Leonidas Witherall - Murder at the State Fair

0:00All right, Mr. Your Page of Quarter, there's the rifle. Take your shot. Stop. Put down that gun. What's wrong, lady? Well, look, behind the targeting shoot-match. Run it down the side of the wall. See it? That's blood. Well, there's a dead body behind that target. It's police. Murder! W-O-R Mutual presents the distinguished American actor, Walter Hamden, in the adventures of Leonidas Witheroll. The answers with the roles are always getting mixed up in murder. You wouldn't think so. He looks just like Shakespeare. It is beard, and he's the head of an important school for boys in New England. He also writes the thriller stories on the side, the Lieutenant Hazeltine story. But Leonidas has engaged in much more vital business now as Mr. Hamden.

1:03Yes, business that takes precedence over all of Leonidas' regular activities. The neighborhood housekeeper in Dalton, witheroll's close friends, Mrs. Mullett, has entered the contest to determine who makes the finest preserves in the state. The contest is a feature of the annual state fair. And Witheroll has borrowed a horse and buggy in which he's now heading for the fair. Get out there, girl. Mrs. Mullett, you should have no difficulty at all in winning this contest. There's something of an epicure. I can say your preserves are perfect. Well, I'm going to have my dear hard competition, though, Mr. Witheroll. That Mrs. Axelbenz is not easy to pre-use. Mrs. Axelbenz? Mm-hmm. She's going to be the judge. Going to taste all the entry. Very uppity, she is. I'd not like my preserves at all. The first axelpiece, perhaps. Well, don't you know Mrs. Axelbenz? Yes, a meta once. Her face is familiar, but her name is impossible.

2:07She's a divorcee, you know. Oh? She was married to that farmer in very counting, Mr. Axelbenz. Oh, she's going to marry the wealthiest farmer in the company. I'm Mr. Fribitz. Axelbenz, Fribitz. For a moment, I thought she was making a change for a better name. A wrong again. Oh, come on, girl. Get up. Go on. She divorced him about two years ago. They say he never got over it either. He's still very jealous. And he usually is very pleasant. Now he's gloomy all the time. Fribitz, I haven't had the time to talk to you now. Come and see me some other day. You're always too busy to talk to me. Oh, don't be shy, I really must go. I'm just a state fair. I'm to be a judge. I'm going to prepare myself and bring a prize bull. Before you get out of here, I'll say something. You, Larry Fribitz, I won't let you. Rufus, we've been legally divorced. And it's so painful to go over all of our differences again. I told you before, you're the most insanely jealous man-honored.

3:07That's why I divorced you. That's why you've behaving now like a hopeless fool. You made me jealous. Clean up every fellow we met. Oh, you're not in all that. Why accept yourself? You don't love Fribitz anymore than you love me. He's the wealthiest farmer in the state. That's what you're after. Now that's very unfair. You've no idea of how I feel about him. I know how you feel about everything. It either pays off or you're a dozen. Now get this. If I can't have you, no other man will. Remember what the minister said? Whom got us joined together? You are being very final about something that's none of your business. Before you marry that man, I'd rather see your dead first. I will see your dead first. Mrs. Axel, Ben, never did strike me as a very pleasant person. Possibly because she was always so deliberately pleasant. She has such an even disposition irritating all the time. Oh, are you turned to the left here? Where are you going now? You old plug. Get up there now, bro.

4:11This Mr. Fribitz, the man she's going to marry, he has the best look and shine. Randy's his name. The thing Randy's not very happy about that woman marrying his father. He's always been kind of a hot tempered lad anyway. Doesn't relish having her as a sex mother. You want me out of the way, don't you, Mrs. Axel Ben? Why no, Randy. Why'd you say that? Because I always tell the truth. You're not marrying my father because you're loving. You want to own this farm. And you've always expected to inherit the farm yourself. Is that it? I've worked on this farm since I was old enough to stand up. That gives me a good claim, doesn't it? Randy, why don't you take over that girl's name? Connie. Connie Maple Grove? Yes. Why don't you marry Connie and get a wait from the farm? Earn a living in your own way, under your own steam. Why do you feel content to just sit back and wait till your father dies? Go away, huh? I'm wise to this dirty game you're playing, but I've won't show away to cut it short. What in the world are you talking about?

