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 the homicide detail.
A six-year-old girl has been taken from the streets of your city.
There she is.
She's been taken to the police station.
She's been taken from the streets of your city.
There's no lead to her whereabouts or to the identity of the kidnapper.
Your job, find them.
It was Monday, May 1st. It was warm in Los Angeles.
We were working the day watch out a homicide detail.
My partner is Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Warman.
My name's Friday.
I was on my way back from the business office and it was 728 p.m. when I got to room 42.
Homicide squad room.
No, the hair was a little thicker. You know, more of it.
More like this?
Yeah. Yeah, that's about it. Short, real short.
Now, what about the eyes?
Well, they were kind of close together.
Hi, Joe.
Hi, where'd Frank go?
Chief Brown called. He went down there.
How you doing?
Good. Hey, take a look at yourself.
Yeah, yeah, that's it. Right on the old button, yeah.
A couple more eyebrows.
What?
More eyebrows. A couple more.
Yeah, yeah, that's it. Yeah.
Say, this fella's pretty good.
That better knows guys at the beach.
What's that?
At the beach. You know, they draw your picture while you wait two bits, something like that, and they draw your picture?
This looks just like the guy that took the girl.
All right.
Sure feel bad about that. I really do.
Sir?
I was just sitting there, you know, folding up the papers for morale, just sitting and folding.
All of a sudden I see this thing happen right in front of me.
Yeah.
The car just pulled up to the curb and they grabbed the girl.
It was more than one?
Huh?
You said they grabbed the girl.
No, no, no, I just said that.
You know, an expression. It didn't mean there was more than one. Just said that.
You know how you do.
Yeah.
Just one.
Kid. That's what he was. Young kid.
Mm-hmm.
No fart. Just like a fart.
Mm-hmm.
Jump.
Yeah.
I just talked to Chief Brown. He wants to know how the picture's coming.
Not finished. Why?
Looks like we might need it right away.
Huh?
The family just got a ransom note.
The suspect was described as WMA, 26 years old, 5 feet, 8 and a half inches in height, and weighing about 140 pounds.
At approximately 310 that afternoon, he'd approached a private school in the Hollywood area and forced Grace Marsha and age 6 into his car.
The only witness to the kidnapping had spread the alarm, and in a matter of minutes, every police officer in the area had the description of the man and the car he was driving.
Word of the crime had gone out to all policemen in Southern California, and we're all looking for a little girl.
Units from Juvenile Division working under Captain John Powers joined in the search.
A roundup of known deviants was started. All available information sources were tapped, but in spite of our efforts at the end of four and a half hours, the child still hadn't been found.
8.02 p.m. Frank and I drove out to the house. We parked our car in the next block and walked to the Marshand residence, where we met with Captain Powers and the missing girl's parents.
I thought we could talk in here. Marshands are pretty upset.
Yeah. What about that note?
It's downtown. Leighton Prince are going over it. How'd he get here? Kid brought it.
What about him?
16 years old, lives in the neighborhood.
Where'd he get it?
Says a man approached him in the drug store at the corner, asked him to deliver a letter.
Gave the kid a buck, boy didn't know what was in the letter.
What'd it say? Got a copy on it.
Here.
You want to see your kid alive, get $50,000 in small and mark bills ready, and you'll get a phone call. Don't tell the police, don't tell anyone. If you do, forget about your daughter.
How was it written, Captain?
Words were cut out of the evening paper and placed on a plain white sheet.
Anything there?
We don't know yet. Soon as Leighton Prince are through with it, Larry Sloan is going over it.
What about this Marsh Hand? Can he swing that kind of money?
Yeah, I guess so. He says he will.
Are they going to go along with it?
I'm not sure. Mrs. Marsh Hand would like us to get off their side.
How about him?
He wants his daughter back.
I know.
Aren't you going to talk to him?
I guess we better.
What about the phone?
Did you make arrangements to have it covered?
Oh yeah, there's an extension in the study. You can use that. It's close enough to the one in the master bedroom so we can talk to the Marsh Hand while they're on that one.
Okay.
Anything new turned up downtown?
No, still questioning deviants.
Well, we've taken a kid who brought the note downtown. We're going to have him check the mug books.
