Latest / Great Detectives of Old Time Radio Volume 2|Mystery Audio Dramas / A Life in Your Hand: Captain Mendosa’s Treasure (EP0880)

Transcript

A Life in Your Hand: Captain Mendosa’s Treasure (EP0880) · Great Detectives of Old Time Radio Volume 2|Mystery Audio Dramas

0:28
Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This
0:33
is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, email it
0:37
to me Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net, follow us on Twitter at
0:42
Radio Detectives, and become one of our friends on Facebook, Facebook, dot
0:48
com slash Radio Detectives well. Continue our listener support campaigns, which have been
0:56
so successful over the last couple of years with limited of ability of a campaigns.
1:03
As always during the listener support campaign, if you send a donation of
1:07
seven dollars or more, we will send you access to our premium side,
1:12
but all donations of twenty dollars or more will receive a digital copy of my
1:19
book All I Needed to Know I Learn from Colombo and Ebook, And in
1:26
addition to that, all donations of twenty dollars or more will receive a special
1:34
additional thank you. At the twenty dollars level, you can enjoy one of
1:38
the great colonial theater radio plays, including Zoro and the Pirate Raiders, the
1:44
ever popular Perry Mason programs based on the original novels as well as their father
1:51
Brown Mysteries, and at the fifty dollars level, you can receive an autograph
1:56
copy of my book Tales of the Damn Knot. You live in the United
2:00
States or Canada, wella's not. We only have four of these copies that
2:06
we can send out right away, so if you're interested in it, let
2:09
us know. All right, Well, we're going to bring you something a
2:14
little different today. It's a rehearsal recording of A Life in Your Hands.
2:19
The original date of the broadcast of the show was August fourteenth and nineteen fifty
2:23
two. However, it's a rehearsal recording. The big difference is is it's
2:28
missing the announcer parts of public service announcements and music, which is a little
2:37
inconvenient in this case, as you'll hear. But with that out of the
2:40
way, I hope you enjoy today's episode of A Life in Your Hands.
2:45
Captain Mendoza's treasure Biber, I'm a her up him her amusement park killer accouse,
2:53
read all about it, I know, give me the time, Joe
3:00
ter Kate, Hey, yeah, keep the change. Yeah, thanks a
3:02
laugh. Say there's a picture on the front page of the Dispatch, mister
3:07
Keke, don't you want to copy that? No? No, thanks,
3:09
Joe, Oh steph. Huh why kill it down? And plenty more Togo.
3:15
I read about your question. All those people at the Triumph Shore or
3:17
something. H A man was almost given the death sentence for the murder he
3:21
didn't commit. Close call for him. What are you working on now,
3:25
mister Keke A quiet evening in a night's sleep. Death. That's all I
3:29
ever get day yesterday, Oh wish something big had happened to me. You
3:34
never know, Joe, You never know when you may be called upon to
3:38
testify to an act of violence to which you have become involved quite innocently.
3:42
Why Joe, even now, somewhere in the city there may be a crime
3:46
in the making and ends in there. Mands a scraper. Wait a minute,
4:05
but you want didn't you hear me yelling for you downstairs? I was
4:10
asleep, sleeping off your drunk last night? Huh? None of your business,
4:15
wire sleep. I keep a good rooming house. You want to stay,
4:18
you come home, night's sober and quiet. Somebody's calling you on the
4:23
phone, as a woman, while you're not to say so. I wait
4:26
for her. You can talk down the end of the hole. Who will
4:29
listen to what I say? Nobody's paying any attention to your business. I'll
4:32
hang up when I get downstairs. You know, shut that thing off,
4:38
Go on up the third floor with it. Keep it quiet while I'm pucking
4:42
on the telephone. Why is something else to do? Yeah? Phones in
4:48
the wall there? Why you with or Aligh? You want to hear what
4:53
I say? No concern of mine. Get talking over quick, don't tie
4:59
up the line. This is Capitan mendo speaking. I thought you would be
5:10
interested, Miss Harling. I know the old man in Sun, Barbados who
5:15
keep it for almost a hundred year offering you. You're a crazy woman who
5:20
will pay more than treasure is worth to find it. This would be a
5:24
little game you have never played. Where at the water from seven o eight
5:32
en eight three you will find it? I'm at nine o'clock tonight. I
5:42
will show you them up at nine o'clock ask for Capetan Mendos or come to
5:47
my room three oh one. Will be a pleasure to see you again,
5:53
Miss Harling at yours. You know you know, turn off the sleeper,
6:09
I said, tun it off? Where were you when Mendels was talking on
6:15
the phone. I go to third floor. I could tell me you're a
6:18
lion. No it is true. You'll want running a machine. It would
6:25
not go out. You listen to what he said, didn't I work.
