September 26, 2025 • 34 mins
Today's Mystery: Johnny is sent to a highly uninsured and underprepared town along the Ohio River to prevent a disaster in the midst of a flood.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: June 8, 1958
Originating from Hollywood
Starring: Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar; Chester Stratton; Frank Gerstle; Bob Bruce; Parley Baer
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Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: June 8, 1958
Originating from Hollywood
Starring: Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar; Chester Stratton; Frank Gerstle; Bob Bruce; Parley Baer
When making your travel plans, remember http://johnnydollarair.com
Become one of our Patreon Supporters at https://patreon.greatdetectives.net
Thank you to our Patreon Supporter of the Day: Gary, Patreon supporter since August 2016.
Take the listener survey at http://survey.greatdetectives.net
Give us a call at 208-991-4783
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 yours truly
Johnny Dollar. But first I want to encourage you. If
you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite
(00:51):
podcast software, and remember, when making your travel plans, check
Johnny Dollar Air dot dot com first. Johnny Dollar Air
dot com is a prie affiliate lane, so part of
your purchase pros supports the Great Detectives of Old Time
Radio at no additional cost to you. So remember when
making your travel plans check john't eadollar air dot com first.
(01:13):
Now from June the eighth, nineteen fifty eight, here is
the Wayward River manor.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
From Hollywood. It's time now for Johnny Dellare Johnny.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
This is Lee Hawkins Continental Insurance and Trust.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Company WAA, my old fishing fowl. You're still holding down
the Ohio branch at the company there in Columbus, Yes, John,
I am, but not looky brother, I never will forget
the great fishing you and I had over on Drby
Creek a couple of years back. Josh and a long
about this time every year, the aarage really gets to me. Hey,
if the streams cleared that you had from the spring rains?
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Oh, quite the contrary, as a matter of five.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
By little Raccoon Creek down there, Jackson boy, I remember
those big channel cats in the bast Johnny, you were listening. Oh,
I'm sure, I'm all ears.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
The big river has gone on a rampage again. Spring floods.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
You mean the Ohio, yeas in every.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Other river of any size. The rings are still coming down.
I see old towns are being washed away by the floodwaters.
Death and destruction all over.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Oh, I'm sorry, Lee, I didn't mean to sound so well.
You know, mentioned fishing, and I lose my head.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
Look, Johnny, I need you out here.
Speaker 5 (02:17):
Can you come right away?
Speaker 2 (02:18):
For sure?
Speaker 3 (02:19):
You see any fishing we do maybe for the bodies
of people.
Speaker 6 (02:32):
Bob Bailey and the exciting adventures of the Man with
the action packed expensive out America's fabulous freelance insurance investigators.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Truly Johnny Dollar. Expense accounts ofitted by Special Investigator Johnny
Dollar the Continental Insurance and Trust Company Columbus Ohio off us.
(03:00):
Following is a kount of expenses incurred during my investigation
of the Waywood River matter expense. A contad won forty
three dollars and a half transportation to New York in
a flag ship to Columbus, Ohio. It was fine thirty
pm and raining hard when the big forrange and plane
sat down gently at Port Columbus Airport. I'm seven miles
out of town. My plan was to go into the
(03:21):
Fort Hayes Hotel and call Lee Hawkins from there. So
after picking up my luggage, I headed for the door
in a taxi stamp. But Lee it singes had other ideas. Here,
let me help you with the bell.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
I'm sorry, I said, I'm just looking for a text
day Lee. My car's right out here, Johnny. As soon
as we get started, the bitter you know, right through
this door.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Well wait, as sooner we get started. Where where are
we going?
Speaker 3 (03:39):
To the town of Conter at about one hundred miles
or so south. I'll come on if you want to
get so hey, come on whatever whatever you say, Come on, Hopkins.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Brother. True.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Why didn't you tell me to bring a ring up?
Why don't you read the papers?
Speaker 2 (03:57):
I'm writing like this for long?
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Walking on three or four weeks and they have a
mean ride ahead of us.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Well, what's in all a valley.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Well, the floods along the Ohio and pretty severe this year, Johnny,
I've been somewhat.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
Later than usual.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Yeah, that much.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
I did read about half a dozen of the big
cities have been taking a real beating in spite of
all their preparations for the big runoff. No, that's been
through all over the country. What you don't read about
in the headlines, though, is the little places like Cotterret.
It's my old hometown, Johnny, and so a lot of
policies there, particularly to the local shopkeepers, you know, on
their stocks and merchandise.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
So there's been a lot of flood damage and your
company's having to pay up a lot of claim.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
Not yet, so far, the town's been lucky.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Most of the recent bad storms have been across the
state line up in Pennsylvania or over in West Virginia,
the same.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
As true last year and the year before.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
So the people gone around Cotaret farmers mostly haven't gone
ahead with their flood control project the way they should have.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
It's kind of red right on the Ohio.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
No, it's in a valley a few miles north it's on.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
The Crooked River, and parts of the town are actually
below the river bank. And you see what that means?
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Yeah, I sure can.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
Most of the year, it's a quiet.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
Lazy stream about fifty or sixty feet WIAT. But when
the feeder streams up in the hill start pouring water
down and never overflows, half a time will go with
it and swept right down into the Ohio.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
We don't they know enough to prepare for this sort
of thing, Johnny.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
Like I say that in Lucky so far, this present
storm has been bigger and longer than anything they've ever had.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Well, what about the State Flood Control Commission or whatever
it's called. Can't they do anything?
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Let's face it, Wat's a little bird like Carter RT
when there are a hundred bigger and more important towns
in the same fixture.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Yeah, I see what you mean.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Before the lines went down, I got a call from
Fred Norlock, one of my bigger CONTs down there, big hardware.
Unless the river goes down, he's gonna lose the whole place.
That means over one hundred thousand dollars insurance clan.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
But what can I possibly do, Lee?
Speaker 4 (05:55):
I don't know, Johnny. I just don't know.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
We were heading south on Aroute twenty three, and by
the time we reached Chilliconti, the rain had led up
to a drizzle. By the time we reached Jackson, where
we left the main highway, it had led up entirely.
But I noticed that every little stream we passed was
overflowing its banks. Finally, it must have been after midnight,
we pulled up on a low hill overlooking the town
of Catarat, and it started to rain again, to rain
(06:22):
high below, as the crooked river was a terrible, terrifying
thing to wash. Power lines were out, but maybe hundreds
of kerosene and gasoline land in its flashlights and lights
fan cars showed only too plainly the perils the brown, rushing,
raging torrent, the threat of the town man stripped of
the waste, the banker and the ditchdiggers, side by side,
(06:44):
the farmer and the merchant toil frantically to reinforcement levee
with bags of sandstone, some men anything they could find,
while the river lapped hungrily at their feet, trying to
undermine the embankment as quickly as it was built up.
Speaker 6 (06:58):
Back.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
And then we're other filling the sand bags and bulldozing
additional strength with the levee, hauling crountloads of sand and
rock and gravel, digging, shoveling, filling anything they could do.
