WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:12.400 The story you are about to hear is true. 00:12.400 --> 00:15.560 Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. 00:15.560 --> 00:30.440 Fatima cigarettes, best of all long cigarettes, brings you Dragnet. 00:30.440 --> 00:32.360 You're a detective sergeant. 00:32.360 --> 00:34.840 You're assigned to forgery detail. 00:34.840 --> 00:38.120 An accomplished Czech forger is at work in your city. 00:38.120 --> 00:41.040 His victims, small businessmen. 00:41.040 --> 00:42.040 You know his M.O. 00:42.040 --> 00:44.520 You don't know his identity. 00:44.520 --> 00:46.200 Your job. 00:46.200 --> 00:50.280 Get him. 00:50.280 --> 00:54.520 If you want a long cigarette, smoke the best of all long cigarettes. 00:54.520 --> 00:56.520 Smoke extra mild Fatima. 00:56.520 --> 01:02.920 Yes, Fatima is the king size cigarette which contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos 01:02.920 --> 01:06.160 superbly blended to make it extra mild. 01:06.160 --> 01:12.640 To give Fatima a much different, much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette. 01:12.640 --> 01:16.840 That's why Fatima has more than doubled its smokers coast to coast. 01:16.840 --> 01:20.000 Enjoy extra mild Fatima yourself. 01:20.000 --> 01:22.480 Best of all long cigarettes. 01:22.480 --> 01:25.800 It's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima. 01:25.800 --> 01:31.400 It's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima. 01:31.400 --> 01:37.640 Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime. 01:37.640 --> 01:42.240 For the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will 01:42.240 --> 01:46.480 travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case from official police 01:46.480 --> 01:47.960 files. 01:47.960 --> 01:53.200 From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force 01:53.200 --> 01:57.080 in action. 01:57.080 --> 01:58.800 Was Monday, February 4th. 01:58.800 --> 02:00.840 Was cold in Los Angeles. 02:00.840 --> 02:03.360 We were working a day watch out of forgery detail. 02:03.360 --> 02:06.080 My partner's Ben Romero, the boss is Captain Elliott. 02:06.080 --> 02:07.080 My name's Friday. 02:07.080 --> 02:11.920 I was on the way home from the office and it was 8.25 p.m. when I got to Collis Avenue. 02:11.920 --> 02:12.920 Number 4656. 02:12.920 --> 02:13.920 Joseph, is that you? 02:13.920 --> 02:14.920 Yeah, Ma. 02:14.920 --> 02:15.920 We're in the living room. 02:15.920 --> 02:16.920 We have company. 02:16.920 --> 02:17.920 Oh, is that so? 02:17.920 --> 02:18.920 Hello, Joe. 02:18.920 --> 02:19.920 You remember Mary Fowler, don't you, Mr. Joseph? 02:19.920 --> 02:20.920 I sure do. 02:20.920 --> 02:21.920 How are you, Miss Fowler? 02:21.920 --> 02:22.920 Just fine, Joe, thank you. 02:22.920 --> 02:23.920 Doing some shopping out this way and thought I'd stop by and have a cup of tea with your 02:23.920 --> 02:24.920 mother. 02:24.920 --> 02:25.920 Well, it's good to see you. 02:25.920 --> 02:26.920 How are things in the old neighborhood, huh? 02:26.920 --> 02:27.920 Oh, pretty much the same. 02:27.920 --> 02:28.920 Oh, Miss Daly, remember her? 02:28.920 --> 02:29.920 Mm-hmm. 02:29.920 --> 02:30.920 Finally dying. 02:30.920 --> 02:31.920 I suppose she's a little bit of a wimp. 02:31.920 --> 02:32.920 I'm sorry. 02:32.920 --> 02:33.920 I'm sorry. 02:33.920 --> 02:34.920 I'm sorry. 02:34.920 --> 02:35.920 I'm sorry. 02:35.920 --> 02:36.920 I'm sorry. 02:36.920 --> 02:41.920 I'm sorry. 02:41.920 --> 02:45.920 I'm sorry. 02:45.920 --> 02:48.920 Jim got a new job. Not by Aldadena. 02:48.920 --> 02:49.920 Oh, is that so? 02:49.920 --> 02:52.920 Yeah. My, you're certainly looking fine, Joe. 02:52.920 --> 02:55.920 Don't you wear your police uniform anymore? 02:55.920 --> 02:58.920 I know Mary Joseph's in the detective bureau now. 02:58.920 --> 03:00.920 Hasn't worn his uniform for years. 03:00.920 --> 03:02.920 Oh, that's right. I remember now. 03:02.920 --> 03:06.920 That note you sent me, your Christmas card, year before last. 03:06.920 --> 03:08.920 What do you do now, Joe? 03:08.920 --> 03:11.920 Forgery detail. My partner and I handle bum check cases. 03:11.920 --> 03:13.920 My, that certainly must be interesting. 03:13.920 --> 03:14.920 Have you had your dinner, Joseph? 03:14.920 --> 03:17.920 Yes, ma'am. I stopped at a place out in Santa Monica and had something. 03:17.920 --> 03:21.920 Yes, well Mary brought me some nice coffee cakes and pineapple filling. 03:21.920 --> 03:23.920 Wouldn't you like one with a cup of coffee, Joseph? 03:23.920 --> 03:25.920 No, I don't know, ma'am. 03:25.920 --> 03:28.920 You sit down in your chair there and rest yourself. You always look so tired. 03:28.920 --> 03:32.920 I have no idea how hard they worked those young times, Mary. 03:33.920 --> 03:37.920 You remember Genevieve, don't you Joe? My oldest girl. 03:37.920 --> 03:39.920 Oh, yeah, sure. How is she? 03:39.920 --> 03:42.920 Oh, just fine. Lots of boyfriends as usual. 