The Groom of the Ladder

Suspense - Radio’s Outstanding Theater of Thrills · Oct 19, 2026 · 28m

Originally Aired: March 13, 1956

Suspense #641, "The Groom of the Ladder," presents the dark and tortured world of John Price, England's public hangman. Known derisively as "Jack Ketch," Price is a bitter, desperate man shunned by society for his grim profession. Despite his position of authority, he finds himself drowning in debt and ostracized at every turn. His fellow citizens either avoid him entirely or mock him cruelly, and even his attempts to socialize at the Blue Boar tavern end in humiliation. When he tries to borrow money from William Artney, a subordinate who covets his job, Price…