I'd never seen a more dedicated group of people, men, women, children,
all working in the common cars, not just for themselves,
but for the survival of their neighbors, their town. And
the ugly river was like a thing alive, pawing at them,
(07:21):
seeking to destroy them. Huge floating masses of debris flew
by an express train, speed whirling now and then to
strike out at the embanker fighting to break it down,
thousands of tongues of wreckage, plants of houses, chicken poops,
trees and brush, anything that would float. I stood there,
appall and almost overwhelmed by a feeling of utter helplessness.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Can't they see that they were up here on this hill,
they could see that they're losing ground, Johnny. The river's
rising faster than they can.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
Fill up the levee.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
The it looks that way.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
What's the matter with you, guys? Haven't you see they
need help down there?
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Anybody doesn't help, Bobby Shot.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
He's right, Johnny.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
We ought to go down there and help for whatever
it's worthway at one section where they're all working, it's
right about the cut in the Perry Street. If the
levee goes there, it'll sweep the whole section down the
valley into the Ohio River.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
Luckily, look back there behind us. The reason why the
water is planning up. Don't you see that old railroad bridge.
The trees, the mud, the ruffle it's pile up against it.
That railroad trestle has become a regular dam. I think
you're right, one of that degree panting up there.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
The stronger it gets, and the higher it gets too,
with the water mounting up behind it.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
That way, the levee over Perry Street will go in
a matter of a minute.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Right, But break that damn somehow and the water will
get through down the Trucket River into the Ohio.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
Yeah, break that dam and it'll save the town.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Yes. But how Johnny, how yeah? How?
Speaker 6 (08:48):
Act two of yours? Truly, Johnny Dollar? In a moment,
our flag.
Speaker 5 (08:58):
Now numbers fifth the stars, and behind each star there
stands yet another flag representing one of.
Speaker 6 (09:05):
The fifty states.
Speaker 5 (09:07):
Indiana's state flag is dark blue with a golden torch
for liberty and Enlightenment. The rays of the torch indicate
their far reaching influence. An outer circle of stars represents
the original thirteen states, an inner circle of stars the
next five states admitted to the Union, and a large
(09:28):
star above the torch represents Indiana itself. Indiana's state flag,
the flag of the nineteenth state to enter the Union,
was adopted on May thirty first, nineteen hundred and seventeen.
Speaker 6 (09:40):
And now Act two of yours truly, Johnny Dollar, and
the wayward River matter from our vantage to point on
the hill above the little town of Cariiterret, we could
see why the crooked river was rising so fast, and
(10:00):
go engulf the time.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
You're right, Johnny, the debree against the old railroad Prestol
has made.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
A dam, and somehow we've got to break that dam.
But how leave You know? Any stores down there, any
of them carry dynamite?
Speaker 3 (10:12):
Yeah, down there on Perry Street. Norlock Supply Company had
come on on nor Lock, one of my biggest clients.
If the levee breaks, his place will take the front
of the flood. Yeah you see down there. Yeah, it's
men and putting fanbag.
Speaker 7 (10:27):
You're on it.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
They won't mean a thing. If the levee goes. Why
does he send those men back on up to the
river's edge where they can do some foot.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
I'm not Johnny.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
He's the only man in town looking after his personal property,
the only one's selfish enough to say listen. He's also
the man who's always a poorest doing something about this river.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Maybe at breath Lee, we've got to get down there
and get some dynamite. The groups we passed, still vainly
trying to chick up holes in the levee, all but
spat on us as we passed because we weren't working
with them, trying to save their time on to the
raging crooked river, or so they thought. Finally we slogged
our way to the Norlock Supply Company on Perry Street North,
(11:07):
and fast days and getting around my place the way
goes and logging down here my fan bag Moore, you're crazy,
miess to nor Locke, you're wasting your time. Mister Harkins,
Why that levee goes? Nothing will save this place of yours.
He's right, nor luck gets him in on up to
the levee where they'll do some good. God, then you've
had the inturns of my place and stept away. It
(11:28):
won't be If we save the town, we need dynamoe.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
Who are you? Oh, this is Johnny donard In turns off.
That's bitter. What are you doing here?
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Look? Look, there's no time to stand around and talk.
We need dynamite, a lot of.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
It for car of the records from up the river.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
It's jammed against the old railroad trestle south of town,
and it's made a regular damn.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
That's what's backing up the water.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
I know I've seen you're gonna bull that up. That's right. Now.
Where's the dynamite?
Speaker 4 (11:50):
Any of it had gone on that pissure with a
pissure of the river against If.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
He's crazy, any part of that doors you'll go where
it it'll be killed.
Speaker 4 (11:56):
He's raking soon, he's suicide to go up there.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Come on, let's have the dynamite. Then you went get
up above where you can help. You hold their truck
with all the bags you can, but get up there fast.
Pose here, what about my locked where's that dynamite?
Speaker 4 (12:09):
I won't give up to the hold. Listen, mister Norse.
If he shows you go out on that railroad drims.
But if we don't the whole town will go. And
I tell you why it's a dollar. Are you threatening
to shoot me?
Speaker 3 (12:21):
But not away?
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Johnny Witch handlessly? You're crazy?
Speaker 4 (12:24):
Not up with that gun?
Speaker 3 (12:25):
Away?
Speaker 4 (12:25):
All right?
Speaker 2 (12:26):
No, like it's up to you. What do you mean
unless you give us the dynamite, I'll blast the lock
off this place of yours and get it myself. Well,
all right, all right in here, But I tell you
you're mad, always no lockmad. I'll pick them with the
(12:47):
panic that all too often seizes a man when the
going gets tough. But he did give us the dynamite then,
with two of his work. When Lee Hawkins and I
trudged through the mud and the night loader with cases
of dynamite back to the old Railroad Trust. And when
we got there, I wanted if maybe no wasn't right
after all, if it wouldn't be suicide to go out
on it. The pile up of debris against it was huge,
(13:08):
and back of it, the deadly brown water swirled and
Eddie throwing telegraph poles, railroad ties, huge trees pounding against
the battering at the old framework of the trustle if
only they'd strike hard enough to break it down, break
the dam perhaps they would. By that time, the town
of Cataret would be lost, as somebody had to do
this job, and it looked like I'd elected myself. I'm
(13:34):
not quite clear on what happened during that next twenty
or thirty minutes. They seemed like thirty years of nightmare.
I edged my way out on that riggedy framework, a
fuse case of dynomide under my arm. It was dark,
and I had to feel my way along over planks
and boards and trees that the force of the water
had thrown up on the trustle. The wires leading back
to the plunger that would set off the charge would
(13:55):
catch and drag, But I knew I had to reach
the first long span to make the expose of do
its work. And all the while the old bridge creaked
and grown and shook from the impact of the wreckage
being thrown against it by the angry water. But then
finally the job was done, and I felt my way
(14:15):
back to the play.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
Hurry, Jna, hurry, eh, yeah, I'm coming here.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
Everything ready here.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
Don't you see the levy above, it's going to go
back over the town. There's a cat The water's rushing.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Okay, lay the plunger. He's all right, all right, all right,
then lie down, quick, get down.
