Loading...
About this Episode
Step into the world of classic crime with "The Dragnet Collection." Featuring iconic radio episodes from the golden age of detective drama, this collection brings you the methodical investigations, sharp dialogue, and thrilling cases of Sergeant Joe Friday and his team. If you love true crime, classic noir, or vintage radio, this is a must-listen!
Hosts & Guests
Transcript
The story you're about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.
Fatima cigarettes. Best of all long cigarettes brings you dragnet.
You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned the juvenile bureau.
The high schools in your city have been flooded with obscene literature.
You stamp out one source and a dozen more spring up. Your job? Stop them.
If you want a long cigarette, smoke the best of all long cigarettes. Smoke king size Fatima.
Fatima is the long cigarette which contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobacco,
superbly blended to make Fatima extra mild.
And that's why Fatima has a much different, much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette.
That's why Fatima has more than doubled its smokers coast to coast.
So enjoy Fatima. The best of all long cigarettes.
It's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima.
Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime. For the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department,
you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case from official police files.
From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, dragnet is the story of your police force in action.
It was Monday, October 21st. It was cool in Los Angeles.
We were working the day watch out of juvenile bureau. My partner's been Romero.
The boss is Inspector Lester, commander of the juvenile bureau. My name's Friday.
It was 10 a.m. when we got to the auditorium of Canfield High School. Stage door.
I guess we go right out onto the state. You know, a better way to recall them.
You know, the men from the police department? Yes, sir. This is Sergeant Romero. My name's Friday.
How do you do? I know. I'm Paul Fisher, the principal here. Come right out onto the station and get the meeting started.
All right. Let's see. Just have a chair there.
Thank you.
Is the microphone on?
Ladies and gentlemen of the co-ordinating council, members of the parent teachers association.
As you know, this meeting has been called for the purpose of discussing ways and means to bring about an end to the distribution of the filthy and obscene books and pamphlets that have been littering every high school campus in the city of Los Angeles.
We've tried every means at our disposal to clean this matter up, and they all seem to fail.
On the advice of the co-ordinating council, and this is available to the PTA, we've called in the authorities.
Here to discuss the matter with us this morning, our two officers connected with the juvenile bureau of our police department.
Sergeant Romero and Sergeant Friday. And now, may I turn the meeting over to Sergeant Friday, the Los Angeles Police Department.
Thank you.
Ladies and gentlemen, the only way we're going to get to the bottom of this thing and put a stock to it is to get all the information we can on where this lascivious material is coming from.
You people as parents and teachers of the children who are buying and reading this stuff might be able to give us some help.
So, it's all right. And you, Mr. Fisher, I'd like to hear from some of the people sitting out there.
Certainly. Go ahead.
Well, if any of you people have anything to say, or any information, any questions, why don't we be glad to listen to you and do our best to answer your questions.
Yes, the lady out there, go right ahead.
I'm Mr. Stein. I know of a place in our neighborhood that has very good.
I feel sure that that's one of the places where the children are getting this trash.
A place that has been made to the police department.
But the man who runs the place has never been arrested.
And you tell me why?
Well, ma'am, I think I better make it clear now that there's only one way a police officer can arrest anyone for possession of loot literature.
The officer has to prove that the party who possesses this literature does so for the purpose of selling it.
Sometimes it's difficult to prove.
Well, I told you I can prove it.
I mean, you can go to this place and buy a book from him.
Maybe I couldn't.
But if I were not...
Yes, ma'am, that's just the point.
I don't know offhand about the one in your neighborhood, but I can assure you that we've cracked down on hundreds of such peddlers in the past few months.
You can see for yourselves that this doesn't put a stop to it. You've got to get to the source.
I have a question for you.
Yes, sir.
I am Fred Scott, I'm director of the Square Shoeers Boys Club.
Yes, sir.
Why not trying to make it?
I know the young boys pretty well.
With the exception of my boys, 49 in number.
I will make your just about every boy in this high school has one of those books.
Or at least he's seen one.
Yes, sir. We're aware of that.
Why not trying to make it?
Somewhere in the municipal code, there's got to be a law to prevent such things.
Yes, sir, there is such a law.
Then why isn't it enforced?
It is.
