 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. Friends, your Social Security takes you a long way toward full security but not all the way. That's why you'll be interested in the Equitable Society's plan for turning Social Security into full security. So in just 13 minutes, listen carefully. At that time, we have an important message on this subject from the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. Tonight, the subject of our FBI file, Allotment Swindle. It's titled, The Traveling Bride. The basic purpose in bringing you this series of official broadcasts from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is to acquaint you, the honest citizen with the criminal. It is imperative that you know as much about the criminal as possible because only one person can eliminate crime from the face of America. That person is you. Ask the average businessman about conditions in his particular field. He will tell you about the latest trends, the outlook for the future, and the competition he faces. Ask the average person, be that person, man or woman, about crime in the community, and you will most likely be answered with a shrug of the shoulder or a blank look. Yet everyone, no matter what his or her business, should have the facts of crime at his fingertips. Or crime is a part of our everyday life, as close to every American home as dust in a rug. Tonight's FBI file opens at an amusement park in a large West Coast city. It is early afternoon as a good-looking young man in a sailor's uniform walks past America round and heads toward one of the concessions stands. Okay sailor, try your arm, three balls for a dime, hit the bull's eye and give the pig a bath. Here we are, action every minute, only a dime, ten cents. What's that? Three balls, one dime. I'll tell you what I'm gonna do if you kid. I'm a patriot. Take one ball free. Go ahead. Where's Nora? Son, I got no time for games. I'm a busy man. Player keep moving. Okay, folks, three balls for a dime, give the pig a bath. Mister, a girl used to come down that shoe, and I gotta find her. Who? Nora Young, the girl who used to work here. Oh, that was last year. All right, lady, let your boy have some fun. Three balls for the tenth bottle of a dollar. Hit the target and give the pig a bath. Mister, where is she? Where's Nora? How should I know? But she worked here last year. A lot of dames worked here last year. And dames more than I was changing shirts. Look, I gotta find her. She's my wife. Here's her picture. Yeah, she used to work here. You know where she is? Ah, let's see. She used to go to see an agent who was trying to get her a dancing job. What's his name? Uh, Brooks Cook, something like that. Where can I find him? He's got an office in the central building. You sure? Sailor, I was never sure of anything with those dames. That's why I switched to pigs. All right, folks, three balls for a dime. And I know that none of you men at this luncheon have to be reminded that all of us are facing this law enforcement problem together. That's why this meeting was called. I know you all want to help. And if there's anything the sheriff's office can do for you, call on us. We're open for business 24 hours a day. Now, before we adjourn, I'd like to ask a man most of you know to say a few words. Special Agent Taylor of the FBI. Thank you. Thank you very much. Like and only echo the sheriff's invitation, if any of you run into any evidence of the violation of a law over which we have jurisdiction, I will give you all the help we can. This meeting is now adjourned. Oh, sheriff. Yes, sir. You going back to headquarters? Yep. You want to lift? Yeah, please. So I wasn't here during the last war, but I understand that there's more servicemen's complaints now. Well, there are at least as many. How do you account for it? Well, the people aren't aware that these men in uniform are their boys. During the last war, we had canteens, free shows for servicemen, folks who were inviting soldiers home for a home-cooked meal. Today, the man in uniform is just another stranger. He's on his own. Let's hope it doesn't take a full-scale war to make people change. Go ahead, sheriff. Yeah, thanks. My car's down this way, Jim. Fine. You going to be in your office later? Yeah, all afternoon. I might be over to see you. The case came in this morning that could have an FBI angle. Well, if it has, you let me know. We'll work on it together. Occasionally, an old-time crime is modernized and streamlined for use today. But for the most part, little originality is displayed by criminals. As an example, the wartime crimes of World War II are again becoming popular. Some of the victims of these crimes are civilians. Some are young men in uniform, like the sailor who went to the amusement park looking for his wife. The sailor who searched the corridors of an office building looking for a certain small-time theatrical agent and finally found him. Well, come in, sailor. Are you Mr. Brooks? Yes, and