# Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Neel Breer Matter (Encore) (EP4880)

An episode of [The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio| Daily Mystery Dramas](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/335549005), 2 Jan 2026, 35 min.

Audio: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/pdrl.fm/997ffb/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69247812/gd4880.mp3

Johnny travels to a small town when a doctor raises doubts about the cause of a death of a young man who supposedly died of a heart attack. Original Air Date: July 18, 1951 Originating from Hollywood Starring: Edmond O'Brien as Johnny Dollar Support the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.net Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715 Take the listener survey at http://survey.greatdetectives.net Give us a call at 208-991-4783 Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectives Follow us on Twitter @radiodetectives Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.

## Transcript

[0:28] Speaker 1: From Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham. I'm
[0:32] Speaker 1: taking a recording break. Please enjoy today's encore episode of
[0:36] Speaker 1: Yours Truly Johnny Dler. This episode was recorded several years ago,
[0:41] Speaker 1: so any offers or information contained in the episode may
[0:45] Speaker 1: not be valid unless reflected on our Great Detectives of
[0:49] Speaker 1: Old Time Radio website. But here is today's encore. Welcome
[0:56] Speaker 1: to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho.
[1:01] Speaker 1: This is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment,
[1:05] Speaker 1: email it to me Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net,
[1:09] Speaker 1: follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and become one
[1:14] Speaker 1: of our friends on Facebook, Facebook dot com slash Radio Detectives.
[1:20] Speaker 1: I don't want to remind you we do have Great
[1:22] Speaker 1: Detectives of Old Time Radio T shirts available, and we
[1:25] Speaker 1: currently have three design There's our General Great Detectives T
[1:30] Speaker 1: shirt design available at t shirt dot Great Detectives dot net.
[1:35] Speaker 1: Then there's our Johnny Dollar Anniversary T shirt at Yours
[1:39] Speaker 1: Truly dot Great Detectives dot net. And the Joe Friday
[1:43] Speaker 1: Never Said Just the Faxmam t shirt at Friday dot
[1:47] Speaker 1: Great Detectives dot net. Well, now it's time for this
[1:50] Speaker 1: week's episode of Yours Truly Johnny Dollar. The original airdate
[1:56] Speaker 1: on this one, July eighteenth, nineteen five fifty one, and
[2:01] Speaker 1: the title is The Neil Breer Matter.
[2:07] Speaker 2: W BBM fam Ure Cargo The refreshing delicious treat that
[2:11] Speaker 2: gives you chewing enjoyment presents for your listening enjoyment, Edmund
[2:15] Speaker 2: O'Brien as Johnny Dolla. You call me the old guy
[2:22] Speaker 2: Hamm of the local car and I did.
[2:23] Speaker 3: That's who I am. What do you want?
[2:25] Speaker 4: I wondered, when I could get together with you and
[2:27] Speaker 4: talk over the breadad? Which one was that Neil Briard
[2:30] Speaker 4: he died last week? Oh?
[2:32] Speaker 3: What do you want to talk about him? For funeral?
[2:34] Speaker 3: All over home?
[2:36] Speaker 2: I'm an investigator from his insurance company. They aren't convinced
[2:39] Speaker 2: that he died a natural death.
[2:42] Speaker 4: What do they think they know about it?
[2:43] Speaker 2: They received a letter from someone here in town who
[2:45] Speaker 2: said they weren't quite sure that. I'm sorry I can't
[2:49] Speaker 2: tell you that right now, but I'd like to go
[2:51] Speaker 2: over the case with him. Case close far as I'm concerned.
[2:54] Speaker 2: I'm busy with other work.
[2:56] Speaker 4: I'ms town. I'll have to start from someplace else.
[3:04] Speaker 2: The makers of Wrigley's Spearmint Chewing Gum bring you Edmund
[3:07] Speaker 2: O'Brien and a transcribed adventure of the Man with the
[3:09] Speaker 2: Action Packed Expenser Gum America's Fabulous Freelance Insurance Investigator Yours Truly,
[3:15] Speaker 2: Johnny Dollar or refreshment while you work. For enjoyment, anytime
[3:26] Speaker 2: chew a stick of Wrigley's Spearmint Gum. The delicious, long
[3:30] Speaker 2: lasting real mint flavor of Wrigley Spearmint cools your mouth
[3:33] Speaker 2: and freshens your taste. The good smooth chewing helps keep
[3:36] Speaker 2: you feeling fresh and alert. Adds enjoyment to whatever you're doing.
[3:40] Speaker 2: So indoors, outdoors, at work, or at play, Enjoy chewing
[3:45] Speaker 2: Wrigley's Spearmint Gum. Wrigley Spearmint Refreshing Delicious. Expense account submitted
[4:01] Speaker 2: by Special Investigator Johnny Dalla to home office, Great Eastern
[4:04] Speaker 2: Insurance Company, Hartford, Connecticut. The following is an accounting of
[4:07] Speaker 2: expenditures during my investigation of the Neil Brier matter. Expense
[4:13] Speaker 2: account Item one two hundred and thirty five dollars airfan
[4:15] Speaker 2: incidentals between Hartford and my destination. In compliance with the
[4:19] Speaker 2: company's request, I will not make that city in its
[4:22] Speaker 2: state a matter of this record, and I will leave
[4:24] Speaker 2: it up to the company.
[4:24] Speaker 4: It will strike the true names of the people involved.
[4:28] Speaker 2: My first personal contact was the man whose letter had
[4:30] Speaker 2: set off the investigation, doctor Henry Richards. We met in
[4:34] Speaker 2: his office secretly that evening, after his nurse had gone home.
[4:39] Speaker 5: I'm sorry to admit, mister Dollar, that there have been
[4:41] Speaker 5: moments when I regretted writing that letter. I have a
[4:44] Speaker 5: wife and a son and a practice to think about.
[4:46] Speaker 5: This is a small town, and I could be banished
[4:49] Speaker 5: for stirring up a lot of unnecessary trouble.
