Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true.
Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.
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You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to homicide detail.
A small boy is reported missing from his home. His age, nine years.
Foul play is suspected. Your job, find him.
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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 from official police files.
From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action.
It was Thursday, December 22nd. It was cold in Los Angeles.
We were working the night watch on a homicide. My partner is Ben Romero. The boss is Thad Brown, chief of detectives. My name is Friday.
I was on the way into work and it was 3.55 p.m. when I got to room 42. Homicide.
Hi, Joe.
Ben, what's doing?
Oh, pretty quiet. How's your mother?
Oh, had colds still hanging on, bad cough, dox's, nothing serious.
My kid's got the same thing. Must be some kind of a virus going around.
Yeah.
Is that the new suit you got on?
Oh, yeah. Mom figured I needed it once.
Let me see. Oh, yeah, that's a nice shade of blue. Where'd you get it?
Quincey's down in South Fig.
Look okay?
Uh-huh.
Oh, yeah, that's a good fit.
Did you get all the reports on the Webster case yet?
Yeah, all taken care of.
Let me get it.
Homicide, Friday.
This is Levinson, unit 113J. Got something for you?
Yeah, Harry, what's doing?
Darlie and I are out here on Collins Avenue, 4656, trying to track down a nine-year-old boy.
What's the story?
Kid's missing, suspicion of foul play.
How long has he been gone?
About two hours. Looks like a job for homicide.
How do you figure?
Kid was last seen playing in the backyard of his home.
Yeah?
We checked over the yard.
Find anything?
Blood stains, lots of them. They look new.
Ben and I left a message for Chief of Detective Stad Brown,
and we went over to the crime lab, picked up Lieutenant Lee Jones,
and drove out the Royal Seco Freeway to Collins Avenue.
It was an average neighborhood.
Number 4656 was a one-story green stucco residence
situated on the corner of Collins Avenue and Harrison Drive.
Beyond the backyard was a tract of undeveloped land covered with scrub oak.
Harry Levinson from Highland Park Juvenile was waiting for us in front of the house.
Back this way, fellas.
I'm coming, Link.
Wait till I get my bag.
Okay.
Who notified you that the boy was missing, Harry?
The mother.
Said she went out to do some Christmas shopping about 11 this morning,
left the boy home.
Came back about two this afternoon, he was gone.
What's his name?
Johnstone.
Kid's name is Stanley, nine years old.
Was this gate open like this when you got here?
Oh, yeah, I haven't touched this thing.
Here are the stains over here, Lieutenant Jones,
along the edge of the walk, see?
Yeah, let me see.
Quite a few stains, huh?
Looks like it might be blood. I'll try some benzidine on these spots here.
There we are. See what happens.
Where does the kid's mother know, Harry?
In the house. Dardy's talking to her.
Did you talk to any of the neighbors?
People next door.
Uh, ones on this side. They couldn't tell us anything.
Yeah, it is, fellas.
Yeah, we?
These spots I covered with benzidine, they're turning blue.
Blood stains, all right.
Can't say definitely whether it's human or animal blood.
You have to go back to the lab to run it through.
Yeah, I'll go.
You have to go back to the lab to run it through.
Yeah, biological precipitant test.
Hand me one of those glass vials from my bag, will you?
Yeah.
Okay, here you are.
Thanks.
Scrape some of these flakes off for a test.
There we are.
How soon can you tap the blood, fortunately?
The precipitant test won't run more than 20 minutes.
It'll take three or four hours to run a blood grouping, though.
That's it. Anything else you want to check?
Levinson, anything else?
Oh, right here on my handkerchief.
Empty shell.
That marker over there by the rose bush, that's where I found it.
From a.22, huh?
Yeah, might tie in, might not.
Mark it and dump it in this envelope, will it?
Oh, yeah.
There, shell.
There you go.
Did you get out a missing broadcast in the boy, huh?
A dart he did about a half hour ago.
Here's a description here.
Thank you.
The mother know about the blood stains?
No, we didn't tell her. She's worried enough already.
And she has no idea what might have happened to her boy.
No more than we do.
She checked all her friends, relatives.
We're covering the neighborhood, no trace so far.
Not much to go on.
