 Ladies and gentlemen, the story you're about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. Fatima cigarettes. Best of all long cigarettes brings you dragnet. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to robbery detail. Two armed bandits have robbed a large jewelry store in your city. One of the suspects escapes. One is apprehended. He's identified as a friend of yours. Your job? Send him to prison. If you want a long cigarette, smoke the best of all long cigarettes. Smoke Fatima. Fatima is the long cigarette which contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos, superbly blended to make Fatima extra mild. And that's why Fatima has a much different, much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette. That's why Fatima is doubling and redoubling its smokers. So if you want a long cigarette, smoke the best of all long cigarettes. Smoke Fatima. Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime. For the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It was Tuesday, February 8th. It was cold in Los Angeles. We were working the night watch out of robbery detail. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Thad Brown, Chief of the Techies. My name's Friday. I was on the way over from the city hall and it was 8.35 p.m. when I got to the second floor of the Georgia Street receiving hospital treatment room. Joe, hi. Hi, Doc. Ben, how's it going? Okay. It hurt for a while. Doc gave me an injection. Six of a grain of morphine, novocaine injection. The bullet's still on your shoulder? Doc's about ready to take it out. As soon as I get the wound clean, here's the soap and water nurse. Alcohol sponge leak. How's it look, Doc? There's the X-ray, shallow penetrating wound in the deltoid area. The blood is larger than the soft tissue right here. No bone involvement. Okay, the bullet will spin. That's good. Feel okay? Sure. Nice. Let me file that application, please. All right. Let's see now. Where'd you leave that at, Joe? Interrogation room. Reynolds and top center with him. Let me have the probe nurse. Yeah. Got anything, Romero? No. That's it. You hear that? Hear what? Located at the slug with the probe. Nice. Plus that. Thanks. Here we go. Oh, it's steady. You call your wife? No, she's doing the work. Here it is, boys. On the market forever. Yeah, give it to me, will you? I will. Nice sterile saline solution. Here, get the wound. No sign of Tyler's partner, huh, Joe? Got me? No, not yet. Sterile dressing, please. How long did you know this, Tyler? Before he went wrong on me. I met him in the Army, helped him line up a job when he got on. Sure is funny. Making a friend of yours pulled an arm robber. I was just surprised, you know. You want me to drive you home when the dock's finished? Let's go back to the office and talk to Tyler first. Okay. Is that all right, Doc? No. You're staying right here, Romero, till tomorrow morning. If you haven't got a temperature by then, I might release you. Oh, it's only a flash wound, Doc. I feel all right. I'm not taking any chances with gunshot wounds. If infection set in and you were laid up, I'd have the pension committee to answer to. You're staying here. Sounds like an order. Please, you can pick them up. PNF will be my morning. Okay. You gonna need anything, Ben? Yeah. A phone to tell my wife I won't be home for dinner. His name was Max Tyler, white, male American, age 32. Dark hair, brown eyes, medium build, married, father of twin boys. He was a friend of mine. We served together in the Army overseas, and when the war finished, I came back to my job on the force, and Max went back to his old job. It didn't fit him anymore. He stopped working and started drinking. His wife didn't help much. Max started with small trouble, but it grew fast. On the afternoon of February the 8th, Tuesday, Ben and I surprised two men holding up a main street jewelry shop. Shots were exchanged, and Ben received a flash wound in the shoulder. One of the holdup men escaped. The other one was apprehended. His name was Max Tyler. Hi, Larry. Hi, Joe. Glad you got here. Tyler says you won't talk to anybody but you. Okay, boy. Thanks for standing by. I'll be outside. You need anything? Joe, you're in deep this time. You shot a cop. I didn't. This guy was with me. I didn't fire once. You were in on the job? Yeah. Then don't expect presents. I don't expect anything, Joe. Glad you came back. I don't want to talk to those other cops. I work in the same department they do, same job. It's easier to talk to you. What's your story? I was crazy to try it. No alibis, Joe, but I didn't know what I was doing. Believe me, I just didn't realize... I won't buy it, Max. You told me the same thing 14 months ago when they picked you up for those bum checks you were passing. Sure, I hung some paper, but I know who it is, Joe. You know that. I was drinking. I needed a door for Dorothy and a kid. You got to believe me. I need a break. You said that before, too. I went to bat four. You got off with six months and three years probation. Now you turn up with another caper. I know, Joe. I know. I'm sorry. You're sorry once Max and it works, but one free