Dragnet - Big Tomato

0:00The story you were 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 in narcotics detail. A band of dope peddlers launches a full scale operation in your city. They're merchandise, marijuana, their victims, high school students. Your job, get them. You'll be amazed when you compare Fatima with other long cigarettes. You'll find they now cost the same. But in Fatima, the difference is quality. You'll see Fatima is the quality king-sized cigarette. Because it contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobacco is superbly blended. And Fatima is extra mild.

1:02With a much different, much better, flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette. So compare Fatima yourself. Fatima's now cost the same as other long cigarettes. But your first pop will tell you... Ah, that's different. Yes, in Fatima, the difference is quality. Ask your dealer for Fatima. For quality, king-sized cigarette. Best of all long cigarettes. Start enjoying Fatima tomorrow. The dragnet is a 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 and strive for official police violence. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It was Thursday, April 11th. It was warm in Los Angeles.

2:02We were working the day watch out in narcotics detail. My partner's been Romero. The boss is Captain Kerney. My name's Friday. I was on the way back from R&I and it was 10.25 am when I got the central station. Narcotics detail. Joe? Hi. What do you find out? Talked to the corner. He finished posting the burning. Because of death, multiple fractures of the skull and internal injury. Boy was 17 years old. Do you check the car? Well, a kid must have been doing at least 70 when he had that street light. It's a real mess. The car was really warmed around that pole. We're going to have to dig up a fast-manchism, right? A lot of you, right? Well, there was only one way to burn it out to find the big man and throw the book at him. Make him an example. We'll never forget him. You check for juvenile bureau? Yeah, the evidence has been booked for the property clerk. How about the boy's parents? Mrs. Morrow was in freedom too well to drove her home. Her father still down the hall and inspected Walker's office. Can we talk to him now? Yeah, he should be free by now. Let me check the book. No, he's dead. There's no call. Oh, okay. Let's go.

3:02There was only one thing for sure about this whole thing. What do you mean? The kid being alone only cracked up. It would have been a slaughter if he had a car full of his friends with him. And still a pretty grim. How's the boy's father checking it? He was your pretty rough. He should be able to help him. Yeah. Mr. Morrow? Yes, Sergeant. Inspector asked me to wait here for you. Yes, so this is my partner, Sergeant Frighty. Mr. Morrow, you're... I'm just trying to understand, Sergeant. I don't understand any of it. My boy Ken wasn't attacked to go racing around like that in the car. He never took the car without my permission. I just don't know what got into him. Had you noticed that no, whether your boy was acting a little strange last few weeks or so? No, of course I only saw Ken in the morning, a few hours in the evening. I met the officer on the day of whitey last night. Well, was he going out very often on school nights or keeping the eye to unusual hours? You used to go to the library three or four nights a week to do a schoolwork. Got home about midnight a few times. I warned him about that. Did you have any way of knowing if he was really spending his nights at the library?

4:05No, what I took his word for, it can't do the lie to me. What's this have to do with the auto-action, Sergeant? I don't think I understand. The officers investigating the accident, sir, they checked over the car after him. Or was it what it breaks bad? What they find? You'll? Yeah. Now you see this small metal case we found at the front seat on the floor of the car. Or it's that stuff inside of this belong to Ken? Yes, we think he would usually. What's wrong? I don't know, it's marijuana. Men and women who traffic in narcotics all the way from the small time peddler to the big wholesale are rated among the lowest kind of criminal. One step lower, you find an even more vicious kind. Those are lower youngsters into the deadly trap of narcotics who feed on the nickels and dimes by supplying their young victims with dope. The death of 17-year-old Kenneth Marl was the second of its kind within eight months. It seemed to stem from unidentified suspects who were making the fair business to build a thriving

5:06marijuana trade among high school students. Thursday 11 a.m., we continued to question the dead boy's father Thomas Marl, but he couldn't tell us anything further that it might help. Friday April 12th, when checkered a principal of a high school which the Marl boy attended. He talked to the boy's teachers and checked the school record. His marks had been above average till about three months before when they began to fall off for no apparent reason. We got a list of most of the boy's friends from his teachers and he started checking them out. One was a 16-year-old blonde girl, Peggy King, supposedly Kenneth Marl's girlfriend. We found her waiting outside the music room. Yes, Ken and I went around together for a while. He was a real nice boy. Did you see each other quite a bit, Peggy? For about five or six months, yes, we got along fine. Just after Christmas was the last time I went out with him and we double dated. Did you see Marl, I see you then? I mean, did he act different at all? Well, a little different, yes. Not silly, you know? We just wasn't like he used to be. What do you mean? Well, he didn't talk the same. Ken was a real nice boy most of the time.

