Johnny Dollar - The Leland Blackburn Matter Rehl

0:00From Hollywood, it's time now for Edmund O'Brien as... Johnny Dullar. Johnny Bob Hall at Climbeth, we've got a bad thing down here. Oh, what's that? One of our company investigators has been killed. I think you knew him, Gene Rimer. Gene Rimer is dead. Yeah, shot to death. We learned of it this morning. Send him down to Charleston to look into a murder. This is wife, no yet? She was with him. I mean, she went to Charleston with him. We want to put somebody right on it, Johnny. That's why I called. Oh, sure. I'll come right over and get the rest of the story from you. Edmund O'Brien in a transcribed adventure of a man with the action-packed expense account. America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator. He was truly Johnny Dullar. Expense account submitted by Special Investigator Johnny Dullar to Home Office,

1:01Climbeth Insurance Company, Hartford, Connecticut. The following is an accounting of expenditures during my investigation of the Leland Blackburn matter. Expense account item 1, 250 cab fare from my apartment to the Climbeth building. Hey, Jeremy. Yeah? Oh, hi, Merrill. What are you doing down here? Well, with Gene Rimer shooting. I wondered if he'd heard. He talked a lot about you. You were a good friend. We'd earn the business together in the pink and an agency. Almost opened our own office. We didn't pay it out. I wish it had. We're going to miss him around here. He was a great guy. Yeah. Bob Holes waiting for you, Merrill. I'd better get in there. Sure. Good luck, Johnny. Oh, Mr. Dullar, he's waiting for you. You can go right in. Thanks. Hi, Bob. Thanks for coming right over, Johnny. Wouldn't have blamed you if you heard it down. I get it. I'm pretty awful about it. I gave the case to Gene myself. He wasn't up for one, but there would have been some extra money for him. I know he needed it. He didn't have to take the case. He didn't have to earn a living this way.

2:04That's a funny thing for you to say. Well, there's no other way to look at it. You can't hunt trouble forever without finally running into something. I got the idea that you were his friend. I was. But you aren't hiring a friend, Bob. You know, hiring an investigator. If you want me to go to work in this, I'd better get some facts. I don't understand you. What about the case he was on? You said it was murder? A policyholder named Leland Blackburn was bludgeoned to death in his home. How long a gene been on it? Less than a week, five days. Had he sent in any report and only learned? No, he hadn't. Is that all? That's all I know. He was staying at the hotel, Lee, his wife is still there. As I said, she'd been with. I suggest you talk to her first. I will. I'll leave as soon as I can get plain space. All right, Johnny. Good luck. Expense account item $2.85 transportation between Hartford and the hotel, Lee, and Charleston. It was 8.30 p.m. at the time I checked in, and my first move was to the phone.

3:08Yes? Is Johnny, Barbara? Johnny. Where are you? The floor above you? The plummet company sent me down to look in the genes, death. Oh, I'm glad you're here, Johnny. When will I see you? As soon as possible. Oh, give me just 15 minutes to put a face on it. Come on down. Johnny. Hello. Oh, it's been a long time. I can't tell you what a shock it was to hear your voice on the phone. I've been thinking about you. Oh? It was natural, too. You've been the only one I've turned to when it was trouble. How did the company happen to send you? Because I know Gene, I guess. Was anything said about us? There was no reason for that. Everything between you and me stopped when you got married. We'd better keep it that way now.

4:09Sure. It was a beautiful marriage all the way around. I told you it would be. You remember that? Yes. There was a side of Gene Reimer that hardly anybody knew. He didn't believe me. I learned too. And you made some pretty serious statements to me after you did. I want to get that off my chest before we go any farther. I don't know how many times you told me that you were afraid you were going to kill him for what he'd done to you. And you meant it, didn't you? Johnny. The last time... The last time was less than a month ago. You don't take eye-cielding. I remember what you said. Johnny, don't. Why did you come to Charleston with him? Because he made me come. Why? Because he... I don't want to tell you. Why not? It doesn't have anything to do with what happened. Then you shouldn't mind telling me. He found out about somebody I've been seeing in Hartford. I know what sounds cheap, but you must realize that. Never mind that. Jean brought you down here to keep you away from this guy.

