 The Equitable Life Assurance Society presents This Is Your FBI. This Is Your FBI. The official broadcast from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Presented transcribed as a public service by the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States and the Equitable Society's representative in your community. Now a word to fathers and mothers. If you're a typical American parent, you want your children to go to college. You want them to succeed, right? Then you want to know about an equitable education fund. It's the painless way to pay for a college education. It's the way to make sure that your boy or girl gets the advantage of college training regardless of what happens to you. Interested? Then please listen carefully in about 13 minutes for further details on an equitable education fund. Tonight, the subject of our FBI file, Bank Robbery. It's title, The Hostage. There have been several recent statements by prominent people concerning what they call the rapid decline of public morality throughout the country. One of them noted that when you consider that more and more people from good home, from areas of promise and opportunity, are becoming involved in crime, you cannot help seeing that this decline involves us all. The philosophy that is too widespread today declares that the evil is not committing a crime but getting caught. That is not the philosophy which helped build America's greatness. And if it continues to spread, it can be the weight which bogs us down. Tonight's case from the files of your FBI concerns a man from one of those areas of promise and opportunity. A man willing to do anything to keep from being caught. Tonight's FBI file opens in a large Midwestern city. It is late afternoon as two customers sit at the bar of a small corner saloon. One of them a good-looking young man fingers an empty glass. Al, another bottle of beer, please? Sure, Jack. Here you are. Two bits, right. Well, you're going to take all day to sell them a beer? You want something? Yeah. Get me with another burp. Sure. That'll be a half. Okay, okay. I ain't trying to steal it. I am a wandering mister. Would either of you sweet souls buy me a beer and I'll sing you a song? Blow, bud. No panhandlers. Give them a beer on me. Well, you're a gentleman, a scholar, and a... Thank you. You're welcome. Wait a minute. You don't get it that easy. You want your song first? No, you drink it down here. Laugh it up like a puppy. Oh, mister, I couldn't do that. You want the beer, don't you? Hey, son. Son, do you think that's fair? No. You stay out of this. I'll buy you a drink. You can have it standing up. Thank you, sir. I said you stay out of this. Get your hands off of me. I bought him a beer and he's going to drink it. Leave me alone. A strong man, huh? Get off that stool. Hey, no fighting in here. Come on. This ain't going to be a fight. It's going to be one punch. Hey, what a left hook. I am sorry, Al. Forget it. Okay, Doc. Come on. Get up. He just didn't want him pushing me around. Hey, mister. I was a wise guy. I had it coming. Mister. Mister. Is the out cold? Yeah. I'll give you some water for him. I don't know what good it'll do. What do you mean? He ain't breathing. We were supposed to have dinner. Honey, I'm in trouble. What? Well, what happened? I had a fight. With whom? Ah, man. I don't know. I never saw him before. I don't understand. I was in a bar. It just happened. I hit him and I had to run. Look, I'm in a bookstore on 10th and Madison opposite the freight yard. Come over here. I can't. They'll be looking for me. Who? The police. Please meet me at the freight yard. Can the police arrest you for just hitting a man? Mary, I didn't just hit him. I killed him. I think you ought to wait any longer for your girl. I told her to meet me here. Yeah, but there's only one more freight. I want to wait for her. Okay, but you're taking a chance on not getting away from here. I've just been wondering about that. About what? Whether I should run away. You killed a guy. But he started it. That makes itself defense. You got any witnesses? Well, you. Oh, the cops had never believed an old bum like me. What about the bartender? I've told you, son. All he knows is a fight started. He's level to tell anything. I know. I've seen that happen before. You better do like I've been telling you. Go under for a couple of months. Down the road, cop. He won't be by again for 20 minutes. By that time, we should be out of here. Pop, tell me something. What? Why are you doing all this for me? Because you give me a square shake back in that saloon. I don't get many chances to even up things like that. Oh. That last freight's due any minute now. Where's it to go to? Grove