And now, tonight's presentation of radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense.
Tonight, the story of a man who knows that he will be caught for a crime that he has
not yet committed.
We call it Sight Unseen.
So now, starring Mr. Terrence Demarney, here is tonight's Suspense play, Sight Unseen.
I don't agree with you, Wheeling.
I simply don't agree at all.
But such a crime as you describe would be premeditated.
Trouble with you, Solicitor Chapsis, you're always looking for a way out.
Oh, it's all very well for you.
Your job is easy.
You think so, eh?
Well, it's open and closed.
Scotland Yard, you bring the man in, the Crown takes over from there.
It's either guilty or not guilty.
As simple as that.
I think so.
Well, it isn't.
Never has been.
Oh, very well you know what I mean by comparison.
Comparison to what?
You say I bring a man in and you take over from there, either he's guilty or not, right?
That's about it.
Supposing the yard makes the initial mistake and the King's Solicitor carries it through
from there.
You mean an innocent man and judge guilty?
I'm now wheeling.
How often does that happen?
I mean rarely.
You put a good deal of stock in circumstantial evidence, I should imagine.
Depending upon its implications, yes.
Especially when there's not much else to go by.
Don't you?
Well, I can give you an interesting example of that, if you like.
Oh, really?
As it was about 29 years ago, 1926.
I was a sergeant then.
In this particular case, I was familiar with most of the facts and the rest were filled
in by my friend.
His name was Colin Ferrigot.
He was a journalist on the Times.
He wrote me a letter.
Some of what was in that letter I already knew.
The rest?
Well, this was it.
And so, Richard, it began the day before yesterday.
That was Wednesday at about 5.30.
I'd had a sandwich after leaving the office and decided that I'd sit in the park for an
hour or so.
Nurses, hurrying home with dirty-faced youngsters.
You had the whole place almost to yourself.
The sounds are pleasing, perhaps contented is the word.
Somewhere along the path, I heard the walls ice cream man.
Funny how insignificant details impressed themselves on you.
I found a bench near the pond and sat down with the evening paper.
A few minutes had gone by when I felt it.
So very slight at first, the way you feel when someone's staring at you.
To me, it's the greatest irritant I know.
When I looked up, there was no one about.
No one except two men a hundred yards away, sitting on the grass.
They were taking no notice of me at all.
They wore ordinary clothes and bowler hats.
Very ordinary looking, but they weren't sitting on newspaper.
It annoyed me and unaccountably I knew that the evening was spoiled.
It was very foolish, I know.
I was upset because two men in business suits, wearing bowler hats, were sitting on the grass
without newspaper to protect them from the dampness.
Angrily, I resumed the article I was reading.
I read slowly, then I was at the bottom of the page and below that, on the pathway before
me, were four black shoes.
Mr. Ferragut.
Yes, how do you know?
I'm sorry, we can't answer any questions now.
Please come with us.
What?
Who the devil are you?
Don't make it difficult for us, Mr. Ferragut.
Just come along, quietly.
What do you mean by giving me orders?
You were a fellow sitting over there on the grass, weren't you?
I thought there was something funny.
Come along, Mr. Ferragut.
I will not.
Oh, you must be two of Sergeant Ealing's men.
Is this his idea of a joke?
No, Mr. Ferragut, we're not Ealing's men.
No more questions now.
Will you come with us, please?
You must be mad.
You realize that all I have to do is to call for help.
Yes, we know that.
It'll be so much better if you don't.
Who are you?
What do you want?
You'll find out later.
Are you ready, Mr. Ferragut?
I am not.
This is ridiculous.
No, Mr. Ferragut, it isn't.
You'll come.
Sooner or later, you'll come.
Good evening.
Who are you?
Hey, here, just a moment.
I didn't mind to...
But the path twisted away from the pond and became lost in a tangle of shrubberies.
When I looked, they were out of sight.
Later that evening, Richard, you'll remember I met you.
We had one or two pints in the bar near the yard before you went back on duty.
I told you about it.
Oh, very odd.
I thought it was some of your doings, Richard.
I was sure of it.
No, it's not me, old boy.
You weren't able to follow them, eh?
No, as a matter of fact, I was convinced you'd put them up to it.
It is rather odd.
Could be one of the chaps having a bit of fun with you.
I'll find out.
You'd never seen them before?
Never.
I know most of the plainclothes men.
Yes, well, if they turn up again, let me know, won't you?
I shall.
