1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:18,000 Ladies and gentlemen, the entire production staff and technicians on Dragnet wish to thank the American Weekly and the television editors of the various newspapers which distribute the American Weekly for voting Dragnet the best mystery drama on television for 1951-1952. Our deepest thanks for this fine recognition. 2 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:38,000 The story you are about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Fatima cigarettes, best of all king size cigarettes, brings you Dragnet on both radio and television. 3 00:00:38,000 --> 00:01:01,000 Your detective sergeant, you are assigned a juvenile detail. An eight months old baby is stolen from its mother. It's the third case of child stealing reported in less than three weeks. There is no lead on the suspect. Your job, get him. 4 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:27,000 Compare Fatima with any other king size cigarette. Yes, compare Fatima with any other king size cigarette. One, Fatima's length filters the smoke 85 millimeters for your protection. Two, Fatima's length cools the smoke for your protection. Three, Fatima's length gives you those extra puffs, 21 percent longer than standard cigarette size. 5 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:45,000 Fatima gives you more for your money. And in king size Fatima, you get an extra mild and soothing smoke, plus the added protection of Fatima quality. Buy Fatima in the bright sunny yellow pack. Best of all king size cigarettes. 6 00:01:45,000 --> 00:02:10,000 Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime. For the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case transcribed from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. 7 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:30,000 It was Wednesday, June 18th. It was warm in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out a juvenile division. My partner is Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Stein. My name is Friday. It was 6.30 p.m. when we got back to 1335 Georgia Street, second floor, the squad room. 8 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:42,000 Hi, I've been waiting for you. Hi, Captain. How's it going? Any sign of the baby? No, not yet. We're doing everything we can. We haven't got a lead to our name. Lousy thing. How's it stack up? Anything like the last two cases? Yeah, quite a bit. Same neighborhood, same general MO. 9 00:02:42,000 --> 00:03:11,000 We checked with just about everybody in the vicinity. No one saw the baby taken. Happened about 10 o'clock this morning? 10.15. Mrs. Donaldson drove down to the neighborhood shopping center to do her marketing. She had the baby in a bassinet in the back seat of her car. Baby boy, eight months old. She pulled into the parking lot right behind the market, left the baby asleep in the car. She went in to do her shopping when she came out. The baby was gone. How long was she in the market? She told us about 20 minutes. We talked to a half a dozen people who drove their cars in and out of the parking lot about that time. They couldn't help me. They didn't see anyone loitering around. How about delivery trucks? They usually unload. 10 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:24,000 Supplies at the back door, don't they? Already checked on that. We talked to the driver of a bread truck. He was making a delivery about that time. He couldn't help us either. The mother, Mrs. Donaldson, she's the only one who came up with anything at all. It's not much, but it's better than nothing. Yeah. 11 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:39,000 When she parked her car and got out to go in the market, she noticed a woman sitting in the car park next to hers. When she came back and found her baby was gone, she noticed that this woman's car was gone, too. Mrs. Donaldson described the woman for you? Yeah, she was middle-aged. She had gray hair. That's all she remembered. How about the car the woman was in? 12 00:03:39,000 --> 00:04:09,000 It was a green sedan. That's the only thing Mrs. Donaldson could tell us. She's not even sure of that. And there's no one else around the market that remembered the car, huh? Well, if there is, we haven't found them. We covered the whole neighborhood, Skipper. Talked to everybody we could. Got us nowhere. Smoke out? Thanks. You, Joe? Yeah, thank you. I got a light. Captain? No kickback yet on the broadcast. The old points you got out on the baby? No, nothing. Up to now, it's a carbon copy of the last two jobs. No suspect, no motive. Mrs. Donaldson can't think of anything else? 13 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:39,000 Any reason at all for it? No, not a one. Her husband's a teamster. They don't have much money. She couldn't think of any friend or relative who might possibly want to take their baby. The baby normal and good health? Yeah, perfect. She got me. This makes it about one a week. Just about. Martin baby was taken on the 5th. The Andrews baby was taken on the 12th. Both of them recovered in 24 hours. Nothing wrong with either of them. Sure doesn't make sense. Must be a psycho case of some kind. I think we can go along on that. This one happened near 8th and Dinehart, that right? Yeah, same neighborhood as the other one. 14 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:50,000 The other two, about a 12 square block area there. How about that lead you ahead on the old man out there? Did you exhaust that? Yeah, the old gardener? We double checked him this afternoon. He wasn't anywhere near the market when the Donaldson baby was taken. 15 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:57,000 How about the other two people you had your eye on? Either of them anywhere near the scene at the time? Neither one of them, Skipper. Both clear. How's it stand now? 16 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:07,000 Well, we're doing everything possible. Dean Bergman went over the Donaldson car for prints. The bassinet too. There's no word from him yet. Special detail from Metro Division. Still going over the neighborhood. Nothing from them either. 17 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:14,000 No sign of any physical evidence, huh? I mean, besides any possible prints. No, nothing, Cap. An usual number of tips from people in the neighborhood. Checked on all of them. They went nowhere. 18 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:24,000 Well, we've just about run the gambit on this thing. You have anything in mind? Well, Joe and I were kicking around an idea on the way back in. Figured it might be worth a try. I mean, providing we get the Donaldson case cleared. 