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The Whistler - "The Doctor Prescribes Death" (Old Time Radio, 1944) · The Whistler | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: A controversial psychologist proposes that someone at the brink of
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: suicide can be turned toward murder, and after a publisher
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: rejects the idea, he decides to test it with a
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: distraught woman on a bridge. From The Whistler comes The
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: Doctor Prescribes Death, Episode 108, originally broadcast June 11, 1944. J.
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: Donald Wilson adapted his own 1943 suspense play for this
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: CBS presentation. The surviving mystery playhouse version is hosted by
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: Peter Lorre, with Howard Duff announcing and William Conrad in
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: the cast. The action moves from a publisher's office to
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: a bridge where theory meets a human life. And now,
• 0:42
  Speaker 1: our story begins.
• 0:56
  Speaker 2: Good evening. This is Peter Lawrence.
• 1:00
  Speaker 3: Welcome to another performance dedicated to the shady side of life,
• 1:05
  Speaker 3: the mysterious, the criminal, the oftentimes murderous side of life. Oh,
• 1:12
  Speaker 3: please understand that this is not that life can be
• 1:15
  Speaker 3: beautiful or love thy neighbor.
• 1:18
  Speaker 2: Oh, no, no. No, my friends, this is The Mystery Playhouse.
• 1:31
  Speaker 4: There is probably no stranger, no more unexplainable source of
• 1:48
  Speaker 4: mystery than the human mind itself.
• 1:53
  Speaker 2: Twists and turns sometimes.
• 1:55
  Speaker 3: Elaborating confusion and often becomes the victim of a grim
• 2:00
  Speaker 3: and horrible obsession. An obsession that has no relationship to
• 2:06
  Speaker 3: the life surrounding it, but one that is.
• 2:10
  Speaker 2: Very real to him who is obsessed. Listen. Listen. I
• 2:32
  Speaker 2: am the Whistler, and I know many things, for I
• 2:37
  Speaker 2: walk by night. I know many strange tales, many secrets
• 2:41
  Speaker 2: hidden in the hearts of men and women who have
• 2:43
  Speaker 2: stepped into the shadows. Yes, I know the nameless terrors
• 2:48
  Speaker 2: of which I dare not speak. Professor Arthur Rugsby had
• 2:56
  Speaker 2: a theory. Professor Rugsby is a psychologist, and this is
• 3:00
  Speaker 2: his theory. I contend that a person who has decided
• 3:03
  Speaker 2: to kill himself can very easily be turned from this
• 3:05
  Speaker 2: desire to the desire of taking the life of another.
• 3:08
  Speaker 2: I can prove my theory, and if necessary, that is
• 3:11
  Speaker 2: what I will do. Do you agree? Do you believe
• 3:15
  Speaker 2: that if you were about to commit suicide, you could
• 3:17
  Speaker 2: be swayed from your purpose and become a murderer? Professor
• 3:20
  Speaker 2: Rugsby thinks so. But he just made this strange statement
• 3:23
  Speaker 2: to his publisher, Mr. Hellman. Hellman glances at the manuscript
• 3:27
  Speaker 2: and smiles. The professor leans forward and asks, Well, Hellman,
• 3:30
  Speaker 2: what do you think?
• 3:31
  Speaker 5: It's purely conjecture, simply a theory, and I wouldn't advise
• 3:34
  Speaker 5: publishing it. But I've worked on it for a long time,
• 3:36
  Speaker 5: and it will work. Good, good of you to accomplish it.
• 3:38
  Speaker 5: You didn't prove it.
• 3:38
  Speaker 2: It's negative. It's not negative. It's positive. I know it.
• 3:41
  Speaker 5: It's so silly, fancy. An ordinary human being has suffered reverses.
• 3:45
  Speaker 5: He's sick of it all. He wants to leave it
• 3:46
  Speaker 5: all behind him. And you say he can be changed
• 3:48
  Speaker 5: to want to kill somebody else.
• 3:50
  Speaker 2: I do.
• 3:51
  Speaker 3: Self-destruction and the destruction of other life are closely related
• 3:54
  Speaker 3: in the mind.
• 3:54
  Speaker 2: It's like, well, a hair's breadth. The dividing line is infinitesimal.
• 3:58
  Speaker 2: It's ridiculous. You won't publish it?
• 4:01
  Speaker 5: Granger would fire me.
• 4:02
  Speaker 2: Why?
• 4:03
  Speaker 5: He told me that if you came in here with
• 4:04
  Speaker 5: any more silly ideas like the last one to tell
• 4:07
  Speaker 5: you that you're no more of a psychologist than he is,
• 4:10
  Speaker 5: that in his opinion, you should be in the asylum.
• 4:11
  Speaker 2: Mr. Granger, I didn't say that. It's you who think
• 4:14
  Speaker 2: I'm crazy. You've never liked me. For some reason, you're
• 4:16
  Speaker 2: trying to tear me down.
• 4:18
  Speaker 6: Well, we'll see, Mr.
• 4:19
  Speaker 2: Hellman.
• 4:19
  Speaker 5: We'll see.
• 4:19
  Speaker 6: Wait a minute.
• 4:20
  Speaker 5: I'll show you whether my words are illogical.
• 4:22
  Speaker 2: I'll show you.
• 4:22
  Speaker 5: Oh, calm down.
• 4:23
  Speaker 2: I'm going to make you read those words. I'm going
• 4:26
  Speaker 2: to prove my theory, and then I'll bring it to
• 4:27
  Speaker 2: a conclusion, and you'll know that my theory sounds. Good night.
