 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 Attention all homeowners Please have pencil and paper handy to make notes in about 13 minutes The Equitable Society will give full information on its assured home ownership plan This equitable plan is a money saver a worry saver a home saver One of the finest services ever offered by the Equitable Life Assurance Society So be ready with a pencil for you'll surely want to jot down the address for getting further information on the Equitable Assured Home Ownership Plan Tonight's FBI file the unhappy medium playing how much money is melted from the general public throughout the year But it is safe to say that the figure is well over a million dollars a week That is a stunning fact and as if to make the situation worse It is an accompanying fact that for the most part the victims chosen by the swindlers are those who can least afford the loss They prey on the old the weak the confused and they ransack as completely as any set of victorious Nazis looted the shops and homes of conquered countries There is no geographical center for swindlers Because they are by reason of their business Nomadic people they wander they stop They swindle and then they wander again Their base of operations is in their unusually facile minds And their swindles range from the ludricous to the brilliant But whatever their plan of attack might be they always have a common cause To get your money Tonight's file opens in the large living room of a house located in a western city a Stern-faced woman sits on one of the many wooden camp stools scattered around the room the door opens and her husband enters Where have you been working with a racing form in your pocket? I just bought it on the way home Did you put that ad in the paper? Sure? It's on the streets already. I just say in it. Yeah a copy of it right here Let me see it sure lays out nice Madam Roberto reader and advisor are you in trouble or doubt worried about business love health or family affairs or anything pertaining to the welfare of your life How do you like that pretending to matter what problems may be I can help you call and consult me for reliable advice Well, that's it. It's not bad. There is a madam Roberto. I'm in a hook. I can't reach it and turn around How does it look very good? Let's put the turbine on see how the whole thing Wait a minute don't put that turbine on yet the earphones gone underneath. Oh, yeah Would you move the crystal ball closer to the closet the other night the wire was so tight I couldn't turn my head I wouldn't mention the other night if I were you Elsie It wasn't my fault that the earphones went out of order and I couldn't hear you Besides why did now kill me when the phones went out? How did I know they weren't working? She's got the mic in that closet and you got the phones on your head I can't hear anybody but myself that must be pretty dull very funny. I'll see when are we gonna leave this town leave Well, we just barely got here you've been promising me. We'd go to Hollywood. Oh stop with that Hollywood all the time But what about my career? How am I ever gonna get to be a star if I don't get to Hollywood look Peggy We can't quit here. I got 12 prospects lined up. Maybe we get some new ones from this ad you got anything on the prospect. Yeah It's all the dope I could get on them Hey, do I have to remember all of that no Elsie'll have it in the closet. You just listen come on We better start rehearsing this stuff. Oh, when are they coming? Most time is 8 30 tonight. It'll be a semi-private meeting like the last one now put on those earphones. Let's get to work Now madam Roberto, I have here on these sheets of paper the questions that are most bothersome to these people Tear them up, please and throw them away. Yes, madam Now through the powers she alone possesses madam Roberta will peer into the mysterious crystal ball and answer your questions I am studying But it is difficult keep talking kid I hear voices But they are far away Some of you people are not holding hands in the chain the way the madam instructed you I must have help from you if you want me to answer your problems. Here's a good one Mrs. HL letters for me has the madam any message for Mrs. HL Have her stay after the meeting. I have a message for Mrs. HL Well, Mrs. HL, please come up to the front of the room. Yes, she's ready to be taken Okay, good. I and Mrs. HL What is your message madam Roberto? I I Cannot reveal it here. It is too personal. Oh, thank you madam bless you And now ladies and gentlemen take the hand of the person seated next to you and form the chain again Madam Roberto, do you have any further messages Peggy rush the rest of them off fast? Let's get to work on the sucker in that same city at the local FBI field office special agent Jim Taylor is walking over to the desk of agent Stan Kimball. Hello Stan. Hi Jim. When did you get into town? About 15 