 The story you're about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Fatima Cigarettes. Best of all, king-sized cigarettes brings you dragnet on both radio and... You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a robbery detail. An ex-convict is accused of robbery and murder. Four witnesses identify him as the killer. The man's arraigned in municipal court and held to answer. Your job? Investigate. Fatima. America's first largest-selling blended cigarette. Now king-sized. See the difference. Taste the difference. Smoke the difference. And in Fatima, the difference is quality. See the difference. Fatimas are 21% longer. Taste the difference. Enjoy Fatima's extra mildness. Much different, much better flavor and aroma. Smoke the difference. Get all the advantages of extra length plus Fatima quality, which no other king-sized cigarette has. Yes, in Fatima, the difference is quality. Definitely the best quality in its class. But the same price as the cigarette you're now smoking. So why wait? Switch to Fatima today. Each king-sized Fatima gives you a long, extra mild and soothing smoke with the added protection of Fatima quality. Bye, 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 transcribed from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It was Wednesday, March 12th. It was cold in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of robbery detail. My partner's Ed Jacobs, the boss, is Captain Didion. My name's Friday. We were on the way over from the office, and it was 10.43 a.m. when we got to the third floor at the Hall of Justice. Municipal Court Department 82. You see him, Joe? I think so, yeah. That's him up front behind the DA's table. Oh, yeah. Come on. Hi, Leo. Hi, Friday. Jacobs. Hello, Chair. Yeah, thank you. Who's on the stand first, you know? Victim's wife. Oh. People versus St. Clair. People ready. In this case, Your Honor, we'd like to proceed with number two, three, five, four, eight. You may proceed. Is the defendant ready? The defendant's ready, Your Honor. Call Agnes Holloway. Agnes Holloway to the stand. Just follow me square that the testimony you are about to give in the matter not pending before this court will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truths to help the God. I do. State your name, please. Agnes Holloway. Calling your attention to the fourth day of March of this year, Mrs. Holloway. Did you see the defendant in your place of business at 2301 Miller Avenue? Yes, sir. What time of day did you first see him at that location? It was around 9.30. Will you tell us what you saw the defendant do? For the purpose of the record, may we ask whether that was in the morning or the afternoon? Was that in the morning or in the p.m.? P.m. Will you tell us what you saw the defendant do and what you heard him say at that place? You mean before the hold-up? At 9.30. Please tell us what occurred. Well, I came in about 9.30 at the place. He was already sitting there at the bar. Continue. I came in and sat down at the end of the bar. He was sitting about five stills from the door. A friend of mine, Doris family. She's here now. Doris was sitting near him. I went over and talked to Doris for a while. The man didn't say anything. He was just sitting there. Did you see him drinking anything? Yes, he was drinking scotch and soda. You're the wife of George Holloway deceased. Is that correct? Yes. Was he present then? Thank you, sir. Was your husband George Holloway present at that time? Yes, he was standing at the bar. By that, do you mean that your husband, yourself, and the defendant were the only persons present? No, my friend Doris family. There was a singer there too. I don't know who he was. He sat next to the defendant. What occurred then? As we were ready to close the front door, my husband noticed the light and the man's washing. I moved that girl out. What did her husband notice as a conclusion to the witness? Did it make a lot? Well, anyway, my husband went back in to put the light out. Doris family and I went out to the sidewalk. So did the satyr. And they followed it too. The defendant did? Yes. And the minute I went back inside to see what my husband was doing, the defendant followed me back in. I was about as far as the music machine. He put his arm around me and he had a gun right here. He said, lady, this is a sticker. Could you describe the gun you saw? No, I just thought it looked like a pistol to me. I couldn't tell you to make out. Now move that girl out, if you're on her, please, what it looked like. I know it was a gun. The motion will be denied. You were inside the building when the defendant did that? Yes. He said, keep quiet. I will kill you. And where was Miss Fenwick then? She was out on the sidewalk talking to the sailor, I think. Doris was expecting her husband to come on the streetcar. Come over that girl out. Miss Fenwick was out on the sidewalk, may stay in, and the balance may go out. What did the defendant do after that, Mrs. Holloway? He said, I will shoot you if you don't keep quiet. He made me walk backwards to where my husband was and I said, Johnny, this man has a gun and he says this is a sticker. And the man says, shut up, and he made my husband put his hands up. Were you in fear of the gun at that time? No, I didn't have any fear. Did you