Broadway's My Beat: The Harry Moore Murder Case (EP5048)

The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio| Daily Mystery Dramas

In this episode of 'Broadway's My Beat,' Detective Danny Clover investigates the murder of Harry Moore, a construction contractor found dead

Key takeaways

• Harry Moore was last seen walking skid row, suggesting he may have been involved in personal or financial troubles.

Main topics

• Murder investigation on Broadway
• Alibi verification and timeline reconstruction

Notable quotes

"This man told me. Harry's going away and never coming back. And I must be very brave about it."

Conclusion

The investigation reveals that Harry Moore had been seen in a bar days before his death, suggesting he

Transcript preview

Speaker 2 (0:06) © BF-WATCH TV 2021 Speaker 8 (0:28) Welcome to The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio. From Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're going to bring you this week's episode of Broadway's My Beat. But first, I want to encourage you, if you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. Today's program is brought to you in part by the financial support of our listeners, and you can support the podcast... on a one-time basis using the Zelle app to box13atgreatdetectives.net. Thank you to Amir for supporting the program that way. And you can also become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for as little as $2 per month at patreon.greatdetectives.net. But now, from June 2nd, 1952, here is the Harry Moore murder case. Broadway's Speaker 7 (1:40) My Beat, from Times Square to Columbus Circle, the gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world. Broadway's My Beat, the exciting drama of people who walk the Great White Way, with Larry Thor as Detective Danny Speaker 6 (2:00) Clover. Speaker 7 (2:12) The miracle of June slips down over Broadway like a golden gauze, and the street slows down for the burst of sun. It's the time of vacation schedules posted near the water cooler, and the words, the magic names, Catskill, Far Rockaway, Atlantic City. And you wonder how she'll come to you this year. On a sand dune of portable radio, or with a tennis racket and golden legs, or on a horse. It's the time to turn on the dream. Cotton candy time and carnival. Bleachers and hot dog with everything time. It's happened. It's here again. It's June. Speaker 7 (2:53) And in the afternoon in the East 60s, June gets an assist from the management. White stock and bowls on the lobby desk. Gladiola and vases on corridor tables. And ended abruptly at the doorway number 312, where death had intruded. Where I was. Where Detective Muggerman was. This Speaker 5 (3:09) man was found Speaker 7 (3:10) here in his living room by a newsboy, Danny. The kid I talked to. The door to this apartment opened? Speaker 5 (3:14) Uh-huh. Left the money for the week's paper delivery on that table right inside the door. Kid would pick up the money, lock the door on his way out. No money left today, so the kid walked in a little way, and so... Speaker 7 (3:29) Shot up close with what's like a .38 caliber. Yeah, Speaker 5 (3:33) about that. Been dead about two hours, huh? Places time of shooting around 3 o'clock. You know who Speaker 7 (3:38) this man is? Speaker 5 (3:39) Sure, positive identification. Name is Harry Moore, age 41, construction contractor. Firm of Moore and Nelson. No financial worries, no known enemies, no... That's real good, Markovan. How'd you find out so soon? His wife. She's in there. She see it happen? No, she came in here a few minutes after I got here. Let's talk to her. Sure. Speaker 5 (4:00) Mrs. Moore? Mrs. Moore? This Speaker 7 (4:05) is Lieutenant Clover, Mrs. Moore. He'd like to speak to you. Speaker 1 (4:07) Well, you can't come in here. This is my bedroom. Speaker 7 (4:10) I'd just like to ask you a few questions, that's all. I Speaker 1 (4:12) feel very much better, thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Speaker 5 (4:18) Huh? Mrs. Moore was at a tea lunch in Danny. She told me where. Mrs. Moore had six cocktails. Speaker 1 (4:24) I think it was only five. I was going to tell you because I don't want to lie to any policeman in the world. Speaker 7 (4:30) About your husband, Mrs. Moore... Speaker 1 (4:32) Harry's dead. This man told me. Harry's going away and never coming back. And I must be very brave about it. Speaker 7 (4:41) Do you have any idea why... And someday, Speaker 1 (4:43) if I'm very good, I'll see Harry again. Speaker 7 (4:46) That's the kind of answers Speaker 5 (4:47) I've been getting, Danny. She doesn't look real drunk. You feel fine, huh, Mrs. Moore? Heads not spinning, nothing like that? Speaker 1 (4:53) Fine. Clear-headed. Oh, I'm not drunk, if that's what you mean. Not at all. I know what being drunk's like. It... Speaker 7 (5:04) Yes? Speaker 1 (5:06) I do feel a little dizzy. And I know why. Harry's not with me anymore. Harry's dead. And I know it. And I know it. And I've got to think about it. She Speaker 7 (5:28) turns away from you. The motion, tenuous, suspended, dance-like. Then the sudden twist and contortion as the sobbing wells like something from childhood. Watch her as she moves swiftly to a couch, throws herself onto it, meets her sobbing in a silken pillow, and ebbs from her. Then she's still and sleeps. This is the escape of the dead. Speaker 7 (5:57) Leave there. Leave now to check an alibi. Learn that Vivi Moore had attended a wives and girls tea luncheon from one until four. The cocktails had been served and poor Vivi had got tipsy and giggly and had to be put in a cab and told the way home. And thank the woman who was bored and exhausted with having arranged it all for the wives and girls. Then to the construction firm of Moore and Nelson and the information from a weary draftsman that he was overworked, that Mr. Nelson was supervising the current job at 30th and East River. Out in the sun. Then the skeleton of steel patterned and laced and riveted against the backdrop of river. The man with the straw hat tilted far back on his head. Speaker 3 (6:36) Yeah, I'm Nelson, Steve Nelson. Got something I can do for you? Police, Mr. Nelson. One of my boys, huh? Rough crew. Flusty. I'll go bail for any one of them. Pick them out and bring them to me. I'll go as well. Not Speaker 4 (6:48) the crew. Speaker 3 (6:49) Harry Moore. I'll do likewise for him. Anytime, any day. Gotta tell you, though, as long as I know him, you're the first cop that ever said Harry Moore to me. That gonna do him any good? Speaker 7 (6:59) No. He's dead. He's been murdered. We found him in his apartment, shot with a .38. We figured it happened to him around 3 this afternoon. Speaker 3 (7:09) 3 this p.m. I was up 40 stories. There. You have a gun, Mr. Nelson? No gun. But ask my boys. They'll tell you I've got a whip studded with hot rivets. They talk like that, and I'm so good to them. I ought to tell you something, Mr. Clover. What? About Harry. Not really any of my business. No skin off of my back. Tell Speaker 7 (7:28) me Speaker 3 (7:28) what? About Harry. About how for a week now, maybe ten days, my boy's been leaving me alone to handle this job. Hasn't showed up at all. I couldn't figure it. Harry's the type of guy who was always right in there, made with a rivet gun, with advice, with bandages, when somebody was hurt. Couldn't figure it until... Until what? One of my boys, one of the crew, spied Harry walking skid row. You know, the bar ain't... Goes to show you're never alone in this town. Harry walks skid row, there's always a guy to tell you about, a slumber guy. You know what he was doing there? Worried me, too. So one night I went down, cornered Harry in a bar, said, Look, pal. That's as far as I got. Look, pal, I said, and then I dried up because I figure Harry's life is Harry's life. We were partners, not man and wife. I bought him a drink and said, See you, pal, and walked up. You know his Speaker 7 (8:17) wife? Speaker 3 (8:18) Vivi? Yeah, I know her. You know her?