 Chesterfield brings you dragnet. Put a smile in your smoking. Buy Chesterfield. Smoother. Cooler. Best for you. Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned an narcotics detail. You get a report that a supply of heroin has reached your city. You don't know who's got it or where it is. Your job, find out. With Chesterfield. Smoother. Cooler. Milder. Chesterfield. Put a smile in your smoking. Just give them a try. Chesterfield's best for you. If you want tomorrow's better cigarette today, next time you buy cigarettes, stop. Remember, only Chesterfield is made the modern way with Accuray. You'll notice how fresh and good Chesterfield's made with Accuray taste. How smooth they are and how they satisfy. So buy Chesterfield today. Best for you. The documented drama of an actual crime. For the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step-by-step on the side of the law through an actual case transcribed from official police files. From beginning to end. From crime to punishment. Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It was Monday, May 23rd. It was cool in Los Angeles. We were working the night watch out on narcotics detail. My partner's Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Waller. My name's Friday. We're on our way back from questioning an informant. It was 1046 p.m. when we got to the first street station. It's a narcotics squad room. You think Bronco's holding out on us? I don't know. If you don't turn something pretty soon, the stuff will be all over town. How about a cup of coffee, Joe? Huh? Coffee, you want a cup? Sure, if you got some. Yeah, I brought a thermos from home. Made it myself the way I like it. You know, strong. I got some cups. Wait a minute. You don't need them, Joe. What? I got cups right here on the top of the thermos. Four of them. Some gadget, huh? Look at that. Kids gave it to me for Christmas. Of course, they probably picked it out. Look at her steam. Really keeps the heat in. Yeah. Well, go ahead. Drink up. Thanks. What's the matter? Something the matter? No, no, no. No, you were right. That's all. What do you mean? About it being strong. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I want coffee. I want boiled water, buddy. Well, this stuff's got some taste to it. It sure has. Well, aren't you going to finish yours? Well, I'm not thirsty right now. Oh. Hey, you know, Joe, I just realized something. All these years I've been working with you and never dawned on me before. What's that? You don't like coffee. Oh, yes, I do. No, you don't, Joe. Not the real genuine articles, stuff they serve in restaurants, drug stores. I think that's not coffee. It's not, huh? No, this is coffee. Yeah. A little bite to it, a little zing. Yeah. You don't like it? Well. All these years I've been working with a partner who doesn't appreciate good coffee. I guess you learn something all the time. I get it. Don't finish it if you don't want to. Narcotics Friday. Who? Oh, yeah. Yeah, Candy. Mm-hmm. That's right. Are you still at the same place? Sure, I know where it is. What's that room number? Okay. Goodbye. It's Candy Dellman. Yeah? You heard we were talking to Bronco tonight. Bronco, tell him what it was about. Must have. At least Candy knows we didn't get anywhere. All right. Says it's our own fault for not going to the right guy. Who's that? Him. Never accelerate. Go to your cause. All right. All right. All right. So, we're Scripture. Good luck. Thanks, American. All right. Man. Good luck. That was an effortful douche. I think it was. I'm just going to go ahead and finish up there. Sure. All right. Good luck. Thanks. Wow. Yeah. Right. All right. Thanks, Spree. OK, go ahead. No, I'm over here. Bye-bye. Good luck. Go on. A dark two-story building, badly in need of repair. We went inside and started up the stairs to the second floor. Get back down here, both of you. Come on, start moving. What's the trouble, lady? No matter the eyesight? No, I don't think so. Why don't you use it? Sign right here on the desk, ring for the manager. Didn't hear no ring, did it? We didn't see any reason to bother you. It's my worry, ain't it? Sure. Bell said it'd be wrong. And hearing that ain't what bothers me. Guys like you sneaking in trying to get a free pad for the night. We don't want to stay here any longer than we have to. Then what do you want? We just dropped by to see Candy. Who? Candy Delman. He lives here, doesn't he? He might. Well? Your friend of yours? He's expecting you. How do I know? Well, why don't you ask him? Oh, sure. That's all I gotta do. Tramp up and down them stairs for a morning till night. Call him to the phone. Give him messages. Done him for back rent. Well, I ain't making no extra trip on account of you. Well, you can suit yourself. Just you wait a minute. I ain't said you could go upstairs. You claim to know Candy. What's his room number? 