 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. In a recent talk, Thomas I. Parkinson, President of the Equitable Life Assurance Society, remarked, Self-reliant citizens living in their own mortgage-free homes are the cornerstone of a free country. That is why, of all the manifold services rendered by the Equitable Society to its four million members, one which I rank near the top in importance is the Equitable's Assured Home Ownership Plan. In about 14 minutes, I'll be back to tell you homeowners about the Equitable Society's famous Assured Home Ownership Plan that President Parkinson considers so important. Tonight, FBI file number 301. It's subject, Jewel Feft. It's title, The Criminal Caravan. As is true every week, there was a definite and specific reason for this particular case being chosen from the files of your FBI for dramatization. A great number of people have gotten their ideas about criminals from the mountains of crime fiction currently available. They have been led to believe the average criminal dangles a cigarette from his lips, speaks a harsh, strident tongue, and altogether makes it obvious at first glance that he is not a decent law-abiding citizen. Another belief accepted as fact by too many is that the criminal frequents only dark alleys, cheap saloons, and slum section pool rooms. Both notions are 100% wrong. America's criminals are not a breed apart. Their talk, dress, and habits reflect only their background, not their occupation. For proof, we bring you this case history of a fugitive. Tonight's FBI file opens in a diner located on a downtown corner in a Midwestern city. It is late afternoon as a poorly-dressed young man enters. The counterman looks up as he approaches. Is this Al's diner? That's right. I want to find out about this ad in the paper. It says share expenses on a car trip to Texas. Oh, yeah. Betty! She's back in the kitchen. Who's Betty? She ran the ad. Is she running the trip? Yeah, it's her car. Now we're going to miss her. Best waitress the joint ever had. What is it, Al? This guy wants to know about the trip. Oh, you mean you want to go along, mister? What's the deal? Well, so far there's four of us going, so we share expenses four ways. No extras. No. We got room for one more if you're interested. When do you leave? Well, we'd like to leave right now, but... Well, if you've got bags or something to pick up. I'd like to go now. Oh, swell. Where are the others? All right, they're at that table up front. Come on, I'll introduce you. Okay. What's your name? Hollister. Mine's Betty Bowman. Where's your baggage? I checked it around the corner. Good. Folks, here's another passenger. Oh, fine. His name's Hollister. This is Mrs. Lake. Mr. Wilson. Mr. Anderson. Howdy. Where's the car? All right, outside. Hi. Is everybody ready? Yeah, anytime. Okay, let's get started. The following morning at the local FBI field office, Special Agent Jim Taylor approaches the desk of Agent and Charge Young. Have a chair, Taylor. Oh, thanks. When you were in the Chicago office, did you know a jewel thief named Fred Woods? Woods. Woods. No sir, I don't think so. Here's his picture. Thanks. And his record. Quite a few aliases. Yes, the name Fred Woods won't do you any good. He's used a couple dozens since then. Is this the only picture we have? We're Washington sending some others. And the size of his record, they must have a gallery on him. That picture's the latest. It was taken after his last arrest about three months ago. What are we waiting for? He's a fugitive, escaped from a prison out west. He was doing 20 years for armed robbery and attempted murder. We had a detainer on him. The Los Angeles field office developed a lead he was headed here. I see. His pattern's been to stay at cheap hotels. I'll start checking down on Main Street. You might also check the veteran's canteens. Sometimes he poses as the next service man. Right. I'll call in when I get anything. Oh, and Taylor. Sir? Better be careful. The prison psychiatrist called Woods a borderline mental case. Anybody getting hungry? How about you, Mrs. Lake? Well, I suppose I could eat something. I could too. I just like to get out and stretch my legs. How does food sound to you, Mr. Hollister? I don't care what we do. Okay, the next diner that looks like anything will stop. How's that? Oh, just fine. Got some gum here if anybody'd like it. Oh, I'd love some. Here you are. You, Mrs. Lake? No, thank you. Anderson? Yeah, I believe it will. Holly? My name's Hollister. What's