The story you are about to hear is true.
Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.
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You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to narcotics detail.
A large hospital in your city is held up. Ten thousand dollars in high-grade narcotics is
stolen. The bandits escape. Your job, get them.
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DRAGNET, the documented drama of an actual crime. For the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the
Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an
actual case from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment,
DRAGNET is the story of your police force in action.
It was Monday, October 23rd. It was foggy in Los Angeles. We were working a day watch out of
narcotics detail. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Captain Kernel. My name is Friday.
It was 716 a.m. when we got to St. Christopher's Hospital, the pharmacy.
How you do? Yes? Police officer, sister. You'd like to see Sister Mary Benedict? I'm she.
Mother Superior sent us down to see you, sister. We're investigating narcotic robbery.
Oh yes, there have been quite a few policemen here in the past hour. I believe it was the
fingerprint men who just left. Just a minute, I have their card. Yes, they were from Layton
fingerprint division. Stahl and the boys from Layton Prince. Yes, that's right. Sergeant
Harland Stahl. Sister, we're the investigating officers assigned to the case. This is Sergeant
Romero. My name is Friday. Are you a lieutenant? No, I'm a sergeant. I wonder if you could
start right from the beginning for us. Just tell us what you know about the robbery. Well,
after mass I went to breakfast and then I came downstairs here to the pharmacy to open
up. You keep the pharmacy locked overnight? Oh yes, always. We always assign an intern
on night duty. He has the key in case any medicines are needed during the night. He's
authorized to issue what may be needed upon the doctor's request. Who else has a key to
the pharmacy, sister? Well, they're just three keys. Mother Superior keeps one at her desk
and we have one for the intern on duty and I have one. All right. You want to go on?
When I got down here this morning I started to unlock the door and found it ajar. There
were no lights on. I snapped on the wall switch. That one. That's when I saw young Jimmy Lyons.
That's the intern? Yes, he was unconscious on the floor. I could see his head had been
cut. He was bleeding profusely. What'd you do then? I called Mother Superior and she
came right down. Dr. Spencer was summoned. He came in and started administering aid to
intern Lyons there on the floor. Was that when you found out the narcotics were missing?
No, not just at that moment. Both Mother Superior and myself were quite worried about young Lyons
condition. It was really Mother Superior who first noticed the narcotics safe had been
tampered with. Your stories don't exactly jive there, sister. How do you mean? Mother
Superior gives you credit for first noticing a theft. Oh my, no. She's very charitable
but she's the first one who pointed to the safe. She's very observant. I understand.
Go ahead, please. Upon checking the safe we found that someone had taken our entire store
of narcotics, everything. Is that the safe over there? Yes, that's the narcotics safe.
Don't touch that, Mr. Friday. No? No, never. Nothing is to be touched until the police
have completed their investigation. Clues. Well, we're the police, sister. Then do you
have all the clues you need? Well, I wouldn't know but the men from Layton Fingerprints
have dusted everything here so it's all right to touch things now. That was Mr. Harland
Stahl and his men? Yes, that's right. Oh, I didn't know. We understand you have the inventory
list. Yes, I have it on my desk. Here. Thank you. We keep a running inventory so that's
the exact amount that's missing. Yes, ma'am. Cocaine and morphine. No bird's eye, Joe.
Big haul, huh? Looks like about ten thousand worth. I'd like to have a copy of this inventory,
ma'am. Would you take the carbon? I'd like to keep the originals for my monthly file.
I'll be fine. Outside of this intern lines, nobody saw whoever it was. No. Mother Superior
and I have interrogated everyone. We made a thorough investigation on our own. I took
notes. That so? Yes, that's the way Father Brown does it. Father Brown? Yes, he's an
expert detective. Brown. You wouldn't mean Thad Brown. No, Father Brown. Father Brown.
You people have your own detectives now? Oh, my, no. He's not a regular detective. He's
more like Mother Superior and myself. Is that right? Yes, he's in England. Solved some really
difficult cases. Here, I'll show you. See right here? The Triple Cross, another exciting
Father Brown mystery by G.K. Chesterton. Oh. Yes, all but one of the Father Brown books.
