Latest / Great Detectives of Old Time Radio Volume 2|Mystery Audio Dramas / Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Nathan Swing Matter (EP0830)

Transcript

Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Nathan Swing Matter (EP0830) · 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 Grant. If you have a comment, email it
0:36
to me Box thirteen at Great Detectors dot net. Follow us on Twitter at
0:43
Radio Detectives, and be sure and rate the show on iTunes. Today's episode
0:47
is brought to you by the financial support of our listeners. Thanks so much
0:53
for your support. Here now is today's episode of Yours Truly, Johnny Doller,
0:58
the Nathan swing Man. We are weakening enjoyment, John Lund as Johnny
1:07
Doller, missus, Mitchell Doller. Oh how are you Miston? Mitchell fine?
1:10
Are you available? Oh? Completely? The company ensures that mister Nathan
1:14
Swing former resident the lass Angles. Where is he living now? He isn't.
1:18
His party was floating in the Los Angeles Harbor. How did he get
1:22
there? Somebody shot at first check with Sauteant Matthews Central Division Homicide. He'll
1:26
give you all the details. I'll get on it right away. I'd like
1:38
to borrow a few moments from our show to ask you a question. Suppose
1:42
a little man with three arms and five eyes should skim past your ear in
1:47
a flying saucer and ask you what is the biggest business? Honors to be
1:51
truthful, you would have to tell him that the biggest business in our world
1:55
employs about three hundred and fifty thousand people, handles twenty five billion items there
2:00
a year, transacts fourteen billion dollars worth of business in all of its forty
2:04
three thousand branch offices each year, but never clears a profit. Well,
2:09
maybe such a business sounds out of this world to you, but it actually
2:14
exists and function. That big business is the United States Post Office Department,
2:20
headed by the Postmaster General. Naturally, the work of the post Office isn't
2:24
only the collecting and delivery of mails. Some of the employees of the post
2:30
Office are bookkeepers. Some are engineered. Some plan building layouts and devised gadgets
2:36
to give you better mail service. Others keep mailbox keys and locks and the
2:39
five million mail bags in good condition. And here's an interesting sideline for you.
2:46
Did you know that mailbags have thirteen stripes on them to represent the thirteen
2:51
original states. The Post Office Department has many other types of employees, such
2:57
as the post Office Detective Force or still inspector. Their job is to see
3:01
that no money is stolen from the mail and to track down racketeers who try
3:06
to sell worthless merchandise by mail. Then there are the workers in the Postal
3:10
Savings Department. That's a government operated savings bank with branches in the various post
3:15
offices. It comes under the supervision of not only the Postmaster General, but
3:21
also the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Treasury. All and all,
3:24
the Post Office Department of our United States Government is a mighty busy organization working
3:30
on behalf of each and every one of us. Expense accounts submitted by Special
3:50
Investigator Johnny Dollars to the home office Great Eastern Life Insurance Company, Hartford,
3:53
Connecticut. The following is an accounting of expenses during my investigation of the Nathan
4:00
Swing matter. Expensive count out on one one hundred and ninety eight dollars and
4:08
thirty five cents planed fair and incidentals from Hartford to Los Angeles. Approximately seven
4:14
hours and fifteen minutes after leaving a cold and raining New York airport, I
4:17
stepped off the plane into a seventy five degree California spring afternoon. I rented
4:24
a car, drove to my hotel, registered and called Sergeant Matthews at the
4:28
City Hall at two o'clock. I was sitting in the squad room of Central
4:31
Division Homicide. You know, here's all we got on Swing. We do
4:36
him pretty well and picked up four or five times in minor charges, one
4:41
conviction, bookmaking June of forty eight. Shot once in the chairs, once
4:45
in the right shoulder. He got any leads. Nothing Differently, have you
4:49
ever heard of Jimmy Random? Yeah, big operator out here? Isn't he
4:54
about the biggest a Stuli clane. A couple of Drando's boys made contact with
4:59
Swing, aren't We can't prove it. As far as we know. Durando
5:01
hasn't never had too much to do with Swing. Swing used to book in
5:04
bed, but they're never very friendly. Swing small time, not the type
5:09
that would particularly appeal to Durando. And why I have him killed, I
5:13
don't know. But something's happened that involved Durando, that happened right after this
5:17
killing. Daniel Fletcher, special investigator on a vice crusade, has been after
5:23
Durando for a long time. Durando was due to appear before the committee tomorrow.
