WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:11.220 The story you are about to hear is true. 00:11.220 --> 00:13.640 The names have been changed to protect the innocent. 00:13.640 --> 00:15.320 Fatima cigarettes. 00:15.320 --> 00:27.680 Best of all, king-size cigarettes brings you Dragnet on both radio and television. 00:27.680 --> 00:29.120 You're a detective sergeant. 00:29.120 --> 00:30.840 You're assigned a homicide detail. 00:30.840 --> 00:34.680 A 39-year-old housewife disappears suddenly. 00:34.680 --> 00:36.760 There's no explanation for it. 00:36.760 --> 00:40.840 Five days later, evidence of possible foul play is uncovered. 00:40.840 --> 00:44.920 Your job, investigate. 00:44.920 --> 00:51.000 Fatima, America's first largest selling blended cigarette. 00:51.000 --> 00:53.960 Now, best of all, king-size cigarettes. 00:53.960 --> 00:56.520 Prove it yourself, today. 00:56.520 --> 01:00.080 Compare Fatima with any other king-size cigarette. 01:00.080 --> 01:05.000 One, Fatima's length filters the smoke 85 millimeters for your protection. 01:05.000 --> 01:08.680 Two, Fatima's length cools the smoke for your protection. 01:08.680 --> 01:14.720 Three, Fatima's length gives you those extra puffs, 21% longer than standard cigarette 01:14.720 --> 01:15.720 size. 01:15.720 --> 01:21.440 And in Fatima, you get an extra mild and soothing smoke, plus the added protection of Fatima 01:21.440 --> 01:22.440 quality. 01:22.440 --> 01:26.520 It's definitely the best quality in its class, but the same price as the cigarette you're 01:26.520 --> 01:27.520 now smoking. 01:27.520 --> 01:31.160 Bye, Fatima, in the bright, sunny yellow pack. 01:31.160 --> 01:35.960 Best of all, king-size cigarettes. 01:35.960 --> 01:43.000 Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime. 01:43.000 --> 01:47.920 For the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will 01:47.920 --> 01:52.480 travel step-by-step on the side of the law through an actual case transcribed from official 01:52.480 --> 01:54.160 police violence. 01:54.160 --> 01:59.320 From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force 01:59.320 --> 02:04.840 in action. 02:04.840 --> 02:06.040 Was Wednesday, September 15th. 02:06.040 --> 02:07.640 It was hot in Los Angeles. 02:07.640 --> 02:09.420 We were working the day watch out of homicide. 02:09.420 --> 02:12.480 My partner's Ed Jacobs, the boss is Thad Brown, chief of detectives. 02:12.480 --> 02:13.480 My name's Friday. 02:13.480 --> 02:18.080 I was on the way back from lunch and it was 12 56 p.m. when I got to room 42. 02:18.080 --> 02:19.080 Homicide. 02:19.080 --> 02:20.080 Hi, Joe. 02:20.080 --> 02:21.080 Waiting for you. 02:21.080 --> 02:22.080 Hi, Ed. 02:22.080 --> 02:23.880 Al, here you got something for us, huh? 02:23.880 --> 02:25.560 Here's the report right here. 02:25.560 --> 02:28.760 A guard by the name of Abbott called in day before yesterday. 02:28.760 --> 02:31.680 Chester Abbott said his wife disappeared from their home out in the valley Thursday 02:31.680 --> 02:32.680 night. 02:32.680 --> 02:33.680 He says he thinks she left him. 02:33.680 --> 02:35.040 Well, it happens every day. 02:35.040 --> 02:36.040 Not this way it doesn't. 02:36.040 --> 02:37.880 Well, she and I went out to talk to the man yesterday. 02:37.880 --> 02:39.240 His story doesn't make too much sense. 02:39.240 --> 02:40.240 How you mean, Al? 02:40.240 --> 02:42.400 None of his wife's clothes are missing, none of her luggage. 02:42.400 --> 02:44.440 She even left her pocketbook behind full of money. 02:44.440 --> 02:48.120 We found out from the neighbors the missing woman has a 17 year old boy by her former 02:48.120 --> 02:49.120 marriage. 02:49.120 --> 02:50.120 Does that mean anything? 02:50.120 --> 02:51.120 He's an only child. 02:51.120 --> 02:52.120 Mother dotes on the kid. 02:52.120 --> 02:53.120 She didn't even say goodbye to him. 02:53.120 --> 02:55.160 Well, how'd this Chester Abbott impression? 02:55.160 --> 02:57.400 Pretty grouchy with Walsh and me, no cooperation. 02:57.400 --> 02:58.400 Wants to find his wife, doesn't he? 02:58.400 --> 02:59.400 I don't know. 02:59.400 --> 03:00.400 I'm not sure. 03:00.400 --> 03:01.400 He's no help. 03:01.400 --> 03:02.400 I can tell you that much. 03:02.400 --> 03:03.400 Could I see that report out? 03:03.400 --> 03:04.400 Yeah, here you are. 03:04.400 --> 03:05.400 Thank you. 03:05.400 --> 03:07.880 Florence Trumbull Abbott, age 39. 03:07.880 --> 03:08.880 Abbott's her second husband. 03:08.880 --> 03:11.680 First one died a little after the boy was born. 03:11.680 --> 03:16.680 Disappeared Thursday night from the home, 546 Belasco Road between 7 and 8 o'clock. 03:16.680 --> 03:18.760 Well, when did Abbott call in to notify you? 03:18.760 --> 03:19.760 Monday afternoon. 03:19.760 --> 03:22.240 Told us he thought his wife might have been spending the weekend with her sister. 03:22.240 --> 03:24.600 When he found out she wasn't, he called us. 03:24.600 --> 03:25.920 You meet the boy when you were out there? 03:25.920 --> 03:26.920 Yeah, that's another thing. 03:26.920 --> 03:27.920 How do you mean? 03:27.920 --> 03:30.360 The kid came riding up on a bike when we were talking to one of the neighbors. 03:30.360 --> 03:33.400 We tried to talk to him, but the old man came out and hustled the boy into the house. 03:33.400 --> 03:34.920 Then he started showing us out. 03:34.920 --> 03:36.080 Well, what's his trouble? 03:36.080 --> 03:39.600 Told us it was our job to find his wife, not to go prying into his stepson's affairs. 03:39.600 --> 03:40.600 That's a new slant. 03:40.600 --> 03:42.560 Well, how about the woman's friends and relatives? 03:42.560 --> 03:43.840 They been checked out yet, Al? 03:43.840 --> 03:44.840 Well, she's on it now. 03:44.840 --> 03:47.120 Don't think he's had much luck contacting him so far. 03:47.120 --> 03:50.320 I'll tell you the truth, I don't like the looks of it. 03:50.320 --> 03:52.000 Mrs. Abbott have any other relatives here? 03:52.000 --> 03:54.240 I mean, besides the sister and two aunts? 