The Nelson Matter

Originally Aired: August 25, 1953Johnny Dollar #177, "The Nelson Matter," Johnny travels to New York to investigate the death of Carl Nelson, a small-time hoodlum with a long criminal record who was shot to death. The beneficiary of Nelson's $10,000 insurance policy is a woman named Maud Gilkerson, and she's disappeared. Lieutenant Korchak of the 11th Precinct believes Maud knows something about the killing and suspects Nelson's boss, big-time criminal Ellis Hartche, may have ordered the hit. After checking in with Korchak, Johnny seeks out an old acquaintance, Wilbur Truitt, a colorful skid row regular who speaks in flowery language and survives on handouts and information trading.For the price of two bottles, Wilbur agrees to locate Maud and discovers she's terrified for her life and needs money to flee the country. She promises to reveal valuable information in exchange for help. Just as Johnny prepares to meet her at a River Street address, two menacing thugs appear at his hotel room door. When Johnny deflects their questions with wisecracks, the situation quickly turns violent, suggesting that powerful forces want to keep him away from Maud Gilkerson and whatever secrets she holds.