December 2, 2025 • 34 mins
Today's Mystery: A woman suspects that her father was poisoned in a nursing home.
Original Radio Broadcast: December 7, 1947
Originating from New York
Starring: Les Tremayne as Aubrey Maddock; Alice Reinhart; Ted Osborn; Agnes Young; John Gibson; Will GeerWindsor
Historical Society article on the murders: https://windsorhistoricalsociety.org/amy-archer-gilligan-entrepreneurism-gone-wrong-in-windsor/
Support the show monthly at https://patreon.greatdetectives.net
Patreon Supporter of the Day: Paul, Patreon supporter since March 2024.
Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.
Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715
Take the listener survey at http://survey.greatdetectives.net
Give us a call at 208-991-4783
Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectives
Follow us on Twitter @radiodetectives
Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.
Original Radio Broadcast: December 7, 1947
Originating from New York
Starring: Les Tremayne as Aubrey Maddock; Alice Reinhart; Ted Osborn; Agnes Young; John Gibson; Will GeerWindsor
Historical Society article on the murders: https://windsorhistoricalsociety.org/amy-archer-gilligan-entrepreneurism-gone-wrong-in-windsor/
Support the show monthly at https://patreon.greatdetectives.net
Patreon Supporter of the Day: Paul, Patreon supporter since March 2024.
Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.
Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715
Take the listener survey at http://survey.greatdetectives.net
Give us a call at 208-991-4783
Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectives
Follow us on Twitter @radiodetectives
Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho.
This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're
going to bring you this week's episode of The Big Story.
But first I do want to encourage you. If you're
enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software.
(00:48):
Also want to promote our other podcast and today I'm
highlighting the Amazing World of Radio, where in honor of
June Lockhart, we have a special episode that will be
least tomorrow and you can check that out as well
as last week's Thanksgiving special at Amazing Dark, Great Detectives
dot net. But now, from December seventh, nineteen forty seven,
(01:13):
here is the case of the Final Curtain.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Hell Mel present The Big Story.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Morning, mister Wilson, Morning, ma'am.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
Will it be today?
Speaker 5 (01:27):
I'd like a tube of.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Toothpaste toothpaste, yeah.
Speaker 5 (01:30):
Josh, coul cream hu and a pound of arsenic arsenith yeah.
Speaker 6 (01:35):
Ray.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
I'll have to ask you what it's for man, Well.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Surely it's for Rest.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
The Big Story another in a thrilling series based on
true experiences of newspaper reporters. Tonight, do Albrey, medic of
the Hartford Daily Current goes the Pellmell Award for the
Big Stories.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
Now the exciting and authentic story of the case of
the Final Curtain.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
You are Aubrey Matic, assistant city editor of the Hartford
Daily Current. You're sitting at your desk one afternoon, idly
tapping out a story and reflecting that things are pretty
quiet around the offices of the Current. When suddenly.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Are you a reporter?
Speaker 4 (02:44):
Yes, I just got to talk to you.
Speaker 7 (02:46):
I've got to tell.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
You about it.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
I did it. It's as if I did it with
my own hands.
Speaker 7 (02:51):
But I didn't mean to.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Honestly, I didn't.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
I didn't mean to do what. Hey, Look, take it easy.
I told the police, but.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
They didn't believe me.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
You've got to believe me.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
You've just got to I've got to talk to.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
But I'll take it easy.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
If I don't what I.
Speaker 7 (03:05):
Was doing, it would have been different.
Speaker 8 (03:07):
But you don't.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Too after and then it's too late. Relax, cigarette, Yes,
please better know.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
I guess.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
So I suppose you start from the beginning and tell
me what's on your mind.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
Would you really listen? That's what I'm here for.
Speaker 7 (03:31):
I have a tiny apartment. My father had been visiting
me for a long time. I got back home one
day and I could hear him rehearsing Shakespeare as I
came down the hall.
Speaker 5 (03:43):
Maybe that's what started that.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
I hated it.
Speaker 7 (03:46):
He used to be an actor, and he never got
over it.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
I opened the hall door.
Speaker 9 (03:50):
There's no blur in the mind to suffer the slings
and arrows of outrageous that I'm home, or to take
arms against the sea of trouble than by opposing kids. Hello, Lucy,
just brushing up on my diaphragm control.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Dad.
Speaker 7 (04:12):
Won't you ever forget you were an actor?
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Were an actor? My dear, you forget yourself?
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Do I you see from your tone of voice? I
judge that I have overstayed my visit with you. Dad.
Speaker 7 (04:26):
I don't mean to be cruel, but I guess you
have in a way. I can't ever have my friends up.
You're always here quoting things at them. We're telling them
about the parts your claim.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
It's just not fair.
Speaker 7 (04:38):
I see, Oh Dad, I don't mean to hurt you.
It's the last thing I wanted to do.
Speaker 4 (04:42):
Expecting a letter from my producer. You should have something
for me this way, oh Dad.
Speaker 10 (04:48):
Dad.
Speaker 7 (04:48):
In luck, when I was in Windsor. Last week I
stopped in to see that missus.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
Taylor for you? And who might I ask? Is that
missus Taylor.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
She runs a home in Windsor for the infern Surely.
Speaker 4 (05:01):
You don't pretend to put me in that class.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
That's just what she calls her home. For one thousand dollars.
She takes care of.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
You completely, gives you room and board from the day
you get there until.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Well until until LA bring down the final is that it?
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Well?
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Yes, are you suggesting that I go to this home
for the infirm?
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Loose here?
Speaker 3 (05:23):
That it would be nice for you?
Speaker 7 (05:24):
You'd have you'd have a nice room of your own,
and I know that every minute you'd had company and being.
Speaker 11 (05:30):
Taken care of them.
Speaker 5 (05:32):
If you don't like it there, you don't have to stay,
but you will like it there.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
So this is Missus Taylor's establishment, is it?
Speaker 5 (06:00):
Yes?
Speaker 7 (06:00):
Now remember that please be charming to.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
Her, Lucy.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
I have played two packed crowds in a tent in Kansas.
I have done my forty weeks at the Empire Theater
on Broadway. Presidents have watched me act, and you tell
me I must captivate this ill the la proprietress of
the Boarding Establishment.
Speaker 7 (06:22):
Yeah, please here come someone, Yes, missus Taylor, I'm Lucy Wellington.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Of course, then this must be your father, it is well,
would you come in.
Speaker 4 (06:34):
Charming home you, missus Taylor.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Thank you.
Speaker 5 (06:38):
I hope you'll be happy here with us.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
Yes.
Speaker 5 (06:42):
Now, I suppose you want to say goodbye to your daughter,
So I'll just leave you folks alone for a minute
or two, and then I'll be back to get you settled.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
You just make yourselves at home.
Speaker 7 (06:53):
Well, dad, Lucy, do you think you'll be happy here?
Speaker 4 (07:00):
Don't worry about me.
Speaker 11 (07:02):
I want you to be happy, dad, Lucy. I can
be honest with myself at times.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
My life is over.
Speaker 11 (07:14):
I've taken all my bows and curtain calls, and I'm
just sitting in an empty theater waiting for my execute.
This is as good a place as any to wait.
Speaker 7 (07:28):
If you don't like, if you'll let me know and
I'll bring you back home.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
Thank you.
