THE BIG 17 and THE BIG WAITER DRAGNET

Summary

Podcast Summary: 1001 Radio Crime Solvers – "THE BIG 17 and THE BIG WAITER"

Title: THE BIG 17 and THE BIG WAITER
Host: Jon Hagadorn
Release Date: February 26, 2025
Episode Type: Two-Part True Crime Drama Inspired by "Dragnet"

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Introduction

In this riveting episode of 1001 Radio Crime Solvers, host Jon Hagadorn presents two intertwined true crime stories inspired by the classic radio series "Dragnet." This episode, titled "THE BIG 17 and THE BIG WAITER," delves into the intricate investigations led by Detective Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Ben Romero. Through meticulously transcribed official police files, listeners are taken on a journey through the challenges of solving juvenile delinquency and a brutal murder case in Los Angeles.

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Case 1: The Big 17 – Juvenile Delinquency and Narcotics

[03:15] Joe Friday:
"It was Thursday, April 10, was warm in Los Angeles. We were working the night watch out of Juvenile Bureau."

Overview:
Detective Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Ben Romero are assigned to address a sudden surge in juvenile crimes, including robberies, burglaries, and assaults among teenagers in a particular Los Angeles neighborhood. The crime wave intensifies rapidly, shifting from petty thefts to more severe offenses like auto thefts, which have increased by 20%.

Key Developments:

• Incident at West Fremont Movie Theater [03:51 – 07:50]:
  A group of 15-20 teenagers violently disrupts a movie screening, leading to property damage and personal injury. A 14-year-old boy is critically injured after being shoved through a display case, raising the stakes for Friday and Romero to find the underlying cause of this behavioral shift.

• Discovery of Narcotics [09:04 – 13:27]:
  Investigations reveal that the turmoil among the youth is fueled by the availability of marijuana and other stimulants. A crucial piece of evidence—a small box containing marijuana—is found, linking 17-year-old Johnny Demering to the narcotics distribution network.

• Interview with Harold Everson [10:14 – 12:05]:
  The father of Harold Everson denies his son's involvement, but discrepancies in his account raise suspicion. Additional evidence, including a hidden stash of marijuana in Everson’s home, implicates him further.

• Rise of Johnny Demering [14:40 – 18:53]:
  Demering emerges as a central figure in the local narcotics scene. Despite multiple attempts by law enforcement, Demering evades capture, leading to increased pressure on Friday and Romero to dismantle the narcotics ring responsible for the escalating juvenile crimes.

Notable Quote:

Elise Dressler [06:06]:
"I just got the feeling there's something radically wrong going on with those kids." ([07:08])

Conclusion of Case 1:
After intense efforts involving stakeouts and interrogations, the narcotics distribution network is largely dismantled. However, Johnny Demering remains elusive. The detectives’ persistence pays off when Jocko Harris, another key player in the narcotics chain, succumbs to a violent confrontation, providing critical information that ties back to the larger criminal network influencing the youth.

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Case 2: The Big Waiter – A Brutal Murder in Los Angeles

[32:55] Joe Friday:
"Was Wednesday, February 19th. It was cloudy in Los Angeles. We were working the night watch out."

Overview:
Joe Friday and Ben Romero are thrust into a homicide investigation involving the brutal murder of Joseph Wilford, a 64-year-old shopkeeper. The victim is found beaten to death in the back room of his men's haberdashery store, with no immediate suspects and minimal clues.

Key Developments:

• Crime Scene Examination [34:00 – 39:01]:
  The detectives find Joseph Wilford’s body severely beaten, with his arms tied and a woman’s slipcloth tied around his neck. The absence of money from the cash register and a missing wristwatch are the primary clues.

• Interviews with Mrs. Agnes Wilford [37:27 – 39:45]:
  Mrs. Wilford reveals that her husband had multiple girlfriends over the years, none of whom she had disputes with until recently. Her testimony about their secluded living arrangement and the timing of the murder adds complexity to the case.

• Connection to Elise Dressler [40:31 – 45:45]:
  Elise Dressler, a nightclub dancer, becomes a suspect through her connection with Max Hollins, the manager of the Downtown Hotel's room service. Her fragmented alibi and conflicting statements raise suspicions about her involvement.

• Discovery of Evidence [43:05 – 52:35]:
  A woman's slipcloth found at the crime scene leads the detectives to Elise Dressler, who admits tensions between her boyfriend, Max Hollins, and Joseph Wilford. Further investigation uncovers that Hollins had a motive rooted in jealousy and financial disputes.

Notable Quote:

Elise Dressler [39:45]:
"A habit. If you want to, you can get used to anything. Yes, ma'am. Even a man who doesn't love you anymore." ([40:46])

Conclusion of Case 2:
The investigation culminates in the arrest and conviction of Max Hollins for the murder of Joseph Wilford. Evidence including blood-stained gloves and the stolen wristwatch links Hollins directly to the crime. In a dramatic revelation, Hollins confesses to the murder, driven by personal vendettas and financial motives. He is subsequently tried, convicted, and sentenced to the state penitentiary.

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Final Remarks

[17: ]
"You have just heard Dragnet. A series of authentic cases from official files." ([28:15])

Detective Sergeant Joe Friday's unwavering dedication and methodical approach to law enforcement underscore the themes of justice and societal responsibility. Through these two compelling cases, listeners gain insight into the complexities of policing juvenile delinquency and solving violent crimes, all while navigating personal motives and systemic challenges.

Notable Conclusion Quote:

Joe Friday [56:26]:
"The only time I met him, he was dead." ([56:37])

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Closing

Jon Hagadorn masterfully weaves together these two true crime narratives, providing an authentic "Dragnet"-style experience. By presenting real cases with factual accuracy and engaging storytelling, 1001 Radio Crime Solvers continues to honor the golden age of radio detective stories, offering listeners an immersive and educational experience every Sunday at 5pm ET.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Joe Friday:
  "It was Thursday, April 10, was warm in Los Angeles..." ([03:15])

• Elise Dressler:
  "A habit. If you want to, you can get used to anything. Yes, ma'am..." ([40:46])

• Clyde Barton:
  "I didn't have it in my mind to kill him. God knows I tried to talk to him." ([55:35])

• Joe Friday:
  "The only time I met him, he was dead." ([56:37])

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key elements, discussions, insights, and resolutions presented in the episode "THE BIG 17 and THE BIG WAITER." It provides a clear and engaging overview for listeners who have yet to experience this enthralling installment of 1001 Radio Crime Solvers.

Transcript

[Joe Friday]

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[Ben Romero]

The story you are about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Fatima cigarettes. Best of all, King size cigarettes brings you Dragnet. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a juvenile bureau. A series of crimes suddenly starts among teenage children in your city. Robberies, burglaries, bodily assault. There doesn't seem to be any reason for it. The crime wave grows. Your job. Stop it. In Fatima, the difference is quality.

[Elise Dressler]

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[Ben Romero]

Yet king size Fatima costs no more than the cigarette you are now smoking. And because of its quality, more smokers are now insisting on Fatima than ever before. You see, Fatima contains the finest domestic and Turkish tobaccos, superbly blended. And Fatima is extra mild with a much different, much better flavor and aroma. So compare Fatima yourself today. You'll find Fatima gives you all the advantages of extra length plus Fatima quality, which no other king size cigarette has.

[Elise Dressler]

Remember, the cost of Fatima is the same as the cigarette you're now smoking.

[Ben Romero]

But in Fatima, the difference is quality. Next time, buy Fatima. Best of all, King Size Cigarettes 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 transcribed from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action.

[Joe Friday]

It was Thursday. April 10, was warm in Los Angeles. We were working the night watch out of Juvenile Bureau. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Captain Stein. My name's Friday. It was 10:27pm When I got to 1335 Georgia Street, 2nd floor, the squad room.

[Max Hollins]

Joe, is that you?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. You ready?

[Max Hollins]

You got half a minute? All right, let me get my coat on here.

[Joe Friday]

Did you leave a note for McNamara?

[Ben Romero]

Yeah.

[Max Hollins]

All set.

[Joe Friday]

All right, let's hurry, huh?

[Max Hollins]

Yeah, Same neighborhood. We had the trouble Monday night.

[Joe Friday]

Sounds like the same gang, too.

[Max Hollins]

These kids are sure moving fast.

[Joe Friday]

Go ahead.

