Now, Roma Wines, R-O-M-A, made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. Roma Wines
presents Suspense.
Tonight, Roma Wines bring you Mr. Henry Daniel as star of The Last Letter of Dr. Bronson,
a Suspense play produced, edited, and directed for Roma Wine by William Spear.
Suspense, radio's outstanding theater of thrills, is presented for your enjoyment by Roma Wines.
That's R-O-M-A, Roma Wines, those excellent California wines that can add so much pleasantness
to the way you live, to your happiness and entertaining guests, to your enjoyment of
everyday meals. Yes, right now, a glass full would be very pleasant, as Roma Wines bring
you Henry Daniel in a remarkable tale of Suspense.
My dear Mosher, forgive me if I dash this letter off rather hurriedly. There are but
a very few minutes remaining for me, the few minutes between now and midnight. You've always
protested my fascination with the subject of death. It irks you to hear me discuss the
latest electrocution or hanging. You alone, Mosher, will know how this fascination has
led me to this terrible moment. I should like you to have the facts. First of all, let me
recall a conversation which we held here in my study a little over a year ago.
There you go again, Bronson, death and murder. Really, you're unhealthy. You're...
Please, please, Mosher, just answer my question. Why do men behave as they do? What keeps them
from breaking loose? Why don't they kill one another as animals do? Why, because they aren't
animals. But my dear Mosher, being neither vegetable nor mineral, they must be animals.
What I mean is... If you don't know the answer, I do. So? I have been studying the question
for some time, and I am prepared to prove, in fact, I am going to prove, that there are
five basic checks which serve to restrain man from murdering his fellow man. Really,
Bronson, I... The obvious corollary is that murder occurs only when some stronger drive
overrides these five basic checks. You make it sound very simple. It is simple. And what
are these five basic checks? A murder is composed of four elements. The murderer, the motive,
the opportunity, and the victim. I shall select five men, each of whom I shall predispose
to murder, and then restrain from murder by the particular check I am testing on him.
Personally, I'd rather play with rattlesnakes. Then, having found my men, I simply supply
each with a motive. Greed, revenge, jealousy. I see. And your next step must be to give
each man an opportunity. Precisely. And finally, I must supply a victim. You will ask this
victim to face five men, each standing to derive satisfaction or profit from murdering
him? Correct. His only chance of survival being the correctness of your theory of checks
in all five instances? Yes. And do you seriously imagine you will persuade any man to have
such utter confidence in your reckoning? There is one such man. Who? Myself. Thompson, this
is insane. Why? Why should I hesitate to risk high stakes on a sure thing? But your life.
I tell you there is no danger whatsoever. When will you begin your experiment? I suppose
in about... well, why wait? Why don't we begin right now? Mosher, I invite you to kill me.
What? There's a revolver right here in my desk. You're joking, Branson. What possible
motive would I have for murdering you? Motive. Well, we are known to be associated rather
closely in our work. You will come naturally into my entire practice. I'll put that in
writing. Why, it's preposterous. Why? Why don't you kill me then, Mosher? Why, there
are dozens of reasons. In the first place, I'd go to the electric chair for it and...
Ah, there you are. A perfect illustration of the first and most obvious check. Man refrains
from killing because he himself will be killed by law. The first? What about the last? Ah,
that my dear doctor remains to be seen. For Suspense, Roma Wines are bringing you Henry
Daniel in The Last Letter of Dr. Branson, a radio play by Richard Crake and Leonard Sinclair.
Roma Wines presentation tonight in radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense.
Between the acts of suspense, this is Ken Niles asking our suspense audience to allow
me to make an important announcement to Roma wine dealers throughout America. For many
years, Roma has planned to introduce a limited bottling of premier quality wines, wines which
would bring America a new experience in tempting fragrance, in rich full body, in taste luxury.