And we better let him see that drawing too.
Yeah.
What about the house you got it covered?
Pretty good, yeah. There's a team from Hollywood across the street and another one out in the back.
Where are they?
One across the street is in a neighbor's house. The other one's in a car up back.
Okay. Let's go, huh?
Yeah, they're in the living room.
All right. How are they taking her?
Rough. There you go.
We've got to get them out of the house, Ken. I know they're going to ruin everything.
No, no. Just calm down, dear. How are you, Captain Powers?
Mr. Marsh Hand, this is Sergeant Friday and his partner, Frank Smith.
How are you, sir?
How do you do? This is my wife.
How are you, Miss Marsh Hand?
Is there anything new? Have you found her yet?
No, ma'am. Not yet.
I told you they're going to get her back. All this mess is going to make it worse.
Now, now, take it easy, dear.
I'm not going to wait. I don't want to.
It'll be all right if I take her upstairs.
Yeah, sure.
Come on, honey. Now, why don't you lie down and try to get some rest?
I'm not going to bring her back.
That's fine. It's not going to do any good. Now, come on.
I'll take you guys in out of the house. I'm not going to get in.
Maybe it might be better if you wait it out in the kitchen. I'll try to get her come.
All right, sir.
I'm sorry.
Yes, sir.
Come on, dear.
Yes, I did.
Let's go.
I'm not doing anything.
She's taking it pretty hard.
Yeah.
Have they called the doctor?
He's on his way.
Have they gotten the other children?
Yeah, boy, 10.
Where is he?
His sister, Miss Marsh Hand, took him over there this evening.
Well, there are 16 of them in the metro standing by, four from our detail.
How about the sheriff's department?
I talked to Dick Teren. They're with us all along the line.
Good.
This season's bad. I hope the doctor gets here pretty quick.
Is there anything we can do?
You know the answer to that one.
I don't.
You like some coffee?
No, thank you.
No, thank you. I'm going to make some anyway.
All right.
I'm sorry about my wife.
That's all right, sir.
Taking the whole thing pretty hard.
Have you made any arrangements to get the money, Mr. Marsh Hand?
Yes, I called my brother. There's nothing to do about it tonight.
The first thing in the morning, we'll get it together.
We'd like to be with you.
What?
We'd like to help you prepare the money.
I don't know quite how to say this.
What's that, sir?
Well, I know you men are trying to help, but I don't want you interfering with the payoff.
That's going to make it a little difficult.
Maybe so, but that's the way it's got to be.
All right. That's the way you want it.
Well, it is.
You know, it's not going to make much difference.
What do you mean?
Well, the kidnapper probably knows we're working on the case already.
He's counting on the fact that you won't go along with us.
What is it you want to do?
Well, we'll help you get the money ready, take the numbers of the bills, and prepare the package.
We don't want to endanger your daughter's life.
As far as we're concerned, you can go right ahead with the payoff when you're contacted.
But if we can help now, it'll make it easier after the money's been paid.
On who?
Who is it going to be easier on, you or Grace?
You going to make sure we get her back?
You willing to write insurance on that?
There's no answer to that question.
That's the whole point. We want our daughter back.
I don't care what we have to do or how we do it, as long as Grace is back.
That's all that's important.
We can understand that, but you've got to...
I know what you're trying to do, and I appreciate it, but this is our problem.
I don't want to take any chances on something going wrong.
As soon as we hear from the man who has her, we'll do what he says.
Then you're not going to let us help her?
No. And I think it might be better if you called your men off.
You're making it hard for us.
I'm not trying to, but can't you understand? All we want is our girl back.
It doesn't make any difference how it's done, as long as she's home. That's all that counts.
What about the man who took her?
That's your problem. As soon as Grace is home, I'll go along with you on whatever you want to do.
But until then, I don't want you meddling.
I thought you said they'd gone.
They're just leaving.
You're not going to be happy until she's dead, are you?
That's not true, ma'am.
Well, it looks like it. All these policemen, the whole thing, a lot of noise, nothing more.
You're not doing any good. Why don't you get out?
They're leaving, dear.
When? After they throw Grace up on the front lawn?
Is that when they'll go?
All right, honey, now. All right, ma'am, we'll leave.
