April 26, 2025 • 26 mins
Chronicles the exploits of a reformed thief turned detective, solving crimes with wit and charm.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
So you think you're going to keep Tom away from me,
do you, Barbara? Yes, I do, Florence.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Or am I supposed to call you miss Wells? Because
you're the star of the show. You should be glad.
I'm a starn the kind of star who packs the house.
Or you'd be just another chorus girl looking for work.
I'll be a star myself someday. What are you going
to use for a talent? You were a chorus girl once, remember, I.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Don't like remembering, so don't get me started, Barbara. But
you remember something. Tom belongs to me and me alone.
Tom loves me, not you.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Loves you.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Don't make me laugh, but he does.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
He told me, Oh, you're not that naive.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
You couldn't be.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
What makes you think he can't see anything in you
when he compares you with me? Why next to me,
you're practically a school girl. I still say Tom is
in love with me and he's going to marry me.
Speaker 5 (01:17):
That isn't what he told me on the phone last night.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Tom didn't call you last night. He wasn't even in town,
and he isn't in town now.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Haven't you ever heard of the long distance telephone?
Speaker 1 (01:27):
He called you long distance and talked to me for
thirty beautiful minutes. I didn't think you heard from him,
did you?
Speaker 5 (01:36):
No?
Speaker 1 (01:37):
And I don't think you did either. Are you calling
me a liar? I'll put that boat on Florence.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
If you hit me, I'll hit you all right?
Speaker 6 (01:43):
Off a mirror.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
You've broken that mirror?
Speaker 4 (01:48):
Yes, I have, haven't I And it's your mirror that
means seven years bad luck?
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Yes it does, but it won't be for me.
Speaker 7 (02:07):
And now meet Dick Calmer as Boston Blackie. Enemy to
those who make him an enemy, friend to those who
have no friend.
Speaker 6 (02:25):
Oh, hello, Mary, this is Blackie. Did I wake you up?
I'm sorry. All I wanted to do is to tell
you that I got two tickets for the Sad Night.
Speaker 5 (02:34):
Oh minutes.
Speaker 6 (02:36):
Take it. It's only four o'clock.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
That kills me, Blackie?
Speaker 8 (02:41):
Who's this switchboard downstairs?
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (02:44):
Elsie? Look you cut me off. I was talking, Blackie.
Speaker 9 (02:48):
But does a woman on.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
The phone wants to speak to you?
Speaker 5 (02:50):
She says it's urgent. She sounds like I cut in.
Speaker 6 (02:54):
All right, we'll explain to miss Wesley and have her
hold on a minute. I'll take the other call.
Speaker 10 (02:58):
Yes, sir, go ahead, Miss take your party Forston Blackie.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Oh, this is serious. I'm Florence Wells.
Speaker 6 (03:05):
What's so serious about that? Hey? Are you Florence Well's
the musical comedy stun Yes, and I need your help.
You've done all right without helping, Miss Wells. I hear
the shows ahead.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Yes it is, But Blackie, I didn't call up to
talk about my show on myself. I have to see you.
I'm in desperate trouble. I'm afraid something's going to happen
to me soon, maybe tonight. You've got to see me
in my dressing them this evening.
Speaker 9 (03:25):
Before I go on.
Speaker 6 (03:26):
So you sound as if you're on a level, Miss Wells,
Yes i am.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Will you be here tonight curtain time at eight thirty,
but I'd like to see you no later than seven thirty.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Please please be there, Blackie.
Speaker 6 (03:34):
It's important seven thirty all right, I'll be there as well.
Speaker 8 (03:39):
Thank you, Blackie, goodbye, goodbye?
Speaker 6 (03:44):
Yes, Blackie, did Miss Wesley hold the line?
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Yes he did?
Speaker 8 (03:47):
Yes?
Speaker 6 (03:48):
Thanks? Hello, Mary, I'm sorry about the interruption.
Speaker 5 (03:52):
Well that's all right, in.
Speaker 10 (03:53):
As much as there's nothing I can do about it
now anyway.
Speaker 6 (03:55):
Uh Mary, We're we're not going to the theater. Tonight,
how going? Why not?
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Well?
Speaker 6 (04:02):
Our conversation was interrupted by Florrence Wells, well.
Speaker 9 (04:05):
The musical comedy star.
Speaker 10 (04:07):
I don't like her.
Speaker 6 (04:08):
I've got to meet her in a dressing room at
seven thirty tonight.
Speaker 5 (04:12):
Well, I definitely don't like that.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Where's miss Wells?
Speaker 11 (04:25):
Has anybody hurt from Florence Wells at seven thirty?
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Why isn't she here?
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Joe?
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Yes, mister Brown, don't move away from that door. The
minute Flawrence Wells comes in.
Speaker 12 (04:34):
You let me know I would have talked to her.
Speaker 11 (04:36):
Yes, all right, everybody, girls, boys too, Let's get on
stage and Jack constumes make up, Billy let.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Tamp full of head nights. Thank you, Joe. Don't you
forget a minute? Florence Wells? Yes, I know, mister Brown.
You want to talk to her right away?
Speaker 13 (04:52):
Okay, okay, Hey, where do you think you're going?
Speaker 6 (04:55):
I don't think I know where I'm going. I'm Boston
Black and I'm supposed to see Flawrence well seven thirty.
She sent for me?
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Well, I wish somebody'd send her. She isn't here?
Speaker 6 (05:04):
Oh, oh, I see well? Or maybe she left a
message for me. Whom would I asked?
Speaker 13 (05:10):
I asked, Alla, miss Wells made she's Miss Wells's dressing
room at that first door there.
Speaker 6 (05:13):
Thanks, don't know what.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
You're thanking me for.
Speaker 6 (05:15):
I didn't do anything for you. It's Miss Wells.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
No Miss Wilsey here she excuse somebody else.
Speaker 6 (05:25):
I'm boss, some blackie. I have an appointment to meet
Miss Wells here at seven p thirty. I thought maybe
she left a message for me or something. She said
it was awfully important for me to see her.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Sorry, mister Blacke, but she didn't. Eaven no message for anybody?
Speaker 6 (05:39):
No message. H Well, I'll wait around for a little
while outside. Thanks, no message, No no message.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Well, wait a little while.
Speaker 13 (05:48):
She's bound to show up my curtain time anyway, I hope, so,
Miss Wells, everybody's been looking for you.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Sorry, jail, I was delayed.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Well, mister Brown wants to see you right away.
Speaker 6 (05:56):
He wants to talk to you.
Speaker 9 (05:57):
Oh, don't tell him.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
I know. I don't want to talk to him.
Speaker 6 (05:59):
I take it you want to talk to me, Miss Wells.
Who are you, Boston Blankie? You've sent for me?
Speaker 9 (06:05):
Remember?
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (06:06):
Yes, But you'll have to wait till after I change
into my costume.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
I will be long stick around with you.
Speaker 6 (06:11):
Well, yes, of course we'll look around.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Ella.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
You have my costume ready?
Speaker 3 (06:16):
What do you mean?
Speaker 9 (06:17):
What's the matter with you?
Speaker 6 (06:19):
Very pleasant young lady. But I suppose you have to
make excuses for people like Miss Wells.
Speaker 13 (06:25):
You make the excuses if you want to. I'll make
room for him. I sure don't like to get in
their way.
Speaker 6 (06:30):
Personally, I prefer to stay at home time itself. But
there's something interesting about people on show business. They want
to interesting h from a distance, pile from a distance.
Speaker 13 (06:44):
What happens to some people when they get to the
top gets me. Now you take that girl Barbara for instance. Barbara,
who she girl in the chorus? There she is that
pretty brunette at the top of the landing. She's probably
going out with some coffee. Now there's a sweet girls
you ever want to know?
