Oh yes, what happened seemed accidental. The man who opened the elevator door and plunged ten stories to his death. The hotel fire that produced five people to chow down ash. And Edward Turner who died when his car smashed into a pillar. But why was the same man at the scene of each tragedy a man in a velvet hat? Hello creeps. This is Peter Laurie opening the doors of the mystery playhouse. Would you like to hear the story of a mad killer who murdered with one hand while holding the bible in the other? Sound intriguing, huh? Well, if it does, stay with us for the next thirty minutes as we bring you an exciting mystery tale by Jerome and Harold Prince. These talented brothers have evolved a strange and stirring story that should keep you on the edge of your seats throughout. So settle yourselves in them. Now as we raise the curtain on the man in a velvet hat. The beginning, New York City. An office building in the financial district just off Wall Street. Sometime after closing hours, Tuesday night, December 15th. An office Christmas party for out of town salesmen. The party is being held on the 19th floor in room 1906. No, no, I really gotta go. I'm going straight home to the little woman. I love you, kid. Merry Christmas, you guys. Merry Christmas, buddy. Stick with it, boys. Turn the lights off in this corridor. How do you like that? Where's that night bell for that elevator? Where's that elevator? Doorbell indicator? Well, here's the elevator right here. Just open the door and... Oh, no. Oh, no. Sudden death in an elevator shaft. That was at 11 p.m. Tuesday, December 15th. Nine hours later, 8 a.m. Wednesday, December 16th. A letter is delivered to John Remmel, the ranking New York newspaper columnist. Here's a screwy letter, Mike. My dear Mr. Reynolds, it was my whim two hours ago to take home with me to eternity. My son, known in this life as Fred Smith. What do you know about that? Was it science? No, but look, capital M on my and me. Just as though the guy writing the letter thought that he was God. Hey. Yeah? I just think I'll put in a routine check. See if any guy named, what is it, Fred Smith was knocked off in the last couple of hours. The following day, December 17th, at a downtown hotel. Three alarm! That's a lousy note hardly a week before Christmas. Poor devils. Five dead, the chief figured. All from some dope who has to smoke cigarettes in bed in a fire-trapped fleabag of a hotel. Mike. Yeah? Mike look, another letter. Listen, my dear Mr. Reynolds, five have been purified by flames and are at peace within my heart. Hey. Mike, have you any word of any big fires today? Why yeah, there was a three alarm in a hotel downtown just east of Broadway. One day later, December 18th, it is night. Second Avenue is wet and slippery with rain. Then... What happened? That car, see? Into the filler! My dear Mr. Reynolds, in a swift chariot I have taken Edward Tucker home to glory. No signature. The third in three days and if it's like the others, it's on the beam. This looks like a story. The following day, December 19th, John Reynolds sets out to investigate. I'm Reynolds of the New York Dispatch. Is this the building where Fred Smith was killed four days ago? That's right. Were you on the night elevator the night Smith fell down the shaft? Yep. Drunk as a coot he must have been. Listen to me, on the night that Smith was killed, did you take anybody up to that office Christmas party who didn't belong there? A stranger? No sir. Are you sure? Sure I'm sure. Now look, see this fifty dollar bill? Fifty bucks? Geez. Come on, take it, it's yours. Gosh. Now come clean. Who was the stranger? Oh, maybe you mean the tall guy who came in at a quarter to eleven. That's the one? Well, I tell him the party's on the 19th floor. He doesn't answer, just nods. So I take him to the 19th and I let him out. What did he look like? Ah, you've got me Mr. Reynolds. You must have seen his hat. What kind of a hat could he wear? Hmm? Oh, yeah, black. It was old and fuzzy. Fuzzy, like old velvet? If you say so Mr. Reynolds. If I say so, no, was it like velvet? Okay Mr. Reynolds, okay. A velvet hat. Yeah, a man in a velvet hat. You were one of the firemen working in that fire in this hotel. Was there anything suspicious? Just a guy smoking a cigarette in bed. That's suspicious. Pure accident. Did you happen to see a man in a black velvet hat hanging around outside the ropes when the fire was blazing? Black velvet hat? That's it, black velvet hat. It was raining that night. Sure it was. Yeah, there was a guy. And he was wearing a black velvet hat. Do you remember firemen? Do you remember? Yeah, I remember. Madam they tell me you were a witness to that auto crash down the street last night. That's right. What about it? Was anybody else around last night when that car slammed into the pillar? What if there was? Look, did you happen to know who the man driving that car was? He was Edward Tucker who was champion midget auto driver. Now wouldn't it be easy for