Blood stains, empty cartridge.
Could mean a hundred things.
Any ideas, Franny?
Yeah, just one and I don't like it.
4.30 p.m., Thursday, December 22nd.
The neighborhood search for nine-year-old Stanley Johnstone continued.
Lee Jones went back to the crime lab to start the precipitant test in the blood grouping.
Levinson and his partner, Dougherty, from Highland Juvenile stood by.
We called Chief of Detective Stad Brown and he ordered up a special detail to aid in the search for the missing boy.
Ben and I questioned the boy's mother, Mrs. Ruth Johnstone, a woman in her early 40s.
She seemed fairly calm under the circumstances.
Mrs. Johnstone, is your boy standing in the habit of wandering off without telling you where he's going?
No, he's not in the habit of wandering off, but he has done it before.
When was the last time, Mrs. Johnstone?
You don't have any children, do you, Sergeant Franny?
No, I'm not married.
Well, there comes that time in every young boy's life when he feels that it's time to leave home, to go out on his own.
Usually happens somewhere around eight to ten.
You think I know what you mean, I've got a boy?
Well, then you know how it is.
My husband and I scolded Stanley one day after school and he was quite put out about it.
He thought George and I were unfair, packed a few of his things and left.
How long was he gone?
Oh, no time at all, about two hours.
I was worried about him, but my husband said to leave him alone, said every boy had to go through that stage.
Well, and you think he's run away from home again this time?
Yes, I think so. He's been gone about four hours now and I have a funny feeling about it.
Did you and his father have some misunderstanding with the boy recently?
Well, that's just it. We haven't.
I don't mind telling you now that we're talking about it. I am getting worried.
Any place around that he might like to visit? Hobby shop, playground, where he might be?
Yeah, there's Jensen's model shop and little Chana Burroughs, but I've already called him and he hasn't been seen all day.
I called all his friends and they have no idea where he is either.
We'd like a list of all his friends and the places that he was known to frequent.
Oh, yeah, all right, I'll give them to you.
Where do you suppose he is?
Where's your husband now, Miss Johnstone?
Oh, he's at work. George works for the city. He's farming.
What house is he stationed at?
Engine Company 12. He's working the A platoon. He'll be home tomorrow morning.
I haven't told him that Stanley's gone.
Well, is there any chance that the boy might be down at the firehouse with his father?
No. No, he seldom goes down there anymore. No, I don't think he's there.
I'm awfully worried. May I call my husband?
Certainly, go right ahead.
I know George will be worried. Stanley's been gone too long.
Hello? May I speak with George Johnstone? This is Mrs. Johnstone.
Thank you. I hate to call George at his work.
Yes, ma'am. Does your husband own a gun?
Yes, he does.
What caliber do you know?
Well, it's a.45 automatic. He got it... George?
This is Ruth. George, is Stanley down there with you by any chance?
Oh. No, I can't find him anywhere. He hasn't been here when I came home from my shopping.
There are two policemen here. No, I said there are two policemen here.
Oh, no dear. I'll call you if we don't find him soon.
All right, dear. Yes, you too. Goodbye.
Well, I didn't think he'd be with George.
That.45, is that the only gun in the household?
Yes. Why are you asking about guns? Has anything happened that you're not telling me about?
No, ma'am. Just routine checking. We'll have to take a look at that.45, oh, if you don't mind.
Maybe I should tell you. We do have another gun in the house, but it's all wrapped up.
George bought it for Stanley's Christmas present.
May we see it, please?
Yes. Will you have to unwrap it?
Yes, I'm afraid so.
I think I can reach it. We had to hide it. Let me see.
Here's the paper it was wrapped in. Stanley must have found it. It's gone.
See, here's the gift card in the box the gun came in. The rifle.
Can I look at that box, ma'am? Thank you.
How about it, Jim?
.22 caliber.
Thursday, December 22nd, 5.15 p.m.
It was getting dark. The search for the missing boy continued.
We checked the list of Stanley Johnstone's friends.
None of them or their parents had any idea of his whereabouts.
We talked with Levinson again. He had been in touch with the detail combing the neighborhood.
They had found nothing. We went down to Collis Avenue and 10th Street, service station on the corner.
