 The story you are about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Fatima Cigarettes. Best of all, king-size cigarettes brings you dragnet. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a narcotics detail. You receive a call from a former suspect you arrested. He wants to meet with you. He claims he has information and contacts with a big narcotics ring. Your job? Check it out. Fatima. America's first largest-selling blended cigarette. Now king-size. See the difference. Taste the difference. Smoke the difference. And in Fatima, the difference is quality. Yes, you get all the advantages of extra length plus Fatima quality, which no other king-size cigarette has. Fatima quality that gives you extra mildness. A much different, much better flavor and aroma. Definitely the best quality in its class. But the same price is the cigarette you're now smoking. So compare Fatima yourself today. When you see the difference, taste the difference, smoke the difference, you'll switch to Fatima. Because in Fatima, the difference is quality. Ask your dealer for Fatima in the bright, sunny yellow pack. Fatima. Best of all, king-size cigarettes. 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 Tuesday, August 9th. It was warm in Los Angeles. My partner's Ed Jacobs. The boss is Captain Kearney. My name's Friday. It was 728 PM when I got to Lincoln Park, the West entrance. Hey, sir. Got a couple of bags of peanuts, please. Yeah, sure thing. Ten a bag, that'll be 20 cents. All right, thank you. Thank you. Hi, Friday. Jack. It'll come over sooner. I saw you walking around the park one to make sure you weren't tailed. Yeah, make sure of that before I came in. Let's go over and sit down. OK. See, there's a lot of stuff just came in town. Some new pushers came with it, you know that? Yeah, I heard some talk. Like to knock them over? I got the contact. What's in it for you, Jack? A couple of reasons. One thing I'd like to pay you back. I got out of jail last week. I talked to the wife. She told me what you've been doing for her and the kids while I've been out. A nice family, Jack. You let them down. And you didn't. I'm not going to forget it. Wife still has that job you got it. The kid's asthma is a lot better, too. Appreciate you finding that place into hunger for him. It's your health. I was glad to do it. Want some peanuts? Yeah, thanks. Now, what about this narco ring you mentioned? Remember Snuffy Brain? Yeah. Busted in the same time he did me, got a year. Yeah. Just before I got out of county last week, he told me to go see a guy who'd get me a job. What kind of a job? Same kind you busted me on before, pushing his stuff. What's the guy's name? Cadillac Red. Hm? Yeah. New York, I think. Likes to drive big cars. I guess that's how he got the name. Hm? What's the story on him? Red's been in town a month. Four or five guys with him off in the east. Red says they got a big one to unload. Six kilos. Harold? Mm-hm. Mexican stuff. They seem to be having trouble. What do you mean? Finding pushers, setting up a deal. The only contact they had out here was Snuffy. He's in a can to shop in the room. How about the one peanut snack? Yeah. You talked to this Red, did you? Mm-hm. What's he asking from you? Like I said, he wants me to start pushing stuff for him. They need contacts bad. I let him hang. I didn't say one way or the other. He's going to phone me tonight. Then so? Wait for you'll tell him. Depends on you, Friday. I know one thing. I'm not going to start pushing the junk again. You get around it, you handle it, you start to chippy with it before you know it, you hook yourself. You figure what you want to do, I'll help all I can. I owe you that much. You pretty sure the gang needs contacts? Hungry for them. Sitting on 20 ounces of junk. Can't find anyone to trust to push it to. They got problems. Yeah. Think you could give me an office to them, pass me off as a buyer, a friend of yours, maybe. There's a chance. How do you want to do it? Well, let them know you have a friend who's ready for a buy. Tell them I'm from up north. Make it Fresno. Red Mountain Neighbor, is that all right? OK, sounds good. This man, Cadillac Red, he's going to phone you tonight, is that right? Mm-hmm. I'll call you as soon as I hear from him. All right, fine. Don't call me at the office. Right here. Here's my home phone. Don't worry about it, it's a silent number. I can't trace it. Mm-hmm. When you call there, if I'm not in, leave the message with my mother, OK? Your mother, OK. Pleasant 49321. OK, I'll ring you. How much