Mother Superior has it. I get it after she finishes. What's the condition of the intern?
He's resting comfortably. Dr. Spencer says he'll be all right. Had to take nine stitches
in his scalp. We'd like to talk to him. I'm sure that'll be all right. I'm sorry. I'm
sure that'll be all right. I don't have to tell you. We all think this is a terrible
thing. Yes, Sister, it is. All those narcotics. Whoever took them will distribute them, won't
they? Well, that's our guess, Sister. The stuff will be sold to addicts. What makes a dope
addict? How do they get started? Why do they do it? I don't know, Sister. They give you
a lot of reasons. None of them good. None of them good. And for a few moments of what?
Tonight they have it and tomorrow they have nothing. That's about the size of it, Sister.
The stars are setting and the caravan starts for the dawn of nothing. The Bible? No, Omar
Qayyem. Before we left St. Christopher's Hospital, we talked with intern James Lyons since he
was slugged from behind. He failed to see his assailant. He could tell us nothing. The
entire hospital staff was screened thoroughly. They could add nothing to what we already
knew. Between six and seven o'clock that morning, $10,000 worth of high-grade prescription
narcotics had been stolen. Somewhere in the city of Los Angeles was the answer. As in
all narcotics cases, speed is the prime factor. Whoever held those narcotics wouldn't waste
any time diluting or cutting it and making it ready for quick sale. Our job was to stop
them. Five minutes past 8 a.m. we checked in with Sergeant Harlan Stahl at Laken Fingerprints
Detail. Not much help, is it? That's all you got, huh? The safe was clean, not a print
on it. No prints anywhere in the room. Slugged the intern from behind, took his keys, tore
a belt loop off his trousers, opened the safe and waltzed out. Couldn't have been cleaner.
You didn't get anything on your end, huh? Nothing. Gentlemen? Captain? I picked one up. Who
is he? Junker by the name of Babe Kellogg. He's really stinging. It's seeing Steve, but
he's coming out of it. Let's go talk to him. Check you later, Stahl. Yeah. What's the
story on him? Waldo's and Hunt picked him up. Downtown L.A. He was sitting in a parked car
at Fourth and Broadway. I thought at first he was a 390, but they couldn't raise him.
He's down this way. What else? Waldo's figured he must be geared up so they rolled up his
sleeve to look for the spike marks they found him. Find anything on him? Yeah, there were
two vials of ammo in the seat behind him beside him, prescription stuff. You got that list
of serial numbers from the hospital? Yeah, right here. All right, let's go in. Waldo's?
Yeah, Captain? Try to get a list of the serial numbers on that hospital heist. Hop down
and check him against the vials you found in his car. Here you are, Waldo. Thanks, Joe.
How are you feeling, babe? Am I all right? Kellogg is his Friday in Romero Central Division.
I see him. You want to tell us about it? Nothing to tell. Living high, aren't you? I'm unusual.
It's not the way I get it. You're scoring good, prescription stuff. Birthday present
from a friend. Who is it? One who keeps his friendship. Who's your connection, babe? I
don't know. You know that morphine we picked out of your car is hot. Is it an all of it?
Hospital pharmacy was knocked over this morning. If the numbers on those vials of yours match
up, you're in a real jam. No numbers on them? You might as well tell us where you got it.
I'm not going to be a fagin' for you. Nobody's asking to be a fagin', Kellogg. That's high
powered stuff. We don't get anybody else that can go hard for you. I'm not going to bite
the hand that feeds me. You want to stand alone on this one, not the idea? I didn't say
that. One of us isn't going to go along and hold your hand. How about it? Who's your
connection? All right, it isn't going to be a long wait, Kellogg. As soon as Walters gets
back with those serial numbers, you can play hero all afternoon. It'll be on the 12th floor
of the county jail, babe. You won't have to wait long there either. The minute you put
one foot in that courtroom, the judge will throw you, throw everything he's got at you.
