1001 Radio Crime Solvers: Dragnet – "The Big Evans" & "The Big Fire"

Original Air Date: October 26, 2025
Host: Jon Hagadorn
Featured Stories: “The Big Evans” and “The Big Fire” from Dragnet
Podcast Time Markers Referenced (MM:SS)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into two authentic stories from the golden age of radio crime drama, featuring the iconic duo of Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Ed Jacobs, as part of the Dragnet series. Both cases, “The Big Evans” and “The Big Fire,” come straight from police files and showcase the intricacy and dogged persistence of mid-century police work.

• In “The Big Evans” (~03:13–30:30), Friday and Jacobs investigate a claim that puts a young police officer’s career on the line after a suspect alleges police brutality and solicitation of a bribe.
• In “The Big Fire” (~31:38–60:51), they unravel a suspicious arson case involving a reclusive landlord and his vulnerable handyman, ultimately exposing a complex web of insurance fraud, coercion, and emotional scars from the past.

These stories bring together themes of integrity, justice, deception, and the burdens borne by law enforcement personnel.

Part 1: “The Big Evans”

(03:13–30:30)

Central Theme

When a known criminal accuses a police officer, Harry Blanchard, of brutal assault and attempted extortion, Friday and Jacobs must sift truth from lies—a test not just of their investigative muscles but their faith in their own institution.

Key Discussion Points & Investigation Steps

• The Incident Report
  • Evans claims Officer Blanchard beat and dislocated his shoulder during a narcotics arrest at his boarding house (03:38–06:19).
  • Blanchard contends Evans was already injured, insists on his innocence (04:05–06:44).
• Internal Affairs Dilemma
  • Friday and Jacobs make it clear: "If you're innocent, we're gonna do all we can. If you're guilty, we'll see that you get everything that's coming to you." – Joe Friday (07:19)
  • Immediate suspension and official investigation follows procedure (07:42–08:01).
• Witness Interviews
  • Eleanor Rowland and Ray Sherman—known drug users—back up Evans’ version, but inconsistencies arise under questioning (09:08–11:00).
  • Friday observes that “the more we talked to her, the more we were convinced that… she picked up her version of the story from… George Evans.” (11:06)
• Evans’ Testimony
  • Evans describes the alleged shakedown, claims Blanchard had tried it before. But his stories don’t align in key details (12:07–14:42).
  • Investigators press for specifics: where did the beating occur, and who saw what? Stories diverge on location and sequence (13:40–14:17).
• Digging Deeper – Contradictory Evidence
  • Evans’ ex-wife affirms his involvement in criminal rackets and narcotics, casting doubt on his credibility (15:57–16:48).
  • Dr. Chase reveals Evans’ “dislocation” is a self-induced trick; he placed the cast “just to make [Evans] feel better” (18:32–18:54).
• Community Witnesses & Timeline
  • Neighbors saw Evans outside, already injured, hours before the cop reportedly arrived (20:43–20:53).
• Critical Break – The Underworld Connection
  • “It was common knowledge… that gamblers Carl Sweetser and Stanley Parrish were responsible for beating up Evans.” – Informant Martin Kimbrough (22:47–24:09)
  • Sweetser, grilled by the detectives, chips away at Evans’ façade: “If he says a cop did it, makes him look a lot better, doesn’t it?” (25:00)
• Resolution
  • Both Rowland and Sherman confess Evans offered them $50 each to falsely implicate Blanchard (26:10–27:14).
  • Confronted, Evans still tries to bluster, but the evidence is overwhelming.
  • Outcome: Evans is booked for filing a false report; Blanchard exonerated and reinstated (29:17).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On police ethics:
  “We got 4,500 men in the department. We don’t claim they’re all saints… Once in a while, one of them turns bad and all of us get a black eye. You’ll get a fair trial.”
  – Ed Jacobs (07:33)

• On Evans’ injury:
  “He can make it appear dislocated anytime he wants.”
  – Dr. Chase, debunking the “crippled citizen” claim (18:54)

• On informant pressure:
  “He promised me and Ray $50 if we would go along with him in his plan to frame Officer Blanchard…”
  – Eleanor Rowland confesses (27:10)

Part 2: “The Big Fire”

(31:38–60:51)

Central Theme

A mysterious landlord refuses tenants entry and threatens them at gunpoint. What seems at first a simple case of a cranky property owner spirals into insurance fraud and arson, orchestrated by decades-old vendetta.

