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