Dragnet - Twenty-Two Rifle for Christmas2

0:00The story you were about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Fatima cigarettes. Best of all, King-sized cigarettes brings you drake met. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to homicide detail. A small boy has reported missing from his home. His age nine years. Foul play is suspected. Your job? Find him. See the difference. Taste the difference. Smoke the difference. You'll find that in Fatima, the difference is quality. Quality that gives you extra mildness. A much different, much better flavor under Roma. Yes, in King-sized Fatima, you get all the advantages of extra length. Plus Fatima quality, which no other King-sized cigarette has.

1:06Fatima, best of all, King-sized cigarettes. Definitely the best quality in its class. But the same price as the cigarette you're now smoking. Remember thousands of Americans are switching to Fatima, insisting on Fatima quality. So compare Fatima yourself. When you see the difference, taste the difference, smoke the difference. You'll switch to Fatima. Because in Fatima, the difference is quality. Look for the bright sunny yellow pack. Buy Fatima. Best of all, King-sized cigarettes. Dragment. 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 transcribed from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment. Dragnet is the story of your police force in action.

2:11It was Thursday, December 22, it was cold in Los Angeles. We were working the night, watch out a homicide. Our partners Ben Romero, the boss of Stad Brown, chief of detectives, my name's Friday. I was on the way into work and it was 355 pm when I got to room 42. Homicide. Hi, Joe. Ben. Well, here's the file on the Webster case. I'm going to file up for him then. Yeah. I got it. Homicide, Friday. This 11th, and you're in 11th, 13th, Jay. Got some for you. Yeah, Harry, what's going on? A dirty and I're out here on callus Avenue. 46.56. It's trying to track down a nine-year-old boy. Yeah, what's the story? The kid's missing suspicion of file play. How long has he been gone? About two hours. Looks like a job for homicide. Howdy, figure. The kid was last seen playing in the backyard of his home. Yeah. We checked over the yard. Did you find any home? Luck stains. Lots of them. They look new. Ben and I left the message for chief of detectives, Stad Brown.

3:11Then we went over to the crime lab, picked up Lieutenant Lee Jones and drove out the Royal Seaco freeway to callus Avenue. It was an average neighborhood. Number 46.56 was a one-story green, stuck-o resident situated on the corner of callus Avenue and Harrison Drive. Beyond the backyard was a track of undeveloped land covered with scrub oak. Harry Levinson from Holland Park, juvenile was waiting for us in front of the house. Just thank you, sir. Come on, hold it. I like it in my bag. Who would have thought you'd look at the boy who's missing, Harry? The mother said she went on to do some Christmas shopping by 11 this morning, and left the boy home. He came back about two this afternoon and he was gone. What's the name? John Stone. The kid's name is Stanley, nine years old. So, was this gate over like this when you got here? Yeah, I haven't touched the thing, man. The other stains over here, Lieutenant Jones, along the edge of the wall. See? Yeah. Let me see. Quite a few stones. Yeah.

4:13Looks like it might have been blood. Pies some benzody in on them. There we are. See what happened? Where's the kid's mother now, Harry? In the house, Darrys talking to her. Would you talk to her with her name? People next door are the ones on this side. They couldn't tell us anything. There it is, fellas. Yeah, like... These spots I covered with benzody and the tuning blue blood stains, all right? You can't say definitely whether it's human or animal blood. You have to go back to the lab, you know, through. Yeah, biological Pacific test. And they're one of those glass files of my bioqualia. Yeah, sure. Okay, here you go. Nice. Scrape some flakes off the test. There we are. How soon can you tap the blood for us, man? Pacific test won't run more than 20 minutes. It'll take three or four hours to run a blood group, you know. That's it. Anything else you want to drink?

5:14Levin's in. Anything else? Yeah, right here in my hand, could you. Empty show. That marker over there by the Rosefish? That's where I found it. I'm a 22, huh? Yeah, my tie and my knot. Well, I've got them done for the nis-enva, but yeah. There you go. Oh, yeah. Did you get a missing blood cast on the boy here? I'd already do it about a half an hour ago. Here's a description here. It's like, yeah. My mother know about the blood stain. No, we didn't tell her. She's worried enough already. She has no idea what might have happened to her boy. No more than we do. If you checked all her friends and relatives, we're covering the neighborhood now. They'll cry so far. Not much to go on. Blood stain. Empty carcly. Man, it could mean a hundred things. Any ideas, friend? Just warning. I don't like it. 4.30 p.m. Thursday, December 22nd. The neighborhood searched for nine-year-old Stanley John Stone continued.

