 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. In the equitable life assurance society more than four and a quarter million members are banded together for mutual security. Of this membership many thousands of men and women have what is known as an equitable independent 60s plan. Independent 60s? What's that? It's an equitable society plan for self-reliant people who want to be self-supporting after they reach the age of 60. Does that describe you? Then you'll want to listen carefully in about 14 minutes when I give full details on the independent 60s plan offered by the equitable life assurance society of the United States. Tonight's FBI file the Muscle Factory. In recent months there has been a full fledged period of debate in the British House of Parliament on the current crime wave now confronting the people of England. At approximately the same time the Rules Committee of the United States Senate voted a large appropriation to pay for an investigation into the crime picture in this country. In Australia the newspapers of Sydney and Melbourne have run editorials demanding that something be done before, as they put it, the nation falls into the hands of people who in appearance and conduct seem to have been inspired by a Hollywood gangster film. Everywhere the world over crime is becoming more and more of a problem. It is threatening to make decency an outmooted word. It is probably safe to say that the earth has never been without crime. But it is likewise true that never in the history of man has there been so great a disregard for law. In the past year for example more than three major crimes were committed somewhere in this nation every minute of every hour around the clock. Some of them were committed by the mentally ill, some by the hungry, and some by hapless victims of circumstance. Their misdeeds can be misunderstood, but they are not the scourge of law enforcement officers today. For given the sufficiency of manpower they can be curbed. However a great number of crimes are committed by those who control the illegal activities that take place in various localities. And these men are more difficult to get to. They operate in the realm of big business, behind the facade of respectability, and until they are wiped out crime will remain a menace to every decent person in every state. Tonight's file opens in a lavishly furnished private suite located on one of the upper floors of a fashionable office building in an eastern city. A well dressed man who appears to be in his middle 50s stands behind an ornate desk as another manager. Come in Al, come in. Okay. I've got a meeting to attend uptown in half an hour, so let's get right to business. Right. Al, I spoke to you six months ago about conditions in your district. They haven't improved. I'm doing the best I can. Obviously that's not enough. I've got the records here. Look at that top sheet. Seven players on the hook to Edwards and not one of them signed up. Give me a better district. When I was collecting for the bookmakers uptown, I never had any trouble. Al, rich or poor, if people make bets and lose they've got to pay up. That's our business. If you let them make excuses, business is bad. And I don't intend to let it get that way. My secretary is typing up notes for every person on each of those lists. Pick them up on the way out. Okay. Take any kind of security they want to put up. There's only one thing I don't want you to take from any of them. And that's no for an answer. Number five machine is stuck. Well, I'll get to it just as soon as I fix this one. How long will that take? About 15 minutes. Uh-oh. That means trouble. Why? Well, three customers are waiting now. Oh, you know what they'll say, Roy. Why should I bring my wash to self-service laundry? You always have to wait. I can do it quicker at home in the tub. I'll eat if you can handle that. Tell them about us. Show them your engagement ring. Drive them out of the place? Hey, now, wait a minute. I'll think of something clever. I hope. Okay. Yeah, does Roy Whitley work here? Yeah, I'm Roy Whitley. I want to talk to you. Oh, look, if it's about the washing machines, we've had a lot of trouble. I come about that money, you all, Mr. Cook. Who? Cookie, your bookmaker. Oh. Well, I told him yesterday I'd pay him as soon as I could. You still own that 1940 Buick? Yeah. Okay, you can put that up. The security will make you alone. Alone? Who are you? I represent a loan company. Your bookmaker don't like to wait, so we arrange to pay him for you. Huh? Just sign these notes, then you give us $20 a month for a year, and you're all squared. Hey, wait a minute. I only owe Cookie $220 a month comes to $240. We're entitled to a little interest. Yeah, I guess so, but, well, suppose... well, just suppose some month I can't pay the $20. We