Auto Light and its 98,000 dealers bring you Mr. Lloyd Nolan in tonight's presentation
of Suspense.
Tonight, Auto Light presents a story based on fact, the documented report of a man who
lost a jar which contained the destruction of a city, vial of death, our star, Mr. Lloyd
Nolan.
Hello, hello.
Say, you know today's my birthday.
It is?
Well, congratulations, Sheriff.
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And now, Auto Light presents Vial of Death, starring Mr. Lloyd Nolan, hoping once again
to keep you in suspense.
When it happened, you knew nothing about it.
The events of that long, frightening night began about the time you were catching a bus
or a streetcar toward home.
Probably you had dinner that night, played with the children and went to bed.
You slept.
In the morning you got up, came to work, and it was just another day.
By then, it was all over.
Many innocent people missed an appointment with death that morning.
You might have been one of them.
It was five o'clock in that particular night as I climbed the stairs of the downtown Central
Station.
I'm Lieutenant Joe Holloway, acting chief of detectives during the night watch.
Most of the men on the day watch had deserted their desks and were climbing into overcoats
as I passed them in the hall.
Good evening, Lieutenant.
Sam?
Hey, weren't you off yesterday?
Yep.
Have a nice day.
I guess so.
I stayed up when I should have been in bed and took the kids out to the zoo.
And when I should have been up, I went to bed.
Today, instead of going to bed, I was up.
But to answer your question, Lieutenant, I enjoyed my day off, but I should have stayed
in bed.
Well, I guess I should spend more time with my kids, but I don't.
Work in night six days a week.
I never have time to see them.
I can understand that, Lieutenant, but today...
Yeah, I know.
Maybe next week.
There, anything interesting on the hot shot sheet?
Nah, nothing exciting.
Hey, does Ruby come in yet?
On a stakeout tonight.
Oh.
Well, might as well make out the watch for tomorrow.
Evening papers come in yet?
No.
Excuse me, is this the office of the chief of detectives?
That's right.
Lieutenant Holloway?
Lieutenant?
Yeah.
This is Lieutenant Holloway, mister.
Are you in charge here?
That's right.
I'm Professor Harold M. Froelich.
The officer at the front desk told me to see you.
What can I do for you, Professor Froelich?
Well, I'm afraid I'm going to need your help, Lieutenant.
You see, my car was stolen a few minutes ago.
Oh, you want the auto theft division.
It's right down the hall to your right.
No, no, no.
You see, I was on my way to the university at Brenton for some lab analysis, and I stopped
at a drug store just a few blocks from here to buy some pipe tobacco.
Yeah.
When I came out of the drug store, my car was gone, stolen.
And I'd left my satchel in the car, too.
It contained various instruments and a sizable amount of narcotics.
Oh, I see.
No, you don't.
I'm not so concerned about the loss of my car nor the narcotics.
Well, then what are you concerned about, Professor Froelich?
The vial.
That's what worries me.
What vial?
There was a glass vial of bacteria in my satchel, too.
You see, my work is developing antibacteriological techniques, protective methods against germ
warfare.
In this work, I use living microorganisms, bacteria, and the vial contained an extremely
large amount of these bacteria.
Oh, I see.
Now, what kind of bacteria did the vial contain?
Cholera bacteria.
Cholera?
Cholera.
Yes.
Enough to start a cholera epidemic throughout this city in a matter of hours if the thief
finds that vial and opens it.
How contagious is it?
Oh, if the slightest amount gets on the thief's hands or clothing, sooner or later, he's
certain to get it into his food or drinking water, in which case he would undoubtedly
develop cholera and then could pass it on to others.
Or thinking the vial is worthless, he might throw it away on the street and break it.
Or he could easily throw it into one of the reservoirs around the city, not knowing what
it is.
Do you understand, Lieutenant?
Yeah, I understand.
Animals and rodents present the greatest danger of all.
If they become carriers, an epidemic is inevitable and almost impossible to curb.
Wouldn't the bacteria die if they were exposed to air?
They wouldn't become exposed even if the vial were broken.
You see, the vial contains a peptone broth, a milky substance.
