YTJD1956 03 27357TheLaMarrMatter-Ep2

0:00From Hollywood, it's time now for Johnny Deller. I have your party in Hartford, Connecticut. Now, Mr. Deller. Oh, thanks. Just a moment, please. Hello, McCracken, Universal Adjustment Bureau. Hi, Pat. Johnny, are you still in Ohio? Didn't you get my telegram? Sure did. And I'm getting ready to leave for South Bend right now. And the company of a beautiful, charming, lovely... Come on, son, your vacation is over. Charming, lovely girl named Funny Lamont. Okay, okay, now, will you... What? That's right. Thomas Renee Lamar's daughter. Does she know her father's died? Telegram for her arrived at the same time I received yours. You didn't show her my wife. No. She doesn't know yet that you think it might be murder. Tonight and every week day night, Bob Bailey in the transcribed adventures of the man had an affection-packed expense account. America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator... Yosch, truly?

1:00Johnny Deller. Expense accounts submitted by Special Investigator Johnny Deller. To the Universal Adjustment Bureau Hartford, Connecticut, attention, Mr. Patrick McCracken. Following his accounting of expenditures during my investigation of the Lamar matter, or was it murder? Expense account item one. I'm calling it item one, Pat, because it's really the first tab on the Lamar case. Previous expenses here in La Jolla, were charged against the Jolli Roger case. Expenses for the vacation you promised me, and have now so rudely interrupted. Item one, $9.60 for that long distance call to Pat McCracken in Hartford. Now, what under the sentence, Funny Lamont doing in La Jolla? Vacation, same as I was trying to take. Now, tell me something, Pat. As a claim already been filed on Lamar's million-and-a-half-dollar policy. Oh, claim has been filed.

2:00Well, and how do you know about his deaths so quickly? Luck, pure and simple. Insurance company is tri-mutual. Big office in Chicago, headed up by Lawrence Comstock. Oh, sure, and honoured for years, good man. Well, he's written all of Lamar's policies himself. He got to know the old man pretty well. Uh-huh. Personal friends, you know, we can golf together, same clubs, and both nuts about two-handed binoculars. So? Well, Comstock had been Lamar's house guest for the past few days, and been with him practically every minute the old man wasn't at his plant. Was he actually there when Lamar died? Yes, yes. He was the one who called the doctor and the old man killed all of them. Look, you keep referring to him as the old man, just how old was he? Oh, not too. Let me see, I've got it. He was 59. The doctor's name on her telegram was Wilson. You know his first name? No, I don't know. I'm not sure if you'll have to get from Comstock and South Bend. Okay. Well, in any rate, Johnny, he called me, a minute the doctor pronounced Lamar dead, and specifically asked that you be put on the case.

3:00Yeah, well, that's flattering. Okay, it looks like I am, but tell me something. Yeah. What makes Larry think the man was murdered? I'd rather not discuss it now. He'll give it to you when you see him. Our plane leaves in about an hour. No doubt you can be of some comfort to the daughter. Hmm. Her knowing that you're handling the case. Pat. That's a one thing I don't want it at all. I hung up, leaving Pat to ponder over that last remark, and why Larry Comstock that I was coming and finished my packing for the trip back east. When I'd finished, I paid my bill at the fancy motel, and all I can say is thank goodness it was on expense account. And I knocked on the door of the cottage next to mine. Yes, come in. Oh, Johnny. Hi, Ronnie. Anyway, I can help you. More than you have. You've been wonderful. Ranging the flight back for me. For us. Taking care of the things here. Johnny. That's right. For us.

4:00I'm making the trip with you. But you, I thought you said Hartford Connecticut. And your vacation. Oh, the vacation's all over. Wouldn't be any fun for me to stay around after this. Oh, darling. And South Bend doesn't want the way. I'd feel better if I kind of took your home rather than let you make the long trip alone. Out of the circumstances. And maybe I have some business or something to attend to there. Darling, I don't know what. Easy. Okay, you made it so wonderful. When daddy couldn't get here these last few days. And now that this terrible thing has happened, stick by me this way. What's the only way I'd happen? You. You're so wonderful. All right. Come on now. Come on, get your things together. I've called for a cab to the airport in San Diego. Come on. Oh, thank you, Johnny. I love you for this. Sure.

5:02I can't say I exactly relish thoughts of the flight back east. Much as I hoped I could be of some small comfort to the girl. Much as I genuinely wanted to. Such things can be pretty rough, particularly in this instance. But I am an insurance investigator. And in a matter of this sort, a million and a half dollars at stake, the possibility of murder. Well, it's up to me to suspect everyone, whether I like it or not. Yeah. I sometimes think it's a pretty rotten ragged to be you. Johnny. Sleep funny. Sleep. You only eat all of it you can get before you have to face things at home. I wasn't sleeping. I was just thinking. And being so thankful that you're here with me. Honey, I wired a head for a hotel reservation. What? Yep. I'm going to stay in South Bend a few days. You're wonderful. No, no.

6:02I'm going to be honest with you. I... I also wired a friend of mine. Well, I'll have a fellow with whom I do business now. And so I... Well, anyhow, I'll be there for a few days and maybe more. As long as I can be of any help to you. It's funny. Hmm. You know, you still haven't told me what you do. Well, don't worry about that now. But I'm curious. Tell me. I'll give us something to talk about. Did you wire anyone at your home about your arrival? Yes, Harris and the Butler. Johnny. Well, how about the doctor who telegraphed you? Wilson, too. Honey. Wilson. Edward T. Wilson. Not tell me. No. No, no, no. You stop talking and try to get some rest. But all... I'm going back to the lounge in the tail section so that you have nothing to do but get some sleep. Then you won't tell me. No. Tomorrow. I sleep. Thank you, Johnny.

