I'm tired. Should be glad when this day is over. It won't be long, Joe. It's pretty near time for the night shift. Come in. Yeah, they can have it. This tunnel's been a jinx ever since we started the building. Yeah, well, every tunnel's a jinx. You've been sand hogging long enough, you ought to know that. I know, but this one's different. I can smell death around him. I can smell it. Yeah, I can smell that pot of gulag my old lady's got cooking on the stove. Better come home for dinner with me, Joe. The old lady sure stirs up a mean batch of gulag. I like the looks of that wall over there. Water's been seeping through the cement all day. What of it? We're under the river. Some water's bound to seep through. Yeah, but there's a crack there. Looks to me like it's been getting bigger. There's 70 hogs working down here. If you're so scared, prop it up with a timber wheel. Have them throw some more cement in there in the morning. I've seen lots of them. Hey, Joe, you're right. It is breaking. Hey, guys, get out. Get out. She's gonna blow. Lousy cement. I knew there'd be an accident. Not an accident. Murder. That's what it is. Murder. Dr. Danfield, student of crime psychology, has many times provided the police with a solution to a baffling crime. There's an interesting case ahead for the doctor today. We'll call it the tunnel smelled of death. You want to get that rusty? Okay. Hello? Yes. Yes, just a minute. It's for you, Dan. All right, give me. Hello? Speaking. Oh. Well, I, uh, I hardly think that's exactly my line. Uh, yes, yes, I know. It was terrible. Well, uh, let me think it over. I'll call you back. What was all that about? About that tunnel disaster, Rusty. Oh? That was the head of the Civic Betterment League. He wanted us to do a little investigating. Are we going to? No, I don't think so. That affair smells the high heaven of graft and corruption. That's a job for the police. I doubt it would have much psychological interest. Yes, but those poor families of the men who are... Yeah, I get it. Hello, Dan Peel speaking. No? Well, uh, just a minute. I want to close the door. Dan, the door isn't open. Rusty, grab the extension phone. I want you to hear this. Oh, yeah. Uh, okay, I, uh, just wanted to be sure we wouldn't be overheard. Don't make me laugh, doctor. I heard the click of that phone. Well, then I don't have to tell you that my secretary's listening in. That gag's as old as the hills. Do you mind repeating what you first told me? No, not at all. I said I had word that you were asked to investigate the tunnel disaster. Hmm, you must have big ears. I have ways. What I want to know is, are you going to do it? Possibly. I sincerely advise against it. Oh, you do? Yes. Forget it. It was an accident. And, uh, if I don't forget it? Look, Danfield, the death toll on that job's already 70. You and that red-headed secretary of yours would make it 72. You might as well hang up, Rusty. Our friend has finished his speech. The nerve of that guy. No, not nerve, Rusty. It doesn't take any nerve to make threats over the telephone. What are you going to do? A little investigating. This case has suddenly become very interesting. I'd like to stick a pin in that bird superiority complex. In a moment we'll return for the second act of danger, Dr. Danfield. But first... And now we return you to Michael Dunn for the second act of danger, Dr. Danfield. Hell, I hope the zone of the mayor is receiving this afternoon, Rusty. Dan, you don't suspect the mayor. Maybe yes, maybe no. We might as well begin at the top. Dr. Danfield. Dr. Danfield. Oh, good afternoon, publisher. Rusty, do you know Grant Stevens, publisher of the Eagle? How do you do, Mr. Stevens? How do you do? Danfield, are you going in to see the mayor? I am. Good, I'm going in with you. Well, now, what I'm about to ask the mayor is probably... I know what you're here for. You're investigating a tunnel accident. Well, more people know more about my business today. And it's my business to know things. I'm running a newspaper. All right, come along. I suppose the only way to break up this racket is to give it plenty of publicity. And I'll do that. I certainly will. Let's go right in. Supposing his honor doesn't want us there to come in. Well, we'll go in all right. But your honor, I cannot do that. We'll simply have to lay off for a while, Orson. What's the matter, Danfield? Listen. I'm investigating. I cannot afford an investigation. Let's go right in. All right. Good afternoon, your honor. What's this? Why, how dare you invade the sanctity of my... my... Oh, good afternoon, Mr. Stevens. How do you do, publisher? Riley, Plumb, this is Dr. Daniel Danfield and his secretary. You should know Mayor Riley Danfield. The other is Orson Plumb, city engineer. How you do? Dr. Danfield's here to