 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 its four million members, 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, Man Hunt. It's titled, The Island Fugitive. Tonight's case from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation tells one chapter from the story of Joe Burnett. Today, a killer, but 20 years ago, just a badly disciplined boy who craved excitement. Young Joe learned crime in the streets. His first offenses were minor, grabbing candy bars or trinkets from store counters. Then came the more daring first snatching, graduation to breaking and entry. Finally, Joe became the proud possessor of a gun, a series of hold-ups, then murder. Interspersed along the route were many court appearances, leading to sentences at various institutions, reform schools, local jails, and state prison. In these places inmates all too often find eager teachers well-schooled in crime. From first undetected misdemeanors, they go farther and farther along the criminal highway. Soon, like all criminals, overconfidence leads to their inevitable slip. And then comes the manhunt by the police or the FBI. Tonight's file opens in the cabin of a chartered plane flying at low altitude over a large northern lake. The only land in sight is a series of small islands scattered through the water. It is dawn as the pilot turns and speaks to his passenger, Deputy Sheriff Hank Robbins. Some islands dead ahead. Wait till I check the map again. Find them? Yeah, but the one we want's further north. How far? A couple of miles. Was your first look at the lake? From up here, yeah. Sheriff Clay took me around in a boat last week when I reported. Tappy, what's that light? Channel Boy. Oh. By the Air Force, we used a light that blinked like that to signal for help. How long you been out of the service, Cappy? About six years. Sometimes I wish I was back in. Well, this seems like a pretty good deal you got here. Ah, it's dull, Hank. People charter this plane to look for lost kids on the lake or husbands that went fishing for a weekend. You know, you're asking me to help you find this guy, Burnett, the first kick I've gotten in years? Well, there'd be plenty of kicks if we really do find him. He's wanted for murder. What makes you think he's around here? His uncle's a caretaker for one of the island homes. He helped Burnett hide out once before. Same place? No, out west. Let's have those binocs. Sure. Here. Is that the island? Ah, that's it. Pretty small. That's the island house. Can you see any people? But the smoke's pouring out of the chimney. Someone's there. Can we land on the lake, Cappy? I'm afraid not. Too much ice in that water. Well, let's go back then. Now that I know someone's there, I'll try making it by boat. Special Agent Jim Taylor is working at his desk when the telephone rings. Special Agent Taylor. Deputy. Ah, yes, Roberts. Have you checked it yet? Roberts, is this the same uncle who helped hide Burnett last time? Yeah. Can you get one? Well, the sheriff's out on another case, but I'll scout around on my own. Good. Wait for me at your office, and we'll go out to the island together. At the house on the tiny island, a gray-haired man sits in one corner of the kitchen, hammering tacks into a wooden frame. Want something, Edna? No, I'm headache-y today. Yeah, but I'm gonna get these new screens fixed for the porch. There won't be no flies till the spring to a shorter day that don't take hammering. Oh, all right. I still got the... Morning. Good morning, Joe. Good morning. I wish you could see yourself, Joe. Why? You've been here since Tuesday, and you look like a different fellow. Your cheeks got colored. How about breakfast? Oh, get yourself a bowl from the cup. Not that mush again. Well, cereal's good for you. George, I ain't staying here for free. Hello? Part of that money's for food. Well, we're sharing the same eating. You said you had no eggs. Well, we run out yesterday. What are those things by the stove? Oh. Oh, I was saving those. For who? Well, tomorrow's your uncle's birthday, and I figured on using those in the cake. George, don't need a cake. Scramble all three. I'm hungry. Deputy Roberts? I'm Sheriff Clay. Oh, I thought you were out of town, Sheriff. I'm Jim Taylor, FBI. Hi, Jim. I'd know you. Make yourself comfortable. Thanks, is Robert surrounding? No, but he left word you were coming. I guess I might as well wait sitting down. It could be a long wait. Oh, what do you mean? Well, from the note he left, it seems you asked him to locate a boat and wait for you. Ah, that's right. He got a weather report about a storm coming this way and decided to go out there alone. It wasn't very wise. Doesn't he know Burnett's record? He should. We went over it together. Well, I'd better go after him. Can