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Pursuit: Pursuit and the Knife Boys (EP1305) · Great Detectives of Old Time Radio Volume 2|Mystery Audio Dramas

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Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This
0:34
is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, send it
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to me Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net, follow us on Twitter at
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Radio Detectives, and become one of our friends on Facebook, Facebook dot com
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slash Radio Detectives. Before we do get started, I want to encourage you
0:55
to pick up your copy of Slim Incorporated. It's my first mystery novel and
1:00
it is out and it's available as a paperback and also in a variety of
1:06
ebook formats. Joni mailed in to say she purchased it in the Eye Bookstore.
1:12
It's also available in the Nookstore, and if you have one of the
1:17
ebook subscription services like Oyster or Scribd, you can download it as well to
1:25
read. So to encourage you to pick up your copy today, really try
1:29
to make it a blending of traditional detective stories with a good twenty first century
1:34
flair. The title is Slime Incorporated. All right, Well, let's go
1:38
ahead and get into today's episode of Pursuit. And we had one lost episode,
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so today's episode. Original air date was August fourteenth, nineteen fifty one,
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and the title is Pursuit of the Knife Boys. I'm now pursue pursue
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a criminal strikes and pains quickly back into the shadows of his own dark world.
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And then the man from Scotland Yard, the famous Inspector Peter Black,
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and the dangerous relentless Pursuit When Man Hunts Man. Now with Ben Right starred
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as the famous Inspector Peter Black of Scotland Yard, we bring you to night's
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story, Pursuit of the Knife Boys. I'm going to ask you to pick
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the boys out of the group standing over there, mister Westbourne boys. Animals,
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animals, one face. Just let me recognize one of them and we'll
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take care of it, sir. Don't worry about that. All we want
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from you is positive identification and we'll wait here. They're all here, sir,
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all right, thanks Marvin. Ask them to form a line, William
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try to all right, Len I guess praised line off to Inspector. I
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think we're not yet, sir, If you don't mind, we'll wait until
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they're ready. A little more room on the end, Wie woman, all
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of your list not shopping or correct her them up now, if you'll come
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with me, mister Westbourne, you'll start at this end if you can recognize
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one of them, sa, you just say the word I share. I'll
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say the word. Just you'll wait, I'll see it. M h no,
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I thought for a moment. No, that's one of them. Forward.
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I'll take my house each one day, I understand, sir. Now,
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then if you can pick out the others, hey, I'm not sure.
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I think. Let me see his aim and they look at that right,
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but I'm not certainly. It was almost dark, you know. Was
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there anything in particular about his hands? They were big, and very big
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for a boy at that age. I can remember him as they pushed girt
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off the pavement of big, ugly aims. I'm not sure about this one.
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There maybe the light, Yeah, I think so. I'm almost sure
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he's one of them. Step forward, please, yeah, he's one right
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down, that one, the tall thing. One step forward? Not so
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brave. Now are you having a knife with you? Let me see what
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you can do when you're not fighting a woman. Let me go. I
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want to smash it, little gwen. I want to smash his face.
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Do please would be the room with him? Give me a fight minute?
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Please, let me go. Try to control yourself, sir, control Were
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you there? Did you see what they did to my gut? Were you
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there? It was a day in August, humid, cloudy, and with
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a promise of rain. Before evening we were in an open court at the
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yard where men were put up their identification. Mister Lawrence Westbourne and his wife
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Gertrude had been attacked a week previously by four youths armed with knives. The
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man had been badly slashed and beaten his wife well. According to the hospital
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authorities, her physical condition was satisfactory, nothing more. It had taken place
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in Shadwell, the couple on their way home from shopping, a darkened side
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street and alley, and then blind wicked assault and robbery. They made off
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with two pounds ten and four percent a gold watch. I took mister Westbourne
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upstairs to my office and gave him a glass of whiskey. He sat in
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the leather chair, still visibly shaking with frustrated anger. Y' know, you
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don't know what it's been like these past days. Thank you, Kim.
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Good seeing you at the hospital. Then I see you picked out two of
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the others, sir, and I what about them? Didn't you feel the
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same way. I didn't know, but that same one smiling, knowing what
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he sa I must explain something to you, said. When we put a
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man up, or as in this case, men, for identification, we
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have to be certain that the witness is very sure. Own memory is an
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odd thing, and sometimes it's rather think I'll ever forget the faces of those
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tables? Do you other think you've all forgotten the faces of two of them?
