 The story you are about to hear is true, only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. Fatima cigarettes, best of all long cigarettes, brings you dragnet. You're a detective sergeant, you're assigned a homicide detail. A man and his wife are found dead in a rooming house. A dead parrot lies on the floor beside them. The killer set fire to the room to cover his tracks. Your job, get him. You'll be amazed when you compare Fatima with other long cigarettes. You'll find they now cost the same. But in Fatima, the difference is quality. You see, Fatima is the quality king size cigarette because it contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos superbly blended. And Fatima is extra mild with a much different, much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette. Because of its quality, its extra mildness, its better flavor and aroma, Fatima has more than doubled its smokers coast to coast. So try comparing Fatima yourself. Fatima's now cost the same as other long cigarettes, but your first puff will tell you... Ah, that's different. Yes, in Fatima, the difference is quality. Ask your dealer for Fatima, the quality king size cigarette, best of all long cigarettes. Start enjoying Fatima tomorrow. Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime. For the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case transcribed from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It was Wednesday, April 2nd. It was windy in Los Angeles. We're working the early morning watch out of homicide. My partner's Ben Romero, the boss of Stad Brown, Chief of Detectives. My name's Friday. I was on the way back from communications and it was 5.25 a.m. when I got to room 42, homicide. Is this Ms. Jones? Yes, who is it? This is Joe Friday. I'm sorry to bother you, Ms. Jones. Is Lee there? Oh, yes, Jones. I'm sorry to wake you. Can you come down right away? What's the trouble? Got a call from Fire Headquarters a couple of minutes ago. Yeah? They had a fire in a roving house over on 7th Street. They found two dead bodies in one of the rooms. Yeah, they said we could. Well, the battalion chief doesn't think so. They found both bodies on the bed that was evidence of arson in the room. What kind of proof they got? The victims. That's why we called you. What you got? Fire Department thinks they were dead before the fire started. 5.30 a.m. Romero and I drove out to the roving house on 7th Street. It was a two-story building in the middle of the block between South Grand and Toledo Avenue. On one side of it was a small, transient hotel. On the other, a building which housed a bookbinding firm and studios for an acrobatic dancing school. When we got there, the salvage crew was still working. We were directed to the second floor where we met with a man in charge from the fire department, Battalion Chief Sullivan. It's right down the hall here. Watch your step there. Oh, man. You have the names of the victims, Chief? We think it's Guthrie, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Guthrie. Old couple lived here for some time, I understand. Here we are. We figure that's where it started, right under the bed over there. Heat must have been terrific. Look at the walls, Joe. This is where most of the damage was done, Chief? No, runes on both sides got it, too. Not as bad as this, though. Guthrie's had two runes. This is the one I'm joining through the door there. When the fire starts, got any idea? About quarter to five, I'd say. Landlady smelled a smoke about 10 to five, put in the alarm. Fire was out three minutes after five. Any other casualties besides the Guthrie's I mean? No, just the two. Okay. One of the worst I've seen. Yeah, it's pretty bad. Well, Ben, you can see from the position of the two bodies doesn't look to me like they suffocate. No evidence of a thing. Tried to get out of the room. Both relaxed. Looks like somebody did them in and tried to cover with arson, huh? Oh, Chief. Yeah? On the floor there. Oh, yeah, a parrot. Somebody wrung its neck, looks like, to me, and then threw it there on the floor. There's the empty cage there and the corner and doors open. Chief? Yeah, why? Well, Landlady, he hasn't come back. Clyde liked you to meet Friday in Rubello. Amel. Sorry, Friday in Romero, homicide detail. This is Clyde Wyand from the arson squad. All right. How are you? You want to show him that set up, Clyde? How it was touched off? Glad to. You can take a look under the bed there. Tells most of the story. You see directly underneath there? Let me see. What is that, Wyand? It's a cloth. Strung out all under the bed here. Yeah. Couldn't miss, huh? The old guy who ever set it up, most of the carpeting in the room was doused with kerosene, too. This much you can count on the man who touched it off knew something about timing devices. Want to show him that rig, Clyde? Right here. Yeah? Ordinary electric heater. This automatic timer was connected to it then plugged in. Heater was placed under the bed right next to the rags and was set probably for about 4.45 a.m. Mm-hmm. Timer let go on schedule. Heater warmed up. Rags and papers caught fire then the mattress. You can see the rest for