do you know about this Red? He impresses you as a big operator? Middle size, I guess. He's out in New York, that's about all I know for sure. Same for the rest of the gang. Supposed to be handling quality stuff real good. How good? Red claims to test out 40%. I don't know what his asking price is. Where's this Red's staying? Did you find that out? No, he wouldn't tell me. He was at a hotel on West 7th, but he moved yesterday. Nervous guy, doesn't sit along in one place. Guess he's got a right to be shaky, all of them, I have. How do you mean? Got all that dough in the white stuff, close to 50 G's worth. Kill him if you knock him over, grab the June. We'll kill a lot more if we don't. Before I left our informant, Jack Wallace, we set up a plan for future contacts. In case of any emergency, I would not attempt to get in touch with him at his rooming house at Third and Olive Streets. Instead, I'd contact him at his work, the Joe Adonis meat market, on West Temple, where he was employed as a butcher. Wallace also promised to try to get me a sample of the heroin from the narcotics ring. 10.50 PM, I check back in at the office and brief Captain Kearney. Sounds a little fantastic, Joe, six kilos. If it's true, it's a break a cop gets once in a lifetime. Lots of way Wallace tells it. I can't figure any reason why he lied to me. How about this front man, Red? You checked him out yet? Well, Ed's checking him through the moniker file now. He's a New York operator. That's all Wallace could tell me. You got any idea where the plant is? No, I don't. Wallace didn't even know where Red was living. Red's supposed to have a meet with him tonight. I gave him my home phone and told him not to contact the office. You got any court cases pending? No, but I got two I was going to file on tomorrow. You better give me the packages. I'll have Lou Walters assign them to somebody else. You and Jacob stay with his gang, put them to bed, and get them up. All right. Wallace is going to try to get your sample of the junk, huh? Yeah, he said he'd try. Captain, Joe. Hi. Hi, Ed. You dig up anything? I don't know. Found one Cadillac Red. Could be our boy. You get a mug on him? No, all we have is correspondence from New York. There was a want on him back in 1945. Same thing, narcotics. Later that year, the want was canceled. He was picked up. No disposition. You want us to radiogram New York for a rundown on him? No, let's not stir it up. Starting tomorrow, you two stay away from here. Get yourselves fixed up in a hotel room downtown. Let me know where you're staying. OK. Call me at 2 o'clock sharp in the afternoon. I'll make it a point to be here. Better call me on the inside line. Right, Skipper. Where do you think we ought to set up, Joe? Oh, I don't know. How about Pop Sherman's place down there on Hill Street? Hill Co-operate. You know what that stuff did to his boy? Yeah, OK. You want to check in tonight? No, my wife's going to scream her head off as it is. You better make it in the morning, huh? All right, we'll do it. Narcotics, Kearney. Oh, yes, man, just a minute for you, Joe. OK, thank you. Friday talking. Oh, yeah, ma. Did he say what time? Yeah, OK. No, don't worry, I'll get a bite downtown and I'll be home. Yeah, OK, bye. My mother, Wallace, just called my home, left a message for me. He had the meat with red. He's got the sample. At 7 30 the next morning, Ed Jacobs and I checked in at Pop Sherman's hotel on South Hill Street and took adjoining rooms. We'd left all possible identification in our lockers at the office. At 9 30 AM, technicians from our crime lab arrived and installed a bug in my room and set up the receiver next door in Ed's room. In the event any of the gang happened to come to my room, they'd be able to record the conversation. I registered as Paul Lindsay, San Diego, California. Ed registered as Ray Morrissey, Sacramento. At 11 AM, I went alone to a Donis meat market where our informant, Jack Wallace, handed me a dummy package, which I took back to the hotel. Inside the package, I found a sample of the narcotics along with a note from Wallace. He wrote that he arranged a meat with red for that night. I was to pick up Wallace in front of the subway terminal building, the Hill Street side, at 9 30 PM. I gave the sample of heroin to Ed, who took it to the crime lab, where Sergeant Jay Allen ran a test on it. The sample tested out within 40%. For the drug market, it's considered good quality. At 9 20 that night, I left the hotel and walked five blocks north to the Hill Street entrance of the subway terminal building. Wallace was there waiting for me. He said we were to meet red at a hotel on West 54th Street. 