Auto Light and its 98,000 dealers bring you Mr. Cornell Wilde in tonight's presentation
of Suspense.
Tonight, Auto Light presents a story based on fact, the dramatic report of a murderer,
and how he spent seven hours with a young lady before he killed her. It's called Somebody
Help Me, our star Mr. Cornell Wilde.
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And now, Auto Light presents transcribed the remarkable characterization of Mr. Cornell
Wild in Somebody Help Me, hoping once again to keep you in suspense.
You are witness to a murder, a violence in a town of the eastern seaboard, an act of
rage and of fury striking out from a place of darknesses deep within a man which became
someone's death. And here is the murderer.
Now you listen to me Shirley honey, I need you. I'm lonely for you honey, like all day
to day, like now honey.
Making a little whimpering sound busting in here like you did when you got no right.
I've got it right Shirley, being a husband to you like I was for so long I've got to
...
Husband, husband. Eddie, gentle talking Eddie who made my life miserable and ugly because
he said...
You tell me honey, what am I?
What you are I don't have to think about anymore, or worry about, or get ashamed about.
You don't want to understand do you Shirley? You're not even trying to honey.
It's over Eddie, I don't have to try anymore. We're divorced, three months now. And I'm
doing great, doing fine. So who needs you Eddie? I don't care what happens to you anymore.
Don't say a thing like that honey, all you've got to do is like me again, like if you stay
away from me.
Don't talk like that. Your throat goes hard when you talk like that, hard instead of soft
the way I remember...
Don't do that Cheryl.
The scissor Eddie, you touch me once more I'll kill you. So help me I'll kill you.
The murderer, who then got into his car and drove through the city, through drifting twilight
of early autumn, through the ending of a quiet Sunday, and into a street lined with maple.
At the corner, a girl waiting for a bus.
Hey Eileen.
Eileen, victim.
Eileen, Eileen Hall. It's me, Ed, Eddie Franklin. Not you some guy trying to pick up.
Ed, I'm sorry. I really did think you were some fresh kid or something.
Can I drive you some place Eileen?
Well...
It's no trouble, honest. I was just driving around, no special place to go, no one to
see. You give me a real pleasure.
Well if you're sure it's no trouble.
My pleasure, honest. Come on, my pleasure. Hop in, hop in.
Eileen, Eileen dear, wait.
Who's that?
It's just Lois Anderson, a girlfriend of mine I was visiting with today. I just left her
house a few minutes ago. Do you mind if I...
No, no, no. Not one little bit. You go right ahead Eileen. I'll wait.
What is it Lois?
Something I forgot to give you dear. A little present I had for you. I wrapped it nice.
You can open it when you get home.
Oh thanks Lois.
Don't keep your fellow waiting dear. Whoever he is. Anyone I know?
I don't think so.
Thanks again Lois.
I was just coming out of my house and I saw the car drive up to stop and I thought...
It's alright, I know it. She's a friend. Good night Lois.
Hmm, all set.
Yeah, thanks for...
I don't mention it.
Where to Miss?
Well, I was just waiting for the bus to go home.
Oh, you have to do that to go home?
No. Really, I thought I'd get to better early.
I was just going to say...
Well, I was just going to say if you don't really have to go home...
Well, there's a driving up the road and I thought maybe we'd stop and have a sandwich before...
I mean if you want to Eileen.
Very sweet of you. I'd like to.
Oh, my pleasure, my pleasure, Eileen.
Your sandwiches, folks, and the coke. If you'll just adjust your windham.
Thanks. I'll just screw this tray on tight. There you are, folks. Be happy.
Well, thanks, honey. Now, let's see. This is your sandwich, Eileen, and this is mine.
You want a straw for your drink?
No, thanks. I like to crunch the ice.
Ed? Your wife, has she...
Oh, that's done and finished. Eileen, I told her off good today.
I said stop bothering me. Stop hanging around. Stop calling me.
Now we're divorced, I said, and if that doesn't mean anything to you, it sure does to me, I said.
Why? Did you think that I...
I don't know what I thought, Ed. I just wondered. A couple of times I met you, you talked about her, and I...
Eileen.
Yes?
I'm glad I happened to see you waiting there on the corner tonight. You know, I was just driving around, and nothing to look forward to. There you were in the twilight.
Oh, Ed.
What's the matter?
Well, nothing. Nothing to matter. The way you said that, I didn't suspect you could...
Oh, well, I've got a million of them. A whole million.
You're fine, Ed. I think I like being with you.
Well, me too, Eileen. You know, I wanted to call on you so many times, but...
What?
Hey, pal. Want to move your car a little bit? So I can park in that space next to you.
You hear me, pal?
Oh, one of those, huh?
Shut up! Shut up!
Ed, all you've got to do is just pull over a little.