yourself. That timer pretty intricate, Wyand. The man who put it together was no amateur, as the chief said. Must have known something about clockwork. Clyde. Clyde, see you in a minute. Yeah, Mac. Excuse me. I'll be back in a minute. Thanks very much. Not in this room, no. Dead parrot there. Door of the cage of him. Probably a pet might have been out of the cage at the time of the fire. Is it possible for parrot to suffocate in chief? Not from what I can see, no. As I say, it looks to me like somebody rung the bird's neck. A few green feathers on the floor there. Mm-hmm. That's the adjoining room in there. Okay. I figure the Guthrie's used it as a sitting room. I'll bring it to you. Hey, Joe, come here, man. This carpet here with a door. Dark stains. Let me see. What do you think? Could be blood. Heavy stains, sure enough of them. Looks like more of them with that desk there and some on the wall, too. Desk drawers open here. Yeah, I see that. That's about it. You know as much as we do so far. We know how the fire was touched off. We're satisfied it didn't kill those two people in there. The boys from Larson Squad talking to the other rumors in the building? Right now, you can check with them. Okay. Well, thank you very much, chief. I certainly appreciate it. Not at all. The usual breaks, isn't it? How's that? This is fire prevention week. 53 a.m. Lieutenant Lee Jones and the crew from the crime lab arrive. Davis, the photographer, Dean Bergman from Leighton Prince. Pictures were taken of both rooms, which made up Mr. and Mrs. Guthrie's living quarters. The bodies were taken. Bergman processed for fingerprints. While Lee Jones continued his investigation, Ben and I went down the hall to the landlady's apartment where we met with Ray Schubert, one of the men from the Larson Squad. These men are from homicide division. Sergeant Friday, Sergeant Romero. Mrs. Stedman, that right? Yes, Clara Stedman. How do you do? I manage the house here. Would either of you care for cup of tea? No, thank you. I wouldn't care for it. When did you last see Mr. and Mrs. Guthrie, ma'am? Well, no, at least. Mrs. Guthrie, I saw her just before dinner last night, a little before six. I went into Bar and egg and a cup of flour. She was all right then. Was there anyone with her? No, no, she was alone. What about Mr. Guthrie? When did you last see him? About 7.30. I looked out my window and I saw him closing up the parking lot. Did the Guthrie's have any visitors at all yesterday? Do you remember them? Well, just what I know of. About a year now. When did Marshman visit the Guthrie's, do you know? Around four yesterday afternoon. Yes, I was there too, Mrs. Guthrie and Jack and I had a cup of tea together. Then Jack left to go back to work and then I left. You didn't notice anyone else in or near the Guthrie's rooms after that? No. I had my dinner and listened to her radio play and then I went off to bed. I know you're upset, Mrs. Stedman, but what do you think of anybody who might have wanted to do away with the Guthrie's? Anybody who had a reason to do them harm? Oh, as far as I know, Sergeant, they didn't have an enemy in the world. I guess I was wrong. It's a terrible, terrible thing. Yes, ma'am. We leave our car here with you. All right. If you want to contact us, don't hesitate to call anytime. All right, thank you. Thank you, Mrs. Stedman. Goodbye, ma'am. Goodbye. 6.15. What's your body's for this morning? Say Friday. Oh, yes, chief. John's your crime lab man's looking for you. Thank you. Ben, you call the corner, do you? Yeah, he's on his way over. Lee? I'm looking for you. Got a few things. Yeah, what's that? This hammer. On and over in the corner under some of the rubble. These stains on the metal handle here, on the head, gave it the benzidine test. It's blood. You figure it's a murder weapon? Bergman lifted a lot of nice prints. A lot of them all over everything. On the handle of this hammer, on that timing contraption over there, the one that touched off the fire, even left some in the next room on that metal box and draw the desk. That good prints from each room, they match. Give them the next one. Those stains on the carpet by the door, the stains on the carpet by the desk, those on the wall, blood stains, all of them. You can see here, failure stains, all leading through the door into the murder room. You figure they were murdered in here and then the killer took the bodies in the next room and put them on that bed. Then he set fire to cover up, that's my guess. How about the prints on the box and that desk, Lee? Might have been money in the box. Possible burglary? That's an angle. I'll take scrapings from these stains run on biological precipitant when I get back to the lab. I'll let you know how it comes out. Better start finishing off here. A fair shape, a hammer, a couple of fingerprints. Ready? Yes, Hubert. My father worked for Mr. Guthrie in the parking lot, Jack Marshman, just got here. Did you talk to him? Why, I'm not having one of the empty rooms down the hall. Thanks. Which way? Down here. Seems pretty well broken up. You talked to anyone besides you since you got here? No, I told him Guthrie's were dead, that's