 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. Presenter transcribed as a public service by the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States and the Equitable Society's representative in your community. You receive a special invitation to listen to tonight's broadcast. It may sound strange, but quite a large number of people were actually invited to listen in tonight by Equitable Society representatives. They were asked because they are people who appear to be marked out for success in their business or professional careers. People who are sure to be interested in the Equitable Society's plan for men and women on the way up. In approximately 14 minutes, I'll give you the full details on this plan for every man who believes he is good enough to make a real success in life. It is offered by the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. Tonight's FBI file package of death. By the very nature of their business, the men who comprise the Federal Bureau of Investigation come into daily contact with a greater variety of criminals than perhaps any other law enforcement officers. They meet Yeggs and Swindlers, safe-crackers and imposters, check-passers and auto thieves, and all the others who go to make up the 8 million people who have fingerprint arrest records on file in Washington. To them, every criminal is another lawbreaker, another file which must be closed, another face in a long, endless parade of faces. But that is not the case on the other side of the fence. For among criminals, there are as many rungs to their society as there are among decent law-abiding people. The petty larceny thief who steals a $3 watch from a child on his way to school is regarded with as much contempt by his fellow criminals as he is by everyone else. The safe-cracker, the auto thief and the holdup man climb the ladder of esteem according to their success, according to their ability to remain out of jail. The Swindler, the check-passer and the imposter are next in rank, for they do little manual labor, and the man who can steal without working too hard is sure to win the regard of his fellow thieves. Of all criminals, though, one is rated automatically at the top. He is the international jewel thief, the man who steals around the world. Tonight's file opens in the cruise quarters of a small freighter en route from Europe to the United States. Some members of the crew lie idly about. In one corner of the big room, a very sick man lies in his bunk. A companion sits beside him. It hurts bad, I'm sorry. Yeah. You want me to call the doctor again? No, it won't do no good. I'm dying, Willie. Oh, now that ain't so. I feel it. Look, tomorrow we'll reach for it. Go to our hospital. Willie, don't try to paint pretty pictures. Lean close a minute. Yeah. Do me a favor. There's a package under the bunk. Get it. Okay. The package. Yeah. Yeah. Now, here's what I want you to do. When we get to Port, go to the Penny Arcade at Broadway and Tenth Street. Penny Arcade, Broadway and Tenth Street. As for Mrs. Mitchell, Mrs. Mary Mitchell. Mrs. Mary Mitchell. She's my sister. I want you to deliver this package to her. It's her birthday present. Oh. Will you write down what I told you? Sure. Sure. And you'll see that she gets it. Sure, Pete. But, well, a few ways. Well. Huh? Hey. Pete. The eye field office in a large city on the eastern coast. Special Agent Howard Scott approaches the desk of Agent Jim Taylor. Hi, Jim. Hello, Scotty. Well, what makes you look so happy? You're looking at a free man. Come again? I just finished my report on that auto theft case, and I got a week's leave coming. I got each day planned. Tomorrow, ice fishing, next day skiing, the day after. Hold it, Scotty. Can't you take it? You know, Robert Burns' line about the best laid plans of mice and men? Yeah. Well, your plans have gang after clay. What are you talking about? We're just a sign to a new case. Break it to me gently. Well, it's so far. It's murder and jewel theft in the order named. Where? In a Paris hotel room. Now, wait a minute, Jim. We're not covering Europe out of this office, are we? No. The French surate sent this information to our headquarters in Washington, and they passed it on to us. What's the story? A Frenchman named La Force was found dying by one of the hotelmaids. Said he'd been robbed of jewelry with five million flanks. Did he tell her who robbed him? No, but he said he knew the man was coming to the United States with the jewelry. But by the time the police arrived, La Force was dead. And that's all we know, huh? Yeah. We don't know who the thief is, how he's returning to this country, or what he looks like. Hmm. I should have taken my leave starting yesterday. The surate is trying to bring up fingerprints off of everything that was in La Force's hotel room. As soon as they do, they'll send us copies, and we can start moving. Penis or nickels? Penis. Okay. Five, 10, 15, 20, 25. Here you are. You got anything here? No. Well, what should we do? Let's talk back in the office. George! Yeah? Come here. Take my change, boo. Okay. Let's go. You don't think Pete's running out on this, do you? He couldn't if he wanted to. Why not? I sent Charlie down to the pier to meet him. The boy was supposed to get in this morning. He got in all right an hour ago. How do