WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:14.760 Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. 00:14.760 --> 00:18.560 Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. 00:18.560 --> 00:34.400 Fatima cigarettes, best of all long cigarettes, brings you Dragnet. 00:34.400 --> 00:36.440 You're a detective sergeant. 00:36.440 --> 00:38.880 You're assigned to Narcotics Bureau. 00:38.880 --> 00:42.720 A vicious criminal has resumed operations in your city. 00:42.720 --> 00:46.080 His profession, dealer in narcotics. 00:46.080 --> 00:47.540 You know his name. 00:47.540 --> 00:49.400 You know he's guilty. 00:49.400 --> 00:54.760 Your job, prove it. 00:54.760 --> 00:59.880 If you want a long cigarette, smoke the best of all long cigarettes. 00:59.880 --> 01:00.880 Smoke Fatima. 01:00.880 --> 01:06.920 Fatima is the long cigarette which contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos, 01:06.920 --> 01:11.060 superbly blended to make Fatima extra mild. 01:11.060 --> 01:16.040 And that's why Fatima has a much different, much better flavor and aroma than any other 01:16.040 --> 01:17.720 long cigarette. 01:17.720 --> 01:22.280 That's why Fatima has more than doubled its smokers, coast to coast. 01:22.280 --> 01:28.400 So if you want a long cigarette, smoke the best of all long cigarettes. 01:28.400 --> 01:29.400 Smoke Fatima. 01:29.400 --> 01:35.320 Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime. 01:35.320 --> 01:39.560 For the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will 01:39.560 --> 01:43.860 travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case from official police 01:43.860 --> 01:45.260 files. 01:45.260 --> 01:50.800 From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force 01:50.800 --> 01:54.240 in action. 01:54.240 --> 01:56.240 Was Thursday, January 21st. 01:56.240 --> 01:57.240 Was cold in Los Angeles. 01:57.240 --> 02:00.080 We were working the night watch out of Narcotics Bureau. 02:00.080 --> 02:01.640 My partner is Ben Romero. 02:01.640 --> 02:03.600 The boss is Thad Brown, Chief of Detectives. 02:03.600 --> 02:04.600 My name is Friday. 02:04.600 --> 02:09.080 I was on the way back into work and it was 3.49 p.m. when I got to the main lobby of 02:09.080 --> 02:10.080 the City Hall. 02:10.080 --> 02:11.080 Public phone booth. 02:11.080 --> 02:16.080 Hello? 02:16.080 --> 02:23.080 Hello, Ma. 02:23.080 --> 02:30.080 This is Joe. 02:30.080 --> 02:39.080 Joseph, you said you were going to be home at 4 o'clock. 02:39.080 --> 02:41.080 Oh, I couldn't help it, Ma. 02:41.080 --> 02:42.080 They changed the schedule. 02:42.080 --> 02:43.080 I got my stuff all right. 02:43.080 --> 02:44.080 Thanks for packing it. 02:44.080 --> 02:45.080 Well, I put your socks and your clean T-shirts on the bed. 02:45.080 --> 02:46.080 Did you put them in your bag? 02:46.080 --> 02:47.080 Yeah, I got them. 02:47.080 --> 02:48.080 You got them off the clothesline right after you called. 02:48.080 --> 02:54.080 They weren't quite dry or I would have packed them for you. 02:54.080 --> 02:55.080 I got them all right. 02:55.080 --> 02:57.080 Listen, Ma, I'll call you whenever I get the chance, and don't worry. 02:57.080 --> 02:59.080 How long are you going to be gone? 02:59.080 --> 03:00.080 I haven't any idea. 03:00.080 --> 03:01.080 Maybe a month. 03:01.080 --> 03:02.080 All depends. 03:02.080 --> 03:03.080 How can I get in touch with you? 03:03.080 --> 03:04.080 You can't. 03:04.080 --> 03:05.080 Call Ben. 03:05.080 --> 03:06.080 He'll get the message to me somehow. 03:06.080 --> 03:07.080 Where is it you're going, Joseph? 03:07.080 --> 03:09.080 Well, I'm not going anyplace, Ma. 03:09.080 --> 03:12.080 I'll be right here in the city, but I just won't be able to come home for a little while. 03:12.080 --> 03:13.080 It's a special job. 03:13.080 --> 03:14.080 Oh, like the last time? 03:14.080 --> 03:15.080 Yeah. 03:15.080 --> 03:16.080 Well, you be careful now. 03:16.080 --> 03:21.080 Watch what you order when you're eating out and there was awful rest, but then get your rest. 03:21.080 --> 03:22.080 Yes, Ma. 03:22.080 --> 03:23.080 You need plenty of rest. 03:23.080 --> 03:24.080 Yeah, okay, Ma. 03:24.080 --> 03:25.080 I'll be all right. 03:25.080 --> 03:26.080 I was shopping today. 03:26.080 --> 03:28.080 I bought a nice loin roast for dinner tomorrow night. 03:28.080 --> 03:29.080 No, you won't be here. 03:29.080 --> 03:30.080 Why don't you invite the neighbors over? 03:30.080 --> 03:31.080 The Newtons? 03:31.080 --> 03:32.080 That'd be good company for you. 03:32.080 --> 03:33.080 Maybe I'll ask your Aunt Elizabeth over. 03:33.080 --> 03:34.080 Yeah. 03:34.080 --> 03:38.080 Now, don't worry, if you want to get in touch with me, you deliver the message to Ben, okay? 03:38.080 --> 03:39.080 Yes, all right. 03:39.080 --> 03:42.080 What kind of work are you going to be doing? 03:42.080 --> 03:43.080 Is it going to be dangerous? 03:43.080 --> 03:44.080 Oh, it's just another job, Ma. 03:44.080 --> 03:45.080 It'll work out. 03:45.080 --> 03:46.080 I'll call you when I can. 03:46.080 --> 03:47.080 All right, Joseph. 03:47.080 --> 03:48.080 Be careful now. 03:48.080 --> 03:49.080 Take care of yourself. 03:49.080 --> 03:50.080 Yeah, you too. 03:50.080 --> 03:51.080 Bye, Ma. 03:51.080 --> 03:52.080 Bye, Joseph. 