March 21, 2025 • 28 mins
Please enjoy Tree Of Life a great episode of the legendary Suspense - - a Old Time Radio OTR classic.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Yes, Roma wines taste better because only Roma selects from
the world's greatest wine reserves for your pleasure.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
And now Roma Wines r O M A. Roma Wines
present Suspense.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Night Rama Wind bring you Mark Stephens in Tree of Life,
a suspense play produced, edited and directed for Roma Wines
by William Spear.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Suspense Radio's outstanding theater of thrills is presented.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
For your enjoyment by Roma Wines. That's our Oma.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Roma Wines, those better tasting California wines enjoyed by more
Americans than any other wine. For friendly entertaining, for delightful dining.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Yes, right now a.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Glassful would be very pleasant. As Roma Wines bring you
Mark Stevens in a remarkable tne suspense.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
Everything went wrong from the very beginning.
Speaker 5 (01:08):
Everything that possibly could went wrong, because you see, I'd
already planned, planned for quite a while to kill my wife.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
Well, the first thing was the doors.
Speaker 5 (01:25):
And that's funny too, because that was the thing that
has impressed me the most about the new place, the doors.
The house was a double bungalow, twin apartments, really white stucco,
with two doors in the front cetter. The doors were
exactly alike made of modern yellow wood studded with nails,
the nails spread out in a tree.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
Of life pattern. Tree of life.
Speaker 5 (01:46):
I can still see Helen standing with a slim, elegant figure,
silhouetted against the door, and her hair blenting with its
warm color, and her blue eyes burning with that strange,
inquisitive fire I had once mistaken for passion.
Speaker 6 (01:58):
Isn't it a beaut Jimmy, I really think I'm clever
to have found it, don't you You know it's definitely
the smartest place we've ever had. But don't just stand there, darling,
come on, come on, you positively love the inside you
see see you made the entrance hall in the living
room to be thrown into one. Jimmy, we can have
some stunning parties. Three rooms, small dressing room, two fass.
Speaker 5 (02:18):
Of course, you'll have to buy some new furniture to.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
Go to the house.
Speaker 6 (02:20):
Most of our old pieces simply won't belong. Oh nonsense, darling,
it's just cloudy today.
Speaker 5 (02:27):
Side.
Speaker 6 (02:27):
You'll love it when you want to sleep late on Sunday.
That's why I'm giving you the center room. I'm taking
the front room with the dressing.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
Room the corner room of the three windows Oh, that'll be.
Speaker 5 (02:34):
The guest room.
Speaker 6 (02:35):
Mom, and the girls be coming in every so often.
You know, then you wanna bring home some of your
business associates.
Speaker 5 (02:39):
I never have.
Speaker 6 (02:41):
Oh don't you see now you can, Jimmy Dawson. I'm
not going to let you be an old stick in
the mud anymore. We're gonna have a wonderful window.
Speaker 5 (02:48):
Darling.
Speaker 6 (02:48):
There there there's a young couple in the other party.
The name is Roxburgh. I think that's what the agent said. Anyway,
I saw her from a distance. Seems they are perfectly
stunning brunet just our sort. I imagine four us. There's
lots of things together.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
Oh, Darling, id lift it?
Speaker 2 (03:01):
The house is griistless, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
Yeah, yeah, of course, Helen.
Speaker 5 (03:05):
But isn't there a small room somewhere where I might
uh do some chazing?
Speaker 6 (03:10):
Well, yes, we've discussed this before. It's not healthy for
you to bring your work home with you. Besides, it's
much too lovely a house to mess out.
Speaker 5 (03:19):
Well, I don't mean advertising, mayas, Helen. I wanna try
some real work.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
Well, what creative work? I tells you what I think
about it, Jimmy, I.
Speaker 5 (03:27):
Want to make your home your castle, darling.
Speaker 6 (03:29):
I want it to be a place for you to
relax away from work. Well, we we must concentrate now
on gracious living. Course, it's it's your home. You'll fill
your must.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
No no, no, heaven the skippet of course, Darling. From
now on, it's gracious living, remember, sure, gracious living.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
I'd already begun to make some plans for Helene, for
killing Helen, that is when we moved into the new
house two weeks later.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
I rode the interurban to work that day and left
the car with Helen.
Speaker 5 (04:07):
She said she needed it to move some of our smaller,
more breakable treasures. I offered to stay and help her
with her moving, but Helen said I'd be in the way.
I ate dinner in town and rode the interurban back.
Walked the seven blocks to my new home.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
I hated it more with each step I took. When
I got there, the shades.
Speaker 5 (04:24):
Were down, the lights were out on both sides, which
meant Helen was out again. I stood outside for a while,
not wanting to go in. Finally, I started up the steps,
but the doors made me pause. I suddenly realized I
didn't know which was my door. I felt like a pool.
Suppose I would go barging in on the Rocksboroughs or
whatever the name was.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Certainly they'd they'd think I was a fool. All I
could do was choose one of the doors. I was
just fumbling at the lock with my key.
Speaker 5 (04:52):
And when the door opened from me inside, I I
couldn't see.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
The man who opened it very well, but I.
Speaker 5 (04:59):
I he could see the gun he held in his hand.
It was the biggest gun I've ever seen in my life. Yeah,
come in? Why I come in?
Speaker 4 (05:12):
After he closed the door, the man with the gun
switched on the lights. Hey what When I saw the
other one?
Speaker 5 (05:18):
He was big, with a lot of black hair and
an angry face. He had a gun too, kept fooling
with it, spinning the cylinder. He was standing in front
of the couch trying to hide something, something lying there.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
Covered with an overcoat. But I knew what it was.
I saw the hand trailing down on the floor, a woman's.
Speaker 5 (05:35):
Hand, and just too you I you hurt him?
Speaker 4 (05:39):
Hawaiian? Is that my wife? So you're Roxborough?
Speaker 5 (05:43):
Huh You're supposed to be halfway to Chicago.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
By now, Rocksboro.
Speaker 7 (05:47):
Well, well, cute, any curly hair and everything real cute.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
Look, I made a mistake, you see that? What are
you all about?
Speaker 5 (05:55):
That he thinks he made a mistake? We go, what
kind of mistake you think you made, Curly? One kind
of him mistake? You fix this thing all up with
that boss a day at the time, the other by
the works, and then you walk in right in the
middle of it. You made a mistake, all right, Curly,
the biggest mistake you ever made in your life. Maybe
the last two, I'll rico, maybe the last.
Speaker 4 (06:16):
Who knows.
Speaker 5 (06:22):
For a minute, they both just stood and looked at me.
Or I'd made a mistake all right here I'd gone
and stumbled in on the job being done by a
couple of hired killers, the job of killing his wife
for Roxboro, my neighbor, Roxboro. And they thought I was Roxboro.
Even that wasn't the worst. As long as they thought
I was Roxboro.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
Though, I might be able to make a deal.
Speaker 5 (06:42):
But if they ever found out I wasn't Roxboro, the
end of the line, I had to be Roxboro. Any
last words, Curly.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Oh wait a minute, honest, I made a mistake, said that.
Speaker 5 (06:52):
We don't like those kind of mistakes in our business.