19 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:35,000 Yeah? Joe? Well, for one thing, we figure the neighborhood out there works in our favor. All three of the babies were taken in the same 12 square block area. It's the strongest part of the MO that we got to work on. 20 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:44,000 Now, if we get good enough coverage in that area out there, it might lead somewhere. What kind of coverage? Well, maybe a system of decoys. Something to draw the suspect out at the right time, the right place. 21 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:53,000 Makes sense. What have you got in mind? Well, Frank and I were figuring if we could round up half a dozen policewomen or so, let them work different points around the neighborhood and make it obvious that they're housewives. 22 00:05:53,000 --> 00:06:03,000 Yeah? Have each one of them with a baby carriage. Spot them at the shopping centers out there in that area. They leave the carriages outside the stores, go through the motions of doing their shopping and cover each one of them. 23 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:11,000 What do you do for bait? I think we can fake it, Skipper. Put a life-size doll in each of the carriages, keep it pretty well covered. There's a chance it'll get us a nibble if we work it right. 24 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:16,000 About half a dozen policewomen, that's what you figured? Yeah, I figured that ought to do it. Excuse me. 25 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:36,000 Yeah? General Division, Captain Stein. Yeah, that's right. Uh-huh. How's that? I see. Mrs. Bolger. Yes, ma'am, I understand. How's that? Yes, ma'am, if you like. All right, thank you. Goodbye. 26 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:51,000 Queer one? Yeah. Either one of you contacted Mrs. Marion Bolger the last month or so? No, it's not familiar to me. How about you, Frank? Don't recall her name. Why won't you? That was her on the phone. She wants to be investigated, says she wants to prove to us that she's not involved in any of these child-stealing cases. 27 00:06:51,000 --> 00:07:03,000 How do you spell that name? Marion Bolger, B-O-L-G-E-R, Ewing Street address. No, I never heard of her. What's the pitch? Got me. She kept saying she's got to have her name cleared. She's innocent, kept insisting she didn't steal the Donaldson baby. 28 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:09,000 Well, we didn't say she did. We don't even know the woman. You're going to. Check her out. 29 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:20,000 We ran the name Marion Bolger through R&I, but there was no previous criminal record on her. 7.25 p.m. Frank Smith and I left the office and drove out to the Ewing Street address to interview the Bolger woman. 30 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:40,000 Before we called at her home, we checked with some of the neighbors. Most of them had a favorable opinion of her. They described her as a pleasant woman, slightly eccentric. The only complaint was that the Bolger woman was very fond of children and that she kept most of the youngsters on the block well supplied with cake and candy, despite repeated objections from the youngsters' parents. Other than that, they seemed to like her. 31 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:51,000 8.05 p.m. Frank and I called on Mrs. Bolger and she ushered us into a neatly furnished living room. She was an older woman, possibly in her early 60s. Dark brown hair streaked with gray. 32 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:58,000 It's the honest truth, Sergeant. Anybody who really knows me would tell you I wouldn't do a thing like that. I love children. I want all of them to be happy. I wouldn't steal anybody's baby. 33 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:01,000 Just a minute, Mrs. Bolger, please. Something we'd like to get straight. 34 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:06,000 I don't care how it looks. I don't care what they say. I didn't do it. I didn't steal those other two babies. I didn't steal the Donaldson baby either. 35 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:09,000 How did you know the Donaldson baby was missing, ma'am? It just happened this morning. 36 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:15,000 The evening paper, the whole story's in there. It's the first I knew about it to help me, but I got me even in paper. Please, Sergeant, you've got to believe me. 37 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:19,000 All right, now try to take it easy, ma'am. What gives you the idea that we're accusing you of taking those babies? 38 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:23,000 We haven't yet. Not in so many words. You're thinking about it, though I know that. You've been told. 39 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:32,000 How do you mean, told what? You know what I mean. All those stories going around about me. Just because I like children, because I enjoy them, I understand them. 40 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:36,000 Just because of that, they try to make me out of which or something, trying to say I took those poor little babies. 41 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:39,000 All right, just a minute, ma'am. Who said you took the babies? 42 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:45,000 Down at the store this afternoon, I heard them. That grocery clerk and that silly Mrs. Murdock. They laughed about it. 43 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:49,000 Tried to make out there's only a fool, and while I knew better, they weren't fooling. They meant it. 44 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:53,000 Accusing me of such a terrible thing. I just don't know when I've been so upset. 45 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:57,000 Well, now what grounds would they have for saying anything like that, ma'am? I mean, even if they were fooling. 46 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:03,000 Only because I love children, that's all. People in the neighborhood are the same way. They don't like me. 47 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:08,000 They go around saying things about me, just because I understand their children better than they do. 48 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:10,000 Just because I know how to treat children. 