• 4:38
  Speaker 2: Professor Rugsby, seething with resentment, rushes from the office, strides
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: angrily down the street, muttering to himself, and goes home
• 4:46
  Speaker 2: late for dinner. He finds a note from his wife, Myra,
• 4:50
  Speaker 2: saying she's decided to go to the opera and will
• 4:52
  Speaker 2: be home around 11.30. Then he gets an inspiration. He
• 4:57
  Speaker 2: will find a subject for his experiment. So he goes
• 5:00
  Speaker 2: to the bridge over the deep canyon. The bridge calls suicide.
• 5:04
  Speaker 2: And strangely enough, he hasn't long to wait. As he
• 5:07
  Speaker 2: stands against the railing in the fog, a figure appears
• 5:10
  Speaker 2: a few feet beyond, studying the distance below. Wait a minute. Huh?
• 5:16
  Speaker 2: That's very silly. What?
• 5:17
  Speaker 6: You told me.
• 5:18
  Speaker 4: Oh, no.
• 5:18
  Speaker 2: I couldn't do that.
• 5:19
  Speaker 1: I need you.
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: Get away.
• 5:21
  Speaker 3: Look, it's 500 feet to those tracks below. Hard steel rails.
• 5:24
  Speaker 3: And don't believe what you heard about not knowing what happened.
• 5:25
  Speaker 5: Let loose.
• 5:26
  Speaker 3: People don't always die instantly. They live in agony for
• 5:29
  Speaker 3: minutes and sometimes for hours.
• 5:30
  Speaker 2: It's a horrible death. I know. How do you know?
• 5:33
  Speaker 2: I'm a doctor. Doctor? Yes. I can tell you much
• 5:37
  Speaker 2: simpler ways, much less painful ways, and quicker. You're a
• 5:40
  Speaker 2: nice-looking girl.
• 5:41
  Speaker 3: An intelligent girl. Maybe after I've talked.
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: To you a while, you'll... You wouldn't want to do
• 5:46
  Speaker 2: this at all. No. Maybe a few minutes' talk will
• 5:49
  Speaker 2: change the entire picture for you.
• 5:50
  Speaker 7: What could you do to help me?
• 5:52
  Speaker 2: There's a motive back of your wanting to do this,
• 5:54
  Speaker 2: and I'd like to know what it is. Nothing. Haven't
• 5:57
  Speaker 2: you any relatives, any loved ones you'd like to do
• 5:59
  Speaker 2: something for? Yes.
• 6:03
  Speaker 3: If you talk with me for a while, maybe I
• 6:05
  Speaker 3: can find.
• 6:05
  Speaker 2: A way to get out. You sound crazy to me.
• 6:08
  Speaker 5: Oh, no.
• 6:09
  Speaker 2: I may be many things, but I'm not crazy. All right,
• 6:13
  Speaker 2: I'll talk to you. Where? My apartment.
• 6:18
  Speaker 5: I might have known.
• 6:19
  Speaker 2: No, no, no. I'm serious. I really want to talk
• 6:22
  Speaker 2: to you. All right. I'll take it. Now, first, you
• 6:36
  Speaker 2: know that you're a very pretty girl, don't you?
• 6:38
  Speaker 4: Yeah.
• 6:38
  Speaker 2: That doesn't always mean so much. You were the right
• 6:40
  Speaker 2: man at my... That's what I thought.
• 6:41
  Speaker 5: I found out it didn't mean a thing.
• 6:44
  Speaker 2: Harder than it was because of the man. I knew it.
• 6:46
  Speaker 4: Really?
• 6:47
  Speaker 2: How did you get it? I'm a student of psychology.
• 6:49
  Speaker 2: A student? You're a little past student days, aren't you? No,
• 6:53
  Speaker 2: I don't write, I think. I write subjects on psychology.
• 6:57
  Speaker 2: I'm Professor Arthur Rubsky. I see.
• 6:59
  Speaker 7: And you want to know what makes me tick.
• 7:03
  Speaker 2: You want to know the reason behind my actions. That's right.
• 7:06
  Speaker 2: I'd like to know what happens to make you want
• 7:09
  Speaker 2: to kill yourself. Suicide is a mental aberration, you know.
• 7:13
  Speaker 2: I'd like to know what preceded the decision to destroy
• 7:16
  Speaker 2: yourself and also what you thought up until that moment
• 7:20
  Speaker 2: I stopped you on a bridge.
• 7:21
  Speaker 1: What did that do?
• 7:23
  Speaker 2: You told me you were not broke, but also you
• 7:25
  Speaker 2: said you had some loved ones you'd like to do
• 7:27
  Speaker 2: something for.
• 7:28
  Speaker 7: I meant I wasn't broke to the point of being hungry.
• 7:29
  Speaker 2: I had a few dollars. You suggested help to someone
• 7:33
  Speaker 2: in larger terms.
• 7:34
  Speaker 1: Yes, I did.
• 7:36
  Speaker 2: Who was the loved one? My mother. You were her
• 7:39
  Speaker 2: only means of support? You intend to kill yourself? Yes.
• 7:43
  Speaker 2: That's being selfish, isn't it?
• 7:45
  Speaker 5: Selfish?
• 7:45
  Speaker 2: Yes, you're concentrating solely on self.
• 7:47
  Speaker 3: I think so.
• 7:49
  Speaker 5: What else?
• 7:49
  Speaker 2: The first law of human nature is self-preservation, right?
