1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,000 Sound off for Chesterfield. 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:16,000 Chesterfield, low in nicotine, highest in quality, best for you. 3 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:25,000 Chesterfield brings you Dregma. 4 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:29,000 Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. 5 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:38,000 The names have been changed to protect the innocent. 6 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:42,000 You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to forgery detail. 7 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:45,000 For the past six years, a forger has been working in your city. 8 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:48,000 The victims describe the suspect as a woman. 9 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:51,000 Her M.O. is simple, but it continues to work. 10 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:57,000 Your job, stop her. 11 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:02,000 Smokers by the thousands are now changing to Chesterfield. 12 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:07,000 No wonder. More and more smokers are learning this fact for themselves. 13 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:12,000 Chesterfield, low in nicotine, highest in quality. 14 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:19,000 A published fact proved by chemical analyses of the country's six leading cigarette brands. 15 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:24,000 Chesterfield, the only cigarette ever with a record like this. 16 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:29,000 Regular or king size, Chesterfield is best for you. 17 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:39,000 Dragnet, the documentary drama of an actual crime. 18 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:43,000 For the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, 19 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:50,000 you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case transcribed from official police files. 20 00:01:50,000 --> 00:02:04,000 From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. 21 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:07,000 It was Friday, September 18th. It was warm in Los Angeles. 22 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:09,000 We were working the day watch out of forgery detail. 23 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:12,000 My partner is Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Welsh. My name is Friday. 24 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:15,000 We were on our way out from the office and it was 10.42 a.m. 25 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:21,000 when we got to the ninth floor of the Beckworth Department Store, the credit manager's office. 26 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:22,000 Yes? 27 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:23,000 Would you like to see Mr. Donaldson, please? 28 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:24,000 May I see who's calling? 29 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:26,000 Sergeant Friday, Los Angeles Police Department. 30 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:27,000 Oh, yes, he's expecting you. Just a moment. 31 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:28,000 Thank you. 32 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:29,000 Yes? 33 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:31,000 The gentlemen from the police department are here, Mr. Donaldson. 34 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:33,000 Send them in, please. 35 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:36,000 Yes, sir. You want to go right in? That's the door. 36 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:42,000 Thank you very much. 37 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:43,000 Come on in, gentlemen. 38 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,000 Thank you. Mr. Donaldson? 39 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:47,000 Yes? 40 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:49,000 I'm Sergeant Friday. This is my partner, Frank Smith. 41 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:50,000 How do you do? 42 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:51,000 How you do, sir? 43 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:52,000 Sit down. 44 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,000 Thank you very much, sir. 45 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:55,000 Do you want to tell us what this is all about? 46 00:02:55,000 --> 00:03:00,000 Well, it's the little mother again. I've got the receipts here on the desk. 47 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,000 Is Sergeant Ferguson still working on this case? 48 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:03,000 Yes, sir. 49 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:05,000 I talked to him the last time he was stuck. 50 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:07,000 Usual type of things charged? 51 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:11,000 Yes, children's shoes, dresses, sweaters. Same as always. 52 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:13,000 I wonder if I could have those slips, Mr. Donaldson. 53 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:14,000 Sure. Here you are. 54 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:15,000 Thank you. 55 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:17,000 All made out the same day. 56 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:19,000 August 22nd. 57 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:22,000 Yes. Our experience is that she usually comes in on a Saturday. 58 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:25,000 It seems that the store is more crowded then, 59 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:28,000 and the girls don't take any more time to verify their accounts than they have to. 60 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:29,000 Can I see those, Joe? 61 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:30,000 Yeah, here you are. 62 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:31,000 Thanks. 63 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:33,000 I wonder if we could talk to the sales girl who waited on her. 64 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:34,000 Sure. I'll have her set up. 65 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,000 Fine. 66 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:37,000 Yes, sir? 67 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:39,000 Ms. Firestone, would you please have Mrs. Allen set up? 68 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:40,000 Yes, sir. 69 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:44,000 I notice here the only items charged not for children is a woman's slip. 70 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:46,000 Yes. We've had a couple of them in the past. 71 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:48,000 Pieces of women's clothing. 72 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,000 I talked to Sergeant Ferguson about it when he was here. 73 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:52,000 Did you get the bulletin we sent out this month? 74 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:53,000 Beg pardon? 75 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:56,000 The bulletin giving the woman's description, samples of her handwriting. Did you get it? 76 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,000 Yes, sir. We did. 77 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:00,000 You've got to understand, Sergeant. 78 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:03,000 This is one of the biggest stores in the city. We do a lot of business. 79 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:07,000 It'll be almost impossible to alert all of the sales girls to watch for the woman. 80 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:08,000 Yes, sir. We understand that. 81 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:10,000 But was the description sent to the children's department? 82 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:13,000 It was. It didn't do any good, though. 83 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:16,000 If a woman charged large amounts, it might be easier. 84 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:19,000 But look at the sales slips yourself. 85 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:22,000 Four dollars shoes, three dollars dresses. 86 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:25,000 Nothing to make a charge like that stand out. 87 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,000 We make sure that there's an account in the name and then let it go. 88 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:30,000 Don't you use the charge-of-plate system? 