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September 27, 2025 29 mins
Original Release Date: September 27, 2016

A disturbed man is holding bar patrons hostage.

Original Air Date: May 20, 1952

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:28):
Welcome to the Great Detectives of OldTime Radio from Boise, Idaho. This
is your host, Adam Graham.If you have a comment, send it
to me Box thirteen at Great Detectivesdot net, follow us on Twitter and
Radio Detectives, and become one ofour friends on Facebook, Facebook, dot
com slash Radio Detectives. Before weget started, I want to say the

(00:52):
program is brought to you in partby the financial support of our listeners.
I want to thank Christy so muchfor sending along at one time donation which
you do it support dot Great Detectorsdot net. You can also become an
ongoing supporter of the show at Patreondot Great Detectors dot net. Well,
now it's time for today's episode ofthe lineup, the last of these newly

(01:15):
catalog episodes. The original airdate onthis one is May the twentieth, nineteen
fifty two, and the title isWacky Williams Woolftop Wrangle. Ladies and gentlemen,
we take you now by transcription,behind the scenes of a police headquarters
in a great American city, orunder the cold glaring lights will passed before

(01:40):
you. The innocent, the vagrant, the thief, the murderer. This
is the line up, all right? Man? Yeah? Hello, ask

(02:16):
you listing? Yeah? Anything interesting? Not much robbery, assault, nothing
out of the ordinary. I'll stickaround for a while, see you later.
H huh. May I have yourattention? Please? You people on
the other side of the wire youwant to enter room. Man, I
have your attention, please, thankyou. My name is Carger, Sergeant
beat Carter. I'll explain the lineupto you. Each of the suspects you

(02:38):
will see you will be numbered.I'll call off the number, their name
and charge. Do you have anyquestions or identifications? Please remember the number
the sign of the prisoners. Icall his name the end of each line.
When I ask for questions or identifications, call out the number if you're
sure. I'm not too sure thesuspect have him held. The officers who
took your name will assist you.They're seated among them. Please be prompt

(02:59):
with your questions are identifications? Thequestions I asked these suspects are really to
get the natural tonal voice, sothey're not pay too much attention to their
answers, as they often line.All right, bring on the line,
okay, keep it moving right overhere at the end the stage. Come
on, come on moving, turnher face front, hands at your side.
Okay, Now when I call yournumber, step out and speak up

(03:21):
so everyone can hear you. Numberone, James Pillman Robbery. Where do
you live, Jim? Go?Do you twenty nine? So, Janko?
That's on the south side, isn'tit? Yeah? It's at a
house, it's a hotel. Howlong you live there, Jim? How
long? Guys? Movie? Abouta year? Movie? I'm not quite
sure that I do? Was whata year? Where'd you live before that?

(03:43):
You remember? You have? Icontinuing a num the place? See
side hotel? Yeah? Yeah,yeah, there was a name that's on
the south side too, isn't it? Yes, I'm Washington the Bellman.
I can going in the river.Were you arrested with anyone? Jim?
Yeah? Two guys? What twoguys? What is their names? Mob?
And some night I didn't know theother Bob Myers, Yeah, number
ten, Yeah he's in the line. The other guys too. Point him

(04:05):
out, Bob, the other guy. I'm sure him. Number seven?
Eight? Oh yeah, I forgotto calm myself. Number eight Stanley Quick,
I just didn't remember it. Okay, face front, have any weapons
on your gym. Yeah, gun, what kind of a gun? Describe

(04:26):
it? Thirty eight? Any otherweapons? Not on me? Just at
thirty eight. How about the othertwo boys? Oh yeah, sure they
both had a gun and I didn't. Maybe Bob had too. Bob had
two guns. He did when welived. He said he'd like to carry
two guns. Some guys get funny. You have a car on the job.
Yeah, yeah, what kind ofa car? Describe it? Some

(04:46):
kind of a sad dan big one? Bigger was abutt pretty good car?
What color wasn't dark? I don'tknow exactly. You don't remember much about
it? Oh you, Jim,only pretty busy sigeant. I'm sorry if
I didn't stop to remember what colorof the car was? We swiped?
Okay, Step back number two authorDavis Assault. Step out out of where

(05:06):
do you live? I'm Shareborn eightyeight sixty five. Why Shareborn? What's
your business? I'm a physical cultureinstructor working at it. Sure, I've
got my own gym. What doyou do, Zach? Get people in
shape, you know, lose weight, get a good build. I got
the best gym in the city,A pretty big boy two thirty. You

(05:28):
can let the air out relax.I am relaxed. What'd you hit the
man with my fist? Why didyou hit him? He got nasty?
Is one of the customers in yourgym? Wasn't me? No, he
was in your gym, but hewasn't a customer. He just came up
to find out about the place hewas thinking about working out. You know
you never saw before man? Yeah? Can I see it? Yeah?