[Max Hollins]

Yeah, what is it this time?

[Joe Friday]

Movie theater on West Fremont. Small neighborhood house. Oh, they had a crowd of 15 to 20 kids in there tonight. Mixed group, boys and girls. For no reason at all, they started to tear the place up.

[Max Hollins]

They do much damage?

[Joe Friday]

Well, I don't know. We can see when we get there. He told me on the phone. The theater manager tried to quiet the kids down. Half a dozen boys piled all over them. One of them pulled a knife. They tore up a couple of seats up in the balcony, Moved out into the lobby. Smashed mirrors and lamps. They beat up one of the ushers.

[Max Hollins]

Lousy little punks.

[Joe Friday]

Where'd you park the car?

[Max Hollins]

Straight back. I'd give a right arm to know how this thing got started. We've never had much trouble from the kids in that neighborhood out there. Not till this last month. Seemed to be going crazy.

[Joe Friday]

Well, it's not getting any better. Burglaries, car thefts, wrecking property.

[Max Hollins]

Somebody's gonna come out on the short end if it keeps up. It's got to happen.

[Joe Friday]

Maybe it already has. When they were ripping up that theater lobby tonight, one kid got hurt.

[Max Hollins]

What happened?

[Joe Friday]

It's a 14 year old boy in the mix up. He got shoved through a display case.

[Max Hollins]

Plate glass cut up pretty bad.

[Joe Friday]

His eyes, they're not sure he'll see again. In police work, the standard law of cause and effect works like it does for everything else. When a crime's committed, there's a cause behind it, there's a reason for it. And when a group of normally well behaved kids in an average residential neighborhood start running wild, there's got to be a reason for that, too. A month before, a rash of auto thefts, petty stealing and public disturbances had broken out suddenly in the particular neighborhood. All of the incidents were traced directly to the teenagers in the area. Why the kids had suddenly decided to run wild, we didn't know. But the amount and the nature of the violations kept getting more serious. Juveniles who'd previously been picked up for petty thefts and placed on probation were now committing burglaries. Auto thefts in the area had jumped 20%. Misconduct and drunk charges against the teenagers Girls and boys alike increased by the week. We had a fair idea what the root of all the trouble was. But so far we hadn't been able to trace it. 10:45pm we got to the neighborhood movie theater on West Fremont. We went inside. The lobby was a shambles. Two large mirrors had been shattered, lamps and sofas overturned and broken. The lobby candy counter had been wrecked completely. The glass showcases were caved in. The popcorn machine was smashed. The soft drink cooler turned on its side. The last showing of the feature picture was still going on. We interviewed the theater manager in the lobby, Mr. Clyde Barton.

[Clyde Barton]

They got real foul mouthed. One or two of the girls too. Some of the language I wouldn't even use at a stag party. I got so mad I grabbed two of the noisy ones by the neck and told them to get out. That's when it broke loose.

[Joe Friday]

What exactly happened?

[Clyde Barton]

The whole crowd of them jumped out of their seats and piled on me. I fell back down against the stairs and I started swinging. I'll tell you the truth, Sergeant, I was scared. I didn't know what to make of him. He seemed like a pack of animals, wild. I happened to hit this one kid and I saw him pull out a knife and come at me. Didn't take me too long to get out of there. Kids or not, when a bunch of them like that come after you, you run.

[Max Hollins]

Yes, sir. You called for the police as soon as all this happened?

[Clyde Barton]

You bet I did. Just as soon as I could get out into the lobby and into my office. I locked the door. I could hear him turn the place up outside. Just look at that. Smashed up everything in sight. I have to have something like this happen. Look at this candy stand.

[Max Hollins]

How about some of the kids you recognize in that crowd, Ms. Barton?

[Clyde Barton]

Oh, say, the last show is ready to break. Folks are going to be coming out. You want to step back here into my office? We can talk there. Be out of the way. Here we are. Pull up a chair for yourself, officers.

[Max Hollins]

Yeah. Thank you.

[Clyde Barton]

I just got the feeling there's something radically wrong going on with those kids.

[Joe Friday]

This is the first time you've ever had any trouble of any real size, is that right?

[Clyde Barton]

Yeah. Or once in a while the kids fool around in the show talking loud, you know. But nothing like this ought to see Fred, my usher, the way they messed him up. Brutal. And that little 14 year old they shoved through the glass showcase. Gonna be a real mess if he doesn't pull through.

[Max Hollins]

I was gonna ask you, sir, about the kids in that crowd. You recognize you haven't know any of their names?

[Clyde Barton]

Sure thing. I made a list of them while you were on the way over here. Another half dozen of them. More. That's another thing I can't understand, you know.

[Joe Friday]

What's that, sir?

[Clyde Barton]

When these kids start running wild, no matter what they do, they don't seem to care if they're recognized or not. You'd think if they wanted to raise the devil, they'd go over to some other neighborhood. Someplace where people didn't know him. They just don't seem to care.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, sir, We've had the same report from a couple of other business people in the neighborhood here. Mr. Barton, you probably have a pretty fair opportunity to watch the kids around here from time to time. I mean, running the theater here.

[Clyde Barton]

They sure do. Most of them are in here once a week anyway. Some of the kids I've known since they were in knee pants.

[Joe Friday]

Well, have you any idea at all what's behind all this trouble? I mean, any real indication?

[Clyde Barton]

Maybe I'm just the suspicious kind. But I've got an idea. All right. Here. I'll get that list of names for you at the same time. There they are. Seven names in all. Every one of those kids was in that gang tonight. I can give you a hand tracking down their addresses.

[Max Hollins]

Oh, thank you.

[Clyde Barton]

Something else? Here's what I was talking about.

[Joe Friday]

What's this? Sir?

[Clyde Barton]

In that scramble in the lobby tonight, this little box fell out of one of the kids pockets. One of the ushers picked it up, brought it in to me. Have a look inside.

[Joe Friday]

Man.

[Clyde Barton]

No, I don't know too much about it, Sergeant, but I got a hunch. I don't think I made a mistake. What do you think?

[Joe Friday]

No sir, no mistake. It's marijuana. We finished interviewing the theater manager, Clyde Barton. And then we talked to the usher of Donald Masters who recovered the small box containing the marijuana from the floor of the lobby. He told us he recognized the young fella who dropped the box, but he wasn't sure. He said the boy's name was Harold Everson. One of the names which appeared on the list which theater manager Mr. Barton had given us. Half an hour later Ben and I located the Everson boys. Home was a two story frame colonial style house in a better than average section of the area. The boy's father answered the door, a Harold Everson senior. We told him what we wanted.

[Clyde Barton]

Little late to be making routine calls, don't you think? People have to get their sleep. Why can't you let her wait until morning?

[Max Hollins]

It's Not a routine call, Mr. Everson. Like to see your son if he's home.

[Clyde Barton]

Harry. What do you have to see him about?

[Joe Friday]

Do you have any idea where your boy spent his time tonight, sir?

[Clyde Barton]

He said he was going down to the gym, play a little basketball. And he was going to the library. It's a school night. He had studying to do.

[Joe Friday]

I think maybe you ought to keep a little closer check on your son, sir. That's not the way we get it.

[Clyde Barton]

What are you getting at? I trust my boy. He said he's going to the gym.

[Ben Romero]

And then to the library.

[Clyde Barton]

He's got no reason to lie about it.

[Max Hollins]

They had a minor riot at the neighborhood movie down in West Fremont tonight. Gang of high school kids ran wild and wrecked the place.

[Clyde Barton]

What's that got to do with Harry?

[Max Hollins]

Couple of people recognized him among the gang of kids. They said he did his share of wrecking along with the rest of them.

[Clyde Barton]

Couldn't be.

[Joe Friday]

It's a lie.

[Clyde Barton]

Harry didn't go to the show tonight. He told me when he got home. He even had his books with him. He spent the night at the library.

[Joe Friday]

I'd like to have you take a Look at this, Mr. Everson. This box here. Would you recognize this at all?

[Clyde Barton]

Yeah. Same kind of box my stomach pills come in. Got a little acid condition in my stomach. I take these pills for it. What's all this have to do with Harry?

[Joe Friday]

I'm gonna open the box for you, Mr. Everson.

[Clyde Barton]

I don't get it. What is this stuff?

[Max Hollins]

Someone saw your son drop the box in the lobby of the theater tonight. The box contains marijuana.

