WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.720 In Chicago, it's 58 degrees in Midway Airport. 00:00:02.859 --> 00:00:08.660 The WBBM news time is 10 51. The CBS radio mystery 00:00:08.660 --> 00:00:32.960 theater presents. Come in. Welcome. I'm E .G. 00:00:33.179 --> 00:00:37.700 Marshall. The fates, they say, weave the pattern 00:00:37.700 --> 00:00:41.100 of our lives. Some there are who believe that 00:00:41.100 --> 00:00:44.219 whatever happens to us is destined so to be, 00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:48.659 while others talk of free will. However it may 00:00:48.659 --> 00:00:51.899 be, certainly there is one element that touches 00:00:51.899 --> 00:00:55.820 all our lives, the element of the unexpected. 00:00:56.880 --> 00:00:59.960 How often have you asked, Why did this happen 00:00:59.960 --> 00:01:04.620 to me? Rarely, if ever, have you found a satisfactory 00:01:04.620 --> 00:01:08.819 answer. So it was one fatal night with Nell Pearson, 00:01:09.319 --> 00:01:13.319 Mrs. Nell Pearson, widow, whose life was about 00:01:13.319 --> 00:01:18.200 to be shattered by unimaginable, unexpected horror. 00:01:35.760 --> 00:01:37.719 Is that Miss Pearson? Is that Miss Mates screaming? 00:01:37.959 --> 00:01:41.060 Yes, yes. All right. Don't hear nothing now. 00:01:41.780 --> 00:01:45.299 It came from her room. Oh, Charlie, I don't dare 00:01:45.299 --> 00:01:49.000 open the door. All right. I guess I'll have to. 00:02:08.139 --> 00:02:11.919 mystery drama, The Lodger, was written especially 00:02:11.919 --> 00:02:15.159 for the mystery theater by George Lothar and 00:02:15.159 --> 00:02:19.580 stars Kim Hunter. It is sponsored in part by 00:02:19.580 --> 00:02:23.099 Buick Motor Division and Anheuser -Busch Incorporated, 00:02:23.340 --> 00:02:26.580 Brewers of Budweiser. I'll be back shortly with 00:02:26.580 --> 00:02:42.069 act one. The fates brought unexpected horror 00:02:42.069 --> 00:02:45.129 that night to Nell Pearson's house on 9th Street, 00:02:45.210 --> 00:02:49.789 where she rented rooms. Yet one wonders, was 00:02:49.789 --> 00:02:53.250 it altogether unexpected? Could the frightful 00:02:53.250 --> 00:02:56.469 things that happened have been avoided? Had she 00:02:56.469 --> 00:03:00.110 been more alert, say, more sensitive to warnings 00:03:00.110 --> 00:03:05.530 of impending tragedy? No matter now. What matters 00:03:05.530 --> 00:03:09.009 is that earlier that day in the afternoon, She 00:03:09.009 --> 00:03:13.729 had no idea that death, in its most grisly form, 00:03:14.169 --> 00:03:17.689 was shortly to enter her house. Oh, my goodness, 00:03:17.830 --> 00:03:20.830 Mrs. Pearson! Oh, my goodness! What is it, Miss 00:03:20.830 --> 00:03:24.610 May? The headlines, look. Ripper Strikes Again. 00:03:25.469 --> 00:03:28.490 Oh, good heavens, that's awful, perfectly awful. 00:03:28.610 --> 00:03:31.710 Read it, Mrs. Pearson, read it. I am. No, no, 00:03:31.990 --> 00:03:34.009 out loud. I mean, I want to hear. But you just 00:03:34.009 --> 00:03:38.319 finished reading. Well, all right. Ripper claimed 00:03:38.319 --> 00:03:41.639 another victim last night. Thursday night, Thursday. 00:03:41.900 --> 00:03:44.599 He always kills on a Thursday. This time, another 00:03:44.599 --> 00:03:48.099 attractive widow, Mrs. Henry Dogg. Always a widow, 00:03:48.300 --> 00:03:52.819 always a widow. Miss Mapes, please. The body, 00:03:53.099 --> 00:03:55.719 gruesomely slashed and mutilated, was discovered 00:03:55.719 --> 00:03:58.960 by a neighbor who, hearing Mrs. Dogg's hysterical 00:03:58.960 --> 00:04:01.919 screams, rushed to her apartment. There she found 00:04:01.919 --> 00:04:04.520 the comely young widow lying in a pool of blood. 00:04:05.580 --> 00:04:08.580 and a message scrawled in red lipstick across 00:04:08.580 --> 00:04:13.199 one wall. Stop me. Please stop me. Excuse me, 00:04:13.300 --> 00:04:15.500 Miss Pearson. Which windows do you want washed 00:04:15.500 --> 00:04:18.819 first? Oh, I don't know, Charlie. You want to 00:04:18.819 --> 00:04:21.939 get to that today? Well, it's kind of warm out. 00:04:21.980 --> 00:04:23.620 I thought it'd be a good time to get started 00:04:23.620 --> 00:04:26.100 on them. Well, you decide, Charlie. Suit yourself. 00:04:26.199 --> 00:04:29.379 There's been another one, Charlie. Another what, 00:04:29.500 --> 00:04:33.319 Miss Mapes? Murder by the Ripper. Another widow, 00:04:33.319 --> 00:04:37.339 like always. You don't say. That makes a fifth, 00:04:37.519 --> 00:04:40.939 don't it? A fifth in five weeks. One a week for 00:04:40.939 --> 00:04:44.160 the past five weeks, and always on a Thursday 00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:48.259 night between 11 and 12, and always a widow. 00:04:48.620 --> 00:04:53.060 Oh, I better change my night out. What do you 00:04:53.060 --> 00:04:55.800 mean, Charlie? Yeah, well, Thursday's my night 00:04:55.800 --> 00:04:57.759 out, and you're a widow, Miss Pearson. You never 00:04:57.759 --> 00:05:00.420 know, the police might start putting two and 00:05:00.420 --> 00:05:03.199 two together. Oh, Charlie, you and your jokes. 00:05:03.689 --> 00:05:05.870 I don't think that one's particularly funny. 00:05:06.670 --> 00:05:09.029 I'm sorry, Miss Pearson. I was just funnin', 00:05:09.029 --> 00:05:11.050 that's all. Well, take your fun out on those 00:05:11.050 --> 00:05:13.209 windows. Well, I ain't gettin' right to it, Miss 00:05:13.209 --> 00:05:16.410 Pearson. I ain't gettin' right to it. Maybe he 00:05:16.410 --> 00:05:20.970 wasn't jokin', Charlie. Not jokin'? Well, Thursday 00:05:20.970 --> 00:05:25.889 is his night out, and you are a widow, and, well, 00:05:25.910 --> 00:05:30.069 who knows? Oh, Miss Mapes, if I had your imagination... 00:05:30.069 --> 00:05:39.230 Excuse me. Yes? How do you do? My name is Tony 00:05:39.230 --> 00:05:41.629 Adams. I saw your sign rooms. Wondered if you 00:05:41.629 --> 00:05:44.589 had a vacancy maybe. Oh, yes, yes, I do. Won't 00:05:44.589 --> 00:05:48.670 you come in? Thank you. I have a room on the 00:05:48.670 --> 00:05:51.589 second floor front. It's very spacious, light 00:05:51.589 --> 00:05:55.149 and airy, too. Fine, I'll take it. You haven't 00:05:55.149 --> 00:05:59.769 even seen it. I've seen you. I don't go with 00:05:59.769 --> 00:06:02.170 the room, Mr. Adams. Oh, sorry. I meant it as 00:06:02.170 --> 00:06:04.920 a compliment, not a proposition. I'll show you 00:06:04.920 --> 00:06:09.860 the room. This way. May I ask your name? Uh, 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:13.480 Pearson. Mrs. Eleanor Pearson. No. You've been 00:06:13.480 --> 00:06:15.480 in town long, Mr. Adams? Oh, no, a few weeks. 