6:28
I don't know what they're talking about the map. I could not hear what
6:31
he's saying. You're a lion. I'll find out what you know if I
6:35
have to b my arm. You're hurt my arm? Talk is that the
6:42
map? See see the map? No woman, her name is Harling,
6:47
her own man. It's a banker. He says. She'd come here at
6:53
nine o'clock and buy map if she wanted, if she'd buy it from him,
6:58
she'd buy it from me. That's all I know. Hurt me.
7:05
Ah, get up on your feet, heat working. If you want to
7:11
stay around here, I work. You tell Mendos this happened. I'm not.
7:15
I'm not pin. You're better not. Keep your big mouth shut your
7:20
ears open. When I ask you something, answer me. You catch on,
7:27
I catch on, I catch on. I can't talk any longer,
7:36
Betty, I just can't. Well. Now that you've heard about it,
7:42
where you go? Why not? I think it's the most exciting thing that
7:46
ever happened. We'll fly down to Miami to pick up the cabin cruiser and
7:49
take everybody we know, and some shovels, but he is not silly.
7:56
Oh to some waterfront rooming house. Oh course alone. Don't worry. I'll
8:01
carry you a happy and look, Betty's almost nine o'clock. You think over
8:05
the cruise and I'll call you when I get back with my treasure, Matt.
8:09
Goodbye. Well Captain Mendos, how are you to night? Move out
8:18
of my way? I have to eat, Captain. What I do is
8:20
my business and away from the door. Let me throw two hundred and seventy
8:24
pounds. Captain if you want to try pushing me around, help yourself.
8:31
You don't want to try, and I'm glad you don't. It's no use
8:37
I was fighting, you know. I think it's about time we had a
8:39
friendly to talk, got acquainted. I have nothing to say. Come on
8:45
into my room and said, I have nothing to say. You've got to
8:48
change this. Last night you were talking loud and long. Then I go
8:54
up to eat whatever you're saying. Tell me where you're going to be,
8:58
Mendos, and I'll send over the immigration officer. A pickuyards suck ciprsure.
9:03
Oh you'll know that. I come on in where we can talk. I
9:07
never can tell who was listening out here in the hall, cheer for you.
9:15
Sit down. You sure had a time last night. I don't know
9:24
you were laughing so hard about that freighter the edge marked. I talked to
9:28
the third mate on her today. He tells me they didn't know they had
9:33
a passenger of this last trip. I say, in my cabin here in
9:37
a lifeboat, smuggled yourself ashore. I leave tomorrow. I do not say.
9:41
I can't blame you for sneaking in the country. The customs inspectors might
9:46
have asked questions about a treasure map, you know them map. Sit down,
9:52
mendors. No, no, I leave this place like that woman that's
9:54
coming to buy it tonight. Why don't you let me talk to her.
9:58
No, I'll make a better dear for you. Get your twice what you
10:01
want and take my share and not turn you into the police. Shames Shamil
10:07
the knife seen your graamer, get away from me. You speak to the
10:11
police. When I leave this country, I will leave this knife with you.
10:15
Senor, my friend Wondabada, like the nights we spend in the park
10:28
and the old country music, the talk, good friends together. It's so
10:33
good to see you and hear you play, am I yeah, see yah
10:37
again, play again for your room. But the neighbors, I fell you
10:43
about the other people in the hotel. They pay to sleep maybe nine o'clock
10:48
at night. They do not sleep so early. Perhaps they do not like
10:52
the higher lever right if they don't. Next door, the man break up
10:56
the room, open and close the drawers to his bureau. I hear him
11:01
banging while you play. Downstairs, they're on the cleaner. Listen. Someone
11:09
is always coming in or going out all night long. Is a noise.
