It's time now for Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons. Ladies and gentlemen, Anason and Kolinos present Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons, one of the most famous characters of American fiction and one of radio's most thrilling dramas. Tonight and every Thursday at the same time, the famous old investigator takes from his file and brings to us one of his most celebrated missing persons cases. Tonight's case is entitled, The Case of the Man Who Invented Death. If you want incredibly fast relief from the pain of headaches, neuritis or neuralgia, try Anason. Anason is like a doctor's prescription. That is, it contains not just one, but a combination of medically proven active ingredients that give effective relief. If you've not been introduced to Anason by your own physician or dentist, let me urge you to try it yourself. You can get Anason tablets at any drug counter. For most effective relief, use only as directed. I'll repeat the name for you. Anason, A-N-A-C-I-N. Now for Mr. Keen and The Case of the Man Who Invented Death. Our scene opens in a rather shabby rooming house in metropolitan New York. A well-dressed middle-aged man is just descending the stairs to the second floor as a heavyset woman in an apron calls up to him irritably. Who's there? Who's climbing up them steps? It's I, Mrs. Marley, George Rockwell. If you come to see that crazy Amos Piper, he's not in. But he must be. I tell you he's not in. The more I've got half a mind to lock him out. He hasn't paid his rent in over three weeks. And I'm not running a charity home. I'm just a poor landlady who's trying to get along. All right, Mrs. Marley, I understand. I'll pay Amos rent for him. Well, that's more like it. But I'm sure he must be in. I had a very important appointment with him at this hour. I know he wouldn't break it without letting me know. Did you see him go out, Mrs. Marley? No. It's just that I haven't heard him tinkering around with his fool inventions all morning. Anyway, what with the electricity going bad? I've had more trouble this morning. The electricity has gone off? I called for the serviceman, but he hasn't come yet. Mrs. Marley, do you smell smoke? Well, sure I do. It is smoke. It's coming from Amos Piper's door. Quick, open it up with your key. All right, I will. But the place is on fire. There's smoke. It's just a burned electric wire. Mrs. Marley, look. Oh, it's Amos Piper. He's lying on the floor. Don't touch him. Call the police. Amos has been electrocuted. He's dead. Are you sure that Amos Piper's death wasn't an accident, Mr. Ruckel? Positive, Mr. King. But if Mr. Piper was fooling around with high-voltage electricity, as you say he was, seems to me he was just letting himself in for trouble. And I agree with my partner, Mike Lantzie. Tell me, Mr. Ruckel, why are you so sure it was murder? Because someone had tampered with Amos' electric equipment, Mr. King. The police agreed with me when I pointed it out. Certain wires had been deliberately changed, and an electric booster had been added, raising the amperage and the voltage. That's why the lights in the rooming house blew out. Amos had used that equipment many times before. It would have happened much sooner if the invention had been dangerous as it was when we found the body. What was he trying to invent, Mr. Ruckel? A machine for turning base metals like lead and brass into gold. Science preservers. What do you think he was, a magician? Many years ago, Mike, certain men who were called alchemists believed it was possible to turn cheap metal into precious gold. Yes, that's true, Mr. King. But in modern times we recognize how impossible that is. Amos Piper must have been an eccentric. I suppose he was, but he was also a dreamer, one of the kindest men I've ever known. And I'm going to miss him. How long had you known each other, Mr. Ruckel? At least twenty years. When we were younger, we both dreamed of being important scientists and startling the world with our inventions. But I was more realistic than Amos. I knew after a while that dreams alone won't make one successful. So I entered business and forgot about inventions. I see. I now own a manufacturing plant, but Amos kept right on trying to invent things. Did he ever hit the jackpot, Mr. Rockwell? No, Mr. Clancy. His big ambition was the gold machine. Once or twice he turned out a few trifling inventions which he sold. He managed to eke out a small livelihood on his royalties from those. But more often than not, I had to come to his rescue financially. Although most of the time he never knew. I can see that you felt very close to Amos Piper, Mr. Rockwell. Tell me, did he have any enemies that you knew of? No, Mr. Keen. He was a man who never harmed a living soul. Some fiend devised a way to get rid of him for some reason. And I want to do everything in my power to see that the murderer doesn't go unpunished. I