5:09Yes. Johnny, you can't think I killed him. I hope you didn't. For old times say I'd hate to learn that you did. They were good times, Johnny. Why do you know about the case? Jean was working on... Nothing. He never talked about any of them. I'll start on it tomorrow. Good night, Barbara. Expense count item three, two dollars, and a cab fare the next morning to police headquarters where I met Lieutenant Sims, the officer in charge of both killings. Yeah, looks to me like Jay Pyle to load a work on your shoulders, dollar. You signed a both murders? Chances are that they go together, don't you think? Hard to figure that far yet. Well, what have you got on his, Leland Blackburn? And fire isn't complete on him. The widow and son refused to authorize a nautopsy. A few days to force it through, so we got no report. Who was he? An old car, a pillar of the old side. A south suit. He was a broker, him and his son, Rowan. Pretty wealthy folks. What do you think was the Lord of the Rings?

6:11Well, we're thinking it was Robert. Nobody knows how much, but Old Leland's wallet was empty when they found it. He just told the phone operator he wanted the police when he was hit. Phone was still in his hand. Well, I'll have to go and talk to the family. If you sell. Now, there's other Hartford man, and likable kind of fellow, you know him? Yeah, I know, Jean, for quite a few years. Makes it bad when it's a friend, don't it? Oh, that has the health. Do you have anything on his death? No, absolutely nothing. He was shot three times, a close range, through the 32 caliber gun. All three slugs went through him and smashed up on a brick wall behind him. Spoiled him for ballistics. Why did that happen? In an alley off magazine street. And that's why we can't figure any connection between that shooting and the Blackburn killer. You know this town? No, I know Blackburn's set foot in that magazine street section. They'd live with the other end of town, south of Broad Street. That's a whole lot closer to heaven, I can tell you that. Yeah.

7:12Well, thanks a lot, Lieutenant. Looks like I've got a lot of cold trail to follow, so I'd better get moving. Later that day, after checking my phone, the learn when the sun would be home, I went to the Blackburn residence. It was a warm, friendly estate glowing with southern tradition. The same thing could have been said about the widow, Mrs. Blackburn. But Sun Rollin must have taken after his father. But I resent most of all, is that you are here simply because you suspect you the mother of me or both of us of nefarious plot. Now, Rollin. Isn't that right? Murder is a hard thing to ignore, Mr. Blackburn. I am not ignoring it, but I believe our local police are quite able to do what must be done. I do think you'd be interested in having as many people as possible working to clear it up. Naturally, I want to see my father's killers brought to justice. But I don't think father would appreciate the importation of investigators from Hartford. Rollin, please. I came here primarily to investigate the death of the first hearted man.

8:13I'm afraid you'll have to put up with me until I satisfy myself that there's no connection between your father and that. Possible connection could there be? I don't know. There isn't any. If I hear of you dragging the Blackburn name into a sword at murder in that part of town, I will personally thrash you to within an inch of your life. Rollin, I must insist. I think perhaps that if you left, Mr. Dollar and I could conclude this meeting much more rapidly. Don't you have an appointment someplace? Don't you forget what I said, Dollar? I will. Oh, I must apologize, Mr. Dollar. You don't have to. The loss of his father has been a great shock to him. And I must say that other young man who was here as pleasant as it tried to be did leave us with the impression that he suspected us. One doesn't say things like that about the Blackburns. It is an extremely proud and moral family. I understand. I don't want you to think that I... Now, Mr. Dollar, what do you want me to do?

9:16Well, I think you've probably been asked these questions by Mr. Rhyma, but if you'll bear with me... Of course. Well, you hear the night your husband died. Yes. I was in the other wing where our bedrooms are. Rollin was there, too. But he came down to the kitchen. That's through there. And found Paul Leeland. Neither have you heard anything. No. I had my radio on, I remember. But even so, it is quite a big house. It's a beautiful house. Mr. Blackburn, do you have any idea who could have done this thing? Any enemies of your husbands? I knew of nobody who disliked Leeland. He was a charitable, honest man and a pious one. I'm sorry, Mr. Blackburn. I don't bother you any longer. My only hope is that I may join him soon. Lieutenant Sim. Is it a dollar, Lieutenant? Oh, yeah, what do you mean up to?

