The story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the
innocent.
Fatima cigarettes, best of all long cigarettes, brings you dragnet.
You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned the juvenile bureau. The high schools in your
city have been flooded with obscene literature. You stamp out one source and a dozen more
spring up. Your job, stop them.
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It's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima.
Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime. For the next 30 minutes in cooperation
with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step by step on the side of the
law through an actual case from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to
punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action.
It was Monday, October 21st. It was cool in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch
at a juvenile bureau. My partner is Ben Romero. The boss is Inspector Lester, commander of
the juvenile bureau. My name is Friday. It was 10 a.m. when we got to the auditorium
of Canfield High School. Stage door.
I guess we go right out onto the stage. There's a better way to work call though, huh?
You're the man from the police department?
Yes, sir. This is Sergeant Romero. My name's Friday.
How do you do?
Right in here.
You're the principal here. Come right out onto the stage and we'll get the meeting started.
All right.
Just have a chair there.
Thank you.
Is the microphone on?
Ladies and gentlemen of the coordinating council, members of the parent-teacher association,
as you know, this meeting has been called for the purpose of discussing ways and means
to bring about an end to the distribution of the filthy and obscene books and pamphlets
that have been littering every high school campus in the city of Los Angeles. We've tried
every means at our disposal to clean this matter up and they all seem to fail. On the
advice of the coordinating council and Mrs. Randall to the PTA, we've called in the authorities
here to discuss the matter with us this morning, our two offices connected with the juvenile
bureau of our police department, Sergeant Romero and Sergeant Friday. And now may I turn the
meeting over to Sergeant Friday of the Los Angeles police department.
Thank you.
Ladies and gentlemen, the only way we're going to get to the bottom of this thing and put
a stop to it is to get all the information we can on where this lascivious material is
coming from. You people as parents and teachers of the children who are buying and reading
this stuff might be able to give us some help. So if it's all right with you Mr. Fisher,
I'd like to hear from some of the people sitting out there if I may.
Certainly, go right ahead.
Thank you. Well if any of you people have anything to say or any information, any questions,
why don't we be glad to listen to you and do our best to answer your questions.
Sergeant.
Yes, the lady out there, go right ahead.
I'm Mrs. Stein. I know of a place in our neighborhood that has dirty books. I feel sure that that's
one of the places where the children are getting this trash. Complaints have been made to the
police department, but the man who runs the place has never been arrested. Can you tell
me why?
Well, ma'am, I think I'd better make it clear now that there's only one way a police officer
can arrest anyone for possession of lewd literature. The officer has to prove that
the party who possesses this literature does so for the purpose of selling it. Sometimes
that's difficult to prove.
Well, I told you I can prove it.
You mean you can go to this place and buy a book from him?
Maybe I couldn't. If I were known.
Yes, ma'am, that's just the point. Now, I don't know offhand about the one in your
neighborhood, but I can assure you that we've cracked down on hundreds of such peddlers in
the past few months. You can see for yourselves that this doesn't put a stop to it. We've
got to get to the source.
I have a question for you.
Yes, sir?
My name's Fred Scott. I'm director of the Squareshooter's Boys Club.
Yes, sir.
The point I'm trying to make is, I know the young boys pretty well. With the exception
of my boys, 49 in number, I believe that just about every boy in this high school has one
of those books. Or at least he's seen one.
Yes, sir, we're aware of that.
The point I'm trying to make is, somewhere in the municipal code, there's got to be a
law to forbid such things.
Yes, sir, there is such a law.
Then why isn't it enforced?
It is.
What does the law say?
Well, how do you mean, sir?
Well, I mean, what happens when somebody's found guilty of selling these books? What's
the penalty?
Oh, well, the law states that an offender is liable to fines, a jail term of six months
or both.
That's not much of a law, is it? Why is there a stronger law?
Well, I wouldn't know that, sir.
The point I'm trying to make is, we need laws with some teeth in them.
We have good laws in the state of California for the most part. It's true that we're weak
in some cases, but you can say that about most states, I think.
Well, you may be satisfied with the laws, but I'm not. I say stronger laws. That's the
answer.
No, I don't think it is, Mr. Scott. Passing a set of new laws isn't going to make this
city a cleaner or a safer place for your boys to grow up in. Laws don't decide how moral
a city's going to be. People do. Laws don't mold character in young boys either. The parents
and the teachers do that.
I don't think I know what you're getting at. What do you mean?
Well, just this, Mr. Scott. It's our job on the police department to keep filthy junk
like these books from falling into youngsters' hands.
Yes.
