- 21 hours ago
"Smashing the Arson Ring" is a classic two-part storyline from the 1940s The Blue Beetle Old Time Radio serial.
Category
š¹
FunTranscript
00:12The Blue Beetle
00:26Sweeping down upon the underworld to smash gangland
00:29Comes the friend of the unfortunate
00:31Enemy of criminals
00:33A mysterious, all-powerful character
00:36A problem to the police
00:38But a crusader for law
00:40In reality, Dan Garrett, a rookie patrolman
00:42Loved by everyone, but suspected by none of being
00:45The Blue Beetle
00:47As the Blue Beetle, he hides behind a strange mask
00:50In a suit of impenetrable blue chain armor
00:52Flexible as silk, but stronger than steel
01:00Today's episode of The Blue Beetle
01:02Is entitled, Smashing the Arson Ring
01:06Numerous fires of suspicious nature
01:08Have stirred the civil authorities
01:09To a point where a concerted drive is underway
01:12To discover who and what
01:14Is back of this unprecedented wave
01:16Of mysterious conflagrations
01:18Has the city's fire inspection department
01:21Become obsolete?
01:21Is the increase of destructive fires
01:24In abandoned factories
01:25And old law tenements
01:26Due to coincidence?
01:28Or is an organized campaign
01:30Of wholesale arson
01:31Being engineered
01:32By a mastermind?
01:34As our story opens
01:36Patrolman Dan Garrett
01:37Who in secret is really the Blue Beetle
01:39Discusses the situation
01:40With his friend and confident
01:42Dr. Fran, the chemist
01:43And Danny
01:44Do you really believe
01:45That there's a ring of professional arsonists
01:47Who are setting these fires?
01:49I'm positive
01:49You know, we've had a long dry spell
01:51There's such a thing as spontaneous combustion
01:54I know that
01:54Then on what do you base your suspicions?
01:57The fact that in each case
01:58The burned building
01:59Had been vacant for a long time
02:00Or had been operating on a losing basis
02:02And was heavily insured
02:03Like those old tenements on River Street
02:05But surely the owners
02:07Would be taking a terrible risk of discovery
02:09If they set them on fire
02:10Not if they hired professional arsonists
02:12They're pretty clever, you know
02:14Yes, but look at the property loss
02:16And in some cases, loss of life
02:18The property losses in each case I've found
02:20Are all covered by fire insurance
02:22A loss of life
02:23Such as in that last tenement fire
02:25Is another thing
02:25That's equivalent to wholesale murder
02:28You're right, Danny
02:29And if someone deliberately set those fires
02:31That person should pay the extreme penalty
02:34They will
02:35If I can get the evidence I need to convict them
02:37Well, what do you intend doing?
02:39I'm asking the chief to put me on special duty
02:41To investigate these mysterious fires
02:43With Officer Manigan?
02:44Yes, if Mike wants to work on them with me
02:46Well, he will, all right
02:48He likes excitement as much as you do
02:50I know
02:50I can't stand inactivity
02:52As long as there are criminals to run down
02:54I'll only be happy when I'm on their trail
02:56Well, I do hope you'll always be as successful in the future
03:00As you have been in the past
03:02Now, there go the fire engines
03:04That's my exit cue
03:05So long, Doc
03:06From now on, Dan Garrett's a smoke eater
03:27Old man Gordon will build a new apartment house
03:30For the insurance you'll select on this job
03:32Yeah, he's a smart guy
03:34These houses aren't worth a powder to blow them up
03:38Look, there's a girl up there
03:40That's 12th floor window
03:41Yeah
03:42She's going to jump
03:43She'll be killed if she does
03:44Hey, don't jump
03:46Look, there's a cop warning her not to jump
03:48Yeah
03:49Now he's going right into the building
03:51Yeah
03:51And there's another cop going right after him
03:54Why, they'll be burned to a crisp in that inferno
03:57Boy, look at the flames
03:58Far and out of that window underneath
04:00Yeah
04:00Looks like curtains for them babies
04:02Not yet
04:03Look
04:04The firemen just got a hose up that ladder
04:06They're pouring a stream of water into the windows
04:09Too late, I'll bet
04:15That's the end of the cops and the girls
04:17Yeah
04:18Gee, what a crash
04:20Look
04:20Look up there on the roof
04:22Yeah
04:22It's the two cops and the girls
04:24Oh, what do you know about that?
