Scripter Bob Corcoran presents a culture clash story of a sort, urban versus rural, that takes place in the Appalachian mountains. It is not the best story for Suspense, but it does convey a sense of claustrophobia from being trapped, despite being in the wide open spaces of a rural mountain area.
The custom of sin-eating has appeared in many historical religions through the millennia past, now and then, around the world, and in different cultures. This story is is based on an old Welsh custom. A person in town has a meal over the deceased, comprised of bread and ale, in the desire to take on the sins of the person who has passed away. Typically, a village or community that practiced sin eating, would have designated such a person. The custom was brought to the US in the 1700s, and was common in Wales from the 1600s, and likely before. It generally died out in the late 1800s.
In most cases, the process of “sin eating” is taken on willingly. It is assumed that when that person passes away, there will be someone to do it for them. This was believed especially important if that person had served in this capacity for a while and absorbed the cumulative sins of many people. In the small town of the story, the town’s elderly sin eater is dying and they need to find a replacement before he dies. It just so happens that James and Lucille Read are passing through the area. He is a folk music scholar, his attractive wife is along for the ride through the hill country as a break from hectic city life. James seeks to find singers and songs to consider in his research. At the direction of the old man’s wife, their son and grandson, Paul and Jesse, were to “fetch” an “outsider” to become the new sin eater, even if they had to kidnap them. They spotted James and Lucille, caught up with them and talked to them. They lure them into town as they claim there is a special folk singer that James would find of interest there. Things take a bad turn as Paul and Jesse force the couple to walk with them to the old man’s home. There’s already an open grave in the year, which gives Lucille great pause. James meets the elderly wife, and she breaks the news that he will be the new sin eater. James tells them it is superstition, and they push back and say it is real. Lucille starts mocking them. (That was not a good idea). They explain that James has no choice. If he refuses, he’ll end up in the freshly dug grave along with the old man.
The ritual to create a sin eater and to be one is exhausting, and even more so when that person is under duress and being forced to do so against their will. James is forced to say “For these things given me, I take on all the sins of this soul departed, so help me God.” They think he faints, but James actually dies from the ordeal. Lucille is very distraught, and attempts to escape. She is then trapped by Jesse, the young son. When a police officer arrives, Lucille's hopes for rescue are crushed as he reveals he is kin to the family, implying she is now their captive, destined to become a “native” bride for Jesse.
At 21:20 the police officer arrives, and Jesse says “it’s E-Jack!” Could that be an inside joke reference to famous radio writer E. Jack Neuman?
A comment on Christine Miller’s Escape-Suspense blog https://www.escape-suspense.com/2007/10/suspense---th-2.html mentioned that a Manly Wade Wellman story, Sin’s Doorway, appeared in the January 1946 Weird Tales, might have been an inspiration for Corcoran. It can be viewed at The Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/WellmanManlyWadeWellmanInWeirdTales/page/n445/mode/2up
The program was recorded on Monday, June 25, 1962. The session began at 1:30pm and concluded at 5:00pm.
The surviving recording is a network aircheck. It has very mild defects and is very listenable. It is missing the “And now…” opening.
Sin-eating was in media ten years later in an episode of Rod Serling’s Night Gallery. On 1972-02-23, the series televised a story by British mystery writer Christianna Brand as adapted by Halsted Welles, The Sins of the Fathers. It starred Geraldine Page and Richard Thomas (a few years before he would become known for his role on The Waltons). It can be viewed at The Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/the-sins-of-the-fathers The Brand story was included in a 1968 anthology of her work, but was first published in 1964. The collection, What Dread Hand is available at The Internet Archive and can be found on page 122 https://archive.org/details/whatdreadhandcol0000chri/page/122/mode/2up
LISTEN
TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or
mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP620708
THE CAST
Jim Boles (Luther), Ethel Everett (Maw), Herb Duncan (Jesse), Ivor Francis (Jim Reed), Rita Lloyd (Lucille Reed), Doug Parkhirst (police officer), Guy Repp (Grandpa)
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