October 26, 2025 • 29 mins
https://www.solgoodmedia.com - Listen to hundreds of audiobooks, thousands of short stories, and ambient sounds all ad free! Dive into the thrilling world of "Yours Truly Johnny Dollar Daily," a podcast that breathes new life into the classic radio detective series. Each episode features daily adventures of Johnny Dollar, America’s fabulous freelance insurance investigator. Immerse yourself in intriguing mysteries and complex insurance frauds solved with wit and grit. Ideal for fans of vintage radio shows and detective stories.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well you're listening enjoyment, John Lund has Johnny Dallas.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Johnny, how fast can you get to Kansas City, Missouri?
Why maybe you can stop a homicide? Well, that sounds worthwhile.
What's the dope. We underwrite complete insurance coverage for the
Paterson Transport Corporation. They handle apostles delivery service for most
of the department stores in town.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Well, that should be profitab little bit hardly deadly.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
There have been six robberies and beatings involving your drivers
in the past week, Johnny. Apparently one guy is responsible,
and he's gotten increasingly brutal with each hold up.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
How far has he gone?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
The last hold up was yesterday afternoon. He went braserk
the drivers from the.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Hospital with five broken ribs in a fractured skull.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
If this guy hasn't caught a twenty a question of
time before he kills somebody.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
I take the first plane out. You know, many great
men have attained the highest office in our land, the
presidency of the United States.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Can you guess the name of this man?
Speaker 1 (01:04):
In eighteen eighty four, with a limited education and practically
no experience in national affairs, he was elected president at
the age of forty eight. During his administration, an income
tax was passed but declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court,
and Coxey's army made its first march on the Capitol
(01:26):
as a protest against unemployment. It was also during his
administration that the Presidential Succession Bill was passed, which indicated
the line of succession to the presidency from the president
down through the cabinet. If you don't have his name
by now here are two more clues. He was the
first president to be married in the White House and
(01:49):
the only president who served too non successive terms.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Who was he?
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Grover Cleveland, twenty second and twenty fourth President of the
United States. His life is part of your American Heritage.
(02:21):
Expense account submitted by a special investigator, Johnny Dollar to
a home office Eastern and Mnity and Insurance Company, Hartford, Connecticut.
The following is in accounting of expenditures during my investigation
of the Patterson Transport matter expense account out of won
seventy three dollars and twenty cents airfare and incidentals between Hartford, Connecticut.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
And Kansas City, Missouri.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
I was met at the airport by Walt Hendricks, Vice
president and general manager of Patterson Transport. It's a rough
one dollar six hold ups for the week over thirty
seven hundred dollars. Cood money stole them. Three drivers, beat
them so badly they can't work. One of them in
the hospital in critical condition. A real rough one.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
I understand.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
One man has been pulling the job, sister Hendricks seems
to stack up that way.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
So far we haven't been able.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
To do a plast thing to stop. How's he operating
us like this? He buys something at the department store.
As the package sent out cod to a vacant apartment house.
The driver gets out there, he lowers the boom.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
What about the police?
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Since yesterday morning they've had a playing clothesman riding the delivery.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Trust with the drivers.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Well, I should have brought results, and we thought it
would too, Jill. Last night, the driver.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
That's laid up in the hospital, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
He got it in his own garage, coming home from
a movie with his wife. Hendrix dropped me off at
the Mulebach hotel. He said the Patterson Transport company was
to fly a car for my personal news, and it
was there ready waiting. After I finished checking in, I
(04:02):
drove over the police headquarters at eleven twenty five Locks
the street, where a Lieutenant Herman of the Robbery Division
filled me in. Well, there's a few things about this
that makes sense, Teller, not manning, but a few like
wad with Tenter. We operates, for one, as a definite pattern.
Every hold up's either at the fire and the driver's
rout or the last stop or two before he checks
in for the day. Sounds like he's pretty familiar with
(04:25):
the delivery operations. And that's a bree figure. Maybe from
Patterson Transport in, maybe from the department store. Then another thing,
he's almost sure to be a cycle.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
The way he's man handled.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Those drivers, there wasn't any reason for beating him. Drivers
all have orders not to resist. Gets increasingly brutal with
every holder. No sense to it unless he's a cycle,
any description of them. Yeah, Partial always wears a blue
bandana handkerchief over his face. But uh, here's what we've
(04:55):
got on him.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
When it's worth.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Say about sixth Street, one hundred and ninety to two
hundred pounds, Gray Slaughter chat Baggy Gray's suit has a
noticeable limp in the right leg.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Hm, well that's.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
Pretty general, but that limp might help tie him down.
I've got the personnel managers of Patterson in the department
stores going over their records on the basis of that description.
So far they haven't up with anything. But here's another Angleer,
take a look at this man. Yeah sure, Now, the
first robbery took place out here forty three under block
and Seneca. A next here an observation park, and one
(05:34):
here in Cyprus, the next to thirty second Terry, then
fifty fourth in Jackson. Well that makes a rough circle
around the city. What's he been doing moving from route
to rout in a definite pattern? I'd say if hitting
one driver after another in turn.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Well, then you should know who's liable to be next
on the list. We do.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Driver by the name of Milton Spears got the Southwest
territory down here. If the man we're after follows this pattern,
you'll get him. But if he breaks it like he
did last night, Yeah, that's not all I can tell
you now. Down we're hoping this guy will try again.
With our men riding the trucks, it's our best bet
for getting him. And even if he doesn't, maybe we can. Oh. Hi, Grayson, So.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
You just got a report over a traffic provision.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
One of the Patterson Company's truck was in an accident
I Underson Avenue. What kind of accident? Well, apparently the
truck got out of control smashed into a parked car
along the curved driver was killed. What about our man?
You didn't have anybody aside of it. Truck has been
in for repair and the driver was just road testing.
It doesn't sound like a Tizon with a hold up
as much better, Banks, Grayson, Let me see the complete
report when you get it in surely time. Hey, sergeants, Yeah,
(06:45):
did you get the name of the driver who was killed?
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Yeah, we got it.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
The name was Spears, Open Spears. When we got to
the scene of the accident, an ambulance and.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Squad car were already there. Terrible.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
One of the squad car men filled u Sin on
what they'd learned. He was heading eastern Namers in here, lieutenant.
