May 2, 2025 • 29 mins
A gritty series about a hard-hitting reporter who uncovers human stories behind the headlines. It mixes crime investigation with emotional depth and realism.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Night Beat.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Hi, this is Randy Stone. I cover the Nightbeat to
the Chicago Star. You know, stories start out in many
different ways. Tonight's story started when I walked into a
nice little guy's private world and it blew up right
in my face.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Nightbeat, starring Frank Lovejoy as Randy Stone.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
When the street cars and the subways spill out their
thousands of tired ones who scurry off into a million
directions to find home, that's when my job begins. I
start walking looking for my story so that you can
read about it in your morning newspaper and feel good
because it didn't happen to you. Tonight I got my
(01:18):
story fast, just walking down Madison Street West away from
the Center. I kept walking past the shooting Gallery, the
Nicol Arcade with the peak shows and the fortune telling machines,
the juke box taverns, football Madison Street, the Quick Route,
(01:39):
the happiness were the world's worst hangovers, And then straight
ahead of me was Pop Gordon's training gym. That's where
the public pays thirty cents to watch fellas training to
beat each other's brains out. You know, when I got inside,
it looked like just one of those fights, and then
I heard one voice over the other. It was a
(02:00):
voice on you, Carla, cops.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
And get that punchy loon out of here.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Probably your laugh of me.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
What's a matter of pu Yeah, this crazy howl is
gonna tear off his rocker.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
But that's billy. Yeah, tell me, Carla, cop.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Wait a second, Pop, he's all right, sure sure, listen
to him.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
I tell you, anybody lad glove on me gets tell
you one place for a loon like that in the
bug house.
Speaker 5 (02:23):
I'm going to get the cops and heavy owl tied up.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Oh wait a minute, Pop, let me talk to him.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Man, you stay away from that log.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Five of us couldn't hold him. He knows me, Andy,
The guy's gone nuts.
Speaker 6 (02:33):
Yella.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Like I said, everybody's scared of get in the same billy, Billy,
What hi, billy, how's it going?
Speaker 1 (02:40):
You're coming there with me?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Oh sure, sure, and make me a big man getting
into the same ring with a champ.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
That's me champ, and you're a toe bit boom.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Well that's a thumbnail description.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
If I ever heard one admit it the truth that
to bad Bump admitted it.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
I admitted, I admitted, billy.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Yeah, but you're no minute, you're laughing at me. Let
the rest stop me.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
You're laughing, Billy, I never laughed at you in my life.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Well, I'll show you what happens to anybody who loves
that Billy the cancer snut.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
As the world flew away in all directions, I dimly
remembered how the sports writers used to speak so respectfully
of Billy's fast left hand. But brother, if they know
what I just found out about his right. When the
fog finally cleared, Pop Gordon was bending over me, and
there were a lot of other faces too, But I
didn't see Billy when.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
I stood up. Okay, Randy, Oh, this.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Is being okay, I don't want any part of it.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
He slugs you. But good? Where is he?
Speaker 5 (03:40):
I took off before the cops come, took off before
anybody could grab whom. I let that bum come in
a gym and shit around. Everybody else plays thirty cents
but him.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
I let him free. Was he do?
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Huh?
Speaker 1 (03:52):
What's she doing? But Slucy blows his top?
Speaker 2 (03:55):
But why what happened to Billy?
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Oh? I don't know.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
Tonight I catch him putting the bite on my customers.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Too, cheer with dime there Billy was panhanps. Sure, like
I said, I didn't like it, so I tell him
and then I don't know. I'm over at the other
side of the gym. I hear somebody laugh, and the
next thing I know, the out swinging like a windmill.
He's gonna kill everybody.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Just for being around. You ought to be tied up.
Uh huh, just like that.
Speaker 5 (04:19):
He ain't safe.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
But do you want the black Mariah to come around
cart him away like a load of rubbish?
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Yeah, but for his own girl, pap.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Remember when he was champ he packed him in every
club where he fought. He had a dollar of five
dollars for anybody who held out a hand.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Sure, what are you getting now?
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Well, now he's got no one pop and now he's
out in the colt.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Oh, I'll forget the cops.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
But we still got to put him away.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Well all right, sure, but let's do it as painless
as possible. I'll keep him with me tonight and then
tomorrow you going after him?
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Yeah? Which way to go?
Speaker 5 (04:52):
Straight up the streets. But watch out, Randy, he blows.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
His I know, don't worry. I don't want any rematch.
I'd like to know why he blew his lit the
first place, and my jaw in the second place. I've
known Billy a long time, a sweet, gentle guy who
always seemed to be living in a world all of
his own, a world that nobody else knew about and
cared less. And now he was in trouble. In his mood,
(05:19):
he might hurt someone.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
All worse, he.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Might get himself hurt. I must have walked for half
an hour before I finally spotted him. He was standing
on the corner. I stopped and watched him for a
couple of minutes. I watched his hesitant and embarrassed panhandling,
and I walked over to him slowly.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Hello, Billy, what? Oh hi, Hi you Randy o'palloi.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
You want some company?
Speaker 6 (05:46):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Sure, sure, righty? Why you've been keeping yourself. I've seen
you for a couple of weeks.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
You haven't seen me for a couple of weeks.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Well, I thought maybe you'll forget it.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Oh, Pa, you're not the kind of a fellow one
for against Jim. Now what was the trouble back at
the gym?
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Jim? What Jim Pop Gordon's Pop's boys. Well, let's goore,
I gotta help pop. He's a good joy.
Speaker 7 (06:13):
You know.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
He never charges me nothing to hold.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
In a second, Billy. Yeah, weren't you with the gym tonight?
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Oh no, not that I've been here and you didn't
massage my chin. You're giving me a rib? What you're
looking at me for? I like that, Randy, forget a Billy.
You was just ribbing.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Oh sure, I'm just kidding.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
I like ribs, not giving the hot foot, nothing like that,
but funny ribs that don't hurt nobody. Sure can? I
asked you a sixty four dollars question? Was sure?
Speaker 7 (06:46):
Not you?
Speaker 1 (06:47):
You can ask me anything, Randy, anything.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
I saw you a minute ago, Billy, But I never
seen you ask for a touch before.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
I ain't never gone to do it no more. But Randy,
I got it tonight. I gotta get a few bucks,
maybe fifteen. I already got two dollars. Maybe. Why do
you need fifteen dollars?
Speaker 2 (07:10):
What?