Speaker 6 (14:38):
There's she goes, Act three of yours, truly, Johnny Dollar.
(15:04):
In a moment, let me ask you a question. What
is the most important thing to a fighting man?
Speaker 7 (15:10):
His gun?
Speaker 6 (15:10):
You may answer, You might also answer the Code of
Conduct of the men of the Armed Forces of the
United States, because you know it is something just as
necessary to the fighting man as his gun. And just
as he keeps his gun cleaned and oil because his
life may depend on it, so does he keep ever
forward in his mind his code of conduct because his
(15:31):
life and honor depend on it. Part of the code reads, quote,
I will never surrender of my own free will. If
in command, I will never surrender my men while they
still have means to resist, unquote. During the bloody and
costly campaign on the Island of Saipan and World War Two,
the Code of the soldier meant something to the men,
(15:53):
and to one man in particular, essentially a quiet, peace
loving man, Sergeant Thomas A. Baker, while with a hundred
fifth Infantry Regiment of the United States Army, was up
against it one night in nineteen forty four, when the
enemy launched an attack which called for them to die
in honor. Sergeant Baker proved it could work both ways.
(16:13):
The enemy attack fell like a saber blow and continually
hurled Baker's company back with each savage thrust. During the
ensuing days of action, Baker wiped out an enemy position
with a besooka killed fourteen of the enemy in a
machine gun ambush using only his M one rifle and
a couple of grenades, and then killed six more a
little farther on in a last ditch stand. One night,
(16:36):
the company dug in to withstand the next furious assault
in the dark. As the enemy rolled over them in
a thunderous attack of firepower, Sergeant Baker suffered a mangled
leg from a grenade. Shooting and clubbing the enemy with
his rifle, he dragged himself out of the vauxhole. Three
of his men tried to give him maid. Two of
them were shot from the third man. Baker got a
(16:56):
cigarette and the pistol and told him to leave. The
rest of the company moved back. Baker propped himself against
a telephone pole, calmly puffed on his cigarette and blazed
away with his automatic. He was later found in that position,
with eight of the enemy dead around him, one for
each shot, and the empty gun in his lifeless hand,
(17:18):
Sergeant Baker didn't consider the medal of honor he might get.
He considered the job that had to be done. His
honor was at stake. Surrender wasn't in his code of conduct,
and now at three of yours truly, Johnny Dollar and
the Wayward River matter.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
The charge of dynamite on the old railroad bridge had
broken the dam that the angry river had thrown up against.
It had released the little town from the threat of
being washed down the valley into the Ohio. The men
and women and children, spent from having struggled against the
raging water throughout the night and all the day before,
went quietly back to their homes and farms to rest
(18:10):
and sleep. And nature defeated and gave up. The rain stopped,
and the skies cleared. Even the charging yellow waters of
the crooked River seemed to diminish. In a sort of frustration,
what damage had been done to the town could wait
now until the people were arrest refreshed. As Lee Hawkins
(18:31):
and I plodded wearily over to the village, and I
noticed that the streets were deserted. Yeah, even as the
long gray fingers of dawn reached up into the sky.
The town exhausted slept unmindful of the rooster in someone's
backyard who sought to rouse it, Nor did we rouse
the innkeeper. But picked a couple of rooms and settled
down to arrest our wary rolls. But I couldn't sleep.
(18:57):
Somewhere in the back of my brain, a little warry
began to want to peck away at me. In all
of Conterret the night before, there'd been one man, and
one man only, who had ignored the common good to
look after his own selfish interests. I went into Lee's
room and awakening, Oh.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
No, Johnny lady, So did I can go back to sleep? Now?
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Come on, just a couple of questions. Lee, listen to me,
Oh I sleep over one hundred thousand insurance, you said.
Speaker 4 (19:26):
Yeah, a hundred and I don't know.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Well, if you asked me, that's too much for a
business of any kind in the town this size, much
too much.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
So maybe I gave him a break on his evaluation. Yeah,
you know, to help sign up some of the other merchants.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
But one hundred thousand of insurance money would give him
enough to live on the rest of his life. Look,
why don't you go back to bed, Johnny Lee. He
knew about that damn at the railroad pressol, and so
far as I could see, he was the only one
who did well. Everybody else was so busy at the levee.
But did he try to do anything about it. No, Instead,
he went through the motions of trying to protect his property.
(20:01):
But he knew that if that levee broke, nothing would safe.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
All right, all right, chalk it up to panic.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
Panic. He fought to keep us from getting that dynamite,
the one thing that could save the town. He kept
those workmen away from where they might have done some
good at the levee. He alone wanted that levee to break.
But good heavens, Johnny, you what.
Speaker 4 (20:20):
You're right?
Speaker 2 (20:22):
You must be? Yeah, I'm right. I'm going out and
look for mister fred Norlock. There is no soul out there, everybody,
That's what I want to find out. I found fred
nor Loach alone up on the inner bank, the river
side of the levee or anyone down below couldn't see him,
(20:43):
and he was working with a shovel of crowbar beside
him was a pile of dynamite. I'd given him that idea,
all right, nor Lock laid down that shovel all the river.
Didn't do it the way you planned last night? Did it?
Speaker 4 (20:58):
Maybe not goes if you, But you're not gonna stop me.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Now, and I'll put that thing down.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
Now, kill you go if you got any closer.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
And nobody will know, because there's nobody around house where.
Speaker 4 (21:08):
Your buddy in the river, nobody will ever knows.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
Sure, set up a small charge enough to breach the levee.
That's right, it's already and you can't stop, and the
river will crash through, destroy that feeling business of yours
down there. I'll take with it the homes in the valley,
the livestock, maybe even.
Speaker 4 (21:21):
The people keep your hand over from that buckete.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
So what's you or me? Huh? And if I go
to town, goes too, Yes, but if I can outdraw it.
Speaker 4 (21:29):
Pistols aimed at George Chase. Now you walk straight ahead
to the edge of the river. Waw no, no, oh. Yes.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
The Rlanck's body was never recovered. He'd lived alone. He
died alone, a crooked man in the crooked river. Nor
was he mourn in the little town he tried to
destroy expensive count toll, including transportation back to Hartford one
(22:27):
hundred dollars. Even yours, truly, Johnny Dollar, Our star will return.
Speaker 6 (22:44):
In just a moment.
Speaker 7 (22:45):
Our flag now numbers fifty stars, and behind each star
there stands yet another flag, representing one of the fifty states.
Montana's state flag is its great seal, set upon a
field of blue. To the foreground, our apply now a
miner's pick and shovel, all set against Montana mountain scenery
and the great falls of the Missouri River. The legend
(23:08):
across the banner reads oral e Plata, gold and silver.
