March 11, 2025 • 24 mins
Please enjoy The Strange Death Of a great episode of the legendary Suspense - - a Old Time Radio OTR classic.
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I saw it once in a mirror in the police
emergency hospital. I never saw it again. When they set
me up, I smashed the mirror and my cell the
first day. They never dared to put in another. The
chaplain came and tried to talk to me about it
a few times, and then a prison meeting, but I
(00:20):
turned over in my bunk and didn't answer. After a
while he stopped coming. Three and a half years, almost
every night i'd greem it wasn't like that, like up crying.
I was so happy, and then put up my hand
in the dctor feel and I know that it was.
It would always be three and a half meals, waiting
(00:45):
and hating, waiting to get out, and hating one guy
in particular and everybody in general. There was a cold,
windy day in November day I lived. The guard opened
the gate and gave me the usual Corney sendor, I'll
make the malone, okay, good, you stay here, Carlos, don't
(01:05):
make a reservation any die. I went on through and
didn't massage. I didn't even look at it for three
and a half years. I hadn't looked at anybody. I
didn't want anybody looking at me, and I didn't look
at anybody else. My co collar was pulled up, my
hat pulled down, and I walked towards the river to
a little park there and hung around, waiting port to
(01:27):
get dark. I knew what I was doing, all right.
I was going to kill a man. At first, I
was waiting for it to get dark. When it was,
I went up into town and caught a train for
New York and got me in the Grand Central about
eight fifteen. In the station, I went to a phone
booth and called Sam Bragan. Then I went down there.
(01:49):
Sam lived in a walk up off Hudson Street, a
good dark street, dark hallway too, dark stairs the third floor. Okay,
who is it? Hello? Sam? Poor Johnny you will kind
(02:11):
of forgotten you? Hello? Sam? Well, what are you standing
there for? Come on in, come on? When it came
all right, Sam, cool, you might as well see it now.
Hours later, Oh I can. God, I shouldn't have hit him,
(02:32):
but I couldn't stop myself, and I saw that like
a par and pity. So I knew i'd always see
from now on when anybody saw my face, my awful,
scard twisted nightmare of a face, my face. I closed
the door and got Sam into the front room and
under the couch, and then I got the phone and
(02:53):
called friend's whole number because I couldn't stop myself from
that eating. Hello, there's miss Thompson there, missus Francis Thompson?
Well is her mother there? How they gone away? You
know where I can get in touch with him? Well? Yead?
(03:14):
Do you know if they're coming back? Sometimes I hadn't
expected anything different. I don't know why it should have
made me so mad. When I turned around, Sam was
just beginning to come out of it over on the couch.
Oh you yeah, Remember you had no call to do
(03:37):
that journey. I know. I'm sorry you are, I said,
I'm sorry. I guess I've been so long where I
wanted to importn't but I took out the whole three
and a half years on the first guy I could.
I'm sorry. Yeah, I'm sorry too, Johnny, do you want
(03:58):
to talk about it then? Life? Sin? Sure? Okay? Thanks?
Where's fran friend? You're another friend? Oh? Yeah? Yeah? You
and her? Where issue? Gee? Johnny a dog kidding me?
She's with Gordy fitz Roy, isn't she doesn't she? I swear, Johnny,
(04:20):
I swear I don't know what Flan's been doing. I
ain't not in a fan for a couple of years.
All right, all right, I'll find out. Didn't she come
to see you up there? Yeah? Yeah, at first she did,
but I didn't see her. They got lights on you
when you see people up there, saying I only want
(04:40):
to see Fran in the dark. Yeah, yes, where's Gordy Fitzroy?
I don't know, Johnny. He's uh, he's still around, isn't he. Oh? Sure, sure,
I hear he's got another place uptown. Yeah, I bet.
What's the angle, Johnny? You're sure you didn't hear nothing.
It's give the truth, Johnny. It was so long since
(05:02):
you was in touch. I yeah, I hate you got
a three or five and that's about all. Okay, I'll
tell you the rest, is it? How that happened? Yeah,
it's how that happened. You remember the gang around here
in the old days, You Sam, Gordy Fitzroy and friend
and me that always ran together with the kids. And
(05:24):
Fran went to City College and I got into a
little trouble and Gordy inherited that jewelry store from his uncle.
