The story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the
innocent. Here a detective sergeant here assigned a robbery detail. A man is pulled from his
car on a deserted street. He is robbed, beaten viciously. His car is stolen. A criminal makes
good his escape. Your job, find him.
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 transcribed 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, July 9th. It was warm in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out
of robbery detail. My partner is Ben Romero. The boss is Thad Brown, Chief of Detectives.
My name is Friday. It was 9.55 a.m. when we got to the Stacy Hollywood Department store.
Personnel department.
Stacy Hollywood, that would be the Yardage Department. Yes ma'am, I'll connect you. Yes
sir, can I help you?
Police officer.
Yes sir.
I'd like to speak to one of your employees, Harvey Kimbrough.
Just a moment, I'll page him for you.
You got a match?
Yeah, I hear you.
Thank you.
When I was a kid, I never could figure out what that was.
What's that?
The auto call system to call employees to the phone. Rings all over the store, you know.
Yeah, I know.
Office. Yes, Mr. Kimbrough, there are two policemen waiting to see you on the 10th floor.
All right. That was Mr. Kimbrough, he's on his way up.
Thank you very much.
Did I give you the crime report on this thing?
No, I think you kept it in.
Let's see.
Stacy Hollywood.
Oh yeah, yeah, I hear you.
Go to my father.
Oh, say, what do you got there?
They call them Pepto Pals, they're good.
What are they for?
They're good for the stomach. For stomach, that's not good.
Well, I haven't got a stomachache.
These gentlemen here, Stella?
Yes, that's right.
Are you Harvey Kimbrough?
Yes, sir, that's right. I sure appreciate you people coming over here. I don't like to take time off from work. It makes it tough when my partners Clyde and Warren.
Yes, sir, we understand.
General work in a big store like this keeps you hopping.
You haven't got any idea who the holdup men are yet, have you?
No, sir, we haven't. We'd like to get a little more information on what happened.
Can't you talk to the two officers in the police car?
Yes, we did, but it's customary for us to make a follow-up for any additional information.
You fellows are plain clothesmen, isn't it?
Yeah, we're from Central Robert.
Oh, I see. Well, I never knew I'd get this much service.
Yes, sir. I wonder if we might step outside the office here. I don't imagine you want to discuss your personal business here in the office.
As very considered of you. Thank you.
Fine.
Go ahead.
I wonder if you'd mind going over it again for us, Mr. Kimbrough. Maybe something you didn't think of when the other officers talked to you?
I believe I told them everything. I was on my way into work this morning about 5 a.m.
You live out in El Hamel?
Yes, sir. That's right. I take the freeway in.
It was on Commercial Street that you were held up?
That's right. Commercial, right near Alameda, almost to the corner, where they're tearing those buildings down.
A man flagged me down. It looked like his car was stalled.
Yes, sir.
I always make it a habit to stop when I see somebody in trouble. I know how it is at time of the morning. No gas stations open.
I figured maybe the fellow needed a shove or something.
So you stopped to give him a hand, is that right?
That's what I had in mind. I had no more to stop the car. He came over, pointed a gun at me, and told me to get out.
What did you do?
Well, I asked the fellow what did he want. I told him I didn't have any money. I told him I was on my way into work.
What did he say to that?
He didn't say anything. He just opened the car door, grabbed me by the arm, and pulled me out. I wasn't prepared for it, and I kind of fell out onto the street.
Yeah.
I still didn't know what he was after. I thought at first he might have been crazy. He was going to kill me.
Why did you think he was going to kill you? Did he threaten you?
No, with the gun and all, and the way he pulled me out of the car, I just couldn't make it out.
I see. Would you go on, please?
Well, he took my wallet from me, all the money I had, $14.
And then he said, don't bother to get up and stay right there for five minutes after I leave. And then he bent down and he hit me in the face.
When did he hit you with?
With his fist. Me right here in the mouth. You can see the cut right inside my lip here.
You can see the blood pretty heavy.
Yeah, it's a nasty cut.
What's better now, a man who came in the ambulance, they put something on it, it'll be all right.
Well, did he knock you out when he hit you?
No, I saw him get into my car, and then the car parked up ahead took off, and this man who held me up, he followed my car.
Do you have anything more on the description of the holed-up man or his car?
No, I think I told the other officers everything I could remember.
Would you recognize a man if you saw him again, Mr. Ambrose?
Yes, sir, I think I would.
Well, your car is a blue 1948 Dodge Sedan, right rear fender damage, is that correct?
Yes, sir.
Any other identifying marks at all?
No, sir, that's about the size of it.
