1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:15,200 The Columbia Network takes pleasure in bringing you suspense. 2 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:44,720 Suspense. Columbia's parade of outstanding thrillers produced by William Spear and 3 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:51,480 scored by Bernard Herman. Notable melodramas from stage and screen, fiction and radio, 4 00:00:51,480 --> 00:00:59,880 presented each week to bring you to the edge of your chair to keep you in suspense. 5 00:01:11,320 --> 00:01:17,880 Tonight's story by the noted American author T.S. Stribling deals with a crime of murder on an 6 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:25,360 exotic and atmospheric island with ragged beggars who slept in a Hindu temple and awoke with gold 7 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:33,240 in their pockets and a dead girl lying near them and with a strange and mystical entrance into the 8 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:40,960 life of hereafter which was the experience of an American psychologist. For your suspense for 9 00:01:40,960 --> 00:02:00,400 listening we invite you to join us for a passage to Benares. In Porto, Spain in Trinidad at half 10 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:07,200 past five in the morning Mr. Henry Paggiorli, an American psychologist, stirred uneasily, 11 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:14,220 became conscious of a splitting headache, opened his eyes in bewilderment and then with a shock 12 00:02:14,220 --> 00:02:22,520 saw where he was. He got up, arranged his clothing, he tried with his neat psychological mind to 13 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:27,840 recapture his dream, to bottle up again the little smoking wisps that still floated about 14 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:32,760 within his aching head. By seven o'clock he had found his way back to the house of Mr. Low, 15 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:41,520 his host in Porto, Spain. Low was already about his coffee with an interested spoon poised above 16 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:49,280 the morning paper. Ah there you are. Good morning Paggiorli. I say you are quiet, 17 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:55,640 didn't hear you get up at all. Have some breakfast? Thanks. I have been out for a breath of air. 18 00:02:55,640 --> 00:03:05,080 What's the news today? Well the new governor will arrive in Trinidad on the 12th and hello, 19 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:12,240 now the natives killed his wife. Tell me Paggiorli, as a psychologist why do coolies kill their wives? 20 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:19,560 Oh for various reasons I imagine. Let's hear some of the facts. Ah I say this is a coincidence, 21 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:25,160 really putting on a show for you Paggiorli on your first visit to Trinidad. How so? Well 22 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:30,720 you remember that wedding procession you and I watched last evening down at the Hindu temple. 23 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:36,040 The temple? Oh of course the cream-colored little bride with the breastplates and the 24 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:40,960 link gold coins and the anklets and all the finery and the bridegroom. What you say his 25 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:48,360 name was? Budman Low? Yes, well do you know what's happened? Budman Low is in jail this 26 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:55,360 morning and his cream-colored little bride is dead with her throat cut. No. Do they think he did it? 27 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:59,920 No doubt of it that's why he's in jail now. He always seemed like a sensible fellow too, 28 00:03:59,920 --> 00:04:05,360 one of our best patrons which only proves my contention Paggiorli, a bridegroom of only six 29 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:09,960 or eight hours killing his wife without any reason at all. Oh there's usually some reason 30 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:16,800 for murder. Maybe. I say oh boy you're missing the point completely. How? Well suppose you 31 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:22,080 actually had gone and slept in the temple there last night. Wanted to you know remember and I 32 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:30,080 said no white man ever stays all night in a coolie temple. You remember? Yes I remember. You said it 33 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:36,960 simply isn't done. Well if if you had Paggiorli I say that would have been a pretty kettle wouldn't it? 34 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:45,200 Yes, yes. Well I'm afraid I'll be mixed up in this. Both Mr. Low and his uncle the Hira Das are clients 35 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:52,200 of mine. Old Hira Das is upwards of five million dollars in my bank. Hira Das? Didn't you tell me 36 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:56,960 he built that temple where the murder took place? Yes it's what the Hindus call a temple and rest 37 00:04:56,960 --> 00:05:03,480 house. Hira Das gives rice and tea to any traveler who comes in for the night. It's an Indian custom 38 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:08,480 to help mendicant pilgrims. A rich Indian will build a temple and rest house just just as you 39 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:16,800 Americans erect libraries. Ah what does it say there about the murder though? Um Budman Low, 40 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:23,200 nephew of the famous Mr. Hira Das, was arrested early this morning at his home for the alleged 41 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:28,840 murder of his wife whom he married yesterday. The body was found at six o'clock this morning in the 42 00:05:28,840 --> 00:05:34,880 temple where the wedding ceremony took place. The temple attendants gave the alarm. The victim's 43 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:41,680 head was severed completely from her body and all her jewelry was gone. Five coolie beggars who were 44 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:47,320 asleep in the temple when the body was discovered were arrested. They all claimed ignorance of the 45 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:52,880 crime but a search of their persons revealed that each beggar had a piece of the bride's jewelry and 46 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:58,040 a coin from a necklace. Mr. Budman Low and his wife were seen to enter the temple at about 11 47 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:04,040 last night for the Hindu rite of purification. Mr. Low, who is a prominent curio dealer, declines 48 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:10,600 to say anything further. Doesn't tell you very much does it? Ah not much. What do you make of 49 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:16,920 those beggars? Oh that's simple enough. Those devils laid in wait inside the temple until the 50 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:22,200 husband went out and left his wife. Then they murdered her and divided the spoil. Ah but she 51 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:26,960 had enough bangles and G-jaws to give a dozen to each man. Yes yes you're quite right Pajuli, 52 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:31,360 that's a fact. Why should they continue sleeping in the temple after they'd killed her if they did 53 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:36,320 murder her? Well why shouldn't they? They knew they'd be suspected and they couldn't get off 54 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:40,440 the island without capture so they thought might as well lie down again and go back to sleep. 55 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:47,520 Hmm you may be right Low but that doesn't look like the solution to me. Well I'm satisfied that's how 56 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:53,640 it occurred. You mean the beggars killed her? Well I don't think so. I rather fancy that the actual 57 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:57,760 murderer took the girl's jewelry and went about the temple thrusting a bangle and a coin in the 58 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:05,120 pockets of each of the sleeping beggars to lay a false scent. Oh oh oh oh now that's laying it 59 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:09,920 on a bit too thick Pajuli. My dear Low that's the only possible explanation for the coins and the 60 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:16,060 beggars pockets. I tell you boy you've had lots of experience in these things. Come along with me 61 00:07:16,060 --> 00:07:22,120 and we'll go up and see Mr. Hiradas and see if we can't help his nephew. I'll be glad to but we'll 62 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:45,600 go to the temple first then we'll call on Mr. Hiradas. Well here we are. Despite of the police 63 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:51,080 guard at the door the temple doesn't look sinister in the daylight. Yeah it just looks dirty. Let's 64 00:07:51,080 --> 00:08:00,400 go in and question the beggars. Excuse me did any of you fellows hear noises in this temple 65 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:07,520 last night? Oh much sleep Saib, no noise. Policeman Pancha's wake this morning makes it still here. 66 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:14,960 What's your name? Sudha Chand Saib. When did you go to sleep last night? When I ate rice and tea 67 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:22,440 Saib. Do you remember seeing Budman Lal and his wife enter this building last night? Yes remember 68 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:29,760 Saib. Did you see them go out? No Saib, no one remember go out. You were all asleep then? All 69 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:37,400 asleep Saib. Did you have any dreams during your sleep? Hear any noises? I dream bad dreams Saib. 70 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:46,600 When policemen punched me awake this morning I think dream has come true. And me Saib. Did you 71 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:53,080 all have bad dreams? Yes all have bad dreams. Look here Pajoli I