Get out! Go on! Don't stand around!
All right, now that's enough, ma'am. They know it.
She's my baby!
All right, now calm down, will you? This isn't going to do any good.
I'm going to run you around! You haven't done anything to make me cry!
What am I going to do?
I'm afraid you better leave.
All right, sir, we'll talk to you later.
As soon as we get Grace back, I'll...
What was that say?
I said, as soon as we get Grace back, I'll call you.
Yes, sir.
You're sure you won't let us help?
No, you better go now.
Well, now what?
I guess we wait.
Yeah. What about the surveillance? Are you going to call it off?
No, I don't think so. We'll check it with the skipper.
Yeah.
It'd be a lot easier if the Marshands had let us help them.
At least we know what was going on, gives us a chance.
Yeah.
This way we're in the cold, nothing we can do.
I wonder if it makes any difference.
Maybe we lost already.
We contacted the office and talked with Captain Warman.
We told him what had happened at the Marshand home.
He instructed us to keep the place under surveillance,
but not to interfere with the movements of the family.
Officers in the area were asked to stay away from the house.
If the kidnapper wanted to make contact, we would do nothing to stop him.
8.46 p.m. Captain Powers stayed on at the scene,
and Frank and I went back to the office.
Captain Warman, Chief Detective Staff Brown.
You can't count any cooperation from the family then?
No, I don't think so.
The father might go along with us, but Ms. Marshand is dead against it.
Mm-hmm.
How are you going to handle it, Warman?
Keep their place under surveillance, wait for them to make a move.
Mm-hmm. Important thing is not to burn them.
Yeah.
When are they figured to pick up the money, Joe?
Marshand said tomorrow morning.
What business is he in?
Contractor. Got a company with his brother.
I do a lot of work in developments.
Just finished a big section out in the valley.
You won't have any trouble raising the money then?
No, I won't bother him.
What are you going to do about that?
The money?
Yeah.
Well, first thing in the morning, we'll try to get in touch with his bank,
make arrangements to have the serial numbers on the bills noted.
Cram lab able to do anything for you?
Well, we'll check with them.
Should be some way we can make it easier.
The important thing is to get the girl back.
Once we know where she is, we can move a lot faster.
Well...
Homicide alarmant.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Want to give me that address?
Yes, sir. Right away. Give me.
Maybe it's coming over to our side.
What do you mean?
There was Mr. Marshand.
Yeah?
He wants to see you right away.
Frank and I left the office and drove over to the address Mr. Marshand had given us on the phone.
It was an all-night rest ground on Hollywood Boulevard.
We found him in a booth at the back of the place.
Hi, Mr. Marshand. How are you?
Sit down, will you?
You heard anything new?
No.
The reason I called, I got to thinking after you left.
The way we acted isn't going to help any.
It's not going to make it any easier on anybody.
That's right.
Mabel and I talked it over. She still isn't too hot on the idea.
And I'd appreciate it if you could do what has to be done without her knowing too much about it.
We'll do what we can.
I don't like to have to put this kind of restriction on you, but right now that doesn't seem to be any other way.
We understand.
Have you heard anything else from the kidnapper?
Not a word.
Mm-hmm.
Don't imagine you'll try and contact me.
Don't imagine you'll try and contact me before I've had a chance to get the money.
No, sir. When do you figure on getting it?
I'll call my bank at nine, try and make arrangements then.
We'd like to be there when you talk to them.
All right. What do you plan on doing?
Well, first we want to get the serial numbers and all those bills.
I'm sure they'll cooperate.
We'll check with our crime lab.
Maybe something we can use to prepare the money so we'll be able to recognize it a little better.
They'll probably want you to make up a special package, too.
Well, I'm not going to try and tell you your business. I guess you know what you're doing.
Well, we hope so.
I'd like to ask a question, though.
What's that?
You think she's still alive?
Well, there's no way of knowing that.
You've handled this kind of thing before. You know what the odds are. What do you think?
I don't know.
I think it's so much easier if we knew.
Yes, sir.
It just seems like she has to be alive. I can't imagine anyone would hurt a little girl. I just can't imagine it.
Yes, sir.
First time she's ever been away from home.
She doesn't get along with strangers too well.
