 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 as a public service by the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States and the Equitable Society's representative in your community. Did you ever hear of a mortgage that cancels itself if the owner dies? That's the kind of modern mortgage that thousands of American homeowners now have. They've taken advantage of the Equitable Society's assured home ownership plan. So if you own your own home, be sure to listen carefully to the middle commercial of this program. For interesting information on America's finest plan for home ownership, offered by the Equitable Life Assurance Society. Tonight's FBI file, The Horoscope Homicide. The basic quality of crime has not changed materially in the last hundred years. In 1847, men were committing murders and robbing other men and doing the very same things that criminals do today. And crimes were committed a century ago for the very same reasons they're committed today. For revenge, for lust, for greed. But there is one big difference in the crime picture today. And that is that law enforcement has progressed to the point of being not a business, but a science. In the old days, if the constable of a town did not apprehend the criminal before he fled, the criminal was safe. But today, there is a vast network of law enforcement agencies that makes every career of crime unprofitable. That network begins with your local police and ends with your FBI, the last line of your defense. Tonight's FBI file opens in a small dimly lighted room. Bruce Holden, a slightly studious looking man, is seated in one corner of this room, busily writing. A companion nervously paces the floor. Yes, Wally? You've got a cigarette. There's some in my jacket there. Help yourself. You want one? No, thank you. Does this bother you? What? My talking like this while you're working. No, no, not at all. Hey, mind if maybe I watch a while? Well, go right ahead. Not that I'd understand any of it. Astrology is really quite simple. Not the way you work it. What do you mean? All them charts and things. Well, they just look complicated, Wally. Actually, when you understand what the position of the stars mean, what relation they have to the individual, then it's not involved at all. To me it is. If I want to know what my fortune's going to be, I'll invest a penny and get my correct weight besides. You'll be wasting a penny. Why? This is a very exact science. Now, look here. Yeah? Now, here you see the planets as they are at the present time. The accompanying graph is their relationship to me. Now, this is determined, of course, by the year and day of my birth. Uh-huh. I've been working on this chart for a very specific reason. Trying to determine what the immediate future holds in store for me. Well, how are you doing? I'm fine. Well, what do you find out? This coming Wednesday will be a most favorable day for us to break out of this jail. Two days later, in a large city some 50 miles away from the jail holding the two astrology-minded criminals, FBI Special Agent Jim Taylor is just entering the office of his agent in charge. Well, Mr. Houston. Yes, Jim. May I see you for a minute, please? Yes, come in. Thank you. What's on your mind? Well, I was going down to the Elton County Jail this afternoon to interview a man named Walter Middleton. Middleton? Yes, the local police picked him up down there, but we have a detainee on him. He was involved in the Williams extortion case. Oh, yes. We never recovered the money he collected. That's right, sir. That's what I was going down to question him about. Why do you say was going down? Well, I received a call from the warden in the jail about 20 minutes ago. Middleton and another convict just escaped. Well, how did that happen? Well, the two men were cellmates. They complained of feeling ill, so they were given permission to see the prison doctor. Yes. Once they were in the doctor's office, they overpowered him. He used his keys to get out, and what's more, they even stole his car. I see. When did this break occur? Oh, just about one hour ago. Any trace of them yet? Well, the warden hadn't received any word when I spoke to them. Local and state police have been alerted, I imagine. Yes, sir, they have. We have an interest in finding Middleton, too. Send out an alarm on our teletype, Jim. I've already done that, sir. Good. Let me know as soon as something breaks. Relax, Wally. Uh-huh. Relax. And enjoy the scenery. Are you kidding? Look, as long as we stay on these back roads, we're perfectly safe. Believe me, nothing can happen to us. I know. I know. It says so in the stars. Exactly. Look, Bruce, I don't want to put the whammy in your astrology deal, but I'd feel a lot safer if we will hold up someplace right now. We will be, shortly. You mean if your mother done like you told her? I'm certain she has. When did you give her the word? Last week, when she came to visit me. What'd you tell her? That she should find a cabin in some isolated spot. How do you know she got it? Wally, I told you. She sent me a note describing the place. Said she'd wait there for company. Uh, company meaning us. Oh. How far is it from here? About another 30 miles. What's the name of the place? Center Falls. I never heard of it. It's about 10 miles from Quincy. Oh. You know Quincy, don't you? Yeah, yeah, yeah. In fact, I seem to recall you're telling me that you hid that extortion money somewhere near there. That's right. How much was that, by the way? Uh, 20 grand. Quite a sum. Oh, what good does it do me? I can't forget up while it heats on me. Say, I