 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, if you are covered by Social Security, you'll be vitally interested in how to turn that Social Security, which is partial security, into full security. The Equitable Life Assurance Society will show you how simple and easy it can be. So listen carefully in about 12 minutes to this important message from the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. Tonight, the subject of our FBI file, Man Hunt. It's title, The Stranger. Tonight's case from the Files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is typical of many. Clues are few and far between. You will follow step by step as your FBI agents trail them down. This brings up a point we'd like to make clear to our listeners. From time to time, we receive letters asking whether these programs do not tip off criminals by revealing specific methods of crime detection, thus putting potential lawbreakers on their guard. We wish to assure you that every program is carefully scrutinized at FBI headquarters in Washington with this point in mind. No information that would give aid and comfort to the underworld is ever disclosed. However, your FBI is grateful for your concern and interest. Tonight's FBI file opens on a main highway in a southern state. It is late afternoon as a young man stands at the edge of the road attempting to thumb a ride through a national park. Car after car goes by until a new convertible comes along and stops. The driver throws open the door. Hop in, son. Thank you. Just throw the bag in the back. Okay. It feels good to be riding again. You been waiting long? Coming up an hour. I was just going to throw my elephant away. Elephant? It's a good luck piece. Oh. Nearly had it rub clean through. Car runs nice. And for what it cost, it should. How far you going? Close to Biloxi as you come. Well, I'm going right through. It suits me fine. That where you're from? A little town close by. Oh. Glad to get back. I guess that wasn't naturally cut out for being a salesman lugging around that heavy case. What were you selling? Sports clothes. Saw me an ad in the magazine. Said anybody could make $100 a week just for toting a case full of samples. It ain't so. You got a job lined up back home? Mm-mm. You better start robbing that elephant again. I just now did. You better slow down, mister. Huh? Pull over and stop. What for? Well, so I can drive. I'm not tired. Mister, you heard what I said. Hey! Now, don't bother looking down. The thing in your side ain't no elephant. It's a gun. The following month, outside an FBI field office in the northern city, Special Agent Taylor greets Agent Paul Scott. All our savior trip upstairs, come on. Oh, where are we going? Over to the garage. What's the deal? At a drive out to Lakeville, a man named Arthur Butler was shot and killed last month in a national park down in Louisiana. His car, clothes, and jewelry were stolen. What turned up? The car, it was abandoned in Lakeville. Who turned it in? Well, a woman in Lakeville named Logan wrote to the victim's widow. She said the car had been in the alley behind her house for a couple of weeks and she wanted to buy it. Hold it Paul, let me like it. How'd this woman know who owned it? Well, the car's carrying Virginia plates, so she dropped a line of the license bureau. Any suspects? No. It looks like Butler picked up a hitchhiker, but we've got no idea who it was or what he looks like. How about the stolen jewelry and clothes? We're getting a complete list. Come on, we can cross it. Yeah. Nice, easy case. Yeah. Yeah, all we have to do is find an unknown killer who's got a month's head start. Paul, I got some clean prints off the rear view mirror. Anything back there? Just about everything. Well, the old saying's right. Cheat and the cheese will certainly show. Why? I want you both to know that I saw this car first and if anybody buys it, I will. Oh, ma'am, we're not buying it. We've got permission to examine it, isn't it? You must be Mrs. Logan. How'd you know? We're special agents of the FBI, ma'am. We were told about your letter to Mrs. Butler. Well, pardon me. Tell me, Mrs. Logan, have you seen anyone else around the car? Oh, yes, yes. I've been watching ever since I wrote the letter because to her that watches everything is revealed. That's an Italian saying. Would you please tell us who you saw? That was a little boy from the next block. Oh. No telling what he'd have stolen if I hadn't seen him. I don't know what these youngsters of today will ever grow into. You know what they say, as the twig is bent. Yes, ma'am, we do. And did you happen to notice a person who left the car here? No, no, I didn't. I see. Well, thank you for your help. Paul, we'd better be going. All right, Jim. Well, thanks, and goodbye, Mrs. Logan. Goodbye, and I'm sorry I spoke sharply to you before it was rude of me, but default confessed is half redressed. Yes, of course. Goodbye. Goodbye, Mr. Logan. Jim, unless the killer's in a single fingerprint file, we made this trip for nothing. Well, maybe not. You got another angle? Yeah, that full gas tank. It could mean it was filled here in