[4:51] Speaker 2: Both the company and I understand, doctor Richards, and we
[4:53] Speaker 2: want you to know that your letter and everything you
[4:55] Speaker 2: tell me will be kept in strict confidence if Neil
[4:58] Speaker 2: Brier's death was due to natural court. If it wasn't,
[5:00] Speaker 2: of course, the letter and my report will do you
[5:03] Speaker 2: no harm. Yes, I see you have nothing to worry about.
[5:05] Speaker 2: I'll be the villain. As a matter of fact, I
[5:08] Speaker 2: think I am one already. I talked to your Khana Hammel.
[5:11] Speaker 2: You told him why you were here. Yes, the only
[5:14] Speaker 2: way for me to handle this is to stay out
[5:15] Speaker 2: in the open with him and everyone else I make
[5:18] Speaker 2: a fool of myself. I'll take a late train out
[5:19] Speaker 2: of town. You told him you received a letter, Yes,
[5:21] Speaker 2: but not from whom. You're sure he doesn't suspect me.
[5:24] Speaker 2: He didn't sound like he did. There's no reason for
[5:26] Speaker 2: him too, is there. You wished the death certificate, didn't you? Yes, yes,
[5:30] Speaker 2: I did tell me about Breyer. How old was he?
[5:32] Speaker 5: He was twenty six. He was taken seriously ill at work.
[5:36] Speaker 5: Where did he work? He was part owner of a
[5:38] Speaker 5: service station. I was called there that morning. He was
[5:40] Speaker 5: in a coma when I arrived. But Burcher described his
[5:43] Speaker 5: convulsions to me. Burcher is his business partner, Yes, Wesley Burcher.
[5:48] Speaker 5: He described the convulsions quite clearly. It sounded as though
[5:51] Speaker 5: they were the result of a violent heart attack. I
[5:54] Speaker 5: want you to understand, mister Doller, a heart condition could
[5:56] Speaker 5: have caused the symptoms he described and his condition. When
[5:59] Speaker 5: I got there, I called for an ambulance, but he
[6:01] Speaker 5: was dead before it arrived. Do you know his medical history,
[6:04] Speaker 5: doctor Riches, Yes, yes I do. He's been coming to
[6:06] Speaker 5: me for a number of years. I was the attended
[6:09] Speaker 5: position at the high school during his junior and senior years.
[6:12] Speaker 5: He was a classmate of my son Allan, and he
[6:14] Speaker 5: and a number of the others continued to come to me. Vircher,
[6:17] Speaker 5: for one, did Breyer have trouble with his hut? Yes,
[6:20] Speaker 5: there had been a condition, but it wasn't serious at
[6:23] Speaker 5: his age. I told him that he'd have to be
[6:25] Speaker 5: careful when he reached a certain age. But I was
[6:28] Speaker 5: stunned at his death. I hesitated as long as I
[6:31] Speaker 5: could before I signed the death certificate. But as I
[6:35] Speaker 5: told you, if i'd refuse to sign it, I don't
[6:39] Speaker 5: think it's fair to ask a private physician to take
[6:41] Speaker 5: that responsibility.
[6:42] Speaker 2: I don't either that. It seems to me the way
[6:43] Speaker 2: we run things. What else might have caused his death?
[6:46] Speaker 4: Doctor?
[6:47] Speaker 2: Obviously a poison Yes it is mean hum it's a
[6:51] Speaker 2: metallic poisonism. Yes, how fast does it work?
[6:55] Speaker 5: Twenty to forty grains would be a fatal dose in
[6:57] Speaker 5: from ten to thirty minutes, and.
[6:58] Speaker 4: The sentence could have been those described as virtue.
[7:00] Speaker 5: Yes, convulsion. Colma Brier is buried here in town. Yes,
[7:05] Speaker 5: what are you going to do? You want to arrange
[7:07] Speaker 5: for an autopsy? I don't know how you'll do that.
[7:09] Speaker 4: I'm going to ask you.
[7:10] Speaker 2: To play one more part in this, and then I
[7:12] Speaker 2: won't invalue you anymore. You haven't told anyone about the letter.
[7:15] Speaker 4: You wrote us? No, no, not even my family.
[7:17] Speaker 2: All right, I'll come tomorrow morning, when your nurse will
[7:20] Speaker 2: be a witness. I'll demand that you show me Brier's
[7:23] Speaker 2: medical history, and I'll go to the Karner and ask
[7:25] Speaker 2: for an autopsy.
[7:26] Speaker 5: I know I started it, but I don't like it.
[7:28] Speaker 4: Now, believe the doctor.
[7:29] Speaker 2: You have nothing to worry about, and you wouldn't have
[7:31] Speaker 2: started it if you didn't want to see the right
[7:33] Speaker 2: thing done.
[7:33] Speaker 4: True. Yes, yes, I'll see you in the morning.
[7:43] Speaker 2: I made my appearance at the doctor's office the next morning,
[7:46] Speaker 2: was unpleasantly efficient with his nurse, went through Brier's medical
[7:49] Speaker 2: history and proceeded to the Kroner's office. The fact that
[7:53] Speaker 2: he held that public office had nothing to do with
[7:55] Speaker 2: mister Guy Hammill's personality. He was close to fifty and
[7:59] Speaker 2: it had taken year is to develop it. If he'd
[8:01] Speaker 2: been a banker or anything else, I'm sure he would
[8:03] Speaker 2: have been the same.
[8:05] Speaker 4: I caught him as he came out of his office.
[8:07] Speaker 2: I told you yesterday I was busy with other business.
[8:10] Speaker 4: I know, but I hoped you might spare just a
[8:11] Speaker 4: minute or two.
[8:12] Speaker 2: Why didn't you call for an appointment? That's what I
[8:14] Speaker 2: was doing yesterday when you told me you were too busy,
[8:16] Speaker 2: Well I am. Why don't you come back tomorrow sometime?
[8:19] Speaker 4: It would be faster to go to the state police,
[8:21] Speaker 4: mister Hamill.
[8:22] Speaker 2: Well, why don't you do that?
[8:24] Speaker 3: Then?
[8:24] Speaker 2: I want to play fair with you. I don't want
[8:26] Speaker 2: to go over ahead unless I have to. I'll keep
[8:28] Speaker 2: you from your lunch only a minute or two. Well,
[8:30] Speaker 2: all right, come on, you've got a lot of nerve,
[8:36] Speaker 2: you know, saying these things to me.
