The Prepper Broadcasting Network - The Shadow 045 - Ghosts Can Kill

Episode Date: June 30, 2026

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The shadow nose Your local blue coal dealer presents the Shadow These half-hour dramatizations are designed to forcibly demonstrate to old and young alike That crime does not pay Before the Shadow's adventure begins A reminder to all homeowners

There's one sure way to get extra quality Extra value and complete heating comfort And that's by ordering Blue Coal by name Blue Coal's harmless blue coloring is the trademark of the world's largest hard coal producer. But even more, it assures you that each ton of blue coal has been laboratory tested for quality and sized and prepared to give you better heat with less furnace attention. So don't gamble with ordinary fuel. Ensure your family perfect heating comfort and satisfaction by ordering blue coal by name.

Call your nearest blue coal dealer tomorrow. At the close of this afternoon program, we have a most distinguished guest, one of the special assistants to the Attorney General of the United States, the Honorable Francis H. Horan. I'm sure you will all be anxious to hear what he has to say, so be sure to listen. The shadow, mysterious character who aids those in distress and helps the forces of law and order,

is in reality Lamont Cranston, wealthy young man about town. Cranston's friend and companion, the lovely Margot Lane, is the only person who knows to whom the unseen voice belongs. The only one who knows the true identity of that master of other people's minds, the shadow. Today's story, ghosts can kill. The court will come to order. Proceed, Mr. District Attorney. Your Honor, and gentlemen of the jury,

you have heard the evidence against this man, Ralph Gorman. Three eyewitnesses of unimpeachable character saw him commit the murder. He was caught at the scene of the murder with a gun in his hand. It is the duty of the jury to convict him. Ralph Gorman has been brought to court seven times for serious crimes. I object. Although I admit my client has been brought to court in the past, he has always furnished an unbreakable alibi and has been acquitted.

Therefore, I claim that this record is irrelevant. Objection sustained. Very well. That doesn't alter the state's case. In this instance, the accused has no alibi. He is guilty of murder and should therefore be sent to the chair. Order in the court. I think the question before the jury is a clean-cut issue.

The defendant, Ralph Gorman, committed a peculiarly cold-blooded murder. There are no halfway measures. He is either guilty or not guilty. I therefore instruct the jury to return a verdict of acquittal or first-degree murder. The jury will retire to consider the verdict. The prisoner will cease this disturbance at once. What's the matter? Don't you like my music?

This is a court of law, Gorman. While you were awaiting the verdict of the jury, you will please conduct yourself in a more seat. Well, Margo, I've seen many murder trials in my time, but I've never seen one where the accused man played on a mouth organ while waiting for the jury to send him to the chair. Lamont isn't Gorman one of the toughest gangsters alive? Yes.

In my estimation, Ralph Gorman, is public enemy number one, Margo. Yet he's never been caught and sent to prison, Lamont. heard that in the testimony. He's been caught often enough. They've never been able to convict him because he's always been able to furnish an absolutely airtight alibi. This time, for some unexplainable reason, he has no alibi. So if there's any justice, he should be put away for good. Here comes the jury back in again. He certainly didn't take long to come to a decision. After the evidence they heard, they shouldn't. Court will come to order. Gentlemen of the jury, have you reached a verdict? We have, Your Honor. We find the

accused Ralph Gorman, guilty of murder in the first degree. The court will come to order. The prisoner will stand. Ralph Gorman, you have been proved a menace to society, and society has passed judgment upon you. You have been found guilty of willful, deliberate murder in the first degree. Have you anything to say before a sentence is pronounced upon you? Yeah, I got something to say.

Very well. Be brief. Society passed judgment on me, huh? Okay, then if you're going to kill me, I'm going to come back from the grave and get even with society. Empty threats will avail you nothing, Gorman. Ah, you don't believe I can do it, huh? All right, I'll even tell you who I'm going to get.

That will do. I'm not going to... First I'm going to get that big financier, Oscar Borden. That's always giving away money. I guess Borden's what you'd call a pillar of society, Eddie. Stop going on. Then just for fun, I'll kill that young guy, Frank Collins. that just got engaged to that social register name. I'll come back after death and get both of them.

Collins and Borden! You don't think I can do it, huh? But I can! Yes, I can! And court. Ralph Corman, I hereby sentence you to be taken to the state's prison and to there be executed in a manner provided by law. And may God have mercy on your soul.

