In this thrilling episode of "Casey, Crime Photographer," we delve into the mysterious murder of Dorothy Jessup, a woman with a shadowy past. The story unfolds with a phone call to the police, reporting a murder at 1221 Steger Street. As Captain Logan and his team, including ace cameraman Casey, arrive at the scene, they discover Jessup's body in a locked room, seemingly impossible for anyone to enter or exit. The investigation takes a twist when it's revealed that Jessup was a former convict, released after serving 20 years for a previous murder. As the detectives dig deeper, they encounter a colorful cast of characters, including the eccentric landlady, Mrs. Banks, who harbors secrets of her own.
As the plot thickens, Casey uncovers a medieval weapon used to commit the crime, leading to a shocking confession from Mrs. Banks. Her desire for attention and connection drives her to orchestrate a murder mystery worthy of the stage. The episode explores themes of loneliness, the longing for recognition, and the lengths to which one might go to escape obscurity. With a blend of suspense and dark humor, this episode keeps listeners on the edge of their seats, questioning the true nature of justice and the human psyche.
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In this thrilling episode of "Casey, Crime Photographer," we dive into the mysterious murder of Dorothy Jessup, a woman with a shadowy past. The story unfolds with a phone call to Captain Logan, reporting a murder at 1221 Steger Street. Upon arrival, Casey and his team discover the body of Dorothy Jessup, a former convict, stabbed in a locked room. As they unravel the mystery, they encounter Lizzie Banks, a former actress with a penchant for drama, who provides key insights into the victim's life and potential suspects. The investigation takes a twist when the team learns about a mysterious man with a vendetta against Jessup, leading them to suspect a case of revenge.
However, the plot thickens as Casey uncovers a more intricate story involving Lizzie Banks herself. With a background in the theatrical arts and a desire for attention, Lizzie becomes a suspect in the murder. The episode explores themes of loneliness, the quest for recognition, and the lengths to which one might go to achieve notoriety. As the story concludes, Casey is left pondering whether the real mystery has been solved or if he's been outsmarted by a true "woman of mystery."
[00:00:00]
Unknown:
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[00:00:23] Unknown:
Good evening. This is Ken Roberts inviting you to listen to another adventure of Casey, crime photographer. Ace cameraman who covers the crime news of a great city. Our adventure for tonight
[00:00:39] Unknown:
Woman of mystery. Morning, about 10:00. In a private office at police headquarters, a telephone rings and
[00:00:58] Unknown:
Alistair General. Captain Logan speaking. Is this a place to report a murder? Yes. I think I've got one for you. Who's this speaking? I'm Lizzie Banks. To be really proper, I'm miss Charles Peter Banks. Only my husband's dead, and I'm a widow. What's your address? 1221
[00:01:18] Unknown:
Steger Street. Alright. 1221
[00:01:20] Unknown:
Steger. That's right. It's the lady who rooms with me that's been killed, I think. What makes you think? Well, you get out here and peek through the keyhole of a door like I just did, and you'll see. She's lying in a pool of blood, and there's the ninth handle's sticking out of her bag. Oh, we'll be there right away, missus Banks. I'll be waiting for you. Goodbye.
[00:01:42] Unknown:
Sergeant Martin? Yeah, captain? Tell the tech squad and the doc to follow us to 1221 Steger Street. Are you go there with me? Yes, sir. What's happened at 1221 Steger Street? Good morning, captain Logan. What are you two doing here? You know, we usually drop in sometime during the day to inquire what's happening in the murder department. And it seems we picked just the right time today. Okay, miss Williams. You win that luck with the camera. Follow my car.
[00:02:15] Unknown:
Captain Logan's car is starting to run that little ramshackle cottage case. Yeah. I'll park right behind him. Boy, is this a crummy neighborhood. Yeah. We won't get any front page stuff here. Murder's got to be glamorized to write big headlines. Yeah. Come on, Annie.
[00:02:28] Unknown:
Oh, the little woman's come out of that door. Are you missus Banks? That's me, Lizzie Banks. Missus Charles Peter Banks. Well, I'm captain Logan. This is sergeant Martin. Oh, pleased to meet you. Howdy, ma'am. And who's that fellow with the picture button? A just depressed photographer, missus Banks, paying no attention to him. You here to take pictures of me, young man? Definitely, missus Backs. Come in and make yourself the home. You and your lady friend, both. Thank you. Now where's this rumor you think is In the front bedroom, just off my parlor here. There. Door's locked. Well, it's the only room I rent out. Only room I gotta rent, matter of fact. Sergeant. Yeah. Take a squint through this keyhole. There's only four rooms in this place. Parlor, kitchen, front and back bedrooms.
I'd say the woman lying on the floor in there has been stabbed, captain. Oh, I used to have a nice big house when my husband was alive.
[00:03:21] Unknown:
Six rooms and bath, but then We'll break in the door. Yeah. Right. We'll pay for that door. Oh, we can't think of that now, lady. Alright. All together, Martin.
[00:03:30] Unknown:
Oh, I'm a poor woman.
[00:03:33] Unknown:
One push is all a door like that needs.
[00:03:36] Unknown:
Well,
[00:03:37] Unknown:
I'll get another door somewhere else. Yeah. This woman's stone cold. She's been dead for hours. And a knife in her back was pushed in up to the hilt. All of you keep out of this room. I don't want you stepping on possible evidence. What's the dead woman's name, missus Banks?
[00:03:53] Unknown:
Oh, miss Jessup. Poor miss Jessup.
[00:03:57] Unknown:
Oh, miss Jessup.
[00:03:58] Unknown:
Dorothy, at least that's what she told me. Such a nice woman she was. So quiet, and she paid her rent so regular. I wanna hear all you know about her in a minute.