The Montana Volunteers carried this flag in the Philippines during
the Spanish American War of eighteen ninety eight. Montana's state flag,
the flag of the forty first state to enter the Union,
was adopted on February twenty seventh, nineteen oh five. Next week,
(23:29):
the delectable damsel matter. I hope you like it. I
know I did.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
Join us. Won't you yours truly, Johnny Dollar? Yours truly,
Johnny Dollar is storrying.
Speaker 6 (23:50):
Bob Bailey originates in Hollywood, and it's but It has
been directed by Jack Johnstone, who also wrote today's stories.
Heard in our cast were Chet Strathman, Birstil, Bob Bruce,
and Parley Bear. Special sound patterns by Tom Henley and
Bill James. Be sure to join us next week, same
time and station for another exciting story of yours, truly,
(24:11):
Johnny Dollars.
Speaker 7 (24:13):
This is Roy Rowan speaking.
Speaker 6 (24:38):
This is the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
Welcome back. Nice little scene at the Columbus Airport. At
the beginning, it's my wife's hometown, and I've been at
that airport a few times. This one, coming a couple
of weeks after The Midnight Sun Matter, felt like a
similar story at first, where we were dealing with an
(25:31):
adventure and not really a typical Johnny Dowler story. But
Johnny's detective skills were able to kick in at the
end once the initial danger was passed and he got
to save the town twice. And of course the story
overall reflected a very strong sentiment and moral about the
(25:56):
idea of selfishness and looking out for your self even
at the cost to others. And it's important to remember
that the sort of values and ethos that was at
the core of the country during the Second World War
hadn't gone away entirely, certainly not in the heart of
Jack Johnstone. All right, listener comments and feedback now, and
(26:19):
we start out on Facebook and with comments on the
Midnight Sun Matter. Skyla writes that was a crazy episode,
like just a random spot of derring do and not
a dam in sight. Thanks for the comments, Skyline. Well,
the indication is that this was inspired by a true
life story, and in the late nineteen fifties, when you're
(26:46):
dealing with a cargo plane and air traffic control and
a lead insurance agent, are not a lot of parts
that women would have played in that particular story. The
lack of women in this week's episode is honestly a
little bit more inexplicable because this was a small town.
(27:07):
You know, it was full of lots of people, and
you know, including women, but we never actually hear from
any woman, and that's just that's just such an odd thing. Now,
it may have been an issue with availability. There really
was a sort of rep company set up with Jack
(27:28):
Johnstone on Johnny Dowler and the same actors and actresses
being called in multiple times. So it's just possible that
none of the actresses that john Stone regularly worked with
were available. But an interesting call on matt and Matthew
writes heard this one didn't like this. I liked the
(27:50):
show because of crime and mystery, but this should be
an episode of suspense instead. That's a fair point, Matt.
I am a bit sympathetic to Johnstone because he had
to put out so many scripts on this series, oh
by himself at this point, and he had this script
to work with. And when you're dealing with the need
(28:12):
to put out that volume of material, you do what
you gotta do. And I think it's fair to make
a little bit of an exception. I did find it entertaining,
which makes it a bit easier to forgive. And then
overall on Spotify, Harrison riots regarding the episode, Hey Johnny,
(28:33):
real quick, did you try jiggle leing the control switch
a few times?
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (28:37):
You did five times? Okay, Well, we're still working on
the problem. I enjoyed the unique storytelling, but it would
have been better as the first episodes in a serial,
and that next episode teaser was spittake worthy. Well appreciate
the comments, Harrison. In some ways, it seems like it's
(29:00):
almost the opposite of the complaint of Matthew, but I
think it's an interesting idea. Now, obviously by nineteen fifty
eight they'd stopped doing serialized stories in the five part format. However,
they were not overdoing a continued story every now and again,
and this actually would have been a good one to do.
(29:23):
Rather than having it turn out that nothing had really
gone wrong, have the episode end with Johnny learning after
the landing that there had been sabotaged and who did it,
and then have the next episode be the investigation. That
might have been a more intriguing story, and it would
(29:45):
have worked overall, being consistent with typical Johnny Dowler. And then,
of course Harrison had another comment, this one on our
forty eight hundredth episode special. I'd completely forgotten about the
giant balloon animals. The otibus was worth it just for that. Well,
thanks so much, Harrison. We actually just featured the balloon
(30:06):
animals ad in our old time radio snack Wagon ads
sample or two last season, and of course you're going
to get at least one more of them when we
bring you the Henderson matter on us. And then I
think we'll be done with the balloon animal ads for
(30:27):
six or seven years, and I don't think I'll miss him.
Then we have a couple of comments regarding the Road
to the Valentine Manor. Nancy emails and I just adore
the Road to the Valentine Manor. This has always been
my favorite cereal, and to see how it's been handled
in Recheep over the years, it's just great. I've listened
(30:48):
almost from the beginning and loved every bit of it.
Keep up the great job, Thanks so much, Nancy. And
then over on YouTube, and then Kathy, she writes, this
is great. I listen to a lot of old time
radio detectives and sometimes here a story that I know
I've heard before, but surely with a different detective, or
(31:10):
was it. It's great that you've done this quality work
to bring this to us like this. Well, thanks so much,
and it really is fun to do the twicele tales now.
Of course, in the interest of full disclosure, the work
of identifying these reuse scripts has gone on for some
(31:30):
times and certainly predates my efforts, But my idea has
really been just bringing you the episodes in a single
podcast so you can kind of hear the direct comparison.
And so it's been fun to do these the road
to the Valentine matter. It was, of course a lot
(31:52):
more work and a longer episode than we typically do,
and I think for the spring episode we will be
back to just a sort of twict hold tale, but
if people enjoyed the cereal, we might look into some
of the more complex cereals in the future and do
(32:13):
those again.
Speaker 2 (32:15):
Again.
Speaker 1 (32:15):
Appreciate your feedback. Well, now it is time to thank
our Patreon supporter of the day, and I want to
thank Gary, Patreon supporter since August twenty sixteen, currently supporting
the podcast at the shawmus level of four dollars or
more per month. Thanks so much for your support and
that will do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast,
(32:35):
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 Friday with another episode
of Yours Truly Johnny Dollar, and we will be back
on Sunday with our first normal Sunday Encore, and on
(32:56):
Monday we return to our regular lineup with Danger with Grangers.
But join us back here tomorrow as we give way
to the great adventurers of old time radio with Cloak
and dagger, where.
Speaker 8 (33:09):
All of a sudden the train gave a lunch. One
of my suitcases took a flying dive to the floor.
There was a suitcase with a pen knife scar across
the other handle, the one with the radio.
Speaker 7 (33:21):
I was glad.
Speaker 8 (33:21):
I was long the next compartment. I couldn't wait to
find out if that radio was all right. You see,
the case was lined with a false backy of boxes
of chocolates to hide the radio. I unfastened the backing
and there was the radio. It was okay, nothing was broken.
And then before I could refasten the backing, I heard
voices outside the compartment door. I didn't have time to
(33:45):
refasten the backing. I had just enough time to slam
the case shut again, slide it back up in the rack,
and get back in my seat. Major, what is this?