Poor little kid.
I'm sorry. I'm acting like an idiot.
Oh, sure. More like a father.
We took Mr. Marshand back to his home and then Frank and I checked out for the night.
The next morning at 7.30 a.m., Henry Marshand, Frank and I met with Ray Pinker in the crime lab.
Have you talked to the bank yet?
No, we figured we'd check with you, find out what you were going to want.
How's the money going to be paid?
We don't know yet. There's only been the one contact.
Yeah, I saw that yesterday.
What's the best way of working the deal, Ray?
You're going to get the numbers on the bills?
Yeah.
Well, the notes said to get the amount in small ones. I guess that means five tens and twenties.
Probably.
Quite a few to work with over.
Doesn't make a lot of difference.
What are you going to do?
We can dust the package and the money with silver nitrate.
What'll that do?
In a matter of time, the moisture from the suspect's hands will combine with the silver nitrate and turn him white.
How long will it take?
Depends on his body chemistry.
Well, about how long?
Could be three to four hours. I wouldn't count on it happening that fast, though.
Well, how easy is it going to be to spot?
Not too hard. Stuff looks almost like a white topping powder.
Will it wash off easy?
No. Should last around three to four days.
Mm-hmm.
Depends again on how easily he sweats, how often he washes his hands, and how hard he tries to get it off.
Yeah. Is there any chance he'll spot it?
Can't miss it once it starts to show.
Well, I don't know if there's something wrong. He might try to do something to Grace.
Well, we might as well face it, Mr. Marsh, and if she hasn't been returned in three or four hours, it's probably because he doesn't mean to give her back.
I suppose so.
As soon as you get the instructions on wrapping the money, let me know right away. We'll get it ready.
What are you going to do?
We'll mark the paper the money's supposed to be wrapped in.
Why?
So we can identify it. If he wants the package out of the newspaper, we got some on hand.
We've got some new brown wrapping paper, too. I think we're pretty well set on that score.
I don't understand why you're doing all this.
Well, if the suspect gets away from the meeting place, we've got to have a way to pick him up.
Well, how's the special package going to help?
We'll be able to prove it's what the money was wrapped in. Make it easier to be sure we got the right man.
I'm sure he was as confident as you seem to be.
How do you mean?
That we're going to catch the man.
Well, once he picks up the money, we've got everything on our side.
You're going to have the pickup area staked out?
As much as we can. Depends a lot on where the contact is made.
Mm-hmm.
Right after the payoff, we'll secure the area. Nobody will get out.
Ray, is there any way we can mark the car?
Hard to say. We could use paint.
A lot of things we don't know about the setup. It'll be easier to figure them after we've got all the information.
If somebody can get close enough to the car, we can drop a capsule of paint on top of it.
Put a copter in the area, and you shouldn't have any trouble picking it up.
Dr. Friday?
Yeah.
Phone for you, sir. I'll call for you.
Thank you.
Take it over there, Joe.
Okay. Which line?
Three.
Thank you.
Friday Speed.
Oh, yeah.
Uh-huh.
What?
We'll be right over.
Now it's beginning to go.
What do you mean?
The kidnapper just called.
Yeah?
He's ready for a meet.
The second contact by the kidnapper had been made by telephone.
He talked to Mrs. Marshand and instructed her to tell her husband to have the money ready by 6 p.m. that evening.
They went on to say that another call would be made giving instructions for payment of the ransom.
Mr. Marshand, Frank, and I talked with her about the call, and then we had a meeting with Captain Warman and Chief Detective Stad Brown.
It was decided to go ahead as the kidnapper had ordered.
At 9.02 a.m., we got $50,000 from the bank.
We went back to the city hall and talked to Captain James Fisk.
He assigned six girls from the record section to aid us.
We divided them into three teams of two each, one calling the numbers on the bills, the other typing a list.
At 3.45 p.m., the job was finished.
The money was taken to the crime lab and dusted with silver nitrate powder.
Because we didn't have the final instructions on the delivery of the ransom,
Ray Pinker gave us a supply of plain newspapers and brown wrapping paper.
Both types were marked so they could later be identified in court.
They also gave us pellets of dark and light paint in the event we had an opportunity to mark the kidnapper's car.
