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You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to narcotics detail. You receive information that one of your city's most fashionable hotels is being used as the clearing house for high-grade heroin.
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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 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 Tuesday, October 5th. It was foggy and rainy in Los Angeles.
We were working the day watch out in narcotics division. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Captain Kearney. My name's Friday.
It was 847 a.m. when we got to 401 North Avenue 19, the main jail. Felony section.
Morning, fellas.
How are you today, Pete?
Morning.
What brings you up here so early?
We want to see Monty Wilkins. Booked in last night on narcotics. Booking numbers 906351.
Okay. Let me look.
Okay.
Here it is. Season 103.
Thank you, Pete. I'll put it in the book here, Joe.
Okay.
Here's my gun. You want to check it with your?
Yeah, right.
I'll put them away.
Okay, Pete.
Here's your check.
Thank you, Pete. All set, Ben?
906351.
That's it.
Okay. Let's go.
All right.
All right. We want to talk to Monty Wilkins, season 103.
All right. We'll get him.
Monty Wilkins 103, for interview.
Hello, Friday. Ben?
Hi, Monty. Better move out of the way there. He wants to lock that door, Monty.
Oh, yeah.
Let's go around the corner to the interview room, Monty.
All right.
Man, this is awful.
What's the matter? Don't you feel good?
I feel awful. Pretty sick.
You look bad.
I'll get the light.
Okay, Ben.
Sit down, Monty.
Okay. Thanks.
It's been about a year and a half, hasn't it, Monty?
About that long, yeah.
We got you for possession that time, too, didn't we?
Yeah, that's right.
How long you been on the stuff this time?
I guess I've been hooked bad about a month.
How much you shooting?
About two caps a day.
And you were picked up down in Slauson last night, you had seven caps on you.
Yeah, that's right.
We checked with the crime lab. They've run the stuff.
It's not the usual Mexican, is it?
That's right.
You want to tell us about it?
Yeah, it's good stuff. It's not Mexican.
We know that, Monty. Where'd you get it?
Haven't had anything like that for a long time. Real good.
Haven't been cut. Real fine.
Maybe it's coming in from the East Coast. Can't get nothing like that from Mexico.
Now, look, Monty, we ran the stuff through the lab.
We know it's high-grade heroin. We know all about it.
Now, I want you to tell us where you've been getting it.
Well, you know how it is. You want to ask the impossible of me?
My life wouldn't be worth a penny. You know how it is.
We handled you a year and a half ago, didn't we, Monty?
Yeah.
You're still around, aren't you?
Yeah, I did time, though.
Well, you knew that going in. You're going to do time this trip, too.
So don't shoot us that line, huh?
Well, you guys know how it is with us guys. I can't tell you anything.
No, it isn't that you can't. You just don't want to.
Now, look, we didn't come up here to spend the time of day with you, Wilkins.
This is the only time around. If you want to help us, you can help yourself at the same time.
It's up to you.
You mean you can clear me on this? You can give me a break?
We didn't say that. We can't make any promises to you or give you any kind of a break.
It's entirely up to you how you want us to put it down in our reports, cooperative or uncooperative.
Hmm. Well, okay. You squared with me last time.
You helped us last time. We made a case.
But I'm not going to be able to help you very much.
Where you been getting it?
Well, I've only made a couple of buys on that good stuff.
I just got it from some old mule I just happened to meet down there.
Seemed to be pretty well loaded with the stuff.
Where'd you meet him?
Oh, down near Fifth and Spring somewhere.
What's his name?
I never did know his name. I just knew that he was pushing the stuff.
Some old mule, that's all.
Who's he pushing it for?
You know they never tell us guys where they're getting it. You know how they do.
Yeah.
I never did talk to him very much.
I did hear him say once he was getting this stuff from a new bunch of guys from the East.
Said they were really going to open up this town.
The way he talked, there were no small time operators.
I got enough out of it to know they're working out of the Plaza Royal Hotel.
Never figured that, would you?
Anything else? Any names mentioned?
Yeah, I remember this old mule mentioned a couple names.
I think he talked about somebody named Kirk and another guy called Smith.
Now you understand, this guy was just talking. I don't know how they fit in or what the connections are.
Where can we get a hold of this old mule?
I don't know where he's at.
How do you get a hold of him when you want to make a buy?
I just run into him, that's all. Down around Spring Street.
You know, just around. Last time I was down I couldn't find him.
Is that all of it, Monty? Is that all you can tell us?
