And now, tonight's presentation of radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense.
Tonight, we bring you a story of a man who found that stealing a fortune was one thing,
but getting away with it was another.
So now, starring Mr. Victor Perrin, here is tonight's Suspense play, Double Identity.
Every time I looked at that gray-green thing squatting against the wall, I remembered how
my father used to shout the words of the Lord's Prayer.
Lead us not into temptation, he'd yell, and everyone in hearing distance would tremble.
I could hear him like it was yesterday every time I looked at that safe and thought about
the money inside.
It was five o'clock Friday afternoon.
Baker was at the cashier's window passing out the last of the pay envelopes.
I was sitting behind my desk watching him.
I knew exactly what he'd do when he finished, what he'd say.
I'd watched him patiently for almost five years.
Well, another day, another thousand dollars.
Okay, Mr. Lockman, that's it.
Count the cash in your tray and we'll lock up.
Yes, sir.
Lockman speaking.
George, how are you?
Hey, what's this I hear about you backing out of the game tonight?
I'm afraid that's right, Henry.
Well, I'm going to miss your pennies, boy.
But if it can't be helped, it can't be helped.
You been to the doctor's?
Oh, no, it's nothing that serious.
Well, it's probably just the virus.
A lot of it going around, you know.
They couldn't test that new job for the Air Corps last week on account of Pete Jenkins getting
it.
Yeah, I heard.
Well, you take care of yourself, boy.
I will, Henry.
Thanks.
Two hundred and twenty eight ninety, Mr. Lockman.
Oh, all right, Baker.
Let's put it away.
Now, I'll sure be glad to get out of here tonight.
So will I.
Here, you want to hold this?
I'll spin my half of the combination.
Go ahead.
You think Mr. Kraft will ever trust either one of us with the complete combination?
It's not that he doesn't trust us.
He just doesn't want to put temptation in our path.
Maybe so.
But what if something happened to one of us while he was away sometime, like he is now?
How'd they get it open?
I don't know.
OK, your turn.
That ought to do it.
This thing gets heavier every week.
Your's not that heavy, Mr. Lockman.
You just think it is because you're out of condition.
Could be.
Give me the tray.
You know what you ought to do.
What's that?
Join a gym, work out with weights.
Sure do you a lot of good.
I've been going over to Stockers myself.
Put three inches on my biceps.
Here, see?
Nice, huh?
Yeah, fine.
Hey, why don't you come with me Monday night?
Maybe I will.
You join there, I'll get a month free.
We'll talk about it, huh?
All right, I'll remind you Monday morning.
You do that.
Hey, I better get out of here.
Bertha's folks are coming over for dinner.
Born beef and cabbage?
Wouldn't be Friday without it.
Oh, Bertha wants you to come over again real soon.
I will, Baker.
Good night.
Good night, Mr. Lockman.
Have a nice weekend.
Thanks, I plan to.
I knew him so well.
Getting him to turn away from the safe had been easy.
While he'd been admiring his biceps, I'd closed it, but I hadn't spun the dial, so it was
still unlocked.
I reached under my desk for the briefcase, the briefcase with the initials RG, opened
that heavy door again, and began helping myself to those tight little green packets of $20
bills, 50 of them, each containing 50 20s.
Ten minutes later, I was walking toward the bus stop.
My heart was pounding, but I was sure I didn't appear nervous.
The only outward sign of how I really felt was on the leather handle of the briefcase.
It was beginning to turn dark from perspiration.
Then the bus came, and I was on my way to the airport.
Yes, sir?
I'm on flight 19 for New York.
Your name, please?
Gelder, Robert Gelder.
Do you have any baggage, Mr. Gelder?
Only this briefcase.
I'll keep it with me if that's all right.
Sure.
Now, let's see now.
Your destination is Paris, is that correct, Mr. Gelder?
Yes, sir.
Uh-huh.
Well, you're cleared all the way through, LA to New York, and you're holding a reservation
on overseas flight 120 tomorrow night.
Yes, I know.
All right, Mr. Gelder, your flight leaves from gate seven in five minutes.
He didn't have to tell me the plane left in five minutes.
I knew.
I'd gone over every detail of the next 36 hours again and again.
First a nonstop flight to New York, then across the Atlantic to Paris.
I'd traveled for a while, see Rome, Cairo, Algiers, and I'd make friends.