[8:37] Speaker 4: Maybe you're right, but I'm being paid to say then,
[8:39] Speaker 4: and a lot more. Right now, I'm going to.
[8:42] Speaker 2: Ask you to have bre his body exhumed, have an
[8:44] Speaker 2: autopsy performed. So you're an investigator from an insurance company
[8:47] Speaker 2: in Hartford, Well, I think it's time you brushed up
[8:50] Speaker 2: on municipal law. As a coroner, I'm required by law
[8:54] Speaker 2: to hold an in quest and order autopsy when there
[8:57] Speaker 2: is reasonable ground to suspect that the disease suffered a
[9:00] Speaker 2: viol or unnatural death, or died suddenly from some unknown car.
[9:04] Speaker 4: Yeah, it's a perfect quote.
[9:05] Speaker 2: Neil Brier died as a result of a heart attack,
[9:07] Speaker 2: and the competent doctor issued assigned the certificate to that effect.
[9:11] Speaker 2: Do you have reasonable ground?
[9:13] Speaker 4: Yes?
[9:13] Speaker 2: The letter I told her about reasonable in the fact
[9:16] Speaker 2: it said that Brier was young and healthy and that
[9:18] Speaker 2: there was a reasonable question.
[9:19] Speaker 4: About his dying of heart attack.
[9:21] Speaker 2: Did this person presume to know as much about Breer
[9:23] Speaker 2: as his doctor as much?
[9:25] Speaker 4: Maybe?
[9:26] Speaker 2: How familiar are you with poisons? Have you been trained
[9:28] Speaker 2: to diagnose their symptoms and so on?
[9:30] Speaker 4: No? I haven't.
[9:31] Speaker 2: I rely on the attendant doctors to inform me. I'm
[9:34] Speaker 2: not blaming it for that, But has it ever occurred
[9:36] Speaker 2: to you that every practicing physician is not an expert toxicologist.
[9:40] Speaker 2: The study of poisons is almost a science in itself.
[9:43] Speaker 2: It's not my job to check up on the doctors
[9:45] Speaker 2: that signed the certificates. And what's just about poison. There
[9:49] Speaker 2: is a poison that, while it's killing, is the same
[9:51] Speaker 2: symptoms as a heart attack. I'm adding that to the
[9:54] Speaker 2: letter the insurance company received to me. That adds up
[9:57] Speaker 2: to reasonable grounds for suspicion. You know, I think your
[10:01] Speaker 2: heart is in the right place. I don't go for
[10:03] Speaker 2: this poppy cock, but I can see how you would
[10:06] Speaker 2: get upset.
[10:06] Speaker 4: It's not me.
[10:07] Speaker 2: It's the insurance company that doesn't like even the possibility
[10:10] Speaker 2: that murderer suicide can be committed and changes off to
[10:13] Speaker 2: death by natural causes simply because a doctor sunds a
[10:16] Speaker 2: death certificate. Now do I get my autopsy cacious closed?
[10:20] Speaker 2: No matter what you say, I think.
[10:21] Speaker 4: It's the law.
[10:22] Speaker 2: Do youlding Briers survivors will feel the same way as
[10:25] Speaker 2: father and widow. I don't know.
[10:26] Speaker 4: You can go ahead.
[10:28] Speaker 2: If his survivors demanded an autopsy and I don't think
[10:31] Speaker 2: they're fooled enough to then I'll accept that as reasonable
[10:34] Speaker 2: sticipicion and I'll order an autopsy that's good enough. And
[10:37] Speaker 2: if you talk them into it, you're going to be
[10:39] Speaker 2: held responsible as far as I'm concerned. Now, I'd like
[10:42] Speaker 2: to eat my lunch, if you don't mind. I spent
[10:49] Speaker 2: the rest of the day in the Hall of Records
[10:50] Speaker 2: and then pouring over old newspapers in the high school
[10:53] Speaker 2: yearbook of Neil Brier's graduation. By that evening I had
[10:57] Speaker 2: a fair picture of the boy's background. It's been a
[10:59] Speaker 2: hard work student, a good athlete. He'd it open with
[11:02] Speaker 2: a classmate, Paula Wilson less than a month after they'd
[11:04] Speaker 2: left school, and since then he had lived a completely
[11:06] Speaker 2: average small town life. There would be no reason for
[11:09] Speaker 2: suspicion except for the doctor's letter and his statement to me.
[11:13] Speaker 2: So I kept that foremost in my mind. And after
[11:15] Speaker 2: a six thirty dinner, I want to pay a call
[11:17] Speaker 2: on Brea's widow, an attractive girl who turned to Nash
[11:20] Speaker 2: and Grave when I told her why i'd come.
[11:23] Speaker 6: Why why would anyone say such a thing?
[11:26] Speaker 4: I don't know, Missus Brier, as they had reason to believe.
[11:29] Speaker 6: It, believe what I don't understand. Why should anyone think
[11:33] Speaker 6: Neil died from poison?
[11:34] Speaker 4: I want to see doctor Richards this morning.
[11:36] Speaker 2: I demanded that he showed me your husband's medical record.
[11:39] Speaker 2: There was a heart condition, but it shouldn't have been fatal,
[11:42] Speaker 2: not at his age.
[11:43] Speaker 6: Nobody told me fleely be alone.
[11:48] Speaker 2: I can't missus Brier And after coming this fun learning
[11:51] Speaker 2: what I've learned, I can't stop until an automps he
[11:54] Speaker 2: has performed and I learned the truth. Whichever way it goes, no,
[11:57] Speaker 2: it would be much easier for all of us. I
[11:58] Speaker 2: think if you'd help me.
[12:00] Speaker 6: You won't Dad stand it you can't ask me to
[12:03] Speaker 6: go through.
[12:03] Speaker 4: It all again. I'd hoped you'd want to know the
[12:06] Speaker 4: truth yourself. I know the truth.
[12:08] Speaker 6: Neil is dead and there's nothing I can do about it.
[12:11] Speaker 4: Nothing to leave me alone. Please go and leave you alone.
