Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true.
The names have been changed to protect the innocent.
Dragnet.
You're a detective sergeant.
You're assigned the homicide detail.
A young man walks into your office and tells you he wants to give himself up.
You don't know if you can believe his story.
Your job, check it out.
It was Monday, December 10th.
It was cold in Los Angeles.
We were working the day watch out of homicide detail.
My partner is Frank Smith.
The boss is Captain Warman.
My name is Frydy.
We're on our way back from records and identification.
It was 1115 a.m. when we got to room 42.
The squad room.
Joe?
Yeah Danny.
Kid waiting to see you.
Did he say what he wanted?
No, he said he wanted to talk to you and nobody else.
Did he give a name?
No, nice looking kid.
All right, we'll talk to him.
Be right with it Joe, I'll check the books.
All right.
All right, do you want to see me?
You Sergeant Frydy?
That's right.
What can I do for you?
I want to talk to you.
Nothing on the book, Joe.
What's your name, son?
Amos Salder.
Amos is my partner, Frank Smith.
Hello Mr. Smith.
Hi son.
Why'd you ask for me?
Well they told me to.
Who's that?
The men in that room across the hall, the business office.
I see.
I sure hope you can help me Sergeant Frydy, I'm in trouble.
Real bad.
All right, so I'll sit down here and you can tell us about it.
Go ahead.
Well, one thing you should know, I came in to give myself up.
You all right?
I didn't mean to do wrong.
Why, what'd you do?
Killed a man.
Amos Charles Salder was 18 years old, 5 feet 7 and a half, 137 pounds.
He had light blonde hair and blue eyes.
He was wearing a tan windbreaker and tan pants.
He looked tired and he told us that he hadn't eaten in several hours.
We sent out for some hot coffee and sandwiches.
Frank checked his name and description through R&I, but he found that he had no record in
our files.
We asked him to tell us the story.
Do you know the man you killed?
No, I never saw him before.
Well how'd you kill him?
Ran him down.
In a car?
No, in a truck.
Where'd this happen?
A coast highway near Malibu, just this side.
When?
Last night.
I guess it must have been around 10.
It should have been around then because I left town at 8.30.
It took about an hour and a half to drive up there.
Now you sure the man was dead?
Yeah, I looked at him.
It wasn't hard to tell.
Did you try to help him at all?
No.
As soon as I looked at him I knew there wasn't anything I could do.
Just got back in the truck and took off.
Where's the truck now?
I left it just the other side of Malibu.
It broke down so I left it.
When it stopped I sat there for a while.
Tried to think why I was hung up in something like this.
Tried to figure why.
Didn't come so I got out and started to walk.
All the time I was thinking about the man, I could almost see him.
I guess it got to me so I came back, caught a ride and came back.
Hey Joe, here's the food.
Thanks Danny.
Where are we going?
Coming to a buck sixty.
Wait a minute.
You got fifteen cents Frank?
Yeah I guess so.
Here Danny.
Thanks.
A couple cartons in there black.
Right, thank you.
Right here Amo, help yourself.
Thank you.
Sure hungry.
Haven't had anything to eat since last night.
You want to tell us about the truck?
Yeah.
Where'd you get it?
I stole it.
That's wrong too I know.
Everything I do seems to be wrong.
Where'd you take it from son?
Parking lot near where I used to live.
Where's that?
A roaming house on 9th Street near Figueroa.
Can you show us where the truck is now?
I guess so.
I don't think anybody could move it.
It broke down like I said.
Where you from Amo?
Waukesha, Wisconsin.
It's a small city near Milwaukee.
Maybe you've heard of it.
No I can't say I have.
Got good water, springs and wells.
Real fine.
Manufactured things too.
Motors, jacks, lots of things.
Sure is a nice little place.
How come you left there?
Lots of reasons.
In trouble?
Yeah.
In a way, nothing serious.
It was lots of things.
You know, at home.
I don't know just how to say it.
You ever been arrested?