all. He's taking it pretty hard. Which one? Right here. Charlie. I knew I should have stayed with him. I knew I should have. These men are from homicide, Mr. Marshman. Sergeant Friday, Sergeant Romero. Hello, Mr. Marshman. How are you? I don't know what I can tell you. I can't understand it. Poor Charlie. What can I do to help? We'd like to have you answer a few questions if you don't mind, sir. Certainly. Anything to help, Hubert. Please. You've got to find out who ever did it. You've got to find out who killed him. We're going to try, Mr. Marshman. Now, would you tell us the last time you saw the Guthrie's alive? Sure. Maude, Mrs. Guthrie about 0-4-15 yesterday afternoon. Me and Mrs. Steadman, she's a lying lady. We had tea with her. And I went back to help Mr. Guthrie at the parking lot. When's the last time you saw him? Oh, it's about 6.30. That's when I get off duty at the lot. I said goodbye to Charlie. Never dawned on me as the last time I'd seen him alive. I just can't understand it. It's such a vicious thing. Charlie and Maude, it's really terrible. Yes, sir. You want to just sit down there, Mr. Marshman? Oh, all right. Thanks, Maude. Are you sure you're the only one who talked to Marshman since he got here? That's right. I met him at the door downstairs. Well, the only thing you told him was that the Guthries were dead. That's all he got from us. Any chance he could have been in the room since the fire? No chance. And how do you know somebody killed him? You are listening to Dragnet, authentic stories of your police force in action. You'll be amazed when you compare Fatima with other long cigarettes. Buy a pack. You'll find Fatimas now cost the same. Lighter Fatima. Ah, that's different. What a difference. Yes, friends, in Fatima, the difference is quality. Quality of tobaccos, the finest Turkish and domestic varieties, extra mild and superbly blended to give you a much different, much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette. Quality of manufacture. Smooth, plump cigarettes rolled in the finest paper money can buy. Quality, even to the appearance of the bright clean yellow package, carefully wrapped in seal to bring you Fatima's rich, fresh, extra mild flavor. Try comparing Fatima yourself. Fatima's now cost the same as other long cigarettes, but your first puff will tell you... Ah, that's different. Yes, in Fatima, the difference is quality. Ask your dealer for Fatima, the quality king-size cigarette. Best of all, long cigarettes. Start enjoying Fatima tomorrow. Wednesday, April 2nd, 6.45 a.m., Lee Jones and his men completed their investigation and took their findings back to the crime lab for further examination. Fatima arrived and removed the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Guthrie to the county morgue. Together with Clyde Wyant and Ray Schubert of the Arson Squad, Ben and I continued questioning the Guthrie's friend and employee, Jack Marshman. His answers got more confused and he kept contradicting himself. In some ways, he seemed childlike and others, a good deal more complex. We strung along. In order to keep up the pretence that he was not a suspect, we asked him to come along with us while we checked his living quarters, a two-room basement apartment near Olympic and South Flower. We checked. Marshman was calm and self-assured. Well, here it is, officer. Save yourself. Nice, comfortable place. I like it. I've been here for about three years. This room's where I do my living. It's a little gas plate, oh, that's handy. Compact. Now, I see. What do you use this next room for, Jack? That's my shop. I like to put it around. You care to sit? Yeah, okay. Very nice. What's your hobby? Watchmaking. It used to be a watchmaker. I haven't worked at it lately, though. The job's pretty hard to find. Yeah. These parts here on the bench. You making something, Jack? Just fooling around. All alarm clock there. I'm fixing it up for a friend. Oh, these wires and things. They all go into the works, huh? More or less, yeah. Just something that's fooling around. I like a hobby, they say it's good for you. That's what they say, yeah. That's my closet. Just some clothes and stuff in there. Just junk. It's only a closet. They're just clothes and junk. It's nothing to see. Hey, Jack, do you usually keep this stuff around? Huh? What's that? It's kerosene, and it's pretty dangerous to store like this. There's no cap on it. I'm glad you reminded me. I got to get a cap for that. I use it to wash up. My hands get dirty working around the bench. This shirt. These trousers. I wish you wouldn't drag that stuff out. Yeah, they're mine. The stain here is quite a few of them. Some kind of paint I was using. I'm pretty sloppy with paint. That's not paint, is it, Jack? It's a little like blood to me. What difference does it make to working clothes? I think the reason was in the day. Oh, why don't you lay off? Who cares what kind of stain it is? You come in here snooping around, looking all around. I invited you in here. I didn't give you the place. This is my apartment. This is my shop. Now, you can get out. You hear me? You both. You can get out. What's the matter, Jack? I said you can get out. All