you know? I called the pier. Go ahead. Pete should be here. They don't take an hour from the pier. Well, if he don't show soon, I'm going down there myself. Yes, Charlie? When? How'd you find out? No. Don't go near the place again. Right. What's the matter, Mary? Pete's dead. What? Get to that boat, Eddie, and get that package. Scotty Washington got those prints from the Suratay. Were they worth anything? Yes. A considerable investigation in Paris. They turned out to belong to a man named Pete Crawford. Pete Crawford? That's right. I don't think I know him. We got any record on? Yeah. Yeah, just came in from Washington. Here it is. Take a look. Maybe you can get a lead on where he's headed. I sure could. Nothing at all? Yeah. He's been arrested 31 times in 11 different states. There's no telling which way he'll turn. If we could find out how he's coming back to this country... Oh, we know that now, Scotty. Oh, how? Suratay traced Crawford's movement from the hotel to a dealer in black market passports. Dealer confessed that he sold Crawford a set of first-class Siemens papers. That means he's coming back by boat, but the question is, which one? Nice question. Suratay is going to let Washington know as soon as they find out. By that time, might be too late. Yeah. Did the black market dealer say how long ago he sold Crawford those papers? Yeah, two weeks ago. Crawford could easily be back in this country by now. In two weeks' time. That's an intuition. Tell it time, Mr. Taylor. Oh, thanks. Some Washington, Scotty. Crawford sailed from France on the freighter John Carroll, which docked here today. Now we're getting someplace. I'm going to go down there. Yeah. Ready? No. Why not? It wasn't there. It went through all its stops? Three times. And you couldn't find anything? Not what I was looking for. Now go ahead. Right. Did you see Pete's father? Yeah, he was buried at sea. Maybe they buried the stuff with him. No, his clothes were still there. Did you go through them? I just told you three times. I come up with zero. He had it with him when he left France. You sure? Positive. He sent me a cable. Somebody must have clipped it after he died. Did you see anybody else from the crew? Sure. But I couldn't ask him to pay so many hot jewelry laying around. I got it. Hello? Yeah, speaking. Who? Yeah. You have? Well, where are you? Yes, I'll wait. Have you got this address? Yes. Yes, I'll wait right here for you. Goodbye. That was the guy from the boat. Pete gave him the package. Gave it to him. To bring to me. No kidding. He's on his way over. Go out front, Eddie. Take over the change counter. What for? I want you out there when this guy gets here. What's his name? Sebring. The minute he comes, bring him back here. This is one guy I don't want to keep waiting. Hello, Scotty. You mean at the freighter? Yeah. Pete Crawford's dead. Oh, when that happened? He died at sea. How about his effects? Did you go through them? Yes, but I was the second man through the door in that department. Somebody who identified himself as Crawford's brother had already been there and gone through his belongings. Well, he was record. Crawford had no brother. Yeah, I know. You got any description on this imposter? I got one from everybody I could find who had seen him. Out of the match. Pretty well. I'm having one of our artists work up a composite picture of him. I assume you didn't find a jury? No, and I don't think whoever this other man was found it either. From what I heard, he seemed to be pretty annoyed and kept going through Crawford's clothes. This is a nice simple case. Well, we have got one of the leads, Scotty. Crawford was pretty friendly with another member of the crew, somebody named Sebring. Did you talk to Sebring? No, he'd already gone ashore, but I got a description on him. As soon as our artist finishes with a composite picture on the phony brother, we'll send out a warrant on both of them. I want to see Mrs. Mitchell. I was a friend of her brother. Oh, you must be Mr. Sebring. Yeah, that's me. She's waiting for you. There. George! Yeah, Eddie? You can talk over now. Okay. Yeah, let's go, Mr. Sebring. Right back here. I was sure terrible news about Pete, huh? Yeah, and me too. Where were you with him when he died? Right there. Mrs. Mitchell, how is she? Yeah, she's taken it pretty good. She cried for a little while, but she's over that now. Pete was a nice fellow. Yeah, a great guy. Ah, here we are. Go ahead. Hey. Yeah? This is Mr. Sebring. Oh, hello, Mr. Sebring. Hello. I guess it's a sad birthday for you. Huh? Pete told me that this package is from him. It's a birthday present. Oh. Here. Oh, thank you, Mr. Sebring. Eddie. Yeah? You thank Mr. Sebring, too. Sure. Now, let's take a look at the birthday present. In just a moment, to this exciting file which shows how your FBI helps protect the security of America. Now let's turn from the present to the future. What's the prediction for the new decade? Let's ask the economist for a forecast. In 1960, according to all indications, Americans will have $65 billion more to spend every year than they do today. In other words, our annual national income is due to rise from 210 to 275 billions of dollars. During the 1950s, more than ever before, there will be ample opportunities for ambitious, self-reliant individuals who