WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:13.000 And now, tonight's presentation of radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense. 00:13.000 --> 00:20.920 Tonight, the story of a man who thought the only way to escape death was to search for 00:20.920 --> 00:21.920 it. 00:21.920 --> 00:25.080 We call it Diagnosis of Death. 00:25.080 --> 00:31.760 So now, starring Gene Bates with Lawrence Dobkin, here is tonight's Suspense play, Diagnosis 00:31.760 --> 00:47.880 of Death. 00:47.880 --> 00:50.000 Come in Martha, come in. 00:50.000 --> 00:52.640 I hope you don't mind my dropping in without an appointment. 00:52.640 --> 00:53.640 No, of course not. 00:53.640 --> 00:54.640 Sit down. 00:54.640 --> 00:55.640 Oh, thank you. 00:55.640 --> 00:56.640 Your nurse said Simon had already left. 00:56.640 --> 01:01.640 I suppose he'd call this snooping, but I think I have a right to know. 01:01.640 --> 01:02.640 Oh, Martha, I'm glad you dropped in. 01:02.640 --> 01:03.640 I tried to call you at home just a few minutes ago. 01:03.640 --> 01:04.640 Well then, it is serious? 01:04.640 --> 01:05.640 Well, right now I'm not speaking about Simon's health. 01:05.640 --> 01:06.640 A rather unfortunate thing has happened. 01:06.640 --> 01:07.640 Well, not an accident. 01:07.640 --> 01:08.640 In a sense. 01:08.640 --> 01:09.640 Now, I'm not even sure that Simon's health is going to be any worse. 01:09.640 --> 01:10.640 I'm sure he's going to be fine. 01:10.640 --> 01:11.640 I'm sure he's going to be fine. 01:11.640 --> 01:12.640 I'm sure he's going to be fine. 01:12.640 --> 01:13.640 I'm sure he's going to be fine. 01:13.640 --> 01:14.640 I'm sure he's going to be fine. 01:14.640 --> 01:15.640 I'm sure he's going to be fine. 01:15.640 --> 01:16.640 I'm sure he's going to be fine. 01:16.640 --> 01:27.660 I'm sure he's going to be fine. 01:27.660 --> 01:31.460 need your help. Of course, but what are you talking about? Let me start at the beginning. 01:31.460 --> 01:36.620 Simon had a one o'clock appointment here with me. I was to give him a final report 01:36.620 --> 01:39.980 on all the tests we've run on his condition. Yes, I know that. He wouldn't 01:39.980 --> 01:44.140 tell me much about it. I knew he was worried, of course, but he's such a 01:44.140 --> 01:49.800 hypochondriac. He was very worried. So was I. Oh, I didn't realize. Well, just over an 01:49.800 --> 01:54.140 hour ago, you arrived for that one o'clock appointment. Now, I happened to be 01:54.140 --> 01:57.660 upstairs in consultation with another doctor, and Simon was in the waiting 01:57.660 --> 02:03.300 room. Miss Herman says he was very nervous, naturally. Oh, yes, but... Well, he was there 02:03.300 --> 02:07.340 in the waiting room when I phoned down to ask Miss Herman to read me a lab 02:07.340 --> 02:12.940 report that had just come in. This was a report on another patient, not on Simon. 02:12.940 --> 02:16.260 Yes. And Miss Herman should have checked the door to the waiting room, but she 02:16.260 --> 02:21.780 thought it was closed. Evidently, it had swung open again. Simon must have heard 02:21.780 --> 02:26.900 everything she said over the telephone. But what... He heard her tell me that he was 02:26.900 --> 02:30.660 here for his appointment, and then immediately after he heard her read the 02:30.660 --> 02:35.340 report, and he would have no way of knowing that it wasn't his. He must have 02:35.340 --> 02:41.380 thought it was. Well, I'll read you the last sentence of the diagnosis that he 02:41.380 --> 02:50.420 overheard. Oh, here. The patient's condition is definitely malignant. In a stage too 02:50.420 --> 02:56.060 far advanced for successful surgery, fatal results are indicated in from one 02:56.060 --> 03:01.060 to three months. Oh, gee. Then when Miss Herman finished and looked out, Simon was 03:01.060 --> 03:06.780 just leaving the waiting room. She called to him, but he wouldn't answer. He hasn't 03:06.780 --> 03:11.980 been back. Now, I've tried calling his office, your home, but no luck. Oh, poor Simon. 