 Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. NBC brings you Dragnet. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to homicide detail. A gang of quick trigger gunmen have moved in on your city. They've given public notice that they'll kill the first cop who tries to take them. You know the risks, your job, apprehend the suspects. Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime, investigated and solved by the men who unrelentingly stand watch on the security of your home, your family, and your life. 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, from beginning to end, from crime to punishment. Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It was Wednesday, April 17th. It was warm in Los Angeles. We were working the night watch out of homicide detail. The boss is Ed Backstrand, the chief of detectives. My partner's Ben Romero. My name's Friday. I was on the way back from the record bureau. It was four minutes to six when I got to room 42. Homicide. Hey, Ben, I pulled the package on the Raymond killing. And that proves you can still read, Friday. He said it, Joe. You pal, Fred Lindsay. Hiya, Fred. What's doing? Busy and you are. We know what we're looking for. Just having a little trouble finding them. That's where it is with automobiles. They misplay so easy. Not normally they don't. We've got a small-sized epidemic in our hands. Well, don't let us keep you, Fred. Just duck in here for a breath of calm air and to invite you to dinner for the last time. The wife and I are still waiting for the first time. How about it, Joe? Ruth's got a new pressure cooker. Your sister-in-law visiting again, huh? No, on the level. Not selling a thing. Come on. Who is it this time? My cousin. But she's awfully pretty, Joe. Why do you guys insist on trying to marry me off? Me and Fred went down fighting, but it kind of grows on you after a while. Now tell me, what is it about a married man? Just can't stand to see one single man left in the world. How about it, Joe? Tomorrow night at 7. OK? OK. Tell Ruth I'll be there. It figures that he's got to run out of kin folks very soon. Fine. We'll be expecting you. Got a stake out tonight, but tomorrow I'll be clear. Anything big? Nothing definite. Ben, just a follow-up on those stolen cars. See you, man. So long, Lindsay. Joe, you'll like my cousin. Oh, never say die. What a character. You just capped me up to women, Joe. Here's that Raymond package. Let's check those dates that Backstrand wanted, huh? Wednesday, April 17th, who's just routine. A dinner date I tried to get out of, some paperwork that the Chief wanted done, and a hot, sticky day. Too hot to wear a suit of clothes. Sometimes it's like that. The day starts out being routine, but the time it comes of age, it's got a personality all its own. At 10.23 that night, Ben and I were just finishing up the paperwork and Ed Backstrand opened his office door. Righty, Romero, just got a hot shot called. Hold up and shooting at Hooper and Esperanza, Code 3. Code 3, that means red light and siren. It was 10.32 when Ben and I pulled up at the corner of Hooper and Esperanza. It was a bar in the basement of a building on the south side of the street. A radio car was there, and the two officers were holding the crowd back. A man was talking to one of the officers who turned and pointed to us. As Ben and I got out of our car, the man hurried over to us. You're the detectives? That's right, Sergeant Friday. That's terrible. There was a gunfight downstairs. Uh-huh, come on. Where's the ambulance? One of the officers in the radio car said we needed the coroner. Did you see the actual shooting? No, I didn't. Here's a fella that was shot. Where's Jones from crime, man? Hello, Friday. Romero. Hi, Leigh. What do we got here? Pretty bad. Looks like a shotgun. Close range. He really got in the way of it. Ben. Yeah? Lindsay. Motor theft. He was on a stake out, Leigh. Tell us about it, Mr. Cummings. You know this fellow, Sergeant? Yeah, we know him. What happened? We had a hold up tonight. Three men. Yes, go on. Well, business was good. Real good. We had a large crowd, and I was happy about that because I've been trying to sell out for a long time now. I've been showing the place to different parties all week long. I had a fella coming over tonight to take a look at it. What time was that? A little less than an hour ago, about 9.30. I see. Go ahead. It was almost time for this man to show up, so I called Eddie. That's my bartender, and I told him to kind of keep a look out for the man because I was going back to the office to get the books