03:54.240 --> 03:56.240 Yeah, I got the list right over here. 03:56.240 --> 03:59.840 Sure wish we had a chance to talk to that boy. 03:59.840 --> 04:02.000 Notice anything else out of the way about Mr. Abbott, Al? 04:02.000 --> 04:03.360 Well, I don't know. 04:03.360 --> 04:05.080 Here's that list, Joe. 04:05.080 --> 04:07.080 Oh, thank you. 04:07.080 --> 04:08.080 Abbott was upset all right. 04:08.080 --> 04:09.080 I don't know, though. 04:09.080 --> 04:12.000 What he struck me as reacting the way a normal man reacts when his wife's disappeared. 04:12.000 --> 04:13.760 Well, how about a copy of this report? 04:13.760 --> 04:14.760 You got one to spare? 04:14.760 --> 04:15.760 Yeah, sure. 04:15.760 --> 04:16.760 Just a minute. 04:16.760 --> 04:17.760 Yeah. 04:17.760 --> 04:19.760 Missing persons, Barghetti. 04:19.760 --> 04:21.760 That's right, this is Barghetti speaking. 04:21.760 --> 04:22.760 Who's that? 04:22.760 --> 04:23.760 Oh, yeah. 04:23.760 --> 04:24.760 Yeah, sure. 04:24.760 --> 04:25.760 About what? 04:25.760 --> 04:26.760 All right, good. 04:26.760 --> 04:27.760 Four o'clock? 04:27.760 --> 04:28.760 Fine. 04:28.760 --> 04:29.760 All right, son, goodbye. 04:29.760 --> 04:30.760 That was the boy I was telling you about, Mr. Abbott's stepson. 04:30.760 --> 04:31.760 What did he want? 04:31.760 --> 04:32.760 He wants to talk to us. 04:32.760 --> 04:33.760 Sounded like a good guy. 04:33.760 --> 04:34.760 He's a good guy. 04:34.760 --> 04:35.760 He's a good guy. 04:35.760 --> 04:36.760 He's a good guy. 04:36.760 --> 04:37.760 He's a good guy. 04:37.760 --> 04:38.760 He's a good guy. 04:38.760 --> 04:39.760 He's a good guy. 04:39.760 --> 04:40.760 He's a good guy. 04:40.760 --> 04:41.760 You know, I sounded worried about his mother. 04:41.760 --> 04:45.160 I think something's happened to her. 04:45.160 --> 04:49.480 In police work, missing persons detail is not a department separate in itself. 04:49.480 --> 04:52.300 It's organized as a part of homicide division. 04:52.300 --> 04:56.420 When the possibility of homicide arises in the course of handling a case, missing persons 04:56.420 --> 05:00.060 immediately turns the matter over to homicide officers for investigation. 05:00.060 --> 05:04.660 When we got the call from the Abbott boy, we automatically took over. 05:04.660 --> 05:08.220 According to Al Barghetti, the boy said he suspected his stepfather and he didn't want 05:08.220 --> 05:12.000 him to know of any meeting between him and police officers. 05:12.000 --> 05:16.800 At 315, Ed and I left the office and drove to the meeting place designated by the boy, 05:16.800 --> 05:21.380 the Dairyland Fountain and Coffee Shop near the corner of Fairfax and Hollywood Boulevard. 05:21.380 --> 05:23.580 We got there at 3.50 p.m. 05:23.580 --> 05:26.980 At eight minutes past five, the Abbott boy still had not arrived. 05:26.980 --> 05:30.240 We waited another 15 minutes and then we left and drove out to the valley and pulled up 05:30.240 --> 05:34.360 in front of the main gate to the Abbott nursery on Belasco Road. 05:34.360 --> 05:38.260 The house itself was set well back on the property which covered about five acres of 05:38.260 --> 05:39.260 ground. 05:39.260 --> 05:43.200 The entire nursery was surrounded by a six-foot chain link fence and it looked like every 05:43.200 --> 05:47.500 available foot of ground inside was planted with some kind of flower or shrub. 05:47.500 --> 05:49.180 Mr. Abbott met us at the gate. 05:49.180 --> 05:51.420 He had three full-grown mastiffs with him. 05:51.420 --> 05:52.420 He held them on a chain. 05:52.420 --> 05:53.420 Yes, what do you want? 05:53.420 --> 05:54.420 Police officers, you Chester Abbott? 05:54.420 --> 05:55.420 That's right, what do you want? 05:55.420 --> 05:56.420 Well, if you can get those dogs quiet for a moment, I'd like to ask you some questions. 05:56.420 --> 05:57.420 Pretty busy now. 05:57.420 --> 05:58.420 Can you come back tomorrow? 05:58.420 --> 05:59.420 No, it's important Abbott. 05:59.420 --> 06:00.420 We'd like to talk to you now. 06:00.420 --> 06:01.420 All right. 06:01.420 --> 06:04.420 If you have to, yes, time it. 06:04.420 --> 06:05.420 Get down now. 06:05.420 --> 06:06.420 You two go. 06:06.420 --> 06:07.420 Quiet now. 06:07.420 --> 06:08.420 I said quiet. 06:08.420 --> 06:09.420 All right, now what do you want? 06:09.420 --> 06:10.420 Mind if we come inside, sir? 06:10.420 --> 06:11.420 These what? 06:11.420 --> 06:12.420 The dogs are pretty vicious. 06:12.420 --> 06:13.420 We can talk here at the gate. 06:13.420 --> 06:17.180 All right, we've been assigned to look into your wife's disappearance, Abbott. 06:17.180 --> 06:18.460 This is my partner Sergeant Jacobs. 06:18.460 --> 06:19.460 My name's Friday. 06:19.460 --> 06:21.460 Find out anything about my wife yet? 06:21.460 --> 06:22.460 Nothing definite, no. 06:22.460 --> 06:23.460 I thought maybe you could help us. 06:23.460 --> 06:25.460 Mind telling us exactly what happened the night she disappeared? 06:25.460 --> 06:26.460 What do you mean what happened? 06:26.460 --> 06:27.460 When did you see her last? 06:27.460 --> 06:28.460 When did you first notice she was gone? 06:28.460 --> 06:32.460 Well, we had dinner the third of the night about seven o'clock, then I laid down for 06:32.460 --> 06:33.460 a nap. 06:33.460 --> 06:34.980 Florence went out on the front porch for some air. 06:34.980 --> 06:37.500 I woke up a little before eight o'clock and went outside to look for her. 06:37.500 --> 06:38.500 She was gone. 06:38.500 --> 06:39.500 No one saw her leave, Mr. Abbott? 06:39.500 --> 06:41.100 Not that I know of. 06:41.100 --> 06:42.900 Maybe one of our neighbors, you can ask them. 06:42.900 --> 06:44.140 They seem to know everybody's business. 06:44.140 --> 06:45.140 How about your stepson? 06:45.140 --> 06:46.140 Wasn't he home Thursday night? 06:46.140 --> 06:47.140 Bruce? 06:47.140 --> 06:48.740 No, he went out to a show with some other kids. 06:48.740 --> 06:50.020 When did he get back from the show, you remember? 06:50.020 --> 06:51.020 About ten o'clock, I think. 06:51.020 --> 06:52.020 Why? 06:52.020 --> 06:53.020 Where's the boy now, Abbott? 06:53.020 --> 06:54.020 Who are you looking for, my wife or stepson? 