eating you, Hollister? You ain't spoke a decent word to anybody since we started. No, no, no. Well, we've had a long trip today. We're all a wee bit tired. I know, let's play a game, shall we? Like what? Well, how about ghosts? Well, if you don't mind, ma'am, I don't care much for games. Oh? Well, how about discussing some interesting topics? Any suggestions? What about you men being drafted? Oh, you picked a good one. Too good. I don't mind discussing it. Would you mind being drafted? No, don't think I would. I figure if the country's in trouble, I am too. So maybe I ought to be doing something about it. Were you in last time? Yeah, Marines. I was Navy. Where? Pacific. How about you, Mr. Hollister? Were you in the service? Uh-huh. The player? Rather not talk about it. Look, Hollister. We've all got to be together for a couple of days. Now let's at least try to be civil. Suppose I don't want to. Mr. Hollister, that's no way to talk. We'll all enjoy the trip much more if we have harmony. Harmony. Well, that's a very good idea. Let's all sing. Come on. There's a long, long trail of winding. Come on, everybody, into the limelight. Found the right hotel. It's the century on Spring Street. Good. But Woods was gone. How long? At least got a one-day jump on us. Oh, that's not too bad. He stayed at the center under the name of Guy Jones. He ever used that before? No, sir. Nothing even close. Well, add it to his list of aliases and forget about it. He's probably picked a new one by now. I have got one lead, though. What's that? Woods left town on one of those shared expense cars. Where, too? I don't know. A clerk at the hotel told me Woods mentioned seeing an ad in a Sunday paper and said he'd be checking out. Which paper was it? Well, a clerk didn't remember, sir, so I'm having a list made up of every one of those ads that appeared over the weekend. Good. He also said Woods talked about leaving the country. Better notify the border patrol. All right, sir. When will your list of ads be ready? In a few minutes. As soon as it is, I'll start making the rounds. Cigarette, Anderson? No thanks. Don't you use them? It don't mix with playing ball. Not what you do? Yeah. Aren't you a little old to spend your time playing, Mr. Anderson? It's my living, Mrs. Lake. You mean you're a real ball player? Well, lots of days. I don't feel much like one. But when it's warm and the old arm gets loose, I can still cut to mustard. What position? I'm a pitcher for Central City. Afraid I don't even know where that is. We're Class D. Oh. It's not a bad little league. Where else you play? Oh, I've been up to Class C twice. Got sore arms both times, though, and they sent me back. I won me 24 ball games in 1942. If I could have gone up again that next season, I'd have made it. Wouldn't that give you a chance? Well, come February 43, I was pitching hand grenades. By the time I got out, my fastball was gone. Oh, you poor man. What's taking you to Texas this time of year? No winter league. I'm gonna try to catch all one of the clubs down there. Then what if you don't? Well, I guess I won't be eating regular. Oh, gracious. Don't worry about not eating an El Paso. You can always get a meal at our house. At your home? No. But, um, I'm going there to be married and settled down. Oh, isn't that nice? We just passed a sign, tourist camp a hundred yards. Well, couldn't we stop? Is that okay with everybody? Sure. Fine with me. How about you, Mr. Hollister? Stay wherever you like. Such an agreeable fellow. Well, then I guess this will be where we can. We got lucky on those ads, Mr. Young. The seventh one turned out to be it. What's the story? Well, a girl named Mrs. Betty Bowman was a waitress and a diner up on Franklin Avenue. She inserted the ad. Her passengers met at the diner and they started from there. When? It was four o'clock yesterday afternoon. Was Woods in the car? Yeah, the man who owns the diner made a positive identity of his picture. Where were they heading? Texas. Uh, means Woods is bound for Mexico. Yeah, it looks like it. Anything in his record about this, uh, Bowman woman? No, sir, I don't think she's in the compass. You say her name was Mrs. Bowman? That's right. How about her husband? Well, I understand he was killed at Anzio, sir. Oh. You, uh, got a description of the car? Only that it's a black sedan. The man at the diner didn't even know what make it was. Mrs. Bowman bought it only yesterday morning and he's never ridden in it. Well, there wouldn't be anybody at the