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The Whistler - "A Friendly Case of Blackmail" (Old Time Radio, 1950) · The Whistler | Old Time Radio

0:00
Speaker 1: On November 12, 1950, the CBS Pacific Network presented episode
0:05
Speaker 1: 441 of The Whistler under Signal Oil sponsorship. In a
0:09
Speaker 1: friendly case of blackmail, George, hoping to raise money so
0:13
Speaker 1: that he can marry, asks his old friend Albert for
0:16
Speaker 1: a loan. When Albert refuses, George discovers information about Albert's
0:21
Speaker 1: concealed criminal past and sees blackmail as a way to
0:25
Speaker 1: get what he wants. Albert soon realizes that someone close
0:29
Speaker 1: to him is exploiting his secret. This roughly 29-minute West
0:33
Speaker 1: Coast CBS mystery broadcast now brings us to a private
0:37
Speaker 1: friendship under growing strain. And now, our story begins. And now,
0:44
Speaker 1: stay tuned for the mystery program that is unique among
0:47
Speaker 1: all mystery programs. Because even when you know who is guilty,
0:51
Speaker 1: you always receive a startling surprise at the final curtain.
0:55
Speaker 1: in the Signal Oil program, The Whistler. Signal, the famous
1:12
Speaker 1: go-farther gasoline, invites you to sit back and enjoy another
1:16
Speaker 1: strange story by The Whistler.
1:37
Speaker 2: I am the Whistler, and I know many things, for
1:41
Speaker 2: I walk by night. I know many strange tales hidden
1:45
Speaker 2: in the hearts of men and women who have stepped
1:47
Speaker 2: into the shadows. Yes, I know the nameless terrors of
1:52
Speaker 2: which they dare not speak.
1:57
Speaker 3: And now for the Signal Oil Company, the Whistler's strange story,
2:01
Speaker 3: A Friendly Case of Blackmail.
2:11
Speaker 2: In this world, there are two kinds of people. Those
2:14
Speaker 2: who do things and those who dream about doing them.
2:17
Speaker 2: That was the philosophy of Albert Goodman. At least, that's
2:21
Speaker 2: the way he explained it to his old friend George.
2:24
Speaker 2: George Wilson. It was the night George came over to
2:27
Speaker 2: Albert's apartment to ask for some money.
2:30
Speaker 4: A loan. Yes, Al, I... A couple of thousand dollars.
2:33
Speaker 4: A couple of thousand? What in the world do you
2:35
Speaker 4: need that much money for, George? You never had that
2:37
Speaker 4: much money in your life. I know. Well, you see,
2:40
Speaker 4: I want to get married. Married? Why, George, after all
2:46
Speaker 4: these years, I thought you were a confirmed bachelor like me. Well,
2:49
Speaker 4: I've just never been able to afford to before. No, no, no,
2:52
Speaker 4: I suppose not. Still, George, maybe having a wife will
2:55
Speaker 4: inspire you. Make you... Help you make something out of yourself.
2:59
Speaker 4: Start a new career, perhaps. I couldn't leave Shannon and
3:01
Speaker 4: read not after all these years. Oh, why not? You're
3:04
Speaker 4: still on the same job you were when I left
3:05
Speaker 4: there 18 years ago, aren't you? Oh, I've had some raises. Well,
3:09
Speaker 4: that's something, of course. But you haven't advanced your position. No,
3:13
Speaker 4: I'm still a bookkeeper. Well, I understand many bookkeepers are
3:16
Speaker 4: married and quite happy. But some women want a lot,
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Speaker 4: you know. A car, clothes, jewels... Oh, no, no, Ethel's different. Oh, oh,
3:25
Speaker 4: I see. Well, I'm very glad to hear that. Anyway,
3:28
Speaker 4: it's your business. You do what you want to do.
3:30
Speaker 4: But the $ 2, 000 you're asking me for, George, that's a
3:33
Speaker 4: lot of money. If you don't have it as a bachelor,
3:35
Speaker 4: I don't see how you expect to put away enough
3:37
Speaker 4: after you're married to repay me. I'm afraid I can't
3:40
Speaker 4: let you have it. Well, I thought... I know, I know.
3:43
Speaker 4: We've been friends for a long time, and believe me, George,
3:45
Speaker 4: I'm refusing to lend you this money as your friend.
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Speaker 4: Borrowing that much money to get married on is a
3:50
Speaker 4: big mistake. Ethel doesn't want to wait, and I... In
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Speaker 4: that case, you'll just have to make the best of
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Speaker 4: your present situation. Then start doing something to better yourself.
