Richard Diamond, Private Detective: The Evans Farmer Case 08/23/1950

Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio

In this classic episode of 'Richard Diamond, Private Detective,' the titular detective investigates the suspicious death of Dr. William Evans, who appears to have jumped from his office window. Just moments

Key takeaways

• Dr. Evans' death was likely murder, not suicide, due to his recent contact with Diamond about Farmer's case.
• George Farmer's death was staged as an accident; he was actually murdered by Phillips, the lodge owner.

Main topics

• Private detective work
• Insurance fraud

Notable quotes

"Diamond Detective Agency, we never say die."

Conclusion

Richard Diamond uncovers the truth behind George Farmer's staged fire death and Dr. Evans' murder, revealing that

Transcript preview

Speaker 7 (0:00) Welcome to Choice Classic Radio, where we bring to you the greatest old-time radio shows. Like us on Facebook, subscribe to us on YouTube, and thank you for donating at choiceclassicradio.com. Listen while the makers of Rexall drug products and 10,000 independent Rexall family druggists bring you Dick Powell as Richard Diamond, private detective. Speaker 5 (0:55) Good evening. This is your Rexall family druggist speaking to you for the 10,000 independent druggists who have made the word Rexall part of our own store names and who recommend and sell the 2,000 or more drug products made by the Rexall Drug Company. Like Rexall MI-31, for example. Rexall's popular and versatile mouthwash, gargle, and breath deodorant. Full-strength MI-31 kills contacted germs almost instantly. yet will not harm delicate membranes of the mouth and throat. Yes, for a dependable, refreshing mouthwash, remember Rexall MI-31. And remember also, you can depend on any drug product that bears the name Rexall. Speaker 7 (1:38) Good health to all from Rexall. Speaker 7 (1:45) Now your Rexall family druggist brings you a transcribed half hour with Richard Diamond, Private Detective, starring Dick Powell. Speaker 2 (2:04) Diamond Detective Agency, we never say die. Speaker 4 (2:07) Mr. Diamond? Speaker 2 (2:08) That's right. Speaker 4 (2:09) How would you like to make 12? Speaker 2 (2:11) Do I have to name the mystery melody? Speaker 4 (2:13) This is not a quiz show, Mr. Diamond. Oh, Speaker 2 (2:21) well, that's my favorite tune. Speaker 4 (2:23) My name is Evans, Dr. Diamond. Speaker 2 (2:29) Grant Professional Building, Suite 409. Speaker 4 (2:31) Yes, I'd appreciate it. would come right over. Speaker 2 (2:34) Well, it's after six now. I'll stay Speaker 4 (2:36) in my office until... Speaker 2 (2:52) I locked the office, went downstairs and out on the street where I purchased the late afternoon times and in the cab headed for Dr. Evans' office, I read the article on page three, column two. George Farmer Burns to Death and a Picture of the Deceased. According to the article, Farmer had been on a vacation in the Northwoods. He'd gone to sleep smoking a cigarette, and that was that. Mattress caught fire, and before anyone noticed, the whole cabin was burning. My cab led me out in front of Dr. Evans' building, and one look at the large crowd, plus the very familiar black sedan and the passenger loading zone, tied my stomach in a knot. Speaker 8 (3:31) All right, now, Speaker 4 (3:32) get back, you. Speaker 2 (3:34) You! Evening, Sergeant Otis. Speaker 4 (3:36) Lieutenant! What are you yelling about, Melonhead? Speaker 2 (3:41) Evening, Lieutenant Levinson. Speaker 3 (3:42) Oh, no. I hope you were just passing by, Mr. Don. I Speaker 2 (3:46) saw the crowd, Lieutenant Levinson, and came over to find out if you and Otis were playing Speaker 3 (3:49) hopscotch or possibly kicked the Speaker 2 (3:51) can. This is Speaker 3 (3:51) a swell time to make with the jokes. Some guy took a dive out of the fourth floor window. Speaker 2 (3:56) Fourth floor? Speaker 3 (3:57) Dead? Very. Name was Evans. Had offices in the building. Dr. William Speaker 2 (4:02) Evans. Speaker 2 (4:05) Guy named Evans. Offices on the fourth floor. Doctor. Some guy. Just 20 minutes before, he'd called me with a $1,200 proposition. And now it looked like the only thing I was going to get out of the deal was a late afternoon paper and a story about a guy named Farmer. Speaker 3 (4:23) Burned to death in bed? Oh, yeah. We got a report on the case. Speaker 2 (4:28) Well, this Dr. Evans was hooked up with it in some way. Speaker 3 (4:30) He offered you $1,200? Speaker 2 (4:32) He asked me if I was interested. Speaker 3 (4:34) Silly