don't see where this is getting us. 72 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:58,360 I do think we ought to be getting on to old Hiradas's house. No I think we can now entirely 73 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:03,560 discard the theory that the beggars murdered the girls. On what grounds? They told you nothing 74 00:09:03,560 --> 00:09:10,200 except that they all had bad dreams? That's the reason they all had wild fantastic dreams. That 75 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:14,960 suggests that they were given some sort of opiate in their rice or tea last night. It's quite 76 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:19,360 improbable that five ignorant coolies would have wit enough to concoct such a piece of evidence as 77 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:25,400 that. That's a fact but I don't believe a Trinidad court would admit such evidence. We're not looking 78 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:31,800 for legal evidence. We're after some indication of the real criminal. Now I suggest that we get 79 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:57,160 on to the house of Hiradas. Please come in gentlemen I've been expecting you. Please be seated. Thank 80 00:09:57,160 --> 00:10:04,480 you. Thank you. Most mysterious murder in the life of my poor nephew will depend upon your 81 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:10,800 exertions gentlemen. Tell me what do you think of the beggars that were found in the temple with 82 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:16,920 the bangles and coins? Well I'm afraid my judgment of the beggars will disappoint you Mr. Hiradas. 83 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:23,560 Huh? My theory is that they're innocent of the crime. Really? Why do you say that? Because they 84 00:10:23,560 --> 00:10:31,520 told me of dreams they had. All their dreams were very nearly identical. You are not English sir. No 85 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:37,520 Englishman would have thought of that. No I'm American with a backlash sprinkling of Italian. 86 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:47,480 My name's Pagioli. What is your profession Mr. Pagioli? You are a detective. No Mr. Das. I'm a 87 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:55,800 psychologist. Your soul is at least groping after knowledge. However it gropes as a blind worm Mr. 88 00:10:55,800 --> 00:11:01,400 Pagioli and we must find the criminal who committed this crime and thus restore my nephew 89 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:07,840 Budman Lal to liberty. You can imagine what a blow this has been to me after I arranged this 90 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:14,080 marriage for my nephew. You did arrange the marriage for a nephew who is in his thirties? 91 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:20,680 Yes Mr. Pagioli. I wanted him to avoid the pitfalls into which I fell. He was unmarried and he'd 92 00:11:20,680 --> 00:11:29,080 already begun to add dollars to dollars. I did the same thing. Now look at me. An empty old man in 93 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:35,800 a foreign land. What good is this house where men of my own kind can't come and sit with me when I 94 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:45,040 have no grandchildren to romp and play? No. I've piled up dollars and pounds. I've eaten the world 95 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:55,880 Mr. Pagioli and found it bitter. Now here I am an outcast. And why don't you go back to India Mr. 96 00:11:55,880 --> 00:12:06,200 Pagioli? Why Mr. Pagioli my mind is half English. If I should return to Benares I'd walk about 97 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:12,320 thinking what the temples cost. How much was the value of the stone set in the eye of Krishna's 98 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:22,200 image. If I would ever be one with my own people again Mr. Pagioli I must leave this Western mind 99 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:32,680 and body here in Trinidad. That's very interesting and moving but we were discussing your nephew 100 00:12:32,680 --> 00:12:40,320 Budman Lowe. Wait in searching for the criminal I would suggest you look for a moneyed man. Let 101 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:47,240 me tell you my suspicions and you can work out the details. What are they? I went out of the temple 102 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:52,400 this morning to have the body of my poor murdered niece brought here to my villa for burial. I 103 00:12:52,400 --> 00:13:02,400 talked to the five beggars and they told me there was a sixth sleeper in the temple last night. 