Speaker 2 (33:55):
I was under the impression of this compartment was erft
from me alone.
Speaker 4 (33:58):
There must be some mistake, Caffield, Musha.
Speaker 8 (34:02):
There was a mistake, all right, my mistake in picking
the one compartment on the train that had been chosen
for Field.
Speaker 2 (34:08):
Marshall Ramar, I.
Speaker 1 (34:10):
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 at Radio Detectives, and 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 yours truly
Johnny Dollar. But first I want to encourage you. If
you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite
(00:51):
podcast software, and remember, when making your travel plans, check
Johnny Dollar Air dot dot com first. Johnny Dollar Air
dot com is a prie affiliate lane, so part of
your purchase pros supports the Great Detectives of Old Time
Radio at no additional cost to you. So remember when
making your travel plans check john't eadollar air dot com first.
(01:13):
Now from June the eighth, nineteen fifty eight, here is
the Wayward River manor.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
From Hollywood. It's time now for Johnny Dellare Johnny.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
This is Lee Hawkins Continental Insurance and Trust.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Company WAA, my old fishing fowl. You're still holding down
the Ohio branch at the company there in Columbus, Yes, John,
I am, but not looky brother, I never will forget
the great fishing you and I had over on Drby
Creek a couple of years back. Josh and a long
about this time every year, the aarage really gets to me. Hey,
if the streams cleared that you had from the spring rains?
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Oh, quite the contrary, as a matter of five.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
By little Raccoon Creek down there, Jackson boy, I remember
those big channel cats in the bast Johnny, you were listening. Oh,
I'm sure, I'm all ears.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
The big river has gone on a rampage again. Spring floods.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
You mean the Ohio, yeas in every.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Other river of any size. The rings are still coming down.
I see old towns are being washed away by the floodwaters.
Death and destruction all over.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Oh, I'm sorry, Lee, I didn't mean to sound so well.
You know, mentioned fishing, and I lose my head.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
Look, Johnny, I need you out here.
Speaker 5 (02:17):
Can you come right away?
Speaker 2 (02:18):
For sure?
Speaker 3 (02:19):
You see any fishing we do maybe for the bodies
of people.
Speaker 6 (02:32):
Bob Bailey and the exciting adventures of the Man with
the action packed expensive out America's fabulous freelance insurance investigators.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Truly Johnny Dollar. Expense accounts ofitted by Special Investigator Johnny
Dollar the Continental Insurance and Trust Company Columbus Ohio off us.
(03:00):
Following is a kount of expenses incurred during my investigation
of the Waywood River matter expense. A contad won forty
three dollars and a half transportation to New York in
a flag ship to Columbus, Ohio. It was fine thirty
pm and raining hard when the big forrange and plane
sat down gently at Port Columbus Airport. I'm seven miles
out of town. My plan was to go into the
(03:21):
Fort Hayes Hotel and call Lee Hawkins from there. So
after picking up my luggage, I headed for the door
in a taxi stamp. But Lee it singes had other ideas. Here,
let me help you with the bell.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
I'm sorry, I said, I'm just looking for a text
day Lee. My car's right out here, Johnny. As soon
as we get started, the bitter you know, right through
this door.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Well wait, as sooner we get started. Where where are
we going?
Speaker 3 (03:39):
To the town of Conter at about one hundred miles
or so south. I'll come on if you want to
get so hey, come on whatever whatever you say, Come on, Hopkins.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Brother. True.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Why didn't you tell me to bring a ring up?
Why don't you read the papers?
Speaker 2 (03:57):
I'm writing like this for long?
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Walking on three or four weeks and they have a
mean ride ahead of us.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Well, what's in all a valley.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Well, the floods along the Ohio and pretty severe this year, Johnny,
I've been somewhat.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
Later than usual.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Yeah, that much.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
I did read about half a dozen of the big
cities have been taking a real beating in spite of
all their preparations for the big runoff. No, that's been
through all over the country. What you don't read about
in the headlines, though, is the little places like Cotterret.
It's my old hometown, Johnny, and so a lot of
policies there, particularly to the local shopkeepers, you know, on
their stocks and merchandise.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
So there's been a lot of flood damage and your
company's having to pay up a lot of claim.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
Not yet, so far, the town's been lucky.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Most of the recent bad storms have been across the
state line up in Pennsylvania or over in West Virginia,
the same.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
As true last year and the year before.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
So the people gone around Cotaret farmers mostly haven't gone
ahead with their flood control project the way they should have.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
It's kind of red right on the Ohio.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
No, it's in a valley a few miles north it's on.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
The Crooked River, and parts of the town are actually
below the river bank. And you see what that means?
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Yeah, I sure can.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
Most of the year, it's a quiet.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
Lazy stream about fifty or sixty feet WIAT. But when
the feeder streams up in the hill start pouring water
down and never overflows, half a time will go with
it and swept right down into the Ohio.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
We don't they know enough to prepare for this sort
of thing, Johnny.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
Like I say that in Lucky so far, this present
storm has been bigger and longer than anything they've ever had.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Well, what about the State Flood Control Commission or whatever
it's called. Can't they do anything?
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Let's face it, Wat's a little bird like Carter RT
when there are a hundred bigger and more important towns
in the same fixture.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Yeah, I see what you mean.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Before the lines went down, I got a call from
Fred Norlock, one of my bigger CONTs down there, big hardware.
Unless the river goes down, he's gonna lose the whole place.
That means over one hundred thousand dollars insurance clan.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
But what can I possibly do, Lee?
Speaker 4 (05:55):
I don't know, Johnny. I just don't know.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
We were heading south on Aroute twenty three, and by
the time we reached Chilliconti, the rain had led up
to a drizzle. By the time we reached Jackson, where
we left the main highway, it had led up entirely.
But I noticed that every little stream we passed was
overflowing its banks. Finally, it must have been after midnight,
we pulled up on a low hill overlooking the town
of Catarat, and it started to rain again, to rain
(06:22):
high below, as the crooked river was a terrible, terrifying
thing to wash. Power lines were out, but maybe hundreds
of kerosene and gasoline land in its flashlights and lights
fan cars showed only too plainly the perils the brown, rushing,
raging torrent, the threat of the town man stripped of
the waste, the banker and the ditchdiggers, side by side,
(06:44):
the farmer and the merchant toil frantically to reinforcement levee
with bags of sandstone, some men anything they could find,
while the river lapped hungrily at their feet, trying to
undermine the embankment as quickly as it was built up.
Speaker 6 (06:58):
Back.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
And then we're other filling the sand bags and bulldozing
additional strength with the levee, hauling crountloads of sand and
rock and gravel, digging, shoveling, filling anything they could do.
I'd never seen a more dedicated group of people, men, women, children,
all working in the common cars, not just for themselves,
but for the survival of their neighbors, their town. And
the ugly river was like a thing alive, pawing at them,
(07:21):
seeking to destroy them. Huge floating masses of debris flew
by an express train, speed whirling now and then to
strike out at the embanker fighting to break it down,
thousands of tongues of wreckage, plants of houses, chicken poops,
trees and brush, anything that would float. I stood there,
appall and almost overwhelmed by a feeling of utter helplessness.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Can't they see that they were up here on this hill,
they could see that they're losing ground, Johnny. The river's
rising faster than they can.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
Fill up the levee.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
The it looks that way.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
What's the matter with you, guys? Haven't you see they
need help down there?
