Originally Aired: September 6, 1949
Philo Vance #61, "Oxford Murder Case," Philo Vance takes a leisurely hansom cab ride through the park on his way to meet District Attorney Markham, only to be drawn into a mysterious situation by his talkative driver, Edward Smith. The cabbie tells Vance about an elderly couple who have been meeting regularly on a park bench for the past year. However, the old gentleman has mysteriously stopped appearing over the last few days, leaving the elderly lady waiting alone. Smith recalls the last time he saw them together, when the woman was crying and pleading with her companion not to do something, though the gentleman apparently went ahead with his plans anyway.
The cabbie describes how the man tenderly kissed the woman before leaving that final night, suggesting their relationship was more than a simple quarrel could explain. Smith insists something sinister is afoot and challenges Vance to investigate, pointedly questioning his credentials as a private investigator when Vance initially shows little interest. With the elderly woman likely waiting on that same bench at this very moment, the stage is set for Vance to uncover what has become of her mysterious companion.