(05:50):
Load of the muscle man, Abig boy, thirty marks marks about what's
him? Just got a call froma woman waitress working in a bar on
Lincoln. I said there was aguy in the bar with a gun.
What do you mean to hold her? No, this guy is just sitting
in the bar with a gun,just sitting, according to the waitress says,
he just went nuts and pulled agun. Won't let anybody in around

(06:13):
you better get over. Waitress said, he thinks the guy's lable to kill
somebody. Literally, this is it? Some guy trying to get on the
door. What's a manner with thiscrazy guy? Hey? Something wrong?

(06:39):
Yeah? The doors locked a cannon'sstandard. All the lights are on him.
He let me try, it's locked. I don't get it. Come
to this bar much? Oh?Sure? I just live around the corner.
Maybe Tim don't knows he knows it. You know the place very well?
Oh yeah, hey, who areyou guys? Plies? There's another
way in, cops? What's wrongwith me? And we're not sure you?

(07:00):
And is there a backdown? Well, I don't know about a backdoor.
Yes, it must be, butI've never used it, Tim,
Tim you said, maybe Tim does? Oh, Tim's a guy runs a
place as a batting Come on quiet, let's see there's a backdown. There's
a window. There is min's room. It's down the alley. Thanks,
Ben. Yeah, if there's aguy in there with a gun, i'd
the waitress phone out. It wouldn'tlet her, would he. I wouldn't

(07:21):
think so. A couple of inthis second story. That guy was a
big help. Here's the door,and I wonder's not too high. If
you give me a boost track makeit? Yeah? Yeah, you're the

(07:42):
police. Yeah. How are youthe girl who called you? Ben?
All right? Can you grab myhand? I think so? Who girl
a call? I've been hiding inhere. Your phone, Well, there's
a phone in the hall. Iwas in the hall when the guy pulled
a gun and started yelling where's youknow? I guess he's still in there.
I don't know. I him outof here. I was just going

(08:03):
back in the bar when this guystarted yelling yelling. Yeah, I don't
know what he was saying. Hewas just yell I'm crazy like I looked
through the curtains and there he was, damning by the bar and waving his
arms and yelling, he's nuts onthe front doors. Locke, Yeah,
he did that. That's when Iwent to the phone and called you and
came in here and locked the door. Tim went around the bar to shut
him up, and that's when hepulled the gun and told everybody not to
move where he'd start shooting. I'venever seen anything like it. Didn't he

(08:24):
see you? I was in thehall looking through the curtains when he pulled
that gun. I ducked and wentright to the phone. Couldn't you hear
him yell when I was talking toyou on the phone. Oh, we
didn't take the call. He stoppedbefore I got in here. I'm scared.
I think that guy's gonna shoot somebody. Well, you'll be all right
in here until we get him.Yeah. I was going to climb out
of the window but I thought Imight breaking the leg and be all right
in him. Come on, Quine, how are you going to get into
the bar? Just walking? Iguess because shoot you. Oh we'll be

(08:46):
careful. Okay now I locked thedoor again, Yeah, sure will if
we want back in. My name'sGuthrie. This is Quinetherine, Quine.
No, don't open it for anybodyelse. Wa'st yourself polls. I'll hear
anything now, good thing that's nottoo much line. Bar must be on

(09:07):
the other side of those curtains.See him, Yeah, sitting on a
bars to him by the front door. He's got a gun. All right?
Can I get it from here?Rooms full of people we missed It
wouldn't be nice. Can we justwalk in? Wow? Two of us

(09:30):
might scare him, one of usmight get away with him. What if
he doesn't go for it? Idon't know. I'll go in and you
stay by the curtains. Okay.Hey, huh? Why oh are you?
Oh me? Yeah? Owaii?What are you doing in here?
Oh? What are you talking about? I've been in here. Oh do
you think you're kid? Well,I've been in the man's room. I

(09:50):
was sitting right over there at thebar double. Hey, what's the idea
of the gun over a kid?Yet? I got it? Shuts and
I'll shoot six peek. Well,now, look, look, I don't
want to cause any trouble on thisbob before. Well I was, but
I'll be glad to leave if youwant me to say, right there,

(10:11):
there's a hold up or something.No, this is the hold up or
something. Who are you? Oh? My name's Guthrie, Ben Guthrie.
Yeah, I don't want to causeany trouble. Mister, shut up?
All right, all right, shutup? Every one of your better bey
quiet from now. I don't wantany more crying like that? Is it
all right? If I have adrink? Go ahead? Can I serve

(10:35):
him? If he wants a drink, go ahead, expect to get it
himself, don't bartell? Ye?Will it be? Serve him? Okay,
I am, I'll have the sametime. Huh the same it was
here before, wasn't he bartender?Yeah? Sure he was. Then give
him the same, your stupid partender. Don't don't reach in your part.

