773 - The Two Faces Of Death

Strange Dr Weird - Unsolved Mysteries (The Cambridge Mystery)

Episode Transcript

(00:02):
The journey end of the round ofthe Strange to get a bad I hope
you will enjoy the table, thatit will trill you a little and kill
you a little. So settle back, get a good grip on your nerve.
Where are we going? You'll findout when we get there. Well,

(00:29):
greetings everybody, Welcome back to thepodcast. Your host here as always
Dakota. Today we hear from theStrange Doctor Weird, and don't forget to
stick around at the end for anothertrue unsolved mystery. All right, well,
let's go ahead and get into itsback and enjoy from the Strange Doctor

(00:49):
Weird The Two Faces of Death,which aired March thirteenth of nineteen forty five,
The Strange Doctor Weird. Good evening, Come in, won't you whoy?

(01:21):
Was the matter not nervous? II don't want you to be nervous?
Perhaps if I told you a storyit might help to calm you.
I know a very nice story abouta man who tried to live another man's
life for him. I call itThe Two Faces of Death. And now

(01:51):
for my story, The Two Facesof Death. In an office high above
the city, George Post of thefinancial firm of Posting Jones is dictating to
his secretary Nelson Smith. When thetelephone rings, Shall I answer, mister
Post, No, I'll get aNelson Hello Post picking who oh, yes,

(02:17):
yes, I say Monday morning.You're saying, and the tip came
from Yes, Yes, I getit. I'll take the necessary steps.
Good man, Nelson, where areyou going? He's going to the washroom,
mister Post, come back here.Yes, sir Nelson, that phone

(02:37):
call was from a friend of mine, he says. The authorities are going
to investigate the firm's books Monday morning. They got a tip that we're indulging
in phony stop deals. And thattip came from you. No, no,
mister Post, it wasn't being turnedto send Nelson please, mister Post,
I don't know what you're talking about. What are you doing with that
paper night? I am just goingto teach you a little lesson. No,

(02:58):
stay away for that. Nelson ishow a stool pigeon always winds up
dead? Anything wrong? George?I thought it? Good lord, what
if you're done? Listen to Waller. Nelson tipped off the feds at our
stock deals, aben phonies. We'vegot to clear out. I had to
kill Nelson or here to have thecopslide actress. Yes, but mart worry.

(03:21):
I have a plan with hide Nelson'sbody in the closet. This is
Friday. It won't be found onMonday. But then what all right,
you'll see? Right now, we'regoing to drive up to my lodge in
the mountains. I have a newlodge keeper up there named Tony Amato.
And Tony is going to surprise you, Walter. He's going to surprise you
very much. Late that evening,the two partners reached a lonely hunting lodge

(03:47):
in the Adirondecks, and when WalterJones got his first glimpse of Tony Amato,
the lodge keeper helcacely conceal his astonishment. George Post Tony orders to prepare
dinner. I'll just whip up anythingi've got, Tony were stalls, Yes,
mister Post, I'll have something readyin half an hour. Good,

(04:08):
we'll wash up meanwhile, right,great, gosh, George, is that
the surprising why he looks just likeyou? He could be a twin brother.
That's a surprise, Waller. Youknow, fate works in funny ways.
I was driving back from Chicago aswinner when I picked up a hitchhiker
Tony. He was broken, desperate. He compessed to me the police wanted
him for petty larceny. When Iorfered him this job as lodge keeper,

(04:30):
he was so gratefully almost cry Isee both Tony and I recognize that we
looked alike. He thought I washelping him because of that. Actually,
I figured I might need a fallguy sometime soon, and he'd be it.
Now. The time is here,right, Suppose the police raid this

(04:50):
lodge and find Tony a motto deadwearing my clothes. Beside him, there's
a note confessing everything. What'll itlooked like? So it's of course they'll
bury him and stop looking for you. Exactly, you're going back to town
and claim you didn't know what wasgoing on. I'll take all the blame
and clear you entirely. That's perfect, George. But after you've taken care

(05:13):
of Tony Amato's identity, what willyou do. I'll go back to Chicago
and get myself up to the police. Yes, I'll claim an easy Oh,
say, I can't remember what happened, just that I committed some kind
of crime and I want to clearmyself. If necessary, I'll go to
jail for six months for petty larceny. It'll be the perfect hiding place.

