788 - No More Alice

Suspense - Air Date - 03/14/1946

Episode Transcript

(00:02):
Of a journey into the rail ofthe strain and tender by. I hope
you will enjoy the chap, thatit will trill you a little and kill
you a little. So settle back, get a good grip on your nerves.
Where are we going? You'll findout when we get there. Roma

(00:30):
Wins present a Spen Tonight, RomaWines bringing mister Paul Henry, star of
No More Alice. The Spence Play, produced, edited and directed for Roma
Wines by William spear A Spence asRoma Wins bring you Paul Henried in a

(00:58):
remarkable tale of us spends driving alongthere, I had the raid yawn,
one of us thinking of valley.A few more miles and I'd be home

(01:18):
with her. I was thinking howher teeth gleamed through her twisted smiles,
had got in the habit of weddingall white and inviting her throat was I
was thinking of her voice, andshe accused me of being in love with
Eliza Waters, cold shrill, fullof thickaments. Her attention plays a present

(01:42):
break has been reported by Warton J. G. Johnson of Graystone Penitentiary at
nine fifteenth a night, less thanone hour ago. The notorious Frankie Tatham
shot his way out of the deathhouse at State Prison, killing two guards
and wounding two others. All Stateat local police as well as all motorists
and the vicinity of Graystone warned tobe on the lookoufter this escaped convict.
Once again. The name is FankyTattam. He is armed and dangerous.

(02:10):
I was just entering Graystone somewhere inthese mountains, that escaped convict, a
condemned murderer. It seems such acliche somehow, as further situation one threadbare
and cheat mystery broadcast the escaped murderannounced over the radio and the innocent listener.

(02:32):
So I began to think about it, and all at once alice got
mixed in those thoughts. I sloweddown the car and pulled over the side
of the road. I kept themotor running and the lights on. I
just sat there. I don't knowhow long I waited there, Maybe fifteen
minutes, maybe an hour. AllI didn't know was as so long as

(02:55):
that sirens screeched. Frankie Chattan thestill at last, somewhere in these mountains.
I was in no hurry. Finallysomeone was coming, I said,
very still and kept my eyes focusedon the overhead mirror. The figure was
materializing out of the thick brush thatline the road, moving stealthily towards the

(03:16):
car. I waited presently, thehandle on the door nearest to me.
All right, don't move you.I had no intention of moving up.
Get out of the car, anddon't try anything. The car isn't going
to do you any good. Tattoom. The highway is patrolled and blocked off
on my I told you about nothing. Get out to the motorcycle troopers just

(03:38):
went by here looking for you.I shaid, get out of that car,
but I want to help your tattoom. Why do you think I sat
here with the lights on and themotor running. H I knew the lights
of the sound of the motor wouldattract you. Don't to me that there's
miles the country here. How canyou tell I come this way? This
is the shortest and safest route ofthe old Stone Quarry on the other side

(03:59):
of the If I just escaped fromprison and wanted to hide out until my
fathers could get to me, That'swhere i'd head. Hey, catch,
there's a rope on the back seat. Hit in lye on the floor and
cover yourself over quickly. What kindof a shop you tack before? Thank
you haven't much choice in the metaset. In a few seconds, that

(04:21):
trooper will be here. If youpull let's really go. Try to get
away without pulling it. You won'tget twenty feet in those bushes. Now,
get in and pass. Okay,okay, I don't know what this
is all about, but it's betterbe on a level pounds get in all

(04:41):
right? Back there? Yeah,and don't forget the sun. What's going
on here? Having trouble with mymotor officer? He's heating up on me
and stalling. You gotta runn nowfor it's overheated. Just started it up?
I see your license barely. Yeah, here you are, Warren,

(05:04):
Rice, Warren up? Oh,doctor Rice? All right? Why didn't
you say it was you? Probablybecause you didn't ask me? And you
better watch it dark Frankie Tattam's escapein the death house up here, thank
you. You must remember him thebank rubber and kill her. Papers will
full of him a while back.Bad guy shooting in the back quick as
he breathe, you say, shootme in the back. Yeah, he's
loose somewhere in these mountains. Youbetter not hang around and along and you

(05:26):
have to dark. He's a badactor. Thanks very much, Office up.
I'll get started right away and seeif I can make home without starting
again. Yeah, well, goodup, doctor, Good luck to your
office up. If you'll find tatto him all right, Tattan, he's
gone tell you a dark huh,sar bones, No, I'm a doctor

(05:55):
of psychiathy. Yeah. Well,let's see what I'm gonna do. Nor
I take over from here, you'lltake over. Look do you seem to
forget which one of us is holdingthe skun? Look? If I figured
out, you'd hear it for thequality. Eventually the cops will too.
I am afraid to shoot it outwith no cops. There is no profit
in shooting it out with them.You you've got a better idea, I
suppose, huh, I think so? All right, but a solid back.

