Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Philo Vance: Tree Trunk Murder Case 11/23/1948
06 Jun 2026
Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
Chapter 1: What is the premise of the Tree Trunk Murder Case?
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Can't you go any faster, driver? We've got a train to catch.
You'll make it, Mac. Don't worry.
Relax, Markham. There's really no use in starting off a vacation weekend by worrying about anything. You know, Vance, I still don't believe we're going. I imagine that nobody has ever started a vacation without that immortal line, Markham. You're quite certain no murder case came up this morning that you're running out on? Now, you know better than that, Vance.
I know you're too good a district attorney to walk out on a crime just to rest, even for a weekend. I'm satisfied we're missing nothing.
And I'm equally satisfied that we'll find nothing exciting up at Northville, Vance. It's lumber country, peaceful country, very rarely any trouble. Perhaps you're right.
I certainly hope I'm right. Well, there we go, Markham, starting off a vacation weekend with entirely different viewpoints.
A couple more ought to do it, Johnny. Right, Frank. I'll take it from here. You just stand by. Check. That did it. She's starting to splinter.
On the way, everybody.
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Chapter 2: Who are the main suspects in Bill Avery's murder?
Well, I'm not very worried. Want to talk to you anyhow. Not right now, Bill. I got lumber to look at. Do it later. Anybody wants to know why you're not working, tell them boss wanted to talk to you. I am the boss, remember, Frankie?
You never were one to let anyone forget it. Don't it bother you none that I got this here axe in my hand?
You wouldn't do anything about me, Frankie. You were gonna do something. You'd have done it a couple years ago when I took over this mill. Like it's not your right. Only don't get no ideas that I forget things. Like the fact that this mill was your dad's till I produced a deed to it after he died? I bought the mill and all this ground in Northville from him just for his death. And you know it.
Do I? I'm glad you told me. Well, there goes another one. I get a swell feeling when a big one like that gets cut down and crashes. I know what you mean.
Like as not I'd get the same kind of feeling if a big one like you was cut down and crashed too.
Everything all right at the mill today, son?
Yeah, yeah, ma'am. Everything is all right. William, I, um... Look, ma'am, keep knitting, will you? Leave me alone. I want to read the paper. Mill's shut down for the day.
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Chapter 3: What clues lead Philo Vance to suspect Johnny Stanley?
I don't want to talk about it.
I've been meaning to talk to you about something else, William. About Doris.
Well, what about her?
She called a little while ago to say she was on the way over. Doris is a nice girl, William. You've been seeing her for five years. You should be married to her.
Oh, I should, should I? Just like that, huh? Just because you say so. Well, I... Okay, now I'll tell you something. I'm not going to marry her, ever. And I just assume we didn't discuss it any further.
Don't talk to me like that, William.
Why not? To make you feel any better, I've taken care of Doris in my will. Taken care of her very nicely for these five years, but I'm not going to...
That's probably Doris now. Come in. Good evening, Miss Avery. Hello, Will. Good evening, Doris. Why, hello, Johnny.
Why'd you bring that brother of yours along for?
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Chapter 4: How does Philo Vance gather evidence during his investigation?
Oh, nothing much. I thought maybe you'd like to knock over a couple of big ones with me this morning. Brought your axe here in case you did. Okay with me. Come on. There's a big baby just waiting for us yonder. Glad you brought that axe of mine. I know what I'd really like to do with it. I was over to Bill Avery's house last night. Like as not I know what you mean. Johnny, look. I'm looking.
It's Bill Avery. Hey. Looks like he got caught under this tree just as he was falling. He's dead, Johnny. That tree did it all right. Landed right on top of him. Hey, this thing here was no accident, Johnny. No. No, I reckon it wasn't. Only as far as anybody else is concerned, it was an accident, wasn't it, Frankie? That's what I thought.
Better wake up, Markham. We're almost there. Oh, sorry, Vance. Must have dozed. Dozed? You've been fast asleep for the past two hours. Fine way to start our weekend vacation.
Oh, I don't know. Vacations are for doing things you don't get a chance to do while you're working.
Like sleeping. Well, don't tell me this business of being a district attorney keeps you up every night.
No, Vance. It only seems as if it's every night.
Did they stop Northville? That's what the conductor said. Well, let's go, Markham. Our bags are at the front door already.