Bad enough being a man. prison without having to listen to that. Play off the music. Where? I want to shut up. What's going on here? Hey, listen, guys, make that guy call him and stop playing a mud-hawk, and he's driving us all nuts in here. What's he think this is, Carnegie Hall?

No, I don't think this is Carnegie Hall. It's the Death House. And you guys are in it just like me. Come it, you guys. Are you allowed to get solitary? Carmen, you've only been allowed to keep your mouth-hawking as a special paper. You're going to make trouble or I'll have to take it away from you. Have a heart, will you?

That's all the fun I get. He's driving us nuts. Oh, why are you care, buddy? They're burning me! This is in common, you better keep quiet. The warden will be here in a minute. The warden. Well, do I care for the warden.

He can't do any more than give me the hot seat, and he's doing that anyhow. Here comes the warden now. What's all the disturbance in here got? It's common, warden. Hey, do you hear from the governor warden? Yes. I'm afraid I've got bad news for you, Gorman.

Governor Roberts has refused to do anything about your case. And they're going to burn me tonight, huh? I'm afraid so. Looks like society put the finger on me Just like the judge said Well, okay I warned him Like I said in court

Within a week, the millionaire Oscar Borden And Frank Collins are going to be dead Don't talk like that, Gorman You'll see And I think I'll get Governor Roberts too While I'm about it That makes a nice trio, don't you think? Oscar Borden, Frank Collins, and Governor

Roberts, I'm going to come back from the grave And kill them All three of them, yeah Society passed judgment on me, huh? Okay, I ain't kicking. We'll see who lasts last last. Making stupid threats won't do you any good, Gorman. Stupid, huh?

Listen, in a week, those guys are all going to be dead. Lots better than me. Come along, guard. You better warn them. Tell them that time is up, and they hear me playing on my mouth organ, like this. Is there anything else you want me to do tonight, Mr. Borden? Before you go, draw the curtains and turn off the overhead lights, Taylor.

Yes. When you stay here in my study for a while, it's quiet. There's some things I want to look over. Yes, Mr. Borden. You won't be disturbed, sir. I think everyone else has gone to bed. There's a newspaper here? I haven't had a chance to look at one all day.

Right on your desk, sir. Oh, yes. Well, good night, Taylor. Good night, Mr. Boyden. Well, I glanced at the headlines before getting down to work. Let's see. Rebels pushing the province. Merging relief agencies.

Gangster executed amid great intrigue. The comedic scene in the death house last night, Ralph Gorman, threatens to come back after death and murder. The philanthropist, Oscar Borden, Frank Collins, millionaire sportsman, and Governor Roberts. And let's see. On the way to the chair, Gorman warned his intended victims that they would know of his presence by hearing him play a mouth organ. These were his last words after which he was elected.

From his picture here, I'd say, was a rather low mentality. The mouth organ, well, that's a bizarre note. Oh, I wonder. Wait a moment. I can hear a mouth organ now. No, no, it must be my imagination. That's hard. I could swear I hear it again.

Seems to come from the other room. Who opened that door? Why? You're Ralph Gorman. You see me, Mr. Borden? This is impossible. I've come back from the dead to keep my promise to society. You're mad.

Ghost ain't never mad, Mr. Borden. Ghost preposterous, we'll see about this. Don't touch that bell, because it ain't gonna do you no good! Well, that's one of them. Two more to go. Vermont, as long as you just seem to be walking me around the streets aimlessly, you might at least answer my questions. What do you think of those threats?

Trents, or what threats, Margo? The threats made by Ralph Gorman last night before he was executed. Oh, I wouldn't give them a second thought. Six-year-old child knows it's impossible to come back from the dead and murder people. Extra, ex-prey. Expoort and murdered famous philanthropist found in his study shot to dead back. Yes, I hear it too. A boy, give me a paper.

Yes, sir. Keep the chain, son. Oh, thank you, sir. Taxi. Yes, sir. Where are you going, Lamont? I think this will bear a little investigating. See you later, Margo.

I'm going to drop in on the scene of the crime. Our friend, Commissioner Weston should be there. Oh, Cardona, see who that is. Whoever it is, don't let him in this study, Mr. Bordons, until I get through questioning these people. Okay, commit to me. Oh, yes, I know him. Tell him...