49 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:15,000 No, I think you got it wrong, Mrs. Bolger. The only complaint your neighbors have is that you treat children too well. 50 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:16,000 A little too much candy, huh? 51 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:23,000 Nothing wrong with giving a child candy. Good homemade fudge. I make it myself. Besides, how would you know about that? 52 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:26,000 We talked to your neighbors, ma'am. They had a lot of nice things to say about you. 53 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:32,000 Yes, I just bet they did. Nasty, dirty stories. They've been passing them all over the neighborhood about me. 54 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:34,000 No, ma'am. You've got it wrong. 55 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:37,000 Just let me show you. Come in here. This way. The dining room. 56 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:39,000 Yes, ma'am. 57 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:44,000 Look at that. Look at that. 58 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:45,000 Yes, ma'am. It's very nice. 59 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:54,000 You see how I decorated the table? Paper streamers all over the room. It was supposed to be a party for the children in the neighborhood. 60 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:59,000 I worked a whole week getting it ready. I made the cakes myself. Decorated them, too. 61 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:09,000 I made everything in my own kitchen. Candy, sandwiches. It took me a whole week. And they didn't even come. They didn't come. 62 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:10,000 Ma'am? 63 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:17,000 The neighborhood children. It was supposed to be for them. A special summer party I wanted to give them today. They didn't even come. 64 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:26,000 The parents wouldn't let them. Not one of them. It's a crime. Terrible crime. All this good food. 65 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:28,000 Well, now maybe there was a mistake, ma'am. 66 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:34,000 There wasn't any mistake. I invited the children. Fourteen of them. Mothers wouldn't let them come. 67 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:39,000 I had everything ready. Little favors for each one of them. 68 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:45,000 Now, look. Ice creams all melted. Hot cocoa boiled away to nothing. 69 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:55,000 Even the paper streamers are coming down. Such a mean thing to do. Keeping children from a party. Such a mean thing. 70 00:10:55,000 --> 00:11:00,000 We don't like to bother you, Mrs. Bolger. We'd like to ask you a few routine questions and we'll let you alone. 71 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:02,000 Anything you want to know, Sergeant? 72 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:05,000 Can you account for your time this morning, ma'am, between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.? 73 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:11,000 Yes, of course I can. I was right here in the house getting things ready for the party. My friend, Aggie Benson, was with me. 74 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:13,000 She's a scooch on my mind. She was helping me get things ready. 75 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:16,000 Well, then you didn't leave the house at any time this morning, did you? 76 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:18,000 No, sir, I didn't. You can ask Aggie. She'll tell you. 77 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,000 Do you have a car, Mrs. Bolger? 78 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:24,000 Oh, my, no. I wouldn't know what to do with it if I had one. I never learned to drive. Why'd you want to know? 79 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:27,000 Just routine, ma'am. Well, I guess we'd better be going, Frank. 80 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:28,000 Aren't you? 81 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:33,000 And you don't believe those stories, do you? I mean, just because I like children, I'd steal those babies. You don't believe that, do you? 82 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:35,000 No, ma'am. We haven't any reason to believe it. 83 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:41,000 I knew you'd understand. I wouldn't do a thing like that. I just love children. Sergeant, I never had any of my own. 84 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:46,000 Living here by myself, no husband, lonely. Terrible thing, being lonely. 85 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:47,000 Yes, ma'am, it is. 86 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:52,000 There's only one answer for it. Children. Big family. It's an old saying. It's very true. 87 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:53,000 Ma'am. 88 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:58,000 When you get to be 63, you want something else to wake up to beside the morning paper. 89 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:09,000 8.40 p.m. Before we headed back for the office, Frank and I made a thorough check on Mrs. Bolger, her background and her alibi. 90 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:13,000 We found nothing to link her in any way with the child stealings. 91 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:19,000 9.15 p.m. We got back to the city hall and went directly to Layton Fingerprints where we met with Dean Bergman. 92 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:25,000 He'd found several sets of prints on the Donaldson's car and on the bassinet from which their baby had been stolen. 93 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:28,000 Most of them were those of the parents, Mr. and Mrs. Donaldson. 94 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:33,000 Bergman was unable to identify the two foreign prints found inside the car. 95 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:38,000 We contacted the officers in charge of the special detail checking the neighborhood where the latest child stealing had occurred. 