ready to show. You know how it is when you want to sell a business. You'll watch for him, Eddie? You bet I will. If you want me, I'll be back in the office. Keep your mouth shut and stand still, huh? You only spy, don't you? Well, yes. What is this? You're the boy we want to see. Which one of you? All three of us. What's going on? What's it look like, genius? It's a stick up. Don't you have any money? You go to the bank on Thursdays, don't you? Well, I made my deposit today instead. I've been watching you for a month now. Don't give us that. You go to the bank on Thursdays. Now come on, hand it over. I'm telling you the truth. I usually go on Thursdays, but I went today instead. You're lying, Ace. We ain't got much time. Look, you can have all the money I've got on me. I think it's about 200. But that's all I have. Here. Why argue with him? Take what he's got and we'll shake the customers down. No, no, please don't do that. You got my money. Isn't that enough? No, it ain't. That's about all I remember, Sergeant. When I come around now, I was lying on the floor of my office. You better have somebody take a look at that cut on your face. Yeah, I'm going to right away. There's my bartender. He saw the fight. What's his name, Eddie? Yeah. Eddie. Yes, sir? These men are detectives, Eddie. Will you tell them what you saw? Oh, it was pretty rough. Tell us what happened when they started the shooting. That fellow, the coroner, just took out of here. Sure was long on nerve. Took on all three of them, single handed. Uh-huh, tell us what you saw. You ought to get that fellow's name. Sure had a lot of nerve. Took over just like he was a cop. He was a cop. Now, what did you see? I pegged him for a cop. Well, he was sitting up at the bar, been nursing a bottle of beer for about an hour. I was keeping an eye on the front door, watching for this fellow the boss wanted to see. So I didn't see the three holed up men come through from the back, but I heard them. All right, let's knock it off. You can all see this shotgun. Anybody make a move and I'll blow your head off. Hemus cover the front door. Got it. Sickle, shake them down. Okay, Gantz. You guys in the band keep that music going. The rest of you people turn around and face the bar. Put your hands on top of the bar and leave them there till we tell you to move. Come on, hurry up. Knock it off. Okay, Sickle. Go take your money. Your watch is anything else you got. Now, don't try to be cute and hold out. All right, you, take off the watch. I'll get your bill for you. Lady, let's have the ring. This man, Nicole Sickle, went right down the line, took everything he could lay his hands on. This cop, your friend, was facing me at the far end of the bar. He was standing there just like the others. He kind of leaned toward me a little. Can you see the guy with the shotgun? Yeah. Where is he? Under the room. The other guy still at the door? Yeah. Got his gun out? Yeah. Holding it in his right hand. How far down the line is the other guy? About 10 people away. Hey, you two down at the end there. Knock it off. Hurry up, Sickle. Doing the best I can. Come on, let's have the first lady. You're next to the lady here. Get the watch off. I'll take this while it goes. How far away now? Getting closer. But we better set up like he says. I'm going to take the one with the shotgun first. I'm going to blow you to pieces. I got a gun. How far away is that guy now? I thought Janst told you two to shut up. All right, Sickle. Try to move, and I'll break your back. Let me go. Go ahead. Shoot, Janst. Let me go, Sickle. All you people at the bar, down on the floor. Okay, you with that shotgun. Grab it. Can you get a shot at him? Not without hitting Sickle. Come on, you. I'm waiting. You got us all wrong, boy. We like Sickle, but not that much. The cop was holding Sickle as a shield. And the big guy, let go of the shotgun. Both the cop and Sickle ducked. The cop didn't get hit. This man, Sickle, fell over on his face and grabbed at his arm. The man with the shotgun went down on one knee, holding his stomach. The man at the door took a shot at the cop, but he missed. Then the cop fired three shots at the man by the door. It looked like the first two missed. But the last one caught the man in the leg and he went down. Well, by this time, the big guy with the shotgun had recovered enough to hold his weapon again. I tried to warn the cop. The guy with the shotgun! I see him. The cop pointed his gun and pulled the trigger, but he was out of shell. Boy, Sergeant, my stomach knotted up when I heard that hammer fall against those