He's got no right to.
I'll show him. I'll show that loudmouth.
Now what's with you, big mouth? You figure I own the world or something?
Oh. Oh, I got me one of those.
What are you, a miser kid? You collect parking spaces? All you've got to do is move your car a little?
I'm not going to, big mouth. I got there first. Me and my girl, we don't want to move. We're not going to move.
Yes, you will, kiddo.
Stop it! Stop that! Stop it! You too crazy or something?
Well, you heard him, Eileen. You saw him. He shoved.
Stop it, you hear?
Ed, let's get out of here. Let's go someplace else.
You want to? You really want to?
Tell him you want to, lady. All I am is hungry for a cheeseburger, so get him away from me.
Let's go somewhere else, Ed. Maybe where we can dance. Someplace that...
I know a place on the highway where there's a jukebox.
That sounds like fun. Let's go there, Ed.
Oh, my pleasure. My pleasure, Eileen.
Pardon me. Sorry. Can we get through here, please?
Can we get through here, please, says the man.
Says the man. Says the man. Says the man.
Come on, come on. Let the lady and I through here.
Lady, lady.
Ed, let's get out of here. Let's not...
Now listen, you punk, you little punk. Let us through here. We want to sit down.
Please, Ed.
Hi, lady. To you I'll apologize.
Ed.
Now listen, you...
I'm apologizing. You want to get through, I'll get you through.
Get out of the way. Out of the way. Let these two good people by. Let them by. Let them by.
Table you wanted, lady?
Thank you.
Sit down, lady.
Now, mister, what about me being a punk before you sit down? That is, you tell me that.
Oh, well, I...
Before you sit down, let it...
Oh, no. Forget it. No offense. You know, all those people and bumping and all.
Sure. And you know what?
Huh?
Hi, I'm Bernie.
Hi.
Hi, lady. I'm Bernie.
Eileen. And I'm Ed.
Hi. Mind if I do?
I knew you wouldn't.
Sit down, Ed, and join along.
Hi.
Hello.
What's the matter with you?
Get him.
Hey, Eileen. Eileen.
What? What do you want? What are you laughing at?
Both of you.
A long face in this kind of place.
In form.
You're friendly, Eileen. Now, we've forgotten. Come on.
Sure.
Sure it is.
Eileen.
Hi.
You see? You see, Eileen?
Hi, Bernie.
Yeah, me too.
Hi, Ed.
Yeah.
You know what you ought to do, Ed?
Hold up three fingers and yell, beer, so Eileen and me can finish out the dance.
Yeah.
Come on.
All right.
Hey, three beers. Hey, you, three beers.
Hey, hi, hi.
Hi, Ed.
I'll tell you what. You unroll the window on your side, and I'll unroll the windows on mine.
To let the country air in.
Yeah, to let the country air in.
Like we said.
Eileen.
Uh-huh.
No, no, no. When you're finished.
I'm finished. You want to talk to me.
Oh, that's his right. His right can be. His right can be. That's how right it is.
All right. Come here.
Ed.
Ed, you drunk?
Oh, I would be, but I'm out with Eileen tonight, and when I lift up a glass, she pulls down my arm, pats my cheek, and says, now, Ed.
And Eileen.
Oh, I had a beer, Ed.
Have a good time.
I guess.
I guess?
Uh-huh.
I guess she says, did you see the way she was dancing?
Ed.
What?
I'm kind of ashamed.
Of what?
Of the kid, Bernie, dancing all those dances, and I've never done anything like that in my whole life.
Oh, come here. Come here. Come here.
Ed.
Huh? What's the matter?
Look.
What's the matter?
Nonsense.
What?
This.
Better we go home.
No, no, better we don't, baby.
Baby?
Me? Baby?
Home, Ed.
Oh, no.
Well, you picked me up.
You did do that, didn't you?
Picked me up.
I must have been.
Out of your mind?
Better go home.
Oh, no. Now listen, I'm lonely. I'm lonely.
Stay away from me.
Come here, you.
And all the rest of them.
Ed. Ed.
Come here.
Ed.
Huh?
Auto Light is bringing you Mr. Cornell Wilde in Somebody Help Me, a story based on fact,
tonight's presentation in radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense.
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And I'm going to fix that right now.
Bye, Jim. Tell your dealer, by the way, that Auto Light is proud of its long association with Chrysler and Chrysler dealers everywhere.
And now, Auto Light brings back to our Hollywood soundstage the remarkable characterization of Mr. Cornell Wild in Elliot Lewis's presentation of
Somebody Help Me, a story based on fact and well calculated to keep you in suspense.
Eileen Hall was missing.
Four days after her disappearance, two boys were walking across a field in the outskirts of town and came across a body.
Identification was made by fingerprint and it was established that this was the missing girl.
