Dragnet.
Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true.
The names have been changed to protect the innocent.
You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a burglary detail.
After weeks of investigation, a suspect in a burglary is picked up.
You've got the evidence for a conviction, but over $200,000 in loot is still missing.
Your job, find it.
It was Saturday, March 5th. It was warm in Los Angeles.
We were working the day watch out a burglary detail.
My partner's Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Bernard. My name's Friday.
We were on our way back from the cell block and it was 9.45 a.m. when we got to the interview room.
The felony section.
I'll get the life.
One in one.
Sit down.
Over there.
You want to smoke?
Here's the life.
You want to talk to us this morning?
You're not doing yourself any good this way, Bowen.
We checked your apartment, Bowen. Found a set of tools.
Our crime lab says they're the ones used in the Hendricks job.
We can put you in the front room of the house.
You're dead, Bowen. Why don't you admit it?
This is the first time you've been nailed for anything big.
You go along with us and the judge might take it into consideration.
If we have to write it up this way, he's liable to throw the book in your face.
Who was with you on the job, Bowen?
We know you didn't swing it alone. Somebody had to carry the light.
Come on, who was it?
All right, what about the loot? Where's that?
That stuff's not going to do you any good in the joint.
There's over 200 grand in furs and jewelry missing. We know you had it. Now where is it?
How about it, Bowen? You're just causing yourself a lot of grief.
Okay, let's go.
On your feet.
On your feet. Come on.
Too bad, cop.
Is that so?
Sure. There's nothing you can do to make me tell where this stuff is. Not a thing.
Sure.
You're never going to find out where it is. Never.
Well, it really doesn't make a lot of difference. You're never going to use it.
Three weeks previously, on February 10th, two unidentified persons had entered a home in the Bel Air district.
They'd taken furs and jewelry valued at over $200,000.
The investigation conducted by Burgery Detail had netted one of the suspects.
He was identified as Cade Bowen, WMA, 32 years.
His arrest record had listed several charges of drunk driving and disturbing the peace.
However, he'd never been picked up on a felony before.
In spite of our efforts, the police have been able to find him.
He refused to identify the other suspect or to tell us where we could recover the stolen goods.
All of his friends and relatives were questioned. None of them could aid us.
The case on him was prepared for the district attorney's office, and we continued to look for the other suspect.
Monday, March 7th, 8.02 a.m., I checked into the squad room.
That you, Joe?
Yeah.
Now you're late.
Couple of minutes here.
I got it.
Burgery Friday.
Oh, yeah, Emory.
Sure.
No, not a sign of it.
But we'd like to hear it anyway.
Where can we meet you?
Where?
Yeah, all right, we'll be right over.
About five minutes.
Right.
Goodbye.
It was Emory.
Who?
Emory Dox says he wants to see us.
Who wants to buy?
Some stolen fur coats.
Frank and I left the office and drove over to see the informant.
We found him in Pershing Square watching a checker game.
Just a minute, Joe. I'll be with you.
All right.
No, no, no, not that one.
Always does it.
Okay, let's go.
Always the same with that guy.
Is that right?
Yeah, always the same.
Set him up that way and he'll jump.
As soon as he does, game is over.
He can't see it, but it's over.
Real pigeon for the setup.
You can sit over there and talk.
You know my partner, don't you, Emory?
Yeah, sure, hi.
How you doing?
Not too bad.
Guess you can't win them all.
Yeah.
We can sit there.
What do you want to see us about?
Oh, I fell over or something the day before yesterday.
They thought maybe it'd make sense for you.
Mm-hmm.
Met a guy who had some coats for sale.
Price he was quoting had to be hot.
Where'd you meet him?
Bar over on First.
Is he a friend?
Not to make a touch.
I see him in the bar once in a while,
but he don't ever buy a drink.
By the night he got real palsy-welsy.
I don't know, maybe he was gassed or something,
but he sure was friendly.
You met him in the bar?
Yeah, he stopped in to have a belt before I ate.