00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:17.920 I've been staying at a hotel, but, well, I never 00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:21.500 did like hotel living. Oh, what do you do? Reporter. 00:06:21.500 --> 00:06:24.000 I'm a reporter on the city sentinel. Oh, that 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:27.459 must be interesting. My husband always said newspaper 00:06:27.459 --> 00:06:31.379 work must be fascinating. What did he do? Uh, 00:06:31.819 --> 00:06:34.860 the room's this way. Why, uh, he was a riveter. 00:06:35.120 --> 00:06:37.959 You know, putting in beams on new skyscrapers. 00:06:38.199 --> 00:06:41.600 Dangerous work. You've been a widow very long. 00:06:41.959 --> 00:06:45.920 Oh, it's close to three years now that... How 00:06:45.920 --> 00:06:48.600 do you know I'm a widow? Don't look so surprised. 00:06:49.139 --> 00:06:51.139 For one thing, you talk about your husband in 00:06:51.139 --> 00:06:53.819 the past tense, and for another, you're not wearing 00:06:53.819 --> 00:06:57.060 a wedding ring, and... Well, rooming houses are 00:06:57.060 --> 00:07:00.459 run by widows more often than not. Oh, you're 00:07:00.459 --> 00:07:03.420 very observant. I'm a reporter. And that's my 00:07:03.420 --> 00:07:08.779 job. Yes, I suppose it is. Here's the room. Fine, 00:07:09.100 --> 00:07:12.480 just fine. You haven't seen it. You're not even 00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:14.540 looking at it. Why look at a room when I can 00:07:14.540 --> 00:07:18.839 look at you? Mr. Adams, let's get something straight. 00:07:19.500 --> 00:07:22.240 I've had more than one male border make a pass 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:24.600 at me, and everyone found himself out on the 00:07:24.600 --> 00:07:27.800 street in short order, bag and baggage. Now, 00:07:27.800 --> 00:07:30.740 if you're after a room, fine. But if you're after 00:07:30.740 --> 00:07:33.699 something else... Ah, come on now, Nell. Mrs. 00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:37.079 Pearson, if you don't mind. Okay, okay. I've 00:07:37.079 --> 00:07:38.519 got to get back to the papers. See you later. 00:07:38.920 --> 00:07:41.920 But you haven't even asked the price. It'll be 00:07:41.920 --> 00:07:46.459 okay, whatever it is. It's $80 a week, including 00:07:46.459 --> 00:07:49.379 breakfast and dinner. Whatever you say. Nell, 00:07:49.439 --> 00:07:54.319 whatever you say. Well, I never... doesn't look 00:07:54.319 --> 00:07:57.220 at the room, doesn't care about the price, just 00:07:57.220 --> 00:08:01.439 drops his top coat on the bed and he's off. Oh, 00:08:01.540 --> 00:08:03.560 I'd better hang his coat in the closet. It'll 00:08:03.560 --> 00:08:08.000 get all creased. Oh, no, what was that? Fell 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:12.399 out of his pocket. Rolled under the bed. Would 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:14.319 roll under the bed, of course. Make me get down 00:08:14.319 --> 00:08:20.139 on my knees and... Why? Why, it's a lipstick. 00:08:21.360 --> 00:08:24.040 What in the world would he be doing with a lipstick? 00:08:34.369 --> 00:08:37.450 Oh, now why did you go and turn the TV set off, 00:08:37.669 --> 00:08:40.230 Charlie? You know I like to see who played what. 00:08:40.590 --> 00:08:44.409 Well, I'm sorry, Miss Mapes. I forgot. Pretty 00:08:44.409 --> 00:08:47.950 good movie, huh? Oh, it was all right. You like 00:08:47.950 --> 00:08:51.210 it, Miss Pearson? What? What'd you say, Charlie? 00:08:51.769 --> 00:08:54.190 Well, I just asked if you liked the movie. How 00:08:54.190 --> 00:08:56.950 could she? She didn't even see it. Of course 00:08:56.950 --> 00:08:58.710 I did. Well, you may have been looking at it 00:08:58.710 --> 00:09:01.470 for two hours, Mrs. Pearson, but you certainly 00:09:01.470 --> 00:09:04.340 weren't seeing it. You were thinking of something 00:09:04.340 --> 00:09:10.039 else. Well, me, I saw it and I liked it. Oh, 00:09:10.360 --> 00:09:14.919 10 .30. I'm off to bed. Oh, by the way, I finished 00:09:14.919 --> 00:09:17.320 the window washing today, Miss Pearson. Oh, good. 00:09:17.620 --> 00:09:19.740 I'm glad they only got to be washed twice a year. 00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:24.200 It's a big job. It took a whole week. Well, good 00:09:24.200 --> 00:09:28.940 night. Night. Good night, Charlie. Mrs. Pearson, 00:09:29.500 --> 00:09:32.480 now I'm not one to pry, but... Why don't you 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:36.100 tell me what's bothering you? Bothering me? Now, 00:09:36.100 --> 00:09:39.480 you know something has been bothering you since 00:09:39.480 --> 00:09:42.279 that Mr. Adams arrived. Now, when was it? Now, 00:09:42.399 --> 00:09:44.799 that was... Well, this is Thursday, and he took 00:09:44.799 --> 00:09:48.259 the second floor front last... Friday, it was. 00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:51.419 Mm -hmm. Now, I'll tell you something. You just... 00:09:51.200 --> 00:09:54.039 You haven't been the same since. Oh, it's nothing, 00:09:54.220 --> 00:09:57.100 Miss Maeve. It's nothing at all. You don't fool 00:09:57.100 --> 00:10:01.120 me. Something's worrying you. I know it is. Well, 00:10:01.179 --> 00:10:05.399 I might as well tell you it's... it's this. What? 00:10:06.139 --> 00:10:08.980 Well, it's a lipstick. Why should a lipstick 00:10:08.980 --> 00:10:12.259 upset you? Well, it was in his pocket the day 00:10:12.259 --> 00:10:15.840 he arrived. His topcoat pocket. It fell out when 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:20.299 I picked the coat up. So? It's the same color. 