 The Equitable Life Assurance Society presents This Is Your F.B.I. This Is Your F.B.I. 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, if you are covered by Social Security, you'll be vitally interested in how to turn that Social Security, which after all is only partial security, into full security. The Equitable Life Assurance Society will show you how simple and easy it can be. So please listen carefully in about 11 minutes to an important message from the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. Tonight, the subject of our F.B.I. file, counterfeiting, its title, The Flying Felon. One of the byproducts of World War II was an increase of juvenile delinquents. Some of those young men and women have been rehabilitated, but too many haven't. In too many cases, your F.B.I. sees the juvenile delinquent of yesterday becoming the hardened criminal today. They are providing recruits for the formation of gangs reminiscent in many respects of the gangs of the 20s and 30s. Real reduction in present-day crime rates will not come until every adult recognizes his responsibilities to youth and his job as a citizen. In these days of uncertainty, the American people must realize one important fact. If we are to be strong internally, every effort must be directed toward the goal of making the younger element of the nation more law-abiding. And that effort must come not only from your F.B.I., but primarily from you. Tonight's file opens at the F.B.I. field office in a large Midwestern city. Special Agent Jim Taylor has just entered the office of Supervisor Leo Sherman. Jim, this is Tommy Weber. Hello, Liam. Tommy's just been assigned to the office. I'm putting him on a case with you. Oh, fine, Leo. Did you see our notice to banks on those counterfeit United Travelers checks? Yeah. Well, we got quick action. Oh. Man named Paul Clark was arrested this afternoon. He tried to cash these at the Central Trust Company. These are real good imitations. Perfect, except for one thing. The ink doesn't smudge. You see this Clark was arrested? Yes, Tommy, but he's just a punk. Here, this teletype just came from Washington with his record. Thanks, sir. It's a nice record for a 23-year-old. Arrested six times before he was 15. Well, we've got two jobs. Find out who the head man is. Find out where the checks are being printed. Okay. Anybody interview young Clark? Not yet. All right, Tommy. My jails are first stop. Clark's in this room. Thanks. Here we are. Just call me when you're through. Right. Hello, Clark. I'm a special agent of the FBI here in my credentials. Well, big shot. Clark, I want to ask you some questions, but before I do, I want you to know that anything you say can be used against you. Drop dead. Look, son, you don't have to prove anything to me. So forget the tough act. It's no act. Okay, you're tough. Let me point out that if you cooperate, I'll include that in my report. Maybe the judge will consider it when you come up for sentencing. I'll never come up for no sentencing. Oh, why not? My friends will spring me. What friends? It's my business. Clark, you're making a big mistake. Nobody can get you out of this. It's up to you now. Come on. Tell me who you're working for. Where the checks are printed. Hey, a call for you, Mr. Taylor. Oh, thanks. You can take it right there. Fine, thank you. Hello. Jim, this is Tommy. I don't remember what Clark had on him when he was arrested. Oh, anything interesting? One airline ticket stub. One book of matches. $310 in cash. One white handkerchief. Ten folders of United Travelers checks. Did you check that airline stub? Yeah, Clark got here at 10.30 this morning from Auburn. Auburn, that's where he was previously arrested. You get anything from him? No. He's scared. He talks big, but he's scared. How about that book of matches? They're from the Hotel America. I called and Clark wasn't registered. No? Hold on, Tommy, will you? Clark, did you visit anybody at the Hotel America? No, I was never there. There were matches from that hotel in your pocket when you were arrested. Pick them up in a saloon on Wilson Street. Are you sure? Positive. But they'd have a couple of drinks and I bought some butts. How come you're being so cooperative all of a sudden? Who are you trying to protect? Nobody. Yeah, we'll find out. Hello, Tommy. Yeah, Jim? Meet me at the Hotel America. Have you been waiting long, Jim? No, I've been busy questioning the hotel employees. About Clark? Yeah. No one recognized his picture. Maybe he just visited here. Well, if he did, he must have come right from the airport. He was arrested two hours after