Auto Light and its 98,000 dealers bring you Mr. Charles Lawton.
In tonight's presentation of...
Suspense.
Tonight, Auto Light presents a story about a man whose name was synonymous with death.
A true story which we call Jack Ketch, our star, Mr. Charles Lawton.
Hey, Sheriff, are you shooting at me?
Sure am, Wilcox.
You know someone who fires faster than me?
I'm the fastest car...
No, no, no, wait a minute, wait a minute.
Not someone, Sheriff, something.
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And remember, from bumper to tail light, you're always right with Auto Light.
And now, Auto Light presents transcribed Jack Ketch, starring Mr. Charles Lawton and hoping
once again to keep you in suspense.
Evening, Mr. Price.
Evening, William.
Old enough.
Hard day for you, Mr. Price.
I must say I'm fair wore out.
What you need is a bit of the old warm and for the cockles.
How true, how true.
It's cruel work for a man in this weather.
You walk down to the blue ball, Mr. Price.
Have yourself a dollar.
I thought of it but I happen to be a little short of funds tonight, William.
I wonder if you...
Oh, here.
Have one for me, Mr. Price.
Oh, it's very nice of you, I must say, William.
Very nice.
Good night.
Nasty little rat that William Hartley.
Got to keep an eye on him.
Hartley.
What rights he got to look at me like that.
I know what he's thinking.
Get my job, fat chance of it.
I'll see him turned off first.
Goal, I got a thirst.
Should go home, I suppose.
Bet he'll be grassy out of all Nick leather grass.
I got my rights.
Blue ball for me.
Evening, one and all.
Evening.
Evening, Mr. White.
Mrs. White.
Mrs. Lone.
Oi, Granny, surprise ever.
Here.
Here, watch all this.
Somebody dead?
So that's the way it is, is it?
Hey, people.
Aile.
I said Aile.
Aile, perhaps you didn't hear me the first time.
Can you pay for it?
Yeah, I can pay for it.
And more, don't worry about me, I can pay for anything.
You hear that?
All of you.
I don't need a bloody one of you.
You'll all come to me one of these days.
Aile.
I heard the watchman are looking for somebody.
He don't pay his debts and he's going to Marshall C. Prison for it.
Who said that?
Who said it?
I wonder who's going to get Jack Ketchy's job when he's out of this.
Who called me that?
My name is Price.
John Price.
You hear what I say?
John Price.
Oh, I have such an horrible thing in me throat, Mr. Ketchy.
Do you have a cure?
Have you got any old clothes for sale today, Mr. Ketchy?
Jack Ketchy.
Shut your faces, a lot of you.
Stop all, do you, a mess, if that's what you hear.
You, you, you, stop it.
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, that's enough.
I mean, not that near.
You watcher, I'll come over to the table and drink it.
I'm sorry I lost my temper.
I'm sorry.
He gets very tired tonight.
Except my apologies, keeper.
I don't accept nothing from you, except your money.
I have to do that because I have to serve you.
My daughter says so.
Any trouble from you and out.
That's a fact and don't forget it.
Why do they do that?
Why?
It's always like this.
Either they won't say a blinking word or behave in that awful way.
Can't they understand?
I'm just like anyone else.
I do me job, same as anyone.
It gets lonely, a man sitting by himself, swilling ale all by himself.
I wish I had some money.
I mean, some of the actual coppers.
I'd have friends, then lots of them.
What was it they were saying about the watchman looking for me?
They can't do that.
I'll pay the debts what I owe.
If I could only get a good job or two, why don't they let a man alone?
It's not fair.
It ain't fair, Mr. Price.
Who's that?
Oh, William, William Artley.
You, eh?
Got off late tonight, didn't you?
That's right, Mr. Price.
Having a bit of a guzzle, eh?
I will not stand familiarity, William Artley, and kindly remember your place and station.
No offence intended.
None taken, I owe.
Granted.
Mind if I sit down with me mug?
I don't mind.
How long hours short pay.
That's the way of it.
William Artley, why do you talk to me?
Why not, Mr. Price?
You're my superior, ain't you?
In a way, I have to talk to you.
I don't want you to have to.
I want you to want to.
I simply thought.
I want a friend.
I want people to smile at me on the streets and talk to me and like me.
Oh, you've got a burden, Mr. Price, and no mistake.
William, how would you like to lend me five sovereigns?
I could pay you back with interest.
I've got one or two odd debts to pay.
I heard about that, Mr. Price.
Abbey White was saying...
Abbey White wants to know.
