1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:13,800 The story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the 2 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:14,800 innocent. 3 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:30,080 Fatima cigarettes, best of all long cigarettes, brings you Dragnet. 4 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:35,840 You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to Narcotics Bureau. For seven months you've 5 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:41,280 been working with federal and state agents and breaking a narcotics ring. You've apprehended 6 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:52,280 the small fry. Next in the line, the big man. Your job, get him. 7 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:59,400 If you want a long cigarette, smoke the best of all long cigarettes. Smoke Fatima. Fatima 8 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:05,320 is the long cigarette which contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos, superbly blended 9 00:01:05,320 --> 00:01:11,280 to make Fatima extra mild. And that's why Fatima has a much different, much better flavor 10 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:17,520 and aroma than any other long cigarette. That's why Fatima has more than doubled its smokers 11 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:25,000 coast to coast. So if you want a long cigarette, smoke the best of all long cigarettes. Smoke 12 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:26,000 Fatima. 13 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:33,240 Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime. For the next 30 minutes in cooperation 14 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:37,360 with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step by step on the side of the 15 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:43,400 law through an actual case from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to 16 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:48,040 punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. 17 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:53,920 It was Wednesday, July 9th. It was warm in Los Angeles. We were working the night watch 18 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:58,760 out at Narcotics Bureau. My partner is Ben Romero. The boss is Thad Brown, Chief of Detectives. 19 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:04,680 My name is Friday. I was on the way into work and it was 3.58 p.m. when I got to room 24, 20 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:05,680 Narcotics Bureau. 21 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:07,400 Hi Joe, feel better? 22 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:12,960 Oh, not quite as tired, Ben. In Costello, it was a long haul. 23 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:18,720 Narcotics Romero. Okay, Big'em. I'll tell him. Meeting's in five minutes. Chief Brown 24 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:19,720 drove in. 25 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:24,360 Okay, I want to pick up my stuff from the captain first. Hi, Skipper. 26 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:28,680 Come on in. You look a little better Friday. Get some rest. 27 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:32,080 Yeah, a couple of good meals. What's the trouble with the Flats gang? They never know where 28 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:33,080 to eat. 29 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:37,840 Sit down, Joe. I want to talk to you. We got a couple of minutes before the meeting. You'll 30 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:41,920 probably be getting this all up and down the line from here in. Just want to let you know 31 00:02:41,920 --> 00:02:45,520 that we think you and all the men in the operation did a fine job. 32 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:47,800 My part wasn't much. You did more than I did. 33 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:54,760 Oh, we all worked, but you had the dirty end of it. Good job. Here's your equipment. You'll 34 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:55,760 need it now. 35 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:56,760 Oh, yeah, thanks. 36 00:02:56,760 --> 00:03:00,280 And your ID card. You got six shells. That's all of it. 37 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:02,520 Mm-hmm. That's it. Thank you. 38 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:03,520 You're back at it. 39 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:04,520 Yep. 40 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:08,480 Here's one for you. Look at this. 41 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:09,480 What's that you got? 42 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:12,560 Mugshot of a girl picked up in a narcotics raid last night. 43 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:14,080 Oh, pretty girl. 44 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:16,840 Long blonde hair, beautiful eye. 45 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:18,760 She looks young. High school girl. 46 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:26,480 She was when that picture was taken, 1947. She was 16. Here, look at this one. 47 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:28,240 Yeah. Same girl. 48 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:31,920 Yeah. That's the way she looked at 1130 last night when we picked her up. 49 00:03:31,920 --> 00:03:32,920 She looks 50. 50 00:03:32,920 --> 00:03:35,720 19 years old. Three years on heroin. 51 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:37,120 She might as well be dead. 52 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:42,760 She is. Eight o'clock this morning. Let's go. It's time for the meeting. 53 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:45,880 You just looked at the best reason I know of for getting Belmont. 54 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:47,800 Did she get her stuff from Belmont? 55 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:51,480 Costello was pushing to her. He got his stuff from Belmont. They all do. 56 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:52,480 Now let's go. 57 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:53,480 Bye, William. 