empty chambers. The cop threw his gun at the guy with the shotgun and then ran right at him. You know, it was just as if that cop was trying to run right down the barrel of that shotgun. I glanced at the cop on the floor, and I tried to follow the three of them as they made their way out of the bar. They jumped into a car out front and drove off. As a kid, I used to watch Bill Hart take on a whole gang in the movies, but this way, right in front of my eyes, Sergeant, he was an awful brave guy. Did you get the license number to their car? No, I didn't. I couldn't see very well. You got a pretty good look at all three of the men, though, didn't you? I believe I'd recognize any of them. Thanks, Eddie. What's your last name? Bowers. Eddie Bowers. Got that, Ben? Yeah. You'll be hearing from us, Eddie. We may want you to look at some pictures for us. Glad to help any way I can, Sergeant. I hope you get the men that shot this cop. You're sure gonna try, aren't you? Yeah, Eddie. We're sure gonna try. The next step was for Ben and I to make a complete report to Chief Ed Backstrand. They got Lindsay, huh? That Fred Lindsay and out of theft? Yeah, that's right. Good cut. You say he wounded two out of the three in that holder? Yeah. That means they'll have to have medical attention in a hurry or check all the small hospitals, cover all the drugstores, to get in line on anyone who's bought the medical supplies in the last hour. As soon as medical detail notifies them as Lindsay, I'd like to go over and see her. Smith and the medical details out there now. By the time you get back, we may have a flash in the drugstores or hospitals. We'll be back in 30 minutes. Call them when you get out there. Right, Ed. You might carry this with you. Yeah. I'm sick to my stomach about this thing. I want you to get those two-bit punks. I don't want them to see another sunrise. Got that, haven't you? Yeah, Ed. Let's go, Ben. Chandler? Yes, sir? Put out an APB. Have communications broadcast the descriptions of these suspects every 30 minutes until further notice. Get them to communicate. Oh, Joe. Come in. Thanks, Ruth. Sit down. Ruth, you know how we all feel. All right, Joe. You're married to a cop. I guess you're meant to expect things like this. He'll like that. Fred and I used to discuss the possibility of this. We used to worry about him. We used to worry a lot, Joe. All those nights when he was away and days, I used to worry. Now I know he's safe. Anything you want or you need? Thanks, no, Joe. Anything at all that I can do? Yes, Joe. I think there's something you can do. You and Ben are assigned to this case, aren't you? That's right. Then be careful. Thinking that you and Ben will have to face those killers. Ben's wife, be careful, Joe. Yeah, Ruth. We will. I'll see you later. I want to see to get the men that did this to Fred more than anything I want that. No more heartaches. Yeah. Thanks for coming by, Joe. How'd you take it, Joe? Let's go. Joe, Joe, how'd you take it? You're married, Ben, you figure it. It was 1130 when we got back to Central Division. When we walked into the squad room, Backstrand was waiting for us. Freddie, we just got our first lead. We've located a drugist who said he sold some medical supplies to a man about 45 minutes ago. There's the address. Pretty close to the scene of the shooting. I'm about to see him right away. Rex Pharmacy was exactly 14 blocks from the Red Feather Bar where the shooting took place. Rex Pharmacy was like your corner drugstore, complete with apothecary jars and shower curtains. The drugist was the same little man who's been prescribing Sulfurin molasses since you were a kid in school. I'm just about ready to close. What can I do for you, gentlemen? We're from the Bollies Department. I've been halfway expecting you, fellows. We got a report that you sold some medical supplies to a man about an hour ago. Yes, sir, that's right. Like I was telling those other officers that we hear a while ago. There was something funny about that little fellow. How do you mean? Well, for one thing, he came in here sweating quite a bit. Of course, it's a warm night, but he seemed terribly nervous. Anybody with him? No, he was all by himself. What did he buy? Well, it wasn't so much what he bought, but how much? What do you mean? You know how. Most people buy iodine, a little 10-cent bottle. He bought a couple of pints. Then there was all that gauze and adhesive tape. Bought enough to repair a small army. Cotton, a box of swabs. Then he asked me something that made me wonder. What was that? Asked me if I had something to probe