Broadway's My Beat: The Ruth Nelson Murder Case

The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio| Daily Mystery Dramas

Detective Danny Clover investigates the brutal murder of Ruth Nelson, a woman released from prison only hours before her death. The investig

Key takeaways

• Ruth Nelson was murdered on the same day she was released from women's state prison after serving 30 years.
• The victim's original crime involved killing her husband with an axe.

Main topics

• Murder investigation
• Blackmail and secrets

Notable quotes

Broadway's My Beat, from Times Square to Columbus Circle. The gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world.

Conclusion

The episode serves as a classic noir study of how the pursuit of socia

Transcript preview

Speaker 7 (0:12) 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 Bait. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software, and you can support the show on a one-time basis using the Zelle app to box13 at greatdetectives.net and become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for as little as $2 per month. Just go to patreon.greatdetectives.net. But now, from October 11th, 1952... Here is the Ruth Nelson murder case. Speaker 1 (1:29) Broadway's My Beat, from Times Square to Columbus Circle. The gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world. Speaker 2 (1:42) Broadway's My Beat, with Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover. Speaker 1 (1:59) On the flow of October dusk, the sounds of Broadway are softer, fall gently on the ear. Through loudspeakers, the autumn songs filtered by electronics and darkening twilight. The voices that keened against day quieter now, and the walk is slower. The direction not yet decided upon. The in-between time. The time for the conjuring of images remembered and sought for. Speaker 1 (2:24) And night hits. Night mushrooms and the street rocks. So start running, kid. Refuge waits in a neon doorway. Speaker 1 (2:37) And night has a good hold now in the street of the rooming house where autumn wind quick strokes the light of street lamp across scarred brownstone, across the faces of kids clustered in their night game. Upstairs from that, a room where I was, Detective Muggerman, and a woman dead of the deep knife in her. Speaker 2 (2:54) It's a place to die, huh, Danny? This room, the way it's furnished, no extras, just the necessities. The bed, washstand, chest of drawers, hot plate behind the screen. Did you find out who she is? Yeah, Super told me. Said she answered the room to let sign in his window around noon. Paid a week's rent in advance. Gave her name as Mrs. Ruth Nelson. Around 55 to 60, I'd say, Danny. Her hands worked hard. This dress she's got on, mission salvage type. What could a woman like this do that'd make someone stick a knife in her? A Speaker 1 (3:26) suitcase in the bureau mug, I mean, you've looked at it? Not Speaker 2 (3:28) yet. Speaker 1 (3:28) Open it, look in it. Yeah. Couple Speaker 2 (3:34) more dresses like the one she has on. With some nice underclothes. Tortoise shell comb, hair pins. There's some papers here in one of the pockets. Take a look down here. Speaker 1 (3:48) Release and discharge from women's state prison fire. Speaker 2 (3:51) Notice a date here, the time this lady was let out of stare? Speaker 1 (3:54) Yeah, today, this morning, 8 a.m. Speaker 2 (3:56) Hits this room at noon, lives in it a while. Same night, dies in it, gets killed in it. A day she must have marked with a red circle on the calendar. Speaker 1 (4:06) Let's look around some more, Am I Speaker 2 (4:07) right? Speaker 1 (4:13) And it becomes this, violence in a narrow room and the two men who move through it. And this, night and dust in corners and far away behind a crack in a window that cuts it in half, a rind of yellow moon hung on a drifting cloud. City and pale light and dust and death. To make notes on it, give it to Detective Mugovan and get out. Get out and go where the bed is. Give yourself up to it and go after this night's version of sleep. And finally give that up, too, because then it's morning. Back to headquarters, check in. Then the long ride upstate to the woman's prison farm. And in the warden's office, the woman who shakes your hand and takes your hat touches at her graying hair and points at a leather chair for you. Named Miss Fembris. Speaker 8 (5:01) And now we can talk. Speaker 1 (5:02) It's about Ruth Nelson, Miss Fembris. Speaker 8 (5:04) Ruth Nelson? I don't understand. She was released yesterday. It Speaker 1 (5:09) was in this morning's papers. What was? She was found murdered last night. Speaker 8 (5:14) Oh. That's ironic, isn't it? Speaker 1 (5:17) It is. Speaker 8 (5:18) I would say so. A woman who spends 30 years in a penal institution is finally... 