5:11You keep trying to marry my father and take the farm away from me. You'll see what I'm talking about. The ceremonial has to be postponed. Because nobody can marry a dead bride. There's the pair right away. Have this Mr. Witherall? Huh? So it is. I wonder if you luck, Mrs. Mollett? Are they very surprised you don't win? We can tie up over there. Looks like a parking place. All right. Oh girl. Oh! I'll just tie her up here. You know, only see Hitching Falls set the fair these days. There's Mrs. Axel Bant. Stand it by that first booth here. My how she's dressed. Definitely just like an admirable flagship, ain't she? Yes. Decorated when the admiral wasn't looking. Oh, still not there, girl. That's it. Where's the pair, Mrs. Axel Bant? Oh, hello, Mrs. Mollett. Oh, I know you. Not to be here. Now, just a minute. Just a minute.

6:11Oh, of course. The man who looks like Shakespeare. You're the only Witherall. Yes, Mrs. Axel Bant. And how are you? How's every little thing? Are you going to judge this preserved contest, Mrs. Axel Bant? Oh, hello, Mrs. Wicker. Well, Mrs. Wicker, you know Mr. Witherall, don't you? Mrs. Wicker does most of the folks laundry back in Dalton. Wow, you're doing great. Answer my question. Are you going to judge the preserved contest, Mrs. Axel Bant? Yes, starting to be the judge. Well, I'm taking back my job if you're to be the judge. My dear woman, I heard they think I've seen it this time. I don't care who hears me. I'll take my job back, thank you. I couldn't win if you're the judge. You're set against me. Now, after all, everyone knows about you and me. They know you're trying to take my boy away from me. Well, merely suggested to the ladies council that a hard to take a laundry is a fit place to raise the baby. My baby is very healthy and very happy. Well, perhaps we could discuss this some other time, eh? We'll talk about it now. Well, Samada, what's Samada? Women having a fight?

7:11Well, just ironing out of the baby. Where do they think they are? Have you made a scene? And this isn't very bad taste, eh? You wouldn't talk to me in that house of yours. And so will talk now. Come on, Mrs. Oh, you let go of me. You leave me alone. You wouldn't dare to take away my baby. You sniveling nosey body. You cheap hypocritic. Your son hasn't a proper home. For what it's supposed to be. My son has the finest home in town. But it's for the boys' own good. You couldn't take my son away from me in a million years. You've nothing in your own life to satisfy you. And so you make up for it by meddling with everyone else's. Hmm, this promise has to be the most jelly-shaking contest in history. You meddle with my life and you'll pay for it. You take my baby from my house and I'll tell you. God would forgive me, too. Ah, these country fairs. So peaceful. From the hope of a new world. You know, I'm sorry for you, Mrs. Wacker. Terribly sorry. So many people in your circumstances

8:12are blind to what's best for them. Oh, Mrs. Axelbener. Oh, yes, Mr. Bradley. Could you change your plans a bit? I mean about the preserved contest. Wow, it's raw. We'd rather have you with the war-bound booth. It's much more important to sell bonds and well. You're so popular. Yes, isn't she? And we thought it would be better if someone else would judge the preserve. Oh, what a good judge! Who could we get? Well, there was little jelly jars, and one crisis after another, aren't they? Before being eaten through them. See, let's see. Let's see. Somebody around here could do it. One Mr. Witherol could do it. Now hold on, Mrs. Mollett. Please, then. Oh, would you be witherol? Oh, I'd appreciate it so much. As a gastronomist, I'm afraid I'm kevy out of the general. What's that? Shakespeare. I thought you said you recognized me. Oh, go on, Mr. Witherol. I'd like him to do it. He looks like a very honest man. To be honest, this world goes as to be one man picked out of ten thousand.