03:11.980 --> 03:16.180 He must be miserable. Poor dear, he's such a pessimist anyway, always ready to 03:16.180 --> 03:21.380 believe the worst. If what I believe is true, he's in an extremely emotional 03:21.380 --> 03:26.100 state right now. Oh, yes, it's just like him jumping to conclusions, getting all upset, 03:26.100 --> 03:31.460 when all he had to do was wait to see you. Well, his report wasn't like that, 03:31.460 --> 03:35.700 was it? Oh, no, no, he's not seriously ill, nothing like that. Nothing can't be set 03:35.700 --> 03:41.860 right with a few weeks of treatment. Martha, Simon left here believing that he 03:41.860 --> 03:47.700 was going to die, a slow and pretty painful death. Well, we've got to tell him 03:47.700 --> 03:54.980 it was a mistake. Martha, I don't think you understand yet just, just how serious 03:54.980 --> 04:04.900 this might be. Oh, what do you mean? You don't think, you don't think Simon would do 04:04.900 --> 04:10.500 anything like that. I think anybody faced with that situation might. I think we've 04:10.500 --> 04:15.220 got to find him, Martha, as quickly as possible. 04:29.220 --> 04:35.820 Oh, hello, Mrs. Davis. Anne, is Mr. Davis in? Oh, no, I'm sorry, left early today. Did he 04:35.820 --> 04:39.100 say where he was going or when he'd be back? Well, no, he said he wouldn't be 04:39.100 --> 04:44.340 back, he was leaving for the afternoon. Jim. How long ago did he leave? Oh, less 04:44.340 --> 04:49.100 than an hour, I think. He came back here after he left my office. Well, I was out for 04:49.100 --> 04:53.900 lunch, he was here when I came back. This is Dr. Kirk, Anne. Oh, yes, Doctor. How 04:53.900 --> 05:01.500 long did he stay? Maybe 15 or 20 minutes. Is something wrong, Mrs. Davis? We don't 05:01.500 --> 05:05.860 know yet, Anne, I hope not. You don't know where Mr. Davis might have gone. Did he 05:05.860 --> 05:10.300 have any business appointments? Well, one with Mr. Gaffney, but he told me to cancel 05:10.300 --> 05:17.180 that. Didn't say anything else? No. Did he seem upset? I don't think so. A little 05:17.180 --> 05:21.940 preoccupied, perhaps, a little quieter than usual, but. Just what did he do while 05:21.940 --> 05:27.500 he was here? I don't know, he was alone in his office. Oh, may I look in there? It's 05:27.500 --> 05:39.140 just possible. Of course, Doctor, this way. Thank you. Everything looks all right. What's this? 05:39.140 --> 05:53.500 Well, that's strange. It's addressed to me. Open it, please. It's a check for $250. Oh, I don't 05:53.500 --> 05:57.900 understand. There's a note, too. Would you read it, please? This summer's thank you for your excellent 05:57.900 --> 06:03.740 services. I regret I will no longer need them. And closed is a check for one month's pay. 06:03.740 --> 06:09.900 You may finish out the week and then you're free. Refer all of my clients to Benjamin Brown, if you 06:09.900 --> 06:15.220 will, please, sincerely, Simon Davis. Jim. Now, this may not mean what you think at all, Martha. 06:15.220 --> 06:19.900 He believed it was very ill-naturally he'd expect to give up his business. Let's us not jump to 06:19.900 --> 06:25.980 conclusions, too. Mrs. Davis, I don't understand. What's wrong? And Simon thought he was going to 06:25.980 --> 06:32.980 die. He may have decided... Oh, no. Oh, Mrs. Davis, I'm sorry. Now, there may be no danger, 06:32.980 --> 06:37.740 but even if there isn't, we've got to find the man, relieve his mind. You can help, 06:37.740 --> 06:41.740 Miss Summers. Oh, yes, of course. You get on the telephone, call any place you can think of, 06:41.740 --> 06:46.180 he might have gone. If you find him, tell him he must talk to me, that what he thinks isn't true. 06:46.180 --> 06:52.540 He's not going to die. Jim, maybe we should