The bacteria are in this peptone broth like bees in a honeycomb.
It not only protects them, but it nourishes them as well.
I see.
Lieutenant Holloway, you must find my automobile before the thief has a chance to get at that
vial.
You can't imagine the horrors this city...
Where was your car stolen?
At the corner of Kenton Main Street about 15 minutes ago.
It's a blue sedan, four-door.
Get this, Sam.
Right.
What's your...
51.
License number?
6N1-6837.
What about the satchel?
Black, usual doctor's bag with my initials on it in gold.
HMF.
Describe the vial.
Oh, let me see.
About eight inches long, diameter two inches.
A silver pressure cap with a lump on top.
It can't be opened without pressing the top.
The contents are milky fluid.
It's about the size of a baby's feeding bottle.
Sam, get Lieutenant Ruby off that stakeout right away.
Tell him to meet me at 10th and Main.
Okay.
I'll put an APB on the car.
Radio room, this is Lieutenant Holloway.
Broadcast this immediately.
To all units, stolen car registered to a Professor Harold M. Frolic.
License number in the 8th column, 6N1-6837.
A 1951 blue four-door sedan.
If this car is located, hold and notify Lieutenant Holloway's central division immediately.
You got that?
Yeah.
Now, also put out a call for all B units in the 4th, 5th, and 6th districts to report to
me at 10th and Main.
Code 3.
Sam?
Yeah.
Notify the chief.
Then call the city health officer and tell him to meet me at 10th and Main right away.
This is Holloway.
Send every available man to 10th and Main.
Code 3.
I'll be there in five minutes.
We'll start a search of the neighborhood where your car was stolen.
Maybe we'll find the car nearby.
Maybe not, but it's a start.
Lieutenant.
Yes, what?
We must anticipate a cholera epidemic should the bacteria get loose.
Uh, serums, facilities, doctors.
We'll take that up with the city health officer.
Yet we must notify all hospitals and emergency wards to report immediately any case that
appears with the symptoms of cholera.
Then if a case is reported, we will have something to work on.
Yeah.
We will indeed have something to work on.
It was seven o'clock that evening when 120 officers and reserves gathered at the intersection
of 10th and Main where Professor Froelich's car had been stolen.
The curious was shuffled off, the press banned.
Lieutenant Ruby reported for duty and I briefed him.
At 730, the city health officer arrived.
Serums were ordered.
The Red Cross alerted.
Doctors and nurses notified to be on call if an epidemic started.
Hospitals have been told to notify us if a case appeared with symptoms of extreme intestinal
pain, spasms, vomiting, and severe dehydration.
Everything was done without attaching the word cholera to the operation.
At 815, a brake, just a small one.
Professor Froelich's car was found 10 blocks away.
This is it.
This is my car.
He didn't drive it far.
Oh, I hope the satchel is still in it.
Well, so know.
There's nothing in the front seat.
Key's still in it.
Ruby, check the trunk.
Right.
Don't touch anything, doctor.
Maybe it's in the back seat.
Oh, nothing.
Find anything, Ruby?
Nothing in the trunk, Joe.
Well, I guess he took the satchel with him.
I don't know why.
Porn it, probably.
Ruby, get a latent fingerprint man down here to dust this car.
Right.
Tell him to hurry.
Okay.
Now what, Lieutenant?
Now, we try to find that satchel.
An hour passed.
Two.
No progress.
The only fingerprints found on Professor Froelich's car were his own.
Suspects were picked up.
No make.
The search for the satchel continued.
Midnight.
Still no progress.
I thought about the other parts of the city.
Quiet, asleep, unaware of the night and what it had produced.
At 1.30, another break.
One we'd hoped wouldn't come.
When was he brought in, nurse?
A little after 12.
His condition?
Critical.
Respiration very low.
Severe dehydration.
You're certain about the symptoms?
Quite certain.
Also, the lab confirmed presence of live Vibrio's organisms.
Who brought him in?
It was an ambulance call.
The patient had been in one of those awful bars down the street.
He suddenly became ill.
Serious.
Then fell to the floor with intense spasms of the intestinal tract.
