 Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true, only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. NBC brings you dragnet. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a homicide. Somewhere in the tangled web of your city, there's a killer on the loose. A young woman has been brutally murdered. A weapon, a steel bludgeon. Your job is to get him. Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime, investigated and solved by the men who unrelentingly stand watch on the security of your home, your family, and your life. For the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case from official police file. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It was Thursday, March 19th. It was foggy in Los Angeles. We were working the night watch out of homicide detail. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Ed Backstrand, chief of detective. My name's Friday. It was 9.14 p.m. when I got to the old central jail building, third floor, the crime lab. Hi, Joe. Hi, Commonly. Just ran a spectrograph. What'd you find? The pink plate from the victim's head matches that paint on the hunk of pipe. Any prints? No, the pipe was clean, no latent prints. Well, that's figured anything else. Got those blood test reports. Couple of slides for you to look at under the comparison mic. Thanks, Lake. Oh, hi, Joe. Didn't hear you come in. What's it look like, Ben? Now, here's the blood test reports. This one is blood found on the piece of pipe. Type A. This one's blood from the victim. Type A. Say, Max. That's right, boys. Doesn't mean too much, though. Did you look at these slides under the microscope? No, not yet. This is your clincher. Wait till I get the light. Okay, take a look. Got a make? Yeah, go ahead. Well, this slide here on the right, that's a slice of hair from the victim's head. On the other slide is hair found on the steel pipe. She had wavy hair. Both specimens are flat. Same hair, Joe. You got anything on that piece of pipe, Lake? Nothing. The ordinary steel pipe, 14 inches long. What else you got? The plaster impressions of those footprints we found by the body. Here they are. Great so. Tennis shoes. New one, size nine. Good impression. Ground was soft. Man, about 150 pounds, according to the length of stride, roughly about 5 feet 10 inches tall. Yeah, new shoes, all right. You can still read the manufacturer's label. That's right. Made by the Sport King Company. Well, that's something to follow up. Yeah, sure. You could start with the tennis court. Only about a thousand or so in LA. Maybe you'd rather track down the brand. These particular tennis shoes are the biggest sellers in the country. Yeah. You could start in Minneapolis or Pullman, Washington. What about that glove? Yeah, you might look for a missing glove. Yeah. They go well with the shoes, just about as common. White cotton work gloves are the blue top. Here's the right glove. You find the left one. Blood on the glove? High pay. Well, that's good evidence, Jones, but where's the lead? Now, look, I don't ask you to pay my parking ticket. You want to see blow-ups? Yeah, okay. Right over here. This is to fake it a lot when they found the body. Yeah, that's right. Here's a close-up of her showing the location of the murder weapon, the glove, and the footprint relative to the position of the body. Looks as bad as yesterday. Your dead worker overdid it. The rest of these are Morgan shots. Interested? No, I checked them this morning. What's his enough, Lee? Well, that winds it, boy. You want to go over the stuff in a purse again? You find anything more? No, nothing you haven't seen already. The usual. Makeup, comb, bar app. That's a hair clip. Two cheap stones in it. Loose chains, a quarter nickel few pennies. Her ID card. Helen Corday. 33 in a only place. Age 21. 21. That's not very old, is it, Lee? Not to die. No. Helen Corday. Who could kill Helen Corday? Why? Why do you say that, Mr. Meyer? People kill for money. They kill for love. Helen Corday had none of these. No boyfriend? Nothing here, no. She was a good worker. Five different Vedas as the Union then. One month, five. Does the Union send Helen to you? Sure, sure. All the girls come from the Union, but not like Helen. She was sweet, honest, and courteous. Mr. Meyer, did you know anything about her personal lack? Only that she was a good worker. Everything else she took home with her from this place. Did she ever mention any men to you, anyone at all? No gentlemen, not one. How much money did she make here? I paid her $26.50 a week every Tuesday. Not much salary for so much work, but the tips are very good here. Nice customer. This is our home address, 33 Naomi Place. 33 Naomi, that's right. Thank you very much, Mr. Meyer, for your time. I wonder what kind of a person does things like this. Who could kill Helen Corday? Everybody liked Helen. Helen Corday? No, I never liked her. Come on in the office, boys, where we can talk. Never liked her because I never knew her. You're the head of the Union. I'm just a steward. I know most of the girls. Miss Corday, girl, what was she look like? Small brunette, about five-three. Here's a picture. Yeah. Pretty girl, wasn't she? Oh, sure, sure. Place Dorado's place. Nice little Dutch fella. Not a Meyer. That's right. He seemed to think quite a lot of her. Yeah, she was a fine worker. Oh, sure. Always write up on her dues, paid all the assessments right on time. Oh, she said you didn't know her. Well, not right off. I didn't. When you show me that picture there, place her right away. You know anything about her personal life? No, wait a minute. All these questions. Helen Corday was murdered last night. Oh, who did it? You know anything about her personal life? See my position, Sergeant. 1,200 girls. Check them in, check them out. Just names to me till I see a picture of them. You wouldn't know if he had any boyfriends here in the Union. Waiters, butt boys. That I wouldn't know. Like I told you, Sergeant, I never knew Helen Corday. Sure, I knew Helen Corday. Got to play the nice piano, huh, Sergeant? Yeah. I read about it in the paper this morning. How long have you been selling pianos here at this place? About as long as I knew Helen for three years. How'd you find me? Helen's landlady we talked to her yesterday. She told us you worked here at this piano store. Oh. Funny, isn't it? What's funny? See, Doc over there, that fellow demonstrating piano. A few weeks ago, I made a deal with him to give Helen piano lessons. I figured it would help her with her singing lessons. I wanted to be a singer, you know. Did Helen know that fellow's Gus? No, she never met him. Who gave her their singing lessons, Miss Olsen? She took from Ostrander. Carl Ostrander out on Melrose. A lot of movie people used to take from him. What do you know about her personal life? What do you mean? Does she have any boyfriend? Well, yes. You don't seem sure, Miss Olsen. Well, it's just that I don't know. I never asked Helen, but she did have a few days with Carl Ostrander. I don't think she was serious. How about Ostrander? Gee, I don't know, Sergeant. I don't want to involve anybody. You want to help us find the killer, don't you? Yes. If you're thinking Carl Ostrander did it, no, I'm sure he didn't kill her. That's all for today, Victoria. No, gentlemen. I did not kill Helen for a day. You gave her singing lessons, Mr. Ostrander. You knew her pretty well? Yes. I gave her voice coaching about a year and a half. Helen showed a little promise. It's not a great voice. It's a bad vibrato. You knew her pretty well. Why'd you say that? Mr. Ostrander, didn't you used to take her out once in a while? No, I didn't know Helen socially at all. We know you had dates with her. That's not true. The only time I saw her was when she came here to the studio for lessons. You better tell the truth, Mr. Ostrander. We can prove that you've been out with her. Spread of the publicity, is that it? Certainly, that's it. I have a successful business here. I've spent years building it. Anything like this is ruining me. Then you have been out with her. Only a few times. Nothing serious. I had nothing to do with her murder. Now, that's the truth. Don't you know that withholding information about a thing like this can go kind of hard for you? If I know that, what else would I do? Mr. Ostrander, somewhere in this city right now, there's a guy who beat a young girl to death. He crushed her skull with a piece of steel pipe. We need every bit of information we can get to track him down. I know that, sir. You could have come to us. We wouldn't run to the newspapers with it. If the information's confidential, that's the way we treat it. Most of the time, it's the people who run to the newspapers first. Then they come to us. That's right, Mr. Ostrander. People are their own press agents. Sergeant, I'd like to know what right you have to invade my privacy and lecture me on my finished duty. All right, I'll tell you what right, Ostrander. We want the man who murdered Helen Corday. I got as much right as he had at 12.14 this morning. Come on, Joe. Yeah. Thanks, Mr. Ostrander. Sorry if I invaded your privacy. Chief of the detective's office, Allen. No, I'm sorry, ma'am. You got the wrong extension. Sorry, 2511. You're welcome. Hi, Friday. I'm Amarro. Chief's been looking for you. Thank you, Mike. Come on, Joe. Yeah. Hello, Joe. Ben. Sit down. What'd you get? A notebook full of notes. A crime lab full of evidence. Nothing to tie them together. These are some of the people you interviewed? Yeah, loads. And about a dozen more we didn't even take notes on. It's hard to figure, Skipper. Everybody seemed to like this girl. Helen Corday, no known relative. Single unattached girl, living all alone in the city. Few friends and no enemies. None we can find anyway. Are you, uh, satisfied that all the people you interviewed are in the clear? Well, if we're going to stick to the simple robbery motive or the kind of money Helen Corday made wouldn't interest those people. How are you doing on the outside, leads? Nothing. We could just find one hole someplace, anything. All right, now look. If there's a lab full of evidence across the street you've got a book full of names here. You've got the pieces. Now fit them together. I guess don't add. Well, go over them and keep going over them until they do add. Anything from the informants? No, nothing. I know it's tips on anybody that's been dough heavy. Nobody's shooting off their mouth. Another guy we want won't advertise. Figures himself a pretty smooth operator. But he probably made a mistake somewhere along the line. We'll find it. Got a hot shot, Ed. Yeah? 3220 casino. Woman, probable attack. All right, Friday. You and Ben run it down. They ran down the hot shot call for 3220 casino. Turned out to be a typical dead end lead. Her name was Mrs. Lillian Horne. For the past five years, Mr. Horne had been paid regularly on Wednesday. He spent all day Thursday drinking up his paycheck and beating his wife. The call had no connection with the Corday murder. We made the usual call in the communication. Unit 80K to control one, 80K to control one. Turn around to 80K, go ahead. On that probable attack, 3220 casino, code 4. 80K, Roger. 80K to control one, KMA 367. That was the beginning. The next three days, we followed up every lead and every call. They were all blind. All units were alerted and they had as much information on the killer of Helen Corday as we did. Ben and I cruised throughout the entire Central Division. We covered every probable call. It might have some connection with the murder. Attention, unit 1-1-R, 1654, Sponsored Terror. A woman victim of probable attack. Code 3, unit 41-R. It didn't make any difference what the call was. It was a possibility of my tie-in with the Corday murder. We ran it down. We made it a 24-hour job. So far, if the killer made a mistake, we hadn't been able to find it. The Corday funeral was on Monday. They were all there. The girl's landlady, voice teacher, Ostrander, the girl's friend Marie Olsen, the man from the union, and her boss, Otto Meyer. But nobody else we hadn't checked. That was Monday afternoon. Monday night, we went back to the old routine of tracking calls during the night in the squad car, picking up small threads that led nowhere. Three more days of the same thing. Thursday morning, one week after we found Helen Corday's body, we got an anonymous phone tip. I know who killed Helen Corday. His name is George Barlow. He lived at 418 White Oak Avenue. He used to date her up all the time. We checked George Barlow and about 10 others just like him. None of them knew Helen Corday. Saturday night, Ben and I were back in the squad car, cruising the Central Division. Saturday night's a good night for Robert. By 10 p.m., we'd run down four various calls. 123 John Watts. 23 Roger. 12 G, call your station. 13R, 12-24 Tower Road. Woman's streaming. That's yet to come up. Oh, too. That's handle that one, Ben. Okay. I'll notify communication. Unit 80K to control one. 80K to control one. 12-1, unit 80K, go ahead. On your 12-54 Tower Road call, we are in the vicinity. We will handle. 80K, Roger. 80K to control one, KM8367. Let's go, Ben. 12-1 to 13R, this is Roger. We'll call. Handle by 80K. You'd be right about here. Oh, man. Here it is. 12-54. Come on. Where'd it go, Joe? Third right at the next corner. That's him up ahead. He's got a good lead on him. Get the siren. He's getting him, Joe. He took a left at the next corner. Oh, he isn't going to stop. Close in as tight as you can, Ben. Down to the floor now. Swing out to the left a little. I'm going for his tires. Right. That'll slow him down. Pull up on him. Yeah. All right, Joe. Keep both hands on that wheel and get over to the curb. Cover me, Joe. Right. Out of that corner, mister. Take him down. Hey, take it easy. I haven't got a gun. Put the cuffs on him. Before it works fast. I might put the gas chamber. Yes, sir. That's nothing. Pretty rough treatment for speeding. All right, come on, Joe. Look, I got a right to know where you're taking me. What's the charge? We'll let the girls take you. Hot girls. You can sit there and be quiet, huh? Oh, I know where you're going. Place back on Tar Road. I'll ask you to use the phone. The girl slammed the door in my face. I don't know what you're copped to trying to prove. I just wanted to use the phone, that's all. I even tried to scare her a little. I told her I'd hit her over the head if she didn't let me use the phone. She'll laugh, huh? All right, you get out of here. Yeah, I suppose so. Get out. Hey. I got nothing to hide. That little girl's gonna lie. You know they don't. Police officers. The full name's Frank Phillip Larson. They had no previous records. This is the girl's report? Yeah. That's Giver. Judy Scott. How old is she? She's 19. Your baby's there. Real tough boy, isn't he? Of course, he's way into the house. Peter about the neck and arms. Fire iron. He bought it in his car. Jones is running it through the crime lab. Ask her if she had any money. She told him no. Struck her again. Where's this Larson live? Hotel out near Santa Monica. The clothing salesman had worked for a big men's store at Burns and Company. According to the Housebook sales record, he bought a pair of tennis shoes to which store? weighs 158 pounds, 511 inches. Tennis shoes are missing. They're not in his hotel room. He's not wearing. What else do you find? A stone. You mean a pin? No, just a small loose stone recovered from the rug in Larson's room. Crime lab got it. Working on it now. Head? I think. We got the man who killed Helen Corday. A few scraps of circumstantial evidence and a hunch. That's not much to go on. Larson had gone after the little Scott girl with a tire iron. It wasn't much of a tie-in, but we had to be sure. All that day, we checked Frank Larson's alibi for the night of Helen Corday's murder. We interviewed the personnel manager at Burns and Company where he worked. We talked to all the clerks who knew him. The manager of the hotel where he lived. We found out everything we could about Frank Larson. That night at 10 o'clock, we had the prisoner brought to the interrogation room. How are you, Larson? Fine. Just fine. I like jail. Sit down. Lousy weather been foggy all over town. I wouldn't know. I've been inside all day. How old are you, Larson? 31. Same as the last time you asked me. Where'd you go to school? I didn't. I was born smart. You sell clothes, don't you, Larson? We know your work for Burns and Company. Remember, you told us. What is all this? What are you guys trying to do? You just want to know if you like selling clothes. Well, you coppers know about clothes. One blue surge a year is your speed. You know quite a bit about clothes, don't you? I've been selling them for five years. Can you tell me something I've been wondering about? What's that? Are your socks and tie always supposed to match? That's what style books say. Bet you always know the right things the way, don't you? You wouldn't wear black shoes with a brown suit, would you? Is that what you're keeping me here for? Styles? No, would you? Would you wear black shoes with a brown suit? Most people wouldn't. Bet you wouldn't wear brown shoes with a tuxedo either. I'm smoking too much. You got a glass of water? Oh, yeah, sure. There you are, Laura. How about it? Would you ever wear brown shoes with a tuxedo? Nobody would. That's a navy blue flannel you got on there, isn't it? Yeah. A little bit of a suit. About brown sometimes. It's a good deal. A suit like that flannel there you're wearing? You'd never wear tennis shoes with an outfit like that, would you? What do you think? I think you did. I think you wore them the night you killed Helen Corday. Who? Maybe you didn't have the blue suit on, but you were wearing tennis shoes, sport king size nine. You could sell for $5.95. You pick them up at a discount. It cost you three and a quarter. Where'd you get that? Out of the house book. Burns & Co. You wouldn't have those shoes around now, would you? We couldn't find them in your hotel room. Your boss, Mr. Craig, used to think a lot of you, Larson. Before you started drinking on a job, your commission used to run pretty high after the last couple of months. What happened? That cheap ride get to you? You two really knows the round, didn't you? When are you going to tell me what I eat for breakfast? Corn flakes, a cup of coffee, donut. Sometimes two donuts when you're hungry. Elsie waits on you at the Royal Café. She gets a dime tip. How about more of that water? Help yourself, Larson. Cooler. Very good and cold. How about it, Larson? Wear the tennis shoes. They wore out. In three weeks? They'd be very good tennis shoes. Oh, they didn't wear out. What'd you do with them? You know all the answers. You figure it out. We know you bought the tennis shoes. We don't know where they are now. We know you had them. Five, nine. Three feet from the body of Helen Corday. We found two size nine footprints made by a pair of sport king tennis shoes. We figured a man weighed about 150 pounds. You weigh 158. Figured he's about five foot 10. You're 5'11. You come awful close to being the same. He builds the man who killed Helen Corday, don't you, Larson? And you wear the same size tennis shoes, same brand name. A lot of people wear nines. It's the average size. They sell a lot of sport games to everybody wears them. We could find your pair. It might make a difference. It doesn't mean your tennis shoes made the prints with the body. It doesn't prove it. It didn't, neither. What'd you do with them, Larson? I threw them away. That's too bad. It might make a difference. What difference could it make? I threw them away, that's all. How about the mate to this glove? I never saw it before. Found this right-hand glove with the body of Helen Corday. Just an ordinary cotton-work glove. Everybody wears them. There's nothing to miss in left level. It might make a difference. Size, medium, it's average, too, isn't it, Larson? I never saw a work gloves. I wouldn't know. No, but you bought work gloves, haven't you? Not a pair of those. I mean, like this, don't you? We only got one. What kind of work gloves did you buy? I didn't buy any. You guessed that, you did. I never said I bought any work gloves. You bought tennis shoes, though, didn't you? I told you I bought the tennis shoes. Didn't I tell you I bought them? No, you didn't tell us. We told you. We found out from Burns and Company where you were. All right, you told me. I bought them. You know that. Tennis shoes that made footprints by having cordaise butt. It wasn't me. Then why won't you tell us what you did with them? I've already told you. I threw them away. They were only three weeks old. That's a worn-out, awful fact. I didn't say they wore out. They got too dirty. No, you told us they wore out. Remember, Larson? I don't remember what I told you, but I don't have them now. Well, you know you don't have them now. Where are they? He told us they got too dirty. Right, Larson? Yes. Yes, yes, that's what I said. Anyhow, you haven't got them now. No, I haven't got them now. All right, now, just for the record, Larson, which was it? Whatever I said before. You said both before, Larson. All right, I said both. You haven't got anything on me. We got that little Scott girl statement from last night. She said you tried to kill her. She's lying. I told you she'd lie, didn't I? I only wanted to use her phone. She said you hit her with a tire iron. Did you hit her with that iron? No, I only tried to scare her. I didn't hit her with anything. Then how'd you get those marks around her neck and arm? Police doctors said they were made by that tire iron. I don't care what your doctor says. I didn't hurt her. Now, what do you mean, Larson? You didn't hurt her or you didn't hit her with that tire iron? You don't want. How'd you know she had a phone? I didn't know if she had a phone. I just went up to find out. To find out what? To find out if I could use her phone. But you said you didn't know if she had a phone. I don't know anything or where you pushed everything around. Sorry, Larson. You ever want the truth? How about a cigarette? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, I could use it. Here's a lie. Larson, where were you Wednesday night and March 18th? How many times are you going to ask me that same question? Just want to make sure we got it right. I told you this morning. I went to a show. I got out about 11. Had a beer and I went home. What time did you get home? About 11.30. Did you stay home? I went to bed. What'd you see at the show? I never remember the names. You ought to try to remember this and it's pretty important. I was at Deluxe Theater. I was spent at Tracy and something. What was on when you walked in? The news. I never go in in the middle of a picture. Neither do I. Boys inform me. Yeah, that's right. The girl in the box office doesn't remember seeing you go in. She knows. It's Keenor night. There's a big crowd. Did you win anything? I never do. Anybody hit the jackpot? I don't remember. I give away a lot of money at those neighborhood theater. I always remember who hit the jackpot. All right, you do. I don't. I never go in the jackpot. I told you, no. Did they have a jackpot at that show? I guess they do. I don't know. You know it was Keenor night. You shouldn't know if they had a jackpot. Maybe they had a jackpot. I don't know. I went out for a smug. You said the cartoon was on when you walked in. Why do you always twist what I say? I told you the news was on when I went in. You remember anything about the newsroom? It was 10 days ago. How do I know it was in it? I only know it was the newsroom. That's all. You're lying, Larson. We checked your alibi. The manager of the theater had to cut the newsroom Wednesday night You didn't go to the show Wednesday night, did you? All right, maybe I didn't. I don't remember. What's the difference? The difference is you could have been in that bacon lot the same night. The night Helen Corday was murdered. I didn't kill her. You can't prove I didn't. The interrogation room Friday. Friday Jones. You did, huh? You're positive. Yeah. Okay. Thanks, Lee. I'm sure you don't want to tell us what you did with those tennis shoes. I'm not going to go back over all that. I've told you guys all I'm going to tell you. You know how the Corday girl was murdered. How would I know? I don't know anything about it. She's on her way home from work, as usual. About midnight. Of course, you were home in bed about that time. But you didn't go to the show that night, Larson. On her way home, Helen Corday always took a shortcut across a vacant lot. She was about halfway through the lot when the murderer tried to grab her purse. She screamed and he struck her. Hit her several times with a piece of steel pipe 14 inches long. He beat her to death with that piece of steel pipe. Then he dropped the pipe in a right-hand cotton work glove. He left two footprints, size nine, 14 tennis shoes. I know all that. Well, here's something you don't know. When the killer scooped the paper money out of that girl's purse, he accidentally took along a loose rhinestone. A stone that fell out of a cheap barrette in the bottom of her bag. He carried that stone home with him. When he reached in his pocket to pull out the money he stole from her, the rhinestone fell on the floor. So? We found that rhinestone on the rug in your hotel room. Well, I haven't lived in that hotel room all my life. Maybe the tenant before me dropped it there. No, not this one. We checked the cement that held it in that barrette. It matches the glue on the stone. No, Larson, that rhinestone came from the hair clip that Helen Corday wore before she was murdered. That's enough to take you to the district of Dunningwood. What am I supposed to say? We want you to tell us the truth. Why did you kill Helen Corday? Yeah. You want the sandwiches and coffee now, surgeon? Wrangling, Mike. Looks like we're going to be here a long time. Yeah, I brought you ham, cheese, and liverwurst, and some fruit. Coffee's black. Cream and sugar on the side. Oh, thank you, Mike. Yeah, it looks good. What kind do you want, Larson? Ham, cheese, and liverwurst. Oh, you're not hungry? Okay. Is that with you? No, thanks. I don't have an apple. Yeah. All right. I've looked at your plate, sir, Larson. I want coffees right here. Fine apple. Fresh and fresh. Is this the Washington apple? No. Is that coffee hot enough? No, it's fine. Where'd Mike pick these up? Well, I'm close to straight. Eddie? No, huh? No, thanks. Come on. Don't drink your coffee anyway, Larson. It's getting cold. All right! Oh! You bloody killer! She screamed and I hit her. All I wanted was her first. That's all I wanted. She didn't give to me. She had to fight back so I hit her. I didn't want to kill her. Stay with him. We'll call the stenographer. See you tomorrow, Jill. Good night. Yeah. Saw her racket, huh? The story you have just heard is true. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. Frank Philip Larson was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree. He was executed in the lethal gas chamber at the state penitentiary. You have just heard the fifth in a new series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice for Dragnet is furnished by the Los Angeles Police Department. Tonight's program is dedicated to police officer Charles A. Brady of the Chicago Illinois Police Department, who on the night of September 2, 1945, gave his life so that yours might be more secure. Dragnet came to you from Los Angeles. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company. The story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. NBC brings you Dragnet. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to robbery detail. A ruthless scene roams the streets of your city, masquerading as a police officer. For months, helpless citizens have been robbed, beaten senseless and kidnapped. The criminal is a twisted genius, vicious, cunning. Your job is to get him. Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime, investigated and solved by the men who unrelentingly stand watch on the security of your home, your family and your life. For the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step-by-step on the side of the law through an actual case from official police files, from beginning to end, from crime to punishment. Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It was Wednesday, June 4th. It was warm in Los Angeles. We were working the night watch out of robbery detail. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Ed Backstrand, Cuba detective. My name's Friday. I was on my way back from communications and it was 11.13 p.m. when I got to room 27A. Robbery detail. Oh, hi, Joe. Hi, Ben. You got that message to call home? Yeah, bad news. What's the matter? That dog gone care to mine, chicken pox. Oh, again? Last year it was a month. A year before that, the measles. Every time I get set for a vacation, he decides to catch some. Don't forget it, Ben. Think what a comfort he's going to be in your old age. Go ahead, lad. You'll find out. Yeah. How are you, Friday Romero? Fine. What can we do for you? You don't look like you remember me. Oh, no, wait a minute. Name's Savage, isn't it, George? Johnny Sergeant. Johnny Savage, remember, man? Oh, sure. Those liquor store robbers out in the Wilshire district. About six, seven years ago, wasn't it? Ten years, Romero. You ought to remember that. You're with the trial. I've been in court every week. Ten years is a long time. It's longer in the state pen. It's a lot longer. Now, you cried a little at that trial, didn't you, Savage? You said we beat that confection out of it. Yeah, that's why I figured I'd drop in for a little visit. I kind of apologized to you fellas. You gave me a square deal. I guess I kind of lost my head. I figured I'd apologize. Oh, that's all right, Savage. When'd you get out? A couple of weeks ago. I did it the hard way. Served ten flats. I don't know my day. You find a job yet? Yeah, Friday. I'm working nights. A laborer in the warehouse, south end of town. Good. You decided to level? Ten years in prison's a long time. You learn a lot of things. Nights are long. You think a lot. You get things straightened out. I hope you mean that. Sure, I mean it, Friday. I've got everything straightened out. I know who my friends are and I know who to watch out for. You sound like maybe on the right track. I got it figured, Romero. Well, like you two fellas, you caught me red-handed and you sent me up for ten years. Well, you did all right, Savage. Five armed robberies. You got off pretty easy. You got a break, Savage. Make the best of it. Sure, I'm not kicking. Ten years is the real break. That's right. Well, just dropped in for a little visit. Maybe I'll see you fellas sometime. All right, Savage. Keep your nose clean? Sure. No hot feelings. No? You just took ten years of my life. That's all. There's no such thing of a man going through prison without changing. Ben and I have seen him switch in both directions. Some men learn their lesson after they land behind bars and when they're released, they turn into good citizens. Johnny Savage was sour. We made a mental note to check him out later on. Then we went down to the record bureau and pulled his coming out mug. That's about all we had time for. Because about an hour later, we started to get busy. Butt shot, Joe, grab it. On the corner of Selma and Naples, the drugstore, 211 and probable attack. On the corner of Selma and Naples, 211 and... What's good, Joe? Selma and Naples, 211 and attack. Come on. All right, Joe. On the corner of Selma and Naples, 211 and attack. Yeah. All right. Come on. We got the story from the victim, the store owner, Mr. Tommy. For the most part, it was the usual rundown of an early morning holdup. There was only one exception. Oh, I've had young Putin try to hold me up before, but there was nothing like this one. How do you mean, Mr. Thumb? Well, he came in here just before closing and ordinarily out, he kept an eye out because that's the time to look for him. But this fella came to the door and said he was a policeman, so I let him in. He looked like a cop. The boy's right up to me and the wife behind the counter and pointed a gun, and she screamed and he hit her in the face with the butt of the gun. Sergeant, it was horrible. That's the way it started and that's the way it kept going because most of the victims and most people don't realize that as a citizen, they have the right to check on police officers' identification when in doubt. After we got the story from Mr. Thomas and checked the store in the neighborhood, Ben and I headed back to the office. All units, at the end of North Baxter Road near Hill Press, victim of 211 and slugging. Car 71-72, take the call. Go three. Attention, all of you. That's four blocks away from the last room. Let's roll on it, huh, Ben? Right, I'll hit the siren. You get to life. By the time Ben and I got up to the end of North Baxter, the men from Car 71 were already there. The victim was telling his story. His face looked like it had been to a meat grinder. I was just in the car in the second to make the hill when I hear the siren behind me and I see this red light flashing in the side view mirror. Well, naturally, I pulled over to the curb and I was just reaching for my driver's license when the cop runs up, yanks me out of the car and starts clubbing me in the face with the butt of his gun. Did you get a look at him? Thank you for describing. No, I'm afraid not. He swung me around and kept me staring at that red light on his car all the time he was beating me. After a while, everything just went black. When I woke up, my wallet was gone all my money. 45 minutes later, Ben and I were interviewing the third victim, a young housewife out in the Wilshire District, same trademark. He tried to sell me flesh. I tried to tell him I didn't have any money, but he wouldn't listen. He kept holding me by his throat, beating me with his fist like he'd enjoyed it. Beating me, beating me. Yeah, all right, all right, Mrs. Jameson. Could you tell us how he got in the house? That door rang the bell. I opened the door, but I smelt the burglar chain on him. He said he was a policeman. So when he'd been missing, did I open the door all the way I did? And he grabbed me. And you can't describe the man for it, Mrs. Jameson? He was tall. That means I have dark hair and big hands. Dark hair, big hands. Your guess is the same as mine, Joe. Maybe? Let's wait and see. Come on, let's check with the boss. Hi, Mike. Hi. He's waiting for you. Come on, Ben. He was the detective's office. Sit down. All right, you two, let's have it. The guy with the red light? Yes, the guy with the red light posing as a policeman. Why hasn't he been picked up? You know as much about it as we do, Ed. He went over a drug store out on Selma. He hasn't stopped working since. Didn't you get any definite lead on him? No description, no license number? Nothing. He's tall, big hands, dark hair. That's all. Fine. Either of you got any ideas? Could be anybody, Skipper, with that description. You're sure it wasn't anybody on the force? We sent all the victims down to personnel. Lowry showed him the mugbook of all police officers. Wasn't one of our men. Works fast. Drug store motorists are pedestrian. The housewife out in the wheelchair district. Went right in the house after her. Four up, right in a row. Five. Huh? There's a 20-year-old kid in the next room. Came in just before you got here. A couple of hours ago, he was sitting in a car with his girl. Up in Marlin Drive. His red light bandon comes along, slugs him and kidnaps the girl. Kidnaps? She still missed? Not a trace. When did this happen? A couple of hours ago. They brought the kid over from Georgia Street Hospital. We can talk to him now. Had a bad time. Right in here. Okay. Pete, we're going to have to ask you a few more questions. Oh, yeah. Okay. It feels a little better now. This is Sergeant Friday and Sergeant Romero. Hi, Pete. Hi. Can you tell us what time the trouble started? Oh, about 10, 15, 10, 30. Sally and I were sitting in a car talking about where we were going on our honeymoon. We're going to be married next month. And then this car pulls up behind us and starts flashing a red spotlight on us. And the guy runs over and pulls open the door. He said he was a cop. Did you get a good look at his car, Pete? I think it was a black sedan. You got to look at the man, Pete. No. No, I didn't. It was pretty dark, and he kept me staring into that red spotlight. It all happened so fast, and then he started slugging me, and I went down. What happened then? Well, the next thing I knew, Sally was screaming. He had one hand on her throat, and he had her backed up against the side of the car. He was beating her with the other hand. There was some kind of a short billy turn. I got up and I started for him, and he slugged me again. When I came to, Sally was gone. Anybody check the area up there, Ed? Yeah, Davis and Griffin didn't find a thing. Sergeant, you got to find it. You got to. I wouldn't know what to tell her folks. I wouldn't know what to say. That's all right, street wheel finder. You take it, Ed. Got a hot shot, Ed, up in Summit Road near Westmore. A woman, unconscious, ambulance follow-up. Possible dead body. All right, Hannon. Look out to Pete here. Friday, Romero, let's go. Have a head, Romero, on to the right. Okay, Griffin. Yeah, there's the ambulance and the cruiser car. They're all lonely, nothing spot. All right, come on. Hi, Doc. What'd you find? Hi, fellas. Right over here. Just going to take her in. Where'd you find her? Over there, by the side of the road. Somebody driving by us, or they call us. Any identification? Just bracelet on her wrist. To my dearest Sally and Pete, December 25, 1947. That's a girl, all right. Part of the chances, Doc. I wouldn't bet on them. Pretty bad shape. Well, have you seen enough? Yeah. Friday, Romero, call the crime lab and check the area for footprints and tire tracks. I'll ride back in the ambulance with a girl. If she regains consciousness, I want to talk to her. All right? Okay, Ed. I'll meet you in the office by 8.30. Straight through till we get this guy. See you at the office, Cuban. What time do you got, Ben? 7 minutes to 4. Long night. See that car up there ahead. Let's take a look at it. Black sedan. Hey, look, he's flashing a red spot on that convertible. Come on. He sees us, Joe. Falling away. Get that gas pedal down to the floor. It's already there. He's turning off right. Get the fire and I'll get the lights. We're gaining a little, Ben. Next corner to the left. Joe, where'd he go? The fancy driver. Try the alley up ahead to the left here. Get through the alley and double back on him. All right. There he is. Ben, look out. Watch it, Joe. We got hit just in front of the rear bumper. Our car was forced into the kerbing and it turned over. He was real lucky and kept right on going. But this time, Ben and I were sharing the luck. All we got out of it was a couple of nasty cracks in the head and a few bruises, but it was enough to keep us in a hospital under observation for a day. By this time, Ed Backstrand was fuming. So were the newspapers. During the day we spent in the hospital, a red light band had went on a real blip. We pulled six more jobs. One liquor store, two residents will hold up some free car robberies. Five of the six victims were slugged and beaten. Davis and Griffin had taken over for Ben and me and by the time we had head back on the job, they'd build up a lead for us. We've been working with Wilkison up an auto theft, Joe. He's used four stolen cars already. We got the makes and numbers on each one of them. How about the dark sedan he was driving when he rammed us? The boys picked it up this morning out on the pulpit. We're checking it for Prince now. That's fine, Dave. You got any description on the guy yet? No, like that, Joe. He works too fast. Nothing at all? The same as you had. Tall, black hair, big hands. Loves to use them. Right here. Romero, you got a minute? Okay, Skipper. Check you later, honey. Sure thing, boys. Sit down. How do you feel? Pretty fair, Ed. A little step here and there. All right, did Davis threw you in? Up to date. Okay. I just called the doctor who was handling Sally Wilder, Pete's girlfriend. Do you remember? Oh, yeah. She's been in pretty bad shape since we found her up there on Summit Road. This morning she took a turn for the better. She's conscious and her doctor thinks she might be able to talk to us a little bit. Good. When? About an hour. I cleared it with the doctor and with her family. You'll only be able to stay a couple of minutes to make the most of them. That's all. All right, Ed. We'll check with you later. Hey, Joe. Ben, here's some mail came for you fellas while you were gone. Oh, thank you, Mac. We're going over to the county hospital. We ought to be back in a couple hours. Okay. Today has been a couple of phone calls, too. Yeah, anything important? I don't think so. The guy just called to say hello. His name is Johnny Savage. He just called to say hello. I presume you men are aware of the girl's critical condition. Yeah, that's right, Dr. Froman. We saw her before she was taken here to the hospital. You understand, of course, that you'll be able to see her for only a few minutes. And please try your best not to excite her, huh? Right, Dr. Sally isn't able to talk. Bad mouth and face injuries. So your questions will have to be answered simply yes or no and not of the head. Okay, we got you. We only have a few questions. Then we want to know if she can identify the man who beat her from these pictures we've got here. All right, Sergeant. This way. Thank you. Sally, these gentlemen from the police department, they'd like to ask a few questions. No need to be nervous or afraid. Simply nod your head yes or no. All right, Sally. Sally, did you see the man who attacked you? Yeah, she says yes. Did you get a good look at his face? You did. All right, Sally, now you can answer these three together. Just yes or no. Was he tall? Did he have dark hair? Did he have large hands? He did. Ben. Oh, you have him. Give me the photo. Here you go. Thanks. Just one more thing, Sally. I'm going to show you some pictures now. Take all the time you want before you make up your mind about each one. If you recognize any one of these men as a person who attacked you, just nod your head, all right? All right, fine. I go, here's the first one. No? All right, here's the next one. No. I'll let this one. No? All right, here's another. You recognize him? This was the man? Are you sure, Sally? Thank you. That's all. Let's go. Did you find what you wanted, sergeant? Yes, doctor, we did. Here, this one. Nice looking, chef. Who is he, sergeant? His name's Savage, Dr. Truman, Johnny Savage. When we got back to the office, we checked in with Ed Backstram. In five minutes, an all-points bulletin and a full description of the suspect with broadcast, every radio car, every motorcycle officer, every sheriff and law enforcement agency in Los Angeles and Southern California. By nightfall, our man, Hunt, was on. More than a dozen extracurricular calls in for duty that night. And when they pulled out of the police garage, the name, the picture and the full description of Johnny Savage and the confession of every officer. The same for the patrolman, whether they walked a beat-down town or out of the residential area. The picture of Johnny Savage went with him. Everything was done that could be done. On the second night of the man, Hunt, far off in the Higgetown, Johnny Savage, the red-light bandit that is 12th victim of a 63-year-old storekeeper. At 3-9 Markham Street, near Clark, 2-11 and flooding, post-3, amulets dispatched. Here it is, keeper. Time. What'd you get? Wilkinson lifted the prints off that black sedan that ran the yo and me. Yeah. They belong to Johnny Savage. Yeah, good. That's the storekeeper last night. It was Savage, all right. The victim identified him from his mug. All right. We've got enough of this Savage guy to put him a knife for life. All we have to do now is to get him. Look, the way we figure it out, this red-light bandit is using stolen cars with cold plates. So there's no way of tracking down the cars at regular commercial garages. He's got to be running private garages someplace around town. All right. Let's get the neighborhood patrolman on the job. Advertise it. All over town. The city ordinance, isn't it? People who rent private garages are bombed by law to register the car and license number with the police. We've got a campaign if you want, but find those cars. All right. And wait a minute. Hello, backstreet. Yeah? When? I see. Yeah, thanks. What is it? It was a hospital. About the girl, Sally. Sally Wilde? What about? She died five minutes ago. That night everybody went back on the job as usual. The cruiser cars, the patrolman, the motorcycle officers, and about a dozen decoy cars. Armed police women riding alone in cars or parked in lonely spots with a police officer escort. Our car, ADK, was still in the garage for repairs, so they assigned us another one. And we started to make the round. Everything was usual, except one thing. We weren't tracking down just a thief anymore, or a sadist who liked to see people's faces in. We were out to get a murderer. It was a perfect night for the suspect. Dark, no moon. I gave Ben two to one odds and I put up $5 that we'd get spiders that night. I lost the $5. We cruised until seven the next morning, but there wasn't even a nibble. We had breakfast at the Federal Cafe, a little restaurant down the street from the city hall, and it was about 815 when we got back to the office. We were pretty tired. Robert D. Till, Romero. I would like to speak to Sergeant Flighty. Yes, sir, ma'am. For you, Jim. Okay, thanks. Friday talking. Sergeant Flighty, I want to talk to you. Well, I'm listening. Go ahead. I mean, I want to talk to you in person, as soon as possible. Yes, tell me over the phone. What is it? I cannot tell you over the phone. It's very important. Can you come now? Well, now look, Mr. I'm awful shy, but we're very busy down here. I'm 54, Ramona F. Can you come now? What's this all about? My son's name is John. Here it is, Jim. Neat-looking little plane. Yeah. I'm Sergeant Flighty. You, Mr. Savage? Yeah, come in. Okay. This is my partner, Sergeant Romero. How do you do? I will be brief, gentlemen. I am the father of John Savage. I wish for you to catch him. I will help you. I noticed a name on the mailbox outside Mr. Savage. Can't you name him? I changed my name 10 years ago, when John first got into trouble. My own name I had to change. My son, Shane. Mr. Savage, has your son been home since he got out of prison? Yeah, many times. To ask for money. I would not give him any. So he stuck me. Last night, I read in the newspaper, the little girl he beat up. She is dead. Then I make up my mind. You know where your son is now, Mr. Savage? Not now, no. But our garage has a car in there. It's not his. I know. Also in the garage, I find mini license plates. I find spotlights with red glass limbs. But you don't have to take it back. No, but he will come back. He always comes back for money. We're going to station an officer here in the house, Mr. Savage. Anything you want, if it will catch him. He's bad, Sergeant. Like something poison or true. He's bad. He is throwing back it over, Mr. Savage. The wife lived her way 10 days ago, before this starts. I bet he'll get through it. My wife is smarter. Sergeant, for 10 years, she's sick. But for 10 years, she stays alive in prison. 10 days ago, she died. He did not even come to the funeral. Did your son have any idea that you might call us? No. No, I don't think so. But when you catch him, give me a gun. With my own two hands, I will kill him. Johnny Savage. Before we left, we called Ed Backstrand and we brought him up to date. He sent three detectives out to relieve us. Davis, Griffin and Marsh. We told them to keep an eye on the house. We found the stolen car in the garage. That night after dinner, Ed Backstrand, Ben and I went out and relieved them. We parked the cruiser car in the garage next door, and then we took up our post. Charles Savage had a light supper, and then he went to bed about nine. The three of us sat at the front windows in the darkened house and we waited. Ben kept his eye on the garage. Upside across the city, the manhunt continued as usual. Three hours went by. The waiting got monotonous. Brandy, Romero, look alive, will you? Oh, yes. Yeah, perfect. Sorry. The clock's enough to put anybody to sleep. What time you got? 12.23 a.m. Thanks. The clock kept ticking when we were tired. We took turns keeping each other awake. At ten minutes past two, I looked at my watch and then I settled back and tried to find some kind of a comfortable position. They started so faintly it was just like the ticking of the clock. Same rhythm. And then they came closer and the sound got out of rhythm. Backstrand's head came up with a snap. Ready? Romero, you hear that? Yeah, Ed. You see anything? Yeah. Yeah, somebody's coming. Savage? He came down. Wait a minute. He's going down. Going up the driveway to the garage. He's going inside. I think. Come on. Watch it. He spotted us. Went over that fence into the yard. There he is. Friday. You hear him, Joe? Maybe. He's going for the street. He's headed for that car. That's the van up on the corner there. Yeah, Romero, go back and get the car. Right, Ed. Go back to the block where's Romero? I don't know. Oh, here he comes now. All right, let's go. Is that radio on, Joe? Don't be on it. All right, give him a call. Any time yet? No, nothing so far. Our next clerk is a light van. Unit 80K to control 4. 80K to control 4. Control 4. The 180K is on him. Clear and keep. Frequency 4 open. This is an emergency. Eddie. Friday up ahead. Dark Blue sedan. Control 4. We are interested to the possible red light van. Suspect is driving a dark blue. 1949 sedan. Lights and number is a 7 column. 6. 1. Robert. 7. 8. 4. Use caution. Suspect is armed. Code 3. Attention. All units. Attention. All units. Unit 80K now pursuing possible red light van. Suspect is driving a dark blue. 1949 sedan. Lights and number is a 7 column. 6. 1. Robert. 7. 8. 4. Use caution. Suspect is armed. Control 4. Still pursuing red light van. Headed east on Wilshire. Now crossing Rossmore. Attention. All units. Suspect is still headed east on Wilshire. That truck pulling out of the head. Hit the sun. Will you skipper? Hold on. It's that speed. On a traffic on the head he's got to slow down. Control 4. Suspect headed east on Wilshire. Crossing Western Avenue closing in. There he goes. He'll go right down Sherman Alley. The dead end. Yeah. Control 4. Suspect turns south of the Sherman Alley. Closing in on Suspect. There he is skipper. Pulling up ahead. He's jumping out. All right. Take the mic. Will you head here? Come on Ben. I'll direct the other cars in. You need help. All right skipper. All right. Which way to go Ben? Now I'm going to turn to a building. Come on. Starting up the back fire skipper. All right. Keep him busy. All right. Savvy. Come on down. He wants to go rough one. One more time Savvy. Come on down. No you still. He's heading up for the roof. Come on. Here. I'll give you a hand. Here's the roof. Where'd he go? I don't know. Let's spread out. All right Savvy. You're through. Throw your gun out. Come out with your hands up. Watch it Joe. He's running for the edge. He's going to jump. I'll get him. All right. Up. Guy back here. Loosey copper. You dirty luffy copper. I'll pick you up. You're through Savvy. You're through. Good Joe. Well that's all for you. You get back. You want a smoke? I just think it. Carl Savvy. This guy's father. Back. Nothing. What would you do then if your son was a murderer? The story you have just heard is true. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. John Savage was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree. He was executed in the lethal gas chamber at the state penitentiary. You have just heard the sixth in a new series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice for a dragnet is furnished by the Los Angeles police department. Tonight's program is dedicated to patrol officer Robert Steele of the Montana State Highway Patrol, who on the morning of November 2nd, 1947, gave his life so that yours might be more secure. Dragnet came to you from Los Angeles. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company. The story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. NBC brings you Dragnet. You're a detective, sergeant. You've been off duty two hours. You receive an emergency call from the chief detective. An entire block in the heart of your city is threatened with complete destruction. Your job reported once. Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime, investigated and solved by the men who unrelentingly stand watch on the security of your home, your family, and your life. For the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles police department, you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It was Tuesday, November 15th. It was raining in Los Angeles. I was off duty reporting in on an emergency call. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Ed Backstrand, chief of detectives. My name's Friday. It was 8.32 a.m. when I walked in the Spring Street entrance to the city hall. You, sergeant, fighting? Yeah, that's right. I take my elevator, sergeant. It's the only one in service. I'll run you up to 16. The chief's waiting for you up there. What's the pitch? Only one elevator in service out of 10? The place looks deserted. What's going on? Nobody in the building. Only office people been sent home. Lots of trouble. Somebody declare a holiday? No joke, sergeant. Big trouble. All right, you convinced me. What is it? Here we are. 16th floor. Over here for me. Hi, Joe. Hello, Ben. You made good time. Came as soon as I got the call. Sorry to have to bring you back in. You worked last night, didn't you? Yeah. Midnight date this morning. Sorry. Come on. What is it? Here for a while now, huh? Where do we get inside? In here. Okay. Number one, let's keep our voices down. All right. I'll make it as brief as I can every minute counts. What time you got, Friday? 8.33. All right, here it is. 55 minutes ago, a man walked into this building with a homemade bomb under his arm. We don't release his brother from the county jail by 9 o'clock this morning. He says he'll pull the trigger on the bomb and blow up the whole building. He's kidding. Keeper. Who is the guy? Name's Vernon Carney. Here's his package. He and his brother have been in and out of jail since 1937. Small time thieves. Yeah. The FBI kickback. We had them once before. Both of them. Brother's name is Elwood, serving a year for a car stripping. And this two-bit thief is sitting here in a city hall with a bomb on his lap. That's right. In the next room. What kind of a bomb is it, Ed? You think he's bluffing? Could be bluffing, but the crime lab says no. Lee Jones from the lab? Get a look at it. Been in there twice. One into the box is glass. Said you can't see much without a closer look, but you can't get near the guy. What do you want us to do? It's a volunteer job. You can take it or leave it. I won't order you to do it. How do you want to handle it? You sure you want a piece of this one, Romero? No, he doesn't, Ed. He's got a family. Get me another single man. We'll give it a try. Wait a minute, Joe. What makes this job so different? Any time we kick a dough and we never know what's on the other side, that's what makes it different. This time we do. No, you're not going to cut me out. Not the only time I know what I'm getting into. All right. Chandler's tried. Hannon, Davis, Watson, they've all tried. This guy, Connie, knows what he's doing. There's no pushover. Somebody's got to get that bomb away from him. Roddy? Romero? It's your baby now. I'll look at my watch. It was 8.36. We had a back strand and started down the hall. If Connie was going to make good, it's threat to blow up the building by nine o'clock. We had exactly 24 minutes to talk him out of it. Ben and I figured we'd better look him over first and then work out some kind of a clam. Maybe just talking to him would do it. Vernon Kearney was sitting in a straight back chair against the firewall facing the door. He was seated between two windows that looked out over the city. Along the left wall was a row of six wooden chairs. In the center of the right wall was a connecting door leading to the office where back strand had breached it. The door was locked on both sides. Just off center and favoring the left of the room was a small filing table. The other furniture in the office was a desk just forward of the connecting door on the right. There was a dictaphone on the desk. In the near left corner, shielded by a white screen, was a small wash basin. The faucet leaked. Vernon Kearney was middle aged. He sat erect holding a black box on his lap. He held his right hand inside one end of the box. Ben and I stood there for a minute and looked at him. Then we walked in the room. What do you say to a man with a bomb? That's broken up. Cigarette, Connie? I'm not smoking right now. What are you trying to prove? You know what I want? We're not going to let your brother out of jail. You've got until nine o'clock to change your mind. According to that clock on the wall, you've got 24 minutes. If we go, you're going with us, Connie. Don't take much of a brain to figure that, copper. What made you think you could get away at this? Haven't yet. It ain't nine o'clock. Unless that clock's slow. Haven't checked it against my pocket watch lately. That's the one that's running this show. Have you given any thought to all the innocent people that my brother's innocent? I want him out of jail. The court says he's guilty. He'll get out when he serves his time. That's where you're wrong, copper. He gets out at nine o'clock this morning. All right, come on, Connie. Get your hand out of that box. Put the box on the table. You think I'm bluffing, don't you? I'm going to let you get within five feet before I make a liar out of you. Okay, Connie. I guess you mean business. Well, we did let your brother out. We just come out and pick him up again. You along with him? If you could find this. Let's get this straight. If we let your brother Elwood out, how do we know you're going to keep your promise? What promise? I ain't made any promises. You just get Elwood down here first, and then we'll talk about it. There's only one thing I can't figure, Connie. Yeah, what's that? If we don't let your brother out, you say you'll pull the trigger on that bomb. You're going to kill a lot of innocent people. We've got 23 minutes left. I wish you'd answer that one for me. Why do you want to kill a lot of innocent people? Don't cry that, Conny Copper. I know they cleared everybody out of this building 45 minutes ago. I know they cleaned out the whole block. They got it roped off. Where'd you get the information? I got a couple of windows here to look out of. Don't you think it's about time to send somebody over to get Elwood? You know, Connie, we've got a way out of this. We don't have to let your brother out any... I've heard that before. What's the stop us from leaving the building without a few officers and let you sit here and touch off that bomb? Go ahead. It won't be a long wait without you. Who are you trying to kid? You got me blow up $10 million worth of taxpayers' money? Oh, no. You're going to let Elwood out. You'll wait till the last minute to do it. But you'll let him now. Ed, I'm still not convinced trying to get back up what he says. Then why didn't you take the box away from him? Yeah. He pulls the trigger on that machine. He kills us. How about us getting him first? All right, Romero. How are you going to handle it? I'm not top man on the pistol range, but I couldn't wing him. And then he hands the box to you? Or maybe he falls and his reflex action pulls the trigger. Okay, I don't wing him. I stop him for Keith. You just can't walk in there and shoot him down. Why not? You do the same thing with armed criminals? Yeah, but you warn him first. After you shoot him, you find out it's a harmless gadget that couldn't have gone off in a million years. Oh, no, against not the answer. We can't shoot him until we're positive. There's a detail out there checking it now. Pachele and Morse. Have you got any ideas at all? Anything we could try? That's why I called you in. None of us have gotten any further than you did just now. There's just one thing I want to know for sure. Yeah, Friday. Is it or isn't it? We all want to know. Either way, we've got to get that box away from him. Thanks, Brandon. Yeah, you did? Yeah? Now stay out there till I call you. All right, here's half the answer. That was Pachele. They found 28 sticks of dynamite in his apartment. We knew Carney wasn't kidding now. We could see into the bomb through that glass window in one end. It looked like dynamite inside, and there was dynamite in Carney's room. We didn't know if he had the nerve to pull the trigger. We didn't know if it would go off when he did. But with only minutes remaining, nobody wanted to take the chance. From here on in, all of us agreed that Vernon Carney sat in the next room holding in his two hands a force powerful enough to destroy us all. We had to get that box away from him, and to get that box, we had to have a plan. I looked at my watch. It was 840. 20 minutes till 9 o'clock. How do we get it away from him? I got an idea. It might work. Carney's sitting against the firewall between two windows. They're both open. If we could get a man through one of those windows, we might get Carney from behind. Somebody grabs the box. The crime lab can tell us what to do with it. How do we get a man through one of those windows? There's some kind of a ledge that runs around the building on each story. Wide enough for a man to walk on. Let's take a look. Too risky. It's raining out. That ledge is slippery. Wrong wind up there, Joe. Turn right off the building. Yeah, I guess you're right. There's still a way. How about a ladder? There might be a way. My department would know that. I'll get battalion chief Erickson. There's Lee Jones in the building. Now he's over in the crime lab. I'll get him up here, too. I don't know, Friday. Maybe it'll work. It's got to end. It's going to take a couple of minutes to set this up. We've got to know what Carney's doing every second of that time. How about the dictaphone in there? Good. Get it on without him seeing you. The dictaphone in there is connected to this one in here. This room is 16-14. You got that? Yeah. All right, push down key 16-14 on that machine in there and leave it down. Get the receiver off the hook and leave it off. Leave the receiver off. That's right. You know, if it isn't off the hook, we won't be able to hear a thing in here. All right. Come on, Ben. It is back, Ben. Give me chief Erickson. Where is my brother? He's selling his cell. New coppers are long on top, but short on time. Yeah, we know. I'm telling you, for your own good, you'd better get Elwood over here. Carney, I'll bet if we get your brother on the phone here, he'll tell you he doesn't want any part of this. You mean Elwood don't want us in point? He already wants that, but not your way. He's only got a year to serve. Why don't you leave him alone? I told him. I told him I could get him out. He didn't think I could do it. But I'm doing it. I'll make you a bet, Carney. Let us get your brother on the phone. He won't walk out of here with you. Get him on the type. Where you going? The phone's over here. I have to use the dictaphone. If I get an okay from the chief, I would steal a prisoner. No operators. You know the building's been cleared. Oh, yeah. Right. I almost forgot. Okay, you can use the dictaphone. It's Friday, Ed. Carney wants to talk to his brother. Yeah, I know you'll have to send somebody over. Have them put the call on extension. Wait a minute. What's that extension number, Ben? 2351. 