06:54.020 --> 06:55.020 Both of them. 06:55.020 --> 06:56.020 Where is he? 06:56.020 --> 06:57.020 Gone. 06:57.020 --> 06:58.620 He's been in the hospital, in Alhambra. 06:58.620 --> 06:59.620 He's been feeling bad since his mother disappeared. 06:59.620 --> 07:00.620 Figured the change would do him good. 07:00.620 --> 07:02.300 When did you take him over to your sister's? 07:02.300 --> 07:03.300 This afternoon. 07:03.300 --> 07:04.300 What's that got to do with it? 07:04.300 --> 07:05.300 I'd like to talk to him. 07:05.300 --> 07:06.300 No, you can't. 07:06.300 --> 07:07.300 You won't allow it. 07:07.300 --> 07:08.300 The boy's too upset right now and I can't allow it. 07:08.300 --> 07:09.300 I'm afraid you're going to have to allow it, Abbott. 07:09.300 --> 07:11.820 Listen, mister, you can get off this property right now if you're going to get fresh with 07:11.820 --> 07:12.820 me. 07:12.820 --> 07:13.820 No cop's giving me any, Sass. 07:13.820 --> 07:14.820 Get down there, honey. 07:14.820 --> 07:15.820 Quiet! 07:15.820 --> 07:16.820 Nobody's giving you, Sass. 07:16.820 --> 07:17.820 We want to talk to your stepson. 07:17.820 --> 07:18.820 That's all. 07:18.820 --> 07:39.820 I say you can't see the boy. 07:39.820 --> 07:42.660 Chester Abbott turned, made his way up the path and into the house. 07:42.660 --> 07:46.540 A few minutes later he came out, closed the gate behind him and got into our car. 07:46.540 --> 07:50.700 On the way back downtown he talked pleasantly about the weather, the nursery business and 07:50.700 --> 07:51.700 his dogs. 07:51.700 --> 07:56.260 When we got to the office we found out the reason for his sudden change in temperament. 07:56.260 --> 07:58.300 His lawyer was waiting for us at the door. 07:58.300 --> 08:02.180 We tried to interrogate Abbott but the lawyer objected to just about every question we asked. 08:02.180 --> 08:05.080 It was hopeless and we knew it and so did the lawyer. 08:05.080 --> 08:09.220 We released Abbott but not before we got the name and address of his sister in Alhambra 08:09.220 --> 08:12.460 where the stepson, Bruce, was supposedly staying. 08:12.460 --> 08:15.940 After Abbott and his lawyer left, Ed and I signed out of the office and drove to Alhambra 08:15.940 --> 08:16.940 to check on the boy. 08:16.940 --> 08:17.940 Oh, I get it. 08:17.940 --> 08:18.940 He sure had this one pegged. 08:18.940 --> 08:19.940 Real sleeper. 08:19.940 --> 08:20.940 Yeah. 08:20.940 --> 08:23.020 I'd like to know how the stepson missed that date with us this afternoon. 08:23.020 --> 08:25.980 If the boy called us from the house, the stepfather could have overheard him. 08:25.980 --> 08:26.980 That's possible. 08:26.980 --> 08:30.380 Sister's house ought to be along this block, shouldn't it? 08:30.380 --> 08:31.940 Let's see. 08:31.940 --> 08:34.460 1408, oh six, yeah. 08:34.460 --> 08:35.460 There it is. 08:35.460 --> 08:36.460 Great cottage, 1402. 08:36.460 --> 08:37.460 Okay, let's pull up here. 08:37.460 --> 08:43.660 All right. 08:43.660 --> 08:44.660 Nice looking place. 08:44.660 --> 08:45.660 Well kept. 08:45.660 --> 08:46.660 Nice neighborhood. 08:46.660 --> 08:47.660 I wonder how the lock prices run out here. 08:47.660 --> 08:48.660 I don't know. 08:48.660 --> 08:49.660 I'll get the bell. 08:49.660 --> 08:50.660 Yes, what is it? 08:50.660 --> 08:51.660 Police, officers, ma'am. 08:51.660 --> 08:52.660 You Miss Abbott? 08:52.660 --> 08:53.660 Yes, Helen Abbott. 08:53.660 --> 08:54.660 Why? 08:54.660 --> 08:56.660 Well, we talked to your brother earlier today, Miss Abbott. 08:56.660 --> 08:59.660 He said he brought his stepson, Bruce, over here to stay a while. 08:59.660 --> 09:00.660 We'd like to see him if we could. 09:00.660 --> 09:01.660 Bruce? 09:01.660 --> 09:02.660 Well, yes, he was here until about an hour and a half ago. 09:02.660 --> 09:03.660 I went to the store. 09:03.660 --> 09:04.660 When I came back, he was gone. 09:04.660 --> 09:05.660 Any idea where we can find him, Miss Abbott? 09:05.660 --> 09:06.660 Well, I telephoned him and he said he was here. 09:06.660 --> 09:07.660 He said he was going to the store. 09:07.660 --> 09:08.660 He said he was going to the store. 09:08.660 --> 09:09.660 He said he was going to the store. 09:09.660 --> 09:17.660 I telephoned my brother Chester just before you came to the door. 09:17.660 --> 09:18.660 Bruce isn't there. 09:18.660 --> 09:19.660 Yes, ma'am. 09:19.660 --> 09:20.660 Do you mind if we came and looked around, Miss Abbott? 09:20.660 --> 09:21.660 It won't take long. 09:21.660 --> 09:22.660 Well, why? 09:22.660 --> 09:24.660 I told you Bruce isn't here. 09:24.660 --> 09:25.660 It's the truth. 09:25.660 --> 09:26.660 There's no reason to lie about it, is there? 09:26.660 --> 09:27.660 Well, no, ma'am. 09:27.660 --> 09:28.660 It's not that. 09:28.660 --> 09:29.660 Well, then what is it? 09:29.660 --> 09:30.660 No reason for me to lie to you? 09:30.660 --> 09:31.660 How about your brother? 09:31.660 --> 09:36.660 We went in and looked the house over from one end to the other. 09:36.660 --> 09:37.940 There wasn't a trace of the boy. 09:37.940 --> 09:40.560 We drove back to the Abbott nursery and satisfied ourselves. 09:40.560 --> 09:41.780 The boy wasn't there. 09:41.780 --> 09:46.900 Meantime, the home of Chester Abbott's sister in Alhambra was kept under constant surveillance. 09:46.900 --> 09:48.400 No one came or went. 09:48.400 --> 09:52.580 The next morning when Ed and I checked in for work as usual at 8 a.m., we met with Sergeant 09:52.580 --> 09:53.580 Al Barghetti. 09:53.580 --> 09:55.580 Well, I had half an idea there might be something wrong. 09:55.580 --> 09:56.580 What makes you so positive, though? 09:56.580 --> 09:58.220 It's just that we're not positive. 09:58.220 --> 09:59.980 It's the whole set up, I guess, smells bad. 09:59.980 --> 10:01.380 How do you mean, for instance? 10:01.380 --> 10:02.940 Well, Abbott's lawyer, for one thing. 10:02.940 --> 10:06.100 If a man's innocent, he doesn't have his lawyer sit with him and tell him not to answer any 10:06.100 --> 10:07.100 question. 10:07.100 --> 10:08.740 Number two, the kid's phone call. 10:08.740 --> 10:09.740 He didn't show up for that date. 10:09.740 --> 10:10.740 You figure. 