03:42.920 --> 03:44.920 Going out all the time. 03:44.920 --> 03:45.920 Oh, that's good. 03:45.920 --> 03:48.920 She asked to be remembered to you. 03:48.920 --> 03:52.920 I think you and Genevieve were stuck on each other at one time, weren't you Joe? 03:52.920 --> 03:54.920 We went to a couple of dances in high school. 03:54.920 --> 03:57.920 I think she started going steady with another fella, didn't she? 03:57.920 --> 03:59.920 Young girls, they never know when they're well off. 03:59.920 --> 04:03.920 Here's your coffee, Joseph. I set it here in the end table. 04:03.920 --> 04:05.920 Thanks, I don't think I can use it, ma'am. 04:05.920 --> 04:09.920 Oh, delicious coffee cake. You smell how fresh it is. 04:09.920 --> 04:10.920 Yeah, it's nice. 04:10.920 --> 04:14.920 Oh my, quarter to nine. I should have left half an hour ago. 04:14.920 --> 04:18.920 Oh, you have to go, Mary. Seems our visits are always so short. 04:18.920 --> 04:21.920 Well, I got a lot of ironing to do and I have to make Carl's lunch. 04:21.920 --> 04:22.920 He's always so fussy about his lunches. 04:22.920 --> 04:24.920 Yes, well, I'll get your coat. 04:24.920 --> 04:27.920 Well, it's nice seeing you again, Joe. 04:27.920 --> 04:29.920 Do you want to be remembered to Genevieve? 04:29.920 --> 04:31.920 Yeah, tell her hello, William and Miss Pollard. 04:31.920 --> 04:35.920 If you're over our way, be sure and drop in and see us, won't you? 04:35.920 --> 04:37.920 Genevieve's home at the office by six. 04:37.920 --> 04:39.920 She often says she'd like to see you again. 04:39.920 --> 04:43.920 Oh, same. Good night, Joe. You be sure to come and see us now. 04:43.920 --> 04:44.920 Gene will be looking forward to it. 04:44.920 --> 04:46.920 Okay, Miss Pollard, good night. 04:46.920 --> 04:48.920 Yeah, well, I'll show you to the door, ma'am. 04:48.920 --> 04:50.920 You'll remember your strong and maker's vows. 04:50.920 --> 04:53.920 All right, dear, I want you to take care of yourself now. 04:53.920 --> 04:54.920 Good night. 04:54.920 --> 04:56.920 Good night, Mary. 04:59.920 --> 05:01.920 There's the person, Mary. 05:01.920 --> 05:04.920 She's having a hard time trying to find a husband for Genevieve. 05:04.920 --> 05:07.920 Yeah. Hey, ma, I'm not very hungry. I can't eat now. 05:07.920 --> 05:12.920 Oh? Well, it seems such a shame to waste. 05:12.920 --> 05:15.920 That's a lovely coffee cake. 05:18.920 --> 05:21.920 Been used to having the same case, hmm? 05:21.920 --> 05:23.920 Yeah, same one. 05:23.920 --> 05:26.920 It seems to me it's taken you an awfully long time. 05:26.920 --> 05:28.920 Well, we've been on it two months, yeah. 05:28.920 --> 05:30.920 You never understand it. 05:30.920 --> 05:34.920 When people write bad checks, always get caught. 05:34.920 --> 05:36.920 Well, it's easy living while it lasts. 05:36.920 --> 05:39.920 Now, you know what the man's handwriting is like. 05:42.920 --> 05:44.920 Don't you know who the man is? 05:44.920 --> 05:46.920 Well, we think so, ma. We're not sure. 05:46.920 --> 05:48.920 There's hundreds of checked men who work almost alike. 05:48.920 --> 05:50.920 Some of them even look alike. 05:50.920 --> 05:52.920 There's always a big enough field to pick from. 05:52.920 --> 05:54.920 Our problem's picking the right one. 05:54.920 --> 05:58.920 I don't know much about it, but the whole thing seems kind of silly to me. 05:58.920 --> 06:00.920 Well, how's that? 06:00.920 --> 06:03.920 What's this man supposed to be doing? 06:03.920 --> 06:08.920 Going around your small neighborhood stores, cashing 15, 20 dollar checks. 06:08.920 --> 06:13.920 If he got himself a job, he'd probably earn that much in one day, doing good honest work. 06:13.920 --> 06:16.920 Say, Ben didn't call before I got home, did he? 06:16.920 --> 06:18.920 Wasn't he with you? 06:18.920 --> 06:21.920 He was going to interview one of the bum check victims on his way home, 06:21.920 --> 06:23.920 a grocery store owner down at Highland Park. 06:23.920 --> 06:24.920 It might be him now. 06:24.920 --> 06:27.920 Now don't hang on that phone, Joseph. Your coffee gets cold. 06:27.920 --> 06:29.920 Yeah. 06:29.920 --> 06:30.920 Friday talking. 06:30.920 --> 06:33.920 This is Ben, Joe. Got a partial identification from that grocer. 06:33.920 --> 06:34.920 There's nothing great. 06:34.920 --> 06:35.920 Which mug shot did he like? 06:35.920 --> 06:36.920 Stanley Bubeck. 06:36.920 --> 06:38.920 Grocer thinks it might have been the guy who pushed the check. 06:38.920 --> 06:40.920 He can't be sure. 06:40.920 --> 06:43.920 Thirty-three bum checks passed. Same MO. 06:43.920 --> 06:46.920 Not one positive identification. Something's phony, isn't it? 06:46.920 --> 06:47.920 It's got me stuffed. 06:47.920 --> 06:51.920 We know the endorsements on every one of those checks was written by the same guy. 06:51.920 --> 06:54.920 He was practically the same story on every one of his victims. 06:54.920 --> 06:57.920 Those thirty-three people are either blind or they're kidding us. 06:57.920 --> 06:59.920 Well, there's only one other answer. 06:59.920 --> 07:01.920 We're looking for the wrong man. 07:01.920 --> 07:07.920 For two months and two days in different shopping districts throughout the city, 07:07.920 --> 07:13.920 a man described as well-dressed and middle-aged had been passing worthless checks on independent neighborhood businessmen. 