3:59
Speaker 4: It's time you did anyway. I don't exactly know what
4:02
Speaker 4: you mean. Well, I'll tell you, George. There are two
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Speaker 4: kinds of people in this world. People who do things
4:07
Speaker 4: and people who only dream about doing them. Now, take us,
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Speaker 4: for example. Us? Sure. Twenty years ago, we were both
4:13
Speaker 4: in the same spot. Bookkeeping for a second-rate investment company
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Speaker 4: for a hundred bucks a month. We both had the
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Speaker 4: same chance to get ahead. Today, I have most of
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Speaker 4: the things I want. Money, position. I've earned them, George.
4:27
Speaker 4: And you?
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Speaker 2: Me.
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Speaker 4: I have to come to you for money to get
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Speaker 4: married on. Yeah, I think I see what you mean. No,
4:34
Speaker 4: don't get me wrong. Don't get me wrong. All I'm
4:36
Speaker 4: saying is that you've got to set your sights high
4:38
Speaker 4: and then work like the very devil to reach your goal. Sure. Well, Al, I...
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Speaker 4: I guess there's nothing more to say. Believe me, George,
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Speaker 4: I'm sorry, but honestly, I think you'll thank me someday for...
4:50
Speaker 4: Not lending you this money. Maybe you're right, Al. No, no.
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Speaker 4: Maybe you're right.
5:03
Speaker 2: Well, George, your old friend Al doesn't think you're a
5:07
Speaker 2: good financial risk, does he? And in the name of friendship,
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Speaker 2: he's given a very unflattering description of yourself as a person.
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Speaker 2: A dreamer, he called you.
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Speaker 4: Not a doer. And you know how right he is.
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Speaker 2: You're afraid right now, afraid that Ethel won't wake. That
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Speaker 2: all the dreams you've dreamed will fade into ashes, just
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Speaker 2: as they've always done.
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Speaker 4: You have to do something, don't you, George? Especially after
5:32
Speaker 4: you talk to Ethel that evening.
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Speaker 5: Of course I love you, George, but we have to
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Speaker 5: have money to live. We want a home at least.
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Speaker 4: I just talked with Al. Al?
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Speaker 5: Oh, he's your friend with lots of money, isn't he? Say,
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Speaker 5: maybe he could.
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Speaker 3: Help us out at the start.
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Speaker 4: That's what I talked to him about.
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Speaker 5: Oh, did he say he'd help you?
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Speaker 4: He said he'd do me the biggest favor a guy
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Speaker 4: could do. Well, then what are we worrying.
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Speaker 3: About, honey?
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Speaker 4: He didn't give me any money. Huh? Oh, well, why not?
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Speaker 4: Doesn't matter. But he did do me a big favor.
6:02
Speaker 4: He gave me an idea. An idea about what to do.
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Speaker 2: Yeah, what?
6:06
Speaker 4: Ethel. Do you love me? Oh, you know I do, honey.
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Speaker 4: And you don't care too much where our money comes from?
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Speaker 4: I mean, as long as we have plenty. Well... Enough
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Speaker 4: to buy you everything you want. Oh, gee, honey.
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Speaker 5: What you do is your own business. As long as
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Speaker 5: you don't get into trouble.
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Speaker 4: Okay, Ethel. Well, Al reminded me of something today. You see,
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Speaker 4: Al left Shannon and Reed about 18 years ago, and
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Speaker 4: no one heard of him for several years. Al doesn't
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Speaker 4: know it, but I know where he spent those years.
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Speaker 4: Where was he? In prison. In prison? Why? Embezzlement. Old Mr.
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Speaker 4: Shannon told me before he died. The whole thing was
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Speaker 4: handled very quietly. Al replaced the money he'd taken from
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Speaker 4: the firm, served his time. Since he's been out, he's
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Speaker 4: been a model citizen, made good in a big way.
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Speaker 5: Don't other people know about it?
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Speaker 4: I doubt if anyone does. Mr. Shannon kept it pretty quiet,
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Speaker 4: kept it out of the papers. Nobody in the organization
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Speaker 4: knew what happened. We all thought Al had gone east.
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Speaker 4: And now he's sitting on top of the world.
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Speaker 5: That's a nice spot to be sitting in.
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Speaker 2: Yeah.