9:15Hey, what's wrong here? Oh, just a discussion, Willpis. We need someone to take my place judging the preserve. Oh, do you all know, Mr. Axelbin? Oh, I'm not a bit of an expert. I just took Dalton Chancerey, Prince E. Gawd the Fourth over to his pen. Dalton Chancerey, Prince E. Gawd the Fourth. A pen name of a writer? Yes, my prize bull. Oh, trouble getting in here too. It's very wild today. See him in the booth for the flag, got it? Yes, he looks formidable as the English say, doesn't he? Get going here, folks. I've no time to waste. All right. I'll do my best as a jelly-taster. My prize. Hey, what's up? Once you get things started. Well, I'm not going to judge the preserve, Randy. Mr. Witherol is. You know everyone? Randy, please. Come on, get going, folks. Everybody over to booth number three for the preserve, can't they? Who's coming through here? Hey, see my full Randy? But you, we come out on top this year. You think so? Yes. Here's my prize, Mr. Witherol. And mine. There's about two dozen of us already in the booth. After the crowd over, you get up on the platform, Mr. Witherol.

10:15See you later, Shakespeare. And thank you for taking my place. See you later. By the way, here's our entrance, Witherol. We should walk away with the contest. My fiancee, Mady. Can he make a row? All right, Randy. Let me first hop up. I'm this platform. There we are. Quiet, everybody. Quiet, everybody. Quiet, please. Thank you. Here's a clean spoon, Mr. Witherol. You can stop anytime now. Stop, clean, eh? All right, Mr. Bradley. Here goes. Ah! Ah! Baba, Baba, Baba, back to the ball. Back to the ball! Back to the ball! Keep out, gotta be snake. He's heading the way. Come on down off that platform, Mr. Witherol. Why the bull's lie, but a big duel. Me? Pick me up or you'll flat away. Wait, give me time. Get out of the way, everything. I'm afraid everybody goes to work. Don't get near him anybody. He's my ball. He's my ball. I know him. He'll call you to death. Don't, not boy. Go back to your pants. Go back.

11:18Why that bull run in the rob? I need to squeeze it. Stop, you cow. I can hardly stand up. Look out, Randy. You're not going with that jar. Preserve. Oh, gosh. You're cold. Sorry. Could you help us with the rob? There you go. That jelly all over your clothes. Well, of all things to happen. Don't preserve all of your clothes. Don't move, everybody. If you start to run that full of mind, I'll tell you. Come down off that platform, Mr. Witheroll. The bull's looking at you. That me. Well, yes. Don't move now. Don't budge your means. That bull's too close for comfort. Don't run witheroll. He'll go after you. Get out of my way, everybody. Everybody got to get out of that dirty page. Don't you dare show my ball. But he'll ride those ones. Why did Mr. Witheroll? Oh, don't run. Oh, good. Somebody save him. Save Mr. Witheroll. For the bull's almost caught him. That's Mr. Witheroll faster. Help. Help. Hey, he's got him near that wall.

12:18Don't back up against that wall. He'll get you to a trap. Oh, I can't look. It'll be horrible. Look. Mr. Witheroll's up against that wall. While the bull's gone at charge, he's getting a stance. Do something. Do something. Hang off your coat, Witheroll. Throw your coat out of it. Mind stop him. I think he's angry at you. You've got to take that chance. Take off your coat. Throw it out of him. All right. Try anything. Here goes. Wheeeee. Wheeeee. Wice working. The bull's looking at his coat. Yeah. Thanks goodness for that. I thought it distracted him. The bull's goring is cold. Well, that's a lot better than going to the Twitter hall. Randy, you joke. A couple of you men sneak up on the ground. We can pull him back to the pen. He'll be quiet now. Yeah, he's taking quite a fancy to Witheroll's coat. Yeah. It's lucky he was covered with a gel in him. One hour slow. Easy, easy, go. Careful. Very. Yeah. Okay, I got him.

13:19Hold on. Hold on. We got him. Right. He's not here to do nothing, boy. Come down there. What do you want to break out of the pen and scare all these people for, huh? Come on, calm down, boy. Well, isn't anybody going to ask about me? You all right, Mr. Witheroll? Well, be all right as soon as I get my heart out of my mouth. Well, that was just about the most terrible thing I've ever seen happen to you, Mr. Witheroll. It was your own fault, though. You should've started your own. Yes, and I knew it was my fault. In fact, while I was making my 100-yard dash from the platform with the bull's horn, flitting with my coat tails all the way, I kept thinking of that famous phrase, is this trip necessary? All right, folks, all right. Come on, pick it up. No need to crowd around. Lots of other bulls are over here. Why, look at that bull chewing on your coat. Oh, it's a shame you have to lose it. Well, let the poor little thing keep it. I'm warm enough now to get along without it. And anyway, those preserves...