Speaker 6 (06:58):
Yes, she is pretty and want to know is right now?
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Yes?
Speaker 6 (07:05):
But I'm willing to bet anything that if she gets
to the.
Speaker 13 (07:08):
Top of the heat, she'll be just as mean and
hard to get along with as this Florence.
Speaker 6 (07:12):
Well, oh, I don't know about that. Are all kinds
of people in the world. Maybe this kid, oh, that
must be miss Wells. But I guess I'll be. It's
not miss Wells, it's her made Ella.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Oh yeah, what'd she say?
Speaker 6 (07:26):
I think something about trouble.
Speaker 13 (07:27):
Well, she ought to know a lot about trouble. She
works for a girl who's really trouble.
Speaker 12 (07:41):
How will you quit your ball and Barbie? You're making
me sorry. I have to let you come over here.
Speaker 6 (07:45):
I'm so frightened.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
I go on stage in a half hour, but I
had to run out and see you. Florence talked to
me this afternoon. She was terribly excited.
Speaker 9 (07:52):
No one's talk talk never heard nobody. Now, look, cheer up.
You gotta go on stage pretty soon.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
We're gonna stop seeing each other.
Speaker 9 (07:59):
We are not. I won't snap out of it.
Speaker 6 (08:00):
Baby.
Speaker 9 (08:01):
This is no way to act. When I just got
back to town, I thought you were glad to see me.
Speaker 8 (08:04):
I am glad, Tom, because it means we can break
off right now, before something horrible happened.
Speaker 9 (08:08):
What do you mean before something happens? What's gonna happen?
Speaker 3 (08:10):
I don't know.
Speaker 8 (08:11):
All I know is Florence will do something awful if
I don't give you up. So I'm giving you up, Tom,
Why please please don't try to see me anymore?
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Let Florence have you if she wants you. It's the
only way.
Speaker 9 (08:20):
Look, baby, Florence doesn't mean anything to me.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Then why did you call her last night?
Speaker 9 (08:24):
I wish your luck in the show.
Speaker 12 (08:25):
That's all I do publicity for I remember, I like
the Dame, but that's all.
Speaker 9 (08:28):
I just like her, and not too much at that.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Tom, you don't understand she's in love with you.
Speaker 9 (08:32):
So what I'm in love with you, baby, just you.
But Florence, listen, will you? That Dame is out of
my life. So skip what she said to you, my baby,
I've quit her. Now you quit crying.
Speaker 6 (08:54):
Listen, Joe, I'm getting tired of waiting. How long before
curtain time? Distmss Wells come out of her dressing room.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
It'll be any minute now, Blackie.
Speaker 6 (09:00):
Hurtain goes up in eight minutes. That's fine, But I've
been waiting for her for more than fifty minutes.
Speaker 13 (09:04):
So it's like I told you, these big stars don't
care about anybody.
Speaker 6 (09:07):
Well, I'm getting so I don't care much. What she
wants to talk to me about can't be very important.
She's waiting, Hey you, yescha?
Speaker 3 (09:13):
What can I do for you?
Speaker 6 (09:14):
Paraday?
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Blackie?
Speaker 6 (09:16):
What are you doing here or nothing that can be
of any interest to you. I'm waiting for Florence Wells
to come out of her dressing room so I can
talk to her.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Well, you're gonna have a long wait.
Speaker 6 (09:24):
Oh, I don't know. It's ain't been. It's a curtain time.
She has to make the curtain.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
She isn't making anything anymore but headlines, blankie. I just
found her dead body eight blocks down the street.
Speaker 6 (09:34):
What miss Wells is dead?
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Very? I haven't inspected, Paraday at the police. I want
to see the dead woman's dressing room.
Speaker 6 (09:40):
Sure, write this ray shirt quur Hey, Hey, wait a minute,
this is impossible, Paraday. Florence Wells went into that room
right there, fifty minutes ago, and she hasn't come out
of it.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
Yes she has. She's gone down the street and been murdered,
and she isn't coming out of that now.
Speaker 6 (09:54):
I d wait a minute. I'm serious, Paraday. Joe and
I both saw go in and we've been standing right
here a sense. And Florence Wells didn't leave a dressing room,
that's right.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Inspect Then whose body did I find in that vacant
lot down the street.
Speaker 6 (10:06):
I don't know, but it wasn't Florence Wells. She's in
her dressing room right there?
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Are you on the level, Blankie?
Speaker 6 (10:12):
So help me.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Look, I'm the one who's gonna need help. If Florence
Wells is in her dressing room, I've got an unidentified body.
Speaker 6 (10:19):
Go on, Joel, let's prove to Faraday that miss Wells
is in her dressing room. Yes, it's this door right here, Paraday.
How do you know that body you found was Florence Wells.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Because there were calling cards in her bag and I
recognize her from her picture. Mm hmm.
Speaker 6 (10:33):
Well, don't believe everything you read to see. Man, here's
miss Wells Bacon. Hey, hey, there's nobody in here.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
I told you she couldn't be. She's on the way
to them all.
Speaker 6 (10:45):
And I'm on my way to the nuthouse. Florence Wells
didn't leave this room once she came into it. She
might have through that.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Window up there. That's it. That's how she got.
Speaker 6 (10:56):
Up and then came back in and locked the window.
Look at it, Faraday, it's locked and from the n side.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Then she got out of here some other way.
Speaker 6 (11:02):
Is there a door only the one that we just
came through? And Joe and I were standing where we
could watch that all the time. Maybe there's a trap door.
Speaker 9 (11:09):
I've heard of things like that.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
Good idea, the pushback, the right there.
Speaker 6 (11:13):
Yes, I know what you'll find.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
Never mind, I've already found it.
Speaker 6 (11:18):
Solid floor, Faraday. I hate to confuse you, but there's
no possible way for miss Wells to leave this room
except through that door.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
But she did, she must have. She got out of
this room, walked down the street eight blocks and got
herself killed.
Speaker 6 (11:33):
You're sure that was Florence Wells.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
Positive? I knew her from the identification in her purse
and by her pictures. That was Florence Wells. All right?
Speaker 6 (11:40):
If that was Florence Wells, all right. She did get
out of this room, but we don't know how she
got out, and that's not all right.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
And now back to Boston.
Speaker 7 (11:56):
Blackie musical comedy star Florence Wells tells young and frightened
Barbara Lane that she had better give up her boyfriend
Tom or suffer the consequences. Later, Florence phones Blackie and
says she has to see him backstage at her.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Theater at seven point thirty.
Speaker 7 (12:18):
Blackie is there before the star arrives, but she goes
into a dressing room without telling Blackie why she wanted
to see him. Florence apparently does not leave her dressing
room by door, window or hidden exit, but fifteen minutes later,
she is found dead eight blocks away from the theater.
As we return to our story, it's the next day
and Blackie and his friend Mary Wesley are in the
(12:40):
Dead Stars dressing room.
Speaker 5 (12:43):
This dressing room is where miss Wells was last seen alive.
I guess, isn't it, Blackie.
Speaker 6 (12:47):
Yes, Mary by a maide Ella, And now Ella's disappeared.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
Good heavens, she has been murdered too.
Speaker 6 (12:54):
I hope, I sell me hope not.
Speaker 5 (12:56):
Maybe she knows who killed miss Wells and she's gone
into hiding.
Speaker 6 (12:59):
Well, that's one of the reasons I'd like to find it.
So you can't find anything around here, But I.
Speaker 10 (13:03):
Thought you and the police had already checked this room
the way miss Wells could have gotten out.
Speaker 6 (13:07):
We checked it from top to bottom and didn't find anything.
But I thought checking it again might do some good.
