Suspense.
This is the man in black, here to introduce Columbia's program, Suspense.
In Hollywood this evening, our star is the young American actor who within a single year
has become one of the most provocative of Hollywood's leading men, Mr. Gene Kelly.
Mr. Kelly appears tonight as a gentleman named Art Kramer, a gentleman of most uncertain scruples,
engaged with other gentlemen of similar disrespectability in distinctly unlawful practices.
Our Suspense play by Robert L. Richards is called Thieves Fall Out, and in it in support of our star,
you will hear Hans Conrad as a racetrack devotee by name Kennelly, and William Johnstone as Sam
Gross. And so with Thieves Fall Out and with the performance of Gene Kelly as Art Kramer,
we again hope to keep you in Suspense.
ABC Enterprises. No, he's not in. No, I don't know where you can locate him.
Yes, I'll tell him you called. ABC Enterprises, ABC Enterprises. Why does he give all these guys
his phone number if he wants to keep his business so quiet?
Yeah, you know, wants to do favors with people he meets in bars, brags, how he can get things for them, you know.
Sure, I know. The next day I have to get him the brush off.
He's gonna brag to the wrong guy someday. Hi, Yachty.
Hello.
Hello, Arthur.
Hiya, babe.
Where you been the last couple of days?
Ducking all the guys I owe money to. What time is Sam getting the boys together?
About half an hour down at the warehouse. He better start down there pretty soon.
What's the difference? I won't get enough out of it to buy a round trip to Coney Island. Any calls?
Yeah, Kennelly called a little while ago.
That punk. Another guy I once know I haven't got. Just Stalem?
I tried, but he said he was coming up anyway.
What'd you let him do that for? You know I don't want to see that guy.
I couldn't help it. He knows the way he...
Okay, okay. Anything else?
No. Arthur, if you're not going down right away, can I talk to you for a minute?
What about?
Oh, something. Joe, watch this switchboard for me, will you, while I talk to Arthur in the next room?
What's he got that I haven't got?
No cracks out of you. Please, Arthur.
All right, but make it snappy.
Now what?
Oh, Arthur, what's the matter lately?
You know what's been the matter. Everything.
Me too.
Don't start that again. Read. It's no use.
Look, you're a good kid, but it's no use.
You didn't used to say that.
All right. So now I owe nearly ten grand around this town.
And there's some plenty tough monkeys.
If I don't get it up pretty soon, it's going to be too bad.
On top of that, I had a loaded truck and a trailer hijacked last week,
and there goes my take for the month and more.
And you want to know what's the matter.
Arthur, honey, why don't you quit? Why don't you get out while you still can?
Why don't I quit? What are you talking about?
You used to have a decent business, Arthur.
Sure, sure, and I didn't eat.
What about now? It's making a wreck of you.
It's dangerous. You know what's going to happen.
This whole black market thing's going to crack pretty soon, and when it does...
Don't be silly. Yeah?
Cannelli's outside to see, Addy.
That punk. All right, let him come in. What's one more?
Okay.
Better let me talk to him alone, baby.
All right. Think about what I said, will you?
Sure.
Hi, Addy. I thought I might catch you.
Yeah, I'll bet. Close the door.
Sure.
Hey, listen, Arthur, I need that dough.
Well, I haven't got it. I told you that.
No, no, no, look, I don't want there to be no trouble.
There's not going to be any trouble.
Take it easy. I didn't mean that.
But I took them bets from you on my own,
and now my boss is after me.
If I don't get that dough by Monday, I'm going to be in trouble.
Well, I haven't got it, and I won't have it for another month.
Can't you get it from Sam?
No, I'm into him as far as I can be now.
What do you mean? Sam must have plenty soldered down in some safe deposit vault by now.
It is an inner vault. It's up at his place in Connecticut.
Anyway, he won't give me any more.
Connecticut, huh? I didn't know he had a place in Connecticut.
Near Riverside. It's a hideout, way away from everything.
