 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 From time to time in the 30s and early 40s most men and women ask themselves What will I be doing when I'm 65 years old? What are my chances of being 100% self-supporting when it's time to stop work? Well, that's largely up to you and the decision you make right now One such opportunity for an important decision will be offered to you in our middle commercial It tells about the Equitable Society's independent 60s plan. This plan means exactly what it says Financial independence for you in your 60s. Do you like that idea? Then please listen carefully To this important message from the Equitable Society coming in about 14 minutes The subject of our FBI file hijacking its title The Roaring 20s Tonight's case from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Deals with organized crime of 25 years ago Even then large-scale crime was nothing new It goes back to the days of the Greeks and Romans But in our country Big-time racketeering really took firm root in the prohibition era when Al Capone Bugs Moran and crime incorporated became household words The day of the lone wolf criminal was passing Crime developed into big business Today it is estimated that the sum total of all damage done by lone wolf operators Does not amount to one-tenth of the cost of streamline 20th century crime Tonight as you listen to Agent Putnam who has ably served the FBI for over a quarter century Tell what went on during the 1920s Don't think of this as ancient history as something that doesn't happen now Prohibition came and went But organized crime still goes marching on Tonight's file opens in the coffee shop of a Midwestern City's railroad station FBI special agent Jim Taylor has just entered and approaches the table occupied by his agent in charge Good evening, Mr. Putnam. Oh, hello there Taylor. I thought you were in Brownsville. I just got off the train. Have you eaten? No, sir, I haven't well sit down join me. Oh, thanks. How did um how to go up there? Very well report will be on your desk in the morning. Well, you better give it to Williams I'm on my way to Washington. Oh I'm waiting for the train now. Do you wish to order sir? Oh, yes, please. I'd like some ham and eggs Hey coffee with yeah, please Say mr. Putnam. I hear you got your 25 year key. Mm-hmm. That's right now. Congratulations, sir. Well, thank you Funny when it came in I had quite a time realizing it had been that long since I joined the bureau I guess it must have been a lot different back in 1926, huh? Oh, it certainly was If I remember correctly, there were only nine field officers then and about 500 special agents, huh? What made you decide to become one sir? Well, mr. Hoover spoke to the graduating class at my law school He sold a few of us the idea of making law enforcement our careers How long had mr. Hoover been head of the bureau then? Oh a little over a year People were just starting to believe the statement he made that he was going to free the bureau of political influence Tell me what what kind of facilities did you have in those days? very few There was no such thing as a crime lab. None of us had cars including the director I imagine working on a case then was more of an individual problem. It was Jim, how about a piece of this bread while you're waiting? Oh, fine. I I was just thinking about one of my first assignments. Oh, well, let's hear about it. Well, it's kind of a long one I don't mind and can fill in time till your train comes. Well, all right You asked for it. I Got on with a friend of mine a police detective named Adams. I was sitting at my desk one day when he called Putnam, this is Adams. Oh, hello Johnny. Can you use another case Tom? Oh, what kind? Well a motorcycle patrolman out on route nine stopped a truck for speeding Uh-huh driver tried to shoot his way past. He didn't make it. He's in city hospital now. Who is he? I don't know Nothing on him $1.30 in cash and a girl's picture. What about the truck? Well, the motor numbers been filed off and the license plates were from a stolen car. Oh, that's not what I called you about though Inside the truck. We found some boards that look like they used to be part of crates Uh-huh a few carried stamps in the Broadway warehouse. Mm-hmm what it said on the labels This was part of an interstate shipment. So I thought you might be interested. Well, I sure am Any of your men gone by the warehouse yet? No, this word just came in. I thought I'd run over myself. Good. I'll meet you there Oh Tom over here Johnny by the loading platform. Oh Find anything yet. Oh, I was Jimmy the watchman shot. How long you've been here just a few minutes Mm-hmm. I call the city hospital. There's any an ambulance for the watchman. You ask about that truck driver's condition Yeah, they still unconscious you found out yet who he is. No, we don't have his prints in our file Hey, it's plenty of whiskey in this place. Yeah, the owner told me it's about all they use it for now Oh, why don't you talk to him? Well after I found the watchman I called him to tell him about the shooting and to find out when we could learn What's missing? Uh-huh. It'll be morning before they can start taking an inventory Say, where's that truck now? It's still out in route nine. We've got it under guard Johnny would you mind waiting here for the ambulance? No Where are you going to call the FBI field office in Chicago and advise them of this? Well Jim the morning after we inspected the warehouse they took an inventory a Little over a thousand cases of bourbon had been stolen. Hey, it's quite a haul Yeah, even in those days it represented about 25,000 dollars. Oh, yeah, sir. Oh, thanks