Speaker 5 (13:13):
No sign of a secret door anywhere.
Speaker 6 (13:15):
Is no sliding doors or trapspery. This is just a plain,
ordinary dressing room. Come on, Mary, let's go out. Sign right, Oh,
there's the manager. Maybe he can help me, mister Brown,
mister Brown.
Speaker 11 (13:28):
Please please, no more questions. I have enough trouble putting
on a show with the nunders study without answering questions.
Speaker 6 (13:34):
Well, oh look, don't you know anything about miss Wells?
Who are friends?
Speaker 3 (13:38):
Were?
Speaker 6 (13:38):
Where she spent her time?
Speaker 11 (13:40):
All I know about miss Wells is that she was
the star of this show, and now I have a
show without a song.
Speaker 6 (13:45):
Oh excuse me, mary, mister Brown, Miss Wesley, how do
you do, Miss Wesley?
Speaker 3 (13:52):
Minute?
Speaker 6 (13:52):
Mister Brown, wit a minute? Is there anyone in the
show who might tell me something about miss Wells?
Speaker 11 (13:57):
So, yeah, yeah, there's Barbara. Need to go on the chorus.
They knew each other, I think, But the chorus is
on the stage now. We were hitsing the entire cast.
Speaker 9 (14:05):
With the understudy.
Speaker 6 (14:06):
Can't you get her off the stage?
Speaker 3 (14:07):
No, I can't do a thing.
Speaker 6 (14:09):
If you'll let me ask her a few questions, I'll
stop asking you questions.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
Well, all right, Joe, Yeah, ask.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Barbara to come in here, will you.
Speaker 5 (14:19):
I hope pulling a girl out of the line won't
throw the understand.
Speaker 9 (14:22):
Oh no, no, missus Wesley. They're trained to expect anything.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Oh, oh, what's the matter? Mister Brown was not doing
something wrong?
Speaker 3 (14:29):
No, Barbara, No, this is Boston, Blackie.
Speaker 9 (14:31):
He wants to.
Speaker 6 (14:32):
Talk to you. Barbara Laane. Is your last name is Hm?
Speaker 9 (14:35):
Yes it is.
Speaker 6 (14:36):
I'm miss Laine, Miss Wesley, I muss Lane. What do
you know about Florence Wells Florence Worlds?
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Nothing?
Speaker 9 (14:45):
No?
Speaker 6 (14:46):
How long have you known it?
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Not long? I've been in town only a few months.
The show wasn't cast until two months ago.
Speaker 5 (14:53):
In other words, Blackie, she's known Florence Wells only two months.
Speaker 6 (14:56):
I figured that out for myself. You're not a local girl,
miss Lane.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
Where are you from a place no one ever heard of? Barling, Kansas?
Speaker 6 (15:02):
Just a little town, Barling, Kansas, a little town. I
wonder if I can get a little information out of it.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Look, miss Lane, you might as well start talking, because
I'm going to keep you right here in my office
till you do.
Speaker 8 (15:20):
But I can't tell you anything, Inspector Faraday, I couldn't
tell Blackie anything, and I can't tell you.
Speaker 9 (15:24):
Why don't you label alone? Inspector and Tom please mark.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Johnson anymore in affairs from you? I have you thrown
out of here. Miss Lane, Do you denied that miss
Wells was in your apartment yesterday and had an argument
with you?
Speaker 1 (15:34):
No, I don't deny it.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
How do you find out about that, inspect The police
find out about everything sooner or later, Johnson. Now, someone
in miss Lane's apartment building hurt the argument and saw
Miss Wells leave. What was that argument about, Miss Lane?
Speaker 1 (15:47):
I'd rather not say.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
You'd better say. Well, for the first time in this case,
someone's being helpful. What are you two arguing about, Miss Lane?
Speaker 1 (15:56):
About Tom here? She wanted to take him away from me.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Ah, she didn't kill Florence Wells. I tell you, you'll
let me decide that, Johnson. I don't know much about
this case. Nobody does. Nobody knows who killed her, why
she was eight blocks from the theater just before curtain time.
Nobody knows how she got out of her dressing room
with not being seen. And I know something, Miss Lane.
I know you're my murder suspect number one.
Speaker 6 (16:27):
Hello, Hello, Hello, Hello, I hear this is Boston Blackie
calling from New York. Is this the office of the Bawling,
Kansas Enterprise.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
Yes, Yes, this is.
Speaker 6 (16:36):
The office of the Enterprise.
Speaker 9 (16:37):
This is the editor speaking.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
Macon is the name.
Speaker 6 (16:40):
Oh good, look, mister Aikin, can you tell me anything
about Barbara Lane? She's a chorus good on the musical
comedy here, Oh Barbara.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Now you're talking about the sweetest and prettiest girl in Bowlingudy.
Speaker 6 (16:50):
You know then? Oh why I remember? Where she was born?
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Was in that old frame house in the corner.
Speaker 6 (16:55):
Oh hey, look, never mind where she was born. Can
you tell me anything about her that?
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Well?
Speaker 6 (17:00):
You know, well, the average person doesn't know.
Speaker 7 (17:03):
I don't know what you mean, son, say, she isn't
in trouble?
Speaker 6 (17:06):
Is she? I don't know. I'm not sure. Well, I
hope not. Blaine's family has had enough of it with
Barbara's sister. Barbara's sister, how did she cause trouble? Murdered
her husband?
Speaker 3 (17:14):
That's what she did, nice young fellow from over in
soft free.
Speaker 6 (17:17):
I see, No, you don't see it all because the
jury let her off. Just couldn't send a pair of
pretty limbs and fottery eyes to jail. I guess, well,
then Barbara's sister didn't really kill her husband.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
Spokes hears Hey she did me.
Speaker 13 (17:29):
I ain't telling like Blaine family, even her, Yeah, even
like Florence.
Speaker 6 (17:33):
The Barbara sister's name is Florence. Yeah, she disappeared right
after Jurry let her off. Nobody's heard from her sins.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Ye did too bad.
Speaker 9 (17:39):
She went wrong.
Speaker 6 (17:40):
She had nice singing voice and could have been a
big star on the radio. Was she a blonde, tall
blue eyes? Yep, that Florence nor I think I do funny.
Speaker 13 (17:50):
You should be asked about Barbara Lane and I get
to telling you about her sister.
Speaker 6 (17:54):
Why, Well, there was young.
Speaker 13 (17:55):
Collow here a few days ago, beg youngster with heavy
heead of black hair, good looking too, except for a.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Nasty star on his chin.
Speaker 8 (18:02):
He was here asking.
Speaker 6 (18:03):
About Barbara and was harder surprised find out she had
a sister. Well, I am too, and I may have
a surprise for you. I think I know where Florence
Lane has been all this time? You do, where on
the stage under the name of Florence Wells. But she's
dead now, murdered Harner.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
Well, that's news.
Speaker 13 (18:23):
I'm gonna have to get that on page one the
next week's Hand to Pride.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
I's fought.
Speaker 6 (18:26):
Good Bye, goodbye Mary.
Speaker 10 (18:29):
I think we have something well from relate to that conversation,
I judge you have a lot of something.
Speaker 6 (18:33):
I think I know why bob Oa Laine wouldn't tell
us anything about Florence Wells. They're sisters, and I think
Florence was killed by someone who was trying to blackmail.
Speaker 10 (18:40):
Oh, Blackie, what sense does that make? In that case,
the blackmailer should have been killed, not miss Wells.
Speaker 6 (18:44):
Well the blackmailer may have known Flarrence Wells was going
to try to kill him, so he beat her to it.
Speaker 5 (18:49):
Well, that's fine.
Speaker 10 (18:50):
You think you know why she was killed, but you
still don't know who killed her, how she got out
of a dressing room.