[00:04:10] Unknown:
She's a big gal. Only, Husky could have driven that knife so deep in her back, Martin.
[00:04:15] Unknown:
And it was done with one clean stroke. It took muscles to do that, captain. You got any idea who was with your rumor last night, missus Banks? No. I haven't, young man. Miss Joseph came home about 08:00 and said, good evening, and then went into a room here, and I heard her both the door. I went to my own bedroom pretty soon after that and went to sleep. This morning, I called to her, and she didn't answer. I tried the door and found it locked, and then I did what any woman would do and peeked through the keyhole. And after that, I run out to the corner store where there's a phone and called you. This door was fastened on the inside with a good strong bolt. Casey, I told you not to come in here. I'm only poking my head around the door frame. Well, the killer never left this room by the door, captain. Altogether obvious, miss Williams. He used the window. He couldn't have done that, captain. That wind is locked. Miss Banks, it's open several inches from the bottom. I say it's locked. I know my own house. No. I'll try this.
[00:05:14] Unknown:
Hey. Hey. It is locked in this position. And locked from the inside
[00:05:19] Unknown:
by them spring bolts in the frame. Miss Jessup always left it like that at night, open enough to get fresh air, but not open enough so that even a cat could crawl in. Say, she's been killed in a room that nobody could have got in or out
[00:05:35] Unknown:
of. Casey. Let me take another look at that knife. Yeah. That woman couldn't have stabbed herself in the back like that, sir. How was miss Jessup murdered? How? The answer seems very simple to me, missus Bank. Oh, it is? Well, sure. I'll show you why it's simple, pal, if you'll give me your royal permission to come through this doorway.
[00:05:53] Unknown:
Okay. But watch your step. Thank you.
[00:05:57] Unknown:
You wanna look? This is an old fashioned type of window without counterweights or friction slides. You raise or lower the sash, you pull out two spring catches on the side. I know that. What I don't, don't you? Wait a minute. Wait a minute, though. The round spring bolts in the sash snap into holes in the casing and lock. That is when they find those holes. Now that can be prevented. When I was a kid, we lived in an old house and had this arrangement. I used to monkey with it. Would you get to the point? Give me a chance. Now probably to delay this the discovery of the body, whoever killed this woman figured it's smart to leave the window as she usually locked it at night.
Only a few inches from the bottom. So he ran a pair of thin strips, common metal bailing straps that do the trick, between the sash and the casement, climbed outside, lowered the window, pulled out his strips, and let the spring bolt shoot into place.
[00:06:51] Unknown:
Oh. It could have been done that way easy, captain. No. Okay. See, now you've ruined a nice mystery. I've always wanted to run into a real case of murder where the killer has vanished from an escape proof room. You and I should live so long, Annie. But who who could have been the big strong person who dropped that dagger into miss Joseph's bed? Missus Banks,
[00:07:11] Unknown:
step back into your part. Will you? I want you to tell me all you know about miss Joseph. Yes. Yeah. That sounds like the tech squad, sergeant. Let them in and have them give that room the works. Yes, sir. Missus Banks,
[00:07:22] Unknown:
how long have you known miss Jessup? Only two months, captain, since she rented my room. I don't really know anything about her at all except she was a woman of mystery. A woman of what? Mystery, captain. A woman of mystery. To sum up what you've been saying, missus Banks, this woman, Dorothy Jessup, answered an advertisement you put in the paper. Uh-huh. It said refined lady has pleasant furnished room to rent in own homes. That's beside the point. I decided to take a room, ma'am, not so much because I needed the money, so I could use it, of course. It's because I get kinda lonesome. And I figured having another woman in the house You've gone over that. Chesb seemed so nice and quiet. Missus Banks, you know? Wasn't a giddy, young thing. She was 45 at least. So I know The point, missus Banks, is that she never told you anything about herself. That's why I say she was mysterious, captain. Most women do tell things. Women liked at all. Yeah. I'm getting the proof of that. Alright. Take it easy, Logan. Take it easy.
[00:08:32] Unknown:
Missus Banks You want to take another picture of me, mister Casey? Well, I've taken a half a dozen of you while you've been getting acquainted with the captain. But you see now we'd like to nail something down. Now did miss Jessup ever say or do anything to give you the idea that she had secrets?
[00:08:49] Unknown:
Secrets that might possibly explain her murder? She certainly did do something. Oh. She come into my house with a suitcase. And from that day on, she never went out of her room without leaving that suitcase locked.
[00:09:03] Unknown:
How did you discover that? I,
[00:09:05] Unknown:
how do you suppose I discovered it? A body's got every right to find out whether folks distrust him and lock things up. Oh, sergeant Martin.
[00:09:14] Unknown:
Yes, sir? There's a locked suitcase in the dead woman's room. Bring it here if the tech man are finished with it. Okay, captain. I was just coming out for you. The doc would like to have you in there for a minute. Alright. You stay here with missus Banks. Excuse me. Have to leave a policeman to watch me. No. No. No. Don't worry. You're not being watched, missus Banks.
[00:09:32] Unknown:
Hey. Whose picture is this on your wall? This beautiful young woman. Why, mister
[00:09:37] Unknown:
Casey. Believe it or not, that's a photograph of me took fifty year ago. You know, I figured it was you. You could tell. Sure. Seeing me all wrinkled now and shrunk up. Well, your face still has the fine lines of the girls in this picture. Oh, that's nice of you to say. My husband used to make pretty speeches like that to me. Charlie's been gone now for fourteen years. Tell us about yourself and your husband, missus Banks, for the story. I'll write. Well, your newspaper story won't be the first one read about Charles Peter Banks and me, miss Williams. We was once somebody's.
[00:10:13] Unknown:
Somebody's?