96 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:43,000 They'd failed to uncover a lead. 7.48 a.m. the following morning. 97 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:44,000 Friday? 98 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:45,000 Morning, Captain. 99 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:47,000 Good piece of news. The Donaldson baby, they just found him. 100 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:48,000 Where? 101 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:52,000 In the park area. They found him in a cardboard box. Apparently he's all right. Little exposure. 102 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:54,000 Doctors are checking him over now at Georgia Street. 103 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:55,000 How about the suspect? Any sign of him? 104 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:56,000 Not a trace. 105 00:12:56,000 --> 00:13:02,000 It was little or no different than the first two cases. 106 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:08,000 Some 21 hours after he'd been abducted from the car in the parking lot at the rear of the market near 8th and Dinehart, 107 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:11,000 the Donaldson baby had been recovered apparently unharmed. 108 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:15,000 The cardboard box in which the baby had been found was gone over for fingerprints. 109 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:21,000 Routine investigation at the scene and in the neighborhood where the child had been found failed to turn up a lead on the abductor. 110 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:27,000 Frank and I checked with Dr. George Hall who'd examined the child. After that we talked with Mr. and Mrs. Donaldson. 111 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:32,000 The details of the case coincided almost point for point with the first two abductions. 112 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:38,000 The baby had been taken then recovered in a 24 hour period. Outside a slight exposure the child was unharmed. 113 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:45,000 Also, like the two cases preceding it, something which the child was wearing at the time of his abduction was missing. 114 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:50,000 In the first case it was a small pink sweater. In the second, a pair of shoes the baby was wearing. 115 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:56,000 In the case of the Donaldson baby it was a sterling silver ID bracelet with the initials JD engraved on it. 116 00:13:56,000 --> 00:14:01,000 During the next five days Frank and I ran down every lead we could get our hands on. They went nowhere. 117 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:06,000 Our system of police women decoys was put in effect. It failed to get a rise. 118 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:13,000 On the sixth day, Thursday, June 26th, 5.30 p.m., we got word of another child stealing, this time in the Echo Park area. 119 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:16,000 We drove out to talk to the mother of Mrs. Chester Osborne. 120 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:22,000 Yeah, that's right. I did the same thing I do every morning. Gave the baby a bath, dressed her, put her out in the backyard in her buggy. 121 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:24,000 She usually plays a while then she takes a nap. 122 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:27,000 And about what time did you discover your baby was missing? 123 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:31,000 I don't know exactly. About two o'clock I guess. Maybe a couple of minutes after. 124 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:34,000 Went out to see how she was, looked in the buggy and she was gone. 125 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:38,000 Well, it's almost six o'clock now, Mrs. Osborne. How is it that you waited so long before you notified us? 126 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:43,000 Just kept hoping it was a mistake, that's all. I went from house to house all over the neighborhood. 127 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:48,000 Went as far as three blocks away. I asked everybody. Nobody saw my baby. You don't know what it means to me. 128 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:51,000 I have a telephone, Mrs. Osborne. 129 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:56,000 Would you answer it, please? Whoever it is, take the number. I'll call them back. 130 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:58,000 Yes, ma'am. I'll be glad to. 131 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:01,000 Hello. Yeah. Yes, sir. 132 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:04,000 Oh, yeah, Harry. We're here now. This is Friday. 133 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:12,000 How's that? When? I see. Where? That's all. Uh-huh. 134 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:17,000 Okay, Harry, thanks. Yeah, tell them we'll be right in. Right away. Okay. Bye. 135 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:20,000 Well, that was our office, Mrs. Osborne. You can stop worrying now. 136 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:21,000 What? 137 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:22,000 It's about your little girl. She's all right. 138 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:23,000 What do you mean? 139 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:25,000 I just found her three blocks from here. 140 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:31,000 Again, with the lone exception of the time element, the Osborne baby's abduction resembled closely the three previous cases. 141 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:36,000 The crime occurred in the same general area. The same general method of operation was employed. 142 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:40,000 And again, outside of slight exposure, the child was recovered unharmed. 143 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:44,000 There was also an article of clothing missing. A pink knitted bonnet. 144 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:49,000 And as in the previous three cases, the suspect had abandoned the baby without detection. 