It's time now for Mr. Keen, tracer of lost persons. Brought to you by Dentine, the gum with breathtaking flavor, and Beeman's pepsin. Tastes so good, and aids digestion too. And by Chesterfield, the only cigarette to give you premium quality in both regular and king size. Buy them either way you like them, premium quality, and much milder Chesterfields. Ladies and gentlemen, we present Mr. Keen, tracer of lost persons. One of the most famous characters of American fiction, in one of radio's most thrilling dramas. Tonight and every Friday at this 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 Murder and the Prize Winning Bull. The story of a mysterious murder on a country estate, following a quarrel over a $50,000 prize bull. Why a beautiful woman is accused, and how the case is solved by a tiny clue, found by Mr. Keen, tracer of lost persons. Music Music Music A big nickel's worth. Chicklets, Chicklets, Chicklets. Music And now for Mr. Keen, and The Case of Murder and the Prize Winning Bull. Our scene opens at night, on a large country estate situated near New York City. A sudden noise inside a huge white barn near the main house, has brought a tall distinguished looking man, hurrying down the gravel path leading to the barn. The man is unaware that he is running to his death. Whistle Who's that standing near the barn, my handyman? It's so dark I can't see. Is that you Tom Brewer? Yes Mr. Stevens, it's me. Well what's all that noise coming from the barn? It woke me up. Tom, didn't you hear the racket? Yeah, I heard it Mr. Stevens. Why the animals sounded as if they were ready to stampede. I'd better go in the barn and have a look. Sound of a lighter Now who left that lighted lamp on the floor? I've told Tom Brewer about fire hazards so often. Champion, my prize bull. Why he's lying there in his stall? He's dead. I... You, then it was you who... Oh no, no, put that gun down. Sound of gun shot Sound of gun shot Sound of door opening Yes ma'am. This is Mr. Keen's office isn't it? That's right ma'am. I'm his partner Mike Clancy. This is Mr. Keen right here. What can I do for you madam? Mr. Keen, my name is Emma Stevens. I've come here about my half-brother John. He's been murdered. Shot to death in cold blood last night on our estate. Please sit down Miss Stevens. I'm so frightened, so stunned. My poor brother. One of the finest men on earth Mr. Keen. Here, sit down in this chair ma'am. I'll get us some water boss. Now compose yourself Miss Stevens. You're among friends. I know that Mr. Keen. That's why I came here to your office. Your reputation as an investigator led me to believe that you'd help me find my brother's murderer. The local police don't have a single clue. Here, take a sip of this water Miss Stevens. No thank you Mr. Clancy. Now I believe I can tell you the entire story. Please do Miss Stevens. My brother John Stevens was a retired businessman and a very successful one Mr. Keen. He retired very early in his career so he could devote more time to his main hobby, animal breeding. He was a gentleman farmer, is that it? I suppose you might call it that. John and I lived together on a large estate just a short way up the Hudson River. I'm unmarried and so is John. Go on Miss Stevens. For last night, about midnight, I heard a noisy racket coming from the barns. It was the one in which John kept his best saddle horses and Champion, his prize winning bull. As you may know Mr. Keen, a prize bull can be a very valuable animal. Yes, I understand that they can sometimes bring as much as $50,000. Say it's preservative but that's a lot of money for one animal. Champion was worth about that much Mr. Clancy. Did you say was Miss Stevens? Yes. But let me continue. The noise from the barn woke me up about midnight and I heard my brother John hurrying down the hall and out of the house. Evidently he was going to investigate. I see. A few minutes later Mr. Keen, I heard a shot. I ran out quickly and hurried down to the barn. I found my brother John lying dead on the barn floor with a bullet in his heart. And you saw no one on the grounds just before or after you found your brother Miss Stevens? No Mr. Keen, it was so dark outside. But inside the barn, near my brother's body, I also found Champion, his prize bull. Champion had also been killed by a shotgun. Is it possible Miss Stevens that the person who killed the bull also killed your half brother? Well the police are working on that theory now. They think that someone who was jealous of John or who may have wanted to hurt him in some way, shot his prize animal. John may have caught him in the act and paid with his life for it. In any case, the killing of the bull is of no importance compared with a man's