[00:10:14] Unknown:
You ever hear of Elizabeth Fontenoy? No. Of course you didn't. Lisbeth Fontaineuil was my stage name back in your grandmother's day. You were an actress? Uh-huh. What was called a sugrette. Why do you know? Oh, I wasn't a very good one. I guess I was just young and pretty and look good in tight. My husband was a real somebody though. Charles Peter Banks was educated, a scholar. He wrote a book A book? Yeah? About historical things you probably wouldn't understand. There's a book he wrote on the table. Oh, may I look at it? Sure. But handle it careful. It's old and not very strong like me. I'll be careful. Let's see, Casey.
The art of war in the middle ages. Colleges and museums used to ask for my Charlie's opinion on that subject. Oh, he knew all about battle axes and swords and what men wore when they fought in ancient days, and newspapers and magazines used to mention his name and mine too. You might maybe put in a word or two about that in your story, miss.
[00:11:23] Unknown:
I shall, miss Banks. Oh, here's that drearted captain back again. Well, the docs just confirmed my opinion of this stabbing, Casey. What do you say, Logan? And only a very strong person could have done the job. The knife was driven completely through that woman's body and through a rib bone. Through a rib bone? Yeah. Yeah. Say, missus Banks, do you know of any big or very strong people who were associated with miss Jessup? Well, I don't know if you called my next odd neighbor associated with it, but he's big and strong. And she had a fight with him last week. She had a fight? Well, not exactly a fight. She just told him she'd scratch his eyes out if he didn't stop
[00:12:03] Unknown:
Edinburgh's what I call a masher. Made Lena Finegan mad as all get out when Gus poke a shine to miss Jessup. Oh, well, what was Lena Finegan mad about? She was jealous. She wants to marry Gus. They'd make a good pair. Lena's big as a skinned horse just like he is. At last, you're telling me something that may help my investigation. Now hold your horses. I don't think Gus or Lina killed miss Jessup, though I might be wrong.
[00:12:31] Unknown:
Have you looked into a suitcase yet? No. But I got it here. Also, the key to it, found in the dead woman's purse. I'll open it now, and let's see. Only a few papers inside. I'll see what they are.
[00:12:46] Unknown:
Look at this. I've seen documents like that before. It's a parolee's discharge from Avon Prison. In the name of Dorothy Jessup Prentice. Dorothy Prentice? Well, she's the dame who murdered her. Yeah. Yeah. I I remember reading about that case. The parole board let her out last spring after she'd served twenty years of a life sentence. You mean my rumour was a murderous girl? She sure was. She carved up a guy named Lou Costa, who was a big rum runner back in prohibition days, missus Beck. And now she's been killed with a knife. Casey, this is finally beginning to look like front page. I'll see it as we can resurrect the story of the Costa murder. Dorothy Prentice's trial, her twenty years in prison, everything. Oh, I never would have dreamed.
[00:13:27] Unknown:
Now I can figure why she was scared of that man. Man? What man? The mysterious man, missus Meg. Lady, will you please talk straight? She She told me if this man ever come to the house that I was to say she didn't live here. She described him to me, and then one day he did come. I did as she asked, and he went away. But later, only two or three days ago, I seen him watching the house. When I told her she liked to die to frighten Now you tell me about this. But you didn't ask me about the mysterious man before. Oh. Of course. Now I figured he was a detective who was watching. Missus Banks, let me figure. Hold it. Hold it, Poway. Mother Banks, will you describe the mysterious man to me? Of course, I will, boy. He was a big gray haired fella with a little black mustache and a long scar on his left cheek. A scar? It ran from the bridge of his nose right down to his jaw. Logan here.
[00:14:24] Unknown:
She's described Mike Coste, a brother of the rat Dorothy Prentice killed. Mike's one of the toughest crooks in my book, and he's never been known to forget a grudge. He's paid that dame off for knifing his brother. Oh, Casey. Will this be a story? And I'll be in it, miss Williams. I'll say you'll be in it, missus Banks, as the star witness. Put on your hat and coat, missus Banks. We're going to headquarters where you can look at Mike Costa's picture. And if you identify him, this case will be all washed up. That's a picture of the man I know, captain. That mysterious man miss Jessup was afeard of. Sergeant, get out a pickup order on Scarface Mike Costa. Have him brought in here and quick.
[00:15:10] Unknown:
The boys have got Mike Costa, captain. That's swell, sergeant. Bring him in here. I I don't think you'd like him in your private office the way he is, sir. What do you mean? Mike tried to shoot it out with the cops who cornered him, and, he didn't do so well. They're in good health, but, he's dead. He tried shooting it out. Right, Casey. Oh, that's pretty good proof that he killed Dorothy Prentice. We knew why the cops were out there. Excuse me, miss Williams. According to the report I just got, Mike started shooting for an entirely different reason. What reason? He thought the boys had his number for the stick up killing of that gas station attendant last night. Captain, he was pulling that stick up way over on the East Side at the very time Dorothy Prentice was being stabbed away over on the West Side. Are you sure? Yes, sir. He's been positively identified as the stick up killer.
[00:15:59] Unknown:
There goes my case against Mike Costner.
[00:16:03] Unknown:
And my beautiful corny story about a brother's revenge.
[00:16:07] Unknown:
The death of missus Banks' woman of mystery is becoming mysterious after all.
[00:16:19] Unknown:
Come in, mister Casey. I'm delighted to see you. Thank you, missus Banks. Sit down, and I hope you won't mind the must in my apartment. Go on, hon. Some of my neighbors were in. Neighbors who never called on me before. They wanted to hear firsthand about my poor dead rumor. They just left, and I ain't had time to clear up the tea things we use. Can I give you a cup of tea? No. No. Thanks.
[00:16:44] Unknown:
No, missus Banks. I, I came here for a talk.