very much. Oh Miss may I have an napkin, please? Oh The warehouse watchman never recovered. Yeah, but he couldn't give us any help Then to make matters worse the only link we might have had with the bandits vanished How is that a truck driver? He died before you found out who he was. Mm-hmm Salt Jim. Yeah, thanks That girl's picture he had on him turned out to be useful. Oh, yeah, she was a nightclub singer named Betty Russell She worked at a nightclub named the Paradise. I Went to see the Russell girl that night the head waiter pointed her out to me She was sitting alone in the corner Miss Russell, that's right. I'm from the FBI. May I sit down, please? Is this a pinch? No Then don't sit down. I'm a singer here, and I'm busy. I'll go on a couple minutes. I'm afraid I've got some bad news for you Cops always got bad news. I understand. You were Eddie Warren's girlfriend Five years ago Well, he died this morning That's too bad You don't seem very broken up He was a nice guy, and I'm sorry he's dead, but I've seen him once in five years. When was that? Week ago. Oh, where? Here Came in we talked a world times at all. Yeah Miss Russell Eddie Warren was mixed up in the robbery of a warehouse Did he tell you why he was in town? He said he came to work on a good job. Did he tell you what was a robbery? He didn't say and I didn't ask In my business you learn to listen I've gone over Warren's record. This robbery was way out of his class. He must have been working for somebody else Do you any idea who that was? I just told you I Didn't ask any questions. Did he mention any names? No No, he told me he was staying at the central hotel He wanted me to call him if I got lonesome. I Never got lonesome so I didn't call I see I've got to talk to my panel player before we go on You're gonna stick around to the show. No, no, I think I'll drop by the central hotel and have a look at Warren's room If I need you for anything else, I'll come back. I'm late Tom. Oh, that's all right I went to the Paradise Club saw Betty Russell all Warren's girlfriend. She used to be At any rate Warren came to Syria last week and said he was in town to go to work on a good job He wasn't lying the only other thing he told her is he was staying at the central You taking a look at his room yet? Yeah. Yeah, but all I found was a message slip Somebody named Sherman called him Sherman. He leave a number. No, no, that could have been Al Sherman Who's he? He's a muscle man for Pete Brown Say I think you hit it. Why well, I went over the hotel phone records Right after checking in Warren called the club Hollywood. Uh-huh. That's Brown's Club, isn't it? Yeah But try and prove it officially it's owned by some corporation Does Brown have any connection with the century building? Yeah, why well shortly after that phone call Warren asked the dormant How to get there his office is in the century Johnny Let's find Pete Brown How about a little more coffee Taylor? Yes, thanks Go ahead mr. Putnam keep on with the story. Well locating Brown wasn't easy We followed his trail all over the city until about 5 30 in the morning. We got word. He was at the arena They didn't have all night fights in those days. Oh, no, no, it was being used then for a dance marathon Remember them. Yeah, vaguely. Oh, it was a contest to see which couple could stay on its feet longest The dancers were allowed 15 minutes off the floor every three hours. The big idea was to see that they didn't sleep. Why? Answer that and you can analyze the 20s The marathon craze started in little ballrooms Before it was finished the arena wasn't big enough to hold the crowds This particular marathon was in its 28th day We went there and looked around for Pete Brown. There's brown down in that box. Come on, right? Mr. Brown. Oh, hello Adams. You don't have to miss to me. Oh, I'd rather come on in and join us. Thanks You know how Sherman. Oh, yeah, this is mr. Putnam. Hello. He's with the FBI Well, nothing will happen to us tonight. I owe this kind of protection. Hey, get a load of that number 16 that kill it Mr. Brown, we've been looking for you most of the night. Hey, you should have tried this place first I come here every night. Hey Pete. Pete the game in number three team is collapsing Look at the guy trying to drag it. Yeah, they're being waved off the floor. Mr. Brown Can we go someplace and talk about what? Business they stay on your feet. What's wrong? We're talking right here. It's a little public Eddie Warren Who's a truck driver who died at Mercy Hospital this morning? That's too bad. I'm sorry to hear about anybody dying I'll be glad to throw in a couple of bucks for his family That's what you want at the way you take care of all of your employees when they get killed. I don't understand Eddie Warren was shot after taking part in the robbery of the Broadway warehouse He was working for you at the time doing what? Driving that truck. Well, what I need a truck driver. You don't have to be that cute with us One of my men finally located the number you forgot to file off the chassis of that truck I don't know what either one of you guys are talking about an hour ago The detective who found that number traced it from the factory to a dealer here That waking up a lot of people that we found out the truck was bought by the world Express corporation Why come to me because you own the corporation? I own some stock and it sure but I own some in a lot of corporations I'm practically a corporation myself. Nothing. They're legal about that. Is it? Mr. Sherman, are you talking to me? Yes, I'd like to ask you a few questions. Shoot Did you know a truck driver named Eddie