WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:14.520 Suspense. Tonight, suspense brings you Mr. Kirk Douglas as star. But first, a brief message 00:14.520 --> 00:20.640 from your announcer. In America's finest hotels and restaurants, wherever hospitality is the 00:20.640 --> 00:34.120 last word in luxury, the first name in wines is C-R-E-S-T-A, B-L-A-N-C-A, Cresta Blanca. 00:34.120 --> 00:42.280 Cresta Blanca. When you proudly pour Cresta Blanca, California Burgundy or Sauternes, 00:42.280 --> 00:48.560 you pay guests the most gracious compliment possible. For Cresta Blanca wines, from the 00:48.560 --> 00:54.840 finest of the vines, distinguish America's finest tables. That's why when you serve Cresta 00:54.840 --> 01:00.960 Blanca wines, you and your friends enjoy the best. Schenley's Cresta Blanca Wine Company, 01:00.960 --> 01:09.640 Livermore, California. And now, Schenley brings you Radio's outstanding theater of thrills, 01:09.640 --> 01:16.800 Suspense. Presented by Roma Wines. That's R-O-M-A. Roma Wines of Fresno, California. 01:16.800 --> 01:21.600 Tonight starring Mr. Kirk Douglas. In the story of Markham's death. A suspense play 01:21.600 --> 01:27.000 produced, edited, and directed for Schenley by William Spear. 01:27.000 --> 01:35.400 You say Phil Martin's run dry? Well, I didn't make it up. My wife got it from Ann. Hasn't 01:35.400 --> 01:38.520 written a word in six months. Yes, and I got it from Peterson, his publisher. They've 01:38.520 --> 01:43.280 dropped him from their spring list. Well, bye-bye, Dean of American Mystery Writers. 01:43.280 --> 01:48.160 I'm glad to see him go. Phil Martin. I thought that guy'd write from the grave. I don't understand 01:48.160 --> 01:52.520 it. I guess it happens to the best of us. Hope he saved his money, but I suspect he hasn't. 01:52.520 --> 01:58.360 Phil Martin run dry. I don't get it. I don't get it. 01:58.360 --> 02:04.800 No, I didn't get it either. Unless you border on that fringe of abnormality which marks 02:04.800 --> 02:09.920 you as a writer, you can't possibly understand the complete futility you feel when your talent 02:09.920 --> 02:15.280 is suddenly turned off like a water spot. I spent as much time staring at the blank paper 02:15.280 --> 02:21.040 in my typewriter as I ordinarily spend in writing an entire novel. Oh, Ann could sympathize 02:21.040 --> 02:25.360 with me because she loved me, but I didn't need Ann's stupid sympathy. 02:25.360 --> 02:29.640 Phil. Phil, darling, I'm sure it's only temporary. 02:29.640 --> 02:35.000 Temporary? Ann, I can't even write a decent ten-word telegram. It's no use, Ann. I'm 02:35.000 --> 02:39.680 afraid I'm through. Oh, no, you can't be. Not anyone as great as you. Phil Martin, 02:39.680 --> 02:44.160 Phil, maybe you've done too much. Darling, maybe you'll rest. Why don't you rest for 02:44.160 --> 02:46.200 a few months? I've been resting. 02:46.200 --> 02:50.440 Well, I mean, get away. Yes, that's my last chance, dear. I'm going 02:50.440 --> 02:56.080 to do just that. I'm going abroad. Abroad? Oh, honey, when are we going? 02:56.080 --> 03:04.200 We aren't going. I am. You're... Phil, is this a way of letting... I mean... 03:04.200 --> 03:08.440 Oh, don't worry, dear. I'm not running out on you. I'll just be gone for a few months. 03:08.440 --> 03:12.760 Oh. Oh, well, just a few months. Yes, alone. Ann, I told you when I first met 03:12.760 --> 03:14.880 you, I'm a complex person. I'm difficult to understand. 