Suspense!
This is the man in black, here to introduce Columbia's program, Suspense.
Introducing our Hollywood cast tonight is the distinguished American actor, the star of
the Broadway suspense drama, Angel Street, who has recently returned to this coast to
resume his film career, Mr. Vincent Price.
Tonight's suspense play, which presents Mr. Price and which is produced and directed by
William Spear, relates an episode of recent years in the unfriendly Nazi capital of Berlin.
The Strange Death of Charles Umberstein by E. Jack Newman is tonight's tale of suspense.
If you have been with us before, you will know that suspense is compounded of mystery
and suspicion and dangerous adventure.
In this series, our tales calculated to intrigue you, stir your nerves, to offer you a precarious
situation and then withhold the solution until the last possible moment.
And so with the Strange Death of Charles Umberstein and with the performance of Vincent Price,
we again hope to keep you in Suspense.
I was infuriated to think I had been trapped.
The thought that someone had discovered my intentions maddened me to the breaking point.
Nothing had slipped.
Everything had run smoothly as I had planned.
No evidence, not the slightest trace, nothing.
And yet I was trapped.
Trapped.
But why?
How?
Let me see.
Papers in my briefcase, train ticket, information forwarded safely to my office.
And he knew.
How?
But he did know.
I stood quietly in my room watching him, watching him watching me, waiting for me, standing
by the lamppost beneath my window, knowing, knowing he had trapped me, waiting for me.
I recognized him almost immediately.
Captain von Heimt.
Once before I had seen him briefly in Herr Miller's office.
I'd been working on some corrections.
Herr Miller was escorting him through the plant on an inspection tour.
They stopped for a moment outside my office.
I glanced up as Herr Miller gestured my way through the partially open door.
Well, here it was.
They were talking about me.
My heart stopped.
He was explaining how I had been recommended by the Fuhrer himself for my qualification.
They continued on their tour.
Herr Miller explained later when I went to his office.
Aha, Umberstein, there you are.
Herr Miller, you sent for me?
Yes, Umberstein.
And this morning when Captain von Heimt and myself passed by your office, I knew it was
you.
You knew it was me.
Captain von Heimt is head of Gestapo Intelligence in this area.
He was conducting a routine inspection this morning and it was he who suggested that I...
What?
Since your recommendations were by the Fuhrer himself...
Yes.
Your work here has been excellent.
I knew you were the man when I passed by today.
My work?
Huh?
Oh, no, no, no, of course, not that.
Why, you have become one of our best men.
Oh, thank you, Herr Miller.
No, this is it.
Yes, Herr Miller.
Through various posts, we are releasing more prints on munitions areas in this country
and other countries.
You are to be in complete charge of their release from the wall.
I understand, Herr Miller.
As a citizen of the Reich, I am greatly honored that I have been given such an opportunity.
An opportunity to show your loyalty.
An honor.
I will give you the combinations.
You will see that no other person enters the wall.
Of course, Herr Miller.
One moment, Umberstein.
Yes?
I think I should tell you that a few months ago in one of the neighboring plants, the Gestapo
apprehended a spy.
Yes?
He was working for an enemy espionage service, found in possession of certain vital documents
which he had access to in his work.
And what did they learn from him?
Many things.
He was reluctant to speak at first, but it's difficult to hold out indefinitely.
He finally gave them enough information to locate other agents who had filtered in.
It was well he was detected.
The Gestapo is still on the alert for some of his coworkers still expected to arrive.
Of course, they are ignorant of his confession and his fate.
So, Herr Umberstein, I must warn you to take all the necessary steps against the possibility
of espionage.
We cannot be too careful.
I shall be careful.
The new Umberstein is exemplified the efficiency of the Third Reich.
I closed my suitcase and looked down on the street.
I watched him standing there.
I kept asking myself, how, how, how, how could he know?
This Captain von Hain, how could he know?
The plan was perfect, the best yet.
And yet, I was discovered, trapped.
It was a late Saturday afternoon and the silence of the day hung heavy in the room.
Outside it was cold, very cold, but in my room it was warm, stuffy.
The radiator hissed and spewed as though it were the judge of the events to come.
I was almost angry at it.
A radiator.
It was still light enough that he might see me if I crossed or raised the window.
He wasn't aware that I was in the room.
I hadn't turned on the lights.
