 The Equitable Life Assurance Society presents, This Is Your FBI. This Is Your FBI. The official broadcast from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Presented transcribed as a public service by the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States and the Equitable Society's representative in your community. In a recent talk, Thomas I. Parkinson, President of the Equitable Life Assurance Society, remarked, Self-reliant citizens living in their own mortgage-free homes are the cornerstone of a free country. That is why of all the manifold services rendered by the Equitable Society to its four million members, one which I rank near the top in importance is the Equitable's Assured Home Ownership Plan. In about 14 minutes, I'll be back to tell you homeowners about the Equitable Society's famous Assured Home Ownership Plan that President Parkinson considers so important. Tonight, the subject of our FBI file, draft dodging. It's titled, The Selective Server Swindle. One of the advantages of a democracy such as ours is that in time of crisis, people willingly put forth their every extra energy. That is as true of the men of the Federal Bureau of Investigation as of any workers in the nation. Your FBI is now back on a six-day week. Every special agent in the organization is carrying an average of 26 cases. In addition, the Bureau personnel has the added responsibility of handling the millions of loyalty checks requested by other government agencies. Tonight's case from the files of your FBI is brought to you so that you may be comfortable in the knowledge that despite its mountain of work, the policy of the Bureau has remained constant. Each file is investigated by special agents with every facility at their command. For international crisis or no, one thing still remains true. There is no such thing as an unimportant crime or an unimportant criminal. Tonight's file opens on a large highway, a car with the dirt of a thousand roads on it hauls an equally grimy trailer. It is early afternoon as the middle-aged couple in the car leave a Midwestern city behind. Jesse? Yeah? Got your shopping list, Andy? Uh-huh. Markdown mustard plasters. Don't know as I should. We're all out. I know. You still angry? Of course I am. Now, Jesse. Don't now, Jesse, me. Well, didn't you ever lose anything? Not something worth that much money. I couldn't help it. It seems to me, if you go to the trouble of printing up a draft card, you could at least hold on to it till you sold it. The boy's mother was ready to pay the balance when you delivered the card. Well, we didn't lose nothing. She did make the first payment. Otis, if there's $100 to be got, and you only get half, that's like losing the other 50. Every time we get a mother ready to buy a draft card, it seems like you have an accent. I told you, I put it in my pocket, and when I come to meet you, it wasn't there. That money ain't in my pocket either. Jesse, it didn't make no difference. The boy got himself drafted for real. Now, look, the best thing we can do is to forget the whole fate. Just you watch. We'll find lots of boys down south ready to be drafted, and a few mothers willing to pay to keep them out. A few days later, at an FBI field office in the city, the middle-aged couple just left. Special Agent Jim Taylor approaches the desk of Agent Nick Stone. Hello, Nick. Hi, Jim. How's the cold? Oh, it's about the same. You better make a little room when you're desk. We just put on another case. Yeah, but I got 27 open ones now. Well, that's what I had. As of 10 minutes ago, we're both handling 28. I suppose it makes much difference. Oh, this one's real small stuff. What kind? A petty larceny swindle. It's based on draft edging. Got any of the dope? Yeah, a woman just called in to make the complaint, said she paid $50 for a deferment for her son. She was due to pay another 53 days ago, but her son was drafted that morning. Another one of those, huh? Yeah, she breaks the law, gives the swindlers a chance to go under, then complains about nobody protecting her. Hmm. You talked to this woman yet? No, she's coming in to see us this afternoon. Can she at least tell us who's whindled her? Well, from what I understand, it was a middle-aged couple. Female half operated a knitting shop down on Main Street. Found out it might be in the market to buy a Ford's draft card from her husband. Anybody been to the knitting shop? Yeah, the victim. She went there to get her money back, found a place to bat in. What time's she coming in this afternoon? 