00:10:20.590 --> 00:10:24.889 mandarin scarlet the ripper uses to scroll those 00:10:24.889 --> 00:10:30.450 awful messages with oh and you think oh you don't 00:10:30.450 --> 00:10:34.409 think he's the ripper oh no no no no of course 00:10:34.409 --> 00:10:39.149 not well then why the worry i i don't know it 00:10:39.149 --> 00:10:42.409 just bothers me a little that's all and now if 00:10:42.409 --> 00:10:46.230 you're all that worried you could maybe you did 00:10:46.230 --> 00:10:49.559 check on him check on him Well, I'll find out 00:10:49.559 --> 00:10:52.539 if he really does work for the city sentinel 00:10:52.539 --> 00:10:55.480 and like that. You could call the paper. Oh, 00:10:55.539 --> 00:10:58.519 I'm just being silly. That's all. Of course you 00:10:58.519 --> 00:11:03.480 are. Mountains out of molehills. I'm off for 00:11:03.480 --> 00:11:06.700 a bed. Oh, are you sleeping better since we exchanged 00:11:06.700 --> 00:11:10.159 rooms? You've no idea. The traffic isn't anywhere 00:11:10.159 --> 00:11:13.059 near so loud. But what about you? Oh, I don't 00:11:13.059 --> 00:11:15.340 mind it. I told you that months ago. I know. 00:11:15.460 --> 00:11:21.190 And I thank you. Stop worrying now. Here's the 00:11:21.190 --> 00:11:25.769 lipstick. I certainly don't want it. Good night. 00:11:25.909 --> 00:11:51.269 Good night, my dear. Sleep well. I wonder. City 00:11:51.269 --> 00:11:55.149 Sentinel, I'd like to speak to Mr. Tony Adams, 00:11:55.350 --> 00:12:00.909 please. Oh, I see. I wonder if you could tell 00:12:00.909 --> 00:12:06.929 me, has he been with the Sentinel long? Six weeks? 00:12:09.250 --> 00:12:16.990 Thank you very much. Six weeks. It was just six 00:12:16.990 --> 00:12:20.720 weeks ago on a Thursday. Just six weeks. weeks 00:12:20.720 --> 00:12:31.320 ago today that the ripper oh my god charlie charlie 00:12:31.320 --> 00:12:34.259 where are you haven't told me i have to go up 00:12:34.259 --> 00:12:39.159 my shoe miss mapes miss mapes oh charlie good 00:12:39.159 --> 00:12:41.120 lord miss pearson was that miss mapes screaming 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:46.940 yes yes don't hear nothing now it came from the 00:12:46.940 --> 00:12:51.320 room Charlie, I don't dare open the door. Yeah, 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:59.980 well, I guess I'll have to then. Oh, no. Oh, 00:13:00.039 --> 00:13:07.159 no. Blood. Blood all over. Hey, Miss Babes, look. 00:13:08.100 --> 00:13:12.019 No, no, don't look. Oh, God. It's the work of 00:13:12.019 --> 00:13:16.500 the ripper. Oh, my God. I've never seen no one 00:13:16.500 --> 00:13:21.139 slashed up somebody. The mirror, Charlie. Look 00:13:21.139 --> 00:13:26.500 at the mirror. Words. Words scrawled in red. 00:13:27.399 --> 00:13:32.700 Lipstick. Mandarin scarlet lipstick. Stop me 00:13:32.700 --> 00:13:36.240 before I kill again. They must, they must stop 00:13:36.240 --> 00:13:39.000 him. Let's get right down to the living room 00:13:39.000 --> 00:13:44.539 and phone the police. Yes, oh yes. The front 00:13:44.539 --> 00:13:52.090 door at this hour? I'll go. Oh, Mr. Adams. Hello, 00:13:52.090 --> 00:13:54.350 Charlie. Sorry I bothered you. Forgot my key. 00:13:55.169 --> 00:14:00.929 Hello, Mel. Excuse me, Mrs. Pearson. I know. 00:14:02.210 --> 00:14:05.090 Why the stairs? Can't be the first roomer who 00:14:05.090 --> 00:14:09.889 forgot his key. Mr. Adams. Oh, my Lord, Mr. Adams. 00:14:10.269 --> 00:14:14.870 What is it? Upstairs. Upstairs. Upstairs what? 00:14:15.070 --> 00:14:19.490 Oh, never mind. I'll see for myself. The police. 00:14:20.049 --> 00:14:23.490 Let's call them, Miss Pearson. Miss Pearson. 00:14:23.850 --> 00:14:27.230 Did you... Charlie, did you... Miss Pearson, 00:14:27.289 --> 00:14:31.009 what is it? The look on his face when he saw 00:14:31.009 --> 00:14:34.929 me standing here. Did you see the look on his 00:14:34.929 --> 00:14:39.629 face? Well, yeah. I couldn't figure why we were 00:14:39.629 --> 00:14:43.330 staring at him. He couldn't figure out how I 00:14:43.330 --> 00:14:48.570 could be standing here. Huh? Why? She's been 00:14:48.570 --> 00:14:51.590 killed by the Ripper, Miss Mabes killed by the 00:14:51.590 --> 00:14:57.190 Ripper, and he always kills widows. Hey. Yeah, 00:14:57.350 --> 00:15:01.210 come think of it, that don't make no sense. It 00:15:01.210 --> 00:15:05.149 does, if you remember that we changed rooms. 00:15:06.009 --> 00:15:10.250 Miss Pearson? Miss Pearson, are you saying that... 00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:15.700 The ripper mistook Miss Mapes for you? Oh, I'm 00:15:15.700 --> 00:15:19.679 the only widow in this house, Charlie. Come on, 00:15:19.740 --> 00:15:26.600 let's call the cops. Operator, the police. Give 00:15:26.600 --> 00:15:28.360 me the police. Put that phone down, Charlie. 00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:30.639 Miss Adams, what do you... Give me the phone. 00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:33.940 Charlie, no, the police. Yeah, yeah. Hello, this 00:15:33.940 --> 00:15:42.960 is Charlie. Give me that phone. So weaving their 00:15:42.960 --> 00:15:46.460 pattern of the unexpected, the fates bring together 00:15:46.460 --> 00:15:49.799 on this fearsome night an innocent spinster named 00:15:49.799 --> 00:15:54.080 Miss Mapes and the Ripper who mistook her for 00:15:54.080 --> 00:15:58.279 Nell Pearson. I'll be back shortly with Act Two. 00:15:59.179 --> 00:16:01.720 In Chicago, it's 58 degrees in Midway Airport. 00:16:01.899 --> 00:16:16.830 The WBBM News Time is 10 51. Mrs. Nell Pearson 00:16:16.830 --> 00:16:19.990 feels that she's about to faint. As she sees 00:16:19.990 --> 00:16:22.710 her new border, Tony Adams grabbed the telephone 00:16:22.710 --> 00:16:26.009 away from Charlie, the handyman, break the connection 00:16:26.009 --> 00:16:28.970 with police headquarters, and then begin to dial 00:16:28.970 --> 00:16:33.129 another number furiously. Charlie stands as if 00:16:33.129 --> 00:16:36.470 turned to stone. Nell grabs the back of a chair 00:16:36.470 --> 00:16:40.289 for support as... Give me the city desk. Hank 00:16:40.289 --> 00:16:45.679 Adams. The ripper is stuck again. Time. 1115 00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:48.740 Place 129th Street rooming house owned by mrs. 00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:52.960 Eleanor Pearson widow what? No, not her one of 00:16:52.960 --> 00:16:56.840 her boarders. I miss maids I Must have made a 00:16:56.840 --> 00:17:00.639 mistake Hank I know I know but it isn't a widow 00:17:00.639 --> 00:17:02.799 this time now. Stop talking and take this will 00:17:02.799 --> 00:17:05.900 you? One of the ghastliest bloodiest murders 00:17:05.900 --> 00:17:17.099 he's yet committed the ripper slashed his Sorry, 00:17:17.559 --> 00:17:19.200 I had to grab the phone out of your hand Charlie, 00:17:19.220 --> 00:17:24.059 but a scoops a scoop. Ah, yeah sure now Give 00:17:24.059 --> 00:17:26.039 me your stories. We'll start with you now. Tell 00:17:26.039 --> 00:17:29.980 me what happened. I'll come now snap out of it. 00:17:30.019 --> 00:17:31.880 Stop staring at me and tell me what happened. 