BONUS - Five Favorites: Dragnet

Get this and get it straight. Crime is a sucker's road. And those who travel it wind up in the gutter of the prison of the grave. The story you're about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. The Adventures of Sam Spade, Detective. The Adventures of the Saint, starring Vincent Price. Bob Bailey in the exciting adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account. America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator. Yo, it's truly Johnny Duller. Hello and welcome to a bonus episode of Down These Mean Streets. It's another installment where I share my five favorite episodes of the classic radio detective series. And for this go-round, we're continuing our month-long salute to Jack Webb. With my five favorite episodes of Dragnet. Now, Webb had other radio shows, Pat Novak, Jeff Regan, Pete Kelly's Blues. But his name will forever be synonymous with Dragnet and the character of Sergeant Joe Friday. Webb starred in hundreds of radio episodes, two TV shows, and a feature film. As the dogged LA detective in the show that birthed the modern police procedural. Today we'll hear my five favorite episodes. Shows that offer an example of the diverse range of stories Dragnet could tell. Beginning with the big bomb from July 13th, 1950. A man threatens to destroy City Hall with a homemade bomb unless his brother is released from jail. Then we'll hear the big saint from April 26th, 1951. Where Friday investigates a car theft ring linked to a salvage lot. Now, in these first two shows, Friday's partner is Sergeant Ben Romero, played by Barton Yarborough. His folksy Texas drawl was a perfect counterpart to Webb's clipped staccato delivery. And Romero's family man character played well off of Friday's confirmed bachelor. Unfortunately, Yarborough died tragically young in December 1951. And the character of Romero passed away in a memorable episode, a rare emotional installment of Dragnet. In our third show today, we meet one of Friday's interim partners, Officer Bill Lockwood, played by future Adam 12 TV star Martin Milner. He stars in the big bunco from April 17th, 1952, The Hunt for a Conman. Friday's second longtime partner was Officer Frank Smith, and he'd be played for several years on radio and TV by Ben Alexander. But when the character was first introduced, he was played by other actors. And that's the case in our fourth show, The Big Bull from September 14th, 1952, where Smith is played by Herb Ellis. Smith and his family are front and center here. As the crook, the cops are chasing starts making threatening phone calls to Smith's wife. And finally, we'll hear Jack Webb and Ben Alexander pursue a serial shoplifter in The Big Little Mother from October 6th, 1953. I'll be back on Sunday with more Jack Webb, but for now, sit back and enjoy my five favorite episodes of Dragnet. Ladies and gentlemen, this true story concerns the heart of a great city. It took 58 minutes to resolve the question of its safety or its total destruction. This is the story of those 58 minutes. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. Fatima cigarettes. Best of all long cigarettes brings you Dragnet. If you want a long cigarette, smoke the best of all long cigarettes. Smoke extra mild Fatima. Yes, Fatima is the king-size cigarette which contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos, superbly blended to make it extra mild. To give Fatima a much different, much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette. That's why Fatima has more than doubled its smokers coast to coast. Enjoy extra mild Fatima yourself. Best of all, long cigarettes. It's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima. Dragnet, 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 Tuesday, November 15th, was raining in Los Angeles. We were off duty reporting in on an emergency call. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Lynn White, Deputy Chief of Police. My name's Friday. It was 8.25 a.m. when I walked into the Main Street entrance of the city hall. I'm Friday. Yeah, that's right. You have to take this elevator, Stark. It's the only one to serve. Right. Thank you. Yeah. I'm going to run you up to 16. Chief's waiting for you up there. Well, what's the pitch? Only one elevator here in service out of 10? The place looks deserted. What's going on? Nobody in the building, Sergeant. All the office people have been sent home. I'm going to run you up to 16. Chief's waiting for you up there. Well, what's the pitch? Only one elevator here in service out of 10? The place looks deserted. What's going on? Nobody in the building, Sergeant. All the office people have been sent home. Lots of trouble. Somebody declare a holiday? No joke, Sergeant. Big trouble. You convinced me. What is it? Here we are. 16th floor. Okay. Over here, Friday. Right. Hi, Neil. Hello, Ben. You made good time. I came as soon as I got the call, Lynn. Sorry to have to bring you back in. You worked last night, didn't you? Yeah, midnight to 8 this morning. Sorry. Come on. What is it? Skipping? Why all the hush-hush? Where do we get inside? In here. Okay. Number one, let's keep our voices down. All right. I'll make it as brief as I can. Every night counts. What time do you got Friday? 8.33. All right. Here it is. 55 minutes ago, a man walked into this building with a homemade bomb under his arm. If we don't release his brother from the county jail by 9 o'clock this morning, we'll trigger on the bomb and blow up the whole building. He's kidding, Skipper. Who is the guy? His name's Vernon Kearney. Here's his package. He and his brother have been in and out of jail since 1937, small-time thieves. FBI kickback here. We had him once before, both of them. Brother's name is Elwood. Serving a year for car stripping. And this two-bit thief is sitting here in the city hall with a bomb on his lap? That's right. In the next room. What kind of a bomb is it, Lynn? You think he's bluffing? Could be bluffing. The crime lab says no. Will he join us from the lab and get a look at it? He's been in here twice. One of the boxes glass says he can't see much without a closer look, but you can't get near the guy. All right. What do you want us to do? It's a volunteer job. I can take it or leave it. I want already you to do it. How do you want to handle it? You sure you want a piece of this, remember? No, no, he doesn't. He's got a family. Can you get me another single man? We'll give it a try. Wait a minute, Joe. What makes this job so different? Every time we kick in a door, we never know what's on the other side. That's what makes it different this time we do it. No, you're not going to cut me out. Not the only time I know what I'm getting into. All right. Chandler's tried. Hannah and Davis Watson have all tried. This guy, Kearney, knows what he's doing. He's no pushover, but somebody's got to get that bomb away from him. Joe, baby, now. I looked at my watch. It was 8.36. We left Chief White and started down the hall. If Kearney was going to make good his threat to blow up the building by 9 o'clock, we had exactly 24 minutes to talk him out of it. Ben and I figured we'd better look him over first and then work out some kind of a plan. Maybe just talking to him would do it. Vernon Kearney was sitting in a straight back chair against the far wall facing the door. It was seated between two windows that looked out over the city. In the center of the right wall was a connecting door leading to the office where Chief White had briefed us. The door was locked on both sides. Just off the center and favoring the left of the room was a small filing table. There was a dictaphone on it. In the near left corner, shielded by a white screen, was a small wash basin. Vernon Kearney sat erect holding a black box on his lap. He held his right hand inside one end of the box. Ben and I walked into the room. What do you say to a man with a bomb? That's close enough. Cigarette, Kearney? I'm not smoking right now. What are you trying to prove? You know what I want. We're not going to let your brother out of jail. You've got until 9 o'clock to change your mind. According to that clock up there, you've got 24 minutes. If we go, you're going with us, Kearney. Don't take much of a brain to figure that one out, Copper. What made you think you could get away with it? I haven't yet. It ain't 9 o'clock. Unless that clock's slow. I haven't checked it against my pocket watch lately. That's the one that's running this show. You're giving any thought to all the innocent people that are going to go up with that thingy ears? My brother's innocent. I want him out of jail. The court says he's guilty. He'll get out when he serves his time. That's where you're wrong, Copper. He gets out at 9 o'clock this morning. All right, come on, Kearney. Get your hand out of that box. Put the box on the table. You think I'm bluffing, don't you? I'm going to let you get within five feet of me before I make a lie, Roddy. All right, Kearney. I guess you mean business. You can take three more steps and find out for sure. Suppose we did let your brother out. We'd just come out and pick him up again, you along with him. If you could find us. Let's get this straight. If we let your brother hell-wood out, how do we know you'll keep your promise? What promise? I haven't made any promises. You just get all wood down here first, then we'll talk about it. Look, there's just one thing I can't figure, Kearney. Yeah, what's that? If we don't let your brother out, you say you'll pull the trigger on that bomb. What are you going to prove by then? It's 8.37 now. You got 23 minutes left? No, I wish you'd answer that one for me. Why do you want to kill a lot of innocent people? Don't try to con me, copper. I know they cleared everybody out of this building 45 minutes ago. I know they cleaned out the whole block. They got it roped off. What'd you get you an information? I got a couple of windows here to look at. What do you think it's about time you sent somebody over to get out with? What's the stop-us from leaving the building along with the other few officers and let you sit here and touch off that bomb? Go ahead. Won't be a long wait without you. Who are you trying to kid? You'd let me blow up $10 million with a tax payers money? No, you're going to let Al Wadah. You'll wait till the last minute to do it. But you let him out. All right, let's go. Len, listen. I'm still not convinced that Kearney can back up what he says. Why don't you take the box away from him? Yeah. We're in a spot. Let's face it. How about us getting him first? How are you going to handle it? I'm not top man on the pistol range, but I could wing him. Then he hands the box to you? Or maybe it falls and his reflex action pulls the trigger. Okay, I don't wing him. I stop him for key. Just can't walk in there and shoot him down. Why not you do this? I'm not going to do this. I'm not going to do this. Okay, I don't wing him. I stop him for key. Just can't walk in there and shoot him down. Why not you do the same thing with any of them criminals? Yeah, but you warn them first. I'll warn him. And after you shoot him, you'll find out it's a harmless gadget. Couldn't have gone off in a million years. Gun's not the answer. We can't shoot him till we're positive. It would be positive by 9 o'clock, but then there might not be anybody around to shoot him. We've located Connie's apartment. There's a detail out there checking it now. But Chelly and Morris. Have you got any ideas at all? Anything we could try? That's why I called you in. None of us have gotten any further than you did just now. But it's just one thing I want to know for sure. Yeah, Friday. Is it or isn't it? We all want to know. Either way, we've got to get that box away from you. I get it. White speaking. Yeah. You did? I'll stay out there. I'll call you. That was for Chelly. They just found 28 sticks of dynamite in Connie's apartment. You are listening to Dragnet, the case history of a police investigation presented in the public interest by Fatima Cigarettes. If you smoke a long cigarette, it will be in your interest to listen to a typical case history of a Fatima smoker recorded last week in New York. Hi there. My name is Bab Beckwith. Bab. That's short for Bethany Ann Beckwith. I live in New York City and I'm a fashion stylist. The other day at a showing of the New Falls styles, I ran out of cigarettes. A friend of mine, designer, introduced me to the new long Fatima. I really wish someone had told me about them sooner. Fatimas are a lot milder than the cigarettes I've been smoking. And they have a delightful flavor too. I'm very glad to recommend them to you because I know from experience it's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima. And more and more smokers every day are finding that out. Actual figures show extra mild Fatima has more than doubled its smokers coast to coast. So enjoy extra mild Fatima yourself. The king-size cigarette which contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos, superbly blended to make it extra mild. You will prefer Fatimas much different, much better flavor. You will agree. It's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima. It's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima. The best of all long cigarettes. We knew now, Carney wasn't kidding. We could see into the bomb through the glass window in one end. There was dynamite inside and there was dynamite in Carney's room. We didn't know if he had the nerve to pull the trigger. We didn't know if it would go off when he did, but with only minutes remaining, nobody wanted to take the chance. From here on in, all of us agreed that Vernon Carney sat in the next room, holding in his two hands a force powerful enough to destroy us all. I looked at my watch. It was 20 minutes till 9. How do we get it away from him? I got an idea. It might work. I said it. Well, Carney's sitting against the firewall between two windows and they're both open. I'm trying. If we could get a man through one of those windows, we might get Carney from behind. How are you going to get him? Well, whoever gets through the window could slug him. What do you do then? Somebody grabs the box. The crime lab can tell us what to do with it then. How do we get a man through one of those windows around the 16th floor? Well, there's some kind of a ledge that runs around the building on each story, isn't it? Widen up for a man to walk on. Let's take a look. The same. Looks pretty narrow, Joe. Good 18 inches. Could be done. Too risky. It's been raining out. That ledge is slippery. Strong wind out there, Joe. Turn right off the building. Yeah, I guess you're right. There's still a way. How about a ladder? 16th floor, Skipper. Well, there might be a way. The fire department would know that. I'll get Battalion Chief Erickson. There's Lee Jones in the building. No, he's over the crime lab. I'll get him up here too. I don't know if Friday maybe it'll work. It's got to, Lynn. All right, now look. It's going to take a couple of minutes to set this up. We've got to know what Carney's doing every second of that time. How about the dictaphone on the table in there? Good. Get it on without him seeing you. We'll try. The dictaphone in there is connected to this one in here. This room is 1614. You got that? Yeah. All right, push down key 1614 on that machine in there. And leave it down. Get the receiver off the hook and leave it off. Leave the receiver off. That's right. You know if it isn't off the hook, we won't be able to hear a thing in here. Right. Come on, Ben. Lynn White speaking. Give me Chief Erickson. Right in my brother. Still in his cell. Your cop is a long run talk, short on time. Yeah, we know. I'm telling you, if you're alone good, you better get over it over here. Carney, I'll bet if we get your brother on the phone here, he'll tell you that he doesn't want any part of this. You mean Elwood doesn't want to get out since when? If he already wants out, but not your way. He's only got a year to serve. Why don't you leave him alone? I told El. I told him I'd get him out. He didn't think I could do it, but I'm doing it. I'll make you a bet, Carney. You let us get your brother on the phone. He won't walk out of here with you. Get him on the phone. All right. Where are you going? Phone's over here. I have to use the dictaphone. I've got to get an OK from the chief. Elwood's still a prisoner. What's the matter with the phone? No operators. You know the building's been cleared. That's right. I almost forgot. Okay, you can use the dictaphone. It's Friday, chief. Carney wants to talk to his brother. Now I know you'll have to send somebody over. Have him put the call on the extension. Wait a minute. What's that extension number then? 2351. 