Now he stood there, waiting for me to return.
I lay down on the bed, smoking, my thoughts troubled by the one question, how?
How?
How had he discovered me?
Safely, I had avoided all connections with anyone who might have a chance to spy on my
work.
There was not the least cause for suspicion.
An established citizen of the Reich, well recommended, pure Aryan, employed as an architect
in one of the country's largest munitions plants.
Certainly, there was no reason for him to suspect me.
The Gestapo, this Captain von Hinde waiting to take me.
Fräulein Keller.
Absurd.
Oh, of course not.
Not she.
But could you ever trust a woman?
Fräulein Keller.
Did I give her any reason, any reason at all?
Good morning, Fräulein.
Good morning.
My name is Charles Umberstein and I am to be at the munitions factory near here.
I wish to take a room.
Oh?
One facing the outer street, Fräulein, if you can accommodate me.
Oh, I think so.
We have one it is on the second floor, overlooks the street corner.
Oh, fine, I'm glad.
It looks comfortable here, small and comfortable.
Oh, yes, you will like it, I'm sure.
I am the owner and manager here.
Sign here, please.
Of course.
There you are.
Thank you.
Otto, would you show Herr Umberstein to his room?
Yes?
Yes, who is it?
It's I, Fräulein Keller.
Oh, just a moment.
Yes, Fräulein?
I have brought you some extra blankets.
You may be cold.
Oh, that's very thoughtful of you, Fräulein.
And Herr Umberstein, down the street, a little cafe.
You may find nice meals and a little music, too.
Oh, wonderful.
I am indebted to you, Fräulein.
Oh, but you are my charge.
I look after my guests.
It is my job.
Oh, that is most kind, Fräulein.
Herr Umberstein, I also dine at a little cafe often.
Oh, I always do.
Just for you, Fräulein, for your wonderful hospitality.
Oh, to you, Herr Umberstein.
Well, Fräulein, it's growing late.
I must be off.
I have a great many things to do tomorrow.
Oh, and so do I.
Oh, it has been a wonderful evening.
Wonderful.
Yes, wonderful.
Here's your coat.
Oh, it's growing colder now, isn't it?
Yes, the winter will be here soon.
Too soon.
Yes, but I won't be...
Eh?
You won't be?
Oh, nothing, Fräulein, nothing.
You will be here alone.
Certainly, Fräulein.
Certainly, I was just wishing.
Wishing?
For what?
Oh, I had done it.
I had started to thinking perhaps she could...
For what?
Oh, nothing, Fräulein, nothing important.
Only the hopes of every man.
They become so near sometimes.
They're almost reality.
So?
What else could I do?
I had to lead her thoughts away somehow.
She took the lead.
You mean a woman?
Yes.
Yes, Fräulein, you.
Oh, but we have known each other for such a short time.
Only two weeks.
That's true, but I've been aware of you for a longer time, though I've just met you.
Oh, oh, Herr Umberstein, I...
Charles.
Oh, Charles.
At first, I was uneasy about the whole affair.
And after a while, I did grow rather fond of her.
She was so accommodating, and we dined together each evening, and I played my role to the letter.
Never once did she mention my work.
Oh.
Fräulein Keller.
What are you doing in my room?
Well, I was...
Anna.
You've been looking through my papers.
Why?
I was looking for something.
But what right have you?
What are you looking for?
I was...
Well, I was looking for a letter.
A letter?
What letter?
One that you haven't got.
I thought perhaps you might have it.
Now, out with it.
A letter from a woman.
Very well, Charles.
If you must know, I suspect you have not been filled with...
She was actually looking for a letter from some woman.
Any woman.
She didn't trust me.
She didn't trust her, Charles.
No.
No, it couldn't have been Fräulein Keller.
Who then could it have been?
I walked over to the window and looked down at the figure who so patiently kept his vigil
there.
Captain von Hynes.
Waiting.
Why?
There had been something wrong with the passport.
But no, that was perfect.
The passport.
Old passengers will report to the trainmaster for passport examination.
All in order.
You can take your luggage to Berlin.
Yeah, this way.
Next.
Here you are.
Name?
Charles Umberstein.
Presidents?
Berlin.
Nationality?
German.
All in order.
Picture, luggage.
All in order.
Thank you, trainmaster.
You must be careful, you know.