58 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:58,000 Anybody brief you on the Costello interview, Joe? 59 00:03:58,000 --> 00:03:59,000 No, no, not yet. 60 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:00,000 Chief Brown will fill you in. 61 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:01,000 Chief? 62 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:02,000 Gentlemen, come on in. 63 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:03,000 You men all know each other. 64 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:04,000 Hiya, Craig. 65 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:05,000 Captain White, I think you and your men know Policewoman Caswell. 66 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:06,000 Yes, sir. How are you, Florence? 67 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:07,000 Hello. 68 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:08,000 Ms. Caswell, Inspector Virgil Beckman, State Narcotics. 69 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:09,000 How do you do? 70 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:10,000 Bill Craig, AIDS and Charge Federal Narcotics. 71 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:11,000 Hello. 72 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:12,000 I'm a doctor. 73 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:13,000 I'm a doctor. 74 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:14,000 I'm a doctor. 75 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:15,000 I'm a doctor. 76 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:16,000 I'm a doctor. 77 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:17,000 I'm a doctor. 78 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:18,000 I'm a doctor. 79 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:19,000 I'm a doctor. 80 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:20,000 I'm a doctor. 81 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:21,000 I'm a doctor. 82 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:22,000 I'm a doctor. 83 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:23,000 I'm a doctor. 84 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:24,000 I'm a doctor. 85 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:25,000 How do you do? 86 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:29,220 Before we get into Velmat procedure, let's see how we stand on the Costello case. 87 00:04:29,220 --> 00:04:33,160 Why do you want to fill everybody in on information we got from Ralph Costello? 88 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:35,340 Yes, sir. 89 00:04:35,340 --> 00:04:38,780 After his arrest on Monday night, we interrogated Costello for about four hours. 90 00:04:38,780 --> 00:04:41,360 We confronted him with the package he sold Friday here. 91 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:42,560 How'd the stuff test go? 92 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:43,560 Crime lab ran it through. 93 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:44,840 About a third of an ounce of heroin. 94 00:04:44,840 --> 00:04:46,480 Fair quality Mexican stuff. 95 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:50,200 The man we picked up with Costello, Tony Morse, was questioned as well. 96 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:51,700 He corroborated Costello's story. 97 00:04:51,700 --> 00:04:52,900 What did you get from him? 98 00:04:52,900 --> 00:04:57,540 Well, he told us he had a great deal of information on the big man in the operation, Belmont, 99 00:04:57,540 --> 00:05:00,840 but he wouldn't tell us a thing unless we made a deal with him. 100 00:05:00,840 --> 00:05:01,840 What kind of a deal? 101 00:05:01,840 --> 00:05:03,700 He wanted everything. 102 00:05:03,700 --> 00:05:07,220 But we finally agreed that the only thing we might possibly work out was his prison 103 00:05:07,220 --> 00:05:08,220 term. 104 00:05:08,220 --> 00:05:11,700 We called in the U.S. district attorney and we talked another four hours. 105 00:05:11,700 --> 00:05:13,020 How'd it work out? 106 00:05:13,020 --> 00:05:17,180 District attorney told Costello the only thing he'd do for him was to have his prison terms 107 00:05:17,180 --> 00:05:19,460 run concurrently rather than consecutively. 108 00:05:19,460 --> 00:05:21,700 Not much to pay for what we got. 109 00:05:21,700 --> 00:05:25,060 Costello gave us enough to enable us to start moving on Belmont right away. 110 00:05:25,060 --> 00:05:26,060 We've had his M.O. confirmed. 111 00:05:26,060 --> 00:05:28,100 We've got a list of most of his pushers. 112 00:05:28,100 --> 00:05:29,620 Now we can get to him. 113 00:05:29,620 --> 00:05:30,620 Any definite plan, G? 114 00:05:30,620 --> 00:05:34,700 White and I have been talking over here with Craig and Beck. 115 00:05:34,700 --> 00:05:37,340 It worked out what we think might be a pretty good plan. 116 00:05:37,340 --> 00:05:41,380 Craig, do you want to lay out how your men are going to handle it from the federal end? 117 00:05:41,380 --> 00:05:43,540 We'll work from out of town to the center here. 118 00:05:43,540 --> 00:05:45,820 We'll check his contacts across the state lines. 119 00:05:45,820 --> 00:05:48,540 We've already traced his connections to the east, New York, Centicat. 120 00:05:48,540 --> 00:05:50,100 We'll keep working that end. 121 00:05:50,100 --> 00:05:52,300 Beck, how about your state narcotics man? 122 00:05:52,300 --> 00:05:54,100 We'll work inside the state line here. 123 00:05:54,100 --> 00:05:56,260 We've already checked out part of his operations. 124 00:05:56,260 --> 00:06:01,700 We've located sources in San Francisco, Bakersfield, Fresno, as far south as San Diego, lower California. 125 00:06:01,700 --> 00:06:03,540 We'll draw all those ends up tight. 126 00:06:03,540 --> 00:06:04,540 Keep moving. 127 00:06:04,540 --> 00:06:06,260 You fellows can both give us a hand if we need assistance. 128 00:06:06,260 --> 00:06:07,260 You bet. 129 00:06:07,260 --> 00:06:08,260 That's right. 130 00:06:08,260 --> 00:06:09,260 Fine. 131 00:06:09,260 --> 00:06:10,260 White, what are we going to do locally? 132 00:06:10,260 --> 00:06:12,780 It's going to be a case of taking what we know and finding out what we don't know, putting 133 00:06:12,780 --> 00:06:13,780 the two together. 