The Shadow 030 - Traffic in Death

Who knows what evil looks in the hearts of men. The Shadow. No Blue Coal presents the Shadow with today's thrilling adventor, Your Blue Coal Dealers commence a new season and a sensational new series of The Shadow, your favorite mystery drama. These programs have been made possible by your friendly cooperation and support of our product Blue Coal and on behalf of our sponsors and doar cast. May I express appreciation to you, our listeners, for bringing us all together again this year and just in the moment, the Shadow's first exciting adventure begins. Meanwhile, homeowner is attentive. Don't be deceived by the balmy days of Indian summer. All signs point to chile fore weather and a long cold winter, so don't take chances. Decide now to order a supply of blue coals. It's Pennsylvania's finest anthracite trademark Blue as your guarantee of even dependable, healthful heat, no matter what the weather. Your nearest Blue Coal Dealers stock Blue Cold in all household sizes. Phone him tomorrow. The Shadow La Mont Cranston, a man of wealth, a student of science, and the master of other people's minds. Devote his life to righting wrongs, protecting the innocent, and punishing the guilty using advanced methods that may ultimately become available to all law enforcement agencies. Cranston is known to the underworld as the shadows never seen, only heard as haunting to superstitious minds, as a ghost, as inevitable as a guilty conscience. To Day's story Traffic in Depth. Where is my son? He was completely recovered. You are going to let him out of the sanitarium to day? What happened? According to the reports, he suffered a relapse in the night and died. I'm sorry dead? Third, how ye dear answer me? Why is he to tell you so quiet? Your husband suffered a relapse after a severe hemorrhage. Missus case, I am sorry, he is dead. D he can't see dead. He want to go home to day? Why did you let it up? Lost the night? I leave my wife Marie here in the sanitarium. They say she's a getting better. Now you try to tell me she's dead. I'm sorry, Tony, but here's the report relapse after him? No, you sent for me, doctor ly Yes, as chief laboratory scientists, what do you know about these hemorrhage cases, six dead in six days. No more than you, doctor ly they're Unfortunately. I believe there's far more to it than that. I believe it's murder. Murder. Have you any proof? No, not positive proof. And I don't want to notify the police and involve the sanitarium and a scandal until I'm sure. What are you going to do about it? Doctor me. I've already telegraphed an old friend of mine, rom On Crampston. He's flying down from Maine and he'll get to the bottom of this. Take my life on it. Yes, I believe you would speak, even your life for the honor of this sanitarium you have made so great, even your life. And traffic's heavy tonight, Margot, say why so quiet? Regretting the end of your summer vacation and. Name No, I'm remembering all the things I forgot to pack in a while, rush to catch the plane from Portland. Sorry, Margot, you could have stayed, but I had to come. The Monk Creston, who needs the protection of the shadow this time? Who sent you that telegram? That telegram was from a man who once saved although he doesn't know it. The life of the shadow anyone I know you've met him? Doctor Randolph Lee, chief of stafford a Memorial Sanitarium. Doctor Lee, Why, he's one of the greatest surgeons in the country. Yes, he's the one who removed that bullet nestling close to my spine. Oh, I'll never forget that. I thought you were going to die. But what's wrong with doctor Lee? Now it's his turn, Margo. He thinks he's going to die Lamont A famous man like doctor Lee, who would want to kill him? Why, that's what I hope to find out. Well, here's a sanitarium. Come on home, I'll explain. On the way up to his office, he's waiting. Yeah, let me help you out of the car. Thanks you mon. He isn't a praate of being murdered, not in the big sanitarium like this with his staff all around him. Caesar was murdered while surrounded by his staff, Margot. Oh, then doctor Lee's afraid of one of his associates. So that's why he hasn't called him the police Exactly. He hasn't enough proof to arrest a man, and he doesn't what the sanitarium involved in a public scandal. But there's more to it than that. Uh, this way, Margot, what else is there? Murder? Whostale murder? To wait him in the month, Oh, nurse, Yes, sir, I'd like to see doctor Lee. He's expecting me. Oh you, mister Canton. Yes, Doctor Lee left orders that you would go right up to his office in his five elevator. Will you step in here, please, thank yourness, after your margo, my private elevator. Yes, that's the buttonmar Doctor Lester Cranston, It will take you directly to his office. Thank you ness. We will manage miman you sa. Doctor lisuspects someone of wholesale murder. But there hasn't been a wood in the printers. That's not an unusual occurrence in a big sanitarium, morgo. And there are many more ways of killing than with a gun or a club. Well, were these people killed in some unusual way? They died of a nemir a cute anemia, because every answer of their blood was drained from their bodies. Oh, I never heard of such a thing. The doctor lisuspect someone in the sein. He didn't want to say over the phone. That's why he begged me to hurry here. When I called him from the airport. I am afraid Lee's in danger if the killer suspects he's under him. Here we are