145 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:51,000 Routine investigation by the police. 146 00:15:51,000 --> 00:16:00,000 The suspect had abandoned the baby without detection. Routine investigation by the crime laboratory crew and juvenile officers working the case failed to turn up a lead. 147 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:06,000 During the week that followed, additional personnel for both decoys and stakeouts were assigned to the area without results. 148 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:10,000 Friday, July 4th, 10 a.m. 149 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:12,000 Joe, you busy? What do you got, Frank? 150 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:16,000 The girl by the name of Mildred Leslie just called in on this child stealing thing. Looks like it might be something. 151 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:17,000 Yeah, what's the pitch? 152 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:22,000 She's employed as a maid for a Mr. and Mrs. Roth R-O-T-H. She's a stockbroker. She's worked for one of yours, so she says. 153 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:23,000 Yeah. 154 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:27,000 Leslie girl's an upstairs maid for the Roths. She's been following this baby stealing case in the papers right along. 155 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:29,000 She thinks maybe Mrs. Roth can tell us something about it. 156 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:30,000 Yeah, how's that? 157 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:37,000 Well, the Leslie girl was cleaning Mrs. Roth's bedroom yesterday. She came across a few things stored back in one of the closets. Baby things. Pink sweater, pink bonnet, and a pair of baby shoes. 158 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:38,000 Uh-huh. 159 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:40,000 She says they've all been used. They're not new. 160 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:42,000 Well, a lot of mothers save baby clothes, things like that. 161 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:44,000 No, the Roth woman wouldn't have a reason to. 162 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:45,000 Yeah. 163 00:16:45,000 --> 00:17:00,000 You are listening to Dragnet, authentic stories of your police force in action. 164 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:09,000 The only way you can prove to yourself that Fatima is the best of all king-size cigarettes is to compare them with the brand you've been smoking. 165 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:13,000 Yes, compare Fatima with any other king-size cigarette. 166 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:18,000 One, Fatima's length filters the smoke 85 millimeters for your protection. 167 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:21,000 Two, Fatima's length cools the smoke for your protection. 168 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:28,000 Three, Fatima's length gives you those extra puffs, 21 percent longer than standard cigarette sides. 169 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:35,000 Your money back plus postage, if you're not convinced, Fatima is better than your present king-size cigarette. 170 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:40,000 Just return the pack and the unsmoked Fatimas by August 1st, 1952. 171 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:43,000 Fatima, box 37, New York 1. 172 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:48,000 More and more of your friends are switching to king-size Fatimas every day. 173 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:50,000 Compare them yourself tomorrow. 174 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:58,000 Buy Fatima in the bright, sunny yellow pack and enjoy the added protection of Fatima quality. 175 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:06,000 Friday, July 4th, 11 a.m. 176 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:10,000 Frank Smith and I left the office and drove out to interview Mildred Leslie at her apartment. 177 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:14,000 She told us substantially the same thing she told Frank on the phone. 178 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:18,000 The Leslie girl had been employed as a maid by Mr. and Mrs. Roth for almost a year. 179 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:27,000 She went on to tell us that for the last few months or so Mrs. Roth, who was a fairly prominent clubwoman, had been acting peculiarly, and that Mr. Roth was worried about her. 180 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:31,000 According to the Leslie girl, he'd consulted the doctor several times about his wife. 181 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:37,000 As for the articles of baby clothing, they'd been found stored back on a shelf in Mrs. Roth's bedroom closet. 182 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:42,000 The Leslie girl told us that she happened to find them while cleaning and dusting Mrs. Roth's bedroom. 183 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:47,000 Each of the articles she claimed she saw seemed to tie in directly with the child's stealings. 184 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:54,000 A pink sweater, a pink bonnet, a pair of baby shoes, identical items of clothing had been taken from each of the previous abduction victims. 185 00:18:54,000 --> 00:19:00,000 After we left Mildred Leslie, Frank and I got to a phone, called the record bureau, and had them make a run for us on Mrs. Roth. 186 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:02,000 She had no previous criminal record. 187 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:08,000 1.20 p.m. We called Mr. Roth at his place of business, but the office was closed because of the Fourth of July holiday. 188 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:14,000 We got in the car and drove out to the Roth home, an old two-story mansion just above Silver Lake Reservoir. 