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Speaker 4: Most of all, Al's proud of his solid position, his
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Speaker 4: good standing in the community and all. You know, I
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Speaker 4: wonder just how great a value Al does put on
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Speaker 4: his position in life. George, you don't mean... I mean blackmail, Ethel. Oh,
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Speaker 4: let's say a friendly case of blackmail. Are you the
7:47
Speaker 4: kind of motorist who gets fun out of driving? Then
7:51
Speaker 4: just for the fun of it, here's an experiment I'd
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Speaker 4: like for you to make. Try just one tankful of
7:57
Speaker 4: Signal Ethyl, the premium quality of Signal's famous go-farther gasoline,
8:02
Speaker 4: engineered to bring out the best in any car. Yes,
8:05
Speaker 4: if you like fun, you'll get sweet satisfaction out of
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Speaker 4: the prompt obedience with which Signal Ethyl makes your motor
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Speaker 4: respond to the starter.
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Speaker 3: If it's fun you like, it's fun you'll have. When
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Speaker 3: the traffic light goes green and your signal Ethel pep
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Speaker 3: makes other drivers turn green. And if it's fun you like,
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Speaker 3: you'll still be having it. As Ethel signals Ethel's power
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Speaker 3: whisks you effortlessly down highways and up hills. With the
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Speaker 3: hushed purr of your motor echoing your own feelings of
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Speaker 3: relaxed contentment. Yes, driving can be fun. And you'll be
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Speaker 3: sure you're having all the fun your motor has to
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Speaker 3: offer if you just fill up next time at a
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Speaker 3: Signal service station.
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Speaker 4: Fill up with Signal Ethyl.
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Speaker 2: Signal Ethyl Well, George, you're really taking Al's advice to
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Speaker 2: do something, aren't you? The next day, you carefully print
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Speaker 2: a note to Al on a plain piece of paper
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Speaker 2: demanding $ 5, 000. There'll be no telltale marks to identify you.
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Speaker 2: Then you send Ethel down to Phoenix for the weekend
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Speaker 2: with explicit instructions about how to mail it from there.
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Speaker 4: Then you wait.
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Speaker 2: Al will get it when he gets home on the evening.
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Speaker 2: Then the fireworks will start. After all, George, you're his
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Speaker 2: best friend. If he talks to anyone, it'll be to you.
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Speaker 2: So you sit around your drab little apartment and wait.
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Speaker 4: Finally. Why, Al, this is a surprise. I gotta talk
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Speaker 4: to you, George. Sure, sure, come in. Thanks. Sit down.
10:01
Speaker 4: Thank you. George, do any of the old gang from
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Speaker 4: Shannon and Reed live down around Phoenix? Gosh, I don't know, Al.
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Speaker 4: I haven't kept track of any of them. Except you. Why,
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Speaker 4: are you going down there for a vacation or something? No, no.
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Speaker 4: I got something in the mail today. Here, take a
10:21
Speaker 4: look at this. This is strange. It's printed. Yes. Go on,
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Speaker 4: read it. Good one. Understand you're doing very well for
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Speaker 4: an ex-convict. If you want to keep the past dead,
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Speaker 4: you'll have to pay me $ 5, 000. If I know you,
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Speaker 4: you won't want your present friends and business associates to
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Speaker 4: know that you served time for embezzlement. Why, Al, that's blackmail. Yes, blackmail. Yes, blackmail. Al, sure,
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Speaker 4: it's not true. I'm afraid it is, George. Mr. Shannon
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Speaker 4: was the right guy. Kept it very quiet. Even let
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Speaker 4: me tell everyone I was going east for a few
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Speaker 4: years the day the auditors caught up with me. But
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Speaker 4: I really went to prison. George, if this gets out,
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Speaker 4: it'll ruin me. You paid for your mistake. Yes, I
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Speaker 4: know I have, but apparently I haven't paid enough. People
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Speaker 4: are funny about ex-convicts. I just can't let this get
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Speaker 4: out now, George. It would kill me. You're my best friend.
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Speaker 4: Maybe you can help me. Well, I'll do anything I can, Al. Good. Now,
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Speaker 4: I'm supposed to leave the money in small bills in
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Speaker 4: the shoebox on the top of the mailbox on the
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Speaker 4: corner of Franklin and Hudson tomorrow at three in the morning.
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Speaker 4: But you're not going to do it. I tell you, George,
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Speaker 4: I've got to. But I want you to be there,
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Speaker 4: hiding somewhere, to see if you can see who picks
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Speaker 4: it up. You mean you're going to try to track
11:44
Speaker 4: down who this blackmailer is? Of course. I'll pay this time,
11:47
Speaker 4: but I'm going to find out who's doing this. And
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Speaker 4: when I do, well, that guy, whoever he is, will
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Speaker 4: be in for plenty of trouble. Yeah.