(05:33):
Oh, I'll be jig. It'sbrilliant, George, positively brilliant. Yeah,
well, I suppose we get readyfor dinner. It's going to be
an important dinner for Tony Amato,his last. If George spends a few
months in jail, we can certainlyspend a few seconds on an important detail

(05:56):
or two. Now, doctor weird. Now I'll continue my story The Two
Faces of Death. Dinner at thehunting Lodge is over, and George Post
has invited Tony a Motto who looksso strangely like him, to sit down

(06:20):
and have a drink with them.Tony is almost pathetically grateful to his employer.
See, mister Post, I don'tknow what I'd have done if you
hadn't picked me up that day.I can't tell you what this job means
to me. George, you'd likethat bighearted, I can hear Tony odd
swell, mister Jones, so quietand peaceful. You haven't been into the

(06:42):
village much, have your town?Oh no, mister Post, you warned
me about that. I haven't beento town once in the whole three months.
Good. Well, let's finish ourranks. Here's the climb. See
that's good. Well, mister Post. If you'll excuse, I'll clear off.
I think it's so funny. Whatwhat's wrong with me? You're dying?

(07:04):
Tony's dying. Yes, it's poisonand I drink you. See,
Tony, I need your life.You're going to die and become me.
I'm going to live and become you. Simple, isn't it. You're going
to become me. Well, Ihope you enjoy it dying. I hope

(07:25):
you enjoyed being Tony about it?Well gone, very nicely done, Jorge.
Yes, I think so. Inthe moment you will join him,
Walna, I'll join him. Whatare you saying? Just that I poisoned
your drink too? You poisoned bydrink? Yes? You don't think I
could leave you alive to double crossme for the money we've got hitting the

(07:46):
way, do you? I wasgoing to double cross you, George,
but meet me. Joy it up, George, very clever you will be.

(08:11):
Two days later, in the earlyevening, George Posts dressed in clothes
that had belonged to his ex lodgekeeper Tonia Motto descended from a bus in
midtown Chicago. He walked a fewblocks and stopped to buy an evening paper.
It should be here. They've hadplenty of time to find the bodies.

(08:31):
Yes, yes, here it is. Banking firm partners and suicide Pact.
Police disclose today the George Post andWaller Jones, the stockbrokerage firm of
Post and Jones, took their ownlives and say for a complete auditing of
the books to determine the size ofthe swindle. Authorities have marked the case
closed. Well that's that. GeorgePost is dead. Now to carry out

(08:56):
the rest of the plan, toget myself up to the police and Claire
Tony A Motto's record. Oh herecomes a policeman, Now he'll do.
Oh, officer, what is it? Officer? I want to give myself
up? Yourself up? What forwould you be giving yourself up? Down?
Tony A Mattoy? Is it?Well? What brings you back to

(09:18):
Chicago? Tony? Or you knowme? Sure? I know you're Tony?
Didn't I see you often enough hangingout in the pool rooms here a
the beach or then you must knowwhat I did what I wanted for?
Well? You see I was inan auto accent. I hit my head.
I can't remember how much accept myname, and that I was running
away from the police. Sure itwas the police. You're running away?
Yes, I think I stole alittle money. I want to clear myself.

(09:41):
You think you've stole a little money. That's a hot one. Maybe
you did, But we don't watcha Tony. You'll free? Is the
wind for our week here? Youmean I'm I'm not wanted for anything,
not as far as we are concerned. Well, that's fine. I guess
my look out. I can't butyou're he isn't speaking. M m.

(10:16):
That's Tony all right? For theScarlet mob got him, did they?
Yeah, I saw the car coming. I ducked just in time. I
wonder what brought Tony back to Chicago. Must have known Joe Scarlett was after
him for holding out on his numberscollections. You sure can't figure it how
he was trying to tell me somethingabout losing his memory when they got him.
One of the boys must have seenhim on the street and recognized him.

