 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. 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 nearly 6 million people, one which ranks near the top in importance, is the Equitable's Assured Home Ownership Plan. In about 14 minutes, Mr. Keating will be back to tell you homeowners about the Equitable Society's famous Assured Home Ownership Plan. Tonight, the subject of our FBI file, Safe Cracking. It's titled, The Tin Can Killing. Criminals like athletes are either professionals or amateurs. The professionals usually dedicate themselves to what is sometimes called a life of crime. Starting as juvenile delinquents, they end serving a life term in prison. Many of them are specialists, experienced experts in hold-ups, hijacking, forging or confidence games. But the amateur criminal is an entirely different breed of man. In this class comes the trusted employee who falsifies his accounts over a long period. Or the amateur may be some ordinary citizen who has suddenly given what seems like a magnificent opportunity to rob or commit an act of violence with little danger of getting caught. Tonight's case from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation deals with this second type of amateur criminal. Tonight's file opens on the outskirts of an Indian Reservation located in a western state. It is early morning and the quiet is broken only by the drone of a plane overhead. Suddenly, the plane falters. Its motor sputters. It loses altitude, fights to stay aloft. Then the motor fails completely. It tries to glide to safety, spins and plunges to earth. I knew that plane come down here. I was wrong. You broke up as bad as I figured. No. Looks like folks inside. I guess they never had no chance to jump. The door is stuck. Give me a hand, Arnold. Okay. Let's yank together. Are you in here pulling my arm off? Let's go in. How are they? They're anxious, but they look to be breathing. I reckon they're alive. See if I can move her. She's heavy and I figured. You need help? Get that suitcase she's laying on. Got it. I'll just stretch her out again. There you are, lady. Now open the bag. See what's in it. Nothing but clothes so far. What's that down there? It appears to be a box. There. A short jingle. Open it, Herb. Look at this ring. Racelets. And things women hang on their neck. It looks like real, too. Yeah. Wait until Clare sees this. Let's get on back and show it to her, huh? What about these people? What about them? Maybe they need help. You said they were alive, didn't you? What's in this box? There's a lot more important to me. Just a minute, Whitley. Hello, Mr. Porter. I thought they were your horses. What you got there? Oh, just a box. That you took from the plane. Let me have it. I'll take that box, Whitley. All right. What happened to the passengers? They're in there, Mr. Porter. Are they alive? Why didn't you help them? By going through the suitcase? That's not an argument. If they're alive, I'll need your help. We got to get them to a hospital. Time you two come home. Couldn't get back no quicker, Clare. You'll put the groceries inside. Oh, we forgot them. What? We just forgot them. I send two grown men out for a little shopping. You're gone half the day and you come back without them. Well, something happened. Arnold, start hanging up these clothes. But don't you want to know what happened? No. Enough to do the washing. We're not hanging it, too. Hand me that shirt. Here. Well, what's your story? We were going into town, Clare. Right close to where we was riding, my airplane fell down. A couple of people in it. That Indian agent came along and made me and Arnold help him fetch the folks to the hospital. Well, where are they? The Indian agent took it. What'd you give it to him for? He took it. How much are you going to get for finding it? Clare, we didn't exactly find it. We just got there first. Then you ought to get a reward. Come on. See that Indian agent. You two ain't smart enough to get what's coming to you. I am. You two, Arnold, get to moving. We're all going back to town. At a nearby FBI field office, Special Agent Taylor is returning from the file room when his phone rings. Special Agent Taylor speaking. Bruce Porter, Jim. Oh, hello, Bruce. You here in town? No, I'm calling from the reservation. Got some business for you. Oh, what kind? I'd like to get eye dents on a couple of people. I mailed you their prints a little while ago. They crashed in a private plane on the reservation this morning. No markings on the plane? No, I don't know how to read any of the numbers. Oh, I see. And if they were carrying registration papers, I couldn't find them. Both people killed Bruce? No, but they're unconscious and on the critical list at the hospital. How about their clothes, luggage? No cleaners tags on any of the clothes, Jim, but there was a jewel box with quite a few valuable pieces in it. I'm keeping that here in the office safe. You say you've already mailed those prints, Bruce, huh? Yes, I addressed them to you. Okay, as soon as they come in, I'll take care of them. Hello, Whitley. Could