The Case of the Wandering Corpse: Nick Carter, Master Detective (February 15, 1948)

“The Case of the Wandering Corpse” is an episode of Nick Carter, Master Detective, the old-time radio show, first broadcast February 15, 1948. Listen free on Stupid Potato.

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What happens

A 17-year-old street hoodlum named Lefty Adams is accused of shooting a police officer during a robbery attempt. Nick Carter takes on the case after Lefty's desperate mother begs for his help, believing her son is innocent. As Nick begins investigating the crime scene and interviewing witnesses, he discovers some puzzling details that don't quite add up with the police's seemingly airtight case.

The lower east side of the city, including Milligan's bar and grill, a crime scene street, and a secondhand pawnshop, in 1948.

Characters: Nick Carter, Patsy Boone, Lefty Adams, Mrs. Adams, Sergeant Vaddy, Officer O'Malley (deceased), The drunk victim, The pawnshop owner

Listen for: Nick's careful questioning of the pawnshop owner about the number of shots fired, and his observation about the suspicious blood stain on the officer's right shoulder—details that suggest the straightforward case may be more complicated than it appears.

Written from the episode itself; it never gives away the ending. Every recording is remastered for the stream: cleaned of rumble, hiss and mains hum (and the old TV whine where we found it), then levelled in two passes to steady broadcast loudness, so one show is never quieter than the next.