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Mister Westbourne? Well, let us say mistaken the identity of two?
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What do you mean now? The first boy you picked, the grossest boy
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in Hammersmith. We brought him down here. The second with the large hands
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one of our own messengers. Promise, Suton. Now I can assure you
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that neither was in any way involved in your case. But the third,
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I don't care what you say about him. It could be your son,
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and I tell you was there. Yes, there's little doubt of that,
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sir. We're holding him for questioning and further identification, further identification. Why
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what more do you want? Your wife? Sir? No, I won't
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lie, she said enough I would a lie in a case of this sort,
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Sir, we have no choice. I won't. That's all there is
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to it. Look here, mister Westbourne. We know that this gang has
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been working the streets and parks of five or six months. This is the
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first chance that we've had to make a positive identification. You and missus Westbourn
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and are the first victims by a long shot, and unless we can get
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your cooperation, you won't be the last. I've identified one of them.
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Make an example of a whip him, send him to prison. We can
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send him to prison, but that's not enough, sir. We want the
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three who are with him too. He wants split on them. They never
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do unless unless what we can frighten him enough with the penalty involved. I
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can't. She's hurt and sick. Couldn't mean caught newspapers. No, I
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can't. It's not fair to her. Will you at least think about it,
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mister Westbourne, talk to your wife. I understand your feeling better.
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Remember you can very possibly prevent this sort of thing from happening again to someone
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else, someone else's wife. There are other gangs, and there'll be more
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unless well met up to you and missus Westbourne. Right, I don't know.
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I don't know. The man whose face still bore the marks at knife
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and pissed left my office. At that time I had a little hope that
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he would allow us to bring the suspect before his wife for identification. A
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few minutes later, mugh It came in. He'd brought up the boy who
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remained outside under guard. Tough natzer. I don't need to get much out
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of him. How much his name, Henry Brouwell probably won Best of Green
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Road. Have they got him in criminal records? Family? Mother, father's
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a salesman at the moment, did he admit anything? Note that he was
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playing pool at the time, said you can prove it, We'll give him
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a chance to gentlemen, I mean you are Henry Bruel. Yeah, so
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what American film, sir ah? But if you've got to say about this
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nuts, Really you realize that the present charge is armed robbery and that if
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the man's wife makes identification, you'll go to prison for a very long time.
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You've got nothing on me. I don't know nothing about that guy.
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I was with my chums playing food. You can find out if you want,
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we shall. What are the names of these chums? Oh there was
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the Elf, Ginger Roger people you more. I can't think of now.
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The proprietor of the pool room, can swear to your presents that evening Oliggans,
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of course he can, I see. And you deny having any part
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in the attack on either mister or missus Westbourne. Yeah you never carried a
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knife? Yeah, I assume you mean no. Yeah, I never carried
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no knife. And it follows them that you've not been involved in any past
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attacks and robberies. Right. Have you ever heard of a gang who called
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themselves the knife boys? Never heard of them? Can you think of any
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reason why the man who identified you should have tried to hit you? Yeah?
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Sure, you put them up to it. I've seen cops to that
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before. It's a frame up. Oh yes, of course, yes it
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would be. That's the address of the poor hum broom, corner of Golf
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Line on Petanal Green. You ask a Lincoln, don't I tell you it's
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his place? About time? Did you say? You with them from seven
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to nine? Anyway? Very well? Now fit we'll drive down this afternoon.
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You have the carboard round at four and put him in a cell.
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He wish a world cry to Yeah you wait here, you're mister Higgins.
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Oh yeah, oh yeah. Steven Spector Black stuffing god happy. I'm sure
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I shall require a statement from you concerning the movements of a boy who claims
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to have been in here last Wednesday between the eyes of seven and nine.
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Oh, Henry Broue that we think mm hm Welsh Wednesday? Yes, hi,
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yahya, very nice lady. Yeah, she was here, I'm sure
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of it. But to be on the safe shide help what's up? Why's
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you playing with Henry Browley last Wednesday, seven nater nine o'clock Henry? Yeah?
