Latest / Great Detectives of Old Time Radio Volume 2|Mystery Audio Dramas / The Fat Man: Murder is the Medium (EP0782)
Transcript
- 0:28Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This
- 0:34is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, email it
- 0:38to me Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net. Give us a call two
- 0:43to eight nine four seven eight three and fill out our listeners surveys survey dot
- 0:49Great Detectives dot net. Well, today's episode is brought to you by the
- 0:54financial support of our listeners. Thank you so much for all of your support.
- 1:00Here here, now is today's episode of The Fat Man. Murder is
- 1:06the medium when your stomachs upset. Don't at the upset hey doving pipsto ism
- 1:23and theo again. There he goes. You know that drug star. He's
- 1:34stepping on the scale. Wait two hundred and thirty nine pounds fortune danger?
- 1:46Oh is it the fat Man? To most people, a zoo is a
- 2:06collection of four footed animals because one menagerie I know of where the inmates walk
- 2:10on two feet. In the first cage, for instance, you'll find the
- 2:15giant Forger, whose specialty is writing other people's names. And in another iron
- 2:21cell you can inspect the genus Pickhocket, known also as a little Dipper,
- 2:25who can sometimes prove that the hand is quicker than the eye. But the
- 2:30prize exhibit is a hopped up character with a nervous twitch and his four finger.
- 2:36He powles along when he looks for prey, and he's known for his
- 2:40taste for murder. That's the fat Man, a fast moving criminologist who tips
- 2:52for scales of two hundred and thirty nine dolls. Fuck to you by the
- 2:55Norse Pharmacal Company Limited, makers of Pepto, bed mall On, Quantine and
- 3:00other fine drug products. When you overeat or eat too fast, you're looking
- 3:13for trouble with your digestion. That's no time to add to the upset.
- 3:17Instead, try a better way, a gentle way. Take toothing peptal desmol.
- 3:23Yes, when you're boied by heartburn, nervous indigestion, or other common
- 3:27adjestive disturbances. Pepto besmol promptly helps to calm and fly at the upset.
- 3:32It settles and sweetens it. You feel good again. Next time you eat
- 3:38too much or too fast, you can do something for that uneasy, uncomfortable
- 3:42feeling. Try soothing peto besmal. That's right. When your stomach's upset,
- 3:47don't add to the Upset, Take Soothing, Pepto besmol and Feel Good Again,
- 4:00and Now from New York The First Man, starring Jay Scott smartin Murder
- 4:04is the Medium. The Raynards, Oscar and Harriet were a typical suburban bear
- 4:25except an. Oscar was six or eight years younger than he's over upholstered Bob.
- 4:30He was a neat little guy in a fair super suit, while Missus
- 4:33Raynard looked like the vice president and charge of production for the Hillsdale Sewing Circles.
- 4:41I'm missus Harriet Raynard, mister Runyon, and this is my husband,
- 4:44Oscar, my second husband. That is my first husband. Nervin was the
- 4:48post who have died two years ago. Isn't it official yet? Of course,
- 4:53mister Runyon, But Harriet has been Mashna. You promised to let me
- 4:57fill it to mister Rnyon in my own way. I'm sorry, my dear.
- 5:00What's the story about? Four weeks ago? Asked? When I happened
- 5:04to wander into a rub shop on the Lower West Time. After we looked
- 5:08at the owner's wares, he invited us into a bath room to meet his
- 5:11wife, an attractive woman. Mister Ryan was an interesting thing. We were
- 5:15told that she had a cut power and could bring the dead best life.
- 5:20Then he asked us if we wanted to attend to manifestation. You mean he
- 5:25didn't call her to stay on, but I thought that's what it was.
- 5:29At any rate, We returned that evening just out of curiosity, and I
- 5:32spoke my dear departed husband. No, Harriet, it's too after you were
- 5:38there. It was Melvin's voice, and I saw his face light up in
- 5:41the dog right in front I ad Nitchie's right. Mister Rayon thought it was
- 5:46some kind of a trick and asked me not to go there again. But
- 5:48I couldn't resist, and I went by myself without his knowledge. I saw
- 5:54Melvin again. He seemed to be sitting in an office dictating a letter towards
- 5:58phenographer business. Go on, missus, but I'm the second visit. I
- 6:03received a message from Melvine asking for a little money to tide him over.
