782 - The Port -au- Prince Matter

Johnny Dollar - Air Date - 05/30/1950 -

Episode Transcript

(00:02):
A journey into the round of thestrain, and I hope you will enjoy
the chamber, that it will trillyou a little and kill you a little.
So settle back, get a goodgrip on your nerve. Where are
we going? You'll find out whenwe get there. From Hollywood, it's

(00:32):
time now for Edmund O'Brien as JohnnyDalla doctor Kolbe calling back, Johnny,
Oh yeah, Frank, however right, oh, you fall behind. You
need boosters for diphtherians, smallpox typePoID, cholera. And if we can
find room, why will bring youup to date on your tetanus? Oh?

(00:52):
Well, where do I get there? We have it all right here
in the office. All right,I can stop buying my way home.
That's not what I mean, Frank. It's a long time to get the
Haiti and those plane seats aren't verycomfortable at best. Edmund O'Brien, in
another transcribed adventure of the Man withthe action packed expense account, America's fabulous

(01:17):
freelance insurance investigator, Yours Truly,Johnny Dollar Expense Accounts submitted by special Investigator
Johnny Dolla to Home Office American FederatedLife Insurance Company, Hartford, Connecticut.

(01:38):
Attention, Harvard Huntington General Manager.The following is an accounting of expenditures during
my assignment and Porto Prince Haiti expenseaccount Item one fifteen dollars for a pair
of tickets to Detective Story at theHudson Theater, New York, which I
never got a chance to use sinceI was seated in the library of your
Hotford home promptly at curtain time.Dollar, I want to thank you for

(02:01):
coming out here. Sorry to breakinto an evening like this, but since
I am, I get right tothe point. Perhaps you've heard of the
Gordon family here in Hartford. Well, what I see the society page is
when I'm flipping back to the sportssection. But I have noticed the name
Diamonds said it, aren't They immenselywealthy pillars of society and surprisingly quite a
proper family, that is all butone of the sons, Ralph heavy drinker,

(02:24):
complete waste, ne'er do well,a blot on the oldest cutcheon.
Yes, continually getting into one scraperanother. Now he's done it again.
I take it that you're not worriedabout Ralph the man, but about Ralph
the policy holder. Well't put itbluntly. Yes, I don't think it's
unethical for a company to protect itsinterests. In this case, the policy

(02:47):
is in the amount of one hundredand fifty thousand dollars. Quite a piece
of paper. Yes, it'd bequite candid. I rue the day it
was issued. But the point isthis, Ralph Gordon, at last report,
is dying aboard his yard at PortoPrince eighty. Then you don't need
me, you need the Mayo Clinic. Dollar. I hesitate to even mention

(03:07):
this in the presence of a saneman. But from everything we can learn,
young Gordon is not dying from anyknown malady. He's dying as a
result. No, it's pure nonsense. He's supposed to be dying, is
the result of voodoo curse. Now, anybody with any side, All right,
wait a minute, where'd you getyour information from his older brother,

(03:29):
Thomas. He's a doctor. He'sdown there and with Ralph. Now I
want you to go down and debunkthis thing. Dollar, find out what's
wrong. Why any sane man knowsthere's no such voodoo. You don't believe
in it, do you? No? No, not unless I see it
working. Spencer gout Adam too onehundred and forty eight dollars and seventy cents

(03:53):
hotfoot the Porto Prince via aeroplane.Spencer got Adam three thirty two dollars and
fifty cents tropical clothes and Adam fourtwenty five bucks spent while I browsed the
waterfront bars and Porto Prince looking forsomebody who knew where the Gorden yacht was
more and I found him. Henot only knew that you know everything,

(04:15):
He don't matter what you want toknow about this blasted island. Ask me
first, my name is kept Rigging, and I've been here since before repeal
give up my citizenship? I didwith help with a couple of prohibition agents,
and I figure on sailing out myfinal Day's right here. What do
you want with a golden craft?I want to see the owner, Ralph

(04:36):
Gordon. How do I get toit? I reckon? You're paying me
to row you out to her myding. He's down to the foot of
the pier, just a short heelfrom where we're at. Well, good,
come on, let's shall that sweetlI down my ration here put me
in ship shape? Yeah, what'dyou say? You wanted with that schooner