03:52.080 --> 03:53.080 Bye. 03:53.080 --> 04:02.080 I left the phone booth and started down the corridor. 04:02.080 --> 04:07.080 I went up a short flight of stairs and turned left. 04:07.080 --> 04:09.080 The afternoon crowd in the city hall seemed heavier than usual. 04:09.080 --> 04:12.080 I walked past the elevators and turned right down another corridor. 04:12.080 --> 04:14.080 It was 3.58 p.m. 04:14.080 --> 04:18.080 And I got to room 24, Narcotics Bureau. 04:18.080 --> 04:20.080 Captain White? 04:20.080 --> 04:22.080 Hi, Joel. 04:22.080 --> 04:23.080 You want to take these? 04:23.080 --> 04:24.080 Yeah, sure. 04:24.080 --> 04:26.080 Here's my badge. 04:26.080 --> 04:27.080 Okay. 04:27.080 --> 04:32.080 Here's all my identification and my gun. 04:32.080 --> 04:33.080 All right. 04:33.080 --> 04:35.080 I'll take care of them for you. 04:35.080 --> 04:37.080 These clothes look all right. 04:37.080 --> 04:40.080 Just a minute. 04:40.080 --> 04:41.080 Now let's see. 04:41.080 --> 04:44.080 Yeah, I don't like that tie. 04:44.080 --> 04:45.080 Romero? 04:45.080 --> 04:46.080 Yes, Gabor? 04:46.080 --> 04:47.080 Let's see your tie. 04:47.080 --> 04:50.080 Yeah, swap with Friday, will you, Ben? 04:50.080 --> 04:51.080 Christmas tie is pretty loud. 04:51.080 --> 04:52.080 Mine's not. 04:52.080 --> 04:53.080 That's the idea. 04:53.080 --> 04:54.080 Here. 04:54.080 --> 04:56.080 Here's some stuff to carry in your pocket. 04:56.080 --> 04:59.080 Social Security card, ID card, all made out to Joe Kibert. 04:59.080 --> 05:02.080 And some book matches from St. Louis, a couple from Reno, Nevada. 05:02.080 --> 05:03.080 Okay. 05:03.080 --> 05:04.080 You pick up another gun? 05:04.080 --> 05:06.080 I loaned him my.25 automatic. 05:06.080 --> 05:07.080 It's small, it's easy to carry. 05:07.080 --> 05:08.080 Suit yourself. 05:08.080 --> 05:10.080 I don't have to tell you to be careful. 05:10.080 --> 05:11.080 No. 05:11.080 --> 05:13.080 It's a chance we've been waiting for, Joe. 05:13.080 --> 05:14.080 A lot depends on you. 05:14.080 --> 05:15.080 I'll do what I can. 05:15.080 --> 05:17.080 Just one thing I want to tell you. 05:17.080 --> 05:18.080 Take your time. 05:18.080 --> 05:20.080 Take all the time you need. 05:20.080 --> 05:21.080 Don't push it. 05:21.080 --> 05:22.080 I understand. 05:22.080 --> 05:23.080 No time limit. 05:23.080 --> 05:26.080 Your time's up when they find out who you are. 05:29.080 --> 05:33.080 Captain Lynn White and I left the Narcotics Bureau together with Ben and Johnny Bingham. 05:33.080 --> 05:36.080 We went down the hall to the office of Chief of Detectives Thad Brown. 05:36.080 --> 05:41.080 As in most major narcotic cases, the plan involved the coordinated work of all three offices. 05:41.080 --> 05:44.080 The federal, state, and our own local bureau. 05:44.080 --> 05:47.080 The operation involved a great many men and a lot of time. 05:47.080 --> 05:50.080 When we got to the Chief of Detectives office, two men were with him. 05:50.080 --> 05:55.080 Bill Craig, the agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics for the Southern California area, 05:55.080 --> 05:59.080 and Inspector Virgil Beckner, head of the State Narcotics Bureau for our district. 05:59.080 --> 06:03.080 All of us had one common goal, the apprehension and conviction of two men, 06:03.080 --> 06:06.080 Arthur Belmont and Ralph Costello. 06:06.080 --> 06:08.080 The first man on the list, Ralph Costello. 06:08.080 --> 06:11.080 Chief Brown outlined the overall plan. 06:11.080 --> 06:15.080 Craig, your federal men have been tracking Costello off and on for three years now. 06:15.080 --> 06:16.080 Becks of your state agents. 06:16.080 --> 06:17.080 Same for our men. 06:17.080 --> 06:19.080 There's time we can't afford to miss. 06:19.080 --> 06:21.080 You figure an undercover man working locally? 06:21.080 --> 06:22.080 That right, Chief? 06:22.080 --> 06:27.080 Yeah, Craig, he'll start right from the bottom, work up the line until he gets to Costello if he gets there. 06:27.080 --> 06:28.080 Beck? 06:28.080 --> 06:29.080 Where are you going to start? 06:29.080 --> 06:32.080 Uh, Kevin White, would you lay it out to Beck and Craig? 06:32.080 --> 06:36.080 Yeah. Friday here is going to handle the job. He's got his full instructions. 06:36.080 --> 06:38.080 Joe, you want to film him? 06:38.080 --> 06:41.080 All right. I'll make my first contact tonight. 06:41.080 --> 06:45.080 I'll meet in a bar down on South Pico with another one of our undercover men, Benny Arradondo. 06:45.080 --> 06:48.080 He'll introduce me as Joe Kiber to one of his informants. 06:48.080 --> 06:51.080 The informant is supposed to help get me into the Flats gang. 06:51.080 --> 06:53.080 The same bunch running on the south end of town? 06:53.080 --> 06:56.080 Yeah, small time peddlers. Precurious, a little bit of everything. Go on Friday. 06:56.080 --> 07:01.080 When I get in the gang, I run with them until I find out where and how they make their buys. 07:01.080 --> 07:05.080 You actually get a contact, you make buys all the way up the line and get as close as you can to the town. 07:05.080 --> 07:06.080 Yeah, that's right. 