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The Whistler - "The Man Who Came to Murder" (Old Time Radio, 1945) · The Whistler | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: On August 6, 1945, CBS Pacific Network carried episode 167
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: of Signal Oil's The Whistler. Tonight's broadcast, The Man Who
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: Came to Murder, concerns Wendell, the dutiful nephew of wealthy
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: Aunt Ellen, who has been managing her finances while her
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: health has seemed to be failing. When Aunt Ellen unexpectedly
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: begins to recover, Wendell finds his handling of her money
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: may no longer remain concealed. Bill Foreman and Bob Anderson
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: are featured in a script by Sally Thorson, produced by
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: George W.
• 0:36
  Speaker 2: Allen.
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: For listeners who value the compact half-hour drama of network radio,
• 0:42
  Speaker 1: the whistler remains a familiar late-night voice. We now take
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: you back to the original broadcast.
• 0:51
  Speaker 3: Signal gasoline.
• 0:54
  Speaker 4: Let every traffic signal remind you you do go farther
• 0:58
  Speaker 4: with Signal Gasoline. Yes, you do go farther with Signal.
• 1:17
  Speaker 4: The Signal Oil Company and your neighborhood signal dealer bring
• 1:21
  Speaker 4: you another curious story by the Whistler. Tonight, man who
• 1:28
  Speaker 4: came to murder. I am the whistler. And I know
• 1:50
  Speaker 4: many things, for I walk by night. I know many
• 1:54
  Speaker 4: strange tales hidden in the hearts of men and women
• 1:57
  Speaker 4: who have stepped into the shadows.
• 1:59
  Speaker 5: Yes, I know the.
• 2:01
  Speaker 4: Nameless terrors of which they dare not speak. You can
• 2:13
  Speaker 4: live too long. Did you know that?
• 2:17
  Speaker 6: Oh, yes.
• 2:18
  Speaker 4: Especially if you have money, a lot of it.
• 2:21
  Speaker 7: And heirs.
• 2:22
  Speaker 4: Like Ellen Hargrove. Miss Ellen has a lot of money
• 2:26
  Speaker 4: left to her at her husband's death years ago. She
• 2:29
  Speaker 4: lives in a great Victorian house just outside of town.
• 2:33
  Speaker 4: She has been a helpless invalid ever since she had
• 2:35
  Speaker 4: that terrible heart attack just a year ago. Nobody thought
• 2:39
  Speaker 4: she could live. Yet there she still is in the
• 2:42
  Speaker 4: great carved bed in the second floor bedroom... This morning,
• 2:47
  Speaker 4: there are three people in the bedroom beside Miss Ellen.
• 2:50
  Speaker 4: There's Mrs. Merton, her devoted housekeeper.
• 2:52
  Speaker 6: Dr.
• 2:53
  Speaker 4: Stone, who has come to make another examination. And Wendell Robinson.
• 2:58
  Speaker 4: Wendell has shown the most touching anxiety about Miss Ellen
• 3:01
  Speaker 4: all through her illness. He's her nephew and heir. Deep breaths,
• 3:07
  Speaker 4: Miss Ellen.
• 3:08
  Speaker 7: Make it a good one.
• 3:09
  Speaker 8: Yes, doctor.
• 3:09
  Speaker 5: Another. Another. Well, that's enough of that. Now, let's check
• 3:21
  Speaker 5: that pulse again.
• 3:21
  Speaker 8: But you've already taken my pulse.
• 3:23
  Speaker 5: Any good reason I shouldn't take it again? I like
• 3:26
  Speaker 5: to hold a lovely lady's hand.
• 3:28
  Speaker 3: You.
• 3:28
  Speaker 8: Oh, Dr. Stone. What a thing to say to an
• 3:32
  Speaker 8: old woman like me. Well, I suppose we're never too
• 3:35
  Speaker 8: old to be flattered.
• 3:36
  Speaker 7: Well, Ellen, you are old.
• 3:37
  Speaker 8: That she isn't, Mr. Wendell, and never will be.
• 3:40
  Speaker 4: Miss Ellen's got a heart in her.
• 3:42
  Speaker 8: As fresh and sweet as a child.
• 3:44
  Speaker 5: All right, Mrs. Merton, I'm finished. Let me have my bag.
• 3:46
  Speaker 7: Right here, Doctor.
• 3:48
  Speaker 8: Dr. Stone, am I... Is there any change?
• 3:50
  Speaker 7: Yes, Doctor, how about it?
• 3:52
  Speaker 5: Want the verdict, do you? Ellen Hargrove, you've made a
• 3:55
  Speaker 5: liar out of me. What? I don't... A year ago,
• 3:59
  Speaker 5: I said you couldn't live a month, and here you are,
• 4:01
  Speaker 5: frisky as a lamb in the pastures.
• 4:03
  Speaker 7: You mean she isn't going to... She'll live? Exactly.
• 4:07
  Speaker 5: She'll have to take it easy, of course, avoid excitement, fatigue.
• 4:10
  Speaker 7: But with proper care, she'll live to be 100.
• 4:12
  Speaker 8: Oh, Dr.
• 4:13
  Speaker 4: Stone. Glory be.
• 4:15
  Speaker 9: Didn't I tell you, ma'am? Just you do what the
• 4:17
  Speaker 9: doctor tells you I said, and you'll.
• 4:19
  Speaker 8: Be on your feet again. Oh, Miss Ellen, you're... I'm
• 4:23
  Speaker 8: very sorry. You mustn't be upset. Well, now, don't you cry.
• 4:27
  Speaker 8: It's a very happy day. So it is, my dear.
• 4:29
  Speaker 5: A happy day for all of us, eh, Wendell?
• 4:32
  Speaker 3: Yeah.
• 4:33
  Speaker 7: It's quite a day.
• 4:36
  Speaker 8: Oh, there's Midnight. Come to hear the.