4.30 p.m., we got in touch with Dave Robart at the sound lab and made arrangements for three-way radio equipment.
Chief of Detective Stad Brown contacted Army authorities and with their cooperation, we had a helicopter standing by in the event it was needed.
Teams of men from Metro Division and Homicide Detail were planted in the area around the Marshand home.
And at 5.15 p.m., Frank and I, along with Marshand, drove out to his house to wait for the third contact from the kidnapper.
Red one to red six. Red one to red six. Come in, please.
Red six to red one. Do you read me?
Yeah, Jack, you're coming in fine. Who's riding with you? Over.
Holden, you got any word yet? Over.
No, nothing. We'll talk to you later. Red one out.
Well, that's it, Joe. They're all in position.
Yeah, now we got the tough part. Yeah, wait here.
Say, all these cars, isn't there a chance a kidnapper might see them?
No, sir, they're scattered all over the area. Matter of fact, none of them can even see the house.
Hope it works out.
Well, everything's going with us so far. Keeps up and we shouldn't have any trouble at all.
Yeah.
Is your wife all right, Mr. Marshand?
Yeah, I guess so. She's upstairs. The doctor gave her something to make her sleep.
I see. Didn't want it, but he figured it was best.
Yes, sir.
Wasn't anything she could do to help. This whole thing's been pretty hard on her.
Maybe when it's over, we'll take both kids and go out of town for vacation. The rest will do her good.
Yes, sir. It's been pretty rough on her.
I'll get it. Just a minute, Mr. Marshand. Give us a chance to get that other phone.
Well, you can use the one in the breakfast room through that door.
All right. Now, don't pick up a receiver until you hear me say now. You got it?
All right. Any way you say.
Can't I answer it now? He might not wait. Just a second.
Now.
Hello? What?
Oh, yes, Sam.
No, no, no. I can't right now.
No. Yeah. Uh-huh.
Look, Sam, I'm expecting an important call. Can I talk to you tomorrow? I'm sorry about it.
Yeah, sure.
No, no. It's nothing else.
Yeah. All right, Sam. I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Okay. Bye.
Sam Nicholson. Wonder if I could play golf with him in the morning.
Yes, sir.
Thought at first it might be the kidnapper.
Yeah.
Wasn't.
Thought sure it was him.
Well, I wish something would happen.
Just wait and it'll drive me crazy.
You know, if we just knew she was all right, that's all. If we just knew.
Yeah, sir.
All right. Give me just another phone. Wait, let's see now.
I know it's him this time.
Now. Hello?
Yeah, that's right.
No, no. I was in the back of the house.
What?
No, the line isn't tapped.
No, no, it isn't. Give me my word.
Yeah. What about Grace? Is she all right?
Yeah, I got it.
No, it's here in the house now.
That's right. Fifty thousand dollars.
Yeah. Wait a minute. I better get a pencil.
All right. Go ahead.
Yeah.
No, I know where it is.
Yeah.
All right. I'll try and find something.
No, I'll find something.
Yeah. All right. I'll leave as soon as I can.
No, I won't bring anybody. I swear.
Yeah. Will you have Grace there?
Hello. Hello.
You heard it. Yeah.
We better get started. You got the map?
I'll get it.
He said Grace was all right. Did you hear him say that?
Yes, sir. I did.
He said she was okay. Well, I hope he was telling the truth.
Yes, sir. So do we.
You know, it's been a long time, Sergeant, but I guess you never forget how.
What's that?
To pray.
The man on the phone had instructed Mr. Marchand to attach a piece of white material to the front of his car and to drive north on Highway 101.
He said that near Zuma Beach he would indicate his presence by flashing the headlights of his own vehicle.
Marchand was to pull over to the side of the road and walk halfway to the kidnapper's car.
As we were waiting for the car to leave, the suspect would approach Marchand and take the money.
At that time, he'd give us information on the girl's return.
610 PM. All the cars in the operation were told of the latest developments.
We decided that I would hide in the backseat of Marchand's car with a walkie talkie and keep contact with the other officers.
Frank and Captain Powers would be directly behind us in Unit 1K80.
As soon as we made contact with the kidnapper, they would try to take the suspect into custody.