00:17:32.579 --> 00:17:37.279 I I Heard her scream. She screamed and screamed 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:41.880 and screamed. Where were you? Here right here 00:17:41.880 --> 00:17:44.299 She'd just gone up to bed. What were you doing? 00:17:44.539 --> 00:17:49.849 I had just telephone um someone then the screams 00:17:49.849 --> 00:17:53.890 began and i ran upstairs and charlie was there 00:17:53.890 --> 00:17:57.549 on the landing and we went into a room and there's 00:17:57.549 --> 00:18:02.029 there she was she i've got to sit down yeah what's 00:18:02.029 --> 00:18:04.049 the matter let me help you don't touch me okay 00:18:04.049 --> 00:18:09.410 okay all right charlie let let's have it from 00:18:09.410 --> 00:18:16.289 you oh well uh like miss pierson says I heard 00:18:16.289 --> 00:18:20.289 Miss Mapes screaming and went running to see 00:18:20.289 --> 00:18:23.529 what was going on. You must have moved fast. 00:18:24.549 --> 00:18:27.690 Your room was in the basement, isn't it? Oh, 00:18:27.690 --> 00:18:31.630 well, I wasn't in my room. I was in Miss Pearson's 00:18:31.630 --> 00:18:34.809 room just across Miss Mapes. What were you doing 00:18:34.809 --> 00:18:37.849 in Miss Pearson's room? Yes, what were you doing 00:18:37.849 --> 00:18:42.609 there? Well, you remember when you changed rooms 00:18:42.609 --> 00:18:45.740 with Miss Mapes a couple days ago? Yes. And there 00:18:45.740 --> 00:18:48.099 was that leak in the bathroom when I fixed it? 00:18:48.339 --> 00:18:53.420 Yes. I just went up to check on it, is all. I 00:18:53.420 --> 00:18:56.960 didn't know you changed rooms, now. No. You didn't, 00:18:57.059 --> 00:18:59.319 did you? That would account for... Why don't 00:18:59.319 --> 00:19:03.359 you say it? The Ripper mistook Miss Mapes for 00:19:03.359 --> 00:19:07.119 me. Because he didn't know about the change of 00:19:07.119 --> 00:19:13.339 rooms. You were lucky, now. Very. This time. 00:19:18.160 --> 00:19:20.859 Now, please, please, Mrs. Pearson, we're here 00:19:20.859 --> 00:19:23.720 to help you at police headquarters. And I understand 00:19:23.720 --> 00:19:26.319 why you're worried. It is possible the Ripper 00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:30.140 mistook Miss Mapes for you. He did, he did. Yes, 00:19:30.140 --> 00:19:32.400 but now there seems to be something else on your 00:19:32.400 --> 00:19:35.960 mind. Something to do with one of your boarders, 00:19:35.960 --> 00:19:39.339 you're saying? His name is Tony Adams. He's a 00:19:39.339 --> 00:19:42.880 reporter on the City Sentinel. He rented a room 00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:46.690 at my place just a week ago today. That was the 00:19:46.690 --> 00:19:49.769 day after the last murder. Ah, yes. I know well 00:19:49.769 --> 00:19:52.470 after he rented the room he left to go to the 00:19:52.470 --> 00:19:56.029 newspaper and I I picked up his top coat to hang 00:19:56.029 --> 00:20:00.809 it in the closet and This fell out a lipstick. 00:20:01.849 --> 00:20:07.369 Yes Mandarin scarlet the same color the ripper 00:20:07.369 --> 00:20:10.890 uses crawl those horrible messages like last 00:20:10.890 --> 00:20:13.450 night on the wall of miss Mates room Well, it 00:20:13.450 --> 00:20:16.230 seems to me you're letting your fears run away 00:20:16.230 --> 00:20:18.430 with you building up a case in your mind. Well, 00:20:18.430 --> 00:20:21.690 what about last night? He just happened to come 00:20:21.690 --> 00:20:25.349 home minutes after the murder, he says. And you 00:20:25.349 --> 00:20:28.569 think... I think he was lying. I think he killed 00:20:28.569 --> 00:20:31.069 Miss Mates, left by the fire escape at the end 00:20:31.069 --> 00:20:33.410 of the second -floor corridor, and then pretended 00:20:33.410 --> 00:20:36.809 he'd just arrived home, claimed he'd forgotten 00:20:36.809 --> 00:20:40.450 his key, so he'd have a witness to prove an alibi 00:20:40.450 --> 00:20:42.839 if he needed one. Well, it's clever thinking, 00:20:42.880 --> 00:20:46.160 if that's so. He's a clever man. Believe me, 00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:49.559 he is. And I'm afraid of him, Lieutenant. Terribly 00:20:49.559 --> 00:20:53.420 afraid. Well, I'll tell you what. The managing 00:20:53.420 --> 00:20:55.400 editor of the Sentinel is a good friend of mine. 00:20:56.380 --> 00:20:58.759 Let me just give him a ring and check on this 00:20:58.759 --> 00:21:14.759 Tony Adams. What? It's interesting. Your friend 00:21:14.759 --> 00:21:17.500 Mr. Adams was hired away from another paper, 00:21:17.680 --> 00:21:20.299 a Metropolitan Daily, because of the record of 00:21:20.299 --> 00:21:22.480 scoops he'd built up in a little more than a 00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:26.299 year. Scoops? Oh, that means... He always managed 00:21:26.299 --> 00:21:29.460 somehow to be on the scene of the crime first. 00:21:30.319 --> 00:21:34.960 An unusual record. A most unusual record. What 00:21:34.960 --> 00:21:42.089 do you think? Oh, I know what you think. He committed 00:21:42.089 --> 00:21:45.609 the crime so he could get the scoop now now now 00:21:45.609 --> 00:21:47.609 I didn't say that mrs. Pierce, but that's what 00:21:47.609 --> 00:21:52.009 you're thinking well Either he's a remarkable 00:21:52.009 --> 00:21:56.369 police reporter or he's the ripper Lieutenant 00:21:56.369 --> 00:21:59.309 I want protection. You've got to protect me. 00:21:59.430 --> 00:22:02.210 I want a policeman in my house night and day 00:22:02.210 --> 00:22:05.450 until that ripper is caught Tell me do you have 00:22:05.450 --> 00:22:08.799 a room available in your house? Well Oh, well, 00:22:08.859 --> 00:22:11.960 there's Miss Mape's room. Why? Well, look, don't 00:22:11.960 --> 00:22:13.940 hold me to this. What with one thing and another, 00:22:14.019 --> 00:22:17.019 we're shorthanded right now. But if I sent one 00:22:17.019 --> 00:22:19.420 of my men to act like he was a boarder... Oh, 00:22:19.579 --> 00:22:22.339 I'd make room for him. You can be sure of that. 00:22:29.160 --> 00:22:32.200 Oh, hell. Charlie said I'd find you down here 00:22:32.200 --> 00:22:35.180 in the laundry room. Oh, what is it, Mr. Adams? 