(06:17):
You're waiting here for me, hidingme under the rope, now figuring
out to escapepon me it don't add. You'll talk about that on the way,
on the way to wear on theway to my home. You'll see
Tatham. A psychiatrists every once ina while comes upon a subject in other

(06:48):
words Dot. You're trading me asafe height out and a chance to make
a clean getaway for the opportunity ofusing me as a guinea pig. That's
right, Tatham. I wanted tostudy you for a while. What are
your funds for me? All alongthe line. If I can make a
clean break out of town in afew days or so, well, I
guess I can stand being on theglass that mong. Okay, it's a

(07:10):
deal, all right, Adam,follow me. Wait a minute, and
we're going to the fat door.And there's a side entine. It's the
left wing of the house. That'sthat I have my office. Okay,
this is its atom as I getmy cheese, h sir, this is

(07:31):
the one there. There is alight switch right away. Your hand is
tattom. Click it on, willyou please? Okay, Well, that's
just quite a layout. Yes,I have the NICs put on the main
building so I could have it private. No one uses it but me.
Yeah, where I stay. Well, there's a room back of the office

(07:57):
as a bed everything else you'll need. I use it sometimes for patience I
bring home, and sometimes for myselfwhen I work late and I don't wish
to be disturbed. By my wife. Yeah, wow, it's not bad.
Well, I'm glad you like it. Just make yourself comfortable. I'll
be back okay. Hey, hey, dark bring some grub with you,

(08:20):
all right, I will as soonas I've had a little talk with my
wife. Good evening, dear.So you got home, Yes, I
wish I just got in. Ididn't expect you until morning. I finished
the case earlier than I thought.Had anything to eat. I'll get I'll

(08:45):
called greater. It's a night offtoo, Yes, I'll get you something
myself. No, father, it'sa pleasure, darling. Thanks. Oh
yes, I almost forgot to havesomeone with me. Not leave there by
any chance, Alice, I'd hopeyou'd forget about the other night and all
the disagreeable things we said. Ifound them rather enlightening. Yes, it

(09:09):
isn't every wife whose husband is sohonest telling her that he's in love with
someone else. I'm sorry about that, Alice. I didn't mean to say
it. Really, I can believethat. I mean, it isn't true.
I'm not in love with Lisa.I've never been. Is that why
you wanted a divorce? I saidthat in the heat of the argument,
Alice. I have no reason towant the divorce, especially since I told

(09:30):
you i'd never give you one.I'm not going to argue with you anymore,
Alice. I told myself that onthe way home. I'm going to
try to make our marriage the wayit was ten years ago. A very
pretty speech, darling. But I'mafraid it will take a great deal more
than the power of words to convinceme of that. Why I think I
convinced you, Alice. If you'llgive me time, I'm sure I can

(09:56):
convince you or suspense. Roma Linesare bringing you a star Paul Henry in
No More Alice by Martin Ryerson,from A Line's presentation tonight in Radio's Outstanding

(10:18):
Theater of Thrills, A spence andnow Roma Lines bring back to our Hollywood
sounds stake. Paul Henry, whoas doctor Warren Rice in No More Alice,

(10:41):
continues a narrative well calculated to keepyou in a spence. One might
suppose there are no particular advantages tohiding an escaped convict in one's home,

(11:05):
and a convict who is a murdererat that, but there are under certain
circumstances. Sometimes the morning I beganto procedure of winning his confidence, making
him believe I'd really brought him therefor the purpose of using him as a
guinea pig. It was an interestingdeception. School. Yeah, sure,

(11:31):
I went to school for a farmschool for six whole years. How long
did you bury you on nose?In books? About twenty years? Twenty
years? Watch that landed would taketwenty years. I went through college,
then I took several postgraduate courses assure had plenty. It turned a waste.

(11:54):
What did your father do for aliving? Tattom? They were shot
in the Chicago stick up when Iwas two year old about yours. My
father was the president of a bank. Bank blank check at this set him.
I never really wanted for the thingin my life that I couldn't have.
Well, we sure came out ofdifferent baskets, didn't be duck?

(12:18):
Tell me when you robbed the bankor killed someone, was it premeditated?
You mean did I plan him?Yes? But sure, sure you have
to lay out a bank job.But killing well, that just happened.
Somebody just had the refluct to getin my way. Did you feel you
had the right to take the lifeof another human being? Why not?

(12:41):
Somebody tries to take something from me, So why Nude'm out of the way.
But you, well, you wouldn'tunderstand that, duck. You just
said you never wanted anything you couldn'thave. I never feel remorseful when you
killed someone. Remorseful. What's it? Well, did you ever regret it?