14:19Yeah, he seems to like those preserves a lot. Look at the ways looking them off the coast. Hmm, quite a judge, isn't it? Well, he's usurped my place. Why not give him the spoon, too? Yeah, what a mad-adoling boy. You tired from chasing Mr. Witheroll? Yeah, poor,adoling boy. Yeah, I hope I didn't frighten him. Say, you know, this bull of mine looks sick to me. He looks sick. My good man, what do you think I've been doing? Oh, jeez, now you will warm him out. Warm him out? No, that's odd. Hmm, very peculiar. Run in a couple of yards after Mr. Witheroll, war out surprise, boo! Well, now listen to him. Look at him wobbling on his feet. Oh, too bad I wasn't wearing slippers, too. Wanna lie down, dolding boy, feelin' bad, huh? Lie down if you want to go on, lie down. Oh, yeah, she's been under quite a strain. Perhaps we could get a she's long for him. Never mind, Bede's a funny, my bullsick, and you made him that way.

15:21Well, he made me sick, tit for tit. Well, the bull does seem pretty badly off, doesn't he? You keep out of this, Mrs. Wacker. The very idea. The bull nearly kills Mr. Witheroll. Now everybody's feeling sorry for the bull. Uh-huh. Come on, Mr. Witheroll. Let's get out of here. Yes, a little relaxation is in order, Mrs. Mullett. They probably won't reorganize your jelly contest for a while. Well, I want to scroll around the rest of the fair. Yes, very good suggestion. Ah, if this buller minds really sick, I can't eat You Witheroll, I'll stew you. Yes, serves me right, teasing wild bulls. Bye. I'll come along, Mr. Mullett. Doesn't it strike you, is very funny, that a big husky prize bull gets shit just from running around a bit? Funny is not the word, Mrs. Mullett. What do you mean? Well, I am working over here toward the bullpen purposefully. He did not break out for himself. What? I'm wondering who let him out. Mrs. Mullett, that word is murderous, perhaps.

16:22Hello, Mr. Mullett. Hello, Mr. Mullett. Hello, Mr. Mullett. Hello, Mr. Mullett. Hello, Mr. Mullett. There's a shooting gallery. Well, you're not such a good shot, are you? Well, I'm not a. I was captain of the Meredith Rifeo team. Did I witheroll, they called me? I'm for that shooting gallery. Come on. You're all right. No free shot. Here you are, folks. Ten shots per quarter. They're all trying it. Every man is on commando. Step right up and test your skill. I'll try it. Here's a quarter. Yes, yes, all right. Here we are. Gonna win a cuppy doll for your girlfriend. What did you say? I don't mind him, Mrs. Mullett. He means to be complimentary. See, fellow, what's the most difficult object to hit? Well, now that to the clay pipe we're on the left side, there you see it. You hit that thing, you get a free round. You have plus the gorgeous, rosy, cheek, blue-eyed, practically genuine cuppy doll. You can get that all ready.

17:22Did I witheroll is about to perform. Here we go. I'm glad you're shooting blanks. Oh, lady, you couldn't argue anything over with blanks. Those are real bullets. Go on, Mr. Goon. All right. Did you say, did I, Mr. Mullett? I'm merely warming up. Feel warming up. Mr. Witheroll, stop shooting. Put down that gun. What's the matter? What's happened? Look on the curtain behind the target. It's trickling down the curtain. It's flawed. She's right. Someone's behind that curtain. Someone's been shot back there. Come on, let's see. Hurry. There must be between the curtain and the steel wall. I got a reinforced steel wall behind the target curtain that's fully smoked. It's Mr. Maxwell, then. What she's dead. Yeah, so standing up.

18:22Look at all that blood. It must be about 15 bullets in her. Blank, indeed. Gangs. I'm tied to this pool back at the curtain. No one could see her, but nearly everyone who took a shot was likely to hit her. Oh, good gracious. I've never seen anything as awful as that. Oh, that pool of blood. Hey, you were the last guy to shoot, Mr. I think the cops will want to talk to you. You were murderous. Me? Oh, just can't stand looking at it. Take me away. Take me away. Take her away. Help. Police. Murder. Murder. You're a man or you'll wake the dead. You're a shooting to the extreme left of the target curtain, huh, Bill? That's right, Sergeant Macabal. None of the bullets from my rifle could have hit Mrs. Mac X-Men. Yeah, murder. Sure was a brute. Taking that woman and tying it to the pole there behind that curtain.