[00:16:49] Unknown:
That's fine. I like to talk. Yeah. You like to have people
[00:16:54] Unknown:
want to talk to you. Uh-huh. Guess everybody wants that. Especially those who've been a somebody
[00:17:00] Unknown:
like you were. Oh, I was never much. Just an actress without much talent.
[00:17:04] Unknown:
My husband was really the somebody. Yes. I, stopped in at the public library this afternoon and looked over the book he wrote. You did? Mhmm. Yeah. And I found his the art of war in the middle ages pretty high brow stuff. A lot of it was way over my head, but it gave me an idea. Just like it gave you one.
[00:17:26] Unknown:
I don't know what you mean.
[00:17:28] Unknown:
You killed Dorothy Jessop Prentice, didn't you?
[00:17:33] Unknown:
Of course. You're joking. No, missus Banks. Young man, I weigh just eighty seven pounds in my heaviest coat in winter galoshes. Are you saying that I drove a knife completely through that big woman? Yes. And you did it from outside of a locked window.
[00:17:50] Unknown:
Exactly how did I do that? You did it with one of the medieval weapons your husband wrote about. The kind that could throw an arrow, a spear, and a knife with accuracy and silence and great force. Like modern guns, some of those old contraptions could be operated by a child or a weak little woman. The window was open three inches. The knife was shot through that opening. You figured you were creating a really great mystery.
[00:18:20] Unknown:
That appealed to the dramatic instinct no actress ever loses. Well, you're pretty smart, young man. You know, I never figured that Wendy could be shut and locked from the outside the way you said. You kinda spoil the mystery. You admit you killed Dorothy Prentiss. Of course, I don't. I'm just talking. It's nice to talk even on a crazy subject. Why, in your opinion, did I kill that woman?
[00:18:49] Unknown:
In order to get attention.
[00:18:52] Unknown:
The attention you've been without for so long. Well, I've been pretty lonesome. I've wanted folks to notice me again, but
[00:18:59] Unknown:
do you think that's a good enough motive for what you say I've done? It wouldn't have been for you if you hadn't learned that your rumor was a freed murderers.
[00:19:08] Unknown:
You considered her life of little value. It didn't have any value. She was a bad woman. I went to the library, got old newspapers, and read about her case. And that's how you found out about Scarface Mike Costa, the brother of the guy she killed? Uh-huh. Even come across some pictures of him. He never came here looking for Dorothy Prentiss, as you said. No. But that seemed a good story to tell the cop.
[00:19:29] Unknown:
I guess you're ready now to tell the
[00:19:31] Unknown:
true story to the cops. There ain't been much in the papers about me during the last couple of days and next week. There wouldn't be nothing maybe. And folks had stopped calling on me, and I'd be alone again. By me telling the cops, I won't be forgotten so quick. And you would put some more pictures of me in the papers soon. Yes. We'll go down to headquarters right now, and I'll confess to everything you said. Darn good idea you've given me, young fella. I'll get my coat. Hey. Hey. Well, wait a minute.
[00:20:03] Unknown:
What do what do you mean you'll confess to everything I've said that I've given you a good idea? Well, you understand English, don't you? Yes. But look here. Am I wrong about this? Did you kill that woman? I'll get the cope for both of them. Wait a minute, missus Banks. If if you're not really guilty, if you mean to confess to something you didn't do I can't hear you. Well, I say you can't do that. If if Wait till I get back to the palace.
[00:20:29] Unknown:
Now what did you say I couldn't do? You you what's that in your hands? The thing that shot a knife clean through that woman's body. There's another knife in it now, young fella, and it's pointed straight at you.
[00:20:44] Unknown:
I see. I'm gonna let you have it now. There's nothing I can do to stop you, I guess. Pause the ring.
[00:20:51] Unknown:
Here. Take the damn thing out of my hands. It's heavy. You you're just handing it to me? Well, it's the evidence you needed. You didn't have none before. Alright. Fooled you, didn't I? You were chump enough to think that I'd hurt a nice young fella like yourself. Yes. I can fool folks right along. I'm the real woman of mystery, mister Casey. But I get you're guessing again before we're through. Oh, let's be getting down to headquarters. I wanna confess and have some fun with them, please.
[00:21:36] Unknown:
What was the gadget missus Banks had, Casey, that shoots knives? That was a crossbow, Ethel Burton. A deadly little war machine used about seven or eight hundred years ago. Crossbow? Uh-huh. It's a short bow set across a hunk of wood that was shaped pretty much like a rifle stock. It was made to shoot short arrows or or bolts that were about the length of modern carving knives. Things in antique that missus Banks' husband had picked up.
[00:22:02] Unknown:
Poor old lady. So lonesome she committed murder to get attention. It'll be done with her. Insaneness, Adam.
[00:22:11] Unknown:
Well, she'll be perfectly happy because attention is something she's sure to get there for the rest of her life. She's crazy, So the docs say in the legal definition,
[00:22:24] Unknown:
poor old lady.
[00:22:26] Unknown:
I think of the poor doctors and nurses are gonna have her on their hands. They'll never know what she's gonna pull from one moment to the next. I wish I were sure of what she's already pulled. Mhmm.
[00:22:37] Unknown:
What what do you mean, Casey?
[00:22:39] Unknown:
I'm never gonna be absolutely sure she used that crossbow, that she's really a murderous. I'll never be really sure that she hasn't played me for a chump in order to get what she wanted.
[00:22:52] Unknown:
The solution of this mysterious mystery is still a mystery.
[00:22:58] Unknown:
I don't think so, but, nuts. Look. If if you two won't give it too much, maybe I can really dope out that third race.