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Speaker 2: Yeah, he sure will. You're frightened, aren't you, George? Al
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Speaker 2: was right about you, wasn't he? Inside, you're a weakling. Still,
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Speaker 2: you're determined to go through with it. And Al's making
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Speaker 2: it easier for you, isn't he? He wants you to
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Speaker 2: watch the blackmailer's pickup. That will make everything much simpler.
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Speaker 2: The following morning at a quarter of three, you're standing
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Speaker 2: in the shadows across the street from the mailbox. The
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Speaker 2: street is deserted, silent. Soon, Al walks past you, nodding silently.
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Speaker 2: Then he crosses the street. of the mailbox and goes on.
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Speaker 2: A minute before three, the lights of a car swing
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Speaker 2: into the street. Ethel's right on time. As she pulls
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Speaker 2: to a quick stop, rush across the street, pick up
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Speaker 2: the shoebox and toss it into the open car window.
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Speaker 4: Then, Ethel steps on the gas. She's out of sight
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Speaker 4: in ten seconds. Everything perfect.
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Speaker 2: You slip out of the shadows and head for your
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Speaker 2: rendezvous with Ath. Halfway down the block, you pass.
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Speaker 4: An alley and... Good. Al.
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Speaker 2: Hi.
13:15
Speaker 4: I thought you'd be down the next corner. I doubled back,
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Speaker 4: hid here in the alley. Did you, uh, did you
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Speaker 4: see anything? Just the car pulling away and turning up
13:22
Speaker 4: the side street. I couldn't see what kind it was.
13:24
Speaker 4: Could you? Well, just it was a sedan, about, I think,
13:27
Speaker 4: a 46. But I did get part of the license. 6I42.
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Speaker 4: That's something, Al. And you can check up on that
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Speaker 4: tomorrow at the Department of Motor Vehicles. Yes, I will.
13:37
Speaker 4: And the man, did you see him? No. I guess
13:39
Speaker 4: that's why they wanted to put it on top of
13:41
Speaker 4: the mailbox. They just slowed up and scooped it in.
13:43
Speaker 2: They?
13:44
Speaker 4: There were more than one? Well, I think so. I'm
13:47
Speaker 4: not sure. Gee, I'm sorry, Al. I guess I wasn't
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Speaker 4: much help. Oh, that's okay. We got part of a
13:53
Speaker 4: license number. I think you were more help than you realize.
14:01
Speaker 4: What did Al mean by that, George? The pickup went
14:04
Speaker 4: all right, didn't it? He couldn't have seen you go
14:07
Speaker 4: over and toss Ethel the shoebox, could he? Well, it's
14:10
Speaker 4: done now.
14:11
Speaker 2: And you're sure that phony license number you told him
14:14
Speaker 2: about will take Al off on a wild goose chase
14:17
Speaker 2: for a while.
14:18
Speaker 4: He's checking it himself.
14:20
Speaker 2: And you're jittery the next day as you wait for
14:22
Speaker 2: him to get back from the license bureau with the news.
14:25
Speaker 4: And finally when he comes. Well, what did you find out, Al?
14:29
Speaker 4: One thing that you slipped up, George. I slipped up? Yes.
14:34
Speaker 4: You see, there are no licenses in this state that
14:36
Speaker 4: use the letter I. 6I42, you said, wasn't it? Well,
14:40
Speaker 4: it's the wrong number. Oh, well, I... Oh, yeah, sure, sure,
14:44
Speaker 4: I know. You just made a mistake. It was dark,
14:46
Speaker 4: the car was moving. Everybody can make a mistake like that.
14:48
Speaker 4: It's too bad, though, that license number was our only clue. Yeah,
14:53
Speaker 4: I'm sorry, Al. Well, it looks like we're up a
14:56
Speaker 4: blind alley. Oh, no. No, I've got a couple of ideas.
15:01
Speaker 4: I'm going to Phoenix for the weekend. Phoenix, George.
15:07
Speaker 2: You wonder if Ethel could have left a clue behind her.
15:10
Speaker 2: If anyone saw her in Phoenix, who could connect her
15:13
Speaker 2: with you?
15:14
Speaker 4: But all you can do is wait over the long weekend.
15:17
Speaker 4: On Monday, Al is back. But you don't hear from
15:20
Speaker 4: him all day. By nighttime, you're jittery.
15:23
Speaker 2: And when Ethel stops by and wants you to take
15:26
Speaker 2: her out, you tell her you have to wait for
15:28
Speaker 2: Al's phone call. Both of you wait nervously until it comes.