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What gentleman in quarry tell him? Ginger was here too, and rot
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and people we all saw him. He didn't leave the place between those hours
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and not what I was here. You'd be willing to swear to that in
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court? May I perish? Only spotify at the old already true? You
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better move over the speaking, thank you and he lecture no either than man
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lying on. Mister Westbourne made a mistake and I don't think so, mapp
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It come on. Strikes me that memories are much too good in here,
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oh black Helm, right in the side eight on the side here it goes
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too far. You want a word with you in Scotland, yarn, not
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your fault. Nine in the corner. Oh he's here his pie, No
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bit gone. You're a friend of Henry Brown. That's right, he's with
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you last Wenday between seven and nine. Yeah, missed, I'm not blind.
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What do you say? Oh, yes, Henry, Yes she was
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here. What's your name? Alf Pollock? And your eyes? Roger Gorman
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nine in the sight half a crown says you don't. None of you were
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in Shadwell that even shedwell. Oh no, very common district. Never go
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there, right, Roger, as rain if you're mucking up our game?
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Do you want to know about Henry? Wantn't to ask him? We're not
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as nurse maids already, are you, Roger? I'll be Henry. Oh,
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Chuck, nice to see you. What's the matter, Blackie? You
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look surprised? Tells you I had nothing to do with that bomy, old
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fool. You must have prescript you. There's no fail for m robery here,
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get your clammy, end off me. Who said anything about bail while
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you was gone? The guy had primary double cross, yet he dropped the
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charges. Now put that in your at and wear it. You know,
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many great men have attained the highest office in our land, the presidency of
16:23
the United States, can you guess the name of this man? He never
16:29
wanted to be president, since he personally felt he was unqualified for the office.
16:34
When he was only thirty years old, he was appointed member of the
16:37
Ohio Superior Court. He was President Grant, Secretary of War, and Attorney
16:42
General. In nineteen hundred and eight, through the recommendation and support of Theodore
16:49
Roosevelt, he succeeded Roosevelt as president. If you don't have his name by
16:55
now, here's another clue. During his administration, the postal saving and parcel
17:00
post were established. Who was he? William Howard Taft, twenty seventh President
17:07
of the United States. His life is part of your American heritage. Now.
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The second act of Pursuit of the Night boyd we stood under the white
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glare of a pool table light. The three youths between eighteen twenty dressed in
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the height of their fashion, jackets too long, trousers too tight, and
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hats worn at an aggressive angle. Two of them stood leaning on their cues,
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cigarette dangling loosely from their lips, looking with admiration at the third was
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obviously their leader, Henry Bruell. He put it across the police knew it
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and with his friends. Was proud of it. Now we had to find
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out why, mister Westbourne, And so suddenly, in our absence, dropped
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the child and after a quarter of the yard we went to a cleaning and
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pressing establishment in Shadwell. I still say we're going to be wasting our time,
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sir, I don't think some of it. Maybe, sir, I
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generate things to me where back where we started with those knife boys. And
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what's more, they know we're on to them. Hey, good afternoon.
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Oh mister Westbourne, why did you withdraw the child? I told him at
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the station? Are you gone? I said that I'd made a mistake.
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Yes, I know that. But you didn't make a mistake, did you?
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Yes, yes I did. Boy look the same. But when I
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started to think about it, I know he wasn't he we're too told i'd
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made a mistake. And when did you come to that conclusion? Oh?
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Whoa? After I left? When you returned here? Yeah, well,
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yes, yes, I thought about it. I didn't want to be the
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boy in Ingustice. So you went back to the yard and you told them
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that you couldn't identify Bruel. Yes, yes, I'm sorry. Now why
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are you sorry? Well, I mean it troublic cause, and I may
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say, mister west brong, and I don't believe you. I think that
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you've been threatened. And I think too that you've done a very foolish thing.
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Brule's guilty. You know that. No nobody said anything to me.
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I just made a mistaken I wanted to make it right. Do you understand
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that you've left the way open for the gang to continue that activity. I
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don't know anything about that. Look, if you've been threatened, don't you
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realize it will give you a protection of course? Right, I've been threatened.
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Someone Cowden said, I'd be sorry if I identify that boy. What
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do you expect? My wife's been hurt. I don't want any more problem.
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Please forget that I ever chain to you. Forget I ever picked up
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that I was wrong that sort. A case of this sort would normally have
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been assigned to a divisional inspector, but the seriousness of the gang attacks which
20:15
had been springing up in London had forced the Yard to bring into play its
20:19
full resources. We had won the first round by apprehending one of the leaders
20:23
of the Night Boys, and had immediately forfeited the second by losing him.