sell your car, take out the balance you owe us, and give you the rest. You see, this is a legitimate loan company I work for. Everything's on the up and up. I don't want to sign them. Okay. I'll leave them with you. Here, take this envelope soon. What for? So you can have the notes in the mail by tomorrow. The following day at Police Headquarters, FBI Special Agent Jim Taylor is walking down the corridor when he meets an old friend, Detective J. Cain. Hey, Jay! Jim Taylor! Hi, how are you? Been back to the Academy since you graduated. Three times? Good. What are you doing in town? I was transferred to the field office here yesterday. Well, welcome to the city. Thanks, Jay. Can I show you around Headquarters? Now I'm going up to the gallery and get some pictures from your files for our office. Hey, I understand you're getting a new police commissioner. Uh-huh, tomorrow. Oh, you heard anything about him? Not yet. I just hope he's not hamstrung. I guess everybody hopes so. This new assignment I'm on is tough enough if I get the best of it. Hi, Jack. Hi, Charlie. What are you working on? John Gibson. Gibson? Gibson knows him. He's the head of the bookmakers here. Untouchable? Very. Why? Two big reasons. Political influence and a legal front. How can bookmaking have a legal front? Gibson owns a loan company. He buys overdue accounts from every bookmaker in town for 30%. Yeah. Then one of his men goes to see the horse player and gets him to sign a set of notes, putting up either his car, his house, his furniture, anything he owns as security. And he lends the money on it? No, no. They don't get any money. They just sign the notes. Gibson gives the bookmaker his 30%. Oh, I see. That makes it illegal, Dad. I'm not a gambler. Right. So if the horse player doesn't pay, Gibson can foreclose and does. Hey, that is a tough one. You think there's any angle where our office could give you any help? No, not that I know of, Jim. Well, if there is, Jay, give me a ring. Hey, block. Yeah? Come here, will ya? Give me a rub down. Work on his shoulder, will ya? I'm all tightened up. Okay. Stretch out. Yeah. Any of the boys been around? Ah, not yet. Had a customer, though. Yeah, who? Some guy who just walked in off the street, he's seen the sign and thought, this is really a health club. Oh, what did you do? I gave him one of my special rub downs. Don't think he'll come back. Oh, what's that? Hey. All right, Chief. Where are the boys? Here's Al. Oh. Oh, John. I've been looking for you. Am I in trouble? Well, your district is coming in fine. All but four came through. I'll go see him this afternoon. You got a list? Uh-huh. Here you are. How tough should I get? Well, they got a new police commissioner. I haven't been able to make any arrangements with him yet. Well, you'll be able to? Yeah, I think it can be handled. Well, if you can't, Chief, get him down here and I'll give him one of my special rub downs. I don't think that'll be necessary. Buck, I want you to go out with Al this afternoon. You want to use muscle? Not necessarily. But there's no harm in showing these people we've got some, in case we need it. I'm shooting, Jim. Oh, thanks, Jay. You finished? Yeah. Yeah, we'll be as soon as I chair down my target. How's the new commissioner? Jim, you wouldn't know the department. Uh-huh. He's only been on the job three days, but he's really interested in fighting the hoodlums around here. No matter who he stows, he steps on? That's right. He said word around that he wants every man on the force to know from now on there's no connection in this town between political influence and law enforcement. Jim, I'll give you just one idea of the changes at headquarters. You probably know this department never cooperated completely with the FBI before. Yeah, I've heard about it. The first thing I asked was permission to send the fingerprints of everybody in town who's ever been arrested for bookmaking to Washington. And you've got permission? Prince went to Washington two days ago. Good. Had any answer yet? No, but I'm hoping when I hear from your item section, we'll be able to come up with a federal angle. Well, Jay, let me know if you do. As long as we're out of customers, I'm going over to the bank and get some quarters. Okay. Hey, you might as well eat while you're out. Okay, dear. Pardon me. That's all right, ladies. Come right ahead. Thank you. Can I show you, Jim? Hello, Whitley. Oh, it's you. I didn't sign those notes. I know. That's why I came back. I brought my friend here. He's a special collector. That's right. Mr. I can't pay $20 a month. Why not? You're working. Well, I'm going to get married. You can't pay? Why'd you bet? Well, I never bet on horses before, but a friend of mine came in here and he said he was getting tips. I wanted to buy a ring for my girl. You're