The Shadow 018 - The White Legion

The Shadow no again. Blue Coal Dealers present radio strangest. Adventurer, The Shadows, mystery man who strikes terror into the very hearts of shops as. Lawbreakers and criminals. Today Blue Coal brings you the Shadow's latest adventure, the White Legion, Ladies and gentlemen. In just a moment, our last adventure with the Shadow for this season will begin. In the meantime, Let's give a thought to the special heating problems of the spring season. Springtime means warm days, cool days, showers, and uneven temperatures that bring colds and slipples. So guard against uncertain weather. Burn blue coal and your heating plant. For blue coal protects against varying temperature. It's harmless. Blue color is your guarantee of steady, your more dependable heat at less cost. So when you're buying fuel, insist on blue coal Pennsylvania's finest a p site. Order a trial ton from your nearest Blue Coal dealer tomorrow and listen for the. Shadows important message at the end. Of the program, Smith. Will you bring me those papers which. One of you is William Devons right here? What can I do for it? We want you Devons that legend and get your hat. Hey, I've got your covered set up against the wall. May what do you mean budging into my office door? As you're tall? The White Legion watch you, Devons, and we go in wherever we have business? Move? Why are you up? I'll the less you stand back with a White Legion. Unless that Devons is gonna learn a lesson, he'll never I get. The prisoner. William Devons has confessed his part of the conspiracy against the Sacred Institution to. The White Legion. We give him to the All High Commander Lent. He accused his pain. Have you anything to say? Devins? And I please? Will you don't kill me? I've got a wife and children. Please let me go. Give him another taste of the whip, and I'll secure the prisoner and stand him over. The trap door. Don't don't open the trap. Well, goad to find you in Margot, have about a little shopping me this morning? La, But isn't ten o'clock a trifle early for you? Not this morning at any rate. I already paid a call on Commissioner Western on my way over po A man's up to his neck as usual. What's the trouble now? We've got quite a few things on his mind, one of them being William Devons. William Devons, isn't he the chief of the Bureau of Market He was. This morning his body was found far out at sea, bound hands and foot and apparently thrown from a ship. Oh, peculiarly atrocious. Murder, Lamart any clues so far? None? Another thing bothering the Commissioner is the matter of this White legion. The White Nation. It's a band of men calling themselves avengers of injustice, were taking a law into their own hands, terrorizing, assaulting and abducting, often in broad daylight and in the most unexpected place. That's strange. I haven't seen anything about it in the papers so far. It's been kept out of the papers. But in spite of that, enough has gotten out. So the demands of being made of Western. That's something to be done immediately. Poor Commissioner Western. He seems to have his hands full. And on top of all that, young Alton Parker's life has been threatened. He's the assistant district attorney, you know. He's life threatened by Well. Parker is prosecuting a case against Bread Hollins, the gangster accused of killing Boss House when a couple of months ago. The trial comes up this week. Oh, it's all sentenced to politics. I spose Western seems to think the White. Legion was mixed up in that too. Then the White Legion has some connection with politics. Possible. However, if we're going to start suspecting people, we could begin at the top of the city hall crowd and go to the bottom. It's Western's problem, not ours. I wanna go shopping with me? Why not? What are we going for? Oh? A little exercise and a few shirts? Come along, lenin' an embroadery the next ale over Godey. Pluck darling. Don't you think there's airplane luggage? Is just the thing for our trip's house? It's nice here, But I can't seem thementhoosee about this trip somehow oldon. We've planned so. Many times before, and now this latest development. Oh, I'm terribly. Worried to Oh now, please Helen. District attorneys are always getting threatening. They don't mean a thing. Yes, and mister Lawrence promise just as centers. This Red Collins case is finished. I can back up and go. We start trial tomorrow. Can't last morning a week? I know. I'm sorry to be so silent. Alton, what's the idea? But those the men I saw him, We came in the saw they're coming this way, and. Please don't let your cousin's a gun in my pocket. Shut up and come about you kick him out? Shut miss Poker and stand right here. What are you trying to do? A white legion wants to ask you some questions, Poker. That's so, we'll take this hand back this listen, arrest ragout king, get back. We're off