This guy was there, sitting on the stool next to me,
got the talk and he almost knocked me over
when he bought a drink.
Right on the floor he knocked me.
One thing led to something else.
He asked what I was doing.
I said it was just about anything, a ton of buck.
He asked me if I had any money.
I wasn't using it.
I said I didn't.
Yeah.
He said it was too bad.
He said if I could raise a couple of long bills,
he could turn me on to something good.
The coats?
Yeah, yeah.
He told me how a friend of his came up with these fur coats,
wanted to dump them, said the price was real good.
What kind of coats were they?
Mink, full length.
Had a couple of those scarf things too.
He said they were Stone Martin or something, you know,
where the skins looked like they're biting each other.
Yeah.
Like those, Stone Martin, I think.
Mm-hmm.
Guy made a big thing about how the price was right
and if I had any loot I could come out with a big thing.
Do you see where his friend got them?
No, matter of fact, I don't think there was a friend.
The coats were in his car.
And now if I had that kind of merchandise,
I wouldn't put it in nobody else's pocket, that's for sure.
What's this fella's name, do you know?
Jarvis Dean, D-E-A-N.
I guess so.
What do you know about him?
Well, not much.
I told you I seen him around.
He's an angle fella, always looking for a touch.
He'd hold any kind of a job, not so that it would stand out.
How's he live?
Uh-huh, for other people mostly.
Once in a while he makes a big score
and he's popping for drinks all over the place.
A couple of days he's blown the wad and he's back on the dole.
You know where he can find him?
I can't give you no address.
He's usually around the bar?
Mostly.
You won't find him there for a couple of days now, though.
Hmm?
You said something about going out of town down to Palm Springs.
Something about how he could make a contact down there
and unload the coats.
Has Jarvis Dean ever been arrested?
Well, I don't know, or we didn't spend a lot of time talking about jails.
Figures, though.
What do you mean?
The way he talks, some of the people I've seen him with.
Six-tone even, they can draw your floor plan or the laundry up a cube.
Give us the name of the people.
Well, if it's all the same to you, I'd rather not.
They ain't done nothing to me and I'd like to keep it that way.
Some of them are pretty mean, though.
You understand it isn't that I'm afraid,
but I don't see no reason to stand up and up.
Does Dean say where this contact was at Palm Springs?
Oh, he mentioned some bar called Spanky's, that's all.
In the town itself?
Yeah, I guess so.
When I couldn't spring the money to go with him, he kind of cooled off.
You know, he stopped being real friendly.
I got to thinking about it and figured maybe it'd mean something to you, so...
Well, the guy goes around with a couple of grand furs in his car.
He didn't win them in a raffle.
Got to be something there.
Do you any good?
Yeah, we'll check it.
When I first heard about it, I thought it'd do some good right away.
I thought of you guys right away.
I always like to try and help when I can.
Mm-hmm.
Now it works out both ways.
Maybe you can give me a hand sometime.
You know, like now?
What?
I could sure use a couple of bucks.
Things ain't been going too good.
No, that's too bad.
It's just temporary. It won't last.
Couple of days, I got a job coming up.
Hotel over on Wilshire.
Pearl diving. Guy's been drafted, and I'm in line for the job in just a couple of days.
Well, I only got a couple of bucks, Emory.
You can have them if it'll help.
Do you have anything at all?
They are.
Thank you.
Hey, you got a pencil?
A what?
Pencil. Got one I can use?
Yeah, here.
I always like to keep these things legal. You never know.
Oh.
There you are.
My IOU. Pay you back as soon as I start to work.
Well, don't worry about it, Emory.
No, no, no. You got to do these things up legal.
Can you tell us what this guy Dean looks like?
Yeah, he... he think there's really something to it, huh?
Oh, check it.
He sure figures he stole the coats and any reason he'd want to give them away if he didn't.
A guy like that, he don't do nothing for nothing.
Got to be a payoff someways.
Well, when he won't be disappointed.
Huh?
There'll be one.