(11:00):
I was just gonna pay him.You don't have to pay him. Drink
your drink. Maybe you last one, drink it? Okay? Who are
you please stop that talking. WhenI was just saying here what you were
saying? Are you listening to me? Every one of you? I don't
want anybody talking. Less I couldhear him. I don't want anybody talking
at all. Less I say so, first person talks together. Less I

(11:24):
say so, I shoot him.I think you were in this bar before
me. Shut up. I thinkyou were in this bar before. Why
are you answer me? Well?Sure, sure I was wasn'tnight ten?
Sure I'll ask the questions. Whoare you? When I told you?

(11:46):
Oh you didn't? Who are you? My name is Ben Guthrie. What
do you do? I'm a fisherman, I don't think so. I show
you my commercial fishing license. Idon't want to see it. You know.
I like you are No. Ithink maybe you're a policeman. I
think you came in here to stopme, but you haven't got a chance,

(12:09):
right, I'm not a policeman.Gave you to stop me, and
I'm gonna kill you a policeman,aren't you? No? No, but
I'm gonna get out of here.Said he's not a policeman. I know
you shut up this stupid partner.I'm gonna walk right out that door,
right, go ahead and try it. I'll kill you before you open the

(12:33):
door. You kill me and yourhang for it. Oh, I just
try to go to that door.I'll shoot you, then that stupid partner,
and a few more people. You'llhang if you do just me,
y'all kill six people. No,I ain't just me. You know anybody
else that have that much guts.It's like I'm afraid. Hold it now,

(13:01):
hold it, everybody, hold ittime, Take it easy. It's
all right, it's okay, folks, Take it easy, all right now,
it's all honey. Okay. Youhad me worried, and if I
had no walk for that Dory wouldn'thave put us back to you. Thanks
for it helped him. Sure,I need a drink. It's okay,
folks, it's okay. Now.How is he coming around? Whatever made

(13:26):
you tell him you were of thefisherman? I don't know. I guess
when he pointed that gun at me, I ain't got where would I like
to be right now? And thoughtabout fishing? I guess that's as good
as anything us is. Alfred's hotsKick, speaking about eight centuries ago,

(13:50):
when armies of crusaders were clanking theirway to the east, they took pains
to avoid one particular sheek. Hewas popularly known as the Old Man of
the Mountains. This sheikh and hisfanatical followers made a practice of slaughtering any

(14:11):
crusader within reach to work themselves intoa proper frenzy. For their efforts,
these forerunners of murder incorporated chewed,an Eastern variety of hemp known as hashish.
The intoxicating effect of the hemp madethe Sheikh's followers almost irresistible fighters.

(14:35):
For obvious reasons. These warriors werecalled Hashashin, that is, Hashish eaters.
The Indian word hashashin entered medieval Latinas assassinus, and later, of
course, became our word assassin whomurder. The simplications remain the same through

(15:03):
the years. The frenzy of theHashi's eaters is found in an assassin ben

(15:31):
Where you going high? Pain?Gone up the police one? I just
heard about it. He had quitean evening, a third, fourth place.
Yeah, he had quite a time, guys, crazy, He sure
went off. Is nothing that barwho is? He names Charles Williams,
according to the identification, and hiswan lived at a hundred and seventh Street

(15:52):
after we took him. He shotup like a clown. Wait's quint went
over to Williams. Have to seewhat he could find out the doc?
Oh ben Oka, Hi doc,A little time has Williams. I got
him in b under a strain.Not bad? H what I think he
could be more? Talk to anybody. I've called him the pschiatrist. With
what I know, I'd say theman's a definite pair. Night Pete to

(16:14):
call and see if Quine's back.If you yus, tell him to meet
us over here. I want allthe information he might have gotten. Williams
definitely isn't all there. You shouldhave seen him in the bar. Put
it again. Yeah, here weare. I don't know whether it'll talk
to you, mister Williams. MisterWilliams, I'd like to talk to you,