6:10Yes, he started getting in with her own crowd. He began to swear, you know, bad talk. He's like that. When did all this start? Peggy, do you remember? Just before Christmas, I think I'm not sure who he can. Is there anything else you might have noticed? I don't know. Ken used to be pretty good about his studies. All of a sudden, it seemed he just didn't care. Sometimes he'd come into the library where he used to study there. He'd make a lot of noise. Just tune that thought. The law wouldn't see each other there any more. Well, why was that, Peggy? He didn't come down. I called his house a couple of times. His folks said he was at the library. I didn't say anything to him. Well, Ken had many friends here at school, you know that? Not many, no. Well, see. Although he did have, who would you say was closer to him? I don't know, Sergeant. Or half a dozen of them. Ken used to be with all of them. No one boy in particular. Well, Bob LaVille, maybe. I saw Ken and Bob's car a few times. There's no veil to go to school with him? Yes, he's a senior. Ken used to work with Bob down the cafeteria after school, but he got in the mix up with his fired.

7:14Bob was fired? No, Ken. He was good to one of the ladies down there with Dr. Cooking. Bob still was there. But he blew up the cafeteria now, do you know? Yes, I think so. The fountain's open till about 3-3. You think that this Bob LaVille was about the closest friend that Ken had? I think so. You don't mean when I know anyway. Have you talked to Ken's folks? Yeah, we have. I feel so sorry for him. Ken, I think I have to go now, Sergeant. I have a chemistry class. Just one more question, tell you. Last time you went out with Ken on this double day. Who was the other couple? Do you remember? I don't remember their names. They were some kids I never saw before. Ken knew them. Wasn't much of a date. Where did you go? We started for the show, but Ken changed his mind. He wanted to go to the beach and park. Zach and Franny talking all the time, saying, soy-synced. The other boy was the same way. Oh, really? Gricky? No, I never saw Ken take a drink. I couldn't smell him liquor on his breath. I don't know. What's that? What's that? Well, maybe it's just my imagination, but Ken and this other boy had a real terrible musty smell about him.

8:15I'd shoot him about it and they said they'd been to a team party. That's where they caught it. They kept talking to you like that always. No, that's sick. It was the musty smell all over the car just on the door. Oh, it kind of made me sick, but they didn't seem to mind it. Well, I'd like you to think you were careful, Peggy. Have you ever come across that musty smell on anybody around the school here? Yes, I have. A couple of times. Makes me sick. What is it? Do you know what it's a done Peggy? Bob LeVell. Then I went back to the principal's office and checked the record on Robert LeVell. He was 18 years old and was scheduled to graduate in June. The registrar told us that there was a good chance that he wouldn't be graduated because his marks had been poor for the better part of the year. They'd drop even lower during the present semester. LeVell had played football a year before and had made third string in the All City team. It was well-liked by his teachers. For the last two years, he worked part-time at the school soda family. Who went down the interview? Nice setup, huh? Yes. Camp material soda farm.

9:15Wasn't like that in my day. There must be a boy there behind the car. Oh, yeah. Let's sit out of it. How about that, Jim? What's that? It's sign hanging up there. 88th station. Five scoops of ice cream, marshmallow, bananas, chocolates, strawberry flavoring, whipped cream topping, marasino, cherry, chopped nuts, and onions. No, you're reading over. That's on the hamburger sign there. Oh. Yeah? You want something? Chop the soda. Could you make it with vanilla ice cream, please? Chop the soda with an electrician. You, Bob LeVell. Yeah, that's right. Police officers, Bob. We'd like to talk to you. Oh, I'm pretty busy right now. I've got to clean up. When you close in a few minutes, I'll make you soda right away. You say chocolate? Yeah, that's fine. But we'll make it brief. Did you know Ken Moreau, Bob? Oh, yeah. He used to work here. Did you spend much time waiting outside of school, I mean? Not much. We took up a show together. It's about all.

10:16I'm kind of rush now. When was the last time that you saw him? You remember? A week ago, I guess. It's a bit about him. How about the night he was in the accident? Did you see him, Bob? No, I didn't want you well. You went around with a different crowd. It rips me back at those cashiers, aren't you on the car, Dick? Yeah. There you go. Oh, thanks. One time? Quick. No, no, thanks. The nuts are dime-opted. Right down the counter, Bob. Oh, yeah. I gotta get going too, Zikol. I have to get on town. We talked to him about Ken Moreau's friends around the school, Bob. They told him he used to drive around in your car with you quite a bit. Just a couple of times around school. You hadn't been with him for about a week before the accident. That's right. Just what I told you.