him to lose control of his car? It was wet. It had been raining. Sure, sure. Now tell me, were there any other witnesses around? A man. A man. He must have been wearing a... Well, a raincoat and a hat. A hat. Do you remember what kind of a hat he was wearing? Was it dark? Dark? Yeah, almost black. Maybe kind of fuzzy? Yeah, that's it. Fuzzy. Almost like it was velvet. Yeah, a velvet hat. And in John Reynolds' column in the New York dispatch the next morning, December 20th. Three deaths. Three accidental deaths. But were they accidental? In every case an eyewitness tells us that seeing a man in a velvet hat, an apparent madman, a man whose paranoia assumes the form of God's substitution, a man who writes letters claiming the deaths were caused by him, are the police aware of the reign of this madman? And is the madman lying or has he done murder? What if murder has been done and if this man is a murderer? He's a murderer such as the world has never known or perhaps such as the world has always known but never seen. There is no motive for any of his crimes, no evidence of lust or of envy, of passion or of game. Certainly, if this man is not a God, he has not only successfully adopted the posturing of one, but the psychic attributes as well. Where he walks, death walks. This man may be death himself. And all New York reads John Reynolds' column and wonders. Then in the next three days come three more deaths, three more letters, and three more reports in John Reynolds' column telling of eyewitnesses seeing the man in the velvet hat at the scene of each crime. Now comes panic. The great city is hushed and frightened waiting to see who is the next to die. Then on December 23rd, the climax. It was late afternoon at the office for the police commissioner. Chief McGruder confers with the sector Sergeant Martin. I haven't much to report, Chief. This is the wackiest case I've seen. Never mind that. Get to the facts, man. What facts? We're supposed to find a guy wearing a velvet hat so we can't find anything. Where he lives is name nothing. This doesn't seem to exist. Perhaps he doesn't exist. Yeah, well, tell it to New York City. Tell it to the newspapers. Now look, Chief, don't you think it would be better if we told the reporters that we've been getting the same letters that this columnist Reynolds has? Let them know we're at least happy with what's going on. Perhaps you're right. Chief McGruder, Chief McGruder. Take it easy, Miss Martin. But it's happened again, the man in the velvet hat. What? Where? How? When? Crowded movie theater. A woman screamed and shouted, look out, the man in the velvet hat. And there was a panic. Panic? 16 dead. Maybe more. 16? Good Lord. Chief McGruder's office? Yes, sir, just a minute. Look, Chief, I think I'd better go out. Chief McGruder, it's the mayor. The mayor? Martin, you stay here a minute. Yes, Mr. Mayor? How'd you hear about it so fast? Well, I suppose the newspapers will make a big... But I'm doing everything I can. All right, Chief McGruder, I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. newspaper in town is roasting the city administration what do we do chill you do nothing to hear from me miss Myers my head where you going the mayor's office mayor and I and that columnist Reynolds are gonna have a little conference Reynolds yeah the mayor seems to think Reynolds knows more about this thing than the police department answer me this McGroota that's me this has there been a murder are these accidents murders maybe there aren't any murders mr. mayor not in the ordinary sense I believe the rhythm of just a minute Reynolds your honor except for the panic at the movie house every death was accidental or natural as sure as we three are in this room what do you mean what about the man in the velvet hat what the screws on some of the people who say they saw him and he'd disappear like that forget it to the people of this town he's real and this panic cold panic right in the middle of the holidays the people are scared blue yeah I say something mr. man certainly that's why you're here look the way I see it either it's all a hoax or there is a man in a velvet hat that's right so we the prove the hoax to catch the man all right all right I think we can do one or the other if Reynolds will help it certainly I'll help how I'm going to challenge the man in the velvet hat and Reynolds is going to publish that challenge I'm going to say I don't think he's a god I'm going to say I don't even think he's a good criminal anybody can boast of a murder after it's happened but only a master criminal can boast of a murder before it's happened and get away with it I'm going to challenge him to name his next murder before it happens and Reynolds will publish my challenge okay Magruder but I predict that he'll accept your challenge and that when he does you will not catch him and in his newspaper column December 24th John Reynolds says a challenge from the Police Commissioner of New York City to the man in the