McPhail has one, too, about five miles away.
When's he go there?
He's hardly ever there. Nobody's there. What do you care?
You're thinking of the days when you used to climb through second-story windows?
Oh, you should know to say that, Art.
I don't even know where the journey is.
No, I was kidding.
Anyway, listen, I'm sorry about the dough, but you'll have to wait.
Art, you don't know the spot. I mean...
You'll get it from me when I've got it. I'm leaving.
Art, listen...
You're coming?
Where are you going?
To the warehouse to watch my share of last month's take go down the drain.
Where is it?
Artie!
Okay.
You late?
Yeah, I stopped in at the office. Hi, McPhail. Hi, Mo.
You weren't waiting just for me to hand out the chips, were you?
You're right. We weren't.
I just wanted you to know how it worked out.
It was a good month, Art.
Except for you.
I know, I know.
Come on, Sam, come on. Pass around the sugar.
Let's get it over with.
Well, here it is.
And cash.
Total take was 53 grand.
17 goes to you, McPhail.
And you got the figures all here if you want to see.
I know you wouldn't double-cross me, Sam.
I wouldn't double-cross anybody.
And don't forget it.
Here's your dough.
Oh, yours is six.
You understand you didn't bring in as much business as McPhail.
I ain't complaining.
I get 21. Part of that is paying expenses.
The rest is my percentage.
Don't I get anything?
What? Your cut would have been nine grand.
But there was that truck and trailer.
Those things cost dough, you know.
You say nothing of a whole load of prime meat.
You have to take it all out now?
I already have.
I'll give you 500 to keep going on.
Oh, that's fine. 500.
Listen, Sam, I need dough.
You always need dough and never have none.
Listen, you...
He's right, Art.
You got to get yourself straightened out.
If I give you any more, it'll just go to the bookies
and gambling joints like the rest of us.
Listen, Sam, I tell you, I got a habit.
That guy's after me.
I think he's jealous, Sam.
You keep your big mouth out of this.
I was a respectable businessman when you were running
a lousy clip joint on Sanson.
Yeah, yeah, and you're starved.
And you're still starving.
Because you're in the guts to keep a couple of mugs
from hijacking your stuff.
Why, you...
Cut it out now. Cut it out.
There's not going to be any trouble in this organization.
It's plenty for everybody.
Now, listen, Art.
Yeah?
Why don't you go up to my place in Connecticut
for a few days?
Take it easy.
And let me talk to these guys who are looking for you.
I know who they are.
They don't want any more talk.
Anyway, I go nuts up there in the country.
Go on.
Pick up my car at the station.
No, thanks.
Well, hell, I'm going.
I'm going out to the country and tend them a victory garden.
Your victory garden?
Yeah.
I see about Tuesday.
Okay.
Hey, Mac.
Yeah?
Wait a minute.
So long, Art.
So long.
Say, uh, Mac, I'm sorry I made any cracks.
Forget it.
Uh, Mac, you going up to the country?
Yeah, bet your life.
Going down and get on the 520 right now.
Say, uh, you know, I think I'll take Mac up.
Uh, Mac, I, uh, I kind of need a rest.
I think...
Yeah, yeah, you'll need something.
Uh, do you mind if I ride up on the train with you?
Why not?
It's a public train.
Oh, you know, uh, Mac, I was sorry about that.
Say, Artie, Artie.
Yeah?
Don't mind me.
I talk a lot.
And I don't mean it.
Oh, forget it, Mac.
I know.
Say, you want to see my victory garden?
Are you kidding?
No, no, I got a garden.
It's a beaut, too.
Want to see it?
Sure, sure I would.
I, I always like gardens.
Well, well, in that case, you'll have to stop over at my place on your, on your way to Sam's, huh?
It'll be a pleasure.
Come on in, Artie.
I want to put this door in the safe, and then I'll, then I'll show you around.
Sure.
When the war is over, and I'm legitimate, I'm going to build onto it.
Have a lot of lawn, gardener, real country gentleman.