• 7:52
  Speaker 5: Yes, sir.
• 7:53
  Speaker 2: And the second law is the preservation of family.
• 7:55
  Speaker 7: Yes.
• 7:56
  Speaker 3: So you decide to deny the first law, and you
• 7:58
  Speaker 3: destroy yourself. And as a consequence, you deny the second.
• 8:01
  Speaker 3: And you leave your mother alone, and you leave. You
• 8:06
  Speaker 3: indicate a form of insanity.
• 8:08
  Speaker 2: What would be normal?
• 8:11
  Speaker 3: To destroy the other person. The one who has done
• 8:14
  Speaker 3: you wrong. Destroy him instead of yourself.
• 8:17
  Speaker 2: Have you hurt him?
• 8:18
  Speaker 7: No.
• 8:19
  Speaker 2: But he has hurt you, hurt you deeply. He's done
• 8:22
  Speaker 2: you wrong, correct? Yes. Then the one who's done you
• 8:24
  Speaker 2: wrong should be the one to suffer. You have no
• 8:28
  Speaker 2: legal report. No, no, sir. You should mature yourself and
• 8:32
  Speaker 2: let your poor mother suffer because of the wrong of another.
• 8:35
  Speaker 2: Why shouldn't he be the one to suffer?
• 8:38
  Speaker 7: I think you're right. Why shouldn't he?
• 8:41
  Speaker 2: What happened? Why not tell me about it?
• 8:44
  Speaker 6: Were you married?
• 8:45
  Speaker 1: No.
• 8:46
  Speaker 7: He never seemed to find time to get around a marriage.
• 8:50
  Speaker 2: What's your name? Gladys. Gladys Sanders. How long have you
• 8:54
  Speaker 2: known him? Almost four years. Have you always thought he
• 8:57
  Speaker 2: meant to marry? Yes. Until? Until three weeks ago.
• 9:02
  Speaker 7: On July 1st, he had to leave town for a
• 9:04
  Speaker 7: week on business. He said he was going to Kansas City.
• 9:08
  Speaker 7: When he came back, he seemed too busy to see me,
• 9:10
  Speaker 7: and And a week ago, I found a snapshot along
• 9:13
  Speaker 7: with several others in the desk at his home.
• 9:15
  Speaker 2: May I see it?
• 9:16
  Speaker 5: Certainly.
• 9:17
  Speaker 2: It's a picture of him and another woman.
• 9:19
  Speaker 7: But the picture was not taken in Kansas City.
• 9:21
  Speaker 2: No? It was taken on the beach at Atlantic City.
• 9:24
  Speaker 2: And it's dated by the finish of July 3rd. When
• 9:27
  Speaker 2: he returned, he refused to see me. And yesterday, he
• 9:30
  Speaker 2: finally said he didn't care to see me anymore. So
• 9:33
  Speaker 2: I better forget him. It isn't so easy, is it?
• 9:37
  Speaker 7: No.
• 9:38
  Speaker 5: I figured I'd done something.
• 9:39
  Speaker 2: I blame myself. Do you know the brown woman in
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: the snapshot?
• 9:42
  Speaker 5: No.
• 9:43
  Speaker 2: There must be a woman he's met recently. You've known
• 9:46
  Speaker 2: him for five years.
• 9:49
  Speaker 3: I don't think you're to blame. He's the one who's
• 9:51
  Speaker 3: in the war. And he should be made the sucker.
• 9:54
  Speaker 2: Oh. Well, you were going to kill yourself. Why should you?
• 9:56
  Speaker 2: Kill him instead. He's ever crossed you. He deserves it.
• 10:02
  Speaker 2: Let me go in a little deeper into the situation.
• 10:04
  Speaker 2: Whenever a person has reached a conclusion... Are you sure
• 10:16
  Speaker 2: you've made up your mind, Miss Dunham? Positive. Now... If
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: you're careful, you won't be caught. But whether you are.
• 10:23
  Speaker 3: Or not, I'm giving you this check for $ 1, 000. It's
• 10:26
  Speaker 3: made out of cash. It'll be sent to your mother.
• 10:28
  Speaker 2: Only after the man's dead. Uh, write his name on this, Pat.
• 10:35
  Speaker 6: There you are.
• 10:37
  Speaker 3: Now, I don't know what's happened to the newspapers. I'll
• 10:39
  Speaker 3: withhold payment until I learn that you've gone through with it.
• 10:41
  Speaker 3: It'll happen tonight.
• 10:42
  Speaker 6: Very well.
• 10:44
  Speaker 2: Are you sure you're determined? Absolutely.
• 10:46
  Speaker 1: Nothing could stop me.
• 10:48
  Speaker 2: Well, I'll tell you my reason for this. I'm a psychiatrist.
• 10:54
  Speaker 2: I've had a theory that a person bent on suicide
• 10:57
  Speaker 2: was akin mentally to a person bent on murder. And
• 11:00
  Speaker 2: that the difference between the two was so slight that
• 11:03
  Speaker 2: the suicidal desire could easily be changed to the homicidal desire.
• 11:06
  Speaker 7: And that's what's happened to me?
• 11:07
  Speaker 2: Exactly.
• 11:09
  Speaker 7: Now that I know what you're getting at, suppose I
• 11:11
  Speaker 7: change my mind again.
• 11:13
  Speaker 3: Yeah, you won't.
• 11:14
  Speaker 2: I know. Here's a small revolver. It'll fit easily into
• 11:17
  Speaker 2: your purse.