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Anybody doesn't help, Bobby Shot.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
He's right, Johnny.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
We ought to go down there and help for whatever
it's worthway at one section where they're all working, it's
right about the cut in the Perry Street. If the
levee goes there, it'll sweep the whole section down the
valley into the Ohio River.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
Luckily, look back there behind us. The reason why the
water is planning up. Don't you see that old railroad bridge.
The trees, the mud, the ruffle it's pile up against it.
That railroad trestle has become a regular dam. I think
you're right, one of that degree panting up there.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
The stronger it gets, and the higher it gets too,
with the water mounting up behind it.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
That way, the levee over Perry Street will go in
a matter of a minute.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Right, But break that damn somehow and the water will
get through down the Trucket River into the Ohio.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
Yeah, break that dam and it'll save the town.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Yes. But how Johnny, how yeah? How?
Speaker 6 (08:48):
Act two of yours? Truly, Johnny Dollar? In a moment,
our flag.
Speaker 5 (08:58):
Now numbers fifth the stars, and behind each star there
stands yet another flag representing one of.
Speaker 6 (09:05):
The fifty states.
Speaker 5 (09:07):
Indiana's state flag is dark blue with a golden torch
for liberty and Enlightenment. The rays of the torch indicate
their far reaching influence. An outer circle of stars represents
the original thirteen states, an inner circle of stars the
next five states admitted to the Union, and a large
(09:28):
star above the torch represents Indiana itself. Indiana's state flag,
the flag of the nineteenth state to enter the Union,
was adopted on May thirty first, nineteen hundred and seventeen.
Speaker 6 (09:40):
And now Act two of yours truly, Johnny Dollar, and
the wayward River matter from our vantage to point on
the hill above the little town of Cariiterret, we could
see why the crooked river was rising so fast, and
(10:00):
go engulf the time.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
You're right, Johnny, the debree against the old railroad Prestol
has made.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
A dam, and somehow we've got to break that dam.
But how leave You know? Any stores down there, any
of them carry dynamite?
Speaker 3 (10:12):
Yeah, down there on Perry Street. Norlock Supply Company had
come on on nor Lock, one of my biggest clients.
If the levee breaks, his place will take the front
of the flood. Yeah you see down there. Yeah, it's
men and putting fanbag.
Speaker 7 (10:27):
You're on it.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
They won't mean a thing. If the levee goes. Why
does he send those men back on up to the
river's edge where they can do some foot.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
I'm not Johnny.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
He's the only man in town looking after his personal property,
the only one's selfish enough to say listen. He's also
the man who's always a poorest doing something about this river.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Maybe at breath Lee, we've got to get down there
and get some dynamite. The groups we passed, still vainly
trying to chick up holes in the levee, all but
spat on us as we passed because we weren't working
with them, trying to save their time on to the
raging crooked river, or so they thought. Finally we slogged
our way to the Norlock Supply Company on Perry Street North,
(11:07):
and fast days and getting around my place the way
goes and logging down here my fan bag Moore, you're crazy,
miess to nor Locke, you're wasting your time. Mister Harkins,
Why that levee goes? Nothing will save this place of yours.
He's right, nor luck gets him in on up to
the levee where they'll do some good. God, then you've
had the inturns of my place and stept away. It
(11:28):
won't be If we save the town, we need dynamoe.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
Who are you? Oh, this is Johnny donard In turns off.
That's bitter. What are you doing here?
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Look? Look, there's no time to stand around and talk.
We need dynamite, a lot of.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
It for car of the records from up the river.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
It's jammed against the old railroad trestle south of town,
and it's made a regular damn.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
That's what's backing up the water.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
I know I've seen you're gonna bull that up. That's right. Now.
Where's the dynamite?
Speaker 4 (11:50):
Any of it had gone on that pissure with a
pissure of the river against If.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
He's crazy, any part of that doors you'll go where
it it'll be killed.
Speaker 4 (11:56):
He's raking soon, he's suicide to go up there.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Come on, let's have the dynamite. Then you went get
up above where you can help. You hold their truck
with all the bags you can, but get up there fast.
Pose here, what about my locked where's that dynamite?
Speaker 4 (12:09):
I won't give up to the hold. Listen, mister Norse.
If he shows you go out on that railroad drims.
But if we don't the whole town will go. And
I tell you why it's a dollar. Are you threatening
to shoot me?
Speaker 3 (12:21):
But not away?
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Johnny Witch handlessly? You're crazy?
Speaker 4 (12:24):
Not up with that gun?
Speaker 3 (12:25):
Away?
Speaker 4 (12:25):
All right?
Speaker 2 (12:26):
No, like it's up to you. What do you mean
unless you give us the dynamite, I'll blast the lock
off this place of yours and get it myself. Well,
all right, all right in here, But I tell you
you're mad, always no lockmad. I'll pick them with the
(12:47):
panic that all too often seizes a man when the
going gets tough. But he did give us the dynamite then,
with two of his work. When Lee Hawkins and I
trudged through the mud and the night loader with cases
of dynamite back to the old Railroad Trust. And when
we got there, I wanted if maybe no wasn't right
after all, if it wouldn't be suicide to go out
on it. The pile up of debris against it was huge,
(13:08):
and back of it, the deadly brown water swirled and
Eddie throwing telegraph poles, railroad ties, huge trees pounding against
the battering at the old framework of the trustle if
only they'd strike hard enough to break it down, break
the dam perhaps they would. By that time, the town
of Cataret would be lost, as somebody had to do
this job, and it looked like I'd elected myself. I'm
(13:34):
not quite clear on what happened during that next twenty
or thirty minutes. They seemed like thirty years of nightmare.
I edged my way out on that riggedy framework, a
fuse case of dynomide under my arm. It was dark,
and I had to feel my way along over planks
and boards and trees that the force of the water
had thrown up on the trustle. The wires leading back
to the plunger that would set off the charge would
(13:55):
catch and drag, But I knew I had to reach
the first long span to make the expose of do
its work. And all the while the old bridge creaked
and grown and shook from the impact of the wreckage
being thrown against it by the angry water. But then
finally the job was done, and I felt my way
(14:15):
back to the play.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
Hurry, Jna, hurry, eh, yeah, I'm coming here.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
Everything ready here.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
Don't you see the levy above, it's going to go
back over the town. There's a cat The water's rushing.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Okay, lay the plunger. He's all right, all right, all right,
then lie down, quick, get down.
Speaker 6 (14:38):
There's she goes, Act three of yours, truly, Johnny Dollar.
(15:04):
In a moment, let me ask you a question. What
is the most important thing to a fighting man?
Speaker 7 (15:10):
His gun?