6:15Lee Jones went back to the crime lab to start the precipitant test and the blood grouping. Levinson and his partner, Dorytty, from Phyland, Juvenile stood by. We called Chief Adetektov's Thad Brown and he ordered up a special detail to aid in the search for the missing boy. Ben and I questioned the boy's mother, Mrs. Ruth John Stone, a woman in her early 40s. She seemed fairly calm under the circumstances. Ms. Jones, is your boy standing in the habit of wandering off without telling you where he's going? No, he's not in the habit of wandering off, but he has done it before. Well, what was the last time, Ms. John Stone? You don't have any children to be a Sergeant Friday. No, they're not, Mary. Well, there comes a time when every young boy is alive when he feels it is time to leave home, go out on his own. Usually happens somewhere around 8 to 10. I think I know what you mean, I have a boy. Well, then you know how it is. My husband and I scold us, Danny, one afternoon after school. He was quite put out about, our George and I were unfair. Patrick, you've just seen us left. Well, how long was he gone? Oh, no, I don't care at all, about two hours.

7:15I was worried about him, but my husband said to leave him alone, but everybody had to go through that stage. Well, then you think that he's right away from home again this time? Yes, I think so. He's been gone about four hours now. I'm pretty much funny feeling about it. Did you and his father have some misunderstanding with the boy recently? Well, they said, did we have him? What kind of mind telling you now that we're talking about it, I am getting worried. When he plays around, he might like a visitor, a hobby shop, playground, someplace he might be. Yes, there's Jensen's model shop, little Sharon Burr, but I've already called there and he hasn't seen all day. I've called all his friends and they have no idea where he is either. We'd like a list of all of his friends and the places that he was known to frequent. Yes, I'd like to give him to you. What do you suppose he is? Where's your husband, now, Miss Johnson? At work. George Rex of the city is a fireman. What house is he staging there? Engine kept me 12. He's wrecking the A-pack, too. To be home tomorrow morning. I haven't told him the damage gone. Was only chance the boy might be down at the firehouse with his father?

8:15No, he's telling him goes down there anymore. No, I don't think he's there. I'm awfully worried. Now I call my husband. That's right, my girl right here. I know George will be worried. Engine kept me 12, please. Family's been gone, too. Hello? Now please speak with George Johnson. This is Mrs. Millie's Johnson. Thank you. Oh, I hate to call George at his work. Yes, ma'am. Does your husband only go? Yes, he does. What caliber do you know? It's a 45-automatic. You got it knocked. A George? This is Ruth. A George is standing down there with you by the chance. Oh. No, I can't find him anywhere. He wasn't here when I came home from doing my shopping. They're two policemen here. No, I said they're two policemen here. No, they're alcohol if we don't find him soon. All right, there.

9:17Yes, you too. Goodbye. I didn't think he'd be with George. At 45. Is that the only guy in the household? Yes. Are you asking about guns? Has anything happened to you not telling me about? No, ma'am. Just routine checking. You don't have to take the love of that 45, you know, ma'am. Maybe I should tell you we do have another guy in the house, but it's all wrapped up. George brought it for Stanley's Christmas present. What will you see if please? Yes, will you have to end your office? Yes, ma'am. I have a pretty soul. It's in the closet. I think you should do it. We had to hide it. Let me see. Look, there's a patient who's asking Stanley for phone. What's going on? You see, here's the gift card in the box for Garmtany and the rifle. I wonder if I can look at that box, ma'am. Thank you. How about it, John? 22, Calvary.

10:19Thursday, December 22nd, 5.15 p.m. It was getting dark. The search for the missing boy continued. We checked the list of Stanley John's stone's friends. None of them or their parents had any idea of his whereabouts. We talked with Levinson again. He'd been in touch with the detail combing the neighborhood. They'd found nothing. We went down to Colis Avenue in Tent Street, the service station on the corner. One neck of your? I got one. Will you watch for them? Yeah. City Hall. 2667, please. 2667? I'm Lev Jones. Hi, I'm Lee, Joe Friday. Yeah, Joe. Any sign of the Johnson kit? No, not yet. How are you coming?