(16:42):
mister Williams. We don't want tokeep you strapped down like this,
mister Williams, but unless you talkto us, we have to. But
nothing's going to happen to you,mister Williams. I just like to ask
you a few questions. I don'tthink he's going to say anything, And
mister Williams, we'd like to beable to notify your family that you're here,
mister Williams trying and stare Ben Okay, Yeah, what's the matter with

(17:07):
you? Small? Talk to Quin. Coin's over with Williams's apartment and what's
happening. Quin's has Williams has gota brother. He started to bring him
down here, and the brother pulleda gun. He made Quin call and
see. If we didn't let hisbrother loose, he'd killed Quin. They're

(17:37):
small got Quine up on the roof, the roof. When Nash and I
got here, we went right upto the room. Couldn't find him,
and nobody in the building saw himcome out, and we searched the whole
place and found him up in theroof. He got Quine lying on his
face and he's sitting behind a bendlatter right on the lid. Have you
talked to him? Yeah? Heswears he will shoot Quin and then jump
if we don't get his brother overhere. Ashes up there now trying to

(17:57):
talk him out of him. Whatgoods are going to do him? If
we do bring his brother over hereand he let's Quine go. We can't
turn his brother loose anyway, Butif we can get Quine out, we
can't bet on that. By law, his brother's in our protection. Brother
has to give us consent before wecan move him. He'd certainly do that
if he thinks he's getting out forgood. Well, we can't even talk
at this point. What's the otherbrother's name? Small John? All right,

(18:18):
let's go up. You have towalk up one like, all right,
you get everybody out of the buildings. Yeah, you think this guy
is serious? I don't know.Sure it acts like he is. He's

(18:42):
down there. Find that Ben tothe left of ash a wave? Asher
over here, and where's Quine?You can't see him from here. He's
around the corner that wall. Williamswon't even tuck to me, now,
Quine? All right, Asher,Yeah, just some way we could get
a shot at him. How aboutfrom another roof? Don't think you could
spot him his ways between that bigvent in the wall. Maybe if you

(19:03):
talk to him Ben, Yeah,this Quine? John? Yeah, Dan
Guthrie's here. He got my brother, No, better get him. I'll
give you another half hour. Thenyou shut up. Don't listen to him,
Ben, I told you to shutout. Relax, Quine. It'll
be okay, it won't be ifyou don't get my brother up here.
I'll give you half an hour,and then I'm gonna shoot Quine and jump
at John. Yeah. I can'tget your brother better. I can't get

(19:27):
him because he's too sick. Oh, you're trying to kit. He's in
the hospital right half hour. Ifthey don't have child up here by then,
I'm gonna shoot Cline in the head. Man, you kick them mouth
shut. You better go get child. Lieutenant. What are we gonna do?
I don't know. You can't getat him from here. I'm not
a guy coming up from that sideof the loop. If someone stood here
and kept his attention, how doyou get up that side of the building.

(19:48):
No fire escape on the ten feetfrom the top floor of the qualified
upon them, they'll figure out something. You better get him, Lieutenant.
They got twenty five minutes. Getgoing small right up the fire upob and
doesn't do us any good. We'llget the brother over here. We may
be breaking a few rules rule andI'm not going to take a chance with
Quim. Get the brother, Asher, Ryan. You won't get away with

(20:11):
it. You just keep lying rightthere, moving inch and I'll kill you.
John. Yeah, we're bringing yourbrother over here. Yeah, better
hurt. I'm gonna see how closeI can watch yourself. You'll never get
away with it. I am gettingaway with it. That's far enough with
time. Well, I want totalk to you right from there. We'll
look. What good's it gonna doto get your brother up I said,
don't come any closer. Listen towhat he says, John, you'll never
get off this roof. Then,I'm okay. Next time i'll hit you,

(20:36):
I'll turn around and get back.I mean it now. Listen,
John, I'll talk, turn aroundand walk back. Get my brother up
here. I'll do just what Isaid i'd do. You got twenty minutes.