89 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:33,000 Yes, we do. But if a customer wants to charge an item and hasn't got the plate, 90 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:38,000 we usually just verify the account and let them sign the sales slip. 91 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:39,000 How about identification? 92 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:41,000 Well, normally we do ask for it. 93 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:44,000 But as I said, these sales are such small amounts 94 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:46,000 and the woman comes in when the store is crowded. 95 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:49,000 The girls just call the credit department and let her sign the receipt. 96 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:50,000 I see. 97 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:51,000 Excuse me. 98 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:52,000 Yes, sir. 99 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:53,000 Yes? 100 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:55,000 Mrs. Allen's here. 101 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,000 Oh, all right. Just a moment. 102 00:04:57,000 --> 00:04:58,000 Yes, sir. 103 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:00,000 The woman who waited on us is out in the office. 104 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:02,000 Do you want to talk to her in here? 105 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:04,000 Well, we don't want to take up any more of your time. 106 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:05,000 I'm sure we can see her out there. 107 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:08,000 All right. If there's anything else you need, I'll be here. 108 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:09,000 Yes, sir. 109 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:10,000 Hello, officer. 110 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:11,000 Yes, sir. 111 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:14,000 You know, I feel a little funny about this thing. 112 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:15,000 Why is that, sir? 113 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:17,000 Well, the thing she's charged. 114 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:18,000 What's that? 115 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:22,000 The thing she's taken. They're almost all kids clothes. 116 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:24,000 Doesn't seem to be interested in anything else. 117 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:28,000 Total amounts of the articles she's taken don't add up to much. 118 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:31,000 It's the principle of the thing more than the value. 119 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:35,000 It just seems that the only thing she's interested in is the children. 120 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:39,000 It feels a little funny to call the police about a person like that. 121 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:40,000 Yes, sir, we understand. 122 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:45,000 We've got a lot of this going on, but the others, they take things for themselves. 123 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:47,000 Luggages, you know, expensive items. 124 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:49,000 But she doesn't. Just for the kids. 125 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:52,000 She doesn't seem to be at all interested in herself. 126 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:53,000 Well, we are. 127 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:55,000 Yes, well, I suppose so. 128 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:57,000 Well, I'll be here if you need anything more. 129 00:05:57,000 --> 00:05:59,000 Thank you, Mr. Donaldson. Thanks very much. 130 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:00,000 We'll be in touch with you. 131 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:02,000 You'll bring the sales slips back, won't you? 132 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:04,000 Yes, sir, as soon as we've had the chance to photograph them. 133 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:06,000 Well, I hope you can do something about it. 134 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:08,000 Yes, sir, so do we. Thank you very much. 135 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:10,000 Anything you need, you let me know. 136 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:11,000 Yes, sir, thank you. 137 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:15,000 Just a moment. Mrs. Allen? 138 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:16,000 Yes. 139 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:18,000 These are the police officers. 140 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:20,000 How you doing, ma'am? I'm Sergeant Friday. 141 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:22,000 This is my partner, Frank Smith. 142 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:23,000 How are you doing, Miss Allen? 143 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:25,000 You want to sit down over here, please? 144 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:27,000 Yes, all right. 145 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:29,000 I feel just terrible about this. 146 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:30,000 Ma'am? 147 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:32,000 All this forgery thing. 148 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:34,000 Now, you waited on the woman, did you? 149 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:36,000 Yes, at least in the little girl's department. 150 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:38,000 Uh-huh. What if you could describe her for us? 151 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:40,000 Well, she was a little woman. 152 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:41,000 I'd say a ten. 153 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:43,000 How's that again, ma'am? 154 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:44,000 A size ten. 155 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:45,000 Oh. 156 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:47,000 Five one, about 105 pounds. 157 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:48,000 Cute as a button. 158 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:49,000 Mm-hmm. 159 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:50,000 Did she have the children with her? 160 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:52,000 No, no, she didn't. 161 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:54,000 I thought it was a little funny at the time, 162 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:56,000 but as I say, we were sitting there 163 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:58,000 and we were so busy with the school rush that afternoon 164 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:01,000 that none of us girls had a chance to really think about anything. 165 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:03,000 Yes, ma'am. What color hair did she have? 166 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:05,000 Kind of sandy color. 167 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:07,000 Guess you'd call it a blonde. 168 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:09,000 Wore it up in a bun. 169 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:10,000 You know, back here, you know. 170 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:11,000 Yes, ma'am. 171 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:13,000 The other girls noticed it. 172 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:15,000 Long. Looked nice. 173 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:17,000 Different than all the other short haircuts. 174 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:19,000 Kind of old-fashioned and homey. 175 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:21,000 Yes, ma'am. How was she dressed? 176 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:22,000 Not very well. 177 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:25,000 Had a little blue hat, dark coat, cloth coat. 178 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:28,000 Collar came up like this, you know. 179 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:29,000 Slash pockets. 180 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:31,000 Nice, but not expensive. 181 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:34,000 I see, ma'am. Now, would you know her if you saw her again? 182 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:36,000 Oh, my, yes, sure would. 183 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:37,000 Well, we'd like you to come over to our office 184 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:38,000 and look at some pictures, if you would. 185 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:39,000 All right. 