You remember, I was sure you're all good kids. Yeah. Well,
it was about a year after the last time I
saw you. Gordy was having trouble. He owed a lot
of dough tot the bookies and had to hawk his
jewelry store to pay off. And then he had a
(05:45):
bright idea. Jorge did it. Yeah, he had about ten
or fifteen grand worth of a sordid rocks and the
safe at the store. They were going to crack it
and pedal the rocks and collect an insurance to split
fifty to fifty. Yeah. I was gonna to do the job,
but I made him come with me, and of course
we had to blow the safe to make it look light. Yeah. Issue, Well,
(06:06):
something went wrong. I used too much soup or something
and it blew in my face. Oh so that's how. Yeah,
Only that wasn't all, and I came out of it.
Gordy was still there, but he rat it on me
to save his own skin. There were cops all over
the place, and Gordy was telling him how he'd caught
(06:27):
me and the act of blowing his safe and nott
me cold or something, and the cops couldn't make up
their minds between patting him in the back and kicking
me in the belly. We're doing play of both. Oh.
It was quite a little hero there, Gordy was he
did that. He did better than that. He even testified
(06:48):
at my trial. Even Frian believed him. I guess he
said she didn't, but I don't know. So I got
three to five and lucky at that that was all bandages.
Then I I didn't know how bad it really was
till after the trial and then they took him off.
(07:10):
I always saw it once, Sam, I never did look
at it again. Geez, what are you gonna do, Johnny?
What do you think it look? Look it's bad, Johnny.
Why they pitted on you before you got off at
the subway? Not the way I'm gonna do it. He
got away to do it, Yeah, I got away. Sam
(07:35):
was always a good gene. He let me shack up
there and he helped me out. He found out where
Gordie Fitzroy lived alone in a little house on Long Island,
and how he always caught the same train that got
him out there about ten thirty of the time. He
made the contact with the guy that was going to
fix me up the package too. It was about a
week later that I went around to collected. There was
(07:58):
a little basement watch repair shop off having a seat.
At least that was the guy stuck. There's a dried
up little guy with thick glasses. He was working over
some kind of a clock. Yeah you want something. I'm
Pete Jones, John, Yeah, you got something from me? Andrew.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
I have to look, sam Braggon said me.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
I don't know, sam Braggon. I don't go by names
in here. Well what do you go by? I just remember,
I'll start remembering. Let me take a look at you.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
I said, I'm Pete Jones. Okay, I guess you're the guy.
What do I put up the sign? What side? You
gotta go on back? I don't want no one coming in.
Well we're going come on? Where is it?
Speaker 2 (08:59):
You?
Speaker 1 (08:59):
Look there? That suitcase? I'll open it up. I want
to see it. That suitcase didn't need to be opened
up no more. But okay, you're working.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
You see the slide and that sniff luck, Yeah, you'll
push it those once. When you do that, it's time
to blow in three hours. What I do like the
Adam pound boog, like the Adam bound Listen, you.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Ain't mixed up in any kind of politics. Are you
like that Christian fronts gang or anything? How because I
don't do that kind of work dangerous. It's a strictly
business personal Okay, then this job is going to question you.
One sea was what I was told, No tour seas,
that the way you always do business, and going, oh,
(09:48):
I'll give you one and a half and I'm working
over I want to be I'll take you one and
a half three hours, you said, yeah, the hours, here
you go, and this thing got to work right. The
gun gives that respect you. I mean, three hours would
give me plenty of time. I went out to go
(10:08):
to Fitzroy's house in Long Island the next night, about
nine thirty, an hour before he get home. The place
was dark like it should have been. I went around back.
Whether it was kick in the window, I give me,
stepped inside of my suitcase full of trouble. For a minute.
I stood and listened and almost thought I heard something.
(10:29):
Nerves I guess imagination upstairs under his bed would be
the best place. At first, I wanted to set it.
I put my flesh on the sidewalk and pushed it
like the guy had said, but it wouldn't move. I
tried again, and it moved the wrong way. It must
have got pushed by mistake earlier some time. And then
(10:51):
I heard the buzzing sound that was making it. I
gave a while look around and saw a space behind
the stove and threw it in there and shot it
to the window. I was about halfway out um on
the fight alt. It was funny, but I came to
(11:12):
sitting in a chair, just sitting there in a room
I've never seen before. It was dark, just a little
light coming into the street. And then I looked around
a little and saw the bed. I knew it must
be a hospital, and I remembered it. But it couldn't
have been too bad. They couldn't have to operate if
(11:33):
I'd be in bed and feeling sick. And there I was,
just sitting in one of those hospital night shirts in bathrooms,
just sitting. And then the door opened, the doctor and
the nurse. I could enjoy my shot empty crying at all.
