Episode 376: The Accusing Corpse

[00:00:16] Speaker A: The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society Podcast welcome to the Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society, a podcast dedicated dedicated to suspense, crime and horror stories from the golden age of radio. I'm Eric. [00:00:36] Speaker B: I'm Tim. [00:00:36] Speaker C: And I'm Joshua. [00:00:37] Speaker B: We love mysterious old time radio stories, but do they stand the test of time? That's what we're here to find out today. [00:00:43] Speaker C: I chose an episode of the Mysterious Traveler entitled the Accusing Corpse. [00:00:49] Speaker A: Mysterious Traveler ran for nine years on the Mutual Broadcasting Network from December 1943 to September 1952. The show is created, written and directed by Robert Arthur and David Cogan. The duo utilized a variety of shows genres from episode to episode, including horror, crime and science fiction. Listeners tuned in each week, never sure what kind of story the Mysterious Traveler would tell. [00:01:13] Speaker B: The program opened with the mournful wail of a distant train whistle, followed by the sardonic voice of the Mysterious traveler, who narrated each tale as if he were speaking to a fellow passenger on the train. The mysterious traveler was played by radio veteran Maurice Tarplin, who also played Winston Churchill on the March of Time, Hercule Poirot and Murder Clinic Inspector Faraday on Boston Blackie, and the titular host of Arthur and Kogan's other anthology series, the Strange Doctor Weird. [00:01:38] Speaker C: And now, let's listen to the Accusing Corpse from the Mysterious Traveler, first broadcast April 16, 1944. [00:01:47] Speaker A: It's late at night and a chill has set in. You're alone and the only light you see is coming from an antique radio. Listen to the sounds coming from the speaker. Listen to the music and listen to the voices. [00:02:12] Speaker D: The Mysterious Traveler. [00:02:26] Speaker E: This is the Mysterious Traveler inviting you to join him on another journey into the realm of the strange and terrifying. I hope you will enjoy the trip, that it will thrill you a little and chill you a little. So settle back, get a good grip on your nerves. Where are we going? We're going to journey to the grave and learn the secrets of the dead in a tale titled the Accusing Corpse. Some years ago, when I was a county coroner, I was called in on a most interesting case. A case which had begun in the country home of Philip Drake, the wealthy stockbroker. [00:03:28] Speaker F: Roger. Thank goodness you were able to get here in time. [00:03:31] Speaker G: I left town right after I received your call. What's wrong, Philip? You sounded so upset over the phone. [00:03:35] Speaker F: It's Vivian. She's upstairs in her room packing. She says she's leaving me. [00:03:39] Speaker G: Leaving you? Why? [00:03:41] Speaker F: She seems to feel our marriage has been a mistake. Roger, won't you speak to her, persuade her to stay? After all, she is your Sister. [00:03:47] Speaker G: I'm afraid, Philip, that Vivian and I have never been as close as sister and brother should be. She's always been wild and spoiled. Perhaps, Philip, it would be better if. If you were to let her go. [00:03:59] Speaker F: No, I couldn't do that. I love her, Roger. I wouldn't want to live without her. Won't you please try to persuade her to stay? [00:04:07] Speaker G: All right, Philip, I'll do my best. But I must warn you, I haven't much influence over her. [00:04:11] Speaker H: Yes, Philip, I'm all packed and ready to. Why, Roger, darling, what a surprise. What are you doing here? [00:04:17] Speaker G: Vivian, Philip has told me. Now, surely you can't be serious. You know how he loves you. Everything he's done to make you happy. [00:04:24] Speaker H: Now, Roger, you aren't going to start on that, are you? [00:04:26] Speaker G: Someday, Vivian, you'll get just what you deserve for walking over people, breaking their hearts. Every time I think of you being my sister, I feel. [00:04:34] Speaker F: Roger, please, would you mind waiting in the other room? I'd like to speak to Vivian alone. [00:04:38] Speaker G: Oh, all right, Philip. Call me when you want me. [00:04:45] Speaker H: Really, Philip, no matter what you have to say, you're just wasting your time. [00:04:48] Speaker F: Vivian, how can you do this to me? You know I love you, that I'd do anything to make you happy. [00:04:53] Speaker H: That's sweet of you, dear. Would you mind lending me your car to get to town? [00:04:57] Speaker F: If you leave me, Vivian, you won't get a cent. Not the cent, do you hear? [00:05:00] Speaker H: Really. Did you ever stop to think, Philip, that there might be another man with more money than you? [00:05:07] Speaker F: Another man? Oh, no, there couldn't be. [00:05:09] Speaker H: And why not? [00:05:10] Speaker F: But we've only been married three months. There couldn't be anyone in that time. [00:05:14] Speaker H: Oh, but there was. [00:05:15] Speaker F: Oh, Vivian, in spite of what you've done, I'm willing to forgive you and start over with you. [00:05:21] Speaker H: But, darling, I don't want you to forgive me. I want you to forget me. [00:05:25] Speaker F: Vivian, you can't do this to me. I love you. I won't let you go. [00:05:28] Speaker H: I really must be saying goodbye now. He's waiting for me in town, and I don't want to be late. [00:05:34] Speaker F: If I can't have you, no one else will. Do you hear? [00:05:36] Speaker H: Oh, really, Philip, you're being ridiculous. I must go. No, Philip, what are you doing? A gun? [00:05:42] Speaker F: Yes, Vivian, a gun. I told you if I couldn't have you, no one else would. [00:05:46] Speaker H: Oh, Philip, you're insane. Put that gun down. [00:05:49] Speaker F: If you don't change your mind about leaving, I'll kill you. [00:05:51] Speaker H: Even with that gun, you can't kill do you hear? I'd sooner die than go on living with you. I'm going, and you're not going to stop. [00:06:01] Speaker G: You. [00:06:03] Speaker H: You shot. [00:06:07] Speaker F: Vivian. Philip. [00:06:09] Speaker G: Philip. Phillip, what happened? I. I thought I heard Vivian. [00:06:13] Speaker F: Roger, is she dead? [00:06:17] Speaker G: Yes. Philip, do you know what