03:14.880 --> 03:19.160 Yes, yes, dear, I know that. I... But I thought I understood you. 03:19.160 --> 03:22.480 Well, you can't. Nobody can. But I love you, Phil. 03:22.480 --> 03:26.080 And I love you, Ann, but that doesn't change matters. I'm going to England for a few months 03:26.080 --> 03:30.160 by myself. You don't have a thing to worry about. You keep your apartment and wait for 03:30.160 --> 03:41.040 me. The rent's paid through the first of the year. I'll be back before that. 03:41.040 --> 03:45.280 Ann Fleming was the beautiful, not overly intelligent type of girl I've associated with 03:45.280 --> 03:51.360 since my divorce. Her only family was a half brother, a petty hoodlum whose habit of always 03:51.360 --> 03:57.000 wearing gloves, one of the imposing nickname of kid gloves. That hadn't helped when he 03:57.000 --> 04:01.480 ran his car into a storefront killing two people just a block from where he'd held up 04:01.480 --> 04:06.980 a tavern. Kid gloves had gone to jail three months before I met Ann to serve 40 years 04:06.980 --> 04:16.800 for manslaughter and robbery. A very corny plot, the whole thing, including Ann. 04:16.800 --> 04:21.160 As I roamed around London, I thought maybe a visit in this city of great mystery tradition 04:21.160 --> 04:26.960 would be my answer. And it was. The second day, while wandering around aimlessly in the 04:26.960 --> 04:32.480 bombed out and still unrepaired section of Bloomsbury, I stumbled onto my last inspiration 04:32.480 --> 04:38.080 quite by accident. Oh, say, when was all this hit? 04:38.080 --> 04:42.480 Oh, right at the start of the war, sir. Oh, then this isn't V-bomb damage. 04:42.480 --> 04:46.640 Oh, no, government. As a matter of fact, the old house across the street had it the first 04:46.640 --> 04:51.120 part of Jerry Comeauver. I'd almost say it was the first house to be hit in the war. 04:51.120 --> 04:54.080 Well, did it take only one bomb to level it like that? 04:54.080 --> 04:59.840 Well, how many do you think it takes? I've cleaned it up a bit now. Old house, that too. 04:59.840 --> 05:02.600 Built back in 1750. Hmm, really? 05:02.600 --> 05:08.120 Yeah, pretty well known. Lots of Yanks made their digs there. Before the war, that is. 05:08.120 --> 05:14.000 A Yankee rioter stayed there once when he was here. What was his name, ducky? 05:14.000 --> 05:21.120 Oh, E. P. Rowe. No, Poe, Poe. Oh, that's it. Poe. So you don't mean Edgar Allen Poe, 05:21.120 --> 05:25.840 do you? That's him. That's him. What? Edgar Allen Poe once stayed in that house? 05:25.840 --> 05:29.920 That's right. American writer. Acquaintance of yours? 05:29.920 --> 05:33.280 Well, hardly a contemporary. What? 05:33.280 --> 05:39.280 Oh, nothing. My little halbert was playing in the rubble there Tuesday last and dug out a box of 05:39.280 --> 05:53.840 junk. Maybe some of it was Mr. Poe's. Like to see it? Why, yes, certainly. Well, it's vaguely possible. 05:53.840 --> 05:58.640 I looked through the battered steel box. The woman provided me with a cup of tea as I spread 05:58.640 --> 06:04.960 the contents out in front of me. It was thrilling somehow to think that these dusty things perhaps 06:04.960 --> 06:09.680 had once belonged to the man who had invented the detective story more than a hundred years ago. 06:10.720 --> 06:16.000 As she went out and I replaced the trinkets, I snagged the faded musty gray satin lining of 06:16.000 --> 06:21.360 the box and accidentally tore it. Trying to get it back together, I only ripped it further. 06:22.000 --> 06:25.840 I put my hand under the lining to straighten it and something fell out. 06:27.040 --> 06:32.480 It was a waterproof packet containing three yellowed sheets of paper written in a small, 06:32.480 --> 06:37.840 fine hand. At the bottom of the third page was the name Edgar Allan Poe. 06:42.880 --> 06:48.640 I slipped the packet into my pocket and returned the box. Oh, find anything? No, 06:49.200 --> 06:55.120 just as you said, a lot of worthless trinkets. Oh, by the way, I ripped the lining as I was 06:55.120 --> 06:59.440 putting everything back. Oh, that's all right. Oh, no, I'd like to give you something for your 06:59.440 --> 07:08.320 trouble and for my clumsy damage. Here, and thank you so much. Five quid. Oh, I