[00:23:24] Unknown:
Prime Photographer, starring Scott Cotsworth, is produced and directed by John Deese. It is written by Alonzo Dean Cole and is based on the fictional character of Flash Gun Casey created by George Harmon Cox. Original music by John Garth, and the program features jam miner as Anne and John Gibson as Ethelbert and Eva Condon as missus Banks. Herman Chittison is the Blue Note pianist. This adventure of crime photographer starring Scott Cutworth as Casey came to you through the worldwide facilities of the United States Armed Force of Radio Service, the voice of information and education.
[00:25:42] Unknown:
What you're hearing is Hardie fiber cement siding living up to its reputation as the siding that handles hail impact with ease. James Hardie knows how important a reputation is, especially when you're a contractor. That's why Hardie siding withstands severe weather better than vinyl siding, with styles to match its strength. So you can be sure you're providing your clients with the best. Protect your reputation with exterior products by James Hardie.
Bettering your business takes working with the best. With the James Hardie Alliance, you gain access to leads, training, networking, and support from the number one brand of siding in North America. Achieve new levels of success by joining the James Hardie Alliance today.
[00:00:23] Unknown:
Good evening. This is Ken Roberts inviting you to listen to another adventure of Casey, crime photographer. Ace cameraman who covers the crime news of a great city. Our adventure for tonight
[00:00:39] Unknown:
Woman of mystery. Morning, about 10:00. In a private office at police headquarters, a telephone rings and
[00:00:58] Unknown:
Alistair General. Captain Logan speaking. Is this a place to report a murder? Yes. I think I've got one for you. Who's this speaking? I'm Lizzie Banks. To be really proper, I'm miss Charles Peter Banks. Only my husband's dead, and I'm a widow. What's your address? 1221
[00:01:18] Unknown:
Steger Street. Alright. 1221
[00:01:20] Unknown:
Steger. That's right. It's the lady who rooms with me that's been killed, I think. What makes you think? Well, you get out here and peek through the keyhole of a door like I just did, and you'll see. She's lying in a pool of blood, and there's the ninth handle's sticking out of her bag. Oh, we'll be there right away, missus Banks. I'll be waiting for you. Goodbye.
[00:01:42] Unknown:
Sergeant Martin? Yeah, captain? Tell the tech squad and the doc to follow us to 1221 Steger Street. Are you go there with me? Yes, sir. What's happened at 1221 Steger Street? Good morning, captain Logan. What are you two doing here? You know, we usually drop in sometime during the day to inquire what's happening in the murder department. And it seems we picked just the right time today. Okay, miss Williams. You win that luck with the camera. Follow my car.
[00:02:15] Unknown:
Captain Logan's car is starting to run that little ramshackle cottage case. Yeah. I'll park right behind him. Boy, is this a crummy neighborhood. Yeah. We won't get any front page stuff here. Murder's got to be glamorized to write big headlines. Yeah. Come on, Annie.
[00:02:28] Unknown:
Oh, the little woman's come out of that door. Are you missus Banks? That's me, Lizzie Banks. Missus Charles Peter Banks. Well, I'm captain Logan. This is sergeant Martin. Oh, pleased to meet you. Howdy, ma'am. And who's that fellow with the picture button? A just depressed photographer, missus Banks, paying no attention to him. You here to take pictures of me, young man? Definitely, missus Backs. Come in and make yourself the home. You and your lady friend, both. Thank you. Now where's this rumor you think is In the front bedroom, just off my parlor here. There. Door's locked. Well, it's the only room I rent out. Only room I gotta rent, matter of fact. Sergeant. Yeah. Take a squint through this keyhole. There's only four rooms in this place. Parlor, kitchen, front and back bedrooms.
I'd say the woman lying on the floor in there has been stabbed, captain. Oh, I used to have a nice big house when my husband was alive.
[00:03:21] Unknown:
Six rooms and bath, but then We'll break in the door. Yeah. Right. We'll pay for that door. Oh, we can't think of that now, lady. Alright. All together, Martin.
[00:03:30] Unknown:
Oh, I'm a poor woman.
[00:03:33] Unknown:
One push is all a door like that needs.
[00:03:36] Unknown:
Well,
[00:03:37] Unknown:
I'll get another door somewhere else. Yeah. This woman's stone cold. She's been dead for hours. And a knife in her back was pushed in up to the hilt. All of you keep out of this room. I don't want you stepping on possible evidence. What's the dead woman's name, missus Banks?
[00:03:53] Unknown:
Oh, miss Jessup. Poor miss Jessup.
[00:03:57] Unknown:
Oh, miss Jessup.
[00:03:58] Unknown:
Dorothy, at least that's what she told me. Such a nice woman she was. So quiet, and she paid her rent so regular. I wanna hear all you know about her in a minute.
[00:04:10] Unknown:
She's a big gal. Only, Husky could have driven that knife so deep in her back, Martin.
[00:04:15] Unknown:
And it was done with one clean stroke. It took muscles to do that, captain. You got any idea who was with your rumor last night, missus Banks? No. I haven't, young man. Miss Joseph came home about 08:00 and said, good evening, and then went into a room here, and I heard her both the door. I went to my own bedroom pretty soon after that and went to sleep. This morning, I called to her, and she didn't answer. I tried the door and found it locked, and then I did what any woman would do and peeked through the keyhole. And after that, I run out to the corner store where there's a phone and called you. This door was fastened on the inside with a good strong bolt. Casey, I told you not to come in here. I'm only poking my head around the door frame. Well, the killer never left this room by the door, captain. Altogether obvious, miss Williams. He used the window. He couldn't have done that, captain. That wind is locked. Miss Banks, it's open several inches from the bottom. I say it's locked. I know my own house. No. I'll try this.