boy. I guess the doctor's office Speaker 3 (4:39) And there's the window he went out of. Who saw him jump? Bill Mitchell, cop on the beat. Saw the body come out of the window feed first. Said at least it looked like he jumped. Speaker 2 (4:48) No sign of a struggle? Speaker 3 (4:50) I'll have the boys give the room a good going over. Speaker 2 (4:53) Well, we're pretty sure of two things, Walt. First, there's a strong possibility that Dr. Evans didn't commit suicide. Also, that he knew something about George Farmer, the guy who got burned to death. Might have been Farmer's doctor. Well, there's one way to find out. This Times article says that Farmer left a widow. While you're checking things here, I think I'll go see what Mrs. Farmer's views are on dead husbands and dead doctors. Speaker 6 (5:30) Yes? Speaker 2 (5:31) Mrs. Farmer? Speaker 6 (5:32) Yes, what is it? Speaker 2 (5:33) I'd like to talk to you about your late husband. Speaker 6 (5:35) Are you from the police again? Speaker 2 (5:37) Well, I just left them, but this is my own idea. My name's Diamond. I'm a private detective. Speaker 6 (5:41) Oh? You working for the insurance company? Speaker 2 (5:43) No. Speaker 6 (5:44) Well, then just what do you want? I'm tired of questions about my husband's death. I've told the police and insurance company everything I know. Speaker 2 (5:50) Well, I know it's been difficult, but I won't take long, and there are a few things I'd really like to find out. Speaker 6 (5:55) Well, what are they? Speaker 2 (5:56) Do you know a Dr. Evans? Speaker 6 (5:58) Dr. Evans? No. No, I don't know any Dr. Evans. Speaker 2 (6:02) Your husband never mentioned him, said he knew him? Speaker 6 (6:04) No, he didn't. Besides, what does this doctor do with my husband? Speaker 2 (6:07) I don't know yet. You mentioned an insurance company. Was your husband insured, Mrs. Farmer? Speaker 6 (6:13) Yes, with the National Mutual. But if you're not working for the insurance company or the police, who are you working for? Speaker 2 (6:20) Me. Speaker 6 (6:20) You? Look, would you mind telling me what possible interest you could have in the death of my husband? Speaker 2 (6:25) Tell you the truth, I really don't know. But there are $1,200 mixed up in it somewhere, and that's enough to keep me well interested until I find some answers. Thank you, Mrs. Farmer. Speaker 3 (6:45) Hello, Rick. Speaker 2 (6:46) You see the wife? Yeah, lovely girl. I'd be like to bring home to mom. You find out anything? Nothing in the Speaker 3 (6:52) room to indicate the doctor was pushed out of the window. Speaker 2 (6:54) Mrs. Farmer didn't know the doctor. Her late husband didn't either. But she thought at first I was from an insurance company. What company? Oh, a National Mutual. Speaker 3 (7:05) Otis. Speaker 8 (7:06) Yeah, Lieutenant. Speaker 3 (7:07) Got the names of the officials in National Mutual? Speaker 1 (7:09) Yeah. Speaker 3 (7:10) Bring them in. Speaker 1 (7:10) Right. Speaker 3 (7:11) Why all the action? We checked with the dead doctor's nurse. She said aside from his regular practice, he worked for two or three big insurance firms. National Mutual was one of them. I didn't think of a connection then, but I made the check just in case. Well, George Farmer was burned to death. Speaker 2 (7:27) Dr. Evans knew something about Farmer. Farmer was insured with the National Mutual, and the doctor worked for National Mutual. Might be a tie-up. The vice president of National Speaker 3 (7:37) Mutual is Arthur Peterson. It's not too late. Let's take a run over to his house and see if he knows anything about it. Speaker 8 (7:52) Well, gentlemen, in answer to your questions, yes, we did insure the late George Farmer. And Dr. Evans does work for us. As to whether or not he was the doctor who examined Farmer, I really couldn't say. I'd have to check the files. Lieutenant, aren't you satisfied? You think there's something wrong? We don't know. Speaker 3 (8:12) Dr. Evans jumped or was pushed out of his office window this evening. Speaker 8 (8:17) Good Speaker 2 (8:17) Lord. He Speaker 3 (8:18) called Mr. Diamond here and indicated he knew something about Farmer's death. Speaker 2 (8:22) Have you settled the claim with Mrs. Farmer yet? No, Speaker 8 (8:24) but it's to be settled within the week. $25,000 policy. Speaker 2 (8:28) If someone could show your company that Farmer's death was no accident, there'd be a reward, wouldn't there? Speaker 8 (8:33) Yes. 10 % of the policy. In this case, 2,500. Half Speaker 2 (8:39) of that would be about 1 Speaker