breaking my heart. It's true. I didn't know how deep I was getting in. After that first day, all I wanted to do was to get even. You knew how much you were betting, didn't you? No. My friend called me and he gave me the names of five horses. He said to bet on all of them and make it a $10 round robin. I figured it was all right to bet $10 bucks. A $10 round robin on five horses, of course you're on it. Yeah. I found that out. It's a very sad story. You've still got those notes. Not here. Yeah, then here's another set. Just sign these. No. Okay. Buck, lock the door. All right. Look, you're not scaring me. Now. Yeah. You want me to pull down the shades? Good idea. Look, get out of here, both of you. Buck. Yeah. You take over. Okay. What do I do now? Just keep up the treatment. He'll sign the notes. We will return in just a minute to tonight's exciting case from the official files of your FBI. Now I'd like to introduce a man who's a believer in the saying that life begins at 60. That certainly goes for me, Mr. Keating. I've had more fun since my 60th birthday than an all the rest of my life put together. Well, Mr. Doyle, I understand that's largely due to the Equitable Independent 60s plan you started 24 years ago. Today the plan has all paid up and you've quit work to enjoy the free freedoms of an independent 60s plan. Right. First, freedom from money worries and job worries, financial independence. A good old, equitable society may as be a check every month, and it's mighty well. Second, with an Equitable Independent 60s plan, you're free to live anywhere you choose. We move to a little place in Santa Barbara, California. Third, you have freedom to do all the things you've always wanted to do. I've always been interested in raising and training bird guards, Mr. Keating. That's how I spend my spare time now. And yet there was once a time when you thought you couldn't afford an Equitable Independent 60s plan. And so then my Equitable Representative proved to me that I could. It's a fact. You don't have to earn big money to begin an Equitable Independent 60s plan. Ask your Equitable Representative to explain why you probably have a big head start towards the independent 60s because of Social Security and life insurance already owned. Often only a small amount of additional insurance is all that's required. A few dollars a week. Did it for me? Friends, why not take a leap from Mr. Doyle's book? Why not phone your Equitable Society Representative without delay or send a postcard care of this station to the Equitable Society? That's... E-Q-U-I-T-A-B-L-E. Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. And now back to the FBI file, the muscle factory. In reading your daily newspaper or listening to your favorite news program on the radio, many of you undoubtedly have come to realize how often the preponderance of all news concerns crime. One story might be about the arrest of men operating in illegal gambling establishments. A second article might feature the seizing of slot machines or books of tickets for the numbers racket. Another item might concern a police raid on a bookmaking office. Any or all of those incidents would catch your interest for a moment, but only for a moment. That would be neither unusual nor wrong. For if you're an ordinary decent citizen, the reports would merely indicate the presence of a lawless element in your city, which would not surprise you. However, there is more of a connection between those above mentioned items than as obvious, except to law enforcement officers. Those crimes, the running of a gambling establishment, the selling of numbers tickets, the installation of slot machines, the operation of a bookmaker's office are all part of one tremendous pattern. They are part and parcel of organized crime, of the criminal empires which control the political machines of a number of our cities. Look in almost any part of the nation and you will find men like the boss you are meeting tonight. Unfortunately, for each one who is destroyed, three spring up to take his place. And even more, unfortunately, they are gaining in strength every day, gaining a stranglehold on more and more American communities. Tonight's file continues at local police headquarters. FBI Special Agent Jim Taylor is just coming up the front steps when he meets Detective Jay King. You're looking for me, Jim? Oh, no, Jay. No, I was just returning those pictures. They're bound for our office. Any word back from Washington yet on those fingerprints? Out of ten minutes ago. How you doing on the bookmakers? That case may have been broken wide open late yesterday afternoon, Jim. Oh, what happened? The young man named Roy Whitley was found badly beaten. Where? In the place he works at, one of those self-service laundries. Oh, I see. Jay, you think Gibson is tied