1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,000 The story you are about to hear is true. 2 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:19,400 The names have been changed to protect the innocent. 3 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:24,840 You're a detective sergeant. 4 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:27,280 You're assigned to auto theft detail. 5 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:32,640 A gang of criminals masquerading as legitimate auto dealers start to work in your city. 6 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:35,280 Innocent people are cheated out of thousands of dollars. 7 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:36,560 The thieves are clever. 8 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:38,600 They work a foolproof formula. 9 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:45,600 Your job? Stop them. 10 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:50,200 The documented drama of an actual crime. 11 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:54,520 For the next thirty minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you 12 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:58,800 will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case transcribed from 13 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:00,760 official police files. 14 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:06,000 From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force 15 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:09,000 in action. 16 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:15,480 It was Tuesday, February 19th, it was Chile in Los Angeles. 17 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:17,280 We were working the day watch out of auto theft. 18 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:20,960 My partner is Ben Romero, the boss is Captain Nelson, and my name is Friday. 19 00:01:20,960 --> 00:01:24,960 We were on the way out from the office and it was 10.25 a.m. when we got to the corner 20 00:01:24,960 --> 00:01:28,040 of 38th Street and Maxbury Avenue. 21 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:30,560 The Greenleaf Day Nursery School. 22 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:34,560 Mrs. Palmer, is that right? 23 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:39,560 I think so, just a minute, I've got it written down. 24 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:40,560 Yeah. 25 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:41,560 Excuse me, ma'am. 26 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:42,560 What is the police, ma'am? 27 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:43,560 Martin America, Friday. 28 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:44,560 Oh, yes, Tom. 29 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:45,560 Going to get all about it, is that it? 30 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:46,560 Yes, ma'am. 31 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:47,560 We've been handling some of our complaints for the last month or so. 32 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:48,560 We'd like to have you here. 33 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:53,640 Tell us everything that happened in your case, if you would, please. 34 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:56,480 One of the most underhanded things I've ever heard of, Sergeant. 35 00:01:56,480 --> 00:02:00,160 It would have been the same thing if you'd held me up with a gun, just out and out robbing. 36 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:03,640 Could you give us some of the details, ma'am, how you were first approached on the deal? 37 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:04,640 Excuse me a minute, please. 38 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:05,640 Children, time to go inside now. 39 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:06,640 We're going to color pictures with the crayons this morning. 40 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:07,640 Mrs. Johnson has them all ready for you inside. 41 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:08,640 Bruce, Michael, Sandra, go along now. 42 00:02:08,640 --> 00:02:09,640 Inside, everyone. 43 00:02:09,640 --> 00:02:22,480 Certainly with the warm weather, they'd hurry up and come. 44 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:25,040 Children always raise such an uproar when we have to keep them indoors. 45 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:27,240 Worst part of running a day nursery, they win a month's worth. 46 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:28,240 Oh, ma'am, I suppose. 47 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:29,240 How about your automobile, Ms. Palmer? 48 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:30,240 We understand you had it up for sale. 49 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:31,240 You advertised one of the local newspapers, I like. 50 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:32,240 Yes, that's right. 51 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:38,280 I ran one of those three-day want ads over the weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. 52 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:40,800 I thought I'd get more for my car if I sold it myself. 53 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:43,080 I mean, instead of selling it to a used car lot. 54 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:44,080 Yes, ma'am. 55 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:45,080 How many answers did you get on your want ad? 56 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:46,080 Well, just the one way it turned out. 57 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:47,080 This man came out and looked at my car first thing in the morning. 58 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:48,080 He offered to pay me exactly what I was asking for it, so I sold it to him. 59 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:49,080 That's just the way it went. 60 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:50,080 Who was this man, Mrs. Palmer? 61 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:51,080 Was he representing some auto company? 62 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:52,080 Yes, he said he was, anyway. 63 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:53,080 He gave his name to Joseph Newhall. 64 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:54,080 I've got his card inside. 