Suspense!
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And now, Schenley brings you Radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense!
Presented by Roma Wines, that's R-O-M-A, Roma Wines for your everyday enjoyment.
Tonight, Roma Wines of Fresno, California bring you Mr. John Lund in Murder Aboard the Alphabet,
a suspense play produced, edited, and directed for Schenley by William Spear.
It is well past midnight now and I write these words so that other men may know the full story
of that ill-fated voyage of the deep sea tug, Alphabet.
Ours was not a large vessel but sturdily built for its task and though it seems an age,
it was only a little over six months ago that we sailed from Liverpool, England,
bound out across the North Atlantic to deliver our ship to her new owners,
a salvage firm of Boston, Massachusetts.
Stand by to cast off!
We put out with a reduced compliment just a handful of men, 12 and all.
We were a new crew sent on board for this journey over the deep sea lanes
and I sailed as chief officer under the command of Captain Godfrey Walker.
Second made Harvey Goodrum and Chief Engineer Alec McTavish being the other members of our small saloon.
I remember we departed on a cold, wet day with the fog lying low over Birkenhead
and the northwest wind blowing fresh in our teeth.
I report!
As the drab grey of the Liverpool dark side dropped back into the soaking mists,
I doubt if any man aboard could have foretold what lay ahead over those 3,000 miles of heaving sea.
When we had cleared the light ship, I went at the wheelhouse where Captain Walker
searched the channel ahead, his deep black eyes staring out from under his shaggy eyebrows.
I saw him, his huge frame bundled in a salt stain great coach.
Ah, Mr. Marshland, everything secured proceed?
Yes sir, everything on deck is lashed down as tight as a whistle.
Good, good, we may get a dirty crossing this time of the year.
Oh, sure be uncomfortable sir, when it comes to ships I'm used to something a little bigger.
You're on no 10,000 tonner now, mister. If we hit it heavy there'll be many a man on board
who'll wish he never left the dark side.
Oh, I think the crew can take it, sir.
Yeah, maybe, mister, maybe. Few days out and we'll see.
Keep her to our course, Quartermaster.
All right, Mr. Marshland, you can take her now.
Very good, sir.
Your course is south 70 west.
South 70 west, sir.
See these helmsmen, keep her on the course. I'll be back in the cabin if you want.
Aye, aye, sir.
Queer Cove the skipper, sir.
Is he?
Aye, fear gives me the creeps he does.
Oh, he's probably harmless enough. Used to bigger commands than this, I imagine.
Ah, but I'd keep a watch on him, sir, if I was you.
Keep a watch on him. Why?
Why? If you don't know now, sir, you'll find out soon enough.
South 70 west, check your course.
South 70 west is too, sir.
Aye, who's that?
Marshland, sir. You sent for me?
Always. Come in, mister. Come in.
Take a chair, mister.
Thank you, sir.
No, not that one over there.
Oh, certainly, sir. Is there anything wrong?
Oh, no, no, no, no, nothing's wrong.
I just want to talk to you, discuss the affairs of the ship with you,
give you some idea of what I expect.
Oh, here, cigarette.
Oh, thank you.
Oh, by the way, you will not use that ashtray on your right.
No, you will not use it.
You may place your ash carefully on the other one.
This one?
Yes, yes, that one.
Here we are. How long since you had your last berth, mister?
Why, it's been some time, sir.
Oh, the port captain says you know me.
Well, only by reputation, sir.
Would it surprise you to learn that I know something of you by reputation,
mister?
Why, I don't exactly.
We ought to make quite a pair, mister, quite a pair.
Oh, well, no matter.
Now, I shall tell you the reason I summoned you to my cabin, mister Marshal.
You will find, if you do not know already,
that I have very definite ways I wish things to be done.
Very definite ways.
First of all, I demand complete unquestioning obedience.
Of course, sir.
I'm sure you'll get the fullest cooperation from myself and the crew.
Yeah, good, good. I want that to be perfectly clear.
I also insist that your supervision of the work on the ship be done in a certain manner
I shall prescribe.
All items of work will be carried out in alphabetical order.
Alphabetical order, sir?
Precisely. Starting with A and carrying through to Z.
I'm afraid I don't understand, sir.
I think my meaning is perfectly clear.
If the hands are painting ship, they will start with the alleyways
and all other items beginning with A.
Then the bulkheads, then the decks and so forth.
You understand me now, mister?
Oh, yes. Yes, sir.
I think I understand.
But I'm afraid I don't quite see your reason.