here, arrested. Come out to his wife. She's faded. Will you please clear the aisle? Please. They put that guy in the corn and drove off with him the top of the corner. Went after him. It will somebody please look after I'd better phone. The police, not take care of this. She all right, Margo, I think so lamar chained it. I beg your pardon. This must be her husband's briefcase. Papers cut it all over. I pick him up. Let me help you. My husband. Didn't deify the police. Who is your husband? Attorney Alton Parker, Alton Parker. Those men have took them away. Definitely white legion. I hate them to say, please, please do would you. Come to the first aid room, Madam, they're sending over detectives. Please, I'll excuse me, Missus Parker. I'm Hardley Clay's owner and publisher of the Globe. Is this your husband's briefcase? Well, I'll be very glad to deliver to the District Attorney's office, if you say so, may be valuable paper general, if you will claim. Now, if you come right this way, please Missus Parker. Excuse me, mister pres will you Marcus? Well, what do you make of this? If what she says is true, it's more of the White Legion's handiwork. Oh do you think so? I understand they were mixed up in the murder of Boss Houseman. That's pure hearsay. There was no relevance. Still, Red Collins is going to try for shooting Boss Houseman, and Alton Parker has stated to prosecute it or hangs together. Don't I suppose so? Anyway, I intend to take this matter up editorially in my paper this very afternoon. The Globe is kept away from the White Legion up to now. So much politics mixed up in it? You know, yes, I know it's but this is terrible. I'll see what Commissioner Western is doing about it. Well I must go along now. Oh wait, let me see. Is that paper on the floor out of this briefcase? Yes? Oh see it's been not even a sales folder special today white goods sale. Oh for yes, I say, huh, well, uh, I'll get this briefcase down to the District Attorney's office. Glad to very graduate met shoe mister Crave. Oh then you why Michael, sure right now? Yes, we're suffering from shop old m oh, this is an outrage, Lamart. You wanna do something. The Shadow ought to do something, I Mentionine, you're right. Hm where did you get those papers? I think they've fell out of Alton Parker's briefcase? Now rather important? I believe you see the title on them? Yeah, Evidence the State versus Red Colins. That's why are you? Oh? Why am beginning to see? Yes, the Shadow is doing something about the White Legion, Margo. And what's more, I expect to have a very busy afternoon. It's a message from the Commander, isn't it. Yeah, I've got it, mister Clays. S you. M m A R two oh one one. Heyway, sir, I'll put it on your dress. Thank you. See who that is at the door? Yes, sir, all right, Jill telegram points claze heleogram. What can this mean? Oh? Yes, congratulations on your splendid editorial in this afternoon's Globe was almost convincing. Signed the shadow? What for shadowtop trembling, you fool? But if the shadow, you take care of the shadow, just as we take care of the rest of He can't bluff me. Pardon the intrusion, mister Clays. Who is that who speaks? I am the one they call the shadow. He's here in this room. I've heard of you on your trick. Shadow. Where are you here in the shadows? But don't be alarmed because you can't see me. I've only come for a short visit, mister. Clay's why honor me with your presence as. A newspaper editor. I thought you might like to hear the news. What news? The White Legion is about to be exposed? The White Legion exposed. I presume you'll want to run an extra on that. Well, yes, of. Course, I'm sure I'll be very pleased the fair minded citizens of the city and state can force an expose that organis. Issues sound like your own editorials, mister Clays. If you're insinuating that I have some connection with the White Legion, you're very much mistaken. I never insinuate mister Clay's. I simply wanted to keep you posted. The next time you hear my voice praise, be ready to run your extras. It will be the signal that the White Legion is doomed. Before the Shadow continues its adventure. I want to give you a message from blue coal dealers throughout the country. As announced earlier, this is the final Shadow broadcast of. The winter series. Blue coal dealers take this opportunity to express their great appreciation for the many letters they have received praising these broadcasts. They are also deeply grateful to New England's families who have favored blue coal with a volume of business which has created a sensation in the fuel industry in New England this winter. We are of course happy that so many families have learned through experience that blue coal, an American product, is Pennsylvania's finest anthracite. It is the best quality. Fuel that can be used for. Not only is blue coal safe, clean and convenient, it