12:16
  Speaker 4: Her purse was gone, Foxy, and you took it.
• 12:21
  Speaker 5: Oh, boss, I.
• 12:22
  Speaker 4: I run a legitimate business, Foxy, a collection of money
• 12:25
  Speaker 4: for the poor and downtrodden, not robbery and murder. You
• 12:30
  Speaker 4: know the rules of my syndicate.
• 12:32
  Speaker 5: Yeah, but I... Boss, boss, what are you going to do?
• 12:37
  Speaker 4: To use the underworld expression, Foxy, you're hot. The police
• 12:42
  Speaker 4: are after you, and worse than that, Nick Carter has
• 12:45
  Speaker 4: been brought into the case.
• 12:46
  Speaker 3: Yeah, but boss.
• 12:47
  Speaker 4: Foxy, I have no use for bunglers in my syndicate.
• 12:51
  Speaker 4: I'm going to have to dispense with your services.
• 12:54
  Speaker 12: No, no, but boss, let me get out of town.
• 12:59
  Speaker 12: I don't know who you are. You're always wearing that mask.
• 13:04
  Speaker 3: Let me get out of town.
• 13:09
  Speaker 4: It's a pity, Foxy. You let your greed overcome your
• 13:14
  Speaker 4: good judgment.
• 13:27
  Speaker 9: Miss Bowen?
• 13:27
  Speaker 4: What?
• 13:28
  Speaker 9: Miss Bowen?
• 13:29
  Speaker 3: What? How do you know my name?
• 13:32
  Speaker 9: I seen you around with Nick Carter. Look, Miss Bowen,
• 13:35
  Speaker 9: my name's Davis. Sluffy Davis.
• 13:37
  Speaker 4: I ain't had a.
• 13:38
  Speaker 9: Thing to eat since two days ago. Could you spare
• 13:40
  Speaker 9: a buck or two for a poor hungry boy?
• 13:43
  Speaker 3: No, I'm sorry.
• 13:44
  Speaker 9: Hey, now, look, lady, I'm down on my luck, and
• 13:45
  Speaker 9: I need some dough.
• 13:46
  Speaker 3: Take your hand off my arm.
• 13:48
  Speaker 9: Oh, no, not till you come across.
• 13:49
  Speaker 3: Take your hands off me, please.
• 13:51
  Speaker 4: Hey, Patsy. Huh?
• 13:53
  Speaker 6: Not so loud.
• 13:53
  Speaker 5: What?
• 13:55
  Speaker 4: Nick.
• 13:56
  Speaker 6: Yes, alias Snuffy Davis.
• 13:58
  Speaker 3: Oh, Nick, for heaven's sake, you gave me the scare
• 14:02
  Speaker 3: of my life.
• 14:03
  Speaker 10: Look.
• 14:04
  Speaker 3: What on earth are you doing in those dirty, ragged
• 14:06
  Speaker 3: old clothes? Why, I never suspected.
• 14:09
  Speaker 12: Good.
• 14:09
  Speaker 4: If you didn't, no one else will. Looks as if
• 14:12
  Speaker 4: I passed the acid test with flying colors.
• 14:14
  Speaker 3: Well, Nick, what on earth are you up to?
• 14:16
  Speaker 6: Going to do a little panhandling on my own, Patsy.
• 14:18
  Speaker 3: But why?
• 14:19
  Speaker 4: I have an idea that instead of my having to
• 14:22
  Speaker 4: look for the men who are running this panhandler's racket,
• 14:25
  Speaker 4: they're going to look for me.
• 14:26
  Speaker 2: Oh. And now back to the case of the persistent beggars.
• 14:41
  Speaker 2: Today's Nick Carter adventure brought to you by Old Dutch Cleanser.
• 14:45
  Speaker 6: It is afternoon now, and.
• 14:47
  Speaker 2: As we rejoin Nick, now Snuffy Davis, he is panhandling
• 14:50
  Speaker 2: his way up the busy city street. Suddenly, he finds
• 14:53
  Speaker 2: a hand on his shoulder. He turns around to see
• 14:55
  Speaker 2: a tough-looking vagrant with hard blue eyes.
• 14:59
  Speaker 8: You're moaching out of your territory, ain't you, Jack?