9 47 PM, we got to the hotel, went to a room on the second floor. This one here. OK. Yeah? Yeah, who's that? It's Jack. Morning. Red, this is my friend I was telling you about. Yeah? Paul Lindsay. Paul is his red. Hi. Yeah, I hear you got some H to unload, huh? What are you talking about? What is this, Jack? You giving me a bump steer here? Relax, and it's all right. He's solid, Red. You can talk. He talks too fast and too much. I'm here to do business. If you're ready, I am. If you're not, say so. I haven't got the time to play cozy with you. I'll take it easy with you. Get along a lot better. What do you want, Jack Vox for me? Isn't that enough for you? The guy who Vox for Jacks in the county jail we haven't been able to talk to him. What have you done business before? Well, I could ask you the same thing. Now, look, mister, we got one thing in common here. You got something to sell. Maybe I want to buy it. If we can't get together, let's forget the whole thing right now. You're not the only pusher in town. There's a chair over there. Why don't you sit down? I'll fix a couple of drinks. Jack can fix them. Let's find out if you and I can get together. All right. Same, Paul, bourbon and water? Yeah. Well, how about it? How much you got to sell? Take it easy, huh? There's no rush. Talk better over a couple of drinks. Well, maybe you got the time, mister, I haven't. How much can you furnish me with? More than you can buy from the looks of you. Hey, Red, you got any lemons? Oh, no. No lemon twist, ain't it, Paul? That all right? Yeah, that's all right. Make it light, will you? Now, this junk you got, what's it test? It's the best this town's seen in a long time. It's 50% or better. Who you trying to con? My tester used your sample this afternoon. He says it won't go 40%. OK. You know where you can get better? Paul. Here you are. Red. Thank you. How about a Lindsay? Do we do business? Maybe. Oh, he's playing cozy now. Well, if I do go, it won't be for standard price. Your junk isn't worth it. It's 40%. I don't care what your tester says. An ounce will cost you 400. No, not to me, it won't. I'm not paying out good money for milk sugar. I want a big buying. I want quality, but not at 400 an ounce. Maybe we can work something out. Why get excited? Because I don't like chicken operators. I don't like stalling around. Now, if you've got an offer, let's make it. Price is going to depend on a lot of things. How much merchandise are you going to want? 20 ounces. I got customers up north. I have to have it for them the 15th of the month. Up north where? San Francisco Sacramento. That's funny. We checked on them. Yeah. Yeah, the hotel you're at. You're registered for San Diego. Yeah, good address. I've never been there. I heard some talk about you. You ever worked Fresno? Maybe. I take customers where I find them. 20 ounces, huh? At the minimum? For your stuff, yeah. Now, what's the price? I think we might get together. It's a pretty good buy. Might work out a discount on it. How much? Three and a quarter an ounce. I figure that's reasonable. Maybe you do, I don't. $2.75. I can't go better. If I didn't need this stuff right now, I wouldn't offer that. Split the difference. 20 ounces, 300 an ounce. You can't do better than you know it. Now, how about it? 300 an ounce? I'm not lining up for a soft touch. I want another sample when I move on. You'll get it. Now, what do you say? All right, you got a deal. 20 ounces, when do I get this stuff? We'll get in touch with you tomorrow through Jackie. $6,000. You sure you got the money? I got it. Now, what's the setup? Tomorrow, you'll get the word. All right. If I don't hear by 4 PM, I'll know you're gone hinky. I'll look up somebody else. You're here. How about it, Jack? You ready to go? Yeah, OK. See you later, Red. Jack? Yeah? You got a wife and a couple of kids. That's right. How are they, Jack? OK, fine. Why? Nothing. I'll talk to you later, Jack. 10 40 PM. The informant Jack Wallace and I took a cab back downtown and I dropped him off. I got to a pay telephone called Captain Kearney and my partner, Ed Jacobs, and we set up a meeting. 