5:28
You seen the morning paper. Flatterer calls off Durando investigation in his statement
5:34
to the press. Fletcher said he felt there just wasn't enough evidence to warrant
5:38
investigation. What did he call the investigation for in the first place. Yeah,
5:43
I know Fletcher pretty well. He never have gotten this sub poenot for
5:46
Durand unless he figured he had enough to convict him. Now he calls it
5:48
all the morning after a small time hood named Swing is pulled out of the
5:54
bay. Well, there may not be any connection, may not. So
5:57
far, That's all I've got, and I have to solve a killing.
6:00
Fletcher is an honest man, I've always thought so, and a fine drop
6:04
so far him. Well, I got a job too, going to see
6:09
Fletcher. I thought I might any objections not to seeing Fletcher. But if
6:14
you decide to pay Jimmy Durando a visit, tell me about it first.
6:16
Huh. At Harvard, sam Pedro is awful cold. In the morning,
6:26
the sergeant gave me the address where I could find Daniel Fletcher. I walked
6:30
over to the Equitable building on Spring Street. Fletcher's secretary informed me her boss
6:33
wasn't coming into the office that day, so I checked back with the sergeant.
6:38
He gave me Fletcher's home address. I drove out to Beverly Hills and
6:42
turned north off Sunset on a beautiful, winding street, fronted on both sides
6:45
by big, expensive homes. The Fletcher house was the last one on the
6:48
block, a white colonial set back a few hundred feet from the street.
6:57
Yes, is mister Fletcher in whom I says cold Johnny Dollar? Tell him?
7:00
It's about it, mister Dollar, sir? Yes, what can I
7:04
do with you? Well, I like to talk to you, mister Fletcher.
7:06
I'm from the Great Eastern Life Insurance Company. I'm not insured with your
7:11
company. Yes, I know, But what do you want? I had
7:15
rather talk to you alone. Couldn't we take this business up at my office?
7:21
Mister donnan, I went to your office. It's about a killing,
7:25
mister Fletcher, killing, a murder, a man named Swing, Nathan Swing.
7:31
What's has got to do with me? I don't know? Come in,
7:39
No, what about this Nathan Swing? Well? I thought maybe you
7:44
could tell me. What would I know about him? Well? You know
7:47
who he is. I am in the habit of reading the morning papers,
7:51
but I'm not in the habit of discussing matters like this in my home.
7:55
I think we're at the matter drop until tomorrow you can call my office for
7:58
an appointment. Okay, I'll see what Jimmy Durando has to say about it.
8:03
Now, wait just a minute. What do you think you're doing?
8:05
What's all this about? Oh? I just said I was going to talk
8:09
to Durando. If that makes you sorry, I apologize. What Durando got
8:11
to do with this killing, I didn't say. I didn't even listen,
8:15
Donna. I'm an old hand of beating around the bush here, obviously,
8:18
I mean dealing with people who beat around the bush. I don't like it
8:20
that makes this even. And I don't like guys who try to us throw
8:22
their weight around. Well, we agree on a lot of things. What's
8:26
the matter with you? Don't you like your job? Oh? It's a
8:28
living. When I suggest if you want to keep it, you'd better start
8:31
doing things a little differently, I suggest you tell that to the people who
8:35
pay me. I had that in mind. I don't suit yourself. I
8:39
have to solve a killing, and until my company says lay off, I'm
8:43
going right ahead. I told you, Donna, I don't like people pushing
8:46
their way into my home. Hope push you know. I think Sargeant Matthews
8:50
had a pretty good hunch. Matthews. What's he got to do with it?
8:54
Give him a call. Don't try to all about it, Donna.