No.
Well, not booked or anything.
Cops took me in a couple of times.
What for?
Little things.
Like one night we broke in a church.
Didn't go in to steal anything.
One of the guys just wanted to play the organ.
Your parents alive?
Yeah.
When did you leave home?
Last July.
I thought about it for a long time.
Figured I might have a better chance where nobody knew me.
Looks like it didn't make any difference.
When did you get here?
Last part of July.
Sure was different than Walker Show.
What do you mean by that?
It's so big.
When I didn't know anyone.
Pretty lonesome at first.
Then I got lucky.
Yeah?
I got this job.
Nothing important.
Just washing dishes at this cafe.
I get $25 a week in food.
Got a little money ahead.
Bought some clothes.
Not real fancy, but they were new and they gave me a lift.
You know.
Sure.
Had a nice room too.
Clean, handy to work.
Thought I had it made.
Then the axe fell.
What do you mean?
I got sick.
Couldn't get out of bed one morning.
The landlord called the doctor.
He said I had rheumatic fever.
Yeah?
The doctor called for an ambulance and they took me to General Hospital.
Huh?
Things are bad enough when you feel good.
I was in the hospital and I didn't feel like nothing.
Remember the doctor's name?
No sir, I don't.
How long were you in the hospital?
Three days.
They discharged you in three days, did they?
No sir, I ran away.
Why?
Well, Travelers Aid Society said that they were going to send me back home.
I didn't want that, so I ducked out.
I went back to my room.
I got a couple of bucks I had hidden left.
Didn't have any idea what I was going to do, but I didn't want to be sent back to Wisconsin.
That's when you stole the truck, huh?
Yeah, looked like a way out of town.
The whole thing doesn't seem like it really happened.
You know how when you're half asleep and the radio's on,
things come through but they're not real clear?
Yeah.
I don't like that, I remember riding in the truck after I hit the man,
trying to think what I was going to do, how I was alone.
Story of my life, seems like I was always alone.
Sure was last night.
I don't know, I guess I never do anything right, do I?
I guess I just don't have the nerve.
You did this time.
Hm?
You came here, didn't you?
We put in a call to accident records and verified Amal Salter's story.
The body of a man identified as Lloyd Holtman, a trenchant,
had been found by officers of the Highway Patrol.
Holtman had apparently been struck by a vehicle traveling at high speed as he walked along the road.
We checked with Lieutenant Lee Jones at the crime lab and we found that his division had made an investigation.
Frank and I left the office and went over to see him.
He showed us pictures taken at the scene.
On the victim's coat, the lab crew had been able to find traces of blue paint.
Jones was not able to tell us what type of vehicle had hit the victim,
but he did say that from the high rate of speed at the time of impact,
there would be extensive damage to the front end of the vehicle.
Amal Salter was booked on charges of violation of Section 480 V.C., a felony.
Frank and I checked him out of the main jail and drove out to where he'd left the truck.
He told us to drive up Highway 101.
When we got past the Malibu Colony, he directed us to turn off onto a dirt road.
We drove about 200 yards and then he asked us to stop.
You sure this is where you left the truck?
Yeah, just over there, behind those trees.
When the engine started acting up, I looked for a place to park.
I figured it'd be better if I got off the road.
There it is. You can see it now.
Uh-huh.
This is the same one you stole last night, is it?
Yes, sir. It's the one I was driving. I'll check the front end.
Hmm.
Did you have anything to drink last night?
No, I had enough of that at home.
Mm-hmm. You're sure this is the truck you had when you hit that fellow, huh?
Yeah, I'm sure.
I don't know what all the questions are about. I said I did it. I'm not trying to hide anything.
There's nothing up there, Joe. Front end's clean.
Well, it doesn't make a lot of sense, does it?
No.
I don't understand what the problem is.
What you tell us doesn't add up with the evidence here.
What do you mean?
Well, the report we got says that the man was killed by a blue vehicle.
Uh-huh.