murder. Our search will be for a killer of human beings, your brother's murderer. Then you will help me Mr. Keen. Of course Miss Stevens. Well then I must tell you something I couldn't tell the police because I wasn't sure. But you can find out whether I'm right or wrong. What is it Miss Stevens? We have a neighbour, Paul Kincaid. He and my brother John were once good friends, but they split up. Why? Did they quarrel? Violently. Over what Miss? Well I don't know Mr. Clancy. John was very unhappy and he wouldn't talk about it. He just said once that Paul Kincaid and his wife were very jealous people. Is Paul Kincaid a gentleman farmer like your brother? He tried to be Mr. Keen but he wasn't successful. Paul Kincaid is as rich as John and very vain. Actually I think he went in for animal breeding just to see if he could better John. Could that rivalry of course there quarrel? Well that or jealousy over Evelyn Kincaid, Paul's wife. And just what do you mean Miss Stevens? Well Paul Kincaid saw a rival in every man he met Mr. Keen. Although I think Evelyn's tried to be a good wife to him. She's a very beautiful woman while Paul has lost his looks. And he appears much older than he is. So jealousy may have been the murder motive. Well we'll have to talk to Paul Kincaid as soon as we arrive at your estate Miss Stevens. It is your estate now isn't it? Well if you mean do I inherit it now that my brother is dead, I couldn't say Mr. Keen that the will hasn't been read yet. Who is his closest surviving relative? I am. But what has that got to do with... If you're ready to leave with me now Mr. Keen I'll take you to our estate. Yes, Mike Clancy and I are ready to leave. And begin the first part of our investigation of the strange murder of your brother. Music Turn into this driveway Mr. Clancy. The main house is at the end of it. Right Miss Stevens. It's quite a large place isn't it? And do you have many servants Miss Stevens? Only one Mr. Keen. The handyman Tom Brewer. As far as my brother John was concerned I saw that he was comfortable myself. Most of the house has been locked off for years and we only use a few rooms. Where was this handyman Tom Brewer when the murder took place? Well he wasn't on the grounds. It was his day off. He told the police he only returned several hours after poor John's body was discovered. You can see the barns from here. I found John's body in that large white one over there. The animals were taken out when the police started their investigation. Mr. Keen, there's a lady running up the path here. She looks kind of excited. What? That's Evelyn Kincaid. She's the wife of our neighbour Paul Kincaid. She's senus. But she doesn't seem to be able to make up her mind whether to come over or not. She looks like she'd like to turn back boss. Hello Emma. Evelyn, this is Mr. Keen and Mr. Clancy. Mrs. Evelyn Kincaid our neighbour. You're Mr. Keen, the criminal investigator? You seem to be upset about something Mrs. Kincaid. Upset? Well why should I be upset? Miss Stevens has told us something about you and your husband. She has? And just what has she told you? Just that you and Paul were our neighbours. And what else? Have you been gossiping again Emma? If you have, just remember I can tell Mr. Keen a few things about you. Evelyn, I don't know what you're talking about. How much money did your murdered half-brother leave you? And how badly did you want to get hold of it? Evelyn, how dare you? There's no need for these recriminations Mrs. Kincaid. Miss Stevens hasn't made any accusations about you. Well she has nothing to accuse me of Mr. Keen. I'll admit I was angry with John Stevens. But I often hoped he'd close his house and move away somewhere. Yes, you were angry with my brother all right. Angry enough to wish he was dead when he got pneumonia last winter. Wishing is not a criminal offence Emma Stevens. At least not until the wish transforms itself into the deed. What do you mean by that? Mrs. Kincaid, I'd like to know why you felt that way about the murdered man John Stevens, if it's true. It isn't true Mr. Keen. But I'll tell you why I didn't want him around. He baited Paul, my husband. He was always boasting how much more clever he was about breeding animals. How he, John, always won the prizes while Paul won nothing but laughs. I won't stand here and listen to any more of this. Why are you here Evelyn? What do you want? I was looking for Paul. I thought he came over here to offer you his condolences. But I'd be happy to get off your property as soon as... What do you think you're... Put down that pitch pork you idiot! It's my husband's voice. Boss, it sounds like a fight inside that white barn. Hurry Mike, let's see what's up. What do you want to