Now, on the other side of the fence, the youngster has to be taught to recognize the
obscene material for what it is, filth and garbage. And the youngsters have to be taught
that in the home, in the school, and the church. Now, if they can be made to understand what
the kind of dirt and filth these books represent, well, that would be worth more than any new
set of laws, wouldn't it?
But what about these men who put out their books? The men who sell them? How do you reach
them?
Through the youngsters. They seem to know the way.
The next morning at 8 a.m., after meeting with Inspector Lester of Juvenile Bureau,
Ben and I went on stakeout at Canfield High School. From past experience, we knew there
was little hope of a quick end to the case. It was going to be a long haul, tracing the
source all the way up the line from the high school kids who bought the filthy books to
the small fry pushers, the wholesalers, and finally, we hoped, to the top, the man who
printed the books. We had no illusions on that score. Generally, with the arrest of his pushers
and other small timers who worked for him, the top man gets the alarm and clears out
before the police officer can apprehend him with evidence that he'll stand up in court.
During the first two days at Canfield High, Ben and I found out nothing. The obscene literature
was being bartered in exchange between students, but the main source of supply was still a
mystery. We had one slim lead to go on. Mr. Fisher, the high school principal, helped run
it down. We've been watching that boy down in the yard since yesterday, Mr. Fisher. He
seems to have quite a bit of spending money, expensive clothes to carve his own. I don't
know that boy's family. They could be wealthy. We saw him with a stack of those dirty books
in his notebook. He must have had a dozen of them. We were showing him around to his
crowd. Travers, are you sure? Joe, take a look down there. Yeah. Yeah, Travers is showing
him something. I can't see what it is. Come over to this side and run. Yeah. Small books.
He's giving them to one of the other folks. They've got their wallets out. They're giving
Travers money. Come on, Ben. You better come too, Mr. Fisher. This way out to the yard?
No, to the left. That's it. What's hurry, huh? This door side. Right here. Travers. Travers.
Hello, Mr. Fisher. They like to talk to you. Yeah? These men here are from the police department.
They want to ask you some questions. Can we go inside? Yeah, sure. Come on. What's the
matter, Mr. Fisher? I haven't done anything. We'll see. Come on. What is it? What's it all
about? Sergeant, it'll be a lot easier if we have the truth now, son. Did you just sell
those boys out there some dirty books? No, I mean, it's only a gag. They're funny books.
Have you got any more of them, one? Yes, sir. Can we see them, please? I didn't steal them.
Only books. Funny books. Here. Thanks. Almost a dozen. Do you think these are funny books,
do you, Travers? Well, some of them, I guess not. It's only a gag, Sergeant. Where'd you
get them? I didn't steal them. I bought them off a guy. Who? I can't tell you. Do you
have any more of these books? No, sir. Will you show us your locker? I can't remember the
combination. It's a new locker. Could you open the locker for us, Mr. Fisher? Yes, but I'll
have to get the maintenance man. All right. I'll show you. Come on. Down here, sir. This
one. 412. I've only got a couple. All right. We'll see. Come on. Open it. I haven't
done anything. Here's a sample, Joe. Lockers loaded down with rotten silk. You can't arrest
me. I don't sell the books. I only rent them. Somebody's been briefing you, who? You're
only making it hard on yourself, boy. You can't prove anything. These are my books. I don't
sell them. Where do you get them? Who sold them to you? Nobody. I got them, that's all.
All right. We'll have to talk to your folks. You can't. They're away. No, you can't. Don't.
I'm afraid we'll have to, son. Oh, please. Please don't tell them. Please don't let them
know. I'll do anything. All right. Let's have the truth, then. Who are you selling your books
for? His name's Barney. That's all I know. I meet him at a cigar store downtown, 5th
and Harrison. Does he sell you the books? He gives them to me. I sell them and then give
him the money. I get 10 cents for every one I sell. How much do you sell them for? 25 cents.
Some are a dollar. I get 30 cents for those. The boys in this school have been paying that
kind of money for this film? Yes, sir. This man who gives you these books, you know where
he lives? No, sir. I have any idea. When are you going to see him? Well, this is Wednesday.
I was going to meet him downtown this afternoon. The cigar store? Yes, sir. But I don't want
to get Barney in trouble. He's been okay to me. Sure. He's done a lot for you.
4 p.m. Wednesday. Ben and I drove downtown with 16-year-old Eddie Travers. We parked
the car near the corner of 5th and Harrison and kept an eye on the cigar store. We waited.
No sign yet, Travers? No, sir. Barney usually waits by the newsstand there. I haven't seen
him yet. How long have you been selling for this man, son? About three months, maybe four.