have the energy, character, training, and the will to get ahead. Does that describe you? Are you optimistic about your own future? Then you're sure to be interested in the equitable life insurance society's special plan for men and women on the way up. This is life insurance that talks your language. Consider its three important advantages. Now, first, as your salary goes up, your insurance can keep pace with it. If you get that better job or that big promotion comes your way, you can adjust your insurance to measure up to your increased income. Second, while you're waiting, your wife and children have the life insurance protection they need. This means that you have the peace of mind, the freedom from worry about your family that's essential to a man who wants to concentrate on getting ahead. Third advantage, the equitable plan is flexible at all times. It can expand or contract as you see fit and offers you many desirable options, which your equitable society representative will be glad to explain to you. So why not get in touch with him right away? Phone him and ask for full details on the equitable plan for people on the way up, or send a postcard care of this station to the Equitable Society. That's E-Q-I-T-A-B-L-E. The Equitable Life Insurance Society of the United States. And I'm back to the FBI file package of death. Throughout the nation, this coming week has been designated as Crime Prevention Week, a period in which the Federal Bureau of Investigation hopes you will spend some time thinking about how you can contribute toward a more crime-free America. Your FBI realizes that no decent citizen can make such a contribution if he is ignorant about conditions as they exist today in the field of crime. For that reason, your FBI cooperates in presenting these official broadcasts, and through them it hopes to acquaint you, at least in some measure, with the nature of your enemy. Part of that education lies in teaching you not to be surprised, as some of you may have been this evening, to learn that the head of an international ring of jewel thieves could be and was a woman. One of the facts about crime, with which you ought to be familiar, is that year in and year out. Approximately 10% of all people arrested in the United States are women. Nor is it true, as some may think, that the crimes for which those women are arrested every year are petty offenses against the public welfare. In terms of percentage, the records gathered by your FBI show that more women than men were arrested for the following crimes. Forgery, arson, larceny, assault, and criminal homicide. Criminal homicide being another way of saying murder. The night's file continues at the FBI field office. That composite picture come back yet, Jim? Yeah, a little while ago, Scotty. Good. Let's have a look at it. Here it is. Recognizing? New to me. Makes two of us. How about the files? I sent a copy over to IDENT. It's nothing on him. Well, how about that friend of Crawford's? Willie Sebring? Yeah. Nothing on him either. Have the police got anything on our pin-up boys? They're looking now. Maybe it'd be a good idea to take this picture over the freighter. The man who saw him could tell us if it's a good likeness. Another agent just took a copy down there. Oh, pardon me, Scotty. Sure, Jim. Special Agent Taylor speaking. Yes, that's right. You have when? Now, thanks very much. What? Yes, right away. Bye. Where's the morgue, Scotty? They just brought in the body of Willie Sebring. I thought you were going to check in with me. Yeah, I figured it was too late. Besides, I didn't have no trouble. Well, take over the change move, will you? Huh? Where you going? To see somebody who might buy the loot. The whole thing? Mm-hmm. Uh, you want me to go with you? No, stay here and take care of the joint. Well, suppose this guy tries to clip you? Eddie, when I can't handle any fence whoever lived, I'll start playing these machines myself. You're the men from the FBI? Yes, that's right. They called from upstairs and said you were coming. We'd like to see the body of a man named Willie Sebring. Right this way. All right, thanks. Right here. You got the coroner's report there? Yeah. He's got this head wound listed as a cause of death, hasn't he? That's right, Jim. It's like Sebring was hit from behind. He's been real heavy. Okay, I think we've seen enough. Still got his effects down here? Over there, in the box with his name on it. Okay, thanks. Let's go look at the box, come here. Okay. Kane, Richardson, Sandford, Sebring. Here it is. W. Sebring. Mm-hmm. Very small box. Couldn't have had much. He didn't. Now look at the wallet. Okay. 30 bucks in it. That means he wasn't robbed. Nothing much else in the wallet? Or in the box either. Just this half empty pack of cigarettes and fresh book of matches. Not much to work on. Well, these matches are from Martha's bar and grill over on 16th Street. He could have picked him up this afternoon, Jim. Yeah. Yeah, come on, Scotty. Let's go up there and see if they remember Sebring. I don't have to wait to question that other box, isn't it, Scotty? Why not? I just showed the case here. Sebring's pictures. She remembered him. She said Sebring left here at 4 o'clock. But they're so sure of the exact time. That's when she comes to work. Connor's report listed time