• 11:18
  Speaker 6: It's all you need.
• 11:19
  Speaker 2: Wipe your fingerprints off and leave your gun near the body.
• 11:22
  Speaker 3: Well, goodbye, Dr.
• 11:24
  Speaker 2: Rooksby. Goodbye, Glenn. And good luck.
• 11:29
  Speaker 6: Good luck.
• 11:49
  Speaker 2: And so Gladys leaves Rugby and starts off to the
• 11:52
  Speaker 2: house of her victim on the outskirts of town. Rugby
• 11:56
  Speaker 2: stands for a while lost in thought. Then takes his hat,
• 12:00
  Speaker 2: steps into the street, and 20 minutes later he stops
• 12:03
  Speaker 2: his car a block from Hellman's bungalow. Remember Hellman? The
• 12:07
  Speaker 2: editor who ridiculed the professor's theory? Oh. Hello, Rugby. Good evening, Howell.
• 12:18
  Speaker 6: Hi.
• 12:19
  Speaker 2: Thought I'd drop out and have a little chat with you.
• 12:21
  Speaker 6: Why this time of night? Eleven?
• 12:23
  Speaker 2: Didn't think I was late for you. Oh.
• 12:26
  Speaker 6: Come in. What's on your mind? I.
• 12:31
  Speaker 3: I want to talk to you about my theory you
• 12:33
  Speaker 3: ridicule so definitely.
• 12:35
  Speaker 2: My theory about suicide. Oh. Well, I... I said I'd
• 12:40
  Speaker 2: prove it, didn't I? Yeah, but.
• 12:42
  Speaker 6: What are you getting at?
• 12:44
  Speaker 2: It's going to be proved. My theory's going to be
• 12:47
  Speaker 2: proved tonight. Well, go ahead and prove it. It isn't funny, Alvin. No?
• 12:54
  Speaker 6: How in the world can you prove anything like that?
• 12:57
  Speaker 2: What good will that do you? More than you'll ever know.
• 13:00
  Speaker 2: I don't like you, Herman. I've never liked you. And
• 13:03
  Speaker 2: I know you don't like me.
• 13:04
  Speaker 6: I can't help that, Ruggsby. What are you staring at?
• 13:09
  Speaker 2: Is there someone here with you?
• 13:10
  Speaker 6: Certainly not.
• 13:11
  Speaker 2: That woman at the press on the Davenport.
• 13:13
  Speaker 5: Well, my secretary dropped by earlier this evening with a
• 13:17
  Speaker 5: manuscript to teach.
• 13:18
  Speaker 2: You must have forgotten. She's not here now.
• 13:21
  Speaker 6: Of course not.
• 13:23
  Speaker 2: I'll continue. I found the subject.
• 13:27
  Speaker 3: A girl who was ready to commit suicide because a
• 13:29
  Speaker 3: man had tossed her over for another woman.
• 13:32
  Speaker 2: In a few hours, I was.
• 13:33
  Speaker 3: Successful in changing her thoughts from suicide to homicide.
• 13:36
  Speaker 2: And she's going to kill the man tonight. What do
• 13:41
  Speaker 2: you think of that?
• 13:41
  Speaker 6: There may be a dozen murders tonight.
• 13:43
  Speaker 2: Ah, but you'll know which one I mean. You'll know
• 13:45
  Speaker 2: about this murder.
• 13:46
  Speaker 6: What do you mean?
• 13:47
  Speaker 2: Because I'm going to tell who the victim's going to be.
• 13:49
  Speaker 6: If you know who the intended victim is, why don't
• 13:51
  Speaker 6: you stop it?
• 13:53
  Speaker 2: I wouldn't have proved my theory. You'll put the girl
• 13:56
  Speaker 2: up to it.
• 13:56
  Speaker 6: You're insane, Mugsy.
• 13:58
  Speaker 2: You think so, Hellman?
• 13:59
  Speaker 5: No sane man would ever think of such a useless,
• 14:01
  Speaker 5: senseless idea.
• 14:02
  Speaker 2: For heaven's sake, stop laughing! I'm thinking about the victim.
• 14:06
  Speaker 2: What he learned. Who is the victim? Morton Hellman. What? Yes, you.
• 14:13
  Speaker 1: Who is the girl?
• 14:14
  Speaker 2: I know of no girl who'd want to kill me. Well,
• 14:15
  Speaker 2: this one does.
• 14:16
  Speaker 5: No, no.
• 14:17
  Speaker 2: I wouldn't put it past.
• 14:17
  Speaker 5: You to hire somebody to do something like this.
• 14:19
  Speaker 2: No, no, no. This girl's no fake. This girl's serious.
• 14:21
  Speaker 2: Deadly serious.
• 14:22
  Speaker 6: Who is she?
• 14:23
  Speaker 2: I don't know.
• 14:24
  Speaker 5: You're the only one I know who doesn't like me.
• 14:26
  Speaker 5: You're the only one I know with a motive. But
• 14:28
  Speaker 5: believe me, Rugsby, you'll not get away with it. You've
• 14:30
  Speaker 5: probably hypnotized some poor woman, figuring she'd never remember what happened.
• 14:33
  Speaker 2: Oh, how many you underestimate.
• 14:35
  Speaker 5: Maybe I do underestimate your evil mind, but believe me.
• 14:38
  Speaker 2: Put your hands up. Get away from that step. I'll just...
• 14:42
  Speaker 2: Take care of your gun, Hellman. Yeah. When did you
• 14:46
  Speaker 2: start carrying a gun, Rubensby?