07:06.080 --> 07:08.080 Worked out your contact with us? 07:08.080 --> 07:11.080 He knows that under no conditions will he be seen around the department here. 07:11.080 --> 07:15.080 It's been set up that I have a hotel room lined up down on the east side. 07:15.080 --> 07:18.080 Romero here and Captain White will be my only contact with the office. 07:18.080 --> 07:20.080 I'll be using the name Joe Kiber. 07:20.080 --> 07:22.080 Sounds all right to me. How about you, Craig? 07:22.080 --> 07:24.080 How about that informant Friday? Can you count on him? 07:24.080 --> 07:27.080 Arradondo thinks a lot of him. He says he's a good man. 07:27.080 --> 07:29.080 He's the first rung on the ladder. He's got to be solid. 07:29.080 --> 07:31.080 If he's not, we won't have far to fall. 07:31.080 --> 07:34.080 Depends on how you look at it. You can kill yourself in the bathtub. 07:38.080 --> 07:40.080 8 p.m. Thursday, January 21st. 07:40.080 --> 07:43.080 I checked in at the Casino Hotel on Terminal Street. 07:43.080 --> 07:46.080 I registered as Joe Kiber, Omaha, Nebraska. 07:46.080 --> 07:48.080 I was given the key for room 5. 07:48.080 --> 07:50.080 The rent was $7 a week. 07:50.080 --> 07:54.080 I unpacked a few things I had in my bag and went down the hall and took a shower. 07:54.080 --> 07:56.080 I went down to the lunch room on the corner. 07:56.080 --> 07:58.080 I had an egg sandwich and a cup of coffee. 07:58.080 --> 08:02.080 It was 11.18 p.m. when I walked into Blue Rites Bar and Grill. 08:02.080 --> 08:04.080 I ordered a beer and sat down. 08:04.080 --> 08:07.080 I watched the Missing Persons program on the television set above the bar. 08:10.080 --> 08:11.080 Hello, somebody, Kiber? 08:11.080 --> 08:13.080 Hello, Benny. Been here long? 08:13.080 --> 08:15.080 I just got here. Where's your boy? 08:15.080 --> 08:17.080 Sitting over there with that fella in the blue suit. 08:17.080 --> 08:18.080 His name's Gene. 08:18.080 --> 08:19.080 Who is the guy in the blue suit? 08:19.080 --> 08:21.080 One of the flats gang. 08:21.080 --> 08:23.080 Gene's lining up your introduction now. 08:23.080 --> 08:26.080 Guy's name is Ludwig. I call him Lud. 08:26.080 --> 08:27.080 He knows me as Steve. 08:27.080 --> 08:29.080 Right. What do we do? 08:29.080 --> 08:31.080 Sit tight till Gene gives us the word. 08:31.080 --> 08:33.080 The tie of yours looks like it's on fire. 08:33.080 --> 08:34.080 It'd look all right? 08:34.080 --> 08:36.080 I wouldn't wear it. Lud would. 08:36.080 --> 08:37.080 Get in the hotel, okay? 08:37.080 --> 08:39.080 Yeah, all set. Room 5. 08:39.080 --> 08:41.080 Gene wants us. Let's go. 08:46.080 --> 08:47.080 Hi, Steve. 08:47.080 --> 08:49.080 So your boy got here. 08:49.080 --> 08:51.080 Yeah. Gene, meet Joe Kiber. 08:51.080 --> 08:52.080 Hi. 08:52.080 --> 08:54.080 This is Lud. Joe Kiber. 08:54.080 --> 08:55.080 Sit down. 08:57.080 --> 08:59.080 You like the fights, Kiber? 08:59.080 --> 09:01.080 Yeah. I got nothing out here in that line. 09:01.080 --> 09:03.080 I used to go to the garden when I was east. 09:03.080 --> 09:05.080 I got some fine cards with the Legion. 09:05.080 --> 09:06.080 Where? 09:06.080 --> 09:08.080 Hollywood Legion. Friday nights. Some classy looking fighters out there. 09:08.080 --> 09:09.080 Where is that? 09:09.080 --> 09:11.080 Out in Hollywood. Nice little stadium. 09:11.080 --> 09:13.080 I'd like to go with you sometime. 09:13.080 --> 09:14.080 Tomorrow? 09:14.080 --> 09:16.080 I got a date. Maybe next week. 09:16.080 --> 09:17.080 Bring her along. A lot of women go. 09:17.080 --> 09:18.080 Not this one. 09:18.080 --> 09:19.080 Okay. 09:19.080 --> 09:20.080 Are you guys hungry? 09:20.080 --> 09:21.080 I could eat. 09:21.080 --> 09:22.080 Yeah. 09:22.080 --> 09:23.080 Joe? Sure. How about here? 09:23.080 --> 09:25.080 Nobody eats here. 09:25.080 --> 09:27.080 Steam table over there. This stuff smells pretty good. 09:27.080 --> 09:29.080 So does garbage if the wind's blowing the other way. 09:29.080 --> 09:31.080 Let's get a French tip sandwich, huh? 09:31.080 --> 09:33.080 How about Galbraith's over on Satella? 09:33.080 --> 09:34.080 Okay. How about you guys? 09:34.080 --> 09:35.080 Sure. 09:35.080 --> 09:36.080 Let's go. 09:36.080 --> 09:38.080 All right. 09:38.080 --> 09:40.080 You from the east, Kibit? 09:40.080 --> 09:42.080 Omaha, Memphis. All around. 09:42.080 --> 09:44.080 Yeah. 09:44.080 --> 09:45.080 You don't talk very much. 09:45.080 --> 09:46.080 You do. 09:46.080 --> 09:49.080 You talk tough. Are you tough? 09:49.080 --> 09:50.080 Sometimes. 09:50.080 --> 09:53.080 This place we're gonna go eat sometimes the meat's tough too. 09:53.080 --> 09:54.080 Yeah. 09:54.080 --> 09:58.080 Just like a piece of tough meat, you can always cut it down to size. 10:02.080 --> 10:05.080 The following week at the fights, I met some of the other members of the Flats gang. 10:05.080 --> 10:07.080 They were a typical group of hoodlums. 10:07.080 --> 10:12.080 Unlike fiction writers who portrayed them, generally gangs of this type do not operate under a gang leader. 10:12.080 --> 10:15.080 Each member considers himself the best of the lot. 10:15.080 --> 10:18.080 For all practical purposes, they didn't need a leader. 10:18.080 --> 10:21.080 But as in any group, some men are more dominant than others. 10:21.080 --> 10:23.080 Lud was one of these. 