say five quid, 07:08.320 --> 07:12.320 but the old thing probably ain't worth a thrifty bit. Well, your time, your trouble, 07:12.320 --> 07:17.680 and your courtesy are, though. Thank you very much. But five quid. Oh, I say. 07:17.680 --> 07:31.680 Five pounds for an original Edgar Allan Poe manuscript. It was a short story written by 07:31.680 --> 07:35.920 Poe during his brief stay in England many years before his rise in subsequent fall. 07:36.960 --> 07:42.080 As I read and reread the manuscript, I realized that it was an experiment in a completely new 07:42.080 --> 07:47.280 mystery technique. Here, in effect, was what Poulty had never discovered in his thesis 07:47.280 --> 07:54.400 on the existence of only 32 basic dramatic situations. Suddenly I realized I was the only 07:54.400 --> 07:58.960 one who knew this story and that I could put it to better use than as a museum piece. Why, 07:58.960 --> 08:04.400 here indeed was the 33rd situation. Why, in my hands, it could blossom forth as a novel, 08:04.400 --> 08:10.960 a film, a radio play. I was about to be reborn and literary mortality was at my fingertips. 08:10.960 --> 08:16.640 I began writing in London and all the way back home. It took me six months to complete my work, 08:16.640 --> 08:22.560 and then with everything finished, I burned the original Poe composition and sent the novel off 08:22.560 --> 08:29.520 to the publisher. Then I called in. Will it be a big success, darling? Big success? Well, 08:29.520 --> 08:33.920 I've never been as confident of anything in my life. Oh, that's wonderful. They said you were 08:33.920 --> 08:39.600 through. I told you. A rest was all I needed, a change of scenery. I'm proud of you, Phil. I'm so 08:39.600 --> 08:47.120 proud. I'm glad. Maybe now you, now Phil, maybe you'll think differently about things. I'm so glad. 08:47.120 --> 08:53.280 You aren't even listening to me. Oh, I'm sorry, dear. Oh, look, look, Anne. I'm going to be pretty 08:53.280 --> 08:57.520 busy for the next few weeks. Now I won't be able to see you very often. Oh, I should think you'd 08:57.520 --> 09:03.360 have time now that... Well, I haven't, but we'll see. We have a date tonight. Well, I'm going to the 09:03.360 --> 09:10.080 Mystery Writers Banquet tonight. And tomorrow? Well, okay, but I'll come over for you at eight 09:10.080 --> 09:25.120 o'clock and for once will you try to be ready on time. Every year on the anniversary of Edgar 09:25.120 --> 09:31.040 Allen Poe's birth, the Mystery Writers of America hold a banquet similar to the Academy Award 09:31.040 --> 09:37.120 Banquet. Instead of awarding Oscars, they give Edgars for the outstanding works of the year. 09:38.480 --> 09:42.800 All of a sudden, everybody was looking at me. Now I have a special Edgar to give. 09:43.840 --> 09:50.320 This special award goes to the first writer to discover a new and startling different approach 09:50.320 --> 09:55.760 to the mystery story since the death of our patron saint, the great Edgar Allen Poe himself, 09:55.760 --> 10:01.760 Philip Martin, for your novel Markham's Death. 10:09.760 --> 10:17.760 Yes, a special Edgar for an idea plagiarized from Edgar Allen Poe. The end had justified the means, 10:17.760 --> 10:23.760 and I knew that the original manuscript was now only ashes. I was the only one who had ever seen 10:23.760 --> 10:29.760 it. I was completely happy and enjoying my victory after the banquet in the quiet of my own home. 10:31.760 --> 10:38.720 Mr. Martin? Yes, speaking. This is Dr. Selgrove. Dr. Selgrove? Yes, I'm head of the Academy of 10:38.720 --> 10:43.280 American Letters. I want to congratulate you, Mr. Martin. I was at the banquet tonight. Oh, 10:43.280 --> 10:49.760 well, thank you, sir. Well, yes, indeed. I've been collecting data on Edward Allen Poe all my life. 10:49.760 --> 10:54.560 Your work was in the finest traditions of Poe. Well, that is the supreme compliment, Dr. 10:54.560 --> 10:58.960 Mr. Martin, what did you find behind the lining in that steel box in London? 