right. You want to tell us before we go? I'll tell you what. Why you killed the Guthrie's? What do you mean? Why did you kill Mr. and Mrs. Guthrie? No reason. I just did it. We put the stain clothing and the materials from the workbench in the car. Together with the suspect, we headed back for the office. On the way, Marshman was quiet. He asked for some breakfast. We stopped and bought him some ham and eggs. We tried to get him to talk. He refused. After breakfast, we dropped the stain clothing and the other things of the crime lab, and then we drove to the city hall. We parked the car in front of the Spring Street entrance and started up the stairs. Hey, wait a minute. What's wrong? I've been thinking. Yeah. It's all a mistake. What is? I didn't know what I was talking about. I didn't kill him. 947 a.m. Ben and I took the suspect into the interrogation room. We checked him through R&I. He had a record of two petty thefts the year before. We went back to the interrogation room and got on the phone. We called latent fingerprints. We made him, Joe. The prints on the hammer, the timing device and the metal box on the desk. They all belonged to Marshman. 10.03 a.m. I called the county morgue. The bodies identified as Mr. and Mrs. Charles Guthrie, cause of death Mrs. Guthrie, multiple depressed fractures of the skull, subarachnoid hemorrhage, blunt instrument. Cause of death Mr. Guthrie, about the same. Compressions of the brain in the occipital area around the brainstem. 10.25 a.m. I put in a call to Lee Jones at the crime lab. The materials from the work bench are the same that went into that automatic timer, Joe. Pieced together the cut ends of some of the wires. They match. How about the stains on his clothes? Human blood. 10.45 a.m. We laid it out for the suspect, step by step. Let me rest a while. I'll feel better. Let me think. We stayed with him. We waited. 11.20 a.m. The suspect opened his eyes. Sorry? Yeah. I want to talk about it. 11.25 a.m. Schubert and Wyatt from the arson squad joined us. We called in one of the stenographers to take Marshman's statement. Eleanor Eastlack. She automatically took down the time, the place, and those present. Jack, this is Miss Eastlack. She's going to record your statement, so there'll be no misunderstanding as to what you say at this time. All right, do me. No. Joe, you want to handle the question? All right. Jack, we've got a few preliminaries here for you. Okay. John Everett Marshman. Is that your true name? Yeah. Where do you live? 122.5 Morgan Place, Parvin Bay. What's your age? 37. Occupation. Watchmaker, when I'm working. Well, Jack, you've indicated to us in the previous conversation that you're willing to make a statement setting forth the true facts surrounding the deaths of Mr. Miss Charles Guthrie. That's right. I'll tell you. Were you in their home Tuesday, April 1st? That's yesterday. Yeah, that's right. I was. What time did you get there? Five minutes to four in the afternoon. Mrs. Guthrie was there, and so his landlady, Mrs. Steadman, we had some tea. Was anybody else present while you were there? No. It's just the three of us. How long did you stay there? I left about 4.15, I guess. I guess I was there about 20 minutes. Where'd you go when you left? Well, back to the parking lot, as usual. Charlie Guthrie left and went home to dinner. He got back about 6.15. I left at 6.30, quitting time. Where'd you go after you left the parking lot? I went around the block and then back to the Guthrie's place. Why'd you go back there? To get money. Charlie never paid me enough. Picked me up and expected me to work for nothing. All right. Now in your own words, will you tell us just what happened starting when you ended the Guthrie's apartment at the second time? Mrs. Guthrie opened the door and I went in. She gave me a cup of tea and I told her I wanted some money. She wouldn't give me any. I don't know why, but I was mad. I was second tired of both of them. I'm hanging it, Sergeant. All right, go ahead, please. Mrs. Guthrie went in the next room and I went over to the desk and got the money from the box that they're keeping in. I don't know how much I grabbed all of it, and then Parrot started squawking. Mrs. Guthrie came running in. She saw me with the money and she says, Jack, I picked up something and hit her. It was the hammer and I kept hitting her. Can you remember how many times you hit her in motion? Well, I don't know. She fell down. Parrot was still squawking, jumping around the cage. And I went over and opened the door of the cage and pulled the parrot out. It stopped moving finally. I went in the bedroom and threw it on the floor, and then I dragged Mrs. Guthrie in the bedroom and put her on the bed and I left. Where'd you go? No, I don't know. I walked around. Tried to think of something. It was cold. I got a bottle of wine, I drank it, and I got to thinking about what Charlie did when he got home. I knew he'd be sure I did it. He always blamed me for everything. So I finally went back to the Guthrie's place and found the hammer that I used on her. What'd you intend doing with the hammer? Killed Charlie. She had it coming, so did he. You can't blame