I left soon afterwards using some sort of flimsy excuse.
I should have disapproved of her, Richard, but after all, a man's taste for women is
his own affair, and Elin suited me comfortably.
She was a pretty little thing, rather common, I suppose, one would say, but I liked her.
When I finally arrived, she worked in a little restaurant in Notting Hill.
Elin was quite annoyed.
I'd kept her waiting ten minutes.
Well, about time, I must say.
I'm terribly sorry, Elin.
I was held up at the office.
Oh?
Well, Mr. Iron Mighty, it might interest you to know that Mr. Wimper himself asked me for
a date tonight, and I really don't know why I waited at all.
You mean that little weasel chap asked you?
Oh, Elin.
Don't you talk that way about Mr. Wimper.
He's very sweet to me.
Besides, he pays my wages, which is more than you do.
Now, Elin, I've said I'm sorry.
Where would you like to go tonight?
Well, all right, Colin, you're forgiven.
Now, what about the palace?
They've got a wonderful band there, and we could dance.
The palace?
Do you really want to?
I thought perhaps...
Oh, well, I must say, that's your attitude.
Of course, Elin, the palace it is.
We went to the palace, Richard.
I don't have to tell you about the place.
A five-piece band playing what I think is known as Dixieland music.
An American importation.
It was noisy, and I had a splitting headache.
Oh, ain't this lovely?
Oh, you're a good dancer, Colin.
Where'd you learn?
At Miss Fothering Gaze, I think it was.
Oh, go on.
You're pulling my leg.
No, really.
I was a good bit younger then, of course.
Oh, aren't you glad we came now?
Well, yes.
A bit gaudy, though.
Oh, come off it, Mr. Stick-in-the-mud.
Cheer up.
I really am.
I'm sorry.
I really thought, Richard, that I might begin to enjoy myself even in this place, when Ellen
saw somebody in the crowd.
She pulled away from me.
Oh, Mr. Wimper!
Mr. Wimper!
Over here!
Wimper... a thoroughly nasty lot.
I'd only met him once.
I didn't like him at all.
It's Mr. Wimper calling his neck funny.
He was a typical Cockney sparrow, shifty eyes, talk too fast and too much.
I have no patience for that kind, no patience at all.
He came over, hauling a seedy-looking girl with him.
I never did catch her name, not that it mattered.
Ellen chattered away a little nervously, I think.
How nice, and what a surprise.
I never expected to see you here, Mr Winther.
Oh, this is Mr Farragut.
I told you about him.
He's a journalist.
Oh, now you must come over and sit at our table.
We're having such a lovely time, aren't we, Colin?
So that was her game.
Now I understood why she wanted to come to the palace.
Well, I'd have it out with her later.
After all, Richard, no man likes to be made a fool.
I wasn't terribly serious about it, but, well, you know.
Well, the seedy girl excused herself and went off with a friend.
Poor Mr Winther.
It was really not nice at all, was it, Colin?
I mean, leaving poor Mr Winther all alone.
Perhaps Mr Farragut could allow me the pleasure of this dance with you, Ellen, seeing as I'm...
Oh, Mr Winther, I don't know what to say after all that.
Colin?
Huh?
Mr Winther wants to dance.
Oh.
Is that all you got to say?
It's nice manners for a gentleman, I must say.
I'm sorry, of course.
Mr Winther?
Thanks, Farragut.
I'll do the such much for you one day.
I could have smacked her nasty little face.
Then I laughed at myself, Richard.
I didn't really care, but a man's pride and all that.
Actually, it was all horribly dull and I heartily wished myself a thousand miles from there.
Away from Ellen, the flat stale beer, away from the palace.
Suddenly I felt grimy and went to the washroom.
It was next to the bar entrance and waiters scudded back and forth with trays of glasses, empty and full.
The water on my face felt cool, clean.
What am I going to do, Joe?
I don't know.
Have you got a couple of bottles?
Yes, but...
I'll pay you back tomorrow.
How was I to know she could pack it away like that?
Well, that's the trouble with you.
You always pick the ones with the holler legs.
I know it.
Here, five bobs, that's all.
You're a chum.
Ain't she a smasher, though, eh?
He's younger beer now.
Five bobs won't last long, you know, not with her, eh?
A couple of lads worrying about their calloused conquests.
I felt better until, looking in the cracked mirror,
I saw the face distorted and pale over my shoulder.
Good evening, Mr. Farragut.
You again.
That's right, Mr. Farragut.