• 4:38
  Speaker 7: Good news, too. I'll get him for you.
• 4:41
  Speaker 8: No, no, don't chase him. He'll hop up on the
• 4:43
  Speaker 8: bed by himself. He spends most of his time here
• 4:46
  Speaker 8: with me.
• 4:46
  Speaker 5: There, you see?
• 4:49
  Speaker 8: Now lie down, boy. It's all right.
• 4:51
  Speaker 5: Come along, Wendell. Time we were off. Good news can
• 4:54
  Speaker 5: be as hard on the nerves as bad. Miss Ellen
• 4:56
  Speaker 5: needs to rest now.
• 4:57
  Speaker 8: But you'll both come back to dine with me tonight.
• 5:00
  Speaker 8: Surely I might have a little celebration.
• 5:02
  Speaker 5: Well, all right. We'll carry you downstairs. If you promise
• 5:07
  Speaker 5: to go to bed right after dinner.
• 5:08
  Speaker 7: Oh, I will.
• 5:09
  Speaker 8: And, Wendell, you won't forget to bring my account.
• 5:12
  Speaker 7: Account?
• 5:13
  Speaker 3: No.
• 5:14
  Speaker 7: No, I won't forget.
• 5:27
  Speaker 8: Hold your horses, can't you? I'm coming.
• 5:30
  Speaker 9: Well, who is it? Open up, Nell.
• 5:32
  Speaker 3: It's me.
• 5:33
  Speaker 8: Wendell.
• 5:34
  Speaker 7: Oh, wait a minute.
• 5:34
  Speaker 3: Okay.
• 5:38
  Speaker 9: You crazy fool, coming in here in the daytime. Suppose
• 5:41
  Speaker 9: somebody spotted you. The old woman catches on we're married,
• 5:44
  Speaker 9: she'll cut you off without.
• 5:45
  Speaker 8: A thin dime.
• 5:45
  Speaker 7: Shut up, will you? She isn't going to die.
• 5:47
  Speaker 8: What?
• 5:48
  Speaker 9: Oh, you're crazy.
• 5:49
  Speaker 8: The doctor.
• 5:49
  Speaker 7: Yeah, he said. Now he says she'll live to be
• 5:51
  Speaker 7: a hundred if she takes care of herself and avoids excitement.
• 5:54
  Speaker 7: And that's not the worst.
• 5:55
  Speaker 9: Nothing could be worse.
• 5:56
  Speaker 7: She wants to check up on her accounts. After a
• 5:59
  Speaker 7: whole year of leaving them in my hands, she's got
• 6:01
  Speaker 7: us to your bank statements tonight. You know what'll happen.
• 6:04
  Speaker 7: She'll find out about those checks I raised. Well, we
• 6:06
  Speaker 7: gotta get out of here.
• 6:07
  Speaker 8: Snap out of it, Wendy.
• 6:08
  Speaker 9: How'll she know it was you raised the checks? Other
• 6:10
  Speaker 9: people have cashed them for her. That housekeeper, even her chauffeur.
• 6:13
  Speaker 7: She'll find out somehow and send me to jail. You
• 6:15
  Speaker 7: don't know her like I do.
• 6:16
  Speaker 9: Listen to me, Wendy. You take her those statements tonight.
• 6:19
  Speaker 7: Get out of your mind.
• 6:20
  Speaker 9: No, she won't be able to prove it was you
• 6:21
  Speaker 9: raised the checks. You are one of those servants she's
• 6:24
  Speaker 9: so crazy about. Not tonight she won't. But no matter
• 6:28
  Speaker 9: who raised him, it ought to be quite a shock
• 6:31
  Speaker 9: to the old girl. Remember what the doc said. Avoid excitement.
• 6:36
  Speaker 7: Just like that. Well, you're a wonder.
• 6:42
  Speaker 9: I don't think she'll be around tomorrow to do any
• 6:45
  Speaker 9: finding out.
• 6:53
  Speaker 4: Here's an angle on making your car last longer that
• 6:56
  Speaker 4: may not have occurred to you. When you choose a
• 6:59
  Speaker 4: doctor for your own health, you're careful to select the
• 7:02
  Speaker 4: most reliable, most conscientious doctor you can find. Well, to
• 7:06
  Speaker 4: keep your car healthy, it's just as important to select
• 7:09
  Speaker 4: a service station operator who's conscientious and experienced at the
• 7:13
  Speaker 4: job he's doing. Which explains why so many drivers these
• 7:17
  Speaker 4: days are switching to independently operated signal gasoline stations. You see,
• 7:22
  Speaker 4: each signal dealer is in business for himself. Servicing cars
• 7:26
  Speaker 4: is his permanent work. Naturally, he wants his business to grow.
• 7:30
  Speaker 4: So he has a personal interest in pleasing you so well,
• 7:34
  Speaker 4: you'll come back again and again and be his steady customer.
• 7:37
  Speaker 4: As a result, you get not just the minimum service
• 7:40
  Speaker 4: you ask for at your signal gasoline dealers, but also
• 7:43
  Speaker 4: those little unasked-for extras that can make such a big
• 7:47
  Speaker 4: difference in the life of your car. With the average
• 7:50
  Speaker 4: car on the road today over seven years old, this conscientious,
• 7:53
  Speaker 4: thorough signal service is more important to you than ever before.
• 7:58
  Speaker 4: More reason than ever why you should make it a
• 8:01
  Speaker 4: point soon to get acquainted with your neighborhood signal gasoline dealer.
• 8:07
  Speaker 7: And now, back to the whistler.
• 8:13
  Speaker 6: Whistling Yes, it's hard to be an heir.
• 8:32
  Speaker 4: Especially when the person you expect to inherit from clings
• 8:36
  Speaker 4: to her pitiful, useless life. It makes you nervous. After
• 8:41
  Speaker 4: a while, you might even step up beside death and
• 8:44
  Speaker 4: guide his groping hand. Kitty, the doctor's going to be there.