we see you a minute? Come in. Go ahead, Claire. Arnold. Okay. You know the wife. Yeah. Oh, Miss Whitley. Hello. What can I do for you? Well, me and my brother here want to talk to you about that box of diamonds. Yeah. I had no right taking it. I didn't take it for myself. It belonged to the people in that plane by duty to protect the property. What about a reward? Ain't it right they should get one? The owners can decide about that if they recover. They can't give us nothing if they're dead. I've been in touch with the hospital. It appears they'll live. So if you check with me from time to time, I'll bring the matter up with them. Why don't we hold on to the stuff till they're feeling better? That sure ain't being fair. I'm sorry, Mrs. Whitley, but I can only do my duty. I'm very busy, so would you please excuse me? You mean you want us to get out? I'm afraid so, yes. Come on, Claire. All right. I'll let you know when I've spoken to the owner. Oh, don't do us no favors. Go on, Claire. Oh, wait for me. Looks like we made a wasted trip. It ain't gonna be. Well, what can we do? You heard what he said? He said he's got the box in the safe. You're going back tonight and get it. How's it coming? Okay. You want more light? Up a little. That better? Sure, taking a long time. Well, take me to Butter. More tapping. Come on. Herb, you did it. There's the box. Someone's coming without light. The Indian agent. Who else do you expect? Get the box. We're going. Special Agent Taylor speaking. Bruce Porter, Jeff. Oh, Bruce. I just put in a call for you and the other line. I didn't report it on those prints. I'm calling. Remember me mentioning the jewel box that was on the plane? Yeah. Someone cracked my safe last night and stole it. On the reservation? Yeah. Well, that's our jurisdiction. You got any suspects? None of the job poisoned our watchdog first and then came in and robbed a safe. When this happened, Bruce? Late last night. I returned while the bandits were here, but before I could turn on the lights, I was slugged. Oh, you sound all right. It wasn't anything serious. Just enough to put me out for a few hours. Well, Sheriff Spencer from over in Roosevelt was here and left for home this morning. Said he'd drop the item reports off at your office. Are you coming out to work on the robbery, Jim? Well, that's up to the agent in charge, Bruce. If he puts me on it, I'll grab the first plane. Get your back into it, Arnold. I've done enough shopping. Not for Clara. Oh, nothing's enough for her. Somebody coming. Can you say who it is? Looks like the Indian agent. I think he knows we couldn't. Howdy. Whitley, I want to talk to you. No Indians around if you're hunting strays. I'm here to ask you some questions. They don't have to answer, but I appreciate it. Where were you two last night? Depends what time? Midnight. We were sleeping. Why? Somebody poisoned my dog and robbed the safe at the office. Anything happened to all them diamonds? They were stolen. And you two were the only suspects. Me and Arnold? That's right. Why us? Nobody else knew those diamonds were in my safe. Well, now look, Mr. We wouldn't do nothing like that at you. By the wood pile, Clara. Oh, you're here. I was just asking them a few questions, Miss Whitley. About the reward? No, Clara. Seems them diamonds were stolen last night. Thinks me and Arnold did the taking. He's calling you crooks. Miss Whitley, my safe was broken into last night. The diamonds were stolen. You're just saying that so you can keep the reward. Your husband and his brother are the only ones who knew that the diamonds were in my safe. Can you prove it? Well, not in a court of law, perhaps. You don't come back here till you can. You hear me, Mr. Porter? I'm asking you to get off our property. I heard you. Miss Whitley, I'll prove they stole the jewel. Get out of here! How much he asked you before I come? Just where we was last night. What did you tell him? We said we was home here. Looks like he's going back the long way. Herb, you and Arnold go through the pass. Catch him coming past Rock Point. What do we want to do that for? So you can kill him. We will return in just a minute to tonight's exciting case from the official file which shows how your FBI helps promote America's security. Now we have something important to say about home mortgages. Did you know that there are two kinds of mortgages, the old-fashioned variety and a truly modern mortgage? A modern mortgage plan means simply this. It must provide a method for paying off the mortgage years ahead of time and it must give you emergency protection against foreclosure due to unforeseen disasters. Sounds like a large order, doesn't it? But that's exactly what you get in an equitable, assured home ownership plan. There's a good chance you may be one of a select group of home owners who can qualify for this plan. If so, here are the four benefits it offers. First benefit, this plan provides a painless way to pay off the mortgage years ahead of schedule. This works out very simply. In the assured home ownership plan, a low-cost first mortgage is teamed up with life insurance. The life insurance feature 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 about six years ahead of time. That was a great day in my life. Second benefit, the cash loan fund is a friend in need when sickness or unemployment threaten home security. One year, my wife and I were in an auto accident. Both in the hospital at the same time. We'd never have been able to meet our mortgage payments without that cash loan fund. 