understand. That's why I came to you, Mr. Keen. You have a reputation for being one of the greatest investigators in the country. Not only that, but you have a genuine sympathy for the underdog, for people who are wronged. Well, Amos was wronged. No matter how eccentric his ideas were, he was a good man. And no one has the right to take anyone's life, Mr. Rockwell. Then you'll enter this case and investigate it along with the police? I'll do everything I can. Thank you, Mr. Keen. I knew I could count on you, sir. Now tell me one thing more before Mike and I have a look at the scene of the crime. You say the day you found Amos Piper's body, you had an important appointment to see him? Yes. He phoned me the night before and begged me to come over on the following morning. Did he tell you why? No, Mr. Keen. He just appeared very excited and said he was on the verge of some great discovery. Up to now, neither the police nor I have been able to find out just what that discovery was. Perhaps this mysterious discovery might provide us with an important clue to Amos Piper's murder. At any rate, we'll keep it in mind, Mark, as we try to put our hands on one of the cleverest killers we've ever come up against. There's no doubt of his cleverness, Mr. Keen, when you think of the way he set up that contraption to electrocute poor Amos. We can bring him to justice, Mr. Rockwell. We'll show him a more reliable electric machine invented by the state, the electric chair for murderers. Yes? Are you Mrs. Marley, the landlady? I am. My name is Keen. This is my partner, Mike Clancy. Mr. Keen, the famous investigator? Well, please come in, sir. Thank you. Oh, what can I do for you, Mr. Keen? I'd like to ask you a question. What is it? Well, I'd like to ask you a question. What is it? Well, I'd like to ask you a question. What is it? Well, I'd like to ask you a question. Oh, what can I do for you, Mr. Keen? I'd like to look at the room where Amos Piper lived before he was murdered. Oh, why, of course. Come this way, please. It's on the second floor front. I think everybody wants to look at that room. First the police, and Mr. Decker, and now you. And who is Mr. Decker? Oh, he's quite a gentleman. He comes here lots of times to see Amos Piper. He's in some kind of business, office equipment, I think. He's in the room right now. There's the room, Mr. Keen, right in front of you. Well, thank you. I just want you to know that I was a friend of Mr. Piper's, a good friend. And the murder was a terrible shock to me. If I can help you in any way... I'll be certain to let you know, Mrs. Molly. Oh, very well, Mr. Keen. She was certainly anxious to prove what a pal of Amos Piper she was, if you ask me, boss. Yes, I noticed that too, Mike. Well, let's go in. Oh, excuse me. That's quite all right. I was just leaving. Are you Mr. Decker? Norris Decker, yes. And you are? Mr. Keen. This is Mr. Clancy, my partner. Oh, yes, yes. Of course, the great investigator. I presume you're here to look into the death of Amos Piper? Yes. Is there anything you can tell us about it, Mr. Decker? You can find out all I know, or the police, for that matter, by examining that apparatus in the corner. That's what killed Amos. I'll have a look at it, boss. Do that, Mike. It was an unfortunate affair, to say the least. When I first heard about it, I was sure it was an accident. But after talking to the police, I realized now it was premeditated murder. What made you think it was an accident at first, Mr. Decker? Because of Amos Piper's idiotic scheme to turn lead into gold. For a while, he almost had me believing it, too. You're a close friend of his? No. I was interested in his work in a business way. I'm an investor, Mr. Keen. I use my money to back inventions that are worthwhile, particularly ideas in new business equipment. And is that what you were seeing Amos Piper about, Mr. Decker? Yes. He told me of an invention he had for a new type of carbon paper. Thin enough and strong enough to make over 50 copies at once. I see. It seemed like a saleable idea, and I thought we could both make a bit of money out of it. But then he was killed. And the invention has disappeared. That's why I came here today. I wanted to see if I could find the sample. That's some contraption, boss. It's set up like some kind of an electric oven. That was another of Piper's ideas for turning base metals into gold. He was an extraordinary man, but a bit on the eccentric side. And his private life seemed to be even more peculiar. How do you mean, Mr. Decker? Well, once I walked in here, Mr. Keen, and found him in an argument with a lovely young girl at least 30 years younger than he. She wore a mink coat and was fashionably dressed. As I came in, I noticed her motor car and chauffeur in front of the door. Who was the girl? I don't know. She left when I walked in, and the landlady told me later that the girl had come once before and