Speaker 1 (07:12):
I gotta get a new suit? A new suit? What's
so special about tonight? Billy? What that that? There's something
I gotta do it? I just gotta do it, Randy,
I gotta have fifteen. But I hate them, Scott, Yeah,
oh Sullivan, Randy, don't let him pick me up for panhammon.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Please, No, I won't, Billy. Now you wait here, wait here, I'll.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
Be right back.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Yeah, that's Filly back there. And then yeah, that's right, Sullivan.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Whe heard you had a little trouble with him back
at the gym. Maybe we ought to put him in
the tank for the night. Keep my mout of trouble.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Look, look, Sullivan, h he's going away tomorrow for a
long time, all like that.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Yeah, that that's it. This is his last night. Yeah,
I see. Okay, good, that's the way I do it myself.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Let's see you around, rdy, but keep an eye on him.
To Michael Hawk, thanks Sullivan, and so on.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
What I say, Randy, they ain't gonna pick me up
for it, and they ain't going.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
No, no, no, of course not. Look, Billie, how'd you
like to come to my apartment for a while.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
I can't. I told you I got to get fifteen bucks. Well,
I we'll talk about it. I gotta get it tonight. Now.
I gotta get a new soup because because you're go
going why I can't be wearing this crummy rag when
I see her, not when when I see her, I.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Didn't know what he meant. But whatever it made him
go crazy at the gym, whatever it made him hit
me was tied in with her. Who she was I
didn't know, and I wasn't sure that he knew. I
finally talked him into going to my place, and when
we went in, I watched that slow, gentle smile.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
I'll come over his face. Hey, this place is a
number one. Yeah it's not, Billy, I ain't got much time.
Just a compliment. Yeah, okay, I'm awful tired, Randy. Seems
like a lot of things has happened tonight. You know,
I'm kind of tired.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Sure, I want to drink Billy. Oh No, I never
touch it, you know.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Yeah, and you never penhandled before. But I ain't gonna
do that no more. Just to night. I never bummed
off and nobody. I paid my own way, come anything,
I paid my own way.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Yeah, that's why I want to know why you're putting
the bite on people tonight.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
I ain't gonna tell you you're you're laugh I won't laugh.
You will. Somebody else laughed when I told her. Somebody laughed,
And well when when somebody laughs at me? I don't
like it? All right?
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Easy, but easy.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
I tell you, I got to get fifteen books. Hey,
look look at this. What's that? Billy? I cut it
out of the paper today. I've seen it. You take
a look at it. You'll read what I said.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Missus Walder Compton and her husband. Yeah, yeah, gone, that's
more prominent society leaders of New York will be in
town tonight.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
They're staying at the lake Shore, and I can't go
there in this crummey rag. Why do you have to
see her?
Speaker 6 (10:24):
What?
Speaker 1 (10:25):
Well? I gotta tell her something. It's getting late, Randy,
I got a kid.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
I'll lend you the fifteen dollars.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Billy you Oh no, no, I pay my own way.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
We'll pay it back whenever you get a john.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Now, I don't want any handoff.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
It's just a loan, Billy, it's a loone.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
What uh? Thanks? Randy, you're a champ.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Now, Now tell me why you gotta see her.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
You ain't gonna laugh. I can't take anything but that.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
I won't laugh, Billy, No, I guess you wouldn't. Okay,
you remember once I was champing. Oh, everybody knows you
a champ?
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Now? What about her? Missus comfort? Yeah, Well, it's one
night after a fight. See, I ain't champ. Yeah, but
it's one fight. She ain't there. So I go to
see her at her place. She's there, she's there. So
one of them.
Speaker 6 (11:19):
Who's there?
Speaker 1 (11:20):
It's me, billy? Where are you? Sure? Hey? I win tonight?
I said I went tonight, isn't it? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (11:32):
I heard on the radio?
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Well, well what it don't mean a thing?
Speaker 4 (11:37):
Sure means a lot.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
I guess you guess a kid for a dollar, who's
gonna marry the next middleweight champ? You should take things
like a lump of eyes. Yeah, and Noah, anything wrong?
Speaker 4 (11:51):
Nope, there is okay, something's wrong. Have it your way.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
You wasn't at the fight tonight, Baby, I look for you.
It took me three four rounds to get gone because
I didn't see it. You won? Ah, kid, look at me?
Speaker 4 (12:08):
Surely the eye got torn open again?
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Her?
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Oh it's nothing. Colodion fixed.
Speaker 6 (12:15):
This colodion fixes everything. Huh, get cut up?
Speaker 4 (12:18):
Use colodian. That's nice. I'd put you all together again.
How long do you think you'll stay together?
Speaker 1 (12:25):
What's eating on you? Honey? The last two three weeks,
the last.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
Two three weeks, the last two three years.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Yeah, that's right, I hate it. I hate what. Oh
shut oh kid, kid, what's wrong you and me? I
don't get it.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
The only thing you do get is amazingly few bucks
for getting your head knocked off.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
Oh I'm a fighter.
Speaker 4 (12:47):
Oh you're a fighter, all right, fight, but caught me out?
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Oh no, wait, I've been waiting.
Speaker 4 (12:54):
I've been waiting for him to carry you home.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Me me, the can't happen.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
Huh Well, all of a sudden you start blowing your top.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
Not all of a sudden. You said it. You said
there was something wrong for the last two three years.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
Okay, okay, spill it.
Speaker 6 (13:11):
I'm through, Billy, washed up, finished, You and me done.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Since when? Since?
Speaker 4 (13:19):
Right now?
Speaker 1 (13:23):
Oh baby, it's just the eye. You see me this
way and the eye. Don't laugh at me. Don't laugh
I take anything, but being laughed at it is a laugh.
Speaker 4 (13:35):
Oh No, I don't care if you get punched all
over the state.
Speaker 6 (13:39):
I don't care if you get your brains rattled so hard.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
A may I care about from now on?
Speaker 1 (13:43):
Okay, so I'll be champed, so you'll get your fur court.
Speaker 6 (13:47):
From you, not from a guy who's beginning to look
like a punching bag instead of my man.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Look at me, take a good look.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
I am, Yeah, I am.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
I got looked, I got plass. I can do all right.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
I still don't get it all right.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
I'll lay it on the line for you want me to.
I'm not gonna tie myself to a punchy character.
Speaker 6 (14:09):
I'm not gonna have to walk in nice place with
a guy whose faces well, how I go on, take
a look in the mirror.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
You say what I mean? You want me to quit?
Speaker 4 (14:20):
I don't care if you do or not. Because it's
too late, Billy, it's too late.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
You shouldn't see it. That's the way it was, Randy.