• 15:03
  Speaker 9: What you talking about? It's a free country, ain't it?
• 15:05
  Speaker 9: I can work any place I want to.
• 15:07
  Speaker 8: Eh, not in this town you can't. What's your name, Jack?
• 15:11
  Speaker 4: Hey, look, you just work your side of the street
• 15:13
  Speaker 4: and I work mine.
• 15:14
  Speaker 11: Oh, wise guy, huh? Come on, spill it before I
• 15:18
  Speaker 11: wipe up the sidewalk with you. What's your name?
• 15:21
  Speaker 9: Okay, okay, don't get sore. My name's Snuffy Davis.
• 15:25
  Speaker 8: Ah, Snuffy Davis, huh?
• 15:27
  Speaker 4: That's right.
• 15:28
  Speaker 9: I just blew into town from Union City. I was
• 15:30
  Speaker 9: just mooching a buck or two when.
• 15:31
  Speaker 5: You came along.
• 15:31
  Speaker 8: Look, punk, you can't work this town unless you belong
• 15:34
  Speaker 8: to the syndicate.
• 15:35
  Speaker 4: What syndicate?
• 15:36
  Speaker 8: We got a set up here. Everything's organized. You got
• 15:39
  Speaker 8: to belong and pay off or else.
• 15:42
  Speaker 9: And what do you mean, pay off? Who's running this record?
• 15:46
  Speaker 8: Kind of nosy, ain't you, pal?
• 15:48
  Speaker 4: No, no, but we don't want to work. How do
• 15:52
  Speaker 4: I join this syndicate?
• 15:55
  Speaker 8: That's better. Now you're showing sense. You know where the
• 15:59
  Speaker 8: Boulevard Tavern is?
• 16:01
  Speaker 9: Yeah.
• 16:02
  Speaker 8: Go in there and ask to see Big Louie Arkin.
• 16:05
  Speaker 4: Big Louie Arkin?
• 16:06
  Speaker 8: Yeah. Just tell him Eddie sent you.
• 16:21
  Speaker 4: Hey, you... You Big Louie Arkin?
• 16:23
  Speaker 5: That's right, bum. What do you want?
• 16:26
  Speaker 9: My name's Snuffy Davis. Eddie sent me.
• 16:30
  Speaker 5: I see. What do you want?
• 16:32
  Speaker 4: I want to work the street. But Eddie says I
• 16:35
  Speaker 4: got to belong to the syndicate.
• 16:37
  Speaker 5: That's right.
• 16:38
  Speaker 7: Cost you five bucks a day, every day.
• 16:41
  Speaker 4: Five bucks a day?
• 16:42
  Speaker 9: Hey, that's a lot of dough.
• 16:44
  Speaker 5: Look, bum, you can take it or leave it.
• 16:46
  Speaker 4: Ain't much choice, is there? All right, I'll take it.
• 16:51
  Speaker 5: Okay. First, you'll have to talk to the boss.
• 16:55
  Speaker 4: The boss?
• 16:56
  Speaker 9: But I thought that you ran this record.
• 16:57
  Speaker 7: You ask too many questions, Snuffy Eaton. Keep your trap
• 17:01
  Speaker 7: shut and come with me.
• 17:11
  Speaker 4: Your name's Snuffy Davis? Yeah, yeah, sure, sure, that's right.
• 17:15
  Speaker 5: I thought you'd like to look him over first, boss.
• 17:18
  Speaker 4: Quite right, Louie. Snuffy, you say you're from Union City? Yeah, yeah, sure,
• 17:23
  Speaker 4: that's right. Where's the Lyceum Theater in Union City? The
• 17:27
  Speaker 4: Lyceum Theater? Yes, where is it? Why, it's on Grand Avenue.
• 17:31
  Speaker 4: And the public library. On State Street. Then you have
• 17:37
  Speaker 4: been there.
• 17:37
  Speaker 9: Sure, sure.
• 17:38
  Speaker 4: I told you. Never mind. You think he's all right, Louie?
• 17:41
  Speaker 5: Yeah, sure, boss. I give him a good going over.
• 17:44
  Speaker 4: He'll do.
• 17:45
  Speaker 5: He knows the rules, too.
• 17:48
  Speaker 4: Snuffy, the important thing is no violence. I conduct a
• 17:54
  Speaker 4: legitimate business. And I don't want any trouble with the police.