believe the defendant would injure you with a gun? I wasn't afraid. I felt well. It's a hold up and we're giving the money and that's all there is to it. All right. Continue. Well, when we got to the back room, my husband was trying to open the safe and he said, hurry up. I have your wife covered now. Kill her if you don't hurry. The defendant said that? Yes. My husband said, don't get nervous. You can have anything we have but don't shoot her. Then my husband got the safe open and took out the money bag and handed it to the man, the defendant. He grabbed it and then he shot my husband twice. The defendant shot your husband twice? Yes. You know what the contents of the money bag were? About $160. At any time did you give this defendant authority or your consent to take that money? No, sir. The taking of the money was against your will, is that correct? Yes. How soon after was it that the officers arrived at the location? About seven or eight minutes after death. Your husband was removed to the hospital? Yes. Do you know when your husband died? He died on the 7th, Friday, 6 o'clock. You mean on the 7th of March of this year? Yes. See him. Did you see your husband in the coroner's office? Pardon? Did you see your husband after death in the coroner's office? No, I saw him in the hospital. After death, did you see your husband downstairs in the coroner's office? No, my son did. Did you see your husband after death? Yes. At the mortuary, Monday the 10th, at the mortuary. And the person you viewed in death was the same Charles A. Holloway who you knew in life as your husband? Yes. Do you know Grace Thompson? Yes, she works for me and my husband. Was she present at your place of business on this evening? Yes. When did she leave there, do you know? About five minutes to 12 midnight. Can you fix the precise time when your husband was shot? About five minutes after 12. How many times was the gun fired? Twice. How close was the gun to your husband, Charles Holloway? It must have been about two feet. Do you know Marion Shaw? Yes. Was she present on the premises that evening? She was present that evening. Do you know Mrs. Sam Garber? Yes. Was she present on the premises that evening? Yes, sir. And that thing over there, too, I didn't know him now. All that you've related occurred in the county of Los Angeles, state of California? Yes, sir. Cross the dam. May I have a drink of water, please? Bill? Would you like to rest awhile, Mrs. Holloway? Yes, sir. We'd have a short recess before the cross-examination. Joe? Ed? Yalia. Probably won't get to us for a while. Do you want to grab her a smoke? All right. It's fine on me. What's your idea on it, Leo? I don't know. I'm not to have him bound over to spirit court. No, I mean, you think St. Clair's the right man? You got me. It's just one good piece of physical evidence. I feel a lot better about it. Go ahead. Yeah, thanks. There you go. Bye. Yeah, thanks. How about St. Clair's alibi? All the angles checked in. All of them. It doesn't hold much water. Can't prove it's a lie. Can't prove it's a truth. I sure hate these things. I don't know which way to go for identifying witnesses. I don't know how wrong they can be. What about that sailor who was supposed to be in the bar at the time? No, homicide didn't do any good. How about you, fellow? Well, same, Leo. Nothing yet. He was the only one who really got a close look at the killer besides the wife on me. Killer bumped into him when he ran out of the bar. Yeah. If anyone could identify the right man the sailor could, nobody at the bar saw him before that night. Nobody's seen him since. It's not a trace of him. You're our best bet. If we could find him, we might put a foundation under this thing. Yeah, I'll put it in. It's just one problem. Yeah. It's a big Navy. Where do we find him? When 58-year-old tavern owner Charles Holloway was shot and fatally wounded in a holdup on March 4th, there were five people in the immediate vicinity. Holloway's wife, a waitress at the tavern, two women customers, and an unidentified sailor. Soon after the shooting, a scene of the crime was gone over thoroughly for all physical evidence, but besides the two fatal bullets, none was found. The preliminary investigation failed to yield any further leads. A search was started for the missing witness, the unidentified sailor. The four known witnesses were brought downtown where they checked through volumes of pictures of ex-convicts recently released from the state penitentiaries. All of them identified the mugshot of Harold St. Clair, a recent parolee from Chino where he'd served time for armed robbery. St. Clair was brought in immediately in question. He failed to establish an alibi for his whereabouts the night of the holdup and murder. He was arraigned in municipal court, and at his preliminary hearing, the first prosecution witness, the wife of the murdered man, Agnes Holloway, singled him out as the killer. By experience, the working detectives found that identifying witnesses under the strain of being present at a horrible crime can often be mistaken in their identification. In this instance, there wasn't anything else we could do. It was all we had. 11.18 a.m., the preliminary hearing resumed. The witnesses took the stand in turn, and all of them tabbed St. Clair as the murderer. Ed and I testified as the arresting officers. At 3.25 that afternoon, the prosecution arrested the case for the people. St. Clair's lawyer offered no defense for the time being. Your Honor. Mr. Alexander. This time the people move the case number 23529 be dismissed on the grounds that it states in substance. 