ride's enough for anybody. That's it. Did I say I wanted that kind of a break? I'm Joe. I serve every day I own. And then what can you tell me you couldn't have told the other cops? I want to ask you a favor. Yeah? I know you're going to hook me on this. So while I'm doing my time, Dorothy and the kids are staying with relatives out in Eaglewood. If you're... just keep an eye on them, you know, Joe. I don't mean, though, Dorothy can work, but... kind of watch out for them, huh? Give them a break, Joe. It's not their fault. They do, Joe. Yeah. Sure, I'll take care of it. Now you do something for me. Anything you want, guy. Let's have the straight story. Who was the guy with you on that hold up this afternoon? Cresta George Cresta, you know him. Out of Folsom? Short guy? Black hair? Yeah. Yeah. He's got a room above the Red Owl Bar down on East 3rd near Broadway. That's where he hangs out. Where can we find Cresta now? Well, maybe there. I don't know. I'll give you a list of the places he goes. Saw his friends I've met. He sure roped me in. Said there was going to be enough stuff. You were carrying an S&W 38? Sure, sure. When they got outside the jewelry shop, Cresta jammed the gun in my hand. I had to put it away, get it out of sight. Believe me, Joe, he roped me into this. It sounds like an alibi, no. This is your second time around, Max. It sounds like one. Okay, I got nothing coming. Don't forget about Dorothy and the kids. I promised you. Now you want to give me a full statement on the hold up now? Anything you say, Joe. I'll call for a stenographer. Joe? Yeah. I'm sorry. I am. I believe you. You got the feeling too late, that's all. Max Tyler was arraigned in Municipal Court two days later. Bail was set at $10,000. Three days after that came his preliminary hearing in Municipal Court. At his arraignment in Superior Court, five weeks after he'd been apprehended, Tyler entered a plea of not guilty. A date was set for his trial in Superior Court. Meantime, the hunt for George Cresta, Max's accomplice, went on. There wasn't a sign of him. Our informants had no lead on him, and the all-points bulletin containing all the information we had on Cresta brought in nothing. On Monday, March 22, the trial of Max Tyler was held in Superior Court. Ben and I were subpoenaed to appear. The victim of the hold up, the jewelry store manager, was the first to testify. He was questioned by both the prosecutor and the counsel for the defense. He left the stand at 11.25 a.m. Give it please, your honor. Counsel for the defense. Before the next witness testifies, is there a permission to approach the bench? A permission granted. Countable prosecution may also proceed. Wonder what that's all about, Jim? Something's up. Hello. Judge is shaking his head. Public defender's going back to the counsel's table there. What's with the defense? Your honor, as my client's desire to change his plea to guilty. Defendant rise in Superior Court. Max Tyler, is that your true name? Yes, your honor. On the 12th day of March of this year, in Superior Court, Department 83, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California, you have all been arraigned on the charge of robbery in the first degree. At that time, you have pled not guilty to the charge in question. Is it now your desire to change that plea? Yes, sir, it is. You have reached this decision of your own free will? Yes, I have. You have been no force employed, no promise of gratuity or reward to reduce you to reach this decision? No, sir. Counsel for the prosecution. Yes, your honor. Max Tyler. On the 12th day of March of this year, in Superior Court, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California, you are arraigned on the charge of robbery in the first degree. At that time, you entered a plea and set forth in this information. How do you now plead, guilty or not guilty? Guilty. Is it stipulated that at the time of the commission of the robbery, the defendant presumed that the deadly weapon, to win a revolver? So stipulated. At this time, your honor, the defendant waives time for sentencing and asks that he be sentenced immediately. That's the moment. Max Tyler, it's the judgment of this court. On the 8th day of February of this year, you did enter the premises at 23108 East Main Street in the city. And there, at the time, the felonious taking of personal property to the court, you entered the premises at 23108 East Main Street in the city. And there at the time, the felonious taking of personal property in the possession of another from his person in immediate presence and against his will. Further, said the tempers made while you were armed with a dagress and deadly weapon. Max Tyler, this court finds you guilty of robbery in the first degree. Count 2 is dismissed. That's it, Joe. The decision of this court that you be returned to the county jail is to share up and translate the state penitentiary where you serve the sentence as prescribed by law. And Jill, Miss Tyler over there, she's taking it pretty hard. Come on, we better go see her. Hello, Dorothy. I love him, Joe. What am I going to do without him? Children. I'll give it to you