00:22:35.599 --> 00:22:38.240 What do you want? One thing I want is for you 00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:41.259 to call me Tony. One thing I want for you is 00:22:41.259 --> 00:22:44.039 to stop calling me Nell. Oh, come on. What have 00:22:44.039 --> 00:22:47.039 you got against me? Look, Mr. Adams, I've got 00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:51.180 a lot of work to do. Well, not much sense asking 00:22:51.180 --> 00:22:55.960 you now. What is it? Why, well, I was going to 00:22:55.960 --> 00:22:58.400 ask if you'd like to go to the movies with me. 00:23:00.109 --> 00:23:03.390 I figured that'd be your answer. What other answer 00:23:03.390 --> 00:23:06.950 would you expect? There was a murder in this 00:23:06.950 --> 00:23:10.210 house last night, a gruesome murder. Not only 00:23:10.210 --> 00:23:12.769 that, but the victim was a friend of mine. And 00:23:12.769 --> 00:23:16.549 you have the indecency to ask me to go to a movie 00:23:16.549 --> 00:23:20.630 with you? Yeah, I guess you could look at it 00:23:20.630 --> 00:23:24.230 that way, only... Look, I wish we could be friendlier, 00:23:24.230 --> 00:23:29.349 that's all. I'll level with you now. Excuse me, 00:23:29.509 --> 00:23:33.930 Mrs. Pearson. I've been thinking of settling 00:23:33.930 --> 00:23:36.950 down for some time now. I've been looking around, 00:23:36.950 --> 00:23:40.849 you know, keeping my eyes open. From the minute 00:23:40.849 --> 00:23:46.130 they fell on you, Mrs. Pearson. Damn it, Mel, 00:23:46.130 --> 00:23:49.250 listen to me. Take your hands off me. I don't 00:23:49.250 --> 00:23:51.670 call laying my hands on your arm exactly putting 00:23:51.670 --> 00:23:54.890 my hands on you. Don't touch me. Don't even touch 00:23:54.890 --> 00:23:59.619 me. What is it with you? Well, don't just stand 00:23:59.619 --> 00:24:02.660 there looking at me. What is it? I just want 00:24:02.660 --> 00:24:05.920 to be left alone. You just want to be left alone, 00:24:05.920 --> 00:24:11.059 or you just want to be left alone by me? Answer 00:24:11.059 --> 00:24:19.339 me. By you. Sorry. I won't trouble you again. 00:24:21.980 --> 00:24:26.259 Good night. What are you doing there? Charlie. 00:24:26.890 --> 00:24:30.230 I come down to tell you there's somebody upstairs 00:24:30.230 --> 00:24:37.789 looking for a room. A man or woman? Man. Well, 00:24:37.869 --> 00:24:42.950 if you'll excuse me, Mr. Adams. How long were 00:24:42.950 --> 00:24:47.970 you standing there, Charlie? Me? I just come 00:24:47.970 --> 00:24:59.119 down. Why? Nothing, Charlie. Nothing. How do 00:24:59.119 --> 00:25:01.900 you do? I'm Mrs. Pearson, a landlady. My name 00:25:01.900 --> 00:25:05.359 is Bowen, Lawrence Bowen. I saw your sign out 00:25:05.359 --> 00:25:07.680 front. I wondered if you had a vacancy. Yes, 00:25:07.680 --> 00:25:10.700 I do. A bed sitting room. Would you care to see 00:25:10.700 --> 00:25:12.680 it? If it's not too much trouble. No trouble 00:25:12.680 --> 00:25:18.240 at all if you follow me. Did anyone recommend 00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:22.940 you here, Mr. Bowen? Well, no. I couldn't say 00:25:22.940 --> 00:25:27.029 I was recommended, although... Yes? Well... You 00:25:27.029 --> 00:25:30.369 might say I heard what happened here last night, 00:25:30.630 --> 00:25:35.289 and I... Well, that's why I'm here. Well, here 00:25:35.289 --> 00:25:39.970 we are. This is the room. So this is where it 00:25:39.970 --> 00:25:46.509 happened? Yes. What a shame to die like that. 00:25:48.069 --> 00:25:51.509 Maybe you could fill me in on some things. I 00:25:51.509 --> 00:25:53.950 got a lot from Lieutenant Goldman, but I'd like 00:25:53.950 --> 00:25:57.720 to hear your side of things. Well, it's like 00:25:57.720 --> 00:26:01.579 this, Mr. Bowen. Is Mr. all right? Or should 00:26:01.579 --> 00:26:04.819 I call you sergeant or something like that? Oh. 00:26:06.299 --> 00:26:11.240 Better keep it Mr. I understand. Did Lieutenant 00:26:11.240 --> 00:26:14.220 Goldman tell you about my finding the lipstick? 00:26:15.019 --> 00:26:18.579 Yes, yes. Where did you find it? Well, I didn't 00:26:18.579 --> 00:26:21.319 find it, actually. It fell out of Mr. Adams' 00:26:21.920 --> 00:26:24.200 pocket. And of course, when I saw it was Mandarin 00:26:24.200 --> 00:26:26.500 scarlet, my suspicions were aroused right then 00:26:26.500 --> 00:26:28.279 and there. Yeah, same shade of lipstick the Ripper 00:26:28.279 --> 00:26:33.059 uses to write his messages. You found the lipstick 00:26:33.059 --> 00:26:35.579 and that aroused your suspicions. In other words, 00:26:35.720 --> 00:26:37.859 you think he could be the Ripper. I'm practically 00:26:37.859 --> 00:26:41.640 sure he is. Which is his room? Right there, that 00:26:41.640 --> 00:26:43.579 front room at the end of the corridor. I'd like 00:26:43.579 --> 00:26:45.319 to have a look at that. Is he out of the house? 00:26:45.839 --> 00:26:49.180 He may be Though he was downstairs just a little 00:26:49.180 --> 00:26:50.960 while ago wouldn't want him to find me in his 00:26:50.960 --> 00:26:53.200 room Maybe you could check and find out. Oh, 00:26:53.200 --> 00:26:55.240 of course. I'll do that. Be careful Don't say 00:26:55.240 --> 00:26:57.660 or do anything to make him suspect. Oh, I won't 00:26:57.660 --> 00:27:06.460 I won't Oh Charlie, where's mr. Adams in the 00:27:06.460 --> 00:27:08.140 sitting room and say you're gonna write some 00:27:08.140 --> 00:27:11.839 letters. Oh There's something wrong with Pearson 00:27:12.440 --> 00:27:16.259 You act upset. No, no, no, I'm not upset. Not 00:27:16.259 --> 00:27:21.359 in the least. Thank you, Charlie. Oh, you've 00:27:21.359 --> 00:27:25.720 finished writing your letters. Huh? Yes. How 00:27:25.720 --> 00:27:30.859 did you know I was writing letters? Oh, I noticed 00:27:30.859 --> 00:27:34.019 you're holding some letters in your hand. I assumed 00:27:34.019 --> 00:27:37.599 you'd just written them naturally. Naturally. 00:27:38.339 --> 00:27:41.759 And now I'm going out and naturally post them. 00:27:47.160 --> 00:27:51.339 Say what? That's none of my business, I guess, 00:27:52.359 --> 00:27:54.559 but you two at each other's throats or something? 00:27:55.339 --> 00:28:02.220 As you say, Charlie, none of your business. He's 00:28:02.220 --> 00:28:04.400 gone. He just went out to mail some letters. 00:28:04.559 --> 00:28:06.339 How long will it take him? Well, the nearest 00:28:06.339 --> 00:28:08.799 box is two blocks away, at least five minutes. 