Then for some reason he suddenly clamped the wheel of
the light and clouded into that buick there at the curb.
He must have been going in a pretty good clip,
burned a lot of rubber off on the street when.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
He swung in here.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Yeah, what did the ambulance men have to say he
was dead when they got here. He didn't look as
though the crash killed him. No, impact wasn't heavy enough
for that. I think you might have had a heart attack.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Huh.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
And he witnesses you. No, I witnesses, Lieutenant, because a
lady over there wants to talk to you.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
Okay, that's critic.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Come over. And I haven't take the body down to
the mort for an immediate autopsy. I want the results
on it as soon as possible. Okay, Lieutenant, how does
it hit you dollar? Well, a couple of things don't
quite add up. Well, why he was road testing a
truck on a quiet residential streak, why he was going
fast enough to make heavy skid marks?
Speaker 3 (07:58):
W that?
Speaker 1 (07:58):
And why and had.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
To have.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Spirit?
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Well, maybe the autopsy will give us something to go on.
Oh maybe it's the lady I was telling you about, Lieutenant,
Missus Robertson. How do you do, Missus Robinson? I understand
you have something to tell us.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
I should say that you have something, you, lieutenants, it's
about tiny police officers say something. You will take the
interest of our citizens. We've got rights, you know, and
it's your duty to see that they're protected.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
I'm not sure I understand.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
No, I didn't think you would. Things have come to
pretty past when a taxpayer can leave the car parked
out on the street without some drunken puck drivers smashing
into pieces. It's your duty to see that such reckless
and competent drivers that kept off our streets and highways.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
You're the owner of the buick that was hit, Missus Robinson.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
Well, isn't that just what I've been telling you, young man?
And believe me, somebody is going to pay for the
damage done to my car and put the shock and
damage cast to my nerves.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Didn you see the accident take place, Missus Robinson?
Speaker 4 (08:54):
No, I didn't see it, but not that I had to.
I was upstairs in my apartment over there, playing whist
with some friends.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Then what makes you think the driver was drunk, very irresponsible?
Speaker 4 (09:07):
Oh, of course he was. What other explanation could there
be smashing into a person's car like that in broad
daylight on a quiet street. There's not the slightest doubt
in my mind. Both of them were drunk, and.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
There was somebody else in the truck besides the driver, of.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
Course there was.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
How do you know, missus Robinson, Oh.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
Because I saw him. That's why I looked out of
my window and saw him. A big husky man he was.
He got out of the truck right after the crash
and went limping off down the street.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Additional questioning of the excitable missus Robertson brought no further information,
but he got the same results from the other residents.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
Of Anderson Avenue.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
The men from the lab arrived and started working on
the truck and buick for possible physical evidence, and we
went back to police headquarters. I don't need View to
stick around Alla unless you want to. You won't forgetting
the autopsy report. I'm spears another hour or two. Well,
I thought I might look over the driver's statements and
the robbery of Lieutenant. Maybe something will hit me. I'm
(10:12):
sure I'll have Grayson dig him out for you. Yes, Grayson,
will you get out the driver's statements in the Patterson
Transport fires.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Mister Dollar would like to look him over. I'll get
him right here the time. Adding another report to the list.
What's that the call from General Hospital? The driver who
was beaten up last night just died.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
I went over the driver's statements and the official investigation
reports Lieutenant Herman and his manage covered every angle I
could think of, and a couple I hadn't. When I
got through, the autopsy on Milton Spears hadn't been completed yet.
So I drove out to the Patterson Transport Company in
the Northeast Industrial District.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
I found Walt Hendrix and the offices of the company,
which were.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Located to one side of their busy garage. Oh, it's
a terrible thing about Milk Spears. Dollar a terrible thing.
Men have been with us for fifteen years, perfect safety
records and gets himself killed in an action.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
It that way.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
If it was an action, well you think it's connected
with the hold ups.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
We'll know more about it when we get the autops
in the book. Well, I suppose it could. Guy. According
to the pattern, Spears was the next driver to do
to get hit.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Sure, and if it had happened while Spears was out
on the route, I'd say okay, But he wasn't. Just
what was he doing, mister Henricks, Well, his truck broke
down the clutch linkage. We sent a substitute out and
the garage got through. Milt took the truck out to
road test it.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
Anybody go with him.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
No, Milk was a good mechanic, no reason to send
anybody along, and we don't allow our men to pick
up any.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
Riders, the or hitchhikers.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
Now, there couldn't have been anybody in the truck him,
or maybe he picked up somebody knew.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Well, possibility, I suppose. I don't know.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Dollar. This thing's got me so busy, I can't think
straight at all, And I guess there's one consolation though, Yeah,
what's that? If you count Spears, every driver in the
organization's been hit by now. Unless he starts over again,
this guy has any place to go. I'll give you
eight to five. He'll think of something. It was getting
(12:22):
late in the afternoon, so I figured i'd pay one
more visit the headquarters before going back to the hotel
and knocking off for the day. As I walked into
Lieutenant Hermann's office, he was just finishing a phone call. Gay, Doc,
thanks your board. I'll buy you a dinner some day
if you're lucky enough to catch up with me. Hi, Dolly.
That was Doc Winters, autopsy surgeon. There was a twenty
(12:44):
two caliber bullet in Milton Spears brain woll.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
Nothing very accidental. About that is there.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
Not likely fired at close range? Behind the right ear
point of penetration was covered by hair. Bullet lies in
the bone. Why the ambulance attendants couldn't catch it? Now,
wonder he crushed the truck? Uh, we don't have ballistics
examine the bullet. I don't know that they would come
up with anything. Now, well, it's been a long day.
(13:11):
Well these say we go out.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
And have a bike da oh by that we'll come in.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
There's a good steakhouse right down so Dennet Hermann, I remember,
we'll be right there. Now, let's roll, darling.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
What's up?
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Remember that missus Robertson, the woman who that smashed up
y Wick? Yeah, I just saw a man there after.