Speaker 6 (18:55):
I have ideas on that subject too. Let's get a hold
of fire Day and get out of the theater. I
think I can get out of Florence Wells's dressing room
the same way she did.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
Blackie, is getting me down of this there or another
of your crazy schemes to waste a lot of my time.
I'm trying to find the murderer.
Speaker 6 (19:17):
Of Florence well Look, sorry, they stopped calling of Florence Wells.
Barbara Lane backed up my theory that Florence was really
assisted and she.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
All right, Florence Lane, that's better.
Speaker 6 (19:27):
Mary, do me a pay you sure, Right outside the
stage door, there's a shoe shine boy. Go out there
and bring it on you.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
All right, Blankie, this is no time to get your
shoe shine No, I.
Speaker 6 (19:36):
Wonder about far name.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
First.
Speaker 6 (19:38):
I'm going to show you how Florence Wells, actually Florence
Lane you know now, got out of a dressing room
without being seen.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
You can't do it.
Speaker 6 (19:45):
Give me just three and a half minutes inside that
dressing room, get me that shoe shine boy, and I'll
show you how to polo show off this case.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
Wow, Miss Presley. Blackie's been in that dressing room two
and a half minutes.
Speaker 5 (20:03):
Now, then he has a whole minute to go.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
Inspector Faraday a minute to go, but where he's not
going to get out of that dress No, well, just
you waiting. They he couldn't do it. This must be
Blanky now.
Speaker 5 (20:15):
Oh no, that's not Blackie, that's the shoeshine boy.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
Hey, just thirty seconds left?
Speaker 5 (20:21):
Well, please, let's give him every second he ask for it.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
I'd like to give him twenty years for wasting my
time like this. He's not going to get out of
that dressing room.
Speaker 6 (20:27):
It's impossible.
Speaker 5 (20:28):
The murdered girl got out of it.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
Yeah she did. I bet she's sorry. All right?
Speaker 5 (20:34):
How much more time?
Speaker 3 (20:36):
Ten seconds?
Speaker 5 (20:38):
Well, I guess we might as well start for the door, and.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
We're going to open it too, right on the dot
of three and a half minutes, which is now. Wow, Blackie,
I told you you.
Speaker 5 (20:49):
Inspector Faraday, there is nobody in here.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
There's got to be he's hiding.
Speaker 6 (20:54):
That's right, Faraday, right behind you out here in.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
The hall, black Lacky, How did you get out there?
Speaker 6 (20:59):
Walked out just the way Larrence Lane did? How am
I looking? BlackBerry? Oh?
Speaker 5 (21:03):
Good, heavens, that wasn't the shoe shine boy?
Speaker 1 (21:05):
We're still walking out of here? That would you?
Speaker 6 (21:06):
Wasn't it?
Speaker 1 (21:07):
Then?
Speaker 3 (21:07):
Where's the shoeshine boy? How'd he get out of here?
Speaker 6 (21:10):
The way Larrence Lane's made ell? I got out of here.
I boosted him through that window there and then locked
it from the inside. Before that, we'd switched clothes, and
I blocked up and then walked out here just as
Lawrence Lane walked out as the maid. Simple, isn't it?
Speaker 3 (21:24):
Is not? Why would that actress go to all that
trouble sneak out here to get killed?
Speaker 6 (21:28):
She didn't expect to be killed. Look far day, You've
told me about a fellow named Tom Johnson. I want
to see what he looks like. Why, because if he
looks the way I think he looks, the looks of
this case will be a lot better. Nice out of
Hay you have that, Johnson. But where'd you get that
(21:50):
nasty scar on your chin? There?
Speaker 9 (21:52):
On that blackie?
Speaker 6 (21:53):
I got in a sledding accident when I was a kid.
Speaker 3 (21:55):
What's it to you?
Speaker 6 (21:56):
It's nothing to me, but I'll tell you what it
is to you. A very definite means of identification and
proof too, proof proof of what? Proof of?
Speaker 2 (22:05):
You?
Speaker 6 (22:05):
In Barking, Kansas the day before yesterday talking to clemake
and the editor of the Bawling Enterprise. Oh, and you
were asking him questions about Barbara Lane. And don't deny it, Johnson.
Speaker 12 (22:15):
Oh, I won't deny it. I had a reason to
ask questions about her. I was going to marry it.
I wanted to find out about her childhood and what
she did in her hometown.
Speaker 6 (22:22):
But you also found out that Florence Wells and Barbara
Lane was sisters, didn't you? Yeah, so what if I did,
I'll tell you what what you found out about Florence
was worth a lot of money to you. Musical comedy
stars don't like to be known as suspective murdresses.
Speaker 12 (22:38):
Oh you think I was going to blackmail it, Dolia,
well I wasn't. I even told her. I wasn't told
her when I found it from Barling, after the old
edit had told me about it.
Speaker 9 (22:45):
She got sore, but I told her.
Speaker 6 (22:46):
She needn't worry about it.
Speaker 9 (22:47):
I was going to keep it under my hat.
Speaker 6 (22:50):
Then, what gave her the idea to kill him?
Speaker 9 (22:53):
What makes you think she was going to kill me?
Speaker 6 (22:55):
There's only one reason Florence Wells went to so much
trouble to get out of a dressing room without being seen.
There's only one reason she wanted me outside her dressing
room when she went out to meet you. She was
going to kill you, and she wanted me as an alibi.
Speaker 12 (23:09):
Okay, you're right, Blackie, That's just the way it was.
But it was self defense. She phoned me and told
me to meet her on the corner by a vacant lot.
Speaker 6 (23:17):
She said she wanted to talk to me, and when
she met you, she pulled a gun on you, didn't
she Yeah, she.
Speaker 12 (23:22):
Said she didn't trust me. With what I knew about
her and wouldn't stand for blackmail. And when she came
at me with that gun, I like to tell she
meant business.
Speaker 6 (23:29):
So you pulled a gun on her and shut it.
Speaker 12 (23:31):
No, no, no, I had grabbed a gun. I was
just trying to take it away from her, and then
all of a sudden.
Speaker 9 (23:35):
It went off.
Speaker 12 (23:36):
I was lucky there was nobody around. I caught at
it to a lot, took the gun and beat it
back to my apartment in time to see Barbara there.
You have the gun now, well, you think I'm nuts?
Tossed it in the river.
Speaker 6 (23:46):
In the river, huh, Well, Tom, I've got news for you.
You're going up the river.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
Ella.
Speaker 6 (24:01):
Nobody's going to hurt you. You're not in police headquarters
to be arrested. You were Florence Wells maid, Yes, sir, but.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
I didn't do anything wrong, just what miss Wells told
me to do.
Speaker 8 (24:13):
I let her boost me out of the window after
I gave him my maid's uniform, and then I disappeared,
just like.
Speaker 9 (24:18):
She paid me to.
Speaker 6 (24:19):
Well, Paraday, that does it. Florence Wells left a dressing
room and blackface.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
If she was in blackface when she left her dressing room.
Why wasn't she still in blackface when she was killed?
Speaker 6 (24:28):
She obviously stopped outside the theater and took the makeup off.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
That's right too, mister inspector.
Speaker 6 (24:33):
Why didn't you come and tell us all this right away?
Speaker 1 (24:35):
Ellen, because when I hear she's dead, I get scared
to talk.
Speaker 6 (24:40):
Well, thanks, Ella, thanks for backing me up. Satisfied now, Faraday,
How Florence got out and that Tom Johnson killed her?
Speaker 3 (24:48):
Yeah, I guess so.
Speaker 6 (24:50):
Well. Tom Johnson was a press agent. He was paid
to get Florence Wells name in the papers. He got
it in all right, in the obituary column.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
No.
