 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 as a public service by the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States and the Equitable Society's representative in your community. One of the happiest hours of the year for every father comes on Christmas morning when excited little fingers untie the ribbons from their gifts. Yes, this is the season at Christmas tide when a man realizes that his love for his family is the most important thing in the world. Undoubtedly, that's why in December, more than any other month, fathers increase their family's protection with the Equitable Life Assurance Society. After all, what better time is there to see your Equitable Society representative and talk over with him the greatest gift any man can provide for his loved ones, the gift of security through life insurance. Tonight's FBI file, Swampland Killer. Despite many reminders, there are still those that regard the crime wave as something that is happening to someone else, as something that's foreign to their daily existence. Perhaps one single fact simply stated will convince them that the crime wave is a grave concern of every citizen in this nation. That single fact is that there are in the criminal files at FBI headquarters in Washington the fingerprints of more than six million people, which means that nearly 5% of the adult population of this country have been arrested. That is a sobering figure. A figure that becomes terrifying when you learn that the number of criminals is getting not smaller, but larger. The night's file opens in a fisherman's cabin located along the stream near a bleak stretch of Atlantic coast. It is late in the evening, and John Perry is resting after a hearty dinner. His wife Matilda enters. Just resting. But you're going to fix the area for my radio? Yeah, I am. When? I just want about ten minutes rest. Resting. Tilly, please, let's not have an argument. I'm not the one that argues. Okay. You're the one always starts saying. All right, Tilly, all right. You say I'm a nag or I'm a terrible wife. Tilly, I didn't say any of those things. You say them all the time, and I'm sick of it. Sick of this old dress I'm wearing. I'm sick of living in this broken down shack. I'm sick of... Where are you going? Out to fix the area. About time. Well... What is it? Motorboat. Coming up to the dock. Well, who would be coming out here this time of night? I don't know. It's stopping. Stopping here? Uh-huh. Someone's getting on. Who is this? I can't make them out. Hiya, Tilly. Paul. That's right. Paul, it's so good to see you. Thanks. How in the world did you ever find this place? I couldn't get lost in these streams of a tribe. Paul, you remember John? Hiya, John. Hello. Well, can you say a while, Paul? Sure. Tilly. What? We only have room here for ourselves. Look, how often does my brother come to visit us? Where would he sleep? In our bedroom. Well, we sleep. In the storeroom. What? Where is your bedroom, sis? Right back there. Well, then I think I'll turn in. I'm tired. I'm looking for Sheriff Watson. Well, you came to the right place. You're talking to... Hello, Sheriff. I'm Jim Taylor, the FBI. Oh, FBI, huh? Yes. You're my credential, Sheriff. Fine. Mm-hmm. Well, I'm at your service, Mr. Taylor. What can we do for you? I'm looking for a man who committed a murder about five miles out in the Atlantic. And you think he's around here? Well, let me give you the whole story, Sheriff. Oh, sure. Do you remember the yacht Mermaid II, one that caught fire and sank about two months ago? Yes, I remember that. Well, the mermaid was carrying a couple of hundred thousand dollars with a jewelry when it went to the bottom. Uh-huh. It wasn't insured, so the owner hired a salvage out bit to see if it could come up with the jewelry. I see. Well, they brought about half of it up to the surface to the salvage boat last night. The man who was guarding the jewelry was assaulted and killed. Wow. The murderer apparently gives the skiff to get out there. We found it this morning down at the mouth of the river. Got any lead on him? Well, there were some clear fingerprints on a bottle of whiskey that was in the skiff. I've sent them off to our headquarters in Washington. Say, you know, your man could be the one that stole a motorboat. What motorboat? Well, Mr. Taylor, I got a call that a motorboat had been stolen down by the mouth of the river last night. Had been sighted going up the river about an hour later. Oh. It's just about to go out and look for that boat when you came in. I see. Why don't you come along with me? I can't, Sheriff. I've got to go back to the hotel to wait for a report on those fingerprints. Well, OK then. I'll phone you if I find anything. Good. I'll wait for your call. Want some more coffee? No, thanks. Look, are you still sore about Paul being here? No, I'm not sore, Tilly. It's just that... It's just that my brother isn't welcome in my own home. Well, if you want to put it that way, yes. It's no good, Tilly, for you or anybody else. He's my brother and he stays here as long as he wants to. Tilly, this is my home too, you