We'd better get the health officer on that bar right away.
Yes, it must be quarantined at once.
In here.
I thought it best not to put him in a ward.
Well, Professor Froelich?
Can you visualize this happening all over the city?
Your wife, possibly your children.
Any chance of a mistake.
Presence of live Vibrio's organisms?
There's no doubt now.
Nurse, was there any identification?
Just the wallet there on the stand.
Anything there, Joe?
His name was Al Walker, 8200 Carl Street.
Al?
Al Walker.
Can you hear me?
Al, listen to me.
I've got to ask you some questions.
Try to answer me.
Al.
Al, did you steal a car tonight?
He's pretty weak, Joe.
Al, can you hear me?
Al?
Look, Professor, can I do any harm now?
You are a must, Lieutenant Holloway, but hurry.
He's almost...
All right, Al.
Al, listen to me.
Answer me.
Did you take a glass vial out of that car tonight?
It was in a satchel, a glass jar in a black satchel.
Al!
Glass...
Glass jar?
Yes, did you take it, the jar?
I...
I can't...
I can't breathe.
Al, did you take that satchel out of a car tonight?
Oh, really, Lieutenant?
Keep quiet, nurse.
Can you hear me?
What did you do with that glass jar that was in the bag?
Did you open it?
Milkies...
Stuffing...
Inside...
Oh, no, no, no.
He opened it.
What's...
What's wrong with me?
I...
I can't...
I can't breathe.
Al, where is that glass jar now?
Where?
I said...
Throw...
Throw it...
Where?
Find out where!
Where?
Where did you throw it, Al?
Where?
Throw...
Throw it...
Well, they're loose.
Enough cholera bacteria to start this all over the city in the morning.
Auto Light is bringing you Mr. Lloyd Nolan in Vial of Death,
tonight's presentation in radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense.
["The Star-Spangled Banner"]
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To locate him quickly, call Western Union by number and ask for operator 25.
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. Lloyd Nolan, in Elliot Lewis's production of Vial of Death,
a dramatic report, well calculated to keep you in...
Suspense!
Al Walker was dead.
Not knowing what the stolen vial contained, he had opened it and exposed himself to disease.
Then he'd thrown it away.
This is what faced us in our city that night, an epidemic of cholera.
Professor Froelich, Ruby, and myself left the hospital.
We crossed a sleeping city to the address found in Al Walker's wallet, 8200 Carl Street.
It was an apartment house.
We woke the landlady and she led us into Al Walker's room. We searched.
I always said that Al Walker was a good for nothing.
He never worked, no drank.
You're certain he was here about seven o'clock?
Positive. I heard him come in and go out.
No vial, no satchel. Nothing but dirty laundry.
Well, what did he do? Steal them things?
Where do we go from here, Lieutenant?
I guess we'll have to go back and start with that bar.
You know, we better quarantine this place and get the health department out here.
What's that?
Anyone who came in contact with Al Walker will have to be vaccinated.
Well, what was the matter with him?
He was sick.
Yeah, very bad.
Bad enough to kill him.
Al's dead?
That's right.
And you say anyone who was near him might catch what he had?
If they aren't vaccinated right away, they might.
Well, then, Mrs.
There's something you haven't told us.
Well, I do want to cause anybody no trouble, but
when Al was here earlier tonight,
he stopped in to see Mrs. Pierce. They were friends.
Where does Mrs. Pierce live?
In 306, the end of the hall.
I wasn't snooping. It's just that I like to know what's going on in my place. That's all.
Okay. Now, you better get back to bed, lady.
Bed? Who can sleep with a thing like this in the house?
What will the tenants say?
What time is it, Lieutenant?
3 a.m.
Here it is.
Daylight in a few hours. There's much time.
I know.
Asleep?
Wouldn't you be?
Who is it?
Police. Open up.
Police?
Open up.
Hold it. I ain't decent.
What do you want?
You, Mrs. Pierce?
Yeah. Why?
Do you know Al Walker?
Al Walker?
Yeah.
You hold it down, my husband's asleep.
When was the last time you saw Al Walker?
Last time?
I couldn't say. A week ago, maybe.