• 8:49
  Speaker 4: You won't want him around, will you, Wendell? Still, you
• 8:52
  Speaker 4: can take care of the doctor all right, can't you, Andrew?
• 8:56
  Speaker 4: Or can you?
• 8:58
  Speaker 3: Hello, Aunt Ellen.
• 8:59
  Speaker 7: All right to come in?
• 9:00
  Speaker 8: Certainly, dear boy.
• 9:01
  Speaker 7: Oh, hello, Dr. Stone. Wait me here, did you?
• 9:04
  Speaker 5: Very few minutes.
• 9:05
  Speaker 7: Well, Aunt Ellen, here are your bank statements. The cancel checks, too.
• 9:09
  Speaker 8: Dear me, what a lot of them. Just leave them
• 9:11
  Speaker 8: here on the bed beside... Oh, one moment. Midnight, you'll
• 9:15
  Speaker 8: have to get down. No, I'm sorry. I shall need
• 9:19
  Speaker 8: room for my papers.
• 9:20
  Speaker 3: Down.
• 9:22
  Speaker 8: Now, the papers.
• 9:23
  Speaker 3: Thank you, Wendell.
• 9:24
  Speaker 7: If you'll excuse us, Dr. Stone, we'll just run through
• 9:27
  Speaker 7: this stuff.
• 9:27
  Speaker 8: Mrs.
• 9:28
  Speaker 7: Merton's left a decanter of sherry in the library.
• 9:30
  Speaker 8: Oh, no, Wendell. You and the doctor must have your
• 9:32
  Speaker 8: wine together. I can manage quite well by myself.
• 9:35
  Speaker 7: Well, all right.
• 9:36
  Speaker 5: Come along, Wendell. I don't often get sherry like Miss Ellen.
• 9:39
  Speaker 7: Coming. I'll just shut the door, Aunt Ellen, so no
• 9:42
  Speaker 7: one will disturb you.
• 9:43
  Speaker 8: Oh.
• 9:52
  Speaker 4: So it was easy to get the doctor out of
• 9:54
  Speaker 4: the room after all. Here he is, shut up with
• 9:57
  Speaker 4: you in the library. And upstairs, your aunt is shut
• 10:01
  Speaker 4: in her room alone, where nobody can hear her as
• 10:03
  Speaker 4: she cries out. You're congratulating yourself, aren't you, Wendell? It's
• 10:07
  Speaker 4: working out as smooth as butter.
• 10:11
  Speaker 7: More sherry, doctor?
• 10:12
  Speaker 5: By all means. A second glass can't hurt me.
• 10:14
  Speaker 7: Ah, none of this stuff. Grand wine. Uncle laid it
• 10:18
  Speaker 7: down right before I was born. Are you sure it's
• 10:21
  Speaker 7: all right?
• 10:22
  Speaker 5: What, do I?
• 10:23
  Speaker 7: No, no. Aunt Ellen. Letting her work over those statements.
• 10:28
  Speaker 5: Why wouldn't it be all right?
• 10:29
  Speaker 7: You don't think it might excite her too much? Bring
• 10:32
  Speaker 7: on another attack.
• 10:33
  Speaker 5: Your concern is admirable, my boy, but there's very little
• 10:37
  Speaker 5: excitement in Bank's statements.
• 10:38
  Speaker 7: I didn't mean excitement. Tired, that's the word she might overdo.
• 10:44
  Speaker 5: Nonsense. Miss Ellen will be all the better for knowing
• 10:47
  Speaker 5: exactly where she stands. And by the way, she was
• 10:50
  Speaker 5: just telling me how proud she is of you, of
• 10:52
  Speaker 5: the way you've changed, taken things over, and dropped that
• 10:55
  Speaker 5: young woman. I'm sure it helped her condition a lot.
• 10:59
  Speaker 3: Excuse me, Mr.
• 11:00
  Speaker 5: Wendell.
• 11:01
  Speaker 9: Miss Ellen would like to speak to you in her room.
• 11:04
  Speaker 7: Aunt Ellen? How did you know?
• 11:06
  Speaker 3: She told me herself just a moment ago.
• 11:08
  Speaker 8: Good.
• 11:09
  Speaker 7: Excuse me, Doctor. Surely. You needn't come up, Mrs.
• 11:12
  Speaker 5: Martin.
• 11:12
  Speaker 9: Oh, it's no bother to me. I was going up
• 11:14
  Speaker 9: anyway to tidy Miss Ellen for the evening.
• 11:16
  Speaker 7: Stay here, do you understand? My aunt's set for me.
• 11:18
  Speaker 8: Well, I.
• 11:19
  Speaker 7: I mean, there'll be plenty of time to get her
• 11:22
  Speaker 7: ready after I come down.
• 11:23
  Speaker 9: Very well, sir.
• 11:24
  Speaker 8: I'll wait in the hall.
• 11:36
  Speaker 4: Careful there, Wendell. An heir shouldn't make mistakes. Not when
• 11:40
  Speaker 4: he's helping his beloved aunt out of the world. The
• 11:44
  Speaker 4: doctor and Mrs. Merton looked at you very strangely just then.
• 11:48
  Speaker 4: Better not trust those nerves of yours too far. Better
• 11:51
  Speaker 4: make sure the old woman dies now.
• 11:53
  Speaker 5: You want to.
• 11:56
  Speaker 7: See me, Aunt Ellen?
• 11:57
  Speaker 3: Oh, well, no.
• 11:57
  Speaker 4: Come here, please.
• 11:59
  Speaker 8: I've made a disturbing discovery.
• 12:00
  Speaker 3: Most disturbing.
• 12:02
  Speaker 7: Why, what's the matter?
• 12:03
  Speaker 8: It doesn't seem possible. But I believe the bank must
• 12:06
  Speaker 8: have made a mistake.
