Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar - The Dead First-Helpers - podcast episode cover

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar - The Dead First-Helpers

Oct 25, 202431 min
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Transcript

Speaker 1

From Hollywood. It's time now all for Edmund O'Brien as.

Speaker 2

Johnny Dollar.

Speaker 3

This is Bill Hotston, Johnny Grand Industriss Remember how canaver.

Speaker 2

Get who's assembly line busted down?

Speaker 1

This time it's steel, Johnny Corneil steel Pittsburgh, lots of soap called.

Speaker 4

Accidental that's from the open hop fern.

Speaker 3

Frankly, it smacks of.

Speaker 2

Monter to me. Could be hot work or bring my sweatshirt? When's then explain for Smokeville.

Speaker 1

Edmund O'Brien and another transcribe adventure of the Man with the Action Tact. Expense accounts America's Fabulous Brilliance Insurance Investigator.

Speaker 2

Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Expense accounts submitted by a special investigator, Johnny Dollar, Too Great Industrial Assurance Corporation of America, hots That Connecticut. The following is an accounting of my expenditure during investigation of the dead First Helpers expense account. I have won eighty three dollars and twenty four cents. Plane sat at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a land of chimneys and open house furnaces, where I met supervisor Joe Barrett.

Speaker 3

Five men in a single month at the Dollar all of.

Speaker 2

Them first helpers. What's the first helper?

Speaker 3

When it goes like this, the notary foreman is in charge of a number of furnaces. The first helpers in charge of an individual furnace under him are the second helpers in the cinder snaps, I see, well, how did the deaths occur?

Speaker 2

In a number of ways?

Speaker 3

One man tumbled down a flight of stairs, two were killed by a crane magnet, another one sell from the pouring platform, and just last week one of our best men was killed in an explosion of a hot cap bowl.

Speaker 2

You better explain that one.

Speaker 3

Certain types of steel have to be capped after they've been poured from the lad or to the injectacy. Sometimes pressure is so great inside of them that when the poors shoot water on the cap to see lit, the cap flies off and sprays a man with molten skier.

Speaker 2

I have seen it happen only once.

Speaker 3

Mister Dolla, That's enough for me.

Speaker 2

Any connection between these deaths, how do you mean? I mean, any common denominate, anything that could provide a motive for murder.

Speaker 3

None that I know of, except for the fact that all the men had been with us for a long time. Fifteen or twenty years.

Speaker 2

Just the boys to know their way around.

Speaker 3

Eh, what's so strange, mister dollar. None of them have ever been found to ignore safety regulation.

Speaker 2

Uh huh? How do you plan on proceedings? And it's been my experience that planned investigation from the outside is pretty often a waste of time. The men are on their guard. You want to go right to work in the shop. What did you say? They call the lowest man on the open house furnace? Send your snap were you break out the overalls? Mister Barrett, We'll see how good I am at snapping cinders or spent account item to twenty five cents for work caap every other item

of equipment provided by the company. Expense account item three one dollars A blisters have an adhesive tape the hands at the first eight hours of work Expense account Item four seventy five cents for linament for back after second eight hours of work Expense account Item five ten dollars Berth Union Fees, United Steel Workers CIO footnote. The fourth day on the job is.

Speaker 5

A hot Yeah snics what many cons walo?

Speaker 2

Come right?

Speaker 5

Yeah, get come on off at seven quitters right, get on the lost right?

Speaker 2

Yare why I gotta get on the right.

Speaker 5

Let's get to the rot sny car and we taking your one by.

Speaker 2

The routine was a killer, But more and more I felt myself becoming a part of the making of steel. It's really something to watch the straight, white, hot steam pound into the ingut molds from the ladles. And I began to know these men whom you never hear about, the men with the big backs and the soaking red bandannas around their waists, like Andre with a funny last name, who got a kick out of helping me along. Don't you get the swing of it. It's not tough so

hard like you think. After a while, you get strong, gets tough like ned. Oh my aching backs.