30 Speaker 1 (5:23) years? Speaker 8 (5:24) Is finally released and is murdered. Why? What happened? Speaker 1 (5:29) We only know that she was here at the present time, Miss Fembre. She was murdered, and we want to know why. Speaker 8 (5:35) Well, it is an impasse, isn't it? You want to know why, and I want to know why. What shall we do now? Speaker 1 (5:41) She was here for 30 years. On what charge? Speaker 8 (5:44) Murder. She did a thing to her husband with an axe. Speaker 1 (5:47) I see. Is there anything you know of, anything, Miss Fembre, something that happened here in your room? Speaker 8 (5:53) Institution? Nothing. I knew Ruthie quite well. A model detentionee. She left yesterday with silk underwear that the girls bought for her. Speaker 1 (6:03) I'd like to see your institutional records on her, Miss Fembris. Speaker 8 (6:06) Sick call, do you mean? That sort of thing? Speaker 1 (6:08) No, I... Speaker 8 (6:08) I'm afraid that's about all you'll find, Miss Clover. There was a fire 20 years ago here in this spot. On Halloween night in 1932, somehow the prison farm got burned down. Much before my time, but I understand it was arson. However, records of detention ease before that date are very incomplete. Again, however, there is only one other person who has been here for 20 years, so it doesn't make much difference. Does it? Does it, Mr. Clover? Speaker 1 (6:35) And there's nothing you can tell me that would help to... Does Speaker 8 (6:38) it, Mr. Clover? Speaker 1 (6:40) No. Speaker 8 (6:42) And there's this you should know. I tell you now because it's the progression. Ruthie had a visitor a few days ago. Oh? Speaker 1 (6:49) I'd like to... I Speaker 8 (6:50) know. Here. Speaker 8 (6:55) Visitor, Louise Downey. Address, 595 East 74th Street. Nature of visit, to arrange a place of residence for Ruth Nelson. Speaker 1 (7:04) May I have that card, Miss Fembers? Please. By all means. Speaker 8 (7:08) Take it. Speaker 2 (7:21) Miss Louise Downey? Yes, sir, we have Miss Downey lives here. I'd Speaker 1 (7:24) like to see her. Speaker 2 (7:25) Well, she ain't here. She ain't Speaker 1 (7:26) been in for Speaker 2 (7:26) two days. I'd be happy to put a note in the box if you can. I'm from the police. It's Speaker 1 (7:29) important that I talk to her. Where can I find her? Speaker 2 (7:32) You trying to place a business? Whenever she stays away for two or three days at a time, it's a place of business. Speaker 1 (7:36) Which is what? Speaker 2 (7:37) Secretary. Confidential secretary for the Jonathan Harts, you know. Speaker 1 (7:40) No, I don't know. Speaker 2 (7:41) No? The Fifth Avenue Jonathan Harts. Now you know. Wait here. I'll fetch your address exactly. Speaker 1 (7:50) And the address the man has given you is marble columns soft glowing in the moonlight dedicated to Upper Fifth Avenue. And the night stillness is very special, mansions in autumn type. And slender shadows moving on lace. And the butler open door makes a sudden spill of light on granite stoop that stands erect from coarser pavement. And he poses the question of identity on a share-the-secret basis. And you give him the answer. And for a fleeting instant, his aplomb is stunned. But he recovers, bids your patience, closes the door and shuts the light spill from you. And wait against autumn night. And in a while, the door is opened again and you're ushered into a room where carpet flows against your ankle, where there are hangings of brilliant silk, mist reflected in antique mirrors flecked with gold. And leaning against the mantle, a fellow in tweed and flannel, drink in one hand and a woman's hand in the other. Speaker 4 (8:42) You like it? Speaker 1 (8:43) What? Speaker 4 (8:44) Oh, Jonathan, he doesn't like it. Speaker 1 (8:47) Of course Speaker 5 (8:47) he does. How could he possibly not? Look, I don't... Jonathan Speaker 4 (8:50) racked his noble brain for the proper pose and attitude for the receiving of a policeman, and this is what he came up with, and you hate it. Speaker 1 (8:57) I Speaker 4 (8:57) think it's... You hate it. That's settled. Let go of my hand, Jonathan. Thank you, dear. Sip your drink, dear. Jonathan does this for kicks, you know. Kicks and small gifties. Oh? He figures it gives our life stature. Uh-huh. He poses for aristocratic ads. What was it today, dear? Saddles or Jaguars? Speaker 5 (9:16) I'm sure the fellow isn't interested one bit. Of course Speaker 4 (9:19) he isn't interested one bit. What are you interested in, Mr. Clover? Speaker 1 (9:23) Louise Downey. I was told she worked for you. Is she here?