2351, Ed. Right. It'll take a minute. Yeah. I'd kind of like to talk to El. It's been a couple of months since I've seen him. We've always been together, me and El, most of the time. Yeah. Let's go and see if we can hear your call. Good idea, boy. 16 minutes to nine. Hey, cop. Yeah. Forgot to hang up the dictaphone, didn't you? I put the receiver back on the dictaphone. Ben and I have failed to make good on the first step of the plan. When we got outside the door, we briefed Davis and Watson. They went in to sit with Carney. It would be their job to keep us posted on Carney's movement. The dictaphone was out. We went back into the office next door. Chief Sam Erickson of the fire department and Lieutenant Lee Jones from the climb lab were already there. They told Backstrand what happened. What have been our help? We haven't got time to cry over it. Carney's a wide-away scraper. He doesn't miss a thing. Backstrand told us the plan Friday. We can't run a ladder up in the street. Too high, Chief. But we got us a hundred foot area. We figured 12 foot to the story. That would take you up 96 feet, eight floors. And we've got the latest equipment. Sure, we've got a lot of scaling ladders, but you've got nothing up there to hook them on. You figured I'm dropping down from the floor above. That's right, and I figure a pump here would do it. Sure it would. You could make it faster to the windowsill up there, but you've got a foot and a half ledge in the way. You know what you want as a lifeline. You mean lower a man on a rope, Chief? Yeah, a room error. That's the quickest and the quietest. Could you rig it so one of my builders could do it? Sure. What's the risk? None. If you work it right, we'll strap on a lifeless. Give the man heavy leather gloves. Two of my men lower and down. I figure that box currently is about a foot square. Here's what I'll do. I'll get you a bucket with a foot and a half mile. It'll be full of water. I'll have it right outside the door of that office. When you get that box, place it in the water. We'll get the bucket out of the building as fast as we can. Once we get the bomber in the water, we're in it clear. I can't promise you that, but it's the safest way to handle it under the circumstances. All right, that's the procedure. Sam, you take care of your inn right away. I'll get a detail to give me a hand down in the street. We'll have a car ready to take the bomber to a safe area to decommission it. Work as fast as you can. Come on, Sam. That's right. Which part of it you want, the rope or the bomb? You call it. That's me, Joe. All right, I'll get the bomb out of the building. Okay, that's routine, but carry this with you. The man that comes down on that rope has one chance to make good. You slog him and make it count because there's no second try. Yeah. Joe, when you grab that box, you've got to get it away from Carney before he can squeeze the trigger. Then you've got to get it down into the street. The elevator. That's pretty simple, but I'll double check with the operator. You better do it right now. Ed, we better get Carney's brother on the phone for him. That's the outside phone. Get the city jail. Excuse me. Hey, you. Elevator man. Yeah, Sergeant. Let me see if I know how to work that thing. You taking over the elevator? I'm in a couple of minutes. You want to check me out? Nothing to it, Sergeant. Here's the control. You push this lever right to go up, left to go down. You see this little trigger on the underside of the handle? Yeah. That's the safety lock. Be sure you squeeze it or you can't move the lever. Let me try that. That's it. Right to go up, left to go down. How do you operate the doors? Automatic. They work off the control lever. When the control lever is locked in the upper down position, the doors will close. I get it. Now, in case they jam, there's red emergency button up here. Yeah. Push it. If that doesn't close them, we call the repairman. Okay. I think I got it. You sure now? I've had my orders to get out of the building. I'll just leave the elevator right here and take the stairs down. All right. Thanks a lot. Sergeant, just curious. You going to take the bomb down in this car? We're going to try. You won't have any trouble. We haven't had an elevator failure in 18 months. The elevator man turned and went down the stairs. Outside of a handful of volunteers and a man with a bomb, the city hall was now cleared. I started down the corridor and met Ben outside the office. He told me that Lee Jones and Chief Erickson were on their way up in the freight elevator at the rear of the building with the necessary equipment. The two fire department volunteers were with him. The phone call had been put through to the city jail. In a moment, L. Wood, Kearney would be ready at the other end of the line. We went in to tell Kearney. I told him over the jail to put the call through on extension 2351. When's it coming through? Right now. You got L. Wood with you? No. Look, Kearney, we told you we'd get him on the phone for you. The call will be through in a minute. A minute's a long time, tough. You only got 12 of them left. L. Wood's going to talk you out of this. Sure. Everybody's going to talk me out of this. First it was them other two cops. The little porky guy and that other monkey. Then you and this Dixie Doehead here. Now it's L. Wood. Come off it, William. Get my brother over here. That's him. It's your brother, Kearney. I'll get him. They put you. Just going to get the phone. You want to talk to your brother, don't you? I'll take care of the phone. We'll disconnect you for a while. Now, get a straight copper. I'm sure with your stinking rotten lying, I want L. Wood here. And I want him knocked. I blow you all to pieces. What's going on? Who threw that phone up in the hall? I did. You want me to go out and pick it up? Kearney, that's not going to get you any place. You're the big boss around here. I answered you. I've got a piece of advice for you. Take your rookie cops here and get it through their heads. I mean what I say. I want my brother over here in this room. And you've got just 11 minutes to get it done. Tell them that, will you, boy? All right, Kearney. It's your show. All right, we've got to work fast now. Jones, everything's set for you. The bucket with the water right here. Eric's and your boys ready? Upstairs, waiting. And we all know what to do. I've got to have somebody to give me a hand with Kearney when he falls. I'll be in there with you, Freddie. Any time. One thing you ought to know. What's the strong wind coming in? That's going to allow us to step? No, it's going to increase the sway. Wind's coming from the south. We'll lower you just to the right of the window. I figure it correctly. Wind will do the rest. Big a risk, but we don't control the weather. I'm going to do it, then. As soon as I get in position, I'll reach in through the wind on his right. I'll use the belly. Try to catch him on the right side of his head. One good hit should cut him away. Let's just make it two and be sure, huh? Right. You ready, Gene? Let's go. Ben? Nothing. I'll be careful. You too, huh? What's the time, Freddie? 8.50. Doesn't take more than a couple of minutes for Romero to get down to that window. That's my job. We've got to keep you alive to decommission the bomb. Bomb joke. See you downstairs. You ready, Ed? Yeah. Scared, Freddie? Yeah. That makes us even. Come on. Ed Baxman and I went into the next room with Vernon Carney. Our job was to keep him occupied until Ben was lowered to the window sill from the floor above. Ben was going to make a try from the window on Carney's right. Somehow, we had to keep Carney's attention on us and away from that window. If anything went wrong and Carney got out of position, the plan would fail. If Ben was spotted, the plan would fail. If Chief Erikson didn't estimate the force of the wind correctly, the plan would fail. After Ben slugged Carney, my timing had to be perfect. If it wasn't, the plan would fail. I looked at my watch. It was 8 minutes to 9. Carney, anything we can say that will make you change your mind? I've asked you a hundred times. Now I'm ordering you. I'm ordering you. I'm ordering you. I'm ordering you a hundred times. Now I'm ordering you. You're going to get to a phone and have somebody send Elwood over here right now. I'm through waiting. Now move. You ripped out the phone, Carney. Well, find another one. I told you I'm sick of your two-bit stalling. We've got until 9 o'clock to make up a mind about this. You had until 9. But you wouldn't do what I told you. Now I'm cutting you short. You guys have got exactly one minute to get a phone in this room for I can hear you call the jail All right, Joe. He'll give him what he wants. Davis, unlock the connecting door to this office. I'll get the phone, Ed. Will the cord reach? Yeah. Yeah, brother's a prisoner. He's in our custody, and he's under our protection. We can't place his life in jeopardy. Why not leave it up to El? Here's the phone, Ed. Ken, Willie, this is Backstrand. There's one Elwood Carney over here at City Hall. His brother wants to see him. You'll have to use the freight elevator. And tell him to hurry. Yeah, tell him to hurry. It's the only smart thing you've done today. Now why don't you go next door and figure out another angle? We'll wait for Elwood to. You don't think I'd let you get out now, do you? We're all going to wait right here for my brother. In case he don't show up, you're going to see me pull the plug. Just sit down. Not that close. You better step down. Loud clock, ain't it? Windy. It's getting cold in here. Sure loud clock. Real windy. Maybe I ought to close the window. Don't want to catch me a cold. Hey, what's that? What's going on? There's somebody out there. I can see his feet. You stupid cops. All right, Johnny, you win. You bet I win, you dumb coppers. You win the boys. There's one. Lock it. Here's your brother, Connie. You did it. I told you I'd do it, didn't I? That far enough for the rest of you? El, come on over here. You're crazy, Ray. You're crazy. That's what they've been trying to tell me. We're going home now. How are you going to do it? There's a million cops outside. People all over town heard about this. They'll never make it, either one of you. I got him this far, didn't I? You'll make it. You think we could do it? You're going to get a car ready for us, a fast one. Have it in front of the building. All right, Faddy, do what he tells you. Hold it. If you ain't backed by nine o'clock, the deal still holds. I told him I'd pull a pin at nine now if they didn't let you out. You ain't foolin' are you, Vern? Will that gadget really blow? No. You know what that means, then? Yeah, but they won't let you pull it. We're getting out. All right, Copper. Get the car. You've got four minutes. Yeah, there's no time to explain that, listen. We've got to work back. We had to bring Connie's brother over to the jail. I don't think he cares if we get out or not. He wants to use that bombing for some crazy reasons waiting until nine. How much time we got? Five minutes. Strong wind. You like to hang on like a fly? I don't know. I can give it a try. Okay, same plan every second counts. I can't breathe bad. He's in the room with the guy. You and me. If you don't know, you try it. Hurry. Hey, man, wait a minute. I forgot. The windows. The one on his right. He locked it. Eleanor, I'll just sit here and wait. It's going to be good being back together, huh, El? We always were real good together, Vern. Yeah, that's the way brothers ought to be together all the time. Together. Uh, Vern, I'd feel better with a gun. We don't need no gun, El. We got the bomb. We don't need a gun when we get out and we get on the road. Okay. Take your pick. They all got them. Hey, you, give him yours. I'm not carrying a gun. I left it in the other room. A cop without a gun? Who's kiddin' who? I left it in the other room. Chris's a big boy, El. He's got one. About time for the car, ain't it? Two minutes to nine. Yeah, this feels like it. Right on his hip. Go, I got him. Get the box. I got him, Ben. Get his hand out of it. Run, Joe. Get it in the water. Run. In a fast elevator. There was a live bomb. It seemed like minutes between floors. I kept watching the bucket. The bomb was completely under water. A small stream of bubbles was kissing to the surface. I waited. Main floor. I picked up the bucket and ran for the street. I missed the first step. I fell forward. The bucket spun out of my hand. I sprawled flat on the sidewalk. I waited for the explosion. It didn't go off, Friday. I gave it a good chance, Lee. At least a dozen sticks of dynamite. Nightingale. Bring that over here. Here you are with that. Thanks. Here's why it didn't go off. It had it rigged for a hard trigger pull. It would have taken a good yank to set this one off. Yeah. Hi, Joe. Hi, man. Dora, you have just heard his clue. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. Vernon Carney was examined by five different psychiatrists appointed by the Superior Court and was found to be incompetent. He is now confined in the state mental institution for the criminally insane. Elwood Carney is now serving the balance of his sentence with no time off for good behavior. You have just heard the seventh in a new series of authentic cases from official files. Technical Advice for Dragnet is furnished by the Los Angeles Police Department. Tonight's program is dedicated to town marshal Ron T. Larson of the Mount Pleasant, Utah, who, on the night of October 15, 1945, gave his life so that yours might be more secure. Dragnet came to you from Los Angeles. This is NBC, the national broadcasting channel. Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. NBC brings you Dragnet. You're a detective, sergeant. You're assigned to missing people. You're a detective, sergeant. You're assigned to missing persons details. You've never heard of Southern Green, Utah. You've never heard of Juanita Lackey. Los Angeles is a big city, 452 square miles, 3,356,969 people. Your job, find her. Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime, investigated and solved by the men who unrelentingly spent watch on the security of your home, your family and your life. 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 to an actual case from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It was Monday, December 12th. It's cold in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of missing persons details. My partner's Ben Romero. My name's Frank. I was on my way back from lunch, and it was 1247 p.m. when I got to Room 67A. Nothing person's detail. 4G. Federal cafe. Good soup today. What kind? Corn chowder. The real good. Place of jam with Christmas shoppers. I had to wait. I haven't even started my shopping yet. You? You got to pick up something from my mother. Bites are high. I'll send a lot of cards. When you get married, Joe, remember trying to sell a Christmas card to a kid. They got to have something with wheels on it. If you're right. Missing persons, Friday. I'll send you a new car. Call the missing person. My party will speak with anyone in charge. This is missing persons, Sergeant Friday. Mrs. Lasky, ready with your call to Los Angeles. Hello. Hello. Yes, ma'am. Sergeant Friday. Yes, ma'am. Where was she staying in Los Angeles, Mrs. Lasky? At the church. I'll take her description over the phone as a photograph of your daughter in a letter to the effect that you want us to trace it. Now, what's your daughter look like? What's her full name? S-K-E-Y. All right. Her age, weight, and height. I'll call her you, Mrs. Lasky. Any outstanding scars, birth marks, anything that might help identify her? I'd say any outstanding scars, birth marks, anything that might help identify her. Where can we contact you, Mrs. Lasky? We'll do that, Mrs. Lasky. What's your number up there? I wouldn't worry about it, Mrs. Lasky. We'll call you just as soon as we get any help. If your daughter's in Los Angeles, I think we can find her. What you got, Joe? I'm Joe Lager, mother of Larry. Come on, then. Just a routine call. We made the usual check to the morgue, all the hospitals, the county jail, and then we went through the repeater file. We found a Juanita Lasky in the file for the age and description didn't match. We put that lead in the discard. After the usual paperwork, the next step was to check her last known resident, the Chelsea Hotel for Women. Okay, Joe. Joe's in the hotel. 75 rooms are all outside. You're a home away from home. Now, let's go in. Here's the bell. Yes, sir. May I help you? We're looking for a Miss Juanita Lasky. I'll bring her a room. Whom should I say it's calling? Is she in? I believe so. I just saw her about an hour ago. Okay, would you bring her room, please? Yes, sir. Whom should I say it's calling? My name's Friday. All right, Mr. Friday. Just a moment. Do you wish to speak with her on the phone or shall I have her come down? All right, sir. It's funny. I'll ring again. No, sir, she doesn't seem to be in. Would you like to leave a message? Didn't you say you saw her about an hour ago? Yes, I did. She must have gone out again. I wonder if we could check her room. Oh, no. A gentleman. We're not allowed about the meeting. I'm sorry, ma'am. We're from the police department. Missing persons. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Oh, you've met some missing persons, did you say? No, ma'am. It's right here. Excuse me, I'll just ask you. The elevator's right this way, please. What seems to be the trouble? Some friends of Juan are just missing? No, ma'am. Juanita. Juanita? I don't understand you. Her mother's a little worried about her. Down this way. Here we are. No wonder she didn't hear the phone. She's in the shower. Yes, ma'am. Would you wrap her in a bathroom going to the whip I could talk to or something? We'll wait out here in the hall. Good to see you. Juanita? Juanita? I'm coming in. It's Miss Waters. Yeah? There's no one in the shower. It's running, isn't it? Yeah. Might be a rose in the towel all laid out. We better take a look around. Turn off the charlie. You're the first thing floating on the bed. What if it's floating, ma'am? Yes, that's right. There's a couple of people luggage in there. Who's like Juanita? Juanita, honey, isn't it? Is that your thought about an hour ago? Yes, I did. How many in it going up? How many in, I thought. Do you have room service here? Yes, we have a coffee shop downstairs. Say a food here on the table. That's coffee still warm. Cut that radio off, what do you mean? Could she have that amount of doling without you seeing it? No, we don't have a rear entrance. I'm sure you didn't hear it go out the front door just before we got here. That's not done with the bed. Yeah, I guess. Let us first mark you, though. Return address. This is one of your telephone message forms. Let me see. Yes, it looks nice. According to this flip, this call was received at 1.25 today. Yeah, I'll see you that time. Yes, that still was arriving. Mrs. Tolick couldn't hook that call. She released me to lunch. Do you know whether she returned this call? Well, if she did, there'll be a record down at the bed. Now, you're positive if you saw Juanita Lasky an hour ago. Yes, I'm sure. Just about an hour ago. 5 feet, 728 pounds, green eyes, red hair. Red hair? Oh, no. Juanita's a blonde. Her mother told us that Juanita Lasky had red hair. We weren't too surprised. A lot of women changed the color of their hair. It would make it out of the case a little more difficult, but not impossible. We checked out at the desk. Juanita Lasky has picked up all her mail that she has not answered that long-distance phone call The next step was requesting some of the people in the Chelsea Hotel who knew Juanita. We tried Room 217. Yeah, oh, Gloria. These men are police officers. They want to ask you some questions. Oh, yes. Is it all right for them to... Yes, of course. This is an exception. Won't you come in? Thank you. What's your name, miss? Gloria Edgerton. Do you know Juanita Lasky? Yes, I know her. She has a room right next door to me. Have you seen her today? Why? Wasn't she in a room? I heard her shower going. When was the last time you saw her? Last night, again. We always get together. Did she say anything that might lead you to believe that she was going in one day? No. She said she might do some Christmas shopping today. So I suggested she go with me. She agreed. She said she would go this morning. Did she? No, she didn't know. Maybe she was sleeping in, so I went on alone. Are you sure she hasn't just had a shower? We don't know. She's just going down with the corn. It's a little unusual to leave the shower running, the radio on, and let your lunch get cold. Did she do that? How long has Juanita had Juanita here? Well, ever since I've known her about six months. We moved in here together. We work at the same place. Where's that, Miss Edgerton? At the county building. Where are they operated? Who was your immediate superior, darling? Darling, you can't. She's cheap. Darling? Got that bad. Do you have many days? No, not too many. Juanita likes to go steady. She works in the county building, too. She's in the dental lab for Dr. Welley. It's for... Anything else that you'd like to add that might help us find her? Well, are you sure she's lost? The county building is in the heart of downtown Lauderdale. It's a business and professional building. Cornish Noren says, erected 1924, and it stands 12 stories high. The main entrance is on Hill Street. Going up. Going up. Going up. Going up. Are you a darling camper? Going up. All right, Dora. I'm Sergeant Frydy, Police Department. Yes, sir. Yes, she does. She's one of my operatives. When's the last time you saw her? Anything wrong? You just missed her about 45 minutes. All right, Sylvia? Do you have any dirty cases? Most of the girls cashed me out of the bank on the corner. There's only one around. They're over on eight. You say about 45 minutes ago? Yes, that's right. Thanks very much, Miss Camp. Come on, then. Going up. All right, Marion. The bank's not far from here. It is kind of funny, isn't it? What's that? Her room, the shower, the radio. Don't pull it out in the hurry. What do you think? I don't know what to figure. Is there anyone on me? 45 minutes ago, anyway. Christmas is here. Santa Claus is here. I beg your pardon. That's all right. Merry Christmas. There we are, Marion. You better check with the manager, huh? You the manager? I'm the assistant manager. Can I help you? Police Department. I'd like to find out if a check has been cast here within the hour. What's the body's name? Lassie Juanita, payroll check. If you'll step behind the counter, I'll get the check. Thank you. If you'll just wait right here. Okay, thanks. Wonder what keeps up, right? That's a good question. When we find her, we'll ask her. Wonder if anything was wrong or what you were. We'll check back there when we finish here. Yeah. That boy's going to fall and mash you. Here's our man. Yes, here's the capsule check. I'll take it. You sure it's the same girl? Lung girl, elevator operator, and the flag of the building. Did she appear normal? No. She didn't seem to be as friendly as she usually is. I guess you have an account here. You have a small savings account here, but she told you that about a month ago. I see. Here's our card. You can have it here again and give it to her. I'll do that. You're entirely welcome. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. We went back to the Claggett building, then called the Chelsea Hotel from the phone booth in the lobby of the building. Miss Waters, the manager, was keeping a sharp look out, but Juanita Lasky had not been heard from. Paul Matthews worked in a dental lab for Dr. Willie. His office was number 637. We'd like to see Paul Matthews. I'm Paul Matthews. We're from Missing Persons Police Department. Sergeant Friday, I'm Sergeant Cameron. Do you know of Juanita Lasky? When's the last time you saw her? Saturday night. We went to a show. Is there something wrong? We're trying to look here. Do you see a lot of each other? Yes, we do. I don't understand Lasky. Maybe you might know where she is. No, I don't. Today's the day off. Maybe she's out shopping. Has Juanita done anything wrong? No, it's just that her mother hasn't heard from her for quite some time. I can explain that. Juanita is an elevator operator here in the building. That's how I met her. They don't make much money, you know. Yeah. She was having a hard time making ends meet. She sends money home to her mother every month or so, and besides that, she's got to pay rent by clothes, and she's pretty rough. She seems despondent overall. I'm not getting a raise. Do you have any outside jobs? No, it's just that she doesn't. What kind of a girl is she? What do you mean? Sureful. Good nature. Oh, sure. Fine. We get along swell. I still don't get it. Well, I remember there's nothing to it. Just routine check. I hope she's all right. When did all this come up? A couple of hours ago. We might have to check back with you. If I can help. Okay. Thanks for the information. Here's our card. If you hear from her, we'll give it to you. You don't suppose anything's happened to her? That's what we're trying to find out. Thank you. When we got back to Central Division, we had a full description of one of the Alaska televised to all online stations in the metropolitan area of Los Angeles. We also put out an APB. We double-checked the repeater file and the wanderer file. We made out a full report on our findings to date. During the next eight days, we located a missing husband for a wife in Memphis, Tennessee. We picked up a runaway boy missing from his home in Reno, Nevada. He left his home in Bakersfield, California because he didn't like his daughter-in-law's cooking. But wanting to laugh at you was still a mystery. For eight days, we checked and we checked all our known friends and habits. We went back over the course a dozen times with no trace. It was almost as if she had see-throughed this that day in the Chelsea hotel. The letter and photograph from her mother at her ride circulated through cities all over the country. Her mother wrote that during a war, Juanita was a whack corporal. We put a traces through to the war department. We went and pulled out a fingerprint. Well, where do you want to start today? I'll get it. Missing persons Friday. Joe, there's a Spencer over in the morgue. Yeah, Archie? Juanita. Yeah. The city morgue is located in the basement of the Hall of Justice on West Temple Street. Across the street from the city mall. A lot of missing persons came to stand right here. Archie Spencer manages the door. All right, Joe. I was the wife then. No sign, Archie. Over here, Joe. Cooler 23. Give me a hand, huh? That's her, isn't it? As soon as your fingerprint man gets here. That's from Mona Lasky, isn't it? Juanita. Juanita, I mean. No. That's not her, Archie. You sure? Yeah. No, I was almost positive. Sure, it looks like this picture is a bulletin. Yeah, it looks a lot like a picture, but it's not Juanita Lasky. 547, green eyes, blond hair. About 130. How close can you get? Look at the face. You sure that's not her? Yeah, I'm sure. Look at her hair, the roots. Yeah. They're blonde all the way down. They ought to be dark. Our girl, the bleach blonde. Yeah, I see what you mean. Look at her right hand. Indexing middle fingers. Heavy neck of teens sing. Our girl doesn't smoke, Archie. Yeah, I see what you mean. Yeah, I guess I was wrong. That's not Ramona. Juanita. Come on, Ben. Good afternoon. We got another phone call from Frantl Green Newspot. Juanita Lasky's mother. We told her we hadn't found any trace of her daughter. All right, get out. We had answered calls like this before, but maybe it was just a season to gear. Somehow we felt that we had to find Juanita Lasky by Christmas. We covered every angle we could think of. We kept a close watch on all incoming reports. We stayed in close contact with her friends and Ms. Waters at the Shelton Hotel. Regardless of the name of any of the reports, we checked every set of fingerprints against those we had received on Juanita Lasky from the War Department. Still, no trace. December 23rd, we checked in for work at 8.30 a.m. Chief Ed Backstrand wanted to see her. Something on the Lasky girl might help you. What is it, Kevin? A man by the name of Willard Harris owns a bar out in Pomona, owned in Pomona. Yeah. Found a woman's handbag left in the bar. Driver's license made out to Juanita Lasky. Why do you think to call her? She's got a television set in this bar. Saw the Lasky girl's picture on Sergeant Roganquist's broadcast last night. How about the girl? Says he can't place her. You better hop out and pick up that purse. Willard Harris owns a mission trail bar within the bus terminal on the heart of Pomona. The Christmas traffic was heavy all the way out Garvey Boulevard. It was 1045 when we pulled up and found the bar. Willard Harris was inside taking a liquor inventory when we walked in. How'd he do? He must have. Yeah, that's right. You fellas with General Lickers? Watch the end of the police department. It's Friday. He's decided to run out. Oh, hey. We never knew you boys. Yeah, I ain't call Los Angeles this month. We came right up. Say, how about a little eye-opening? Got some fine Irish wishes. No thanks, Mr. Harris. How about your partner there? Oh, thank you. All right, boys. Yes, you want that purse, huh? Yes, please. Yeah. There you go. That's as I found it. I opened it up to get the owner's name, but that's all. I didn't touch a thing. Oh, thanks, Mr. Harris. You said that you didn't remember seeing a woman who left it. No, I don't. Herb works with me here, and he might have seen her, but he didn't. I asked him the night we found it. How long ago did you find it first? Oh, we'd get about a trillion in all and close it a week. Yeah. About eight days ago. I usually hold something like this for 30 days. That's the lawyer, you know. Yeah. But I saw that problem on the television on that missing persons program, and that's how come I called you. Well, thanks very much, Mr. Harris. You're welcome, boys. I'm home now this morning. So you don't want to leave me? No, thanks, Mr. Harris. Goodbye. We checked the personnel at the bus terminal, but none of them seem to recognize one of the last few photographs. We checked the contents of her purse, but we found nothing unusual. Four $1 bills including the change in the normal woman's carry. That's where there's money in the bag. We felt sure that one day the last he had lost the purse yourself. That meant that she was alive eight days ago. Two days after she walked out of the Chelsea hotel. We checked the Chelsea hotel. We checked the Chelsea hotel. We checked the Chelsea hotel. We checked the Chelsea hotel. We checked the Chelsea hotel. We checked the Chelsea hotel. There's light in the front. That's the only front. There is only telephone in the driver's license. There's match, the thing in front of the ward department record. It didn't prove anything. That's all the evidence tied in and belonged to the girl we were looking for. One day we'll ask you. The next morning, December 24th, we checked in for work in June 30th. One about all right. Joe, here's the data reports. No checking. He's a mental, look it out. You look like a man. Not like that. I figured it would be. I'll pick out him. Any shopping done? Nothing to do. Nothing to do. Not the almost admission. That's my dream. Here's your family one. I'll hand it to you this morning. That's right. David look, it's like we did last year. I'll get any. I think it's. My kids got a bottle off. The bike and the bike and the bike and the bike and the bike and the bike and feeling when it's only kidding feeling when it's only kidding feeling when it's better to get so that's that body one last case. Thanks. I'm looking at it now. Bureau of Criminal Investigation Sacramento is a kickback on our APB. Yeah what do you say? Rating your HB number 43 on 12 12 48. Our record just closed It will last be applied for position of civilian court at Marchfield, California, U.S. Army Air Base using alias Gene Davis. How about the frame? Front side is the gate. Yeah, FBC. P-19, primary 32 over 32. Inter-over-outer, final 15 over 17. Friends, check out that, sir. Girl, Jill. The Sacramento report stated that Gene Davis applied for government work at Marchfield, California. Tell a couple of them you dropped into place. The first has been found in Pomona. That's right on the main highway from Los Angeles to Riverside. And the application for a job at the Army Air Base a few miles beyond Riverside. They put through a long distance phone call and they told us that Gene Davis was employed there as a civilian clerk but failed to show up for work that morning. It seems like we run fresh out of gear, but it doesn't get so close and then she's going again. What do you think he's on the go for? I can figure that out, I can find it. I'll get it. Nothing person's Friday. Yeah, we'll be right over. We didn't find her, but she's been found. Juanita Lasky just walked into the Chelsea Hotel. We went over to the Chelsea Hotel. Technically, our job is completed now. Juanita Lasky has been found. We went over to make out a routine report. The streets were pretty jammed with last-minute Christmas shoppers, so we walked the last block through the hotel. What's your guess, Jill? Let's ask her. Come on, let's go in. I looked like her over by the desk there. Pretty well memorized that face. This is Juanita Lasky. Sergeant Siding, Sergeant Romero. Juanita. How do you do, Miss Lasky? You do. I'm sorry. I'm terribly sorry. The water's told me. You mind telling me? Where have you been? Sergeant, I don't know. The last 12 days have been a complete loss to me. The water's told me what happened. I remember seeing the doctor. He said I had temporary amnesia. And he's treating me. I see. What's your doctor's name, Miss Lasky? Dr. Rudder of our clinic, huh? I was glad you were okay. Kind of had us going there for a while. Can I use your phone, Miss Lasky? Oh, certainly. Help yourself. Thank you. I'd like to place a person, the person called us. Mrs. Hannah Lasky. Mountain Green, Utah. That number is 14R2. That's right. Your name and number, please. Joe Brydie. And this is Timstead 8594. Thank you. See you about Lasky. Saw a nice, nice person. Lasky, see you. South Angeles, California. I call it. Oh, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Hang on. I'll get you. You having trouble, all right, yeah? Yeah. Lasky. Lasky, see you. Yeah. Hello. Hello. Hello, Miss Lasky. Yeah? Just a minute, Miss Lasky. Juanita. Yeah? You're one of them on the phone. Oh. Who is it? Just say hello. She'll take it from there. Let's go then. Hello. Yes? Oh, mother. Come on, then. Say it more, Joe. Merry Christmas. Yeah, it is, isn't it? The story you have just heard is true. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. Upon further examination by competent medical authorities, Juanita Lasky was found to be suffering from periodic spells of amnesia. She was given treatment and a complete cure was affected. You have just heard the eighth in a new series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice for Dragnet is furnished by the Los Angeles Police Department. The night's program is dedicated to Corporal Brady A. Preachum of the night precinct Metropolitan Police Force, Washington, D.C. Who, on the night of December 2nd, 1948, gave his life so that yours might be more secure. Dragnet came to you from Los Angeles. This is NBC, the National Broadcasting Office. You're in NBC's great parade of new shows. The story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. NBC brings you Dragnet. You're a Detective Sergeant. You're assigned to Narcotics Detail. For more than two months, doctors' offices have been burglarized, hospital pharmacists pillaged, drugstores robbed, medical supply firms ransacked with one purpose in mind. The theft of Narcotics. The criminals are expert, cunning, vicious. Your job? Get them. Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime, investigated himself by the men who unrelentingly stand watch of the security of your home, your family, and your life. For the next 30 minutes, transcribed in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It was Thursday, March 23rd, it was windy in Los Angeles. We were working the night watch out of Narcotics. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Ed Backstrand, Chief of Detectives. My name's Friday. I was on my way back from the record bureau and it was 10.35 p.m. when I got to room 24. The Narcotics Detail. Yeah, yeah, okay. Well, we'll be right over. Thank you. You getting the thing, Joe? Nothing we don't know already. How about you? That was the county hospital on the phone. Doc Welch. Pretty fairly. I told him we'd be right over. What's he got? One of our informants, Benny Trowns. Ready? Let's go. What's with Benny? Bad shape. Somebody worked him over. They found him in an alley off the south main. Yeah? Doc says Trowns will talk before he passed out. Anything good? He claimed he knows who's running the new dope racket in town. There's a gunny. No, let's take the stairs here. Why should they bother with small fry like Benny? That's what I'm wondering. Blackmail maybe? Benny's still on the needle. Maybe that accounts for his story. Doc says it's the closest price here. More thing doesn't do that to him. Yeah. Has Benny mentioned any names? I don't know. Doc didn't say. There's the garage. Come on. When did they pick up Benny? About an hour ago. He had a pocket full of binoculars on him. Yeah, it was. Trowns all small fry. I'm glad that makes you dope on him in his life. That's what makes it interesting. Let's go. Howdy, hospital. Yes, sir. The line is busy when you wait. Thank you. Can I help you, gentlemen? We'd like to see Dr. Wells. She's expecting it. Your name, please? This is Sergeant Romero. My name's Friday. Police officer. Oh, yeah. Around the corner to your left. Room 127. The doctor's waiting for you. Thank you. Come on, Benny. Little Benny's still talking. We could sure usually. Yeah. There it is. 127. Hi, your bones. Joe. How are you, Doc? Anything new? Just left crowns all up there. You think we can talk to him now? Won't do much good. He died about six minutes ago. For almost two years, Benny Tronsill and Haddock himself had been one of the most valuable informants Ben and I had in the narcotic games. More than once, he had helped us solve a case, but this time, if Benny Tronsill had any direct leads to the nerve center of the newest narcotic ring, he took them with him. Besides his dying accusation of the ring and gotten to him, he left behind only two small scraps of information. First, when he arrived at the county hospital, Dr. Wells reported that Tronsill repeatedly muttered the name Patterson. Secondly, among the few personal ex-pominent pockets was a good amount of heroin and a small piece of white paper with two words scrawled on it. Tucker building. Benny Tronsill's body was taken to the county morgue and the next morning it was posted. At the coroner's inquest, the cause of death was listed as a brain hemorrhage induced by severe blown by a blunt instrument on the sides and base of the skull inflicted by a person or a person's unknown. Besides Ben and myself, the only identification witness at the inquest was a woman who managed the rolling house in Benedict Valley where Tronsill used to stay periodically. After the inquest, we questioned her briefly in our office. Ms. Strife, you say you can't remember any French Tronsill head while he stayed at your room and house? No, I can't. Besides, if I knew that man used dope, I never would have ran him a room. How long did he rent from you, Ms. Strife? About six months. I run a respectable house. I don't mind if my people drink a little now and then, but those dope users, no sir. Did you know anything about Tronsill, Ms. Strife, where he spent his time, where he had his meals? No, don't serve as my place too much trouble. Most people eat at the eighth lunch room. Down the corner. Where's that, Ms. Strife? Branton South Main, right on the corner. And you think Tronsill might have spent some time there? He might have, I know. Ms. Strife, did Tronsill ever mention anyone by the name of Patterson? No. Patterson? No. And you can't recall any friends he might have had? He had new friends and never said put in my house, all I know. All right, Ms. Strife, thank you. Here's a card, ma'am. If you come across any information about Tronsill, we'd appreciate it if you'd call it. All right. That all? That's all, ma'am. Thank you. No? Bye. No bye, ma'am. Not even a good identification with me. You got those listings we made of the Tucker Building? Yeah. Yeah, that's the area. Tucker Building, 731 O South Walsher. I wonder what Benny Tronsill could have been doing out there. It couldn't be too hard to check. It's a small building. Yeah. Six listings for the whole place. A couple of lawsuits. Real estate guy, Dennis. Architect, kind of doctor. One, Dennis, one doctor. Could you lean, maybe? Pretty thin. Friday, Romero. Got a minute? Yes, Giver. Come on. Yeah. What do you got, Ed? Letters. Here's a sample. Now, listen to this. Chief of Detectives, Ed Baxter, City Hall, Los Angeles. In view of mounting wave of narcotic robberies, strongly recommend that your efforts to curb this lawlessness be redoubled. Do they all like that? All of them. They're mad. Can you blame them? Not a bit. We haven't got much to go on, Chief. The gang is pretty smart. All right. Then let's be smart. There's no law against it. Doing our best, Giver. They make it better. I'm sick of that bunch and I'm tired of these letters. Look at that record. In two months, 15 drugstores robbed, eight medical offices, two supply houses, two hospital pharmacies. Narcotics missing every time. Now, who's behind it? None of the old timers. We've checked them out. Gone over every hype and mainliner we know of. All right. Then get on the tractions. No faces. Climb on every one of them. Let's use this stuff until you get to that gang and break it. If you need help, holler. But get to that gang and break it. You understand? Okay, Giver, we'll try. You dig up anything on that translocation? You're checking out one lay... What? ...sweep of paper we found in Council's pocket head. That Tucker building on it, that's all. Just going to check it out when you call. All right, hop on it fast. You've got a lot of pressure on it. You can touch with the office. It was almost noon when Ben and I got out to the Tucker building. It was a two-story affair, comparatively small, very modern. We checked with the dentist in the building first, but he never heard of anyone with the name of Benny Trundle. His records and appointment books proved it out. Well, that's one down, Bill. Let's try that doctor's office now. What's his name? Let me see, really. Oh, Springer. Dr. Fred Springer. He's on the second floor. Okay, there's a stairway down there. Come on. We're close to lunchtime. Might not be in. Maybe. Somebody should be there. We haven't got much time to play with. Yeah. Chief sure was up in there this morning. Here's the office. Fred Springer, MD. Good morning. May I help you, gentlemen? We'd like to see Dr. Springer, please. Do you have an appointment? No, we don't. Well, the doctor's not in it, please. Would you like to make an appointment for later in the day? No, ma'am. We're police officers. Mrs. Sargent Friday. I'm Sergeant Lamarro. How do you do? I'm Ms. Turner. I'm the doctor's nurse. Then you must take care of the appointment and record books for the doctor. Yes, I do. Well, maybe you can give us the information we're looking for, Ms. Turner. Did the doctor ever have a patient with the name of Trundle? Benny Trundle? Trundle? Mm-hmm. I don't know why I don't think so. But come over, don't you? Thank you. No? C-O-U-N-S-E-L. Have we all got the results? Yes, ma'am. No. The name's not Mrs. Hale. Let me check your account book. No? Wait. Mrs. Turner? What's that, Ms. Turner? Here in the back of the book in the doctor's handwriting. Trundle. The black terrorist. That makes funny. I can't remember seeing that notation before. That must be fairly recent. Ms. Turner, what kind of a client tell what you say Dr. Springer has? It's quite exclusive. Beverly Hills, down there. That's the most of the girls in here. And you recall seeing Trundle in the office here, Ms. Turner? Small man, St. Walker. That's kind of a limp. Not very well dressed. No, I don't think so. It doesn't sound like any of our cases. Would you show us the doctor's prescription list for the last two months? We'd like to check them. Well, I'm afraid I can't. Dr. Springer keeps it in the safe. He's the only one who has a combination. How long have you been with Dr. Springer? About 10 months. I think he thought of his doctor's out here. Where was he before that? Over there, if you ask. I don't understand all these questions. Is anything the matter? Just a routine check, Ms. Turner. When do you expect the doctor back? About four this afternoon without making home calls. All right. Here's our card. Would you ask him to call us as soon as he comes in? I'll do that. Thank you, Ms. Turner. Bye. Good bye. Bye. Oh, say, Ms. Turner, one more question. Yes? Does Dr. Springer have a patient by the name of Patterson? Oh, yes. One of a doctor's first patients, John Patterson. He lives out on East Beverly Drive. When we left Dr. Springer's office, we called our on eye. There was no make on John Patterson. Ben and I drove over to see him just on a hunch. He didn't pay off right then, but it showed a little promise. When the maid came to the door of the swing apartment, she told us Patterson was out for the day. We asked her about Patterson's occupation. She didn't know. We asked her about his friends and business acquaintances. She could remember only two people visiting the apartment. One of them was Dr. Springer, apparently a constant visitor. The other, a tall, dark man who spoke bad English. We asked him made how long she had worked for Patterson. She said ever since he moved to Los Angeles, about six months before. A few things started to fall into place, but it was strictly a guesswork operation. Ben and I got in the car and headed to the south end of the city to check out some of the places. Benny Trousel was told to have frequented. We met a stone wall. From the ace lunch room near Benny's former rooming house to the black terrace. No one was willing to talk. That didn't worth it needed to be promised. Ben and I gave up for the moment and headed back to the office. The specific ambulance, one called to Alhambra, is now code 3. Seems like Skid Row doesn't want any part of this. Yeah, it's a bad feeling. Something's got him scared. Sure would like to know what it is. Oh, who it is. Yeah, I like to know. Control 1, unit 80K. Control 1, unit 80K. Oh, yo, get it, Woody. I got it. 80K to control 1. 80K to control 1. Go ahead. 80K. Call station 2511, call 3. 80K to control 1. Roger. KMA 367. I don't know what that's all about. No, let's find out. There's a drug store. They ought to have a phone. Call Alhambra. You got a nickel? Yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah. So, thanks. I'll be back in a minute. 2511. Chief of the detective's office, Anna. This Friday, Mike. Did she's there? Oh, yeah. This Friday, Ed. What do you got? You tied up? Nothing big. Then check in as soon as you can. Got something good. What? You remember the stick up at St. Agnes Hospital about a month ago? Pharmacy there? What about it? Two patrolmen picked up a user down there, Union Station, about an hour and a half ago. Yeah. Guy was way back in his heels. He had two vials of morphine on him. Vials had serial numbers. Good. Did they match out? Perfectly. Thanks, Ed. We'll be right in. When Ben and I got back to the office, at 3.52 p.m., we picked up Chief Ed Backstrand and went directly to the crime lab where Lieutenant Lee Jones analyzed the contents of the two vials taken from the suspect. Jones told us it was high-grade morphine. We went back to the office and double-checked the serial numbers on the vials with a crime report on the St. Agnes Hospital robbery. They matched. There's a good break. These vials were in the loot when the gang knocked over the hospital 28 days ago. I'll stay in the trail and we'll crack that gang wide open. This is the arrest report on the gang yet? Yeah. Pick them up in a bar off South Main. Who is the guy at Trang? Yeah, here it is, Ben. James Steiner, Phoenix, Arizona, 837. Trang and Laborer. Anybody talk to this guy yet, Ed? Not yet. He couldn't be too hard. You better get on it. All right, Skipper. Come on, Joe. Check you later, Ed. What time you got then? See ya. 25 past four. Don't go, few Ben. Yeah, who was it? Your wife. Why should I pick up some aspirin or a bottle of nose drop for your kid on your way home? Oh, yeah, almost forgot. That's the only call we had, Mike. That's right. Thanks. Well... You got that Dr. Springer's number, Ben. Yeah. Here it is. 55284. Thanks. The man said he'd call us around four, didn't he? Yeah. Dr. Springer's office? This is Sergeant Friday down at the police department. Dr. Springer there? He called me in about 20 minutes ago and I gave him your message. He said he'd call you. All right, Mr. Turner. When he comes in, tell him to call us. Compress on him, it's urgent. All right, Sergeant. I'll do that. Goodbye. Goodbye. Oh, no. I don't know. Just a hunch. He may be definitely... Who you calling now? State Medical Board. Maybe they can check us out on Dr. Springer. I put the call through to the State Medical Board and asked for a check on Dr. Fred Springer. They said they'd call back within the hour. In the meantime, we had James Steiner brought to one of the interrogation rooms requesting. It was all talk. Mike, I told the Sergeant when they booked me, I don't know anything about this hospital, John. Sit down, Steiner. Oh, all right. How long have you been in the city, Steiner? L.A. or about a month. Yeah, I came from Phoenix looking for work. Thanks pretty slow, Ben. Where'd you get the morphine? Huh? I said where'd you get the morphine? What's that? I bought it just for a pop now, man. I just play around with it. Just for kicks. Where did you buy the virus from? Home? I don't know. Kind of bark, ain't it, Bryce? Which bar was that? Which bar? Uh, Black Paris. I'm not hooked. I just play around with it. Just for kicks. What did that look like, Steiner? What did it look like? I don't know. Tall, I guess. Would you remember him if you saw him again? Remember? Sure. Stuck him a couple of nights at the bar. Was he on the stuff? Was he a hype? Hype? Yeah. Maybe. Tall fella, John. You shooting the stuff? Shooting the stuff? No. No, I'm no mainliner. I never took an evane to my life. I told you to do it just for kicks. Just a pop now, man. Take off your shirt. Let's see your arms. My arms? Come on, take it off. Who are you kidding, Steiner? Your arm looks like a pincushion. I told you just once in a while just for the kicks. I'm not hooked on it. I found two vials of stolen morphine on you, Steiner. You can go two ways. Hard or easy. Hard or easy? I told you I ain't done nothing. I bought the stuff. I used a cap or a bimble once in a while for kicks. I'm not hooked. I bought the stuff, I tell you. Who was he, Steiner? Who sold it to you? Who? I told you I met him in a bar at a black bar. Who was he? Who's tall? No, he came in good bright. Come on, let's have it, Steiner. His name. He looks sick. You got something for me, I'm sick. All right. Mike. Yeah, Joe? Get some milk. A couple of quarts right away. Okay. You ready to tell us, Steiner? Who are you? We're getting some milk for you now. Come on, you better talk. Max. I thought we said name with Max. Give me a good price, huh? I want to take a pop now, man, just for kicks. You think you could point him out for us? Yeah. Yeah, maybe. Okay. Thanks. Narcotics, a medal. Hello. This is Dr. Springer calling. Do you want us to talk to me? Yes, we did, Doctor. And we've got a few questions we'd like to ask you. Oh, hold on just a minute, will you? Dr. Springer, Joe. I'd like to tell him we've got to see him tonight. We'll call him back later. Dr. Springer. Yes? Sorry, Doctor. We'll have to see you later on tonight. Have you been home? Well, I have an appointment this evening. But would you mind telling me what this is all about? Sure, Doctor. It's about a man named Benny Brownie. And if you don't mind, we'd like to check over your prescription, will you? I'll cancel my appointment. You can contact me here at home. 1538 South Road. I'll be here all night. All right, Doctor. Thank you. We'll see you later then. Yes. Goodbye. Goodbye. What'd he say? All right? Yeah, it's all right. I'll buy that, aren't you, George? Now, Joe. Dr. Springer, he knows who killed Benny Transel. I bet he knows why. When Mike Hannam came back with a milk, we fed it to Steiner, and then we put him back in his cell. We put in another call that John Patterson not on. Beverly Drive, but there was no answers. We left word with Hannam where we were going, and Ben and I headed out for Dr. Springer's home. It was 735 when we pulled up into the driveway at 1538 South Road, a low-rambling ranch type home. We got out of the car and made our way down the path to the front door. A gray Persian cat followed us. The door was half open. We knocked, but there was no answers. Through the window, we could see the living room was dimly lighted. We went in. We found Dr. Springer sitting in the large car of mahogany chair in the dining room. The room was hung with draperies. It was slumped forward face down on the dining table. We were to pull up on his right temple. On the floor near his right hand was a 32 automatic pistol. From the center of the dining table was a piece of white paper. Looks like a beta. Yeah. Any names on that confession? One. Has he killed Trout? No, wait a minute. It says, uh, John Patterson. He forced me to this. What? No, no, it looked like he is. Here's another one. Norberg. That's all it says. Many sign his name. Dr. Fred Springer. Ben, over here. Look at these. Happened to make me work. This morphine, white powder, could be. And he was on it himself. Looks like it. We'll find out when they post it. I'll get it. Yeah. Sergeant Friday there, please. This is Joe, Mike. What do you got? Can you talk all right there? Yeah, go ahead. Just got a kickback. I can call the state medical board on this Dr. Fred Springer. Mm-hmm. He's not a registered physician in the state of California. Besides that, his license was revoked in Pennsylvania two years ago. Illegal operation. That explains it. Notify homicide, get the crime lab in the corner out here, will you? Looks like Springer shot himself. Okay, Joe, right away. We'll wait for him. Hurry him up, Mike. We've got a couple more places to check out tonight. Okay, Joe, see you later. Right. What's next? Patterson Blay? I don't know. Maybe we ought to try Steiner first. Sounds good to me. Feels like we're getting close. Yeah, man. Real close. Twelve minutes later, homicide in the crime lab, men checked in at the Springer house and Ben and I checked out. We went back to the office and found a backstrand waiting for us. We told them our story and we sent two men out to keep an eye on the Patterson Blay. Two other men went to work to try and track down the other name in Springer's confession note, Norberg. Ben and I went up to the county jail and picked up Steiner. The three of us started out to look for the man who sold Steiner the two vials of morphine stolen from the hospital from him a month before. The man's name was Max. It was tall and dark. That was all we knew. The rest of it was up to Steiner. Two other men from the detail, Davis and Emerson came along with us to take care of Steiner if anything went wrong. Our first stop was the black parrot tavern. Davis parked the car on a mallie down the street. Steiner, Ben and I got out and walked the rest of the way. You understand what you're supposed to do, Steiner. Me? Yeah. I go in first and sit at the bar. You two will follow me. I sit at the bar and I see Max. I give you the sign. That's okay, huh? That's right. Now you don't try to break for it. Break for it? Me? I told you I'm squaring with you guys. All right, Steiner. Go ahead. Let's hope it works, Jill. Yeah. There he goes in the sign. Come on. I'll try to grab one of the boots along the wall if you can, huh? All right. Here we are. Booth, Ben and Tempe. Yeah. Oh, it's about to order us to fly our way through the night off. Make it a couple of beers, will you? Couple of beers? Okay. Jill, look at Steiner. Steiner, he's signaling. Must mean the guy putting on his car over there. Don't hold it, Ben. When he gets past it. I get Steiner back to the car. I'll tell the guy. You come after me. I didn't know how late Steiner was or how much we could trust him. All I knew was that the man I was following was tall and he was in a hurry. I followed him. I followed him three quarters of a block before he turned in at a motel. He went to a cottage at the rear of the lock, let himself in, and closed the door quickly behind him. A minute later, Ben and the others pulled up in the car. Jill, Ben said that was Max. Let's make sure. Come on. That's one at the end. One down at the end here. I'll be careful. You too. All right, here we are. Wait a minute right there. No rear door. He's got to come out the front. Keep the door clear. Are you ready? All set. Police officers, open up. Just a minute. All right, Ben. Give it back to him. Throw your guns out first and come out with your hands. Bind your head and make it fast. Watch it, Ben. He's making a break. All right, Mr. S. Pornas, get out of my way. Get out. Get him, Ben. Good, Ben. You all right? He didn't mean it. It's copper. He didn't mean it. He didn't know what he was doing. That must be a good excuse, lady. A lot of people use it. Come on, Ben. Let's take him in. It was 10 minutes past midnight when we got back to headquarters. Both the man and the woman were booked for violation of the State Narcotics Act of felony. He gave his name as Max Jansen. In his luggage, we found 13 vials of morphine, large quantities of heroin, and a small amount of panophen. He gave us the names and addresses of six active members of the Narcotics Gang. He identified Dr. Springer as second in command. Just a few more questions, Jansen. Yeah, all right. Why did Springer kill Triumphal? He had it coming. Time for him to score. And he was blackmailing them. We need him white. Why didn't the gang take care of him? The boss said no rough stuff. Things were going too good. He warned Springer, but he wouldn't listen. All right, Jansen. Just one more question. Who's the boss? I get off white. Safe, wouldn't I? It might help. I can't promise you anything. Who's the boss, Patrick? Yeah, 138 East Beverly Drive. What about Norberg? How does he figure? The same guy. Patterson, Norberg, both the same. And what's his real name? Norberg, Tony Norberg. What's his front? He would get her. He used to be importing business. Where? Here. Got him off at downtown. Do I get protection? Where's Norberg now? Home, out in the Laurel Canyon. I get protection? I thought you said he lived out on East Beverly. The apartment, his home's out in the canyon. Where? What's the address? Do I get protection? You'll get protection. Wyndon Way, 860 Wyndon Way. All right, that's right in. Romero, take some men with you. All right, Davis, cover the back of the house. Levine, you cover the front. Come on, Ben. Mr. Norberg in. There's calling. Police officer. Oh, come in, won't you? Thank you. Now get your hands up. Place the wall. You'll never make it. Later, the house is around. Tony, get the stuff. It's our only chance. I'll cut you down, Norberg. All right, Jeannie. Give them the stuff. Don't be a fool. They're going to march out the door in front of us, right to the car. That's going, Jeannie. All right, if you want. I'm not going. All right, Tony, stay. Come on, coppers. You'll never make it, lady. I said move, fast. All right, Ben. Hit the dirt. Keep going for the car. You can get those tires. Kirk was smart. He must be the girlfriend. Just so. Wonder why they start. Why do they get on the stuff, you know? For kicks, Ben. None of them ever get hooked. Just for kicks. The story you have just heard is true. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. Tony Norberg, alias John Patterson, was tried and convicted for possession of narcotics, robbery, and conspiracy, and was sentenced to the maximum term prescribed by law. Each count to run consecutively. He died three years and 11 days after his arrival at the state penitentiary. You have just heard the nights in a new series of authentic cases transcribed from official files. Technical advice for dragnet is furnished by the Los Angeles Police Department. The night's program is dedicated to Chief Erskine Erkfish of the North Sacramento Police Department, who on the night of August 11th, 1935, gave his life so that yours might be more secure. Dragnet came to you from Los Angeles. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company. NBC's great parade of new shows. Ladies and gentlemen, the story you're about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. NBC brings you dragnet. For Detective Sergeant, you're assigned to homicide. There's a mad killer at large in your city. A woman has been brutally slain. The body mutilated. The picture is clear. The killer has a thirst for blood. Your job, get him. Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime, investigated and solved by the men who unrelentingly stand watch on the security of your home, your family, and your life. For the next 30 minutes transcribed in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It was Wednesday, January 12th. It was raining in Los Angeles. We were working the night watch out of homicide. My partner's been a Romero. The boss is Ed Backstrand, Chief of Detectives. My name's Friday. I was on the way back from the morgue, and it was 11.23 p.m. when I got to room 42, homicide. Hi, Jill. Chief wants to see you. He's in there with Romero. Thanks, Chandler. How's the wife? Fine. How about your mother? Better, thanks. Hi, Jill. Hi. Hi, Nick. Sit down. Did they post the body in? In the morning. Pretty messy, strangled and mutilated. The guy's a maniac skipper. The body shows you. Murder like this? Anybody's a suspect. The coroner looked at the body. He says the weapon was a long, sharp instrument. Found her in a hotel down on East 3rd Street. Manager's son discovered her about 7.30. You talked to him? It's too much for him. He passed out. Manager wasn't home. We'll check with him before midnight. Post do it now, Jill. We better get going. All right. The boys from the crime lab check the room. They're still down there. I think the place is a mess. Get back as soon as you can. We're working straight through on this thing. That's a hot shot. I'll get it. The Lux Hotel room 219, corner south brand in Cordova. Dead body. Possible homicide. The Lux Hotel room 219, corner south brand in Cordova. Dead body. What is it, Randy? Lux Hotel. Possible homicide. There's a nine. Yeah. You coming, Ed? Right. Let's go. Six minutes later, Ed Baxter and Ben and I pulled up in front of the Lux Hotel. Manager met us at the door and led their way up a narrow stairway to the second floor. The room number was 219. We were prepared for the worst. We got it. You're right, Romero. The guy must be a maniac. Two hotels, two murdered, the same MO. Three of us made a brief inspection of the room at the Lux Hotel. We took a few notes on the appearance of the girl's body in a brief description. Apparently, she'd been strangled to death first and then her body brutally mangled. Ben and I went back down to the lobby. The manager of Mr. Ford showed us the house book. The girl was registered together with a man. Mr. and Mrs. Philip Grant. We took the hotel register to have it checked for fingerprints and the photos stamped the handwriting. Ben notified the crime lab, then we went back to the room and questioned the manager. Mr. and Mrs. Philip Grant, that's all I know. I never saw either one of them before tonight. When did they check in, Mr. Ford? About three hours ago. That's right, about nine. Maybe a little before. Did they register together? Yeah, a little before nine. They came in together. Did you let them in the room? Yes, sir, like I always do. It's a small place here, maybe not first class, but I treat people right. What did the man look like, you remember? I think so. Kind of tall, young, maybe 30 or so. Husky fella. I had him a stash. How tall would you say, Mr. Ford? Oh, about your height, Wade. Must have been at least 180. Seemed like a nice fella. Would you know him if you saw him again? I think so. People sure don't act like they look. You think it was him? And you think of anybody else? Well, no. I never saw him before tonight. Either one of them. I don't know anything about it. Did you notice anything in particular about them when they came in? Well, he didn't show it, but it looked like she'd been drinking a little. Giggling, you know. And you didn't see this man grand leave the hotel? No, I didn't. I must have been checking the account books back at the desk. Guess he got by me. Is there a back entrance to the hotel, Mr. Ford? No, he had to come out this way, all right. How about the fire escape? I never thought of that. Say, I bet you cops think I'm trying to hide something. How did you happen to find the body? I don't know anything about it, honest. I've been running the hotel for 10 years now. Everybody knows me around here. You can ask at the bank. All right, Mr. Ford. Now would you mind telling us how you happened to find the body? I don't want a lot of lousy newspaper publicity. Give the place a bad name. Can you blame me? The newspapers won't get your name from us. All we want to know is how you happened to find the body. Well, I told you. It's a small place here, but I like to treat people right. A couple hours after they checked in, I remembered I forgot to fill the ice water pitcher in the room. So I got some and took it up. The door was opened a little ways. It's got a bad catch on it, and the lights were on. I peeked in, and there she was. She was... Well, the guy must have been crazy. Do you remember what time it was when you found it? Well, just before I called the cops about half past 11, I guess. All right, Ford, that's all for now. When the other officers get here, show them up, will you? Yes, sir. I sure will. Well, no. Ask ever. Get on the phone downstairs and call the Metropolitan Division. Have them send us every available man from a reserve unit. We're going to patrol the area for the rest of the night. Right, Gene. The least we can do is make it hard for them. Two murders in seven hours. Both of them in a three-block radius. Same pattern. It's got to be the same guy. All right, we've got a description. What do you think? When the reserve unit shows up, have them cover this whole section of town. Pick up everybody who even comes close to that guy's description. All right, Ed. It's got to go fast. We can't lose a minute. One hour either way. It might mean another body. Like this one. Nine minutes later, at four minutes past midnight, the men from the crime lab showed up. It started to drizzle. They went over the room in detail. They dusted everything in the room for fingerprints, the walls, the doors, the pictures in the bathroom, the lamps, chairs, everything. They took samples of the girl's blood and their lipstick. Small pieces of flesh and human hair were found under the girl's fingernail. The nails were scraped carefully and the contents put in an envelope marked in seal. Head back strand ordered pictures taken of the room and the girl's body from different angles. Every object in the room that could have any possible time when the murder was photographed was ringing. The rear of the hotel where the fire escape was overlooked a vacant lot. Ben had a hunch. While the lab men were at work, we left the hotel and circled around into the lot for a look at the ground directly underneath the fire escape ladder. It was raining hard, no. It must be an easier way to make a living. Mud's almost up to my knee. Mine too. Watch your step. You see any prints? No. Way to my wife sees these new shoes. Put it on your expense account. All real fun. Ben, get that light over here. Look. Yeah. Good set of prints. Lucky that rain didn't start turning to wash them out by now. Yeah. Hand me that cover from the trash can over there. I'll cover them. Wait a minute. What? Here. On the edge of the fire escape ladder. Small hunk of cloth. Man suit. Oh, looks like it. Might have caught himself in that sharp corner. I got it. All right. Come on. Let's get back. Yeah. Out of this mud bath. Yo, huh? Let me have a laugh. Catch anything? Hunk of wrapping paper in that trash can. Same drawing. Open it up. Hunk. Yeah. Butcher and I. We went back to the Lux Hotel room 219. The lab men were tearing them apart. It was 10 minutes to one. We gave the bloodstained knife and the piece of cloth we found on the fire escape to Lieutenant Lee Jones and to the crime lab. We told him about the footprints just below the fire escape ladder. Knife will help us. So will the cloth. I don't know about the footprints. You say you're covering them? That's right, Ling. They still look some pretty good shade. Maybe we can do something if the rain hasn't broken them down too, Ben. Fracken. Yeah, Lieutenant? You and Sloane get downstairs and take a look at those prints. They're good enough. Get a torch. Dry them out and make a cast, right? Okay, Lieutenant. Come on. That's about all I can do for you now, Ed. I think we got everything there is to get. All right, Jones. I'll follow you back to the lab in a couple of minutes. Okay, Ed. Good luck, fellas. Thanks, Lee. We're going to need it. All right, Prattie and Romero. It's your baby for the rest of the night. Can he get anything? A few prints. A woman's purse under the bed. Don't know if it's hers or not. No identification. You going to be at the crime lab, Ed? All night. As soon as we find anything, I'll let you know. Yeah. Gang of cops just came in the lobby. They asked for you. Must be the reserve men from Metropolitan. Tell them we'll be right down for it. Okay. You want us to handle it, Ed? That's right. It's just as I told you. It's the better amount over the whole area. Cover the streets, the alleys, the flop houses, restaurants, bars, everything. You got a description to go on. Find the man that fits it. Prattie, careful. Don't forget, the guys will kill her twice over. I don't think he'd hesitate on you. Be careful. They went down to the lobby and Ed Baxteran gave the reserve men their orders. Then Baxteran left and Ben and I took over. We picked up another half dozen men in addition to the men of the reserve unit. They were deployed over an area of a dozen square blocks with one of the toughest sections of the city. For the general description of the suspect, some of them were to travel on foot, some in Cruiser County. A few minutes before 1 a.m., it was a steady downpour. Visibility was bad. At three minutes past one, the manhunt was on. For the first 30 minutes, Ben and I cruised the general area between East 3rd and College Streets and Alameda and Figueroa. No sign. The rain kept on. We sat and listened to the calls coming in. 12 a.m. on your station. 12 a.m. KMA 367. We should call units. Recover license plate to the 6th column. 4 young. 7 6 9 old. 41R. 7 8 8 Standard Avenue with 373. 41R KMA 367. Unit 71. At 2 8 1 6 West Las Viennica at the 507 party. What do you think, Joe? Any haunt you? I think he's still around. Somewhere inside these 12 blocks. All right, cut on it. Five? All right, you're on. Want to check out a couple of these bars along here? Getting on a float in time. Good idea. Pull over. All right, let's check them for the next couple of blocks, huh? Right. The next six blocks until closing time. Ben and I checked every bar and every informant we met along the way. The question's got to be automatic. Have you seen a pan answering this description? All dark. About 5 feet 11. 180 pounds. Well built. Mustached. About 30 years old. The answer's got to be automatic, too. Sorry, Officer. I haven't seen him. Oh, can't remember him. Try the place down the street. We kept on checking the bars until they closed for the night. Then we started on the all night rest and coffee time. We did plenty of legwork for the next hour. Not a trace. About 2 30, the rain let up a little. Then it started in heavy all over again. That finishes that, blah. We better get the radio on. Yeah. Beautiful wet by the bucket float. Launch control. Mm, thank you. Control 4, unit 80K, your location? Yeah. 80K, your location, KMA 367. That's it. Joe, you want to take it? Yeah, I got it. 80K to control 4. 80K to control 4. Our location, corner of Alameda and commercial, KMA 367. 80K, stand back. Something to do. Maybe. No, hold on a minute. Control 4, 80K. Go to the crime lab, code 2. 80K to control 4, KMA 367. Crime lab. Maybe those prints paid off. Oh, I hope so. Let's go. That killer short big crime weather to work in feels like I just been swimming in these flows. Yeah. I hope those guys in crime lab have a heater on. A hot bath in a warm bed, lead me on. Attention, all units. Attention, all units. And 420 St. John's Bay. A woman speaking. And 420 St. John's Bay. I'll double around, Ben. Hit the siren. I'll get the light. Right. Hold on. Never turn on the mark. Is that right? Yeah, watch out for those cracks like your weapon. Hold on. Yeah, I'll get my head to your right, huh? I pull up, Ben. Streetlight over there. There you are. All right, come on. Let's go. All right, what happened? Let's have it. Rita, she was coming home. Up the street. The man, he tried to grab it. He slashed her coat. Look at that. I saw him as he ran under the streetlight. Where'd he go? Go down that way. Down the alley. Over that pit there. A big man. David. David, you there? Yeah, Joe. All right, Ben. Go with David. Circle behind the alley. See what you can find. I'll call in. All right, come on, Dave. Yeah. Always look at her face. What's wrong with her? Severe state of shock, it looks like. Get her in the house, huh? I'll call an ambulance. 80 K to control 4. 80 K to control 4. Control 4, go ahead. Direct all units in the vicinity to converge on area around St. John's Place, from Jackson to Banning Street. 80 K reports woman attacked by a large man with knife. Suspect left seen on foot. Possibly still in area. Request ambulance. KMA-367. 80 K, Roger, standby. Attention, all units. Attention, all units. Converge on area around St. John's Place, Jackson to Banning Street. 80 K reports woman attacked by a large man with knife. Suspect left seen on foot. In three minutes, the area around St. John's Place was surrounded. For the next hour, the men home the neighborhood back and forth. Every building, every storehouse in the two square blocks was circled from basement to attic. No trace. The girl, Rita, was hysterical. She could give us only a bare description of her attacker. At 3.45 a.m., a detail was assigned to patrol the area and the rest of the cars and the men were deployed again in the general area from Figueroa to Alameda Street and East 3rd to College Street. The manhunt went on, so did the ring. At 3.54, Ben and I checked into the old city jail building, 2nd floor, the crime lab. Chief had back strand and Lee Jones were waiting for us. Heard about the call. How'd he get away? Not sure. It was him, Scaver. How do you mean? Well, the girl wasn't hurt bad for one thing. No attempt at strangling. For another thing, the guy stole her purse. That doesn't sound like a man we're after. Did you get a description from the girl? Didn't jibed too well, which she gave us. She was pretty hysterical. And you rake the neighborhood good? Every corner, not a sign. Do you find anything? Yeah. Jones? Yeah. Fill them in, will you? Not one print on that knife, you found, boys. Blood but not a print. Your killer's crazy like a fox. And how about the scraping from the girl's fingernails, Lee? Didn't help too much. Really do. Not enough to go on. Gonna have a fair size bit of flesh to run with the papillages. All we found under the girl's fingernails are small bits of skin. Yeah. He probably scratched the guy up some. Might have drawn blood. He had more luck with the footprints. And getting him fresh? Right out the ground with torches and castings. Outside 10B. That's fine, Lee. But how about the prints? Only good one was a thumb. Real good. Got her off the wall near the light switch in the bathroom. It's classified, yeah? Yep. Founded in our single fingerprint file. The print belongs to a man by the name of Long. Not it's Long. You got a record, Ed? Yeah. Mr. Meener. Two arrests for drunkenness last October. Paddy theft in December. Mama, she chose a dishonorable discharge from the United States Coast Guard in 1946. Age 29. 192 pounds. 5 feet, 10 inches. Dark hair, dark eyes. That's close enough. We got even closer, Joe. Long works as a counterman at the Cottage Cafe down on South Flower started there last week on the early morning shift. But he didn't show up for work last night. Good. Where'd you get the tip? The knife, you boys found. Didn't have any prints, but it had a brand on it. We ran it down. Mistaken from the Cottage Cafe. Mm-hmm. Any address on this Robert Long, Ed? Yeah, got it from his boss. Rooming House on East First. Landlady says he hasn't been home in two nights. Yeah, now we wait. Rooming House is staked out and so is the Cottage Cafe. Just in case Long decides to show up for work this morning. What time you got, Romero? Six minutes past four. All right. We've got every indication that Robert Long's the man we're after. His description, the fingerprint, the knife, footprint, his size. Maybe we're wrong. I don't think so. How about a motive, Ed? I think Robert Long likes to kill. He's thirsty for it. None of the victims were criminally attacked. They were strangled. Body's mutilated. How about Robert? No. Two of the women he killed had money in their purses. He didn't touch it. Well, what's next, Skipper? Back on the street? Figure out how to meet him. He's third to College Street. Keep an eye around that area and work it back and forth until we're positive he's not inside. I think he is. At 10 minutes past 4 a.m. at Backstrand, Ben and I left the crime lab and drove to the surrounded area. It was still raining. We passed several patrolmen from the reserve unit making the rounds. They didn't look any more comfortable when we felt. At Broadway and Alpine Street, Ben and I got out and started patrolling on foot again. Backstrand followed in the car to maintain a radio check. We must have covered two dozen blocks and a half a dozen coffee counters before we got to the criterion restaurant and donut shop. A few blocks up the street from the College Cafe. Hey, Skipper. You want to take a minute for some hot coffee? I'll keep an ear on the radio. You two go ahead. You look strange. Oh, we are. Can we bring you some back in the paper carton? Fine, thanks. Cream. No sugar. All right, Ed. One minute. The place is empty. Yeah. Yes, gentlemen. What'll it be? Hot coffee? Yeah, there's two of us here. Can you fix up one to go? Sure thing. Ben, at one to go, cream, no sugar. Right. Say, you fellas coughed? Yeah, why? No offense. Just wondering. Here you are. Thank you. Cop and uniform was around a couple of hours ago. Wanted to know if I'd seen some guy he was looking for. Oh, about 190 pounds. Mustache, about 30 years old. Yeah, that's a description he gave me. He was looking for the guy. So are we. Say, that's good. That other cop came in right at my busiest time. A little after two when the bars closed. You know, it gets pretty rushed and I didn't have much time to think. So he just said no. Then after the cop left, I remembered. You saw a man answering that description? Tonight? Yeah. I would have told the cop but I was rushed. You know how it is. No time to think. And then I remembered. Are you sure? I'm sure, all right. Whoever he is, he's a lady killer. What do you mean? No offense. It was a shop looking dame down the end of the counter and this guy breezes in and picks her up. Talks to her about 20 minutes, buys her a cup of coffee and they walk out together. You remember what she looked like? Oh, nice looking dame. Not beautiful, you know. More on the cute side. Ben, you got that morgue shot? Oh, yeah. Here you are. Here's a picture. That's the girl. Let me see. Yeah, that's her. Who is she? I don't know, mister. Now with the morgue, they call her Jane Doe, number seven. Just by accident, we'd come across a concrete lead on the killer's method of operation. The picture we showed the man on the donut shop was a shot of the strangler's first victim the night before. Evidently, the killer would enter a bar, off his shop or restaurant, strike up a conversation with a woman or friends with her. Either buy her drinks or invite her to a bar in the neighborhood. And the rest of the puzzle was still unsolved. We went back to the cottage cafe and checked with the men on stakeout. Not a sign of them, chief. How are you men covering the place? Bags are up in front in the booth to crush on the cash register. Limans back with the dishwashers. I'm at the counter. When's Long due to report for work, Dave? At five. About 20 minutes to go. You're lucky you're inside. It's wet out there. You'll look it. All right, Davis. It'll be around about five. Right, chief. Let's get back in the car. Work too, Skaver. Move the next two blocks, but don't go too far. If Long shows up for work this morning, we want to be around. The next 10 minutes dragged by. The rain kept on. Max ran too nervously on a cigar. At South Flower and First Street, the sewers were clogged with street refuse. The rain backed up and filled the intersection. A group of aircraft workers huddled together in the doorway on one corner waiting for the bus. It was cold and damp. I opened one of the back windows in the car to get some fresh air in. Off in the distance and close by, you could hear the sounds of a big city waking up slow to a rainy January morning. It was eight minutes to five. Attention, all units. Attention, all units. At 780 East Main, a restaurant. Man answering description of murder suspect. All right, Romero, step on it. All right, Skaver. About 10 blocks away, Ed. Who's going to cover the men at the cottage buffet? If this is the blind lady, it won't take as long to find out. They can handle it alone if they have to. Hang on. Look out. We're skidding. That was a close one, Ben. Yeah. This is the guy. I owe you five bucks, right? Yeah. Attention, all units. Additional information on your call to 780 East Main. All officers in presumed suspect. Suspect is on approach. Step on it, Romero. Two more blocks, Skaver. Watch this, Ben. Next one to the left. Got it? 780. Access going up ahead there. All right, watch your step and don't take chances. Don't play with it. Right. Here we go. Come on, Ben. Behind you. You, man, hudler. All right, over the fence, Ben. Ben, look out, look out. Not that good. Come on, Joe. All right. All right, Ghost. We're going to the building. Stop or I'll shoot. Next stop. He's docking to the basement. All right, cover me. All right. Come on, he broke through the garage doors. There's Davis. Dave, Dave, he slipped through. Get down to the next corner. Ring the block. Ben, Ben, did you follow him? He's on the right on his tail at warehouse. Stop a lot, Joe. He went through the back. There he is, Joe. All right, don't go in blind. Watch out. I've got a chance. Come out with your hands up. He's not stopping, Joe. All right, let's fan out. All right, Ben. Cover me. I'm going to the door. All right, Ben. Come on, you're clear. He's in a good spot. Let's move. He's up in a lot. Come on, let's head to the stairs. Where are you? Easy. Spot him, Ben. Not a sign. Ben, look out. That packing tank. Close down, Joe. Yeah. Let's get that poke now. Hey, Joe, there's another one. We've got the warehouse surrounded. Come on down. All right, then we'll flash, Joe. He's dropping down the ladder. He's falling to the front door. They're waiting for you with Tommy guns out there. They'll catch it out. Joe, he's got the door open. He's making a break for it. Hey, he's trying to shoot his way out. Let's take a look. A man's step. Well, like his girlfriends. Maybe he just didn't like women. Maybe. You all right? All right. This is him, huh? Even the scratches that girl made on his face. Description match? 5 feet 10. 192 pounds. Dark hair, dark eyes. Age 29. Robert Long. Killer. Sorry, you abduct her. Just cool. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. You have just heard the tense in a new series of authentic cases transcribed from official files. Technical advice for Dragnet is furnished by the Los Angeles Police Department. The night's program is dedicated to Detective Louis A. Abbott of the Chicago Police Department, who on the afternoon of March 3, 1947, gave his life so that yours might be more secure. Dragnet came to you from Los Angeles. If you enjoyed tonight's production of Dragnet, you'll probably want to listen this Saturday evening to a pair of adventure shows featuring two well-known Hollywood personalities. You'll enjoy Brian Donlevy's Star of Dangerous Assignments. Also on Saturday's schedule is Richard Diamond, Private Detective, as played by the screen's romantic tough guy, Dick Lowe. Listen to both of these exciting programs this Saturday over most of these NBC stations. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company. Here is another in NBC's great parade of new shows. A story you're about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. NBC brings you Dragnet. Detective Sergeant, you're assigned to burglary detail. A sudden wave of jewel thefts is sweeping the city. In 16 days, 16 burglaries have been committed, one each night. They bear the same trademark. Thousands of dollars of jewels are missing. The thief is a master at his trade. Your job, get him. Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime, investigated and solved by the men who unrelentingly stand watch on the security of your home, your family, and your life. 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 Tuesday, June 17th. It was warm in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of burglary. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Ed Backstrand, chief of detectives. My name's Friday. I was on the way into work that morning, and it was 7.53 AM when I got to room 45, burglary detail. Hi, Joe. Hi, Walker. Gonna be escort throughout today. Just like yesterday. Ben in yet? I think he's over in communications, picking up the mail. Thanks. You guys been busy? No, kind of. Jewel thefts. Anything big? I don't know, big halls, but he's consistent. 16 nights in a row. Same guy? Think so, same ammo. Man, everybody's got troubles. Gotta check some records. See you later, Joe. OK, Willie. Burglary, Friday. Yeah. OK, Mike, as soon as Ben gets back. He's picking up the mail. Right. Bye. Hi, Joe. Hi, Ben. Hannon just called. Chief wants to see us. Take a look at these first. But he got overnight reports. Yeah, I have these two. Two of them. Three diamond rings, one sapphire, one necklace jade, big hall. Look at the other one. Ladies, watch. Diamond band, emerald bracelet, tourmaline brooch. What's tourmaline, Ben? I don't know. Must be valuable. It's gone. Let's see. Owner left house about 9 p.m., returned about 1.30 a.m., found property gone, scratches on the door. Probably using a cellophane method. Hasn't missed yet. Two in one night. Now he's picking up his pace. Must have a bag full of loot somewhere, whoever it is. You get the description sheets from bone shop detail. Yeah, I got it right here. You take half of them. Let's see what luck we got this morning. Nothing so far. Me neither. I'll get it, Joe. Burglar, emerald. Hi, Ben. Chief still wants to talk to you, boys. He's got the appointment date 30. Want to see you before he leaves. OK, Mike. Just checking some bye sheets. We'll be right in. Better make it fast. He's in a bad mood this morning. OK, Mike. Thank you. Backstrain again? Yeah, he's in a bad mood. Come on. Wonder what's bothering him. Something's bad. He doesn't blow very often. Chief of the technical service, Hannon. Go ahead in, boys. He's waiting. Thank you, Mike. All right, ma'am. I'll connect you. Freddie, Romero, sit down. Where do I get the phone? Backstrain. Oh, yes, Mrs. Winthrop. Yes, ma'am. We're doing all we can. Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. Yes, I'll do that. Yes, ma'am. Goodbye. Got trouble, Ed? Taxpayer. Mrs. Winthrop. You two ought to remember the name. We do, Skip. 10 days ago, somebody lifted $2,000 worth of diamonds from her bedroom while she was at the symphony. Last night, she was hit again. A diamond watch, an emerald bracelet, and some kind of a brooch. Turmaline. I don't care what kind of was, it's gone. What's the pitch? We just read a report a couple of minutes ago, Skip. Could be a time when those other 16 jobs. 16 jobs in 16 days. You haven't got a lead on the thief yet? Nothing shows up. No prints, nothing. What about the pawnshops? Nobody's tried to soak any hot stuff as far as we know. We double-checked the detail. We got every hawk shop in town on the alert. Whoever it is, they've got to try to pawn the stuff sometime unless they're going to give diamond rings for Christmas presents. They haven't tried the pawnshops yet, Skip. Are we sure of that? 16 burglaries in 16 days. Jewels and watches. Good ones. It's got to stop. It's got to stop soon, you understand? We'll stay right on top of it, Ed. We're doing all we can. For two weeks, I've had half a dozen women calling me every day. Society women. Some of them figure they should get extra treatment. They're only DR numbers to ask you for. They all get the same attention. I'm trying to explain that to some of them. They think you're in on the racket. Maybe you boys would like to take these calls some morning. No thanks, Ed. All right, then let's get some action. Keep the pawnshop operators on their toes and get after every known fence in town. That's all. I've got an appointment. All right, Ed, check you later. Thank you. Hello. Oh, hi, Max. What? Well, hold it. Be right down. First break, Joe. What do you got? Necklace and a watch. Both have them on the stolen property list. Where? Henry's Pawn Shop. Fifth and Main. Six minutes later at 825 a.m., Ben and I drove up in front of Henry's Square Deal Pawn Shop. Quick cash. No red tape. Watches bought and sold. The proprietor was Max Murphy, an old friend of Ben's. Well, pal, of all days, it had to happen yesterday. Took the day off when fishing up at Big Bear. I left my nephew in charge. Harry, a real not-head, that kid. How do you mean, Max? Joe, if I told him once, I told him a hundred and once. Whatever you do, whatever they come in with, they'll check it with the list. Check it with the stolen property list. What does he do? He forgot. He forgot. Oh, a real not-head, that boy. How old is he, Max? 32. A real not-head. I checked the slips from yesterday. Then I checked the stolen property list. There it is. Hot stuff. One of the stuff come in, Max, do you know? About 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon. Can we look at it? Oh, sure. Back here behind the car. There it is. Did you check out the serial numbers on the watch yet, man? When I found out, yes. They match to a T. All right, let's see. Yeah. Description on this necklace matches, too. Let's have a look at your buy book, huh, Max? Yes, sir, Joe. Here you are. There's a deal right there. Here? Yeah, that's him. That's how he gave his name. Walter Tracy, 132.5 Blackstone Court, Los Angeles. Let me check the book for the description, man. Oh, sure. Yeah, here. OK, Max, thanks. We'll be checking with you later. Sure, Joe. Anytime. Sorry. All right, Max. See you later. Yeah, you fellas take it easy. Right. I want to check and see if we're clear, Joe. Yeah, I will. 80K to control 1. 80K to control 1. Are we clear? Control 1 to 80K, stand by. Good lead, Joe. Got a description in here. Yeah. It's too bad Max's nephew had to slip up. Control 1 to 80K. Call your office immediately. Call your office immediately. OK, nice. I don't know what that's about. No, no, I'll call in. He doesn't change. I'll use Max's phone. Here's your phone a minute, Max. Oh, you, Ben. Sure, help yourself. Thank you. 2524. 2524. This is Ben, George. You got something? Not one universal loan shop, sixth and bottom place. Guy just took in a couple of rings. He checked too late. What do you mean? He checked the form after the guy left. It was signed Walter Tracy. There they are, Sergeant, both rings. Fine quality diamonds. Don't you usually check your stolen goods list before you take in stuff like this? Usually, yes. Last night, no. I don't know what I was thinking about. We have a look at your buy book. Right here. There it is. Walter Tracy. 699 Olive Street. 145 pounds, 5'9", dark hair, build, thing. We'll have to slap a hold on these rings. I know, I should have told. Can you think of anything else that might help us to identify the man? Well, no. Had a light suit on. Nice cut. Very well dressed. Thank you. That's all for now. Here's a card. If the guy happens to drop back, give us a call with it. Sure will, Sergeant. Say, I've got some nice watch pens. Yours look gold. Can I interest you? No, thanks. Some other time. Come on back. That afternoon in the following morning, despite our alert and our warnings, two more pawn shops called in with reports of stolen watches taken in. We checked them out. The serial numbers on the watches match those on the stolen property list. On the pawn shop account books, the loan was listed under the name Walter Tracy. The addresses were given as number 12, St. Vincent Place, and 700 East Flower. The descriptions of the man were the same. Slight bill, well dressed, about 145 pounds, 5 feet 9 inches tall, dark wavy hair. We had the name and description distributed to every pawn shop in Los Angeles and surrounding communities. Through our informants, we checked up on every known fence in the city. For the next two nights, we received no reports of stolen jewels. That made up for the double burglary the night before. On June 19th, the box score read 18 successive nights, 18 successive jewel burglaries. At 3.25 in the afternoon, Ben and I sat down to check over the late incoming reports. Got anything, Joe? Oh, not yet, no. Nothing here. Maybe the guy's left town. Nope. No such luck. Take a look. That's safe number 19. He may set a record. Now he's making monkeys out of us, isn't he? Look, man's watch, lady's watch, Chinese amber necklace, diamond shirts, studs, and a bracelet with two large rubies. He's getting ambitious. How's the value list? $1,800. One haul. I'll get it. Regularly Friday, yeah. What? Yeah, be right down, stall him. Let's go, Ben. Where? Kaplan's down in his second. Walter Tracy's in there now, trying to hawk a gold watch. Ben, cover the door. I'll just look like I'm shopping around. Right, but watch your step. We don't know this guy. Yeah, stay close to the door, huh? Hey, this is gold. 21 jewels. Well, that's the best I can do. Ah, drop dead. What's the best I can do? Don't get sore. Yeah, sure. See you later. That's him, Sergeant Walter Tracy. I stole them as long as I could. All right, I'll check back with you later. Did you spot the guy that just came out? Yeah, went up the street. Let's follow him. Hustle him. Spot him, Ben. Straight ahead, about 15 yards. He's approaching the street. Yeah, let's get up a little closer. We'll lose him, sure. If that's changed, you come on, run for it. What's the traffic like? You know, if that was close, we might have spotted this as going faster. Come on, Joe, run. Yeah. Don't lose him. This crowd's not helping. Hey, hey, wait a minute. How about you to cop? You're chasing somebody. Let me go, my arm, mister. Let go. Well, you don't have to get tough, as long as you cop stick to the only street. I'm gonna write the names off. Come on, Joe. He's running for it. Yeah, I see him. Watch the signal up ahead. Hurry, Joe. Almost up. Come on. Into the parking lot. Hey, Joe. Stop. Look out, Joe. A gun. Yeah, I see him. Get away. All right, my guys. It's a nice deal. Yeah. He's too fast for an honest man. Let's take him in. When we got back to headquarters, Walter Tracy was under technical arrest. We took him directly to the interrogation room. We searched him thoroughly. We had him take everything out of his pockets and put it on the table. Then we had him take all the money he had in his wallet, count it out and hold it in his hand. What is all this routine? That's all the money you have on you? $47.17, right? Yeah. Okay, keep it in your hand. Ben, shake him down. All right, Tracy. Take off your coat, shirt, tie and shoes and stuff. What kind of a picture is this? I'm no hood. Take them all. Two big cops. You're not putting anything on me. I don't care what you do. Sleeves, pockets lining. Nothing in the coat, Joe. Get his shirt. Take a life with the threads. It costs money. How about the trousers, Ben? I'm seeing. Curves, pockets? No. Let me get the belt. Zip it on the inside of the belt. No, it's clean. Shoes are okay. All right, Tracy. Let's see the soul to your feet. I hope you don't mind. They're dirty. Why don't you take a shower? Let's see. All right, Joe, nothing. Put your clothes back on. Yeah. Thanks. All right, Joe. What's your name? I said, what's your name? You telling jokes? Walter Tracy. You know that. Your real name? How old are you, Tracy? 27. Where do you live? No place. Just got in town a couple of days ago. Where are you from? Salina, Kansas. Where have you been sleeping the last two nights? The park. Pershing Square. Clothes don't chill it. Pretty nitty. I had impressed. Where? Down by the square. I don't remember. You ever been arrested before? No. Where'd you get this gun, Tracy, when you pulled on us? I didn't know who you were. It could have been a couple of hoods. You kind of look like it. Where'd you get the gun? I won it in a crap game. Coming out on the train. Where'd you get the watch? Graduation present. You want to run a make on them, Joe? The gun and the watch? Yeah, I'll call them. Go on. Check. You can't prove a thing. Phone shop records, Gilmore. Gil, this is Friday. Can you give me a make on a watch? Sure, Joe. Go ahead. Time master. Yellow gold. Man's wristwatch. Okay. Case number 716F23. Right. Movement number B351708. Okay. Now give me a make on this gun, huh? 32S&W automatic. Cereal number 579461. Okay. Call me back. Right. What's your station number? 2572. I'll ring you, Joe. Thanks. I'll ring you, Joe. I'll ring you, Joe. I'll ring you, Joe. I'll ring you, Joe. Thanks. Having fun? What'd you do with all those jewels you stole? When do I get out of here? I don't think you're going to get out. You got nothing on me. How tall are you, Tracy? Got your tape measure. 5'9". How much you weigh? 140. I'm 27. My name's Walter Tracy. I come from Salina. I've been in town two days and I don't know what you guys are talking about. You sound smart. You don't act it. And you're a fly. I'm Brian Copper. What'd you do with those jewels you stole? I don't know what you're talking about. What color are your eyes? I don't know. I'm colorblind. What color would you say your hair is? You colorblind, too? You ever been arrested before? Straighten out. He asked me that. I'm asking you. No. You ever done any big time? No. All right. I don't care if you're level with us or not. We're going to make you on those proud jobs all 19 of them. Sure, sure. You guys are smart. You got in Los Angeles two days ago, is that right? Yeah. You don't know anything about any jewels there. That's what I said. And how come your name and your handwriting's on the account books and four phone shops in Los Angeles? Not mine. You can't prove it. We can, Tracy. What'd you do with the stuff you stole from 1250 Maraga Drive? June 5th. I didn't steal any stuff. What'd you do with the rings and watches you took from 1400 Placerville Road, June 9th? I wasn't in town. What'd you do with the diamond dress pins you stole June 13th, 123 South Van S? Did I do that? You're not only kinky, you're a bad liar. You'll prove it. The border gets you a sawbuck, your prints bounced, Tracy. Our handwriting man's going to work on those signatures of yours. You haven't got a chance. Now come on. Where'd you hide the stuff? You can't prove a thing. Where'd you say you been sleeping the last two nights? In the park, Pershing Square. You want a map? Clover Shore, doesn't it? I said I had them pressed. But you can't remember where. No, I can't remember where. Is that a crime? Friday time. Joel, this is Gilmore. Here's the stuff you asked for. Let's have it, Joel. No make on the watch. No make on the gun. Okay, Joel, thanks a lot. Yeah. You're in up your neck. You said that, didn't you? You're going to talk, Tracy. I'm kind of tired. All right, we'll let you sleep on it. Come on, Ben, let's book him. All right. Now get your jobs, coppers. Sure. Come on. We took Walter Tracy to the county jail and had him booked on suspicion of burglary. He was still sullen. We knew we had the guilty man, now we had to prove it. As it often happens, the victims never see the burglary. They only know he's been there. They can't identify him, but they can identify their property. Our job was to find the property. When we did, we'd have Walter Tracy. And the 19 victims would have their property returned. But Tracy wasn't talking. We knew he'd never talk unless he thought it might help him. We took the problem dad back strength. Smart punk skipper, but he's done time before. We tried him out last night when we brought him in. He talks like it, and he acts like it. But he won't cop out. Are you sure? He won't talk in 100 years. He knows he's got us in the spot. And one thing's sure, we're not going to send him up without finding the loot first. He's planted this stuff somewhere in the city. We've got to find it. Ben and I have got an idea, Ed. It's not going to be easy, but it might work. What is it? Tracy tried to soak some of the stolen property at four separate pawn shops in the downtown area. Yeah? At each one of those four pawn shops, he gave a local address. We're sure he must have a rumor in an apartment someplace in town. All right. Where? At the end of the road. It's where I go to. I'm going to give him. Every one of those addresses he gave falls within a certain area. Oh, a big an area. Oh, you've got that street diagram, Joe. Yeah. Here it is, Ed. From Figaroa here to San Pedro, and from Pico down to First Street. The area is about 12 blocks wide, 14 blocks long. That's a lot of territory. How are you going to cover it? One foot, we'll take Tracy with us. A plenty of legwork. You sure it's the answer? we can figure out towns apartments rooming houses there must be hundreds of places he could stay in that territory it'll take a couple of weeks yeah on foot it will all right it's tough but it's your idea go to it or after we left cheat backstrand we got Tracy out of his cell in the county jail and started our canvas of the appointed area we took the usual precautions and handcuffed Tracy's wrist to our own we started the search for his hideout at first street and figure off was a warm day in Los Angeles the temperature was 91 after the first three hours I could tell Ben's feet were ready to give out so we're mine we couldn't even have the comfort of complaining that it encouraged Tracy and he was cocky enough already cursed and you're threatened every step of the way legs off all right quit pulling will you come on Tracy up the stairs another one to check warm day deal what do you mean a little must be a hundred and ten yes what is it you the manager yes could you tell me what apartment this man has in your house man who him yes ma'am this one never saw him before he don't live here all right ma'am thank you yeah hot in it when are you gonna get wise come on Tracy and that finishes this side of the street you want to cross over you yeah let's go I'm hungry I want to eat after we cover the other side of the street you can't do this to me I'm gonna get a lawyer I'll have your jobs both here yeah come on we only got a couple of hundred places to go all right Jacks what can I do for you you're the manager I run the place yeah which room does this man have in your place him you made a mistake he doesn't live here all right thanks my feet are killing me wait like a lawyer out burn both your dumb cops I get think you're doing anyway all that day in the day after that in the day after that Ben and I with Tracy handcuffed to our wrist canvassed the designated areas from hotel to hotel from rooming house to rooming house and the apartments too every day our feet ached a little more our pace slowed down Tracy got more irritable and the weather got hotter the second day it reached a high of 92 the third day 94 the fourth day 94 police regulations say plain clothes officers must wear a coat and necktie on the street at all times we wore our coats and neckties the search continued into the fifth day our pace got even slower Ben and I started to lose heart after a while we forgot our object was to recover the stolen jewels all we wanted was to find Tracy's hideout we knew we were right we know Tracy was our man was a point of pride whether your feet hurt or not you don't give into a thief yes what do you want you're the landlady here I am which apartment is this man having a building well none of them he's not one of my tenants thank you man come on Tracy by the sixth day all three of us had special pads in our shoes our feet ached worse than ever Tracy let us know about his every three minutes by late afternoon of the sixth day we'd covered more than half of the designated area the temperature was 95 you guys gonna go on forever I'm sweating like a horse I'm getting tired of your morning that looks like the manager behind the desk yes sir you're the manager yes sir what can I do for you can you tell us which room this man has in the hotel him he doesn't live here hey you fellas look awfully warm like to cool off in the lobby we're conditioned no thanks I'm hungry when we eat you're always hungry you get the biggest mouth on a cop I ever saw all right yeah I'm hungry I want to eat now wait till I give this story to the papers mistreating innocent guys they'll break all right up the stairs I'm gonna get a lawyer tonight I'll show you yes well Mr Baker where have you been we questioned the landlady of Miss Elizabeth Hunter she told us that Baker alias Tracy had rented an apartment from her about two months before that's all the information she could give us Tracy climbed up he would admit nothing we asked Miss Hunter to accompany us as a witness we took the elevator up to Tracy's apartment on the sixth floor Miss Hunter Tracy Ben and I down this way here do you want me to open it please Miss Hunter there's a girl water I told you to get out of town if I didn't come back I didn't want to leave I don't want to leave without you I thought you slept in the park take a jump where's the stuff hidden all right Ben handcuff them to a chair the girl behind them we'll find the stuff ourselves all right Tracy all right you know I haven't done anything either see you can't prove it belly shop that's better no talking between you two fears will separate you all right Ben you take the living room here I'll try the kitchen and get a window open it's hot in here right Sergeant you will be careful of the furniture yes I had no idea you mr. Baker of all people don't talk to him please man why don't you fail and look it's only the beginning he's got the stuff scattered seven ways for Sunday we're gonna need help in the milk bottle yeah two rings three loose diamonds in this bottle of mayonnaise we found some kind of a broach in it a couple of watches taped to the underside of the kitchen sink all right you convinced okay Ben call back strand there was a definite possibility that Walter Baker alias Tracy have stored some of his stolen loot outside his apartment we stood a little chance of ever recovering it unless we got him to break Ben called Chief Baxter and in 10 minutes he arrived at the apartment with another man from burglary detail George Levine together we went over the four room apartment foot by foot we found jewelry watches loose stones in every conceivable place in cartons of cottage cheese and jars of cold cream in the garbage can everywhere who's your girlfriend all right I'll ask her what's your name I said what is your name Billy Billy Crawford he doesn't do anything he didn't all right Billy maybe you can tell us where's the rest of the stuff he stole he didn't steal he didn't steal anything Billy shut up keep quiet you and wait a minute what just a minute I want to look over here papers taped to the underside of that top drawer what is it front you can't you can't look at these all right you found them I'll talk to all the papers you're the next con yeah I'll cop out don't do it water Billy shut up the rest of the stuff where is it on the roof inside the ventilator the one near the front you'll find a couple of paper bags that's it I mean got it cheap I'll check it your papers say you did time in Oregon what for fell for robbery did five I ohm seven what about the girl I'm going with her I don't know you figure it all right friend in Romero take the girl to Lincoln Heights and Booker we'll take him right Ed come on Ben no I want to go here sorry ma'am this way out all right easy lady wait a minute just a minute water you're a dumb day so long all right come on let's go what's matter you feel all right lie to me don't feel hurt lady you lied to everybody the story you have just heard is true only the names were changed to protect the innocent water Baker alias water Tracy was tried and convicted on three counts of first degree burglary and received the maximum sentence prescribed by law he is now serving out his term in the state penitentiary a hold has been placed on him by the state of Oregon where he will serve out seven years for violation of parole Billy Crawford Baker's accomplice was tried and convicted of receiving stolen property and is now serving time in the state penitentiary for women you have just heard the 11th in a new series of authentic cases transcribed from official police files technical advice for dragnet is furnished by the Los Angeles Police Department tonight's program is dedicated to warden Clarence a Larkin a Folsom prison Sacramento who on the evening of September 24th 1937 gave his life so that yours might be more secure dragnet came to you from Los Angeles if you enjoyed tonight's production of dragnet you'll want to listen this Saturday evening to a pair of adventure shows featuring too well-known Hollywood personalities you'll enjoy Brian Don Levy star of dangerous assignments also on Saturday schedule is Richard Diamond private detective has played by the screens romantic tough guy Dick Powell listen to both of these exciting programs this Saturday over most of the same NBC stations this is NBC the national broadcasting company NBC's great parade of new shows ladies and gentlemen the story you are about to hear is true only the names have been changed to protect the innocent NBC brings you dragnet you're a detective sergeant you're assigned to robbery detail an armed gang of blitz bandits has started to work in your city their pace is fast four and five robberies each night the criminals are not amateurs they're well armed dangerous your job get them drag net that documented drama of an actual crime investigated and solved by the men who unrelentingly stand watch on the security of your home your family and your life for the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles police department you will travel step-by-step on the side of the law through an actual case from official police files from beginning to end from crime to punishment dragnet is the story of your police force in action it was Thursday October 23rd was windy in Los Angeles we were working the day watch out of robbery my partner's Ben Romero the boss is Ed Backstrand chief of detectives my name's Friday I'm on my way back from the statisticians office and it was 1142 a.m. when I got to room 27 a robbery detail how to work out Joe any good prospect I don't know how good they are but I got a handful how many you get let me see 15 18 22 that fold down on the stats office random on the IBM for me there they are see the gang of three men working on foot let's robberies they only take cash I'm always tie-ups work from eight to ten at night one of the gangs tall the other two short these are the men the machine loaded up under that heading you know if our information is wrong and so is the machine got a good bunch of candles here descriptions match up with what we do they seem to check the names on that last pin some of the smartest thieves in the country yeah Tommy Willis red grappa gimp Satelli money Roberts George cross Mario cut he reads like June graduation of Sam Quinn you know George Cross and Tommy Willis are in town we know that and cut he is around a couple weeks ago and what about the rest the big field have to check them out I guess might as well start at the beginning did you go through the overnight report that yeah no residence no liquor store that makes five days of gangs laid off I can afford you can see 18 robberies in 2040 that's pretty good all miss stop and go strategy there's George got me yeah they work hard for a week in one area and then they lay low they just keep going we might have a better try out hey Joe yeah Chandler come out here see it Joe named Decker Decker Henry Decker didn't say want to see him yeah send him in right all right Mr. Decker this way how are you Joey you're looking good well Hank Decker how are you I'm fine so what are you waiting for applause come on in and shut the door Hank this is my partner Ben Romero Ben Hank Decker all right Hank and I are in service together yeah I just dropped in for a visit Joe are you busy no more unusual thanks I remembered you telling me you were on the PD so I figured I'd drop around and get an inside track how do you mean I just filed with civil service to take the exam next month figure I'd like to work at being a cop he shall show you great pep talk you boys hand out you sure you want to be a cop look I'm 30 years old Joe I'm married high school education about a year with junior college what's your wife think she's not sold well that's why I dropped in how about coming out to the house for dinner tonight you want me to sell her just talk to her seven okay seven's okay I'm glad to have met you Ben hey man Decker see you again all right bye Joe see you tonight Hank well what do you think Ben ought to make a good cop we had a list of 22 possible suspects by five o'clock Ben and I had checked out two of them who might possibly have had a hand in the blitz robberies of the 18 liquor stores and restaurants in the past 24 days number one man was Thomas Willis Caucasian age 29 5 feet 11 inches 175 pounds dark hair blue eyes number two man was Mario Koski Caucasian 5 feet 6 inches 170 pounds dark hair dark eyes large scar under his chin running across his throat up to and behind his left ear according to our informants and after questioning some of their associates either Willis or Koski or both could have taken part in the blitz hold-ups we showed their mugs to the victims but none of them could give us definite assurance that either Willis or Koski were in the hold-up gang at seven that night I went out to Hank Decker's house for supper met his wife Linda his four-year-old twin boys we talked about the army played with the kids for a while before we sat out to eat we put the boys in bed Hank was in the kitchen carving a roast his wife closed the door to the kids room and we started downstairs for the kitchen what do you think of our two Adam bombs fine kid miss Decker Hank told me that you were worried about him wanting to join the force I was 12 years old when my father was shot down he had a policeman in Des Moines he was only 37 when he died I wouldn't know what to do if anything like that happened Hank what do you want me to say but this Hank really wanted can't talk him out of it you're his wife can you know I think it's his choice miss Decker he's gonna have to make up his own mind I'm sorry what Hank wants I guess they're worried too much a lot of women marry cops they have and they will they all worry Hank'll be all right will you guarantee it Joe during the next month I heard from Hank Decker only once he was studying hard during the same month Ben and I were working hard trying to find some kind of a concrete lead to break the Blitz gang there had been no subsequent hold-ups which seemed to tie in directly with the gang or its operation from the list of possible suspects which Ben and I made up 18 names have been eliminated for one reason or another either they were in jail at the time of the robberies out of the Los Angeles area or out of the state but four names remain George Cross Tommy Willis Mario Koski Julian Brock during a latter part of the month George Cross was booked on a minor charge and we questioned him at that time he showed no knowledge of the hold-ups nearly two months after the robberies were committed Ben and I were still without a solution as to the whereabouts of the gang never known the Blitz gang back like this way before Joe once they get wound up they usually go until they caught yeah you get out those telegram checks of the east yet last night for one home sent out all three Willis Koski and Brock I like to find just one of them Chicago might have something that's Koski's old hangout Willis too what about Brock from Kansas City any yeah I got a Y too might have a mansion from one of them tomorrow that's a slow job we'll have to wait it out yes so no follow-up from the victims we told too I'll get it robbery Friday well hi it's Joe Hank Decker congratulate me what for I just passed my written exam got the letter this morning how about that that's fine when do you take your physical well not till all an agility test then the physical if I get right there my men you're gonna have a full month at the police academy after the test is a lot of work hang can't be any worse than these tests the tough 30 days out there on the hill law court procedure evidence combat fire and target practice you have to wait through all of them yeah when you graduate I won't count on it how's your job going slow how's your wife feel now okay keep us posted huh I'll do that Joe right bye Hank passed his written test hmm sure anxious ready Romero got a minute yeah I'm scared for come on Joe you got something Ed yeah those bitch robberies are handling not having much luck we were gangs disappeared not a trace of them so far they leave town oh we're not sure Ed we don't even have a good description we're guessing most of the way what are your guesses you've had a couple of months to make them 12 of the hold up victims we talked to told us definitely that there were three men in the game two of them short one of them tall we've just been working from there all three of them have dark complexion started with 22 possibilities and got it weeded down to four no wait a minute three yeah Tommy Willis Mario Koski Julian Brock Willis and Koski Eastern Hoods Brock's from the middle west and where are they now haven't showed their faces around town checking some of the city's names but all we got is given and much for two months work these can't be that smart like now they are solid out every lead we had Ed we're doing our best either of you ever hear of a man by the name of Al Mishukov no I don't think so Chicago gunman the old days wasn't he Ed that's right I thought he was doing time in Joliet for old last year got a tip he was spotted on East Broadway night before last you figured might tie him with our job I don't know find out if I remember right Mishukov's brother used to be pretty friendly with Mario Koski I helped send both of them up 13 years ago same rap robbery was that all you heard Ed somebody spotted Mishukov that's all if you can track him down you might get some kind of a lead that's more than you got now that night and for the next two nights following Ben and I had dinner on town instead of going home and then we spent the rest of the night covering the lower end of the city in search of Al Mishukov we got more than a dozen leads on where to find him from some of our informants but none of the leads paid off we kept missing him no one knew where he was staying no one knew or no one would tell it worst thing about this job Joe they were you must be averaging 10 miles a night my feet say 20 yeah almost midnight here's McCarthy's place let's try it right let's go down to the end of the bar bed yeah see you come in let's go oh no much bird meet my partner Joe friday oh you're playing well you fellas have looking for a guy bird his name is Al Mishukov Chicago you heard anything he was in here earlier tonight a couple of guys with him are you sure what do you look like six feet i was 45 against big bill sounds like him all right Joe is he staying in the neighborhood it's down here i don't think so most of those big time to stay uptown someplace you're looking for Mishukov like to talk to him how long goes he in about eight o'clock a couple of guys with him they were talking about driving out to the airport something about Las Vegas there's an 840 plane for Vegas isn't there Ben and thanks oh 84850 i can't recall where Bert do you remember the exact time they left you exactly no there's one of the fellas that was with Mishukov down there the middle of the bar which one bro yeah one of the sandy hair big chin yeah i want to help you come on George i know what he said he said what he was thinking last week pardon me yeah that's what i'd like to talk to you a minute yeah who are you police sergeant friday oh have a drink sergeant no thanks i said i wanted to talk to you hmm square john huh wait a minute jorge square john wants to talk to me come on outside we can talk better out there i ain't done nothing what's the pitch i got a right to know let's go outside maybe i don't want to go outside i think you're better come on all right all right quit shoving your dumb chop shoving people around what are you trying to do all right down this way first parked up the next alley view hey look what's it's all about huh i got a right to know you were seen with al mishukov tonight where is he who al mishukov you're honest it's better i don't think you can spell your own name nobody's asking you to play smart where's mishukov out of town what do you care use the car all right inside you now look you got me wrong i've done nothing where's mishukov you and some other guy drove to the airport with him tonight let's have it i'm clear i tell you i just drove out with him that's all where'd mishukov go vagus took the plane for vagus when about say 30 quarter to nine what's up anyway who's the guy traveling with mishukov nobody who's the guy traveling with mishukov koski i just met him tonight mario koski is that the guy yeah i'm leveling i ain't done it ben get to a phone call we office contact las vegas police asked him to pick up koski and mishukov when we got back to the office we questioned the man we had picked up for almost two hours his name was john delmar an ex-convict he's been for old from fulham prison two months before after serving three and a half years for burglary he said mishukov was looking for a man to work with him and koski he didn't specify the work delmar said he refused the offer but they parted on friendly terms he said koski and mishukov told him that they were going to las vegas for a few days and returned to los angeles but when ben and i checked back where las vegas police the next morning they reported that nobody answering the description of either koski or mishukov was seen arriving or leaving the airport we checked with the airlines and sent inquiries to law enforcement agencies throughout the entire area no sign three weeks went by still no sign nothing any overnight deal nothing here rena sacramento san francisco nobody's seen him i'm got to come out sometime we can wait yeah we can wait gets on your nerves let's check with backstreet maybe he's got a job force in the meantime he's getting as eager as your friend hanks decker joe incidentally how things turn out more they passed all his exams putting in his month's training at the academy you know he should do all right all right mike get her busy not in his office won't be until afternoon what's the matter he's got a lecture at the police academy this morning thanks mike come on then ben and i drove out to the police academy near a lesion park we went out to check with that backstrand on the blitz robberies not to listen to his lecture when we walked into the classroom he was just finishing up so we sat in the back of the room and listened it was a pretty good speech because of the alertness of the arresting officer his talent for memorizing detail and his knowledge of how a criminal action to a given set of circumstances the arrest was made now that's about it gentlemen thank you for your attention now when i ran this speech over at home my wife said it wasn't a very good talk but at least it came out on time now it seems i'm two minutes short so i guess i failed on both counts if i may add i'd like to use the few minutes that are left to tell you what i think of being a cop after 24 years for one reason or other you men have chosen the career of a police officer well let me tell you right now without any qualifications it's a thankless job maybe you can't see it now maybe you think i'm exaggerating but when you graduate next week and get that uniform on your whole lives are going to change you're gonna lose friends a lot of them they'll want parking tickets fixed some other favors you'll have to turn them down so you'll be a heel a fathead when you're on the beach you're going to meet the cream of society and the scum the lowest sometimes you won't be able to tell the difference some of you will have to work with thugs two bit gangsters dope addicts cheap women all the human garbage you can find in a big city you'll come home at night and take a shower to wash off the dick but you still won't feel clean that's the job when you buy a box of candy and bring it home for your anniversary the neighbors will tell you chiseled it when you save up a few dollars and buy a new car or some furniture for the house that's draft people are going to want favors they'll offer you things a free beer or a new dress for your wife if you take it you're a chiseler if you don't you're a tough cop well here's a piece of advice take nothing from anyone no matter how good a friend he is pay for everything you get and don't ask favors treat everybody alike no matter what they look like or what they believe in you don't play favorites there are going to be times when