11:19I finished the Pacifica test. It's human blood. Working on the blood group now. You know what type of Johnson boy has? Well, I didn't want to upset his mother. I thought I read the last thing in the neighborhood. Check with the family physician. That's why you won't disturb it. Yeah, I figured out that. Just a minute, Lee. Yeah, ma'am. What else is pulled out? Okay. There are fat bones out here. I'll check you later, Lee. All right, Joe. Oh, there's a window. Anyone? How's it going? We're just checked with Lee Jones. Yeah, I know. It's human blood. What do you think? We talked with the boy's mother, Mrs. John Stone, found the gun missing. Yeah. Calibre is the same as the empty case in Levinson's found. It's 22. So the gun was missing? Yeah, the John Stone's were going to give it to the boy as a Christmas present. They had it hidden, but it's called. Any idea what it took? Well, I left the Christmas wrapping behind. I think it was the kid. 22 right from him. 9-year-old boy. When are we going to run? First, it's convoyed cannons on the 4th of July. The city issued ordnance after ordnance. A few thousand kids around the country had lose their eyes, fingers, hands,

12:21before the parents had given it said, vocal operation outlaw. I know what you mean. Sure you do. You and every other cop in the country became the heaviest trying to clamp down on them. That was the same story. This time it's guns for Christmas. I know what you're thinking, but we're not sure yet. Listen, Friday. There's a city ordinance against giving a gun to a kid. You know that. Yeah, I know that. There's a missing boy and a missing gun. He's brought on the ground with an empty shell. That's enough for me. And when we got to stay with it, something's got to work. Yeah. I mean, well, it's not the heart of that kid's parents. Hi, Chief. We're looking for a Friday. What do you got here? It's on the gun. New 22 rifle. I'd say it's from the Friday recently. Where'd you find it, Lebensy? Back up there in that scrap boat behind the John Stone House. This is John Stone identified. Buckley took it down the crime line. Thanks, Harry. This John Stone OK. Pretty sick now. Dirty came up with something else. Let's say. There's another one missing. An 8-year-old boy. 6.30 p.m. We talked with officer Dirty about the other missing boy. He told us that his name was Stephen Moirheim, 8 years old. His family had just moved into the neighborhood.

13:22It seemed that no one besides the Moirheim family knew that the boys played together. Mrs. Moirheim told us that Stephen told her that he was going out to play and that he'd be home by 6 o'clock for dinner. She told us that he was an unusually prompt boy and almost never overstayed his playtime. We got a description of the Moirheim boy and put out a missing broadcast. We called the John Stone's family doctor. He told us that Stanley's blood was typo. At 7 p.m., we talked again with Mrs. John Moirheim. Are you sure Mrs. John Stone doesn't know where the boys are? She has no idea Mrs. Moirheim. Oh, Mrs. Terrible. Just awful. I feel there's more of this thing, something you're not telling me. There's no step set you until we know a few things for sure. And you're holding back something. No, please try not to worry Mrs. Moirheim. Certain things that we're going to have to ask you routine questions in any kind of investigation. Is there anything else you want to know? Yes, ma'am. Where's your boy's blood type? It's a funny question.

14:23Do you think anything's happened to him? Have you found him and you're not telling me? No, ma'am. We're having fun. We don't think anything's happened to him. It's blood type. I think I have it written down in Stevie's baby book. Yes, here it is. It's type O. Thank you. I wonder if I might use your phone? Yes, of course it's in the hall. I'll be right back then. So, he hung? 2667, please. 2667? Grandma, thank you. All right, this is Joe Friday's leader. Just a minute, Joe. Thank you, Tony. John speaking. Checking backly. Did you get the blood type something too missing, boys? Yeah. Both type O. So, the stain's Joe. Type O.