134 00:06:13,780 --> 00:06:16,740 It seems to me to be a case of watching the man at all times. 135 00:06:16,740 --> 00:06:19,380 Belmont shouldn't be able to blow his nose without one of our men knowing him. 136 00:06:19,380 --> 00:06:20,980 It's going to be a tremendous undertaking. 137 00:06:20,980 --> 00:06:23,820 You all know the tough job of those shadowing narcotics men. 138 00:06:23,820 --> 00:06:25,220 They're fidgety, hypersensitive. 139 00:06:25,220 --> 00:06:27,500 They recognize anything out of the ordinary at once. 140 00:06:27,500 --> 00:06:30,260 For that reason, it can't be a one-man operation. 141 00:06:30,260 --> 00:06:31,260 Everybody's got to work. 142 00:06:31,260 --> 00:06:32,780 Our undercover won't work this time. 143 00:06:32,780 --> 00:06:34,540 They're no doubt alerted. 144 00:06:34,540 --> 00:06:36,060 So we'll work it from another angle. 145 00:06:36,060 --> 00:06:37,060 When do we start? 146 00:06:37,060 --> 00:06:38,060 We've already started. 147 00:06:38,060 --> 00:06:39,860 Belmont lives in Manhattan Beach. 148 00:06:39,860 --> 00:06:40,860 His house is under surveillance. 149 00:06:40,860 --> 00:06:41,860 It has been since yesterday. 150 00:06:41,860 --> 00:06:45,740 I can't impress upon all of you the importance of not letting Belmont out of your sight for 151 00:06:45,740 --> 00:06:46,740 an instant. 152 00:06:46,740 --> 00:06:49,740 If we don't get him out of the narcotics, by could be made in 30 seconds. 153 00:06:49,740 --> 00:06:51,740 If we're not there at the instant, we lose him. 154 00:06:51,740 --> 00:06:54,740 Do we have anything in total as to when he might be ready to deal again? 155 00:06:54,740 --> 00:06:55,740 Nothing. 156 00:06:55,740 --> 00:06:57,740 Nobody seems to know Belmont's exact operating time. 157 00:06:57,740 --> 00:06:58,740 Could be any time. 158 00:06:58,740 --> 00:07:03,740 And in order to prosecute him, we've got to be there when the narcotics are in his possession 159 00:07:03,740 --> 00:07:04,740 or under his control. 160 00:07:04,740 --> 00:07:08,740 So we start to live with him and stay as close as we can without being tapped until there's 161 00:07:08,740 --> 00:07:09,740 a by. 162 00:07:09,740 --> 00:07:10,740 That's it. 163 00:07:10,740 --> 00:07:11,740 Captain White has all the assignments for our local men. 164 00:07:11,740 --> 00:07:12,740 Okay. 165 00:07:12,740 --> 00:07:13,740 We'll watch him. 166 00:07:13,740 --> 00:07:14,740 Stay close to him. 167 00:07:14,740 --> 00:07:19,740 The meeting lasted four hours. 168 00:07:19,740 --> 00:07:23,900 During that four hours, a plan was formulated which we hoped would end in the successful 169 00:07:23,900 --> 00:07:29,980 apprehension of the number one man in Pacific Coast narcotics traffic, Arthur Z. Belmont. 170 00:07:29,980 --> 00:07:34,460 How do you watch a man is every move for 24 hours, day in, day out, without his knowing 171 00:07:34,460 --> 00:07:35,460 it. 172 00:07:35,460 --> 00:07:39,860 How do you watch a man whose very existence depends upon not being watched, who is expertly 173 00:07:39,860 --> 00:07:44,860 schooled in every trick and device of police surveillance, whose method of operation will 174 00:07:44,860 --> 00:07:46,740 change with the slightest disturbance of his daily routine. 175 00:07:46,740 --> 00:07:49,140 And if that MO changes, you've lost him. 176 00:07:49,140 --> 00:07:56,700 Thursday, July 10th, in the small Los Angeles suburb of Manhattan Beach, population 10,172. 177 00:07:56,700 --> 00:07:59,020 Three very ordinary events took place. 178 00:07:59,020 --> 00:08:01,500 A public nurse began a house-to-house survey. 179 00:08:01,500 --> 00:08:05,740 She asked the simple question, have you ever been vaccinated for smallpox? 180 00:08:05,740 --> 00:08:09,420 She started canvassing 27 blocks from the home of Belmont. 181 00:08:09,420 --> 00:08:11,740 Policewoman Florence Caswell. 182 00:08:11,740 --> 00:08:15,500 Two Japanese gardeners new to the city of Manhattan Beach began soliciting work. 183 00:08:15,500 --> 00:08:19,540 They started asking for jobs 38 blocks from the home of Belmont. 184 00:08:19,540 --> 00:08:22,380 Sergeant 10 Fujikuni and Patrolman John Kagawa. 185 00:08:22,380 --> 00:08:27,540 A team of surveyors driving a station wagon marked with the seal of Los Angeles County 186 00:08:27,540 --> 00:08:32,620 began taking linear measurements for the proposed enlargement of storm drains in the area. 187 00:08:32,620 --> 00:08:35,460 They started 14 blocks from the home of Belmont. 188 00:08:35,460 --> 00:08:39,580 Lieutenant John Bigam, Central Narcotics Sergeant Ben Romero and myself. 189 00:08:39,580 --> 00:08:43,460 Okay Ben, bring in the rod. 190 00:08:43,460 --> 00:08:45,380 Let's knock off for lunch. 191 00:08:45,380 --> 00:08:46,380 What do you want to eat John? 192 00:08:46,380 --> 00:08:47,380 The wagon. 193 00:08:47,380 --> 00:08:50,260 Better take the transfer with us, kids might pick it up. 194 00:08:50,260 --> 00:08:52,060 Okay, I got it. 195 00:08:52,060 --> 00:08:54,380 I can't keep the sand out of my shoes. 196 00:08:54,380 --> 00:08:58,180 Might as well get used to it, we're a long ways from home. 197 00:08:58,180 --> 00:09:01,580 Nine years on the job, it's the first time I ever brought my lunch in a paper sack. 198 00:09:01,580 --> 00:09:05,020 Who knows Joe, this might change your whole way of living. 199 00:09:05,020 --> 00:09:06,980 Want to sit in the front? 200 00:09:06,980 --> 00:09:08,820 No, I'm getting back. 201 00:09:08,820 --> 00:09:14,180 So let's have a look at the local paper. 202 00:09:14,180 --> 00:09:15,180 No, why? 203 00:09:15,180 --> 00:09:18,420 It had Beach Sentinel down the bottom of page one in the box. 204 00:09:18,420 --> 00:09:19,420 Read it. 205 00:09:19,420 --> 00:09:20,420 Yeah, let me see. 206 00:09:20,420 --> 00:09:21,420 It's good. 207 00:09:21,420 --> 00:09:22,420 What is it Joe? 208 00:09:22,420 --> 00:09:23,420 Read it out loud. 209 00:09:23,420 --> 00:09:27,940 Well, it says preliminary work on storm drains started. 210 00:09:27,940 --> 00:09:32,500 Surveyors, well it goes on to say that surveyors have started taking measurements for the new 211 00:09:32,500 --> 00:09:33,500 drains. 212 00:09:33,500 --> 00:09:35,180 On the right side, do you have the story planned? 213 00:09:35,180 --> 00:09:36,540 Even got a release from the planning commission. 