a few men in the department get out of line the newspapers will play it up because it makes good reading and the average john public will love it because that's the only way he can pay you back for that traffic ticket you gave him being a good cop is a hard job but it's a good one let me warn you it just wants more it's one of the most thankless jobs on earth that's all gentlemen the following week hank decker graduated from the police academy and hit the transfer list for a regular assignment he drew a job of teaching combat firing and boxing at the academy they didn't like it so he put in a request for a transfer and waited for the next six weeks ben and i waited too for some sign of the blitz bandit there wasn't any the only possible suspects mario koski and al michikov had disappeared completely we kept a close check on every possible avenue of information still no sign ben and i were transferred to the night watch on robbery for a few weeks and that gave hank decker a chance to drop in and visit with us a couple of hours when he went off duty at the academy he was still as eager as ever hi friends y'all anything new hi hank nothing here what about the academy all big news what's up getting a transfer starting next monday gonna start on a beat thought you were all tied up with that boy's club you started out there oh i was with hanson's gonna take over when i leave the kids sure love it free swimming the pool boxing lessons we teach them everything where's your beat gonna be central right in the downtown district might learn something you'll learn a lot you want to forget most of it like it's quarter after seven don't you ever go home for dinner hey getting a wife used to it this new shirt's gonna be night working on the way to your honor for a year then you tell us how you like it the year i want to be in the detective bureau after a year well you're not even gonna last a year if you don't get home to dinner your wife's called twice this week already she calls me okay when did you call tonight yes and jen i guess i better head her off let me know if anything breaks i'd like to tag along okay well on your way okay good night so long good night how eager can you get where we like that when we started not me i never had that much energy at one time the whole life fucks out jill i'll get it at seven six seven east broadway a land sluggy at seven six seven east broadway a liquor store 211 man seven six seven east broadway 211 liquor store let's go seven six seven east broadway king's liquor store we pushed our way through the small crowd outside the door and into the shop two patrolmen in uniform were already interviewing a proprietor he had two large gashes on his head just above the right temple he was trembling and badly shaken but he managed to see a good description of the holdup man yeah i can tell you what they look like three of them one short one tall husky another short fat you remember what they were wearing coats all three dark coats one of the short men he had a big scar here on the throat like this after the three men robbed the store they slugged me tied me up turner miss man's hurt you call an ambulance on the way that's fine we have just one more question mr king here's a handful of pictures we'd like you to tell us if any one of these men were in the gang that held you up tonight let me look there you are take your time no no not him no no oh this one here he took the money from the register would you look for the rest please or any more let me see again no no oh here another one there's a fat one with the scar this is him i think he's the one that slugged me thanks much king here's our card we'll be contacting you later turner will you and your partner take the primary port we got some checking to do right thanks come on then yeah tosky and michikov and picked out both of them yeah certainly did attention all units attention all units wait a minute the southeast corner of broadway and east third a liquor store and restaurant 211 fold three all units the southeast corner of come on back let's roll when we got to the liquor store and restaurant at broadway and east third men and i knew for certain that tosky and michikov were back in city and working hard their ammo match down to almost the smallest detail we put a call through to communications in the entire central division was alerted then we called chief back strand and told him the news he assigned a special detail from the metropolitan unit to patrol the area until further notice but at 9 23 p.m. before they pulled out of the police garage the blitz bandit said at two more liquor stores and one more restaurants are there listed victims early the next morning ben and i met with chief back strand in his office you gotta make on that third man yet we ran his description through r and i early this morning and closest candidate to god i name a julian brock done time here in new york any time with koski or michikov mama she says he knows koski pretty well and that's good enough now how do you think you're going to get these thieves we've got the alert out chief special detail from metropolitan division's been brief communications all set all right here's a tip for you tell them in if there's a holdup call that only the car in the area of the holdup will handle it these thieves are no amateurs let me try some decoy trick tell them in to stay in the area they're assigned to until they receive a call jake we'll take care of it you gotta be on the hand tonight and when do you figure on starting we'll have the full detail out for 6 30 play it safe and start at four why chance missing them at 3 30 that afternoon we left the police garage with a special detail from metropolitan division and started to cruise the central area we weren't looking for any action the first few hours and we didn't get any the five o'clock traffic in the downtown area was heavy as usual hope that gang holds off till after 6 we couldn't get out of this traffic where life is depending on now we probably do better on foot if it wasn't for radio content control 4 to 8k control 4 to 8k your location get it would you yeah we'll get the money 80k to control 4 8 ok to control 4 our location on spring street between 2nd and 3rd 80k standby 80k call your office code 2 call your office code 2 k ma 3 80k to control 4 roger k ma 3 6 7 yeah now what do i do for a parking space you know you're lucky guy up ahead there he's pulling out good that hasn't happened to me in six months okay hold on ben i'll be back in a minute ma'am 2 5 1 1 this is brydie bill you want us yeah yeah yeah kosky waiting all go home early ben and i went back to the office and questioned the man who gave his name as conrad larkin it was kosky's approximate height and weight same color hair same color eyes the resemblance to kosky's picture was evident we questioned him thoroughly about the blitz robberies and then we checked out his fingerprint the coincidence was hard to overlook but we were satisfied the man was not mario kosky there was a phone message on my desk to call hank's wife i called her and then we checked with the chief backstrand again and started for the police garage it was 10 minutes past six hey ben no wait a minute will you oh hi hank what's all the time heard about those jobs last night the blitz gang how about tagging along tonight what's this there you suit yourself hank funny i do home for dinner i've told the wife i eat out tonight you sure you're not do home for dinner no not tonight yoke i've have any luck yet not so far hank maybe later on tonight come out here's the garage how close did you come to the gang last night not close enough two steps ahead of us all the way show must work fast back just roll all right hank let's don't rub it in now hey ben watch it with it yeah woman driver how about it yoke do you think i can make me have to talk to that backstrand he might get you transferred after a while yeah i might try it y'all look across the street there's guy coming out of the bar where in front of the bar he's standing there guy in the dark road you see yeah two other guys behind him who is i can't be sure then you better pull up that's just like his picture all right come on all right hold it mister we want to talk to you watch it go hey get out get down two of them down ben button went up there let's go did they get hank yeah all right hold it right here all right khaki throw out your gun and come out with your hands up all right let's return the fire come on he had his chin yeah grab his gun let's get back to him did you get the guns from the other two yeah they're dead thank god i'm more all right one side please officer did you call an ambulance yeah they're on their way come on ben one side please will you let us go thank you how you doing then will you get the crowd black give him some air would you just move back easy hank they'll be here in a minute thank you how's it going joe gone yeah come on what have you got joe phone message from hanks life for you yeah you returned the call before we left the office what she wanted me to remind hank he was due home for dinner at seven o'clock the story you have just heard is true only the names were changed to protect the innocent you have just heard the twelves in a new series of authentic cases from official files technical advice for drag net is furnished by the Los Angeles police department tonight's program is dedicated to patrolman james frank goggin of the cleveland police department who on the morning of january 13th 1939 gave his life so that yours might be more secure drag net came to you from los angeles if you enjoyed tonight's production of drag net you'll want to listen to richard diamond private detective as played by the screen's romantic tough guy dick howl heard saturday on most of these nbc stations this is nbc the national broadcasting company another in nbc's great parade of new shows the story you're about to hear is true only the names have been changed to protect the innocent nbc brings you drag net you're a detective sergeant you're assigned to offer that detail in three months more than 250 cars have been broken into property mounting well into thousands of dollars has been stolen two youthful members of the gang have been apprehended the all-important brains of the criminal ring the leaders are still at large your job get them drag net the documented drama of an actual crime investigated and solved by the men who unrelentingly stand watch on the security of your home your family and your life for the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the los angeles police department you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case from official police files from beginning to end from crime to punishment drag net is the story of your police force in action it was monday mark second it was cold in los angeles we were working the night shift out of auto theft my partner's ben romero the boss is ed backstrand chief of detectives my name's friday i was on the way back from the interrogation roman it was 10 58 p.m when i got to room 26 chief of detective's office real tough kids aren't they yeah they wouldn't admit a thing i sit down thanks when'd you pick him up about 8 30 tonight in the parking lot behind the star theater out on sunset it was lifting the radio out of a 48 convertible he's had lots of experience reporters you picked up a 19-year-old girl with him she was waiting for the guy in a parked car across the street in the theater car was full of loot that first real break we've had in those auto burglaries in three months and it's no good to us neither one of them will talk or he won't even admit they know each other you're unmixed on them just did we've been questioning her boy for an hour getting nowhere what's his name again freeman stanley freeman oh yeah age 20 address bupemontana down here for a vacation he doesn't lie very well ed he's never been to bupemontana in his life knows less about the time than i do well get to him right ed where'd you put the girl we had a policewoman take her to our office we can talk to her when we finish her the boy and what's her story hasn't any she won't even open her mouth 19 years old probably needs a good spanking now get him to talk right did you run and make Joe yeah he's clean yet wise how flat foot look you're in a bad spot son that kind of talk isn't gonna help says you we caught you red handed trying to steal a radio that didn't belong to you from a car it didn't belong to you is that right that's enough to send you to san quentin boy you better give us the story shut up we've got all the evidence we need for him maybe you don't realize how serious this is we've had more than 250 car burglaries in the city in the past three months over 200 000 with the property's been stolen that's a lot of money so what so you're the number one suspect young fellow your method of operation and breaking into that car tonight is the same used in most of the other burglaries that means you're not going to be tried just for this job tonight what do you get in that flat foot listen son in the state of california and breaking into a locked car is a felony you can go to state penitentiary for that and we're going to file a complaint of burglary with the district attorney in the morning you say you're from butte montana all right i don't believe you but we'll make sure then go to our office and call the news photographers stanley here is going to have his picture on the front page of every newspaper in los angeles tomorrow right jim no you can't i won't let you i got my rights that's a matter youngster everybody wants his picture in the paper yeah well i don't i won't let him we got your picture already for him and remember i thought that when the fingerprinted you can't use it you can't i'll get a lawyer and reporters will be over in a couple of minutes we have to give him a story and you picture too uh this one you won't you won't get it all right all right all right get your hands off him now sit down now let's have a straight i don't let him use the picture don't let him you can't you can't we gotta have the truth son now look you're 20 years old you know right from wrong you'll have to take your medicine if you cooperate we'll do all we can to help i live out in a wilshire district all i wanted was a little extra money we didn't take much we didn't think it was so wrong it was stealing for him you know that's wrong where you live out there pipe revenue 821 piper you won't give him my picture you live there with your family yeah my mother father's dead promise me you won't give him the picture my mother she'd see it i'll promise me you're working with a gang of those auto burgers we know that now who are they where are they and what's the setup i can't they'd get me for it who'd get you i can't tell you i can't who's your girlfriend stanley the one you're with tonight joann joann miller where does she live piper avenue same as me lives on the same block 866 at her home can never ever with her folks yeah mother and father they work and you got her into this is not the story she gave us ben i did not i didn't it was her she said a bunch of kids were doing it it was quick money something to do with night she started it all right romero i'll go see the girl you stay here with freeman right joe just stay put in that chair for him hi marge hello joe you and romero handling this case yeah i might talk to the girl a few minutes marge would you stand by right i'll sit over here all right miss what's your name agent address i told this lady cop 15 minutes ago i'm not saying anything all right i will tell you your name is joann miller you live at 866 piper avenue you live with your father and mother both of them work you're a liar that's not me you're 19 years old you live on the same block as your boyfriend stanley freeman and you're the one who got him mixed up in this game not right no it's not white it's not i didn't do anything it's only half the story freeman told us everything you want to hear the rest no stan wouldn't tell you he wouldn't he told us how you got him mixed up in it quick money that's what you told him didn't you know it was him i can prove it the rest of the kids will tell you he got me in this ask him i'll tell you it was stanley and fred milford and georgia jansen they started all three of them all right will you tell the story to a police stenographer i'll tell him everything he's not blaming this on me marge you will get this stenographer right now how many persons in this gang of yours know about ten or twelve and it's not my gang either he got me into this and now he's trying to lie his way out blaming me how long you've been doing this burglarizing cars me only about two weeks was supposed to be fun something to do at night the rest of them been at it a couple of months who's the head of the gang i told you it's him stanley and fred milford and jansen all three i only started going out with him two weeks ago maybe less all right joe am tell it to the stenographer the same way stenographer behind a minute too okay marge thanks stay with it just about a closed case ben girl gave us a full confession she didn't oh you're not tricking me again she didn't she told us you're one of the leaders of the gang stanley said you got her into all this the other two are george jansen and fred milford but it doesn't get in the gang all of them but your age isn't it right she's lying can't you tell she's lying she got me into the gang well she did she's milford's girlfriend ask her oh she can't lie out of that one she got me into it i can prove it who's the real leader of the gang milford he started it he organized the whole thing he collects the stuff we get and he delivers it jansen helps him do it what do you mean he delivers the stuff where does he deliver it now somewhere in dog town i think down around south main near the railroad yards who's it delivered to i don't know exactly i heard jansen mentioned the name ones myra he said it's supposed to be a big secret myra that that's all i remember where does jansen and milford lay him jansen rooms down on east flower 1042 i think it's a rooming house and milford lives two blocks over from me on quincy 234 quincy he lives with his grandmother got that been right all right let's pick up milford and jansen it was 10 minutes past one when ben and i returned to headquarters with george jansen and fred milford in our custody in jansen's room at 1042 east flower street we found two fur coats a box full of new car accessories an snw 38 revolver and a 45 automatic when we picked up fred milford at his home we discovered five deluxe car radios hidden in the garage plus a valuable assortment of cameras cigarette lighters and clothing both jansen and milford refused to talk but when we got them to headquarters and showed them the signed statements of stanley freeman and the girl joann miller they broke milford down where else did you and your gang operate besides the wilshire district no place only out there that's all the same type of car burgers have been committed all over the city you're telling us your gang didn't have a hand in it's a truth our territory was wilshire district we didn't go outside you mean some other gangs responses i don't know i know is we didn't have any part of them is there another gang milford maybe i don't know you find out none of my business it is your business milford you admit you and your gang committed 55 jobs in the past three and a half months that leaves about 200 jobs to be accounted for that's right you figure it out we have figured it out i think you and your gang of young thieves pulled every one of those 250 jobs there isn't any other gang that's the story of the district attorney is going to get you're crazy there is i know there is and give us the information to save yourself a lot of trouble we're not the only ones that's all i know milford do you know how many years you get for auto burger i told you we're not the only ones there must be a couple of others besides this vince mohoney he's got a gang where does mohoney operate west hollywood and Beverly where does he live i don't know honest i only met him a couple of times where'd you mean i don't remember where'd you meet him milford delivery i met him down at the delivery place couple of nights when you delivered the property you stole from cars is that right yeah where was in down by the railroad yard where share the street it's a little alley off who'd you deliver the stuff to he told you our names myra that's all i know we meet her and some guy on tuesday nights we give him the stuff and they pay us off the holy delivers the same night i do do you meet her every tuesday night yeah you're gonna meet her this tuesday to my name i don't know i guess same place yeah are you the only one she deals with sometimes joanne near joanne i know what you're thinking you want to use me to trap myra oh what's it worth you know better than that how about it milford give me another cigarette by 3 30 that morning the sign statements and confessions were piling up fast milford gave us a list of the names and addresses of each member in his game within an hour they were all under questioning at headquarters most of the suspects about one third of them girls ranged in age from 18 to 21 as they told their individual stories the scope of the case grew until it covered most of the city by late afternoon of the next day tuesday march 3rd three more gangs operating in venice belair and nor poly would have been apprehended they confessed to more than 175 burglaries from locked cars during the past three and a half months at five o'clock that afternoon ben and i met with chief backstrand in his office how many admissions you have now over 50 ed you're the gang leader statement that's this story that's pretty much the same they all say this woman myra set up operation you mean she got the kids and put them to work burglarizing cars well not exactly she picked the leaders contacted them and bars are on the street ask them if they wanted to pick up some spare money getting auto parts for then she didn't tell them to go out and burglarize cars well not in so many words ed no after they brought in all auto parts for a couple of weeks she told them to bring her everything they could find outside the car inside those the words she used five of the kids dictated those words into the sign confessions that should hold in court what else did you get on this woman oh she taught him how to work on the word gloves all angle well we got most of the small crime now where do we find this myra woman any description on her yeah kids say she's about 33 34 good looking for head head five feet five about 120 well great no description on the guy she runs with you run a make on her yet yeah no previous record we set up a stakeout for tonight two of the gang leaders have volunteered to go along this millford and vince mahogany good down on shabby's where she usually meets him yeah that's right when 11 15 that's a regular time for the meat according to the kid all right i'll be at home call me i don't want to miss out on this one when ben and i left ed backstrand's office we went home for dinner in a few hours sleep at 9 30 p.m we were back at the office we met the men in the special detail which backstranded the sign for the stakeout that night we briefed them on their duties and then we got Fred Milford and vince mahogany out of their cells to avoid any possible suspicion of the presence of a trap we had milford's permission to use his car in the stakeout the car which he had said he had driven to the delivery meetings with the woman myra at least a dozen times before we arrived at the stakeout area shabba's alley in east main at 9 58 the meeting was scheduled for 11 15 the moon was out but the sky was overcast and there was a cold wind blowing from the east hey what time you got sergeant hmm about 10 why milford getting nervous no i just wonder how your cop's gonna rig this thing in just a couple of minutes we're going to plant you two in milford's car parked up there in the alley well you stay there until myra shows up we'll do the rest yeah i know but what do we say suppose she asks for some stuff we ain't got any you won't need any you won't have much time for talking suppose she wises up maybe she'll pull a gun maybe does she carry one no never saw her with one don't worry milford we'll make sure you're not in danger i'm awful temper that redhead got mad at me once when i squawked at the price issue it's paying us for what was it paying you mahogany an eight tube radio grid shape seven bucks so you got all the gravy and you got all the grief you're not kidding joe are you yeah steve what do you got all the men are all staked out joe i got the area covered from every angle all right you got an extra man to stay in milford's car i'll handle that myself fine thanks okay won't say a deal yeah i'm milford mahogany we're gonna put you two in your car now that's going to be an officer with you so there's no need to be nervous or afraid you just sit in the car like natural when this minor drives up don't leave the car ever come to you you got it sure okay all right joe let's go sure is cold out i already have a heater in my car you're stolen that pub okay steve here they are all right boys milford get him first behind the wheel okay only in the middle but now sit in the back we'll be parking that garage across the street steve got a perfect view of the alley okay back check with you later all right mean night joe yeah come on it's cold here in the garage isn't it yeah and it might be a long way what time you got six minutes past 10 thank you hey joe what is it uh there's nothing about that patient car we're turning in the alley relax it's early lonely place dark gets on your that's it then half past 11 nothing yet somebody might have tipped her all yeah that's what i was afraid of now let's wait it out anyway joe that blue coupe then he just turned in the alley let's go come on run men behind you what'd you get steve here he is just drove up in the coupe got out and called milford mohoney by the first names he's in on it what about the girl no sign kid was the only one in the car all right tell him in the stakeouts offered and i'd have him report back in we'll take the kid with us okay all right young fellow this way your cops think it don't ain't done nothing look sport we heard that from 54 different kids yesterday we're tired of that line come on when we got back to the office we took the boy to the interrogation room and questioned him he gave his name as mathu lighter age 21 he wouldn't break until vince mohoney definitely identified him as a member of his car burglary gang and the special favorite of the redheaded woman they called myra then lighter copped out and told ben and i that he could talk with myra as late as 10 o'clock tonight he told us that she had heard that the police had picked up some of the gang members and she asked lighter to drive down to the shavis alley meeting place he was supposed to tell norford and mohoney that the weekly delivery date was off until further notice we questioned mathu lighter for an hour and a half uh you told us a little while ago that you talked with this woman myra late tonight yeah where'd you talk to her her home her home no be stupid nobody knows what she lives the matter at a bar which bar julius out of san omanico how did she contact you called me at home she's not that you're bad dame she treats you right sure that's why you're in jail did you ever call her on the phone i don't know her number none of the kids do she's smart she taught me all i know about the racket you'll have a rough time getting her maybe but we'll get her ben and i left the opposite two a.m and went home to bed we reported in at eight that morning to head back stream the three of us went down the street to kokin's restaurant for a cup of coffee nobody was in a good mood we had most or all the small fry in the city white burglary ring but it seemed we were still a long way from cracking the inner circle latter kid said that none of them knows where she lives what her phone number is nothing pricey sugary i think we still have a few angles to study on that score right now i've got some more bad news for you what's that you've been through your mail this morning well i check we have never seen i saw the overnight reports there were 32 car burglaries last night 32 all the way from wilmington to north hollywood how you figure it i can't this girl my room must have an army of kids working for how much did they get a young idea rough estimate about three thousand dollars usual stuff people are foolish enough to leave in their cars watches cameras furs expensive clothes and what was the same and like the others and the car happens to have a rigid handle lock they slip a piece of pipe over the handle for a lever and break it if that doesn't work they probably open the wing window some of the windows were smashed out i was like an awful hurried you know maybe this mile wants a few big nights before she pedals the stuff and gets out and if we're going to get her we can't waste time any suspects picked up last night's keeper none well where did they hit most of the car outside the pan pacific the parking lot hockey game going on must have been four thousand cars for them to pick over they picked the best as usual aren't you better get on it one way to handle it what's that she works fast you work a little faster she got back to the office and we went over the reports one by one then we called the young gang members to the interrogation room and questioned them separately and requested them we got nowhere many of them had met my room on the street in the bar but not one of them had any idea where she lived at least that's what they told us ben had a hunch that matthew lighter knew more than he was telling we had him brought to the interrogation room and all that afternoon until 10 o'clock that night with interruptions for his meal periods we talked with lighter he would admit nothing more than what he'd already told us yeah it's got me beat joe now let's check with him i'm my skipper in just went down the hall for a minute right back hold on a minute chief of detectors always handing yeah well you chop oh thanks oh yeah he does we'll be right over with sergeant hopkins over to jail yeah matthew lighter's got something to tell us says it's important have a chair here letter yeah thanks all right you wanted to see us i'm getting even with that dame myra i'm squaring with you yeah she told me if i was picked up she'd have me out in a couple of hours she promised me a lawyer if anything happened said she'd get me bail all right where can we find her i don't know if she's there now but you can find out at francisco motors big use car lot rise too it's out on melrose pass last year what's the time that's where she friends most of the stuff we stole some old guy she buddies with runs the place big shop in the back store a lot of hot stuff here barney yes we're through with him take him back we checked with teeth back strand and then we drove out to the francisco motor company we located in a corner of melrose and janeva avenue it was a big layout consisted of a large used car lot sign bantering the slogan deluxe auto accessories lowest prices in town along the back end of the lot there was a large l-shaped garage we found the man in charge and he gave his name as paul hackett the owner of the car lot in the garage we found the entrance to a large back storeroom was loaded with thousands of dollars where the bottle radios spotlights straight pulls of assorted car accessories special closets built into the walls of the garage contain racks of fur coats suits dresses below that smaller boxes containing watches and cameras all wrapped in tissue paper you can save all of us a lot of time and trouble by talking to us now let's hack it where is my i don't know who you're talking about i don't know what you're talking about and you explain what we just found in your garage i didn't know it was there i didn't know it was stolen well which is it mr hackett make up your mind i bought it but i didn't know it was stolen can't prove i did know i think we can prove it mr hackett some of those stolen car radios stored back there serial numbers are filed off in this workbench here's full of filings i i didn't know you'll have to do better than that how does myra figure in i don't know i don't know what you're talking about it's all right with us hackett we found the stuff and we got you we don't find myra you'll be doing time for two people stand still you can't you can't do this to me i i don't know anything about it come on hackett we're taking you in all right get in the car come on in the car am i going to jail you're going to jail all right i'll take it at myra hackett told us that myra lived at 1345 munich drive in beverly hills he said that he was myra's husband he told us that he'd been in a legitimate garage business for 10 years before he married myra she talked him into the racket he identified 1345 munich drive as their home when we got there we found stores of stolen properties similar to those found in the garage myra was not there hackett had no idea where she might be we sat down in the living room and waited one hour two hours three hours after five hours of waiting them are not being started to wear on everybody's nerves especially hackett's the whole thing it was her idea i should have known all first she did this to me i won't take it alone where is she you tell us hackett told you i don't know she couldn't have gone she didn't know i'm not going to try to quiet down quiet down that's your pa thought i heard you talking to some goosey the police myra the police your smart kids told them the whole story what are you talking about my smart kids what are these cops over here know that's enough get your dirty hands off me go like kids right joe she gotta do you know and that ought to hold you for a while all right come on you two let's go all right copper you win stupid husband how many times i tell you don't set those kids don't throw the stuff in the garage don't open it for anybody get a lawyer no you know better don't jerk the idea of no cop camping in the living room waiting for me why didn't you warn me i'm gonna divorce you that's what i'm gonna do i'll stick you for plenty jerk all right inside you two you got a smoke bin yeah those kids were right just pretty nice looking woman yeah nice face beautiful figure mm-hmm sure talks a lot though didn't she yeah hey joe remind me to take home some flowers to my wife tonight wouldn't you the story you have just heard is true only the names were changed to protect the innocent paul and myra hackett were tried and convicted on seven separate counts of receiving stolen property they are now serving out their sentences in the state penitentiary realizing that most of the young persons involved in the case were influenced by the strong personality of paul and myra hackett a separate investigation was made into the backgrounds and home life of the young offenders in most cases they were found to be basically good and they were placed on probation and returned to their homes you have just heard the 13th in a new series of authentic cases from official files technical advice for dragnet comes from the office of w a worton acting chief of police los angeles police department tonight's program is dedicated to detective harry william boss per the seattle washington police department who on the night of july 21st 1949 gave his life so that yours might be more secure dragnet came to you from los angeles and now an important announcement starting this saturday september 3rd dragnet will be heard at a new time over your nbc station consult your local newspaper for the new listening time and now speaking in behalf of the producers in the entire cast of dragnet we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your many kind letters of encouragement and approval remember next saturday for dragnet this is nbc the national broadcasting company show usually heard at this time has moved to a new time period on sunday night be sure to hear larry dug lispin k arman on the new pet milk show tomorrow night on nbc and now here's another nbc's great parade of new shows the story you are about to hear is true only the names have been changed to protect the innocent mbc brings you dragnet you're a detective sergeant you're assigned to the homicide detail a man's wife has suddenly dropped from sight on the surface it appears only as a routine mission curtain case you start to investigate suspicion grows there is evidence of possible foul play your job find the woman or find her murderer dragnet the talky method drama of an actual crime investigated himself by the men who unrelentingly stand watch on the security of your home your family and your life 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 to 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 september 15th it was warm in los angeles we were working a day watch out on homicide my partner's ben romero the boss is ed backstrand chief of detectives my name's friday i was on the way back from lunch and it was 12 56 when i got to room 42 homicide hi joe waiting for you hi ben hell i hear you got something for us here's a report right here talking about the name eric kelby called in day four yesterday said his wife disappeared from their home out in the valley sunday night says he thinks she left it what happens every day about getting you know not this way it doesn't waltz and i went out yesterday to interview the guy so he doesn't add why not none of her clothes are missing none of her luggage she even left her pocketbook behind full of money found out from the neighbors the missing woman is a 17 year old boy by a former marriage or what an only child mother dotes on the kid shouldn't even say goodbye to him i'm just very kelby impression pretty grouchy with waltz and me no cooperation wants to find his wife doesn't he i don't know if he does or not no help i'll tell you that i see that report a minute now yeah maybe trombone kelby age 39 kelby's a second husband first one died a little after the boy was born he was prepared sunday night from his home 546 last go road from 17 o'clock what did kelby call him monday afternoon said he thought his wife might be spending the night with his sister and he found out she wasn't called it you meet the boy while you were out there bugging yeah that's another thing he came riding in on a bike while we were talking to one of the neighbors trying to talk to him but the old man came out hustling inside the house then he starts eating us out what'd he say told us it was our job to find his wife not to go prying into a step-son's affair that's a new slant how about her friends and relatives around here yeah any besides your sister tithing won't she locate a couple of rats you think he's checking at them i'll tell you boys that this one out there maybe he got the names of mrs kelby's relatives oh yeah right over here yeah how's it feel to you then i don't know that is anything else funny about the guy uh i don't know let me hear those names too kelby was upset all right for some reason didn't strike me as reacting the way a normal guy reacts when his wife disappears all right now how would you react margherita is worrying again oh no listen boys it's no fooling matter this is one i'll bet on it's a homicide all right i'm gonna copy this before yeah uh we're gonna get the phone missing persons for getting who's that oh uh yes yes about why oh sure all right four o'clock yeah goodbye that was kelby stepson what do you want i think something's happened to his mother in police work missing persons detail is not a department separate in itself that is organized as a part of the homicide bureau according to bargetti who took the call the boy said he suspected he stepped on and he didn't want him to know of any meaning between him and police officers he would meet the officers that afternoon at 4 p.m in a restaurant in the corner of hollywood boulevard and fairfax avenue at 3 15 ben and i left the office and drove off to the meeting place the very land fountain and coffee shop we arrived there at 3 45 at eight minutes to five the kelby boys still have not arrived no she's not very prompt let's wait a little while longer well yeah thanks not more coffee no thanks i guess the boys aren't gonna show think something's happened 15 minutes after we left the coffee shop we drove up in front of the gate of the kelby nursery on belasco road the house itself was set well back on the property we covered about four acres the entire nursery was surrounded by a six foot steel wire fence it looked like almost every available foot of ground inside was planted with some kind of a flower or shrub kelby medicine yes what do you man want please over do you meant to kill me yes what do you want well if you'll shut those dogs up for a minute we'd like to ask you a few questions i'm busy now can't you come back tomorrow pretty important mr kelby i think we better talk right now giant sound we're two hundred and five all right now what do you want mind if we come inside these watchdogs of mine are pretty vicious we can talk here at the gate all right mr kelby this is sergeant romero my name's friday we've been assigned to look into your wife's disappearance oh you find anything yet nothing definite maybe you can help us would you tell us exactly what happened to match your wife's disappearance what do you mean what happened well when did you last see her didn't you first notice he was gone you finished up sunday night dinner about seven o'clock my lay down for nap agnes went out on the front porch for some air woke up a little before eight went outside to look for her seems gone nobody saw her leaves mr kelby not as i know well maybe some of our nosy neighbors i don't know how about your stepson wasn't he around sunday night bruce no went out to a show some other kids when did he get back from the chill about ten thanks why where's your step son now who you looking for my wife or my step son both mr kelby where's your step son gone i took him over to my sister's now hamper and feeling bad since her mother disappeared figured the change of doing good what did you take him over your sister selby this afternoon what's that got to do with it we'd like to talk to bruce no i can't allow it the boy's too upset i can't allow it i'm afraid you're gonna have to allow it listen mr you can get off this property right now no cops giving me sad nobody's giving you a sad selby we want to talk to your stepson that's all you might give us a clue to the whereabouts of your wife and i say you can't see the boss oh you cops couldn't find thorns in a rose batch get somebody else to look for agnes it's my business anyway nobody else our business too if any things happen to us what are you talking about you better get your coat mr kelby we're taking in for questioning you come through that gate and i'm gonna let these dogs go accidentally i hate to shoot the dog go on the house and get your coat eric kelby turned and made his way up the path and into the house five minutes later he came out without a word to either of us he came down the path closed the gate behind him and got into our car on the way back to headquarters scattered pleasantly about the weather and nursery business and his dog when we pulled up in front of the city hall we met the reason for the sudden change in temperament his lawyer was waiting for us at the door we took kelby to one of the interrogation rooms his lawyer tagged along we tried to question him but the lawyer objected to two out of every three questions we asked was hopeless to be noticed so did the lawyer we released kelby but we did get the name and address of his sister where the stepson bruce was staying after they left then i got back in the car and drove out to al-hayam but the gentleman boy again he had this in fact right joe real sleep yeah i'd like to know how the stepson missed that date with us this afternoon learn if they keep going from the house they set products they're overhearing possible this is how far to be along with watching yeah i'd say 1408 1406 howdy joe a great car he's 1402 bright nice looking little place isn't it well kept nice neighborhood i wonder how the lock prices run out here yes what is it police officers ma'am are you miss kelby first miss kelby yes that's ma'am why we talked to your brother earlier today miss kelby he said that you brought his steps on bruce here to stay for a while we'd like to see him bruce yes he would have here to about a one hour and a half ago i went to the store when i came back he was gone have you any idea where he might be miss kelby well i called up on my brother eric's place just before you came to the door he's not there i don't know where he might be worried about him he seems so upset business about his mother's disappearance you know she might have we came in and looked around the film well no we went in and looked the house over from one end to the other it wasn't a trace of the boy we drove back to kelby's nursery and satisfied ourselves the boy wasn't there then we came back to al-hambra and we kept an eye on miss bertha kelby's home until midnight no one came or went at five minutes past midnight the lights went off in the living room a few minutes later in the back of the house the next morning when ben and i checked in for work as usual at eight o'clock we met the captain of homicide frank cerny what makes you too so positive there has been any foul play in this kelby thing much yes yes but not positive it's a whole set of the smell bank for instance that lawyer a man's innocent he doesn't need a lawyer to sit with him in the interrogation room and tell him not to answer the question number two that kid's telephone call maybe he doesn't get along with his stepfather he happens you know maybe he's trying to get back at him for something or other maybe and why is kelby hiding him out you're sure he's hiding him out no other way to take it can the kelby woman walked away from her home Sunday night nobody saw her she took nothing with her no clothes no luggage no money he checked with a family doctor yesterday he told us mrs kelby was in perfect health we double checked the wanderers file and the repeaters file and missing persons couldn't find a name of either one how about her relatives in town haven't had a chance to talk to him yet yeah we'll check them this morning well one thing's certain the woman couldn't have gone very far we checked the sheriff's office and gales the hospital sent out a type and an apb the cop in the city had her description she's been gone almost four days but nobody's seen her i look at that up to you it doesn't you better move on it check every one of mrs kelby's friends and relatives right friend then try the neighbors as long as i've been a cop neighbors have been able to tell everything about anyone all that day ben and i made the round first stop was the western national bank where mrs kelby maintained her account her saving statement showed a total balance of 31 564 dollars and 17 cents her separate checking account had a balance of 842 dollars and 71 cents at the farmer's mutual we found the record of an insurance policy issued to agnes trumble kelby it was a 20 pay life policy covering the insured in the amount of 30 000 dollars the beneficiary was listed as the insured son bruce trumble kelby if living upon the receipt of that due proof if not the insured husband eric jay's the time we finished checking her financial status the odds were piling up fast from only casual reports we knew that eric kelby was a frugal man if he was greedy as well if he wanted and needed money badly enough to kill then he had all the motives necessary to murder his wife maybe his stepson too then a night started to make rounds of mrs kelby's friends and relatives our first stop was at the apartment of agnes kelby's sister a talkative maiden lady in her early 60s agnes just isn't that kind oh i'm worried sick about this i really am and bruce the poor lad he must be hot sick and eric what does eric say about all this he says he thinks his wife's left him why that's ridiculous i'm strange and you think of any good reasons why your sister would leave mr kelby i know they had kids of course small ones but of course there was that argument about bruce the two of them always seem to be arguing about bruce how do you mean man oh well raising the boy and all you know last time i talked to them they were talking about whether or not bruce should be paid for working in the nursery for eric and the thing to think eric seemed to be so upset about it all imagine all in the counter saying the boy a few dollars for good honest working that's delinuously well you know i'm the outspoken kind and i just told it eric i said don't be an old meanie paid the boy that was the extent of the information which mrs kelby's sister had to offer next we call it an aunt mrs james d trumbull 83 years old she could hardly understand our questions let alone answering she hadn't seen her niece agnes in a year after that we paid a visit to one of mrs kelby's friends a mrs lillian humboldt well i'm sorry sergeant but i can't think of any good reason why she wouldn't leave it you know that silly business about bruce got out of him you know maybe eric is something you can tell me next we call on baby mccloud who worked as a daymaver mrs kelby officer what mrs kelby thought what they said what they did it's none of my business i come in the morning i do my work i do it well not the nosy type and i don't try i take half an hour for lunch from when i'm through i take my pay in i don't expect tips and i take the bus home i'm not sticking to the keyhole kind sneaking around corners listening but what i couldn't tell you about that man exactly what do you mean mrs kelby oh he's a hard man you're always arguing about the boy who's this who's that he's a nice boy i think he's never done anything to me oh but the ice him and her all the time did the boy be paid for working why why when ben and i finished with the mr. mrs kelby's friend and relatives employees we started out on the neighbors none of them saw mrs kelby after 6 p.m the night he disappeared two of the neighbors said they saw the porch light burning after 7 p.m but both said the porch was empty mrs kelby was not sitting in a chair at the usual time after dinner according to them that was one of her habits it was 10 minutes to six for the time ben and i got back to the office the light was still burning the captain's all day jill another morning and i don't know what the captain's hanging around for that's fine now get anything pretty good luck camp good i've got some more for you just walked in five minutes ago what do you mean frank who walked in bruce kelby he's waiting in the next room we went in the next room and met bruce kelby who was small for a 17 year old dark-haired and a little on the sickly side he told us that he couldn't keep the date he made with us on the phone because his stepfather apparently did overhear the conversation and drove him directly to his sister's home in alhambra we asked him why we're so sure that his stepfather was responsible for his mother's sudden disappearance but one thing all three of us usually go to the early show on sunday night eric mom and me but last sunday eric said he wasn't feeling good and he wanted mom to stay home and take care of him then he told me to go on ahead to the show so i did what time did you get home son about 9 30 quarter to 10 what was your stepfather doing when you go sitting in the living room reading the paper you notice anything unusual about the way he acted he was nervous and jumpy more than usual i think anything else yes sir when i came in through the front yard i noticed the dogs had mud all over their paws they'd been out somewhere in the nursery plots and they won't go out in the plots unless eric's with him he doesn't want him to trample the seedlings what would your stepfather be doing out in the nursery at night does he usually doesn't work at night no sir none of the plots are even lighted only the greenhouse and the pads in the greenhouses are usually graveled i think no mud around it's my job to see that the greenhouse pads are kept graveled i know they're not muddy i fixed them a day before saturday what do you think it means son well i don't know i i don't want to think about it i just know he's done something he's done something to her did your stepfather give me any reason for keeping you away from the police officers the other day no sir he said people were getting nosy and he said it might be better for me over at aunt bertha's he's his sister do you think your aunt bertha might know where your mother is no we hardly ever see her we don't know her well at all we've heard your mother and your stepfather argued about whether you should be paid for your work in the nursery when i started the work for him he promised he'd pay me i was saving up to buy a 31 model eight and then after a couple of months when he didn't pay me i ask him he told me i ought to be glad to work for him for nothing and your mother argued with him over that sure it was her money that bought the nursery anyway how'd you get away from your aunt's place last night well bertha had some shopping to do and she left me alone she locked the door to my room evenly screening over the window in my room was nailed down but i kicked it out and got away i uh stayed at a friend's house last night thought about where you're gonna stay tonight well i don't know well i'm not going home and i'm not going back to bertha's place either i'll get a room how'd you like to stay at my house a few days sure nice of you sir maybe i'd better not mom might not like it oh i'll take care of that now let's help out and get some dinner sure during nice of you sir all right son come with me what do you think joe he could be lying yeah now what cap can we bring kelby in again no not yet he's found out by now from his sister that the boy's gone he probably figures the police station is the first place he'd come wouldn't do much good pulling him in now then he couldn't even question him tender when his lawyer be waiting for us when we got back that's the problem how do we get to this kelby without his lawyer finding out well what about the early morning cap say tomorrow about five or six i am i think you'd be looking for us then yeah i might do it you can just get by that pack of houndsie without waking the whole neighborhood like work if we could just question him alone i've got an idea it wouldn't take much to make him cop out all right give it a try get out there in the early morning and bring him in for questioning as quietly as possible i'll be in at six a.m if you want me before then call me at home all right friend kelby's got a smart lawyer it's going to be plenty hard to convict him without a body and corroborating evidence he's got four acres out there cab you can hide a lot of bodies in four acres that's what i mean this case isn't ending it's just beginning the next morning ben and i met at the office about a few minutes past four a.m we had a kind of coffee and a donut and an all night restaurant and then we started to the kelby place out on belasco road we took four pounds of fresh horse meat with it to keep the dogs quiet if they raised a buck it was 28 minutes past four when ben pulled the car to a stop a few hundred feet from the gate from the kelby nursing we got out of the car and made our way down the road to the gate i reached in inside the land this padlock the dog started in okay then looks like we'll have to jump up there how some of that horse meat over to us yeah here come on let's climb keep an eye on those hounds looks like they can chew your legs off yeah that comes with a burden ben's awesome or me yeah there you are boy go get it go get it then tonight's going on in the house come on let's make it fast who is it who's there i'll set the dogs on you police officers mr kelby what what are you doing out here this time of night you're under arrest kelby get your coat you've got to ask him for a peck of trouble get your coat where's my step son what you're done with him what have you done with your wife you're gonna pay for this i'll have your job that's not the first time we heard that kelby let's go let's burn in the captain's office yeah all right i'll be in here safe for this mark my words ben take him in the opportunity to stay with him i'll see a frank in yet right yeah come on kelby inside friday you bring in galby he's down in the interrogation room ben's with him somebody saw you don't think so they must have galby's lawyer sitting in the next room kelby again refused to answer any questions without the advice of his attorney we released him that day captain attorney sent out two men to keep an eye on the nursery and report on all of kelby's movement shortly after seven o'clock that night just after nightfall we tried once again to bring in kelby for questioning without his lawyer's knowledge it didn't work a little after we booked him his lawyer obtained a writ of habeas corpus we had to release him again the two men are trying to stake out the kelby place reported definitely that somebody was tipping the lawyer whenever unknown visitors showed up at the nursery and drove off of kelby there's nothing we could do about it next morning attorney came up with a lead i had a long talk with the boy last night accidentally i think he's given us a pretty good lead yeah there's only one way we'll ever get a conviction that's by finding the body and evidence to tie kelby in that'll do it where do we start looking in a new rose bed next to one of the greenhouses in kelby's nursery the kid came up with it last night i'll tell him first kelby's crazy about saving a dollar and making one yeah in the nursery trade especially where you have a limited area to work in like kelby you cultivate every foot of ground every bit of soil you've got is planted with something kelby's not the type to waste anything especially he's not the kind that would let ground life follow when he could plant something that might bring in a few dollars next season roose tells me a stepfather has every inch of those four acres planted every inch except a six by nine foot plot of ground in that rose garden sounds like a long shot to me frank boy said he prepared that piece of ground for planting late saturday afternoon his stepfather wanted it ready for sunday morning the plot of ground still vacant might have planted yesterday cap when's the last time we checked before i came to work this morning i called the men on stake out next to the nursery they tell me the plot's still empty worth a chance frank what do we look at over tonight i don't want kelby or his lawyer to know a thing until we find that body well how are we gonna work we'll order up a crew from the crime lab they can take probings through that plot and all around it they can tell us without any guesswork how deep that ground's been worked over lately when do you want to start be here in the office at 8 30 tonight if my hunches are any good we'll find the body we're 10 minutes past nine that's night when we got to the kelby place lieutenant lee jones and his assistant attorney ben and two other men from homicide the men on stake out to us with kelby at left about 20 minutes before in a dark blue soup then brought along the usual supply of horse meat for the dogs so we didn't have any trouble there we found the empty plot of ground in the rose bed next to the greenhouse exactly as bruce described it to kernie ground's been worked over all right boys at least four to five feet down all right lee let's start digging well marrow take care of the dogs watch and grab one of these shovels right captain hey you ever said these dogs are vacous didn't they yeah why look at these hounds and no more vicious and lively so look diggin get that light over here what is it thanks what is it lee let me see tea set a false tea been in the ground long don't think so judging from the shape they're in how far down we stay yowling a couple feet the ground's real soft me mirror minute what is it body here's the shoulder all right you men over here with Watson get the dirt off the face Romero you got a picture of the kelby woman yeah captain let's see I hate it thanks get the light down here don't you pay it off Frank that's her Ben and I went back to the car notified communications to broadcast a want for murder on Eric Kelby's his description together with a description of the car and license number the car he was driving was rebroadcast every 15 minutes then we went back to check the house we found the front door unlocked we went inside and looked around in one bedroom we found clothes scattered over the bed and the floor there was only one old soup remaining in the closet on the table next to the bed we found an airline's timetable we got to the phone and notified communications to alert all police details at railroad stations bus terminals and airlines and then to send out an APV on the telethide after that we checked with the airline one of them told us that a man answering Kelby's description had booked passage for Mexico City the plane was scheduled to take off at 10 40 that night from Burbank Airport Ben's watch said four minutes past 10 they called the detail at the airport and alerted them then we drove over to check in person it was 10 35 p.m when Ben and I took up our positions just inside gate three where passengers were boarding flight 72 from Mexico City he's cutting it close Joe got about four minutes more in my cat plane we waited the crowd got thicker his departure time came closer at 10 39 Eric Kelby came to the main entrance across the terminal through gate three into a pair of hands I don't understand what this means we found your wife buddy Kelby what I don't know what you're talking about in the roadside next to the greenhouse your lawyer can't help this time Mexico City you've been a nice trip expensive he didn't sense it I didn't know what I was doing be a nice vacation next year Joe Mexico City I'm gonna talk to my wife about it I didn't mean it she slapped me we were arguing about the boy I didn't mean it I don't know if you did or not Kelly but you kill it come on you missed your point the story you have just heard is true only the names were changed to protect the innocent Eric Kelby was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree he is now awaiting execution in the lethal gas chamber at the state penitentiary you have just heard the 14th in the new series of authentic cases transcribed from official files technical advice for dragnet comes from the office of W. A. Wharton acting chief of police Los Angeles police department tonight's program is dedicated to William J. Weston Jr. of the Washington D. C. police department who on the evening of March 4th 1945 gave his life so that yours might be more secure dragnet came to you from Los Angeles if you enjoy tonight's production of dragnet you'll want to listen to Richard Diamond private detective as played by the stream romantic tough guy Dick Powell a pet milk show usually heard of this time has moved to a new time period on sunday night be sure to hear Larry Douglas and Kay Arman on the new pet milk show tomorrow night on NBC this is NBC the national broadcasting company here's another NBC great parade of new shows ladies and gentlemen the story you're about to hear is true only the names have been changed to perfect the incident NBC brings you dragnet you're a detective sergeant you're assigned to homicide details a 22-year-old girl has disappeared a