186 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:41,000 I'll have to talk to the floor manager. 187 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:42,000 We'll take care of that, Mrs. Allen. 188 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:44,000 All right. 189 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:46,000 You think that you might have a picture of her? 190 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:47,000 We don't know. 191 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:49,000 I kind of hope not. 192 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:50,000 Ma'am? 193 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,000 I hope you don't have a picture. 194 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:54,000 I guess it's a little sinful to even think of it, 195 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:56,000 but she had a reason for what she did. 196 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:57,000 I'm sure of it. 197 00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:59,000 Why do you say that, Mrs. Allen? 198 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:03,000 Officer, I've been selling for a long time. 199 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:05,000 I met a lot of people in that time. 200 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:06,000 Nice ones and nasty ones. 201 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:08,000 And believe me, this is one of the sweetest people 202 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:10,000 I've ever served. 203 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:11,000 Mm-hmm. 204 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:13,000 I understand that you call her the little mother. 205 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:14,000 Isn't that right? 206 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:15,000 Well, we don't, ma'am. 207 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:17,000 That's what the newspapers call her. 208 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:20,000 Well, it fits her to a T. Right to a T. 209 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,000 The way she bustled around those dresses, 210 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:25,000 looking, testing, she was just like a mother hen 211 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:27,000 trying to find something for her brood. 212 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:29,000 Little doll, cute as a button. 213 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:32,000 She just got to have a reason for what she's doing. 214 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:33,000 Sergeant Friday? 215 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:34,000 Yes, Mr. Donaldson? 216 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:35,000 I'm glad I caught you. 217 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:36,000 I think we've got it. 218 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:37,000 Sir? 219 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:39,000 The little mother is downstairs now. 220 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:47,000 For the last six years, the same woman had been operating 221 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:49,000 in the downtown department stores. 222 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:51,000 During that period, she'd forged a total of $1,300 223 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:53,000 worth of merchandise that we knew of. 224 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:55,000 Because of her M.O., there was no way of telling 225 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:57,000 how much more had gone undetected. 226 00:08:57,000 --> 00:08:58,000 The operation was a simple one. 227 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:01,000 She'd enter a store, go to one of the departments. 228 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:03,000 There, she'd pick up articles of apparel, 229 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:05,000 mostly for children, and then ask to charge them. 230 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:07,000 She'd explain that she'd forgotten her charge plate, 231 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:09,000 and after the account had been verified, 232 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:10,000 she'd sign the charge slip. 233 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:12,000 These slips would be put in the mail to the people 234 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:14,000 who maintained the account, and it wouldn't be 235 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:17,000 until they noticed a discrepancy that we'd be notified. 236 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:19,000 Usually, a month would pass between the time 237 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:21,000 the clothing was taken and we were told of it. 238 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:23,000 In the six years that the little mother, 239 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:25,000 as the newspapers had dubbed her, had been operating, 240 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:27,000 almost every team of detectives in the forgery detail 241 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:28,000 had worked on the case. 242 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,000 Statements from salesgirls who'd waited on her were taken. 243 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:33,000 Photo stats of the sales slips were made. 244 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:35,000 Witnesses were interrogated, and then when the sum total 245 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:37,000 of actual physical evidence was weighed and sifted, 246 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:39,000 there was no lead to the identity of the forger. 247 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:42,000 The police department had gotten out printed bulletins 248 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:44,000 and copies of composite drawings of the suspect, 249 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:46,000 and these had been distributed to all department stores 250 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:47,000 in the area. 251 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:49,000 But because of the suspect's appearance and the way 252 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:51,000 she operated, none of the victims became suspicious 253 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:53,000 in time to notify us. 254 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:55,000 The department store's protective league was working with us, 255 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:58,000 but they met with the same dead ends that we'd found. 256 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:00,000 Meanwhile, the evidence continued to pile up. 257 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:02,000 The operation continued to work. 258 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:04,000 When the manager of Beckworth's department store 259 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:06,000 told us that the suspect was in the store, 260 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:08,000 Frank and I were able to come up with the first concrete lead 261 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:10,000 we'd had since we'd been working on the case. 262 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:12,000 In the company of the manager and the saleswoman, 263 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:15,000 Mrs. Myra Allen, Frank and I went down to the boys' department 264 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:17,000 where the suspect was reported to be. 265 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:18,000 Down this way. 266 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:19,000 Yes, sir. 267 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:21,000 The girl said she was over with the boys' suits. 268 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:23,000 I hope they were able to hold her. 269 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:24,000 Just a minute. 270 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:25,000 Yes, sir. 271 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:27,000 I know I don't have to tell you gentlemen about the store's 272 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:29,000 liability in a situation like this. 273 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:30,000 No, sir. 274 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:32,000 Now, I'm sure it's her, but it could be very embarrassing 275 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:34,000 and expensive to the store if we made a mistake. 276 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:35,000 All right, sir. We understand. 