know. Are you starting another argument? No. No, but I will if he sticks around. He went to prison once and I... John, I've heard enough. OK. Now where are you going? Out to do a day's work. You're awake, huh? Who can sleep with that husband of yours yelling his head off? I'm sorry. Tilly, ain't you had enough of that guy? Listen, you should know what I go through always arguing, always picking on me, always... Friend of mine, give it to me. Gave it to you? Well, not exactly. You see, the stuff's hot and he wants me to get rid of it for him. Oh, I see. I get a piece of the dough for selling it. It's worth about 100,000 bucks. If we sell it, there's a big chunk of cash in it for us. What do you mean, us? You're fed up with this deal around here, aren't you? Yeah. Well, you help me sell this stuff, I'll cut you in for half of my end. Huh? You could live in a house in the city, get away from these swarms. Oh, yeah. When do we stop? Taylor. I got your message, you were back. Do you find anything? Not much. I got a bad description of the man that was seen in the motorboat up the river, but I don't think it's enough to help us. Did you hear from Washington? Yes. A fingerprint along to a man named Paul Mitchell. Paul Mitchell, huh? That's right. I don't think I know him. Wanted me to send out an alarm? No, our field office has already done that, Sheriff. Good. That's Mitchell. He was a bad egg. Oh, long record. Well, not particularly long, but vicious. He was sent to jail the last time for his stabbing a man to death. Well, how'd he get out of jail? He was paroled. What? How? Well, in some states, Sheriff, the worst killers have been paroled. Well, this is the answer of that kind of carelessness. But it doesn't catch our man for us. Anything else on his record? Oh, yeah. Take a look for yourself, Sheriff. Oh, thanks. Say, Taylor... What? I remember this man. You do? Yes. He's got relatives around here someplace. His sister married a fisherman in this neck of the woods a couple, three years ago. Can you find out this fisherman's name, where he lives? Sure, sure. It'll only take a minute. Wait till I make a phone call and we can get started. Your taxes? No, but it'll only take me a minute. Ain't got much. Where do we sell some of this stuff? First thing I'm going to buy is a fur coat. What do you want with a fur coat? We're going to go south. I don't care. I want a fur coat. Okay. Look, how are we going to work this? I can't just walk into a place and say I'm selling jewelry. Oh, no, no, no, no. I've got some dough. We buy a real good outfit for you. Good. I get some clothes. Then you go into a hawk shop. Yeah. And you tell the man that you lost all your money in bad investments. Oh, and I want to sell some of my jewelry. Right. Oh, that'll be easy. I thought for a minute I would... Oh. Hello, John. I thought you went fishing for the whole day. I did. What brought you back? I, uh, heard something on the radio in my boat. What'd you hear? The police is searching for a killer. For what? For a killer, a murder. I gave the description the man they're looking for. For what? The description fits your brother here. What? That's right. And that boat he came in, he stole it, didn't you, Paul? I suppose I did. You admit it was you there? Yeah. Paul, you tell me... Never mind what I told you, sis. You know the deal or not. I'm in. What do you mean by that, Tilly? I'm gonna leave. But Paul... But he's going to jail. Yeah, you kidding. Tilly, we've got to turn him in to the police. No. But Tilly, we've got to. You're not gonna blow any whistle on me. Paul, put down that chair. Yes, sir. Shall I finish? Paul. Yes, sis. I'd better finish packing. He will return in just a moment to tonight's file, which shows how your FBI promotes security for the nation. Now, a word to fathers about security for the family. Fathers, for the next few minutes, I'm going to ask all of you to take off your glasses. No, I don't mean the ones on your nose. I mean the rose-colored glasses that so many of you have been looking through for so long. Take them off so you can face some facts honestly. Facts that will startle you. Facts that will make you think. Ready? All right, ask yourself this question. If I should die, how would my family get through the critical years before the youngest child finished high school? How long would my wife and children continue to be well-fed, well-housed, and well-clothed? Please don't say to yourself, oh, I guess they'd get along all right. That's those rose-colored glasses again. What you're after now is a true and honest answer. To help you get it, the Equitable Life Assurance Society has prepared a special fact-facing chart for fathers, which has these three advantages. First, its simplicity itself. You can put it out in five minutes flat. Second, you are guided every step of the way by easy-to-understand pictures, which illustrate the unavoidable expenses your family will have to meet. Third, when you're finished with this fact-facing chart, you will have a clear, accurate, and complete picture of just what income your family would need during the critical