well, Hello, doctor Lee. I came as quickly as I could. Mama, Doctor Lee, what is it meant? Are you ill? Fuck? Muggo? Get a glass of water. That's the Canada. No, wait a minute, never mind, it's no use. He's dear. Are you sure positive? But there's no sign of barn Yes, there is model Okay, he's been stabbed in the back with a surgical knife. Oh, how ghastly. A great man, not doctor Lee. Murder. I was afraid of something like this, Margo. We've got to be careful. This killer is desperate. He'll stop it nothing to cover up his crimes. He's murdered one of the greatest men of medicines, and I've cut the automatic. Candidator is going down. Let it go. Someone else has called it down and they may be coming up here. Let's wait and see. The man who murdered him knows we're here, and he may do something that will make our jobs easier. The elevator stopped the mark. The police will have to be notified, Yes, but I have a hunch that commissioned a Western and his homicide squad are going to need help. That cracked this case. The elevator is coming back up. Get away from Themma, stand behind a curtains there, keep out of sight. What are you going to do? Lamot? That depends on who steps out of that elevator. I'll go get behind those curtains. Please. The elevator is almost here. Be careful, amout, keep out of sight. It's just possible he his killer, may be returning to cover up his crime. Doctor Lee. Oh, I beg your pardon, Doctor I've thought you were alone. Did Doctor Lee send for you? Yes, sir, I'm HARDWT in charge of the laboratory. Why what's wrong? Doctor Lee? Doctor Lee? His tith? Who are you? What are you doing here? How did this happen? How did what happened? Why? I beg your pardon, Sir? I only meant that he was in perfect helpless than an hour ago. I couldn't help think. A surgical knife can save a life or ended in an instant look in his back knife? Who are you? What are you doing here? I am a monk Prinston, a friend of doctor Lee's. I talked to him on the phone an hour ago I arrived a few minutes ago and found him dead. Why haven't you notified the police? How do you know I haven't, mister Hardwick. Just how long have you been here? Not long enough to have killed doctor Lee, as your cross examination seems to infer. No, you'll see what the police thing is. Hello, Hello operator, give me police headquarters quick. Cranston. Doctor Lee has been dead less than five minutes and I find you here alone with him. Not quite alone, mister Hardy. Who is this woman? Why was she hiding? This young lady is miss Laane? Mister Hardwick? Hello, Hello, hurry up. That coll operator, Police ad Quarters. This is mister. Hardwick of Themorial Sanitarium. Doctor Randall Flee, chief of staff, has been murdered in his private office. I found a man named Cranston and a girl alone in the room with the body. Yes, yes, I'll see they don't leave before. Your men arrive. Very well done, Hardwick. Police forget the truth out of you when they get here. Yes, Hardwick, the truth will out, and when it does, someone will hang for this. Without trying Gordon Well Cranston, Sorry of the nurse who sent you up here to doctor Lee's private office along with the coroner's report and the time of the death, completely clears you and miss Lane of any suspicion. Thank you, commission Thanks Commissioner, your car has arrived from headquarters, Commission of Western You can go down the hall and take a million elevators life. Thank you, Hardwick. I will I'm not much on these elevators. You're run by yourself. Hey, Cranston dropping the headquarters tomorrow, will you? I'd like to get a transcript of what doctor Lee told you when you call him from the airport. It might give us a lead. I'll be glad. The Commissioner god to by mc lane. I'm sorry we had to change I didn't mind them. Well, Hardwick, are you convinced of our innocence? I'm terribly sorry to have been so history in my acquisitions Cranston. And you, miss Lane. I think nothing of it. By the way, Cranston, just what did doctor Lee tell you over the phone? If there any clues I might be able to help. That's just what I've been thinking. Hardwick. You're in charge of the senatorium lab. I understand why, yes, yes, I am. Do you conduct any experiments in line of duty or on your own? Oh? No, No, my duties are routine. Then I don't suppose you know that at least six patients have died in the sanitarium within the past month. Yes, what is this to do with doctor Lee's death? That's what I'm hoping you'll tell me, mister Hardwick. What do you mean, Hardwick? You know and I know that six patients have died in the sanitarium because every ounce of blood had been drained from their bodies. Yet in all cases their deaths were ascribed to natural causers. Oh so you know you've known all along? Yes, doctor Lee told me over the phone. Why didn't you tell Commissioner Western Because there are two pieces of the puzzles still missing, the criminal and the motive. I see. Well, uh, if you will rate here, I may have something in my laboratory that will complete the picture for you. I'll take least private elevator and the moment. We'll wait here. Then, if you suspect me to hart, I do, Margo, So why did you let him leave? Is he guilty he'll run away? Nor if he's guilty, he'll come back and try to kill us for the same reason doctor Lee was murdered. We know too much what are you going to do, Concomissioner with him? Western is only concerned with doctor Lee's dead. I want to know how those six helpless patients died and why. I think the time has come for the Shadow to take a hand. Can I help the monk? Yes? If your game to stay here and wait till Hardwick comes back. Tell Hardwick I had to leave. Tell him how they're back in ten minutes. But will I say to heart lead him on, muggle, make him think we have proof of his guilt. If he is guilty, he'll hang himself with a rope of words. Where you're going? Your mount? Nowhere, Margo, nowhere, Just into the shadows. In the shadows, The Shadow's adventure continues in just the moment. Meanwhile, here's a muss for all homeowners. Make no mistake about us for home heating and recite is by far the best fuel and by far the best anthracite is blue coal. 