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Suspense | Ep1 | "The Burning Court" | Old Time Radio Archive | YouTubeToText
YouTube Transcript: Suspense | Ep1 | "The Burning Court"
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This content is an audio drama adaptation of John Dickson Carr's mystery novel "The Burning Court," focusing on a complex murder investigation involving poison, historical parallels, and a potential supernatural element that ultimately reveals a human culprit.
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the Columbia Network takes pleasure in
suspend stories from the world's great
literature of pure excitement a new
series frankly dedicated to your
horriffic ation and entertainment week
by week from the pick of new material
from the pages of bestselling novels
from the theatre of Broadway and London
the sound stages of Hollywood will
parade the most remarkable figures ever
tonight's presentation is one of the
finest of the contemporary stories of
mystery and terror John Dixon cars
famous novel the burning court ah a
glass of sherry by the fireside of a
beautiful suburban home what could be
more comforting you're an admirable host
mr. depe and it's really a shame our
first meeting is under such a cloud it's
also a shame I have so little time to
murdered your uncle last week now let's
see now I believe we're all here
your wife your friend mr. Stevens
captain Brennan yes and incidentally
yourself just who did you say you were
well no wonder you've had so much
difficulty with the case captain my name
is cross go down cross the writer as a
matter of fact it's because of my just
completed book poisoning throughout the
ages that I happen to be here now and
Ted Stevens there happens to be a member
of the firm which publishes my work I'd
never seen him until tonight but I've
been told what happened this afternoon
he began reading my manuscript for the
first time on the train the commuters
train which every afternoon deposits him
safely and soundly here in prison I
imagine he was halfway home by the time
he finished the first chapter then he
turned a page attached to the following
leaf was a picture
and looking at it the young man
stiffened suddenly and all but cried out
his shock it was a picture of a young
woman and under it had been printed
famous poisoner Marie dobre 1676 Ted
Stevens was looking at a picture of his
own wife imagine imagine his 25 year old
wife in 17th century costume the face
the features even a wistfulness of
expression were identical even the name
dobre was his wife's maiden name but no
no no that was ridiculous this woman in
the picture was well one of his wife's
ancestors yes that was it that was it
simply an amazing family resemblance
Marie would be waiting for him at the
station I'd have to tell her about it
he wondered why however she never told
him about oh well but you don't discuss
such an ancestor do you ted stevens
glanced down at the chapter to which the
picture had been attached it was
entitled the affair of the non dead woman
hello Ted Stevens was almost jolted from
his seat it was doctor Weldon professor
of English at the college an old friend
of his quickly he thrust the picture
beneath the manuscript and ruled over hi
I didn't see you doc oh here have a seat
alright maybe you were giving me the
what are they called the brush-off oh no
I say as a matter of fact doc you're the
one man I do want to see yeah
very flattering remember those
discussions we used to have about
murders better than bridge anytime well
I got the idea that you made sort of a
hobby out of the old cases the
historical ones well I've studied quite
a number of them years
ever hear of a woman named Mary no grey
reader brain read ray oh yes that was
her maiden name of course one of the
finest specialists and arsenic poisoning
you could ever hope to find we're almost
at our station Ted let's get to the door
yes or real charmer Marie was must have
disposed of half a hundred husband's
lover suitors and just plain friends
before she saw what happened to her doc
Oh absurd laughable Ted Stevens kept
saying this to himself and yet what he
knew was a foolish dread followed him
straight through the small suburban
station and clung to him as he reached