You can see how that would be, can't you?
Speaker 4 (06:57):
But listen, if it wasn't a mistake, why else would
I come home? Right when?
Speaker 5 (07:00):
When all you can say it it don't matter now
right when we're knocking off your wife, Curly, I bet you,
I now, I bet you. She likes to play hero.
I'll we go hero.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
Sure you come home, you'll find burglars. That's us And
we just knocked off your wife. So you knock us off.
You're a hero, get it?
Speaker 5 (07:17):
You ought to be in Hollywood. But where they pay
for that stuff?
Speaker 7 (07:20):
Well, you better tell Curly that I ain't making it
up because a poor guy tried that.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
Honest once, Curly, the poor guy.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
But I couldn't have meant anything like that. I don't
even have a gun. I ain't even got a jack knite. Listen,
we can make some kind of a deal. There's a
rod in a desk, maybe a figure.
Speaker 7 (07:35):
I'm using that, Curly.
Speaker 5 (07:37):
Wait a minute, Wait a minute, Curly here said something
about a deal. I don't like deals.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
The boss don't like deals. I like the other way.
Speaker 5 (07:44):
It's cleaner all around. Turn around, Curley, No, wait a minute, relax, relax,
I just want to frisk you this time.
Speaker 4 (07:53):
He started going over my pocket. Soon. That was all
right until he came to my wallet and took it.
Speaker 5 (07:59):
My wallet, the driver's license, social security card, every identification.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
Under the sun, to prove I wasn't.
Speaker 5 (08:04):
Rocksborough but James Dawson he ever looked inside of him finished.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
I had to do something to distract his attention. I
had to do it right then.
Speaker 5 (08:12):
Hey, where are you going?
Speaker 4 (08:13):
I I I just just wanted.
Speaker 5 (08:15):
To look at her.
Speaker 7 (08:17):
Yeah, maybe Curly thinks we don't know our jobs a Max.
Speaker 5 (08:21):
Go ahead, take a look, take a good look.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Might be somebody you know. I walked over to the couch,
I lifted the code off her face. I looked, and
I put the code back again. I felt sick.
Speaker 5 (08:36):
I hadn't needed more than that one look to know
she was dead. And I knew something else. I knew
that my chances of getting out of this alive had
just gone down about ninety percent. Well satisfied. He looks
kind of sick, Max. Maybe he's a sensitive type.
Speaker 4 (08:52):
You know, these sensitive guys are funny. They don't mind
having it done. Oh no, that don't worry him a bit.
Speaker 7 (08:58):
But the guy that does it because he needs a
few bucks he's just a big ape, a guy with
no feelings.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
Ain't that right, Curly. I'm not complaining. He's not complaining. Well,
that's ing anyway, Max, he's not complaining.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
Oh that's good. But a minute ago he was talking
about a deal.
Speaker 4 (09:14):
I like that.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
We got work to do. We can talk about deals later.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
And I still say, no deal.
Speaker 5 (09:19):
Maybe we gotta ask, Curly. You want us to finish
the job up right, don't you, Curly? Oh?
Speaker 4 (09:24):
Sure, I ask Curly. Then he's the job. Sure, collect
the ice.
Speaker 5 (09:30):
He don't know what that means, do you, cur The jewelry,
the silverware, the stuff that makes it look like Burglar's.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
Remember, Oh oh yeah, where do you keep it? Why? Uh?
Her bedroom?
Speaker 5 (09:41):
I guess you'll guess. Ah, these sensitive guys are great guesses,
but you better have guessed, right, Curly, Come on in side,
all right? Now where is it?
Speaker 4 (09:51):
I think the dressing table.
Speaker 5 (09:55):
Take a look. Wec well, well look a here he
gets right out of nose. Oh, Curly, shop shop he is.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
And it's a real pretty ice here too. I bet
this was her engagement ring.
Speaker 5 (10:06):
Huh, Curly, you.
Speaker 4 (10:07):
Got the stuff. You don't have to talk about it.
Speaker 5 (10:09):
Oh you got the wrong attitude, Curly, you knew this
was part of the deal. We'd get part of our
cut out of this stuff. I can't tell you what
I did with that sapphire Max. What the Allison job?
The place you got the garnets? Oh yeah, yeah, I
hadn't made into a pen for my kid. I gave
it to her for graduation. She was crazy about it,
your kid. Sure, I got a couple of swell kids,
boy and a girl smart too. Maybe that's the trouble
(10:31):
with these sensitive guys and go no kids.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
I wondered for she didn't. I Well, that's where it
goes sometimes.
Speaker 5 (10:39):
I bet she'd have figured it a little different and
should have known how it was gonna turn out for her.
Humh Curly, Yeah yeah, maybe she would. All right, I listened.
We got work to do the rest of the house.
Now about that deal?
Speaker 4 (10:51):
How am I a deal?
Speaker 7 (10:52):
What are we gonna do with him while we're working?
Speaker 5 (10:53):
I leave him in here. You wouldn't try to holler
or anything like that, would you, Curly?
Speaker 4 (10:58):
Oh? No, no, I won't.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Here.
Speaker 5 (10:59):
You see, I told you he's shop shop. He's gonna
think over the deal while we're going tell you I.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
Don't like it.
Speaker 5 (11:04):
How do you know you haven't heard it? I listened, Curley.
There's two ways. The first is Rico's way, quick and clean.
You know what I mean?
Speaker 4 (11:13):
Yeah, I know.
Speaker 5 (11:14):
The other way you pay us five grand.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
But I haven't got five thousand dollars with a.
Speaker 5 (11:19):
Set up like this. With the business you got, you
can raise it. And you're better too.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
I still like my way better.
Speaker 5 (11:24):
You see what I mean, Kurry? I think you do.
But come Arica, maybe i'd better stay here and watch him.
If you watch him, who's gonna watch me?
Speaker 7 (11:33):
I see what you mean, and don't try nothing funny too,
because I still like.
Speaker 5 (11:37):
My way better.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
I like my way better.
Speaker 5 (11:47):
He knew he wasn't kidding so that I had already
killed once tonight. There's already one dead body in that house.
There could be just as easy be another. There could
be me.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
What suspense Rama Wines are bringing you? Mark Stevens in
Tree of Life, Roma Wind's presentation tonight in Radio's Upstanding
Theater thrills suspense.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
Between the acts of suspense. This is Ken Niles for
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(12:49):
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(13:30):
greatest vintner and.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Now Roma Wines bring back to a Hollywood soundstage. Mark
Stevens in Free of Life, a tale well calculated to
keep you in suspense. So there I sat waiting, locked
(13:52):
in the bedroom by a couple of hired killers while
I ransacked the house for loot, or because I had
just moved into a two family house with two front
doors that had that tree of life design on each
one exactly.
Speaker 5 (14:03):
Alike, all because these gunmen thought I was my neighbor Roxborough,
who had hired them to kill his wife. Well, they
had done their best alright. There was the dead body
on the couch in the front room right now. That
was why I had to make a deal somehow, a
dead body, and more than that I did manage to
put it over. I had to have money to get away,
because I knew I had to go away, far away
(14:25):
for a long time.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
They had my wallet.