10:10.740 --> 10:11.740 I don't know. 10:11.740 --> 10:13.380 Could be he doesn't get along with his stepfather. 10:13.380 --> 10:14.380 Happens, you know. 10:14.380 --> 10:16.180 Maybe he's trying to get back at him for something or other. 10:16.180 --> 10:17.180 Yeah, that could be. 10:17.180 --> 10:18.540 Why is Abbott hiding him out then? 10:18.540 --> 10:19.940 You're pretty sure he's hiding him out? 10:19.940 --> 10:22.380 Where the thing's been going, no other way to take it. 10:22.380 --> 10:25.540 Mrs. Abbott walked away from her home last Thursday night. 10:25.540 --> 10:26.540 Nobody saw her. 10:26.540 --> 10:27.540 She took nothing with her. 10:27.540 --> 10:28.540 No luggage, no clothes, no money. 10:28.540 --> 10:29.540 That's it. 10:29.540 --> 10:30.980 You checked with her family doctor? 10:30.980 --> 10:31.980 Yesterday. 10:31.980 --> 10:33.420 Told us Mrs. Abbott was in perfect health. 10:33.420 --> 10:36.460 Checked her bank statements, double-checked her name for Wanderers file, repeaters file, 10:36.460 --> 10:37.460 missing persons. 10:37.460 --> 10:38.460 Couldn't find it in either one. 10:38.460 --> 10:39.460 Her relatives too. 10:39.460 --> 10:40.460 How you talk to them? 10:40.460 --> 10:41.460 Some of them, yeah, hell. 10:41.460 --> 10:43.820 Got a few more to check out this morning. 10:43.820 --> 10:46.140 One thing's certain, no clothes, no money, no luggage. 10:46.140 --> 10:47.740 She couldn't have gone very far. 10:47.740 --> 10:49.020 You checked all the angles, huh? 10:49.020 --> 10:50.900 The sheriff's office, the jails, the hospitals. 10:50.900 --> 10:52.620 Sent out a teletype and an APV. 10:52.620 --> 10:54.780 She's been gone almost a week and nobody's seen her. 10:54.780 --> 10:55.780 Now how's that add up to you? 10:55.780 --> 10:56.780 Well, I got an idea. 10:56.780 --> 10:57.780 Yeah. 10:57.780 --> 10:58.780 I hope I'm wrong. 10:58.780 --> 10:59.780 8.45 a.m. 10:59.780 --> 11:06.380 Ed and I left the office and continued making the rounds of the missing woman's friends. 11:06.380 --> 11:11.900 We checked at the Western National Bank where Mrs. Abbott maintained another account. 11:11.900 --> 11:17.820 Her saving statement showed a total balance of $31,564.17. 11:17.820 --> 11:22.660 Her checking account had a balance of $842.71. 11:22.660 --> 11:26.180 At the Farmers Mutual, we found the record of an insurance policy issued to Florence 11:26.180 --> 11:27.180 Trumbull Abbott. 11:27.180 --> 11:32.540 It was a 20-pay life policy covering the insured in the amount of $30,000. 11:32.540 --> 11:37.340 The beneficiary was listed as the insured's son, Bruce Trumbull Abbott, if living upon 11:37.340 --> 11:41.980 receipt of such due proof, if not the insured's husband, Chester J. Abbott. 11:41.980 --> 11:46.220 By the time we finished checking the missing woman's financial status, we figured we had 11:46.220 --> 11:49.300 a fair suspect in the husband, Chester Abbott. 11:49.300 --> 11:53.580 From casual reports, we knew he was a frugal man, almost to the point of obsession. 11:53.580 --> 11:58.140 If he was greedy as well, if he wanted or needed money badly enough to kill, then he 11:58.140 --> 12:01.120 had all the motives necessary to murder his wife. 12:01.120 --> 12:02.820 He was a stepson, too. 12:02.820 --> 12:03.820 6.40 p.m. 12:03.820 --> 12:05.580 Ed and I drove back to the office. 12:05.580 --> 12:06.580 Go ahead. 12:06.580 --> 12:07.580 Long day. 12:07.580 --> 12:08.580 Out of mileage. 12:08.580 --> 12:11.580 I wonder if Al's still around. 12:11.580 --> 12:12.580 Hey, Barghetti. 12:12.580 --> 12:13.580 Al? 12:13.580 --> 12:14.580 Yeah, hey. 12:14.580 --> 12:15.580 Is that you, Friday? 12:15.580 --> 12:16.580 Yeah. 12:16.580 --> 12:17.580 How'd you do? 12:17.580 --> 12:18.580 Get anything? 12:18.580 --> 12:19.580 A few things. 12:19.580 --> 12:20.580 Pretty fair luck. 12:20.580 --> 12:21.580 Good. 12:21.580 --> 12:22.580 I got some more for you. 12:22.580 --> 12:23.580 I just walked in here 10 minutes ago. 12:23.580 --> 12:24.580 Who's that? 12:24.580 --> 12:25.580 Bruce Abbott. 12:25.580 --> 12:26.580 He's waiting in the next room. 12:26.580 --> 12:31.180 We went into the next room and met the Abbott boy. 12:31.180 --> 12:35.500 He was small for a 17-year-old, dark-haired, thin, a little on the sickly side. 12:35.500 --> 12:37.220 He seemed nervous and upset. 12:37.220 --> 12:40.340 He told us that he wasn't able to keep the date he made with us on the phone because 12:40.340 --> 12:44.100 his stepfather did apparently overhear the conversation and drove the boy immediately 12:44.100 --> 12:46.580 to his sister's place in Alhambra. 12:46.580 --> 12:50.620 We asked the boy what made him so sure that his stepfather was responsible for his mother's 12:50.620 --> 12:51.620 disappearance. 12:51.620 --> 12:54.900 Well, for one thing, all three of us usually go to the early show on Thursday night, Chester, 12:54.900 --> 12:55.900 Mom, and me. 12:55.900 --> 12:56.900 Last Thursday we didn't go. 12:56.900 --> 12:57.900 Why was that, son? 12:57.900 --> 13:01.260 Chester said he wasn't feeling too good and he wanted Mom to stay home and take care of 13:01.260 --> 13:02.260 him. 13:02.260 --> 13:04.060 Then he told me to go on ahead to the show, so I did. 13:04.060 --> 13:05.060 What time did you get home, Bruce? 13:05.060 --> 13:06.060 About a quarter to 10, 10 o'clock. 13:06.060 --> 13:09.220 Did you notice anything unusual when you got home, son? 13:09.220 --> 13:10.540 Not so much, no. 13:10.540 --> 13:11.540 Mom wasn't there. 13:11.540 --> 13:12.540 I didn't think much about it then. 13:12.540 --> 13:14.540 I thought maybe she was over to one of the neighbors. 13:14.540 --> 13:16.020 You asked your stepfather where she was? 13:16.020 --> 13:17.020 Uh-huh. 13:17.020 --> 13:18.020 He said he didn't know. 13:18.020 --> 13:19.020 He said he thought she was over at one of the neighbors, too. 13:19.020 --> 13:21.420 What was your stepfather doing when he got home? 13:21.420 --> 13:23.540 Just sitting in the living room reading a paper. 13:23.540 --> 13:25.220 I usually don't talk to him too much. 13:25.220 --> 13:28.300 I just ask him where Mom was and he told me, and then I went back to my room and went to 13:28.300 --> 13:29.300 bed. 13:29.300 --> 13:31.380 Did you notice anything unusual about the way he acted? 