217. That's right, isn't it? Yeah, I guess so. Well, you be sure you let me know when you leave. And you better be out here by midnight or I'm collecting about from each of you. Friends are no friends. You're not bunking with Candy unless I get paid in advance. You know something, John? Hmm? Bay was after me just the other day about getting a new suit. Oh. I guess she was right. Yeah. Must be down this way. Yeah. Maybe you ought to go with me. Buy some clothes yourself. What for? Well, we must need them if a name like that figures we'd mooch a room in this joint. Well, I wouldn't help with her. Oh, here. Joe. Just a minute. Come on in. Thank you. You know Frank Smith, don't you, Candy? Sure. Hi, Candy. Want a drink? No thanks. Smith? No thanks. Don't mind if I take a glass. That's up to you. As long as I'm drinking alone, there's no point in dirtying the glass. I guess maybe I'm turning into a lush, huh? You all right? Been hitting the bottle pretty hard lately since I went off of stuff. That's all? Yeah. You guys knew I was off it, didn't you? I didn't even chip you no more. Well, you don't have to sell us, Candy. Well, I ain't selling nobody. I'm just telling you. Mm-hmm. What do you want to see us about? Anybody know you're here? A lady downstairs. You mean the manager of this flea bag? Yeah, I guess that's what she is. A lady. You asked me in flying saucers. Must be real. Well? All for a day like that, get here. Hey, should know you're cops? We didn't tell her. You telling anybody else that you're coming to see me? No. Come on, Candy, what's all about, huh? Well, take it easy. Don't push me. Why don't you sit down? We're all right. You was talking to Bronco tonight, huh? Well? Well, I bumped into him right after you shoved off. That's so. Man, it's gonna mule like him about age, boy. He's lucky if he can turn a couple sticks of tea. We're asking everybody. Didn't ask me? I figured it'd be a waste of time. I've helped you guys before. No, not when it came to the stuff you didn't. Maybe this is different. Yeah. I always figured a guy gets hooked. That's his own business. He done himself. That's who's getting hurt two years truly. I've been hooked three times. I don't know. Yeah, you should. A guy wants to kick it. It's up to him too. And you can stick him in a joint seminar hospital. Maybe he'll get rid of the habit for a while. But if he wants to kick it for good, he's gotta do it. Nobody else. It ain't easy either. Guy's own business is what happens. Whether he goes for a ride or gets off. All right, come on, Candy. What are you getting at here? Of course you're looking for it. It ain't just going to guys, boy. You mean kids too? Yeah. How do you know that? Father asked me if I wanted to make a buy. I thought I was still shooting caps. What, fella? Mm-mm. Come on. We'll stand in front of you, Candy. Well, you take it my way. You don't get it. That means no names. All right. Give us the rest of it. Well, like I said, he asked me if I was interested in a buy, and I told him I wasn't. No. He said that was okay with him. He had plenty of other customers. He got a lot thinner for some of them. A pro like me, I might know the difference. Mm-mm. Kids just offer the weed. They wouldn't care. He said he was only making me an offer as a favor, you know? Mm-mm. Did you ever buy from him before? Well, look, Joe, just let me tell it, huh? Go ahead. Well, the way he talked kind of rubbed me the wrong way. Even when I was pushing, I never saw the kids. You know that. Mm-mm. I ain't no saint. I never pushed no kids. It just didn't seem right. Yeah. Still, when I bumped into Bronco tonight, and he told me that you guys were looking for age, well, I figured maybe I'll hold you a hand. Go ahead. Make you feel kind of funny. What? I never finked on a guy in a trade before. You know that. Well, you're out of it now, aren't you? Yeah, for now. You never know, Joe. Three times, you know, I've been down. You never know when it's going to happen again. I ain't making no promises, even to myself. Mm-mm. That's why I ain't never copped down anything like this before, or sort of like turning myself in. It's good age, too. It's Eastern. Yeah. It's been cut, but it's not too thin. The way he talked must have, you know, six, eight ounces left. Rest of it's been sold. Yeah. He can cut a lot thinner if he wants to. It's dealing with kids. It don't matter, you know? Well, where do we find him, Candy? You ever hear of Walker Drive, Hollywood Hills? We can find it. Well, it's not much of a street. It's just four or five blocks, dead end. Mm-mm. Cuts off a laurel before you get to Mulholland. Well, go ahead. That's it. Well, which house? I ain't saying nothing about no house. Maybe he lives there, or maybe he's just going up to make a sale. I don't know. You think he's there now? I didn't ask him for no time schedule. Now go on, Bita, will you? I want to get drunk. Oh. Hey, look, there is something about you guys that keeps me sober. If you don't shove off, I'm going to run out of booze. You want to tell us what he looks like, Candy? You've had it, Joe. I'm going to tell you something. You haven't given us very much. Is that so? Well, you know something? It's lucky for you I got principles about pushing the kids. Yeah. You'd have got nothing. We continued to question Delman, but he refused to give us any further information. 