2351, Linde. Right? It'll take a minute. All right. I kind of like to talk to El. Been a couple of months since I seen him. We've always been together, me and El, most of the time. Joe, let's go in and see if we can't hurry that call. That's a good idea, boy. It's 16 minutes to 9. Yeah. Hey, cop. Yeah. I forgot to hang up the dictaphone, didn't you? I put the receiver back on the dictaphone. Ben and I had failed to make good on the first step of the plan. When we got outside the door, we briefed Davis and Watson. They went in to sit with Carney. It would be their job to keep us posted on Carney's movements. The dictaphone was out. We went back into the office next door. Chief Sam Erickson of the fire department and Lieutenant Lee Jones from the crime lab were already there. What have been a help? We haven't got time to cry over it. Carney's wide awake scupper. He doesn't miss a thing. Why told us to plan Friday? We can't do anything about it. Too high, aren't you? The best we've got is a 100-foot aerial. You figure 12 foot to the story, it'll take you up 96 feet, eight floors. We got the latest equipment. What's that idea you have, Jones? Sam, can you get a hold of a pump here in the hurry? Sure, we've got a lot of scaling ladders, but you've got nothing out there to hook them on. You figure on dropping down from the floor above? That's right, and I figure a pump here would do it. Sure, would you could make it fast the wind to sell up there, but you've got a foot and a half ledge in the way. No, but you want a lifeline. You mean nor a man in a rope, chief? Yeah, Amaro, that's the quickest and the quietest. Could you rig it so one of my boys could do it? Sure, Len. What's the risk? None, if you work it right. We'll strap on a life belt, give the man heavy leather gloves. Two of my men will lower him down. Pick your lightest man. What do you think, Lee? That's it. What do we do with a bomb when we get it? I figure that box Carney's holding is about a foot square. Here's what I'll do. I'll get you a bucket with a foot and a half mouth, and we'll be full of water. Yeah, I'll get you a bucket with a foot and a half mouth, and we'll be full of water. Yeah. I'll have it right outside the door of that office. When you get that box, place it in the water. We'll get the bucket out of the building as fast as we can. And once we get the bomb under water, we're in and clear, and you can't promise you that, but it's the safest way to handle it under the circumstances. All right, that's it. Sam, you take area N? Right away. I'll get a detail to give me a hand down on the street, and we'll take the bomb to a safe area and decommission it. Let's move on it. All right, then. Which part do you want? The rope or the bomb? You call it. Fire Chief Erickson said the lightest man on a rope. That's me, Joe. All right, I'll get the bomb out of the building. Okay, that's the routine. I'll carry this with you. The man that comes down that rope has one chance to make good. Slug him and make it count. There's no second try. Yeah. And Joe, when you grab that box, you've got to get it away from Carney before he can squeeze the trigger. Then you've got to get it down the street. The elevator. You know how to operate it? Well, it's pretty simple, but I'll double check with the operator. And you've got to do it right now. Okay. Say we better get Carney's brother on the phone for him. He seemed anxious. That might be a pretty good idea. All right, Romero, that's the outside phone. Get the city jail. Right, Scuiver. Get going, Friday. Thanks. Hey, you, elevator man. Yes, Sergeant. I want to see if I know how to work this thing in yours. You taking over the elevator? In a couple of minutes. You want to check me out? Nothing to it, Sergeant. Here's the control. You push this lever right to go up, left to go down. You see this little trigger on the underside of the handle? Yeah. That's a safety lock. Be sure you squeeze it. I'm sorry if I try it. Okay. Where'll I turn off the master suite? All right. That's it. Right to go up, left to go down. All right. Now, how do you operate the doors? Automatic. They work off the control lever. When the control lever's locked in the upper down position, the doors will close. I got it. Now, in case they jam, this red emergency button appears. Yeah. Yeah, push it. If that doesn't close, then we call a repairman. Okay. I think I got it. You want to turn that switch back on? All right. You sure now? I have my artist to get out of the building. I'll just leave the elevator right here and take the stairs down. All right. Thanks a lot. Sergeant. Just curious. You going to take the bomb down this car? We're going to try. You won't have any trouble. We haven't had an elevator failure in 18 months. The elevator man turned and went down the stairs. I started down the quarter and met Ben outside the office. He told me that Lee Jones and Chief Erickson were on their way up in the freight elevator at the rear of the building with the necessary equipment. The two fire department volunteers were with him. The phone call had been put through the city jail and in a minute, Elwood, Kearney, would be ready at the other end of the line. We went in to tell Kearney. I told him over to jail to put the call through on extension 2351. When's it coming through? Right now. You got Elwood with you? No. We told you we'd get him on the phone for you. The call will be through in a minute. A minute's a long time, cop. You're going to get 12 of them left. Elwood's going to talk you out of this. Oh, sure, sure. Everybody's going to talk me out of this. First, it was him, other two cops, the little porky guy and another monkey. And you and this dixie doughhead here. Now it's Elwood. Now come off it. Will you get my brother over here? That's him now. Is your brother Kearney out yet? They put you. Just going to get the phone. You want to talk to your brother, don't you? I'll take care of the phone. We'll just disconnect it from... I'll get this straight, copper. I'm throwing this stinking rotten lion. I want Elwood here and I want him now. I'll bring him here before I blow you all the pieces. Who threw that phone out in the hall? I did. You want me to go out there and pick it up? That's not going to get you any place. Are you the big boss around here? Maybe. Are you lunch? I answered you. All right, big boy, I got a piece of advice for you. You take your rookie cops here and get it through their thick heads. I mean what I say. I want my brother over here in this room. And you've got just 11 minutes to get it done. You tell him that, will you? All right, Connie. It's your show. All right, we've got to work fast now. Jones, everything's set for you. Get the bucket with the water right here, cars waiting down the street. Right. Eric's and your boy's ready? Upstairs waiting. We all know what to do. I'll need somebody to give me a hand with Connie when he falls. I'll be in there with you Friday. Ready to go upstairs, Gene? Anytime. One thing you ought to know. What's that? Wind's getting stronger about 20 miles an hour out there right now. That's going to allow some sun? No, but it's going to increase the sway it's going to allow for. How do you mean? Wind's coming from the south. We'll lower you just to the right of the window. If I figure right, the wind will do the rest. Bigger risk, but we don't control the weather. How are you going to do it, Ben? Soon as I get in position, I'll reach in through the window on his right and I'll use the billy and try to catch him on the right side of the head. One good hitch and put him away. Make it two and be sure, huh? All right, ready, Gene? Let's go. What's the time, Friday? 8.50. Shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes for a mirror to get down to that window unless the wind gives him trouble. Jones, there's no use you sticking around. I'll get Friday a hand. That's my job. We've got to keep you alive to decommission the bomb. Bomb Joe, see you downstairs. You ready, Lynn? Yeah. Scared, Friday? Yeah. Makes us even. Come on. Lynn White and I went into the next room with Vernon Kearney. Ben was going to make a try from the window on Kearney's right. Somehow, we had to keep his attention on us and away from that window. If anything went wrong and Kearney got out of position, the plan had failed. Chief Erickson didn't estimate the force of the wind correctly, the plan had failed. I looked at my watch. It was eight minutes to nine. Kearney, anything we can say that'll make you change your mind? I've asked you a hundred times. Now, I'm ordering you. They're going to get to a phone and have somebody send Elwood over here right now. I'm through waiting. Now move. You rip the phone out, Kearney. Well, then find another one. I told you, I'm sick of your two-bit stolen. We've got until nine o'clock to make up our mind about this. You had until nine. You wouldn't do what I told you. Now, I'm cutting you short. You guys got exactly one minute to get a phone in this room right near you, call a jail, and have him send Elwood over here. You said nine, Kearney. All right, Joe. We'll give him what he wants. David, son, I can connect him to go to this office. I'll get the phone, will you? Record reach? Yes, sir. Yeah. Your brother's a prisoner. He's in our custody and he's under our protection. We can't place his life in jeopardy. Leave that up to hell. Kenworthy, this is Lynn White. If you want Elwood, Kearney over here at City Hall. His brother wants to see him. Explain the situation. If he wants to come, get him over here. Leave it up to him. Room 1614, you'll have to use the freight elevator. And tell him to hurry. Yeah. Tell him to hurry. Now, that's the only smart thing you've done today. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you. Maybe I had a closer window. I turned on the heat. Stay put, cop. What's that? What's going on? Just the wind, cop. Stop! There's somebody out there in serious feet. You stupid cunts! Pull him out! Get back there! You pull him out! All righty! Tell him to pull him out. Pull him out of us! Pull him out! Pull him out! All right, Frank. You win. You bet I win, you dumb copper. You didn't think I'd miss a trick like that. Now we'll just close the windows, boys. That's one. And locked. Here's your brother, Connie. Yeah. Ah, yeah. Hi, Vern. You did it. I told you. I told you I'd do it, didn't I? That's far enough for the rest of you. Yeah, you come on over here. You're crazy, Vern. You're crazy. That's what they've been trying to tell me. We're going home now. How you going to do it? There's a million tops outside. People all over town heard about this. They're holding the crowd, man. They ain't going to stop us now. You'll never make it either one of you. I got him this far, didn't I? We'll make it. Vern, do you think we could do it? Yo. Yeah? They're going to get a car ready for us. A fast one. Have it in front of the building. Move! All right, Friday. Do what he tells you. All right. All right. All right. Yeah? If you ain't back by nine o'clock, the deal still holds. I told them I'd pull a pin at nine now if they didn't let you out. You're in the fool, aren't I, Vern? That gadget really blew? Four miles high. Then what about your bullets? We're getting out. All right, Copper, get the car. You got four minutes. Hey, Ben. Ben! What's up? I'm going to get you. I'm going to get you. I'm going to get you. I'm going to get you. I'm going to get you. I'm going to get you. I'm going to get you. I'm going to get you. I'm going to get you. I'm going to get you. What happened? He spot me? Yeah. No time to explain. Now listen, we've got to work fast. Yeah? We had to bring Carney's brother over from the jail. How much time we got? Less than four minutes. How about the ledge? Think you can do it? Strong wind. You'll have to hang on like a fly. I don't know. I can give it a try. Okay. Same plan. Every second counts. Now, I can't brief Lynn. He's in the room with a guy. It's up to you and me. I'll get on the ledge from one of these offices. How old will make you? If you don't, we'll know you tried. Now hurry. Hey, Ben, wait a minute. Yeah? I forgot. Carl, I'll be ready in two minutes out front. Why? Ellen and I would just sit here and wait. It's going to be good being back together, huh? We always were real good together, Vern. Well, that's the way, brother. There's ought to be together all the time. You're Vern. I'd feel better with a gun. We don't need no gun. We got the bomb. We need the gun we want to get out. We get on the road. Okay, take your pick. They all got him. You, give him yours. I'm not carrying a gun. I left it in the other room. A cop without a gun? Who's getting who? I left it in the other room. Fresh the big boy, though. He's got one. It's about time for that car, isn't it? It's two minutes to nine. Yeah, this way, I can run in his hip. Hey, get ready, Joe. I got it. Get the box. See that guy alone? I got him, Ben. I got to get his hand out of it. Run, Joe. Get in the water. Run! In a fast elevator, 16 floors isn't very much, but I never shared an elevator with a live bomb. It seemed like hours between floors. I kept watching the bucket. The bomb was completely under water. A small stream of bubbles was hissing to the surface. I waited. Main floor. I picked up the bucket and ran for the street. I missed the first step. I fell forward. The bucket spun out of my hand. I sprawled flat in the sidewalk. I waited for the explosion. It didn't go off, Friday. Yeah, I gave it a good chance, Lee. It was all there. Look, at least a dozen sticks of dynamite. Snyder, bring that over here. Here you are, Lieutenant. Thanks. Here's why it didn't go off. Yeah. It had it rigged for a hard trigger pull. It would have taken a good yank to set this one off. Hi, Joe. Hi, Ben. Clumsy. The story you have just heard was true. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. On February 15th, trial was held in Superior Court, Department 87, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California. In a moment, the results of that trial. It's amazing how many long cigarette smokers are changing to extra-mile Fatima. Here is the actual report. From coast to coast, extra-mile Fatima has more than doubled its smokers. Yes, more and more smokers every day are discovering that Fatima is the king-size cigarette that is extra-mile. Extra-mile because it contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos superbly blended to make it extra-mile, to give it a much different, much better flavor and aroma. Enjoy extra-mile Fatima yourself. Best of all, long cigarette. It's wise to smoke extra-mile Fatima. It's wise to smoke extra-mile Fatima. Vernon Carney was examined by five different psychiatrists appointed by the Superior Court and found to be mentally incompetent. He is now confined in the state mental institution for the criminally insane. L. Wood Carney is now serving the balance of his sentence with no time off for good behavior. Fatima cigarettes, best of all, long cigarettes, has brought you dragnet transcribed from Los Angeles. Next, Sarah's private caper with comedian Sarah Burner on NBC. The story you're about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. Fatima cigarettes, best of all, long cigarettes, brings you dragnet. You're a detective Sargent. You're assigned to AutoフD-tale. A well-organized ring of car thieves begins operations in your city. It's one of the most puzzling cases you've ever encountered. A detective Sargent gives you a last-minute impres assured This is the most puzzling case you've ever encountered. Your job? Break it. You'll be amazed when you compare Fatima with other long cigarettes. You'll find they now cost the same. But in Fatima, the difference is quality. You see, Fatima is the quality king-size cigarette. Because it contains the finest domestic, the most expensive, the most expensive, the most expensive cigarette. Because it contains the finest domestic and Turkish tobacco, superbly blended. And Fatima is extra mild, with a much different, much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette. So compare Fatima yourself. Fatima's now cost the same as other long cigarettes, but your first puff will tell you... Ah, that's different. The difference is quality. Ask your dealer for Fatima, the quality king-size cigarette. Best of all, long cigarettes. Start enjoying Fatima tomorrow. Dragnet, 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 11th. It was fair in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of auto theft detail. My partner's Ben Romero, the boss is Captain Stillson. My name's Friday. It was 8.35 a.m. when I got to room 40, auto theft division, Captain's office. Morning, Friday. Morning. Hi, Joe. Ben. Want to sit down? Thank you. I was just telling Romero here and briefing all the men in the bureau on this thing. That's the reason I called you to in. I got some figures here. I want to go over with you. As you know, the percentage of all auto theft recoveries is 96 to 98% on the average. That's normally... Yeah? ...checking the monthly averages. The past four months, that percentage has dropped to the low 80s. Quite a drop. The corner pocket thinks so too. They want some action on it. Well, we've been working on it. Absolutely no pattern to the thefts. Time, location, the method. Makes it impossible to stake out on it. Yeah, those are some of the reasons our percentage is taking such a dive. I know the problems. We all do, but we got to break this thing soon. All the figures were dealing with a well-organized bunch. They know what they're doing. I'm cross-checking all the reports. It seems to boil down to this in general. Here's all the outstanding thefts or GM cars. Cads, Pontiacs, Chevy, Zoltanville. All late models all seem to be in good condition. Low mileage cars. Well, in addition to the regular broadcast and teletype, we got out a special bulletin on this tonight. That's right. All the thefts were listed, license, make, model, and color. Consent to all major cities and border patrol stations. Nothing so far. I was checking through the salvage reports, Salvis by. Do you have the last two months' escape from March and April? Yeah, right here. I know it's the same thing. It outfitted down on San Pedro Street. Yeah, let me see. Oh, yeah. This is a composite on the report for the past two months. That's right. This one here, Herman and Salvis, 2716 West San Pedro. They seem to deal a little heavy on General Motors' car, don't they? Yeah, they do. I've been watching the buys on this place for the past few weeks now. I wanted to make sure it wasn't coincidence. Well, it looks like a good place to run down anyway. You two want to check it out? All right, fine. 2716 West San Pedro. That's it. I'll fit appears to be okay. Never been out of line. Seems funny. They should deal with the top Ivean GM cars, doesn't it? Right when our recovery percentage takes a dive. Yeah. Do you have the last salvage report there, Captain? Yeah, the last one. Here you are. Thank you. Yeah. Here's one for Herman's, 1949 Cadillac. A little further down, Herman's again, 47 O'Ls. Yeah, there's five GM buys on the list. Herman got four out of five of them. Let's find out why. From the time an automobile is first manufactured and sold, a constant and complete record is maintained on that automobile. The certificate of ownership, the pink slip in the state of California, the certificate of registration, the white slip. These two slips of paper contain the information necessary for the positive identification of your car. The fact that every motorist knows. There are many agencies that work for the protection and security of your automobile. One of these is the National Auto Theft Bureau, a kind of nationwide clearinghouse. Acting upon information supplied by the various insurance companies and other allied agencies, this Bureau forwards all facts and figures concerning the disposition of motor vehicles on a nationwide basis. Reports are made available to all law enforcement agencies. One of the pieces of information put out by the National Auto Theft Bureau is the salvage report, listing all sales and purchases of automobiles that for one reason or another may have been relegated to the junkyard or to the salvage company. A fact that many motorists may not know. 9.14 a.m. Ben and I checked through the police commission and found that the owner of Herman Salvage was a Herman Lester. He had been in business at the same location for six years and appeared to be a reputable businessman. We drove down to 2716 West San Pedro to check it out. It was an average looking garage with a connecting salvage yard filled with several hundred smashed up cars of all makes and models. It was 9.32 a.m. when we walked into the garage. There's a fellow there in the white shirt. Yeah, I see him. Can I help you, gentlemen? Yes, sir. Police officers. Auto theft detail. Oh, yes. Don't believe I know you, fellas. My name's Lester. This is Sergeant Friday. My name's