Where how's the basient this evening? Don't turn on the lights? Where?
(11:57):
Oh what's that you say? I said, don't turn on
the lights. I like it better in the dark, now,
did you know? I was sure? Doctor? I guess you are,
aren't you? Yes, yes, yes, how am I you were?
You seem to be fine now the bulls, I said,
who coppers, police? Oh, the police, they were here, but
(12:21):
they're not around anymore, and got tired. Yes, I guessed
he did. Thanks for telling me where. It's nice to
see you feeling so well. I'd dropped by in the morning,
would have a long talk. Oh oh yeah, yeah. Sure.
There were socks and shirts in the bureau, the shoes
and sued and I had an overcoat in the closet.
(12:41):
They weren't mine, but what did I care, because the
cops must have quit watching me for the night, and
that meant I could break out of here. There was
no time for any fancy suit taste jobs. Now, if
I was going to get Gordy Fitzroy before the cops
got me, I had to go after him and give
it to him face to face. I put on the
DUTs and got out into the hall and down the
(13:02):
back stairway and out for the basement without anybody even
see me. I knew whe I could get a gun,
and I got it, And then then all of a
sudden I was thinking about fran I knew I was
washed up. I knew to get me to what I
was going to do to Gordy. But but before that,
I wanted to see her. I just wanted to see it.
(13:23):
I took the chance that to go a name on
the poem might have been crushing me off here to
night Beach. I wanted to do a bold and dial
the number. Hello, Fran, dad, who did It's? Johnny? Johnny
Malone chuck, Oh John, Yeah, yeah, me too. Oh yeah,
(13:51):
Fran I want to see you. I want to see
you the worst way. But who was John? Did you
know what happened? Yes? No, no, I mean all of it,
how bad it was? Even kill me he did. Did
you get my letters? Yeah? I got him, but I
(14:14):
tore him up. Why because I didn't want to know
what was in him? Maybe because I didn't want to
even think about you after what happened, and then you
stopped coming. I joined it with card I'm gonna wait
for two years. Oh yeah, you're sure you want to
see me? Friend checks Oh no, it's too bright, different
(14:40):
and too much money. All right down on your corner
Hudson Street. Ten minutes, I waited in the shadows in
the doorway. My heart seemed to be going crazy, and
I could hardly breathe. I forgot all about Gordy Fitzroy
and what I was going to do. I didn't even
care anymore. Well, maybe something could be worked out, Maybe
(15:03):
Fran and I could somehow. And then I heard her
coming down the street. I looked. It was hell, all right.
I was scared. I just waited where I was trying
to get my bread. She got to the corner and
looked around, and then she stood there for a minute
under the street light, and I walked up and went
(15:24):
up behind her. I laid my hand on her arm.
That's all. I'll just laid my hand on her arm.
She whirled around and looked at me full in the face.
He tell wait till wait here. I ran. I just ran.
I was so torn up inside. I didn't know what
(15:44):
I felt now, her tears dripping out of my twisted
eye socket. And then then I stopped. All right, you're
lied to me. She didn't know what had happened, and
she didn't care. And once she saw it, she was
like all the rest. No right, she couldition out that way,
(16:04):
she could take up that way. I wasn't going to
leave her behind either. I went around the block and
back to her house. I went up the steps and
into the vestibule. It was dark in the air, good
and dark. I waited. It was nearly half an hour
(16:25):
before I heard her coming up the steps. Hello, friend, Johnny,
Oh Johnny, why are you hiding here in the star?
What he could do? It? When? When did you? Never
even showed nothing on the had your chance? Friend? And
(16:46):
now it's this? And I ran out on the street.
Look the valley to the butt. You're on the building
next door, and over the fence and foll another alley.
I was on the next street. There was a tab
coming I had well, no, I said, drive uptown. I'll
tell you where. I wait to come up here. The
(17:08):
next time. The list was Gordon Victory. There was no
use calling the house on Long Island. I know I'd
blow that sky high, but I had to find him
before morning. I tried to think. There must be somebody's
who know where he was staying in town? Now, probably
a cabby, Sure, one of the cabbies up around where
(17:30):
his store was. What I know? I tapped on the
glass behind the g splid it back without looking around. No,
you want to go now, listen, there's a cabs stand
up around fifty third the lext Okay, sure, Ray, that's
where I want to go. Okay, you're taking me right
how Yeah that's your stand Sure. I just have to
(17:53):
get a fair down here. And I maybe you're just
the guy I want to talk to me or what.