07:13.920 --> 07:19.920 Most of the victims were proprietors of small shops, meat markets, liquor stores, grocery stores. 07:19.920 --> 07:23.920 In none of the cases was the check written for more than $25. 07:23.920 --> 07:25.920 With the help of the stats office and our record bureau, 07:25.920 --> 07:32.920 we've gone through the list of experienced checkmen until we found one man whose description and MO matched perfectly with that of the suspect. 07:32.920 --> 07:35.920 The man's name was Stanley Bubeck. 07:35.920 --> 07:40.920 We can't locate him, Captain. Another thing, we can't get a positive identification from any of the victims. 07:40.920 --> 07:42.920 And find a suspect they can't identify. 07:42.920 --> 07:45.920 You've been tracking the guy for two months. What's the big mystery? 07:45.920 --> 07:50.920 Well, we tabbed the man as Stanley Bubeck and his record and his MO as description. They all tie in perfectly. 07:50.920 --> 07:51.920 Now we're not sure it's him. 07:51.920 --> 07:52.920 What do you mean? 07:52.920 --> 07:57.920 Well, if it is Bubeck, it's almost a sure thing that one of the victims could have made him on one of his mug shots. 07:57.920 --> 07:59.920 None of them can make up their minds. 07:59.920 --> 08:04.920 Look, maybe one of you two would like to be captain of the forgery for a day, sit in this office, 08:04.920 --> 08:10.920 and listen to complaints come in over that phone about this guy at the front office, neighborhood businessmen's clubs, retail merchants. 08:10.920 --> 08:13.920 They tell me they're trouble-sowing, passing them on to you. 08:13.920 --> 08:16.920 Now whoever this paper hanger is, we want him and we want him fast. 08:16.920 --> 08:21.920 Lousy little $20 checks. We'd probably have a lot better target if he tried something bigger. 08:21.920 --> 08:24.920 And don't think he and a hundred other checkmen like him don't know that. 08:24.920 --> 08:28.920 You won't find them stealing company paychecks and flooding the town with paper. 08:28.920 --> 08:30.920 They take it from the little guy and they take it in small amounts, 08:30.920 --> 08:33.920 but add up those small amounts at the end of the year and they'll scare you. 08:33.920 --> 08:36.920 That's the rotten part about it. None of those victims can afford a bad check. 08:36.920 --> 08:40.920 That grocer Donnelly stands on his feet all day and had a profit of $10, $15. 08:40.920 --> 08:43.920 He gets tagged with one bad check and he's working for nothing. 08:43.920 --> 08:48.920 We've got bulletins out on the suspect, all the small businessmen in town have all been alerting. 08:48.920 --> 08:50.920 Excuse me. 08:50.920 --> 08:52.920 Have Nell in. 08:52.920 --> 08:55.920 Yeah, okay Don, right away. 08:55.920 --> 08:59.920 Don Myers, he went over the handwriting those last three checks, wants to see you. 08:59.920 --> 09:00.920 Okay. 09:00.920 --> 09:05.920 How about that special bulletin you got out to the prisons on Stanley Bubeck? Any replies? 09:05.920 --> 09:06.920 Nothing yet, Skipper. 09:06.920 --> 09:07.920 All right, stay on it. 09:07.920 --> 09:09.920 Right, let's go. 09:12.920 --> 09:17.920 That's a sour deal. I'd give a right arm for a line on this guy. 09:17.920 --> 09:20.920 It'd move a lot faster if somebody'd help us follow those checks closer. 09:20.920 --> 09:23.920 The way it's running now, we hear about the paper two weeks after it's been cashed. 09:23.920 --> 09:25.920 That Bubeck thing isn't helping much. 09:25.920 --> 09:28.920 You know, you just find another line and we get a settle. 09:30.920 --> 09:31.920 Hi Don. 09:31.920 --> 09:32.920 Oh, hi. 09:32.920 --> 09:35.920 Just finished up on those last three checks that came in. You want to give them a look? 09:35.920 --> 09:36.920 How do they shape up? 09:36.920 --> 09:39.920 Well, you can see for yourself. Right here. 09:39.920 --> 09:40.920 Yeah. 09:40.920 --> 09:43.920 Here are the three I just went over. 09:43.920 --> 09:47.920 And here are half a dozen bad ones for cash last month. 09:47.920 --> 09:50.920 Now the endorsements on this half doesn't match perfectly. 09:50.920 --> 09:52.920 And those other three? 09:52.920 --> 09:54.920 Well, I'd say they were endorsed by the same person. 09:54.920 --> 09:58.920 Now look here. You can notice the capital letters. 09:58.920 --> 10:00.920 Now he still handles them the same way. 10:00.920 --> 10:03.920 Disconnected from the other letters in the first name. See? 10:03.920 --> 10:04.920 Yeah. 10:04.920 --> 10:07.920 But he connects the capitals in the last name. See? 10:07.920 --> 10:08.920 Mm-hmm. 10:08.920 --> 10:09.920 Not very bright. 10:09.920 --> 10:10.920 Yeah. 10:10.920 --> 10:13.920 Not much doubt in my mind. All the other handwriting factors tie in. 10:13.920 --> 10:16.920 Form, skill, shading. They all match up. 10:16.920 --> 10:20.920 The movement, terminals, they're all the same for my money. 10:20.920 --> 10:23.920 Here, the way he writes the lower case letters. 