What does the law say?
Well, how do you mean, sir?
Well, I mean what happens when somebody's found guilty of selling these books? Why is the penalty?
Oh, well, the law states that an offender is liable to fines of jail term of six months or both.
That's not much of a law, isn't it? Why isn't there a stronger law?
Well, I wouldn't know that, sir.
But why don't I try to make it? We need laws with some teeth in them.
We have good laws in the state of California for the most part.
It's true that we're weak in some cases, but you can say that about most states, I think.
Well, you may satisfy the laws, but I am not.
I'd say stronger laws. That's the answer.
No, I don't think it is, Mr. Scott.
Passing a set of new laws isn't going to make this city a cleaner or a safer place for your boys to grow up in.
Laws don't decide how moral a city's going to be. People do.
Laws don't own character in young boys either.
The parents and teachers do that.
I don't think I know what you're getting at. What do you mean?
Well, just this, Mr. Scott. It's our job on the police department to keep filthy junk like these books from falling into youngsters' hands.
Yes.
Now, on the other side of the fence, the youngster has to be taught to recognize the subsying material for what it is, filth and garbage.
And the youngsters have to be taught that in the home, in the school, in the church.
Now, if they can be made to understand that the kind of dirt and filth these books represent,
I'll have to be worth more than any new set of laws, wouldn't it?
But what about these men who put out their books? The men who sell them? How do you reach them?
Through the youngsters, they seem to know the way.
The next morning at 8 a.m., after meeting with Inspector Lester of juvenile bureau, Ben and I went on stake out at Canfield High School.
From past experience, we knew there was little hope of a quick end to the case, was going to be a long haul.
Tracing the source all the way up the line from the high school kids who bought the filthy books to the small, fried pushers,
the wholesalers, and finally we hope to the top, the man who printed the books.
We had no illusions on that score. Generally, with the arrest of his pushers and other small timers who work for him,
the top man gets the alarm and clears out before the police officer can apprehend them with evidence that they'll stand up in court.
During the first two days at Canfield High, Ben and I found out nothing.
The obscene literature was being barred in exchange between students, but the main source of supply was still a mystery.
We had won the Slim Lead to go on. Mr. Fisher, the high school principal, helped run it down.
We've been watching that boy down in the yard since yesterday, Mr. Fisher.
It seems to have quite a bit of spending money, expensive clothes, carve his own.
I don't know that boy's family, that could be welfare.
We saw him with a stack of those dirty books in his notebook, he must have had a dozen of them. We're showing him around to his crowd.
Travis, are you sure? Go.
Take a look down there.
Yeah. Yeah, Travis is showing him something, I can't see what it is.
Yeah.
Small books. He's giving them to one of the other firsts.
They've got their wallets out, they're giving Travis money.
Come on, Ben, you better come to Mr. Fisher.
This way out to the yard. No, to the left. That's it.
What's hurry, huh? This door's either. Right here.
Travis. Travis.
Hello, Mr. Fisher.
They like to talk to you.
Yeah?
He's been here from the police department, they want to ask us some questions.
We go inside.
What's the matter, Mr. Fisher? I haven't done anything.
We'll see, come on.
What is it? What's it all about?
Sergeant?
It'll be a lot easier if we have the truth now, son.
Did you just sell those boys out there some dirty books?
No, I mean it's only a gag, they're funny books.
Have you got any more of them on?
Yes, sir.
Can we see them for you?
I didn't steal them. Only books, funny books.
Here. Thanks. Almost a dozen.
Do you think these are funny books, do you, Travis?
Well, some of them. I guess not.
It's only a gag, Sergeant. What'd you get them?
I didn't steal them. I bought them off a guy.
Who? Why? I can't tell you.
Do you have any more of these books? No, sir.
Would you show us your locker?
I can't remember the combination. It's a new locker.
Could you open the locker for us, Mr. Fisherman?
Yes, but I'll have to get the maintenance man.
All right, I'll show you. Come on.
John here, sir.
This one. 412.
I've only got a couple.
All right, we'll see.
Come on, open it.
I haven't done anything.
Here's the sample, Jill.
The locker's loaded down with him.
Rocked and felt.
If you can't arrest me, I don't sell the books. I'll only rent them.