13:31.380 --> 13:32.380 Anything different about him at all? 13:32.380 --> 13:33.780 Well, I'm not too sure. 13:33.780 --> 13:35.660 He did seem a little nervous, though. 13:35.660 --> 13:36.660 Jumpy. 13:36.660 --> 13:37.660 More than usual, I think. 13:37.660 --> 13:38.660 Uh-huh. 13:38.660 --> 13:39.660 Anything else? 13:39.660 --> 13:42.180 Well, when I came through the front yard, I noticed the dogs had mud all over their 13:42.180 --> 13:43.180 paws. 13:43.180 --> 13:44.180 Red, Jaime, and George, all three of them. 13:44.180 --> 13:46.180 They must have been out in the nursery plots. 13:46.180 --> 13:47.780 Anything unusual about that? 13:47.780 --> 13:49.220 In a way, yeah. 13:49.220 --> 13:52.220 You see, the dogs don't go out in the plots unless Chester's with them. 13:52.220 --> 13:54.260 He doesn't want them to trample the seedlings. 13:54.260 --> 13:56.420 I noticed Chester had mud on his shoes that night, too. 13:56.420 --> 13:59.300 You figure your stepfather was out digging somewhere in the nursery plots that night, 13:59.300 --> 14:00.300 huh? 14:00.300 --> 14:01.300 Yeah, that's right. 14:01.300 --> 14:02.300 Digging somewhere. 14:02.300 --> 14:03.300 He must have been. 14:03.300 --> 14:04.300 Can't figure out why, though. 14:04.300 --> 14:05.300 How do you mean, son? 14:05.300 --> 14:17.700 My stepfather never works at night. 14:17.700 --> 14:23.860 You are listening to Dragnet, authentic stories of your police force in action. 14:23.860 --> 14:27.420 Share Fatima with any other king-size cigarette. 14:27.420 --> 14:32.460 One, Fatima's length filters the smoke 85 millimeters for your protection. 14:32.460 --> 14:36.260 Two, Fatima's length cools the smoke for your protection. 14:36.260 --> 14:42.540 Three, Fatima's length gives you those extra puffs, 21% longer than standard cigarette 14:42.540 --> 14:43.540 size. 14:43.540 --> 14:49.540 And in Fatima, you get an extra mild and soothing smoke, plus the added protection of Fatima 14:49.540 --> 14:50.540 quality. 14:50.540 --> 14:55.860 Show our confidence in Fatima, we make this money back guarantee to every king-size cigarette 14:55.860 --> 14:56.860 smoker. 14:56.860 --> 14:57.860 Buy a pack of Fatima's. 14:57.860 --> 15:02.900 Enjoy Fatima quality, extra mildness and superbly blended tobaccos. 15:02.900 --> 15:07.820 If you're not convinced Fatima is better than the king-size cigarette you're now smoking, 15:07.820 --> 15:12.900 just return the pack and the unsmoked Fatima's before August 1st, 1952, and we'll give you 15:12.900 --> 15:14.980 your money back plus postage. 15:14.980 --> 15:18.220 Fatima, Fox 37, New York 1. 15:18.220 --> 15:23.420 Remember, each king-size Fatima gives you an extra mild and soothing smoke, plus the 15:23.420 --> 15:25.820 added protection of Fatima quality. 15:25.820 --> 15:28.340 Switch to Fatima today. 15:28.340 --> 15:32.860 Best of all, king-size cigarettes. 15:32.860 --> 15:41.140 Thursday, September 16th, 7.05 p.m. 15:41.140 --> 15:45.080 We continued talking to the missing woman's 17-year-old son, Bruce Abbott. 15:45.080 --> 15:48.900 As the interview went on, it became more and more obvious that the boy and his stepfather, 15:48.900 --> 15:51.380 Chester Abbott, didn't get along at all. 15:51.380 --> 15:55.060 Apparently, the boy was jealous of him and he was jealous of the boy. 15:55.060 --> 15:59.660 Besides his prejudice, Bruce also contradicted himself during the course of the questioning. 15:59.660 --> 16:02.140 7.15 p.m., the interview went on. 16:02.140 --> 16:05.220 I understand that all right, son, but you say you can't think of any reason why your 16:05.220 --> 16:07.620 father would be out working the nursery plots that time of night? 16:07.620 --> 16:08.620 No, sir, I can't. 16:08.620 --> 16:10.220 I don't know how he'd get any work done. 16:10.220 --> 16:12.500 None of the plots are even lighted, only the greenhouses. 16:12.500 --> 16:15.940 Well, as possible, he could have gotten that mud on his shoes working in one of the greenhouses. 16:15.940 --> 16:17.940 No, sir, I don't see how. 16:17.940 --> 16:22.020 All the paths in the greenhouses are graveled, so my job is either kept graveled. 16:22.020 --> 16:24.580 I know they weren't muddy because I fixed them the day before. 16:24.580 --> 16:26.980 Well, what do you think it means, Bruce? 16:26.980 --> 16:27.980 I don't know. 16:27.980 --> 16:29.580 I don't want to think about it. 16:29.580 --> 16:31.180 I just know he's done something. 16:31.180 --> 16:32.180 He's done something to her. 16:32.180 --> 16:35.700 Is your father, that is your stepfather, giving any reason for keeping you away from the police 16:35.700 --> 16:38.500 officers that came to your house, me and the first two officers who showed up? 16:38.500 --> 16:40.620 No, he said people were getting nosy, that's all. 16:40.620 --> 16:43.260 He said it might be better for me over at my Aunt Helen's place. 16:43.260 --> 16:45.620 Do you think your Aunt Helen might know where your mother is? 16:45.620 --> 16:47.340 I don't think so. 16:47.340 --> 16:48.860 We hardly ever see Aunt Helen. 16:48.860 --> 16:49.860 We don't know her well at all. 16:49.860 --> 16:52.940 Well, do you know if your mother and stepfather argued very much, son? 16:52.940 --> 16:54.420 I mean big arguments. 16:54.420 --> 16:56.420 Sometimes, yeah, mostly about me. 16:56.420 --> 16:57.820 How do you mean? 16:57.820 --> 17:01.300 Chester's pretty tight, you know, doesn't like to spend money at all. 17:01.300 --> 17:04.620 He and Mom used to argue about whether I ought to get paid for the work I did around the 17:04.620 --> 17:05.620 nursery. 17:05.620 --> 17:06.620 Chester didn't want to pay me. 17:06.620 --> 17:07.620 That's so. 17:07.620 --> 17:09.700 Yeah, when I started working, he promised he'd pay me. 17:09.700 --> 17:13.740 I was saving up to buy a 31 Model A. After a couple of weeks, when he didn't pay me, 17:13.740 --> 17:14.940 I asked him about it. 17:14.940 --> 17:17.020 He told me I ought to be glad to work for him for nothing. 