minutes ago Oh, I didn't know you were being transferred out here. Oh, I haven't been I've been chasing and just missing three swindlers for a Couple of months now every time I close in on them. I find they've just left town I know the feeling but don't look so discouraged. You'll catch up to him. We'll catch up to them. You mean, huh? Yeah, your agent in charge just assigned you to work with me. Well How about filling me in on the background? Okay? Well, this little tree was wanted in five states for larceny Conspiracy to defraud illegal fortune telling an unlawful flight to avoid prosecution One of them and Al Watson. He's done time twice what for swindling both times his wife Elsie she was acquitted each time for lack of evidence. I mean this new setup They've been using in the last few months. They have a young blonde girl working with them. She uses the name of Peggy Garvey You think they're here, I'm pretty sure they are the ticket seller at the station in Albuquerque He remembered selling them three tickets from there to here Well one trouble with trying to find a fortune teller here is that there are a couple of hundred of them spread over the city Well, we've got pretty good descriptions on them Stan. Let's get an alarm. Maybe your local police can help us tack them down Have you been out doing some checking up? Well, you've been gone long enough. I think like this takes time I found out what I wanted though. This Mrs. Lincoln has a hefty gob of dough. Good. Let's get back to work then They can't keep the old slob waiting too long Peggy. Yeah Look, I want you to play this like you're already in Hollywood and this is your screen test I will now do you remember everything I told you I think so all you got to do is remember It's like Hollywood. Okay. I'll be in the next room. Al you go get Mrs. Lincoln. I'll see you later Okay, Peggy. All right Mrs. Lincoln. Yes, come right this way. Madame Roberta will see you now. Oh, thank you I'm sorry I've made you wait this long, but Madame Roberta has been concentrating. I understand Madame Roberta, do you have any message for this troubled person? I am listening to the voices in the air Queen of the occult What do those voices tell you? They say that this troubled person has suffered some terrible misfortunes Oh, that's true. So true. They tell me that there is someone who wishes you great evil Yes, I know who that is. They say This person who wishes you great evil has put a hex on you and your possession I knew it. Madame Roberta. Is there any way in which this troubled one can be delivered from the curse of her hex? I am listening The voices say that if you will bring all your possessions to me I will be able to deliver you from the hex. Oh, thank you. Thank you But this must be done within the single turning of the earth The madam means that if the hex is to be taken off it must be done by tomorrow at the latest The voices say you ought to bring to me all of your cash Because that too is hexed. Oh, I will Mrs. Lincoln, you can go home and sleep tight by tomorrow night this time. You'll have no more money trouble Little luck. The Adams custom company here in town saw one of our little trio are robin a turbine But the trail ends there. Didn't they get any address at all? No, Mrs. Watson Whatever name they're using now came in pick the stuff up. No alterations. No deposits. No nothing I hope this isn't another close, but no cigar to you That isn't all the police located the taxi diver at the railroad station who picked them up the night they arrived here Where did he take them to the central hotel, but they're not there anymore Well, they couldn't work this window out of a hotel room. All my guess is they found a house and rented it That's always been there for him. Jim, let's call on all the fortune tellers alphabetically Wish we didn't have to take that much time, but I guess that's about the only thing to do. Okay, let's get that list We made up and start calling I'm right here What's been happening the Lincoln Dane came here about an hour ago. She had all the stuff with her the cash, too Yeah, $7,000 worth of it. Hey Has she been in there with Peggy for a while? Yeah, what's going on? I don't know I've been waiting for them to break it up. Stick your head in and give Peggy the sign I don't want to disturb the deal. Look, she don't know enough to ad-lib this law Look, but honey do as I say Al stick your head in there. Okay Mrs. Lincoln Where is madam Roberto? She went out that other door. She told me to meditate. She said I must have absolute quiet Oh sure you go ahead Mrs. Lincoln Keep meditating Peggy isn't there. What she left Mrs. Lincoln went out the back door She must have gone to her room. Come on. Let's check on that. She just stayed with the customer There's something funny about this. What do you mean? Oh, why should you leave the old thing? Maybe she ran out of words? Let's find out There's