Speaker 7 (07:34):
I I guess i'd better go.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
Good night, good night.
Speaker 11 (07:41):
Parting is such sweet sorrow that I would say good
night till it be morrow. Oh I forgot you don't
like to hear me more? Good Bye, Lucy, good Bye
(08:01):
God bless you.
Speaker 5 (08:07):
Ooh grish is mister Wellington. You startled me standing so
still there by the door.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
Who it's a statement.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
I I just said goodbye.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
To my daughter.
Speaker 5 (08:25):
Well, saying goodbye to kin folk is always a little
hard on the heartstrings, mister Wellington.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
But you'll be happy here. I'm sure everybody is.
Speaker 5 (08:33):
Why. Nobody ever leaves my home, except of course when
they die.
Speaker 10 (08:55):
Mister Wellington, Who is it me, Luke Briggs? I come
by a game of cribbage.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
Come in, Come in, my friend, Thank you kindly. I
see you got the cards out.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Yes, it's it's just the thing to make the time pass.
It doesn't seem as if I'd been here at missus
Taylor's for almost two months, does it.
Speaker 10 (09:20):
Sty'll like it here, of course, not looking support as
you might, just.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
A little indigestion, I see. Mister Wellington.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
You got to get out of here.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
What are you talking about?
Speaker 10 (09:35):
You paid your thousand dollars in advance.
Speaker 4 (09:38):
You got to get out of here. What do you mean?
Speaker 10 (09:41):
Missus Grumman paid her thousand dollars in advance. She died
last night.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
It took her away just before SunUp.
Speaker 10 (09:49):
Well, I'm sorry to know Pete Dawes paid his thousand
dollars in advance.
Speaker 4 (09:55):
He died last week. He took him away at midnight.
That comes to everyone, not like it does in this house.
When it's natural.
Speaker 10 (10:04):
It comes in its time, and it comes soft death.
Don't care whether you pay a thousand dollars to Missus Taylor.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
In advance or not.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
What are you driving at I'm safe.
Speaker 10 (10:16):
I pay my room board for the week. It's no
proper to Missus Taylor for me to die early.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
But with them that pays in advance, you're crazy list.
Speaker 10 (10:28):
Late at night, I can hear horses hoofs coming clop
clop clop.
Speaker 4 (10:33):
Up the dirt road.
Speaker 10 (10:35):
I can hear the creak of a wagon as they
back it up against the porch, and footsteps carrying something heavy.
I can hear that something heavy thud into the wagon,
and then the horse's hoofs start up the road again,
softer and softer to there's nothing more to hear with
(10:55):
the hooto, And then I know somebody else's died and
they're taken him away in the night.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
Stop it, you're next on this is Terror's list.
Speaker 10 (11:08):
I'm telling you, what makes you say that I've seen
it happen. First a special lemonade, a particular pie made
special for someone, and then the might of indigestion, and
then yeah, of course bos coming up the road.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
Stop it, stop it stopping a fool. I'm sorry, I
seem to be a little upset to see me. Suppose
we leave our game until tomorrow night, if that's the
way you want.
Speaker 11 (11:45):
It, yes, because I I'd like to lie down for
a while.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
I think i'd like to go to sleep. Mm hmm.
Speaker 10 (12:06):
If you don't like this place, let me know, let
me know, and I'll bring you home.
Speaker 9 (12:12):
But it's just a touch of indigestion, just indigestion, just
to touch.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
You. Got to get out of here. You've got to
get out of you out, Okay.
Speaker 5 (12:25):
Nobody leaves my home. Nobody ever leaves my home except
the course when they die.
Speaker 10 (12:34):
You know, I can tell somebody who's died. I can
hear the horses who've shown the road case.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
But they don't leave unless they die.
Speaker 5 (12:51):
Come back, come back, come back this spring first, just
as the springs there don't, don't do And stif I
made it special for you, just.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
For you, No, no.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
No, mister Wellington, wake up.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
Oh missus Taylor. Oh, I must have had a nightmare.
Speaker 5 (13:15):
I should say, you must have just a hoogile outside
the window.
Speaker 3 (13:21):
Here, drink this. It's just a sedative. I fixed it
special for you.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
I don't want to take it away.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
It will save you here. Now take the glass, drink
it down.
Speaker 5 (13:36):
That's it now, then, mister Wellington, you won't have to
worry anymore.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Miss Wellington, this is missus Taylor calling.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
I'm sorry to bother you this time of night, but
it looks like your father's took bear.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Oh no, no, no need to.
Speaker 5 (14:16):
Come tonight, but I think you better come visit him
tomorrow morning.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
We'll be back in just a moment with tonight's big story.
Now we return you to our narrator, Bob Sloan and
tonight's big story. You, Aubrey Maddock, Assistant City Editor, Sit
(14:52):
at your desk at the Heart for Daily Current, and
listen intently to the half hysterical girl. And she sobs
out a weird in an unbelievable story. Finally, she says,
that's about the.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Whole of it, mister Maddock.
Speaker 7 (15:08):
When I got to the home the next morning, Dad
was dead. He died just ten minutes after missus Taylor
coll What.
Speaker 4 (15:14):
Did she give as the cause of death?
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Gastric ulcers cause.
Speaker 7 (15:18):
He was poisoned.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
He never had a sign of any kind of alswer.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
He was poisoned by that horrible woman, and I made
him go there.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Let me ask you just one question, Miss Wellington. You
outlined a very complete story of just how your father died.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
How do you know all these things?
Speaker 7 (15:32):
The last time I saw Dad at the home, he
was so frightened underneath. I should have known then, I
should have taken him away then, but I didn't know
he's dead.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Well, that doesn't answer my question. You told me how
he died. You even told me what he dreamed. How
can you possibly know all this?
Speaker 7 (15:45):
Well, I don't actually know it, I suppose, but it
could have been something like that.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
It must have been something like that.
Speaker 4 (15:53):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Well, if so, it's the biggest, hottest lead on the
story I've ever gotten. But if not, it's most malicious,
evil piece of slander I've ever heard. And does a
newspaper man, I guess it's up to me to find
out which it is.
Speaker 3 (16:04):
What are you going to do?
Speaker 4 (16:05):
I'm going up to Windsor to take a look around.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Yes, sir, something I can do for you. You own
this drug store? Yes, I do get most of the
local trade here in Windsor.
Speaker 4 (16:24):
Sure, do you.
Speaker 12 (16:24):
Sell poison here?
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Why do you want to know? I'm very interested in
the sale of poison in Windsor during the past few years. Well,
I don't see the state require every druggist to keep
a poison register showing who bought what kind of poison, when,
and for what.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
Yes, let's see it. Who are you AnyWho? Just a
guy who's interested in poisons? Where's the register right here? Thanks?
August September.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
October October twenty first, Missus Beatrice Taylor six answers of
arsenic use for rats and mice. That's Missus Taylor or
their home out on prospect.
Speaker 4 (17:01):
Uh huh.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
February seventeenth, Missus Beatrice Taylor thirteen ounces of.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
Arsenic use for bugs and mice.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
And again, May twenty sixth, Missus Beatrice Taylor ten ounces
of arsenic acid use for rats and mice.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
Ten ounces on the twenty sixth of May.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
Look here, isn't this quite a bit of poison for
any one person to buy? No, can't say so. Most
of the folks around here by arsenic poison for exterminating purposes.