8:56
I'm going to give you a warning. I'll make it quick. I want
8:58
to get out fresh air. Very What are you doing out of bed,
9:05
sweetheart? Get back up in bad William. You shouldn't have come down with
9:09
you. It's nothing important. Now come on, money Williams. All right,
9:18
yes, that's up. Come on now, all that my daughter.
9:35
I think you'd better leave now, mister Dunna. I drove back to my
9:48
hotel and put on a call to Sergeant Matthews. I told him about my
9:50
interview with Fletcher and asked where I could find Jimmy Randall. He advised against
9:56
it, but suggested the safest way to see the Randall would be at night
10:00
in Durrando's restaurant. He gave me the address and promised to have a couple
10:03
of his boys in the place just in case. I spent the rest of
10:07
the day relaxing in my room, and around eight went down to the dining
10:09
room and had dinner. At nine fifteen, I walked into Dorando's expensive restaurant.
10:16
There was an empty stool at the bar. Get set. Where can
10:22
I find Jimmy Randos? I don't opposing yet, take my word for it.
10:26
He's in up to his neck. I'm just a bartender, mister.
10:31
We want mister Drando. You better handle it yourself now. Do you want
10:33
a drink? Scotch and water? Yeah? Sure, A bartender brought me
10:41
my drink, and in about two minutes, just as I expected, a
10:46
well muscled gentleman walked up behind me and breathed down my collar. Good evening,
10:50
Yeah it is. I understand you're looking for mister Durando. Oh you've
10:54
understood, just strip. What do you want to see him about? Nathan
11:00
Swing? Okay, let's go. What's your name? Johnny Doller? You
11:11
were cop? Mister dollar? Insurance investigator? Waiting? Okay, he done,
11:31
mister Doner, thanks, Johnny says you're insurance investigator. That's right,
11:43
Jos. Why are you were investigating a murder? Nathan Swings murder? Why
11:50
come to me? You don't know anything about it? Or I heard somebody
11:54
kill him? But I couldn't care. Lad, you were knew him slightly.
12:00
I never shook hands with it. I'm surprised your company would insure her
12:03
come like that. Who are you insured with, mister Dand I carry my
12:13
own insurance. You must pay pretty high rates. What do you mean,
12:18
well, one day it looks like you're going to be locked up for keeps,
12:22
the next day the whole thing is called off. You got a pretty
12:26
good policy. I thought you came here to talk about Nathan Swing. I
12:28
thought I was. I don't know what all this is about, dollar,
12:33
but I don't like you. You want some advice? Oh, by all
12:39
means don't bother me anymore. It sounds a little bit like a threat,
12:45
mister Durand. I'm glad you noticed. So my I'll see you around.
12:54
Oh, now, Tony, you're not being very nice? Am I going
12:56
to open the door with your big stomach in the way you want him to
13:01
open the door, mister Durandom, you can open it for him, Thanks,
13:07
Tony, my pleasure. I walked back to the dining area and started
13:20
for the front door. Then I saw crossing the room in my direction the
13:24
same girl i'd seen that afternoon, standing on a staircase and looking very sick.
13:28
Mary Fletcher, Daniel Fletcher's daughter. I watched her walk back to the
13:35
hallway that led to Durando's office. I waited in front of the cafe for
13:46
twenty minutes, and finally she came out. She looked sicker than she had
13:50
that afternoon. He climbed into her car and drove wet. I followed.
13:54
She drove to the beach and parked at the end of a deserted fishing pier.
14:03
I got out of my car and walked through the darkness to the end
14:05
of the pier. She was standing near the rail looking down at the waterway.
14:16
Take am, Sorry I had to hit you, but I die.
14:18
I never saw anything. Come on, let's go sit in your car.
14:26
Come on, go on, move over, fy just stop me, let
14:39
me jump. I just try and my life. Yeah, have a cigarette.
14:48
Who are you? You saw me in this afternoon at your father's.
14:52
My name is Dollar. You should have let me jump. I couldn't have
14:54
done anything. Man, who couldn't have done any health I don't know what
14:58
I'm saying. Please take you back to meed to leave me alone. I
15:01
might help you to talk about it. Yes, and you want to talk
15:03
about it. I just wish they were dead. They wouldn't have to talk
15:05
about anything, to think about any ticket. Come on, come on,
15:09
now get hold of yourself. Who are you, what do you want?