00:28:08.839 --> 00:28:11.549 Have you got a key to his room? Master key, yes. 00:28:11.730 --> 00:28:13.769 Have it right here. Have to move fast, but go 00:28:13.769 --> 00:28:16.269 ahead. Open his door. Now, while I'm looking 00:28:16.269 --> 00:28:18.190 around, you better go to the head of the stairs 00:28:18.190 --> 00:28:21.970 and keep an eye out for him. Yes, yes. Let's 00:28:21.970 --> 00:28:27.829 see. Suitcase. It's open. Good. That does it. 00:28:28.490 --> 00:28:32.509 Mrs. Pearson. Come here a moment. Yes? Have a 00:28:32.509 --> 00:28:38.410 look inside his suitcase. What? Lipsticks. Three, 00:28:38.670 --> 00:28:41.049 four... Six of them. And all of them, Mander 00:28:41.049 --> 00:28:44.049 and Scarlet. Then I... Then I was right? You 00:28:44.049 --> 00:28:46.130 were more than right. You were smack on target. 00:28:46.230 --> 00:28:49.789 And look here, under these shirts. A knife! A 00:28:49.789 --> 00:28:52.390 long knife! Butcher's knife, Mrs. Pearson. The 00:28:52.390 --> 00:28:54.609 knife, I'm sure, that was used on all six victims. 00:28:54.809 --> 00:28:58.589 Oh, Lord, be with us, but... What are you going 00:28:58.589 --> 00:29:03.690 to do? For the moment, nothing. Nothing? You're 00:29:03.690 --> 00:29:06.369 not going to arrest him? Well, we could arrest 00:29:06.369 --> 00:29:08.750 him. I don't think we'd be able to hold him. 00:29:09.299 --> 00:29:11.799 Evidence like this is purely circumstantial. 00:29:12.200 --> 00:29:14.019 When we nail this bird, we want to nail him for 00:29:14.019 --> 00:29:16.559 good. Oh, I don't know. Maybe you ought to talk 00:29:16.559 --> 00:29:19.460 to Lieutenant Goldman and get his opinion. I 00:29:19.460 --> 00:29:22.920 will. You can depend on that. And I'll do it, 00:29:22.940 --> 00:29:25.140 Mrs. Pearson, not you. I don't understand. If 00:29:25.140 --> 00:29:27.059 Adams is planning to murder you, he's keeping 00:29:27.059 --> 00:29:29.339 tabs on you. So don't try to contact the lieutenant 00:29:29.339 --> 00:29:33.380 in any way. Leave all that to me. Well, I will. 00:29:35.119 --> 00:29:37.619 Oh, Mr. Bowen, I can't tell you how glad I am 00:29:37.619 --> 00:29:40.950 you're here. There's no question about it now. 00:29:40.950 --> 00:29:46.369 He is the Ripper. He was planning... He was planning 00:29:46.369 --> 00:29:50.769 to kill me. Well, he won't. I'll see to that. 00:29:51.630 --> 00:30:02.410 And that's a promise. Protected by Mr. Bowen, 00:30:02.710 --> 00:30:06.829 Nell Pearson feels safe. Well, safer than she 00:30:06.829 --> 00:30:11.269 did. But all too often, the fates are at work, 00:30:11.589 --> 00:30:16.910 weaving, ever weaving the unexpected. I'll be 00:30:16.910 --> 00:30:21.849 back shortly with Act 3. This is WBBM Chicago 00:30:21.849 --> 00:30:33.250 News Radio 78. With Officer Bowen in the house 00:30:33.250 --> 00:30:36.710 to protect her, or perhaps I should say, Mr. 00:30:36.950 --> 00:30:40.769 Bowen, now Pearson seemingly has nothing to fear. 00:30:41.710 --> 00:30:45.549 But note that I say seemingly, and having noticed 00:30:45.549 --> 00:30:48.710 it, let's move on, you and I, to the dining room 00:30:48.710 --> 00:30:51.589 in Mrs. Pearson's rooming house some days later. 00:30:52.349 --> 00:30:56.349 In fact, the evening of the following Thursday. 00:30:56.789 --> 00:30:59.950 Delicious meal, Mrs. Pearson, as always. Thank 00:30:59.950 --> 00:31:04.069 you, Mr. Bowen. Sure is. Oh, Mr. Bowen. Yes. 00:31:04.380 --> 00:31:07.079 Oh, you won't mind my asking. I haven't had the 00:31:07.079 --> 00:31:09.119 chance before, but do you mind telling me what 00:31:09.119 --> 00:31:12.920 you do for a living? A salesman. Insurance. Oh? 00:31:13.619 --> 00:31:17.180 You sound surprised. No. No, not really, except... 00:31:17.180 --> 00:31:19.859 I'd have thought you were in something that keeps 00:31:19.859 --> 00:31:22.900 you outdoors a lot of the time. In your ruddy 00:31:22.900 --> 00:31:27.099 complexion. Like what? Oh, I don't know. Building 00:31:27.099 --> 00:31:29.779 trades, maybe. Foreman of some kind of outdoor 00:31:29.779 --> 00:31:34.029 crew. Policeman, even. Oh, I'm sorry. slipped 00:31:34.029 --> 00:31:38.089 no insurance salesman mr. adams and that does 00:31:38.089 --> 00:31:40.630 get me out and around a lot you know i suppose 00:31:40.630 --> 00:31:43.170 it does yeah you're a reporter a crime reporter 00:31:43.170 --> 00:31:47.329 i hear are you involved in this ripper business 00:31:47.329 --> 00:31:50.009 very much been involved in nothing else since 00:31:50.009 --> 00:31:52.869 i came here to join the sentinel do you or uh 00:31:52.869 --> 00:31:55.630 do the police have any idea what he's like the 00:31:55.630 --> 00:31:58.430 kind of man he is what makes him commit these 00:31:58.430 --> 00:32:02.960 terrible murders well we do and we don't i What 00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:06.259 I mean, everything we know is conjecture, theory. 00:32:07.559 --> 00:32:09.460 No one has ever laid eyes on him, except his 00:32:09.460 --> 00:32:12.619 victims, of course, so we can't be sure that 00:32:12.619 --> 00:32:14.720 the picture we've built up is close to the truth 00:32:14.720 --> 00:32:17.519 or not. Still, it ought to be fairly accurate 00:32:17.519 --> 00:32:21.220 as far as it goes. How far does it go? I mean, 00:32:21.680 --> 00:32:26.359 what is your picture of him? Well, we estimate 00:32:26.359 --> 00:32:29.779 he's between five foot eleven and six feet. We 00:32:29.779 --> 00:32:31.779 get that from the height of his victims and the... 00:32:31.799 --> 00:32:33.960 downward direction of some of the knife thrusts. 00:32:34.160 --> 00:32:36.480 Must we talk about the ripper at the dinner table? 00:32:36.859 --> 00:32:40.279 Oh, I'm sorry, but Mr. Bowen asked and... Well, 00:32:40.400 --> 00:32:42.460 there must be something else you can talk about. 00:32:42.940 --> 00:32:45.319 After all, there has been a murder in this house 00:32:45.319 --> 00:32:49.500 and it was the ripper and this is Thursday and 00:32:49.500 --> 00:32:51.960 the night that he commits these terrible crimes. 00:32:54.220 --> 00:32:57.660 Really? Oh, Mel, I am sorry. Me too, Mrs. Pierce. 00:32:57.700 --> 00:33:00.720 I'm awfully sorry. All right, just stop talking 00:33:00.720 --> 00:33:04.920 about it. I certainly won't. It is Thursday night, 00:33:04.940 --> 00:33:06.819 and that means I've got to take myself out of 00:33:06.819 --> 00:33:08.859 police headquarters. I'll be right in the scene, 00:33:08.980 --> 00:33:11.940 is that it? I'm always on the scene, Mr. Bowen. 