the street and there in the roadster was
Murray leaning toward him a little to
hold the door open and smiling at him Oh
Ted what on earth you're staring it lets
street light shining on your hair I like that
that
oh you're tight come on get in the car
then like a wisp of smoke it was gone
when at home brought the cocktails into
the living room the logs were burning
brightly in the fireplace throwing a
soft dancing blow upon a room that was
darkening with dusk to you Marie then to
you dear
as Stephens placed his glass down he
noticed the manuscript of my book it was
there on the table right where he placed
it when he first came in deliberately
turned from it and then turned back the
manuscript had been moved only an inch
or so but it had been moved keeping his
back to his wife he from through that
early chapter and discovered just as he
knew he would that the photograph was
gone for a long moment he thought of
what to do then slowly he turned around
this book by cross I brought home yes
there was a story of poisoner in it
rather funny her name happens to be the
same as yours your maiden name that is
oh that is odd isn't it darling
well she a relative of yours why did
you're serious
anyway yes oh I don't mean it it's
really important it's just that well
when you run across a person who's a
dead ringer for your own life and who
lived 300 years ago and was a top-flight
poisoner well you like to hear about it
that's all what on earth are you talking
about darling be honest with me
didn't you look at this manuscript when
I was out of the room no you didn't take
out a picture of a poisoner named Marie
Debray I most certainly did not hope
dead what is this all about are you
getting it for justice somebody took
that picture out of that manuscript
since I've been home now who's that well
I'll take a look
wait I don't feel like why it's mark
Depar mark Ted wait a second yes did
whatever it is he won promise you won't
do it promise I won't I didn't promise
you won't get yourself involved
please dead don't go out tonight say
what in the world is well anyway we
can't let him stay outside
ma how are you come on in thanks Ted
just thinking about giving you a call
later oh let me have your head no thanks
I Maria I hope you'll excuse me for
popping him like this but well I wanted
to talk to Ted it it's rather important
well I don't mind at all come on mark
we'll step into the library
oh you mind dear of course not Ted I'll
be making the sandwiches for us I'll
grab that chair in the corner mark let's
hear it
what's the trouble Ted my uncle miles
was murdered murdered oh the talk hasn't
reached you yet but it's already started
nothing definite of course just that
there was something wrong about uncle
miles death but I don't mark you sure of this
this
no he was murdered I don't know of
course I don't I just don't see how it
could be any other way uncle miles you
know had been sick for quite a while but
last Saturday he seemed so much better
that Miss Korbut that was his nurse
decided to take the day off and oh you
know all this you and Murray were over
that afternoon
anyway Lucy and I went to the club that
night to that masquerade party and we
left the old bye completely alone I've
cursed myself a thousand times since but
what about your housekeeper mrs.
what's-her-name Henderson wasn't she
around sure in that little house out in
back we told you to look in now and then
but well that wasn't good enough it was
after midnight when Lucy and I got back
uncle miles was dying Ted it looked
exactly like one of his regular attacks
but then later
after he was gone I happened to glance
under the chest of drawers in his room
there was a small silver cup under there
almost drained and uncle miles cat the
cat was still warm but quite did full I
managed to get the cat out of the house
and buried without anyone seeing me next
day I had the contents of the cup
analyzed it was poison yes arsenic well
what do you want me to do help me open
the Crypt what I want to have a private
autopsy performed help me get uncle
miles body out of that vault oh I know
it's a tough job the thing is sealed
solid but we can do it you mean without
the police knowing about it without
anybody knowing about it mrs.