Speaker 6

Bet you never eat so good?

Speaker 2

Ah that you never sleep so good? Oh? I dream about Lime's silicon ratio. You want to see ten tomorrow? Yeah, if you mean the midnight shift? Yeah, who would you be with me? I'll show you lots stings. I don't mind the work, but frankly, I'm scared you don't want good. They not fire you. And it's not that Andre, I mean trains and scrap cars and ladles of steel three thousand degrees hots. You learn how to go around. You have no trouble. You remember the rule, You have no trouble.

You get fine. Maybe, But some of the boys were saying that five men died in the last month, and boys that should know how to get around, right, andre accidents always happened full to the old ones. They are the careless ones. They know, they think they know so well the rule, and they slip and poof. You said it, poof. But sometimes it isn't so easy to make friends in

the steel meals. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you know that just lives too song in the life to ever get informations from a steel man like Joe Pohler. I found them in the company cafeteria. Where you come Chicago, you'll know lot Chicago? What door I look? You look for a movies building? Where do you was before? Or his building? You're a and like baby, soft like middle I'll they take you. Yes, I've got an honest face. Rod, give at each your soup. It's getting cold. H Kirk Brodie.

What you saying? Nothing? Just Kirk Brodie. Gut Brody. Ah, you know Kut Brody. He did when you come, I know, killed by a hot cap mold gout Brody's friend. I like you what God? Who was working with him? Joe macaloney glad I was a me. I had to have that on my counstrance. You'll know they you'll maybe work for the body, but uh, guy, don't like finish your soup, Joe, it's getting cold.

Speaker 4

Well.

Speaker 2

Then there was Fred, another first helper who helped me understand the general feeling about mister Barrett. You'll learn what it's like Dollar. You married, not yet?

Speaker 4

If you were married, maybe had a couple of kids, you'd find out. I awake at night and you'd wonder, will it be me? I get that blue slip tom on? What if something happened to me? Would she get anything from the insurance? Things like that, how long you been here?

Speaker 2

Five years? And tomorrow they can say that sort of friend? Where I you sind like? Can know your way around? Fred? What's your idea on these accidents? Accidents? No such thing as an accident? Dollar.

Speaker 4

People who wanna live across the street with the light, same way and steel like Kirk Brody.

Speaker 2

Till last week I decided to pay kirk Brody's widow a call, but there was so little to go on. I had nothing to lose. She lived in a cold water flat. There was still a black wreath in the door. Yes, Missus Brodie, that's why I wonder if I could see you for a moment. I'm with Cornell Steele. Come in, want you sit down? Thanks. My name is Dollar. I am investigating the accidents that are cut in the open hearts. Missus Brodie. I'm sorry to trouble you about it, but

there are some things I have to know. Kirk was the last one. It happened three weeks ago, Is that right?

Speaker 6

Yeah, three weeks ago Tuesday.

Speaker 2

On the accident reported said he was killed when a hot cap blew off a mold. I knew what would happened, mister Dall. I knew what would happen.

Speaker 3

It was as if I could have stopped it.

Speaker 2

Uh.

Speaker 3

Kirk was always careful, always only that there.

Speaker 2

When he left the house, I had just stealing. Something was gonna happen.

Speaker 3

I said, Kirk, please be careful. It's my Oh it was a last I.

Speaker 2

So I won't trouble you any further, Missus Brodie.

Speaker 4

Oh no, I want to tell you what's hardening, mister Dollar.

Speaker 2

I'll tell you what it.

Speaker 3

Get it it was this way with Cirkt's this way with the others.

Speaker 6

It's the job.

Speaker 2

They're scared for their jobs.

Speaker 3

You don't want to investigate. You want to investigate, Barrett?

Speaker 2

Who's gonna want to investigate? Hope? Nobody saw you come in here? Nobody did, Barrett.

Speaker 6

Uh, what'd you find out?

