The Emily Braddock Matter

Originally Aired: May 19, 1953Johnny Dollar #163, "The Emily Braddock Matter," Johnny Dollar is called in by Frank Preston of Baltimore Liability to track down a cunning female con artist who has been passing bad checks up and down the California coast. The woman, posing under various names including Mrs. Robert Payne and Ellen Bradley, has been targeting luxury resort hotels from Monterey to Santa Barbara, racking up thousands of dollars in fraudulent charges. She operates with remarkable sophistication, charming hotel managers by acting as if she knows them, flashing expensive luggage, and mentioning substantial alimony payments to establish credibility.Dollar interviews victimized hotel operator Glenn Sheridan at the Harbor Inn in Santa Barbara, who describes how the beautiful, elegant woman spent lavishly on champagne, special dishes, and entertainment while making friends with other guests. The grifter's modus operandi is consistent across all locations: she checks in with style, lives extravagantly for four days, then disappears leaving a worthless check behind. When Johnny races to Malibu Beach following her latest strike at the Seaside Inn, he and Sergeant Pells discover she has befriended local resident and occasional actor Garland, who is shocked to learn the truth about his charming new acquaintance.