10:23.080 --> 10:27.080 Because of his tough manner, I observed that the gang members placed confidence in Lud. 10:27.080 --> 10:32.080 It was then that I decided that I had to be tougher than he was if the gang was going to accept me. 10:32.080 --> 10:33.080 Five weeks went by. 10:33.080 --> 10:38.080 March 7th. There was still no mention by any of them that they were either using or dealing in narcotics. 10:38.080 --> 10:40.080 Come on in, Kibber. Sit down. 10:41.080 --> 10:42.080 Lud. 10:42.080 --> 10:43.080 Kibber, meet Jerry Phil. 10:43.080 --> 10:44.080 Hi. 10:44.080 --> 10:47.080 I picked up the tickets for the basketball game tonight. 10:47.080 --> 10:48.080 Good seats? 10:48.080 --> 10:49.080 Yeah, they look okay. 10:49.080 --> 10:51.080 Got an extra, Ducky? Maybe I tag along. 10:51.080 --> 10:52.080 Yeah, we got four. 10:52.080 --> 10:54.080 You look kind of sad, Kibber. 10:54.080 --> 10:57.080 He always looks that way. First he was tough, now he's sad. 10:57.080 --> 10:59.080 You and that mouth, you know it all, don't you? 10:59.080 --> 11:01.080 No offense, you look a little low. 11:01.080 --> 11:04.080 I don't know about you, Kibber, but I'm a little under par. 11:04.080 --> 11:07.080 I'm gonna have myself a pop. You interested? 11:07.080 --> 11:08.080 No, I don't use it. 11:08.080 --> 11:10.080 Why don't you try it? You might get a kick out of it. 11:10.080 --> 11:13.080 I have. It's all right going up, but it's nothing coming down. 11:13.080 --> 11:16.080 That's where you make a mistake. Stay up, don't come down. 11:16.080 --> 11:17.080 Huh, Lud? 11:17.080 --> 11:19.080 You heard what he said, Jerry. You don't like it. 11:19.080 --> 11:21.080 How does he know? He never stayed up long enough. 11:21.080 --> 11:23.080 Take your pop and shut up. 11:23.080 --> 11:26.080 You talk about Kibber trying to be tough, you think you're the big wheel around here. 11:26.080 --> 11:27.080 That's enough. 11:27.080 --> 11:30.080 You ought to quit giving orders, Lud. You're no better than the rest. 11:30.080 --> 11:33.080 Little man, knock off that kind of talk and keep us both happy. 11:33.080 --> 11:34.080 You, you... 11:34.080 --> 11:35.080 ...deboss man. 11:35.080 --> 11:37.080 You know, I got one positive way to shut you. 11:37.080 --> 11:38.080 Why don't you two quit, huh? 11:38.080 --> 11:40.080 This concerns me and Fell, you keep your mouth shut. 11:40.080 --> 11:42.080 Well, don't get mad at me. I only wanted to save an argument. 11:42.080 --> 11:43.080 Can't I, sir? 11:43.080 --> 11:46.080 Now look, big mouth, you can push Fell around, but not me. 11:46.080 --> 11:48.080 Now you're playing the tough guy again, ain't you? 11:48.080 --> 11:50.080 Why don't you go over there and sit down, huh? 11:50.080 --> 11:52.080 You'll sit me down, punk. 11:55.080 --> 11:56.080 All right, now listen to me, both of you. 11:56.080 --> 11:58.080 I'm tired of being talked down to like a junior member of the firm. 11:58.080 --> 12:01.080 You either treat me equal or leave me alone. You understand? 12:01.080 --> 12:03.080 You had it coming, Lud. 12:03.080 --> 12:04.080 Yeah. 12:04.080 --> 12:06.080 All right, put that bottle down, Lud. 12:06.080 --> 12:08.080 Where'd you get that gun? 12:08.080 --> 12:09.080 The car, that thing right along? 12:09.080 --> 12:11.080 Right along. Put it down, Lud. 12:12.080 --> 12:13.080 Okay. 12:14.080 --> 12:16.080 I'm long on memory, Cabba, remember that. 12:16.080 --> 12:18.080 Yeah, and I'm real short on patience with you. 12:18.080 --> 12:20.080 Well, I still haven't had my pop. 12:20.080 --> 12:22.080 Better hurry, I don't want to miss the game. 12:22.080 --> 12:24.080 You've got good seats, huh, Cabba? 12:24.080 --> 12:25.080 They're not too low. 12:25.080 --> 12:27.080 I can't see nothing if they're too low. 12:27.080 --> 12:29.080 Don't worry, you'll be high enough. 12:33.080 --> 12:34.080 Two months went by. 12:34.080 --> 12:39.080 By playing the tough guy, I gained a great deal of prestige in the eyes of the other gang members. 12:39.080 --> 12:43.080 Jerry Fell made sure that all the members heard about that episode up in Lud's room. 12:43.080 --> 12:46.080 Dealers and users of narcotics rarely carry guns. 12:46.080 --> 12:49.080 The members of the Flats gang were small-time peddlers and users. 12:49.080 --> 12:52.080 They're referred to as mules or small fry. 12:52.080 --> 12:55.080 When they found that I carried a gun at all times, they were impressed. 12:55.080 --> 12:57.080 They considered me one of them. 12:57.080 --> 13:03.080 Since the very beginning of my undercover work, I met weekly with Ben Romero and Captain Lynn White of the Narcotics Bureau. 13:03.080 --> 13:07.080 I would be picked up at a different location each time, making sure that I wasn't followed, 13:07.080 --> 13:12.080 and we would remain in the car and drive around in a remote section of the city discussing my progress with the gang. 13:12.080 --> 13:16.080 During this first three-month period, under the pretext that I had clients to furnish, 13:16.080 --> 13:21.080 I made two small narcotics buys, one for $13 and one for $8. 13:21.080 --> 13:25.080 As soon as the purchases were made, I would mark them for identification, contact Ben, 13:25.080 --> 13:30.080 and then turn the narcotics over to him to be booked as evidence by the property clerk at Central Division. 