214 00:09:36,540 --> 00:09:38,180 Won't hurt us a bit. 215 00:09:38,180 --> 00:09:40,260 Well, you said lunch time. 216 00:09:40,260 --> 00:09:43,700 I've got enough here for the whole department. 217 00:09:43,700 --> 00:09:46,340 Four hard boiled eggs. 218 00:09:46,340 --> 00:09:49,860 See what kind of sandwiches I drew. 219 00:09:49,860 --> 00:09:50,860 Devil egg. 220 00:09:50,860 --> 00:09:55,020 Look here, she even put them on egg bread. 221 00:09:55,020 --> 00:09:56,900 I hate eggs. 222 00:09:56,900 --> 00:09:58,780 Looks like the captain driving up the street. 223 00:09:58,780 --> 00:09:59,780 No, not him. 224 00:09:59,780 --> 00:10:03,820 Driving a city car, chief engineer. 225 00:10:03,820 --> 00:10:08,420 How's it going, Viggen? 226 00:10:08,420 --> 00:10:09,420 Fine. 227 00:10:09,420 --> 00:10:10,420 Slow. 228 00:10:10,420 --> 00:10:13,420 How's your lunch? 229 00:10:13,420 --> 00:10:16,940 What do you got? 230 00:10:16,940 --> 00:10:18,900 Devil egg sandwiches, got plenty. 231 00:10:18,900 --> 00:10:19,900 Can't stand them. 232 00:10:19,900 --> 00:10:21,180 How about a ham and cheese? 233 00:10:21,180 --> 00:10:22,180 Yeah, thanks. 234 00:10:22,180 --> 00:10:23,180 There you go. 235 00:10:23,180 --> 00:10:24,180 How's everybody else doing? 236 00:10:24,180 --> 00:10:25,180 Very slow. 237 00:10:25,180 --> 00:10:26,180 Takes time. 238 00:10:26,180 --> 00:10:31,500 Got to keep taking our time. 239 00:10:31,500 --> 00:10:32,980 We tip it before we get close enough. 240 00:10:32,980 --> 00:10:33,980 Belmont's on his way. 241 00:10:33,980 --> 00:10:37,060 How long are we going to have to keep our distance? 242 00:10:37,060 --> 00:10:38,060 Not much longer. 243 00:10:38,060 --> 00:10:41,060 We can't take the chance of starting everybody out right on top of Belmont. 244 00:10:41,060 --> 00:10:42,580 It might look funny to him. 245 00:10:42,580 --> 00:10:44,500 Anybody else would be okay. 246 00:10:44,500 --> 00:10:48,660 The average person, your operations might look normal, but we can't afford to try to 247 00:10:48,660 --> 00:10:50,700 get it by Belmont that way. 248 00:10:50,700 --> 00:10:52,740 With a hop cutter, you never know. 249 00:10:52,740 --> 00:10:54,220 It's not so much that we don't know. 250 00:10:54,220 --> 00:10:56,420 We just can't take any kind of a chance. 251 00:10:56,420 --> 00:10:57,420 That's what I mean. 252 00:10:57,420 --> 00:11:02,020 He might have died right on Belmont's front lawn, and he'd never got wise, but we wouldn't 253 00:11:02,020 --> 00:11:03,020 want to risk it. 254 00:11:03,020 --> 00:11:04,340 Belmont been out of his house today? 255 00:11:04,340 --> 00:11:07,300 He's on the go quite a bit. 256 00:11:07,300 --> 00:11:12,140 Left his house at 9.13 a.m., went out of his shop, right market, bought a half pound of 257 00:11:12,140 --> 00:11:15,180 bacon, two dozen eggs, loaf of bread, over wheat. 258 00:11:15,180 --> 00:11:16,580 Sergeant Hodges waited on him. 259 00:11:16,580 --> 00:11:19,940 He's clerking in the grocery department. 260 00:11:19,940 --> 00:11:23,460 Then he drove over to his neighborhood gas station, got a full tank of ethanol and two 261 00:11:23,460 --> 00:11:26,900 quarts of oil, 30 weight, drove home, got back at 9.42. 262 00:11:26,900 --> 00:11:28,540 Are he still there? 263 00:11:28,540 --> 00:11:29,540 Yeah. 264 00:11:29,540 --> 00:11:31,460 About time you guys were back at it. 265 00:11:31,460 --> 00:11:32,460 Right. 266 00:11:32,460 --> 00:11:33,460 Okay, Ben. 267 00:11:33,460 --> 00:11:35,460 You want to grab some of the gear? 268 00:11:35,460 --> 00:11:36,460 Yeah. 269 00:11:36,460 --> 00:11:37,460 Hey, Joe. 270 00:11:37,460 --> 00:11:41,260 Give me a leftover bread crust, will you? 271 00:11:41,260 --> 00:11:42,260 I'll give them to Seco. 272 00:11:42,260 --> 00:11:43,260 Yeah, sure. 273 00:11:43,260 --> 00:11:44,260 Here you go. 274 00:11:44,260 --> 00:11:48,460 Well, foot by foot, we're getting closer to Belmont. 275 00:11:48,460 --> 00:11:50,020 Hope nobody tips it. 276 00:11:50,020 --> 00:11:54,420 They should unless you don't trust those girls. 277 00:11:54,420 --> 00:11:57,180 We surveyed the city of Manhattan Beach for five weeks. 278 00:11:57,180 --> 00:12:00,700 Policewoman Caswell, posing as a nurse, continued canvassing. 279 00:12:00,700 --> 00:12:04,180 Everybody concerned with a job of standing watch over Arthur Z. Belmont carried out their 280 00:12:04,180 --> 00:12:06,180 routine day by day. 281 00:12:06,180 --> 00:12:08,860 Daily reports came in from everyone in the operation. 282 00:12:08,860 --> 00:12:12,700 These reports would be sifted at central narcotics and progress reports compiled for the use of 283 00:12:12,700 --> 00:12:15,180 those in the field on the Belmont case. 284 00:12:15,180 --> 00:12:18,820 All police cars as well as city cars such as we were employing were equipped with three-way 285 00:12:18,820 --> 00:12:20,620 radio communication. 286 00:12:20,620 --> 00:12:23,380 All personnel were in constant contact with one another. 287 00:12:23,380 --> 00:12:28,100 Wednesday, August 12th, it was the decision of Captain Lynn White that the idea of our 288 00:12:28,100 --> 00:12:31,020 posing as city surveyors had been exhausted. 289 00:12:31,020 --> 00:12:34,180 Further use of this could possibly arouse suspicion. 290 00:12:34,180 --> 00:12:36,760 Belmont lived at 1227 Ocean Avenue. 291 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:40,620 Two days before we were called off the surveying job, the city leased the private residence 292 00:12:40,620 --> 00:12:42,500 at 1216 Ocean Avenue. 293 00:12:42,500 --> 00:12:44,440 A van load of furniture was moved in. 294 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:46,140 Drapes and curtains were hung. 295 00:12:46,140 --> 00:12:49,380 Further deliveries of daily newspapers and milk were made to the house. 296 00:12:49,380 --> 00:12:52,820 To all outward appearances, the house was occupied by an average family. 297 00:12:52,820 --> 00:12:57,860 Actually, it provided another blind from which we could continue to observe Belmont. 298 00:12:57,860 --> 00:13:00,540 Shortwave radio equipment was installed in an upstairs room. 299 00:13:00,540 --> 00:13:02,580 Ben and I were assigned the night watch. 300 00:13:02,580 --> 00:13:05,820 Now the car just stopped in front of Belmont's house. 301 00:13:05,820 --> 00:13:06,820 How many does that make? 302 00:13:06,820 --> 00:13:07,820 Three cars. 303 00:13:07,820 --> 00:13:08,820 Just a minute. 