23529? Is that correct? Yes, Your Honor. Dismissed on the grounds that it states in substance the offense covered in the present case. 23529 covered the offense of robbery and assault with intent to commit murder under the present victim in our case here, Charles Holloway. He was not dead at the time. In this case, 23529 was filed. Subsequent to his filing, he died, and the murder count accomplished that complaint. Let the record show that on the motion of the district attorney, the people versus Harold R. St. Clair, number 23529, that case is dismissed. Bearing to me that the offenses in the within deposition mentioned to which count one murder, a felony, and count two robbery, a felony have been committed, and that there is sufficient cause to believe the within named defendant Harold R. St. Clair, guilty thereof, I ought to be held to answer for the same, and that you be committed to the custody of the sheriff from Los Angeles County without their help. In the 17 days intervening between St. Clair's preliminary hearing and his arraignment in Superior Court, Ed and I, along with Sergeant Stoner, Beeson, and Leo Tracy, continued our investigation of the case. Physical evidence to either prove or disprove the case against St. Clair was not to be had. We concentrated on trying to find the all important missing witness to the killing, the unidentified sailor. We got out an APB along with special letters and bulletins for distribution to local Navy Yard Commandants as well as Navy Department officials in Washington requesting help in locating him. It went slow. The day before St. Clair Superior Court arraignment, we got our first lead, but not from where we expected. A two-time robbery loser, Lester Jaffe, who bore a close resemblance to St. Clair, was arrested at a check caching agency on South Hoover trying to pass a Ford's check. He had several prior arrests and convictions for burglary and ADW, and the check of his package showed that he had violated his parole. A .38 caliber S&W revolver found on Jaffe was delivered to Rust Camp in Ballistics for examination and comparison. The next day, Monday, March 29th, St. Clair came up for his arraignment in Superior Court. Ed and I were there. St. Clair. Defended his present ready, Your Honor. Arraigned the prisoner. Harold R. St. Clair, is that your true name? That's right. Harold R. St. Clair, by information number 23549, you're charged in count one with a crime of murder in that honor about March 4th of this year, you did willfully, unlawfully, and feloniously, and with malice of forethought, murder one Charles A. Holloway, a human being. To this charge, how do you now plead guilty or not guilty? Not guilty. In count two of the same information, you're charged with a crime of robbery in that honor about March 4th of this year, and Charles A. Holloway, to that charge, how do you now plead guilty or not guilty? Not guilty. Joe, Joe DeBeller. Oh, yeah? He's moaning to you. Phone call, I guess, must be for you. Yeah, like said. Gentlemen, have you agreed on what day is convenient for trial? No agreement is yet, Your Honor. Harris, a phone call for you, Sergeant. Right here. Okay, thank you. Friday talking. Yeah. Is that right? Yeah, okay, as soon as we finish here. All right, bye. Sure, Alex, you'll want to know about the trial. Do you have any ideas? Well, we better get all the time you can, Alex. We're going to need it. Anything you say, what's the matter? We got trouble? Well, just had a call from Russ Camp in Ballistics. Yeah. I figure we got a whole new case to build. What do you mean? Well, the man we've got, St. Clair. Yeah? Maybe he's taking the rap for somebody else. You are listening to Dragnet, authentic stories of your police force in action. Fatima, America's first largest selling blended cigarette. Now king size. See the difference. Fatima, 21% longer. Taste the difference. Smoke the difference. And in Fatima, the difference is quality. Yes, you get all the advantages of extra length, plus Fatima quality, which no other king-size cigarette has. Friends, to show our confidence in Fatima, to convince you quickly, dramatically, that Fatima is the best of all king-size cigarettes. We make this money-back guarantee. Buy a pack of Fatimas. Enjoy Fatima quality, extra mildness, and superbly blended tobaccos. If you're not convinced Fatima is better than the king-size cigarette you're now smoking, just return the pack and the unsmoked Fatimas before April 1st, and we'll give you your money-back plus postage. Fatima, box 37, New York 1. Remember, each king-size Fatima gives you a long, extra mild and soothing smoke with the added protection of Fatima quality. Buy Fatima in the bright, sunny yellow pack. Best of all, king-size cigarettes. March 29th, Monday, 4.15 p.m. After the arraignment of Harold St. Clair and Superior Court, Ed and I checked with Russ Camp in Ballistics. He said he'd run tests on the 38S&W revolver taken from robbery, forgery suspect Lester Jaffe the day