It's time now for Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons. Ladies and gentlemen, Anason and Kalinos 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 him his file and brings to us one of his most celebrated missing persons cases. Tonight's case is entitled, The Case of the Rushville Murder. This program is brought to you by the makers of Anason, the remarkable tablets that bring incredibly fast and effective relief from the pain of headaches, neuritis, and neuralgia. Anason is like a doctor's prescription. That is, it contains not just one, but a combination of medically proven active ingredients in easy to take tablet form. Thousands of people have received envelopes containing Anason tablets from their own dentist or physician. Perhaps you too have been introduced to Anason this way. Then you know how effective Anason is. If not, try it yourself. Whenever you want incredibly fast relief from the pain of headache, neuritis, or neuralgia, you'll be delighted with the results. For most effective relief, use only as directed. Just ask for Anason at any drug counter. It's spelled A-N-A-C-I-N. Anason. Now for Mr. Keen and The Case of the Rushville Murder. Our scene opens in the home of Dr. Prentice, a well-known physician and psychiatrist who resides in the small New Jersey community of Rushville. The doctor's daughter, a tall, lovely young girl, is just reaching for the telephone, which has been ringing insistently, as if aware of the urgency of this particular call. Hello? Laura, this is Dad. Oh, where are you, Father? At the hospital. But I'm coming right home, Laura. After I hang up, be sure to shut and bolt all the doors and windows. Why, what's happened, Dad? One of my patients has just escaped from the hospital. She's a homicidal maniac, Laura, and extremely dangerous. Father, there was something I wanted to tell you. Oh, later, my dear. Right now, you do as I ask. This insane patient of mine is under the delusion that I'm her enemy, and she may head for the house immediately. I've already informed the police. All right, Father. And don't let anyone inside the house. I'll be home in 20 minutes. Goodbye, Laura. Goodbye. There. I've shut and locked all the windows. Who's there? Oh, no. No, you're not going to... No. No, don't touch me. Put down that knife. No! My daughter was found by the police five minutes after I had phoned her, Mr. Keen. She'd been stabbed to death with a kitchen knife. Tell me, were all the windows and doors in your home locked, as you had asked, Dr. Prentice? No, Mr. Keen. The windows were shut, but apparently Laura never had time to lock the back door that leads to the kitchen before Natalie Craven, the insane patient, reached the house. Thanks for service. Dr. Prentice, your insane patient seemed to head for your home immediately after escaping from the hospital. Yes. That's a little odd in itself. But I told you how this patient felt about me, Mr. Keen. I'd treated her for a mental disorder for two years, but she developed a fixation about me and began to feel that I was her mortal enemy. Well, you were devoting your time to bring her back to sanity. Yes, Mr. Keen. But what I meant, Dr. Prentice, was this. You were in the hospital at the time of the insane woman's escape. Now, if she wanted to murder you, why didn't she attack you after you left the building? Why did she come to your home instead and attack your daughter? The mind of a psychiatric reacts in odd ways, Mr. Keen. This woman, Natalie Craven, may have thought I'd left the hospital. Then finding I wasn't at home, she must have attacked my daughter, Laura, to revenge herself on me. Oh, I see what you mean, Doctor. Since the death of my wife, Mr. Keen, there have been only two things in my life, my work and my daughter, Laura. Laura is gone now. But I still have my work, and I intend to carry on. Naturally. But I don't want Natalie Craven punished for the crime. She's completely insane. But she must be caught and returned to the hospital before she claims another victim. You, for instance, Dr. Prentice? Oh, I wasn't thinking of myself. I'm thinking of others. That's why I've come to you, Mr. Keen. The police are on the case, of course. And if an investigator of your ability also enters it and works along with them, the woman will be captured all the sooner. I intend to do everything I can, Dr. Prentice. Oh, thank you, Mr. Keen. Needless to say, you'll be doing a great public service. But we're also thinking about you, Dr. Prentice. Please don't worry about me, Mr. Clancy. Well, if you don't mind, I'd like to do a little prescribing in this particular case, Dr. Prentice. Where is your home? In New Jersey, a town called Rushville. Rushville is just across the river. That's right, Mr. Clancy. Dr. Prentice, I'd like to exchange house keys with you. I'd like you to stay in my apartment until this case is over. And Mike and I will stay in your house. But my work, Mr. Keen, my practice... It'll be better for you to miss a few days' work now, Doc, than to end