He's out in front of her place. Right now, Mind
(14:02):
if I cut into say something fellas, it won't take
too long. Since a word to the wise is sufficient
And in the English language, there is one word which
is important to just about everyone in the world. That
word is security. Security has several different meetings. However, usually
(14:23):
we think of it in connection with the protecting of
our military installations and defense industries. But it means more
than that. There is a security which applies to every man, woman,
and child in America, the security which comes from being
in good health, having a good education, and being well
(14:44):
taken care of in case things get a little too
tough to handle by oneself. This kind of security is
the problem of the President's newest Cabinet member, The Secretary
of Health, Education, and Welfare, ties together the work of
several governmental agencies. First, there is the United States Public
(15:06):
Health Service, which strives to make certain that the general
health of the people in our country is in the
best of conditions. Then there is the Food and Drug Administration,
which guarantees that the food we eat is pure and
safe to eat. The Social Security Board, which takes care
of ole people, children and the blind who need assistance,
(15:28):
also comes under the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare,
as does the United States Office of Education. This office
does research on the educational possibilities, changes, and opportunities and
passes on its information to the various state boards of education.
As you can see, the Department of Health, Education, and
(15:50):
Welfare is one of the most important agencies in our government,
assuring off as it does, of a normal and healthy
way block. And now, with our star John Lund, we
(16:10):
bring you the second act of yours, truly, Johnny Dollar.
When Lieutenant Herman and I got out to the address
(16:31):
Avenue address, Missus Robinson was waiting for us in the
vestibule of.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
The apartment building.
Speaker 4 (16:36):
It's the man. The very same man got out of
the truck had smashed my car, and I want you
to arrest him at once.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
You hear if he's a man, we'll arrest him, Missus
Racause he's a man.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
I ought to know. I saw him get out of
the truck and limp down the street, and I saw
him again just before I called you.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
What was he doing, Missus Robinson.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
Looking over my car? That's what a nerve of him?
A criminal returning to the scene of his crime.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
There's no doubt about the identification.
Speaker 4 (17:03):
I told you there wasn't, didn't I A big, heavy
set man, dressed enough a grace to walking with a limb.
He's the man, all right?
Speaker 3 (17:13):
Where is he now?
Speaker 4 (17:14):
Where would a.
Speaker 5 (17:15):
Man like Patsy?
Speaker 4 (17:16):
I told you he was drunk when he smashed into
my car. He went into that bar at the corner.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
There he is at the bar.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Yeah, only guy in a place answered the description.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
Do you want to take him over? There?
Speaker 1 (17:41):
Just got the places. I mean, police officers keep their
hands on the bar.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
What's going on here?
Speaker 1 (17:52):
Hands on the bar? Take him down? Down?
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Yeah? Sure? What do you think you're doing?
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Mack?
Speaker 3 (17:57):
I ain't got no rod on me.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
How about it?
Speaker 3 (18:00):
He's clean with him? Sure, I'm clean. I told you
I was today. What do you guys want with me?
Speaker 1 (18:05):
What's your name is n what's it to you? Your
name Wesley? Joe Wesley?
Speaker 3 (18:10):
Where do you live?
Speaker 1 (18:11):
I ain't decided yet, just got out of town.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
What are you doing in this neighborhood?
Speaker 1 (18:15):
Look, you guys ain't got nothing on me. Guy's got
a right to come in and have a drink without
coppers hopping.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
All over him.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Why are the interest in the car?
Speaker 3 (18:22):
Isn't what a smashed up buick down the street?
Speaker 1 (18:25):
Who was interested in a smash buick?
Speaker 3 (18:27):
You were?
Speaker 1 (18:28):
You were looking at it? Why so I looked at it?
Any law against that? Man was killed when that car
was hit with me?
Speaker 3 (18:34):
So what's they gotta do with me?
Speaker 1 (18:35):
We've got a witness who says you were involved in
the accident.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
Yo, witnesses nuts.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
All I was doing was walking down the street. I've
seen the car, took a gander out of you talk
it over downtown, Wesley.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
There ain't nothing to talk. I didn't have nothing to
do with that car.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Somebody getting bumped off. You heard the lieutenant. We'll talk
about it downtown. Might as well come clean, Wesley. Make
it easier on yourself. There's nothing to come clean. Upt
I told you coppers that you ain't got nothing on me.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
We've got a witness, and says different.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
I told you he's lying. I never been in that
neighborhood before. What did you do with the gun?
Speaker 3 (19:15):
What? God?
Speaker 1 (19:16):
The one you used to knock off Milton Spears. I
never heard a gun and I never heard of the spears.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
Now, why didn't you guys lay off? Let me out
of here?
Speaker 1 (19:25):
Pretty good racket you had, Wesley? How'd you happen to
think of it?
Speaker 3 (19:28):
What racket?
Speaker 1 (19:29):
The parcel delivery gimmick? You nuts sept. I didn't have
nothing to do with them Patterson trucks. We didn't mention
the name of the outfit, Wesley, So you didn't mention?
Speaker 3 (19:39):
And how do you know what we were talking about?
Speaker 1 (19:40):
I can read the papers, can I. They've been full
of them parcels delivery stick ups. You know more about
it than that come on, let's have it was.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
I tell your nuts.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
I just got into town yesterday from where California.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Where in California bolts.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
And we can check on that.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
Wesley, so check.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
You'll fight out as like I said, you ain't got it.
The thing I met coppies, not a largey thing. Lieutenant
Hermann sent in a teletype request for verification from Fulsom,
along with telephoto copies of Wesley's prints for comparison.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
We got the answer back in an hour.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
Well there it is, Bella. Wesley wasn't sprung from Folsom
until yesterday morning, served his full time.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
We made one more check.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
We had missus Robertson try to pick out the man
she'd seen from a lineup including Wesley and six police officers.
She made a positive identification of Sergeant Drayson. Expense ac
count adam two seventeen dollars and eighty five cents dinner
and drinks for Lieutenant Herman and myself. Afterwards, the Lieutenant
(20:54):
called it quits for the night and I headed for
the Patterson garage. I wanted to talk with Walt Hendrix again.