65 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:55,080 Said he was a buyer for Dan Barton's used car lot on South Cat Street. 66 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:56,080 Nice address, man. 67 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:57,080 He made it all seem so easy to get. 68 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:58,080 He was a very good guy. 69 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:09,000 He made it all seem so easy to get. 70 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:10,000 How was the deal arranged? 71 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:11,000 Could you tell us? 72 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:12,000 I mean, transfer the car payment and so forth? 73 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:13,000 Well, he gave me a check for $50, sort of a down payment to hold the car for me. 74 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:14,000 It was a certified company check. 75 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:15,000 I see. 76 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:16,000 He told me he'd get back that afternoon with a certified check for the full amount of the 77 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:17,000 car, $800. 78 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:18,000 Did he take your car with him, then? 79 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:19,000 No, he didn't. 80 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:20,000 That's why I had no reason to be suspicious. 81 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:21,000 He said he was a good guy. 82 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:22,000 He said he was a good guy. 83 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:23,000 He said he was a good guy. 84 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:24,000 He said he was a good guy. 85 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:25,000 He said he was a good guy. 86 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:26,000 He said he was a good guy. 87 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:27,000 He said he was a good guy. 88 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:28,000 He said he was a good guy. 89 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:29,000 He said he was a good guy. 90 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:30,000 He said he was a good guy. 91 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:31,000 He said he was a good guy. 92 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:32,000 He said he was a good guy. 93 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:33,000 He said he was a good guy. 94 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:34,000 He said he was a good guy. 95 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:35,000 He said he was a good guy. 96 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:36,000 He said he was a good guy. 97 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:37,000 He said he was a good guy. 98 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:38,000 I don't see why he'd be suspicious. 99 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:39,000 He left me the check for $50. 100 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:40,000 He said he needed it with the money. 101 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:41,000 He said in the meantime, one of the employees from the used car lot might be along to pick 102 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:42,000 up the car to save me the trouble of driving it downtown by itself. 103 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:43,000 Same M.O. 104 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:44,000 Joe all the way. 105 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:45,000 Yeah, looks like it. 106 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:46,000 Well, how did it go after that, Mrs. Palmer? 107 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:49,840 up the car about one o'clock that afternoon. Gave me a check for the full amount of the 108 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:54,960 car. I gave him the pink slip. Had a pair of white coveralls on, lettering on the back 109 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:59,840 of them, Dan Barton Jews cars. Looked like a typical mechanic or something. I wasn't 110 00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:00,840 the least bit suspicious. 111 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:05,360 How about the buyer of this Joseph Newhall? Did he show up later in the day? 112 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:10,280 No, he never came back. I've never seen him since. Haven't seen my car either. I called 113 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:14,160 that Dan Barton Jews car lot the next morning. They told me they never heard of Joseph Newhall. 114 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:18,680 Just made me sick officer. I can't afford to lose the money I had in that car. 115 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:22,760 Yes ma'am, we understand the same thing's happened to a dozen people like you around 116 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:23,760 the city. 117 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:27,160 Do you remember what this man Newhall looked like, Ms. Palmer's physical description, maybe 118 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:28,160 the clothes he was wearing? 119 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:32,520 Yes, I've got it all written down Sergeant, in my diary. Would you like to step inside 120 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:35,440 please? I've got my little office at the back of the school here. 121 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:36,440 Well, thank you very much. 122 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:41,040 I always make a record of everything in my diary. I've kept going ever since I was a 123 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:42,680 girl in college every day. 124 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:46,480 I suppose you've got all the information on your car, the make, license number, things 125 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:47,480 like that. 126 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:51,320 Oh yes indeed. I've got everything together I thought might help you. Right up these stairs. 127 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:53,320 Good, fine. You go ahead. 