 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 as a public service by the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States and the Equitable Society's representative in your communities A-H-O When my husband died, A-H-O saved our home A-H-O stands for assured home ownership a unique plan created by the Equitable Life Assurance Society A low-cost first mortgage is combined with life insurance protection so the homeowner gets extra security and if he should die, his widow inherits her home free and clear In just 14 minutes, the Equitable Society will give you more details on this ideal plan for home owners offered by the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States Tonight's FBI file, the Tropical Shake Down Prove that the members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation who spend their days and often their nights in a constant fight against crime should have learned certain things about the 7.5 million people who have fingerprint arrest records or about those who have committed one of the graver offenses Those agents know, for instance, that there is no such thing as the typical criminal They know too that many lawbreakers are above the average in IQ and they know how cunning, how quick can be the mind of the criminals Those special agents are aware of the fact that behind the more than 13,000 murders committed in this country last year, lay a small variety of reasons with revenge, passion and profit topping the list Yes, they have a master sizeable store of knowledge about crime and about criminals these men who stand as your last line of defense against the lawbreaker But the thing they regard as having the most significance is that there is no way of foreseeing where the next crime will take place or crime knows no geography It can take place in a teeming city, on a desolate farm far from any neighbor It can happen on the desert, or on a lush ocean-going luxury liner The night's fire opens on the deck of the SS Honolulu Queen It is late afternoon and the Queen is just starting to pull out of the pier at Honolulu for the long trip across to the Queen We'd better throw the rest of these streamers Do you want some of them? Yeah, here you are, madam. Make them a mine, have you, right? No, I won't How are you today, Arthur? Oh, hello, Judge Who is this man? Oh, he used to hang around the plantation You do, eh, Judge? Oh, no, of course not Ah, sorry, really took you, wouldn't you say? Oh, yes, yes, it is Arthur, I think we should go below All right, brother Oh, Arthur Yes? Before you go, may I have a word with you? What do you want? Arthur, I find myself in a rather embarrassing position Arthur! All right, brother Wait a minute, wait a minute You see, I came aboard rather hurriedly without going through the formality of purchasing a ticket Well, they'll sell you one, see the first Well, that's the embarrassing part I happened to find myself making the necessary funds with which to conduct the negotiation Why are you telling all this to me? Because you're paying my pay What? I have some convincing reasons why you think so I'll come down to your safe room later and discuss them I'd like to speak to your son if I may My son is resting But when I spoke to him on deck Yes, he told me about your conversation and under no condition will he pay your fare Not even if I brought out certain facts about your son Facts that have to do with his army career Oh, come in Thank you, madam, thank you Mother! Mother, why did you bring it? I told her I wish to discuss your army career Oh, here, you see, I am aware of the fact that certain authorities would appreciate knowing your whereabouts Who told you that? You did, madam What? Yes You wrote those long letters to Arthur at the plantation I never showed you any of Mother's letters From time to time there arose the opportunity for me to go through your room You should have locked those letters up, son Reading my letters was highly unethical But they were most informative In them I read that Arthur was an army deserter That you supplied money for him to come to Hawaii That you got him a job at the plantation Mother, he can't prove any of that Oh, man, I was not bestowed the judicial title for nothing I had each of those letters photo-static Well, just exactly what do you want? Madam, I'd appreciate your seeing the picture Telling my close personal friends Say that I came down to see you often Was persuaded to stay aboard and make the trip with you When you have completed that transaction We can make the other arrangements What other arrangements? The pocket money, social contacts Or the little amenities that fit a gentleman at sea At an FBI field office on the west coast Special Agent Jim Taylor approaches the desk of Agent George Patterson Hi, George Oh, yes, Jim We just got a report in on the Arthur Medicine Dissertions file Medicine? Madison, I don't think I know that one Is that one of the files we got when Jefferson was transferred? That's right I haven't had a chance to get through all of them yet Well, this Arthur Medicine is a wealthy widow's only son When this peacetime draft came along, she tried to keep him out How? Well, the first thing she tried was a fake medical record It said the son had a very bad heart condition And that didn't work, she told everything she owned And put the money in a safe deposit box at the forest bank So she could claim hardship She said if her son were drafted, she wouldn't have any means of support Nice people Well, none of her sub-divisions worked though And finally, her son was drafted He was sent to an induction center and from there to a basic training camp After about a month of that, he deserted A civil servant's advance was set up at the mother's house Yes, but he never appeared How much do you know about the