2.30. Oh, got bad news for you. No, it's sad. Got an appointment on the west side at 2.15, so you'll have to see her by yourself. Jesse? Oh, just, Hubbard. Jesse, wait a minute. Just listen to me for a minute. Didn't I ask you to take those knitting needles downtown with you so I'd have them when we opened the shop? Yes, but you... And you were supposed to take the printing press and get it fixed so you could make more cards. I have to sit around this trailer all day thinking of things you forgot. Jesse, if you just... We can't just go on living out of my purse. Jesse, wait a minute. You don't have to yell. I'm trying to tell you, we got no more money troubles. I ran into Freddie Barton's boy. He's going to fix this up. How? Well, he's got his own business. Doing what? Helping folks, showing them why they're not making as much out of their business as they ought to. You know Johnny Morton. Yeah? Well, he was living hand to mouth on those bad checks of his when young Barton found him. And today he's rich. How's he doing? He studies your business. He takes it apart and tells you how you can fix what's wrong. Well, how'd he help Johnny Morton? Well, Johnny was fortune as good as anybody, but Barton showed him where he was writing the wrong folks' names. He was taking them out of the phone book and Barton put him on the social register. It was easy as that. Well, you tell him what we were doing? Yeah. He thinks he can help us. What's he charge? Nothing. Don't sound like he's got much of a business. Well, it's not exactly nothing. You pay him a percentage of the extra money you make. He's coming to dinner tonight and tell us all about it. Woman in the draft dodger case, show up? Yeah, next. She left just a little while ago. I bet I can quote her. I can't tell you what these people look like, but I want you to catch them immediately and get my money back. Oh, you're wrong. No. She described the woman from the knit shop so well. We pulled a picture out of the files. Who is it? Somebody named Jesse Hubbard. She's a petty larceny con woman. Works for the husband. We also got an identity on him. How much we know about the Hubbard's? Well, they've never been involved in anything very big. $25 a year, $50 a year. Any pattern of their job? Yeah, they always use printing. What kind? Well, for example, they used to pass bad Christmas fund checks every December. Mm-hmm. Now, the time they went door-to-door carrying boxes and asking people if they wanted to buy a record of the president's inauguration address of $2. Inside the box was a slip of paper saying the address of the president is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C. And now they're printing draft cards. That's right. Visitor know anything else about them? Well, Hubbard told her that they lived in a trailer. How long was that knitting shop in business? Oh, three and a half weeks. Well, if Hubbard was telling the truth about the trailer, he couldn't have kept it on the streets that long. I'm having all trailer camps checked, and I've gotten warrants out for the Hubbard's. Maybe that'll do it. I hope so. We're due to testify in Memphis Thursday morning, so let's try and clean this thing up before we go. Someone calling us. Sounds like young Barton. There to you, Roy. Yeah, corrections you gave me. Well, I told you the gray trailer. It's like give me a plate of beans and tell me to pick the one with personality. Good morning. Thanks. This is Roy Barton, Jesse. Well, hello, Roy. Hi. So you're Fred Barton's boy. Yep. Well, you look just like him. That's a knock. I paid more for the shoes than he ever did for a Benny. Uh, dinner be ready soon, Jesse? A few minutes, Otis. Take a seat, Roy. Okay. Now, let's wheel and deal. Huh? I didn't just come here to throw on the nose bag. You wanted a facelift and job on your touch. Well, we really don't need any big changes, Mr. Barton. Living in this box car? You two could be inhaling your vitamins at the Ritz. The Ritz is too expensive. Not for people rolling sevens. Listen to him, Jesse. The boy makes sense. Sure I do. Look, you're Mr. and Mrs. Flat Pocket no matter how many suckers you clip. When I get fruit, it'll be different. How? This is 1951. You're working it like it's a civil war. Otis, what's your monthly take now? The last two months, we made $700. And you're still on Zero Street, right? We have a few dollars. Brother, do you two need me? Why, I'll have you fixed up so that... Oh, dinner's ready. Oh, great. Before we threw with the scarf, I'll have the whole gizmo laid out for you. Pack your bags yet, Nick. Why not? That Memphis trips off for at least three weeks. One of the defendants got sick. We'll have this desk cleaned by then. Well, that draft dodger file's still open, you know. Any report from the trailer camps? Well, we located the place where the harbors were staying, but they've been gone almost a week. No word on where they headed? No, we got a description on their car and trailer and the license plate number. When did all that happen? Tonight. The alarm hit the wires at 7 sharp. Might be worthwhile checking gas stations. I did. Harbors filled a tank at the trailer camp, but I had to carry them a couple hundred miles anyway. Anything in the harbors' record about them using a trailer before? No, no. I called every trailer shop in town. They didn't buy it here. Well, we can check other places. Yeah. Yeah, if we can get a lead on that trailer, we might get some word on them before the night's over. Little more coffee, Roy? Oh, you'd have to put it in my pocket, I'm so full. Oh. Mrs. Hubbard, anybody wax a skillet like you ought to get a badge. If you're done, I'll clear away the dishes. Oh, boy. Hey, wait a minute. A badge. That's it. It's what? The answer. Which of you makes with the numbers? You do keep books, don't you? I keep track of every penny. You got the name and address of all your old lumpchays? Of course. How