189 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:17,000 Mrs. Roth wasn't at home. We interviewed her husband in the living room. 190 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:20,000 What seems to be the trouble, Sergeant? Why would you want to see my wife? 191 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:23,000 A few questions we'd like to ask her, Mr. Roth. Can you tell us where she is now? 192 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:27,000 She took a drive with some friends of hers. I think they were going down to the beach club. Why? 193 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:32,000 We're investigating a juvenile case, Mr. Roth. We think maybe your wife can give us some information on it. 194 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:36,000 I'm sorry she isn't home. Too bad you didn't call this morning. She didn't leave until after 11. 195 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:41,000 She'll be home later tonight if you care to call back. You're sure it's not something I can help you with? 196 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:46,000 Yes, sir. Maybe you can. I'd like to ask you a few questions about your wife's activities the last month or so. 197 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:48,000 How do you mean? Some of the social work she does with the club? 198 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:50,000 Not quite, Mr. Roth. 199 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:54,000 You said you were from the juvenile division. Is it something regarding her work with the underprivileged kids? 200 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:57,000 Her club does quite a bit of that, you know. I don't know too much about it, though. 201 00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:59,000 No, sir, it's not that. 202 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:01,000 I don't think I understand. What is it about? 203 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:05,000 Mr. Roth, we want you to understand that this is merely a routine investigation. 204 00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:09,000 We don't want to offend you in any way, but we have some information that we've got to check out. 205 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:11,000 What do you mean? What kind of information? 206 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:14,000 Well, there's been a series of child-stealing cases the last month or so. 207 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:17,000 We're the investigating officers on it. Maybe you read about them in the papers? 208 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:22,000 Yes, I have, but what would my wife have to do with that? You think she has some information for you? 209 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:24,000 She didn't say anything about it to me. 210 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:26,000 Yes, sir, I think she can help us quite a bit. 211 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:29,000 I don't know exactly when she'll be home. I don't have any place to contact her. 212 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:34,000 I do know the club's taking a group of children to the Coliseum tonight, the big Fourth of July fireworks display, you know. 213 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:35,000 Yes, I see. 214 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:39,000 I'm going to meet my wife there tonight. Maybe I could give her a message for you, tell her to contact you. 215 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:43,000 I find, Mr. Roth. There is something that you can do for us right now, though. 216 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:44,000 Yes? 217 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:47,000 Would you take us up to your wife's room? I'd like to have a look at it. 218 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:49,000 Take you to her room? I don't understand. What for? 219 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:54,000 Like we told you before, sir, it's a routine investigation. I think if you take us to your wife's room, I think we can clear the whole thing up now. 220 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:56,000 It probably won't be necessary to bother you tonight. 221 00:20:56,000 --> 00:21:01,000 Well, I certainly don't understand. We'd come along if you like. Doris' room is right ahead of the stairs. 222 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:02,000 Thank you. 223 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:08,000 It certainly has me baffled. Would there be about Doris' room? It has to be investigated. 224 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:11,000 We don't know that there is anything, sir. Just appreciate your cooperation. 225 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:14,000 Not at all. We haven't anything to hide. Here we are. 226 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:17,000 This is her room. 227 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:19,000 Now, what is it you're looking for? 228 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:22,000 That's the bedroom closet, is it? Yes, that's right. 229 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,000 Would you like to look at it if we could? Certainly. Go right ahead. 230 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:26,000 All right. 231 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:31,000 There's a shelf up there, Joe. Can you reach it all right? 232 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:33,000 Yeah, I think so. 233 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:36,000 What is it? What are you looking for? 234 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:39,000 All right. Here you go, Frank. Yeah. Pink bonnet, pink sweater. 235 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:44,000 That's it. Here's the baby shoes. The ID bracelet. 236 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:47,000 The initials, JD. Not much doubt. 237 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:52,000 Yeah. Baby clothes. Bracelet. Never seen them around here. 238 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:55,000 How'd you know they were here? Well, we weren't sure that they were. 239 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:59,000 But I've never seen them before. What are they doing in Doris' room? Why would she have them? 240 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:02,000 I have to talk to her about this. Yes, sir. So do we. 241 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:09,000 After finding the evidence in his wife's bedroom closet, we continued to interview Mr. Roth. 242 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:14,000 We briefed him on the details of the case and explained about the articles of baby clothing. 