years. Okay, I'm through with rose-colored glasses. How can I get hold of one of these fact-facing charts, and how much does it cost? Why it doesn't cost a cent. The Equitable Society representative in your community will be glad to bring you a copy of this fact-facing chart. Phone him tomorrow, or send a postcard, care of this station, to the Equitable Society. That's E-Q-U-I-T-A-B-L-E. The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. And now, back to the FBI file, Swampland Killer. Your FBI does not wish to go on record as being against the practice of paroles for certain prisoners who have committed crimes and repented. But your FBI very strongly wishes to be on record as saying that at times, the practice of parole is unworthy of its name. The theory is good, but the procedure often does not protect society. In the state of Oklahoma, for instance, a mad killer, author, Doc Barker, was given a parole a number of years ago with the fantastic provision that he leave the state and never return. After that parole, Doc Barker and his gang were responsible for the killing of 12 people before your FBI finally cornered and arrested him. Those 12 murders concern you, the average American citizen, because there can be another Doc Barker, unless you care enough to pitch in and work. To be sure that you, in every town and village, enjoy an honest local government. Tonight's file continues with special agent Jim Taylor and Sheriff Watson headed up the river toward the cabin of John Perry, where they hope to get a clue regarding the whereabouts of Paul Mitchell, the killer. John Perry's place is right beyond this turn in the river, Jim. Oh, good. We ought to be... Sheriff, what are we stopping for? I just want to see something up ahead there. Yep, that's the motorboat we're looking for. Sheriff, is that Perry's house? Yes. Look, let's get out of this launch and approach the house online, huh? Good idea. Hey, grab that branch there. All right. Hey, uh... Wait till I tie up here. Can I help you? No. Well, that's got it. Let's go. Right. Hold it, Sheriff. What'll we do? I'm gonna walk up to the door, Sheriff. You come up behind me with your gun drawn. Okay. Nobody home, huh? Well, there was smoke coming out of the tuner. Wait a minute. Come on. I think I hear someone. Come on, let's go. Come in. Hey, look down the floor. Yes, I see him. No wonder he didn't come to the door. Easy. Are you Mr. Perry? Yeah. Yeah, who are you? This is Sheriff Watson. I'm Agent Taylor of the FBI. Oh? Mr. Perry, did Paul Mitchell do this to you? Yeah. As he did, he ran away with my wife. Oh. It was Mitchell's sister. Yes, I remember. Mr. Perry, do you know where they went? No, but you can look into swamps. Why would they go there? They were raised there. I see. Now, you try to rest, Mr. Perry. We'll call the doctor. After that, Sheriff, we've got to get moving. I got a hideout in the swamps. Well, made you pick a place like that? Well, so the cops won't find us. Oh. About a mile beyond the old hotel. This is where you get out and get your bus for town. Oh? Are you sure you got everything straight? Yeah, town. I go to a hop shop. Right. But I lost all my money in bad investments. Right. And I just want to pawn this jewelry for a few days. Yeah. All right, now get going. Paul. What? I just haven't a thing. What do you want to meet me back in the swamps for? Why don't I meet you in town? Let me run this. But I'm going with you to get away from the swamps. Tilly, listen to me. We've got to lay low for a while. Then we can go away. Where are we going to go to? I don't know yet. Why can't we go right from town after I get rid of the stuff? Tilly, will you go? Okay. Oh, wait. Oh, now what? How do I get to the cabin when I come back with the money? Take a cab to Palmer's general store and call me. Phone number is 102. You'll come and pick me up? Yeah. And you'll be sure to wait for me to call? Oh, look, stop talking so much. Will you get going? Sheriff, we must have stopped at 15 dark so far. Yeah, I know. Not a sign of Mitchell or his sister. You know, there must be some way we can get a clue on those two. Well, that's the last dark right up there, head. What do you mean, the last one? The last one before we hit the swamps. Oh, once we get into those swamps, there'll be no telling which way they took off. I see. Well, and let's hope for the best, huh? Look, there's a man there in the dark. Let's see if he knows anything. Hello there. You speaking to me? Yes, sir. What can I do for you? Well, we're looking for a young man, a young girl. Came this way in a motorboat about an hour ago. I saw him. Yep, saw him and heard him talking. You did? I just told you did. What did they say? Well, sir, the girl, she got off here, and the fella, he went on up into the swamps. Do you know where either he or the girl went to? No, except that the fella, he ought back to her to remember to meet him at the cabin. You don't know what cabin, do you? No, sir, it was down. But I reckon it's in the swamps, because that's the way he was pointing. Well, thank you, sir. Thank you very much for the information. Okay, Sheriff, let's go. Should we head for the swamps? No, that'll be too much like finding a needle in a haystack. What else can we do? Well, I think I've got a plan, Sheriff. Let's turn this board around, head back to your office. Billy, do you get the dough? Yeah, sure. How much? 8,000. 