Motor Vehicle Bureau now. All right, this lady. It's past midnight. Call them first thing in the morning. All right, sir. And send out the alarm the minute you can. Oh, dear, you must be half dead. Oh, I am tired, but I still have to put my hair up. Well, why don't you let one of the men drive tomorrow? Well, I'll be all right. Maybe we should take it a little easier. I want to make Barnsville as early as I can. Well, aren't we going to El Paso? Yes, but I want to stop and see my sister-in-law. We'll stay overnight there. Oh? She's coming along with us. Oh, won't that be nice? Need some more pens, dear? No, it's fine, thanks. Is your sister-in-law going to help you drive? No, she'll just ride along to El Paso. Going there to get my son, he's been in a sanitarium for two years. Oh, he's better now, thank goodness. Oh, that's good. But the doctors want him to stay in that climate. Yes, he's very healthy. How old is your boy? Eight. He was born three months after his father was killed in the war. Now he's all that I have. What do you care? That sounds like the men next door. It's Mr. Anderson, that Hollister person. Hey, we better go see what's wrong. What's happening in here? He was in my bag. Oh, gracious. Well, it's the same color as mine. Look, I'm sorry, Hollister, I made a mistake. Some mistake? Well, you don't suppose I did it on purpose? Why shouldn't I? Why, darn you anyhow? Oh, Mr. Wilson, maybe you can fix things. What's wrong? Plenty. Mr. Anderson accidentally opened Mr. Hollister's suitcase. Mr. Hollister's quite angry about it. Accidentally. Well, I apologize, didn't he? That ain't enough. How do I know he didn't clip something before I caught him? Well, you've been spoiling for a fight ever since we started. Now, put up your hands. Oh, stop. I'm sorry. No, you don't. Yes, I'll put up my hands. Don't do that. Don't do that. Don't do that. Don't do that. Don't do that. Don't do that. Don't do that. Don't do that. Don't do that. Don't do that. Don't do that. Don't do what I say. Now, why don't the two of you shake hands and forget the whole thing? No. All right. Forget it. Let's just get some sleep. We've got a long way to ride tomorrow. I'm afraid I'm pulling out. Huh? I've had all I can take of that fella. Oh, Mr. Anderson, you're not really leaving. Mrs. Lake, a man's a fool who don't know himself. For one more day around this man, I... A case from the official file which shows how your FBI helps promote homeowners about mortgages. A modern mortgage plan, mortgage years ahead of time. A real protection for you and your children and disaster. A mortgage like that isn't just a pleasant dream. It's the kind you actually get with an equitable society-assured home ownership plan. There's a good chance that you may be one of the select group of homeowners who can qualify for this money-saving home-saving plan. If so, you'll be interested in his four benefits. First benefit, this equitable plan provides a painless way to pay off the mortgage years ahead of schedule. This is one of the most important features of the equitable plan. Life insurance is combined with a low-cost first mortgage. The insurance element creates a cash loan fund which increases steadily. Each year the mortgage grows smaller and the cash loan fund bigger. I paid off my 20-year mortgage in 14 years. My cash loan fund had grown that big that fast. Second benefit, the cash loan fund in the assured home ownership plan is a friend in need when sickness or unemployment threaten home security. When I got laid off a couple of years ago, my cash loan fund helped me meet my payments till I found a good job. Third benefit, if the owner dies, his widow doesn't inherit a mortgage. She inherits her home free and clear. What's more, the equitable society not only cancels the mortgage but also returns to the widow every cent her husband had paid to reduce the principal. Lastly, the mortgage draws interest not at six, not at five, but at four percent. And closing costs are low. Naturally, a plan like this can't be offered to everyone. Your home must be in a neighborhood of stable realty values. Your equitable society representative will be glad to tell you whether you can qualify for this money-saving, home-saving, assured home ownership plan. All right, 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, the criminal caravan. Each year, some 700,000 people in this country are convicted of crimes and sent to prison. Each year also, too many of those prisoners escape. The time has come