243 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:19,000 It was very cooperative, but he found it hard to believe that his wife was responsible for the abduction of the babies. 244 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:24,000 He told us that early in their marriage, his wife did have a child which died shortly after birth. 245 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:27,000 Complications left her unable to have any more children. 246 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:33,000 When she found out about this, it resulted in Mrs. Roth having a nervous breakdown, but apparently she recovered completely. 247 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:41,000 Roth went on to tell us that his wife was very fond of children and that she devoted a great deal of time to social work caring for underprivileged children. 248 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:47,000 He also told us that during the past month, with the recurrence of her nervous condition, she'd been under a doctor's care. 249 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:56,000 Shortly after eight o'clock that night, along with Mr. Roth, we drove to the Coliseum where crowds of people were gathering for the annual July 4th fireworks display. 250 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:59,000 Roth pointed out his wife. We went over and he introduced us. 251 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:03,000 These officers would like to talk to us honey, let's step over here. 252 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:06,000 Well I can't leave the children alone, can't we talk later? 253 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:08,000 No honey, it's pretty important, I think you better talk to them now. 254 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:12,000 Well, alright, if you say so, you'll have to stay and watch the children though. 255 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:14,000 They'll be alright, we can keep an eye on them from over there. 256 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:16,000 No, I can't leave them alone, you'll have to stay. 257 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:19,000 Well alright. Ma'am, I wonder if you step over here please. 258 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:20,000 Yes, alright. 259 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:22,000 This ought to be alright right here. 260 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:25,000 Beautiful night tonight, isn't it? Children just love these things. 261 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:28,000 I think they're just about ready to start the show. 262 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:30,000 Oh, yes. 263 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:36,000 Just look at that, the colors. Isn't that gorgeous? 264 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:40,000 Yes ma'am. We'd like to drive you and your husband downtown to juvenile division. 265 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:41,000 We'd like to talk to you. 266 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:44,000 What do you mean? I can't leave now, I have these children with me. 267 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:46,000 What did you want to see me about? What's the trouble? 268 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:48,000 I think you know why we're here Mrs. Roth. 269 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:50,000 I don't, why do you want to talk to me? 270 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:54,000 Well we can start here ma'am. We were at your home this afternoon. 271 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:57,000 Your husband showed us your bedroom, the closet, we found the things up on the top shelf. 272 00:23:57,000 --> 00:23:58,000 What? 273 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:00,000 The baby clothes, the bracelet. 274 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:06,000 Beautiful, just beautiful. 275 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:08,000 How about it Mrs. Roth, you want to come along downtown? 276 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:11,000 Just baby clothes, had them in my closet, it doesn't mean anything. 277 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:14,000 I'm afraid you're wrong, it means a good deal ma'am, you know that. 278 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:16,000 Yes, alright. 279 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:19,000 Well do you want to tell us about it Mrs. Roth? 280 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:21,000 Mrs. Roth? 281 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:24,000 Where do I start? There's no beginning. 282 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:27,000 Just started, I couldn't help myself, what can I say? 283 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:29,000 You just tell us what happened, start any place. 284 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:33,000 My baby died, then they said I couldn't have any more. 285 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:35,000 I guess it started then. 286 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:38,000 I told my husband, told the doctor too. 287 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:41,000 They didn't understand, nobody understands. 288 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:44,000 It's all I wanted, my children, my own children. 289 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:54,000 How about the Martin baby Mrs. Roth, the first one you took, how'd that happen? 290 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:58,000 Look, another one, purple, white, beautiful. 291 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:01,000 What about it ma'am, the Martin baby, how'd that happen? 292 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:07,000 I saw him in the baby carriage, outside the market there, such a cute baby. 293 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:12,000 Pulled the covers back, looked at him, I didn't think I was going to steal him. 294 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:17,000 After I looked at him I just wanted to hold him, hold him close so I picked him up. 295 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:19,000 You understand don't you? Yes ma'am. 296 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:22,000 He was such a sweet baby, could have been mine. 297 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:27,000 I kept on holding him, then I started to put him down, back in his carriage. 