Romero. How you do? How are you? Are you the owner here? Yeah, that's right. Whatever happened to Mack and Donovan used to drop in once, twice a month. Haven't seen him for two, three weeks now. Well, they're a little busy on a special assignment. Oh, I see. All right, if we look around here. Oh, you bet. Make yourselves right at home. Anything special? No, just looking. Okay. Notice you've been pretty busy, huh? Yeah, had a pretty good month. Salvage rackets gonna get sour again, looks like, with the Korean War and all the cutbacks. Doesn't seem to have hit you so far. Well, no, not so far. Looks like it may tighten up anytime. I noticed from our salvage report you've been doing a big business in GM merchandise. Yeah, we have. You know, they're starting to build tanks back there. Now we wanted to make sure we wouldn't run short on parts. You get a lot of call for GM parts, do you? Oh, yeah, we sure do. Everybody in town knows if they need something for a caddy or a buick or any of those cars, this is the place to come. We're kind of built up a reputation, specializing in GM used parts. I see. Mind if we check your last few by? Fine. You have, uh, 49 Cadillac, 47 Olds, Pontiac 48, 1949 Chevrolet. Wonder if we might see those. Yes, sir. All right, out in the yard. Back this way. Oh, four of them are really bad up. Bad shape. This breaks your heart to see beautiful merchandise like that all smashed up. I don't know what people are thinking of the way they drive. Yeah. You take a new caddy, one of those new convertibles, really beautiful merchandise. Somebody takes one out, rolls it, we pick it up and tow it down here. Beautiful car like that all rolled up in a ball. Georgia Street receiving lots, they'll probably pick it up the way. Yeah, I'm really ashamed. Here we go. There's a caddy. Oh, yeah. The Olds and the Pontiac are in that road. There, you see? Yeah. And the Chevrolet, wasn't it? Yes, sir, 1949. Yeah. Oh, yeah, there she is over there. Third car down. Maroon. Maroon one, yeah, down there. Yeah. Looks like a graveyard, doesn't it? Sure does. What do you do with all these cars? Strip them down for parts? Well, at least the four you're checking now, yeah, they're all total wrecks. Nothing much can be done with them except for parts. Mm-hmm. How about that Cadillac down there, the sedan? That one over there, can't you fix that one up? That doesn't look beyond repair from here. Oh, step around the other side here. You can't see from where you're standing. Here. The right side's all stove in by the time you figure your place in those side panels and fenders, Tram, we couldn't come out on it. Yeah, I see now. Well, I don't know too much about it, but it'll look good from over there. Yeah, that's what we get all the time. People want us to pay top prices or stuff we can't get our money out of. If we could repair them, fix them up and resell them as a complete automobile, there'd be a lot of money in this business. You do that with some of them, don't you? Well, very few of them, I'll tell you. That's what we look for, but we don't always get lucky. Mm-hmm, I see. Say, how'd you boys like to see some really beautiful merchandise? What's that? Well, come on back in the shop. All right. Kind of a hobby of mine. Mm-hmm. Here's what keeps us busy. Plates and pink slips on the way to Sacramento for cancellation. Oh, mhm. Yeah, over this way. Here we are. Take a look at this, baby. Yeah. Hot rod, huh? Oh, not exactly. We don't go in for that kid stuff racing around town. Well, sure, it looks like one. Yeah, but it's a little better than most of the kids can throw together. What did it do? We clocked her up at Murock at 112 last weekend. You know, they've been coming in here from all over town to see this car? That's all. Yeah. You ever get up to Murock Dry Lake? No, I never do, but that's the place for it. Running around town on those things can cause a lot of accidents. Those drag races the kids have? Yeah, we don't go in for that stuff. This is strictly scientific as far as I'm concerned. I like to build them up to see what we can make them do. Cost a lot of money, don't they? Got $5,400 in this one right now, I'm putting more into it. Mallory ignition, milled heads, twin wakefields. Let me start it up for you. Okay. 120 horses under there. Yeah, sounds good. Listen to that. Beautiful, isn't it? Yeah. A lot of power in here. Go ahead. You got to see it up to the lake. It really goes. Yeah, I'll bet. This all made up out of salvage cars? Every bit of it. You'll buy a few things new, but most of it's right out of wrecks like those outside there. It takes a lot of talent to build up something like this from scrap, doesn't it? No, not really. After you've been at it as long as I have, it's not too tough. The trick is to get more speed out of them than anyone else can. I'm not going to get it. If you put your mind to it, you can do a lot with a wrecked car. Before we left Herman's salvage, we checked all four of the GM cars that were listed on the salvage report. We made a careful check on all of the cars in the yard and in the garage, paying special attention to the few cars that were in the process of being rebuilt by Herman Lester's mechanics. We went over his records, carefully checking the dispositions of the cars, and we found that the car was in the garage. We found that in the past three weeks, Lester had taken in ten cars. Eight of them had been stripped down for parts, and two of them had been rebuilt and resold. The investigation showed that four of those cars were GM cars, and the two that were resold were both General Motors. 11.28 a.m. Ben and I drove back to the office and asked Mac and Donovan if they had any problems with the car. We found that the car was in the garage, and the car was in the garage. 11.28 a.m. Ben and I drove back to the office and asked Mac and Donovan if they'd checked through the two resale cars to make sure everything was in order, as the report indicated. We checked through on the remaining eight cars that were listed by Herman Lester as broken down for parts. According to DMV, all plates and pink slips had been returned to them for cancellation. 11.50 a.m. Well, that's it, Joe. Eight of the cars checked out, two of those were GM. Well, that leaves just the two that Mac and Donovan are checking, huh? I don't know. Everything done there looked all right. So, since Lester wasn't holding back anything, as far as I could tell, cooperative, everything in order. If those two that Mac and Donovan are working on check out. I got a hunch they will. Seems to me Lester told us everything, everything we asked him anyway. I don't think he ought back. If he did, I got an idea who might be able to tell us somebody's been left out in the cold here. What are you getting at? Well, now, if Herman's been able to buy up all those GM cars, what have the other salvage dealers been doing about it? Thanks for the thought. Let's check his competition. 12.40 p.m. We drove back down to West San Pedro Street. We picked out a group of salvage companies in the immediate neighborhood close to Herman's. 3209 West San Pedro, John's wrecking yard. We introduced ourselves and started to talk with the owner of John Bacon. A routine check was made of his establishment, and as far as we could tell, everything appeared to be okay. And that's all you made, aren't you just that one buy? That's it. 1946 forward, we're dying a slow death. Business is pretty bad, huh? Never seen it worse, at least as far as we're concerned. How do you account for that, Mr. Bacon? Oh, everything, I guess. Business is bad all over at the moment. Scrap metal situations in the state of flux at the present time. And looking around, Mr. Bacon, we noticed you don't have much in the way a General Motors car. Except because of GM going into war production, any cutback would eventually affect you, fellas, wouldn't it? No, no, not at all. A cutback would, sure, but there's no tremendous curtain when it's right at the present time. There's still turning out a lot of automobiles back there. Well, then what's your problem? We're being outfitted, right up and down the line by the same outfit. Who's that? A company by the name of Herman Salage, just up the street there. Go out to buy a piece of merchandise, their boys just won't let us get near it. They pay more than you do, huh? More than we can, Sergeant. I honestly don't see how they're coming out on some of their deals. That's that much out of line, huh? Certainly is. You know, whenever there's anything available, all the Salage companies get their bid in. Well, Herman simply outbids all of us. That makes it kind of rough. I'm not the only one. Pete Larkin up the street, old man, Henry next door, all of us. I don't know what we can do about it. Herman seems to be doing all right, no matter what he pays for his cars. I know this can figure it out. Just judging from the number of cars he outbids us on, the number he rebuilds. I just can't see how he's coming out. But he is, huh? I figure he's laying odds on a big shortage. That's what all of us think. He's laying in a stockpile. Is that the idea? Sure. What else could it be? We continued our check on all Salage dealers, both in the neighborhood of Herman Lester's place and throughout the city. It seemed to be a fact well known to most dealers that Herman was outbidding all of them on any and all GM automobiles. The only possible explanation was that he must be trying to lay in a large stockpile of this particular make of car. 3.35 p.m. We received word from Sergeants Mack and Donovan that they had checked out the two remaining cars listed in Herman's books, the resales. Ben was right. They checked out with no discrepancy. During the next 10 days, the investigation continued. The theft of late model GM cars continued with few recoveries. Suspects were arrested in question. We could find no connection that might lead us to an organized ring of car thieves that might be responsible for the lack of GM car recoveries. The salvage reports showed no change in Herman's buying technique. Apparently, he was still dealing heavy on the one particular make of car. Thursday, May 25th, we received a teletype from DMV listing all the salvage by transfers. In making our usual daily check of this teletype, we noticed a 1949 Cadillac, engine number 59877415. It had been resold from salvage to a used car lot. That's the place right up the block. Yeah, I see. The same Cad we saw in Herman's salvage, you are. Yeah, it's funny, isn't it? The one in particular that I asked him about, you remember? Yeah, I remember. You thought it could be fixed up? He said no. It's only been a little over two weeks ago, hasn't it? Yeah, I try. Well, it still doesn't prove anything. Here we are. Jake's. This is the place. Yeah, there's a Cad in the front line right down there. Mm-hmm. I don't see anyone around here. No, I don't. Well, I guess it's hard to check the engine number anyway. Yeah, I'll get the hood released. Right. Yeah, there we go. Yeah, the engine's had a good steam cleaning. Let's see. 59877415. That's it. Herman sure did a nice job, wasn't he? Yeah. It almost looks too good, doesn't it? Yeah, just a minute. Yeah. Body serial doesn't match. Doesn't correspond with the engine model. It's a 49 body. Could be a late 49, but it's a definite switch, isn't it? It sure is. That's funny. Yeah. Look at this right side here. This was the bad side. What do you think? Yeah, I'd try. Does it look like it's been rolled out to you? No, there's no feathering, no orange peel. Either that's the best repaint job I've ever seen, or it's never been in an accident. I'll take a look underneath, huh? Yeah, all right. Okay. You want to move your feet there? Yeah, all right. Anything? No, nothing. There's not a seam or a joint. No welding marks of any kind. This car's never been in a smash-up. The engine number checks the body doesn't. And this is the one Herman couldn't fix up. Yeah, that's what he said. Maybe he changed his mind. Or he lied. You are listening to Dragnet. From beginning to end, Dragnet is the authentic story of your police force in action. Now from beginning to end, the Fatima story. Actual convincing proof that in Fatima, the difference is quality. Quality of tobaccos. The finest domestic and Turkish varieties. 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In checking out this automobile, Ben and I had found that the engine number corresponded with the salvage report concerning Herman Lester's place. The one big item that did not jive was the fact that the engine was now mounted in a different body than when the car left the factory. A fact that had to be accounted for in complete detail. When we had checked this automobile on the 11th of May at Herman's salvage yard, both engine and body numbers corresponded. In taking a close look at the car, it was obvious that the body had not been repaired in any way. It was clear that this particular car had not been in any kind of collision. We went back to the rear of the lot and asked one of the salesmen not to sell the car without informing us. When we got back to the office, we started rechecking all of the auto theft reports. We found five stolen Cadillacs, but all the body styles and models were different, with the exception of one. A 1949 Cadillac sedan reported stolen on May 14. It was registered in the name of William Brownell. We checked his home and found that he was at work. He was a superintendent for the North American Van Line. We drove over and picked him up and took him to Jake Hughes Carlisle on Vermont Avenue. This is the car, Mr. Brownell. Well, it's just like mine, but I don't think it's the one. Are you sure? For one thing, it's a different color. My car was maroon. You want to step over here, Mr. Brownell? Sure. You know, if you look very closely here on the door edging and on the jam, Right here, see? This is the one place sometimes they miss with a spray gun if they're going to repaint. Oh, yeah, there's a faint trace of red under the blue paint there. Looks like it could be maroon, doesn't it? Yeah, it does it does. This car's been repainted. It was maroon. Uh-huh. Well, mine didn't have these kind of seat covers. Let's see. Same kind of upholstery I had, though, underneath here. I don't know. Mr. Brownell, there must be something other than the color and the upholstery that you'd know your own car by. Never give it much thought. Well, it was usually some little identifying mark of some kind. I know that on my car, the lens on the right headlight got broken, and I had to replace it with one that didn't match. Something like that, sir? Let me see. Could I look inside there a minute? Sure. Right here under the speedometer, there was a thumbprint pressed into the factory. It was pretty deep. No, it's not there now. Now, don't forget that the car's been repainted. It might have been covered up. No, this was cleared out of the metal, apparently, when they were installing the instruments at the factory. The panel wasn't dry yet. Not there now, and they couldn't have covered it up unless they made a special point of it. Well, sometimes that's done. Car thieves are kind of clever. I'm sorry, gentlemen. I don't think this is my car. I don't think I don't wish it was, but it's not. Can you think of just one other thing, maybe? Just one mark of identification is all we need. No. Even these tires aren't mine. I had white sidewalls. Well, could have been sweet. They were pretty new. Wait a minute. I think I remember something. There's no rip up there. What's that, sir? I just thought of something. The boys down in the office gave me a St. Christopher metal. You know, the large metal kind you're supposed to bolt to your dashboard? Yes, sir. I didn't want to put it on, so I carried it around with me in the car. There was a rip up there, and the inner lining of the top, but... See, there's no rip in this. Let me see. How about it, then? Yeah. Yeah, I can feel it. Does it feel like a metal? Get my pocket knife on it. What do you think? The replace the cloth up there? I don't know. Yeah. Yeah, here it is. Mm-hmm. Is this it, Mr. Brownhouse? That's it. Look on the back there. My name's engraved on it. See? Yes, sir. Well, I sure didn't think this was my car. I never would have known it. That's what the guys figure who stole it. The 1949 Cadillac was taken to the police garage, and a complete and thorough check was made. The car, with the exception of the engine, was positively identified as the property of William Brownell. This definitely implicated Herman Lester and showed his salvage operations to be illegitimate. He had obviously been buying one particular make of salvage automobile, outbidding all his competitors to do so. When he would buy a piece of wrecked equipment, an exact duplicate would be stolen to match it. He would then dispose of the engine from the stolen vehicle and replace it with a salvage engine. With this system of operation, Herman's salvage had been enjoying a lucrative business, which accounted for a great percentage of the stolen cars that we hadn't been able to recover. 7.25 p.m., May 25th, we drove out to pick up Herman Lester. His home address was listed as 8625 Wonderland Drive. It was up in the Laurel Canyon District, a heavily-witted section of Los Angeles. Pretty nice place up in there, which you can see of it through the trees. Let's go. Look at that, Joe. Looks like a 50 O's. Everything there but the engine. No plates. I didn't notice that from the street, did you? Never could have seen it from down there. Looks like a garage back up in there, doesn't it? Perfect spot. Can't see any of this from the street with all those trees. Pretty fancy layout for a home garage. Good try. Well, somebody's working up in there. Come on. Hi there. Brings your fellas right up here. We'll have a little talk with you. Oh, you bet. Come on in the house. Have a cold beer, huh? No, this'll be all right. Joe, you've got a hot sheet. Yeah, right here. Kinda caught me by surprise here working out in the garage. Yeah, that figure's lest here. These plates are from the stolen car. You sure? You remember a 49-cat lack? We looked at that down at your place a couple of weeks ago. Oh, that's sure. 49-cat? That's right. Whatever became of that car. Oh, now I remember. Yeah, I sold that car to Jake's over over a month. Thought you told us you couldn't fix it up. I don't remember. You sure you don't need some other car now? No, it's the same one. You know the one we mean. How about it? How about what? That was a stolen car, Lester. You know it. That's a stolen car out down the yard, isn't it? Watch that horse, then. There he goes, Joe. All right, Lester, hold it. Stop it, stop, Joe. All right, now come on. Stop it, Lester. Drop the hammer. All right, I'll get the cuffs, Joe. Come on, get up on your feet. All right, come on. On your feet. Stand still. Rough one, huh? Yeah. Come on, Lester. Let's go. How'd you find out who took you off? St. Christopher. The story you've just heard was true. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. On August 15th, trial was held in Superior Court, Department 82, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California, in a moment the results of that trial. And now, here is our star, Jack Webb. Thank you. Friends, one of the first things a detective learns is that you can't rely on snap judgments or first appearances. You get all the evidence first, and then you arrive at a decision. And that's just as true when it comes to choosing a king-size cigarette. Place a Fatima alongside any other king-size cigarette. Side by side, they'll look identical. When you smoke them, you'll find a world of difference. You'll find as I have, in Fatima, the difference is quality. Quality that gives you extra mildness, a much better flavor and aroma. If you haven't smoked Fatimas yet, buy a pack tomorrow. See if you don't agree. In Fatima, the difference is quality. Herman W. Lester was tried and convicted on three counts of Grand Theft Auto and two counts of Grand Theft Money. All sentences to run consecutively. Grand Theft Auto was punishable by imprisonment for a term of one to five years, Grand Theft Money by a term of one to ten years. The suspect was also filed on by federal authorities for violation of the Dior Act. 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. Fatima cigarettes, best of all, long cigarettes has brought you Dragnet, portions transcribed from Los Angeles. Stay tuned for Counter-Spire, next over many NBC stations. The story you are about to hear is true. The story you are about to hear is true. The story you are about to hear is true. The story you are about to hear is true. The story you are about to hear is true. The story you are about to hear is true. The story you are about to hear is true. The story you are about to hear is true. The story you are about to hear is true. The story you are about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Fatima cigarettes, best of all, king-size cigarettes, brings you Dragnet on both radio and television. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a bunco detail. An experienced confidence man has set up operations in your city. From his first two victims, he gets more than $8,000. You've got one good lead in the suspect, his method of operation. Your job, get him. Prove Fatima quality yourself, today. Compare Fatima with any other king-size cigarette. You'll find Fatima's length filters the smoke 85 millimeters for your protection. Fatima's length cools the smoke for your protection. You'll find Fatima's length gives you those extra puffs, 21 percent longer than standard cigarette size. And in Fatima, you get an extra mild and soothing smoke, plus the added protection of Fatima quality. Remember, Fatima gives you more for your money. Buy Fatima in the bright sunny yellow pack. Best of all, king-size cigarettes. Dragnet, 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 Tuesday, December 9th. It was windy in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of Bunko Detail. My partner's Ed Jacobs, the boss's captain, Steve. My name's Friday. I was on the way into the office and it was 7.50 a.m. when I got to room 38. Bunko Detail. Good morning, Joe. Hi, Charlie. How'd you make out yesterday? Nothing. No luck at all, huh? Nothing's gonna help as much. Same description on the guy. He used the same name, same M.O. Didn't get anything we don't already know about him. How about you? You're lucky any better. About the same. Checked out the building with a suspect around the office space. He moved out three days ago. No forwarding address. Checked the hotel he was supposed to be stopping at. Didn't pan out. Even time. He'll stick his neck out again. It doesn't guarantee we'll reach him. Too late to start when the complaints come in. We're gonna have to dig up a faster way of getting to him. You got a match? Yeah, sure, Charlie. Here you are. Thanks. You bet. Oh, by the way, what's this I hear about your partner? What? Ed Jacobs understands you're losing. Oh, yeah. Temporarily, anyway. What's the deal? Well, he's going on a loan out up at the academy. Gonna be an instructor up there two months anyway. Maybe more. When does this happen? Tomorrow. The 10th. What do you gotta do for a partner? You and Ken gonna work together? No, the captain's bringing in a new man. Young fella. He's been working in the business office. You mean the big Irish kid works the early morning? No, no. This boy's been working days. His name's Bill Lockwood. I asked for him as soon as I found out I was gonna lose Ed. You know him? Well, a little bit, yeah. You remember Ben Romero? Yeah, sure. Well, Lockwood's a nephew of Ben's. Sister's boy. Tall, right here. No, I've seen him around. Seems to be a nice enough kid. Have a good record, isn't it? Well, the captain thinks so. Figures he ought to work in pretty well. Oh, by the way, have you seen Ben's wife lately? Yeah, I did a couple of weeks ago. Seems to be doing all right. Still misses Ben, of course. Yeah, I imagine. A little boy's sure getting big. Looks a lot like his dad, too. Miss him quite a bit, you know. Yeah, Charlie. I guess I do. Well, I better get on my horse. He had some checking to do. I hope the Lockwood boy works out for you. Well, I think you'll do all right. Can't say I'd be crazy about the idea myself. What do you mean? Breaking in a new man. No detective experience. When I go out to pick up a thief, I like to figure I've got some good backing. I mean, a partner I'm used to. Tough enough watching out for yourself, let alone a green youngster. Well, somebody had to do it for us. That's the way it goes. Yeah, I suppose. I remember when I first saw him. It didn't come much greener than me. Partner did all the work. Took all the chances. Helped me every foot of the way. He never mentioned it once. I never forgot that. It's a good cop. What was his name? Ben Romero. In our particular setup, before a man's eligible to apply for duty in the detective bureau, he has to have a minimum of five years experience in the detective bureau. He has to have a minimum of five years experience as a police officer, either assigned to radio patrol, traffic duty, or some other general assignment. After the initial five years of service, the men go through a screening process to determine which department and which job they'll fit into best, some position that they seem to show a natural aptitude for. If a man applies for duty in a division of the detective bureau, and if he's accepted, he's assigned a partner to work with the day he goes on the job, generally a working detective with some experience. In the case of Ben's nephew, Bill Lockwood, he put in his first five years working wheelchair traffic, and also doing radio patrol in Holland Beck and 77th Street divisions. After spending another 11 months in our business office, Captain Steed put in a request for him, and he was transferred. When I heard Ed Jacobs was going to be loaned to the police academy as an instructor, I talked to Captain Steed about Lockwood, and he assigned him as my new partner. The changeover happened in the middle of one of the toughest investigations we'd had in months. A bunco artist who was working hard at the business opportunities racket. The following morning, December 10th, Bill Lockwood reported in for work, and we drove out to check a potential lead on the suspect. On the way, I laid out the case for him. Nothing on the men in R&I, huh? No record at all? No, not as far as we know, Bill. Checked Braritan up at Sacramento, CII. Nothing doing there. He couldn't help us. And what have you been going on? His description? Yeah, that and his M.O. and his name. He uses a different alias on each job. Russell Preston, that was the last name he used. I see. He usually starts by putting a wand ad in the papers, that in? Well, he rents himself an office first, usually pretty expensive when well furnished. Then he hires a good-looking secretary. He has her put a wand ad in the daily papers form, and he's in business. How do the ads read? The usual? Yeah, typical thing you see in the daily paper. Business opportunity for people with vision, good investment, high profits, supply and argue, you know. Then he gives his address and phone number. There's nothing clever about it, but people still go for it. He give them any replies, do you know? Well, we figure he got between 20 and 30 on that last deal he pulled. Seems all he has to do is land one victim out of the bunch with enough money and he's got it made. Took his first victim here for 5,000. Second one for 3,200, both elderly women. Took him for their last dollar. About the way he sets up the deal with these different businessmen, Joe, I don't think I got it quite straight. What do you mean? Well, say the owner of that manufacturing plant this Russell Preston lined up. Yeah. You say Preston went to the plant, introduced himself as a business advisor, told the owner of the plant he had some people with money to invest. He convinced the owner who's legitimate. Yeah, that's right. So, Preston and Preston had his two victims shown through the plant and convinced them they ought to invest their money in the business. Yeah, that's it. Do you mean to say the plant owners were acting in good faith? Well, they were all checked out, Bill. Everything about them. They all have good business reputations. They didn't know any more about the deal and the victims. They needed more capital for their business and they figured this was it. This Preston or whatever his name is, sure must have a line that won't stop. He's got everything that goes with it. Nice clothes, well mannered, good looking. He doesn't try to high pressure anybody. Tells him if they have confidence in him, he'd be glad to invest their money. If they hedge it all, he shows them right through the office. Pretty good pitch. Once they're sold on him, he's got them over a barrel. It's about the size of it, yeah. Funny there's no record on him. Sure sounds like he's had a lot of experience. What are the other names he's used, you remember? Well, just two of them we know of. Russell R. Preston and George A. Fairchild. I guess the newspapers have been checked out, huh? The ones he ran the what-ands in? Yeah, we've all been talked to. All their personnel have been notified to watch for ads of that type. It'll be one way to get a lead on him if he tries again. What about the buildings where he rented office space? Couldn't the people there help any? Well, they confirmed his description. We picked up samples of his handwriting, it's about it. He only rented the offices long enough to cover his deal, about two weeks. Let's see what hundred bucks is this bill, can you see over there? Let's see, yeah, 1700. We want the next one, 1811. Who's this woman we're going to talk to? Vivian Castle, all right? Yeah, I'm not sure if she's the right girl or not. Got the lead from an employment agency. Chance she might be the girl Preston hired to be a secretary, I don't know. Well, good part in place up there ahead, huh? Yeah, that's good. Pull up anywhere along here. It's fine. Two doors down, Joe. Real estate office, 1811. Yeah, I see it. Good morning. Good morning. Can I help you? Police officers, ma'am, we'd like to talk to a miss, Castle Vivian Castle. Well, I'm Vivian Castle. Here's our identification. This is my partner, Officer Lockwood. My name's Friday. How do you do? What is it you want, officers? We'd like to find out if you know a George Fairchild, ma'am. Fairchild? No, I don't know anyone by that name. How about a Russell Preston, miss? Does that mean anything to you? I used to work for Mr. Preston, Russell Preston. About how long ago was that? A month, month and a half ago. Where does he have his offices? He did have them on South Grand near 8th. The old Bill Monteperis building, why? Would you mind describing Mr. Preston for us, ma'am? Just a general description of him. He was about 40, 45 years old, brown hair, a little gray, nice build. Seemed to be a very nice man at first. Always dressed so nice. His wore a dark blue suit. Seemed to be very nice. He checks out so far, Joe. Would you mind telling me what it's about? We'd like to locate Mr. Preston, ma'am. You any idea where he is now? I wish I did. I'd call the state labor commission. It seemed like such a nice man. I've never been so disappointed in my life. How do you mean, miss Castle? He owes me two weeks' pay. $65 a week. He hired me as a private secretary. Good jobs aren't hard to get now, either. He can't say he was giving me a break when he hired me. Are you from the labor commission? No, ma'am. We're not. Could you tell us how long you worked for this Mr. Preston? Just three weeks. He said I was going to get a job. Just three weeks? He said I was going to get paid every Friday. Gave me the money for the first week and that's all. Kept waiting for my pay, but he kept putting me off. Last week and a half he didn't even show up at the office. I was there all alone eight hours a day. I mean, the building manager shut up and told me he was all over. Mr. Preston closed the office. Didn't even have the decency to come in and say thank you, goodbye. I just left. And you have no idea at all where Mr. Preston is now? No, sir. I wish I did. Were there any office files, mail files, any way to get a possible line on him? As far as I know, I didn't keep any files for him. Matter of fact, I didn't do any work at all. Just a showpiece, I guess that's all he kept me there for. There's no reason why he shouldn't pay me, though. Are you sure you're not from the Labor Commission? Did Mr. Preston ever have you place any WAN ads in the daily papers, Miss Castle? Yeah, he did a couple of times. Ads for business opportunities, you know. He was in the investment business. Help people invest their money. Would you happen to know anyone who invested money with him? I mean, would you know them by name? No, not by name. Quite a few people came through the office. I know a few of them made deals with Mr. Preston. I wouldn't remember their names, though. And you don't know any friends he might have had in town? Any of his business associates? No, sir. Not a one. I didn't know he had any associates. How about where he was staying, Miss Castle? He must have known that. The first week I was there, I did. It was the only week I got paid for him. He was staying at a small hotel on South Flower. I moved the next week, though I don't know where he went after that. Neither does the hotel. I asked them. Well, during the time you worked for him, ma'am, did you ever have anything to do with Mr. Preston socially? I mean, was it part of your job to go out to dinner with him? Things like that? I did once or twice when he asked me. I didn't think he was part of my job, though. Mr. Preston didn't mention it either. Once we went out to dinner, just the two of us. Another time we went out with my girlfriend, Norma. I had a terrible time. Mr. Preston was awful. How do you mean, Miss? Well, he drank too much and was throwing his weight around, you know, the boss. And he kept making a play for my girlfriend, Norma. I think he liked her quite a bit. I'm sure it was embarrassing, though. Look, would you mind telling me what's the matter? Is Mr. Preston in trouble with the police? Yes, ma'am. I'm afraid so. He's cheated some people out of quite a bit of money. It's not the first time, either. What was it? What'd he do? Confidence gain. Selling interest in the company he had no connection with. That is a little limit. I guess it's my own fault. I should have known better. It's happened before. They hire you. They give you a beautiful office, nice, soft chair to sit on. They never give any work to do. You don't have to lift a finger. I finally got the drift. Yeah. Those are the kind you have to watch out for. Bill Lockwood and I continued questioning the former secretary of Russell Preston, alias George Fairchild, which he was unable to come up with any kind of a definite lead as to the suspect's whereabouts. We left our card with a girl and she promised to contact us in the event she came across any information regarding Preston. For the rest of the day, we ran down three more possible leads. They came from an informant. I had waited her in the second rate nightclub, a small-time grifter with an axe to grind. They all figured they had the right answer where to find Preston. We checked out the three locations they gave us, a motel out near Santa Monica, a roaming house in Hollywood, a cocktail lounge in Highland Park. Not one of the three paid off. Russell Preston, alias George Fairchild, wasn't known at any of the places, either by name, dress, or physical description. During the next three weeks, along with sergeants Charlie Riblett and Ken Scarce of Bunko Detail, Bill Lockwood and I ran down every possible lead on the suspect. Hotels, the Wanda Ed departments of the Daily Papers, managers of downtown office buildings, secretarial employment agencies, small businesses advertising stock for sale. They got us nothing. Despite all the precautions and all the legwork, on January 6th, we got a call from Mrs. Marie Barrett in the Westlake Park area. She owned and managed a toy shop just off Wilshire Boulevard. Bill Lockwood and I drove out to talk to her. Yes, they told me it was the opportunity of a lifetime, a big opportunity. I just can't believe it. Can't understand it. Why, he even took me out and showed me the factory. Even the man around the place, they're making plastics. He showed me the whole plant. You said the plant was out in Glendale now. What about it? It was right along the San Fernando Road, maybe a mile or two before you get to the airport. They showed me through the whole plant. Who showed you through, Mrs. Barrett? Owner of the place and this Mr. Fairchild. It's a big place, making plastics of all kinds. Can't say I wasn't impressed. What was Mr. Fairchild's first name, do you remember? George, George Fairchild and Associates. That was the name of the door of the office when I went up to see him. Of course, I really didn't have a notion of investing any money. When I first went up, it was a newspaper ad, you know, and I answered lots of them. Kind of a hobby with me. Yes, ma'am. So I went up to see him and we talked. And as I say, I wasn't thinking of investing any money, but Mr. Fairchild seemed like such a nice man. Seemed to have a good business head and his shoulders. Well, he ended up with me putting my whole savings account into the plastics plant. $6,400. Every penny of it. I haven't heard from Mr. Fairchild since. I just don't know what to think. I can't understand it. Do you have any idea where to contact this Fairchild now? Any address? Tell us your