15:33
Speaker 4: This is it. Hello? George? Oh, yes, Al. Any luck? Yes,
15:42
Speaker 4: a little. I checked all the hotels and tourist camps
15:45
Speaker 4: for people from Los Angeles who were in Phoenix the
15:47
Speaker 4: day the blackmail letter was mailed. Yeah?
15:49
Speaker 3: And I found one.
15:51
Speaker 4: Oh? It was on Orange Drive. I'm just going over
15:55
Speaker 4: there now to look her up. Oh. Oh, I see. Well, uh,
15:59
Speaker 4: good luck. Yeah. Well, I'll let you know what I find. Goodbye.
16:02
Speaker 2: Yeah.
16:03
Speaker 4: Goodbye.
16:04
Speaker 2: George.
16:05
Speaker 5: George, what's the matter?
16:05
Speaker 2: You.
16:06
Speaker 4: He found out you were in Phoenix.
16:08
Speaker 5: What?
16:09
Speaker 4: Oh, we gotta get out of town. I guess you're right. Well,
16:12
Speaker 4: with that $ 5, 000 we got from Al.
16:14
Speaker 5: That $ 5, 000 won't go very far.
16:16
Speaker 4: But that's all there is.
16:17
Speaker 5: We can get more.
16:19
Speaker 4: The same way you got the 5,000.
16:21
Speaker 5: Only this time, we'll get a big stake and clear out.
16:24
Speaker 4: Oh, no, honey, it's too risky. Al's too close already.
16:27
Speaker 5: Not if he doesn't find me. It's even riskier not
16:31
Speaker 5: to send another letter, especially since you asked him to
16:34
Speaker 5: lend you money. He's got to get another letter, or
16:37
Speaker 5: he'll figure the blackmailer was just somebody that knew him
16:40
Speaker 5: and needed a few thousand. And that's you, George.
16:45
Speaker 4: Golly, maybe you're right. I never thought about that. Yeah,
16:49
Speaker 4: this time we'll ask for $ 25, 000. I don't know just
16:52
Speaker 4: how we'll do it, but I'll figure something out.
17:03
Speaker 2: Well, George, you're finding out something that Al didn't know.
17:07
Speaker 2: That weakness can make people do things, too. You're frightened,
17:11
Speaker 2: but you can't turn back. Next day, you try to
17:14
Speaker 2: figure a smart way to send the next letter. And
17:17
Speaker 2: you get the idea when you go up to meet
17:19
Speaker 2: Ethel for lunch. She works in a big office. And
17:23
Speaker 2: just outside the door, you find the cleaning man has
17:26
Speaker 2: left the trash basket to be picked up. Right on top, George.
17:30
Speaker 2: Staring you in the face is an open envelope postmarked
17:33
Speaker 2: San Francisco. It's just what you need, isn't it, George?
17:38
Speaker 2: You reach down and pick it up.
17:41
Speaker 4: Oh, pardon me. Nearly knocked you over. That's all right.
17:45
Speaker 4: I shouldn't have been standing in front of the door.
17:47
Speaker 4: Looking for something? No, no. I just wanted to write
17:51
Speaker 4: a note. I was just picking up a piece of
17:53
Speaker 4: waste paper. I see. Well, I guess nobody will miss
17:57
Speaker 4: a piece of waste paper. No, no. I guess not.
18:04
Speaker 2: Still a weakling, aren't you, George? Frightened because a man
18:07
Speaker 2: sees you take that envelope out of the trash barrel.
18:10
Speaker 2: and he'll probably forget it in a matter of minutes.
18:13
Speaker 2: But everything frightens you now, doesn't it? That afternoon, you
18:17
Speaker 2: take some ink remover and carefully remove the address from
18:20
Speaker 2: the back of the envelope and the return address from
18:23
Speaker 2: the back. Then you print Al's name and address carefully,
18:26
Speaker 2: slip a new blackmail note into it, and place it
18:29
Speaker 2: securely in your pocket. You'll take no more chances with Ethel.
18:34
Speaker 2: This job you'll do yourself. Early that evening, you walk
18:37
Speaker 2: to Al's apartment. And after making sure there's no one
18:40
Speaker 2: in sight, you hastily slip it into his mailbox and
18:44
Speaker 2: return quickly to your apartment.
18:46
Speaker 4: I'm certain you'll hear from Al as quickly as he
18:48
Speaker 4: finds the letter. Al, what's up? Why all the noise? George,
18:55
Speaker 4: it's another blackmail note. Look. Look. Well, I'll be. This
19:00
Speaker 4: time they want $ 25, 000. Pick up at the same place
19:04
Speaker 4: Friday night. It gives me three days to raise the money.