128 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:58,080 How about the description of the man in overall, the one who came to pick up your car? Would 129 00:04:58,080 --> 00:04:59,080 you remember him ma'am? 130 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:03,080 Yes, I've got that for you too. Everything I thought would help. Just have a seat there 131 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:05,160 officers. I've got the things in my desk here. 132 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:06,160 Thank you. 133 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:07,160 You're welcome. 134 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:08,160 Thank you. 135 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:13,800 I wouldn't mind the whole thing so much, but as I say I can't afford to lose the cash I 136 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:15,000 had tied up in my car. 137 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:18,440 That seems to be the way the thieves operate ma'am. They've been cheating the people who 138 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:19,440 can least support him. 139 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:22,480 Terrible thing just out and out robbery. There you are Sergeant. 140 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:23,480 Thank you ma'am. 141 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:26,480 There's the description of my car, license number, all the rest. 142 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:27,480 Yes, I see. 143 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:31,120 And here's the description of the two men at Joseph's all the coveralls who picked up 144 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:32,120 my car. 145 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:35,720 Have you got that deposit check new or gave him his form of the check for fifty dollars? 146 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:41,040 Right here Sergeant. I saw that company about it Dan Barton's used car lot. Forgery. Not 147 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:42,520 worth the papers printed on. 148 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:44,640 How we love you. 149 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:45,640 Yeah, thanks. 150 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:47,000 Hey Missy, how are you? 151 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:51,000 One thing I don't understand how those crooks get these checks to begin with. Did they steal 152 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:52,000 them? 153 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:54,040 No ma'am, we figured they had them printed up. We're still trying to find out where. 154 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:57,160 Well you know what the men look like. You'll be able to find them now won't you? 155 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:00,840 Only we should work that way ma'am. We've had good descriptions on both men for a month 156 00:06:00,840 --> 00:06:02,240 now. Hasn't helped too much. 157 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:06,080 I don't understand it at all. As I say they're only common crooks. They can't be that smart 158 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:07,080 can they? 159 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:10,800 Well there's only one way we can judge. We've been hunting every day for a month now. 160 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:11,800 Yes. 161 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:12,800 They're still... 162 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:16,640 In the space of thirty three days the auto theft gang had victimized a dozen private 163 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:20,800 citizens throughout the city. In each instance the approach and the method of operation had 164 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:25,200 been the same. The front man for the gang would personally answer a want ad inserted 165 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:30,280 in the local newspaper by a private citizen advertising the sale of his automobile. The 166 00:06:30,280 --> 00:06:35,360 front man would represent himself falsely as a buyer for Dan Barton's used car lot, 167 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:40,360 a well known and legitimate used car dealer. He'd offer to pay exactly the sale price which 168 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:45,240 the private party was asking. As a deposit the so called buyer would leave a counterfeit 169 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:49,440 company check for fifty or one hundred dollars with a promise that he would return later 170 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:53,960 in the day with a certified check for the full amount. After a few hours another man 171 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:58,200 posing as an employee of Dan Barton's used car would call for the car and drive it away. 172 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:02,880 Neither the car nor the so called buyer were ever seen again. All efforts to trace them 173 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:07,800 went for nothing. Eleven forty a.m. Ben and I went back to the office and got out of broadcast 174 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:12,600 in a supplementary APB on Mrs. Palmer's car and also on the phony car buyer who called 175 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:17,040 himself Joseph Newhall. After lunch we met with Sgt. Moonsby, one of the other four men 176 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:19,480 out of all theft detail who were working the case with us. 177 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:22,120 How'd you make up this morning, army? That it going away at all? 178 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:24,920 Wasn't bad as far as it went. We found the place where they had the printing done. 179 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:29,320 Where was that? Smaller up in the valley. Printed up the phony checks with that heading on it, 180 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:33,080 Dan Barton's used car. I got lots of business cards for him too. 181 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:36,920 What was the name did you find out? The same one Joseph Newhall. He ordered the 182 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:40,280 checks and the business cards. The printer described him for us, same guy. 183 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:44,200 Where'd it go from there? No place. The printer told us Newhall had a car, 184 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:47,560 he couldn't give us a license number, couldn't even remember the maker, the body style. 