One nickel, Joe.
Oh, I got one. You watch for that, huh?
.2667
City Hall.
.2667, please.
.2667.
Crime Lab, Jones.
Hi, Lee. Joe Friday.
Yeah, Joe. Any sign of the Johnson kid?
No, not yet. How are you coming?
Finished the presipitant test. It's human blood.
Yeah?
Working in a blood group now. Do you know what type the Johnson boy has?
Well, we didn't want to upset his mother. I thought we'd wait until the last thing.
We're still in the neighborhood.
Check with a family physician. That way you won't disturb him.
Yeah, we figured on that. Oh, just a minute, Lee.
Yeah, Ben?
Boss just pulled up.
Okay. Thad Brown's out here now. I'll check you later, Lee, huh?
Right, Joe.
All right. Goodbye.
Gentlemen, how's it going?
Just checked with Lee Jones.
Yeah, I know. It's human blood. What do you think?
We talked with the boy's mother, Miss Johnston. Found a gun missing.
Yeah.
Caliber's the same as the empty case that Levinson found. 22.
You said the gun was missing.
Yeah, the Johnsons were going to give it to the boy as a Christmas present.
They had it hidden, but it's gone now.
Any idea who took it?
Well, we left the Christmas wrapping behind. I think it was the kid.
22 rifle, huh? Nine-year-old boy. When are they going to learn?
First, it's carbide cannons on the 4th of July.
The city issued ordinance after ordinance,
but a few thousand kids around the country had to lose their eyes, fingers, hands
before the parents give us their full cooperation to outlaw them.
I know what you mean.
Sure you do.
You and every other cop in the country became the heavies trying to clamp down on them.
It's always the same story. This time it's guns for Christmas.
I know what you're thinking, but we're not sure yet.
Listen, Friday, there's a city ordinance against giving a gun to a kid.
You know what I mean?
Yes, I know that.
There's a missing boy and a missing gun.
There's blood on the ground and an empty shell. That's enough for me.
I'm going to stay with it. Something's got to break.
Yeah. I hope it's not the hearts of that kid's parents.
Oh, hi, Chief.
I've been looking for you, Friday.
What do you got, Harry?
Found the gun. New 22 rifle. Strong smell of cordite.
I'd say it's been recently fired.
Where'd you find it, Levinson?
Back up there in that scrub oak.
Up behind the Johnston house. Mrs. Johnstone identified it.
Buckley took it down to the crime lab.
Thanks, Harry. Is Mrs. Johnstone okay?
Pretty sick now.
Killaby came up with something else.
What's that?
There's another one missing. An eight-year-old boy.
6.30 p.m.
We talked with Officer Killaby about the other missing boy.
He told us that his name was Stephen Morheim, eight years old.
His family had just moved into the neighborhood,
and it seemed that no one besides the Morheim family knew that the boys played together.
Mrs. Morheim told us that Stephen told her that he was going out to play
and that he'd be home by six o'clock for dinner.
She told us that he was an unusually prompt boy
and almost never overstayed his playtime.
We got a description of the Morheim boy and put out a missing broadcast.
We called the Johnstones family doctor.
He told us that Stanley's blood was type O.
At 7 p.m. we talked again with Mrs. John Morheim.
Are you sure Mrs. Johnstone doesn't know where the boys are?
She has no idea, Mrs. Morheim.
This is terrible. It's just awful.
I feel there's more to this thing.
Something you're not telling me.
There's no use to upset you until we know a few things for sure.
Then you are holding back something.
Please try not to worry, Mrs. Morheim.
There are certain questions we'll have to ask, routine questions,
in any kind of investigation.
Is there anything else you want to know?
Yes, ma'am. What is your boy's blood type?
That's a funny question.
Do you think anything's happened to him?
Have you found him and you're not telling me?
No, ma'am, we haven't found him. We don't think anything's happened to him.
His blood type?
Yes, ma'am.
I think I have it written down in Stevie's baby book.
Yes, here it is. It's type O.
Thank you. What if I might use your phone, please?
Yes, of course. It's in the hall.
I'll be right back, ma'am.
Yeah, okay.
City Hall.