15:32You are listening to Dragnet, authentic stories of your police force in action. Millions heard it. Yet only 55 of written, starting on Dragnet three months ago, on September 20th, to be exact. Fatima made a special money back offer to more than 10 million listeners. The results are amazing. Millions heard it. Yet only 55 of written. If you smoke king-sized cigarettes, listen to Fatima's famous book. Fatima's famous offer. Buy a pack of Fatima's. Enjoy their extra mildness and superbly blended tobacco. If you're not convinced, Fatima is better than the king-sized cigarettes you're now smoking. Just return the pack to the unsmoked Fatima's before January 1st, and we'll give you your money back plus postage. Fatima, box 37, New York 1. Remember, thousands and thousands of Americans are switching to king-sized Fatima, insisting on Fatima quality. So why wait?

16:33Switch to Fatima today. Look for the bright sunny yellow pack. Why Fatima? Best of all, king-sized cigarettes. 8 p.m. Thursday December 22nd. Still no sign of either of the missing boys. Chief of detectives Thad Brown went back to headquarters to direct the search from there. He dispatched another detail of 50 men to aid in the hunt for the missing youngsters. 8 p.m. was getting a little colder. The citrus growers were warned to expect the freeze. We went up the block to see Mrs. John Stone. Her husband had quick work early and returned home. We talked with him for a while. He could tell us nothing more than we already knew. We still have not informed either of the families about the blood stains and the empty cartridge casing which had been discovered in the backyard of the John Stone home.

17:33It was more than possible if they had a right to know about our findings, but Ben and I thought that there was no cause to add to the distress of the two families at this time. If the two missing boys were found alive and well, then the blood stains and the cartridge would be of no concern to the relived parents. At 8 p.m. Ben and I left the John Stone house and went to the home of Mr. Mrs. John Moherheim. There's Moherheim. You said your husband worked in a market. Yes, he told us about 15 minutes before the study is closing up right away. He'll be here any minute. There were status at call. Come home. So cold out tonight. Oh, yet on the thin cotton jacket. We'll try not to worry. We're doing everything we can. He'll be all right. The students father such sensitive man in the boy are so close. I know he terribly hurts. You're sure there's no place that you might have forgotten some place where the boy might be? No, no place. No. Anything happened to the boy will just kill John. No. You should still all get him as well.

18:37Joe, where are you? John Stone kid he's been found. He's home Sergeant. He's come home. I've got his eye. Where's he been? Did he tell you? No, no one didn't. His clothes are all dirty and he's acting strange. You never seen him like this. How do you know Mr. Austin? He just came to the front door and said hello, mom. He said down to Terry's there at the floor. He would talk to his father and me. You might have talked to him. No, go ahead. I asked you about that little more high boy but he wouldn't tell me his thing. Where is he now? Right over there I'm living here. Looks all right? Yes. Son, this is a police officer. He wants to talk to you. Don't be afraid dear. He only wants to talk to you.

19:38Son, you see Sergeant? Stanley, let him be son. Come on youngster. Get your head up there. All right, it's better. You know your mother pretty well. You know that. You want to talk to her? Where should try to get him to eat her or something? You hear that son? Want something to eat you? I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. Stanley, there's another little boy off the studio who hasn't come home. You know where he is. It's fine and mother worried about him too. It's like your folks were. We're going to ask you to help us find him. I killed him. I killed Steve with the 22. We were only playing but I killed him. How do you know you killed him? Maybe he's only hurt now, isn't it? No, he's dead. I know he's dead. I've gone with off. I've got what put bullets in there. Where is he, Stanley? I hit him. I was scared. I didn't want anybody to find him.

20:41Why did you hide him, son? In a cave. Up on the hill. I didn't need it. He was my pal. Do you want to show us where he's standing? Yes, I'll show you. Please don't send me to jail. I'm going to kill you. Don't send me to jail. 9.15 p.m. Thursday, December 22nd. Nine-year-old Stanley John Stone led the way up the hill behind the backyard of his home. He showed us the wagon that he moved the body in. His father came along with us. About 50 feet from the crest of the hill, the boy pointed to a second of Screbo. There we found a small cave holding the body of Stephen Mourheim. There was a single bullet wound in his chest just below his heart. It was dead. We covered the body. Stanley, I didn't have him. I knew my folks were going to give me the gun for Christmas.