no one in here. Are you sure? Well, do you think I'm blind? Hey look, what wait? Here's a note on the bed. Let's see it. Wait. I read it Well, what does it say? What does it say? She took Mrs. Lincoln seven thousand and went to Hollywood Turn in just a moment to tonight's file which shows how your FBI protects American citizens and American homes Now a word about another type of home protection Protection to make sure a moving man will never come to your home and say gee lady Seems like only yesterday we moved you and mr. Wilson into this swell little house and now I got to move you out Pretty tough on you first you lose a good husband and now you lose your home. Of course It's tough nothing tougher and that's why the equitable life assurance Society created its assured home ownership plan This money-saving home-saving plan combines a low-cost first mortgage with life insurance to give you two-fold protection Against the two greatest dangers in home mortgages The first danger is the death of the breadwinner in the assured home ownership plan the equitable society Cancels the mortgage if the owner dies. It's paid off in full What's more every dollar previously paid under the plan to reduce the principal is returned to the widow along with the cancelled mortgage The second hazard in home mortgages is hard times the equitable society's assured home ownership plan protects against that too During the owner's lifetime a special cash fund is built up in this plan It's always ready for use if sickness or unemployment threaten home security as the mortgage shrinks this cash fund increases For example, it can be used to pay off a 20-year mortgage in approximately 15 years Last but not least the mortgage interest is only 4% and there's a liberal allowance to cover title search Lawyers fees and other closing costs. So all in all a man is very fortunate if his health age income his home and its location Qualify him for an equitable assured home ownership plan The way to find out if you qualify is to get in touch with your equitable society Representative look in the phone book or write care of this station to the equitable society That's equi TA BLE the equitable life assurance society of the United States Now back to tonight's fire the unhappy medium It is an axiom among those who do not know the habits or characteristics of criminals that there is honor among thieves As illustrated by tonight's case from the files of your FBI nothing could be further from the truth Thieves and especially swindlers Recognize no such thing as honor because to recognize it would be to admit that there is such a thing as a code of ethics As a set of rules by which human beings were better able to live with each other The swindler cannot allow himself the luxury of a conscience and without that there is no such thing as honor Any thief would willingly and anxiously steal lie cheat or even murder No matter who it hurt so long as he gained from the criminal act And that is as true of female thieves as it is of men for the motto of criminals of both sexes is the same that motto is He who steals and runs away Lives to steal another day Tonight's file continues as the two FBI special agents get out of the car in front of the swindlers house This is the place all right Stan look they even have a sign on the front lawn. Well all this hulkham is perfectly legal in this town Hope they're still here. Oh, they probably will be I don't think they suspect we're just close to them You never know about this trio. They make the score quick and then move on. Hey look What doors open yeah, you got the warrant. Yeah, come on. Let's walk in They're here. They're being pretty quiet Come on, we better look around this room first. Okay, so I'm sitting in the chair below Pardon me. Oh, please be quiet. I'm meditating All right, I see We're special agents the FBI Yeah, my credentials. What do you want here? You've seen a man and a woman about 45 and a young blonde girl about 21 or two Oh, you mean Professor Williams and Madame Roberto. I think so. Yes. Where are they please? Well, Madame Roberto is in her room. She's concentrating on what I'm removing some evil spirits from my money Ma'am, I think we'd better start at the beginning and get your whole story Oh, where have you been? I just went back to talk to the hostess. Hmm. You even table hop on planes I wanted to find out when we get the Hollywood sit down and we get there. You'll know it Well, there's one good thing about all this what once we get the Hollywood We shouldn't have too much trouble finding out. How do you figure that? Well, she'll look for a job acting we can nail her that way If you hadn't encouraged that acting we wouldn't be trying to nail her at all Are you gonna start that again? Well, you're the one who told her she had talent You had her right away to that acting school that fixed everything. I did it because we needed her to