11 20 PM. The three of us met on the side street out in the North Wilshire District and I briefed them on what had happened. In order to prevent any possible harm to either Wallace or his family, the captain told me he'd have them placed under 24-hour surveillance. His children would be kept under observation going and coming from school. The next morning, I stayed close to my hotel room waiting for a contact from either Red or another member of the gang. 105 PM. Hello. Lindsay, this is Red. Yeah. That talk we had last night, you still interested. Well, yeah, aren't you? Go get your sample. Mission road. All right. You going to be there? No. How I know your man, he might make a mistake. You won't make a mistake, you know. I hung up the phone and checked with Ed Jacobs next door to see if he'd picked up the conversation on his receiver. He told me he'd notify Captain Kearney of the plan for that night and that the captain would be in the office if I wanted to contact him on the inside line. As soon as I picked up the sample of heroin, I was to return to my hotel room and Ed would immediately take it back to the crime lab for analysis. 130 PM. I left the hotel, went downtown to a payphone, called home and talked to my mother. She said there hadn't been any phone calls. I walked around for a couple of hours, went to a late afternoon show, and then I went over to Frank Tang's place for dinner. 1115 PM. I caught a yellow street car going north on Main Street and rode to the end of the line on Mission Road. It was about 300 yards from there to the designated meeting place, the west end of the park. The place was dark, completely deserted. 1125 PM. 1130. Lindsey? Yeah? Package you want? Eucalyptus tree back there in the middle of the park. Where? Straight back there. You can't miss it. You'll find the package under a rock at the bottom of the tree. See you later. I started across the park. Eucalyptus tree pointed out was about 200 feet from the edge of the road. There was a narrow path hemmed with shrubbery leading up to the base of the tree. It was a large rock beside it. I bent down and looked under the rock. There was nothing there. I started to turn, but it was too late. All right, boys. Give me the whole stand. Shake his pockets, Dan. No identification on him. He's clean. Let's go. He's got his sample. You are listening to Dragnet, authentic stories of your police force in action. Fatima, America's first largest selling blended cigarette, now king size. See the difference. Taste the difference. Smoke the difference. And in Fatima, the difference is quality. Yes, you get all the advantages of extra length, plus Fatima quality, which no other king size cigarette has. You see, Fatima contains the finest domestic and Turkish tobaccos, superbly blended, and Fatima is extra mild, with a much different, much better flavor and aroma. Fatima, definitely the best quality in its class, but the same price as the cigarette you are now smoking. No wonder more smokers now insist on king size Fatima than ever before. Friends, try Fatima. Buy several packs. Compare them. We're convinced you'll start the new year with Fatima. Yes, when you see the difference, taste the difference, smoke the difference, you'll switch to Fatima. Because in Fatima, the difference is quality by Fatima. Best of all, king size cigarettes. When I came to, it was a few minutes past midnight. The bruises on my face and head were beginning to swell. I felt dazed, sick to my stomach. I made my way out of the park and down the road to a public phone booth, where I called my partner Ed Jacobs. He came out right away and drove me back to the hotel. Ed put in a call to Captain Kearney, and he made arrangements to have a doctor sent over to examine me. He treated me for numerous cuts and bruises about the face and head in the upper part of the body. There were no serious injuries. At 10 minutes past 1, Captain Kearney called back and wanted to know if Ed and I could meet him at his home. He didn't want to take the chance of being seen around our hotel. Ed and I drove out to his house in the Silver Lake district. Come on in. Sit down. Yeah, thanks, Gipper. How do you feel, Joe? My side hurts a little. Fair, I guess. Yeah, they really gave you a working over. Do you recognize any of them? Yeah, one guy. I don't know his name, though. What do you think, Gipper, round up the whole bunch of them? No, that's not going to help any. Suppose we pick them up now. What do we got on them? A misdemeanor, battery, 30 days in jail, and they're out again. We're right back where we started. What do you figures wrong, Joe? Think they got hinky? I don't know. I can't figure it. I think you better take a couple of days off, go home, and rest up. Let some of those bruises heal. The whole thing could be blown by that time. The deal will be cold. If we're going to make it pay, I got to stay on it. How do you know they haven't made you for a cop? The deal might be cold right now. Yeah, that's possible. What other reason would they have for tamping you? How about your friend, Jack Wallace? You might have a straight story. Ask him about it. No, I'll do better. I'll ask Red. Captain Kearney finally agreed to go on with the plan with the understanding that Ed Jacobs and another man from our office would have me under surveillance at all times. It was understood that I'd go back to Red's hotel room to see if I could pick up the loose ends. Jacobs and another officer would follow me to the hotel and remain within calling distance. 