04:26They went up and set it down
04:27Just in time, too
04:29Firemen are slanting a ladder over to them
04:31From the hook and ladder truck
04:34Yeah
04:35But it won't reach
04:36It's too short
04:38Oh, why don't they jump across to the next roof?
04:40It's too far
04:42Twenty-foot gap
04:43They'd never make it
04:44The firemen could stretch their necks
04:46So if they found it
04:47They can't get near enough to the building
04:48That fire's too hot
04:49So you'd pour out of those lower windows
04:51I guess that's that
04:53No, no
04:54No, look
04:54Yeah
04:56One cop's hanging to the edge of the roof by his hands
04:59Now the other one's crawling over him
05:01What
05:01What are they going to do?
05:03The second cop's hanging from the first cop's feet
05:06Look
05:07He can almost reach the ladder
05:09Now
05:10There's a fireman going up the ladder
05:12Say
05:13The girl's climbing down over the two cops hanging there
05:16Look out
05:17Gee
05:18She almost lost hold
05:19The fireman's got her
05:21She's free
05:22She's free
05:23She's free
05:24She's free
05:24She's free
05:25Yeah, but
05:26Say
05:27Looks like she fainted
05:30How are them two cops going to get down?
05:32I don't know
05:32They're still hanging up there
05:34Fireman are backing the hook and ladder truck a bit
05:37Now
05:38Now the end of the ladder is right under him
05:41Watch him
05:42There he goes
05:43He dropped
05:44He made it
05:45He made it
05:46He made it
05:47Now there's only the cop hanging to the roof
05:49He can't make it
05:51Oh
05:51Who is he?
05:53Looks like patrolman Dan Garrett
05:55The other cop was mannequin, his pal
05:57And I've got it all right
05:58Yeah
05:59But how's he going to get out of this jam?
06:01Oh look
06:02The fire's licking up to him now
06:04He's trying to climb back onto the roof
06:07There he goes
06:08He made it
06:09How is he going to get down from there?
06:11Search me
06:12Boy, I wouldn't like to be in his place
06:14Hey
06:15He's disappeared
06:16Oh he ain't
06:17There he is
06:17He's got a long pole
06:19What's he going to do?
06:20Hold walled across to the other roof
06:22Gosh, I hope he makes it
06:24There he goes
06:26He made it
06:28He made it
06:29Oh boy
06:30He ought to get a medal for this day's work
06:46Well Danny
06:47I understand you distinguished yourself at the fire today
06:50I almost extinguished myself
06:52It was all I could do to hold on
06:54When mannequin and the girl were both hanging on to me
06:56He's no lightweight
06:57I'm proud of you, my boy
06:59That took nerve
07:00You've got to have nerve to make good on the police force
07:02I know
07:03But you covered yourself with glory
07:04The important thing is
07:05I got some valuable information
07:07Yes?
07:08From whom?
07:09The girl I rescued
07:10Elsie Williams
07:11Yes?
07:11I talked to her at the drugstore
07:13Where the fireman took her when she fainted
07:15She worked for Gordon
07:16Sort of a secretary and rent collector
07:18Is that how she came to be in that building
07:21When the fire started?
07:22Yes, she was collecting rent
07:23She told me she saw one armed man
07:25Leave the cellar entrance in a hurry
07:27As she entered the building
07:28Well, what's suspicious about that?
07:30He might have been a friend of the janitor
07:31Miss Williams told me
07:32That she'd seen him in a huddle with her employer
07:34Early this morning
07:35Before the fire
07:37But that still doesn't prove anything
07:38Now wait
07:39As he left
07:40She heard him say to Gordon
07:41Don't worry
07:42Your troubles will soon be over
07:44We won't miss
07:45Has Gordon been having trouble of some sort?
07:48Yes, financial trouble
07:49He's been losing money on his houses
07:50He also has a loft building
07:52That's been empty for months
07:53That certainly looks suspicious
07:55Yes
07:55And I figure my trail begins with Mr. Gordon
07:59Well, what are you going to do?