[00:05:14] Unknown:
Hey. Hey. It is locked in this position. And locked from the inside
[00:05:19] Unknown:
by them spring bolts in the frame. Miss Jessup always left it like that at night, open enough to get fresh air, but not open enough so that even a cat could crawl in. Say, she's been killed in a room that nobody could have got in or out
[00:05:35] Unknown:
of. Casey. Let me take another look at that knife. Yeah. That woman couldn't have stabbed herself in the back like that, sir. How was miss Jessup murdered? How? The answer seems very simple to me, missus Bank. Oh, it is? Well, sure. I'll show you why it's simple, pal, if you'll give me your royal permission to come through this doorway.
[00:05:53] Unknown:
Okay. But watch your step. Thank you.
[00:05:57] Unknown:
You wanna look? This is an old fashioned type of window without counterweights or friction slides. You raise or lower the sash, you pull out two spring catches on the side. I know that. What I don't, don't you? Wait a minute. Wait a minute, though. The round spring bolts in the sash snap into holes in the casing and lock. That is when they find those holes. Now that can be prevented. When I was a kid, we lived in an old house and had this arrangement. I used to monkey with it. Would you get to the point? Give me a chance. Now probably to delay this the discovery of the body, whoever killed this woman figured it's smart to leave the window as she usually locked it at night.
Only a few inches from the bottom. So he ran a pair of thin strips, common metal bailing straps that do the trick, between the sash and the casement, climbed outside, lowered the window, pulled out his strips, and let the spring bolt shoot into place.
[00:06:51] Unknown:
Oh. It could have been done that way easy, captain. No. Okay. See, now you've ruined a nice mystery. I've always wanted to run into a real case of murder where the killer has vanished from an escape proof room. You and I should live so long, Annie. But who who could have been the big strong person who dropped that dagger into miss Joseph's bed? Missus Banks,
[00:07:11] Unknown:
step back into your part. Will you? I want you to tell me all you know about miss Joseph. Yes. Yeah. That sounds like the tech squad, sergeant. Let them in and have them give that room the works. Yes, sir. Missus Banks,
[00:07:22] Unknown:
how long have you known miss Jessup? Only two months, captain, since she rented my room. I don't really know anything about her at all except she was a woman of mystery. A woman of what? Mystery, captain. A woman of mystery. To sum up what you've been saying, missus Banks, this woman, Dorothy Jessup, answered an advertisement you put in the paper. Uh-huh. It said refined lady has pleasant furnished room to rent in own homes. That's beside the point. I decided to take a room, ma'am, not so much because I needed the money, so I could use it, of course. It's because I get kinda lonesome. And I figured having another woman in the house You've gone over that. Chesb seemed so nice and quiet. Missus Banks, you know? Wasn't a giddy, young thing. She was 45 at least. So I know The point, missus Banks, is that she never told you anything about herself. That's why I say she was mysterious, captain. Most women do tell things. Women liked at all. Yeah. I'm getting the proof of that. Alright. Take it easy, Logan. Take it easy.
[00:08:32] Unknown:
Missus Banks You want to take another picture of me, mister Casey? Well, I've taken a half a dozen of you while you've been getting acquainted with the captain. But you see now we'd like to nail something down. Now did miss Jessup ever say or do anything to give you the idea that she had secrets?
[00:08:49] Unknown:
Secrets that might possibly explain her murder? She certainly did do something. Oh. She come into my house with a suitcase. And from that day on, she never went out of her room without leaving that suitcase locked.
[00:09:03] Unknown:
How did you discover that? I,
[00:09:05] Unknown:
how do you suppose I discovered it? A body's got every right to find out whether folks distrust him and lock things up. Oh, sergeant Martin.
[00:09:14] Unknown:
Yes, sir? There's a locked suitcase in the dead woman's room. Bring it here if the tech man are finished with it. Okay, captain. I was just coming out for you. The doc would like to have you in there for a minute. Alright. You stay here with missus Banks. Excuse me. Have to leave a policeman to watch me. No. No. No. Don't worry. You're not being watched, missus Banks.
[00:09:32] Unknown:
Hey. Whose picture is this on your wall? This beautiful young woman. Why, mister
[00:09:37] Unknown:
Casey. Believe it or not, that's a photograph of me took fifty year ago. You know, I figured it was you. You could tell. Sure. Seeing me all wrinkled now and shrunk up. Well, your face still has the fine lines of the girls in this picture. Oh, that's nice of you to say. My husband used to make pretty speeches like that to me. Charlie's been gone now for fourteen years. Tell us about yourself and your husband, missus Banks, for the story. I'll write. Well, your newspaper story won't be the first one read about Charles Peter Banks and me, miss Williams. We was once somebody's.
[00:10:13] Unknown:
Somebody's?
[00:10:14] Unknown:
You ever hear of Elizabeth Fontenoy? No. Of course you didn't. Lisbeth Fontaineuil was my stage name back in your grandmother's day. You were an actress? Uh-huh. What was called a sugrette. Why do you know? Oh, I wasn't a very good one. I guess I was just young and pretty and look good in tight. My husband was a real somebody though. Charles Peter Banks was educated, a scholar. He wrote a book A book? Yeah? About historical things you probably wouldn't understand. There's a book he wrote on the table. Oh, may I look at it? Sure. But handle it careful. It's old and not very strong like me. I'll be careful. Let's see, Casey.
The art of war in the middle ages. Colleges and museums used to ask for my Charlie's opinion on that subject. Oh, he knew all about battle axes and swords and what men wore when they fought in ancient days, and newspapers and magazines used to mention his name and mine too. You might maybe put in a word or two about that in your story, miss.