185 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:50,520 Thought it was a late model car at Sparrow. No, that's not much help. 186 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:53,800 No address on him either. It was a will call order paid for in cash. 187 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:56,680 This is if Newhall comes back. Uh huh, yeah, it's covered. 188 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:59,320 I don't figure there's much chance Newhall's going to do that. 189 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:01,960 He ordered enough checks printed up the first time last of the year. 190 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:06,040 Well, I guess that's one lead we can forget. How about that special run the stats office 191 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:09,320 made for us yesterday? Anything come out of that? No, nothing. All the possibles on the 192 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:13,400 list were checked out, all of them clear. Nothing from Barton's used car lot either. 193 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:17,080 Everybody on their staff's been checked out, all their ex-employees too. No signing one of 194 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:20,520 them might have had a hand in it. Yeah. Oh, either of you seen the captain 195 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:24,120 since this morning? No, what? Well, that idea we were talking over at the last meeting, 196 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:27,320 he figures we'll go ahead with it this weekend. How's he figuring on working, you know, 197 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:31,480 any personal content? Yeah, that's right. Most of the private parties who want to sell their 198 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:35,640 cars themselves use that want ad deal over the weekend. They get a special ready Saturday and 199 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:40,040 Sunday. Oh, I know. Thursday nights is the deadline for having the ads in if they're going to run the 200 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:44,120 full weekend, and that's when we start working on it. We get in touch with every private party 201 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:48,120 who's filed a want ad for the weekend advertising a sale of their car, huh? Yeah, we'll contact them 202 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:53,000 by phone, every one of them. We advise them that if anybody representing themselves is a buyer for 203 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:57,640 Dan Barton's used car lot answers their want ad, they're to get in touch with us right away. 204 00:08:57,640 --> 00:09:02,120 If they can't stall the man long enough, we tell them to accept the information on the man the car 205 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:06,040 is driving. It ought to work out if we can get any kind of cooperation. It's going to be a big job. 206 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:09,640 We'll have to cover all the want ads and all the papers. We've got a good description of that 207 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:14,520 phony buyer, Joseph Newhall. If they planted a want ad in one of the papers, maybe he's the one 208 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:18,680 of the gang who brought the ad in. It's possible one of the ad takers might remember. It might be 209 00:09:18,680 --> 00:09:22,680 worth checking anyway. Well, it could be. They might have phoned in the ad too. That wouldn't help much. 210 00:09:22,680 --> 00:09:26,520 Might as well sniff food proof, but it's a different approach to plan anyway. 211 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:29,800 We've tried everything else. We can think up the reach of these. I'll get it. 212 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:35,160 All of that's party time. Yes, sir. 213 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:45,880 What was that? Thank you. Yeah. Yes, as soon as we can. Thank you, sir. 214 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:49,560 Well, maybe we won't have to wait for the weekend. What do you mean? 215 00:09:49,560 --> 00:09:53,320 A man out in Echo Park, he runs a candy store out there. He advertised his car for sale in 216 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:57,240 this morning's paper. He said the first one to answer was a buyer from Dan Barton's used car lot. 217 00:09:57,240 --> 00:10:01,320 Gave his name as Joseph Newhall. Looks like the same M.O. Can I make a deal? 218 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:04,680 Well, the candy store owner wouldn't go for the deposit check. He wanted the full amount. 219 00:10:04,680 --> 00:10:07,400 Said the deal didn't sound right to him. How does it stand now? Well, 220 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:11,160 Newhall said he'd come back with a check for the full sale price. When? Eight o'clock tonight. 221 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:20,360 Two twenty p.m. We drove out and questioned the candy store owner further. His description of 222 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:24,280 Newhall tallied with the others, but again, the potential victim had failed to get any kind of a 223 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:30,200 description of the car Newhall was driving or the license number. Ben and I staked out at the house. 224 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:35,480 Eight p.m. came and went. The suspect failed to show. By midnight, there was still no sign of him. 225 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:41,000 Well, the way it shaped up, Newhall apparently had a policy of making a deal at first contact 226 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:45,240 or forgetting about it. He probably figured that if a person was at all suspicious, 227 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:49,160 the interval would give him time to check. And Newhall wasn't giving away any odds. 228 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:55,080 All day Wednesday, the stakeout went on. No sign of the suspect. On Thursday night, 229 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:59,880 the local newspapers gave us lists of names and phone numbers of all private parties who had ordered 230 00:10:59,880 --> 00:11:05,240 want ads for the coming weekend to advertise the sale of an automobile. We divided up the names. 