304 00:13:08,820 --> 00:13:09,820 Yeah. 305 00:13:09,820 --> 00:13:10,820 A couple of guys getting out. 306 00:13:10,820 --> 00:13:11,820 One up the front door. 307 00:13:11,820 --> 00:13:12,820 Where? 308 00:13:12,820 --> 00:13:16,460 Let me see, huh? 309 00:13:16,460 --> 00:13:18,940 There's a lot. 310 00:13:18,940 --> 00:13:19,940 Watch curtain. 311 00:13:19,940 --> 00:13:20,940 Uh-huh. 312 00:13:20,940 --> 00:13:21,940 Yeah. 313 00:13:21,940 --> 00:13:24,540 Belmont answers the door. 314 00:13:24,540 --> 00:13:25,540 He's letting them in. 315 00:13:25,540 --> 00:13:26,540 Something's doing. 316 00:13:26,540 --> 00:13:27,540 What do you think? 317 00:13:27,540 --> 00:13:28,540 I don't know. 318 00:13:28,540 --> 00:13:29,540 You called Captain White, didn't you? 319 00:13:29,540 --> 00:13:30,540 An hour ago. 320 00:13:30,540 --> 00:13:31,540 Just after the first car pulled up. 321 00:13:31,540 --> 00:13:33,740 He'll park in the alley and come up the back way. 322 00:13:33,740 --> 00:13:38,940 I better check with everybody again. 323 00:13:38,940 --> 00:13:41,380 This portable seemed to warm up slower than our car radio. 324 00:13:41,380 --> 00:13:43,820 I'm about to say. 325 00:13:43,820 --> 00:13:45,780 Here we go. 326 00:13:45,780 --> 00:13:48,060 Unit 140K to unit 145K. 327 00:13:48,060 --> 00:13:52,100 145K, go ahead. 328 00:13:52,100 --> 00:13:53,100 Just checking. 329 00:13:53,100 --> 00:13:54,100 Your location the same? 330 00:13:54,100 --> 00:13:55,100 That's right. 331 00:13:55,100 --> 00:13:56,860 Motion and clever. 332 00:13:56,860 --> 00:13:58,460 We got three cars to cover now. 333 00:13:58,460 --> 00:13:59,460 Stand by. 334 00:13:59,460 --> 00:14:00,460 Roger. 335 00:14:00,460 --> 00:14:01,460 Unit 140K to 143K. 336 00:14:01,460 --> 00:14:02,460 143K, we got it. 337 00:14:02,460 --> 00:14:03,460 Standing by. 338 00:14:03,460 --> 00:14:04,460 Location still good? 339 00:14:04,460 --> 00:14:05,460 Same. 340 00:14:05,460 --> 00:14:06,460 Be talking to each other. 341 00:14:06,460 --> 00:14:11,460 Stand by. 342 00:14:11,460 --> 00:14:14,460 140K to 149K. 343 00:14:14,460 --> 00:14:18,140 149K, go ahead. 344 00:14:18,140 --> 00:14:19,140 Stay put. 345 00:14:19,140 --> 00:14:20,140 We got three cars now. 346 00:14:20,140 --> 00:14:21,140 Yeah, we heard. 347 00:14:21,140 --> 00:14:22,140 Still the same spot. 348 00:14:22,140 --> 00:14:23,140 Stand by. 349 00:14:23,140 --> 00:14:24,140 Roger. 350 00:14:24,140 --> 00:14:26,140 Captain just pulled in the alley, Joe. 351 00:14:26,140 --> 00:14:27,140 Good. 352 00:14:27,140 --> 00:14:29,140 Belmont's porch light just went out. 353 00:14:29,140 --> 00:14:30,340 Let's see. 354 00:14:30,340 --> 00:14:32,060 Three guys came in the first car. 355 00:14:32,060 --> 00:14:33,060 Two in the second, two in the third. 356 00:14:33,060 --> 00:14:34,060 Is that right? 357 00:14:34,060 --> 00:14:35,060 Yeah. 358 00:14:35,060 --> 00:14:36,060 Seven all in total. 359 00:14:36,060 --> 00:14:37,060 Maybe he's running for office. 360 00:14:37,060 --> 00:14:42,060 Joe, Ben, any changes since you called me? 361 00:14:42,060 --> 00:14:43,060 Another car. 362 00:14:43,060 --> 00:14:44,060 Anybody you know? 363 00:14:44,060 --> 00:14:45,060 Too dark to see their faces. 364 00:14:45,060 --> 00:14:46,060 Yeah. 365 00:14:46,060 --> 00:14:47,060 Dodge Coupe, gray, black packet sedan, green cherry. 366 00:14:47,060 --> 00:14:48,060 That might be for me. 367 00:14:48,060 --> 00:14:49,060 I told the office they could reach me. 368 00:14:49,060 --> 00:14:50,060 Yeah. 369 00:14:50,060 --> 00:14:51,060 White. 370 00:14:51,060 --> 00:14:52,060 Yeah, Bingham. 371 00:14:52,060 --> 00:14:53,060 You must be wrong. 372 00:14:53,060 --> 00:14:54,060 You sure he's not lying? 373 00:14:54,060 --> 00:14:55,060 All right, thanks. 374 00:14:55,060 --> 00:14:56,060 Yeah. 375 00:14:56,060 --> 00:15:10,460 You sure Belmont hasn't left his house since you came on duty? 376 00:15:10,460 --> 00:15:11,460 Couldn't possibly. 377 00:15:11,460 --> 00:15:12,940 Not without somebody in the details, partner. 378 00:15:12,940 --> 00:15:13,940 He got out somehow. 379 00:15:13,940 --> 00:15:14,940 He made a bye. 380 00:15:14,940 --> 00:15:22,460 Captain White called the office and talked to Benny Arradondo, our narcotics undercover 381 00:15:22,460 --> 00:15:23,460 man. 382 00:15:23,460 --> 00:15:27,380 He confirmed the fact that somehow Belmont had a meat and successfully completed a narcotics 383 00:15:27,380 --> 00:15:28,380 transaction. 384 00:15:28,380 --> 00:15:31,900 None of us could figure how and we didn't know when the meat took place. 385 00:15:31,900 --> 00:15:36,060 Arradondo told us that the bye had been made sometime in the past 10 hours. 386 00:15:36,060 --> 00:15:40,300 The arresting officers had recovered a portion of the narcotics, two bindles of heroin. 387 00:15:40,300 --> 00:15:43,340 They were found in the possession of one of Belmont's runners, Archie Scott. 388 00:15:43,340 --> 00:15:44,820 I can't figure him. 389 00:15:44,820 --> 00:15:46,260 What do we do now, Skipper? 390 00:15:46,260 --> 00:15:50,140 Sit tight and watch those three cars in front of Belmont's house over there. 391 00:15:50,140 --> 00:15:52,060 Maybe he didn't have to leave the house to make a bye. 392 00:15:52,060 --> 00:15:54,740 That's the way I got it, Peg. 393 00:15:54,740 --> 00:15:58,740 Those cars down there, those are the first visitors he's had in the past 24 hours. 394 00:15:58,740 --> 00:16:01,540 As far as anybody knows, we've watched it close. 395 00:16:01,540 --> 00:16:02,540 Sometimes it's like that. 396 00:16:02,540 --> 00:16:05,220 It looks like somebody's coming out over there. 397 00:16:05,220 --> 00:16:06,220 Two guys. 398 00:16:06,220 --> 00:16:07,220 How many in there? 399 00:16:07,220 --> 00:16:08,220 Eight, Captain Belmont. 400 00:16:08,220 --> 00:16:11,020 All right, Friday, get to the cars. 401 00:16:11,020 --> 00:16:12,020 Yeah. 402 00:16:12,020 --> 00:16:14,100 They start to move out yet? 403 00:16:14,100 --> 00:16:15,100 No. 404 00:16:15,100 --> 00:16:16,100 Five, six, seven. 405 00:16:16,100 --> 00:16:17,100 That's all of them. 406 00:16:17,100 --> 00:16:18,100 They're heading to the car. 407 00:16:18,100 --> 00:16:19,100 Yeah. 408 00:16:19,100 --> 00:16:20,100 Looks like a three-way switch. 409 00:16:20,100 --> 00:16:23,100 We'll see when they start to move out. 410 00:16:23,100 --> 00:16:25,660 Attention all units in special detail, stand by. 411 00:16:25,660 --> 00:16:26,660 Here's the license numbers, Joe. 412 00:16:26,660 --> 00:16:27,660 Oh, good. 413 00:16:27,660 --> 00:16:28,660 I need those. 