Now take a look at that truck, will you?
Yeah?
Black.
We put in a call to the office and we asked them to send the tow truck out and impound the vehicle.
We stood by until they arrived.
Frank and I drove Amel Salter to the scene of the accident. He pointed it out for us.
According to the information we'd gotten, the location he gave us was the place where Lloyd Holtman had been found.
We checked the area, but we failed to come up with anything new.
5.20 p.m. We returned the suspect to the main jail and we went back to the office.
We sent a radiogram to the authorities in Walkie Shaw asking for all available information on Salter.
At 6.47 p.m. we checked out of the office.
The next morning, December 11th, Frank and I met in the squad room.
Hi, Joe.
Morning.
Seen the morning papers?
Yeah. I guess there isn't much news, huh?
I'm sure he gave Salter a lot of space.
Yeah. I guess we could find the answers.
I called Lee when I got in. They went over the truck, found a lot of the kid's prints, but they didn't turn anything.
They were to point to an accident.
The way the body looked, there should be something on the car that ran him down, shouldn't there?
Excuse me?
Yes, sir?
I wonder if you all could help me out?
Well, we'll try, sir. Come on in. What is it you want?
Well, out there, a kid in the paper?
Sir?
You know, a young kid that ran down the old bum, uh, emo something?
Salter.
Yeah, yeah, that's it.
Well, what do you know about it?
Well, just take it easy now. A couple things I gotta be sure of before I tell you anything.
All right. What's that?
Well, I ain't gonna get mixed up in nothing.
Well, we can't promise you that till we've heard what you got to tell.
Yeah, I'm wasting my time. Bye.
All right. Just a minute.
Huh?
Maybe I better straighten you out, Mr.
On what?
Well, this kid's sitting in jail right now. He's got a pretty serious charge against him.
I didn't make it.
Yeah, sir, that might be true, but I better tell you this.
If you know anything about a felony that's been committed and you withhold that information, you're liable for prosecution as an accessory. Do you know that?
That's the law?
Those are the words.
Now, the only thing we're interested in is getting the case off the books. We're not gonna give your name to the papers.
That's a promise?
That's a promise.
Okay. I told you it'd be pretty bad for me if any of what I tell you gets back to my family.
All right. Now, what's your name?
Lone States.
That's L-O-R-E-M?
Yeah. You want to sit down?
Oh, yeah, thank you.
Now, what do you know about this?
That emo kid ain't guilty.
How's that?
He didn't do it.
How do you know?
Well, I seen the accident. I seen the whole thing.
Well, it started at the beginning.
Now, you're sure none of this is gonna get out?
We told you, not from us.
Okay. Well, I took a drive Saturday night up the coast. I had dinner.
Now, on the way back, I stopped and parked awhile. You know, kind of looked out at the ocean.
Yeah.
Well, I was just leaving, and I saw this old guy walk along the road, bent all stiff, you know. Had a blanket roll on his back, just walking along. You know how to do.
Yes, sir.
And all of a sudden, his car come rolling down the road. I think he must have been doing at least 90.
Come rolling around and turned right at this old guy.
Mm-hmm.
Well, sir, the old guy saw the car coming right at him, kind of turned and started to run. Wasn't any place for him to go.
It's where the road's cut right out of the mountain, you know.
Yeah. We were there. We know.
Well, I guess he figured the driver swing around him or something, so he run over the side of the pavement, trying to get out the way.
Mm-hmm.
Didn't do no good. That car plowed right into him. Must have knocked him 150 feet.
122.
Well, it seemed like further than that.
Did the driver make any attempt to stop after he hit the old man?
Yeah. Pulled over the side of the road. Didn't get out of the car, though.
Uh-huh.
Just stayed there a minute, then he drove off.
Yes, sir.
Well, sir, I was going to go over and see what I could do for the old fellow. I really was. And then this truck drove up.
Guy stopped and got out, walked over to the fellow. I figured he'd be able to take care of it, so I left.