13:30.080 --> 13:34.080 Another month went by. Thursday, June 5th, 11 p.m. 13:34.080 --> 13:38.080 We had just returned from the midget auto races and we were sitting around in Lud's room. 13:38.080 --> 13:41.080 You mentioned something out at the races, Carpenter. What's on your mind? 13:41.080 --> 13:46.080 I told you, Lud, I need a half a dozen caps right away. I got people putting a bite on me. Old customers. 13:46.080 --> 13:49.080 How old can they be? You've only been out here five months, remember? 13:49.080 --> 13:51.080 When they're hooked, they get to be old customers in a month. 13:51.080 --> 13:56.080 I fixed up two buys with Morris for you. Tony says he can't handle any more, hasn't got enough around. 13:56.080 --> 13:59.080 You got on board late, you know. All of us are ahead of you. 13:59.080 --> 14:01.080 Tony can get more. Who's his source? 14:01.080 --> 14:03.080 A couple of guys. I know them. 14:03.080 --> 14:04.080 How about an office to one of them? 14:04.080 --> 14:05.080 You deal with Tony. 14:05.080 --> 14:06.080 You said he hasn't got enough. 14:06.080 --> 14:08.080 That's right, I did. 14:08.080 --> 14:10.080 Okay. How much do you want? 14:10.080 --> 14:11.080 They're your customers. What's it worth? 14:11.080 --> 14:13.080 They'll pay. What's the guy's name? 14:13.080 --> 14:16.080 Costello's one of them. He'll have enough for you. 14:16.080 --> 14:17.080 Who's the other guy? 14:17.080 --> 14:19.080 He'll deal with Costello for now. 14:19.080 --> 14:20.080 Where can I meet him? 14:20.080 --> 14:23.080 Marcell will set it up for you. I got a meeting in an hour. 14:24.080 --> 14:25.080 Coming. 14:25.080 --> 14:28.080 Police officers. Shake it down down a hole. 14:33.080 --> 14:35.080 What's the trouble? 14:35.080 --> 14:37.080 Checking for a robbery suspect. 14:37.080 --> 14:39.080 Find anything, George? Room's clean. 14:39.080 --> 14:41.080 We don't know anything about a heist. 14:41.080 --> 14:44.080 You'll have to come downtown to answer a few questions. 14:44.080 --> 14:47.080 What's the matter with you, fella? You look like we spoiled your party. 14:47.080 --> 14:49.080 Yeah, you spoiled it. 14:59.080 --> 15:01.080 You are listening to Drag Nets, 15:01.080 --> 15:04.080 authentic stories of your police force in action. 15:04.080 --> 15:08.080 Now, here's an authentic report from Fatima cigarettes. 15:08.080 --> 15:13.080 In 1949, Fatima more than doubled its smokers from coast to coast. 15:13.080 --> 15:17.080 In 1950, enjoy Fatima yourself. 15:17.080 --> 15:19.080 You'll find Fatima extra mild. 15:19.080 --> 15:23.080 Because Fatima is the long cigarette which contains the finest 15:23.080 --> 15:29.080 Turkish and domestic tobaccos superbly blended to make Fatima extra mild. 15:29.080 --> 15:31.080 You'll find Fatima tastes much better. 15:31.080 --> 15:36.080 Fatima's superb blend gives you a much different, much better flavor and aroma 15:36.080 --> 15:38.080 than any other long cigarette. 15:38.080 --> 15:41.080 You'll find Fatima best in cigarette quality. 15:41.080 --> 15:45.080 Fatima has always stood for the best in cigarette quality. 15:45.080 --> 15:48.080 For a new year of greater smoking enjoyment, 15:48.080 --> 15:51.080 buy Fatima in the appealing golden yellow package. 15:51.080 --> 15:56.080 You'll agree, Fatima is the best of all long cigarettes. 16:02.080 --> 16:05.080 The chance of my being picked up while working on an undercover assignment 16:05.080 --> 16:07.080 was one which all of us had considered. 16:07.080 --> 16:11.080 Since only a handful of men out of some 5,000 working police officers in the department 16:11.080 --> 16:13.080 knew anything about our narcotics investigation, 16:13.080 --> 16:16.080 we knew that such an occurrence was not impossible. 16:16.080 --> 16:18.080 It's one of the chances we had to take. 16:18.080 --> 16:23.080 In this instance, we lost and the critical meeting with one of the men we were after was forestalled. 16:23.080 --> 16:26.080 How long our detention at police headquarters would delay my meeting with Ralph Costello 16:26.080 --> 16:29.080 was anybody's guess. 16:29.080 --> 16:31.080 Could mean weeks or maybe months. 16:31.080 --> 16:34.080 I was booked on suspicion of 211 PC robbery. 16:34.080 --> 16:35.080 So was Lud. 16:35.080 --> 16:40.080 The next afternoon I was taken from cell block 10D2 to the interrogation room. 16:40.080 --> 16:44.080 Come on in and sit down, Kiber. 16:44.080 --> 16:45.080 How are you Friday? 16:45.080 --> 16:46.080 There's a tight squeeze. 16:46.080 --> 16:48.080 Book and numbers been canceled, Joe. 16:48.080 --> 16:49.080 Prints been stopped. 16:49.080 --> 16:52.080 Those two men from robbery who pulled me in, Wynn and Donahoe, 16:52.080 --> 16:54.080 I thought I was in trouble for a minute. 16:54.080 --> 16:56.080 They had no idea you were in that room. 16:56.080 --> 16:58.080 Once they got up there, they had to follow through. 16:58.080 --> 17:00.080 Well, they played it right. They remembered their etiquette. 17:00.080 --> 17:03.080 If either one of them had said hello before you did, you might have been in big trouble. 17:03.080 --> 17:05.080 Well, I'm in big trouble anyway. 17:05.080 --> 17:08.080 I had a meet all set with Costello. Almost set, anyway. 17:08.080 --> 17:10.080 Just a case of bad timing in that pick-up, huh? 17:10.080 --> 17:12.080 Well, if they'd have got there two hours later, it might have been different. 