[Clyde Barton]

It's stupid. It couldn't be right. I haven't got that kind of a boy. I know it isn't right.

[Joe Friday]

Do you mind if we talk to your son? Maybe he can explain it for us.

[Clyde Barton]

Just a minute. I'll get him down here. All right, sir. Have a chair if you like.

[Joe Friday]

Thank you.

[Max Hollins]

Sure. A nice place, huh, Joe? Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

Beautiful furniture.

[Max Hollins]

There's nothing like period furniture. Never goes out a day. Be just as much in style ten years from now as it is today.

[Joe Friday]

We better be sure and tagged by Georgia Street Hospital on the way back and see how that kid's doing. You know, the one that was hurt at the show.

[Max Hollins]

Oh, yeah.

[Clyde Barton]

This is my boy, Harry. Officer.

[Max Hollins]

Hello, Harry.

[Joe Friday]

How are you, sir?

[Clyde Barton]

Harry just told me. Officers, he doesn't know what this is all about.

[Joe Friday]

He was at the library, like I said.

[Clyde Barton]

Sure. I was there till they closed. Somebody made a mistake. I wasn't at the show tonight.

[Joe Friday]

Harry, do you know Mr. Barton, the man who runs the theater?

[Clyde Barton]

Yeah, I know him.

[Joe Friday]

Lee swears you were there tonight. So does one of the ushers.

[Max Hollins]

Who?

[Joe Friday]

Boy by the name of Donald Masters. He says he knows you pretty well.

[Clyde Barton]

I don't know any Donald Masters.

[Max Hollins]

You go to the same high school together, son. You're in the same class.

[Clyde Barton]

I told you, I don't know any Donald Masters.

[Joe Friday]

What about this, Harry, Huh? This box here. Do you recognize this?

[Clyde Barton]

No.

[Max Hollins]

What's the matter, son?

[Clyde Barton]

What is it, Harry? What's wrong with you? Nothing. I don't know whose it is. It's not mine.

[Joe Friday]

Was lost in the lobby of the theater tonight. Master said he saw you. Drop it.

[Clyde Barton]

He's lying. I hate the kid's guts anyway. He's lying.

[Max Hollins]

But you said you didn't know him.

[Clyde Barton]

Son, what's wrong with you? What are you shaking for? Kind of a story you're trying to tell. I didn't mean it, dad. Kid got this stuff for me. I didn't mean to get it. I didn't mean to. Dad.

[Joe Friday]

It's beginning to look like I'm the.

[Clyde Barton]

Dummy of the family.

[Joe Friday]

Take it easy, Mr. Everson.

[Clyde Barton]

Harry, you're a liar. Kid got this done for me. That is the truth. I didn't buy it. You want him downtown, officer?

[Max Hollins]

Afraid so, Mr. Everson. Like to have you come down with him.

[Clyde Barton]

Get your clothes on. Go back to your room and get your clothes on. Okay, dad. Hard to believe, my son using marijuana. I can't tell you how I feel.

[Max Hollins]

I'm afraid there's gonna be more folks feeling the same way before this is cleaned up.

[Clyde Barton]

Different if Harry didn't have a chance. But good home, good training, boys had the best I could give him.

[Max Hollins]

Yes.

[Clyde Barton]

Wife and I, we never thought we had a worry in the world as far as Harry was concerned.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, sir. Maybe that's why it happened. Before we left the Everson house, we checked the boy's room and came up with another small box full of marijuana which he'd hidden back in his closet. Besides Everson and his son Harry, more than a half a dozen other teenagers who'd had apart in the theater brawl were rounded up and taken downtown along with their fathers for interrogation. By the time we finished our questioning and the teenagers had finished talking, we had most of the story pieced together. A story that had the parents so amazed that half of them thought the youngsters were making it up. The pattern was familiar enough for us to know that they were telling the truth. Almost two months before, word had Gone around among the teenagers in the neighborhood that marijuana, along with various stimulating drugs, was to be had easily and in quantity for anybody who wanted them. Word was passed around that it was the new thing to do, the smart thing to do if you wanted to keep up with the crowd. In questioning the Everson boy, we found that he seemed to know more about the history and operations of the narcotics campaign in the neighborhood than the other boys did.

[Clyde Barton]

I know one of the guys who first showed up with the stuff, named Johnny Demering. He's about my age, 17. I used to know him pretty well.

[Max Hollins]

How do you mean? He was the first to show up with his stuff, Harry. What kind of stuff?

[Clyde Barton]

Marijuana. Some of the other things. You know, yellow jackets, goofballs. More of the kids go for them than they do for marijuana.

[Joe Friday]

Do the youngsters know what these goofballs are made of, son? Do they know what they are?

[Clyde Barton]

It's dope, I guess. Narcotics. The kids get a big kick out of them. I guess that's all they care, miss.

[Joe Friday]

Johnny Demering. Does he sell the stuff around the neighborhood, Harry?

[Clyde Barton]

Yeah, he was the first one. He's got a couple of other kids selling for him now. A couple of them are girls. They sell a lot for him. Johnny makes pretty good money.

[Max Hollins]

Yeah, I guess he does. Where does he get the stuff from? Do you know?

[Clyde Barton]

No, I wouldn't know that. Someplace downtown. Johnny knows a guy. He's never told anybody where he goes to meet the guy. Nobody ever goes with him.

[Joe Friday]

Was Johnny at the show with you tonight?

[Clyde Barton]

No. He doesn't hang around with the kids much anymore. He's getting a little big time, I think. He's got his own car and good looking girlfriend. Downtown says he's going to quit school next month.

[Joe Friday]

Where does Johnny live, son? Can you tell us?

[Clyde Barton]

I don't know the address right off. I can check it in the phone book for you.

[Max Hollins]

How about the kids? Johnny gets to sell the stuff. Can you give us their names?

[Clyde Barton]

Yeah, okay. I think I can remember who they are. You gonna bring Johnny in and talk to him?

[Joe Friday]

That's the idea, yeah.

[Clyde Barton]

I don't know if you're gonna find him right away. He probably heard about the trouble tonight. And Johnny's a pretty smart guy. I don't think you'll find him very easy.

[Joe Friday]

I think we'll find him.

[Clyde Barton]

Nobody knows much about him. He never talks about what he's doing. Never tells anybody anything. Pretty smart guy.

[Joe Friday]

He told you? How smart was that? Complete statements were taken from each of the youngsters. We Brought in for questioning and then in practically all cases they were released into the custody of their parents pending action by the juvenile court. With the information we had at hand, it took us the better part of four days to round up everybody involved in the narcotics distribution system which had been set up among the teenagers in the neighborhood by 17 year old Johnny Demering. As for the Demering boy himself, he couldn't be found. We checked with his family, his relatives, his friends, all his known associates. We got out a warrant for him. Then we checked the car that he owned through dmv. We got out of want for that. No sign of the boy. Narcotics detail gave us a hand and got their informants busy trying to track down the source of the dope for which the Demmering boy had been the only neighborhood distributor. We knew it went far beyond him. It reached to the same vicious men who make their money off the hopeless adult drug addict. The same vicious men who today are trying to build a new market for their wares among the young people of this country. Tuesday, April 29, 2:30pm Again right.

[Max Hollins]

June Bureau. Romero.

[Clyde Barton]

Oh yeah, Brady.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Max Hollins]

Huh? That's right. What's his name? Yeah.

[Clyde Barton]

Yeah. Okay.

[Max Hollins]

Right away. Right. Go ahead. Brady from narcotics. They figured they got our man.

[Joe Friday]

The Deming boy?

[Max Hollins]

No, the guy who pushed his stuff to Demering. His name's Jocko Harris. They found him in the county hospital this morning. Somebody got a hold of him two nights ago and gave him a good working over. If we're lucky, we'll make him.

[Joe Friday]

What do you mean?

[Max Hollins]

He's not supposed to last out the day.

[Joe Friday]

2:35Pm Ben and I left the office and went immediately to the county hospital where we were allowed to briefly interview the narcotics suspect, Jocko Harris. He was in a critical condition with a fracture of the skull. He gave us a statement in the form of a dying declaration. He admitted being the copy contact man for 17 year old Johnny Deming. And he admitted also that he had kept the boy supplied with enough narcotics to keep the neighborhood teenage demand for the stuff fully satisfied.