I see, well, just the same. I think I'll go
and have a few words with missus Taylor.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
Just for the record, mister.
Speaker 5 (17:48):
Maddock, I can't tell you how glad I am.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
That you came.
Speaker 4 (17:51):
Why is that, Missus Taylor.
Speaker 5 (17:53):
Well, these rumors that one of my borders was poisoned
and naturally upset me. It's nonsense, of course, but still
talk if that hurts the reputation of a nursing home.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
Did you think of that when you bought the poison?
Speaker 3 (18:04):
What do you mean?
Speaker 2 (18:05):
I mean that I've been downe at the local drug
store and find that you purchased pounds of arsenic enough
to poison a lot of borders.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
Mercy.
Speaker 5 (18:11):
You don't think I bought that for anything except rats
and mice?
Speaker 4 (18:14):
Do you?
Speaker 2 (18:15):
What should I think? Maybe you use it for rats
and mice. But Jay Wellington died of a gastric ulcer
just four days after your last arsenic purchase.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
You're not serious about this.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
I'm very serious, mister Maddock.
Speaker 5 (18:28):
We're both intelligent folks. We can look at this whole
nonsensical story intelligently. Now, Now, if you were setting out
to poison somebody. Would you buy the poison at a
local drug store? Would you buy it where everybody knows
you by name, and where everybody knows everybody else's business.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
Well, not if you'd steal.
Speaker 5 (18:45):
It or get it some underhanded way, if you were
going to use it for murder, now, wouldn't you?
Speaker 2 (18:51):
I suppose so. Of course, I've only heard miss Wellington's
side of the story.
Speaker 5 (18:55):
That for child is half out of her mind with
grief and guilt because she didn't get.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
Here in time to be with her father at the end.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
She was terribly upset.
Speaker 5 (19:02):
Oh yeah, she was a mite harsh with him from
time to time.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
That praised on her mind.
Speaker 5 (19:07):
Now that he's gone, I can understand how she feels,
or child, Lord knows I.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Try to be forgiving.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
She's very bitter.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
About you, mister Maddick. Would you like to know why? Yes,
all right, I'll tell you. She claims her.
Speaker 5 (19:23):
Father had five hundred dollars when he came to the
home and she thinks I've stolen it. Why because she
can't find it with her father's things, fighting over that
poor soul's grave for money too. He didn't have a cent,
and if he did, I'd never touch a thing that
didn't belong to me.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
You're being very fair, Missus Taylor knows I try to be.
Speaker 5 (19:44):
About times. It does seem like I have more than
my share of trouble.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
Well, I'm sorry to have added to it, Missus Taylor.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
Oh that's quite all right.
Speaker 5 (19:51):
Mister Maddick, thank you for taking bothered dropping here.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
Oh, there's no bother at all, man, I have another
visit to pay in Windsor anyhow.
Speaker 4 (20:00):
Mmmm. This is the office of the Windsor County Clerk.
Where's the clerk right here? You me?
Speaker 2 (20:16):
Oh, I'm Aubrey Madic of the Heartfred Daily Cary.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
I've been meaning to talk to one of you newspaper people.
Speaker 11 (20:22):
Well, your paper last February paid up for the US
to then come last April. I was away for two
weeks and it seemed me or to get my money
back for those two weeks.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
Well, look, pop, I'll take it up personally with the
circulation manager.
Speaker 11 (20:33):
But right now, right neighborly of your young fellow life
the paper.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
Fine, I'm glad to hear it.
Speaker 11 (20:38):
What farm articles you got? Good recipies? My wife always
looks for them. Recipe.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
Yeah, you keep the death certificates for Windsor County here,
sure do well?
Speaker 4 (20:49):
Then, for the love repeat, can I see them?
Speaker 11 (20:52):
It's all shouting about, Sure you see them.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
You come through the endless certificates and just on a chance,
you make notes of all the death that took place
at Missus Taylor's home, and you do a little extra
checking and what do you find makes.
Speaker 4 (21:13):
You sit up straight and whistle? What's up? Younger? My
hair pop up on end?
Speaker 2 (21:19):
Hey, sorry, no time for chit chat now here?
Speaker 4 (21:22):
Where are you going with them?
Speaker 2 (21:24):
The heart for chief of police? You do take the
certificates to the police chief later. At first, you do
a little checking with some of Missus Taylor's neighbors and
former borders. You visit the relatives of some of the deceased,
(21:44):
and then, armed with explosive information, you take the death
certificates and your big story to the Hartford Chief of Police.
I didn't make too much of the arsenic purchases at first, Chief.
Poison might have been for rets in spite of Jay
Wellington's sudden death just four days after the last purchase,
could be coincident. Sure, yeah, that's what I thought. Missus
Taylor told a very convincing story maybe a little too convincing.
(22:07):
So just on a hunch, I dropped in at the
college clerk's office and I, well, take a.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
Look at these statistics.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
What are they? The number of deaths at the Taylor
Home during the past five years forty eight, eh, forty
eight not surprising? What do you mean that's an awful
out of deaths? Matic gets a home for all people,
A death rates bound to be a that's where you're wrong.
I checked the figures on the Hertford Old People's Home
just to compare. You know how much bigger the Hertford
Home is than Missus Taylor's about five times as big,
(22:35):
six times as big, and yet the number of deaths
is the same in both homes, forty eight in five years.
Speaker 4 (22:42):
How about that doesn't look good? It isn't. And here's
another insting point.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
At least twenty of the deaths Missus Taylor reported looked
highly suspicious, and each of those twenty boarders were of
the class that paid one thousand dollars outright for board
until death. I checked the others and found out that
the week to week boy have held to a normal
death rate. Now does that or does that not look
like mass murder. It does, but no proof. We'll take
(23:08):
care of that autompsy exactly.
Speaker 4 (23:11):
We'll get in touch with you.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
Why, mister Madick.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Yes, miss Taylor, and this is the heart for the
chief of police with me. We'd like to ask you
some questions.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
Why surely you come in.
Speaker 5 (23:35):
If you' just come into the parlor, I haven't dusted yet,
be making a special dessert for one of my borders.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Sit down, won't you?
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Missus Taylor? The daughter of one of your deceased patients
reported some suspicious facts about her father's death.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
Oh you mean that Wellington girl again?
Speaker 4 (23:51):
What about it, Missus Taylor?
Speaker 5 (23:53):
Like I told mister Mattick here, I'm anxious to clear
up all these false rumors. So you just ask me
any question didn't you want, and I'll do my best
to answer them.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
All right, Missus Taylor, how do you account for the
fact that you bought poison in large quantities?
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Like I said before, it was for rats and mice.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
What about the manner in which you removed human bodies
from the home during the night. Miss Wellington and others
have stated that bodies were gone before their relatives arrived here.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
Well, I like to get the body out of the house.
Speaker 5 (24:19):
As soon as death occurs, it disturbs the other borders.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
And why was it that the highest death rate was
amongst those who paid you one thousand dollars.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
Outright for board.
Speaker 5 (24:27):
I can't imagine where you got such an idea.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Why were bodies shipped secretly out of the county without
a permit?
Speaker 5 (24:32):
Why?
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Why did an autopsy on Jay Wellington and another one
of your borders show that both died of poison and
not natural causes.