Lakeville. Yes, it could. It's worth checking. Let's cover every service station. Charlie, gas up that truck, will you? Can I help you? Yes, please. We're Special Agents of the FBI here in my credentials. OK. We'd like some information. Thank God that you can have it. Fine. We're looking for somebody who's been driving a black Buick convertible with Virginia license plates. The car is a badly smashed left rear fender. Virginia? Yeah. You remember it? Uh-huh. Came in a couple of times for gas. Never kept enough air in his tires. I remember that. You remember who was driving? A man. I don't know his name. Oh, can you describe him? A plain face. Not bad looking. Not good looking. What color hair? Blonde. Was he a big man? Like a football player. Oh. Have you ever mentioned anything about where he lived? No. Anything else you can tell us about him? Yeah. Yeah, he had a kind of accent. Oh. Southern accent. Well, that should help, Pa. Yeah. Thanks very much. The process of conducting an investigation is like climbing a very steep ladder. Every fact becomes another rung. Now, your FBI had rung number one. The driver of the stolen car was a big man with a southern accent. But before the next step could be taken, another fact was needed. An important fact. The name of that man. The name the three fingerprints could be checked against. The name that would enable your FBI to start a manhunt. Moving around the city, a man leaves his name in various places. So special agents Taylor and Scott began with a list of clothes and jewelry stolen from the murder victim. They visited second hand clothing dealers. They visited Taylor shops that specialize in alterations. They went to jewelry stores, watch repair stores, loan offices, finance companies, and pawn shops. Yes, sir. Can I help you? Maybe. I'm a special agent of the FBI here in my credentials. Yes, sir. Uh, what is it? Well, I'm looking for some stolen jewelry. Here's the list. I never handle stolen goods in my life. Just a minute. I didn't mean that to be an accusation. We have reason to believe the thief was in this area. Oh. And it's just possible he pawned some of these things here in your shop. Well, can I see that list? Surely. We can check on this watch first. All right, that'll be fine. Okay, let's... If I'm not looking for it, my book on watches is in my way, but I... Oh, here it is. Serial number on the watch case is 374-486. 374. 374. It's not on that page. 374. Here's one. 374-486. That's it. It was pawned on the 11th of this month. By whom? Um, H.W. Martin. Any address? Yeah, 5139 West Lincoln. Let me write that down. All the stolen wristwatch was pawned on the 11th at a hawk shop on Broadway. Oh, by whom? Somebody named H.W. Martin. He gave an address on West Lincoln. Well, let's go. I've just been there. It's an empty lot. Oh. I ordered a photo-stat of the signature on the pawn ticket. Maybe Washington won't be able to come up with a night-end for us. Teletype just came in. Huh? The prints are not in the single-print file. Ah. Now, where do we go now? We know for sure he was here on the 11th when he pawned the watch. Yeah. He's got a southern accent, so he's not from anywhere around here. Well, it could mean he stayed at a hotel. Or a motel. He did have a car. Yeah. All right, Paul, let's get photo-stats of registrations at every place he might have checked into the week of the 11th. Inspiration plays a part in any investigation. But what gets the job done is hard work. Patient laborious separating of wheat from chaff. The registers of more than 400 hotels had to be examined. Had to be scrutinized line by line, name by name. One pile of photo-stats followed another as the two special agents continued their search. A search for a killer who, at any time, might strike again. Jim, will you hand me some more of those photo-stats? Sure. Here. Thanks. Looks like only about a dozen more to go. Mm-hmm. You know, Jim, it's hardly possible that if he used a fake address, he probably faked the name too, so even if... Paul? What? Look here. Henry W. Monroe. Hey, that's close to it. Where's that photo-stat of the signature of the point again? Here. Thanks. Hey, look at the HW and the M on this. Mm-hmm. Now compare them with the initials in Henry W. Monroe. Are they the same? Yeah. Is that the hotel majestic? Let's get a war and get over there. We will return in just a moment to tonight's exciting case from the official files of your FBI. Now let's turn from underworld characters to the kind of good American people who never get into trouble with the law. I'd like to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Edward Turner. Good evening. Hello. Mr. Turner, a little earlier on this program, I promised to show our listeners how to build social security into full security. I'd like to illustrate how this can be done in your particular case. Well, that's something I'd surely like to be able to do. It may be easier than you think. Now let's see, you have two children. If you should die unexpectedly, your wife would get about $117 a month from social security. Mrs. Turner, how much more than $117 a month would you need to support your two