Somebody's been briefing you.
You're only making it hard on yourself, boy.
You can't prove anything. These are my books. I don't sell them.
What do you get them? Who sold them to you?
Nobody. I got them, that's all.
All right. We'll have to talk to your folks.
You can't their way. No. No, you can't, don't.
Wait, we'll have to, son.
Please, please, don't tell them. Please, don't let them know.
I'll do anything.
All right, let's have the truth then.
Who are you selling the books for?
The name's Barney. That's all I know.
I meet him at Cigar store downtown, fifth in Harrison.
Does he sell you the books?
He gives them to me. I sell them and give him the money.
I get ten cents for everyone I sell.
How much do you sell them for?
25 cents. Some are a dollar. I get 30 cents for those.
The boys in this school have been paying that kind of money for this field.
Yes, sir?
This man who gives you these books, you know where he lives?
No, sir. I have any idea.
When are you going to see him?
Well, this is Wednesday.
I was going to meet him downtown this afternoon.
The Cigar store?
Yes, sir, but I don't want to get by in trouble.
He's been okay to me.
Sure. It's done a lot for you.
4 p.m. Wednesday.
Ben and I drove downtown with 16-year-old Eddie Travers.
We parked the car near the corner of fifth in Harrison,
and kept an eye on the Cigar store.
We waited.
No sign yet, Travers?
No, sir.
Bonnie usually waits by the news stand there.
I haven't seen him yet.
How long you been selling for this man, son?
About three months, maybe four.
Any idea where he gets the books?
Well, I... Oh, just a minute, sorry.
Yeah.
Well, I think...
Yeah, that's Bonnie.
The one going up to the Cigar car.
The man in the gray suit there.
Yeah, that's him.
He's going into one Edas Cafe.
Is that where you usually go after you meet him?
Yes, sir.
You better take the boy back to the office, Ben.
I'll tell this guy and see what I can find out.
Okay, well, I'm going to pick you up later.
No, I'll call you at the office.
Oh, you got any matches?
No, I'm out.
I'll pick some up at the Cigar stand.
All right.
See you later.
Yeah.
Box matches?
Oh, yeah.
And a pack of experiment, too.
All right, sir.
What's blind?
Um, got a special on all typical new bourbon in the eight,
269 and fifth.
No, no, thanks.
I know he brought you another tamale when you get time, huh?
All right, Bonnie, come in.
Yes, sir.
Let me have a chicken tacos, a side order of side beans,
and have coffee, huh?
Chicken tacos on one side of beans.
Another tamale.
Anything else, Bonnie?
Yes, a more coffee, I really.
The mallet on one.
Hey.
Slide the ketchup down here, will you?
Yeah.
Here you go.
Thanks.
I got good tacos in there.
Last minute was fresh stuff.
Yeah.
There's the sugar.
Oh, thank you.
Hey, Rosie.
Yeah.
Hey, Rosie.
Yeah.
I got some new ones in just a day.
Where's stack them?
What are you talking about?
You know, they picked your books.
Good ones.
You can make some money on the side.
They're so good running.
They said, Bonnie, I told you once.
No.
Oh, come on here.
Look, I'm over.
Here's your cup of tea.
I said, no, that loves a junk.
The next time you bring that stuff in here,
I tell the boss, understand?
Now, eat and get out.
Well, it's a real funny day.
Looks great, but I don't want to cope with that one.
Yeah.
Come on.
Come on.
Eat and get out and take that junk with you.
I don't like the china anymore.
Well, coffee is certainly cold.
Yeah.
Yep.
You probably got a big boot out here.
Really good.
Mm.
It's pretty good.
Yeah, that's good quality stuff.
Yeah.
Maybe that little book.
Let me show you on.
Mm.
Wait a minute.
Yeah.
I'm going to kill you.
Man.
How about, sell me one of them.
Okay.
Four bits for the small ones.
Buck for the big ones.
Wait a minute.
Let's see, I got them.
I got 14.
I'm going to tell you what I'll do.
I'll make you a deal.
You can get a whole bunch of ten bucks.
Okay.
You got any more?
Well, here you go on a business for yourself.
No, I got a new standout in Riverside.