2667, please.
2667.
Grand left pinker.
Hello, Ray. This is Friday. Lee there?
Just a minute, Joe.
Take two, Lee.
Jones speaking.
Checking back, Lee.
Did you get the blood types on the two missing boys?
Yeah, both boys type O.
So are the stains, Joe. Type O.
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8 p.m. Thursday, December 22nd.
Still no sign of either of the missing boys.
Chief of Detective Stad Brown went back to headquarters to direct the search from there.
He dispatched another detail of 50 men to aid in the hunt for the missing youngsters.
8.30 p.m. was getting colder.
The citrus growers were warned to expect a freeze.
We went up the block to see Mrs. Johnstone.
Her husband had quit work early and returned home.
We talked with him.
He could tell us nothing more than we already knew.
We still had not informed either of the families about the blood stains and the empty cartridge casing which had been discovered in the backyard of the Johnstone home.
It was more than possible that they had a right to know about our findings,
but Ben and I felt that there was no cause to add to the distress of the two families at this time.
If the two missing boys were found alive and well, then the blood stains in the cartridge case would be of no concern to the relieved parents.
At 8.40 p.m., Ben and I left the Johnstone house and went to the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Morheim.
Miss Morheim, you said your husband worked at a market?
Yes. He telephoned about 15 minutes ago and said he was closing up right away.
He'll be here any minute.
I do wish Stevie would call or come home.
It's so cold out tonight.
All he had on was a thin cotton jacket.
Please try not to worry. We're doing everything we can. He's going to be all right.
Stevie's father is such a sensitive man. He and the boy are so close. I know he's terribly upset.
You're sure there's no place you might have forgotten, some place where the boy might be?
No. No place. No. If anything happens to the boy, he'll just kill John.
No, no. You sit still. I'll get it, Miss Morheim.
Joe.
Hi, Harry.
There's Johnstone, kid. He's been found.
Oh, he's home, Sergeant. He's come home. Thank God he's all right.
Where's he been? Did he tell you?
No. No, he didn't. His clothes were all dirty and he's acting strange. I've never seen him like this.
How do you mean, Mrs. Johnson?
Well, he just came in the front door and said, hello, Mom, and then he sat down in a chair and stared at the floor.
He won't talk to his father or me.
Do you mind if I talk to him?
No, go ahead. I asked him about the little Morheim boy and he wouldn't tell me a thing.
Where is he now?
In the living room.
Looks all right.
Yes. Son, son, this is a police officer. He wants to talk to you.
Don't be afraid, dear. He only wants to ask you some questions.
Son.
You see, Sergeant?
Stanley, come on, look at me, son. Get your head up, youngster. Come on. Now that's better.
I had your mother pretty worried, you know that. You want to tell us where you've been?
I wish you'd try to get him to eat a little something.
Do you hear that, son? Want something to eat?
Stanley, there's another little boy up this street who hasn't come home. Do you know where he is?
His father and mother are worried about him, too. Just like your folks were.
You've got to help us find him, son.
I killed him. I killed Steve with the.22. We were only playing. But I killed him.
How do you know you killed him? Maybe he's only hurt. Isn't that it?
No, he's dead. I know he's dead. The gun went off. We forgot we put bullets in there.
Where is he, Stanley?
I hid him. I was scared. I didn't want anybody to find him.
Where did you hide him, son?
In a cave up on the hill. I didn't mean it. It was my pal.
Do you want to show us where, son?
Yes, I'll show you. Please don't send me to jail.
9.15 p.m. Thursday, December 22nd. Nine-year-old Stanley Johnstone led the way up the hill behind the backyard of his home.
He showed us the wagon he moved the body in. His father came along with us.
About 50 feet from the crest of the hill, the boy pointed to a thicket of scrub oak.
There we found a small cave holding the body of Stephen Morhine.
There was a single bullet wound in his chest just below his heart.
It was dead. We covered the body.
Stanley, Stanley, how did it happen?
I knew my folks were going to give me the gun for Christmas. I knew where it was and I got it.
There was a box of bullets with it.
Were you pointing the gun at Stephen?
No, sir. No, sir, I wasn't. It was Steve's turn to play with it.