Speaker 6 (25:00):
No, number one, the number
So you think you're going to keep Tom away from me,
do you, Barbara? Yes, I do, Florence.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Or am I supposed to call you miss Wells? Because
you're the star of the show. You should be glad.
I'm a starn the kind of star who packs the house.
Or you'd be just another chorus girl looking for work.
I'll be a star myself someday. What are you going
to use for a talent? You were a chorus girl once, remember, I.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Don't like remembering, so don't get me started, Barbara. But
you remember something. Tom belongs to me and me alone.
Tom loves me, not you.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Loves you.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Don't make me laugh, but he does.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
He told me, Oh, you're not that naive.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
You couldn't be.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
What makes you think he can't see anything in you
when he compares you with me? Why next to me,
you're practically a school girl. I still say Tom is
in love with me and he's going to marry me.
Speaker 5 (01:17):
That isn't what he told me on the phone last night.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Tom didn't call you last night. He wasn't even in town,
and he isn't in town now.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Haven't you ever heard of the long distance telephone?
Speaker 1 (01:27):
He called you long distance and talked to me for
thirty beautiful minutes. I didn't think you heard from him,
did you?
Speaker 5 (01:36):
No?
Speaker 1 (01:37):
And I don't think you did either. Are you calling
me a liar? I'll put that boat on Florence.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
If you hit me, I'll hit you all right?
Speaker 6 (01:43):
Off a mirror.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
You've broken that mirror?
Speaker 4 (01:48):
Yes, I have, haven't I And it's your mirror that
means seven years bad luck?
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Yes it does, but it won't be for me.
Speaker 7 (02:07):
And now meet Dick Calmer as Boston Blackie. Enemy to
those who make him an enemy, friend to those who
have no friend.
Speaker 6 (02:25):
Oh, hello, Mary, this is Blackie. Did I wake you up?
I'm sorry. All I wanted to do is to tell
you that I got two tickets for the Sad Night.
Speaker 5 (02:34):
Oh minutes.
Speaker 6 (02:36):
Take it. It's only four o'clock.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
That kills me, Blackie?
Speaker 8 (02:41):
Who's this switchboard downstairs?
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (02:44):
Elsie? Look you cut me off. I was talking, Blackie.
Speaker 9 (02:48):
But does a woman on.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
The phone wants to speak to you?
Speaker 5 (02:50):
She says it's urgent. She sounds like I cut in.
Speaker 6 (02:54):
All right, we'll explain to miss Wesley and have her
hold on a minute. I'll take the other call.
Speaker 10 (02:58):
Yes, sir, go ahead, Miss take your party Forston Blackie.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Oh, this is serious. I'm Florence Wells.
Speaker 6 (03:05):
What's so serious about that? Hey? Are you Florence Well's
the musical comedy stun Yes, and I need your help.
You've done all right without helping, Miss Wells. I hear
the shows ahead.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Yes it is, But Blackie, I didn't call up to
talk about my show on myself. I have to see you.
I'm in desperate trouble. I'm afraid something's going to happen
to me soon, maybe tonight. You've got to see me
in my dressing them this evening.
Speaker 9 (03:25):
Before I go on.
Speaker 6 (03:26):
So you sound as if you're on a level, Miss Wells,
Yes i am.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Will you be here tonight curtain time at eight thirty,
but I'd like to see you no later than seven thirty.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Please please be there, Blackie.
Speaker 6 (03:34):
It's important seven thirty all right, I'll be there as well.
Speaker 8 (03:39):
Thank you, Blackie, goodbye, goodbye?
Speaker 6 (03:44):
Yes, Blackie, did Miss Wesley hold the line?
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Yes he did?
Speaker 8 (03:47):
Yes?
Speaker 6 (03:48):
Thanks? Hello, Mary, I'm sorry about the interruption.
Speaker 5 (03:52):
Well that's all right, in.
Speaker 10 (03:53):
As much as there's nothing I can do about it
now anyway.
Speaker 6 (03:55):
Uh Mary, We're we're not going to the theater. Tonight,
how going? Why not?
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Well?
Speaker 6 (04:02):
Our conversation was interrupted by Florrence Wells, well.
Speaker 9 (04:05):
The musical comedy star.
Speaker 10 (04:07):
I don't like her.
Speaker 6 (04:08):
I've got to meet her in a dressing room at
seven thirty tonight.
Speaker 5 (04:12):
Well, I definitely don't like that.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Where's miss Wells?
Speaker 11 (04:25):
Has anybody hurt from Florence Wells at seven thirty?
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Why isn't she here?
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Joe?
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Yes, mister Brown, don't move away from that door. The
minute Flawrence Wells comes in.
Speaker 12 (04:34):
You let me know I would have talked to her.
Speaker 11 (04:36):
Yes, all right, everybody, girls, boys too, Let's get on
stage and Jack constumes make up, Billy let.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Tamp full of head nights. Thank you, Joe. Don't you
forget a minute? Florence Wells? Yes, I know, mister Brown.
You want to talk to her right away?
Speaker 13 (04:52):
Okay, okay, Hey, where do you think you're going?
Speaker 6 (04:55):
I don't think I know where I'm going. I'm Boston
Black and I'm supposed to see Flawrence well seven thirty.
She sent for me?
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Well, I wish somebody'd send her. She isn't here?
Speaker 6 (05:04):
Oh, oh, I see well? Or maybe she left a
message for me. Whom would I asked?
Speaker 13 (05:10):
I asked, Alla, miss Wells made she's Miss Wells's dressing
room at that first door there.
Speaker 6 (05:13):
Thanks, don't know what.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
You're thanking me for.
Speaker 6 (05:15):
I didn't do anything for you. It's Miss Wells.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
No Miss Wilsey here she excuse somebody else.
Speaker 6 (05:25):
I'm boss, some blackie. I have an appointment to meet
Miss Wells here at seven p thirty. I thought maybe
she left a message for me or something. She said
it was awfully important for me to see her.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Sorry, mister Blacke, but she didn't. Eaven no message for anybody?
Speaker 6 (05:39):
No message. H Well, I'll wait around for a little
while outside. Thanks, no message, No no message.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Well, wait a little while.
Speaker 13 (05:48):
She's bound to show up my curtain time anyway, I hope, so,
Miss Wells, everybody's been looking for you.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Sorry, jail, I was delayed.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Well, mister Brown wants to see you right away.
Speaker 6 (05:56):
He wants to talk to you.
Speaker 9 (05:57):
Oh, don't tell him.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
I know. I don't want to talk to him.
Speaker 6 (05:59):
I take it you want to talk to me, Miss Wells.
Who are you, Boston Blankie? You've sent for me?
Speaker 9 (06:05):
Remember?
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (06:06):
Yes, But you'll have to wait till after I change
into my costume.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
I will be long stick around with you.
Speaker 6 (06:11):
Well, yes, of course we'll look around.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Ella.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
You have my costume ready?
Speaker 3 (06:16):
What do you mean?
Speaker 9 (06:17):
What's the matter with you?
Speaker 6 (06:19):
Very pleasant young lady. But I suppose you have to
make excuses for people like Miss Wells.
Speaker 13 (06:25):
You make the excuses if you want to. I'll make
room for him. I sure don't like to get in
their way.
Speaker 6 (06:30):
Personally, I prefer to stay at home time itself. But
there's something interesting about people on show business. They want
to interesting h from a distance, pile from a distance.
Speaker 13 (06:44):
What happens to some people when they get to the
top gets me. Now you take that girl Barbara for instance. Barbara,
who she girl in the chorus? There she is that
pretty brunette at the top of the landing. She's probably
going out with some coffee. Now there's a sweet girls
you ever want to know?