231 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:09,960 The six of us took turns on the phones and started calling each party. We warned them about the car 232 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:15,000 theft ring and advised them of what steps to take in the event Joseph Newhall or one of the other gang 233 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:19,560 members approached them with a proposition to buy their car. One of the private parties we contacted 234 00:11:19,560 --> 00:11:24,600 was a Mr. Roy Harmon. Ben got on one of the things we prepared. Sergeant Ormsby used the other 235 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:29,400 extension and called another party running an ad. Sergeant Ormsby, Los Angeles Police Department. 236 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:33,720 How's that sir? Yes, and one of the gang usually goes under the name of Joseph Newhall. 237 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:41,400 Contacted at all. All right, thank you. What was that all about? A man by the name of Harmon 238 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:46,200 runs a cocktail down, got on South Cole. He took in a check over the bar last night, company check 239 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:50,920 from Dan Barton's used car lot. Says it was signed Joseph Newhall. Well, they ought to remember who 240 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:56,600 passed it. He does, I got it right here. A man by the name of Frank Curtis. He's a regular 241 00:11:56,600 --> 00:12:01,320 customer at the bar. Harmon says this Curtis came in the place last night with a man in a dark suit 242 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:05,800 and the man seemed to be a friend of Curtis'. Well, I asked him what the friend looked like and he 243 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:11,160 described him. It was Newhall. What about that check business? Harmon says he was tending bar at the 244 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:15,000 time. Told me this Frank Curtis and Newhall had quite a few drinks together and they ran out of 245 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:20,360 money. Newhall wanted to cash a check but Harmon said no, he didn't know him. Well, this Frank 246 00:12:20,360 --> 00:12:24,360 Curtis is a regular customer at the bar and he offered to endorse the check for Newhall. 247 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:29,560 So Harmon said okay and he cashed it. How well does Harmon know this customer is, this Curtis? 248 00:12:29,560 --> 00:12:36,040 Pretty well. Lives across the street from him. We checked Frank Curtis through R&I but he had no 249 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:40,360 previous criminal record. We left the rest of the list for the other men and Ben and I drove out and 250 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:44,760 talked to Roy Harmon, the owner of the cocktail lounge where the suspect Joseph Newhall had cashed 251 00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:50,200 a check with the help of his friend Frank Curtis. Harmon told the same story he'd given Ben over the 252 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:55,560 phone. Curtis was a long-time neighbor of his and a steady customer at his cocktail lounges. For Newhall 253 00:12:55,560 --> 00:13:00,600 he'd never set eyes on him until the night before. Harmon gave us the home address of Frank Curtis and 254 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:04,920 we checked it out. Mrs. Curtis answered the door and told us that her husband Frank was working 255 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:09,320 the newly inaugurated night shift at an aircraft plant in the south end of the city. Ben and I 256 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:13,400 drove down to the plant and after checking with the personnel office we finally located Curtis at 257 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:19,080 his work. He was an assistant foreman in one of the aircraft assembly shops. Mr. Smith, Sergeant 258 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:24,440 Romero, the last time I saw Newhall before the years ago. We used to work at a work plant together. 259 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:28,440 Come on, anyway, have you done something? We understand you endorsed a check with Newhall 260 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:33,000 for fifty dollars. You know him that well? I mean if you'd endorsed checks for him? Well, maybe I 261 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:38,120 shouldn't have. Wives always tell me I'll be more careful to who I'm signing checks for. Well, 262 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:42,360 what happened anyway? Wasn't a check any good? Do you have any idea where we could find a friend of 263 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:48,040 yours, this Newhall? Well, I don't know. During the war he and his wife lived in this housing project 264 00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:54,120 off North Main. I know they moved from that place though. Yeah. As a matter of fact, old Joe didn't 265 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:58,520 tell me where he was living. I gave him my address, told him to drop over for a beer sometime. 266 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:03,320 Don't remember getting his address though. Didn't tell me what this is about, huh? 267 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:08,120 Just a routine check. We'd like to locate Newhall, that's all. Got a few questions we'd like to ask 268 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:12,200 him. Excuse me, we were going to watch it here, Sergeant. Coming through with that jigsaw. 269 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:18,520 Okay, fellas, straight on through, all clear. Critical fin assembly down the street. 270 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:25,320 We're getting busy again, all right. Seems like the old swing ship days all over again. 271 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:30,680 Four years. Yeah, you mentioned a minute ago that Newhall is married, Mr. Currie. Yeah, that's right. 272 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:35,640 What about his wife? Can you tell us anything at all about her? Betty? No, no, I don't think so. 273 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:40,920 Her and Joe seem to get along all right. Got along pretty well, matter of fact. Nice girl, Betty. I 274 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:45,640 never minded her much. Does Newhall have any children? You know that? No, no kids. 275 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:50,840 Both of them work. Her and Joe. Uh-huh. Would you know if Newhall's wife is still working? 