I was chasing him. He tripped over the stump there in our backyard and fell.
The gun hit him in the stomach and it went off.
Why do you think you killed him if you're telling us the truth?
I'm telling the truth, honest. That's the truth.
All right, I believe you, son, but why do you think you killed him?
It was my gun. Steve would still be alive if I didn't go and get it.
I should have waited till Christmas. It's all my fault.
Where have you been all this time?
In the cave with Steve.
What were you doing in there, son?
I was praying. I was praying for God to make him alive again.
After a thorough investigation, Ben and I were convinced that the shooting of Stephen
Morrheim was accidental. Lieutenant Lee Jones' findings substantiated the John Stone
Boy's story even to the smallest detail. We put in a call to the coroner's office
and acquainted him with the facts. He designated a local mortuary to handle the body
and granted us permission to remove the body to the Morrheim home.
Mrs. Morrheim collapsed. The family doctor was called. Ben and I sat in the living room
to wait for John Morrheim, the dead boy's father.
Edith! Edith!
Mr. Morrheim?
Yes. You the police?
Yes, sir.
Where's Edith? Where's my wife? Has my boy come home?
Have you found him?
Yes, sir.
Where is he? Steve! Steve!
Where's Steve?
He's hurt, isn't he?
Yes, sir.
Where is he? I want to see him.
He's hurt bad, Mr. Morrheim.
Where is he? I want to see him.
He's in his room.
How bad?
Pretty bad.
He's...
He's dead.
All right, am I going?
If you want to.
Will you go with me?
Sure.
Don't make it any harder on yourself, Mr. Morrheim.
I want to see my boy.
Mr. Morrheim.
Stevey, Stevey, Stevey.
Listen to me, son.
We've got you a lot of nice things for Christmas.
Everything you wanted.
I got you three new cars for the train.
The one with the search light is...
...really worse.
Son, you...
You got that new switch you wanted too.
And that boy track.
Oh, Stevey.
Now you can have a big big house.
You know that new baseball that you saw.
Well, I got it for you.
Stevey, Stevey.
That cowboy outfit you wanted.
I got you two.
Stevey.
Mr. Morrheim.
Stevey.
Come on, Joe.
Stevey.
What happened?
It was an accident.
He was playing with Johnstone Boy at the spring.
Playing with a girl.
He went off.
What was the other boy's name?
Stanley Johnstone.
It was an accident.
Morrheim, where are you going?
I want to see that boy.
We had no idea what the dead boy's father had in mind.
We didn't feel that we should try to restrain him.
We went along with him up the street to the Johnstone home.
Hi, Stevey's father.
Where's your boy?
I'm sorry.
Where's your boy?
He's right here.
Won't you come in?
It's all right, Mrs. Johnstone.
You...
You're the boy that was with Stevey?
Yes, sir.
What's your name?
Stanley.
I know it wasn't your fault, Stanley.
I wonder if you'd do something for me.
Yes, sir.
I've got a lot of nice presents for Stevey.
I know he wants you to have them.
I want to give them to you.
Christmas Eve.
Mom?
I... I think that would be a fine idea, son.
Come on, Benner.
What does it all prove, Joe?
You don't give a kid a gun for Christmas.
The story you have just heard was true.
Only the names were changed to protect the innocent.
On December 24, 1948, a coroner's inquest was held
in the county morgue, city and county of Los Angeles, state of California.
In a moment, the results of that inquest.
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At the coroner's inquest, it was officially recorded that Stephen
Morheim's death was the result of an accident.
Stanley Johnstone, age nine, was absolved of any legal responsibility
for his friend's death.
You have just heard Dragnet, a new series of authentic cases
from official files.
Technical advice for Dragnet comes from the Office of Acting
Chief of Police, W.A. Wharton, Los Angeles Police Department.
Dragnet honors Hennepin County, Minneapolis, state of Minnesota,
and the men of the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office,
another of America's great law enforcement agencies.
One of these men, Sheriff Ed Ryan, veteran police officer
and department administrator, who dedicates his life
to making yours more secure.
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has brought you Dragnet, portion transcribed from Los Angeles.
Be sure to hear songs by Morton Downey tonight on NBC.