Danger with Grainger: Counterfeit Plates (EP4906)

It's the most wonderful time of the year. Bookers, are you ready for the drop? Cos on the beach you're dropping... Puk-Puk Pukks! It's Puka Five Star holiday for 2026 and you get a free loan jagsess perk. So get booking now. Conditions apply. Seven-night minimum stay, outbound only from slated airports for up to six people, subject to lounge availability, excludes cruises after an atoll protected. Oh dear, my small business-owning friend, you never grow good business with bad website. I know, but it's really hard. Do not do the despairing. Try Ayonos. Let clever thinking AI build your smart-looking professional website that is optimized for mobile in no time and use its many tools to get your business growing. Super quick. Nice. No, my darlings. This is nice, nice, nice. Try Ayonos. Your digital partner at Ayonos.co.uk. Welcome to the great detectives of Old Time Radio from Voice the Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we are going to bring you this week's episode of Danger with Granger. But first, today's program is brought to you by the financial support of our listeners. You can support the show on a one-time basis by mailing a donation to Adam Graham, P.O. Box 15913, that's P.O. Box 15913, Voice the Idaho 83715. Thank you to Valerie and Carolyn for supporting the program that way. You can also become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for as little as $2 per month by going to patreon.greatdetectives.net. And I wanna welcome our latest Patreon supporter, Gary, Gary supporting the podcast at the Shalmas level of $4 or more per month. And thank Pam, who has upgraded her support from the Shalmas level to the Detective Sergeant level of $7.14 or more per month. Thanks so much for your support. Well, now it's time for this week's episode, Counterfeit Plates. Danger with Granger. Hi, Annette. How do you do, Mitch? We wanna talk to you, Annette. Of course, come in. You got a nice party in that. Glad you like it. See, you still do a little engraving, too. Oh, that, I was working on a design for a coupon, that wanted to be included in a sofa wrapper. Mitch, what have I done? Why, you slapped me, Matt. Where are they? They? What is this there you speak of? I'm on that. We haven't got all day. Where are the plates? For the coupons? I've not started them yet, here. You see, this is just the design I've made up. Okay, Matt, you can cut the fairytales. How much? How much for what? We got a tip, Matt. You're back in business again. We'll pay money, good money for that set of plates. How much? I think you better leave. Of course, if money doesn't make you talk, Matt, there are other ways. Like this. This is Steve Granger, private detective, with a story about a character who had ideas about going for a killing. The killing got there first. In just a moment, I'll take you back to one of my most interesting cases. This is Granger. I was seated in my office, feeling calm, peaceful, full of goodwill. Why not? The rent had been paid for two months in advance, and nobody had been using my thoughts over a target lately. I had plans for a pleasant evening. The plans disappeared, and the shrill of my phone. Hello. Steve Granger? Yeah, who is that? This is Ned, the printer. What's wrong, Ned? Come down here right away. 24-10 is 13th in the basement, and bring a doctor. Matt! Holy... What happened? They came and took my plates. You've got to get them back for me. Take it easy, Matt. The doc should be here any minute. But you've got to find those plates. What plates? I always want to make a pair of perfect ones. I finished them this afternoon, and made one print. Granger, I did it. Uh-oh. Count the plates again, huh? You've got to get them back, Granger. I did it only for a hobby. That kind of hobby got you ten years in a pen. Who cut you up like this, Ned? Who taught you to... It was Mitch. Mitch? What's his last name? I don't know. He's been coming around for some time. I found out that what I was doing... Was he alone? Another man. Or... He looked like big money. What was his name? I... I don't know. He just stood there and watched. He was... enjoying himself. I wonder what happened to that doctor. Granger... Got anything in the medicine chest? Maybe I can ease your pain a little. Nothing, Granger. Just get... Get back my plates. GUNSHOT GUNSHOT GUNSHOT Knap the printer closed his eyes for the last time. I picked up his phone, called the police department, and then, because the government boys would be interested in Knap's plates, made a call to a friend of mine named Ed. He was there in five minutes. Hey... Somebody really gave it to him, didn't they? Yeah. Before he died, Knap mentioned one name. Mitch. Mitch. Doesn't mean much he say anything else. He mentioned there was