The money was wrapped in the brown wrapping paper and at 614 PM, Marchand and I went out to his garage and got him the car.
He drove out Sunset Boulevard at the Pacific Coast Highway and turned right.
We drove for about 40 minutes. There was no sign of the kidnapper.
Red 2 to Red 1. Red 2 to Red 1. Red 1 to Red 1.
Red 1 to Red 2, over.
How's it going, Joe? Any sign yet?
No, we're approaching Zuma Beach. Should be pretty quick now.
Friday, there's a car up ahead. I can just make it out.
Stand by, Red 2. I think we made contact.
How about it, Marchand?
Yeah, yeah, I'd say he just flashed his lights.
Frank, we just made contact. Better take it easy.
Okay, Joe, keep him posted.
Can you see us?
We can just barely make out your lights. We're about a half a mile behind you.
Right, Red 1 out.
Now how about it, Marchand?
Let's see him. He flashed the lights again.
Okay, do what he said. Approach slowly. Try to get as close as you can.
All right.
Do exactly what he says. Give him the money and try to find out where your daughter is.
Yeah.
He's driving off.
What?
He's leaving. He isn't going to wait.
Stop him. I'll stop him.
What are you doing?
Hang on. We're going to hit.
You all right, Marchand?
Yeah, I guess so. I guess I'm all right.
The door's stuck. Can you get the front one open?
I think so. I'll try. I think I can get it open.
Right here. Let me through.
You all right in there?
Hey, is he hurt?
I had to stop him. There wasn't any other way he was going to leave.
All right, give me a hand with this door.
Yeah, sure.
There wasn't any other way he was going to leave.
All right, come on.
Leave me alone. Get away from me.
Come on. Get out of there.
I can't. I think my leg's broken. I can't move it.
All right, give me a hand with him.
When you tell where Grace is, make him tell.
Leave me alone.
All right, come on.
Please leave me alone. I can't stand it anymore.
Where's Grace? Where's my daughter?
When do we get him away from the door?
I want to know where she is.
If you don't make him tell me, I'll do it myself.
I'll kill him if he's hurt or I'll kill him right here.
All right, come on. Give me some help.
Kill him. Just leave me alone with him. That's all. Just leave me alone.
That won't make it any better.
Why'd you do it? Why'd you run into me?
You tried to take off, didn't you?
I got scared. I wanted to get out. I didn't want to go through with it.
Is the girl all right? You're going to get me a doctor?
You're going to do something about my leg. You've got to do something.
All right, we'll take care of it.
How about the girl? Is she all right?
Come on, mister. Don't make any ruff on yourself.
What about the girl?
I'll make him tell.
I don't know. I don't know anything about it.
Come on. Now, where's the girl? Is she all right? Answer me.
Where is she?
All right. All right.
She's okay. I didn't touch her.
I didn't hurt her at all.
Where is she?
Hotel downtown.
She's okay. Hotel downtown.
What hotel?
The Piedmont, room 506.
You in this alone?
Yeah. There's nobody else.
All right.
Yeah?
Yeah. You all right?
Yeah. How about the kid?
Piedmont Hotel, room 506. Better get a call out on it right away.
I'll take care of it.
Okay, Captain.
Hey, Joe, you got a bad cut in your fart.
Yeah, I must have hit something when we crashed.
You know, we saw it from back there. We didn't know what was happening.
You got to call an ambulance for me.
We'll take care of it.
You better do it fast. I don't know how much longer I can stand it.
Maybe it's broken. I'll never be able to fix it. Never.
All right. Let's go.
You've got to carry me. I can't walk.
Probably won't be able to walk again.
You won't have to.
Huh?
You're not going anyplace.
The story you have just heard is true.
The names were changed to protect the innocent.
On September 16th, trial was held in Department 89,
Superior Court of the State of California,
in and for the County of Los Angeles.
Martin Francis Langer was tried and convicted of kidnapping
for the purpose of obtaining ransom
and received sentence as prescribed by law.
On recommendation of the jury,
he was sentenced to the state penitentiary at San Quentin, California,
for the rest of his life.
You have just heard Dragna,
the authentic story of your police force in action,
and starring Jack Webb,
a presentation of the United States Armed Forces Radio Service.