And the other car looked to you like a late model Chevrolet, is that right?
49 and 50 anyway, two-tone green.
Yes, sir, that's what we have.
Did you see the license number on that?
No, sir, I didn't.
This witness is listed here, Mr. Sidney Ferguson.
That was the fellow that stopped and picked me up, brought me into work.
Did you talk to him yet? He might be able to help.
We're going to see him as soon as we leave you.
800 block on Saddlecoy.
Yes, sir, that's right.
Sure hope you get that thief.
My car, too.
Awful hard to get around Los Angeles without a car.
I'll do my best.
I was just wondering, Mr. Kimbrough.
Yes, sir, what's that?
Well, you say that when the man hit you, he didn't knock you out. You weren't unconscious.
No, sir, I was not.
Well, did you try to locate a phone, call for help?
I didn't have to. This Mr. Ferguson pulled up and stopped right away, and then the officers came.
Besides, I figured I'd better do what I was told.
How's that?
I was afraid. I was going to wait five minutes.
Ben and I left the department store, picked up our car in the parking lot next door, and drove out to the San Fernando Valley, the 800 block on Saddlecoy Avenue.
Citizen's home was at the Rittenwein Bar.
Romberg, through the gate, they're on the driveway.
This way, I guess, huh?
Yes, sir.
Hi there. This is the Ferguson house.
Yes, sir, we're looking for Sidney Ferguson.
Surely, I'm Sidney Ferguson.
Police officers, Mr. Ferguson.
I thought they'd hold up this morning. I'm on commercial stream.
Yes, sir, that's right. This is Sergeant Romero. My name's Friday.
Happy to know you. Excuse my wet hand when cleaning out my tanks.
Oh, yes, sir.
You fellas work out of City Hall?
Yes, we do.
Wouldn't happen to know a John O'Grady down there, Narcotics Division?
No, I don't believe I know him. Ben?
O'Grady?
Yeah.
Tall fella, kind of blonde, wavy hair?
Yeah, yeah, that's right. Good looking fella.
Yeah, I think I've seen him around.
Good friend of mine. Wasn't that a shameless morning, that Kimball guy?
Yeah, it was a rough one. The reason we came out to see is that we thought that maybe you could give us some additional information on it.
Glad to give you all the help I can. I'd like to see you get that hold up, man.
Mind giving us a rundown on what happened this morning?
Not at all. It's around five o'clock this morning. I'm not usually up at that time in the morning, but I was on my way back from Monterey Park.
Then I tried to make it down there at least once, twice a month. Go down to see Jack Robinson, an acquirer's friend I have down there. We swapped places.
Yes, sir.
I was on my way back coming down Commercial Street when I saw this man sitting on the side of the curb. It looked like he was hurt to me.
Yes, sir. I don't know what you're saying.
Wouldn't have noticed it, probably. It was pretty dark, but those two cars pulled out, one right after the other. Seemed to be in a big hurry.
You pulled up to give Kimball a hand?
Yes, I did. Of course, when I got close enough, I could see the guy had been kicking the teeth, bleeding pretty bad.
Offered to take him to a hospital, but he said he didn't want to be late for work.
After the officers came and talked to him and the ambulancemen treated him, I drove him up to Stacey's Hollywood, dropped him off there. That's where he works.
Yeah. Well, the report says here that you got the license number of the getaway car, but you couldn't find the paper that you'd written it on when the officers interviewed you.
Yes, I did. And that doesn't beat them all.
What's that?
Well, I had the piece of paper a few minutes before the officers got there. I guess I was more rattled than the Kimbrough fellow.
When I got home here this morning, there was a slip of paper right on the floor of my car. A little bit of a break, isn't it?
Yes, sir, it is. I wonder if we could have it.
You bet you can. Let's step inside.
All right. Thank you.
Don't mind the fish, officers. It's my hobby, tropical fish.
Sure got a lot of them.
Yeah. Let's see. Now, where did I put that piece of paper?
I really wrote it down. Believe me, I just misplaced it someplace here. I'm trying to get rid of some of the algae off a glass of the tanks.
Joe, look at these. You ever seen anything prettier in your life?
Yeah. Those are what they call clownfish, saltwater fish.
Do you keep all tropical fish in saltwater?
Oh, no. Most of them are freshwater. That is, ones that breed good in captivity.
Where do you get all these fish, catching?
Oh, no. A place called Aquarium Stock Company on Unbreverly.
Look there, Joe. Down the corner. See them over there?
That's a seahorse, Joe.
Yeah, that's right. They're also kept in saltwater.