(10:39):
And I guess we'll have a knowhe's nips, he's trying to speak.
What is it, Tony? Inot you're going to become me.
That's a hot one. You're aclever George, very clever. No,
I'm not not. Tone can't catchwhat he's saying. It's like, I

(11:01):
hope you enjoyed me Tony about herselftoday, George, you'll be too clever,
too clever. He's dead, Inspector, Tony's dead. Yes, our

(11:33):
friend George was clever. But whenyou try to live somebody else's life,
you can never be sure what you'reletting yourself in for, can you.
That's why it's always best just tobe yourself. So if you ever meet
somebody who looks exactly like you,don't let yourself be tempted to try what

(11:54):
George did. So I knew aman once who thought he could. Oh,
you have to go now. Perhapsyou're dropping again soon. Yes,
look for the house on the otherside of the cemetery, the house of
doctor Weird. Unsolved Mysteries. Outof deference to people who may still be

(12:48):
living character names and some of thesetrue unsolved mysteries have been changed. A
closed room, a door bolted inblock, thanks passing window, and a
raging storm, a novelist setting fora murder and stretched on the baby.
A man stemmed through the hearth theCambridge unsolved mystery. The scene as Cambridge

(13:30):
and standing in its own ground,jumped off the Great North Road the Hermitage
home of Henry Monty, affectionately knownas the Squire. Darkening skies and the
chills to the air, with thedistant rumble of thunder, Foretel the coming
storm and the Squire, accompanied byJareth Welford, walked up to the front
door of the Hermitage. I thinkI felt a few drops and shellid No

(13:50):
down, Martin, we'll have astorm before morning. Better come in and
have a nightcap with me before yougo on home. Well, I don't
know. Come along, old them. I always have one, Hannah probably
had it all worn. Yes,indeed, Hannah and I have a sheriff
with me, so we'll have adouble order a punch. And don't blame

(14:11):
me, Hannah. I'm with allfor getting on my way home. But
the Squire here insisted in you oldthe Squire, Oh, indeed, and
I do, Sir Mary, Mary, bring another bowl of punch to the
kitchen. The master has company.We'll go up to my room, Sheriff.
The fire is burning brighter there doesthe uthage as you say, I'm
getting old shirt having stairs tax me. But I like my upstairs room.

(14:39):
I look out over the gowns inthe spring and summer, and in the
winter I can see the village throughthe bare branches. Sit down over here
by the fire. Thanks. Itis a delightful room filled with memories too.
I'm a bound years memories of sixtyodd years. Ah, here's Mary,

(15:01):
here's here wine say miss Hanna's bakingold picks the tomorrow re bretfive s
else she'd had brought it herself.That's all right, Mary. Here sheriff,
are you your help, squire?And may you live another sixty five
years old? And not bad?Not bad? There she comes. You've
gotta drink down your wine, sheff, and be off be she will get

(15:24):
a soaking I will, I will. Ah. That's good, that's good,
and thanks for the represhment. Saygood night, good night, good
night, like the sheriffs. Thereto the door. Mary here, I
will good night, good night.Mary. Old Hannah walks down the hallway.
Both she and Mary look up tothe landing above and see the squire
close his room door. Here thekey turn in the lock. Hear the

(15:48):
boat, slide home. The oldgrandfather's clock on the turn on the stairs
strikes ten o'clock. Drink. Thetwo women say good night and go to
their separate bedrooms. Tell the masterbreakfast ready, Mary left with Henna.

(16:29):
Breakfast is ready, Marta, Marsamarchers have to do marry the mostly he
doesn't know to not to think somethingor something to help when run n get
helpless. We'll have to break downthe door overvascinating ill, very ill said

(16:49):
the quick kick their love to runfor help. Here's what coming. He
doesn't answering. Open the door andgo in the knock them inside or the
door to that room made no ringingXS, Marry, I'll be going.

(17:11):
The squire always looking himself in hisroom alway shared a plasty years pray for
his life. Nothing I know I'veshared. If he's the digits, I'm
staying. Claire. I think I'mgetting out, Yeah, and I think

(17:32):
I can. Oh, don't look, Hannah, man, he don't look.
Run Marry and telephoned the lilage forthe police, tell him the squire
had been stepping through the heart.Two hours later, the police arrived from
the nurse village. Hannah and Maryare weeping hysteretically. The sheriff has opened
wide the smashed indoor, Detective inspectorand starting the police glance quickly about the
room as they walk over to thebed. Must have died instant, then,

(17:56):
yes, no signs of the struggle. When did you lay him alive?
On? Mary? And need bothstow him? When he locked himself
in his room last night? Twowine glasses and company last night? Yes
he did me U s Yes,I met him last night. He invited
me up for a glass of wine. I left a few minutes before ten
o'clock and he was all right?Then? Who he was? All right?
Oh? I saw the hir listto the door. I'm locked him.