Speaker 5 (14:27):
There was just the off chance there might be some
in the room here somewhere. She must have had money.
I started going over the room with a fine tooth comb,
the closet, inside of shoes and boxes, under the mattress,
any place in every place that a woman might be
liable to hide money. From the bottom bureau drawer, I
found a leather pocket book. It had two affectionate notes
from some guy named Steve, and that was all I
(14:49):
gave up. I went back to sit down in front
of the dressing table again.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
I knocked something on the floor. There was a potter box, one.
Speaker 5 (14:58):
Of those musical things that keeps playing some gimmick tune
over and over until they run down.
Speaker 4 (15:03):
There was powder and little heat still on the floor.
There was something else.
Speaker 5 (15:07):
They ignore that, Potter, is what I've been looking for,
A roll of bills nearly four hundred dollars.
Speaker 4 (15:12):
I just had a lot of time to put the
stuff in my pocket when I when I hit the
two gunmen galloping down the.
Speaker 5 (15:17):
Hall, hollered recoup. All right, what's the idea?
Speaker 4 (15:24):
Just a little nervous. I guess I knocked that thing
on the floor.
Speaker 5 (15:26):
See we'll put it back together again.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
Oh sure, what do you know?
Speaker 5 (15:31):
He's nervous? What are you nervous about, Curly? My wife's got.
Speaker 7 (15:34):
One of them things too, made me get.
Speaker 5 (15:36):
It for our last Christmas, and it'd make you nervous,
like Curly, Curly, ain't nervous about that. You got a
way to get that five brand? Curly?
Speaker 4 (15:44):
I can't can't get the cash right away.
Speaker 5 (15:47):
Well, maybe we could take a note, I'll recall eh.
Speaker 4 (15:52):
Oh oh yeah, no, sure, maybe.
Speaker 5 (15:55):
We cand come on, Curly, you're gonna come out here
and write us a nice little note. Alright, Nah, sit
down there at the desk, make yourself feel comfortable.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
Maybe you'd better tell him how that out should go.
Speaker 5 (16:11):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, maybe I should now, Curly, Yeah,
all you gotta do is write us a nice little
note telling, uh, telling how you killed your wife, how
I killed my wife. He don't think he did kill
his wife. I mean, thanks, wait to But but if
if I did that, you you could blackmail me. You
could keep blackmail you. See. I told you with Shop.
(16:34):
You know this thing has gotta be said right so
uh one can believe it, right.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
Curly, Yeah, yeah, that's right.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
That's right. Now you're gonna sit right down there and write,
uh how you and your wife was always getting in
your hair. You know, you was always having fights and finally, uh,
well you had a real big one tonight and you
hit her over the head with a bottle. Only you
hit her a little too hard. See is that how she?
Speaker 4 (16:57):
You don't think we use these things unless what you
have to do too, Noisy.
Speaker 5 (17:01):
We don't want to cause you no trouble, understand, Kirby.
We just want to be sure you do raise that
five grand See guys, I see, but what if it
came to a showdown, how would you explain the note?
Very shop, very shop? You see what I mean? Rico
Keerry wants to know if we turn him in. How
do we tell the cops we got the note?
Speaker 7 (17:21):
Hazy, We make a deal with a guy who's gotta
take a rap for burglary anyway, since he burgled this place,
town found a note.
Speaker 4 (17:27):
We bought it from Get it?
Speaker 5 (17:29):
I get it, then start writing. For a minute, I
sat there thinking I wasn't too worried about the handwriting.
The chances that Roxborough had been fool enough to write
anything in his own hand that these mugs had ever
seen was pretty slim, and it couldn't do me any
harm writing a confession in another man's name. So I
began to write, and I stopped thinking about Roxborough and
(17:52):
his wife began thinking about Helen. In five wasted years,
the opportunities missed, the friends lost, the time gone down
the drain, all because of Helen and what she thought
was gracious living, gracious living.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
When I got through it, it was a pretty good note.
Speaker 5 (18:12):
Let me see it. Uh huh, okay, it almost sounds
like you met it, curly. I did, Okay, sign it? Huh,
I said, sign it? Sign it. I couldn't sign it.
I didn't know rox Bory's first name. They'd know that,
(18:34):
but one thing they'd be sure to know. I could
have cried to get this far. Freedom almost insightened them
to have it end this way. I just sat there
holding the pen with smaba cold feet.
Speaker 4 (18:45):
I yeah, yeah, maybe come.
Speaker 5 (18:48):
On sign it. Well, I am not k Rox boy.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Like that little point of note.
Speaker 5 (18:52):
You sent the boss the full name, not k Rox Burling,
the full name. What's the K for Curly Kenneth? No, No,
it's Kendle.
Speaker 4 (19:07):
That all.
Speaker 5 (19:08):
No, that's not all.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Oh no, the hee hey, five thousand dollars.
Speaker 5 (19:12):
That's the idea. That's my shop boy. The five grand Well,
I I I I I don't wanna lay my hands
on that much cash tonight. Well, uh, cash was sort
of what we had in mind, Curly. I could write
your check, no checks. They wait up and wait a minute.
I think he's got something there. Yeah, he could date
it the head. He could say he gave it to
his wife where I mean code or something and it
(19:32):
was stolen by them nasty burglars. You we could think
up something, couldn't shit, Curly?
Speaker 4 (19:38):
You better? Why can't we get the cash from him tomorrow?
Speaker 5 (19:41):
It cause Kelln's got to be in Chicago tonight for sure.
If the cops snap him for this job. What good
is that little note he just wrote us high? Oh yeah, okay, Curly,
write a check, sure sure to uh cash?
Speaker 4 (19:56):
Yeah five five thousand Kendall Roxborough.
Speaker 5 (20:05):
Okay, Now we're gonna do you a favorite, Curly. We're
gonna take you down and put you on that next
train to Chicaka.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
Don't we don't.
Speaker 4 (20:10):
We won't take a power and never come.
Speaker 5 (20:11):
Back and leave this nice business of his. Oh Curley
wouldn't do that, would you, Curly? No, of course not.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
I'll try, and let's go.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
I don't like sticking around here with that.
Speaker 5 (20:21):
Ah. She can't hurt you, she can't hit nobody, even
Curly if he's smart.
Speaker 4 (20:34):
They run around wiping off fingerprints, even mine, and they
were very good about that.
Speaker 5 (20:40):
And they snapped off the lights, opened the door, snapped
that behind them too, You said, you work. I heard
their voices first, and I saw them Lily and then
Harvey Reynolds.
Speaker 4 (20:57):
I tried to step back, did the street light, but
the two gun push me forward. I just kept I
having head down and prayed, oh hi.
Speaker 5 (21:04):
See you excuse me.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
I bummed in with someone. I want to know who
I bumped into.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
You know, it's awfully gone.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
But he looks like Jimmy.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Here you Jimmy.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
No, come on, let's go.
Speaker 5 (21:19):
I think he's Jimmy.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Who are your friend?
Speaker 5 (21:22):
Jimmy, not Jimmy.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
They're not my friends.
Speaker 6 (21:24):
Must be relative us, Hobby, must be releant.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
Let's go.
Speaker 6 (21:30):
Sounds like Jimmy. If you're not Jimmy. Where is Jimmy?