Books, I guess, ought to go fast.
I think I can probably handle another 25 bucks worth.
All right.
I'll get the rest of them back at the hotel.
Someone read color.
Mm-hmm.
Do you want to meet me there tonight?
Around seven?
Where's the hotel?
Where you go?
Straight up six three from here.
It's just one block on your left.
Call the Denver House.
I'm in room 337.
You going up there now?
I suppose to meet some guy with you.
Yeah, we've been up.
What about a check, was he, huh?
Yeah.
Hey, you're probably warning more of these.
I can put you on my mailing list.
Okay.
The prices are right.
I don't want to pay retail now.
We can work out a day.
Come on, let's go.
Okay.
Hey, Rosie, how's he?
He's really good together.
Damn.
Too bad.
A real co-op potato though.
A summer like that.
Yeah.
No sense of humor.
We left one in his cafe
and walked up Harrison Street to sixth.
We turned left and went down one block.
It was five minutes to five
and we got to Barney's room in the Denver House.
Number 337.
He dragged out a steamer trunk from under the bed.
Kind of out a stack of books and pamphlets
covering the general topic of degenerate filth
and stories and photographs.
Okay, Mack, there you are.
It's 25 bucks worth.
I mean, the money and the bucks are all yours.
Okay.
There you go.
10, 15, 18.
I have to give you a check for the rest.
How do I know it's going to go?
You could take off.
I'd never see you again.
You'll see me.
You're under arrest.
Huh?
Hey, you're kidding. Hey, let's go.
All right. Let's hold it right here.
Hey, wait a minute.
Now, look, we're going to we can work this thing out.
We'll work it out downtown.
Wait a minute.
I can set this thing right for you.
What are you getting this junk?
Who supplying you?
Why not use your head.
You never get the top man.
Nothing.
10 years you want.
We got lots of time.
Come on.
You are listening to Dragnet.
The case history of a police investigation
presented in the public interest by Fatima cigarettes.
If you smoke a long cigarette,
it will be in your interest to listen to a typical case history
of a Fatima smoker.
It's the case of Mr. Joseph G. Hertzberg,
city editor of one of New York's great newspapers,
and this is his actual sign statement.
I recommend Fatima's to anyone who likes a king size cigarette.
In my business, the long hours really put smoking to the test.
Working overtime means smoking overtime,
and that has sold me on Fatima's.
No matter how often I light up, Fatima gives me an extra mile smoke.
And Fatima flavor?
It's much better every time.
I found out it's wise to smoke extra mile Fatima.
And more and more smokers are discovering this every day.
Actual figures show Fatima has more than double
it smokers coast to coast.
So enjoy Fatima yourself.
The long cigarette which contains the finest
Turkish and domestic tobacco,
superbly blended to make it extra mile.
You will prefer Fatima's much different,
much better flavor.
You will agree.
It's wise to smoke extra mile Fatima.
It's wise to smoke extra mile Fatima.
Fatima.
The best of all long cigarettes.
The filthy literature rackets feeds on the curiosity
of youngsters and the stupidity and ignorance of adults.
It's an all-seasoned business,
and in its own quiet way it has reached a market
which the other heavy rackets never hope to reach.
You're home and your children.
6 p.m. Wednesday October 23rd.
We check the records in the make-sheet.
The true name to be Thompson.
38 years old.
He had a past record of one previous conviction
for peddling nude literature in Dodge City, Iowa in March 1948.
We had him brought to the interrogation room.
Sit down, Thompson.
Okay.
All right, let's make it easy, Barney.
Where are you getting the books?
I'll tell you, Sergeant.
They deliver them to me.
Oh, the different guys.
I don't remember them all.
I send different guys every time.
Often, do they make the deliveries to you?
Why so much?
When.
Sometimes, maybe the second and the third.
They bring the books to your hotel?
Yeah, they'll leave a pack up in the lobby, addressed to me.
They ever use the mails.
They never do, they're not that dumb.
So you've never seen them in that you do business with them?
That's so I'd know, no.
You have no idea where they're operating?
I don't know.
You expect us to swallow there?
I'm telling you, I don't know.
Oh, don't push us that kind of a story, Barney.
I'm giving it to you straight.
Now, what else do you want?