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 has 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 Equitable Society representative will tell you whether you can qualify for this money-saving, home-saving, assured home ownership plan or right care of the 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 Tin Can Killing. In connection with tonight's case from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, we bring you a statement from FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. Mr. Hoover's message is, and I quote, the overwhelming majority of our citizens are capable of understanding the difference between right and wrong. They act, or are suited to act, through man's sense of right. Our relationship with one another is for the most part determined by the fealty we pay to the established and time-honored principles of human conduct. Morals are the unwritten laws, the rules and the customs upon which civilization is founded and by which it is welded together. The criminal has convinced himself he is outside the law that man-made laws and moral conduct do not apply to him. He feels he is above all law of God and man. For that reason he is morally indifferent, completely irresponsible. He takes what he wants with no regard for others. Violations of enacted statutes against him, he reasons, because those laws, indeed all laws, were written to apply to others. His warped and distorted powers of reasoning and subsequent un-moral action are predicated upon one motivating force, greed. Tonight's FBI file continues at the office of the Indian agent. Special Agent Jim Taylor has just arrived. Anybody here? Hello, Taylor. Hello, Sheriff. Bruce, where is he? Missing. Been going since yesterday afternoon. Any idea where he went? Told his wife he was going out on the robbery. Didn't say where. I parted the safe over there for Prince a little while ago. And unclean enough to use. Well, I don't think we'll have to go very far to locate the safe, Craggers. That's an amateur job if I ever saw one. I'll get it, sir. Hello, Mr. Porter's office? Yes, that's right. Yes, Doctor? Mr. Porter was found near Rock Point this morning, just brought in. What happened to him? He's been shot. He hasn't regained consciousness, but from his condition I'd say he was wounded some 12 or 18 hours ago. How is he? We won't have a full report for a while yet. Thanks, Doctor. I'll be right over. Bruce, Sheriff. How is he? Good. How much could he tell you? His name's Whitley. I think they did the shooting. Are they suspects in the robbery? Yeah, but he has no proof as yet. Will he have anything we might try and develop? No, another thing. Jim, this tin can might mean something. Where'd you get it? I found beside Porter's dog. Wasn't he poisoned? Probably by the contents of the can. I'll have the lab analyze the food and examine the cover for Prince. We'll send it in the same package with that bullet. Answer that, Arnold. I can't be for me. You heard him answer it. All right. Afternoon. I'm a special agent at the FBI. This is Sheriff Spencer. Here are my credentials. Something you want? Are you one of the Whitley family? Yep. Your brother at home? Yep. I'd like to come in and talk to both of you. Well, come ahead. Yes. He's from FBI. This one's a Sheriff. I'm from Roseville. What do you want? We'd like to talk to you about a couple of things. First is the robbery of Mr. Porter's safe. He was here. We told him what we knew. Maybe you can tell us something about the shooting. Shooting? That's right. On his way home yesterday, somebody winged Mr. Porter as he was approaching Rock Point. Either of you men been over near there? Nope. Me neither. Well, me and Arnold stopped by a water hole yesterday. Yeah. You got anything else to ask? Ask it fast, Mr. They got chores to do. Can't be settin' around all day, John, with strangers. You have any more questions, Sheriff? No. Then I guess that'll be all. You don't mind if we look around outside, do you? Just as long as you get out. Go ahead, Sheriff. Let's walk around the shack and take a look at their trash pile. Pardon me, Doctor. Hello there. Yes, but please don't stay too long. Okay, thanks. Hi, Bruce. Hello, Jim. Feeling better this morning? Yeah, thanks. Oh, that's great. You been to see the Whitleys? Yeah. Sheriff Spencer and I were not yesterday. Get anything? More frustration. Jim, I know they're guilty. There must be some way of proven it. We're tryin', Bruce. Any report from Ballistics? It was loaded with arsenic. I found that the Whitleys have a barrel of arsenic in their body. Yeah, but so are a lot of