this may mean? Life imprisonment, Perhaps even the electric chair? [00:06:25] Speaker F: I know nothing seems to matter now. [00:06:29] Speaker G: But you simply can't throw your life away like that, Philip. Oh, even if Vivian was my sister, I don't mind telling you that I always felt you were far too good for her. She didn't deserve to be your wife. [00:06:39] Speaker F: Oh, please, Roger. [00:06:40] Speaker G: Look, Philip, if we were to get rid of the body, who could possibly know that she didn't leave here tonight as she'd planned? [00:06:47] Speaker F: Oh, no. It wouldn't work, Roger. You can get away with murder. [00:06:50] Speaker G: That's nonsense, Philip. Now, if we were to bury her in the woods, no one would ever find the body. [00:06:55] Speaker F: Bury her in the woods? I couldn't do that. [00:06:58] Speaker G: Then I'll do it. You can wait here till I return. [00:07:00] Speaker F: But, Roger, what if. [00:07:01] Speaker G: Philip, you must let me handle this. You better give me the gun. [00:07:04] Speaker F: All right, Roger. Here you are. [00:07:06] Speaker G: Good. Now you wait here while I get rid of the body. [00:07:18] Speaker E: Philip watched, spellbound, unable to say a word, as Roger picked up the body and left the room. As Roger, carrying his burden, passed the gardener's shed, he picked up a shovel. In a few moments, he reached the woods, which began at the rear of the house and extended for miles. He carefully made his way through the forest underbrush until he was well out of sight of the house. Then he stopped and looked about. [00:07:50] Speaker G: I. I think this is quite far enough. [00:07:52] Speaker H: I think you can put me down. Not Roger. I'm tired of being carried like a sack of potatoes. [00:07:57] Speaker G: All right. Well, let me congratulate you on your performance as a corpse. [00:08:05] Speaker H: Do you think he suspects anything? [00:08:06] Speaker G: Of course he doesn't. He's positive that he shot and killed you. [00:08:10] Speaker H: You've got the gun, haven't you? [00:08:11] Speaker G: Certainly I've got it. You don't think I was going to let him discover that the bullets had been removed and blank cartridges substituted, do you? [00:08:17] Speaker H: Oh, no, not you, Roger. You always know what you're doing. [00:08:21] Speaker G: I always try to. [00:08:22] Speaker H: My dear sister, you don't think Philip will give you any trouble, do you? Outside of being in love with me, he isn't an utter fool. [00:08:29] Speaker G: Don't worry. I can handle Philip. Now, here's the key to the apartment I rented in town. You'll find my car a quarter of a mile down the road. [00:08:36] Speaker H: All right. I'll be waiting for you at the apartment. [00:08:38] Speaker G: I'll be there in a few hours. Let me see. Yes. Yes, this seems like a nice place to dig. [00:08:53] Speaker E: The next morning, Roger called on Philip at his office. With a calculating glance, he noted that Philip's eyes were bloodshot, that his hand trembled as the two shook hands. [00:09:06] Speaker G: How are you, Philip? [00:09:07] Speaker F: I couldn't sleep at all last night. I kept thinking of Vivian and what if her disappearance is noticed? People begin asking questions. [00:09:15] Speaker G: Now all you have to do is tell them that Vivian left you and you don't know where she is. Or things like that happen every day. [00:09:22] Speaker F: You've been very helpful to me, Roger. If ever I get a chance to repay you for it, rest assured I will. [00:09:28] Speaker G: That's very good of you, Philip. Truth of the matter is you. Well, you could do me a favor if you would. [00:09:36] Speaker F: Of course. What is it? [00:09:37] Speaker G: Well, I'm in the midst of a business deal and I find myself a little short of capital. If you could lend me some money, I'd appreciate it. [00:09:45] Speaker F: Certainly, Roger. How much do you need? [00:09:48] Speaker G: 20,000. [00:09:49] Speaker F: 20,000? That's quite a lot. [00:09:52] Speaker G: Naturally, Philip, if you feel you can't lend it to me, I'll go to a bank and try to borrow it. [00:09:56] Speaker F: Isn't that I can't lend it to you, Roger. It's just that the amount surprised me. Shall I make the check out to you? [00:10:02] Speaker G: Yes, if you please. [00:10:03] Speaker F: All right. [00:10:04] Speaker G: I can't tell you how much I appreciate this, Philip. [00:10:14] Speaker E: As Philip wrote out a check for $20,000, Roger smiled. Things were working out just as he had planned. An hour later, Roger entered an old brownstone house and went to apartment 2C. [00:10:31] Speaker H: Roger, did you get it? [00:10:34] Speaker G: What does this look like? [00:10:35] Speaker H: Oh, Roger, that's wonderful. Now we can clear out and why, there isn't 100,000 here? [00:10:41] Speaker G: No, my dear. I only got 20,000 from him. [00:10:44] Speaker H: But we were after 100,000. Why didn't you get it all this morning when you saw him? [00:10:48] Speaker G: My dear Vivian, it simply isn't done that way. Blackmail is an art. An art that calls for the use of psychology. Philip will give us many times over the money I hold in my hand. All in due time, of course. [00:11:00] Speaker H: You mean I'll have to go on hiding in this miserable apartment until you finished your little game with him? Never being able to leave it for fear someone will recognize it? [00:11:08] Speaker G: Come, come now, Vivian. You've got the radio and books. [00:11:11] Speaker H: I won't spend weeks in this apartment. I tell you I won't. [00:11:14] Speaker G: My arm. You'll do exactly as I say, Vivian. Exactly. Do you understand? [00:11:18] Speaker H: Roger, My arm. You're hurting me. [00:11:19] Speaker G: It's nothing to what I'll do if you disobey me. Do I make myself clear? [00:11:23] Speaker H: Yes. [00:11:23] Speaker D: Yes. [00:11:30] Speaker E: A week passed. A week in which Roger patiently bided his time for time he knew was working on his side against Philip. Then one morning, he called on Philip at his office. [00:11:45] Speaker G: Good morning, Philip. How are you? [00:11:47] Speaker F: How do you expect me to be? This past week, I've been able to think of nothing but Vivian and what happened that night. [00:11:53] Speaker G: Philip, you must stop brooding over