he got off a plane. Does the airline bus stop here? No. Well, then he could have taken a cab from the airport. Well, we can check black and white. They have an exclusive out there. He might show up on their trip records. Yeah, let's get over to the cab office. Oh, wait a minute, Tommy. There's one other angle we should explore. What's that? Well, we got to check with the Auburn police, and see if Clark's ever been arrested with a known counterfeiter. I imagine Auburn must keep an album on counterfeiters so we can have that sent on to us, too. What for? To show to the employees of the hotel here. Oh, figuring that Clark came here to see his counterfeiter. That's right. Now, will you follow through on those requests to the Auburn police? Sure. All right, I'll go over to the cab company office. A case involving a nationwide counterfeiting operation also involves nationwide investigation. At FBI headquarters in Washington, travelers' checks found on Paul Clark were examined by the lab. At Auburn police headquarters, the two requests from your FBI were being acted upon. And at the black and white taxi office, Special Agent Taylor was examining the trip records each cab driver hands in at the end of the day. Examining those trip records, looking for a ride one man took from the airport to the Hotel America. Mr. Taylor, here's another batch of records. Thanks. Well, I didn't know there were this many cabs in time. Only two more bundles, yeah. Thanks very much. Back to work. 12th Street University, Old Crone. Pardon me, sir. Yes? Slip here, says driver 39 made a pickup at the airport at 1040. What number? 39. Who would that be? I'll check for you. 6, 7, 8, 39. And Fred Logan, morning shift. He's off till 6 a.m. Aw, where does he live? Near here, but he's not home. How do you know? He called in. Said he was taking his family to the country. Aw, did he tell you where? No. Will you please leave word for Mr. Logan that I'll meet him here at 6 tomorrow morning? Tommy, I looked at the right cab driver. He drove Clark? Yeah, and he took him to the Hotel America. Was he alone? Yeah. Hey, is that from Washington? Mm-hmm. The lab reported on the traveler's checks Clark tried to cash. Aw. There are duplicates of the bad ones that have been passed around the country. Well, then it's pretty definite that he's part of the ring. Yeah. We also heard from the Auburn police. Clark's never been arrested with a known counterfeiter. How about the album? Be here this afternoon. Okay, let's call the hotel and ask them to line up the employees for more interviews. To most people, an album of photographs is a collection of pleasant memories. To a law enforcement officer, an album is a book containing pictures of people arrested for one particular crime. There is a bank robber's album, a confidence man album, and so forth. When Agent Taylor returned to the Hotel America, he had with him the Auburn Police Department's picture collection of 35 men arrested there in the past for counterfeiting. Good evening. Hi. Glad to see you back. Thanks. Won't you sit down, please? Thanks. I'm Rosie, the fourth floor front maid. Remember? Yes, yes, I do. Rosie, would you look at the pictures in this book for me? But I told you the other day. I don't know that guy. No, these are pictures of different people. Oh, okay. Well now, please examine each one carefully and tell me if you recognize anyone who's been a guest here. Will you look at this bum's kisser? Half these guys couldn't stay here. They don't let you register downstairs by drawing an X. Hey, here's Mr. Franklin. No, his name is Fisher, Al Fisher. Five will get you ten, it's Franklin. I never forget a sawbuck tipper. Franklin? Yeah, 436. That's his room? Yeah, but he's gone. Oh, when did he leave? Yesterday. But don't throw him in the jug, will you? There ain't many ten-dollar tippers left. Sorry to kept you waiting, Tommy. What's up? I thought we'd interview Paul Clark again. He knows we found out about Al Fisher. How? I called the jailor, had him pass the word along. Might soften Clark up. Did you contact the airlines on Fisher? Yeah, he took a plane back to Auburn yesterday. Leo notified the Auburn police. We can get Clark to open up, we might crack this. Go ahead, Tommy. Thanks. Hello, Mr. Kimmel. Mr. Taylor, I was just calling you. Oh, can we see Clark again? That's what I was calling you about. Are you giving it trouble? He's hung himself. In just a few moments, we'll get back to tonight's case from the official files of the FBI. But right now, let's consider the question of family security. I want you to