other farmers. Yeah, I found that out, too. Jim, how about the can of food? Oh, Bruce tracing that purchase back to them is just about impossible. Half the stores in town carry that brand of hash. Well, nobody's quitting, Bruce. We'll keep workin' on it. Oh, hi, Sheriff. Your wife says she'll be out later. Well, Taylor, she gave me this message for ya. Thanks, Sheriff. A few minutes ago. Well, this is what I've been waiting for. Come on, Sheriff. Bruce, we'll talk to ya later. Where you goin'? Get some warrants and pay another call on the Whitleys. Hello, Whitley. Your brother and his wife here. Yeah? You mind if we come in? You two back again? That's right, ma'am. Sheriff and I have a little more information than we had yesterday. The only thing it'd interest us would be if you found those diamonds. Well, pretty close. And what we know now, you've got them. That ain't so. You know, you three may not have heard about it, but there's a lot more to police work today than just chasing people. There's something called scientific crime investigation. What's that? Well, maybe the best way to explain it to you is by example. You remember I was telling you yesterday about that mud in your horse's hooves? Yeah. Well, I scraped some of it off, put it in an envelope. And the Sheriff and I went to Rock Point. Looked for a little cliff. What for? Well, we know that that bullet entered Mr. Porter's body. We knew he'd been shot from someplace above him. When we located a cliff with fresh hoof prints, we took a sample of that dirt and sent both envelopes to our laboratory in Washington. What's dirt got to do with diamonds? Just this much. The dirt from your horse's hooves and the dirt from that cliff match perfectly. Dirt's dirt. It's not the same all over, though. In fact, the dirt on the cliff is different from any dirt in this valley. So when you said you hadn't been near Rock Point, you were lying. Maybe they forgot. That don't mean they shot the Indian agent. No, it doesn't. And why are you telling all this to us? Give you some idea of the work that's been done on this case. The food that poisoned the Indian agent's dog was loaded with arsenic, but we couldn't trace that back to you. And there was no way of proving any of you bought the can of hash the arsenic was mixed into. You couldn't prove them things because we didn't do them. But the FBI laboratory in Washington says differently. You see, in addition to scraping your horse's hooves yesterday, the Sheriff and I looked at your trash pile. That's our property. There were ten cans out there, and they were sent onto the laboratory, too. Well, everybody's got ten cans. Oh, sure, but not like yours. Our laboratory can prove the can of food used to poison Mr. Porter's dog, and the ones found in your trash were opened by the same can opener. Jim, look out! You're not using that gun anymore! All right, Sheriff. Let's get them all to town. Herb, Clara, and Arnold Whitley were convicted of assault with intent to commit murder and burglary on an Indian reservation. Each received a sentence of 25 years in the federal penitentiary. Upon examination, the FBI crime laboratory reported that the bullet removed from Indian agent Bruce Porter had been fired from Herb Whitley's gun. The work done in tonight's case by the laboratory improving the Whitley's guilty was spectacular, but not unusual. These technicians who man the microscopes, the spectroscopes, and other instruments make daily contributions to the fight against crime. Their work has been as great a lever as any other groups in the rise of law enforcement to the status of a profession. Like every other member of the Bureau, these men of the FBI lab work not on conjecture, but on facts, for they are men of science, men who have given of their time, their efforts, and their talents to help protect your life and your liberty. Now one last word to you homeowners. When will the red letter day come when you're able to say, my mortgage is all paid off. I own my home free and clear. Why not take steps to make that day come true while you're still young? Let your equitable society representative show you how Equitable's assured homeownership plan makes it easy to pay off your mortgage years ahead of time. See your equitable man soon, or send a postcard care of the 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. Its subject, hijacking, its title, The Roaring Twenties. 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 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 Parley Bear, Harry Carey Jr., James Dobson, Peggy Weber, Ben Weldon, and Carlton Young. This is your FBI as 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 the same time, when the Equitable Life Assurance Society will bring you another thrilling transcribed story from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Roaring Twenties on This Is Your FBI. Stay tuned for the adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. There's fun for the whole family when Ozzie and Harriet come your way next. This program came to you from Hollywood. Thank you.