don't tell me what you want. I know. Your ship is putting on a show and you need some acts. OK, I got a pip for you. But I... This is an alligator who plays the saxophone. And when did you get what he does for a finish? Anchors away. Ha-ha! Pretty good, huh? I'm looking for Nora Young. And you never saw me before, did you? No. Believe me, I'm your friend. You don't want Nora Young's act. But she's... Now look, how about Scuffy the Seal? He not only plays a horn, but he does imitations. Now, wait a minute. Don't take my word for how good he is. Listen to what Variety has to say. Scuffy the Seal was Socco in a ten-minute turn that drew buff reaction from crowded houses. Ha-ha! How about that? How many other seal acts ever got a notice like that, huh? Mr. Brooks, I'm trying to find Nora Young. She's my wife. I married her just before I shipped out last year. Now I can't find her. Well, now, there were two soldiers up here this week looking for her, and they both gave me the same story. What were their names? I don't know. I don't even know yours. Seaman first class Eric Wheeler. Yeah, but they said they were married to Nora too. They're lying. Where is she? Oh, I got her a week in a rag bag. What? A cheap corny. In a day named Gladys Harding are doing a two act. They start tomorrow. Lucky Bill's Carnival. Where? Riverdale. Thanks. Wait a minute, Sailor. Yeah? You want some advice? What? You'd be better off with the seal. You're a person, a human fly, Beth. Huh? What are you doing halfway up the wall? Taking down my pictures. You're supposed to be packing. I am. Gladys, look at this one. Any cute. Fine. He's the first one I ever married. No other cigarette can make that statement. Now come on down. Help me move the bureau. What for? I've got to get those other pictures. Why? They're my husbands. So? So I want to keep their pictures. You got a heart like an open manhole. Look, finish packing. Your train leaves in an hour. Hold this one, will you? Sure. It'll make me feel like a bridesmaid. All right. Now you got them all. Go get dressed. You grab the train and I'll meet you at the carny as soon as I can. Gladys, I can't go there alone. Call the army. Tell them how many soldiers you married to and they'll give you a military escort. But I never worked at carny before. Honey, it's healthy burlesque. You do the same dances only there's more fresh air. There is supposed to be two of us. Oh, tell them I'm sick. I missed the train. Anything. I'll take off as soon as I pick up the allotment check. I still don't see why we have to play the carny at all. Soldiers flock to a carny. And we're in business for you to marry soldiers. But I... No, I ain't making this up. I worked these same towns this way during the last war. I suppose the soldiers at this place are getting ready to go overseas too. That's right. The minute I marry anybody, he's gone. That's why they call them ports of embarkation. Now get dressed and catch that train. Morning, Jim. Oh, hello, Sheriff. I think I've got one for you. A serviceman's allowance violation. Here we go again. Three servicemen have been to see me in the last couple of days. They all married just before going to Korea. They're back home now on rotation and none of them can find his wife. What makes you think it's a swindle? From the descriptions they gave, it sounds like they all married the same girl. I picked up photostatic copies of their marriage licenses. Here, take a look. The bride's first name is Nora. On all three. You know, just offhand, I'd say this was the same writing. Yep. But I'll have the lab checked for sure. The police have no records on any of those names, neither have we. Well, maybe Washington has. And I'll also request them to contact military authorities, compare the endorsements and all the government allowance checks. Good. Oh, were any of the checks delivered here? One. I went to the address, but there wasn't anybody home. Now, where are the three husbands? Here. Here are their names and addresses. All right, thanks. I'll get that teletype off to Washington, and then I'll go interview them. Now, that's why I'm telling you, folks, we got the greatest show on this midway, the greatest show you've ever seen. And in addition, no extra charge. The biggest, the best collection of the most beautiful girls you've ever witnessed. Mister. Mister. Go away, go away, girlie. I'm busy. Folks, you say you can't afford to see the show? You say it'll cost you too much? Ha-ha. Don't get silly, friends. Friends, that's where you're wrong. The cost is one quarter, one quarter. The fourth part of a dollar. Mister, are you lucky, Bill? Sorry, sister, no jobs open. I'm Madame Calypso. Look, folks, if you want to see the show, buy a ticket. Huh? Who'd you say you were? Well, my real name is Nori Young, but I dance under the name of Madame Calypso. Ah, yeah, no matter where's your partner. She can't get here till tonight. She's sick. Well, ain't that just too bad? I'm supposed to