it. Whatever happened was her fault, not yours. [00:11:59] Speaker F: Yes, you're right. Perhaps what I need is a vacation. [00:12:03] Speaker E: Yes. [00:12:03] Speaker G: Yes, of course. A trip would do you a world of good. And if I could afford it, I'd go along with you. [00:12:09] Speaker F: You mean you haven't any money? [00:12:12] Speaker G: I'm afraid not, Philip. That's what I've come to see you about. I must have $40,000 at once. [00:12:19] Speaker F: 40,000? [00:12:20] Speaker G: Yes, I know it's a good deal of money, Philip, but without it, I'll be ruined. [00:12:24] Speaker F: Naturally, I want to help you, Roger, but. 40,000. [00:12:27] Speaker G: If I don't get the 40,000, Philip, it's May mean prison for me. You wouldn't want to see that happen, would you? [00:12:34] Speaker F: Of course not, Roger. [00:12:36] Speaker G: After all, Philip, I. I saved you from prison. In fact, I made myself an accomplice to Vivian's murder by not turning you over to the police. [00:12:45] Speaker F: Well, yes, I know you. [00:12:47] Speaker G: You could hardly expect me to remain loyal to you if you weren't willing to help me, could you? [00:12:55] Speaker F: I see. It seems I haven't any choice. Very well, Roger. I'll write you out a check. [00:13:09] Speaker E: Roger's eyes gleamed in amusement as he accepted the check from Philip. There was no longer any doubt that Philip understood him perfectly. Things were working out exactly as he had planned. Later that day, Roger went back to the old brownstone house. There was a smile on his lips as he entered apartment 2C. [00:13:34] Speaker G: Look at this. $40,000 in cash. [00:13:38] Speaker H: Oh, Roger. [00:13:39] Speaker G: Now, wasn't this worth staying in hiding for, Vivian. And there's plenty more where this came from. Who could that be? You better get behind that screen. [00:13:48] Speaker H: No. All right, Roger. [00:13:51] Speaker G: Yes. [00:13:51] Speaker I: COD for Ms. Brown. It amounts to $64. [00:13:54] Speaker G: Oh, you must be mistaken. There's no Ms. Brown here. [00:13:57] Speaker I: This is the address she gave. It's in care of Mr. Roger Martinson. That your name? [00:14:02] Speaker G: Why, why, yes, but I don't know. [00:14:04] Speaker H: Those packages are for me. Roger. How much did you say the COD was? [00:14:08] Speaker I: $64, miss. [00:14:09] Speaker H: Oh, here you are. [00:14:12] Speaker I: Thank you, miss. Here's your receipt. Goodbye. [00:14:15] Speaker H: Goodbye. [00:14:17] Speaker G: When did you buy those clothes? [00:14:19] Speaker H: This morning. [00:14:20] Speaker G: You mean you went out shopping in spite of what I told you? [00:14:23] Speaker H: Well, I was sick of being cooped up in this apartment day and night. I had to do something for a change. [00:14:27] Speaker G: And what of my plans? You risk everything with so much at stake. [00:14:31] Speaker H: Roger, stop looking at me like that. I tell you, I couldn't stand being cooped up in this apartment any longer. [00:14:36] Speaker G: But I give you orders to stay here. [00:14:38] Speaker H: Well, I won't. I want you to get the rest of the money at once so we can clear out. And if you don't, I'll go shopping whenever I feel like it. You can't make me stay. [00:14:47] Speaker G: You'll do exactly as I say, Vivian. I won't allow anything or anyone to interfere with my plans. I've worked out every step perfectly and there isn't going to be any slip up. [00:15:06] Speaker E: Another week passed. A week in which Roger made no effort to see Philip. Then early one evening, he got into his car and drove out of the city to Philip's home in the country. [00:15:19] Speaker F: Oh, it's you, Roger. Come in. [00:15:21] Speaker G: Good evening, Philip. Oh, where are the servants? [00:15:24] Speaker F: This is their night off. [00:15:26] Speaker E: Oh. [00:15:28] Speaker G: You'Re. You're not looking well at all. [00:15:30] Speaker F: Philip. [00:15:30] Speaker G: You. You shouldn't remain in this house by yourself. [00:15:33] Speaker F: What difference does it make where I am? Wherever I go, the memory of that night follows. It's hard to believe that it was only two weeks ago tonight that I killed her. [00:15:42] Speaker G: Two weeks ago tonight. So it was. Oh, by the way, Philip, do you think you might possibly lend me $60,000? [00:15:52] Speaker F: 60,000? You can't be serious. [00:15:55] Speaker G: Oh, but I am. [00:15:56] Speaker F: But I lent you that much already. [00:15:58] Speaker G: Yes, I know, but I must have more. [00:16:01] Speaker F: No, I won't give you another cent. You blackmailed me enough. [00:16:06] Speaker G: Blackmailed is a harsh word. [00:16:07] Speaker F: What else can you call it? Now you're just as hard and grasping as Vivian was. [00:16:11] Speaker G: Yes, but you must remember I am alive and she isn't. [00:16:14] Speaker F: I suppose you're glad she's dead. In life, she was worth nothing to you. In death, you're able to get $60,000 for her in death. How do I know she is dead? [00:16:25] Speaker G: Don't be foolish, Philip. You saw her lying on the floor in this very room. [00:16:29] Speaker F: Yes, but how do I know she's dead? It was you who examined her and told me so. And you buried the body by yourself. [00:16:37] Speaker G: Well, I just wanted to spare you, Philip. [00:16:39] Speaker F: Just exactly where did you bury Vivian? As a matter of fact, how do I know the whole affair isn't staged for my special benefit so that you can extort money from me? [00:16:49] Speaker G: Surely you don't believe that, Philip? Why, you shot her with your own gun. [00:16:53] Speaker F: Yes, and you took the gun away from me immediately after the shooting. Suddenly, that whole affair is becoming very clear to me. [00:16:58] Speaker G: I tell you she's dead, Philip, and buried out in the woods. [00:17:01] Speaker F: Then I want to see the grave and the body you say is in it. [00:17:03] Speaker G: But this is ridiculous. I won't go searching for a grave in the middle of the night. [00:17:07] Speaker F: You shouldn't have to search for it, Roger. Not if you really dug one. Come along. We can pick up a shovel at the tool set. [00:17:12] Speaker G: I won't do it. I won't do it. [00:17:13] Speaker F: I said come along, Roger. [00:17:15] Speaker G: Oh, very well. But