08:00Call upon Mr. Gordon
08:01And make him talk
08:15Yes
08:16Patrolman Dan Garrett will see you
08:17Oh, what's he want?
08:18I'm busy
08:19He says it's very important to you
08:20Oh
08:22Well, I'll see him
08:26Patrolman Dan Garrett, Mr. Gordon
08:27Oh, come in, officer
08:29Oh, what's on your mind?
08:31Very busy this afternoon
08:32Fire this morning and everything
08:34Very upsetting
08:35Very financial loss
08:36To you or to the insurance company?
08:39What's that?
08:40I asked you to whom the fire was a heavy financial loss
08:42To you or the insurance company?
08:44Now look here
08:45Just because you wear that uniform
08:46Don't think that you can be
08:48Inpertinent to the taxpayers
08:49I'll report you to
08:51Just a minute, Mr. Gordon
08:52I'm here on official business
08:53Your buildings were heavily insured
08:55You stand to gain
08:57Rather than lose by this fire today
08:59The fire chief reports
09:00Evidence of incendiarism
09:02What do you mean?
09:03How can we report such a thing?
09:05I'll have his dad
09:06Now look, Mr. Gordon
09:07I'm here to help you if I can
09:09You tell me who the ringleaders are
09:11In this arson racket
09:11And I'll do what I can
09:13To get you off lightly
09:14When your case comes up in court
09:15Court?
09:17Who said anything about court?
09:19I did
09:20You're going to be arrested shortly
09:21On suspicion of being party
09:23To a conspiracy
09:24To defraud the fire insurance company
09:26No, no
09:26You can't do that
09:27Now, now, now
09:28Why don't you break down
09:29And give me the information
09:31I'm after
09:31Well
09:33What do you want to know?
09:34Who was the one-armed man
09:35Who was seen to leave the building
09:37Just before the fire?
09:39One-armed man?
09:40Fire
09:40I don't know anyone
09:41And, uh, who had a confidential talk with you
09:43Earlier this morning
09:45My secretary
09:45Oh, bring your secretary into this
09:47After all, she almost lost her life today
09:50Collecting rents for you
09:51All right
09:52I'll tell you
09:53His name is Joe Durando
09:55He's called Stumpy
09:57He works for the Modern Wrecking and Construction Company
10:00They wreck buildings and construct buildings
10:03Get your coming and going
10:04Quite a profitable business, I'd say
10:07Now, listen
10:07I didn't want to do this thing
10:09They threatened to undermine my tenement
10:12So they'd collapse
10:13If I didn't hire them to burn them down
10:15If the buildings collapsed
10:17I'd get no insurance at all
10:19And it'd be a total loss
10:20Oh, that's their racket
10:22What did they get out of it?
10:24A thousand dollars down
10:25And 20% of the insurance
10:27Hmm, not bad
10:28And I suppose they get the job of rebuilding
10:31As that's part of the contract
10:33Who's the head of the company?
10:34I don't know
10:36Stumpy always spoke of his boss as the
10:38The skipper
10:39Stumpy must have been in the Navy at one time
10:41I don't know that
10:43What does the gang use that makes the fire spread so quickly?
10:46Gasoline?
10:47No, nothing
10:49Will you go down with me to the DA
10:50And tell him what you've just told me?
10:52Now look here, officer
10:53My life isn't worth a dime right now for talking with you
10:56Don't worry
10:57The DA will have you guarded day and night
10:59What was that?
11:02That sounded like my secretary's voice
11:03Come on, let's see who it is
11:06Not here
11:06Look
11:07Look those men
11:08They're carrying her off
11:09You're right
11:09Hey, cop
11:10Look out
11:11Look out
11:12Okay, copper
11:13That'll fix you for sticking your nose
11:15You know what?