11:15
We can have music if they had have bang and crash and boom all the
11:20
time. Yeah, if you think it is all right, I will play.
11:24
Yeah, plays the song we used to sing with Frieda before the war,
11:30
Freed. Oh she's dead, you know, Yeah, yeah, she's
11:35
gone. So many are gone. That is the way of the resistance,
11:39
the underground. You live or you die, You escape or you are caught.
11:46
No one is wounded or kept her free. I remember three Rice Nick,
11:56
she used to see It's so beauty to Sully. I remember one night
12:01
and someone at your door. Yeah you see, what did I tell you?
12:05
They do not like the violin. I go tell them, I said,
12:09
I believe. Tell them I am no, no, no, no,
12:13
Sudan my friend, it is next door. No one is bothering us,
12:16
or get the neighbors. Now play if the song we used to sing
12:22
with freedom? Yeah, but softly as loud as you want to play.
12:28
I will move out if they don't like it. Ah, a woman what?
12:50
What? What is it? A woman's screen? Fair? What happens?
12:54
What though we stay here, we do not witness? Do you know
12:56
what it is to see? In all country? During the war, the
13:00
witness dies too. But that was the Nazis Germany. This is the mirac
13:05
of the United States. He stayed in the room. He tells the police.
13:09
Come. She says her name after she knocked. She says for me,
13:13
Jean Harving. Hold on something please so he will not be a faith
13:24
waver. That's your lake Faber hair hair rest fite for waterfront murder. That's
13:30
your paper lake framber here joel oh thanks, hey, this new word of
13:35
mister kick this Jean Harling. You figure she did it leddy like her money
13:39
up to here, killing some waterfront mud. It don't seem natural. The
13:43
prosecution says. He was stabbed. Yeah, that's right, you know I
13:48
always had the idea of classy people like her never use a knife or anything
13:52
but eating. You know what I mean, mister King, Yes, yes,
13:56
I do now what you mean exactly here keep the change. Oh thank
14:01
but hi, hi appart you can me adellar, mister Keg. What ill
14:07
I do? What'll I say? Hi, mister Kay if the court pleases,
14:15
Yes, yes, mister Keig, please come to the bench. If
14:18
it please the court, I would like to enter this case as a meekast
14:20
CURII. It does please the court, mister King, I am very glad
14:24
this case is interested in the man of your reputation and standing in the legal
14:28
profession. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, your attention. This is Jonathan
14:37
kg. He will serve me as a meekast curia during this trial. To
14:41
explain, he is officially a friend of the court. He serves neither side
14:45
prosecution nor defense. Mister Keig's object is to assist us in arriving at the
14:50
truth through cross examination. If there are no questions from the jury, you
14:54
may proceed, mister Keig, thank you, your honor. I would like
14:58
to call the defendant, Miss Jean Harling, to the stand. Miss Harling,
15:05
what was your association with a man known as Captain Juan Mendos. He
15:09
wanted to sell me a map of treasure. Man, you intended to dig
15:11
for this treasure? Yeah, but miss Harling, isn't your family reputed to
15:16
be wealthy? Yes? But I thought it would be fun. Did you
15:18
inform your family of this player? I told some of my friends. I
15:22
asked them to go along and make it a party. How much did the
15:26
captain ask phrase map? We didn't set a price. I was to go
15:28
to his room. You went there alone? Yes. I knocked on the
15:33
door to room three oh one, then waited. He didn't answer. I
15:37
tried the door. It opened. Captain was lying across the bed with blood.
15:43
Missus Grogan, who lives down the hall, says she heard a scream
15:46
open her door and saw you running for the stairway. That's right. Why
15:50
didn't you call the police? I did, yes, after the story was
15:52
in the newspapers, after you had talked with your lawyers. Why the delay,
15:56
Miss Harley? I was upset? I well, I was never in
15:58
a place I sat before. I never saw a murdered man. I was
16:03
afraid, afraid after the murder. Yet you went to such a place unescorted
16:06
without a weapon, solely on the strength of a letter from a man you
16:08
did not know. That's not true. I knew Captain Mendos two years ago.