11:00.160 --> 11:05.760 What? It was you, wasn't it? Well, I don't know what you're talking about. Yes, in the truest Poe 11:05.760 --> 11:11.760 tradition. So much so that I have reason to believe your idea was once Poe's. Now, look, Dr. I, 11:11.760 --> 11:16.560 I hope you haven't spread this misinformation around. Why, you're wrong, of course, but, well, 11:16.560 --> 11:21.760 even the faintest suggestion could do me irreparable harm. If you mean, have I been discreet, sir, I have, 11:21.760 --> 11:27.280 until now. Well, look, how do you want me to disprove this ridiculous accusation? I'm at the 11:27.280 --> 11:32.560 Academy every day. I'll be there tomorrow night until nine thirty. The doors close at eight, but 11:32.560 --> 11:35.760 I'll wait for you. That will be fine, doctor. I'll be there around nine. 11:35.760 --> 11:41.920 And as I set the receiver back on the hook, I wondered just how much he actually knew 11:42.560 --> 11:45.040 and what I would have to do to silence him. 11:54.000 --> 11:59.920 For suspense, Roma Wines are bringing you Mr. Kirk Douglas in the story of Markham's death. 11:59.920 --> 12:05.680 Roma Wines presentation tonight in Radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense. 12:12.480 --> 12:19.040 Suspense, Radio's outstanding theater of thrills, is presented by Roma Wines. 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Treat them to better tasting Roma Wines. That's R-O-M-A. Roma Wines, America's largest selling wines. 13:21.120 --> 13:26.960 And now, Roma Wines bring back to our Hollywood Soundstage, Kirk Douglas as Philip Martin, 13:26.960 --> 13:44.160 in the story of Markham's Death, a play well calculated to keep you in suspense. 13:44.160 --> 13:48.720 The hands of the clock on the wall seemed drugged. They moved so slowly that day. 13:49.840 --> 13:56.560 My appointment with Dr. Selgrove was for 9 p.m. I was to be at Ann's at 8. I figured about 20 13:56.560 --> 14:02.960 minutes would wipe that slate clean. Hello, honey. I'll be ready in a minute. I said I'd be here at 8. 14:02.960 --> 14:09.280 Oh dear. Isn't 8 already? Is it? Yes, it's after 8. Oh, I thought it was only about 7 30. I'll hurry. 14:09.280 --> 14:15.040 Well, there's no reason. Are we going out? No, Ann. We're not going out. As a matter of fact, 14:15.040 --> 14:21.680 we're never going out again. What? I'm sorry, Ann. This is the last time we'll see each other. 14:21.680 --> 14:28.720 But, but I, I, well, Phil, I, I've, I've told everyone that... 14:28.720 --> 14:33.520 What have you told everyone? That we were going to be married. 14:33.520 --> 14:38.320 Well, you shouldn't have. Did I ever say I'd marry? You know I was married once and it doesn't work 14:38.320 --> 14:42.560 for me. This would be different. Oh, would it? I don't think so. You see, Ann, you're taking up 14:42.560 --> 14:47.440 too much of my time. But I wouldn't get in the way, Phil. You know... You're also taking up too much 14:47.440 --> 14:53.040 of my thoughts. I probably hit that bad slump a few months ago because of you. Oh, it wasn't your 14:53.040 --> 14:58.240 fault. It was mine for not realizing it. Phil, you, you really mean... Oh, now look. 15:01.040 --> 15:08.960 What about me? What about me? What am I going to do? You'll get over it. Here. This should help. 15:08.960 --> 15:17.920 What's that? Take it. Just what you like. A roll of nice, clean, new $50 bills. Feel better now? 15:17.920 --> 15:23.600 You think you can buy everything with money, don't you? Well, you can't. And stop drumming with 15:23.600 --> 15:30.480 that letter opener. Oh, sorry. I didn't realize. Well, that takes care of everything, doesn't it? 15:31.360 --> 15:38.720 We're still friends? No. No, we'll never be