long have you been working the touch? I've seen it about three months. How many people you peddle cards to? Oh, say, two a week. Oh, you're in like Flynn. You think you can help us? No contest. How? It's like a pass to a goldmine. Get a load of this. You go back to the first town you worked, and you start with the first customer. Well, not just a minute. They already paid us. Wait till I spell it out, will you? The first thing you do is you see if the kid they bought the draft card for has been drafted. Well, it'll cost a lot of money to make our whole trip again. You won't be spending. You'll be investing. Let him finish, Jesse. Now, just playing percentage, some of them haven't been drafted yet, right? Uh-huh. You find out which one's got turned down, and you send a guy to see the kid's old lady. You said something about a bag. This is where it comes in. The guy you send to see your old customer pops with a five and dime hunk of tin. He's a draft board officer, and he's heard about them buying their kid's way out of the Army. He hits them with your names, the date they paid you, everything. Don't see what good that does. He says they're under arrest. Then he cozies up and drops the word that, uh, for a C note, he'll forget he ever saw. Well, how do you like it? Jesse, I told you the boy'd fix everything. You've just got to be careful about the guy you send in. Find yourself a quick-thinking, fast-talking, guy who knows the angles and can tell how far the suckers will go. Pay him a percentage. With a piece of the action, he'll work harder. You got anything at all stashed away? About $400. Oh, that's enough. Give this guy six bits a week for expenses against his end of the play. He'll only be on the arm for one week's tap anyway. Jesse, you ain't said a word. I don't know if it'll work. That's why. It's gotta. I'm not sure. I say we ought to try. Well, $75 is a lot of money. But she'll be getting it all back. Well, if I could count on it, I'll tell you how sure I am. Hit me with the six bits and I'll play the guy with the badge myself. We will return in just a minute to tonight's exciting case from the official file which shows how your FBI helps promote America's security. Now a special message to homeowners on the subject of mortgages. Do you know what a truly modern mortgage plan is? A modern mortgage plan means one that gives you a method of paying off the mortgage years ahead of time. A modern mortgage plan gives you and your family real protection against foreclosure and disaster. Sounds almost too good to be true, doesn't it? But such a mortgage plan actually exists. It's the kind you get in the equitable society's assured home ownership plan. This money-saving, home-saving plan is offered only to a selected group of homeowners. Here are a few of its many benefits. First benefit, this plan provides a painless way to pay off the mortgage years ahead of schedule. Yes, the thing to remember about this modern equitable plan is that it combines a low-cost first mortgage and life insurance protection. The insurance element creates a cash loan fund which increases steadily. Each year, the mortgage grows smaller and the cash loan fund bigger. After about 14 years, my cash loan fund had grown big enough to pay off my 20-year mortgage. I own my home free and clear. Second benefit, the cash loan fund is a friend in need when sickness or unemployment threaten home security. It certainly rescued us. The year my wife was in the hospital for six weeks. Third benefit, if the owner dies, his widow doesn't inherit a mortgage. She inherits her home free and clear. What's more, the equitable society not only cancels the mortgage, but also returns to the widow every cent her husband had paid to reduce the principal. Lastly, the mortgage draws interest not at six, not at five, but at 4%. And the closing costs are low. Naturally, a plan like this can't be offered to everyone. Your home must be in a neighborhood of stable realty values. Your Equitable Society representative will be glad to tell you whether you can qualify for this money-saving, home-saving, assured home ownership plan. All right, carry this station to the Equitable Society. That's C-Q-U-I-T-A-B-L-E. The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. And now back to the FBI file, the Selective Server Swindle. These weekly case histories from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation are brought to you not only because your FBI wishes to acquaint you with the nature of your enemy, the criminal, but also to enlist your cooperation in conquering that enemy. The Swindlers in tonight's case were marketing a highly-tinting commodity for all parents. Every swindler, of course, no matter what scheme he works, offers the potential victim something tempting, making the bait attractive as his business. Of course, the scheme portrayed tonight would appeal to a very limited number of Americans, because most parents realize that donning a uniform and going to war is sometimes one of the responsibilities of citizens who live in a free nation. But without attempting the impossible task of cataloging every swindle for you, your FBI can give you one piece of simple advice on how to avoid being