Yes, sir, Robert Gelder would be a man of the world, a man whose every desire would
be fulfilled.
The money would see to that.
My, it's quiet, isn't it?
I beg your pardon?
The motor.
They're so much quieter than I ever imagined they'd be.
Oh, well, that's because the cabin's been insulated against noise.
Oh, my, when I think there weren't any planes at all when I was born.
It certainly makes me feel awfully old.
But then we're all growing older, aren't we?
Mr.
Gelder.
My name is Mrs. Lee.
Are you from Los Angeles?
No, Toledo.
Oh, I used to know a gentleman named Gelder a long time ago.
And I believe, yes, he moved to Ohio, as I recall.
His first name was, oh dear, I can't remember.
Oh, but he was a barber.
I don't suppose he could have been your father.
No, my father was a minister.
Oh, my, how very nice.
Mr. Gelder, why don't you put that briefcase under the seat?
No.
Well, really, the way you've been holding on to it, a person might think you have a fortune
in there.
Yes.
All right.
Now, isn't that better?
You know, my boys are all in business, so I can tell when a person's overworked.
They look just as drawn and tired as you do.
Oh, why don't you put your head back and relax?
I'll let you know when we start to land at Chicago.
Why, yes.
My daughter's flying in from Dallas to meet me at the Chicago airport.
We're having kind of a...
But we don't land at Chicago.
This is a nonstop flight to New York.
Oh, you must be mistaken, Mr. Gelder.
Oh, dear, you've got to be a stewardess.
I'm not mistaken.
Oh, stewardess.
Is anything wrong, Mrs. Lee?
Stewardess, we do land at Chicago, don't we?
Why, yes.
But we can't.
When I bought my ticket, they assured me this was a through flight to New York.
But there must have been some sort of misunderstanding, Mr. Gelder.
But don't worry about it.
We'll only be on the ground half an hour.
What did I get so worried about?
What was half an hour?
I was tensing up.
The old lady had noticed the briefcase.
I was being too careful, too obvious.
So when we landed at Chicago, I left the briefcase on the plane and went in for a cup of coffee.
Hand me the sugar, would you, please?
What?
Logman.
George Logman.
What?
What the devil are you doing here, George?
Why, why, Mr. Craft?
What are you doing in Chicago?
Well, I thought I'd take a little trip this weekend, Mr. Craft.
A little trip?
Hey, you got some friends here?
Oh, that's right.
I forgot you're a bachelor.
You got friends everywhere, huh?
Friends with skirts, is that right?
Please, Mr. Craft.
Yes, sir.
It's you quiet ones.
That's what they always say.
Still water runs deep, right?
By George, certainly is a small world, isn't it?
Yes, sir.
It is.
Now you just drop that sir stuff, my boy.
We're not in the office now.
You just forget I'm the boss, huh?
Well, one little kicker for your coffee, huh?
I got it right here.
No, thanks, Mr. Craft.
Huh?
You sure?
Yes, sir.
I don't care for it, really.
Oh.
Well, you'll be back in the office Monday morning, huh?
Yes, sir.
Good, good.
I'll give you a call.
Well, have fun, Logman.
I watched him leave.
And I wondered why I had to run into him, the one man who could ruin everything.
Then I paid my check and walked out of the coffee shop toward the plane.
When I was halfway through the gate, I saw him again.
Fat, drunk J.T. Craft was staggering up the ramp ahead of me, going into the plane, my
plane, the plane in which I'd left the $50,000.
You are listening to Double Identity, tonight's presentation on radio's outstanding theater
of thrills, Suspense.
Tomorrow night on 21st Precinct, CBS Radio unfolds a tale of liquor store robberies,
which says the borough chief must be stopped by 100%.
The plan works when Captain Keough of the 21st Precinct cooperates by supplying four
of his men in plain clothes.
He gets gratifying results, but is topped by one of the most surprising climaxes in his
career.
For a real story of the men in blue in action, join us on most of these same stations tomorrow
when you'll hear the tale of the bottle on 21st Precinct.
And now we bring back to our Hollywood soundstage, Mr. Victor Perrin, starring in tonight's production,
Double Identity, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.
For the first time, I wasn't sure of myself.
For the first time, I was really afraid. J.T. Craft, the one person in the world who could
stop me from getting away with that money, had boarded the plane ahead of me.
I stopped and tried to think.