number. Well, I called his office. It's in the Oxford Exchange Building. There's no answer, though. They say it's disconnected. I've been trying for a week to contact Mr. Fairchild. I mean, $6,400. I just don't know what to do. It's all my savings. I don't know what to do. Oh, well, excuse me, please. Customer, I can't afford to miss a sale now. Yes, ma'am. You go right ahead. Ellen, may you help this lady, please? Looks like he scored again, huh? I wouldn't doubt it. She seems to do a fair business here, huh? I mean, after Christmas and all. Yeah, I suppose. Of course, the women go for it. You hang up a sale sign. You can't beat them off with a club. See this gadget here? Pretty clever, huh? Yeah. Miniature Sherman tank. What's it do? Watch. Well, how about that? Pretty cute, isn't it? Cannons on the side, sparks coming out. When have you got one for Christmas? I got a lot of power. Treads will climb over just about anything. Uh-huh. Sorry to keep you waiting, officers. Customers have to be attentive to you. Surely we understand. Now, about this money you gave Fairchild and his bear at the $6,400. How'd you work that? I mean, did you give him a check or how'd you do it? Yes, I gave him a check. It was cash the same year I gave it to him. I found that up from the bank. What was he supposed to get for your money, ma'am? Interest in the plastics company. One-fifth interest. Seemed like such a good idea at the time. Did you ever discuss the deal with the owners of the plastics company? I mean, when Mr. Fairchild wasn't around? No, I guess I never did. Mr. Fairchild didn't think it was a good idea. Said he wanted me to get the most from my money. Said he was afraid if the company owners talked to me alone, they might argue me into taking this profit. Didn't want me to talk to him at all if he was into round. And you weren't suspicious of him at all, huh? Mr. Fairchild? No. Very nice man. There are a few things he did that made me a little uncertain, but he always explained everything to me. He always had a good reason for everything he did. Nice man, clean cut, well dressed, beautiful manners. Never taken for anything but a gentleman. You'll see what I mean. Where do you meet him? Yes, ma'am. Just a perfect gentleman. I don't know what to think. I can't call him a crook. He just isn't that kind. Well, you took your money, Ms. Berry. Yes. What else would you call him? 2.18 p.m. When we got through interviewing the latest victim, Marie Barrett, Bill Lockwood and I drove out to the plastics company on San Fernando Road where we talked to the owner and manager. The story was pretty much the same. The suspect, using the name of George Fairchild, had called on them three weeks before introducing himself as an investment counselor. He told them he had clients with money to invest in a growing industry such as theirs, and they went for the story. They told us Fairchild had come back two or three times with different persons whom he introduced as his clients. They'd been shown through the plastics plant and given a sales talk. That's about all the company owners could tell us. When we got back to the office, we checked their names through the regular business channels and found out they were reputable businessmen. There was nothing to indicate that they had anything to do with the suspect's bunco operations. 4.30 p.m. Hey, Joe. Yeah, Bill. A girl out here to see us. The one who used to be Preston's secretary, Vivian Castle, again. She say what she wanted? No, seems a little anxious. Officer, I'm glad I found you in. How are you, Ms. Castle? I'm all right. I was going to phone you, but I couldn't remember your number. I lost the card you gave me, so I decided to come down. You remember talking to me, don't you, about Mr. Preston, my old boss? Yes, ma'am. Have you heard from him? Well, no, I haven't, but you remember me telling you about my girlfriend, Norma? I mean, the time Mr. Preston took me out, Norma and her boyfriend were with us. Yes, ma'am. And the way Mr. Preston kept making a play for Norma. Well, I saw Norma at lunchtime today, first time in weeks. She told me she got a call from Mr. Preston. I told her I'd tell you all about it. She's got a date with him. When? For dinner Friday night. You are listening to Dragnet. Authentic stories of your police force in action. To show our confidence in Fatima, we make you this money-back guarantee. Buy a pack of Fatimas. Enjoy Fatima quality, extra mildness, and superbly blended tobaccos. If you're not convinced, Fatima is better than the king-size cigarette you're now smoking. Just return the pack and the unsmoked Fatimas by August 1st, 1952, for your money-back plus postage. Fatima, box 37, New York 1. Prove Fatima quality yourself. Compare Fatima with any other king-size cigarette. 1. Fatima's length filters the smoke 85 millimeters for your protection. 2. Fatima's length cools the smoke for your protection. 3. Fatima's length gives you those extra puffs, 21 percent longer than standard cigarette size. And in Fatima, you get an extra mild and soothing smoke, plus the added protection of Fatima quality. Fatima gives you more for your money. Ask your dealer for Fatima in the bright, sunny yellow pack. Buy Fatima. Best of all, king-size cigarettes. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6TH, 450 PM Wednesday, January 6th, 450 PM. We called Vivian Castle's girlfriend Norma Cummings, and then we drove out to talk to her. The Cummings girl told us that Russell pressed on the telephone that morning and made the date with her for Friday night at 7.30. He said they were to have dinner at a nightclub out in the Wilshire district. He also mentioned to her that he was staying in a hotel, but she didn't know the name of the location. We made arrangements for a steak out at Norma Cummings' apartment. The girl agreed to cooperate with us. Thursday, January 7th, we checked with a personnel at the different restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, which Preston and the Cummings girl were to visit. Some of them remembered Preston, but as far as they knew, he hadn't been back. We left our cards with each one of them, and we asked him to contact us if he should return. Just after lunch on Friday, we got a phone call from Norma Cummings. When was that, miss? Uh-huh. Did you find out where he was? I see. Will you be there for the rest of the day? No, I'll find. Yeah, we'll call you back. Goodbye. Yeah. Cummings girl, she's at work. She just had a phone call from Preston. She tried to find out where he was, no go. What do you have to say? That dinner date he had with her tonight. He called it off. Later that afternoon, we went out and talked to the Cummings girl. She told us Preston explained on the phone that he had to cancel the date that night because of some business deal that had come up. He told her he'd get in touch with her over the weekend. He didn't. By Thursday of the following week, she still hadn't heard from him. Two days later, on a Saturday afternoon, we got a call from one of the cocktail lounges Preston had visited. The bartender remembered us being in there to inquire about the suspect, and he'd saved our card. He said Preston was there now with another man drinking at the bar. We asked the bartender to try and delay the suspect as long as possible, and we got him a car and drove to the location. It was too late. The bartender explained that he tried to delay the man that he thought was Preston, but he didn't have much luck. The suspect had left a few minutes after the bartender had called us. He'd been drinking heavily. The man Preston had been with was still there. He was sitting at an old upright piano in the back of the place trying to pick out a tune with one finger. Bill and I went back and talked to him. He gave his name as Fred Sandel. Yeah, that's right. I was drinking with a fellow. Why? What's the matter, Halson? Have you ever seen a man before? Yeah, once or twice. In here. Oh, no. Place up the street, 780 Club. I had a couple of drinks with him in there. You know his name? Well, what's the angle? You want him with something? It's just a routine check. We'd like to talk to him. Well, I don't know. I might know his name. Yeah. Well, what's the angle on the thing? You want him with something big? We want to talk to him, that's all. Would he put my eyes, something like that? He didn't look like that kind of guy. A lousy thing and then we couldn't get that right. How about it? You say you might know the man's name. What was it? Well, I don't know. I'm not sure if I'm the one that ought to tell you. How do you mean? Well, I don't want to get anybody in trouble. I want to give out names. What's the angle on him? You want him with something big? It's big enough, yeah. Oh. Well, his name's Preston, I think. That's the name he gave me anyway. He's seen him around bars in the neighborhood every once in a while. How much do you know about him? Well, how much. I had a few dinks with him down there and talked a little bit. That's about all. What did you say your name was? Sandel, Fred Sandel. Well, what's the angle on this Preston? We want to get in touch with him. You know where he lives? I don't know. I might. I want him for something big, isn't that right? Well, what's the difference? We want him. Well, it could be a lot of difference. I mean, what's the angle? Well, it's important to you, and I helped you. You'd probably want to do the right thing, huh? I don't know if I got you right. Well, I mean, if you really want the guy, you know. If it's important to you, and I helped you reach him, you'd want to make it square with me, wouldn't you? Well, not that I'm asked to pay off. You understand that. Yeah, we understand. Where's Preston live? Well, I didn't say anywhere the guy lives. I didn't say that. Do you know where he lives? Well, I'm not sure. Am I? I don't know if I'll tell you, though. All right. You want to stand by here, Bill? I better check in. Yeah, fine. Okay. City Hall. 2625, please. 2625? Reckardville, Roe, Hunter. Yeah, John, this is Joe Friday, Bunko. Yeah, Friday. I'd like to check on a suspect, John. He gives the name of Fred Sandell. He's a WMA, about 45, 5'10", 170 pounds, brown hair, brown eyes, ready complexion, small scar just below the left ear. Okay. All right. I'm going to call you back on that. Yeah, would you please? I'm at Dunkirk 35016. Right. I'll call you. Thanks. Oh, say, John, could you switch me over to Bunko, please? I'm calling from outside. Yeah, sure. Hang on. Thank you. Yes? Would you do it? I'm going to switch this call over to Bunko, please. Bunko, please. Bunko, please. Bunko, please. Bunko, please. Bunko, please. Joe Friday, Charlie. Anything doing? Oh, yeah, Joe. Quite a bit. That's us. I'm going to call you back on that. I'm going to call you back on that. Yeah, I'm going to call you back on that. Joe Friday, Charlie. Anything doing? Oh, yeah, Joe. Quite a bit. That suspect here is Russell Preston. Mm-hmm. He's been picked up. Yeah? Well, how'd that happen? A radio car picked him up at Baton South Grand. He's drunk charge, I understand. He was pretty well plastered, wandering around the middle of the street. Had quite a bit of money on him. They brought him into robbery for questioning. Are you sure he's Preston? Yeah, on description checks, a couple of sets of identification, only two. One for Russell Preston, one for George Fairchild. Well, where they got him now? Next door, interrogation room. Ken Scares is talking to him. He's copying out in two of the jobs he pulled. Okay, Charlie. Thanks a lot. We'll be right in. Right, Joe. Right by him. Bill, see you in a minute. Yeah. You might as well check in. Preston's been picked up. Hmm? When? Probably just after you left this bar. A radio car spotted him, pulled him in. How about that? Yeah. You worked two months on a case, and just when we start to get close, somebody else picks the guy up. Yeah, that's right. It's not very exciting, is it? Yeah, it's not very exciting. I think it's a good idea. I think it's a good idea. I think it's a good idea. I think it's a good idea. I think it's a good idea. I think it's a good idea. I think it's a good idea. Yeah, that's right. It's not very exciting, is it? And I was just thinking, officers, I don't want to be hardheaded about this thing, you know. I mean, if you want this guy Preston, I'd be glad and I'd help you find him. I don't want to be hardheaded. Excuse me a minute. Yeah. John, I'm on Friday, where I could be all right. Oh, yeah, John. I got a make on that name. Your ass four Fred Sandel. Uh-huh. There's a one on him. Grand Theft Auto, got it put along. Wreck it, you want me to read it off? No, that's all right, John. Right. Bye. Right, thank you. What do you say, sir? I just suppose you sit down and have a drink and talk things over. And I'll show you where I think this person hangs out. I mean, if we make the right deal. Well, it's already been made. You want to grab your top coat there? We'd like to talk to you downtown. Me? What for? What are you talking about? Grand Theft Auto, they want you, mister. Oh, wait a minute. You made a mistake. You didn't come in here looking for me. You're not even the side of my case. This ain't fair. Get your coat, let's go. No, but this ain't fair. You'd come in here looking for Preston. You didn't want me. We do know. What kind of a deal do you call that? You're looking for Preston. You picked me up. What's the angle? There's no angle. Some days you've got to settle for less, that's all. Come on, let's go. The story you've just heard was true. The names were changed to protect the innocent. On April 5th, trial was held in Superior Court, Department 89, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California. In a moment, the results of that trial. Now, here is our star, Jack Webb. Thank you, George Fineman. Friends, I sincerely hope you'll remember tomorrow what we've told you about Fatima tonight. You remember we said that Fatima was the only one who was going to be in the city, you remember we said that Fatima is the best of all king-sized cigarettes. Well, we'd like you to try a pack and prove that to your own satisfaction. You'll find Fatima gives you an extra mild and soothing smoke, plus the added protection of Fatima quality. And remember this, Fatima gives you more for your money. When you buy cigarettes, look for the bright, sunny yellow pack and buy Fatima. I know you'll like them. Russell R. Preston, Alias George Fairchild, Alias Robert Fairchild was tried and convicted on three counts of Grand Theft. Fred Sandell was tried and convicted of Grand Theft one count. Both men received sentences as prescribed by law. They are now serving their terms in the state penitentiary San Quentin, California. Grand Theft is punishable by imprisonment for not less than one, nor more than 10 years. You have just heard Dragnet, the 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 Winn, Sergeant Vance Brasher. Heard tonight were Martin Milner, Marion Richmond, Vic Rodman. Script by Jim Moser. Music by Walter Schumann. Hell, give me speaking. Fatima Cigarettes, best of all, king-sized cigarettes, has brought you Dragnet transcribed from Los Angeles. Music by Jim Moser. Now it's Counter Spy on NBC. Sound off for Chesterfield. Chesterfield, first cigarette in America to give you premium quality and both regular and king-size brings you Dragnet. Music by Jim Moser. Ladies and gentlemen, the story you're about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a robbery detail. You've just rounded up a vicious gang of thieves. The heavy man is still at large. If you're not doing your job, get him. Hello, this is George Fenerman. I want to talk to you about the cigarette that's really on the move. The one everyone's talking about and trying. Chesterfield. First cigarette in America to give you premium quality in both regular and king-size. Chesterfield king-size is exactly the same quality and exactly the same blend of tobacco and Chesterfield regular size. There's absolutely no difference. Except that king-size Chesterfield is larger, contains considerably more of the same tobaccos. So much more it gives you a 21% longer smoke, yet costs very little more. And Chesterfield king-size contains better tobaccos and is of higher quality than any other king-size cigarette. So, sound off for Chesterfield. Either way you like them, regular or king-size, Chesterfield gives you the best possible smoke. Dragnet, 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 Tuesday, March 6th, that was windy in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of robbery detail. My partner is Frank Smith, the boss is Captain Dittian. My name's Friday. It was 2.46 p.m. when I got to room 27A. It was robbery. Frank? Yeah, Joe. How about those subpoenas? Took them down to the warrant office. They're going to serve them. All the follow-ups made, packages in order, they about wraps it up, then. Yeah, all but Bentley. Yeah, nothing for Mac yet. No, he said he'd call as soon as he heard anything. He'd be happy when we get him, won't you? He's probably the worst of the lot. Yeah, I don't quite what Mac said. He's in real trouble now. Roke, none of his friends will have any to do with him. We'll turn him. I don't think I'll ever understand a guy like Bentley. What makes a man want to beat somebody just for the sake of beating him? Figure that we'll have it made. 32 robberies, and just about everyone, Bentley's got to work over at least one of the victims. He's pretty vicious. Now we get him this time, he's through, probably knows it too. You and Mac Bowe's the whistle probably going to be rough to take down here. John and all you feel about it, but I'm happy it's over. Let's face it, we were lucky on this one. The guys were gun-happy. Taken any longer to get him, they'd have killed somebody, sure. Maybe so. Well, am I next day off? I'm going to do nothing but sit, not make a move. I feel like killing me. I have a lot of legwork on this one. Not just this one, Joe, all of them. I was reading in the magazine the other day about a new kind of art support. I got to get me a pair of them. Well, according to the ad, these are going to be just a ticket. Some new kind of rubber, soft when they mold it to your feet, placed back in Wisconsin. How do they do it? They got a place here in LA? No, just a home office, just a small place, I guess, according to the ad, the whole process pretty new. Well, how do you get this? What is it, a mold? Yeah, you stand on a piece of paper, hold a bucket of water in each hand, you know, you put all your weight on your feet. Yeah. And you draw the outline of your foot on the paper, they make the arch thing up from that. Well, if you're holding a bucket of water in can, is that right? Yeah. Well, how do you use the pencil? What? Well, a bucket of water in each hand, how you going to draw it? Yeah. I