• 14:48
  Speaker 4: What?
• 14:48
  Speaker 2: A gun? Don't be silly. This isn't a gun in
• 14:51
  Speaker 2: my pocket. It's off my pipe.
• 14:53
  Speaker 6: See?
• 14:57
  Speaker 2: What do you hear, Hellman?
• 14:58
  Speaker 6: Nothing.
• 14:59
  Speaker 2: Oh, I heard it, too. Sound on the porch. Well,
• 15:03
  Speaker 2: I'll leave now.
• 15:04
  Speaker 1: Back way.
• 15:06
  Speaker 2: I'll put your gun in the kitchen. Don't look so anxious.
• 15:08
  Speaker 2: I'll be very careful to remove all the fingerprints.
• 15:10
  Speaker 6: You insane fool!
• 15:11
  Speaker 2: Fancy.
• 15:12
  Speaker 5: You, you help him.
• 15:14
  Speaker 2: You're going to help prove my theory. Good night. Crazy devil.
• 15:20
  Speaker 5: I'll have him locked up before he gets across town.
• 15:26
  Speaker 6: Good evening, Mr.
• 15:27
  Speaker 2: Helms. What? How did you get in here?
• 15:32
  Speaker 7: Through the patio door.
• 15:32
  Speaker 6: What do you want?
• 15:34
  Speaker 7: I wanted to talk to you.
• 15:35
  Speaker 6: Sure that you're not under the influence of someone?
• 15:38
  Speaker 2: What a strange question. What do you mean? A crazy professor.
• 15:42
  Speaker 6: You've been hypnotized.
• 15:43
  Speaker 2: It's just a madman thing.
• 15:43
  Speaker 6: Then what are you doing here?
• 15:45
  Speaker 2: I wanted to tell you something.
• 15:46
  Speaker 4: Yeah?
• 15:48
  Speaker 2: What?
• 15:49
  Speaker 7: When you first indicated to me that you were through
• 15:50
  Speaker 7: with me, I was terribly hurt.
• 15:54
  Speaker 2: I thought all along that we were to be married.
• 15:56
  Speaker 7: I couldn't understand.
• 15:57
  Speaker 2: I tried and tried to think of something I'd done
• 15:59
  Speaker 2: to cause our breakup.
• 16:02
  Speaker 5: I happened to find a snapshot in your desk.
• 16:06
  Speaker 2: Take a look at it.
• 16:07
  Speaker 4: Kansas City?
• 16:09
  Speaker 2: No. Atlantic City, New Jersey.
• 16:12
  Speaker 7: You and a blonde.
• 16:14
  Speaker 2: And the date is stamped on the back. Business trip. Well,
• 16:20
  Speaker 2: what about it? I just wanted you to know that
• 16:22
  Speaker 2: you weren't so slick.
• 16:25
  Speaker 7: I wanted you to know that I knew about the blonde.
• 16:27
  Speaker 6: That I knew you'd lined.
• 16:29
  Speaker 2: Now that you've told me, what good is it to you?
• 16:31
  Speaker 5: A lot of good. First, I thought you came here
• 16:34
  Speaker 5: intending to kill me.
• 16:39
  Speaker 2: Well, goodbye, Morton. And good luck in your new venture. Thanks.
• 16:46
  Speaker 6: What venture?
• 16:47
  Speaker 2: This one. Let us.
• 16:52
  Speaker 6: Let us.
• 16:55
  Speaker 7: And wish me luck in mine.
• 17:04
  Speaker 2: And Gladys stands staring for a moment at the body.
• 17:07
  Speaker 2: Then she wipes off the gun, drops it to the floor,
• 17:10
  Speaker 2: takes the professor's check from her purse, steps to Hellman's desk,
• 17:15
  Speaker 2: takes pen and paper, calmly writes a note, puts it
• 17:20
  Speaker 2: with the check into an envelope, addresses it, stamps it,
• 17:24
  Speaker 2: turns out the lights, and steps quickly out the door
• 17:27
  Speaker 2: and down the street. At the corner she pauses, drops
• 17:30
  Speaker 2: the envelope in the mailbox, and disappears. Well, Professor Dougsby,
• 17:35
  Speaker 2: there you are. You heard the shock. The perfect crime.
• 17:39
  Speaker 2: You can go home now and go to sleep. Myra.
• 17:46
  Speaker 7: Myra.
• 17:47
  Speaker 6: Arthur.
• 17:48
  Speaker 2: What are you doing asleep on the Davenport? Do you
• 17:50
  Speaker 2: know what time it is? Must be afternoon, isn't it?
• 17:54
  Speaker 2: I've been waiting for you. Where have you been?
• 17:56
  Speaker 6: I walked around downtown for a while.
• 17:59
  Speaker 2: I got up in the club for a nightcap. How's
• 18:02
  Speaker 2: the opera? Oh, fair.
• 18:05
  Speaker 7: Nothing to brag about.
• 18:06
  Speaker 2: Who sang the lead?
• 18:07
  Speaker 7: Bill Chiotti.
• 18:09
  Speaker 2: He wasn't very good. Bill Chiotti?
• 18:11
  Speaker 4: Nah.
• 18:12
  Speaker 2: He's a poor old fellow. What fellow? I thought they
• 18:14
  Speaker 2: were doing Aida tonight. No. They switched because someone was ill.
• 18:20
  Speaker 6: I guess the famous.
