 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 representatives in your community. I think you'll agree with me that there's nothing sadder than people over 60 who are utterly dependent on their children or relatives. I'm acquainted with a man who can show you how you can enjoy carefree independence in your 60s. He's a neighbor of yours, your local Equitable Society representative and you like doing business with him. In about 14 minutes I'd like to tell you more about this friendly, helpful neighbor of yours and how he can help you to take advantage of membership in the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. Tonight the subject of our FBI file, Bank Robbery, is titled Snow Screen. In the fiction of crime, from the days of Poe and Victor Hugo to the era of the comic book and the pulp magazine, the conflict between lawbreaker and law enforcer has usually been depicted as an individual battle, a duel of wits and skill, with the arch-criminal pitted against the relentless lawman. Since the inception of the Federal Bureau of Investigation however, the facts have been less romantic, more successful. The records of your FBI show that seldom, if ever, is apprehending a criminal or one man job. Although each case is assigned to a single agent in a single office, many men cooperate in its solution. Scientists, technicians, local and state peace officers, members of other federal agencies and as many other special agents as may be needed. Any or all of these may work on a single case. Even as in the case you are about to hear, in the most remote areas of its jurisdiction, the full striking force of your FBI is available to be used as needed. As in all wars, in the ceaseless battle against crime, the odds are with the big battalions, and the odds are on our side. Tonight's FBI file opens on a lonely homestead in one of the territorial possessions of the United States. It has been snowing for several days and the drifts are piled high against the snug wooden cabin in front of which a young girl is unharnessing a dog team. All right, fellas. Go on in. Go on. Get warm. Go on. I'm sorry, Pa. What took you so long? I couldn't get just any old scrub pine. This tree's a Christmas tree. It's special. I gotta find it, too. I got a beauty. You just wait and see. Fire's dying out. Betsy, how many times do I have to tell you? Oh, sure, Pa. Sure. You don't mind about the tree, Pa? I thought it'd be nice for us to have a real Christmas. Just the two of us. Be like it was when Ma was alive and... well, like it used to be. Go on. Why don't you say it? Like it was when I was a man, when I had my legs, when I wasn't a cripple. You know that's not it. I'll start supper. I ain't hungry. You will be. I'll fix it. What's the matter with them? You sure you want harness to hide? Yeah. Well, go see what's wrong. All right, Pa. Shut that door. You want to blow out the fire? What is it, mister? What happened? My sled went through the ice. Come on. You better get inside. You're too big for me to carry. Look, can you walk some? Can you lean on me? I can try. Come on. Easy. Almost there. Come on. What's the matter with them? It's a fella, Pa. Stranger. What's he after? I don't know. I didn't ask him. I don't hold with taking these things. You better you know that. It's hurt, Pa. I think it's hurt bad here. You lie down. Here, now. Now, you take it easy, mister. You're going to be fine. Yeah. You're just fine and dandy. The next morning at FBI Field Headquarters in the Territorial Capital, Special Agent Jim Taylor reports to Supervisor Andrew Wagner. Good morning, Taylor. Morning, sir. Here's your transportation back to Seattle. My secretary stopped at the airport on her way in. Oh, thanks a lot, Mr. Wagner. You're all cleaned up in that security check? All I can do up here, anyway. My next stop's Portland, Oregon, then home for Christmas. Mr. Wagner, when do I take off? I'm afraid that price is not so good. Seems the whole territory is weather-bound. I'd like there to be any planes out for three or four days. Oh, that's fine. Well, I guess I get a white Christmas, whether I like it or not. Jim, I hate to take advantage of your predicament, but as long as you're stuck up here, we could use some help up in the Thorn Dyke area. No, what is it, sir? Somebody blew the vault in the Thorn Dyke National Bank yesterday. Is there anybody on it? Brad Stamford's our resident agent. He's been working with the United States Marshals Office. Any leads? Looks like it was pulled by a young prospector named Dave Adams. Seems he used a dog sled for his getaway, headed for the back country. In this weather, he may be pretty tough to find. When do I leave, sir? That's quite a tree. You feeling better? Feeling great, thanks to you. Forget it. Anybody would have done the same. I'm not so sure your paw would have. Oh, don't mind paw. It's just that he's... I know. Look, hold the ladder, will you? So that I can put on the star? Sure. There. How's that? That's a real cute music box. My mom brought it all the way from Arkansas. Well, what do you know? Here, I'll help you down. Thanks. You're... You knew up here? I