17:12.080 --> 17:15.080 Well, how do you stand now? How close are you to Costello? 17:15.080 --> 17:17.080 I need some more money. I got to pay off Lud. 17:17.080 --> 17:19.080 And he'll take you to Costello if you pay the right price? 17:19.080 --> 17:22.080 Yeah. Lud's working through more so you know about him. 17:22.080 --> 17:25.080 Remember Friday, if there's any questions when you get back to that gang, 17:25.080 --> 17:28.080 you were booked for CCW. You're out on bail. 17:28.080 --> 17:31.080 I got you another gun, Joe. 32 automatic, okay? 17:31.080 --> 17:33.080 Yeah, thanks. I couldn't go back with the same one. 17:33.080 --> 17:36.080 What about the federal and state men? How are they doing? 17:36.080 --> 17:39.080 Pretty good. Federal men picked up Costello in Fresno. 17:39.080 --> 17:42.080 He was connected with a sale of six cans of H. 17:42.080 --> 17:45.080 That much heroin up there, no wonder Lud can afford to hold me up. 17:45.080 --> 17:47.080 He knows there's a shortage down here. 17:47.080 --> 17:49.080 The case isn't too strong against him. 17:49.080 --> 17:52.080 When it looked definite that we had him, they were going to call you off. 17:52.080 --> 17:53.080 He's out on bail. 17:53.080 --> 17:55.080 Costello's back down here now. 17:55.080 --> 17:59.080 Yeah. Seems like we got our hands on the guy, but we can't hold him. 17:59.080 --> 18:02.080 The narcotics in their possession are under their control. 18:02.080 --> 18:04.080 That's what the book says. That's the way we got to get him. 18:04.080 --> 18:05.080 We'll get him that way. 18:05.080 --> 18:08.080 It's up to you now, Friday. Stay with it and keep your chin covered. 18:08.080 --> 18:10.080 Well, if you need anything, Joe, call. 18:10.080 --> 18:13.080 Mother's been over at the house for dinner a few times. She's okay. 18:13.080 --> 18:15.080 Thanks. Tell her I'm all right, will you? 18:15.080 --> 18:17.080 Sure. She worries a lot about you, Joe. 18:17.080 --> 18:19.080 Anything happen to you is just about killer. 18:19.080 --> 18:22.080 That makes two of us. I'll see you. 18:25.080 --> 18:28.080 Before I left the city hall, Captain White drew out some more money 18:28.080 --> 18:29.080 for the drug service fund. 18:29.080 --> 18:32.080 This fund is for the sole purpose of undercover work. 18:32.080 --> 18:36.080 This latest amount was for the narcotics buy that I hoped to make with Ralph Costello. 18:36.080 --> 18:40.080 An hour before I left, Ludd was released on a writ that he'd arranged for. 18:40.080 --> 18:45.080 Saturday, June 7th, 9 a.m., I checked back into my room at the Casino Hotel. 18:45.080 --> 18:50.080 During the three weeks that followed, I kept asking Ludd to arrange a meeting for me with Tony Moores, 18:50.080 --> 18:52.080 the next man on the ladder on the way up to Costello. 18:52.080 --> 18:54.080 Ludd kept stalling me. 18:54.080 --> 18:56.080 Another week went by. 18:56.080 --> 19:00.080 Captain Lynn White, Ben and I held our regular weekly meetings. 19:00.080 --> 19:05.080 On July 6th, Ludd told me that a meeting with Moores had finally been arranged for 8 p.m. that night. 19:05.080 --> 19:09.080 I called Ben and told him I'd meet him and the captain immediately after I talked with Moores. 19:09.080 --> 19:13.080 At 8 p.m., following the instructions Ludd had given me, I was in the downstairs waiting room 19:13.080 --> 19:15.080 at the subway terminal at 5th and Hill. 19:15.080 --> 19:18.080 I was told to wait by the apple vending machine. 19:24.080 --> 19:25.080 Excuse me, mister. 19:25.080 --> 19:26.080 Oh, yeah. Sure. 19:35.080 --> 19:36.080 Kiber? 19:36.080 --> 19:37.080 Yeah. You Moores? 19:37.080 --> 19:39.080 That's right. Want an apple? 19:39.080 --> 19:40.080 No, no thanks. 19:40.080 --> 19:41.080 Well, sit down. 19:41.080 --> 19:42.080 All right. 19:45.080 --> 19:47.080 Now, what do you have in mind? 19:47.080 --> 19:50.080 I got a couple hundred bucks to spend. Can you handle it? 19:50.080 --> 19:51.080 Who sent you? 19:51.080 --> 19:52.080 You know who sent me. 19:52.080 --> 19:54.080 Sure I do. I just want to hear you say it. 19:54.080 --> 19:55.080 Ludd. 19:55.080 --> 19:57.080 We can handle it. What do you have in mind? 19:57.080 --> 19:59.080 I said $200 worth. That's 40 caps. 19:59.080 --> 20:00.080 We got it. 20:00.080 --> 20:02.080 No, not that Mexican junk. I want European stuff. 20:02.080 --> 20:04.080 You bought before. You'll take what we got. 20:04.080 --> 20:07.080 That last buy I made through Ludd, the junk was cut to nothing. 20:07.080 --> 20:09.080 I can only use so much milk and sugar, you know. 20:09.080 --> 20:12.080 By the time it got to you, it was probably cut pretty thin. So is the price you paid for it. 20:12.080 --> 20:15.080 I'm not looking for bargains. I push to good people. I want good stuff. 20:15.080 --> 20:17.080 You'll do better this time. You're not dealing with Ludd. 20:17.080 --> 20:20.080 Sure, we cut it. No more than anybody else. Not as much as Ludd. 20:20.080 --> 20:21.080 When can I get it? 20:21.080 --> 20:22.080 You got some sick people? 20:22.080 --> 20:23.080 Couple. 20:23.080 --> 20:24.080 Have it for you in an hour. 20:24.080 --> 20:25.080 Where's the meat? 20:25.080 --> 20:26.080 Got a watch? 20:26.080 --> 20:27.080 Yeah. 20:27.080 --> 20:28.080 What time you got? 20:28.080 --> 20:30.080 Twelve minutes after eight. 