Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, send it to me Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net, follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and become one of our friends on Facebook, Facebook dot com slash Radio Detectives. Well, we're going to talk a little bit about the listener support campaign after the show, but before we do get started, I did want to talk to you instead today about
radio preservation. The reason that we have so many great programs, tens of thousands of radio programs that we can listen to is because of dedicated hobbyists and volunteers who have collected collated research old time radio programs. The Old Time Radio Researchers Group is one of the premier organizations handling this and they need volunteers people to help out with listening to programs for potential certification. They release sets of programs to make it easy for easier for people to
sort through the mass. They of just wide variety of different programs out there. People to record voiceovers, people to write and to edit for their online encyclopedia as well as their magazine and it really is a great organization and for us to continue to have more programs to enjoy, to preserve what we already have. With a lot of the people who have been in this for a very long time growing older and not as good as health,
it's going to be important to have new volunteers. So if this is something you'd be interested in helping me old time radio researchers with email me at Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net. Just putt r R volunteer in the subject and I will forward it along to the appropriate person. And now it is time for today's episode of Yours Truly Johnny Dollar. The original air date of this program is Maybe eighteenth, nineteen fifty eight, and the title is The Ghost to Ghost Matter.
The time now for Johnny Dollar.
Hi, Johnny International Press Service.
Oh holy small guard, what are you doing over this hour of the morning.
I'm on the night desk and I'm sorry to have to wake you up. Why listen, I just got a call, a real franny one from a.
Guy who insisted on having your phone number.
Well did you give it to him?
He said, he's an insurance man. That was about some insurance matter. So yes, I did.
Oh, why did he call you?
Yeah, it was me too, but.
He was so excited to him, what is it, Franny, Well, he probably called the first person he could think of, and he said it was a big emergency.
Oh did he give you any details?
No?
And Johnny, it's aroused my curiosity. Let me know what it's all about.
Will you promise? Okay, I promise. Bob Bailey and the Exciting Adventures of the Man with the action pacted expensed out America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator, Truly Johnny Dollar, and now act one of yours, Truly Johnny Dollar. Expense account submitted by a special investigator, Johnny Dollar, the State Unity Life Insurance Company Home Office, Hartford, Connecticut. Following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the Ghost
to Ghost matter. I'd no sooner rolled over in the hope of getting back asleep when the phone beside my bed started jangling again. Oh nuts, Johnny Dollar, this is oscar extremely mister Dollar trimely.
I represent State Unity Life here in Lake City.
New Jersey.
Oh look, are you the man who called Art Price over an international press service.
Yes, yes, I did get your phone number right, and you he'd have it.
You're being such your famous investigator at all that.
Yeah, well you could also have got it from Universal Adjustment Bureau, your insurance directory, the long distance operator.
I guess I've been so upset over this whole thing that it never occurred to me.
But can you come down here to Lake City, mister Dollar right away?
Oh, it depends. What's this all about Ian McAndrews. I andrews.
Oh, don't you know he's the man who founded Lake City.
So what's happened to him?
He did, mister Dollar, or rather he isn't.
Well, that is to say, he died, mister Dollar, about five years ago, and well, in due time, of course, we paid off the claim on his life insurance policy fifty five thousand dollars.
Everything in order and perfectly all right.
Well but now, oh, oh no, mister Dollar, you just won't believe it unless you come here and see for yourself.
Oh won't believe what.
Ian mcandrew's has come back.
Huh, either he.
Or his his ghost has come back here.
Oh no, no.
It's true. It's absolutely true, sir.
Ian McAndrews is haunting Lake City, So please come as.
Quickly as you can.
I uh about it?
Is that the best answer you can give me?
Yeah, I'm afraid so until I see how things line up for me these next couple of days, goodbye, mister Trimley. Think about it. I can hardly wait to grab a train. But I didn't want to ask a Trimley to know that, because I had a strong suspicion that if you can catch a ghost off guard, you'll be one up on him. Expense a cont idem won the promised home called the Art Price and International Press. Are you kidding, Johnny, No, I'm deadly serious.