• 12:07
  Speaker 7: A mistake? The bank? Oh, come now, Miss Ellen.
• 12:12
  Speaker 8: I know it seems strange, but there can't be any
• 12:14
  Speaker 8: other explanation.
• 12:15
  Speaker 7: There's got to be. Banks don't make mistakes.
• 12:19
  Speaker 8: Their statements are wrong.
• 12:21
  Speaker 7: You mean they don't agree with the checks you drew? Oh,
• 12:24
  Speaker 7: but they do, Aunt Ellen. Remember, I've gone over these myself.
• 12:27
  Speaker 8: No, no, it's the checks themselves. Look at this one.
• 12:30
  Speaker 8: It's drawn to cash for $ 1, 000. What's so funny about that?
• 12:34
  Speaker 7: It costs money to run this house.
• 12:36
  Speaker 10: Oh, but everything is paid for by check. The household expenses, salaries,
• 12:40
  Speaker 10: any large bills. I never write checks to cash, except
• 12:43
  Speaker 10: for a little ready money in case of emergency. And
• 12:46
  Speaker 10: never for more than $ 100.
• 12:47
  Speaker 7: $ 100? You sure about that?
• 12:50
  Speaker 8: Certainly I am. But this is one for $ 1, 000.
• 12:52
  Speaker 7: And there are others.
• 12:54
  Speaker 4: I see.
• 12:55
  Speaker 8: Wendell, dear, what is it?
• 12:57
  Speaker 7: Look here, Aunt Ellen, you haven't been able to go
• 12:58
  Speaker 7: to the bank yourself lately. Who's cashed your checks for you?
• 13:02
  Speaker 8: Why, you most of the time.
• 13:04
  Speaker 6: But Mrs.
• 13:04
  Speaker 8: Merton and Roberts have also gone to the bank for me.
• 13:06
  Speaker 7: Nobody else?
• 13:07
  Speaker 8: No, dear, I'm certain.
• 13:08
  Speaker 7: Look at this check. Is that your signature?
• 13:11
  Speaker 8: Oh, yes, Wendell, of course it is.
• 13:13
  Speaker 7: Then there's no question about it.
• 13:14
  Speaker 8: About.
• 13:15
  Speaker 7: Somebody's been raising your checks, Aunt Ellen. Somebody's changed the
• 13:19
  Speaker 7: amounts from a hundred to a thousand.
• 13:21
  Speaker 8: Oh, that's impossible. No one has cashed checks for me
• 13:23
  Speaker 8: except you and Mrs. Merton and Rob... Wendell.
• 13:26
  Speaker 7: Yeah. Roberts and Merton and me. Take your choice. Oh, no, no.
• 13:32
  Speaker 8: Mrs. Merton, she's been with me for nearly 30 years.
• 13:35
  Speaker 8: Robert was our stable boy, and you.
• 13:36
  Speaker 7: Don't try to wiggle out of it. When you got sick,
• 13:39
  Speaker 7: one of us saw a swell chance. One of us
• 13:42
  Speaker 7: did a sweet job of robbing you. Had 900 bucks
• 13:45
  Speaker 7: a throw.
• 13:45
  Speaker 8: Oh, please.
• 13:46
  Speaker 7: When you're old, so few people left.
• 13:48
  Speaker 8: Everyone else gone. Husbands, family, friends.
• 13:51
  Speaker 7: Only you three. And one of us is a thief.
• 13:55
  Speaker 7: It's true. You know it.
• 13:56
  Speaker 8: I can't... I can't believe... Oh.
• 14:00
  Speaker 7: What is it, Aunt Ellen?
• 14:01
  Speaker 8: Please.
• 14:02
  Speaker 2: Please.
• 14:03
  Speaker 8: Wendell, help me.
• 14:05
  Speaker 3: Yeah.
• 14:07
  Speaker 4: Yeah, I'll help you.
• 14:09
  Speaker 8: Please, the doctor.
• 14:11
  Speaker 4: Yeah.
• 14:13
  Speaker 7: The doctor.
• 14:14
  Speaker 10: Hurry. Hurry.
• 14:18
  Speaker 7: Ed Ellen. Ed Ellen.
• 14:22
  Speaker 3: It worked.
• 14:24
  Speaker 4: It worked. Oh, yes, it worked all right. A sick
• 14:36
  Speaker 4: old woman's heart won't stand much. And the doctor told
• 14:40
  Speaker 4: you once she collapses, she must have immediate attention or
• 14:43
  Speaker 4: she will die. You're going to slip out of this
• 14:46
  Speaker 4: room softly. You're going to close the door behind you
• 14:50
  Speaker 4: without a sound. You're going to keep Mrs. Merton talking downstairs.
• 14:55
  Speaker 4: And when at last she comes up, she'll find your
• 14:57
  Speaker 4: aunt dead of a sudden heart attack. Safe, Wendell.
• 15:01
  Speaker 10: Safe?
• 15:03
  Speaker 4: Why are you backing away? Can't you turn your head
• 15:06
  Speaker 4: away from that still body on the bed? There's something
• 15:09
  Speaker 4: behind you, Wendell. A black, furry shadow on the floor.
• 15:12
  Speaker 4: It's midnight, Wendell.
• 15:14
  Speaker 5: Sound asleep.
• 15:16
  Speaker 4: And you're stepping so very softly. Careful! Look out!
• 15:21
  Speaker 8: Ah!
• 15:24
  Speaker 7: What? I can't.
• 15:26
  Speaker 8: Shut up.
• 15:26
  Speaker 3: Shut up, Blastie.
• 15:27
  Speaker 7: I didn't mean to hurt you.
• 15:28
  Speaker 3: Can't you keep quiet?
• 15:30
  Speaker 9: Whatever's the matter with Midnight?
• 15:34
  Speaker 8: Mrs.
• 15:34
  Speaker 7: Merton, she's coming up here. She'll see. Shut the door.