- 6:09I couldn't refuse, mister Runnyon and live with my conscience after all of it,
- 6:12Melvin's money I inherited and decide how much did he ask you? For?
- 6:15Five hundred dollars? Can you imagine that? And Harriet was full enough
- 6:19to give it to them. It wasn't much, mister Runny, and neither
- 6:24was a sixteen hundred years for a later. But now I'm beginning to think
- 6:28I may have made a mistake. The last time I went there, on
- 6:31Wednesday night, I was told that Melvine was bankrupt and he needed twenty thousand
- 6:38dollars in a hole. That is when I decided I ought to have some
- 6:41outside decides. You still think you spoke to your versions. I wouldn't have
- 6:46accepted Melbourne's voice alone a final proof, but I saw him write in front
- 6:51of me, and I wouldn't restretched the face of a man I'd been married
- 6:55to for fifteen years. When's your next rendevo with Melbourne? Missus Renner?
- 7:00Is that when you're supposed to show out for the twenty grand I was told
- 7:03to bring it all in cash. Have you made the withdrawn it? But
- 7:09I had five hundred dollars in my dad nuts have that in advance. Isn't
- 7:13that unusual, mister Runyon. Keep your shirt on. I'm not in that
- 7:16much of a hurapor of thing here. You are five one hundred dollars good?
- 7:23Just a minute, what are you doing mister union working these bills all
- 7:30right, missus Raymond, put them back in your bag and hand them to
- 7:34the medium when you say, then leave the rest to me. Just what
- 7:38do you intend to do? Communicate with the spirit world, obscar, and
- 7:42get a receipt from Melvine or missus Raynard. The rug shop was a murky
- 7:54little joint that reminded me of an Asiatic bazaar. The walls were covered with
- 7:59orient a rug and I could smell a pungent odor of a strong aromatic coffee
- 8:03someone was growing in the ram. The proprieta was a thin little man whose
- 8:09actual and I couldn't quite place, but I knew it wasn't far from the
- 8:13Persian Gulf. His manners were impeccable, and his smile was full of teeth
- 8:18while he clasped his skinny hands in a gesture of reading. It is my
- 8:24wish to serve your sir. Oh, are you the owner? With that
- 8:28possen at your command? I'm chomping from ruge Ah. We make a specialty
- 8:33here of rugs. You are perhaps familiar with oriental rugster sketchy way, then
- 8:39permit me to make a few suggestions in my humble mother. The primus rugs,
- 8:45as you might know, come from pleasure, and this is a perfect
- 8:48example. It feeling texture stuff. It is a cashon a notable leave observed.
- 8:58The spiking red foundation, with his floral designs and exquisite line reminds me
- 9:03a little of ahimh i Mistan. Then you do know something about leading me
- 9:09I Behan is a rare treasure. Indeed, creations of genius from the sixteen
- 9:13seny with only a few choice specimens and now in existence, and they're worth
- 9:18a king's ransom. He's got quine a display here. Presume must take point
- 9:24a bit of letters to make a collection like this. Looks to me like
- 9:28it's well alanna though, yeah here on consignment only, my friend, and
- 9:31all I received is a commission for the sale. That's a not to feel
- 9:37very interested. Oh why don't you let me browse around for an hour or
- 9:41so? I like to take my time. I would be most happy to
- 9:43commit it, sir, but unfortunately I must close the shopper sting. My
- 9:48wife is conducting a manifestation at that time. Oh, your wife is a
- 9:52medium, and she does not call herself a medium, but she communicates with
- 9:56the students. Well, it sounds interesting. Any chance of getting in.
- 10:01Is there some dear departed love one you wish to contact? Oh dozens of
- 10:05them. We've done, Angela idea as my assistance. Your wife wants to
- 10:15see you. Oh, thank you, Angela. Excuse me for one moment,
- 10:18sir, how are you her name is running? How are you doing
- 10:24here shopping? You're not looking for rugs, you're looking for trouble. Well
- 10:28by that too. It's necessary. Is this a raid? Not exactly.