At last, these choice wines are a reality. For now, Roma proudly presents Grand Estate
Wine. Each precious bottle of Grand Estate Wine reflects the patient perfection of winemaking
methods at Roma. Yes, Grand Estate California wines by Roma are now being released for discriminating
wine users who select wines indisputably the finest. To fulfill every entertaining and dining
need, Roma has created three distinguished Grand Estate dessert wines, Medium Sherry,
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who seek the ultimate in brilliant clarity, delicate bouquet and taste excellence, you
can wisely recommend Grand Estate Wines by Roma. And so, through you gentlemen, America's
leading wine merchants, I take pleasure in presenting Grand Estate Wines by Roma, the
crowning achievement of vintner skill. And now, Roma wine bring back to our Hollywood
Sound stage, Mr. Henry Daniel. In the last letter of Dr. Bronson, a tale well calculated
to keep you in suspense. And so, my dear doctor, you yourself illustrated the first of my five
positive checks which restrain man from murder, fear of the law. That was more than a year
ago. The remaining checks have not been so simple. I had to locate my four subjects.
I had to cultivate the friendship of each so that when the time should come to confront
him with my proposition, I should be certain of how he would act. The first of my four
potential murderers was a clerk named Totten. Totten was badly in death. His wife was in
the hospital about to undergo an extensive operation. And he was a deeply religious man.
We went to church together on Sunday evenings at St. Stephen's, right around the corner
from my apartment. One Sunday evening after the service, I asked him up to my apartment
and we walked along and we talked. You know, Dr. Bronson, I was talking about you to my
wife the other day before they took her to the hospital. I was saying what a great comfort
it was to be with you these Sunday nights. Oh, now come Mr. Totten, you embarrass me.
No, I mean it. In the world today, too many people seem to feel that they no longer need
their God. Yes. Their lives are void of the great thing you have in your faith. Church
is a great comfort to me. And I do need something to cling to in times like these. Totten, you
could make rather good use of $5,000, couldn't you? He doesn't like you to make fun of my
poverty. I am quite sincere. Do you know what even $100 would mean to me? And at present
more than ever? Yes, with your wife's misfortune. Isn't this your apartment that we're passing?
I want to go in the side way. We should be unobserved. Unobserved? You'll understand
presently. Please come into my study. Now, you'll take this chair opposite my desk. Thank
you. Totten, you said that even $100 would be a great help to you. Here in my desk, I
have this little package containing $5,000. It's yours. What could I do for you that would
be worth all that money? Let me explain. My doctor called on me yesterday and he told
me, well, to be quite frank with you, Totten, he said that I was slowly going mad. Oh no,
doctor. That couldn't be. I'm quite all right at present, but it's only a matter of time.
I'd rather not have to face it. I believe you can understand that. But there must be
something you can do knowing in advance. There is. And I want you to help me. I don't understand.
Put on these gloves. Take them. But why? As soon as you have them on, I shall hand you
this small bottle. Notice, I am clearly impressing my fingerprints on it. Finally here on the
desk, I'm leaving this note explaining that I have committed suicide. Suicide? When the
bottle is in your hand, I want you to remove the stopper and empty the contents upon my
outstretched tongue. Thus, I will be dead within a few seconds. Then you may leave by the same
way we came in. You will be quite unnoticed. And with the $5,000 in your pocket. $5,000?
What do you say? I... You can't die yet. You're not ready. Shall I be any readier when I
have gone mad? Of course it's... But... You can't take the matter of life and death into
your own hands. Precisely. I have certain scruples in the matter. That's why I'm asking
you to do this for me. I'm very sorry. I can't oblige you. If it's the law, you fear...
No, it's not that. You seem to have arranged that perfectly. Then what is it? I am an honest
Christian. I thought you were, Dr. Brotzer. If you don't understand why I can't do this
monstrous thing, I suggest you look up the Sixth Commandment. Good night.