Well, I don't know too much anyway. You know how it is.
I couldn't tell you anymore. That's all I know.
All right, let's get out of this 510 if that's all you got.
That's everything I got.
I hope you fellas will write me up okay. I think I helped you quite a bit, haven't I?
One of the best hotels in town, Plaza Royal.
Never would have figured that, would you?
Maybe.
I've told you quite a lot. The rest ought to be easy.
No, you're wrong there, Monty.
Why?
You haven't told us the name of your mule. You haven't told us where we could find him. You haven't made it so easy.
That's all I have. I've told you a lot.
Yeah, there's a lot you didn't tell.
We continued our interrogation of Monty Wilkins. He refused to divulge any further information.
What he had told us, together with information already compiled, seemed to check out.
For the past seven months, we'd been trying to localize the operations of what had come to be regarded as a well-running distribution center for high-grade heroin.
We knew of the existence of this distribution point through the various users that had been picked up almost daily.
These users would have in their possession quantities of high-grade narcotics.
Unlike the cheaper, lower-grade quality common in the southwest part of the country,
this type of heroin was more common to the eastern section of the United States.
We had believed the local distribution point to be somewhere in our metropolitan downtown area.
The information gained from Monty Wilkins had strengthened this theory.
10.25 a.m. We met with Francis Kearney, captain of the narcotics division.
Plizer Royal Hotel. What do you think?
Well, we figured what we were looking for could be in that area, but we've never put our finger on that hotel.
How do you figure on working it?
Well, driving back from the jail, Ben and I were just kicking it around.
Skipper, what do you think about putting a man in that hotel?
Anything's a great deal better than we're doing now, but I don't know.
Well, I'd like to give it a try.
You sure like a crack at it, Skipper?
You know how I feel about these kind of assignments, one man working inside, one outside.
Brings the element of danger up kind of high.
Well, we know it's not going to be easy, but it looks like a good bet.
Sometimes these things are, sometimes they're not.
You know what kind of a bunch they've got to be.
They've been running their racket just about as smooth as it can be run.
You know the kind of a risk a man would have to take if he tried to make contact with any of them.
Well, I think it's about the quickest way to get to them.
Well, maybe it might be worth it.
You got any ideas how you'd like to work it?
Just one thing, we haven't come to any decision who's going in and who isn't.
Well, I think I ought to be the one to work it from the inside of the hotel with Ben working outside as a contact.
I don't know why we can't just turn that around.
Last time you had the rough end.
Joe, you just got back from your vacation about three weeks ago, didn't you?
Yeah, that's right.
Didn't you stay down in Arizona? Phoenix, wasn't it?
Yeah.
You know the town very well?
Well, we got some relatives down there, yeah.
If they started asking you any questions about Phoenix, you could fill them in, huh?
I think so.
That's probably the best way to settle it, Romero.
Friday, he'll be in a better position knowing a little about Phoenix.
I don't see how you figured that way.
I went on my vacation, too, Columbus, Ohio.
Well, because of the type of stuff that's been coming in,
don't you think it'd be a little safer bet to have our men come from somewhere out this way rather than from the east?
Yeah, it makes sense.
Well, you did it again, Joe. You beat me out.
All right, let's figure it this way.
You're a local Phoenix hoodlum.
Things got too hot for you down there, and you came up to L.A. to cool off.
Yeah.
How about Joe Edwards? How's that sound?
That sounds right to me.
We'll get all the necessary cards, identification papers, and a few letters to carry around with you all under the name Joe Edwards.
All right.
I think the best way to work it is for you to hop right down to Phoenix.
When you get in town, check with Roberts. He's in Narcotics Town.
Yeah, I know him.
Have Roberts fill you in on what's been going on down there.
Any of their current characters they've handled recently?
Any that have been known to pass through, you know, so you can talk about it freely.
Yeah, I understand.
Joe, when you check into the hotel down there, why don't you wire a head up here to the Plaza Royal for reservation?
Might be a good cover.
Yeah, a good thought. That's the way to handle it.
You two have worked these things before. You know what to do. All the necessary precautions.
Well, how long do you figure out a layover in Phoenix?
A couple days, maybe.
Think that's long enough for you to get filled in, what you need?
Oh, yeah, that's fine. Well, I'll go home and get packed. I'll start on it first thing in the morning.
All right. Romero will stand by at all times, day and night, while you're on this thing.
You know enough to call if things get tight.
Sure.
As soon as you get in from Phoenix and get located at the Plaza Royal, get in touch so we'll know which way to move.