Two bottles of drugstore stuff? Robbery, Kellogg. Ten thousand dollars. This is good, but two
bottles ain't worth that much. You only show a part of it, maybe you got the rest of it
at your plant. You got my plant. 1931 Essex, four wheel brakes. Your car's being checked
out. You didn't find any more, did you? No, I couldn't be that lucky. You feel pretty
good now, but you'll get a yen on. You won't help me, you never do. When's the last time
you helped us? Your memory's worse than mine. I helped you. I helped you guys a lot. Don't
you remember the Frank Smith plant? No. 1933, Friday night last. I led you right to Smitty's
plant. Smitty didn't have no geezer like he found on me. He was a big man. We turned up
four kites on him. Not for us you didn't. Sure I did. Right here in Kansas City. I done
you a big favor that night. Friday night last. A different town on a different night, babe.
You're kidding. In the St. Louis? Singing Steve, yeah. Don't kid me along, this is Kansas
City. How rich is St. Louis? You're in Los Angeles, babe. Los Angeles, California. You're
kidding. Clennard wouldn't do that to me. Who's Clennard? Levin from Baltimore. Hangs out
down at the Continental Hotel. That's in Kansas City? Yeah, Marty Clennard. Tough cop.
He said he'd make a hut for me. He didn't want me in KC. Gave me a floater at a time.
That's why I came here to St. Louis. You're in Los Angeles, babe. You got it? Los Angeles.
Oh yeah, you told me. Want to step outside a minute? Yeah. Stay with him, Romero. Right.
That's it. Checks out, huh? Somebody cut through the serial number stamps on the vials, but
you can still make them out. The two vials of morphine we found in Kellogg's car were
from the hospital pharmacy. Thanks, Walters. Let's try it again Friday. Right.
All right, babe, now let's cut out the jokes. Those two vials you had came from the hospital.
The numbers check out. No numbers on those vials. How do you know? You probably didn't
even look at them. Oh yeah, I looked. No numbers on them. We found them all right. I don't see
how you could read them. I couldn't. Why not? Somebody scratched them off. Who, babe? You
wouldn't know. Try us. How much heat do I have to stand if I take it along? Plenty. There
was an intern slugged on that job. Hurt pretty bad. They're going to tag you for assault, too.
I never hurt anybody in my life. How do we know? I just told you. We don't know you didn't
pull this job. We haven't got any proof. Once more, what's the count? Goes like this, babe.
First degree robbery, five years to life. Assault with a deadly weapon, one to ten.
Violation of the State Narcotics Act, one to fifteen. You can add. They'll lose you up there.
You can get a real yen on by that time. There's no buzzing up at Q. I can't go that route.
Where'd you get the stuff? I'd rather be a faggot than spend fifty years at the joint.
You convinced us. Where'd you get it? Anybody turn faggot before they spend fifty years at Q.
No, I can't go that route. Where'd you get it, babe? From some joy popper. Who?
I gave him seven hundred bucks. Clean me. Who? Comfort me, passing you and softfell
as a croaker. I can spot a guy who's been hitting speed balls a mile away. I knew he
wasn't any croaker. What was his name? He was scorned good somewhere. Oh, that Cecil and
Mary. Now I know where he got us. Give us his name, babe. He's a bit player in pictures
Leonard Castle. Where is he? You're my Arizona. My location. How could he be on a location
when you bought that stuff from him this morning? Half the plane this morning he was on his
way. Leonard Castle. Picture actor, that right? You got it. Run it down.
Ten a.m. We checked the name Leonard Castle through R. and I. We found nothing. We looked
in the phone book and got the number. Garfield 3711. Central casting. Central casting.
Los Angeles Police Department calling. Yes, sir. Do you have a Leonard Castle registered
with you? One moment. Yes, we do. I wonder if you could tell me if he's working. Oh, just
a minute. I have his card right here. Yes, he's working. He's doing crime report for Schumann
and Kester, independent production. They're shooting over at Sound Stages Incorporated.