Warren? No We hear you called him at the Central Hotel a few days ago. You hear wrong Look boys, I've heard as much as I want. You think I was mixed up in a warehouse sticker. Frankly, yes Can you prove it? No, well, let me know when you can right now. I'd like to watch the dance Al yeah, go tell the guy. I'm putting up 50 for the next sprint and tell him to make it twice as long We will return in just a minute to tonight's exciting case from the official file of your FBI, but now listen Hey, Carrie, that's the mail our check from the equitable society is due today Every month right on the dot those equitable checks come to members who have paid up their equitable independent 60s plans checks that mean financial independence for life and Here's mr. Frank Bailey to tell us how this plan worked out for him I started my plan 26 years ago now. It's all paid up and I've quit work for good in other words, mr Bailey, you're now enjoying the three freedoms that go with an independent 60s plan first freedom from money worries and job Worries financial independence. I'm a hundred percent self-supporting. Mr. Keating I'll never have to ask my children for a penny second with an equitable independent 60s plan You're free to live anywhere you please my wife and I still have our old home in Brooklyn But we don't like cold weather so we hit the trail for flower day every winter third freedom to do the things you've always wanted to do I'm a dodger fan naturally now at last. I've got time to see all the baseball I want brother was it a lucky day for me 26 years ago when my equitable society Representative proved to me that you don't have to be rolling in money to afford an independent 60s plan That's a fact you don't have to earn big money to begin an equitable independent 60s plan Ask your equitable representative to explain why you probably have a big head start towards independent 60s Because of your social security and the life insurance you already own Often only a small amount of additional insurance is all it's required few dollars a week did it for me friends Why not profit by mr. Bailey's experience phone your equitable society representative without delay or send a postcard Care of this station to the equitable society. That's eq y t a b l a the equitable life assurance society of the United States And now back to our FBI file the roaring twenties Pete Brown to whom special agent Putnam has introduced us tonight is a typical example of the underworld big shot a Man with many enterprises from nightclubs and horse parlors to even shadier ventures Who supplies the money that fills the fat wallets of the Pete Browns of this world? Didn't it ever occur to you that you may be contributing your share When you patronize the black market When you place a bet with a professional gambler in a locality where gambling is illegal You are helping to support organized crime Part of your money goes to maintain the underworld's own enforcement department of gunman and professional killers Part is used to corrupt police and public officials Don't complain about crime waves while you yourself are helping to keep them going Remember as the criminal detection methods worked out by your FBI become more and more efficient The criminal syndicate step up their own techniques in order to survive Law enforcement agencies are still well ahead of the underworld But even more progress would be possible if more of our citizens would make certain that not one cent of their money Goes to swell the huge corruption funds of organized crime Tonight's FBI file continues in the railroad station coffee shop where agents in charge Putnam and special agent Jim Taylor sit talking Well, I gather you didn't get any place with Pete Brown. Mr. Putnam. No, not that night. What was the next development the girl I interviewed at the club Betty Russell. Yeah, she was found dead in her apartment Murdered. Yeah Brown and Sherman. Well, that was our belief, but we couldn't prove it So with Brown's truck driver and the girl both dead we had no possible witnesses I was in my office facing these facts Putnam, this is Adams. Yes, Johnny I just got a call from our ballistics expert The bullet that killed Betty Russell was fired from the same gun used to shoot the warehouse watchman Well, now all we've got to do is tie peak brown into both jobs Yeah, I also got some word on the truck used in the hijacking It came from the bedford avenue garage. They service all the world express corporation trucks Who turned it over to brown's driver? Well, he walked in and said he was a new driver for world He waited a few minutes till they finished an oil and grease job and drove it out Do you know anything about this garage, Johnny? It's a legitimate outfit if that's what you mean Where are they located bedford and broadway? Well, I'm going over there that truck is about all we've got left to work on Well, we've been in here an hour pete. I'm all steamed out Another couple of minutes and we'll go get a massage. Okay Al remind me to call the farm your wedding since we get back to the office. I want to move that boy Yes, so quick I don't like the heat those cops are putting on but nobody can talk now If warren of the damboon, he whistles the cop would have had us on the griddle already Al Only suckers gamble. Yeah, but it took four trucks to haul it out there. Where are you going to stash it? I got a place We'll move it tonight I think we got a lead on brown on the warehouse robbery The garage manager told me something about the truck brown's driver picked up After the oil and grease job the garage took speedometer reading. Yeah Leaving there the truck's mileage was exactly 