letter has been received it demands 30 thousand dollars make sure the letter is signed the wolf your job get him dragnet the documented drama of an actual crime investigated and solved by the men who unrelentingly stand watch on the security of your home your family and your life for the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles police department you will travel step by step on the side of law to an actual case transcribe from official police files from beginning to end from crime to punishment dragnet is the story of your police force in action routing in Los Angeles we're working tonight to watch out a homicide my partner's Ben Romero the boss is Ed Backstrand chief detective my name's Brian I was on the way back to the stats office and it was 3 26 a.m. when I got to room 42 I'm a shite that does not get 40 okay there thanks Harris Backstrand leave yes in a minute I'm going out with him what's your address out there it's all of you like 814 Castro Boulevard you go straight out Santa Monica take a left of Castro are you ready chief yeah friday you call Romero yet right now get on it there's one we don't rule with yeah come on Harris sorry to wake you Ben this is Joe how you feeling oh hi Joe what time is it 3 30 a.m. how do you feel oh not better be back to work tomorrow if you're ready in 20 minutes I'll pick you up 20 minutes okay what's up you remember Martin Sullivan vice president of the third national bank yeah yeah what about it got a 22 year old daughter he had one he's gone that's a good time Joe where are we heading Sullivan home out on Castro Boulevard it's out there now with Harris and he needs to work on oh nothing so far the girl disappeared a little before one o'clock yesterday afternoon 11 last night he got a letter and won $30,000 Sullivan hasn't got that kind of money yeah I know it poor guy's almost out of his mind tell me and how it happened oh the guy took the girl out of business school he had her called out of class told her father was sick said he was a friend of the family and how about the teachers what was that doing so the girl didn't want to go with a man at first he finally talked her into it kept telling her father was dying that's about as low as it comes yeah did he use the car witnesses said it was a blue sedan they didn't get the license number of the make did they remember what the guy looked like about five nine one sixty brown suits out there hmm nothing else no here's a copy of the letter as usual read it yeah and I have your daughter Judy get what's that $30,000 $30,000 quick if you want her back alive don't call police or I'll kill her contact you later find it um what way a wolf I could think of a better name come on here we are you've got the original note you know play Joe without the crime while I be checking it for prints and handwriting well do it oh hi David right on the hardboard quick quick right there hi Joe Ben thank you that's the way I see it mr. Sullivan how you understand exactly what you have to do yes I'll do as you say all right here are the two men who'll help you sergeant friday and sergeant romero homicide man you know mr. backstrand I are you sure about all this you might get frightened you might do something to do to him believe me mr. Sullivan the only way I know how you must feel but you can't do anything all right I'm going to see mr. Sullivan first and I'll be ready in a moment any development yeah come on back in the dining room there it is on the table I can milk from the guy that was mine when this comes about half an hour ago the guy phoned it into western union from a public booth couldn't trace it I think yeah be at a legion park five o'clock this morning near walk and drive come alone bring 30 000 we'll return zero don't tell cops tell her if they do you will or I am not here not much time I know I have to do what he says no other way than Sullivan's going out there alone you're going with him you're in romero you'll be hidden out in the trunk of the car any plan get in that's all better than I went out the back door and into the Sullivan garage we jammed ourselves into the trunk apartment and Harris closed the door on it the lights were spec so that the door could be pushed open from the inside a few minutes later mr. Sullivan came out got in the car and we drove off at three minutes to five we pulled up at the meeting place in the legion park we waited nothing happened the five minutes past five it started to thunders the floor we made uh thunders on the truck it was pacing up and down a long time ago there's the undercover what happened to the wall cold feet maybe let's wait it out what time you got now over the money I want you yeah little past five target mr. Sullivan yeah he's coming he's getting daylight we better wait it out mr. Sullivan oh look I'll come back here again if he's watching you might tip him off oh coming back here and I'll watch it at your end yeah the meeting's up clamp my leg I'm trapped all over mr. Sullivan back back home we'll contact you then all right then Joe went over the car what the story is the guy had no intention of following through with this meeting tonight well how come he told us going to five o'clock try to trace the call he wouldn't stand a line one day after saying wanted more money bragged about how smart he was I would never get him when he knows Sullivan's called him a police sure said he didn't care we'd never get him anyway pretty cocky pretty smart take my word for it he's no dummy I'll get it 80k to control one eight okay to control one go ahead all right from my own let's roll more than 12 hours of passing for the beauty Sullivan system during that time at all points bulletin containing the description of the suspect his car and the girl has been sent out on the teletype so law enforcement agencies are on the area the same distance kept over the police radio every hour the Sullivan home has been placed under strict surveillance and mr. Sullivan instructed not to contact the suspect without telling to the police he raised almost ten thousand dollars in cash to buy him off the serial number on each one of the bills has been copied by a police photographer and then rechecked by a homicide officer so far the world could be called himself had made three separate contacts but he covered his tracks well we knew that he was somewhere in the city 500 square miles of it and we know we had to find it fast with 18 minutes past six when we got back to homicide hey brother do you got something for us Mike yeah there's a letter special delivery came in about 25 minutes and I see that Mike yeah that's him according to the post mark he must have been able to run up to re-grab the girl stay away from Sullivan if the kid's found dead it's your fault stay away the wolf all right Mike get it over the climb I've been having to check it for brain fractures we find any friends on the second note Mike too London's who are and I now right here we'll get down there and see if they got to make I'll call up the Sullivan's and check with Eric right ahead and flip over we'll be watching the Sullivan now it's right here uh Senator and David that's where the girl father's gotta make a deal with the guy have you spotted him yeah he couldn't blame him if he did we're seeing hi fellas just coming down to see him that's not a lie those two prints lead Jones misses off that letter gotta make on them from a single print file good Larry let's see there it is for the whole package on them Donald Alfred Keeper looks like a real bad one doesn't Donald Alfred Keeper male Caucasian age 29 5 feet 8 in 107 pounds brown eyes dark brown hands he had one previous rep for forgery in Los Angeles 10 months before Keeper's occupation at the time to the rest was listed in bank first that's the third national bank then went back into the files and pulled the crime report then we called it back then at the time Keeper pulled that forgery job at the bank mr. Sullivan was one of the vice presidents going Sullivan was the one who preferred charges against Keeper and all of these prosecutions where's this keeping them place on probation on May 16th this year he returned to his home in Omaha Nebraska at 1380 Mackinac Island I have a man get Omaha on the phone have him check out keep it right give it right in take his package and this note down to Don Myers have him check the handwriting and get over to the crime lab and see what Jones lifted off that last letter we got all right that's the faster we work the faster we'll put this guy behind bars now move out the writing for Don what you find yeah that's good see ya plant is crosses double-oop surveil open any is pressure on the downstroke Donald Keeper who's made it right that's the three prints off this last note Joe brought him out to the I don't human guns imagine the first I don't know it'll help you much we examine the paper for water marks and texture both notes are written on the same kind of paper question show both pieces of paper from the same tablet check the density of the carbon and the pencil we use both specimens may be in our mid-afternoon Donald Keeper description has been broadcast throughout the area bulletins were dispatched to all departments and an APD was televised to the entire state men were stationed at every post office in the city to watch for notes that might come through the mail the bus depots railroad terminals the airports and all the main roads moving out of the city were under strict surveillance the entire Los Angeles area was broken down into single square mile districts in the house-to-house cans and started the squad of men were assigned to cover each square mile outlying towns and cities were requested to do the same by five o'clock that afternoon the greatest stagnant operation in the history of the city was underway they were sure Donald Keeper was somewhere inside at 12 minutes past five then got the call back from the Omaha police yeah yeah i got it six x-ray four one nine Nebraska plate right well thank you a lot yeah bye they had to make up the kind lots more the Omaha cops looking for Keeper too wanting for a robbery that two months ago yeah that robbery used to store in 1939 blue to dance the Nebraska license plate six x-ray four one nine how about his family they all been checked yeah they said people left Omaha about six weeks ago and nowhere was any that kind of stripping is making APDs all the time but i'll tell you right yeah what are you tied up with we've just got to call from Omaha make on Keeper in the car give it to me you can get out of the Sullivan house as fast as you can see Harris what's happening kill mutton Sullivan's disappeared all right Harris hard to count about three this afternoon mr Sullivan got a phone call so he had to go down to the bank and went with him he had me wait in the reception room he went in his office he was waiting 10 minutes i got suspicious and went in he was gone he said did he get any more money this morning $5,000 you get the serial numbers off the bills yeah let me get out of my sight forget it right now we've got to find out where he's going to meet Keeper you talked to mr Sullivan about it Harris says he doesn't know anything about it let's try her again come on let's go inside hi brother hi where's mr Sullivan Dave i can sit in your line down doctor's with it come on the time you had been 635 i'll get it hello where are you where are you now where are you now we'll be right out with Martin Sullivan he met with Keeper from the Laurel Canyon didn't get his daughter back yeah left the newspapers all cars in the area were notified that a contact had been made with Keeper we got in the car and drove out to Laurel Canyon the entire area had been blocked off we found Martin Sullivan standing in the middle of the road at the end of East winding way 500 feet down the hill with the private residents where Sullivan had telephoned was the only building in the immediate vicinity few yards beyond the point where he was winding way in back in a club of tall grass we found the body of Martin Sullivan's daughter we notified the crime lab to backstand in the corner despite a severe state of emotional shock Martin Sullivan tried to tell us the story he said do you it's all right i believed him he wanted to back trick the officers of the one watching me come along no police did you see his car Mr. Sullivan what did you think i wanted to do but i did as he said i drove here six o'clock and waited put the money in the front seat like he said did he get the money Mr. Sullivan and then i got out of the parking nights and stood up there by the end of the road waiting Mr. Sullivan and then over he said did you see his car he said he was going to do a treat Mr. Sullivan did you see his car i went look they went into a state of complete to laugh we showed Martin Sullivan a picture of Donald Alford he definitely identified the information was immediately relayed back to central division rebroadcast the entire police radio system a teletype was dispatched to sheriff's offices and communications were sent to police stations throughout the country the house the house searched throughout the entire city intensified the drag network we hope to trap Donald people with drawing slowly in was 12 midnight brownie did the papers get a list of the numbers in advance of money yeah got him in the final night edition two and a half pages of serial numbers gave him the big spread look at these pictures of keeper here all over the front page the more the better roman i hope this town never forget that face good reminder you don't make deals with killers hi fellas come on over find the thing you're late let's check in all of these towels here on the raptor on the girl's body inside the papers the only thing about those papers but sadly they're all yesterday's every story about the girl's disappearance has been clipped maybe the guy's making up a crap about the towels jones any laundry marks no i don't want to so far and every one of them was clipped off pretty smart i'm all close to the body and they're doing it now the nasty one yeah you got any footprints or tire marks out where they found the body lots of them all cast lots of you and taylor are checking them out what is it jones i don't know i'm on the scene here this towel is where i'm at jones that's that's that's that's that's back under the scene there that's one taggy miss any markings lee yeah greenway apartment los angeles one look at the apartment was enough and in the joining garage we found the car which keeper here a blue sedan Nebraska like a plate six x-ray four one nine when we got back to the office keep back your enemies into the cancellation of the warrant order for the blue sedan then he ordered a detail of men to stake out the car in the event people decided to come back for it here's a cornered report you know all it's in one of the death strangulation time of death monday october 18th approximately two p.m. one hour actually planning it can't be right kippin he's off he's out for a minute hey so ben take the call of two five oh three will you thanks my friend would you give me the call on two five oh three please thanks hello yeah yeah when we'll be right over some of the ransom money ben just showed up Beverly in highland come on the man's name was Ralph donahue he operated the youth car lot on the corner of Beverly in highland he told us that early that morning he sold a dark blue late model coupe to a man who gave his name is bread sims the man paid for the car in cash donahue told us that he checked the serial numbers on the build after the man had driven away serial numbers check out you know everyone um if i only thought to look officer and you know i generally do i'm the suspicious kind anyway but oh this morning i must have been asleep we got the full description on the car man yeah yeah all right let's get on the air right away i saw his mug in the paper while i was waiting for you too late sorry yeah thanks 10 minutes past three that afternoon another piece of the ransom money turned up at a busy downtown department store the clerk was unable to remember who gave her the bill the detail throughout the general downtown area was strengthened a house-to-house search of the entire city for duty Sullivan the murderer went on the afternoon dragged into the early evening at 20 minutes to seven ben and i had a hamburger and a cup of coffee in the drugstore at east broadway and third and then we got back in the car checked with communications we started cruising the neighborhood again nine minutes to eight a man answering the description of donald kieber was seen crossing sunsets boulevard just below highland seven minutes later the same man was recorded near the intersection of hollywood boulevard in last parliament communications relayed the information at 21 minutes past eight our car 80 k along with a dozen others were concentrated in the hollywood boulevard area from galler street to labrea franklone avenue to san alemanica boulevard at 24 minutes past eight another piece of the ransom money was passed at a cigar store in the corner of hollywood boulevard and farthorne street the number of men and radio cars in the area was redoubled plain clothes officers were stationed at every intersection to keep an eye on pedestrian traffic at 18 minutes to nine the dark blue poop which keeper had bought that morning was spotted parked in an alley just below hollywood boulevard and kalinga we call it backstreet sitting all two 503 two bottle three chief of detectives always having a spidey mic chief there yeah wait a minute just going off the door that is for you backstreet right again just spotted keeper's car the one he bought this morning parked in an alley off kalinga eris and i on our web and um we'll take care of the car you take care of this call just came in what he got the theater on the corner of hollywood boulevard and fairview girl in the box office just took in a $10 ransom bill yeah you got a good look at the manifesto she says it's keeper all right then come on yeah you got the list of serial numbers right here let's check out the window yes sir how many police officers sergeant remember sergeant friday oh yes sir mr raven the police are here would you step around to the side door sergeant yes ma'am margie release francis for a minute francis come here bring that $10 bill with you sharp girl officer that's francis sharp here doesn't seem too rated um all right sergeant there you are $10 bill in the list of serial numbers check out all right then that's it joe good work man the report of the man came in about a half hour ago you're sure it was keeper yes sir i had his picture in the box office just signed a chance machine i recognize him right away and as far as you know he hasn't left the theater that's right all right mr ribb and i'm sorry i'm afraid we'll have to interrupt the show anything you say sergeant anything then you keep an eye on the front exit i'll call communication fraud joe 80k to control 4 80k to control 4 80k go ahead control 4 clear all frequency the Sullivan murder suspect donal keeper has been located in the theater on the southeast corner of hollywood boulevard and fairview have all units around the area 80k roger control 4 have all units converged in the general area hollywood boulevard and fairview unit 62 are to block up the intersection of hollywood boulevard and north cherokee stop all pedestrian vehicular traffic unit 61 a to block the intersection of hollywood boulevard and hutching street stop all pedestrian vehicular traffic unit 71 and 72 are to block the alley behind the theater unit 66 and 67 are to assist the maintenance and the theater within a few minutes the one half mile area around the theater was completely blockaded every exit and entrance to the theater was covered at 923 we met harrick and ed back then the theater manager's office back strand outlined our plan of operation at 928 a detail of 14 men walked down the side aisles on the main floor of the theater and took up their post on either side of the orchestra pit the picture was stopped and every light in the theater was turned on ed back strand harris ben and i went down the island up onto the stage back strand may be enough ladies and gentlemen we're sorry to interrupt the picture but this is important we're police officers we've traced the murderer of judy selivan to this theater he is in this theater now and we're going to search the theater row by row and we'd like to ask your cooperation there's no need to be panicky or afraid those who wish to leave now may do so leave by the main entrance each one of you will be checked if you go out the door and for the benefit of the man we're looking for don't try to escape every exit is covered in the entire area is blockaded don't place any more lives in jeopardy come on ben backstage joe we can make it from there all right let's go come on hustle it then yeah next building you'll probably try to jump for it all right watch it i think it's early down to the rope there you go all right keeper hold it go your gun down over here let's get him all right comfort i got it figured they won't talk me for this didn't know what i was doing put the cups on them ben get away from me you're drunk they're good and they hit him keeper try to catch now yeah come on let's get him in out of the rain what's the hurry why should boy look good rain the story you have just heard is soon only the names will change if we'll take him up and donald alford keeper was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree he was executed in the lethal gas chamber at the state senate century you have just heard the 15th in a new series of authentic cases transcribed from official files technical advice for dragnet comes from the office of acting chief of police w a los angeles police department tonight's program is dedicated to deputy united states marshal john b glenn of pointy idaho so on the morning of july 31st 1940 gave his life so that yours might be more secure dragnet came to you from los angeles the other girl on the air returns tomorrow night on mbc other and mbc's great parade of new shows see you are about to hear is soon only the names have been changed to protect the innocence mbc brings you dragnet you're a defective sergeant you're assigned to harm side bureau a police officer has been shot mortally wounded one of the suspects has been apprehended the other is still at large your job is to find him dragnet the documented drama of an actual crime investigated and solved by the men who unrelentingly stand watch on the security of your home your family and your life 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 to an actual case from official police files from beginning to end from crime to punishment dragnet is the story of your police force in action the 30 november 16th was foggy in los angeles we were working the day watch out our homicide my partner spen romero the boss is at backstrand two of the techies flying right it was 11 58 a.m. we got to the georgia 3 receiving hospital second floor room five treatment room good time how's they missed uh god them along fans three times going past his life with them they bring him down now can we talk to him make it fast on your way john john is Friday in romero they want to talk to you a minute doc my chest burning up nurse yes i do yes i do john it's joe friday can you tell us how it happened joe joe how'd it happen boy can you tell me figure it joe why do you do it we gotta find out now how did it happen i don't know it was right in track he's Broadway in the first street great coupe pulled up for the stop great coupe how many men in the car how many john two great coupe pulled up for the stop and the pedestrian pedestrian lane went over gonna ask him to back up i got about a lane i'm just gonna ask you yeah john and then what driver dark hair eyes dark went over them i'm gonna ask him to back up pointed a gun no reason all right easy john take it easy no reason joe no reason to fire hurry up yeah so what about the other man in the car did you see him can you describe him yo joe did you get him a great coupe driver got with him he's got the driver john he's upstairs the other one got away we gotta find him you gotta help us my wife somebody sent for dora he's on her way she'll be here in a minute can you tell us the other man in the car what did he look like what did he look like don't question you great coupe the driver part of god dark yeah i know the other man john we got the driver what did the other man look like thank god okay now we've got any kid to always pick up family man this thing's got a phony ring to it ben you don't just pull a gun and shoot a man not if you're saying you don't just stand the guy we got is the same as they come and how do we explain all i know is that hood shot john bemus and i want to know why might be a lead in that car he was driving maybe come on here we are phone message for your party came in a few moments ago hey stavis tomorrow night i gotta make take a look no make or warrants on james vickers great let's talk to him come on minor wound joe bullet penetrated the fleshy part of his hand didn't touch the bone thought this guy had an arm wound listen that officer you shot vickers he's dying is he the family guy got a wife two kids has he why did you shoot him vicker that's great we did can you know the reason that there wasn't any reason look we're gonna make you on this vickers you know that don't you i don't know anything why'd you shoot him shut up why did i shoot him joe yeah davis yeah stay with him i'll get us an empty slip on this guy we'll be back in a minute come on man all right joe easy joe oh easy nothing i've seen so many good cops like bemus cut down by punks like that vickers getting mad won't help come on down the stairs back to see bemus why the record i want to see if the doc thinks it's okay for it to bring vickers down i like to have bemus definitely identify him as the guy who shot him we've got three good witnesses identification for bemus or clench it i want to see vickers get everything he's earned when he goes to court yeah he went faster that was right you know he'd make it be time no did he say anything would it help me it's fine set it brand two six two five joe friday vince what about a make on that car using the bemus shooting this morning yeah joe been trying to get a hold of it where are you now georgia street second floor what about the make car was reported stolen yesterday afternoon registered the herald semper seven one six everett street the court said the car was taken from a parking lot at grand and wall back okay vince thanks what about the guns they found in the car well you don't still have them over the crime lab he's running him through no word yet no you make up the mconn report on the car joe yeah we cover reports they're still dusting for friends empty slip ready doc yeah right here van ready for car and history mt you're ready vickers yeah all right put up your wrist put the cups on them watch your hands it's saving me for the hot lights let's go i'm not quite jail you're in jail now it's like a hospice bars on the windows on all right come on give me a smoke here okay like what do i get if i open up no deal my talk make it attractive who was the other guy in the car hit track i always give rise and why do you run when we chase him maybe he was scared they're part of a game maybe who was the other guy what's your word come on because you're wasting your time where are we going and her so i want to call my own doctor you hear me i can't pull this gun first i can prove it yeah i understand easy huh where we going i said where we're going right what's it worth if i talk i'll tell you all about it let's make a deal you'll tell us anyhow i think so well i see you out the door uh wait a minute cigarette's out all right then light it nice to you guys thanks he's running for that car he's up come on joe all right come on get back let us through here let us through can i call a doctor go no he wouldn't be interested today james vickers murder suspect had this unknown died almost instantly at 1 13 p.m. november 16th while attempting to escape his body was taken to the county morgue where it was posted all the personal effects found on the body were listed by the corner had a receipt for them given to our office at 8 35 the next morning ben and i met with chief detective zed backstrand those four guns they found in the car vickers was driving they're all u.s. army property where were they're stolen from given i don't know each one of the guns is stamped u.s. army that's all that makes it easy the coroner find anything on the body nothing to tell us why vickers decided to kill a traffic so what did be must say before he died he was on traffic to the yesterday morning john at least brought him first at 10 35 a great coop pulled up for a stop sign vickers was driving vickers started over to tell him to back up out of the pedestrian zone vickers pulled the gun and shot him how'd they catch vickers chased him three miles before he found the lumber truck the guy with him got away fine pector and i no make a warrant on vickers kickback cut in on his fingerprint all right what's your guess friday i don't have one in vickers could have been hopped up duck Stanley over at george's brief said no ejecting wait a minute thanks friend yeah hold on for you friday thanks friday talking yeah yeah good be right over league we're in business ed crime lab just found vickers address that is joe thankfully let's go over dollar hotel we see the mr. james vickers six dollars and 50 cents room 345 where'd you find it man none of the front seat in with a tool anything else nothing how about print too kind of smudge hope we can run a make with him no print on those four guns there's not enough to classify this is it then it's only good come on see if we can make a payoff we located the silver dollar hotel on east grand between 16th street and pico was an old type frame building with a brightly colored neon sign jutting out over the sidewalk just above the dark entrance the manager's name was luther gauge we showed him a picture of james picker he definitely identified him as one of his former tenants he told us that vickers had stayed at the hotel one week in room 345 and that he had checked out two days ago what is vickers saying here alone mr. gay yes alone quiet man do you have any visitor maybe wouldn't know paid his bills spend most of his time away from the hotel good tenants did vickers have any friends here in the hotel maybe following the room next to mr vickers he still lives here two of them used to be kind of thick and we look at that room vickers stayed in mr. gay let's see yes it's still vacant all right this way this man vickers was friendly with what's his name gay night raman night room 343 in his room now no went out about eight this morning here's the elevator how well would you say night and vickers knew each other couldn't say good tenants both of them pay their bills they go out together we didn't know each other well wouldn't know i don't try but this case involves murder mr. gage we told you that we'd appreciate your cooperation cooperation don't pay the rent sergeant third floor this way here 345 open it up where it's clean you know all my rooms are clean you didn't mean it that way mr. gage i wonder if you'd show us night's room now that's next door isn't it hmm i don't know about this poking into other people's rooms not regular neither's murder come on let's go does mr. night have this room something sure ask questions don't you no night has a friend staying with him about two weeks now not in much again now don't think so oh i don't want it rough about you then he's out cold look what you've done to the room i thought you said night wasn't it he isn't this is his friend great friends 45 automatic in his hand 38 something in the bureau another 45 look in his bag i don't pry he pays his bills good tenon yeah can i get outside on this phone yes all outside calls are intense yeah here that's keep the book straight sure you do who's going to pay for the damage ask mr. night's friend here well say why worry he pays his bills good tenon i call that backstram and he sent out a special detail to take out the hotel and bring in Raymond night if the money returned then and i drove to the georgia street receiving hospital where doc stanley packed up the cut on ben scalp and treated raman night's friend first simple cut from broody from papers found in his wallet in the hotel room who was identified as frank gannon 98 96 wasack street hands of city missouri when we got the headquarters we had gannon taken to the interrogation room where we questioned him briefly he told us that he was a self-employed watch salesman like he was in the city on our business trip he admitted friendship with night but not with the picker he booked him at the coddy jail for assault and intent to commit murder the three guns found in the hotel room were turned over to the crime list we reported back to the office on my head pounding like man that gannon's a mean yeah i got some aspirin in my death might help you know hi boys rough day you don't get much rough already message for him to death now i'm gonna eat your darling right what is you know you don't gotta make on the country that's about the car let's see yeah something else and then on james victor wanted 10 1443 desertion u.s. ironing that's good account for those stolen army guns yeah what about to make on those print leaf on the tickling plant tavern good solid wreck for burglaries two armed robberies two assault women here's a mama she's born so until 836 i mean alias john feels her old grand tom this will just hey yeah alias raymond night the other man who loaded the car with games the morning shot down traffic officer be must finally have been identified fans taylor alias raymond night well i still didn't explain the unprovoked murder didn't explain the four guns on the car and the three guns found in the hotel room an assortment of arms like that could mean something big but we didn't know what gannon's sudden willingness to shoot it out in the hotel room meant something too we didn't know what gannon brought back the interrogation room all right gannon have a seat everything all right i'll bet you're worried no we're not worried gannon you want to be i'll make me laugh you're tied in with raymond night that's enough for us you send me up for us we're gonna try big talk how long did you know vickers i didn't funny his friends were all over one of those guns we found in your room i'm not worrying when you better start gannon vickers and night kill hands if you run with them your hands are dirty too my room was night that's all night didn't come back to the hotel where is it we're not that close to show your guns and your friends that's close enough for us i don't know vickers you mean it didn't know it i said i don't know we got vickers gannon he's dead good door okay come on gannon let's sit down a little more yeah i'm this way joe hold it there isn't it yeah damn that kind of thing no what is all it never seen a corpse before no i'm not in there take me back i don't want to look here's a little here i take me back i don't want to look yeah we have to let man 45 this way gannon i get sick i don't want to look go back the sheet friend take a look again and no he's night's friend i'm not in it who is any i don't know right okay buddy interrogation room friday joe on stake out at the silver dollar hotel i'll sign a raman night keep your post okay dave thanks how long does this go on i can call a lawyer you know you better call on right away gannon he just picked up night at the hotel he's incriminated you you're all a liar like we're about vickers we'll prove it again the officers are on their way in now they're gonna put night in the next room you can listen to him look i came here to sell watches i ain't in this gannon you and vickers tonight we're planning a job a big one we know that you want a way to get on the witness stand to tell your story it's all right with that well it didn't take too long to break this one okay yeah thanks gannon well what are you gonna do nothing kill a little time they bring in night you haven't gotten it i haven't been wrapped to me at joe you want to check me out okay open them up give them a good shuffle man you're gonna have some time on your hands again want to learn new card game no it's yourself good game for two better with three oh a lot of coin yeah you got two decks there the first off this game is quite a bit like jen rummage yeah there are eight of every suit four jokers jokers constantly points mm-hmm red three's kind of hundred points each to get a black three you can freeze the deck i think you shouldn't say deck in this game they call it the pack pack what's a pack it's a discard file same as in jim you get a red three you can freeze you know it's a black three well what happened for any free nobody can pick it up let's see a lot of dummy hands here fine game gannon sure you won't change your mind you don't want to play joe all right now in two handed you do a lot 15 cards thing how many can play as many as six i think i've only played up to four you play partners before yeah that's your card i guess 15 15 15 right now not what i do well i guess you better let your hand open that'll be the easiest way to show you spread them all over it well you don't have a great hand there you got a couple of black threes you can use those yeah that's fine that kind of hundred to be those are red threes black threes on economy oh red three that's right do you remember what black threes are for you can use them to freeze the five pack right the pack well you know what i mean right now look you see i got a joker here jokers are wild you remember how much they count they're wild hundred points now red threes are worth 100 jokers count 50 you don't explain it very good i understand how simple can it be gannon's not even playing you get it don't you gannon okay red threes count 100 jokers count 50 black threes you can see that you can freeze the five out of the pack now good now hold on to that with it now black threes freeze the pack but that's not the only card that can do it no no deuces can do the same thing they see the only difference is that you use a deuce which is also wild you have to have a natural pair in order to pick up the pack now with a black three it's all good and i knew it wouldn't work it's sour right from the start pickers go the cop and i'm not an enographer i'm right here i'm taking no rest donnie this enographer right all right gannon too late you haven't got time 20 after one are gonna do it to what payroll raise your company messenger leaves at 120 he's got to payroll 30 grand they're gonna get him where does the messenger leave 120 you're too late i'm not in it where does he leave 120 leaves the bank i think no maybe the company where's the company third and spring they're gonna get him where's the bank the messenger goes to up the block second national third and hill where are they gonna get to message by the alley clay street i'm not in ben check it get out of communications haven't put out a call to block out the area give him the detail all right johnny yeah stay with this guy okay davis davis raise your company give me your payroll division this is the police department emergency your payroll division it's an emergency mr hopton this is sergeant friday police department we've had a tip your payroll messenger is going to be held up today he left your building yet a message yeah what's all the excitement to break them down plan in a minute they have no time me the manager on duty please emergency one moment please give me the chief teller thank you this is sergeant friday police department emergency call has a payroll messenger from the brazier company left the bank yet mr charmers what's the matter for the you sick yeah mr charmers is a sergeant friday police department it's a payroll messenger from the brazier company left the bank yet and he had to payroll with him thanks got a tip on a payroll ticket thank you coming man let's go man down this way come on let's look down this here communication get the story you got it on there now where's this brazier coming third and spring about five blocks from here come on here's the garage all right come on hit it let's make time get the radio on just warming up cars are closing in five one speed up ahead man might be able to sit down and play alley hold on oh it's pretty quiet isn't it not much you can do without hey look coming out of the alley now try with the police round close guy with a flop in there's a running force come on let's go you see him don't head for the subway terminal yeah they're going into the crowd don't lose them to the left don't detect wonder why he tried so hard you don't know then some people are like that and blow the whistle all you want you'll never know when to stop and you have just heard this truth only the names were changed to protect the innocent frank gannon the only surviving member of the holdup gang was tried and convicted of the crime of assault with intent to commit murder he is now serving out his sentence that's a state penitentiary you have just heard the 16th in a new series of authentic cases from official violence technical advice for dragnet comes from the office of acting chief of police w.a. worton los angeles police department the night's program is dedicated to private richard h taylor of the washington dc police department so on the evening of december 13th 1946 gave his life so that yours might be more secure dragnet came to you from los angeles old heros likes a great deal about the south we like a great deal about phil harris for instance we like his beautiful blonde wife alice fey in fact we like the phil harris alice fey show and it just happens that it returns to the mbc air tomorrow why don't you take our advice and listen to one of the funniest shows around anywhere that's the phil harris alice fey show tomorrow on most of these same mbc stations tune for the stars on mbc mbc's great parade of new shows the story you are about to hear is true only the names have been changed to protect the innocence mbc brings you dragnet you're a detective sergeant you're assigned a homicide a mad killer is loose in the city in every instance he leaves the murder weapon behind there are no fingerprints no clues to the killer's identity your job get him dragnet the documented drama of an actual crime investigated and solved by the men who are relentingly stand watch on the security of your home your family and your life for the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the los angeles police department you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case from official police files from beginning to end from crime to punishment dragnet is the story of your police force in action it was tuesday june 3rd was warren with los angeles we were working the day watch out a homicide my partner's ben romero the boss is ed backstrand chief of detectives my name's friday i was off duty reporting back in on an emergency call it was 3 57 a.m when i got to the basement of the city hall the carpool let's go friday sorry to call you back in couldn't be helped all right ben okay skipper what's your bed double murder when i don't know i'm not about it 40 minutes ago got any ideas roughly same m o was that 64 13 or which given no 64 30 what do you mean the same m o the same guy brick that killer how many does this make countings a night four we got anything at all much bigger friends we can't even clap the time sounds like a smart operator you got to get him we have to shake down the city from one end to the other big job skipper big killer at 426 a.m we filled up in front of 64 30 norwich drive a small group of bungalow apartments facing on a noble shaped garden court who's uniformed opposite the station at the door to the apartment hi chief hi we went inside well virtual homicide was waiting for this way in here there they are yeah mother joe on the floor beside the bed yeah a red breaker miss hafters we know how you must feel about all this but would you please try to answer a few more questions for me all right oh my goodness hafters how long did you know missus dears and her daughter nine years it's november they moved next door i remember so well they got along right from the start and as far as you know the only close friends the mother and daughter had live right here in the apartment court yes margaret was a pretty girl but she was no chaser no boyfriend very close to a mother the two of them very close did they keep any amount of valuables in the apartment money jewelry things like that no missus dears and margaret didn't have much you know very modest income they both work and you can think of no good reason oh no no oh margaret poor missus dears lying in that well barge yes i would you show miss hafters back to her apartment sure sorry thank you miss hafters we appreciate it thank you oh my goodness hello joe let's check with eddy's back in the bedroom you got anything from the neighbors the usual ed no jealous boyfriends ex-husband nothing like that boys find any evidence yet skiver they're still working on it you got any theory yeah we know the killings were all done by the same guy cut the same pattern out of the window screen cut the same pattern with a glass cutter out of the window reaches in and flips the lock all right where's that leave and before he gets inside he makes sure there are only women in the house that means he probably watches the house for a few days well once he gets inside he wants only one thing the kill he's never taken any valuables as far as we can tell he's never searched for any kind of a man works like that that's a guy still crazy hey fellas yes donna there's a break two fair friends one thumb one forefinger what'd you get beat only got nine points not enough to go into court but enough to make him we'll know him when we get him yeah found a prince on the lens of the old ladies eyeglasses probably knocked him off the night table when he went after a when he was done he put him back on the table yeah had blood on his hands he yeah that's funny isn't it why would he go to the trouble of picking up the woman's glasses after he killed her we'll ask him when we find him all right there Joe might have something for you we can use it Lee holy just a minute yeah I'm lamp jones yeah yeah all right I'll tell him write it back man if you're through checking the victim's clothes by eight o'clock you can knock off for sleep until noon what if we're not through take it up with the chaplain here's what I wanted to show you over here a couple of tracks barefoot playing that's right those from the deer's place found him outside the dining room window in the flower bed take a look mm-hmm good guess size nine 10 missing toe there left foot press toe that's lucky when the guy took his shoes off before he went in that house that's the way it was leave any other print Lee three with his shoes on here they are here yeah how would you say the guy is built Lee oh from the impression pretty heavy man there's no full length of spider I might give you an idea of his height how about the brick Lee here they are use this one on the first mother this one in the second this one last night leaves him around like calling the card and there's no way to check you'll never get a fingerprint off a common red brick like this fan surface is too rough well you got an idea of his weight you know that the first toes missing his left foot that's something normally had yet we can take that mission throwing the amputation father yeah well we better get back feet on have those prints ready to thanks a lot Lee okay fellas hey they post the body jet yeah they're doing it now same as the first two the brain concussion hammering so they didn't have a chance all of the minute time left Jones just a minute either one of you fellas I'll get it Joe okay here I'm well yeah said we'll be right over I gotta make them a few things right okay Joe single print file made him on the index finger let me see if you can take a look then yeah doesn't look like a killer does he Joe kind of nice looking that's right Pete they said the same thing about John Dillinger the name at the top of the makeshift red Carlos Richard Monterey male Caucasian age 19 height 5 feet 11 inches weight 165 pounds dark brown hair dark brown eyes last known address 1663 Naples Street Los Angeles previous arrest one auto theft February 8th 1936 that was all Ben and I have been expecting more the information on the mama sheet for Monterey was 13 years old it was a picture so was the description so was the ad in 13 years a man can change in a thousand layers so can his habits his appearance his address in 13 years everything can change that's two things a man's fingerprints and a physical deformity close Richard Monterey here it is Joe 1663 Naples yeah come on how about it Thomas yeah what is it her police officer if you'd like to ask you a few questions would you like to come in thank you man yes did you mind telling us your name Monterey isabel Monterey what is it you want you're married yeah my husband is Francisco Monterey would you explain how you are feeling we thought you might be able to help us we're looking for a man named Carlos Monterey we're looking for a man we like to talk to him do you know where he is yeah Carlos is dead seven years ago he said my husband doesn't know does your husband know Carlos or did he know him what about your husband's parents is Monterey were they they're both dead one time have you ever met Carlos no never I've only heard of him what have you heard of him is Monterey this is important very important Francisco wouldn't like it if I told you it's important is Monterey believe it Carlos is blind for eight years Francisco has not seen him not heard from him he's dead but he only thinks on his Monterey no one's told him his brother is dead he just thinks so what else is there to think where's your husband now but he's what he saw he's not getting a man here's your change thank you mr. mark now look officer you know how it is you don't like to let these things get out that's why I trust you you can trust us mr. Monterey I just want to check on a few things oh fine I was glad to help out if I can can you tell us if your brother was ever in a mental institution in his life oh I know there was nothing wrong 1923 a little bad some on dad had to put him away for a while just till he calmed down I remember the day sometimes some stupid kid what do you know standing there by himself in the train crying public nurse stupid way he cried what do you do I cried too I was only 10 I saw him go he was alone later on mr. Monterey your brother would release you were 16 and he started running around playing tough carried a gun lived by himself he never came around he dropped from sight about 1938 you haven't heard from him anything nothing never seen him you know of anybody who might have seen him there was a girl he had Anita something on sauteo street Anita Martin yeah that's it sauteo street maybe she's seen it that's her maybe she's seen it Carlos Carlos Monterey and not in a year less March she was in when I was working at the pick up down south name he came in with talk for a while start with us you haven't seen Carlos for the past two months or so I tell you no has he written to you is he phoned one three weeks ago he phoned here he left a message with my girlfriend he didn't call back again now that's it that's all I know thank you miss Martin here's our car and if he does call you let us know yeah I let you know you like Carlos is that it in you like no I didn't like him he was funny but he was nice you know I pity him why did you pity him miss Martin good fellow who was strange he could smile you know he had a nice smile but you could tell it was never lasting it was something in his mind oh I don't know least a year closer to two I haven't seen Carlos no letters not a card nothing it was in the east the last time I heard when was that year ago January I was in here sent me a calendar sometimes you could get along fine very well other times terrible couldn't keep him down how do you manage to stay out of jail that leaves a sending I don't know sometimes you should have been in jail five times over you say you don't know of anybody who might have a recent picture of Carlos the snapshot no no no one I can thank you okay Vincent here's our card if you do thank you somebody let us know when you help sure glad to if I heard anybody what kind of a day is it outside by five o'clock that afternoon Ben and I were certain of one Carlos Monterey was in the city of Los Angeles somewhere we drove back to the office and told Ed Backstrand about our interviews with Monterey's relatives and his friends inquiries and requests for further identification and information on him were immediately relayed to the state mental institution the 13-year-old picture of Monterey taken from the files was copied and distributed with a note of caution as to the age of the photograph an APV was sent out the stake outs were placed at the home of Monterey's brother at the brother's store at the apartment of Anita Martin a special detail of 300 men was ordered to join the drag net already in operation the details at the airport and the bus terminals were alerted as well as the details of the union depot and the main post office by six o'clock that night almost 1,000 men were actively working with the job of tacking down Carlos Monterey at 6 30 p.m. Ben and I drew a four-hour relief period we drove out to Ben's place and his wife fixed us some dinner at 10 30 that night we reported into the office picked up Ed Backstrand and we drove out to join the Manson South Power in Lillman at 390 W 12 o'clock on 6 4 Wall Street the man about a 507 unit 425430 East Grand apartment 10 311 we cruise with the drag net operation until 5 o'clock that morning 10 o'clock at turns driving actually the tremendous job of scouring 500 square miles of city for one man was only beginning unless it was an unexpected break the search for Carlos Monterey could wear on for weeks it did night after night a man on hand on day after day was no break 16 days later on a Sunday night I went to bed early I read a while and then I turned off the lamp and went to sleep hello righty talking sorry Joe get in here as fast as you can what's the matter that girl Monterey knew the one you talked to yeah you left her apartment went to a girlfriend there she's dead it is ordinary red brick not about the body how long she's been dead ever and she was seen alive about an hour and a half ago that three bare footprints with length of stride found them down in the lot beside the house what do they look like same guy first toe missing from the left foot the same weight impression should be about 5 foot 11 that checks out without you god doesn't all right they're the same guy what about those shoes we finally yeah they correspond they were impregnated with foreign what'd you find particles of lettuce leaf dry onion skin faces a red cabbage maybe a vegetable camera maybe what about the city wholesale market down in front street what about any market in Los Angeles no lead and wholesale market is big enough to hide anybody hundreds of trainings work in there some are mean sleep there garlic Monterey to be perfect there's a fair guess check it when it opens they open at 2 a.m. 2 30 now all right get back to the office and pick up as many extra minutes you need to get down there right away and you know he's a rough one to watch it on Monday June 23rd two minutes past 3 a.m. we blowed up at the city wholesale voters market with the exception of 54 police officers in plain clothes will make with the buyers and sellers business went along as usual the market itself covered almost three square blocks in the lower part of the downtown area was divided off into hundreds of individual stalls by flimsy wooden partitions make the search even cover the place was crowded for the first 45 minutes we had the men circulated random through the crowd on the chance that one of them might spot Carlos Monterey from the 13-year-old picture it didn't happen after that we started a systematic canvas we talked to the customers we talked to the managers of the different booths we gave them moderate description you show them his picture nobody recognized them we check the employment records one by one not a sign sorry sergeant I like to help I've never seen you guys okay Mr. Snyder thank you we sure picked the sweet jobs don't we no yeah we could spend a year at the sergeant sergeant Friday yeah come in see find something you add the booth over there against the far wall things you might have hired moderate a couple days ago come on then right over there sergeant show him my respect yeah he thinks it might be Mr. President this is sergeant Romero sergeant Friday yes I call your boy sergeant this fellow Carlos I hire him to help for less Thursday big rush for me now so I ensure he's a man in the picture things so a little older maybe but I know faces he's the man you know look at my head you say you hired this man last Thursday sure I there's a big rush for me now in the morning I hire him Thursday he works the Thursday Friday Saturday but he don't show up this morning so I gotta know your too many minutes to pick up from him you know show up I let him go what kind of work did he do for you same as he did before Schiller down there heavy work moving the stores to clean it up what kind of fraud used to show her hand Mr. President fancy very fancy vegetable it is toys no potatoes expensive red onions children sell it to the bigger hotel there's Schiller handle brown onions Mr. President only the best big deal it at the Schiller sell it to the bigger hotel how long has this Carlos been working around the market oh I don't know is it just like they raised first he worked for me then a lot more singing than the Schiller hey why are you looking so hard to put him you stole somebody you murdered somebody do you have any idea where Carlos lives me no no and if he comes back here I tell him to get out I got nothing to do with this you'll tell him nothing Mr. President here's our card if you see Monterey again call us say nothing to him for sure sure that y'all call it here to the office William that's a just came in thanks Al come on Ben yeah there's a phone booth thank you I know where right ahead a little oh yeah you got a nickel oh yeah there you are thanks I'll see what Ed won two five one one like Ed there righty Ed what's up come on Ben there's a little Wellberg yeah perfect you're jammed up around here hi Ed right in Romeo y'all said Wellberg I'll set you spring speak San Pedro sunset the first static cover good what's the start both office detail tip is off five minutes after Peter man answering Carlos Monterey's description picked up a letter at the general delivery window that was 16 minutes ago who spotted him Sam Lane got a look at him just as he was leaving the window called him to stop with Monterey ran Lane called me and we threw an Ed over the area for six blocks around Monterey still somewhere inside his hearing I don't know how I could have gotten out what's next I'll give him an hour to break for it after that we start a house to house search of the whole area stop all pedestrian and vehicular traffic for identification you're gonna jam up the depot traffic that's cheaper than murder Romero get going first hour we cut it off in five minutes segment like back strand we felt close enough to moderate a touch him but he still wasn't there the north and south ends of the blockade started to move in slowly searching every store every house every conceivable place where a man might hide out in the meantime Ben and I worked the spring street side of the blockade watching the faces of the pedestrians they came through one by one examining all vehicles and their drivers the morning war on the sun came out in the sky to get warm by 11 o'clock that morning Monterey still had not been found the temperature was 93 in Los Angeles we're still climbing the search went on 10 minutes past 2 p.m. back strand made the road how does it look Kevin not good going slow how much longer your figure I don't know it'll go to after dark that's showing district down here's like a rat nest yeah nothing nothing but he's someplace inside this blockade gotta be any chance getting relief for the men in our squad some of them been working straight through thank you after me okay check with me around five this afternoon thank you Kevin keep a sharp look out one slip that's all it takes the search went on at three o'clock that afternoon the temperature was 95 we sweltered and we waited at 345 back strand sent a squad of men into the Union Depot to search if we talked about him it was one false alarm when one of the men party saw him on a race looking on a side door into a taxi turned out to be a train conductor at 25 minutes past four back strand passed along in order to our detail to start moving in house by house the tedious job and it went slow the men were tired at 5 30 the relief squad showed up then and I stayed on after another two hours of house to house searching the trap was narrowed down to a three square block area single block wide and three blocks long started to get dark back strand ordered out batteries of floodlights by 8 p.m the cordon closed in around the last two square blocks line for all sets give her ready to move good what do you think I will know pretty soon one way or the other right keep that traffic moving all right you two get going see you later skipper you know let's take a look in here okay here is an old building yeah what commands you go no you're meant to go away there's a flashlight at the end of the corridor there come on come on yeah I'm below searching the basement come on Monterey he's been there I think here this way where over here and watch the step that likes that there he is says he's a janitor on my head and flood all right come on how'd it happen can you tell us yeah man big man hit me he came down there and get a basket he hit me and ran and over to the new building the new building got the one next door yeah just a minute to go nobody's come out of this building for the past half hour every door in the places garden oh no not the doors he went to the tunnel that song over there's the tunnel I'll take a look yeah the tunnel next to two basements same company whole building new building this tunnel connects the basement go come on yeah man if you get out the back straight it almost happens right sergeant calling ambulance right through the tunnel watch where you're going the right way at a door over here thanks so yeah yeah let's go good there's a stairway come on watch the doors Joe the elevator they're both on the head for the stairs man come on look top of the stairs there you go all right all of you that's from the elevator Joey's going down well we'll never make it on the stairs oh look it does relevant it's a control lever fan let's try it anyway all right kick the control lever ticket fan we're on track all right let's take it here can you reach the door control wait just a minute I'll see yeah okay okay well he's still in the building both elevators to here now yeah down the hall Ben the officer on the left I think yeah okay here we are all right keep looking all right all right how do I put on that gun and come on out okay Joe let's take it watch it man I'm throwing everything get his hands off come on Ray come on you okay Ben take him yeah nice looking guy being cut doesn't figure does what's that my wife would say he doesn't look like a killer does he what's a killer