Evie, what's going on out there?
Nothing, Klaus. Go back to bed.
Who are these guys?
The police.
What's the matter?
Now, look, it's very important.
We've got to know if either one of you saw Al Walker last night.
Al Walker?
I told you, no. We ain't seen him.
Evie, you ain't been seeing that punk again, have you?
I ain't seen him. I told you I wouldn't.
Mrs. Pierce, last night Al Walker stole a car.
When he left it, he took some things with him.
Among them, a black satchel containing a small glass vial, a jar.
This vial was filled with a milky substance.
That milky substance would...
Well, because of it, he's dead now.
Dead?
He died a few hours ago.
Al?
Dead?
Anyone who came in contact with Al last night after he opened that vial can expect the same thing.
Oh, no!
You saw him.
What? Yes.
I thought you promised me you wouldn't see that punk no more.
Shut up, you big ape!
Mrs. Pierce, did Al have that vial when you saw him?
Yes.
What did he do with it?
He opened it here in this apartment.
He opened it and smelled it.
Oh, good Lord.
He put the top back on because he said it smelled like rotten eggs.
What was it? Will I get it, too? Will I get it?
Hey, Ruby.
Call downtown. Tell them to get out here fast for vaccinations.
Right, George.
Now, Mrs. Pierce, what did he do with the vial?
Oh, he took all that stuff with him to a pawn shop, a third and lock, and the old man there is a fence.
Al takes all the stuff to him.
Look, you stay here.
The health department will be here pretty soon to vaccinate you.
Don't try to leave the building.
Am I going to be okay? I won't get it, will I?
I don't think so.
You've been seeing that punk after all. After what I told you.
Will you shut up?
I hope you get it.
Whatever it is, I hope you get it good.
Serves you right.
Come on, we'll try the pawn shop.
3.30 a.m.
We pulled up in front of the pawn shop, a third and lock it.
The shades are down in the windows, but there's a light somewhere in the back.
Someone's coming.
Yeah, he's up late, eh?
Oh, it has to be here.
We've got to find it before morning.
We'll soon know.
What do you want?
Open up, police.
Police?
Open up.
What for?
I said open it or we'll break it down.
Well, sure, sure. Whatever you say.
All right, now listen.
I want some answers, Pop and I want them fast.
Oh, sure, fellas. I always cooperate with you boys.
Al Walker was here last night. He sold you some stuff.
Al Walker? Who's he?
Lieutenant, look at this, my satchel. It was on the counter.
That's yours, mister?
Never know where this stuff comes from.
Will you quit stalling?
We know Al Walker brought that in here and there was a glass vial in that satchel.
Where's it now?
I tell you I don't...
Pop! Al Walker's dead.
Al dead? From what?
From the contents of that vial.
That milky stuff?
Then you have seen it.
Well, I did have.
Where is it now?
We threw it away.
Wasn't worth anything.
Where'd you throw it?
In the alley out back.
All right, show us.
Was it open?
No, no, no, closed. I didn't know the stuff was stolen.
All right, save it, Pop, will you?
Yeah, I'll keep it.
There. I threw it in that pile of junk.
I don't see it.
I don't either. Are you sure you threw it here?
Right out top.
I'm trying to cooperate with you boys, honest.
How it isn't here, Lieutenant.
Deep look in it has to be.
But he threw it there.
Throw all the junk out there and...
Damn kids.
What kids?
Well, some kids were playing here late last night.
Always play here and they're always picking things up and taking them away.
You say kids?
Do you know any of them?
Oh, I don't know for sure.
Look at this, this chalk drawing on the wall.
What about it?
Well, them kids drew that there, always doing it.
Under this face it says Louis is a gooey.
Louis? Sure, sure, I know Louis.
He was one of them.
He lives over there in one of them apartment buildings.
Which one?
I don't know which one.
I seen him go that way sometimes.
It's nearly four o'clock, Lieutenant.
Can we get through all those buildings before morning?
We have to try.
We better get Pop here vaccinated before we run him in.
Say, Joe.
What?
Don't you think it would be a good idea if we got vaccinated just in case?