you get me another boat? Sure, if you knew this lake, you still couldn't make it now. That storm will stop everything. How about Roberts? He left in time to make any island out there before it hits. Oh, I see. Well, when should he be back? He said in his note that it should take him about an hour to get to the island. He had weather holes. He said to save a plate at lunch for Burnett. He makes it sound like a picnic. Let's just hope Burnett doesn't prove it's not. You mean didn't that wall? I'm just giving you the second coat. Can it wait a bit? Well, I guess so. Why? Well, come on down. Oh, I've been up and down this ladder 50 times. George, you've got to talk to Joe. What's he done? Nothing. We just made a bad bargain. He ought to be paying more than he is. Oh, no, no, no, Edna, deals are deals. Well, I picked into that statue of his and he's got better than $10,000 in it. I don't... You locked that door? Not that I reckoned. Hello? Who are you? Deputy Sheriff Roberts. Sheriff? That's right. May I come in? Come ahead. Thanks. Are you Mr. Winfield? Yep. This is my wife. Oh, hello. Did you do some talking? I'd like a little information first. Oh, about what? Your nephew, Joe Burnett. George, that boy's got his stuff in trouble again. I just know it. Where is he? We don't know. He's not much of a hand for writing. Look, I know you helped him hide once before. Yeah, yeah. And he learned us our lesson. You think the boy's here with us? That's right. Well, you're free to go nosing around the house. I'll have a look outside first. There's a fresh set of prints heading into those trees. I'll be back after I see where they take me. Taylor, I've got bad news for you. No, it's not true. I just called the weather states. Storm coming up worse than they figured? Yes, it might last longer. Well, they know. Not to the wind changes. Any chance that it missed the lake? Nope. I hope Hank hasn't started back. There's no way of going out after him, sir. I've been around this lake for 30 years. When it storms out there, nothing moves. Don't worry about Hank too much, though. He's new, but he's got a gun and he knows how to use it. George. Here? Deputy's coming back. He got Joe with him? No. Well, let him come. All Joe's things are either way. Oh, I hope he don't now go asking us a lot of questions. Makes me so nervous. I better let him in. Well, don't appear like you found nothing. That all depends. Who's here besides you two? Not a living soul. That's not true, Mr. Winfield. We'd be lying to you. Outside your back door, there are three sets of new prints. Well, I've been in and out of there a couple of times. That'd make what you see. These were made by three different-sized shoes. Oh. Who made the third set? Well, I can't figure. You said I could look through the house. Well, but there's a couple of rooms you can't see. Why not? Well, you see, the doors are locked and the owner's got keys. Oh, strong. I just saw a shadow move across that window. Oh, well, that must be you. Don't move, Burnett. Put your hands in front of you. Like this? Walk towards me. Hold it that way till I get these cuffs on. Now can I come in? No, we're going back to Shore City. We can't. That storm won't stop us. Something else will. I just sunk your boat. We will return in just a minute to tonight's exciting case from the official file which shows how our FBI helps promote America's security. Now a special message to folks who are interested in mortgages, just mortgages and all the benefits of a truly modern mortgage plan. By modern, we mean a plan that gives you a painless way to pay off the mortgage years ahead of time, and which provides emergency protection for you and your family against foreclosure and disaster. That's exactly the kind of mortgage, a 1951 model that you get in the Equitable Society's famous Assured Home Ownership Plan. Membership in this plan is limited to a select group of homeowners. To the lucky ones who qualify, the plan offers these four important benefits. First benefit, this plan provides a way to pay off the mortgage years ahead of schedule. Here's why this is so. In the Assured Home Ownership Plan, a low-cost first mortgage is combined with life insurance protection. The insurance element creates a cash loan fund that increases steadily. Each year, the mortgage grows smaller and the cash loan fund bigger. I got rid of my 20-year mortgage in about 14 years. Now, about all my house costs me each year is the real estate taxes. Second benefit, the cash loan fund is a friend in need when sickness or unemployment threaten home security. A few years ago, I was laid up for the winter. Without that cash loan fund, we'd have had serious trouble meeting our mortgage payments. Third benefit, if the owner dies, inherits 