277 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:36,000 Good. Over here. 278 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:37,000 All right. 279 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:40,000 Mr. Donaldson. Mr. Donaldson. 280 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:42,000 Yes, Miss Franklin. Where is she? 281 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:43,000 It's not my fault. You've got to believe that. 282 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:44,000 What's the matter, Miss? 283 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:46,000 Don't tell me you stopped the wrong person. 284 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,000 You caused trouble with an innocent party and she could sue the store. 285 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:49,000 I'm sorry, Mr. Donaldson. 286 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:50,000 Where is the woman, Miss? 287 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:51,000 That's what I'm trying to tell you. 288 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:52,000 Yes, ma'am. 289 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:53,000 She wouldn't wait. 290 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:00,000 A quick search of the immediate vicinity and the store 291 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:01,000 failed to turn up the suspect. 292 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:03,000 The department store security staff was notified 293 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:05,000 and a watch was put on all of the doors. 294 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:08,000 The credit department was notified and they took action. 295 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:10,000 We checked with the elevator operators. 296 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:12,000 We found one that told us she'd seen a woman who answered 297 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:14,000 the description get in her car. 298 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:16,000 She explained that the woman seemed to be in a hurry 299 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:18,000 and had left the elevator as soon as it had reached the main floor. 300 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:21,000 A further check of the store netted us nothing. 301 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:23,000 The suspect had escaped. 302 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:25,000 In the downtown crowds, it would have been almost impossible 303 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:27,000 to try to find her on the streets. 304 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:29,000 However, an additional broadcast carrying a complete description 305 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:33,000 of the clothing she was wearing was gotten out to all cars in the area. 306 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:36,000 The first good chance we'd had for apprehending her was gone. 307 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:38,000 We had to go back to the legwork and the waiting. 308 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:40,000 Three months passed. 309 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,000 During that time, Frank and I cleaned up a series of counterfeit 310 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:43,000 payroll check cashings. 311 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:46,000 Another 30 days went by without activity for the little mother. 312 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:48,000 There were four new sales slips added to the file, 313 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:50,000 but when the leads resulting from these were checked out, 314 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:53,000 we were no closer to her than we'd been six years before. 315 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:56,000 Thursday, December 17th, 1255 p.m. 316 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:58,000 I checked into the office. 317 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:00,000 Joe, that you? 318 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:02,000 Yeah. What do you got? 319 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:03,000 Oh, I just talked to Skipper. 320 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:04,000 Yeah? 321 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:06,000 Got a couple of more beefs about the little mother. 322 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:07,000 When did they come in? 323 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:08,000 This morning. 324 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:09,000 Where are they? 325 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:10,000 They're in the office. 326 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:11,000 What do you got? 327 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:12,000 He's checking the handwriting. 328 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:14,000 Well, how about the name she used? 329 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:15,000 Wait a minute. 330 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:17,000 I got them here in my book. 331 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:18,000 There they are. 332 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:21,000 Mrs. Norris Farrow, Mrs. James Slagle, I guess it is, 333 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:23,000 and Mrs. Ross Neiman. 334 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:25,000 I called the stores and got the information on these people. 335 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:26,000 Did you talk to them? 336 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:28,000 Yeah. Asked all the routine stuff. 337 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:31,000 None of them can think of any friends who match the description. 338 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:32,000 How about the things she charged? 339 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:33,000 Anything there? 340 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:34,000 No. 341 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:35,000 Usual items. 342 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:36,000 Let's see. 343 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:39,000 One for kids, one child's cotton dress. 344 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:40,000 There is one thing different. 345 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:41,000 What's that? 346 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:43,000 I checked the sizes of the clothes. 347 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:46,000 Last bunch of sales slips we had, the dresses were for a 10-year-old. 348 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:47,000 Yeah. 349 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:49,000 This time she bought them for a 12-year-old. 350 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:51,000 Kids are getting bigger, Joe. 351 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:52,000 Well, that's a big help. 352 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:54,000 All we gotta do is look for a couple of kids that are growing. 353 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:56,000 Well, I was just trying to help, Joe. 354 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:59,000 No, I mean, it just doesn't seem to be anywhere to go. 355 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:01,000 All the time we put in, all the people we've talked to, 356 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:04,000 all we got for it is a file drawer all to ourselves on the thing. 357 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:07,000 I get it. 358 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,000 Forgery Friday. 359 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:10,000 Who? 360 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:11,000 Yes, ma'am. 361 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:12,000 Mm-hmm. 362 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:13,000 Yes, ma'am. 363 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:15,000 I remember. 364 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:16,000 Where is she now? 365 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:18,000 I see. 366 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:19,000 Yeah, we can be right over. 367 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:20,000 Yes, ma'am. 368 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:21,000 Bye. 369 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:22,000 Bye. 370 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:23,000 Well, we got it. 371 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:24,000 What do you mean? 372 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:25,000 That was Mrs. Allen. 