 From Hollywood it's time now for Johnny dollar and record Johnny Do you have a nice trip back here to Frisco nice left most of the way? How's it going good and bad Johnny good that we've got George Foley on trial for setting fire to the building Bad that we haven't connected him to Bennett yet and Bennett's the guy we want No, once you get a conviction on Foley you can go after Bennett a lot of expert testimony has been thrown around here And the jury's been sleeping through most of it besides that Foley's got one of the best defense men in the business Yeah, I've heard of him. He's pretty slick. He's gonna make us lose this case Johnny. Not if I can help it Tonight and every weekday night Bob Bailey in the transcribed adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator. That's truly Johnny dollar Expense accounts submitted by special investigator Johnny dollar to the four state fire insurance corporation 4065 spear Boulevard Hartford, Connecticut The following is an accounting of expenditure is during my investigation of the Bennett matter Expense account item nine one hundred and twenty four dollars air transportation Hartford back to San Francisco again and the Bennett case Which I thought was finished way. I was at the Hall of Justice by 930. I met Andrew court outside of the Superior Court This may be the last day of the trial Johnny Anything new since I talked to you on the phone Andy well I may be worrying for nothing since Finley's handled it all pretty well for the state He's one of the assistant DA's but Foley's still holding on to a not guilty play. Well, isn't that just coaching? Maybe Remember Foley didn't make any statement when we took him and the police got nothing out of him at all Foley had something like 28 arrests besides two convictions. He knows the ropes. Yeah It's okay sure Just in time. Yeah, it seems to be the clerk now. Yeah caught his non-session is on a judge William J. Bainbridge presiding everybody stand Be seen in John dollar. Hey, I didn't think they'd call you first. No Raise your right hand You always swear the testimony you're about to give us the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth to help you God I do be seen as you know I'm Charles Finley with the district attorney's office state your name, please Johnny dollar state your occupation, please I'm an insurance investigator. How long have you been engaged in your profession as an insurance? investigator Ten years or more. Tell us please prior to that. What kind of work did you do? I was in the United States Marine Corps for four years Before that I was detective sergeant second grade with the New York Police Department Do you have any papers or letters in your possession that verify your professional status, mr. Dollar? Yes, I do I have letters of reliability from 13 insurance companies and adjustment bureaus. I've been associated with and My record is police officer. Thank you Will the court clerk please hand these papers to counsel for the defense so he may examine them. Yes, sir. Thank you Now tell us what your connection with this case is mr. Dollar I Was employed by the four state fire insurance corporation of Hartford, Connecticut to conduct an investigation in regard to one of their policy Holders Arnold Bennett. Yes, Arnold Bennett. Will you please tell the court what the results of that investigation were? The Bennett building was destroyed by fire I worked with arson experts from my own organization and with the police here to determine the cause of the fire Go on, please At the scene of the fire our expert William Underwood located certain items Which we recognized as part of the paraphernalia generally used by professional arsonists. Will you please state what those items were a Scrap of celluloid and a paraffin wick anything else Samples of the ashes which were later analyzed and proved to be celluloid ashes I wish to remind the ladies and gentlemen of the jury that the public fire adjuster the gentleman from the Skyline laboratories and the two gentlemen from the fire inspection department have previously testified as to the identity and uses of these items Will you continue mr. Dollar? Well these particular items suggested that the fire was of an incendiary origin The next problem was to establish the exact method used in starting the fire. Were you able to determine that method? In order to refresh the minds of the jury would you mind describing what was established a heavy woolen wick this one? Mr. Dollar that one or one like it exhibit see please continue This wick had been soaked in paraffin and then stuffed into a paper sack that was filled with celluloid It's a simple method the wick is lit And takes anywhere from three to ten minutes to burn down to the celluloid Now once that happens the celluloid flares up and fires anything combustible in the vicinity and that is the method you Determined caused the fire in the Bennett building. Yes And I'd like to qualify that by saying the arson experts from my own company and the gentleman from the police and fire departments here in San Francisco determined it definitely mr. Dollar by this means you connected the defendant George Foley with the fire you were investigating Yes, we did how? George Foley improvised the method I have just described Improvised you mean it is his method. I object your honor The prosecution is putting words into the mouth of the witness. I'll rephrase for mr. Eggleston Is this method identifiable with the defendant? Yes, sir. Will you explain the identification? The police files here show that Foley has been convicted of setting two other fires in this state on Both occasions he employed that method of fire your honor The career of the defendant as a professional arsonist is a matter of public record the defendant previous record has no bearing on this case I object to dollar will you rephrase and delete any reference to the defendant's criminal history? The procedure in locating an arsonist is to first establish a method of operation in this case where the wick celluloid method