City. You ever been there? No. It's a good town. Lots of places to go under. I remember once back in 43, I had a little heat on me. I went to Grove City and I stayed in them. There's someone's coming. It's Mary. No, wait till she gets here. Make sure nobody's following her. Jack. Jack, what's this all about? I told you on the phone. But what happened? She's killed a guy, Miss. But why are you running away? He's given the cops a chance to forget it. That isn't right. Hey, look honey, you don't understand. It's too long to explain. I do understand and you have no right to run away. Son, son, there's our freight. Goodbye honey. Wait, Jack. I, I, I gotta go. Come on. Right. Jack, come back here. Jack. The following afternoon at the local FBI field office, Special Agent Jim Taylor is working at his desk as Agent Fred Mason approaches. Pardon me, Jim. Oh, hello Fred. Jim, this is Mr. Claver. Mr. Claver, how do you do? Take that chair, Mr. Claver, and I'll use this one. Thank you. Mr. Claver's been to see the SAC about a complaint. I'm gonna handle it. No, what's it about? Well, I'm connected with the National Trust Bank at Broadway in Madison. Yes, sir. This morning the bank examiners arrived to go over our books. Normally that's a routine job at our institution. We've never had any trouble with them. Today they found a $12,000 shortage in the account of one of our tellers. Did you question the teller? He didn't report for work this morning, Jim. What's his name, sir? Fenton, Jack Fenton. We called his house and his landlady said he hadn't been home all night. We're afraid he's, well, I hate to say it, but we're afraid he's takin' the money and run away. Yeah, it appears that way. Can you give us a description on Fenton, sir? Yes, of course. Oh, Mr. Claver, and I'll take it down as you dictate. We made it, son. We made it. Huh? Oh, look at it. Skid Row, home. The magic carpet that'll take you to any dream you name. You can breathe it, taste it, smell it. You can sure smell it. That donut piece. That's the perfume of the road. Take a whiff, boy. Come on, son, I'll show you that. See that guy? That's Farmer Adams, the old fighter. Ain't a little early in the day for him to be drunk. He's not drunk. He weaves like that all the time. Oh. Maybe we'll see him tonight. When he's got the 40 cents, he kips at the same flop house we're going to. Hey, hey, watch this guy get tattooed. That's a professor, isn't he? If you're going to get any wiggly girls on your arm, let him do it. He's the best. He is an artist. Uh-huh. You want to wait and get one now? No, no thanks. Okay, we can come back. It's great so far, ain't it, son? Come on, now, be honest. Have you ever seen so much action? No. Morning, man. Morning, morning. Who are they? The only father and son choir on the street. And you know some? They're such good friends you'd never know they was related. Do you like to hit the shooting gallery? No thanks. In back, the God of Police Circus. The greatest trick you ever saw. I don't want to see it now. Okay, we'll come back. Hey, boy, easy. Here, let's put it back. But it's empty. There's enough in it to smell that man'll want it with when he gets up. Hey, you still got that 11 bucks? Uh-huh. Then let's hit this joint. Oh, we better go easy. $11 won't last long. What are you saving it for? You want to die rich? No, but... Boy, this place gives you the best quarter slug of grog on the street. You guys got any money? Yeah, and we're gonna sit at that corner table. Now go bring us a couple of drinks. When you're holding, you can be as tough as any waiter on the road. Uh-huh. Go ahead, son. Sit down. I'm... I'm not so sure I can handle this. Son, wait till you have a couple of drinks. You'll forget you ever lived anywhere else. Anything come in on the bank, Teller, Fred? No, I'm just going over these reports on him. Nobody recognizes pictures at the airport and bus terminal on the railroad station. You check hospitals? Yeah, and I also covered hotels, rooming houses, and the morgue. You get anything? Yeah, and I just broke his. He was found at the bank. I've been contacting the names in it. So far, none of them know where he went, though. You cover everyone? No, there are five names left. I'm going out and check on them now. They all in one neighborhood? No, all three are on the west side. Two are on the other side of the bridge. Why don't I take the west side name? Okay, fine. Here, it's the three on top, Fred. Right. I'll contact the other two and meet you back here. Hey, where is he? Who? The guy I come in with. Hey, where now? Oh, but I ain't supposed to leave him out of my sight. Look, where'd he go? How would I know? I gotta find him. Get in trouble if you don't