just thought of something. What? Perhaps my mother could help you out. Oh. Just tell her where the money is. Uh, let her pick it up. Oh, I couldn't have anybody's mother do a job like that. Mine is quite exceptional. Just wait and see. Hey. What are you turning here for? I see a car parked down on the road there. There's no one in it. So, this doctor's car is pretty hot by now. I think we should work out an exchange. Special Agent Taylor. Hello there. This is Sergeant Burbank, State Police. Oh, hello, Sergeant. I worked with you last year on the Collins case. Oh, yes. Yes, I remember you very well. Oh, it's on your mind, Sergeant. Well, I understand that you fellows are interested in this man Middleton who escaped from the county jail. Yes. Yes, we certainly are. We have a detainer on him. Well, we located the car that he used in the prison break. It was found on the outskirts of Quincy. Abandoned? Yes. Any sign of Middleton and the other convict? No, but a second car was stolen right near the place where they left the first one. Evidently decided to change cars and take some of the heat off. Well... Oh, Sergeant, has an alarm been sent out of a second car? Yes, it has. But they may have gotten quite a start. According to the owner, it could have been stolen any time within the last four hours. I see. Well, if we come up with anything, Jim, I'll call you immediately. All right, thanks, Sergeant. Goodbye. Well, here we are. This is really hidden away all right. Let's get out on your sign. Oh, OK. What do we do with the car? Just leave it here for now. Look. Oh. The lamp in the window. That's Mother's touch. She's such a sentimentalist. You mean wandering boy stuff? Exactly. It's my mother, Bruce. Hello, Mother. Oh, son, it's so good to see you. Come right in. Charlie, come ahead, Wally. OK. Oh, I'm so glad you're here. Mother, this is Wally Middleton. Hello, Wally. Hi, Mrs. Holder. I've heard so much about you. You were Bruce's roommate, weren't you? Well, uh... Yeah. Now tell me. How did everything go? Just fine. No trouble at all? Just with the doctor. Goodness, I hope you didn't use any guns. No, I just slug them. Oh, that's much nicer. I owe a great deal to Wally Mother. Really? If it hadn't been for his muscular skill, we'd still be cooped up in that cell. Oh, stop, will ya? With your brains that got us out of there. Don't forget the astrology. Oh? Oh, oh, yeah. Yeah, the stars. Now don't get him started on that. Look, sit down, both of you. I've had dinner on the stove for hours. Hey, that sounds OK. I'm real hungry. I'm sure you are. I can remember once when Bruce's father broke out of jail, the poor man was stopped. Some more pie, young man. Oh, no, thanks, Mrs. Holden. How about you, Bruce? Oh, Mother, I'm full. What a dinner. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm afraid that roast will have to go a long way, though. Why's that, Mother? Well, so nice spent practically everything I had on getting here and renting this cabin. Oh? I'm afraid one of you is going to have to do a job real soon if we're going to go on living here. Oh, wait a minute. What? I got front of your toe. Really? Oh, how wonderful. Mother, Wally is referring to some loot from a former job. He has it hidden away over in Quincy. Oh. Well, look, didn't you say before that your mother would go get it? Yes, but I didn't know if you wanted her to. Oh, sure I do. If it's OK with her. What do you say, Mother? I'm afraid I don't quite follow you. Wally has $20,000 buried over near Quincy. Yes? I can give you the directions where it's head. I see. How would you feel about going over tomorrow morning? I'm getting it. Where did you get this money, young man? On a job. What kind of a job? Extortion. Oh, how clever. I'll get it first thing in the morning. Are you busy, Mr. Euston? No, come in, Jim. Fine. I'd like to give you the latest report on that escaped convict, Middleton. Well, let's have it. Well, as you know, the state trooper called me yesterday. He reported that Middleton and his companion had stolen a second car. Yes? Well, they set up roadblocks for it, but nothing turned up all night. And they've evidently gone under somewhere in that neighborhood. It would appear that way, yes. However, it's too large an area to do any house to house, Jim. Have you gone into the background of these men, Jim, to see if they have any friends? Or relatives living in that vicinity? Oh, yes, sir, I have. And as far as I could learn, Middleton has no known friends or relatives near where the car was stolen. I see. I checked on the man who escaped with him. His name is Bruce Holden. Yes? He has a mother who has a criminal record of self. They've always worked very closely together. I put a tracer out on the mother, and I found that she had moved from the last address just a week ago. Could you learn where she's gone? Well, I talked to her landlady. She said that her daughter had bought the holding woman a bus ticket to some place in the vicinity of where the car was stolen. That sounds like a lead, Jim. Yes, sir, I know. The landlady's daughter was out when I called. I'm going over there later and interview her. It's just fine. Did you get the money? Of course. Good for you. Oh, it was the funniest thing. I went... Goodness, what happened to him? Hmm? Look at your friend Wally's tied up in that chair. That's right. Who did that to him? I did. Where's the money, mother? Oh, I have. It's right here in my shopping bag. Oh, Bruce. Yes, mother? Why did you tie him up? Well, to begin with, mother, according to the stars, his future was very dark indeed. Oh, poor