(18:18):
Bolted the front door and cann't watchedthe master as he bolted his door,
And well, I who's he wentto? Ben? Then if you
bolted the front door, the murderermust have gone into the back door.
But he couldn't. The back doorwas locked the dust and it never was
open. Well, it's a certaintythat the murder didn't get in through this
window. It's barred on the outside, last on the inside, and it's
dry as a bone, so itwas not open. While it was raining.

(18:41):
I wait a minute, both ofyou women saw a squam on teeth,
clothes and bolt his bedroom door.Yes, and you didn't hear a
sound during the night the sender rain, No angry voices screaming. Do you
recognize the night he's been killed withI don't want the boy? Yes,
yes, I know it. Yeah, it's the one who he's lying his

(19:03):
own people, wait, his owna hunting knife. Hey, there's something
spooky about all this. He's allright. Last night at ten o'clock in
the sheriff's season speaks to him,so we know he's alive. Then,
and the two women here and lockedhimself in his rooms a few minutes later.
When did you try to wake himthis morning? Do you mean it's
as this? Women? It was? I couldn't give no ass Miss Hannah
said me for him. I waspassing by on my way to the village
when Mary ran out of the house. The door was bolted, so I

(19:26):
broke it in with an axe.All that began to look like suicide.
No, this wire, I hadno reason to kill himself. Well,
no one got in here through thislocked door and got out again and locked
and bolted it behind him. Nobodygot in around through this chimney. Get
to talk to them door side.I can't agree with you, and I
know the doctor will. No mantabbed himself the way the Squire has been
stabbed. The blade's been driven himclear up to the hill. I've tried.
That's got to be sensible. Thisdoor was bolted, wasn't there?

(19:49):
Yes, I pulled the bolt ofmyself after I called through the hole I
made in the door. All right. Then the room was closed, nobody
could get out in and if nobodycould get out of him, then it
was suicide. But it wasn't suicide. Squire Monkey had been brutally murdered.
And although to day, twenty twoyears later, the Cambridge murder is still
an unsolved mystery, we believe weknow the answer. Just a moment,

(20:11):
you will hear a solution to theCambridge murder mystery, Ladies and gentlemen.

(21:45):
In as much as any solution musthave necessarily the suppositions liberties of time,
place, and character have been takenin the solution for which you have been
waiting. The scene as became BridgePolice Station, where the he proceeded behind
his desk, talking to the sergeantand Detective inspector. Well, boys,
a month has passed since the killingof the squire. As far as I
can see, we're no mirror solution, and here compared Street, and I

(22:06):
don't think there'll be any mirror one. The Commissioner is going to be up
there next week when he hears whatthe local papers have had to say.
Well, well, I wish someof these reporters would try their hand at
sbbing the thing. They were halfas good as they think they are.
I know it's tough when I getit too. On every side, not
a motive that you could find atall. No one had it in for
the old squire. No, butyeah, go on, Oh he'd only

(22:26):
laugh at me if I David,or mean the first laugh I've had out
the case then, always been sofar as a bunch of Greek speak up.
Its hate for the squire. Theonly motive that could lead to murder.
What do you mean? I mean? How about somebody having it into
the police. Do you mean somebodydeliberately committing murder to battle the police?
Here? It's been done before,if you recall a Camden face. But
who who would you get chief?Yes, the sheriff, he's hated us

(22:48):
ever since we was sent up here. He's always resented as taking over his
job. But you can't accuse aman of murder. I'm not accusing him
of murder. But between our says, I'll tell you what I think.
Go on. I think that thesheriff had been watching a chance. He
met the squire that night. Butit's not for a drink. He drugged
the old man's wine. Sleeping draft. Maybe that's why the old man doesn't
wake up in the morning, rightjeez. Then the sheriff shows up.

(23:11):
First thing he watches for the servantgirl. He goes up to the room.
Remember, he breaks the door andit says, don't look. He's
been stabbed through the heart, orthat's what the women said. And from
the doorway he couldn't see a thingon that bed. I've tried, and
you would think. I think hecrossed the room, picked up the knife
and stabbed the squire as he laythere under the influence of the sleeping maybe
right, I am right, that'slike you. I am thinking. We

(23:34):
can't do a confounded thing about it. No, no, we can't.
We haven't got a single shred ofproof. I'm so Cambridge twenty two years
later, still regards the killing ofSquire Monteeth as a unsolved mystery.