19:07
Speaker 4: Are you going to pay it? Oh, I don't know.
19:09
Speaker 4: I don't know. Also, it gives me three days to
19:12
Speaker 4: track down the blackmailer. Yeah. Any ideas? Yeah. This envelope's
19:16
Speaker 4: postmarked San Francisco, but that doesn't mean anything. Oh, no.
19:20
Speaker 4: Why not? Because this wasn't delivered by mail. I picked
19:23
Speaker 4: up all of my mail when I got home this evening.
19:24
Speaker 4: Then I went out to have dinner, and while I
19:25
Speaker 4: was gone, somebody slipped this in my box. Oh, what
19:29
Speaker 4: makes you think so? There's no special delivery stamp on it.
19:31
Speaker 4: This envelope's been used before. How do you know that?
19:35
Speaker 4: The original address was removed with ink remover. You can
19:37
Speaker 4: see the yellow stain, you see? Now watch while I
19:40
Speaker 4: hold it in front of the light. You see those
19:42
Speaker 4: pin scratches? No, but you can't tell what they are. No,
19:46
Speaker 4: the new address written over has obscured them. But you
19:49
Speaker 4: can make out something of the name. You see? It's Raff... Rafferty. Yeah,
19:55
Speaker 4: that's it. You see? Rafferty. Rafferty. You can make out
19:58
Speaker 4: part of the return address, too. San Francisco 14. Yeah,
20:03
Speaker 4: I think you're... I think maybe you're right. No, I've
20:05
Speaker 4: got something. Rafferty, San Francisco 14. I'll go up there tomorrow,
20:09
Speaker 4: and if I can find out who that letter was
20:11
Speaker 4: written to down here, then I may have the trail.
20:14
Speaker 4: And believe me, George, if I find this guy, he'll
20:17
Speaker 4: wish he'd never started this. You already wish you hadn't
20:28
Speaker 4: started it, don't you, George?
20:30
Speaker 2: And all the time Albert is in San Francisco, you're jittery.
20:33
Speaker 2: Even though you tell yourself that no matter what he
20:35
Speaker 2: finds out, he can't connect his findings with you. But
20:40
Speaker 2: as one day passes and then another, your fears grow. Finally,
20:44
Speaker 2: the next day, you can stand it no longer. You
20:47
Speaker 2: decide to leave town immediately. Hurry to Ethel's office and
20:51
Speaker 2: you walk in the door.
20:54
Speaker 4: Oh, hello, darling.
20:55
Speaker 5: How nice.
20:56
Speaker 4: Just in time to take.
20:57
Speaker 2: Me to lunch.
20:57
Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah. Come on, hurry.
20:58
Speaker 5: What? George. George, what's the matter?
21:02
Speaker 4: That man, that man in your office in the brown topcoat,
21:04
Speaker 4: that was Al. Al? You mean... Yes. What's he doing here?
21:09
Speaker 4: I don't know.
21:09
Speaker 5: He came in a few minutes ago.
21:10
Speaker 4: I thought he was still in San Francisco. Who was
21:12
Speaker 4: that other man, the one he was talking to?
21:14
Speaker 5: The man he asked for? Jim, Jim Rafferty.
21:17
Speaker 4: Jim Rafferty? Yes. What's the matter, George? That man Rafferty,
21:23
Speaker 4: he's the one who saw me pick up the envelope
21:25
Speaker 4: in the trash barrel. The one I put the blackmail
21:27
Speaker 4: letter in, it was his envelope. Come on, honey, we've
21:30
Speaker 4: got to get out of here fast.
21:39
Speaker 2: Well, George, Al was a much better detective than you
21:42
Speaker 2: even suspected, wasn't he? It's all quite clear, isn't it?
21:47
Speaker 2: Just returned from San Francisco. And while he was there,
21:50
Speaker 2: he found the Rafferty family. Then learned that the envelope
21:53
Speaker 2: you'd found in the trash barrel had been sent to
21:56
Speaker 2: Jim Rafferty, employed in the same office with Ethel.
22:00
Speaker 4: Now it's a race to get away.
22:02
Speaker 2: Your certainty's on your trail. You and Ethel, hurry out
22:05
Speaker 2: of the office. No time to wait for the elevator.
22:09
Speaker 2: Take the stairs, race down, but not fast enough.
22:14
Speaker 4: Just as you get to.