into the beating? I can't prove it legally yet, but I'm positive he is. Oh, why? An envelope containing promissory notes made out to Gibson's loan company was found in Whitley's furnished room. Are they signed? No, no. The way Gibson operates is to leave the notes with the person in debt to the bookmaker so he can sign and mail them in. I see. My theory is that Whitley refused to go through with a deal and Gibson sent some muscle to see him. Has the victim identified his attack? He's not available for questioning yet. He's in a coma at the city hospital. It has been to see Gibson. I'm on my way there now, Jim, so wish me luck. Gibson, I'd just like to ask you a few questions. Go right ahead. Ever hear of anybody named Roy Whitley? Roy Whitley. I might have, but the name doesn't mean anything to me now. How's the loan business these days? Well, I kind of hate to say. Oh? Why? I run the distress business. Things are good for me. It means a lot of people are borrowing money, and that means times are bad. I'm a sensitive man, Cain. I don't like to be doing well when other people aren't. Yeah, I'm sure. Those files over there, do they contain the loan company record? Yes, but I'm afraid I can't meet you soon. Unless you've got a warrant. Oh, I don't want to go into all my stuff. I was just wondering whether you could look something up for me. What's that? Do you have any entry on this, Roy Whitley? What makes you so interested in him? He was found beaten up yesterday afternoon. I ran across an envelope in his room containing some promissory notes. Made out to you. Just a minute. I'll see if he owes us any money. I certainly hope not for people who go around getting themselves beaten up for a bad credit risk. This one is. He might die. Roy E. Whitley at 23 West Street. That's the one. Lucky we keep such good records, isn't it? Uh-huh. How much does he owe you? Not a penny. This paper shows he applied for a loan on a 1940 Carrion's. He looked into it and refused his application. When was that? A week ago. Are you looking for the person who beat him up? Yes. You don't know where I can find him, do you? I might. Where? He undoubtedly owed somebody some money that he had to repay in a hurry. When he couldn't get the loan on the car, he didn't pay this other person. You wouldn't know who this other person is, like maybe a bookmaker. Mr. Cain, you're not serious. Yeah, I am. Well, I can see that questioning you is going to get me nowhere. If it's any comfort, you are much better at questioning me now than you used to be. That's from practice, Mr. Gibson. And if what they say is true, maybe next time I'll be perfect. Especially Jim Taylor speaking. Jay King, Jim, I found a message you're saying it called. Yeah, that's right. Anything in particular you wanted? Yes, maybe you'll get your wish, Jay, having the FBI help you fight John Gibson. You mean you're in with us now? Not quite. We just got the report back from Washington, though, on those fingerprints that you sent out a few days ago. One of those men is a federal fugitive. He's wanted back east. Well, who's that? His name is Harry Fowler. His nickname, Buck. Now, we can prove a connection between Fowler and John Gibson. We can, Jim. Oh, how? I just got a report back from our IDENT section upstairs and suppressed. We picked up at the scene of the beating yesterday afternoon. Oh? They belonged to Buck Fowler. Jay, can I call you back in a little while? Yeah, sure. Why? I'm going in to see the agent in charge and try and get an OK to work with you in this case. As soon as he gives me the word, I'll be in touch with you. John's been in Buck? Not today. That's still a star, I guess. About what? A slug and you gave the kid. Well, he's sorry about that. That's what I get paid for, ain't it? You want to rub down? Yeah, might as well. Shoulder's kicking up again. You're Buck Fowler, aren't you? Huh? Here's my badge. You're under arrest. What for? You beat up a man named Roy Whitley yesterday. I never heard of him. Your fingerprints were found at the scene of the beating. We don't need any more evidence than that. Well, I was here all day yesterday, wasn't I? Yeah. You can explain all that down at headquarters. All right, let's put those cups on. Tell her. Look, officer, I got records in my office. It'll prove he was here. Can I get him and come along with you? Yeah, sure. Okay, I'll be right back. This is Al Gracie, the chief in. He's busy right now. Look, this is important. Well, just a minute. The cop just came in, put the collar on Buck for beating up that Whitley guy. Well, that's fine. I'll be no buck was in it. They found his fingerprints at the laundry. You don't have to worry about it, though. Why not? I just locked Buck and the cop in the handball court. In there. Get me a gun. There's one in the locker right