Her friends were questioned and it became known that three men had been interested in Eileen.
The first was a corporal at a nearby boot camp.
He stated he was on duty on the night of September 10th, charge of quarters, which checked with post records.
Then a former shipyard worker who it was recalled had pursued Eileen without success.
She found out I was married. I told her I was right off the bat.
Politely, in the nice way she had, she told me to beat it.
I was playing poker on the night of September 10th.
Which checked.
A neighbor was questioned, a young man who had had several dates with her.
Maybe five or six dates. We got along, I guess, but she got tired of going out with me.
I guess we ran out of things to say to each other.
The last time I saw her it was pretty miserable. That was in July sometime.
September 10th I was out with Barbara. We got along fine.
Two on the basis of the identification, Mrs. Lois Anderson came forward, made a statement.
Eileen was visiting with me. She left my house and walked to the corner to the bus stop.
I ran after her to give her a little something I'd made for her.
She was just about to get into an automobile that had stopped for her.
Oh no, I never saw the man before. He, um, he wore glasses. That's all I can remember.
Medical authorities who performed an opsy reported that Eileen had been strangled somewhere around midnight.
From scraping under her nails that she had scratched her murderer.
And that she had eaten a ham sandwich about an hour before her death.
Therefore a check was made of every restaurant and drive-in in the area.
And one car hop said, I'm pretty sure it's the same girl. She was with a man with glasses on.
Got into some kind of fight with another customer. I can't remember just what it was about.
I see.
I remember though at first I thought it was my boyfriend driving up.
Same kind of car and it was fancied up the same way.
What kind of car was that?
Convertible, black convertible, plaid top.
Detective Tomasino had his men circulate through auto accessory stores.
Asking questions about a man who wore glasses and owned a black convertible with a plaid top.
They were told that the description matched that of a man named Ed Franklin.
And they furnished the policeman with an address.
He moved out when we got divorced.
Where'd he go?
I don't know.
Have you heard from him recently?
Oh, a couple weeks ago. Let me see.
Two Sundays before last?
Maybe, I don't know.
Did he act nervous?
He acted like he wanted to kill me.
Then he was a violent man.
I'm lucky. I've taken his last bruise.
The former Mrs. Franklin furnished the police with a detailed description.
Finally, Ed Franklin was picked up in a cheap rooming house in Seattle, Washington.
Extradited to the town where the crime was committed.
Her name was what?
Eileen Hall.
I don't know anyone by that name.
Gilchrist.
Yes, sir.
Mrs. Anderson.
Now, Mrs. Anderson, is this the man who picked up Eileen Hall?
Well, I...let me rock around here, so...
You know, the way he was sitting in the car...
Well, I...I don't know. I just don't know.
Mr.
Yeah, what do you want?
She was a very nice girl.
Never got into any kind of trouble.
Well, hey, what is this?
You recognize this man, Mrs. Anderson?
No, but he might be the man.
I'm not going to put him in jeopardy because I'm not sure it is he.
No, I...I don't recognize him.
All right, thank you.
You see...
See what?
Well, she saw the killer and she said I'm not the one.
Tell me something, Mr. Franklin.
Well, any old thing.
What were you doing in Seattle?
Well, what's that got to do with...
This is your home, Mr. Franklin. You were married here. Your job is here.
Why did you go away?
A wrestler.
Why?
Well, why does a man get wrestled?
Tired of the same old thing.
Well, that's right.
Job, routine.
Right.
And the man gets lonesome.
And the man gets lonesome, too.
For your wife?
Well, what about her?
I just asked if you got lonesome for her.
Divorced her.
Why?
Well, nothing was good enough for her.
We didn't get along. We got divorced.
Did you ever beat her?
No.
Got along fine, then.
I just told you we didn't get along.
What line of work are you in?
I'm a salesman. Play the good.
Wallets, belts, things like that?
Yeah, that's right.
Pretty good at it, too, huh?
Sure, sure.
Then how come you were practically a vagrant in Seattle?
Huh?
Practically a vagrant in Seattle.
Well, I...
Upset about something? Running away from something?
No.
Then what?
Well, just no, that's all.
Eh, get that boy, Gilchrist.
Hey, uh, boy's name is Bernie, Mr. Franklin.
You know him?
No.
What about it, Bernie?
It's him.
How do you know him, Bernie?
I stood up to him in a duke joint once, and he fell down.
Then there was a girl he was with.
He watched me dance with her.
Hi, Ed.
Okay, Bernie.
Gilchrist.
Yes, sir?
The two from the drive-in.
This way, Bernie.
Okay, you two.
Ever see this man before?
Yeah, that's him. Doc's driving.
Almost had a fight with him.
I served him.
Girl with him when you saw him?