- 10:33There's no law against conducting a meeting and mistake, but there's a law against
- 10:37fraud. Sweet Ireland. It's still in a book. Yeah, my wife
- 10:41has requested if you join us in times showed the chances in in Angela,
- 10:46you'd better get out of here while the going's good. And mister, chance
- 10:50of communicating with a dead do yourself, but look out you don't end up
- 10:56on that side. She led me to a room in the back that was
- 11:07windowless and smell as stuff is a tomb. There were a number of polling
- 11:13chairs lined up against the walls, the kind they used in funeral parlors,
- 11:16and behind a bare desk, her face as rigid as a mask, sat
- 11:22an oriental looking woman. We were joined by Oscar Reynard and his wife about
- 11:26five minutes later, but we gave no sign of recognition, and as Puissan
- 11:31shuffle at the center of the room, I could feel the tension mounting,
- 11:35like the approach of an electrical storm. The night Angel it out. Please
- 11:43now we are ready to begin. We are waiting sala. We are gathered
- 11:48here together this night at camp to make contact with our friends in other world.
- 11:58Is there anyone here who wishes to talk to one of the deposits?
- 12:03I and deacified their Please, Harry did not, And who do you wish
- 12:11to see now? Then, Bishop, my late husband? No win?
- 12:20No win, Bishop, Do you hear me? Return to Earth and make
- 12:30your present known? No, m The contact is Difficultella, very difficult.
- 12:43But you promised me he comes. I am sorry, missus, try not,
- 12:48but it's quite impossible. No, he is, mister Ryan above her
- 12:56head. It happened so fast I didn't have a chance to make a move.
- 13:09The face of a man of sixty appeared behind the median hazily. At
- 13:13first, they're much clearer, like solidifying smoke. The next thing I knew,
- 13:18someone brushed past me quickly, and I heard the door open and closed,
- 13:22and I romp to the light, but Roster beefy to it. And
- 13:26when the light went on, I saw him standing near the switch while his
- 13:31wife had passed out some streetly in her chair. Us she thinks it,
- 13:37Jimmy, all right, looks as though the Russian party they're trying to follow
- 13:41the day. So you know that if I'll show you what, she's sam
- 13:46as I and I'm Morbard of this wall? What did this, mister Ruggan?
- 13:50Look, there's a whole wall covered door who was transparent paper and there's
- 13:58a camera and hid the whole work by remote control. A role of movie
- 14:03film and I'm looking to genuity goes a long way as far as suckers are
- 14:07concerned. And as for his voice, m it looks as though something new
- 14:13has been added. A voice at death concert? What's the new look?
- 14:20Behind with a penny stiletto stuck in her bank? Now let's check up with
- 15:00up batsman. The police sent out a city wide alarm. We sign and
- 15:07his girlfriend. But three days when n was practically no result, then I
- 15:13got myself a bright eyed dad. I put an ad in all the papers.
- 15:18It must have read like a winning lottery number or a Rugby and Lands
- 15:22because I offered to sell a genuine insign for exactly one hundred bucks. I
- 15:26listed my phone addressed in my apartment number, but I didn't include my name,
- 15:33and for a day or so I was flooded with fancy offerers. I
- 15:37get about figured that Puisign was wise to the gag. When I got another
- 15:41call, and as I put on my best international accent, I recognized quissign
- 15:46dot of tone at the other end of the wire. Yes, I am
- 15:54calling the rug Oh, the genuine article and why do you wish? I
- 16:04am selling a rob for my friend, but not a history of how I
- 16:07abstaind it? Do you wish to inspect it? My address was included?
- 16:15Didn't he advertise me? We'll be home within the house. I should be
- 16:19most delighted and I should be most seized to visit your house. Mister Hello,
- 16:37boys, come yourself at home. But the name down don't tell anybody.