That that's the way it was.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Yeah, I see, Look, Billy, you don't want to go
and see her after that? I tell you, Randy, I
gotta see her.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
There's something I gotta tell her, and it's gotta beat
tonight because tomorrows you should be gone. Billy.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
How do you know that you'll well, that you'll see
I know, I know because.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
There's something I ain't, don't you. There's something something I'm
never gonna tell nobody. And Randy, please please don't don't
try to stop me. Please don't let nobody try to
stop me, because because if they do, I'll kill him.
Speaker 3 (15:31):
You are listening to Nightbeat starring Frank love Joy as
Randy Stone.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Billy said he'd kill anybody who'd try to stop him
from seeing missus Wilder Compton.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
I looked at his scarred.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Facing, into his eyes a wild fever you see in
the eyes of a dog everyone says is mad, but
only wants a drink of water.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
And then I guess I shouldn't have said that, Randy. Well,
let's forget it for a minute, Billy, and tell me
why do you want to see it? You don't understand
Dave's Eh, No, my mother never told me. Well, she
gives me the brush, see like I tell you, she
gives me the brush, but she does it for me. See,
she don't want me to get my brains knocked out.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
See yeah, I'm beginning to see Billy.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
Sure, But me, I got no sense, so so I
don't see it her way.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
So I let her walk out, and I don't see
it no more, not until I got hold of that
paper today and tonight you want to see it to say, what, Billy?
Speaker 1 (16:35):
But don't you see she loves me all these years,
she never lets up. But I want to tell her.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
It's okay that maybe her and me we can start
all over. Like, see, what's the matter Randy? Nothing nothing, Billy. Look,
don't let anybody kid you. Patty was still champion.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Oh nothing, But I gotta go. No, I gotta get
fifteen bucks for us. Now. Look, look, you're tired. You
need a shave. Maybe take a shower.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
You thought of that? No, all right, now you wait
here and take a shower and a shave, and I'll
bring a suit back for Is that a deal?
Speaker 1 (17:09):
Hot? Gee? You're a champ r and there are a
real chat.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
I might be going for a little while, Billy, but
when I come back, everything will be okay.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Sure, okay.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
There was only one thing for me to do, go
and see missus Water Company. I made sure that Billy
couldn't leave my apartment. I locked the door from the outside.
I didn't want him picked up before he had the
chance to see her, to see the woman around whom
he'd build a whole world of fantasy in which he
lived for so many years. I didn't want that world
to come down around his ears. My newspaper pass got
(17:46):
me in to see missus Walder Coompton and he's.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
Suite at the lake Shore.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
You're mister Stone, Yes I am, Missus Compton.
Speaker 6 (17:52):
You're from the newspaper.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Well, I'm not on newspaper business, Missus Compton.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Not tonight. This is more personal.
Speaker 4 (17:57):
Really, well, what.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Can I do for me? Nothing?
Speaker 6 (18:02):
Then, please get to the point, mister Still, My husband
will be here shorty with guests.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
How soon now? Why?
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Well, because it concerns someone you used to know. Really
who Billy Candell? Billy Candell as he was better known
as Billy the Kid wants middleweight Champion.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Of the world forgotten?
Speaker 2 (18:24):
And I was glad to Missus Compton. He's coming here
tonight to see you.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
What he's coming? How stupid can you get?
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Well, for a lot of people, it's not hired to
be stupid or heartless.
Speaker 6 (18:38):
Yours must be a rather sentimental column.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
Mister, Yes, it's about people. Better go look, please see Billy.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
What can you lose?
Speaker 4 (18:47):
It's out of the question.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
Listen. All he wants is to tell you something. He
wants to tell you that that he knows that you
still love him. What No, I listen to me. Please
to tomorrow. He is going to well, he's going where
he can rest.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
He's sick. Missus Compton. He's desperately sick.
Speaker 6 (19:08):
Let's not be so polite. The word is punch drunk.
I believe you want me to see a lunatic.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
No, he's not, and I'll be here when he comes.
We'll keep it between us.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Three.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Do you know what you're asking as I'm asking you
to give a guy a few minutes of his world,
make it real for him, tell him anything that, tell
him you still love him. Then he'll go away after tomorrow.
You'll never see him or hear from him again.
Speaker 6 (19:27):
You're asking me to receive that that thing, to bring
him into this hotel where everyone can see him.
Speaker 4 (19:33):
Do you know what that means or to him?
Speaker 6 (19:35):
Yes, I'm talking about myself myself.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Mister SDEs I'd like to get off that subject from.
Speaker 4 (19:39):
Me, the only subject that matters.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
If you don't see him, he'll crack up all the
way that happened long ago. Good evening, misters, done, three
minutes of your time.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
I said no, did you hear mister Stone?
Speaker 2 (19:49):
I said no, Okay, Lenny, I'm going I thank you
for everything that's been lovely.
Speaker 4 (19:56):
He needn't be a sarcastic misde.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Queeney. I got a little spot announcement for you, Billy,
ow's you a voted thanks. You'll never know it, but
she gave him the biggest break of his life, and
you walked out on him years ago. Yes, positively, tonight
you given him even a bigger break.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Tell me about it, mister Stille.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
Yes, I'll tell you. The only thing that poor guys
got left is this memory of a girl named Didn't it?
Any resemblance between that memory and you? Was strictly coincidental?
Speaker 1 (20:20):
Goodbye?
Speaker 2 (20:27):
I was glad to get out in the fresh air.
All the way back to my apartment, I kept thinking
of what I'd tell Billy, how i'd tell him. Then,
as I walked across the lobby toward the elevator, mister Saul,
Oh what is it, Charlie, here's a message for it. Okay,
you are stone, Thank you? How long ago he leave this?
Speaker 1 (20:48):
Oh? What? Just a few minutes after you left? Did
you know you left him locked in?
Speaker 2 (20:52):
He called out? He asked me to open the Did
he say where he was going? No? No, no, just
that he couldn't wait for you any long. Now, that
is on the note.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
How do you look? How do you look? Well?
Speaker 2 (21:00):
I mean, anything unusual about him? No, he had on
one of your suit I remember now that that pinstripe
one he must have stolen. Now, he didn't steal anything.
Now listen to me. I'm going to the lake Shore Hotel.
If he comes back here, get in touch with me there.
