007- The Fourth Man -Paul Frees

Escape! Escape tonight! To arrive in the South Pacific! The Columbia Broadcasting System and its affiliated stations presents Escape, produced and directed by William N. Robeson. This the last of the summer series is The Fourth Man by John Russell.

Numea in the South Pacific. To a generation of French criminals a word to be uttered in the same terrified breath with Devil's Island. The penal colony at Numea were the cutthroats, garotters, and sadists from the dregs of French society were sent to a living death.

Tonight we invite you to escape from Numea in John Russell's The Fourth Man. The raft stood to open sea. A mat of pandana sleeve served for its sail and a paddle of wood for its helm.

It was woven of reeds and bamboo sticks slashed upon triple rows of bladders, and it carried four men. Three of them had huddled together at the far end. Their bodies were blackened with dried blood and the hair upon them was long and matted.

They wore only the rags of blue convicts' uniforms. On wrist and ankle, they carried their mark. dark and wrinkled stain of the manacles. There was Du Bois, Doctor, Man of the World, murderer. Friends, the thing is done. And Feneru, Forger, Ladies Man, Wee Kling, Cower. Yes, we've escaped. And the one known as the Parrot, Thief and Cutthroat.

So far, so good. And by the way of celebration, gentlemen, may I offer you cigarettes? Cigarettes? Docker, you're a marvel, a magician. Look at them. White and fresh as though they just came from the package.

How did you do it? Every six months there are about 75 escapes from New Mayor. And not more than one succeeds. Ours would be that one I knew. So three weeks ago, I bribed the night guard for these very cigarettes, so that we might sit here my friends as we are doing and celebrate.