feel real trouble. Where could he have gone? Hello, Pop. Hey, where'd you go? Down to the station. What floor? To get a paper from back home. Oh, I thought you'd walked out on me or something. Take a look at the paper. You see that? A picture of you. Yeah, well, nothing about my killing anybody. Huh? Well, this picture's here because the FBI's looking for me. They think I stole $12,000 from the bank. Oh, we ought to see that. I looked all the way through the paper for something about the killing. Well, there wasn't a word. Maybe he didn't die. I examined him, son. When a guy ain't breathing, he's dead. But what's this stuff about me and the bank? I think I see the angle. They're trying to trick. What do you mean? This is just a way to get you to come back. I have seen him pull it lots of times. You know what happened? What? You walk in, put up a big beef about not taking any money. Then they say that was a mistake and boom, you're in for murder. We will return in just a moment to tonight's exciting case from the official files of your FBI. Now for a moment, let's listen in on a conversation that may change the whole life of a six-month-old boy named Eddie O'Brien. In the living room of his home, Eddie's father is talking to Fred Barton, his Equitable Society representative. And another thing I wanted to ask you about is this college education insurance. It might be a good thing for me to start from my kid one of these days. I'm hoping you go to my old college in the class of 1972. It is a good thing, Mr. O'Brien. A very good thing. In the Equitable Society, we call that kind of insurance an Equitable Education Fund. Actually, it's an endowment life insurance policy that's paid up when your boy's ready to enter college. The money's there, ready and waiting for him. It's the painless way of paying for a college education. How do you mean painless? Well, it's like buying an audible bill or a home on an easy payment plan. You spread the cost of your son's college education over 15, 16, or 17 years. Instead of taking a beating during the four years, he's actually in college. That's fine, but suppose I should die before the plan's completed. What happens then? From that point on, the policy is paid up in full. No more payments are necessary. The Equitable Society holds the money for your son and pays interest on the full amount every year until he's ready to use it for his education. So you see an Equitable Education Fund is the way to make sure of a good education for your son, regardless of what happens to you. My boy's only six months old now. How soon should I start a plan like this? Well, the earlier you start, the lower your yearly cost will be. The way to do is figure out how much money you can spare to put into a plan like this. Maybe you'll decide that you can now afford one that will pay half the educational cost. Suppose, for instance, you decide on a $4,000 fund. If you have children, get the cost of an Equitable Education Fund from your Equitable Representative. These Equitable Men don't go in for high pressure methods. They give you the information you need and let you make up your own mind. Get in touch with your Equitable Representative or right care of this station to the Equitable Society. That's C-Q-U-I-T-A-B-L-E. The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. And now back to the FBI file, the hostage. The attitude and thoughts of the elderly hobo regarding law enforcement officers are a misconception of the duties and workings of not only the Federal Bureau of Investigation, but of every agency. Unfortunately, those mistaken beliefs are held by many law-abiding decent citizens. Let us examine your FBI, for example. Since the Bureau is a group of public servants, it is important for you, the citizen, to know how it operates. Your FBI does not initiate any investigation unless a complaint is made and evidence received of a crime over which it has jurisdiction. Further, all special agents are specifically instructed not to evaluate the information developed by their investigative efforts. The reports they file make no recommendations and set forth no conclusions. Your FBI is not an accuser, a prosecutor, or a judge in any case. Its job is to get the facts. And that is the only job it does. Tonight's FBI file continues that same night at the furnished room of Mary Allen, whose name appeared in the fugitive bank teller's address book. Special Agent Taylor is interviewing her. Miss Allen, I'm here to question you about a man named Jack Fenton. Do you know him? Yes, I do. How well? We were engaged. Oh. Tell me, have you read the story that appeared in the papers today about Mr. Fenton allegedly stealing money from the bank? Yes, I