 The Equitable Life Assurance Society presents This Is Your FBI This Is Your FBI, an 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 community. Tonight's important and exciting case will open in just a moment. First, a brief word on what's ahead for our returning soldiers, sailors, and Marines. 80 years ago, in the year 1866, America's number one problem was the same as we face today, jobs for ex-servicemen. And in 1946, as it did in 1866 at the close of the Civil War, the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States is helping American business and American agriculture to create jobs and more jobs for the men who serve this country well. Funds of the Equitable Society are invested in thousands of farms and ranches as well as in hundreds of the great basic industries on which our national prosperity depends. That is how Equitable Society dollars help provide opportunities for veterans in search of employment. That is why we say that by serving its members, the Equitable Society serves America. Tonight's file, the cold-blooded kidnapper. After nearly a decade of comparative freedom from his scourge, the kidnapper has gone to work again. The combination that defeated him before has gone to work again too. The combination of your FBI working in cooperation with local law enforcement agencies. Tonight's case is the story of a kidnapping which did not make nationwide headlines. The victim was an average person. The family was a family of modest means, and the ransom demand was small. But in the eyes of the law, all persons are of equal rank. And a crime against any member of society is a crime against the whole of society. Back in the hills on the outskirts of a New England town, there's a squalid shack belonging to one Jed Monroe and his wife Clara. On a porch of this hobble, Jed is stretched out in the warm sunshine, sleeping. Jed, wake up! Wake up, I said. Well, what is Clara's time to eat? Nope. Oh, and leave me be. Just a minute. I want to talk to you. Now what? I'm getting sick to death about what's going on around here. 365 days a year. You eat, you sleep, then you get up and eat again. Well, don't go starting that again. I tell you, I'm sick to death of it. Oh, Clara, quit your nagging. When are you going to get to work? I already told you. I don't like work. Well, we need to eat and we need clothes. Working is the only way to get them things. I know what makes you think that. You've got some other way. Maybe I have. Like what, for instance? Clara, a man don't make no real money working with his hands. He gets it out of up here, his head, thinking. That lets you out there. Now leave me talk. All the time that you've been yapping and nagging at me around here, I've been thinking, thinking real hard. And I got a way to make me some big money. More than you've ever seen in your whole life. Now you just listen to me. And here's what I'm aiming to do. Later that afternoon, a young high school girl is walking down the street in a nearby town. She nears a corner. A battered old car pulls up close to her and stops. I'm a big one, miss. Yes? Would I speak to you for a minute? Why? What do you want? No, I wonder if you could help me. How? Well, my wife's sick and I have to work all day. She's got to have someone to look after the children. Yes? We need somebody to come in the afternoon, like at home. Oh, I see. Would you be interested in the job? Gee, I don't know. I'd like to make the money, but I'd have to ask my mother first. Oh, sure, of course, you would. What's your name? My name's Dottie Bond. I live over on Miller Street. Why don't you just hop in the car and we'll drive around and see your mother right now? Well, all right. Now, let's get right up here in the front seat of me. Thank you. If your mother won't let you work, this will save you walking home. Sure, excuse me, but Miller Street is down the other way. Yeah, I know. Then why are we going this way? There's just the way I want to go. Where are you taking me? Keep quiet. Look, you stopped this car. Shut up. No, let me out of here. Let me out of here. Shut up, I said. Oh! A collision break, speaking. Yes, please. You got anything on the car? What? How about the man? Sounds like an abduction, all right. Some kidnappers aren't as ambitious as others. What do you want us to do? Well, if this is a kidnapping officer, we must be careful to do nothing that would endanger the life of the victim. Our first consideration is the victim's safe return. Yes, sir. Lurt your force, furnish them with a girl's description. We'll be in touch with you later. Right. Wade? Yeah, George? I just got a report from police headquarters of possible kidnapping. What's the story? A girl named Barnes. 