[Clyde Barton]

Seem like a good kid. Never thought he'd turn.

[Max Hollins]

What do you mean? Jocko? How'd he turn?

[Clyde Barton]

Why do you think I'm here?

[Joe Friday]

You mean he's the one who worked you over?

[Clyde Barton]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

Where is he? Jocko? Do you know?

[Clyde Barton]

No.

[Max Hollins]

Do you know where he's staying? Do you have any idea at all?

[Clyde Barton]

No. Stole all my stuff. Every ounce.

[Joe Friday]

What was it? Heroin?

[Clyde Barton]

Yeah. Listen.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Clyde Barton]

Get him fast. He's got enough junk to start a war.

[Ben Romero]

You're In a cruiser car of a metropolitan police department, you receive a routine radio call.

[Elise Dressler]

All units. Attention all units. Pick up and hold for investigation the following vehicle. 1948 Ford two door sedan. Black, white, sidewall tires.

[Ben Romero]

There are many cars that fit this description. You listen for more facts.

[Elise Dressler]

This car will have extensive damage to right front end. License number 9 Robert 9707 in the seven columns. 9 Robert 9707 KMA 367.

[Ben Romero]

Now you can pin it down to one. It's the same with cigarettes. There are many king size brands to choose from. But when you know all the facts, you'll make your choice. Fatima. Here are those facts. Fatimas are the same in length and circumference as any other king size cigarette. 85 millimeters long, 1 and 164 inches around. And Fatima filters the smoke exactly the same long distance. But in Fatima the difference is quality. Fatima gives you extra mildness, a much different, much better flavor and aroma. You get all the advantages of extra length plus Fatima quality which no other king size cigarette has. Fatima best of all king size cigarettes. Definitely the best quality in its class. But the same price as the cigarette you're now smoking. Next time by Fatima.

[Joe Friday]

Wednesday, April 30, 9am the hunt for 17 year old Johnny Demering was intensified to our knowledge because of the information we'd gained from narcotics peddler Jocko Harris. The teenage youngster had a large store of high grade heroin which we knew because of his inexperience, he was unaccustomed to dealing with. In his hands, the narcotics immediately became a lethal weapon. We knew that Johnny Demering had only one market to deal in. Only one type of customer. He was acquainted with the teenager in previous transactions. We knew that the youngsters received only a low grade type of narcotic, highly diluted. We knew that if Deming succeeded in dispensing the highly concentrated stone that he had on hand and the juvenile customers he served tried it on themselves, it would very likely result in death. 3pm Wednesday. Despite all our efforts, Johnny Demering and the store of high grade narcotics which he'd hijacked from Jocko Harris were still missing. Wednesday, 12 noon. We began rechecking every one of the possible sources that might lead us to the suspect. One of them was the boy's mother, Mrs. Frances Deming. We talked to her at work. She was employed as a molegraph operator in the mailing department of a large downtown department store.

[Elise Dressler]

Not since the last time you talked to me, Sergeant. I haven't heard a word from my boy? Nothing at all.

[Max Hollins]

Have you heard anything? Well, yes, ma'am, in a way. We've got an idea he's still somewhere in the city. That's why we figured we'd come back and talk to you again.

[Joe Friday]

Have you been in touch with your relatives in town recently, Ms. Demling? I mean, those that Johnny might possibly contact?

[Elise Dressler]

Yes. There's just my sister and my mother.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am.

[Elise Dressler]

I guess it just wasn't to be right from start. Johnny's father ran away, you know. Tried my best after that. Never seemed to be enough. Suppose there's no getting away from it. A boy needs a father. Try all you want. They still need a father, some kind of discipline.

[Joe Friday]

How about the relatives you have out of town, Ms. Demry? Any word from them at all about Johnny?

[Elise Dressler]

No, Sergeant, nothing. Would you excuse me, please? This run here is finished. I have to get it off the machine.

[Clyde Barton]

Sure.

[Joe Friday]

Then go right ahead.

[Elise Dressler]

Yes, terrible thing, Johnny getting mixed up in all this. Seems no matter how you try, it's never enough. Never enough.

[Max Hollins]

Do you have any idea at all where Johnny would most likely go in town if he didn't want to be seen, Mrs. Demeron?

[Elise Dressler]

Where he'd go? No, I wouldn't know that, Sergeant. First place, Johnny's never really been in trouble before.

[Joe Friday]

How about Johnny's school friends, ma'am? Would there be any one of them he might possibly contact in the jam?

[Elise Dressler]

None that I haven't told you about before, I don't think. Evelyn. She's the only one I suppose Johnny'd go to if he needed help, if he was in trouble.

[Joe Friday]

That's his girlfriend at the high school, isn't it? Evelyn Maxwell?

[Elise Dressler]

Yes, that's right. Sweet girl.

[Max Hollins]

How about a girlfriend Johnny was supposed to have down there somewhere? Mrs. Jamming? Would you know anything about her?

[Elise Dressler]

Nothing, really. No. Name was Betty, I think.

[Max Hollins]

You have no idea where she lived downtown?

[Elise Dressler]

No, I don't, Sergeant.

[Max Hollins]

Well, all right, ma'am. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. If you'd notify us if you hear anything about your son at all.

[Elise Dressler]

All right, Sergeant. Thank you. Tomorrow's Johnny's birthday, you know. I meant to tell you. Always expect Johnny home on his birthday. Seems no matter where he is, how he's tied up with his school or sports or something. Johnny always makes it home for his birthday. I wonder how it'll be tomorrow. He's never missed once, not once.

[Joe Friday]

Well, if he shows up, I guess you can count on one thing, ma'am.

[Elise Dressler]

What's that?

[Joe Friday]

He's gonna have to miss next year. 2:00pm Ben and I picked up a glass of milk and a hot dog for lunch. And then we continued making a check of Johnny Deming's closest friends. Next in line after his mother was Deming's high school girlfriend, Evelyn Maxford. We located her at her home. A tall, attractive brunette, nicely dressed and well mannered, she seemed unusually nervous as we interviewed her.

[Elise Dressler]

I haven't heard a word, Sergeant. I know tomorrow's his birthday. Mother's expecting him home. I know he won't come, though. Sure of that?

[Joe Friday]

How are you sure, Miss?

[Elise Dressler]

Well, I just know, that's all.

[Joe Friday]

I'd like to ask you again.

[Elise Dressler]

Yes?

[Joe Friday]

Are you sure you haven't heard from Johnny Deming recently? In the past two days or so? No.

[Elise Dressler]

That's what I told you. Don't you believe me?

[Max Hollins]

Do you know why we're so anxious to locate Johnny, Ms. Mattress?

[Elise Dressler]

Well, I think so. It's about the narcotics business. You say Johnny had a hand in it. He was selling those things to the kids. I still don't believe it myself.

[Max Hollins]

It's a lot more than that, the way it stands now.

[Elise Dressler]

What do you mean?

[Joe Friday]

Well, when he was at school, Johnny was kept supplied with narcotics by a man named Jocko Harris. He's what we call a pusher. Kind of an in between supply man and the narcotics trade. Well, two nights ago, Johnny caught up with this Harris. He beat him up badly enough to send him to the hospital with a fractured skull. And then Johnny stole every bit of narcotics that Harris had in his room. Some of the strongest stuff you can buy on the market. That's why we want Johnny.

[Elise Dressler]

Ms. Maxman, I don't think I understand. What does it mean?

[Max Hollins]

It means that most of the teenage kids Johnny's been supplying stuff to have been getting fairly weak grades in narcotics. If he gets some of this stuff to them and the kids start taking it, it might prove too strong for them. If they take too much of it, it could kill them outright. Now you see what we're up against. We've got to find that boy. We gotta find him soon.

[Elise Dressler]

Couldn't you talk to his mother? Maybe she could tell you something.

[Joe Friday]

Well, we already have, Miss. She couldn't tell us anything. That's why we halfway depended on you.

[Elise Dressler]

Why do they have to put it in my lap? Why does it have to be me? I like Johnny for a while. I don't know what to think now.

[Joe Friday]

I'll have you heard from him. Ms. Maxford. Now there's no reason to be afraid. You'd probably feel a lot worse if something happened to one of the high school kids, wouldn't you, Ms. Maxwell?

[Elise Dressler]

I got a call from him yesterday. Johnny wouldn't tell me where he was. I asked him, but he wouldn't tell me.