Henderson's visiting her sister and I
managed to send Lucy over to the club
you must be crazy playing with dynamite
mark this is something you got to tell
the police now I can't take that chair
but still have to know sometimes your
only way out you know first I tell you
you don't understand it there was
somebody in uncle Niles room that night
handing him something in a silver cup
mrs. Henderson was on the porch by the
window she saw her she saw her Tim she
thinks it was my wife Oh Lucy it doesn't
mean anything to mrs. Henderson yet
because she doesn't suspect anything but
well then you've got to see while I've
got to be sure why I've got to know how
uncle miles died because it wasn't Lucy
Ted I know it was now of course not
March she had an alibi what she was with
you at the club wasn't she yes except
for half an hour I see you will help me
won't you Ted when do we start soon as
you can make it okay come on now I'll
get your head you draw it on ahead I'll
come over as soon as I can see Marie
you're not going to tell her about
course not
I'll think of something don't you worry
about no thanks good thanks a lot uh
Mary uh darling mark asked me to work I
know a kid yeah better take your
sandwiches with you he'll be hungry but
you knew I was going on yes I knew you
listen to us
I couldn't help it I had an idea what
marks because it was above they talked
about his uncle did there's a lot of
talk about it in the village that's why
I tried to tell you why I didn't want
you would get mixed up in it
but it's too late now isn't it I mean
you're going I can tell by the way you
look Ted wait a second there's just one
thing I want to tell you before you
leave and that is that no matter what
happened no matter what you find a thing
probably I love you
you remember that won't you I remember
you said so Murray by the light of a dim
kerosene lantern mark and shed Stephens
pounded their way through the thick
shelf of rock that covered the deposit
cessful tomb pried open the great slab
of stone which lay across the
subterranean door and then at last
descended to the dank ink black chamber
they found the coffin yeah it dragged it
from its crib and placed it on the cold
stone floor they unclamp the lid and
opened it mark it's empty that's impossible
impossible
it can't be but it is mark you know what
this means that bobby wasn't in this
coffin when it was placed here elsewhere
it was dead
from the time that coffin was closed on
uncle miles somebody the Undertaker or
Lucy or me somebody was with it until it
was buried and the Crypt was sealed
right after him somebody beat us to it
somebody's broken in here ahead of us
broken in listen Ted Lucy and I have
hardly left the house since the funeral
do you think anybody could break in here
smash through that stone and cement
without our seeing them without our
hearing them well well what well you
might as well come on out then brick who
is that maybe was to depart up here my
name's captain Brennan I'm from the
office of the Commissioner of Police
from like to talk to you if you don't
mind step I'm here follow
my flashlights out but I don't
understand that how did you how did you
know about this by listening Mele mind
if we go up to your house mr. day bar
why no not at all
oh thank you Oh Freddy look you clap
tonight Freddy this is mr. dick ba
without grain of mandatory mr. Damon and
mr. Ted Stevens is it how did you how
did you know my name very simple I got
the names of everybody who is here at
the day paws the day the old man died
you and your wife were included oh here
we are
but I don't captain who gave you those
names my housekeeper of course mrs. Henderson
Henderson
you didn't think mrs. Henderson saw the
dead cat did you mr. daypart
but she did she also saw you bury it and
then we've been interested in the case
of a sense
well nice place you have here mr. de pie
now let's see according to mrs.
Henderson your wife was wearing some
kind of a masquerade costume that night
what kind of a thing wasn't well it was
it there you can see it it was copied
from the dress in that old painting over
there ah hmm funny well where's the
woman's face it's always been that way
long as I can remember
somebody must have thrown acid on it or
something I can't blame him much she was
a poisoner a poisoner yes the story goes
that one of my ancestors was responsible
for her execution Maori Doughboy her
name was oh yes I've read about her
learned all the poison tricks in one of
her lover's sky for the name of goodness
a crock good as there always mr.
Stephens we cops read now and then and
did you see good as a car that's French
we call it cross huh absolutely no limit
to a cop's education is there dad but to
get back to your wife mr. de pie she was
dressed like the famous Marie now a mrs.