Oh, wait a minute. He tries to be an amateur criminologist. Let him come in. I'll show him how the police department really works. Yes. Ah, Commissioner Weston. How do you do? I just happen to be passing by the Borden house,

and I thought you might be here. Well, Cranston, you want to test some of your amateur theories on crime, I suppose. Always willing to try, Commissioner? Well, you're able to beat your brains out over this one. About three hours ago, Oscar Borden was found at his desk here with a nice round bullet hole in his head and not a clue. How distressing. Not a single clue, Commissioner?

Well, we have two clues, but they don't make sense. Well, perhaps they don't make sense to the professional detective, but an amateur on the intellectual side of... of crime might be able to help you out, Commissioner. What were the clues? Well, first I asked the cop on the beat if you'd seen any known crooks hanging around the building tonight. And?

And the dumb guy told me he hadn't seen any, except at one time during the afternoon, he thought he got a glimpse of Ralph Gorman. And Ralph Gorman is known to have threatened Oscar Borden. I see. And the other clue, Commissioner? The other clue was even slimmer. One of her maids as she heard a mouth-hog and Dean played in Mr. Borden's study

about the time the murder must have been committed. Why, it all hinges together? Perfectly, Commissioner, don't you see? Ralph Gorman has threatened Oscar Borden. He plays the mouth organ, and he's been seen hanging around the house. Why, he's your murderer. Very pretty theory, Cranston. The only hitch is that Ralph Corman was put to death last night at 11 o'clock in the electric chair at state prison.

He was. Yeah, you should read the papers. You see, he's an amateur criminologist. You're not so hot after all, Cranston. Well, have you solved Oscar Borden's murder? No, not yet. Well, you're no better than I am, then. Commissioner Weston, if I were you, I'd tell you.

put a guard of large, solid policemen around anyone Ralph Gorman might have had a motive to kill. Oh, yeah? And then what? Then, I'd look for the ghost of Ralph Gorman. It's lucky you're not, police commissioner. Now, you'd better get out of here, Cranston. I've got important work to do. We continue with the second act of ghosts can kill in just a moment. Homeowners, would you like to stop those tiresome trips to the cellar and keep furnace attention down to a minimum? Well, then, here's what you do.

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What's more, by stopping this overheating of the house, a heat regulator will save you fuel, and saving fuel means saving money. You can own one of these blue-cold heat regulators for only $18.95 plus a small installation charge. And believe me, it will pay for itself in the time and trouble of constant draft adjustment it saves you. So call your nearest blue-cold dealer tomorrow.

His name is listed in the where-to-buy section of your classified telephone directory under the words, Blue Coal. Hello, hello. Oh, I thought we were cut off, darling, but now I tell you, I'm all right. Oh, but Frank, I'm so worried. If only I were in town so I could be with you. But what is there to worry about, darling? Why, those threats, that awful man Gorman made against you.

Oh, that was just nonsense. I never even knew him, and besides he's dead. Yes, but Oscar Borden was threatened, too, and he's dead. Oh, now, really? Ruth, darling, please stop worrying for my sake. Nothing's going to happen to me. I'm in my own apartment, and I have no intention of going out. So nothing can happen.

Now, you go to sleep and get your beauty rest. You know, you've got to look your prettiest for our wedding Tuesday. Oh, all right, dearest. At least I'll be with you by tomorrow. I'll be down on the 11 o'clock train in the morning. Oh, that's wonderful, and I'll meet you at the station. Good night, darling. Good night.

Poor Ruth. I don't know why women get some nervous about... I wonder who that could be. Hello? Is this Frank Collins? Yes, who's this? This is the shadow. Oh, the shadow?

As I've heard of you, what do you want? I want to warn you, Collins. Warn you against a death. Who's death? Yours. And why should you be warning me? Because if you're not very careful, you'll meet the same fate as Oscar Borden,

and for the same reason. Oh, nonsense. Furthermore, I would suggest that if you value your life, you will apply without delay for police protection. Look, I don't know who you are, Shadow, or what your game is. But I'm not afraid of you. you or anybody else. Have it your own way, Mr. Collins.

Have it your own way. Wait a minute. Wait, listen. Hmm. He hung up. I wonder what that was all about. I certainly wasn't a very cheerful person to talk to. Maybe...

