Latest / Great Detectives of Old Time Radio Volume 2|Mystery Audio Dramas / Nick Carter: The Case of the Devil’s Left Eye (EP1554)
Transcript
- Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, email it to me Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net, follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and become one of our friends on Facebook, Facebook dot com slash Radio Detectives. Well, before we do get started, I don't want to encourage you. If you like a good mystery, pick up a copy of my detective novel, Slime Incorporated, which follows private investigator Cole eu Stick because he investigates a case of murder and political shenanigans against the backdrop of the Idaho governor's race. The book is available for the kindle, the nook, the eyebook, and as a paperback, and an audiobook is coming soon. And you can check out all my books at stored do Great Detectives dot net. Well, now it's time for today's episode of Nick Carter. The original air date January fourth of nineteen forty eight, and the title is the Case of the Devil's Left Eye. You say it couldn't have been either an accident or suicide. No, it couldn't. Alone. In his study at the time, I know its impossible, but somehow I believe he's telling the truth. But who I have begun that kill brooms? That's it's really the sixty four dollar question, No, Paty, the newspapers are right about Briggs' estate. That's the four million dollar questions. Now for the case of the Devil's Left Eye. Today's adventure starring lawn Clock as Nick Carter, brought you by a new post war all that's cleanse Lucky Bristol is a very polite individual. In fact, his first rule for success in running a gambling house is always be polite to the suckers, the customers. As for the second rule, well, Lucky, isn't it politely explaining it to one of the said customers The way I figure at, mister Willard, what's the use of winning if you can't collect? And so I make it a rule to always collect. Oh how muchoy are you? Lucky? Better than fifty grand? More than I ever let anybody gip me out of. For you know, Lucky, those are gambling debts. Legally, you can't collect a pin on them. One hundred, correct, mister Willard. So when I run into a welcher, I have to use methods that aren't so legal. If you're threatening me, why I wouldn't harm a hair of your head, mister Willard. But you could meet up with an accident, couldn't him? What do you mean a couple of broken legs. Maybe it could even be a fatal accident. In fact, I am willing to bet that's what it would be, plucky. It's like you gotta get me time. I'll be able to pay every ten if you'll only wait, wait how long? For my uncle Jonathan has millions. I'm his only heir. If it just be patient, you mean, wait till the old man kicked off. You might outlive the two of us. But if anything happens to me, you'll never get too money. Yeah, yeah, maybe they'd be better if your uncle met up with an accident. Huh, you don't mean that. I don't mean anything. Why didn't you ask the old boy the loan of the money? And I was tired? That's right, You cry cry hard enough and maybe they won't have to be any accidents. Well, mister Willard, it was over a week ago you said you were going to ask your uncle the loan of the money. How about it? I begged him a dozen times to let me have the money, but he won't. That's too bad, isn't. It looks like I'm going to make pracket for the weekend. But I'll ask him again on Monday. So if you'll only waiting time, and waited a long time now, mister Willard's from now on, I'm making no promise, mister Jonathan Big visiten. Hello, Kirby, I'd like to speak to my uncle. Oh, yes, mister Herry does the movement, Sir, he's in the steady. I'll put your cold through to him there. Hello, Hello, uncle Jonathan, This is Harry. Oh. I thought you were up at Lake Plastic. That's where I'm calling from. I was worried about your cold. I don't believe it. You knew very well, and I'm so much better. The doctor said I could get up today. But Uncle, you've been in bed for the past week and I snatched it. Yeah, what you really call about was that money, wasn't it? Well, Derby can't hear you, Kenny? What's the matter with you? You know I'm always alone in my study at this time of day. Well, yes, Uncle Jonathan, I did want to talk to you about the money. Well, you can't save your breath. I won't give you one single solitary bread, but Uncle Jonathan I a penny final if you hold uncle don Yes, I'm Nick Carter. This is my secretary. That's bone. How do you do target matison as a homicide? So I'd asked me to come up here and take a look around. Oh yes, won't you come in? Thank you steady? This way is you're Kirby. That's a regular house on actor. Yes, here's what I who found the body asked to be the accident. This is mister Briggs Stebby what why is like a room in a middle castle? That's what it is. Miss mister Briggs bought the entire room from the owners of McLennan Castle in Scotland and brought it over to a minute of peace. Bake even the wall paneling and that huge stained glass window across the room there every hings How unusual to find a room like this in a big city apartment. Yes, if you can even tell them s foot grass it last year for the little two bully shoes. Oh look at this magnificent anti cabinet here by the