knew. How come you lost your rig? I'm doing some prospecting up the valley. Went into Thorndike for supplies. Coming back the way the snow was falling. I couldn't tell the trail from the stream. You're lucky to be alive. Yeah. Bet you that stranger in there with you... Yeah, paw, he's here. Tell him to be getting on his way. No, paw. It ain't fitting to have him hanging around. But paw... You tell him you're here. I hear you. I guess it's time for me to say thanks. And goodbye. No. Huh? You ain't... You ain't strong enough to go yet. Besides, it looks like maybe we'll be snowed in. Would you mind if I stayed? No. I'd like it. Jim, Jim Taylor. Oh, hi, Brad. Yeah, just on my way over to your office. Mr. Wagner, phones, you'd be up. Well, I'd have been here sooner, but I waited for the teletype on your suspect to come in. You could show anything. Oh, here I'll read to you. David Adams is his real name, home of Seattle, age 23, couple years of college, majored in metallurgical engineering. You got a record? 18 months in state prison. Robbery? No, auto theft. Seems a bunch of kids got drunk after a football game, hiked to the car, and cracked it up. Adams was driving. Model prisoner recommended for parole, passed the board, reported in regularly, had parole board's permission to move to Alaska. Well, there's nothing against him up here, either, until this... Brad's identification pretty positive. Circumstantial, but it adds up. He had a fight with the bank manager over alone, threatened to get even. Several witnesses saw him shortly after the crime, carrying a heavy gunny sack, and when the robbery was reported, he became a fugitive. Sounds like our man, all right. Any word on him? No, not so far. I've got the party searching the back country. What about his home base? He had a camp in Three Smokes Valley. We'd established surveillance. Good enough. Well, Brad, where do I start? Well, I'm headed over to the bank to recheck the vault. Why don't you drop your gear at the hotel and meet me there? Better let me do that, Betsy. That pumps pretty stiff. It's most frozen solid. You shouldn't be doing this kind of stuff, Betsy. I manage. Do you? I ain't so bad in the summertime. A place like this needs men to run it. There. Well, runs it. I didn't mean that. Well, do the chores. Cut the wood, clear the land, you know. Well, like a hired man? Well, yeah, sort of. Here you are. Well, who'd come work way out here? I would. You're kidding. No. Why? Well, why would you? Lots of reasons. Well, I wouldn't hear of it. How about you? I don't come. Seems to me you ought to. Seems to me you do all the work. Maybe. Betsy. Yeah? Please. Don't do that. Not ever again. Didn't you want me to? Sure. Sure I did, but... But what? Come on. Before we freeze to death. Do I stay? I'll think about it. Come on. Sorry, I'm late, Jim. Oh, all right. We've given the place once or... You find anything? Not much. You know, it's a pretty neat job of vault-cracking for an amateur. Yeah. Adams might have done some extra-curricular studying in prison. It's possible. He was an engineering student, remember? A used stick dynamite, huh? Yeah, that's right. Most prospectors keep it handy. What's this in the hinge here, Brad? A scrap of green paper. Oh, it must be part of the explosive wrapper. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, heavy grade, wax, light green in color. I'll have a check for brand identification. Oh, a couple of reports came in. On our fugitive? Maybe. Fell on the edge of town, sighted some half-frozen dogs dragging torn harness straps. One of the snow plow operators reported a jagged hole in the South Fork a little Frenchman Creek, about 12 miles north of town. A hole the size of sled would make going through the ice. And you think it's Adams? Oh, pretty sure. They found the sled? No, not yet. There's a party up fishing for it now. Hi. I've just been checking the dogs. They're bedded down for the night. You ain't been hired yet. Am I gonna be? Oh, just a stranger, huh? Just a poor boy needing help, huh? Oh, what's the matter? Fine friend you picked, Betsy. What are you talking about? I'm talking about him. Nice friend for you. A fellow that robbed the Thorn Dyke National Bank. Oh, you're crazy. Heard all about it on the radio just now. Had a description of the band at his description. Said he was a criminal, an ex-convict. Oh, no pie. Can't be. I don't believe it. A fellow there had a gunny sack. Figuri carried the loot in it. Why don't you look in his gunny sack, Betsy? All right, Pa. Betsy, wait. It's true. I'm the one they're looking for. And all that you told me? That was true, too. I'm the man they're hunting, but I didn't rob the bank. How? I don't expect you to believe me. That's just it. I don't expect anybody to believe me. Get him out of here, Betsy, before he kills us in our sleep. No, Pa. What? Are you crazy? Maybe. Betsy, I order you to... Pa, he's staying here. He's staying for as long as he wants to. We will return in just a moment to tonight's exciting case from the official files of your FBI. Now, do you want to be dependent when you're 60 or would you rather lead a comfortable