Missus Compton's sweet.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
This is Compton Sweet.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
Yes, oh, and listen, I think you'd better call the police,
but ask for Colsky, remember that Colskey. Tell him to
meet me at the lake Shore Hotel.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
And quickly.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
I took a cab and I took the shortest way
to the lake Shore, and I watched the pavements looking
for Billy, but I didn't see him. He had some
money on him and he must have taken a cab himself.
And then I was back at the lake Shore talking
with the clerk at the desk there.
Speaker 7 (21:35):
Yes, sir, there was a man here that description. He
asked her to call be put through to missus Compton Sweet.
And was it well, sir, he was a rather we yes, yes,
I know, I know. So he didn't get through.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Oh.
Speaker 7 (21:47):
I called Missus Compton Sweep myself and told her that
is I described the man.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Yes, go ahead, what'd you say that? On no account?
Was I to put him through or send him upstairs?
Oh well, okay, that's something.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
What do you do?
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Then you'd have to meet it? Which way?
Speaker 7 (22:00):
I'm afraid I didn't know, Sir. I was registering some
new guests, and I paid no attention.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Okay, thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
I had to find Billy before, well before what what
would he do? Where would he go? I asked myself
those questions as I walked slowly along, watching for him,
hoping to see that pathetic figure in my pin striped suit,
hoping i'd get to him before someone else stopped him.
I was afraid of what might happen or could happen.
And then I saw him just past the Lake Shore Hotel,
(22:30):
shambling slowly along, his shoulders hunched against the wind that cut.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
In off the lake.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
I ran and caught up with him. Billy, helly.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
Ah, what you're doing over here?
Speaker 7 (22:43):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (22:43):
I just looking around? Why'd you leave my apartment?
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Well? Oh well what you wiscone? So long? And I
had to get gone and see. Oh sure, come on,
let's walk. Yeah, hey, I borrowed one of your suits,
so a real champ suit? All right here? Your mind?
Speaker 2 (23:02):
You no, no, Billy, none at.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
All did you see her? Oh? Oh sure, what you did?
I see her?
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Billy.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
They wouldn't let you go up remember, Oh yeah, yeah,
but uh I went up the back of the back, Billy.
Now look at are you sure? Oh? Sure? And and
she still loves me, Randy, I said, everything was okay.
She's crazy about me, like like she always. What did
she tell you? Well, she she didn't want to talk
(23:33):
to me, you know how she is. But then I
told her I love her, and she loves me, you know, Billy, Billy,
I'm tired, Randy.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
Lots of things happened to night, lots of Yeah, I know.
What do you say we go someplace for coffee?
Speaker 1 (23:53):
Yeah, yeah, i'd like to. I'm awful tired. And when
I get real that good, I'll go back to see
her and may well we'll start over again. Hey, hey,
this is where she lives.
Speaker 6 (24:07):
You.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
Yeah, look, I gotta see her once more, Randy.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
Maybe she'll talk to me this time, not tonight anymore, Billy.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
No, but I want her to talk to me. Well
I don't, Yes, she will. She loves me, Billy A
listen to me. You let me go up there first.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
I'll talk to her and fix everything.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
Okay, tell her not to act like a kid. Tell
her to talk to me.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Yes, sure, sure, I'll tell her, but you must put.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
Hey, yes, Colsey, I did.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
It's okay now I found him.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
What she call the cops for Randy O.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
Coskey is not the copies of Palish. He thinks she's
the greatest fighter that ever lived. He always wanted to
talk to you about your big fight.
Speaker 1 (24:43):
Oh sure, sure, but but we're busy. Now, I'll talk
to you about it later.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
Cosek, I gotta see somebody, Billy. I promised you i'd
see her.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
Remember, you're gonna tell her. I'll be waiting.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Sure, sure, Now you just stayed with Kolski here. Tell
him about the night you want the bell, anything that matters,
don't no, no, no, just keep them here. I'll ask
questions later, now, Billy, Yeah, promise me you'll stay right here.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
You won't stay long, huh. Just tell her she loves
me and and I wanted to talk to me. Sure
I would. Okay, Now you wait here.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
I didn't think it would do any good to see
her again, but I wanted to give Billy a good
memory to take along. I saw her, all right, but
she didn't talk to me either. I went back downstairs
and out to the street. I hadn't been going more
than five minutes, but they were the longest five minutes
of my life.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
Brother, I was peeved Iranda. You see her, right? You
see her? Yeah? I saw her, Billy, what does she say? Now?
You tell me what she said? And I told her, Hey, son,
how long does this go on? This is a crown con.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
Yeah, we're coming along with you. What's the idea getting
the back? Billy?
Speaker 1 (25:54):
Yeah, I'm kind of tired. I'd kind of like the
ride to your place, riding the shirt. Thank us to
the priescinct. Coulsky listen, right, he did you see his girl? Yes?
Speaker 2 (26:06):
I soil, But she didn't talk to me either. I
guess she laughed once too often.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
She's dead. Huh, it's all right. Not just take it ease.
He's kolsky.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
Yet the poor guy doesn't even know that he killed her.
Four am and the lights are going out all over
(26:36):
the city, even though it's neon signs on Madison Street.
I better write my piece and put it in the slot.
But what can I say? The story of a one
sided love? Well, if that's what love does to you,
I'll stick to peanuckle. It's a funny thing about love,
isn't it. Let someone get up and talk about hate
(26:56):
and he's hailed as a new leader. Let him speak
of love and he's ridiculed, He's spat upon and even
nailed to a cross. Love is the greatest thing, the
oldest yet, the latest thing. Yeah, yeah, yeah, copy Boy.
Speaker 3 (27:24):
Night Beat, a new dramatic series, stars Frank love Joy
is Randy Stone. Tonight's story was written by Russell Hughes.
Nightbeat is edited by Larry Marcus and directed by Warren Lewis.