11:15Don't concern you
11:16Come on, Gordon
11:17Take a walk with me
11:18No, no
11:19Come on
11:19I've got this gun in your back
11:21So don't open your trap
11:22You and me is going for a little ride
11:25The skipper wants to see you
11:36Later that evening
11:37High up in one of the city's skyscrapers
11:39Stumpy is reporting to his skipper
11:42You see, it was like this, skipper
11:44Yes
11:44I've seen the copper go into Gordon's office
11:47And I figured maybe Gordon's secretary
11:49Has spilled the beans to Garrett
11:51After he rescued her
11:52So I called some of the boys
11:54Of course
11:55Then when the copper stayed in with Gordon so long
11:57Well, I figured the heat was being turned on
12:00So I decided to pick up Gordon as well as a girl
12:02You took a terrible risk by kidnapping them in broad daylight
12:05Well, what else could I do, skipper?
12:06The heat was on
12:07Where are they now?
12:08I got them tied up in one of your barges down at the end of River Street
12:11You bring them out to my yard about midnight
12:13We'll see how much they've spilled to the police
12:15Okay, skipper
12:16And keep away from waterfront saloons
12:18If you get drunk tonight, you're all through
12:20Sure, sure, skipper
12:21You can trust me
12:23I won't take not even one drink
12:25You'd better not if you know what's good for you
12:27I've got a couple of jobs for you tomorrow
12:29And I want you sober
12:29And you can trust me, skipper
12:31I know where my bread and butter comes from
12:33All right
12:33Remember that
12:35If you want to be able to continue eating bread and butter
12:46What will happen to Elsie Williams
12:47And the brave little secretary
12:49Will Gordon be bumped off for talking?
12:52Can Dan Garrett recover from the blow on the head
12:54In time to catch the thugs?
12:56Or will he lose the trail completely?
13:07Meanwhile at Dr. Franz's little apothecary shop
13:09Patronman Dan Garrett is talking with Dr. Franz
13:12While donning his blue beetle chain armor and mask
13:15Doc, I've got a hunch
13:17Has that sailor costume you brought along something to do with your hunch?
13:21Yes
13:21I'm going to put it on over my blue beetle costume
13:24Well, what's the idea?
13:25Well, I'm convinced that the arson trail leads down by the waterfront
13:28That's an interesting thought
13:30A fire trail leading to water
13:32Yes, but nevertheless, that's the way I see it
13:34Well, what gives you the idea the trail leads in that direction?
13:37Stumpy's reference to his boss as skipper
13:39Which may mean that Stumpy's been a sailor
13:41Or that the head of the arson ring
13:43May have headquarters on a ship of some kind
13:46Oh, I see
13:47Also, I learned from Gordon today that
13:49Naphtha is being used to saturate the buildings before setting them afire
13:53Naphtha is used extensively around ships
13:55To remove grease and paint and rust
13:57Well, what are you going to do?
13:58Disguise myself as a sailor
14:00And see if I can pick up Stumpy's trail in one of the waterfront cafes
14:03That would be dangerous, Danny
14:04I love danger, Doc
14:06When it's in the line of beauty
14:07Or part of my crusade against crime
14:09Well, you'd better let me change your face a bit with some makeup
14:13I'd act a little tipsy if I were you
14:15It would be more convincing
14:16Say, that's a great idea
14:18I'll hide my Blue Beetle mask until I go into action as the Blue Beetle
14:21And when I do
14:23Some people are going to get a big surprise
14:43What's the matter, sailor?
14:44Lost his sweetheart?
14:45I'm looking for my friend Stumpy
14:49He's lost my pal Stumpy
14:50You know Stumpy?
14:52Sure, I know Stumpy
14:53Gotta find Stumpy
14:55What do you want with him?
14:57He's gotta give me a job
14:58He's my pal
14:59Said if I ever wanted a job ashore
15:02He'd steer me into a good job
15:04Well, I ain't seen it
15:06Maybe you could find him down at the end of River Street
15:09End of River Street?
15:12What's Stumpy doing down there?
15:14Sometimes he sleeps on one of the modern wrecking and construction company's barges
15:17Oh, that's swell
15:19Promise me a job he did
15:21I'll go find him and buy him a drink
15:23Oh, Stumpy
15:26Stumpy
15:41Hello, Gus
15:41This is Maisie
15:42Look, there's a guy coming down there looking for Stumpy
15:45Yeah
15:46Says he's a pal of Stumpy
15:49Pretending he's drunk
15:50But he ain't
15:51He's cold, sober, and he ain't no pal of Stumpy
15:55Okay, goodbye
16:15Hello there, Taylor
16:17Rough night, it's day
16:19Yeah, I can't find my pal Stumpy
16:22You know Stumpy?