Speaker 6 (06:58):
Yes, she is pretty and want to know is right now?
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Yes?
Speaker 6 (07:05):
But I'm willing to bet anything that if she gets
to the.
Speaker 13 (07:08):
Top of the heat, she'll be just as mean and
hard to get along with as this Florence.
Speaker 6 (07:12):
Well, oh, I don't know about that. Are all kinds
of people in the world. Maybe this kid, oh, that
must be miss Wells. But I guess I'll be. It's
not miss Wells, it's her made Ella.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Oh yeah, what'd she say?
Speaker 6 (07:26):
I think something about trouble.
Speaker 13 (07:27):
Well, she ought to know a lot about trouble. She
works for a girl who's really trouble.
Speaker 12 (07:41):
How will you quit your ball and Barbie? You're making
me sorry. I have to let you come over here.
Speaker 6 (07:45):
I'm so frightened.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
I go on stage in a half hour, but I
had to run out and see you. Florence talked to
me this afternoon. She was terribly excited.
Speaker 9 (07:52):
No one's talk talk never heard nobody. Now, look, cheer up.
You gotta go on stage pretty soon.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
We're gonna stop seeing each other.
Speaker 9 (07:59):
We are not. I won't snap out of it.
Speaker 6 (08:00):
Baby.
Speaker 9 (08:01):
This is no way to act. When I just got
back to town, I thought you were glad to see me.
Speaker 8 (08:04):
I am glad, Tom, because it means we can break
off right now, before something horrible happened.
Speaker 9 (08:08):
What do you mean before something happens? What's gonna happen?
Speaker 3 (08:10):
I don't know.
Speaker 8 (08:11):
All I know is Florence will do something awful if
I don't give you up. So I'm giving you up, Tom,
Why please please don't try to see me anymore?
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Let Florence have you if she wants you. It's the
only way.
Speaker 9 (08:20):
Look, baby, Florence doesn't mean anything to me.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Then why did you call her last night?
Speaker 9 (08:24):
I wish your luck in the show.
Speaker 12 (08:25):
That's all I do publicity for I remember, I like
the Dame, but that's all.
Speaker 9 (08:28):
I just like her, and not too much at that.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Tom, you don't understand she's in love with you.
Speaker 9 (08:32):
So what I'm in love with you, baby, just you.
But Florence, listen, will you? That Dame is out of
my life. So skip what she said to you, my baby,
I've quit her. Now you quit crying.
Speaker 6 (08:54):
Listen, Joe, I'm getting tired of waiting. How long before
curtain time? Distmss Wells come out of her dressing room.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
It'll be any minute now, Blackie.
Speaker 6 (09:00):
Hurtain goes up in eight minutes. That's fine, But I've
been waiting for her for more than fifty minutes.
Speaker 13 (09:04):
So it's like I told you, these big stars don't
care about anybody.
Speaker 6 (09:07):
Well, I'm getting so I don't care much. What she
wants to talk to me about can't be very important.
She's waiting, Hey you, yescha?
Speaker 3 (09:13):
What can I do for you?
Speaker 6 (09:14):
Paraday?
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Blackie?
Speaker 6 (09:16):
What are you doing here or nothing that can be
of any interest to you. I'm waiting for Florence Wells
to come out of her dressing room so I can
talk to her.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Well, you're gonna have a long wait.
Speaker 6 (09:24):
Oh, I don't know. It's ain't been. It's a curtain time.
She has to make the curtain.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
She isn't making anything anymore but headlines, blankie. I just
found her dead body eight blocks down the street.
Speaker 6 (09:34):
What miss Wells is dead?
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Very? I haven't inspected, Paraday at the police. I want
to see the dead woman's dressing room.
Speaker 6 (09:40):
Sure, write this ray shirt quur Hey, Hey, wait a minute,
this is impossible, Paraday. Florence Wells went into that room
right there, fifty minutes ago, and she hasn't come out
of it.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
Yes she has. She's gone down the street and been murdered,
and she isn't coming out of that now.
Speaker 6 (09:54):
I d wait a minute. I'm serious, Paraday. Joe and
I both saw go in and we've been standing right
here a sense. And Florence Wells didn't leave a dressing room,
that's right.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Inspect Then whose body did I find in that vacant
lot down the street.
Speaker 6 (10:06):
I don't know, but it wasn't Florence Wells. She's in
her dressing room right there?
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Are you on the level, Blankie?
Speaker 6 (10:12):
So help me.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Look, I'm the one who's gonna need help. If Florence
Wells is in her dressing room, I've got an unidentified body.
Speaker 6 (10:19):
Go on, Joel, let's prove to Faraday that miss Wells
is in her dressing room. Yes, it's this door right here, Paraday.
How do you know that body you found was Florence Wells.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Because there were calling cards in her bag and I
recognize her from her picture. Mm hmm.
Speaker 6 (10:33):
Well, don't believe everything you read to see. Man, here's
miss Wells Bacon. Hey, hey, there's nobody in here.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
I told you she couldn't be. She's on the way
to them all.
Speaker 6 (10:45):
And I'm on my way to the nuthouse. Florence Wells
didn't leave this room once she came into it. She
might have through that.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Window up there. That's it. That's how she got.
Speaker 6 (10:56):
Up and then came back in and locked the window.
Look at it, Faraday, it's locked and from the n side.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Then she got out of here some other way.
Speaker 6 (11:02):
Is there a door only the one that we just
came through? And Joe and I were standing where we
could watch that all the time. Maybe there's a trap door.
Speaker 9 (11:09):
I've heard of things like that.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
Good idea, the pushback, the right there.
Speaker 6 (11:13):
Yes, I know what you'll find.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
Never mind, I've already found it.
Speaker 6 (11:18):
Solid floor, Faraday. I hate to confuse you, but there's
no possible way for miss Wells to leave this room
except through that door.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
But she did, she must have. She got out of
this room, walked down the street eight blocks and got
herself killed.
Speaker 6 (11:33):
You're sure that was Florence Wells.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
Positive? I knew her from the identification in her purse
and by her pictures. That was Florence Wells. All right?
Speaker 6 (11:40):
If that was Florence Wells, all right. She did get
out of this room, but we don't know how she
got out, and that's not all right.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
And now back to Boston.
Speaker 7 (11:56):
Blackie musical comedy star Florence Wells tells young and frightened
Barbara Lane that she had better give up her boyfriend
Tom or suffer the consequences. Later, Florence phones Blackie and
says she has to see him backstage at her.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Theater at seven point thirty.
Speaker 7 (12:18):
Blackie is there before the star arrives, but she goes
into a dressing room without telling Blackie why she wanted
to see him. Florence apparently does not leave her dressing
room by door, window or hidden exit, but fifteen minutes later,
she is found dead eight blocks away from the theater.
As we return to our story, it's the next day
and Blackie and his friend Mary Wesley are in the
(12:40):
Dead Stars dressing room.
Speaker 5 (12:43):
This dressing room is where miss Wells was last seen alive.
I guess, isn't it, Blackie.
Speaker 6 (12:47):
Yes, Mary by a maide Ella, And now Ella's disappeared.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
Good heavens, she has been murdered too.
Speaker 6 (12:54):
I hope, I sell me hope not.
Speaker 5 (12:56):
Maybe she knows who killed miss Wells and she's gone
into hiding.
Speaker 6 (12:59):
Well, that's one of the reasons I'd like to find it.
So you can't find anything around here, But I.
Speaker 10 (13:03):
Thought you and the police had already checked this room
the way miss Wells could have gotten out.
Speaker 6 (13:07):
We checked it from top to bottom and didn't find anything.
But I thought checking it again might do some good.
Speaker 5 (13:13):
No sign of a secret door anywhere.