call the police. Maybe. Actually, we don't know that 06:52.540 --> 06:58.860 he's planning anything. No, but maybe they can help us find him. I suppose you're right. Yes? 06:58.860 --> 07:05.980 There is something I forgot to tell you. You asked if he did anything strange. Yes. Well, 07:05.980 --> 07:09.860 while he was in his office, he wrote a letter. What was strange about that? Well, it was in 07:09.860 --> 07:14.980 longhand. He didn't dictate it to me. Oh. And then he brought it out all addressed and stamped and 07:14.980 --> 07:19.900 asked me to mail it. Told me to take it right out and drop it down the chute by the elevator. Oh, 07:19.900 --> 07:28.140 was that unusual? No, but just before I dropped it down the chute, I, well, I looked at the address. 07:28.140 --> 07:51.820 Well? It was addressed to you, Mrs. Davis. You are listening to Diagnosis of Death, 07:51.820 --> 08:09.340 tonight's presentation in radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense. The case of the 08:09.340 --> 08:15.260 jealous wife is a perfect example of how criminal gangs rise and fall. A series of supermarket 08:15.260 --> 08:20.660 holdups in Chicago went on unchecked until a woman scorned helped local police turn the tables and 08:20.660 --> 08:26.740 nail the mob. Full details this Saturday night on CBS radio's Gangbusters. Don't miss it over most 08:26.740 --> 08:33.940 of these same stations. The true case of the jealous wife on Gangbusters. And now we bring 08:33.940 --> 08:39.220 back to our Hollywood soundstage, Gene Bates with Lawrence Dobkin, starring in tonight's 08:39.220 --> 09:01.220 production of Diagnosis of Death, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. 09:01.220 --> 09:06.940 Don't you see, Sergeant, why would he write me a letter unless, unless he weren't coming home? 09:06.940 --> 09:10.940 You don't know what was in the letter, of course. No, no, it's already in the mail, 09:10.940 --> 09:16.260 but I know my husband. Of course, Mrs. Davis. He didn't tell his secretary anything? No, 09:16.260 --> 09:20.340 sir, nothing. Doctor, shall I go on calling? Oh, yes, yes, please, miss, I'm sorry. 09:20.340 --> 09:28.020 Sergeant, what else can we do? You're sure he's not at home? If he knew you were going to be out for 09:28.020 --> 09:31.380 the afternoon? Oh, he called there three times, there's no answer. Of course he wouldn't answer. 09:31.380 --> 09:37.500 If we'll know about that soon enough, I sent a squad car to investigate at that address. Sergeant, 09:37.500 --> 09:41.580 do you think... You know your husband better than I do, ma'am. Under the circumstances, 09:41.580 --> 09:47.100 you couldn't blame him too much. He hasn't had much time, it's only about three, he's had less than 09:47.100 --> 09:51.980 two hours. Usually people with ideas like this only take a little while to think it over, 09:51.980 --> 09:56.260 maybe he has a few drinks. Time he doesn't drink. Well, but maybe under the circumstances... 09:56.260 --> 10:00.140 We'll try anything. Miss Summers, call any bars close around, will you? Oh, yes, doctor, sure. 10:00.140 --> 10:07.140 Officer, can't we do something? Mrs. Davis, we're doing all we can. We check the emergency 10:07.140 --> 10:11.060 hospital, every squad car in the area has been alerted, they're searching for a man of his 10:11.060 --> 10:14.740 description. We're checking bridges, railroad yards, tall buildings, we're checking the house. 10:14.740 --> 10:21.660 I know, but we just can't sit here. Maybe if we'd go out looking. Sergeant, maybe he's just walking 10:21.660 --> 10:29.940 down some street or sitting in the park. Just sitting... I know how you feel, ma'am, but it's 10:29.940 --> 10:34.540 not very likely we'd find him unless we have some idea of where he might have gone. That's it exactly, 10:34.540 --> 10:39.060 Martha, where would we go? Where would he go? I don't know, I don't know. If he were really 10:39.060 --> 10:44.420 decided on suicide, he'd have to go somewhere or get something to accomplish the purpose. 