We had a hard time finding you tonight.
Will you come along now?
I've had enough of this. Get out of my way.
No use, Mr. Farragut.
There's another of us outside.
Didn't you notice the waiter?
No, yes, I...
We have to be so careful with you.
What's the game, eh? Come on, what?
Now, now, Mr. Farragut, it'll be easier this way.
No fuss, no excitement.
You ready?
I'm bloody well not.
Get out of my way!
No use, you know you can't. Get away.
I can't. I just... you wait.
Mr. Farragut, no!
Don't go out there!
Mr. Farragut, stop him!
Here he goes!
Here, you! Wait a minute!
Now you come!
Hold him down!
I'm not getting away!
Come on, let's meet.
Where is he?
What do you think you're doing?
Help! Help!
That's right.
No, no, let me go!
I've got you now!
No!
You are listening to Sight Unseen.
Tonight's presentation in radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense.
How much is a human life worth?
In the last year, the American Cancer Society could grant only two out of every three dollars requested by cancer research scientists.
This year, let's make sure that cancer research has the funds it needs.
Mail your contribution to Cancer Care of your local post office.
And now, we bring back to our Hollywood soundstage, Mr. Terrence DiMarni, starring in tonight's production of Sight Unseen.
A tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.
When I came to, for a moment, I didn't remember what had happened.
Then I saw a face hovering over me.
It was you, Richard.
Well, you gave us quite a turn.
Did you catch him, Richard? Did you?
No, no, no. Constable McInnes brought you in. The fellow who hit you had gone.
Gone?
Did you realize, my boy, that but for me you would have been charged?
I? I would have been charged.
Assault?
But, oh, look here, Richard. That man who hit me, the waiter, they were the ones I told you about earlier.
Are you sure?
Of course I am.
What about the waiter? Did McInnes speak to him?
No, he'd gone too before anyone thought to ask for him.
You see?
Can you, can you give me a description of the two men?
Of course.
Good. We'll need it.
The waiter had only started work at the palace tonight. He hopped it after you went down.
We'll have the devil's time tracing him, but it's worth a try.
I'll call McInnes in and we'll get the details.
I gave you as good a description as I possibly could, Richard.
It was not much because, as I told you, they were both so ordinary.
You offered to have a car take me home, but I said I wanted to walk to clear my head.
Outside it was drizzling a bit.
The lamp at the corner looked pale and lonely on the dark wet street as I passed it.
I started to walk home and I thought of Ellen.
She may have seen what happened.
She might be able to give me a better description of the two men.
I had to find out, you understand. As a newspaper man, I was curious.
As Colin Farragut, I was afraid.
Who is it?
Ellen, it's me, Colin. Let me in.
Oh, I've nothing to say to you, Mr. Farragut.
Please, Ellen, I must talk to you.
Go away. It's late. I have to go to work tomorrow.
Ellen, I'm terribly sorry about tonight, but I must speak to you. It's so important.
Go away. You'll wake everyone. I'm a respectable girl.
I'll break the door down.
Oh, you. Wait a minute.
Now, Mr. Farragut, what do you mean by calling it such an hour? You are a wicked man.
Let me come in, Ellen, please.
Well, I shouldn't, but, well, all right, but hurry.
Oh, a nice thing I must say. Me and me negligee of receiving you at this hour.
Whatever would Mrs. Brown think?
And what was that all about at the palace, I should like to know.
That's what I want to explain.
Well, I should hope so. You'd think a gentleman would stay sober enough to escort his young lady home.
I don't imagine that you had too much trouble.
Oh, Mr. Wimper was most obliging.
Oh, Ellen, don't quarrel.
Well, I like that.
It's my fault. What I want to ask you is, did you see everything that happened last night?
No. As soon as it started, Mr. Wimper took me away.
He said it wasn't safe, besides the police would come and a nice girl like me shouldn't get involved.
Oh, Mr. Wimper seems to think of everything.
He's very sweet, and I shall probably go out with him again.
You might as well have done so tonight. You knew he was going to be there, didn't you?
Well, if I did.
I see.
You're a nice chap, Colin, but you're too serious, and I like fun.
And happened who he had fun?
Yes, but, well, you know what I mean. You're so serious.
Does that mean that you don't want to see me any more, Ellen?
Oh, I don't mind, now and again.
But Mr. Wimper can do more for you, is that it?
Oh, so you're going to be nasty, eh?
I used to think that I meant more to you than just a passing fancy.
