Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Auto light and it's ninety six thousand dealers bring you,
mister Frank Lovejoy. In tonight's presentation of South Spends Tonight,
you will take a trip on a train, a journey
exact in time and place, during which Autolite will recreate
(00:23):
an historical puzzle by dramatizing with story and song, the
wreck of the Old ninety seven Tonight Star mister Frank Lovejoy, Hello,
Harla Hi. Mister McSorley, Hey, you'd better be starting for
the Saint Patrick's Day parade.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
You can't get started, Harlow mccarr.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Batteries dry is an irishman's witch.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Why you ought to have an auto light stay full battery?
Speaker 4 (00:50):
The battery that needs water only three times a year
in normal car used.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Tis one and the same the dependable battery that will
start you swift and sweet as a colleen smile. And
the auto light stayful gives longer life as proved by
tests conducted according to accepted life cycle standards.
Speaker 5 (01:05):
Will where do we get an auto write stainful from
your Autolite battery dealer? He services all makes of batteries
and if a replacement is needed, he has an Autolite
stayful battery for your car. So friends, just call Western
Union by number and ask.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
For me operator twenty five.
Speaker 6 (01:21):
I'll tell you where you can get an.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Autolte stainful, the battery that needs water only three times
a year in normal car use. Remember, from bumper to
tail light, you're always right with Autolite. And now, with
the wreck of the old ninety seven and the performance
of mister Frank Lovejoy, Autolite hopes once again to keep
you in suspendlow me.
Speaker 6 (02:01):
Up at him on the track ahead.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
The snow was real heavy that night, visibility less than zero,
that's possible. Not snowing as hot as now, but nearly
no warning much nothing, people sleeping, eating, drinking, just talking
like we're doing it, ma'am.
Speaker 6 (02:16):
All of them finished, terrible wreck. Snowing is bad, huh.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
But then, of course they didn't have signal systems like
we have safety measures like we have, did they, Joe?
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Now, I don't believe so. Of course. The worst wreck
I ever heard of was told me by my dad
when I was a kid. The fast mail was a
trained the Southern Railway, the line you know, same as
we're on now. You probably heard about it. The rank
of the ALL ninety seven.
Speaker 6 (02:41):
Or Casey George was the engineer and that wasn't he?
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Now on Casey Jones had the cannon ball. Oh, Joseph A.
Brody had the ALL ninety seven. As a matter of fact,
that was named for him. Funny thing. Why, no, it's nothing.
Why we weren't related to the Joe Brody I'm talking about.
We just happened to have the same name.
Speaker 6 (03:02):
Hey, where are we?
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Well, it's almost six thirty. We're coming into Monroe. Fifty
minutes stop over the change cruise. Van Lynchberg and Danville
arrived dan Villa at date twenty five. All ninety seven
never made it.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
What did you start to say before the funny thing?
Speaker 2 (03:18):
What? Ohh yeah, a story my dad used to tell
about the ninety seven carried a crew of three was wrecked.
As you know, they found five bodies in the wreckage, right, yeah,
I found two more bodies and the wreck than was
supposed to be on the train.
Speaker 6 (03:34):
How that happened?
Speaker 2 (03:35):
The funny story strange?
Speaker 6 (03:38):
I mean, yeah, Well tell.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Us, okay, I told you I was named for the
engineer of the ALL ninety seven. Tonight, Joe Brody. Well,
this is where he picked up the train right here
in Monroe, Virginia, although it used to go all the
way to Spencer train started further north from Washington station.
The day I'm talking about was a Sunday, September twenty US,
nineteen hundred and three. And here's what happened.
Speaker 7 (04:03):
A cool cross the morning in the month of September,
when the clouds were hanging low, ninety seven pulled out
from the Washington station like an arrow shot from marn.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
And Joe Ronie, mister Elkins, here seems we've got a
little trouble up the line.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
What's the matter?
Speaker 6 (04:34):
She ain't running on time?
Speaker 8 (04:36):
How late is she?
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Forty minutes at Rapper dan That's bad, George's terrible. Old
ninety seven's never run a minute late since she went
into service.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Aren't you worry, mister Halkins. She won't be late on
our division. I'll get into Danville on time. It's the
kind of man he was, the Joe Brody I was
named for. He was a proud man and the best
(05:05):
engineer on the line, and he loved Old ninety seven.
It was Joe who driven a down from the World's
Fair Chicago, and she was on exhibit as the newest,
most powerful engine in the world, and it was Joe
driven her over the Blue Ridge Mountains from Monroe to Danville.