(13:01):
Did it the ever bother your conscience? No? Why should it?
Why I chilled my own brother ifhe ever gotten my way? It went
on like that for the next threedays. I kept Toucham in that little

(13:24):
room and had duly Butler bring hismeals to the office. No one saw
it. Finally, on the morningof the third day, Look, Doc,
how much long a you're gonna keepme hold up in this room?
I'm starting they get punchy. Maybetomorrow you'll be able to leave, Tacham.
I've contacted your friends. I wantthey say what they say? Well
they they said, Well, assoon as I get a definite answer from

(13:46):
them, you will be on yourway. Well look, look, Doc,
I don't want you to think Idon't appreciate all I see, But
stay and cooked up in this twoby four room. It's almost as beat
as being instad except that you knowyou're going to get out of here.
Yeah, yeah, it's funny.You know, I had you pegged drawn
at for stock. I thought youwas just using me and that sooner or

(14:07):
later i'd have to bump you.But I guess I guess that won't be
necessary now a duck. Yes,Tanson was getting restless, so as I
I couldn't keep him hidden out muchlonger. The rooms were getting dirty and

(14:28):
had to be cleaned by great Alicewas getting a little curious as to who
my patient was. If you stayedthere too long, there would be questions.
It was time to act that evening, it rains came down in talents.
It was nils compared to the stormthat searched inside me. I walked

(14:50):
into the drawing room and saw LisaWater sitting in front of the fireplace alone.
Alice asked me to drop over andsaid, you'd be serious if I
didn't stay for dinner. Hello,Lisa, where is Alice? Hello?
Do you want to say Brett aboutdinner? Warren? I't a goun to
sit down? Hey, no,you're beside me on the vent. Thanks.

(15:15):
Why it's been a long time sinceI last saw you. Does that
mean you missed me? But ofcourse no by this time that you're my
favorite husband, am I? Huhwelcome? Told Alice that if I ever
get married, I'll try to finda husband just like you. Well,
hello, doctor, Hello, justfinish your work. Weather early this evening,

(15:37):
Darling, how did you happen tosee Liza's car and drive away?
Hell for anyone hearing you were since? Thank what, Lisa, Warren isn't
early for dinner? Very awesome.I'm thinking that he hasn't been early since
the last time you were here.Don't you see something awful? War No,
I'm not teasing. Don't you knowLisa that the other night Warren can

(15:58):
say, please, what's the matter, Darling? I was only going to
say, you confess that of allmy friends, you prefer Lisa. That
was sweet word. Mind. IfI sit between you two, well you'll
be breaking up a very handsome couple. Yes, I know. By the
way, speaking of breaking up,we had a most interesting discussion the other

(16:21):
night about divorce. Certainly not yourin worm. Oh no, no,
Lisa, Darling, I don't believein divorce. I told war And that,
no matter what happened, I'd nevergive him a divorce. I don't
imagine your work. After sacrificing andworking with him for ten long years,
I'd never step aside for anyone,not even if that anyone was you,

(16:44):
Lisa, my best friend. That'show marriage should be killed. There to
us at ten o'clock, Liza,Alice. She was still storming as I

(17:07):
walked out of the car under anumbrella. I thought to desire to take
her in my arms, tell her, and after to night she would be
mine and I would be hers,and there would be no more, no
more Alice. But she seemed soyoung, so so far from the thought
of murder. Suppose I were wrongand took her into my confidence. Tell
her about my plans to kill Alice. It could mean the end of everything.

(17:32):
Oh, I must wait. Itwouldn't be long now before there'll be
no more goodbyes like this one.I watched her car crawl down the driveway
into the rain of the darkness,and then I went back into the house.
Alice was in the drawing room.I didn't have much to say.

(17:53):
She did all the talking. She'sstill goad at me about Lisa asked if
I kissed her good night, ifhe made a secret twist. Finally,
I told her I had to getback to my patient in the office.
Outside, I watched her turn outthe lights and flying the stairs to her
room. It was the last timeI'd ever see Alice alive, I told

(18:15):
myself. But I didn't feel bad. I feel good, very good.
And I got to the office Tamasand the cross down all right, hanging
over the shoots had a knocker?What what's happened? My wife? What's

(18:41):
the moment she she found out?You were hearing? Who you are?
Hey? Going good? What's shegonna do? Call the police? One
shot better? I'm on my waya minute, I've got the phone wire.
She think she can't get out ofthe house without us hearing her.
They've got time. Let's try tothink that they've do you think it out?
I'm the one that's on the spot. But hey, wait a minute,

(19:04):
how did you find out? Well, I don't know. Just put
two and two together somehow. What'sthe difference now? Plenty plenty because from
the way it looks, sheer nobodycould have tipped it up. But you
don't be a fool. Can't talkfast stock because if you've crossed that gun
down, why should I cross you? How do you think I stand in