Any idea where he gets the books? Well, I... Just a minute, sergeant. Yeah? I think...
Yeah, that's Barney, the one going up to the cigar counter. The man in the gray suit, then?
Yeah, that's him. He's going into Juanita's Cafe. Is that where you usually go after you
meet him? Yes, sir. You better take the boy back to the office, Ben. I'll tail this guy
and see what I can find out. Okay. Want me to pick you up later? No, I'll call you at the
office. Oh, you got any matches? No, I'm out. I'll pick some up at the cigar stand. All right.
See you later. Yeah.
Box of matches? Oh, yeah. And, uh, pack a spearmint, too. All right, sir.
What's the boys? Uh, got a special on old typical new bourbon today. 269.5. No, no, thanks.
Hey, Rosie. Rosie, another tamale when you get time, huh? All right, Barney. Go for a minute.
Yes, sir? Uh, let me have a chicken tacos, a side order of fried beans and a cup of coffee, huh?
Chicken tacos on one. Side up beans.
Okay.
I'll take the other one.
Okay.
I'll take the other one.
Okay.
Another tamale. Anything else, Barney? Let me have some more coffee, Rosie. Tamale on one.
Hey. Huh? Slide the ketchup down here, will you? Yeah. Here you go. Thanks.
They got good tacos. You know, lots of minivans. Fresh stuff. Yeah.
There's the sugar. Oh, thank you. Hey, Rosie. Here. Here, Rosie. Yeah?
I got some new ones in just today. Whole stack of them. What are you talking about?
You know, the picture book. Good ones. You can make some money on the side. They sell good around here.
Listen, Barney, I told you once, no. Oh, come on, here. Look, I'm over here.
I'm over here.
I said no to that lousy junk. The next time you bring that stuff in here, I tell the boss, understand? Now, eat and get out.
Well, that's a real funny thing. Looks great, but what a cold potato. Yeah.
Come on. Come on. Eat and get out and take that junk with you.
Ah, cold potato. I don't want you to chow on her anyway.
Well, coffee's certainly cold. Yeah. Yeah. You probably get a big boot out of you. Here, look.
Pretty good. Yeah, it's good quality stuff. Yeah. Give me that little book there. Let me show you one.
What do you mean? Yeah.
You know, I'm not going to tell you anything. I'm just going to tell you something.
Give me that little book there. Let me show you one. What do you mean? Yeah.
When I kill you?
I mean, how about selling me one of them?
Okay. Four bits for the small ones, buck for the big ones. Wait a minute.
Let's see, I got, I got 14 of them out there. Tell you what I'll do, I'll make you a deal. You can have the whole works for 10 bucks.
Okay. You got any more?
Why don't you go on a business for yourself? No, I got a new stand out in Riverside.
Books, I guess, ought to go fast. I think I can probably handle another 25 bucks worth.
Ah. I'll get the rest of them back at the hotel. Some will rank color.
You want to meet me there tonight? Around seven?
Where's the hotel? Why don't you go straight up 6th Street from here. It's just one block on your left.
Called the Denver House. I'm in room 337. You going up there now?
I was supposed to meet some guy, but yeah, we can go now. What about a check, Rosie?
Yeah. Hey, you're probably wanting more of these. I can put you on my mailing list.
Okay. The prices are right. I don't want to pay retail.
We can work out a deal. Come on, let's go. Okay.
Look at that Rosie, huh? She's really putting together. Yeah.
Two bags. A real cold potato though. Summer like that. Yeah. No sense of humor.
We left Juanita's Cafe and walked up Harrison Street to 6th. We turned left and went down one block.
It was five minutes to five when we got to Barney's room in the Denver House, number 337.
He dragged out a steamer trunk from under the bed.
He counted out a stack of books and pamphlets covering the general topic of degenerate filth in stories and photographs.
Okay, Mac, yeah, it's 25 bucks worth. The money and the bucks are all yours.
Okay. Here you go. That's 10, 15, 18. I have to give you a check for the rest.
How do I know it's any good? You could take off. I'd never see you again.
You'll see me. You're under arrest. Huh? You're kidding. Hey, let go. All right. Let's hold it right here.
Hey, wait a minute. Look, we can work this thing out. We'll work it out downtown.
Wait a minute. I can set this thing right for you.
What are you getting this junk? Who's supplying you?
Why not use your head? You never get the top, man. Not in 10 years you won't.
We got lots of time. Come on.
You are listening to Dragnet, the case history of a police investigation presented in the public interest by Fatima Cigarettes.