Pluggy to catch me in dollar don't usually work this late,
but it's different now, Well, what's different.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
About it, mister Henricks.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
I've got some drivers to get a couple of substitutes
for those who were laid.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Up, two permanent ones.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
Yeah, yeah, Well I won't take up too much of
your time.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
I just wanna get a two things straight.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Sure, and it's pretty obvious that whoever we're after knows
the operation of this business.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
That means he knew he wasn't.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
Gonna get much of a take on those mornings stick ups.
The drivers hadn't time to collect many CODs. No, but
he got over thirty seven hundred of the afternoon gal
ring along with that. I don't say there is but
it's possible that money is only the frosting on the cake.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
Thinking that somebody might have a.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
Grudge against the outre numb there's enough evidence to support it. Well,
the systematic way he's going after the drivers, the beatings
he's ditched out for no apparent reason. Yeah, yeah, I've
been thinking the same thing.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
Come up with any ideas, No, not a one.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
Company has always had a good labor record, and he
busts with competitors. I even checked with Missus Thompson about it.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Who's missus Thompson.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
Oh, she worked here for almost twenty years as my
assistant and secretary. Had an auto accident about six months ago.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
After trippleed, uh, it's tough. Yeah, but she knows the
business as.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
Well as I do, so I thought maybe she'd come
up with something have any luck.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
Nothing.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Even talked to her husband about it. Did he work
for the outfit too, No? No, but he got to
know it pretty well through her, and he figured it
the same way we do. But he couldn't come up
with anything either. He did try to warn Milt Spears, though,
how was that?
Speaker 2 (22:35):
Well?
Speaker 3 (22:36):
He had the guys pat and figured.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
Out too a new Milt might be next, so all
we wanted him to be careful. Missus Thompson's husband was
here at the garage before Milt Spears went.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
He drove up just a few minutes before Milt took
off the road test the truck. I went back to
the hotel and put on a call to Tomson and Hartford.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
In the company's interest.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
He was willing to bunt up his bridge game and
go down to the office. He called me back in
about forty five minutes with the information I wanted accident.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Took place last Christmas Eve. Johnny Thompson's were leaving a
party at the Patterson offices. Apparently the husband had a
little too much to drink, drove out of the garage
too fast, skidded as he hit the street, and wound
up on the wrong side. One of the delivery trucks
were just coming in met head on.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
Uh huh. What's the medical report there?
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Well, the driver the truck was killed out right. Missus
Thompson suffered too broken vertebrae left her permanently crippled. We
paid all medical expenses.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
She's got a life income of one.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Hundred dollars a month.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
What about the husband?
Speaker 2 (23:37):
He was in the hospital look until a couple of
weeks ago, had a depressed skull fracture, back compound fracture
the right tibia. Outside of that, he should be as
good as now.
Speaker 3 (23:45):
Help Jenny, Johnny, I wouldn't be surprised.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
The Thompson home with a modest spraying bungalow on Prospect Avenue,
less than a half mile from the Patterson Garage.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
I was met at the door by a.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
Practical nurse who checked with Missus Thompson and then let
me into the bedroom to see her.
Speaker 6 (24:07):
It is awfully kind of you to call on me
this way, mister Darley, and I want you to know
that Charlie and I are very appreciative of everything your
company is done for us.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
You're only getting what you're entitled to, Missus Thompson.
Speaker 5 (24:21):
Well perhaps, but when you've been used to making your
own way of life, ending your own living, then suddenly
find yourself in a position like I am in, well,
thoughtfully nice to know that there are people like you around.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
Well, thanks, Missus Thompson. Is your husband at home?
Speaker 5 (24:42):
I'm dreadfully sorry, but he left just a few minutes ago.
And you did want to talk to him about those robberies,
didn't you.
Speaker 3 (24:50):
What makes you think that?
Speaker 5 (24:52):
Oh, mister Hendricks told me you were in town. And
Charlie's been so interested in those hold ups. Well, he
just feels terrible about those poor drivers.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
You know.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
No, I didn't.
Speaker 5 (25:05):
Oh, yes, just terrible. He's been so worried about them
ever since the trouble began. But he even wanted to
ride along with some of them on their routes to
help protect them.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
Is that so?
Speaker 5 (25:19):
Yes, he's felt that way, you know, protective about them.
Ever since that accident happened to us. Some men might
have felt the driver was to blame that night, might
have felt resentful toward them because of what happened.
Speaker 4 (25:35):
To me, But not Charlie.
Speaker 5 (25:39):
He's a wonderfully forgiving man.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Mister Darbey, where is your husband now?
Speaker 5 (25:44):
Yes, he even had a presentment about what was going
to happen to them after the hold up started.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
He told me he was afraid that.
Speaker 5 (25:55):
Robber would go from one driver to the next, beating them,
perhaps even killing him. He even made a list of
the one who's afraid would be her.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
Where is he now, missus Thompson.
Speaker 5 (26:07):
That's why he went out tonight, mister Dollar. He's determined
he won't let anything like that happen again. That's why
he went out to protect.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
Him, to protect who well the next one on his list,
of course, my form room lawyer, mister Hendrix. The poem
was in the living room. I put in two fast calls.
The first two police headquarters. I love a car right
out Dollar. The second was to the Patterson Garage to
(26:39):
Warren Hendricks. The garage was only a few short blocks away,
and I made it before the squad guard did. There
was a light in Hendrick's office, but it was empty.
I tried the darkened garage the next Tompson, is that
(27:14):
you Thompson? Tompson, what's going on out there? What's the
shooting about? It's Dollar Hendricks. Dollar, Yeah, throw some lights
(27:37):
on with him. Yeah, sure, going on here?
Speaker 3 (27:40):
Dollar? What do you do? Oh, Charlie Thompson?
Speaker 1 (27:46):
Yeah, where were you in the back room? But Charlie,
what what happened?
Speaker 3 (27:54):
Well, somebody had to stopped him from protecting you.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
Expencer count adam three twenty two dollars and ten cents.
Hotel bill and miscellaneous expense account ADAM four seventy one
dollars and thirty cents. Airfare back to Hartford expense account
total one hundred and eighty four dollars and forty five cents.
Remarks when ballistics verified that Thompson's twenty two cold had
killed Milton Spears, my official job was over my unofficial one.