16:18
I had the cruiser in Haiti. My skipper went ashore, didn't come
16:22
back, so I hired Captain Mendos for the rest of the trip. How
16:26
long did he work for you? Two months? He was insolent. I
16:30
hired him. You parted in anger. Then I wasn't mad. I just
16:33
didn't want him around anymore. Look at this knife. Yes, have you
16:37
ever seen it before? No, this is the murder weapon, Miss Harling,
16:41
take a good look at it. I am you're not. You entered
16:47
the room. Why did you scream? I think I saw a man.
16:52
I'm not sure. That's why I never mentioned it before. Go on,
16:55
a shadow. It might have been the curtain. The window was open.
16:59
It was a man climbing out onto the fire state. Describe the man.
17:03
I can't. He was just a shadow, perhaps a shadow created in your
17:06
mind to divert suspicions. But you can't say that I didn't kill Captain Mendos.
17:10
I didn't. I didn't. That will be all, Miss Harling.
17:15
The next weitness please, I want a question, mister Burt Kramer, owner
17:18
of the rooming house. Captain Mendos was your guest. Mister Kramer checked in
17:26
the day before he got killed, game room drunk that night. I told
17:29
him to get out. I run a clean place, and I don't want
17:32
an issue. You have a criminal record. I believe that's why I try
17:37
to keep a clean place. I don't want to get mixed up with anything.
17:41
Since I turned on, you knew about the treasure map. Mendoor did
17:45
mumble something about a map when he came home roaring drunk. I didn't pay
17:49
no attention. Where were you when he was murdered in my room alone?
17:56
No alibi? You seem to anticipate my questions. I have had a few
18:00
shot at me before. Yes, I'm sure you have, mister Kramer,
18:06
did you know Miss Harling was coming to see Captain Mendos on the night of
18:08
his death. All I knew was some woman called him. I asked her
18:12
phone. You didn't know her name? He didn't say. I didn't ask.
18:15
Did you see her enter the building walk by my door? Did you
18:19
see her leave? Which buy me in the stairways. She was in a
18:22
hurry that'll be all. Yes, I didn't help him much, mister Kig,
18:30
that's too bad. I gained two valuable impressions. Mister Kramer, you're
18:33
hiding information and you do not care to help the court find the Mendel's killer.
18:38
You may expect further questions. Step down, please, Next witness,
18:44
Gino Rochi, you are employed by mister Kramer. Did you know miss Harling
18:51
was coming to the rooming house the night of the murder? I hear Captain
18:55
Mendo's talk on phone. She wished to buy the treasure. Man you knew
18:59
about them up too. I am the one would tell me to Kramer.
19:03
I don't know wish to speak, but he tweets my arms so it breaks.
19:07
Oh he forced you to speak. See he say If I hell Mendez
19:11
anything, he killed me. Go on. Later he talked with Mendoz.
19:17
I listen, Kramer wants part of the money for the map or he will
19:21
tell the police on Mendez tell them what Mendos sneak into the country. Did
19:26
Mendez agree? He say he killed Kramer. Gino, did you see miss
19:30
Harling the night of the murder? I see her. I hear a woman
19:34
scream. I run down from upstairs and see her run away. What were
19:37
you doing upstairs? Anyone would tell you. They hear me. I cleaned
19:42
the hall with my sweeper at nine o'clock at night. See, I have
19:47
nothing else to do. I like sweeper. All other cleaning boys have broom.
19:52
You know him sweetly. I see you've done very well since you've been
19:56
in this country. See I have the machine to thank you, Gina.
20:02
That'll be all. I go back to work now. Please stay in the
20:04
courtroom, Gino. I may have to ask more questions, your honor.
20:08
I would like to request to recess until tomorrow. That time, I would
20:12
like to cross examine an innocent bystander to the Mendoe's murder. Court will recess
20:17
until tomorrow at nine o'clock called will never you wish, mister keg and that
20:21
person must testify. Franz Gelkin, Yeah, that is me your occupation.
20:32
I'm a watchmaker. Where were you on the night one Mendez met his death?