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 4%, 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 and insured homeownership 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 Island Fugitive. Before we continue the story of Joe Burnett's attempt to escape justice, let's ask ourselves one question. What helped mold him into the killer he is today? One answer is his parents. Joe's mother babied him, always tried to protect him from the consequences of bad behavior. His father was the disciplinarian. Consequently, Joe never knew whether to expect a beating or a pat on the back when he'd done wrong. The most recent survey shows that this kind of erratic discipline in the home is a major cause of juvenile delinquency. If your parents can't agree on how your child should be handled and if your boy or girl shows signs of becoming a problem, don't just drift along hoping for the best. Consult your doctor or the child's teacher. They may be able to refer you to an organization equipped and ready to give you expert advice and help. The FBI recognizes that only intelligent child guidance can stop future Joe Burnett's. Or in the final analysis, parents are the first line of defense against juvenile delinquency. Tonight's FBI file continues in the cabin. What are you going to do now, Mr. Sheriff? That's a good question. Got an answer for you? Yeah. Sinking the boat won't stop even taking you in, Burnett. George, you think he's got friends coming after him? Not with that storm that's blowing. I don't need anybody else. Where's your boat, Mr. Winfield? Oh, I'm afraid you can't use that. Why not? Well, you see, I got her up on blocks. Well, we'll take her down. No good. The seams are wide open. Looks like you're going to have to put up here for a while. Oh, that means more food. In the way it's blowing, you better go check the windows. I think you'd better stay right here for the present, ma'am. Burnett, you sit in that chair. Okay. Glad to. Mr. Winfield? Yeah? I'd like it if you and your wife stayed in the house till the storm blows over. You know how long that'll be? Last storm around here blew a week. That's my problem. Sure is. And it's a big one. Sitting around like this for a week, you can get awful sleepy. See, there's three of us and only one of you. We can sleep in shifts. You've got to keep awake. That's why I gave myself up so easy. I didn't want to be hiding out in the cold. This way, I'm in a warm house and when you doze off, your gun moves over to our side. Sheriff, did you call the weather station again? Yes, there's a chance the wind will shift the way we want. Can we get a boat when it does? I've already arranged for one. I know one thing we can do while we're waiting. No, that's it. Let's chart our course on that wall, ma'am. That's a good idea. Now, down here, where we are now, which island are we heading for? Don't you know? No. Neither do I. No, I've no idea. All Robert said when he called was that Burnett was on one of the islands. Then we're stuck. Stuck? How long would it take to cover all of them? Maybe 10 days. Not all we can do now. Wait a minute, Sheriff. Roberts told me a pilot flew him over the place this morning. That'd be Cappy Nelson. He'd know where they went, how about calling him? Nelson's got no phone. Where does he live? In a hangar, dear boy. You all right, Roberts? No. Pillow, maybe? No. Just being friendly. Thanks. Well, nothing better than that after dinner. Yes, sir. Storm pierced me about over. Yeah. How's a friend doing? Well, he's still awake. Look at his eyes. He's real sleepy. Well, you can take over now, George. I'll nap. And I'll tell you what's awful good, yawn at him. You can yawn at one another, I'm going out. You mean you're leaving us? I want to look at that boat of yours. I'd like to borrow your flashlight. I don't have one. What's that over there on the table? Oh, well, I forgot. I forgot that that was here. I'll take it for a few minutes. Ain't no batteries in it. What makes it light? Well, it does light, don't it? Where's your wife? In the kitchen doing dishes. Good. None of you leave the house till I come back. Beachcraft 0042. This is shore city tower calling. Over. Captain Nelson. That's right. Captain, this is Special Agent Taylor, the FBI. The airport director authorized this call. What's it about? You flew Deputy Roberts this morning and he hasn't come back from the island yet. Well, Sheriff Clay and I are going out there by boat. What we'd like from you is the exact location of that island. That's right. What was that? Roberts did the navigating off a map he was carrying. Well, can you tell me which part of the lake it was? In a shore city police launch? Well, as I cruise over that corner and try to spot the boat. Fine, I'd appreciate it. Find the