373 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:26,000 Remember the sales lady over at Beckworth's? 374 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:27,000 Oh, yeah, I think I do. 375 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:28,000 What'd she have to say? 376 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:31,000 Told me she's having lunch in a restaurant at the corner of Jackson and Hill. 377 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:32,000 Yeah. 378 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:34,000 And she's sitting next to her. 379 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:41,000 One o' two p.m. 380 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:43,000 We checked out of the office and drove over to the restaurant. 381 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:45,000 It was located at the rear of a large drug store. 382 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:47,000 When we came into the place, Mrs. Allen met us at the entrance. 383 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:51,000 She took us back down the counter and pointed out a small woman sitting on the last stool. 384 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:52,000 That's her. 385 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:53,000 You sure, ma'am? 386 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:54,000 I'm positive. 387 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:55,000 That's her. 388 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:56,000 All right, let's go. 389 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:57,000 Yeah. 390 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:58,000 You want to wait here, Mrs. Allen? 391 00:13:58,000 --> 00:13:59,000 Certainly. 392 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:04,000 Something you gentlemen want? 393 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:05,000 We're police officers, ma'am. 394 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:06,000 We'd like to talk to you. 395 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:07,000 Police? 396 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:08,000 Yes, ma'am. 397 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:09,000 You want to step over there to talk? 398 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:10,000 Might be better. 399 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:11,000 Well, if you want to say anything to me, you can say it right here. 400 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:12,000 I haven't done anything wrong. 401 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:14,000 What if we could see your identification? 402 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:15,000 Why? 403 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:16,000 Your identification, ma'am. 404 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:17,000 Could we see it? 405 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:18,000 All right. 406 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:19,000 Just a minute. 407 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:20,000 I've got it in my purse. 408 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:21,000 Getting terrible. 409 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:27,000 I don't know what you officers are trying to find out, but I'm going to tell you right 410 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:30,000 now, if you can't prove you've got a reason for making me do this, you're in trouble. 411 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:31,000 We're not making you do anything, ma'am. 412 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:33,000 We don't want to cause you any embarrassment. 413 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:34,000 Funny way of showing it. 414 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:37,000 I want to tell you that my husband knows people in this town. 415 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:38,000 When he hears about this, he... 416 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:39,000 Oh, here you are. 417 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:40,000 Here's my driver's license. 418 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:43,000 Would you take it out of your wallet, please? 419 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:44,000 Here. 420 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:45,000 Mrs. Evelyn Nelson? 421 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:46,000 That's who I am. 422 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:47,000 Is this your present address? 423 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:48,000 No, it isn't. 424 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:52,000 We moved a few months ago, but I haven't had a chance to have it changed. 425 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:53,000 Is that all you want? 426 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:54,000 No, Miss Nelson, it isn't. 427 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:55,000 I wonder if we could talk to you in our office. 428 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:56,000 Why? 429 00:14:56,000 --> 00:15:00,000 I always thought you had to arrest people before you could order them around. 430 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:03,000 We're asking you to come over to the city hall with us, if you will, ma'am. 431 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:04,000 There are a few things we'd like to check out. 432 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:05,000 What things? 433 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:08,000 I wonder if I could see what you've got in the bags here. 434 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:09,000 What are you looking for? 435 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:10,000 Do you mind if we took a look? 436 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:12,000 Well, they're just some clothes for my children. 437 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:13,000 Nothing in there would interest you. 438 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:16,000 Well, then it wouldn't hurt if we looked, would it? 439 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:17,000 Go ahead. 440 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:18,000 You won't find anything. 441 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:20,000 You want to take a couple of these, Frank? 442 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:26,000 Yeah, I got it. 443 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:28,000 Well, what about it? 444 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:29,000 Did you find anything wrong? 445 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:30,000 Maybe a gun. 446 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:32,000 No, ma'am, but I wonder if you could explain this. 447 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:33,000 What's that? 448 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:35,000 This charge slip here, signed by Mrs. Ross Neiman. 449 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:38,000 Well, certainly that was probably in the bag when I bought the things. 450 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:39,000 I don't know anything about it. 451 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:41,000 All right, Miss Nelson, I'm afraid we're going to have to ask you to come with us. 452 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:42,000 On what charge? 453 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:54,000 Suspicion of forgery. 454 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:59,000 You are listening to Dragnet, the authentic story of your police force in action. 455 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:09,000 At cigarette dealers, in vending machines, 456 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:12,000 at supermarkets and stores coast to coast. 457 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:14,000 Chesterfield, please. 458 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:16,000 Smokers by the thousands. 459 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:21,000 Yes, smokers by the thousands are now changing to Chesterfield. 460 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:24,000 The only cigarette ever to give you... 461 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:28,000 One, proof of low nicotine, highest quality. 462 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:32,000 Chemical analyses of the country's six leading brands confirm that. 463 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:38,000 Two, the only cigarette ever to give you this proven record with smokers. 464 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:42,000 Again and again, over a full year and one half, 465 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:46,000 a group of Chesterfield smokers have been given thorough medical examinations. 466 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:49,000 The doctor's reports are a matter of record. 467 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:56,000 No adverse effects to the nose, throat and sinuses from smoking Chesterfield. 