I'm not certain I'll be able to find the grave. After all, the woods is fairly large, and it's been two weeks since I buried her. [00:17:24] Speaker F: That's all right, Roger. We'll stay out there until you do find her. [00:17:33] Speaker E: A few minutes later, Philip and Roger picked up the shovel at the tool shed and then continued on their way to the woods that began at the rear of the house. Neither of the men spoke as they entered the woods, Roger leading the way with a flashlight. Several times he stopped, trying to get his bearings, then plunged on again, hoping to find a familiar landmark. It became apparent that Roger was growing less and less sure of himself. [00:18:11] Speaker G: Oh, the grave is someplace around here. I'm certain of it. Perhaps we ought to come back in the daytime. It might be easier to find it then. [00:18:18] Speaker F: I know, Roger. You shouldn't have any trouble finding it now. If it exists. [00:18:23] Speaker G: It does exist, I tell you. It's just that the woods are so confusing at night. Everything looks so. So different. [00:18:29] Speaker F: Just keep on searching, Roger. [00:18:30] Speaker G: Perhaps this is the spot. It looks something like it. [00:18:33] Speaker F: Well, is it or isn't it? [00:18:34] Speaker G: I don't know. It looks like the place where I buried her, and yet I'm not certain. [00:18:39] Speaker F: There's only one way to make certain, and that's to start digging. [00:18:41] Speaker C: Here. [00:18:42] Speaker F: Here's the shovel. [00:18:42] Speaker G: But suppose this isn't the spot? [00:18:44] Speaker F: Then we'll dig somewhere else. In fact, we'll dig up the entire woods if necessary. After all, you're certain she is buried in the woods, aren't you? Go ahead, Roger. Start digging. [00:18:54] Speaker E: Oh. [00:18:55] Speaker G: Oh, very well. [00:19:09] Speaker F: Well, Roger, you've been digging for 20 minutes now, and you haven't uncovered a body. [00:19:14] Speaker G: Philip, I told you I wasn't sure this was the spot where I buried her. [00:19:17] Speaker F: You're a great actor, Roger, but I'm afraid this time you've overplayed your role. [00:19:22] Speaker G: What do you mean? [00:19:23] Speaker F: Vivian isn't dead. And there's no use your pretending she is. Everything that's happened was part of a scheme. The two of you planned to extort money from me. [00:19:30] Speaker G: I tell you, she is dead. [00:19:31] Speaker F: Penn, where's the body? [00:19:32] Speaker G: I thought this was the spot, but I must be mistaken. Taken her. I'm sure I didn't bury her any deeper than this. But if I. Philip, turn the flashlight this way. [00:19:44] Speaker F: What is it? Look. [00:19:47] Speaker G: Do you see what I've uncovered? [00:19:50] Speaker F: A hand. [00:19:51] Speaker E: Yes. [00:19:51] Speaker G: This is the spot where I buried her. Philip, just a few more shovelfuls and I'll have her uncovered. [00:19:58] Speaker F: Oh. Oh, it can't be there. [00:20:04] Speaker G: There you are, Philip. Of course, she's been in the ground for two weeks. But I think you can easily recognize that it's Vivian. [00:20:11] Speaker F: Yes, it's Vivian. [00:20:14] Speaker G: And look, Philip. Here's the bullet hole under her heart. The bullet hole that you made. [00:20:19] Speaker F: I don't want to see anymore. I've had enough. [00:20:22] Speaker G: You should trust me a little more, Philip. Everything I did was for your own good. After all, You. You don't want to go to the electric chair, do you? [00:20:31] Speaker F: I don't care what happens anymore. I can't stand having heard death on my conscience any longer. I'm going to call the police. Don't be a fool, Philip. [00:20:38] Speaker G: You know it might well mean the electric chair. [00:20:40] Speaker F: I'll take my chances. Anything's better than going on living the way I have these past two weeks. I'm going back to the house and call the police. [00:20:46] Speaker G: Philip. Phillip, come back. Come back. Phil. Operator. [00:20:58] Speaker F: Operator. [00:20:59] Speaker G: Philip. [00:20:59] Speaker F: Philip, wait. [00:21:00] Speaker G: Wait. Don't do anything foolish. [00:21:02] Speaker F: You cut me off. Take your hands off that phone. [00:21:04] Speaker G: Roger. I want you to do, Philip, is to listen to me for a few minutes. At the end of that time, you may. You may do as you please. Now, that's fair enough, isn't it? [00:21:12] Speaker F: Nothing you can say will make me change my mind about calling the police. [00:21:15] Speaker G: Listen to me first. Then if you still want to call the police, you can. Now, please put the receiver down, Philip. That's it. [00:21:24] Speaker F: Well, what do you want to tell me? [00:21:27] Speaker G: Well, do you mind if I mix myself a drink first? It's. It's been a rather difficult evening. [00:21:33] Speaker F: Very well. [00:21:34] Speaker G: What about one for you, Philip? You look as though you could stand a drink. [00:21:37] Speaker F: No, thank you. [00:21:38] Speaker G: Oh, nonsense. Do you good. [00:21:41] Speaker F: What is it you want to say to me, Roger? [00:21:43] Speaker G: Huh? Oh, oh, yes. Say to you. Oh, yes, yes, of course. Here's your drink, Philip. [00:21:49] Speaker F: Thank you. [00:21:51] Speaker G: Well, now, what shall we drink to? We'll drink to your good luck, come what may. There. I feel a good deal better. [00:22:07] Speaker F: All right, now that we've had our drinks, what have you got to say? [00:22:10] Speaker G: Oh, yes, Yes, I. What I wanted to say was I. I never let anything interfere with my plans, Philip. [00:22:18] Speaker F: What do you mean by that? [00:22:20] Speaker G: Simply that I can't allow you to go to the police and therefore you shan't. It would spoil my plans. No. It would. [00:22:26] Speaker F: Would it? Well, I'd like to see you stop me. [00:22:28] Speaker G: I have, Philip. In a very little while, in fact, in just a few seconds, you'll be dead. Dead? [00:22:38] Speaker F: What are you saying? [00:22:39] Speaker G: Yes, Philip. The drink I mixed for you was poisoned. [00:22:43] Speaker D: Poisoned? [00:22:44] Speaker G: Aren't you finding that it's becoming difficult to breathe? [00:22:49] Speaker F: No, you couldn't have. [00:22:50] Speaker G: I. [00:22:52] Speaker F: My throat