Ever since the all ninety seven was Joe's baby, and
in Danville that morning his wife was expecting a real baby,
(05:29):
a better than usual reason for getting to Danville that day.
There was another man on that train who wanted real
bad to get to Danville on time. Big Tom Jeter,
the fireman.
Speaker 9 (05:48):
And mister Brody and Miss Elkins.
Speaker 6 (05:51):
Modern Tom Tom.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Yes, it's late, forty minutes a rapid then.
Speaker 10 (05:55):
Today Immami and Papa has been married fifty years, the
golden anniversary. I figured to get in on time today.
Wait will Tom, whole family is gonna meet me at
the station. Big greeting for the youngest child, fireman, for
mister Brody.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
We'll get there in time if you keep that fire
going this morning, I will.
Speaker 9 (06:12):
Mister Brody.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Oh here, Joe, I'll get Georgers ready.
Speaker 7 (06:21):
Gave him his orders at Monroe, Virginia, saying Joe, you're
way behind time. This is not thirty eight, Bud, it's
old ninety seven.
Speaker 8 (06:34):
You must put her in Danville on time.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Saw there they were the engineer and the fireman, each
one with a special reason for wanting to get to
Danville on time. And I was the third member of
the crew. Oh, mister Clovis, the clerk and the mail car.
He had his reason too.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Oh, mister Elkins, morning Joe wanting miss Clovis, how is
she running late? They too bad she had to be
laid especially the day mister Clovis.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Oh say, I'd forgotten you were retiring today, aren't you, sir?
Speaker 11 (07:11):
Yes, this is my last run.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Well, I'll try to make up the time for you.
Mister Clovis canon thirty years of railroading, find schedule.
Speaker 11 (07:19):
I don't care so much myself, but I believe some
of the gentlemen from the Division office were going to
meet the train in Danville. I believe there was to
be a ceremony.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
I know, dang well, there is. They're gonna give you
the prettiest gold hunting case watching the Blue Ridge Mountains,
all engraved.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
I was aut myself last week. Oh that's very nice.
Speaker 11 (07:37):
That's quite unnecessary.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
How does it feel to retire, mister Clovis.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
It feels fine, Joe.
Speaker 11 (07:42):
I'll step down to the platform and from that moment
I'll have nothing to do.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
But die where you can live, can't you? Mister Clovis?
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Then for why this is my life?
Speaker 12 (07:53):
What time is it?
Speaker 8 (07:54):
Hey?
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Miss Rookings cheer the newsh What news them two fellas
who held up the tailhouse and to held up the bank?
Speaker 8 (07:59):
Over Themhirst, Chilla Tiller?
Speaker 2 (08:00):
What about them?
Speaker 1 (08:01):
They broke out less an hour ago and split the
turnkey skull open, walked out of jail house. Biggest pleeze.
The sheriffs getting pushy together. Oh, I had four figures,
are heading for the hills. Go and track them down
with hounds.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
If they're headed for the hills, they're crazy.
Speaker 6 (08:13):
Why, mister Brodie, Well, if.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
I was trying to make a break for it, I
wouldn't take any chances being tracked by bloodhounds.
Speaker 9 (08:18):
For Joe.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
I'd had for the railway hopped the first train that
came through. Now, across the tracks from the station agent's
office and right near the water tower was a tool shack.
And at that very moment we were talking about these
(08:40):
two killers were hiding there, or at least that's the
way I was told the story.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
What are we gonna do?
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Clinton from Monroe, Virginia town with five churches fifteen saloons
in a jail.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
What are we gonna do? You think a posse couldn't
track us down if we took to the hills.
Speaker 13 (09:04):
We ain't gonna take to the hills, honey boy. We're
gonna take the Old ninety seven right straight to Danville,
A Danville. We've got a man waiting for us to
put guns in our hands and tell us where to
use him. Honey boy, When we get on that old
ninety seven, we don't have a worry about a thing, Clint.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
You suppose you hit that turnkey too hard.
Speaker 12 (09:23):
They hit him hard enough to knock him out.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
You suppose you hit him hard enough to kill him.
Speaker 6 (09:27):
What's the difference?
Speaker 13 (09:28):
Killed a man yesterday, we might as well kill another
one today.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
We didn't kill that teller, Clint. You did.
Speaker 13 (09:36):
Listen, honey boy, makes no difference.
Speaker 12 (09:39):
Hoo pulled the trigger, understand me, no difference, Sure, Clint, Sure.
