 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. There is one thing every husband and wife want to do for their children. That's to see that they get the finest possible education. Now some people think you've got to be well off to provide such an education. That's not true. Your local representative of the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States knows the answer. No matter what your insurance problem may be, future security for your wife and children, owning your own home years before you thought you could, providing for an independent life after 60, ask your friendly, equitable representative. He can help you. In about 13 minutes, I'd like to tell you more about him and how you too may enjoy the advantages and freedom from worry that come with membership in the Equitable Society. Tonight, the subject of our FBI file, theft of government property, its title, The Comic Strip Bandits. Of the many criminals threatening you, the American citizen, the thief ranks among the most dangerous. The professional thief will steal anything of value from any person at any time. In tonight's case, you will hear of thieves operating on a large scale. But these same criminals began their careers with thefts of less valuable objects. The petty thief does not always remain a petty thief. The criminal who has completed a theft of great value will not necessarily pass up an opportunity to steal an object he must sell for less than his former theft. The car thief may steal a bicycle next. And as in tonight's case, a thief may steal government property and become the subject of a relentless search by the agents of your FBI. Tonight's file opens in a large Midwestern city. It is night and at a waterfront pier, a refrigerator truck drives onto the pier and stops at the edge. A sedan pulls up behind it and a tall man leaves the automobile and joins the driver of the truck. You leave the emergency on? Yeah. Get on the other side. Let's get this over with. The tall man moves into position. Both men shove the truck toward the water. As the truck submerges, the two men climb into the waiting car which is being driven by a woman. And as the car pulls away, a fourth person appears on the scene. A middle-aged man who has been sprawled against a crate slowly lifts himself to his knees and looks after the disappearing car. Then he rises to his feet and staggers to a saloon across from the pier. What'll it be, Bentley? Something to keep the hand steady and the memory clear, Roy. Uh, make a gin. That's what you had last night to keep the tongue ready in the wood sharp. Unquote. Yeah, sure I did. Sure I did. Roy? Would you believe what I just saw? All depends. How many elephants? Uh, crude, crude, crude, but funny. A truck, my friend. A truck pushed into the water from the pier across the street. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's an amazing way to wash a truck. There were two of them. Two men. One, two. One truck, one. One car and one woman. Add them up and once you get... Splash! Oh, brother, the cork goes on for you tonight. Yeah. Hand me that menu. Yeah. It's about time you remembered to eat. Pick a sandwich. What do I do with that pencil? Where's my pencil? Oh, here we are. Hey, what gives? Stop marking that up. The marks, my friend, are the beginning of art. If my tongue can't explain what I saw, my talent shall. Oh, for peace... Look, it's late. Why not head for a nice soft bed? Well, Roy, sleep can wait and the world can wait. But the pen once moving must follow through on my menu yet. Now let's see the shading. Right in there, the shading. Hey, that ain't half bad. I have thank you for a half a compliment. No, I'm in it. You're pretty good. Now the car was right over here and the woman in it. Hey, you draw the faces of them guys good. Why are you making the dame so dark? Well, I couldn't see her very well, Roy, and I refused to improvise. This picture is the negative and the camera is my eyes. Hey, that's okay. Well, it's not quite the caliber of the work I did for the paper, but it'll do. Paper? You ever work on a paper? Sock over the clown, the gazette, they're leading strip. Well, I remember that strip. My wife was crazy about it. Well, then I respect your wife's sanity. Oh, but look, look at this, Roy. I turned this latest endeavor into the paper and they're sure to hire me again. And all because I saw a truck go swimming. A refill, Roy, to celebrate. Uh-uh, uh-uh. If you're still on that truck kick, you've had enough. Roy, my tongue may lie, but my pen? Never. Hey, huh? Look at that picture, man. So it's good. So what? So I shall take this graphic expose to the gazette where I shall be greeted with appreciation. Farewell, my friend, farewell, Roy. May Sock over the clown again improve your wife's humor. And she, in turn, yours. The following morning at the local FBI field office, Special