Speaker 6 (15:10):
You may answer, You might also answer the Code of
Conduct of the men of the Armed Forces of the
United States, because you know it is something just as
necessary to the fighting man as his gun. And just
as he keeps his gun cleaned and oil because his
life may depend on it, so does he keep ever
forward in his mind his code of conduct because his
(15:31):
life and honor depend on it. Part of the code reads, quote,
I will never surrender of my own free will. If
in command, I will never surrender my men while they
still have means to resist, unquote. During the bloody and
costly campaign on the Island of Saipan and World War Two,
the Code of the soldier meant something to the men,
(15:53):
and to one man in particular, essentially a quiet, peace
loving man, Sergeant Thomas A. Baker, while with a hundred
fifth Infantry Regiment of the United States Army, was up
against it one night in nineteen forty four, when the
enemy launched an attack which called for them to die
in honor. Sergeant Baker proved it could work both ways.
(16:13):
The enemy attack fell like a saber blow and continually
hurled Baker's company back with each savage thrust. During the
ensuing days of action, Baker wiped out an enemy position
with a besooka killed fourteen of the enemy in a
machine gun ambush using only his M one rifle and
a couple of grenades, and then killed six more a
little farther on in a last ditch stand. One night,
(16:36):
the company dug in to withstand the next furious assault
in the dark. As the enemy rolled over them in
a thunderous attack of firepower, Sergeant Baker suffered a mangled
leg from a grenade. Shooting and clubbing the enemy with
his rifle, he dragged himself out of the vauxhole. Three
of his men tried to give him maid. Two of
them were shot from the third man. Baker got a
(16:56):
cigarette and the pistol and told him to leave. The
rest of the company moved back. Baker propped himself against
a telephone pole, calmly puffed on his cigarette and blazed
away with his automatic. He was later found in that position,
with eight of the enemy dead around him, one for
each shot, and the empty gun in his lifeless hand,
(17:18):
Sergeant Baker didn't consider the medal of honor he might get.
He considered the job that had to be done. His
honor was at stake. Surrender wasn't in his code of conduct,
and now at three of yours truly, Johnny Dollar and
the Wayward River matter.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
The charge of dynamite on the old railroad bridge had
broken the dam that the angry river had thrown up against.
It had released the little town from the threat of
being washed down the valley into the Ohio. The men
and women and children, spent from having struggled against the
raging water throughout the night and all the day before,
went quietly back to their homes and farms to rest
(18:10):
and sleep. And nature defeated and gave up. The rain stopped,
and the skies cleared. Even the charging yellow waters of
the crooked River seemed to diminish. In a sort of frustration,
what damage had been done to the town could wait
now until the people were arrest refreshed. As Lee Hawkins
(18:31):
and I plodded wearily over to the village, and I
noticed that the streets were deserted. Yeah, even as the
long gray fingers of dawn reached up into the sky.
The town exhausted slept unmindful of the rooster in someone's
backyard who sought to rouse it, Nor did we rouse
the innkeeper. But picked a couple of rooms and settled
down to arrest our wary rolls. But I couldn't sleep.
(18:57):
Somewhere in the back of my brain, a little warry
began to want to peck away at me. In all
of Conterret the night before, there'd been one man, and
one man only, who had ignored the common good to
look after his own selfish interests. I went into Lee's
room and awakening, Oh.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
No, Johnny lady, So did I can go back to sleep? Now?
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Come on, just a couple of questions. Lee, listen to me,
Oh I sleep over one hundred thousand insurance, you said.
Speaker 4 (19:26):
Yeah, a hundred and I don't know.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Well, if you asked me, that's too much for a
business of any kind in the town this size, much
too much.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
So maybe I gave him a break on his evaluation. Yeah,
you know, to help sign up some of the other merchants.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
But one hundred thousand of insurance money would give him
enough to live on the rest of his life. Look,
why don't you go back to bed, Johnny Lee. He
knew about that damn at the railroad pressol, and so
far as I could see, he was the only one
who did well. Everybody else was so busy at the levee.
But did he try to do anything about it. No, Instead,
he went through the motions of trying to protect his property.
(20:01):
But he knew that if that levee broke, nothing would safe.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
All right, all right, chalk it up to panic.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
Panic. He fought to keep us from getting that dynamite,
the one thing that could save the town. He kept
those workmen away from where they might have done some
good at the levee. He alone wanted that levee to break.
But good heavens, Johnny, you what.
Speaker 4 (20:20):
You're right?
Speaker 2 (20:22):
You must be? Yeah, I'm right. I'm going out and
look for mister fred Norlock. There is no soul out there, everybody,
That's what I want to find out. I found fred
nor Loach alone up on the inner bank, the river
side of the levee or anyone down below couldn't see him,
(20:43):
and he was working with a shovel of crowbar beside
him was a pile of dynamite. I'd given him that idea,
all right, nor Lock laid down that shovel all the river.
Didn't do it the way you planned last night? Did it?
Speaker 4 (20:58):
Maybe not goes if you, But you're not gonna stop me.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Now, and I'll put that thing down.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
Now, kill you go if you got any closer.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
And nobody will know, because there's nobody around house where.
Speaker 4 (21:08):
Your buddy in the river, nobody will ever knows.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
Sure, set up a small charge enough to breach the levee.
That's right, it's already and you can't stop, and the
river will crash through, destroy that feeling business of yours
down there. I'll take with it the homes in the valley,
the livestock, maybe even.
Speaker 4 (21:21):
The people keep your hand over from that buckete.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
So what's you or me? Huh? And if I go
to town, goes too, Yes, but if I can outdraw it.
Speaker 4 (21:29):
Pistols aimed at George Chase. Now you walk straight ahead
to the edge of the river. Waw no, no, oh. Yes.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
The Rlanck's body was never recovered. He'd lived alone. He
died alone, a crooked man in the crooked river. Nor
was he mourn in the little town he tried to
destroy expensive count toll, including transportation back to Hartford one
(22:27):
hundred dollars. Even yours, truly, Johnny Dollar, Our star will return.
Speaker 6 (22:44):
In just a moment.
Speaker 7 (22:45):
Our flag now numbers fifty stars, and behind each star
there stands yet another flag, representing one of the fifty states.
Montana's state flag is its great seal, set upon a
field of blue. To the foreground, our apply now a
miner's pick and shovel, all set against Montana mountain scenery
and the great falls of the Missouri River. The legend
(23:08):
across the banner reads oral e Plata, gold and silver.
The Montana Volunteers carried this flag in the Philippines during
the Spanish American War of eighteen ninety eight. Montana's state flag,
the flag of the forty first state to enter the Union,
was adopted on February twenty seventh, nineteen oh five. Next week,
(23:29):
the delectable damsel matter. I hope you like it. I
know I did.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
Join us. Won't you yours truly, Johnny Dollar? Yours truly,
Johnny Dollar is storrying.
Speaker 6 (23:50):
Bob Bailey originates in Hollywood, and it's but It has
been directed by Jack Johnstone, who also wrote today's stories.