Speaker 13 (09:46):
Here she comes. Come on, let's get out of here
and wait for it. See us, Clint, nobody's gonna see us.
They're all watching the train.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Yeah, she comes, God, mus Mamas, let's get out there
and find out white feet so late? Alright, Joe, see
it tells me, mister Rapkins, A, Joe, I have a
good trip ready, isn't she beautiful? Look at Big Tom.
(11:03):
He's in more in a hurry than I am.
Speaker 11 (11:05):
If that's possible to get to Danville and be presented
with a gold watch line.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Here comes Pete.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
Why hey, Pete, hight don call it?
Speaker 8 (11:14):
Huh Pete?
Speaker 2 (11:14):
What's the delay?
Speaker 4 (11:15):
Rush outs out the Rappadan and the section gang made
up completely up numb scouts. Wouldn't let you throw Section
Boss was a pray of the ballast. Wouldn't hold why
he'd had six hours to repair the track before we
come along.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
Dang fool, they come that way sometimes. Sorry to handle
over to you like this, Joe. Don't see how you
can make up the time. I'll do my best, Pete
and still keep her on the rails. Joe, Hey, joe Y,
Amisterrolgons message for you from the station master of Danville. Yeah,
excuse me, Pete?
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Was it same as to Dralkins, he says, Tell Joe
Brody he'd better get ninety seven into Danville ahead of
schedule if he wants to be here to meet the
stork who is coming in on time. Doctor Glendenning is
on his way out to missus Brody. Now, well, congratulations, Joe.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
So it's happening, and I'm not there, I promise wild
no matter what I'd do there.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Well, you can't help it, Joe anyway. Sometimes these things
take more time than you'd think.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
You probably get there on time. Not probably, mister Elkins.
I will get there on time. Mister Clovis. Let's roll alrighty, Joe,
you set big time.
Speaker 8 (12:29):
Come on, let's go.
Speaker 11 (12:31):
All right, Joe, at the time eleven forty five, we're
in our late excuse me, come on.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
Let's go.
Speaker 13 (12:40):
Wait, let me get started. No one's paying attention to us, there.
Speaker 14 (12:55):
She goes, Come on, Clinton, good God, can your hand
grabbed a round?
Speaker 3 (13:08):
Gonys got it?
Speaker 7 (13:20):
Joe Brodie looked round, and he said to his fireman,
just shovel in.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
A little more cool.
Speaker 7 (13:28):
And when we crossed the wide oak mood, you can
watch Old ninety seven.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Auto Light is bringing you, mister Frank Lovejoy in the
Wreck of the Old ninety seven. Tonight's production in Radio's
outstanding Theater of Thrills, sells Spence.
Speaker 4 (14:01):
Hedy, Hey, Hey, hey, Heidi, bla.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
Ah, you've changed your tune, eh, mister mcsauley.
Speaker 3 (14:07):
That is the auto righte stainful battery.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
That did it, Harlow?
Speaker 3 (14:10):
No, it just dropped me foot lightly on the starter.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
And well that's an autolite stayful start, all right, mister mcsauley.
And you know the Autolite stainful battery is protected by
fiberglass retaining mats to reduce shedding and flaking and give
longer life as proved by tests conducted according to accepted
life cycle standards.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
And the Otto Wright stainful needs water only three times a.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Year in normal car use. O, friends, visit your autolite
battery dealer, the man who services all makes of batteries.
To quickly learn his location, just call Western Union by.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
Number and ask for me operate a twenty five.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
I'll gladly tell you where you can get an Autolite stainful,
the battery that needs water only three times a year
in normal car use.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
And remember, from bumper to tail light, you're always right
with autolite. Now auto light brings back to our Hollywood
sound stage, mister Frank Lovejoy in Elliott Lewis's production of
the Wreck of the Old ninety seven, a tale well
calculated to keep you in sun Spends.
Speaker 7 (15:18):
They gave him his orders at Monroe, Virginia, saying, Joe,
you're way behind time. This is not thirty eight but
old ninety seven. You must put her in Danville on time.
Speaker 13 (15:36):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Now they were five men in all ninety seven when
she pulled out of Monroe, the engineer and the fireman,
and the male car clerk who were supposed to be there,
and the two escape killers who didn't appear on the
manifest and each and every one of them with an
urgent need to make up that lost time.
Speaker 8 (15:58):
On the cold big Tom I'm shoving as fast and dead,
mister Brody.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Give me all you got until we crossed White off Mafy,
and you can stand back and watch ninety seven row.