10:16I have an out to see the Blackburns. How did you reconstruct the killing out there? Well, like I said, he still had the bone in his hand. We've been hit a number of times with some blunt instrument. Anything to make you think there was more than one killer? No, no. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. Is there more than one killer? No. Boom's roll on the right side of the head. Struck from behind by a right-handed man. Why? The son. He was a little agitated at my being there. He said killers. What's that? He said he wanted to see his father's killers brought to justice. Chloro. What would make him say a thing like that? Well, I don't know. Ellen's a stand. It's not worth anything as evidence, but I thought I'd tell you. For me at that moment it meant there was a possibility that Roland Blackburn knew more than he was saying.

11:18I spent another two hours trying to find something to strengthen that possibility, the financial condition of both the family and their brokerage firm. I got no place with it, but I returned to my hotel with the feeling that that one slip was going to develop into the link to connect Jean's death with a Blackburn investigation. The feeling lasted only a few seconds after I met the man who was waiting for me outside my room. Mr. Dom, I'm Hal Brain. Oh, yeah? I'm the hotel detective here. I think I'd better talk to you. What about? The wound down 413, Mrs. Rhymer. As you find out about me. I've been keeping my eye on her. I saw you go to see her and check down here. I had an idea that insurance company would send somebody else. Why have you been watching her? The husband paid me to. I guess it was something wrong between them. Yeah. A man showed up to see her the day the husband was killed. I didn't get a chance to tell him, but I thought I ought to tell you. Who is it? Richard's his name. George. He's in the clemen's hotel up the street. He checked in from Hartford, too.

12:32Come on, the room, Brian. I want to hear the rest of it. Sure. There isn't much more. This Richard showed up at the Rhymer room about one day afternoon. Rhymer was out, so I didn't get to him. Then he was shot that night about 10. Maybe it don't mean anything. You know where Richard's is now? He checked out this afternoon, took the 540 plane in New York. Let me pour you a drink, Brian. Sure. You know who a man fooled a married woman as beautiful as that? It always means trouble. That's my personal opinion anyway. My wife says, obviously, and that's as far as it goes. Here you are. Thanks. Have you told us to the police, Brian? Not yet. Why not? Well, I'll figure a couple of days won't make any difference. If the police don't come up with something else, but then I'll tell them. You've talked to her. What do you think? I don't know, but I'm going down a tier. Wouldn't be very smart with it. Maybe not. That's the way I have to play it. Help yourself for another drink, Brian, and thanks.

13:33I'll see you. Sure, Johnny. Come in. What's the matter? Why did you lie to me last night? I... I didn't. I... I don't understand. George Richards. Why didn't you tell me he was here? How did you find out? He was seen coming to this room. Why didn't you tell me? I didn't tell you. I didn't tell you. I didn't tell you. I didn't tell you. I didn't tell you. I didn't tell you. I didn't tell you. I was afraid to. Well, I believe. I put myself out in a limp for you today because I thought there was a chance you wouldn't lie to me. I would held information. They want a motive for Jean's murder and I didn't mention you. I didn't kill him. That doesn't mean anything now that there's Richards. I didn't know he was here until I opened that door. He stayed here ten minutes and I made him leave. I told him to go back home with that be real trouble. He didn't leave until his afternoon. I didn't know that. Johnny, I know I should have told you last night.

14:34I've always trusted you. I knew how bad the situation would look and I just prayed that nobody would know George was here. You weren't covering up for him? No. I didn't know, Johnny. I didn't know he was still here. Quit it. Well, you come on. Sit down. Get a hold of yourself. Look, I want to believe you, Barbara. You know that. But it doesn't make any difference now whether I do or not. The police are going to learn about Richards. Are you going to tell them? I imagine they'll tell me, but I can't hold back anymore. And with the answers, I'll have to give them they can probably and die you for murder or at least accessory with Richards. I didn't kill him. I don't know anything about it. Stop it. Stop it. I don't need hysterics. I need proof. How can you prove to me that you knew nothing about it? I don't know. Would Richards have done it alone? No. How can you prove that? It's a thing. No. I can't use things. You know, I need people and statements. People who will swear that they saw you at the time Jean Rhyme was killed. Jean Rhyme will swear they saw Richards. It was nine o'clock. I was here. I can check that. That's all I know.