before. Comparison microscopic examinations of test bullets fired from the gun taken from Jaffe and the two slugs which had been removed from the body of Tavern owner Charles Holloway, Maxed. After checking with Brerican at the CII Bureau in Sacramento, we discovered new additions to Jaffe's long criminal record. We also found out his known MO corresponded closely to that of the man who robbed and murdered Mr. Holloway. At a special show-off of both St. Clair and Jaffe the close resemblance of the two became apparent to the four identifying witnesses. They frankly admitted their mistake and positively identified Jaffe as the killer. Intensive investigation during the next three weeks uncovered enough evidence and testimony against Jaffe by associates and informers to give us a good foundation for a murder conviction. But we were still without a lead to one of our most essential witnesses the unidentified sailor. The first suspect, Harold St. Clair, was cleared of the charge but detained on a want from the Denver Police Department. After arraignment and preliminary hearing in municipal court, the Arraignment and Superior Court Lester Jaffe went on trial for the Holloway killing on June 2nd. Dr. West, the autopsy surgeon, was first to be called by Assistant District Attorney Adolf Alexander. He stated the results of the autopsy on Mr. Holloway and testified as to the cause of death. John Mauer, the police surveyor, was next. He produced the various diagrammatic drawings of the murder scene, the third day of the trial, June 5th. Garber woman's calling back on a friend of Ms. Holloway. Oh, yes. Mrs. Samuel Garber, be seated. Procedure to cross examination. Mrs. Garber, at the time you testified against the former suspect, Harold St. Clair, you were just as positive then were you not. At the hold up man who killed Mr. Holloway was Harold St. Clair. Yes, I was, but I also said he didn't have the same type eye. You were absolutely sure about Harold St. Clair then weren't you? Yes, I guess I was. And you identified St. Clair and testified a number of times during that examination that St. Clair was the man, is that right? I said he resembled the man. You said he was the man, didn't you? I said I thought he resembled the man. You also said there was no doubt of it, didn't you? That the hold up man was Mr. St. Clair. Well, I guess so. I don't know. You don't know? I guess not sure. Mrs. Garber, are you sure you remember the man you saw sitting in the bar that night? Well, I don't know. I've gotten both mixed up. I guess I'm not sure. During the next two days, the other three identifying witnesses were called to testify and like Mrs. Garber were badgered by the defense attorney unmercifully. Despite the efforts of Alexander, the prosecuting attorney, it was apparent the jury was being swayed heavily by the defendant. Even the full day and a half Ray Pinker from the crime lab spent on the stand seemed to have little effect in counteracting the damage done by the confused testimony. To prepare the jury for Russ Camps expert report and for the presentation of scientific facts about the lethal bullets in the murder gun found on Jaffe at the time of his arrest, Pinker and Assistant District Attorney Alexander gave the jury a thorough briefing on the fundamentals of ballistics. They also pointed out the scientific value in the guilt or innocence of a defendant. On Thursday, June 12, Russ Camp took the stand as a prosecution witness and under questioning presented the findings of the various test seed run on the alleged murder weapon. Mr. Camps, sometime after you had obtained People's Exhibit 13, did you fire a test bullet or several test bullets from it from the crime laboratory? I did. Did you make a comparison of any of those test bullets with Exhibit 3 and 3A, the bullets which killed Charles Holloway? Yes, I did. Now, in making your comparison and examination under the microscope after you had completed the mechanical part of your work and after you had completed your examination of the observable and comparable sections of the fatal bullets with a test bullet fired from People's Exhibit 13, did you come to any conclusion with respect to the Holloway fatal bullets? Yes, I did. And what was that conclusion? The conclusion was that the fatal bullets, the Holloway fatal bullets, People's Exhibit number 3 and 3A, were fired through the barrel of People's Exhibit number 13. After another hour of testifying, Russ Camp left the stand. His ballistics report on the murder gun had made an impression on the jury, but we couldn't be sure it was enough to balance the setback the prosecution received from its own witnesses. As far as we were concerned, Jaffe was the guilty man. There wasn't a doubt about it, but the case against him was apparently inconclusive as far as the jury was concerned. The defense attorney obviously had heard about the unidentified sailor who was also present at the scene of the killing. That the district attorney was purposely preventing the appearance of the unknown sailor as a witness and was concealing his identity. As he told the jury, the prosecution was afraid that the testimony of their alleged violent witness would damage its case. Meantime, our intensive search for the missing seaman was still underway. Despite half a dozen favorable