with. That's just the way he said it. Something to probe with. I asked him, oh, what do you want to probe for? What'd he say? Said the sprinter. I told him I was so easy to do the trick. He said, forget it. Then he paid me and walked out. Did you describe the man? Small man, dark. Like I said, awful nervous. You think you could identify him? Oh, sure I could, if I ever saw him again. What did he leave on foot or was there a car outside? Left in a cab parked right out in front. Couldn't miss it. Did you happen to take down a license number? Well, no, I didn't. But I did jot down the taxi cab number. Would that help? Taking down cab numbers isn't exactly in a druggist's line. But because he had the presence of mind to do that one small thing, we accomplished in ten minutes what could have well taken as many weeks. Maybe with this small wedge, we could do what Backstrand wanted us to do. Get the killers before another sunrise. Well, it was close to midnight when we stepped into the drugstore phone booth. I called the cab company, got the night supervisor. I gave him the number of the cab and he checked his location chart. Cab 375 was operating out of a stand at Wilshire and Greenhaven. He was the right driver and he remembered the fare. Sure, I know who you mean. A little guy. Seemed in a big hurry. It was a long fare though. I took him out to Englewood. Well, I'll check my log sheet. I'll give you a check. Here it is, Joe. 1523 Imperial. The room and half. Yeah, come on. We'll check with the landlady. Kind of late, Joe. Yeah, let's stand away from the door, huh? Might not be the landlady who answers. Yes, what do you want? Police department. Let me see your badge. There you are, ma'am. I'm Sergeant Friday. This is Romero. Homicide. All right. Now, what do you want? I run a good, clean-rooming house here. It's not the house, lady. It's one of your tenants. Which one? That's what we want you to help us on. Doctor, do you men know what time it is? Come back here in the morning. Sorry, this can't wait till morning. Well, I'm not going to invite you in. We'll talk right here on the porch and keep your voices down. My tenants work during the day. Whatever you say, ma'am. Now, what is it you want to know? We're looking for a small, dark man. Well, I got three here. It could fit that description. No, he came in late tonight, about 45 minutes ago. I wouldn't know about that. I don't spy on my people. This is very important. You'll have to keep your voices down. Sorry. He's dark and he's small. Well, I didn't just say he was dark. He must mean Mr. Tindall. What's he done? What's his room number? He's in room 10, but I can't allow you to tramp up and down the stairs. At this hour, you'll wake all my roommates. He'll be as quiet as he wants us to be. What do you mean by that? Is there going to be trouble? I don't know, lady. Now, where do we find number 10? At the end of the hall, last room on the right, and keep your voices down. If you're just waiting in your room, lady, we'll call you for wanton. Okay, here we are. I keep the door clear, Ben. We might have trouble. Think they're all in there? We'll know in a minute. Who is it? What do you want? There. Police department. I'll try this closer, Joe. What do you want with me? What are you looking for? Close at 70. What you say your name was? Tindall, Bob Tindall. New name, but same face, huh, Joe? Yeah. How long you been on a jail, Tenny? My name ain't Tenny. It's Tindall. Your name's not Tindall. It's Sam Tenny. We sent you up on a robbery charge four years ago, and isn't that right, Tenny? No, it's not right. You got the wrong man. I never been in jail. Yes, you have, because we sent you there. Now, come on. Who'd you buy the medical supplies for? I don't know what you're talking about. Look, Tenny, it's a hot night, and it's late. So let's cut out the smart talk, huh? Who'd you buy those medical supplies for? Tenny, look, you're a two-time loser right now. Who are you shielding? You got nothing on me. I ain't done a thing. We can prove that you bought those supplies tonight, and it can go kind of hard on you. So let's open up. I haven't been out of this room all night long. We got a druggist and a cab driver who will make a liar out of you. I still don't know a thing. That cab driver hired you home here 45 minutes ago. Where were you? I was out on a date. Is that who you bought the medicine for? Ben, call the druggist and get that cab driver. We'll take Tenny downtown. All right, all right. All I did was buy the bandages and stuff. I got nothing else to do with this. Who'd you buy this death