7:04No. I can, maybe. Yeah, rough. Very rough. I felt like a traitor to her. Well, we landed in Chicago at 10 a.m. and took a cab from the airport to the Lamar Home on the outskirts of South Bend. I'd never before realized that the big industrial city with all its huge dirty sprawling factories had such a wealthy residential section. And the Lamar Home on Peridine Lane was one of the most impressive of all, set far back in what must have been a naker of well-kept lawn. In addition to Harrison, the butler, we were met at the door by the housekeeper cook upstairs and downstairs maids and a couple of other servants. All of them, obviously, in deep sorrow over the passing of the master of the house. And may I most humbly for all of us express our deepest sympathy in this hour of this. It's all. Thank you, Harrison. Thank you all.

8:05I'm going to my room and we'll call you when? Yes, Miss. This is Mr. Dollar. Mr. Dollar. He has to be admitted to the house. Anytime. He. I'll be here, funny. As soon as possible. And you know where to reach me? Yes. Johnny. Thank you. And now to get to work, whether elected or not. I took the cab to the townhouse, dump my bags, then back to Chicago in the office of Lawrence Comstock, try Mutual's representative. He was waiting for me. Well, Johnny, you sure walked into something this time. Thick one, Larry. You don't know. You don't know the half of it. The million and a half of it. You gave Pat McCracken back in heart for the idea that Lamar's death might be murder. I think it is. I really think it is, Johnny. Why? Tom Lamar was one of the best friends I ever had. Should have been. Your commission on the insurgency was carrying was enough to set you up for life. Oh, no, Johnny, don't talk like that. Tom was a good friend of mine, quite a side from business. I sold him his very first policy. Years ago, and he was just a bookkeeper for Atlas Processing Company, earning $70 a week.

9:09And when he married Delise. Delise? His wife, who died five years ago. Oh. That policy was only for $2,500 straight life. So? You know how little my commission was on that. But I liked him. I saw that he had a spark about him. But with the proper kind of encouragement, he could go places. And he did. Yeah. So I understand. I understand that Lamar metal products is a really big thing. General metal fabricators just bought them out. Oh. Yes, and Tom was getting all ready to retire. Spend the rest of his days having fun, gall fishing, winters in Californian, summers in Minnesota, that sort of thing. And taking care of Vanny is adopted daughter. Yeah. Kind of worth taking care of, too. Eh? I know her, Larry. Met her in La Jolla, Californian. Oh, they brought her back here to face the sad fact of her father's death. Why didn't? Oh, yes, of course. The family doctor, Ed Wilson. I should have realized. He sent a telegram to Vanny to the same place you were in La Jolla. She's a wonderful girl, John.

10:11You're telling me. But Larry. Yes? Something you told Pat McCracken back in Hartford, has led him to think that possibly Thomas Lamar was murdered. John. Johnny, in the years I've known Tom Lamar. Yeah? I've not only known him, but I've known his family. Well? And much of his affairs, personal as well as business. Well? His wife, Delise, I would have married her long ago if I'd been able to. Oh, get to the point, Larry. Oh, yes, of course. And his daughter, Lavon, Vanny. I wish he'd been my daughter, my child. Come on, Larry. Come on, get at her. She's a wonderful girl. You said that. Oh, yes, of course. Well, there were things in her past. Vanny's past that even her mother and later her father didn't know about. But I did. For heaven's sake, man. Get to the point. You too. Yes, me too. Yeah, me. The confirmed bachelor. Take him away. Have fun. Come on, Larry.

11:12Listen, Johnny. Well, listen carefully. Dr. E. T. Wilson. Ed Wilson. An old friend of mine is well as Tom. Yes. It was Ed who made the last insurance examination four months ago. Thomas Renee Lamar was in better health than you were. After all, he was only 59 and he'd lived a careful life, taking good care of himself. Well, go on. We were sure of his physical condition, sure of it. That's why I let him add to his already large policy. Larry, you've told Pat McCracken and you've admitted to me that you think Thomas Lamar was murdered. Yes, John. Because of one man. Who? The one man who shared his confidences, business and person. Yeah. Who was closer to him than even Ed Wilson or me. Well, who? One man who alone could be sure of benefiting by Tom Lamar's death. Oh, look, Larry. That bush you're beating around is getting bigger and bigger. So simple, John. So discouragingly simple. All right. All right, Larry. All right. Take it any way you like. I'm here for two reasons. Because I'm a sign of this case and because of Bonnie.

12:13Yes. I know. Now, who is it you suspect? The man Bonnie is really in love with. Oh. I'm sorry, John. Now, here's our star to tell you about tomorrow's intriguing episode of this week's story. Tomorrow, some stuff I didn't want to hear. But I had to. Join us, won't you? Yours, Tully. Johnny Dollar. Yours, Tully. Johnny Dollar starring Bob Bailey is transcribed in Hollywood.

13:20It is produced and directed by Jack John Stone, who also wrote tonight's story. Be sure to join us tomorrow night, same time and station for the next exciting episode of Yours, Tully, Johnny Dollar. Roy Rowan speaking. Roy Rowan.