Speaker 4 (21:35):
I don know?
Speaker 6 (21:36):
Oh oh, I'm going to find Jimmy.
Speaker 5 (21:39):
I beg your pardon, madam. I think I know where
he is? What where is he?
Speaker 4 (21:43):
Where is jim You're h You're just a little mixed up. Now.
Speaker 5 (21:46):
If you go five blocks up the street and then
four blocks over, it's the big yellow house on the corner.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
Come on, Hobby, I totally f.
Speaker 5 (21:57):
I sure feel sorry for Jimmy if she finds them.
Speaker 4 (22:00):
So do I.
Speaker 5 (22:08):
We drove down the station on the next train for
Chicago's in about forty five minutes. One of them went
in with me while I got my ticket, and we
just stood out there in the darkness on the platform
and waited.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
On the train finally pulled in.
Speaker 5 (22:23):
They walked me down in my car and stood there
with me in the vestibule and on the train was
thirty the full hours. Take it easy, now, curly, and
about that check.
Speaker 4 (22:33):
Yeah, I better be good, yeah, because.
Speaker 5 (22:36):
If it ain't, we'll be waiting for you when you
come back.
Speaker 4 (22:47):
What did I care where they be? I was free.
I was going to Chicago all right.
Speaker 5 (22:52):
Now, I was going to catch a train at the Foy,
And now I was going to cross Canadian border. I
was never coming back because I'd made it.
Speaker 4 (22:57):
I was free.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Free.
Speaker 5 (23:04):
I got in Chicago all right, and I got a
clean Detroit last night. I was walking through the observation guy,
not paying much attention to anything except to look for
a seat, when somebody slapped me on the shoulder.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
Well well, well if it is huh oh, yes, maybe
you don't know me, mister Dawson.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
I know you at least by sight.
Speaker 5 (23:25):
I'm your next door neighbor, ken.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
Roxboro, Kent, Roxburgh.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Oh wow, small world these days, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (23:34):
I suppose you're out this way. I'm business like me
and I stayed over in Chicago last night. Got a
good room for change too. Then I thought I might
just as well clear up a couple of little things
out in Detroit. Listen to Roxboro. I got to talk
to you, of course, oh man, come on, let's find
a seat. No, no, no, not here it it's a
matter of old boy trouble.
Speaker 5 (23:54):
Listener, I ran in those men last night by mistake,
those men you sent to to see your wife. What
what in the.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
World are you talking about?
Speaker 5 (24:03):
I never said, okay, it's all right. I understand why
you did it. I was thinking of doing the same
thing myself.
Speaker 4 (24:08):
But I walked in on my mistake that they told
me all about it.
Speaker 5 (24:12):
They thought I was you.
Speaker 4 (24:14):
That's you and me.
Speaker 5 (24:15):
Take a little stroll out under the observation platform doors
and yeah.
Speaker 4 (24:18):
Yeah, sure, Now what's all this, Dawson, I tell you
it was a mistake.
Speaker 3 (24:29):
The doors, they're exactly a like, yeah, yeah, I.
Speaker 5 (24:33):
Remember I walked in.
Speaker 4 (24:35):
They thought I was you.
Speaker 5 (24:36):
They'd already done it.
Speaker 4 (24:38):
They thought i'd come back to double classes.
Speaker 5 (24:40):
So they may be signed a confession that I've done
it in your name, and it's all right. It's my handwriting,
not yours. I even got your first name on. I
have to write them a check too, five thousand dollars.
Speaker 4 (24:53):
You say they they've done it, you'll know about it.
Speaker 5 (24:57):
Yeah, yeah, I saw.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
Uh. So I'm going away Canada. I'm never coming back.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
Yeah, hey, you're going away alright, so us no, no,
don't shoot.
Speaker 4 (25:10):
But there's something else.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
They didn't they they didn't.
Speaker 5 (25:24):
They found me beside the tracks this morning. They say,
I may live until tonight, maybe even a little longer.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
I guess I can't blame him.
Speaker 5 (25:33):
The cops picked him up. He'd get his so well,
those two hired killers. I guess he thought he had
to do it once he knew that I knew. I
guess I can't blame anyone but myself. I guess it's
what you call retribution. Cause I had planned to kill
my wife. I'd have done it too, I guess.
Speaker 4 (25:55):
But well, he didn't give me time to tell him.
Speaker 5 (25:58):
Was that it wasn't me that got the wrong door.
Speaker 4 (26:01):
It was the gunman. It wasn't me that got into
his house. It was the gunman that got into mine.
Speaker 5 (26:07):
It wasn't his wife they killed, It was mine, gracious
living Helen had always talked about it, now, gracious dying.
Speaker 4 (26:19):
I guess that's what you'd call it retribution.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
Suspense revented by Roma Wines r O M.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
A Roma American's favorite wines. And now this is Ken
Niles making a curtain call with a star of tonight's
suspense play, Mark Stevens Mark, I'm sure that mister Webster
gave the world the words suspense just to describe a
dramatic performance such as you've given us here tonight.
Speaker 4 (26:55):
Thank you very much, Ken, it was a wonderful thought.
Speaker 5 (26:58):
And I've noticed that you make it a custom here
in Suspense to provide your guests for the most wonderfully
dramatic roles.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
And there's another Suspense customer I'm sure you'll enjoy. Each
week we present our star with a gift basket of
Roma wines. This is yours, Mark, with the compliments of Roma,
America's greatest vndler.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
And a pleasant custom.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
It is to the Pleasantest of all is the enjoyment
you share with friends when you serve the delicious Roma
California Port in your basket. For Roma Port adds warmth
to any welcome. Roma Port is the favorite of millions
for evening entertaining, and Roma Port is so easy to serve.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
All you do is poor and hospitality ragin.
Speaker 4 (27:37):
Oh, it sounds like Romaport is a host's best friend.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
Indeed, it is marked and Roma Port tastes so good.
In fact, all Roma wines are famous for better taste.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
And here's the reason. Roma vintner's with ancient.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
Skill and America's finest wine making resources, guide the rich
treasure of choicest grapes to tempting taste perfection. Then at
peak taste richness, Roma from the world's greatest reserves of
fine wines for your pleasure. No wonder more Americans enjoy
Roma than any other wine.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
Well, the popularity of Roma wine speaks for itself. Ken
and thank you very much, and good Night.
Speaker 5 (28:14):
To Night's suspense play was written by J.
Speaker 4 (28:16):
Douglas.
Speaker 3 (28:16):
Ware Mark Stevens will soon be seen in the twentieth
century Fox Technicolor production.
Speaker 5 (28:21):
I Wonder Who's kissing her now?
Speaker 3 (28:23):
Next Thursday, same time you will hear mister Dan Durier,
A Star of Suspense.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
Produced and directed by William Spear for the Roma Wine
Company of Presno, California. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting
System
Yes, Roma wines taste better because only Roma selects from
the world's greatest wine reserves for your pleasure.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
And now Roma Wines r O M A. Roma Wines
present Suspense.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Night Rama Wind bring you Mark Stephens in Tree of Life,
a suspense play produced, edited and directed for Roma Wines
by William Spear.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Suspense Radio's outstanding theater of thrills is presented.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
For your enjoyment by Roma Wines. That's our Oma.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Roma Wines, those better tasting California wines enjoyed by more
Americans than any other wine. For friendly entertaining, for delightful dining.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Yes, right now a.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Glassful would be very pleasant. As Roma Wines bring you
Mark Stevens in a remarkable tne suspense.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
Everything went wrong from the very beginning.