[12:24] Speaker 2: Neil Gray's father ran a small grocery store with living
[12:27] Speaker 2: quarters above. At first meeting, I hope form all cooperation
[12:31] Speaker 2: from him. He evidently had a calmra acceptance of that.
[12:34] Speaker 2: You should have come to me first. I could have
[12:37] Speaker 2: told you about Paula. Grief eat honest. After a person's
[12:41] Speaker 2: dead and a person's alive and suffering, then it's honest.
[12:46] Speaker 2: But after a person's dead, you ain't really feeling grief
[12:50] Speaker 2: for them, You're feeling it for yourself. I suppose you've
[12:53] Speaker 2: got a pointless prayer. I made up my mind to
[12:56] Speaker 2: that after Neil's mother died. And some people think it's cruel,
[13:01] Speaker 2: But at a time like that, the big problem in dying,
[13:04] Speaker 2: it's living on. Mister Brayer, after what I've told you,
[13:07] Speaker 2: would you request an autopsy?
[13:09] Speaker 4: No? No, I won't.
[13:11] Speaker 2: Don't you want to be sure why your son died.
[13:13] Speaker 2: I am satisfied he had heart trouble. We all knew
[13:16] Speaker 2: it I described a possible poison to you.
[13:19] Speaker 4: There'd be no way for Neil to get it.
[13:22] Speaker 2: Oh, I know about insurance do I don't like what's
[13:25] Speaker 2: behind what you're saying, and I'm not going to take
[13:27] Speaker 2: no part in bringing up things that are finished.
[13:30] Speaker 4: What do you think is behind what I'm saying.
[13:32] Speaker 2: I know about Neil's new insurance policy, and I know
[13:35] Speaker 2: about suicide clauses. You think my son took his own life,
[13:39] Speaker 2: and I tell you he didn't. You're wrong, mister Brayer.
[13:42] Speaker 2: Would be stupid to him, fay anything like that, not
[13:44] Speaker 2: knowing the cause of death. And that's all I want
[13:47] Speaker 2: to know. What made your son die?
[13:49] Speaker 4: I told you.
[13:49] Speaker 2: I'm satisfied how he died. He's beyond this world now
[13:53] Speaker 2: and I won't have him brought back.
[14:05] Speaker 6: Good evening, Sir.
[14:06] Speaker 4: H Keeter owned three twelve leaves.
[14:08] Speaker 6: Yes, sir, Oh uh, mister dollar. You've had a couple
[14:11] Speaker 6: of calls, the last one just a minute ago.
[14:13] Speaker 4: Oh thanks? No name, no, sir? Who took the calls? Please?
[14:18] Speaker 7: I did?
[14:19] Speaker 6: We don't have a regular phone operator.
[14:21] Speaker 4: Oh, this gentleman, what did he say?
[14:24] Speaker 6: Why he asked for you?
[14:25] Speaker 4: No?
[14:25] Speaker 6: The first time he asked if you were registered here
[14:28] Speaker 6: and had me ring your room. Then he called back
[14:30] Speaker 6: a minute ago. He seemed awfully upset.
[14:32] Speaker 4: Did you ask his name?
[14:33] Speaker 6: Yes, but he said never mind, I'll call back.
[14:36] Speaker 2: Could you tell anything about the boys, like whether it
[14:38] Speaker 2: was an old man or a young man?
[14:40] Speaker 6: Uh, well, I'd say it was young, yes, young and
[14:44] Speaker 6: almost hysterical.
[14:46] Speaker 4: Yeah, here's my card an ID.
[14:49] Speaker 6: Yes, sir.
[14:49] Speaker 4: When this man calls again, I want you to listen
[14:51] Speaker 4: to the conversation in trouble. Oh you won't.
[14:54] Speaker 2: Maybe over a legal matter. I'd like to have a witness.
[14:56] Speaker 2: I can't pay for your help, because paid witness is no.
[14:59] Speaker 4: Good with it healthy.
[15:00] Speaker 6: He's sure it's all right, it is.
[15:01] Speaker 4: That's a promise.
[15:02] Speaker 8: Thanks, So go right up to my room.
[15:15] Speaker 3: All music in just a moment.
[15:16] Speaker 9: But now I'd like to say this to the young
[15:18] Speaker 9: women between the ages eighteen to thirty four. If you've
[15:21] Speaker 9: been wondering how you can help out in America's fight
[15:24] Speaker 9: for freedom and liberty, investigate the many important jobs now
[15:27] Speaker 9: open in the Women's Army Corps. It is again an
[15:30] Speaker 9: important part of our team for defence. Get complete information
[15:33] Speaker 9: at your local Army recruiting station.
[15:36] Speaker 7: And now back to the music.
[15:37] Speaker 9: Here's a request from a certain party over on Oak
[15:40] Speaker 9: Street who signed her no rests.
[15:42] Speaker 3: She wants to dedicate this.
[15:47] Speaker 10: You don't know who this is, mister Donald, but you've
[15:49] Speaker 10: got to listen to me. You've got to stop what
[15:51] Speaker 10: you're doing and leave town because there's no reason for
[15:53] Speaker 10: you to be here.
[15:54] Speaker 3: You're hurting people, You're trying.
[15:56] Speaker 10: To cause a lot of trouble that there's no reason
[15:58] Speaker 10: for You've got to stop you. It doesn't make any difference.
[16:01] Speaker 10: You've got to stop, that's all. There's no reason for
[16:04] Speaker 10: you to be here.
[16:05] Speaker 2: The fact that you call like this and won't give
[16:07] Speaker 2: me your name makes me wonder if there isn't more
[16:08] Speaker 2: reason than I thought.
[16:09] Speaker 3: You've got to stop. I don't want you to hurt
[16:12] Speaker 3: these people.
[16:12] Speaker 2: I'm warning you, warning, Yes, I'm warning you.
[16:15] Speaker 3: If you don't stop, you're going to be hurt.
[16:18] Speaker 4: Wow Illow, I was the same an and you heard
[16:24] Speaker 4: him warn me.
[16:24] Speaker 3: I heard him all right?
[16:25] Speaker 4: Good? Now, would you get me the home phone number
[16:28] Speaker 4: of Karna Guy Hammel.