Did you see the driver of the truck?
Yes, sir. So I'm good when he walk in front of the headlights. The same fellow in the paper, that, you know, what's his name?
Soller.
Yeah, Soller.
You're pretty sure it's the same man?
Yes, sir. Now, like I told you, I got a good look at him.
How about the other man? What can you tell us about him?
Not much, except he was driving too fast.
Well, how about the car? You know what kind it was?
I didn't get a good look at that.
How about the color? You notice that?
Yeah. It was a blue, kind of light color.
Can you give us any description of the driver?
No, sir.
Could you tell us if it was a man or a woman?
Oh, it was a man. I noticed that when he slowed down. He kind of leaned out the window and looked back down the road. It was a man, all right.
Could you see the color of his hair? Anything at all about him?
No, sir. There wasn't any lights up there. You know, it was dark.
I couldn't see very good. The main reason I know the driver was a man was the lights in the truck kind of picked him up, and that's when he left.
Well, all right, Mr. States. We appreciate what you've told us.
Glad to help, as long as nobody's going to know. It'd be pretty embarrassing.
Well, how's that?
Well, you see, me and the wife, we ain't been getting along too good. Nothing worth talking about.
But a fella don't like to be nagged at, you know.
Well, there's just a little secretary in our office, and she and I talk once in a while. A couple times we got out for morning coffee together.
This last beef with my wife, I figured I'd fix it good. So I asked the secretary for a date.
She gave it to me. We got together Saturday night, had dinner at a place up near Malibu. On the way back, we just talked and talked.
Nothing wrong, mind you, but I don't guess my wife would understand if she found out.
I see.
So you see why I don't want nobody to know about Saturday? It'd be kind of tough to explain.
Yes, sir.
Got to thinking about it, though, and what that kid, Emo...
Solder.
Yeah. Got to thinking what he must be going through and decided maybe I'd better tell about it.
I'll say it's going to help him a lot.
Yep, I guess so. Oh, something else you might be able to use.
What's that?
Might not be worth anything, out of state and all.
What's that?
The hit-and-run car?
Yeah.
I've got license number.
You are listening to Dragnet, the authentic story of your police force in action.
We got the license number of the hit-and-run car. Also the fact that it carried an Illinois plate.
We put out a local and an APB on it.
We got in touch with the Department of Motor Vehicles back east and we obtained the owner's name.
According to their records, he had notified them that he was moving to California.
They were able to supply us with a North Hollywood address for him.
We checked the name through our records section, but we found nothing.
At 5.20 p.m., Frank and I drove out to see him.
Here, Charles Bookman.
That's right.
Police officers, we'd like to talk to you.
Come on in.
Thank you.
My partner, Frank Smith. My name's Frank.
Hello.
Hi there, sir.
I was just having dinner. You mind if I tell my wife to go ahead?
We can wait if you like.
No, I'll be right back.
All right.
You want to wait just a minute?
Mind if we go with you?
I'm just going into the dining room.
Yes, sir, but we'll still have to be with you.
What's this about?
The old 1954 Pontiac.
Yeah. Light blue.
That's right. Nothing happened to the car?
Well, I want you to tell us, if you will.
I don't know what this is all about. Seems you ought to be able to tell me.
Where is the car?
Well, I don't know.
You own a car and you don't know where it is?
That's right.
Has it been stolen?
Well, I don't know. For all I know, it could have been.
I haven't seen it for a couple of days.
Well, who has it, do you know?
My brother-in-law. I let him drive it.
You don't know where he is?
No. If he smashed up the car, he's going to pay for it, though.
I'm not going to be responsible.
I'm afraid he's done more than that.
I don't know. He's a real bum.
My wife's kid brother can't hold a job for more than five minutes.
All the time sponging off me.
When did you let him take the car?
Ah, let's see. It was Saturday morning.
I told him I wouldn't be using it for a couple of days,
so he could have it.
Look, it's my car you're asking about.