for you, the decent citizen, to do your part in preventing a great number of those fugitive cases. Since the overwhelming majority of those escapes are from local jails and very rarely from any of our larger penitentiaries, some people have assumed that the difference between such institutions is entirely physical. That is not the truth. The better prisons are operated by men who have made penal work their career. But in too many localities, the jail is run by a political hack, being paid for past and future political favors. Find out if that's the situation in your community. If it is, raise your voice as a citizen and keep raising it until you get a change. Tonight's file continues the following morning as the car carrying the four remaining travelers rolls along the highway. Well, that's about enough crocheting for now. What's there going to be, Ms. Lake? It's an anime castle for my sister. It's full of dropped stitches. I don't know how I can explain that they dropped every time you hit a cattle dip. Oh look, there's a baseball field. Reminds me of Mr. Anderson. I kind of miss him. I guess that's a crack at me. Well, young man, I do believe you were a bit hasty last night. Sure. Anderson made a natural mistake. Could have happened to anybody. It was my bag and I didn't like it. You didn't have to go that far. You wouldn't care if it happened to you? Somebody opening my bag by mistake? Yeah. If they apologized, like Anderson did, I'd forget about it. Any of your bags? I've only got one. I don't mean your police. Huh? How about that little leather pouch? Whatever is he talking about, Mr. Wilson? I don't know. That thing you stick under your pillow every night. Oh, that's... there's nothing in that. Why you've been stashing it? Well, if you must know, that's where I carry my girl's picture. Oh, isn't that sweet? I hid it because I thought it'd make me look foolish. Once you've passed 18, it's practically a crime to be sentimental. You keep on being that way. Sure. But keep out of my business. I take care of that myself. A minute, Mr. Young. Yes, come in, Taylor. Thanks. We're stymied on the woods case. Why? Well, the motor vehicle bureau couldn't help us. But Mrs. Bowman's car must have been registered. Well, it takes about three weeks for new certificates to be processed. They bought the car just the day before yesterday. No way they can check? Oh, sir, apparently not. Well, that's fine. Woods can be in Mexico in three days. Well, I'll wire the state police along every possible road they might be taking. Say... What? That man who owns the diner, Mrs. Bowman, worked at. If he could tell us where she bought the car... No, he can't, sir. He told me she got her to the used car lot, but he didn't know which one. Well, was it in the neighborhood of the diner? Oh? I've covered every dealer in that area and also the ones around where she lived. Well, there are a couple of hundred used car lots in town. At least. I'll put three more men in this case with you, Taylor. I want you to call every dealer in the city. Mrs. Bowman? Yes. Wasn't Barnesville where your sister-in-law lives? Mm-hmm. But that sign said Barnesville one mile. I know. Glad we're here this early. Why? Well, it'll give us all a chance to rest. We're stopping here, Hollister. What for? So Mrs. Bowman can see her sister-in-law. Who made that up? Mrs. Bowman told us all about it yesterday. Not me. She didn't. She said we were going to El Paso. Oh, we are. But tonight she's staying with her sister-in-law. I ain't on a social trip. Mrs. Lake, is it all right with you if we stop here? Of course. It is with me, too. We're out-voted, Hollister. How long do you want to stay? Just till morning. This looks like a nice camp. You stay in the car, Mrs. Lake. What for? There'll be room for you at my sister-in-law's. Oh, thank you. What are we supposed to do the rest of the day? Anything you like. We passed a very nice movie. Just what I'm looking for. Come on, Hollister. Okay. I'll pick you up right here at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning. The young something new has just been added. I'm a Woods case. That's right, sir. The police reported he robbed a jewelry salesman of $11,000 worth of rings, bracelets, and unset diamonds. When? Last Thursday. And they've tied Woods into it? That's right, about an hour ago. What are the details? The salesman was badly beaten after the robbery. He remained unconscious at City Hospital here until this afternoon. When the police questioned him, he