for? Now, you know everything else. You'll figure it out. Oh, now, look, punk, we know there were three of them. One of them killed a cop. We're going to get to him in Tenny. You're not going to stand in our way. They killed somebody. They didn't tell me that. Who didn't tell you? I don't want any part of murder. I'm going to tell you who it was, but I'm clean. I got nothing to do with it. I was trying to help them out of a jam. Who were you trying to help? It was Roy Bemis, Charlie Sickle, and Red Jans. They didn't tell me nothing about murder. Why'd you help? They offered me a pretty good piece of change to run an air informant. You know, I got paid for that. That's all I had to do with it. What did you deliver those medical supplies? I have to tell you that. I'm afraid of Jans. He's awful free without shotgun. We'll give you protection. Now where are they? Can I go to jail? Did you get them? You'll get protection. Give us the address. It's an apartment house. Just around the corner from here. The Blue Eagle. We took Sam Tenny down a Central Division with us. On the way downtown, he told us that Red Jans and the other two had their room at the Blue Eagle barricaded. Tenny said that they told him that they'd kill the first cop who tried to take him. But we knew they were wounded. He told us that Sickle had an arm wound. Bemis got it in the leg and Jans had a slug in his side. We figured they'd be weak from the loss of blood and we could take them easy. You'll never take those guys easy. Sure, they lost a little blood, but they had enough fight left to stack that room. And they got enough left to kill you if you try to take them. On the way to headquarters, we stopped at an all-night drive in and called Ed Backstrand. We told him we had a radio car watching the Blue Eagle. We gave him the whole story and told him we were on our way in. By the time we checked into homicide, Ed had the plan all mapped out. It was 2.25 a.m. Here's the map from the city engineers. It's one city block bounded on the north by Hawthorne Street on the South Laundale Avenue on the east 16th Street into the west 17th. The Blue Eagle apartment house is right here on 16th and Hawthorne. West of the Blue Eagle is a private residence. South of the Blue Eagle on 16th is a vacant lot. There are 12 apartments in the building. The men we want are on the second floor number 11, and that apartment faces east on 16th. How do you want to handle it, Ed? A baker in Moorheim will evacuate the private residence. Friday, you'll know Mara Queen out the apartment building. Right, skim. All traffic is being diverted. The entire block is completely isolated. We'll throw up a cordon. Since we cleared the residence, nobody goes in, nobody goes out. Will you brief us again when we get there, Ed? I'll give you all the briefing you need right now. Get this. These guys have already killed a cop. I don't want to lose any more. You know they're heavily armed and they're desperate. Have the men draw shot guns, tear gas, and Tommy guns. I'll take care of that, skipper. All right. Now, we're not going in after these punks like tin horn heroes. We're going after them and we're coming out alive, all of us. What time is it, Friday? 2.37. Not much time, though, son, up-visit. It was a code 2. That means red light and move fast. Backstrand figured we needed six squad cars, four men to a car, the police public address truck, ambulance, and flood lights. Ben checked out the weapons to the men and by 2.46, we pulled out of the Central Division garage. We slid into the area at 3.20 a.m. The six squad cars and the public address truck took up their positions. The flood lights were rigged and ready to turn on at Backstrand's command. The machinery was set to roll as soon as we got the neighborhood cleared. Ben and I evacuated the Blue Eagle apartment house. How many does that make, Joe? Well, we've cleared nine. Two to go. Here's apartment 10. The killers are right next door. Joe, I'd like to kick that door in right now. Take your time, Ben. We'll get to them. Quiet now. Yeah, what is it? Police department. May we come in? Yeah, of course. What's the trouble? No trouble. We're evacuating the building and we'll have to ask you to leave by the back door. We'll notify you when to return. Please leave quietly and lock your door. What's going on? No time to explain. Thank you very much for your cooperation. We'll skip Levin and go to 12. Yeah. Who are you? Police department. Can we come in? Sorry to disturb you, sir. We're evacuating the building. Please hurry and leave quietly by the back door. You'll be