burns. [00:22:54] Speaker G: Yes, I know, Philip. It'll all be over in a matter of seconds. [00:22:59] Speaker F: Now I see it all. You. [00:23:04] Speaker G: Yes, Philip. Just a week ago tonight she died according to plan. [00:23:11] Speaker F: The police, Joe. [00:23:13] Speaker G: I'm afraid, Philip, that you haven't the strength left to reach the telephone. [00:23:19] Speaker F: I. [00:23:27] Speaker G: I'm afraid you and Vivian never had a chance, Philip. I had things worked out perfectly, down to the smallest detail. Hello, operator. Operator, Please connect me with the police. [00:23:48] Speaker E: It was at this point that I was called into the case. Inspector Carlton called me an hour after Roger Martinson had phoned the police. When I arrived at the great mansion, I examined the body of Vivian Drake, then that of her husband, Philip. When I had finished my examination, I entered the library where Inspector Carlton was questioning Roger Martenson. [00:24:13] Speaker I: Hello, Doc. Oh, Doc, this is Roger Martinson. Mr. Martinson, this is Dr. Smith, the county coroner. [00:24:20] Speaker E: How do you do? [00:24:20] Speaker G: Hello. [00:24:21] Speaker I: I'll be with you in a few minutes, Doc. Just stick around. Now, Mr. Martinson, you were telling me how you came to this house two weeks ago tonight to see your sister and found that she was gone. [00:24:30] Speaker G: Yes. Yes. My brother in law, Philip, told me that she'd gone on a vacation. I thought it strange at the time that she should have gone away without saying goodbye to me, as we were always very close. But days passed and I didn't hear from her. [00:24:43] Speaker I: Tell me, was it like your sister to go away and not write? [00:24:46] Speaker G: No. No, it wasn't. And that's what worried me so. These past two weeks, Philip kept putting me off when I inquired about Vivian's whereabouts. Well, tonight I. Tonight I couldn't stand it any longer. I Came to this house to have it out with him. [00:24:59] Speaker I: What did your brother in law say when he saw you? [00:25:01] Speaker G: Well, he was quite agitated. My unexpected arrival. When I couldn't get any satisfaction out of him regarding Vivian, I threatened to go to the police. Then he broke down and confessed that he murdered Vivian. [00:25:13] Speaker I: When did he murder? [00:25:15] Speaker G: He told me that he'd done it two weeks ago tonight. Why, that was the very night I'd come here to see Vivian. And he told me that she'd left for a vacation. [00:25:23] Speaker I: I see. Go on. [00:25:24] Speaker G: Naturally, when he told me he'd murdered her, I was aghast. He led me to the woods and showed me the grave. We returned to the house, and before I knew what had happened, Philip had taken poison. Then I called the police. [00:25:39] Speaker I: Well, it seems like a plain case of murder and suicide. Outside of a few questions at the inquest, I don't think we'll trouble you anymore, Mr. Martin. [00:25:46] Speaker G: Quite all right, Inspector. I shall be at your service anytime. [00:25:49] Speaker E: Just a moment, Mr. Martenson. Yes? I was very much interested in hearing what you had to say to the inspector regarding the murder of your sister. You say that your brother in law confessed to murdering her two weeks ago tonight? [00:26:02] Speaker G: That's right. [00:26:03] Speaker E: That would be April 2nd, wouldn't it? [00:26:08] Speaker G: Yes, that's correct. [00:26:09] Speaker E: Then you never saw her alive after the night of April 2nd? [00:26:13] Speaker G: Why? Oh, I know. Of course not. [00:26:15] Speaker I: What are you getting at, doc? [00:26:16] Speaker E: Please, Inspector. Mr. Martinson, would you mind telling me where you live? [00:26:20] Speaker G: I. At 425 West 107th Street. [00:26:25] Speaker E: Tell me, were some clothes delivered to that address in your care a week ago today, April 9th? Clothes? Yes. To be exact, a woman's sports suit which cost $64 and arrived code. [00:26:38] Speaker G: Why? Why, no. [00:26:40] Speaker E: You're lying. Mr. Martinson. I have in my hand a slip of paper that not only proves that you're lying, but that will send you to the electric chair. [00:26:48] Speaker I: Doc, what do you say? [00:26:49] Speaker E: Yes, Inspector. Mr. Martinson's plan was perfect, but he. He slipped up badly. He forgot to search Vivian Drake's clothing before he buried her. When I examined her body just now, I found in one of her pockets this receipted bill bearing the date April 9th. That proves beyond a doubt that she wasn't murdered by her husband on April 2nd, as Mr. Martinson here claims. [00:27:15] Speaker G: No. No. [00:27:16] Speaker E: Yes, Mr. Martinson. The corpse has accused you from the grave of murder and has given us proof of your guilt. [00:27:24] Speaker F: No. [00:27:25] Speaker G: No, it can't be. I had everything planned perfectly. Perfectly. Do you hear? Down to the last detail. I couldn't have. [00:27:40] Speaker E: This is the Mysterious Traveler again. Have you enjoyed our little trip to the grave? Poor Roger. What a pity, after all that planning and hard work to be tripped up by a sail slip found on a corpse. Just goes to prove that you have to be more careful when you're burying people you've murdered. Now I recall another case where a woman drugged her husband and oh, you're getting off at the next stop. I'm sorry. I hope you'll join me again soon. But if you do, please remember this next Sunday I shall take a train that leaves at 3:30 30pm Eastern. War time. Don't forget Sunday afternoon at halfast three. [00:28:44] Speaker D: You've just heard chapter 20 of the mysterious Traveler, a series of dramas of the strange and unusual brought to you each week by Station W O R. In tonight's program, the Accusing Corpse, Don Randolph played Roger. Also featured were Maurice Tarplin and Philip Clark. The Mysterious Traveler, written by Bob Arthur and David Cogan, is directed by Jock McGregor. Original music was played by Doc Whipple. Listen next week to a tale titled Escape by Death, another tale of the mysterious traveler. The Mysterious Traveler is presented by WOR Mutual every Sunday over most of these stations. But beginning next week, the Mysterious Traveler will be presented at a new time Sunday afternoons at 3:30. Please note