investigate the tunnel disaster on behalf of the Civic Betterment League. Investigate the terrible disaster, terrible. Oh, yes, my, it was awful, awful. I couldn't sleep a wink last night thinking of those poor men. To say nothing of the expense to rebuild it. But why start your investigation here? Well, I've got to start somewhere. I don't think I care to answer any questions. My office carries a certain amount of immunity, you know. Well, you will answer some questions. I and the power of my newspaper put you in this office and my newspaper and I can put you out of it. If there's corruption here in the city hall and incompetence in our engineering department, by Godfrey, I want to know about it. I'll spread it over every front page of the country. I'll expose the whole dirty mess to the whole wide world. But I know absolutely nothing about the accident. Very well. I'll answer Dr. Danfield's question. Of course, of course. I'll be only too glad to assist in any way possible. Thank you, your honor. So you know nothing about the building of this tunnel. The building of the tunnel, my dear sir, is the responsibility of the city's engineering department. Now, see here, your honor, you're not going to... I'll get to you in just a moment, Mr. Plumb. Go on, Mayor Riley. I'm very proud of that tunnel, Dr. Danfield. I have fought for it courageously from the very beginning. Why should I want to see anything happen to my favorite project? I didn't say you did. Then why are you asking these questions? I haven't asked any yet. Ah. By the way, where were you when the accident occurred, your honor? I was out at my new country home, supervising the construction of a sunroom. Oh, you have a country home? Yeah, I most certainly do. A beautiful place. Cost me $60,000. $60,000? Yes. And just how much did that suit you're wearing cost, your honor? By, uh, $150. Why? $150 for a suit of clothes? Why, I never paid more than $45 in my life. Walk upstairs, Mr. Stevens. Don't be facetious, young lady. And his diamond ring, Dan. Yes, the diamond ring, your honor. I don't have to be catechized about my personal... I rather think you're going to be, your honor. For instance, how is it that a man who has a yearly salary from the taxpayers of only $8,000 can afford a $60,000 home? Why, I have, uh, certain investments. Plus $150 suit. Now, look, I'm not going to... And a $5,000 ring. That ring was given to me by one of my constituents. Wasn't your new country home given to you also by the Adamson Construction Company, the company that's building your new tunnel? No, no, it was not. Then where did the money come from to build your new home? What investments? Be specific. Well, I... If you don't tell me, you'll tell the FBI. That tunnel is being built with government funds. Well, a man in my position often gets, uh, gifts from people I'm able to do favors for. Nearly every city official does. Well, that'll make excellent reading material. But I didn't get anything from the Adamson Construction Company. And you can investigate me from here to Highwater. I doubt if you'll have to look any further, Dr. Danfield. Riley's got a gifty look of Iowa's all-in. The highest gift I ever received wasn't over $1,000. Looks pretty bad for his honor, Dan. Maybe. Now you, Mr. Orson Plumb. Me? Yes. Up until the time of the accident, what work on the tunnel was it going along as anticipated? No, indeed. And we've been having a lot of trouble, hit a lot of hard rock and things we never counted on. The tunnel is going to cost $15,683,000 more than we expected. Now with this accident, it'll cost another two and a half million. You're pretty sure of your figures, Mr. Plumb. I am. I'm a good engineer. Tell me, just how is the tunnel being constructed? Well, there are two 100-foot shafts, one on each side of the river. We've been tunneling toward the center and will meet exactly 3,206 feet in. The tunnel has a bore of 36.4 feet. And you expect that the tunnels from each side will meet exactly? According to my calculations, there won't be more than three-tens of a foot off. Mr. Plumb, what, in your opinion, was the cause of the tunnel's collapse? I, uh, I'm not prepared as yet to say. Could it possibly have been that the cement mixture was not up to specifications or that not enough reinforcing steel had been used? No, no, no, no, no, no, Dr. Danville, not that. That would make whoever was responsible liable to a criminal prosecution. Why, he'd be, uh, he'd be no less than a murderer. You're exactly right, Mr. Plumb. Oh, my, this is awful. Those poor, poor men. And to think that this should happen today of all days. Oh, what's different about today? That my daughter is being brought out tonight. At least she was. Now, my wife is so upset over this affair that we'll have to have it