276 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:55,720 I don't know. Probably is. But yeah, yeah, matter of fact, she is. Joe happened to mention it the 277 00:14:55,720 --> 00:15:00,840 other night when we were talking. Just happened to think of it. Well, go ahead. I remember I asked 278 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:05,640 about Betty and he said she was still working. Same old place, same old job, that's all. 279 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:08,440 Where is this place she works? Do you know? Yeah, City Hall. 280 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:12,120 We continued questioning Frank Curtis and he told us that to the best of his knowledge, 281 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:16,600 the suspect's wife, Betty Newhall, had a civil service rating and that she worked as a file clerk 282 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:20,360 in the record room of one of the bureaus in the municipal. The next morning, Ben and I got in 283 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:24,440 touch with the civil service officials at the City Hall and they got out a tracer on the wife of the 284 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:35,640 suspect. 1120 a.m. I got it. Auto theft Friday. Yeah, sir? How's that? Uh, I didn't hear it. 285 00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:42,200 When? Yeah, I think. Yeah, sir. Right. We'll check with you in about an hour. Bye. I don't know why 286 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:46,680 we always have to do it the hard way. Why? Why? The call back on Newhall's wife. Most of it checks 287 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:51,320 out just the way Curtis told us. What's her up? Betty Newhall quit her job a month ago. 288 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:55,320 Hasn't been around, hasn't been seen since. Civil service can't even contact her. What's the deal? 289 00:15:55,320 --> 00:16:06,280 She moved. No forwarding address, not a trace of her. 290 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:24,680 Exit Ball Road off the 57 freeway. Light up the holidays with a new vehicle from Anaheim Auto 291 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:30,520 Center. We'll make your holiday dreams come true at Anaheim Auto Center with our incredible savings 292 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:36,360 and huge discounts. Need some extra money for the holidays? Come to Anaheim Auto Center today and 293 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:42,200 save thousands. We have a great selection of new vehicles and unbeatable service. Light up your 294 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:48,280 holiday season today at Anaheim Auto Center. We want you to be completely satisfied. The holidays 295 00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:53,880 are the perfect time to buy a new vehicle. Why go anywhere else? We have it all at one convenient 296 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:59,560 location near the Anaheim pond. So light up your holiday season with a great new car or truck from 297 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:13,320 Anaheim Auto Center. Exit Ball Road off the 57 freeway. KNX 1070 News Radio. 298 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:26,120 Saturday, February 23rd. The strongest lead we'd had to the Auto Fifth Gang began to fade. Mrs. Betty 299 00:17:26,120 --> 00:17:31,000 Newhall, the wife of our principal suspect, wasn't to be found. We checked out all our known friends 300 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:35,480 and relatives, the places she was known to frequent. There wasn't a trace of her. Then got all the 301 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:39,080 available information on her from the Civil Service office and we got out of broadcast and the 302 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:43,720 supplementary all points bulletin. We found out she had a 10-year-old son, so we checked with the 303 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:48,440 Board of Education to see if the boy was registered in one of the city schools. He wasn't listed. 304 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:54,280 Still no response. We stayed on it. In the meantime, the weekend was wearing past the halfway point. 305 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:58,440 The other two teams of men working the case were standing by, but apparently none of the private 306 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:02,600 parties who were running want ads over the weekend advertising the sale of an automobile had been 307 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:07,640 approached yet by either Joseph Newhall or some other member of the gang. If they did make a 308 00:18:07,640 --> 00:18:14,280 contact, it hadn't been reported to us. Saturday night, still no response. 8 50 p.m. Ben and I had 309 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:21,720 some supper at Johnny Cokin's place and then we went back to the office. Not a bad meal at all, huh? 310 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:26,440 Pretty fair for a Saturday night. Good soup. Yeah, nothing like that corn chowder Johnny puts out. 311 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:30,520 It's the best. I sure wish you'd do something about that coffee. Like taking a shot of adrenaline, 312 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:38,200 isn't it? It is pretty strong and excuse me, maybe that's what's giving me this heartburn. 313 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:41,560 Where's Armsby? I thought he was covering. Oh, God, he was here when I left. 314 00:18:42,360 --> 00:18:46,360 Joe, Ben. Hi, Army. Thought we lost you. I'm taking a call from Hollywood Division. 