(28:37):
Informing missus Thompson wasn't nearly as easy.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
I guess I got a little confused. It's the only way.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
I can account for the fact that she believes her
husband died a hero getting the bandit single handed.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
You're truly Johnny dollar
Speaker 4 (29:01):
W
Well you're listening enjoyment, John Lund has Johnny Dallas.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Johnny, how fast can you get to Kansas City, Missouri?
Why maybe you can stop a homicide? Well, that sounds worthwhile.
What's the dope. We underwrite complete insurance coverage for the
Paterson Transport Corporation. They handle apostles delivery service for most
of the department stores in town.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Well, that should be profitab little bit hardly deadly.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
There have been six robberies and beatings involving your drivers
in the past week, Johnny. Apparently one guy is responsible,
and he's gotten increasingly brutal with each hold up.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
How far has he gone?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
The last hold up was yesterday afternoon. He went braserk
the drivers from the.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Hospital with five broken ribs in a fractured skull.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
If this guy hasn't caught a twenty a question of
time before he kills somebody.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
I take the first plane out. You know, many great
men have attained the highest office in our land, the
presidency of the United States.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Can you guess the name of this man?
Speaker 1 (01:04):
In eighteen eighty four, with a limited education and practically
no experience in national affairs, he was elected president at
the age of forty eight. During his administration, an income
tax was passed but declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court,
and Coxey's army made its first march on the Capitol
(01:26):
as a protest against unemployment. It was also during his
administration that the Presidential Succession Bill was passed, which indicated
the line of succession to the presidency from the president
down through the cabinet. If you don't have his name
by now here are two more clues. He was the
first president to be married in the White House and
(01:49):
the only president who served too non successive terms.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Who was he?
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Grover Cleveland, twenty second and twenty fourth President of the
United States. His life is part of your American Heritage.
(02:21):
Expense account submitted by a special investigator, Johnny Dollar to
a home office Eastern and Mnity and Insurance Company, Hartford, Connecticut.
The following is in accounting of expenditures during my investigation
of the Patterson Transport matter expense account out of won
seventy three dollars and twenty cents airfare and incidentals between Hartford, Connecticut.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
And Kansas City, Missouri.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
I was met at the airport by Walt Hendricks, Vice
president and general manager of Patterson Transport. It's a rough
one dollar six hold ups for the week over thirty
seven hundred dollars. Cood money stole them. Three drivers, beat
them so badly they can't work. One of them in
the hospital in critical condition. A real rough one.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
I understand.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
One man has been pulling the job, sister Hendricks seems
to stack up that way.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
So far we haven't been able.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
To do a plast thing to stop. How's he operating
us like this? He buys something at the department store.
As the package sent out cod to a vacant apartment house.
The driver gets out there, he lowers the boom.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
What about the police?
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Since yesterday morning they've had a playing clothesman riding the delivery.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Trust with the drivers.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Well, I should have brought results, and we thought it
would too, Jill. Last night, the driver.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
That's laid up in the hospital, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
He got it in his own garage, coming home from
a movie with his wife. Hendrix dropped me off at
the Mulebach hotel. He said the Patterson Transport company was
to fly a car for my personal news, and it
was there ready waiting. After I finished checking in, I
(04:02):
drove over the police headquarters at eleven twenty five Locks
the street, where a Lieutenant Herman of the Robbery Division
filled me in. Well, there's a few things about this
that makes sense, Teller, not manning, but a few like
wad with Tenter. We operates, for one, as a definite pattern.
Every hold up's either at the fire and the driver's
rout or the last stop or two before he checks
in for the day. Sounds like he's pretty familiar with
(04:25):
the delivery operations. And that's a bree figure. Maybe from
Patterson Transport in, maybe from the department store. Then another thing,
he's almost sure to be a cycle.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
The way he's man handled.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Those drivers, there wasn't any reason for beating him. Drivers
all have orders not to resist. Gets increasingly brutal with
every holder. No sense to it unless he's a cycle,
any description of them. Yeah, Partial always wears a blue
bandana handkerchief over his face. But uh, here's what we've
(04:55):
got on him.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
When it's worth.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Say about sixth Street, one hundred and ninety to two
hundred pounds, Gray Slaughter chat Baggy Gray's suit has a
noticeable limp in the right leg.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Hm, well that's.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
Pretty general, but that limp might help tie him down.
I've got the personnel managers of Patterson in the department
stores going over their records on the basis of that description.
So far they haven't up with anything. But here's another Angleer,
take a look at this man. Yeah sure, Now, the
first robbery took place out here forty three under block
and Seneca. A next here an observation park, and one
(05:34):
here in Cyprus, the next to thirty second Terry, then
fifty fourth in Jackson. Well that makes a rough circle
around the city. What's he been doing moving from route
to rout in a definite pattern? I'd say if hitting
one driver after another in turn.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Well, then you should know who's liable to be next
on the list. We do.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Driver by the name of Milton Spears got the Southwest
territory down here. If the man we're after follows this pattern,
you'll get him. But if he breaks it like he
did last night, Yeah, that's not all I can tell
you now. Down we're hoping this guy will try again.
With our men riding the trucks, it's our best bet
for getting him. And even if he doesn't, maybe we can. Oh. Hi, Grayson, So.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
You just got a report over a traffic provision.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
One of the Patterson Company's truck was in an accident
I Underson Avenue. What kind of accident? Well, apparently the
truck got out of control smashed into a parked car
along the curved driver was killed. What about our man?
You didn't have anybody aside of it. Truck has been
in for repair and the driver was just road testing.
It doesn't sound like a Tizon with a hold up
as much better, Banks, Grayson, Let me see the complete
report when you get it in surely time. Hey, sergeants, Yeah,
(06:45):
did you get the name of the driver who was killed?
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Yeah, we got it.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
The name was Spears, Open Spears. When we got to
the scene of the accident, an ambulance and.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Squad car were already there. Terrible.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
One of the squad car men filled u Sin on
what they'd learned. He was heading eastern Namers in here, lieutenant.
Then for some reason he suddenly clamped the wheel of
the light and clouded into that buick there at the curb.