[Max Hollins]

What else did he say?

[Elise Dressler]

He knows everybody's looking for him. Doesn't know about the stuff that he stole. Oh, I'm sure that he doesn't know what it could do.

[Joe Friday]

Did he make any dates with you? Did he want to see you?

[Elise Dressler]

Yes, he wants to see me. He wants me to meet him tonight.

[Max Hollins]

Where?

[Elise Dressler]

Excuse me.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, go ahead.

[Clyde Barton]

Hello? Yes.

[Elise Dressler]

I don't know. I don't really. What? 7:00 all right. Yes. Yes, I'll meet you then. All right.

[Clyde Barton]

Goodbye.

[Elise Dressler]

That was Johnny just then. He wanted to make sure I was gonna meet him tonight.

[Max Hollins]

When?

[Elise Dressler]

7:00 tonight, right near Westlake Park.

[Joe Friday]

Which side, miss?

[Elise Dressler]

The west side. Sergeant, I hope to God it's not true.

[Joe Friday]

What's that?

[Elise Dressler]

The narcotics he stole from that man. You said they were powerful.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, we did.

[Elise Dressler]

Johnny's been taking them for two days.

[Joe Friday]

6.45P. Together with two other men from Juvenile Bureau, Hurst and Ty. We drove near the appointed spot along the lake in Westlake park where Evelyn Maxford's meeting with the teenage suspect, Johnny Demering, was to take place. We staked out at a reasonable distance and Ms. Maxford went ahead to the meeting spot. As far as we could see, there was no sign of Demering. Somebody on the opposite side of the lake was playing a phonograph. The music came over faintly across the water. We watched the Maxford girl cross the long stretch of grass down to the lake. She approached the shore. We saw her stop and looked down. Sure.

[Max Hollins]

Let's go.

[Joe Friday]

Come on.

[Clyde Barton]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

We ran all the way, as fast as we could get there. When we got close enough, we found out the reason for the scream. He was lying face up on the ground near the edge of a small clump of trees close to the water. He was a good looking boy. Dark hair, good build. Took only one look and you knew right away he was too young to be dead. You could argue for a week, but you wouldn't change it. He was dead. The girl stood over him, her face in her hands, crying.

[Max Hollins]

No marks on the body, Joe. None at all.

[Joe Friday]

That must be it, huh? An overdose.

[Max Hollins]

It's the way it looks to me. We better get her out of here, hadn't we?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. Ms. Maxford. Come on. Ms. Maxford.

[Elise Dressler]

Yes, Sergeant. It's all right. It's all right.

[Joe Friday]

Now we'll have one of the other men drive you home. We can take care of whatever has to be done.

[Elise Dressler]

Here is a good boy, Sergeant. He was smart. How did he ever get started in such a thing? Did he ever make such a mistake?

[Joe Friday]

Well, he's got the best excuse in the world, miss. Yes, he was 17.

[Ben Romero]

The story you have just heard was true. The names were changed to protect the innocent. On May 2, a coroner's inquest was held at the county morgue hall of Justice, City and county of Los Angeles, State of California. In a moment, the results of that in request. And now here is our star, Jack Webb.

[Joe Friday]

Thank you, friends. It makes us very happy to know that so many of you have switched to king size Fatimas. This actual sales report I have here shows that in state after state more people are smoking Fatimas every day. In the first state Fatima sales are up 97%. The next state sales up 114%. Still another state 117%. And still another 69%. Well, those are just a few. Now in my opinion that can mean only one thing. That thousands and thousands of smokers coast to coast agree with what we've been saying. Fatima is the best of all king size cigarettes. If you haven't smoked them yet, remember this. Fatima's cost no more than the cigarettes you've been smoking. Fatima gives you all the advantages of extra length plus Fatima quality which no other king size cigarette has. So tomorrow buy Fatima.

[Ben Romero]

At the inquest, the coroner's jury ruled that 17 year old John Andrew Demmering had administered himself an overdose of narcotics and thus had taken his own life. All others involved in the juvenile narcotics ring. A total of eight persons were tried and convicted under the State Narcotics Act. They received sentences as prescribed by law and are now serving their terms in the state penitentiary. 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. Best of all, king size cigarettes has brought you Dragnet. Transcribed from Los Angeles.

[Clyde Barton]

Stay tuned for counterspy next on NBC.

[Joe Friday]

You are no dummy, but you're kind of acting like one. You used to crush it in school, outsmarting opponents on the field. And now. Well, you're still smart, but not exactly challenging yourself. You could be advancing nuclear engineering in the world's most powerful Navy. You were born for it. So make the smart choice. You can be smart or you can be nuke smart. Become a nuclear [e-mail] nukesmart America's Navy forged by the sea.

[Ben Romero]

Saving for your next milestone. Turn your everyday errands into cash back opportunities. Thanks to the blue Cash Every Day.

[Joe Friday]

Card, we can earn 3% cash back in the US on essentials like groceries.

[Ben Romero]

At supermarkets, online retail purchases and gas stations. That's how we started growing our family's little nest egg. Take the next step with Blue Cash Every Day from Amex. Learn [e-mail] Explore BCE terms and cash back cap apply. The story you are about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a homicide detail. A 64 year old shopkeeper is found murdered, beaten to death in the back room of his store. The body bears the marks of a savage attack. There's no trace of the killer. Your job. Get him. Drag Myth 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.

[Joe Friday]

Was Wednesday, February 19th. It was cloudy in Los Angeles. We were working the night. Watch out. A homicide detail. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Thad Brown, Chief of Detectives. My name's Friday. We were on the way out from the office and it was 10:56pm when we got to 1016 South 12th Street. The Apex Men's shop. Yes, sir.

[Max Hollins]

Friday in Romero Central Homicide. ID card?

[Clyde Barton]

Oh yeah, Sergeant. Been waiting for you. My partner's upstairs in the back talking to the victim's wife.

[Joe Friday]

You answered the call, did you?

[Clyde Barton]

Yeah, that's right. Miles and Keever, unit 16R.

[Joe Friday]

Who are you?

[Clyde Barton]

Miles Keever's talking to Mrs. Wilford. Victim's wife. She found the body.

[Max Hollins]

What's that up above? How's that music up there somewhere? Sounds like a party.

[Clyde Barton]

Oh yeah? Well, that's a dance place. Takes a hole up the floor of the building. Wonderland Dance Hall. I think that's it.

[Joe Friday]

When was the body found, Myles? Do you know?

[Clyde Barton]

Well, the wife wasn't very definite about it. She told us she came in the shop here about 10 o'clock tonight. Place was wide open, nobody behind the counter. Said she looked around a while. Finally found her husband's body in the storeroom back there. Nothing for a weak stomach.

[Max Hollins]

It's pretty brutal. What else do you have to say?

[Clyde Barton]

Well, not too much. She's pretty close mouthed. Probably the shock of finding her husband like that. I Don't know.

[Joe Friday]

Do you want to show us where he is, Miles?

[Clyde Barton]

Yeah. It's straight back this way. The victim's name is Joseph Wilford. Owner of the store ran it himself. Wife says he's had the business here for 23 years. The typical men's shop. You can see that. That's around the left in here.

[Joe Friday]

Okay, go ahead.

[Clyde Barton]

He used this for his storeroom, I guess.

[Max Hollins]

Uh huh.

[Clyde Barton]

Well, that's it. Far as we know, the body hasn't been touched. Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

Sure took a terrible beating. An elderly man, huh?

[Clyde Barton]

My wife said he was 64 last birthday. She couldn't think of any enemies he has. Anybody want to do this?

[Max Hollins]

Where'd he keep his cash? Did she tell you that?

[Clyde Barton]

No. Cash register, I guess. Can't be sure Leighton Prince gets here.

[Joe Friday]

Do you call the crime lab yet?

[Clyde Barton]

I'm waiting for you, fellas.

[Joe Friday]

You want to call him now? Would you mind?

[Clyde Barton]

Oh, sure, sir.

[Joe Friday]

Say, you might as well call the coroner while you're at it. Tell him there's no big rush.

[Clyde Barton]

Yeah, right.

[Max Hollins]

Take a look around here, Jill. Looks like a tornado ripped through.

[Clyde Barton]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

Chair overturned. Flows all over the floor.

[Clyde Barton]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

Come here, Ben. Look at the body.

[Max Hollins]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

His arms tied behind his back.