• 17:58
  Speaker 4: You understand?
• 17:58
  Speaker 9: Oh, yeah, yeah, sure, sure.
• 18:00
  Speaker 4: I get you. Louie here will collect my commission every night.
• 18:03
  Speaker 4: And one more thing, Snuffy. Yeah? If you ever breathe
• 18:07
  Speaker 4: a word about coming to this warehouse or about this syndicate,
• 18:12
  Speaker 4: your life won't be worth a panhandler's dime. You understand?
• 18:17
  Speaker 9: Oh, sure, sure, sure.
• 18:19
  Speaker 4: I get you. I get you. All right, Louie, give
• 18:21
  Speaker 4: him the territory and put him to work.
• 18:34
  Speaker 3: Come in. Oh, Mr.
• 18:36
  Speaker 4: Prentiss. Yes, Miss Bowen. I just dropped by to see
• 18:39
  Speaker 4: whether Mr.
• 18:39
  Speaker 13: Carter has made any progress in breaking up this vicious
• 18:41
  Speaker 13: gang of panhandlers.
• 18:42
  Speaker 3: Well, he's working on it now, Mr.
• 18:44
  Speaker 5: Prentiss.
• 18:44
  Speaker 3: And knowing Mr. Carter as I do... Well, I... Excuse me.
• 18:48
  Speaker 4: Certainly.
• 18:49
  Speaker 3: Nick Carter's office, Patsy Bowen speaking.
• 18:51
  Speaker 10: Patsy, this is Nick.
• 18:52
  Speaker 4: Oh.
• 18:53
  Speaker 10: I'm calling from a drugstore phone booth at River and Forth.
• 18:55
  Speaker 3: River and Forth.
• 18:56
  Speaker 10: Yes, now listen closely, Patsy.
• 18:57
  Speaker 5: Mm-hmm.
• 18:58
  Speaker 4: I met the big shot who runs this whole panhandler
• 19:01
  Speaker 4: syndicate a half hour ago. Had a deserted warehouse on
• 19:03
  Speaker 4: the riverfront.
• 19:04
  Speaker 3: Had a deserted warehouse? Nick, who is he?
• 19:06
  Speaker 10: I don't know yet. He wore a mask.
• 19:08
  Speaker 3: A mask?
• 19:09
  Speaker 4: Yes, covers his whole face. I met him through Big
• 19:12
  Speaker 4: Louie Arkin, who turns out to be his right-hand man.
• 19:15
  Speaker 3: Uh-huh, so there is someone higher than Big Louie.
• 19:17
  Speaker 2: There is.
• 19:18
  Speaker 10: Now, listen closely, Patsy.
• 19:19
  Speaker 8: Right.
• 19:19
  Speaker 10: I've picked up a clue to the boss's identity, and
• 19:22
  Speaker 10: I need your help.
• 19:22
  Speaker 8: Uh-huh.
• 19:23
  Speaker 4: He parked his car in a dirt driveway next to
• 19:25
  Speaker 4: the warehouse. I didn't see the car, but I went
• 19:27
  Speaker 4: back later and checked.
• 19:28
  Speaker 10: The tire tracks.
• 19:29
  Speaker 3: Oh, what was the tire pattern?
• 19:30
  Speaker 10: There was nothing in the tire pattern.
• 19:32
  Speaker 4: Hmm. Four new tires of a common make. But the
• 19:35
  Speaker 4: width of the car, the distance between the right and
• 19:37
  Speaker 4: left wheel tracks, gave.
• 19:39
  Speaker 10: Me a tip-off.
• 19:40
  Speaker 3: The width of the car?
• 19:41
  Speaker 9: Yes.
• 19:42
  Speaker 4: The boss, whoever he is, isn't driving an American car
• 19:45
  Speaker 4: because the distance between his wheels isn't standard. In short, Patsy,
• 19:49
  Speaker 4: he's driving some... foreign car. Now listen closely.
• 19:51
  Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
• 19:52
  Speaker 10: I measure the distance between the wheels. It's five feet,
• 19:55
  Speaker 10: two inches.
• 19:56
  Speaker 4: Check the Automobile Association and find out what foreign-made car
• 19:59
  Speaker 4: measures that wheel distance.