door. Yes, that's the high boys. And look at those old guns on the wall beside the high boy, mister Briggs collected in cheek fire arms. Me. This here is the one that's just it's caused the accident. M m an all flint lock mustard, Yes, sir, it certainly is a clumsy looking thing just about its deadly as close range as shotguns. Why are they called a flint lock? Pas? The hammer holds this bit of flint, yes, I can see it. Pressure have to cock it, and then when a trigger is pulled, a hammer falls. The flint strikes against this piece of steel here and causes a spark. Then was a little hollow here that's called a firing pan hold a small amount part of that Potter was ignited about the spark, and that sets off the real charge inside the gun barrel, causing the gun to be fired. But did they have to go through all that preparation to make the gun too? How can you go off by accident? That's what Mary was wondering, and that's why he asked me to take a look. Spose you tell me just what happened, Kirby, you will, mister Briggs within his study as he always was at that time of day. Further, this afternoon wasn't it, Yes, sir, the clock had just got too thirty when mister Haley called from Lake Plestied. He wanted to talk to his own coles. So I pushed the button for the buzzer in the study and when I heard mister Briggs pick up the phone and I hung up. How long after that did you hear the shot? Look more than a minute or two, sir. I rushed in here and found mister Briggs in that chair behind the desk dig and the gun was lying on the floor over there on the floor. Yes, Sir Kerby, are you sure there wasn't anyone else in the room with mister Briggs? But they couldn't possibly have been, Sir, As you can see, there's no place to hide in here, and there's only one door. I would write outside, and this new one could have got past. How about that stained glass window? Does it open onto a terrace? Knew miss outside? There's a sheer drop of twenty three stories and it's the only window in the room. Well, guess the next thing is to talk of mister Briggs's nephew. Mister Herry hasn't arrived home from Luke Taty yet. I expect him at ten tomorrow morning. I see, all right, then you can expect me at eleven, Lucky. What's the idea of phoning me here at the apartment. That was a nice convenience and lack that your uncle had, wasn't it, Willard conveniences? I can't talk to you now. I just got in from Lake Placid an hour ago, and there's some people waiting for me in the study. You called me back. Yeah, yeah, yes, of course, so by I'm tired to keep you waiting, mister Carter. I I was in my workroom, workroom in a passing this. Well, I make a hobby of astronomy, and I have a little place fixed up where I can build my own telescope. Down's very technical. Well it is rather of course. I can't grind my own lenses, but I have them made to my specifications and then do the rest of work myself. Well, I suppose you want to know about uncle Johnna, shall I? No, No, that's all right, Jervy keep coming to your work. Ain't any help of that ladder? No, no, thank you, sir. I you ad manage. I will through being in the steam blouse window. I was in the outside first outside my goodness, how do you get at it? Imploment, mister breeds Head. The window mounted on a sprinkled stream so that it swings in the room. You see, Oh, very neat arrangement. It's a beautiful window, mister Willard. I've always thought so, as you can see, it represents Satan being cast out of heaven. Uh. Well, mister Willard, about your uncle accident, I'm afraid there isn't much I can tell you. I was talking to him by a long distance when I heard the shot, and then a moment later Kirby picked up the phone and tell me what happened. How do you think it happened? It seems pretty obvious to me. The gun fell off the wall and was discharged by the jar when it hit the floor. Do you mean to say that a gun like that hung on the wall loaded? It never was loaded. As far as I know, that's the you killed it? Fully has gone on you. I forgot all about I'm going to call him right now. It's a phone in the living room. If you want to use it, thanks, better come along taste gif you want any of those figures your head for right? Good Greece or what's the matter? Krby. Something wrong with the window, Yes, misty heavy something by of what is it? Kirby's he can's loose eye. It's turning. What happens hack out the window? Lors is balanced. I tried to grab him, but it was two race. He fell twenty three stories down to the streets from the antique stained glass window. The evil face of Stating seems to leer triumphantly down into the room where violent death is struck twice within twenty four hours. We'll see what happens in just a moment with Nick Carter brought you by a new poll war all that splendor. A room transplanted from a medieval Scottish castle to the car apartment of a Manhattan skyscraper has been the scene of two play accidental death. Two hours have passed since the second tragedy, and Nick and Patsy, on their way back to Nick's office, have stopped in front of a small shop lae before you're set to Serno the second man Books and magazine epic. Quite a character you like it, oh my friends? Oh see it was to be in Negos. God, this is the deepe Sorry, no, Patty Peppe, it's doing I am very happy to meet