[00:11:23] Unknown:
I shall, miss Banks. Oh, here's that drearted captain back again. Well, the docs just confirmed my opinion of this stabbing, Casey. What do you say, Logan? And only a very strong person could have done the job. The knife was driven completely through that woman's body and through a rib bone. Through a rib bone? Yeah. Yeah. Say, missus Banks, do you know of any big or very strong people who were associated with miss Jessup? Well, I don't know if you called my next odd neighbor associated with it, but he's big and strong. And she had a fight with him last week. She had a fight? Well, not exactly a fight. She just told him she'd scratch his eyes out if he didn't stop
[00:12:03] Unknown:
Edinburgh's what I call a masher. Made Lena Finegan mad as all get out when Gus poke a shine to miss Jessup. Oh, well, what was Lena Finegan mad about? She was jealous. She wants to marry Gus. They'd make a good pair. Lena's big as a skinned horse just like he is. At last, you're telling me something that may help my investigation. Now hold your horses. I don't think Gus or Lina killed miss Jessup, though I might be wrong.
[00:12:31] Unknown:
Have you looked into a suitcase yet? No. But I got it here. Also, the key to it, found in the dead woman's purse. I'll open it now, and let's see. Only a few papers inside. I'll see what they are.
[00:12:46] Unknown:
Look at this. I've seen documents like that before. It's a parolee's discharge from Avon Prison. In the name of Dorothy Jessup Prentice. Dorothy Prentice? Well, she's the dame who murdered her. Yeah. Yeah. I I remember reading about that case. The parole board let her out last spring after she'd served twenty years of a life sentence. You mean my rumour was a murderous girl? She sure was. She carved up a guy named Lou Costa, who was a big rum runner back in prohibition days, missus Beck. And now she's been killed with a knife. Casey, this is finally beginning to look like front page. I'll see it as we can resurrect the story of the Costa murder. Dorothy Prentice's trial, her twenty years in prison, everything. Oh, I never would have dreamed.
[00:13:27] Unknown:
Now I can figure why she was scared of that man. Man? What man? The mysterious man, missus Meg. Lady, will you please talk straight? She She told me if this man ever come to the house that I was to say she didn't live here. She described him to me, and then one day he did come. I did as she asked, and he went away. But later, only two or three days ago, I seen him watching the house. When I told her she liked to die to frighten Now you tell me about this. But you didn't ask me about the mysterious man before. Oh. Of course. Now I figured he was a detective who was watching. Missus Banks, let me figure. Hold it. Hold it, Poway. Mother Banks, will you describe the mysterious man to me? Of course, I will, boy. He was a big gray haired fella with a little black mustache and a long scar on his left cheek. A scar? It ran from the bridge of his nose right down to his jaw. Logan here.
[00:14:24] Unknown:
She's described Mike Coste, a brother of the rat Dorothy Prentice killed. Mike's one of the toughest crooks in my book, and he's never been known to forget a grudge. He's paid that dame off for knifing his brother. Oh, Casey. Will this be a story? And I'll be in it, miss Williams. I'll say you'll be in it, missus Banks, as the star witness. Put on your hat and coat, missus Banks. We're going to headquarters where you can look at Mike Costa's picture. And if you identify him, this case will be all washed up. That's a picture of the man I know, captain. That mysterious man miss Jessup was afeard of. Sergeant, get out a pickup order on Scarface Mike Costa. Have him brought in here and quick.
[00:15:10] Unknown:
The boys have got Mike Costa, captain. That's swell, sergeant. Bring him in here. I I don't think you'd like him in your private office the way he is, sir. What do you mean? Mike tried to shoot it out with the cops who cornered him, and, he didn't do so well. They're in good health, but, he's dead. He tried shooting it out. Right, Casey. Oh, that's pretty good proof that he killed Dorothy Prentice. We knew why the cops were out there. Excuse me, miss Williams. According to the report I just got, Mike started shooting for an entirely different reason. What reason? He thought the boys had his number for the stick up killing of that gas station attendant last night. Captain, he was pulling that stick up way over on the East Side at the very time Dorothy Prentice was being stabbed away over on the West Side. Are you sure? Yes, sir. He's been positively identified as the stick up killer.
[00:15:59] Unknown:
There goes my case against Mike Costner.
[00:16:03] Unknown:
And my beautiful corny story about a brother's revenge.
[00:16:07] Unknown:
The death of missus Banks' woman of mystery is becoming mysterious after all.
[00:16:19] Unknown:
Come in, mister Casey. I'm delighted to see you. Thank you, missus Banks. Sit down, and I hope you won't mind the must in my apartment. Go on, hon. Some of my neighbors were in. Neighbors who never called on me before. They wanted to hear firsthand about my poor dead rumor. They just left, and I ain't had time to clear up the tea things we use. Can I give you a cup of tea? No. No. Thanks.
[00:16:44] Unknown:
No, missus Banks. I, I came here for a talk.
[00:16:49] Unknown:
That's fine. I like to talk. Yeah. You like to have people
[00:16:54] Unknown:
want to talk to you. Uh-huh. Guess everybody wants that. Especially those who've been a somebody
[00:17:00] Unknown:
like you were. Oh, I was never much. Just an actress without much talent.
[00:17:04] Unknown:
My husband was really the somebody. Yes. I, stopped in at the public library this afternoon and looked over the book he wrote. You did? Mhmm. Yeah. And I found his the art of war in the middle ages pretty high brow stuff. A lot of it was way over my head, but it gave me an idea. Just like it gave you one.
[00:17:26] Unknown:
I don't know what you mean.
[00:17:28] Unknown:
You killed Dorothy Jessop Prentice, didn't you?
[00:17:33] Unknown:
Of course. You're joking. No, missus Banks. Young man, I weigh just eighty seven pounds in my heaviest coat in winter galoshes. Are you saying that I drove a knife completely through that big woman? Yes. And you did it from outside of a locked window.