[16:40] Speaker 2: Or refreshment while you work for enjoyment? Anytime? Chew is
[16:44] Speaker 2: dick of Wrigley's spearmint gum. When your mouth feels dry,
[16:47] Speaker 2: when you're warm or tired. Wriggly's spearmant is really refreshing.
[16:51] Speaker 2: The lively, full bodied real mint flavor cools your mouth,
[16:55] Speaker 2: moistens your throat, freshens your taste, and the chewing itself
[16:58] Speaker 2: gives you a little lift, helps to feed your best
[17:01] Speaker 2: and do your best. So for chewing enjoyment plus pleasant refreshment,
[17:05] Speaker 2: chew delicious Wrigley Spearmint gum. And now with our star
[17:12] Speaker 2: Edmund O'Brien, we bring you the second act of yours
[17:14] Speaker 2: truly jolly dollar. Yeah, dollmice, ammo oh, yes, good morning.
[17:38] Speaker 2: And I suppose you feel perky this morning and then
[17:41] Speaker 2: I felt yesterday afternoon. I can sell you that. And
[17:43] Speaker 2: I suppose you've got a right the toxicologists on his
[17:46] Speaker 2: way from the State Capitol, the body of you ready
[17:48] Speaker 2: for him and his helpers when they get here. I
[17:52] Speaker 2: hope you understand that I couldn't do anything with what
[17:55] Speaker 2: I did.
[17:55] Speaker 4: Sure I do. All I have to go by is
[17:58] Speaker 4: the death certificate.
[17:59] Speaker 2: That's something like that phone call or who comes up,
[18:01] Speaker 2: and then I can move. I suppose you never thought
[18:03] Speaker 2: of it, but your position and out of a big
[18:05] Speaker 2: share of the khanas in the country is pretty much
[18:07] Speaker 2: the same as the position of the insurance companies, and
[18:10] Speaker 2: all they've got to go on is the certificate to
[18:13] Speaker 2: doctor signs won the company meets the claim. Nobody'll even
[18:16] Speaker 2: know how many poisonings have been chalked off to natural causes,
[18:20] Speaker 2: not because the doctor isn't sincere as a rule, but
[18:22] Speaker 2: because he hasn't had the training to rate the responsibility
[18:25] Speaker 2: of making the decision. Well, it's nine thirty. Those men
[18:30] Speaker 2: from the Capitol should be here in an hour or less.
[18:32] Speaker 2: I guess i'd better shae you that things are ready
[18:34] Speaker 2: for them. You want to be on hand.
[18:36] Speaker 4: Oh, thanks, ConA.
[18:37] Speaker 2: I'll leave my name number with the clerk if you
[18:39] Speaker 2: haven't phoned me when they're through.
[18:40] Speaker 7: Huh.
[18:46] Speaker 2: I'd boned up on it enough to know that a
[18:48] Speaker 2: metallic poison such as bismine would leave traces in spite
[18:50] Speaker 2: of embalming, where other types.
[18:52] Speaker 4: Would be impossible to detect.
[18:54] Speaker 2: I also knew approximately the tests and analyzes they would
[18:57] Speaker 2: have to make, and I didn't think it would take
[18:59] Speaker 2: experts very long.
[19:00] Speaker 4: It didn't. At two o'clock that afternoon, the results will
[19:04] Speaker 4: phone me. Hello, doctor Richard, speaking as Johnny Daller doctor.
[19:14] Speaker 3: Oh, yes, what is it?
[19:16] Speaker 2: You should feel proud of yourself, Sir Neil Brier's death
[19:19] Speaker 2: was caused by bisman?
[19:20] Speaker 3: What's that? An analysis was made. I didn't know anything
[19:23] Speaker 3: about it.
[19:23] Speaker 4: It was kept under cover. A man from the state
[19:25] Speaker 4: capitol came over. They just finished.
[19:27] Speaker 3: Well, and my instinct to write the letter was sound.
[19:29] Speaker 4: Certainly was. And I hope you get the credit you deserve.
[19:32] Speaker 3: But at least you and I can meet in public
[19:35] Speaker 3: about dinner tonight.
[19:36] Speaker 2: I'd like to, but I can't promise. Actually, this case
[19:38] Speaker 2: has just started for me. Of course I should have
[19:40] Speaker 2: thought of that, and I am right back to you
[19:42] Speaker 2: for help again. Yes, certainly about the availability of bisman,
[19:46] Speaker 2: Where could Brie have gotten a hold of some very.
[19:50] Speaker 3: Small amounts of it are used in the treatment of
[19:52] Speaker 3: certain blood disorders. It's not a common drug by any means.
[19:55] Speaker 3: I really don't know where a layman would get it.
[19:57] Speaker 4: Okay, Uh, well, all right, thanks doctor, of course.
[20:01] Speaker 3: Good luck. Call me if there's anything I can do.
[20:09] Speaker 2: The inquest was not to be held until the following morning,
[20:11] Speaker 2: but I asked for and got permission to start my
[20:13] Speaker 2: investigation before the formal pronouncement of the jury. We all
[20:17] Speaker 2: knew what it would be, death self inflicted of either
[20:20] Speaker 2: hand a person or person's unknown.
[20:31] Speaker 3: Authority.
[20:33] Speaker 4: Yes, yes, missus Kelly.
[20:35] Speaker 2: Sam's ley to work today, but when he gets here,
[20:37] Speaker 2: I'll send it right over.
[20:39] Speaker 4: Yes, thank you. I was mister Dowler. You did it,
[20:44] Speaker 4: didn't you.
[20:45] Speaker 2: I'm sorry, but at this point I'm hardly the one
[20:47] Speaker 2: to blame him. I I blame you for tearing up
[20:49] Speaker 2: our lives again. It was better before, No matter what.
[20:53] Speaker 2: Sometimes ignorance is more merciful than knowing things.
[20:56] Speaker 4: I'm afraid I can't agree with that.
[20:58] Speaker 2: I don't make no different, and we know, and we'll
[21:02] Speaker 2: have to take the things that come with it. You
[21:04] Speaker 2: mentioned suicide yesterday, mister Brayer, did you have any reason
[21:08] Speaker 2: other than being angry with insurance companies?
[21:10] Speaker 4: And me?
[21:11] Speaker 6: Not?