children? Well, I really couldn't say. What do you think, Mr. Turner? How much more than $117 a month would your wife need to keep those children of yours well fed, well clothed, and well housed? It would take quite a while to figure that out. No, you can actually get the answer in five minutes. With this fact-finding chart for fathers and mothers published by the Equitable Society. Fact-finding chart? How does it work? It's a special chart issued by the Equitable Society to help figure up exactly what income your family would need if the breadwinner should die unexpectedly. Say, this chart is just what we need. The idea of the Equitable Fact-Finding Chart for fathers and mothers is to simplify the problem. Now see, you're guided every step of the way by easy-to-understand pictures. Every major item of living expense is included, so you get an answer that's trustworthy and accurate. Ed, we really ought to get one of these. Where can I buy one, Mr. Keating? You can't buy it. It's 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. With the big head start you get from Social Security and whatever insurance you now own, only a small amount of additional insurance may be all it's required to give you that full security. So ask your Equitable Society representative for a free copy of the Equitable Society's Fact-Finding Chart for fathers and mothers, or send a postcard care of this station to Equitable. That's E-Q-U-I-T-A-B-L-E. The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. And now back to the FBI file, The Stranger. Most decent law-abiding citizens are interested in cutting down the tremendous number of major crimes committed in this country each year. For one example of how each of you can help, you need go no further than the case being dramatized for you tonight from the files of your FBI. Exercise caution in picking up hitchhikers. Time and time again that advice has been given to motorists throughout the nation. Yet not a week passes that an innocent person is not robbed, beaten, or killed by some highway marauders. Law enforcement agencies like your local police and your FBI can attempt to apprehend criminals after they have committed their vicious acts. But you, the public, can do more than that. You can help prevent crime. Because it is so important, we repeat the advice given earlier. Exercise caution in picking up hitchhikers. Heed that advice. It may save your life. Tonight's FBI file continues in the lobby of the Hotel Majestic. Special agents Taylor and Scott approach the clerk's desk. Hello there. Hi. Did that register help you? Yes. We think we found the man we're looking for. His name is Henry W. Monroe. Monroe. Monroe. That's right. He checked in on the 9th. Let's look at the rack. Oh, yes. Room 793. Is this key in the box? It doesn't matter. He checked out. Or when? On the 19th. Paid his bill in cash. Here's his card. Thanks. Uh, what does this letter seeming? He got the commercial rate on his room. Oh, okay. I don't know, but I can find out. We keep a separate book on commercial customers. Let me see. Monroe. A-L-M. Oh, here we are. Henry W. Monroe. A-Rex clothing corporation, Los Angeles, California. He registered as a salesman. No street address? Maybe Los Angeles is all we'll need. Thank you. Come on, Paul. Let's get a teletype to the L.A. office. Paul, here's our answer from Los Angeles. Oh, they locate that clothing company? Yes, and Monroe used to work for them. Used to? Yeah, he applied for the job by mail and was sent a sample case and credentials. He made three sales, got the cash in advance and never turned in the orders. Well, that figures... They also sent us a physical description on Monroe. Did it match? Yeah, perfectly. Where'd they get it? From his application, which also carried a small passport picture and the pictures on its way now by air mail. Oh, did they know where he was from? Yeah, Springfield, Mississippi. The police have already been contacted. Good. Now, let's see... I think our next angle ought to be cleaners and dyers. Here? Yeah. Monroe was about the same size as Butler, so he might have decided to keep his clothes. Okay. I've got a list of cleaners and dyers here on the desk. Oh, great. I'll get a phone. Taylor speaking. Yeah, that's right. Fine. Yes, I see. They don't know. All right, thanks very much. That was the wire room, Paul. The Springfield police check Monroe's family. They got a card from him last week. He's working here, but they don't know where. That makes the dry cleaners a good angle. Yeah, let's start checking them. As an investigation continues, more avenues of work open up. Each cleaner and dyer in the city received a description of the stolen clothes. And at the same time, agents Taylor and Scott were following up other possible leads. A clue rarely walks into an FBI office. For the most part, it comes after a session of labor, a session like the one put in in searching the hotel registers, a session like the one being put in now where other lists were being checked, employment records, newspaper subscription files, the rosters of different clubs, all that to find one name, Henry W. Monroe. Occupation