Music by Frank Worth. The part of the prize fighter
was played by Bill Conrad. Others in tonight's cast were
Loreen Tottle, Bill Lally, Larry Dobkin, and leo' cleary. Frank
(27:47):
Lovejoy will next be seen in Milton Sperling's production Rock Bottom,
released by Warner Brothers. Listen next week at the same
(28:08):
time and every week as Randy Stone searches through the
city for the strange stories waiting for him in the darkness,
the stories that come out of the shadows to find
their way into Nightbeat. There's another great action pack program
(28:35):
you'll enjoy listening to on NBC every Sunday, It's Christopher
London with Glenn Ford in the title role. Christopher London
was created especially for radio by the world's most widely
read mystery writer, Earl Stanley Gardner. You truly enjoy this
fast moving mystery adventure series when you tune to NBC
(28:57):
next Sunday on most of these Sames MBC stations. Stay
tuned for Brian don Levy in Dangerous Assignment on MBC
Night Beat.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Hi, this is Randy Stone. I cover the Nightbeat to
the Chicago Star. You know, stories start out in many
different ways. Tonight's story started when I walked into a
nice little guy's private world and it blew up right
in my face.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Nightbeat, starring Frank Lovejoy as Randy Stone.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
When the street cars and the subways spill out their
thousands of tired ones who scurry off into a million
directions to find home, that's when my job begins. I
start walking looking for my story so that you can
read about it in your morning newspaper and feel good
because it didn't happen to you. Tonight I got my
(01:18):
story fast, just walking down Madison Street West away from
the Center. I kept walking past the shooting Gallery, the
Nicol Arcade with the peak shows and the fortune telling machines,
the juke box taverns, football Madison Street, the Quick Route,
(01:39):
the happiness were the world's worst hangovers, And then straight
ahead of me was Pop Gordon's training gym. That's where
the public pays thirty cents to watch fellas training to
beat each other's brains out. You know, when I got inside,
it looked like just one of those fights, and then
I heard one voice over the other. It was a
(02:00):
voice on you, Carla, cops.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
And get that punchy loon out of here.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Probably your laugh of me.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
What's a matter of pu Yeah, this crazy howl is
gonna tear off his rocker.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
But that's billy. Yeah, tell me, Carla, cop.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Wait a second, Pop, he's all right, sure sure, listen
to him.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
I tell you, anybody lad glove on me gets tell
you one place for a loon like that in the
bug house.
Speaker 5 (02:23):
I'm going to get the cops and heavy owl tied up.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Oh wait a minute, Pop, let me talk to him.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Man, you stay away from that log.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Five of us couldn't hold him. He knows me, Andy,
The guy's gone nuts.
Speaker 6 (02:33):
Yella.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Like I said, everybody's scared of get in the same billy, Billy,
What hi, billy, how's it going?
Speaker 1 (02:40):
You're coming there with me?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Oh sure, sure, and make me a big man getting
into the same ring with a champ.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
That's me champ, and you're a toe bit boom.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Well that's a thumbnail description.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
If I ever heard one admit it the truth that
to bad Bump admitted it.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
I admitted, I admitted, billy.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Yeah, but you're no minute, you're laughing at me. Let
the rest stop me.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
You're laughing, Billy, I never laughed at you in my life.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Well, I'll show you what happens to anybody who loves
that Billy the cancer snut.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
As the world flew away in all directions, I dimly
remembered how the sports writers used to speak so respectfully
of Billy's fast left hand. But brother, if they know
what I just found out about his right. When the
fog finally cleared, Pop Gordon was bending over me, and
there were a lot of other faces too, But I
didn't see Billy when.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
I stood up. Okay, Randy, Oh, this.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Is being okay, I don't want any part of it.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
He slugs you. But good? Where is he?
Speaker 5 (03:40):
I took off before the cops come, took off before
anybody could grab whom. I let that bum come in
a gym and shit around. Everybody else plays thirty cents
but him.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
I let him free. Was he do?
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Huh?
Speaker 1 (03:52):
What's she doing? But Slucy blows his top?
Speaker 2 (03:55):
But why what happened to Billy?
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Oh? I don't know.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
Tonight I catch him putting the bite on my customers.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Too, cheer with dime there Billy was panhanps. Sure, like
I said, I didn't like it, so I tell him
and then I don't know. I'm over at the other
side of the gym. I hear somebody laugh, and the
next thing I know, the out swinging like a windmill.
He's gonna kill everybody.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Just for being around. You ought to be tied up.
Uh huh, just like that.
Speaker 5 (04:19):
He ain't safe.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
But do you want the black Mariah to come around
cart him away like a load of rubbish?
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Yeah, but for his own girl, pap.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Remember when he was champ he packed him in every
club where he fought. He had a dollar of five
dollars for anybody who held out a hand.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Sure, what are you getting now?
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Well, now he's got no one pop and now he's
out in the colt.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Oh, I'll forget the cops.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
But we still got to put him away.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Well all right, sure, but let's do it as painless
as possible. I'll keep him with me tonight and then
tomorrow you going after him?
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Yeah? Which way to go?
Speaker 5 (04:52):
Straight up the streets. But watch out, Randy, he blows.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
His I know, don't worry. I don't want any rematch.
I'd like to know why he blew his lit the
first place, and my jaw in the second place. I've
known Billy a long time, a sweet, gentle guy who
always seemed to be living in a world all of
his own, a world that nobody else knew about and
cared less. And now he was in trouble. In his mood,
(05:19):
he might hurt someone.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
All worse, he.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Might get himself hurt. I must have walked for half
an hour before I finally spotted him. He was standing
on the corner. I stopped and watched him for a
couple of minutes. I watched his hesitant and embarrassed panhandling,
and I walked over to him slowly.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Hello, Billy, what? Oh hi, Hi you Randy o'palloi.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
You want some company?
Speaker 6 (05:46):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Sure, sure, righty? Why you've been keeping yourself. I've seen
you for a couple of weeks.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
You haven't seen me for a couple of weeks.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Well, I thought maybe you'll forget it.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Oh, Pa, you're not the kind of a fellow one
for against Jim. Now what was the trouble back at
the gym?
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Jim? What Jim Pop Gordon's Pop's boys. Well, let's goore,
I gotta help pop. He's a good joy.
Speaker 7 (06:13):
You know.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
He never charges me nothing to hold.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
In a second, Billy. Yeah, weren't you with the gym tonight?
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Oh no, not that I've been here and you didn't
massage my chin. You're giving me a rib? What you're
looking at me for? I like that, Randy, forget a Billy.
You was just ribbing.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Oh sure, I'm just kidding.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
I like ribs, not giving the hot foot, nothing like that,
but funny ribs that don't hurt nobody. Sure can? I
asked you a sixty four dollars question? Was sure?
Speaker 7 (06:46):
Not you?
Speaker 1 (06:47):
You can ask me anything, Randy, anything.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
I saw you a minute ago, Billy, But I never
seen you ask for a touch before.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
I ain't never gone to do it no more. But Randy,
I got it tonight. I gotta get a few bucks,
maybe fifteen. I already got two dollars. Maybe. Why do
you need fifteen dollars?
Speaker 2 (07:10):
What?