• 20:00
  Speaker 10: You got it?
• 20:01
  Speaker 4: Right.
• 20:01
  Speaker 3: Check Automobile Association and find out what foreign car measures
• 20:05
  Speaker 3: five feet, two inches in width between wheels.
• 20:06
  Speaker 10: That's right. Five feet, two inches. When you find the
• 20:09
  Speaker 10: make of the car.
• 20:10
  Speaker 4: Call the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and check who owns
• 20:12
  Speaker 4: a car of that make.
• 20:13
  Speaker 8: Uh-huh.
• 20:14
  Speaker 10: Can't be very common. After you find out, call me
• 20:16
  Speaker 10: back right here.
• 20:16
  Speaker 9: All right, Nick.
• 20:17
  Speaker 3: I'll get to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles right away. Oh,
• 20:19
  Speaker 3: what's the number where you are?
• 20:21
  Speaker 10: Virginia 90568.
• 20:21
  Speaker 4: Virginia 90568.
• 20:25
  Speaker 10: Right, and I'll wait for your call.
• 20:26
  Speaker 4: All right, Nick.
• 20:26
  Speaker 3: I'll hurry.
• 20:27
  Speaker 4: Bye. Mr.
• 20:29
  Speaker 3: Prentice, I'm sorry I kept you waiting.
• 20:31
  Speaker 4: That's quite all right. I'll be running along now. I
• 20:34
  Speaker 4: have a great deal to do in a short time.
• 20:35
  Speaker 4: Good day. Good day. Hello?
• 20:51
  Speaker 3: Nick, I've got news.
• 20:53
  Speaker 7: Yeah?
• 20:53
  Speaker 3: The car measuring a width of five feet two inches
• 20:56
  Speaker 3: is an English arrow. There are only four in the
• 20:58
  Speaker 3: whole state, and only one in the city, and that's
• 21:00
  Speaker 3: owned by John Prentiss.
• 21:02
  Speaker 4: What? Prentiss?
• 21:04
  Speaker 10: Of the Citizens Reform League?
• 21:05
  Speaker 4: Right.
• 21:06
  Speaker 3: You don't suppose he could... Oh, hold a minute, Nick.
• 21:09
  Speaker 3: Someone's coming in. Oh, it's Sergeant Matheson. Hi, Sergeant.
• 21:14
  Speaker 5: Hi, Patsy.
• 21:15
  Speaker 10: Patsy, look.
• 21:15
  Speaker 9: Yeah?
• 21:16
  Speaker 4: Prentiss may be in this We've got to check the
• 21:18
  Speaker 4: other three people who own Arrow Cars before we can
• 21:20
  Speaker 4: make sure.
• 21:21
  Speaker 10: Mm-hmm. Here, wait a minute.
• 21:22
  Speaker 4: What?
• 21:23
  Speaker 3: What is it, Nick?
• 21:23
  Speaker 10: Two mugs came into the drugstore just now. They're watching me.
• 21:25
  Speaker 8: Oh, Nick.
• 21:26
  Speaker 10: I recognize one of them. Panhandler named Eddie. Yeah, they're
• 21:29
  Speaker 10: after me, all right, Patsy?
• 21:31
  Speaker 3: Nick, then Prentice is the boss.
• 21:33
  Speaker 4: What?
• 21:33
  Speaker 3: He was in the office when you called me and
• 21:35
  Speaker 3: overheard our conversation.
• 21:36
  Speaker 4: Right.
• 21:37
  Speaker 10: And he went out and phoned his men to pick
• 21:38
  Speaker 10: me up.
• 21:38
  Speaker 4: Oh.
• 21:39
  Speaker 3: Nick, what are the thugs doing now?
• 21:41
  Speaker 10: They're moving this way toward the phone booth. And they've
• 21:43
  Speaker 10: got guns.
• 21:44
  Speaker 4: Oh.
• 21:44
  Speaker 10: Quick, Patsy, put Mary on the phone.
• 21:46
  Speaker 9: Oh.
