Yours Truly Johnny Dollar
Johnny Dollar - The Racehorse Piledriver
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- Duration:
- 31m
- Broadcast on:
- 28 Jun 2024
- Audio Format:
- mp3
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Are you ready to unlock a world of captivating stories, soothing sounds, and enlightening lectures? At SolggedMedia, we believe in the power of audio to enrich your life, and now we're offering you a chance to experience it all for free. For a limited time, you can get a one-month free trial to our premium, ad-free service. Imagine having unlimited access to over 500 audio books, meditative sounds, and exclusive shows, all at your fingertips. Just head over to SolgoodMedia.com and sign up to start your free trial today. No ads, no interruptions just pure, immersive audio content. Don't miss out, transform your listening experience with SolgoodMedia. Visit SolgoodMedia.com and start your free trial now. We can't wait for you to join our audio community. Happy listening. This is a horse on me, but I did find out that in a race for life and death, the police laboratory is where they make the thorough finish. This is another in the Adventures of America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator, Johnny Dollar. At insurance investigation, Johnny Dollar is only an expert. Just making out his expense account is an absolute genius. Friends account submitted by special investigator Johnny Dollar, two Hartford branch, Lloyd's Underwriters Association. The following is an accounting of my expenditures during investigation of the circumstances, threatening the life of the insured, the race horse trial driver, or meet him at way off his feet if I didn't know I owed you. Or it's great to get a kick out of life so long as it isn't a kick in the head. Friends account item one, 18 cents, one package of cigarettes. You may consider this a personal item, but that's where this case really started at the start of the season, and it's a very important thing to do with it. It's a very important thing to do with it, and it's going to be a very important thing to do with it. 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It's going to be a very important thing to do with it. It's going to be a very important thing to do with it. It's going to be a very important thing to do with it. It's going to be a very important thing to do with it. It's going to be a very important thing to do with it. It's going to be a very important thing to do with it. It's going to be a very important thing to do with it. It's going to be a very important thing to do with it. It's going to be a very important thing to do with it. It's going to be a very important thing to do with it. It's going to be a very important thing to do with it. It's going to be a very important thing to do with it. It's going to be a very important thing to do with it. It's going to be a very important thing to do with it. I think I have a way for you to solve my problem and make yourself an honest buck. You're wasting your time. I don't bet the horses. When I do, I don't buy chips from child. Oh, now wait a minute, pal. I did not introduce myself for the purpose of being insulted. I will have you know that I too do not consort this house. I will thank you to keep a civil tongue in your head. Oh, I can see this is going to be one of those days. What is your problem, Mr? Well, it is a problem best not overheard by people in the lobbies of office buildings. But this much I can't tell you. It is about a horse and $50,000 insurance. That is why I came to you. Well, it would be richer if I had known more about horses and poorer if I had known less about insurance. Maybe in this thing I can break even at least. Come on. I hope you are not too much of a purist to ride an attacking. Little Nettie looked like he stopped growing physically at the age of 14. And every once in a while he talked like his mind had also called a twister about the same time. The only thing slick about him was his hair. The only sharp is clothes. Liars always talked too much. And little Nettie wouldn't say a word until we were inside my apartment. So even before he started his pitch I half believed it. Well, to take it from the beginning, I was born in a stable and that's not just a figure. If speech they brought the hot water in a feed bucket. So you can understand my deep affection for horses. Now, on top of that, kindly consider this. One horse in particular, a very brave steed by the name of Pile Driver, has not only made me very famous, but has also made me a very large pile of hay. I have ridden Pile Driver to a wind position since he was a maiden. Pile Driver, huh? Quite a hunk of horse. Aha, you remember. Then you might also remember that he was on his way to becoming one of the big money winners of all time. Until I had to go and fall off a livery stable horse while teaching a girl how to ride in Central Park. It busted up my leg and I might add my future to saying nothing to Pile Driver. He hasn't won a race since I got grounded. Well, what's all this got to do with insurance? Mr. Dallin, they are going to murder him. Can you guess why? I can try. Pile Driver is heavily