boy. Then there was a selfish motive, too. Money. This money I have here? Yes. I see. Did you have any trouble getting to Quincy? No. I found a bus that took me right there. You made very good time. Didn't I, though? Son. Yes? What are you going to do with your friend here? I've just been thinking about that. I'm afraid I'm going to have to kill him. Oh, goodness. He seems like such a nice young man. I know, mother. But $20,000 can make life very pleasant, all right? Oh, that's true. Look, mother, I think I'll get this over with now. It may not be very pleasant. You'd better leave the room. Oh, don't mind me, son. I'll just stay here and count this money. Tonight's case from the official FBI files will be reopened in just a moment. The place where I find rest and relaxation. Where I spend the happiest hours of my life. My own home. Yes, but there can be a sour note in home, sweet home. When the shadow of insecurity menaces the family's peace of mind, and that's why the Equitable Society created its assured home ownership plan, a money-saving plan that has these four advantages. First, if the owner dies, the Equitable Society cancels the mortgage. It's paid off in full. What's more, every dollar previously paid on principle is returned to the widow along with the cancelled mortgage. Second, mortgage interest is only 4%, and there is a liberal allowance to help cover the mortgage. Third, during the owner's lifetime, a special cash fund is built up in this plan ready for use of sickness or unemployment threaten home security. Fourth, as your mortgage shrinks, the cash fund increases. You can use it to pay off a 20-year mortgage, for example, in approximately 14 years. Well, suppose I don't use the cash fund for an emergency or to pay off my mortgage. It's yours. And after you've paid off your mortgage, you can use it to pay off your mortgage. And after you've paid off your mortgage, the cash fund equals about half of the original loan. All in all, a man is mighty lucky. It is health, age, income, and the location of his home qualify him for an equitable, assured home ownership plan. Say, I'd like to know whether I can qualify. Ask your Equitable Society representative. Get full information on the plan that protects you against the two major hazards of home mortgages. Death and hard time. Look in the phone book or send a postcard 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 Horoscope Homicide. Recently, in a large eastern city, a policeman apprehended two men in the act of committing an armed robbery in the gunfight which followed one of the criminals with severely wounded. The other made his getaway. The policeman questioned the wounded thief before he died but he could get no information. The next day, in recounting the story, one newspaper pointed out that this was the law of the underworld. That this was honor among thieves. But tonight's case from the files of your FBI proves that there is no such thing as honor or decency or loyalty among thieves. When there is something to be gained by being disloyal. There are no codes of honor among criminals for one very good reason. There are no honorable criminals. Tonight's file continues at the FBI field office. Special Agent Jim Taylor is talking to the agent in charge. Mr. Houston, I think we're beginning to get some place in that Middleton case. Good. What have you got, Jim? I told you I was going to check up on Holden's mother. That's the man who escaped with Middleton? That's right, sir. I went to the place where she last lived and interviewed her landlady's daughter. Yes? She said she bought a bus ticket to the old woman to a place called Center Falls. I see. And Center Falls is only 10 miles from Quincy. Oh, that sounds like she's involved, all right. Yes, I have a hunch that she's the one who set up the hideout. That's logical. I contacted the state trooper down there I've been working with and gave him a description of Holden's mother. I asked him to check with the real estate men at tourist camps and find out if she's been seen. Good. Mr. Houston, I think I should get down to Center Falls. I agree with you, Jim. Get going right away. Yes, mother? What are you doing? Working on a chart. Oh, and what do the stars have to say today? They're quite favorable, mother. Oh, isn't that nice. They seem to indicate that a trip is in order. Good heavens, son. I wouldn't need the stars to tell us that. They seem to point to either a boat trip or a seashore. Please, let's make it the seashore. I don't like boats. Very well. That's what it will be. Oh, uh, did you finish counting the money? Yes. How much was that? Exactly 20,000. Just as poor Wally said. Fine. By the way, Bruce, what are we going to do about his remains? We'll bury him. Oh, how sweet. When do you intend to leave here, son? As soon as possible. Are we going to use the car you came in? No. That's too hot. I want you to go into town and buy one. Uh, go to a used car lot. Buy one? Yes. Well, it's against my principle, but I'll do it. Oh, Sergeant. Sergeant Burbank. Yes? They're looking all over for you. Oh, hello there, Jim. Got a job finding you. Headquarters, headquarters to a real estate man. And he sent you here? That's right. Well, it's too bad we both didn't arrive a little sooner. Why would he mean? This is the hideout, all right, but two of our birds have flown. Middleton and Holden? Holden and his mother. Middleton is still here. Oh, good. Not so good, Jim. Mm-hmm. He's dead. Oh. I just discovered the body a few minutes ago. And is it in the cabin? No, he was buried out back. I noticed a fresh