Henderson look through that when just a
minute captain
mrs. Henderson Kat Brooke she saw a
thing and you know it what do you mean I
mean you haven't any right to insinuate
that my wife was in that room
well who's insinuating I'm trying to say
that mrs. Henderson after thinking it
over realizes she was tricked by the
costume the woman she saw the funny
clothes handing a cup of poison to your
uncle wasn't your wife at all because
your wife is an unusually tall young
woman and the one mrs. Henderson saw was
fully half a head shorter more on the
order let's say of mr. Stephens wife my
wife is absolutely ridiculous I don't
know why what's the matter mr. Stephens
you're something like a leap and tell me
now just for fun where was mrs. Stephens
that night she was home with me the
whole evening certainly she retired early
early
yes we both did you I suppose was sound
asleep by midnight as I was and how do
you know where your wife was well I
heard one has demons she had to have a
costume that would match mrs. dick paws
how did she manage that where does she
get it but she she never had one she
never had a dress like that what about
our motive why did she poison him I
don't know for money suddenly none what
was it Katie did she hate miles did my
yes yes you did No
oh I don't know I don't know I tell you
Ron yes ready hold and go all of its
tape on the nurse all right that mrs.
home say let's come back here I'm going
hey Maria I oh it's Ted hey why have you
been Maria oh oh good evening ah who are
you i my name is cross go down cross
sauce where's my wife what have you done
to her you fiend what have you done to
my wife you were nothing at all young
man here here here sit down no lying
something's happened to her
the police das phone there wasn't an
answer why are you here why am I here
well because your wife reading my
chapter on the debris is realized I knew
more about the family than even she did
because she found my phone number on the
front cover of the manuscript and
because I know an exceptional case when
I hear one does that answer your question
question
no you know it doesn't can't you see I
got to I've got to know whether yeah I
see whether your wife is that Marie
Debray who was burnt burnt by order of
the High Tribunal for all poison cases
the burning court of France witchcraft
black magic the world across the
threshold you're quite sure no doubt
also that I'm go down sacré who first
Buddha no no my boy Hey no my real name
happens to be of all things Tom Simpson
most unsuitable for a distinguished
riding career
Amory dobre is no more your wife's real
name than mine is go down cross God your
esteemed wife was an adopted child mr.
Stevens adopted by people in Canada
named dobre remote members of the real
family of poisoners I can't believe it
oh why why didn't you tell me you why
because until I told her half an hour
ago she didn't know it herself you see
in the course of my research on the
family I found out about it and in the
course of talking with your wife I found
out something else
how four years she was haunted by the
fear that she might be a poisoner by
inheritance by blood and you can see
can't you why she never talked about it
her past to you yes and yet mr. Stevens
you had all but made her
get that past you and that's why she was
willing to lie to steal a picture do
anything in order to hold you to her
prayers here's I see that now you know
young man I I rather think she loves you
but as you will see though why she comes
only when I call her mrs. Stephens
you mean she's Maria chewed your all
right oh yeah you were both alright no
nothing can change it ever Murray listen
don't say media say Maggie Maggie oh
that's my name my real name
Maggie McTavish it's a lovely name dear
the most beautiful gorgeous darling
darling please you don't understand the
police they think you had something to
do with Myles dent they think I did so
now mr. Stephens before we go back to
the deposit on tieu think you'd better
tell me everything that's been said and
done up to date having just saved your
wife's soul from the burning Court now
I'll rest her body from the electric chair
yes mr. Depar truly excellent sherry
don't you think so Miss Korbut yes it's
very nice well that ladies and gentlemen
is how I happen to be here so let us
consider first that supernatural
hocus-pocus in the crypt
that body that walked out of the sealed
tomb that body that never was in the
tomb never was in the tomb No mr. Dubois
the murderer knew that very soon mrs.