They're working today? Yes, he is. You're sure that company's not on location? No, we
have no location showing for that picture. Could you give me his call, please? Surely.
He had a nine o'clock call today, stage three. Did you wish to see Mr. Castle? Yeah. You
shouldn't have any trouble locating him over there. We'll find him.
You are listening to Dragnet, actual case histories taken from official police files.
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Ten thirty a.m. Central casting gave us Leonard Castle's home address and detectives Long and Hunt
went on immediate stakeout. Ben and I drove out to Sound Stages, Inc. and checked in at
the reception desk. We showed them our identification. We were issued a pass to Sound Stage 3.
This is Stage 1. Stage 3 ought to be down there. Yeah. Not very big, Lord. No, it's pretty
small. Watch the truck, Ben.
Think Kellogg knew what he's talking about? We'll know in a couple of minutes. Not very
usual. Joy Popper pulling a job like that. We'll all start somewhere. That's a good way to
get around a movie lot. Bicycle. Better than walking. Sure a thick fog, isn't it? Yeah,
we don't have them often, but when we get them, they're a real pea souper. Well, here we
are. You better hold it, Ben. Red light. They're shooting in there. Oh, yeah, I didn't see.
Stage 5, you know. Couldn't tell you. All clear. Let's go in.
Hey, uh, fella. Yeah? What if you can tell us where we can find Leonard Castle? Sure.
Rosie, call Leonard Castle, will you? Okay. Leonard Castle. Leonard Castle. Guess we can
wait over here by the phone, huh? He'll be right here. Thank you. Rosie, you call me?
Ladies and gentlemen, I want to see you. Thanks, Rosie. You want to see me? Your name, Leonard
Castle? Yeah, that's right. Police officers? Yeah. There's some place where we can talk.
Is this all right? I got to stick close. I might be in the next shot. All right. You know
a fella by the name of Babe Kellogg? No. He says he knows you. No, I never heard of him.
You sure? Put us on a bell, George. Hold the word. Quiet down. Quiet. Have to hold it a
minute. They're lining up a shot. Lefty, move that through to about a foot and a half to
your right. Hands in. Hold it right there. Make it a little hotter. Cup with turns. Whoa,
whoa. That's got it. Backstay. Give me your ink, you think. Right here. Camera left.
Harry. No. When Fred Conrad crosses over at the table, can you help me out a little? Can
you bring this one down about two points on the dimmer? It's done. Time to get that?
Uh-huh. All ready, Miller. Mr. Conrad? Yes, sir? Take it real easy. Remember, you don't
know your sergeant's got a clue until he comes to you with it. All right. You're
anticipating a little bit, OK? Uh-huh. Let's try it. Bob, watch that mic shatter. We're
getting it on that wall. Am I out now? Not too much. You can read a little. That's fine.
You're clear. All ready? All ready. We can try one. Turn him over. Rolling. Speed. Action.
All right, Chief. As soon as I get all the clues, I'll be right down.
Piece of that broken window, huh? That's right. It's plastered with fingerprints. Yeah?
We got our man. Cut. Save him. Let's hold his glass, folks. You never heard of
Babe Kellogg, huh? That's right. Where were you at six o'clock this morning, Ken? In bed.
We got men out to your place checking. What's it all about? Between six and seven o'clock
this morning, somebody robbed the pharmacy at St. Christopher's Hospital. They slugged
the intern, made off with over $10,000 worth of narcotics. Yeah? If we find you were in
bed between six and seven, you're clear. Well, I was. Anybody to back up that alibi?
The line lady, I guess you'd know. What time she generally get up? Oh, I don't know. Why?
She couldn't very well back you up. She was still asleep. Well, she's usually up early.
Thought you said you didn't know what time she got up. Well, I meant I don't usually know.
What you knew this morning? No. And you don't know Babe Kellogg. Stimmer down, everybody.