independent life? Mr. Andrew Marble had that choice to make, and he solved it with membership in the Equitable Society. Is that right, Mr. Marble? Yes, indeed. You see, I'm old enough to know that I'm not going to make a fortune unless I strike oil in my front yard. Oh, I do all right, but with the high cost of living, it's tough to put aside much for a rainy day. So my wife and I began worrying about our old age. Well, that's when I called up our local Equitable Society man. You see, I heard you talking about a very interesting retirement plan on this program. And that's called the Equitable Independent 60s plan. That's right. Well, he explained how the independent 60s plan would pay me a nice fat check every week when I retired, how we could live where we wanted and come and go as we pleased, and how my wife could enjoy all these good things immediately if something happened to me and with no further payments. Well, I couldn't resist it when I saw how little it cost. And now when the boys at the shop start talking about the future, I tell them to call up my friend, the Equitable Society representative. That's very good advice. If you want to live a carefree, independent life after 60 or 65, call up your local Equitable Society representative. Ask him about the Equitable Independent 60s plan. You'll find him a good man to do business with. He's a trained man who will show you how to get the most from your insurance dollars. So whatever your insurance problem, future security for your family, education for your children, ownership of your own home free and clear, consult your local Equitable Representative. That's E-Q-U-I-T-A-B-L-E. The Equitable Life Insurance Society of the United States. And now back to tonight's FBI file, Snow Screen. Crime is every man's business. The thief who steals a car in Peoria or holds up a bank in Honolulu or embezzles a widow in Pasadena robs you. Or it is you the public who foot the bills of crime. Increased taxes to pay the cost of law enforcement, prosecution, tribunal, and penitentiary. Increased insurance premiums to make up for the toll of theft and vandalism. Decreased value in your money due to portions of the national wealth being diverted from the normal channels of legitimate commerce. Thus, even when operating as in tonight's case, many thousands of miles from your home city, the FBI is serving you. For no matter whether a crime is committed in continental or territorial United States, no matter who perpetrates it, who suffers from it, you are its indirect victim. Tonight's FBI file continues beside a jagged hole in a frozen creek some 12 miles north of Thorndike. All the way. That's it. Easy now. Here she comes. You want to take a look, Mr. Sanford? Yeah, thanks. Yeah, the young Adam Sledo, right? You sure, Monroe? Yeah. Bought in my store. Remember distinctly. Back in September, maybe October. I wonder why he ran the stream. Well, either he didn't know much about handling a dog team or he was trying to throw us off the trail. Are you fellas finding the other sign of him? No. We've been looking to pick up the sled. Yeah. If he's under there, the body may not come up until spring. Brad, I don't think he's under there. Well, how do you figure, Jim? Come here. Take a look at the edge of the crack here. See the stains at the rim of the hole? Yeah. Looks like blood, huh? It's frozen over and those small cracks are all around. It could be finger holes. Makes sense. They couldn't have gotten very far on foot in that storm. Too bad the snow covered the trail. Where would he go, Brad? Well, he'd have to find some kind of shelter. He'd freeze to death. Many houses in this area? Yeah, about a dozen. Fourteen small homesteads. Pretty well spread out. You're checking me at Brighton? No, not yet. All right, let's divide them up and go pay our Christmas calls early. Is he asleep? You think he'll call the police? There's no phone. That's one break. What are you gonna do, Dave? I don't know. You... You could turn yourself in. No. But if you're innocent... Who's gonna believe me? I'm an ex-convict. But you didn't rob the bank, Dave. I could have. That'll be all they'll need. They know that I better... Quick, into my bedroom and stay there. Go on. Yeah? Are you Miss Wells? Yes. Yes, I am. I'm Special Agent Taylor, the FBI, Miss Wells. Here's my credentials. Oh, I see. Come on in. Thanks. Miss Wells is your father-in. Well, he's sleeping. Oh. Well, I don't know how to alarm you, Miss Wells, but... Well, you may already know the FBI is hunting for the man who's been identified as the one who robbed the bank at Thorndyke. No. No, I didn't know. Oh. Well, we have reason to believe that he's somewhere in this area. Oh. I assure you, there's nothing to worry about. You haven't noticed any prowlers, have you, or seen anyone suspicious? No. No, I haven't. What about your outbuildings, the sheds and the barn? Oh, we don't keep stock over the winter, but... The dogs, they're the known. Yeah. But if you don't mind, Miss Wells, I think I'll take a look around back there, just to make us both feel better. Yeah. Anything come in, Brad? Just a report on that