up with no work at all. You mean you think Nettie Craven will try to make me her next victim? If this insane woman killed your daughter, yes. I insist that you take these precautions, Doctor. In that case, I'll do as you ask, Mr. Keen. Fine. And be careful yourself. I needn't remind you that a homicidal case like Nettie's is most dangerous. Oh, I'm aware of that, Dr. Prentice. But there's just one thing I'd like to add, Mr. Keen. If a young man named John Digby calls, try to break the news of Laura's murder as gently as possible. John is Laura's husband. Her husband, eh? Was he living in your home too, Doctor? No. As a matter of fact, my daughter Laura had just come back to my house the day before. She and John were married only a month ago. They had a childish quarrel. I see. Oh, it was nothing at all, Mr. Keen. John's a fine boy, and I was certain I could have patched things up between them. You tried to notify him of Laura's death, didn't you, Dr. Prentice? Yes, but I couldn't reach him anywhere. Very well, Dr. Prentice. You can proceed to my home immediately. I'll notify the hospital you won't be available for a few days. Meanwhile, Mike and I will bend every effort to put our hands on this Rushville murderer before another victim is added to the list. The light switch must be on this wall here, Mr. Keen, sir. Oh, here it is. Well, Dr. Prentice seems to have a very comfortable home, Mike. Sure, and it's too bad he lost his daughter. It's pretty tough for a man to go through something like that, Mr. Keen. Yes, but he still has his work, and he's one of the best in the profession. If we can... Boss, just a minute. I thought I heard someone move around the next room. It's all right, Mike. There's someone here. Open that door. I'd better have me gun handy, just in case. Who are you? Stand where you are, mister. Don't move. For are you thieves? No, young man. We happen to be working with the police. The police? What are you doing here in Dr. Prentice's home? Come to talk to my wife. His wife? This must be young John Digby, boss, Laura's husband. How did you know my name? Your father-in-law, Dr. Prentice, told us about you, John. My name is Keen. This is my partner, Mike Clancy. May I ask how you got into this house? Why, there was a kitchen window open. I didn't want to ring the front doorbell because I thought that Laura wouldn't let me in. We'd quarreled like a couple of silly kids, and she'd left me. I've come back to apologize to her. Sands preserve us, but he hasn't even heard. Heard what? Sit down, John. What is it? Why are you both looking at me like that? Where have you been for the past two days? I was so miserable after our quarrel. I went to a little town near Philadelphia. That explains why you didn't learn of the tragedy. What tragedy? It's going to be a shock, John, so prepare yourself. Your wife, Laura, was murdered. Laura, murdered? By a maniac. No, no, I don't believe it. It's true, and I'm sorry. One of your father-in-law's patients, an insane woman, escaped from the hospital, and they think she attacked your wife. I should never have let Laura leave our apartment. It's all my fault, Mr. Keen. Sometimes fate works out things in her own peculiar way, John. And you think it was that maniac who killed Laura? Well, that's the general opinion. Well, it isn't my opinion. What do you mean, John? Mr. Keen, a few days ago, Laura was troubled by something important she wanted to tell her father. She started to tell me about it when I got home, but I interrupted her, and that's when we had our quarrel. You don't know what it was that worried your wife? I can guess. We fought because I was jealous, Mr. Keen, jealous of a man named Arthur Halliday. And who is he, John? He used to be a medical student at the university in town. Dr. Prentice is a member of the examining board in that university, the board that passes on a student's character before he's permitted to graduate as a doctor. Yes, go on. Halliday drank a lot, gambled. The examining board found out and dismissed him from the medical school. They decided he was too weak to accept the responsibility a doctor must take. And you say you were jealous of this Arthur Halliday? Yes, Mr. Keen. He used to see a lot of Laura before we were married. The other day, I saw them together on the street. She never told me she was seeing him. Now it's beginning to be clear to me. Halliday was probably trying to use Laura's influence with her father to have himself reinstated at the medical school. She refused, and he made a threat. That's what she wanted to tell her father, Dr. Prentice, about. You don't mind my saying so, John, you're taking a lot for granted. But it is worthwhile looking into, isn't it, Mr. Keen? If I ever find out that Arthur Halliday was responsible for Laura's death, I'll... Why, you look a little pale, young fella. News is too much of a shock for him, Mike. Would you like to lie down inside for a while, John? Yes, sir, I think I'd better. I'll be all right, Mr. Keen. I just want to be alone