me if they forced me into it. Anybody would have done the same. What'd you do after you found the hammer again? I picked it up and waited for Charlie to come home. I remember that. Wine made me feel pretty good. I stood there in the dark holding the hammer. I watched out the window for Charlie. It was cold out, I remember that. It was a radio on down the hall, and I held on to the hammer and waited for Charlie. The neon light across the street came through the windows. The old lady was on the bed in there. I could see the pearl on the floor. It was quiet. I had a smoke. Traffic kept going by outside, I could hear that. I held on to the hammer. It was windy out. I kept thinking Mrs. Guthrie was looking at me from the bed, but she wasn't. Charlie came home at the usual time. He left at 7.30. I stood by the door, he came in and closed the door after him. When he reached for the lights, I hit him. I fell down, I hit him some more. You couldn't blame me. Anybody would have done the same. Anybody would have the way he kicked me around. How many times did you hit him? I don't know. Was it twice? Three times? I hit him, but he quit moving. I took him, dragged him into the bedroom and put him on the bed with his wife. I put him over. Wiped the stains off of me and left with it. It's the only thing I could do. Where'd you go then? My place. I knew that timer had to do the trick. I put it in a shopping bag with some stuff and I went back to the Guthrie's. They were still there in the bed. Parrot was on the floor. Would you repeat that last part, Mr. Mushman? Oh, I said they were still in the bed, the Guthrie's, and the parrot was on the floor next to the bed. Put the kerosene on the carpet and the rags on the paper under the bed and rigged up the electric heater and the automatic timer to set it off. A little slower? Yeah, we'll just pick up Jack and then slow it down just a little bit. Oh, sorry. How did you rig the timer to set off the heater, Mushman? Can you tell us? I had to take all morning to tell you you got the timer. I'll take it apart and explain it to you if you want. All right. What was your purpose in setting fire in the room? You knew both Mr. and Mrs. Guthrie were dead, didn't you? Oh, sure. They forced me into it. I set the fire to make it look like an accident, like they'd burned it. What would you do after you set the timer? All the left went down the street so I got a couple of bottles of wine, talked to the guy I met and now walked around a while. It was too cold so I went home. When did you get home? 2.30 maybe, I don't remember too well. Did you go right to bed? Yeah. Did you go to sleep? No. No? I laid there and read a movie magazine, drank the wine, finally finished up the two bottles and those, though. What time did you get up? A little before six this morning. Went down to the Guthrie's to know it was around. That's why I met you guys. You know all the rest because I've been with you ever since. All right, Jack, anything else you'd like to add? No, I told you everything. All right. When the statement was given free and voluntarily and there's been no promise of immunity or reward extended to you? Yeah, that's right. Was any force, violence or duress used to induce you to make this statement? No. Okay. These questions and answers have been recorded by the secretary here. After they've been transcribed, will you be willing to sign it as a true statement? Sure, sure, I'll sign it. All right, old man. Can you get that out as soon as possible? All right, sir, sir. Thank you. You're welcome. Well, that's it, huh? All of it? That's it. That's good. That's good. I'm tired. It's been a long night, a long one. Get used to it, huh? They're going to get longer. What you just heard was true. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. On July 29th, trial was held in Superior Court, Department 86, city and county of Los Angeles State of California. In a moment, the results of that trial. Now, here is our star, Jack Webb. Thank you. Recently, I've asked you to send me the names of cigarette dealers who are out of Fatimas. You see, the demand for Fatimas is so great that I want to make sure that all of you can buy them. So keep your letters coming. If you find a dealer fresh out of Fatimas, let me know and we'll have something done about it. Write your dealer's name and address on a card and mail it to me, Jack Webb, post office box 951 Hollywood 28. And now for you, Mr. Dealer. The coming holiday season will find new thousands insisting on Fatima quality. Step up your order for Fatimas tomorrow. Get in on the increasing demand for the quality long cigarette. John Everett Marshman was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree, two counts and arson one count. He is now serving a life term in the state penitentiary without possibility of parole. You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice comes from the office of Chief of Police, W.H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department. Fatima Cigarettes, the best of all long cigarettes has brought you Dragnet, portions transcribed from Los Angeles. Coming up, we the people, then Screen Directors Playhouse on NBC.