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Well I have, But there's Crichtons Slaine. He had to lead the sanitarium. But he'll be why did he leave? What's she doing? I don't know, you're lying. It's going to know the Pinate police because I see trying to trick me into talking. Eh that you don't have to do that, miss Lene. I'll tell you. I'll tell you anything you want to know. Then, why was doctor Lee murder? Because she found out about those spsified death reports. Why was every ounce of blood drained out of the body to. Those poor people? Because blood is valuable his sanitarium by thousands of dollars worth. The blood for transfusion. We stuck it up all types. We keep it in a special refrigerator we call a blood bank. You want to know anything else, miss Lane? In other words, doctor Lee caught some one killing helpless men and women for their blood to tell of the sanitarium is that it? Yes, that is the motive. Your friend Cranston was hunting money, blood money. You seem to know everything, mister Harwood. Perhaps you know who robbed those people of their blood? Who murdered doctor Lee? Of course, miss Lane, I am in charge of the blood bank. I needed money. I falsified the death certificates. I'm murderedly. Are you telling me? Because as an a psychologist to tell you the criminal cannot resist boasting and it isn't quite safe the boast to some one who is not going to live long enough to tell. What good will it do you to kill me? Will Ard Creston will. Be back in a few minutes, And when he does come back, I will boast to him, satisfy his meddling curiosity as I've satisfied yours, and then kill. Him in the same way I kill the others and you. You can't get away with it. In our basement, mug, the unidentified dead come from the legency ward. Two more bodies yours and mister Cranston's will go to the Mugu unnoticed. There's no use packing away in this. And you call yourself a scientist. You're no scientist. You're a butcher. It is useless to scream. This office is sound proof isolation. How convenient for you, mister Hardwick. You keep looking around as if expecting help or don't bother. I'm going to take you out of here before your friend Cranston returns. Then I will come back and deal with him. You're not taking me anywhere. I wonder what type blood you have. Don't worry, There'll be no pain. The anesthetic will take care of that. Now, you might as well resign yourself to faith, Miss Lane. No one is going to come out of space and save you. Such things have been known to happen. Mister Hartwick, what was that? Resign yourself to faith? Hartwick? You are convicted by yourself, by your boasting, your ego has condemned you to death, death for the murder of seven men and women. A voice, where's it coming, great Hartwick, listen to me. I am more than a voice. I am in this very room close to you, watching you draw that revolver you left the room to get. Haven't you had enough killing the Hangle's curtainsy? Well, come out, come on, clickrosso revolver as a crude weapon. They'll see now, Perhaps you will believe Hardwick? Who are you? Well? All right, Hardwick? Surely your scientific studies have made you aware of the powers of hypnosis, whereby a man might render himself unseen, a science practiced by a man known to the criminal world as the Shadow. The Shadow. Yes, Hardwick, I am the Shadow. You have depiled man's noblest profession. You have brought death with the skill meant to save life. You have struck like a human vampire in this great sanitarium, this sanctuary of the Sink, and you are going to pay for it with death. If I could only see you, no man living has ever seen the Shadow, So you think you'll see this? Girl? Trap me turn me over to the police, saying well, not this time. I'll come near me, Shadow, I'll kill me Slaine here now I can't. He'll shoot you inside, mister Shadow, I'll shoot her hen that elevator, m slave Shadow, Shadow. Do you hear me? What have you done to her? Listen to me, settle. You can't follow me a thousand rooms in the sanitarium. You have one chance in a thousand fighting this girl before I'm finished with her. If you notify the police before I have a chance to get away, no one will ever find her again. You hear me, Do you understand? Yes, you feel I hear you. I understand. But if you harmed Miss Slaine, I'll track you to the ends of the earth. Now I'm slaying I'm ready that let the bubbling sounds just my special blood transfusion. It will do you no good to struggle. Against the anesthetic that only brings unconsciousness. Quicker, breathe, deep, Miss Slaine. Deep, you can dream that your friend la Man clanched and has come to help you. In the shadow. You can dream of him too. But neither of them will ever find this laboratory, here in the cellar, so close to the mug, and. I'll get them both before I'm