Speaker 3 (24:41):
An autopsy? You did an autopsy?
Speaker 4 (24:45):
Come along, missus Taylor. I have a warrant for your arrest.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
You can't prove anything.
Speaker 5 (24:54):
That girl talked too much, but you can't prove anything
you can't read. I was too careful. I had an answer,
you'll see.
Speaker 3 (25:09):
I'll hang before I admit I did it.
Speaker 4 (25:12):
You're probably right, Missus Taylor. You hang.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
In just a moment, We'll read you a telegram from
Aubrey Maddock of the Hartford Daily Current with the final
details of tonight's big story. Now we read you that
telegram from Aubrey Maddock of the Hertford Daily Current. Poisoner
in Tonight's Big Story was convicted of first degree murder However,
an appeal was granted and the conviction was changed to
(25:52):
second degree given a life prison sentence. She was subsequently
transferred to the Hospital for the Insane of Middletown. Many
thanks for the Knight's pell Mell Awards, Mattock, The makers
of Pellmell Famous Cigarettes are proud to have named you
the winner of the pell Mell five hundred dollars Award
for notable service in the field of Journalism.
Speaker 12 (26:08):
Listen again next week, same time, same station, when pell
Mell Famous Cigarettes will present another Big Story, A big
story from the pages of the Des Moines Tribune Byeline
Russell Wilson, A big story that reached its climax with
an automobile rhyme that ended in death Gosh.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
The Big Story is produced by Bernard J. Parkter and
directed by Harry Ingram, with music by Vladimisselenski. Tonight's program
was written by Gail Ingram. Your narrator was Bob Sloan,
and Less Tremayne played the part of Aubrey Mattock. All
names in Tonight's story except that of mister Mattock, were fictitious,
but the dramatization was based on a true and authentic case.
This is Ernest Chappell speaking for the makers of Pellmell
(26:54):
Famous Cigarettes and reminding you of the ideal of Christmas
gift pell Mell Famous Cigarettes in their special holiday cotton.
Speaker 13 (27:11):
This is NBC, the National Broadcasting Company.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
Welcome back. So first of all, in addition to Less Tremaine,
the rest of the cast included Alice ron Hart, Ted Osbourne,
Agnes Young, John Gibson and Will gear. Now, as to
the story, I do think the fact that Lucy imagined
her father's death scene, including a dream, showed that she'd
(27:46):
gotten the gene for dramatics, although Haunch turned out to
be right. Now, once again, I do turn to the
story behind the Big Story website for full detail as
to the real story of this crime. And I'm indebted
to doctor Joe Webb and researchers are hard work on
(28:11):
all of these cases. This one was probably one of
the easier ones to research as it's a rather famous one.
This one came from nineteen fifteen, was when the investigation occurred,
and the perpetrator was Amy Archer Gilligan, and she was
(28:34):
caught when a reporter started looking into it. Aside from
some of the specific dramatic details. The basics of the
story are pretty sound, and as implied by the amount
that she bought, she used a massive amount of poison.
According to the autopsy, what they found was that there
(28:56):
was enough poison in one of the victims to kill
six men. Even by the science of nineteen fifteen, that's
going to be caught. Missus Gilligan didn't have some clever
scientific method to conceal her crime. Her bet was on
no one suspecting desks in a nursing home and no
(29:17):
one expecting innocent old her. These particular killings actually would
become the inspiration for the dark comedy play Arsenic and
Old Lace, which had a successful screen adaptation, as well
as a few radio adaptations as well.
Speaker 6 (29:35):
The story may.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
Also have been the inspiration of a Yours Truly Johnny
Dollar episode with a very similar plot. Now we turn
to listener comments and feedback, and we have a couple
on the Bobby Sacks kid from beyone, and we start
on Patreon where Emmit comments, that was a really gripping story,
but I must admit the ending nearly knocked me off
(29:58):
my chair. It's a how the tenor of the times
affected the retelling of this crime. After all, forgiveness was
the theme after the war, right up to the early fifties.
Around that time, radio detectives began to find fault with
turnstile justice that seemed to be content to blame society
for everything. It's just one more thing that makes listening
(30:21):
to these stories so rewarding. History can't hide between the lines.
And while you can probably find exceptions both ways, I
think there's definite merit to that description of the overall
tone of old time radio. And we have a comment
from Mechanics sixty six, who writes, the more interesting thing
(30:42):
to me about Dorothy Kilgallon is the circumstances surrounding her
suicide or accidental overdose while investigating the death of Jay
Kay very similar to the death of Marilyn Monroe. In fact,
there's a book about it, Collateral Damage, and that's Mark Shaw.
Now there's a subtitle. I'm not reading it. For one thing,
(31:04):
it's just way too long to remember. But mister Shaw
wrote Collateral Damage and also wrote another book on the subject,
The Reporter Who Knew Too Much. I'm not going to
go deeper into it than that, but I appreciate the
comment and I did not know that anyone had put
Dorothy Kilgallen in that situation or that she had. And
(31:29):
what you can confirm whatever you believe about her death,
that she did interview Jack Ruby and was investigating it
and didn't buy the official story. Oh always good to
learn something new. Thanks so much, appreciate the comment. Now
it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day,
and I want to go ahead and thank Paul Patreon supporter,
since Mark's twenty twenty four currently supporting the podcast at
(31:53):
the Shawmus level of four dollars more per month. Thanks
so much for your support, Paul. That will do it
for today. If you're enjoying the podcasts, please follow us
using your favorite podcast software and be sure to rate
and review the podcast wherever you download it from. We'll
be back next Tuesday with another episode of the Big Story.
(32:13):
But join us back here tomorrow for Broadways my beat.
Speaker 6 (32:16):
Where have yourself a wicker and take a load.
Speaker 8 (32:19):
Off for the place you have here, Milton.
Speaker 14 (32:23):
Wait till you see the floor show Danny Gotta dame here.
Speaker 6 (32:26):
It does a routine and a bit.
Speaker 8 (32:28):
Of hot col melt.
Speaker 6 (32:30):
Do you try the authentic scene? Yet?
Speaker 14 (32:34):
You like fish I got called whoma nuka nuko wah.
That could set you crazy. You sit still, I'll slice your.
Speaker 8 (32:45):
Some from the middle, Sit down, melt.
Speaker 6 (32:50):
All right, So I'm sitting. I'm sitting.
Speaker 8 (32:55):
So about a bartender here, Frank Dunn.
Speaker 6 (32:58):
Frankly it showed up yet tonight he commits something.
Speaker 8 (33:02):
He's been murdered.
Speaker 6 (33:05):
Kiss met pure, kiss met fate.
Speaker 8 (33:10):
Danny the way of the department figures it took a murderer.
Speaker 4 (33:12):
To do it.
Speaker 6 (33:13):
Yeah, I guess how do you go out?
Speaker 8 (33:16):
Shot?
Speaker 14 (33:18):
Like I say, kiss met? What are you talking about?
A guy like Frank ittt figured it just don't make
me surprise.
Speaker 8 (33:26):
Come on, they'll talk to me. What's on your mind?
Speaker 14 (33:28):
Well, he said, smiles with the tall cool ones. When
Frank wiped the bar in front of a female patronesss
it had a meeting all its own personality. Keep talking, well, Danny,
a guy like him, Well, dame would be embarrassed leaving
less than a finn or a phone number.