I'm not going after my job like you, William Artley.
You don't pull the wool over my eyes.
I know.
How could you think such a thing, Mr. Price?
Remember, I'm not out of office yet.
Remember, you stay nice to me, William, because I have a position.
How about a couple of sovereigns?
I know you've got it, so there's no...
I'd like to oblige, Mr. Price, or help me, I would.
But my wife's expecting to gain, and you know how it is with another mouth to feed.
How about a copper's worth of ale, then?
You know, I was going to buy one for you, Mr. Price, but when I reached into my pocket,
I found I'd just enough for me own mug.
William Artley, you're a dirty, sneaking little liar.
Oh, Mr. Price.
Don't you never find yourself in trouble.
Of course, if you do, it's John Price is going to be there, taking loving care of you.
Oh, Harry, you are a one.
Now, you stop it.
Anyone would think that we...
Hello, Mr. White.
Mrs. White.
Good evening.
Come on, Elizabeth.
Time to be going home.
All right, Harry.
I said hello, that's all.
I didn't do no harm, just hello.
Oh, hello.
That's all.
William Artley, he come to the Blue Board to laugh at me.
That's how he gets his pleasure.
They all do.
When I go down, it's going to be the same.
Wish I was dead.
John Price, that you?
Where you been?
I had a piece of mutton on the table at six o'clock.
Hello, Bette, how's the kid?
Where you been?
Why, I should have known.
You've been boozing at the Blue Boar.
Spent every blessed penny.
I was tired, Bette.
I thought a sup would help.
Sup?
Sweetheart, we got a few shillings put by, haven't we?
Oh, no, you don't.
He's desperate, Bette.
Girl, they'll have me in debtors' prison.
I had the talk tonight.
Do your good.
Don't say that, love.
I only need it for a week or two at the most.
I've got to raise every penny I can.
That money's for me and the kid.
You don't touch your father.
I lose me job.
Don't make me laugh.
Your job.
Ha! Call that a job?
I'm ashamed.
I'm ashamed to have people know me name.
Now, Bette, I'm your husband.
It's your duty to repay me.
You give me what money you've got in the house or I...
Or what?
What'll you do, Jack Ketch?
Betty!
What'll you do to Mrs Jack Ketch?
You murderer!
Murderer!
My husband!
What's he do for an honest living?
Why, he's a murderer.
Mother, what does Daddy do?
He's got a lovely job, sonny.
Didn't you know?
Don't, don't, don't, don't.
Yes, dear old debt turns people off.
For our bread.
Yes, Jack Ketch, the groom of the ladder, the public hangman.
Hangman!
I'll smash ya!
Auto Light is bringing you Mr. Charles Lawton in Jack Ketch.
Tonight's production in radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense.
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And remember, from bumper to tail light, you're always right with Auto Light.
And now, Auto Light brings back to our Hollywood soundstage, Mr. Charles Lawton in Elliot Lewis's
production of Jack Ketch, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.
I suppose it was wrong to beat her like that, but what's a man to do?
So what with me debts and what I don't bet?
Here I am in Marshall City Prison, not the first time I've been here.
What a stinking hole.
All of us together, the muckalund and men, women and dogs.
There's one lad, the late Sir Bed, coming yesterday.
He's got learning, a gentleman, you can see that.
Thomas Lovelace, his name.
He's in debt to his eyes, £2,000.
I'll be here until I rot, Christ.
I wouldn't say that, sir.
There's always hope.
You've been here before.
Three times, sir.
This is my fourth and always for dead.
Of course, there was the matter of my wife, Betty, this time.
What did you do for a living, Christ?
Why, what's the matter?
Hadn't you noticed the others?
They never talked to me, sir.
Hadn't you noticed?
No, not particularly.
I'll tell you why.
Because I was in the employ of his Majesty in service to the Crown, that's why.
That's why they don't talk to you?
I suppose you won't either, sir, when I tell you, but you'll find out in a day or so,
anyhow.
What's the use?
I'm the hangman.
Hangman?
But I thought that Jack...
Shh!
That's what they call me.
Oh.
I thought so.
Go on, sir.
I won't trouble you.
You're a gentleman.
You don't want the likes of me.
You haven't got a very savoury reputation, you know, Christ.
It was my job.
Somebody had to do it.
I've heard that you rather enjoyed it.
That is a lie.
And what about the poor devils who paid you to put them out of their misery quickly?
Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Hey, John.
I was happy to oblige.
Poor souls.