What's this, your office?
I do a little business here once in a while.
Keep my dough in the safe there until I bank it.
Know anything about safes?
No.
That's good.
Not that I don't trust you, Artie.
There.
There she is.
Put them up, Mac.
What?
You heard me.
They're not a move either.
A stick up, huh?
Why, you yellow little rat.
You don't think you can pull this on me and live, do you?
It's not a stick up, Mac.
I just want you to do me a little favor, and I want to be sure you do it.
Yeah?
Yeah, get on that phone.
This had better be a gag.
It won't be unless you do exactly what I tell you.
What?
Call Reed in town.
Ask her what Sam has lined up for Tuesday.
Say you called me over at Sam's house just now and talked to me.
But I didn't know.
Go on, get going.
Edward at 3-5562.
Listen, Art, I'm no guy to get around with.
And I don't like this.
Talk.
There.
Rita, this is Mac.
What Sam could line up for Tuesday.
I just talked to Artie over at Sam's place.
Yeah.
Yeah, up here in the country.
He said he didn't know and he'd call you.
Oh, I see.
Let's show it.
No, no, no, never mind.
Okay.
All right.
Now it's a gag.
You never were very smart, were you, Mac?
That's my alibi.
You just told Rita you talked to me at Sam's place.
You get it?
Boy, you duck.
Neatly done, Art Kramer.
Virtually a perfect alibi.
And $17,000 in cold cash.
But there was someone else who thought he had a perfect setup, too.
Cannelli, the little bookie, whose former occupations were even less savory.
It wasn't hard for Cannelli to find where Sam's place was in Connecticut.
In New York's underground of petty crime, he could find out anything.
And it wasn't hard to jimmy a window, and that often enough.
And then to find the money.
There was a wad of money here at Sam's place somewhere.
Art Kramer had said so, probably in a safe.
That wouldn't be any trouble either.
Not in the living room, of course.
Yes, maybe this room.
An office, a desk and phone.
And a safe there in the wall.
And just as he'd thought, old fashioned, easy to crack.
First to drill a little hole, then the soup.
There'd be a quick, neat explosion, and the safe would fall apart in his hands.
But wait, what's that?
A car driving up.
Stopping.
Who?
Art Kramer had said nobody ever came up here.
But it was leaving now, driving away.
Probably just a mistake.
No, no, steps outside.
Somebody coming in.
What to do? Escape cut off.
Hide here in the office behind the door.
Hide the bag of tools quick.
He's coming in here.
Operator.
I want New York City at water 35562.
Yeah, that's right.
Hello, Rita.
Sam.
Listen, Rita, get a hold of everybody.
Artie, Mac, Moore, everybody you can.
I've got a tip off. There's gonna be a raid.
Yeah, cops.
Tell the boys to duck.
Lay low until they hear from me.
Find out where they're gonna be and call me right back as soon as you contact everybody.
Got it?
Yeah?
Oh, okay.
I'll get hold of Mac myself as long as he's up here.
Artie, too?
Well, I'm calling from my place now.
I don't see him anywhere.
He must have changed his mind.
I didn't look in the garage. He came by cab.
He's probably around someplace, yeah.
Well, I'll wait for your call, then.
Okay, Rita.
And make it snappy now.
Hey.
Cannelli.
What are you doing here?
Listen, Sam, Art used to ca...
They're safe.
Why are you...
No, no, you...
Sam.
Hit him too hard.
He's dead.
Dead. Yes, hit him too hard.
Murder.
That's a lot different from housebreaking. Murder.
The phone.
Somebody calling Sam.
Fear, blind unreasoning fear.
Smash it. Rip it out of the wall.
So whoever was on the other end could actually hear, actually see what was in this room.
Murder and a murderer.
There.
Why, oh, why had he done that?
Foolish. Just nerves.
Get hold of yourself.
Think, think, think. What now?
The money.
Yes, have to have the money now.
Make it get away.
Mexico, South America,
maybe Sam.