you. Used to be in Horneville. Oh see when I am not so fat. I like the game we play and the busy time before flying Sorrinos. I wonder if you have a copy of a city in town for October of last year. That bell got a wall exactly used to a city in town? That true? Taking ten picture of the big study. How's business is that sees and no grows? Everybody she's got it? Too much money can afford the new magazine. No one's on the magazine. Well, if you'd like to stick out some extra cash, I've got a job for you. Well no, I say it fine. October nineteen forty six. You are yes, that's she is almost the lightning than the picture there in it here it is color too. Oh, the same glass window certainly shows up. Well, then here's what I was looking for, right, a gun at seventeenth century Flintlock. I knew it couldn't have fallen from the wall beside the high Boy and landed where it did. But it's on the high Boy in the picture, and I'll bet that's where it was when it killed Jonathan Briggs. But even if it was there, that doesn't explain how to all off by itself. Now, you're right there. But it made true that Willard was lying about where the gun was. And with j Seppi's help, I may be able to learn how the second soul called accident. That's the kind of job that you like for me to do something that's writing your line to that be a little humbling. Oh, I'm not so sure. It's a long time now, since I do very hard Sun, this one won't be hard to see. We can do it right in my office, and it's easy as easy is as falling off a ladder. Oh, he's a hard work for fast Moon like me. You've made him for that ladder a dozen times. First, you haven't means of a lessing. He gets off his balance and you have leaned to the right. Yes, and every time he and the ladder fallen opposite direction. H what do you mean? Okay, if Kirby had been leaning away from the window opening, he'd have fallen inside the room and the ladder would have fallen across the still away. We found it. So kirby body fall inside, he set outside, and he wasn't leaning away from the opening. If he'd been leaning towards the opening, he would have fallen outside and the ladder would have fallen inside the room. But why, that's what Yepe has been proving for me. When you fall off the ladder, your feet instinctively pushed it away from you in the out of the direction. But the person happened this way. I heard, no, no, no, But what's the good guy push is the ladder when I'm in the loop. It's the hardest thepe. I had to prove my point, he Peppy. When I pushed Gisepe and the ladder both fell in the same direction, just as Kirby and the ladder did this morning. Oh do you mean you think Willard pushed Kirby out the window? From what we've seen here, I think he did. But the test of Jord doesn't prove that he killed Kirby. No. But when you add this to the fact that he was probably lying about the gun hanging on the wall, mister Willard appears to be a very suspicious character as far as I'm concerned. But Nick Willard was in the right path. He couldn't pull the trigger of the gun by right, but he could have, shall we say, bade arrangements? What kind of arrangement Beth are going to take another look at Jonathan break study. Maybe that will answer your question. Luck with her. The police sealed his room up right after Kirby was killed, but then the atmosphere nobody's had a chance to destroy it. Mmm. That ladder still here, fortunately for us. I need that to get where I'm going to get where you're going? Yeah, where is that I want to do? We look at the top of the highway. Be careful that you don't for me. I won't. Let's see when you're looking for me. Uh huh. That's as I thought. I m not aside me. I'll show you. Uh huh. That'll be good, Nick, I don't slid fladders. It is good. Yeah. Oh what is siney? That beautiful sin It is all stretched up. Yes, happenly where the gun rested, and here's a dent in the wood panel leaning there where the butt of the gun must have been. When the gun went off, the recoil threw it back against the wall where the dent is. Uh huh, and it bounced off the high boy under the floor. Gun. My fits that have to have quite a kick. Oh what do you suppose those books are doing up here? The front of the gun were propped up on those books, and the muzzle we're resting on the edge where these scratches are. Where would the gun be pointing? But why did that's, sire? When mister Briggs was sitting when he was shot, he began to see how he was killed. Oh, yes, tell me such a short distance it couldn't have missed, right, But how is the gun set off? You still don't know that. I think I do. See these burned places here? Uh? Yes, they look like the dresser And for nobody told lay a cigarette down up here? It's too high. Happy, Take a look at the face of Satan and the stained glass window there across the room. See anything strange about it? No, so it's pretty badly wolfed. But that's your saying, isn't it. Look at his eyes but they don't know exactly the right when it's yellow, and the left one it's white. How do you remember what time mister Briggs was killed? About two thirty two, he said, right, and about two thirty tomorrow. I think we can put this case in the file marked case closed. Why didn't you insist on my meeting you here in the study at this time at the corn. I had an