victimized by any swindle. Never accept something for nothing, or seek to obtain benefits which have even the slightest taint of illegality. Tonight's file continues at the FBI field of it almost three weeks later. Nick, we just hit another dead end on that draft out your case. What this time? The Hubbitt's car and trailer turned up on a lot of a used car dealer in Kentucky. When did you get them? Two and a half weeks ago. You bought another car down there? They didn't. The dealer drove the Hubbitts in a friend of the railroad station, but he doesn't know which train they took. You know who the friend was? I'm not sure, Nick, but from the description, it's a small town hoodlum named Roy Barton. Roy Barton? Roy Barton. He's from a place down south called Springtown. A place there, say, hasn't been seen around there for a couple of weeks. Any trailer camps in that area? A couple. They're being checked now. Barton could be the link we've needed. If he isn't, we'll find another one. A million-dollar hijack. And it's going just about far enough. Where's Roy? Working. That's what he says. Huh? We've been to three cities already, and what's he come up with? Excuses. The city's bad. The people have moved. He's sick. Oh, Jesse. Well, I got sick of hearing excuses and paying him $75 a week for him, and I did something about it. Fine genius you found for us. What's got into you? I wrote to a friend of mine in Springtown and asked about your boy. You know what Roy Barton's been doing for the past three years? Time. That's what he's been doing. And before that, he was scraping a living shooting pool. Where'd you hear that? It's right here in this letter. Let me see that. No wonder he gets doors slammed in his face. No wonder he got us to sell the car and the trailer and the printing press. Jesse, now listen to me. Don't you start making excuses for him. I'm not. All I want to say is the boy did come up with a good idea for us. And it is false. It don't work. It ain't mine either. And from now on, the deal's off. Oh, now you're being hasty. You so set on him staying. Yes. All right. All right. I'm just a woman. So have your own way again. Let him stay. But I'm not paying him another red cent till he finds us a customer. Next things are starting to pop on that draft dodger case. I just had a call from the Springtown police. Huh? Hubbard's trailer registered at a camp down there the day after leaving here. Well, let's get a warrant and close it out. No, wait a minute. It's not that simple. They pulled out a couple of days later. The owner of the camp identified Roy Barton's picture and said he was with the Hubbards when they left. And I also found out that Barton's in Centerville. Where'd you get that? Now, the Springtown police located a friend that Barton called last night. You mentioned the Hubbards? No, but he did say he had a new touch. Nick, I looked up the airline schedule. Centerville's on the Memphis run. I know. Now, we do to testify down there the day after tomorrow we can stop at Centerville on the way. Leave here in an hour and be... No, no, no. I've got to be here in the morning, Jim. Huh? All right. I'll fly down alone tonight and you'll meet me there tomorrow afternoon. Where is everybody? We're right here. Oh, I'm so full of the old steam I didn't see you. Maybe because the old steam has cooled off. That's cute, honey. Keep it in. How'd you make out today, Roy? Oh, ace is back to back. Does that mean money? In the bank. I'd like it in my pocket. Well, that's where it'll be this time tomorrow. I got a whole new angle on the touch. I just been to see one of the dames in the list. She starts to give me the chill like the others did when all of a sudden I get a flash. I tell her I'm coming back with you. Us? Yeah. And the minute I hit her with that, she melts. I can see she's winged. But I don't press because I know we can't get the moon till you show. We go see her? Yeah. You're the convincers. Which woman was it? Mrs. Newberry. Oh, yeah. Remember her, Jesse? I told you you blew the whistle on her, see? Well, the minute we show up together, she'll pay off just like a slot machine. I kind of hate seeing her again that way. Why? What'll she think of us for a peach in honor? Oh, who cares? Just let her pop with some green. How much is she paying us? I told her to have 200 in cash. Real handy. There, Jesse. I'll believe it when it's in my purse. It will be at 3 o'clock tomorrow. Oh, welcome to the Centerville, Nick. Thanks, Jim. How you making on? I'll fill you in on the way back to town, huh? You been to police headquarters? Yeah. And they've assigned Lieutenant Black to work with us. Huh? He's waiting for us outside in the squad car. Oh, good. Hubbard's haven't picked up another trailer yet. We checked every camp in town last night after I got here. Think they've given it up? Well, they must have. But then again, every hotel's been covered, too. Any good news? Well, the records of one trailer camp show the Hubbards were here all of last November. Oh, here's the car. Lieutenant Black, this is Nick Stone. Oh, yeah. I'll be there. Thanks. There's room for your bag, Nick. Come on, slide it in. Jim? Yes, please. Jim, if the Hubbards were here for a month, stands to reason they were in action. Yeah, probably. Why would they work the same territory again? Oh, you know this kind of a chiseling, Nick. They always come back for more. There have been any complaints to the police? Not one. But I'm almost certain it's only later. Headquarters to Taylor and car 18. Headquarters to car 18. That's us. Okay. Okay. This is Taylor and car 18 calling in. Come in, headquarters. We just had an answer on that all precincts bulletin you requested. A woman answering Mrs. Hubbard's description ran a knitting shop uptown during the month of November. Where? 