According to a picture in the paper, the one who was murdered.
Yes, sir.
Thank you.
Well?
Well what?
We got the middle of it, Franklin.
You went to a drive-in and had a ham sandwich.
You almost had a fight there.
Then you went to a duke joint, and you watched Eileen Hall dance with that boy.
All we need is the beginning and the end.
Now look, I no more killed Eileen than... well, all right, sure, I knew Eileen, but what does that prove?
Nothing, except you said a few minutes ago that you didn't know her.
Well, I didn't, not really.
She must have known you, else why would she get into your car?
I picked her up.
Maybe, but I doubt it. I don't think she's the kind of girl who gets picked up.
What? Where you been? Every girl gets picked up.
Oh?
For sure, where you been?
How did you meet your wife, Franklin?
Hey, now wait a minute, mister, you...
I just asked you a simple question, how did you meet your wife?
Now leave her out of it!
Can't do that anymore, Franklin. Can't leave anything out of it.
Come in, please.
Sit down, please.
I was just telling...
Hello, Ed.
Shirley, honey.
You're in a lot of trouble, aren't you?
Yes.
Yes, I am, honey, but don't you worry about it.
I'm not gonna worry about it, Ed.
I don't want you to, honey. I don't want you to worry about anything.
I'm gonna get out of this, we'll start all over.
Huh?
Oh boy, am I glad to see you here.
Ed.
I can handle anything that's throwing at me now.
Ed.
Oh, it's true, honey, I'm not gonna deny it.
I was out with this girl, we went to a drive-in, and we went to a beer place.
They had music there, you know, I didn't even dance with her, honey.
Ed!
Take it easy.
Will you listen to me?
What, what, what, honey?
Ed.
Sure, honey, what do you want?
I don't care what happens to you.
Listen to her, listen to her.
For what you've done, they can put you in the electric chair and they can flip the switch.
You don't care, do you? You really don't.
Shirley, please, please, please, I am in trouble now, and I'm frightened, and you remember, you remember how...
I want, when it started, you and me, remember how we said we'd beat each other, Shirley!
Who needs her? Who needs her?
I can get girls anytime I want.
Pick a night, pick a time, come on, honey, come on, hop in, honey.
Eileen?
Eileen?
Franklin.
What, what do you want?
You were the man Lois Anderson saw, weren't you? The woman Eileen was visiting.
Yeah.
And the man who had the fight in the drive-in.
Now listen, that guy's...
The man who had the fight in the drive-in.
Okay.
And took her to the juke joint, and it was just like that boy Bernie said.
Okay, okay.
Why did you kill Eileen Hall?
Why?
Why?
Well, I'm just like any other guy, I'm a good guy.
But lonely sometimes, but I'm just like any other guy, not any different. Why did I kill her?
She was close to me, she wanted to go away, and I got lonesome, so I held on to her forever.
You understand?
Yeah.
For the rest of her life. Listen, listen, that's what a fellow wants from a girl. I'm no different, no different at all.
Ed Franklin was executed for the murder of Eileen Hall.
It is interesting to note that the clue, the final, irrevocable clue that trapped him was his only act of kindness to his victim.
The sandwich he fed her before he put his hands about her throat and strangled her.
Suspense. Presented by Autolight. Tonight's star, Mr. Cornell Weill.
This is Harlow Wilcox again. Remember, you can now do your favorite local or national recognized charity the favor of a lifetime.
If you're one of the 25 persons selected in the huge $100,000 Autolight family charity drawing, you can name any recognized charity you wish to receive a big share of $100,000.
Those charities can be schools, hospitals, churches, the National Cancer Foundation, or any other local or national recognized charity.
So if you're 18 years or over, visit any or all of the following Autolight family card dealer showrooms.
DeSoto, Hudson, Plymouth, Studebaker, Dodge, Willis, Nash, Packard, Kaiser, or Chrysler.
Print your name and address on the registration form and have the card dealer sign it.
That's all. Nothing to buy, try, or sell. So sign up tomorrow.
Next week, a story based on fact. The true report of a man who had everything going for him, but since all his dealings were illegal, it became necessary to move around more frequently than was usual.
It's called Grand Theft, our star Mr. David Niven. That's next week on Suspense.
Suspense is transcribed and directed by Elliot Lewis, with music composed by Lucian Morawuk and conducted by Lut Bluskin.
Somebody Help Me was written for suspense by Morton Fine and David Friedkin and based on research by Edward D. Raiden.
In tonight's story, Kathy Lewis was heard as Eileen, Mary Jane Croft as Shirley, and Joseph Kearns as Tomasino.
Featured on the cast were Paula Winslow, Charlotte Lawrence, Larry Thor, Hiavra Vak, Sam Edwards, and Charles Calvert.
This is the CBS Radio Network.