insured. He's also no longer winning races. He's also a man who can't have a family. No good for studs. So if Pile Driver should trip and break a leg, the owner would be entitled to shoot him and he'd still collect the insurance. I know, it's been done. You have hit the horse you nail on the head. Mr. Dallin, I have a considerable bundle of money stashed away, and I am willing to devote a considerable lump of it to the purpose of saving Pile Driver. Now, maybe you wouldn't understand such a thing, but I happen to love that horse. I understand it, Medding. Where is he? Oh, he is currently stable at a track named Hayawatha. Oh, by the shores of Gichigumi? No, no, by the shores of Lake Michigan. This is located slightly north of a place called Chicago. Five telephone calls and a few hundred questions later, I learned that Pile Driver was insured by your company. Got the assignment and was on my way. So, expense account item two, airfare, Hartford to Chicago. Fifty-seven dollars and seventy-two cents. Little Nettie insisted on coming along and he kept the home of the plane from being a home drama as follows. Well, Johnny, the gentleman who owns Pile Driver is an old Kentucky mid-dual of sponge named Colonel Faraday Bushnell. Now, this character has a very black heart hiding beneath the head of white hair. I trusted him until I heard him say what he was going to do. From then on, I have been seriously tempted to wrap these hands around his neck and squeeze. All I can say is he has better not hurt Pile Driver. Rent the count item three, sixteen dollars and forty cents. Camp fair, Chicago Municipal Airport, the Hayawatha race track. Arrival time, then I am. To me, a race track always smells good. Horses, green grass, excitement. Hey, y'all driver, keep it changed. Well, this is the saying goes, is it, Mr. Dollar? You will have to take it from here. Oh, hey, eh, one last word of warning. Watch out for his daughter, Lila. A warning, is she dangerous? To a guy like me? No, but to a guy like you? Yes. ♪♪ Pardon me, Miss. Can you tell me where I'll find the force around here, Colonel Bushnell? Oh. I was just going to chase you away. If you don't look like just another hay in greenhood, what's going on? I'm not, I'm buying. Where's your daddy? How do you know the colonel is my daddy? Well, he told me he had a pretty daughter. Well, thanks. What do you owe you, Mr? Well, it's for the name of the money dollar. As for my business, that's trying to buy one of your father's horses. Well, the colonel will be back for a little bit, but I'm bossing on his way. I'll tell you now, I don't think he's figuring on selling any of his horses. I'll be glad to tell him to. Good enough. But there's only one I'm really interested in, pile driver. Pile driver? Well, I know daddy wouldn't sell him. Why not? I'm practically one of the families. He put me through the last two years of college. Do you mind if I see him anyway? Well, no, not at all. Right over here. Okay. Here, baby. You have certainly darling. You've missed a dollar. Whoa. Quite a horse. Yeah, he's just a perfect day, aren't you darling? Mr. Dollar, why do you want to buy a pile driver? Oh, he's a great horse. Got a great record. Have you been following him lately? Yeah. Well, he hasn't been winning. That'll make his price keep in the odds long when he gets back running. I just happen to think I can make a winner out of him again. But his spirit's all gone. How do you think you're going to do that? Well, if I told you, his price might be right back up. Tell me darling, I can help you, darling. Yes, wait a minute. Let's take a look over here. Please, darling. No, I... It was great fun now. But what was it for? Oh, you shouldn't have right out here in the open. Oh, Leo. Yeah. What's going on? No, wait, Leo, honey. This guy hits your brother real wish he was. Besides, that's no way to kiss brothers. You. Get out of here. Look, Buster. If you want this girl's father, you'd better start doing some wishing. Oh, you think so, huh? Welcome. It's just the roughest day of the post office I ever got fixed. Something like that, please. Oh, darling. Johnny, Johnny, what are you doing? I'm going to have a head flight, Mr. Hammerlock. And I've got the truck now, and I'll put the door in there. That's what's going on here. You section is there. Run along now about your business. Leo, I must say I am surprised at you. Fighting in front of a lady. Get him off of me. Here, young man. I'll demand that you dismount to Mr. Colby. As soon as later, I guess I have to. Now, listen, Leo, are you paying close attention? Yeah. After I let you up if you make one move, except away from here, I'll give you a pair of fatties. Okay. Oh, look at this tooth. I'm going to have to start wearing knee pads. Come on, Leo, honey. Let's get away from here. I hope you're not blaming me for what happened. I'm going to hold up. Now, see here. I demand an explanation. What do I do? I came here to get the horse business and I end up in the fight racket. Oh, who is that guy? Their gentleman, sir, is Leo Colby, the brother horse owner. And I might do the favor of warning you that Mr. Colby is a hard enough man in business dealings. But when it