Let's have a glass. Nine o'clock. What do you read on that junior, Harry? Nine plus.
Make it a little hotter. A little hotter, Jack. That's it. Whoa. Ten plus, Steve. That's it.
How about it, Steve? Any time. Turn him over. Rolling.
State action. All right, Chief. As soon as I get all the clues, I'll be right in.
Look what I found, Ted. A piece of broken window, huh? That's right. It's plastic with prints.
Yeah. We got our man. Cut. Jake, you said plastered with prints.
The line writes plastered with fingerprints. You got to say the whole word.
They'll never know what you mean in Vancouver. Come here. I'll talk to you.
Hold the work. Keep it quiet. That's Milly. He's a tough director, but he's a good one.
How long you been doing this kind of work, Cas? Oh, six, seven years. What pictures you been in?
Oh, I don't think you'd have noticed. They're mostly small parts. What kind of parts you got in this picture?
I'd like to play a cop. What would you like to do? In this picture? No. What's your ambition? You going to stay in pictures?
Yeah, I'd like to. I'd like to get a few bigger parts if I could. It's pretty tough to try and set yourself to producer if you can't see on film.
Money's pretty good, though, isn't it? It all depends. It's a different deal on each picture you do.
You have an agent? No. I did have. He wasn't doing anything for me, so I let him go. I'm not represented.
Pretty hard to build any kind of a name without an agent, isn't it? It all depends. If you can keep up a good front, nice car.
That's all that counts in this town. You really believe that, do you? I don't you. I don't know much about it. I'm not an actor.
You said you didn't know Babe Kellogg at all, didn't you? No, I don't know. You said you saw your lanny at six o'clock this morning.
No, I didn't say that. There's the theater on Milton and the director. Would you like to meet him?
What time do you see your lanny this morning? Oh, Mr. Milton. Yeah, Castle? When are you going to get to me, Milly? You need me in the shop?
No, still on the same thing. We'll get a eulog after lunch. You can stay with your friends. Okay.
What time is the break for lunch, Castle? This company usually breaks around 12.30.
It's only 11.15. Maybe we can go outside and talk. The director said he didn't need you.
Why, you never want to believe the director. It's always the first assistant. We could check with him, couldn't we?
Oh, I don't like to do that. I hate to ask any favors. He said he wasn't going to use you until after lunch.
Well, it isn't a good policy to bother the first assistant. Well, it's probably better in here anyway.
I didn't see any place to sit down outside. Unless you have a car in the lot. Do you have a car? No, I don't.
I thought you told us you had a car. No, I didn't tell you that, did I?
Well, you said something about keeping up a good front, nice car. Isn't that what you said?
Oh, sure, I have a car. I don't know what I was thinking about. Yeah, I have a car.
I thought you said you had a car.
I tell you, this picture act will drive you crazy. I don't know what I'm saying.
Maybe you made a mistake about Babe Kellogg. Do you know him?
No, I'm sure about that. I don't know any Babe Carson. Kellogg?
Kellogg, you know, I don't know him. Would you mind showing us your wallet?
What for? You want to see my identification? Can we see the wallet, please?
All right. Here. No, you hold it. Would you open it up?
Quiet, please. All right, Chief. Okay. Fair enough.
Roy?
Babe. All right. Nice and easy now. Fingerprints, Jake.
Right. Action.
All right, Chief. As soon as I get all the clues, I'll be right in.
Look what I found, sir. A piece of broken window, huh?
That's right. It's plastered with fingerprints.
Yeah. We got our man. Cut.
Same.
No talking.
See how much money you got in your wallet, Castle. No, you hold it. Just count it for us.
Well, there it is. What about the rest of it in there?
All right, I didn't see it.
All right, count it. Just a few in there, here.
Count it. All right.
Let's see.
Well, I can see 450s right there on top. That's 200, isn't it?
Yeah. That's 300. 400. 450.
Yeah, go on.
I didn't know I had this much.
That's 250 more. That makes 700, doesn't it?