10:44.420 --> 10:50.500 Still there are lots of ways, just stepping out in front of a truck. Oh, no. I'm sorry, 10:50.500 --> 10:58.140 Mrs. Davis. Martha, maybe you'd go into the inner office, huh? Lie down, rest a little while. No, 10:58.140 --> 11:10.580 I'm all right. I want to help. All right. Sergeant, Mr. Davis isn't the kind of man for violent ways, 11:10.580 --> 11:17.020 something more... Like poison, sleeping pills? Yes, yes, that would be more likely. You have 11:17.020 --> 11:21.100 anything like that at home, Mrs. Davis? No, he never took sleeping pills. He never even 11:21.100 --> 11:25.060 wanted them in the house, even when he was in pain. Well, if he regarded them as too 11:25.060 --> 11:29.100 lethally keeping the house, he might have thought of them, but he couldn't get them 11:29.100 --> 11:33.460 without a prescription. Well, maybe he could, where he was known. He might have tried, 11:33.460 --> 11:39.100 and if we could just pick up his trail someplace. Yeah, but where would he try? There's a drug store 11:39.100 --> 11:42.140 right downstairs in this building. They must know him. All right, it's worth a chance. 11:42.140 --> 11:58.260 Yes, I know Mr. Davis. He was in just a little while ago. What did he want? Well, 11:58.260 --> 12:02.500 as a matter of fact, he wanted some sleeping tablets, but he didn't have a prescription, 12:02.500 --> 12:06.780 so of course I couldn't supply him. As you know... You didn't sell him any? Well, I'm telling you, 12:06.780 --> 12:12.020 you know I couldn't. I was sorry to disappoint him. I told him to phone the doctor. That would be 12:12.020 --> 12:17.180 enough, and they could send the prescription over later, but he wouldn't stop to phone. He was in a 12:17.180 --> 12:22.500 hurry, and he said he'd be back, and that was anything wrong? No, but if you should come back, 12:22.500 --> 12:33.300 stall him and notify the police. Why, of course, officer. That's my car at the curb. I'm gonna 12:33.300 --> 12:42.660 check in on the radio. All right, sergeant. I'm afraid, Jim. I'm afraid. Martha, we don't know anything for 12:42.660 --> 12:47.620 sure. But we do know. How we do know? He doesn't tend... Maybe not. Maybe not. He might have wanted 12:47.620 --> 12:51.940 the pills because of pain. He was having some pain. But he... Anyway, he didn't get them, Martha, 12:51.940 --> 12:57.660 and he's not likely to. But there are other things... Well, yes, but we're not sure yet. 12:57.660 --> 13:04.340 There's no use imagining things. We've got to keep calm, Martha, and just try to find him. Yes, 13:04.340 --> 13:12.620 I know. Thanks, Jim, for being here. I don't know what I've done... It was my fault, my office's fault. 13:12.620 --> 13:19.980 Mrs. Davis, was your car at home in the garage? Yes, sergeant. Mr. Davis wasn't driving it then, 13:19.980 --> 13:25.460 huh? No, he always took the bus to work because of the parking problem. I do, too. We only use the 13:25.460 --> 13:29.900 car at night or on weekends. I'm finding it there. It doesn't mean anything. He's not at home, 13:29.900 --> 13:34.700 Mrs. Davis. They checked the house, talked to the neighbors. But inside? No, they're sure he hasn't 13:34.700 --> 13:41.180 been home this afternoon. Well, that leaves us right back where we started. Yeah. Does he own a gun? 13:41.180 --> 13:47.300 No, oh no. He's always been afraid of guns. Well, it's still a possibility. There are three pawn 13:47.300 --> 14:01.340 shops in this neighborhood. We might as well check them. I don't sell no guns to no guys 14:01.340 --> 14:05.700 without they got a permit. Now, you know that, sergeant. I don't draw no beef from you guys. 14:05.700 --> 14:12.180 Do I stay in business otherwise? Tell me that. Let me see the book. Sure, sure. Yeah, you take a look. 14:12.180 --> 