comes to my daughter, he's downright violent. Your daughter was downright impulsive. Maybe so. But Leo is hardly the type to stand by while some other fellow kisses his girl. And I saw that happen with my own eyes. I don't know what I worry about, Colonel. I didn't come here to collect list examples. Ah, one thing I can be glad about in my encounter was Mr. Leo Corbin. What is that? That he is in James J. Come on, Colonel. Let's start with him. Hey, bartender. Hey, Mr. Dollas, over here. Oh, never mind. There's my man over there. How are you, honey? Oh, I'm fine. Hey, but you. What did you catch that mouse under your eye? Oh, I'm sharp as a trap I am. You were so right about Mr. Bushnell. She's not only dangerous, she's daffy. Eh? I didn't know she could hit that high. Oh, she didn't. Let's just say that she has a novel way of introducing people to her boyfriend. Oh. You know, I'm Leo Corbin. If I knew any more, I'd be the racing commission's witness. He owns a string of very fast horses who run very slow until the odds get right. Then he bets him up to the brisket, wins himself a potball. It's also rumored that he is stiff competition to the perimutual machine. He books big bets among the owners. Well, they'll catch up to him sooner or later. They always do. Amen. But about that human grew factory, my friend, the horse-killing Colonel. What with him? Well, I offered him $60,000 for final drivers. Huh? That's $10,000 more than he'd get if he knocked him off and collected the insurance. Yeah, well, were you going to lay your mitts on $60? I haven't got that kind of job. We don't need that kind of job, little netting. You see, I told Bushnell that I was sending it to California for my private vet. And that he'd be here in three days. And once he pronounced the horse sound, I'd give him the money. Yeah, but that only means that pile driver is safer in a three day. And then-- And those three days is up to me to prove intent. And if it's there, I'll prove it. And have the policy casual. Once that's done, you'll probably be willing to pedal the horse for $10. That, I can handle. But in the meantime, I'm not taking any chance to see. I'm keeping pile driver under my own personal eye. I wish you wouldn't, Eddie. We don't want the Colonel getting suspicious. I can't help it, Mr. Dollar. I just can't help it. Okay, Eddie, but don't blow it. Be careful. Like all race tracks, Violata was surrounded by motor courts and bungalows with room for rent. Oh, expense account, item four, three dollars, room rent. I set the pin alarm clock for eight and my gear for any time and went most of the way to sleep. First thing's thing first, I dream the girl. Then I dream the fire engine. And suddenly, I realize why. I was hearing some. I bounced out of bed and over the window. There I saw an incendiary sunset hanging over the race track stable. I jumped into my pants and into the landlady's car and got over there as fast as a 1929 Ford could take me. Hey, you. You. How did it start? I don't know how, but the guys were looking for a little guy with a lift when we're hanging around. Oh, where'd he go? I didn't see him, but I hear he ran in the fire and didn't come out. Some crack, I guess. I had one particular horse to get to a hurry. And I hope one particular guy. The door to power driver's stall was closed in padlock. I drove out the staple of the wood with a pick end of a fire ax. Through the door open, grabbed a lung full of fresh air, closed my eyes and slammed into the smoke. I could have been smoked to death or stamped to death, but I had to take the chance. There you go. Whoa, whoa, pile driver. Take it easy. Easy, easy, easy boy. I wiped him on the rump of the axe handle and drop it. I slipped to my knees, started groping across the straw covered floor. I knew it. There wasn't any air in there. That's where it would be. And there was an ex-jotty in there. That's where he would be. And that's where he was. And the first corner I tried to throw off his backwards toward the door, dragging him, inch by inch, out to the clean, cold shower of fresh night air. Well, I could have saved myself a trip. Little Nettie Montana was dead. He'd had a horseshoe hung on his forehead, but not for luck. And all I could think of at the moment was a jockey's big friend is not always his force. In just a moment, we will return to the second act of Johnny Dollar. But first, may we take just a moment from tonight's Johnny Dollar stories or remind you that three more fine adventure shows come your way each Saturday night on most of these same CBS stations. First, there are the adventures of Philip Marlow, based on the smart and tough private eye created by Raymond Chandler. Second, there's gangbusters, one of the most famous crime shows on the air, reenacting outstanding police cases in real life. Third, there is escape, a highly unusual adventure show, which fulfills your need for escape. Here are these three Philip Marlow, gangbusters, and escapes, along with your truly Johnny Dollar every Saturday night, won't you? Tune in, tune in this fall, for the show that you love and devolve. Listen carefully. Here's the address. It's TV. F-B-B-F. Now with our star, Carl Russell, we return