1146 p.m., Frank and I left the Hatrick Hotel and we drove up into the Hollywood Hills. We turned off Laurel Canyon onto Walker Drive. The street was only five blocks long and there were approximately 20 houses on it. 1222 a.m., we pulled up at the corner of Walker and Laurel where we'd be able to notice anybody who turned into or out of the drive. 106 a.m., a man approached to Chevy Convertible Park to cross the street from us. We knew he'd walk down from one of the houses on Walker, but we hadn't been able to determine which one. He passed under a street lamp and we recognized him as Sam Free, a known narcotics user and suspected peddler. Hold it, Sam. Right where you are. Hold it up. Sure. Sure. Turn around, Sam. Put your hands against the side of the car. Yeah. You guys know me. I don't carry nothing. Mm-hmm. Hey, what you doing in my pockets? I ain't got no gun. You said so yourself. What the heck did that come from? Why don't you tell us? That's the stuff, John. This is all you got, Sam. Well, is it? Yeah. You're coming up in the world, aren't you? What do you mean? A couple of months ago, all we had you paid for was a user and a small-time pusher. It's a lot of age. Where'd you get it? Well, now, you know better than that. You're in trouble, Sam. Okay. You found the stuff on me. That means I'm gonna do some time. A lot of time. Well, whatever it is, I'd just soon be in one piece when I come out. Who's the car belong to, Sam? What car? This one right here. Uh-huh. You were getting into it, Sam. Was I? I'll give it a check. Okay. All right. All righty. It's my car, so why? I'll still check it. Who fed you? What? To where I was. You're not hard to find, Sam. Yeah? You've been looking for me over three weeks now. And so? Only you didn't know I was the guy you were after. Thank you. For what? For telling us when the age got into town. A lot of good it'll do. Mm-hmm. Another day I'd have been clean. You wouldn't have found none of it. Yeah. My own fault trying to get a good price. I should have taken what was offered. It's the real stuff, though. A man don't like to give it away. Mm-hmm. Joe, you got some? Yeah. Take a look in the back seat. A bunch of sweaters. They look like cashmere. I bought them for my girl. It's her birthday. There must be some girl. Yeah. At least 40 sweaters there, Joe. Yeah? They're all different sizes. Coming from auto tires to apple pie. Battleship steel to baby food. Butter to cigarettes can be made better and safer for you. Now I'll meet Mr. Bert Cho. Brilliant young president of industrial nucleonics. Well, Bert, exactly what is accu-ray? Well, George, it is a device by which a stream of electrons passes through and analyzes the product while it is actually being made. They transit what they see to this electronic grain, which adjusts the production machinery for errors down to millions of an inch. Well, can you give us an example of what it does? Sure. Take this piece of steel. How thick would you say it is? Oh, not as thick as the cellophane from a pack of Chesterfields. Accu-ray is made as possible to roll that steel accurately, one ten-thousandth of an inch thick. It takes ten of these to equal the thickness of a sheet of cellophane. That's amazing. Now let's get back to the pie and the baby food. Will accu-ray bake a pie and tend the baby? Well, not quite yet, George. But because this electronic control can improve sharpening texture, for instance, your wife can bake a more delicious pie. And because accu-ray can make baby food more uniform, that food will be more adjustable for your baby. One more question, one that so many people ask me. How does accu-ray make Chesterfield a better cigarette than was ever possible before? Every cigarette made with accu-ray control contains a more precise measure of perfectly packed tobaccos, so Chesterfields smoke smoother without hotspots or a hard draw. And that's why Chesterfield tastes so much better. I guess that's why you smoked them yourself first. You see, I know what accu-ray can do. Well, there's your answer. If you want tomorrow's better cigarette today, next time stop. Remember, only Chesterfield is made the modern way with accu-ray. Best for you. We took the suspect Sam Free down to the main jail and we had him booked on possession of narcotics and suspicion of burglary. An examination of the labels in the sweaters indicated that they were all from the same Whiteside ladies' sports shop in North Hollywood. 