Heard in our cast were Chet Strathman, Birstil, Bob Bruce,
and Parley Bear. Special sound patterns by Tom Henley and
Bill James. Be sure to join us next week, same
time and station for another exciting story of yours, truly,
(24:11):
Johnny Dollars.
Speaker 7 (24:13):
This is Roy Rowan speaking.
Speaker 6 (24:38):
This is the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
Welcome back. Nice little scene at the Columbus Airport. At
the beginning, it's my wife's hometown, and I've been at
that airport a few times. This one, coming a couple
of weeks after The Midnight Sun Matter, felt like a
similar story at first, where we were dealing with an
(25:31):
adventure and not really a typical Johnny Dowler story. But
Johnny's detective skills were able to kick in at the
end once the initial danger was passed and he got
to save the town twice. And of course the story
overall reflected a very strong sentiment and moral about the
(25:56):
idea of selfishness and looking out for your self even
at the cost to others. And it's important to remember
that the sort of values and ethos that was at
the core of the country during the Second World War
hadn't gone away entirely, certainly not in the heart of
Jack Johnstone. All right, listener comments and feedback now, and
(26:19):
we start out on Facebook and with comments on the
Midnight Sun Matter. Skyla writes that was a crazy episode,
like just a random spot of derring do and not
a dam in sight. Thanks for the comments, Skyline. Well,
the indication is that this was inspired by a true
life story, and in the late nineteen fifties, when you're
(26:46):
dealing with a cargo plane and air traffic control and
a lead insurance agent, are not a lot of parts
that women would have played in that particular story. The
lack of women in this week's episode is honestly a
little bit more inexplicable because this was a small town.
(27:07):
You know, it was full of lots of people, and
you know, including women, but we never actually hear from
any woman, and that's just that's just such an odd thing. Now,
it may have been an issue with availability. There really
was a sort of rep company set up with Jack
(27:28):
Johnstone on Johnny Dowler and the same actors and actresses
being called in multiple times. So it's just possible that
none of the actresses that john Stone regularly worked with
were available. But an interesting call on matt and Matthew
writes heard this one didn't like this. I liked the
(27:50):
show because of crime and mystery, but this should be
an episode of suspense instead. That's a fair point, Matt.
I am a bit sympathetic to Johnstone because he had
to put out so many scripts on this series, oh
by himself at this point, and he had this script
to work with. And when you're dealing with the need
(28:12):
to put out that volume of material, you do what
you gotta do. And I think it's fair to make
a little bit of an exception. I did find it entertaining,
which makes it a bit easier to forgive. And then
overall on Spotify, Harrison riots regarding the episode, Hey Johnny,
(28:33):
real quick, did you try jiggle leing the control switch
a few times?
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (28:37):
You did five times? Okay, Well, we're still working on
the problem. I enjoyed the unique storytelling, but it would
have been better as the first episodes in a serial,
and that next episode teaser was spittake worthy. Well appreciate
the comments, Harrison. In some ways, it seems like it's
(29:00):
almost the opposite of the complaint of Matthew, but I
think it's an interesting idea. Now, obviously by nineteen fifty
eight they'd stopped doing serialized stories in the five part format. However,
they were not overdoing a continued story every now and again,
and this actually would have been a good one to do.
(29:23):
Rather than having it turn out that nothing had really
gone wrong, have the episode end with Johnny learning after
the landing that there had been sabotaged and who did it,
and then have the next episode be the investigation. That
might have been a more intriguing story, and it would
(29:45):
have worked overall, being consistent with typical Johnny Dowler. And then,
of course Harrison had another comment, this one on our
forty eight hundredth episode special. I'd completely forgotten about the
giant balloon animals. The otibus was worth it just for that. Well,
thanks so much, Harrison. We actually just featured the balloon
(30:06):
animals ad in our old time radio snack Wagon ads
sample or two last season, and of course you're going
to get at least one more of them when we
bring you the Henderson matter on us. And then I
think we'll be done with the balloon animal ads for
(30:27):
six or seven years, and I don't think I'll miss him.
Then we have a couple of comments regarding the Road
to the Valentine Manor. Nancy emails and I just adore
the Road to the Valentine Manor. This has always been
my favorite cereal, and to see how it's been handled
in Recheep over the years, it's just great. I've listened
(30:48):
almost from the beginning and loved every bit of it.
Keep up the great job, Thanks so much, Nancy. And
then over on YouTube, and then Kathy, she writes, this
is great. I listen to a lot of old time
radio detectives and sometimes here a story that I know
I've heard before, but surely with a different detective, or
(31:10):
was it. It's great that you've done this quality work
to bring this to us like this. Well, thanks so much,
and it really is fun to do the twicele tales now.
Of course, in the interest of full disclosure, the work
of identifying these reuse scripts has gone on for some
(31:30):
times and certainly predates my efforts, But my idea has
really been just bringing you the episodes in a single
podcast so you can kind of hear the direct comparison.
And so it's been fun to do these the road
to the Valentine matter. It was, of course a lot
(31:52):
more work and a longer episode than we typically do,
and I think for the spring episode we will be
back to just a sort of twict hold tale, but
if people enjoyed the cereal, we might look into some
of the more complex cereals in the future and do
(32:13):
those again.
Speaker 2 (32:15):
Again.
Speaker 1 (32:15):
Appreciate your feedback. Well, now it is time to thank
our Patreon supporter of the day, and I want to
thank Gary, Patreon supporter since August twenty sixteen, currently supporting
the podcast at the shawmus level of four dollars or
more per month. Thanks so much for your support and
that will do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast,
(32:35):
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 Friday with another episode
of Yours Truly Johnny Dollar, and we will be back
on Sunday with our first normal Sunday Encore, and on
(32:56):
Monday we return to our regular lineup with Danger with Grangers.
But join us back here tomorrow as we give way
to the great adventurers of old time radio with Cloak
and dagger, where.
Speaker 8 (33:09):
All of a sudden the train gave a lunch. One
of my suitcases took a flying dive to the floor.
There was a suitcase with a pen knife scar across
the other handle, the one with the radio.
Speaker 7 (33:21):
I was glad.
Speaker 8 (33:21):
I was long the next compartment. I couldn't wait to
find out if that radio was all right. You see,
the case was lined with a false backy of boxes
of chocolates to hide the radio. I unfastened the backing
and there was the radio. It was okay, nothing was broken.
And then before I could refasten the backing, I heard
voices outside the compartment door. I didn't have time to
(33:45):
refasten the backing. I had just enough time to slam
the case shut again, slide it back up in the rack,
and get back in my seat. Major, what is this?
Speaker 2 (33:55):
I was under the impression of this compartment was erft
from me alone.
Speaker 4 (33:58):
There must be some mistake, Caffield, Musha.
Speaker 8 (34:02):
There was a mistake, all right, my mistake in picking
the one compartment on the train that had been chosen
for Field.
Speaker 2 (34:08):
Marshall Ramar, I.
Speaker 1 (34:10):
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 at Radio Detectives, and 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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