• 15:38
  Speaker 7: Keep her out. No, that won't do.
• 15:40
  Speaker 8: Mr.
• 15:40
  Speaker 9: Wendell, did something happen to Midnight?
• 15:42
  Speaker 7: Call to her. The only way. Come up here. Quick, Mrs.
• 15:46
  Speaker 3: Merton.
• 15:47
  Speaker 9: He's screaming as though the bandies were after him.
• 15:49
  Speaker 3: Where's he got to, Mr.
• 15:50
  Speaker 8: Wendell?
• 15:50
  Speaker 3: Where's Midnight?
• 15:52
  Speaker 4: Miss Ellen.
• 15:52
  Speaker 7: We were just talking and all of a sudden she
• 15:54
  Speaker 7: fell over.
• 15:55
  Speaker 8: Miss Ellen, dear.
• 15:57
  Speaker 5: Doctor.
• 15:57
  Speaker 4: Doctor Stone.
• 15:58
  Speaker 3: Yes, Mrs.
• 15:59
  Speaker 2: Merton.
• 16:00
  Speaker 10: Early doctor, it's Miss Ellen.
• 16:02
  Speaker 7: I tell you, she just fell over. I was running
• 16:04
  Speaker 7: for help. I didn't see the cat. I told the doctor.
• 16:07
  Speaker 7: I warned him too much for her.
• 16:08
  Speaker 9: Oh, early doctor.
• 16:09
  Speaker 5: All right, Mrs.
• 16:10
  Speaker 3: Merton.
• 16:10
  Speaker 5: Get out of my way.
• 16:11
  Speaker 7: You shouldn't have let her go over all this stuff.
• 16:13
  Speaker 7: We were just talking quietly and she fell over. Quiet, please.
• 16:16
  Speaker 9: Doctor, is she.
• 16:18
  Speaker 5: No, she's not.
• 16:18
  Speaker 7: We heard that a devil is my... But I saw
• 16:21
  Speaker 7: her die.
• 16:21
  Speaker 5: She didn't die and she won't if I can help it.
• 16:23
  Speaker 5: Get along, Wendell. I've got work to do.
• 16:25
  Speaker 7: Well, I'll go.
• 16:28
  Speaker 6: Too bad, Wendell.
• 16:40
  Speaker 4: Everything ruined because you stepped on a cat's tail. Such
• 16:44
  Speaker 4: a little accident to spoil a perfect murder. The doctor
• 16:48
  Speaker 4: told you to get out, didn't he? Well, you're going
• 16:52
  Speaker 4: out of the room, out of the house, like a
• 16:53
  Speaker 4: scared child.
• 16:54
  Speaker 8: Making for home. And Lil.
• 16:57
  Speaker 4: Poor Lil. She expected a lot from you, Wendell. Money
• 17:01
  Speaker 4: and security for the rest of her life. But she
• 17:04
  Speaker 4: knows the moment she sees your face.
• 17:06
  Speaker 7: I could just chip the doctor out a few minutes longer.
• 17:10
  Speaker 7: It was going swell, Lil. She was dying. I know it.
• 17:13
  Speaker 9: Oh, cut it out. What's the use of crying? The
• 17:16
  Speaker 9: doctor got there too soon, and that's all there is
• 17:18
  Speaker 9: to it.
• 17:19
  Speaker 7: No, it isn't all. She knows now that somebody's been
• 17:21
  Speaker 7: after her money. She'll track us down. What do we do, Lil?
• 17:25
  Speaker 8: You name it.
• 17:26
  Speaker 7: Listen, we can't get away. We've got hours.
• 17:30
  Speaker 8: All night.
• 17:30
  Speaker 7: Maybe longer. The doctor won't let Aunt Ellen talk, sick
• 17:33
  Speaker 7: as she is. The police will never catch up with us.
• 17:36
  Speaker 9: Don't kid yourself.
• 17:37
  Speaker 8: They always catch up.
• 17:38
  Speaker 7: Well, we just can't sit here. Once she wakes up tomorrow,
• 17:41
  Speaker 7: we're through.
• 17:42
  Speaker 9: If she wakes up tomorrow.
• 17:43
  Speaker 7: If she... Lil.
• 17:45
  Speaker 9: What's the matter with that? She's had a shock, hasn't she?
• 17:49
  Speaker 9: She might die in spite of everything the doctor can do.
• 17:52
  Speaker 9: She might die in.
• 17:53
  Speaker 8: Her sleep, perfectly naturally.
• 17:56
  Speaker 7: And if she doesn't? Yes.
• 17:59
  Speaker 8: If she doesn't?
• 18:01
  Speaker 7: It'd be her own fault. She ought to have died
• 18:03
  Speaker 7: a year ago.
• 18:04
  Speaker 9: That's my Wendy.
• 18:08
  Speaker 7: There can't be any tomorrow.
• 18:12
  Speaker 8: All right, little. Good guy. Can you get him a house?
• 18:14
  Speaker 7: Easy. She keeps her window open for the cat. There's
• 18:17
  Speaker 7: a big oak tree outside. I can let myself down
• 18:19
  Speaker 7: from a limb to the balcony. Wait a second.
• 18:21
  Speaker 9: Won't there be a nurse with her?
• 18:23
  Speaker 7: Not a chance. Aunt Ellen can't stand having a nurse
• 18:25
  Speaker 7: in the house. It doesn't make her nervous. Mrs. Merton
• 18:28
  Speaker 7: takes care of her.
• 18:29
  Speaker 9: The housekeeper?
• 18:30
  Speaker 8: Will she be in the room?
• 18:31
  Speaker 7: Why should she be? Her own room's right across the hall.
• 18:34
  Speaker 7: The doors are kept open.
• 18:35
  Speaker 5: Doors open, huh?
• 18:36
  Speaker 9: You'll have to be awful quiet.