postponed. Well, that shouldn't be so hard to do. Young lady, have you ever tried to cancel 1,048 invitations? Uh, plus a dance band and the casers. You, what a party. Just how much is your yearly take, Mr. Plumb? Huh? Uh, take? Yes, your salary. Uh, 7,500. And less withholding tax, of course. Uh, why? Brother, the tricks these fellows can do on seven or eight thousand dollars. Yes, Raffaele, I'm afraid I'm in the wrong business. Tell me, where did your graft come from, Mr. Plumb? A graft? Dr. Danfield, that's an insult. Either tell me or the FBI. Uh, I, I do receive a slight commission from some of the companies who do construction jobs for the city. I'll admit it's unethical, but I... And these are the two men that I and my paper help put into public office. Well, Danfield, I've heard enough. I'm going to put out an extra. The eagle will break up this gang of corrupt officeholders or my name isn't Colonel Grant Stevens. Then, Mr. Stevens, please don't print this in your paper. I'm not responsible for the accident. I swear it. I always am if you want me to, but don't print it. It'll kill my wife. Your wife? Hey, you should have thought of your wife before you took your first bride. Thank heavens I've never married. Well, Rusty, I think the next thing for us to do is go down and take a look at that tunnel. I've got a hunch that the answer to this whole thing is about a hundred feet underground. Oh, uh, care to go along, publisher? Well, I haven't the time now. I've got to get that extra out. And as for you, Riley and Plum, you can read your political epitaphs on the front page of my paper in just exactly one half an hour. Good day, gentlemen. Wow, what a stuffed shirt. Well, Austin, it looks like the jigs have... Hey, Dr. Danfield, I must beg of you. Don't go down in that tunnel. Oh, why not? It isn't safe. We pull everybody out of there. And only keeping the pumps going to keep the water down. Well, I think Rusty and I can take care of ourselves. I wouldn't do it, Danfield. Seventy dead men are enough. No use you two adding to the list. I don't think they want us to go down, Rusty. Doesn't look like it. What are we going to do? We're going down. In a moment, we'll return to the third act of Danger, Dr. Danfield, but first... And now back to Michael Dan for the third act of Danger, Dr. Danfield. Had they known to see Boots, Dan, it's sure wet down here. Yeah, the water's about three inches deep. Yeah, it's a wonder the whole river didn't come in when the walls fell. That was poor Don. I'd hate to be caught in a place like this. Like a plume. Don, that water... The pumps are keeping it down pretty well, Rusty. Yeah, let's see. There's a light ahead. I think we ought to be getting in the place where she came in. Yeah, there's a big pile of stuff just up ahead. Yep. Yep, this is it, all right. They steal a chunk of cement, Rusty. I crumbled. Just like breadcrumbs. Yes, indeed, just as I thought. That stuff hasn't got enough cement in it to make a mud pod. Uh, flash the light up on the walls, will you, that hole up there? Up here, Dan? Yeah. Hey, you see that, Rusty? I didn't see any seal in there at all. No wonder she fell in. What did mean, Dan? Well, it means that somebody has been diverting a lot of steel and cement that should have been used in this tunnel to another operation. What other operation? Well, I believe that Mr. Stevens in his newspaper would call it the Black Market. I thought the Black Market was dead. Well, not in materials like steel and cement, Rusty. The stuff that's been stolen from this tunnel would probably bring over a million. Yeah, it looks bad for our engineering friend, doesn't it? Yes, and bad for the mayor, too. Rusty, listen. I don't hear anything. Nothing to do with what? Just the water, that's all. Would you ask me that, sir? Well, because we should be hearing something. The pumps. Somebody turn them off. Come on, Rusty, we'd better run for it. What would anybody want to do that for? So the water runs in faster, I suppose. But the tunnel will fill up without the pumps going. That's about the idea, Rusty. It's up to my knees now, Dan. That's it. It's just up ahead there. Why is it getting off me deep, Dan? I know, but keep going. There's a little light just up ahead. A light? Yeah, like coming down from the deck. It's going to make it all right. Dan, the elevator. Hey, Rusty, what about it? It isn't there. What? Why don't you go right? Rusty, somebody's really got it in for us. You mean that tunnel? Well, it's like a couple of laps, Rusty. Why don't we go, Dan? The water's up to my waist. There could be a light out here somewhere. I hope it's not. It usually is in one of these shafts for emergencies. Yeah, here it is. Come on, Rusty, I'll give you a... Come on. Why? It looks like a long way up. Well, keep on climbing. I see I'm right behind you. I won't let you fall. I... I'm afraid I'll get dizzy. I never could stand climbing. Just looking up. Don't look down. Who would be trying to kill us? I'm not sure yet, but whoever it is is in for a big surprise. Also a good long stretch under supervised restraint. Yeah, yeah. Here's the top. Pull yourself up, esteem. Oh, oh, boy. I never want to get over two inches underground again. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Nice looking pair we are. We better go somewhere and run our toes through a ringer. Now, come on. There's a drug store across the street. We'll go and call a cab. Just... just look at my nylon. You look like a worn out mop. You look like a soggy piece of soap yourself. You go in and phone. I'll wait here. Hey, just a minute. Here's Grand Stevens Extra. Let's take a look at this scoop. Now, just look at those headlines, Rusty. Taxi dancer shoots maid over ten dollar bill. Well, I wonder what Dick Tracy's going to do now that he's captured influence. Yeah, that's Grand Stevens private office over there. That's blast in box? Yeah. That's just about as private as a show window at Macy's. Yeah, he likes to watch his employees work, I guess. Well, anyway, he'd have a hard time telling anybody that he was out. And right now, he's in. I'll bet. Well, well, Dr. Danfield. Mr. Fairfax, come in. Come right here. Yeah, thanks, Stevens. Have a chair. Have a chair. Well, don't mind if we do. Hey, is that a goldfish bowl you've got here? Well, this publishing plant's all mine, Danfield. I like to see it rot. Well, you sure got a good view, all four sides. Well, you got any news for me? I think we have. Good. The last thing I heard, you were going down into that tunnel. What'd you find out? Any evidence? We found out that somebody didn't want us to come back up. Well, what do you mean by that? Somebody shut off the pumps while we were down there and took away the elevator. Well, that dirty rat. Tell me who it was and I'll blast his name from coast to coast. I'll get out of an extra. I'll... Are you sure you know who it was? I am quite sure. It could have been the mayor. Well, Mayor Riley? Why, that ungrateful... But I don't think it was. No, why not? The mayor is a little man, publisher. Oh, he's a grafter, all right, but... I don't think he's smart enough to engineer a deal like this one. A deal where the profits will run into millions. Without the support you gave him in your newspaper, I believe he'd be running a saloon somewhere, stealing the change from his drunken customer. You know, Danfield, I suspected that for a long time. What a mistake I made when I gave him my support. Well, I'll rectify it, I'll see that he's gotten word out fast. Oh, he's not such a bad little guy, Stephen. I'm sure that he was greatly shocked over the death of those 70 men. Well, now, don't try to defend him, Danfield. As you say, a little man has no place as mayor of this city. Another thing that convinces me of his innocence in this tunnel deal, Stevens, is the way he spends his money. It's something new to him, so he brags about it and spends it like a drunken sailor. Evidence? His expensive clothes and his $60,000 estate. And his flashy diamond ring. Well, you may be right, Danfield. Well, that leaves it up to horse and plumb. George, I didn't think he was capable of such a thing. Neither did I. Well, why... why he has to be? Well, let's see what kind of a chap he is, Stevens. In the first place, he's an engineer. Methodical and quite brilliant in his life. Yeah, Plumb has all the degrees anyone could get in engineering. I looked into that before I gave him my support. I was very much impressed with the facts he had at his fingertips, Stevens, such as the exact cost of the tunnel its length, size of board, and so forth. Of course, he also took the money on the side, but here again, not in big amount. Well, that still makes him a thief. Hmm, perhaps, if you want to get technical. But let's lay that little matter at the feet of his wife, huh? His wife? Yes, she was ambitious. Wanted to get about in good society, give her daughter a chance for a fine marriage. Plumb couldn't provide her enough from his rather small salary of 7,500. So when several construction companies offered him commissions for throwing a little work their way, he quite naturally took it. Well, I still don't see why he couldn't have been on this tunnel deal. Because he was too good an engineer, Mr. Stevens. For all his fault, Orson Plumb would never have allowed such a weak mixture of cement to go into a job that he was connected with. Never with his knowledge. He had too much pride in his work. Why, right now, our wager, he's blaming himself for not inspecting that work more closely. And it'll be many a night