do, Mike? You could kill an animal. Help me with this heavy barn door, Mike. Oh no! I'll kill you Paul Kincaid. Make one more move, I'll jam this pitch pork through your throat. Mike, try to get that pitch pork away from him. Who are you? Let me go! Here, I'll take that big stick. That's better. Say let's preserve us, but this thing could kill a steer. What's the meaning of this? My name is Keen. Mr. Keen, the investigator? Well I'm Tom Brewer. You come here just in time. I'm the Stevens handyman. I just caught Mr. Kincaid snooping around this barn. When I asked him what he was up to, he hit me in the face. I grabbed a pitch fork to protect myself. And you're Paul Kincaid? I am, Mr. Keen. This fool is exaggerating the entire affair. I... well I came over to the Stevens estate to see John's sister Emma and to tell her how shocked I was to hear about his murder. But what were you doing here in the barn, Mr. Kincaid? Well boss, that seems to be a question this fellow don't want answered. I'm afraid he'll have to answer it, Mike. Mr. Kincaid, you'll accompany us back to the Stevens house now, if you don't mind. There's more than one question I'm going to ask you in connection with the murder of John Stevens. Chesterfield gives you scientific facts in support of smoking. First such report ever published about any cigarette. A responsible consulting organization reports a study by a competent medical specialist and staff on the effects of smoking Chesterfields. For six months a group of men and women smoked only Chesterfield, 10 to 40 a day their normal amount. 45 percent of the group have smoked Chesterfields from one to 30 years for an average of 10 years each. At the beginning and end of the six months, each smoker was given a thorough examination including x-rays and covering the sinuses, nose, ears and throat. After the examinations the medical specialist stated, quote, it is my opinion that the ears, nose, throat and accessory organs of all participating subjects examined by me were not adversely affected in the six months period by smoking the cigarettes provided, unquote. Of course these cigarettes were Chesterfields. Remember this report and buy Chesterfields, regular or king size, premium quality Chesterfield and much milder. Music Now back to Mr. Keen and the case of murder and the prize-winning bull. Mr. Keen, the famous investigator and his partner Mike Clancy, are investigating the murder of John Stevens, a wealthy animal breeder whose $50,000 prize bull was also shot dead at the time of the murder. At the moment, Mr. Keen and Mike are in the Stevens' home, now occupied solely by Emma Stevens, the victim's half-sister. Mr. Keen is questioning Paul Kincaid, a neighbor of the murdered man, while Kincaid's wife Evelyn waits in another part of the house. Now Mr. Keen is saying, Mr. Kincaid, my partner Mike Clancy and I are investigating the murder of your neighbor John Stevens, as you know. I had nothing to do with it, Mr. Keen. On the contrary, someone has told me that you were jealous of the murdered man for several reasons. Really? First of all, you both bred animals as a hobby, and John Stevens seems to have bested you in prize competitions. What's that got to do with anything, Mr. Keen? His prize bull champion, worth $50,000, was shot about the time of the murder. Now there's a possibility that the person who killed the bull did it out of jealousy, and when he was caught in the act by John Stevens, he murdered him. But we can tell you this, mister. We're not looking for the man who got rid of the bull. It's the murderer of John Stevens we want. So you think I killed his prize bull, then did away with Stevens? I suppose Emma, his half-sister, told you that. Well, you might question her a bit, Mr. Keen. She comes into a fortune now that John is dead. Mr. Kincaid, what about your feeling regarding John Stevens and your wife? My wife and John were merely friends, nothing more, Mr. Keen. I... I admit I may have been jealous of Evelyn once or twice, for no reason, but she'll bear me out as far as John was concerned. Mike, call Mrs. Kincaid in here, please. Okay, boss. Oh, Mrs. Kincaid, Mr. Keen would like to talk to you. What's happened, Paul? Is everything all right? Someone's been putting ideas into Mr. Keen's head, Evelyn. Someone's been gossiping about you and John Stevens. Tell Mr. Keen there was nothing between you. I've already told him. If anything, I hated John for the way he baited you, Paul, and made you unhappy. Does that answer your question, Mr. Keen? Part of it. However, you still have to explain what you were doing when Tom Brewer, the Stevens handyman, caught you inside the White Barn where John Stevens was murdered. Tell Mr. Keen the