11:21You want a little whipped cream on that? Yeah. Hello. How about it, Terry? Good. There you go. Hey, I... Thank you. Do you like to fix a hamburger? Yeah, I really gotta close up. It's getting a little late, officer. I'm just gonna catch a close-up right now. Well, we'll make it fast. Did you notice anything different about the Marrow Boy in the last few weeks? Anything peculiar at all? No, he was the same as ever. I didn't notice anything. I looked Bob were gonna lay it out for you. Did you know he was using marijuana? No, I didn't know anything about it. You have any idea where he might have gotten it? I wouldn't know that. Look, you might not find a lock up account or no. I'll come around the other side. Go ahead. I didn't know that about it. Can't officer. I wouldn't know where he got the stuff. You sure he was using marijuana? I always find someone who's car, I always find someone who's lock up upstairs. That's tough. Anything more officer, I gotta hurry. Well, it's just through team Bob.

12:22We did the same with the other boys we talked to. You can't check your locker, you don't mind to you. I gotta get out of town, I'm late now. You're locked it's just upstairs isn't it? Don't take that long. It's important to me, I gotta get out of town. We've got our car outside, we'll drive you down. We'll be down there in no time. No, I'm already got a ride. Can't you check it tomorrow? Not gonna take a minute Bob. Now let's go, huh? All right. Say I happen to remember, I didn't bring my locker key today. That's him. Yeah. Come to think of it, I don't know where it is. I guess I lost it. Remember to have a pass key around here don't think? I don't think so. Well, we'll ask it the officer. You're putting in a jam officer, that's gonna take time. I'm due downtown. Sorry Bob, we gotta check it. I got my locker all jammed up with stuff, I gotta take us an hour. Well, if it's just down there, yeah. All right, let's go. I don't know why you're picking on me. My locker's jammed, they can't get it open. Why are you picking on me? Let's ask him, huh?

13:24Very well. Close the door. Yeah. I got my key, I'll show you. Robert LaValle took us to his locker and opened a hidden inside one of his gym shoes. We found four sticks of medium-grade marijuana. We took them, put them in an envelope and sealed it. On the way downtown, the boy told us that he'd been buying this stuff for about six months and reselling it to some of the students at the high school, so that he paid 50 cents a piece for his sticks and sold them for 75. He was an occasional user and stuff. But before we turned him over to the juvenile officers, he told us that a man named Ray Genson supplied him with a marijuana. Genson's address was a trailer camp in the Southwest Plano Los Angeles. We drove out and kept the radiator at the camp. He pointed out Genson's trailer at the rear of the camp. That one, Jill. The blue and gray one? Yeah. This is good right here. Okay. Looks like Genson's doing well, isn't he? Yeah, man. It's looking pretty.

14:29That's it, Ed. Yeah? We sawks. Good. All right. Open it up. Get out of here. Get out. What you doing? All right. Hold it, mister. Get out. Get out. All right. Genson. That's good enough, Ed. Get out. All right. Come on. Get out. What's the picture? What you want? It's all over the floor, Genson. I want a hoop tipped. One of those large big kids, huh? Which one? You guess you know enough of them. You can't have me for all that. I'm not the big guy. All right, then. Who is? I don't know. I'm going to want a mule. Where do you get your stuff? The big guy, the big tomato. Is what they call him? Yeah. Big man. Nobody sees him. I don't even know what he looks like. Neither you. You let us worry about that. Come on. Big tomato. That's what they call him. You won't get amy smart. You won't get him in 89 years. Maybe not. But we'll get him.

15:29You are listening to Dragnet, authentic stories of your police force in action. Now, here's an authentic report from Fatima Sigeretz. 1949. Fatima more than double-lit smokers, close to Coat. 1950. Another record-breaking year, with more long Sigeretz smokers insisting on Fatima quality than ever before. In 1951, enjoy Fatima quality yourself. Yes, friends, in Fatima, the difference is quality. Quality of tobacco. The finest, Turkish and domestic varieties, extra mild and superbly blended. To give you a much different, much better, flavor and aroma. Quality of manufacture. Smooth, plump Sigeretz rolled in the finest paper money can buy. Quality. Even to the appearance of the bright, clean, golden yellow packet. Carefully wrapped in seal to bring you Fatima's rich, fresh, extra mild flavor. Compare Fatima yourself.

