Too Many Winners 1947

Bribe arrival before vacation

Shayne and Phyllis are in their office preparing to leave on a duck-hunting vacation when a mysterious stranger arrives. He claims he could offer a bribe to drop a certain case, but refuses to specify which case it concerns. Shayne, determined to stay above bribery, notes the interruption and the visitor departs as Shayne confirms he’s leaving anyway.

Martin's tempting information offer

Shayne is later invited to Mayme Martin's residence, where she offers to sell valuable information that could aid his case. She hints at lucrative details tied to the racetrack and its affairs. Shayne declines the deal, sensing a trap and choosing integrity over profit.

Ambush and dump

Leaving Martin's, Shayne is ambushed by two thugs under orders of their boss. They beat him and dump him in a city waste ground, hoping the assault will quell his investigation. The attack pulls Shayne deeper into the web of the case.

Rourke's investigation and Martin's murder

Shayne's reporter friend Tim Rourke goes to Martin's information source but instead encounters police and Martin's murdered body. The grim discovery confirms that someone killed the informant and hints at a larger conspiracy. Rourke returns with the news, dragging Shayne further into danger.

Hardeman hires Shayne to trace ticket racket

At the racetrack controversy, Santa Rosita's president Payson's track manager John Hardeman hires Shayne to solve a counterfeit ticket racket that is bankrupting the track. The legitimate tickets are printed by a trusted company tied to Payson. Hardeman wants the problem solved quietly and efficiently.

Madden as the lead and his financing

The track offers a lead in Gil Madden, owner of the Tribune, who has long sought the printing contract for tickets. Madden financed the Tribune's purchase using a printing company he acquired from a prison inmate, Theodore Ross. This link ties the newspaper mogul to the counterfeit scheme.

Shayne identifies Madden as the bribe-offer

Shayne realizes the mysterious stranger was Madden. Madden refuses to answer questions, maintaining his evasive stance. The revelation connects Madden to the ongoing ticket racket.

Edwards and Madden resist questioning

Madden's partner, photographer/engraver Ben Edwards, also refuses to be questioned about the scheme. Both men are reluctant to reveal their roles in the counterfeit operation. The two men remain outwardly calm while the investigation closes in.

Past convictions and Joliet backstory

Years earlier, Madden (Theodore Ross) and Edwards (Claude Bates) were convicted of counterfeiting Irish Sweepstakes tickets. Madden served a light sentence and was released, while Edwards drew a harsher term and later escaped Joliet Penitentiary. The backstory explains why both men are desperate to protect their secret.

Hardeman orders blackmail to force production

Despite attempts to rebuild his life, Edwards has become the target of Hardeman's blackmail scheme. Hardeman fears Edwards will talk and pressures him to produce counterfeit racing tickets for the track. The blackmail relies on Edwards' only fragile hold over his past.

Edwards kills Hardeman

Just as Edwards prepares to confront the threat, he arrives and shoots Hardeman, ending the blackmail attempt. The act changes the power dynamic at the racetrack and complicates the investigation further. The act of violence shakes everyone involved.

Edwards is killed by Hardeman's thugs

Leaving the scene, Edwards is shot and killed by Hardeman's thugs. The criminal network loses one of its key players but leaves unanswered questions in the wake of the violence. Police work begins to close in on the remaining suspects.

Joe the killer revealed; arrest

A thug named Joe is revealed as the killer of Mayme Martin and Edwards. Police arrive on the scene and capture him, bringing one thread of the mystery to light. The revelation raises questions about who else is involved.