I got a right to know.
If something's wrong, I ought to notify the insurance company.
Yes, sir, we understand.
But it'd be better if we talked to your brother-in-law about it first.
You want to give us his full name?
Casey Steadman.
S-T-E-A-D-M-A-N, is that right?
That's right. How about a description?
No problem. I think I've got a picture around if you want that.
Yes, sir, that'd help.
I'll get it for you.
What were you doing over the weekend?
I was home.
I'm branch manager for the company I work for.
I got an annual report I have to get out.
I worked on that.
Every night?
Yep.
Started it Friday night, finished it up Monday afternoon.
That's one reason I let Casey take the car.
What?
To get him out of the house so I could get some work done.
Oh, I see.
But all he does is sit around and look at the TV.
Starts right with the programs for kids and goes straight through the day.
I think there's something wrong with his ears, too.
Always got set turned up real loud.
And anybody can think when he's watching a show.
Yes, sir.
I had to get him out of the house.
Wife won't even let me say anything to her.
She knows how important that work is, too.
Sometimes I wonder if it's worth it.
Well, I wouldn't know about that, sir.
Just once.
Just once, I'd like to be able to prove to my wife what a mummy is.
Just once so she really believes it.
Well, if he was driving your car Saturday night, we'll let you know.
What'll that prove?
She'll believe it then.
We got a complete description of Casey Stedman along with a picture of the suspect.
We went back to the office and got out a supplemental broadcast and an APB on him.
A check on R&I failed to turn up any information.
We talked with his friends and his known associates.
None of them could tell us where he was.
None of them had seen him since the accident.
Wednesday, December 12th.
We got a call from one of the larger garages in the city.
Yes, sir, that's right.
Wendy called you.
I see.
All right, we'll be right over.
No, no, if he does, will you try to stall him till we get there?
Right. Thank you. Bye.
Garage over on sixth.
Guy hauled a car in this morning.
The front end all smashed up.
Started to work on it and he thought he better call us.
Blue Pontiac?
That's right, stains on the fender.
Yeah.
The mechanic thinks they're blood.
Frank and I left the office and we drove over to the garage.
We talked to the owner.
He told us that he'd gotten a call to bring a tow truck to the corner of Main and Crocker streets.
When he got there, he met a man who asked him to tow a car to the garage
and do some repair work on the right front fender.
We showed him Stedman's picture.
He gave us a positive identification.
We checked the car over.
It was a 1954 blue Pontiac sedan.
The license number was the same one that we'd gotten previously.
The garage owner went on to tell us that the suspect wanted the car on Thursday night
and that it was important that the repairs be made by that time.
We asked that we be notified in the event the suspect made an appearance before then.
We called the crime lab and we asked them to come down and go over the car.
Frank and I went back to the office and we met with Captain Lorman.
We told him what we'd found.
He told us to be at the garage the first thing Thursday morning
in the event Stedman made an early appearance.
Frank and I got there at 7.30 a.m.
At 4.30 in the afternoon, the suspect still hadn't shown.
4.45.
4.50 p.m.
Maybe he figured something's wrong.
Doesn't seem likely. No way for him to find out.
Think his sister tipped him?
No. Bookman said he wouldn't say anything to her about it.
Oh.
Madam Frank. Yeah. We got a live one.
Let's take him.
Stedman? Yeah?
I'd like to talk to you. Why? Do I know you?
Police officers. You on that blue Pontiac over there?
Mr. Stedman! All right, take it easy.
I know nothing about it, nothing. I never saw the car before.
The fellow that towed it in says you're the one who called him.
He made a mistake. Must be a lot of men who look like me.
Nothing special about me.
Our crime lab's gone over the car.
As soon as we roll your fingerprints, we'll be able to tell for sure.
What's that gonna prove? Maybe I did drive the car.
Nothing wrong with that.
No law that says a man can't drive a car.
We got one that says you can't use it to kill somebody.
I didn't do that. Yeah, sure.