is economical too. The glen Alden Coal Company, who mine blue coal, have prepared it especially for home use. No wonder, Blue coal sales in New England have increased more than twenty eight percent this winter compared to the same period a year ago. You may be sure that the high standards of quality which have been responsible for this increase in business, will. Be maintained at all times. So take a tip from blue coal families and for better, more economical heat, switch to blue coal to morrow. Ask for it by name. Order a trial ton from your nearest blue coal dealer. His name is. Listed in the where to buy it section of your classified telephone directory under the name blue Coal. Hmm, let me see those notes, Margaret. What makes you think Hotney Clays is mixed up with this white legion. Lamont m deductive reasoning, Margo. I've noticed that since this white Legion stuff is broken the papers, Clay's paper, The Globe, has been. Deliberately playing it down. Clay's editorial policy seems to be that the atrocities that White Legion have been greatly exaggerated. It does sound peculiar exactly. Clay seemed rather confused when I appeared Duren this afternoon as the shadow. This may clean up letters. Well, you got there it's a copy I made of a memorandums on Cray's desk. Let's see, Oh, what in the world does it mean? These two words convocation water Chapel. Then a string of letters and numbers s U N M A R two O one one doesn't make sense, Yes it. Does, s U N is Sunday, m Ai is March and then twenty and eleven Convocation water Chapel, Sunday, March twentieth at eleven. But that's today, yes, probably at eleven tonight. And I have an idea that the water Chapel is the place where they're holding Alton Parker prisoner. We're going to find out. Bring the car and meet me in the block next to his house at eight o'clock. Margo, h if Clays is going to that meeting, we'll follow him. Slow down, Margo, wanna get too close to hunt they Clay's cars. This fog rolling in would be lucky if we don't lose them entirely. Can you see their cars through the field glasses. The mom Yes, it's turn down that side road towards the bay. There's a small sack on the edge of the water. FOG's getting heavier and makes it. Hard to see. M That chack must be the place they call a water chapel. Yes, apparently right on the edge of the channel. It goes out to sea. H gotter, stop here, Margot. Let's get out all right, Lamont. And there's a small inlet here. We can see better now. He said that fog doesn't get any thicker. There's a motor boat tied up the wharf, three cars parking. If I wait, Claise, my man with him are getting out. They're going toward the shack. I don't see any light in the place I wasn't in the joint. Yes, there's a figure dressed in a long white robe and a mosque with a white cap on his head. Oh, A gone inside blast that fog is, I think so. I think I can't see the place you longer. What are you going to do now, h. I've got to get out there, and I just as soon not go by the front door. Oh look, Lamont, there's a roboat lying there in a good idea magas. This seems to be only one oar, but h I can paddle with that. This inlet apparently leads down into the channel. Lama, please be careful there's a terrible current rushing out to see, and in that fog you won't be able to see anything. H I'll be alright. But if you don't hear from me by six o'clock in the morning, get anytime to Commissioner Western, give him an occasion of this place and warn him to bring a few men with him. Yeah. If I get what I expect, I won't need him. What do you expect to get. Enough evidence to wipe out the White Leadion from top to bottom? All right, Barker, get yourself ready to meet the judgment of the White Legion. What judgment? A judgment of death. I'll be back for you in a minute. Judgment of death, Altron Parker. Who who's that quiet? I am the Shadow. I have come to help you. Shadow. Keep your chin up and do what they kill you. We'll see this through careful. Yeah, step up, Barker and follow me. Alright, Uh, this meeting of the comrades of the White Legion will come to order. First Defender present the accused. The accused stands before you, all, High Commander, first recorder. The prisoner, Alton Parker, having committed acts against the order of the White Legion, acts. That we consider detrimental to the good of our city. We have signed his order of punishment with the consent of the comrades. We'd give him into your hands. Alton Parker, have you anything. To say, Yes, Yes, I have. I was to have prosecutor a murderer tomorrow, a man known as Red Collins, by your help and instigation, killed our houseman, your political. Rival's common knowledge. If this white legion of yours sides with a party in power at city Hall, and all your sanctimonious chatter about the good of our city doesn't fool anybody. Prosecuting criminals is my job. And if