Mr. Marshal!
My reasons are not to be questioned.
You will remember while I'm in command of this vessel,
I hold the power of life and death.
Well, sir?
He was sitting across from me on the small settee in his cabin,
his massive face half hidden in the shadows,
his eyes piercing into mine.
In the nearness of him, I could see the bloodshot veins
like thin red tracings against the white.
The man was mad. Higgins was right.
He was mad.
Yes, life and death.
I looked about his cabin.
There was something inhuman in its ordered neatness,
as if the warmth of man had not touched it.
I saw the books stacked evenly in the bookshelf.
I saw the titles arranged in alphabetical order.
It was a pattern complete in itself.
The desk, the bunk, immaculate,
not a wrinkler speck of dust visible to the naked eye.
On the bulkhead were four photographs,
enlargements of outdoor scenes.
At the start, I realized they too were in perfect order,
arranged according to the seasons from left to right,
spring, summer, autumn, winter.
My eyes darted about me again,
and on the shelf above his bunk, I saw three cameras.
They also fitted the pattern,
the smallest on the left, the largest on the right.
I remembered the chair on the ashtray
and turned towards him as he spoke again.
Is that perfectly clear, Mr. Marshal?
Yes, sir, perfectly clear.
Good, good. Now, one final thing.
I insist that the quartermasters taking the wheel
appear in sequence of the first letter of their surnames.
But, sir, that will mean rearranging the watches, surely,
Silence! You will do as I order.
Very good, sir. The watches will be changed.
That's better, much better.
Well, mister, now that we understand one another,
we shall cease talking about the ship.
Aha, I see you've noticed my photographs.
Well, I can't say I know much about it, sir,
but I'd say they're excellent.
Of course they're excellent. I took them myself, a hobby of mine.
You may have noticed I have three cameras.
Two of them are of German make.
The other American.
The medium sized one in the middle I use with infrared film.
Comparatively recent development.
The other two are used for general purposes.
Are you interested in photography, Mr. Marshal?
I can't say I am particularly, sir.
I've never done anything like that for a hobby.
Very well. If you're not interested, you may go.
Oh, I didn't mean that I...
That is in order, Mr. Marshal, and you will now go.
I left him then and stumbled into the cold darkness outside.
The thoughts tumbling unendingly through my head as I made my way to my cabin.
We were pushing our way over the restless waters of the North Atlantic
and we saw a madman in command.
On the morning of the third day, the second officer came running onto the bridge
and flung himself excitedly into the wheelhouse.
Mr. Marshal, I'd like a word with you.
Go ahead, Goodrum. What is it?
Would you come outside? I can't tell you here.
Certainly.
Now, what in the world is the matter with you?
It's the wireless operator, sir.
Cabo Crombie. He's gone.
You mean he's disappeared off the ship?
Disappeared. Maybe.
But I wouldn't wonder if there was a better name for it than that, sir.
What do you mean? I mean, murder.
Cabo Crombie was gone, vanished without a trace from the decks of the alphabet.
And although I didn't have the feeling myself, there was an uneasiness within the crew now.
They seemed furtive, frightened, and they quietly drifted out of sight
whenever the captain made an appearance on the deck.
You could see they feared him and somehow connected his madness
with the disappearance of the wireless operator.
That night, I stood in the darkness of the wheelhouse,
the faint light from the binnacle shining on the face of Higgins
as he stood his trick at the wheel.
It's a rum go, sir. That Cabo Crombie didn't just fall over the side by himself.
Mark my words on that.
Oh, come now, Higgins. Many a man has disappeared from shipboard,
swept over the side by a sea.
Ah, sir, on a stormy night, that may be.
But last night was a pretty quiet one.
Just a little kiss of rain. Done in he was, sir.
But why? What reason?
Reason?
Ah, no one had no reason, sir.
Maybe the queer one.
The queer one?
Aye, the skipper, sir.
Good heavens, man. Are you accusing the captain of...
He's not a normal man, sir.
I wouldn't be too loud about the captain, Higgins.
You can't accuse people without evidence.
Well, keep me tongue.
But the skipper's off his rocker.
You know that as well as I do, sir.
Oh, he's got some set ideas about things, but that doesn't...
Alphabetical ideas, sir?
Well, yes, but...
Ain't you thought of this, sir? His name, Abercrombie.
What of it?
Beginning with the H, the first letter of the alphabet.
Abercrombie was the first.
But he won't be the last, sir. He won't be the last.
For suspense, Roma wines are bringing you Mr. John Lund
in Murder Abort the Alphabet.