Madison's, Jim? Well, according to the psychiatrist who interviewed the boy When he was inducted in the officers who tried to train him He's rather helpless without his mother And she's the indulgent I see Eddie, you said it before, it came in on the case Somebody see him? No, the superintendent of the apartment house Where Mrs. Madison lived called in here What did he have? Mrs. Madison has moved out And according to something the superintendent overheard She was going to join her son Any idea where she went? No, he didn't hear a say anything about that But we got a description of Mrs. Madison, Jim Yes, and let's start circulating at George And see if we can find out where she's headed for Here, let me wrap your feet I'll hold them Mother That's what the blanket is for I'm really not chilly, mother Now you'll know the way you take cold, dear Good afternoon, Mrs. Madison You seem somewhat less than overjoyed to see me What do you want? I detest bothering you again, madam But I happen to find myself in that deep, ploughable condition What's more Drunk? Madam, I refer to my lack of negotiable security Why, I gave you fifty dollars after breakfast What did you do with it? I... I've been playing the horse game Why, mother, the tickets are only fifty cents a piece I played yesterday and I won Proving that talent is hardly an integral part of the game Mrs. Madison, kindly let me have fifty dollars I have some friends waiting for me to buy them a drink Very well I want you to know that I am not unappreciative of these favors Here you are Thank you, madam, thank you I'll try to make this last At least to dinner Well, at least we only have to put up with him for one more day Where is this place we're going? Well, it's called Greenwood Lodge And it's near Pacific City But won't you have to go back home? Oh, no, dear I've sold everything and converted it into cash And it's all in the safe deposit box Oh, I see Once we get to Greenwood Lodge Neither the judge nor anyone else can bother us For a time this morning I thought I was going to find out the Madison Why, George, what happened? I had to go down near Fort Bradshaw on the Madison case And while I was there, I decided I'd try to follow Madison's trail For the time he deserved it And? I got a lead at the fort that took me to the Hotel Dalton Well, George, we knew he went there I know I saw it in the file, but I got a little further than that Oh, how? I went through the telephones next to the hotel For the day that Madison checked in Find anything? Yes, he made a long-distance call Oh, where to? A number here in town I checked the number and it was his mullies I figured that he might have called her for money So I went to the Western Union office Anything there? Yes Arthur Madison got a money order that day for $2,500 You did find something But that's where the trail ended Well, George, let's try to figure something out Like what? Our young Madison calls his mother She sends him $2,500 Mm-hmm Now, if he were coming home, he wouldn't need that much money Right Well, I think we have to assume that he used that money To travel quite a distance Now, she's on her way to meet hints Oh, excuse me Special Agent Taylor speaking Yes, that's right Are you sure? When? Well, thank you very much Yes Yes, that's a great help Thanks again Goodbye That was the superintendent of Mrs. Madison's apartment house again What did he have to say? He ran into a friend of Mrs. Madison's on the street a little while ago And she told him that Mrs. Madison had gone to Hawaii Wow George, let's get down to the radio room Notify the Honolulu office Uh, sir? I trust that you enjoyed You can't do this, Benin Come along Oh, wait, I'll... I'll stall with you Oh, don't bother It's a pleasure, Madam, a pleasure These things always make me sad The last day at sea means that so many friendships made on the shipboard Are about to be broken Oh, I know they all promise that they'll write to each other and see each other But somehow, they never do Well, I'm glad the trip is over You'll like sentiment, my boy Shall we take a turn about the next? No, thank you I, uh, prefer that you do, Madam I have a very important matter to discuss with you Reconsider, Madam Very well Ah-ha-ha, splendid woman, your mother splendid Yeah, go ahead, little girl After you Thank you, dear Just one great romantic blow Did you ask us here to discuss the moon? Oh, oh, forgive me, forgive me I asked you here, Mrs. Madison, to correct an erroneous impression Under which you've been labelled And what is that? Well, first I should tell you That I departed from the island of Oahu For the express purpose of making this voyage with you What? I stole enough money there for my passage Unfortunately, on my last day in Honolulu I met a gentleman who persuaded me To engage in a small game of dance And, of course, you lost Every penny I had stolen That's why I had to come aboard without my passage Being played for in advance You see, I never had any intention of seeing you Merely for the purpose of getting a free trip to the States I really... Will you please get to the point, Mr. Kennedy? I am I mean to collect substantially For my knowledge about your son, Mrs. Madison But I've already paid for your suite I'd given you two hundred and seventy dollars in cash A mere penny Well, how much do you expect? Twenty-five thousand dollars What? And until I get it I shall remain your content guest Return in just a moment to tonight's file Which shows how your FBI Protect American citizens and American homes Now a word about a plan Which not only safeguards the homeowner During his lifetime But also continues to protect his widow If he should die Here's what happens Good morning, Mrs. Bremson I'm George Stanton Oh, you're the representative of the Equitable Society Who sold my