Art Buttle, New Jersey.
Yeah, yep, I'll keep in touch. Then I remembered Nancy Nancy Turner, an old flame, or rather a young old flame. She'd said something one time about taking up investigation of the supernatural. So expense a cont item two another dime for another call.
You all were asking, Johnny, you haven't called me an agent?
Wow, you know how it is. Look Nancy, did you ever go ahead with your study of psychic investigation?
Oh?
No, Johnny, I thought, after read a couple of hundred months of the old books.
So I gave it up.
Oh well that's too bad. Oh why well, I've got to run over to Jersey to investigate a haunted town.
Haunted town?
How really, except that such a thing as impossible? Oh, it is, sure, But i'd kind of thought that maybe you were still well, I guess we better forget it.
Forget it nothing, I'm going with you.
Oh no, no, wait, I excuses.
I'll put on my face and another dress and be waiting by.
The time you can get Yeah, but look, honey, Johnny, Okay, Nancy, I'll pick you up. I had him three ten eighty five taxian trained for two to New York, had him four fifty bucks to posit on a rental car. When we got into Grand Central Station, we crossed over into Jersey and hit Route twenty two for Summer of Villain Points West, and every mile of the way, Nancy chatted away like a magpie. She kept holding some of the
stuff she had read on this subject. A lot of authorities who decided that some of the reports on haunted towns and houses and people things like that, had decided there was something really supernatural about them. And you know, after a while, I began to wonder. Yep, I began to wonder. Fact two of yours truly Johnny Dollar in.
A moment, And now for another episode in the life of Sergeant Donald Bellweather.
My husband, Donald, Donald.
I'm not here on the back porch, Honey.
There you are, Honey.
Where on earth did you choose a time like this to clean your honey rifle? We're doing the jamisons at seven.
I'm ready, Honey.
I have to do is wash my hands. I'll finish this tomorrow. Be with you in the jippy.
Donald, come back here.
I know what the matter.
Are you going to leave this hunting rifle right out here in plain sight?
Nobody's gonna bother it. The kids are asleep and will be gone. I don't think our babysit it will bother anything.
She's got her homework to do.
Those are famous last words if I ever heard him. Donald, don't you realize that accidental death by firearms rank second only to death from full fire and poison?
But the kids are in bed, sure they are.
But what if our six year old Marshall Dyllain should wander out to the kitchen for a drink of water. You know he'd love to play with his gun. Yeah, I suppose, Well, please put it away under lock and key. Yes, yeah, yes, right, and for heaven sakes, take those shelves too. You know, many accidents happen when bullets are thrown into a fire, hit with a hammer. All things are dangerous. You want to know that.
I know, I mean, I guess I just wasn't thinking.
Unloaded gun and ammunition lying around the house is even more.
Dangerous than itchy fingered hunters.
Statistics prove that.
Okay, there, thing is safe under lock and key.
Now you're still angry.
With me, Oh Donald, I don't want to sound like a nagging wife, but my dear, you.
Have every right to reprimand me. Me, a non commissioned officer, I should know better.
But that's where it goes.
We forget. That's why there are accidents in the field, out hunting, and in the home. We all know better, we just forget or get careless with firearms.
Well, come on along, let's get over to the jam.
Okay, now this won't happen again, believe me. You know I wouldn't have started to clean that rifle if you hadn't taken so long to get dressed.