16:30Fatima's now cost the same as other long Sigeretz, but your first puff will tell you, Ah, that's different. Yes, in Fatima, the difference is quality. Start enjoying Fatima quality yourself. Insist on Fatima for quality, king size Sigeretz. Best of all, long Sigeretz. Friday April the 12th, 7pm. We searched the trailer and a stakeout was placed on it. Then we took Ray Jensen downtown of the Moon jail, where his book for suspicion and narcotics are following it. The next day, Ben and I went back in question, and we got nowhere. Only thing he'd tell us was that the leader of the marijuana ring was unknown to him. The big tomato I thought he could tell us. We went back and started each checking leads, furnished this by some of the high school boys who would purchase narcotics from Robert Lavalle. They all ended nowhere. Meantime, the flow of marijuana into the schools and into the hands of the teenage students continued.

17:31We'd no sooner choke off one source of supply when two more would turn up. We knew that there was only one real solution. Find the game leader and wipe out the entire supply and distribution setup. We stayed on it. Monday, April 22nd. Ben got a call from one of his informants that he had a lead on the source of marijuana on the use side of town. The informants' name was Willie Brecht, a groundskeeper at a golf course near one of the city high schools. We'd go about to talk to him. We locate it as Brecht by the clubhouse near the first tee. I'm a tee now, our call. You remember my partner, don't you? Joe, Frank? Well, yeah. Hi, Willie. Kind of busy today, big tournament. Yeah, quite a crowd you got here. Nice to have. You even have in trouble, huh? Are you a Marion town? Yeah, he's thinking you help him. Yeah, I can. He doesn't have a broken high school kid with that stuff. He'll be dirty. Really? Yeah, he does, Willie. Don't know how much of a stream is often a great find on town. The boys, somebody they call the big tomato.

18:31Funny, man. Any ideas we hear? I couldn't say. He's getting lots of stuff in though. Usually we'll feed line over from Mexico. Mm-hmm. What else will it? Here, there's more on the way. Don't know when though. Offer high school trade. Yes, I figured they got a good business. How'd they get in jail for all of you, man? No, but it's getting here. If any kid can get some over on this side of town. Imagine that. Kidding that team. We did. Or how about this big tomato, Willie? No word to know. There's one pretty bad in it. Poor. There's a connection. There's over on the house of Boulevard. That is number here, somebody's. It's supposed to be the main connection for this tomato guy. Oh, yeah. Has it a dress? Uh, third number there. Six. His name is Tony Charles. Is he supposed to have a lot of stuff? Most would I hear. Gets it off in the big tomato. You got a body? It's it. Tony Charles. You got the address. Many things, Willie. Anything comes up your call.

19:31Sure thing. How's the job out here? Better than yours. I shouldn't want it working every day around. Joy, poppers, nudes, main liners. Somebody's got to do it, Willie. Yeah, but not for me, Sergeant. I was doofs, is it all life? Someone jumped the kids. Guess you met the lower time. I mean, I got no match yet. We were informed. We went back to the office and checked the name and address of Tony Charles through R&I. No previous record. A stakeout was placed on his home and at his place of business. Charles and himself was placed under 24 hours surveillance. A week passed. Nothing happened. Another week. Still nothing. There was no rat up in the supply of marijuana finding its way into the city and into the schools. We couldn't see the beginnings of the racket that we saw the end result. The percentage of juvenile users was still on the upswing. When's the main? There had rumbles of another big marijuana by any often. Either it's filled in materialized or we missed it.

20:31Friday, May 10th, then it might took our turn shadowing the suspect Tony Charles. Can you see him from here, Joe? Yeah. Still in the barber shop. It's two guys with him. Yeah. And the passport. We better check in, huh? Yeah, I'll call in. The drugstore there. Let's have a phone. Yeah, all right. I'll be right back. Mark, I'll explain. Thank you. Yeah, Johnny, Joe Friday. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, we got him paid. We'll see you right away. Bye. Tony, Charles, I want him picked up right away. Oh, good.

21:31Well, I just rated his place. If I'm 32, I'm just a weed in his room. I'm supposed to have more on him. Oh, that's good. Come on. What do you think, trauma? I don't know. Be surprised. Charles, I'd like to talk to you. What's that? Police officers. I'd like to talk to you and your two friends here downtown. Can't make it, Copper. My under Vegas tonight. We want to see you downtown first. I'd like to don't push me, huh? Nobody's pushing with you. We want to see you downtown. Now, come on. Let's go. Look out, Joe. Right there, Sam? Watch it. Watch it. That's it. Three up. Okay. I'll get him. All right. All right.