murderer. Paul, that list of cleaners paid off. Well, one of them called in. Yeah, he cleaned the camel's hair coat last week and he's positive it's the same one. Where's Monroe living? Well, that he didn't know. The cleaning was done for a man named Roberts, an old customer of his whose description doesn't match Henry Monroe's. Well, where does this Roberts live? Out near the ballpark. Let's go see him. We'd like to see Frank Roberts. He ain't home. Are you Mrs. Roberts? His sister. We're special agents of the FBI. You're my credentials. Oh. You expect your brother back? Sure. When? I don't know. He goes out when he gets up and he comes home when he gets tired. Do you have any idea where we can find him? No. May we come in and wait? Sure. Thank you. Good. Thanks, John. Paul, look at that coat there on the rack. Yeah. Well, Miss, is this coat your brother's? Uh-huh. You mind if we look at it? Go ahead. Arthur Butler. Miss Roberts. Yeah? Do you know where your brother got this coat? Uh-huh. Off some guy. Who was it? Guy who dated me. Oh, what's his name? I don't know. I don't remember. But you said you went out with him? Because he was a friend of my brother's. Oh, can you tell us anything about him? He was a creep. Was he a big man blond hair? Yeah, that's him. And did he sell your brother the coat? No, he swapped it. Oh, for what? An elephant. What? Now, look, Miss Roberts. I don't mean a real elephant. It was a little one made out of ivory. My brother got into the army in Africa. His creep thought elephants were lucky. Would you know his name if you heard it? Try me. Was it Monroe? Yeah. Yeah, that's it. Hank Monroe. You know where he lives? He had a room near the river someplace. You know the address? No. Did he ever tell you where he worked? No. Well, have you any idea at all where we can find him? I already told you. He's a creep, and I got no interest in creeps. Oh, thank you, Miss Roberts. Thank you very much. A room near the river. That's a lead all right. But the streets running back from the river were populated by hundreds and hundreds of rooming houses. Again, the weary job of searching through haystacks began for the two special agents. They were aided by a picture that arrived from the Los Angeles Field Office. A picture of Monroe. Copies were made and a trek through the streets begun. Do you know this man? Up one block and down the next, to rooming house after rooming house. Always the same question. Do you know this man? Whatever the answers, the meaning was the same. Henry Monroe doesn't live here. By now, there was only one more block to cover. So agents Taylor and Scott took alternate houses. Still asking the same question. Do you know this man? Yes. Fine. Who are you? I'm a special agent of the FBI, ma'am, here in my credentials. Hmm, I see. Is Mr. Monroe in? He moved. Oh, how long ago? Two days. Well, is he coming back? I don't know, but I wouldn't think so. All he's got left in his room is junk. Well, would it be possible for me to see that junk? Of course. Come right in. It's almost 2 a.m., Jim. Yeah, I know. This makes it look like Monroe has really moved. Well, let's give him another half hour, huh? Sure. We should have brought along one of those little elephants we saw in his room. We could use some luck. There's a car coming now, Pa. Yeah. It's slowing down. It's not here. No. This reminds me of a surveillance I was on with Newcombe. We stayed in front of a rooming house like this. Hold it. Someone's coming. You got a cigarette? Sure. Thanks. Here's a light. No, I don't want a smoker. I thought with you as a big guy, cross your fingers. I already have. Hey, bud. Me? Yeah. You got a match? Yeah, I think so. Wait a minute. Yeah. Thanks, Monroe. Hmm? I thought you'd come back for those elephants. Who are you? FBI. We've been waiting for you. Henry Monroe was tried and convicted in federal court on a charge of murder on a government reservation. One of the reasons your FBI cooperates in bringing you these dramatizations is that it hopes to teach decent people methods by which they can prevent crime. It also hopes to discourage those who might be tempted to commit an unlawful act. Any of that group now listening would do well to remember the thoroughness of the search made by your FBI in this case and to reflect upon the fact that this was not an unusual investigation. Every crime is worked on this way, both by members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and by local law enforcement officers. For these are men who take pride in their title of public servant, who keep working on every case until justice has been done. Now just two things to remember about the Equitable's fact-finding chart for fathers and mothers. First, it shows you 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. It's subject, false accusation. It's title, citizen Caldwell. 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 Benadirate, Betty Blythe, Joe Forte, Isabel Joule, Charles Maxwell, Paul Richards, and John Stephenson. 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. Citizen Caldwell 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.