velvet hat quote I challenge you to prove that you were a criminal I think you're a fraud if you're not a fraud you will announce in advance the time and place of your next killing murder mercy death whatever you call it unquote hello this is Reynolds of the dispatch give me the Commissioner please hurry just a minute mr. Reynolds hold on yeah Magruder Reynolds yeah I got an answer from the man with velvet hat he says a precisely 9 o'clock p.m. on Christmas Eve a man will die poisoned in front of the Times building on Times Square he says quote after this I will move again in silence for only those without faith need time that's all 9 o'clock Christmas Eve in front of the Times building by poison that's what he says okay thanks what time is it now it's four minutes till 9p woman huh it's darn cold out here why do they keep playing that same tune all the time that was popular two years ago they write any new Christmas songs it's a good song stop chattering each other both you guys tell you nervous to lie down my nerves are all laying down and all right then shut up keep your eyes on your watch now let's see Simon and Thompson in front of the Times building Burke and the man dear in the lobby Rowan over there across the street and 7th Avenue and the whole homicide squad scattered all over the theatrical district all right I'd like to have doubled the number of guys standing around just in case now what's your nerves need to lie down chief precisely at 9 o'clock on Christmas Eve a man will die poisoned in front of the Times building a chief where is the front of the Times building where we are here in Times Square maybe is it a block back there on 42nd Street after this I will move again in silence only those without faith need signs Martin yeah you've got a good reason why he didn't type out his last note on a typewriter like he usually does why does he have to write this one in that Bible letter search me baby's God maybe likes to write like the Bible yeah and maybe I'll break you and send you out to pound of pee on Staten Island how much time Martin that's from 30 seconds if the guy is prompt and keeping his appointments hey chief look at that guy see which guy standing over there on a curb on 7th Avenue guy has no head on he's got no code on it carrying his coat under his arm and a night like this he's qualifying for the booby hatch here he comes watch him coming through those cars keep your eye on him coming right at us he stopped yeah hey hey look at him what you doing swallowing poison your fool grab him quick keep the crowd away keep him away get at the door now chief yeah isn't he though this is cold chief it's a brown raincoat inside out look look there's something in his pocket huh well I'll be it's a velvet hat a chief yeah Simon picked it up said he dropped it on the sidewalk just before he drank up poison give me a letter last let those without faith disbelieve now you're quite a hero today chief Magruder here away here's John Reynolds column did you read it people of New York City or a vote of thanks to their police commissioner for his effective as for the man in the velvet hat he was clearly a religious fanatic there were never any crimes there were merely accidents then the man in the velvet hat sent his letters to both the police commissioner and your columnist attempting to say he had caused these accidents finally when challenged by Magruder to prove his existence he poisoned himself rather than admit he was not possessed with supernatural powers nice open and shut case a miss mind yes sir oh incidentally the mayor wants you to call him he wants to thank you personally the devil with the mayor get that columnist John Reynolds on the phone tell me get over here right away I want to talk to him it was a queer case Magruder wasn't it not really knowing yeah you know I had the right hunch from the beginning kept it to myself though you know it's an interesting study lunacy you think so the funny thing though about the lunatic I mean you never did find out who he really was did now look here Reynolds I had you pegged from the start what do you mean you had me pegged from the start you heard me now I look here Magruder are you implying the man in the velvet hat and I were working together no there never was a man in a velvet hat you wrote those letters yourself I wrote why should I what what motive could I have plenty you write a newspaper column don't you you got to keep it filled and get it read don't you I'm an old-fashioned cop I asked myself who games in this case you did you created the man in the velvet hat out of whole cloth you wrote his letters and mailed them to me and through coercion bribery or suggestion you convinced a lot of witnesses they actually saw this fandom at the scene of each accident this is a gag a rib you can't be serious maybe we found the typewriters you wrote the letters on it maybe we didn't you can be sure that if we haven't we will it's a beautiful theory Magruder but spoiled by