prosecution witnesses, the case for the people appeared to be on the losing end going into the closing days of the trial. Tuesday, June 17th, one of the final defense witnesses was Mrs. Albert Dolan, who presented a fair alibi for Jaffe. She claimed Jaffe was at night school at the time of the Holloway killing. Would you say of your own knowledge that on the night of March the 4th, Mr. Jaffe was at the school until midnight? Yes, he was. When you left the school, did you go home alone or with somebody? My husband and I go home with Mr. Jaffe. Anything else that you can remember? Let me think. You sure read the convincing story, huh? What do you figure, Joe? That Joe, do you think we got a chance? I don't know. Don't bet on it. Ed, Joe? Oh, hi, Ed. Hi. Going bad? Couldn't be a lot better. It's getting that way. Just got a call from one of the gentlemen in the squad room. Oh, what about? Say that we've been looking for him. We found him. Before we left the courtroom, Ed and I briefed the assistant district attorney Alexander on the latest development. He put in a special order to the county jail for Harold St. Clair. He crossed the street and met with a long-missing murder witness in the homicide squad room. The sailor identified himself as Seaman 1st Class Roy Maslin. He told us that about three and a half weeks before he'd happened to see a copy of the bulletin we'd gotten out on him. He checked with his commanding officer and was returned to the mainland from his post on Midway Island. 322 p.m., we returned to the courtroom along with Seaman 1st Class Roy Maslin and conferred with assistant district attorney Alexander. The first murder suspect, Harold St. Clair, had already been brought downstairs to the courtroom from the county jail. He was placed at the opposite end of the counsel table from the defendant, Lester Jaffe. May we approach the bench, Your Honor? Come forward. Your Honor, we've just now located a witness in this case. He's in the armed services and must report back for duty tonight. May we have permission to call this witness out of turn? Permission granted. Raise your right hand. You solemnly swear that the testimony you're about to give in the matter now, pending before this court will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you, God. I do. Take your name, please. Seaman 1st Class Roy Maslin. Night-stage name. Be seated. Are you acquainted with the Tavern Cafe at 2301 Naylor Avenue? Yes, I am. Are you there on the evening of March 4th of this year? Yes, I'm there a few minutes before midnight. Will you tell the court in your own words what happened on the premises that night? Well, it's just a couple of minutes and people ran up like they said they were closing up so I had a nightcap shot dice for the drinks of this guy next to me. I won. Who was this man? I didn't know who it was. After you had your drinks, did you leave the bar? Yes, I did. The other guy stayed there. I went out to the sidewalk and stood there talking with one of the gals I saw in the bar and heard a couple of shots fired. So I'm inside the joint screening and hollering or something. I just go into the door to get inside and this man came rushing out. He hit me square on and went down. I remember seeing him run down the street. Did you recognize this man if you saw him again? Yes, sir, I would. Is that man in this courtroom now? Yes, sir. Will your honor please direct the defendant to stand alongside of Mr. St. Clair so that this witness may properly identify the man involved? Mr. Jaffee, will you stand up please? Stand to the right of Mr. St. Clair. Will you step down from the stand, please, Mr. Maslin and place your hand on the shoulder of the man who was in the bar with you the night of March 4th? Yes, sir. This is the man, Jaffee. Fast work, sir. Really burned up? Guess he'd like to kill me. You're not the only one, son. What? Wait until I read him the verdict. The story you have just heard was true. The names were changed to protect the innocent. On June 21st, the jury retired to deliberate the case. In a moment, the results of that deliberation. And now here is our star, Jack Webb. Thank you, George Venerman. Friends, I'd like you to buy a pack of the teamers on my say so. I'm convinced that once you see the difference, taste the difference, smoke the difference, you'll switch to Fatima for good. Because in Fatima, the difference is quality. Each king-size Fatima gives you a long, extra mild and soothing smoke with the added protection of Fatima quality. Buy Fatima. Best of all, king-size cigarettes. Lester Carl Jaffee was found guilty of murder in the first degree. He was executed in the lethal gas station at the state penitentiary San Quentin, California. Exchange clubs sponsor Crime Prevention Week to remind you that the fight against crime is your fight, the year-round. You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice comes from the Office of Chief of Police, W.H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department. Heard tonight were Barney Phillips, Big Perrin, and Virginia Gregg. Script by Jim Moser. Music by Walter Schumann. Hell, give me speaking. Fatima Cigarettes. Best of all, king-size cigarettes has brought you Dragnet transcribed from Los Angeles. Next, it's David Harding and Counterspy on NBC.