Agent Jim Taylor reports to Agent Bill Crawford just assigned to the case. That's real good to see you, Bill. Same here, Jim. Only you look beat. I've been up most than I. Truckload of meat was hijacked while the driver was having coffee in a diner. Oh, where do we come in? It's theft to government property. The meat was for troops overseas and already paid for by the Army. See any leads? Yeah, a few. Truck driver had the key in his pocket. The thief couldn't have had time in front of the busy diner to fix the ignition wire, so he must have had a duplicate key. An inside job? Could be, Bill. Local police got a report last night from a night watchman at a factory on Water Street. They called us. Seems the watchman saw two trucks parked near the factory. One answered the description of the meat truck. Two trucks, a transferring? Yeah, the watchman only saw two men, but they apparently transferred the meat in a hurry by the time the police got there and the trucks had gone. Was the watchman able to describe the second truck, Jim? No, not too well. He did know the switch direction they left in, though. One turned and went down ninth. Back toward the city? Yeah, that's right, and the other headed toward water. Well, I checked. There's no street wide enough for that truck to turn off between the factory and the river. I found a broken guardrail down at the end of the pier. Then it's a cinch that trucks at the bottom of the river. Yeah, I'm afraid so. I've hired a diver to get down to the pier and take a look, Bill. Meanwhile, here's the... I'm gonna address the truck driver who's carrying that meat. Oh, thanks. Look him up and get his story, will you? Right. I'll meet you later at the pier. Jim? Oh, hello, Bill. Are you located at the track yet? No, Fulton just went down. Pretty sure thing to be there. Oh, hello, Mr. Taylor. There he is. Yes, Fulton? I found the truck. It's a little to the left of the pier. Good. Fulton, will you be able to get inside the cab? Yeah. Yeah, one of the doors is open. Fine. Take a look inside, will you? Yes, right. How'd you make out, Bill? Well, ain't no problem. How'd you make out, Bill? Well, I interviewed the boy who drove the truck. He has a good record. Been in the company seven years since he was discharged from the Army. That's what his employer said, and I spoke to him. He vouched for the boy. Looks if the kid's... Oh, Mr. Taylor. Yes, Fulton? I'm inside the cab now. The ignition key is still in the switch. That's a break, Jim. Yeah. Fulton? Yeah. Bring it up, will you? Yes. Here's the lab report on that key. Good. All right, we may have another breaker. A man named Roy Graham is on his way back here from the reception room. Oh? I think the story about the meat theft in the papers may have something for us. Well, I hope so. As you can see, all the lab could raise off that key was the letter T in the words key service. Yeah. This T must be the last letter of the firm name, huh? Mm-hmm. Bill, you want to take it from here and check all the key-making services that fit that category? Right. Fine. Mr. Taylor? Yeah, right in there. Thank you. Mr. Graham? That's right. I hope I haven't come here on a blunt stare, Mr. Taylor. Well, we appreciate you trying to help. Won't you sit down, please? Thanks. Just what kind of information do you have, sir? Well, like I say, it might be haywire, but Bentley said something the other night, and I thought I'd better let you know. Oh, Bentley? Oh, he's a guy who hangs around down where I work. I'm a bartender at the cove, right across from where the truck was dumped. Oh, I see. Go on, please. Well, Bentley comes in late the night the papers say the truck was pushed off the pier, and he begins telling me the story about seeing two men shelved the truck off. Oh, he was close enough to see them? Oh, yes, sir, real good. But I don't believe him. So he draws me a picture. He used to draw cartoons for a paper, see? And his picture is real good. But I still don't believe him. Then he leaves and says he's going to give the picture to the Gazette. Any idea where this, uh, Mr. Bentley lives? Oh, he lives at different room and houses all along Skid Row. Hard to tell which one he's in these days, though. I say, well, we'll check them all. Thanks again, Mr. Graham. Bentley, Bentley. Oh, yes, here we are. Good. Brother checked him in last night. He's got the second bed right and the dry dock. A dry dock? Yes, the big room right through that door. Oh, I see. Thanks very much. Mr. Bentley. Mr. Bentley. Mr. Bentley, will you please wake up, sir? Mr. Bentley, I'd like to speak to you. I'm Special Agent Taylor of the FBI. Young man, the world is full of speech. The cartoons are full of speech. Give me pantomime any day. My boy, sleep is pantomime. Pull up a bed. Oh, come here. Oh, Mr. Bentley. Look, Mr. Bentley, a man named Roy Graham told me you saw a truck pushed off