Right. Anything else?
No, we want to break this thing, but we don't want to do it at the risk of a life. So if it starts getting warm, check out.
Okay.
I still don't like sending anybody on something like this, but it's got to be done.
We don't know enough about it. We don't know how many are in the gang. We don't know what kind of a bunch they are.
So be careful. I will.
If you're not and I hear about it, this will be your last assignment like this.
Yeah.
If I don't hear about it, well, you figure it.
Yeah. Either way, I lose.
I went over to the photo room at the crime lab and picked up the identification papers that had been made out in the name of Joe Edwards.
I went home and removed all Los Angeles labels from the clothing that I was to take with me to Phoenix, Arizona.
I removed all my personal identification and Los Angeles Police Department credentials.
I left my service revolver home and borrowed a 38 automatic from Ben.
I packed it in my suitcase.
The crime lab also furnished me with a package or a bindle made to resemble the usual form in which a person would carry heroin.
I packed this in my suitcase.
Before my departure, Ben and I went over the proposed plan as best we could.
I was to arrive from Phoenix under the assumed name of Joe Edwards.
I would register at the Plaza Royal Hotel in downtown Los Angeles and attempt to make arrangements to participate in a narcotics buy for the purpose of gaining sufficient evidence to apprehend the narcotics ring.
I was to keep Ben informed as best I could of my progress.
As outlined by Captain Kearney, I arrived in Phoenix and contacted Sergeant Roberts at the Detective Bureau down there.
He furnished me with all the necessary information and assisted me in acquiring local Phoenix clothing store labels to have sewn in my clothing.
I obtained everything possible to make it appear that I was a long time resident of Phoenix, Arizona.
Several dummy hotel bills were made up for me to make it look as if I'd lived there for a period of time.
I was furnished with an Arizona driver's license, a membership in the local social club, and a voter's registration stub.
These were all packed in my suitcase.
October 9th, 10 a.m. I arrived at the Plaza Royal Hotel, the front desk.
Yes, sir?
My name's Edwards. I'm in from Phoenix. Did you get my wire?
One moment, sir.
Yes, sir. Joe Edwards?
Yeah, that's right.
Would you sign the register, please?
Yeah, all right.
Thank you.
Front!
Yes, sir.
Would you show this gentleman a room 211, please?
Yes, sir. This way, please.
All right. Thank you.
Go ahead, sir.
Thank you.
Two, please.
Not very nice weather to arrive in Los Angeles, is it, sir?
No, not too good.
I see by the stickers on your bag you've been through Arizona.
Yeah, that's right.
Must be nice weather down there, huh?
Yeah, it's all right.
This way, sir.
Thank you.
Let me open my window for you, sir. A little fresh air in here.
All right.
Okay. Thanks. Here you go.
Thank you very much, sir. Help you with your bags?
Yeah, all right.
Oh, I'm sorry, sir. Something dropped out on the floor here.
You better let me have that.
Sorry.
Very sorry that happened.
That's all right.
Mr. Edwards, while you're in town here, if there's anything I can do for you, don't hesitate to let me know.
Yeah, okay.
I couldn't help but notice that little package there that I dropped.
Yeah.
Well, like I say, I know my way around here in this town. If you need anything, you know anything at all, sir?
I'll tell you what.
Now, here's five bucks. You never saw anything fall out of my bag there, right?
Anything you say, sir.
Okay. Thanks a lot. See you later, huh?
Yes, sir.
Anything else, sir?
No, no. That'll be all.
You'll remember what I told you, sir?
Yeah, I was just going to say the same thing to you.
I couldn't be sure, but it looked like I'd been lucky right from the start.
The bellboy at the Plaza Royal Hotel.
I didn't know if I could consider this an opening contact or not, but he seemed to show more than a passing interest in the
bindle of narcotics that he had seen fall from my suitcase.
I didn't feel it was the right time to press the issue any further with a bellhop, but I figured I'd wait and leave the next move up to whoever he might have been working for.
During the next three days, nothing happened. I tried without appearing to be too bold to arouse some interest, but without success.
October 13th, my fifth day at the Plaza Royal Hotel, 6 p.m. I went in the bar off the main lobby.
I beg your pardon?
Yeah.
Kirk Harding's my name. I noticed you here in the bar the last couple of nights. You up here to buy a little or are you selling?
I'll leave a folly, Harding.
Look, boy, we've had you tab since that first day you hit town, October 9th.