2 10 AM, I got to the hotel on West Fifth Street and went up to the second floor to Red's room. Yeah, who's that? Lindsay. How you doing, Lindsay? Lazy punk. Red Lindsay, wait a minute. What's this all about? You want to know, you set your hoods on me. Look at my face. I don't know what you're talking about. I went back to pick up the sample. This is what happens. How big do your punks think you are? All right, Stan, what happened out there? How much? You said he was acting smart. We thought he'd cool him off a little. I told you to keep an eye on him. That's all. Not to rough him up. Oh, he's a crybaby. We hardly touched him. Oh, shut up. Every time you get on that ache, you get muscle happy. I've warned you before, Stan. Now, this is the last time. You better quit chipping with that junk. You cause me more trouble, I guess, than you're out. Understand? He's a crybaby, Red. We didn't hurt him. I heard enough from you. Now go on. Take a walk. OK. You see, Max, tell him I want him. Yeah, all right. Sorry, Lindsay. These things happen sometimes. Can't be helped. Why do you keep punks like that around? I thought you were too smart to connect with users. They could get both of us in trouble. Oh, they'll be all right. Relax. Every once in a while, they get geed up and have to straighten them out. I wouldn't trust them with my laundry. They're all right for what I use them for. They're good errand boys. I get you a drink. No. All right. What about this stuff? You ready to move on the deal? I've been ready. I told you I needed this stuff for the 15th. How about tomorrow night? What's the matter with right now? You know better than that. I don't keep the plan around here. I'll call you at 8 o'clock tomorrow night. I still haven't got the sample. You don't need one. It's as good as the first one you got. Come on. What are you stalling for? I'm getting tired of this sample, yak. If you don't want to buy, say so. You'll bring it to my hotel tomorrow night? Oh, I'll call you. I'll tell you where you can pick it up. 20 ounces, 300 knots, right? Yeah, no phony stuff. You keep your hands on the table so a lot. You deliver the merchandise. I'll pay the money. What are you worrying about? I trust you. Why can't you trust me? Sure, I did. Look at my face. 3.05 AM. I left Red and went back downtown to my hotel room. A few minutes after I got in, I heard Ed Jacobs and Lieutenant Lou Walters enter the adjoining room. I checked the hallway first, and then I went next door and briefed him on what had happened with Red. I told him I'd let Ed know about the time and the place of the meet as soon as I heard. Walters said he'd keep enough men ready at the office to cover the area on short notice. I went back to my room, took a shower, and got some sleep. At 8 o'clock that night, I was in my room standing by the phone. I waited. No call. 8.30, 9 o'clock, 9.15, still no word. 9.25 PM. Hello? Lindsay, this is Red. Sorry, I'm late. I couldn't get to the plant. What's the pitch? It's outside. Norwich Grill, West 7th Street. When? 10.30, shot. Before he hung up, Red told me to meet one of his pushers in the last booth at the back end of the grill. He said I'd recognize him. The man would have the package of heroin wrapped in newspapers. I was to hand him $6,000, and he would give me the package. I immediately contacted Ed in the room next door, and he notified the office. At 10.15 PM, I left the hotel with a dummy package of money containing six smart bills. 