16:24One-armed Stumpy Dorano?
16:26Sure I know him
16:27He's down on the barge there
16:29Come on, pal, let me see
16:31Oh, that's very kind of you, matey
16:34Why, don't mention it
16:35I'm a seafaring man myself
16:37Seafaring men gotta stick together
16:40Stumpy's a seafaring man
16:42Now, watch your step, matey
16:44Yeah, here's the barge
16:46Stumpy'll be glad to see an old friend
16:49Yeah, Stumpy's a good friend
16:50You'll find him right down there
16:54And if he ain't down there now
16:56You can talk to the rats until he comes
17:00Hey, that you, Gus?
17:02Yeah
17:02What are you doing?
17:03I just knocked an old pal of yours into the hole of this gal
17:07Who was he?
17:08I don't know
17:09But Maisie phoned, he was asking for you
17:11When playing drunk up at the cafe
17:14Yeah, probably a dick
17:15Yeah
17:16Well, what'll I do with him?
17:18Put the hatch cover on him
17:19Pile some bags of sand on it
17:20I'll go up and phone the skipper at the office
17:22Okay, I'll take care of it
17:24And if this egg in the hole gets noisy
17:26Open up the hatch and fill the hole with sand
17:29That'll keep him quiet for a long time
17:44What will happen to the Blue Beetle now?
17:46Can he escape from the rat-infested tomb?
17:49Or will he be smothered to death by sand?
17:51In the meantime, several telephones are busy
17:55Yes, Mr. Mayor, yes, yes, you're right
17:57Something should be done about these costly fires
18:00What?
18:01Yes, yes, sir
18:02Yes, indeed
18:03I'll be glad to serve on the Citizens Committee
18:04Thanks
18:05Anything for the good of the city
18:07Oh, by the way, Mr. Mayor
18:08I'd like to have you and your wife spend the weekend on my yacht sometime
18:13Oh, no, not at all
18:14Not at all
18:14It'll be a pleasure
18:16Yes
18:17Yes, all right
18:18Well, just let me know when
18:21Goodbye
18:22Stumpy on the other phone, sir
18:25Hello
18:26Yes
18:28What?
18:29Hmm, that sounds suspicious
18:32It may be that patrolman Dan Garrett playing detective
18:35What?
18:37Yeah, it's a good idea, Stumpy
18:38Tell Gus to open up the sand elevator and fill the hole
18:42Yes, sinker if necessary
18:44We're insured
18:45I'll meet you out at the yacht in a half hour
18:47Bring Gordon and the girl
18:49If we find out that they've squealed, you'll know what to do
18:54Bye-bye
19:08Hello
19:09Dr. Fran speaking
19:10Hello, Doc
19:11Can you hear me?
19:13Yes, Danny, yes
19:14I'm talking to my portable wireless telephone
19:16Well, where are you?
19:17In the hold of a sand barge at the foot of River Street
19:20Are you in danger?
19:21Not yet
19:22Well, what happened?
19:23Someone knocked me into the hold and now they're filling the barge with sand
19:27But Danny, you'll be buried alive
19:28Now, look, Doc
19:30Telephone the police to come at once
19:32To the modern wrecking and construction company's warehouse
19:36I'm in the barge, tied up to the pier
19:39Hurry, Doc
19:41Hurry
19:56Where are you taking it?
19:57Out to the skipper's yacht
19:59Who's the skipper?
20:00Don't you wish you knew and could tell somebody?
20:02I know who you are
20:03And what you do
20:04Yeah, but it ain't gonna do you no good
20:06You'll never tell
20:07What do you mean?
20:09The skipper ain't taking no chances on you or your boss there squealing
20:13Hey, Gordon, you awake?
20:15Yeah, he's awake
20:16You'll never get away with this
20:18Patrolman Dan Garrett is on your trail
20:20So you did squeal?
20:22That's who the guy was that Gus knocked into the hole of the sand barge
20:25Well, he'll never tell nobody nothing
20:27He's buried alive by this time
20:31Well, that must be the skipper now
20:32On his way out to the yacht
20:34We'll both make it about the same
20:37Yeah
20:38Or maybe it's someone
20:39Help!
