 The Equitable Society presents This Is Your FBI. This Is Your FBI, an 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. To your FBI, you look for national security, and to the Equitable Society for financial security. These two great institutions are dedicated to the protection of you, your home, and your country. Tonight's file, The Highway Hijackers. With the opportunities for black market operations rapidly vanishing, the professional criminals who won distinction on that field of dishonor during the war, are now carrying out their own programs of reconversion, which is one of the reasons for the increase in robberies and hijackings over the country. The ink is barely dry on tonight's case, telling of your FBI's encounter with two criminals who discovered recently that a certain road in the southwest offered rich profits for highway robbery. A few miles inside New Mexico from the Arizona border, Marty Jennings and her husband George operate a tourist camp, but Marty does most of the operating because of her husband's ill health. It is shortly after dark now, and Marty enters the bedroom with a tray of supper. You are darling, and I want you to eat every bite of it too. Thanks, Marty. Would you take your medicine, honey? Yeah, sure. Whatever good that does. It does plenty. You start on your soup while it's hot. Marty, won't you ever get tired waiting on me? I said start on that soup, young man. Why not? But I turned that to be, huh? You're going to be stubborn about it, aren't you? Thought you were marrying a he-man, didn't you? You could take care of it. George. Health goes on a blink, and he has to bring your way off out here in the desert. You have to do all the work. He lies up in bed most of the time. Marty, why did you do it? Why don't you go back east where you were doing OK in charge? George. George, I'm here because I want to be here. I love you more than anything in the world. And I'll never leave you. Thanks. Sounds like new business in the office, huh? You eat your supper, I'll be back after a while. All right. Good evening. Hello, Marty. You remember Mac here? How are you, Marty? Nick, what are you doing here? We come to see you. How did you know where I was? Well, after you've done that run-out, we did a little checking up. Heard you'd married yourself a sucker and come out here. Yeah. What's the matter? Aren't you glad to see us, Marty? Why did you come here and what do you want? We figure you're always a little favored. We come here to collect. Nick, I don't want any more of that life I was mixed up in, and you know it. Ah, but Marty, Nick, don't want it. I'll do the talking, Nick. There won't be any more talking, Nick. The only good break I ever got was a chance to play it straight with a guy like I'm married to. And nothing's going to get a chance to mess it up. They tell me he's got bad lungs. But he's going to get well out here. They also tell me that worry is the worst thing in the world for people with bad lungs. What are you getting at? Mac and I are out here in business. All we want is one of your cabins for headquarters. Now, look, Nick, I just got through telling you... And I just got through telling you that worry is bad for that husband of yours. Now, either we get the cabin or he gets the whole story on you. Can I help you? George, you get right back. Just a minute, lady. Do you see any cabin for us? Or not? Yes. We'll take care of you. It was nearing Newell next day when a trailer caravan winding through the Arizona uplands began to approach the New Mexico border. A caravan of some of those families who, a few years ago, had tracked the Californians' search of relief from their wretched poverty. Okies, they were called. Today, thanks to years of good wages and war plants, they're rolling homeward in droves for the first time in their lives adequately fed and clothed and carrying a few thousand dollars in savings, at last to buy their dream. A piece of good land, all their own. Most of them travel in caravans for mutual protection. But as this particular little caravan rolls along, Sarah Barlow doesn't feel too secure. I tell you, John, I just don't like traveling across country with all this money hid under the seat. Now, now, don't fret about it, Sarah. That's why everybody going home travels together like this, is it safe that way? Well, maybe it wouldn't feel so skittish about it if, well, it wasn't the last in line. Oh, somebody's got to be last? Yeah, I suppose so, but just the same. Now, stop you worrying about it. Just think we're going to be home in about three or four days. Home, Sarah. Kind of does something to you when you think about it, don't it? Yes. Yes, sir, those old green hills are going to look good to us this time, mother. Because instead of scratching around on top of them and going hungry, we're going to have a piece of rich land down in the valley, in a good house. And we can look up at them and see how pretty they are. Oh, it'll be wonderful, John. Just wonderful. Look at that car speeding around that curve, Sarah. Why, that looks like the same one has passed a while back. Yeah, look at them cutting over in front of us. But, John, they're waving to us to stop. There must be something wrong