It's more than I thought I had.
There's two more tens and a five there. That's $725, Castle.
Yeah.
Doing pretty well on this picture, huh?
It's not all picture, Mike.
All right, you can put your wallet away.
Thanks.
If you didn't make this money on the picture, where'd you get it?
Played old cards last night? Played pretty late?
Yeah, pretty late.
Weren't you tired this morning?
No.
Not even when you got up at six? Did I say I got up at six?
Now, listen, Castle, you don't know what you said, but one thing's sure you're lying to us.
You know babe Kellogg and you owe him well enough to sell him two vials of high-grade morphine.
Oh, you're wrong about that.
All right, then you set us straight.
Kellogg says he paid you $700 for this stuff.
You got over 700 in your wallet. That's more than you need for lunch money.
Now, this could be a coincidence. You set us straight.
Well, you're wrong.
Where'd you get the money?
Turn on the...
Wrong?
Speed.
Action.
All right, Chief.
Since I get all the clues, I'll be right in.
Look what I found, Tom.
Piece of broken window, huh?
That's right. That's plastic with finger prints.
Yeah. We got our man.
Cut.
All right, one more.
Where'd you get the money, Castle?
I told you I played cards.
It won't do. You've got the keys to your car.
I can't leave.
We'll get you excused. We want to look at your car.
No, no, don't do that.
All right, then. Do you know Babe Kellogg?
I don't know.
Turn on.
Rolling.
Speed.
Action.
All right, Chief.
Since I get all the clues, I'll be right in.
Look what I found, Tom.
Piece of broken window, huh?
That's right. That's plastic with finger prints.
Yeah. We got our man.
Cut.
Print it. All the drill, L.A.
Do you know Babe Kellogg?
Yes.
Yes, I know him. I know him.
You robbed that hospital this morning.
I needed it.
I needed the money. I had to have it.
I owed money. They were going to take my car.
I was broke.
What else could I do?
I was sick once. I stayed at St. Christopher's.
I knew where they kept the drugs.
I knew if I could get them, I could make some fast money.
I didn't mean to hit the kid.
I couldn't let him see me.
He didn't have to be there, did he?
He didn't have to be there.
I sold all Babe's stuff, and the rest is in the car under the seat.
I needed the money.
I was broke.
Better get him out of here, Ben.
Come on, Castle.
That was a great reading.
My name's Milton. I'm directing this picture.
Are you the boy's agent?
No, sir.
Never heard him read better.
Funny thing, though.
Yeah?
In front of the camera, he goes to the dogs.
The story you've just heard was true.
Only the names were changed to protect the innocent.
On January 28th, trial was held in Superior Court, Department 91,
City and County of Los Angeles, State of California.
In a moment, the results of that trial.
And now here is our star, Jack Webb.
Thank you.
The working detective in reaching the solution of a crime
depends on the combined efforts of many minds and many hands.
The crime lab, state and federal peace officers, and you, the citizen.
And so with Fatima.
The combined efforts of many go into their blending and manufacture.
Skilled hands, working with the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos,
make Fatima extra mild.
Best of all long cigarettes.
If you're a long cigarette smoker like I am, try Fatima.
Every pack is extra mild.
Smoke Fatima.
Ladies and gentlemen, starting Thursday, August 24th,
that's two weeks from tonight,
Dragnet will be heard one hour earlier, at 9 p.m. Eastern Daylight Saving Time.
¶¶
Leonard Francis Castle was tried and convicted of first degree robbery
and violating the State Narcotics Act.
He received sentences as prescribed by law.
Alfred Babe Kellogg was convicted of violating the State Narcotics Act.
Both men are now serving their terms in the state penitentiary.
¶¶
You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases from official files.
Technical advice comes from the Office of Chief of Police,
W.H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department.
Fatima cigarettes, the best of all long cigarettes,
has brought you Dragnet from Los Angeles.
¶¶
Sarah Burner is delightful in Sarah's Private Caper,
next on NBC.
¶¶