Speaker 6 (33:48):
For a tip.
Speaker 8 (33:49):
Did he cause any trouble here?
Speaker 4 (33:51):
Frank?
Speaker 6 (33:52):
No, inoperator with a head on.
Speaker 14 (33:54):
Him, Wait until the mail Lescott was occupied elsewhere. Then
well Frank would drop a small onion in a cocktail
glass in such a way that patronesses would leave teethmugs
on the bar.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
Hope you'll be with us then in the meantime, send
your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net.
Follow us on Twitter, Radio Detectives. Check us out on Instagram,
Instagram dot com, slash Great Detectives from Boise, Idaho. This
is your host, Adam Graham signing off.
Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho.
This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're
going to bring you this week's episode of The Big Story.
But first I do want to encourage you. If you're
enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software.
(00:48):
Also want to promote our other podcast and today I'm
highlighting the Amazing World of Radio, where in honor of
June Lockhart, we have a special episode that will be
least tomorrow and you can check that out as well
as last week's Thanksgiving special at Amazing Dark, Great Detectives
dot net. But now, from December seventh, nineteen forty seven,
(01:13):
here is the case of the Final Curtain.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Hell Mel present The Big Story.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Morning, mister Wilson, Morning, ma'am.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
Will it be today?
Speaker 5 (01:27):
I'd like a tube of.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Toothpaste toothpaste, yeah.
Speaker 5 (01:30):
Josh, coul cream hu and a pound of arsenic arsenith yeah.
Speaker 6 (01:35):
Ray.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
I'll have to ask you what it's for man, Well.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Surely it's for Rest.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
The Big Story another in a thrilling series based on
true experiences of newspaper reporters. Tonight, do Albrey, medic of
the Hartford Daily Current goes the Pellmell Award for the
Big Stories.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
Now the exciting and authentic story of the case of
the Final Curtain.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
You are Aubrey Matic, assistant city editor of the Hartford
Daily Current. You're sitting at your desk one afternoon, idly
tapping out a story and reflecting that things are pretty
quiet around the offices of the Current. When suddenly.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Are you a reporter?
Speaker 4 (02:44):
Yes, I just got to talk to you.
Speaker 7 (02:46):
I've got to tell.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
You about it.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
I did it. It's as if I did it with
my own hands.
Speaker 7 (02:51):
But I didn't mean to.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Honestly, I didn't.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
I didn't mean to do what. Hey, Look, take it easy.
I told the police, but.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
They didn't believe me.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
You've got to believe me.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
You've just got to I've got to talk to.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
But I'll take it easy.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
If I don't what I.
Speaker 7 (03:05):
Was doing, it would have been different.
Speaker 8 (03:07):
But you don't.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Too after and then it's too late. Relax, cigarette, Yes,
please better know.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
I guess.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
So I suppose you start from the beginning and tell
me what's on your mind.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
Would you really listen? That's what I'm here for.
Speaker 7 (03:31):
I have a tiny apartment. My father had been visiting
me for a long time. I got back home one
day and I could hear him rehearsing Shakespeare as I
came down the hall.
Speaker 5 (03:43):
Maybe that's what started that.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
I hated it.
Speaker 7 (03:46):
He used to be an actor, and he never got
over it.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
I opened the hall door.
Speaker 9 (03:50):
There's no blur in the mind to suffer the slings
and arrows of outrageous that I'm home, or to take
arms against the sea of trouble than by opposing kids. Hello, Lucy,
just brushing up on my diaphragm control.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Dad.
Speaker 7 (04:12):
Won't you ever forget you were an actor?
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Were an actor? My dear, you forget yourself?
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Do I you see from your tone of voice? I
judge that I have overstayed my visit with you. Dad.
Speaker 7 (04:26):
I don't mean to be cruel, but I guess you
have in a way. I can't ever have my friends up.
You're always here quoting things at them. We're telling them
about the parts your claim.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
It's just not fair.
Speaker 7 (04:38):
I see, Oh Dad, I don't mean to hurt you.
It's the last thing I wanted to do.
Speaker 4 (04:42):
Expecting a letter from my producer. You should have something
for me this way, oh Dad.
Speaker 10 (04:48):
Dad.
Speaker 7 (04:48):
In luck, when I was in Windsor. Last week I
stopped in to see that missus.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
Taylor for you? And who might I ask? Is that
missus Taylor.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
She runs a home in Windsor for the infern Surely.
Speaker 4 (05:01):
You don't pretend to put me in that class.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
That's just what she calls her home. For one thousand dollars.
She takes care of.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
You completely, gives you room and board from the day
you get there until.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Well until until LA bring down the final is that it?
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Well?
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Yes, are you suggesting that I go to this home
for the infirm?
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Loose here?
Speaker 3 (05:23):
That it would be nice for you?
Speaker 7 (05:24):
You'd have you'd have a nice room of your own,
and I know that every minute you'd had company and being.
Speaker 11 (05:30):
Taken care of them.
Speaker 5 (05:32):
If you don't like it there, you don't have to stay,
but you will like it there.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
So this is Missus Taylor's establishment, is it?
Speaker 5 (06:00):
Yes?
Speaker 7 (06:00):
Now remember that please be charming to.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
Her, Lucy.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
I have played two packed crowds in a tent in Kansas.
I have done my forty weeks at the Empire Theater
on Broadway. Presidents have watched me act, and you tell
me I must captivate this ill the la proprietress of
the Boarding Establishment.
Speaker 7 (06:22):
Yeah, please here come someone, Yes, missus Taylor, I'm Lucy Wellington.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Of course, then this must be your father, it is well,
would you come in.
Speaker 4 (06:34):
Charming home you, missus Taylor.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Thank you.
Speaker 5 (06:38):
I hope you'll be happy here with us.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
Yes.
Speaker 5 (06:42):
Now, I suppose you want to say goodbye to your daughter,
So I'll just leave you folks alone for a minute
or two, and then I'll be back to get you settled.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
You just make yourselves at home.
Speaker 7 (06:53):
Well, dad, Lucy, do you think you'll be happy here?
Speaker 4 (07:00):
Don't worry about me.
Speaker 11 (07:02):
I want you to be happy, dad, Lucy. I can
be honest with myself at times.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
My life is over.
Speaker 11 (07:14):
I've taken all my bows and curtain calls, and I'm
just sitting in an empty theater waiting for my execute.
This is as good a place as any to wait.
Speaker 7 (07:28):
If you don't like, if you'll let me know and
I'll bring you back home.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
Thank you.
Speaker 7 (07:34):
I I guess i'd better go.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
Good night, good night.
Speaker 11 (07:41):
Parting is such sweet sorrow that I would say good
night till it be morrow. Oh I forgot you don't
like to hear me more? Good Bye, Lucy, good Bye
(08:01):
God bless you.
Speaker 5 (08:07):
Ooh grish is mister Wellington. You startled me standing so
still there by the door.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
Who it's a statement.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
I I just said goodbye.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
To my daughter.
Speaker 5 (08:25):
Well, saying goodbye to kin folk is always a little
hard on the heartstrings, mister Wellington.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
But you'll be happy here. I'm sure everybody is.
Speaker 5 (08:33):
Why. Nobody ever leaves my home, except of course when
they die.