just saw it. I tried to call the bank and it was closed. I know that story isn't true. But he's disappeared. That was for another reason. Oh, what reason? I can't say. Miss Allen, you have a chance to help me and also help him. I'm so confused. But you do know why he disappeared. Yes. Well, then please tell me. Well, I was supposed to have dinner with Jack last night. He didn't appear. Then he phoned about nine o'clock and told me he was in trouble. He said he had to see me. So I went to meet him. Now where? The freight yard at 10th and Madison. He was there with an older man. And did he tell you about his trouble? Yes. He said he went into a bar for a drink after work. He got into a fight and hit a man. He said the man died. But I looked in the papers today, every paper. And I also called the police. And they had no record of anything like that happening. Did he tell you where the saloon was? No. Who was this older man he was with at the freight yard? Well, I'd never seen him before. I gathered he was helping Jack to run away. Can you describe him? No. I just remember that he was shabbily dressed. I presume they boarded the freight car? Yes. Any idea what time? I remember I looked at my watch. It was exactly 9.30. Thank you, Miss Ellen. Oh, if you hear anything from Fenton, will you please notify our office? What's with the map, Jim? Just trying to establish something on our bank teller. Oh, you got a lead? Half a one. What'd you find? I just contacted the dispatcher at the freight yard. The freight did pull out of there at 9.30 last night. For where? Non-stop to Grove City. Well, at least one part of the girl's story could be true. Yeah. I sent Fenton's description to our agent up there. Oh, so did you get over to police headquarters? Uh-huh. They don't have a report on a homicide of any sort yesterday, Jim. I think Fenton took the money and told the girl the fight story. Could be. But I think we should run the fight story down anyway. That's why I've done the map work here. What's that? You know, the X marked here is the bank where Fenton worked. This letter H is where he lived. Now, if he dropped in for a beer after work, it would probably be in a bar between the two points, X and H. I checked the city directory, then put a circle at every point here where there's a saloon. How many did you come up with? Twenty-two. Now, if we're going to run that phase of the story down, I think we ought to cover all those saloons. Sorry, men, we're just closing up. We're from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Hear my credentials. Oh. Relax some information, please. Did you work yesterday? Every day I own the joint. This is a picture of a man named Jack Fenton. Do you know him? Sure. He comes in pretty regular. Why? Was he here yesterday? Yeah. Now tell me, did he have a fight with anybody? A fight? Mm-hmm. Oh, the rib, you mean. That was a joke. Oh, what kind of a joke? A guy named Harry West came in day before yesterday and gave me 50 bucks to help him rib young Fenton. Harry comes in yesterday afternoon. Pretty soon, Fenton comes in and sits beside him. Does he know Fenton? No. Well, they're sitting, not talking, see when a bum comes in. He's part of the rib. He asks for a free drink and I turn him down. Harry buys, then some kind of a beef develops, Jack belts him and Harry goes down. Then what? Well, a bum bends over, listens to Harry's heart, turns to Fenton and says he ain't breathing. Then he grabs Fenton and hustles him out. That's all of us to it. Is this Harry West, a regular customer? Well, he used to be when he ran a book around here. This is the first time I've seen him in, oh, I guess, a year. Where can we find him now? Let's see. Try the jungle club. He hangs out there, but they'll be closing about now. Yeah, well, thanks very much. That's you, Jack. Uh-huh. Lay down again. It's no use. What's the matter? I can't sleep. Why not? Don't you hear him? No. And by next week, you won't eat him. Next week? Son, the first night down here is always tough. Hey, you two, shut up! You want privacy? Go to the Waldorf. I think I'll go. Where? Home. Okay. I'll see you when you get out. That'll be 20 years. But look, this ain't no picnic, but at least you're free. So lay down, kid. Get a good night's sleep. Fred, I just saw Harry West. Did he talk? Yes. Joe Randolph hired him to do the job. The bookmaker? That's right. Somebody owed Randolph's horsebook $12,000. That's exactly what Fenton's account was showing. Yeah, I know. Did you find out the name of the hobo? Yeah, it's Willie Clay. He used to be a runner for Randolph. What's his connection with Randolph now? Odd jobs now and then. Morning paper says Randolph's being questioned by