10:23.920 --> 10:24.920 That cinches it for me. 10:24.920 --> 10:25.920 How's that, Don? 10:25.920 --> 10:31.920 Well, here. The inclination of the terminal stroke on the S. See it? 10:31.920 --> 10:35.920 Degree of slant above the horizontal is just about 55 degrees in all cases. 10:35.920 --> 10:38.920 The finger movement in his capitals have plenty of freedom. 10:38.920 --> 10:40.920 They're not shaded much. 10:40.920 --> 10:44.920 Nothing like this in his lower case letters, though. You see? Here. 10:44.920 --> 10:46.920 Yeah, I think I know what you mean. 10:46.920 --> 10:48.920 Not much freedom here. Lots of shading. 10:48.920 --> 10:53.920 And the pressure on the lifts. Here. They match up. 10:53.920 --> 10:55.920 Same on the down stroke. 10:55.920 --> 10:58.920 Now I'd say the skill is medium in all cases. 10:58.920 --> 11:00.920 Embellishment's both class, too. 11:00.920 --> 11:02.920 No changes at all in the style? 11:02.920 --> 11:04.920 Oh, he made the signatures look a little different. 11:04.920 --> 11:07.920 All eight factors match up, though. It's the same person. 11:07.920 --> 11:09.920 All we have to do is find him. 11:09.920 --> 11:12.920 Hey, how about this fellow, Stanley Bubeck? I thought you had him tapped. 11:12.920 --> 11:17.920 We're not too sure about him, but it's the only line we got to work on, so we'll have to do for now. 11:17.920 --> 11:21.920 Romero, there's a man in the office that says you and Joe. His name's Loomis. 11:21.920 --> 11:22.920 Right, Fred. Be there in a minute. 11:22.920 --> 11:23.920 Okay. 11:23.920 --> 11:25.920 Well, thanks, Don. We'll check you later, huh? 11:25.920 --> 11:27.920 Sure. Okay. See you. 11:27.920 --> 11:38.920 Let's go, Ben. 11:38.920 --> 11:40.920 How you do? You Mr. Loomis? 11:40.920 --> 11:42.920 Yes, sir. Sergeant Romero? 11:42.920 --> 11:44.920 No, this is Sergeant Romero here. My name's Friday. 11:44.920 --> 11:46.920 Oh, I thought you'd do. 11:46.920 --> 11:48.920 What can we do for you? 11:48.920 --> 11:51.920 It's about these checks, Sergeant. 11:51.920 --> 11:53.920 These right here. 11:53.920 --> 11:54.920 Well? 11:54.920 --> 12:02.920 You see, I run a delicatessen out on Sunset, and a few days ago a new customer came in for a few things and paid for them with these checks. He came in twice. 12:02.920 --> 12:03.920 Yeah, go ahead. 12:03.920 --> 12:11.920 Well, I got the checks back today. They're no good. I tried to look up the man at the address he gave, but there's no such address. 12:11.920 --> 12:12.920 Mm-hmm. 12:12.920 --> 12:15.920 You can see, one's for $15, the other one's for $20. 12:15.920 --> 12:16.920 Yeah. 12:16.920 --> 12:22.920 The reason I ask for you, man, is because I know the man who runs the drug store across the street, George Holmquist. 12:22.920 --> 12:25.920 He had some bad checks about a month ago. He said you took care of them. 12:25.920 --> 12:29.920 Oh, yeah, yeah. I remember. Do you recall the man who passed these checks, Mr. Loomis? 12:29.920 --> 12:35.920 Yes, I think I do. He told me he was new in the neighborhood and he was looking for a place to trade. 12:35.920 --> 12:39.920 Well, I guess we're all anxious for new business. I took the checks. 12:39.920 --> 12:40.920 You got those mugshots there, man? 12:40.920 --> 12:42.920 Yeah. 12:42.920 --> 12:43.920 Here they are. 12:43.920 --> 12:48.920 Thank you. How about these men, Mr. Loomis? Any of them look anything like the person who passed the checks on you? 12:48.920 --> 12:58.920 No. Let's see. This one, yes, it does look like the man in a way. I don't know if I could be absolutely sure. 12:58.920 --> 13:00.920 Stanley Bubeck, same MMO. 13:00.920 --> 13:01.920 What about you, Bob? 13:01.920 --> 13:06.920 Well, it looks like you're stuck with a couple of bad ones, Mr. Loomis. Probably the same man who passed checks on your drugist friend. 13:06.920 --> 13:08.920 We're doing everything we can to run this man down. 13:08.920 --> 13:12.920 Look, what about the checks? Isn't there anything I can do about them? 13:12.920 --> 13:18.920 No, sir, I'm sorry. Not right now. We would like to have you make out a crime report, if you will, and would you leave these checks with us? 13:18.920 --> 13:19.920 Sure. 13:19.920 --> 13:20.920 Howdy, Romero. 13:20.920 --> 13:22.920 Here it is, Mr. Loomis. 13:22.920 --> 13:28.920 Hedge just came in for you. Reply from Salt Lake City, Utah on that bulletin you sent out on Stanley Bubeck. 13:28.920 --> 13:29.920 Yeah. 13:29.920 --> 13:31.920 He's been in jail for five months. 13:33.920 --> 13:41.920 We sent a request to Salt Lake asking him to question Stanley Bubeck if he knew of any forger who matched his description or used his M.O. 13:41.920 --> 13:43.920 Bubeck could tell us nothing. 13:43.920 --> 13:50.920 Wednesday, February 6th, we threw away the results of two months of investigation. We went back and started from the beginning. 13:50.920 --> 13:54.920 Despite all precautions and warnings, the checks kept coming in at the rate of half a dozen a week. 13:54.920 --> 13:58.920 The same M.O. was used, the same handwriting showed up in the signatures on the checks. 