Speaker 5 (01:08):
Everything that possibly could went wrong, because you see, I'd
already planned, planned for quite a while to kill my wife.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
Well, the first thing was the doors.
Speaker 5 (01:25):
And that's funny too, because that was the thing that
has impressed me the most about the new place, the doors.
The house was a double bungalow, twin apartments, really white stucco,
with two doors in the front cetter. The doors were
exactly alike made of modern yellow wood studded with nails,
the nails spread out in a tree.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
Of life pattern. Tree of life.
Speaker 5 (01:46):
I can still see Helen standing with a slim, elegant figure,
silhouetted against the door, and her hair blenting with its
warm color, and her blue eyes burning with that strange,
inquisitive fire I had once mistaken for passion.
Speaker 6 (01:58):
Isn't it a beaut Jimmy, I really think I'm clever
to have found it, don't you You know it's definitely
the smartest place we've ever had. But don't just stand there, darling,
come on, come on, you positively love the inside you
see see you made the entrance hall in the living
room to be thrown into one. Jimmy, we can have
some stunning parties. Three rooms, small dressing room, two fass.
Speaker 5 (02:18):
Of course, you'll have to buy some new furniture to.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
Go to the house.
Speaker 6 (02:20):
Most of our old pieces simply won't belong. Oh nonsense, darling,
it's just cloudy today.
Speaker 5 (02:27):
Side.
Speaker 6 (02:27):
You'll love it when you want to sleep late on Sunday.
That's why I'm giving you the center room. I'm taking
the front room with the dressing.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
Room the corner room of the three windows Oh, that'll be.
Speaker 5 (02:34):
The guest room.
Speaker 6 (02:35):
Mom, and the girls be coming in every so often.
You know, then you wanna bring home some of your
business associates.
Speaker 5 (02:39):
I never have.
Speaker 6 (02:41):
Oh don't you see now you can, Jimmy Dawson. I'm
not going to let you be an old stick in
the mud anymore. We're gonna have a wonderful window.
Speaker 5 (02:48):
Darling.
Speaker 6 (02:48):
There there there's a young couple in the other party.
The name is Roxburgh. I think that's what the agent said. Anyway,
I saw her from a distance. Seems they are perfectly
stunning brunet just our sort. I imagine four us. There's
lots of things together.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
Oh, Darling, id lift it?
Speaker 2 (03:01):
The house is griistless, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
Yeah, yeah, of course, Helen.
Speaker 5 (03:05):
But isn't there a small room somewhere where I might
uh do some chazing?
Speaker 6 (03:10):
Well, yes, we've discussed this before. It's not healthy for
you to bring your work home with you. Besides, it's
much too lovely a house to mess out.
Speaker 5 (03:19):
Well, I don't mean advertising, mayas, Helen. I wanna try
some real work.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
Well, what creative work? I tells you what I think
about it, Jimmy, I.
Speaker 5 (03:27):
Want to make your home your castle, darling.
Speaker 6 (03:29):
I want it to be a place for you to
relax away from work. Well, we we must concentrate now
on gracious living. Course, it's it's your home. You'll fill
your must.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
No no, no, heaven the skippet of course, Darling. From
now on, it's gracious living, remember, sure, gracious living.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
I'd already begun to make some plans for Helene, for
killing Helen, that is when we moved into the new
house two weeks later.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
I rode the interurban to work that day and left
the car with Helen.
Speaker 5 (04:07):
She said she needed it to move some of our smaller,
more breakable treasures. I offered to stay and help her
with her moving, but Helen said I'd be in the way.
I ate dinner in town and rode the interurban back.
Walked the seven blocks to my new home.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
I hated it more with each step I took. When
I got there, the shades.
Speaker 5 (04:24):
Were down, the lights were out on both sides, which
meant Helen was out again. I stood outside for a while,
not wanting to go in. Finally, I started up the steps,
but the doors made me pause. I suddenly realized I
didn't know which was my door. I felt like a pool.
Suppose I would go barging in on the Rocksboroughs or
whatever the name was.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Certainly they'd they'd think I was a fool. All I
could do was choose one of the doors. I was
just fumbling at the lock with my key.
Speaker 5 (04:52):
And when the door opened from me inside, I I
couldn't see.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
The man who opened it very well, but I.
Speaker 5 (04:59):
I he could see the gun he held in his hand.
It was the biggest gun I've ever seen in my life. Yeah,
come in? Why I come in?
Speaker 4 (05:12):
After he closed the door, the man with the gun
switched on the lights. Hey what When I saw the
other one?
Speaker 5 (05:18):
He was big, with a lot of black hair and
an angry face. He had a gun too, kept fooling
with it, spinning the cylinder. He was standing in front
of the couch trying to hide something, something lying there.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
Covered with an overcoat. But I knew what it was.
I saw the hand trailing down on the floor, a woman's.
Speaker 5 (05:35):
Hand, and just too you I you hurt him?
Speaker 4 (05:39):
Hawaiian? Is that my wife? So you're Roxborough?
Speaker 5 (05:43):
Huh You're supposed to be halfway to Chicago.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
By now, Rocksboro.
Speaker 7 (05:47):
Well, well, cute, any curly hair and everything real cute.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
Look, I made a mistake, you see that? What are
you all about?
Speaker 5 (05:55):
That he thinks he made a mistake? We go, what
kind of mistake you think you made, Curly? One kind
of him mistake? You fix this thing all up with
that boss a day at the time, the other by
the works, and then you walk in right in the
middle of it. You made a mistake, all right, Curly,
the biggest mistake you ever made in your life. Maybe
the last two, I'll rico, maybe the last.
Speaker 4 (06:16):
Who knows.
Speaker 5 (06:22):
For a minute, they both just stood and looked at me.
Or I'd made a mistake all right here I'd gone
and stumbled in on the job being done by a
couple of hired killers, the job of killing his wife
for Roxboro, my neighbor, Roxboro. And they thought I was Roxboro.
Even that wasn't the worst. As long as they thought
I was Roxboro.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
Though, I might be able to make a deal.
Speaker 5 (06:42):
But if they ever found out I wasn't Roxboro, the
end of the line, I had to be Roxboro. Any
last words, Curly.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Oh wait a minute, honest, I made a mistake, said that.
Speaker 5 (06:52):
We don't like those kind of mistakes in our business.
You can see how that would be, can't you?
Speaker 4 (06:57):
But listen, if it wasn't a mistake, why else would
I come home? Right when?
Speaker 5 (07:00):
When all you can say it it don't matter now
right when we're knocking off your wife, Curly, I bet you,
I now, I bet you. She likes to play hero.
I'll we go hero.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
Sure you come home, you'll find burglars. That's us And
we just knocked off your wife. So you knock us off.
You're a hero, get it?