00:33:11.980 --> 00:33:21.359 It's my job. Well, here we are, Mr. Bowen. Come 00:33:21.359 --> 00:33:26.380 in. Well now, this is very nice, very comfortable, 00:33:26.440 --> 00:33:29.920 Mrs. Pearson. I can't understand why Miss Mapes, 00:33:30.079 --> 00:33:32.099 poor woman, wanted to change rooms with you. 00:33:32.460 --> 00:33:35.200 Oh, the noise of the traffic bothered her. Oh, 00:33:35.240 --> 00:33:37.220 no traffic noise that I can hear. Oh, that's 00:33:37.220 --> 00:33:40.079 because it's so late. It's nearly 11, but Miss 00:33:40.079 --> 00:33:43.119 Mapes usually went to bed quite early. I see. 00:33:44.380 --> 00:33:47.839 Better lock the door, Mrs. Pearson. Oh, but with 00:33:47.839 --> 00:33:50.500 you here to protect me? Well, the fewer chances 00:33:50.500 --> 00:33:54.339 we take, the better. Well, I'll lock it. Good. 00:33:55.799 --> 00:33:57.920 Now, all we have to do is just sit and wait. 00:33:58.799 --> 00:34:02.079 Till midnight, that is. After midnight, you'll 00:34:02.079 --> 00:34:07.519 be safe. At least till next Thursday. You mind 00:34:07.519 --> 00:34:10.179 if I turn on the TV? Oh, of course not. Why should 00:34:10.179 --> 00:34:12.460 I? Well, you'll want to read your newspaper you 00:34:12.460 --> 00:34:15.070 brought, won't you? Well, not necessarily. I 00:34:15.070 --> 00:34:18.449 thought I might kill time while waiting, but... 00:34:18.449 --> 00:34:20.849 No, go ahead. Go ahead, turn it on. We can catch 00:34:20.849 --> 00:34:24.010 the 11 o 'clock news when it... Oh, excuse me. 00:34:25.650 --> 00:34:29.469 Hello? Mrs. Pearson? Yes. This is Lieutenant 00:34:29.469 --> 00:34:32.469 Goldman, police headquarters. Oh, yes. I just 00:34:32.469 --> 00:34:33.949 wanted to let you know you have nothing to worry 00:34:33.949 --> 00:34:36.909 about tonight. Oh, I'm sure I don't. I feel perfectly 00:34:36.909 --> 00:34:40.210 safe. You'll feel even safer when Officer Randolph 00:34:40.210 --> 00:34:45.599 gets there. Did you hear me, Mrs. Pearson? I... 00:34:45.599 --> 00:34:51.239 I... No. What did you say? I've sent one of my 00:34:51.239 --> 00:34:53.679 men, Officer Randolph, over to your place. He 00:34:53.679 --> 00:34:55.460 ought to be with you in about five or ten minutes. 00:34:56.380 --> 00:34:58.460 I'm very sorry I couldn't send anyone to stay 00:34:58.460 --> 00:35:00.119 with you through the week, but as I told you, 00:35:00.179 --> 00:35:03.980 we're shorthanded. You understand? Mrs. Pearson? 00:35:05.780 --> 00:35:17.610 Yes, I... I understand. Good. What friend calling 00:35:17.610 --> 00:35:24.389 to see if you're okay Yes, yes, well you are 00:35:24.389 --> 00:35:30.829 all your worries will be over by midnight Would 00:35:30.829 --> 00:35:33.809 you would you like something to drink oh no, 00:35:33.849 --> 00:35:38.349 no I'd like a cup of coffee myself. I'll just 00:35:38.349 --> 00:35:43.019 run down to the kitchen now Can't take a chance 00:35:43.019 --> 00:35:44.920 of letting you out of my sight, Mrs. Pearson. 00:35:46.920 --> 00:35:51.699 And now, it's 11 o 'clock. Plan when the Ripper 00:35:51.699 --> 00:35:55.159 does his killing. Even though he doesn't want 00:35:55.159 --> 00:35:58.880 to. Doesn't, doesn't want to? No, he doesn't 00:35:58.880 --> 00:36:03.760 want to kill. He has to. How, how do you know? 00:36:04.320 --> 00:36:07.219 Why else would he screw all those messages? Please 00:36:07.219 --> 00:36:10.809 stop me. Don't let me kill again. I always wear 00:36:10.809 --> 00:36:12.869 the same kind of lipstick, Mandarin Scarlet. 00:36:13.530 --> 00:36:19.449 Why a lipstick? One of these. Why one of these? 00:36:20.489 --> 00:36:23.829 You... You're... You're... Yes? You're... You're 00:36:23.829 --> 00:36:27.710 the Ripper? I'm sorry to say that I am, Mrs. 00:36:28.010 --> 00:36:31.710 Pearson. I wish I was. Look, you... You don't 00:36:31.710 --> 00:36:36.670 have to be. I do. I do. I can't help myself. 00:36:36.670 --> 00:36:41.019 I just can. Right now, this minute, I know what 00:36:41.019 --> 00:36:44.940 I'm going to do. And I don't want to do it. But 00:36:44.940 --> 00:36:48.179 I know I won't be able to help myself. They must 00:36:48.179 --> 00:36:50.199 catch me, Mrs. Pearson. They must catch me. They 00:36:50.199 --> 00:36:52.699 must stop me. They are going to catch you tonight. 00:36:52.880 --> 00:36:55.000 There's a police officer on his way here now. 00:36:55.280 --> 00:36:58.579 He'll be at the front door any minute. But you 00:36:58.579 --> 00:37:01.519 won't be able to admit him. Someone will. Charlie 00:37:01.519 --> 00:37:03.309 will. I don't see how. What do you mean? You 00:37:03.309 --> 00:37:05.650 don't see how he'll ring the front doorbell and 00:37:05.650 --> 00:37:07.590 keep ringing until someone answers. No one will 00:37:07.590 --> 00:37:09.550 hear the doorbell, Mrs. Pearson. I disconnected 00:37:09.550 --> 00:37:17.889 it. The newspaper you brought. Not to read. To 00:37:17.889 --> 00:37:23.369 carry this. The knife! The butcher's knife! Heaven 00:37:23.369 --> 00:37:38.360 help me! Heaven help me! Yes, send them in. Come 00:37:38.360 --> 00:37:40.179 in, Adam. I got a message you wanted to see me 00:37:40.179 --> 00:37:43.739 when I came in. Ah, yeah. Coffee? Never turn 00:37:43.739 --> 00:37:47.119 it down. I just wanted to let you know I assigned 00:37:47.119 --> 00:37:49.679 a man to stay with Mrs. Pearson between 11 and 00:37:49.679 --> 00:37:52.139 midnight, and another hour or so after that, 00:37:52.159 --> 00:37:54.400 just to be sure. Thanks a heap, Lieutenant. I 00:37:54.400 --> 00:37:57.719 appreciate that. I think you're more worried 00:37:57.719 --> 00:38:00.590 about her than she was about herself. Well, to 00:38:00.590 --> 00:38:02.050 tell you the truth, I'd have stayed with her 00:38:02.050 --> 00:38:03.650 myself if I didn't have to cover headquarters. 00:38:04.730 --> 00:38:08.730 And if she'd have let me. Let you? For some reason 00:38:08.730 --> 00:38:10.889 or other, she won't have anything to do with 00:38:10.889 --> 00:38:15.469 me. Me, I go for her. Turns me on, you know what 00:38:15.469 --> 00:38:18.829 I mean? But I can't get to first base with her. 00:38:19.269 --> 00:38:23.130 You ready for a shock? What? I didn't tell you 00:38:23.130 --> 00:38:25.090 this before because I didn't get the chance. 00:38:25.190 --> 00:38:27.730 Too damn busy with one thing and another, including 00:38:27.730 --> 00:38:32.480 putting a check on you. I don't get you. I had 00:38:32.480 --> 00:38:36.940 you checked out up and down and sideways because, 00:38:37.460 --> 00:38:40.619 well, you're not going to believe this. Mrs. 00:38:40.820 --> 00:38:44.960 Pearson was convinced you were the ripper. Nell 00:38:44.960 --> 00:38:51.300 Pearson thought I... Excuse me. Goldman. No one 00:38:51.300 --> 00:38:54.980 answers. That doesn't make any sense. She's there. 