Frank and I got the description of Jarvis Dean and the car he was driving, then we returned to the office.
We had the name run through our N.I. and we found a record.
The mug shot was pulled and shown to Emory Docks.
He said it was the man who tried to sell him the coats.
We put out a local broadcast and an APB on the suspect and his car.
11.25 a.m.
Cade Bowen was questioned again, but he refused to give us any information on whether or not Dean was his accomplice in the burglary.
At 2.30 that afternoon, Frank and I met with Captain Bernard in his office.
You think it's the Hendricks loot?
Should be. We've checked around. There haven't been any other thefts that had covered.
Got the list?
Yeah, here.
Thanks.
Now, you can see right there, Skipper.
Two mink coats, one stole, Stone Martins scarf.
Mm-hmm.
What about the jewelry?
Well, they didn't say anything about it. Doesn't mean it's not there.
Mm-hmm. What about this bar in Palm Springs you mentioned?
Spanky's?
Yeah. You know anything about it?
We know where it is.
What kind of place is it?
Resort Town Bar.
What about the reputation?
Clean. We never had any reports about it.
Uh-huh. You think that's where they'll turn the stuff?
Well, we don't know. All we got's the name.
Some place to look. One we've had.
You can't get anything out of Bowen?
He won't even admit he's in Los Angeles.
What you got to say about the evidence?
Just sit some looks at it.
And Palm Springs is the only lead you got?
That's it.
Okay, trot it down. Can you leave right away?
I can't. How about you, Smith?
Just call Fay.
That's it, then. Go on down there. See what you can find out.
Be sure to check with our department. They might have something for you.
All right.
When will you be back?
Well, if it works out, it should be sometime in the morning.
Check with me as soon as you get in.
Yeah.
This fellow Dean got a record?
Yeah. Assault, 211.
Sounds like he might be heavy.
Possible.
Well, take it easy.
Yeah.
He's the fellow you're after. He's not going to want to give that stuff up.
Well, that puts it on our backs.
We've got to convince him.
Frank and I went down to the carpool and checked out a trip car.
Two hours later, we pulled into Palm Springs.
We talked to the local authorities. They had nothing on Jarvis Dean.
As far as they knew, there was nothing wrong with Spanky's bar.
We got the address of the place and drove over.
Yeah, what'll it be?
Police officers would like to ask a few questions.
LA cops, huh? Something wrong?
Oh, they'd like to ask us some questions.
Come on back here. It'll be easier to talk.
All right.
Well, what can I do for you?
I'd like you to take a look at these pictures, so you can know this man.
No, I never saw him.
How about this one?
Sure.
Yeah, yeah. He's been around.
Is he here now?
No, he doesn't usually make it this early.
Seen him at all today?
He was in this morning around 10 in there.
You know when we can find him?
What's he done?
Police business.
Well, just so it doesn't get anybody here in trouble, that guy's a real crack clock.
What do you mean?
He's lonely. He's a good business.
But if I had my drudders, I'd just assume he stayed away.
Why is that?
Well, the way he acts.
We got a lot of big people coming here.
You know, the picture crowd, a lot of money.
They like things quiet.
They come down here for a rest, and that's what they want.
A guy like that fella, they don't help.
Sure, he gets gassed, makes a big noise all about how he's buying drinks for the house.
The customers don't like that kind of stuff.
Drinks aren't bad enough, but he's got to start a pitch.
What do you mean?
He's been trying to set something up, some kind of a deal.
You know what it is?
No, I don't pay a lot of attention.
I just hear him talking to some of the people.
Gets any worse, though. I'm going to have to 86 him.
Does he come in alone?
Sometimes.
What do you mean?
Well, there's a chick he brings in once in a while.
The two of them just sit there and drink.
Do you know her?
Why, is she in trouble?
Do you know her?
Yeah, her name is Blanche. She lives down here.
She your aunt?
She was.
When?
A half hour ago.
Said she was going out to get something to eat.
She should be back.