There's there's a jewelry store up around there named pitts Roy's. Yeah,
that's right, go up in Pittsfrolly. Yeah, no, Palamide, you know.
I'm yeah, I've him a few times. You don't know
where I can get hold of him? Do Yeah? I
mean where he's living now. No, I don't tell you, Jill.
(18:15):
I ain't beam around lately. I think it's partner my
business mostly now. Oh he's got a partner. Oh yeah,
no' his name? Let me stay got on a store there,
beget me for a Delman? I did Delman? Uh play?
Thank Prad. I think you can stop right here. I
want to make a pub call. Wait for him. Ah
(19:03):
h and mister Zelman, I'm sorry to bother you in
this time of night, mister Zelman, but I'm an old power.
Gordon Fitzroy. I've been trying to find him at his
house in Long Island doesn't answer, Yeah, yes, could you
tell me where he is? I he had an accident,
an accident. He's in a hospital. Oh gee, that's too bad.
(19:27):
I'd like to see him. What hospital is he in?
The Jefferson hospital? Oh? Pi away, the Jefferson house. Thanks,
the Jefferson Hospital. I got it now, But that was
the hospital I had been in. I was almost sure.
(19:48):
So Gordie had been in his house when I blew it,
and they take it up both there. Why else would
he have had an accident just the same time as me.
He was right on the same floor all the time,
maybe right in the next room to mine, just so
he was still alive. That's all because now I wanted
to give a to him past the face. Kemson Hospital
(20:11):
was play out on Long Island, and I knew I
wouldn't be able to pay the fair that hadn't employed me.
When we got there, I just stepped out of the
cab with a gun in my hand. I don't want
me to wait. I'll beat it. What about me? Fair?
This is your fair? What is thisistic? Hey? You're you're
you know nothing, nobody. I'll beat it the same place,
(20:36):
all right. I got into the face but just like
I got out, I went up the same stairs I
remember now, five flights the same floor, only this time
there was an old dame and they're sitting there at
the desk. I had my gun out and down at
my side before I even spoke to it. Now, where
did you come from? I want to see the guy
in five a ways. I'm sorry, but visiting out I
(20:57):
know all about that. Take me to five voy. You
wouldn't guess, I would, Sister, and I get moved. He
went down the hall five away. She stopped and I
took him with a ride. She opened the door. Ahead
of it was a room just like mine, but it
was dark, just a little streak light coming in the window.
(21:18):
I made a move inside and then I slept it.
I looked around. I couldn't see the chef, but the
bed was empty. I moved on into the room and
then I saw him standing in the door, and somebody
must have kicked him off. He was he was dressed,
(21:40):
he had a gun in his hand. I fired, but
nothing happened. It was glass glass. Somebody had snapped on
the lights. I whirled around looking for him, and then
I saw him, but in a mirror it was me,
me with his face, his face. They must have come
(22:05):
up behind me. I didn't even remember that. I was
in bed and half dope, and the room was full
of medics and cops. But I knew Gordy and me
had both been in that house, only the way he
got it. They couldn't even find him, only me, and
they thought I was Gordy, and they picked up my
face and pictures the way they do it to make
(22:26):
me look like Gordy. Fran had believed me. That's why
she screamed at me, because she thought I was Gordian.
She knew what he'd done to me. Oh, I knew.
I knew already without even hearing them talking in their
low voices there beside my bed. I knew badly. The
shark explosion and all just too much for him. Yes,
(22:48):
he was here for twenty one months while we would
build his face. You know, he never spoke a word
until the day. Well he's do for another shark. Now
he's wanted for murder. I never even told him who
I really was. Fodless to Hughes A spend time presented
(23:10):
by Roma Wine r O M, a Roma America's favorite wine.
This is Ken Niles. Bringing back to our suspense microphone
Mistarvey ming Chester. Morris tell me Chester, after so convincing
a performance as the first rate heal, don't you find
it difficult to resume being the rickey nice guy? We
know you are hard, not at all? Can you know?
(23:31):
I just whisper ambrah kadabra, and the villain and me disappeared.
And I might have known, since you're one of Hollywoods
most accomplished amateur magician, you know, would you make me
disappear if I asked I was trick now, Ken, I'd
like to, but I don't know any tricks that good.