When may I catch my train for Berlin?
It should be by any moment.
Next.
I stood there in the shadows waiting for my train.
I examined my passport again as I had done a hundred times before.
No one would have any reason to doubt anything so genuine as that.
All passengers for Berlin!
Guard!
Must we stand passport inspection again?
The army intelligence will accommodate you on the train.
Jawohl.
I have three stops my passport was inspected.
A good test?
If the passport had been suspected or investigated, it would only prove that I was Charles Umberstein.
I had come by the passport through Hans.
At the time, Hans was employed as an Austrian customs inspector.
This gave him access to many such passports.
According to Hans, there had been a person named Charles Umberstein who had suddenly
disappeared in 1936.
Since there had been no friends or relatives to make an inquest, well, you can see.
No.
No, I was Charles Umberstein.
Why, I even resembled the badly scarred photograph on the identification card.
From the front view, he was evidently a large man, big shoulders, large head, wore a short
Prussian haircut.
Yes, I certainly looked enough like the photograph.
Passport was flawless.
They couldn't have discovered me through that, this fun hind.
Something else.
What else?
The plans?
No, no, no, of course not.
They couldn't have discovered that.
I merely made copies and left the originals.
No, no, no, not the plans.
Why Hans and I...
Hans.
Oh, no, no, not Hans.
Never.
We'd worked so well together.
No, no, no, not Hans.
A strange silent boy perhaps, but surely...
At night in 1936 when he gave me the passport, he was our man in Austria, but strange things
happen even to the most loyal.
All said, Charles.
Then I will not see you again, Hans.
Until?
Until I arrive, eh?
I will be attached to an army ordnance division in the city.
You will receive additional information on the first day of each month.
From you?
Yes.
There's a hotel not far from the factory.
Here is the address.
For Linkeleranz Hotel.
Now, on the second floor in one corner sits a mahogany table.
On it are a set of silver candlesticks.
Four of them.
Beneath candlestick nearest the right.
You may find your information on the first day of each month.
It will be written in code?
Naturally.
Be very careful when you pick it up, I see.
And make no effort to contact me in any other way.
And can I leave anything I might learn in the same place?
Is it safe?
Yes.
Now, remember, sooner or later we are bound to be introduced, you and I.
My duties with the ordnance division will of course be near and yet so far kind of thing,
eh?
Yeah, very far.
Once inside the city, I am Oberleutnant Hans Neumann of army ordnance, understand?
I am Herr Charles Umberstein, architect.
Right.
Well, time grows short.
I must go.
Everything checked.
Your passport?
Perfect.
And resembled photograph from the concert, I should think so.
Yes, not bad.
Well, I consider the Umberstein to have looked this way.
Tickets?
Right here through to Berlin.
I report to Franz Miller in the munitions factory, produce my credentials.
He's been expecting me.
I haggle a little about the salary.
Then I accept that first opportunity to become acquainted with MB plans.
And I will see that you are highly recommended from a reliable source.
Just as a matter of curiosity, hon.
Who will recommend me?
Oh, you needn't worry, Herr Umberstein.
It'll be good.
I assure you.
Then goodbye, Hans.
Oberleutnant Neumann, if you please.
Oberleutnant Hans Neumann.
Well, then, my Herr Charles Umberstein, auf Wiedersehen.
Heil Hitler.
Yes, everything Hans had said came about.
I picked up my information each month at the little hotel.
I left an occasional report for Hans.
It was the only way we ever communicated.
And then Oberleutnant Hans Neumann began to appear in Franz Miller's office.
And eventually Miller introduced us.
In fact, Hans was with Miller quite frequently and they dined together regularly.
Hans played his part well.
But one day something was worrying him.
I will wait here for you, Miller.
Ah, give us here in a moment.
Ah, Herr Umberstein.
It's good to see you again.
Oberleutnant Neumann.
Miller speaks very highly of your work here.
Thank you.
Be very careful of this Captain von Hain.
There is something wrong.
I don't know what it is.
He looks at me very strangely.
And there is something I recognize about the man.
The eyes are...
I've been of my Umberstein.
Yes, yes, yes.
He was just chatting a moment.
I've seen von Hain somewhere before.
Be very careful.
And don't come with us in case they ask you.
You all ready?
Why, yes, of course.
Umberstein, we have a very important matter to discuss.