truth, Paul. Remember, you may be protecting a murderer. Quiet, Evelyn. I can't. I think it's for your own protection. Either you tell Mr. Keen the truth, or I will. Very well. I'll tell him myself. Mr. Keen, I was the one who shot and killed John's prize bull. I see. And why did you do it, Mr. Kincaid? Because he was always boasting about how clever he was as an animal breeder, and he drove me into a fury. I'd been drinking too much just before I went over to his barn, and I hardly knew what I was doing. But I didn't murder John Stevens, I swear it. Who is the person your wife just mentioned? The one she said you might be protecting inadvertently. Mr. Keen, I meant Tom Brewer, the Stevens handyman. My husband saw him prowling around the grounds right after he left the barn. Well, boss, Tom Brewer said he wasn't near that place when John Stevens was murdered. Yes, that was his alibi. Mike, it appears as though Tom Brewer is the next to be questioned. Mr. and Mrs. Kincaid, how far away do you live from here? We have the big house at the end of the road, Mr. Keen. You may go back there now. I warn you, however, that you're still under strong suspicion. Very well. Just one thing more. Why did you return to the Stevens barn today? I was looking for my gun, the one I used to kill the prize bull. In the crazy state I was in that night, I left the revolver there in the barn. Hmm. As far as we know, the gun used to kill John Stevens has not yet been found. All right, Mr. Kincaid, you and your wife can leave. Come along, Mike. We're going inside and talk to Tom Brewer, the handyman. Mr. Keen, there's Emma Stevens, but Tom Brewer ain't here. Well, if you're looking for Tom, Mr. Keen, he just went out to the barn. Oh, come with us, please, Miss Stevens. Mike, we'll follow Tom Brewer to the barn and see what he has to say now that his alibi has been cracked wide open. Well, here's the barn, boss. The handyman Tom Brewer must be inside. Would you wait out here, please, Miss Stevens? All right, Mr. Keen. The barn door's open, Mike. Let's go in. Mr. Keen. What are you doing here, Tom Brewer? Well, I'm just cleaning up the barn a bit. Well, boss, looks more like he may have been up to something. Well, what do you mean? We've just learned, Tom Brewer, that you were not off the grounds the night your employer, John Stevens, was murdered. Someone saw you near this barn, the scene of the crime. That's a lie, Mr. Keen. I advise you to tell the entire truth, Brewer. Remember, we have a witness who saw you. Maybe, maybe I was on the grounds. I was afraid to open up my mouth. I didn't want to get mixed up in any murder. Then you must have something you're hiding, Brewer, because unless you had a motive to murder John Stevens, you had nothing to fear. Mr. Stevens was going to fire me. I figured the police might think I got sore enough to do him in because of that. Then you knew the murder had been committed even before his half-sister Emma Stevens found his body. I guess I found his body first, Mr. Keen. When I heard the shot, I ran in here to the barn. I saw him lying over there near that stall where the prize bowl champion was lying too. Was it over here, Tom? Yes, Mr. Keen. Mike, one of the floorboards here is loose. Let's have a closer look. Right, boss. Mike. Yes, sir? There's something stuck here between these two loose floorboards. See if you can pry it loose. Right. It's stuck tight, boss, but I think I can... Here, here, sir. What is it? Mike, it's a clue. It's a clue to the murder of John Stevens. Tom Brewer, you and the murdered man's sister Emma Stevens are coming with me to the Kincade house for a final showdown. Mr. Keen. Mr. Kincade, I brought your neighbour Emma Stevens and the handyman Tom Brewer with me. Mr. Keen says he has the clue, Paul, in regard to my brother's murder. You have, Mr. Keen? Yes, Mrs. Kincade. Tom Brewer just admitted that he was near the barn when John Stevens was murdered. But I've found something else that changes the situation completely. I tell you, I didn't have... Oh, we heard you the first time, Brewer. First of all, Mr. Kincade, let me ask you this. How did your wife know that you had killed John Stevens' prize bowl? Paul told me, Mr. Keen. Yes, I told Evelyn when she found me leaving the Stevens' property. Then your wife here was also on the murdered man's property when the crime was committed. I heard Paul leave our house and I followed him, Mr. Keen. I knew he was up to something. And where did you meet him, Mrs. Kincade? Outside the Stevens' barn. Then you were never inside the barn at all? Never, Mr. Keen. And I can prove that's a lie, Mrs. Kincade. What? John Stevens' murderer was a woman and she left this clue. It's a small leather lift, the