that prosecution and dangers the lives and reputations of one political clique or another. It's no concern of mine. You have one more minute. I know why you're getting rid of me, because your white legion is mixed up and the worst scandal this state has ever known. And I know what that scandal is. And you, with your robes and masks, you what that scandal is. You wouldn't be members of this gang. You'd ask your leaders what kind of money grafting racket they're running. Ask him the one that sits there on his. Mock Throne who tore off my mask? You fools, get back here. It is Commander the strap brope odd I could have sworn. I thought someone care come to the men. Send the accused over the trap. You are sentenced to die, Alton Poker. You will pay for this, all of him. There's a power beyond your reach that will make you pay if you mean the Shadow. When the time comes, we'll deal with the Shadow in a way he won't forget silence. Stand ready at the trap. Give me that rope. I want to dispose of mister Parker myself ready, the trap is ready. Good Ah. In another half hour, Alton Parker's body will be far at sea. The vengeance of the White Legion is now completed. We call the Shadows. Bluff missioner, western speaking, but monic commissioner. Oh, it's you Shadow. This morning they're bringing Red Collins to trial for the murder of Boss Hausman. Do you think I don't know the surgeon The trial starts. Have a man station at each entrance to the courtroom. Don't get anyone in or out without your authority, and wish yourself by the main entrance. I think you'll have a surprise what's the idea. I'll do it if you tell me what. I can't tell you anything more. Now, Commissioner, accept this. If you don't do it, you'll regret it the rest of your life. Well, I don't know what you're planning, but it'd better be good. Oh it'll be good, Commissioner. I'll promise you that it'll be good. Order your honor, I reques that this man, who calls himself Red Collins, be reprimanded for his insults to me. The district Attorney proceed with the case. Please very well, Collins, who paid you to murder Boss Houseman? Defense object your allah. Objection, sustain your honner. Perhaps you'll answer this question, Collins, Were you ever a member of the White Legion? I was not. I tell you that once before all right. Defense requests that the prosecutor stick to the case in hand, the. Murder of Al Housman. The case in hand, as the. Defense and everybody else knows, goes far beyond the prosecution of this gangster. Why I intend to prove your honor that this man Collins killed Al. Houseman, but that Collins acted. Under the instructions of the notorious gang known as. The White legion. What the same gang who calls the mysterious disappearance of my able assistant, mister Rousen Parker. Confine yourself to the case in hand. Just the attorney seems to have some trouble doing that. Here, look at this note, columns, Do you deny sending that houseman the day before he was killed? Sure? I wrote the letter and said it to him. I told you that once aready? So why why did you write him such a threatening letter? The scareman to pay me the money of me. That's why I told you that. Once mister Collins is lying, tells that he can either read nor write. I demand that he identify himself. Is there someone in this courtroom who wishes to be sworn as a witness? Where are you? Who are you? I am the shadow Judge ruscoll I have some unsworn testimony that may interest you. The men who paid Red Collins to commit murder are in this room. They are the leaders of the White Cleton. They have secretly milked the city treasury of over ten million dollars in the past three years. Their hands are red with bront. I protested this particulous proceeding. One of those men is sitting here in this courtroom. His name has been honored in the past, but he is a murderer. You name, it's Hockney, claims sanktimonious crusading editor who used his influence and position to learn the movements of the law and keep suspicion away from himself. If there is any further disturbance, I will order the court room clear. Judge Roscoe, yes, sisters past. He concluded, if this this shadow accuses me, let him present evidence. The evidence is ready. You are making a pass of this court of justice, whoever you are. If you don't stop, I will suspend the hearing. I have talked enough. I now call your attention to the young man who is just entering the door with Commissioner Western Parker. It's out of Warner. It is Parker cleared to see this attorney to disappeared. I command the suspension of this trial. Now. This trial won't be suspended until I present the evidence of conviction. You couldn't find that evidence could give us the clays. It wasn't in my briefcase. Killing me wouldn't have destroyed it because it's right here after I was kidnapped in the store. These papers were sent to Commissioner Weston