Speaker 10 (08:55):
Mister Wellington, Who is it me, Luke Briggs? I come
by a game of cribbage.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
Come in, Come in, my friend, Thank you kindly. I
see you got the cards out.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Yes, it's it's just the thing to make the time pass.
It doesn't seem as if I'd been here at missus
Taylor's for almost two months, does it.
Speaker 10 (09:20):
Sty'll like it here, of course, not looking support as
you might, just.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
A little indigestion, I see. Mister Wellington.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
You got to get out of here.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
What are you talking about?
Speaker 10 (09:35):
You paid your thousand dollars in advance.
Speaker 4 (09:38):
You got to get out of here. What do you mean?
Speaker 10 (09:41):
Missus Grumman paid her thousand dollars in advance. She died
last night.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
It took her away just before SunUp.
Speaker 10 (09:49):
Well, I'm sorry to know Pete Dawes paid his thousand
dollars in advance.
Speaker 4 (09:55):
He died last week. He took him away at midnight.
That comes to everyone, not like it does in this house.
When it's natural.
Speaker 10 (10:04):
It comes in its time, and it comes soft death.
Don't care whether you pay a thousand dollars to Missus Taylor.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
In advance or not.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
What are you driving at I'm safe.
Speaker 10 (10:16):
I pay my room board for the week. It's no
proper to Missus Taylor for me to die early.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
But with them that pays in advance, you're crazy list.
Speaker 10 (10:28):
Late at night, I can hear horses hoofs coming clop
clop clop.
Speaker 4 (10:33):
Up the dirt road.
Speaker 10 (10:35):
I can hear the creak of a wagon as they
back it up against the porch, and footsteps carrying something heavy.
I can hear that something heavy thud into the wagon,
and then the horse's hoofs start up the road again,
softer and softer to there's nothing more to hear with
(10:55):
the hooto, And then I know somebody else's died and
they're taken him away in the night.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
Stop it, you're next on this is Terror's list.
Speaker 10 (11:08):
I'm telling you, what makes you say that I've seen
it happen. First a special lemonade, a particular pie made
special for someone, and then the might of indigestion, and
then yeah, of course bos coming up the road.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
Stop it, stop it stopping a fool. I'm sorry, I
seem to be a little upset to see me. Suppose
we leave our game until tomorrow night, if that's the
way you want.
Speaker 11 (11:45):
It, yes, because I I'd like to lie down for
a while.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
I think i'd like to go to sleep. Mm hmm.
Speaker 10 (12:06):
If you don't like this place, let me know, let
me know, and I'll bring you home.
Speaker 9 (12:12):
But it's just a touch of indigestion, just indigestion, just
to touch.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
You. Got to get out of here. You've got to
get out of you out, Okay.
Speaker 5 (12:25):
Nobody leaves my home. Nobody ever leaves my home except
the course when they die.
Speaker 10 (12:34):
You know, I can tell somebody who's died. I can
hear the horses who've shown the road case.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
But they don't leave unless they die.
Speaker 5 (12:51):
Come back, come back, come back this spring first, just
as the springs there don't, don't do And stif I
made it special for you, just.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
For you, No, no.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
No, mister Wellington, wake up.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
Oh missus Taylor. Oh, I must have had a nightmare.
Speaker 5 (13:15):
I should say, you must have just a hoogile outside
the window.
Speaker 3 (13:21):
Here, drink this. It's just a sedative. I fixed it
special for you.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
I don't want to take it away.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
It will save you here. Now take the glass, drink
it down.
Speaker 5 (13:36):
That's it now, then, mister Wellington, you won't have to
worry anymore.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Miss Wellington, this is missus Taylor calling.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
I'm sorry to bother you this time of night, but
it looks like your father's took bear.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Oh no, no, no need to.
Speaker 5 (14:16):
Come tonight, but I think you better come visit him
tomorrow morning.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
We'll be back in just a moment with tonight's big story.
Now we return you to our narrator, Bob Sloan and
tonight's big story. You, Aubrey Maddock, Assistant City Editor, Sit
(14:52):
at your desk at the Heart for Daily Current, and
listen intently to the half hysterical girl. And she sobs
out a weird in an unbelievable story. Finally, she says,
that's about the.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Whole of it, mister Maddock.
Speaker 7 (15:08):
When I got to the home the next morning, Dad
was dead. He died just ten minutes after missus Taylor
coll What.
Speaker 4 (15:14):
Did she give as the cause of death?
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Gastric ulcers cause.
Speaker 7 (15:18):
He was poisoned.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
He never had a sign of any kind of alswer.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
He was poisoned by that horrible woman, and I made
him go there.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Let me ask you just one question, Miss Wellington. You
outlined a very complete story of just how your father died.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
How do you know all these things?
Speaker 7 (15:32):
The last time I saw Dad at the home, he
was so frightened underneath. I should have known then, I
should have taken him away then, but I didn't know
he's dead.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Well, that doesn't answer my question. You told me how
he died. You even told me what he dreamed. How
can you possibly know all this?
Speaker 7 (15:45):
Well, I don't actually know it, I suppose, but it
could have been something like that.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
It must have been something like that.
Speaker 4 (15:53):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Well, if so, it's the biggest, hottest lead on the
story I've ever gotten. But if not, it's most malicious,
evil piece of slander I've ever heard. And does a
newspaper man, I guess it's up to me to find
out which it is.
Speaker 3 (16:04):
What are you going to do?
Speaker 4 (16:05):
I'm going up to Windsor to take a look around.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Yes, sir, something I can do for you. You own
this drug store? Yes, I do get most of the
local trade here in Windsor.
Speaker 4 (16:24):
Sure, do you.
Speaker 12 (16:24):
Sell poison here?
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Why do you want to know? I'm very interested in
the sale of poison in Windsor during the past few years. Well,
I don't see the state require every druggist to keep
a poison register showing who bought what kind of poison, when,
and for what.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
Yes, let's see it. Who are you AnyWho? Just a
guy who's interested in poisons? Where's the register right here? Thanks?
August September.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
October October twenty first, Missus Beatrice Taylor six answers of
arsenic use for rats and mice. That's Missus Taylor or
their home out on prospect.
Speaker 4 (17:01):
Uh huh.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
February seventeenth, Missus Beatrice Taylor thirteen ounces of.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
Arsenic use for bugs and mice.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
And again, May twenty sixth, Missus Beatrice Taylor ten ounces
of arsenic acid use for rats and mice.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
Ten ounces on the twenty sixth of May.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
Look here, isn't this quite a bit of poison for
any one person to buy? No, can't say so. Most
of the folks around here by arsenic poison for exterminating purposes.
I see, well, just the same. I think I'll go
and have a few words with missus Taylor.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
Just for the record, mister.
Speaker 5 (17:48):
Maddock, I can't tell you how glad I am.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
That you came.
Speaker 4 (17:51):
Why is that, Missus Taylor.
Speaker 5 (17:53):
Well, these rumors that one of my borders was poisoned
and naturally upset me. It's nonsense, of course, but still
talk if that hurts the reputation of a nursing home.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
Did you think of that when you bought the poison?
Speaker 3 (18:04):
What do you mean?
Speaker 2 (18:05):
I mean that I've been downe at the local drug
store and find that you purchased pounds of arsenic enough
to poison a lot of borders.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
Mercy.