So Moshe, my second point was proved. Man refrains from killing because it is against
his religious principles. Hands to the clock now read fifteen minutes to midnight. One
quarter of an hour in which to complete this report. My third proposition called for an
entirely different sort of man. In fact, the very antithesis of Totten. For a number of
nights I frequented the rougher districts of the city. At first I had no luck. Then,
one night, I came upon my man very unexpectedly. I was walking along one of the darker streets
with no one in view. He was a man slumped down beside an ass can. He had been shot in the
chest and left arm, severing an artery. He was bleeding profusely. I tore off his shirt
and made a tourniquet for his arm. Oddly, no one came into the alley to investigate. Never
mind me. Get away. Was this a gang shooting? What do you think? I think you're going to
the hospital. No, no, no. I had to squawk to the cops. Come on. I'll help you to your
head. No, I ain't going. You'll die, man, if you're not treated quickly. I ain't going,
I tell you. No cops. No cops. No. His name was Matt Doyle. I visited Doyle in the hospital
almost every day. Several months later, I decided to put him to the test. I found Doyle
in one of his hangouts and brought him to my apartment. And for the second time, I carefully
explained my proposition. Oh, that's the angle, huh? Then you understand. Here are the gloves.
Here is the suicide note. And here is the.45 caliber automatic. You are familiar with this
type of weapon I take it? Familiar? You kidding, bud? Is this on a level or are you nuts? Absolutely
on the level. And I am not nuts. You're what? The water dough is mine if I kill you? That's
right. And nobody will know I done it? No one. Well, these gloves is kind of small for
me. That's all right. They'll do. Yeah, yeah. You want me to put on the other one? It's
safer. Yeah, I guess it is. Doyle, I want you to understand exactly what you're doing.
Without any justifiable cause, merely for the sake of money, you are going to murder me.
You understand that? Yeah, sure, sure. You've been hired to do this before. Well, yeah,
I suppose you ain't going to hate to talk about it now that you're going to. But you've
never killed a friend, have you? Well, yeah, yeah, I have. Anyway, there was my pals until
they got into the boss's way. But when the boss would say slip it to him, that was just
another job to me. But you, I don't know. What? No, no, I can't do it. But I thought
you'd say. Here, here, take these gloves. Afraid of the law? No, I'm not. What's the
matter then? Is it because I'm your friend? No, it's more than that. It should be an act
of true friendship. No, I can't do it. Look, I'm sorry, Doc. I ain't the guy. Look, you
saved my life. So that's it. I'm sorry. I wish you could help me. Yeah, yeah, me too.
But not that, Doc. Look, if there's any other person you want me to take care of, that's
a no, no, no, there's nothing. Thank you. Just the same. There was my third proposition.
Man will not kill fellow man if a sufficient degree of gratitude has been invoked. Even
a professional killer, one of the lowest examples of human life such as Doyle, could not bring
himself to murder his benefactor. My next subject was altogether different in temperament.
With Judith Ainsley, I used a special technique. I first encountered Judith Ainsley when I
operated on Barrett Sheffield, the actor. You will recall that Sheffield was brought
to the hospital with a lung abscess. As I was preparing to do the rib resection, I noticed
that the nurse standing beside me was greatly agitated. Retract his doctor. Thanks. Doctor,
do you think this is advisable? What, what? His dyspnea is more pronounced. Listen. A
daintily, another hematopathy. But he's getting blue. Doctor, do you think he really should?
He's, he's dynotic. It's Ainsley. I'm sorry, doctor, but it's anything. Doctor, doctor.
Cathy, quickly. Please, quickly. Here it is. Well, that's that. Yes, that's that. Miss
Ainsley, what's the matter with you? You've been acting strangely all through this operation.
You killed him. You killed him. You should have never gone ahead. You know that. I warned
you. I shall see to it, Miss Ainsley, that you are never assigned to one of my cases
again. What's the matter with you anyway? Have you never seen a poor manuever before?
Or does it upset you to see a handsome actor like Barrett Sheffield die? Yes, it did.