another man in the party, an older guy. Looks like he had money. No names. Right. You look around this place? No, I thought I'd wait for you. It'll be your baby if the man has stole those plates, starts using them. Another day, another counterfeiter. Well, fellas, you find out anything about the crime. I'm not here to see you, bud, and how did you get in here? Oh, I'm with the news. I heard there might be a yarn down here. Well, there isn't. Oh, now, don't give me that. Aren't you a government man? I said there is no story down here. And the guy in the couch. Looks like he's suffering from murder. Look, bud, get out of here. We've got a lot to do. My paper won't light for you. I'm not worried about your paper now. Will you beat it? Yeah, sure. If that's the way you feel. See ya... Hey, hey. Aren't you Granger, the private eye? So what? There must be quite a deal. The cops, government men, even the private eye. Goodbye. I always welcome a chance to work with a government boy, so when Ed suggested I check with him later in the day, I agreed. Also, I wanted a chance to get next to this Mitch, the man who tortured Nat the printer. I'd like to own that, even if he was a counterfeit artist. However, I had a conversation that was taking place in another part of town just then. I might not have been so eager. Well, what did you find out? I went back and pretended I was a newspaper man. Wasn't that dangerous? You have no credentials. Well, who cares about credentials? I found out something. Nat wasn't dead when we left. But I thought... Yeah, so did I. But he lived long enough to call that private detective Steve Granger. Seems that Nat knew Granger. He told him my first name before he died. We'll have to do something about Granger. Oh, no more killing. We killed Granger. We could get into trouble. He's got plenty of friends. Don't worry. I think I know just how to handle Mr. Granger. I'll continue with this interesting story in a minute. I was sitting in my office, checking with people in Manhattan who might know somebody named Mitch. So far, it come up with 50 men by that name. None of them the right one. Then the man walked in. Strictly Wall Street. Gray business suit, Hamburg. And a million dollars worth of a plum. Mr. Granger, you have been recommended to me. Thanks. Who did the recommending? And why? I have a delicate matter on my hand. It concerns my daughter. She's young, headstrong. She's in Philadelphia. Nice combination. I want her brought back to New York. But tactfully, of course. It'll be more explicit, Mr. My daughter is in love with a young man there. Your views have to come home. I want her brought back. She over 21? She's 22. I'm afraid she's mistress of her own future. It's nothing you can build. I thought that perhaps you could induce her, shall we say, to return. If I try to induce her, as you say, then she resented it. I could wind up in a Philadelphia pokey. I'm afraid I'll have to turn you down. You're me, that's most unfortunate. Couldn't I urge you to change your mind? Not just this minute, no. However, I might reconsider. In case you should, Mr. Granger, my card. Goodbye. I waited the proper length of time, after which I set sail a stern of the portly gent. I stayed 10 feet behind him, keeping an eye on his humbling hat, stuck out of the rest of the crowd. Hey, Granger, you're just the guy I want to see. I've got nothing to do with this. Listen, I want the answer to a very important question. Well, you let go of me. I'm trying to keep an eye on somebody. A few seconds in which I was delayed by the reporter, enabled Mr. Hamburg to be swallowed up in the crowd. And when I turned around to do a little verbal pasting of the reporter, he disappeared too. I fished out the car the pompous character had left with me. It gave the name of Henry Glazer, and the address, when I found it, turned out to be an automobile dealer. But it also turned out that Henry Glazer at that address bore no resemblance whatsoever to the guy in the Hamburg hat. My deductive powers were really working that morning. It didn't take me more than 10 minutes to figure out that I'd been fooled. I left the place, wondering why Mr. Hamburg had it lied to me. Then I got that feeling up and down my spine, and realized I was wearing more tails than a mink's sole. I couldn't catch a glimpse of my follower, but I decided to make a small detour on my way back to the office, and call in on my friend, Cal Hendricks. Well, well, how's the peripatetic private eye this fine morning? Hey, that's a $25 word. I'm only a $20 detective. Peripatetic simply means walking from place to place. Yeah, well, walking is something I'm not too fond of right now. I've got company. Someone on your tail? Yeah. I mean, keeping one eye over my shoulder, one across the street, and one when I