Who's this supply, man?
Look, we found this notebook in your hotel room, Barney.
It's a list of names in it.
It's your customer book, Fred.
Okay, okay, the customers.
It gives us enough to land on you.
I know that.
I told you everything.
You still don't know who you're working for.
Oh.
Well, there's a phone number in this notebook.
No name to go with it.
Yeah.
No, look at it.
This one right here.
I don't know.
Must be another customer.
Yeah.
There's a blunt boss.
I don't know the boss he don't know me.
Then who do you buy the books from?
Who says I buy?
You must know somebody.
A lot of money.
Don't worry.
I don't know him nothing.
He don't know me nothing.
He does now.
What?
You're going to jail for him.
Barney Timson was booked in the central jail
for violation of the penal code section 311.3.
We contacted the telephone company,
and they traced the extra phone number in Timson's notebook
to a private residence on Wonderview Drive in Laurel Canyon.
The detail of men was assigned to stake out on the place.
During the next week, mainly from information obtained
from Barney Timson's customers,
seven other peddlers of obscene books and pamphlets
were taken into custody and questioned.
Five of the seven told us they picked up their supply
of books from the Laurel Canyon address.
We moved in on the place and found thousands of
loot books and pamphlets stored in the garage.
Three men on the premises were taken into custody.
They identified themselves as John Alexander,
George Keller, and Raymond Kester.
They brought them downtown and interrogated them for two hours.
They refused to admit anything.
They were booked in, but by noon their lawyers arrived,
and they were released on Ritz of Habiest Corpus.
Two PM, Ben and I met with Inspector Leicester of Juvenal Bureau.
I just had a call from the men on stake out of the Laurel Canyon place.
I've just been over the garage with the books of storage.
I get new things, Jim.
A couple of things. It might be fairly...
What's that?
Three stacks of books they found were wrapped in proof letter
he has from the Himbroke Hotel.
Yeah.
We checked with the hotel.
They get all their printing down a Rudolph brothers,
placed out in West LA.
That name's not familiar to me.
It's a big layout. They're especially religious books.
Bibles, things like that.
That doesn't it.
That's a sure.
How do you mean?
The appropriate color for the racket.
Printing the Bible one day in the flock of filthy books the next.
Could be the Senate.
What kind of a name does this Rudolph's place have around town?
They've been here long.
50 years.
Good reputation.
We can give it a look.
Where's the place?
No.
Where's the third?
Just below Athens Street.
Check the place over.
But don't make them suspicious.
Is anything wrong?
They'll be ready to move.
They've got to reach the presses, turning out this jug
and choke off the supply where it starts.
We've got to be.
Just a minute.
You won't go out listening.
Yeah, town.
Down where?
Okay, that'll be right out.
There was some patchality.
It's probably one of the delivery cars.
Downtown.
They followed out to West LA.
Rudolph's printing shop.
4 p.m., Ben and I, together with two other men from
juvenile bureau, drove out Beverly Boulevard to Athens Street
and down one block to the corner of West 3rd,
where we picked up Gross and Pacheli on stakeout.
The Rudolph brothers printing company covered almost half
a square block on the corner of West 3rd and Athens.
The front of the plant had display windows,
featuring expensive leather bound rifles
and other religious literature.
While the other men remained on stakeout,
Ben and I crossed the street and entered the plant.
We introduced ourselves to the clerk in charge
as potential wholesale customers,
and we asked to be shown around the shop.
It was more than obliging.
I'd be happy to show you our plan, gentlemen.
The most modern, religious publication company in the West.
That's our claim.
Would you step this way, please?
Thank you.
All on your left.
Those are three of our new level old machines.
Excellent mechanisms, needless to say.
You must employ quite a few men in here.
Sixty-five full-time.
You have to need any emergency rest job you might want done.
Now, over here are Bush Emerson hand presses.
You were hand-loan religious books, then.
There's nothing else.
That's right, sir.
We specialize exclusively in that.
You don't take in any small constructs,
good journals, things like that.
No, our steady customers take up all our time.
Here on this stone, you see the pages of a new prayer book
we're getting together.
Very often.
An entirely different kind of typeface.
Oh, is that so?
Yes, and back there along the wall are new line of types.