Speaker 2

Well, nothing you could call factual. But there's some kind of tension in the shop. Something's going on where production is holding its own. No, they work all right, but it's like they're frightened of something. I want to look at your employment records.

Speaker 3

Well, sure thing, eh riding that fire and or art thanks a.

Speaker 6

Certainly is odd dollar.

Speaker 3

Every one of the men killed was alone at the time, no witnesses at all.

Speaker 2

Oh, really, I'd under you neglected to tell me on my first visit here, mister Barrett.

Speaker 3

Slipped my mind.

Speaker 2

It seems several other things slipped your mind. What do you mean? I like a little communication I found on the bulletin board in the locker room. What communication to the effect that, due to various conditions beyond our control, layoffs will be necessary in some cases, and then will be laid off consistent with their seniority. But now, what possible connection.

Speaker 6

Could that have with the five deaths?

Speaker 2

You had the answer to that question, but I had to find it out on my own. I don't call that active cooperation, mister Barrett. What that five men were killed in order of seniority. The killer, whoever he is, obviously a scared of death of losing his job. According to York Files, the next man slative accidental death is another first helper, Mike BAROLDI now you knew all that. Why didn't you speak up?

Speaker 3

Why I don't know?

Speaker 2

It never hit me?

Speaker 3

Is particularly important?

Speaker 2

You know, Cornell Steele isn't laying off anybody right now. Maybe you're trying to scare a man of them. All works, and I doubt if that company. Mister Barrett, you don't have your job.

Speaker 3

To do dollar, that's to find this carr.

Speaker 2

I don't have my job to do.

Speaker 1

That's the boost production.

Speaker 2

Is that all right with you? Perfectly? All right? And I'll take my job any day, Hike, Come here, what the dot we're cherry? Okay? I guess blocks with Monganese for the deaft dollar. I can't waste no time. Look, this won't take long, Mike, You're on somebody's death list. You know, then, what are you talking about. I'm with the Plan insurance company investigating the five desks that occurred here in the last month. According to my figures, You're

next caught it out. It's not just a matter of accident, Mike, it's murdered. You're the highest man in the shop and seniority outside of the mouth aforeman. Somebody is knocking off the top of the list one by I won so just watch your step. I believe it's when I see when you see it, Mike, it's going to be too late. That night, towards the end of the ship, must have been about six in the morning, Mike was cleaning cinders

from the furnace floor on the tap o side. I was making it my business to keep an eye on him. He was sweeping the cinders off the platform down into the empty ladle said thirty feet below. As the first helper, it wasn't his job, but Mike was like this. Suddenly, from the other side of the furnace came the huge figure of a man, and I spessed this coke and hood over his head and body. Mike turned and a look of terror came into his face. I started for him.

But too late. Whoever it was picked Mike up, held him off for a fist second, and herd on to his death.

Speaker 1

In just a moment, we'll return to the second act of Yours, Truly, Johnny dellaar. But first, to politely paraphrase history, George burns while Gracy fiddles, and the result is, of course, the laugh riot heard every Wednesday evening over most of these same CBS stations. George and Gracie are two of America's best purveyors of nonsense and two neighbors everyone enjoys visiting. You can never tell what Gracy has upper sleeve, but

you can always bet it'll get George into trouble. Be sure not the miss the Burns and Allen show this Wednesday and every Wednesday at.

Speaker 2

That spot in your dial marked CBS.

Speaker 1

And now with our star Edmund O'Brien, we return to the second act of Yours, Truly, Johnny Dellar.

Speaker 2

They gathered around the body of Mike BAROLDI and I gave chase to the killer. It was like running after a brown ghost. He ducked up the aisle between furnaces and hopped gingerly over the coupling of a train of cold streats. I wasn't so lucky. I climbed up with my foot, got caught in the coupling guide and I fell on my face. The next thing I remember, I was in the plant Inspector's office. He was dismayed. He took one gander at my nuggin and launched intelect your

one a of the safety Inspector's manual. And look at this another example, Look at his head. You're lucky to be alive. What who did you break a Section three code too? Don't you be funny with me? You know I could have you fired. You know, I'll bet you could. What have you found out about Mike BAROLDI I filled in a full report. Poor man fell over the railing while cleaning the platform. Not quite what he was pushed? Pushed? Who pushed him? I don't know. The killer hadn't asbestos

cloak and hood over him? Killer? This is what's I fall. You gotta skele it and key to the lockers. I wanna see Mike's belongings.