appointment for two o'clock with a friends. It is more important, Willard. Just there behind the desk breeze all right, But what is this all about? Now? Everything is just the way it was two days ago. You're sitting where your uncle was and he was shot, and the gun is back on the high boy loaded them trimed? What on the high boy, Willard? Not on the wall where you said it was, And it's pointed directly at the chair where you sit. I got to hand it back in that chair. The gun if it to go off to kill you, just as it did your uncle, if there's no flint in the hammer this time, so it can't possibly go off, Kenneth Willard, I don't say here, you'll pay in that chair. I have to hold you there. What time is it, Patty twenty nine? Colush? So let me out of here in the middle of the two. It will be too later, No danger, Willard. The gun can't go off by itself, or can it? For the love of heavens, look at Seyton's verse five. In a few seconds, so you know about that left eye. You put it there, didn't you? And you followed Your uncle had exactly two thirty one the next day to be sure he'd be sitting in that chair at the right time, didn't you. I don't know what you mean. You would better know what I mean if you want to get out of that chair, and you better talk fast. Yes see, yes, I did it. How about Kirby? He noticed the eye. I had to do something quick before he had a chance to tell you. So you're pushed him through the open window. Carter, Cord, let me out of this chair. It's after two thirty. Now, don't worry. The gun isn't loaded. It isn't loaded. Now that we have the truth you, nothing's going to happen. That's the way you're wrong, my friend. Lucky, things are going to happen right now, Goblecutter. This gun of mine doesn't have to wait for the sun. Lucky Bristol stands in the doorway, his revolver aimed at Nick, and it looks as though Jonathan Briggs study maybe the scene of still another killing. We'll see what happens in just a moment. Now for the conclusion of the case of the Devil's Left Eye. Today's adventure with Nick Carter brought you by a new post war Oh that's cleanser. Harry Willard has confessed to the murder of his uncle Jonathan Briggs, but before Nick can take him to the police, Lucky Bristol the Gambler appears in the doorway a revolver in his hand. Well, well, Lucky Bristols, can you fit into this picture? Lucky, I'm just protecting a little investment of mine, mister Carter and mister Willard here owes me one hundred grand, one hundred. It's only a fifty town. It's one hundred thousand now, mister Willard, Or do you want me to tell mister Carter he can put his hands down. No, no, no, a hundred toy and keep at half surprised When you didn't show up at my place at two o'clock, I came up here to see why. Well you found out? Now what? Now? Nothing? I'm leaving for what about Sam? They know about uncle Jonathan. But if I were you, I'd make sure they didn't tell anybody. You mean, I've got I don't know what you're going to do. I won't be here, but before I go, you better get Carter's gun to do it with. Yeah, yes, of course, I'll try anything Carter. I'm still protecting my investment. Don't worry. I know when I'm like, Okay, I got Carter's gun. Okay, I'll send a couple of my boys around late tonight in case there's anything you want carried out of the building and lest some place. You're gonna let this man make a fool of your Willard, What do you mean? You think we better be killed? Look at your secret, don't you? Well? Of course? How about Lucky? I don't kill you about Lucky. You're gonna let him walk out of here, knowing enough about you to send you to the chair mark guy, I chick Cort. Yes, he is smart, Lucky. I never thought of that. Why you poor? He's keep the punker. You think you can get away with anything like this? I'd nice work, Nick. Let them shoot it out with each other. Then you shoot the winner's gun out of his hand, which he gets a gun cover. I thought, will in the CURDI Willer, that's a gun. It took. Wasn't the only one I had? I carry this one on the shoulder. Horse if ad just such emergencies, You're a lucky skiff Corner. I may be lucky, but I'm no stiff. All right, Willard, you can't get ab off the floor now, I'm tot cot hurt. You live on your shoulders. Take the guns back, Nick, will It is all too with thanks Patsy that it's all the police. Sander, it's the Willard, and tell Maddie to stand along the hurry up wagon for his pair. They may ride down the headquarters separately, but they'll end up in the same place when they answer for their crime. How do you don't explain what's been going on? I don't understand it at all. I didn't want to try to explain it to like a trillion little experiment, Patsy. When you were a little girl, didn't you ever set a piece of paper on fire by focusing the sun's rays on it with a magnifying glass? Kill her? Or kids do that? So what? So you can set off gunpowder the same way. And that's that's what Willard did. Go on, I'm listening. Willard replaced Peyton's left eye in the stained glass window with a special lens he'd had made, a lens bet would focus the sun's rays right on the powder in the firing pan of the old flintlock. He fired the guns that way here I'll be dned with the charge thoughts on the top of the highboyd that gave him away. You see, he had to experiment