414 00:16:28,660 --> 00:16:29,660 Green Chevy's headed south. 415 00:16:29,660 --> 00:16:31,380 Black Packet's going north. 416 00:16:31,380 --> 00:16:32,380 So's the Dodge Coupe. 417 00:16:32,380 --> 00:16:33,380 Uh-huh. 418 00:16:33,380 --> 00:16:34,380 Dodge turned left at the corner. 419 00:16:34,380 --> 00:16:35,380 It's headed east now. 420 00:16:35,380 --> 00:16:36,380 Got it. 421 00:16:36,380 --> 00:16:38,940 140K to all units in special detail. 422 00:16:38,940 --> 00:16:39,940 Unit 149K. 423 00:16:39,940 --> 00:16:42,940 149K, go ahead. 424 00:16:42,940 --> 00:16:49,140 1946 Green Chevrolet sedan, license 6-1 William 852, headed south on Ocean. 425 00:16:49,140 --> 00:16:50,140 Roger. 426 00:16:50,140 --> 00:16:51,140 Unit 145K. 427 00:16:51,140 --> 00:16:54,140 145K, go ahead. 428 00:16:54,140 --> 00:17:02,140 1947 Gray Dodge Coupe, license 1X-Ray 1898, headed east on Clipper Street. 429 00:17:02,140 --> 00:17:03,140 Roger. 430 00:17:03,140 --> 00:17:06,140 143K, come in. 431 00:17:06,140 --> 00:17:09,140 143K, yep. 432 00:17:09,140 --> 00:17:15,140 1939 Black Packet sedan, license 6 Mary 6778, headed north on Ocean. 433 00:17:15,140 --> 00:17:16,140 Roger. 434 00:17:16,140 --> 00:17:17,140 Downspotted. 435 00:17:17,140 --> 00:17:21,140 Could be a dry run, couldn't afford to chance it either way. 436 00:17:21,140 --> 00:17:23,140 Nothing to do now but wait it out. 437 00:17:23,140 --> 00:17:26,140 That's right and pray for rain. 438 00:17:26,140 --> 00:17:29,140 It was eight minutes past 8 p.m. 439 00:17:29,140 --> 00:17:33,140 We sat back and waited for the reports to come in from the cars. 440 00:17:33,140 --> 00:17:39,140 At 8.25 p.m., 17 minutes after the alert was broadcast, unit 149K reported in on the Gray 441 00:17:39,140 --> 00:17:40,140 Chevrolet sedan. 442 00:17:40,140 --> 00:17:43,140 The car and its occupants were thoroughly searched. 443 00:17:43,140 --> 00:17:45,140 No trace of narcotics was found. 444 00:17:45,140 --> 00:17:48,140 8.42 p.m., 34 minutes after the alert. 445 00:17:48,140 --> 00:17:51,140 Unit 143K to 140K. 446 00:17:51,140 --> 00:17:54,140 143K, go ahead. 447 00:17:54,140 --> 00:18:01,140 On that 1939 Packet sedan, license 6 Mary 6778, shook them down. 448 00:18:01,140 --> 00:18:02,140 Nothing. 449 00:18:02,140 --> 00:18:03,140 They're clean. 450 00:18:03,140 --> 00:18:05,140 8.50 p.m., 42 minutes after the alert. 451 00:18:05,140 --> 00:18:10,140 The report on the third and final car came in, the 1947 Gray Dodge Coupe. 452 00:18:10,140 --> 00:18:11,140 That's it. 453 00:18:11,140 --> 00:18:15,140 No trace of narcotics in any of those three cars. 454 00:18:15,140 --> 00:18:16,140 Belmont beat us. 455 00:18:16,140 --> 00:18:17,140 It's tough, huh? 456 00:18:17,140 --> 00:18:18,140 It's going to be tougher. 457 00:18:18,140 --> 00:18:20,140 Now he knows we're after him. 458 00:18:20,140 --> 00:18:34,140 You are listening to Dragnet, authentic stories of your police force in action. 459 00:18:34,140 --> 00:18:38,140 Now, here's an authentic report from Fatima cigarettes. 460 00:18:38,140 --> 00:18:43,140 In 1949, Fatima more than doubled its smokers from coast to coast. 461 00:18:43,140 --> 00:18:47,140 In 1950, enjoy Fatima yourself. 462 00:18:47,140 --> 00:18:49,140 You'll find Fatima extra mild. 463 00:18:49,140 --> 00:18:54,140 Because Fatima is the long cigarette which contains the finest Turkish and domestic 464 00:18:54,140 --> 00:18:59,140 tobaccos superbly blended to make Fatima extra mild. 465 00:18:59,140 --> 00:19:02,140 You'll find Fatima tastes much better. 466 00:19:02,140 --> 00:19:07,140 Fatima's superb blend gives you a much different, much better flavor and aroma than any 467 00:19:07,140 --> 00:19:09,140 other long cigarette. 468 00:19:09,140 --> 00:19:12,140 You'll find Fatima best in cigarette quality. 469 00:19:12,140 --> 00:19:16,140 Fatima has always stood for the best in cigarette quality. 470 00:19:16,140 --> 00:19:22,140 For a new year of greater smoking enjoyment, buy Fatima in the appealing golden yellow package. 471 00:19:22,140 --> 00:19:34,140 You will agree Fatima is the best of all long cigarettes. 472 00:19:34,140 --> 00:19:38,140 The three car switch, three cars arrive at a given point at different times. 473 00:19:38,140 --> 00:19:40,140 The meet takes place. 474 00:19:40,140 --> 00:19:43,140 The drivers of the various cars leave the given point at the same time. 475 00:19:43,140 --> 00:19:48,140 Each drives away from the point in a different direction making it three times as difficult to follow them. 476 00:19:48,140 --> 00:19:52,140 The practice was not new to the Narcotics Bureau or the dealers in narcotics. 477 00:19:52,140 --> 00:19:58,140 It usually includes the dry run in which the actual mechanics of the narcotics are carried out. 478 00:19:58,140 --> 00:20:01,140 But neither the merchandise nor the money is on hand. 479 00:20:01,140 --> 00:20:04,140 This practice forces the narcotics officer into pure guesswork. 480 00:20:04,140 --> 00:20:07,140 If the officer doesn't follow up, the buy could be successful. 481 00:20:07,140 --> 00:20:13,140 If he chooses to follow up, he takes the chance of exposing himself and tipping his hand on a rehearsal. 482 00:20:13,140 --> 00:20:16,140 In the case of this particular car switch, we lost. 483 00:20:16,140 --> 00:20:20,140 But taken in the car roundup were seven of Belmont's trusted runners. 484 00:20:20,140 --> 00:20:25,140 Six of these men refused to talk, but the seventh, Clifford Bissell, gave us a lead to one of 485 00:20:25,140 --> 00:20:27,140 Arthur Belmont's most trusted friends. 486 00:20:27,140 --> 00:20:29,140 His name was Floyd Ketchel. 487 00:20:29,140 --> 00:20:32,140 He and his wife lived at 357 Evergreen Drive, Linwood. 488 00:20:32,140 --> 00:20:34,140 It's a nice house. 489 00:20:34,140 --> 00:20:35,140 Yeah. 490 00:20:36,140 --> 00:20:37,140 Yes? 491 00:20:37,140 --> 00:20:40,140 Police officers would like to ask you a few questions. 492 00:20:40,140 --> 00:20:41,140 What about? 493 00:20:41,140 --> 00:20:44,140 Well, as you probably know, there's been a series of burglaries here in your neighborhood. 494 00:20:44,140 --> 00:20:45,140 No, I didn't, though. 495 00:20:45,140 --> 00:20:49,140 Oh, yes, quite a few. Would you mind if we came in and talked to you about it? 496 00:20:49,140 --> 00:20:52,140 I don't know anything about any robberies around here. Everything's okay. 497 00:20:52,140 --> 00:20:56,140 This is just a routine check, Mr. Ketchel. Everybody else in the neighborhood's cooperating. 