22:31Come on, Neil. And I'm glad this doesn't come up, all right? Where's the barber? We ran outside. We're off one, huh? Yeah. What's your hunch, Joe? I think one of these three is a big tomato. I don't know what to ask him. A search of the barber shop failed to reveal the presence of any narcotics. Tony Charles and his two companions were found to have a dozen sticks of marijuana in their possession. They were treated for cuts and bruises at Georgia Street and in books for suspicion of narcotics and felony at the main jail. Three other men found a child apartment at the time of the raid were also booked. We got nowhere questioning any of them. As usual, we had the small fry, but the ring leaders, the big tomato, who's still in the clear. Still free to hire somebody else to run the marijuana supply line into the high school. Three weeks passed, together with Captain Colonel and Sergeant Barb and I we checked her earlierly. We ran down anyone that even looked like it might be promising. Nothing's hand out. Wednesday, June 5th, 5.30pm.

23:32We got a call from the main jail. Tony Charles wanted to talk to us. Got him. I went over to see him. Charles, I got something for you. Been playing this too much long enough. If I'm good enough for jail, so's he. All right, what do you got? It's a big bike coming off. When you get him, tell him how long I've been in here. What kind of a bike? Mary, one of the biggest that was set up before I got in here. Where does it leak? Bruno Street, down with a train yard. I draw your map. Set up the same car, pulled up and haunched a couple of times and an alley down there. Who's had a little bike? A big man. Don't waste any time. What is it? Tonight. We went back to the office and met with Sergeant Barnes Jacobs, 8pm. Ben and I took up our positions on the straight out along with the rest of the men. We had a clear view of the exact location where the buy was to be made. We waited. 10pm. 11pm. No one showed. Midnight came and went. 1.30am. Still no sight. At 18 minutes or two, we spotted the main train with shopping bag emerged from behind a little freight cars near the end of the radio.

24:37The ladies were across the street to the alley. They stood back in the shadows. As soon as the car gets in the alley, we pull up and block it. Yeah, that's right. Back over the same thing down at the other end. There's lights coming in the alley. Over. No. No, they're going on through. What's the time now? The family needs to do. We waited. 18 minutes passed. Still no sight of the car that according to child was supposed to be there for the big buy. We could still see the figure of a man with a shopping bag huddled in the alley. 3am. You know? Yeah. Car down there, me and I. Yeah. That's it. You want to start up? Yeah. Just enough to block the alley. That's good. All right, come on, let's go. Come on.

25:39All right, hit your engine and get out of the car. Go, look out. I'll make you go, one. Come on. All right, let's get him out of there. Here. There's 3am. Here's the guy with a shopping bag. All right, I got a surprise, not some cold. That's one easy there. Pull right over there. Let's get his coat over there. I got it. Don't scream. Hey, hey, look at this, yo. Fun one of them in this guy's hand. Here's hand. Pull him in, I want it. You look at the labels on his hand. Fancy solid pack tomato. There he is. A big tomato. The story you've just heard was true. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent.

26:40On October 3rd, trial was held in Superior Court Department 89, city and county of Los Angeles, state of California, and a moment the results of that trial. Now here is our star, Jack Webb. Thank you. Friends, if you're a long cigarette smoker like I am, remember in Fatima the difference is quality. Now believe me, this difference is mighty important. So important is that you'll always remember the first pack of Fatima that you buy. Fatima's fast-growing popularity backs me up on that. But look, you can prove it to yourself by getting a pack of Fatima's tomorrow. You'll find that they now cost the same as other long cigarettes. And your first pack will convince you to go right on smoking them. Join me in the new values who enjoy Fatima's extra mildness. Fatima's rich, better flavor in aroma. You'll discover what all we Fatima smokers know. In Fatima, the difference is quality. John A. Stanton, a.k.a. the big tomato,

27:40along with his associates in the Narcotic gang, was tried and convicted for violating the state Narcotic Act. He received sentences as prescribed by law and are now serving their terms in the state's penitentiary. The radio editors of the United States and Canada have named Dragnet the best radio program of its types for 1950. And Dragnet's Jack Webb, the most promising star of tomorrow. In behalf of Dragnet, I'd like to thank the radio editors of the United States and Canada and the editors of Motion Picture Daily who conducted the voting in the 15th annual poll for same magazine. You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice comes from the Office of Chief of Police, W.H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department. Fatima cigarettes, rest of all long cigarettes has brought your Dragnet, portions transcribed from Los Angeles.

28:40Later here, Stelbaum, with Joseph Cotton on screen directors on NBC.