for several days at the same time in the afternoon to be sure that he had the lens and do it exactly the right angle. So that must have been pretty complicated, figuring the angle of the sun, the right kind of lens, the right kind of day and everything. It was even for an amateur astronoment like Willard. But fortunately his uncle was taking bed for a week and Willard was able to use the study understood, so he was able to set the gun, go to Wright classes three hundred miles away, and then call hisauncle on the phone at just the right time to be sitting at his desk when the gun went off. Right now, you know as much about it as I do. Oh. I knew Satan was dangerous, and I've heard of the evils, but I expected to see a stained glass Satan with an eye evil enough to kill a man a hole. That's really something welcome back. Are you credit to Nick Carter for this? It's definitely an established fact by now that he does carry a second gun, and that's what criminals get for not listening to Nick Carter on the radio. Pretty atmospheric case. This is definitely one where I feel bad about the quality of the recordings we have for most of these later adventures from nineteen forty eight and on. Well, now it's time for some listener comments and feedback, and we have two emails regarding Nick Carter. Leslie from Australia rights Nick Carter the Priceless prose is right. Where can I get some activated Seismo Tite? Well, a good question. Lastly, while Old Dutch Cleanser is still around, the only references I can find to Seismo Tite are regarding advertising for Old Dutch cleanser in the nineteen thirties and forties. There's actually a very interesting article over at old dashtime dot com regarding Old Dutch cleanser, with the idea that it polishes as it's clean and a kind of interesting test concept. But yeah, I am not certain you can get Old Dutch cleanser whether it still has seismotod in it. Well, I guess you'd have to consult the company. And then we receive an email from Christine from Jamaica, who's great actually to hear from It's been a while since we received an email from her. She says, I haven't written for a while, but I couldn't help myself this week. Passy just got on the very last nerve ending of in my very last nerve? Does everyone but her know that she works for the greatest detective in the world. Why the heck is she always so quick to fall apart or so quick to get hopeless when they end up in a jam. Nick always has a plan because he always knows what's up, because he's all knowing or something everyone else knows, But Patsy is ever clueless. Seriously, she's the most annoying person in the current schedule of shows. She should take a leave. From Brooksy's book from Let George Do It, there's a check who's a solid sidekick? Patsy plays like a straight man or dumb blonde instead of a valuable sidekick. On a positive note, I really like this week's plotline. I totally didn't expect the mastermind to be the client's girlfriend. That was a great plot twist. As always, a great job from Christine in Jamaica. Well thanks so much Christine again. Good to hear from you, and I do have to admit it's kind of a disappointing way that Nick Carter has developed. If you were with us at the beginning of Nick Carter about a little more than a year and a half ago, it wasn't always like this. I think that the early portrayals of Patsy were a little bit more adventurous, not quite Brooksy level adventurous, But yeah, I think it's it's tended to the point that she's sitting there freaking out, mainly because you know, from the writer's standpoint, I think it's the audience to sense the danger that perhaps Nick Carter might fail, you know, after three hundred plus cases. So yeah, I think that that is an unfortunate way the character has developed. But definitely some very good twist. I mean in terms of just, you know, purely the mystery plots. As to how interesting, unusual, surprising the mystery plots is are or are. Nick Harder is probably the best show on the schedule. It's not the most enjoyable though for some other reasons, but clearly the plots I think really do help the show out. Finally, we do have a comment from Amanda who said, just wanted to say thanks for all the hard work you put into this podcast and your commentary. I listened before bed every night. I love the nostalgia of listening to old time radio. For some reason, it relaxes me. Keep up the amazing work. My favorites are Nick Carter and Johnny Doler. Well, thanks so much, Amanda, and you're not alone among our listeners and saying that you love listening to the show right before bed. And it's been you know, it's been a bit of an adjustment because as I've hosted the show, I've I've had to learn that putting people to sleep isn't always a bad thing. All right, Well, that will do it for today. We'll be back tomorrow with that man with the Action Pact expense account yours truly, Johnny Dollar. And then next Thursday join us for another adventure with Nick Harter. In the meantime, send your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot nett, follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and become one of our friends on Facebook, Facebook, dot com. Slash Radio Detectives from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Grahamson and off