Sure is interesting, huh, Joe?
Yeah.
How do you fellas really like to see something you haven't seen before?
What's that?
Look in this tank here. Poplacromis multicolor. That's a scientific name, commonly known as the Egyptian mouthbreeder.
Is that a fly?
It's a little female, yeah. She's one of the most sacrificing mothers in aquarium history. One of the strangest, too.
How's that?
Well, she lays her eggs in a small depression in the sand down there at the bottom of the tank.
How many eggs would that be?
Usually 80 to 90. Now, here's the strange part. As the eggs are fertilized, she scoops them up in her mouth.
She eats them?
Oh, no. They remain in her mouth while they hatch.
Well, how long does that take?
Over 14 days.
Well, how does she eat?
That's just it. She doesn't. She doesn't touch food in any form for this two-week period. Seems to just waste away.
And what happens then?
Finally, the eggs hatch after 14 days, and the little fry comes swimming out of the mother's mouth.
Yeah.
And while the fry are growing up, first you know, you can hardly see them. They're so tiny.
While they're growing up, if anything frightens them, as quick as a flash, they're back in the mother's mouth.
That's certainly amazing. Yeah?
Yeah.
Poplacromis multicolor, commonly known as the Egyptian mouthbreeder.
That is big as ever again?
Yes, sir. One inch to an inch and a half.
It's hard to believe.
The feathers are almost as strange. The male builds a bubble nest on the surface of the water. That's these in this tank.
Here's that paper.
The one I wrote the license number on.
Oh, that's fine. What if I could see that, please?
Here you are.
Thank you.
You're pretty sure of this number, Mr. Ferguson?
Yes, I am. I got a good look at it.
Well, thank you very much, sir.
Yeah, thank you.
Not at all. I wish you could come over and spend a little time. You seem kind of interested in tropical fish.
Yeah, well, maybe I'll do that sometime.
Bye.
Bye, sir. Thanks very much.
That's a good break if this license number checks out.
Yeah. That Ferguson's a nice fella.
Say, Sergeant Romero.
Yes, sir?
Oh, you almost forgot. I meant to ask you.
What's that?
About five weeks from now.
Yeah?
How would you like a nice pair of baby Egyptian mouthbreeders?
Ten forty-five a.m. Ben and I got in the car and headed back toward town.
I called Communications and had them check the license number Ferguson gave us through DMV.
They called back and told us that the car was a 1949 Chevrolet four-door sedan.
The registered owner was a Jack B. Grant, 19112 Beacon Street.
He was in the southwest part of Los Angeles.
It was a large, old-fashioned residence that had been converted into a rooming house.
We checked with the landlady, Mrs. Ida Fisher.
He's been with me here about eight months.
What time did you say Grant left this morning, Miss Fisher?
Well, it was pretty early.
It must have been around four a.m. and I heard him go out.
He came back in again about eight o'clock this morning, parked his car, and then he drove off with some other man.
Would you happen to know the other man?
No, I wouldn't. I just saw him drive off.
Where does Grant park his car, ma'am?
Around back in the garage.
What if you'd mind if we take a look?
I'd know. That's all right. You just go right around the back there, down the drive.
Thank you very much, ma'am.
Now, there's two cars parked in there. The black Ford belongs to Mr. Spencer.
Yes, ma'am. Thank you.
And the 1949 Chevrolet. That's Mr. Grant's.
We checked the car and the license number.
It matched the description given us by the victim, Harvey Kimbrough, and the witness, Sydney Ferguson.
Together with Mrs. Fisher, we checked Jack Grant's room. We found nothing of importance.
His clothing and personal effects were all there. Nothing to indicate that he wouldn't be back.
We told the lady that we were placing the house under surveillance, and if Grant should return, not to say that we'd been there.
She agreed and offered further assistance.
She said she'd signal us by raising or lowering a front window curtain when Grant returned.
We parked down the street, called the office, and advised them we were on stakeout.
Two men were sent out, and they covered the back entrance. Ben and I covered the front.
By six o'clock that night, Grant had failed the show.
Nine p.m. Still nothing. Eleven p.m.
What time did they say that relief team was coming out?
Around eleven sometime.
Chandler and Ricketts, huh?
Yeah, I guess so.
Oh, I sure am stiff. Feels like needles all over my body.
Been about twelve hours, hasn't it?
Yeah.
Feels like driving up San Francisco.
Wife always makes me drive all the way.
When I climb out of that car, I'm as stiff as a board.
Mm-hmm. Car pulling up down the street there.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm. That's Ricketts.
