Originally Aired: May 23, 1950
Philo Vance #98, "The Money Machine Murder Case,"
A con man named Joe Crane demonstrates an ingenious swindle for the wealthy Mrs. Willoughby, showing her a machine that seemingly converts blank paper into genuine dollar bills. After she marks the paper with her initials and watches it emerge as real currency, she eagerly pays him ten thousand dollars for the device. However, when the machine fails to work, she contacts District Attorney Markham to report the fraud. Meanwhile, Crane's partner Sniffy Edwards arrives demanding either his cut of the money or the return of the machine. When Crane claims he no longer has either, a violent confrontation erupts that leaves Sniffy dead from a knife wound.
When a farmer discovers Sniffy's body, Philo Vance accompanies Markham to the scene. Ever observant, Vance notices something peculiar about the victim's thick-soled shoes and discovers a diagram of the money-making machine hidden inside. Recognizing the connection to Mrs. Willoughby's complaint, Vance and Markham set out to find Joe Crane, who is hastily preparing to flee town with his accomplice Jeannie and the stolen ten thousand dollars.