The Bilked Baroness Matter

Originally Aired: May 18, 1954Johnny Dollar #215, "The Bilked Baroness Matter," Johnny Dollar travels to New York to investigate a suspicious $100,000 theft of furs and jewels from the penthouse of Baroness Olga Jarvas. The timing raises red flags: just last week, the Baroness's second ex-husband, Thomas Bentley, filed for bankruptcy with his photography business owing exactly $100,000, and gossip columns report the two have been seen together romantically. When Johnny meets the elegant but evasive Baroness, she's more concerned about being late to a cocktail party than helping with the investigation, dismissing him to get information from the police instead.As Johnny digs deeper, the case grows more complicated. Lieutenant Lewison of the robbery division reveals it appears to be an inside job, with no signs of forced entry and the thief knowing exactly where to find the valuables. A suspect emerges: Vasily Udescu, a guest at the Baroness's pre-theater party who has a criminal record and suspiciously stayed behind for hours after the other guests left. Meanwhile, Thomas Bentley claims his only interest in his former wife is securing a loan to save his struggling business, insisting he knows nothing about the theft.