husband his assured home ownership plan Uh, right Here's the canceled mortgage on your home And here's a check for three thousand three hundred seventy five dollars From the Equitable Society That covers all the payments your husband made To reduce the principal of the mortgage This woman's husband had an equitable Assured home ownership plan The widow inherited a house that's hers free and clear What's more Every dollar her husband previously paid To reduce the mortgage was returned to her My husband always said The children and I would be well taken care of Now some other features of the Equitable Society's Assured home ownership plan First There's the cash fund Which builds up in the owner's lifetime And which may be used Whenever sickness or unemployment Threaten home security Second This cash fund May be used to cancel the mortgage Well ahead of schedule Equitable Society records show That many twenty year mortgages Have been completely paid off In just about fifteen years Finally The mortgage interest is only four percent And there's a liberal allowance To cover title search, lawyers fees And other closing costs So for many reasons A man may consider himself lucky If his health, age, income and the location of his home Enable him to qualify For an equitable assured home ownership plan Combining a low cost first mortgage With life insurance For full information See your Equitable Society representative Or write care of this station To the Equitable Society That's E-Q-U-I-T-A-B-L-E The Equitable Life Insurance Society Of the United States And now back to the FBI file The Tropical Shakedown Distortion is an ancient crime Payment or receipt of it Was made a felony by Queen Elizabeth of England As far back as sixteen hundred and one In those days it was a tribute of money, corn, cattle Or household possessions Exacted in the north of England And the south of Scotland By roving groups for protection from pillage That was the sixteenth century And it will afford you some idea Of how little crime has changed When you realize that exactly the same situation The payment by people for protection Existed in virtually every section of this country In the nineteen twenties Almost four hundred years later In tonight's case from the files of your FBI You see an extortioner at work On a mother and her son Two people who have themselves Conspired to break the law However, even they would be better off Going to the police As your FBI hopes you will do If an attempt should be made to extort you Sometimes going to the police Will involve public censure Or invite the derision of your acquaintances Or even as in this case Force you to confess a crime But as an organization Which is dealt at long length With extortion and extortioners The Federal Bureau of Investigation Can tell you with certainty That any of those are better Than being an extortion victim Better and much less expensive Because your first payment is not the last It is merely a down payment on perpetual misery Tonight's file continues in the local FBI field office George's report just came in by radio From the Honolulu office Located Mrs. Madison She was staying at the Imperial Hotel Was staying Well, she and her son left there last week On the SS Honolulu Queen That all we have to do is meet the boss Of the Honolulu Queen doc today this morning Oh, fine I went down to the pier though And I talked to the person He confirmed the fact that Mrs. Madison And her son had been aboard Do you have any idea where they went? No none at all Then we're right back where we started Oh, a new factor has been added though What's that? The Honolulu office asked us To apprehend a man named Robert Kennedy Who's he? He's charged with having robbed A plantation owner two weeks ago On a government reservation at a waterhole How come he was able to slip through Out of the boat? Well, the theft wasn't discovered Until yesterday Did the purser confirm Kennedy as a passenger? Yes, and he told me that Mrs. Madison Paid for his passage How did that happen? I'd like to know that myself Sounds like an odd combination Well, maybe it'll make them easier to find I've just had an alarm sent out on all of them Oh, come on, George Let's check all the local hotels But, dear, I'm so sorry What for? Making you rhyme so much We'd better hurry on, dear Yes, all right Is this our car? Yes, yes, come on I'm breakfast Oh, I know you're poor boy Our compartment has lighted this in It's all right Here we are After you Thank you, dear Oh, my, it's good to sit down Oh, mother You know I hate to ride backwards Oh, I forgot, son I'm sorry, dear Yeah I never thought I'd be able to pack and get over here on time I couldn't help it, Arthur It was necessary Why? Well, I called you just as soon as I left the bank What bank? The one where I had the safe deposit box You see, I went there with Mr. Kennedy Mother, you didn't give him that money, did you? Oh, dear, when I went there with him I didn't see any way out of it Oh, mother But when we got to the section of the bank Where the safe deposit boxes are I asked Mr. Kennedy to wait while I went in And after I emptied the box I saw that there was another exit That's when I left and called you What about Kennedy? For so far as I know, Arthur He's still there waiting for me We're staying, George They've already checked in But the boat didn't get in till this morning I know they reserved this week for overnight But something happened Who'll make them change their mind You know what it was? No, not for certain I spoke to the telephone operator And she said that she remembered a call coming in For young Madison A woman Surely after that call He came down with packed bags Paid the bill and checked out Where was his mother? She had left here earlier in the day I suspect that she's the one who called