• 21:53
  Speaker 2: Well, Nick is in a real spot. Trapped in a
• 21:56
  Speaker 2: phone booth with two of Prentiss' men coming to pick
• 21:58
  Speaker 2: him up. We'll be back to see what happens in
• 22:00
  Speaker 2: just a moment. And now for the conclusion of The
• 22:09
  Speaker 2: Case of the Persistent Beggars. Today's Nick Carter adventure brought
• 22:12
  Speaker 2: to you by Old Dutch Cleanser.
• 22:15
  Speaker 4: As we pick up our story.
• 22:16
  Speaker 2: Two of Prentiss' thugs are headed toward the phone booth
• 22:18
  Speaker 2: to get Nick as Matty's voice comes over the wire.
• 22:22
  Speaker 10: Yeah, Nick, what is it?
• 22:22
  Speaker 4: Matty, I've got to talk fast. Two mugs have me
• 22:25
  Speaker 4: trapped in a drugstore phone booth at River and Forth.
• 22:27
  Speaker 4: I'll have every prowl car in the neighborhood down there
• 22:29
  Speaker 4: in five minutes, Nick. Five minutes may be too late.
• 22:31
  Speaker 4: They're here now. Listen, Matty, if you miss me here,
• 22:33
  Speaker 4: drive that big deserted warehouse next to the fur exchange.
• 22:36
  Speaker 8: Drop that phone, Carter. Another word and I'll blow your
• 22:39
  Speaker 8: brains out.
• 22:40
  Speaker 5: Yeah, we're going for a little ride, wise guy. The
• 22:43
  Speaker 5: boss wants to see you.
• 22:53
  Speaker 4: Well, Carter, it looks as though you've outsmarted yourself. On
• 22:56
  Speaker 4: the contrary, Prentiss, you've outsmarted yourself. Your racket has ended.
• 23:00
  Speaker 4: My dear Carter, my work may be ended, but so
• 23:03
  Speaker 4: is yours.
• 23:03
  Speaker 5: Wait a minute, Carter. You say the boss here is Prentiss?
• 23:07
  Speaker 4: That's right, Louie. Prentiss, head of the Citizens Reform League,
• 23:11
  Speaker 4: the man who sent you up the river.
• 23:13
  Speaker 5: Why, you double-crosser.
• 23:14
  Speaker 4: Don't make a move, Louie. The same goes for you, Carter.
• 23:18
  Speaker 4: As you see, I've got a gun.
• 23:19
  Speaker 5: Take off that mask.
• 23:20
  Speaker 4: Why not, Louie?
• 23:22
  Speaker 5: There you are. So you are, Pettis. That citizens' reform
• 23:27
  Speaker 5: stuff was just a blind.
• 23:28
  Speaker 4: Exactly, Louie. I'm about to retire with my earnings. Naturally,
• 23:33
  Speaker 4: I intend that both of you will retire also. And permanently.
• 23:37
  Speaker 4: You'll have to work fast, Pettis, if you expect to
• 23:39
  Speaker 4: carry out your plan. Mr. Carter, you underrate me. I
• 23:42
  Speaker 4: have plenty of time. First a bullet into each of you.
• 23:46
  Speaker 4: Then through this window. And look.
• 23:48
  Speaker 5: What's that?
• 23:49
  Speaker 4: The police, Prentiss.
• 23:50
  Speaker 2: Police?
• 23:50
  Speaker 5: Okay, Prentiss.
• 23:51
  Speaker 4: But I warned you, Louie. Thanks for the opening, Prentiss.
• 23:55
  Speaker 4: Smash the light, will you, Carter? That won't help you.
• 23:58
  Speaker 3: Missed me.
• 23:59
  Speaker 4: Hard to hit what you can't see, isn't it?
• 24:04
  Speaker 2: Now that your gun's jammed, I'll show you that this
• 24:06
  Speaker 2: is the most effective way.
• 24:15
  Speaker 4: Nick!
• 24:16
  Speaker 9: Nick, where are you?
• 24:17
  Speaker 4: Over here, Matty. Are you all right? Sure, sure, I'm
• 24:19
  Speaker 4: all right. Turn on your flash. Yeah. Hey, what's Prentiss
• 24:22
  Speaker 4: doing here? Prentiss? He's the big boss of this whole
• 24:26
  Speaker 4: panhandling racket. What? And the other one with the bullet
• 24:28
  Speaker 4: wound you already know.
• 24:29
  Speaker 3: Big Louie Arkin.