13:58.920 --> 14:07.920 Again, with the help of the staff and the statistician's office and the record bureau, we waded through hundreds of names of known checkmen and compiled a new list of 38 possible suspects. 14:07.920 --> 14:15.920 Each one fitted the general description of the forger. Each one at some time in his forgery career had used the same general method of operation. 14:15.920 --> 14:23.920 Well, after days of legwork, we finally boiled down the list of possible to three names, George Roberts, James Young, and Hariel Johansson. 14:23.920 --> 14:27.920 We got out a flyer to all the small businessmen in the areas where the forger operated. 14:27.920 --> 14:31.920 Another week passed. The worthless checks kept showing up at the rate of two and three a day. 14:31.920 --> 14:36.920 On February 21st, Ben and I answered a call from a drugist in the Echo Park District. 14:36.920 --> 14:41.920 He bought some toothpaste and a carton of cigarettes, Sergeant, asked me to cash a $20 check for him. 14:41.920 --> 14:43.920 Did you ever see the man before, sir? 14:43.920 --> 14:49.920 No, he gave me the same old story about being new in the neighborhood. That's when I remembered that police bulletin the department sent me. 14:49.920 --> 14:51.920 Do you still have that bulletin? 14:51.920 --> 14:53.920 No, I looked it over and then I guess it got mislaid. 14:53.920 --> 14:56.920 I wonder if you'd mind taking a look at these pictures here. 14:56.920 --> 14:58.920 Not at all. 14:58.920 --> 14:59.920 These right here. 14:59.920 --> 15:03.920 Sure. This one right on top, that's the man. 15:03.920 --> 15:04.920 Are you sure? 15:04.920 --> 15:08.920 I am. It only happened a few hours ago. Do you know who he is? 15:08.920 --> 15:11.920 Harry O. Johansson. That's the name we have on him. 15:11.920 --> 15:13.920 Doesn't mean anything to me. 15:13.920 --> 15:16.920 He got real huffy when I wouldn't take his checks. Stalked right out of the store. Very suspicious. 15:16.920 --> 15:17.920 Did you follow him? 15:17.920 --> 15:21.920 No, I told Ralph, my clerk, to follow him. Ralph? 15:21.920 --> 15:22.920 Yeah, Mr. Butler? 15:22.920 --> 15:25.920 You want to tell these officers about that man this morning? 15:25.920 --> 15:29.920 I followed him down the street for a block and then turned the corner. That's where I lost him. 15:29.920 --> 15:30.920 That's too bad. 15:30.920 --> 15:34.920 Yeah, all I got was a license number. 15:34.920 --> 15:43.920 Music 15:43.920 --> 15:50.920 You are listening to Dragnet, the case history of a police investigation presented in the public interest by Fatima Cigarettes. 15:50.920 --> 15:56.920 If you smoke a long cigarette, it will be in your interest to listen to a typical case history of a Fatima smoker. 15:56.920 --> 16:02.920 It's the case of Northwest Airlines stewardess Jean Manson. You will see her picture in leading magazines this week. 16:02.920 --> 16:04.920 Now, her actual signed statement. 16:04.920 --> 16:09.920 There's one thing I really look forward to after a long flight. A good, mild smoke. 16:09.920 --> 16:14.920 That's why I prefer king-size Fatima. It's milder than any other long cigarette I've tried. 16:14.920 --> 16:18.920 Yes, I agree it's wise to smoke extra-mild Fatima. 16:18.920 --> 16:21.920 And so do more and more smokers every day. 16:21.920 --> 16:26.920 Actual figures show extra-mild Fatima has more than doubled its smokers coast to coast. 16:26.920 --> 16:30.920 So enjoy extra-mild Fatima yourself. 16:30.920 --> 16:37.920 The king-size cigarette, which contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos, superbly blended to make it extra-mild. 16:37.920 --> 16:42.920 You will prefer Fatima's much different, much better flavor and aroma. 16:42.920 --> 16:43.920 You will agree. 16:43.920 --> 16:46.920 It's wise to smoke extra-mild Fatima. 16:46.920 --> 16:49.920 It's wise to smoke extra-mild Fatima. 16:49.920 --> 16:52.920 Best of all, long cigarettes. 16:52.920 --> 17:01.920 September 21st, Thursday, 3 p.m. 17:01.920 --> 17:05.920 We took the license number which the drugstore clerk had given us. 17:05.920 --> 17:08.920 We went back to the office and checked it through DMV. 17:08.920 --> 17:12.920 We found the car was registered to a Russell Burroughs on Pico Boulevard. 17:12.920 --> 17:17.920 We checked him out. He told us that he had loaned his car the day before to a friend of his. 17:17.920 --> 17:25.920 He identified the friend as Harry L. Johansson and gave us his last known address, 614 Elderwood Avenue. 17:25.920 --> 17:27.920 We got out of broadcast on the car. 17:27.920 --> 17:36.920 The Elderwood Avenue address turned out to be a single-story wooden frame house in the southern part of the city on the edge of the industrial district. 17:36.920 --> 17:38.920 It needed a coat of paint. 17:38.920 --> 17:43.920 A woman in her elderly thirties answered the door and identified herself as Mrs. Johansson. 17:43.920 --> 17:48.920 She invited us into the living room. There was a baby playing on the floor. 17:48.920 --> 17:51.920 I don't expect my husband home for another two weeks, Sergeant. 17:51.920 --> 17:55.920 He's a cosmetic salesman. Travels all over the western states. 17:55.920 --> 17:57.920 When did he leave on this last trip, Mrs. Johansson? 