498 00:20:56,140 --> 00:20:57,140 I'm going to take just a minute. 499 00:20:57,140 --> 00:21:00,140 All right, you can come in, but I have to leave in about 15 minutes. 500 00:21:00,140 --> 00:21:01,140 Thank you. 501 00:21:03,140 --> 00:21:05,140 You have a nice place here, Mr. Ketchel. 502 00:21:05,140 --> 00:21:08,140 Yes. Now, what was it you wanted me to help you with? 503 00:21:08,140 --> 00:21:11,140 You know a man by the name of Clifford Bissell? 504 00:21:11,140 --> 00:21:12,140 No. 505 00:21:12,140 --> 00:21:14,140 How about Arthur Z. Belmont? 506 00:21:14,140 --> 00:21:15,140 Who? 507 00:21:14,140 --> 00:21:18,140 Arthur Z. Belmont. Bissell says you and Belmont are good friends. 508 00:21:18,140 --> 00:21:21,140 I don't understand this. I thought you wanted to ask me about some robberies. 509 00:21:21,140 --> 00:21:25,140 I wonder if you'd mind rolling up your left sleeve and I could look at your arm. What for? 510 00:21:25,140 --> 00:21:27,140 You're a user, aren't you? 511 00:21:27,140 --> 00:21:28,140 No, I'm not. 512 00:21:28,140 --> 00:21:29,140 Then you know what we're talking about, don't you? 513 00:21:29,140 --> 00:21:30,140 No, I don't. 514 00:21:30,140 --> 00:21:32,140 Do you have any narcotics here in the house? 515 00:21:32,140 --> 00:21:33,140 Certainly not. 516 00:21:33,140 --> 00:21:34,140 Mind if we look around? 517 00:21:34,140 --> 00:21:36,140 Why do you want to search the house? 518 00:21:36,140 --> 00:21:38,140 Why won't you show us your left arm? 519 00:21:41,140 --> 00:21:44,140 Floyd Ketchel would admit nothing, but he allowed us to search his home and grounds. 520 00:21:44,140 --> 00:21:47,140 An extra detail of men was called out to aid us in the search. 521 00:21:47,140 --> 00:21:51,140 We covered every foot of the acre of ground. This took two days. We found nothing. 522 00:21:51,140 --> 00:21:56,140 On the third day, under the flooring of an upper bedroom of the Ketchel home, we found Ketchel's plant. 523 00:21:56,140 --> 00:21:58,140 He was using heroin. 524 00:21:58,140 --> 00:22:00,140 You want me to call Belmont, is that the idea? 525 00:22:00,140 --> 00:22:03,140 That's right. We want you to set up a meet with him. 526 00:22:03,140 --> 00:22:05,140 I'm not going to rat on Artie. He's a friend of mine. 527 00:22:05,140 --> 00:22:09,140 Search yourself. We found your plant there. We've got you. You'll be the fall guy. 528 00:22:09,140 --> 00:22:10,140 You mean I take all the heat? 529 00:22:10,140 --> 00:22:11,140 Why not? 530 00:22:11,140 --> 00:22:14,140 Bissell put the finger on you. We've got to have somebody. Why pick on me? 531 00:22:14,140 --> 00:22:17,140 We just told you. We found the stuff here. Bissell fingered you. You're it. 532 00:22:17,140 --> 00:22:19,140 All you have to do is make a phone call. 533 00:22:19,140 --> 00:22:23,140 You won't have a clean slate, but it's going to sound a lot better in court. 534 00:22:23,140 --> 00:22:25,140 All right. It makes sense. 535 00:22:25,140 --> 00:22:28,140 You know what to tell him. We've already been over all that. Call him now. 536 00:22:28,140 --> 00:22:33,140 Friday, listen in on the extension. If Ketchel changes his mind in the middle of the conversation, I'll see that he hangs up. 537 00:22:33,140 --> 00:22:51,140 Yeah. 538 00:22:51,140 --> 00:22:52,140 Hello? 539 00:22:52,140 --> 00:22:53,140 Hi, Art. Floyd Ketchel. 540 00:22:53,140 --> 00:22:54,140 How are you, Ketch? 541 00:22:54,140 --> 00:22:55,140 Fine. 542 00:22:55,140 --> 00:22:56,140 How's Edna? 543 00:22:56,140 --> 00:22:59,140 She's fine, Art. Say, I got a friend on his way to Honolulu. 544 00:22:59,140 --> 00:23:00,140 Uh-huh. 545 00:23:00,140 --> 00:23:03,140 He wants to take a little package along. Got to have it. 546 00:23:03,140 --> 00:23:05,140 You know him? Is he okay? 547 00:23:05,140 --> 00:23:06,140 Yeah. Old friend. 548 00:23:06,140 --> 00:23:07,140 You sure? 549 00:23:07,140 --> 00:23:08,140 Yeah. 550 00:23:08,140 --> 00:23:11,140 You have to be pretty careful. He got hit Wednesday night down the beach. 551 00:23:11,140 --> 00:23:12,140 Yeah? Who'd they get? 552 00:23:12,140 --> 00:23:17,140 Bissell and six guys from New York. Got off easy. It was a dry run. 553 00:23:17,140 --> 00:23:19,140 I didn't know that. Nothing in the papers. 554 00:23:19,140 --> 00:23:22,140 He hasn't hit yet. It will. How much did your friend need? 555 00:23:22,140 --> 00:23:25,140 Going to be in the islands for quite a while. There's a couple ounces you do it. 556 00:23:25,140 --> 00:23:26,140 You got the money now? 557 00:23:26,140 --> 00:23:30,140 He's good. Can you swing it tonight? Boat leaves from San Francisco day after tomorrow. 558 00:23:30,140 --> 00:23:33,140 He hasn't got much time, has he? Okay, you want to pick it up? 559 00:23:33,140 --> 00:23:37,140 Yeah. All right, if I bring him along, I want you to meet him. Good customer. 560 00:23:37,140 --> 00:23:39,140 Are you sure about him? Yeah. Eight-thirty at the store. 561 00:23:39,140 --> 00:23:40,140 We'll be there, Art. 562 00:23:40,140 --> 00:23:41,140 He's 1100 cash? 563 00:23:41,140 --> 00:23:42,140 Yeah. 564 00:23:42,140 --> 00:23:43,140 Better be okay, Ketch? 565 00:23:43,140 --> 00:23:44,140 He is. 566 00:23:44,140 --> 00:23:50,140 Better be. I had one dry run this week. I can have another. 567 00:23:50,140 --> 00:23:57,140 322 p.m. We took Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Ketchel back to Central Division where they were booked on suspicion of violation of the State Narcotics Act. 568 00:23:57,140 --> 00:24:01,140 4 p.m. We met in the office of Chief of Detective Stad Brown. 569 00:24:01,140 --> 00:24:03,140 You need $1100, is that right? Yeah, that's right. 570 00:24:03,140 --> 00:24:08,140 How much was in the Secret Service Fund? $223. Allotment for this month's all gone. 571 00:24:08,140 --> 00:24:09,140 Where'd you get the rest of it? 572 00:24:09,140 --> 00:24:13,140 Haven't got it all yet. Romero's the banker. How you got it figured, Ben? 573 00:24:13,140 --> 00:24:15,140 Well, let's see. I've got it all written down here. 574 00:24:15,140 --> 00:24:22,140 First off, we got $223 cash. These fellows all gave us their personal checks. Jack Donahoe and Robert gave us 200. 575 00:24:22,140 --> 00:24:26,140 Johnny Begum put up 100. Captain White's in for 150. 576 00:24:26,140 --> 00:24:30,140 Joe Pinnum, 35 bucks and 22's all I could swine. 