17:17.020 --> 17:18.820 And your mother argued with him about that? 17:18.820 --> 17:20.660 Sure, she got good and mad, too. 17:20.660 --> 17:21.660 She should have gotten mad. 17:21.660 --> 17:23.140 It was her money that bought the nursery anyway. 17:23.140 --> 17:25.500 Well, how'd you happen to get away from your Aunt's place, Bruce? 17:25.500 --> 17:26.820 It wasn't too hard. 17:26.820 --> 17:28.780 Helen had some shopping to do and she left me alone. 17:28.780 --> 17:30.340 She locked the door to my room. 17:30.340 --> 17:33.420 Even the screen over the window was nailed down, but I kicked it out and got away. 17:33.420 --> 17:35.740 I stayed at a friend's house last night. 17:35.740 --> 17:38.060 You thought much about where you were going to stay tonight, son? 17:38.060 --> 17:39.500 Well, I don't know. 17:39.500 --> 17:41.780 Sergeant Burgetti, I was talking to him. 17:41.780 --> 17:44.340 He asked me if I wanted to go out and have dinner and then stay at his house tonight. 17:44.340 --> 17:45.340 I don't know. 17:45.340 --> 17:46.900 Sounds like a good idea to me. 17:46.900 --> 17:47.900 I don't know. 17:47.900 --> 17:49.140 It's sure nice of him to ask me. 17:49.140 --> 17:50.700 I think it'd be a lot better for you, son. 17:50.700 --> 17:54.340 Why don't you check in the next office, see if Burgetti's ready to leave, huh? 17:54.340 --> 17:55.340 Yeah. 17:55.340 --> 17:56.340 Okay, Sergeant, thanks. 17:56.340 --> 17:57.340 You betcha. 17:57.340 --> 18:00.340 Joe, what do you think? 18:00.340 --> 18:02.420 It's hard to say. 18:02.420 --> 18:07.540 He might be lying. 18:07.540 --> 18:10.900 Before we signed out of the office that night, we met with Captain Lorman and outlined a 18:10.900 --> 18:14.740 plan to bring in the husband of the missing woman for questioning alone. 18:14.740 --> 18:19.340 We figured it had served two purposes, clarify the boy's position in the case and determine 18:19.340 --> 18:23.940 one way or another if the stepfather was withholding information about the disappearance of Mrs. 18:23.940 --> 18:24.940 Abbott. 18:24.940 --> 18:28.260 The big problem was to bring in Chester Abbott for interrogation without the knowledge of 18:28.260 --> 18:29.260 his lawyer. 18:29.260 --> 18:33.700 As we'd found out more than once, it was impossible to get anything out of Abbott with his lawyer 18:33.700 --> 18:34.800 present. 18:34.800 --> 18:38.420 We set up a plan to call at the Abbott home early in the morning, get the suspect out 18:38.420 --> 18:41.940 of bed, and bring him in before his lawyer could be notified. 18:41.940 --> 18:46.260 At 3.30 the following morning, Ed and I met at the office and started for the Abbott place. 18:46.260 --> 18:49.460 We brought along a couple of pounds of fresh horse meat to keep the dogs quiet if they 18:49.460 --> 18:50.460 raised a fuss. 18:50.460 --> 18:54.460 At 10 minutes past 4 a.m., we parked our car a few hundred feet down the road from the 18:54.460 --> 18:56.580 Abbott nursery and made our way toward the gate. 18:56.580 --> 18:58.460 I reached in and tried to latch. 18:58.460 --> 18:59.460 The dogs started up. 18:59.460 --> 19:00.460 How about it, Joe? 19:00.460 --> 19:01.460 Open? 19:01.460 --> 19:02.460 No, it's padlocked. 19:02.460 --> 19:05.100 We're gonna have to climb the fence. 19:05.100 --> 19:08.100 Toss some of that meat over to them, will you? 19:08.100 --> 19:09.100 Okay. 19:09.100 --> 19:10.100 There. 19:10.100 --> 19:11.100 All right, that does it. 19:11.100 --> 19:12.100 All right, let's climb the fence. 19:12.100 --> 19:13.100 Keep an eye on the hounds. 19:13.100 --> 19:14.100 Looks like they could take a leg off. 19:14.100 --> 19:15.100 Yeah. 19:15.100 --> 19:16.100 Take it easy, Ed. 19:16.100 --> 19:17.100 All right. 19:17.100 --> 19:18.100 Watch him. 19:18.100 --> 19:19.100 Here comes that other dog. 19:19.100 --> 19:20.100 Get some more of that meat ready. 19:20.100 --> 19:21.100 Yeah. 19:21.100 --> 19:22.100 There you are, boy. 19:22.100 --> 19:23.100 Go get it. 19:23.100 --> 19:24.100 Go on. 19:24.100 --> 19:25.100 All right, that's fine. 19:25.100 --> 19:26.100 Come on, let's hurry. 19:26.100 --> 19:27.100 All right. 19:27.100 --> 19:28.100 All right. 19:28.100 --> 19:35.100 Have a look, Joe. 19:35.100 --> 19:36.100 All right. 19:36.100 --> 19:39.100 Windows along the side of the house. 19:39.100 --> 19:40.100 Lights just went on. 19:40.100 --> 19:41.100 Yeah, come on. 19:41.100 --> 19:42.100 All right. 19:42.100 --> 19:43.100 Who is it? 19:43.100 --> 19:44.100 Who's there? 19:44.100 --> 19:45.100 Who is it? 19:45.100 --> 19:47.440 I'll set the dogs on you. 19:47.440 --> 19:48.440 Police officers, Abbott. 19:48.440 --> 19:49.440 Friday and Jacobs. 19:49.440 --> 19:50.440 What kind of business is this? 19:50.440 --> 19:55.440 What are you doing out here this time of night? 19:55.440 --> 19:56.440 You're under arrest, Mr. Abbott. 19:56.440 --> 19:57.440 What are you talking about? 19:57.440 --> 19:58.440 You heard me. 19:58.440 --> 19:59.440 You're under arrest. 19:59.440 --> 20:00.440 What kind of crazy thing is this? 20:00.440 --> 20:01.440 You're going to pay for this. 20:01.440 --> 20:02.440 I'll have your job. 20:02.440 --> 20:03.440 You want to get your coat? 20:03.440 --> 20:04.440 You cops are asking for a pack of trouble. 20:04.440 --> 20:05.440 You know that. 20:05.440 --> 20:06.440 Get your coat. 20:06.440 --> 20:07.440 I'd like to know what you think you're doing. 20:07.440 --> 20:08.440 Where's my stepson anyway? 20:08.440 --> 20:09.440 What have you done with him? 20:09.440 --> 20:10.440 I got a better one for you, mister. 20:10.440 --> 20:11.440 Huh? 20:11.440 --> 20:14.440 What have you done with your wife? 20:14.440 --> 20:15.440 425 a.m. 20:15.440 --> 20:20.340 Ed and I drove the suspect, Chester Abbott, back downtown to the office. 20:20.340 --> 20:21.860 He was quiet and sullen. 20:21.860 --> 20:23.660 We headed down the hall for the squad room. 20:23.660 --> 20:26.140 Lights still burning in the office. 20:26.140 --> 20:27.940 Now, probably Barghetti standing by. 20:27.940 --> 20:29.780 All right, Abbott, in there. 