The very latest, monotypes.
Then the approved presses.
Next to them are approved readers.
And the flatbed trust flow press beyond that.
Seems like lots of activity.
Business is pretty good, I guess, sir.
Oh, yes, we get pretty busy.
Quality printing is always in demand.
Yeah.
Well, thanks very much for showing us around.
Another to all gentlemen, anytime.
Here, this way out.
All right.
I'll get you one of my cards here.
There you are.
Oh, thank you.
And when you're ready to do business,
why just give me a call?
I'd be glad to take care of you.
All right, two things.
We'll do that.
Good afternoon, gentlemen.
All right.
What do you think?
You got me.
That's not a play.
Whatever system they're using, you got it down past.
Firebooks, firebooks, church and those ones.
That's all I saw.
They've been looked.
Mm-hmm.
That man getting out of that car going to Rudolph, sir?
Alexander, the guy we picked up this morning.
Unlocking.
Yeah.
What's the end?
I don't know, but it's got to be somewhere in that print shop.
We went back to the car and waited.
The stake out on Rudolph's printing plant continued.
6 p.m.
The lights in the display windows went out.
The shades were drawn.
We watched the employees leave.
6.30 p.m.
The lights in the plant were still burning.
Gross went down to the corner and picked up some hot dogs
and the coffee for our dinner.
We ate in the car.
7.30 p.m.
Our black Cadillac convertible pulled up across the street.
Two men got out and let themselves in through the front door.
We waited.
Between 7.30 and 8 p.m.
We caught a 21-man entering the plant.
I have printing press.
It's starting up.
Okay, let's move.
Yeah.
Gross went for Chelly want to go through the back,
and Ben and I'll take the front.
Right, let's go.
Come on.
Is that a neat set up?
I had it all figured.
Yeah, he didn't spot any side entrances, did he?
Oh.
You know what?
Can we try the door?
Yeah.
Yeah, it's no good.
All right.
Police officers open up.
All right, come on.
Open up.
I'm gonna press this stuff.
All right, let's hit it quick.
Come on, again.
There we are.
There they are, Joe.
They're trying to space the plates.
Come on.
Oh, Chelly.
Chelly, save those plates.
Watch it, Ben.
All right, come on.
All right, you all right, hold it.
And we're against the wall.
Hey, close.
Get those plates off the press.
We're in.
All right, hold it, you two.
Yeah, Joe, look out.
All right.
Get the plates, Joe.
By round of most manages, the door is covered.
Get them at the most tables.
Come on over to the wall.
That's about most of them, Joe.
Those two men going at the door.
Come on, hit them off.
We're in.
Come on, you.
Come on, back in.
Joe, wait.
Get your hands off her.
Hold it up, mister.
Come on over there with the rest.
Go pay for this.
I'll sue you down your lesson.
Yeah, come on, simmer down.
Hey, Joe.
We got Rudolph going out the back.
Right.
Call the office.
We're going to need transportation.
Okay.
Take those two with you, huh?
All right.
Come on.
All right.
We've got enough evidence against them.
And we're going to need it.
Two whole pages of the junk right here.
Yeah.
Look.
Right next to it.
Yeah.
Page from the Bible.
The story you were just heard was true.
Only the names were changed to protect the innocent.
On January 9th, trial was held in Superior Court Department 94,
City and County of Los Angeles State of California.
In a moment, the results of that trial.
It's amazing how many long cigarette smokers are changing to Fatima.
Here is the actual report.
From coast to coast, King size Fatima has more than doubled its smokers.
Yes, more and more smokers every day are discovering that Fatima is the best of all long cigarettes.
Long cigarette smokers find Fatima has a much different, much better flavor and aroma.
Long cigarette smokers find that Fatima is extra mild because it's the long cigarette,
which contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos,
superbly blended to make it extra mild.
So enjoy extra mild Fatima.
Best of all long cigarettes.
It's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima.
It's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima.
Frank Rudolph and 16 of his accomplices were tried and convicted of possessing loot
and lascivious literature for the purpose of sale.
They received sentences as prescribed by law and are now serving their terms in the county jail.
Remember this Saturday because that means Dimension X on NBC.
Thank you very much.