the water street pier. He also said you drew a picture of what you'd seen. I'm interested in seeing that picture if you don't mind. Yeah, yeah. That's a picture. That's right. There's a picture. Oh, yes, that's coming back. I remember that. Oh, of course, of course. Oh, you're from the paper. The editor of the Gazette sent you, right? No, I'm afraid not. I'm a Special Agent of the FBI, sir. Well, what about that? The Gazette didn't have to go that far to find me. Not that I don't appreciate it. But look at here, if they want me back, they must agree to print my cartoons the old way. We must make the picture. The comedy, the thing. I know, Mr. Bentley. Oh, this stupid emphasis on story, story, story. Now-a-days, you have to have suspense. You just listen to me, sir. Mystery, tragedy. There's a lot of fluid. Comedy, whim, bam, sock. Wow. Mr. Bentley. Mr. Bentley, look, please. The paper didn't send me, sir. That truck was stolen. This call is official business for the government. Now, about that picture, sir, did you sketch the actual details of the men you saw by the truck? Of course. Of course. I saw them well, and I drew them well. Good. Now, Mr. Graham said you took the picture to the paper. Well, I've checked at the Gazette, and they hadn't received it. And they said you hadn't been there either. Now, wait a minute. I remember it. Oh, I was too tired to make the trip. I came directly here, I think. Uh-huh. Well, could you describe the men for me, Mr. Bentley? Describe, well, I don't see. A young man. Now, gin has always sharpened my memory. But, unfortunately, sleep has always dulled it. And, as you see, I have overindulged in sleep. Well, then perhaps the cartoon. You must have it with you, sir. Of course. The cartoon, of course. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Well, where is it, Mr. Bentley? Safe, safe, young man. I put everything under my pillow. The creations under the pillow, the creator above the pillow. Now, I shall remove this wall between art and artist and presto. And the... No. It's not there. We will return in just a moment to tonight's exciting case from the official files of your FBI. But right now, I'd like to ask you a personal question. What will you be doing when you are in your sixties? Will you be dependent on your children or relatives? Or will you be able to live where you like and do as you please? That was the problem that Mr. Edward Fallon had to face until he became a member of the Equitable Life Assurance Society. Am I right, Mr. Fallon? Yes, indeed. A couple of years ago, I suddenly realized I was getting close to 40. I didn't have much money in the bank and not an awful lot coming in. My wife and I were both worried about what would happen to us when I had to retire or if something happened to me. Well, that's quite a problem for a lot of us. Would you mind telling us how Equitable solved the problem for you? We heard you describe a plan that would give us freedom from money worries in our sixties. That's the Equitable Independent Sixties Plan. That's right. So I took your advice and called up my local Equitable Representative, one of the smartest moves I ever made. He explained how the Independent Sixties Plan would give us a comfortable income, a handsome check every week. How we could live where we wanted, come and go as we pleased and how my wife would get money if something happened to me. The pleasant surprise was how little it cost. Nowadays, whenever my friends discuss money troubles, I tell them to call up my good friend, the Equitable Man. That's very sound advice. If you have life insurance problems, if you want to own your own home free and clear, if you want to provide an education for your children, talk it over with your Equitable Representative. He's neighborly, helpful, and he knows the answers. Simply consult your local telephone directory for the name of your local Equitable Society Representative. That's E-Q-U-I-T-A-B-L-E. The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. And now back to tonight's FBI file, the comic strip bandits. Because of the dangers thieves present to the American public, your FBI urges every citizen to be aware of the ease and cunning ways in which the thief will operate. Large sums of money should be kept in a bank. Valuable should be stored in a safe and burglar-proof spot. When leaving your home, the doors and windows should be locked securely, and the automobile driver who leaves his key in the ignition switch is playing into the hands of the many car thieves on the lookout for just such carelessness. In the event of a theft, no matter how large or how small, the alert citizen should immediately contact the local police, state clearly the extent and approximate time of theft, and give a complete and detailed description of the stolen article. Remember, the danger is present. The thief awaits your