Speaker 6

Look, just who do you think you are?

Speaker 2

I'm with the Grand Insurance Company, mister. You give me the key, and I think we're gonna have this thing straightened out in no time. He was so stunned he sent me to the open hot production office, where I got a key. The locker room was empty. I went to Mike Baroldi's locker first. I found his wallet with a pass of the planet, and it was three dollars in cash with a picture of a woman pulling a baby. I put the wallet back, looked through the inside pocket

of his coat. Empty. I closed the locker and start of the methodical search of each locker and the place. About two thirds down the first roll, I came to a locker label Andre la Mayer. I opened it, found what I was looking for, and I fessed this cloak and hood. There had been a tear on the sleeve of the cloak worn by the man who had killed Mike Baroldi. I took the cloak with me, locked up and walked down the aisle to the door. Somebody he was coming in just as I was coming out. It

was Joe, Big Joe, pull him. What you do? Your knows? He aren't you supposed to be at work? Ie? You see where's Andre Andre work? Number ten? Like always number ten? You knows the cellar? I get nosier? Did you ever see this as best as cloak before? Sure he used to blow out top or when they put out new heat. You've seen it lately like on somebody? Sure Andre, ye have one goat? When before? Before? What? I don't know before? All right, thanks, Joe, see you later. Yeah, you'll tell Andre.

Joe seek, Joe go, I'll tell him. Joey he wait, inspect her to say, Mike, but old he push some rave, that's right? Oh he knows I told him. Oh you know I saw it. You see Andre push Mike? Ah? What makes you think it was Andre? Andre bed cellar. They don't like these Mike always make trouble for this Mike, and you don't like Andre. Sure, I don't like Why you think i'd tell you? Did you see Andre? I see him go to funness where my keys? The stomach too big? You go on home? Joe, you don't look

so good. Oh, as far as I was concerned, there were two main possibilities, two big boys. One was Joe Poland yeah there was Andre la Mayer. M I set the asbestos cloak that I found in Andre's locker and the production office where I could get to it later. The sun had come up and Andre was standing there, enjoying the fresh air before going down to the locker room. Hello, Tella, he's a beautiful day. Yeah, he's a beautiful day. That man should have to bury himself in this dirt and

feastful and all the world is so beautiful. That is a shame. No, yeah, that's right, Andrews. You're going home now? Yeah, I go home now. Yeah. Oh, I have wonderful, wonderful suggestion. Wonderful suggestion. You come home with me. Ah, we have good French meals. You like good French mood? Noah, that sounds great. Your wife won't mind, seem man, But who care for the wife? I come? What's your name is? Johnny Dollar? Funny name? Ah, you have no sin? Woman?

You do not tell him? Man he has funny name. No, I don't think nothing of it. You work at new that's right, you will make a wonderful work. A very good man because he know he think he used his head. Oh, I forget money. The most terrible thing has happened.

Speaker 6

What we know?

Speaker 2

Make but old day Mac tore long sin little hair. Well, Mike, he's pushed from rays and killed. No kill, Oh, terrible, terrible you see it? No Dollar yeah, I saw somebody do it. Somebody they catch him, boy, Andre, I hangs about time I let you in on a little secret. I'm at an insurance company. I investigating these murders. Huh. I found an asbestos cloak in your locker the day I have no asbestos cloak. I saw him. I killed Andre. The killer wore this cloak. The cloak was in your locker.