20:30.080 --> 20:32.080 Add a minute. Make it thirteen after. 20:32.080 --> 20:34.080 Okay. 20:34.080 --> 20:38.080 An hour from now. Nine thirteen. Meet Ludd at Macy and Brooklyn on the corner. 20:38.080 --> 20:39.080 He'll tell you what to do. 20:39.080 --> 20:40.080 Will Ludd have it? 20:40.080 --> 20:43.080 Meet Ludd at nine thirteen. See you later, Kiber. 20:43.080 --> 20:45.080 Oh, wait a minute. How do I know you're leveling? 20:45.080 --> 20:47.080 How do I know you are? 20:47.080 --> 20:51.080 I went out the front of the subway terminal building. I took a cab down to Seventh and Main. 20:51.080 --> 20:53.080 I got off and walked into Pop Sherman's bar. 20:53.080 --> 20:56.080 I called the office and set up a meeting with Ben and the captain. 20:56.080 --> 21:01.080 I ordered a beer, paid for it, left my change in the bar, asked the bartender to watch it, told him I'd be right back. 21:01.080 --> 21:04.080 I went out the back way, crossed the alley, and got down to Los Angeles Street. 21:04.080 --> 21:08.080 I walked up to Ninth and picked up a cab to take me to Fulton and Covina Avenue. 21:08.080 --> 21:12.080 I got out and walked two blocks. It was 841. 21:12.080 --> 21:17.080 I got out and walked two blocks. It was 841. 21:20.080 --> 21:21.080 Hi. 21:21.080 --> 21:22.080 You meet Morse? 21:22.080 --> 21:23.080 Yeah. 21:23.080 --> 21:24.080 Sure nobody tailed you? 21:24.080 --> 21:25.080 I took all the precautions. 21:25.080 --> 21:26.080 What's the set up? 21:26.080 --> 21:28.080 I'm not sure and I don't have much time. I'm gonna make the buy tonight. 21:28.080 --> 21:29.080 When? 21:29.080 --> 21:30.080 Nine thirteen. 21:30.080 --> 21:32.080 You don't have much time. You're kind of rushing it, aren't you? 21:32.080 --> 21:33.080 I figured I'd better play along. 21:33.080 --> 21:34.080 Who's we'll meet where? 21:34.080 --> 21:37.080 Morse told me to meet Ludd at Macy and Brooklyn. He said that he'd carry it from there. 21:37.080 --> 21:38.080 Costello in on it? 21:38.080 --> 21:39.080 I don't know. You got it all. 21:39.080 --> 21:43.080 All right. We'll start picking up the flats gang. Everyone but Ludd. 21:43.080 --> 21:44.080 What do you think? 21:44.080 --> 21:48.080 The way I got it figured. Morse is Costello's runner. He checked me out. As far as I could tell, he thinks I'm okay. 21:48.080 --> 21:49.080 Yeah. 21:49.080 --> 21:53.080 I got a hunch Ludd's gonna take me to either Morse again or Costello or possibly both. 21:53.080 --> 21:55.080 I don't know where the actual meet's gonna be. 21:55.080 --> 21:56.080 That means a tail job. 21:56.080 --> 22:02.080 We'll have to pick you up at Macy and Brooklyn and stick with you until after Ludd leaves, if he does, and follow through with you. 22:02.080 --> 22:03.080 Figure it wide, Skipper. 22:03.080 --> 22:06.080 Don't worry. I know we're close. What time you got, Romero? 22:06.080 --> 22:07.080 Ten minutes to nine. 22:07.080 --> 22:08.080 Turn down the next block. 22:08.080 --> 22:09.080 Right. 22:09.080 --> 22:11.080 Pull up here, Ben. 22:11.080 --> 22:15.080 Here you go, Friday. Keep your chin covered. 22:15.080 --> 22:16.080 Yep. 22:19.080 --> 22:20.080 Hey. 22:21.080 --> 22:22.080 Hello, Phil. 22:22.080 --> 22:24.080 Friends of yours in the car? 22:24.080 --> 22:25.080 Why? 22:25.080 --> 22:27.080 I know them. They ain't friends of mine. 22:27.080 --> 22:28.080 I didn't say I knew them. 22:28.080 --> 22:36.080 I don't know the guy driving, but the other guy, I seen him lots. Just about four weeks ago, we all seen him. That fuzz white, a carix man. 22:36.080 --> 22:39.080 Oh, yeah. Well, they been ridin' me since they picked me up with a gun. 22:39.080 --> 22:44.080 Won't do, cop. A carix man ain't got nothin' on you. That was robbery, remember? 22:44.080 --> 22:47.080 They got a make on me from Nebraska. They been on me ever since I got here. 22:47.080 --> 22:49.080 Bad figures. You're one of them. 22:49.080 --> 22:52.080 All right, look, Jerry, I'll argue with you later. I'm in a hurry. I gotta meet Ludd. 22:52.080 --> 22:55.080 I tag along. I wanna see Ludd, too. 22:55.080 --> 22:57.080 You gonna spill the Ludd about what you think? 22:57.080 --> 23:03.080 Maybe. I figure I owe it to him. I known him a lot longer than you. I know he ain't up, cop. 23:03.080 --> 23:04.080 You're sure that I am? 23:04.080 --> 23:07.080 I know you are. Let's see what Ludd thinks. 23:07.080 --> 23:08.080 Yeah. 23:11.080 --> 23:13.080 All right, come on. On your feet. Get out. 23:13.080 --> 23:17.080 I looked at my watch. It was two minutes to nine. In 15 minutes, I had to meet Ludd. 23:17.080 --> 23:21.080 I had to get Jerry fell. I couldn't take the chance of him getting to Ludd before I did. 23:21.080 --> 23:23.080 I couldn't leave him. I couldn't take him with me. 23:23.080 --> 23:27.080 I pulled him to his feet and half dragged and half carried him two blocks before I spotted a patrolman. 23:27.080 --> 23:29.080 Hey, officer. Officer, over here. 23:29.080 --> 23:31.080 Yeah, what's the trouble? 23:31.080 --> 23:32.080 I'm Friday, central narcotics. 23:32.080 --> 23:33.080 Yeah. 23:33.080 --> 23:36.080 Take this man and get him downtown. Contact Chief Brown. He'll identify me. 23:36.080 --> 23:41.080 Serial number 2288. Friday, narcotics. Suspect's name here is Jerry Fell. You got it? 23:41.080 --> 23:43.080 Yeah. You got some kind of identification? 