got it. Robert E. Friday, Ohio Bay. Yeah, he's here. Oh, how are the kids? Oh, yeah, sure, I'll put them right on. Frank, for you. Your wife seems upset. Thanks, Joe. Hello, honey. Yeah? Hi, Campbell, what's up? What can't you tell me now? Well, why not? All right, honey, I'll be right there. Don't worry now. Goodbye. What's the matter? Is something wrong? I don't know. If they want me to come right home, say something's going on. Couldn't you tell you about it on the phone? No, I said something about the phone being tapped. We went down to the carpool and started over for Frank's house. For the past three months, we'd been working on a case involving a gang that had been operating in the city. During that time, they'd committed 32 armed robberies, and in most instances, they'd beaten their victims for no apparent reason. Their ruthless attitude was the most outstanding single point of their MO. We'd successfully rounded up all members of the gang with one exception, Leroy Bentley, alias the Bull. Bentley was the known heavy man of the gang. In order to successfully prosecute and apprehend any criminal or criminals, the police officer requires the fullest measure of cooperation and assistance that he can obtain from many people. The private citizen and his own associates as well. From the ranks of the private citizen comes one important aide, the informant. The working detective knows that in many cases his most valuable assistance can often come from his informant. In this particular case, we'd received information that would lead us to Bull Bentley within a matter of days. 322 p.m. We arrived at Frank's home. I'm glad you're home, honey. I'm awfully worried. Oh, Joe. What's the trouble now? What's all about this phone being tapped? Well, that's what he said. Who? The man who called. All right, now, honey, can you tell me what this is all about? I got a phone call just before I called you. It was a man. He said his name was Bull Bensler of Bentley. I didn't get it. He said, did you thought you were a smart cop? But if you didn't lay off him, he was going to take care of you where it hurts the most. He threatened the children and me too. Well, Frank, I don't know what to do. Go on. He said the phone was tapped and we were being watched. He said to tell you he wasn't kidding. He didn't have anything to lose. He sounded real mean. I'm frightened. Do you know this man, Frank? Oh, he is. Yeah, we have a warrant for his arrest. Say, where are the kids? It was Stacy's in her room playing. I called the school for Mike. The teacher said she dismissed the class. She should be home by now. Frank, I don't know. I'm worried about him. Lock the doors. Don't open for anybody. Joe and I will go out and see if we can find Mike. All right. I'm worried sick about him. He should be home 20 minutes ago. All right. We'll call the captain, Frank. Ask him to send a couple of men out, huh? Thanks, Joe. Don't worry about it, Frank. Two-five-one-one, please. Yeah, Robert. Oh, Glenn's captain there. May as Friday. I'd like to talk to him. Skipper, this Friday, I'm out at Frank's house. Frank Smith, yeah. Bo Bently called his wife, threatened her and the kids that he didn't lay off. No, he said that he didn't lay off. Could you send a couple of men out to stand by? Fine. Frank isn't home from school yet. Frank is his little boy. Frank and I are going out to look for him. Yeah, I said he would be watching the house. Oh? Yeah, as well. All right, we'll be in as soon as we find a boy. Right, Skipper. Oh, Donald and Stuart from the office will be out, say. They'll park the car down the street, watch for them, let them in, won't you? All right, Joe. What about it, Frank? You're going to lay off this guy? You want me to? Please find little Mike. All right, honey. We'll find him. Lock the door and don't open it for anyone, but Donald and Stuart when they get here. All right, dear. Now, don't worry, honey. We'll find him. Yeah. Let's go. Joe, what do you think? I don't know. Tell you one thing. Yeah. I'm scared. There are two types of criminals that can be counted on to be dangerous. The youngster who becomes easily panicked at the scene of a crime, and the older criminal who will do anything rather than go back to the panic entry. Bull Bentley was one of these. We knew that he was more than capable of carrying out his threat. His record was one of armed robbery, vicious beatings, and kidnapping. At this particular time, he was wanted for murder in the state of Colorado. The average criminal will blame anyone but himself for his predicament. Usually the police officer, and this was so in Bentley's case. He apparently thought that by getting us off his trail, he could go free. Frank and I searched the area around the house. We found his little boy in a vacant lot two blocks from school playing with a group of youngsters. We put him in the car and returned him to his home. Stuart and O'Donnell were at Frank's house and said they'd stay there until they were relieved. 4.36 p.m. Frank and I checked back into the office. Smith, Friday, in here. Come on in. Find the boy. Yeah, skip, we're out playing with some of the kids in the neighborhood. All right. Now what's this all about? Well, this bunch we just cleaned up. Yeah. Bull Bentley called Frank's wife and told her that if Frank didn't lay off of him, he was going to get to him through his family. What are you planning to do? No choice. Get him before he can do anything, I guess. Frank, you ask if you'd like to be taken off this assignment? No, no, it's a personal matter. Except to you. Let's see that your house is covered when you're not home. You keeping the boy away from school? Yeah, Captain, till this thing's over. You got any ideas where he can pick Bentley up? Oh, he's covered all the places he's known to hang out. Want any help? No, not right now. Just find him fast. You know he's in town, figure he's going to stay here? We don't think he's got much choice. We figure he's broke. He's hot. None of his friends will take a chance at putting him up. He's going to need money. Better cover the bus depots, train depots, alert the airport detail. Get a couple of hundred mugs printed up on him. Distribute them to the beat men and radio cars. Contact Captain Hamilton, the intelligence. He might be able to come up with something. Our informants said he could turn Bentley for us in a week. Weeks a long time, Joe. I know. You've covered all his hangouts. All of them. Nobody's seen him in a couple of days. He seemed to drop out of sight. Big town, a lot of people. Sometimes you don't realize how big till you start looking for one man. Oh, yeah. Want to get in touch with the boys in the press room, give them the story, see if they'll carry Bull's picture. See Jack Ricketts, he'll put the picture on Suspects one. We'll get shot at right now. You got a silent number, haven't you, Frank? Yeah, it's on Liston. I've Bentley got it. It had to come from somewhere. Well, Joe and I were talking about that. You know, pretty much who we could give the numbers out to about the only one we could figure to be in a position to give it to. That means Harry McCloud. You're informant? Yeah. How long since you've heard from this McCloud? A couple of days. Figure maybe he'd cross you, throw in with Bentley? That's possible. I don't think so, though. He's leveled with us so far. The number had to come from someplace. Yeah, well, that sure makes it look like McCloud, doesn't it? I don't think Mac would give the number away on his own. Both could get it. We've got 32 people to prove it. Oh, we better get on this thing. Come on, Frank. Right. Check you later, Skipper. Joe, I don't know what I'm going to do. Well, don't worry. We'll get to him. You know, I mean this two-bit thief calling faith threatening her. Try to take it easy. I know you feel. Why me, Joe? Both Bentley's brushed up against a hundred different cops in his day. Why me? Well, I'd average this, I guess. You were handy. I knew just what to do. Skipper gave you a choice. If you'd like to go home, nobody'd blame you. You don't know what it is, Joe. You don't have a family. Something like this can split you in two. Half of you wants to be on the job. The other half is pulling you toward home. Joe, if that cheap punk steps to my front porch, I'm going to lean on him hard. Look, Frank, this isn't going to get us any place. Let's get over to the photo lab and get this thing moving, huh? I could just figure it. Four thousand guys in the department and Bentley has to pick me. Joe, why me? All right, look, Frank. I could try to spell it for you a hundred ways, and we still wouldn't come out with any kind of a total. I know what you must be going through, and I'm sorry it's got to be you. I'm sorry it has to be any cop. You're right about me not having a family, but it's squeezing me just as hard as it is you. You and I both knew when we filled out those application blanks what we were taking on. The job, Frank. Maybe I never told you before, or maybe you've been through this too, I don't know. There's been a day goes by that I'm on the job here that I don't run into something that breaks my heart. Why did Ed Wilson have to get shot down when he and his partner tried to take that guy out of that roaming house over on 8th Street? Why did Olson and his partner have to end up in the PNF ward last week? Why do you have to run the gamut of every human emotion and class of people on earth? Poor to rich, it's all the same. Somebody picks up a gun to knock over the corner of the gas station. Everything hangs in the balance. The minute that thief slips the cartridge into his gun, the gas station attendant, his family, his kids, and every relative he's got slides right onto the short end. Everybody seems to think that wherever crime is concerned, they never get any closer to it than the front page of the morning paper. I know you know this, Frank, for every attempted crime, God only knows how many innocent people are thrown into the balance even before the crime's been committed. That's the way it is, Frank. I'm not trying to tell you anything you don't know, but the minute you pass that exam, you had to make a book that something like this that contaminates you just as surely as if you weren't a cop. I guess it's almost a legacy. Nobody's found a vaccine for crime. Nobody's immune. It's worse with you and me because we know better than to think we can't be touched. We know we can. We invite it every time we roll on the call. Every time we pick somebody up, every time a guy gets out of line. It's a job, Frank. I didn't mean to give you an academy lecture, but if it's any comfort, I'm with you. I know just how you feel, and so do 4,000 other guys right down here. Yeah. I guess maybe we better get moving, huh? Yeah. Come on. We took the mug shot of Bentley to the photo lab and asked them to run off 200 copies. We checked with the reporters in the press room, and they promised us full cooperation. Jack Ricketts told us that he'd put the picture on the air the next day. Frank called home and found that there'd been no further calls from Bentley. 6.17 p.m. We started to look for Harry McLeod, our informant. We checked his hotel, but the clerk told us he hadn't been in all afternoon. We started checking his known hangout. In fear of burning McLeod, we were unable to ask for him by name, which made it necessary for us to canvas each individual place. 9.28 p.m. We located McLeod in a small bar that was known to be frequented by thieves. We walked over to the bar and sat down next to him. We ordered a drink. At the first opportunity, without a rousing suspicion, we told McLeod we wanted to talk to him, and that we'd meet him down the street, two blocks west. We left the bar, got in the car, and drove to the meeting place. 20 minutes later, McLeod arrived, got in the back seat, and we drove away. Want to get the radio, Joe? Yeah. I'll smile at you guys. I told you I'd get in touch with him. I had something for you. You trying to get me burned? Take it easy, Mac. There's a couple of things we want to know. I'm on your side. You guys know that. I've always leveled with you, haven't I? Yeah. Well, then what's this bit? You walk into that joint, you know what goes on in there, and you pull me out. Good chance somebody could have seen you, you know? Yeah, we know, Mac. Have you seen Bentley? No, I told you I let you know when I turned him. Don't slow us, Mac. This is important. Have you seen him? I saw him. I'd have called you. You know that, don't you? I'd have called you, guys. I told you once I'd finger him for you. I haven't called. I haven't seen him. It's that simple. What's the big rush about getting Bentley anyway? You ain't going nowhere. Now, let's, Mac. We've got a personal interest in this thing. This isn't just robbery. Bulls been calling Frank's wife, saying he was going to kill her and the kid. You know he'd do it, now how about it? I didn't know it was like that. Bulls mean enough to do it, Joe. Well, that's how it is. Now, I'll ask you once more. Have you seen him? Yeah. When? Before yesterday, Sunday morning. So I'm down, Marty. I come you didn't call it. I couldn't. Honestly, I couldn't. He came in and asked me for some dough. I told him I didn't have any. I tried to stall him till I could get to a phone. Yeah. It didn't work. He wouldn't wait. Got mad when I couldn't help him out. You say anything about a meat? He said he'd get in touch with me. He's real sore when I couldn't let him have any dough. But I told him, I said, look, boy, you know I want to help, but I just haven't got it. That's what I said. Yeah. I wasn't kidding either. Things went pretty rough. Say, you guys couldn't see away. Claire, could you just solve up to tie me over? You got me at the wrong time, Mac. I'm tapping. How about you, Smith? Well, if you got a habit, I got 10 bucks up and saved them for a pair of shoes. I sure appreciate it. You guys know that. How do we know? You got any idea how Bull might have gotten Frank's home phone? No, not the slightest. You sure you didn't give it to him? Joe, you've known me for a lot of years. What I do a thing like that after what you guys treated me... Well, that's what we're trying to find out, Mac. I should get a little insolid at that. You guys figuring out about me. Oh, well, I'll come off it, Mac. Did you give him the number? No, I swear to you I didn't. All right. You got any ideas where Bull might be hiding? Not in particular. Check usual places. Yeah, we looked to him all. And you know as much as I do. He did say he looked me up in a couple of days. You see where he was going when he left you? No, just walked out of Marty's. I saw a friend of his yesterday, though. The guy said he'd seen Bull Sunday night. Say what he wanted? Money. He said he'd try to tap him for some dough to get out of town. His friend helped him? He didn't give him any money. He gave him something else, so... He gave him a gun. You are listening to DRAGNET, authentic stories of your police force in action. Chesterfield is the first and only cigarette in America to give you premium quality in both regular and king size. Just as Chesterfield is the first and only cigarette to tell you what it's made of. Yes, Chesterfield names all its ingredients. So you'll know what gives you the best possible smoke. The world's best tobaccos, pre-tested by laboratory instruments for the most desirable smoking qualities. Pure, costly moistening agents, costly glycerol and pure sugars which are natural to tobacco. And cigarette paper of the highest purity, the best that money can buy. That's what's in your Chesterfield. Ingredients that give you the best possible smoke. Much milder, with an extraordinarily good taste. And as confirmed by a well-known research organization, no unpleasant aftertaste. So sound off for Chesterfield. Either way you like them, regular or king size. Chesterfield gives you the best possible smoke. Before we left Mack, he furnished us with the name of the man who'd given the gun to Bull Bentley. We recognized the name Dave Slater as a small-time hoodlum who'd do anything to make a dollar as long as he himself was reasonably safe in doing it. Mack told us of several places where we might find him. The most likely place was a pool room on North Main Street. Slater had numerous arrests, most of them for being drunk and for acting as a lookout for gambling games. He was a type of thief that can be found in every large city, always on the fringe of criminal operations but never directly involved in the crime itself. We checked several of the places Mack told us about but we couldn't come up with Slater. We checked the pool room, the manager was evasive and at first appeared reluctant to talk. We informed him that we knew Slater would be back and that we'd wait for him. The manager asked us to come to the back room with him. He told us that Slater had said that he was going down to the all-night hamburgers stand on the corner to get something to eat. We found Slater sitting at the counter. All this thing a hamburger, all I can see is a bun. I'd be ashamed to sell a thing like this lousy deal, 35 cents for nothing. Slater? Yeah, well, something you want. Police officer, Slater, we want to talk to you. What about? Bull Bentley. Bentley, never heard of him. The guy information you do know him pretty well. Yeah? You tell your pigeon he's lying, I never heard of the guy. Let me finish eating. We want to talk to you, Slater. You want to make it here? Would you rather go downtown? Can't you see I'm eating? Now let me finish. I got nothing to tell you. I don't know any bull Bentley. Now lay off, huh? Come on, you can think better than an empty stomach, Slater. Let's go. Frank and I took Slater out of the restaurant and put him in the car. Once he was in custody, his attitude changed completely. He said he wanted to help us, but that he didn't know Bull Bentley. 