[21:11] Speaker 4: No definite one, nothing? He told me? What reason? Then?
[21:15] Speaker 2: Meel and me weren't very close, hadn't been for quite
[21:18] Speaker 2: a time. I didn't like his marror and that girl
[21:21] Speaker 2: the way he did, and he knew it. What do
[21:23] Speaker 2: you mean the way he did, running off her barely
[21:26] Speaker 2: the age of consent, and he him not much older.
[21:29] Speaker 2: I told him they was ashamed to tell their parents
[21:31] Speaker 2: because they knew it wasn't decent.
[21:33] Speaker 4: Haven't they been happy?
[21:34] Speaker 2: I'm not sure either way. Neil didn't come home much
[21:38] Speaker 2: and he wouldn't tell me anyhow. But his business partner,
[21:42] Speaker 2: young Wes Bircher come to talk to me, asked me,
[21:44] Speaker 2: what was ailan'?
[21:45] Speaker 4: Neil said something was he was down in the mouth
[21:48] Speaker 4: all the time. And on the strength of that, you
[21:50] Speaker 4: mentioned suicide to me.
[21:51] Speaker 2: You know, when I learned you was an insurance man
[21:54] Speaker 2: after something, and then you talked about poison. That's when
[21:57] Speaker 2: I figured you thought it was suicide on account of
[21:59] Speaker 2: that new policy he took out.
[22:02] Speaker 4: It was very much.
[22:03] Speaker 2: Is it all right, mister Brayer, I'll go down and
[22:05] Speaker 2: talk to Wes Birchard.
[22:13] Speaker 7: Mister Brewer is talking about Oh sure, I went out
[22:16] Speaker 7: to see him. I dropped by the store and buy
[22:19] Speaker 7: a pack of cigarettes once in a while. When did
[22:22] Speaker 7: this happen about Neil? Anyway? This thing about.
[22:24] Speaker 4: Poisons yesterday and they assumed his body and made some tests.
[22:29] Speaker 7: I just can't believe it. And his dad talking about suicide.
[22:34] Speaker 7: Nothing seems to make sense to me. And you don't
[22:36] Speaker 7: think he was depressed about his marriage, Well, not depressed exactly,
[22:40] Speaker 7: But then what I said to his dad, was that
[22:44] Speaker 7: Neil didn't seem to be interested in anything anymore. We
[22:47] Speaker 7: used to go honey and fishing. He loved it, but
[22:50] Speaker 7: the past year maybe less. Well, he just lost interest.
[22:54] Speaker 7: But I never said had anything to do with his
[22:56] Speaker 7: marriage to Paula. Mister B told me, well, he's wrong.
[23:00] Speaker 7: I never talked to him about her about their marriage
[23:03] Speaker 7: because I know that he was just against it.
[23:05] Speaker 4: What do you think was wrong with Neil?
[23:07] Speaker 7: Well, I don't know.
[23:08] Speaker 6: No.
[23:09] Speaker 7: After he died, I figured it was because he'd been sick.
[23:12] Speaker 7: I felt terrible about how hard he worked around here,
[23:14] Speaker 7: and except that he never said anything about it, I
[23:17] Speaker 7: was half blaming myself. But now with this stuff about poison,
[23:21] Speaker 7: I just don't know what to say.
[23:23] Speaker 2: You realize how serious this is now. If it wasn't suicide,
[23:26] Speaker 2: was it was murdered?
[23:28] Speaker 7: Yeah, that's right, isn't it? Everything you told me I
[23:32] Speaker 7: just never thought about that.
[23:33] Speaker 4: Was there something wrong with Neil's marriage?
[23:36] Speaker 2: Well, I know it's tough because to tell me you
[23:38] Speaker 2: have to talk about friends that you've known for a
[23:40] Speaker 2: long time.
[23:41] Speaker 4: But the truth has to come out. I'm not the
[23:43] Speaker 4: only one that'll question.
[23:44] Speaker 7: You with Well, I don't mind talking. I don't think
[23:48] Speaker 7: anything I say will mean anything. Everybody will tell you
[23:50] Speaker 7: the same thing. There wasn't one person in our graduating
[23:54] Speaker 7: class that thought paul and Neil should have gotten married.
[23:56] Speaker 7: Why because it was also one sided. Neil chased her
[24:00] Speaker 7: all through school and Paula just sort of laughed at him.
[24:05] Speaker 7: After they were married, they used to come over and
[24:06] Speaker 7: spend the evening with my wife and me, and well,
[24:09] Speaker 7: even then you got the idea that it wasn't quite right.
[24:12] Speaker 7: The only time paul ever got interested is when we
[24:14] Speaker 7: got talking about we were in school.
[24:17] Speaker 4: Why did they get married?
[24:18] Speaker 3: Was?
[24:19] Speaker 4: Oh, Paula.
[24:21] Speaker 7: And everybody knows this. Paula's strong will and the guy
[24:25] Speaker 7: that you really liked in school had to go to
[24:27] Speaker 7: medical college. She didn't want him to go away, and
[24:31] Speaker 7: when he told her he had to go, she just
[24:33] Speaker 7: got sore. She threw herself at Neil and they ran
[24:36] Speaker 7: away and got married.
[24:37] Speaker 4: And do you think he knew that?
[24:38] Speaker 7: Maybe not when he should have, but he must have
[24:41] Speaker 7: fought out. He never said anything like I said. He
[24:45] Speaker 7: didn't seem depressed, more like he was always trying to,
[24:49] Speaker 7: you know, get her to love him. Gosh, I don't know.
[24:54] Speaker 7: Maybe he did do something, maybe finally gave up. And
[24:57] Speaker 7: who is this other guy?
[24:58] Speaker 9: Is?
[24:58] Speaker 4: He's still here in town?
[25:00] Speaker 7: Yeah, yeah, he's here for the summer. He's Al Riches,
[25:04] Speaker 7: Alan Richards, Yeah, Dark Richard's son. They went together also
[25:08] Speaker 7: a school. But she just told him that she wouldn't
[25:10] Speaker 7: wait for him fiatical way.