577 00:24:30,140 --> 00:24:34,140 That's $720. You need 380, right? 578 00:24:34,140 --> 00:24:36,140 Yeah, that's the way I got it figured. 579 00:24:36,140 --> 00:24:38,140 Okay, I think I can make up the rest. 580 00:24:38,140 --> 00:24:40,140 How about Wynn's Cadillac, he loaned it to you? 581 00:24:40,140 --> 00:24:42,140 He's out getting it washed. 582 00:24:42,140 --> 00:24:44,140 It's 41, isn't it? 583 00:24:44,140 --> 00:24:47,140 Yeah, sedan. A little old, but it looks good when it's washed. Flashy. 584 00:24:47,140 --> 00:24:50,140 Oh, that's what you need. You gonna make the buy-away? 585 00:24:50,140 --> 00:24:52,140 Yeah. Ketchel will be with me. 586 00:24:52,140 --> 00:24:54,140 Okay, so here, $1100. 587 00:24:54,140 --> 00:24:58,140 Yeah, we only got one hitch. It's 5 o'clock and the banks are closed. 588 00:24:58,140 --> 00:25:01,140 Not much time to run around getting checks cashed. 589 00:25:03,140 --> 00:25:07,140 It was 5 p.m. We had 3 hours to cash $720 in personal checks. 590 00:25:07,140 --> 00:25:12,140 We split up and covered every possible place in the city where we were known and where we knew they would cash them. 591 00:25:12,140 --> 00:25:15,140 By 7.45 p.m. we had the $1100 in cash. 592 00:25:15,140 --> 00:25:19,140 The serial number on each bill was listed and the money turned over to Captain White. 593 00:25:19,140 --> 00:25:23,140 The scene of the meet was a hardware store on East 9th Street, which Belmont used as a front. 594 00:25:23,140 --> 00:25:27,140 Belmont's hardware was located in a small neighborhood shopping district. 595 00:25:27,140 --> 00:25:30,140 On Friday nights, the stores remained open until 9 p.m. 596 00:25:30,140 --> 00:25:34,140 Promptly at 8.30, Captain White and Floyd Ketchel pulled up in front of the store and went in. 597 00:25:34,140 --> 00:25:37,140 Ben and I waited in our car a half a block down the street. 598 00:25:37,140 --> 00:25:39,140 It was 8.35. 599 00:25:39,140 --> 00:25:41,140 There they are. They're coming out. 600 00:25:41,140 --> 00:25:43,140 It was too late to buy. 601 00:25:43,140 --> 00:25:44,140 Starting the car. 602 00:25:44,140 --> 00:25:47,140 Here they come. Watch for the skipper signal, huh? 603 00:25:47,140 --> 00:25:48,140 Yeah. 604 00:25:48,140 --> 00:25:50,140 There it is. 605 00:25:50,140 --> 00:25:52,140 Let's go. 606 00:25:54,140 --> 00:25:56,140 Okay, pull over here. 607 00:25:58,140 --> 00:26:00,140 Come on. 608 00:26:00,140 --> 00:26:03,140 Come on. 609 00:26:07,140 --> 00:26:09,140 There's a clerk back there. You see Belmont? 610 00:26:09,140 --> 00:26:11,140 No. 611 00:26:11,140 --> 00:26:14,140 Yes, sir. Can I help you? 612 00:26:14,140 --> 00:26:16,140 Is Mr. Belmont around? 613 00:26:16,140 --> 00:26:18,140 No, sir. He just stepped out. 614 00:26:18,140 --> 00:26:19,140 You sure? 615 00:26:19,140 --> 00:26:22,140 Yeah, sir. He went out the back door not a minute ago. 616 00:26:22,140 --> 00:26:24,140 Bigam and Castor are out there, aren't they? 617 00:26:24,140 --> 00:26:26,140 Yeah, he won't go for it. 618 00:26:26,140 --> 00:26:28,140 Oh, there's Mr. Belmont. 619 00:26:28,140 --> 00:26:32,140 Mr. Belmont, these gentlemen want to see you. 620 00:26:32,140 --> 00:26:34,140 He's running up the stairs to my house, isn't he? 621 00:26:34,140 --> 00:26:36,140 Come on. 622 00:26:36,140 --> 00:26:38,140 All right, Belmont. Wait a minute. 623 00:26:38,140 --> 00:26:40,140 Watch that barrel. Watch it. Look out. 624 00:26:40,140 --> 00:26:42,140 Pushing that barrel down the stairs. 625 00:26:45,140 --> 00:26:47,140 Go on, Mike. Let's go. Come on. 626 00:26:49,140 --> 00:26:51,140 There he is. He's trying to reach that skylight. 627 00:26:51,140 --> 00:26:53,140 Belmont, get down. You'll never make it. 628 00:26:53,140 --> 00:26:58,140 I'm slipping, Joe. Belmont! 629 00:27:02,140 --> 00:27:03,140 Come on. 630 00:27:03,140 --> 00:27:05,140 He didn't do that showcase any good. 631 00:27:08,140 --> 00:27:10,140 Yeah, he's through. 632 00:27:11,140 --> 00:27:14,140 Piece of that glass. Right through him. 633 00:27:14,140 --> 00:27:16,140 Yeah, it's a rough way to go. 634 00:27:16,140 --> 00:27:20,140 Yeah. At least narcotics didn't kill him. 635 00:27:20,140 --> 00:27:30,140 The story you have just heard was true. 636 00:27:30,140 --> 00:27:34,140 Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. 637 00:27:34,140 --> 00:27:38,140 On December 10, 1948, trial was held in Superior Court, 638 00:27:38,140 --> 00:27:42,140 Department 87, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California, 639 00:27:42,140 --> 00:27:44,140 in a moment, the results of that trial. 640 00:27:44,140 --> 00:27:48,140 It's amazing how many long cigarette smokers are changing to Fatima. 641 00:27:48,140 --> 00:27:50,140 Here is the actual report. 642 00:27:50,140 --> 00:27:54,140 From coast to coast, Fatima has more than doubled its smokers. 643 00:27:54,140 --> 00:28:01,140 Yes, more and more smokers every day are discovering that Fatima is the best of all long cigarettes. 644 00:28:01,140 --> 00:28:08,140 Smokers find Fatima has a much different, much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette. 645 00:28:08,140 --> 00:28:13,140 They find that Fatima is extra mild because it's the long cigarette 646 00:28:13,140 --> 00:28:19,140 which contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos, superbly blended to make it extra mild. 647 00:28:19,140 --> 00:28:25,140 Enjoy extra mild Fatima yourself. Best of all long cigarettes. 648 00:28:34,140 --> 00:28:40,140 Twelve members of Arthur Z. Belmont's Narcotics Gang were finally rounded up by federal, state and local authorities. 649 00:28:40,140 --> 00:28:46,140 All twelve were tried and convicted of violating the Harrison Act and the State Narcotics Act. 650 00:28:46,140 --> 00:28:53,140 They received sentences as prescribed by law and are now serving their terms in state and federal penitentiaries. 651 00:28:57,140 --> 00:29:02,140 You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases from official files. 652 00:29:02,140 --> 00:29:09,140 Technical advice for Dragnet comes from the Office of Chief of Police, W.A. Wharton, Los Angeles Police Department. 653 00:29:09,140 --> 00:29:14,140 Fatima cigarettes, best of all long cigarettes, has brought you Dragnet from Los Angeles. 654 00:29:14,140 --> 00:29:40,140 Be sure to hear Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Coleman in Halls of Ivy tomorrow on NBC.