(21:02):
What's going on? Ben? Hello? Doc? William's brother has quiet
on the roof, says he'll killhim if we don't let his brother loose.
Well, I will be responsible.He's gotten violent. I've got him
minute, Jack, I just wantto get him up on that roof.
On the roof, man, Itell you, Williams is in bad shape.
What are we gonna do? Ithas to be done, Doc.
It'll be tough, but that's whatwe're here for. Okay, Ben,

(21:22):
what's your plan? Jeef Parkinson hasrigged one of his ladders. On the
side away from Williams. Ashley herewill go with one of Parkinson's men and
come on Williams from the off sidewhile we try to keep him occupied with
his brother. He said, Asher, yeah, man, okay, no,
look, give us five minutes andthen start up. I'll try to
keep him talking. Don't kill himunless you have to, Okay, Doc,
Let's get Williams out of the ambulance, all right, open it up,

(21:45):
boys, compet and I'll carry him. Right. I've given him sedation.
He's out, but I don't knowfor how long he's able to start
raising the fuss. That's good,boys, all right? Scrabbing him paint
right? You want me up there? Yeah, but don't come out in
the roof until I call you mightbe some trouble. I hope this will

(22:06):
be all right. So I'm suresounds crazy. Well you hear that guy
on the roof? Okay, yea. How much time we got? Not

(22:30):
too much as you should be startingup about now. I'd hate to climb
up that latter. Yeah, it'scoming out of it, all right,
get the door. How long doyou think it will take at you?
I don't know. It's a longclimb. Okay, shut him down.

(22:53):
Hello, Charlie, he's not aroundyet. John. Yeah, here's your
brother. You got him right here. Child. He can't talk to you.
What do you mean he can't talk? Child? I told you he's
sick. He can't. What didyou do to him? We didn't do
it, child. He's on astretcher. I told you he's in the
hospital. It's wrong with him.What did you do? We didn't do

(23:15):
a thing. He's very sick.Bring him over here, bring him close
it and let's go. Qu Youstay here smart, Bring him over and
leave him so I can see.Come on, all right, we're coming.
That's fine enough. Put him down, right, child, I can't

(23:37):
see him. Go on, getback, get off the roof. John,
listen, go on. If they'vedone it and do him, I'll
kill Quarren. Go on, getup your brothers. Shop the rufe.
Ch Charles say something. Go on, you too, get off the roof.
I'll start shooting. Child. Ohgo what a session he's had it

(24:06):
started shooting. That's probably better.And nearly swallowed my gum. When I
looked up and saw you stick yourhead over that roof, I thought I
was losing my mind. I'm beat. You ever climbed the ladder as high,
I don't think I'd like it.Take my word for it. You
ever decided to leave the force forgotabout being a farm That's a dangerous job.

(24:36):
The lineup, starring Bill Johnstone asLieutenant Ben Guthrie, is written by
Blake Edwards with music by Eddie Dunsteader. The lineup was transcribed in Hollywood by
Hi made del Valer. Lineup hascome to you through the worldwide facilities of

(24:59):
the United States Armed Forces Radio andTelevision Service. Hi. This is Andrew

(26:33):
from OTR Westerns dot com. Iwanted to invite you to come take a
look at our site. We streamlive ot R Westerns twenty four hours a
day, seven days a week,along with putting out podcasts of old time
Radio Westerns. Check us out atOTR Westerns dot com. You're listening to
the great detectives of old time radiowith Adam Graham. Now let's get back

(26:55):
into the show. Welcome back.While an interesting episode certainly a great beginning,
the mental part really did call tomind the Dragnet story City Hall bombing,

(27:15):
and of course the TV episode thefirst Dragnet TV episode, the Human
Bomb. Though a big twist onthe ending with the hostage taking brother dying,
and in the earlier scene, Ithink the Guthrie's roos going into the
bar is very guts in, wellplayed by William Johnstone. Overall, I

(27:37):
think that these newly cataloged episodes havebeen just marvelous. I don't think I've
heard an episode yet that didn't enhancethe standing of the lineup. I think
that these have all been above averagecompared to the other episodes that were already
in circulation. That it is actuallyall for the lineup for now, unless

(28:03):
some other lost episodes become available,and I wouldn't rind revisiting the series in
that case. All right, Onequick listener comment and feedback, and this
one from Charlene, who says,the BBC does a show about a priest
in Ireland. It's called Baldy.He is not Irish and it is not

(28:26):
Golden Age, but it is saidin Ireland. It might be of interest
to your Irish pub owner. Theproblem. Thanks so much for the question
suggestion, Charlene. The problem witha show like Baldy is that while it's
said in Ireland, it is alsounder copyright to the BBC. It would

(28:48):
be a ken to performing an audioadaptation of a study and paint from series
one of Sherlock. When dealing witha Golden Age material, there can be
a lot of ambiguity about copyrights thatcan give us some wiggle room. But
there's no ambiguity about the Baldy scripts. But thanks so much for the suggestion.

(29:12):
All right, and that'll do itfor today. Join us back here
tomorrow for Richard Diamond, and nextTuesday we begin with the private files of
Rex Saunders from Boise, Idaho.This is your host, Adam Grahamson, and off
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