17:57.920 --> 18:01.920 The first of the month. Why, is anything wrong? 18:01.920 --> 18:04.920 What's the name of the cosmetics company that your husband works for? 18:04.920 --> 18:07.920 Harrington Universal. Offices are down on East Main. 18:07.920 --> 18:10.920 Do you know a friend of your husband's named Russell Burroughs? 18:10.920 --> 18:13.920 Yes, I do. He's kind of a friend of the family. 18:13.920 --> 18:15.920 Please, Sergeant, if there's anything wrong, I ought to know. 18:15.920 --> 18:21.920 We talked to Mr. Burroughs this afternoon. He told us your husband's in town. Burroughs loaned him his car. 18:21.920 --> 18:26.920 Harry, with that silly of still on the road, he'd certainly let me know if he was coming back early. 18:26.920 --> 18:28.920 You sure of that, ma'am? 18:28.920 --> 18:31.920 Would you excuse me a minute, Sergeant? I'll have to put the baby to bed. 18:31.920 --> 18:32.920 Certainly, ma'am. 18:32.920 --> 18:35.920 Come on, Bonnie. I'll be back in a minute. 18:35.920 --> 18:38.920 Kind of a funny setup, isn't it? 18:38.920 --> 18:39.920 How you mean? 18:39.920 --> 18:43.920 Well, if Johansson's pushing bum checks, the money isn't going into his home here. 18:43.920 --> 18:47.920 Life doesn't act like she knows anything. Seems cooperative. 18:47.920 --> 18:51.920 I'm afraid we're going to have to level with her if we're going to find out anything, huh? 18:51.920 --> 18:52.920 Mm-hmm. 18:52.920 --> 18:54.920 You sure got a cute little girl. 18:54.920 --> 18:55.920 I'm sorry, Sergeant. 18:55.920 --> 18:57.920 It's perfectly all right. Just a few more questions. 18:57.920 --> 19:01.920 Is it possible that your husband could be in town and you might not know it? 19:01.920 --> 19:03.920 I mean, could he be staying with a friend or some relevance? 19:03.920 --> 19:07.920 No, if Harry was in town, he'd come home. Why would he stay with anyone else? 19:07.920 --> 19:09.920 When did you last hear from your husband? 19:09.920 --> 19:11.920 Last week. He wrote from San Francisco. 19:11.920 --> 19:14.920 The letters write there on the mantle. 19:14.920 --> 19:15.920 Oh, huh. 19:15.920 --> 19:19.920 Well, besides that letter, do you have any other samples of your husband's handwriting run out? 19:19.920 --> 19:22.920 Well, I think so, yes. 19:22.920 --> 19:24.920 Where did you say you were from? 19:24.920 --> 19:26.920 Central Division, Forgery Detail. 19:26.920 --> 19:28.920 You investigate checks, bad checks. 19:28.920 --> 19:30.920 Yes, ma'am, that's right. 19:30.920 --> 19:31.920 And you know about my husband. 19:31.920 --> 19:33.920 His prison record, yes. 19:33.920 --> 19:36.920 Harry promised me he was through with all that. He gave me his word. 19:36.920 --> 19:37.920 Sorry, ma'am. 19:37.920 --> 19:41.920 About a month ago, he had some extra money. 19:41.920 --> 19:43.920 He wouldn't tell me where he got it. 19:43.920 --> 19:46.920 Look, Sergeant, maybe you've made a mistake. 19:46.920 --> 19:49.920 Maybe it's not Harry at all. You're not sure, are you? 19:49.920 --> 19:53.920 Did your husband use the phone much, I mean, for out-of-town calls, say? 19:53.920 --> 19:54.920 No. 19:54.920 --> 19:57.920 Just that one toll call, a Long Beach number, I think. 19:57.920 --> 20:00.920 He has a business friend down there he used to call. 20:00.920 --> 20:02.920 Do you know the number, ma'am? 20:02.920 --> 20:06.920 I can show you. It's on last month's phone bill. 20:06.920 --> 20:10.920 Please, Sergeant, if Harry's done something wrong, he did it for us. 20:10.920 --> 20:12.920 Me and the baby. Harry's not bad. 20:12.920 --> 20:13.920 Yes, ma'am. 20:13.920 --> 20:16.920 He's done something. He did it for us. 20:16.920 --> 20:18.920 Harry hasn't had it easy. 20:18.920 --> 20:21.920 He wanted to get things for the baby. 20:21.920 --> 20:26.920 Clothes, a better house. All he wanted was a little happiness. 20:26.920 --> 20:27.920 A little happiness. 20:27.920 --> 20:29.920 You had it wrong, ma'am. 20:29.920 --> 20:31.920 You don't buy it with bum checks. 20:35.920 --> 20:39.920 Before we left Mrs. Johansson, we called and had a stakeout placed on the house. 20:39.920 --> 20:45.920 And then we got a sample of her husband's handwriting and the Long Beach telephone number that he was in the habit of calling. 20:45.920 --> 20:51.920 The next morning, Don Myers and handwriting compared Harry Johansson's letter with the signatures on the worthless checks. 20:51.920 --> 20:53.920 It matched. 20:53.920 --> 20:57.920 We called the Harrington Universal Cosmetics Company. They never heard of Harry Johansson. 20:57.920 --> 21:02.920 We called that Long Beach phone number. A woman answered and gave us the address where the telephone was installed. 21:02.920 --> 21:05.920 Turned out to be a swanky modern apartment house. 21:05.920 --> 21:08.920 In apartment 18, we interviewed a good-looking brunette. 21:08.920 --> 21:11.920 She identified herself as Harry Johansson's common-law wife. 21:11.920 --> 21:14.920 She was well dressed and the apartment was richly furnished. 21:14.920 --> 21:17.920 What's it all about? What do you want, Harry? 