up ahead. They're getting out. What's wrong up ahead, mister? I say, what's the trouble? Look, John, they got pistols. All right, you, this is a step. Oh, no! Give me your door and make it fast. Oh, John! And don't cry any stalling. Now, listen, mister. I said, don't stall. I'm not stalling. Sure, we got money, but let me tell you something. Shut up and hand it over. No, I won't. And I'm not telling you where it is either. All right, pal. You'll ask for it. No, no, wait. Please don't. I'll tell you where the money is. All right, Sarah. Mister, we work years to save that money so we could buy it. Oh, no, don't buy it. Yes, shut up, lady. You get the same thing. Hurry it up, operator. Hello? Hello, FBI? Yes, Special Agent Yeager speaking. This is Sheriff Williams, Lord'sburg, New Mexico. What's the trouble, Sarah? Two men in a black sedan robbed a man and his wife a few hours ago just over there on the line. And disappeared back across the line with $10,000. $10,000? Yeah. They were the tail end car and one of those oaky caravans. Money they'd been saving for years. One of the bandits knocked a man out with a gun, but the doctor here in Lord'sburg passed him up all right. Well, where's the man now? The caravans stopping here the rest of the day and night. The man and his wife are camping with him just outside of town. Good. Welcome. Yeah. How was the sunset? You went out to look at the sunset, George. Oh. Oh, yeah. That was beautiful. Marty. Yeah. Those two men who rented a cabin here last night. What about them? Who are they? Well, how would I know? Their names are on the register over there. Well, what I meant was, did you talk with them at all? No, not much. They said they were from the east. They're looking over ranch properties, I think. Well, did they tell you that? Why? What's the matter? Well, rancher stopped by a little while ago on his way back from Lord'sburg. Yeah. He said two bandits robbed a couple in an oaky caravan today just over the line in Arizona. They got away with over $10,000. Oh, that's terrible. Well, George, you don't think... All I'm thinking right now is that two men in that cabin back there sure drove back here in an awful hurry this afternoon. Mr. Ms. Barlow, these are special agents Yeager and Hickman of the FBI. I do. Mr. Barlow, this sheriff tells me neither of you was able to give much of a description of the bandits. Oh, what little I might have remembered, Mr. Yeager. I'm afraid the blow on my head knocked it out of me. And I was too upset to remember how they looked with John Hurtan on. Oh, yes, of course. But maybe one of you might recall how they talked. They just talked tough, son. Did they have a western drawl? If you ask me, they sounded just like gangsters in a movie. That should help. What good's that to you? That means they're outsiders. They've moved in here for the express purpose of robbing the caravans. Then they must have a hideout somewhere in these parks. Exactly. And they're not running out after just one strike, Sheriff. But they might move on after the second. Yes. Meantime, we'll try to find that hideout. George, I thought you'd gone to bed. Honey, my hunch about those men was right. What? I had to find out and I did. What have you done? Well, I slipped around outside the cab in a minute ago and I heard them talking about plans for holding up a caravan. Oh. Yeah. I'm going to call the sheriff and Lord's... No, no, George, wait. What for? You mustn't call the sheriff, George. Well, honey, those men are dangerous criminals. You can't call. Why not? There's something you don't understand. What? George, it's about them and me. What do you mean? I know those men, George. I know them from... well, the days before I met you. Oh. That's why they came here. Well, Marty, you mean you're mixed up with them in this thing they're doing? No. Well, then I don't get it, Marty. Look, darling, I... I told you there were some things in my past that weren't very pleasant that I could never talk about. Yeah, I know. Well, those men were part of that path. Marty, this is the present. You're shielding those men and I've got to know why. Okay. I used to go around with a man named Crandall. Don't ask me why. He was mixed up with these two out there. Yeah, yeah. A few months before I met you, Crandall was killed. They killed him. I have no proof, but I know they killed him. They tried to pin the crime on me. Well, how? They planted my fingerprints on a gun. The police arrested you? No, no, nobody was arrested. They just held that over me in case they were ever picked up for the crime. And they're holding it over you now? They threatened to tell you. They knew that you were sick and that I didn't want to upset you. Oh, baby. Baby. I know what to do. Darling. Darling, Luca. I love you. I don't care about whatever happened in the past. Are you sure? Sure. Now can I call the sheriff? I'll call him. Hang up that phone, Marty. Mac thought he saw this husband of yours snooping around, so I thought I'd better find out why. So you did. Yeah. Marty, I said for you to hang up that phone. Honey, let me have that phone. You keep out of this. Let me have it. OK, Pumperator. US Pumperator? No! You've just heard the first half of the FBI