Yeah, maybe I'd better get... See, now, what's Commissioner Weston's home number? See, I think I've got it in here someplace. Oh, yeah, yeah, here it is. Main... Nine... Nine. Nine.

Who can be calling at this hour? Now, where's that falling? Hello, Commissioner Weston speaking. Commissioner, this is Frank Collins. I just received a threat. Frank? Oh, you did? Yes, I was informed.

I'm about to meet Oscar Borden's faith. How are you warned? Over the telephone just about five minutes ago. By a man who calls himself the shadow. The shadow? Is he mixed up on this? How should I know? Wait a minute.

What's the matter? I thought for a minute I heard a mouth organ play. Mouth organ. Oh, that's just your name. nerves, Collins. Is your door locked? No. Go lock it quick. All right, just a minute. Good Lord. I can hear the mouth walking myself over the phone. Collins! You're too late, Callens. Colin! You should have locked that door before you made the call. It's Ralph Gorman's voice. Callum. Who are you? Maybe I heard of me, Callans. I'm Ralph Gorman. Gorman.

Gorman! Or don't! Operator! Operator! This is Police Commissioner Weston. Get me headquarters. Hurry, operator. Hurry! Come in, Margo. I just heard that Frank Collins was murdered in his home last night. Yes, I've been reading the papers. It's dreadful. How could Ralph Gorman have come back from the dead to commit these murders? Margot, yesterday I would have said it was totally impossible. Today, well, frankly, I don't know.

At this moment, I can't think of any other hypothesis that would account for the known facts. Then that means... What did you say? I merely said Jiminy. Why did you say that? Jiminy, I don't know. I was just thinking. Why does it mean anything?

Ordinarily, no. In this instance, it may mean everything. At least it gives me a clue. Margot, is your car outside? Yes, Lamont. Well, come on. We're going places. Be careful, Margot.

Watch how you're driving. He told me to step on it. I thought you wanted to get to the Riegel Hotel in a hurry. I do, but I'd like to get there all in one piece. Well, this is a fine time to tell me that. Incidentally, why the Riggle Hotel? Governor Roberts is staying there. He's addressing the manufacturer's dinner at the Colossus Club tonight.

I'd like to be sure he lives to make it. Oh, Lamont, now you're being mysterious again. Why shouldn't Governor Roberts live to make his speech? Because I have reason to believe. he's next on the list marked for murder. I have an idea that if any attempt is made on the governor's life tonight, it'll probably be tonight. Here's the hotel.

You'll just pull up the curb. All right. I said, up to the curb, dear, not over it. Oh, I think you're hard. If I'm not mistaken, so will somebody else before the night's over. But goodbye, Margo, and thanks for the ride. This is the service entrance, Governor. Go right through that door there.

You'll be on Marine Street. Good, thank you. That's what I told my car to wait. Governor Roberts, do you think this is wise? Wise, Latham. Of course it's wise. What danger can there be? I'm going straight to the dinner at the Colossus Club alone in my own car with my own chauffeur.

Just as you say, sir. Through this door to the street, you said, Porter. Yes, sir. Thank you. Now, where's my car? I told Henry to wait. Oh, there he is. To the Colossus Club, Henry.

Henry, this is the most preposterous thing I ever heard of in my life. What's our police force turning into? A bunch of old women, Ralph Gorman. Of course I couldn't pardon him. The man was guilty. He certainly can't come back from the dead, can he, Henry? All this cock and bull story about playing a mouth organ, you don't believe... Henry, what's making that noise?

Henry, did you hear me? Henry, what's the matter with you? This isn't the way to the Colossus Club. You're heading for the river. Stop the car. Henry, I... Why, you're not Henry. That's right, I ain't.

Henry, Governor. Don't you remember me, Ralph Gorman? Alf Gorman? No. No, it's not possible. Well, you see me, don't you? And you remember how I used to play the mouth organ in the death house?

Like this. Stop the car. Let me out. I'll let you out, all right, and ten feet of water when we get to the river. No, no. Let me out. You didn't let me out of the chair, did you, governor?

I burned, remember? Well, you'll drown. Stop the car. Stop it, I say you'll kill us both. They can't kill a dead man, can you, governor? Fool went and cropped by himself. Scared to death. Well, it saves me the trouble.

I wouldn't be too sure of that, Gorman. Hey, what's that? Governor Roberts is unharmed. He's only fainted. He has a weak heart. Who's that? Where are you? You didn't know you had the shadow as a passenger.