But you should did a good job. You look beautiful. That's my Donald, that's my dog and now Act two of yours, truly, Johnny Dollar and the Ghost to Ghost Meta Lake City, nestling among the soft roaming North Jersey Hills. What kind of has been town? I saw the reason for that in the abandoned mill all mc andrew's cotton Mellow, one side of the lake, the same old story. I guess when a town's main industry closes down, it kind of goes to Pott. Nonetheless, it was a charming little place,
population all maybe four or five hundred. When we finally located Oscar Ternley's insurance office, we found a bit of a gathering there and mister Dollar, that is miss Turner and mister Dollar. This is Charlie Reed Foster and Tony Gray. We're sort of local businessmen's club. Johnny, you know, okay, then let's get to the point down. Thank you, Johnny. I thought over the phone that you were turning us down. Well,
I changed my mind. And when I thought of Nancy and her knowledge of the supernatural good, that's what we need.
Yes, well, I am interested in the subject.
We're all a little worried about it.
Tony isn't kidding.
I think we're a pretty level headed bunch, But well, this thing has us scared.
That's putting it in my little If it really is his ghost that's playing, you don't seriously believe in ghosts. I'll tell you this I never did before. But now, well wait and you'll see. Gee, Johnny, Well suppose you tell me what's going on? Well no, no, no, no, Johnny, you'll have to see for yourself. And here, yes, Charlie, and here, and that means waiting until midnight. Midnight, sure,
mister Donald, Well just why bill you you'll see? Yes, And meantime you can look around, say, aren't you quite a fisherman, Johnny? Rather fish than eight? But now look at you. I'll have to fish two. The like's full of nice bass. Charlie, you can fix him up with a boat, Cancher.
Sure can't.
Yes, But if I'm going to Ny, you arrange for a place for miss Turner to stay overnight. Be glad to Well, now, Johnny, you will stay at my home?
All right?
Fine, but now tell me no, I want you to see for yourself at midnight. Meantime, good fishing. Right, I've got to get back the shot for missus. Vic starts screaming about her high fire. See you later.
Yeah, and I'll come back to the office and the rain somewhere for miss Turner to stay.
See you later, see you Tony.
Now, if you folks will come over to the print shop with me, we will pick up the keys to my boat and some tackle, and you can be on your way.
Look, can't you at least give me some idea? Nope, not a thing until midnight. Oh, and we'll all have dinner together at the hotel. Mister Turnley, you ready a Turner, Johnny, you fellas are the boss. I guess fishing, Nancy, I'd love it. I'll even give you some of the fast strike hooks I use. Okay, then let's go. There was something slightly schooly about the whole thing. And I don't mean just to talk about ghosts. But when I go
fishing and a company expense, well who's to complain? So Nancy and I spent the rest of the day on the lake. Matter of fact, she caught the big one. By dinner time we were starved. And the little hotel serves not only excellent cocktails, but a regular banquet completely champagne. You enjoying it, Miss Turner? M I love it?
Only why don't you call me Nancy?
Sure, why not, Charlie, I'll tell you why, Tony, you stay out of this trimley. About this champagne you know comes from the old Leland Stanford venue. Oh yes, and it's fine, I know, but it's time we talk about your goats here.
You land any big ones out on the lakes?
Yeah, Belle, Nancy got a four pounder. But now listen, wi you another thing about this fine calisory?
Didn't I see you navigating the boat and I got one last year?
Wait, six, fellow fellows, go out over here?
Do you like to time?
Fellas?
Please?
Will you tell me a little bit about all I want to know? So? I got nowhere. But then finally, after a lot more food and wine and chatter, we drove off in Tony's car.
I'm stopping here in the middle of town, Johnny, because it's the best place to be when things start popping, Like.
What hey, one, are you fellas going to stop this run around and start making sense? You'll see, you see, I'm all excited.
Look, Johnny, Charlie, you see the old power clock almost midnight? So what about that old mcandrew's passed away at the stroke of midnight, Johnny, personally, I think that has something to do with this.
You still haven't told me with what Wait, listen, there goes the tower clock.
Oh midnight, countum, Johnny?
That was four?
Fine, And Johnny, see how all the lights are flickering along the streets.
That happens every night and no reason for us. Look that I'm.
Brilliant for that cow me.
Out of that talk tower.