Speaker 5 (18:11):
You don't think I bought that for anything except rats
and mice?
Speaker 4 (18:14):
Do you?
Speaker 2 (18:15):
What should I think? Maybe you use it for rats
and mice. But Jay Wellington died of a gastric ulcer
just four days after your last arsenic purchase.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
You're not serious about this.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
I'm very serious, mister Maddock.
Speaker 5 (18:28):
We're both intelligent folks. We can look at this whole
nonsensical story intelligently. Now, Now, if you were setting out
to poison somebody. Would you buy the poison at a
local drug store? Would you buy it where everybody knows
you by name, and where everybody knows everybody else's business.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
Well, not if you'd steal.
Speaker 5 (18:45):
It or get it some underhanded way, if you were
going to use it for murder, now, wouldn't you?
Speaker 2 (18:51):
I suppose so. Of course, I've only heard miss Wellington's
side of the story.
Speaker 5 (18:55):
That for child is half out of her mind with
grief and guilt because she didn't get.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
Here in time to be with her father at the end.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
She was terribly upset.
Speaker 5 (19:02):
Oh yeah, she was a mite harsh with him from
time to time.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
That praised on her mind.
Speaker 5 (19:07):
Now that he's gone, I can understand how she feels,
or child, Lord knows I.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Try to be forgiving.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
She's very bitter.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
About you, mister Maddick. Would you like to know why? Yes,
all right, I'll tell you. She claims her.
Speaker 5 (19:23):
Father had five hundred dollars when he came to the
home and she thinks I've stolen it. Why because she
can't find it with her father's things, fighting over that
poor soul's grave for money too. He didn't have a cent,
and if he did, I'd never touch a thing that
didn't belong to me.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
You're being very fair, Missus Taylor knows I try to be.
Speaker 5 (19:44):
About times. It does seem like I have more than
my share of trouble.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
Well, I'm sorry to have added to it, Missus Taylor.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
Oh that's quite all right.
Speaker 5 (19:51):
Mister Maddick, thank you for taking bothered dropping here.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
Oh, there's no bother at all, man, I have another
visit to pay in Windsor anyhow.
Speaker 4 (20:00):
Mmmm. This is the office of the Windsor County Clerk.
Where's the clerk right here? You me?
Speaker 2 (20:16):
Oh, I'm Aubrey Madic of the Heartfred Daily Cary.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
I've been meaning to talk to one of you newspaper people.
Speaker 11 (20:22):
Well, your paper last February paid up for the US
to then come last April. I was away for two
weeks and it seemed me or to get my money
back for those two weeks.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
Well, look, pop, I'll take it up personally with the
circulation manager.
Speaker 11 (20:33):
But right now, right neighborly of your young fellow life
the paper.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
Fine, I'm glad to hear it.
Speaker 11 (20:38):
What farm articles you got? Good recipies? My wife always
looks for them. Recipe.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
Yeah, you keep the death certificates for Windsor County here,
sure do well?
Speaker 4 (20:49):
Then, for the love repeat, can I see them?
Speaker 11 (20:52):
It's all shouting about, Sure you see them.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
You come through the endless certificates and just on a chance,
you make notes of all the death that took place
at Missus Taylor's home, and you do a little extra
checking and what do you find makes.
Speaker 4 (21:13):
You sit up straight and whistle? What's up? Younger? My
hair pop up on end?
Speaker 2 (21:19):
Hey, sorry, no time for chit chat now here?
Speaker 4 (21:22):
Where are you going with them?
Speaker 2 (21:24):
The heart for chief of police? You do take the
certificates to the police chief later. At first, you do
a little checking with some of Missus Taylor's neighbors and
former borders. You visit the relatives of some of the deceased,
(21:44):
and then, armed with explosive information, you take the death
certificates and your big story to the Hartford Chief of Police.
I didn't make too much of the arsenic purchases at first, Chief.
Poison might have been for rets in spite of Jay
Wellington's sudden death just four days after the last purchase,
could be coincident. Sure, yeah, that's what I thought. Missus
Taylor told a very convincing story maybe a little too convincing.
(22:07):
So just on a hunch, I dropped in at the
college clerk's office and I, well, take a.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
Look at these statistics.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
What are they? The number of deaths at the Taylor
Home during the past five years forty eight, eh, forty
eight not surprising? What do you mean that's an awful
out of deaths? Matic gets a home for all people,
A death rates bound to be a that's where you're wrong.
I checked the figures on the Hertford Old People's Home
just to compare. You know how much bigger the Hertford
Home is than Missus Taylor's about five times as big,
(22:35):
six times as big, and yet the number of deaths
is the same in both homes, forty eight in five years.
Speaker 4 (22:42):
How about that doesn't look good? It isn't. And here's
another insting point.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
At least twenty of the deaths Missus Taylor reported looked
highly suspicious, and each of those twenty boarders were of
the class that paid one thousand dollars outright for board
until death. I checked the others and found out that
the week to week boy have held to a normal
death rate. Now does that or does that not look
like mass murder. It does, but no proof. We'll take
(23:08):
care of that autompsy exactly.
Speaker 4 (23:11):
We'll get in touch with you.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
Why, mister Madick.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Yes, miss Taylor, and this is the heart for the
chief of police with me. We'd like to ask you
some questions.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
Why surely you come in.
Speaker 5 (23:35):
If you' just come into the parlor, I haven't dusted yet,
be making a special dessert for one of my borders.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Sit down, won't you?
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Missus Taylor? The daughter of one of your deceased patients
reported some suspicious facts about her father's death.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
Oh you mean that Wellington girl again?
Speaker 4 (23:51):
What about it, Missus Taylor?
Speaker 5 (23:53):
Like I told mister Mattick here, I'm anxious to clear
up all these false rumors. So you just ask me
any question didn't you want, and I'll do my best
to answer them.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
All right, Missus Taylor, how do you account for the
fact that you bought poison in large quantities?
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Like I said before, it was for rats and mice.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
What about the manner in which you removed human bodies
from the home during the night. Miss Wellington and others
have stated that bodies were gone before their relatives arrived here.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
Well, I like to get the body out of the house.
Speaker 5 (24:19):
As soon as death occurs, it disturbs the other borders.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
And why was it that the highest death rate was
amongst those who paid you one thousand dollars.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
Outright for board.
Speaker 5 (24:27):
I can't imagine where you got such an idea.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Why were bodies shipped secretly out of the county without
a permit?
Speaker 5 (24:32):
Why?
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Why did an autopsy on Jay Wellington and another one
of your borders show that both died of poison and
not natural causes.
Speaker 3 (24:41):
An autopsy? You did an autopsy?
Speaker 4 (24:45):
Come along, missus Taylor. I have a warrant for your arrest.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
You can't prove anything.
Speaker 5 (24:54):
That girl talked too much, but you can't prove anything
you can't read. I was too careful. I had an answer,
you'll see.
Speaker 3 (25:09):
I'll hang before I admit I did it.