- 16:47But he's the guy who sells in my towel, and a pretty obvious
- 16:51one. I didn't think you were dumbin at the ball. I'll just raise
- 16:55your hands above your shoulder, sweetheart, like a good little man. Oh,
- 16:59I have know what that's what you were looking for. No extras to
- 17:03let us to spare. Do you think I killed fellow? Oh? No,
- 17:07court, shoot, didn't He died of a heavy colt. Didn't you
- 17:11even know what it happens in that room? In the papers? And we're
- 17:15gonna I swear it? And what was your hurry to scram on? And
- 17:18don't tell me you had a date for the attendant. I was folder by
- 17:22one of Salah's ghosts, by Angela. I don't starve with time. I'm
- 17:30way ahead at the end. I don't know where she has come. That
- 17:33sounds very okay trying this. How did you get ahold of the film of
- 17:38Melvin Bishop? What? Brother? Now we're really getting caging. Do nothing
- 17:45about the film or a camera? And how about those old dictaphone record you
- 17:48use? Don't tell me Melvin made them? After even buriable? You are
- 17:52trying to confuse me. I'm too what you mean mister? Okay, I'll
- 17:57explain it to you in a different way. Up to now, all you
- 18:00faced was a fraud brand. You might have got me a year or two
- 18:03in the clink, or even a suspended sentence for a first offense. But
- 18:07homicide, there's a different story. I didn't murder homister running? What should
- 18:14I do? Tell me how to sing myself? I'm an innocent man.
- 18:18Where's Angela put him? If I tell you where to find her, will
- 18:22I go? Sweet on? Depend? But if you don't give me a
- 18:26lead, you haven't got a chance very well in running, I would think
- 18:30it's what Angela. We got into my car and drove downtown to a section
- 18:41near greenwich Ville and Hard near one of those gypsy hangouts converted from an empty
- 18:45storm. The phrenologious call was pictured in the window, along with a giant
- 18:51human hand, and inside at a small table a bottle of poofs. In
- 18:55front of her was Angela with on I see you double in brass baby as
- 19:03the pom reading business. What do you want? I'd like to have my
- 19:06fortune's old, Angela. So this is what I gets to being loyal to
- 19:11you. You double crossing those two pigs. But he shouldn't murder Angela?
- 19:15And he told me did you need electric chest? And I hope they do.
- 19:19I don't get to sit up with time from maybe you'll be sitting on
- 19:22his lap, Sweeter't you've got nothing on me? I didn't kill Salah why
- 19:26should I because you hated her? Are you tempered? Temper? How many
- 19:32times did you make a place for me behind her back? This is not
- 19:34true, mister ro not much. It isn't your hypocritical little fake. No.
- 19:37I tweeted Angela as a daughter, and as far as my wife would
- 19:41concerns, I never knew him tail the other night that she was a prop
- 19:45You mean you attended those phony sessions and played it straight. I believe my
- 19:49wife had awk of powers because I am a superstitious man. Whatever was done
- 19:55was done without my knowledge. It's directly so damn his own life and him,
- 20:00and I felt sorry for him. I got dope. I try to
- 20:03say this rock and hide. But from Nani's on his own. You can
- 20:07worm his way out of this one all by himself. You've got a little
- 20:10worming of your own with any sweet on't threaten me. You've got nothing on
- 20:14me but a misdemeanor. You don't say, all right. So I did
- 20:17figure out the moving pictures gone so much was Salo collected the dolls, And
- 20:22it was Stalo who also held out of me from my shoe. But I
- 20:25fixed her wagon with a ten inch nine. I didn't touch all I did
- 20:30was worked the movie camera when she didn't expect it. I knew you were
- 20:33a private picking, so did she. We were supposed to let this accle
- 20:37flat that night, though you couldn't get any evidence. Oh God, that
- 20:42room was dark. I would have loved to see her face when I flashed
- 20:45that picture on the wall. Where'd you get a hold of him? Whouldn't
- 20:49you like to know? Believe me, sweetheart, I'm gonna know. You
- 20:53can take me into custody and you can question me from Narn to the cows
- 20:57come home. You won't be able to hold me from murdering. You know
- 21:02it. How much you're getting paid to keep your mouth shut, plenty a
- 21:06lot more than you can afford to pay to open it up. And there's
- 21:10no question about my getting the moon of this time, Handsome, because this
- 21:14time I'm on the receiving end alone. There's lots the overstide flat food,
- 21:25all good for me, and all of that. I wonder what it opened
- 21:36for. That funal of booze must be loaded with poisoned dynamite. She said
- 21:44she was on the receiving end, and she wasn't kidding. I put in
- 21:52a corner head for this and left. We stide with the bunny. Then
- 21:56I hopped into my car and started Permissus Rayne suburban. I didn't bother with
- 22:00the doorbell, but entered through the service entence in the basement and on my
- 22:04way upstairs to the first floor. The house was dark, which suited be
- 22:11fine, and I used a pocket flash to browse around. But ten minutes
- 22:15later, as I was going through a study desk, I suddenly found out
- 22:18the place wasn't as empty as I thought. It was. Oh good evening.