meet Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Dowling, a couple with a problem that nearly all fathers and mothers have to face up to eventually. Good evening. Good evening. Mr. Dowling, I understand you are interested in finding out how to build your social security into full security. That's right, Mr. Keating. Well, now let's see. Your social security would amount to about $112. That's correct. And that's the trouble. $112 just isn't enough to take care of Mrs. Dowling and our children. Well, how much do you think you'd need? Frankly, we don't know. That's why we got so interested in the equitable fact finding chart for fathers and mothers. We heard you talking about it on the radio. All right. Let's take a look at the chart. Here it is. The fact finding chart has been designed by the Equitable Society to help you figure out exactly what income your wife and child would need if you should die suddenly. Just look at these easy to understand pictures. They guide you every step of the way. Every major item of living expense is included. The answer you get is trustworthy and accurate. Five minutes with the chart and you know exactly how much money would be needed until your youngest child finishes high school. Even I can understand that. Steve, we really need one of those charts. You bet we do. How much do they cost, Mr. Keating? Not a cent. They're free. Your equitable representative will be glad to give you a copy. And after you've filled it in, and when you know what extra income you'll need, he'll be glad to show you how to turn your social security into full security. That's fine, but does full security cost a lot of money? Well, you've already got a head start with your social security benefits. You may have some other insurances, too, so that only a small additional amount of insurance may be all you need to give you that full security. That's certainly worth looking into. Thanks a lot, Mr. Keating. Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Dowling. Friends, why not get in touch with your Equitable Society representative soon? Ask him for your free copy of Equitable's fact-finding chart for fathers and mothers. That's E-Q-I-T-A-B-L-E. The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. And now back to the FBI file, The Flying Felon. If you are a parent, it might be well at this point in tonight's case to pause for a moment and think about the young man who has committed suicide. Could that have been your son or daughter? Study yourself and your actions as a parent before you answer. The fact is that there are more than a million and a half parents in the United States who bewail the news that a child of theirs has gone wrong in a manner so vicious as to demand a penalty ranging from imprisonment in a reformatory to death in an electric chair. From the majority of those parents you hear nothing but excuses. The child was willful or got in bad company or was headstrong or just seemed to stray from the family group. The fault in the eyes of those parents always lies with the child or with outside influences. The truth is that one of the greatest current contributors to the growing army of criminals is the negligent parent and that in too many cases crime like charity is beginning at home. Tonight's file continues the following morning at the FBI field office. Special agents Taylor and Weber have just reported to Supervisor Leo Sherman. Leo, I guess Clark's death means starting all over again. Yes, we've got something to work with. Washington's tennis fissures complete record. He's known to have headed a counterfeit ring in the past. They feel that he's in charge of this one. But we're still lacking proof. Where do we start? In Auburn. No counterfeit checks have ever been passed there so that could be headquarters. Have we anything to work on there? Yes, the lab sent a breakdown on the paper the checks are printed on. It's called Stonewood Bond. That paper's available only to print shops. Have you contacted the company that makes the paper? They're sending a list of their customers in and around Auburn. Sherman. This is Kimball at the county jail. Yes, Kimball. I just got a wire from a funeral parlor in Auburn claiming Paul Clark's body. Well, who's paying for it? He didn't say. When are you shipping the body? Tonight. Okay, thanks a lot. Right. Bye. That was Kimball at the county jail. A funeral parlor in Auburn asked for Paul Clark's body. His record shows he hasn't any family or relatives. Yeah, that's why I was curious to know who was paying for it. You'd better get up to Auburn and interview that undertaker. I don't see anyone around, tell