Maybe you'd better take it from there. You see I killed Mink. You tell me this, I'd take you to my house. You say terrible things to me like this, You lied to me, you say you're a friend of mine. You leave, you leave thee. Well, there goes a nice French cooking men's acount. I him six twenty five cents for coffee and donuts at the corner cafe. I kicked myself a couple of times of breaking out the evidence before I should have, and I went back to the

Open Heart office. Barrett had just arrived. He greeted me with a frown that reminded me of the last conversation we'd had. Well, Dora, have you found anything else? Heard what happened earlier this morning? I'm not in my gosh. I know you had it all figured out, well, I still haven't. I chased the killer across the shop and he got away. I see, No, you don't see. He had an asbestos cloak and hood over him. Pretty clever, fig, I'm pretty big. I've got it narrowed down. But that doesn't help much.

Speaker 3

I suppose you come look through the files again, just so you can tell who's going to be killed next.

Speaker 2

Maybe it'll be different this time, mister Barrett. I think I'll just take that seniority list with me if I may. I'm I'm going to go home and get some sleep, honey, like the night shift. It's anything but dull, mister Barrett. I'll see you later. Mensic count. I had him seven one dollar even cabs at a boarding house, which is surprise taxi driver chauffeur, his first overall customer in what must have been years. Did I study the list in the cab? I did not. I grabbed a little sleep.

The driver shipped me awake. I paid him, went upstairs and stopped in the car. Then I opened the paper. The next name on the but it was none other than Andre la Mayer. Spent account. I'd have made seventy five cents taxi pair. I got to Andre's in ten minutes. I was twenty minutes too late. The police were out front. Dead his dead? Cute? Who killed him? Missus Lamire? Cute him? Cute?

Speaker 6

Who who?

Speaker 2

Missus Lemaire? The big man? He killed him? Dan, I'm sorry, missus Lamir spent account. I'd have made cab fair a plant. I tried to tell myself that there was nothing I could have done, that everything had pointed to Andres. But I'd seen his name on the senior list, right below Mike BAROLDI I'd drawn too many conclusions. It was clear now they have best as Cloak and Andres Locker had been a frame. Maybe insurance investigators shouldn't make mistakes, but

they do, and sometimes safe old one. I could later blame for Andrea's death on nobody but myself. Myself had a big first helper named Joe Poland. H whereas Poland Barret?

Speaker 3

Why, I don't know you got sick anymore?

Speaker 2

What is the dread? I have it right here in my book. Bring it with you. You and I are paying a visit to Joe Poland. I hope you have a gun dollar justin case.

Speaker 1

Knock.

Speaker 2

You better stand back. Yeah, missus POLLANMD. Yeah, your husband home no way from the middles This is mister Barrett. Huh where can we find your husband? Missus Pollam he not home? Mind? If we come in and see he not go him? I'm sorry, missus Poland, We'll have to make sure you try that door about it? I I think you better try it. You're all right, you bry, he's not here about.

Speaker 5

Ittt he's not calling ill you.

Speaker 2

You're not call miss Poem. You may not know it, but your husband has wanted for murdered mumpy. Yeah, now come on tell us where he is you from? Miss I tell you nothing that look, missus Poland, be reason, You'll.

Speaker 5

Be iss size, keep beasonable.

Speaker 2

This place does it? You'll go? Come on, Barrett. You must have a peculiar theory of management. Barret. I've been in dozens of plants and I've never seen anybody loved like you are. What do you do to them?

Speaker 1

My theory of management is very simple. Men work better when the.

Speaker 2

Pressure's on there. It is cruel, but true.

Speaker 3

I have the top production results in the plants.

Speaker 2

You can't beat that. How did you ever get off a bookkeeper stool and into a mill. How did you ever get to be a supervisor. I'd like to meet the man that hired you.

Speaker 3

I give you ten days as a supervisor, and the steel mills Dollar, you'd change your opinions.

Speaker 2

Fast men are no different now they ever were.

Speaker 3

Give them an inch, they take a mile, give them five minutes off, they take an hour.