Jester Marris will soon be seen in the Columbia Picture
Inside Story. The Night suspense play was written by Bruce
(23:53):
Kasidy and Robert L. Richards CEF. He asked to Comumbia
broadcast syste
I saw it once in a mirror in the police
emergency hospital. I never saw it again. When they set
me up, I smashed the mirror and my cell the
first day. They never dared to put in another. The
chaplain came and tried to talk to me about it
a few times, and then a prison meeting, but I
(00:20):
turned over in my bunk and didn't answer. After a
while he stopped coming. Three and a half years, almost
every night i'd greem it wasn't like that, like up crying.
I was so happy, and then put up my hand
in the dctor feel and I know that it was.
It would always be three and a half meals, waiting
(00:45):
and hating, waiting to get out, and hating one guy
in particular and everybody in general. There was a cold,
windy day in November day I lived. The guard opened
the gate and gave me the usual Corney sendor, I'll
make the malone, okay, good, you stay here, Carlos, don't
(01:05):
make a reservation any die. I went on through and
didn't massage. I didn't even look at it for three
and a half years. I hadn't looked at anybody. I
didn't want anybody looking at me, and I didn't look
at anybody else. My co collar was pulled up, my
hat pulled down, and I walked towards the river to
a little park there and hung around, waiting port to
(01:27):
get dark. I knew what I was doing, all right.
I was going to kill a man. At first, I
was waiting for it to get dark. When it was,
I went up into town and caught a train for
New York and got me in the Grand Central about
eight fifteen. In the station, I went to a phone
booth and called Sam Bragan. Then I went down there.
(01:49):
Sam lived in a walk up off Hudson Street, a
good dark street, dark hallway too, dark stairs the third floor. Okay,
who is it? Hello? Sam? Poor Johnny you will kind
(02:11):
of forgotten you? Hello? Sam? Well, what are you standing
there for? Come on in, come on? When it came
all right, Sam, cool, you might as well see it now.
Hours later, Oh I can. God, I shouldn't have hit him,
(02:32):
but I couldn't stop myself, and I saw that like
a par and pity. So I knew i'd always see
from now on when anybody saw my face, my awful,
scard twisted nightmare of a face, my face. I closed
the door and got Sam into the front room and
under the couch, and then I got the phone and
(02:53):
called friend's whole number because I couldn't stop myself from
that eating. Hello, there's miss Thompson there, missus Francis Thompson?
Well is her mother there? How they gone away? You
know where I can get in touch with him? Well? Yead?
(03:14):
Do you know if they're coming back? Sometimes I hadn't
expected anything different. I don't know why it should have
made me so mad. When I turned around, Sam was
just beginning to come out of it over on the couch.
Oh you yeah, Remember you had no call to do
(03:37):
that journey. I know. I'm sorry you are, I said,
I'm sorry. I guess I've been so long where I
wanted to importn't but I took out the whole three
and a half years on the first guy I could.
I'm sorry. Yeah, I'm sorry too, Johnny, do you want
(03:58):
to talk about it then? Life? Sin? Sure? Okay? Thanks?
Where's fran friend? You're another friend? Oh? Yeah? Yeah? You
and her? Where issue? Gee? Johnny a dog kidding me?
She's with Gordy fitz Roy, isn't she doesn't she? I swear, Johnny,
(04:20):
I swear I don't know what Flan's been doing. I
ain't not in a fan for a couple of years.
All right, all right, I'll find out. Didn't she come
to see you up there? Yeah? Yeah, at first she did,
but I didn't see her. They got lights on you
when you see people up there, saying I only want
(04:40):
to see Fran in the dark. Yeah, yes, where's Gordy Fitzroy?
I don't know, Johnny. He's uh, he's still around, isn't he. Oh? Sure, sure,
I hear he's got another place uptown. Yeah, I bet.
What's the angle, Johnny? You're sure you didn't hear nothing.
It's give the truth, Johnny. It was so long since
(05:02):
you was in touch. I yeah, I hate you got
a three or five and that's about all. Okay, I'll
tell you the rest, is it? How that happened? Yeah,
it's how that happened. You remember the gang around here
in the old days, You Sam, Gordy Fitzroy and friend
and me that always ran together with the kids. And
(05:24):
Fran went to City College and I got into a
little trouble and Gordy inherited that jewelry store from his uncle.