00:38:55.000 --> 00:38:56.880 I talked with her on the phone 10 minutes ago. 00:38:57.039 --> 00:39:00.000 Tell them to try again. And tell him to make 00:39:00.000 --> 00:39:06.119 sure he's got the right house. He's rookie. The 00:39:06.119 --> 00:39:09.019 guy I sent over to stay with Mrs. Pearson says 00:39:09.019 --> 00:39:12.320 nobody answers the doorbell. Not out of order, 00:39:12.420 --> 00:39:15.400 is it? Well, I know how. I've got a key. Maybe 00:39:15.400 --> 00:39:23.599 he went to the wrong house. Yeah, maybe. Look, 00:39:23.599 --> 00:39:26.119 you don't know what you're saying. I never tricked 00:39:26.119 --> 00:39:28.679 you. Oh, yes you did. You say you changed rooms 00:39:28.679 --> 00:39:31.380 with that Miss Mace because she wanted to. But 00:39:31.380 --> 00:39:32.900 what you were doing was tricking me, that's what. 00:39:33.500 --> 00:39:36.539 You're all alike, you widows. Vile, vile, vile. 00:39:36.619 --> 00:39:39.639 Please, please believe me. Believe you? Believe 00:39:39.639 --> 00:39:43.659 a widow? Never again, never again. I believed 00:39:43.659 --> 00:39:47.280 one. I married her. But never again. You know 00:39:47.280 --> 00:39:49.599 what the Chinese say? Fool me once, shame on 00:39:49.599 --> 00:39:52.579 you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I learned that 00:39:52.579 --> 00:39:55.400 from her. She was nuts about everything Chinese. 00:39:56.030 --> 00:39:58.949 Pagodas all over the house, Chinese screens, 00:39:59.510 --> 00:40:01.610 parading around. She was always parading around 00:40:01.610 --> 00:40:04.710 with dresses slid up to here, up to here. Even 00:40:04.710 --> 00:40:09.150 her lipstick, this Mandarin scarlet. Listen to 00:40:09.150 --> 00:40:11.510 me. But I paid her back for what she did to me. 00:40:12.010 --> 00:40:14.949 I paid her back. That night, that Thursday night, 00:40:15.070 --> 00:40:17.269 when I came home unexpectedly and found her, 00:40:17.550 --> 00:40:21.750 her and him, he ran. He got away, but she didn't. 00:40:21.889 --> 00:40:24.440 Oh, she didn't. I got a knife in the kitchen, 00:40:24.599 --> 00:40:26.260 a butcher's knife, and I came into the bedroom 00:40:26.260 --> 00:40:31.760 and I slashed and stabbed and stabbed and I ripped 00:40:31.760 --> 00:40:34.820 my door. I killed her once and then again and 00:40:34.820 --> 00:40:37.380 then again and again. The killer doesn't want 00:40:37.380 --> 00:40:39.920 to kill you now. Please, oh please. You go on 00:40:39.920 --> 00:40:42.860 first, huh? A slash across the face, a slash 00:40:42.860 --> 00:40:46.559 across your beautiful lying face. It'll do you 00:40:46.559 --> 00:40:48.480 no good to run. They all tried that and they 00:40:48.480 --> 00:40:55.570 failed. Help! I can help you now. Stand back, 00:40:55.809 --> 00:41:03.110 Adam! I'll kill you! I'll kill you! Nella, you 00:41:03.110 --> 00:41:07.690 all right? Oh, thank God you're here. Thank God. 00:41:08.369 --> 00:41:11.269 But how? The powerful Lieutenant Goldman sent 00:41:11.269 --> 00:41:13.409 over said no one answered the doorbell. Seemed 00:41:13.409 --> 00:41:15.050 odd to me, so I decided to come over and check. 00:41:15.889 --> 00:41:18.849 Lieutenant Goldman came too. Oh, Tony, Tony. 00:41:18.909 --> 00:41:24.219 Take it easy now. Here. Sit down. That's it. 00:41:25.219 --> 00:41:29.519 Can you ever forgive me? I misjudged you so terribly, 00:41:29.579 --> 00:41:33.659 so terribly. That's for sure. What about him, 00:41:33.860 --> 00:41:37.059 Lieutenant? He's gone. I hated to kill him, but 00:41:37.059 --> 00:41:39.380 I had no choice. Not the way he came at you, 00:41:39.579 --> 00:41:41.460 Swain. That butcher knife. Hey, what are you 00:41:41.460 --> 00:41:43.880 doing? Calling the Sentinel. What else? I've 00:41:43.880 --> 00:41:50.059 got another scoop. If you don't mind. Hey, what... 00:41:50.059 --> 00:41:52.719 Operator. Give me police headquarters. Well, 00:41:52.900 --> 00:41:55.539 that's gratitude. I lead you to the Ripper and 00:41:55.539 --> 00:41:57.460 you swindle me out of my scoop. You'll get your 00:41:57.460 --> 00:42:00.840 scoop. And the way Mrs. Pearson is looking at 00:42:00.840 --> 00:42:05.300 you, I'll say you get another. Hello, this is 00:42:05.300 --> 00:42:09.179 Goldman. Give me homicide. Well, I know. What, 00:42:09.559 --> 00:42:11.579 Tony? This is Lieutenant Goldman. You know I've 00:42:11.579 --> 00:42:13.639 been crazy about you since I laid eyes on you. 00:42:13.679 --> 00:42:18.170 You do know that. I... yes. Yes, I guess I do. 00:42:19.130 --> 00:42:21.969 Well, that movie I asked you to go to, they've 00:42:21.969 --> 00:42:24.369 held it over another week. Will you go with me 00:42:24.369 --> 00:42:29.190 some night? I'd love to. Anytime. Any night. 00:42:30.289 --> 00:42:40.329 But Thursday. Weaving and spinning, the fates 00:42:40.329 --> 00:42:45.340 create the warp and woof. of our lives. And always 00:42:45.340 --> 00:42:48.619 through the pattern runs the scarlet thread of 00:42:48.619 --> 00:42:52.760 the unexpected, sometimes for good, sometimes 00:42:52.760 --> 00:42:57.739 for evil. And make no mistake, as the unexpected 00:42:57.739 --> 00:43:14.599 awaited Nell Pearson, so it awaits you. I'm sure 00:43:14.599 --> 00:43:16.900 you'll want to know that Nell and Tony are married 00:43:16.900 --> 00:43:20.280 now. Tony's on his way to becoming managing editor 00:43:20.280 --> 00:43:24.539 of the Sentinel. And Nell? On her way to becoming 00:43:24.539 --> 00:43:28.360 a mother. And so the fates weave a happy ending. 00:43:29.300 --> 00:43:33.380 For once. Our cast included Kim Hunter, Michael 00:43:33.380 --> 00:43:36.840 Wager, Robert Dryden, Mary Jane Higby, and Joe 00:43:36.840 --> 00:43:39.960 Julian. The entire production was under the direction 00:43:39.960 --> 00:43:43.550 of Hyman Brown. Radio Mystery Theater was sponsored 00:43:43.550 --> 00:43:47.449 in part by the Kellogg Company, makers of Kellogg's 00:43:47.449 --> 00:43:50.809 Special K Cereal, New Sugar Free Diet 7 -Up, 00:43:51.369 --> 00:43:55.710 and CONTAC, the 12 -hour allergy capsule. This 00:43:55.710 --> 00:43:58.269 is E .G. Marshall inviting you to return to our 00:43:58.269 --> 00:44:01.449 Mystery Theater for another adventure in the 00:44:01.449 --> 00:44:07.210 macabre. Until next time, pleasant dreams.