• 24:31
  Speaker 4: I'll say I know him. He looks in bad shape, Matty.
• 24:34
  Speaker 4: You better get what you can out of him while
• 24:36
  Speaker 4: he can still talk.
• 24:46
  Speaker 3: Nick, I just spoke to Sergeant Matheson over the phone.
• 24:48
  Speaker 6: Oh, yeah?
• 24:49
  Speaker 3: Big Louie gave him the whole story before he died,
• 24:51
  Speaker 3: all about the killing of Foxy Farrell, everything.
• 24:53
  Speaker 4: You know, Patsy, it's funny how Prentice masqueraded as a
• 24:56
  Speaker 4: respectable citizen for so long. Why, Big Louie, whom Prentice
• 25:00
  Speaker 4: sent up the river, never knew who his boss in
• 25:02
  Speaker 4: this racket was.
• 25:03
  Speaker 3: Well, anyway, Nick, the sergeant tells me this panhandling racket
• 25:06
  Speaker 3: is definitely finished.
• 25:08
  Speaker 4: Oh, speaking of panhandling, Patsy, I've got something on my conscience.
• 25:13
  Speaker 3: On your conscience?
• 25:14
  Speaker 4: Yes, $ 7.
• 25:15
  Speaker 6: 25.
• 25:16
  Speaker 4: It's the money I mooched while I was Snuffy Davis, remember? Hey,
• 25:21
  Speaker 4: what'll I do with it?
• 25:22
  Speaker 3: Well, uh, why not give it to your boys, Club Nick?
• 25:25
  Speaker 4: Ah, Patsy, you would think of a nice thing like that.
• 25:29
  Speaker 4: That way the money will really go to help those
• 25:31
  Speaker 4: who need it. And that's what it was given to
• 25:33
  Speaker 4: me for.
• 25:43
  Speaker 2: Nick, is Old Dutch Cleanser bringing us an exciting adventure
• 25:46
  Speaker 2: next week?
• 25:46
  Speaker 4: I should say they are, Bob. How about it, Patsy?
• 25:49
  Speaker 3: Oh, you can say that again, Nick.
• 25:50
  Speaker 5: What's it all about?
• 25:51
  Speaker 4: Well, all of a sudden, there are a series of
• 25:53
  Speaker 4: accidents way up in the skyscrapers of the city.
• 25:56
  Speaker 3: Yes, men fall to their deaths and a mysterious killer
• 25:59
  Speaker 3: roams the building.
• 26:00
  Speaker 4: Not to mention a pail on the wrong side of
• 26:02
  Speaker 4: a windowsill in an empty office. And a bad dream
• 26:05
  Speaker 4: that Patsy had.
• 26:05
  Speaker 3: Oh, but you haven't heard the best part of it, Bob.
• 26:08
  Speaker 3: If you knew what Nick did to catch the killer... Oh,
• 26:11
  Speaker 3: that's enough for now. What do you call this story, Nick?
• 26:14
  Speaker 4: I call it The Case of the Careless Employees.
• 26:22
  Speaker 2: Nick Carter, Master Detective, is presented each week at this
• 26:25
  Speaker 2: time and over these same stations by the Cudahy Packing Company,
• 26:29
  Speaker 2: makers of Old Dutch Cleanser. Nick Carter, Master Detective, produced
• 26:45
  Speaker 2: and directed by Jock McGregor, is copyrighted by Street &
• 26:48
  Speaker 2: Smith Publications, Incorporated. Lon Clark is starred as Nick, with
• 26:52
  Speaker 2: Charlotte Manson featured as Patsy. Matty is played by Ed Latimer.
• 26:57
  Speaker 2: Today's script was written by Max Ehrlich. Original music is
• 27:00
  Speaker 2: played by George Wright. This program is fictional and any
• 27:05
  Speaker 2: resemblance to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
• 27:09
  Speaker 2: This is Bob Martin saying, when minutes count, use All
• 27:13
  Speaker 2: Dutch Cleanser. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.
• 27:26
  Speaker 1: We leave Nick Carter, Master Detective, and The Case of
• 27:29
  Speaker 1: the Persistent Beggars... Until another mystery hour, good night. Follow
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: Old Time Mystery Radio for more classic mystery and detective broadcasts.