20:29.780 --> 20:30.780 You're going to pay for this. 20:30.780 --> 20:31.780 You can take my word on that. 20:31.780 --> 20:33.180 Ed, you want to take him in the office and stay with him. 20:33.180 --> 20:34.180 I'll check with Al. 20:34.180 --> 20:35.180 Okay. 20:35.180 --> 20:36.180 All right, Abbott, inside. 20:36.180 --> 20:39.180 Joe, you bring him in? 20:39.180 --> 20:40.180 Yeah. 20:40.180 --> 20:41.180 He's next door. 20:41.180 --> 20:42.180 Ed's with him. 20:42.180 --> 20:43.180 Tough. 20:43.180 --> 20:44.180 Somebody must have seen you. 20:44.180 --> 20:45.180 No, I don't think so. 20:45.180 --> 20:46.180 They must have. 20:46.180 --> 20:47.180 Why? 20:47.180 --> 20:48.180 What do you mean? 20:48.180 --> 20:49.180 Abbott's lawyer. 20:49.180 --> 20:50.180 He's sitting in the next room. 20:50.180 --> 20:51.180 Al, the lawyer had been notified. 20:51.180 --> 20:52.180 We couldn't be sure. 20:52.180 --> 20:53.180 Again, we drove the suspect back to the office. 20:53.180 --> 20:54.180 He was quiet and sullen. 20:54.180 --> 20:55.180 We headed down the hall for the squad room. 20:55.180 --> 20:56.180 We tried to question him. 20:56.180 --> 20:57.180 We tried to question Abbott. 20:57.180 --> 21:00.180 And again, on the advice of his attorney, he refused to answer practically every question 21:00.180 --> 21:01.180 we put to him. 21:01.180 --> 21:02.180 We released him. 21:02.180 --> 21:06.540 That day, Captain Lorman assigned two men to stake out on the nursery and report on 21:06.540 --> 21:08.820 all of Chester Abbott's movements. 21:08.820 --> 21:12.740 A little after 7 p.m., just after nightfall, we tried again to bring the suspect in for 21:12.740 --> 21:14.740 questioning without his lawyer's knowledge. 21:14.740 --> 21:15.740 It didn't work. 21:15.740 --> 21:19.500 The men assigned to stake out on the Abbott place reported definitely that someone was 21:19.500 --> 21:23.020 tipping off the attorney whenever unknown visitors showed up at the nursery and drove 21:23.020 --> 21:24.580 off together with Mr. Abbott. 21:24.580 --> 21:26.580 There was nothing we could do about it. 21:26.580 --> 21:29.020 The following morning, Al Barghetti came up with a lead. 21:29.020 --> 21:30.380 Had a long talk with the boy last night. 21:30.380 --> 21:31.780 Think he came up with a pretty fair lead. 21:31.780 --> 21:32.780 How's that? 21:32.780 --> 21:33.780 The old man's responsible. 21:33.780 --> 21:35.420 We know there's only one way we'll get a conviction. 21:35.420 --> 21:36.420 Yeah. 21:36.420 --> 21:37.860 Find the body and enough evidence to tie him in. 21:37.860 --> 21:39.740 Yeah, well, where do we start looking? 21:39.740 --> 21:40.740 In a new rose bed. 21:40.740 --> 21:42.740 It's next to one of the greenhouses in Abbott's nursery. 21:42.740 --> 21:43.940 The boy telling you this? 21:43.940 --> 21:44.940 Yeah. 21:44.940 --> 21:45.940 Seems to make sense. 21:45.940 --> 21:47.940 We know old man Abbott's crazy about saving a dollar. 21:47.940 --> 21:49.860 We found that out from the neighbors and the relatives. 21:49.860 --> 21:54.340 And on the nursery trade, especially in the limited area Abbott has to work in, he cultivate 21:54.340 --> 21:55.620 every foot of ground you have. 21:55.620 --> 21:57.260 You plant every foot of soil with something. 21:57.260 --> 21:58.660 Well, yeah, Al, what's the point? 21:58.660 --> 22:00.660 Well, Abbott's not the type to waste anything. 22:00.660 --> 22:03.380 He wouldn't let ground lie fallow when he could plant something that might bring in 22:03.380 --> 22:04.740 a few dollars next spring. 22:04.740 --> 22:05.740 Mm-hmm. 22:05.740 --> 22:08.380 Bruce tells me his stepfather has every inch of the property planted with something. 22:08.380 --> 22:11.180 Everything except the six by eight plot of ground in that rose garden. 22:11.180 --> 22:12.700 Well, what did the boy say? 22:12.700 --> 22:13.980 The plot been vacant for a long? 22:13.980 --> 22:16.740 Well, he says his stepfather got it ready for planting a week and a half ago. 22:16.740 --> 22:17.740 It's still vacant. 22:17.740 --> 22:18.740 Be worth checking out. 22:18.740 --> 22:19.740 How do we do it? 22:19.740 --> 22:20.860 We can order up a crew from the crime lab. 22:20.860 --> 22:23.340 They can take probings through the plot, all around it. 22:23.340 --> 22:25.780 We ought to be able to tell us how deep the ground's been worked over lately. 22:25.780 --> 22:26.780 Okay. 22:26.780 --> 22:27.780 What are you figuring tonight? 22:27.780 --> 22:28.780 I think so, yeah. 22:28.780 --> 22:29.780 Maybe 11, 12 o'clock. 22:29.780 --> 22:30.780 What about old man Abbott? 22:30.780 --> 22:32.540 Do you think he's going to sit still for it? 22:32.540 --> 22:33.540 The hunch pays off. 22:33.540 --> 22:36.700 He's going to sit still a long time. 22:36.700 --> 22:42.060 It was 10 minutes past 11 that night when we got to the Abbott nursery. 22:42.060 --> 22:46.740 Lee Jones and the crime lab crew, Al Barghetti, Ed, and two other men from homicide. 22:46.740 --> 22:50.260 The men on stakeout told us Chester Abbott, along with his attorney, had left the house 22:50.260 --> 22:53.260 a half hour before in his car, a dark blue coupe. 22:53.260 --> 22:54.260 They hadn't returned. 22:54.260 --> 22:58.740 Ed brought along another supply of fresh horse meat for the dogs so we didn't have any trouble 22:58.740 --> 22:59.740 there. 22:59.740 --> 23:03.340 We located the vacant plot of ground in the rosebed next to one of the greenhouses, as 23:03.340 --> 23:05.940 Bruce Abbott had described it to Barghetti. 23:05.940 --> 23:07.900 The crime lab crew started probing. 23:07.900 --> 23:12.180 The ground, obviously, had been worked over recently, and to some depth, they started 23:12.180 --> 23:13.180 digging. 23:13.180 --> 23:18.180 Anderson, get that light over here, will you? 23:18.180 --> 23:19.180 Thanks. 23:19.180 --> 23:22.180 Joe, see anything? 23:22.180 --> 23:25.980 No, let's keep digging. 23:25.980 --> 23:28.700 It's right over here. 23:28.700 --> 23:29.700 Yeah. 23:29.700 --> 23:31.020 You know, this is it. 23:31.020 --> 23:32.300 He wasn't taking any chances. 23:32.300 --> 23:34.780 Down a good four or five feet now, wouldn't you say? 23:34.780 --> 23:35.780 Yeah, at least that. 23:35.780 --> 23:36.780 Anderson, more light, huh? 23:36.780 --> 23:37.780 All right, let's go at it. 23:37.780 --> 23:38.780 All right, wait a minute. 