Yes, the body.
He do even touch him.
But turn him over.
There, the wallet.
Empty.
That's funny.
Where are the pockets?
No, no, nothing.
They're safe then.
Finish the job quick.
Then get out.
Find the drill again.
Hurry.
Again, somebody coming.
Never mind.
Not going to be caught this time.
Can't be.
A murderer.
Close the door.
Lock it quick.
Pocket key.
Hide it.
Maybe whoever it is will go away.
Then come back and get the money later.
Here he is.
Hide quickly.
Kitchen.
Get out the back window again if you have to.
Wait, wait.
He's not following.
I wonder who it is.
Just have a look.
Do the crack of the door.
Careful here.
Art.
Art Kramer.
The suitcase must be going to stay.
But wait, why not?
Art wouldn't know anything.
Couldn't with the office door locked.
Give him a plausible story.
Stay overnight.
And get the money when he's asleep.
A chance.
But have to take it.
Have to have the money now.
Why not tell Art he'd come looking for Sam to borrow?
Then looking through the house for him.
Call him.
Yes, make it look natural.
He can't answer now.
Call him.
Sam.
Hello, anybody here?
Hello.
Who is it?
Who is it yourself?
I'm looking for Mr. Gross, Sam Gross.
Well, what are you doing here?
Hello, Arthur.
I was looking for Sam.
I thought you didn't know where this place was.
I found out.
Yeah?
What made you think Sam was going to be up here?
Why, I heard a tip in town.
There might be some trouble.
I figured he might come up here to dock out.
What kind of trouble?
Cops.
Yeah?
I didn't hear anything.
I don't know, but I had to do something.
You know, I need dough the worst way.
I figured Sam might let me have a little.
He paid off today, didn't he?
That's right.
Arthur, did you get any?
Me?
Well, if you did, I don't like to keep asking you, but I need it, Arthur.
Why, uh, why, uh...
Look, Cannelli.
Huh?
You know, I meant to get in touch with you about that.
I wanted to talk to you this afternoon.
You mean you got somewhere?
Uh, come on inside.
I'll tell you.
Oh, sure.
I, uh, got an idea.
An idea?
It came like a flash to Art Kramer.
Frame Cannelli for the murder of McPhail.
Plan some of McPhail's money on him as evidence.
And who would ever believe Cannelli's word,
a man with a criminal record against Art's?
Why, Rita would swear that McPhail himself
had said Art was at Sam's place,
simply denied that he'd ever seen Cannelli.
And Cannelli would be McPhail's murderer,
and Art Kramer would be safe forever.
Now, uh, about that money.
Yeah.
As a matter of fact, I did get some.
Not much, understand?
Well, even a little would help.
How much do I owe you altogether?
Nearly 4,000, huh?
Well, suppose I gave you two.
I shouldn't give you that much, the way I'm fixed.
Well, it ain't what I need, but it would help.
Okay, here's two grand on account, then.
Oh.
You know, it doesn't leave me with much.
I appreciate it, Art, really.
Say, uh, you're really on a spot, huh?
Yeah.
How much more do you need?
Oh, not a four or five anyway.
Oh, well, uh, you know, I just thought I'd know
where you can get it if you work it right.
You do?
Yeah.
You know McPhail?
Oh, I know him. Not well.
Well, I do. He took in plenty this month.
How good is that to me?
I tell you, I know the guy.
He's the softest touch in the world.
He'd give the shirt off his back to anybody
if they told him the right story.
Yeah? How come you don't put the bite on it?
He doesn't like me, but anyone else.
You mean, uh, I just ask him?
Sure.
You get anything you want. I'm not kidding.
If he asked for 10, even 20, you'd get it if he had it.
No, four.
Sure. He's up here in the country now, too.
Right up this same back road, four and a half miles.
Hey, uh, how do I recognize the place?
It's a big place on the right.
It's the only house for a mile. You can't miss it.
Say, I'd run up there if I were you.
Maybe I will, huh? Maybe I will.