could see it in front of me. Something brewing, huh? Yeah, huh. I got a call from Matt the printer. I thought he'd gone out of business. He has. As of today. Somebody wanted a set of plates he'd made, and they weren't too squeamish about how they got them. Don't tell me I've got a tender stomach. Just keep your ears flapping and see what you can pick up, Cal. My friend, you may have three eyes, but I don't have fingers on my ears. However, I shall attempt to ascertain whatever information is available. Well, if you get any, just be a good guy and translate it before you pass it on. I was feeling kind of dizzy from Mr. Hendrick's verbal gymnastics, so I nearly walked straight into the lobby of my office building without looking. It was lucky I didn't, because the lobby was currently being inhabited by someone I didn't want to meet, one of the local gun boys. And it was a cinch I was his target for today. I beat it round to the back entrance, hoping there wasn't another one stashed there. There wasn't. I waited till the gun boy moved towards the street entrance, then I made my break up the stairs into my office. I made straight for my phone and put in a call. Hello. Ed, this is Granger. Oh, hi, Guncule. How do you feel? Out of an a bride's burned broccoli. What's with me anyway? Who hates me? Don't be concerned, Granger. You had a man or two telling you, but we protected you. Maybe any of the men who were after me. No, but we will next time. Well, here we go again. Hey, somebody's coming down the hall, Ed. What, your office? Yeah. Looks like a woman threw the glass. Now listen, I'll unlock the door and let her in. I'll put a paper over the telephone so she won't notice it's off the hook. That way you can get an earful, in case she's got anything to do with the canopy plates. Right. One second. Let me in quick. Sure, baby. Why did you lock that door? For my own protection. What's on your mind? There was something stolen today from a man named Nat. Do I make myself clear? You're doing the talking. Would you like to get back what was stolen? Little lady, before this aural shenanigan goes any farther, let me explain. I'm not the literate type. Any talking you do do it in simple, direct words. Now if I what was stolen, you mean counterfeit $20 place. Say so. Well, I suppose I do. I don't want to suppose anything. You came up here. You do the talking. Well, would you like to get back the counterfeit plates? Have you got them? No, but I can arrange for them to be handed to you. Tonight. Just what part do you play? I'm just a messenger. Okay, beautiful. I'll take those plates tonight. If you hand them to me in person. Be down at pier seven. You know where that is? Up Cortland Street. Yeah. And it's plenty dark down there. You won't be heard. Be there at eight o'clock. That's a large pier, any special place? Directly in front of the entry. That shouldn't be hard to find. Thanks. I'll see you then. And by the way, the people who sent me told me to tell you this. Don't tell anyone where you're going. I wouldn't dream of it. I'll see you at eight. And by the way, who are you? Nobody. So tonight, Mr. Greenhill. A friendly type. Is still there, Ed? Yeah, I've got the lot. And don't worry. We'll get those birds tonight. Ed sounded very confident, but I wasn't so sure. The whole setup felt phony. There were too many mysterious elements floating around. And there's this one thing I don't like. It's the floating mysterious element. You only have to hit it hard enough, and you're liable to find yourself sunk. And just a minute, I'll bring you the climax of the case. I hung up after talking to the government man, feeling that maybe his confidence was not in his place. Maybe tonight would tie up this peculiar business of the missing counterfeit plates. But just as I was thinking these happier thoughts, my door opened. Granger. Oh, so you came back. Our arrangement was that you wouldn't tell anyone where you were going. I didn't. No. But it was just a matter of time before I knew it. I was going to the police station. I was going to the police station. I didn't. No. But it was very convenient for you to have the telephone hidden under the newspaper, so you wouldn't notice it was off the hook. Oh. I didn't trust you, Granger. I came back and listened to the door to make a certain. Oh, what now? I don't know. I'll have to make sure you keep your part of the bargain. You may hear from me later. I didn't know what the girl meant by bargain. So I got on the phone and told Ed the government man what had taken place. He was as despondent as I, but nothing could be done for the moment. I killed several hours watching the minute hand on my office clock make the rounds. At eight o'clock, things started to pop. Hello? Granger? Yeah? Will you give me your word that you won't