20:36
In the next room, you seem nervous upsets to g I have told
20:41
you that I know nothing nothing, your honor, ladies and gentlemen of the
20:47
jury. My witness was a member of the underground in Germany. During the
20:51
war. I have tried to assure mister Galkin that he is not on trial
20:56
and is in no personal danger. I hope you will understand if I have
21:00
difficulty in this cross examination. Mister Galkin. Our purpose is to find a
21:04
killer and protect the innocent. The courters aware of your experience, however,
21:10
we would appreciate your cooperation with mister Kate. Mister Galkina, I understand.
21:18
Now. I want you to recall every sound you heard that might have a
21:22
bearing on the murder. What were you doing at the time, Herman here's
21:26
my friend. Herman was playing the violin. We had some beer, we
21:32
talked, and I listened. You were concentrating on the music. Yeah,
21:37
yeah, you wanted to hear the violin. Were there other noises which bothered
21:41
you? These gracious terrible There lived the walls they make from cardboard. You
21:45
can hear people snow, they boom, they bang, they crash. I
21:52
get used to it. I've paid no attention. A man was murdered in
21:55
the next room, mister Galkin. Now try to recall what you heard.
21:59
I think I try, but nothing, Your honor. I would like to
22:03
make an unusual request. Proceed mister King. As you know, memory is
22:08
linked with the situation. Using this principle, I would like to ask mister
22:12
Galkin's friend, Hermann Kleiner to play the music he did the night of the
22:17
murder. Is he regular? But I will grant your request. Here's Herman
22:21
Kleiner present in the court. Here's your honor. Will you please help us,
22:25
mister Kleiner, your eye hill, mister Galkin, try to concentrate on
22:32
the room. You're win, the music, everything that happened. Yeah,
22:36
speak whatever comes to your mind. I close my eyes. That might help.
22:41
We talked about the neighbors. Maybe they do not lags of violin.
22:48
Maybe the men next door open and close the drawers to his bureau, bang,
22:52
crash. After a while he goes out. Later the door opened and
22:56
closed. Did you hear a key in the lock? Nothing? Carefully the
23:00
key? Yeah, there was a key. Then someone entered the room,
23:06
probably Captain Mendel's. Yeah, that is right. The room is quiet.
23:11
I hear the boy cleaning with a sweeper upstairs. It keeps running. The
23:15
woman comes through the door. We think it is our door. She knocks.
23:19
We talk about free this's song and the knock comes again. We know
23:25
it is next door. She says, her name is the gene. It
23:27
is Jean Harling. The door opens and we hears the scream. How long
23:33
after the door opened a moment, two or three seconds. What did you
23:37
and mister Kleiner do after you heard the scream? We sat in the room.
23:41
We were afraid. In Germany, if you see too much, they
23:45
kill you. Also, we understand, mister Gulkan. And now to sum
23:51
it up, bureau drawers were opened and closed. Someone entered the room.
23:55
It was quiet until miss Harling knocked. She eddered, then seconds later s
24:00
yeah, that is what I hear. There was one other sound, a
24:03
cleaner, an old style back you sweeper running on the floor above. Yeah,
24:07
they do so the boy he pushes it around all the time. If
24:11
the court please, I wish to demonstrate the sound of that sweeper. If
24:14
you feel it as a bearing on the case, proceed, mister KG.
24:17
The machine would be passing back and forth over a rug. It would sound
24:21
like this if the machine is standing in one place. If it is not
24:33
being used, it will sound like this. Mister galcan which sound did you
24:44
hear? This the sweeper in motion or this the sweeper standing in place.
24:56
That's mush it, that's musch what I hear? Thank you Franz Gelkin,
25:00
you, an innocent bystander, have supplied us with information that will lead us
25:04
to the killer your honor. Three people knew about the treasure man Gene Harling,
25:12
Gino Arucci, and Bert Kramer. Only one admits going to the murder
25:17
room. I didn't kill Captain Mendos. You must believe from the time you
25:21
opened the door to the moment you screamed there wasn't time. You are innocent
25:25
thanks to the testimony of Franz Gelkin. But you, mister Kramer, have
25:30
no such alibi. I was in my room. Can you prove that?