Speaker 6 (13:15):
Is no sliding doors or trapspery. This is just a plain,
ordinary dressing room. Come on, Mary, let's go out. Sign right, Oh,
there's the manager. Maybe he can help me, mister Brown,
mister Brown.
Speaker 11 (13:28):
Please please, no more questions. I have enough trouble putting
on a show with the nunders study without answering questions.
Speaker 6 (13:34):
Well, oh look, don't you know anything about miss Wells?
Who are friends?
Speaker 3 (13:38):
Were?
Speaker 6 (13:38):
Where she spent her time?
Speaker 11 (13:40):
All I know about miss Wells is that she was
the star of this show, and now I have a
show without a song.
Speaker 6 (13:45):
Oh excuse me, mary, mister Brown, Miss Wesley, how do
you do, Miss Wesley?
Speaker 3 (13:52):
Minute?
Speaker 6 (13:52):
Mister Brown, wit a minute? Is there anyone in the
show who might tell me something about miss Wells?
Speaker 11 (13:57):
So, yeah, yeah, there's Barbara. Need to go on the chorus.
They knew each other, I think, But the chorus is
on the stage now. We were hitsing the entire cast.
Speaker 9 (14:05):
With the understudy.
Speaker 6 (14:06):
Can't you get her off the stage?
Speaker 3 (14:07):
No, I can't do a thing.
Speaker 6 (14:09):
If you'll let me ask her a few questions, I'll
stop asking you questions.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
Well, all right, Joe, Yeah, ask.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Barbara to come in here, will you.
Speaker 5 (14:19):
I hope pulling a girl out of the line won't
throw the understand.
Speaker 9 (14:22):
Oh no, no, missus Wesley. They're trained to expect anything.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Oh, oh, what's the matter? Mister Brown was not doing
something wrong?
Speaker 3 (14:29):
No, Barbara, No, this is Boston, Blackie.
Speaker 9 (14:31):
He wants to.
Speaker 6 (14:32):
Talk to you. Barbara Laane. Is your last name is Hm?
Speaker 9 (14:35):
Yes it is.
Speaker 6 (14:36):
I'm miss Laine, Miss Wesley, I muss Lane. What do
you know about Florence Wells Florence Worlds?
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Nothing?
Speaker 9 (14:45):
No?
Speaker 6 (14:46):
How long have you known it?
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Not long? I've been in town only a few months.
The show wasn't cast until two months ago.
Speaker 5 (14:53):
In other words, Blackie, she's known Florence Wells only two months.
Speaker 6 (14:56):
I figured that out for myself. You're not a local girl,
miss Lane.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
Where are you from a place no one ever heard of? Barling, Kansas?
Speaker 6 (15:02):
Just a little town, Barling, Kansas, a little town. I
wonder if I can get a little information out of it.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Look, miss Lane, you might as well start talking, because
I'm going to keep you right here in my office
till you do.
Speaker 8 (15:20):
But I can't tell you anything, Inspector Faraday, I couldn't
tell Blackie anything, and I can't tell you.
Speaker 9 (15:24):
Why don't you label alone? Inspector and Tom please mark.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Johnson anymore in affairs from you? I have you thrown
out of here. Miss Lane, Do you denied that miss
Wells was in your apartment yesterday and had an argument
with you?
Speaker 1 (15:34):
No, I don't deny it.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
How do you find out about that, inspect The police
find out about everything sooner or later, Johnson. Now, someone
in miss Lane's apartment building hurt the argument and saw
Miss Wells leave. What was that argument about, Miss Lane?
Speaker 1 (15:47):
I'd rather not say.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
You'd better say. Well, for the first time in this case,
someone's being helpful. What are you two arguing about, Miss Lane?
Speaker 1 (15:56):
About Tom here? She wanted to take him away from me.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Ah, she didn't kill Florence Wells. I tell you, you'll
let me decide that, Johnson. I don't know much about
this case. Nobody does. Nobody knows who killed her, why
she was eight blocks from the theater just before curtain time.
Nobody knows how she got out of her dressing room
with not being seen. And I know something, Miss Lane.
I know you're my murder suspect number one.
Speaker 6 (16:27):
Hello, Hello, Hello, Hello, I hear this is Boston Blackie
calling from New York. Is this the office of the Bawling,
Kansas Enterprise.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
Yes, Yes, this is.
Speaker 6 (16:36):
The office of the Enterprise.
Speaker 9 (16:37):
This is the editor speaking.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
Macon is the name.
Speaker 6 (16:40):
Oh good, look, mister Aikin, can you tell me anything
about Barbara Lane? She's a chorus good on the musical
comedy here, Oh Barbara.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Now you're talking about the sweetest and prettiest girl in Bowlingudy.
Speaker 6 (16:50):
You know then? Oh why I remember? Where she was born?
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Was in that old frame house in the corner.
Speaker 6 (16:55):
Oh hey, look, never mind where she was born. Can
you tell me anything about her that?
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Well?
Speaker 6 (17:00):
You know, well, the average person doesn't know.
Speaker 7 (17:03):
I don't know what you mean, son, say, she isn't
in trouble?
Speaker 6 (17:06):
Is she? I don't know. I'm not sure. Well, I
hope not. Blaine's family has had enough of it with
Barbara's sister. Barbara's sister, how did she cause trouble? Murdered
her husband?
Speaker 3 (17:14):
That's what she did, nice young fellow from over in
soft free.
Speaker 6 (17:17):
I see, No, you don't see it all because the
jury let her off. Just couldn't send a pair of
pretty limbs and fottery eyes to jail. I guess, well,
then Barbara's sister didn't really kill her husband.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
Spokes hears Hey she did me.
Speaker 13 (17:29):
I ain't telling like Blaine family, even her, Yeah, even
like Florence.
Speaker 6 (17:33):
The Barbara sister's name is Florence. Yeah, she disappeared right
after Jurry let her off. Nobody's heard from her sins.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Ye did too bad.
Speaker 9 (17:39):
She went wrong.
Speaker 6 (17:40):
She had nice singing voice and could have been a
big star on the radio. Was she a blonde, tall
blue eyes? Yep, that Florence nor I think I do funny.
Speaker 13 (17:50):
You should be asked about Barbara Lane and I get
to telling you about her sister.
Speaker 6 (17:54):
Why, Well, there was young.
Speaker 13 (17:55):
Collow here a few days ago, beg youngster with heavy
heead of black hair, good looking too, except for a.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Nasty star on his chin.
Speaker 8 (18:02):
He was here asking.
Speaker 6 (18:03):
About Barbara and was harder surprised find out she had
a sister. Well, I am too, and I may have
a surprise for you. I think I know where Florence
Lane has been all this time? You do, where on
the stage under the name of Florence Wells. But she's
dead now, murdered Harner.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
Well, that's news.
Speaker 13 (18:23):
I'm gonna have to get that on page one the
next week's Hand to Pride.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
I's fought.
Speaker 6 (18:26):
Good Bye, goodbye Mary.
Speaker 10 (18:29):
I think we have something well from relate to that conversation,
I judge you have a lot of something.
Speaker 6 (18:33):
I think I know why bob Oa Laine wouldn't tell
us anything about Florence Wells. They're sisters, and I think
Florence was killed by someone who was trying to blackmail.
Speaker 10 (18:40):
Oh, Blackie, what sense does that make? In that case,
the blackmailer should have been killed, not miss Wells.
Speaker 6 (18:44):
Well the blackmailer may have known Flarrence Wells was going
to try to kill him, so he beat her to it.
Speaker 5 (18:49):
Well, that's fine.
Speaker 10 (18:50):
You think you know why she was killed, but you
still don't know who killed her, how she got out
of a dressing room.