for a few minutes. I'll answer that, Mike. Is Dr. Prentice in, please? No, not at the moment. My name is Maude Craven. Craven? Mr. Keen, she must be related to that insane patient who escaped. She's my sister, sir. Come in, Miss Craven. My name is Keen. I happen to be looking for your sister. Mr. Keen, the famous investigator? Oh, you won't put Nettie in prison, will you, sir? She doesn't realize what she's doing. All I want is to return her to the hospital, where she belongs. I know they're looking for Nettie. They think she murdered the doctor's daughter, Laura. I came here to tell Dr. Prentice how unhappy it made me when I heard about what happened. You know where your sister may have hidden, Miss Craven? If I did, Mr. Keen, I'd call the hospital. I know how dangerous Nettie is. I don't want to give her the chance to do to someone else what she did to poor Miss Laura. Excuse me for a moment, please. Hello? Dr. Prentice? He's not in the moment. Who's calling, please? Arthur Halliday. When will I be able to reach him? Why, very shortly. Is it important? I'll say it's important. To me, anyway. I... Who is this? A friend of the doctor's. Well, you can give him this message. He's kicked me around long enough. Because of him, I can't get him to work. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I can't get him to a medical school in the country. And if he doesn't stop hounding me, I'll square our counts. Hello? Hello, hello? Who was that, Mr. Keen? This is Arthur Halliday, Mike. The young medical student John Digby told us about. I wish I could have gotten his address. Well, if he was a student in the town university, they can tell you where to reach him, Mr. Keen. If you want me to, I'll... What is it, Miss Craven? The... the window. San's Preserve Us. There's someone outside, boss. Yes, she's staring in the window. Look at that face. She looks like an animal. It's Nettie. It's my sister. Grab her, Mike. Mr. King. Isn't she there? There's no one in sight, sir. She's disappeared like a ghost, boss. It's too dark out here to see where she went. She couldn't have gotten far, Mike. Something tells me she's still close by. Come on. We're going to search every inch of these grounds. In just a moment, we'll return to Mr. King and the case of the Rushville murder. Meanwhile, beware of unpleasing breath that breathes between the teeth. Use colonose toothpaste with dental floss action. Those crevices where food particles can decay must be reached for a clean mouth, welcome breath. Colonose toothpaste gives you dental floss action. That is, sends thousands of cleansing bubbles to help dislodge bits of food that can cause unpleasing breath and decay. Colonose is dentist recommended. Cleans teeth bright, keeps breath right, and listen, listen. Now save 31 cents on colonose toothpaste in the new giant economy size. Go to your dealers today. Take advantage of this great bargain. Save 31 cents on new giant economy size colonose. Get colonose toothpaste today. Now back to Mr. King and the case of the Rushville murder. Mr. King, the great investigator, and his partner, Mike Clancy, are investigating the murder of Laura Digby, the married daughter of a well-known physician, Dr. Prentice, who's attached to a hospital for the insane. One of the patients, an insane woman named Nettie Craven, escaped from the hospital, and she's the one who is under suspicion for the crime. Now Mike and Mr. King have just seen Nettie's face peering in through a window of Dr. Prentice's home, and as they search the grounds for her... She was standing right over here, Mr. King, near this window. Yes, she was, Mike, but I don't see any footprints. It's starting to snow, boss. Well, we'd better go back inside the house. Maybe Nettie Craven managed to slip away after all. Mike? Yes, boss? Come over here for a moment. Look at this. Why, it's a pair of doors leading right into the ground. No, it doesn't lead into the ground, Mike. It probably leads into the cellar of the house. Some of these old-fashioned houses have cellars built this way. See if you can open it, Mike. Well, I'll try. No, no, I won't budge, Mr. King. Maybe he must have bolted it on the inside. You think she's hiding in there? Yes. By now, she must be somewhere inside the house, Mike. Here, let me have your handcuffs. Here, here you are, Mr. King. Put these handcuffs through the rings on the cellar doors, and lock them from the outside. There we are, Mike. Now, she won't be able to get out the way she came in. Now, let's go back inside the house and find her. ["The Star-Spangled Banner"] Mr. King, did you find my sister Nettie? Not yet, Miss Craven. We think she's got inside the house through the cellar. She's in here? Why, you're not afraid of your sister, are you? I don't know, Mr. King. I used to be able to reason with Nettie, but lately she's been so violent. You better stay right here in the living room while we make a search, Miss Craven. First, Mike, we'll phone the police in the hospital and tell them to send help. Well, here's