315 00:18:46,360 --> 00:18:49,160 Good piece of news. What's that? Newhall's wife, they found her. 316 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:56,920 At approximately 25 minutes past eight that night, a dark haired woman in her late 30s had brought a 317 00:18:56,920 --> 00:19:01,000 young boy into a pharmacy in the Hollywood area. Apparently the woman had been drinking, but she 318 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:06,200 was not intoxicated. The young boy with her, whom she identified as a 10 year old son, was badly 319 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:11,000 cut and bruised about the face and the head. The woman insisted that the pharmacist on duty treat 320 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:15,720 the boy and attend to his injuries. After arguing with the woman, the pharmacist called the Hollywood 321 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:19,400 Receiving Hospital. An ambulance was dispatched and the boy and his mother were taken to an 322 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:23,880 air free treatment. At Hollywood Receiving, the woman gave her name as Betty Harrison and her son's 323 00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:28,200 name was George Harrison. But a routine identification check by officers next door at 324 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:33,320 the Hollywood Division station disclosed her true name as Mrs. Betty Newhall. The desk sergeant 325 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:39,000 ordered her held for interrogation and notified our office immediately. 9.30 p.m. Ben and I arrived 326 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:43,720 at the Hollywood Division. The boy, George, Mrs. Newhall, how'd he happen to get beat up like that? 327 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:47,880 Pretty bad for a little fella. I warned Joe about hitting little George. I told him if he did it 328 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:52,200 again, I'd walk out. Well, I did walk out. I don't care what happens to him. You mean the boy's father 329 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:56,360 did that to him, beat him up like that? He's not George's father. Second marriage. My name is to be 330 00:19:56,360 --> 00:20:01,560 Donnelly. I have two kids, one died. Uh-huh. When the divorce came through, I got custody of George and 331 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:06,920 I married Joe Newhall. You know why we're looking for your husband, Mrs. Newhall? Yeah, I think so. 332 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:12,520 Why do you think so? Car business. I knew what he was doing. Do you have any idea at all where we can 333 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:17,720 find your husband? I'm not sure. He might be a lot of places. Just can't get over what he did to George. 334 00:20:17,720 --> 00:20:23,080 No reason at all. Kid came home and asked if he could go to the show. Husband got up and slapped him. 335 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:29,000 Been drinking quite a bit. He hit the kid with his closed fist, kept hitting. A grown man slugging a 336 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:33,640 10-year-old kid like that. I don't care about any man where George is concerned. Nobody's going to 337 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:37,720 treat a kid of mine like that. You said you knew about your husband's dealing in the car business, 338 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:41,640 Mrs. Newhall. How much do you know about it? I didn't have any part of it. I can tell you that much. 339 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:46,760 It was his idea from the beginning, my husband's. Got the men together to work their act. He made 340 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:50,840 all the planning to get all the orders. How is it you quit your job at the city hall in such a hurry? 341 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:54,920 My husband's idea, I guess. Thought if anything happened he didn't want to be traced that easy. 342 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:59,720 Then he had to go and get drunk that night. Check he always did stupid things like that. 343 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:04,040 How about the gang your husband has working with them, Mrs. Newhall? Can you tell us anything about 344 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:09,160 them? Yes, I can. Two fellows working with them I know of. Deadman and Curly Reese and Jack Whitmore. 345 00:21:09,720 --> 00:21:13,080 Maybe there's someone else besides them, but I don't know of. You know where these men live, 346 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:17,560 ma'am? Where we can find them? I think I do, yeah. I got the addresses at home. At this time 347 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:21,080 they're probably on there. You know the places they were supposed to be staying? Yeah, I got 348 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:24,840 the addresses at home. How about the cars they got on this deal they were working? What are they 349 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:28,120 doing with them? Do you know that? I don't know for sure. They're moving east, I think. Selling 350 00:21:28,120 --> 00:21:33,320 them back there. Yes, ma'am. I didn't always get the deep marriage. The jealousy had a deeper... 351 00:21:33,320 --> 00:21:38,200 No. Even they didn't like kids. They didn't want to have a home. Why'd they have to be that way? 352 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:42,440 Well, I'd like to ask you something, if I could. Yes. Why'd you marry him? 353 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:51,480 10 43 p.m. We stopped at the Newhall apartment on the way back to the city hall, called the office 354 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:55,880 and arranged for a stakeout. The wife of the suspect, Betty Newhall, gave us the names and 355 00:21:55,880 --> 00:22:00,120 addresses of the people she knew to be working with her husband Joseph Newhall in the auto theft 356 00:22:00,120 --> 00:22:05,720 gang. She had no information to offer on the cars they might be driving. When we got to the office, 357 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:09,240 we took a complete statement from Mrs. Newhall and then she was booked in at the main jail on 358 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:15,000 suspicion of grand theft auto. 1109 p.m. Together with Wilton and Normsby, we started checking out 359 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:20,120 the addresses of the gang members. Our first two stops, we got nothing. On our last two, we did a 360 00:22:20,120 --> 00:22:25,320 little better. We picked up a Jack Whitmore, Curly Reese, and a Carl Stedman. Three of the names which 361 00:22:25,320 --> 00:22:29,800 Mrs. Newhall had mentioned. We took them downtown and booked them in at the main jail. That still 362 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:35,800 left the principal suspect, Joseph Newhall, unaccounted for. At 1 45 a.m. the next morning, 363 00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:41,000 we got a tiff with his whereabouts, a small hotel on East First Street. We checked it out. The man 364 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:46,440 answering Newhall's description was registered in room 209 on the second floor. We got a pass key 365 00:22:46,440 --> 00:23:01,560 from the Rome clerk on duty and started up the stairs. 