19:24You know, Bill, she must have tried screaming, but I guess the heck it was so tight that she couldn't make much noise. Oh, by the way, who was shooting here just before Shakespeare? Would you recognize him? I know some of them. There was a lady, the one that owns a laundry, you know, over in Dalton. Well, that's Mrs. Waker. Mrs. Waker and a young fellow, the fribid boy. A randy, a frandy fribid. Go on, who else? Well, the farmer, you know, the farmer's bull got loose. What's his name, Axel Rodd? Axel Grease? Axel Bans. Axel Bans. Axel Bans. A couple others too. There's soldiers and some sailors. Uh-huh. Say, it makes things kind of tough, doesn't it, Bill? It is hard to pin on anyone, Sergeant. Is that so? Well, how about him, Sergeant? Do you know this fellow? The Shakespeare? No, no, no, this fellow right here. Why, sure. I've known Mr. Willow for years. Don't be silly. Well, why couldn't it have been him if you asked me? He's a fancy-looking guy. Got a beard. He might be a spy or something. I'm a spy. A bearded man or either spies or philosophers. I'd rather be a spy. Here you are, Mr. Winterall. Have you been looking all over for you?

20:26Oh, Mr. Axel, then, I'm afraid we've some very bad news. Oh, never mind that. Something important's happened. My bull's dead. Your bull died? Yes. Dalton, Chancerey, Prince Hig or the Fourth. My prize bull. Died a while after you left every case, you. It was your fault, whether or not. She died, eh? Sergeant McCobble, that's the answer. What do you think of that, Bill? That bull was poisoned. Poisoned, right? Of course. Don't you remember his royal highness ate something just before he became ill? He ate her cold. No, he licked the preserves off my coat Mrs. Mullett. And the preserves were poison, you see. He's been pretty serious. What's this all about? What's the police here for? Mr. Axel, we found your ex-wife in back of this shooting gallery. I should say we found your ex-wife's body, and she's been murdered. Murder? Bill, whoever tied Mrs. Axel back behind this gallery, he tried to kill her first by poison the jelly.

21:26You see, because they knew she was going to be the judge of the contest, they'd be tasting each bottle. Doesn't that it? Exactly. Therefore, Sergeant, your problem now is who made the preserves that were spilled on my coat? Here's the girl who made that jar of poison preserves, Bill. Connie Maple Grove. Oh, come here. Yeah, I got her named by checker the number of the broken bottle against the entry list. Why, she's Randy sweetheart. Well, what about it? I don't know anything about this. I did make the preserves, but I never dreamed of killing Mrs. Axel then. Connie, Charlie. Oh, Randy, it's awful. They think I killed Mrs. I know you're perfectly innocent. You've got no right to keep her here, Sergeant. She's your own business, Randy. I'm running this. They tell me, Connie, that Mrs. Axel bent married Randy's father. Your boyfriend would never inherit that big firm his father has. That's right. But Connie had nothing to do with that.

22:26I am asking Connie the questions, not you. Well, it's true that she didn't have any right to get the farm. Randy deserves it. He worked on it all his life. Well, that woman out of the way, why you marry Randy, he gets that tremendous farm and you're sitting pretty. Is that correct? Not such a thing. Besides this, let's not nail shouldn't think of. What's on your mind, Connie? What's very simple? Yes, I know, but what's on it? Why do you accuse me? Anyone could have poisoned the poor preserves somehow. It might have been that long, just Mrs. Wacker. It might have been Mr. Axel bent. He's very jealous. Strangely enough, Connie, we've already realized there are quite a number of prospects, and suspects too. But you are here for a specific reason. Besides the jar preserves were sealed with perifin, wasn't it? How could anyone else get poisoned into that bottle? You're the only person in the world who could have done it, Connie. And you're going to sit there until you tell us the truth. Yes, we've got the goods on you all right. Please Mrs. Mollett, leave this to me.