to the second act of your truly Johnny Dollar. Tough luck. Nice try, little nutty. It's a dollar. It's a dollar. It's just horrible. It sure is. Much less of a nutty. Yeah, I mean, he's dead. You know, when I was a kid, I knew about a story with a horse and a woman in it. Hellen of Troy. I should have remembered that before I tangled with you. Why don't you get lost? Well, what if it was a matter with you? Look, Miss Bushnell, two minutes after I met you, you bagged me into a fistfight with your boyfriend with a phony kiss. I don't know how much you had to do with putting little nutty where he is, but I intend to find out. Sir, you're insane. Any fool, even you, Mr. Dollar, can plainly see that this boy's been kicking ahead by a horse. Lyla, Lyla, child, what you doing here? Why, who's that in the ground? What? It's little Nettie. Don't tell me he did. What would you be if you got kicked in ahead by a horse, Colonel? What? It's quite a poor boy. I held this lad in deep affection until just a few months back. He was my best jockey. What on earth was he doing around here at this time and I? From all I can say, little Nettie swapped his life for power drivers. As short as he was, it's a pretty big price to pay. Although, I guess you wouldn't think so, would you? Well, what's this? I demand an explanation of precisely what you mean to us. I mean that to some people a dead horse is more valuable than a live one. Too bad you can't go count your money. I'm gonna take my friend to the morgue. An hour later, little Nettie was resting better than I was. I'd made my report to the police and was back pasting the floor in my rented room. There wasn't a long walk. No! Yeah? This is Lala Bush now. I gotta see you right away. Why don't you start another fire? That'll draw me. I didn't have anything to do with that fire, but I must talk to you right away. Where can I meet you? Have you got a car? Yes, yes, I'll come anything. Well, pick me up here in 20 minutes. Come along and we'll take a little drive to the country. I want to be just the three of us. You and me and the do-drop. Dawn was making a dark grey promise in the sky when she picked me up. And a few easy to please birds and find something to sing about. During the first five miles, Lala denied everything except that she was a woman. And there was no hiding that. I had her pull in under a tree and said, "Well, then why'd you call me?" It was something you said to my father about a horse being more valuable dead than a lion. You sold me out once. What are you planning on now, selling out your old man? You women. You know if a truth is ever told, it'll probably come out. The Goldilocks cut her grandmother's throat to swipe the gold out of her teeth. Please don't make fun of me. Fun she calls it. Well, you have something to spill down on your chest. My father owes Leo Corbett $50,000. He lost at that non-pile driver. Leo's been demanded his money and father doesn't have it. And I heard Leo practically order father to destroy a power driver for the insurance. And what a daddy did I say to that? He said he'd do it. But I know he wouldn't. I know he didn't set that fire. How do you know? I just know that though. Now that'll sound good to a jury. Why are you coming to me with all this stuff? Because you're our only hope. Can't you buy power driver right away? It would solve everything. Everything but one thing. What's that? Why don't you go to all that trouble to get me punched in the eye? Oh, that's... Yeah. I just wanted to show Leo that he wasn't going to have everything his own way. And you look strong enough to do it. Well, that's a stupid answer. Why not? Makes your stupid kind of sense. He dropped me off at my rooming house where I dropped off to sleep. It was, however, only a four-hour plunge. Expense account item 5, 650. Cab fare to headquarters, homicide division, Chicago police. That's one city where the cops were an old-fashioned star, but they sure do operate for the new fashion speed. As witnessed, the enclosed report made by Lucan at Cray, six hours after filing of inquiries. According to the findings of the autopsy dollar, your hunch or whatever you call it was right. The deceased little Nettie was not kicked to death by a horse. The examination of the wound revealed that it was a bit of stood by a new horseshoe. If she won a horse's hope, would have left traces of straws, et cetera. We say that the fatal weapon was swung by a person or a person's unknown. As you suggested, he'd have to have been standing on his head to have a horseshoe make the market dead if the horse had kicked him. A lieutenant had made only one mistake. He should have said "person" or "person's known." Expense account item 6, 10 cents, two telephone calls. The idea I was working in, I'll give you for nothing. Expense account item 7, 650. Kent fare to administration building, Iowa for racetrack, where the afternoon's program was in progress, and where I got the whole hearted cooperation of the track officials and the use of a vacant office, in which to hold the meeting I had set up. I sat myself in a swivel chair and waited. [Music] Come in. [Music] Mr. Dollar, I can't tell you how happy I am that our transaction