the district attorney. I know. I called his office after I left Harry West. I guess the DA will keep him busy for quite a while. Story in the Times says they seized his books. Oh? Well, that could be very helpful. Come on. Where? Downtown. If we can examine Randolph's books, we might find out whether or not Fenton really took that money. Pardon me, Mr. Clayburn. Hmm? Oh, hello there. We have some news for you about that shortage of funds. Oh, that's fine, but I'm really not the one to talk to. You see, I came to your office to make the complaint only because the bank's manager was ill. That's his office over there. We know. We just saw him. Oh, yes. He said to tell you about it. Well, if he wants me to handle it, of course, I'll be happy to. Please sit down. Hey. You say you had some news? Our agent in Grove City found Jack Fenton this morning. Good. He was living up there in a flop house on Skid Road. I wish I could feel sorry for him. Mr. Clayburn, Fenton denies any connection with the shortage. Of course. I imagine all thieves do when they're caught. But if he didn't take the money, why did he vanish? Well, sort of a fight was staged on Monday afternoon in a bar down the street. Fenton knocked a man down. He thought the man was dead and he ran, but it's all a trick. Hmm. Someone had a ghouly sense of humor. Someone wanted Fenton to leave town in a hurry. Why? They could cover up a $12,000 loss to a bookmaker named Joe Randolph and make it look like Fenton took the money? Who'd do a thing like that? Well, not many people, I'll admit, but we did find one. Who's that? You. What? We found your name in Joe Randolph's ledger. You paid him $12,000 the day that Fenton disappeared. Come on, Mr. Clayburn. Clayburn was convicted in federal court of theft from a national bank and sentenced to five years in prison. Harry West, Joe Randolph and Willie Clay were convicted of conspiracy in federal court and sentenced to four years. The apprehension of the actual thief in tonight's case from the files of your FBI was of double importance. First, a criminal was removed from circulation and put where he could do you, the citizen, no more harm. The other result, though, the removal of suspicion from an innocent man was more important. The protection of the people is the basic job of every law enforcement agency and the highest function of that job is to prevent any person from being unjustly accused. Your FBI is therefore proud of the fact that of all the people that arrested, approximately 98% were later found guilty. That fact is your guarantee of one thing. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is not primarily interested in arresting people but in locating the true criminals. Upon such facts is your freedom based. The freedom of every person in the nation. Now a quick review of the advantages of an equitable education fund. First, it's the painless way to pay for a college education. You've spread the cost over many years instead of taking a beating in four. Second, it's sure. From the moment you start, you're certain your children will get the kind of education you want them to have regardless of what happens to you. Ask your equitable representative for full information on an equitable education fund or right care of this station to the Equitable Life Assurance Society. Next week we will dramatize another case from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It's subject, hijacking, it's title, the tropical frame-up. The incidents used in tonight's Equitable Life Assurance Society's broadcast are adapted from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. However, all names used are fictitious and any similarity that of to the names of places or persons living or dead is accidental. Tonight the music was composed and conducted by Frederick Steiner. The author was Jerry D. Lewis. Your narrator was William Woodson and special agent Taylor was played by Stacy Harris. Others in the cast were Harley Bear, Tony Caruso, Robert Cole, George Ellis, Gil Stratton Jr., Tom Tully, and Theodore Von Elks. This is your FBI is a Jerry Devine production. This is Larry Keating speaking for the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States and the Equitable Society's representative in your community. And inviting you to tune in again next week at this same time when the Equitable Life Assurance Society will bring you another thrilling transcribe story from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The tropical frame up on this is your FBI. Stay tuned for the adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. There's fun for the whole family when Ozzie and Harriet come your way next. This program came to you from Hollywood.