1044, we got back to the city hall. I want to stop by the office, Joe. Call home. All right, I'll be in the interrogation. Let me tell a skipper. Yeah. In here, Slater. Yeah. Sit down. Sit down. Sure. Look, I told you I want to help you guys out, but I don't know anything. If I did, I'd let you know. All right, come off it, Slater. Where's Bentley? Look, I keep telling you, I don't know any Bentley. Where are you living now? Sully Hotel West Fifth. How long have you been there? A couple of days. You working now? Yeah, a little. A odd job now and then. You know nothing steady. What do you call an odd job, Slater? Oh, you know, sweep out the pool room, rack the balls for him. Yeah, sure. And look, we've known you for eight years. You never worked a day in that time. Now, how about Bentley? We got a personal interest in him. We want him. We want him bad. Look, I tell you, I don't know any Bentley. Anything new? Yeah, Joe, he called a couple more times tonight. Last time at 10.30, he scared Fay after death. He said he knew Mike was home. He knew we were looking for him. That if we don't stop, it'll get to the kids. That it didn't matter how many cops we had around the house he'd get to him. He's almost hysterical. Donald called the doctor. Yeah. How about Slater? He come up with anything? No. Phil says he doesn't know him. Doesn't know him, huh? Listen, punk, let you and me get straightened out. What happens to me is one thing. What happens to my family is another. They don't pay me enough money to jeopardize my family. Now, you get this straight. When punks like you and your trigger happy friends can threaten my family, then something's got to give, and it's not going to be me. Yeah, but I told you... Look, wipe that silly grin off your face, Slater. You feel nice and safe there, don't you? You know, as long as you're in custody, we got to take care of you. Well, maybe you'd like to know that if I have to, I'll take this badge off and walk up one side of you and down the other. Now, I want to know where Bentley is and I want to know now. We're not stumbling around in the dark. We know you gave him a gun. Let me tell you this, Mr. Mark it down. If anything happens to my wife or my kids, you can't run fast enough to get away, because I'll nail your heart. All right, Frank. He's getting pretty tough, isn't he? Just telling you how you stand. Now, come on, where's Bentley? I told you, I don't know Bentley. All right. Let's get everything out of your pockets. Get it on the table. There's nothing much. Change, keys, and a nail file, address book. My handkerchief, comb, wallet, here's cigarettes, and matches. That's all. I'm going to shake him down, Frank. Yeah. I told you that's all. Now, what are you looking for? Now, push your luck, Slater. Just clean, Joe. How much money you got in your wallet? I don't know. Double sawbuck, maybe. It's a funny thing. You guys never work, but you always got money. All right, take the money out and count it, Slater. Why? What's that going to prove? Take it out and count it. All right. 10, 20, 25, 26, 27, 37, another five. 42 bucks. I didn't know I had that much. All right. Put the money in your pocket. Is that all the money in your wallet? Yeah, that's it. I see the wallet. Yeah. Nothing. Then a couple of cards, that's all. Yeah. See here, a couple of pawn tickets. Picture. Who's the girl? Babe, I met in Dago. You don't know her. She's not in the Rackets. Married now. I haven't seen her in a year. Why are you carrying her picture? I always kind of liked her. Shit class. Real nice broad. He said you didn't know her bull Bentley? That's what he said. How about Leroy Bentley? No. You know anybody at all named Bentley? Look, I told you I don't know any Bentley. How many times do I have to tell you? You know anybody by the name of Bull? I don't know anybody named Bull. I don't know anybody named Bentley. Yeah. Take a look, Joe. Now, maybe you can explain this thing. Yeah, what's that? Bar tab in your wallet named Bull written on it. How about it, Slater? Who's Bull? I don't remember that. Probably something I picked up a long time ago. I don't remember it. Tabs dated March 4th, day before yesterday. Your memory must be getting pretty bad, huh? I got nothing to say. Well, Frank, you want to check the business office and see who this number is listed to. Yeah, Joe, right away. All right. All right. I'm going to tell you something, boy. This is a rotten deal. The law protects people like you. You're lying. We know it and you know it too. You know Bentley. You know where he is. What's more, we know you gave him a gun Sunday night, the same date on that tab. I'll tell you what we're going to do, Slater. You're a real wise guy. You talk fast. We're going to get Bull. Maybe not tonight. Maybe not tomorrow, but we'll get him. And when we do, we're going to tell him that you blew the whistle on him. We're going to put him in the same cell with you. I'd like to hear you talk your way out of that. Well, you wouldn't do that. Don't make buck on us. Look, he's a mean guy. He'll kill me. Thought you didn't know him. All right, so I know him. But you wouldn't do that. Would you put me in with him? Where is he, Slater? You going to tell him I turned him in? We're making no deals. Where is he? I don't know where he is now. You know where he'll be. Yeah, I was supposed to meet him there tonight, the bar down at West 7th. He's got a friend who works there. He feeds him. He'll be there tonight, huh? Yeah, I said if I meet him, he'll pay me for the gun, 75 bucks. What kind of gun is it? A .38. The good one, too. Worth more than 75 bucks, but I needed the money. Why'd you get the gun? Well, you'll find out anyway, I might as well tell you. Proud of the car found under the seat. I found out later it belonged to a guy on the vice squad. Probably real sore about it. Could be Joe Barn West 7th, the place called the Hamilton Inn. Yeah, that's it. He'll be there. All right, Slater, let's go. Where you taking me? You're going to jail. No, you can't win. I should have known you. You do me a favor, huh? What's that? Talk to the jailer, make him give me a sell by myself. We handcuffed Slater to a chair in the robbery office, and so we got back to booking. 12.32 a.m., Frank and I left the city hall for the Hamilton Inn on West 7th Street. Slater had told us that he was to meet Bull Bentley between 1 and 1.30. When we got there, there were a half a dozen people in the place. We checked the bar in the men's restroom, but Bentley wasn't around. We went back to the car, drove down the street to a closed service station in Park, where we could keep both doors of the restaurant under surveillance. 12.50, 1 a.m., 1.15, we waited. 1.35. Joe, that him? I don't know, it might be. Let's take a look. You want to take the side door, I'll try the front. Right. I don't see him, Joe. Wait a minute. Is that him? Going in the phone booth back here? Yeah. I'll get him. Bentley. Yeah? What did you... Watch it, Frank! All right, Frank. I'll shake him down. Who told you? Who blew the whistle? That bum of a cloud, it was him, he was the only one who knew. He give you my telephone number? Yeah, he did. And he runs to you and cops out. I should have known better, I gave him 20 bucks for it. Oh, that's figures. What do you mean? We gave him 10, not two. The story you have just heard was true. The names were changed to protect the innocent. On June 12th, the hearing was held in the district attorney's office. In a moment, the results of that hearing. Now, here is our star, Jack Webb. Thank you, George Fenerman. Friends, I'd like to talk to you about something that's important to every one of you. Now, for the first time, you can get a premium quality cigarette in either regular or king size. Of course, that's Chesterfield. Both regular and king size Chesterfields are made of the proven ingredients that give you the best possible smoke. Both are much milder, with an extraordinarily good taste, no unpleasant aftertaste. Yes, there's no difference between the two, except king size Chesterfield is larger, contains so much more of the same tobaccos, it gives you a 21% longer smoke, yet it costs very little more. So remember, either way you like them, regular or king size, Chesterfield gives you the best possible smoke. Leroy W. Bentley was released to the Colorado authorities for prosecution on a charge of murder. A hold was placed on him for the state of California in the event he is paroled. He was convicted and is now serving a life sentence in the Colorado state penitentiary without possibility of parole. Although David R. Slater was guilty of aiding and abetting a felony, a complaint could not be issued due to the fact it could not be proved that Slater knew Bentley was an ex-convict when he gave him the gun. He was filed on for petty theft in Division 7. He pled guilty and was sentenced to 90 days in the county jail. 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 Winn, Sergeant Phantz Brasher. Heard tonight were Herb Ellis, June Whitley, Jack Krushen. Script by John Robinson. Music by Walter Schumann. Hal Gibney speaking. These great programs sound off for Chesterfield. Radio. Dragnet, the Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis show and every weekday Arthur Godfrey time. On television. Dragnet, gangbusters, Arthur Godfrey and his friends in the Perry Como show. Tomorrow you'll want to sound off for Chesterfield because either way you like them, regular or king size, Chesterfield gives you the best possible smoke. Chesterfield has brought you Dragnet, transcribed from Los Angeles. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company. Sound off for Chesterfield. Chesterfield, low in nicotine, highest in quality, best for you. Chesterfield brings you Dragnet. Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Chesterfield, low in nicotine, highest in quality, best for you. Chesterfield brings you Dragnet. 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 a forgery detail. For the past six years a forger has been working in your city. The victims describe the suspect as a woman. Her MO is simple, but it continues to work. Your job, stop her. Smokers by the thousands are now changing to Chesterfield. No wonder. More and more smokers are learning this fact for themselves. Chesterfield, low in nicotine, highest in quality. A published fact proved by chemical analyses of the country's six leading cigarette brands. Chesterfield, the only cigarette ever with a record like this. Regular or king size, Chesterfield is best for you. Dragnet, 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 Friday, September 18th. It was warm in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of forgery detail. My partner, Frank Smith, the boss is Captain Welsh. My name's Friday. We were on our way out from the office and it was 10.42 a.m. when we got to the ninth floor of the Beckworth Department Store. The credit manager's office. Yes? Would you like to see Mr. Donaldson, please? May I say who's calling? Sergeant Friday, Los Angeles Police Department. Oh, yes, he's expecting you. Just a moment. Thank you. Yes? The gentleman from the police department are here, Mr. Donaldson. Send them in, please. Yes, sir. You want to go right in? That's the door. Thank you very much. Come on in, gentlemen. Thank you. Mr. Donaldson? Yes? I'm Sergeant Friday. This is my partner, Frank Smith. How do you do? How do you do, sir? Sit down. Thank you very much, sir. Do you want to tell us what this is all about? Well, it's a little mother again. I've got the receipts here on the desk. Is Sergeant Ferguson still working on this case? Yes, sir. I talked to him the last time we were stuck. The usual type of things, Charred? Yes, children's shoes, dresses, sweaters, same as always. I see. Now, I wonder if I can have those slips, Mr. Donaldson. Sure. Here you are. Thank you. All made out the same day. August 22nd. Yes, our experience is that she usually comes in on a Saturday. Seems that the store is more crowded then, isn't it? Girls don't take any more time to verify the accounts than they have to. Can I see those, Joe? Yeah, here you are. Thanks. Wonder if we could talk to the sales girl who waited on her. Sure. I'll have her sent up. Fine. Yes, sir? As far as I'm told, would you please have Mrs. Allen sent up? Yes, sir. I notice here the only items are charged, not for children as a woman's slip. Yes. We've had a couple of them in the past, pieces of women's clothing. I talked to Sergeant Ferguson about it when he was here. Did you get the bulletin we sent out this month? Big pardon? The bulletin, giving the woman's description, samples of her handwriting. Did you get it? Yes, sir. We did. You've got to understand, Sergeant. This is one of the biggest stores in the city. We do a lot of business. It'll be almost impossible to alert all of the sales girls to watch for the woman. Yes, sir. We understand that. But where's the description sent to the children's department? It was. It didn't do any good, though. If a woman charged large amounts, it might be easier. But look at the sales slips yourself. Four dollars, shoes, three dollars, dresses. Nothing to make a charge like that stand out. We make sure that there's an account in the name and then let it go. Don't you use the charge-and-play system? Yes, we do. But if a customer wants to charge an item and hasn't got the plate, we usually just verify the account and let them sign the sales slip. How about identification? Well, normally we do, as part. As I said, these sales are such small amounts, and the woman comes in when the store is crowded. The girls just call the credit department and let her sign the receipt. I see. Excuse me. Yes, sir. Yes? He's Alan, here. Oh, all right. Just a moment. Yes, sir. The woman who waited on her is out in the office. Do you want to talk to her in here? Well, we don't want to take up any more of your time. I'm sure we can see her out there. All right. Is there anything else you need? I'll be here. Yes, sir. Oh, officer. Yes, sir. You know, I feel a little funny about this thing. Why is that, sir? Well, the thing she's charged. That's that. The thing she's taken. They were almost all kids clothes. Doesn't seem to be interested in anything else. Total amounts of the articles she's taken. Don't add up too much. It's the principle of the thing more than the value. It just seems that the only thing she's interested in is the children. It feels a little funny to call the police about a person like that. Yes, sir. We understand. We've got a lot of this going on, but the others, they take things for themselves. Lugges, you know, expensive items, but she doesn't. Just with kids. It doesn't seem to be at all interested in herself. Well, we are. Yes. Well, I suppose so. Well, I'll be here if you need anything more. Thank you, Mr. Donaldson. Thanks very much. We'll be in touch with you. You will bring the sales slips back, won't you? Yes, sir. As soon as we've had the chance to photograph them. Uh-huh. Well, I hope you can do something about it. Yes, sir. So do we. Thank you very much. Anything you need, you let me know. Yes, sir. Thank you. Just a moment. Mrs. Allen. Yes. These are the police officers. How are you doing, ma'am? I'm Sergeant Friday. This is my partner, Frank Smith. Hello. How are you doing, Mrs. Allen? You want to sit down over here, please? Yes, all right. I feel just terrible about this. Ma'am. All this forgery thing. Now, you waited on the woman, did you? Yes, at least in the little girl's department. Uh-huh. What if you could describe her for us? Well, she was a little woman. I'd say a 10. How's that again, ma'am? A size 10. Oh. 5'1", about 105 pounds. Cute as a button. Did she have the children with her? No, no she didn't. I thought it was a little funny at the time, but as I say, we were so busy with the school rush that afternoon that none of us girls had a chance to really think about anything. Yes, ma'am. What color hair did she have? Kind of sandy color. I guess you'd call it a blonde. Ward up in a bun. You know, back here, you know. Yes, ma'am. The other girls noticed it long. Looked nice. Different than all the other short haircuts. Kind of old fashioned in a homie. Yes, ma'am. How was she dressed? Not very well. A little blue hat, dark coat, cloth coat. Color came up like this, you know. Slash pockets. Nice, but not expensive. I see, ma'am. Now would you know her if you saw her again? Oh, my, yes. Sure would. Well, we'd like you to come over to our office and look at some pictures if you would. All right. I'll have to talk to the floor manager. We'll take care of that, Ms. Allen. All right. You think that you might have a picture of her? We don't know. I kind of hope not. Ma'am. I hope you don't have a picture. I guess it's a little sinful to even think of it, but she had a reason for what she did. I'm sure of it. Why do you say that, Ms. Allen? Officer, I've been selling for a long time. I met a lot of people in that time. Nice ones and nasty ones. And believe me, this is one of the sweetest people I've ever served. Uh-huh. I understand that you call her the little mother. Isn't that right? Well, we don't, ma'am. That's what the newspapers call her. Well, it fits her to a T. Right to a T. The way she bustled around those dresses, looking, testing, she was just like a mother hen trying to find something for her brood. Little doll. Cue this a button. She just got to have a reason for what she's doing. Sergeant Friday? Yes, Mr. Donaldson? I'm glad I called you. I think we've got it. Sir? The little mother is downstairs now. For the last six years, the same woman had been operating in the downtown department stores. During that period, she'd forged a total of $1,300 worth of merchandise that we knew of. Because of her M.O., there was no way of telling how much more had gone undetected. The operation was a simple one. She'd enter a store, go to one of the departments. There, she'd pick up articles of apparel, mostly for children, and then ask to charge them. She'd explain that she'd forgotten her charge of plate, and after the account had been verified, she'd sign the charge slip. These slips would be put in the mail to the people who maintained the account, and it wouldn't be until they noticed a discrepancy that we'd be notified. Usually a month would pass between the time the clothing was taken and we were told of it. In the six years that the little mother as the newspapers had dubbed her had been operating, almost every team of detectives in the forgery detail had worked on the case. Statements from sales girls had waited on her were taken. Photostats of the sales slips were made, witnesses were interrogated, and then when the sum total of actual physical evidence was weighed and sifted, there was no lead to the identity of the forger. The police department had gotten out printed bulletins and copies of composite drawings of the suspect, and these had been distributed to all department stores in the area. But because of the suspect's appearance and the way she operated, none of the victims became suspicious in time to notify us. The department store's protective league was working with us, but they met with the same dead ends that we'd found. Meanwhile, the evidence continued to pile up. The operation continued to work. When the manager of Beckworth's department store told us that the suspect was in the store, Frank and I were able to come up with the first concrete lead we'd had since we'd been working on the case. In the company of the manager and the saleswoman, Mrs. Myra Allen, Frank and I went down to the boys department where the suspect was reported to be. Down this way? Yes, sir. The girl said she was over by boys' suits. I hope they were able to hold her. Just a minute. Yes, sir. I know I don't have to tell you gentlemen about the