15:13
What are you doing here? I'm an insurance investigator. I followed you from
15:16
Rando's I'm investigating the death of Nathan Swing. Did you know Nathan Swing?
15:24
I only signed what what was that? To night? I killed him?
15:45
You know all many great men have attained the highest office in our land,
15:48
the presidency of the United States. Then you guessed the name of this man.
15:52
On August two, nineteen twenty three, his ulto office was administered by
15:58
his father, a Justice of the Peace. Within three years after he became
16:03
president, the national debt was reduced by two bigion dollars. His presidency was
16:08
marked by continued national prosperity. The country's income increased and the people's wages were
16:15
high. He improved relations between the United States and Mexico with the help of
16:21
his goodwill ambassador Dwight morl. He was known for his dry humor, common
16:26
sense, and the faculty for measuring his words before he spoke. If you
16:32
don't have his name by now here's one more clue. During his administration,
16:37
the Soldier's Bonus Bill was passed. Who was he? Calvin Coolidge, thirtieth
16:42
President of the United States. His life is part of your American heritage.
16:52
And now, with our star John Lund, we bring you the second act
16:56
of yours. Kola Johnny Dollars. Mary Fletchers sat in the darkness facing me.
17:15
She wasn't crying anymore if she were telling the truth. I'd found the
17:19
murderer of Nathan Swing. That's right, I killed him. I don't know
17:26
why I'm telling you. This will ruin my father. I just had to
17:30
get it out in the open. You can't keep it locked up anymore.
17:33
Why don't you tell me the whole thing? All right? I'll have that
17:37
cigarette now. Yes, thanks, you found out some of the Ladys Donia
17:48
Chimney. Yeah. I haven't seen Jimmy quite a while. I know it's
17:55
pretty terrible because I knew how wrong it was when I was seeing him.
17:59
Your father didn't know about it. He didn't find out about it until Jimmy
18:03
told him. Puts Dorando in a pretty nice spot going around with the daughter
18:07
of the man who's trying the son of the prisoner. I'm not going to
18:08
try to justify it. I was in love with him, and he told
18:11
your father. He told him I had killed Nathan Swing. So your father
18:17
called off the investigation, protested me. I would have come right out and
18:22
admitted everything, but I knew what the publicity would do to my father's career.
18:25
Rando was blackmailing your father. He has the gun, I used,
18:30
How did it happen? Well, I've never seen Nathan swinging before, it,
18:37
said Jimmy. One night and Swing came in and said something about a
18:40
bed, something about some money that he had coming. It was an argument
18:45
in this man, Swing hold out a gun. Jimmy grabbed him and they
18:51
began fighting. Jimmy knocked the gun out of his hand. When Swing had
18:55
even grabbed one of those focus in the fireplace. I got the gun and
18:59
shot him. He just kind of stood there for a second. What did
19:04
Rando do? I don't remember too much about it. I got hysterical,
19:10
and Jimmy put me in my car and told me to go home. It's
19:11
not to say anything, if you'd take care of it. I want to
19:15
go to the police rights and but Jimmy said it would ruin the dad.
19:18
I don't know what will happen now I've told you, and it'll ruin Dad
19:22
anyway. I just can't keep something like this quiet. Only trouble. Can
19:30
you make a confession to the authorities? Now, Rando's in a better position
19:33
to beat the rapt Your father's still on prosy. Good for fear of what
19:37
Durando might bring out at the trial. What can I do? Just keep
19:41
quiet for a little longer? How will that help? Dorando hasn't got a
19:45
thing. If he hasn't got the gun you used. Nobody's ever going to
19:48
get that gun away from Jimmy. Well, it's worth to try anyway.
19:52
You mean, you're good? Why should you try to get the gun?
19:56
What difference does it make to you? Guys like Durando'll make a lot of
19:59
difference. But do you still square that I killed Sway? Without the evidence?
20:03
It will be your word against his. You can lie for a little
20:07
while. You can lie long enough for your father to prosecute Drando. After
20:11
that you can go to the police and tell him the truth. I don't
20:14
think my father would do it under those circumstances. I think he would.