had had a terrible row with Piper. I see. Did she know why? No, and neither of us knew how a man as simple and as poor as Piper could have any relationship with a woman who was obviously very wealthy and, well, young enough to be his daughter. If she couldn't have been his daughter, I'm told that Piper never married. Well, whoever she was, we... Someone has had an oom now, miss. Well, there's Mr. Keen, the famous investigator. I'll come back some other time, Mrs. Martin. Mr. Keen, that sounds like the voice of the girl I was just telling you about. Don't say anything about my being here, please. Was. Look at the car parked in front of the door. It looks like one of them fancy foreign-makes. Mike, come along. I don't want that car to get out of our sight. We'll follow it and find out a bit more about this mysterious girl and her connection with Amos Piper. She just went into that house, boss. It's certainly an elegant one. Let's drop in for a chat, Mike. Well? I'm looking for a young woman who just entered here. My name is Keen. We, uh... What young woman? Sure, the pretty one with the fur coat. A chauffeur just left with the door and then drove away. You must have the wrong house. I'm sure we haven't. And I say you have. This young fella must think we're a couple of kids, boss. Maybe he'd like us to... He may have been mistaken, Mike. What, Mr. Keen? We were halfway up the block when she disappeared. She could have gone around the corner. Mr. Keen, with me on to Isaac... I'm sorry to have troubled you, Mr... Webb, the name is on the door. Oh, yes, of course. Good day. Mr. Keen, you don't really think we made a mistake, do you? Of course not, Mike. Mr. Wegman was lying so obviously. I prefer to find out in our own way what he was up to. What time is it now? It's a little after six. It'll be dark soon. We can enter the house of the rear. Perhaps we can get a little more information from Mr. Webb and the young woman we followed when they least expect it. Information that might lead us to Amos Piper's killer. In just a moment we'll return to Mr. Keen and the case of the man who invented death. Meanwhile, beware of unpleasing breath that breathes between the teeth. Use colonoscopies with dental floss action. Those cracks and crevices where food particles can decay must be reached to have a really clean mouth, a welcome breath. Your dentist will be able to see the teeth of the tooth that are in the mouth. Must be reached to have a really clean mouth, a welcome breath. Your dentist knows this to be true. Use colonoscopies with dental floss action. Colonoscopy gives amazing dental floss action. That is, sends thousands of active cleansing bubbles to penetrate hard to reach dental areas. Helps dislodge bits of food that can cause unpleasing breath and tooth decay. Use colonoscopies with dental floss action. 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At the door, however, Mr. Keen and Mike were blocked by a rather belligerent young man. Now a short time later, the two investigators decide to enter the house through a rear entrance. There's a light in the room right in front of us, Mike. Let's see who's inside. Right, boss. I'm leaving the house, Ellis. I say you're staying here. Do you want to be picked up by Mr. Keen? I have nothing to hide. And maybe I can help him solve Uncle Amos' murder. Now you listen to me, Lorna. I've got a reputation to think about. You want to ruin me in business? Doesn't my Uncle Amos mean anything at all to you? No. Besides, he's dead now and there's nothing anyone can do about it. That's where we disagree, Mr. Webb. Elliot, who are these men? How did you get in here, Keen? My partner and I decided to enter without an invitation, Mr. Webb. Inasmuch as you were so anxious to keep us out. I'll throw the two of... Elliot, it won't do any good and you know it. Not only won't it do any good, but I'm not so sure he can manage it. I overheard you say that Amos Piper was your uncle. Yes, Mr. Keen. I'm Lorna Webb. And Elliot here is my husband. May I ask why you made those secret visits to your uncle before he was murdered? I'll answer that for you, Keen. She was trying to keep me from finding out. Is that right, Mrs. Webb? Yes. But after your uncle was murdered, didn't you realize how serious the situation was? And didn't you think of contacting the police and identifying yourself even then? No, Mr. Keen. Why not? I... I don't know. Go on, Lorna. Tell him. Tell him you think I'm a murderer. Turn your own husband into the police for a crime he never committed. Elliot, why do you talk that way to me? We used to be so happy. That was before I found out you were seeing Amos again, in spite of what you promised. What was your objection to Amos Piper, Mr. Webb? He was nothing but a lazy sponge, Mr. Keen. He knew Lorna married a man with money, and he was just biding his time to take advantage of it. That's not true, Elliot. I begged Uncle