Speaker 5 (07:17):
You ought to be in Hollywood. But where they pay
for that stuff?
Speaker 7 (07:20):
Well, you better tell Curly that I ain't making it
up because a poor guy tried that.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
Honest once, Curly, the poor guy.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
But I couldn't have meant anything like that. I don't
even have a gun. I ain't even got a jack knite. Listen,
we can make some kind of a deal. There's a
rod in a desk, maybe a figure.
Speaker 7 (07:35):
I'm using that, Curly.
Speaker 5 (07:37):
Wait a minute, Wait a minute, Curly here said something
about a deal. I don't like deals.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
The boss don't like deals. I like the other way.
Speaker 5 (07:44):
It's cleaner all around. Turn around, Curley, No, wait a minute, relax, relax,
I just want to frisk you this time.
Speaker 4 (07:53):
He started going over my pocket. Soon. That was all
right until he came to my wallet and took it.
Speaker 5 (07:59):
My wallet, the driver's license, social security card, every identification.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
Under the sun, to prove I wasn't.
Speaker 5 (08:04):
Rocksborough but James Dawson he ever looked inside of him finished.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
I had to do something to distract his attention. I
had to do it right then.
Speaker 5 (08:12):
Hey, where are you going?
Speaker 4 (08:13):
I I I just just wanted.
Speaker 5 (08:15):
To look at her.
Speaker 7 (08:17):
Yeah, maybe Curly thinks we don't know our jobs a Max.
Speaker 5 (08:21):
Go ahead, take a look, take a good look.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Might be somebody you know. I walked over to the couch,
I lifted the code off her face. I looked, and
I put the code back again. I felt sick.
Speaker 5 (08:36):
I hadn't needed more than that one look to know
she was dead. And I knew something else. I knew
that my chances of getting out of this alive had
just gone down about ninety percent. Well satisfied. He looks
kind of sick, Max. Maybe he's a sensitive type.
Speaker 4 (08:52):
You know, these sensitive guys are funny. They don't mind
having it done. Oh no, that don't worry him a bit.
Speaker 7 (08:58):
But the guy that does it because he needs a
few bucks he's just a big ape, a guy with
no feelings.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
Ain't that right, Curly. I'm not complaining. He's not complaining. Well,
that's ing anyway, Max, he's not complaining.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
Oh that's good. But a minute ago he was talking
about a deal.
Speaker 4 (09:14):
I like that.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
We got work to do. We can talk about deals later.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
And I still say, no deal.
Speaker 5 (09:19):
Maybe we gotta ask, Curly. You want us to finish
the job up right, don't you, Curly? Oh?
Speaker 4 (09:24):
Sure, I ask Curly. Then he's the job. Sure, collect
the ice.
Speaker 5 (09:30):
He don't know what that means, do you, cur The jewelry,
the silverware, the stuff that makes it look like Burglar's.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
Remember, Oh oh yeah, where do you keep it? Why? Uh?
Her bedroom?
Speaker 5 (09:41):
I guess you'll guess. Ah, these sensitive guys are great guesses,
but you better have guessed, right, Curly, Come on in side,
all right? Now where is it?
Speaker 4 (09:51):
I think the dressing table.
Speaker 5 (09:55):
Take a look. Wec well, well look a here he
gets right out of nose. Oh, Curly, shop shop he is.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
And it's a real pretty ice here too. I bet
this was her engagement ring.
Speaker 5 (10:06):
Huh, Curly, you.
Speaker 4 (10:07):
Got the stuff. You don't have to talk about it.
Speaker 5 (10:09):
Oh you got the wrong attitude, Curly, you knew this
was part of the deal. We'd get part of our
cut out of this stuff. I can't tell you what
I did with that sapphire Max. What the Allison job?
The place you got the garnets? Oh yeah, yeah, I
hadn't made into a pen for my kid. I gave
it to her for graduation. She was crazy about it,
your kid. Sure, I got a couple of swell kids,
boy and a girl smart too. Maybe that's the trouble
(10:31):
with these sensitive guys and go no kids.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
I wondered for she didn't. I Well, that's where it
goes sometimes.
Speaker 5 (10:39):
I bet she'd have figured it a little different and
should have known how it was gonna turn out for her.
Humh Curly, Yeah yeah, maybe she would. All right, I listened.
We got work to do the rest of the house.
Now about that deal?
Speaker 4 (10:51):
How am I a deal?
Speaker 7 (10:52):
What are we gonna do with him while we're working?
Speaker 5 (10:53):
I leave him in here. You wouldn't try to holler
or anything like that, would you, Curly?
Speaker 4 (10:58):
Oh? No, no, I won't.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Here.
Speaker 5 (10:59):
You see, I told you he's shop shop. He's gonna
think over the deal while we're going tell you I.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
Don't like it.
Speaker 5 (11:04):
How do you know you haven't heard it? I listened, Curley.
There's two ways. The first is Rico's way, quick and clean.
You know what I mean?
Speaker 4 (11:13):
Yeah, I know.
Speaker 5 (11:14):
The other way you pay us five grand.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
But I haven't got five thousand dollars with a.
Speaker 5 (11:19):
Set up like this. With the business you got, you
can raise it. And you're better too.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
I still like my way better.
Speaker 5 (11:24):
You see what I mean, Kurry? I think you do.
But come Arica, maybe i'd better stay here and watch him.
If you watch him, who's gonna watch me?
Speaker 7 (11:33):
I see what you mean, and don't try nothing funny too,
because I still like.
Speaker 5 (11:37):
My way better.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
I like my way better.
Speaker 5 (11:47):
He knew he wasn't kidding so that I had already
killed once tonight. There's already one dead body in that house.
There could be just as easy be another. There could
be me.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
What suspense Rama Wines are bringing you? Mark Stevens in
Tree of Life, Roma Wind's presentation tonight in Radio's Upstanding
Theater thrills suspense.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
Between the acts of suspense. This is Ken Niles for
Roma Wins. Here's an easy way to return the compliment
of the friendly hospitality you've enjoyed over the holidays, Simply
invite your holiday hosts to an open house and delight
them with Roma California wines. Yes, you're sure to please
every guest with better tasting Roma sherry port or Muscatel,
(12:49):
because more Americans enjoy Roma than any other wine. The
reason Roma winds taste better because Roma starts with choicest grapes.
Roma vintner skill and America's finest wine making resources guide
this great treasure unhurriedly to tempting taste perfection because Roma
(13:10):
selects at peak taste richness from the world's greatest wine
reserves for your pleasure. No wonder, Roma wines are America's favorites.
So for smart, gracious hospitality at your thank you party,
be sure to serve Roma Roma Roma wines by America's
(13:30):
greatest vintner and.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Now Roma Wines bring back to a Hollywood soundstage. Mark
Stevens in Free of Life, a tale well calculated to
keep you in suspense. So there I sat waiting, locked
(13:52):
in the bedroom by a couple of hired killers while
I ransacked the house for loot, or because I had
just moved into a two family house with two front
doors that had that tree of life design on each
one exactly.