• 18:20
  Speaker 2: Day at home.
• 18:21
  Speaker 4: Yeah.
• 18:21
  Speaker 2: Have a night, Captain?
• 18:26
  Speaker 3: No, thanks.
• 18:27
  Speaker 2: I'm tired. I think I'll go to bed. I'll be along, President.
• 18:32
  Speaker 2: Good night.
• 18:32
  Speaker 3: Good night.
• 18:38
  Speaker 2: Well, Professor, it's been a great day. A triumph for you.
• 18:43
  Speaker 2: Your theory proved and nothing to be traced to you.
• 18:46
  Speaker 2: The one perfect crime. He sits over his drink for
• 18:50
  Speaker 2: a while, then turns out the lights and goes to bed.
• 18:53
  Speaker 2: The night passes and morning comes. The professor rises cheerfully
• 18:57
  Speaker 2: and prepares for breakfast. And... I'll get it, Meyer. Yes?
• 19:05
  Speaker 6: Are you Professor Rugby?
• 19:06
  Speaker 2: Yes. May I come in?
• 19:08
  Speaker 6: I'd like to talk with you.
• 19:09
  Speaker 2: Oh, of course. What is it?
• 19:13
  Speaker 6: Is your wife in?
• 19:15
  Speaker 2: Yes.
• 19:15
  Speaker 6: I'd like to see her, too.
• 19:18
  Speaker 2: Who are you?
• 19:19
  Speaker 6: I'm Lieutenant Davis, Detective Headquarters.
• 19:21
  Speaker 2: What? What do you want?
• 19:23
  Speaker 6: Will you call your wife?
• 19:25
  Speaker 2: Oh, I certainly... Meyer.
• 19:28
  Speaker 2: What's this all about?
• 19:29
  Speaker 3: What is it, Arthur? This is Lieutenant Davis from the
• 19:32
  Speaker 3: Detective Headquarters.
• 19:33
  Speaker 2: He says he wants to talk to us. Oh, really?
• 19:35
  Speaker 2: What about?
• 19:35
  Speaker 6: May I ask where you were last night, Mrs. Rugsby?
• 19:38
  Speaker 2: Why, certainly. I went to the opera.
• 19:40
  Speaker 6: What time did you get home?
• 19:42
  Speaker 2: Oh, I imagine it was around 11 or shortly after.
• 19:45
  Speaker 6: Were you at home last evening, Professor?
• 19:47
  Speaker 2: Well, I was at the club and got home about 12.30.
• 19:51
  Speaker 2: What's this all about?
• 19:51
  Speaker 6: Do you know Morton Hellman?
• 19:54
  Speaker 2: Certainly. What about him?
• 19:56
  Speaker 6: He's been murdered.
• 19:57
  Speaker 2: Murdered?
• 19:58
  Speaker 6: Good Lord, when? Around midnight last night. They found him
• 20:01
  Speaker 6: this morning. Terrible.
• 20:03
  Speaker 2: I've known him for years. He was editor-in-chief of the
• 20:05
  Speaker 2: company publishing my writings. I'm a psychologist, you know.
• 20:09
  Speaker 6: Yes, I know.
• 20:10
  Speaker 2: But what do you want to know from us? We
• 20:13
  Speaker 2: weren't connected socially with Hellman. Just in business. Did you
• 20:17
  Speaker 2: know him, Mrs. Rugby? Yes, yes, I knew him, very slightly.
• 20:21
  Speaker 6: Do either of you know of anyone who'd have reason
• 20:24
  Speaker 6: to kill him?
• 20:25
  Speaker 2: Certainly not. Everyone thought highly of him.
• 20:27
  Speaker 6: Did you ever know of a girl named Gladys Tanner?
• 20:31
  Speaker 2: Gladys Tanner?
• 20:32
  Speaker 5: No.
• 20:34
  Speaker 2: No.
• 20:34
  Speaker 6: Did you know the Gladys Tanner, Mrs. Rugby?
• 20:36
  Speaker 2: No. Who is she?
• 20:38
  Speaker 6: She went with Hellman for several years. They were supposed
• 20:40
  Speaker 6: to be engaged. For some reason, it blew up. Because
• 20:44
  Speaker 6: of another woman.
• 20:45
  Speaker 2: So what?
• 20:46
  Speaker 6: Is this your purse, Mrs. Rugby?
• 20:49
  Speaker 2: Well, of course it is. That's the one I gave
• 20:50
  Speaker 2: you last Christmas, Myra.
• 20:52
  Speaker 7: Yes.
• 20:53
  Speaker 2: I must have lost it downtown. Where did you find this, Lieutenant?
• 20:56
  Speaker 6: At Hellman's home. Hellman's home? Well, how in the world
• 20:59
  Speaker 6: did he... Heavens, but how? He found it on the sofa.
• 21:02
  Speaker 2: I can't imagine how it could get there.
• 21:03
  Speaker 6: And this is the revolver that killed Hellman. Found on
• 21:07
  Speaker 6: the floor beside him. No fingerprints on it at all.
• 21:09
  Speaker 6: May I see it?
• 21:13
  Speaker 2: Why, Myra, this is your gun. I bought this for
• 21:16
  Speaker 2: you two years ago when I went away on that
• 21:18
  Speaker 2: lecture tour.
• 21:18
  Speaker 7: Yes, I think it's mine, but it just doesn't make sense.
• 21:23
  Speaker 6: Did you have the gun in your purse when you
• 21:24
  Speaker 6: lost it last night?