Amos to come and live with us, but he refused. I... I know I handled this the wrong way. And I know you were jealous of Uncle Amos. Jealous? I don't quite understand the situation, Mrs. Webb. Perhaps you can explain. Mr. Keen, I'd been fond of Uncle Amos ever since I was a child. I worshipped him then. But Elliot, my husband, didn't want me to worship anyone, even a poor old man. He wanted all my affection for himself. I'm afraid now I've made a mess of things, and I'm going to regret it. Mr. Webb, does that explain your attitude? Mr. Keen, I... I admit I didn't like Amos Piper, but I wasn't jealous enough to kill him. That's ridiculous. And there's no basis for believing it. Is that what you believe, Mrs. Webb? No, Mr. Keen. Of course I didn't believe my own husband killed my uncle. If I did, I wouldn't be here now. We followed you here from the rooming house where your uncle lived, Mrs. Webb. Why did you return there today? To get Uncle Amos' things, to look for his invention. He has a sister, my Aunt Martha, who is old and very poor. Whatever Amos had should go to her as his closest survivor. Exactly what invention were you looking for? The carbon paper or the machine he hoped would turn metal into gold? No. I was looking for the dye. The dye? Does that have anything to do with the new type of carbon paper he invented? I don't think so. I remember Uncle Amos telling me something about that carbon paper. He said the idea had been stolen from him. Did he know who stole it, Mrs. Webb? No. But he really didn't care. He didn't think it amounted to much. But the dye seemed to be worth something. Even Elliot thought so. I don't know anything about it, Lorna. When I described it to you, you said it might make a fortune. Well, maybe it was another one of your uncle's crackpot ideas, like the gold machine. Just what do you know about the dye, Mr. Webb? Well, Mr. Keen, according to Amos, it was a brighter, faster, and cheaper dye than any other now on the market. And he could make it in all colors. But he might have been dreaming again. I wonder if Mrs. Marley, the rooming house keeper, would know anything about that dye, or the carbon paper, that matter. Mrs. Webb, would you get your coat? What for? I want your wife to accompany me back to Mrs. Marley's rooming house, Mr. Webb. You've got nothing on Lorna. I won't let you involve her in that murder. Then you do care what happens to me after all, Elliot. Do you think I ever really stopped caring? Oh, then we have nothing to be afraid of. You come too. Let's do everything we can to help Mr. Keen and Mr. Clancy. Is it okay if I go along, Mr. Keen? Of course, Mr. Webb. As a matter of fact, I want everyone involved in this case to be present. When we discover the solution to Amos Piper's murder. Mrs. Marley, the rooming house keeper doesn't seem to be in, Mr. Keen. The door may be open, Mike. Try it. It is, Mr. Keen. Good. Come inside, Mr. and Mrs. Webb. All right, Mr. Keen. I'll be right back. I'll be right back. I'll be right back. I'll be right back. I'll be right back. I'll be right back. Come inside, Mr. and Mrs. Webb. All right, Mr. Keen. Come along, Lorna. The house is pitch dark, sir. There's no one here. Stance Preservers, what's that? What is it, Mike? I stumbled into something here on the floor. Why don't I get my flashlight out? Mr. Keen! It's the body of a man! Boss, it's Mr. Rockwell. Yes. And his neck's been broken. Oh, no! Steady, Lorna. I found a flashlight on his body, Mike. I just noticed something on his wrists. It looks like some kind of paint. It's a dye. A green dye. Oh, you let me alone! What was that? It sounded like Mrs. Marley. She's upstairs, boss. Yes, she's probably in the room where Amos Piper was murdered. Mr. Webb, you and your wife stay down here, and don't touch the body. Come on upstairs, Mike. Take your hands off me! I told you, here! Certainly. After I turn you over to the police. Mrs. Marley and Mr. Decker, boss. Mr. Keen! Oh, you've come at precisely the right time. Well, what's going on here? If you're looking for Amos Piper's murderer, there she is. That's all I... I didn't kill him! Are you also going to deny you stole one of his inventions and sold it in your own name before it was patented? How do you know about this, Mr. Decker? Because I caught her one day coming out of the patent office, Mr. Keen, and I investigated. She stole Amos Piper's invention, then killed him so I wouldn't turn her in. Do you deny that, Mrs. Marley? Mr. Keen, I'll admit I stole it and sold it to someone, but I only made a couple of thousand dollars on it, and I certainly didn't kill the old man for that. What about George Rockwell? What? The dead man downstairs. Dead man? You mean another man's been murdered, Mr. Keen? Yes, Mr. Decker. Didn't either you or Mrs. Marley see the body down there in the front hall? Why didn't, Mr. Keen? Who entered this room first? She did. I found her here