20:18
I'll have a talk with him. I think he'll go after Durando just like
20:22
he's always wanted to. The only thing that's stopping him now is that gun.
20:26
What are you going to do? See mister Durando again. Be careful,
20:32
I always try. I watched to turn out on a Manibu Highway and
20:42
head back for town. Then I drove my rented convertible back to Durando's cafe.
20:53
It was close to one in the morning when I pulled up across the
20:56
street and sat for a while trying to figure out what to do. An
21:00
alley ran between the cafe and another building. I remember Durando's office. He'd
21:07
been sitting with his back to a window, a window that faced an alley.
21:15
Right, good, well, I mean to be sure he saw her
21:18
tonight. I really think you can hold out with little kids my neck.
21:21
I got to do the work. I got a stick in this to remember.
21:23
Wait a minute, I shut the window. Okay, as long as
21:29
your word, why don't I couldn't hear them anymore, so I stayed close
21:37
to the building and looked in. Durando had crossed to a wall safe and
21:41
was taking something out. It was a snub nose thirty eight. He crossed
21:45
back to his desk, put the gun in a box and handed it to
21:48
Tony. Tony nodded and left the office. Only wasn't hard to stay with
22:00
I picked him up in front of the cafe and tailed him east across town
22:03
to the Union Station. He headed for a row of public walkers and stopped
22:11
at once. What you got in the box, Tony, Huh, let's
22:17
have it. Hunting down the ramp of the passenger tunnels. At the end
22:19
of the ramp, he stopped and drew his gun. After the shot,
22:26
he turned into one of the tunnels and ran up to the loading platform.
22:37
Tony, Tony was dead. The yard would be full of cups in a
22:53
few minutes. I didn't want to hang around and make explanations. I took
22:56
the box with a gun and and cut across the yard. Matthews, this
23:03
is Dollar. Oh. I'm just on my way out. I've been trying
23:06
to get you. I'm calling from a gas station phone booth. I want
23:08
Durando's home address. I don't think I should give it to you. Look,
23:11
i'm onto something. I know. I had two men's day and Durando's
23:15
I saw to fetch your girl come in and reported you followed her. She's
23:18
home by now. I'll tell you all about it after I see Drando.
23:22
Okay, I have to check on a shooting at the Union station. I'll
23:26
meet you in my office at an hour. Now, meet me at Durando's
23:29
in an hour. All right. Lives in Beverly Hill eighteen eighteen North Foot
23:33
Hill. Thanks. I couldn't tell Matthews about the shooting until I'd seen Rando
23:44
alone, and when he found Tony in the train yard, he'd be over
23:47
to Durandos soon enough. Anyway, I drove out will Sharon turned north.
23:56
When I reached Beverly Hill, I found Durando's house and parked on a side
24:00
street. The house was dark, Duranda was obviously either in bed or still
24:04
at the club. I climbed the high fence and dropped down into the garden,
24:07
cut across the flower beds to the rear of the house and located the
24:11
big French doors the bed of the study. I tried them, but they
24:15
were locked. I was just turning away when oh, you're pretty clumsy.
24:33
D Yeah, but you're not Durando who hit you? You're kidding, No,
24:44
not a bit. When of my guards find you lying on the cherish
24:48
and brought you in here. You're lucky you were unconscious or he would have
24:52
shot you. Well, it looks like you're gonna take care of that anyway.
24:56
You're dress passing be very legal. That's a little ranko for you who
25:03
hit you? Well, if you don't know, I certainly don't. Where's
25:08
Tony? How do I know? I found the box lying next to you.
25:15
Where's the gun? What if it's not in the box. I couldn't
25:18
tell you you killed Tony unless he's got nine lines. How'd you find out
25:26
about the gun? You got an alley in back of here, a cafe.
25:33
Ah, you couldn't have heard much. You must have talked to Mary.