104 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:12,520 Was there indeed? Yes Mr. Lowe a white man. A white man? Yes Mr. Lowe all five of the coolest 105 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:20,360 and my man Guta told me it was true. But Mr. Hiradas decapitation is not an American mode of 106 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:29,840 murder. American? I was speaking generally I mean a white man's method of murder. That is indicative 107 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:35,720 in itself. I meant to call your attention to that point. It shows the white man was a highly 108 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:42,000 educated man who had studied the mental habits of other people's than his own so he was enabled to 109 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:49,440 give the crime an extraordinary resemblance to a Hindu crime. But what motive could a white man 110 00:13:49,440 --> 00:14:00,960 have? Possibly robbery Mr. Pajole or if he were a very intellectual man he might have murdered the 111 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:12,960 poor child by way of experiment. A murder for experiment? Yes Mr. Lowe to record this psychological 112 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:20,960 reaction. Why I can't entertain such a theory as that Mr. Hiradas. Oh no it is too far-fetched. 113 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:29,880 However it is worth investigating is it not? Yes yes but I'll begin my investigations with the 114 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:37,560 man Guka. By all means Mr. Pajole and in your investigations gentlemen hire any assistance 115 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:45,480 you may need. Draw on me for any amount. I want my nephew exonerated and above all things I 116 00:14:45,480 --> 00:15:10,800 want the real criminal apprehended and brought to the gallows. What do you think of that Pajole? 117 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:17,760 White man in a temple. Sounds like pure fiction to me to to shield Bobon Lowe. You know these 118 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:22,760 fellows hang together like thieves. Say it's a jolly good thing we didn't decide to sleep in the 119 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:27,840 temple last night isn't it? You know in my opinion Lowe the actual criminal is Budman Lowe. Same 120 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:32,720 here I thought so ever since I first saw the account on the paper. Somehow these fellows 121 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:37,880 will chop their wives to pieces for no reason at all. Now what do you know about Budman Lowe? 122 00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:44,360 Well he was born here and has always been a figure because of his rich uncle. Lived here 123 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:49,720 all his life? Except when he was in Oxford for six years. Oh he was in Oxford man? Yes yes. 124 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:55,400 There you are. That's the trouble. I don't understand. What do you mean Pajole? I know 125 00:15:55,400 --> 00:16:00,280 that he fell in love with some English girl but when old Hira Das chose a Hindu child for his 126 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:06,400 wife Budman couldn't refuse marriage. No man's going to quarrel with a five million dollar legacy. 127 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:12,720 Then he chose this ghastly method of getting rid of the child bride. Yeah I dare say you're right. 128 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:18,840 I feel sure Budman Lowe killed the girl. George I'm getting tired of walking. There's a cab. 129 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:31,400 Let's hop it and ride the rest away. Hey caddy a cab. Aren't you coming? You know I don't feel that 130 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:37,080 I can conscientiously continue this investigation trying to clear a person whom I have every reason 131 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:42,520 to believe guilty. But man don't leave me like this. At least come as far as police headquarters 132 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:48,040 with me and explain your theory about Guga the temple keeper and the rice. Well I thought I'd 133 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:53,880 go back to your cottage and pack my things. Pack your things? Oh your boat doesn't sail until Friday. 134 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:58,640 Yes I know but there's a daily service to Cura so it struck me to go there. Oh no come you can't 135 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:02,880 run off like that just when I stirred up an interesting murder mystery for you to unravel. 136 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:10,720 Why Poggioli you ought to appreciate my effort as a host more than that. All right then. To the 137 00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:12,680 police station. Yes sir. 138 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:30,320 Chief Vickers this is my friend Mr. Poggioli. Mr. Poggioli Mr. Vickers is chief of Trinidad's 139 00:17:30,320 --> 00:17:36,600 police force. How do you do? How do you do? Chief Vickers I've asked Mr. Poggioli's counsel in the 140 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:42,160 Budman Lowe murder case. He's already developed a theory as to who is the actual murderer of 141 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:48,840 Mrs. Budman Lowe. So have I. Now in this matter Chief Vickers I want to be perfectly frank with 142 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:54,440 you. I'll admit we're