12,000. Well, how does that help us? When the truck was stopped out on route nine the speedometer read 12,031 I drove from the garage to that spot. It's exactly 31 miles Is the warehouse in a straight line between the garage and the arrest point? Yes With no extra mileage on the truck speedometer It means warren got rid of the whiskey at some point along that straight line Did you clock the distance between the garage and the warehouse? Yes, seven miles. That means the whiskey is someplace along those other 24 miles. Right I'll get a car and we can start cruising the minute we see any place. Johnny One of us ought to check at the hall of records I'd like to know if peak brown owns any property out there Well, I'll suppose you do that and I'll call in and leave word for you every half hour Good, I'll do the same if either of us gets anything we'll pay mr. Brown another visit Hello, let's put them there speaking. This is chief of police Williams John Adams hasn't checked in for the last hour. That's not good. Have you found what you were looking for? Not yet. I'm still going through the records. I'll call you back when I get anything good Another batch of real estate records. I'm just finishing these any sign of what you're looking for Well, I haven't been wait a minute. I think this could be it. Huh? Yes Yes, look if the chief of police calls me tell him I'm on my way to headquarters He called from johnny Adams chief not a word. Well, I think we found what we're looking for How many men can you spare as many as you need good get them? We're going out to a farm on route nine Those trucks are just like the one eddie warren was driving then this should be the right place Shall I have my men moving now? No, no not yet Hold it. Huh? There's a man in front of the barn door Doesn't look like pete brown It's not sherman. He's going inside. Yeah Looks like he's left the door a jar Come on Pretty busy in there. Yeah Let's look in and see what's going on They're loading a truck And there's adams where tied up in that corner Oh, yes, I see him That's whiskey they're loading And there's pete brown and al sherman You ready? Yeah, let's move in Okay, hold it everybody All right, all right, get your men front and center. You are not taking Thanks chief now the rest of you line up here. You're all under arrest Mr. Putnam, why'd you go to that particular farm? I remembered pete brown talking that night at the dance marathon about all his corporations Oh, yeah Most farms along route nine were small So when I came across a deed registered in the name of an incorporated farm I was pretty sure it was the place we wanted You know, I've uh, I've seen you on the pistol range, sir How did it happen to be the chief who shot brown? Well, I couldn't Hmm special agents weren't allowed to carry guns in those days. Oh, that's right Chief killing no no brown recovered and stood trial with al sherman for the murder of betty russell Each of them got life Oh say, uh, I'd better get moving my train goes in a few minutes Oh Well Congratulations again, sir. Well, thanks jim. Thanks. Good night. Good night Other men in the federal bureau of investigation who wear the 25 year key as a sign of their long devotion to duty No matter what a special agent's length of service, however He is a man who spends his waking hours working for you Protecting your life and your liberties Taking his life in his hands constantly in his never-ending job of tracking down and apprehending america's most vicious criminals He is in short A man who lives by the motto of his organization The motto of your fbi fidelity bravery integrity How two final questions on the cost of the equitable society's independent sixties plan mr. Keating. I'm still in my 20s There's plenty of time to start one of these plans later on isn't there well It's never too early to begin a good thing Start your plan when you're young and your yearly cost will be exceptionally low Well about how much would it cost me every month the amount of your independent sixties plan is strictly up to you Your equitable society man takes into account your present salary Your future income under social security and the life insurance you now own A comparatively small amount of additional life insurance may be all it's required Get the exact figure from your equitable society representative Or send a postcard care of this station to the equitable life insurance society Next week we will dramatize another case from the files of the federal bureau of investigation its subject burglary its title The connoisseurs of crime The incidents used in tonight's equitable life insurance societies broadcast are adapted from the files of the federal bureau of investigation However, all names used are fictitious And any similarity thereof 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 gerry d lewis Your narrator was william woodson and special agent taylor was played by stacey harris Others in the cast were ted decorsia tony hughes walley mayor childs maxwell joce mcclusty and paul richard This is your fbi is a gerry divine production This is larry keating speaking for the equitable life assurance society of the united states And the equitable society is representative in your community And inviting you to tune in again next week at this same time Well, the equitable life assurance society will bring you another thrilling transcribe story from the files of the federal bureau of investigation The connoisseurs of crime on this is your fbi Stay tuned for a life in your hands starring lee bowman when it comes your way next over most of these same stations America is sold on abc the american broadcasting company