supposed to look like where you have just heard his clues only the names were changed to protect the innocent Carlos Monterey was examined by five different psychiatrists appointed by the Superior Court and was found to be sane he was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree he was executed in the lethal gas chamber at the state penitentiary you have just heard the 17th in a new series of authentic cases from official files technical advice for dragnet comes from the office of w-way warden acting chief of police los angeles police department tonight's program is dedicated to motorcycle patrolman john kramer of the el paso texas sheriff's department who on the afternoon of april 26 1940 gave his life so that yours might be more secure dragnet came to you from los angeles you're tuned for the stars on mbc ladies and gentlemen the story you were about to hear is true only the names have been changed to protect the innocent mbc brings you dragnet you're a detective sergeant you're assigned to burglary detail a gang of hijackers has started to work in your city truckloads of valuable merchandise have vanished the thieves are clever seem to have a foolproof system your job find them dragnet the documented drama of an actual crime investigated and solved the men who unnecessarily stand watch on the security of your home your family and your life for the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the los angeles police department you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case from official police files from beginning to end from crime to punishment dragnet is the story of your police force in action it was thursday march 6 was windy in los angeles we were working the night watch out of burglary detail my partner's ben romero the boss is ed backstrand chief of detectives my name's friday i was on the way back from the record bureau and it was 5 35 a.m when i got to room 2a interrogation room ready to storm ben yeah 2600 dozen nylon stockings 45 bolts of silk 58 cases imported burglary before you're dumping this stuff live out that's what we want to know i told you the truth i have nothing to do with it i don't know anything about it what was this stolen waybill doing in the cab of your truck how many times i have to tell you i don't know your finger prints are all over it you must have carried it there i didn't carry it there somebody's out to frame me how many in the high jack gang level i'm not in a high jack game i told you i don't know when are you gonna let me go who's the head of the game i don't know any head of the gang i want to get out of here you're covering for somebody not covering for anybody you take the rap for all this you're gonna have a beard down to your knees by the time you get out i'm not taking any rap then let's have it i'm tired 42 000 dollars worth you know who took it you know where it is they could have disappeared anywhere on the way from the east of the thousand places nothing was missing from those shipments when they came in on the train everything was there when they were unloaded at the warehouse they don't know i don't know every dollar's worth was accounted for when it was loaded on the truck well where is it now i'm tired we've been here all night let me let the bell let me read it for you again 2600 dozen nylon stockings 45 bolts of silk 58 cases imported perfume and you're trying to tell us somebody high jacked all that from the trucks without you knowing it the trucks were loaded at the warehouse we went out to eat we came back out in the trucks delivered the stuff and that's all i know and while you were out eating the receipts for the load disappeared too that right level i don't know where the way bills are the shipping truck that's his job we talked to him he says one of you could have taken away and then he's lying i didn't take him then what was this way bill doing in the cab of your truck i told you i don't know somebody's trying to frame me why i don't know somebody i don't know why then you better come up with an answer mr look i'm tired we've been here since six o'clock last night we're all tired who you're covering for what are you trying to build i need that copy left them it's cool it's all right you want some love l no now look let's get one thing straight we've been here all night we can be here all day tomorrow the day after that and the day after that yeah we got enough to make you on this you know that we're gonna stay with you to tell us the truth everything i've told you all i'm gonna tell you we stay here for six months you got it all this your home phone hillside eight three two one that's right eight three two one what times your wife get up laval what do you mean ben get an outside line yeah you're not gonna call my home it's hillside eight three two one ben outside please don't do that don't not my wife please all right ask the questions again this time i'll give you the answers thomas laval was 38 years old he was a well respected man in his community sometimes it's like that you can question a man for hours they'll never give you any information but somewhere in every man's makeup there's a weak point we were lucky enough to find laval's he told us that he would give us the locations where the hijacked goods were hidden he told us the addresses were written on the ledge of a window sill on the seventh floor of the teamsters union hall was 8 30 a.m on the seventh floor is that right yeah do me a favor don't make it too big look we have to walk through the hiring hall before we get the elevators in the back yeah these handcuffs they'll see them all the guys in the halls they know me can't you take them off my wrist till we get me elevated sorry about i won't try anything but don't make me walk in front of them with these arms sorry just till we get me elevated can't you do that i don't want the guys to see me well here's my overcoat lavala drape it over your hands here they won't see the cuffs there you are come on hi all right much let's take the elevator yeah is that great no thanks yeah yeah it's down this way let me show you till the left i don't see anything on the one that's there it's on the outside open the window let me check let me see you grab him he's trying to jump get back here get back to your head let me go get him joe can't hold him he's pulling me out hold on then grab me joe joe he's slipping try joe hold on he's kicking loose i can't hold him hold him joe i couldn't hold him you almost went with him let's get downstairs what happened calling ambulances been an accident thomas laval was 38 years old who was a well-respected man in his community he died with the same reputation we had a prisoner who'd met his death while on our custody cases like this we had to have witnesses by the time we got to the street the usual accident crowded gathered anybody here see the accident witnesses yeah would you see it yeah we saw it let's get their names been my name is pete garfield this is jack morris we'll be your witnesses you'll probably be subdued for the inquest tomorrow morning sure we'll be there we saw you pushed a guy out the window we saw you kill him the next morning at 10 a.m. in the basement of the hall of justice harrow jay lane deputy coroner city and county of los angeles read the report of the findings of the autopsy on the bottom of the deceased thomas laval as his customary at a corner to inquest the identification witness was called to testify first elizabeth laval please raise your right hand do you solemnly swear that the testimony you're about to give to be the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth to help you god yes be seated state your name elizabeth laval what is your address 1216 east tamarillo drive what is your occupation i'm the housewife what is your relation to the deceased his wife have you viewed the body of the deceased in this office yes who was the deceased husband thomas laval is there anything further you wish to add thank you step down please joseph friday raise your right hand you solemnly swear that the testimony you're about to give to be the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth to help you god i do be seated state your name Joe friday what is your address 4656 collis avenue what is your occupation i'm a police officer in and for the city of los angeles are you the investigating and arresting officer on this case i am will you state briefly the facts relating to the death of the deceased on the morning following the arrest by us of the deceased on suspicion of grand theft merchandise he expressed a desire to assist us in the apprehension of suspects involved in these thefts and the recovery of property taken in them did he assist you well he informed us that if we took him to the teamsters union hall he'd be able to obtain addresses of the locations where the stolen property was cashed you then took him there yes we did what happened when we arrived he requested us to remove his handcuffs we refused the deceased then informed us that the addresses were written on a window ledge on the seventh floor when we arrived at the window under the pretense of searching for the addresses he threw himself over the ledge i grabbed his left leg to restrain him but he kicked loose and did you at any time have any idea that the deceased planned such action i did not what did you do then we immediately went to the location of the body and had an ambulance dispatched do you have anything further to state no i have not are there any questions from the jury that's all out sir friday step down peter garfield raise your right hand yeah do you saw miss red that the testimony you're about to give to be the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you god yeah be seated state your name pete garfield how does your address 1654 north pico what is your occupation truck driver down at general warehouse did you know the deceased yeah how did you know him i worked with him and then cops a liar and so his buddy sitting over there please confine the testimony of this inquest of facts were you present at the time the deceased met his death soldier was no two cops pushed him out of the window where were you at the time the deceased was pushed or jumped from the window jack and i just left the union hall we were going up the front door when it happened what attracted your attention heard him scream when i looked up tom was falling that cop was standing at the window watching did you see the officer pushing yes i saw him did i understand you to say you were on the street outside the building at the time yeah and you saw the officers push the deceased from the window on the seventh floor from your vantage point yeah isn't it true that that's a physical impossibility what is that you could have seen what you testified to from where you were standing i know they pushed him you know or you saw i know that's so i wouldn't jump out of a window then it's true you didn't see the officers push the deceased out of the window no i didn't see him is there anything further you'd like to add i must have pushed him any question from the jury that's all garfield step down dorthy river raise your right hand yes do you solemnly swear that the testimony you're about to give to be the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth i hope you got i do be seated state your name dorthy river what is your address 211 south beveley drive and what is your occupation i'm a stenographer at the teamsters union hall were you present the morning the deceased met his death i was state where you were and what you were doing i was in our office on the seventh floor doing some filing please state what you witnessed the filing cabinet in our offices by the door the office faces on the hallway and the door happened to be open i heard a commotion and looked out i saw those two officers struggling with a man did you hear any conversation yes i heard that officer there say get back here get back the man outside the window you'll let me go let me go this officer here off the friday said he's pulling me out hold on then grab me how far from the window were you i'd say about 15 feet do you have anything else to add yes as the two policemen started downstairs officer friday said to me call an ambulance there's been an accident thank you miss river those officers didn't push that man out the window they were trying to hold him after hearing additional witnesses the coroner's jury retired at 11 57 a.m eight minutes later they returned with their decision the deceased met his death voluntarily and by his own actions the homicide detail continued the investigation of laval's death a week went by with homicide working one side we hope that they might turn up additional leads in the hijacking case nothing turned up it seemed that with the death of thomas laval our leads came to an abrupt stop on tuesday morning march 16th at 9 a.m we got a call from chief of detectives at backstrand now once more what about the woody bills and these shipments you check them everything we could talk to everybody and handle and talk to him some more 42 000 and merchandise doesn't just disappear and who's the last one to handle those wave bills don't worry how she hit them sir the bills were signed and stamped two hours after he fired them and his death they disappeared what about the truck drivers you check them out talked all of them nothing so far nothing was missing from those shipments until they left the warehouse is that right well and somewhere in between the warehouse and the delivery points 42 000 worth of goods disappeared so he's got to be hijacking those loads we know that but how do we get to it maybe they're working alone maybe they're working with the truck drivers is one of the others got to me it just hadn't lost laval well you lost him that doesn't close the case you've got a suggestion yeah i got a suggestion crack it you are listening to drag nets authentic stories from official police files and now an important announcement ladies and gentlemen we are pleased to announce that starting next thursday october 6th drag net will be brought to you by batima cigarettes we'd like to take this opportunity to thank you the listener for your excellent response to our efforts in bringing you these weekly authentic presentations of actual cases from official files your letters are the only indications we have that drag net is a source of your listening pleasure we'd like to hear from all of you starting next thursday october 6th over most of the same nbc stations drag net will be heard weekly at 10 30 p.m eastern standard time immediately following the supper club check your newspaper for local release time we stayed on the job another week went by no leads we spent so much time at the general warehouse where the merchandise disappeared that we almost got to be a part of the crew we got to know everybody we made frequent visits to the teamsters union hall have got us nothing on wednesday march 26th we reported in for work at 8 a.m. the housekeeper he fooled around just long enough they hijacked another load last night 38 000 dollars what outfit same general warehouse who's your contact down there rave whole bark shipping up down there right now and get the details right there are two ways to solve this thing you know you can get those hijackers now or wait until general warehouse goes out of business get on it whole bark who was the shipping truck on duty last night i was uh working for seagull meister he's out of the cold and you saw this stuff was loaded on in trucks and you check the way they as usual everything is usual uh check the trucks out at 2 a.m. went back to the office by the way bills you work pretty heavy schedule over you started at 2 a.m. and you're still on duty it took the last four hours of seagull shift at 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. he had a cold i was back here at 10 this morning to stop my own shift when did you find out the way bills were missing on that shipment last night just before i went off maybe you can't pass five quarters six how about the truck drivers will handle that load over your gun let's see i got it right here okay uh here you go sergeant uh jack morris and pete garfield jack morris and pete garfield were brought in for questioning we double checked with homicide and found that their reports on morris and garfield tallied with ours no previous records both men had been tailed for a reasonable length of time since their testimony at the la valine quest their actions failed to implicate them four days after the second hijacking we got a tip from one of our informants down in the warehouse district he told us that a man in a gray suit had been hanging around the coffee shop next to the teams to his union hall he was peddling nylon stockings cheap there had been other reports like this which we had followed up but none of them had paid off usually sex leads didn't pay off but we couldn't be sure they had to be checked at a few minutes before five that afternoon we found the nylon salesman in a gray suit in the back booth of the coffee shop was joining the union hall look thank you take a look the finest you can't do better 51 gauge nylon look good huh sure do don't you yeah they do we've been looking for you make some of the guys in the union hall said that you'd be around sure i saw lots of these around here all truck drivers just like you buy them like crazy good deal sure looks like it man how many bird in the hand many as you want four bits of pair you name it you got a couple of dozen for us couple of dozen no not on me but i can get them many as you want well we're kind of in a hurry can you get them forced fast couple of dozen better make it three dozen huh joe yeah if you want three dozen can you get them now couple hours i can get them same quality want to meet me here oh i don't know we wanted them for tonight my wife's birthday you know well maybe an hour and a half how's that three dozen meet your hand oh look mac maybe we're both heading the same direction can we go with you and pick up the nylon save time for all of it and no i don't think so no i can't you wait an hour and a half how's that ever find a better buy i'm sorry mac i wish we had the time well where do you have to go to pick up these nylons all the way out sunset boulevard near fairfax can't you wait i'll make it fast can't we pay you and then go out and pick them up ourselves huh no don't look that way no can't you wait here i'll make it fast we ought to be home now joe yeah sorry mister we'll have to skip it yeah maybe we can pick up something on the way home ben candy or something life likes candy now uh look fellas i i don't want to see you lose out on this deal i'll meet you halfway how you mean look together we will go out to sunset and fairfax huh near the place you wait there at the hamburger stand in five minutes i'll bring you the stuff okay i don't know we're late already but all right it's a deal i'll call the wife and tell her we're going to be a little later three dozen all right three doesn't look the best you can't do better all right i'll be back in just a minute two five two three mike joe friday backstrand there all right now joe well do me a favor channel make it fast get a couple of men out to sunset and fairfax as fast as you can tell them to watch for ben and me you got that yeah what else we'll drive up on our car with another man then i'll get out of the car and go in the hamburger stand the other man will walk off whoever you get tell him to follow that man you got it right all right just tail him see where he goes see what he does okay joe right away all said joe she got down already it's just about we better hustle sure best deal as well let's go five minutes to six we pulled up at the corner of sunset boulevard and fairfax it was almost dark ben and i got out of the car and started over for the hamburger stand on the corner we caught a glimpse of barcy and capplin one of our detective cars parked in the gas station on the opposite corner they had their eyes on our man when the traffic signals changed the man crossed the street and headed down fairfax barcy and capplin waited a minute and then they took off after him he turned at the next corner and disappeared from sight ben and i ordered a cup of coffee and we sat under wait at half past six we were still waiting at five minutes to seven i went across the street to the drugstore and called the office barcy and capplin hadn't been heard from their car 105k was not acknowledging calls i had my call switched from communications to backstrand's office well they lost him but who's out there now Sullivan and woodney took a detail out there they're calming the neighborhood right now well how did it happen a man just doesn't disappear in the thin air that's what i keep telling you about that stuff that's been hijacked the search for the nylon salesman went on all that night most of the next day from his description we ran a make on him no previous record he disappeared completely we were right back where we'd started from the only thing we could do was to start backtracking requesting the people at general warehouse the truck drivers the shipping clerks we kept a close check on gar building morrison and we went back to the only possible lead still remaining mrs. laval she could tell us nothing more than we already knew when we left her we started on the neighbors for the second time around for the rest of the day we canvassed the immediate neighborhood we got as many opinions of the lavales as they had neighbors at 3 30 that afternoon we visited with miss square true langster a 50-year-old maiden lady who lived almost directly across the street from the laval house spent out of town the first time we covered the neighborhood the old saying goes sergeant there's no fool like an old fool oh say if i told you the chances i had when i was a girl yeah but we just got truck drivers like that laval man god rest it so but fine what if they meant that which law is templeton grants you remember him no man i was engaged to him once butterfly away that's what he used to call me i was slim in those days would you like to see some pictures of me the girl no no thank you ma'am we just like to ask you a few questions that's all could you tell us if the lavales had many visitors to their house in the past six months or so oh my no funny thing i am the nosy type size and i like to know everything that goes on around my neighborhood and you can take my word for it the lavales never had visitors you know sergeant friday you remind me of a young man i used to be engaged to just a few years ago yes miss langston now would you tell us please uh did you have any reason to think that there was something a little out of the ordinary about the lavales oh a little out of the ordinary he says but my dear man yes here he was a truck driver and there she was with a home furnished life by aster's well i even used to see him caught some of the things home in that car his beautiful things rugs and glassware bolts of fabric oh gorgeous and he'd bring these things home after work is that it miss langston anytime anytime day or night weekends anytime after four jill we better call office yeah are you sure of all that you've told us miss langston sure oh my dear man of course i'm sure i watched him week after week well thank you won't you stay for a cup of tea i'll have josephine fix it josephine no thank you ma'am well then that's a glass of sherry thank you know but there is something yes i wonder if we could use your phone please oh uh yes in the hall next to the umbrella stand thank you ma'am city hall two five two three two five two three right he had nothing much here well there's something here barcy and kaplan just called pete garfield left his house half an hour ago that he picked up morris what's so unusual about that nothing except the nylon salesman barcy and kaplan are tailing him where are they now headed north out riverside drive there's nothing out there but a golf course and a lot of riding stables i don't care what they do for recreation go get them with red light and siren it took us 12 minutes to pick up barcy and kaplan on riverside drive at 4 23 p.m we pulled up in front of the blue pony riding stables barcy and kaplan's car was overturned just beyond the driveway leading up to the riding academy kaplan's heard i called an ambulance they rammed us what kind of a car they in they switched they're driving a 12 town bulldog semi which way they had going north got a three minute lead on your new medic commercial adam 653 let's go then can you see him go no not yet watch that crossing up ahead joe that's a semi can you read it wait a minute adam 653 at them took a ride on language don't lose them they're pushing that semi too hard look at that trailer sway they're not to stay on language them they're going too fast to turn now traffic's closing in up ahead of them they better not turn that's what they're doing look at that trailer whip they're going over yeah they're banged up at their lives how they are joe yeah garfield morris little man in a gray suit funny in it what's that garfield's gonna swear we pushed that truck to that window the story you have just heard is true only the names were changed to protect the innocent peter garfield jack morris and john dalfo the stocking salesmen were hospitalized and later brought to trial they were convicted on charges of grand theft and received sentences as prescribed by law they are now serving their terms in the state penitentiary you have just heard the 18th in a new series of authentic cases from official files technical advice for dragnet comes from the office of acting chief of police w a warton los angeles police department tonight's program is dedicated to motorcycle officer elmer forceman of the fresno california police department who on the afternoon of october 6 1946 gave his life so that yours might be more secure remember starting next thursday night october 6th but team of cigarettes invite you to listen to dragnet immediately following the supper club that's 10 30 p.m eastern standard time over most of the same nbc stations check your newspaper for local release time dragnet came to you from los angeles judy canova joins the star lineup of saturday shows tonight on nbc ladies and gentlemen the story you are about to hear is true only the names have been changed to protect the innocent patima cigarettes best of long cigarettes brings you dragnet you're a detective sergeant to resign to homicide detail a vicious killer has taken the life of a 62 year old woman suspicion points in only one direction the murderer was heartless cold-blooded your job get him if you want a long cigarette smoke the best of long cigarettes smoke fatima it's the long cigarette that contains an essential ingredient of all the very popular cigarettes turkish tobacco that's why you see the turkey symbols on the attractive golden yellow fatima package that's why fatima has a much different much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette that's why fatima doubles and redoubles its smokers yes if you want a long cigarette smoke the best of long cigarettes smoke fatima dragnet let's document the drama of an actual crime for the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the los angeles police department you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case from official police files from beginning to end from crime to punishment dragnet is the story of your police force in action it was saturday november 5th it was foggy in los angeles we were working the day watch on a homicide my partner's ben romero the boss is ed backstram tivity techies my name's friday it was 3 35 p.m when i got to room 42 homicide this is friday in homicide i'd like to place a call to mr frank renard and murphy idel number 761 murphy idel 761 yeah that's right the call has been cleared with the business office all right uh do you want me to call your back sergeant no i'll hang on okay i'll take it for you but frank renard murphy idel murphy 761 yeah another thing turks all the medicines 7961 thank you the time in turk is going to call a complete operator rate operator i'm going to help yes murphy idel whole looting and person makes yeah one six oh thank you we're voicing i'm calling now first day 761 keep bringing seven okay thanks i'm frank renard please no thank you for calling i am frank renard go ahead please all right go ahead hello hello hello frank renard yeah who's this this is sergeant friday los angeles police department we've got an urgent message for you your wife delores asked me to call you something's happened to your mother what do you mean what's happened i better let your wife tell you she wants you back in los angeles right away look what's this all about i can't eat my job now you better come your mother's been murdered talk to the skipper joey's on his way in that's good did you call my husband did you he's flying down from Idaho tonight be here in the morning you tell him about me the trouble i'm in i told him his mother was murdered that's all i told him mrs renard and what am i going to say to frank he always sided in with his mother he'll never believe me what can i tell him jerry can give you more trouble in your husband can what you're going to tell him are you stupid or something how many times do i have to say it i didn't kill her i didn't kill her it's a small room is renard we can hear you sit down please i won't sit down you're not beating this on me because i didn't do it anybody could have killed the old hag but i didn't will you sit down please i don't have to take this i'm no tramp keeping me and you're asking me questions i told you all i know look you're in a bad spot i hope you realize that i didn't kill mrs renard how long have you and your mother-in-law been living together in the house on shavis road frank took the job up in Idaho not six months he said it'd be better for me while he was away living with her your neighbors told us you didn't get along very well with your mother-in-law that's right i didn't she hated me i hated her you used to fight with her is that right you hit her only a couple of times she called me dirty names i hit her she pulled me by the hair and i hated her like everything and i didn't kill her once more mrs renard would you mind telling us how you spent your time since early this morning where you went what you did everything i told you already everything you tell us again please i got up about quarter to nine i had a cup of coffee and then i got dressed the old lady was on the back porch doing the washing what did your mother-in-law do for a living i told you she took in washing after i got dressed and left the house but ten minutes after nine i went downtown to the dentist he filled the tooth for me it's right here you can ask him what time did you leave the dentist's office about quarter after ten maybe 20 after you can ask him what you do after that walked around window shopping did you buy anything talk to anybody i told you no what time did you get home not past 12 i went in the bedroom the old lady was on the floor blood all over i felt her heart it wasn't beating is that when you got the blood in your dress yeah now that's all i'm gonna say three times i told you the same story already and you still can't account for your time between 10 20 this morning the time you found the body and called the police at 12 30 i told you i left the dentist i went window shopping then i walked home and didn't have time you didn't talk to anyone and no one saw you lots of people saw me people on the street downtown i'm no tramp i don't talk to everybody none of your neighbors saw you come home as renard of course they didn't see me i cut across the back a lot of from ten or they i don't know i came in the back way the lady over his next door to you she says she was in the backyard about noon time she stayed there till after one o'clock she didn't see you come in the back way and she's a liar she's a dirty life you and your husband took out an insurance policy on your mother-in-law last year is that right miss renard sure it is what of it five thousand dollar yeah so what you know a man by the name of george martino no you better tell the truth miss renard all right so i do is a friend of mine you've been running around with him since your husband's been away none of your business i do what i want your mother-in-law found out about martino that's what you fought about most of the time oh she was crazy you're the friend of mine that's all are you telling the truth miss renard martino's a boyfriend of mine i told you that's all your mother-in-law found out you were running around with him she warned you if you didn't shake martino she'd write your husband you said you'd kill her if she did that's a lie that's what your mother-in-law told more of a neighbor ladies i said it just to scare her one night i was drinking we had a fight she was yapping at me all night i said it just to scare her but she wrote the letter anyway and that's what she said but i didn't kill her you had the time the motive and the opportunity it wasn't me i didn't kill her interrogation room friday this is brennan joe yeah bell where are you san amonica picked up george martino ben and i drove mrs renard to lincoln heights jail fifth floor and had her booked on suspicion of 187 pc when we checked back in at the office brennan and wiseman the other two men on the key with ben and i were questioning george martino in the interrogation room ben and i stood by martino admitted only two things he had been running around with mrs renard since her husband left town and he had heard mrs renard express a desire to do away with her mother-in-law after the questioning of martino sergeant brennan ben and i met with chief ed baston was 5 15 p.m. you got everything but the murder webinar that and mrs renard's confession she ought to come through aren't you i don't know she's scared but she's still got a smart mouth what about martino brennan you think he had a hand in it i don't think so we spent most of the afternoon talking to him he hasn't got the guts we took a statement does he have an aliban solid what was the cause of death strangulation multiple fractures of the skull all motives are with mrs renard chief pretty clear cut job no evidence of robbery or burglary i guess a couple of dresser drawers in the bedroom were emptied on the floor and floors tossed all around pretty obvious plan to make it look like burglary maybe we found three one dollar bills in plain sight they were on the floor near the body if a burglar went through the stuff he wouldn't miss that money and that shouldn't be too much trouble tying it up shouldn't be scared on friday and remarrow you follow the case through correct oh just a minute hello back strand yeah what all right i'll send him over lee jones just finished checking evidence of the crime lab yeah hitting mrs renard's innocent there they are fellas facts don't lie but she had every reason in the world to kill lowlay in my book she couldn't have killed it all right let's have it lee how does the evidence add up just it doesn't take a look dress mrs renard was wearing when she on the body that's it blood smears near the hem two smears that's all now if she murdered her mother law there should be more blood on this dress it shouldn't be smeared i mean first of all the man in which the old lady was killed head was battered in must have bled profusely no question about that all right go ahead whoever murdered the old lady must have stains all over their clothes is the important part because of the nature of the wound it would have stinging drops not smears well how can you tell her difference maybe these are dropped stains on her desk they're not i check them in the microscope only the higher ribs of the cloth are stained the smears nothing else but a drop forms its own definite drop pattern and permeates the cloth soaks in no signs of that on her dress i don't want now here's the silk scarf the old lady was strangled it yeah here's what i found in the knot tied in the scarf a blonde hair wavy old lady had dark hair so does measure nine so does her boyfriend that's what i mean this blonde hair is one of two things that didn't belong at that mercy what else you got this here there's a small piece of plastic a gun but i'd say yeah this cross surface and a little smooth area yeah the killer could have hit the old lady with a butt of a gun and a piece of the stock could have chipped off like this uh there's a knot there's none of them yeah did your mother know where does that leave us i don't know joe there's a stuff you can't disregard it maybe you can explain yeah how well first prove this dress isn't the one mrs. renard was wearing this morning then find the dress she didn't wear i know she wore this when the dentist identified it and so did do it in the neighborhood that's what i mean the dress is too clean doesn't belong this blonde hair this piece of gun butt they don't belong here when you think she's innocent you're looking at the evidence what do you think 6 p.m. saturday november 5th men and i went back to the office and met with friend and wise men and had back strand the open and shut case against mrs. renard was up in the air but we still weren't sure that she was innocent of the murder of her mother-in-law men and i drove to the lincoln heights jail and interviewed the suspect again she agreed to submit to a lie detector test we drove back to the office contacted sergeant berger the department's polygraph man and set up a special test for the following day the next morning we met with berger and formulated the list of key questions and then we picked up mrs. renard and brought her to the third floor of the old city jail building the polygraph room at 10 33 a.m the test got underway as usual sergeant berger conducted the interview alone back strand ben and i waited outside um how about mrs. renard's husband getting down yet he's doing around newton's cavern and got a smoke thanks time is it now 11 25 and here's berger now that's it it now what'd you get i can study the chart a little more the results are pretty well defined though how's it look no reaction to the key questions what's your opinion i don't think you did it you are listening to drag net authentic stories of your police force in action and in leading magazines this week you'll see this authentic story headline patina's sensational growth sets a record for long cigarettes then you'll read the actual reasons smokers give for changing to patina patina is different it's mild and has a wonderful flavor patina's best these are the words of miss pamela bookman of new york where patina has increased its smokers 132 percent patina tastes much better than any other long cigarette it's the best says mr. james s winter halter of detroit where patina smokers have increased 348 percent i like the flavor and patina is mild it's the best long cigarette that's the statement of mrs mary c worderman of los angeles where patina has increased its smokers 545 percent yes more and more long cigarette smokers every day agree a change to patina is a change to the best enjoy the team of yourself best of long cigarettes 8 a.m. monday november 7 mr. renard was released from custody we questioned her husband frank renard briefly he could tell us nothing more than we already knew brennan and weisman were called back on the case and together the four of us started over again from the beginning we had a dead body two pieces of physical evidence to work with no idea how to fit them together and no suspects we went back to the chavis road neighborhood where the murdered woman lived and started pushing doorbells we canvassed the neighborhood for three days and we uncovered one slim lead he was selling magazine's officer went door to door right up the street here you're a fellow could you describe them in force please nothing to talk about pasty phase pimply complexion blonde hair 5 30 p.m. wednesday november the night ben and i met with brennan and weisman and had backstrand's office to compare notes together we had more than a dozen reports of the magazine salesman's presence in the neighborhood just prior to the murder of mrs renard's mother-in-law the various descriptions of the man which we obtained from the people in the neighborhood tallying closely about six feet 170 pounds pimply complexion blonde hair fast talk him about 25 years old of course we know scabry was the only stranger in the neighborhood last saturday morning only one of the people remember anyway how close did you trace him to the renard house you got your list there brennan yeah there you are thanks let's see when he picked up his tracks down on floresta street sold a couple of descriptions there and he headed up lander's avenue on the chavis road yeah the renards live at 2280 chavis road that salesman talked to the woman at 2274 chavis that's three doors away from the renards uh i'm busy seeing them let me see where is that brennan on the 157 sheet show didn't have enough room on the report oh yeah here's it this is john rico 2274 chavis the guy was there about 1145 saturday morning and that puts him in the running first time he ever showed in that neighborhood first time scabry fresh kid not a very good sale here's the name of the company he's working for the harrison louis distributors you check with him now they're closed for the night we'll call him the first thing tomorrow good here's something else for you and a call from frank renard this afternoon what he had to say seems in the excitement just after the murder mrs renard overlooked a couple of things what's that now they're missing a yellow table model radio radio was in the bedroom where the old lady was killed well that ties in with a robbery motive and they're missing a ring too belonged to mrs renard topaz ring supposed to be worth a little money but she didn't notice it was gone until the day that's right you got the serial number on the radio right here let's see yeah better here we are amerson model 511 180 000 277 609 not a small radio in town there's only one with that serial number on it track it down a complete description of the topaz ring and the serial numbers in description of the yellow table model radio were sent to the pawn shop detail the information was then placed on the stolen property list and relayed to every pawn shop operator in the city the next morning ben and i interviewed the manager of the harrison news distributing company there the suspect had given his name as sam bricker we checked out his home address turned out to be a gas station in north hollywood we took the suspect's job application blank with the specimen of his handwriting and then we drove back to the office sam bricker we were unable to get a make on the name from the record bureau we checked the cards and every known criminal it was catalogued in the oddity files having a pamphlet complexion none of them matched that night we got out an apb in the radiogram the suspect's trail led from one salesman's job to the next on his last job he gave his name as albert berry his address is 1430 paloaldo drive that was in the echo lake district and then i drove out to check it 1420 a 1430 there it is you know this is not a gas station huh come on tiresome huh yeah i could stand a change yes what is it we're looking for an albert berry ma'am does he live here mr berry i'm sorry he and his wife moved four days ago we identified ourselves as police officers and i had the land idea mrs catrin hawkman they show us the apartment which berry and his wife had occupied it was still vacant in one of the closets in the apartment we found a cheap overnight bag the lock on it was broken and one of the seams it ripped i forgot about that old bag and mr berry told me i could throw it away take a look i'm in how long has berry been married do you know mrs hawkman no i don't but the way they acted lovey-dovey all the time i don't think they've been together long hey joe huh look some kind of an identification tag yeah let me see it up here it's a tool disc it looks like i'm jamison larabee pittsburgh pennsylvania you're not after mr berry are you officer yes ma'am we are did he leave a forwarding address i wish he did i'm holding three letters for mrs berry in my apartment right now may we see them please certainly would you step this way please my apartment's just across the hall yes ma'am would you like a bottle of beer or something no ma'am thanks let's see i thought i was yes here they are three open sergeants from her folks i think mrs berries from fresno that's good you want to copy down this return address ma'am yeah okay that's ck all right u l r i ck five two five north lamona fresno yeah great lay arm is often by the way did the berry say they'd call for their mail mrs berry did that's why i'm holding on to it all right just one more question do you remember if mr and mrs berry had a radio yes they did a small one do you remember what brand it was no i don't it had a yellow case that's all i remember before we left we called it back strand and he had an immediate stakeout placed at the apartment house in case the berries returned to pick up their mail ben and i went back to the office and placed a call at the fitzberg police department we gave them the description and the number of the tool disc which we'd found in berry's old suitcase they said they'd check with a james and larry company in the morning and then they'd call us back that night ben and i drove to fresno and checked in at the police looking up there two officers were assigned to stake out the alrick home we interviewed mr alrick who identified himself as albert berry's father-in-law he told us his daughter had married the murder suspect eight months before and he gave us pictures of berry taken at the wedding alrick told us that he'd catch a santa fe train out of fresno the next morning he wanted to be in los angeles to take his daughter home when berry was apprehended it was almost two a.m when ben and i left fresno and started back for los angeles we checked in at the office at ten minutes past eight the next morning at eight thirty five the call came through from the fitzberg police department what did they say joe it was a tool disc all right james and larry company issued 18 months ago to one of their workers i give a name albert berry 11 a.m. the december the fifth one month to the day since the 62 year old woman had been beaten to death the pictures of berry and his wife which had been taken at their wedding were printed up in wholesale lots and distributed to all points mr alrick berry's father-in-law arrived in town and got himself a hotel room we waited there was no report from the stake out of the apartment house we checked back in at the office in five minutes to one i got it i'm aside friday this is mr alrick sergeant i just got a call from my wife in fresno i thought you want to know what's that the wife got a letter from norma they're living in south pasadena an apartment you got the address there yes sir that's what the wife called about it's 134 norway terrace when was the letter mailed you know i've said it was postmark december third day before yesterday get your coat on alrick we'll be right over ben and i picked up mr alrick at his hotel and drove to the south pasadena address berry and his wife had the apartment on the top floor neither of them were at home the landlord let us in with a pass key in the bedroom we found a small yellow radio we checked the serial numbers they matched it was the same radio stolen from the renard house in the bedroom closet we found two suitcases we checked through them nothing in this one joe here we are look at these what are they sergeant pair of plastic gun butts i see joe one of them has been chipsing sergeant somebody coming up the stage let's get in the living room be quiet what are you doing here who are these men police norma they want albert he killed a woman all right norma it'll be all right did you know your husband killed a woman mrs berry i've been running away for a month now moving all the time i'm going to to know why or he told me he said i was in this much tear run and i'm tired of running why did he kill her did he tell you that he said it broke in the house he didn't know anyone was home because all of them was in the bedroom he started to cry out he had a gun he hit her with it where's your husband now i don't know let it come home for dinner but five about the groceries what time you got been uh half past three um that ring you worry mrs berry doesn't give you that yes why what kind of a stone is that don't pass right gave it to me why nothing we'll wait five o'clock came and went berry failed the show five thirty always started to get nervous six o'clock six thirty no sign of berry i went to the window and kept an eye on the street below at six forty five a light green nash satan photo was stopped in front of the apartment house a man got out wanted in the main floor entrance bird i'll let him in all right how long have you had the new car a couple of days got it credit what do you want me to do now does he have a key to the apartment here he lost it okay when he rings let him in he's a stagnant actual and yeah you cover me i'll get the cups on him right on my top of berry okay ben yeah he's fast with a gun nice looking isn't he sarge i've never seen a kid kill anybody come on let's take him in i love him i still love him but you're a cop you wouldn't understand that's right i wouldn't understand i'm a cop the story you have just heard was true only the names were changed to protect the innocent on february 16th 1947 trial was held in superior court department 82 city and county of los angeles state of california in a moment the results of that trial earlier tonight you heard the reports of amazing increases in fatima smokers from new york to los angeles yes all over the country fatima is doubling and redoubling its sales and here's reason one fatima is the long cigarette that contains an essential ingredient of all the very popular cigarettes turkish tobacco reason two fatima has a much different much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette reason three two millions of smokers the name fatima has always stood for the best in cigarette quality smoke fatima the best of all long cigarettes albert ralph berry was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree his wife norma berry was found innocent of the charge that she harbored a criminal she was returned home with her father berry was executed in the lethal gas chamber at the state penitentiary you have just heard dragnet a new series of authentic cases from official violence technical advice for dragnet comes from the office of acting chief of police w a warton los angeles police department tonight's program is dedicated to private hubert w sd's of the district of colombia metropolitan police department who on the night of may 16th 1947 gave his life so that yours might be more secure fatima cigarettes best of long cigarettes has brought you dragnet ocean transcribed from los angeles be sure to hear songs by mortandani tonight on nbc ladies and gentlemen the story you were about to hear is true only the names have been changed to protect the innocent fatima cigarettes best of long cigarettes brings you dragnet you're a detective sergeant you're assigned to homicide detail a vicious killer has taken the life of a 62 year old woman suspicion points in only one direction the murderer was heartless cold blooded your job get him if you want a long cigarette smoke the best of long cigarettes smoke fatima it's the long cigarette that contains an essential ingredient of all the very popular cigarettes turkish tobacco that's why you see the turkey symbols on the attractive golden yellow fatima package that's why fatima has a much different much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette that's why fatima doubles and redoubles its smokers yes if you want a long cigarette smoke the best of long cigarettes smoke fatima dragnet the documented drama of an actual crime for the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the los angeles police department you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case from official police files from beginning to end from crime to punishment dragnet is the story of your police force in action it was saturday november 5th it was foggy in los angeles we're working a day watch out of homicide my partner's ben romero the boss is at backstrand tivity techies my name's friday it was 3 35 p.m when i got to room 42 homicide this is friday in harm aside i'd like to place a call to mr frank renard and murphy idaho number seven six one yeah that's right the call has been cleared with the business office all right uh do you want me to call you back sergeant no i'm hang on okay i'll break it for you now murphy idaho murphy seven six one you want other things cut the call to matters in the seven nine six one thank you the time in charge is when the call is completed operator made operator yes murphy idaho looting and person eight okay thanks this is sergeant friday los angeles police department got an urgent message for you your wife delores asked me to call you something's happened to your mother i better let your wife tell you she wants you back in los angeles right away but what's this all about i can't leave my job now you better come your mother's been murdered talk to the skipper joey's on his way in that's good did you call my husband did you he's flying down from idaho tonight be here in the morning you tell him about me the trouble i'm in i told him his mother was murdered that's all i told him mrs renard and what am i gonna say to frank we always sided in with his mother he'll never believe me what can i tell him jerry can give you more trouble in your husband can let's go and tell him are you stupid or something how many times do i have to say it i didn't kill her i didn't kill her it's a small room mrs renard we can hear you sit down please sit down you're not pinning this on me because i didn't do it anybody could have killed the old hag but i didn't well you sit down please i don't have to take this i'm no tramp keeping me in here asking me questions i told you all i know look you're in a bad spot i hope you realize that you didn't kill mrs renard how long have you and your mother-in-law been living together in the house on shavis road his friend took the job up in idaho not six months he said it'd be better for me while he was away living with her your neighbors told us you didn't get along very well with your mother-in-law that's right i didn't she hated me i hated her you used to fight with her is that right you hit her only a couple of times she called me dirty names i hit her she pulled me by the hair and i hated her like everything and i didn't kill her once more mrs renard would you mind telling us how you spent your time since early this morning where you went what you did everything i told you already everything will you tell us again please i got up about quarter to nine i had a cup of coffee and then i got dressed the old lady was on the back porch doing the washing what did your mother-in-law do for a living i told you she took in washing after i got dressed and left the house but ten minutes after nine it went downtown to the dentist he filled the tooth for me it's right here you can ask him what time did you leave the dentist's office not quarter after ten maybe 20 after you can ask him what you do after that i walked around window shopping did you buy anything talked to anybody i told you know what time did you get home about 12 i went in the bedroom the old lady was on the floor blood all over i felt her heart it wasn't beating is that when you got the blood on your dress yeah now that's all i'm gonna say three times i told you the same story already and you still can't account for your time between 10 20 this morning the time you found the body and called the police at 12 30 i told you i left the dentist i went window shopping then i walked home and during that time you didn't talk to anyone and no one saw you lots of people saw me people on the street downtown i'm no tramp i don't talk to everybody none of your neighbors saw you come home as renard of course they didn't see me i cut across the back lot of from ten or they have a new i came in the back way the lady who lives next door to you she says she was in the back yard about noon time she stayed there after one o'clock she didn't see you come in the back way and she's a liar she's a dirty liar you and your husband took out an insurance policy on your mother-in-law last year is that right miss renard sure it is what of it five thousand dollar yeah so what do you know a man by the name of george martino no you better tell the truth miss renard all right so i do is a friend of mine you've been running around with him since your husband's been away none of your business i do what i want your mother-in-law found out about martino that's what you fought about most of the time oh she was crazy you're a friend of mine that's all are you telling the truth miss renard martino's a boyfriend of mine i told you that's all your mother-in-law found out you were running around with him she warned you if you didn't shake martino she'd write your husband you said you'd kill her if she did that's a lie that's what your mother-in-law told one of the neighbor ladies and i thought it just to scare her one night i was drinking we had a fight she was yapping at me all night i thought it just to scare her but she wrote the letter anyway and that's what she said but i didn't kill her you had the time and the motive and the opportunity it wasn't me i didn't kill her interrogation room friday this is brennan joe yeah bell where are you san amonica ben and i drove mrs renard to lincoln heights jail fifth floor and had her booked on suspicion of 187 pc when we checked back in at the office brennan and wiseman the other two men on the kings with ben and i were questioning george martino in the interrogation room ben and i stood by martino admitted only two things he had been running around with mrs renard since her husband left town and he had heard mrs renard express a desire to do away with her mother-in-law after the questioning of martino sergeant brennan ben and i met with chief ed bastron was 5 15 p.m. you got everything but the murder webinar that mrs renard's confession she ought to come through on you i don't know she's scared but she's still got a smart mouth what about martino brennan you think he had a hand in i don't think so we spent most of the afternoon talking to him he hasn't got the guts we took a statement and does he have an aliban solid what was the cause of death strangulation multiple fractures of the skull all motives are with mrs renard chief pretty clear cut job no evidence of robbery or burglary i guess a couple of dresser drawers in the bedroom were emptied on the floor and closed those door around pretty obvious plan to make it look like burglary maybe we found three one dollar bills in plain sight they were on the floor near the body if a burglar went through the stuff he wouldn't have missed that money and that shouldn't be too much trouble tying it up shouldn't be scared on friday and remerow you follow the case through dress just a minute hello back strand yeah what all right i'll send him over lee jones just finished checking the evidence of the crime lab yeah he thinks mrs renard's innocent there they are fellas facts don't lie but she had every reason in the world to kill lowlake in my book she couldn't have killed it all right let's have it lee how does the evidence add up just it geord doesn't take a look dress mrs renard was wearing when she found the body that's it blood smears near the hem two smears that's all now if she murdered her mother in law there should be more blood on this dress it shouldn't be smeared i mean first of all the man in which the old lady was killed head was battered in must have bled profusely no question about that all right go ahead whoever murdered the old lady must have stains all over their clothes here's the important part because of the nature of the wound it would have stained in drops not smears oh i can tell the difference maybe these are dropped stains on her desk they're not i checked them with a microscope only the higher ribs of the cloth are stained the smears nothing else but a drop forms its own definite drop pattern and permeates the cloth soaks in the signs of that on her dress i don't want now here's the silk scarf the old lady was strangled with yeah here's what i found in the knot tied in the scarf a blonde hair wavy old lady had dark hair so it meant her mark so does her boyfriend that's what i mean this blonde hair is one of two things that didn't belong at that murder seat what else you got this year originally small piece of plastic we're gun but i'd say yeah this cross surface and a little smooth area yeah the killer could have hit the old lady with a butt of a gun and a piece of the stock could have chipped off like this uh there's a note doesn't own a gun did your mother know where does that leave us i don't know joe there's a stuff you can't disregard it maybe you can explain it yeah how well first prove this dress isn't the one mrs rinard was wearing this morning then find the dress she did wear we know she wore this when the dentist identified it and so did do with the neighbor that's what i mean the dress is too clean doesn't belong here this blonde hair this piece of gun butt they don't belong here when you think she's innocent you're looking at the evidence what do you think 6 p.m saturday november 5th ben and i went back to the office and met with brennan wiseman and at backstrand the open and shut case against mrs rinard was up in the air but we still weren't sure that she was innocent of the murder of her mother-in-law ben and i drove to the lincoln heights jail and interviewed the suspect again she agreed to submit to a lie detector test we drove back to the office contacted sergeant berger the department's polygraph man and set up a special test for the following day the next morning we met with berger and formulated the list of key questions and then we picked up mrs rinard and brought her to the third floor of the old city jail building the polygraph room at 10 33 a.m the test got underway as usual sergeant berger conducted the interview alone backstrand ben and i waited outside how about mrs rinard's has been getting down yet you're doing around noon scab. got a smoke yeah here you are then thanks time is it now 11 25 yes berger now that's it it what'd you get i can study the chart a little more the results are pretty well defined though how's it look no reaction to the key questions what's your opinion i don't think you did it you are listening to dragnet authentic stories of your police force in action and in leading magazines this week you'll see this authentic story headline patima's sensational growth that's a record for long cigarettes then you'll read the actual reasons smokers give for changing to patima patima is different it's mild and has a wonderful flavor patima's best these are the words of miss pamela bookman of new york where patima has increased its smokers 132 percent patima tastes much better than any other long cigarette it's the best says mr james s winter culture of detroit where patima smokers have increased 348 percent i like the flavor and patima is mild it's the best long cigarette that's the statement of mrs mary c worderman of los angeles where patima has increased its smokers 545 percent yes more and more long cigarette smokers every day agree a change to patima is a change to the best