in this case in the employer of Mr. Haradas and are making an effort to clear 143 00:17:54,440 --> 00:17:59,680 his nephew Budman Lowe. We felt confident you'd use the skill of the police department of Port 144 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:04,320 of Spain to work out a theory clearing Budman Lowe just as readily as you would to convict him. 145 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:10,780 Our department usually devotes its time to conviction and not to clearing criminals. Yes yes I know that 146 00:18:10,780 --> 00:18:16,520 but if our theory will point out the actual murderer. What is your theory? Mr. Poggioli's 147 00:18:16,520 --> 00:18:21,840 deduction is based on the dreams of the men who were found in the temple. So Mr. Poggioli's 148 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:26,680 deduction is based on dreams. It would be a remarkable coincidence Mr. Vickers if five men 149 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:32,040 had lurid dreams simultaneously without some physical cause. It suggests strongly that their 150 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:37,320 tea or rice was doped. Now if you find out what soporific was used then have your men search the 151 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:42,120 sales record of the drugstores in the city to see who has lately bought such a drug. You will find 152 00:18:42,120 --> 00:18:50,040 the murderer. Aha. How do you like Trinidad Mr. Poggioli? I'd like it very much indeed. You've 153 00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:56,200 just arrived haven't you? Yes. In what university do you teach back in the States? Ohio State. A 154 00:18:56,200 --> 00:19:01,800 chair of criminal psychology and an ordinary state university. I'm not a professor I'm simply a 155 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:07,640 docent and I haven't specialized on criminal psychology. I quiz on general psychology. You're 156 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:13,240 not teaching now? No this is my sabbatical year. You look young to have taught in the university 157 00:19:13,240 --> 00:19:19,400 six years but then you Americans start young in your land of specialists. Now are you Mr. Poggioli 158 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:25,320 I suppose you're wrapped up heart and soul in your psychology. I am. You dare do anything in the world 159 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:29,960 to advance yourself in the science. I rather think so. Especially keen on original research work. 160 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:34,760 Ha ha that's what he is she figures. Do you know what he asked me to do yesterday afternoon? No 161 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:39,320 what Mr. Lowe? Oh I don't think we ought to burden Mr. Vickers with our household anecdotes. Oh but 162 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:43,960 I'm really curious just what did Mr. Poggioli ask you to do yesterday afternoon Mr. Lowe? 163 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:50,440 Oh well really nothing nothing at all it was just a little psychological experiment he wants to do. 164 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:55,960 And did he do it? Oh no no no no I wouldn't hear of it. Oh as uh unconventional as that. 165 00:19:55,960 --> 00:20:01,320 Oh it was really nothing nothing at all. I think I could guess your anecdote if I tried gentlemen. 166 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:05,640 About a half an hour ago I received a telephone message from my man stationed at the temple 167 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:12,120 to keep a lookout for you and Mr. Poggioli. A lookout for us? Yes because one of the coolies 168 00:20:12,120 --> 00:20:17,800 under arrest told him that Mr. Poggioli slept in the temple last night. Oh but that's not true. 169 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:23,000 That's exactly what he didn't do. He suggested it to me but I said no. You remember Poggioli you 170 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:35,560 you didn't do it did you Poggioli? Did you? You see he did. Gentlemen I had a perfectly valid 171 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:40,040 and important reason for sleeping in the temple last night and so I I can only ask your sympathetic 172 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:44,440 attention to what I'm about to say. Go on. You remember Lowe you and I were down there watching 173 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:49,240 a wedding procession. Well just as the music stopped in the procession at the building suddenly it 174 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:54,520 seemed to me as if as if they'd vanished. Naturally they'd gone into the building. No no I don't mean 175 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:59,880 that. I'm afraid you won't understand what I do mean. That the whole procession that ceased to exist 176 00:20:59,880 --> 00:21:04,920 melted into a nothingness. You see that's really the idea in which the Hindus based their notion 177 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:10,760 of heaven, oblivion, nothingness. Yes I've heard that before. Well our medieval Gothic architecture 178 