Sometimes they give me a few pence to help them through the awful passage to heaven.
But Lord bless you.
I did my best.
And if they didn't have any money?
Well, I wouldn't hold it against them.
You know, of course, I'm not denying that a nice neat rack or press job was worth a
few shillings extra.
Wouldn't you have taken the money I asked you now, wouldn't you?
I wouldn't have had your job, sir.
Not for a million pounds.
Oh, well, that's the way of it. Each man to what he knows.
Right, Mr. Lovelace, my profession is Angman.
Yours is to be a gentleman. Am I right, sir?
And we're both in debtors' prison.
That gave him something to think about. He wasn't so iron-mighty after that.
He never had visitors and I didn't neither. That is not till one day, three months after I first come here.
And it was William Artley. I didn't like the nasty weasel smile on him.
Well, Price, I heard about your misfortune and I came to sympathise.
How thoughtful, William.
How do they treat you in here, eh?
Like a blooming earl, can't you see?
Whew, nasty smell down here.
Well, they haven't brought in the fresh roses yet.
Ah, yes. What about your debts, Price? Any luck?
Well, it's only a matter of five pounds. William, William Artley, you didn't you...
You came here to help me? You're going to lend me the money? Have I misjudged you, William, my good friend?
You haven't misjudged me, Price. I didn't come here to lend you anything.
I came here to see you had your elft and spirits and I brought you a prayer book for your poor soul to feed on.
Oh, bloody arse!
Change your ways, Price! Change your ways before it...
I'll change or I'll change the shape of your...
I'm going to turn you off, part of us, William Artley.
Price, let him go.
You hear me? Let him go. You'll get away with it. Stop it!
Have you gone mad? You know what they'll do to you with this.
I know. I've given it to others.
You shouldn't have done that, Price. I won't forget. You pay for that.
I paid 30 lashes and slum gullion for a month.
I wasn't going to forget William Artley, never in my life.
It was Mr. Lovelace who saved me a crusted two a bread when I was brought up from the black hole.
It was the best meal I ever had. Then things were the same again. The weeks went by.
I wrote a song ballad. Mr. Lovelace did the words in writing for me.
I called it...
The Man of Destiny's Hard Fortune
Whereby his hopeful harvest is like to be blasted.
Nobody bought it though and I still didn't have the money to pay my debts.
When I heard about Betty and the kid, they'd run off and left me.
That's when I made up my mind to get out of Marshall, see? That and William Artley.
I'd pay a little call on him. I told my idea to Mr. Lovelace one night.
Mr. Lovelace. Yes? Come closer.
Listen, I'm getting out, see? Now you've treated me right. I'm willing to take you with me.
But how can you? We've got these chains. It's impossible.
No, we don't. They take them off in the afternoon when we exercise, don't they?
All right. That's the time.
But how?
Leave it to me. You want to go with me?
I'd rather die trying instead.
All right, so here's what we do. There's a woodshed next to the gate in the yard.
Doors always open. When we have our constitutional tomorrow, we hop in there and wait till it's dark.
One of the keepers will see us.
Yeah, there's a new one on. I've been watching him. He's been drunk for a week. Easy as pie. You wait.
The next day we did it. Stayed hiding behind the wood until night.
Felt funny without the chains on after so long. And about ten o'clock we started out of the shed.
I took a thick stick from the woodpile.
Come on. The gate will be locked. Have to do a bit of climbing then, eh?
All clear.
Look, the keeper is asleep. We have to pass him. Supposing he wakes up.
He won't. Look, you...
You give me a hand up first and I'll pull you over.
Right.
All right. Give me your hand.
All right.
Here come.
Here come. And there's London. Ain't that the loveliest sight? William Artley's out there in it. Come on.
We stayed together until we were well out of sight of the prison. Then Mr. Lovelace said goodbye.
I'll leave you here, Price. I can't thank you enough for helping me.
We shan't meet again, I suppose, but I'll always remember you. Goodbye.
And he went his way. A couple of minutes later I found a broom-maker going home from selling his wares.
And after a short argument, I had two silver shillings in me pocket. I tossed for it William Artley now.
All later. My first one. And that took me to the nearest ale house in Bunil Fields.
Artley would have to wait, but not for long. I was going to do him a mischief, pay the little scut back before the night was out.
It was two hours later that I left the ale house with a lovely swishing in me belly and happiness in me head.
Being drunk, I couldn't on me life remember what it was I had to do. I knew there was something.
Oh, his grounds was dreadful for to hear as the stones they pressed upon him are.