21:17.920 --> 21:19.920 Police business. You know where he is? 21:19.920 --> 21:20.920 Well, what's he done? 21:20.920 --> 21:22.920 Do you know where he is? 21:22.920 --> 21:27.920 He drove into Hollywood this morning. He might be back tonight. I don't know for sure. 21:27.920 --> 21:29.920 Is this your apartment? 21:29.920 --> 21:31.920 Yeah. Mine and Harry's. 21:31.920 --> 21:34.920 You're sure that Johansson's not here now? 21:34.920 --> 21:36.920 Of course I'm sure. Why? 21:36.920 --> 21:38.920 Well, you won't mind if we come in and look around, huh? 21:38.920 --> 21:40.920 I have a right to know what it's all about. 21:40.920 --> 21:44.920 Johansson's wanted for forgery. Now if you want to get involved, you help him hide out. 21:44.920 --> 21:49.920 I'm not asking for that kind of trouble. Go ahead and look. 21:49.920 --> 21:51.920 Take the bedroom, will you, Ben? 21:51.920 --> 21:53.920 All right. 21:55.920 --> 21:57.920 Never mind, cop. 21:58.920 --> 22:00.920 Thanks for the help, honey. 22:00.920 --> 22:02.920 I don't want any part of your troubles, Harry. 22:02.920 --> 22:04.920 I didn't know a thing about it, Johansson. 22:04.920 --> 22:05.920 Ben. 22:05.920 --> 22:07.920 Yeah. 22:08.920 --> 22:10.920 You better come along too, lady. 22:10.920 --> 22:14.920 Well, tell him, Harry. I don't know what it's about. 22:14.920 --> 22:16.920 What's the idea of getting me mixed up in this? 22:16.920 --> 22:19.920 How do you think I was paying for this place? 22:19.920 --> 22:22.920 Taking you out and buying us clothes for you. 22:22.920 --> 22:24.920 I don't want any part of it. 22:24.920 --> 22:27.920 Three-room apartment, a couple of dresses. That's all he ever got me. 22:27.920 --> 22:30.920 You got no complaints, lady. That's more than he bought his kids. 22:34.920 --> 22:40.920 One p.m. Friday, Ben and I took Harry Johansson to the county jail where he was booked for suspicion of forgery. 22:40.920 --> 22:42.920 We called Mrs. Johansson and notified her. 22:42.920 --> 22:47.920 She immediately contacted friends and relatives and raised enough money for a writ to have her husband released from jail. 22:47.920 --> 22:51.920 Three days later, Johansson was arraigned on a date set for his preliminary hearing. 22:51.920 --> 22:55.920 After the arraignment, Ben and I took him back to the county jail for re-booking. 22:55.920 --> 22:58.920 I'd like to ask you a question, Johansson. 22:58.920 --> 22:59.920 Yeah? 22:59.920 --> 23:01.920 You got any money of your own left? 23:01.920 --> 23:03.920 Why don't you stick to your own business, copper? 23:03.920 --> 23:05.920 That family of yours is having a pretty rough time. 23:05.920 --> 23:09.920 Your wife borrowed every cent she could find to bail you out. Now what's she gonna live on? 23:09.920 --> 23:10.920 She's got relatives. 23:10.920 --> 23:11.920 No, I was the elevator. 23:11.920 --> 23:17.920 Come on, Johansson. 23:20.920 --> 23:24.920 They're not gonna put me back in Fulton. Not in a hundred years. 23:24.920 --> 23:28.920 You've done two stretches already for hanging paper. You should have known better, mister. 23:28.920 --> 23:33.920 You got it all figured out, haven't you, fuzz? Well, I'm not going back. 23:33.920 --> 23:36.920 Take it easy. You got a couple of more weeks on bail before the trial. 23:36.920 --> 23:41.920 Yeah. A couple of weeks. 23:41.920 --> 23:44.920 What's the matter with you? Don't you feel well? 23:44.920 --> 23:46.920 They won't get me back to Fulton. 23:46.920 --> 23:53.920 You're not making it any easier on yourself. All right, Archie. 23:57.920 --> 24:03.920 Don't you cops understand? I hate it. Every lousy bit of it. I'm not going back to Fulton. 24:03.920 --> 24:07.920 I'm not going back. Now, do you understand? 24:07.920 --> 24:12.920 That's a good idea, mister. You remember that when you get out. 24:12.920 --> 24:18.920 We booked Harry Johansson into county jail. His bail was continued and he was released pending a trial. 24:18.920 --> 24:23.920 During the next week, along with the district attorney's office, Ben and I helped prepare the case against Johansson. 24:23.920 --> 24:26.920 Three days before the trial opened, we had a phone call from Mrs. Johansson. 24:26.920 --> 24:29.920 She told us that her husband had disappeared. 24:29.920 --> 24:34.920 Although there was nothing we could do until he actually failed to appear in Superior Court at the appointed time. 24:34.920 --> 24:39.920 On Monday, April 3rd, the case of the state versus Harry L. Johansson officially opened. 24:39.920 --> 24:45.920 The defendant failed to show. A bench warrant was immediately issued and we got out of broadcast and an APB on the suspect. 24:45.920 --> 24:49.920 Stakeouts were placed in his house and at the apartment of his common law wife. 24:49.920 --> 24:55.920 Two days passed. No sign of him. 24:55.920 --> 24:59.920 Nothing, Joe. Pummelay just checked it out. 24:59.920 --> 25:03.920 How about those two ex-con pals of Johansson's? Did you check with them? 25:03.920 --> 25:08.920 Yeah, nothing there. I don't see how it can last out much longer. One suit of clothes, no money. 