Do you know where she went?
No, half a dozen places.
Inside a block, she could have gone.
If you want to talk to her, the best thing would be to wait right here.
Why?
She was carrying a real load when she walked out.
I hope that food helps her.
He said she lives down here.
Yeah, she's got a place out the south end of town.
What does she do for a living, you know?
Well, I don't know. I don't think she's got a job.
Seems I heard her say she was divorced.
Probably got a chunk of dough from her old man.
She and this fellow are pretty friendly.
You mean the guy in the picture?
Yeah.
I guess you could say that.
Most of the time they're together.
How often is he here?
Oh, he comes in the place almost every night, you know, when he's in town.
Is that quite a bit?
Yeah, three, four days a week.
You ever hear what he gets for a living?
No, I don't think he works steady.
Hey, there's your girl now.
All right.
Want me to drink, huh?
Yeah. Blanche, a couple of fellas here want to talk to you.
Oh, that's good.
Bring them on. I always like to talk to fellas.
If they're friends of yours, old bud, I know they're okay.
Yeah, sure, Blanche.
Is he them?
Hey, now, they're pretty nice looking.
You know that, fellas?
Are you pretty nice looking?
What if we get to a booth? It might be a little easier to talk to you.
Oh, same to you. I'll talk right here or I won't say a thing.
What's your name, honey?
Friday.
Say, that's a funny name.
Like the day, huh?
That's right. It's my partner, Frank Smith.
I do.
Oh, come on, now. Don't try to pitch that at me.
Smith.
No phony if I ever heard one.
Hey, bud.
Yeah, Blanche.
How's that drink? Can't see you all night, you know.
You think you had enough of that?
No. You just keep your big yaps shut.
You better take it easy, Blanche.
Take it easy nothing.
Ain't no father a name like Friday and Smith gonna tell me not to have a drink.
They're a couple of phonies. That's what they are.
Oh, I see. Settle down now. We're police officers.
Oh, yeah? Oh, yeah? Well, I'm the Queen of Sheba.
What do you think of that? Huh?
What do you think of that, Mr. Phony?
Come on, Blanche. You better quiet down.
Don't yell at me, you bartender.
You got any class at all? You keep these mashers out of here.
There's a fine, lousy bar you're running.
Let's go outside, lady.
You just try and take me out there.
Come another step on that kid off.
Blanche, please, honey. Take it easy.
All right, miss. You're setting up. Now let's go outside.
Oh, sure.
You got a big picture of that, me going out there and you two can gang up on me.
No, that's N-O. I ain't going no place with you.
You got it wrong.
I have, have I? Well, I'll just show you.
Help, please! Please! Somebody help!
We are the police.
You want another cup? Help, please!
Sit down.
All right, all right.
I know when I'm licked.
You don't have to shove me around anymore.
Just leave me alone, that's all.
Just leave me alone.
You got some hot coffee? Yeah, sure, I'll get it.
Bring it back to this booth, will you?
Come on, everything's gonna be all right, lady.
No, it isn't. Not ever again, not ever.
All right, sit down, there.
Here's a handkerchief.
Oh, thank you.
I never done anything like that before.
That's all right.
I guess I'm arrested.
Not yet.
I didn't mean anything by it.
Nothing.
Just I didn't know you guys and I was a little drunk.
Just all of a sudden I wanted to hit something, that's all.
Just hit something.
You were handy.
Here's your coffee.
Thanks.
You want creamy sugar?
No, but...
Anything I can do for you?
No, that's all.
I'll be up front if there is one.
Go ahead, miss, try the coffee.
Might make you feel better.
It's hot.
I'm too sorry about hitting you.
That's all right.
Really? It's nice of you to say so.
What were you gonna ask me when all this started?
You want to take a look at this picture here and tell us if you know the man?
Sure. I guess I owe you that.
Is it a guy?
Yeah, that one there.
Sure, it's Jarvis.
Last name Dean?
Yeah.
What do you know about him?
Guy. Had a couple of drinks with him.