[25:11] Speaker 2: She sounds spoiled. I suppose you tell me what happened
[25:14] Speaker 2: here that Daniel died. According to Virtue, nothing unusual had
[25:21] Speaker 2: happened that day. They'd opened their place at seven point thirty,
[25:24] Speaker 2: they hadn't worked unusually hard. They'd taken a break at
[25:26] Speaker 2: about nine, and Neil Brie had been taken ill about
[25:29] Speaker 2: twenty five minutes later, and as I'd heard, he was
[25:32] Speaker 2: dead not long after that. These people didn't fit into
[25:35] Speaker 2: a picture of murder. One of the innocent ones had
[25:38] Speaker 2: suspected it for a minute, but it was murder. I
[25:41] Speaker 2: didn't have any proof of it when I ended up
[25:43] Speaker 2: the service station, but I thought I had answers to
[25:45] Speaker 2: a lot of questions. The solution was pathetically simple, prayer
[26:00] Speaker 2: for I don't have to valley again.
[26:02] Speaker 7: What do you want?
[26:03] Speaker 4: Haven't you caused enough trouble? The trouble started before I
[26:06] Speaker 4: came here, I come in.
[26:09] Speaker 7: Hy They called me about the inquest.
[26:14] Speaker 2: I told you yesterday that it would be easier if
[26:16] Speaker 2: you'd help me get one. You didn't say it had
[26:18] Speaker 2: to be done without you. Now that I've learned your
[26:20] Speaker 2: husband was murdered, there girl, you wasn't murdered.
[26:24] Speaker 4: How do you know that? I didn't.
[26:27] Speaker 7: I know that no one would murder him.
[26:29] Speaker 4: There could be no reason to. How do you think
[26:31] Speaker 4: he died? I don't know.
[26:34] Speaker 6: If this story about poison is true, he must have
[26:36] Speaker 6: taken it himself.
[26:37] Speaker 4: Why do you think he would have done that? I
[26:38] Speaker 4: don't know. I've talked to people. I know more about
[26:40] Speaker 4: you and Neil than you think I do.
[26:43] Speaker 6: Hy. I didn't love him.
[26:45] Speaker 7: He knew it. I could never love him.
[26:47] Speaker 4: That's why he committed suicide.
[26:49] Speaker 1: I don't know.
[26:50] Speaker 6: He asked me why he would. We weren't happy.
[26:53] Speaker 4: Why didn't you get a divorce? I don't know. We
[26:57] Speaker 4: didn't want to.
[26:58] Speaker 7: There are only certain.
[27:00] Speaker 4: Grounds in the stake. You aren't cut out for this part,
[27:02] Speaker 4: missus Breer? What part? Quick answers? You're scared stiff? I am.
[27:06] Speaker 2: Didn't you start to say that you wanted a divorce
[27:08] Speaker 2: and then you thought better than No, I didn't. What
[27:10] Speaker 2: you meant is that he wouldn't give you a divorce,
[27:12] Speaker 2: no matter what you did, is no?
[27:14] Speaker 4: No, that isn't what I meant. Then what I said?
[27:16] Speaker 4: What about Alan Richards?
[27:18] Speaker 6: What about him?
[27:19] Speaker 4: Neil wouldn't divorce you, and you just had to get
[27:21] Speaker 4: away from him? Isn't that right? I don't know what
[27:23] Speaker 4: you're saying. Neil's heart?
[27:25] Speaker 2: He said, why don't you tell me you married him
[27:28] Speaker 2: on impulse? You knew you shouldn't have you talked to Yes,
[27:33] Speaker 2: I have?
[27:34] Speaker 3: What did he say?
[27:34] Speaker 4: He called me last night to want me to leave town.
[27:36] Speaker 7: No, No, you talked to him today.
[27:37] Speaker 6: He told you.
[27:38] Speaker 4: You tell me you're a part of its.
[27:41] Speaker 7: Lost, isn't it?
[27:43] Speaker 4: You know?
[27:43] Speaker 7: Don't you?
[27:43] Speaker 4: Yeah? I think I do.
[27:45] Speaker 6: We couldn't help it.
[27:46] Speaker 4: Il came home for Christmas vacation and it started all
[27:49] Speaker 4: over again. I love him.
[27:52] Speaker 3: I love him, so.
[27:57] Speaker 4: We couldn't help it. I wanted to get into was new.
[28:00] Speaker 4: Wouldn't it was his fault too? This was near Christmas.
[28:04] Speaker 4: He told me and knew why I married him, and
[28:06] Speaker 4: he'd never let me go. He told me I deserved
[28:10] Speaker 4: it for doing what I did to him.
[28:12] Speaker 7: I him.
[28:13] Speaker 4: Did he know why you wanted to leave him?
[28:15] Speaker 6: No, nobody knew.
[28:18] Speaker 7: Everybody forgot about Alan and me. We were careful, but
[28:23] Speaker 7: we knew we had to do something.
[28:25] Speaker 4: Alan was studying to be a doctor like his father,
[28:27] Speaker 4: wasn't he It was my fault.
[28:29] Speaker 1: I should have waited for him.
[28:31] Speaker 4: He decided on the poison. Oh, yes, it was all
[28:36] Speaker 4: going to work. Neil's heart.
[28:39] Speaker 6: No one would ever ask a question, But it was
[28:43] Speaker 6: my fault.
[28:45] Speaker 4: It was my fault.
[28:59] Speaker 2: The rest of it I gave to the police the
[29:00] Speaker 2: fact that the uncommon poison was available to a medical student,
[29:04] Speaker 2: was administered by way of a vacuum bottle of coffee.
[29:07] Speaker 4: After that, I left town.
[29:10] Speaker 2: Expense account item too miscellanius eighty six dollars and seventy
[29:13] Speaker 2: cents item free, same as itam on transportation back to
[29:16] Speaker 2: Hartford expense account total of five hundred and fifty six
[29:19] Speaker 2: dollars and seventy cents.
[29:20] Speaker 4: Remarks. I hope the company will understand my not going
[29:23] Speaker 4: back to doctor Richards. A doctor in doubt about a
[29:26] Speaker 4: death certificate.
[29:27] Speaker 2: Calling on the interest of insurance company for confidential help
[29:31] Speaker 2: is a splendid idea, but in this case, the doctor's
[29:34] Speaker 2: son was an accomplice a murder.