22:15
Speaker 2: The bottom hall, the elevator door opens and out steps Al.
22:19
Speaker 4: Well, hello, George. Oh, Al.
22:23
Speaker 3: Oh, hello.
22:25
Speaker 4: I didn't expect to see you here. No, and I
22:27
Speaker 4: didn't expect to see you either. Shannon and Reed haven't
22:30
Speaker 4: moved to this building, have they? Oh, no, no, no, no.
22:32
Speaker 4: I just came over. Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't introduce you.
22:35
Speaker 4: This is my fiancee, Miss Smith. Happy to know you,
22:39
Speaker 4: Miss Smith. You remember Al, honey. I talk so much
22:42
Speaker 4: about him.
22:43
Speaker 2: Yes, yes, of course.
22:44
Speaker 4: How do you do? George, I want to talk to you.
22:47
Speaker 4: Suppose we could make a dinner tonight at my place,
22:50
Speaker 4: just like old times? Gee, I'm sorry, Al. This is important, George. Well...
22:55
Speaker 4: And I'm sure that Miss Smith won't mind one night?
22:58
Speaker 5: Oh, no, no, of course not.
22:59
Speaker 4: Good. Then six at my place, George. Just the two
23:03
Speaker 4: of us.
23:11
Speaker 2: Well, George, you have to face him, don't you? Flight
23:15
Speaker 2: now would mean confession. And wherever you went, especially with Ethel,
23:19
Speaker 2: you'd be found. So at six o'clock, you're at Al's apartment.
23:24
Speaker 2: Al is jovial, friendly as you eat dinner. You just
23:27
Speaker 2: play along with him, watching for anything. Waiting, afraid, just
23:32
Speaker 2: as he said you were. Then after dinner, he fixes
23:35
Speaker 2: two drinks and places them on the table. One at
23:38
Speaker 2: your place and one at his.
23:40
Speaker 4: This is it.
23:42
Speaker 2: Your drink is poisoned, you're sure of that. You can
23:45
Speaker 2: tell by the careful way he mixed them behind your back.
23:48
Speaker 2: The way he sets them down carefully, not spilling anything.
23:51
Speaker 2: So you have to act fast.
23:53
Speaker 4: Oh, say, Al, I forgot my cigarettes. Do you have any? Sure,
23:58
Speaker 4: of course. I'll get you one. Okay.
24:00
Speaker 2: He turns his back for a minute to get the cigarettes.
24:03
Speaker 2: With one quick movement, you switch the two drinks. Then
24:06
Speaker 2: he's back.
24:07
Speaker 4: Ah, there you are. Oh, thanks. Now, how about a toast, George? Sure.
24:12
Speaker 4: To friendship. There's very little of it left these days. Yeah,
24:15
Speaker 4: I'll drink to friendship. Yes, there are very few friendships
24:24
Speaker 4: like ours, George. That's why I wanted you here tonight.
24:29
Speaker 4: You see, George, one of those drinks we just had
24:32
Speaker 4: was poisoned. Yes, I know that, Al. You know? I'm
24:36
Speaker 4: not as stupid as you think. I know that you
24:39
Speaker 4: found out I was blackmailing you. And I knew you'd
24:43
Speaker 4: plan to kill me. It was the only way you
24:45
Speaker 4: could keep your past covered up. If you'd had me arrested,
24:48
Speaker 4: everything would have come out. But I fooled you, Al.
24:50
Speaker 4: I fooled you. Because while you got the cigarettes, I
24:53
Speaker 4: switched the drinks. No. No, George. Yes. Yes, Al. That's right.
24:58
Speaker 4: Turn white. Now it's your turn to be afraid.
25:01
Speaker 3: Go on, Al.
25:02
Speaker 4: You said you were different. A strong man, a doer.
25:06
Speaker 4: All right, now let's see how strong you are.
25:19
Speaker 3: To be sure that the automobile battery you buy today
25:22
Speaker 3: will last a long while, you want to be sure
25:24
Speaker 3: you're choosing a good one. And you can be sure
25:27
Speaker 3: if you choose a Signal Deluxe. The battery which embodies
25:30
Speaker 3: what has been called the greatest battery improvement in 20 years.
25:35
Speaker 3: I'm talking about Signal's microporous all-rubber separators. Because they hold
25:39
Speaker 3: twice as much acid solution between the plates, Signal Deluxe
25:43
Speaker 3: batteries deliver up to 35% more power. Plenty for extra
25:48
Speaker 3: quick starting, plus the many electrical gadgets on today's cars.