He must have been going in a pretty good clip,
burned a lot of rubber off on the street when.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
He swung in here.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Yeah, what did the ambulance men have to say he
was dead when they got here. He didn't look as
though the crash killed him. No, impact wasn't heavy enough
for that. I think you might have had a heart attack.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Huh.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
And he witnesses you. No, I witnesses, Lieutenant, because a
lady over there wants to talk to you.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
Okay, that's critic.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Come over. And I haven't take the body down to
the mort for an immediate autopsy. I want the results
on it as soon as possible. Okay, Lieutenant, how does
it hit you dollar? Well, a couple of things don't
quite add up. Well, why he was road testing a
truck on a quiet residential streak, why he was going
fast enough to make heavy skid marks?
Speaker 3 (07:58):
W that?
Speaker 1 (07:58):
And why and had.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
To have.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Spirit?
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Well, maybe the autopsy will give us something to go on.
Oh maybe it's the lady I was telling you about, Lieutenant,
Missus Robertson. How do you do, Missus Robinson? I understand
you have something to tell us.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
I should say that you have something, you, lieutenants, it's
about tiny police officers say something. You will take the
interest of our citizens. We've got rights, you know, and
it's your duty to see that they're protected.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
I'm not sure I understand.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
No, I didn't think you would. Things have come to
pretty past when a taxpayer can leave the car parked
out on the street without some drunken puck drivers smashing
into pieces. It's your duty to see that such reckless
and competent drivers that kept off our streets and highways.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
You're the owner of the buick that was hit, Missus Robinson.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
Well, isn't that just what I've been telling you, young man?
And believe me, somebody is going to pay for the
damage done to my car and put the shock and
damage cast to my nerves.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Didn you see the accident take place, Missus Robinson?
Speaker 4 (08:54):
No, I didn't see it, but not that I had to.
I was upstairs in my apartment over there, playing whist
with some friends.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Then what makes you think the driver was drunk, very irresponsible?
Speaker 4 (09:07):
Oh, of course he was. What other explanation could there
be smashing into a person's car like that in broad
daylight on a quiet street. There's not the slightest doubt
in my mind. Both of them were drunk, and.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
There was somebody else in the truck besides the driver, of.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
Course there was.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
How do you know, missus Robinson, Oh.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
Because I saw him. That's why I looked out of
my window and saw him. A big husky man he was.
He got out of the truck right after the crash
and went limping off down the street.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Additional questioning of the excitable missus Robertson brought no further information,
but he got the same results from the other residents.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
Of Anderson Avenue.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
The men from the lab arrived and started working on
the truck and buick for possible physical evidence, and we
went back to police headquarters. I don't need View to
stick around Alla unless you want to. You won't forgetting
the autopsy report. I'm spears another hour or two. Well,
I thought I might look over the driver's statements and
the robbery of Lieutenant. Maybe something will hit me. I'm
(10:12):
sure I'll have Grayson dig him out for you. Yes, Grayson,
will you get out the driver's statements in the Patterson
Transport fires.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Mister Dollar would like to look him over. I'll get
him right here the time. Adding another report to the list.
What's that the call from General Hospital? The driver who
was beaten up last night just died.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
I went over the driver's statements and the official investigation
reports Lieutenant Herman and his manage covered every angle I
could think of, and a couple I hadn't. When I
got through, the autopsy on Milton Spears hadn't been completed yet.
So I drove out to the Patterson Transport Company in
the Northeast Industrial District.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
I found Walt Hendrix and the offices of the company,
which were.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Located to one side of their busy garage. Oh, it's
a terrible thing about Milk Spears. Dollar a terrible thing.
Men have been with us for fifteen years, perfect safety
records and gets himself killed in an action.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
It that way.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
If it was an action, well you think it's connected
with the hold ups.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
We'll know more about it when we get the autops
in the book. Well, I suppose it could. Guy. According
to the pattern, Spears was the next driver to do
to get hit.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Sure, and if it had happened while Spears was out
on the route, I'd say okay, But he wasn't. Just
what was he doing, mister Henricks, Well, his truck broke
down the clutch linkage. We sent a substitute out and
the garage got through. Milt took the truck out to
road test it.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
Anybody go with him.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
No, Milk was a good mechanic, no reason to send
anybody along, and we don't allow our men to pick
up any.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
Riders, the or hitchhikers.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
Now, there couldn't have been anybody in the truck him,
or maybe he picked up somebody knew.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Well, possibility, I suppose. I don't know.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Dollar. This thing's got me so busy, I can't think
straight at all, And I guess there's one consolation though, Yeah,
what's that? If you count Spears, every driver in the
organization's been hit by now. Unless he starts over again,
this guy has any place to go. I'll give you
eight to five. He'll think of something. It was getting
(12:22):
late in the afternoon, so I figured i'd pay one
more visit the headquarters before going back to the hotel
and knocking off for the day. As I walked into
Lieutenant Hermann's office, he was just finishing a phone call. Gay, Doc,
thanks your board. I'll buy you a dinner some day
if you're lucky enough to catch up with me. Hi, Dolly.
That was Doc Winters, autopsy surgeon. There was a twenty
(12:44):
two caliber bullet in Milton Spears brain woll.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
Nothing very accidental. About that is there.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
Not likely fired at close range? Behind the right ear
point of penetration was covered by hair. Bullet lies in
the bone. Why the ambulance attendants couldn't catch it? Now,
wonder he crushed the truck? Uh, we don't have ballistics
examine the bullet. I don't know that they would come
up with anything. Now, well, it's been a long day.
(13:11):
Well these say we go out.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
And have a bike da oh by that we'll come in.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
There's a good steakhouse right down so Dennet Hermann, I remember,
we'll be right there. Now, let's roll, darling.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
What's up?
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Remember that missus Robertson, the woman who that smashed up
y Wick? Yeah, I just saw a man there after.