A break.
The kind of break Cannelli had prayed for.
Get the money from McPhail.
Yes, quicker and safer than trying to get back in that room
with a dead body on the floor.
Get it from McPhail and have a good head start.
Art won't find Sam's body in there for at least a day or two.
The door's locked and Cannelli has the key.
He can be on a plane with McPhail's money
and be out of the country by tomorrow.
A break, the perfect break.
Well, thanks for the tip, Art.
You sure McPhail's up there?
Sure, he's always there every weekend.
He's got a garden, a victory garden.
That's a lot.
Well, I guess I better get going, huh?
Look around the grounds for him first.
If he isn't outside, just walk right in.
The door's always open. He's a simple guy.
Trust anybody.
Well, okay. Thanks, Art.
Skip it. Maybe someday you can do the same for me.
Yeah. Yeah, maybe someday I can.
Well, so long.
So long.
And now Art has a job to finish.
Phone the cops.
From here? No, better not.
They might trace it.
The gas station at the crossroad. Plenty of time.
Cannelli will be there five or ten minutes
before he finds what he'll find as the cops find him.
How easy he fell for it.
But never mind that now. The gas station. The phone.
Hello. I want the police.
Hurry, please.
Hello. Riverside Police?
Listen, I was just driving down 9-mile road.
I was going by the old MacPhail place.
You know the place I mean?
Yeah, yeah, that's the one.
I was going slow and I heard something.
It sounded like someone was being killed.
Yeah, yes, a murder.
There were shots and somebody screaming and more shots.
A man's voice. Oh, it was terrible.
You better get up there right away.
Oh, never mind who I am. I don't want to get in any trouble.
No, but get up there.
Yes, murder.
Did you call all right, sir?
Yeah, thanks.
ABC Enterprises.
Yes, did you locate him yet?
We'll keep trying and call me back.
Joe, I'm worried.
Don't worry about him.
You can't find Moe, neither can the cops.
I'm not thinking about him. I'm worried about Sam and Arthur.
Maybe they went out.
Sam said he'd wait for my call. It isn't that.
The phone's dead. I've got to get in touch with him somehow.
Can it wait?
No, it can't. Not with the cops raiding the warehouse
and arresting everyone in sight.
Well, how about a telegram?
Oh, too slow.
I hate to send anyone around to the house,
but Sam will understand this time.
What are you going to do?
Get the telephone company to help.
Hello? I want the Riverside, Connecticut traffic operator, please.
Yes.
You know, it's funny about that phone.
It rang two or three times, and then suddenly it went dead.
Oh, hello, traffic operator?
Have you a phone listed under the name of Gross? Samuel Gross.
Well, there's something wrong with it,
and it's very important that I get in touch with Mr. Gross right away.
I'm his secretary.
Will you send a man up right away?
Thanks.
And would you tell Mr. Gross that I've been trying to reach him?
Thank you.
See? When Sam finds out there's something wrong with his phone,
he can phone me from outside.
You're a pretty smart girl sometimes, Rita.
Yeah.
Don't you believe me?
I just wish I was smart enough to get some sense across
to that guy Art Kramer once in a while.
You kind of like him, don't you?
Cut it out.
Don't worry about Artie. He'll be all right.
Sure, I suppose. I suppose he'll be all right.
Mr. Gross, I'm from the telephone company.
Mr. Gross isn't here.
Oh, well, we just got word from New York
that his secretary's been trying to reach him,
but his phone is out of order.
I was sent up to look at it.
Sure, go right ahead.
I'm a friend of Mr. Gross. I know he'd want you to fix it.
Okay. Where is it?
First door to your right.
Well, looks like we've got more visitors.
Yeah, cops.
Well, I'd better get after this phone here.
I'm sorry to trouble you.
I wonder if we could use your phone.
It's out of order, I'm afraid.
There's a man here fixing it now.
What's the matter, officer? Trouble?
Yeah, a little killing up the road.
We didn't want to handle the phone there.