14:18.540 Take a good look. I'm clean. You'll see. A good, clean book. Yeah, you wouldn't have put it in here 14:18.540 --> 14:24.860 anyway. I told you, I never sold no gun to no guy like you say. Look, Nicko, this is no beef. This 14:24.860 --> 14:28.460 is different. This man wanted the gun to use on himself. We're trying to prevent that. We want 14:28.460 --> 14:32.540 your help. How can I help when I don't know nothing? I know you've done it before and you'll do it again 14:32.540 --> 14:36.580 and someday we'll catch at it. But this time I don't care. Nothing happened. You understand? Yeah, 14:36.580 --> 14:41.140 yeah, you cops. I told you. This is Mrs. Davis. We're trying to save her husband's life. Please, 14:41.140 --> 14:45.580 Mr. Nicko, please. Just tell us the truth. Nothing happens, I promise you. Look, lady, I... 14:45.580 --> 14:51.340 How do you know I'm not telling the truth? Call it a hunch. Now, come on, level. Nothing happens? 14:51.340 --> 14:58.540 Nothing. Well, look, now understand, sergeant, I don't never sell no guns to no guys without 14:58.540 --> 15:06.300 they got a permit, huh? But this wasn't really no gun, see? You did sell him something. Yeah, 15:06.300 --> 15:13.020 a guy looks like you said only it was kind of a special gun. You sold him a gun? Well, now wait a 15:13.020 --> 15:19.220 minute, lady. That's what I'm trying to tell you. You got nothing to worry about. Go on. Because he 15:19.220 --> 15:25.740 ain't gonna shoot nobody with that gun. Why not? Well, now look, sergeant, you said nothing happened. 15:25.740 --> 15:32.460 Yeah, yeah. I don't usually do this kind of business, you understand, but I kind of had a 15:32.460 --> 15:37.620 hunch what this bird was up to. That's why I done it. Honest. That's why I done it. What was wrong with 15:37.620 --> 15:42.180 the gun? It didn't have no fire in pen. This bird didn't know the difference. Of course, I didn't 15:42.180 --> 15:49.540 charge no real gun price, but that gun won't shoot nobody. Honest. Okay, Nicko. 15:49.540 --> 16:03.820 What do we do now, sergeant? Might as well cruise around a little. One thing, we're only a few minutes 16:03.820 --> 16:08.660 behind him now. Nicko said he was in a little after three about half hour ago, kind of gone 16:08.660 --> 16:20.900 far. All right. Mrs. Davis. Martha, get in. Don't you see, Jim? It means he really had decided. Yes, 16:20.900 --> 16:26.780 but he won't succeed, Martha, not with that gun. No, but if he really wanted to... Simon. Martha, 16:26.780 --> 16:48.780 come on. We'll find him somehow. Yeah. Get in, Mrs. Davis. All right. 5L7. 5L7. 1423 Vista. What time is it? 586E. 20 minutes to four. 16:48.780 --> 17:01.860 6L10. 6L10. 916 West 21st. 484 report. I have a feeling we've got to find him quickly. I don't 17:01.860 --> 17:05.740 know why. Martha, just keep calm. There's no use torturing yourself by imagining things. 17:05.740 --> 17:19.860 1A14. Jefferson Park. West side. Georgia Street entrance. Man with the gun. Wait a minute. This is 1LY10. 17:19.860 --> 17:32.020 I'll take that call to Jefferson Park. 1LY10. Roger. 1A14. Cancel your call to Jefferson Park. 1LY10. Jefferson Park? 17:32.020 --> 17:48.500 You think... I don't know. We'll see. I tell you, you've got to find that man and punish him, 17:48.500 --> 17:53.660 officer. It's a crying shame when men like that are allowed to run loose, giving guns to children. 17:53.660 --> 17:58.540 Everett, drop that thing. I told you not to touch it again. Here, let me have it, Simon. Yes, sir. 17:58.540 --> 18:06.980 Is it? Yeah. Son, where's the man who gave it to you? Well, he didn't exactly give it to me, 18:06.980 --> 18:12.020 mister. He dropped it in the trash can over there, but he didn't want it anymore, honest. It wasn't 18:12.020 --> 18:17.060 stealing. I know, son, but where is the man now? Well, he got on the bus over there at the corner. 