25:34
No? No, I can't. But I didn't murder the Swab. I
25:40
wouldn't journy my hand. You have a good motive, money, you have
25:44
a record of crime. You cannot account for your actions during the time of
25:48
the murder. I didn't kill We shall see, mister Kramer. The only
25:53
person with an acceptable alibi is Gino Arucci. Mister Arucci, will you take
25:59
the sad Gino you hate Bert Kramer? Do see? I hate? Where
26:11
were you when Captain Mendos was killed? I tell you in a room above,
26:15
who said the hall? See see in the hall tool you were cleaning
26:18
the room. You saw the open window the virus game. You climbed down
26:23
to search for Captain Mendo's treasure. Cramer will not have it. I won't
26:26
let him have it. I take it away from Mendoz returned. He found
26:30
you in his room. So you killed him with this knife. I do
26:34
not want to kill Captain Mendows. He twisted my arm like Kramer. I'm
26:40
blind with hate. I think only a Kramer. So you stabbed Mendez.
26:44
You left the room. When Miss Harling entered, she saw your shadow.
26:48
Now, Gino, what did you do with the man in sweet I hide
26:53
it in the back of my sweep. The sweeper you left running to cover
26:56
your actions while you search Captain Mendo's room. See where the sweeper is?
27:02
There is also Gino. Everybody says, everybody know this, Yes, you,
27:07
your honor. Franz Gelkin's testimony leads us to an unusual murderer. Gino
27:11
Roucci killed one man to revenge the injustice of another, A brutal man who
27:17
twisted his arm bailif Old the Routie for the murder of one mentals. Mister
27:22
King has quartows you of moltive. Thanks. We greatly appreciate your health in
27:27
bringing out the truth in this case. That's very kind of you, your
27:30
honor, but the thanks should go to our innocentdvicetander. Mister Franz Gelkin,
27:34
you're right, of course, mister King. We can only hope that all
27:37
Americans will heed this lesson in real citizenship from a newcomer to our land.
27:41
Thank you and good night. Good night, mister King, welcome back.
27:49
Well, we have legal ices in the audience, so they may have more
27:53
guides. I don't think technically that the custodian would be charged with murder,
28:00
at least not first degree murder who certainly wasn't premeditated. But maybe that would
28:07
be considered a burglary, and burglary a felony, and a homicide committed in
28:12
the course of committing a felony could be a murder. Be an interesting legal
28:17
argument at the bench. Well, one of our listeners, Dianna, is
28:22
calling foul on one of mister Kegg's pieces of evidence regarding episode eight fifty Judge
28:30
Cook murder. How he solved the crime was that the lady heard the dog
28:33
in the water, and no dog would go into the lake without a reason.
28:37
I beg to differ. I have two Border Collies and they don't need
28:41
any excuse to go swimming in any water. We come across the river,
28:45
stock dams, puddles and water tanks. So that piece of evidence is hardly
28:52
enough to convict a man on just thought I would mention it. Enjoy the
28:55
show and keep up the good work. Thanks so much for the comment.
29:02
And it does raise an interesting point, and it is kind of a widely
29:10
held assumption in a lot of mysteries that if a dog goes into the water,
29:15
it is to fetch something. And this goes back to the Father Brown
29:22
mystery, for example, the Oracle of the Dog. But there are always
29:26
exceptions. Though the sound of the water wasn't enough for the conviction itself,
29:33
because you remember he had the area searched and came up with the murder weapon.
29:40
It would have been embarrassing, of course, had the dog just been
29:44
a normal dog that went into the water. Now again, weather dogs commonly
29:48
go into the water. One thing you have to keep in to count at
29:52
night, just for the heck of it. Maybe dog owners could speak to
29:56
that, and maybe the example could have been made more palatable by some additional
30:03
fact, like the dog was a trained dog and so would only go into
30:07
the water play fetch, and perhaps some of this varies by breed. But
30:12
as it turns out that Jonathan Cake was right as he always is. It
30:18
didn't matter that the route he took to get to the solution was a little
30:22
precarious. But thanks for the comment, Nanna, and I'd love to hear
30:26
from any other dog owners on their perspective on that. All right, Well,
30:32
that'll do it for today. I encourage you to support our listener support
30:36
campaign at support dot Great Detectives dot net, follow us over on Twitter Radio
30:41
Detectives, and be sure and fill out our listeners survey survey dot Great Detectives
30:45
dot net. But from Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam
30:49
Graham's sign and off.