me to you. No, we can't shout for anyone. Let's go back there and see if we can find him. Can I help you gentlemen? Yes, are you employed here? I'm the proprietor. We're special agents of the FBI here in my credentials. I see. Can I be of service? Yes, we'd like some information about Paul Clark. I believe you arranged to have his body sent here? Yes, I did. At whose request? Well, I'm afraid I can't answer that. And why not? The entire transaction was conducted by messenger. Well, who paid you? The messenger brought me a check. Do you know where this messenger came from? No, sir, I don't. And do you still have the check? Yes, I believe I have it in my wallet. Let me see. Yes, here it is. Thank you. It's from an outfit called the Ajax Corporation. What's the signature? A man named Campbell. I haven't the slightest idea who that might be. Thank you for your information, sir. You're very welcome. If I can be of any further service, let me know. Thanks again, we will. Come on, tell me. Jim, I think you ought to contact the bank. I'll make the rounds of the print shops and see if any of them carry that stonewood bond. Okay, let's meet at police headquarters. A lead can take a special agent directly to the next vital piece of information or through an endless labyrinth. At the bank, no information was available on the Ajax Corporation. The deposits were made by mail. No one knew Mr. Campbell. The Corporation address turned out to be a vacant lot. Who was Mr. Campbell? Maybe the papers of incorporation would tell. At City Hall, more records were combed. The Ajax Corporation turned out to be a dummy company owned by the Norton Corporation. The Norton Corporation was owned by another firm. Another firm whose president was Al Fisher. Just a minute. Hello, Mr. Fisher. Do I know you? No, I'm a special agent of the FBI. Here are my credentials. Oh, come in, come in. Thank you. What's on your mind? A man named Paul Clark. Well, I don't know him. You're paying for his funeral. I'm afraid I don't understand. A check from the Ajax Corporation was sent to a local funeral parlor to cover the expense of Paul Clark's funeral. And just how does that concern me? Well, sir, I traced the Ajax Corporation. I found out that it was owned by the Norton Corporation and the Norton Corporation is owned by the Western Corporation. According to City Hall records, you're the president of Western. Now, do you remember Paul Clark? I guess I do. May I ask you why you paid for his funeral? Sure, I'll tell you the whole story. That'll be fine. Paul's my nephew. The reason I held out on him before was, well, I wasn't exactly proud of him. Because of his police record? Frankly, yes. What about yours, Mr. Fisher? Mine's behind me, Mr. Taylor. I leveled off three years ago. I tried to get the kid to do it, too, but he thought he was a lot smarter than me. Well, you see how he ended. Are you familiar with the charge against him on his last arrest? No, no, I'm not. He was trying to pass counterfeit travelers checks. That wasn't smart. No, it wasn't. Did you know anything about his counterfeiting activities? Not a thing, Mr. Taylor. Remember I told you, I've been playing it straight. Yes. Is there any objection to my burying the boy? No. Well, that's why you came here, isn't it? Yes, that's right. Anything else you want to know? Not right now, Mr. Fisher. Come in. Hey, I've been looking all over headquarters for you, Jim. Oh, the captain just assigned us his room, Tommy. Well, I came up with a suspect print shop. Oh, where? Broadway and 39th Street. They carry this stonewood bond? I don't know. Well, then what makes them suspect? Well, before I visited any of the shops, I went to a hotel where Clark used to live, then. I checked over their old telephone records and found three of Clark's calls were made to a printer named Nelson. Oh, and this is his shop, huh? Yeah. How'd you make out with the check? Well, after a lot of digging, the Ajax Corporation finally led the Al Fisher. I went over and interviewed him. What's the story? He claims he paid for the funeral because Clark was his nephew. Oh, kind. He also told me he's a very legitimate man these days. Oh, I'm sure. Oh, did you contact this print shop? Yeah, they were closed. It won't be open until 3 o'clock. Uh-huh. Leo called. He received what appears to be legitimate information that Fisher is about to start moving another batch of checks that will be passed upstate. We better set up a surveillance on Fisher. The police already have. And Leo's coming down, so one of us better stay here. Well, I'm waiting for a report from the police files