1.58 a.m., we contacted the owner of the store, Mr. T.P. Whiteside. Yeah, sir, that's right. If you would, we'd appreciate it. About 30 minutes. All right, sir, fine. Thank you. Goodbye. Well, he says they're stolen all right. Well, why didn't he report it? Well, he didn't know anything about it until now. Well, it just must have happened tonight. At 22 a.m., Frank and I met Mr. Whiteside at his sportswear shop on Lankersham Boulevard. At the rear of the building, we found a cut screen and a window that had been forced open. We called the crime lab and asked them to check the premises for any physical evidence. Mr. Whiteside made a quick survey of his stock and as far as he could tell, the only missing item was a supply of cash near sweaters. I just can't get over it. How's that, Mr. Whiteside? You fellas find out about all this even before I did. Well, I've done my share of complaining about policeman in the past, that is. Yes, sir. Whenever I got a ticket, I used to say to myself, ain't he got enough more important to do than pull me over for going a couple of miles too fast? That's what I said. Yes, sir. I figured that's all you police fellas cared about, you know, giving folks tickets. Never seemed like he was paying no attention to the real crooks around town. I guess so, you're the apology. All right, forget it. No, no, no. Oh, no, I ain't gonna forget it. I've been wrong about cops all these years and you sure showed me the night. Apology, that's what I... Are you gonna accept it? Yes, sir. Shake? You bet. You too, mister? Huh? You willing to shake with me? Oh, sure. You bet. Say, about them sweaters you found. Yes, sir. Likely to keep a couple of them for your wives, girlfriends. No, sir, that's all right. Thanks anyway, Mr. Westside. Ah, you're entitled. Wasn't for you, I wouldn't be getting them back. It's our job. Oh, go on, keep a couple anyway. No, sir, I'm sorry, we can't do that. Well, I would offer the reward if I'd known about the burglary. Yes, sir, we understand. Well, it's your own fault. Nobody else is you to blame for it. How's that? No reward? Didn't give me time enough. 405 a.m. The crew from the crime lab reported that there was no physical evidence at the store. Frank and I went off duty. The next afternoon, May 24th at 416 p.m., we checked our weapons at the booking counter of the city jail and we asked to interview the prisoner, Sam Free. The booking sergeant told us he was in cell 104. Yeah? Free in 104. Okay. Free in 104 for interview. Free for interview. Sit on, Sam. Sure. You ready to do some talking? About what? The stuff. Where'd you get it? Look, we had a check by the lab, Sam. Yeah? It is in Mexican. It's from back east someplace. No kidding. Okay, I got it from back east. I sure don't want to loss up your scientific cats by saying different. Is that the way you want it on your report? Huh? Uncooperative? Ain't gonna make no difference what you guys put down. It might, Sam. Uh-uh. Oh, look, you... you want a deal, I'll talk. Otherwise, forget it. We don't make deals, you know that. It's up to you. Now, look, this isn't your first fall, Sam. It's gonna go hard with you. Maybe. No, maybe's. Oh, you never know. I'm chillin' with some of the boys back there. They tell me things have changed around here. Yeah. Case against me might not stand up. You wouldn't want to bet on that, would you, Sam? Just telling you what I heard. Don't you count on it? Yeah? Things haven't changed that much. 4.31 p.m. Frank and I went over to the Hall of Justice to file a complaint against Free. We talked to Deputy District Attorney Don Avery in the complaint department and gave him a complete statement of facts concerning Free's arrest. Is that it? Yeah, that's it. Everything can happen? Yeah. Why? What's the matter, Don? Hmm? Is something wrong with this case? I don't know yet. Well, Free himself said it might not stand up. We figured he was just talking. Hmm. We got the H, the stolen sweaters. What more do you need? Let me ask you a couple of questions. Sure. Now, give me the same answers you'd given Court if you were under arrest. All right. Free was beside this car when you stopped him. Is that right? That's right. Did you place him under arrest before you searched it? Who did you? Well, not in so many words. What do you mean? Well, we know he was a hype. He knew we were cops. He could have figured that out. But you didn't say you're under arrest in those words. No. I don't think I did. Smith? Well, Don, we didn't have anything to arrest him for. Not until after we found the age. Did you have any reason to suspect he was carrying dope? Well, like I said, he's a user. Yeah. But he was in the neighborhood. We knew somebody around there was carrying it. Well, then you weren't looking for Free in particular. Well, no. The way I get it, the burglary hadn't been reported yet. Is that right? That's right. So finding the sweaters was a surprise. Yeah, it sure was. Hmm. We'll file on them, but they may not stick. What are you talking about, Don? The evidence. Well, what's wrong with it? The way you got it. What? You heard about the exclusionary ruling, didn't you? Yeah. Skipper had an assembly on it. Well, look, Don, we're not lawyers. We're cops. Sure. Well, here's the way it operates. Evidence obtained by illegal search or seizure can be thrown out of court. Simple as that. Yeah? Federal government has the same ruling. Most of the states don't. We never have until