friends. Phil Martin, you're rotten. You're rotten 15:38.720 --> 15:46.800 and you're conceited. You're everything I've ever... I hate you. I said I don't like scenes. Goodbye, Ann. 15:46.800 --> 15:49.200 Get out of here. Get out! 15:59.200 --> 16:05.520 As I left her apartment, I paused to look at my watch. It was 8.30. I noticed a man fade back into 16:05.520 --> 16:09.760 the darkness of the doorway, but outside of the fact that he looked vaguely familiar, I thought 16:09.760 --> 16:15.200 nothing more of it. I felt as though a weight had been lifted from my shoulders, at least from one 16:15.200 --> 16:20.240 shoulder, and I was on my way to lift the weight from the other one. The Academy of American 16:20.240 --> 16:28.640 Letters was just a short distance from Ann's apartment. Mr. Martin? Yes. I take it you're Dr. 16:28.640 --> 16:34.640 Selgrove. That's right. Sit down, Mr. Martin. I'll stand, thank you. You were at the banquet last 16:34.640 --> 16:39.840 night. I remember seeing you. And when I saw you, I knew my search was over. You fit the description 16:39.840 --> 16:45.360 just like the missing piece in a jigsaw puzzle. I knew you were the man Mrs. Carruthers described. 16:45.360 --> 16:50.960 Who is Mrs. Carruthers? The woman who gave you the steel box. The box which must have contained the 16:50.960 --> 16:55.760 Edgar Allan Poe manuscript you so skillfully rewrote. Preposterous. You deny that you were 16:55.760 --> 17:00.880 in London. No, but... Or that you found the box and examined it. Well, no, but... Mr. Martin, 17:00.880 --> 17:05.280 a poverty-stricken woman like Mrs. Carruthers couldn't forget a man who gave her five pounds. 17:05.920 --> 17:11.120 She could forget seeing him slip a packet into his pocket. That is, until someone came along and 17:11.120 --> 17:16.800 gave her ten pounds to refresh her memory. For ten pounds, she probably dreamed up the whole story. 17:16.800 --> 17:21.440 Look, you say you know something of Poe. Then you know that the time he spent in London was long 17:21.440 --> 17:25.600 before his prominence as an author. Why, for all we know, he didn't write a line during his entire 17:25.600 --> 17:30.960 stay there. Mr. Martin, I've devoted my life to gathering information about Edgar Allan Poe. It's 17:30.960 --> 17:36.480 my hobby as well as my job. I've been looking for one missing manuscript for a long time. 17:36.480 --> 17:41.200 A manuscript whose existence I learned of by quite by chance. What are you talking about? 17:41.920 --> 17:46.640 This letter which Edgar Allan Poe wrote to a cousin in Boston during his London visit. 17:46.640 --> 17:50.400 Fine piece, isn't it? Well, what about it? Well, let me read it to you. He says, 17:50.400 --> 17:55.680 My new theory for a tale of murder is a form of induction as opposed to deduction. 17:56.240 --> 18:02.160 I refer to it as Markhamism after the title character. My first draft manuscript is stored 18:02.160 --> 18:08.320 behind a satin curtain built of steel to age and mellow until such a time as I may produce it 18:08.320 --> 18:11.120 without being turned mad. I see. 18:11.120 --> 18:16.800 Dear me, you were overconfident, Martin, calling your novel Markham's death. Not only didn't you 18:16.800 --> 18:23.760 change the process, you didn't even alter the name. And if I should admit to all this, 18:24.560 --> 18:29.200 what would be your price? Now, Mr. Martin, money's of no consequence. I'm a student, 18:29.200 --> 18:33.760 a collector of American letters. All I want from you is the manuscript. 18:33.760 --> 18:40.720 Impossible. In return for my everlasting silence. Possessing the manuscript is payment enough. 18:40.720 --> 18:45.920 I have no desire to ruin you unless, of course, it should become necessary for me to do so. 18:45.920 --> 18:48.000 How would I know you wouldn't show it? 18:48.000 --> 18:50.480 Certain you don't question my word. 18:52.000 --> 18:54.240 The manuscript has been destroyed. 