behind you. On the bottom, underneath the sweatshirt. I've got it. What are you going to do? See this cop. I want to make sure I get to do the talking. And I'll give you the sign, throw the door open. Right? Hello, Gibson. Hello, Cain. Hey, take these cups off me. I'll get the keys in the cop's pocket. Right. Cain, I understand you came here to arrest one of my friends. That's right. Let me ask you a question. I think this gun here entitles me to that privilege. Go ahead. I want to get you off my back. Now, if you'd like to make a deal, I'll give you 200 a week cash. No questions asked. I think you know the answer to that one. It's no. Independent, brahmini. Al, put the cups on Cain. Got you. Now, let's take him to the steam room. Just walk in front of me, Cain. Move, copper. I thought you were smarter than this, Gibson. I consider this a very smart move. We can say you came here looking for Buck, walked into the steam room, the door jam shut, and you were stuck. Stuck in a temperature of 220 degrees. Open the door, Al. Okay. Care to reconsider, Cain? No. Push him in, Buck. All right. All right, Al. Turn up the steam. All the way. All the way. Stay where you are, Al. You're covered, Gibson, so drop your gun. Come on, drop it. I'll turn off those valves and open that door. Come on, move. Jay! Jay, you all right? Yeah, I'm okay, Jim. Thanks. Good. Let's get those cuffs off of you and take this gang down to jail. Because of the seriousness of the local charges against them, John Gibson, Buck Fowler, and Al Porter were tried in local court for assault with intent to murder and given 25 years each. Special Agent Taylor was able to arrive at the health club in time because of two things. The first was that when Harry Fowler's record was teletype from Washington, it included the information that he had once been a rubber in a Turkish bath. Then Agent Taylor learned that among his other holdings, John Gibson owned a health club, which his men used as a hangout. Agent Taylor reasoned that Detective J. Cain, also knowing that, would head there to arrest Harry Fowler. By arriving when he did, Agent Taylor, as you have seen, not only saved the life of a fellow law enforcement officer, but also was able to get enough evidence on John Gibson to break up his mask, and thus to wreck his hold on the city. The people of that particular community who had previously been indifferent to Gibson's machinations were shocked at the revelations at his trial. They took their opportunity to change things shortly thereafter when the next election came along, and they were able to vote in a new, clean administration. The John Gibson's of this country are still in power in many places, and only you can get rid of them, for only you can cast your ballot at the polls. Your FBI does not wish to intimate that every local administration has been owed, but some are, and if the one in your community is, don't expect anyone else to fix things. You can fix them at the polls. Now let's quickly review the three freedoms you can assure for yourself with an equitable independent 60s plan. First, freedom from money worries and job worries after your 60th birthday. Real financial independence. Second, freedom to live where you choose. Third, freedom to do the things you've always wanted to do. That's the good life you can look forward to with an independent 60s plan. Don't say you can't afford it until you've talked to your equitable society representative. Or write care of this station to the Equitable Life Assurance Society. Next week, we will dramatize another case from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigations. A capsule retelling of the career of an egocentric thief, its subject, armed robbery, its title, The Handsome Heels. The incidents used in tonight's Equitable Life Assurance Society's broadcast are adapted from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigations However, all names used are fictitious and any similarity they'll have to the names of persons living or dead is accidental. Tonight, the music was composed and conducted by Frederick Stein. The author was Jerry D. Lewis. Your narrator was William Woodson and Special Agent Taylor was played by Stacey Howard. Others in the cast were Ed Begley, Alice Backers, Ted DeCorsia, Herb Ellis, Charles Maxwell, and Gil Stratford. This is your entry. 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 the same time when the Equitable Life Assurance Society will bring you another thrilling transcribed story from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigations. The Handsome Heel on This is Your F. B. I. The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet Fund for the Whole Family follows immediately over most of these ABC stations. Stay tuned. This is ABC, the American Broadcasting Company.