Oh. Yes. We were going to be married next week. If I ever saw hate, cold, undying hate,
within that girl's eyes, I had made the most implacable enemy of my life. I inquired about
Miss Ainsley and learned she'd done four years of medical and was now interning at Peders
of Lebanon in the hope of picking up a resident fellowship. I went down to the hospital and
waited for her in the doctor's lounge. Presently, she came in with another intern. I stood up.
She turned and looked at me. I saw again in her eyes that inexorable hate. She had never
forgiven me for what she incorrectly felt was my error in judgment. I walked towards her.
Excuse me, please. I see you remember me, Miss Ainsley. Yes. Will you excuse me, please?
Miss Ainsley, you may not believe this, but I have come here especially to talk to you
today. To talk to me, Dr. Bronson? Yes. Sit down, won't you? Miss Ainsley. Dr. Ainsley,
if you please. Oh, yes. Of course. Doctor, I have a little proposition to make to you.
First of all, there are two facts I'd like to be sure of. A, you are unable to set up
your own practice because you don't have the money to get started. Is that right? I don't
see what business that is of yours. It happens to be true. Fine. Fact B, you still hate
me and feel a strong desire to be revenged for the wrong which you consider I have done
you. Yes, I'm afraid that's true, Dr. Bronson. Good. Good? Yes. You see, I want to pay someone
to murder me. So once again, taking this set forth of simple conditions. I'm not sure that
you're entirely sane, Doctor. Go on, you interest me. You see, it's my heart. I've had considerable
damage. Coronary occlusion. Had to spend six weeks on my back. Just got out last week.
Naturally, I was given digitalics. Yes, yes, I see, Doctor. You've been heavily digitized.
If someone were to give you an injection of calcium gluconate, you would have an immediate
heart block. Dead within a few minutes. Exactly. A simple error of judgment, unavoidable. I
spent $2,000. My own practice. You'd better be careful, Doctor. You may tempt me a little
too far. I thought you'd find it an attractive proposition. It'll only be an error. I will
say that I'm feeling badly again, a recurrence of my pericardial pains. I'll go back to bed
and ask that you be assigned to take care of me. The rest is simple. No one would ever
expect you to know I had been digitized. Still, if I were on my toes, I would naturally go
over your case history before giving medication of any kind. Well, yes. I suppose that's true.
Professional people might think you've been a little lax. Might not have the highest regard
for a new doctor who launched a career with such an unfortunate, such an unprofessional
incident. And just a slight stain on your reputation for just for a very short while.
You're very clever, Doctor. You knew that would do it, didn't you? I want to thank you.
You've done me a great service. You mean you'll do it? You've reminded me that nothing, no
money, revenge, nothing can be worth the slightest shadow of suspicion in a doctor's career. No.
No, they'll never say that I lost my patience because of an error in judgment. You see,
I once knew a doctor who did. There, Mercer, is my fourth check. Man, or in this case woman,
trained from killing because of the fear of loss of reputation. Now, I come to the testing
of my fifth subject, a man who would not murder because he couldn't bear the sight of blood,
much less the responsibility for shedding it. Ladurn was my man, and I found him shortly
after my search began. On that day, I saw him turn a ghastly white as a fast moving
car ran over a small dog which had run into the street. Ladurn touched his throat and
sent him a dead faint. I, of course, made it my business to become acquainted with him.
I hadn't seen him for more than four months until tonight. He changed, I noticed, as he
took his place at my desk. He's thinner. His dark eyes seem blacker than ever. And so now,
for the fifth and last time, I explain the necessary details. And I have arranged everything
necessary, Ladurn, to give the appearance of suicide. Here is the farewell note which
I have written. It will look like suicide. That's right. And here is the knife. It is
with this knife that apparently I shall have killed myself. Notice how sharp it is. Notice
I am carefully putting my fingerprints on it. You've arranged everything? Everything.