Hi, Jack.
Friday, who's that you got with you?
Same guy that bought you your lunch yesterday.
Stop bragging. That's the house right up there, huh?
Yeah, that's right. The green and white one there.
No sign of him at all, huh?
No, nothing.
Well, you guys want to take off?
Yeah. I guess you can make out, Ricketts. You got Chandler with you.
I feel sorry for you, Friday, drawing this guy for a partner.
Well, after seven years, he kind of grows on you.
I'd like to check out the landlady before we take off.
Her name's Ida Fisher, Jack.
Right, Joe.
Let's go, Jim.
Yeah.
See you later, Jack.
Say hello to Chandler.
Right then.
That Ricketts.
Sure is a rib-staker.
Yeah.
Front room lights are still on.
Guess she's sweating it out with her.
Yes?
Who is it?
The officer's Miss Fisher.
Who?
Sergeant Friday.
Oh, yes.
Sorry to bother you again, ma'am.
That's all right. I just couldn't see who it was and the porch lights burned out.
Yes, ma'am.
Mr. Grant's?
I went out of his room.
I don't see why. He hasn't come in.
Hey, out, ma'am!
Mr. Grant, move it! Mr. Grant!
Ricketts, it's Grant! I'm back!
Right, right!
All right.
He made me hide him.
Lady, will you call an ambulance? Hurry.
You know...
He's not dead, is he?
Lady, get the ambulance, please.
Monday, July 9th, 1128 p.m.
The ambulance arrived and Joe was taken to Georgia Street Receiving Hospital.
His condition was critical.
Despite the fact that the other men on stakeout at the house had closed in as quickly as possible,
Jack Grant somehow succeeded in jumping out his side window and making good his escape through a maze of neighboring backyards.
The men at the scene began a search of the immediate area.
I called in and communications got out of broadcast on an APB.
A spatial detail of men and cruiser cars was rushed to the scene and a blockade thrown up around the area.
I stayed on and worked with Ricketts and Chandler.
Under questioning, the landlady, Mrs. Fisher, broke down and admitted that Grant had given her $10 to keep his presence in the house a secret.
She told us that when we had searched the suspect's room earlier, he had hidden in the cellar.
She was taken into custody.
1.30 a.m.
I got a relief and I went downtown to the Georgia Street Receiving Hospital, P.N.F. Ward.
We removed one slug from the upper thoracic region, another one from his right shoulder.
It looked like they could have been.38 caliber. They've been marked for evidence.
How's he doing?
As well as can be expected.
What does that mean?
It's hard to tell. It depends on how it goes the next four hours.
Can I go see him?
No, we're not admitting anyone in there. They're under sedatives, lost quite a lot of blood. It's pretty weak.
Do you need anybody for transfusion?
It's all taken care of.
His relatives have been notified?
Yes, sir. Just his mother. She's visiting relatives up in Renton, Washington. I sent them a wire.
They'll break the news to her.
That's about all we can do for now.
I wonder if I couldn't sneak in and leave this cart and the cigarettes for him.
I'm afraid it's going to be some time before Sergeant Friday can use them. Just leave them. I'll have the nurse take care of it.
All right, doctor. Thank you.
Is there anything I can get for him? Anything he needs?
No. We're doing everything we can for him.
You don't think I could just look in for a minute?
No, I'm sorry.
Must be something I can do.
You got a good prayer handy?
Two a.m.
I left Georgia Street Receiving Hospital and drove back to the scene of the shooting.
The search for the suspect, Jack Grant, was still going on.
The neighborhood was checked and we checked.
Everything possible was done to find the man who had shot down Sergeant Joe Friday.
It's been said that a police department goes all out, doubles its efforts to run down a criminal who attacks a police officer.
It's true. But most people aren't aware of the reason.
Certain elements of the police are believed to be the police officer places the safety of his fellow officers above that of the citizen.
This isn't true.
His first day at the Academy, the cadet police officer is taught this basic fact.
If a criminal would shoot down the armed police officer, he wouldn't hesitate to shoot down the unarmed citizen.
Three a.m.
I finally located Lieutenant Jack Ricketts at the corner of Coronada and Beacon Street, seven blocks from the scene of the shooting.
How is he?
Not too good. Depends on the next four hours.
What are his chances?
I didn't ask.
We're not getting any place here.
Nothing at all?
Nothing.
Something's got to break.
Chan was still downtown. They're combing through Grant's package down at the Eye Bureau.
Did he come up with anything?
Not the last time I checked, about 40 minutes ago.
Got any ideas?
Fresh out. You?