25:40
She just said, okay, get up, not tell me all about
25:49
it. I'll throw you apart right here. Maybe I'm lying. Maybe I
25:56
do know where that gun is. I doubt it. I don't think you'll
25:59
take a chance. I'd be taking chances all my life dollar and you know
26:04
i'd like to kill you. The police will be here any minute. Yeah
26:08
sure. I called Sergeant Matthews right after Tony died at the station. How
26:12
do you think I got your addressed? I want to know where that gun
26:17
is, and you better ask the guy who hit me over the head.
26:21
All right, you're gonna get it right in the face. She's been standing
26:27
back in the shadows near the door of the bed to the hallway. When
26:30
she stepped out, she was pointing with stub nose thirty eight right at the
26:33
randall's middle. He turned and they both fired together. Where did he hit
26:41
your Mary? Where did he hit you? Yeah? I think so,
27:00
Yeah, he sure didn't. I'm sorry, Yahood dark I didn't know.
27:07
It's all right. As at home started worrying about you. I went back
27:14
to Jessee and he wasn't there. I came here, I eating threw the
27:22
gun. I'll just take it easy. I must have gut in the buck.
27:30
God at us. Sorry, it's Mary. Mary Durando was dead and
28:08
Fletcher wouldn't have to prosecute. After he buried his daughter, Fletcher closed his
28:14
office and took a long vacation. Maybe it helped some, but I doubt
28:18
it. Expense account adem two forty five dollars and seventy five cents, Hotel
28:22
Dylan, incidentals item three thirty five dollars, car rentals item four hundred and
28:27
fifty six dollars and eighty five cents played fair and incidentals back to hufand expense
28:33
account total four hundred and thirty five dollars and five cents. Here's Trulie Johnny
28:37
Dollar. Yours Cooley Johnny Dollar stars John Lund in the title role and was
28:56
written by Blake Edwards with music by Eddie Dunsteader featured into Nightscast for Clayton Post,
29:00
Tim Graham, Vick, Ryan William Johnstone, Virginia, Greg David Young
29:04
and Jane Novello. Yours Truly Johnny Doller is produced and directed by him Delvay.
29:11
This is Charles Lyon inviting to join us again next week at this time
29:15
when from Hollywood, John Lund returns as Yours Truly Johnny Doller. Welcome back.
29:22
Well, that was one of the more downbeat endings we've had in a
29:26
wild whole thing kind of turned into a bait, tragic mass. Do you
29:32
think that listener was right? A while back, I thought in a recent
29:37
episode that an Italian guy had been played by Alan Reid, and he suggested
29:42
it was Jane Novello. Well in this particular, and there weren't any voice
29:47
actor credits on that episode. Well, in this episode we did get credits
29:53
and it was the same voice, and it was and it was Jane Evello.
29:57
So listener was Ryan. I'm just usually not used to hearing Novello's vote
30:06
voice Quad like that but showing some flexibility. They're one of the great radio
30:11
character actors. All right, Listener comments and feedback will begin with Chris,
30:15
who says, I just Adam, I wanted to let you know that I've
30:18
been enjoying your show now for quite a few months. When I can send
30:22
you a little When I can, I will send you a little support,
30:25
Chris. Well, thanks so much, Chris. And we also have another
30:30
Android review over on of our app over in the Amazon app Store and Addamton
30:41
fourteen rods. I love this app. Adam is an excellent host, giving
30:45
info on each episode that is informative and entertaining. I listened to the same
30:49
podcast on iTunes and the qualities excellent on both. I actually prefer this app
30:55
over the podcast version since it's all my smartphone, I can listen to it
31:00
anywhere instead of just my car. Well, thanks so much. I appreciate
31:03
your review and your support there, but that will actually do it for today.
31:10
Join us back here on Monday for the Adventures of Frank Race, and
31:15
then on Friday an episode of Yours Truly Johnny Dowler. And starting next Saturday,
31:22
we'll be Yoini six day a week podcast with the lineup as our Saturday
31:26
show as we get into the last few weeks of dragnet in the Main Times.
31:32
Andrew comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectors dot net, follow us on
31:36
Twitter at Radio Detectives, and I've become one of our friends on Facebook,
31:40
Facebook dot com. Slash Radio Detectives from Boise, Idaho. This is your
31:45
host, Adam Graham signing off.