How about Kennedy? He checked in with her And left with him too? No, no, he's still registered here He's not in, though Get anything else? No, that's it I picked up those search warrants Oh, fine Well, let's go upstairs And take a look at Kennedy's room In the Madison suite Doesn't he, Jim? I hope we find more than that In the Madison suite It's right down the hall, isn't it? Yes, George It's 4-11 4-0-9 It's the next door on this side Hell, that's the exit Here's the key to it Oh, fine Go ahead, George Right Let's take this room first, huh? Okay If we don't get anything in here, George We'll each take a bedroom Right In this place? Positive Young Madison must have packed everything There wasn't nails down Oh, George What is it? Well, look That's blotter It's been used Well? Well, manager told me They put new writing equipment In all the rooms this morning I'll hold this blotter up to that mirror Okay All right There's the letter B and Numbers 1, 6, 4, 2 Can you make out those other numbers There underneath? I look like a 1, 3, and 7 Yes, that's it Well, 137 George, I think I've got it Young Madison checked out of here About a quarter past one He was in a hurry What about it? Or maybe 137 Isn't the time of something like a departure time For a plane or train? Yes, and my vote is a train Why? Well, that B, 1, 6, 4, 2 Could be the number of a Pullman car Let's check the railroad station at once Must I maintain this rigid a schedule? What do you mean, dear? Walks at a certain hour By him and pills at a certain hour You've been under a terrific strain, darling You need building up I know Now, now, now, Mother knows this, dear Coming to the cottage to take a nap Well, all right But I'm warning you now I won't sleep, Mother No, Arthur No, I mean it That's your will of your own Thank you, darling Greetings, Deacon What? What are you doing here? Well, to be truthful, Madam I found myself a trifle board Waiting for you at the bank So I... Get out of here Arthur, my boy Your mother and I can discuss this alone Please be quiet How did you know we were here? I took the liberty of going through your purse one day aboard ship Found a letter from this hotel confirming your reservations Why, you're no better than a common thief Mrs. Madison, your character analysis is of no interest to me I came here for my money Well, I won't pay you a penny Good for you, Mother I don't want to seem un-gentlemanly, Mrs. Madison But you'll pay me Or your son goes to jail Oh, no, I won't Put up your hands What? This is a challenge Arthur, don't fight, please Sorry, Mother, but I... Mrs. Madison, shall I continue to strike him or will you pay? You wanted to pay a thing, Mrs. Madison Eh, just who are you? I'm a special agent of the FBI The FBI? Yes, and I'm taking all three of you back to headquarters Leo's the judge, was tried, convicted and sentenced to ten years for fraud on the high seas He also received a twenty-five-year sentence for robbery of the plantation owner in the Wahoo Arthur Madison, an expression of his mother's insistence that he joined the army, was given this opportunity and is now on his way to complete rehabilitation One of the things which enabled the two special agents in tonight's case to close the file so quickly was the close cooperation they received from the Honolulu FBI field office This kind of cooperation has come to be a part of the workings of the Federal Bureau of Investigation has given to every agent the warm feeling that he is never working alone but as part of a team, as part of a great organization which has been entrusted with more and more important work An institution is but the length and shadow and never was that more true than in the case of your FBI The real growth of the Federal Bureau of Investigation dates back to May 10th, 1924 exactly twenty-five years ago this week when a young lawyer assumed the direction of the core of federal law enforcement officers that young lawyer has made your FBI not only the greatest instrument for fighting crime in the history of the nation but has also made the initials FBI synonymous in every quarter with the protection of the national security in time of peace as well as war that young lawyer's name was and is J. Edgar Hoover and we who are privileged to work with him take this opportunity to congratulate him on a quarter of a century of distinguished public service to his fellow citizens and to his country we will tell you about next week's exciting case from the files of your FBI now a word to the wives let's consider the equitable societies assured home ownership plan from the woman's point of view while her husband lives, the home she lives in has extra protection from the plan's special cash fund which can be used if sickness or unemployment threaten home security if her husband dies the mortgage is automatically canceled for full information see your equitable society representative or write care of this station to the equitable life assurance society of the United States we will dramatize another case from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation a fact will account of an old time gangsters return to crime its subject hijacking its title apprentice of larceny the incident 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 they love 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 Stacy Harris others in the cast were Eleanor Audley, Bill Johnstone, Terry Kilburn and Carlton Young this is your FBI is a Jerry Devine production this is Larry Keating speaking for the equitable life assurance society of the United States and the equitable societies 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 story from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation apprentice of larceny on this is your FBI this is ABC the American Broadcasting Company