If I stayed in Chicago and let the plane go on to New York with my briefcase, I'd be taking
too big a chance.
I didn't have a baggage check on that case.
Anybody could take it and walk off with my money.
If I boarded the plane, Craft would see me and start thinking.
Then my mind was made up for me.
Mr. Gelder, Mr. Gelder, come on.
We want to take off.
Oh, yes, yes, I'm coming.
I had to chance it.
Craft was drunk.
Maybe I could keep him that way.
Then I'd lose him as soon as we landed.
Please take your seat and fasten your safety belt, Mr. Gelder.
Yes, yes, I will, Stuart.
Mr. Gelder, Mr. Gelder.
Hey, Stuart, who are we waiting on?
Somebody named Gelder?
Everything's all right now, Mr. Craft.
It better be, because I have to be in the...
Logman, what are you doing here?
Mr. Craft?
Well, here, you sit down right by me, my boy.
Come on.
There we go.
You decided to go to New York, huh?
Yes, sir.
Whatever, my boy.
Couldn't you score in Chicago?
Ah, it was about time.
Where are you going to New York for?
You've got to be back in the office Monday morning, haven't you?
I know.
Do you still have some of that medicine?
Well, you know, that kicker stuff you were going to put in my coffee?
Oh, yes, sure, yes.
Well, I thought you didn't...
Here, here, here you go.
Help yourself.
Thanks.
Yes, sir, there's a double cause for celebrating.
I sure put it over here, sir.
You know what I did?
I made a deal with the Great Lake people.
Good fat order, you know?
That's why I'm living it up.
How about you?
Well, I...
I've decided to take a few days off.
Well, that's good for you, good for you.
You know, must get off old doll handling all that money, not being able to spend any
of it, huh, George?
Yes, sir.
It sure does.
Well, I'll have another drink.
Sure, Mr. Kraft.
Right after you do.
But he'd had enough and he knew it.
A few minutes later, he turned his back to me and passed out.
I picked up the briefcase and held it on my lap.
Then I slept, too.
Oh, we're done, huh?
Yes, sir.
New York.
How do you feel, Mr. Kraft?
How are you?
All right, I guess.
I had myself a night, didn't I?
We both did.
Yeah.
Logman.
Sir?
What did you say you were doing there?
Well, I'm taking a few days off.
Yeah, you checked with McGill before you left?
Yes, sir.
Mr. McGill said it was perfectly all right.
Oh, good.
Now let's get our things together, shall we?
It was going to work out.
I was sure of it.
We left the plane, walked across the apron to the gate and into the terminal.
All I had to do now was shake hands with him,
then duck out of sight until he stepped into a cab.
As soon as he was gone, I'd confirm my reservations for Paris, then relax.
I'll have a pleasant holiday, Logman.
I'll see you back at the plant, huh?
Yes, sir.
Just a minute.
That isn't your briefcase.
What?
Here, let me see that.
I know, yeah, take a look for yourself.
Initials RG.
You picked up somebody else's, didn't you?
Well, I...
Come on, we'll get it straightened out over at the luggage counter.
But Mr. Kraft, this case...
I mean, when I decided to...
Stop spluttering, Logman.
This will only take a minute.
Yes, may I help you?
Well, I don't think so.
Just let me handle it, son.
This man picked up the wrong briefcase by mistake.
Oh, is that right, sir?
Yes.
Mine is exactly like it and I thought perhaps...
Don't worry about it, sir. It happens all the time.
Now then, what's the name?
Gelder. I mean, Lockman.
That's right, son. That's probably how they got mixed up.
The steward has mentioned something about a man named Gelder
back in Chicago.
Said they were waiting on him. Remember?
You remember that too, don't you?
Yes, sir, I do.
I'll bet you anything that's his case.
Do you have any bags here for a Gelder?
I wouldn't know, sir, unless there's a claim check.
What about Lockman?
You do have a claim check, Mr. George.
What do you have besides a briefcase?
That was all, sir. I didn't need a claim check for it.
Huh? You only took a briefcase?
Yes, sir. I left in such a hurry...
Ah.
You got Mr. Lockman's briefcase back there?
No, sir. There is no briefcase here.
Ah. Looks like you're out of luck till Gelder realizes his mistake
and brings your case back. Good.
Look, I'll tell you what you do.
You leave Gelder's case here and then you come along with me into town.