an ugly fact there was a man in a velvet hat and you have it now there wasn't any man in a velvet hat what how do you know because the man we found dead the man who took his life in front of the Times building was released from an insane asylum only one day before you published my challenge he couldn't have been the man in the velvet hat all those other times not while he was in the asylum now look Magruder don't let your theory run away with your head you know darn well I tell me what I know darn well you wrote that biblical script then you got this poor fellow who killed himself on Times Square it took advantage of his insanity to coerce him could Joel and persuade him in some way to do what he did you're out of your mind what do you want to talk to you well see here's the guy we're looking for secondhand typewriter store that's the man that's him that's the man what are you talking about you're crazy I tell you seven or eight times he comes into my store type something out each time on a different typewriter always letters since he's trying them out a man's lying he never saw me that's the man all right I remember him okay okay calm down all right Reynolds what have you got to say now listen to me when I began this whole thing I never dreamed you never dreamed it would cause the death of 16 people in a crowded theater and the insane man you persuaded to take poison that was murder too little electrocute the grueling the only one who knows you can hush this up give me a break with you but what do you say look I I've got money I'll make a rich man what do you say my group what do you say I say you're gonna burn you're gonna burn there my friends we have the ingenious solution to tonight's mystery playhouse performance the man in a velvet hat and tomorrow don't make up a man who wasn't there you might end up in the electric chair pardon me please the creep who writes this stuff twist in my arm well we've just got time to look in on a green room where our players are rehearsing the next bedtime story come come come you've got to get hold of yourself Geraldine I can't help it doctor you see it starts every night about this time what starts music David's last composition I hear it being played on the piano and the notes seem to come from the old house the house where David died in the fire well perhaps someone is playing that piece of the piano someone on the island no no there's only one other house out here and those people are away dog dog howling all night long what I don't know there's no dog on the island but remember he died with him because David was too well to get out of bed there it is again it's a real dog somewhere on this island do you think so why of course probably some stray got across the bridge or swam over from the shore oh excuse me doctor sir hello hello this is Geraldine Reeves yes Vicki who is it good heaven you have four hours to live mrs. Reeves four hours to live what what did you say hello hello music the same music I heard it again what over the phone someone's playing it on the piano must be some sort of a man spoke to me he said I have four hours to live four hours to yeah let me have that phone we might be able to trace the car hello operator operator trying to kill me hello operator operator what's wrong doctor I I'm afraid the wires have been cut we'd better get into my car and drive into town right away it didn't say for me to stay here another minute and understand it the motor won't turn over somebody must have meddled with his car while we were in the house try my car doctor I think perhaps I'd better is it in the garage heavens it's gone the garage is empty the cars and so on now let's not lose our heads we're not completely cut off yet we can't use a car we can still walk it's almost a mile to the bridge and the road is so dark down along the water it won't be too dark with a flashlight we can go down through the woods to the edge of the water walk along the shore oh wait a minute what's matter I just remembered David's brothers driving out here tonight Harvey yes and his wife Laura they said they'd be here by 830 and if we wait for them they can take it back in their car what do you think doctors that's safer than trying to make it alone if we wait right here perhaps we can watch the bridge and see them coming for the sake charity what you're staring at the bridge doctor the bridge look this animal's been washed out hmm something peculiar going on here don't you think I think that woman has good reason to be worried too sounds to me like the beginning of just the kind of story we like around here nice and creepy why you'll have to wait until next time for the whole thing that old scare master of ceremonies that gore goon of Dina sanctum Raymond will be on hand so you'll be a tear huh won't you when Raymond a giggling goo tells you the spine tingling tale voice on a wire this is Peter Lauren closing the doors of the mystery playhouse good night Oh this is the armed forces radio service you