Oh, you did, did you? Well, a girl looks out for herself, Mr. Farragut.
What do you think I am I should like to know?
After tonight, my dear, I think that what you are has been quite definitely established.
You!
You hit me.
You, you come here.
Don't you lay a finger on me. I'll scream, so help me, I'll...
Oh.
There.
Will Mr. Wimper kiss you like that?
Will he?
Oh, you're, you're hurting me.
You need to be hurt.
When I got home, Richard, I went right to sleep.
And the next morning it was bright and sunny again.
I called you at the yard from my office to see if you had any information, but you were out.
And so, at luncheon, I went over to Wimper's restaurant.
In a way, I suppose I wanted to gloat over the stupid little man.
Good morning, sir.
Oh, Mr. Farragut.
Good morning, Mr. Wimper. I came to thank you for taking Ellen home last night.
Oh, how did you know that I took Ellen home last night?
Ellen, tell me. Last night.
I see.
By the way, Mr. Farragut, there were two blokes in here this morning looking for you.
Two? Two?
That's right.
How...
Did you notice how, how they were dressed?
Oh, I don't know. Didn't leave any name.
Quite ordinary, you might say. Dark suits, bowler hats.
Dark suits?
Well, they, they asked for me by name.
Of course. Very polite, like Mr. Farragut been here?
How long ago?
About an hour or so.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Wimper.
Here. What about Ellen? What about her?
Somehow, Richard, I got home.
At every corner, I was terrified.
I didn't dare to take a bus or taxi.
At least on the street, I, I stood a chance.
When my door closed behind me, I was tired.
So tired.
Inside my flat, nothing had been disturbed. They hadn't been there yet.
But it was only a matter of time now.
In case they did come, and I knew they would,
I wanted you to know everything, at least as much as I did.
I sat down at my desk and began to write.
Now that I think of it, I was a fool not to telephone you from a booth.
I'm, I'm afraid to go outside again.
The tenant downstairs should be home soon, perhaps.
Richard?
Someone, someone is there.
Outside.
I, I looked out of the window.
Two men, Richard.
I, I can't see them very well, but, but they're wearing dark suits and bowler hats.
Very ordinary, Richard, but I, I'm afraid of them.
Afraid that when they say, come along, Mr. Ferregad,
I'll go with them.
I'm afraid.
They've got in now.
I can hear them.
They're coming upstairs, Richard.
Up the stairs.
I can't hear now.
The carpet on the landing.
In a moment.
Well?
Well, that's all there was in the letter.
What happened, Ealing?
When we got there, it was too late.
There was no one there but Ferregad.
He wouldn't let us in, so we broke down the door.
I, I, I don't follow.
And he tried to run. We, he fell down the staircase and broke his neck.
He was dead before I could reach him.
Well, those men.
We were the men.
Well, the others in the park, in the washroom.
His imagination.
Oh, look here now. What about the waiter at the palace?
Oh, I was a waiter all right. We found him.
He had a record, and when the police whistles began to blow, he ran.
Matter of reflex action.
Poor devil had just started to work.
Told us about this chap coming out of the restroom,
shouting like a madman and knocking into him.
We never did find the chap who hit Ferregad.
But you said Wimper had seen them at the restaurant.
The two men and the bowler said they were looking for him.
Wimper had seen me.
McInnis was the other man with me.
We were in plain clothes and happened to be wearing bowlers.
But the girl, now surely she...
There were a few omissions in Ferregad's letter.
We pieced them together later.
Obviously, those two men, he insisted, were following him
were nothing but distortions due to his sick mind.
Projections, the psychologists call them.
They were his subconscious reacting against a crime he was bound to commit.
What crime?
Understand, I had been looking for Ferregad since early that morning.
He was not very careful.
You see, the night of the palace affair,
after he left me, he went to the girl's house and cut her throat.
What price circumstantial evidence.
Are you with us?
Suspense, in which Mr. Terrence DiMarni starred in tonight's presentation of Sight Unseen.
Be sure to listen next week to...
Suspense.
Suspense is produced and directed by Anthony Alice, who wrote tonight's script.
The music was composed by Lucian Morrowick and conducted by Wilbur Hatch.
Featured in the cast were Betty Halford, John Doddsworth, Richard Peel,
John Irving, Richard Ahern, Charlie Lung, Eric Snowden, and Ray Lawrence.
Thursday nights, the Whistler brings mystery on the CBS Radio Network.
The Whistler