Oh, the shadow, huh? Well, you can't hurt me. Even a shadow can't harm a ghost. But you're not a ghost, Gorman. Yeah, that's what you think. Don't you know that Ralph Gorman is dead? Certainly. But you're not Ralph Gorman.

You're his twin brother, Arthur. That's a lie. No, it isn't, Arthur. I went down to the City Records office and checked up on the birth certificate. A very pretty little story. Your mother had twin boys and concealed the fact from everyone.

She brought you two up deliberately for a life of crime. Very convenient, wasn't it, Arthur? No matter what crime one of you committed, the other was always seen somewhere else at the same time to furnish a complete alibi. Yeah. Yeah, I'm Arthur Gorman, Ralph Gorman's twin brother.

But if we hadn't got the owl mixed up, they'd never have convicted Ralph that last time. Too bad, wasn't it? After all, the trouble your mother had taken for years to conceal the fact you were twins. How did you get on to it? Why, a friend of mine used the expression, Jiminy.

And I naturally connected that with Gemini. I don't get it. You wouldn't. Gemini is the sign of the zodiac, which means the twins. Well, Arthur, this is a very interesting discussion.

But I think now you'd better stop the car. Oh, yeah? What do you think I am? Crazy? They're never going to burn me. That's a matter of opinion. All right, you got me, but I got you, Shadow.

Got you where I want you. There's the river right ahead of us. I'm going to drive over the impactment. I'll drown. But so are you. I'll drive right over the edge. Not of this emergency break works, you won't? Look at that smash.

All those drunken drivers, they ought to be put in jail. He ran hand on into the warehouse wall there. There's too many in there. There you are, Jack. I see. Stand back, please. Well, how about it, Doc? Well, I'll be...

A man in back is Governor Roberts. Governor Roberts. Is he? No. He's all right, I think. Just painted, shocked, probably. Hey, Doc, how about the other guy? The chauffeur here is dead.

Dead. That's too bad. See, his face looks familiar. What is it? Do you know him? That dead guy in a chauffeur outfit is a living image of a gunman called Ralph Gorman. Ralph Gorman, it can't be. Ralph Gorman went to the chair last week. Well, if it ain't him, it's his twin brother.

You'd been able to tell us that. Justice would have been served a great deal more quickly. In a moment, we should introduce our distinguished guests, one of the special assistance to the Attorney General of the United States, the Honorable Francis H. Horan. But first, Here's John Barclay, Blue Coase heating expert, with some money-saving hints on furnace, care, and attention. Thank you, Ken Roberts, and good afternoon, friends.

Last week I discussed the three factors which caused heat to be lost up the chimney, and how they can be corrected. This afternoon, I want to tell you about another common cause of wasted coal and heating inefficiency, namely ash pit loss. Ashpit loss means the unburned or partially burned coal, which falls through the grates into the ash pit. This loss is due simply to shaking the grates too often and too vigorously. Don't shake the fire every time you throw on fresh cold. Let that depend on the weather outside. And when you shake the grates, stop immediately when you see the first red glow in the ash bit. If you think you're not getting full value for your heating dollars, here's what you do.

Call your neighborhood blue coal dealer. You'll be glad to have a trained John Barkley heating expert inspect your furnace. Remember, there's no charge or obligation on your part. So feel free to call on your blue coal dealer. I thank you. And now on behalf of our sponsors, The Blue Coal Dealers, the Nation Over, it gives me great pleasure to introduce to you

one of the special assistance to the Attorney General of the United States. Ladies and gentlemen, the Honorable Francis H. Horan. Thank you, Mr. Robert. I'm very happy to be here with you this afternoon and to have the opportunity of speaking to the audience of the shadow program. I am sure all law enforcement bodies in the United States agree with me when I say that constructive radio programs are of very great help in the prevention of crime. I can't emphasize strongly enough how important it is to prove, particularly to growing boys,

the truth that crime in any form does not pay. Your program helps to bring this message to millions of people, so keep up the good work. We certainly shall, Mr. Horan, and thank you, sir, for stopping in. It's been a great honor to have had you with us. Today's program is based on a story copyrighted by the Shadow Magazine. All the characters and all the places named are fictitious.

Any similarity to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. The Shadow Magazine is now on sale at your local news. was that. Of crime.