10.28 PM. I got to the Norwich Grill on West 7th Street. It was almost empty. I went to the rear booth, where I found one of Red's pushers, Stan, drinking coffee. Right on the dot. Sit down, Lindsay. Yeah. Let's not camp on this thing. You got the money? I done business with you before. Where's the stuff? Didn't Red tell you where to be? Yeah. Wrapped up in that newspaper. He told me there'd be some stuff under a rock one time. It wasn't there. I want to look. What's the matter? Don't you trust me? You think I got a reason to? All right. Have a look. Yeah, are you satisfied? No. Open it. It's all there. I saw it made up. Had enough for you? Yeah. OK. You just made a deal. Yeah, what you have? Coffee, black, a piece of apple pie. All right. You? Coffee. All right. OK, stuff's there. Now how about the loot? I got it. Let's have it. Six G's. Red wants me back in a hurry. Well, relax. We'll have some coffee. This is a big deal. Money, now how about it? All right. There you go. What's the matter with you? What are you shaking about? Nothing, a little nervous. Red wouldn't let me have a fix for her left. Getting a little sick. Gonna have a look here. What are you doing? Red told me to tell you not to open it till you got it back to him. Well, you're kidding, mister. All right. You go ahead and open it up. You'll have to answer for it, not me. Sure. Hey, what's the deal? Only a few bills in here, the rest of it's paper. Are you trying to beat us? It's already done. You won't get away with this. We'll fix you up Max's outside. Friday, we saw him take the envelope. You get the stuff? Yeah, right here. The guy waiting outside, Joe. We got him. They're taking him in now. Cops, lozzy cops. Will Red hears about this? He will, Ed. Yeah, I'll get him. OK, let's go. Come on, fella, move. What are you grabbing me for? I deliver the stuff. That's all these big deals are. Mine, I'm small time. Fix once in a while, that's all I want. Just a little fix is the biggest deal I ever made. Yeah, sure. It's the truth. Now, what about Red? He's got a lot of this stuff left. This guy's above him. Big dealers. Why don't you get them? We'll get them. You'll never guess who the other two are. They're real high powers, big deals. Not more big deals. You won't bust them 100 years. Yeah, let's go. Get my coat, will you, Ed, please? Yeah, OK. Hey, forgot your check. Who's going to pay for the coffee? Hey, Will. Oh. This one. Me? Yeah, you just made a big deal. The story you have just heard was true. The names were changed to protect the innocent. On August 13, the booking was made at the Los Angeles Police Department, Watt's substation city and county of Los Angeles, state of California. In a moment, the results of that booking. And now here is our star, Jack Webb. Thank you, George Fenerman. Friends, last year, we were honored with thousands of letters from listeners all over the country, letters telling us that you've bought Fatimas and you find them the best of all king-sized cigarettes. Well, thanks to you and the many thousands of other smokers who have switched to Fatima. Now, if you haven't tried Fatimas yet, make this your cue for the new year. Next time, get yourself a pack of Fatimas. Compare them, see the difference, taste the difference, smoke the difference. And when you do, I'm convinced that you'll switch to Fatima. Because believe me, in Fatima, the difference is quality. The two suspects, Stanley Parrish and Max Higbee, were booked at the Watt substation on suspicion, the Narcotic Act felony. After a meeting in the district attorney's office, they expressed their desire to assist the police in the apprehension of the outstanding members of the gang. They were filed on, and before a magistrate in municipal court, they waived their right to a preliminary hearing to conceal the fact of their arrest. Next week, the big red, part two. Ladies and gentlemen, to build our strength against aggression, we must equip our armed forces with the weapons of war. At the same time, we must produce adequate supplies of civilian goods in order to keep prices down and defeat inflation. We can meet this double challenge by raising our productivity, by turning out more goods and services for every hour we work, and by refusing to let up until our nation is secure. Remember the better we produce, the stronger we grow. You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice comes from the Office of Chief of Police, W.H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department. Heard tonight were Barney Phillips and Stacey Harris, scripted by Jim Moser, music by Walter Schumann. Hell, give me speaking. Fatima cigarettes, best of all, king-size cigarettes, has brought you Dragnet transcribed from Los Angeles. Every one of your waking hours, NBC broadcasts the very finest in comedy, mystery, music, drama, news, and programs of public service. So always set your dial to NBC, the leader in radio programming. Counter-Spy fights international intrigue next on NBC.