He's out in front of her place. Right now, Mind
(14:02):
if I cut into say something fellas, it won't take
too long. Since a word to the wise is sufficient
And in the English language, there is one word which
is important to just about everyone in the world. That
word is security. Security has several different meetings. However, usually
(14:23):
we think of it in connection with the protecting of
our military installations and defense industries. But it means more
than that. There is a security which applies to every man, woman,
and child in America, the security which comes from being
in good health, having a good education, and being well
(14:44):
taken care of in case things get a little too
tough to handle by oneself. This kind of security is
the problem of the President's newest Cabinet member, The Secretary
of Health, Education, and Welfare, ties together the work of
several governmental agencies. First, there is the United States Public
(15:06):
Health Service, which strives to make certain that the general
health of the people in our country is in the
best of conditions. Then there is the Food and Drug Administration,
which guarantees that the food we eat is pure and
safe to eat. The Social Security Board, which takes care
of ole people, children and the blind who need assistance,
(15:28):
also comes under the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare,
as does the United States Office of Education. This office
does research on the educational possibilities, changes, and opportunities and
passes on its information to the various state boards of education.
As you can see, the Department of Health, Education, and
(15:50):
Welfare is one of the most important agencies in our government,
assuring off as it does, of a normal and healthy
way block. And now, with our star John Lund, we
(16:10):
bring you the second act of yours, truly, Johnny Dollar.
When Lieutenant Herman and I got out to the address
(16:31):
Avenue address, Missus Robinson was waiting for us in the
vestibule of.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
The apartment building.
Speaker 4 (16:36):
It's the man. The very same man got out of
the truck had smashed my car, and I want you
to arrest him at once.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
You hear if he's a man, we'll arrest him, Missus
Racause he's a man.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
I ought to know. I saw him get out of
the truck and limp down the street, and I saw
him again just before I called you.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
What was he doing, Missus Robinson.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
Looking over my car? That's what a nerve of him?
A criminal returning to the scene of his crime.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
There's no doubt about the identification.
Speaker 4 (17:03):
I told you there wasn't, didn't I A big, heavy
set man, dressed enough a grace to walking with a limb.
He's the man, all right?
Speaker 3 (17:13):
Where is he now?
Speaker 4 (17:14):
Where would a.
Speaker 5 (17:15):
Man like Patsy?
Speaker 4 (17:16):
I told you he was drunk when he smashed into
my car. He went into that bar at the corner.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
There he is at the bar.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Yeah, only guy in a place answered the description.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
Do you want to take him over? There?
Speaker 1 (17:41):
Just got the places. I mean, police officers keep their
hands on the bar.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
What's going on here?
Speaker 1 (17:52):
Hands on the bar? Take him down? Down?
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Yeah? Sure? What do you think you're doing?
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Mack?
Speaker 3 (17:57):
I ain't got no rod on me.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
How about it?
Speaker 3 (18:00):
He's clean with him? Sure, I'm clean. I told you
I was today. What do you guys want with me?
Speaker 1 (18:05):
What's your name is n what's it to you? Your
name Wesley? Joe Wesley?
Speaker 3 (18:10):
Where do you live?
Speaker 1 (18:11):
I ain't decided yet, just got out of town.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
What are you doing in this neighborhood?
Speaker 1 (18:15):
Look, you guys ain't got nothing on me. Guy's got
a right to come in and have a drink without
coppers hopping.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
All over him.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Why are the interest in the car?
Speaker 3 (18:22):
Isn't what a smashed up buick down the street?
Speaker 1 (18:25):
Who was interested in a smash buick?
Speaker 3 (18:27):
You were?
Speaker 1 (18:28):
You were looking at it? Why so I looked at it?
Any law against that? Man was killed when that car
was hit with me?
Speaker 3 (18:34):
So what's they gotta do with me?
Speaker 1 (18:35):
We've got a witness who says you were involved in
the accident.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
Yo, witnesses nuts.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
All I was doing was walking down the street. I've
seen the car, took a gander out of you talk
it over downtown, Wesley.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
There ain't nothing to talk. I didn't have nothing to
do with that car.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Somebody getting bumped off. You heard the lieutenant. We'll talk
about it downtown. Might as well come clean, Wesley. Make
it easier on yourself. There's nothing to come clean. Upt
I told you coppers that you ain't got nothing on me.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
We've got a witness, and says different.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
I told you he's lying. I never been in that
neighborhood before. What did you do with the gun?
Speaker 3 (19:15):
What? God?
Speaker 1 (19:16):
The one you used to knock off Milton Spears. I
never heard a gun and I never heard of the spears.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
Now, why didn't you guys lay off? Let me out
of here?
Speaker 1 (19:25):
Pretty good racket you had, Wesley? How'd you happen to
think of it?
Speaker 3 (19:28):
What racket?
Speaker 1 (19:29):
The parcel delivery gimmick? You nuts sept. I didn't have
nothing to do with them Patterson trucks. We didn't mention
the name of the outfit, Wesley, So you didn't mention?
Speaker 3 (19:39):
And how do you know what we were talking about?
Speaker 1 (19:40):
I can read the papers, can I. They've been full
of them parcels delivery stick ups. You know more about
it than that come on, let's have it was.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
I tell your nuts.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
I just got into town yesterday from where California.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Where in California bolts.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
And we can check on that.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
Wesley, so check.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
You'll fight out as like I said, you ain't got it.
The thing I met coppies, not a largey thing. Lieutenant
Hermann sent in a teletype request for verification from Fulsom,
along with telephoto copies of Wesley's prints for comparison.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
We got the answer back in an hour.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
Well there it is, Bella. Wesley wasn't sprung from Folsom
until yesterday morning, served his full time.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
We made one more check.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
We had missus Robertson try to pick out the man
she'd seen from a lineup including Wesley and six police officers.
She made a positive identification of Sergeant Drayson. Expense ac
count adam two seventeen dollars and eighty five cents dinner
and drinks for Lieutenant Herman and myself. Afterwards, the Lieutenant
(20:54):
called it quits for the night and I headed for
the Patterson garage. I wanted to talk with Walt Hendrix again.
Pluggy to catch me in dollar don't usually work this late,
but it's different now, Well, what's different.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
About it, mister Henricks.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
I've got some drivers to get a couple of substitutes
for those who were laid.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Up, two permanent ones.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
Yeah, yeah, Well I won't take up too much of
your time.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
I just wanna get a two things straight.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Sure, and it's pretty obvious that whoever we're after knows
the operation of this business.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
That means he knew he wasn't.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
Gonna get much of a take on those mornings stick ups.