18:17.060 --> 18:23.380 Going which way? That way. How long ago? Well, about 10 minutes. 10 minutes. Oh, Simon. All right, 18:23.380 --> 18:28.820 come on. We'll get him. Mister? What, son? I know why he didn't want the gun. It don't work. Everett, 18:28.820 --> 18:34.660 you tried it. You tried to shoot it. You wait for your father. It's our bus. He's taking the bus home. 18:34.660 --> 18:39.660 It also ends up out at the lake. The lake? We should be able to beat the bus there if we hurry. 18:39.660 --> 18:55.420 Martha, Martha, it's going to be all right. We're going to get there in time. Maybe it's my fault. 18:55.420 --> 19:01.580 Maybe if I'd been more interested, understood more. Maybe I've been selfish. You must not blame yourself, 19:01.580 --> 19:06.980 Martha. Why at a time like this? Why wouldn't he come to me and share it with me? Maybe he wanted to 19:06.980 --> 19:16.020 spare you. Spare me? Jim, what time is it? Just four o'clock. No, it's two minutes after. 19:16.020 --> 19:22.540 Sergeant, will you turn right at Warby Street, please? But, Mrs. Davis. I want to stop at home 19:22.540 --> 19:26.500 first. We can't waste time. The bus will be at the lake any minute. It's only around the corner, 19:26.500 --> 19:30.540 half a block. I want to, Sergeant. But five minutes may make the difference, Mrs. Davis. Please, 19:30.540 --> 19:37.060 Sergeant. I have a feeling I want to go home. All right, Mrs. Davis. Is this it? Yeah. 19:40.380 --> 19:42.860 The fourth house, the white one with the picket fence. 19:42.860 --> 19:56.820 Everything looks peaceful enough. Go inside and look, just to make sure. 19:56.820 --> 20:23.180 Hurry, hurry. There's Cody's here. Simon! Mr. Davis? Simon! The bedroom this way. Simon! Simon! Simon! Simon, where are you? 20:23.180 --> 20:39.460 How about the kitchen? Are there any other rooms? No. This coat. He was wearing that coat, 20:39.460 --> 20:43.820 and he wouldn't go out again without it. Not in this cold. Hey, wait. Where's the back door? 20:43.820 --> 20:57.660 That way. Oh, yes. Hurry. The garage. The motor is running. Come on. That's exhaust smoke. Come on. 20:57.660 --> 21:21.100 Grab the plate. Now, we've got to get him out fast. Simon! Simon! All right, Sergeant. Put him here on the grass. 21:21.100 --> 21:30.140 All right. That's it. Jim. Jim is here. Take it easy, ma'am. Let the doc work on him. There wasn't too much gas. 21:30.140 --> 21:35.540 He couldn't have been there long. But Mr. Simon. Maybe I better get on the car radio, doc. Get the rescue squad. 21:35.540 --> 21:45.020 No. Don't think that'll be necessary, Sergeant. You don't mean he... Come here, Martha. Down here. 21:45.020 --> 21:59.100 Simon. Martha, I'm sorry. You're going to be all right. Oh, Simon. 22:15.020 --> 22:29.140 Suspense, in which Gene Bates with Lawrence Dubkin starred in Diagnosis of Death by John Dunkel. 22:29.140 --> 22:37.100 Next week, the story of a man who makes his escape from the most dreaded prison in the world. We call 22:37.100 --> 22:55.500 it The Man with the Steel Teeth. That's next week on Suspense. 22:55.500 --> 23:01.540 Suspense is produced and directed by Anthony Ellis. The music was composed by Lucian Morawick and conducted by 23:01.540 --> 23:10.780 Lutte Gluskin. Featured in the cast were Jerry Hausner, Barney Phillips, Charlie Lung, Trudeau Marsden, Richard Beals, and Helen Cleve. 23:10.780 --> 23:19.860 Charles Boyer stars as Alphonse Bertillon, famous French detective who proved crime could be solved in the laboratory Sunday night on the Radio Hall of Fame. 23:19.860 --> 23:28.420 Bertillon proves the unidentifiable can be identified by revolutionary new means, or at least means revolutionary at the time. 23:28.420 --> 23:38.860 CBS Radio presents the Radio Hall of Fame starring Charles Boyer Sunday night on most of these stations. 23:38.860 --> 24:02.860 You enjoy City Hospital every Saturday in the daytime on the CBS Radio Network.