enjoy patima yourself best of long cigarettes 8 a.m. monday november 7th mrs renard was released from custody we questioned her husband frank renard briefly he could tell us nothing more than we already knew brennan and wyseman were called back on the case and together the four of us started over again from the beginning we had a dead body two pieces of physical evidence to work with no idea how to fit them together and no suspects we went back to the chavis road neighborhood where the murdered woman lived and started pushing doorbells we canvassed the neighborhood for three days uncovered one slim lead she was selling magazines officer went door to door right up the street here your fellow could you describe the man force please nothing to talk about pasty face pimply complexion blonde hair 5 30 p.m. wednesday november the night ben and i met with brennan and wyseman and had backstrand's office to compare notes together we had more than a dozen reports of the magazine salesman's presence in the neighborhood just prior to the murder of mrs renard's mother-in-law the various descriptions of the man which we obtained from the people in the neighborhood tallying closely about six feet 170 pounds pimply complexion blonde hair fast talk him about 25 years old of course we know scabery was the only stranger in the neighborhood last saturday morning only one of the people remember anyway how close did you trace him to the renard house you get your list there brennan yeah they are thanks let's see when he picked up his tracks down on floresta street sold a couple of descriptions there and he headed up lander's avenue on the chavis road yeah the renards live at 2280 chavis road and salesman talked to the woman at 2274 chavis that's three doors away from the renards uh what does he see in there let me see where is that brennan on the 157 she showed didn't have enough room on the report um yeah here is it mrs john riko 2274 chavis the guy was there about 1145 saturday morning and they put him in the running first time he ever showed in that neighborhood first time scabers fresh kid not a very good sale here's the name of the company he's working for the harrison news distributors you check with them well they're closed for the night we'll call them the first thing tomorrow good here's something else for you and a call from frank renard this afternoon what he had to say seems in the excitement just after the murder mrs renard overlooked a couple of things what's that now they're missing a yellow table model radio radio was in the bedroom where the old lady was killed well that ties in with a robbery motive and they're missing a ring too along to mrs renard topaz ring supposed to be worth a little money but she didn't notice it was gone until the day that's right you got the serial number on the radio yeah right here yeah let's sing yeah better here we are the haverson model 511 180 000 277 609 not a small radio isn't there there's only one with that serial number on it crack it down the description of the topaz ring and the serial numbers in description of the yellow table model radio were sent to the pawn shop detail the information was then placed on the stolen property list and relayed to every pawn shop operator in the city the next morning ben and i interviewed the manager of the harrison news distributing company there the suspect had given his name is sam bricker we checked out his home address turned out to be a gas station in north hollywood we took the suspects job application blank with the specimen of his handwriting and then we drove back to the office sam bricker we were unable to get a make on the name from the record bureau we checked the cards in every known criminal it was catalogued in the oddity file as having a template complexion none of them matched that night we got out an apb and a radiogram the suspects trail led from one salesman's job to the next on his last job he gave his name as albert barry his address is 1430 palo Alto drive that was in the echo lake district then and i go back to check it 1428 1430 there if you don't know at least it's not a gas station huh come on tiresome huh yeah i could stand a change yes what is it we're looking for an albert barry ma'am does he live here mr barry i'm sorry he and his wife moved four days ago we identified ourselves as police officers and had the landlady of mrs catron hawkman we show us the apartment which barry and his wife had occupied it was still vacant and one of the closets in the apartment we found a cheap overnight bag the lock on it was broken and one of the seams had ripped i forgot about that old bag and mr barry told me i could throw it away take a look i'm in how long has barry been married do you know mrs hawkman no i don't but the way they acted lovey-dovey all the time i don't think they've been together long and joe look some kind of an identification tag yeah let me see it's a tool disc it looks like them jameson larry pittsburgh pennsylvania you're not after mr barry are you officers yes ma'am we are did he leave a forwarding address i wish he did i'm holding three letters for mrs barry in my apartment right now may we see them please certainly would you step this way please my apartment just across the hall yes ma'am would you like a bottle of beer or something no ma'am thanks from her folks i think mrs barry's from fresno that's good i want to copy down this return address man oh yeah go ahead okay that's ck or u l r i ck five two five north lamona fresno and very arm is hotman by the way did the barry say they'd call for their mail mrs barry did that's why i'm holding on to it all right just one more question do you remember if mr and mrs barry had a radio yes they did a small one do you remember what brand it was no i don't it had a yellow case that's all i remember before we left we called it back strand and he had an immediate stakeout placed at the apartment house in case the barry's returned to pick up their mail men and i went back to the office and placed a call at the pittsburgh police department we gave them the description and the number of the tool disc which we found in barry's old suitcase they said they'd check with a james and larry company in the morning and then they'd call us back that night ben and i drove to fresno and checked in at the police station up there two officers were assigned to stake out the alrick home we interviewed mr alrick who identified himself as albert barry's father-in-law he told us his daughter had married the murder suspect eight months before and he gave us pictures of barry taken at the wedding alrick told us that he'd catch a santa fe train out of fresno the next morning he wanted to be in los angeles to take his daughter home when barry was apprehended it was almost 2 a.m when ben and i left fresno and started back to los angeles we checked in at the office at 10 minutes past eight the next morning at 8 35 the call came through from the pittsburgh police department what did i say joe it was a tool disc all right james and larry company issued 18 months ago to one of their workers they give a name albert barry 11 a.m monday december the 5th one month to the day since the 62-year-old woman had been beaten to death the pictures of barry and his wife which had been taken at their wedding were printed up in wholesale lots and distributed to all points mr alrick barry's father-in-law arrived in town and got himself a hotel room we waited there was no report from the stake out of the apartment house we checked back in at the office at five minutes to one i got it i'm aside friday this is mr alrick sergeant i just got a call from my wife in fresno i thought you want to know what's that the wife got a letter from norma they're living in south pasadena an apartment you got the address there yes sir that's what the wife called about it's 134 norway terrace when was the letter mailed you know i've said it was both mark december 3rd day before yesterday get your coat on alrick we'll be right over ben and i picked up mr alrick at his hotel and drove to the south pasadena address barry and his wife had the apartment on the top floor neither of them were at home a landlord let us in with a pass key in the bedroom we found a small yellow radio we checked the serial numbers they matched it was the same radio stolen from the renard house in the bedroom closet we found two suitcases we checked through them nothing in this one joe here we are look at these what are they sergeant pair of plastic gun butts i see joe one of them has been checking sergeant somebody coming up the stairs all right let's get in the living room be quiet what are you doing here who are these men police norma they want albert he killed a woman so i'll write norma it'll be all right did you know your husband killed a woman mrs barry i'm running away for a month now moving all the time i wanted to know why but he told me he said i was in as much a tear run and i'm tired of running why did he kill her did he tell you that he said it broke in the house he didn't know anyone was home and the old woman was in the bedroom she started to cry out he had a gun she hit her with it where's your husband now i don't know daddy come home for dinner about five about the grocery what time you got been uh half past three um that ring you're wearing mrs barry your husband gave you that yes why what kind of a stone isn't that to a past spirit gave it to me why nothing we'll wait five o'clock came and went barry failed to show five thirty oh rick started to get nervous six o'clock six thirty no sign of barry i went to the window and kept an eye on the street below at six forty five a light green nash sedan photo was stopped in front of the apartment house a man got out and went into the main floor entrance bird i'll let him in all right how long have you had the new car a couple of days got credit what do you want me to do now does he have a key to the apartment here you lost it okay when he rings let him in just act natural and yeah you cover me i'll get the cuffs on him right how about barry okay ben yeah he's fast with a gun that's looking at me such i've never seen a kid kill anybody come on let's take him in i love him i still love him but if you're a cop you wouldn't understand that's right i wouldn't understand i'm a cop the story you have just heard was true only the names were changed to protect the innocent on february 16th 1947 trial was held in superior court department 82 city and county of los angeles state of california in a moment the results of that trial earlier tonight you heard the reports of amazing increases in fatima smokers from new york to los angeles yes all over the country fatima is doubling and redoubling its sales and here's reason one fatima is the long cigarette that contains an essential ingredient of all the very popular cigarettes turkish tobacco reason two fatima has a much different much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette reason three two millions of smokers the name fatima has always stood for the best in cigarette quality smoke fatima the best of all long cigarettes albert ralph berry was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree his wife norma berry was found innocent of the charge that she harbored a criminal she was returned home with her father berry was executed in the lethal gas chamber at the state penitentiary you have just heard dragnet a new series of authentic cases from official violence technical advice for dragnet comes from the office of acting chief of police w a warton los angeles police department tonight's program is dedicated to private cubrick w sd's of the district of columbia metropolitan police department who on the night of may 16th 1947 gave his life so that yours might be more secure a team of cigarettes best of long cigarettes has brought you dragnet question transcribed from los angeles be sure to hear songs by mortandani tonight on nbc ladies and gentlemen the story you're about to hear is true only the names have been changed to protect the innocent fatima cigarettes best of long cigarettes brings you dragnet you're a detective sergeant you're assigned to juvenile bureau a rash of crimes is broken out in your city suspicion points to an organized gang of juveniles your job stop them if you want a long cigarette smoke the best of long cigarettes smoke fatima it's the long cigarette that contains an essential ingredient of all the very popular cigarettes turkish tobacco that's why you see the turkey symbols on the attractive golden yellow fatima package that's why fatima has a much different much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette that's why fatima doubles and redoubles its smokers yes if you want a long cigarette smoke the best of long cigarettes smoke fatima dragnet the documented drama of an actual crime for the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the los angeles police department you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case from official police files from beginning to end from crime to punishment dragnet is the story of your police force in action was sunday march 27 was windy in los angeles we're working a night watch out of george street juvenile bureau my partner's ben romero the boss is ed backstrand chief of detectives my name's friday i was on the way up from the juvenile bureau and it was 11 25 p.m. when i got to the receiving hospital room five the treatment room everything happens on sunday night time yeah how's the kid making out doc the one arm is cut up badly nothing fatal though how'd it happen that's what i'd like to find out when i talked to him if you want don't press him know he's had a bad shock all right officer here to talk to you son i can't tell him i can't talk please just a few routine questions and we're gonna have to answer him sooner or later please can't you see what's happened already i can't tell you anything jackman rose that's your real name yeah how old are you don't be 16 next july when you live i can't tell you you know that let me alone will you let me alone you've been running around with that gang of kids on spring street haven't you the big timers isn't that what they call themselves i don't know anything about it believe me i can't talk you tipped us off about the burger we they were going to pull tonight is that where they knifed you look will you believe me i can't tell you anything not anything he's still shaking you all right jack we'll talk about it later when you feel better you see what they've done to me already they said next time they'd kill me july will be your old friday yeah yeah okay friend goodbye i can make out john it's not very good ben captain boring convenient you check in while you were going to see us okay if he'd tell you who knifed him no i scared him good he wouldn't tell me a thing he's lying on the boy's parents friday i got a hold of his father he's on his way in how's the boy bad knife wounds nothing failed you know the boy not till this afternoon captain he tipped himself about a burglary a gang of young kids were supposed to pull tonight we go through no but two hours ago this Monroe kid was found in the vacant lot down on olympic cut up pretty bad the gang must have paid him how long is it going to take you to break that up we're just starting to get a learn on them bob must be nearly a hundred in that game and everyone up and working hard take a look at the pin map over here the spot here look all the jobs pulled during the last month last five weeks up to date that tabs for burglary must be more than a hundred the robberies green pens count them at least 50 there's five more orange ones added for the weekend auto desks you bet those kids are working hard you got a lead on them that's the one we had last week you have to push it harder here's the big reason this is a line of pens down in black first snatching first snatching gonna rate 26 of them in the past five weeks they're pretty well concentrated in one area here that's right now what's the lead you're working on right there on the pen map gab well these two blocks here bob where franco alley intersect spring street what about it well it's the only clear area for a dozen blocks around there's not a colored pin on it you see yeah now all the rest of the pins the robberies burglary's attacks they all seem to branch out from this same spot right here indefinite patterns franco alley and spring street figure that's the focal point for the guy well it's good all the mark for instance oh we've been checking that neighborhood for a week we got it narrowed down to one place out of the corner franco in spring what is it it's a sort of time it's pretty typical only it stays open all night and it gets a pretty good play from kids for right now hang out captain pretty tough youngster none of them over 18 who runs the place guy named eddie ramsey small time con man had a running with him when we worked bunco detail i remember the name smart mouth tried to give us trouble when we talked to some kids in there last night he's got a place out of form in the back of the store kind of a club room he sounds like a good lead what are you doing about it well just a minute come on yeah who now we'll be right down when an old kid his father's downstairs cursing every one of us and what's his problem can't understand how his boy got in trouble come on then let's tell him what kind of a city do we have when we can't allow our children out on the street without being stabbed or shot what's our great police force doing when this is going on i'd like an answer if you've got one i demand an answer we got an answer for mr minn rowell you sit down my boy's lying in there in that hospital bed cut the pieces what do you do to prevent it tell me you tell us mr minn rowell what do you do to prevent it i'm no cop that's your job i pay my taxes and i help pay your salary we look out for your kids but we don't raise unless you're just a minute mr minn rowell answer me this how old is your son jack he's 16 i think why you know what he does with his spare time where he spends his night of course i do he's at home sometimes he goes to the library and you don't know much about your son mr minn rowell for the past month four nights out of five he's been hanging around with a gang down at a soda fountain on spring street he's down there's late it's 2 a.m he says he goes to the library how do i know i'm a busy man did you know that your son is mixed up with that gang he's not mixed up with that gang a bunch of small time thieves but they're growing they started with purse snatching breaking in park cars burglarizing candy stores you don't know what you're talking about wait a minute please then they took up robberies stealing cars beating up girls women attacking you're crazy jack's not that kind he's part of that gang and right now we hold all of them responsible my boy wouldn't do anything like that he's a member of that gang he told us they're the ones that napped him tonight that's a lie jack's not mixed up with anything like that you believe anything you want mr minn rowell we're gonna protect your boy as much as we can but don't expect us to raise him for you you better take a free piece of advice you keep your advice jack's not in this you can't prove he is we're not out to prove anything right now but you catch up with that boy yours keep him off the streets before it's too late are you threatening me no sir surprising the next time we might meet at the morgue one a.m monday march 28th a detail of 50 officers from juvenile bureau and metropolitan division were deployed for 16 blocks along figure o street at five minutes past one they started to move south over an appointed area in the space of half an hour 18 young kids none of them over 17 years old were picked up off the streets and brought to the second floor at 1335 georgia street the juvenile bureau four of the youngsters were girls at 145 a.m. then and i checked the soda fountain on the corner of pranko alley in spring street same bunch go business education yeah come on the folks they're back again same guys but i can tell eddie why do you guys have to keep tracking us huh you think we were crooks or something you were here the last time we checked in teddy you ever go home sure when i'm tired i'm tired what's the matter that's your money on the table there sure it's my money you want to borrow a buck 28 dollars that's a lot of money for a bull gory you keep pretty late hours son you have to go to school in the morning maybe i can sit here can i it's free country i'm drinking coffee you're gonna make me on that you've been drinking more than coffee where's your driver's license every time the same thing there march 10th 1933 16 years old i giving you a trouble eddie's on his way out what's your name jones clad jones hothead sure he's got money too rich family you can save the smart talk for us any of your pals in the back room and what's the trouble now sergeant how many times a week do we get a check up go ahead eddie read them off we told you the last time rams he cleaned up your place here we'll ride your back till you do i told you the last time sergeant there's nothing wrong with my place it's almost two o'clock in the morning you got a dozen underage kids hanging around here doing nothing some of them have been drinking schoolboys better to have them in here than hanging around outside in the street i keep an eye on them you're not the guardian ramsey this time of night they've got no business in here all on the street alone that's your opinion that that's the law ramsey either you shut down that back room and keep these kids out of here late at night or we'll go after your license you don't scare me sergeant you can't prove a thing a couple of these kids have juvenile records are on probation we can tag you for contributing you still don't scare me now why don't you leave the kids alone that's right eddie read them off Ben get Benson and bell Roger you won't clean up your place rams he will do it for you yeah what are you gonna do we're filling these boys in all of them 225 a.m. monday march 28th the dragon at operation had netted 30 juveniles 26 boys four girls 24 of the children were between the ages of 16 and 17 they were lodged in the assembly room at the george street juvenile girl the other half dozen were 13 and 15 year olds they were taken to the juvenile hall at 1369 henry street at 243 a.m. we met with captain bowie well checked in 30m all right in the morning we filed petitions to have every one of these cases brought to the attention of the juvenile court make a note of it okay bob but it goes with records asked for detention from the probation department right we'll call their parents in the morning call them now they've got some explaining to do by 6 a.m. all but three of the children's parents had shown up to most of them it was nothing new their kids had been there before they'd be there again they took the lecture from the juvenile officer calmly as long as it didn't mean trouble for them they wouldn't worry when they got their children home they would reprimand them not for running the streets but for being picked up by the police ben and i had seen the cycle of the young criminals start before a hundred times over they had a lot of different endings most of them saw him during the next week that followed we booked an average of a dozen juvenile delinquents every night the clampdown continued so did the crime wave son burglaries four romperies eight car thefts six person matching three assaults on women one week's work picked up a new angle on rams in a date captain he might be fencing for the game we'll give you the tip off one of our informants ramsey's brother lives out in the valley he's supposed to be pushing this stuff you check him out yeah couldn't get a thing or not explain what attracts the kids to that cell phone explains those 20 dollar bills the kids are flashing may steal and rob and then they sell a loot to ramsey for nothing another thing ramsey keeps his place open all night and there's no reason to he doesn't get that much trade it's only from a young gang and hang around there you question the kids what are they account for having all that money well most of them say ramsey lends it to them they say they pay him back a little at a time i think he's fencing for the kids you try to get his license no not captain we can't prove a thing against him and we'll do it the hard way sweat it out that night we drove out to ramsey soda fountain and asked him again to clean up his place to keep the young kids out after 10 o'clock at night to stop lending them money they refused there was nothing we could do his business was a public place he could not be held responsible for any of his patrons in the next 10 days that followed ben and i haunted the sidewalk outside the soda fountain we questioned every youngster as they entered and left we made more than a dozen arrests many of the kids had been drinking heavily we found some of them under the influence of narcotics but ramsey was still in the clear the crime wave continued sporadically ben and i waited for our chance it was a long time coming thursday april 14th we had dinner at johnny kotham's place and it was 10 35 p.m and we checked back into the office hot shot grab a deal yeah the terminal on market street the 459 and shooting the terminal on market street the 459 let's go it was approximately five feet four inches tall 125 pounds brown hair brown eyes slight build bare complexing it was wearing blue jeans and a corduroy jacket we found him between a row of packing cases at the rear of the warehouse at terminal on market streets there was a single bullet hole in his forehead just above the left eye there was a 38 revolver near his right hand the watchman told us how it happened she broke in the back of the warehouse sergeant she wanted to shoot it out with me here's his ID card fell out of his pocket teddy cameron age 15 dear god the kid i didn't know sergeant he didn't either he thought he was grown up you are listening to drag net for the solution to an actual case from official police files now here's the solution to many of your christmas shopping problems if your friends smoke a long cigarette give the best of long cigarettes the long cigarette that contains an essential ingredient of all the very popular cigarettes turkish tobacco the cigarette that has a much different much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette the cigarette that has doubled and redoubled in popularity here are the authentic reports new york division chicago division los angeles division more and more smokers agree fatima is the best of long cigarettes so enjoy fatima yourself and give fatima for christmas and the attractive golden yellow curtain everyone who smokes fatima says that this great new long cigarette is the best of all long cigarettes los angeles police department form 311 dead body report type gunshot dr number 437695 victim theodore cameron residence address 960 charter street date and time of death thursday april 14th 1035 p.m place terminal market streets south state warehouse cars of death gunshot motive or reason attempted burglary time discovered 10 40 p.m removed to county morgue discovered by carol hyba night watch and identified by barbara cameron sister description of victim male Caucasian age 15 great swarms of occupation student percent anglicians was a witness sign joke writing serial number 20 28 age 15 writing joe and cameron boy sister she's waiting in the next room yeah now let's go she's taking it hard yeah morning miss cameron good morning i won't keep you long get a few routine questions yes all right miss cameron how many other in your family there were three of us teddy mike and me mother and father dead i work teddy and mike go to school i mean mike time how old is your brother mike miss cameron he's 14 you're the sole support of your two brothers yes do you have any idea of who the boys were your brother ted used to run around i don't know them by name i remember seeing a couple of them once or twice i could know i think he and ted were pretty close brothers do you know if ted mixed with a gang of kids down on spring street maybe mike could know that sergeant teddy wasn't a bad boy he wasn't a bum none of us are i tried to raise the boys like miss told me this needs we made out i understand this camera my salary didn't have too much but we got by yeah i figured i'm getting married i'm 31 be good for the boy especially teddy he said it couldn't be in two places at once hold a job and watch the kids but that's why i thought maybe a husband i'm sorry to press miss cameron do you think your brother mike can tell us about that spring street gang i'll mark it now where can we find him saying your friend's house i'll get the address in my bag here that's two five one four i don't write numbers too well thank you miss cameron you've been very helpful i'll give some right to drive you home do i have to go would it be all right if i sit here for a while it's all right i'm tired real tired 2514 rest serrano street that was the address barbara cameron had given us was the home of mr and mrs jean brewer high school friends of the dead boy's sister we talked to mike cameron he told us that his brother teddy had been running around with a gang down on spring street he identified ramsey soda fountains the hangout it was 225 p.m when we got back to georgia street juvenile bureau okay juvenile bureau romero yeah hold on i'll call you joe thanks buddy joe this is canfield in burglary yeah homer you're working that camera in case aren't you yeah i just got a report on when you might be interested in out of the same neighborhood distillery problem what do you got on it looks like a juvenile m o they got away with seven cases of scotch whiskey expensive stuff okay we'll hop on it you back where miss elizabeth rice with the auditor in charge at the bubeck warehouse we located her on the mezzanine office roll was her job to keep her running inventory on all incoming and outgoing with her stock she knew her job well as you know sergeant friday each and every bottle of distilled spirits carries the united states internal revenue stamp yes ma'am each stamp carries a serial number together with the name of the firm whom the stamps are issued well miss rice and the stuff is missing the stamp on each bottle carries the case numbers that's right now what did i tell you oh yes i have it right here seven cases of high-grade blended scotch whiskey now i have a bottle identical to those in the missing cases yes i see now if you'll just look here yes ma'am the number on this stand here three six eight two two seven nine nine five six followed by the firm name could you give us the numbers of the stolen cases yeah i haven't typed out for you right here seven cases 12 bottles to the case canada dry incorporated four of the red labeling three the back label johnny walker all right thank you very much miss rye and you think that this might be a juvenile case sergeant yes ma'am we do seven cases that's those to six hundred dollars in we've lost a great deal more than that sergeant the insurance company makes up for the liquor laws yes ma'am those youngsters who makes up for them ben and i left the bubeck warehouse with a list of serial numbers of the seven cases of stolen liquor we headed back to the juvenile bureau we figured that there was a strong possibility that spring street gang was responsible for the warehouse liquor theft how are they disposing of the stolen property that was the key question we had to answer ben and i had a hunch and a tip from an informant that the young gang was operating under the guidance of a fence or a man or woman whose job it is to dispose of stolen property the gang members were close to ramsey at the soda farm ramsey with a logical suspect all right now suppose they did steal the liquor suppose ramsey's a fence what's he done with the stuff i don't think he's turned it this fast if he's turned it at all he wouldn't give it at the soda farm no liquor license and we've been around too much i wouldn't keep it in his house he lives in the rear of the farm that's too high only leaves one other location that we know about his brother's place in the valley it was five minutes to ten when we turned left our venturable of our down to sepulveda ramsey's brother had a small crime about a mile and a half off our highway it was a modest white frame house planted squarely in the center of an acre of ground an unpaid driveway led off to the left of the house to the garage pull up here huh yeah okay man it looks kind of quiet no lag let's go mud sticks to everything where's the doorbell oh here it is you got your flashlight yeah well here's a note somebody left it's on the bum again he'll strike me okay hold it a little closer can you read it yeah harry wife and i have gone to the drive-in theater before you put the truck away get three can you hold that match closer oh no wait a minute yeah get three cases out of the garage and take them into town ad is waiting please try to make it by 11 30 tonight let's see it's signed george the address is here and there's a garage yeah come on three cases could be eggs yo if it is we wasted a trip i'm out of matches yo all right here use mine what was that shaking come on see anything no there goes a light just a minute i'll strike no you can save your matches we found it we found five cases of scotch whiskey on the floor of the garage we checked the serial numbers against the warehouse list they matched we went back to the car and called communications we had an immediate stake out placed on george ramsey's place and then we headed back for the city it was 11 20 p.m when we got to the address we found on the note it's about time harry hello ramsey we can do without the music what's your problem this time you're almost out of scotch ramsey serial numbers check out george sorry i can't offer you a drink we're too old to drink here aren't we ramsey where's your phone you want to invite somebody you can see we're out of booze you got a phone you know hall then call the office yeah all right what's it all about we've been out to your brother's place what happened to the other two cases you think i'm here i gave it to the kids do you look at me like that for a second anything wrong any party's over kid the story you have just heard was true only the names were changed to protect the innocent on june 5th 1949 trial was held in superior court department 74 city and county of los angeles state of california in a moment the results of that trial earlier tonight you heard the reports of amazing increases in fatima smokers from new york to los angeles yes all over the country fatima is doubling and redoubling its sales and here's reason one fatima is the long cigarette that contains an essential ingredient of all the very popular cigarettes turkish tobacco reason two fatima has a much different much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette reason three to millions of smokers the name fatima has always stood for the best in cigarette quality smoke fatima the best of all long cigarettes edward and george ramsey were tried and convicted in superior court of receiving stolen property after serving their terms as prescribed by law in the state penitentiary they will be returned to the county jail where they will serve a one year term for contributing to the delinquency of minors you have just heard dragnet a new series of authentic cases from official files technical advice for dragnet comes from the office of acting chief of police w. a. worton los angeles police department honoring the city of greenwich state of connecticut and the men who make up the greenwich police department another of america's great law enforcement agencies one of these men chief john m bliesen fbi national police academy graduate who dedicates his life to making yours more secure the team of cigarettes the best of long cigarettes has brought you dragnet from los angeles this christmas give the gift that makes every pipe smoker happy a christmas humidor of mellow granger granger is made just for pipes by the tried and true wellman method rough cut to smoke mild and cool and humidor packed to stay ever fresh yes make this christmas a merry christmas for all the pipe smokers on your list give them each a christmas humidor of mellow granger listen to dragnet next week and be sure to hear mortin donnie tonight on nbc the story you will about to hear is true only the names have been changed to protect the innocent fatima cigarettes best of long cigarettes brings you dragnet you're a detective sergeant you're assigned to robbery detail eight thousand dollars worth of chinese jade has been stolen the criminal is vicious his weapon a handful of buckshot in a package of your job get him if you want a long cigarette smoke the best of long cigarettes smoke fatima fatima is the long cigarette which contains the finest turkish and domestic tobaccos superbly blended to make fatima extra mild and that's why fatima has a much different much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette that's why fatima is doubling and redoubling at smokers so if you want a long cigarette smoke the best of all long cigarettes smoke fatima dragnet the documented trauma of an actual crime for the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the los angeles police department you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case from official police files from beginning to end from crime to punishment dragnet is the story of your police force in action it was monday december 1st it was foggy in los angeles we were working the day watch out of robbery detail my partner's ben romero the boss is ed backstrand chief of detectives my name's friday it was 7 15 p.m. when we got to the police academy the banquet room where do we sit joe lee jones is holding a couple seats for someplace you see him oh yeah yeah there he is at bay look at him everybody's here man ought to be my fellas couple of rings i see thanks lee did you get it yeah right here mind if i take a look at it oh go ahead i'll come you didn't get it left as a gift no time gift box would have been nice no cotton even beautiful watch radium down yeah universal geneva fine movement you like look on the back let's see our chief ed backstrand a good cop detective bureau not very good engraving no time i didn't think the old man really meant it in 26 years you get tired after 26 years you've been at a 25 lee don't look at me like that i got a book to finish 23 chapters how many chapters you got for any tools how long you've been writing it two years well at that rate we'll be stuck with you for another 21 years if you're lucky excuse me fellas gotta make a speech finally the proceedings underway here before we introduce the man of the hour like to pass along a little story you might get a kick out of i was driving down last year stopped off at a hotel and they'll come to that when i went up the register for my room there was an indian i had a clerk asked his indian fella that signed his name with clerk tenor democrat the indian made a neck on the book clerk looked at him from heaven to say aren't you keep this in have i seen you in the movie the indian out of his head and looked a little upset then he drew a circle around the ax he made the clerk said why do you do that the indian says we know you're the right thing oh hey jim they live right you said for his motion to air oh yeah excuse me man of that but he's been using his like saying for 26 years on each product and we're proud to have been associated you want me rogers a phone for you joe you can take it on the extension thanks yeah jeff got here as soon as we could sorry to put you away hello remember at least what's up come on in here all right not complete yet well chinese fellas names george quawn he's a jeweler gem cutter or jade expert knows as much about jade as anybody on the coast says it happened at 5 30 today on the alberado never park they weren't kidding me they almost killed him yeah any idea what the weapon was jeff not sure looks like some sort of blackjack something homemade when they pick up one they found several buckshot pellets lying around in a man's handkerchief great thinker has his stuff over in the crime lab now where's quawn have you talked to him got in a couple questions down at georgia street while the doc was giving him said it is little guys a mess joe it's gonna be all right 50 50 chance and i called you out of the academy why did they beat him do you resist i don't have it all yet but from what he said he was jumped from behind didn't have a chance to fight remember it was kept beating him long after he was unconscious what were they taking for a couple of pieces of jade margins very rare you got anything else yeah we got a star witness just one did you talk to him yeah just did for an hour and a half you want to crack that are you having trouble with him yeah a little all right pinion send him in again yes you want to talk some more six years old joe his name was Norman Eugene Fisher who was six years of age last patient like all young boys his age his imagination ran away with what would be only a minor detail through an adult witness assumed tremendous proportions in Norman's young minds he told us his story three times each time he elaborated a little more until what he claimed was the truth that only have been pigments of a small child's imagination then and i together with Gonzalez and Kenya talked with a boy for another hour we were getting tired but Norman enjoyed his position to start with this once more Norman please try to remember it as it really happened it was just like i said let me try Jeff go ahead remember um you did see it happen this afternoon didn't you Norman yes or i did good now you were on your way home from a stroller oh no so i was running away from a man he was taking it but you just told us Norman that you were on your way home from the store oh no so that was yesterday but you told us man Norman how old are you that's where i'm going to be 21 no that's not right 21 that's older than i am well when i am 21 i'm going to get a hotbox fastest car in the world 10 000 miles an hour sure you will but how old are you now six but i'm wanted but i'm going to be 21 soon i remember when i was six years old Norman a lot of things i wanted electric train i got one well it must be something you'd like to have one thing that maybe now that you don't have will you give it to me well if i can what do you want i'd like your gun what do you want a gun for i want to put people in care like you guys do sometimes it takes more than a gun norman what do you mean just because you've got a gun doesn't mean your cop well what does just a minute something good cop uses this more than a gun gee it's a real police badge it's mine official official can i hold it go ahead it's yours when i wear this i'm a real detective well that's part of it the other part is to tell us what you really saw today now how about it well for a man like i said and they all hide my you know now wait Norman i thought you said you were a detective now i am a good detective has to remember exactly what he sees not something he makes up it's not very scary that way it's no you still he can't get his story straight oh yes i can't i'm a detective now and i know what happened all right norman you tell us i was on my way home from the storm i saw this truck stop down the street what did the truck look like i don't know it was a funny kind of truck had a wood back do you mean like a dump truck kind of but it was a small truck old kind of car like he took off a backpack and put wood boards like a truck you mean whoever owned the truck cut the back end out and made it look like a truck yeah yeah that's the way it looks anyway this truck stopped by this chinese man and the man got out and the man started to hit this man and the man followed my sidewalk and the man kept hitting him and hitting him as hard as anything what was he hitting him with with a sankative there he goes again no i don't know how about that yes could tie in go on norman well that's all i saw no no i mean after the man hit him what do you do oh well he's wrapped a bunch of stuff from this man's pocket and he went into the truck and he speeded away norman you're a good detective i want you to think real hard now do you know what a license number is yeah good do you think you could remember the numbers on that truck if but if i knew what they were like could in school we're just having numbers now i only know after seven but there were two sevens in it you're getting all this just yeah keep them norman you've helped us a lot can you remember what the man in the truck looked like he had a big hand and he looked me all right just one more thing now can you remember the color of that truck it looked black with the black part had black and white stripes i don't know how you did it joe what do you think all right me too all right norman your mother's waiting outside for you can go home now you're a real detective and i wear my bounce dog you bet you can okay same yes sir as soon as i hear somebody will you put him in jail help of an outdated police badge no longer official we had the statement of a six-year-old boy with a healthy imagination we had an idea he was telling us the truth but we had no way of being certain since he was the only witness we had to accept his word and hope that he was putting us on the right track the quickest way to make sure was to see if some of the details and little norman fisher's story would check out jesson zollars and manual pain it took the job of trying to locate a homemade pickup truck with two sevens in the license number they started by checking all the late 3.8 forms the vehicle theft and impound reports the next morning ben and i called the general hospital and talked to dr. sebasti he told us that the victim george quarn had improved sufficiently to allow a brief interview it was 10 14 a.m when we got to ward c general hospital doctor tells us you're a little better this morning mr quarn yes uh i shall be all right although it is quite painful at times we're sorry to bother you mr quarn but we've got to have a little more information on the robbery i will tell you all i can so i should like to recover the missing jade pieces it is a great loss to me and you get any kind of a look at the man who'll hit you he attacked me from behind not me to a pavement i made an attempt to get to my feet but he struck me again and again here at the base of my neck you didn't see him at all the new site did not do you have any idea who could have done this unfortunately no i i cannot think of anyone what was stolen from me we know it was jade but can you give us some more detail this question i hope so i lost two thumb rings very rare collectors items thumb rings and how much were they worth what you say more i paid 8 000 for the two rings i wonder if you could describe them to us both rings were relics of the time when the chinese archer drew his hunting boat a special thumb ring in particular identifying marks on them they both have linings of fine gold to fit them to the fingers of the new owners who are the new owner i had just purchased them yesterday before i was robbed i was on my way to san francisco to show them to perspective by us who did you buy the rings from mr quarn this is ines curtis a very reputable dealer we have done business for many years i wonder if we could have her business address or she has her office at her home it is uh uh 1957 harbour annex of san sable about in lovely hills how many people knew that you would have the jade on you that particular time yesterday let me see uh there were only two other buyers present beside mrs curtis uh do not recall their names they were new to me mrs curtis would know mr quarn we know that you're tired we have just one more question certainly um i wonder if i'm in trouble you to hang me that tumblr water with a grass straw sure thank you thank you very much you're welcome now those thumb rings mr quarn would there be any practical disposition of them rather than selling them as they are well hardly sergeant but to anyone who really knows the value of jade it would be unheard of to change them in any way i see well thank you mr quarn we'll do our best you know sergeant which chinese place a great sentimental value on our jade we'll do everything we can to recover it thank you uh may i tell you my favorite quotation on jade yes sir it is from the writings of tong jung tso he wrote the magic powers of heaven and earth always combined to form perfect result so the pure essences of healing water become satisfied in precious jade ben and i drove out to 1957 harper annex the residence of mrs iran's curtis there was no one at home he left one of our cars it was 12 22 p.m when we got back to central division here's a phone message for you joe what'd you say called jess guns darling he's at wilshire division okay thanks man listening to dragnet for the solution to an actual case from official police files now here is a real solution to many of your christmas shopping problems if your friends smoke a long cigarette give the best of long cigarettes fatima give fatima for quality the name fatima has always stood for the best in cigarette quality give fatima for flavor fatima has a much different much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette give fatima they're extra mild yes fatima is the long cigarette which contains the finest turkish and domestic tobaccos blended to make fatima extra mild yes extra mild so give fatima for christmas in the attractive golden yellow carton it's the long cigarette that has doubled and redoubled its smokers more and more smokers every day agree fatima is the best of all long cigarettes wilbur rasmus of plight male american age 31 5 feet 10 inches 190 pounds black hair brown eyes he was the driver of the truck and xalas and penya began by checking through all of the reports of trucks impounded during the past 24 hours there were 23 out of those 23 they narrowed it down to four possibilities the third vehicle that they checked fitted the young witness's description of the bullet truck we still could not be absolutely certain that the impounded truck was the one we were looking for the same could be said of the driver wilbur rasmus the net result of checking impound reports doesn't always result in the apprehension of a suspect but in this case we were lucky the driver had been picked up for drunk driving it was 1 30 p.m. when we checked in at the wilshire division hi jen no worries you're a little late what do you mean he's gone released on bail who furnished the bail the woman who works for him is designed as credit what doesn't say you just or does it why not how many people knew quanta had the jade man it's not my guess corn vouchers for it's been doing business with it for you what do you think joe it's your show i'm just tagging along well one thing sure just a minute what did you take his guns off oh yeah opinion he did no he'll be back here friday and romero are here right right the fisher could just identify drasmussen's picture the identification of wilbur rasmus and by six-year-old norman fisher was far from sufficient to take the case to court we had to have evidence lots of it rasmus had been given a thorough shakedown his apartment and the truck there was no sign of the stolen jade rings and zala told us that the truck had come from the u drive truck rental on figurola street we checked with mr. cockett u drive let me have another look at that picture boys yeah here you are would you say his name was rasmus and will be rasmus you want to know if you rented truck from the swing yesterday maybe the day before no not this far never seen him before we left u drive we checked over the rental contract on the truck in question the deposit check for the truck was signed by mrs. zaynez critis the truck was checked out at six a.m the rental contract the actual release form showing to whom the vehicle had been rented was signed by a harry wilson rasmus's name did not appear on any of the usual rental forms the manager of u drive was positive that he had not rented a truck to rasmus we drove out to 1957 hardware annex this time we found mrs. zaynez critis at home i'm terribly sorry about mr. corn did they have everything he needs in the hospital yes ma'am how long did you say this harry wilson has been working for you six or eight weeks but i'm sure you're wrong about him we're not accusing him of anything miss grace we just won't talk to him he certainly came to me well recommended he was a nice man when's the last time you saw him the day before yesterday he asked for his checks that he was quitting told him i was sorry to see him go i'm anxious to get that guesthouse finished how about rasmus mr. critis how long has he been with you wilbur has been with me for about seven months good worker but he drinks too much feel sorry for him you've rented trucks from the new drive coming right along oh yes from mr. crocket we had to have a truck to haul our building supplies i'm saving an awful lot of money contracting this myself the great saving yes ma'am uh the deposit on his last rental did you give that check to wilson at rasmus i sent both of them down to pick it up like i say wilbur's been drinking rather heavily lately and i think harry's the better driver of the two do you know which one of those men was driving a truck about five thirty in the afternoon day before yesterday how would i know that sergeant all i know is that i sent both of them down i told harry to drive mr. critis were either of those men present the day you sold the jade rings to mr. quen no they have nothing to do with my gym business whatever did either of these men know about mr. quen's purchase well that's possible they knew he was here i'm sure they saw him come in entirely possible that they might have overheard something i did mr. quen leave your house about five o'clock by the time the two men go after the truck oh they picked that up early in the morning mr. crockey down in u drive says it only harry wilson checked out the truck because he's never seen rasmus before that's entirely possible like i say they might well have made other arrangements are there any other people present when mr. quen bought that jade yes there were two other buyers they were bidding for the thumb rings too mr. quen had the high bid so i sold them to him what if we get out their names i certainly i'll write them down for you mr. critis do you have any idea where we might locate harry wilson he told me he was going to mexico said he had friends down there well thank you mr. critis you've been very helpful are you sure there isn't anything mr. quen needs yes ma'am 2 g8 rings mr. zinez critis gave us a detailed description of harry wilson she also gave us the names and addresses of the two other buyers who were present when mr george quen made his purchase we checked them out and found them to be equally as reputable as mrs. critis they could tell us nothing of the robber and we went back to the office and got out of an apv and a radiogram on harry wilson from the description given us by mrs. critis stakeouts were maintained at glover rasmus's apartment and at the home of mr. zinez critis it was 4 30 p.m. when we got to the second floor of the old city jail building the crime lab lee jones had the evidence laid out for us only thing about the handkerchief boys what's that lee the blood stains old ones along with the new ones how does that figure we know how the new ones were made when the handkerchief was spelled a buck shot and used on quant the old ones i could tell how old would you say they were the handkerchief has been through the laundry a few times stains didn't come out laundry marks right here i don't seem man used to this laundry infrared marking system let me show you infrared lengthly yeah there's your marking can you trace it down who's it belong to man use the name of harry wilson there's nothing to do now but wait for some word on harry wilson the stakeouts continued we request to go over rasmus and we talked again with mrs. critis and george quen was to be december the 8th we checked in for work at 8 a.m morning jess hi joe where's been we're in a case getting a mail any word on the new chief of the ticket nothing but your guess oh i think that brown good man maybe it's a good man too when you come in here not yet why maybe you'd like to take a little airplane trip what do you got shy in liam and they picked up harry wilson two days later thursday december the 10th harry wilson was returned to the los angeles county jail and booked on suspicion of robry we checked with lieutenant prank cunningham in the record bureau from wilson's fingerprints he ran a make on him harry wilson was an alias we found out that he had lengthy records of arrests and jail terms for robry burglary and grand larceny mr. crocket at you drive identified wilson's picture it was a two-time loser it's up to you wilson it can go hard for you or easy i'm in a spot huh you're in a spot laid out for him jess it's all stacked against you wilson we know you're under the truck do you know qualms of mrs. critis how if your handkerchief was found at the scene of the crime you wouldn't believe me if i said i didn't do it i mean that kind of evidence how can we i didn't i don't know if i can prove it but i didn't if you didn't we'll help you prove it first you gotta believe me you know why yeah i've had it twice once more than in for life all right you got it figured now what you got to say rasmussen did it he knocked fawn over where were you find my ticket for chi and i didn't want any part of it how do you count for that handkerchief it was mine but rasmussen had it he got his finger one day in the job i loaned it to him that checks poor blood stains no one all right let's pick up rasmussen all you're at it pick up the critis name she planned it we're over rasmussen was picked up and brought in after intense cross questioning we confronted him with harry wilson's statement in the face of this testimony he broke completely he gave us a full confession implicating mrs. inez kurtis he admitted beating george quarn and taking the jade thumb rings he said he received two hundred dollars for mrs. kurtis for the job he requested that he be allowed to turn state's evidence mrs. inez kurtis was brought to interrogation room of course you gentlemen have proof to substantiate all these accusations yes ma'am we have it better be good i have a fine lawyer we've got signed and recorded confessions of wilson and rasmussen the two men have worked for you can we play the recording for you that won't be necessary mrs. kurtis you got eight thousand dollars for those rings wasn't that enough not when i could make sixteen no where the ring is now i'm not going to get life for this you know no jade doesn't spoil it'll still be good when i get out yeah but you'll be too old to appreciate it mrs. kurtis okay buddy that was a funny one sure was how about it did you figure this way joe you don't expect me to answer that duty the story you have just heard was true only the names were changed to protect the innocent on march 2nd 1949 trial was held in superior court department 82 city and county of los angeles state of california in a moment the results of that trial now here are authentic reports from all over the country that tell the story of fatima's sensational increase in popularity new york division chicago division los angeles division yes more and more smokers agree fatima is the best of long cigarettes so enjoy fatima yourself and give extra mile fatimas for christmas and the attractive golden yellow carton everyone who smokes fatima says that this great new long cigarette is the best of all long cigarettes mrs. iris kurtis was tried and convicted of robbery and conspiracy she received the maximum sentence as prescribed by law in consideration for turning states evidence will be rasmussen received a minimum term you have just heard dragnet a new series of authentic cases from official files technical advice for dragnet comes from the office of acting chief of police w. a. worton los angeles police department dragnet honors the city of noxville state of tennessee and the men who make up the noxville police department another of america's great law enforcement agencies one of these men sergeant joe h roberts director of the noxville city school safety patrols who dedicates his life to making yours more secure the team of cigarettes the best of long cigarettes has brought you dragnet portion transcribed from los angeles let that merry tune remind you to get him the big christmas humidor of smooth sure fresh velvet pipe and cigarette tobacco it's a double pleasure to any smoker when you give this generous humidor of velvet it smokes cool and sweet in both pipe and cigarette in every way the gift for him is a christmas humidor of velvet america's smoothest smoke be sure to listen to dragnet next week your tune for the stars on nbc ladies and gentlemen the story you're about to hear is true only the names have been changed to protect the innocent a team of cigarettes best of all long cigarettes brings you dragnet you're a detective sergeant you're assigned to homicide detail a young woman has been murdered the body was discovered behind locked doors the assassin is too large your job find him if you want a long cigarette smoke the best of long cigarettes smoke fatima fatima is the long cigarette which contains the finest turkish and domestic tobaccos superbly blended to make fatima extra mild and that's why fatima has a much different much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette that's why fatima is doubling and redoubling its smokers so if you want a long cigarette smoke the best of all long cigarettes smoke fatima the documented drama of an actual crime for the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the los angeles police department you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case from official police files from beginning to end from crime to punishment dragnet is the story of your police force in action it was tuesday january 9th the stormy in los angeles we were working a day watch out of homicide detail my partner's ben romero my name's friday i was on the way to work and it was 6 45 a.m when i got to the steps of the city hall the main street entrance hey show wait up morning ben when did they call you 5 a.m don't i'll call you here miserable out it's pretty wet i mean it's super wet see the time for that yeah new chief of the tech group wait a minute i want to get some gum i can spare me now i heard about the new chief bad brown good man he's dumb oh thank you now we said make up the minds about our shift work days you call you back night work nights call you back days don't split in for a gesture you'll never have to call you back you hear all the time it's just hard to please nowhere thanks again it's a great way to start off as your new chief call you back on a rotten morning like this we're glad you got the job then yeah congratulations chief it's hard to follow men like ed backstrand i need your help you got it here's why i called you back laura barkley who's the dead body reports nightclub entertainer my buddy found the body an hour ago who's covered pertin and anderson they're out there he's crying a little lamb cord still trying to figure out how the guy got in the house doors and windows all locked the tech left the motor for now young i just came from there i think there's more can you raise it a room wasn't proud here just a hunch play it for me and then i left that brown's office picked up lieutenant lee jones at the crime