Speaker 4 (25:12):
You're probably right, Missus Taylor. You hang.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
In just a moment, We'll read you a telegram from
Aubrey Maddock of the Hartford Daily Current with the final
details of tonight's big story. Now we read you that
telegram from Aubrey Maddock of the Hertford Daily Current. Poisoner
in Tonight's Big Story was convicted of first degree murder However,
an appeal was granted and the conviction was changed to
(25:52):
second degree given a life prison sentence. She was subsequently
transferred to the Hospital for the Insane of Middletown. Many
thanks for the Knight's pell Mell Awards, Mattock, The makers
of Pellmell Famous Cigarettes are proud to have named you
the winner of the pell Mell five hundred dollars Award
for notable service in the field of Journalism.
Speaker 12 (26:08):
Listen again next week, same time, same station, when pell
Mell Famous Cigarettes will present another Big Story, A big
story from the pages of the Des Moines Tribune Byeline
Russell Wilson, A big story that reached its climax with
an automobile rhyme that ended in death Gosh.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
The Big Story is produced by Bernard J. Parkter and
directed by Harry Ingram, with music by Vladimisselenski. Tonight's program
was written by Gail Ingram. Your narrator was Bob Sloan,
and Less Tremayne played the part of Aubrey Mattock. All
names in Tonight's story except that of mister Mattock, were fictitious,
but the dramatization was based on a true and authentic case.
This is Ernest Chappell speaking for the makers of Pellmell
(26:54):
Famous Cigarettes and reminding you of the ideal of Christmas
gift pell Mell Famous Cigarettes in their special holiday cotton.
Speaker 13 (27:11):
This is NBC, the National Broadcasting Company.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
Welcome back. So first of all, in addition to Less Tremaine,
the rest of the cast included Alice ron Hart, Ted Osbourne,
Agnes Young, John Gibson and Will gear. Now, as to
the story, I do think the fact that Lucy imagined
her father's death scene, including a dream, showed that she'd
(27:46):
gotten the gene for dramatics, although Haunch turned out to
be right. Now, once again, I do turn to the
story behind the Big Story website for full detail as
to the real story of this crime. And I'm indebted
to doctor Joe Webb and researchers are hard work on
(28:11):
all of these cases. This one was probably one of
the easier ones to research as it's a rather famous one.
This one came from nineteen fifteen, was when the investigation occurred,
and the perpetrator was Amy Archer Gilligan, and she was
(28:34):
caught when a reporter started looking into it. Aside from
some of the specific dramatic details. The basics of the
story are pretty sound, and as implied by the amount
that she bought, she used a massive amount of poison.
According to the autopsy, what they found was that there
(28:56):
was enough poison in one of the victims to kill
six men. Even by the science of nineteen fifteen, that's
going to be caught. Missus Gilligan didn't have some clever
scientific method to conceal her crime. Her bet was on
no one suspecting desks in a nursing home and no
(29:17):
one expecting innocent old her. These particular killings actually would
become the inspiration for the dark comedy play Arsenic and
Old Lace, which had a successful screen adaptation, as well
as a few radio adaptations as well.
Speaker 6 (29:35):
The story may.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
Also have been the inspiration of a Yours Truly Johnny
Dollar episode with a very similar plot. Now we turn
to listener comments and feedback, and we have a couple
on the Bobby Sacks kid from beyone, and we start
on Patreon where Emmit comments, that was a really gripping story,
but I must admit the ending nearly knocked me off
(29:58):
my chair. It's a how the tenor of the times
affected the retelling of this crime. After all, forgiveness was
the theme after the war, right up to the early fifties.
Around that time, radio detectives began to find fault with
turnstile justice that seemed to be content to blame society
for everything. It's just one more thing that makes listening
(30:21):
to these stories so rewarding. History can't hide between the lines.
And while you can probably find exceptions both ways, I
think there's definite merit to that description of the overall
tone of old time radio. And we have a comment
from Mechanics sixty six, who writes, the more interesting thing
(30:42):
to me about Dorothy Kilgallon is the circumstances surrounding her
suicide or accidental overdose while investigating the death of Jay
Kay very similar to the death of Marilyn Monroe. In fact,
there's a book about it, Collateral Damage, and that's Mark Shaw.
Now there's a subtitle. I'm not reading it. For one thing,
(31:04):
it's just way too long to remember. But mister Shaw
wrote Collateral Damage and also wrote another book on the subject,
The Reporter Who Knew Too Much. I'm not going to
go deeper into it than that, but I appreciate the
comment and I did not know that anyone had put
Dorothy Kilgallen in that situation or that she had. And
(31:29):
what you can confirm whatever you believe about her death,
that she did interview Jack Ruby and was investigating it
and didn't buy the official story. Oh always good to
learn something new. Thanks so much, appreciate the comment. Now
it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day,
and I want to go ahead and thank Paul Patreon supporter,
since Mark's twenty twenty four currently supporting the podcast at
(31:53):
the Shawmus level of four dollars more per month. Thanks
so much for your support, Paul. That will do it
for today. If you're enjoying the podcasts, please follow us
using your favorite podcast software and be sure to rate
and review the podcast wherever you download it from. We'll
be back next Tuesday with another episode of the Big Story.
(32:13):
But join us back here tomorrow for Broadways my beat.
Speaker 6 (32:16):
Where have yourself a wicker and take a load.
Speaker 8 (32:19):
Off for the place you have here, Milton.
Speaker 14 (32:23):
Wait till you see the floor show Danny Gotta dame here.
Speaker 6 (32:26):
It does a routine and a bit.
Speaker 8 (32:28):
Of hot col melt.
Speaker 6 (32:30):
Do you try the authentic scene? Yet?
Speaker 14 (32:34):
You like fish I got called whoma nuka nuko wah.
That could set you crazy. You sit still, I'll slice your.
Speaker 8 (32:45):
Some from the middle, Sit down, melt.
Speaker 6 (32:50):
All right, So I'm sitting. I'm sitting.
Speaker 8 (32:55):
So about a bartender here, Frank Dunn.
Speaker 6 (32:58):
Frankly it showed up yet tonight he commits something.
Speaker 8 (33:02):
He's been murdered.
Speaker 6 (33:05):
Kiss met pure, kiss met fate.
Speaker 8 (33:10):
Danny the way of the department figures it took a murderer.
Speaker 4 (33:12):
To do it.
Speaker 6 (33:13):
Yeah, I guess how do you go out?
Speaker 8 (33:16):
Shot?
Speaker 14 (33:18):
Like I say, kiss met? What are you talking about?
A guy like Frank ittt figured it just don't make
me surprise.
Speaker 8 (33:26):
Come on, they'll talk to me. What's on your mind?
Speaker 14 (33:28):
Well, he said, smiles with the tall cool ones. When
Frank wiped the bar in front of a female patronesss
it had a meeting all its own personality. Keep talking, well, Danny,
a guy like him, Well, dame would be embarrassed leaving
less than a finn or a phone number.
Speaker 6 (33:48):
For a tip.
Speaker 8 (33:49):
Did he cause any trouble here?
Speaker 4 (33:51):
Frank?
Speaker 6 (33:52):
No, inoperator with a head on.
Speaker 14 (33:54):
Him, Wait until the mail Lescott was occupied elsewhere. Then
well Frank would drop a small onion in a cocktail
glass in such a way that patronesses would leave teethmugs
on the bar.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
Hope you'll be with us then in the meantime, send
your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net.
Follow us on Twitter, Radio Detectives. Check us out on Instagram,
Instagram dot com, slash Great Detectives from Boise, Idaho. This
is your host, Adam Graham signing off.
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