Yeah, yeah, I see him, but I don't what under the sun is that? That's the ghost wailing? Oh now, wait on that cream fills the air comes from everywhere.
It's a horrible sound.
Johnny, crazy, honey, No, listen, didn't you hear that clock struck thirteen?
Yes, Johnny, I yes, he asked me.
The devil's in old mcandrew's ghost. That's why it comes out of his house every night.
Out of his house, right, Johnny? And wait, do you see what's there? Right? Act three of yours? Truly, Johnny Dollar in a moment.
Do you know who said they that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. Those words were written by Benjamin Franklin in the year seventeen fifty nine, Even before the United States of America had come into being, Franklin realized that the path toward freedom was a difficult one. He knew that there would be many people who would prefer easier paths to the difficult one that led toward freedom. These people,
he felt, did not deserve to enjoy freedom. Just as there were in ben Franklin's time, there are people today who would choose what looks like the safe and easy way to protect American freedom. They would be willing to sacrifice some of their liberties in order to be comfortable. But the surrender of a little freedom soon leads to the surrender.
Of all freedom.
Liberty can be protected only by constant vigilance and the willingness to fight to protect it if necessary.
Remember the words.
Of Benjamin Franklin, they are part of your American heritage. Temporary safety must never be purchased at the price of liberty.
And now act free of yours, truly, Johnny Dollar and the ghost to ghost matter is the front door of this old house always left wide open. Got Johnny, sure you want to go in? Sure? Come along, Nancy.
Dream coming somebody there was more light around now.
Oh that's nice. Slam right in our faces. I knew it on lock though I meant had that flashlight. Tohnny here, m hm, no sign of wires, the strings on it. Come on, okay, come on fellas now, Johnny, because you can see there's just one big room downstairs here, Johnny, easy, Nancy, don't you see? I admit this is all pretty strange. But a ghost what else? We've been over this house with a fine tooth comb. Listen, you hear that somebody, somebody's walking on the ceiling.
Looking.
That's the kind of stuff you hear older guys, noisy spirits.
You can hear them, but you can't see him, don't you see, Johnny? It can't be anything normal? Natural? Is that the end?
The old ghost has a regular See here, those shutters banging.
There's no wind out there.
Why why didn't you tell me it'd be like this, Johnny.
Let's lock hair lights moving around somewhere outside. You can see the reflection in the trees. They're green ghost lights.
Johnny. Look, there's a rocking chair.
It's rocking in front of the window where old McAndrews used to sit and look out on the town before he died.
Give me the flashlight up here. Mm hmm. No strings are wires on us either. Well, well, that's the end of it. The same crazy routine every night. It's the ghost of Ian mcandrew's. That's all there is to it. Well, from what your fellows have shown me the night, it kind of looks that way it is, Johnny, But tomorrow I want to investigate these things in broad daylight. I investigated all right, the old house, the clock tower, everything I could find, and thanks to the help of the boys,
we covered a lot of ground. Results nothing. Meantime, I noticed that the town, a sleepy little town of Lake City, was being mob people from all over streets jam with cars. And as we sat down at lunch in the hotel, miss waitress, will you please bring me another couple? Oh dear, she didn't hear me. Wait, they all comes. Yeah. Business has certainly picked up around here, he is. I noticed that any idea? Why Bill not? The least I wonder
if Tony couldn't be with us for lunch. And Charlie is at his print chap getting out of extra Hey, excuse me, excuse me, aren't you Johnny Donald the investigator? That's right, man, Can I you and you. I'll just let me get a picture on a wait, hold it, hold it, hold it? Okay, Johnny, thanks a lot. Hey that photographers from one of the New York papers.
O kidding?