Speaker 1 (07:12):
I gotta get a new suit? A new suit? What's
so special about tonight? Billy? What that that? There's something
I gotta do it? I just gotta do it, Randy,
I gotta have fifteen. But I hate them, Scott, Yeah,
oh Sullivan, Randy, don't let him pick me up for panhammon.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Please, No, I won't, Billy. Now you wait here, wait here, I'll.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
Be right back.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Yeah, that's Filly back there. And then yeah, that's right, Sullivan.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Whe heard you had a little trouble with him back
at the gym. Maybe we ought to put him in
the tank for the night. Keep my mout of trouble.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Look, look, Sullivan, h he's going away tomorrow for a
long time, all like that.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Yeah, that that's it. This is his last night. Yeah,
I see. Okay, good, that's the way I do it myself.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Let's see you around, rdy, but keep an eye on him.
To Michael Hawk, thanks Sullivan, and so on.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
What I say, Randy, they ain't gonna pick me up
for it, and they ain't going.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
No, no, no, of course not. Look, Billie, how'd you
like to come to my apartment for a while.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
I can't. I told you I got to get fifteen bucks. Well,
I we'll talk about it. I gotta get it tonight. Now.
I gotta get a new soup because because you're go
going why I can't be wearing this crummy rag when
I see her, not when when I see her, I.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Didn't know what he meant. But whatever it made him
go crazy at the gym, whatever it made him hit
me was tied in with her. Who she was I
didn't know, and I wasn't sure that he knew. I
finally talked him into going to my place, and when
we went in, I watched that slow, gentle smile.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
I'll come over his face. Hey, this place is a
number one. Yeah it's not, Billy, I ain't got much time.
Just a compliment. Yeah, okay, I'm awful tired, Randy. Seems
like a lot of things has happened tonight. You know,
I'm kind of tired.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Sure, I want to drink Billy. Oh No, I never
touch it, you know.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Yeah, and you never penhandled before. But I ain't gonna
do that no more. Just to night. I never bummed
off and nobody. I paid my own way, come anything,
I paid my own way.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Yeah, that's why I want to know why you're putting
the bite on people tonight.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
I ain't gonna tell you you're you're laugh I won't laugh.
You will. Somebody else laughed when I told her. Somebody laughed,
And well when when somebody laughs at me? I don't
like it? All right?
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Easy, but easy.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
I tell you, I got to get fifteen books. Hey,
look look at this. What's that? Billy? I cut it
out of the paper today. I've seen it. You take
a look at it. You'll read what I said.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Missus Walder Compton and her husband. Yeah, yeah, gone, that's
more prominent society leaders of New York will be in
town tonight.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
They're staying at the lake Shore, and I can't go
there in this crummey rag. Why do you have to
see her?
Speaker 6 (10:24):
What?
Speaker 1 (10:25):
Well? I gotta tell her something. It's getting late, Randy,
I got a kid.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
I'll lend you the fifteen dollars.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Billy you Oh no, no, I pay my own way.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
We'll pay it back whenever you get a john.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Now, I don't want any handoff.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
It's just a loan, Billy, it's a loone.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
What uh? Thanks? Randy, you're a champ.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Now, Now tell me why you gotta see her.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
You ain't gonna laugh. I can't take anything but that.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
I won't laugh, Billy, No, I guess you wouldn't. Okay,
you remember once I was champing. Oh, everybody knows you
a champ?
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Now? What about her? Missus comfort? Yeah, Well, it's one
night after a fight. See, I ain't champ. Yeah, but
it's one fight. She ain't there. So I go to
see her at her place. She's there, she's there. So
one of them.
Speaker 6 (11:19):
Who's there?
Speaker 1 (11:20):
It's me, billy? Where are you? Sure? Hey? I win tonight?
I said I went tonight, isn't it? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (11:32):
I heard on the radio?
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Well, well what it don't mean a thing?
Speaker 4 (11:37):
Sure means a lot.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
I guess you guess a kid for a dollar, who's
gonna marry the next middleweight champ? You should take things
like a lump of eyes. Yeah, and Noah, anything wrong?
Speaker 4 (11:51):
Nope, there is okay, something's wrong. Have it your way.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
You wasn't at the fight tonight, Baby, I look for you.
It took me three four rounds to get gone because
I didn't see it. You won? Ah, kid, look at me?
Speaker 4 (12:08):
Surely the eye got torn open again?
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Her?
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Oh it's nothing. Colodion fixed.
Speaker 6 (12:15):
This colodion fixes everything. Huh, get cut up?
Speaker 4 (12:18):
Use colodian. That's nice. I'd put you all together again.
How long do you think you'll stay together?
Speaker 1 (12:25):
What's eating on you? Honey? The last two three weeks,
the last.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
Two three weeks, the last two three years.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Yeah, that's right, I hate it. I hate what. Oh
shut oh kid, kid, what's wrong you and me? I
don't get it.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
The only thing you do get is amazingly few bucks
for getting your head knocked off.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
Oh I'm a fighter.
Speaker 4 (12:47):
Oh you're a fighter, all right, fight, but caught me out?
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Oh no, wait, I've been waiting.
Speaker 4 (12:54):
I've been waiting for him to carry you home.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Me me, the can't happen.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
Huh Well, all of a sudden you start blowing your top.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
Not all of a sudden. You said it. You said
there was something wrong for the last two three years.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
Okay, okay, spill it.
Speaker 6 (13:11):
I'm through, Billy, washed up, finished, You and me done.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Since when? Since?
Speaker 4 (13:19):
Right now?
Speaker 1 (13:23):
Oh baby, it's just the eye. You see me this
way and the eye. Don't laugh at me. Don't laugh
I take anything, but being laughed at it is a laugh.
Speaker 4 (13:35):
Oh No, I don't care if you get punched all
over the state.
Speaker 6 (13:39):
I don't care if you get your brains rattled so hard.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
A may I care about from now on?
Speaker 1 (13:43):
Okay, so I'll be champed, so you'll get your fur court.
Speaker 6 (13:47):
From you, not from a guy who's beginning to look
like a punching bag instead of my man.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Look at me, take a good look.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
I am, Yeah, I am.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
I got looked, I got plass. I can do all right.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
I still don't get it all right.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
I'll lay it on the line for you want me to.
I'm not gonna tie myself to a punchy character.
Speaker 6 (14:09):
I'm not gonna have to walk in nice place with
a guy whose faces well, how I go on, take
a look in the mirror.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
You say what I mean? You want me to quit?
Speaker 4 (14:20):
I don't care if you do or not. Because it's
too late, Billy, it's too late.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
You shouldn't see it. That's the way it was, Randy.