have yourself covered if I make another date with you? Where and when? Oh, no. Your word first. Okay, you've got it. The same things I mentioned earlier. One hour from now. Walk down the street from the north towards the pier. I'll be waiting. When the girl hung up, I got out my gun, looked it over carefully. Then because I'm the cautious type, I oiled a small part here and there. Finally, I replaced all the cartridges and as an extra precaution, dropped a few spares in my jacket pocket. Here seven was occupied by a Freya wearing rusty sides, dribbling a small plume of smoke from a stack and dirty water from a side. As I near the entrance, I could spot an occasional figure moving about the deck. I wondered if the girl could have come from there. Granger? Hello? Over here. You've got a minute. Okay, I'll be right back. You've got them? Here, here, take them. Thanks, baby. Mind if I unwrap this package and make sure you're not kidding me? Go ahead, but hurry. Okay. Guess you are on the level. Mind explaining why you turned these over to me. You know why. Goodbye, Granger. Hey, hey, wait a minute. Get back! Quick, here! Hurry! Granger, they shot at me. Yeah, and they shot at me too. We're over in that doorway, two of them. I've got to get out of here. Oh, no, you don't. We're leaving together. There's a police car heading this way. It should worry him enough to give us our chance. As the police siren came nearer, the guys were looking for the police. They took a chance and beat it round the corner. Well, lucky enough to pick up a passing cabin. Ten minutes later, we were in a secluded booth in the back of a midtown restaurant. Now, baby, what's all this about? Your pals tried to shoot you down. Why? I don't know. Honestly, I don't. I did everything the men told me. Who are these men? How come they told you to come to me? They said that you were holding my uncle. That you wanted to counterfeit $20 plates. That if I gave them to you, you'd let him go. Then who is this uncle? Uncle Matt. Uncle Matt. You mean Matt the printer? Of course. Baby, don't you read the newspapers? Why? Matt died this morning in his basement apartment on 13th Street. He'd been tortured the night. Who said that? When you say they, is one of them an older man who wears a gray business suit in the Hamburg half, his name isn't Glazer. How did you know? And the other one. Is he called Mitch? Yes. The police want Mitch, little lady. He's the one who killed your uncle Matt. Matt told me before he died. You're not lying. I can prove that. Then why did they give back the plates? And why did they shoot at me? Why the two men? That must have been the well-dressed men. And Mitch had tried to kill both of us. But just as much of a mystery to me. Rita Swanson and I got another taxi cab and went down to Church Street to see Ed. First he printed the counterfeit $20 bill from the plates I gave him. Well, here's your sample. Oh, no, Ed. Not anything that bad. I agree. Matt the printer was a real crapsman. These plates print like the engraver used a crowbar. That's a good idea. It wouldn't get past a five-year-old child. That is that. Now, Miss Swanson, I'll get a stenographer in here to take down your statement. You willing? Of course. When Rita Swanson started talking, I heard a lot of things that hadn't been explained before. Also, the set-up she revealed was a honey for passing counterfeit $20 bill. And I'm sure you'll remember that. I'm sure you'll remember that. I've never seen anything like it before. Also, the set-up she revealed was a honey for passing counterfeit money in New York. And the reason for killing the girl and me became obvious. What are you talking about, Grange? The girl hands me the plates, right? And we're both knocked off. The plates are in opposition when our bodies are found. That puts our two friends in the clear to stop using the plates Matt made. The good ones. What a place to pass counterfeit money. They get away with that. Requires a license, you know. Yeah, one of my men's checking the license bureau now. I will get you a ten-and-a-half license. They never stand in investigation. Well, that's not what bothers me. But how to get them start passing the bills does. I think I got it, Ed. Miss Swanson and I are at Bellevue Hospital. Condition critical. Guards at door. Go on. Issue a bulletin to the papers. All of a sudden, we both take a turn for the worse. We die. That disposes of the only two witnesses. Yeah, get on with it right away. And tell the newspaper boys I don't mind dying on paper. Ed set the stage as carefully as for a Broadway play. A spotter watched the two men operate their theater ticket agency. One that catered mainly to out of towners. Two days later, the trap was baited. It was late afternoon after the banks had closed. A government man