Oh, you don't believe me, do you? Nope.
That's kind of lousy, isn't it? How do you mean that?
You walk in here, you already made up your mind I'm guilty.
You call that fair? We just gotta go with the evidence, mister.
Well, you got nothing to prove I was in that car.
Not to show that I killed anybody.
Just trying to make me say I did something I don't know nothing about.
All right, come on, let's go.
You just swear you take me to court, I'll tell the whole world about this lousy deal.
Yeah, well, I don't know about the world. Yeah?
But we'll be there to listen.
We took the suspect back down to the city hall.
As soon as we had his fingerprints taken and compared with the ones found in the car,
we showed him the physical evidence that we had.
When it was presented, he confessed to killing Lloyd Holman.
He made a statement and we took him over to the main jail
where he was booked in on a charge of violation of Section 480 B.C. of felony.
Before we left the jail, we had Amel Salter brought from his cell to one of the interview rooms.
He looked like he hadn't slept for several days.
Sit down, Ian. Thanks.
How do you feel?
Not too good, Mr. Friday.
Oh, we got some news for you. Yeah?
You didn't kill that man.
You're not lying to me. No, we've got the guy that did it.
Oh, that's good.
Since that night, all I've thought about was that man lying there.
I'm glad it wasn't me. Yeah?
You know, you still have to answer for AutoPep.
Sure, I know.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
You know, you still have to answer for AutoPep. Sure, I know.
Funny.
The reason I left home was to build something new.
Here I am in jail.
Just me, I guess.
I blame my parents, my brothers, everybody.
All the time it's me.
There's been nobody else to blame, really.
Well, you can try it again, Amel.
Yeah.
But it'll probably be the same.
Always on the outside looking in.
What do you mean by that?
Like back in high school.
Maybe you'll think it's funny, but...
Like one time I wanted to go to the junior prom.
Real bad.
Didn't have the right clothes.
Didn't have a date.
Who'd want to go out with a shrimp like me?
Well, did you ask anybody to go with you?
No, I knew better.
But I went to the prom anyway.
All by myself.
No date, no nice clothes.
Just old cords and a beat-up jacket.
One and a half hours I went.
I sat on the fire escape.
Yeah, I watched the whole thing through the gym window,
sitting on a fire escape.
They had lanterns and stuff.
Kids all dressed up real pretty.
It was nice to watch.
Saw the grand march, everything.
Only one trouble.
Yeah.
Like I said, I was all alone,
looking in from the outside.
Well, we gotta shove off, Amel.
Thanks for coming over.
It's all right. See you, son.
Sure.
You want to wait here?
We'll send an officer in for you.
I'll be right back.
Kind of nice kid, don't you think?
Yeah, I guess he is.
I guess a lot of things caught up with him.
Kind of gives you a funny feeling talking to him.
How do you mean that?
Well, you know how when he worked all night
and you get home early in the morning?
You get too tired to sleep and you hear a train whistle
from the other side of town.
Listening to that kid, I got the same sort of feeling.
I don't think he's a bad kid, not really.
You think I'm wrong, Joe?
Well, I guess if you are, it makes two of us.
Yeah.
That whistle you're talking about?
Uh-huh.
I hear it every once in a while myself.
The story you have just heard is true.
The names were changed to protect the innocent.
On April 16th, trial was held in Department 97,
Superior Court of the State of California
in and for the County of Los Angeles.
["The Star-Spangled Banner"]
Casey Harrison Steadman was tried and convicted
of violation of Section 480 of the Vehicle Code.
Or, violation of Section 480 B.C. is punishable by imprisonment
on the state penitentiary for a period of from one to five years.
Amel Donald Salter pled guilty to one count of grand theft auto.
In the interests of justice, he was placed on probation
for a period of three years.
["The Star-Spangled Banner"]
You have just heard Drag Note,
the authentic story of your police force in action
and starring Jack Webb,
a presentation of the United States Armed Forces Radio Service.
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