You know where he is?
Not now. He's gone this morning. Had a couple of coffee.
Haven't seen him since then.
He's still in town?
I don't think so.
You know where he is?
No.
He said he'd run up to LA on some business.
Did he say what kind of business?
No.
He didn't talk much about that.
You got any idea where Dean was going in LA?
He didn't give me any address.
Did he say when he'd be back?
No.
That's what we had to beef about.
He just shoved off.
He said something about meeting the guy up there, said this fella's in some kind of trouble,
and he had to try and square it.
Did he say who it was?
Let's see.
I'm not sure. Can I remember?
It's pretty important.
Mm-hmm.
Now we know.
Oh, yeah, yeah. It was Bowen.
I had to see a guy named Bowen.
Did he say what it was about?
No.
I can remember he told me that he and this Bowen guy were on a deal together.
Bowen had lost it up.
Said he had to take care of him.
The description of Dean's car that the girl gave us matched the one we'd gotten from our informant.
We checked the room he'd occupied in Palm Springs.
We talked to the local authorities.
They agreed to check further on the suspect.
Frank and I left for Los Angeles.
The following morning, we contacted Captain Bernard.
They're all both together.
Huh?
You better find him fast.
Why? Is something wrong?
I don't know, but it could happen.
What do you mean?
Bowen was released on a writ last night.
Additional bulletins were gotten out on both men.
Bowen's house was put under surveillance, and all of his known hangouts were watched.
Two days passed without word.
And then on Thursday, March 10th at 10.57 a.m., Frank and I got back to the office from checking out a lead.
Rodney?
Yeah?
Note in the book for you. It's important.
Thank you.
What is it?
I'm supposed to call the sheriff's department.
Huh.
Wonder what it is.
I don't know.
You'll have to find out.
Well, I didn't figure you would, Joe, not until you made the call.
Just wondered what it was.
Dave Cherry, please.
Well, Dave, Joe Friday.
No, we haven't.
Where?
In the ID room.
Where?
In the office.
Where?
There. Any idea when that happened?
No, we'd better come over and see you.
Right. Bye.
We're in trouble.
What do you mean?
I don't know. They found a body out in the desert this morning. Looks like it was a hit and run.
Bowen?
No, Jarvis Dean.
Frank and I left the office and went over to the Hall of Justice where we met with Sergeant Dave Terry.
He showed us the photographs taken at the scene and the reports filed by the officers who discovered the body.
From the appearance, it had been struck by a car traveling at high speed.
A thorough search had been made of the area, but no trace of Jarvis Dean's car could be found.
There was no apparent explanation as to how he'd gotten out on the desert.
Another local on an APB was gotten out asking that Cade Bowen be picked up for questioning on suspicion of murder.
A week went by. There was no word of the suspect.
Border stations had been alerted in the event he tried to escape into Mexico.
Checkpoints at the California-Nevada border had descriptions of both the car and the suspect.
Saturday, March 19, Frank and I got back from the Stats Office.
Well, it's another dead end, pal.
What you know?
I'm going to check with the skipper to see if he's got any ideas.
All right.
Come on in.
Where have you been? I've been looking for you.
Stats Office. They just finished a run. They didn't come up with anything.
You don't need it.
Huh?
You got half the country looking for Bowen, and he's in your pocket.
What do you mean?
Main jail. Picked up last night in 502.
Cade Bowen had been picked up the night before at the corner of 7th and Hill Streets.
He'd been observed by a radio car driving in an erratic manner and had refused to stop when the officers directed him to.
After a ten-block chase, he'd been halted, but when the officers asked to see his identification, he told them he didn't have any.
He was taken to the main jail and booked on charges of drunk driving.
A check of his fingerprints had revealed his name, and we were notified.
His car had been impounded and the crime lab was going over it.
We had the suspect brought to the city hall.
What is it this time? I held up the Federal Reserve?
All right, come off it, Bowen. You know where you're sitting now. This is the last time around for you.