run off with 7,000 Elsie we'll get the dough back. I'll get it back and I'm keeping it from now on I'm treasurer. Well, don't I get nothing. Mm-hmm. Yeah You meditate Mrs. Lincoln, when did you first hear of this madam Roberto? There was an ad in the newspaper. I see what do what did this ad say? It said that madam Roberto would help people to solve their problems and you answered it. That's right Why are you asking me all of these questions? Because I'm afraid you've been the victim of a group of swindlers Yes, I'm nobody else in the house. I've looked through every room. You find anything that might give us a lead I didn't look for any clues to tell the truth. I just went from room to room to see if there was anybody around Oh, I'm sure that you'll find your mistake in sir about there being swindlers I mean Mrs. Lincoln are those papers in front of you yours? Well, yes This is the deed to my house and these are stock certificates. I own and these are my war bombs Why did you bring them here? Madam Roberto was freeing them from evil spirits Is that all you brought? No, no, I brought $7,000 in cash, which madam Roberto was removing the hex from also How long ago did she start doing that mrs. Lincoln? Well, she left here about an hour ago to take the money back to her room. She said she could work better there And she left you here to meditate? That's right. Mrs. Lincoln, it looks like you've been swindled out of your money Try to get it back for you Stan. I think the first thing to do is start searching this place See if we can find any lead and where they've gone Well, where have you been now down in the lobby what were you doing down there? Did you think Peggy was going to come over and meet you? We'll find it. We'd better we don't this hotel Don't get paid look. I know just what to do this doll wants to be an actress, right? Right, okay Then she's got to sign with this central casting place or with an agent if she wants a job And if she's not there we'll check on some of those hotels for actresses. She'd be likely to live in one of them places Oh, why don't you get on the phone and call up? I did any luck? No, but I don't think she'd be stupid enough to use her own name That's true Well, what are you gonna do then go to every place in person? We'll have to we'll make up a list of places to check We'll each take half come on. She must have had her bags packed by the time mrs. Lincoln arrived Sure looks that way. What's it? There's a note that was on the floor. Hmm. What's it say? You're Elsie and Al I'm sorry to do this to both of you, but I have taken mrs. Lincoln's money for myself I know you will both be mad, but my career comes first. I'm off to Hollywood Sounds like a double-cross. Yeah This can only mean one thing if she's gone to Hollywood for a career stand. She must want to be an actress. Yeah Look wastebasket's pretty full. Let's see we can find anything else in here. Just dump it on a bed Oh Here's a bunch of envelopes These are addressed to the girl Peggy Garvey, yeah Stan look at these addresses Albuquerque comes first time off to Hollywood. Sounds like a double-cross. Yeah This can only mean one thing if she's gone to Hollywood for a career stand. She must want to be an actress. Yeah Look wastebasket's pretty full. Let's see we can find anything else in here Let's see if we can find anything else in here, huh? Just dump it on the bed. Oh, that's fine. Looks like correspondence of some sort here, Jim. Just circulars, though. Here's a batch of... She must have had her bags packed by the time Mrs. Lincoln arrived. Sure looks that way. What's this? Here's a note that was on the floor. What's it say? Here, LCNL. I'm sorry to do this to both of you, but I have taken Mrs. Lincoln's money for myself. I know you will both be mad, but my career comes first. I'm off to Hollywood. Sounds like a double cross. Yeah. This can only mean one thing. If she's gone to Hollywood for a career stand, she must want to be an actress. Yeah. Look, the wastebasket's pretty full. Let's see if we can find anything else in here, huh? Just dump it on the bed. Looks like correspondence of some sort here, Jim. Just circulars, though. Here's a note that was on the floor. What's it say? Here, LCNL. I'm sorry to do this to both of you, but I have taken Mrs. Lincoln's money for myself. I know you will both be mad, but my career comes first. I'm off to Hollywood. Sounds like a double cross. Yeah. This can only mean one thing. If she's gone to Hollywood for a career stand, she must want to be an actress. Yeah. Look, the wastebasket's pretty full. Let's see if we can find anything else in here, huh? Just dump it on the bed. All right, sir. There. Oh. Looks like correspondence of some sort here, Jim. Just circulars, though. Here's a batch of envelopes. Wait a minute. These are addressed to the girl. Peggy Garvey? Yeah. Stan, look at these addresses. Albuquerque, Denver, Kansas