is about to be consummated. If you have the money with yourself, I'll drive with you. Wait a minute, Colonel, let's not go consummating too quickly. Boy, you indicated, I indicated over the phone just this. I said my offer was as good as it ever was. And to tell you the truth, it's not very good. No, see, who's there? Sit down, Colonel. Come in. Well, Leo, what are you doing up here? Anytime anybody shows up to hand over 60,000 of you for pile driver, I'm going to be here. That's exactly what this smart guy called me up to tell me he's about to do. Now, now, gentlemen, gentlemen, let's take it easy. Before I do anything, I want to make sure I'm not doing business with a murderer. Sir, I demand an explanation. What about you, Leo? Yes, how do I? Well, here it is. The Chicago police know two things. One, that last night's fire was set, and two, the little netty was murdered. And the little netty got a couple of lungfuls of smoke before he got hit over the head with a horseshoe. That means that whoever hit him over the head sucked in some smoke, too. Ah, I've never heard such a peck of no change in my life. What are you getting at, wise guy? That's what I told you. I don't want to do business with a murderer, especially 60,000 dollars worth. But I've made it easy on you to prove that you want. You see, I got a doctor in the next room with portable x-ray equipment. If you've got fire smoke in your lungs, it'll show up. Now, how about it? This is ridiculous. Why don't you leave the dick-tracy stuff to the funny papers? Because I don't feel like laughing. Now, once more, how about it? Take that. I still don't know what this tung-pooly is about, and I'll feel downright silly while I'm doing it. But I'm willing to take my casey. Okay. Leon, you're first. Follow me. Turning your back on a murderer is no way to stay healthy. But very often, it's a good way to get him to make this move. This one's dead, right out the door, knocking me down on roots. And the chase was on. Out of the building, and out toward the grandstand, and the racing circle. Man, there they go. On the outside, dreamy boy, by hand. They are on the front of somebody, and we've got his will here, by hand. And that's one race for the dreamy boy. It may have been dreamy boy at the quarter, and I'll attract what it was my quarry by 50 lengths, as he headed up an island to the grandstand. And that's why I have this dreamy boy at the end. [MUSIC] Dreamy boy was still doing fine down there, and I was moving up, up here. But up near the top of the grandstand, and onto the ramp leading to the press box section. [MUSIC] Justice Dreamy boy hit the three quarter, we hit the grandstand roof, and then we went into the stretch. [MUSIC] I slid behind a ventilator and showed myself a drawer shot. [MUSIC] He was loudly. [MUSIC] [MUSIC] Okay, Corbett, you're back. I'm a pioneer shot. [MUSIC] Corbett tried a few ventilators himself, and then apparently he decided the second time he fought me, he'd do better. He rushed in swinging. I was doing great, pretty pushes. But he finally moved inside and threw one. I just woke, but he came up past him with me. And he took off, straight to the back corner, edge of the pitch roof. He swung over the side and started to shinning down the 100-foot rain pipe. But that tape was built to carry rain, not people. [MUSIC] At the finish line of one tiny segment of the human race, it was gambler, arsonist, murderer, Leo Corbett, by a head. [MUSIC] The expense account item eight, dinner for two at the Changer Line, downtown Chicago, $34.46. Dinner itself only took 40 minutes and ate at the dollars. The rest of the evening of the money was spent listening to the story of her life. A story which would not by any means win any Pulitzer Prize, or for that matter any husband. But sometimes when you're interested in a girl like Lila, you have to act like you're interested in what she's saying. Expense account item nine, $57.72, airfare, Chicago to Hartford. Item 10, $1.50, one book to read on airplane titled "How to Win at the Races". As if I just hadn't found out, expense account total $1449.22. I guess you could call that horse sense. Signs yours truly, Johnny Dollar. [MUSIC] Ours truly, Johnny Dollar is produced and directed by Gordon T. Hughes and star Charles Russell. Script by Paul Dudley and Gil Dowd. Featured in the cast were Bill Copad, Dora Singleton, Jerry Housner, Herb Butterfield and Hal March. The special music is written and conducted by Wilbur Hatch. [MUSIC] Be sure to be with us at the same time next week when another unusual expense account is handed in by yours truly, Johnny Dollar. [MUSIC] Those mystery adventure shows we mentioned earlier, the fun and music and fabulous jackpot of "Sing It Again" and two outstanding music shows. They're on tap for you every Saturday on most of these same CBS stations. His country comes along with his sagebrush ballads and fondment rollers due with his songs and his great orchestra. In fact, you're invited to stay tuned right now for the fondment roll show. Or it follows immediately over most of these stations, Paul Masterson speaking. [MUSIC] This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System. [MUSIC]