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The threats which had been directed against mister Westbourne only proved how dangerous the situation
20:33
was becoming. We were determined to exterminate this vicious pack, and we set
20:37
about to do so. The following week was devoted to a thorough investigation of
20:49
those boys who were known or were even thought to be involved in previous attacks.
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Moffatt and I went over the list. It had rather frightening proportions.
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These is the plain Clothesman and flying Squad reports. I thought I'd put them
21:03
together. I find away it's bigger than we expected. A big gang called
21:08
themselves the Knife Boils. There are two or three others, but they seem
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to work under one leadership Brue. The informers think, so that's a bit
21:18
of difficulty there By the way, Sai all right, not one of the
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boys listed as a past criminal record. That seems to be the rule with
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him. I'd make it hard for the informers. I should imagine they're going
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when knife boys move about in groups of falls. There are five or six
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groups. That's enterprising sort of minor crime cartel. The other gangs pay what's
21:38
called protection money to the Knife Boils. They stay in existence. I suppose
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no wonder the pool room proprietor wanted to help Bruel. He must pay him
21:48
quite a retainer for his services. There's been no report of a text for
21:52
a week now, which means nothing at all. You know, Brewer must
21:56
be feeling quite a little man. He thinks he's made a fool of the
22:00
yard and he's forced a victim to keep his mouth shut. We could pick
22:03
him up against we couldn't keep him here though. No, if we're to
22:07
catch them, they've got to be caught in the act, all Rocher.
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I'm going to assign as many planes clothesmen as we can spare, watch and
22:15
follow any group of boys in the eastern section. There's one thing, if
22:18
I may say, huh, do you mind assigning meat a brawl and his
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crowd? I'd rather like coloring that little scut. Yeah, so what I'm
22:26
of it? Oh, don't you worry? You and I aren't going to
22:30
sit behind a desk. But we are going to need some help. He
22:33
help with them? Somebody mup. It more appealing to the knife boys,
22:38
I think than you. Yeah, Detective Sanderson, sir, all right,
23:10
thac good Sunderson, He sit down, we've got a bit of work to
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do together at night, boy gang. For the next two days or week,
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Sunderson, you and I are going to take walks together, Yes,
23:26
sooner or later. I hope the leader of the gang is going to have
23:29
a go at us. Have do our best to put ourselves at his disposal
23:33
very well. It might get a little sticky, so if you would rather,
23:40
I should love it very well. And we'll begin tonight, have your
23:44
supper, and then you meet me at the yard at seven thirty. I
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hope you like walking, Sunderson. I think I shall like walking. Mary
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Sanderson was one of the yard's best policewoman. She was also extremely attractive.
24:10
I will admit the latter quality served to make a monotonous task less pedious.
24:15
For the next ten days we walked from eight until eleven o'clock. At night,
24:18
Marfatt drove us in a radio card a lightly darkened streets where we got
24:22
out, and, as innocently as possible, appeared to be strolling homeward.
24:26
I had assigned a man to watch the pool room, which seemed to be
24:29
the headquarters of the gang. His job was to contact the yard as soon
24:33
as Bruel and his boys left the yard in turn wol to notify us in
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the radio car. Ten days our efforts were provless. Two other subsidiary gangs
24:42
were caught and arrested, but Ruel made no move. It was the evening
24:48
of the eleventh day that we got work. Roger. Yes, so don't
24:53
nicely of it. A six A five s. Don't stop moving, Ah
25:06
five six your man, and three hours left to meet his place five minutes
25:11
ago on any road, Oh five six oh five six. We received you
25:23
then by a turn left on Lehman Street and then head east down my Devil
25:29
Road. Ah me the mike William here you are car five six, Car
25:41
five six, see idless It follows. Then the car to corner of bethnal
25:47
Green Road and Garth Lane. Tell them to stand by when they get the
25:52
order arrest owner Higgins and take him there. Car five six h six all
26:07
right, movid Let me get to Cambridge Road, Sanderson and I will get
26:10
out. Probably would add lights about a square behind. I don't want them
26:14
to get windy, righter. I hope we get in tonight. No that,
26:33
my young man is we haven't seen each other since I've been on this
26:34
job. And I hope we do get them tonight. Sanas. By the
26:40
way, if they do turn up and it looks like trouble, I want
26:41
you to run like the devil I will. That's Sanderson. Would you do
26:48
something for me just once? Don't call me sir. I feel as though
26:52
we've known each other all our lives, and I shan't consider it familiar.