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:14,840 was the conception of our western heaven and I thought perhaps the Indian architecture had 179 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:21,000 somehow caught the motif of the Indian religion you know suggested Nirvana. That's what amazed 180 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:26,120 and intrigued me. That's why I wanted to sleep in the place. I wanted to see if I could further my 181 00:21:26,120 --> 00:21:31,640 shred of impression. Does that make any sense to you Mr. Vickers? We are not interested why you 182 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:40,040 went Mr. Poggioli. We know a murder took place in the temple. You don't you can't think that I 183 00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:47,240 committed a horrible murder as an experiment. You intellectual chaps do some pretty weird things 184 00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:53,800 Mr. Poggioli. Why only the other day I was reading about two young intellectuals. Oh Lord. Yes these fellows I 185 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:59,800 read about also tried to turn an honest penny by their murder. I don't suppose you happened to 186 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:05,720 notice yesterday that the little bride Mahila Ram was almost covered with gold bangles and coins. 187 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:11,880 Of course I noticed but I had nothing whatever to do with her. I I did sleep in the temple. By the way 188 00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:17,560 you say you slept on a rug just as the coolies did. Yes I did. And you didn't wake up either Mr. Poggioli. 189 00:22:17,560 --> 00:22:22,920 No no. Then did the child's murderer happen to put a coin and a bangle in your pockets just as he did 190 00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:28,200 the other sleepers in the temple. I don't know. I haven't looked in my pocket since then. Then please 191 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:38,360 do so now Mr. Poggioli. Oh yes. Here they are Mr. Vickers. You don't happen to have any more do you. 192 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:45,720 No I've already been through all my pockets and I haven't any more. Well that's something. Of course 193 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:50,360 you might have expected just such a questioning as this and provided yourself with these two pieces 194 00:22:50,360 --> 00:22:55,880 of gold but I doubt it. Somehow I don't believe that you're an experienced enough man to think 195 00:22:55,880 --> 00:23:02,360 of such a thing. However we shall see. I suppose you have no objection Mr. Poggioli. Am I accompanying 196 00:23:02,360 --> 00:23:05,640 you over to have a little search of your baggage in Mr. Low's cottage. 197 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:13,640 Now then Mr. Poggioli be so kind as to open your trunk. 198 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:20,200 Good heavens. 199 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:27,640 Just as I thought. A trunk tray full of bangles and coins. I'll say we'll have to go to the 200 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:35,960 temple. Good heavens. Just as I thought. A trunk tray full of bangles and coins. I'll say one thing 201 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:42,200 for you though Mr. Poggioli. Your nerve almost got you by. But you can't believe that I did it. 202 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:54,440 Oh you don't believe I did this do you. I don't. In your trunk Poggioli. If I did it I was sleepwalking. 203 00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:57,800 I've got to think that it's possible that right here in my own trunk. Well we might as well start 204 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:03,800 back I suppose. This is all. I'll go back with you Poggioli. I'll see you through. 205 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:12,040 Somehow I can't. I won't believe you did it. Thanks. Thanks. You know Poggioli you sat out to 206 00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:18,280 clear Budman Lowell and well dash it all. It looks as if you had. No he didn't. Budman Lowell 207 00:24:18,280 --> 00:24:22,440 was out of jail at least an hour before you fellows came into police headquarters to see me. 208 00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:28,440 Out. You mean that you turned him loose. Yes. How's that Chief Vickers. Because Mr. Lowell he 209 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:32,760 didn't go to the temple at all with his wife last night. He went down to Queens Park Hotel 210 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:37,720 and played billiards till one o'clock. He called up a few friends and proved that easily enough. 211 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:43,560 My word that that leaves nobody but. Yes Poggioli. I don't know anything about it. 212 00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:49,720 If I did commit the murder I was asleep. I don't know anything about it that's all I can say. 213 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:54,680 I don't know anything about it. Perhaps arrest and jail will help restore your memory. 