• 18:38
  Speaker 7: I'm not taking a brass band.
• 18:40
  Speaker 4: I thought.
• 18:41
  Speaker 7: A knife?
• 18:42
  Speaker 4: A knife?
• 18:43
  Speaker 8: Use your head. Dark as pitch already.
• 18:46
  Speaker 9: No moon and an overcast sky. You weren't thinking of
• 18:50
  Speaker 9: putting on the light.
• 18:51
  Speaker 7: No, no, I... The gun?
• 18:53
  Speaker 9: And wake up the whole house. What you need is
• 18:56
  Speaker 9: a sock.
• 18:57
  Speaker 7: A sock?
• 18:58
  Speaker 8: Yeah, a good strong one.
• 18:59
  Speaker 9: Like those wool things your aunt knits for you.
• 19:01
  Speaker 8: Sure, one of them will do it.
• 19:02
  Speaker 9: Fill it with pebbles and tie it tight. Even dark
• 19:05
  Speaker 9: as it is, you ought to be able to make
• 19:07
  Speaker 9: out her head on the pillow.
• 19:09
  Speaker 10: Just one soft thump.
• 19:11
  Speaker 7: Yeah, one ought to do it. She'll die easy. Listen, though.
• 19:17
  Speaker 7: Suppose somebody sees me.
• 19:18
  Speaker 9: Late at night in a hick town. Folks around here
• 19:21
  Speaker 9: go to bed with the chickens. Besides, you'll have an alibi.
• 19:24
  Speaker 8: Alibi?
• 19:24
  Speaker 2: Yeah.
• 19:25
  Speaker 9: We're going to leave my place now.
• 19:27
  Speaker 8: And go to your room.
• 19:28
  Speaker 9: We're going to make good.
• 19:29
  Speaker 8: And sure somebody sees us.
• 19:31
  Speaker 9: Later on, you'll slip out.
• 19:32
  Speaker 8: But I stay, see?
• 19:33
  Speaker 9: And when they come to tell you about your aunt,
• 19:35
  Speaker 9: I can swear you haven't left the place. And nobody
• 19:38
  Speaker 9: will be able to prove a thing.
• 19:48
  Speaker 4: That's right, isn't it, Wendell? Nobody will be able to
• 19:50
  Speaker 4: prove a thing. So you walk brazenly down the street
• 19:54
  Speaker 4: with Lil. And just outside your apartment, you run into
• 19:58
  Speaker 4: an incredible piece of luck. Things are breaking just right.
• 20:01
  Speaker 4: For there you meet Mr. Leary, the town constable.
• 20:06
  Speaker 8: Oh, evening, Mr.
• 20:06
  Speaker 4: Leary.
• 20:07
  Speaker 10: Huh?
• 20:08
  Speaker 3: Who's that? Oh, it's you, Lil Edwards.
• 20:12
  Speaker 8: Mr.
• 20:12
  Speaker 3: Robinson.
• 20:13
  Speaker 7: Yep, that's me, all right. Now, come on, Lil. Here's
• 20:16
  Speaker 7: where I live.
• 20:16
  Speaker 3: Is she going to see you this time of night?
• 20:19
  Speaker 9: Listen to him. What's it to you, Constable?
• 20:21
  Speaker 2: Yeah.
• 20:22
  Speaker 7: Anything wrong with asking a friend in for a drink?
• 20:25
  Speaker 3: Well, it's your own business. But the old lady out
• 20:28
  Speaker 3: at the big house ain't good like you're taking up
• 20:30
  Speaker 3: with Lil again.
• 20:31
  Speaker 7: Like you said, it's my business. Come on, Lil.
• 20:35
  Speaker 8: Get the door open fast.
• 20:36
  Speaker 3: Yeah. Ah, swell.
• 20:42
  Speaker 9: He saw us come in.
• 20:44
  Speaker 7: Oh, as soon as he's out of the way....
• 20:52
  Speaker 4: Perfect, Wendell. Everything's perfect. When he's gone, you slip out
• 20:57
  Speaker 4: and go. The big house is quiet. The windows are dark.
• 21:01
  Speaker 4: You slip off your shoes, swing yourself up into the
• 21:03
  Speaker 4: oak tree, edge along the big limb over the balcony.
• 21:06
  Speaker 4: Let yourself down now, easy, without a sound, beside your
• 21:09
  Speaker 4: aunt's open window. Step over the sill. It's darker than
• 21:15
  Speaker 4: ever in here, isn't it, Wendell? Pause for a moment,
• 21:19
  Speaker 4: staring toward the bed, until your eyes make out a
• 21:22
  Speaker 4: blur on the pillow. Three light steps in your stocking
• 21:26
  Speaker 4: feet as you tug something out of your pocket.
• 21:28
  Speaker 8: Now.
• 21:33
  Speaker 7: It's all over.
• 21:35
  Speaker 4: And no one has heard you. There isn't a sound.
• 21:41
  Speaker 4: No sound? What's that? An automobile turning into your late
• 21:47
  Speaker 4: aunt's drive at this time of night? Run, Wendell, run
• 21:50
  Speaker 4: for your life. Grab the balcony rail and swing yourself down.
• 21:54
  Speaker 4: But you keep your head, don't you? You remember your
• 21:57
  Speaker 4: shoes at the foot of the oak tree. Grab one
• 21:59
  Speaker 4: in each hand and make off across the lawn. You're away.
• 22:10
  Speaker 4: Back at your place, you tell Lil what happened, and
• 22:12
  Speaker 4: the two of you prepare for what's sure to come.
• 22:15
  Speaker 4: You've got to make it look as if you haven't
• 22:17
  Speaker 4: been out. So put on slippers, get that cold chicken
• 22:20
  Speaker 4: from the icebox, bring in the carving knife, carve off
• 22:23
  Speaker 4: a slice. Settle down with a sandwich, relaxed, comfortable. You
• 22:29
  Speaker 4: and Lil, just two people spending a quiet evening together.