That that's the way it was.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Yeah, I see, Look, Billy, you don't want to go
and see her after that? I tell you, Randy, I
gotta see her.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
There's something I gotta tell her, and it's gotta beat
tonight because tomorrows you should be gone. Billy.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
How do you know that you'll well, that you'll see
I know, I know because.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
There's something I ain't, don't you. There's something something I'm
never gonna tell nobody. And Randy, please please don't don't
try to stop me. Please don't let nobody try to
stop me, because because if they do, I'll kill him.
Speaker 3 (15:31):
You are listening to Nightbeat starring Frank love Joy as
Randy Stone.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Billy said he'd kill anybody who'd try to stop him
from seeing missus Wilder Compton.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
I looked at his scarred.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Facing, into his eyes a wild fever you see in
the eyes of a dog everyone says is mad, but
only wants a drink of water.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
And then I guess I shouldn't have said that, Randy. Well,
let's forget it for a minute, Billy, and tell me
why do you want to see it? You don't understand
Dave's Eh, No, my mother never told me. Well, she
gives me the brush, see like I tell you, she
gives me the brush, but she does it for me. See,
she don't want me to get my brains knocked out.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
See yeah, I'm beginning to see Billy.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
Sure, But me, I got no sense, so so I
don't see it her way.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
So I let her walk out, and I don't see
it no more, not until I got hold of that
paper today and tonight you want to see it to say, what, Billy?
Speaker 1 (16:35):
But don't you see she loves me all these years,
she never lets up. But I want to tell her.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
It's okay that maybe her and me we can start
all over. Like, see, what's the matter Randy? Nothing nothing, Billy. Look,
don't let anybody kid you. Patty was still champion.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Oh nothing, But I gotta go. No, I gotta get
fifteen bucks for us. Now. Look, look, you're tired. You
need a shave. Maybe take a shower.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
You thought of that? No, all right, now you wait
here and take a shower and a shave, and I'll
bring a suit back for Is that a deal?
Speaker 1 (17:09):
Hot? Gee? You're a champ r and there are a
real chat.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
I might be going for a little while, Billy, but
when I come back, everything will be okay.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Sure, okay.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
There was only one thing for me to do, go
and see missus Water Company. I made sure that Billy
couldn't leave my apartment. I locked the door from the outside.
I didn't want him picked up before he had the
chance to see her, to see the woman around whom
he'd build a whole world of fantasy in which he
lived for so many years. I didn't want that world
to come down around his ears. My newspaper pass got
(17:46):
me in to see missus Walder Coompton and he's.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
Suite at the lake Shore.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
You're mister Stone, Yes I am, Missus Compton.
Speaker 6 (17:52):
You're from the newspaper.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Well, I'm not on newspaper business, Missus Compton.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Not tonight. This is more personal.
Speaker 4 (17:57):
Really, well, what.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Can I do for me? Nothing?
Speaker 6 (18:02):
Then, please get to the point, mister Still, My husband
will be here shorty with guests.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
How soon now? Why?
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Well, because it concerns someone you used to know. Really
who Billy Candell? Billy Candell as he was better known
as Billy the Kid wants middleweight Champion.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Of the world forgotten?
Speaker 2 (18:24):
And I was glad to Missus Compton. He's coming here
tonight to see you.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
What he's coming? How stupid can you get?
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Well, for a lot of people, it's not hired to
be stupid or heartless.
Speaker 6 (18:38):
Yours must be a rather sentimental column.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
Mister, Yes, it's about people. Better go look, please see Billy.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
What can you lose?
Speaker 4 (18:47):
It's out of the question.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
Listen. All he wants is to tell you something. He
wants to tell you that that he knows that you
still love him. What No, I listen to me. Please
to tomorrow. He is going to well, he's going where
he can rest.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
He's sick. Missus Compton. He's desperately sick.
Speaker 6 (19:08):
Let's not be so polite. The word is punch drunk.
I believe you want me to see a lunatic.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
No, he's not, and I'll be here when he comes.
We'll keep it between us.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Three.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Do you know what you're asking as I'm asking you
to give a guy a few minutes of his world,
make it real for him, tell him anything that, tell
him you still love him. Then he'll go away after tomorrow.
You'll never see him or hear from him again.
Speaker 6 (19:27):
You're asking me to receive that that thing, to bring
him into this hotel where everyone can see him.
Speaker 4 (19:33):
Do you know what that means or to him?
Speaker 6 (19:35):
Yes, I'm talking about myself myself.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Mister SDEs I'd like to get off that subject from.
Speaker 4 (19:39):
Me, the only subject that matters.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
If you don't see him, he'll crack up all the
way that happened long ago. Good evening, misters, done, three
minutes of your time.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
I said no, did you hear mister Stone?
Speaker 2 (19:49):
I said no, Okay, Lenny, I'm going I thank you
for everything that's been lovely.
Speaker 4 (19:56):
He needn't be a sarcastic misde.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Queeney. I got a little spot announcement for you, Billy,
ow's you a voted thanks. You'll never know it, but
she gave him the biggest break of his life, and
you walked out on him years ago. Yes, positively, tonight
you given him even a bigger break.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Tell me about it, mister Stille.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
Yes, I'll tell you. The only thing that poor guys
got left is this memory of a girl named Didn't it?
Any resemblance between that memory and you? Was strictly coincidental?
Speaker 1 (20:20):
Goodbye?
Speaker 2 (20:27):
I was glad to get out in the fresh air.
All the way back to my apartment, I kept thinking
of what I'd tell Billy, how i'd tell him. Then,
as I walked across the lobby toward the elevator, mister Saul,
Oh what is it, Charlie, here's a message for it. Okay,
you are stone, Thank you? How long ago he leave this?
Speaker 1 (20:48):
Oh? What? Just a few minutes after you left? Did
you know you left him locked in?
Speaker 2 (20:52):
He called out? He asked me to open the Did
he say where he was going? No? No, no, just
that he couldn't wait for you any long. Now, that
is on the note.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
How do you look? How do you look? Well?
Speaker 2 (21:00):
I mean, anything unusual about him? No, he had on
one of your suit I remember now that that pinstripe
one he must have stolen. Now, he didn't steal anything.
Now listen to me. I'm going to the lake Shore Hotel.
If he comes back here, get in touch with me there.
Missus Compton's sweet.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
This is Compton Sweet.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
Yes, oh, and listen, I think you'd better call the police,
but ask for Colsky, remember that Colskey. Tell him to
meet me at the lake Shore Hotel.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
And quickly.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
I took a cab and I took the shortest way
to the lake Shore, and I watched the pavements looking
for Billy, but I didn't see him. He had some
money on him and he must have taken a cab himself.