You remember, I was sure you're all good kids. Yeah. Well,
it was about a year after the last time I
saw you. Gordy was having trouble. He owed a lot
of dough tot the bookies and had to hawk his
jewelry store to pay off. And then he had a
(05:45):
bright idea. Jorge did it. Yeah, he had about ten
or fifteen grand worth of a sordid rocks and the
safe at the store. They were going to crack it
and pedal the rocks and collect an insurance to split
fifty to fifty. Yeah. I was gonna to do the job,
but I made him come with me, and of course
we had to blow the safe to make it look light. Yeah. Issue, Well,
(06:06):
something went wrong. I used too much soup or something
and it blew in my face. Oh so that's how. Yeah,
Only that wasn't all, and I came out of it.
Gordy was still there, but he rat it on me
to save his own skin. There were cops all over
the place, and Gordy was telling him how he'd caught
(06:27):
me and the act of blowing his safe and nott
me cold or something, and the cops couldn't make up
their minds between patting him in the back and kicking
me in the belly. We're doing play of both. Oh.
It was quite a little hero there, Gordy was he
did that. He did better than that. He even testified
(06:48):
at my trial. Even Frian believed him. I guess he
said she didn't, but I don't know. So I got
three to five and lucky at that that was all bandages.
Then I I didn't know how bad it really was
till after the trial and then they took him off.
(07:10):
I always saw it once, Sam, I never did look
at it again. Geez, what are you gonna do, Johnny?
What do you think it look? Look it's bad, Johnny.
Why they pitted on you before you got off at
the subway? Not the way I'm gonna do it. He
got away to do it, Yeah, I got away. Sam
(07:35):
was always a good gene. He let me shack up
there and he helped me out. He found out where
Gordie Fitzroy lived alone in a little house on Long Island,
and how he always caught the same train that got
him out there about ten thirty of the time. He
made the contact with the guy that was going to
fix me up the package too. It was about a
week later that I went around to collected. There was
(07:58):
a little basement watch repair shop off having a seat.
At least that was the guy stuck. There's a dried
up little guy with thick glasses. He was working over
some kind of a clock. Yeah you want something. I'm
Pete Jones, John, Yeah, you got something from me? Andrew.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
I have to look, sam Braggon said me.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
I don't know, sam Braggon. I don't go by names
in here. Well what do you go by? I just remember,
I'll start remembering. Let me take a look at you.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
I said, I'm Pete Jones. Okay, I guess you're the guy.
What do I put up the sign? What side? You
gotta go on back? I don't want no one coming in.
Well we're going come on? Where is it?
Speaker 2 (08:59):
You?
Speaker 1 (08:59):
Look there? That suitcase? I'll open it up. I want
to see it. That suitcase didn't need to be opened
up no more. But okay, you're working.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
You see the slide and that sniff luck, Yeah, you'll
push it those once. When you do that, it's time
to blow in three hours. What I do like the
Adam pound boog, like the Adam bound Listen, you.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Ain't mixed up in any kind of politics. Are you
like that Christian fronts gang or anything? How because I
don't do that kind of work dangerous. It's a strictly
business personal Okay, then this job is going to question you.
One sea was what I was told, No tour seas,
that the way you always do business, and going, oh,
(09:48):
I'll give you one and a half and I'm working
over I want to be I'll take you one and
a half three hours, you said, yeah, the hours, here
you go, and this thing got to work right. The
gun gives that respect you. I mean, three hours would
give me plenty of time. I went out to go
(10:08):
to Fitzroy's house in Long Island the next night, about
nine thirty, an hour before he get home. The place
was dark like it should have been. I went around back.
Whether it was kick in the window, I give me,
stepped inside of my suitcase full of trouble. For a minute.
I stood and listened and almost thought I heard something.
(10:29):
Nerves I guess imagination upstairs under his bed would be
the best place. At first, I wanted to set it.
I put my flesh on the sidewalk and pushed it
like the guy had said, but it wouldn't move. I
tried again, and it moved the wrong way. It must
have got pushed by mistake earlier some time. And then
(10:51):
I heard the buzzing sound that was making it. I
gave a while look around and saw a space behind
the stove and threw it in there and shot it
to the window. I was about halfway out um on
the fight alt. It was funny, but I came to
(11:12):
sitting in a chair, just sitting there in a room
I've never seen before. It was dark, just a little
light coming into the street. And then I looked around
a little and saw the bed. I knew it must
be a hospital, and I remembered it. But it couldn't
have been too bad. They couldn't have to operate if
(11:33):
I'd be in bed and feeling sick. And there I was,
just sitting in one of those hospital night shirts in bathrooms,
just sitting. And then the door opened, the doctor and
the nurse. I could enjoy my shot empty crying at all.