And Jack stood solemn, not shedding a tear when the orphan allows that.
It's me, Elizabeth White. Is that you, John Price? I thought you were in Marshallsea.
Elizabeth White? Well, I never have. What you doing in Bunil Fields this time of night?
I had an order of gingerbread to deliver. You frightened me.
Who, me? I'm all right, you know. I've had one or two, but nobody can say. John Price can't behave like a gentleman.
Oh, you are wicked.
Oh, I wish I was married to a sweet woman like you. How I envy your husband.
Now, now, Mr. Price. I apologize, humbly. Do you hate me?
Of course not. I never hated you. It was Harry didn't want me to talk to you.
I mean you now because I'm Angman. Well, you're not anymore, anyway.
I'm really very gentle at heart, you know, just misunderstood by one and all.
I suppose. Elizabeth, I've always had a liking for you. Mr. Price.
Have you got a little money put away? We could make it a business arrangement, just you and me. I'd pay you next month. How's that?
I haven't got anything, Mr. Price. Hold on, maybe you're shilling it too tucked.
Well, you must have copped something for the gingerbread. Please, Mr. Price, my Harry, you'll be awful.
It ain't honorable for a man in my position to be in debt. There's no one to turn to. Come on. I'll pay you back. I swear it's desperate.
No, Mr. Price. Where do you keep it, eh? Stop it. You're not the watchman, darling. Stop it.
Where is it? Give it over, you hear me?
I think you don't. I need this. I need it. I told her I'd pay her back. Shut it off! Shut it off! Shut it off!
Well, here we are again. Newgate this time. The watchman got me, but it was too late for Elizabeth White.
I'm afraid I've done her in. Poor soul. I'm too angry for it, so there you are. I can hear them coming for me now. It's like a last swig or something to see me on my way.
Goor! William Artley! Are you ready, John Price? You nasty little winkle. You mean you're the Angman? I am.
Goor Blarney, I was coming back to turn you off, you maggoty worm, and I forgot you wouldn't be here now. I bear you no malice, John Price. You won't make no Angman, not for long, you won't. You wait. They'll start calling you Jack Kitsch. You wait.
It's my duty. I always knew that someday I'd find McCollin to protect the people from such poor wretches as you. I have found it. Oh Blarney, on my denoted bar me too. Well, I've got a brass farthing for you and me clothes won't fetch tapins, so blast you.
I don't want neither. It's me job, John Price. Turning you off is me job, and that's what I'm about to do. You've come to a wicked end, as I knew you would. Well, if I am going to nab the stifles and it's William Artley's going to do it, I'd better off dead.
Here, William, you write something for me on the wall. I've got some charcoal. What? What do you want me to write?
Here died John Price, public Angman of London. He was turned off upon that gallows which he had served so well in his day. God save the King in the year 1686.
Suspense. A true story presented by Auto Light. Tonight's star, Mr. Charles Lawton, will return in just a moment.
This is Harlow Wilcox speaking for Auto Light, world's largest independent manufacturer of automotive electrical equipment. Auto Light is proud to serve the greatest names in the industry. They are members of the Auto Light family, as are the 98,000 Auto Light distributors and dealers in the United States and thousands more in Canada and throughout the world.
Our family also includes the nearly 30,000 men and women in 28 great Auto Light plants from coast to coast and in Auto Light plants in many foreign countries, as well as the 18,000 people who have invested a portion of their savings in Auto Light.
Every Auto Light product is backed by constant research and precision built to the highest standards of quality and performance. So remember, from bumper to tail light, you're always right with Auto Light.
This is Charles Lawton. Next week, the third member of our first drama quartet will be your guest. Mr. Charles Boyer will appear as a man who successfully played both sides of the law.
Vidak's last case is the story and it will be heard next week on Suspense.
Jack Ketch was written for Suspense by Anthony Ellis. Suspense is transcribed and directed by Elliot Lewis. Music was composed by Lucian Morawick and conducted by Lud Gluskin.
In tonight's story, Joe Kearns was heard as Hartley. Featured in the cast were Joan Banks, Doris Lloyd, Ben Wright, Raymond Lawrence and Ramsay Hill.
Charles Lawton may be seen in the fall tour of the first drama quartet's presentation of Don Juan in Hell by George Bernard Shaw.
For the location of your nearest Auto Light spark plug or Auto Light battery dealer or your nearest authorized Auto Light service station, phone Western Union by number and ask for operator 25. Switch to Auto Light. Good night.
This is the CBS Radio Network.