We haven't been out here too long ourselves. We're in business too, same business you're in.
Well, I don't know what kind of business you think I'm in, but you've got it figured wrong, mister.
You know, this entire matter'd work out much better for you in the long run if you'd level with me. You're just gonna make it tough on yourself this way, Edmonds.
Well, I'm sorry. You've lost me way back somewhere.
All right, let's do it the hard way. You're up here from Phoenix. We know you've got some stuff with you.
We know you're not a user. You're a member of the social club down there. You're a registered voter.
Oh, you've been working real hard, haven't you?
Well, there's more. You've got two pieces of luggage. You're carrying a 38 automatic.
Any more?
Yeah. There's a telegram from a friend of mine down in Phoenix.
Yeah?
We know all about you, mister.
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There was a tight moment as Kirk Harding fingered the telegram in the bar of the Plaza Royal Hotel.
I'd spent many hours in consultation with Sergeant Roberts in Phoenix, Arizona before undertaking this assignment.
I felt sure that we hadn't overlooked anything that might lead to my true identity. Kirk Harding read the wire to me.
It was from a man by the name of George Ferguson. He'd done some legwork for Harding and had not been able to furnish him with anything other than what had been found out and going over my room.
I knew I'd found the contact that I was looking for. I told him that I was in the business of buying narcotics.
That I was in Los Angeles for the purpose of making a pre-arranged narcotics buy with agents dealing in Mexican stuff.
Harding immediately gave me a strong sales pitch saying that he could furnish me with high-grade heroin fresh from the European market in quantity.
At the end of the first week I was introduced to Kirk Harding's two associates.
Another man called Smith, full name Horace L. Smith, and a woman by the name of Lucille Cosgrove.
Ben had been unable to find records on any of the three.
For the next three weeks we became more friendly. We went places together, spent a great deal of time together. Monday, November 15th.
Well, we've had a lot of fun the last few weeks, haven't we?
There's no doubt about that, but I've got to be getting back to Phoenix.
Well, now don't get eager, Joe. You know how cagey you were and you made us wait. Preliminaries are over. This is the big buy for you or anybody else.
Yeah, I know all that, but who am I?
Just be patient. You'll have something to really set yourself up with down there.
Okay.
Now, excuse me, Joe.
Yeah, go ahead.
Oh, hi, Lucille.
Hi.
Hi, sweetie.
Hello, Jeff.
Hi, Lucille. What's the matter, Smith? Don't you feel good?
I don't know. It's hotel food, I guess. I think I got an ulcer. My stomach saw all the time.
Oh, that's too bad.
I don't know what it could be. Baking soda don't do any good anymore.
How about a drink, Joe?
Yeah, fine with me.
Well, Lucille, you want to get some ice out of the kitchen, please?
Sure.
Skip me.
Smith, you ought to go see a doctor. You don't know for sure what's wrong with you. It might make it worse.
If I don't know what it is, how could a doctor?
I don't know. It works for everybody else. Might for you.
Hey, I can't get this ice tray out. Joe, would you give me a hand, please?
Yeah, sure.
Okay, which one here?
I got the ice. Keep working on that other tray there. It's something to tell you.
Okay.
Listen, Joe, big buys tonight.
You sure?
Yeah.
How about it, you two? You need any help?
No, it's all right, Kirk. It's come along fine.
Joe, as soon as you show your money tonight, they're going to kill you.
How do you know?
Look, we don't have time to go into it. I know. We won't have a chance. They're going to kill you.
What are you doing? Waiting for them to freeze? Come on. How about the ice cream?
All right here, Kirk. I'm sorry.
Let's go.
Yeah.
Okay, what do you want? Lucille? Joe?
Coke, hi, sir.
Yeah?
I'll make mine bourbon with a little water.
All right.
Smith, you sure you don't want one?
No, can't do it.
Joe, before I mix them, I got something for you.
Yeah?
Smith tells me tonight's the night.
Well, that's good, but why don't you tell me a little ahead of time? I got a date for tonight.
I think you better break that one and keep this one, don't you?
Well, yeah, I do, but just wish you'd have told me a little sooner.
There's the phone. You can take care of it.
Is it all right with you?
You know as much about this business as we do. Go ahead and use it as long as we can hear you.
Okay, fine. Just take a minute.
Want to sit here, Joe?
Oh, thanks, Smith. Yeah. See, I wonder if you'd get my drink for me over there?
Sure.
She's probably going to be upset. I may need it, huh?
Romero talking.