Roma wines presentation tonight in Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills, Suspense.
Suspense, Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills, is being brought to you by Roma.
That's R-O-M-A. Roma wines, America's largest selling wines.
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That's R-O-M-A. Roma wines, the greatest name in wines.
And now Roma wines bring back to our Hollywood Soundstage
John Lund as Firt Mate Marshland and Joseph Kearns as Captain Walker in Murder Aboard the Alphabet.
A play well calculated to keep you in suspense.
Needless to say, the conclusions of the men were no surprise to me.
But I didn't feel the time was right for further action.
On the evening of the following day, the barometer started dropping.
And next morning saw the low gray clouds scudding swiftly before the wind
and the alphabet laboring heavily in the rising sea.
It was at eight bells of the morning watch, the sixth day of sea.
Who's there?
It's McTavish, Mr. Mate.
Oh, come in, Chief.
Take a chair, Chief.
What is it? You look bothered.
Butterfield, Mr. He's lost.
Lost?
Aye.
Are you sure, McTavish?
Oh, I am sure enough.
We've searched for him all around the ship.
There's no place, Mr.
Have you informed the captain?
Ah, the old man.
Didn't you think he knows it?
Come on.
Aye, come.
Well, mister?
There's another man gone, sir.
Butterfield.
Butterfield, eh?
Aye, sir.
How long have you known this, Mr. Marshall?
The chief of the ship?
How long have you known this, Mr. Marshall?
The chief engineer informed me only a few moments ago, sir.
Are you sure of this, Mr. McTavish?
Aye, I'm sure.
There's no trace of him anywhere aboard the ship.
Very well, Mr. McTavish. You may go.
I wish to speak to the chief officer alone.
What about Butterfield, sir?
Go, Mr. McTavish! That's an order!
Aye, sir. I'll be off.
Well, Mr. Marshall?
I'm afraid this is beyond me, sir.
No, I'm not referring to the engineer, mister.
He's obviously disappeared.
There's nothing we can do about it.
Well, why are you standing? Why don't you sit down?
Well, I...
Thank you, sir.
Yes, it's Thursday. You may sit in the armchair.
Thank you.
Well,
what do you think of my ship now?
Do you still find it uncomfortable?
Oh, no, sir. I like it very well.
I thought a long time before I shipped aboard.
Oh, you did, eh, mister, huh?
Well, she's small,
but then any ship's a ship, eh?
I'd like something a little more,
but then...
then the sea is the lady that counts.
Am I right?
That's right, sir.
You love her. You love her very much, don't you, Marshall?
I do.
Yes, I do.
You're young, but you love her
more than anything?
More than anything.
More than his, uh, more than his natural?
Captain, eh...
And now you're seated, sir.
Would you like to inspect my cameras, then?
Tell me what you think of them.
Well, I'm afraid I don't know a great deal about that sort of thing, sir.
Oh, you know nothing about them.
Eh, good you may leave my cabin.
Certainly, sir. I shall look into the Butterfield matter.
He's left the ship, mister.
You're only wasting your time. Now go!
For the second time, I left the cabin of that strange man.
I left him alone with his madness.
And, steadying myself against the roll of the ship,
walked the deck, thinking my own thoughts.
It was that night that Higgins came to me in my cabin.
I bet him and her,
and he settled his wizened body down upon my armchair.
I was lying in my bunk,
and he was sitting on the floor.
I was sitting on the floor,
and he was sitting on the floor,
and he had his kliner here.
And he was sitting on the floor,
and he was laying there,
and he was laying on that floor
and he was strip in his royal bed.
It's an unusual request I have, sir, no.
I hope I can speak in confidence like.
Go on, Higgins.
Whatever you have to say will be just between the two of us.
I, sir,
we think the Skipper should be put away, sir.
Put away?
What do you mean?
You know that's mutiny.
It's mutiny, but Mr. Marshland, he'll murder us all.
Abercrombie, Butterfield, he'll go clear on down the alphabet if we don't stop him.
There's no proof.
The lads are sure enough.
Are they?
Just give us the word, sir, and we'll help you.
We'll put him away.
Very well, Higgins.
Keep it among yourselves, but you can tell the men this.
If there's any more trouble, I'll take matters into my own hands.
You can rest assured of it.
Lord, thank you, sir.
It ain't by the mutiny, but there ain't a court in the world as ever would convict you at
it.
No.
No, Higgins, I don't think there is.
It had to be done very carefully, and for quite a while I lay back upon my bunk thinking of
what Higgins had said.