[Max Hollins]

Ordinary clothesline rope. What's that cloth knotted around his neck?

[Joe Friday]

I don't know. Looks like it could be a woman's slip, doesn't it?

[Max Hollins]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

Whoever it was, they weren't taking any chances he'd lived through it. The wounds on the head here and the neck. See?

[Max Hollins]

Yeah. Looks like he was stamped on by boots, Something like that. Maybe a narrow heel. Sure. Brutal.

[Joe Friday]

Doesn't look too much like a robbery motive. Not from the beating he took, anyway.

[Max Hollins]

Looks like he might have had a taste for art. All over the wall here. Pin up, girls. Fancy calendar.

[Clyde Barton]

I got the crime lab sergeant on the way out.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, thanks, Miles.

[Clyde Barton]

Notified deputy coroner. Anything else I can do for you?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, Would you mind getting the wife down here, Ms. Wilford? Like to talk to her?

[Ben Romero]

Sure.

[Clyde Barton]

Right away.

[Max Hollins]

Thank you. How's she feeling? Any hysterics?

[Clyde Barton]

No, she's pretty quiet. She went upstairs to rest. A couple of housekeeping rooms up there. Guess that's where she and her husband live.

[Joe Friday]

Well, tell her she doesn't feel too well. We. We could come up there and talk to her.

[Clyde Barton]

Right.

[Joe Friday]

Sorry.

[Max Hollins]

What do you think? I don't know.

[Joe Friday]

We'll see what the crime lab can come up with. We can start checking around the neighborhood after we talk to the wife, huh?

[Max Hollins]

Mm. Take a look here. What's that there's that's funny. Not much place in the haberdashery for things like this. Look.

[Joe Friday]

Woman's nightgown. Black lace.

[Max Hollins]

Huh? Packed in a gift box. Is that a card there? Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

See if we can read it without touching. It says, to a beautiful girl, you've been away too long, hoping we'll never be parted again. Signed, Joseph Wilford.

[Max Hollins]

Seems a little funny, huh?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, it does.

[Max Hollins]

Maybe his wife's been on a trip. He's gonna give it to her as a present.

[Joe Friday]

When's the last time you gave your wife a Black lace nightgown? 11:05pm the two officers who'd answered the call, Miles and Keever, brought the victim's wife, Mrs. Agnes. Wilfred, downstairs, and Ben and I questioned her. She was a small, slight woman. Dark hair, dark brown eyes, a sharp nose and chin. She looked to be in her early 50s. She said that both she and her husband had emigrated to America from northern Germany 25 years before. We asked her how her married life with Mr. Wilford had been, but she kept dodging the question. We asked her how she happened to find the body.

[Max Hollins]

The body's just as you found it, Mrs. Wilford. You didn't disturb anything?

[Elise Dressler]

No, I just came back from a friend's and looked and I saw him and he was dead. Somebody killed Joseph.

[Joe Friday]

You're pretty sure that your husband wasn't having any trouble with anybody? No enemies?

[Elise Dressler]

No, he didn't have any enemies not to do this.

[Max Hollins]

Yes, ma'am. You lived upstairs in the back of the store with Mr. Wilford, is that right, ma'am?

[Elise Dressler]

For a long time, yes. We lived upstairs in the rooms. It was nice. Saved money for rent.

[Joe Friday]

Do you have any idea at all why your husband's dead? Why somebody'd want to kill him?

[Elise Dressler]

There was money in the store. They'd kill for that. You're policemen. People kill for money. You know that.

[Joe Friday]

Well, do you know where Mr. Wilford kept his money, ma'am?

[Elise Dressler]

There was a wooden drawer and the table in the back room. He would keep the money there. But I looked when I came in first. It was empty.

[Joe Friday]

Was there any money in that drawer tonight, do you know that?

[Elise Dressler]

Oh, yes. Three, $400. Anyway, Joseph always kept it in there. Terrible place. Up above. The music, all the time, the noise. You should make them be quiet. The dance halls have been up there for a year. Tonight, anyway, they should be quiet.

[Max Hollins]

Yes, ma'am. About the money Mr. Wilford had in the store.

[Elise Dressler]

Maybe $1,000, 7, 800. Maybe that. Anyway. And then his wristwatch he had on. That's gone, too.

[Max Hollins]

Can you give us a description of the watch, Mrs. Wilford? What make? It was what it looked like.

[Elise Dressler]

Yes, I can give that to you. It's white gold. Expensive writing on the back. Agnes. Joseph on birthday. I gave it to him.

[Joe Friday]

Have you been away from your husband recently, ma'am? I mean, on a trip or anything like that?

[Elise Dressler]

No, I haven't been away. Why?

[Joe Friday]

Well, we don't mean to upset you at a time like this, but would you know if your husband had any women friends?

[Elise Dressler]

Ms. Wilford, if you have a cigarette, I'd like one.

[Max Hollins]

Oh, yes, Ma. Here you are.

[Elise Dressler]

Thank you very much.

[Joe Friday]

Thank you for your light, miss.

[Elise Dressler]

Thank you.

[Max Hollins]

Hmm.

[Elise Dressler]

Do we have to talk about it?

[Max Hollins]

I'm afraid so, ma'am.

[Elise Dressler]

Most of them I know. For 10 years it's been like this. There were many of them. Young women. Joseph didn't try to hide it from me. I knew all about it.

[Joe Friday]

You continued to live with your husband all this time, ma'am?

[Elise Dressler]

I did. He'd bring the girls to the shop here. Sometimes when they'd come, I'd go away for a while. After they were gone, I'd come back. Joseph and I would never talk about it.

[Joe Friday]

You mean you never had any arguments with your husband about the women?

[Elise Dressler]

No, he never lied to me about the girls. He had them, that's all. It was something he expected me to understand.

[Max Hollins]

I see. You say you knew several of these women your husband went out with. Could you give us their names, please?

[Clyde Barton]

Yes.

[Elise Dressler]

There's an address book upstairs in Joseph's desk. The names are in there.

[Joe Friday]

I see. Would you mind showing us that address book now, please?

[Elise Dressler]

Yes. We can go upstairs. I'll get it for you.

[Max Hollins]

There's one question I'd like to ask you, Mrs. Wilford, if you don't mind.

[Elise Dressler]

Yes?

[Max Hollins]

About your husband, ma'am.

[Elise Dressler]

I don't know. Hurt very much at first, and then by and by, didn't hurt so much. Time, I guess. Habit.

[Max Hollins]

Beg your pardon?

[Elise Dressler]

A habit. If you want to, you can get used to anything. Yes, ma'am. Even a man who doesn't love you anymore.

[Joe Friday]

We went upstairs to the housekeeping rooms where Mrs. Wilford gave us her husband's personal address book. She also gave us a description of his wristwatch which had been removed from the body, along with the name of the jeweler who'd sold her the watch. It was a Hamilton with a diamond studded dial. The crime lab crew arrived downstairs and began their routine investigation. We finished questioning the victim's Wife. And then we started checking the neighborhood. Only a few of the stores in the area were still open. We found only one possible witness, a newsboy who told us that he'd seen an attractive dark haired woman enter the store earlier in the night at about 8:30pm his description of her was only sketchy. Another hour of checking the neighborhood and we went back to the store. Lt. Lee Jones and the crime lab crew finished checking over the entire layout. They went back downtown to give a thorough examination to what physical evidence that they'd found. The deputy coroner arrived and removed the body together with Hubka and Forbes from Homicide. Ben and I spent most of the next day checking with store owners in the immediate neighborhood of Wilford's Haberdashery. They could tell us nothing we hadn't already found out. We got the description and serial numbers of the victim's missing wristwatch, notified the pawn shop detail and got out a broadcast on it. 3:45pm we checked with the office.

[Max Hollins]

We got a. Slow enough start on this thing, huh? Everybody tells us the same story.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, seems to be pretty common knowledge he had a lot of girlfriends. Guess we better start checking out the names in that address book, huh?

[Max Hollins]

Yeah, sure beats all, doesn't it, Joe?

[Joe Friday]

What's that?

[Max Hollins]

Mrs. Welt. For 10 years her husband's dating other women. Right in front. Tisn't normal. Can't see why she didn't just pack up and leave.

[Joe Friday]

It's kinda hard to figure at that. Maybe she was still in love with him. I wonder how Forbes and Hubka made out.