before he'll be able to go to sleep without hearing the screams of those dying men in his ears. Well, if it wasn't Mayor Riley or Plumb, who was it? Before I tell you that, publisher, and give you a chance to put out another extra, let me say that I'm positive that both the Mayor and Plumb know who the guilty party is. And I think with the proper handling, they can be made to tell. All right, all right. Well, come to the point, Danfield. Who is this, this super crook? You, Grant Stevens. Me? Now, see here, Danfield, that's going a bit too far. Oh, is it? Why, I'll have you thrown out of here bodily. Before you do, you're going to get a bit of going over psychologically. Psychology? That's cool, boy. You're a great man, Grant Stevens. You got big ideas. To you, there's only one letter in the alphabet, the letter I. In other words, you're an extrovert, a supreme egoist. What's that got to do with a cave-in tunnel? Of the three men implicated in the tunnel deal, Stevens, you're the only one capable of its conception. All your life, Stevens, you've worshipped two things, money and power. And you know that I put money first. Money's the only thing worth having. Well, according to your ideas, yes. That's the reason you never married. You didn't want anyone around to spend what you made or stole. You wouldn't even spend it yourself. You'd rather walk up a couple of flights to buy a cheap suit. You ride street cars instead of taxicabs. You built yourself a little glass bowl up here so that you can walk your employees and see that they don't cheat you out of a day's wages. Yes, Franz Stevens, money is your one and only god. Well, supposing I do like money. That's my... You put Wiley and Tom into responsible positions so that you'd have somebody to lord over. They made you feel as though you were actually running this city. Of course, you knew that sooner or later, the poor construction work in the tunnel would be discovered. But what of it? The mayor and the city engineer were your men. They wouldn't dare to talk. A fine bit of lecturing, Dr. Danfield. But it doesn't prove a single solitary thing. Why, I'll public this whole interview in my paper, and I'll have you laughed out of town. Oh? The courts demand physical evidence, you know, and any judge would throw all your theories out in a lot of hogwash. Oh, so you want physical evidence? Well, don't you wish you had some? Take a look at this paper, Mr. Stevens. What, that... that paper that suggests the latest addition to the Eagle? Yes, indeed. Where's the great expose of your grasping city officials? They were supposed to be in headlines, remember? There is no word in this paper about that tunnel disaster, Stevens, except a couple of paid ads in the obituary column, put in there by a few loving widows. Well, I exchanged my mind... Oh, no, you didn't, Grand Stevens. You didn't even come near your newspaper office. Instead, you followed Rusty and me over to the tunnel shaft, and you made sure that when we arrived at the bottom and were well on our way, to bring up the empty case to the top and pull the switch on the pump. You didn't print that expose because you thought that the only ones who knew anything about the scene in the mayor's office were a hundred feet deep in the ground, all covered with nice, slimy water. Why, you... you... Danfield, I've got a strong-armed squad around here to take care of meddlers like you. And I've got a good strong arm to take care of skunks like him. Don't you hear it? Come on, Rusty. I want to wash my hands. Quick! In a moment, we'll return for the conclusion of Danger, Dr. Danfield, but first... Now we return you to Michael Dunn for the conclusion of Danger, Dr. Danfield. And so, on behalf of the Civic Petriment League, I present to you the first of the four men of the Civil War, and so, on behalf of the Civic Petriment League, I take great pleasure in presenting this certificate of appreciation to Dr. Daniel Danfield. Dear, Pipitrek, how come he's still mayor? Well, he did us a good turn by telling all he knew about Grant Stevens. We present this certificate to Dr. Danfield for his great work in exposing the graft corruption that was running rampant in our fair city. Me? What certificate might he put it in? Now, before I ask Dr. Danfield to speak, I wish to to tender my resignation as mayor of this city. My health has been rather poor lately and I feel the need of travel. Well, a little man's the last, afraid to stick it out. He ought to know I'd never tell. Then, a city clerk is sitting right over there. I'll bet he'd give us a certificate too. Yeah? What for, Rusty? A marriage certificate, stupid. Now, I'd like to call on Dr. Daniel Danfield. Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, I've just escaped from being trapped in a tunnel.