dynamite wrapper. Oh, you got it there? Yeah, let's see. It's off a stick of Northern Chemicals Thunderpac Type III. It's a new product, just been one shipment into Thorndyke arrived two weeks ago. You checked sales, huh? No, not yet. I'll get the local boys on it later in the day. Brad would, uh, Adams have access to that stuff. Why it's possible, but he wouldn't be likely to need to replenish his explosive stock. His claims not working. Yeah. You think we could be after the wrong man? Well, could be. I'd still like to hear Adams' story. Did you check every resident on your list? All except Matthew Wells, his daughter said he was sleeping. Well, she runs the place anyway. Has ever since Matt was crippled. Crippled? Mm-hmm, threshing accident. Made him a complete invalid. Brad, are you sure? Oh, sure. He hasn't been out of a wheelchair for more than two years. Who else lives with him now? Nobody, as far as I know. Come on, Brad, let's go. Oh, where? Back to the Wells place. Yo. Good morning, Miss Wells. Excuse me. You. You're Dave Adams. Yeah. I'm Special Agent Taylor of the FBI, Adams. I'd like to ask you a few questions. I thought you said he'd gone. Well, he had. I didn't tell him anything, Dave. I swear I did. That's right, Adams. You told me. Huh? You see, the ground froze last night. When I checked the outbuildings, I saw footprints between the pump and the house, a man's footprints. And later I found out that Miss Wells' father was an invalid. All right, let's get it over with. Dave, ain't you even gonna say goodbye? Betsy, just you forget I ever said hello. Oh, don't bother. I'll do it myself. Ain't you gonna open up your present? Yeah, sure. It's nice, Pa. It's real nice. Pretty as dressed in catalog. Had to send all the way to Seattle for it. I said I'd like to come. And you was the one wanting a real Christmas. You don't seem very married to me. No. I'm not married to you. You don't seem very married to me. No. Why don't you forget him, Betsy? No, no, please, no. Merry Christmas, Betsy. What done? You shouldn't have come here. This'll be the first place I'll look. It's all right, Miss Wells. Mr. Taylor. Adams is free, Miss Wells. He didn't? No, no, he didn't. We found out that only three minutes bought the kind of dynamite you used to blow up in the boat. And Dave wasn't one of them? But a known bank robber was. Our resident agent, Nome, picked him up boarding a plane for Japan and the missing currency and securities were all in his possession. What Dave? Betsy. Well, I guess I'd better be getting back to town. Oh, uh, Adams. We need you. You'll be here. What? You'll be here. Mr. Taylor. I don't, I don't know how to tell you. It's just our job, Miss Wells. Well, sometimes it's more pleasant than I don't. Well, anyway, thanks, and Merry Christmas. The bank robber was convicted in federal court and sentenced to a term of ten years in a federal penitentiary. Despite its apparent simplicity and speed of solution, statistics in the files of your FBI show that 32 members of law enforcement agencies were actively involved in the investigation of the case you have just heard, ranging from agents on the spot to laboratory experts more than 5,000 miles away. On Christmas, as on every other day, the men who enforce your laws stand ready to move against crime and violence to seek out the guilty, to protect the innocent, to make secure your home, your family, your fireside. It is in behalf of each of these thousands of peace officers throughout the United States, its territories and possessions, that your FBI takes this opportunity to wish you a safe and Merry Christmas. Now, if you want care for independence, you don't have to be rich to get it. Right now, telephone your local Equitable Society representative. Ask him about the Equitable Independent 60s plan. No matter what your life insurance problem, Independent 60s, assured home ownership, education for your children, family financial security, he'll be glad to analyze your needs and present a plan that won't strain your budget. Just consult your local telephone directory for the name of your local Equitable Representative. You'll find it listed in the yellow pages under Equitable, the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. Next week, we will dramatize another case from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It's subject. Armed robbery. It's title. The Sunshine Syndicate. 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 thereof to the names of places of persons living or dead is accidental. Tonight, the music was composed and conducted by Frederick Steiner. The author was Robert Yale Libbet. Your narrator was William Woodson and special agent Taylor is played by Stacy Harris. Others in the cast were Polly Bear, Walter Catlett, Sam Edwards, George Ellis, James McCallion, Roland Winters, This Is Your FBI is a gerrydivine 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 who again wish you and yours a very merry Christmas. Stay tuned for the adventures of Ozzy and Harriet. There's fun for the whole family when Ozzy and Harriet come your way next. This program came to you from Hollywood.