It would be risky, but the men were behind me.
That would more than sway the balance.
Higgins was right.
Any court of law would see the wisdom of my action.
They would never convict from mutiny, and Captain Walker would be locked away forever.
We continued on our way, and in the howl of the wind and the long seas, you could sense
the cold hand of fear that had settled over the alphabet.
By the evening of the seventh day, we stood well out on our great circle track, more than
halfway between Liverpool and Boston.
We plunged through dirty seas, rising to each crest and falling to the trough below, with
the water curling green over the flare of our bluff bows.
But we made fair time, and the knots slipped steadily astern.
It was during the inky blackness of that night that death struck again on the decks of the
alphabet, and another member of our dwindling band disappeared into the unknown.
Abercrombie, Butterfield, and now the third man.
His name was Chadwick.
Who's that?
Oh, good evening, sir.
Dirty weather, sir.
Well, I'll be getting below, sir.
Would you please let me by?
I, I want to go below.
Oh, you clumsy fool.
You dropped something, sir.
Never mind, I'll get it.
There.
A brother late, aren't you, Mr. Marshal?
You are too, aren't you, Captain?
I thought I heard a scream. Oh did you now mister? Did you?
We're all here sir. You all know why you're here. Yes sir. The lads know.
We're with you mister. We'll stop his tricks we will. Good. Now we must do this
quietly and quickly. There must be no bungling understand? Yes sir. All right here
goes. Captain Walker will you come on deck a minute? Well mister what is it you
want? Come out here sir. I want to show you something.
Mr. Marshal. Never mind that men. The captain stay where you are. This gun is
loaded. So now it's mutiny. Marshal you better shut up. One move and I'll shoot.
Get my knife in your gizzard. Mr. Marshal these are skipper now. You swing for this
Marshal and you and all the rest. You really think they'll hang a mate for
mutiny when they can hang a captain for murder?
We sailed into Boston Harbor with Captain Walker lashed securely to a
chair in his cabin. After the first brief struggle he had grown quieter and during
the last days of our voyage he had just sat there silently saying nothing. A
strange mad smile leering from his lips. We arrived in Boston late in the
afternoon and as we sailed up the harbor we hoisted the international signal
calling for the harbor police. After we had docked alongside I went up to his
cabin to ensure that all was in readiness for the arrival of the police.
And as I stood over him bound there in his chair his eyes seemed to mark me. His
smile taunting me. So Mr. Marshland this is to be the success of your little plan
eh? I have nothing to say to you captain. The police will be aboard at any moment.
You think I'm mad don't you? Well maybe I am but you bungled it badly mister you
bungled it very badly. Have I? Who's that? Police. Police come in come in. Officer
this man is... Yes you've bungled it Mr. Marshland. Why weren't you content to let
me be with my madness as I was content to let you be with yours. Oh we'd have made
quite a pair as I told you if you hadn't bungled it. What are you talking about?
Oh I know all about you mister. Under a bit of a cloud eh? Haven't shipped for
quite a while. Not the first vessel you've been on where men have disappeared
in the black of the night eh? Oh but I wouldn't care. Oh I like your methods
business like by the letters by the alphabet. You are mad. Take him away. Yes
mad quite. But you should have taken more interest in my photography mister. My
infrared film for instance. You can take pictures on the darkest night. Would I
have one mister? An excellent likeness. A likeness? Of you mister. The night you
pushed Chadwick over the side.
The police have been very understanding. They could readily understand how a man
could hate and fear the sea and yet love it like a woman. Love it enough to
follow it and hunger for it and make every sacrifice. Even human sacrifice. But
now they say they must send me away to a place where the sea can no longer
torture me. A place of no land or sea or wind or rain but only rest. It is time my son.
Can you pray? Yes to the sea only to the sea.
Suspense. Murder aboard the alphabet starring John Lund presented by Roma
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taste of choice Roma Wines tells you why Roma that's R-O-M-A. Roma Wines are
enjoyed by more Americans than any other wines. John Lund will soon be seen in
Paramount's 36 star production Variety Girl. Tonight's suspense play was by
Charles Turrell. Next Thursday same time you will hear Lloyd Nolan as star of
Suspense produced and directed by William Spear for the Roma Wine Company
of Fresno California.
Don't forget next week Suspense will present Lloyd Nolan the following week
Edmund O'Brien. Make it a point to listen each Thursday to Suspense radio's
outstanding theater of thrills.
This is CBS the Columbia broadcasting system.