The drivers hadn't time to collect many CODs. No, but
he got over thirty seven hundred of the afternoon gal
ring along with that. I don't say there is but
it's possible that money is only the frosting on the cake.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
Thinking that somebody might have a.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
Grudge against the outre numb there's enough evidence to support it. Well,
the systematic way he's going after the drivers, the beatings
he's ditched out for no apparent reason. Yeah, yeah, I've
been thinking the same thing.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
Come up with any ideas, No, not a one.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
Company has always had a good labor record, and he
busts with competitors. I even checked with Missus Thompson about it.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Who's missus Thompson.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
Oh, she worked here for almost twenty years as my
assistant and secretary. Had an auto accident about six months ago.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
After trippleed, uh, it's tough. Yeah, but she knows the
business as.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
Well as I do, so I thought maybe she'd come
up with something have any luck.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
Nothing.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Even talked to her husband about it. Did he work
for the outfit too, No? No, but he got to
know it pretty well through her, and he figured it
the same way we do. But he couldn't come up
with anything either. He did try to warn Milt Spears, though,
how was that?
Speaker 2 (22:35):
Well?
Speaker 3 (22:36):
He had the guys pat and figured.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
Out too a new Milt might be next, so all
we wanted him to be careful. Missus Thompson's husband was
here at the garage before Milt Spears went.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
He drove up just a few minutes before Milt took
off the road test the truck. I went back to
the hotel and put on a call to Tomson and Hartford.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
In the company's interest.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
He was willing to bunt up his bridge game and
go down to the office. He called me back in
about forty five minutes with the information I wanted accident.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Took place last Christmas Eve. Johnny Thompson's were leaving a
party at the Patterson offices. Apparently the husband had a
little too much to drink, drove out of the garage
too fast, skidded as he hit the street, and wound
up on the wrong side. One of the delivery trucks
were just coming in met head on.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
Uh huh. What's the medical report there?
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Well, the driver the truck was killed out right. Missus
Thompson suffered too broken vertebrae left her permanently crippled. We
paid all medical expenses.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
She's got a life income of one.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Hundred dollars a month.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
What about the husband?
Speaker 2 (23:37):
He was in the hospital look until a couple of
weeks ago, had a depressed skull fracture, back compound fracture
the right tibia. Outside of that, he should be as
good as now.
Speaker 3 (23:45):
Help Jenny, Johnny, I wouldn't be surprised.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
The Thompson home with a modest spraying bungalow on Prospect Avenue,
less than a half mile from the Patterson Garage.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
I was met at the door by a.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
Practical nurse who checked with Missus Thompson and then let
me into the bedroom to see her.
Speaker 6 (24:07):
It is awfully kind of you to call on me
this way, mister Darley, and I want you to know
that Charlie and I are very appreciative of everything your
company is done for us.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
You're only getting what you're entitled to, Missus Thompson.
Speaker 5 (24:21):
Well perhaps, but when you've been used to making your
own way of life, ending your own living, then suddenly
find yourself in a position like I am in, well,
thoughtfully nice to know that there are people like you around.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
Well, thanks, Missus Thompson. Is your husband at home?
Speaker 5 (24:42):
I'm dreadfully sorry, but he left just a few minutes ago.
And you did want to talk to him about those robberies,
didn't you.
Speaker 3 (24:50):
What makes you think that?
Speaker 5 (24:52):
Oh, mister Hendricks told me you were in town. And
Charlie's been so interested in those hold ups. Well, he
just feels terrible about those poor drivers.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
You know.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
No, I didn't.
Speaker 5 (25:05):
Oh, yes, just terrible. He's been so worried about them
ever since the trouble began. But he even wanted to
ride along with some of them on their routes to
help protect them.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
Is that so?
Speaker 5 (25:19):
Yes, he's felt that way, you know, protective about them.
Ever since that accident happened to us. Some men might
have felt the driver was to blame that night, might
have felt resentful toward them because of what happened.
Speaker 4 (25:35):
To me, But not Charlie.
Speaker 5 (25:39):
He's a wonderfully forgiving man.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Mister Darbey, where is your husband now?
Speaker 5 (25:44):
Yes, he even had a presentment about what was going
to happen to them after the hold up started.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
He told me he was afraid that.
Speaker 5 (25:55):
Robber would go from one driver to the next, beating them,
perhaps even killing him. He even made a list of
the one who's afraid would be her.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
Where is he now, missus Thompson.
Speaker 5 (26:07):
That's why he went out tonight, mister Dollar. He's determined
he won't let anything like that happen again. That's why
he went out to protect.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
Him, to protect who well the next one on his list,
of course, my form room lawyer, mister Hendrix. The poem
was in the living room. I put in two fast calls.
The first two police headquarters. I love a car right
out Dollar. The second was to the Patterson Garage to
(26:39):
Warren Hendricks. The garage was only a few short blocks away,
and I made it before the squad guard did. There
was a light in Hendrick's office, but it was empty.
I tried the darkened garage the next Tompson, is that
(27:14):
you Thompson? Tompson, what's going on out there? What's the
shooting about? It's Dollar Hendricks. Dollar, Yeah, throw some lights
(27:37):
on with him. Yeah, sure, going on here?
Speaker 3 (27:40):
Dollar? What do you do? Oh, Charlie Thompson?
Speaker 1 (27:46):
Yeah, where were you in the back room? But Charlie,
what what happened?
Speaker 3 (27:54):
Well, somebody had to stopped him from protecting you.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
Expencer count adam three twenty two dollars and ten cents.
Hotel bill and miscellaneous expense account ADAM four seventy one
dollars and thirty cents. Airfare back to Hartford expense account
total one hundred and eighty four dollars and forty five cents.
Remarks when ballistics verified that Thompson's twenty two cold had
killed Milton Spears, my official job was over my unofficial one.
(28:37):
Informing missus Thompson wasn't nearly as easy.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
I guess I got a little confused. It's the only way.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
I can account for the fact that she believes her
husband died a hero getting the bandit single handed.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
You're truly Johnny dollar
Speaker 4 (29:01):
W
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