209 down this way, Gale. Here we are. 366 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:04,200 See if we can get a ride. Yeah. 367 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:08,200 Yeah. 368 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:21,560 Yeah. Police officers. Hold it there, Mrs. Downs. What is this? What's this all about? 369 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,360 You generally sleep with your clothes on, Newhall? Look, I don't know what you're talking about. 370 00:23:24,360 --> 00:23:28,360 What is this? Shaken? He's clean, Joe. I'll check his bag. And I'll stay out of those things. You 371 00:23:28,360 --> 00:23:31,800 haven't got any right breaking in here like this, going to my property. Relax, Newhall. This won't 372 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:36,840 take long. Two full pads of them, Joe. Find them in his suitcase. His company checked. Dan Barton's 373 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:40,680 used car. We talked to your friends, mister. We got one side of the story. You want to come downtown, 374 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:44,680 give us yours. You get nothing from me, not unless you're my lawyer. You can't hold me on any charges. 375 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:48,440 Crantheft Auto, Newhall. We've got the witnesses. We've got the evidence. If you've got something to 376 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:51,480 say, say it. If you haven't, we'll get along downtown. You haven't got anything on me. You haven't 377 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:58,840 got enough to hold me an hour. We're going to give it a try. For a full five hours, we questioned 378 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:03,880 Newhall, both at the hotel and later downtown in the interrogation room. And after five hours of 379 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:08,360 questioning, he finally broke and admitted being the mastermind behind the auto theft racket. Your 380 00:24:08,360 --> 00:24:13,160 true name is Joseph Woodard Newhall, is that right? Yeah, that's it. Now, you can't blame the whole 381 00:24:13,160 --> 00:24:17,240 setup on me, though. My wife had a hand in it just as much as I did. Well, we've already got her 382 00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:21,320 statement. You want to give us yours? She's just as much to blame as I am. We didn't hurt anybody 383 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:25,560 anyway. It's just a con deal, that's all. We didn't hurt anybody. How do you figure that? Well, just a 384 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:30,680 simple con deal. People advertising their cars for sale or trying to cheat out a few bucks on themselves, 385 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:34,680 we just out-figured them, that's all. You really did dictate a statement for us? You know, we out-figured 386 00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:39,000 you, too. You'd never have reached us. It wasn't for my wife. We'd reach you. Not in 30 years you 387 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:45,000 wouldn't. Where'd you go in circles? Just one hitch. My wife and that stupid kid I heard, just because I 388 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:49,160 slapped him on that level, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for that. Well, you better learn a lesson, 389 00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:51,880 mister. Why? Next time you fight, don't pick a 10-year-old. 390 00:24:51,880 --> 00:25:06,520 The story you have just heard was true. The names were changed to protect the innocent. On May 29th, 391 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:11,640 trial was held in Superior Court, Department 87, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California. 392 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:25,000 In a moment, the results of that trial. A check of his fingerprints revealed that Joseph Newhall's 393 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:29,880 true name was Joseph Orrin Henderson, and that he had a previous record of forgery and burglary in 394 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:34,760 the state of South Carolina. Henderson, alias Newhall, was tried and convicted along with his 395 00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:40,840 associates in the auto theft gang on eight counts of grand theft and forgery of a fictitious check. 396 00:25:40,840 --> 00:25:46,280 They received sentences as prescribed by law. Grand theft is punishable by imprisonment for 397 00:25:46,280 --> 00:25:52,680 not less than one or more than 10 years. Forgery of a fictitious check is punishable by imprisonment 398 00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:58,120 in the county jail for not more than one year or in the state penitentiary for not more than 14 years. 399 00:25:58,760 --> 00:26:03,000 The wife, Betty Newhall, was convicted as an accomplice and was sentenced to serve one year 400 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:08,920 in the county jail. Ladies and gentlemen, our security and the peace of the world are in danger 401 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:13,320 while hundreds of millions behind the Iron Curtain are victims of vicious lies about the 402 00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:18,520 United States and other free nations. Join the Crusade for Freedom through your local 403 00:26:18,520 --> 00:26:23,640 crusade committee or by writing to General Clay, Empire State Building, New York City. 404 00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:39,080 Make a contribution to its work. Help truth fight communism. Join the crusade for freedom. 405 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:45,080 You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases from official files. 406 00:26:45,080 --> 00:26:51,080 Technical advice comes from the Office of Chief of Police, W.H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department. 407 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:59,080 The team of cigarettes, best of all, king-sized cigarettes, has brought you Dragnet, transcribed from Los Angeles.