18:54.240 --> 18:56.000 Don't expect me to believe that. 18:56.000 --> 18:58.240 It's the truth. I burned it. 18:58.240 --> 19:02.000 Well, if you want to be difficult, I won't agree with you, Mr. Martin. 19:02.000 --> 19:16.720 Martin, pity you won't cooperate. I'll just put this letter back in the safe, and then tomorrow we'll see. 19:18.800 --> 19:23.760 Panic fled with the return of cold logic. Dr. Selgrove was unquestionably dead. 19:23.760 --> 19:28.640 I had to act quickly because speed was essential. I knew that from what I myself had often written. 19:28.640 --> 19:32.560 I took the letter and pocketed it to be burned later in the privacy of my own home. 19:32.560 --> 19:35.440 There will be no suspicious ashes for the police to sift. 19:35.440 --> 19:40.000 The bookend was the only thing I touched. I carefully filled the wash basin with hot water 19:40.000 --> 19:43.360 and dropped the bookend into it, smearing and obliterating any fingerprints. 19:44.080 --> 19:49.360 Now, I had to work backwards. The average murderer establishes his alibi first. 19:49.360 --> 20:03.600 But in my case, I had to establish it behind me and cover my time. 20:03.600 --> 20:08.320 Most people are careless about exact times and can be off many minutes, 20:08.320 --> 20:11.920 especially in their recollection. Have you ever looked at your watch? 20:11.920 --> 20:15.280 Then had someone asked you the time only to find that you had to look again? 20:15.280 --> 20:21.280 Yes, Anne would work as my alibi. I couldn't confide in her, but she was careless about time. 20:22.320 --> 20:29.520 But what of the man I'd seen in her hall at 8.30? Suddenly I knew it was Anne's brother, 20:29.520 --> 20:34.320 Kid Gloves Flemming. Now that I thought about it, I knew I recognized him from his pictures. 20:34.320 --> 20:37.440 He'd obviously escaped from prison and had gone to Anne for help. 20:37.440 --> 20:43.120 Yes, Anne would be more than happy to say I'd been with her until a quarter to nine. 20:43.120 --> 20:47.520 Unobserved, I hurried back to her apartment house. In front of the building, 20:47.520 --> 20:51.760 I hailed a passing taxi and entered at precisely 9.05. 20:51.760 --> 20:52.960 Where to, mister? 20:52.960 --> 20:59.280 The Milford Club on 59th. Not many taxis in this neighborhood, are there? 20:59.280 --> 21:00.560 Were you waiting long? 21:00.560 --> 21:05.840 Ten or fifteen minutes. I wanted to be at the club by 9. It's almost that now. 21:05.840 --> 21:08.880 Is that all? I thought it was later. Oh well, I'll get you there fast. 21:08.880 --> 21:10.640 Oh, that's all right. There's no hurry. 21:10.640 --> 21:13.040 Oh, good evening, Mr. Martin. 21:13.040 --> 21:16.640 Oh, good evening, Henry. Well, not many coats being checked tonight, are there? 21:16.640 --> 21:18.640 No, sir. But look at all those hats. 21:18.640 --> 21:24.240 Let me see. Seems as though I've misplaced my watch. Have you the time, Henry? 21:24.240 --> 21:27.040 Why, sure. It's 20 minutes after nine. 21:27.040 --> 21:33.040 Oh, thanks. I seem to be losing every minute of my time. 21:33.040 --> 21:35.040 Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. 21:35.040 --> 21:41.440 20 minutes after nine. Oh, thanks. I seem to be losing everything tonight. 21:41.440 --> 21:44.240 Oh, what's wrong? Well, I've dropped my notebook. 21:44.240 --> 21:47.920 Oh, I must have dropped it in that taxi. Was it important? 21:47.920 --> 21:50.640 Well, just to me. I had some personal notes in there. 21:50.640 --> 21:55.200 Oh, look, I wonder, Henry, if you'd call the cab company for me and ask if it's turned in. 21:55.200 --> 21:58.320 Sure. Thanks. My name and address are engraved in the cover. 21:58.320 --> 22:01.360 As a matter of fact, I even recall the name of the driver. 