[Max Hollins]

I'll check the book, see if we got a call. No.

[Joe Friday]

No word from him, huh?

[Max Hollins]

No. Lee Jones called from the crime lab. Wants us to check with him. I'll call him.

[Joe Friday]

Okay, fine.

[Max Hollins]

2667, please. That's right.

[Joe Friday]

Guess we better check with the morgue too, huh? See if they got the body postage yet.

[Max Hollins]

Yeah. Hi. Lee Romero. What was it? Did you get the name? I see. All right, bye.

[Joe Friday]

What do you have, Lee?

[Max Hollins]

Talked to the coroner already? Wilfred died about 9:00. Cause of death was strangulation.

[Joe Friday]

How about those wounds on the head and on the neck?

[Max Hollins]

That didn't do it. The cloth tied around his neck was a woman's slip. All right.

[Joe Friday]

Well, did he pick up anything off it? Any laundry marks?

[Max Hollins]

He did better than that.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Max Hollins]

You got the name of the laundry?

[Joe Friday]

After checking for all stains and markings on the woman's slip which had been found knotted around the murder victim's neck. Lee Jones had examined it under a special fluorescent Light. He found a type of marking used by only one large laundry service in the city. We checked with the managers of the laundry company and found that the slip had been cleaned by them for a Ms. Elise Dressler. She had a North Hudson street address. We started checking on her. The first lead came from the dead man's personal address. We found the name of Elise Dressler listed along with her address and telephone number. There was a single word scribbled beside her name and enclosed with parenthesis it said Max. That was all. 5:42pm we drove out to the address, a Spanish style apartment house on North Hudson. We rang but there was no answer. The apartment manager told us Ms. Dressler worked as a dancer at a nightclub on West 7th Street. Ben and I drove to the club, a high priced theater restaurant which was newly opened. We were told Elise Dressler wasn't due there until 9pm we had a couple of ham and cheese sandwiches and some coffee at a lunch counter and we checked back at the club. A few minutes past nine. The show was already started. We located the Dressler girl in her room backstage. She was a tall, fairly attractive blonde. We started questioning her.

[Max Hollins]

Can you tell us where you were last night, Miss?

[Elise Dressler]

Yeah, all right. Here. I work every night, but Monday we close in.

[Joe Friday]

What time did you get here last night?

[Elise Dressler]

Just about 8:00. I had something to eat and then I changed to my costume and went to work.

[Max Hollins]

Do you know if Mr. Wilfred had any enemies?

[Elise Dressler]

No.

[Max Hollins]

Maybe somebody he was having trouble with?

[Elise Dressler]

No. Maybe that wife of his? That's none of my business. I wouldn't know.

[Joe Friday]

You can't think of anybody at all who might want him out of the way?

[Elise Dressler]

No, I don't think so. He and Max Hollins had some arguments, but that's the only time I saw Joe mad at anybody.

[Joe Friday]

Who's this Max Hollins?

[Elise Dressler]

He's the man who arranged for me to come out from New York. Joe and Max been friends for a long time.

[Max Hollins]

What were the arguments about? Ms. Dressler, do you remember?

[Elise Dressler]

Yeah, about me. You see, Max brought me out here and I suppose at first he thought he owned me. He didn't think I should go out with any other men but him. Max is stubborn sometimes. Well, so am I. I like Wilfred, so I went out with him. I went out with Max too.

[Joe Friday]

Now these arguments they had about you. Would you say that they were pretty mad at each other? Max and this Mr. Wilfred?

[Elise Dressler]

Only last week Max was very angry with Joe, but I think he got over it. Could we talk together later? It's almost time for me to go on. I better get outside.

[Max Hollins]

Oh, sure.

[Joe Friday]

Excuse me.

[Max Hollins]

I'll get it.

[Joe Friday]

We'll wait backstage here for you, Ms. Dressler. Is that all right?

[Elise Dressler]

Yeah, fine. Oh, that's all right. I still have a few minutes.

[Joe Friday]

Well, how about the last time you were in Wilford's store, Ms. Dressler? Can you remember that?

[Elise Dressler]

Not exactly. At least six months ago. I hardly ever went to see Joe there.

[Max Hollins]

Did you ever have any occasion to leave any clothing with Wilfred in his store? Maybe for a cleaning alteration?

[Elise Dressler]

No, I never left them. Maybe it's possible they could be there.

[Joe Friday]

How do you mean?

[Elise Dressler]

Well, I have some nice slips, you know. First I sent them out, but Jo sending you a very nice French lock. He'd come to my place, pick them up and then take them to the laundry. Maybe he could have left them in his shop one day.

[Joe Friday]

Well, would anybody besides yourself have access to the clothes in your apartment? Maybe a roommate?

[Elise Dressler]

No, I live by myself. I have the only key to the door. Except Max Hollins. He's got one. He lives in my apartment house, the upstairs floor. Nobody else has a key.

[Max Hollins]

Did you send any clothing to the French laundry with Mr. Wilford recently?

[Elise Dressler]

Yesterday I did. Two nice slips of mine. But Joe Wilford didn't call for him. I said, I'm over with Max.

[Joe Friday]

How'd that happen?

[Elise Dressler]

Max said he might as well take him. He was going down to that neighborhood by the haberdashery. I wanted to see Wilfred anyway. Max said he wanted to fix up their argument.

[Joe Friday]

We continued questioning the Dressler girl after she finished her first act at the theater restaurant. She told us that she hadn't seen Max Hollins since early the day before. She was taken downtown, where she gave us a full statement. Further questioning got us the information that the argument between the two men, Joseph Wilfred and Max Hollins over the affections of Elise Dressler was far from settled. At their last meeting, the girl admitted that it was a serious argument and that it ended up in a fistfight between the two men. She said Max Hollins was out of town for the night, but that he'd return early the next evening for work. He was employed as manager of a room service department at a large downtown hotel. 11:30pm Ben and I drove back to the apartment house on North Hudson. And together with a building manager, we checked Max Holland's apartment. We found nothing. The manager told us Holland's car was parked in the apartment garage. So we went down and gave it a routine check. Under the front seat. We Found a paper bag with a pair of gloves in it. There were blood stains on both gloves. We dropped him off at the crime lab for examination. At 6 o'clock the following night, Ben and I went to the room service department of the Downtown Hotel where Hollins was employed.

[Clyde Barton]

Sorry, sir. Mr. Hollins is late this evening. He should be here pretty soon.

[Max Hollins]

He notify you he'd be in late?

[Joe Friday]

Well.

[Clyde Barton]

Well, he called?

[Ben Romero]

Yes.

[Clyde Barton]

Probably be here in 10 or 15 minutes. I'm his assistant.

[Joe Friday]

Can I help you?

[Max Hollins]

No, it's all right. We'll wait.

[Joe Friday]

All right. Pardon me. I wonder if we could look at your wristwatch, please.

[Clyde Barton]

Surely it's just a few minutes past.

[Joe Friday]

No, we just wanted to look at.

[Max Hollins]

The watch, if we could.

[Clyde Barton]

Oh, sure.

[Joe Friday]

Here. Could you take it off? I'd like to look at the back of it, if it's all right. Sure, that's all right.

[Clyde Barton]

Here.

[Joe Friday]

Nice looking, isn't it?

[Clyde Barton]

Just got it yesterday.

[Joe Friday]

That's so.

[Max Hollins]

Same engraving. Agnes to Joseph.

[Joe Friday]

Where'd you get this watch, sir? Why?

[Clyde Barton]

What's the matter?

[Joe Friday]

Where'd you get it?

[Clyde Barton]

Max Hollins. He sold it to me.

[Joe Friday]

February 21st. Friday, 6:30pm we called the office and notified them that we'd located the wristwatch taken from the body of the murder victim, Joseph Wilfred. A stakeout was placed on the North Hudson street apartment house. Ben and I stayed on at the hotel waiting the return of the murder suspect, Max Hollins. We talked to his assistant and found out that Hollins had a room in the hotel where he could sleep whenever he was called. On to work late at night, 6:55pm we called the office back and asked for a couple of men to be sent over to check the suspect's room. A few minutes later, Hollins himself showed up for work. Apparently he'd been doing some drinking. Ben and I questioned him at his desk to stall for time until the men from the office could get to the hotel and make a thorough check of the suspect's room. Hollins was kept busy on the phone, taking room service orders from the hotel guests. In between calls, we talked to him.