1625 Miller Street. She's been missing since 315 this afternoon. I see. I think we should set up an observation post and arrange to be near the family at all times. Now, let's get to work at once. How are you feeling? This is my home. Just take it easy. Cut out that crying. Why did you bring me here? It's just business deal. That's all. You stay here until you pop by his way out. Kidnapping. I guess maybe you call it that. Oh. Pop pays off. No harm's gonna come to you at all. Oh, my head. It hurts. Cold water in the bucket here. Just picks a rag for you. Oh, no. Go away. Just leave me alone. No. Don't be afraid of me. No. Please go away. Clara, you get out of here. I said let her alone. What are you doing with that gun? Just seeing that you get out of this room and get yourself into town. I didn't want to get mixed up in this, but there's some money doing this, kid. Now that I'm in it, I want my share. Get started, I tell you. Don't get no wrong ideas, miss. It ain't that I'm sticking up for you. That's what I think of you. Can I get you some coffee, gentlemen? No, thank you, Mr. Barnes. How is Mrs. Barnes? I think I've persuaded her to try and get some sleep. It wouldn't be a bad idea if you tried to get some rest yourself. Oh, I'm afraid that would be impossible. You answer it, Mr. Barnes. Very well. This may be the call we're waiting for. You remember your instruction. Yes, sir. Hello? This is Jay Barnes. Who? Who are you? Is my daughter safe? Is she all right? I'll do anything. You want money, of course. Well, how much do you want? I haven't got a great deal, but I'll... Yes, I know. I'll have the money there. I understand. But how can I be sure my daughter will get back all right? Let me have the phone, Mr. Barnes. Yes, sir. Operator. Operator. Did you have a tracer on that call? Yes. Connect me with the drugstore right away, please. Wade? Yes. Take this phone and when the drugstore answers, they'll get a description of anybody using their phone boost, if they still can. I'm going to run out there. Any luck? I've got a pretty fair description of the man. Oh, good. He's about six feet tall, middle aged, rough clothes, and unshaven. Looks like somebody out of the Hill Country around here. Anything else? The man out in front of the store remembers seeing him drive off in an old black Ford sedan, but didn't notice any more detail. What do we do now, George? We'll arrange to deliver the $1,000 in marked $5 bills to Barnes in the morning to put under the bridge. And after sundown tomorrow, whether the girl is back or not, we move in and go to work fast. How'd you make out? I mean, all right. How are you feeling, girl? Never mind how she's feeling. How much did you get? I got $1,000 right here in this paper sack. Let me see the money. Never mind. I got it. Then you let me go now, won't you? What'd you tell him you'd do about her? You will let me go now, won't you? Won't you? Well, what'd you tell him, Jed? I told him she'd back by sundown. Then we better blindfold her and get started and let her out somewhere. What do you mean we'd better? Because I'm going with you. That's why. You ain't going nowhere, Clara. What do you mean? I'm changing my mind about taking her back. Oh, no. You ain't going to vex me no more, Clara. What are you saying? I'm saying I'm through listening to that tongue of yours and looking at that ugly face. Jed, what you got there? I'm getting you out of my sight for good. Jed! Now, young lady, if you don't do like I say from now on, the same thing will happen to you. At the conclusion of tonight's file, which we will reopen in just a moment, you will hear an important message to parents prepared by director J. Edgar Hoover of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. But now, let me tell you a story from the Equitable Society that I think will tug at your heartstrings as it did mine. This week at the Equitable Society, I heard a sentimental story, but sentiment that rings true, the story of a threadbare overcoat. Forty years ago, the owner of this coat was a hopeful young man with a very small salary and a very pretty little bride. Well, one winter morning, this young wife surprised her husband by handing him a little roll of dollar bills that she'd saved from her household money. This is for a new overcoat, she told him. That old one is getting too shabby for a rising young man like you to be seen it. But that night when he came home, he was still wearing the old threadbare coat. And from one of the frayed pockets, he took out a receipt for a life insurance policy with the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. He'd used his overcoat money as a first payment, and he told his wife that it meant more to his self-respect to know that she would have the security of life insurance than buying the finest