the change in time. 3:30 every Sunday afternoon beginning next Sunday. This is Mutual. [00:29:53] Speaker A: That was the Accusing Corpse from the Mysterious Traveler here on the mysterious Old Radio Listening Society podcast once again. I'm Eric. [00:30:03] Speaker B: I'm Tim. [00:30:03] Speaker C: And I'm Joshua. [00:30:05] Speaker A: Riddle me this. At the top of this conversation, the Mysterious Traveler is the narrator. [00:30:12] Speaker B: Yes. [00:30:12] Speaker A: But in this one he shows up at the crime scene. At the end, he's the guy at the what's going on? Like he's part of these stories or he's not. Is he a narrator or is he in? And is he some kind of private detective? I got so confused that he was. [00:30:29] Speaker C: Actually at the scene at the top of the story. He explains that it's a story that he encountered when he was a county coroner. [00:30:38] Speaker A: When he was a child narrator. [00:30:42] Speaker C: No, but we've listened to other mysterious travelers from the early days of the show, which this is from. And it's one of the reasons I chose it. I love these where he is a part of the story. And I think the creators quickly realized that it's hard to shoehorn him into every story. But what was the one? The Good die young? It's very similar to this. He shows up at the end in his capacity as a coroner or doctor of some kind. But he does more than just show up. But one of the things I think is interesting about this is he comes in and like Columbos, this. [00:31:16] Speaker A: Right. [00:31:18] Speaker C: And the evidence is as circumstantial. [00:31:21] Speaker A: Right. [00:31:23] Speaker C: Easily refuted in court as most Colombo solutions as well. [00:31:27] Speaker A: Right. Would not stand up in court. [00:31:29] Speaker C: No. You hope that that elicits a confession or lead Zeus to some substantial forensic evidence or something. [00:31:38] Speaker A: Yeah. So this is a good story. Trying to embezzle, blackmail someone out of money. The setup is convoluted, and everything has to go pretty well for this to turn out like this. [00:31:55] Speaker C: I want to jump on that for a second, because I just recently read the 39 Steps by John Buchan, and in his dedication to a friend of his, he really captures the appeal of stories like the 39 steps and like the Mysterious Traveler and the Whistler, and he describes them as incidents that defy probabilities and march just inside the borders of the possible. And I think that's what's fun about it. If you're willing to go, yeah, I'm gonna embrace that. [00:32:30] Speaker A: So much like how you have to approach every heist movie. Yeah. The improbability factor is really high that it's all gonna work out like that, Actually, I just. [00:32:42] Speaker B: Because I feel obliged. The. The classic heist sort of structure is that, like, this has to go right. This has to go right. And then the heist happens, and 80% goes right. And it's. How do you adjust to all the things that go wrong that make it fun? [00:32:56] Speaker A: Right. [00:32:57] Speaker B: Which is not really part of this discussion. [00:33:01] Speaker A: Kind of is, because this guy. I mean, the very end is he made one mistake, just one tiny mistake, and he didn't get that receipt out of her pocket. I will say again, I missed the top where he said, I was a coroner and this happened to me, so I probably missed this, too. Do they tell us in the story I didn't hear that he murders that woman? [00:33:28] Speaker B: That was, I think, was designed to be like, when they discovered the body. That's supposed to be news to us. [00:33:33] Speaker A: Good. Because I was like, well, yeah, you're. [00:33:35] Speaker C: Supposed to be shocked that it's there, because they also. [00:33:37] Speaker A: Yeah, okay, good, good. [00:33:38] Speaker C: They have him acting so nervous and scared. [00:33:41] Speaker A: Right. [00:33:41] Speaker C: He's not sure where the body is, all this stuff. And you, as a listener go, yeah, he's just trying to stall because he didn't bury her. [00:33:49] Speaker A: Right. [00:33:50] Speaker C: And then when he does uncover her. Does that still work, though? Because then. Was he only acting nervous? Not for Philip's benefit But for the listener's benefit. [00:34:03] Speaker A: Right. [00:34:04] Speaker C: But I. I think it's plausible that he actually was struggling in the dark to remember where he buried the body. [00:34:12] Speaker B: I just buried her like 10 minutes ago. [00:34:14] Speaker C: Yeah. Or he just wanted to crank up the tension. The tension. And make sure Philip didn't think that he knew immediately where it was buried because he just buried her there before knocking on his door. [00:34:26] Speaker A: Right. [00:34:26] Speaker C: So I do think it retroactively works. [00:34:29] Speaker A: All right. [00:34:29] Speaker C: But that also foreshadows it. Well, he's violent and horrible to his sister. Right. He smacks her a couple times, he threatens her. And so when it's revealed, you still go, oh, of course he did. [00:34:41] Speaker A: Right. [00:34:41] Speaker C: He told us he would, essentially. [00:34:43] Speaker A: So here's the question. If she had not bought the clothes, it was still part of the plan for him to kill her. It wasn't the motivation for him to kill her. [00:34:55] Speaker B: Yeah, I don't know that I could track of. Like, is this the second time they pulled the scam? Third time. Or if, like, this is the big plan, or if this is the biggest time we're doing it and that he was gonna. This is the last time, and I'm not sharing it with you. [00:35:10] Speaker A: But did he kill her because she left the place to buy clothes and. You idiot, you're ruining the plan. I gotta kill you. [00:35:16] Speaker C: Now, was this improvised or was this his plan all along? I don't think we can really say for sure. I think there's a. Definitely a strong reading that he always had that in the back of his head because he had at some point procured poison. But he could have done that after. [00:35:33] Speaker A: He killed her if he hadn't called him out and said, I think you're scamming me. Right. If he hadn't done that, then he would not have needed to kill her. So he needed to know that he eventually is going to catch on. And I need