Yes, yes, yes.
I'm going to go to the toilet.
I'll be back in a moment.
Umberstein, would you care to join us at luncheon?
No, no, thank you.
I have some work to do.
Always working.
Well then, let's go, Hans, yeah?
Yeah, certainly.
Oh, by the way, will Captain von Hain be joining us today?
No, von Hain sends his regrets.
Something is delayed.
Oh, that's too bad.
Von Hain, a remarkable man.
No one like him in the service.
No one like him.
Goodbye, Hans.
Goodbye, Captain.
Goodbye, von Hain.
Such a brief warning, curt and sinister.
Hans was frightened.
He would never have taken the chance to speak to me if he had not been frightened.
Something that he recognized about von Hain.
Saturday was the first of the month.
And there was no information at the hotel.
Hans didn't appear again to lunch with Hermione.
Something was wrong. Something had happened to Hans.
Today I found out.
We will enjoy ourselves today, eh, Umberstein?
Yes.
We should lunch together more often, you and I.
I like good company when I eat.
Good food, good company, good digestion, Herr Mitter.
This is a wonderful restaurant that we are going to.
You know, they serve Norwegian smoked salmon that is exquisite.
And cheap, too.
Nothing like these new foods we are getting from Norway.
I've heard of Norwegian salmon.
And this is the best.
You and Oberleichnet Neumann dine here often, don't you?
Hans Neumann, oh, yeah. We came here often, yeah.
Hans Neumann will not come here for a long, long time again, I'm afraid.
I don't understand.
Yeah, you don't.
You remember Captain von Hain?
Oh, yes, the Gestapo man who was inspecting our factory a few weeks ago.
Yeah, yeah, the most efficient man.
He has apparently been observing Hans Neumann for some time.
Oh.
Oberleichnet Neumann is being detained by Captain von Hain now.
Was he?
He was a spy.
A spy? How do you know?
Von Hain arrests only spies.
And von Hain never makes a mistake.
The man is in credit.
Was there something suspicious about Hans?
Something suspicious about everyone to von Hain?
He himself asked me to cultivate Oberleichnet Neumann
so that he could better observe his actions.
Yes, I noticed that you two lunch together very often.
We lunch together at this very same restaurant you and I are going to now.
That made it easy for von Hain.
Easy?
Well, to study the man in leisure.
Von Hain always wants to be certain of his quarries.
And where is Hans now?
Who knows?
Who knows what happens when Captain von Hain takes a man?
Don't you admire such efficiency, Umberstein?
Well, of course.
The captain did indicate that there were others to be rounded up, too.
Well, here we are.
Oh, look, look, you see them in the window?
Norwegian salmon.
Oh, they are beautiful, so red, so delicious.
Are you hungry, Umberstein?
What? Oh, yes, yes.
Oh, they do look delicious.
Captain von Hain.
I looked at him out of the window again.
I could see his breath now.
It was growing very cold.
He was well dressed and neatly tailored overcoat and dark hat.
It was too dark to tell the exact color.
The only thing I was sure of were his hands and the gloves on the hands.
Heavy, thick, powerfully mounted prongs encased in a gray, tightly fitting material.
Style, lines running across the back.
I noticed when he lifted them to light a cigarette.
What beautiful weapons.
His back was to me.
I couldn't help but admire the fine breadth of his shoulders and the thick, closely barbered neck.
He stood quietly by the lamp post smoking,
watching his breath in the smoke battle for existence in the icy air.
Once when he turned to look up at my window,
the single eyeglass he wore caught the reflection of the light.
I wondered how much he weighed.
Carefully, I retraced each step over again in my mind.
I couldn't find the flaw that made me a marked man.
The absurdly easy way I had gone through Mueller's office carrying an innocent-looking bundle of blueprints.
Then to the vault, the super... the superstition of copies.
No one could suspect what I had done.
No one had any reason to.
Why?
Why then was I trapped?
Of course he was after me, waiting down there.
I wondered why he didn't come up and wait in my room.
Surely he didn't know I was in the room.
Perhaps he had searched my room one day while I was out.
But what could he find? Nothing, absolutely nothing.
A passport proving I was Charles Umberstein.
A monogram suitcase bearing the initials. C.U.
A few letters and old papers. Nothing, nothing at all.
I had never talked.