the telephone, boss. Hm. It's funny. What's the trouble, Mike? Well, it sounds like the fawn is dead. Just a minute. Let's see where the fawn wire runs to. Goes to this wall, then runs along the woodwork to the window. Open up the window, Mike. Well, Mr. King, the fawn wire has been pulled right out of the outside wall. Mike, this window faces the side of the house where we saw Nettie Craven. Well, then Nettie Craven must have pulled the fawn wire out just before she went through the cellar doors, Mr. King. There's a car coming down the driveway, Mike. But he's not coming all the way, boss. He's stopping on top of that small hill where the driveway goes up and turns out to the main road. That's peculiar. Now he's put his headlights out. Mike, search this house. See if you can find Nettie Craven. But be careful. I will, Mr. King. Get hold of John Digby to help you. I'm going outside again and see what our latest visitor is up to. Who's there? Who are you? My name is Holliday. Arthur Holliday, the medical student? The ex-medical student. If it wasn't for Dr. Prentice, I might have been practicing now. If your character had been what he should have, Dr. Prentice and the school board wouldn't have stood in your way. You must be the man I talked to on the phone a few minutes ago. That's right. My name is King. Get out of my way. It's Prentice. I want to see... Just a moment. Do you happen to know that Dr. Prentice's daughter, Laura, has been murdered? Laura? Murdered? You didn't read about it in the papers? I... I just got back from New Orleans. I tried to get into another medical school down there, but... they wouldn't have me. That's Dr. Prentice's fault too. When a man has a bad reputation, he travels fast, Holliday. I'm not asking you for your opinion, King. I asked Laura to help me, but she wouldn't. So I decided to take matters into my own hands. Now get out of my way before I shoot. I had a feeling you were rather stealthy about your movements. Parking your car up there in the hill, and sneaking down Dr. Prentice's driveway in the dark. That gun you have seems to bear me out. I'm going to get square, see? Prentice is my enemy, and if it's the last thing I do... Look out behind you, Holliday! Don't try and trick me! Your car, it's running wild! What? Jump, Holliday! I'm not going to... Put him over here on this couch, Mike. There. Easy now. His car rolled down the hill, and smashed into the house after hitting Holliday. I don't think he's seriously injured, just stunned. I managed to push him partly out of the way. Mr. Keen, how could a man be dumb enough to park a car in a hill with his handbrake off? The...brake...was on...when I left it. Did you hear what he said, boss? Yes, Mike. That means someone deliberately released that handbrake, hoping the car would roll down and kill the two of us. Where are John Digby and Maude Craven? Here I am, Mr. Keen. What's happened? This man's been hurt, Miss Craven. Where have you been? I heard a noise upstairs, and I went up to investigate. I hope that I might be able to reason with my sister Nettie, and save you trouble, Mr. Keen. You haven't left this house? No, Mr. Keen. Where's John Digby, Mike? Well, he wasn't in that bedroom where he went to lie down, boss. So I started to search the house by myself, and... just as I started down into the cellar, I heard the car crash, and I... Get up! Science preserve us. What was that? Mr. Keen, it... sounded like my sister Nettie. Sounds like an insane person, all right. Not that. Cheer you to the marrow. Just listen to her. It's coming from the cellar, Mike. Come on, let's get down there immediately. Mr. Keen, stay where you are. For heaven's sake, don't move. It's John Digby, boss, and Nettie Craven's standing behind him, Mike, with an axe in her hand. Yes, I'm Nettie Craven. Don't move, either of you. Do as she says, Mr. Keen, or she'll bury that axe in the back of my head. Nettie, why do you want to harm the house? I'm not going to hurt you. I'm going to kill you. I'm going to kill you. I'm going to kill you. I'm going to kill you. Nettie, why do you want to harm John Digby? Who are you? I'm a friend of yours, Nettie. Are you? Won't you put that axe down so we can talk? I can talk with the axe in my hand. Where's Dr. Prentice? He's not here, Nettie. That's all they ever do is lie to me. Where is he? I told you, Dr. Prentice is not here. Tell him his patient is here. Tell him the most beautiful patient he ever had is waiting for him. She's as mad as a hatter, Mr. Keen. Mad am I? I'll show you who's mad! Nettie, wait. I think you're very clever, Nettie. No. There's a man with sense. How long have you been hiding here in Dr. Prentice's house? None of your business. Do you know that it's snowing very hard outside? Snowing? Wasn't snowing when I came in? You'll need rubbers when you go home or you'll catch a cold. Yes, I will. Wouldn't you like us to take you home in a car? A big car? A very big one. Where do you want us to take you? I want to see Dr. Prentice. Why? I... I