(19:25):
this. I don't know how todo it shielding an escaped convict. I'd
go to prison for that. Somekind of a trap. That's just what
you've been meeting up to. Whyyou are you stupid food? Listen to
me. We have together in this. Do you understand that you're together in

(19:48):
this? You can't tell me andI can't tell you in Yeah, that's
right. You You and they arekind of in the same boat, ain't
we do. I'm it's tenetrating,finally, said him. I've got to
do something quickly. You're sure yourwife can't leave with alashun? I have
the car keys anyway, it's amind to the nearest phone. Of course,

(20:11):
she's up in her room. Now. Look doc, Look she must
have known a spache put you in. Why does she want to put a
thing like that? Poor? Becauseshe hates me? Yeah, she's hitting
me for years. Yeah, Iever killed how long ago? If I
had the nerve? I've never killedthe game, but I would have if
was. She got my way.How do you think she's now? I

(20:32):
am thinking, I say, somebodybroke in the burglar. You could take
my other car. You could behalf away across the country. Unless you
had me picked up and make myselfan accessory to murder. How could I?
Oh, he's gone all through overthat before. Yeah, yeah,
you're right. Who are who really? Are in a stage? Anyway?
You play it the only way eitherof us. Pick up your gun?

(20:56):
Yeah yeah yeah yeah, Oh,Jake, Doc, it's a deal.
Slowly tapped him, opened the doorand slipped into the hall. I waited

(21:17):
a few seconds, then I walkedthrough the desk. I unlocked the top
drawer, got out my revolver.Cautiously, I opened the door and moved
into the hall. Turned my mainbuilding. As I reached the foot of
the stairs, I heard the doorto Alice's room squeak open. I went

(21:38):
up the stairs quickly without a sound. As I reached the stop step,
I was an up, a scream, a slight scuddle, a sail shot,
then a terrible silence. Cut thedoor of the bedroom. Slowly opened
it and in the dull light fromthe bed lamb, I took careful name

(22:03):
with the revolver. At Frankie Tattum'sbrought back a four bullets. I humped
into him. A wave of conquestswept through me. For this this was

(22:29):
perfection, This was the difference betweena crew killer like Frankie Tatum and me.
This was exactly as I had plannedit. In a moment, Dulia
Butler, summoned by the shots,would rush into the room. He would
find me standing there with a gunin my hand. The way I would
disarrange the room in the next fewseconds would convince him and the police that
Frankie Tatum had broken into my wife'sbedroom and murdered her, and I,

(22:55):
the gallant husband, had rushed tothe scene and blazed away at him.
It would look awfully nice and blue. I would be quite a hero,
and no one would know that Ihad carefully planned this murder step by step
from the moment when I first heardthe prison siren on the mountain road.

(23:17):
Yes, now it lies. Iwas free to marry Lisa w I was
busy turning over the thirty, disarrangingthe bed, reaching to tear the rope
from the probe figure on the bed, and then voice a woman's A woman's
voice. Wine has fund to pickthe doorway. I would feel a blood

(23:38):
drained from my face. A terriblecoldness reached out and glad at my heart.
Alice. It was Alice, framedin the doorway. Fear smashing.
My brain turned to the figure onthe bed, turn it over, scream

(24:00):
took my thought there before me,play the lifeless body or blazer. He's
the man who escaped from Graystone Penitentiary. He's the man who kept locked in
your office, isn't he? II I put her in her card.

(24:21):
I saw a drive away. Youplan to have him murder me, but
he killed her instead. I sawher drive away. She came back.
Landslide blocked the highway. I toldher to spend the night. She could
have my room. You plan tohave him murder me, didn't you?
You plan to have him murder me, didn't you? She spoke? She

(24:45):
gloated. Alison moved into the room. I separated the doorway. The revolver
was still warm in my hand.As I reached the doorway, I raised
the gun. My finger tightened onthe figure, and then something came down
onto the blackness and washed away.And that, Gentleman of the jury,

(25:17):
is the true confession of doctor WarrenRice told you in his own words.
Ironically, the very person Rice expectedwould be his chief collaborating witness turned out
to be the man who trapped andconvicted him, I mean Duley, the
butler who was summoned by the shots, hurried to the door of missus Rice's
bedroom, found Rice about to killhis wife and struck him down the stake
rest. This is Paul Henried.Next week, I know you will want

(26:00):
to make it a point to heara suspense show that promises to be really
something. It will star Gregory Peckin a remarkable study of the mental breakdown
of a man who brings himself tothe very brink of murder because of a
woman. I know you won't wantto miss hearing Gregory Peck in the Lonely

(26:21):
Road. Thank you, Paul Henry. It will soon be seen in the
Warner Brothers production Devotion. Next Thursday, same time, Romo Wines will bring
you mister Gregory Peck as star ofSuspense Radio's outstanding Theater of Thrills, produced

(26:41):
by William Spear for the Roma WineCompany of Fresno, California,