I had never known anyone else in service except Hans.
Franz Mueller was too stupid to suspect anything.
Freulein Keller? No.
The passport? Perfect.
Only one other way.
Only...
one other way could he possibly know.
For an instant the possible answer flashed through my brain.
For a full five minutes I watched him, watched him very discerningly.
Could it be?
Could it possibly be?
The stillness of the street below was broken from time to time by the blare of an occasional horn.
And the rattle of armoured cars carrying soldiers to different parts of the city.
Turning from the window I groped about in the darkness of my room.
Searching for the automatic I had concealed in the slit compartment of my travelling bag.
When I found it I tested the chamber.
Yes, it was loaded.
I jammed it in my coat pocket and putting on my hat I stood there by the window watching him.
He seemed very ominous, very assured, waiting for me.
He must have been getting anxious with his long vigil.
I watched him signal to an accomplice across the street.
Walking back and forth under the street light I noticed something familiar.
Very familiar.
A bolt from off the bed tied to a piece of cord attached to the light switch.
Near the radiator pipe room enough to pass it through.
The way to then dragging the string to the lobby below.
I picked up my suitcase and stepped out of the door.
The hall was dark and quiet.
I walked down the stairs, the lobby was empty, deserted.
At the bottom of the stairs I placed the suitcase by the door and I crossed the desk.
Hastily I jammed a few bills in an envelope and addressed it to Freulein Keller.
Now as I picked up my suitcase I could see him very plainly on the corner.
He was only a few feet from the entrance.
The cord with its weighted end had fallen just short of the door.
I stood there quietly.
He looked up at my room.
I pulled the cord.
He was startled when the light went on upstairs searching the window for a view of the occupant.
I walked to the door.
As I opened it he looked at me, looked my way.
Gazed at me point blank.
Seemed surprised.
Then assuring himself he took a step toward me.
Herr Umberstein!
Oh, you are...
You are Charles Umberstein?
Why, yes, I...
Charles Umberstein who entered Germany in 1936 from Austria?
Here's my passport.
Your passport, yes.
I have always wanted to meet you, Charles Umberstein.
I have always wanted to meet you face to face.
You know who I am?
Why, yes, you are.
I wonder.
You know the others I have had my men pick up.
But you I wanted to attend to personally.
It's because you are Charles Umberstein.
Now we will just...
I'm sorry, my friend.
Oh!
He sat down hard on the curb.
Looked up at me, mumbled strangely.
Then fell over with his head in the gutter.
His hat fell off and I saw that his hair was closely cropped.
There were other people on the streets.
I ran till I was out of breath.
The next day I picked up a Berlin paper on the railroad station.
On the second page I read the headline.
Gestapo official murdered.
Saturday, January 25th, Captain Charles von Heimd,
high ranking official of the Gestapo intelligence service,
was instantly killed last night by the bullets of an unknown assailant
whom he was attempting to arrest on charges of espionage.
Captain von Heimd had been connected with the Gestapo since 1936.
Prior to his affiliation with the Gestapo intelligence,
he had been known by his real name, Charles Umberstein.
His entry into such dangerous work made necessary
a complete retirement from all public life.
The Reich will long honor the memory of Charles Umberstein.
I wired flowers from Geneva with a card marked,
Sympathy, signed, See You.
And so closes the strange death of Charles Umberstein by E. Jack Newman,
starring Vincent Price, tonight's tale of Suspense.
Vincent Price will soon be seen in the 20th Century Fox production,
Song of Bernadette.
The producer and director of Suspense is William Spear.
Music was composed by Lucian Morrowick and conducted by Lud Gluskin.
This is the man in black who would like to draw your attention
to the new day in time for Suspense,
beginning next week when Cary Grant will be our star.
Beginning next week, listeners in the Eastern and Central time zones
will hear Suspense on Thursdays at 8 p.m. Eastern wartime
and 7 p.m. Central wartime.
Listeners in the Mountain and Pacific time zones
will be brought their next story of Suspense on Monday, December the 6th,
and each Monday thereafter at 9 p.m. Pacific wartime.
Don't forget Suspense on Thursdays beginning December the 2nd
if you live in Eastern and Central time zones
and Mondays beginning December the 6th
for listeners in the Mountain and Pacific time zones
with Cary Grant, our opening guest star.
This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.