• 22:34
  Speaker 4: And soon they are outside.
• 22:38
  Speaker 3: Lil.
• 22:38
  Speaker 8: Lil.
• 22:39
  Speaker 7: Here.
• 22:39
  Speaker 9: Here, take a knife. Carve me a piece of chicken, quick.
• 22:42
  Speaker 7: What do you got?
• 22:43
  Speaker 9: Do as I say and stuff something in your own mouth.
• 22:46
  Speaker 9: Take it easy out there.
• 22:50
  Speaker 7: Well, look who's here.
• 22:52
  Speaker 5: Come right in, gentlemen.
• 22:56
  Speaker 7: You got company, Wendy. Dr.
• 22:58
  Speaker 9: Stone and the chief of police.
• 23:01
  Speaker 7: Dr. Stone, what are you doing here?
• 23:04
  Speaker 3: Aren't you surprised to see me here, too?
• 23:06
  Speaker 8: What?
• 23:07
  Speaker 7: Well, sure I am, Chief. I didn't... Wendell's worried.
• 23:10
  Speaker 8: About his aunt.
• 23:11
  Speaker 9: Maybe he thought she was worse, Dr. Stone, coming here.
• 23:14
  Speaker 7: That's it. She's all right, isn't she?
• 23:16
  Speaker 5: I'm afraid not.
• 23:19
  Speaker 7: What does that mean?
• 23:20
  Speaker 3: Might as well tell him straight out, Doc. Awful thing
• 23:22
  Speaker 3: happened out the big house tonight. Somebody broke into your
• 23:25
  Speaker 3: aunt's room.
• 23:26
  Speaker 7: Broke in? You mean a prowler?
• 23:28
  Speaker 3: Might be. Nothing was taken. But maybe Doc's car scared
• 23:33
  Speaker 3: him away before he could look. Or maybe he came
• 23:37
  Speaker 3: on purpose to murder her.
• 23:39
  Speaker 7: Murder? Is Aunt Ellen dead?
• 23:43
  Speaker 5: I'm sorry, Wendell.
• 23:45
  Speaker 8: Oh, that's terrible.
• 23:47
  Speaker 7: Oh, poor Wendell. I don't understand. Who would want to
• 23:52
  Speaker 7: kill Aunt Ellen?
• 23:53
  Speaker 3: That's what I wondered. Figure on finding out, too.
• 23:56
  Speaker 7: We'll get him, all right. And when we do.
• 23:58
  Speaker 3: Not you, Mr. Robinson. Me. Don't reckon I'll have much trouble.
• 24:03
  Speaker 3: The fella left the murder weapon behind him. What?
• 24:05
  Speaker 9: Wendell.
• 24:05
  Speaker 8: Yep.
• 24:07
  Speaker 3: Must be a shock when a car drives right up
• 24:09
  Speaker 3: while you're doing murder. Fella needed both hands to swing
• 24:12
  Speaker 3: down off that balcony. Maybe he never knew he dropped it.
• 24:16
  Speaker 3: Ever seen anything like this before?
• 24:19
  Speaker 9: Just a sock, an ordinary sock.
• 24:21
  Speaker 3: Uh-uh. Not ordinary. This one's hand-knit. Know anybody that knits
• 24:27
  Speaker 3: socks around here, Doc?
• 24:29
  Speaker 5: Yes. Miss Ellen.
• 24:30
  Speaker 3: That's so. Who'd she knit them for?
• 24:33
  Speaker 5: For Wendell.
• 24:34
  Speaker 7: What are you up to? You can't frame me for this.
• 24:37
  Speaker 7: I never saw that sock before.
• 24:38
  Speaker 3: You sure about that? Mighty fine wool in this sock. Expensive.
• 24:43
  Speaker 3: Don't know if there's anybody in town, but Miss Ellen
• 24:45
  Speaker 3: could afford it.
• 24:46
  Speaker 6: Mrs.
• 24:46
  Speaker 3: Merton says she ordered it special from New York.
• 24:49
  Speaker 7: Merton's a lying old troublemaker. I tell you, I never
• 24:51
  Speaker 7: saw it before.
• 24:52
  Speaker 8: Of course not.
• 24:52
  Speaker 9: As far as we know, it's just an ordinary.
• 24:55
  Speaker 8: Sock filled with pebbles.
• 24:56
  Speaker 3: Well, now, ain't that interesting. You never saw it before.
• 25:00
  Speaker 3: Then how did you know it was filled with pebbles?
• 25:03
  Speaker 8: I didn't, I.
• 25:04
  Speaker 3: Said so, four witnesses.
• 25:06
  Speaker 9: They're always filled with pebbles.
• 25:07
  Speaker 3: Or dirt or sand. You'd have to feel to know which,
• 25:11
  Speaker 3: unless you mixed it up yourself.
• 25:13
  Speaker 9: I don't know anything about this. You haven't got a
• 25:15
  Speaker 9: thing on me.
• 25:16
  Speaker 3: Only your own confession that you knew what was in
• 25:18
  Speaker 3: this sock.
• 25:19
  Speaker 9: I don't know a thing about this, I tell you.
• 25:21
  Speaker 9: I'm getting out of here.
• 25:22
  Speaker 3: Yeah, we'll all get out, down to the station. I
• 25:26
  Speaker 3: came to arrest Wendell... You'll go along as an accomplice.
• 25:29
  Speaker 8: Accomplice?
• 25:30
  Speaker 3: You know what an accomplice gets? Same thing as the murder.
• 25:33
  Speaker 3: Death in the gas chamber.
• 25:35
  Speaker 10: No.
• 25:35
  Speaker 9: No, I didn't have anything to do with it.
• 25:37
  Speaker 8: It was Wendell.
• 25:38
  Speaker 9: He'd been stealing from her. She was going to find out.