[00:17:50] Unknown:
Exactly how did I do that? You did it with one of the medieval weapons your husband wrote about. The kind that could throw an arrow, a spear, and a knife with accuracy and silence and great force. Like modern guns, some of those old contraptions could be operated by a child or a weak little woman. The window was open three inches. The knife was shot through that opening. You figured you were creating a really great mystery.
[00:18:20] Unknown:
That appealed to the dramatic instinct no actress ever loses. Well, you're pretty smart, young man. You know, I never figured that Wendy could be shut and locked from the outside the way you said. You kinda spoil the mystery. You admit you killed Dorothy Prentiss. Of course, I don't. I'm just talking. It's nice to talk even on a crazy subject. Why, in your opinion, did I kill that woman?
[00:18:49] Unknown:
In order to get attention.
[00:18:52] Unknown:
The attention you've been without for so long. Well, I've been pretty lonesome. I've wanted folks to notice me again, but
[00:18:59] Unknown:
do you think that's a good enough motive for what you say I've done? It wouldn't have been for you if you hadn't learned that your rumor was a freed murderers.
[00:19:08] Unknown:
You considered her life of little value. It didn't have any value. She was a bad woman. I went to the library, got old newspapers, and read about her case. And that's how you found out about Scarface Mike Costa, the brother of the guy she killed? Uh-huh. Even come across some pictures of him. He never came here looking for Dorothy Prentiss, as you said. No. But that seemed a good story to tell the cop.
[00:19:29] Unknown:
I guess you're ready now to tell the
[00:19:31] Unknown:
true story to the cops. There ain't been much in the papers about me during the last couple of days and next week. There wouldn't be nothing maybe. And folks had stopped calling on me, and I'd be alone again. By me telling the cops, I won't be forgotten so quick. And you would put some more pictures of me in the papers soon. Yes. We'll go down to headquarters right now, and I'll confess to everything you said. Darn good idea you've given me, young fella. I'll get my coat. Hey. Hey. Well, wait a minute.
[00:20:03] Unknown:
What do what do you mean you'll confess to everything I've said that I've given you a good idea? Well, you understand English, don't you? Yes. But look here. Am I wrong about this? Did you kill that woman? I'll get the cope for both of them. Wait a minute, missus Banks. If if you're not really guilty, if you mean to confess to something you didn't do I can't hear you. Well, I say you can't do that. If if Wait till I get back to the palace.
[00:20:29] Unknown:
Now what did you say I couldn't do? You you what's that in your hands? The thing that shot a knife clean through that woman's body. There's another knife in it now, young fella, and it's pointed straight at you.
[00:20:44] Unknown:
I see. I'm gonna let you have it now. There's nothing I can do to stop you, I guess. Pause the ring.
[00:20:51] Unknown:
Here. Take the damn thing out of my hands. It's heavy. You you're just handing it to me? Well, it's the evidence you needed. You didn't have none before. Alright. Fooled you, didn't I? You were chump enough to think that I'd hurt a nice young fella like yourself. Yes. I can fool folks right along. I'm the real woman of mystery, mister Casey. But I get you're guessing again before we're through. Oh, let's be getting down to headquarters. I wanna confess and have some fun with them, please.
[00:21:36] Unknown:
What was the gadget missus Banks had, Casey, that shoots knives? That was a crossbow, Ethel Burton. A deadly little war machine used about seven or eight hundred years ago. Crossbow? Uh-huh. It's a short bow set across a hunk of wood that was shaped pretty much like a rifle stock. It was made to shoot short arrows or or bolts that were about the length of modern carving knives. Things in antique that missus Banks' husband had picked up.
[00:22:02] Unknown:
Poor old lady. So lonesome she committed murder to get attention. It'll be done with her. Insaneness, Adam.
[00:22:11] Unknown:
Well, she'll be perfectly happy because attention is something she's sure to get there for the rest of her life. She's crazy, So the docs say in the legal definition,
[00:22:24] Unknown:
poor old lady.
[00:22:26] Unknown:
I think of the poor doctors and nurses are gonna have her on their hands. They'll never know what she's gonna pull from one moment to the next. I wish I were sure of what she's already pulled. Mhmm.
[00:22:37] Unknown:
What what do you mean, Casey?
[00:22:39] Unknown:
I'm never gonna be absolutely sure she used that crossbow, that she's really a murderous. I'll never be really sure that she hasn't played me for a chump in order to get what she wanted.
[00:22:52] Unknown:
The solution of this mysterious mystery is still a mystery.
[00:22:58] Unknown:
I don't think so, but, nuts. Look. If if you two won't give it too much, maybe I can really dope out that third race.
[00:23:24] Unknown:
Prime Photographer, starring Scott Cotsworth, is produced and directed by John Deese. It is written by Alonzo Dean Cole and is based on the fictional character of Flash Gun Casey created by George Harmon Cox. Original music by John Garth, and the program features jam miner as Anne and John Gibson as Ethelbert and Eva Condon as missus Banks. Herman Chittison is the Blue Note pianist. This adventure of crime photographer starring Scott Cutworth as Casey came to you through the worldwide facilities of the United States Armed Force of Radio Service, the voice of information and education.
[00:25:42] Unknown:
What you're hearing is Hardie fiber cement siding living up to its reputation as the siding that handles hail impact with ease. James Hardie knows how important a reputation is, especially when you're a contractor. That's why Hardie siding withstands severe weather better than vinyl siding, with styles to match its strength. So you can be sure you're providing your clients with the best. Protect your reputation with exterior products by James Hardie.
Introduction to Casey, Crime Photographer
The Murder Report
Investigation at the Crime Scene
The Mysterious Woman
Revelation of Dorothy Jessup's Past
Casey's Visit to Mrs. Banks
The Confession and the Crossbow
Conclusion and Reflections