when I came up. I was still searching for that new invention of Amos Piper's. I found her here fooling around with that devilish contraption in the corner that killed Amos. Well, what have you to say for yourself, Mrs. Marley? I didn't mean any harm, Mr. Keen. I just wondered if there was anything in what Amos Piper believed, that he could turn metal into gold. I thought maybe I'd find something, and this was the first chance I got to look for myself. Up to now this room's been filled with policemen and investigators, but I never touched that machine. Why, I'd be afraid to. We've caught you red-handed, and you know it. Take her away, Mr. Keen. I'll be happy to testify against her. I imagine you would be, to save your own skin, Decker. What? Decker, did you say you caught Mrs. Marley red-handed? Well, I've caught you green-handed. You mean here on my hand? Why, this is just pain. Pain, really? And when did you get it on your fingers? Well, two or three days ago. Odd that it took so long to dry. You left some of it on George Rockwell's wrists. What? Only a man with strength could have killed Rockwell. He was a pretty big man himself. But someone with a knowledge of, well, let's say, judo or ju-jitsu could have accomplished it. You must know a little something about judo yourself, Keen. Enough to tell when it was used to break someone's neck. Search him, Mike. I'll make a move, I warn you. He's even got himself a gun, boss. You're pretty clever, Keen. I've got a hand it to you. I imagine you even know where this green dye came from. Amos Piper's invention. Right. And tonight I found a sample of it at last, along with a formula. The old fool never even realized he had something about bringing a fortune on the world market. But you did, Decker. I most certainly did. I also knew I had to take care of Rockwell. You see, he was a little too close to Amos Piper. And sooner or later he might have surmised why Piper was killed. And then he'd have thought of me. I'm afraid you won't get away with it, Decker. You posed as an old man's friend and benefactor to defraud him of his valuable invention, then killed him to cover your fraud. You're not going to get away with either the theft or the murder. And who's going to stop me? Maybe I will, mister. Come on and try it if you want a bullet through your head. No move, Mike. He means what he says. I'll say I do. And what's more, I... Ah! He tripped on the machine! Help me! Help! Mr. Keene! Cut your electricity off outside quickly, Mrs. Marley. I will, Mr. Keene. Boss, he's getting a terrific electrical shock. Don't touch him until the current's been cut, Mike. He'll pass the shocks on to you. Sands Preservus is dead, Mr. Keene. Yes. He shorted some wires in that machine when he fell over it. You mean he died the same way his victim died, boss? In Amos Piper's case, the electrocution was deliberately planned. Deckers was caused by a short circuit as he tripped over the machine. In any event, Mike, the result was a form of poetic justice. Amos Piper may have thought he was inventing a machine that turned things into gold, but it appears as though he actually invented death. And so Mr. Keene finds the solution to the case of the man who invented death. The next time you are suffering from the pains of headache, neuritis, or neuralgia, try Anason. You'll bless the day you heard of this incredibly fast way to relieve these pains. Now, the reason Anason is so wonderfully fast-acting and effective is this. Anason is like a doctor's prescription. 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Whether day nurseries, guidance clinics, scouts visiting Nurses Help, YMCA, or neighborhood centers, the value of all their services to you and to your community is very great. Everybody benefits, so everybody give. Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons, is based on the novel Mr. Keen. The radio sequel is originated and produced by Frank and Anne Hummert. Dialogue by Lawrence Klee. Bennett Kilpac plays Mr. Keen. It is on the air every Thursday at this time. Don't miss Mr. Keen next Thursday when the kindly old Tracer turns to the Silver Dagger Murder Case. When muscles are stiff and sore from unusual exercise or strain, many people now use heat liniment, the liniment that's strong yet does not burn the skin. Wonderful relief from muscular soreness comes as comforting heat quickly starts to penetrate. Just brush it on the sore place with the applicator. For a liniment that starts at once to ease muscular pain and keeps on working for hours, ask your druggist for heat liniment, H-E-E-T, heat. Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons will be on the air next Thursday at the same time. This is Larry Elliott saying goodbye for Mr. Keen and the Whitehall Pharmacal Company, makers of Anason and Kalanos and many other dependable high quality drug products. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.