thin section on the bottom of the heel of a woman's shoe. And I believe it came from your wife's shoe, Mr. Kincade. She must have caught her heel between two floorboards just inside the barn. And when she pulled her foot loose, she left this leather lift in the crack. Well, how do you know it's from my heel? It might have come from Emma Stevens' shoe. I've noticed that Emma Stevens only wears low flat heel shoes. You, a younger woman, wear high heels, Mrs. Kincade. And this lift came from a high heeled shoe. Evelyn, those shoes, the ones you left for the maid have repaired. Be quiet, Pa. Where are those shoes, Mr. Kincade? Over there on the foyer table. Fit them, will you, Mike? Right, boss. Leave those shoes alone. Mr. Keen, there's part of the heel missing from the shoe of Mrs. Kincade's. Here, look here, sir. Yes, Mike. And this small piece of leather I found in the Stevens' barn just fits the missing section. It's enough evidence, I think, to arrest Evelyn Kincade. Mike, don't let her touch that vase. She won't, boss. Here, I've got it. I could kill you for this. I saw her edging over to it. Reach inside, Mike. Right. Boss, there's a gun hidden inside this vase. Handle it carefully to preserve the fingerprints. That's my gun, Mr. Keen. Yes, Mr. Kincade. The one you left in the barn after you killed John Stevens' prize bull. Your wife found it and used it to kill Stevens himself. She evidently thought she had a perfect opportunity to commit murder and then have you take the blame. Evelyn, I can't believe it. Why would you want... Why? Because John Stevens was a fool. I begged him to run away with me. I wanted him to help me get rid of you and... In other words, Mrs. Kincade, you first tried to get John Stevens to help you kill your husband. Then, when he refused, you murdered Stevens because you were afraid he'd give you away. And because you were a woman scorned, a woman he refused to love. Yes, yes. Evelyn. And don't look that way at me, Paul. You should have known all along that I wouldn't have married a drab little man like you if you hadn't a fortune. A fortune you hoped to get your hands on, Mrs. Kincade. If your husband had got the electric chair for your crime, you'd have inherited his money. Then I was right, Mr. Keen, in being jealous of my wife. John Stevens was handsome, distinguished. She did have designs on him. You needn't be jealous of your wife any longer, Paul Kincade, because she'll spend the rest of her life in prison, if she's lucky enough to escape the death penalty, for the murder of John Stevens. And so Mr. Keen finds the solution to the case of murder and the prize-winning bull. Every night of the week, you can hear a suspense-filled adventure show when you tune into CBS Radio. Later tonight, there's a thrilling story about Mr. Chameleon, a clever gentleman who uses disguises in tracking down a killer or to crack a difficult case. And tonight's case is a real dilly. Tomorrow night, you can hear Broadway is my beat. You'll meet Danny Clover, the plain clothesman hero who knows Broadway intimately. Also on hand Saturday evenings is the king of the singing cowboys, Gene Autry, Edgar Rice Burroughs jungle hero, Tarzan, and the thrills of gangbusters. Sunday night, you'll hear Escape, and Monday nights, there's the action-filled drama Suspense. Tuesday night, you'll meet Pam and Jerry North, and Wednesdays, it's The Line Up and the FBI in Peace and War. That's it. If you love adventure stories, tune into CBS Radio every night of the week. ["The Line Up and the FBI in Peace and War"] Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons, is based on the novel Mr. Keen. The radio sequel is originated and produced by Frank and Ann Hummett. Dialogue by Lawrence Klee, directed by Richard Leonard. Philip Clark plays Mr. Keen. Don't miss Mr. Keen on Friday of next week, when the kindly old Tracer turns to The Skull and Crossbones Murder Case. Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons, is brought to you by Denteen. The gum with breathtaking flavor, and Beeman's pepsin. Tastes so good, and aids digestion too. And by Chesterfield. The only cigarette to give you premium quality in both regular and king size. King size Chesterfields contain tobaccos of better quality and higher price than any other king size cigarette. Your announcer is Harry Kramer. This is the CBS Radio Network. Stay tuned for Gunsmoke. Is your money buy more at A&P? Well, come see for yourself and get buys like a carton of three or four fine fresh tomatoes only 17 cents in Greater New York and nearby New Jersey A&P supermarkets. At 9 o'clock tomorrow morning, Bill Leonard reports on human interest happenings on This Is New York. It's 830 WCBS AM and FM New York.