notified when to return. Lock your door when you leave. Thank you. It was 4, 10 a.m. Everything was set now. The neighborhood was completely cleared. The entire block was empty except for apartment 11 on the second floor of the Blue Eagle. I left Ben to watch the door of apartment 11. I went downstairs and crossed the street to join the rest of the men. It was Ed Backstrand's show from here on. That's it, Ed, all set. Baker, Morheim, all clear? All clear, chief. Baker, you and Morheim take three men and cover the rear of the building. Right. Is that detail covered on the street? They're all set, Ed. How about the vacant lot? Taken care of. The rest of you men? Yeah. Friday and I are going into the building. We'll try to get them to come out now. Johnson. Yes, sir? Come with us and keep us covered. Let's go. Apartment 11's up at the head of the stairs, Ed. Right. Any action, Romero? A lot of things, Giver. Keep down all of you. I'll try to get them out. Janss. Femus. Sickle. You're all alone. The building's clear. Come on out with your hands behind your head. Come on out, Janss. Or we'll come in and get you. You hear me? I hear you, Ed. Come on. Let's get out to the street. Johnson, cover that door and be careful. Keep down. Right, chief. Come with me. We left Sergeant Johnson to watch the door and we ran out on the 16th Street and ducked down behind the police sound truck. The floodlights hit the side of the building. Backstrand grabbed the microphone. Janss. Femus. Sickle. You've got 30 seconds to come down out of that room. Walk out backwards with your hands behind your head. Stay together. Don't sign out. 30 seconds, Janss. They're making a tough bed. Romero, lob some tear gas through that window. Right, Skipper. Come on out, Femus. We're giving you a chance. That's more than you gave that cop in the bar. Come on. That's Janss, Ed. He isn't coming out. They must have got Johnson because they're in another room. Shoot the gas in there. That's not going to get him out, Ed. Give it time, Freddie. The floodlights in up there. Freddie, break that second floor with a Tommy gun. Let's keep him in one room. Right. George, give us a couple of masks. Ben and I are going in. The rest of you men concentrate your fire on those two rooms. Hit them down. Here's your mask, Joe. Let's go. Come on. Put that mask on, Ben, and keep down. Yeah, wait a minute. Somebody coming down the inside stairs. Duck, Benny's got a gun. I got one copper. Get out of my way. If it's not about you, you haven't got a chance. I'm coming through, copper. Think I stopped him, Joe. Can you see Johnson? No, it's too much gas in there. All right, you two up there. We got one of you. The other two, come on out. Joe, think we got him? I don't know. Can you see Johnson? No, Joe, it's still too thick in there. I'm going in. Ben, cover me. Come on. We know there are two of you up there. Just one copper. Throw your gun down the stairs ahead of you. Hurry up. Shotgun, Joe. Chance. I see him. I'll take him at the foot of the stairs. All right, I got my hands up. I found Johnson, Ben. All right. Chance, outside. Come on. Move. Put the handcuffs on him, Ben. I'll cover you. Yeah. How's Johnson? I don't know. Ed, get the ambulance crew over here. Chance, who's this other guy we got? How about Sickle? I said just one. Didn't I, copper? Never mind the smart talk, Jansson. I'll just answer the question, huh? Sickle wanted out of it a long time ago, so I let him out. He's upstairs. I let him out the back way. Ben, you shot him? He wanted out, didn't he? All right. We'll take him in. Johnson's in the ambulance. I'll see you in the office. All right, Skipper. How about a smoke, huh? Backstrand said he didn't want those men to see another sunrise. Yeah. Five minutes to five, June. So in order to be, uh... Yeah. But look, Ben. It's cloudy. Yes, we'll never know, huh? The story you have just heard was true. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. Edgar Red Jans, the sole survivor, was tried and convicted and sentenced to be put to death in the state penitentiary in the manner prescribed by law. You have just heard the fourth in a new series of authentic cases from official files. Technical Advice for Dragnet comes from the office of C. B. Horrell, chief of police, Los Angeles Police Department. Tonight's program is dedicated to radio car patrolman Forrest E. Sawyer of the Denver Colorado Police Department, who, on the evening of March 8, 1937, gave his life so that yours might be more secure. Dragnet came to you from Los Angeles. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.