be putting on a girl's show, so two dames take it on the duffy, and your partner don't even come in. What does she want me to do? I'd live the girls? I know the dances. Well, okay, okay, honey. Work alone. You work alone when she gets here. Dress in the tent back, then. You better hurry up, too. You'll be on in about five minutes. This way, folks, this way. The greatest show of all the new panties you've ever seen in my life. Huh? Nora, I found you. Let me go. Nora, I'm Eric, your husband. Oh. Why didn't you answer my letters? I kept writing, but they all came back. How did you ever find me? I went to see your agent, and Nora, two soldiers told him you were married to them, too. They're crazy. That's what I told them. Gee, I missed you so much. What's the idea, ain't you getting dressed? I told you, you're on in five minutes, so quit gavin' with sailors. But he's my husband. I don't care about that. Come on, go on, get ready. All right. Nora, wait. Stay out of this, boy. But I gotta talk to her. Nora, come home with me. You never met my folks, and... Now you're on in four minutes. Eric, I have to get dressed. Don't stand here telling him about it. Go and do it. Don't you want to go with me? Sure, but... Come on, get dressed. Get dressed. Get dressed now or you're fired. Eric, I'll see you later. Hold it. Hold it, Taylor. I don't want to go back there with her. Nora! Nora! Look, son, the only way you're going to see her in the next half hour is with a ticket. In a few moments, we will return to tonight's case, which shows how the vigilance of your FBI promotes national security. But there's another kind of security you need that's just as important. Future security for your family, regardless of what happens to you. That's why I want to tell you how easy it is now to turn your social security into full security. To help me do this, I invited Mr. and Mrs. William Thompson to come to our program. Their problem may be the same as yours. And the answer is just as easy. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson. Good evening. Good evening. Now, first of all, Mr. Thompson, what is your principal worry? Well, if something happened to me, how would my wife and children live? Social security would only be about $110 a month, and with prices the way they are, $110 wouldn't be enough to keep the home going. But just how much do they need to keep our home going if I'm gone? That's easy. This fact-finding chart for fathers and mothers will give you the answer in five minutes. How does it work? You see, it's a special equitable society chart that helps you to figure out exactly what income your family would need above and beyond your social security if the breadwinner should die unexpectedly. Well, that sounds good. Just look it over. You see, you're guided every step of the way by easy-to-understand pictures. Every important item of living expense is included, so you get an answer that's accurate and trustworthy. It takes the guesswork and the worry out of planning for the future. Well, where could we get a copy of this chart, Mr. Keating, and how much does it cost? Not a cent. It's yours free. Your equitable society representative will be glad to give you a copy. And after you've filled it in, your equitable society man will show you how to turn social security into full security. Well, doesn't that run into a lot of money? It probably costs less than you think. You see, your social security gives you a big head start. And you may have other insurance, too, that will help. So actually, only a very small amount of additional insurance may be all you need to give you that full security. Thank you, Mr. Keating. Well, thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson. Yes, friends, it's just as easy and simple as that to find out how to turn your social security into full security. So why not get in touch with your equitable society representative now? Ask him for your free copy of the fact-finding chart for fathers and mothers. Or drop a penny postcard, care of this station, to the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. And now back to the FBI file, The Traveling Bride. In tonight's case from the files of your FBI, you have seen two female criminals at work. You have also witnessed the wheels of two law enforcement agencies begin to mesh in an effort to apprehend them. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has always operated on the belief that a woman, simply because she is a woman, has no more right to break the law than a man. However, there have been sentimentalists who felt that pitting an organization like your FBI against a woman was unfair. Those people have ignorantly tried to aid every woman criminal. Or a great number of those women would probably never have engaged in crime if they knew they'd share equal punishment with men when caught. Your FBI hopes through this series of programs to enlist each of you as a volunteer in the army of decent people fighting crime. As a soldier in that army, you should know the facts. One of those facts is this. Nationwide police records show that the number of women engaging in serious crimes like murder, robbery and assault grows greater year after year. It is therefore time to replace our native chivalry with common sense and fight crime wherever we find it, no matter who the criminal might be. Tonight's FBI file continues later that afternoon at Sheriff Al Austin's office. Sheriff, I think I've got something. I went by that address where the girl was getting a check and it was picked up this morning. Then she's still here, huh? Well, I don't know about that. Something new has been added. The girl who picked up the check doesn't answer the description that we got from the three servicemen. What? That's right. This was an older girl. Well, what's her name? Well, Janet, I didn't know. He just used to hold the check each month for this girl to pick up. I sent a complete description along to Washington. Fine. Oh, and Sheriff, all three marriage licenses showed the same first name for the bride. Nora. Yeah, so it'll be my guess that that's the right first name anyway. She used it when she worked, too. Those servicemen, I spoke to who told me where they met her. One picked her up when she was a taxi dancer at that Daisy Bell ballroom. Nice place. Yeah. The second met her when she was a waitress at a drive-in on Brewster Drive. And the last one caught her while she was a chorus girl at the Mason Street, Burlesque. Oh, Nora gets around. None of the places had any idea where we might locate her now. Well, it looks like our best chance is finding out who Nora's friend is. Hmm. Hey, Sheriff. Yeah? Maybe this friend worked at one of those places, too. It could be, Jim. All right, I'll check and call you if I get anything. Happy home. Glad as I'm so glad you're here. Wait till I tell you what happened. I know. I saw the boss and chilled the beat. I don't mean that. I didn't say I heard about you meeting a sailor. Good work, kid. Glad as please listen to me. We're in trouble. I was just going on for the first show and this sailor comes running up. And who do you think it was? My first husband. Huh? What's he doing here? He came looking for me and I made a date with him. Oh, no. I had to. Why was his morale low? No, but after all, I am married to him. Look, I'm passing a new rule. From now on, you can't go out with anybody once you've married him. That's not fair. You want to be fair or rich? Can't I even go out with Eric once? I like him. Make him your pen pal. You told me not to write to any of my husbands. Oh, forget it. Where are you supposed to meet him? I guess he'll be hanging around out front. Get him. Now? Yeah. And bring him back here. The three of us better have a real heart to heart. An investigation is almost like a jigsaw puzzle. But here, the pieces are not spread on a table waiting to be picked up. FBI headquarters 3,000 miles away in Washington, D.C. was busy on this case. All allowance checks mailed to Nora Young under her various aliases were obtained and examined. The endorsement handwriting matched perfectly. Now there was no question that an allowance swindle was in progress. But one piece of the picture was still missing. The piece showing where Nora Young was now. Sheriff Austin. Jim Taylor, Sheriff. I've got the name of Nora Young's friend. It's Gladys Harding. Where'd you dig that up? At the burlesque house. She worked there as a chorus girl with Nora. They quit to do an act together. Oh, pardon me, Sheriff. You want me, Tommy? Tele-type human. Sheriff, hold on a second, will you? OK. This wire just came in from Washington. Wait a minute. I'll read it to you. Identification made of suspect described your wire named Gladys Harding. Good. As record for defrauding government in connection with servicemen's dependence allowance checks. Her complete file's being tele-type. Well, Sheriff, the minute it gets here, I'll come over and see you. Nora, why do we have to wait here? Because Gladys told me to bring you back to the tent so she could meet you. Well, I don't like this whole thing. No, Eric. Well, I mean it. You dancing in front of all those people in a... in a veil. It's all right. I'm not cold. Oh, oh, I see it's you two again. Hello. Well, where's your partner this time? I don't know. Well, find her. The next show's about ready to go. And look as a favor. Will you please try to dance this time like you were both alive? Nora, I thought maybe after you met my folks we could... Please, Eric, not now. I've got a lot of other things on my mind. I don't see what could be more important than us. Whiskey, they serve out there. I'll make me vote dry. This is Seaman First Class Eric Wheeler. I'm Stripper First Class Gladys Harding. Hello. Oh, you're the all-American boy. Pull up a battleship and sit down. He wants me to go away with him. Why? I don't like the idea of Nora working here. We tried to get other jobs, but every church