22:01.360 --> 22:05.120 It struck me as unusual. It was Alonzo P. Alonzo. 22:05.120 --> 22:06.400 I'll take care of it for you. Thanks. 22:06.400 --> 22:09.200 Oh, and you might add that I'll post a $25 reward. 22:15.920 --> 22:19.440 Then I went down to see Lieutenant John Kirkland of Homicide. 22:20.160 --> 22:26.320 We'd been classmates, and I'd spent many an evening at headquarters discussing our favorite subject, crime. 22:27.360 --> 22:29.920 Well, well, well. Hello, hello, Phil. 22:29.920 --> 22:33.760 Hiya, Johnny. Anything on the docket? Oh, just routine. 22:33.760 --> 22:38.480 Oh, mind if I sit in? I want to get my mind off Anne. 22:38.480 --> 22:42.400 Anne? Well, what's maddening? Oh, you know, Johnny, the usual. 22:42.400 --> 22:47.440 I wrote Phinney to our little romance, and, well, she wasn't too happy about it. 22:48.480 --> 22:53.200 Still a dog with the women, eh, kid? Oh, say, say, this is a coincidence. 22:53.840 --> 22:57.760 Remember that wild kid brother of Anne? This kid brother? Oh, oh, you mean the one 22:57.760 --> 23:00.960 they call Kid Gloves? Well, I remember reading about him. Why? 23:00.960 --> 23:06.160 Well, he broke out of jail late this afternoon. Uh-oh. Say, Anne'll certainly be worried. 23:06.160 --> 23:09.680 Well, she won't have to worry anymore. What? 23:09.680 --> 23:12.960 Yeah, they caught him down at the railroad station trying to get out of town. 23:12.960 --> 23:17.440 What? Are they bringing him in? Yeah. Stiff. 23:18.720 --> 23:23.360 Yeah, the poor fool decided to shoot it out, and he picked a crack shot like O'Malley the drawing. 23:23.360 --> 23:28.480 Oh, well, is O'Malley all right? Oh, sure, O'Malley's always all right. 23:29.520 --> 23:31.440 But the kid's dead. Oh. 23:31.440 --> 23:35.920 This is going to be tough on Anne. Even though they didn't get along, he's still her brother. 23:35.920 --> 23:39.120 Well, she'll get over it. I guess it's better this way. 23:39.840 --> 23:43.360 Ah, it's a funny thing, though. He was still wearing those Kid Gloves, 23:44.080 --> 23:47.680 and he had a roll of new $50 bills that would choke a horse. 23:47.680 --> 23:53.920 Now I understood. Anne's brother had visited her just after I left, and she'd given him the money. 23:54.800 --> 24:01.440 Well, I was completely relaxed now. The only person who could possibly spoil my perfect story was dead. 24:04.480 --> 24:06.720 Oh, uh, pardon me, Phil, please. Sure. 24:06.720 --> 24:10.080 Hello. This is Kirkland speaking. 24:12.160 --> 24:14.880 Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. 24:14.880 --> 24:23.760 Oh, when? I see. Who? 24:25.360 --> 24:26.720 Philip Martin? Huh? 24:26.720 --> 24:33.120 Why, why, he's right here. I said he's right here. 24:33.120 --> 24:34.960 Oh, is it for me? Just a second, please. 24:36.880 --> 24:42.560 Yeah. Okay. Let me know. I'll send him right out. 24:42.560 --> 24:44.960 Hey, what's up, Johnny? I thought that call was for me. 24:44.960 --> 24:49.600 No, no, it, uh, it wasn't for you, Phil. It was about you. 24:50.560 --> 24:51.760 About me? Yeah. 24:53.120 --> 24:57.920 Where were you this evening? I told you. I had dinner, went over to see Anne, and then met you. 24:58.720 --> 25:01.040 Well, weren't you anyplace else, sir? Are you sure? 25:01.600 --> 25:05.360 Of course I'm sure. Say, Johnny, what is this, the third degree? 25:05.360 --> 25:07.840 Do you remember what time you left Anne's? 25:07.840 --> 25:10.960 Why, well, I must have left about a quarter of nine. 25:10.960 --> 25:14.080 Yes, I'm sure of that. It was just about nine when I caught my cab. 25:14.080 --> 25:16.560 Was anyone with you? At Anne's, no, we were alone. 25:17.120 --> 25:21.440 Couldn't you be mistaken? Couldn't you have been some place else, maybe at 8 15 or 8 30? 25:21.440 --> 25:26.880 No. Why, Phil, why do you play right into my hands? 