No one knows I'm here? No one. You want me to kill you now? I... Yes. Of course, it'll
be a bit messy when a person is stabbed, his blood usually spurts out, but if you keep
to one side... Why do you want to die? My doctor says I'm going insane and that I haven't
got much longer. That's strange. About going mad? About him saying that you're going mad.
Yes. It was a shock. I don't mean that. What do you mean? That's the same thing they told
me. That is... They what? They told me over a year ago that I was going mad. But I just
laughed at them. Over a year? Well, do you? Have you noticed any change? Not much. At
least no change for the worse. That's good. In fact, I'm really much better. I've been
having fewer and fewer of those sick spells. You remember how I was the day that dog was
run over. But, Anne, you don't mean you got over those sick spells? I haven't had one
in three months. Then, there isn't any check. What check? Nothing. Well, this is going to
be a pretty messy business. Might as well get it over with. Nice gloves you got here.
Nice and smooth on my hand. Then you're going through with it? I've got my gun right here
too. Beauty, isn't it? Yes. Then, if you'll give me back the knife. Oh, no. I'd like to
use the knife. I've used this gun a lot the last three months. Killed about fifty dogs.
You've done that? It's very interesting. I do it after midnight. You have to know just
where to hit them. Kills them instantly. But the noise. Aren't you afraid? Ah, silencer.
See? I don't like to wake people up when I kill their dogs. But they'll find the bullet.
They'll trace it to your gun. They're sure to get you. In a suicide, the weapon stays
right beside the body where it falls. Who says this is suicide? It's murder. I'm going
to murder you. That's what you asked me to do. Look here, Lydane. This has gone far enough.
I was only joking. I don't want you to kill me. Yep. Five thousand. It's all here. Listen
to me. I was only joking. So I do it now? No. Wait. You want it through the heart, don't
you? Not yet. Can't you wait? Just a little while. What for? Well, I've been conducting
a little experiment. I'd like to write an account of it before I go. What sort of an
experiment? I don't think you'd understand. Well, I'll wait till midnight. Then I've got
to go. There's a German police dog. A big ugly brute. But I'll wait. Thanks. Ten minutes
past eleven. Yeah. You've got fifty minutes. I'll wait by the window. And so, Mosher, my
experiment has ended. Strange, isn't it? That the one thing I didn't count on was the choosing
of a subject who would not respond to my checks. Who in fact has no checks at all. For insanity
knows no restraint. Dr. Bronson, it's midnight. He's waiting at the window. It's strange.
I'm beginning to understand exactly what is going on in his mind. I wonder why. Now, I
shall sign my name for the last time and lay down my pen. Then I shall look up and say,
All right, Ladurn. All right, Ladurn.
Suspense. Presented by Roma Wines. R-O-M-A. Made in California for enjoyment throughout
the world. Now, this is Ken Niles for Roma Wines. Ladies and gentlemen, between the act
of suspense, you heard me announce to Roma dealers the first release of grand estate
wines by Roma. Now, I'd like to tell you, the discriminating wine users of America,
more about these superb triumphs in taste luxury, grand estate wines. Naturally, I want
you to try grand estate wines to see and taste the difference. Because I know you'll recognize
in grand estate the brilliant clarity, tempting fragrance, and rich taste luxury so characteristic
of truly great wine. The patient perfection of winemaking methods by Roma is reflected
in each bottle of grand estate wine. The perfect wine for your every entertaining and dining
pleasure. So, remember the name, grand estate wine. Your assurance of unvarying excellence.
Enjoy grand estate wines by Roma. Crowning achievement of Vintner skill. Henry Daniel
will be soon seen as the star of Lewis and Young's stage production, Lady Windermere's
Fang. Thursday, same time, Roma Wines will bring you Miss Joan Loring as star of Suspense.
Radio's outstanding theater of thrills. Produced by William Spear for the Roma Wine Company
of Fresno, California.
Suspense is broadcast from coast to coast and to our men and women overseas by short
waves and through the worldwide facilities of the Armed Forces Radio Service. This is
CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.