(05:00):
figuring on buyer. Oh, thankyou for the compliment. If I bought
a boat today, it had tobe a surplus life rant. I told
you I want to talk to Gordon, a friendly visit to all the other
kind and beginning to see how youknow so much about this island bear,
and never question that will learn rememberthat summer and this way we will off
to start it. He, sir, have a question of a learned I'm

(05:26):
an insurance investigator. Company sent medown here to look things over, including
Gordon us. I don't know yet. What do you know about it?
They're a jugful sunny jug full stoodinto the harbor about two months back.
Now sooner dropped his hook than hiscrew started taking the peer head leap.
Everybody jump with the bows. Andfor reasons of his own, what was

(05:47):
the matter with god? He wasoff seas over all the time, and
your navigate with sextant, accompass andparallel rulers sunny not with a double shot
at a water chaser hit the drift. They were afraid of sail with him.
Oh, there's a line of it. If you'd have a pile into
a reef, you feel the same. Oh yeah, that's my dingy down

(06:10):
at the bottom of the ladder.There's Gordon's shot out there. Sure it
tugged this passing a sturn about now. Yeah, and it's a lot of
boat. It gives a suit ofsail like a grind. Oh why don't
you see a close up? She'sdirty? Is a garbage scoll? I

(06:40):
give her a hair and now,Sonny, you're closing up? Hey,
anybody avoid? Hey, aboard theyard? Anyone home? Yeah? What
do you want? Because the shipwas dirty, I didn't notice. It
may have had good lines too,but it couldn't have touched what stood stick
at the rail wearing clam diggers andoff the shoulder T shirt and the Caribbean

(07:03):
Tan. Here's a trillo for you. It'll be his wife. I come
aboard. Who are you? Whatdo you want? I'm Johnny Darla from
Hart but I want to talk toRalph. Oh why is so? I
guess you'll have to come aboard.Yeah, ashwenish stud letter. Hey you

(07:25):
mate, study up? Okay,cap you wait for me? Her Well,
our things in Ralph's old hometown cool. Not as cool as this?
Uh this reception? No, letit throw you what is this a friendly
drop in business or just playing snooping? It's the last I'm Edwina, the

(07:48):
wife I haven't heard about at home. Congratulations, Now I know why you
like the way your shoulders. Thebetter to keep a chip on it.
It's through being sharp. I'll letyou hear what's left of my husband.
Come on through here. Hey,Ralph, you got a visitor from Hartford.

(08:11):
You're doing this cabin yep, goingdigging a little church? You take
your vision one? You well?Are you our sun? It's got the
door locked. It'll stay that waytill he runs out of wine. You're
hear it enough, yes, enoughto know how you acquired your charming attitude.
Forget it. I walked into itwith my eyes wide open. Let's

(08:33):
get back out on deck. Thelight's better if throwing barbs at each other.
Sure it sounds like fun. Welldo I have to help you off
the boat? Not until you helpme by answering some questions. I'm an
insurance investigator. I was sent downhere about the company that holds a policy
on your husband's life. What shouldI do paint? The story they got

(08:56):
was that Ralph was dying from somekind of a voodoo curry. They don't
believe it, neither do I?Why not? It might be true?
Oh, some old guy to callhim Papolo While came out to the boat.
He held some things at Ralph andwould Ralph He threw a bottle out
of his sword, put a curseon him. Hey, how did they
hear about it? Back in Hartford, Ralph's brother, doctor Thomas Gordon,

(09:16):
told him do you know him?Yeah? We hate each other. I
wonder why he'd tell them. Maybebecause he thought somebody who would be better
off with Ralph dead was using PapoloWhile's curse as a cover up. How
would you stand as his widow?Get off this boat? Get off?
Oh I am yeah? Come here, William, who's the boarding party?

(09:39):
Just get him off him? Sure, honey, Well make your walk in
or dive. Save your strength forthe last scene, Goliath. I was
just leaving expense gun item five threedollars paid the cap Reagan as water TAXI
fair item six slant Taxifeta Hotel France, While and Up at the Hills Hangout

(10:03):
are not only the best and tourists, but also brother Thomas Gordon. Day,
Please make yourself comfortable. Could Ioffer you something, nothing but some
brotherly advice. Certainly, I feellike a stupid fool for not being able
to handle this thing myself. Sonow that you're here, call on me
for anything. First, have youseen Ralph? I tried it, but