25:52
Speaker 3: As a result, these super-powered batteries stand up so well,
25:56
Speaker 3: Signal guarantees them a full 30 months on a service basis.
26:00
Speaker 3: That's up to two and one-half times as long as
26:03
Speaker 3: many ordinary batteries, which means that all the while you're
26:06
Speaker 3: enjoying its dependable, trouble-free performance, a Signal Deluxe battery is
26:11
Speaker 3: actually costing less per month. Less than you think, because
26:15
Speaker 3: your Signal dealer will not only trade in your old battery,
26:18
Speaker 3: but has liberal credit terms available. So when you need
26:22
Speaker 3: a new battery, play safe. Get a good one. Get
26:25
Speaker 3: a Signal Deluxe battery at a Signal service station.
26:40
Speaker 2: So, George, you've outwitted Al at last. You didn't get
26:43
Speaker 2: the $ 25, 000, but you're certain you'll be free. And no
26:47
Speaker 2: one will ever know about your blackmailing your friends. Al
26:51
Speaker 2: is pale, trembling. You're sure he'll be dead in a
26:54
Speaker 2: very few minutes. He can't even phone a doctor, can he, George?
26:58
Speaker 2: Not while you're there to prevent it. You smile at
27:02
Speaker 2: his first words.
27:03
Speaker 4: George. George, you don't know what you've done. I think
27:07
Speaker 4: I do. I've simply outsmarted you. You told me how
27:11
Speaker 4: you were the kind who did things, that I was
27:13
Speaker 4: the kind who just dreamed. Well, this time I've switched
27:16
Speaker 4: things on you, literally. On yourself, George. George. What do
27:21
Speaker 4: you mean? I mean you'll be dead in a few minutes. I? Yes.
27:26
Speaker 4: I didn't intend to kill you. It was my drink
27:28
Speaker 4: that was poisoned.
27:31
Speaker 2: Your drink?
27:32
Speaker 4: Yes. I told you I was the kind who did
27:34
Speaker 4: things while I simply followed out my own philosophy. I've
27:37
Speaker 4: spent too many years building myself to lose everything, so
27:40
Speaker 4: I decided to end things deliberately. Rather than have my
27:44
Speaker 4: life ruined by a blackmailer, a blackmailer I couldn't trace.
27:46
Speaker 4: You couldn't trace? That's right. That man Rafferty was my
27:50
Speaker 4: last chance. And when he told me how the trash
27:52
Speaker 4: barrel was accessible to anyone, that he'd seen a man
27:55
Speaker 4: pick an envelope out of it but didn't remember what
27:56
Speaker 4: he looked like, I figured my situation was hopeless. There
27:59
Speaker 4: wasn't any use going on. You mean you didn't know
28:02
Speaker 4: about me? I didn't even suspect you. But you've settled
28:07
Speaker 4: a score for me. You've brought on your own punishment. Al, Al, look.
28:13
Speaker 4: Do something. It's too late, George. Much too late. No
28:16
Speaker 4: one in the world could help you. The funny part
28:19
Speaker 4: of it is I was doing everything for you. You
28:21
Speaker 4: were getting the big favor you asked. I don't get it.
28:25
Speaker 4: I knew you were a weakling, George, that you'd never
28:28
Speaker 4: do anything on your own. But I liked you in
28:29
Speaker 4: spite of your weakness. So when I decided to take
28:32
Speaker 4: my life, I wrote out a will. A will leaving
28:36
Speaker 4: everything I have to you.
28:55
Speaker 3: Let that whistle be your signal for the signal oil program,
29:00
Speaker 3: The Whistler, each Sunday night at this same time. This
29:04
Speaker 3: month throughout America, churchmen of all faiths are calling special
29:08
Speaker 3: attention to the part religion plays in building and preserving
29:11
Speaker 3: our American way of life. Religion is one of the
29:14
Speaker 3: freedoms our forefathers fought for, one which today, more than ever,
29:19
Speaker 3: needs not only our protection, but our active support.
29:29
Speaker 4: Featured in tonight's.
29:30
Speaker 3: Story were Bill Foreman, Joseph Kearns, Joe Gilbert, and William Conrad.
29:35
Speaker 3: The Whistler was produced and directed by George W. Allen,
30:00
Speaker 3: strange tale by the Whistler. Marvin Miller speaking for the
30:06
Speaker 3: Signal Oil Company. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.
30:26
Speaker 3: This has been The Whistler, a friendly case of blackmail.
30:30
Speaker 3: Follow The Whistler for more classic broadcasts.