lab and drove to the west adams district number 16 imperial place where the body of laura barkley had been found was an ornate frame structure done in victorian style at least 30 to 40 years old number 16 was on the ground floor we went in a narrow hallway led to the bedroom in the rear of the house two gas jet mixtures which have been converted to electricity with the only illumination this place has seen better day anybody else coming out lee you may see flash bulbs down there they must be here already ready on this way hi britain hi the tiger is covering the body position ederson's dusting for prince red shoot a couple of overheads don't make them all angle shots get up high then move in close cheap was right rooms in pretty good order she talked about it buddy landlady lives upstairs only two people living in the building she tell you anything said the barkley girl paid a rent on time good tenant plays the organ at the blue fox cocktail line any idea of the red we got in here not yet every door and window in the place is locked anything else that's it so far we'll give you 15.7 what we got okay lord you and anderson have another detail yeah working on that westwood thing two uniform and outside if you want anything right thanks it's like a tough one joe where we did a much to come in through the keyhole i'll see you later slowly andy he doesn't know nothing for prince nothing yet only piece of physical evidence so far the lamp caught she was strangled with i want to throw down top not a sign of a struggle maybe she wanted to die check the bathroom will you then i'll look around the kitchen hey pete have you dusted the way it's not that i'm gonna see how they do the bathroom man come here a minute will you man yeah come to the kitchen will you you got a pencil oh yeah yeah here you are let's take a look at this garbage shoot here let me see about eight feet to the ground yeah big enough for a man to get through oh yeah man hope we're out in them lay i'll be right there it could be the engine joe we either got in this way or he was in the house when she came home what do you got garbage shoot here what do you think it could be let me grab a kit let's see no nothing on the outside of the lid look pretty clean my suggestions been scrubbed abrasions here at a pencil there yeah okay hold it up there with it yeah there we go large prints unusually large big hands can i look inside the shoot a minute late go ahead watch that lid yeah it looks like it's blocked off upstairs this thing hasn't been used for garbage for some time most of them will condemn a few years back i'll get fed to shoot these let's go in the living room have this been dusted link that's clean go ahead take a look you know hundreds of all men yeah all different lee jones and the crime lab group finished up and went back to central division two uniformed officers remained on duty at the scene of the crime fad brown had men sent out to canvas the neighborhood ben and i went upstairs and talked with a landlady of mrs emma smith police officers you miss me yes you're not the same officers i talked with before no ma'am i wonder if we could ask you a few questions i told the other officers everything i knew we have to double check miss men who was the girl who lived in the apartment below number 16 laura barkley is that the name she used a male she received was it addressed that way yes it was she was a very good tenant laura no trouble with her at all when did she move here oh about four five years ago i had the rent receipts i always saved receipts did she always live by herself oh yes that apartment rates to one person only did she have many visitors friends dropping in and that i ever saw pretty much to herself laura when men came yesterday and took her away what's that man the organ electric one laura rented it from a big downtown firm used to practice all the time mic was beautiful yeah in the glowing she used to play that for me mrs smith when did the men come and take the organ away yesterday in the afternoon by 4 30 was miss barkley at home when they came no she wasn't she left me a note to let them in so i let them in i never allowed anyone in the apartment without a note you know the name of the company where she went to the organ the braziers it was called down on south spring well didn't you think it was unusual that miss barkley didn't have any friends now officer i didn't say laura didn't have any friends what i said was that she didn't have any friends who came to see her here she moved here from a hotel for women that's the reference she gave me i wonder if you could give us the address of that hotel please i'll write it down for you thank you i'm a smith did you hear any unusual sounds and miss barkley's flat last night anything out of the ordinary if i had i would have called the police and we'd have saved the girl's life well thank you very much miss mith here's our calling there's anything you think of after it's gone don't hesitate to call thank you i will i hope you get the dirty men who killed laura we didn't say it was an end miss smith well isn't it always a man before we left mrs mrs smith we asked her about the garbage she said it had not been in use for the last four years we showed her the stack of photos she could identify none of them we drove back to central division we checked brazier's music store the two men who moved the organ were checked out and cleared we went to the wind hotel for young ladies they could tell us nothing laura barkley's references were all good we went back to the office and met with chief of detective stad brown you think he got into the garbage show it's where it looks she went all over the apartment if there's another way we haven't found it all right you know i got in who is it we got out on apb on his mo latent fingerprints and making a run on those prints we found got an idea about these pictures here most of them theatrical still show people right let's turn these kids in circuits so laura on my left front and what you do here's a guy i checked with this morning bernard carubian theatrical booking isn't her yeah barnie's office is down in the orphing building apond hill he booked her into the blue fox see what he can tell you right grab the picture oh yeah well you got more than you started with those fingerprints make it a make on them we'll be close to the guy so was the barkley girl but he got away i wonder if we could see mr carubian who's calling please sergeant romano and sergeant friday police officers one moment please two police officers to see mr carubian sergeant friday and sergeant romero is that right yes sit a minute go right in thank you help you understand that you booked laura barkley that's right i spoke with her that's me right here see that now that's right he asked me about laura too bad about that any clues we're working on it mr carubian that makes a person pull a stop like that laura didn't have no enemies she had one well i don't know much about her except i've been booking her for about four years good ordinance three for boys to cut some pictures you know and you could take a look at sure quite a stack yeah well frankie let's learn those dogs great act i book him rithy rogan king of attack i saw an oco and i've seen series yeah i know all these people i book them off to laura barkley worked with all these people one time another yeah during the war us okay i'm sure you know do whatever she was close to any well come to think of what she was that frankie la tour crazy about them dogs he is no i mean the men themselves anybody that she seemed particularly interested in never heard of mention anybody pretty girl did you know her very well mr groovy only when she came in and out of town on unengagement i'm a married man well and you don't think there's anything to these pictures here of her as well i wouldn't say so when you're on the road you always collect photos of the people you work with souvenirs well thank you very much mr carubian here's our kind you bet you sure hope you catch the guys what a way you picked on large sometimes they don't have a reason when they left bernard carubians office we checked by the blue fox cocktail lounge was still early the sign said open 5 p.m it was 3 15 we went to the morgue in the basement of the hall of justice and look at the corners report the autopsy report stated that they caused a death for laura barkley with strangulation we went to the second floor of the old city jail building the crime lab nothing on the lamp con standard you're around 110 long and but anyway no prints how about the shielding went back there and rechecked you were right the guy got in through the garbage shoot found more of the same prints along with some clothed impressions in the dust 10 anything the guy was wearing some kind of tweed domigal 15 of the inch how about the size of a manly how big could he be to clear that shoot had a 20 inch diameter almost any man could squeeze through that check the ground level of the shoot cement no footprints you don't have too much for me i got one thing for you what's that i think i found you noted and not the one listed on the report yeah here are the blow-ups of the body it's 36 by 54 here hold that in leave them no i look through this magnifying glass here the right hand yeah see where i'm pointing ring finger yeah look like ring mark that's right pretty wide must have been good side things oh i might still be in that room i called that brown he had the room rechecked no sign and you think we got a burglary body bar that's my guess that had the boys check with the landlady she didn't know anything about any ring with the barkley girl might have hand that doesn't help i think i got something else here library book heard that cards in one of the pockets inside checked out from the LA public library main branch i think these might be your lead on the missing rings a librarian sees a person's hands every time they check out a book makes sense we will play it that way what department with the books check out a music room well that's it i think you've got your motive now and a good set of prints you're closed thanks a lot let's go to the library then i'll get it hi lab no this is friday thanks fine we got some motive how do you mean no make on those fingerprints nothing you are listening to drag net for the solution to an actual case from official police files now here is a real solution to many of your christmas shopping problems if your friends smoke a long cigarette give the best of all long cigarettes fatima give fatima for quality the name fatima has always stood for the best in cigarette quality give fatima for flavor fatima has a much different much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette give fatima they're extra mild yes fatima is the long cigarette which contains the finest turkish and domestic tobaccos superbly blended to make fatima extra mild yes extra mild so give fatima for christmas in the attractive golden yellow carton it's the long cigarette that has doubled and redoubled its smokers yes more and more smokers every day agree fatima is the best of all long cigarettes 4 30 p.m. tuesday january 9th heavy rain lona barkley's murderer was still a free man ben and i were sure that whoever left their fingerprints on the inside of that garbage shoe was the same man who murdered the barkley girl he had no previous record his first crime as far as we knew it was a killing and the odds were all in his favor the fingerprints gave us nothing all we had left to lead us to the killer were three library books in a stack of old theatrical photos the solution of most crimes for the working detectives method and persistence when you have clues you work with them when you don't you work your way to a logical conclusion as best you can we went to the los angeles public library the main branch the librarians in the music room handled thousands of readers every week none of them remembered lora barkley we drove over to the blue fox cocktail lounge we interviewed the manager and we knew nothing of her personal life we talked to harry shuman the organist who had taken lora barkley's place would you like to hear from the police officers like talk to you man but lora yeah that's right all right if i keep on playing manager wants full 15 minutes sets go ahead that's all right what can i tell you how long have you known miss barkley oh four or five years terrible thing you got to get to whoever did it yeah we're gonna try can you think of anybody that might kill her i know you asked a question of everybody i don't know does anybody ever know for sure sometimes but i don't know when you think of a person you never think too much butter maybe you might know a few things about it that you could fill us in on i'll try she went for jewelry much rings things like that funny you should ask that she was nuts for good things rings had a couple of beauties diamonds they were big stones cost four thousand i know she used to put most of her money into those rings she'd buy them on time yeah i remember one night she was overjoyed the night she paid them off cost a lot of dough can you describe those rings for us not too good i can give you the name of the jeweler she bought them from that'll do you know anybody else that we might talk to i don't know any of her friends she was an only child no living relatives that i know how about her landlady yeah i guess that's it harry thank you for what i wish i could help more everybody had your attitude we'd be out of a jump before we left the blue box harry shuman gave us the address of laura barkley's jeweler the next morning we checked with the manager of the store and he gave us a complete description of the two diamond rings which the dead girl had purchased they were valued at four thousand dollars he gave us detailed drawings of the rings we went back to the office gave the information the burglary detail and all points bulletin was put out describing them pawn shops throughout the city and state were alerted to watch for the stolen rings we had lunch with chief that brown at castus cafe never mind no matter i'll get it thank you jean i'll get the tip this too was good passing change with a cigarette machine getting a cigarette still no no thanks thank you let's go what do you think san the description of the rings and the emotion come and turned up good chance he's holding on to him could be his first job probably scared anybody check back over the neighborhood there this is the afternoon and this morning a lot of door salesmen's with that district all been checked out is it dead in nowhere only those friends are checked out well they didn't got a kickback from brerich's and sacramento's mo no make we'll have to get him with what we've got here's the car sure you picked up all the loose ends we've been back over the course three times go over it again keep going over it until something breaks for the next ten days we retraced our steps from the room where the crime was committed throughout the neighborhood to the place where she worked back to the same dead end then and i checked and double checked each other to make certain that neither of us had overlooked even the smallest detail of the investigation we've got no place was 8 a.m. january 19th homicide friday this rubles and burglary joe yeah dick how do we figure in it is mo yeah besides fingerprints and photographs one of the mark by which the unknown criminal is identified is by his method of operation is mo once a thief finds a successful means of operation he seldom changes it in our search for laura barkley's murderer we had checked our files and found no criminals at large we practice it was to gain entrance through a garbage shoe it was reasonably safe to assume that this was the same man it was 2 p.m. january 23rd i was on my way back from the record bureau it's gotta call joe delmarad to that conformance yeah since two days ago he heard about some guy who was making the rounds trying to peddle a couple of diamond rings same ones he's not showing doesn't know what the guy looked like any idea where the guy is now has been around since told elmer to keep his eyes open that's good i'm in here joe what do you got that this report just came down from burglary pawn shop down in north main took in a watch and strand of pearls last night yeah same stuff that rubles called you about yeah i remember where's it dying same guy tried to peddle a couple of diamond rings 10 a.m. january 25th bad brown arrange can have all pawn shop detail calls concerning the suspect put through to us on extension 2521 homicide five days past no further word yeah homicide friday this is george main yeah what's the matter man in here stall him over here right down come on man move it yeah the next corner there it is just up the floor pull up all right let's go tell here we are hey look out joe he's got a gun all right joe yeah off the back way let's get him there you go jump belly can you hit him they didn't stop him watch it he's turning on the spring you're right into that cafeteria come on let's run where he goes see yeah there he goes he's headed for the kitchen come on the back door into the alley he's not stopping stay clear i get his guns yeah he got him in the leg joe hit his head when he fell all right snap more huh look on the little fingerbears right here two diamond rings yeah it doesn't make sense does it what's that four thousand dollars worth of diamonds lying on a pile of garbage the story you have just heard was true only the names were changed to protect the innocent on april 2nd 1947 trial was held in superior court department 81 city and county of los angeles state of california in a moment the results of that trial now here are authentic reports from all over the country that tell the story of patina's sensational increase in popularity new orland's division but Detroit division but los angeles division more and more smokers agree fatima is the best of long cigarettes so enjoy fatima yourself and give extra miles fatimas for christmas and the attractive golden yellow carton everyone who smokes fatima says that this great new long cigarette is the best of all long cigarettes lala barkley's murderer was identified as martin eric swanson he was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree his case was fought through the supreme court of california and in the united state supreme court in both instances his conviction was upheld last friday morning after a delay of five years martin eric swanson was executed in the lethal gas chamber at the state penitentiary you have just heard drag nets a new series of authentic cases from official files technical advice for drag net comes from the office of acting chief of police w a warton los angeles police department drag net honors the city of youngstown state of Ohio and the men who make up the youngstown police department another of america's great law enforcement agencies one of these men chief of police edward j allen honored as policeman of the year who dedicates his life so that yours might be more secure the team of cigarettes best of all long cigarettes has brought you drag net from los angeles this christmas give the gift that makes every pipe smoker happy a christmas humidor of mellow ranger ranger is made just for pipes by the tried and true wellman method rough cut to smoke mild and cool and humidor packed to stay ever fresh yes make this christmas a merry christmas for all the pipe smokers on your list give them each a christmas humidor of mellow ranger listen to drag net next week and be sure to hear more than downy tonight on nbc ladies and gentlemen the story you're about to hear is true only the names have been changed to protect the innocent for team of cigarettes best of all long cigarettes brings you drag net you're a detective sergeant you're assigned to homicide detailed a small boy is reported missing from his home his age nine years while the play is suspected your job find him if you want a long cigarette smoke the best of long cigarettes smoke fatima fatima is the long cigarette which contains the finest turkish and domestic tobaccos superbly blended to make fatima extra mild and that's why fatima has a much different much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette that's why fatima is doubling and redoubling its smokers so if you want a long cigarette smoke the best of all long cigarettes smoke fatima drag net the documented drama of an actual crime for the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the los angeles police department we will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case from official police miles from beginning to end from crime to punishment drag net is the story of your police force in action it was thursday december 22nd it was cold in los angeles we were working the night watch out of homicide my partner's ben romero the boss is thad brown chief of detectives my name's friday i was on the way into work and it was 3 55 p.m when i got to room 42 homicide hi jill man what's doing oh pretty quiet how's your mother oh that cold still hanging on bad cough dox is nothing serious my kids got the same thing must be some kind of a virus going around yeah is that a new suit you've got on oh yeah i figured i needed one let me say oh yeah that's nice blue where'd you get it quincey's down south fig look okay oh yeah that's a good fit did you get all the reports on the webster chase you yeah i'll take care of let me get it homicide friday yeah harry what's doing what's the story how long has he been gone how do you figure find anything ben and i left a message for chief of detective stad brown then we went over to the crime lab picked up lieutenant lee jones and drove out the orio seco freeway to collis avenue it was an average neighborhood number 46 56 was a one-story green stucco residence situated on the corner of collis avenue and harrison drive beyond the backyard was a tract of undeveloped land covered in scrub oak harry leavenson from highland park juvenile was waiting for us in front of the house back this way fellas i'm coming wait i'll get my back okay who notified you that the boy was missing harry the mother said she went out to do some christmas shopping about 11 this morning left the boy home came back about two this afternoon he was gone what's the name john stone kid's name is stanley nine years old does this gate open like this when you got here oh yeah i touched the thing uh here are the stains over here lieutenant jones uh along the edge of the walk see yeah let me see quite a few stains looks like it might be blood and try some benzidine on these spots here and there we are see what happens there's a kid's mother now here in the house darty's talking to her did you talk to any of the neighbors people next door uh ones on this side they couldn't tell us anything it is fellas yeah we these spots i covered with benzidine the trellin blue blood stains all right can't say definitely whether it's human or animal blood you have to go back to the lab to run it through yeah biological precipitin test hand me one of those glass vials from my back yeah okay here here you are today scrape some of these flakes off for a test there we are how soon can you tap the blood for us linds precipitin test won't run more than 20 minutes it'll take three or four hours to run the blood grouping though that's it anything else you want to check levinson anything else oh right here in my handkerchief empty shell that marker over there by the rose bush that's where i found it from the 22 huh yeah might tie in might not market and dump it oh yeah there you go did you get out of missing broadcast in the boy here a darty did about half hour ago oh here's a description here mother know about the blood stain no we didn't tell her she's worried enough already and she has no idea what might have happened to her boy no more than we do she checked all her friends relatives we're carving the neighborhood no trace so far that much to go on blood stains empty cartridge could mean a hundred things any ideas friend yeah just one and i don't like it 4 30 p.m thursday december 22nd the neighborhood search for nine-year-old stanley johnstone continued lee jones went back to the crime lab to start the precipitin test and the blood grouping levinson and his partner darty from highland juveniles stood by we called chief of detectives thad brown and he ordered up a special detail to aid in the search for the missing boy ben and i questioned the boy's mother mrs ruth johnstone a woman in her early 40s she seemed fairly common in the circumstances miss johnstone um is your boy standing in the habit of wandering off without telling you where he's going no he's not in the habit of wandering off but he has done it before when was the last time miss johnstone you don't have any children do you sergeant friday no i'm not married well there comes that time in every young boy's life when he feels that it's time to leave home to go out on his own usually happens somewhere around eight to ten i think i know what you mean i got a boy well then you know how it is my husband and i scolded stanley one day after school he was quite put out about it thought george and our unfair packed a few of these things and left how long was he going oh no time at all about two hours i was worried about him but my husband said to leave him alone said every boy had to go through that stage when you think he's run away from home again this time yes i think so he's been gone about four hours now and have a funny feeling about it did you and his father have some misunderstanding with the boy recently well that's just it we haven't i don't mind telling you now that we're talking about it i'm getting worried any place around that he might like to visit hobby shop playground where he might be yeah this um jensen's model shop and little shana burrows but i've already called him and he hasn't been seen all day i called all his friends they have no idea where he is either we'd like a list of all his friends and the places that he was known to frequent all right i'll get into you what do you suppose he is where's your husband now mr johnstone oh he's at work george works for the city his apartment what house is he staying there engine company 12 he's working the eight platoon he'll be home tomorrow morning i haven't told him that something's gone was there any chance that the boy might be down at the firehouse with his father no no he seldom goes down there anymore no i don't think he's there i'm awfully worried may i call my husband certainly go right ahead i know george will be worried stan has been gone too long hello may i speak with george johnstone this is mrs johnstone thank you i hate to call george his work yes ma'am does your husband own again yes he does what caliber do you know well it's a 45 automatic he got in george this is ruth george is standing down there with you by any chance oh no i can't find him anywhere he hasn't been here when i came over my shopping the two policemen here no i said they're two policemen here oh no dear i'll call you if we don't find him soon all right dear yes you too goodbye i didn't think he'd be with george that 45 is that the only gun in the household wait yes why are you asking about guns is has anything happened that you're not telling me about no ma'am just routine checking we'll have to take a look at that 45 off you know my maybe i should tell you we we do have another gun in the house but it's all wrapped up george bought it for stan is christmas present may we see it please well yes we we have to unwrap yes i'm afraid so well i think i can reach it we we have to hide it don't leave me here's the paper it was wrapped in standing must have found it it's gone see here's the gift card in the box the gun came in rifle can i look at that box ma'am thank you how about it june 22 caliber thursday december 22nd 5 15 p.m was getting dark the search for the missing boy continued we checked the list of stanley johnstone's friends none of them or their parents had any idea of his whereabouts we talked with levinson again he had been in touch with the detail combing the neighborhood they had found nothing we went down to collis avenue and tent street service station on the corner one nickel joe no i got one you watched for that huh yeah two six six seven please hi li joe friday yeah joe any son of johnson kid no not yet how are you coming finished the precipitant test it's human blood yeah well we didn't want to upset his mother i thought we would wait the last thing we're still in the neighborhood check with the family physician that way you won't disturb yeah we figured on that well just a minute leah yeah i've been most just pulled up okay uh fab browns out here now i'll check you later leah all right goodbye gentlemen how's it going just check with lee jones yeah i know it's human blood what do you think we talked with the boy's mother miss johnstone found a gun mason yeah caliber's the same as the empty case and levinson found 22 he said the gun was missing yeah the johnstones were going to give it to the boy as a christmas presently had hidden it's gone now any idea who took it oh we left the christmas wrapping behind i think it was the kid 22 rifle nine year old boy when are they gonna learn first it's carbide cannons on the fourth of july the city issued ordinance after ordinance with a few thousand kids around the country had to lose their eyes fingers hands before the parents gives us their full cooperation to outlaw them i know what you mean sure you do you don't every other cop in the country became the heaviest trying to clamp down on them always the same story this time it's guns for christmas i know what you're thinking but we're not sure yet listen friday there's a city ordinance against giving a gun to a kid you know that yes i know there's a missing boy and a missing gun there's blood on the ground in an empty shell that's enough for me i'm gonna stay with it something's got to break yeah i hope it's not the hearts of that kid's parents oh hi chief i've been looking for you friday what do you got here i found the gun new 22 rifles strong smell of cordite i'd say it's been recently fired what'd you find it levinson back up there in that screwboat up behind the johnston house mrs johnstone identified it bucket he took it down the crime lab thanks for your eyes miss johnston okay pretty sick now killby came up with something else with that there's another one missing an eight year old boy 6 30 p.m we talked with officer killaby about the other missing boy he told us that his name was steven moorheim eight years old his family had just moved into the neighborhood and it seemed that no one besides the moorheim family knew that the boys played together mrs moorheim told us that steven told her that he was going out to play and that he'd be home by six o'clock for dinner she told us that he was an unusually prompt boy and almost never overstayed his playtime we got a description of the moorheim boy and put out a missing broadcast we call the johnstone's family doctor he told us that stanley's blood was type old at seven p.m we talked again with mrs john moorheim are you sure mrs johnstone doesn't know where the boys are he has no idea mrs moorheim this is terrible just awful i feel there's more to this thing something you're not telling me was no you stop section till we know a few things for sure and you are holding back something please try not to worry mrs moorheim there are certain questions we'll have to ask routine questions in any kind of investigation is there anything else you want to know yes ma'am what is your boy's blood type that's a funny question do you think anything's happened to him have you found him and you're not telling him no ma'am we haven't found him we don't think anything's happened to him it's blood type yes ma'am i think i have it written down steven baby books yes here it is type old thank you what if i might use your phone please yes of course it's in the hall we're right back there yeah okay two six six seven please all right this is friday lee there checking back lee did you get the blood types and the two missing boys yeah both boys type old so you are listening to dragnet for the solution to an actual case from official police files now here's a real solution to many of your christmas shopping problems if your friends smoke a long cigarette give the best of long cigarettes fatima give fatima for quality the name fatima has always stood for the best in cigarette quality give fatima for flavor fatima has a much different much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette give fatima they're extra mild yes fatima is the long cigarette which contains the finest turkish and domestic tobaccos superbly blended to make fatima extra mild yes extra mild so give fatima for christmas in the attractive golden yellow carton it's the long cigarette that has doubled and redoubled its smokers yes more and more smokers every day agree fatima is the best of all long cigarettes eight p.m thursday december 22nd still no sign of either of the missing boys chief of detectives thad brown went back to headquarters to direct the search from there he dispatched another detail of 50 men to aid in the hunt for the missing youngsters 8 30 p.m was getting colder the citrus growers were warned to expect a freeze we went up the block to see mrs johnstone her husband had quit work early and returned home we talked with him he could tell us nothing more than we already knew we still had not informed either of the families about the blood stains and the empty cartridge casing which had been discovered in the backyard of the johnstone home was more than possible if they had a right to know about our findings but ben and i felt that there was no cause to add the to the distress of the two families at this time if the two missing boys were found alive and well and the blood stains in the cartridge case would be of no concern to the relieved parents at 8 40 p.m ben and i left the johnstone house and went to the home of mr and mrs john moran mrs moran you said your husband worked at a market yes he telephoned about 15 minutes ago and said he was closing up right away he'll be here any minute and i wish stevie would call her come home it's so cold out tonight all he had on was a sand cotton jacket please try not to worry we're doing everything we can it's going to be all right stevie's father's such a sensitive man he and the boy are so close i know he's terribly upset no you're sure there's no place you might have forgotten someplace where the boy might be no no place no anything happened to the boy just killed no no you sit still i'll get it mrs moran joe hi harry the johnstone kid he's been found oh he's home sergeant he's come home thank god he's all right where's he been did he tell you no no he didn't his clothes were all dirty and he's acting strange i've never seen him like this how do you mean where's johnson well he just came in the front door and said hello mom and then he sat down the chair and stared at the floor and won't talk to his father or me did mine if i talked to him no go ahead i asked him about the little warheim boy and he wouldn't tell me a thing where is he now in the living room looks all right yes son son this is a police officer he wants to talk to you don't be afraid dear he only wants to ask you some questions son you see sergeant stanley come on look at me son get your head up youngster come on now that's better and your mother pretty worried you know that you want to tell us where you've been i wish you'd try to get into eat a little something do you hear that son want something to eat stanley there's another little boy up the street who hasn't come home do you know where he is his father and mother worried about him too just like your folks were you've got to help us find him son i i killed him i killed steve with the 22 we were only playing but i killed him how do you know you killed him maybe he's only hurt now isn't that it no he's dead i know he's dead the gun went off we forgot we put bullets in there where is it stanley i hit him i was scared i didn't want anybody to find him where did you hide him son in a cave up on the hill i didn't mean it it was my pal you want to show us where son yes i'll show you please don't send me to jail 9 15 p.m thursday december 22nd nine-year-old stanley john stone led the way up the hill behind the backyard of his home he showed us the wagon he moved the body in his father came along with us about 50 feet from the crest of the hill a boy pitted to a thicket of scrub oak there we found a small cave holding the body of steven moorheim there was a single bullet wound in his chest just below his heart it was dead we covered the body stanley stanley how did it happen i knew my folks were gonna give me the gun for christmas i knew where it was and i got it there was a box of bullets with it were you pointing the gun at steven no sir no sir i wasn't it was steve's turn to play with it i was chasing him he tripped over the stump there on our backyard and fell the gun hit him in the stomach and it went off why do you think you killed him if you're telling us the truth i'm telling the truth honest that's the truth i believe you son but why do you think you killed him it was my gun steven still be alive if i didn't go and get it i should have waited till christmas it's all my fault where have you been all this time in the cave with steve what were you doing in there son i was praying i was praying for god to make him alive again after a thorough investigation ben and i were convinced that the shooting of steven moorheim was accidental lieutenant lee jones finding substantiated the john stoneboy story even to the smallest detail we put in a call to the coroner's office and acquainted him with the fags he designated a local mortuary to handle the body pending autopsy and granted us permission to remove the body to the moorheim home mrs moorheim collapsed the family doctor was called ben and i sat in the living room to wait for john moorheim the dead boy's father edith mr moorheim yes you the police yes sir where's edith where's my wife has my boy come home have you found him yes sir oh where is he steve steve where steve he's hurt isn't he yes sir oh where is he i want to see him he's hurt bad mr moorheim oh where is he i want to see him he's in his room how bad pretty bad don't make it any harder on yourself mr moorheim i want to see my boy listen to me son we've got you a lot of nice things for christmas it was a new one i got just three new cars for the train the one with the search really works because that new switch you wanted to do it tried you know that that new baseball but just so well if it you wanted that the other boys me stanley johnston it was an accident moorheim where are you going i want to see that boy we had no idea what the dead boy's father had in mind we didn't feel that we should try to restrain him we went along with him up the street to the johnstone home steve's father where's your boy i'm sorry where's your boy he's right here won't you come in it's all right mr johnston who's with steve yes sir yes sir i've got a lot of nice presents for steve i want to give them to you christmasy mom i think that would be a fine idea son come on ben what does it all prove you don't give a kid a gun for christmas the story you have just heard was true only the names were changed to protect the innocent on december 24th 1948 a coroner's inquest was held in the county morgue city and county of los angeles state of california in a moment the results of that inquest now here are authentic reports from all over the country that tell the story of the team a sensational increase in popularity new york division chicago division los angeles division more and more smokers agree fatima is the best of all long cigarettes so enjoy fatima yourself and give extra mile fatimas for christmas in the attractive golden yellow carton everyone who smokes fatima says that this great new long cigarette is the best of all long cigarettes at the coroner's inquest it was officially recorded that steven moorheim's death was the result of an accident stanley johnstone h9 was absolved of any legal responsibility for his friend's death you have just heard dragnet's a new series of authentic cases from official files technical advice for dragnet comes from the office of acting chief of police w a worton los angeles police department dragnet honors hennepin county minneapolis state of minnesota and the men of the hennepin county sheriff's office another of america's great law enforcement agencies one of these men sheriff ed ryan veteran police officer and department administrator who dedicates his life to making yours more secure fatima cigarettes the best of all long cigarettes has brought you dragnet portion transcribed from los angeles be sure to hear songs by martin downey tonight on nbc recorded on the scene only the names have been changed to protect the innocent fatima cigarettes best of all long cigarettes brings you dragnet gang of hold-up men have been running loose in your city they've committed more than a dozen robberies if you want a long cigarette smoke the best of all long cigarettes smoke fatima fatima is the long cigarette which contains the finest turkish and domestic tobaccos superbly blended to make fatima extra mild and that's why fatima has a much different much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette that's why fatima is doubling and redoubling its smokers so if you want a long cigarette smoke the best of all long cigarettes smoke fatima the documented drama of an actual crime for the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the los angeles police departmental you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case from official police files from beginning to end from crime to punishment dragnet is the story of your police force in action was saturday july 21st was hot in los angeles we're working the night watch out of robbery detail my partner's ben romero the boss is that brown chief of detectives my name's friday i was on the way back from the record bureau and it was 6 55 p.m when they got to room 27 a robbery detail are you ready let's go we're like dumpers topcoat it's too hot out tonight for that yeah the rest of the guys take off already yeah we better hustle in a minute we're working this thing tonight must be at least 50 carbon ever drugs from the south central area the point that we draw may only in south alameda wrecked forms yeah parking lot across the street we can cover the pharmacy from there we better check out a tomsen from the business office first time it's a good idea we might as well be ready they are we've got the tip the gang was moving into the south end of town johnny powers one of his informants okay here we are hey bair do you want to check out a tomsen for us yeah kind of thank you hey might as well give us a shotgun while you're at it bair sounds like a busy night for you fellas yeah maybe half of the shotgun to joe yeah okay and tomsen a machine gun one shotgun you got those serial numbers there blare yeah tomsen six seven eight one one six seven eight one one yeah shotgun six five five two two eight twenty two eighty eight what's your serial number then twenty six thirty three oh yeah thirty three six shells for the shotgun fifty shells on tomsen okay all right i'll sign for him pretty rough i understand gun heavy yeah just stay tell us okay here's the book all signed okay here you go a lot of firepower there yeah hope you don't have to clean them when we bring them back we're wiped down at the basement of the city hall picked up our car 80k and drove out to neomy and south alameda street we located the parking lot and pulled in there were four other cars parked in the lot so we wouldn't be conspicuous then and i got in the backseat out of the light from our vantage point we had a clear view of the entrance to the wrecks pharmacy across the street we had the shotgun and the submachine gun on the seat beside us we listened to the calls coming on the radio and we waited it's no cooler here than business hot and sticky huh i mean paper says it's going to be worse tomorrow roll down your window we didn't get some air in here yeah the pharmacy isn't doing much business a lot more than a dozen people in there in the last hour no soda fountain again sure if hot you have to talk about it hell the time you got 10 minutes then no smoke no hang yeah i'll get it that gang's gonna show up here wish they'd get it over with flowers might have got a bum too well the gang hasn't missed a weekend for two months i wonder how much time the average cop's been waiting i don't know put it all together to make a fine vacation what do we do sit this out to the pharmacy closes and you have two a hand oh it's hot yeah midnight came and passed the traffic on south allow me to send out only an occasional customer entered the pharmacy across the street then kept complaining about the heat we waited well that's it joe ergo the lights drugstore slows man guy's locking the doors there he goes we might as well shove off too yeah let's get in the front seat not much gold for this shotgun tonight well he's checking it in same duty to mine it's a lie yeah come on let's roll sunday july 22nd 2 15 am ben and i pulled up with a merchant security trust company on the corner of south hill in janeva alley two patrol cars were already on the scene and four uniformed officers were trying to keep back a crowd of people who had gathered at the top of a flat of marble stairs which led off the street down one flight to the bank's night depository at the bottom of the stairs an elderly man was sprawled out face down his right arm twisted under the man was dead ben counted five bullet wounds in the victim's back we interviewed the only witness a young sailor my name is basic sergeant uh don basic quarter message second class here's my ID card you saw the shoes and i was about a half a block away i just came out of the bar down the street there at the top hat yeah i had a couple of beers and i left and i started walking back to the hotel when was that about uh five after two well before i got to the corner i saw this man ahead of me he uh crossed the street and headed over for the bank then this car pulled up and some guys got out they ran over to the man and looked like they were frisking yeah all of a sudden i heard shots the man ran to the stairs here and it looked like he stumbled and fell a bunch of guys jumped back in the car and drove away what'd you do then i ran up to see what i could do for the old man he was lying down there where he is now nothing i could do for him i yelled for a cop did you get a look at the man in that car no i just saw him from a distance uh four maybe five what about the car did you see the license number the last couple of numbers that's all six nine nine couldn't see the rest what was it a cooper sedan a sedan maroon color it was a Pontiac either 1940 or 41 you sure about that i used to own one back in Delaware 1940 model i sold it to my brother and i went in the navy i'm sure all right and you're sure about the number of men in the car oh yes there are four or five no more i see well will you drive back to the office with it and give us a full statement sure sergeant anything you say you can wait in the car basically we won't be long sure what do you think no i don't know drugstore gang that there were four guys could be no just quick maroon car three numbers off the license plate pretty thin yeah looks like a hard summer we completed our preliminary investigation coroner arrived and the body was taken to the county morgan the basement of the hall of justice the victim was identified as Walter Conroy the provider of the flowerland dance hall on south hill street together with officers premon and hers from homicide ben and i spent most of sunday tracking down employees of the dance hall and interviewing them we sent a rush teletype the department of motor vehicles and sacrament on containing the partial license number plus our scan information on the car which the suspects drove early monday afternoon ben and i along with captain ed walker of robbery detail met with chief of detective stad brown what kind of a movie where you're working on robbery thanks to our manager conroy was on his way to the bank's night depository when this bunch caught up with him he had the naturally seats with him from the dance hall almost a good one uh $350 they missed over a thousand conroy had an impact on it no idea who pulled the sticker could have been that drugstore gang why them we haven't missed working a weekend night for two months there's no sign of any other job that they might have pulled saturday just a hunch chief nothing to go on we'll have to guess our way for a while uh sacramental checking the description of the car that your number is off the license plate yeah i'll have an answer this afternoon any leads on the drugstore gang at all plenty none of them good suspects are loaded down with guns that's all we know excuse me ron speaking thanks reached over here friday the arrow how many yeah okay thank you all i got an answer from dmv sacramento about the holdup car they looked up the possible combinations of 1940 or 41 potty accidents with the number 699 in the license plate now 123 possibles to check my choice no car in that description on the hot list killer might be the legal owners all right in 2023 even after we check them we still might not have the right party that's right if you got a better lead we'll work on it nope and ride this till it falls apart for the next 13 days ben and i freemont rehearsed from homicide plus a half a dozen other men hacked away at the list of 123 car registrations any one of which could have been issued to the holdup car the color of the sedan didn't help us much to start with since california vehicle registrations do not include the colors of the cars after 14 days of gradual elimination of possibles the field was narrowed to six and four men too august 6th monday 5 30 p.m ben and i were called a pad brown's office gentlemen check out that last possible yet about 20 minutes ago it didn't pan out what about herston freemont they had one left right here could be the answer yeah 1940 funny accident license number 4 x3699 last registration san diego we tell the type of san diego please they say the car has been sold alone out in san amonica anyone checked her that's what i want you to for san diego and san amonica now it's in the right area and before we miss now hope it's the right one let's gotta be checked ben and i checked the woman in san amonica mrs fielding she told us that she had sold the car six months before to a friend who lived in bakersfield we contacted her friend he told us the car had been traded in by him to an auto dealer in pasadena we checked the dealer he said the car had been sold off his used car a lot two months before the new buyer had given his name is amo first and two names were given as reference loyden newton and john lacombe who ran a routine check through the record bureau through fellas it's a packages you gotta make point on all three what do you plan on first let's see first and two time losers second time up to q on five counts of arm robbery i'm pro from quentin now how about the other two well they're home let's see press and reformatory two terms went up three years ago violation of dire act he's on parole too what about newton jamaik him two terms in oklahoma they're looking for him now a jump roll come on look at that just a minute frank we're sure we have all three of them take a look ben each one of them are my sheets on these three guys yeah i'm like right here under general m o six thirsty heavily armed in time of arrest and this one look home heavily armed this one on newton i'm happy yeah at the time he purchased the car suspect amo first and listed his home address is 1517 north hoover avenue previous robbery victims positively identified first and his companions at 1517 north hoover the landlady also identified first and and his companions as tenants she told us they drove a red sedan and they parked the car at a temple street garage an immediate stakeout was placed on the apartment house and we started the canvas of temple street garages from hoover avenue down to ram park boulevard at 4 p.m ben spotted the car and donnelly's garage on temple street near michigan drive the garage attendant told us that the owner of the car given his name is amel first and showed him the mug shop yeah used to park his car in here a while back then he came in yesterday morning with these two guys and said he wanted to paint job this looks like he needs a paint job to me they offered me 20 bucks extra if i do it in a hurry he wants the car painted green when's he gonna call for the car about 10 o'clock tonight these jobs take time he's not gonna like it if the car is not finished he won't like it if it is come on ben you are listening to dragnet's authentic stories of your police force in action now here is an authentic report from fatima cigarettes in 1950 enjoy fatima yourself you'll find fatima extra mild because fatima is the long cigarette which contains the finest turkish and domestic tobacco superbly blended to make fatima extra mild you'll find fatima tastes much better fatima's superb blend gives you a much different much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette you'll find fatima tops in cigarette quality fatima has always stood for the best in cigarette quality for a new year of greater smoking enjoyment buy a fatima in the appealing golden yellow package you'll agree fatima is the best of all long cigarette 7 p.m. tuesday august 7 chief detective stad brown and captain ed walker swung the entire robbery detail into action the stake out at the apartment house on north hoover continued an additional detail of men was stationed in a vacant store on temple street directly opposite donnelly's garage donnelly's garage was a small family outfit and the only spot from which we could cover it thoroughly without being seen was from a large paint locker set up against the right wall the garage man cleared enough room so that ben and i could fit into the locker in a half stoop position two small latches were rigged up so that we could pull the doors closed from the inside four ventilation holes at the top and bottom of the doors provided this with peep holes at eight o'clock that night and then i took our places inside the locker the trap was set we waited can you see all right joe yeah i'm stuck in here i'm still here is it tight fit i'm getting me clamping my shoulder what's under that garage man say he closed let them fly lousy faint smell they have truck willing in can you see the driver i think somebody getting gas don't they show up i wouldn't want this to go on another night well don't count on it what's going to sleep i just stand still what time you got let me see get the light on in here ten minutes tonight thanks the popular conception of the working detective rarely includes the glimpse of his everyday run of the mill duties filling out forms conducting interviews or waiting long monotonous hours parked in a car or standing half-cropped in a garage paint locker it's slow dull and tedious and it's 95 percent of the police officer's job by 10 o'clock that night there was still no sign of person and his friends the cramped locker got more cramped for the passing minutes the air was thick with paint we waited at 1055 a taxi pull to a stop in front of the garage three men got out you see them joe wait they step into the light there's another guy still in the cab there he comes there's the first guy yeah there's the fourth guy's getting out of the cab it looks like new that's him yeah we call him right behind that guy here they come sure do look before all right i'll light your door but don't open it you know quiet man what's the matter that match your stuff wait a minute to get it no it's really stuff right tap it with your gun stock it went easy yeah there he is just a little quick you see where they are now yeah talking to the garage man stop looking this way no you just stay that way huh you ready okay i'll tip him off till we're right on top of him but i'm gonna wait for the garage man right all right let's go approximately 25 or 30 yards separated this from the suspects i glanced across temple street at the vacant store with that brown and the other men were staked up 25 yards is a long way to walk when you're approaching a murderer you know that he won't hesitate to kill you in order to escape men flipped the safety off the machine gun we were almost halfway across the garage 15 yards away thirst and turned in sauce right up the stairs up this way joe yeah watch it back get on it so we're back in that corner up there your tracks roll out your gun two more guns on him all right you two hold it here comes cheese yeah i'll get these guns together here lakom he's not much of a fighter not without a gun the suspects were booked at different divisions to keep them separated amel first and then Lloyd Newton were taken to hollenbeck park and booked on suspicion of armed robbery and murder john lakom was booked at highland park jail on the same charges the other suspect who had been wounded in the escape attempt was identified as herald steves 19 years old he was treated for a leg wound at georgia street receiving hospital and then transferred to the prison ward at the county hospital during the next two days each of the suspects was questioned individually thirst and lakom newton would admit nothing the 19 year old steves broke down and agreed to turn state's evidence we took his statement to chief of detectives that brown everything boss they pulled the drug store hold up and they killed that dance hall on reward card which one of them well the kid says thirst and shot it means his thirst and is the gang leader good you finally got a count on those guns you took off yeah 12 of them each one of them was ready to go bullet in every chamber did you get a complaint from the da's office they were right huh for them right game set for money fine you got them in jail i'll put them in prison the apprehension of the criminal doesn't mean the end of a case for a police officer he spends just as much time helping to convict the criminal after he's caught evidence must be gathered and authenticated and presented to the district attorney's office if confessions are possible they must be obtained and put in order the officer must also help out in formulating the case and then testifying at the trial of the suspect on october 30th almost three months after the thirst and gang was apprehended they were brought to trial in superior court was a routine affair herald steves took the stand and told the story of the gang's activity the victims identified the suspects and testified to the robbery both ben and i took the stand and testified to the arrest and possession of guns by the defendant we received no cross examination on the morning of march 2nd the case went to the jury ben and i had lunch with lieutenant rombo from robbery in the city hall cafeteria and it was five minutes past one when we got back to the office all right sure was good soup today it was a nice lunch do you want to check the mail i didn't chance i'll get it robbery friday yeah when right lachom and thurston i just broke jail within seven minutes a dragnet for the escape criminals had been thrown around the entire city chief of detectives pat brown directed the operation at 14 minutes past warning called us to the photocopy room the machines were turning out duplicate mug shots of thurston and lachom for distribution at the rate of one every four seconds you want us to stand by you for the moment yeah we got all the help we need on the street oh they pull the brake anyway slugged the deputy when he brought in their lunch used to see a leg from one of the benches in the prisoners tank yeah they beat the deputy right in the ground but he held on the newton they didn't get away hard first in lachom ever get out of the building it's a real freak it's like the elevator man and sat down at the basement right then an ambulance crew was wheeling a body in the moor the attendant left the ignition keys in the ambulance shouldn't be too rough to track them if they're in an ambulance suffering you think on the copy coming back fast we can make them chief have another batch for him you had any reports at all yet boss couple they're moving fast frank you want to get that i can't see in this dark room yeah i'll get it yeah chief brown in there yeah it's money now locker what do you got uh kill that dry one oh yeah now what do you got gas station out on sunset lachom and thurston just held it up we picked up our car in the city hall to rise and drove out to the service station on the corner of sunset full of ardent Lorraine drive defective ruins and strongwall from robbery were already on the scene the two escapees that abandoned the ambulance there robbed the station of 56 dollars in currency and stolen a 1938 gray packard coop license number seven robert 6336 we left the station and started to cruise the area with 155 he'll give it up you know 380 north sunset at 211 in progress 6380 north sunset at 211 in progress this is the 61 by the drop come on maybe push it hey that's our pulling out of my head there a great cool friend wait a minute seven robert that's them life's changing they can't make it they're going through they're skinny they have no handfuls look it off all right pull up come on all right let's go lucky if i live through this one yeah all right come on help me with this door yeah all right can you take him yeah i'll get a little comb you look okay yeah it's first and out of here all right come on you come on all right look home come on oh sure you will come on all right don't try to walk out there it's okay a couple of stretching all right get on over there cool it's funny they don't look great too they can't play their part they haven't got their guns only the names were changed to protect the innocent on march 3rd 1947 trial was held in superior court department 91 city and county of los angeles state of california in a moment the results of that trial it's amazing how many long cigarette smokers are changing to fatima here are the actual figures new york division chicago division but los angeles division but yes in 1949 more and more smokers discovered that fatima is the best of all long cigarettes they found fatima extra miles they found fatima has a much different much better flavor they found the name fatima means the best in cigarette quality in 1950 enjoy fatima yourself best of all long cigarettes amel thirstin john lachom and loyde newton were convicted of first-degree murder and robbery and sentenced to life terms for turning states evidence 19-year-old herald steves received special consideration as a result of the jailbreak thirstin and lachom were convicted of assault and escape they are now serving life terms in the state penitentiary you have just heard dragnet a new series of authentic cases from official files technical advice for dragnet comes from the office of acting chief of police w. a. worton los angeles police department dragnet honors the city of pasadena state of california and the men who make up the pasadena police force another of america's great law enforcement agencies one of these men chief of police clarence h morris traffic specialist and veteran police administrator dedicates his life to making yours more secure fatima cigarettes the best of all long cigarettes has brought you dragnet portion transcribed from los angeles be sure to hear songs by morgan donnie tonight on nbc