(10:26):
they locked himself in his cabin andtell me he's a medical man. How
do you digest this voodoo curse story? Why? It's ridiculous? Good heavens,
this is the twentieth century. Ido think that science doesn't know everything
it would like to know. Voodoo, flack magic. There are stories supposedly
true, but any victim would haveto have a highly susceptible mind. And

(10:46):
I know my brother, mister Daller. His mind is susceptible only to his
own whims and fancies. And what'sthe matter with him? That's it?
I don't know. He's drawn withinhimself and seems to be searching all most
insanely for escape through alcohol. Hasn'tanybody thought of putting him on the wagon.
It's a horrible idea, but itworks. I don't think this is

(11:09):
the time for it. He's sufferingmentally and needs release, and that leaves
there's only one thing to think about, and no matter how then you cut
it, it's still voodoo. I'ma man of science, mister Dollar.
I'd make hypocrisy out of all myknowledge and training if I attacked the problem
from that direction. But please letme know what you find. Spencer count

(11:33):
adam seven four dollars rental of horseand cart, in which my walking tourist
guide Cat Riggan, and I joltedout of town in search of Papaloi.
Something made me feel like I wasriding my last mile and a tumbrel on
route to the guilty. The moonlightwas finding a losing battle against an army
of storm clouds that were sweeping in. And then, to make it worse,

(11:54):
I heard a drum. Hear that'sSully, a sort of a tired
Jean Cooper means we're getting close toPoppa's quarters. Is he the only one
around here? Yep? None ofthe good eldgans performs in his territory.
These two mean, oh great,And that ain't no gelly new sister truth.

(12:15):
I tell you there's lots of blackmetricas so called, there's nothing but
tourist bait. But Papa he's agenuine one article. Let me tell you
about one felly loaded a curse ontwo. It was a knight of him
before he got through it. Canchat? Please? You keep your mind
and you're driving, and I'll keepmine on pleasant memories. And I got
no war driving to think about.What's the matter. That's the path over

(12:39):
there by the Naldold trees. Fromhere on you're plot your own course.
This is close enough for me metoo. Say wait a minute, how
do I know I can't put acurse on hen h? I never tried
show silence. Suddenly the path ledalong the edge of a field of sugarcane,

(13:01):
and on the other side of mewas a solid wall of jungle.
First I smelled some feathers burning,Then I heard the chant. There was
a door on the wall of junglethat led to a small clearing, And
before the moon was smothered by anothercloud, I saw a shack. Smoke
curled out through an open door,and I could see the glow of a

(13:22):
fire on the floor inside. Hey, Papa, I want to talk to
you. Who's come through the houseof popular wall? And my name wouldn't
mean anything to you, But whatI have to say, well, can
I come in one through? Whatthese words of so great importance as you

(13:43):
wish to interrupt buffaloor. Oh,I know about voodoos that I don't believe
it. Look, look, I'vecome to you because I haven't got any
answers from anybody else. I wantto know what's behind this so called cur
is you put on Ralph Gordon?You not believe? You like me?

(14:05):
Make you believe Ralph Gordon he died, don't I in the wind and read
and for you I have magic.No, see my fire, you will
believe the smoke. Now believe.I couldn't see what he'd thrown onto the

(14:31):
fire. He reached behind him forit. When the smoke from it whirled
around me, it seemed to grabmy throat and squeeze. I stumbled back
through the door. I hadn't believedin voodoo when I'd come in, but
going out, I wasn't so sure. We will return to the second act

(14:58):
if you're truly Johnny Dollar. Injust a moment, and now, with
our star Edmund O'Brien, we returnedthe second act of yours, truly,
Johnny Dollar. My throat burned,I staggered around in the heavy jungle air.

(15:30):
When I could breathe again, Igulped in enough to lift the graph
zeppelin. When I got back intothe shack, he was gone. He
hadn't left much of what he'd smokedme out with, but he'd left enough.
A few shreds of photographic film onthe dirt floor, and film made

(15:50):
of cellulose and nitrates that only takespictures. It puts out nitric oxide and
nitrogen dioxide when it's burned, acombination that would live up to the demand
ends of any gas chamber. Weheaded back to the yacht, and this
time I bought it without a hail. I'm telling you when we check out

(16:18):
this tough if you're having to changeyour heart, well that's what happened.
I'm not so sure that makes anydifference. Maybe you're in too deep.
Come back down. How would youlike it if I spilled the whole thing?
Oh what difference does it make?It be better than landing at a
Haitian prison with your motive showing toget over Rangel. I'll be in my
shack when you make up your mind, and how wrong you can be?