8,000? For $100,000 worth of stuff? Come on. Are you at Palmer's store? Yeah, I'm waiting for you. You're going to pick me up? I'll be right down there. Well, we ain't coming back here. No? I've got an idea. I'm going to take a trip. Cuba, hold it, hold it, hold it. Where do we get there? I'm leaving here right now. Taylor to Plain, Taylor to Plain. Come in, Sheriff. I haven't spotted a thing yet, Jim. It's okay, I just want to check this equipment. Works fine. Yes. Say these small planes don't move along very fast. Well, that's why we use them, Sheriff. You can really spot a territory from up there, can't you? Yeah. I can see every inch of the swamps down there. Good. Say, Jim. Yes? I think I spot the boat we're looking for. Where is it? It's coming along the stream that's marked with a number 34 on our map. 34. Where do I find it on my map? Yeah. Okay, I've got it. Well, you see that little bend just before the stream widens out? Yes, it's about a mile downstream from where I am. Right. And the boat is heading toward you. And I'd better get moving. All right, Sheriff. Keep an eye on both of us if you can. Let me know if he stops before I reach him. Right. Headed toward each other. They're okay, Jim. Now, wait a minute. What's the matter? He's pulling into a cove. Oh, where? It's Mark Palmer's cove on your map, Jim. Is that the one about three quarters of a mile from where I am now? Yes, it is. Sheriff, where's the other boat now? It's pretty near the shore. About a quarter of a mile, I'd say. I don't know how you're going to get there in time. Well, according to my map, Sheriff, there's a road that runs right alongside this river. I'm going to try and hit him off by land. Oh, Tilly. Gee, I thought you'd never get him. Well, I came as fast as I could. Got the dough on you? Yeah. Gee, I think it's wonderful about Cuba. Ever since you told me... Oh, look, how do we get away from here? I kept the cab. I came and he's waiting. Good. Let's go. Who are you, mister? Special Agent Taylor of the FBI. What? You and your brother know what I want. What? That's right. Well, we've got to go to Cuba. Where you two go in the future will be decided by a judge and a jury. Paul Mitchell was turned over to the state authorities by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. After being tried and convicted of first-degree murder, he was sentenced to death in the electric chair. His sister, Matilda Ferre, as an accomplice, was sentenced to serve 10 years in the state penitentiary. And so your FBI wrote finish on another file, on another career devoted to crime. But as quickly as one criminal career is arrested, another somewhere else begins. There are 25,000 Americans every month who commit their first crime. 25,000 Americans who will either be killed or will spend part of their lives in prison. Now no country in the world, however wealthy, can stand that kind of drain on its manpower. Sooner or later, the loss of those 25,000 citizens every month will weaken the nation. To prevent that, to see to it that this country does not indulge in national suicide, your FBI is at work 24 hours a day. Soon it hopes the tide will turn, turn in favor of law and order, of decency, and the dignity of human rights. In just a moment, we will tell you about next week's exciting case from the official files of your FBI. When the breadwinner of a family dies, what are the critical years for his wife and children? The critical years are the years before the youngest child finishes high school, years in which the home must be kept together. To help you estimate just what income your family would need during those critical years, the Equitable Life Assurance Society has prepared a special fact-facing chart for fathers. Your equitable society representative will be glad to bring you a copy of this fact-facing chart. Phone him tomorrow, or send a postcard, care of this station, to the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. Next week, we will bring you another colorful story from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Swindling Swami. 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 thereafter to the names of persons living or dead is accidental. Tonight, the music was composed and conducted by Frederick Steiner. The author was Jerry D. Lewis, and your narrator was Dean Carlton. This is your FBI is a Jerry Divine production. This is Milton Cross speaking for the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States and the Equitable Society's representative in your community and inviting you to tune in again next week at this same time when the Equitable Life Assurance Society will bring you another thrilling story from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Swindling Swami on This Is Your FBI. This is ABC, the American Broadcasting Company.