Speaker 6 (18:55):
I have ideas on that subject too. Let's get a hold
of fire Day and get out of the theater. I
think I can get out of Florence Wells's dressing room
the same way she did.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
Blackie, is getting me down of this there or another
of your crazy schemes to waste a lot of my time.
I'm trying to find the murderer.
Speaker 6 (19:17):
Of Florence well Look, sorry, they stopped calling of Florence Wells.
Barbara Lane backed up my theory that Florence was really
assisted and she.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
All right, Florence Lane, that's better.
Speaker 6 (19:27):
Mary, do me a pay you sure, Right outside the
stage door, there's a shoe shine boy. Go out there
and bring it on you.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
All right, Blankie, this is no time to get your
shoe shine No, I.
Speaker 6 (19:36):
Wonder about far name.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
First.
Speaker 6 (19:38):
I'm going to show you how Florence Wells, actually Florence
Lane you know now, got out of a dressing room
without being seen.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
You can't do it.
Speaker 6 (19:45):
Give me just three and a half minutes inside that
dressing room, get me that shoe shine boy, and I'll
show you how to polo show off this case.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
Wow, Miss Presley. Blackie's been in that dressing room two
and a half minutes.
Speaker 5 (20:03):
Now, then he has a whole minute to go.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
Inspector Faraday a minute to go, but where he's not
going to get out of that dress No, well, just
you waiting. They he couldn't do it. This must be
Blanky now.
Speaker 5 (20:15):
Oh no, that's not Blackie, that's the shoeshine boy.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
Hey, just thirty seconds left?
Speaker 5 (20:21):
Well, please, let's give him every second he ask for it.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
I'd like to give him twenty years for wasting my
time like this. He's not going to get out of
that dressing room.
Speaker 6 (20:27):
It's impossible.
Speaker 5 (20:28):
The murdered girl got out of it.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
Yeah she did. I bet she's sorry. All right?
Speaker 5 (20:34):
How much more time?
Speaker 3 (20:36):
Ten seconds?
Speaker 5 (20:38):
Well, I guess we might as well start for the door, and.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
We're going to open it too, right on the dot
of three and a half minutes, which is now. Wow, Blackie,
I told you you.
Speaker 5 (20:49):
Inspector Faraday, there is nobody in here.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
There's got to be he's hiding.
Speaker 6 (20:54):
That's right, Faraday, right behind you out here in.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
The hall, black Lacky, How did you get out there?
Speaker 6 (20:59):
Walked out just the way Larrence Lane did? How am
I looking? BlackBerry? Oh?
Speaker 5 (21:03):
Good, heavens, that wasn't the shoe shine boy?
Speaker 1 (21:05):
We're still walking out of here? That would you?
Speaker 6 (21:06):
Wasn't it?
Speaker 1 (21:07):
Then?
Speaker 3 (21:07):
Where's the shoeshine boy? How'd he get out of here?
Speaker 6 (21:10):
The way Larrence Lane's made ell? I got out of here.
I boosted him through that window there and then locked
it from the inside. Before that, we'd switched clothes, and
I blocked up and then walked out here just as
Lawrence Lane walked out as the maid. Simple, isn't it?
Speaker 3 (21:24):
Is not? Why would that actress go to all that
trouble sneak out here to get killed?
Speaker 6 (21:28):
She didn't expect to be killed. Look far day, You've
told me about a fellow named Tom Johnson. I want
to see what he looks like. Why, because if he
looks the way I think he looks, the looks of
this case will be a lot better. Nice out of
Hay you have that, Johnson. But where'd you get that
(21:50):
nasty scar on your chin? There?
Speaker 9 (21:52):
On that blackie?
Speaker 6 (21:53):
I got in a sledding accident when I was a kid.
Speaker 3 (21:55):
What's it to you?
Speaker 6 (21:56):
It's nothing to me, but I'll tell you what it
is to you. A very definite means of identification and
proof too, proof proof of what? Proof of?
Speaker 2 (22:05):
You?
Speaker 6 (22:05):
In Barking, Kansas the day before yesterday talking to clemake
and the editor of the Bawling Enterprise. Oh, and you
were asking him questions about Barbara Lane. And don't deny it, Johnson.
Speaker 12 (22:15):
Oh, I won't deny it. I had a reason to
ask questions about her. I was going to marry it.
I wanted to find out about her childhood and what
she did in her hometown.
Speaker 6 (22:22):
But you also found out that Florence Wells and Barbara
Lane was sisters, didn't you? Yeah, so what if I did,
I'll tell you what what you found out about Florence
was worth a lot of money to you. Musical comedy
stars don't like to be known as suspective murdresses.
Speaker 12 (22:38):
Oh you think I was going to blackmail it, Dolia,
well I wasn't. I even told her. I wasn't told
her when I found it from Barling, after the old
edit had told me about it.
Speaker 9 (22:45):
She got sore, but I told her.
Speaker 6 (22:46):
She needn't worry about it.
Speaker 9 (22:47):
I was going to keep it under my hat.
Speaker 6 (22:50):
Then, what gave her the idea to kill him?
Speaker 9 (22:53):
What makes you think she was going to kill me?
Speaker 6 (22:55):
There's only one reason Florence Wells went to so much
trouble to get out of a dressing room without being seen.
There's only one reason she wanted me outside her dressing
room when she went out to meet you. She was
going to kill you, and she wanted me as an alibi.
Speaker 12 (23:09):
Okay, you're right, Blackie, That's just the way it was.
But it was self defense. She phoned me and told
me to meet her on the corner by a vacant lot.
Speaker 6 (23:17):
She said she wanted to talk to me, and when
she met you, she pulled a gun on you, didn't
she Yeah, she.
Speaker 12 (23:22):
Said she didn't trust me. With what I knew about
her and wouldn't stand for blackmail. And when she came
at me with that gun, I like to tell she
meant business.
Speaker 6 (23:29):
So you pulled a gun on her and shut it.
Speaker 12 (23:31):
No, no, no, I had grabbed a gun. I was
just trying to take it away from her, and then
all of a sudden.
Speaker 9 (23:35):
It went off.
Speaker 12 (23:36):
I was lucky there was nobody around. I caught at
it to a lot, took the gun and beat it
back to my apartment in time to see Barbara there.
You have the gun now, well, you think I'm nuts?
Tossed it in the river.
Speaker 6 (23:46):
In the river, huh, Well, Tom, I've got news for you.
You're going up the river.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
Ella.
Speaker 6 (24:01):
Nobody's going to hurt you. You're not in police headquarters
to be arrested. You were Florence Wells maid, Yes, sir, but.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
I didn't do anything wrong, just what miss Wells told
me to do.
Speaker 8 (24:13):
I let her boost me out of the window after
I gave him my maid's uniform, and then I disappeared,
just like.
Speaker 9 (24:18):
She paid me to.
Speaker 6 (24:19):
Well, Paraday, that does it. Florence Wells left a dressing
room and blackface.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
If she was in blackface when she left her dressing room.
Why wasn't she still in blackface when she was killed?
Speaker 6 (24:28):
She obviously stopped outside the theater and took the makeup off.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
That's right too, mister inspector.
Speaker 6 (24:33):
Why didn't you come and tell us all this right away?
Speaker 1 (24:35):
Ellen, because when I hear she's dead, I get scared
to talk.
Speaker 6 (24:40):
Well, thanks, Ella, thanks for backing me up. Satisfied now, Faraday,
How Florence got out and that Tom Johnson killed her?
Speaker 3 (24:48):
Yeah, I guess so.
Speaker 6 (24:50):
Well. Tom Johnson was a press agent. He was paid
to get Florence Wells name in the papers. He got
it in all right, in the obituary column.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
No.
Speaker 6 (25:00):
No, number one, the number
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