(16:41):
See you later. What are youdoing on this ship? Get off?
Oh? No? Not After thatintriguing conversation, I just heard. How
much did you hear? And Iadded it to the gases Sault pop Alo
while through at me be enough tonail you and lover boy here to conspiracy
to commit murder. I don't knowwhat you're talking about. Point is,
I know what you two were talkingabout. Listen to me. You've got

(17:03):
to believe me. I don't haveto try me anyway. I admit that
M and I well, I didget involved with him. It was because
Ralph turning into another man after wewere married. It's probably marks the first
time in history that a nicicle meltedin Porto. Prince, please let me
finish. When my marriage went topieces, I had to do something.

(17:26):
I'll go crazy. To see Ralphdrinking up all the champagne on the island
was just more than I could take. I was going to divorce him and
leave with him, but we weren'tgoing to murder him. You know,
Chapter one has so many holes init it could have been printed by a
punch press. You don't worry aboutlanding in prison with your motive showing when
all your planning is divorced. Youdo when people are waiting for your husband
to die under mysterious circumstances. That'swhy I was trying to make him go

(17:48):
away. If Ralph died, whowould look any father than the erring wife
unless Sam was hiding some And youlock this cabin from the outside, Yes,
what are you going to do?You aren't going to lock me in
here? No, just your playmate. You're coming with me. Where the

(18:11):
papa? I want to hear whatkind of a story you're telling front of
him? You don't believe me?No, with one hundred and fifty thousand
at stake, I don't even believemyself. There's a shack. He went

(18:37):
first. May not be heroic,but it's the best way I can think
of to catch his reaction when hesees it. Go all right, go
ahead, go on in Where ishe? Who are your woman? Well,
mister dollar, are you satisfied?Note? And you did not believe?

(19:03):
Well? You wally? You wishagain to see you four of my
smoke? Let's just drop the act, Papa. I know what you're throwing
a fire? What's my book calledsmoke? You're not yet believed a good
man from a police laboratory can septenough out of those ashes. I know
it was filmed. What I saythat I've got enough on you. You
all fake to put you in thelocal pokey oh Durst st to and that's

(19:29):
where you're gonna go if you don'tcooperate. Now that's a promise. What
is it you want if somebody putyou up to this curse business? That
Ralph Gordon is supposed to be undera man of your wrists? Now that's
all. It's not enough. Whatwas his name? Not to know the
name? What they look like?Then my eyes were closed, And that's

(19:52):
come on, I'm taking you ona tone, about to drag him by
the head. No, no,don't touch me. I will tell you
your heart decise it is true.I do not know the name or deface
He come to me? He askedme. When comes next to rent and
Wind? I tell him last night, But he is to night. This

(20:15):
storm come with deceit. He tellme he needs storm to close potholes in
this ship. He say, ifI bring this curse, I will be
best to gon on it t becauseit killed what man? That is difficult?
That is all. Now you go. How about the film for the

(20:36):
fire? Did he give it again? That is true? Not long before
you come, I'll get rid ofit, Papa, before you lose your
license, will operate. You're gonenow, Pablo, wo will be alone?
No, no, all right,missus gone? All right, let's
not stay for the music. Wouldyou make head a tail of what he

(21:00):
said? What goes into your husband'scanner? Nothing but food and wine?
Mostly wine? Who fixes his meals? I do? I'll cook left this.
That does the wine come from?He said it was champagne, didn't
jin. Yes, it always comesfrom the same place, a liquor shop
in town, a case at atime. Nothing makes any sense. What

(21:22):
are you going to do? AllI can do? Try every angle.
That's not all I'm going to tryand add Leguasha Spencer count out of four
fifty two quarters of rum, thepurchase of which helped loosen the tongue of
the proprietor who had been supplying RalphGordon's champagne. And the words that poured

(21:44):
out weren't exactly intoxicating, but theysent me staggering to the nearest phone.
Yes, Gordon, missus dollar,good, heavens Dollar, I've been wondering
about you. What did you learn? Well? First tell me this.