214 00:24:54,680 --> 00:25:21,080 Well we'll see. Come now Poggioli old man. Don't be too downhearted. I promise you I'll do everything I can. 215 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:26,600 In the case against Henry Poggioli having been deulatried by a jury of your pairs you have been 216 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:31,880 found guilty and by the powers invested in me I herewith sentence you to be hanged by the neck 217 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:50,040 until you are dead. To recall a lost dream is the most tantalizing task ever a human brain was 218 00:25:50,040 --> 00:25:58,520 driven to. But if I lie still long enough on this bunk perhaps I can recapture the dream I had in 219 00:25:58,520 --> 00:26:09,640 the temple last night. Yes yes. It seems to me that the image on the altar moved and suddenly 220 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:15,960 the dome overhead was opened and left me staring upward into a vast abyss where I was alone in 221 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:21,080 endless space. We're all creatures in all matter that had ever been or ever would be. 222 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:27,480 Were wrapped up in me Poggioli. That was my dream. 223 00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:34,920 That's an odd thing. Six men dreaming the same dream in different terms. 224 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:42,920 There must be a physical cause for such a phenomenon. Of course I've got it. 225 00:26:42,920 --> 00:26:51,320 Vickers. Flo. I have it. I've solved it. Get me out of here. I know who killed the girl. 226 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:08,440 What is it my friend? I know who murdered the bride. 227 00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:16,360 Hold Hiradas did it. Now listen listen. Go tell Vickers to take the gold he found in my trunk 228 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:22,600 and develop all the fingerprints on it. He'll find Hiradas' prints. Also tell him to follow 229 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:27,400 up that opiate clue I gave him. He'll find Hiradas and demand to put the gold in my trunk. 230 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:33,560 See if they don't find brass or steel filings in my room where the scoundrel sat and filed a new key. 231 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:35,560 But they've already done that long ago. 232 00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:44,120 They have. But certainly. And old Hiradas confessed everything. Though why a rich old man like him 233 00:27:44,120 --> 00:27:51,160 should have murdered a pretty child is more than I can see. But why did he pick on me as a scapegoat? 234 00:27:51,160 --> 00:27:57,000 Oh he explained that to the police. He said he picked on a white man so the police would make a 235 00:27:57,000 --> 00:28:03,880 thorough investigation and be sure to catch him. He didn't? Aye. But what I know is that the police 236 00:28:03,880 --> 00:28:11,480 are not the only ones who are. They are the only ones who are. But what I can't see is why the old 237 00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:21,160 boy wanted to be caught and hanged. Why didn't he commit suicide? Why? I don't why. Because according 238 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:26,440 to his religion in that case his soul would have returned in the form of some beast. He wanted to 239 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:32,920 be slain because he expects to be reborn instantly in Benares with little Myla Ran as his bride 240 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:40,520 and children. All the things he was not here in Trinidad. Yes, yes. You must be right. Why didn't 241 00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:45,400 you come and tell me of old Hiradas's confession the moment it occurred? What do you mean keeping 242 00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:51,000 me here when you know I'm an innocent man? Why didn't you tell me before this? Because I couldn't. 243 00:28:51,000 --> 00:29:03,960 Old Hiradas didn't confess until a month and ten days after you were hanged. So ends a passage to 244 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:10,600 Benares. T.S. Stribbling's tale of mysterious death and death mysterious. This was tonight's story of 245 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:19,880 suspense. Suspense is produced by William Spear. John Dietz was our guest director this evening. 246 00:29:19,880 --> 00:29:24,600 Tonight's radio drama was written by Carol Case and scored by Bernard Herman. Paul Stewart was 247 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:30,600 Poggioli. Barry Kroger was Mr. Hiradas. And Horace Bram played Mr. Low. Others in the cast were Alan 248 00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:35,480 Hewitt and Guy Rep. Next week at this time Columbia will bring you another selected story from the 249 00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:42,280 world's great literature of thrills. Another study in suspense. This is Barry Kroger and this is 250 00:29:42,280 --> 00:30:09,080 the Columbia Broadcasting System.