Where how's the basient this evening? Don't turn on the lights? Where?
(11:57):
Oh what's that you say? I said, don't turn on
the lights. I like it better in the dark, now,
did you know? I was sure? Doctor? I guess you are,
aren't you? Yes, yes, yes, how am I you were?
You seem to be fine now the bulls, I said,
who coppers, police? Oh, the police, they were here, but
(12:21):
they're not around anymore, and got tired. Yes, I guessed
he did. Thanks for telling me where. It's nice to
see you feeling so well. I'd dropped by in the morning,
would have a long talk. Oh oh yeah, yeah. Sure.
There were socks and shirts in the bureau, the shoes
and sued and I had an overcoat in the closet.
(12:41):
They weren't mine, but what did I care, because the
cops must have quit watching me for the night, and
that meant I could break out of here. There was
no time for any fancy suit taste jobs. Now, if
I was going to get Gordy Fitzroy before the cops
got me, I had to go after him and give
it to him face to face. I put on the
DUTs and got out into the hall and down the
(13:02):
back stairway and out for the basement without anybody even
see me. I knew whe I could get a gun,
and I got it, And then then all of a
sudden I was thinking about fran I knew I was
washed up. I knew to get me to what I
was going to do to Gordy. But but before that,
I wanted to see her. I just wanted to see it.
(13:23):
I took the chance that to go a name on
the poem might have been crushing me off here to
night Beach. I wanted to do a bold and dial
the number. Hello, Fran, dad, who did It's? Johnny? Johnny
Malone chuck, Oh John, Yeah, yeah, me too. Oh yeah,
(13:51):
Fran I want to see you. I want to see
you the worst way. But who was John? Did you
know what happened? Yes? No, no, I mean all of it,
how bad it was? Even kill me he did. Did
you get my letters? Yeah? I got him, but I
(14:14):
tore him up. Why because I didn't want to know
what was in him? Maybe because I didn't want to
even think about you after what happened, and then you
stopped coming. I joined it with card I'm gonna wait
for two years. Oh yeah, you're sure you want to
see me? Friend checks Oh no, it's too bright, different
(14:40):
and too much money. All right down on your corner
Hudson Street. Ten minutes, I waited in the shadows in
the doorway. My heart seemed to be going crazy, and
I could hardly breathe. I forgot all about Gordy Fitzroy
and what I was going to do. I didn't even
care anymore. Well, maybe something could be worked out, Maybe
(15:03):
Fran and I could somehow. And then I heard her
coming down the street. I looked. It was hell, all right.
I was scared. I just waited where I was trying
to get my bread. She got to the corner and
looked around, and then she stood there for a minute
under the street light, and I walked up and went
(15:24):
up behind her. I laid my hand on her arm.
That's all. I'll just laid my hand on her arm.
She whirled around and looked at me full in the face.
He tell wait till wait here. I ran. I just ran.
I was so torn up inside. I didn't know what
(15:44):
I felt now, her tears dripping out of my twisted
eye socket. And then then I stopped. All right, you're
lied to me. She didn't know what had happened, and
she didn't care. And once she saw it, she was
like all the rest. No right, she couldition out that way,
(16:04):
she could take up that way. I wasn't going to
leave her behind either. I went around the block and
back to her house. I went up the steps and
into the vestibule. It was dark in the air, good
and dark. I waited. It was nearly half an hour
(16:25):
before I heard her coming up the steps. Hello, friend, Johnny,
Oh Johnny, why are you hiding here in the star?
What he could do? It? When? When did you? Never
even showed nothing on the had your chance? Friend? And
(16:46):
now it's this? And I ran out on the street.
Look the valley to the butt. You're on the building
next door, and over the fence and foll another alley.
I was on the next street. There was a tab
coming I had well, no, I said, drive uptown. I'll
tell you where. I wait to come up here. The
(17:08):
next time. The list was Gordon Victory. There was no
use calling the house on Long Island. I know I'd
blow that sky high, but I had to find him
before morning. I tried to think. There must be somebody's
who know where he was staying in town? Now, probably
a cabby, Sure, one of the cabbies up around where
(17:30):
his store was. What I know? I tapped on the
glass behind the g splid it back without looking around. No,
you want to go now, listen, there's a cabs stand
up around fifty third the lext Okay, sure, Ray, that's
where I want to go. Okay, you're taking me right
how Yeah that's your stand Sure. I just have to
(17:53):
get a fair down here. And I maybe you're just
the guy I want to talk to me or what.