was used The defendant's name came up immediately The defendant made an attempt to call on Arnold Bennett in the hospital The defendant was positively identified by three witnesses as the man they had seen near the Bennett building prior to the fire I remind the jury of the testimony of those witnesses go on mr. Dollar The police crime laboratory examined all of the clothing Foley was wearing at the time of his arrest and all of the clothing in his room There was definite evidence that he had been in the Bennett building. Will you tell us what sort of evidence, please? Well paint smudges on the soles of his shoes and metal filings in cuffs of his trousers Compared with samples that were still available in the building where a certain painting and metal work had been in progress You connected in with the improvised method of firing You proved that paint smudges and metal filings came from the Bennett building the defendant attempted to contact Arnold Bennett. What else? Arnold Bennett's niece Elizabeth Bennett inform me that her uncle Arnold Bennett Hired the defendant to fire the building to collect insurance I was on the stand all the rest of the morning when Finley ended his questioning. He turned me over to defense counsel Eggleston Eggleston contested every bit of established testimony and recommended that my remarks be stricken from the trial records The summations came right after that and then the case went to the jury Expensive count item ten three dollars lunch for Andrew court and myself Holy has to be convicted or we'll be on the defense when Bennett's insurance claim comes to court and we'll probably get stuck with it Hey, well the jury's out. Why don't I go over to the jail and talk with fuller? What good would that do? Yeah, fully must know they'll give him the works if he admits something you admit nothing He sits there in court like they were talking about someone else Johnny it's too late. Yeah, but if he did you could go ahead and file criminal charges against Bennett beat him to the punch I'd like that. Oh, we get foley and we've beaten Bennett and I like that The job of getting to a prisoner who was standing trial isn't an easy one Especially when he's under the surveillance of a smart defense attorney like Eggleston. I Talked to Judge Brainbridge in his chambers and told him what I had in mind I broke down the case against Foley as the insurance company saw it and the possible case against Arnold Bennett if Foley was found guilty Judge Brainbridge arranged for me to see Foley He was sitting in his cut Eggleston was standing nearby Hello dollar Hello Eggleston. Hi, what do you want? Well, I thought we ought to talk about this thing while there's still time If it's okay with you mr. Eggleston, it's okay with me dollar I'll be right here still time for what to get your point of a break foley Well, that's a real good one You sit on a witness chair all morning you tell him what a bad boy I am and you walk in here and tell him you want to give me a break. I do go away now Wait a minute George it won't hurt to listen to you. Well, you're a great one you I'm the guy who's sitting in this cell Both of you can walk out of here have a good state for dinner tonight. All right, George listen to him. This isn't a courtroom When you were first hauled in Foley you could have made a statement telling us Bennett hired you to fire that building Waved a jury trial and thrown yourself in the mercy of the court But you didn't do that you made everybody work hard to give it to you and that's exactly what they're going to do That jury will come out pretty soon and throw the book at you. Is that true? I'm not so sure of that dollar Tell us precisely why you're here. You both know my company's after Ronald Bennett. He's filed claim against us for not paying off his fire policy Foley we know he hired you to fire that building Yeah, and if you're smart you'll send for the guard make a request for the court to come back in session before the jury returns You can tell them Bennett hired you you can change your plea to guilty and throw yourself in the mercy of the court It'll probably save you five years on your sentence So I turn hero and make everything nice for you to go after better if you do that his claim will be thrown out But the insurance commission will prefer charges against him and he'd be right up there with me Yeah, making little ones out of paper. That's right. You're overstepping your province here dollar. Look, there isn't much time Only this man can advise you to wait until the jury comes in and that won't be very long But then it'll be too late for you to help yourself. I don't like this high pressure stuff I don't care what you like or dislike mr. Eggleston. I'll listen Foley. They've got an eight-point case against you in there Is he right Eggleston? It doesn't make any difference the jury. You say it saved me five years on my son. Yes, George What do you think Up to you George, I've told you what I think Swell spots well Well, come on come on. What is it? I'll risk it. You're crazy. There's a chance those 12 clunk heads will walk out and tell everybody. I'm not guilty Come on. Get Those last five years will be pretty hard garden Garden thank you for the offer just the same dollar You don't use your head much fully Had been for you. I wouldn't be in here. So don't worry too much about what happens to me If I went for guys like you, I wouldn't be in business and I'm not working Yeah Yeah, I hope they let me loose on this one For you say don't plan on it on a kind of I'd like to kill you or something Now here's our star to tell you about the final intriguing episode of this week's story tomorrow a Verdict in and out of a courtroom Don't wind up Join us won't you yours truly Johnny dollar Yours truly Johnny dollar starring Bob Bailey is transcribed in Hollywood Written by John Dawson. It is produced and directed by Jack Johnstone Be sure to join us tomorrow night same time and station for the next exciting episode of yours truly Johnny dollar This is Roy Rowan speaking