And then I was back at the lake Shore talking
with the clerk at the desk there.
Speaker 7 (21:35):
Yes, sir, there was a man here that description. He
asked her to call be put through to missus Compton Sweet.
And was it well, sir, he was a rather we yes, yes,
I know, I know. So he didn't get through.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Oh.
Speaker 7 (21:47):
I called Missus Compton Sweep myself and told her that
is I described the man.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Yes, go ahead, what'd you say that? On no account?
Was I to put him through or send him upstairs?
Oh well, okay, that's something.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
What do you do?
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Then you'd have to meet it? Which way?
Speaker 7 (22:00):
I'm afraid I didn't know, Sir. I was registering some
new guests, and I paid no attention.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Okay, thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
I had to find Billy before, well before what what
would he do? Where would he go? I asked myself
those questions as I walked slowly along, watching for him,
hoping to see that pathetic figure in my pin striped suit,
hoping i'd get to him before someone else stopped him.
I was afraid of what might happen or could happen.
And then I saw him just past the Lake Shore Hotel,
(22:30):
shambling slowly along, his shoulders hunched against the wind that cut.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
In off the lake.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
I ran and caught up with him. Billy, helly.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
Ah, what you're doing over here?
Speaker 7 (22:43):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (22:43):
I just looking around? Why'd you leave my apartment?
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Well? Oh well what you wiscone? So long? And I
had to get gone and see. Oh sure, come on,
let's walk. Yeah, hey, I borrowed one of your suits,
so a real champ suit? All right here? Your mind?
Speaker 2 (23:02):
You no, no, Billy, none at.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
All did you see her? Oh? Oh sure, what you did?
I see her?
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Billy.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
They wouldn't let you go up remember, Oh yeah, yeah,
but uh I went up the back of the back, Billy.
Now look at are you sure? Oh? Sure? And and
she still loves me, Randy, I said, everything was okay.
She's crazy about me, like like she always. What did
she tell you? Well, she she didn't want to talk
(23:33):
to me, you know how she is. But then I
told her I love her, and she loves me, you know, Billy, Billy,
I'm tired, Randy.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
Lots of things happened to night, lots of Yeah, I know.
What do you say we go someplace for coffee?
Speaker 1 (23:53):
Yeah, yeah, i'd like to. I'm awful tired. And when
I get real that good, I'll go back to see
her and may well we'll start over again. Hey, hey,
this is where she lives.
Speaker 6 (24:07):
You.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
Yeah, look, I gotta see her once more, Randy.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
Maybe she'll talk to me this time, not tonight anymore, Billy.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
No, but I want her to talk to me. Well
I don't, Yes, she will. She loves me, Billy A
listen to me. You let me go up there first.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
I'll talk to her and fix everything.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
Okay, tell her not to act like a kid. Tell
her to talk to me.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Yes, sure, sure, I'll tell her, but you must put.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
Hey, yes, Colsey, I did.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
It's okay now I found him.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
What she call the cops for Randy O.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
Coskey is not the copies of Palish. He thinks she's
the greatest fighter that ever lived. He always wanted to
talk to you about your big fight.
Speaker 1 (24:43):
Oh sure, sure, but but we're busy. Now, I'll talk
to you about it later.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
Cosek, I gotta see somebody, Billy. I promised you i'd
see her.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
Remember, you're gonna tell her. I'll be waiting.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Sure, sure, Now you just stayed with Kolski here. Tell
him about the night you want the bell, anything that matters,
don't no, no, no, just keep them here. I'll ask
questions later, now, Billy, Yeah, promise me you'll stay right here.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
You won't stay long, huh. Just tell her she loves
me and and I wanted to talk to me. Sure
I would. Okay, Now you wait here.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
I didn't think it would do any good to see
her again, but I wanted to give Billy a good
memory to take along. I saw her, all right, but
she didn't talk to me either. I went back downstairs
and out to the street. I hadn't been going more
than five minutes, but they were the longest five minutes
of my life.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
Brother, I was peeved Iranda. You see her, right? You
see her? Yeah? I saw her, Billy, what does she say? Now?
You tell me what she said? And I told her, Hey, son,
how long does this go on? This is a crown con.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
Yeah, we're coming along with you. What's the idea getting
the back? Billy?
Speaker 1 (25:54):
Yeah, I'm kind of tired. I'd kind of like the
ride to your place, riding the shirt. Thank us to
the priescinct. Coulsky listen, right, he did you see his girl? Yes?
Speaker 2 (26:06):
I soil, But she didn't talk to me either. I
guess she laughed once too often.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
She's dead. Huh, it's all right. Not just take it ease.
He's kolsky.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
Yet the poor guy doesn't even know that he killed her.
Four am and the lights are going out all over
(26:36):
the city, even though it's neon signs on Madison Street.
I better write my piece and put it in the slot.
But what can I say? The story of a one
sided love? Well, if that's what love does to you,
I'll stick to peanuckle. It's a funny thing about love,
isn't it. Let someone get up and talk about hate
(26:56):
and he's hailed as a new leader. Let him speak
of love and he's ridiculed, He's spat upon and even
nailed to a cross. Love is the greatest thing, the
oldest yet, the latest thing. Yeah, yeah, yeah, copy Boy.
Speaker 3 (27:24):
Night Beat, a new dramatic series, stars Frank love Joy
is Randy Stone. Tonight's story was written by Russell Hughes.
Nightbeat is edited by Larry Marcus and directed by Warren Lewis.
Music by Frank Worth. The part of the prize fighter
was played by Bill Conrad. Others in tonight's cast were
Loreen Tottle, Bill Lally, Larry Dobkin, and leo' cleary. Frank
(27:47):
Lovejoy will next be seen in Milton Sperling's production Rock Bottom,
released by Warner Brothers. Listen next week at the same
(28:08):
time and every week as Randy Stone searches through the
city for the strange stories waiting for him in the darkness,
the stories that come out of the shadows to find
their way into Nightbeat. There's another great action pack program
(28:35):
you'll enjoy listening to on NBC every Sunday, It's Christopher
London with Glenn Ford in the title role. Christopher London
was created especially for radio by the world's most widely
read mystery writer, Earl Stanley Gardner. You truly enjoy this
fast moving mystery adventure series when you tune to NBC
(28:57):
next Sunday on most of these Sames MBC stations. Stay
tuned for Brian don Levy in Dangerous Assignment on MBC
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.