straight, Dorothy. You didn't do much to keep Max out of this. You drank right along with him. You don't deserve those kids. Please, I know it. Don't make it any harder. I'll do anything I can for the kids, Dorothy. That's all. What am I going to do without him? I can't be all alone without Max. It's not right. It's not right. Neither's armed robbery. Goodbye, Dorothy. Before the end of March, Max Tyler was delivered to San Quentin State Penitentiary where he started serving his term. His wife Dorothy Tyler got a job as a telephone operator. She and her children continued living with her relatives down in Inglewood. I helped them out whenever I could. Six months went by. I got a job from prison. I answered most of them. While Ben and I worked on other jobs, the search for George Cresta went on. We failed to uncover a single lead. Ten months passed. Tuesday, January 16, 1949, 4 p.m. I checked in for work as usual. All right, Joe. Cold out, huh? Yeah. Did you pick up the mail? It's lettering your box from San Quentin. Tyler, huh? How's he doing anyway? Good. Clean record. It's important up there. It says Tyler ought to be eligible for parole in about a year if he keeps his nose clean. You're going to bet for Tyler again. I don't know. See what happens. How can you see anything in that guy? He's giving you nothing but trouble. A lot of people are giving him the same. Maybe that explains it. Not for me it doesn't. I wouldn't trust him with dirty laundry. I get it. Robbery Friday. Yeah, Dorothy, what's the matter? George Creston 34, Jesse Street. A cheap rooming house down on the south end of the city. Landlord's name was Peterson. We showed him Creston's mug shot, and he told us he was in room 11. We went up a dark, narrow stairway to the second floor. Here we are, number 11. All right, stand clear. I'll try the door. It's open. He's passed out. Come on, slip the cuffs on him. That was easy. All right, I got his gun. He's been drinking all right. He'll have a big hangover. George Creston was booked at county jail in suspicion of robbery. Two months and three weeks later in superior court, he was tried and convicted of assault with a deadly weapon and first-degree robbery and sentenced to the state penitentiary. The day after Creston was sentenced, I was called to the office of chief of detectives, Thad Brown. Friday this Max Tyler is coming up for parole in a couple of months. He's a friend of yours, isn't he? That's right, in a way. You've been writing letters to the warden. You've talked to the parole board about him. Understand you're helping on his kids. They're just youngsters. You're working hard to get Tyler's parole. Do you think he's worth it? Well, I was off both him and his wife, and then she gave us that tip about Creston. Tyler's got such a good record of a cue. I figured they'd earned another chance. You're sticking your chin out, Joe, helping a con to get a parole. I think you'll realize that. Well, I believe he's a good risk now, chief. He's pretty weak in some things. He needs direction. That's all. His wife's getting better. She might help more than she did. I hope both of them are worth it. You really think some men deserve another chance, don't you? Yes, sir, I do. I wouldn't want you working for me if you didn't. Two more weeks went by. Tuesday, April 19th. Ben came down with a bad cold and had to lay off work. At the same time, a new gang started a hold-up campaign among the liquor stores out in the Wilshire district. A new rash of armed robberies broke out in the central area. It was an attempted bank robbery. It was a bad week. Ben got back to work on Saturday. Rough time, huh, Joe? Busy, yeah. Did you beat that cold all right? Sure, I feel much better. Doctor gave me some new medicine. Works good. That's fine. Maybe I'll knock off early the night if nothing's doing. Good idea. I shouldn't be too much tonight. Oh, thanks, Larry. Sure. Come on, Joe. What is it? Max Tyler. He broke out of prison this morning. You are listening to Dragnet. Authentic stories of your police force in action. And now, here's an authentic report from Fatima Cigarettes. In 1950, enjoy Fatima yourself. You'll find Fatima extra mild. Because Fatima is the long cigarette which contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobacco superbly blended to make Fatima extra mild. You'll find Fatima tastes much better. Fatima's superb blend gives you a much different, much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette. You'll find Fatima tops in cigarette quality. Fatima has always stood for the best in cigarette quality. For a new year of great smoking enjoyment, buy Fatima in the appealing golden yellow package. You'll agree, Fatima is the best of all long cigarettes. In the course of his career, the police officer has afforded two diverse views of the criminal. At first, the rookie cop is taught to distress the criminal at every turn without exception. He's schooled in the thousand and one ways in which the criminal operates. His psychology is motive operation. Then, when he's thoroughly acquainted with the methods of the criminal and how best to detect them, the police officer starts