23:38.780 --> 23:39.780 Yeah. 23:39.780 --> 23:40.780 A woman's shoe here. 23:40.780 --> 23:41.780 Come on. 23:41.780 --> 23:52.780 Just a matter. 23:52.780 --> 23:59.820 Yeah, that's it. 23:59.820 --> 24:00.820 Shoulder there. 24:00.820 --> 24:01.820 It's a body. 24:01.820 --> 24:03.220 Now, it paid off, Al. 24:03.220 --> 24:04.220 The boy had it figured. 24:04.220 --> 24:10.500 Yeah, too bad he was right. 24:10.500 --> 24:21.360 It's just too bad they had to try again. 24:21.360 --> 24:24.680 Come here. 24:24.680 --> 24:33.480 Now, well, Cor deve very quickly. 24:33.480 --> 24:38.360 looked around. In one bedroom we found clothes scattered over the bed and on the floor. There 24:38.360 --> 24:43.040 was only one old suit left in one closet. On the table next to the bed we found an airline's 24:43.040 --> 24:47.760 timetable. We got to the phone and notified communications to alert all special details 24:47.760 --> 24:53.080 at railroad stations, bus terminals and airports, and then to get out an APB. After that we 24:53.080 --> 24:56.880 checked with the airlines. One of them told us a man answering after his description had 24:56.880 --> 25:01.480 booked passage to Mexico City that night under the name of Charles Frazier. The plane was 25:01.480 --> 25:06.920 scheduled to leave at 1.52 a.m. at the Burbank Airport. We called the detail at the airport 25:06.920 --> 25:11.520 and alerted them. Then we drove over to the field to follow through on it. It was 1.32 25:11.520 --> 25:15.920 a.m. when Ed and I took up our positions just inside gate three where passengers were boarding 25:15.920 --> 25:21.200 flight 72 for Mexico City. There was no sign of the suspect either on the plane or in the 25:21.200 --> 25:28.200 waiting room. Thank you, Shel. I don't know. Where's Spaghetti? Over there by the cocktail 25:28.200 --> 25:35.200 lounge. See him? Oh, yeah. What time he got now? 1.38. The plane's due to take off in 25:35.960 --> 25:42.560 another four minutes, isn't it? Any sign of him now? No, nothing. Just made the rounds. 25:42.560 --> 25:46.160 Checked with Stevens and Cummings if he got in. He came in somebody's suitcase. Couldn't 25:46.160 --> 25:50.080 have possibly gotten through without one of us seeing him. Well, he hasn't got much more 25:50.080 --> 25:53.960 time. Maybe it's a dead end, huh? You don't see how he could have gotten wise, do you? 25:53.960 --> 26:00.960 Over there. No, no. By the ticket counter there. You see him? Yeah. That's him. Come on. 26:00.960 --> 26:05.240 All right. Just a minute, Abbott. I haven't got time now. I'll miss my plane. If you have 26:05.240 --> 26:08.080 anything more to say to me, you can wait till I get back. Right now, Abbott. And take it 26:08.080 --> 26:11.440 up with my lawyer. I'm in a hurry. We found your wife's body. How's that? In the rose 26:11.440 --> 26:15.160 bed next to the greenhouse. I don't know what you mean. You must be mistaken. No mistake. 26:15.160 --> 26:18.640 Hands behind your back. What's this all about? I haven't done anything. All right. Let's 26:18.640 --> 26:22.600 go. No, no. Just a minute. You got it wrong. I don't know anything about it. We think you 26:22.600 --> 26:28.200 do. Now, come on. It wasn't my fault. I didn't know what I was doing. I plead insanity. She 26:28.200 --> 26:31.080 drove me to it. We were arguing about the boy and she slapped me. I didn't mean to do 26:31.080 --> 26:40.080 it. All right. Let's go, Abbott. Can you wait just a minute more? What for? A plane. 26:40.080 --> 26:48.200 One from Mexico City. Funny, isn't it? What's that? I was so close. Just missed it. Not by 26:48.200 --> 26:53.320 more than one minute. No, you're wrong about that, Abbott. Just one minute. That's all. 26:53.320 --> 26:57.640 You missed it before you ever bought your ticket. How do you figure? When you first 26:57.640 --> 27:10.080 decided to kill your wife. Come on. The story you have just heard was true. The names were 27:10.080 --> 27:15.520 changed to protect the innocent. On December 19th, trial was held in Superior Court, Department 27:15.520 --> 27:19.800 89, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California. In a moment, the results of 27:19.800 --> 27:25.680 that trial. Now, here is our star, Jack Webb. Thank you, George Fenomen. Friends, I'm holding 27:25.680 --> 27:30.080 two sets of fingerprint cards. Now, on one, prints found at the scene of a crime. On the 27:30.080 --> 27:34.040 second, a suspect's taken from the files. Now, the only way in the world you can tell 27:34.040 --> 27:39.480 they're made by the same suspect is by comparison. If you'll compare Fatima with any other king-size 27:39.480 --> 27:44.880 cigarette, you'll find Fatima's length filters the smoke, 85 millimeters, for your protection. 27:44.880 --> 27:50.200 Fatima's length cools the smoke for your protection. Fatima's length gives you those extra puffs, 27:50.200 --> 27:55.160 21 percent longer than standard cigarette size. And you get an extra mild and soothing 27:55.160 --> 28:09.000 smoke, plus the added protection of Fatima quality. Prove it today. Buy Fatima. 28:09.000 --> 28:13.520 Chester Vernon Abbott was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree. The jury failed 28:13.520 --> 28:18.640 to recommend clemency. Abbott was executed in the lethal gas chamber at the State Penitentiary, 28:18.640 --> 28:33.520 San Quentin, California. You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases from 28:33.520 --> 28:38.720 official files. Technical advice comes from the Office of Chief of Police, W.H. Parker, 28:38.720 --> 28:44.760 Los Angeles Police Department. Technical advisors Captain Jack Donahoe, Sergeant Marty Winn, 28:44.760 --> 28:50.160 and Sergeant Vance Brasher. Heard tonight were Barney Phillips and Herb Ellis. Script by 28:50.160 --> 28:59.640 Jim Moser. Music by Walter Schuma. Hal Gibney speaking. 28:59.640 --> 29:04.640 Fatima cigarettes. Best of all, king-size cigarettes has brought you Dragnet, transcribed from 29:04.640 --> 29:15.160 Los Angeles. Now it's Counterspy on NBC.