468 00:16:56,000 --> 00:17:01,000 A responsible independent research laboratory supervises this continuing program. 469 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:06,000 Chesterfield, the only cigarette ever with a record like this. 470 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:10,000 Chesterfield, best for you. 471 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:21,000 We returned the suspect to the city hall for questioning. 472 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:24,000 While Frank checked her name through the files, I tried to get her to talk. 473 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:29,000 For 20 minutes, her attitude was one of surprise and she answered the questions I put to her with indignance. 474 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:33,000 Finally, she lapsed into silence and wouldn't reply at all to further interrogation. 475 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:37,000 Frank came back from on-eye with the information that there was no arrest record for Mrs. Nelson. 476 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:40,000 We put out calls to the sales girls who had waited on the little mother in the past 477 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:43,000 and asked them to come down to the office to see if they could identify the suspect. 478 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:46,000 Yes, ma'am. Room 29. 479 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:49,000 Yeah, come right in the first street entrance, turn left into the police department. 480 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:52,000 That's right, ma'am. There's an arch there. Go right through it. 481 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:55,000 Straight down the hall and to the right. 482 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:59,000 Well, it's the only way you can go. It's on the left as you go down the hall. 483 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:01,000 That's right, 29. 484 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:04,000 If you'll ask for Sergeant Friday or Officer Smith. 485 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:07,000 No, ma'am, Smith. That's all right, ma'am. We'll expect you. 486 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:10,000 Goodbye. I'll call the next one. 487 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:12,000 Yeah. 488 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:16,000 You know, you'd save yourself and us a lot of trouble if you'd tell us the truth, Mrs. Nelson. 489 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:21,000 Mrs. Nelson? 490 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:26,000 Hello, may I speak with Miss Brundage, please? 491 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:28,000 And children's wear? 492 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:31,000 Yes, ma'am, I will. 493 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:33,000 Hang up the phone. 494 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:34,000 Thank you, partner. 495 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:37,000 You don't have to go through this anymore. 496 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:40,000 All right, ma'am. 497 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:43,000 You want to tell us about it? 498 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:45,000 Mrs. Nelson? 499 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:50,000 I only did it for them, the kids. I didn't want to. 500 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:54,000 How do you think I felt when I knew I was stealing? How do you think I felt? 501 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:56,000 You want to go ahead? 502 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:58,000 My husband, Paul, is a good man. 503 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:01,000 What he's done, he thinks is right. I can't quarrel with him. 504 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:04,000 But he doesn't know, he doesn't understand. 505 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:10,000 It isn't that he doesn't love the kids. He does. He really does. 506 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:13,000 It's just that he doesn't understand. You can see that, can't you? 507 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:15,000 He doesn't understand about them. 508 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:18,000 Either of you have a handkerchief? 509 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:20,000 I came away this morning without one. 510 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:22,000 Yes, ma'am. Here you are. 511 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:26,000 Thanks. 512 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:28,000 You want to go ahead, please? 513 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:33,000 All his life he's worked, put in long hours without a thought of what he was doing to himself. 514 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:37,000 Every nickel, every nickel he made was put away so he'd be able to feel secure, 515 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:40,000 so he wouldn't have to worry about anything. 516 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:43,000 It was all right when we first got married. I could understand it then. 517 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:45,000 I went along with what he thought. 518 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:48,000 But the last few years it's gotten to be an obsession with him. 519 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:51,000 The almighty dollar, that's all that seems important to him. 520 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:53,000 What kind of work does your husband do, Mrs. Nelson? 521 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:55,000 He owns a grocery store. 522 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:59,000 Small place, but it does good, makes a good living. 523 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:02,000 Only we aren't living, we're existing. 524 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:06,000 He gives me ten dollars a week to run the house and buy clothes for the kids. 525 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:11,000 I've tried, Lord knows I've tried, budget meals, cheap cuts of meat, day-old bread. 526 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:15,000 Any way you spend it, no matter how you figure, ten dollars, 527 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:18,000 it just doesn't go very far. 528 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:21,000 Now, Mrs. Nelson, didn't you talk to your husband about it? 529 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:24,000 Didn't you ask him for additional money for the expenses? 530 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:28,000 Yes, I'd ask him and he'd tell me if I had to make do all the time, 531 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:31,000 make do just a little longer until he had the money in the bank, 532 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:33,000 then we'd be all right. 533 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:36,000 Only the more it went on, the worse it got. 534 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:39,000 It didn't seem to make any difference how much money we had, 535 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:43,000 how the total in the passbook went up. He wasn't satisfied. 536 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:48,000 Had to be a little more, a little more. 537 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:51,000 I guess I'm feeling sorry for myself, but you see, 538 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:56,000 he could afford to buy the kids decent clothes, at least that. 539 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:58,000 You agree with me, don't you? 540 00:20:58,000 --> 00:20:59,000 Well, that's hard to say, ma'am. 541 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:01,000 Not for me. 542 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:05,000 I'll never forget the day when my boy came home crying, been fighting. 543 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:09,000 One of the other boys at school had said something about the patches on his clothes. 544 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:13,000 Just a little kid, that's all he was, ridiculed by his friends. 545 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:16,000 That's when I made up my mind to do something about it. 546 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:18,000 Does your husband know anything about your activities? 547 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:19,000 No, nothing. 