overcoat in the world. And today after 40 years, his wife still keeps the shabby old coat and sometimes runs her hands lovingly over the threadbare cloth. To her, it's a symbol of a husband's self-sacrifice. Well, when you come to think of it, almost every equitable society policy we issue is just such a symbol. A symbol of a husband's love for his wife. A symbol of a father's poor thought for his children. A symbol of unselfishness. And that's one of many reasons why we of the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States are happy in our work. Happy. And proud to say that this week and every week for 86 years, the Equitable Society has been building security for you, your home, and your country. And now back to the file on the cold-blooded kidnapper. Yes, the kidnapper has gone to work again. And we repeat. The combination that defeated him before has gone to work again, too. The combination of your FBI working in cooperation with local law enforcement agencies. Because the first concern of the FBI is a safe return as a victim, special agents Briggs and Wade stand by in the local FBI office awaiting development. Special agent Wade glances at the clock. It's two hours after sundown, George. Yes, they've had enough time. Let's get moving. We'll phone the newspapers and press associations, tell them to release that list of serial numbers on those five-dollar bills. Right. Then let's put out an alarm on the descriptions of the kidnapper and the girl. Here's that sketch from the artist, Mr. Briggs. Thanks, Tom. Hey, what's that, George? I had an artist make a sketch of the kidnapper from the description we got from the drugist. Boy, he's an ugly-looking devil. Well, that's just hope for the girl's sake. He's not too much of a devil. Is that you're from the FBI? Yes, sir. We thought since you run the general store up here, you might be pretty well acquainted with most everybody in the hills. If they live in the hills, I know. This is just a rough sketch, but do you know anybody it looks like? I haven't seen him. He's about six feet tall, middle-aged, drives an old black Ford sedan. And it can't be nobody else. But this is a heap better looking than him. Who? Old Jedman Roll. Jedman Roll? Yep. The meanest cuss has ever was born to. Whereabouts does he live? Oh, he's got a little shack him and his woman Clara about two miles from here. Tell us how to get there? I'm sure. Just keep right on up this little piece, take the second left-hand turn, then after spending a little... There's the shack. Yep. No sign of a lamp. Don't flash your light. Let's make it up to the door. Come on. The door's unlocked. Flash your light inside the minute I open it. Right. Doesn't seem to be anybody in there. Let's go in. Okay. Wait a minute, George. What? Look, here on this table. What is it? School books. Here's a name in one of them. Dottie Barnes. Oh, this must be the right place. I'm afraid we arrived a little too late. Looks like they cleared out. Yeah. I guess we ought to... George. What? One of them didn't clear out. Look over in the corner. Well... Must be Monroe's wife. Uh-huh. Is she dead? Yeah. Let's get back to the store and call the sheriff. He can send the coroner out to examine the body. Okay. Then we'd better catch Jed Monroe before the girl wishes she was in that woman's place. You must be worn out. Right in all night this way, girl? Well, we're gonna stop pretty soon and you can rest up. Well, why don't you say something? I want to go home. Look here, I ain't meaning you no harm. You'll get home. When? As soon as me and your pop do a little more business. But he's already paid you. Well, that was just the down payment. I'm sure he's given you all he could afford. Not enough. See the way I figured, you're kind of like my meal ticket. Just like money in the bank. Any time I need some, I just send word to your pop. Then I'll never get home. Oh, now you'll get home. Now cut out that movement and listen to me. Now we're going to stop at that filling station up the road, gas up. If you do decide to start talking, don't say the wrong thing while we're there. I'll be doing the same thing you had done to my old woman. You understand? It's going on eight o'clock, George. Not a trace of him yet. Yeah. That beats me. We throw a ring of police and deputies around this country 200 miles wide, and yet somehow Monroe seems to have gotten through. I don't think he did get through, Wade. Why not? I think he's been moving around inside that circle. How do you figure that? Well, this is the only country Monroe's familiar with. He's kind of at the stick to familiar countries, especially if they're on the run. I'll show you what I mean. Take a look at this map. Here's Monroe's shack. Now follow the circle to the lunch room