The Nathan Swing Matter

Originally Aired: April 20, 1954 Johnny Dollar #211, "The Nathan Swing Matter," Johnny Dollar travels to Los Angeles to investigate the murder of Nathan Swing, a small-time bookie whose body was found floating in the harbor with two bullet wounds. Sergeant Matthews of Central Division Homicide briefs Dollar on the case and points to a suspicious connection: powerful racketeer Jimmy Durando may be involved, and Daniel Fletcher, a special investigator leading a vice crusade, has mysteriously called off his investigation of Durando the morning after Swing's murder. Matthews knows Fletcher as an honest man who wouldn't have issued a subpoena without solid evidence, making the timing deeply troubling. Dollar visits Fletcher's Beverly Hills home to ask about the connection between Swing's killing and the cancelled investigation. Fletcher becomes defensive and evasive when questioned, warning Dollar to back off and threatening his job. The tense confrontation is interrupted when Fletcher's daughter Mary appears, clearly distressed and mentioning someone named Jimmy. As Fletcher hurries his daughter back upstairs, Dollar realizes this case involves more than a simple gangland murder, and the respected crusader may be hiding dangerous secrets. Become a supporter of this podcast