[Clyde Barton]

I left Elise in the apartment and then I took the few pieces of laundry she had and dropped them off at Wilford's store. It was about 6:00 Wednesday night.

[Max Hollins]

You mentioned to the Dressler girl you wanted to see Mr. Wilford. You wanted to patch up an argument you'd had with him.

[Clyde Barton]

Yes. I just wanted to make sure he didn't have any bad feelings about it. Really wasn't much of an argument.

[Joe Friday]

How long did you stay at Wilford's store, Mr. Hollins? Do you remember that?

[Clyde Barton]

20 minutes, maybe a half hour. We talked and we had a glass of wine. In the back room? No, it was upstairs. We drank the wine and everything was all right. I guess it was about half past six when I left the store. It was all right then.

[Joe Friday]

Well, did anybody come in the store while you were there?

[Clyde Barton]

No, it was nobody.

[Max Hollins]

How about Mrs. Wilford? Was she in the store at all during the time you were there on Wednesday?

[Clyde Barton]

No. He said she was gone for the day. She'd be back later on. We finished our talk, then I left. It was the last time I saw Joseph. It was a terrible thing. Somebody to kill him. Excuse me again, please.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, sir. Go ahead.

[Clyde Barton]

Room service. May I help you, please? Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Well, could I suggest the Palace? Caught salad. Very nice. Yes. Half the artichokes filled with fresh crab meat. A thousand island dressing garnished with slices of avocado. All right, two orders. Some consomme. All right. French rolls, coffee and brandy. 8:13. Yes, sir. Right away. Fred, this order for 813. Yes, Mr. Hollins. That's Mr. And Mrs. Morrow. 8:13. Make it quickly, please.

[Max Hollins]

Yes.

[Clyde Barton]

One of the best men I have, Fred. We keep a very high standard in our room service. Only the very best. They're all Geneva men.

[Max Hollins]

Yes, sir. Something else we'd like to find out.

[Clyde Barton]

21 years ago, I came here to the hotel. There's nothing. They were serving garbage. Bad service? Very bad. I built our staff one by one. I did it. There's our staff list. There. Finest waiters in the country. Henry Sanchez, Fred LaSalle, Conrad Lutz, Joe Zwick.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, sir.

[Clyde Barton]

And Elmer Creighton. He waited on the President when he came to visit here from Washington. The president thought so much of our service, he wrote a letter to Elmer later on. No argument at all. I have the best spin in the country. The best food. 21 years to make it like it is. I did it all myself.

[Joe Friday]

I understand you and Wilfred were old friends, Mr. Hollins. You knew him quite a number of.

[Max Hollins]

Years, is that right?

[Clyde Barton]

Most of his life. Yes. I knew Joseph in the old country. We came from the same town. Terrible thing that's happened. I always liked Joseph. A good friend.

[Max Hollins]

What about these arguments you had with him lately? About the girl, Elise Dressler?

[Clyde Barton]

No, but it showed something typical of Joseph. Maybe it was the business he was in. Dollars. It's all he thought about. The big dollar. He knew he had more money than I did. He thought he could do anything with it.

[Joe Friday]

How do you mean?

[Clyde Barton]

About the girl, Elise. I took a visit to the old country three years ago. Strasbourg. That's where I learned my trade from the best maitre d's in Europe. I met Elise on my way back. In New York, you can check up on all my background. I worked at the Grand Hotel in Brussels. That's when it was the best. I was at the Carlton in London. Then I went to Venice, the Hotel Danieli. After, I went to the Hotel Majestic in Cannes.

[Max Hollins]

Yes, sir. What would that have to do with Ms. Bressner?

[Clyde Barton]

Very nice girl. We liked each other. When I came back here, I arranged for her to come out from New York. Took care of everything. I thought I'd like to marry her when she came here.

[Joe Friday]

How about it, Hollins? You want to tell us now, sir? Did you kill Wilfred?

[Clyde Barton]

Excuse me, please. Room service. May I help you, please? Yes, Mr. Sutter. Dinner for 12 tomorrow night in your suite. Your wife and I made up the menu. Certainly, Mr. Sutter. I'll check it over for you. Let's see. We serve caviar with Pliny to start with. Then the soup consummate martelaine. And with the soup, among teat. Otto. Yes. So that's Spanish. Then crab legs. St. Denis, sir. St. Denis, that's crab legs rolled in bread crumbs, fried in butter, served in a terrapin dish with bechamel sauce. After that, the Chateaubriand with truffle sauce, souffle potatoes, small green peas, ranc. And with that we serve Ponteconet 27. Dessert, we shall have peach flambe, coffee and liqueurs afterward. Yes, sir. Henry Sanchez and convert Lutz. They'll serve you. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Sutter. Good night, sir. Real gentleman, Mr. Sutter. He knows how to give a dinner party. The old school. Not so many of them left now. It's not like it used to be. People aren't the same anymore. Oh, yes, Fred, what is it? A message for the officers.

[Joe Friday]

Here, Sergeant. Oh, thank you. Excuse us a minute.

[Max Hollins]

Oh, of course. What is it?

[Joe Friday]

It's from Forbes. I checked his room in the hotel. I didn't find anything.

[Max Hollins]

Better get him downtown, huh?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. Hollins, we'll have to ask you to come downtown.

[Clyde Barton]

Oh, yes, get my topcoat on here. There. Out this way. Sergeant. You park your car in the hotel garage?

[Max Hollins]

No, Sir. Outside on 10th Street.

[Clyde Barton]

You can go out the side door. Then this way. It's starting to rain. Do you both have your top coats?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Clyde Barton]

Yes.

[Joe Friday]

Well, let's go. We're parked right down this way.

[Clyde Barton]

What did Elise say the least? Dressler.

[Joe Friday]

She said you had a fight with Wilfred. You went to see him the same day he was murdered.

[Clyde Barton]

Yes. It's terrible. It's too bad.

[Max Hollins]

Might as well tell you, sir. We've got the evidence. Quite a bit of it all points to you.

[Clyde Barton]

Oh? How is that?

[Joe Friday]

Well, the pair of gloves you were wearing, we found them. The wristwatch you took off the body. We found that too.

[Clyde Barton]

Yes.

[Joe Friday]

You want to tell us about it?

[Clyde Barton]

I didn't use good sense. I didn't know what to do when I went to see him. But I didn't have it in my mind to kill him. God knows I tried to talk to him. I asked him please to stay away from the lease. I asked him as a friend.

[Max Hollins]

Yes, sir.

[Clyde Barton]

All he said to me was, max, I give her presents and she likes me. I have the money to give her what she wants. Max, you haven't got the money. That's what he said to me.

[Joe Friday]

You had a fight with him then?

[Clyde Barton]

No, there wasn't any fight. I'm not sorry I killed him, but I'm not sorry.

[Joe Friday]

You want to give us a statement about it downtown, I suppose.

[Clyde Barton]

I'm not ashamed of it.

[Joe Friday]

All right. Let's go down this way.

[Clyde Barton]

Any man would have done the same. How could you hear such talk and not kill him?

[Max Hollins]

How about the wristwatch you took off of him? The money from the drawer?

[Clyde Barton]

I wanted to hurt him more. Even after he was dead. After I beat him and beat him. I knew it would be the worst way to hurt Joseph. To take his money.

[Max Hollins]

Here we are. In the back of him.

[Clyde Barton]

Yeah. Sergeant.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Clyde Barton]

I've told you now. I killed him. Don't you think I had a right to kill him?

[Joe Friday]

I wouldn't know.

[Clyde Barton]

But he was like that the first time you met Joseph. You would know he was bad. It was better for everybody for him to die. First time you met him, you would know that.

[Max Hollins]

I'm sorry.

[Joe Friday]

I wouldn't know. Mister.

[Clyde Barton]

What?

[Joe Friday]

The only time I met him, he was dead.

[Ben Romero]

The story you have just heard was true. The names were changed to protect the innocent. On June 4, trial was held in Superior Court Department 89. City and county of Los Angeles, State of California. In a moment, the results of that trial. Max Hollins was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree. He was executed in the lethal gas chamber at the state Penitentiary, San Quentin, California. 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 Saving for.

[Joe Friday]

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[Ben Romero]

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[Joe Friday]

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[Ben Romero]

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[Joe Friday]

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