Key Discussion Points & Investigation Steps

• Initial Complaint
  • Mrs. Cameron and Mrs. Ashby, newcomers from Paso Robles, detail how Edward Daniels, their landlord, menaces them with a gun when they try to move in, despite signed leases (33:48–38:40).
• Strange Behavior and Prior Fire
  • Daniels is evasive, acting as if refusing tenants and drawing firearms is no big deal (39:25–40:45).
  • The handyman, Oliver Randall, describes Daniels’ controlling, threatening demeanor and his own nervous “obedience” (42:58–44:48).
• Discovery of Kerosene—and Motive
  • Unattended attic is full of spilled kerosene, rags, and paint—obvious fire hazards (46:10–47:04).
  • Ed Jacobs uncovers a critical clue from insurance adjusters: Daniels had another property burn down recently, coinciding with a hefty insurance claim (48:38–49:01).
• Unraveling the Arson Plot
  • Surveillance leads detectives to Randall; he is caught in the act of setting a new fire—instructed by Daniels, and threatened if he refused (53:01–54:15).
• Randall’s Confession
  • “He told me to do it. He told me to come back tonight and burn the whole place down.”
    – Oliver Randall confesses under questioning (53:25)
• ‘The Grudge’—Daniels’ Motive
  • “24 years ago. I was just starting out… Burned down. Real fire. Lousy insurance company that wouldn’t believe me… I told them I’d never forget it. Told them I’d make them pay.”
    – Daniels admits his insurance grudge (57:31–57:50)
• Sting Operation at the Movie House
  • Randall, at detectives’ prompting, leads them to Daniels at the movies, where Daniels is confronted and arrested (56:34–57:09).
• Resolution
  • Daniels is convicted of arson and conspiracy; Oliver Randall declared mentally incompetent; assault charge dismissed (59:25).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On victimization and manipulation:
  “Good jobs aren’t too easy to get nowadays. You know that.”
  – Oliver Randall justifying his actions (55:01)

• On Daniels’ plan:
  “You’d think I’d burn down the building right after I got done redecorating. Not a bad idea. Worked pretty good, didn’t it?”
  – Daniels, explaining the fraud (57:58–58:10)

• Emotional tenor:
  The subdued yet dogged tone of Friday and Jacobs (“You’re going to jail. You figure it.” – Joe Friday, 58:10) conveys the relentless but fair pursuit of justice.

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Time | |-----------------------------------------------|--------------| | Start of “The Big Evans” Crime Story | 03:13 | | Witness interviews (Rowland, Sherman) | 09:08–11:00 | | Interview with Evans (critical details clash) | 12:07–15:02 | | Interview with Dr. Chase (trick shoulder) | 17:20–18:54 | | Major breakthrough (Sweetser/Kimbrough) | 22:44–25:00 | | Witnesses recant, Evans arrested | 26:10–27:14 | | Outcomes and sentences (“Big Evans”) | 29:17 | | Start of “The Big Fire” Crime Story | 31:38 | | Landlord’s threat; tenant interviews | 33:48–38:40 | | Handyman and kerosene discovery | 42:58–47:04 | | Insurance fraud connection | 48:38–49:01 | | Randall caught setting fire | 53:05–54:15 | | Daniels’ confession and motive | 57:31–58:10 | | Legal outcomes for all involved | 59:25 |

Conclusion

These two Dragnet stories showcase the complexity and moral challenges faced by police, the susceptibility of justice to manipulation, and the painstaking work required to reach the truth. With methodical step-by-step investigation, Sergeant Friday and Ed Jacobs uphold due process and expose lies, whether propagated by conniving criminals or embittered arsonists.

For listeners who love classic crime-solving and believe in the value of due diligence, these tales from Dragnet deliver intrigue, suspense, and a powerful sense of justice restored.