15:35Johnny, stop. Please stop. I can't stand anymore. All right, Angel. Oh, stop. I tried to find an alibi for George Richards that night, but a stranger in a city the size of Charleston is hard to nail down. I went to the Clemens Hotel and questioned Bellboys, clerks, maids, and bartenders, but those who remember them hadn't seen them during the evening in question. And I tried cab drivers with no better success. It was after midnight when I went to bed and nigh in the next morning when I was awakened by a summons from the police, a company by official transportation. Here is Lieutenant. Thanks, Sergeant. You can wait outside. Yes. Sit down, darling.

16:35Hey. And then, resting chat with the hotel detective where you're stopping. I'm not surprised, Lieutenant. What's the matter, you son? You put yourself in putty-dawnt serious position by holding back information from me. Why'd you do it? I'm not sure. You admitted knowing that Gene Rhymer. Why didn't you tell me then that you knew about trouble between him and his wife? Well, I wanted to check the other. I was first the black-brother investigation. Now, bad was this trouble. Pretty bad. I'm at a mean streak that she... pretty bad. Rhymer had a mean streak that didn't show except to his closest friends and endomats. You'd say he did a bodily harm? Yep. Lots of it. How'd you find out? For the hell? I will, you know her. I knew her before they were married. You loved her by any chance? I had been, I would have married her. I know what you're driving. I know ten of the possibilities that I came down here to protect her from a murder child. Well, that's half true. What's that? She's been my friend. I didn't want to see her pulled in it. She wasn't mixed up in it.

17:39You don't think she was? I'll have to leave that for you. I know she had a motive and to make it better a possible accomplice turns up. But so far it's all circumstantial. And we put a searcher out on this man Richards. That's how good him circumstantial looked at. Sure. And how bad I can reconstruct your reconstruction. A folly tip to Rhymer and how to crack the black-brother thing and appointment on magazine street and the payoff. You break it down? No. Well, I tried. Barbara hasn't out of I, but Richards hasn't. And I've got to have somebody for that killing dollar. I'm going to bring her in. I'm surprised you haven't already. I want to talk to you first. I want you to stay here while I talk to her. Well, you think she'll break down because of me? It's a matter of that board. Now it'll be right back. I'm going to go get a man to pick her up. Hey, what are you doing? Carlin plating so is that.

18:40Where's Lieutenant Seems? Just one out the other door, we're right back. Hey, you finally got the octops you rip one on old man blackburn. You sell as if you really didn't believe his dad. Oh, no, he's dead all right. What is it, Sergeant? The blackburn octops you rip one. Yeah, look here. Well, that'll be narcotic, fuser. And press has been waiting for this lieutenant. And they've got it right to it. No, wait, don't give it to him yet. This has been pretty hard on that family. Hold on to it. No use dragging them through any more mud. Police to the federal men will work on it. All right, sir. If you be here in a few minutes dollar, so relax. I've got to run through a few reports while we wait. It was hardly the time for Alexation, but I tried. We sat through an hour of questions to which there was no provable answers. We sat through an hour of questions to which there were no provable answers. And at the end of it, Barbara Rhymer was booked on suspicion of murder. And I was released on bail charged with suspicion of being accessory after the fact.

19:45I had only one place to go. Good afternoon, Miss Blackburn. Good afternoon. I missed a dollar, you remember me? Of course I do. I wasn't expecting you. I'm sorry I didn't have time to phone, I can end. Yes. You sell it home? No, he's at the office. What is it, Mr. Dollar? A girl has been arrested because the police think she killed Mr. Rhymer, the other man from Hartford. Oh, I didn't know. I don't think she did it. I don't think I understand, Mr. Dollar. Why have you come here? Because I think you know she didn't do it, Mrs. Blackburn. Mr. Dollar. Could we sit down some place? Yes. In the drawing room. Now, if you please, sir, what is the meaning of this? Why did you refuse to allow an autopsy to be performed in your husband?