548 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:21,000 How'd you explain the new clothes for the youngster to him? 549 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:23,000 I didn't have to. 550 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:27,000 Last year he's been working so hard at the store, I hardly ever see him. 551 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:28,000 The kids don't hardly know him. 552 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:31,000 He even spends Sunday at the store dressing the windows. 553 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:32,000 You mean he spends all his time there? 554 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:34,000 Every minute he's not asleep. 555 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:38,000 He let one crook he had go so he could save the money. 556 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:40,000 It doesn't make any difference who gets hurt. 557 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:42,000 Get that dollar and put it away. 558 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:49,000 That's what counts, put the dollar away. 559 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:51,000 You know something, officer? 560 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:53,000 What's that, Miss Nelson? 561 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:58,000 I haven't been able to sit down and talk to my husband for six weeks. 562 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:03,000 Six weeks, he gets home at 12.30, one o'clock in the morning. 563 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:05,000 He's up and gone at 6.30. 564 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:09,000 Kids are always asking when Daddy's coming home. 565 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:10,000 How do you answer him? 566 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:12,000 How do you make him understand? 567 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:14,000 I can't. 568 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:20,000 I've tried the only way I know how, and I did it so wrong. 569 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:25,000 All right, Miss Nelson, we'll try to work it out. 570 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:27,000 Can I use your phone? 571 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:30,000 I've got to tell the children what to do about dinner. 572 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:31,000 I'll call if you like, ma'am. 573 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:32,000 What's the number? 574 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:36,000 Hollywood 9-8-8-4-4. 575 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:49,000 Where's your husband now, Miss Nelson? 576 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:51,000 At the store, I guess. Are you going to call him? 577 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:53,000 I think we should, ma'am. Let him know what's happened. 578 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:56,000 I guess so. Somebody's got to take care of the kids. 579 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:57,000 Hello, I'm calling for Mrs. Nelson. 580 00:22:57,000 --> 00:22:58,000 I wonder if I could speak to her son, 581 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:01,000 Mr. Sergeant Friday, Los Angeles Police Department. 582 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:03,000 Who? 583 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:07,000 Yes, no, she's down here now. Room 29. 584 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:10,000 All right, fine. 585 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:12,000 Was that my boy? I wanted to talk to him. 586 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:15,000 No, ma'am, that was your husband. He's on his way down here. 587 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:25,000 2.14 p.m. Paul Nelson walked into the office. 588 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:27,000 Frank and I took him and his wife to the interrogation room. 589 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:29,000 She'd asked us while we waited for him 590 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:31,000 if we'd let her talk to him for a few minutes alone. 591 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:33,000 We stayed out in the hall, and after a brief wait, 592 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:36,000 Paul Nelson opened the door and asked us to come into the room. 593 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:38,000 His wife had evidently told him the full story 594 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:39,000 because he was visibly shaken. 595 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:42,000 He walked over to his wife and sat down beside her. 596 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:44,000 Well, I guess I've really done it, haven't I? 597 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:45,000 What do you mean, sir? 598 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:47,000 I've really ruined everything. 599 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:49,000 My home, my kids, everything. 600 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:52,000 All the time it was happening, I never knew it, never had an idea. 601 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:54,000 Don't blame yourself too much, Paul. 602 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:56,000 But I should have known, I should have seen it myself. 603 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:58,000 Even when you tried to tell me I was too busy 604 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:00,000 to see it, too wrapped up with the business. 605 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:02,000 It wasn't for me, Paul. It was for the children. 606 00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:04,000 It doesn't make any difference who it was for. 607 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:08,000 I'm the one who caused it. I'm the one. It's my fault. 608 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:10,000 I'm sorry, Evelyn. 609 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:12,000 How can I ever make it up to you? 610 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:15,000 Don't think about that now, Paul. It won't do any good. 611 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:17,000 What's been done can't be changed. 612 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:18,000 How about it, Officer? 613 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:19,000 Sir? 614 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:20,000 What happens now? 615 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:22,000 Well, your wife's going to be given a preliminary hearing. 616 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:24,000 She'll have the chance to plead guilty. 617 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:27,000 If she does, the court will decide what to do. 618 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:29,000 What's the punishment for what she's done? 619 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:31,000 Well, according to Section 473 of the penal code, 620 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:33,000 it's imprisonment in the state penitentiary 621 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:35,000 for one to 14 years or for not more than a year 622 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:36,000 in the county jail. 623 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:37,000 Is there any way out of it? 624 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:38,000 What do you mean? 625 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:40,000 Any way of getting Evelyn out of it? 626 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:42,000 If I went to the judge and told him why she did it, 627 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:44,000 if I told him it was my fault, would that make a difference? 628 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:46,000 I don't know. I'd be up to the court. 629 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:47,000 But I could try. 630 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:48,000 Yes, sir? 631 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:50,000 If I paid the money back for all the things she's taken, 632 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:52,000 I can afford it. I could go to the stores and pay him. 633 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:54,000 Maybe they'd feel different then, huh? 634 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:56,000 I could make it up to him. Everything would be all right. 635 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:58,000 Well, it's been going on for six years, you know. 636 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:00,000 But if I did pay the stores back, 637 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:01,000 it'd make it up to him, wouldn't it? 638 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:03,000 Maybe, but how about your wife? 639 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:04,000 What? 640 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:05,000 How are you going to make it up to her? 641 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:13,000 4.30 p.m. The suspect was released on a writ. 642 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:16,000 The next afternoon, Frank and I met with Mr. and Mrs. Nelson 643 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:18,000 and their attorney. We talked over the case. 644 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:20,000 It seemed that the husband's change of heart was permanent. 