The Brute Man

The Creeper ambushes and murders Professor Cushman at Hampton University, establishing a deadly pattern. The brutal crime shocks the town and kicks off the police investigation into a string of killings.

The Creeper approaches Joan Bemis outside her home and reveals himself as Hal Moffet. Joan screams and pleads as the threat becomes real, and the killer strikes down her fear and resistance.

Chased by the approaching police, the Creeper climbs the city tenement fire escape and slips into Helen Paige's apartment. Helen, who cannot see his deformed face, does not react with fear at first. When police knock on the door, she hides him in her bedroom and he escapes through the window.

A delivery boy named Jimmy hears a radio report about the murders. The store owner, Mr. Haskins, slips a handwritten note under the door directing groceries to a nearby dock, and Jimmy delivers them there for the Creeper to collect.

Jimmy tries to spy on the Creeper through a window, but the killer quietly slips up and kills him. The murder establishes the killer’s reach and heightens the tension for the police.

At the police station, Captain M.J. Donelly and Lieutenant Gates face complaints from the mayor about failing to arrest the Creeper, and they deflect the blame. A call about the missing delivery boy sends them to the dock to investigate.

The Creeper escapes as Donelly and Gates infiltrate his hideout, where they discover Jimmy's corpse. Donnelly also finds a newspaper clipping naming Hal Moffet and two friends, Clifford Scott and Virginia Rogers.

The police visit Clifford and Virginia, now married and wealthy, and Clifford explains Hal's past. In college, Hal was a handsome rival for Virginia, and a chemistry accident left him disfigured, fueling his motive for revenge.

The Creeper goes to a pawn shop to buy a brooch for Helen and fights the pawnbroker, killing him during the struggle. The weapon and motive tie into his plan to win Helen’s favor.

The Creeper brings the pawn-bought brooch to Helen, who is blind, and Hal learns she needs $3,000 for surgery to restore her eyesight. His care and concealment intertwine with his escalating plan.

Hal goes to the Scott residence and demands money from Clifford and Virginia. Clifford shoots Hal twice in the stomach, but Hal manages to strangle Clifford to death and escapes with Virginia's jewels.

Hal returns to Helen's apartment with Virginia's jewels, but she worries about his injuries and his true identity. He flees before she can learn that he was shot.

The appraiser identifies the jewels as recently stolen, and Donelly and Gates bring Helen to the police station, accusing her of harboring a murderer and revealing Hal is the Creeper.

News reports portray Helen as a cooperative witness, which infuriates Hal. He sneaks back into her apartment to confront her, but the police intervene and arrest him.

Donelly and Gates assure Helen she will receive the operation to restore her sight, bringing a sense of closure after the killer's capture. The case ends with the promise of healing for Helen and justice for the victims.