(22:04):
What would happen to a man ifhe was in a ship's cabin on a
stormy night with all the portholes closed, and there was a lot of dry
ice in there with him. Whatwas that? A small room, no
ventilation, a lot of dry ice, A lush maybe passed out. What
would happen? Good lord? Dryice is solidified carbon dioxide. If enough

(22:25):
of it evaporated into the room,a lush would not be bothered by a
hangover the next morning because he wouldn'twake up right exactly for guess, although
not toxic, would force the oxygenfrom the atmosphere, and the result would
be asphyxia. What are you gettinga dollar? Let curse? Your brother
is suffering from a very scientific Thechampagne has been getting has been chilled by
dry ice about five pounds per case. One one out just before the storm

(22:48):
broke. Good lord, it's maybejust coincidence. But Ralph's wife and that
boots, Yeah, I know fora bosun, he'd make a very good
chemist. They sent for a pullmotor. That's too late for your brother.
Maybe I can use it foil forsailor boy if hey camp camp, come

(23:15):
on, hoy sunny. He saveher own George from what ship might have
me. It's his room. Weathersunny over mine around. Can't you gotta
roll me out of that yard again? What is this weather? I wouldn't
ask hold neptune him shelter sit hardon a night like come on, come
on, Cap, I'm in ahurry. Here, here's twenty bucks.
One time a thorn? Oh whatdid you shake? I didn't think it

(23:47):
could rain any harder than a heading, but it did. Visibility was zero,
but about twenty minutes out Cap sputtereda writing legs here you oyously.
We were on target, but sowas somebody else. A search light stabbed
out. This sounds like prohibition days. Who's given us the broad shot?
I can't tell. I'll lie apelican nook over his head if I get
my ens on him. Cap.I got my left leg down the bottom.

(24:14):
Cap, I'm going over the side. There's nothing to do but swim,
So I swam. I tried toremember how many shots had been fired,
and that's where I made my mistake. There was a lull on the
shooting, which I took to meanthat the gun was empty, so I
crashed my way to the ladder.When I got there, the first thing

(24:36):
I saw after I had chicken thewater out of my eyes was the muzzle
of a rifle. The face lookingdown the barrel at me along to brother
Thomas Gordon m D sorry, dolla. Killing you wasn't in my plan,
but now it will happen to bedone. I was waiting for a bullet
to come my way, but insteaddeducted it. Are you all right?

(24:59):
Color? I thank you later forspoiling his aim. If I get it,
let's me bigheart at him, sayget a boat hook on the doctor.
He's our prize fish. Don't lethim get away. I grabbed a
fire axe out of its case onmy way to Ralph Court's cabin that needed
ventilating. I know one quick wayto do it. I didn't check the
oxygen. I took a deep breath, held it and went in. The

(25:23):
cabin was littered with wine bottles,and in one corner, in an open
case, was the dry ice thatwas in the process of calling Gordon or
for good. He was stretched outon his bunk. I hefted him to
my shoulder and used the last ofmy breath getting him out of it.
What's the matter with him? Comeon, tell me to get him a

(25:45):
stretched out? Come on, giveme a hand with it. Maybe we
can save a policy holder, allright one two three four one two three
four one Expense account IDEM nine thirtydollars cover charge at a hospital where I

(26:15):
put the revived Gordon under the careof a doctor, not his brother.
His brother happened to be resting ina jailor sell at the time, waiting
the formal charge of attempted murder motivethe family fortune Item ten same as item
nine, same hospital where they patchedup cap Reagan IDEM eleven forty dollars.

(26:36):
Announce a voodoo perfume for the lovelybut sometimes chili at Wiener. Maybe if
she tries that kind of magic onher husband, he'll spend less time with
the bottle joy and more with herkind an expense account itdem twelve one hundred
and forty eight dollars and seven daycents returned trip to Hartford. Expense account
total four hundred and twenty four dollarsand seven cents. Yours, Truly,

(27:00):
Johnny, don Yours Truly Johnny Dellerstars Edmund O'Brien in the title role and
is written by Gil Dowd and DavidEllis, with music composed and conducted by

(27:25):
Leith Stephens. Edmund O'Brien may soonbe seen in the Columbia Picture seven eleven
Ocean Drive. Featured in tonight's castwere Earl Lee Willard, Waterman, Ted
DiCorcia Charlotte, Lawrence Lou Krugman ByronKane, Vick Ryan, and Clayton Post.
Yours Truly Johnny Doller is produced anddirected by Hime Delva, join us

(27:53):
next week at the same time whenfrom Hollywood, Edmund O'Brien returns in another
transdrive, an adventure of Yours TrulyJohnny Dalla