to prove that she's dead. [00:35:48] Speaker C: Yes. Or also he decided he would kill her because it's cover for him if she's buried and anything goes wrong. He does know that. He can say, like, hey, I'm an accomplice, but I didn't murder her. [00:36:03] Speaker A: So it has to be the plan all along. Not motivated. [00:36:06] Speaker C: It doesn't have to be. I think it could also still. It still works both ways. I. In this mysterious traveler world, which, again, like we said, works just on the border of the plausible and possible. So it's one of those over the top stories that stretches credulity. But then when you go back to interrogate it. I go, oh, wait, it does kind of work. [00:36:26] Speaker B: It's similarly for me, the question of he initially. The brother initially told her, like, I'm gonna get this guy for 100 grand. And then in the actual execution of the plan, it wants to just sort of tag him for some money, tag him for some money and keep going back. Which in, you know, observing the execution, seems to work better for him to do that. It's a question mark of like, well, why did he do it that way? Why did he say he was gonna do it a different way? [00:36:51] Speaker C: I felt like he knew his sister would object if she knew she would have to stay hidden out for that long because she just tells him that I won't stay in this apartment that long. And he is her sister, so he must have known that about her. Again, to me, I think that tracks. [00:37:09] Speaker A: Yeah. But you have to count on that. [00:37:11] Speaker C: If it's planned out from the beginning. But I feel it works. But also, it has so many big twists that you listen to the first time and you're just like, wow, I didn't start asking a lot of these questions until I listened to it a second time and then a third time. This is another episode that I found on an old list that I had lost of episodes from early days that I had to bring to the podcast. And so I just thought it'd be fun to dig it up and see if it still worked in 2025 instead of 2017 when I put it on a list. [00:37:46] Speaker B: And all these questions of poking holes at. Not poking holes, but just sort of poking at the plot. I have not yet given the big picture of I love Kogan and Arthur, the kind of stories they tell, and they're audacious, which I really like, with a pitch black sense of humor. [00:38:03] Speaker C: Yeah. And I mean, sometimes they overreach. It falls flat. And I think this is one of those times where they really reached for stuff and it works. [00:38:13] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:38:13] Speaker C: Every twist got me. In fact, it's one of those rare times where I re. Listened to it a couple years later and forgot all the twists. And then I went, what? And then I went, oh, yeah. And remembered it, like, seconds afterwards. So, like, it. It had staying power. So I'm curious. And there's another reason I brought it. I like these twisty episodes because I can interrogate you guys and figure out, like, who guessed a twist and who didn't. It's always a fun game. But I knew that the brother was in on it. He was just too eager to bury his sister's body after her husband. [00:38:48] Speaker B: Ship me the gun in the body. I'll take care of it. [00:38:50] Speaker C: Yeah. It's like I knew, okay, something's going on here, but I absolutely did not expect to cut to the woods. And she's like, put me down. Okay. [00:38:57] Speaker A: I was like, I did not know. I didn't have any suspicion about him. Well, let's say this. I knew there was some kind of motivation for him to cover for him and say, just stay here, I'll go do that. But when she spoke in the woods and she was still alive, I was completely caught off guard by that. [00:39:17] Speaker C: And then I think twist number two, which we already covered, is the twist that she's dead and her body is buried. [00:39:25] Speaker A: Yes. [00:39:25] Speaker C: In the woods. [00:39:26] Speaker A: That was confusing to me for I was like, why is there a body in the. What's going. Oh, did he kill her? Oh, okay. So. Oh, yeah, of course he did. And he put her in there to cover in case he figured this out. And that's when I started going, wow, there's a lot of, there's a lot of guessing what might happen correctly going on. [00:39:45] Speaker B: I feel like playing fair with myself. Like when she was talking in the forest and like not dead, I felt like, yeah, that tracks. I. That's kind of what I thought was going on. And when the twist that really threw me was when the husband, like, I think you faked this. When he gets wise to the plot. And that was the point. Like, well, I have no idea what's going to happen now. [00:40:10] Speaker C: Yeah. And I like that because he's been such a blithering idiot up to this point. His brother in law is just too into helping him and then he's clearly extorting money out of him. [00:40:22] Speaker A: He could have made things a lot simpler by burying the body and coming back and going, look, dude, so I did that and so I need a hundred thousand. I agree with the woman. Just get the blackmail done at the top and be done with the going back and forth. Unnecessary for this plot of his. [00:40:41] Speaker C: Yes. In hindsight, but I think in the moment it makes sense that you just ask for these littler amounts of money. [00:40:48] Speaker B: That's what they say with blackmail is you don't pay them because if you pay them, they're just going to come back and ask you for more. [00:40:53] Speaker C: And he just got out in front of that. I'm just going to do that from the beginning. [00:40:56] Speaker A: Right. [00:40:58] Speaker C: And then the final twist being the. The receipt. [00:41:01] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:41:02] Speaker C: Which just was utterly telegraphed. You know, the guy shows up at the door, she signs for the receipt. Even though the title of the play is the Accusing Corpse. I just got so sucked in by all the other. [00:41:15] Speaker B: I recommend 100% waiting for like the corpse to show up with just a rigidly outstretched arm with a finger pointing. [00:41:24] Speaker A: I accuse you. I took the clothes buying and the delivery of them as motivation to. Now I gotta kill you. [00:41:33] Speaker C: Exactly. And