to learn the most difficult lesson of all. How to distinguish between the confirmed criminal and the lawbreaker, in whom there is hope of rehabilitation. After nine and a half years of police work, my first experiment in this field was with Max Tyler. I'd given him two chances to prove himself that he'd lost on both of them. So did I. Two months before his parole hearing, which might have given him his freedom, Max Tyler had suddenly decided to escape. How he figured it, I didn't know, but it was my job to find him. At five o'clock that afternoon, Ben and I met in the chief of detective's office. Two officers, Holland and Grayson, from the state adult authority, escape detail were there. How did Tyler manage his escape, Grayson? Same old story. They figured they could trust him up there. He had a good job in the prison farm. Have you checked his relatives out in Inglewood yet? Yeah, we have. We've got the home staked out. We're covering all the places we figure he might go. How about Mrs. Tyler? You're getting in touch with her, Friday? Her relatives told us that she's on a weekend vacation with the two kids, staying with friends down at Laguna Beach. We got a call into them. She'll be hearing from them soon. I understand Tyler's a friend of yours, Friday. He was ready for parole. Yeah. I was trying to help him along. I thought the guy deserved a break. He didn't need you, Joe. He made his own. Well, you're feeling bad. You weren't the only one fooled, Friday. You had the prison officials buffalo too. Yeah, I know. I helped convince them. You got any leads on Tyler at all, Grayson? I mean, from the time you broke prison? Pretty strange. They traced him as far as Stockton, and then they lost the trail completely. The Stockton police in on the search? Yeah, sure. Funny. The guy has no money, no car. We know of. No change of clothes. You figure he's getting help from somebody? Could be. Excuse me a minute. Brown speaking. Yeah, just a moment. Feel, Friday. Well, thank you. Friday, yeah. Yeah. When? Where? Just a minute. We hold on, please. It's the Tyler's friends down at Laguna Beach. Mrs. Tyler there? No, she called him last night. About 7 o'clock told him she changed her plan, and she wasn't coming. She told him where she was going? She wanted to know which highway would take her to Stockton. We told the Tyler's friends in Laguna Beach to contact us immediately if they heard from either Mr. or Mrs. Tyler. We got out on APB on Dorothy Tyler, and then we drove out to interview her relatives in Inglewood. They told us that Mrs. Tyler had the two children with her. She had left their house at 6 p.m. the night before by taxi, as far as they knew she didn't own a car. We talked with some of her friends in the neighborhood. The only thing they could tell us was that she had not borrowed a car from any of them. We drove down to the telephone exchange where she was employed as an operator, and we spoke with a manager, Mr. Ralph Cartwright. I'm sorry, gentlemen. This is Mrs. Tyler's night off. Is there something I can help you with? When is Mrs. Tyler due back at work, Mr. Cartwright? She's working the 10 to 7 starting tomorrow, doing it 10 a.m. We understand that she's on a weekend vacation, huh? Yes. You see, today was payday, so she asked me if she could have her check ahead of time. Said she had to have the money for the weekend. Did you give her the check? Oh, my no. I couldn't give her the check ahead of time. But I did do her a favor just to help her over the weekend. What was that? I loaned her my car. We got a complete description of the car together with a license number and called the office. The information was broadcast to all units throughout the city and teletyped to all points in the state. Chief of Detectives Thad Brown ordered an immediate stakeout on the telephone exchange where Mrs. Tyler was employed. The stakeout at the home of Inglewood continued. Another day passed. We checked with the bank where Mrs. Tyler maintained her account. It was 10.25 a.m. when we got back to robbery detail. Gentlemen, what did you find out? Mrs. Tyler closed her account three days ago, withdrew all her savings, $46.55. And they're not going to go far on that. Any word about that car she borrowed? Teletyped came in about an hour ago. They found it just outside Santa Barbara Abandon. Anyone see the Tylers? No reports. I wonder how those poor kids are making out. They must be crazy in his wife, too. She was going to help him pull an escape watch. He had to drag the kids along. It's a way some parents figure Friday. They owe their children nothing. The children owe them everything. Call for your Friday. Take it on two. Oh, thanks, Larry. Righty. Yeah, bird. Dorothy Tyler was brought into the city hall where there was one of her children. He was delivered to the juvenile authorities for the time being. Mrs. Tyler was brought to the interrogation room. She refused to admit anything to the officers from the adult authority. She said she wanted to talk to me. I went in. She threw her arms around me and started crying. I don't know. I'm after them as much as they are, maybe more. Where is he? I can't tell