We'll give the clerk the name of my hotel and when your case shows up
he can send it in to you.
I think I'd better wait right here for it, Mr. Krabs.
Nonsense, my boy. We both need some breakfast on the shower.
You come along with me.
Operator, this is Mr. Krabs speaking.
I don't want to be disturbed for anything until five this afternoon.
That's right, five o'clock.
Wait a minute. Get that. Will you lock me in?
It's probably room service.
Yes, sir.
Ah, operant?
Yeah, that's right. I'm expecting a call from the coast at that time.
That's five o'clock.
Oh, yes. I'll be here.
Thank you.
Oh.
Now that coffee smells good.
Did you take care of the boy?
I put the tip on the check.
Oh, good. It'll come off my tacks that way.
Go ahead and pour.
Okay. Cream and sugar?
No, no, black for me.
Lockman, what are you up to?
What do you mean?
Look at you, spilling the coffee.
Now, you know what I mean.
Your nerves have given you away, Lockman.
But I really don't know, Mr. Krabs. I'm on vacation.
You took a vacation in May.
Besides, a man who's been getting out of payroll every week for the past five years
isn't gonna take a trip across country on a moment's notice with only a briefcase.
Unless he's running away from something.
Mr. Krabs, I assure you...
You assure me all you want.
I'm not going to believe you until I talk to McGill at five today.
Until then, I'm not letting you out of my sight.
But, Mr. Krabs, please, I have things to do, important things.
Yes? Like what?
Well, it's of a personal nature.
Oh.
A woman, huh?
All right, Lockman, I'll give you a break.
If you're still waiting for McGill to call me, I'll call him.
Why?
And if he knows about your being here, you can leave any time you like.
Put down that phone, Mr. Krabs.
What?
I said put it down!
Now, wait a minute, Lockman.
You forced me into this.
I had it all worked out so carefully, then you had to come along.
Now, wait a minute. Wait a minute, Lockman.
Wait for what?
Lockman.
Lockman, please. Please.
Wait for you to call the police, Krabs.
Please, Lockman.
It was exactly 12 noon.
I had five hours before they discovered Krabs' body.
Five hours to pick up the briefcase and disappear.
Paris was out now, too risky.
I tried Canada.
I took the last drink from Krabs' bottle, chased it with coffee.
And then, feeling like it was all a dream,
I left the hotel and took a cab from the airport.
I'm sorry, Mr. Lockman.
I'm afraid your briefcase hasn't turned up yet.
It's all right. The one you're holding here is mine.
What?
My name is Really Gelder.
You see, I'd never met that man I was with before,
at least before he got on the plane in Chicago last night.
And the way he latched onto me, you'd think I was his long-lost brother.
He's making a real pest of himself, so I decided to give him a phony name.
Then that was your briefcase.
Yes, it's my briefcase. Now, where is it?
Why, I sent it back to Chicago.
While he rambled on, trying to explain,
saying something about how he was sure the mix-up had occurred in Chicago,
how Gelder must have gotten off the plane there,
I was trying to steady myself, to pull myself together.
I had to act fast now. I knew that.
I had less than five hours to reach Chicago, get the case, and disappear.
The clerk was still rambling on when I left him and went over to the reservations desk.
There was a plane leaving at one o'clock, arriving in Chicago four hours later.
I bought a ticket.
We landed at five after five New York time.
They'd probably discovered his body by now,
which meant they'd be looking for a man named Lockman
who had registered at the hotel with Mr. Craft.
Yes, sir.
Look, my name is Gelder, Robert Gelder.
You have a briefcase here that belongs to me.
Gelder?
Yes. There was a mix-up over my name,
and the case was returned here from New York. It's initialed.
Well, that's it. They're on the shelf. Please let me have it.
Oh, yes, sir. Came in about an hour ago.
Do you have some identification, Mr. Gelder?
What?
Well, I'll need some identification before I can let you have it.
But I don't have any. I left New York in such a hurry.
No driver's license? A letter with your name on it?
I haven't got anything. But that's my case. Now give it here.
I'm sorry, sir. You'll have to come up with some identification
or fill out a claim form.
What do you mean, a claim form?
It's company policy, sir. They'll run a check on you.
It won't take over a couple of days to find out if you're who you say you are.
I see. Look, here's five dollars.
Oh, you can't bribe me, Mr. Huddle. I'd lose my job.