21:43I knew it was, and I thought it was a box of bullets with it. Were you pointing me again, Stevenson? No, sir. No, sir, I wasn't. It was the eastern to play with it. I was chasing him. I kept over that stump there and he fell. I'm hitting the stomach, not at all. Why do you think you killed him if you're telling us the truth? I'm telling the truth. I'm gonna step the truth. Why believe you, sir? But why do you think you killed him? It was my gun. Steven still realized if I didn't go and get it. You should have waited till Christmas. It's all my fault. And where have you been all this time? In the cave, with Steve. What were you doing in there, sir? I was praying. I was praying for God to make him alive again. After a thorough investigation, Ben and I were convinced that the shooting of Steven Mourheim was accidental.

22:46Lieutenant Lee Jones finding substantiated the John Stone Boy story even to the smallest detail. We put in a call to the coroner's office and we acquainted him with the facts. He designated a local mortuary to handle a body, handing out tops of him, granted us permission to remove the body to the Mourheim home. Mrs. Mourheim collapsed. The family doctor was called. Ben and I sat in the living room to wait for John Mourheim, the dead boy's father. Peter? Peter? Mr. Mourheim. Yeah, you, the police. Yes. Where's he? Where's my wife? Is my boy come home? Did you find her? Yes, sir. Where is he? Steve? Steve, are you ready? Where's Steve?

23:46He's hurt, isn't he? Yes, sir. Where is he? I want to see him. He's hurt bad, Mr. Mourheim. Where is he? I'm bad. Pretty bad. He's dead. All right, if I go in, yes, sir, if you want him. Are you going with me? Sure. Don't make it any harder on yourself, Mr. Mourheim. I want to see my boy. Mr. Mourheim. Steve? It was me to be sad. We got you. Part of nice things for Christmas.

24:46Everything you wanted. I got you the three new cars for the train. I wasn't with a searchlight on it, really, worked. I got you that blue switch you wanted. A lot more train. Or now you can have a big layout. You know that new baseball that we saw? I got it for you. The cowboy outfits you wanted. Mr. Mourheim. Come on, you. What happened? It was a accident. He was playing with a Johnstone blip, the Stray. Playing with a gun. What was the other boy's name? Stanley Johnstone. It was an accident.

25:46Mr. Mourheim, where are you going? I want to see that boy. We had no idea what the dead boy's father had in mind. We didn't feel that we should try to restrain him. Ben and I went along with him up the street to the Johnstone home. I'm Stevie's father. Where's your boy? I'm sorry. We're back there, right? We were going to turn that to use it, unless his father was with him until he learned how to treat fire. Where's your boy? You're right here. What you coming in? It's all right, Miss Samson. You're the boy that was with Stevie. Yes, sir. What's your name? Stanley. I know it wasn't your fault, Stanley.

26:46What if you do something for me? Yes, sir. I've got a lot of nice presents for Stevie. And now I'd want you to have them. I want to give them to you. Christmas Eve. Mom? I think that'd be a fine idea, son. Come on, Ben. Well, once it all proved you don't give a kid a gun for Christmas. The story you just heard was true. The names were changed to protect the innocent. On December 24, 1948, a coroner's inquest was held in the county morgue, city and county of Los Angeles, state of California, in a moment the results of that inquest.

27:46Now, here is our star Jack Webb. Thank you, George Phanaman. Friends, with just a weekend to complete your Christmas shopping, it's good to remember that the man who sells you your Fatima's, your neighborhood dealer, is conveniently nearby. Drop in. Do what I'm going to do. Buy Fatima and its smart holiday carton for Christmas gifts. And for yourself, buy enough to last the long weekend. You'll be smoking and giving the best, because Fatima is the best of all King's Eye cigarette. And now to all our friends, the retail dealers and wholesale distributors who sell Fatima's, and of course to all of you, married Christmas from Fatima and all of us on Dragonhead. At the coroner's inquest, it was officially recorded that Stephen Marheim's death was the result of an accident. Stanley John Stone was absolved of any legal responsibility for his friend's death.

28:48You have just heard Dragonhead, a series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice comes from the officer chief of police W.H. Parker, law scientist, police department. Fatima's cigarettes, best of all King's Eye cigarettes, has brought your Dragonhead transcribed for law sandals. Counters by, fights international intrigue next on NBC.