Henderson's story would bring about an
investigation he had to get rid of the
well-known corpus delicti yes but who
could have kept the body out of the tomb
Oh mr. Dubois
why you sir I don't understand what it's
very simple you had the opportunity I
believe you said yourself you were alone
with the body before the burial and you
had the string I daresay you carried it
down to the furnace where it's now
probably nothing but ashes ridiculous
why would he spend an hour smashing into
a crypt for a body he knew wasn't there
why captain hmm to impress mr. Stevens
his witness and also apparently you
fantastic hahaha Lucy just comic and I
suppose mr. cross but I also put on a
woman's masquerade costume went into my
uncle's room and handed him a nice cup
of arsenic no no no that had to be done
by a woman your accomplice has matter of
fact oh now come come come you mustn't
all look at mrs. Dubois because Mark de
Paz won no black was his frantic effort
to prevent his wife from being charged
with the crime a crime which he and
nurse my record committed by record were
you yes sir yes mr. Stevens this quiet
little lady beside me why would I do
such a thing
money Miss Korbut a cutout of Mark de
Paz inheritance payments for services
rendered that's an absolute lie well you
see ladies and gentlemen captain Brennan
never bothered to check miss Corbett's
whereabouts on the night of the murder
why even think of the nurse she was the
custodian of the old man's hello crazy
you're crazy
yet who but a nurse could so naturally
offer the old man a cup a cup he was
sure contained medicine you're making it
no they did and home with his car but
living right here in this house would
know what kind of masquerade dress she
must copy would know when mrs. Henderson
would pass the window that night pass
and see her and accept her she hoped for
Lucy de pavo hellas not true
oh yes your scholar yes Miss Korbut
already has the touch the trick you that
was your own idea wasn't it not Marx you
weren't content with a mere murder a
share of the profits you wanted a wife
share half of the whole estate you
wanted Lucy Depar convicted and out of
the way for Gordon well I give you a
toast is called
with mr. Depaz excellent sherry to a
particularly ruthless poisoner and yet
you know on the whole I'm rather partial
mr. cook
what's the matter Brennan this man's dead
dead
and from cyanide if I know anything
cyanide from that glass of sherry
cyanide that a nurse could get quite
easily that glass was right beside you
miss Corbett and nobody else was there
it too bad he didn't drink it as soon as
you hoped a second ago we had nobody to
use against you but we have now Miss
Corbett we have now and I arrest you for
five months ago that the prominent
author was murdered and tonight my
requirement pays with her life for that
crime the former nurse at first
protesting her innocence yes I'm in here
dear oh I thought you might what did you
cut it off for huh
what do you mean the radio oh oh yeah
well I thought you wanted to talk poor kid
kid
don't you think I know you're better
than that what was on the radio well
there wasn't nay
okay it's about my record she goes to
the chairs man oh I didn't think you
wanted to be reminded I don't really but
making such an effort to hide it on me
keeps it alive doesn't it all right
darling know what I came into her if you
wanted a cocktail before dinner largest
one you've got Hey now get off the ice
cube I know if I'll takes up the fire
okay Maria steel uh where are some
papers to start it me right there by the
bookcase and name's not Murray it's Maggie
Maggie
because darling mummy did and gone forever
oh no Marie we're never did neither of
us it was your hand that touched that
glass I know that now
and I could return the favor but instead
I shall ask that you will dispatch your
husband this one like all the others now
just a little bit of poison in the drink
hurry any time what kind did mmm what
kind of a cocktail shall we have Oh an
you'll just hurt the burning court from
John Dixon cars famous novel the first
and Columbia's new series about standing
classics and chills by world-famous
authors the Nights play ladies and
gentlemen has one rather special
significance we think you'd like to know
about as you perhaps have heard every
fine comedian is said to cherish a
secret desire to do an abrupt about-face
he pines for the part of a blaggard well
tonight you witnessed the fulfillment of
one such desire the role of that
literary and quite infamous diehard
gordon cross was portrayed by none other
than Hollywood expert provoker of laughs
Charlie Rocco's given New York for the
world premiere of his latest screen
success friendly enemies the role of Murray
Murray
well that was enacted by young lady who
long ago won national acclaim as one of
Broadway's most accomplished tramatic
actresses Miss Julie Hayden thank you
Charlie Ruggles I'm Miss Julie Hayden
for your splendid performances the play
tonight has all plays in this series was
produced and directed by Charles Vander
written by Harold Medford and scored by
Bernard Herrmann next week we bring you
an intensely exciting and moving drama
the life of Nellie James this is the
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