I'm ready. Two whole days with nothing to do but play and fish. Oh, it sounds beautiful. I didn't even let the office know where I was going.
Neither did I. Well, this is it. This is Northville. I'll hop down and take the bags, Markham. Hand them to me, will you?
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Chapter 5: What motives do the suspects have for wanting Bill Avery dead?
What happened, Sonny? Lose your hotel? Dang careless of you.
Oh, brother. Look, my friend, we had a reservation at the Northville Mansion House. Now, how do we get there? Take a cab. And where do we find the cab driver? That's me. Well, that's fine. Now can we get the baggage agent to move our bags? Sure.
That's me too. Personal, aren't you? How do we find the way to the fishing grounds? Get a guide. And that's... Nope, nope. That's my brother.
And where is he? He's to the funeral. Everybody in town's to the funeral. Bill Avery. Never saw a town so happy a fellow was dead. Owned a mill here, did. Only got it in a swindle. Hires lots of folks from around here. Only don't pay him hardly nothing. Weren't very well liked, I can tell you that.
Everybody disliked him, eh? Yep. What did he die of? Bats. Oh, we're still on vacation, Markham. I didn't mean anything by it.
Want to know what he died of, huh? A tree fell on him. Of course, somebody had to cut that tree down. But somehow nobody bothered to figure that out.
Well, here goes our vacation. I can see that. I think I'll send a notice to the fish around here saying, we're busy. Don't bother biting.
What's that you say, mister? Well... You know, you talk awful funny. You're the type of fellow they call character, ain't you?
Oh, no. I beg your pardon. Is Mrs. A... Well, hello there.
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Chapter 6: What role does Mrs. Avery play in her son's death?
All right, Mr. Vance.
You were engaged to Mr. Avery, weren't you?
Well, I guess you couldn't hardly call it that, Mr. Vance. It's something I'd like to think, though.
You must feel very badly about the accident.
No. No, now you come to say that, and I come to think of it, I don't feel bad at all.
Oh?
Can't understand why either, Mr. Vance. Oh, there's Miss Avery now. Someone to see you, Miss Avery, Mr. Farlow Vance.
Oh, good evening, Mr. Vance. How do you do?
Hello, Clem.
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Chapter 7: How does Vance prove the murder was not an accident?
Now I gotta take time to clean the dirt off before I go to work on this tree again. Well, take a good look at that axe, if you like. And at my back, Vance. Gonna see how the logs are moving downstream.
Hmm. Interesting young man.
Vance.
Vance, I've been looking for you. Oh, hello, Markham. Well, this is quite a vacation we're having, isn't it?
Personally, I prefer our original intention, fishing.
This is relatively the same thing. We have a murderer to catch. That's the principal difference. If our bait is right and our technique correct... We'll land him. Hey, Frank!
Frank! Yeah, Johnny? Hop over here, will you? I want to talk to you.
Those logs are going downstream, okay? Check. Like it's not they don't need me to send them down to the mill anyhow. What's up? Walk up here a little way with me. I got to talk to you. I know what about, too, don't I? That's right. It's about Bill's death and those two city fellas who've been buzzing around. You mean Vance? Yeah, he's one of them. Talk to you.
A little while ago, I had an idea I knocked over a tree so that it fell on Bill. He's got an idea. Everybody around here knocked over that tree. Make a deal with you, Frank. Like as not, I'm going to say okay. That's what I want to hear. Look, Frank... Whatever we know about Bill Avery's death, we keep to ourselves. You keep your mouth shut, and I'll do the same. Well? Suits me fine.
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Chapter 8: What are the final revelations about the murder case?
Good afternoon, Mr. Vance.
Vance, what do you want here at the mill? More of your stupid questions? Because if you do, I got no time to listen. I got work to do with this saw. Excuse me, Mrs. Avery.
Johnny, it isn't stupid questions that I want. I want some intelligent answers. Would you mind turning off that saw?
All right.
Thank you. Let's get this over with. I got work to do.
You want me here, Mr. Vance?
Very definitely, Mrs. Avery. You can help me a great deal. You see, my investigations find nothing except that a lot of people wanted to see your son dead.
Yes, that's probably true.
In view of that and the fact that this case has been singularly unproductive of results, I wanted both of you to know that Mr. Markham and I are leaving here in the morning. Good.
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