posing as a tourist approached the ticket agency. A big window opened on a main hallway of the building the agency occupied. How do you do, sir? What can we do for you? Well, I was wondering, what about some seats for my fair lady? My fair lady? Did it take its next summer? All. All but my wife and I will be here only this week. I'd pay almost anything. Almost anything? Yes, even scalpers prices. I'm sorry, we are a licensed and recognized ticket agency. However, under the circumstances I could ask around, perhaps I could obtain a pair at slightly over normal price? Slightly. About $35? That is $35 each. Oh, my. Oh, yes. Well, my wife said not to come back to the theater. Well, my wife said not to come back to the hotel without them. So I guess I'd better get them. Very well, sir. That will be $70 in advance. Oh, in advance. Yes, thank you. The ticket you'll be waiting here for, you in one hour. Oh, thank you. Oh, can you change a hundred? A hundred? Yes, certainly, sir. Here you are, sir, your receipt. Present it when you pick up the ticket. And your change. $70, $100. Oh, thank you. Let's go, Ranger. Just a minute, fella. Well, why? What's wrong? The United States government. Here, let me see that $20 bill. Stand still, Merling. What are you doing? Shut up, buddy. Ranger! Yeah, alive and aching to be kicking. You. You saw this bill passed, Ranger. I did. Merling, you'll have to come with me. You're under arrest. Passing counterfeit money. As they say, Merling, I was just going to... Ranger! Well, well, our reporter friend, alias the mysterious Mitch, I presume. Come here, pal, I want you. I don't think so. I do. Nice work, Ranger. You're coming along with me and these two birds? But obviously... Well, friends, that's the story. I'll be back to wrap up the case in just a minute. Merling, the big one, and Mitch, the wounded one, were taken places by Ed, the government man, and locked up. I went along. When things had been settled, got out of there. I wanted to break the news to Rita Swanson. Ranger, did it work? Went off like a $3 alarm clock, baby. Merling and Mitch are in jail. For Uncle Matt's murder? Presently, for counterfeiting. But the government and the local police will know how to get together on a matter. I hope they both go to the chair. They're within walking distance now. They look great up on the witness chair. Thanks. Yes, sir. You'll do all right. I'd feel better if I were occupying another chair right now. Another chair? Where? In a restaurant. I'm hungry. Oh, I think I get it. And I just love to have you with me. I know. Paying the check. Steve Granger again. You just heard one of the most interesting cases in my file. I'll have another one for you. So be around next time. Welcome back. I'm Steve Granger. I'm a former director of the company. I'm a former director of the company. I'm a former director of the company. I'm a former director of the company. I'm a former director of the company. I'm a former director of the company. I'm a former director of the company. I'm a former director of the company. I'm a former director of the company. I'm a former director of the company. I'm a former director of the company. I'm a former director of the company. Welcome back. Well, I know that it was not in line with his profession, but Printer Knapp should have taken a page from Barton Drake and shows mystery rather than designing the perfect counterfeit plates as his hobby. I personally prefer hobbies that won't land me in a federal penitentiary for the rest of my life. But that's just me. Now, this is one of those cases, and there are a lot of them where adding scenes with the criminals doesn't do anything to add to the story, at least on Boston Black, your file of events. You get colorful characters coming up with some verbal tech because they can't stand no mistakes or whatever. But here it just means the mystery is getting somewhat blunted since we already know stuff about the criminals involved here. Now, one might be tempted to call out Granger's slang of a $25 word as inaccurate since the saying is usually a $10 word. However, parapatetic is really a lot bigger than your typical $10 entry. So I think it's warranted. If it's a $25 word, I think that if it was a $10 word, you probably have to adjust for inflation. Now, also, while parapatetic originally referred to walking, in the modern usage, it just means traveling from place to place. In fact, I used to live a parapatetic life when my dad was traveling all over the country with us. Certainly, we have many people listening who are parapatetic. And now you can say that, probably better than I have been doing. All thanks to Cal wanting to show off his education and vocabulary. On another linguistic-related note, I have to say that I've enjoyed some of Granger's similes this