Well, sure, yeah, but we haven't got time, Ruby.
Come on.
It was a big block covered with big apartment houses.
An additional 60 men were called in and we started checking from apartment to apartment
asking for a kid named Louis and the glass vials.
The people half asleep must have thought we were crazy.
What they thought wasn't important.
What they would wake up to in the morning was.
Five o'clock, six.
It got light out.
Then six thirty and seven.
It was a bright, beautiful, sunny morning.
A few people began to appear along the streets.
Buses and street cars were running.
The city was waking up.
And still we hadn't found Louis or the glass vial of cholera bacteria.
We still had dozens of apartments to go through.
If we don't find it pretty soon, Lieutenant, we've got to let the city know about it.
Warn them to watch for the vial.
Oh, not yet, not yet.
Another album, maybe.
Here's the next one.
OK.
Bacon.
Yeah, smells good.
Yeah.
Police.
Police?
What's wrong?
Do you have a child here named Louis?
No, no Louis here.
Why?
Well, do you know of a boy by that name in the building?
No, all my boys are good children.
They done nothing wrong.
Oh, Ma, Sybil's got my jar and she won't give it to me.
Tommy, don't bother me now.
Who makes Sybil give me my jar?
Lieutenant.
Yeah.
Hey, Tommy, where's Sybil?
Hey, you can't come in like that.
Take us to Sybil, Tommy.
She's in the bedroom.
I'll show you.
You stay here, lady.
You got a lot of nerve telling me what to do in my own place.
Where'd you get the jar, Tommy?
I took it away from Louis.
It's a pretty jar.
I'm going to keep spiders in it.
Here's the bedroom.
There's Sybil in the crib.
Joe, look.
Mama says Sybil's cutting teeth.
Easy does it.
If she takes it out of her mouth and lets go of it,
it'll fall on the floor.
Oh, careful, Lieutenant.
Don't frighten her.
I got it.
Don't drop it, Joe.
Don't worry.
Oh, at last, at last.
Thank goodness.
Here you are, doctor.
One glass vial containing two or three million cholera germs
intact.
What are you doing to my baby?
I never heard of such a thing.
Coming into a private home and beating my baby
and making her cry.
You get out of here.
You hear me?
Get out.
All right.
Yes, ma'am.
Where's Sally?
If the people in this city only knew what you boys...
But they won't know, Professor.
No.
I guess not, Lieutenant.
Well, Joe.
Beautiful morning, Ruby.
Yeah.
It's going to be a nice day.
Yep.
You know, Ruby, instead of going to bed this morning,
I think I'll have breakfast with my family,
and I'm going to take my kids to the zoo.
Suspense.
Presented by Auto Light.
Tonight's star, Mr. Lloyd Nolan.
This is Harlow Wilcock speaking for Auto Light,
world's largest independent manufacturer of automotive
electrical equipment.
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Every Auto Light product is backed by constant research
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So remember, from bumper to tail light,
you're always right with Auto Light.
[♪upbeat music playing
Next week, a new and terrifying tale in the suspense tradition.
The story of a man who overhears a murder plot
and is discovered in his hiding place by the murderers.
It's called Pigeon in the Cage, our star, Mr. Dick Hames.
That's next week on Suspense.
[♪music playing
Suspense is produced and directed by Elliot Lewis
with music composed by Lucian Morawick
and conducted by Lud Bluskin.
Vial of Death was written for Suspense by Augustus C. Bayes.
Featured in the cast were Joseph Kearns, Jerry Hausner,
James McCallion, Trude Marston, Martha Wentworth,
Charlotte Lawrence, Joseph Granby, Naomi Stevens,
Clayton Post, and Jeffrey Silver.
Lloyd Nolan can soon be seen in Island in the Sky,
a Wayne Fellows production from the book by Ernest K. Gann.
And remember, next week, Mr. Dick Hames in Pigeon in the Cage.
[♪music playing
Ringtone ringing
You can buy Auto Light resistor or standard type spark plugs,
Auto Light electrical parts, and Auto Light stay full batteries
at your neighborhood Auto Light dealers.
Switch to Auto Light. Good night.
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[♪music playing