you. Why'd you do it, Dorothy? Why? Oh, you know why, Joe. You know why I had to see him. I had to be with Max. It's a bum deal. You've traded days for years. They can't get him. If I don't tell him where he is, they won't find him. They'll find him. He's got to eat. So do you and the kids. He has to go to work and working with a gun as all he knows. He'll leave a trail. We'll find him. Children. What have they done to the children? Where's Jimmy? They're taking care of him. That's more than you did. Where's your other boy, Vance? With Max? Max has him. That's fine. You and Max ought to be real proud of yourselves. I had to see him. You know that. I had to see Max. Has he got a gun? Has he? Has he used it? He just thought he might need it. He hasn't hurt anyone. I swear it. You helped him escape. Is that right? You helped him. He needed help. I met him at San Rafael. We drove all night. He didn't hurt anyone, Joe. He hasn't hurt anyone. Where is he now? Where is he? All right, Dorothy. We'll find him. Joe! If I tell you... If I tell you... Will you go alone? I can show you the way. Will you go alone? Yeah. All right. I'll take you to him, Joe. I trust you. Yeah, I trusted him once, too. 5 p.m. Monday, April 25th. Dorothy Tyler, Ben and I got in the car and headed north for the coast town of Santa Maria. Acting under orders of Chief of Detectives Thad Brown, Larry Thompson from Robbery Detail followed in another car. Holland and Grayson from the State Adult Authority were with him. It was 10 minutes past eight when we drove through the town of Santa Maria. Just outside the city, Dorothy Tyler directed us to turn off onto a dirt road. We drove about two miles. How long did it take to pull up? Across the field. Shacked by those trees. It's lonely out here. I'll go with you, Joe. Maybe Max won't understand. No, you stay here. Joe, that car... The car stopped here. It's a cop, Dorothy. It had to be. They won't shoot unless Max does. You promised. You said you'd go alone. I'll go alone. Friday. Hello, Grayson. Where is he? Did she tell you? That shack over there across the field by that clump of trees. You're talking about that, right? Yeah. He won't be in any trouble. He's armed. The cons up at Quentin say he won't be taking a lie. They say he'll shoot it out. They talk a lot. Better let us take him. You're not getting paid to do this one. I'll take him alone. I made a promise. That guy in the shacks and they have it a breaking promise. I keep mine. Keep an eye on Miss Tyler, will you, Ben? Thompson's watching her. I'm coming with you. I told her I'd go alone. There's two doors, front and back. Which one are you going in? Front. I'll be around back. Careful, Joe. Yeah. I'll be right back, Grayson. I started to cross the field. Shack was about a hundred yards from the road. The field was uncullivated and I wasn't sure of my footing. I stumbled over a tree stump. Halfway across the field, the lights in the shack went out. Who's there? Who is it? It's me, Max. Joe Friday. Come on, open up. All right, Max. Why the gun, Joe? I never thought you'd take me with a gun. I never thought I'd have to kick down a door to get you. You've changed a lot, Max. How'd you find me, Dorothy, tell you? Where is she? Outside. Your boy over there, Vance. He's sleeping. He's okay. Put out your hands. Put out your hands. Oh, sorry, Joe. Yeah. You've been good to us. I won't try to explain. Neither will I, Max. Come on. You have just heard was true. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. On June 2nd, trial was held in Superior Court, City and County of Marin, State of California. In a moment, the results of that trial. It's amazing how many long cigarette smokers are changing to Fatima. Here are the actual figures. New York Division. Fatima Sales, sent. Los Angeles Division. Fatima Sales, up 545 percent. St. Louis Division. Fatima Sales, up 548 percent. Yes. In 1949, more and more smokers discovered that Fatima is the best of all long cigarettes. They found Fatima extra mild. They found Fatima has a much different, much better flavor. They found the name Fatima means the best in cigarette quality. In 1950, enjoy Fatima yourself. Best of all long cigarettes. Max Tyler pleaded guilty to the charge of escape and was sentenced to the term as prescribed by law. He was returned to San Quentin and then transferred to Folsom Penitentiary where he is now serving his sentence. You have just heard Dragnet, a new series of authentic cases from official files. Technical Advice for Dragnet comes from the Office of Acting Chief of Police, W.A. Wharton, Los Angeles Police Department. Dragnet honors the State of California and the men of the California Highway Patrol, another of America's outstanding law enforcement agencies. One of these men, Highway Patrol Commissioner Clifford E. Peterson, outstanding administrator and educator in the field of law enforcement, dedicates his life to making yours more secure. Fatima's cigarettes, best of all long cigarettes, has brought you Dragnet from Los Angeles. Be sure to hear, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Coleman in the halls of Ivy starting tomorrow on NBC.