week. They're not pat Novak for higher level. They tend to be pretty solid. And my favorite of this week was it went off like a $3 alarm clock. And in the mid-1950s, $3 would buy you a decent alarm clock. So that definitely works. I do want to go ahead and let you know that we are actually nearing the end of Danger with Granger. I believe we will be out of episodes in about three weeks. It's a little bit too tell because of the labeling of some of the programs, but I think we are looking at three more episodes. And then coming in four weeks, we are going to go through a series we've done previously. And my Patreon supporters decided what Monday series we're doing again. And it is going to be The Saint. So tune in for that coming up in four weeks. Listener comments and feedback now and we start with Valerie who writes, Hi Adam, I listen to your shows via my Sirius XM app. I especially like your truly Johnny doll or dragnet. Let George do it. Love ball Bailey Sherlock Holmes and more. Thank you for the great programs and interesting discussions. Thank you so much Valerie. And then I have a comment over on Spotify. And this one comes from Mechanic66 who writes regarding the seafarer mystery. 210 pounds isn't that big. And the saying goes, the bigger they are, the harder they fall. I think 210 pounds is not particularly hefty today. But I think that both in terms of muscle and in terms of being overweight, big people today, your average larger person is larger than the person who would have been around in the 1940s and 50s. So 200 pounds, lots of muscle, probably a lot more impressive in the mid 1950s than today. And then I have a comment from Seysoft regarding the episode, the wandering weapon case. Hey Adam, in addition to the problems you cited with Rankin, there's another problem that's common with a lot of old time radio detective shows. It's that whenever there's a shooting and someone appears to have been framed for it, nobody ever thinks to do a paraffin test on the subject's hands to see if he or she had recently fired a gun. I would think that would be basic routine police work in these type of cases. But apparently not in the world of detective fiction. Fair point, the thing with a paraffin test though is that you can fool it if you used gloves when doing the shooting. In addition, the paraffin test is really only effective for three days after the killing. So there are big limits on it where I think it could be very exculpatory is if you found fingerprints on the gun and were able to run the paraffin test within a reasonable amount of time and then you didn't find paraffin residue. And certainly there are cases where it could be suggestive of having fired a gun, but even then that's not conclusive, particularly if you can come up with some other reason that you might have the residue there. Like if you went to a shooting range. So I think there are some limitations with that particular test. I don't know how much it would have told in this particular incident, but thanks so much for the comment. Alright, well now it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day and I want to thank Andrew, Patreon supporter since August 2021 currently supporting the podcast at the shawmous level of $4 or more per month. Thanks so much for your support Andrew and that will do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software and be sure to rate and review the podcast wherever you download it from. We'll be back next Monday with another episode of danger with Granger, but join us back here tomorrow for the big story where I hope you'll be with us then in the meantime, send your comments to box 13 at great detectives.net. Follow us on Twitter and radio detectives and check us out on Instagram, Instagram.com slash great detectives from Boise, Idaho. This is your host Adam Graham, signing off. Granger is your trusted partner offering the products you need all in one place from HVAC and plumbing supplies to lighting and more and all delivered with plenty of time left on the clock. So your team always gets the win. Call 1-800-GRANGER, visit Granger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done. And knows there's no time for managing multiple suppliers and no room for shipping delays. That's why Granger offers millions of products and fast dependable delivery so you can keep your facility stocked safe and running smoothly. Call 1-800-GRANGER, click Granger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done. Granger is your trusted partner offering the products you need all in one place from HVAC and plumbing supplies to lighting and more and all delivered with plenty of time left on the clock. So your team always gets the win. Call 1-800-GRANGER, visit Granger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done.