• 25:40
  Speaker 7: Keep your mouth shut.
• 25:41
  Speaker 9: You aren't going to drag me down with you, Wendell Robinson.
• 25:44
  Speaker 9: It was your idea, all of it.
• 25:46
  Speaker 4: I begged you. Why you?
• 25:47
  Speaker 9: He threatened me. He said he'd kill me if I
• 25:48
  Speaker 9: told him.
• 25:49
  Speaker 8: He said he'd kill me.
• 25:50
  Speaker 7: Kill you?
• 25:50
  Speaker 5: Look out, he's got a knife.
• 25:51
  Speaker 3: Robinson, put down that carving knife. No.
• 25:53
  Speaker 6: No, Wendell.
• 25:53
  Speaker 8: No. No.
• 26:04
  Speaker 4: The Whistler will return in just a moment with the
• 26:06
  Speaker 4: strange ending of tonight's story. Meantime, here's some hot weather
• 26:11
  Speaker 4: motor mathematics for you drivers to think about. Take the
• 26:14
  Speaker 4: temperature of the day. Add 2,800 degrees, the temperature inside
• 26:19
  Speaker 4: the average cylinder head. That adds up to a lot
• 26:22
  Speaker 4: of heat. A mighty good reason why car cooling systems
• 26:25
  Speaker 4: should be in tip-top shape to protect motors through summer driving.
• 26:29
  Speaker 8: How's yours?
• 26:30
  Speaker 4: If it hasn't been inspected recently... Your signal gasoline dealer
• 26:34
  Speaker 4: will be glad to do it for you. Perhaps your
• 26:37
  Speaker 4: radiator is choked with sludge and rust. Your signal dealer
• 26:40
  Speaker 4: has a special rust and sludge dissolving compound that will
• 26:44
  Speaker 4: not only restore cooling efficiency, but can't harm the metal.
• 26:48
  Speaker 4: Another thing, he has a radiator sealer to stop small
• 26:52
  Speaker 4: leaks and a rust preventive to protect radiator and motor
• 26:56
  Speaker 4: from further corrosion.
• 26:58
  Speaker 7: If you need a new water.
• 26:59
  Speaker 4: Hose or fan belt, your signal dealer has the finest
• 27:03
  Speaker 4: heavy-duty quality, and he will install them while you wait.
• 27:06
  Speaker 4: You see, your signal dealer is much more than a
• 27:09
  Speaker 4: place to buy Signal's famous go-farther gasoline and fine lubricants.
• 27:14
  Speaker 4: Wherever you see Signal's yellow and black circle sign, there
• 27:18
  Speaker 4: you will also find complete conscientious signal service to help
• 27:22
  Speaker 4: your car run better, look better.
• 27:25
  Speaker 3: And last longer.
• 27:28
  Speaker 4: Now, back to the whistler. So it was Lil who
• 27:44
  Speaker 4: broke down after all. And Wendell killed her for it,
• 27:47
  Speaker 4: stabbed her with a carving knife. An upsetting business, murder.
• 27:52
  Speaker 4: You shouldn't try it without good, strong nerves. When you
• 27:56
  Speaker 4: lose your nerve, you're sure to make mistakes, like Lil
• 28:01
  Speaker 4: and Wendell.
• 28:02
  Speaker 5: You shouldn't have done that, Wendell.
• 28:03
  Speaker 7: Why not? They won't kill me any better for two
• 28:06
  Speaker 7: murders than for one.
• 28:07
  Speaker 5: Two murders?
• 28:09
  Speaker 7: I had to lend some Lils.
• 28:10
  Speaker 5: Your aunt's all right.
• 28:12
  Speaker 3: What?
• 28:13
  Speaker 7: You told me that.
• 28:14
  Speaker 5: I said I was sorry.
• 28:15
  Speaker 3: I am.
• 28:16
  Speaker 5: Because someday your aunt will have to learn about you.
• 28:19
  Speaker 5: Miss Ellen is sound asleep in the hospital where I
• 28:22
  Speaker 5: took her as soon as the sedative took effect. She
• 28:24
  Speaker 5: dislikes trained nurses in her house, and I want her
• 28:27
  Speaker 5: to have absolute quiet. I was bringing Mrs. Merton home
• 28:31
  Speaker 5: when you ran away.
• 28:32
  Speaker 7: But there was someone on the bed, on the pillow.
• 28:33
  Speaker 6: I saw it.
• 28:34
  Speaker 3: Oh, yes.
• 28:35
  Speaker 5: There was something there. Possibly the SPCA could have you fined,
• 28:39
  Speaker 5: but I doubt that a jury would sentence you to
• 28:41
  Speaker 5: death for the murder of your Aunt Ellen's cat.
• 29:14
  Speaker 4: Next Monday at 9 o'clock, the Whistler will bring you
• 29:16
  Speaker 4: another strange tale. The Whistler is broadcast for your entertainment
• 29:21
  Speaker 4: by the marketers of Signal Gasoline and Motor Oil and
• 29:25
  Speaker 4: fine quality automotive accessories. And by your neighborhood Signal dealer.
• 29:30
  Speaker 4: This program directed by George W. Allen with tonight's story
• 29:34
  Speaker 4: by Sally Thorson, music by Wilbur Hatch, is transmitted to
• 29:38
  Speaker 4: our troops overseas by the Armed Forces Radio Service. This
• 29:42
  Speaker 4: is Marvin Miller speaking and suggesting that you let every
• 29:45
  Speaker 4: traffic signal remind you that you do go farther with
• 29:50
  Speaker 4: Signal Gasoline.
• 29:52
  Speaker 7: Yes, you do go farther with Signal Gasoline.
• 29:59
  Speaker 2: This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.
• 30:20
  Speaker 1: That concludes The Whistler, The Man Who Came to Murder.
• 30:23
  Speaker 1: Good night, and thank you for joining us.