Speaker 8 (16:09):
I'm a giving it to you, mister Brody.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
One hundred and sixty six miles Monroe to Spencer and
part way upgrade and then from Lynchburg down a three
percent grade ending with a curve and a sign, a
big sign that said slow speed trestle right ahead of
that the still house trestle over cherry Stone Creek. They
run from Monroe to Spencer normally took four hours and
(16:42):
fifteen minutes, or it did, and that day they had
to pick up an hour and that's a lot of
time to catch up on.
Speaker 7 (16:55):
Joe Brody turned to his old fireman job.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
More cold.
Speaker 7 (17:04):
Or when we hit that old white mountain, you can
see a ninety seven for.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
Shovel at him, boy, shallow at him. We got time
to make up on this run, is sure.
Speaker 8 (17:26):
Coples that call mister flodyd we sicked up ten minutes. Tom.
We can't get there too soon to suit me the
party you were telling me about.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
The man in Baptist fifteenth wedding day to get him
my congratulations.
Speaker 15 (17:40):
Thank you, mister Flody. But they'll all be down at
the station. You can tell him yourself.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
I won't have time, Tom, I'm having a baby.
Speaker 12 (17:49):
Huh.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Well my wife is well.
Speaker 8 (17:52):
Congratulations to you, mister Blody.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Thanks Tom.
Speaker 8 (17:56):
Far around there, boy, the cage is dropping, jest misus Blodie, Yes,
fair Clint.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Yeah's train ain't going very fast.
Speaker 12 (18:16):
He's climbing. Honey, boy, where do we get over the mountain?
Speaker 6 (18:19):
You'll see it go.
Speaker 8 (18:21):
I don't like it.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
I don't think we ought to hop this trade.
Speaker 12 (18:24):
You don't like it, just step off anytime you like
you honeyboy, cliff shop, get off of sharp.
Speaker 6 (18:41):
Joe brought.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
He will get me into Danville in time for the exercises. Yeah,
thirty years today. It's a long time.
Speaker 7 (18:53):
Almost all of the time there is.
Speaker 11 (18:58):
And after the night gentlemen say the kind things that
smile and shake my hand. Why tomorrow there'll be no
train to climb aboard. Tomorrow there'll be nothing but the
slippers and the pipe and the fire. Not as a
reward after a day's run, but for what's left of
(19:20):
my life. Sleep late every morning, go fishing every day.
Who wants pleasure all the time, Never to ride old
ninety seven again, Never to have a job to do,
never to be needed. They call it retirements. I think
(19:46):
it's death. I wish we'd never get that.
Speaker 16 (19:50):
Danville made up twenty minutes so far a time no
I knew you would.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
It's this one great engine, tom whether of that eighty
five miles an orange heres some.
Speaker 8 (20:10):
Half house you're going through linzbag this past how slower?
Speaker 2 (20:14):
I don't want to scare the folks.
Speaker 8 (20:16):
You spoil all the milk for five miles around town.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
You bounce your here eighty five we're slower to seventy
then I Tom.
Speaker 8 (20:24):
Yes, I guess that'd be real. Considered, mister Brody.
Speaker 7 (20:31):
Long talk road from Lyitchburg to Danville and is down
a three mile grade. It was down that.
Speaker 8 (20:40):
Way that he lost his hair brakes.
Speaker 7 (20:42):
You can see what a jump team man.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
To point out a few things to you. Joseph A.
Brody was the best engineer on the line. He knew
that road and like his own hand, the fast mal
Old ninety seven was a cracked train, not old at all,
in perfect condition, athlete checked, always mechanically perfect in every way.
Yet it had a wreck. And here's why I'm a
(21:11):
dad's story makes some sense. Here's what must have happened.
And I remember the two killers were hanging on right
behind the locomotive. Had a boy, Tom, we're only eight
(21:31):
minutes behind time.
Speaker 15 (21:33):
Now you're gonna make your old ninety seven chick off
this protect You done made up fifty two minutes already.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
We better start slowing for the trestle. We'll take up
the eight minutes. When we crossed it, Clinton Clint, he's
flown down.
Speaker 8 (21:56):
I feel it.
Speaker 17 (21:57):
I wonder why nine stop Monroe and Danvilt except for emergencies.
Maybe there's an emergency yeah, us, we're the emergency shot
up at Monroe's telephoned ahead.
Speaker 12 (22:08):
I guess we'll stepped down on this train.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
What are we gonna do? We can't jump off.