now. Before, if a policeman committed an illegal search or seizure, he could be prosecuted lots of times he was. Uh-huh. But the evidence could still be used at the suspect's trial. Yeah. It doesn't work that way anymore. No? Well, look, maybe I'm just thick, Don, but it seems to me the only guy who's better off is the criminal. That's how I see it, too. Hmm. Well, all right. Now, look, suppose we do pick up a guy. Maybe we aren't right, but we think we're on to something. If he's clean, he's not out anything except a little time in trouble. And if he isn't, we got some evidence. Not anymore, you haven't. Yeah, well, this just don't make sense to me. Well, what are we supposed to do from here on in? You want to make a search, you got to get the guy's permission, or put him under arrest first, or have a valid search warrant. Otherwise, it's illegal. Your evidence may not hold. Let me have that again. If you want to make a search, you got to get the guy's permission, or put him under arrest first, or have a valid search warrant. Otherwise, it's illegal. Well, now, let's take free, for instance. Yeah. We didn't have anything to arrest him on. As for getting his permission to search, well, I got a big picture of that. There was no way of getting a search warrant drawn. Don, we didn't even know what we were looking for. Well, that's the way it's got to be from here on in. Every time? There might be some exceptions, I don't know. It's up to the courts to decide. But what if we're after somebody, a guy who's heavy? Yeah. Let's take a killer, maybe, so we want to break in. We supposed to ask him if it's all right if we break in? You can get a warrant. Yeah, well, maybe we don't know who he is. Maybe it's four o'clock in the morning. What do you do then? When it comes up, you'll get an answer. Well, let's come up right now. What? We got a dope pusher here. He's been selling H to kids. We got him made, dead to rights, burglary too. Now you say he's going to get off? I didn't say for sure. Well, I don't even like to hear a maybe, not in a case like this. It's the best I can do, Joe. I didn't hand down the ruling. If you'd arrested him first, that'd be different. Yeah, and if he hadn't been carrying, he could have slept a suit on us for false arrest. The only thing I can tell you, get a warrant, get permission, or arrest him first. Yeah, well, there's only one thing I'm going to tell you. It's not going to work. Maybe not. Well, just what do we do? Go back to Pound Beats? Is that it? Look, I said we might not be able to make it hold up in Freeze Case. If we can't, you'll get him sooner or later. You've got him pegged. Next time, get to him, so it'll stick. Well, don't worry about it. We will. Well? Tell me one thing, Don, before we do. Yeah? How much more stuff is this guy going to peddle? The story you've just heard is true. The names were changed to protect the innocent. On May 30th, the preliminary hearing was held in Division IV Municipal Court in and for the county of Los Angeles. In a moment, the results of that hearing. Now, here is our star, Jack Webb. Thank you, George Fenerman. Chesterfield made the modern way with Accuray. I wonder if you realize what that means to you. For the first time, you get a perfect smoke column in your cigarette, a smoother smoke, a cooler smoke than you've ever had before. To put a smile on your smoking, try them. Chesterfield. In the case of Sam Arthur Free, the court ruled that the evidence against him had been obtained by illegal search and seizure. The charges against the suspect were dismissed. You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice comes from the office of Chief of Police, W.H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department. Technical advisors, Captain Jack Donahoe, Sergeant Marty Wynn, Sergeant Vance Brasher. Heard tonight were Ben Alexander, Virginia Gregg, Jack Krushen, Herb Ellis, Vic Rodman. Script by Frank Burt. Music by Walter Schumann. Hell, give me speaking. Watch an entirely different Dragnet case history each week on your local NBC television station. Please check your newspapers for the day and time. Chesterfield has brought you Dragnet, transcribed from Los Angeles. This is it, L&M filters. It stands out from all the rest. Miracle tip, much more flavor. L&M's got everything. It's the best. No other cigarette gives you L&M's assurance. Assurance that it is best. L&M's got everything. Superior taste, superior tobacco, superior filter. Buy L&M today. Most of you are gun smoke radio fans. And many of you have written to the makers of Chesterfield and L&M filters, asking them to put gun smoke on television too. Here's the good news. Gun smoke is going on TV starting Saturday night, September 10th. If you enjoy gun smoke on radio, we're sure you'll go for gun smoke on TV. Now, television will have an authentic adult western, the gun smoke you know on radio. Remember, Saturday night, September 10th, gun smoke on TV. Check your local listings for time and station. This is the NBC Radio Network.