of death at 4.30. Half hour after leaving here. We've got one of the leads. Sebring asked the case here where to get the number nine bus. Going north or south? North. Come on, Scotty. Let's try and find the driver of that bus. I just finished questioning the bus driver. Get anything? Yes, she remembered Sebring. Said he got off the bus at 10th and Willoughby. Driver also said Sebring asked him where he could buy a condolence card. I had a few stores around there. Sell those cards, Jim. I know. Let's try and locate the one that Sebring went to. Yes, he bought a card like this to the sister of my dead friend. Could be Pete Crawford's sister, Jim. Yeah. I remember him because he was so clumsy. He wrote the woman's name and address on the card, put it in the envelope, and then when he started to address the envelope, he got a big blot on it. I had to give him a new one. Have you got the first envelope that he used? Yes, it must be in this basket. Let's find it, Scotty, and get it back to the lab. Here are my credentials. Well, sit down. I'd like to ask you a few questions. About what? A man named Pete Crawford. I'm afraid I don't know anybody by that name. This is his picture. Have you known by another name? No, I've never seen him before. Here's a picture of a man named Willie Sebring. Have you ever seen him? No. That's strange. Why? A policeman directing traffic on the corner saw Sebring today. What's that got to do with me? Sebring asked him which arcade in this block was owned by a Mrs. Mary Mitchell. Now wait a minute, Mr. Taylor. If you've got any charges against me, let's have them. Otherwise, you can both leave. The baseball machine's all fixed, Mary. Wait outside, Eddie. Now, wait a minute. You don't go. What? Take a look at him, Scotty. Oh, this is a pretty good composite picture. Yeah. You know having him pose as Pete Crawford's brother was a mistake, Mrs. Mitchell? What are you talking about? Throw the cuffs on him, Scotty. Right, Jim. Hey, what is that? How do you know how George moved the baseball machine? I'm sorry, Mrs. Mitchell. You're both going with us. And the only machine either one of you has to worry about from now on is the electric chair. View of the more serious crime of the murder of Willie Sebring, Eddie Butler and Mary Mitchell were turned over to local authorities, convicted and sentenced to be executed, as Special Agent Taylor hoped. The FBI crime laboratory was able to supply the name and address of Mrs. Mitchell. Willie Sebring had written that name and address on the condolence card and put the card in an envelope. Then, because of an accident, he discarded the envelope. The FBI lab, through the use of infrared photography on the inside of the envelope, was able to read what had been written on it. A list of phone numbers in Mrs. Mitchell's purse led to the arrest of the remaining members of the ring. And so another case from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a case which originated some 3,500 miles away, was solved. While it is true that the final clue came from the FBI laboratory, it is also true that no solution to this case would have been possible without the fine investigative work on the part of the members of the French Serraté. Your FBI therefore wishes to thank the French law enforcement agency and to tell you, the public, that this kind of international cooperation is the rule, not the exception, in the never-ending war against every criminal in the world. In just a moment, we will tell you about next week's exciting FBI file. Now, one last word on the Equitable Society's plan for men and women on the way up. It's a plan for the man who is justified in believing that someday his boss will say to him, Can I have some good news for you? We've decided to promote you to Johnson's old job, with a raise and salary that ought to make you pretty happy. If you're that kind of man, then the sooner you get in touch with an Equitable Society representative, the better. Ask him for full information on the Equitable Society's life insurance plan for men and women on the way up. Or send a postcard, care of this station, to the Equitable Life Insurance Society. Next week, we will dramatize another case from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The story of a thrilling race between two ex-convicts and two FBI agents to find a missing man. It's subject, assault. It's title, The Telltale Calendar. The incidents used in tonight's Equitable Life Insurance 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 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 Herb Butterfield, Quitfield Conner, Bill Conrad, Ted DeCorsia, Marlo Dwyer, and John Sheehan. This is your FBI as a Jerry Divine production. This is Larry Keating speaking for the Equitable Life Insurance Society of the United States and the Equitable Society's representative in your community. And inviting you to tune in again next week at the same time as the Equitable Life Insurance Society will bring you another thrilling transcribed story from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Telltale Calendar on This Is Your FBI. The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, fun for the whole family, follows immediately over most of these same ABC stations. Stay tuned. This is ABC, the American Broadcasting Company.