298 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:31,000 I couldn't, I couldn't. 299 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:35,000 What do you mean ma'am? I couldn't put the baby down, it was just like mine. 300 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:39,000 It was mine, I can't explain it. 301 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:44,000 I took the blanket from the buggy, I put it around him, I walked away, nobody knew. 302 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:47,000 It was my baby. Yes ma'am, would you go on? 303 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:51,000 Oh my head, terrible headache. 304 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:55,000 It's so hard to tell you, I couldn't even tell my husband. 305 00:25:55,000 --> 00:26:00,000 I lied. I'd take the baby and stop overnight at a motel. 306 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,000 And tell my husband lies, I couldn't let him know. 307 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:06,000 Well you knew you were doing wrong didn't you? Yes I knew it. 308 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:09,000 Not when I was taking the baby though, not when I picked him up. 309 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:12,000 Not when I held him in my arms, held him close, it didn't seem wrong. 310 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:15,000 Most natural thing in the world I just pretended. 311 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:19,000 I'd pick the baby up and hold it close, it was my baby. 312 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:22,000 All of a sudden it was my baby. 313 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:28,000 Later on I had to face, had to stop pretending, the baby wasn't mine, had to give it back. 314 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:32,000 Isn't that wonderful? 315 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:36,000 Look, streamers, a shower of stars, it's marvelous. 316 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:38,000 Why'd you abandon the children ma'am without notifying anyone? 317 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:40,000 I knew they'd be found, I made sure of that. 318 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:44,000 I always put them someplace where they had to be found. 319 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:49,000 Terrible headache. You don't know what it's been like. 320 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:54,000 I couldn't tell anyone, no one. Yes ma'am, you about ready to go now? 321 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:58,000 Alright, I can only explain it to you. 322 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:03,000 I mean having a baby then losing it, you don't know what it's like. 323 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:07,000 No one will ever know what it's like, no one. 324 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:10,000 You took four babies ma'am? Yes. 325 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:12,000 How about their mothers? 326 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:21,000 The story you have just heard was true. 327 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:23,000 The names were changed to protect the innocent. 328 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:29,000 On October 10th, trial was held in Superior Court, Department 88, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California. 329 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:31,000 In a moment, the results of that trial. 330 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:33,000 Now here is our star, Jack Webb. 331 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:35,000 Thank you George Fenomen. 332 00:27:35,000 --> 00:27:38,000 Friends, I believe all of us are willing to take practical advice. 333 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:43,000 That's why I like to make it plain that I want you to compare Fatima with the king size cigarettes you've been smoking. 334 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:50,000 I know that's the tried practical way thousands have convinced themselves Fatima is the best of all king size cigarettes. 335 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:53,000 You'll find Fatima gives you more for your money. 336 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:57,000 An extra mild, soothing smoke plus the added protection of Fatima quality. 337 00:27:57,000 --> 00:28:00,000 Tomorrow, get Fatima in the bright, sunny yellow pack. 338 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:03,000 Best of all, king size cigarettes. 339 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:17,000 Doris Evelyn Roth was tried and convicted of child stealing under Section 278, Penal Code, Four Counts. 340 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:19,000 She was placed on five years probation. 341 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:24,000 One of the terms of probation required that she would be under strict supervision of a competent psychiatrist. 342 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:37,000 You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases from official files. 343 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:42,000 Technical advice comes from the Office of Chief of Police, W.H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department. 344 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:47,000 Technical advisors, Captain Jack Donahoe, Sergeant Marty Wynn, Sergeant Vance Brasher. 345 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:50,000 Heard tonight were her bella's Vic Perrin, Virginia Gregg. 346 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:54,000 Script by Jim Moser. Music by Walter Schuman. Hal Gibney speaking. 347 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:08,000 King size Fatima, made with the same people who make popular Chesterfield cigarettes, has brought you Dragnet transcribed from Los Angeles. 348 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:13,000 Each Thursday night, it's Counterspy on NBC.