• 21:25
  Speaker 2: Well, perhaps I did.
• 21:28
  Speaker 3: I'm so confused now.
• 21:30
  Speaker 2: I can't believe it. Think, Myra, think. This is terrible.
• 21:34
  Speaker 2: I know, I know. Oh, dear. I feel ill.
• 21:38
  Speaker 6: Did you ever fire this gun?
• 21:40
  Speaker 2: Yes. Once last year up in the mountains. I wanted
• 21:44
  Speaker 2: to see how it worked. Ever reload it? Why, no,
• 21:48
  Speaker 2: I didn't.
• 21:48
  Speaker 6: When did you see it last?
• 21:49
  Speaker 2: Oh. Yesterday.
• 21:51
  Speaker 6: And you've never reloaded it?
• 21:53
  Speaker 4: No, I've never reloaded it. Just didn't think about it.
• 21:56
  Speaker 2: Maybe I did put it in my purse.
• 21:59
  Speaker 4: I don't know.
• 22:00
  Speaker 2: And whoever found the purse may have used.
• 22:02
  Speaker 7: The gun to.
• 22:03
  Speaker 1: What?
• 22:04
  Speaker 4: I just can't seem to think of.
• 22:05
  Speaker 6: This gun misfired on the first two shots. The other
• 22:09
  Speaker 6: three killed Hellman.
• 22:11
  Speaker 3: This is the most amazing piece of coincidence I've ever heard.
• 22:14
  Speaker 3: Why would my wife want to do such a thing?
• 22:16
  Speaker 2: Why should she go to Hellman? She hardly knew him.
• 22:18
  Speaker 6: Are you sure about that, Professor?
• 22:19
  Speaker 2: Of course I'm sure.
• 22:20
  Speaker 6: Well, I'm sorry to say I think she's lying.
• 22:23
  Speaker 2: What? Oh, this is ridiculous.
• 22:25
  Speaker 6: This is going to be a.
• 22:25
  Speaker 2: Shock to you, Professor, but here is.
• 22:28
  Speaker 6: A snapshot we found on Hellman's desk, taken in Atlantic
• 22:32
  Speaker 6: City last July.
• 22:33
  Speaker 2: Good heavens. This is you, Mara. You and Hellman. You
• 22:38
  Speaker 2: were at your mother's in Florida in July. Mara. Mara,
• 22:41
  Speaker 2: look at me.
• 22:49
  Speaker 6: I can't.
• 22:50
  Speaker 2: I can't believe it. It just doesn't seem possible.
• 22:54
  Speaker 6: Here I have the purse and the gun and photo.
• 22:57
  Speaker 2: Thanks.
• 22:58
  Speaker 6: I'm sorry, but I'll have to take her down to headquarters.
• 23:01
  Speaker 4: I didn't kill him.
• 23:02
  Speaker 2: I didn't.
• 23:03
  Speaker 3: I wouldn't.
• 23:03
  Speaker 7: I loved him.
• 23:08
  Speaker 2: Better put it all together, Mara. You'll have to go
• 23:11
  Speaker 2: with him.
• 23:11
  Speaker 6: Yes, we want photos and fingerprints.
• 23:16
  Speaker 2: Better get ready, Marv. No, I can't do it. Certainly
• 23:21
  Speaker 2: looks bad for her.
• 23:23
  Speaker 6: I'm afraid it does. Looks like an open and shut
• 23:25
  Speaker 6: case to me. Will you come along, too, Professor?
• 23:28
  Speaker 2: Why, why, certainly. Now, it's several hours later at police headquarters.
• 23:41
  Speaker 2: They've taken fingerprints of Professor Rugsby and his wife, Myra,
• 23:45
  Speaker 2: and questioned them both. And Rugsby is just about to
• 23:48
  Speaker 2: leave with a gloating smile on his face when an
• 23:51
  Speaker 2: officer steps in and speaks softly to Lieutenant Davis.
• 23:54
  Speaker 6: Lieutenant.
• 23:55
  Speaker 2: Yes, Ragnar? They stayed at Professor Rugsby's place, as you said.
• 23:59
  Speaker 6: Look, thing's over.
• 24:00
  Speaker 2: A few minutes ago, this special delivery letter came for
• 24:04
  Speaker 2: the professor. This'll knock your eye out. Read it. Well,
• 24:11
  Speaker 2: I'll be.
• 24:13
  Speaker 6: This fits perfectly with the handwriting we were trying to
• 24:15
  Speaker 6: make out on Hellman's blotter. Professor, I'd like you to
• 24:19
  Speaker 6: read a letter sent special delivery to you a few
• 24:22
  Speaker 6: minutes ago. Postmarked last night.
• 24:25
  Speaker 5: Read it.
• 24:26
  Speaker 2: That's certain. Dear Professor Rugsby, you're very wet to a
• 24:33
  Speaker 2: certain degree. You convinced me I should kill him, but
• 24:37
  Speaker 2: when that gun you gave me misfired twice, I almost... quit. Then,
• 24:42
  Speaker 2: as I looked at him on the floor, the old
• 24:45
  Speaker 2: feeling of self-destruction came back. I'm going ahead with my
• 24:51
  Speaker 2: original plan. Here's your check. I won't need it. Besides,
• 24:55
  Speaker 2: I haven't a mother. She's dead. Better luck next time, Professor.
• 25:00
  Speaker 2: Gladys Tanner.
• 25:03
  Speaker 5: And Lieutenant, a half hour ago, they found her body
• 25:07
  Speaker 5: beneath Suicide Bridge.