Might be fingerprints on it.
Murder?
That's right.
The old McPhail place.
Got the guy red-handed. Murder and robbery.
We even found the door on him.
Yeah? Who did it?
Says his name is Cannelli from New York.
I wouldn't tell you all this, except it's an open-shut case.
Couldn't explain what he was doing there
or how he got the money or anything.
Well, you'll read about it in the papers tomorrow.
You'll have him outside now?
Yep. Well, we'd better be going.
Hey, mister.
That door you got, it's locked. You got a key?
Why, no.
Well, what's the matter? You lost a key someplace?
Well, I must have. The room with the phone in it.
Oh, maybe I can help you out.
I got a little gimmick here that might open it.
Thanks.
We gotta have things like that in this line of business, you know.
This the door?
Yeah, that's it.
There you are.
Thanks.
You don't need me in there for anything, do you?
No, sir.
Well, good night.
Good night.
Hey, say, officer.
Yeah?
You better come in here a minute.
Wait a second, will you, Jim?
Sure.
What's the matter?
Hey, mister.
You've been here all day?
That's right. Why?
Nobody else been here all afternoon?
No, sir.
Oh.
What's this? You find something wrong in there?
You said it, mister. Put up your hands.
Hey, what's the idea?
You don't know, huh? Jim.
Take a look at what we got here.
Yeah.
Well, well.
Cover him, Jim.
Okay.
Oh, what a...
Hey, let me see that.
Sure.
Sam.
No.
Robbery, too.
Been through his wallet and started on the safe.
Just like the other guy.
Let's risk him.
No, no.
I didn't do this.
I didn't do it, I tell you.
Here's the dough, all right.
A roll big enough to choke a horse.
Look, you guys.
I tell you, I didn't do this.
Yeah.
Kind of interrupted you, didn't we?
Come on.
Look, I didn't do this, I tell you.
I didn't.
I didn't do this.
I did, I did.
I didn't do this.
And the story ends with a newspaper clipping.
I'll read it to you.
Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Arthur Kramer and George Kennelly were executed here today within 10 minutes of each other,
to bring to a fitting conclusion one of the strangest series of coincidences in the criminal
records of this state.
Both men committed the same crime, murder and robbery within a few miles of each other
on the same day and at almost the same time.
Both victims were operators in the New York black market.
Kramer was convicted of the murder of Samuel Gross.
Kennelly killed Edward McPhail.
Both killers were caught on the scene of the crime, were arrested by the same officers,
taken together in the same police car to the same jail.
Both proclaimed their innocence, yet pleaded guilty in the face of the overwhelming evidence
against them.
A curious factor in the case was that though both men denied knowing the other, they tried
repeatedly to attack each other in the prison yard until guards were forced to keep them
out of sight of each other at all times.
Police have always believed there was some connection between the two crimes, but have
never been able to find out what it was.
And so closes Thieves Fall Out, starring Gene Kelly.
Tonight's tale of suspense, appearing with Gene Kelly, who is to be seen currently in
Metro Golden Mayor's Technicolor musical Thousands Cheer, where Hans Connery, Daz Kennelly,
and William Johnstone are Sam Gross.
This is the man in black who conveys to you Columbia's invitation to spend this half hour
in suspense with us again next week same time, when our star will be Mr. Vincent Price.
Mr. Price will be heard in a suspense play by E. Jack Newman, dealing with the Gestapo,
and called The Strange Death of Charles Umberstein.
The producer and director of suspense is William Spear, who with Ludgluskin and Lucian
Malowick, conductor and composer, and Robert L. Richards, the author, collaborated on
tonight's Suspense.
Don't miss Suspense when this series moves to a new day in time, the day Thursdays, beginning
December the 2nd, the time 8 p.m. Eastern wartime and 7 p.m. Central wartime.
In the Mountain and Pacific time zones, listeners will hear Suspense on Mondays, beginning December
the 6th at 9 p.m. Pacific wartime.
This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.