mound of earth. That's how I found him. I see. Have you searched the cabin? No, I just gave it a quick going over. Well, let's go in and give a look around, all right? Really? How was Middleton killed, sir? He was stabbed. The knife was buried with him. I'm holding it for print. Evidently killed by his confederate, huh? Yeah, it looks that way. Well, go ahead, Jim. Thanks. There are just two rooms here, Jim. Holden's mother rented it just a week ago. Well, let's see him as a look around. Right. They couldn't have left here too long ago. I know. They didn't take the second car they stole either. That's still parked out in the... Wait a minute, Sergeant. Yeah? Well, look here. The newspaper. They did last May 17th. And, Sergeant, if I remember correctly, May 17th was the day that Middleton's extortion victim paid him off. Really? Yes. Notice where this newspaper's folded. It could easily have been wrapped around a package of money. And if he recovered that money, then it could be the motive for his murder. You mean Holden and his mother used it for a getaway? That's right. There's something else too that might be a lead for it. What, Jim? It's a writing pad. I can see the indentation where something was written. Well, I'll get this off to our laboratory. Oh, Sergeant. Look, the FBI has no jurisdiction on this murder, but we do want to recover that extortion money, so we're still very much in this case. Jim? Oh, Sergeant, I've been waiting for you. I have a report here from our laboratory. It's on that indented writing we found on that pad. Yes? The report states the writing was a letter that Holden had sent to a book company requesting they send some astrology books to an enclosed address. An enclosed address? Yes. That kind of stymies us. But we can contact the book company and they should be able to help us. Sergeant. Yes, Jim? The book company just called me back. Yes? They recall getting that order and we're sent to Ocean City General Delivery. In Holden's name? That's right. I'll check General Delivery down there at once. Well, Sergeant, we've hit a stone wall. How's that, Jim? I contacted the Ocean City Post Office. The package was picked up yesterday. Oh, that is a tough break. Yes. Well, at least we know where they are. We can get the local police down there to help us look for them. Give them general description. Wait a minute, Sergeant. There may be a quicker way of getting them. I just remembered something. Who is it? It's me, son. Oh, just a minute. Come in. Oh, thank you. Oh, I had such a wonderful morning shopping. I brought some of the things home with me. I'm having all the groceries. I see. Son, are you working on one of those charts again? Yes, Mother. Don't you think you should quit for a while? After all, we're the decisions. Mother, please. Son, what's wrong? Oh, it's this chart I'm quite worried about. Why? It's right on the cusp. I don't know if we're about to be very lucky or unlucky. Now, don't you go worrying over some little cusp. Put those papers away like a good boy and relax. Mother, I dropped... Oh, that must be the groceries. I'll answer it. Just a minute. Yes? Mrs. Holden. That's right. The grocery store sent me over here. Oh. Well, where are the groceries? Oh, I'm not the delivery boy. I'm a special agent of the FBI. What? What's wrong, Mother? It's from the FBI. Close that door. Wait a minute. How do you get in here? That money you took from Middleton was extortion money. All the bills were marked. So you see, you'll let me hear yourself. Bruce Holden was turned over to the local authorities, tried, convicted and sentenced to be executed for the murder of Wally Middleton. His mother was prosecuted as an accomplice to the murder in the state court and was given a life sentence. And so another file was marked closed because of the facilities that are available to law enforcement agencies today. Like the FBI laboratory. And also because of the fact the special agents of your FBI have trained minds. Mines that remember things like the fact that the extortion money was marked. Those things are not accidents. Your FBI did not win its international reputation quickly or accidentally. It attained the status it now holds because it is made up of men who have dedicated their lives to public service. To the protection of every one of us. Every minute, every hour, every day. In just a moment, we will tell you about next week's exciting story from the files of your FBI. You know, Mr. Keating, that assured home ownership plan you were telling me about sounded mighty good to me. I'm going to find out if I can qualify. I surely hope you do, Frank, because look what you get in one package from the equitable society. A mortgage that's paid in full if the owner dies. If not, a cash fund to be used in financial emergencies and mortgage interest at only 4%. No wonder it's called America's finest plan for home ownership. So don't delay. See your equitable representative soon or write to the Equitable Society care of this station. That's E-Q-U-I-T-A-B-L-E. The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. Next week, we will bring you another colorful story from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The mysterious fugitive. 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. Your narrator was Dean Carlton, and special agent Taylor was played by Stacey Harris. This is your FBI is a very 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 story from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The mysterious fugitive on this is your FBI. This is ABC, the American Broadcasting Company.