• 25:15
  Speaker 2: Well, it all worked out beautifully for the professor, up
• 25:18
  Speaker 2: to the point where he changed his plans. And that
• 25:21
  Speaker 2: was at the moment that Gladys Tanner showed him the
• 25:24
  Speaker 2: snapshot of Hellman and the blonde girl on the beach
• 25:27
  Speaker 2: at Atlantic City. The professor wasn't really going to let
• 25:30
  Speaker 2: the girl kill Hellman. But when he saw the snapshot
• 25:34
  Speaker 2: and recognized the blonde as his wife, Myra, he started
• 25:37
  Speaker 2: to change. And when he visited Hellman before the shooting
• 25:40
  Speaker 2: and recognized his wife's purse, he was doubly determined to
• 25:44
  Speaker 2: see Hellman killed and place the blame on his wife, Myra. Yes,
• 25:49
  Speaker 2: it would have been a perfect crime, perhaps. But he
• 25:52
  Speaker 2: sacrificed his fairy for revenge. The whole thing backfired and
• 25:57
  Speaker 2: caught him... The girl wished him better luck next time.
• 26:02
  Speaker 2: There won't be a next time. Not for the professor.
• 26:06
  Speaker 2: I know.
• 26:32
  Speaker 3: It looks like Professor Rudd's obsession for scientific experimentation melted
• 26:37
  Speaker 3: away before the more ordinary urge for revenge. It goes
• 26:42
  Speaker 3: to show that we are all human, doesn't it? Or
• 26:45
  Speaker 3: does it? Maybe the whistler knows the answer to.
• 26:48
  Speaker 2: That one, too. Oh, don't go, please. I want you
• 26:53
  Speaker 2: to hear about our next performance at.
• 26:54
  Speaker 3: The Mystery Playhouse. Come with me to the green room.
• 26:59
  Speaker 2: But I'll pay you, Sally, I think. Come.
• 27:02
  Speaker 6: Oh, Robert.
• 27:08
  Speaker 2: Robert, before leaving the theater tonight, someone told me that
• 27:11
  Speaker 2: you and Julie Winthrop are going to be married. You too? Yes,
• 27:16
  Speaker 2: we'll be married in two weeks, right after my wife
• 27:18
  Speaker 2: gets a decree in Reno. You must not marry Julie.
• 27:21
  Speaker 2: Not marry Julie? Who are you to tell me what
• 27:24
  Speaker 2: I can do? I know Julie well enough. I also
• 27:27
  Speaker 2: know you. That's why you must not marry her. Charles,
• 27:30
  Speaker 2: it might be better for you to mind your own business.
• 27:32
  Speaker 2: Julie and I are in love with each other. No,
• 27:33
  Speaker 2: you're not. She's fascinated by your good looks.
• 27:36
  Speaker 3: She's impressed by your fame.
• 27:38
  Speaker 2: But she does not love you.
• 27:40
  Speaker 1: Now, look here.
• 27:41
  Speaker 2: We may be old friends, but after all I'm going to, I....
• 27:45
  Speaker 1: Wait a moment.
• 27:47
  Speaker 2: I get it now. You're in love with her yourself. I?
• 27:50
  Speaker 2: I'm in love with Julie?
• 27:53
  Speaker 4: No, we are just friends.
• 27:55
  Speaker 2: Friends? You're madly in love with her. That's why you
• 27:59
  Speaker 2: came here tonight, isn't it?
• 28:01
  Speaker 1: No.
• 28:02
  Speaker 2: Friends. What's your laughing? You in love with a girl
• 28:06
  Speaker 2: like Julie. Why should my love make you laugh? Oh,
• 28:09
  Speaker 2: so you admit it, huh? All right, I do.
• 28:12
  Speaker 5: Why is it so funny?
• 28:13
  Speaker 2: Do you think she'd have you, you, a clown, ugly, clumsy?
• 28:20
  Speaker 2: You in love with Julie? And why not? Why not? Joe!
• 28:25
  Speaker 2: Stop your laughing. Stop it.
• 28:30
  Speaker 6: Can I? Look at yourself.
• 28:31
  Speaker 2: No.
• 28:32
  Speaker 3: Stop.
• 28:32
  Speaker 2: Let go of me. No. You're joking. Let go. Joe.
• 28:39
  Speaker 4: Joe.
• 28:40
  Speaker 2: Laugh.
• 28:42
  Speaker 3: Go ahead. Laugh now.
• 28:46
  Speaker 4: Laugh.
• 28:47
  Speaker 2: Robert. Robert. Robert.
• 28:55
  Speaker 6: I didn't mean it.
• 28:57
  Speaker 2: Robert!
• 29:00
  Speaker 6: Lord, what have I done?
• 29:10
  Speaker 2: Hmm, that might be worth listening to. How do you
• 29:14
  Speaker 2: think that little man sounds familiar? That must have seen
• 29:18
  Speaker 2: him in pictures. Anyway, the scene you just heard is
• 29:22
  Speaker 2: an innocent mystery.
• 29:24
  Speaker 3: It will be our next performance. This is Peter Lloyd
• 29:28
  Speaker 3: closing the doors of the Mystery Playhouse.
• 29:30
  Speaker 2: Good night. Sleep tight. This is the Armed Forces Radio Service.
• 30:17
  Speaker 1: We have heard the whistler. The doctor prescribes death. Good night,
• 30:22
  Speaker 1: and we'll meet again at the microphone.