- 22:23What are you doing in my house, mister Runyan? Didn't the butler
- 22:26anounce me? Ask her? I can't leave. It cannot be possible that
- 22:30you're nothing but a common sea soft Stop. Where's your wife? She's ill
- 22:34in bed. I was turning in myself when I heard a noise down here,
- 22:38so I found my gun and decided to investigate. Relax oscar and put
- 22:42the gun away. You know, I didn't come here to see us overwhere?
- 22:45Oh why did you come? I was looking for some film film movie
- 22:49film with a late Melbourne bishop and amateur motion picture fan. That's something I
- 22:55couldn't tell you. Then maybe Missus Raynard came. I told you she was
- 22:59ill. None were there. The shock of the medium's murder was a little
- 23:03too much. Well, she can spare me a couple of minutes and we'll
- 23:06be long. You will insist done seeing her, if it's all right with
- 23:10you? Very well, mister Runyon asc yes, don't you think we'd both
- 23:15be a little more comfortable without that gun in your hand. I'm perfectly relaxed,
- 23:19and so I noticed my wife is on the floor above. We'll use
- 23:25those stairs. You can proceed to her room, mister Runyon, and I
- 23:29will follow right behind. We slowly climbed the staircase to the upper floor,
- 23:38and Oscar nugged me into the room with a barrel of his gun. His
- 23:42wife was in bed, popped up on a couple of pillows, and I
- 23:45noticed a glance of milk on the table right next to her. She looked
- 23:49a little startled when her husband and I walked in, particularly when she saw
- 23:53the gun and ask her hand, and the unusual expression on his ordinarily timid
- 24:00face. Sorry to disturb you, missus, Raynardon, I found mister Unyan
- 24:03in the study downstairs, prowling through the house. You will in just a
- 24:08minute, mister Runyan would like to ask you a question, Harriet, and
- 24:11it's already answered. That moving picture film, the medium used belonged to Melvin
- 24:17Bishop, and it came from here. I found more just like it in
- 24:19the study desks. How did they get hold of it? And that's when
- 24:22I was trying to figure out it could have been stolen by Angela, for
- 24:26instance, But that theory was eliminated when Angela was The girl was dead,
- 24:33missus Raynardon. She had a visitor a few minutes before I spoke to her.
- 24:37He brought a bottle of poisons whiskey in a proposition to keep her mouth
- 24:41shuts. She accepted both and crossed herself off my list. That's incredible.
- 24:47Your husband made a bargain with stal of a medium to place you a little
- 24:49dull. He gave her the film and a couple of Melvine's old dictaphone discs.
- 24:55When Melvine asked you for the money, the voice was dubbed in,
- 24:59but it wasn't a hard to do with a perfect model on a record.
- 25:02The man as man. Harriet absolutely mad. On the night I went to
- 25:04piss arms, Oscar got in touch with Salow. He told her a private
- 25:07detective was on his way and had to play it down. She was going
- 25:11to do just what he asked her to. When Angela decided to throw a
- 25:15monkey wrench in the works, Oscar thought Salo was crossing it, so he
- 25:18knocked her on. Don't you think you might find it's as good as in
- 25:22the bag. You're the only logical nominee who happens to be left. Oscar.