boat, Roberts? Yes. Where's Mrs. Winfield? Inside, napping. Well, let her sleep. She'll be rested for the trip. Where's she going? Back to shore city. We all are. How? There's nothing wrong with Winfield's boat. We leave as soon as it gets light. Oh, they ate enough gas to make shore city. The tank's full. I looked. For emergency, we'll take along a few of those five gallon cans from the back room. When do you miss that shotgun? What? Head this point in one street at your back. You just stand, mister. Hand over the gun, Roberts. Thanks. You ought to be thanking Edna, too. I nearly broke my neck bringing this from the attic. George, get the keys to these cuffs. Sure. All right, Roberts. Tell them where they are. My left-hand pocket. All right. Unlock them here. Sure, sure. Flying right over here. Uh-huh. Your friends, Roberts? I don't know. Ain't likely to be seen much at night. We're taking no chances. George, start packing. Now? Yeah. Get all our stuff ready. Put it in the boat. We've got the guns while we're leaving. His friends might come after him. He's been wanting a boat ride. Want to get light enough, let's give him one. Oh, plenty, but it's all bad. He hasn't found the island yet. Well, he can't stay up much longer. Has he covered the whole north corner? Yeah, just about. When's he due to land? Any time now. He tells me he's taking one more quick run. I don't know what else we can do. Nothing, except wait. What time is Nelson calling in again? He reports in about every two minutes. I'll keep this line open. All right, Sheriff, you stay with it, and we'll be right behind you. Joe? Remember you're saying thanks for me getting that shotgun. Uh-huh. It'd be nice if you could say it different. We can use a spot of cash to tie this up. We'll be right behind you. Joe, remember you're saying thanks for me getting that shotgun. Uh-huh. It'd be nice if you could say it different. We can use a spot of cash to tie this over. I've paid you once. It'd be nice if you could. The answers, no. Well, you sure ain't one for being grateful. George, go back to Shaw City the long way. Middle Channel? Yeah. Well, what for? We'll drop Roberts out there. With him and the boat gone, they'll think he had an accident. Joe, look. Hold it, Roberts. It's another boat. It's the one he came in. More deputies. Come on back to the house. Yeah, if they want me, let them try. Come on, Burnett! Run, Joe, run! Roberts, Roberts, you all right? I am now. Thanks, Taylor. You're welcome. I'm just glad we got here in time. Joe Burnett was turned over to state authorities and prosecuted for murder. He received a life sentence. The wind fields were each given six months after Roberts left the cabin after the storm. He searched for and located George Windfield's boat. Remembering that Cappy Nelson had told him that a blinking light is a signal for help. He removed the carbons from the flashlight batteries and set them a few inches apart. Using a wire to one of the spark plugs, Roberts was able to set up a blinking arc light by starting the motor. An adjustment on the throttle made the motor continue to run after he returned to the cabin and also made his homemade arc light continue to blink so Captain Nelson could see it when he flew over the island. And thus another case from the files of your FBI was closed. Another case in which a special agent received the fullest possible cooperation from local law enforcement officers to Sheriff Clay, Deputy Roberts, and the thousands of other local police officials who have given the bureau similar aid. We address this public note of appreciation. They are all men whose ability and courage your FBI was able to salute. Now one last word to Mr. and Mrs. Homeowner. How many years before you'll be able to say these wonderful words we've paid off our mortgage? We own our home free and clear. Make this dream come true while you're still young and can look ahead to many years of rent-free living in your home. Ask your Equitable Society representative to explain how Equitable's Assured Home Ownership Plan provides for paying off your mortgage years ahead of time. Ask your Equitable man soon or send a postcard 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. It's subject bank theft. It's titled The Penny Lender. 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 D. Lewis. Your narrator was William Woodson and special agent Taylor was played by Stacey Harris. Others in the cast were Sam Edwards, Bill Johnstone, Ted Osburn, Steve Pendleton, Victor Rodman and Peggy Weber. 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 transcribe story from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Penny Lender 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. This is ABC the American Broadcasting Company.