Really listen if our price an international press came out the word about this ghost story. Oh now, Johnny, Okay, Nancy, you all finished? And Oscar Bill, we're gonna leave the check with you and pull out. You mean leave town? Yep, going back to heart, Johnny. I've investigated, I've come up with nothing, so there's no point in staying around any longer. Oh, Johnny, thanks a lot Fellas and Oscar, I'll send you my
expense account. Come on, Nancy, give up hardly? Sure, Nancy and I hit the highway, but for only a few miles. Then shortly after Doc we drove back and for a couple of hours, for three or four hours. Annyhow shortly before midnight, Nancy and I walked quietly up on the porch of Oscar Trembley's insurance office.
You mean you didn't leave a message at my office to be here tonight?
I certainly didn't. I found a message from Charlie.
Are you kidding? Somebody left a message in my print chop to be here.
I want at my radio shop. Well, I, of course they couldn't know your handwriting.
Wait a minute, there's somebody outside.
Huh, Johnny, what for good evening? Gentlemen? Why I thought you'd left town, john That's right, I wanted you to think so listen. The old tower clock started this strike midnight. But yeah, that's five sick boy. As I suddenly realized that in all my investigation this morning, I was being handicapped by what I thought was help capping, I had too much help. Two or three of you were with me every second. We wanted to be sure you wouldn't overlooking.
That's right. You wanted to be sure I would overlook a few things. That's eleven twelve, Hey, you know it struck twelve. No ghostly whale tonight is there? I know no, fellas, no, because the ghost is no more. You found the ghost, Johnny. I found out that he's one of you, maybe all of you. What do you mean alone? Without your careful guidance, I finally located that sub seller in the old mcandrew's house. You did, and that missed the complicated electrical stuff that
was making the weird sound effects. The rocking chair, the banging shut is and so on. Very clever your handiwork bill. Sure, sure, the Johnny oh fellas it was a wonderful publicity stunt, especially after international press was notified. But you did not only for your radio and electronics shop bill, for your real estate business, Tony, your print shop and newspaper Charlie, and your insurance business. Ask well now, but to the whole town. It's gonna put Lake City on the map again,
which is to say the motive wasn't entirely selfish. No, okay, okay, man, And because of that and then alone, I won't give you away. Provided the ghost of Ian mcandre's never walks the streets of Lake City again. Well, you can be all that, Johnny down. I don't know. I suppose I ought to really hits you over the head with this expense account, but after all, the cause was a kind of worthy one, so I'll be honest with it for
a change. And it was fun to have Nancy turneral expense account total, including manage on the rental car let's deposit thirty one to fifty yours, truly, Johnny Dollar, yours truly, Johnny Dollar is sorry, Bob Bailey originates in Hollywood and is produced and directed by Jack Johnstone, who also wrote today's story. Heard in our cast were Virginia Greg Boris Lewis, Joseph Kerns, Russell Thorson, Sam Edwards, and Bob Bruce. Be sure to join us next week, same time and station
for another exciting story of yours, truly, Johnny Dollar. This is Roy Rowan.
Speaking Johnny Dollar has come to you through the worldwide facilities of the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.
This is Andrew J.
Graham, author of the web surface series Oh and a Man of His Wife. You're listening to the great Detectives of Old Time Radio.
Welcome back.
Well.
I was glad that at the end it turned out not to be an actual ghost, though I kind of suspected that it was a hoax. The one thing, with the way that Jack Johnstone has written a series and the way other writers have done you couldn't exactly be sure, though I should have suspected been a little more confident based on the UFO episode that we weren't going to all of a sudden have Johnny saying I can't figure it out, must be ghosts. I love both of the
PSAs in this one. The Donald bell Weather one was more entertaining than usual, and I also thought very informative with some very practical gun safety tips, and of course the Benjamin Franklin stuff just wonderful historical info. All right, well, that will actually do it for today. Remember our listener support campaign does continue, and you can support the show
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it for today. Join us back here tomorrow for Dragnet, and then next Friday another episode of Yours Truly, Johnny Doller. In the meantime, send your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net, follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and become one of our friends on Facebook, Facebook dot com, slash Radiodetectives. From Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Grahamson and Off