645 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:23,000 He swore that he'd never give his wife cause for unhappiness again. 646 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:26,000 Two weeks later, in Department 89 of the Superior Court, 647 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:29,000 Mrs. Nelson entered a plea of guilty to 14 counts of forgery. 648 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:31,000 When the court reviewed the circumstances 649 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:34,000 and was informed that Mr. Nelson intended to make full restitution, 650 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:36,000 the probation board recommended that Mrs. Nelson 651 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:38,000 be placed on probation for three years. 652 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:41,000 After the hearing, Frank and I had a brief talk with the couple. 653 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:44,000 They thanked us for our consideration and understanding. 654 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:47,000 Apparently, the cause of trouble between the Nelsons had been erased. 655 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:48,000 Another two weeks went by. 656 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:50,000 January 22nd, Frank and I got back from lunch, 657 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:53,000 and we checked into the office. 658 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:55,000 Here they are, dear. 659 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:57,000 Mr. Friday, Mr. Smith? 660 00:25:57,000 --> 00:25:59,000 Mrs. Nelson, Mr. Nelson, how are you? 661 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:01,000 Just fine, Sergeant. How are you two? 662 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:03,000 Fine, thank you very much, ma'am. What can we do for you? 663 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:05,000 It's what we want to do for you. 664 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:06,000 Sir? 665 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:07,000 You got the boxes, honey? 666 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:09,000 Yeah, here they are. 667 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:12,000 It's not much, but we thought that you'd like them. 668 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:15,000 Made them ourselves to say thanks. 669 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:18,000 Look at that, Joe. That's not necessary, ma'am. 670 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:19,000 You didn't have to do that. 671 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:20,000 No, no, we wanted to. 672 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:23,000 Toll house cookies. He made a box for each of you. 673 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:24,000 Real good. Lots of chocolate. 674 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:25,000 Well, that's very nice of you. 675 00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:27,000 We just hope you'll enjoy them. 676 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:28,000 Yes, ma'am, I'm sure we will. 677 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:29,000 Yes, ma'am. 678 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:30,000 How are things going with you? 679 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:31,000 Well, just fine. 680 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:33,000 Paul and I have gotten everything straightened out. 681 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:35,000 I help him out at the store now. 682 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:37,000 That way he's got more time to spend with the kids. 683 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:39,000 Things just couldn't be much better. 684 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:40,000 Well, we're glad to hear that. 685 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:43,000 It's a funny thing to say, Mr. Friday, but it's true. 686 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:45,000 The best thing that ever happened to us. 687 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:46,000 What's happened, Mrs. Nelson? 688 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:49,000 Am I getting arrested? 689 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:57,000 The story you have just heard is true. 690 00:26:57,000 --> 00:27:00,000 The names were changed to protect the innocent. 691 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:03,000 On January 8th, the meeting was held in the county probationer's office 692 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:06,000 in and for the county of Los Angeles, state of California. 693 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:08,000 In a moment, the results of that meeting. 694 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:10,000 Now, here is our star, Jack Webb. 695 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:12,000 Thank you, George Fenomen. 696 00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:14,000 Friends, we've been getting letters from people all over the country 697 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:16,000 telling us that they've switched to Chesterfield. 698 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:20,000 Just as I've been telling you, thousands of smokers are changing to Chesterfield 699 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:24,000 because only Chesterfield gives proof of low nicotine, highest quality. 700 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:26,000 That's why I recommend you try them today. 701 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:30,000 Regular or king size, you'll find Chesterfield best for you. 702 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:41,000 At the end of three years, Mrs. Evelyn Margaret Nelson 703 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:44,000 had fulfilled the requirements of her probation, 704 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:47,000 and the case was officially marked closed. 705 00:27:56,000 --> 00:28:01,000 You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases from official files. 706 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:04,000 Technical advice comes from the Office of Chief of Police, W.H. Parker, 707 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:06,000 Los Angeles Police Department. 708 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:10,000 Technical advisors, Captain Jack Donahoe, Sergeant Marty Wynn, 709 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:12,000 Sergeant Fance Sprecher. 710 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:15,000 Heard tonight were Ben Alexander, Vic Rodman, Joyce McCluskey. 711 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:17,000 Script by John Robinson. 712 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:19,000 Music by Walter Schuman. 713 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:21,000 Hal Gibney speaking. 714 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:29,000 Watch an entirely new Dragnet case history each week on your local NBC television station. 715 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:32,000 Please check your newspaper for the day and time. 716 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:38,000 Chesterfield has brought you Dragnet, transcribed from Los Angeles. 717 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:43,000 Have you tried new cork-tipped Fatima? 718 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:45,000 It's the smooth smoke. 719 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:46,000 Here's why. 720 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:49,000 New Fatima tips of perfect cork, 721 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:52,000 king size for longer filtering, 722 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:56,000 and Fatima quality for a much better flavor and aroma. 723 00:28:56,000 --> 00:29:00,000 Remember, Fatima has the tip for your lips. 724 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:02,000 Try new Fatima. 725 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:04,000 See how smooth it is. 726 00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:08,000 Fatima is made by the makers of Chesterfield, Liggett and Myers, 727 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:12,000 one of tobacco's most respected names. 728 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:30,000 This is the NBC Radio Network.