23:43.080 --> 23:45.080 No, I haven't. Not a thing. It's a special duty. 23:45.080 --> 23:48.080 I'm sorry. I don't know you. I have to hold you till I call in. 23:48.080 --> 23:49.080 All right. But hurry, huh? 23:49.080 --> 23:51.080 Call box right here. 23:56.080 --> 24:01.080 This is Carlson, box 117. Check on a matter with Chief of Detective Brown, will you? 24:01.080 --> 24:06.080 Yeah, that's right. I have a man here who identifies himself as Friday. What's your first name? 24:06.080 --> 24:07.080 Joe. Joe Friday. Tell him to hurry. 24:07.080 --> 24:16.080 Yeah. Joe Friday, central narcotics. Serial number 2288. Says he's in a hurry. Holding a suspect, Jerry Fell. I'll hold on. 24:16.080 --> 24:19.080 You might watch this five after nine. What time you got? 24:19.080 --> 24:22.080 I got six minutes after. It might be a little fast. 24:22.080 --> 24:24.080 Any cab stands around here? 24:24.080 --> 24:25.080 Four blocks up the street. 24:25.080 --> 24:26.080 Which way? 24:26.080 --> 24:29.080 That way. Yeah. Okay, I will. Thank you. 24:29.080 --> 24:31.080 Okay, Sergeant. Sorry to hold you up. Need any help? 24:31.080 --> 24:34.080 No, you just hang on to this guy. Don't let him go. 24:34.080 --> 24:39.080 I started to run. Macy and Brooklyn. Six blocks away and I had eight minutes to make it. 24:39.080 --> 24:44.080 A narcotics buy is one date you're not late for. Either you're there at the specified time or there's no deal. 24:44.080 --> 24:48.080 The veteran narcotics peddler knows that that's the only safe way for him to operate. 24:48.080 --> 24:52.080 A minute one way or the other could mean an arrest. I ran. 24:54.080 --> 24:56.080 You're out of breath, Kuyber. Anything wrong? 24:56.080 --> 24:59.080 No, the cab broke down. I didn't want to be late. 24:59.080 --> 25:04.080 You got 40 seconds. That's cutting it pretty thin, but it'll do. Come on. 25:07.080 --> 25:09.080 Right here. By this lamppost? 25:09.080 --> 25:27.080 I said right in front of it. Don't move to the left or right. Stay put. They'll handle the rest. So long. 25:33.080 --> 25:35.080 Get in, Kuyber. 25:35.080 --> 25:37.080 Got the money? 25:37.080 --> 25:39.080 Right here. 25:43.080 --> 25:45.080 Two hundred. Here's your package. 25:45.080 --> 25:49.080 That's it. Joe Kuyber, meet Ralph Costello. 25:49.080 --> 25:51.080 Hi. Hello. 25:51.080 --> 25:53.080 Out this side, Kuyber. 25:53.080 --> 25:55.080 Okay. I'll see you. 26:02.080 --> 26:04.080 Did you make the buy Friday? 26:04.080 --> 26:06.080 Yeah. Take him. 26:09.080 --> 26:10.080 Hi, Joe. 26:10.080 --> 26:12.080 Ben, I thought you were with the captain. 26:12.080 --> 26:18.080 They don't need me. That intersection's blocked off up there. They're pulling them over right now. See? 26:18.080 --> 26:20.080 Yeah. They got him. 26:20.080 --> 26:21.080 Costello in the car? 26:21.080 --> 26:22.080 Yeah. 26:22.080 --> 26:24.080 Well, that's half of the team. Now what? 26:24.080 --> 26:26.080 We'll go after the big man, Arthur Belmont. 26:26.080 --> 26:30.080 Took us seven months and four days to get to Costello. Lots of time. 26:30.080 --> 26:34.080 Yeah. Always seems to work out that way, doesn't it? 26:34.080 --> 26:35.080 What's that? 26:35.080 --> 26:38.080 They always run out of time before we do. 26:45.080 --> 26:53.080 The story you have just heard was true. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. 26:53.080 --> 27:00.080 On July 6th at 10.45 p.m., Ralph Costello was taken to the Narcotics Bureau, the interrogation room. 27:00.080 --> 27:03.080 In a moment, the results of that interrogation. 27:03.080 --> 27:10.080 It's amazing how many long cigarette smokers are changing to Fatima. Here is the actual report. 27:10.080 --> 27:14.080 From coast to coast, Fatima has more than doubled its smokers. 27:14.080 --> 27:22.080 Yes. More and more smokers every day are discovering that Fatima is the best of all long cigarettes. 27:22.080 --> 27:29.080 Smokers find Fatima has a much different, much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette. 27:29.080 --> 27:38.080 They find that Fatima is extra mild because it's the long cigarette which contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos, 27:38.080 --> 27:41.080 superbly blended to make it extra mild. 27:41.080 --> 27:56.080 Enjoy extra mild Fatima yourself. Best of all long cigarettes. 27:56.080 --> 28:03.080 With the promise of the United States District Attorney that his prison terms for the possession and sale of narcotics 28:03.080 --> 28:06.080 would run concurrently rather than consecutively, 28:06.080 --> 28:15.080 Ralph Costello agreed to furnish us vital information concerning the number one narcotics dealer on the Pacific Coast, Arthur Belmont. 28:15.080 --> 28:19.080 Next week, the big man, Arthur Belmont. 28:19.080 --> 28:36.080 You have just heard Dragnet, a new series of authentic cases from official files. 28:36.080 --> 28:49.080 The technical advice for Dragnet comes from the Office of Chief of Police, W.A. Wharton, Los Angeles Police Department. 28:49.080 --> 28:58.080 Fatima cigarettes, best of all long cigarettes, has brought you Dragnet from Los Angeles. 28:58.080 --> 29:08.080 Hear Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Coleman in the halls of Ivy tomorrow evening on NBC.