25:08.920 --> 25:12.920 He's still got a checkbook. When did the skipper say he was coming back? 25:12.920 --> 25:15.920 Around 7.30 tonight. 7.15 now. 25:15.920 --> 25:19.920 I'll get it. 25:19.920 --> 25:20.920 Forgery Friday. 25:20.920 --> 25:23.920 Joseph, this is your mother. 25:23.920 --> 25:24.920 Oh, yeah. Hi, Ma. 25:24.920 --> 25:29.920 I forgot to tell you when you called earlier. You're supposed to be home tonight by 8 o'clock. 25:29.920 --> 25:30.920 What's that, Ma? 25:30.920 --> 25:35.920 Mary Fowler. She's coming over to visit tonight and Genevieve's coming with her. 25:35.920 --> 25:41.920 Yeah, well, look, will you try to explain to them that I'm working and I can't get away, huh? 25:41.920 --> 25:43.920 Well, all right, Joseph. I'll try. 25:43.920 --> 25:47.920 If I possibly can, I'll try to make it home by 10. Will that be all right? 25:47.920 --> 25:52.920 All right, Joseph. I'll see what I can do. Genevieve's going to be disappointed. 25:52.920 --> 25:55.920 Yeah. If I'm later than that, don't wait up for me, huh? 25:55.920 --> 25:57.920 Yes, all right then. 25:57.920 --> 25:58.920 Bye, Ma. 25:58.920 --> 26:02.920 Yes. Bye, Joseph. 26:02.920 --> 26:05.920 Oh, thanks, Giver. The call just came in. 26:05.920 --> 26:06.920 Yeah? 26:06.920 --> 26:08.920 I found Johansson. 26:08.920 --> 26:16.920 Captain Elliott, Ben, and I drove out the highway to the Tehunga Wash. 26:16.920 --> 26:18.920 We turned off and headed into the Mount Gleason area. 26:18.920 --> 26:22.920 Captain Elliott directed us onto a dirt road halfway up one of the mountains. 26:22.920 --> 26:25.920 We spotted a group of cars pulled off on the shoulder of the road. 26:25.920 --> 26:29.920 We parked behind them, got out, and started over. 26:29.920 --> 26:31.920 Who found the cars, Giver? 26:31.920 --> 26:33.920 One of the people living back in the hills. 26:33.920 --> 26:35.920 We spotted it on our way home from work. 26:35.920 --> 26:36.920 Hmm. 26:36.920 --> 26:37.920 Horn and got here in a hurry. 26:37.920 --> 26:39.920 Yeah. Hi, Dave. 26:39.920 --> 26:41.920 How you doing, Joe? Captain Elliott. 26:41.920 --> 26:42.920 How long has he been dead? 26:42.920 --> 26:45.920 Since last night, I figure. Come on over. 26:45.920 --> 26:50.920 You talked to the man who found Johansson's body, Dave? 26:50.920 --> 26:51.920 Yeah, he didn't touch a thing. 26:51.920 --> 26:52.920 What'd you find? 26:52.920 --> 26:55.920 Powder burns on the temple, powder on the hands. 26:55.920 --> 26:57.920 Boys from Homicide found the note. 26:57.920 --> 26:59.920 It's on the seat right next to him. 26:59.920 --> 27:01.920 Here it is here. It's been checked. 27:01.920 --> 27:03.920 Yeah, thanks. 27:03.920 --> 27:05.920 All ties in, huh, Dave? 27:05.920 --> 27:06.920 Pretty tight, yeah. 27:06.920 --> 27:09.920 Gene Bechdel from Homicide wants to talk to you, Captain. 27:09.920 --> 27:10.920 Okay, be right back, Joe. 27:10.920 --> 27:11.920 Right. 27:11.920 --> 27:14.920 Who do you address the note to, Joe's wife? 27:14.920 --> 27:16.920 No, my girlfriend. 27:16.920 --> 27:18.920 Look what he wrote it on. 27:18.920 --> 27:21.920 Yeah, blank check. 27:21.920 --> 27:30.920 The story you've just heard was true. 27:30.920 --> 27:33.920 Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. 27:33.920 --> 27:36.920 On April 9th, an inquest was held in the coroner's office 27:36.920 --> 27:39.920 on the main floor of the Hall of Justice, Los Angeles, California. 27:39.920 --> 27:41.920 In a moment, the results of that inquest. 27:41.920 --> 27:44.920 And now, here is our star, Jack Webb. 27:44.920 --> 27:45.920 Thank you. 27:45.920 --> 27:49.920 The working detective comes in contact with many people in his daily tour of duty, 27:49.920 --> 27:53.920 people who are willing to cooperate, and those who won't even try. 27:53.920 --> 27:56.920 It's a difficult task, but the police officer has been trained 27:56.920 --> 27:59.920 to try to please everybody to the best of his ability. 27:59.920 --> 28:01.920 So with a cigarette. 28:01.920 --> 28:05.920 The people who make Fatima try to please all long cigarette smokers. 28:05.920 --> 28:09.920 They carefully select and blend the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos 28:09.920 --> 28:14.920 to make Fatima extra mild, the best of all long cigarettes. 28:14.920 --> 28:18.920 Now, if you're a long cigarette smoker like I am, smoke Fatima. 28:18.920 --> 28:20.920 Every pack is extra mild. 28:20.920 --> 28:22.920 Fatima. 28:22.920 --> 28:35.920 On April 9th, the coroner's jury returned a verdict that the death of Harry L. Johansson 28:35.920 --> 28:39.920 was caused by a gunshot wound in the head, self-inflicted. 28:39.920 --> 28:48.920 You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases from official files. 28:48.920 --> 28:51.920 Technical advice for Dragnet comes from the Office of Chief of Police, 28:51.920 --> 28:55.920 W.H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department. 28:55.920 --> 29:00.920 Fatima cigarettes, the best of all long cigarettes, has brought you Dragnet from Los Angeles. 29:00.920 --> 29:02.920 Coming up, Duffy's Tavern. 29:02.920 --> 29:06.920 More good times on NBC.