Yeah, I've heard that before.
You won't hear it again.
Where have you been for the last week?
Sleeping.
All right, now where?
Anyplace I could find a soft mattress.
Hey, you guys ought to pull some strings and get some new bedding over the main jail. Those bunks are hard.
Sure. You know a man named Jarvis Dean?
Hmm?
Jarvis Dean, do you know him?
Might.
That's no answer.
That's the best I can do.
Look, mister, we're getting tired of playing with you. You're in trouble and it doesn't come in any bigger sizes.
Now, I'm not going to tell you to play it smart because you wouldn't know what I was talking about, but you snap to and answer these questions.
Now do you know Jarvis Dean?
I met him.
When did you see him last?
A couple weeks ago.
We understand he was with you on the burglary.
It's a fairy tale.
We got it straight.
I didn't know you were listening to gossip.
Where'd you get the car you were driving last night?
I bought it.
From who?
Use car dealer.
Well, when you tell us why it's registered as Jarvis Dean, will you?
Well, I don't know anything about that.
Last time we talked, it was for a burglary beef. It's a lot more serious this time.
It's so.
That's right. It's a patient of murder.
Who'd I kill?
Jarvis Dean.
You're out of your head.
We always are.
Now tell us why he'd let you drive his car.
I don't know if it is his car.
The department of motor vehicles says it is.
We checked it. All of the stolen merchandise was found.
Now you've got no right to go through my things.
Last time we heard of the stuff, Jarvis Dean had it.
What's the matter? Did you have a fight about what to do with it?
Maybe you got sorry because he was letting you carry the beef yourself.
Now what happened?
Come on, Bowen. You're boxed in.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Well, let's check the office, see if there's any word from the crime lab.
I'll do it then.
Tell you what, cop.
Hmm?
You win, I'll tell you.
About Dean?
I don't know anything about him. I'm talking about the burglary.
Now.
You're not going to have to go any further.
No deal. We got you on something bigger. I think we can make that a hold up.
I'm willing to cop out to the other.
How'd you do?
Here's the report.
Now that wraps it up.
Yeah.
All right, Bowen, let's go.
Huh?
We don't have to talk to you anymore. The crime lab just finished going over the car.
Yeah?
They found where you had that fender repaired.
Well, some drunk ran into me.
They checked the springs underneath, found traces of fabric, matched the jacket Dean had on when he was killed.
We got enough to make you on it.
You can't prove I was driving the car and there's no way you can prove it.
We think we can.
Go ahead. You just take it into court. Try.
By the time you get through the judge and the jury will be laughing.
Is that right?
Sure. They'll tell you how far out you are. They'll laugh right in your face.
They'll tell you something too.
Yeah.
And they won't be laughing.
The story you've just heard is true.
The names were changed to protect the innocent.
On July 16th, trial was held in Department 98, Superior Court of the State of California, in and for the County of Los Angeles.
Cade Neil Bowen was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree and received sentence as prescribed by law.
On recommendation of the jury, he was sentenced to life imprisonment in the state penitentiary, San Quentin.
You have just heard Dragnet, the authentic story of your police force in action and starring Jack Webb, a presentation of the United States Armed Forces Radio Service.
The story you've just heard is true.
The names were changed to protect the innocent.
On recommendation of the jury, he was sentenced to life imprisonment in the state penitentiary, San Quentin.
You have just heard Dragnet, the authentic story of your police force in action and starring Jack Webb, a presentation of the United States Armed Forces Radio Service Radio Service.
The story you've just heard is true.
The names were changed to protect the innocent.
On recommendation of the jury, he was sentenced to life imprisonment in the state penitentiary, San Quentin.
The story you've just heard is true.
The names were changed to protect the innocent.
The names of the people who died are will be found in the file.
On recommendation of the jury, he was sentenced to life imprisonment in the state penitentiary, San Quentin.
You have just heard Dragnet, the authentic story of your police force in action and starring his wife, Advanced, a teacher in a cultural institution.