23:26But go on, Connie. Go on. Start talking. Well, go on. I tell you, I don't know anything about it. Okay, then we've just sit here until you change your mind and quit lying. Yes, we're waiting for you to tell the truth. Please, Mrs. Mollett, leave this to me. Go on, Connie. Now, it'll be easier for you if you don't stall. You killed Mrs. Axel bent, didn't you? You murdered her, didn't you? You tied her up behind that chuping gallery, and then you went out and you paid a quarter for enough bullies to commit cold-blooded murder. Now you're going to hasten. No, I didn't do it. I didn't do it. Come on now. It'll be easier for you if you don't stall. Please Mrs. Mollett, leave this to me. I don't know anything about this. I never wanted to come to the fair. I was afraid something would happen. I didn't want any other contest. I really didn't want to come here at all. That's why I sat Randy ahead with my job. I wanted to stay home, Mollett. Just a minute. Didn't you come here with Randy? No, I came much later. I only been here about ten minutes. Like I said, I didn't want to come at all.

24:29You weren't here when the contest started, when the bull had broke loose. What bull? Ah, Sergeant, our problem is not who made the preserves. The murderer is the person who let that prize bull out of his pen. Let the prize bull out. Certainly. The killer plan to dispose of Mrs. Axel bent by a means of the preserves. Originally, that's obvious. But at the last minute, there was an unexpected change of judges. I took over the role. The killer wasn't out to me, Hank Evans. So she or he had to get rid of that bottle of poison jelly before I tasted it. So whoever it was let the bull out of the pen as an excuse to start a penny. So as the bottle could be broken. That's it. The murderer is the person who deliberately broke that bottle of preserves and spilled it on me. Why, Doc? What's wrong? All right, you're right where you are. I just seen you're ready. No, no, no. You killed Mrs. Axel, man. Seemed this way to kill. And this fiendish tie up your victim and then deliberately buy the bullets.

25:35Ten shots for a quarter, ten bloody fetal shots. Oh, how? Either you stand still in this black jacket, mine's gonna make you all take those ten conspilt, slip over his wrist. Well, I hold his arms. That's it. Okay. I swore she'd never marry my father and take that farm away from me. Well, she didn't get it. No, no, neither of you will get the farm. That's even handed justice, sir. So my poet phrased it. There's just one thing Bill about getting the poison into the jar, I mean. It was sealed with paraphim. Oh, that's easy, Sergeant. An ordinary hypodemic syringe and needle would do the trick. Inject the poison through the paraphim without disturbing it. How about that, Randy? We do throw the hypodermic away or is it still in your pocket? What? In my pocket. That's hand pocket. Oh, get it. That'll search you. Get the target on the hand. Get the target on the hand. There we go. Stop them. Stay up. My gun. Take it. Stop them. Don't shoot. You kill him.

26:35Randy. Run me. You got him, Mr. Witheroll. Looks like you hit him in the leg. And with just one shot, too. Of course, just one shot, Mrs. Mullett. Remember, dead eye is my middle name. Now let's find another shooting gallery. And I'll get you a rosy-cheeked blue-eyed, practically genuine, cupidol. W-O-R Mutual has presented the distinguished American actor, Walter Handen, in the adventures of Leonidas Witheroll. Mrs. Mullett is played by Ethel Raimi. The character of Leonidas Witheroll is from the mystery novels by Alice Tilton. The radio script is by Howard Merrill, and the program is directed by Roger Bauer. Mr. Handen has an important announcement to make. Mr. Handen. Well, Leonidas's friends won't be sharing a puzzle in homicide with him next week,

27:39because our program is changing time. Witheroll, Mrs. Mullett and the worthy sergeant, will be back on the air on Sunday, October 8th. That's two weeks from tonight at 7 p.m. Eastern War Time. That's two hours earlier than usual. I hope you'll make a note to join us then Sunday, October 8th at 7 p.m. Until then, good night. Beginning next Sunday evening, October 1st at 9 p.m. Eastern War Time, W-O-R Mutual will present a new musical program, Steel Horizons with John Baker, Baratone of the Metropolitan Opera Association, and guest soloists, and an orchestra conducted by Frederick Wange. And remember, Leonidas Witheroll will return on October 8th at 7 p.m. The adventures of Leonidas Witheroll came to you from the stage of the W-O-R Mutual Playhouse in New York. This is Mutual.