No, no. I don't mean it to be a bribe.
I want you to put in a long-distance call to the baggage clerk
in the airport in New York. He'll be able to identify me.
Oh, sir, I don't know...
There's nothing wrong with that now, is there? I'm paying for the call.
Well, I guess it's okay.
Tell him the man with two names is here.
Two names?
Lockman and Gelder. He'll remember.
Yes, sir. Yes, sir. I'll do it.
Operator?
Will you look Kate Barney? Have him come over here?
Yes, sir. Right away.
Thanks.
The circuits in New York are busy, Mr. Gelder.
How long will I have to wait?
Well, not long.
Oh, young man, would you... Why, Mr. Gelder.
What? Mrs. Lee.
My goodness, is anything wrong? You fight as a sheep.
Mrs. Lee, would you tell this clerk who I am?
Why, of course.
You know this man, lady?
Yes, his name is Robert Gelder. He's from Toledo.
And you have some identification to prove who you are?
Why, certainly.
There. Here you are.
Okay, Mr. Gelder.
And here are my baggage, Jack's young man.
Yes, ma'am. I'll get your things, too.
Mrs. Lee, you'll never know how glad I am to see you.
Well, it's nice seeing you again, too, Mr. Gelder.
And I want you to come along to the car.
The car?
Oh, my daughter's plane was delayed.
I've had to wait all this time, can you imagine?
So I rented a car while I waited.
Oh, I want you to meet my daughter, Mr. Gelder.
Oh, I'd like to very much.
Okay, Mrs. Lee, here are your bags.
Oh, thank you.
And here's your case, Mr. Gelder.
Thank you.
Sorry about the delay.
Oh, that's all right.
Mr. Gelder, if you'll just take these two heavy things,
I'll carry your briefcase.
Certainly, Mrs. Lee.
Oh, I do hope they're not too heavy.
Baggage desk.
Joe, you want me?
Oh, yeah, Barney, I did.
I thought I had a job for your cops,
but it got straightened out.
The guy was trying to talk me into giving him a briefcase.
Didn't he have any ID?
No, on two names, Lockman and Gelder.
Lockman?
Joe, you say Lockman?
Yeah, why?
A teletype just came in from New York.
Where is he now?
Well, he's probably in the parking lot.
Oh, my daughter's parked just ahead, Mr. Gelder.
You see that convertible?
Yes, it's very nice.
She always wants the best.
She's from Texas, you know.
Yes, you told me.
I wonder if you'd mind giving me a lift.
I'll take you to the hotel.
I wonder if you'd mind giving me a ride into town.
Oh, no, of course not.
Are you going to be staying here a few days?
Well, I'm not sure.
I've got some business up in Canada.
Lockman!
Hold it, Lockman.
Mr. Gelder, what is it?
Put your hands in the air.
No!
Hold it, Lockman!
Oh, Mr. Gelder!
Lockman, hold it!
Sorry, Lockman.
You should have stopped.
Stopped?
That's very funny, officer.
I never even got started.
Suspense, in which Mr. Victor Perrin starred in tonight's presentation of Double Identity.
Next week, we bring you a dramatization of a short story by James Thurber.
It is called A Friend to Alexander.
It's next week on Suspense.
Suspense is produced and directed in Hollywood by Anthony Ellis.
Tonight's script was written for Suspense by Alan Botzer.
The music was composed by Rene Garagank and conducted by Wilbur Hatch.
Featured in the cast were Paula Winslow, William Conrad, Charlotte Lawrence, Paul Dubov, Joe
Duvall, Don Diamond, Bill Lally, and Bill Justine.
The drama, the pageantry, the humor, and tension of presidential conventions will be recreated
for you in a special 55-minute broadcast on CBS Radio Thursday night.
You'll hear great moments from the speeches of Brian, Roosevelt, Wilkie, and Wilson.
You'll hear Claire Booth Luce speaking to the Republicans in 1948 and India Edwards lecturing
the Democrats on manners at the 52 convention.
Bob Trout will be the narrator, and you'll hear from high party officials of both major
parties reminiscing about backstage scenes.
Listen for this special program called Convention Fever on most of these same CBS radio stations
tomorrow night.
Stay tuned now for five minutes of CBS News to be followed over most of these same stations
by My Son Jeep.
You hear America's favorite shows on the CBS Radio Network.