here on Nelson, so maybe I'd better stay. Okay. I'll go out to the print shop. Afternoon. Can I help you? Yes, I'd like to order some printing. We don't handle a personal station. No, no, this is business. Oh? I'm with an Eastern outfit. We're opening a branch out here. We'll need letterheads, envelopes, auto blanks, cash receipts, checks, everything. I'll have to tell you one thing first. I'll be tied up the next day or two on a big order. So if you're in a rush, I... No, no, no, we're not. But I'll need some samples of your work. What for? Get an okay from the bosses back east. Oh, sure, sure. Got a few here under the counter. Fine. How many do you need? Well, all you can spare. There you are. Thanks. I'll give you the order in writing just as soon as I get the green light. The samples obtained at the print shop were sent to Washington to the FBI crime laboratory. While they were being examined, Supervisor Leo Sherman arrived in Auburn and set up headquarters from which to direct operations. Well, this is Fisher's apartment house. Parking on the hill, Tommy, you can watch both doorways. We'll call your car fullback. Fisher will be the center. Jim, your car will be tackled. Okay. I'm quarterback. This room is the grid iron. Well, how about the print shop? Call it the end zone. Now, if Fisher comes to town, he has to use either the ferry or the bridge. He's been a bridge man so far. Well, we can assume he'll keep using it. Now, you follow him all the way, Tommy. All right. Now, this side of the bridge, there are five exits. Well, it'll be tough for the tourists to cover all of them. Yeah. How about requesting more help from the police? They're short-handed for their own work. Let's try to handle this ourselves. No, wait. There's a different lane on the bridge for each exit. Okay. The minute Fisher moves into one of them, Tommy, you call in and we'll cover it. Check. Any questions? No, none here. Okay, then we're set. Fullback to grid iron. Come in fullback. The center's begun to move. Where are you? 50 yards behind. Paces 40 miles an hour. How's the traffic? Light. We're five miles this side of the bridge. Pace is now 45 miles an hour. Stay with him. All clear at this end. The center's a couple hundred yards in front of me. How far from the bridge? About a mile. Wait a minute. The railroad gates are coming down across the road. The center's not stopping. I think he'll make it. Can you? I don't think so. Well, there's a train, but he got through. He's gone. Tackle to fullback. This is fullback. I'm approaching the bridge. Any sign of the center? No, and he must have reached here by now. We've lost him. I've got an idea. You keep coming across the bridge. Derek? Most of it. I told you I wanted everything at four o'clock. Well, I've only got one set of plates. How many packages can I take now? Three. Over there by the wall. Now my car's in the alley out back. Help me move them. Okay. Keep the others till I get back. You've got room. Sure. Car's right by the door. How long will you be gone? Uh, it depends. Now wait a minute. I got a free hand. Can I help you, Fisher? Huh? Your bundle of checks seems to be weighing you down. Mine? Well, they're his. He asked me to help you. Now wait a minute. You ordered these things. Never mind. You're both under arrest. Al Fisher was convicted in federal court for violating the interstate transportation of stolen property statute and sentenced to federal prison. Eric Nelson, the printer, was convicted of conspiracy and also sentenced to federal prison. In searching the print shop after arresting Al Fisher and the larcenous printer, supervisor Sherman and agents Taylor and Weber located the plates which had been used in making the counterfeit travelers' checks. In addition, the package Al Fisher was carrying at the time of his arrest contained more than $100,000 worth of the fake checks. And so a counterfeiting ring was broken up by your FBI. A further contribution to your protection by men who have made that protection their career. The men of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 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 breadwinner 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. Its subject, bank theft, its title, The Unhappy Embezzler. 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 Fred Clark, Sam Edwards, Joe Forte, Billy Hallop, Bill Johnstone, Blossom McDonald and Ted Osborn. 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 transcribed story from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Unhappy Embezzler 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.