don't know. I had a reason. I forget it now. Nettie, do you want that ride? In the car? Yes. Yes, I'd love it. Then put the axe down. She's dropped the axe. Grab her. Let me handle this, John. Nettie, did you kill Dr. Prentice's daughter, Laura? I never killed anyone. But you once threatened Dr. Prentice, didn't you? Nettie? Nettie, what are you doing down there? Maud! It's my sister, Maud. Oh, thank heaven you found her, Mr. Keen. Is everything all right? Yes, Miss Craven. Mike, you have an extra pair of handcuffs, haven't you? Oh, you're not going to handcuff my sister, Nettie, are you? No, I believe I can handle Nettie with a little psychology. We're going to handcuff you, Maud Craven. Me? Put them on her, Mike. What for? The murder of Laura Diggman. Oh, listen, no! A few moments ago, you told me you never left that living room, Maud Craven. Yet your shoes were wet, and I saw snowflakes in your hair. You were outside the house, and you released the handbrake on Arthur Halliday's car. It was Nettie. She did it! No, Maud. I know that your sister Nettie has been inside since it started snowing, because her shoes are dry. The one who released that carbrake and tried to kill Halliday and me was the one who murdered Dr. Prentice's daughter, Laura. You can't prove I did that! No, well, we'll see. There are fingerprints on that brake handle, no doubt. When I have a hunch, they'll match with yours. But I was wearing gloves! Yes, of course you were. However, that admission is all I needed. Oh, you tricked me! You tricked me, Mr. King, just now, the way Dr. Prentice did. How did he trick you? I thought he was in love with me, but he was only leading me on. I knew you fell for him, Maud. I knew it all the time. He used to be there when he came to see me at the hospital, to talk to me. I could see it in your eyes. But he didn't fall for you. That's right, Nettie. Stand up for him. One of the reasons I wanted to get rid of him was because of you. Don't you see, Nettie? Dr. Prentice was the one who said you were insane. He put you in that hospital. You know you hated him! Mr. King looked at Maud Craven's eyes. She looks as crazy as her sister, Nettie. Yes, I know, John. It appears that both sisters are hopelessly insane. You fool! You idiots! If you try to turn me in, you'll get what Laura got! So that's why you murdered Laura. She must have found out about your mental condition and was going to tell her father. Yes. That must have been why Laura was worried, Mr. King. Exactly, John. Your wife, Laura, found out that Maud Craven was as insane as her sister. But before she could inform the doctor, Maud entered the house and killed her. Is Maud coming with us now? Yes, Nettie, she's coming with you. She's going to stay with you in the mental hospital. Mark, I think we can take both of them away and consider the case of the Rushville murder as closed. And so Mr. King finds the solution to the case of the Rushville murder. The next time you are suffering from the pain of head aches, neuritis, on a regular basis, you must take a break. You must take a break from the pain of the head aches, and you must take a break from the pain of the head aches, and you must take a break from the pain of the head aches, and when you are suffering from the pain 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. That is, Anason contains not just one, but a combination of medically proven, active ingredients in easy-to-take tablet form. Thousands of people have received envelopes containing Anason tablets from their own dentist or physician, and in this way have discovered the incredibly fast relief Anason brings from pain of headache, neuritis, or neuralgia. So next time such pains strike, take Anason. For most effective relief, use only as directed. Your druggist has Anason in handy boxes of 12 and 30, and economical family-sized bottles of 50 and 100. The name is Anason, A-N-A-C-I-N. Mr. Keene, Tracer of Lost Persons, is based on the novel Mr. Keene. The radio sequel is originated and produced by Frank and Ann Hummert. Dialogue by Lawrence Klee. Bennett Kilpac plays Mr. Keene. It is on the air every Thursday at this time. Don't miss Mr. Keene next Thursday when the kindly old Tracer turns to the case of murder on the sightseeing bus. Ever suffer heartburn or upset stomach from acid indigestion? Safe new bicep ailments, medically proven, quickly rid stomach of that blown-up feeling, give longer lasting relief than baking soda. Yes, hours of relief. Bicep ailments not only neutralize but actually carry away excess stomach acids. Soothe irritated stomach lining. Let you sleep all night long when acid indigestion strikes. Carry new bicep ailments for fast relief anywhere, anytime. Mr. Keene, Tracer of Lost Persons, will be on the air next Thursday at this same time. This is Larry Elliott saying goodbye for Mr. Keene and the Whitehall Pharmacal Company, makers of Anason and Colonos and many other dependable, high-quality drug products. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.