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The filthy literature racket feeds on the curiosity of youngsters and the stupidity and ignorance of adults.
It's an all-season business, and in its own quiet way, it has reached a market which the other heavy rackets never hoped to reach.
Your home and your children. 6 p.m. Wednesday, October 23rd. We checked the records and the make sheet showed the book peddler's true name to be Barney W. Timpson, 38 years old.
He had a past record of one previous conviction for peddling lewd literature in Dodge City, Iowa in March 1948. We had him brought to the interrogation room.
Sit down, Timpson.
Let's make it easy, Barney. Where are you getting the books?
I told you, Sergeant, they deliver them to me.
Who do they?
Different guys. I don't remember them all. They send different guys every time.
How often do they make the deliveries to you?
Once a month.
When?
Around the first, usually. Sometimes, maybe the second and the third.
They bring the books to your hotel?
Yeah, they leave a pack up in the lobby addressed to me.
Do they ever use the mail?
They never do. They're not that dumb.
So you've never seen the men that you do business with?
Not so I'd know them, no.
You have no idea where they're operating?
I don't know.
You expect us to swallow that?
I'm telling you, I don't know.
Oh, don't push it. Is that kind of a story, Barney?
I'm giving it to you straight. Now what else do you want?
Who's the supplier, man?
Look, we found this notebook in your hotel room, Barney. There's a list of names in it.
Is this your customer book?
Right.
Okay, okay, the customer's...
That gives us enough to land on you.
I know that. I told you everything.
You still don't know who you're working for?
Look, there's a phone number in this notebook. No name to go with it.
Yeah.
Now look at it. This one right here.
I don't know. It must be another customer.
There's a blunt, boss.
I don't know the boss. He don't know me.
Then who do you buy the books from?
Who says I buy them?
You must owe somebody a lot of money.
Don't worry. I don't owe him nothing. He don't owe me nothing.
He does now.
What?
You're going to jail for him.
Barney Timpson was booked into central jail for violation of the penal code, section 311.3.
We contacted the telephone company and they traced the extra phone number in Timpson's notebook
to a private residence on Wonderview Drive in Laurel Canyon.
A detail of men was assigned to stake out on the place.
During the next week, mainly from information obtained from Barney Timpson's customers,
seven other peddlers of obscene books and pamphlets were taken into custody and questioned.
Five of the seven told us they picked up their supply of books from the Laurel Canyon address.
We moved in on the place and found thousands of lewd books and pamphlets stored in the garage.
Three men on the premises were taken into custody.
They identified themselves as John Alexander, George Kelleher, and Raymond Kester.
We brought them downtown and interrogated them for two hours. They refused to admit anything.
They were booked in, but by noon their lawyers arrived and they were released on writs of habeas corpus.
2 p.m. Ben and I met with Inspector Lester of Juvenile Bureau.
Just had a call from the men on stake out of the Laurel Canyon place.
They've just been over the garage with the books restored.
Did they get anything, Skim?
A couple of things. Might be fair leads.
What's that?
Three stacks of books they found were wrapped in proof letterheads from the Havenbrook Hotel.
Yeah?
We checked with the hotel.
They get all their printing done at Rudolph Brothers, placed out in West L.A.
That name's not familiar to me.
It's a big layout. They're specialties in religious books, Bible, things like that.
That doesn't add.
That's for sure.
How do you mean?
Be a perfect cover for the racket.
Printing the Bible one day and a flock of filthy books the next.
Could be the setup.
What kind of a name does this Rudolph's place have around town?
They've been here long.
50 years. Good reputation.
Well, if you give it a look, where is the place?
On West 3rd, just below Athens Street.
All right.
Check the place over, but don't make them suspicious.
If there's anything wrong, no use telling them until we're ready to move.
Right, Skipper.
We've got to reach the presses turning out this junk and choke off the supply where it starts.
Do that when we've got a beat.
All right.
Just a minute.
Juvenile Bureau left it.
Can't have it.
Now where?
Okay, it'll be right out.
Rosenbottelli, they spotted one of the delivery cars.
Where?
Downtown. They followed it out to West L.A.
Yeah?
Rudolph's printing shop.
4 p.m. Ben and I, together with two other men from Juvenile Bureau,
drove out Beverly Boulevard to Athens Street
and down one block to the corner of West 3rd,
where we picked up Rosenbottelli on stakeout.
The Rudolph Brothers printing company covered almost half a square block
on the corner of West 3rd and Athens.
The front of the plant had display windows,
featuring expensive leather-bound bibles and other religious literature.