[29:37] Speaker 4: Yours truly, Johnny Dollar.
[29:51] Speaker 2: Remember friends or refreshment? Why did your work for enjoyment?
[29:55] Speaker 4: Anny time?
[29:56] Speaker 2: Jewistick of Wrigley's Spearman God, there's lots of life. Havely
[30:00] Speaker 2: real mint flavor in it to cool your mouth, freshen
[30:02] Speaker 2: your taste and sweeten your breath. And chewing Wrigley's spearmint
[30:06] Speaker 2: helps keep you fresh and alert. You feel better, work better,
[30:10] Speaker 2: get more fun out of doing things. So indoors, outdoors,
[30:14] Speaker 2: at work or at play, always keep delicious Wrigley Spearmint
[30:18] Speaker 2: chewing gum handy for refreshment while you work for enjoyment.
[30:22] Speaker 2: Anytime chew a stick of Wrigley's Spearmint gum, yours truly,
[30:31] Speaker 2: Johnny Dollar.
[30:32] Speaker 4: Brought to you by Wriggley.
[30:33] Speaker 2: Spearmint Gum stars Edmund O'Brien in the title role and
[30:36] Speaker 2: is written by Gil Dowd with music by Eddie Dunsteader.
[30:40] Speaker 2: Edmund O'Brien can soon be seen starring in the Paramount
[30:42] Speaker 2: Pictures production Warpath. Featured in Tonight's cast were Ralph Moody,
[30:46] Speaker 2: Edgar Barrier, Jodival gene Bates, Mary Ship Tony Barrett and
[30:50] Speaker 2: Peter Leeds. Yours, Truly Johnny Dollar is transcribed in Hollywood
[30:55] Speaker 2: by him Dobai the makers of Brigley Expearment Chewing Gum.
[31:06] Speaker 2: Hope you've enjoyed tonight's story of Johnny Dollar. I have
[31:09] Speaker 2: that you're enjoying delicious Brigley Expeariment Gum every day. We
[31:13] Speaker 2: invite you to join us next week at the same
[31:15] Speaker 2: time when from Hollywood, Edmund O'Brien returns in another adventure
[31:20] Speaker 2: of it as Truly Johnny Dolla. Bob Stevenson speaking. This
[31:37] Speaker 2: is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.
[31:43] Speaker 1: Welcome back. Well, I really enjoyed this story, and this
[31:47] Speaker 1: has been one of my favorite O'Brien stories that we've
[31:51] Speaker 1: heard in recent weeks. So we didn't actually get to
[31:54] Speaker 1: listen to this one when we were playing the O'Brien episodes. Originally,
[31:59] Speaker 1: this only came into circulation in recent years. We were
[32:03] Speaker 1: already into the Bob Bailey era when that happened, and
[32:08] Speaker 1: so we did some special weeks to play some of
[32:12] Speaker 1: these episodes that came into circulation for O'Brien and Lunn.
[32:17] Speaker 1: One thing I did find curious is them not actually
[32:21] Speaker 1: naming the city and making a point of that and
[32:24] Speaker 1: hoping the insurance company would change the names being listed. Now.
[32:30] Speaker 1: I found that curious because when you get into the
[32:32] Speaker 1: Bob Bailey era, there's this idea, and this is a
[32:36] Speaker 1: key plot point that Johnny's adventures are broadcast over the radio,
[32:42] Speaker 1: which is not something being done during the O'Brien era.
[32:47] Speaker 1: There are two things that occurred to me. Maybe this
[32:50] Speaker 1: was just kind of mentioned as like a wink before
[32:55] Speaker 1: it became an ongoing plot point. The other possibility that
[33:00] Speaker 1: hurst to me is that a real life case might
[33:04] Speaker 1: have been the basis for the story. I'd mentioned how
[33:07] Speaker 1: Dragnet had influenced other programs, so I don't think it
[33:13] Speaker 1: would be very surprising if they took a sort of
[33:19] Speaker 1: story that had happened in another city and in real
[33:23] Speaker 1: life and told it but were careful to avoid giving
[33:28] Speaker 1: any hints and change some details. Again, it's just a
[33:32] Speaker 1: very curious note to have in there. Having Ralph Moody
[33:36] Speaker 1: Pali the Corner was an interesting choice, and I kept
[33:42] Speaker 1: being unable to think of anything other than his role
[33:47] Speaker 1: in the Dragnet special The Big Little Jesus, where he
[33:51] Speaker 1: plays mister Flavin the owner of the religious bookshop who
[33:57] Speaker 1: told Friday and Smith that they would never find the
[34:02] Speaker 1: person who stole the statue of the Child Jesus because
[34:06] Speaker 1: anyone who did that was a crazy person and they
[34:10] Speaker 1: would be where crazy people are. I wonder if I
[34:12] Speaker 1: watched and listen to that special a few too many times,
[34:16] Speaker 1: it is burned on my memory. So if Ralph Moody
[34:21] Speaker 1: is playing this character telling our hero, no, something can't
[34:25] Speaker 1: be done, That's what I'm going to leap towards now.
[34:28] Speaker 1: I do want to go ahead and thank our Patreon
[34:30] Speaker 1: supporter of the day. Thank you to Lease, Patreon supporter
[34:35] Speaker 1: since July twenty seventeen, currently supporting us at the rookie
[34:39] Speaker 1: level of two dollars a more per month. Thank you
[34:42] Speaker 1: so much for your support, Lease, And that will do
[34:44] Speaker 1: it for today. Join us back here tomorrow for an
[34:47] Speaker 1: episode of suspense based on an indictment script, and then
[34:51] Speaker 1: next Friday we'll be back with another episode of Yours
[34:54] Speaker 1: Truley Johnny Dollar, and then next Saturday we'll be premiering
[34:59] Speaker 1: The Silent Man. In the meantime, send your comments to
[35:02] Speaker 1: Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net. Follow us on
[35:07] Speaker 1: Twitter at Radio Detectives and become one of our friends
[35:11] Speaker 1: on Facebook, Facebook, dot com, Slash Radiodetectives from Boise, Idaho.
[35:16] Speaker 1: This is your host, Adam Graham signing off.

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