through, and then no one will know when I can go on and on. You are a benefactor to humanity, Miss Slaine, A blood owner. Some cool cool one artwork means to kill Margo, whether I search for her or not. A thousand rooms he went down, But the whole sanitariums down, w labs, operating rooms, corridors down. I must how why is they marry? I'll just find Jack the Nessay, they're gonna let me leave the sanitary into Jack. Look what is it? Mary? That door it just there was. Oh no, Mary, you told yourself you've had a bad time. You just imagined that, you know. I saw it opened and closed. I saw the door handle, but there was no one. Life's use one. I've got to cutch something else, something else. How about another game before I gone? Doty Bill, I gotta be gone Operation and surgery. Everybody's on edge since Lee was murdered. Say, I wonder why Hardwood spends so much time in the old storeroom is next to the morgue. He just fixed it up as an experimental laugh. I wonder what made me think it Harden. It was almost as if someone were asking me where to find the lab. Here them all. That's it. I uh, the anesthetic is taking effectless. Lane. In a moment, everything. Will be already. You would do me a favor bringing Cranston here. It would save me the trouble of going up after him. I don't relish that, but it's his life for mine. He told him too much, and the shadow what I would give to. Have him here on the operating table. I wonder if he could keep in the shadows if I drained his life blood away. You'll never know hardwin you. So you've found me. I want you. I want you not to follow me. I'll kill me, slay that's what you're trying to do. That's a plan fortunately for you. Yes, yes, mother, Thank heavens, I found you in time. Wait I knocked him out nice too. I'll get help with the shadow slip or two and two together. Wait, you'll guess you are the Shadow. We will tell them about this. We must risk it. You've got to have medical medical attention. I'll be all right, it's come on. So you're the shadow a crimestone. But here's where I care. Two plans but onrun shot gone, I missed you, lone back into the shadows. You can have your Yes, and this time you won't escape this shadow. They'll never take me, No one can do that. You are insane hard we oh, no Shadow, I know what to stop for me. You won't get me. They'll never hide me. Never a coward in the very You have paid for your crimes against the brook fashion which concurred upon you the mantle of honor, against a great sanitarium and a great man of medicine who trusted and befreended you, against helpless humanity you are claimed to save, not kill. You have paid for this final cowards, and you will go on and pay Shadow death, Yes dead, and may Heaven have mercy on his soul. Well Canston. I hope this will teach you, in miss Lane, not to keep things on the police. If you told me about your phone conversation with doctor Laid, this wouldn't have happened. Had estate before you could sign proof not to arrest him. Nonsense, miss Lane, I suspected him all the time. Well, Commissioner, this is one case where you didn't need the help of the Shadow. The Shadow he wouldn't have cracked this case in a month of Sundays. He's just another amateur criminologist like you. Crinson, I shouldn't be a tall surprise before the shadow returns. John Barclay, blue Coal's heating expert, has a few words for all of you, mister Barkler. Good evening, friends, and thank you, Ken Roberts. If you're interested in having a healthier, more comfortable home this winter, be sure and call your local Blue Coal dealer. You'll find that, in addition to being a fuel dealer, he is an authority on modern home heating. For more than seven. Years, it's been my privilege to train servicemen for Blue Coal dealers everywhere, and I know that these men, known as John Barkley Servicemen have aided thousands of families like yours to enjoy greater heating comfort At less call. I'd like to read you briefly part of a letter typical of those received from customers using Blue Coal and John Barkley service. I quote, I want to tell you how courteous your John Barkley representative was the wonderful result I've been getting since adhering to his advice. Since using Blue Coal and doing just as we were advised by your young man, we are getting steady, real heat and would not use any other but your blue coal unquote, and. Don't forget friends. No matter what kind of fuel you use or what your heating problem, your blue coal dealer will always be glad to help you, so feel free to call on him. You place an expert John Barkley Serviceman at your disposable. I thank you friends. Tonight's drama, a radio version of one of the many copyrighted stories which appear in The Shadow magazine, now on sale at your local newstand, was not intended as a reflection on any of the thousands of splendid sanitarium throughout the country. These institutions are conducted according to the highest of medical standards, and their doctors and scientists are among the most skilled and ethical men in the profession. All the characters and all the places named in this evening's programs are fictitious, and this similarity to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. The Weed of Crime, Bear's bitter Fruit Crime does not pay. Next week, same time, same station. Blue Coal America's final stance for site will again present another swilling adventure of the Shadow. Be sure to listen, and be sure to burn blue coals, the solid fuel for solid comfort.