25:26.880 --> 25:30.640 Why do you make it impossible for me to help you? What are you talking about? 25:30.640 --> 25:39.840 Murder, Phil. I'm, I'm arresting you for murder. 25:49.840 --> 25:54.720 In a few hours, I'm going to be executed for the murder of Dr. Selgrove. 25:54.720 --> 26:00.800 But the police don't know that yet. You see, although I'm innocent of the 26:00.800 --> 26:04.880 crime I'm scheduled to die for, I'm powerless to save myself. 26:11.520 --> 26:17.600 Yes, I backed out of my own crime successfully. Only I set myself squarely in the middle of a worse one. 26:18.240 --> 26:24.000 The only way I can save myself is by telling that I was busy killing Dr. Selgrove at the time I'm 26:24.000 --> 26:29.120 supposed to have killed Anne Fleming. I know that Anne was killed by her brother, but there's no way 26:29.120 --> 26:33.920 of proving it. The letter opener he plunged into her chest still had my fingerprints, slightly 26:33.920 --> 26:39.120 smeared by his kid gloves. Robbery was ruled out because nothing was disturbed. Snooping neighbors 26:39.120 --> 26:43.680 had heard Anne and me quarrel and had heard her scream around a quarter of nine. They suspected 26:43.680 --> 26:49.760 that I had hit her and nothing more. But it placed the time exactly, exactly as I had placed myself 26:49.760 --> 26:59.680 in her company during that time. Well, I see where they dug up another original hitherto 26:59.680 --> 27:05.440 unknown manuscript by Edgar Allan Poe in somebody's closet in Fordham, New York. 27:06.160 --> 27:11.840 It's all about a man who builds such a perfect alibi for himself that he gets executed for the 27:11.840 --> 27:18.320 wrong murder. Well, I'm glad they only found it today after I had already written the above confession. 27:18.320 --> 27:21.440 Otherwise, they'd say I'd been plagiarizing Poe again. 27:21.440 --> 27:34.320 Suspense, the story of Markham's death starring Kirk Douglas presented by Roma Wines. That's R-O-M-A. 27:34.320 --> 27:41.760 Roma Wines, America's largest wine factory. The story of Markham's death starring Kirk Douglas, 27:41.760 --> 27:48.320 presented by Roma Wines. That's R-O-M-A. Roma Wines, America's largest wine factory. 27:48.320 --> 27:57.520 Roma Wines, America's largest selling wines. Yes, Roma Wines are America's largest selling wines. 27:57.520 --> 28:02.880 And this is Truman Bradley to tell you the reason. It's because Roma Wines taste better. 28:03.840 --> 28:10.880 You see, Roma gathers and presses only the choicest California grapes. Then with age-old skills 28:10.880 --> 28:17.440 and unmatched winemaking resources, Roma master ventners guide this grape treasure unhurriedly 28:17.440 --> 28:24.240 to peak taste richness. These fine Roma Wines are laid aside with mellow Roma Wines of years before 28:24.240 --> 28:30.480 to await later selection for your enjoyment from the world's greatest reserves of fine wines. 28:31.200 --> 28:36.720 This weekend, enjoy the better taste of nut-like Roma Sherry, fruity Roma Port, 28:36.720 --> 28:45.680 or fragrant Roma Tokei. And always remember to ask for Roma. That's R-O-M-A. Roma Wines, 28:45.680 --> 28:52.000 enjoyed by more Americans than any other wines. Kirk Douglas may soon be seen in the Hal Wallace 28:52.000 --> 28:58.720 production, I Walk Alone. Tonight's suspense play was written by Bob Plath. Next Thursday, 28:58.720 --> 29:06.000 same time, you will hear Richard Ney as star of Suspense, produced and directed by William 29:06.000 --> 29:18.960 Spear for the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California. In the coming weeks, Suspense 29:18.960 --> 29:24.960 will present such stars as Louis Jourdan, June Havoc, Dennis O'Keefe, Marsha Hunt, and others. 29:24.960 --> 29:37.440 Make it a point to listen each Thursday to Suspense, radio's outstanding theater of thrills. 29:37.440 --> 29:55.920 This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.