identified Woods' picture. You've spoken to the salesman yourself yet? Well, he's lapsed back into a coma, but I got the story. There's nothing in it we can use. Have you finished your check on the used car lines? Yes, sir, and we didn't get a thing. How about the Motor Vehicle Bureau? There's been no word from them, sir. None from the state police along the route that car should be taking. I got a call from a man at the diner where the girl worked. She got a postcard in this morning's mail from her sister-in-law. She's due to stop there tonight. Oh, where's there? Well, the man didn't remember. Who's got the card now? It was returned to the postman. Well, maybe we can check it at the post office. No, I called over there. If the car had a return address, it's already on its way back. This, um, this man at the diner, he remember what the sister-in-law's name was? No. Well, she's staying at her sister-in-law's tonight. Mr. Young, I just thought of something. What's that? A new way, Uncle. I'm going back to my desk and make some phone calls. Now, give me that pouch. I don't know what you're... This gun. Now, let's have the pouch. Why is it so important to you? Just your girl's picture, ain't it? You said this afternoon you wouldn't mind anybody going through your stuff. When you sneak over to my bed in the middle of the night, that's different. This don't look much like a picture. How does it? They're for my girl. It's a wedding present. Real diamonds? Who are you kidding? Just put the stuff on the table there. You hear me? I get back into bed. What for? I'm getting dressed and leaving. I want to make sure that you stay. The butt end of this gun... Oh! Yeah! Take that gun with you! Come on! My name's Wilson! That doesn't make much difference what name you use. A jewelry salesman died this afternoon. Fred Woods, alias George Wilson and other names was turned over to state authorities by your FBI. He was tried and convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. It was true that the owner of the diner did not know what Mrs. Bowman's car looked like, where she had purchased it, or the name and address of her sister-in-law. But he did remember the first name of Mrs. Bowman's late husband. That proved to be all the information Special Agent Taylor needed. The rest was supplied by the Army Record Section, which gave the data about the former soldier's next of kin. That address turned out to be the one where Mrs. Bowman was staying. After being told about Woods, she took Agent Taylor to the cabin. And so another case from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation was closed. Closed with the arrest and conviction of this vicious criminal. An arrest which removed him from circulation and which therefore further protected your property and your very lives. Now one final message to homeowners. The more your home means to you, the more you'd love to be able to say, I've paid off my mortgage. I've loaned my home free and clear. How wonderful to be able to say those words while you're still young. Ask your Equitable Society representative to explain how and why many owners of an assured home ownership plan have been able to pay off their 20-year mortgages in about 14 years. Or send a postcard care of this station to the Equitable Life-Assuring Society of the United States. Next week we will dramatize another case from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. File number 302, its subject, draft dodging its title, the Selective Service Swindle. The incidents used in tonight's Equitable Life-Assuring 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 places or persons living or dead is accidental. Tonight the music was composed and conducted by Frederick Steiner. The author was Jerry D. Lewis. Your narrator was William Woodson and special agent Taylor was played by Stacey Harris. Others in the cast were Alice Backers, Tony Caruso, Sam Edwards, Henry Morgan, Wally Mayer, Charles Smith and Peggy Weber. This is your FBI is a Jerry Divine production. This is Larry Keating speaking for the Equitable Life-Assuring 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-Assuring Society will bring you another thrilling transcribed story from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Selective Service Swindle on This Is Your FBI. Stay tuned for the adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. There's fun for the whole family and Ozzie and Harriet come your way next. This is ABC, the American Broadcasting Company.