Speaker 5 (14:03):
Alike, all because these gunmen thought I was my neighbor Roxborough,
who had hired them to kill his wife. Well, they
had done their best alright. There was the dead body
on the couch in the front room right now. That
was why I had to make a deal somehow, a
dead body, and more than that I did manage to
put it over. I had to have money to get away,
because I knew I had to go away, far away
(14:25):
for a long time.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
They had my wallet.
Speaker 5 (14:27):
There was just the off chance there might be some
in the room here somewhere. She must have had money.
I started going over the room with a fine tooth comb,
the closet, inside of shoes and boxes, under the mattress,
any place in every place that a woman might be
liable to hide money. From the bottom bureau drawer, I
found a leather pocket book. It had two affectionate notes
from some guy named Steve, and that was all I
(14:49):
gave up. I went back to sit down in front
of the dressing table again.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
I knocked something on the floor. There was a potter box, one.
Speaker 5 (14:58):
Of those musical things that keeps playing some gimmick tune
over and over until they run down.
Speaker 4 (15:03):
There was powder and little heat still on the floor.
There was something else.
Speaker 5 (15:07):
They ignore that, Potter, is what I've been looking for,
A roll of bills nearly four hundred dollars.
Speaker 4 (15:12):
I just had a lot of time to put the
stuff in my pocket when I when I hit the
two gunmen galloping down the.
Speaker 5 (15:17):
Hall, hollered recoup. All right, what's the idea?
Speaker 4 (15:24):
Just a little nervous. I guess I knocked that thing
on the floor.
Speaker 5 (15:26):
See we'll put it back together again.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
Oh sure, what do you know?
Speaker 5 (15:31):
He's nervous? What are you nervous about, Curly? My wife's got.
Speaker 7 (15:34):
One of them things too, made me get.
Speaker 5 (15:36):
It for our last Christmas, and it'd make you nervous,
like Curly, Curly, ain't nervous about that. You got a
way to get that five brand? Curly?
Speaker 4 (15:44):
I can't can't get the cash right away.
Speaker 5 (15:47):
Well, maybe we could take a note, I'll recall eh.
Speaker 4 (15:52):
Oh oh yeah, no, sure, maybe.
Speaker 5 (15:55):
We cand come on, Curly, you're gonna come out here
and write us a nice little note. Alright, Nah, sit
down there at the desk, make yourself feel comfortable.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
Maybe you'd better tell him how that out should go.
Speaker 5 (16:11):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, maybe I should now, Curly, Yeah,
all you gotta do is write us a nice little
note telling, uh, telling how you killed your wife, how
I killed my wife. He don't think he did kill
his wife. I mean, thanks, wait to But but if
if I did that, you you could blackmail me. You
could keep blackmail you. See. I told you with Shop.
(16:34):
You know this thing has gotta be said right so
uh one can believe it, right.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
Curly, Yeah, yeah, that's right.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
That's right. Now you're gonna sit right down there and write,
uh how you and your wife was always getting in
your hair. You know, you was always having fights and finally, uh,
well you had a real big one tonight and you
hit her over the head with a bottle. Only you
hit her a little too hard. See is that how she?
Speaker 4 (16:57):
You don't think we use these things unless what you
have to do too, Noisy.
Speaker 5 (17:01):
We don't want to cause you no trouble, understand, Kirby.
We just want to be sure you do raise that
five grand See guys, I see, but what if it
came to a showdown, how would you explain the note?
Very shop, very shop? You see what I mean? Rico
Keerry wants to know if we turn him in. How
do we tell the cops we got the note?
Speaker 7 (17:21):
Hazy, We make a deal with a guy who's gotta
take a rap for burglary anyway, since he burgled this place,
town found a note.
Speaker 4 (17:27):
We bought it from Get it?
Speaker 5 (17:29):
I get it, then start writing. For a minute, I
sat there thinking I wasn't too worried about the handwriting.
The chances that Roxborough had been fool enough to write
anything in his own hand that these mugs had ever
seen was pretty slim, and it couldn't do me any
harm writing a confession in another man's name. So I
began to write, and I stopped thinking about Roxborough and
(17:52):
his wife began thinking about Helen. In five wasted years,
the opportunities missed, the friends lost, the time gone down
the drain, all because of Helen and what she thought
was gracious living, gracious living.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
When I got through it, it was a pretty good note.
Speaker 5 (18:12):
Let me see it. Uh huh, okay, it almost sounds
like you met it, curly. I did, Okay, sign it? Huh,
I said, sign it? Sign it. I couldn't sign it.
I didn't know rox Bory's first name. They'd know that,
(18:34):
but one thing they'd be sure to know. I could
have cried to get this far. Freedom almost insightened them
to have it end this way. I just sat there
holding the pen with smaba cold feet.
Speaker 4 (18:45):
I yeah, yeah, maybe come.
Speaker 5 (18:48):
On sign it. Well, I am not k Rox boy.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Like that little point of note.
Speaker 5 (18:52):
You sent the boss the full name, not k Rox Burling,
the full name. What's the K for Curly Kenneth? No, No,
it's Kendle.
Speaker 4 (19:07):
That all.
Speaker 5 (19:08):
No, that's not all.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Oh no, the hee hey, five thousand dollars.
Speaker 5 (19:12):
That's the idea. That's my shop boy. The five grand Well,
I I I I I don't wanna lay my hands
on that much cash tonight. Well, uh, cash was sort
of what we had in mind, Curly. I could write
your check, no checks. They wait up and wait a minute.
I think he's got something there. Yeah, he could date
it the head. He could say he gave it to
his wife where I mean code or something and it
(19:32):
was stolen by them nasty burglars. You we could think
up something, couldn't shit, Curly?
Speaker 4 (19:38):
You better? Why can't we get the cash from him tomorrow?
Speaker 5 (19:41):
It cause Kelln's got to be in Chicago tonight for sure.
If the cops snap him for this job. What good
is that little note he just wrote us high? Oh yeah, okay, Curly,
write a check, sure sure to uh cash?
Speaker 4 (19:56):
Yeah five five thousand Kendall Roxborough.
Speaker 5 (20:05):
Okay, Now we're gonna do you a favorite, Curly. We're
gonna take you down and put you on that next
train to Chicaka.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
Don't we don't.
Speaker 4 (20:10):
We won't take a power and never come.
Speaker 5 (20:11):
Back and leave this nice business of his. Oh Curley
wouldn't do that, would you, Curly? No, of course not.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
I'll try, and let's go.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
I don't like sticking around here with that.
Speaker 5 (20:21):
Ah. She can't hurt you, she can't hit nobody, even
Curly if he's smart.
Speaker 4 (20:34):
They run around wiping off fingerprints, even mine, and they
were very good about that.
Speaker 5 (20:40):
And they snapped off the lights, opened the door, snapped
that behind them too, You said, you work. I heard
their voices first, and I saw them Lily and then
Harvey Reynolds.
Speaker 4 (20:57):
I tried to step back, did the street light, but
the two gun push me forward. I just kept I
having head down and prayed, oh hi.
Speaker 5 (21:04):
See you excuse me.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
I bummed in with someone. I want to know who
I bumped into.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
You know, it's awfully gone.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
But he looks like Jimmy.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Here you Jimmy.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
No, come on, let's go.