City. These are all the places they've been before. Places where I've just missed them. Anything in the envelopes? Um, no. But they're all from the same outfit, the International School of Dramatic Art. There's one, two, seven envelopes. Let's look in the other room, Jim. Maybe we can find a better lead there. Oh, wait, Stan. I don't know if we need a better lead. Let's find a phone. I've got an idea. Well, where have you been this time? I'm sorry, honey. I thought you said meet you on the other corner. I said in front of the drugstore. Oh, come on. You told me it never rained in California. You want me to put in a fix with the weather? I want you to take me to Peggy. Where'd you find her? Where did she live? Right in that apartment house. Mm-hmm. And I didn't even have enough money to buy an umbrella. You will have enough in a couple of minutes. Look, are you taking bows? It took you two weeks to find her. This is a big place, you know. Yeah, this is one. Go ahead. You know what apartment she lives in? Yeah, right here on the ground floor, 117. Down this way. Here it is, 117. Out of the way, you little crook. Kelsey! Out of the way! Didn't think we'd find you, huh? Al, we didn't come here for conversation. We want our money. Come on, Peggy, get it up. I don't know to what you are referring. Huh? I said, I don't know to what you are referring. Look, whatever you're eating, swallow it. We can't understand you. That's diction. Diction? We don't care what you call it. Just come up with that 7,000. I don't know what to use. The 7,000 you took from old lady Lincoln. Now, where is it? I'm using it. I need it for my career. Al, case those dress your guards. Okay. Get away from them drawers. That's shifted diction out of her. Hey, look, keep away from there. That's my money, and I... Here it is, right on top. Look, looks like most of it's here, too. Hey, don't you touch that money. Don't bother counting it. We'll do that back at the hotel. Let's get out of here. Okay. Hey, wait, you can't meet me without any... Step back inside. Come on, both of you. How are you, mister? I'm a special agent of the FBI. I've got warrants here for the arrest of all three of you. You've got nothing on us. I guess is. We've got enough for you to serve long terms in a federal penitentiary. Well, honey? Now you'll know where I've been. Al Watson and his wife, Elsie, were tried, convicted, and sentenced to 15 years in prison for violation of the National Stolen Property Act. A young Confederate, Peggy Garvey, was given a five-year sentence and then placed on probation. And thus your FBI ended the careers of three greedy swindlers. The clue which led the two special agents to the apartment in Hollywood came from the International School of Dramatic Art. Special Agent Taylor reasoned that since the young blonde had gone to the trouble of notifying the school of her previous changes of address, she might do the same thing again. Within a week, the school received the change of address and notified the local FBI field office which relayed the information. And so, once again, it was not a brilliant stroke of inspiration which closed a file successfully for your FBI, because those inspirations come far apart, and the reputation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is too solid to have been based on hunches. It was hard work which closed this case, hard work in searching diligently and then following every clue to the logical conclusion. A conclusion which ultimately led to the stamping of a word across this particular file, the single important word, convicted. We'll tell you about next week's case from the files of your FBI. Friends, if you were impressed a few minutes ago by what I told you about the Equitable Society's Assured Home Ownership Plan, if the idea appeals to you of a low interest rate first mortgage combined with life insurance to protect your home against death and hard times, then I suggest that you get in touch with your Equitable Representative. He'll show you exactly what this plan will do for you personally, how much money it can save you, how much added security it will give you. So contact your Equitable Society Representative without delay, or right care of this station to 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, an unusual story revealing the cunning tactics of an elusive murderer, its subject, extortion, its title, student of violence. 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 persons living or dead is accidental. Tonight the music was composed and conducted by Frederick Steiner. The author was Jerry Lewis. Your narrator was William Woodson and special agent Taylor was played by Stacey Harris. This is Your FBI is a Jerry Divine 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 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. Students of violence on This Is Your FBI. This is ABC the American Broadcasting Company.