20:47Because I believe it to be a revolting and savage practice. A mental torture that no one has the right to ask the survivors to experience. I will not condone it. Usually laws are stronger than human feelings. Do you know that one had been performed? I refused. Oh, Ralland told me there was nothing to fear. He was wrong. I will not condone it. It's a matter of official record, Mrs. Blackburn. The report says your husband was an Arkutics user. He was not. He was. Your son knew it and I think you did. I should have to ask you to leave, Mr. Dollar. Please, Mrs. Blackburn. That wouldn't do any good when I was here before. Maybe you remember. Your son said something he didn't intend to say. He told me that more than one man killed your husband. He said killers. He was upset. Both murders had something to do with an Arkutics. Your husband used, didn't they? No. The police haven't been able to find a link between the Blackburn name and the magazine street section. The narcotics made that link, isn't it, Ryan? No. Gene Rymer must have found out he was killed.

21:48Now a woman has charged with a murder she had nothing to do with. What else do you want? Oh. We thought we were doing the right thing. Why did you think that? We hoped to save Leland that shame. And Rollin, his son, and his widow. Gene Rymer must have learned from you. No. No one was to be told. Mr. Rymer discovered it himself. When he faced us, we begged him to say nothing. But when he threatened us, we told him their names. The names of the people who supplied your husband? Yes. And made a hell of our lives. They've extorted money from us for almost ten years. We of the enviolent family. They killed your husband. They came that night to force him to buy more. And when he refused and tried to telephone the police, they killed him.

22:49I want you to tell me who these people are. We told Mr. Rymer. And he... I won't go alone. It will be finished then. This farce we live. It would be finished anyway. Yes. We're going out further. There are two. One is named Nilla. The other is Stone. Why do I find him? You won't go alone. We've caused one... I'll be alright. I'll tell you where to find him. I hadn't planned to go alone, but on the way I began to wonder. At the time I spent interesting the police wouldn't be used by Mrs. Blackburn to warn the two men whose capture would put the finish to the family reputation. So I didn't contact Lieutenant Sins. Instead I stopped by my hotel to pick up an automatic cab to the magazine street address by myself.

23:53Do the space. I take it easy up there for you. Thanks I will here. Thank you sir. We're going out. Yeah? Who are you? Miller is Stone. What's the definition? Hey! Who are you? Miller. What's that they're pushing in? I just came from the Blackburn place. Where? The old lady is tired of trying to save the family pride. She talked again. What? What other reason would I have for being here? She's ready to talk to the police about her husband. I'm ready to talk to you about Jean Reimer. I don't get it. You'd better start. Come on. Out that door we'll find our way. Now listen to me you can't pull a man around like this I'll say and why I haven't done nothing. And why are you? All right I'll go.

24:53Miller! Miller. Get away from it. I find Stone Knight. I've got to talk to Stone. He did get a chance to talk to Stone but not before Lieutenant Sim has heard him out and added his statement and out of the surviving Blackburns which cleared Barbara Reimer and yours truly. Expense account item three hundred and two dollars miscellaneous expenses and Charleston item four. Same as item two transportation back to Hartford Expense account total. Oh excuse me. Yep. Hello Johnny. Oh. Hi Barbara. I thought you were coming over. It's after four. Well as a matter of fact I was just going to phone. I can't make it. What's the matter Johnny? I've got another case. What's the matter Johnny? I have to add a living.

25:55All right. You know where to find me if you want to. Yeah. Yeah I'll try to call you when I get back to town. Okay? Goodbye. Expense account total three hundred and forty five dollars and seventy five cents remarks. This was a fairly personal assignment and it brings to mind a fairly personal observation. Cops private or otherwise should never marry. They're allowed to be husbands because they're away from home so much. But more important they leave too many widows yours truly Johnny dollar. Yours truly Johnny dollar stars Edmond O'Brien in the title role and is written by Gill Dodd with music by Wilbur Hatch Edmond O'Brien's latest pictures the Paramount Pictures production Warpath featured in tonight's cast were John Danaer Jim Nusser Jeanette Nolan Georgia

27:00Ellis John McIntyre and Larry Dovkin. Yours truly Johnny dollar is transcribed in Hollywood by Jaime Del Valle. This is Dan Cumberley inviting you to join us next week at this time when Edmond O'Brien will return as. Yours truly Johnny dollar.