file on the highway hijackers. As you know, the action took place in New Mexico and Arizona, states renowned for starlit nights. But other stars, imaginary stars on maps, hold special interest for members of the Equitable Society. Let me tell you about them. Suppose you were to take a big map of the United States and start putting stars on every spot where funds of the Equitable Life Assurance Society are invested. Before long, every section of that map would be so covered with stars that you wouldn't be able to see the state boundaries or the names of cities and towns. Thousands of stars would point out farms, ranches or plantations where Equitable Society dollars are helping to promote American agriculture. Thousands of other stars would indicate homes that are being purchased through the Equitable Society's Assured Home Ownership Plan. More stars would mark industrial plants large and small, in which Equitable Society funds are now invested. There would be stars on steel mills and power plants, on railroads and textile mills, on coal mines and refineries. Yes, every single state would be covered with stars, showing places that Equitable Society dollars are at work, which goes to prove that the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States has every right to the last four words in its name of the United States. By serving its members, the Equitable Society serves America. And now back to the file on the highway hijackers. When there are no clear-cut clues to a criminal's identity, such as fingerprints, physical description or even microscopic evidence that may be developed in a laboratory, the FBI agent is forced to improvise his own methods of ferreting out his quarry as he goes along, after interviewing the robbery victims at the caravan camp. Special Agent Yeager and Hickman are now driving Sheriff Williams back to his office in Lordford. Well, what's your next move, Mr. Yeager? We'll start looking for the bandits' hideout. This is pretty big country. Well, since we're convinced that our men are easterners, that'll narrow the search down some. How do you mean? They wouldn't be likely to go in for roughing it or I'll get you. Sheriff, what's the tourist camp situation around here? Well, Mr. Hickman, there's three or four between here and the Arizona line and a few more from there on to sunset that I know of. That'll do for a start. You really think they mean to strike again? I hardly believe they'd come all the way across the country for just one jump. Otherwise, they'd have figured out a way of robbing a whole caravan at once for a big haul, instead of just taking the tail end car. That sounds reasonable. Mr. Yeager, here's my office right here. Oh, OK. What time you aiming to start checking on the tourist camp? Right now. Oh, tonight, huh? Every minute counts. We want to locate that hideout if we can before they strike again. What can I do to help? Right now, just stay where we can reach you. We may need a lot of help in a hurry. I'll be ready. George, darling, try to drink this. Don't eat that, sweet. Please, Nick, leave us alone. Look, the guy is going to be OK. He's like what you might call a sample. You know, next time he don't get off that easy. There'll be no next time. Look here, Marty. Hey, Nick, somebody's here. Somebody's where? Just drove up outside, two guys. You stay in here, Mac. OK, Nick. Marty, you go in the front office. Before? You run that joint, don't you? Things are going to look normal. As opposed to the police. You've got to get rid of them and I'll tell them anything. Understand? And if I don't? I get this gun, baby. And if it has to go well, George takes it first. I'll get in there and play it straight. OK. Good evening. Good evening. I hope you're not looking for a cabin. Well, that's all right. We didn't want a cabin. No. We're a special agent of the FBI. Oh. Did you hear anything about the highway robbery just over the line today? Yes, I did. A rancher stopped by and told us. Us? Oh, my husband. Oh. We're looking for two men who drove a black sedan. Have you run at a cabin today or yesterday or any time recently? No. No, I haven't. Perhaps your husband has, or maybe you've seen them. May I ask him? Well, I'd rather you didn't disturb him now. You see, he's in bed. I can understand, but it is rather important. Well, my husband is ill. He's quite ill. No. He's in bed most of the time and I handle all of the business. I see. Well, I'm very sorry. I'm sorry to have bothered you. Oh, that's all right. Good night. Good night. Good night. Nice going, buddy. You know who I was doing it for. Don't you worry, Nick. You're going to get yours soon enough. Maybe, but not out here. What do you mean? The way things had turned out, I decided to pull one more job tomorrow and head back east. Good morning, sir. Ah, morning, Mr. Yeager. What luck. No, I'm afraid. I stayed on here all night, hoping you'd call for help. I'm sorry, but Hickman and I covered every tourist camp and ranch house between here and Sunset, Arizona. I had every sheriff between here and Phoenix on the lookout. They haven't turned up anything yet. And I still think they're hiding out around here somewhere. But how are we going to smoke them out before they