carelessness. Tonight's FBI file continues in the rooming house where Agent Taylor has located the old cartoonist. No, not my friend. Not under the mattress either, no? Well, search is complete. The cartoon is missing. You can't remember what you might have done with that picture, Mr. Bentley. Could you perhaps have left it with a friend? Oh, young man. The only thing I ever leave with my friends is an occasional IOU and the sweet memory of my company. Oh, wait. Hey, wait, wait a minute. Where's the minute? The mail. When I was on the paper, I'd always make sure my copy was safe. If I didn't buy a little too freely, I'd mail my work to myself. The next morning I'd wake up and wait for my work to arrive by the first mail. You think you might have mailed this cartoon here then? I don't think it. I know it. To the front desk in the end of the search. Oh, young man, after these culprits are in custody, there'll be no reason why my cartoon can't appear in the paper, will there? I can't see why they should be, Mr. Bentley. Good, good. Ah-ha! Friend Adams, come, come, my man. My morning mail, if you don't mind. Who are you kidding, Bentley? Mr. Adams, would you check and see if there was any mail for Mr. Bentley, please? Well, sure, only... The name is passing and the mail is waiting. Come, if you please, Mr. Adams. Okay, okay. I'm sure he'll find it. I mailed it at the drugstore. Yeah, I distinctly remember the trouble I had licking that stamp. You see, gin and glue don't seem to mix. There's nothing here for you, Bentley. Are you quite sure of that, Mr. Adams? Sure, I'm sure. You can check for yourself if you want to. Oh, excuse me. No, a mail, that's fine. There must be some stuff. Oh, thanks, sir, please. Could you have mailed it anywhere else? Maybe you forgot to drop it on the button. Yes, that's right. Oh, thanks. Can't imagine. Taylor speaking. It's Gruffer, Jim. Yeah, Bill. I found the key service that made that duplicate truck key. God, what's the name? The Everest Key Shop on Broadway. Okay, I'll be right over. This is Mr. Jackson, Jim. He says he made the key, all right. Fine. Do you remember who you made the key for, Mr. Jackson? Yes. Yes, I remember, because I got those special blanks in a week ago, and this woman came in right after they arrived. You said it was a woman. That's right. You know who she was? No, but she works around here someplace. Oh, how do you know that, sir? Well, she was in today early this morning for another key. After I made it, she opened a bag to pay me, but she left a change purse at her office. She left, but came back just a few minutes later with the change. I see. Can you describe this woman, Mr. Jackson? Well, she's red hair, medium height, blue eyes, I think. Quite a pretty girl. Working from the description of the woman given them by the Key Shop owner, agents Taylor and Crawford kept a close surveillance on every building in the area around the Key Shop. Pictures were taken of all redheads and then shown to the Key Shop owner. The fifth picture showed a woman who the owner identified as the woman who had purchased the key. Investigation showed her name to be Lucy Carter, a stenographer who worked for a real estate broker. On her way home from work that evening, she was followed by agents Taylor and Crawford. Yes? We're special agents of the FBI, Miss Carter. Here are our credentials. May we come in, please? Really? I just got home. My place is on the bench. Well, we won't mind at all, Miss Carter. We'd just like to talk to you. Well, it's all right, I guess. Thank you. Go ahead, then. I'll move some of these clothes. Sit down here. That won't be necessary, Miss. Thank you, though. Well, just what is it? We understand you had a key made at a shop not far from your office, the Everest Key Shop. Is that correct? A key? A week ago, Miss. I don't remember. The shop owner remembers you. He's a man named Jackson. Oh, no. I'm afraid there's been some mistake. Oh. You've never had a key made? Well, I have in the past, yes. A copy of my door key. Well, I wonder if we could see both keys that fit your door, then. But I only have one. I thought you had a copy made. Well, I did. That's why, you see, because I lost the original. Well, then how did you have Mr. Jackson make a copy without the original, Miss Carter? My landlady gave me her key. And how long ago did you have this door key made? Say, it's been a good a year ago, I guess. You haven't had a key made since? No, no, I haven't. Oh, I'm sure there's been a mistake. Really, I haven't been in a key shop for, oh, for a year. Well, there's always the possibility of a mistake, Miss Carter. Sorry to bother you. Anything, Jim? Yeah, I checked with a landlady. She's been living here six months. She told us she had her apartment key made over a year ago. That was pretty clumsy. Is that her apartment window up there? Yeah, she turned her lights