that's the best way to hide a twist like that is that it serves dual purposes. [00:41:38] Speaker A: Right? [00:41:38] Speaker B: Yeah. You don't. When twist happens, you don't go like, well, where did that come from? [00:41:42] Speaker C: Once she's dead in the ground, like, oh, that's why we had those scenes. And that's why he was so angry. [00:41:47] Speaker B: I also wondered if this is her trying to exert a little bit of her leverage on him. [00:41:54] Speaker C: Yeah. I think to circle back. Ultimately, I think this story is at its strongest if you interpret this as an improvised plan that didn't go exactly how he intended it. And the murder was something he felt compelled to do because he thought she was going to give the game away. And that wasn't the original plan. [00:42:16] Speaker A: I think it would have been really well served the plot line to have the reveal be that he was a ventriloquist. [00:42:27] Speaker C: He's just throwing his voice. I'm dead. [00:42:30] Speaker B: Not actually a wife at all. [00:42:33] Speaker A: You married a dummy. [00:42:35] Speaker C: The other thing this episode has that I love is it has this old time radio trope that everyone owns a crime of passion gun that they keep loaded in the room. They are most likely to have a heated argument. [00:42:53] Speaker A: Yeah, right. [00:42:55] Speaker C: It's in script after script. I'm like, oh, wait. Oh, you just had a loaded gun in that drawer? [00:43:01] Speaker G: Yeah. [00:43:02] Speaker B: You know, it's a junk drawer with the scissors and the binder clips in your gun. [00:43:07] Speaker C: Why are you pointing that glue stick at me? [00:43:13] Speaker B: Honey, could we argue in the dining room, please? By this, I have no weapons in this room. [00:43:22] Speaker A: Did you go stand next to the medieval mace on the wall? Any other thought? [00:43:35] Speaker C: No. We can vote. [00:43:36] Speaker A: All right. I will say it stands the test of time. It's pretty good. It's one of the better mysterious travelers I've ever heard. I It's a hit and miss show, man. For me. It's all over the map. I can go this far with it. Stands the test time. And I liked it. I thought it's produced well, acted well, has some nice twists, and it was pretty good. [00:44:00] Speaker B: I. I'm going to be very similar. Mysterious Traveler can range in quality, but it's a show that I just enjoy. So even if it's not as good. Some is not as good as the other. I'm still gonna enjoy it, most likely. So I had a really good time with this episode. I thought it was good. I wouldn't call it a classic. It's ye olde good time. [00:44:23] Speaker C: One thing I forgot to mention that I thought was clever on the part of David and Kogan was Roger says when he unburies the body to Philip, that I think you can still recognize her even though she's been in the ground for two weeks. And I went like, oh, but she hasn't been on the ground for two weeks. [00:44:40] Speaker A: Right? [00:44:41] Speaker C: But then I went, oh, but who outside of the mysterious traveler, who's a coroner, knows how long you know what what a body looks like? Exactly. After two weeks I thought it was a little weird. So I went on and then I realized, oh no, they're setting the timeline, which becomes significant in the final confrontation with Dr. Smith, the mysterious Traveler, that it sort of foreshadows that he's sticking with the two week timeline, which is what screws him in the end. Anyway, sidetrack. But it is an example of what I really love about this is it's one of these over the top, super twisty stories that really stands up to scrutiny. And so I appreciated that about it. I agree with Tim. This is just over the top fun. This is like a great example of solid, solid mysterious Traveler. This is what they're aiming for with every episode. I would not call it a classic. You know, I think things like A Behind the locked door classic, the good die young killing children classic. So this was great fun. Really admire it. Solid work. B. [00:45:52] Speaker A: Tim, tell him stuff. [00:45:53] Speaker B: Please go visit ghoulishdelights.com, home of this podcast. You'll find other episodes there. Mysterious Traveler and a whole bunch of other stuff we've listened to. You can leave comments on these episodes. You can vote in polls. Let us know what you think. You'll also find links to our store. If you want to buy some swag, we've got cool stuff you could buy and wear that has our logo on it. That's what swag is. And you'll also find a link to our Patreon page. [00:46:22] Speaker A: You laugh. [00:46:22] Speaker C: Nail it. [00:46:23] Speaker A: Every time you laugh. But it was years before. What is swag? I'm sol. What are we talking about? [00:46:31] Speaker B: Yes, go to Bag Sweats the Swags. [00:46:39] Speaker C: Go to patreon.com themorals and please help us out. [00:46:46] Speaker A: We'll stop doing this part if enough of you. [00:46:48] Speaker C: Yeah, it's weird. We don't make that much money from our bed sweat. We really need your support. We have all sorts of great things that we offer you in exchange. Zoom, Happy hours, book clubs, bonus podcasts. I mean we are up to like I think over a hundred bonus podcasts just sitting there waiting for you. Just give us a little bit money and you can gorge yourself on all sorts of extra Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society content. So go to patreon.com the morals and become a member of the Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society. [00:47:29] Speaker A: Today, the Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society Theater Company does recreations of classic old time radio shows live on stage and a lot of our own original work. Come see us do live performance audio drama by going to ghoulishdelights.com to see where we're performing, what we're performing and how to get tickets. And another Patreon perk is that we record the audio of those live shows and make those available to our Patreon ghoulishdelights.com come see us performing. What is next? [00:48:00] Speaker C: Next we have a recommendation from one of our patrons. We will be listening to Love and the Lonely One from nightfall until then. [00:48:12] Speaker A: Away away He said Dr. Smith and I couldn't pain the pain.