Speaker 12 (22:13):
See that hole is yeah, that's the airline for the brakes.
Hold my arm if I don't slip.
Speaker 8 (22:19):
What are you gonna do?
Speaker 12 (22:20):
Turn that valve, honeyboy, shut off the air brakes. This
train ain't stop on the side of Danville, Ky, the
valves tight. Gotta get this thing. Ah, this that doesn't
honey boy, he ain't stopping now.
Speaker 8 (22:46):
Ain't we still want to make you fastness? Clothing can't come, No,
sirn not with you at the battle.
Speaker 9 (22:52):
I'm just observant, though.
Speaker 8 (22:54):
Ain't we going to make it fast?
Speaker 2 (22:56):
We're slaw a bit more, Tom. We can't make that curve.
Speaker 8 (23:02):
Jump, Yessa, the braakes.
Speaker 6 (23:04):
The brakes don't work.
Speaker 8 (23:05):
You're all a mighty look all the way back and
nothing happened. That's a testing mister, Joe.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Jump tim jump.
Speaker 7 (23:15):
He was coming round to turn to ninety miles an
hour when his whistle bee began to screeze. He was
found in the wreck with his hand on the throttle.
Speaker 9 (23:26):
He was scolded to death.
Speaker 12 (23:28):
By the steam.
Speaker 7 (24:08):
Lady, Oh lady, take fair warning from this time and
never speak harsh words to your true and loving husband.
Team may leave you and never read.
Speaker 9 (24:43):
Now.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
The wrecking crew got there that night, came down from Lynchburg,
just like we're doing. They finally all ninety seven. Her
nose buried in the Modnay, none of them got there
to Danver. Yeah, I often wondered about the station that night.
Strange group of people waiting the committee from the railroad,
(25:04):
with mister Clover's going watch Big Tom's family to greet
their youngest son, and the carriage waiting to take Joe
Brody to the hospital to see his new baby. What
you understand was a little girl and maybe off in
a corner, a few men with guns waiting for the killers.
Speaker 9 (25:22):
And that's what happened. Huh.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
But that's what my dad used to tell me.
Speaker 9 (25:27):
What time is it.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
It's eight twenty. We'll have breakfast in Danville.
Speaker 8 (25:33):
Oh there you are.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
See down there, that's cherry Stone Creek. And see that
old mud bank. That's where Joe Brody wrecked. The old
ninety seven.
Speaker 7 (25:48):
Frosty morning in.
Speaker 9 (25:51):
The mall.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Sell Spings presented by Autolite to night Star, Mister Frank Lovejoy,
this is Harlow Wilcox speaking for Autolite, world's largest independent
manufacturer of automotive electrical equipment. Auto Light is proud to
serve the greatest names in the industry, and during these
early months of fifty two, the Autolite Family joins in
(26:31):
saluting the leading car manufacturers who install auto light products
as original equipment. Our Autolite Family is made up of
the nearly thirty thousand men and women in twenty eight
great auto light plants from coast to coast, and in
still other auto light plants in many foreign countries. It
also includes more than eighteen thousand people who have invested
the portion of their savings in Autolite, as well as
(26:53):
ninety six thousand auto light distributors and dealers in the
United States and thousands more in Canada and throughout the world.
Our Autolite Family will salute nine motors on the next
Auto Light Suspense television program. If you live in a
television area, check the day in time of suspense on
television so that you'll be sure to see this program
and remember be with us next week for another thrilling
(27:15):
auto light suspense program.
Speaker 9 (27:16):
On radio.
Speaker 1 (27:25):
Next week, a murder is committed efficiently and safely, and
then our star, mister Robert Young finds there was a
witness to the murder. The problem who was the witness?
The story is called Backfire and it will be presented
next week on Salsuspends. Suspense is produced and directed by
(27:48):
Elliott Lewis, with music composed by Lucian Morrowick and conducted
by lud Gluskin. The soloist was Harry Stanton. The Wreck
of the Old ninety seven was written for Suspense by
Mindred Lord and Christoph Anthony. Featured in the cast were
Herb Butterfield, Clayton Post, Eddie Firestone, Junius Matthews, Jack Crusian,
Roy Glenn and Joseph Kerns. Frank Lovejoy can be seen
(28:11):
starring in the Milton Sperling production for Warner Brothers Retreat Hell.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
And Remember.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Next week on Suspense, mister Robert Young in Backfire.
Speaker 8 (28:26):
This is the CBS Radio Network.