- 25:26You settled that when you settled with Angela. Yes, I settled with
- 25:30her the way I intend to settle with you, mister Runyan Holly. I'm
- 25:33not blackmailing you, Oscar. I'm putting you in the chat you want to
- 25:37stick to point. The only thing that would kill this guy would be a
- 25:42dose of DDT You mind if I borrow that pressive milk, Missus Raynar,
- 25:48I imagine Oscar prepared it for you with his own little hand. Come on,
- 25:52come out of a tweetheart, I got a little drink. Yeah,
- 25:57would you like to watch your fist on? No? Take it away,
- 26:00by Heaven, take foot that cost there my mouth. It's funny. I
- 26:03had a hunt you about that one's dose of poison, Missus Rainer, probably
- 26:08enough to kill a horse. Someone must have given your husband a chemistry,
- 26:12said Christmas. All right, oscared up on your feet, all right.
- 26:17All The next time you attend to See once you will be sitting in the
- 26:19important chair, and when they pull that switchmith there you'll contact Melvin Bishop in
- 26:26person. Before you go to bed tonight, look in your medicine cabinet,
- 26:40see if you have a bottle of Pepto bethmall. If you haven't, make
- 26:44a note to stop in ato your drugget tomorrow morning. With Pepto besmual on
- 26:47hand, you're ready to help relieve the distress of acid indigestion, heartburn,
- 26:52or that uneasy upset feeling that follows over eating. Anybody can take Pepto beth
- 26:56mal anytime. Pepto beth maall continue no sugar. If you hadn't yet tried
- 27:02papter besmul, ask your bruckets, so remember when your stomach's upset, don't
- 27:07add to the upset. Take through the bepter besmaul and feel good again next
- 27:38week. An Norwich Parma for Company presents that fascinating and exciting character, the
- 27:42Fatman, in the adventure called Murder Rides the Breakers. A short while ago,
- 27:51a traveling salesman threw his cigarette butt out of the car windows. He
- 27:53sailed along, listening to his car radio. It was a bride day.
- 27:57There was a breeze, well you know the rest the cigarettes that fire to
- 28:03the dried grass, caught some twigs, then spread along the roadside. Told
- 28:07some low branches burst into plane. Then another breeze sprang up and the big
- 28:11fire stuff. But the traveling salesman had gone from there. He never realized
- 28:15that his carelessness had caused a forest fire. You're not like that salesman.
- 28:21You never throw a light and butts out of the car windows, do you.
- 28:34A batman has brought to Canadian listeners by the Norris Pharmacle Company Limited,
- 28:38Toronto, Canada. Herb May speaking. This is the Dominion network of the
- 28:44Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Welcome back. Well we want to again here's something a
- 28:52little bit different here. I should know that this episode was originally broadcast July
- 28:59twenty second, nineteen forty nine, and it's the last of the nineteen forties
- 29:03episodes of The Fat Man we have available to us. And of course this
- 29:08was actually this particular recording was originally broadcast in Canada. Now you may wonder
- 29:17what the Dominion Network was The Dominion Network was a second network of the Canadian
- 29:26Broadcasting Company. There were a bunch of independent stations that private affiliates. They
- 29:37wanted to start their own radio network so they could carry some American programming,
- 29:44and they were turned down by the government, but there really was a demand
- 29:48and a need for that sort of network, and so the CBC kind of
- 29:52afraid that eventually they might get their way. The Dominion Network was established and
- 29:59during the evening the Minion Network they tended to run that. They tended to
- 30:07run lighter programs and American programs in particular during the daytime, there wasn't any
- 30:15particular programs so they could purchase, so affiliate owners could go ahead and purchase,
- 30:23purchase programs and syndicate things, do local shows. A whole lot of
- 30:30choice there, and then it eventually did break up. The network did in
- 30:34nineteen sixty two. But thanks to them we have an episode of The Fat
- 30:41Man. It's somewhat unique because there were actually only thirty four privately owned networks,
- 30:47so last opportunity for transcription disk to exist. But I think it does
- 30:52say something about The Fat Man that it did end up being picked up in
- 30:59cann it's us popularity and quality. We're enough to make it in demand up
- 31:06there. All right, Well, that will do it. We'll see you
- 31:10next week with another episode of The Fat Man. Join us tomorrow for Let
- 31:14George Do It. In the meanwhile, Rate us on iTunes, follow us
- 31:18on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and call us to E eight nine nine one
- 31:22four seven eight three From Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam
- 31:26Grahamson and off