Couldn't have gotten far. Not this soon he couldn't.
Bus depots, train terminals and airports are all covered.
Iowa patrol's been alerted. Nothing so far.
He's someplace close. He's got to be.
I think he's holed up in town too, but where?
Yeah.
He's in a jam. He's had good publicity. A lot of his friends are going to hide to welcome that.
Maybe that narrows it down a little.
Maybe.
Let's find him.
Three thirty a.m.
Jack Ricketts and I got back to the city hall. We went directly to the Eye Bureau.
Chan learned powers had sifted through Jack Grant's package.
They'd drawn up a list of all Grant's known friends and associates.
There were 22 names on the list.
Three of them were in San Quentin Penitentiary.
Two of them were doing time at the Collie work for him.
That left 17 names on the list.
Further checking showed that five of them had out-of-state addresses.
Twelve names.
The list was split down the middle.
Ricketts and I took six names. Chan learned powers six.
Of the twelve, with the exception of one, all names had appeared in police blotter in the past eight years.
Raymond Weller, Peter Denton, Horace Phillips, Henry Breen.
Ricketts and I checked them.
Some were in bed. Some hadn't been to bed.
We were reasonably sure none of them knew the whereabouts of the suspect.
I called Georgia Street to find out about Joe.
They told me no change in his condition.
Four fifty-five a.m.
After this one we get a quick bite to eat, huh? You don't look so good.
I'm not hungry. What's this one's name?
Anthony Baxter, room twenty-three.
This is him.
Yeah. Anthony Baxter?
Yeah.
Police officers, we want to talk to you.
It's a fine hour to get a guy out of bed.
You always sleep with your clothes on?
Step back there in the room.
What's going on?
You a friend of Jack Grant's?
Why?
You know Jack Grant?
Why?
Jack Grant's a friend of yours.
I'm not going to tell you anything until I know why.
You want to talk here or downtown?
I got a right to know what it's all about.
Get your hat and coat.
You just want to know if I know Jack Grant, is that all?
You want to get that coat in hand?
I know Grant. Where is he?
I don't want to get mixed up in anything.
You're mixed up in it already, you know him.
You know, that's the trouble with you guys.
Guy tries to walk us straight in the air and you guys come around and try and push him into a corner.
Where's Grant?
Look, I've been in jail and I did my time. You haven't got anything on me.
Baxter, let's get this straight. We're not after you, we're after Grant.
We didn't come here to push you around. We don't want you to push us around. And where is he?
I'm going to tell you something.
I don't like being talked to this way and I'm not going to stand for it.
I got certain rights and I'm going to stand on it.
Now, you listen to me. A friend of mine is lying in the hospital because of your pal Jack Grant.
He put two bullets in him. Now I'm tired and I'm out of things. Where is he?
Where is he?
All right, Ben, it's all right.
It's the last time around, Baxter. Tell us where Grant is or we go downtown.
Come on, quick.
Hotel Filbert, room 605.
527 Mayhem. We located the Filbert Hotel on North Crocker Street.
On the way over we called in and told them what we'd found.
Chandler and Powers met us outside the hotel. They took up their position.
Ricketts and I checked with the desk clerk and confirmed that the suspect was in room 605.
He was registered under an alias.
We took the elevator to the sixth floor. Room 605 is directly across from the elevator.
What is it?
Police officer.
Watch your pants.
Now keep your hand out of that pocket, Grant. I wouldn't want to shoot you.
542 A.M. Ricketts and Chandler took the suspect into custody.
It was 6.03 A.M. when I got to Georgia Street Receiving Hospital, PNF Ward.
I was in the hospital.
You can go in. Don't stay too long.
Thanks.
Hi, June.
Hi.
You're tired.
How you feeling?
All due.
I'm sorry.
You look tired. How you feeling?
All due. How'd it go?
I got bland.
You look tired.
Been working straight through, huh?
Yeah. Anything I can get you?
No. Guess I better hurry up and get out of here, huh?
Why?
Well, we still got that stolen car to find.
The horror you just heard was true. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent.
On November 7th, trial was held in Superior Court, Department 89, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California.
We'll see in a moment the results of that trial.
Jack Grant was tried and convicted on one count of assault to commit murder.
He and his accomplice were convicted on several counts of first-degree robbery.
Assault to commit murder is punishable by imprisonment for from one to 14 years,
first-degree robbery by imprisonment from five years to life.
The second lady, Ida Fisher, was placed on probation.
You have just heard drag met a series of authentic cases from official fires.
This advice comes from the Office of Chief of Police W.H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department.