26:56
If you say inspector or black or anything. Your first name is Peter,
27:03
Yes, my first name is Mary. Under that street light next square see
27:15
board after yes, all right, Thomason, Uh hard, day to day,
27:23
my dear, not bad? Good? Get anything nice for supper?
27:29
The usual, the coming? Yes, I hope, mupet seen them run
27:34
when I tell you to? What about you, dear? Nice day rotten
27:41
shame? Oh well there's always tomorrow. It good the worse, No,
27:48
dear, I mean I'm got a match. Um hm oh yes, yes,
27:57
of course, nice knife. Uh yeah, all right, this is
28:03
a sticker hand it over, delighted, run Samerson, Stop simpy, naughty
28:15
boy. You shouldn't play with nice spell alright, Muffat, I think I
28:34
got a stop to that for a little while. He the chapter call through
28:37
to have Higgins arrested, and then we'll pile this love in the car and
28:41
we'll take him in. After the arrest of Henry Bruell and his little friends,
28:53
the Knife Boys fell to pieces. With the assurance of safety to his
28:56
wife and himself, Mister Westbourne and several other victims appeared in court and gave
29:00
evidence. Higgins, the poorum proprietor, was convicted as an accessory. Detective
29:07
Simonson I gave her two days leave to be with her young man pursuit,
29:12
and the pursuit is ended. You know, many great men have attained the
29:32
highest office in our land, the presidency of the United States. Can you
29:37
guess the name of this man? The presidency was the first and only public
29:41
office he ever held. He never went to school, but was taught at
29:45
home by a tutor. Like his father. He also became a military man
29:51
and remained in the service until his nomination to the presidency in eighteen forty eight.
29:56
He was the second and last member of the Whig Party to be become
30:00
president. If you don't have his name by now, here's another clue.
30:04
During his presidency, Gould was discovered in California. Who was he? Zachary
30:11
Taylor twelf President of the United States. His life is part of your American
30:17
Heradge. We invite you to join us next week at the same time,
30:41
when Pursuit, We'll bring you another dramatic story of the famous Inspector Peter Black
30:45
of Scotland Yard relentlessly hunting down those whose disordered Tassians read violence and murder.
30:52
Another story of man hunting man when we bring you Pursuit, where starring Ben
31:07
Right is the famous Inspector Peter Black of Scotland Yard has been a presentation of
31:11
the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. Uh h h, welcome
32:28
back. This episode had a real procedural feel uh to it, particularly you
32:34
know, even going back to the lineup at the start of the program.
32:37
In fact, I wondered, you know, I was wondering if we would
32:40
have a British version of the lineup, the line you know at the start
32:45
of the show, we uh, they would have the banter between the sergeant
32:53
and the people in the lineup, so we get the way the lineup began
32:59
only with dialing, but thankfully didn't quite turn out that way. But an
33:07
interesting program and like I said, a real procedural edge into how this was
33:13
conducted well. We turn now to listener comments and feedback, and we have
33:19
a review on iTunes from Unhappy Limousine who rits found this wonderful website through the
33:27
tune In app, which accessed Adams programs well enough, but in comparison to
33:32
the Great Detector's app, is quite clunky, not to mention all the unique
33:37
enhancements this app provides, kind of like the difference between black and white and
33:42
color. Once you've experienced color, you'll never go back. Not features,
33:46
easy to use, an audio quality of playback through app superior to tune in.
33:53
Well, thanks so much. I'm glad you found us to tune in
33:57
and have enjoyed using the app, which is available for both the in the
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iTunes store and also for Android through the Amazon App Store. And then we
34:10
also received a comment from a listener and Derek rots in great podcast, thanks
34:20
for doing it well. Thanks so much, Derek, and that will do
34:23
it for today. We will be back tomorrow with Pat Novak for hire and
34:29
join us back here next Monday for another episode of Pursuit. If you have
34:34
a comment, center to me Box thirteen at Great Attractives dot net. Follow
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us on Twitter, Radio Detectives and become one of our friends on Facebook,
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Facebook, dot com. Slash Radio Detectives from Boise, Idaho. This is
34:46
your host, Adam Grahamson and off