store's liability in a situation like this. No, sir. Now, I'm sure it's her, but it could be very embarrassing and expensive to the store if we made a mistake. All right, sir, we understand. Good. Over here. All right. Mr. Donaldson? Mr. Donaldson? Yes, Miss Franklin? Why is she? It's not my fault you've got to believe that. What's the matter, Miss? Don't tell me you stopped the wrong person. You caused trouble with an innocent party and she could sue the store. I'm sorry, Mr. Donaldson. Where is the woman, Miss? That's what I'm trying to tell you. Yes, ma'am. She wouldn't wait. A quick search of the immediate vicinity in the store failed to turn up the suspect. The department store security staff was notified and a watch was put on all of the doors. The credit department was notified and they took action. We checked with the elevator operators. We found one that told us she'd seen a woman who answered the description, getting her car. She explained that the woman seemed to be in a hurry and had left the elevator as soon as it had reached the main floor. A further check of the store netted us nothing. The suspect had escaped. In the downtown crowds, it would have been almost impossible to try to find her on the streets. However, an additional broadcast, carrying a complete description of the clothing she was wearing, was gotten out to all cars in the area. The first good chance we'd had for apprehending her was gone. We had to go back to the legwork and the waiting. Three months passed. During that time, Frank and I cleaned up a series of counterfeit payroll check cashings. Another 30 days went by without activity for the little mother. There were four new sales slips added to the file, but when the leads resulting from these were checked out, we were no closer to her than we'd been six years before. Thursday, December 17th, 12.55 PM, I checked into the office. Joe, that's you? Yeah. What do you got? I'll just talk to Skipper. How? Got a couple of more beeps about the little mother. Where'd they come in? This morning. Where are they? Don Myers got them. He's checking the handwriting. Well, how about the name she used? Wait a minute. I got him here in my book. There they are. Mrs. Norris Farrell, Mrs. James Slagle, I guess it is, and Mrs. Ross Neiman. I called the store and got the information on these people. Did you talk to them? Yeah. Asked all the routine stuff. None of them can think of any friends who matched the description. How about the things she charged? Anything there? No. Use items. See, prepare a Levi's for kids, one child's cotton dress. There's one thing different. What's that? I checked the sizes of the clothes. Last bunch of sales slips we had, the dresses were for a 10-year-old. Well, this time she bought them for a 12-year-old. Kids are getting bigger, Joe. Yeah, well, that's a big help. All we got to do is look for a couple of kids that are growing. Well, I was just trying to help, Joe. No, I mean, it just doesn't seem to be anywhere to go. All the time we've put in, all the people we've talked to, all we got for it is a file drawer all to ourself on the thing. Not again. Forgery Friday. Who? Yes, ma'am. Mm-hmm. Yes, ma'am. I remember. Where is she now? I see. Yeah, we can be right over. Yes, ma'am. Bye. Bye. Well, we got it. What do you mean? That was Mrs. Allen. Remember the sales lady over at Beckworth's? Oh, yeah, I think I do. What'd she have to say? Told me she's having lunch in the restaurant at the corner of Jackson on Hill. Yeah. Our suspect's sitting next to her. 102 PM. We checked out of the office and drove over to the restaurant. It was located at the rear of a large drug store. When we came into the place, Mrs. Allen met us at the entrance. She took us back down the counter and pointed out a small woman sitting on the last stool. That's her. You sure, ma'am? I'm positive. That's her. All right, let's go. Yeah. You want to wait here, Mrs. Allen? Certainly. Something you gentlemen want? We're police officers, ma'am. We'd like to talk to you. Police? Yes, ma'am. You want to step over there to talk? Might be better. Well, if you want to say anything to me, you can say it right here. I haven't done anything wrong. Wonder if we could see your identification. Why? Your identification, ma'am. Could we see it? All right. Just a minute. I've got my purse. Getting terrible. I don't know what you officers are trying to find out, but I'm going to tell you right now. If you can't prove you've got a reason for making me do this, you're in trouble. We're not making you do anything, ma'am. We don't want to cause you any embarrassment. Funny way of showing it. I want to tell you that my husband knows people in this town. When he hears about this, here you are. Here's my driver's license. Would you take it out of your wallet, please? Here. Mrs. Evelyn Nelson? That's who I am. Is this your present address? No, it isn't. We moved a few months ago, but I haven't had a chance to have it changed. Is that all you want? No, Ms. Nelson, it isn't. I wonder if we could talk to you in our office. Why? I always say that. Why? I always thought you had to arrest people before you could order them around. We're asking you to come over to the city hall with us, if you will, ma'am. There are a few things we'd like to check out. What things? I wonder if I can see what you've got in the bags here. What are you looking for? Do you mind if we took a look? Well, there are just some clothes for my children. Nothing in there that interests you. Well, then it wouldn't hurt if we looked, would it? Go ahead. You won't find anything. You want to take a couple of these, Frank? Yeah, I got it. Well, what about it? Did you find anything wrong? Maybe a gun. No, ma'am, but I wonder if he could explain this. What's that? This charge slip here. It's signed by Mrs. Ross Neiman. Well, certainly that was probably in the bag when I bought the things. I don't know anything about it. All right, Ms. Nelson, afraid we're going to have to ask you to come with us. On what charge? Suspicion of forgery. You are listening to Dragnet, the authentic story of your police force in action. At cigarette dealers, in vending machines, at supermarkets and stores coast to coast. Smokers by the thousands. Yes, smokers by the thousands are now changing to Chesterfield. The only cigarette ever to give you one proof of low nicotine, highest quality. Chemical analyses of the country's six leading brands confirm that. Two, the only cigarette ever to give you this proven record with smokers. Again and again, over a full year and one half, a group of Chesterfield smokers have been given thorough medical examinations. The doctor's reports are a matter of record. No adverse effects to the nose, throat and sinuses from smoking Chesterfield. A responsible independent research laboratory supervises this continuing program. Chesterfield, the only cigarette ever with a record like this. Chesterfield, best for you. We return the suspect to the city hall for questioning. While Frank checked her name through the files, I tried to get her to talk. For 20 minutes, her attitude was one of surprise and she answered the questions I put to her with indignance. Finally, she lapsed into silence and wouldn't we fly at all to further interrogation. Frank came back from on eye with the information that there was no arrest record for Mrs. Nelson. We put out calls to the sales girls who had waited on the little mother in the past and asked them to come down to the office to see if they could identify the suspect. Yes, ma'am. Room 29. Yeah, come right in the first street entrance, turn left into the police department. That's right, ma'am. There's an arch there. Go right through it. Straight down the hall to the right. Well, it's the only way you can go. It's on the left as you go down the hall. That's right, 29. If you ask for Sergeant Friday or Officer Smith. No, ma'am. Smith. That's all right, ma'am. We'll expect you. Goodbye. I'll call the next one. You know, you'd save yourself and us a lot of trouble if you'd tell us the truth, Mrs. Nelson. Mrs. Nelson? Hello, ma'am. I speak with Miss Brundage, please. And children's wear? Yes, ma'am. I will. Hang up the phone. Make a pardon? You don't have to go through this anymore. All right, ma'am. You want to tell us about it? Mrs. Nelson? I only did it for them, the kids. I didn't want to. How do you think I felt when I knew I was stealing? How do you think I felt? You want to go ahead? My husband, Paul, is a good man. What he's done, he thinks he's right. I can't quarrel with him. But he doesn't know he doesn't understand. It isn't that he doesn't love the kids. He does. He really does. It's just that he doesn't understand. You can see that, can't you? He doesn't understand about them. Either way, if you had a handkerchief, I came away this morning without one. Yes, ma'am. Here you are. Thanks. You want to go ahead, please? All his life he's worked, put in long hours without a thought of what he was doing to himself. Every nickel he made was put away so he'd be able to feel secure. So he wouldn't have to worry about anything. It was all right when we first got married. I could understand it then. I went along with what he thought. But the last few years, it's gotten to be an obsession with him. The almighty dollar, that's all it seems important to him. What kind of work does your husband do, Mrs. Nelson? He owns a grocery store. Small place, but it does good. It makes a good living. Only we aren't living. We're existing. He gives me ten dollars a week to run the house and buy clothes for the kids. I've tried, lord knows I've tried, budget meals, cheap cuts of meat, day old bread. Anyway, you spend it. No matter how you figure, ten dollars. It just doesn't go very far. Well, now Mrs. Nelson didn't just talk to your husband about it. Didn't she ask him for additional money for the expenses? Yes, I'd ask him. And he'd tell me if I had to make do all the time. Make do just a little longer until he had the money in the bank. Then we'd be all right. Only the more it went on, the worse it got. It didn't seem to make any difference how much money we had. How the total in the passbook went up. He wasn't satisfied. Had to be a little more, a little more. I guess I'm feeling sorry for myself, but you see, he could afford to buy the kids decent clothes. At least that. He'll agree with me, don't you? Well, that's hard to say, ma'am. Not for me. I'll never forget the day when my boy came home crying, been fighting. One of the other boys at school had said something about the patches on his clothes. Just a little kid. That's all he was, ridiculed by his friends. That's when I made up my mind to do something about it. Does your husband know anything about your activities? No, nothing. How'd you explain the new clothes for the youngster to him? I didn't have to. Last year he's been working so hard at the store I hardly ever see him. The kids don't hardly know him. He even spends Sunday at the store dressing the window. You mean he spends all his time there? Every minute he's not asleep. He let one crook he had go so he could save the money. Always save the money. It doesn't make any difference who gets hurt. He spent that dollar and put it away. That's what counts. Put the dollar away. You know something, officer? What's that, Ms. Nelson? I haven't been able to sit down and talk to my husband for six weeks. Six weeks. He gets home at 12.30, one o'clock in the morning. He's up and gone at 6.30. Kids are always asking when daddy's coming home. How do you answer him? How do you make him understand? I can't. I've tried the only way I know how. And I did it so wrong. All right, Ms. Nelson. We'll try to work it out. Can I use your phone? I've got to tell the children what to do about dinner. I'll call for you if you like, ma'am. What's the number? Hollywood 98844. Where's your husband now, Ms. Nelson? At the store, I guess. You're gonna call him? I think we should, ma'am. Let him know what's happened. I guess so. Somebody's gotta take care of the kids. Hello. I'm calling for Ms. Nelson. I wonder if I can speak to her son. Sergeant Friday, Los Angeles Police Department. Who? Yes. No, she's down here now. Room 29. All right. Fine. I don't think that's gonna work. I don't think that's gonna work. All right. Fine. Was that my boy? I wanted to talk to him. No, ma'am. That was your husband. He's on his way down here. 2.14 p.m., Paul Nelson walked into the office. Frank and I took him and his wife to the interrogation room. She'd asked us while we waited for him if we'd let her talk to him for a few minutes alone. We stayed out in the hall, and after a brief wait, Paul Nelson opened the door and asked us to come into the room. His wife had evidently told him the full story because he was visibly shaken. He walked over to his wife and sat down beside her. Well, I guess I've really done it, haven't I? What do you mean, sir? I've really ruined everything. My home, my kids, everything. All the time it was happening, I never knew it. Never had an idea. Don't blame yourself too much, Paul. But I should have known I should have seen it myself. Even when you tried to tell me I was too busy to see it, too wrapped up with a business. It wasn't for me, Paul. It was for the children. It doesn't make any difference who it was for. I'm the one who caused it. I'm the one. It's my fault. I'm sorry, Avon. How can I have a make-up to you? Don't think about that now, Paul. It won't do any good. What's been done can't be changed. How about it, officer? Sir? What happens now? Well, your wife is going to be given a preliminary hearing. She'll have the chance to plead guilty. She does the court will decide what to do. What's the punishment for what she's done? Well, according to section 473 of the penal code, it's imprisonment in the state penitentiary for one to 14 years or for not more than a year in the county jail. Is there any way out of it? What do you mean? Any way you're getting Evelyn out of it? If I went to the judge and told him why she did it, if I told him it was my fault, would that make a difference? I don't know. I'd be up to the court. But I could try. Yes, sir. If I paid the money back for all the things she's taken, I can afford it. I could go to the stores and pay them. Maybe they'd feel different then, huh? I could make it up to them. Everything would be all right. Well, it's been going on for six years, you know. But if I did pay the stores back, it'd make it up to them, wouldn't it? Maybe, but how about your wife? What? How are you going to make it up to her? 4.30 p.m. The suspect was released on a writ. The next afternoon, Frank and I met with Mr. and Mrs. Nelson and their attorney. We talked over the case. It seemed that the husband's change of heart was permanent. He swore that he'd never give his wife cause for unhappiness again. Two weeks later, in Department 89 of the Superior Court, Mrs. Nelson entered a plea of guilty to 14 counts of forgery. When the court reviewed the circumstances and was informed that Mr. Nelson intended to make full restitution, the probation board recommended that Mrs. Nelson be placed on probation for three years. After the hearing, Frank and I had a brief talk with the couple. They thanked us for our consideration and understanding. Apparently, the cause of trouble between the Nelson's had been erased. Another two weeks went by. January 22nd, Frank and I got back from lunch and we checked into the office. Here they are, dear. Mr. Friday, Mr. Smith? Mrs. Nelson, Mr. Nelson, how are you? Just fine, Sergeant. How are you too? Fine, thank you very much, ma'am. What can we do for you? That's what we want to do for you. You got the boxes, honey? Yeah. It's not much, but we thought that you'd like them. Made them ourselves, to say thanks. Look at that, Joe. That's not necessary, ma'am. You didn't have to do that. No, no, we wanted to. Tollhouse cookies. He made a box for each of you. Real good. Lots of chocolate. We just hope you'll enjoy them. Yes, ma'am. I'm sure we will. How are things going with you? Just fine. Paul and I have gotten everything straight and I help him out of the store now. That way, you've got more time to spend with the kids. Things just couldn't be much better. We're glad to hear that. The funny thing to say, Mr. Friday, but it's true. The best thing that ever happened to us. What's happened, Mrs. Nelson? My getting arrested. The story you've just heard is true. The names were changed to protect the innocent. On January 8th, the meeting was held in the county probationer's office in and for the county of Los Angeles, state of California. In a moment, the results of that meeting. Now, here is our star, Jack Webb. Thank you, George Phanomen. Friends, we've been getting letters from people all over the country telling us that they've switched to Chesterfield. Just as I've been telling you, thousands of schools have been closed. We've been getting letters from people all over the country telling us that they've switched to Chesterfield. Just as I've been telling you, thousands of smokers are changing to Chesterfield because only Chesterfield gives proof of low nicotine, highest quality. That's why I recommend you try them today. Regular or king size, you'll find Chesterfield best for you. At the end of three years, Mrs. Evelyn Margaret Nelson had fulfilled the requirements of her probation, and the case was officially marked closed. assured that if you ask Australian Australian Australian 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 Winn, Sergeant Van Sprescher. Heard tonight were Ben Alexander, Vic Rodman, Joyce McCluskey. Script by John Robinson. Music by Walter Schumann. Hell, give me speaking. Watch an entirely new Dragnet case history each week on your local NBC television station. Please check your newspaper for the day and time. Chesterfield has brought you Dragnet, transcribed from Los Angeles. Have you tried new court-tipped Fatima? It's the smooth smoke. Here's why. New Fatima tips of perfect cork, king size for longer filtering, and Fatima quality for a much better flavor and aroma. Remember, Fatima has the tip for your lips. Try new Fatima. See how smooth it is. Fatima is made by the makers of Chesterfield, Ligard and Myers, one of Tobacco's most respected names. This is the NBC radio network. Now here is our star, Vimson Price. Ladies and gentlemen, in a prejudice-filled America, no one would be secure in his job, his business, his church, or his home. Yet racial and religious antagonisms are exploited daily by quacks and adventurers whose followers make up the irresponsible lunatic fringe of American life, refuse to listen to or spread rumors against any race or religion, help to stamp out prejudice in our country. Let's judge our neighbors by the character of their lives alone and not on the basis of their religion or origin.