Hi, honey. This is Joe.
Oh, yeah, Joe.
I'm sorry I won't be able to make it tonight, dear.
You can't talk, huh?
That's right, dear. No, I just can't get out of it.
I'll do the talking, Joe. Is it by tonight?
Yeah, well, it just came up all of a sudden.
Where are you now?
No, darling, I can't tell you where I'm going. You couldn't go along anyway.
Okay, we'll be with you five minutes from now all the way. Why are you not at the hotel?
Well, that's the way it is, and I can't help it, that's all.
Maybe we can get together later, huh?
We'll use one car, Joe. We'll stick as close as we can to it. One car ought to be safe, huh?
Well, that's better, honey. Now, that's the way I like to hear you talk. I'm sorry.
Now, I'll see you later, huh?
We'll be with you.
Okay, dear.
Well, she still love you?
Yeah, she loves me.
Fifteen minutes after I hung up, we went downstairs and got into a Green Chrysler sedan.
It was parked out in front of the hotel.
I looked around. I didn't see Ben or any of our cars in sight.
Smith drove, and Kirk and I got in the back seat.
The woman, Lucille Cosgrove, remained at the hotel.
I didn't know which of the two men was planning to kill me, but I felt sure Lucille Cosgrove told me the truth.
Her information on the buy was right, and maybe this other was correct as well.
We drove out Figueroa Street for about 16 miles.
At this point, it became evident we were heading for the Los Angeles harbor area.
You ever see a fog as thick as this, Joe?
No, never have.
Can't see 50 feet in front of me.
Yeah, well, just take it easy. Nobody's in a hurry.
That's right. I don't want to pile up anywhere.
Where are we going?
We're almost there.
Is this your car here? I've never seen this one before.
No, we rented it. Isn't that the way you operate?
Yeah, that's right. I just wondered if you played it as safe as I do.
We do.
I'm going to swing in this next alley up here, Kirk.
Somebody tailing us?
Turn the lights.
Right. See anything out the back window?
Wait a minute.
How'd they go?
How'd it look?
Two guys in the front seat. Could have been somebody.
What do you think, Joe? I'd look to you.
Well, whoever it was, we lost them anyway.
Yeah. Okay, let's go.
Look at that. Clear spot here in the fog.
Don't see a soul anywhere.
It's fine.
We almost there now?
Yeah, just around the corner.
This is a break, isn't it?
Fog's clear right in here. All socked in back up there.
We're as safe as you'd want to be, huh?
Yeah, that's right.
This is it.
Over by the storage building?
Yeah, that's right. Come on, let's go.
Over this way, Joe.
What's over there in that building?
We're not going inside. Just over there in that alcove.
All right, this is it, Joe. I'd see the money.
Well, where do I see the stuff, huh?
You don't trust anybody, do you?
What are you trying to prove?
Well, I didn't like what he said.
You're not going to like what I got to say either. Freeze, mister.
Drop it, you!
Watch it, Ben!
He ducked in this alcove.
Oh, take care of that one there.
All right, easy, huh?
Yeah, you see him?
No, it's too dark.
There he is.
That's enough! I'm coming out!
All right, throw your gun out ahead of you.
He's not going to throw that gun out, Joe. Watch it.
Come on.
All right, let's go.
Come on.
There's his gun.
Yeah, I got it.
You want to shake him down?
Yeah.
Come on.
On your feet.
Where'd you get hit?
My shoulder.
Let me see.
You're all right. Just grazed you.
You're a cop, aren't you?
Yeah, that's right. Now, come on, let's go.
Where's the stuff?
On the back seat in my car.
Now, you tell me something.
Why'd you slug Smith?
I just wanted something I knew you'd never give me.
What's that?
An even chance.
The story you have just heard was true.
Only the names were changed to protect the innocent.
On January 4th, trial was held in Superior Court,
Department 81, 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.
Friends, let's compare Fatima with any other long cigarette.
Now, Fatima's are the same length, 85 millimeters.
Fatima has the same circumference, 1 1 1 64 inches around.
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All three suspects, Kirk, Arthur Harding, Horace L. Smith and Lucille Marie Cosgrove,
were convicted for violation of the State Narcotics Act, a felony.
Harding and Smith were convicted on one count of attempt to commit murder.
They are now serving their terms as prescribed by law in the state penitentiaries.
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, best of all long cigarettes, has brought you Dragnet portions transcribed from Los Angeles.
Stay tuned for Counterspire next over most NBC stations.