out about ten minutes ago. Okay, let's call the office for a relief watch. We'll take over again in the morning. This is car nine. Suspect has just gotten home from work, Jim. On our way, she went to a fur hair store. She put in an order for a $650 fur coat. She really knows how to stretch that stenographer's salary. Yes, sir. Handling a cab now. Stick with her, Bill. When she reaches her destination, I'll take over. This is car seven. Suspect is sitting at a table with two men. I'll soon get you... Give me 15 minutes, Jim. Ah, Jim. Bill? Hello, Mr. Bentley. Ah, cordial greetings to a gentleman who chooses to show me such an expensive evening. Fine. Shall we choose a table in order? Mr. Bentley, this is work, not play. I want you to take a look at that table right over there. One by the arch. Oh, my vision has slipped a lot in the last few years. But perhaps we get a better view from the bar. Wait a minute, sir. I'm sure if you'll try, you can see from here. So those two men and the girl right over there. They look familiar to you? Well, see? That's pretty difficult for me to remember. Now, the only way I could know if they were the same people would be if I had my cartoon. The cartoon still hasn't come in the mail at the rooming house, Jim. Ah. Mr. Bentley, how long have you been staying there now? Oh, been over six months. Do you live there when you worked on the newspaper? Oh, good heavens, no. Shall we sit at the bar? Mr. Bentley, please, this is very important. Could you possibly remember your former address? Where you were living while you worked on the paper? I not only can, but I shall with considerable ease. Good. Ah, many fond memories are associated with my former habitat. Mr. Bentley, please, just the address now, sir. Huh? You can talk on the way over. Oh, oh, man. Well? Now, come on. Look, can't I even take time to let us a go? That truck pulls into the diner at 11.45 sharp. It's almost 11.30 now, and it takes exactly 12 minutes to drive from here to the diner. Oh, let's move. I'll ask your folks to hold in a minute, please. There's halt that you'll be shot down like dogs. Oh, Mr. Bentley, please. Oh, these men... Hello, Miss Carter, I'm sure you remember me. Wait, yes, I... Mr. Bentley, are these the men you saw at the pier? Well, I didn't see the woman, but the men look exactly like they're doing the picture. Picture? What picture are you talking about? Show them the cartoon, Mr. Bentley. Indeed, I will, with great modesty. I present a masterpiece. What's this? Genius, madam, genius. This cartoon was sketched as you dumped the meat truck off the Water Street Pier. Now, wait a minute. Oh, oh, oh, oh. Please, please, don't argue, my friends. Let's keep the plot simple. Wham, bam, pow, and the strip end of the story. Lucy Carter, Al Dawson, and Fred White were tried on charges of theft of government property and sentenced to terms in federal penitentiaries. Special Agent Taylor was able to arrest the three criminals in tonight's story because of positive identification. We went to Bentley's old address, and there found the mailed envelope containing the cartoon. The characters were well drawn, and Special Agent Taylor returned to the office where positive identification was made from other pictures of suspects on file. And so your FBI carried out one of its major duties, that of protecting government property, and in doing so, removed three dangerous thieves from circulation. For while the thieves in tonight's story had stolen from the government, that could very well have been your property. Your FBI fully realizes the dangers presented by the thief, and it further realizes the importance of its chief assignment, the job of protecting you, the American people. Would you like to retire an independent comfort in your 60s? Would you like to make sure your children get a good education? Would you like to own your own home free and clear years ahead of time? There's a man who can tell you how, and he's a neighbor of yours, no farther away than your telephone. He's your local Equitable Society representative. Without any obligation to you, you'd be glad to show you how to make your dreams of future security come true, no matter what happens. So get acquainted with this friendly, helpful neighbor of yours. Consult your local telephone directory for the name of your local representative of 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, bank robbery, its title, the little tin box. 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 Dick Carr, your narrator was William Woodson, and special agent Taylor was played by Stacy Harris. Others in the cast were Anthony Barrett, Tony Caruso, Walter Catlett, Whitfield Connor, JC Flippen, J.A. Hughes, Tony Hughes, and G.G. Pearson. 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 little tin box on this is your FBI. This program came to you from Hollywood.