make another strike? Which their just as apt to do today is not. If they figure things are getting too hot around here. Wait a minute. What are you thinking? What I should have been thinking before. What's that? I think I've got the answer, Sheriff. But we're going to have to do some fast traveling to make it work. Well, I'm ready to go. Then I'll get Hickman and we'll get started. Marty. I'm right here, darling. Don't try to move. What happened to that man? He's still here. Marty, what about the sheriff? I never got the chance to call. Look, we've got to get him tonight. Darling, it's no longer night. Hey, I really passed out. That's right, you did. What time is it? Almost noon. Well, how's the patient? Keep out of here, please. Sorry, I got some business attendant. Come on in, Mac. OK. You heard my wife say to keep out of here. Look, mister, I don't want to have no more trouble with you. Take care of him first, Mac. Right. What are you going to do? Don't get excited. We're just tying the guy up. You keep away from me. Take it easy. Keep away. You leave my husband. Hold it, Marty. You're next. Why are you both up and get out of here? Caravan's coming about two miles back down the road, Nick. How many cars? 14. Most of them got trailers. What's bringing up the rear? A car with a trailer. And the driver's the only one in the front seat. How many in the trailer? I couldn't see. All right. Move over, Mac. Let me take the wheel. OK. We swing the car around the curve a little further and head it this way. Then when the caravan starts coming around, we count off 13 and move in. That's number 12, Nick. Yep. And here comes 13. Next one's our baby, Nick. Now move the car across the road and block it. I know. I know. Here comes 14. This is a stick up. A stick up? Why, you dirty little chap? Around back and open that trailer door, Mac. OK. We'll save you the trouble. What? Put up those guns both of you. What the? Cover that man there, Bob. What's going on here? Well, you might call this a double stick up, mister. Only our part of it is legal. The man at the wheel is a sheriff at Lord'sburg. Sheriff? And we're special agents of the FBI. Come along with us. The roundup of the hijacking gang resulted in their ultimate trial and conviction. They were sentenced to serve 10 years in a federal penitentiary. With the end of gasoline rationing and with auto travelers once more streaming over the highways of America, criminals have taken to the road again. But your FBI and your local and state law enforcement officers are determined to wage war against them day and night until the only ones for whom auto travel will be unsafe will be those who seek to make it unsafe for others. Before hearing about next week's thrilling case from FBI files, imagine for a moment that you're a kid again. It'll help you to understand a message from the equitable society. This week at the Equitable Society, I heard a young veteran talking about cellar doors. He was holding a picture of a white colonial house in his hand and he said, you see that cellar door? Well, I used to slide down one like it when I was a kid. And now my kids are going to slide down one too. You see, I lived in a house like that until I was 10 years old and I've always thought it was a swell old place. Well, after I got back from France last month, I looked around and was fortunate enough to find a new house very much like it. Of course, I had to have a mortgage and I guess it was my lucky day because on that same day, I heard about the Equitable Society's home ownership plan. Well, I signed up right away for an equitable, assured home ownership loan. So next week, you'll see me teaching my little girl how to slide down a cellar door. Well, you know, no matter how often we of the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States hear stories like that, we never grow tired of listening to them. After all, that's our business in the Equitable Society, helping to make dreams come true, helping ambitious men and women reach their goals, starting young married couples on the road to an assured future, helping fathers and mothers and their boys and girls to college, bringing peace and contentment to old age. Yes, this week and every week for 86 years, the Equitable Society has been building security for you, your home, and your country. Next week, we will bring you another colorful story from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the sorrowful swindler. The incidents used in tonight's Equitable Society's broadcast are taken 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. Programs in this series of particular interest to service men and women are broadcast overseas through the worldwide facilities of the Armed Forces Radio Service. Tonight the music was under the direction of Frederick Steiner, the author was Frank Ferries and your narrator was Dean Carlton. This is your FBI is a Jerry Devine production. Now this is Carl Frank speaking for the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States and the Equitable Society's representative in your community and saying, inviting you to tune in again next week at this same time for this is your FBI. This is ABC the American Broadcasting Company.