There's there's a jewelry store up around there named pitts Roy's. Yeah,
that's right, go up in Pittsfrolly. Yeah, no, Palamide, you know.
I'm yeah, I've him a few times. You don't know
where I can get hold of him? Do Yeah? I
mean where he's living now. No, I don't tell you, Jill.
(18:15):
I ain't beam around lately. I think it's partner my
business mostly now. Oh he's got a partner. Oh yeah,
no' his name? Let me stay got on a store there,
beget me for a Delman? I did Delman? Uh play?
Thank Prad. I think you can stop right here. I
want to make a pub call. Wait for him. Ah
(19:03):
h and mister Zelman, I'm sorry to bother you in
this time of night, mister Zelman, but I'm an old power.
Gordon Fitzroy. I've been trying to find him at his
house in Long Island doesn't answer, Yeah, yes, could you
tell me where he is? I he had an accident,
an accident. He's in a hospital. Oh gee, that's too bad.
(19:27):
I'd like to see him. What hospital is he in?
The Jefferson hospital? Oh? Pi away, the Jefferson house. Thanks,
the Jefferson Hospital. I got it now, But that was
the hospital I had been in. I was almost sure.
(19:48):
So Gordie had been in his house when I blew it,
and they take it up both there. Why else would
he have had an accident just the same time as me.
He was right on the same floor all the time,
maybe right in the next room to mine, just so
he was still alive. That's all because now I wanted
to give a to him past the face. Kemson Hospital
(20:11):
was play out on Long Island, and I knew I
wouldn't be able to pay the fair that hadn't employed me.
When we got there, I just stepped out of the
cab with a gun in my hand. I don't want
me to wait. I'll beat it. What about me? Fair?
This is your fair? What is thisistic? Hey? You're you're
you know nothing, nobody. I'll beat it the same place,
(20:36):
all right. I got into the face but just like
I got out, I went up the same stairs I
remember now, five flights the same floor, only this time
there was an old dame and they're sitting there at
the desk. I had my gun out and down at
my side before I even spoke to it. Now, where
did you come from? I want to see the guy
in five a ways. I'm sorry, but visiting out I
(20:57):
know all about that. Take me to five voy. You
wouldn't guess, I would, Sister, and I get moved. He
went down the hall five away. She stopped and I
took him with a ride. She opened the door. Ahead
of it was a room just like mine, but it
was dark, just a little streak light coming in the window.
(21:18):
I made a move inside and then I slept it.
I looked around. I couldn't see the chef, but the
bed was empty. I moved on into the room and
then I saw him standing in the door, and somebody
must have kicked him off. He was he was dressed,
(21:40):
he had a gun in his hand. I fired, but
nothing happened. It was glass glass. Somebody had snapped on
the lights. I whirled around looking for him, and then
I saw him, but in a mirror it was me,
me with his face, his face. They must have come
(22:05):
up behind me. I didn't even remember that. I was
in bed and half dope, and the room was full
of medics and cops. But I knew Gordy and me
had both been in that house, only the way he
got it. They couldn't even find him, only me, and
they thought I was Gordy, and they picked up my
face and pictures the way they do it to make
(22:26):
me look like Gordy. Fran had believed me. That's why
she screamed at me, because she thought I was Gordian.
She knew what he'd done to me. Oh, I knew.
I knew already without even hearing them talking in their
low voices there beside my bed. I knew badly. The
shark explosion and all just too much for him. Yes,
(22:48):
he was here for twenty one months while we would
build his face. You know, he never spoke a word
until the day. Well he's do for another shark. Now
he's wanted for murder. I never even told him who
I really was. Fodless to Hughes A spend time presented
(23:10):
by Roma Wine r O M, a Roma America's favorite wine.
This is Ken Niles. Bringing back to our suspense microphone
Mistarvey ming Chester. Morris tell me Chester, after so convincing
a performance as the first rate heal, don't you find
it difficult to resume being the rickey nice guy? We
know you are hard, not at all? Can you know?
(23:31):
I just whisper ambrah kadabra, and the villain and me disappeared.
And I might have known, since you're one of Hollywoods
most accomplished amateur magician, you know, would you make me
disappear if I asked I was trick now, Ken, I'd
like to, but I don't know any tricks that good.
Jester Marris will soon be seen in the Columbia Picture
Inside Story. The Night suspense play was written by Bruce
(23:53):
Kasidy and Robert L. Richards CEF. He asked to Comumbia
broadcast syste
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