While the other men remained on stakeout,
Ben and I crossed the street and entered the plant.
We introduced ourselves to the clerk in charge as potential wholesale customers,
and we asked to be shown around the shop.
It was more than obliging.
I'd be happy to show you our plant, gentlemen.
The most modern religious publication company in the West.
That's our claim. Would you step this way, please?
Thank you.
On your left there, those are three of our new level-o machines.
Excellent mechanisms, needless to say.
You must employ quite a few men in here.
65 full-time.
Enough to meet any emergency rest job you might want done.
Now, over here are Bush Emerson hand presses.
You handle only religious books then, nothing else?
That's right, sir. We specialize exclusively in that.
You don't take in any small contracts, school journals, things like that?
No, our steady customers take up all of our time.
Here on this stone, you see the pages of a new prayer book we're getting together.
Very ultra.
An entirely different kind of typeface.
Oh, is that so?
Yes, and back there, along the wall, our new line of types.
The very latest, monotypes.
Then the proof presses.
Next to them are proof readers.
And the flatbed trussload press beyond that.
Seems like lots of activity. Business is pretty good, I guess, huh?
Oh, yes, we're kept pretty busy.
Quality printing is always in demand.
Yeah.
Well, thanks very much for showing us around.
Not at all, gentlemen. Anytime.
Here, this way out.
All right.
I'll get you one of my cards here.
Here you are.
Thank you.
And when you're ready to do business, why don't you just give me a call?
I'd be glad to take care of you.
All right, sir, thanks. We'll do that.
Good afternoon, gentlemen.
Good morning.
All right.
What do you think?
You got me. Nothing out of place.
Yeah, whatever system they're using, they got it down past.
Bibles, prayer books, church announcements, that's all I saw.
Hey, Ben, look.
That man getting out of that car going into Rudolph's there.
Alexander, the guy we picked up this morning out in North Canyon.
Yeah.
What are you doing here?
I'm just figuring the plan.
That printing press.
I'm starting up.
Okay, let's move.
Hey, uh, Gross, you and Pacelli want to go through the back,
and Ben and I will take the front.
Right, let's go, Mike.
It's a neat setup.
I had it all figured.
Yeah. You didn't spot any side entrances, did you?
No.
Here we are.
Want to try the door?
Yeah.
It's no good.
All right.
Who is it?
Police officers.
Open up.
All right, come on.
Open up.
They're precious stuff.
All right, let's hit it quick.
Come on again.
There we are.
There they are, Joe.
They're trying to smash the plates.
Come on.
McHenry! McHenry, leave those plates!
Watch it, Ben.
All right, come on.
All right, you all right.
Hold it.
Hold it against the wall.
All right, come on.
All right, you all right.
Hold it.
Hold it against the wall.
Hey, Groves, get those plates off the press, will you?
All right, hold it, you two.
Joe, look out!
All right.
Get the plates, Joe!
I round up those men and keep the doors covered.
Get them at the most tables.
Come on over to the wall.
That's about most of them, Joe.
Those two men going at the door.
Come on, hit them off, will you?
Come on, you.
Come on back inside.
Get out of the way.
Get your hands off of them!
Hold it up, mister.
Come on, over there with the rest.
You'll pay for this.
I'll sue you down your last knick.
Yeah, come on, simmer down.
Hey, Joe, we got Rudolph going out the back.
Right.
Call the office.
We're going to need transportation.
Okay.
Take those two with you, huh?
All right, come on.
Well, we got enough evidence against them?
Yeah, we're going to need it.
Two old pages of the junk right here.
Yeah.
Look.
Right next to it.
Yeah.
Page from the Bible.
The story you have just heard was true.
Only the names were changed to protect the innocent.
On January 9th, trial was held in Superior Court,
Department 94, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California.
In a moment, the results of that trial.
It's amazing how many long cigarette smokers are changing to Fatima.
Here is the actual report.
From coast to coast, king-size Fatima has more than doubled its smokers.
Yes, more and more smokers every day are discovering
that Fatima is the best of all long cigarettes.
Long cigarette smokers find Fatima has a much different, much better flavor and aroma.
Long cigarette smokers find that Fatima is extra mild
because it's the long cigarette which contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos
superbly blended to make it extra mild.
So enjoy extra mild Fatima.
Best of all long cigarettes.
It's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima.
Frank Rudolph and 16 of his accomplices were tried and convicted
of possessing lewd and lascivious literature for the purpose of sale.
They received sentences as prescribed by law
and are now serving their terms in the county jail.
Remember this Saturday because that means Dimension X on NBC.