135 North Wilson Street. 135 North Wilson Street. Got it. Thanks very much. Well, let's hope that address pays off. The knitting shop's been closed since November. Good's the address now. I'm not sure. But there's something else I want to see in that neighborhood. Just a minute. Good afternoon, Mrs. Newberry. Oh, you've come back. That's right. And I brought these people with me. You remember the Hubbard's, don't you? Last time she invited us in, remember, Otis? Uh-huh. I guess she wants to settle this in the hallway. Come in. Come in, please. Thanks. Here, let's go into the living room. Fine. You better let the Hubbard's park in a couch. They got to stick together. Why? Why, they're handcuffed. You might be in a couple of minutes, too. Me? I told you I was a federal draft board officer. Do you think I was coming back for tea? I am still not sure why you're here. Those two are on their way to the Bastille for breaking the draft law. You paid them $50 on November 18th to put in the fix for your boy. That makes you their partner. How is your son these days, Mrs. Newberry? Don't speak to me. Is there anything I can do? Well, I, uh, I did ask you to have something handy. I've got it. The whole 200? Yes. Good. Now here's the layout. You lend me the 200 and I'll forget I ever saw you. Lend it to you? Yeah. That way it ain't a bribe. Let me be the judge of that, Barton. Who are you? I'm a special agent of the FBI. FBI. You and the Hubbards here are all under arrest. And this time it's real. Roy Barton was sentenced to five years for impersonation. Jesse and Otis Hubbard each received a five-year sentence for violation of the Federal Selective Training and Service Act. Special agents Taylor and Stone and Lieutenant Black reasoned the Hubbards would pay return calls and the parents of only those boys who had legitimately been declared 4F. A visit to the draft board covering the neighborhood where the knit shop had been located produced a list of all draftees who had been rejected since November. When Mrs. Newberry, the mother of one of those boys, was contacted, she informed agent Taylor of her date with Roy Barton. In connection with tonight's case, we bring you a message from J. Edgar Hoover, director of your FBI. Mr. Hoover's words are, and I quote, young men are again being called today through selective service to support their country. The vast majority of these men, patriotic and loyal, will answer the summons. A few, however, will not. They are the selective service violators. The FBI, as the agency designated to enforce this law, welcomes your cooperation in reporting information concerning these delinquents. These men represent America's manhood at its worst. They cannot be allowed to shirk their duty. Now, once again, attention please all homeowners. How many years will it be before you'll be able to say... At last we've paid off our mortgage. We own our home free and clear. Don't postpone that happy day till you're too old to enjoy it. Ask your Equitable Society representative to explain how the Assured Home Ownership Plan provides for paying off the mortgage years ahead of time. Or send a postcard care of this station to the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. Next week we will dramatize another case from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Its subject, illegal entry. Its title, The Continental Killer. The incidents used in tonight's Equitable Life Assurance Society's broadcast are adapted from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. However, all names used are fictitious. And any similarity they love to the names of places or persons living or dead is accidental. Tonight the music was composed and conducted by Frederick Steiner. The author was Jerry D. Lewis. Your narrator was William Woodson, and special agent Taylor was played by Stacey Harris. Others in the cast were Betty Blythe, Lamont Johnson, John McIntyre, Jeanette Nolan, and Gil Stratton Jr. This is Your FBI is a Jerry Divine production. This is Larry Keating speaking for the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States and the Equitable Society's representative in your community. And inviting you to tune in again next week at this same time when the Equitable Life Assurance Society will bring you another thrilling transcribe story from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Continental Killer on This Is Your FBI. Stay tuned for the adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. There's fun for the whole family and Ozzie and Harriet come your way next. This program came to you from Hollywood. This is ABC, the American Broadcasting Company.