Speaker 5 (21:19):
I think he's Jimmy.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Who are your friend?
Speaker 5 (21:22):
Jimmy, not Jimmy.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
They're not my friends.
Speaker 6 (21:24):
Must be relative us, Hobby, must be releant.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
Let's go.
Speaker 6 (21:30):
Sounds like Jimmy. If you're not Jimmy. Where is Jimmy?
Speaker 4 (21:35):
I don know?
Speaker 6 (21:36):
Oh oh, I'm going to find Jimmy.
Speaker 5 (21:39):
I beg your pardon, madam. I think I know where
he is? What where is he?
Speaker 4 (21:43):
Where is jim You're h You're just a little mixed up. Now.
Speaker 5 (21:46):
If you go five blocks up the street and then
four blocks over, it's the big yellow house on the corner.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
Come on, Hobby, I totally f.
Speaker 5 (21:57):
I sure feel sorry for Jimmy if she finds them.
Speaker 4 (22:00):
So do I.
Speaker 5 (22:08):
We drove down the station on the next train for
Chicago's in about forty five minutes. One of them went
in with me while I got my ticket, and we
just stood out there in the darkness on the platform
and waited.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
On the train finally pulled in.
Speaker 5 (22:23):
They walked me down in my car and stood there
with me in the vestibule and on the train was
thirty the full hours. Take it easy, now, curly, and
about that check.
Speaker 4 (22:33):
Yeah, I better be good, yeah, because.
Speaker 5 (22:36):
If it ain't, we'll be waiting for you when you
come back.
Speaker 4 (22:47):
What did I care where they be? I was free.
I was going to Chicago all right.
Speaker 5 (22:52):
Now, I was going to catch a train at the Foy,
And now I was going to cross Canadian border. I
was never coming back because I'd made it.
Speaker 4 (22:57):
I was free.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Free.
Speaker 5 (23:04):
I got in Chicago all right, and I got a
clean Detroit last night. I was walking through the observation guy,
not paying much attention to anything except to look for
a seat, when somebody slapped me on the shoulder.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
Well well, well if it is huh oh, yes, maybe
you don't know me, mister Dawson.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
I know you at least by sight.
Speaker 5 (23:25):
I'm your next door neighbor, ken.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
Roxboro, Kent, Roxburgh.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Oh wow, small world these days, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (23:34):
I suppose you're out this way. I'm business like me
and I stayed over in Chicago last night. Got a
good room for change too. Then I thought I might
just as well clear up a couple of little things
out in Detroit. Listen to Roxboro. I got to talk
to you, of course, oh man, come on, let's find
a seat. No, no, no, not here it it's a
matter of old boy trouble.
Speaker 5 (23:54):
Listener, I ran in those men last night by mistake,
those men you sent to to see your wife. What
what in the.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
World are you talking about?
Speaker 5 (24:03):
I never said, okay, it's all right. I understand why
you did it. I was thinking of doing the same
thing myself.
Speaker 4 (24:08):
But I walked in on my mistake that they told
me all about it.
Speaker 5 (24:12):
They thought I was you.
Speaker 4 (24:14):
That's you and me.
Speaker 5 (24:15):
Take a little stroll out under the observation platform doors
and yeah.
Speaker 4 (24:18):
Yeah, sure, Now what's all this, Dawson, I tell you
it was a mistake.
Speaker 3 (24:29):
The doors, they're exactly a like, yeah, yeah, I.
Speaker 5 (24:33):
Remember I walked in.
Speaker 4 (24:35):
They thought I was you.
Speaker 5 (24:36):
They'd already done it.
Speaker 4 (24:38):
They thought i'd come back to double classes.
Speaker 5 (24:40):
So they may be signed a confession that I've done
it in your name, and it's all right. It's my handwriting,
not yours. I even got your first name on. I
have to write them a check too, five thousand dollars.
Speaker 4 (24:53):
You say they they've done it, you'll know about it.
Speaker 5 (24:57):
Yeah, yeah, I saw.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
Uh. So I'm going away Canada. I'm never coming back.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
Yeah, hey, you're going away alright, so us no, no,
don't shoot.
Speaker 4 (25:10):
But there's something else.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
They didn't they they didn't.
Speaker 5 (25:24):
They found me beside the tracks this morning. They say,
I may live until tonight, maybe even a little longer.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
I guess I can't blame him.
Speaker 5 (25:33):
The cops picked him up. He'd get his so well,
those two hired killers. I guess he thought he had
to do it once he knew that I knew. I
guess I can't blame anyone but myself. I guess it's
what you call retribution. Cause I had planned to kill
my wife. I'd have done it too, I guess.
Speaker 4 (25:55):
But well, he didn't give me time to tell him.
Speaker 5 (25:58):
Was that it wasn't me that got the wrong door.
Speaker 4 (26:01):
It was the gunman. It wasn't me that got into
his house. It was the gunman that got into mine.
Speaker 5 (26:07):
It wasn't his wife they killed, It was mine, gracious
living Helen had always talked about it, now, gracious dying.
Speaker 4 (26:19):
I guess that's what you'd call it retribution.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
Suspense revented by Roma Wines r O M.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
A Roma American's favorite wines. And now this is Ken
Niles making a curtain call with a star of tonight's
suspense play, Mark Stevens Mark, I'm sure that mister Webster
gave the world the words suspense just to describe a
dramatic performance such as you've given us here tonight.
Speaker 4 (26:55):
Thank you very much, Ken, it was a wonderful thought.
Speaker 5 (26:58):
And I've noticed that you make it a custom here
in Suspense to provide your guests for the most wonderfully
dramatic roles.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
And there's another Suspense customer I'm sure you'll enjoy. Each
week we present our star with a gift basket of
Roma wines. This is yours, Mark, with the compliments of Roma,
America's greatest vndler.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
And a pleasant custom.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
It is to the Pleasantest of all is the enjoyment
you share with friends when you serve the delicious Roma
California Port in your basket. For Roma Port adds warmth
to any welcome. Roma Port is the favorite of millions
for evening entertaining, and Roma Port is so easy to serve.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
All you do is poor and hospitality ragin.
Speaker 4 (27:37):
Oh, it sounds like Romaport is a host's best friend.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
Indeed, it is marked and Roma Port tastes so good.
In fact, all Roma wines are famous for better taste.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
And here's the reason. Roma vintner's with ancient.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
Skill and America's finest wine making resources, guide the rich
treasure of choicest grapes to tempting taste perfection. Then at
peak taste richness, Roma from the world's greatest reserves of
fine wines for your pleasure. No wonder more Americans enjoy
Roma than any other wine.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
Well, the popularity of Roma wine speaks for itself. Ken
and thank you very much, and good Night.
Speaker 5 (28:14):
To Night's suspense play was written by J.
Speaker 4 (28:16):
Douglas.
Speaker 3 (28:16):
Ware Mark Stevens will soon be seen in the twentieth
century Fox Technicolor production.
Speaker 5 (28:21):
I Wonder Who's kissing her now?
Speaker 3 (28:23):
Next Thursday, same time you will hear mister Dan Durier,
A Star of Suspense.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
Produced and directed by William Spear for the Roma Wine
Company of Presno, California. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting
System
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