that he stopped at four hours ago when he cashed one of the five-dollar bills. Yeah. The circle continues around to the farmhouse where he was reported to have stopped to get water for his car. Yeah. He's moving around inside that circle, all right? All back roads, too. Yes. Special Agent Briggs speaking. Police headquarters over in New City, Mr. Briggs. What's up? Monroe. What? How do you know? We checked it. Which way did they go and they left the filling station? I don't know, but they... That's all right. I think we'll catch them anyway now. Thanks a lot. What was that? Monroe and the girls stopped at a gas station in New City half an hour ago. Let's see how that figures on the map. Well, he's following the same pattern, Wade. Still continuing the same circle. Half an hour ago, traveling in an old car should take him to... Come on, Wade. I've got a pretty good idea of where we might find him. Well, you quit that sniffing now. I stopped here at this tourist camp so you could get some rest. Now, we've got some business to take care of. It's time your pop was hearing from us again. This time, it's going to be direct from you. How? I want you to write him a letter. Oh, no. Now, look, you won't get home, don't you? You won't let me go home. You just want to get more money from my father. You're writing that letter. I said no. Now, you listen here. I don't want to do nothing mean to you, you understand? But you'd better be remembering what happened to my wife, Clara. Now, write me that letter. Keep away from me. I'm giving you one last chance. Keep away! Who are you? Special agents of the FBI. What? Oh, thank heaven. And my hands are just itching for you to resist arrest. Young Dorothy Barnes was returned unharmed to her parents' home. Although Jetman Rowe could have been tried for kidnapping, he was first turned over to the local authorities who tried and convicted him for the murder of his wife. He paid for this crime by death in the electric chair. Indications that kidnapping has once again threatened the security of the American home. J. Edgar Hoover, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, has prepared this following important message. In case of kidnapping, regardless of the hour, contact the nearest office of the FBI, whose number can be found on page one of the telephone book, or contact the Washington headquarters of the FBI by calling the celebrated kidnapping number, National 7117. Keep the details of the abduction together with details and demands for ransom strictly within the family circle. Talk only to law enforcement officers. Information regarding kidnappings is not public news so long as the victim's life is at stake. Turn all letters or communications relative to the kidnapping over to trained investigators. Do not permit them to be handled by others. Do not disturb evidence at the scene of the crime. Remain calm. Do not act disturbed. Carry on normal routine so far as possible. Mr. Hoover is asking for the cooperation of Hugh, the citizen. You were a vital part of that army which, over a decade ago, smashed the hordes of kidnappers who played on you and members of your families. With your help, they shall be smashed again. In a moment we'll tell you about next week's exciting case. Meanwhile, remember that to your FBI agents, you look for national security. And to the equitable society agent in your community, you look for the financial security of life insurance. And whatever special meaning that word security may have for you, a home of your own, an assured education for your children, or a retirement income for your old age, your equitable society representative will gladly do everything within his power to help you reach your goal. Like your FBI, the equitable society representative is dedicated to the security through life insurance of you, your home, and your country. Next week we will bring you another colorful story from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The unwelcome guest. The incidents used in tonight's Equitable Life Assurance Society's broadcast are taken from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The role of J. Edgar Hoover was impersonated, but all other names used are fictitious, and any similarity thereof to the names of persons living or dead is accidental. Tonight, the music was under the direction of Frederick Steiner, the author was Frank Ferris, and your narrator was Dean Carleton. This is your FBI is a Jerry Divine production. Now this is Carl Frank speaking for the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States and the Equitable Society's representative in your community and inviting you to tune in again next week at this same time for This Is Your FBI. This is ABC, the American Broadcasting Company.