choir was full. Eric saw the show and he doesn't want me to go out on the stage again. Oh. A critic, too. Nora, I've got a little money saved up. We'll have enough. Well, what? A starvation diet? Miss Harding, you're trying to make this a joke and I don't like it. Well, the boy has a temper. And don't call me a boy. Nora, I've waited around here long enough. You've got to tell me now whether or not you're coming home with me. But don't walk away. Can't you answer me? Well, I do. Gladys, you hit him. Forget the play-by-play. Let's pile him into the trunk and take off. The continental United States covers an area of more than 3 million square miles, an area that makes every search a long, arduous task. In this case, FBI headquarters in Washington continued to help, continued supplying vital information, supplying news that all of Nora Young's previous allowance checks had been cashed by Gladys Harding, supplying a resume of Gladys Harding's World War II allowance racket. Then, theatrical agent Joe Brooks was located, located and interviewed. He told about Lucky Bill's carnival. Son, you feel a little better now? Yeah. That's a bad bruise on your skull. Feel strong enough to tell us what happened? I... I was talking to my wife. She started to walk away. I turned to talk to her. And this... this Gladys hit me. Then you were married to Nora, too. To? We're looking for your wife and Gladys Harding. They're working an allowance swindle. So that agent was right. Yeah, sorry, son. You know where they went? No, sir. Did you hear them mention any city, hotel, train? Bay City. What about Bay City? Nora said they were there last month. I'm afraid knowing where they've been won't help much. Bay City, they say. I think there was something about Bay City and Gladys Harding's record show. You got that sheet with you? Yeah. There it is. There's Bay City. Yeah, and this may tell us where they are now. Come on, Sheriff. Gladys, let's go back to town. We just got here. I know, but I don't like amusement parks. We're here for work, not fun. I won't do it. Huh? I can't slide down another chute into that cold water. Oh, well, you won't have to. We'll work out of the dance hall. Oh, that's good. And Guy, who gave us directions to the dance hall, must have thought we meant Roseland in New York. Let's go in there and rest. The fortune tellers? Huh? We'll find out if we came to the right place. Nora, when we get back to the hotel, I'll tell you fortune for nothing. Can you? The hard way with a tea bag. Oh, Gladys, there's the dance hall. This thing I'm going to do is request a waltz. Look at all those servicemen. Margaret's born. Huh? Give it. Oh, look, those two men are coming over here. I'll handle them. Good evening. Sorry, bud. We don't dance with civilians. Yeah, Jim. I'll put a planer. Take off. Blow. Get lost. We all will, Miss Harding, as soon as we serve these warrants. Gladys Harding and Nora Young were convicted in federal court. Both were sentenced to a federal prison for women. These two female swindlers were apprehended because Special Agent Taylor noticed something in Gladys Harding's record. Notice that during World War II, she followed a regular geographical pattern, a pattern that took her from one port of embarkation to another. He also noticed that she was following the same pattern. So he and Sheriff Austin sped to the next city on her list and headed for the dance hall at the local amusement park, which was another part of her modus operandi. That observation brought to a close another case from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, brought it to a close and protected a few more servicemen from these particular criminals. However, other swindlers are at work this very minute in every part of the nation. Neither your FBI nor any local law enforcement agency can prevent those parasites from attempting to get easy money from you, the decent citizen. Only you can do that. Do it by following one simple rule. Always be alert. Now, just two things to remember about the Equitable's fact-finding chart for fathers and mothers. First, it shows you exactly what monthly income your family would require if the breadwinners should die unexpectedly. Second, this pictorial chart doesn't cost you one cent. Ask your Equitable Society representative for a free copy, 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. It's subject, jailbreak. It's title, The Unwilling Host. 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 thereof 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 Parley Bear, Walter Catlett, Richard Crenner, JC Flippen, Hart and Gil Stratton Jr. This is your FBI, a Jerry Divine production, was directed by Sid Goodwin. 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 Unwilling Host on This Is Your FBI. Stay tuned for the adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. There's fun for the whole family when Ozzie and Harriet come your way next. This program came to you from Hollywood.