Speaker 2

That amount of your sight.

Speaker 3

For a minute, and they're playing cards in a corner.

Speaker 2

You know, men and more of them figures and a production shot. Could that be why you lost a lot of good first helpers, Barrett, one maniac run solution.

Speaker 3

You condemn the whole method, Shy Dollar, you got a lot to learn about the practical management. You'd better just stick to investigation. And from the way you've messed this case up, I'd say you were the one who had a lot to learn in his field.

Speaker 2

We rode back to the plan without a word. It wasn't just anger. There was so much difference between us. There was just nothing to say. Barrett got off and said he'd call the police if I had proof that Joe Poland was the killer. I said I didn't have any proof and to him to call the police. Anyhow, I took the stairs to the furnace floor. I knew Poland would be there. I don't know how I knew. I just knew. I wandered from furnished shanty to furnish shandy.

I found him at number twelve. He was cleaning out the clay of the tackle before.

Speaker 3

The poor.

Speaker 2

Joe hang off the hood. What cord Joe all over colla no good Dora wanted to take job away from Joe. You see the list. I an't stop over it.

Speaker 5

No dollar, I stop over it now, nobody take job away my kid, my wife, they be good now known leve that I get me graised now I don't live.

Speaker 2

But no fire than a stay away Joe. Joe who nothing, and he came at me again, as steady as before. The small pickles of blood started down his chin. Stop Joe, his legs. He gripped once, then let go. There was no expression of pain on his face, just determination. I was the last man in his way. After I was gone, he had a clear road to your dog, because then

he was his huge hands gripping blow me. I could feel of your own specially poured steel bubbling, and you're your Then I shot it got coast orders this time and right for the hut. Slowly the hands relaxed. The huge body slumped over the railing and fell. There was a head, some puffs of steam. I stood up. My legs were trembling under me. I looked down and shielding my face. There was nothing to see. The slag had covered over invents account. I had him nine twenty dollars

and fifty three cents flowers for Joe Poland's funeral. They buried a block of steel and placed for his body. M Barrett was standing there, standing on one side, and Missus Poland and Missus Brodie and Missus Lemaire. When the minister finished his little speech, Missus Poland turned to Barrett. I've never seen hate like that in anyone's eyes. No than a you him, you've killed him. That it's you kill them all. You still kill them the lord, die

of your mind? My mom, that isn't going to Oh that's hi, marry, let me, let me take your home. So Missus Poland went home with the woman whose husband Joe had killed, and I wondered, who are the murderers and where his murder start? Though I don't like to see anyone lose his job, I like that he Simon lagrees even less. So I'm pleased to report that Joel Barrett has been replaced the supervisor. I finally concluded that if you trace the murder far enough, you get right

back to every one of 'em. Expense account total five hundred, twenty dollars and twenty five cents. Yours Truly Johnny doll.

Speaker 1

Yours Truly Johnny Dollars stars Edmund O'Brien and was written by Gil Dowd and David Ellis, with music composed and conducted by Leith Stephens. Edmund O'Brien can currently.

Speaker 2

Be seen starring in the Harry M.

Speaker 1

Popkin United Artists Production DA Featured in our cast were Joe Forte, Junius Matthews, Jack Bertruzie, Raymond Burr, Jack Krusian, Kay Stewart, and Peggy Webber. Yours Truly Johnny Dollar is produced and directed by Hi May Delvi. Join us again next week when from Hollywood. Edmund O'Brien will return in another transcribed adventure.

Speaker 2

Of Yours Truly Johnny Dollar.

Speaker 7

CBS will go right on bringing you a Doctor Christian every Wednesday night over most of these same stations, along with Vain Braucho and George and Bracy. Stay tuned now for the Adventures of Philip Morlow, which follows immediately.

Speaker 6

Over most of these same CDs stations, there's this CBS where.

Speaker 7

Wednesday Night is sing clausby Night. The Columbia Broadcasting System

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