20:40I need you
20:40Pipe down or I'll slap you overboard
20:43I should have left a gag in your mouth
20:45That's what a guy gets for being soft-hearted
20:48Okay, now
20:49Skipper?
20:50Yes
20:50Are you coming?
20:51Yeah
20:51Keep that girl quiet
20:52Follow me to the office
20:53Okay, Skipper
20:55Now, just for yelling, I'm gonna gag you up again
20:58No, no
21:00That'll hold you
21:14I regret very much, Miss Williams and Mr. Gordon
21:16That you saw fit to express yourselves to the authorities to the extent you have
21:20In my business, long tongues mean short lives
21:24What are you going to do with it?
21:25My lawyers
21:26Your lawyers will assist in settling your estate, Mr. Gordon
21:29Only your heirs will benefit by your long tongues
21:32No
21:32No, you can't mean that
21:34You catch my meaning very quickly, Mr. Gordon
21:36We're all going for a little sea voyage
21:38But you and Miss Williams aren't coming back
21:42The Blue Beetle
21:43Yes, the Blue Beetle
21:45Stumpy
21:45Don't you?
21:46Drop that gun, Stumpy
21:47You might injure the young lady
21:48Why, you
21:49I'm sorry
21:55I'm sorry
21:56Your cloak of respectability will no longer shield you
21:59Listen, you guys
21:59Now, don't we
22:00Don't let this guy bluff you
22:01Grab him
22:02Don't move, any of you
22:03Or I'll blast you with my ray gun
22:05The police will never take me alive
22:06Stop him
22:07Stop the Skipper
22:08He's gonna jump over
22:09I'll rip my fire
22:09And I'll die by water
22:28Well, tell me, Danny
22:29How did you escape from the hold of that sand barge?
22:32I discovered one of the hatches wasn't tight
22:34So was the hold filled with sand
22:36I climbed up in the sand
22:37Raised the hatch and crawled out
22:39That was a narrow escape
22:41Yes
22:41Well, what did you do then?
22:43I heard a girl scream across the water
22:45So I figured it must be Miss Williams' voice
22:47I dived overboard
22:49Swam out to a speedboat
22:51Moored nearby
22:51And climbed aboard
22:53Luckily, I found the ignition key in the switch
22:55And started her up
22:57Rest was easy
22:58Drove the boat out to within a quarter mile of the yacht Typhoon
23:00Dived over and swam out to her
23:02And then on it was
23:04Just a matter of getting aboard without being seen
23:06You certainly had an exciting night
23:09Yes, but that's what the blue beetle craves
23:11Oh, by the way, Danny
23:13Did they find the skipper's body?
23:14Not yet
23:15Well, as he said
23:16He lived by fire
23:18And died by water
23:20My, my
23:21What a strange epithet
23:23Yes
23:24But I'd prefer one which would read
23:26Here sleeps the blue beetle
23:28He did his job now
23:30And rests in peace
23:32And that's just what I'm going to do
23:34Good night, Doc
23:35A fire and a flood can turn me from my self-appointed path
23:40I'm going to get some sleep
23:57And so the blue beetle smashed another crooked racket
24:00And chalked up another victory for his crusade against crime
24:04Further adventures of patrolman Dan Garrett will be presented in the next episode of The Blue Beetle
24:10And now here's the blue beetle himself to say a few words
24:32The moral of this story is
24:34Don't play with fire
24:36Whether it be the fire that burns
24:38Or the fire that comes from becoming mixed up in dishonest rackets
24:43Both consume and destroy
24:44Without mercy
25:02The Blue Beetle is a copyrighted Fox feature
25:04Appearing in Mystery Men Comics Magazine
25:07And The Blue Beetle Magazine
25:09The Blue Beetle is on the air twice a week on this same station
25:13Consult the broadcast schedule in your local newspapers
25:16Don't forget to listen in to
25:19Blue Beetle
25:30With the blueƤdtechnicģ£
25:31No 1999
25:31On the beach
25:32On the beach
25:35On the beach
25:37On the beach
25:37On the beach
25:38On the beach
Comments