enough evidence to send Red Collins to the electric chair. To put an end forever to this murdering gang of hypocrites who call themselves the White Legion. I order the arrest of Hartney Clays. Well, dear mister Parker, so got your hands, Clay You realize what you're doing. Yes, I'm siming up pear of handcuffs on you. Mister. You'll be locked up from charge with the murder of William Devans, among other God Todd Parker, right, I liquished the bit just a monswer. Now I'm a suspension for. The presentment of new charges of the grand jury. Those charges will show that the city funds have been tampered with. They will name the six leaders of the White Legion, including it's all high commander, the brains and moving force of its murderous atrocities. The man who sits on the bench at this moment, Judge Matthew Ruscolle, are. You a doors the garden sergeant? Have your man praised? Judge Ruscoe, and the arrest and all poor a minute to. The French table. Why praise hiet There's one thing more I want to pay this public tribute to the one who, more than any other, is responsible for this triumph of justice, the one who calls himself the Shadow. I thank you. Let me remain a voice, a voice that wakes the guilty conscience, bring terror to the wrong doer, and comfort to the oppressed. Know me only as the Shadow. And now, ladies and gentlemen, we bring you John Barclay, Blue Coals Heating Expert. But before we hear mister Barclay, we want to remind you that at the close of the program, the Shadow himself has an interesting message for you. Be sure to listen. And now, mister Barclay, thank you. Ken Now a word about heating hot water this summer, many listeners have had the experience of preparing to take a shower only to discover the hot water supply has been exhausted. Now, this condition should not exist in any home. That can always be an unlimited supply of hot water when you heat it with the efficient and up to date hot water tank heaters that manufacturers are turning out today. These heaters are still known in many communit it is as bucket a day are pot stoves. Their cost is trifling, even when installed with automatic graft regulators, which make their operations semi automatic. They guarantee a generous supply of really hot water at a cost of about one third present gas bills. I suggest that you ask a blue coal dealer about this hot water heating equipment. He'd be very glad to puort a price on the size best siltic to your requirements. Thank you, mister Barclay. And now, ladies and gentlemen, that interesting message we promised you. The part of Lamont Cranston and the Shadow has been played by one of the most distinguished figures in the theater to day, mister Orson Wells, famous for his production of Shakespeare in modern dress, a director of the Mercury Theater, producer of Broadway hits like Julius Caesar and The Shoemaker's Holiday. Mister Wells, still a very young man, is making for himself a unique place in the field of dramatic arts. We have been indeed fortunate in having mister Wells and our Shadow programs. Now, I know all of you would like to hear a few words from mister West. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Words can hardly express my great enjoyment in doing this program for you. And now before I leave you, I wanna thank our sponsors Blue Coal, for giving me the opportunity of doing the show. I wanna thank our cast for the wonderful work they've done throughout our entire season. And above all, I wanna thank you our listeners for your loyalty. We all hope you've enjoyed listening to the shows as much as we have playing them. You know, in the theater we can see our audience. We're able to tell how well we're received by the applause we get. But unfortunately we have no way of knowing how much you've enjoyed us over the air. Wait, Arthin, may I make a suggestion? Are you certainly acting us morehead? Or I should I say, Margo Lane, there is a. Way if you've enjoyed this program and would like to let mister Wells and all of us know about it, simply phone your nearest Blue Coal dealer and tell him so tomorrow morning. Tell him how much you've enjoyed the Adventures of the Shadow. A very fine idea, angus. And now ladies and gentlemen, good night, goodbye, Thank. You mister Wells, and let's all take Agnes Morehead suggestion, and give the cast the volume of applause they deserve. Phone your nearest blue coal dealer tomorrow morning. Tell him how much you've enjoyed the adventures of the Shadow, and that you'd like the Shadow programs to resume again in the fall. You have just heard a dramatized version of one of the many copyrighted stories which appear in the Shadow magazine. All the characters and all the person's named are fictitious. Any similarity to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. As you so evil, so shall you read people. Crime does not pay the Shadow nose.