THE BIG SCREEN and THE BIG WINCHESTER

Summary

1001 Radio Crime Solvers

Podcast: 1001 Radio Crime Solvers

Host: Jon Hagadorn
Episode: "THE BIG SCREEN and THE BIG WINCHESTER"
Date: August 7, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Jon Hagadorn features two classic Dragnet radio stories from the golden age of radio: "The Big Screen" and "The Big Winchester." These are dramatized true crime tales drawn from the actual case files of the Los Angeles Police Department, highlighting the meticulous, methodical police work for which Dragnet became renowned. The first story investigates the burgeoning issue of television repair scams ("The Big Screen") and the lengths law enforcement went to expose and halt this consumer fraud. The second tale shifts into a murder investigation (“The Big Winchester”), unpacking an apparently obvious suicide that, under detective scrutiny, unravels into a murder case.

The episode captures:

• The historic context when radio was America’s prime entertainment,
• The methods used by detectives to approach complex, contemporary crimes,
• A touch of nostalgia for radio drama’s structured, semi-documentary style,
• The interplay between honest tradesmen and those who exploit technological change.

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Story 1: The Big Screen – The TV Repair Racket

Theme

The rapid expansion of TV technology brought not just entertainment into homes, but new ways for criminals to exploit consumers. This story tracks a joint operation between police and journalists to expose dishonest television repair shops.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Initial Reports and The Racket:
  Numerous complaints surface about television repairmen overcharging, charging for unneeded repairs, or billing for work not done. A city newspaper starts to compile evidence and collaborates with the LAPD Bunco division.

  • "Partly, yeah. Some of the people even sent in receipts with their letters. Said they felt the guys who fixed their sets were dreaming up unnecessary repairs. Charging them for work not done." — Jack Knett, Reporter (03:22)

• Inside the Scam – Firsthand Testimony:
  Hank Coulter, a former employee for a crooked repair shop, describes common tricks of the trade:

  • Overcharging for minor repairs:
    "For a nickel's worth of wire, we'd usually charge $4.75." — Hank Coulter (05:46)
  • Swapping new tubes for used ones, then claiming guarantees on the 'returned' tubes.
  • Never letting a customer witness the repair process.
  • Fabricating false difficulties (“black market tubes”) to justify high prices.

• Sting Operation Planning:
  Police and journalists devise a plan to catch TV repair scams by bugging a set and marking all its parts, then hiring random service outfits to see how they handle a simple, easily diagnosed fault—a burned out $1.65 tube.

  • "The best way to crack down on these crooked operators is to catch them red handed with evidence that'll hold up in court." — Ben Romero (07:35)

• Executing the Investigation:

  • Honest shops identify and fix the fault at a fair price.
    • "Replace 5U 4G tube, $65. Service charge 250. Total charges $4.15." (12:28)
  • At Chaney’s Video Repairs, the bill is grossly inflated:
    • False claims: "Replaced vertical blocking Transformer, replaced 5U 4G tube, 6 AU 6 tube and 12 AU 7 tube." (19:41)
    • Charge: $33.48 (19:54)
    • Reality: Only the $1.65 tube was actually replaced—with a used tube.

• Evidence and Expert Analysis:
  Police lab marks with green paint, photographs all components, and inspects post-repair. Only the simple tube is changed; other claims on the bill are pure fiction. Chaney’s also does a shoddy job reassembling the set.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On Consumer Confidence:
  "Kilgore used to tell us that if we only charge $0.50 for fixing a loose wire, the customer wouldn't believe we really fixed his set. So we used to charge quite a lot more." — Hank Coulter (05:37)
• Explaining the Goal:
  "Television's a wonderful medium of entertainment... people should know about the swindlers and crooks who try to jiff them." — Jack Knett (07:06)
• The Sting Succeeds:
  "All they did was to replace the 5U 4G tube." — Dick Saunders, lab tech (20:05)
• Arrest and Reckoning:
  • At the repair shop, when confronted:
    "Are you kidding? What for?" (22:50)
    "Petty theft. Come on, let's go." — Sergeant Joe Friday (22:51)
  • Cheney tries to bribe his way out:
    "Just tell me how much you want to pay and we'll work out something." (23:03)
  • Ethics reminder:
    "I will conduct myself and my business in an honest and straightforward manner, meriting and inspiring the confidence of my customers." — Joe Friday, reading from the RTA code (24:11)

Resolution (24:53–28:14)

• Trial Result
  Robert W. Cheney, owner/operator of Cheney's Video Repairs, found guilty of multiple counts of petty theft. Fined $200; faces up to six months in jail.
• Larger Message:
  Most technicians are honest, but exposure and consumer vigilance are key to ridding the profession of crooks.

Key Timestamps

• 02:23 – Start of the Dragnet case, reporter collaboration
• 05:02 – Insider testimony from former crooked repair employee
• 08:43 – Sound lab details the police 'bait' TV setup
• 12:22 – Honest repairman scenario
• 14:47 – Preparing for a second, potentially crooked repair call
• 18:43 – TV returned by the dishonest operator
• 19:26 – Police lab reveals evidence of fraud
• 22:31 – Arrest at Cheney’s shop
• 24:53 – Trial and broader implications

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Story 2: The Big Winchester – A Murder Disguised as Suicide

Theme

Detectives unpack the suspicious death of an elderly man, Martin Latimer, whose apparent suicide by rifle is confounded by physical evidence suggesting murder.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Crime Scene Contradictions:
  Latimer found dead by apparent rifle suicide (gun wired to chair, string tied to his finger), but ballistics and crime lab findings don’t match the suicide story.

  • "It sure doesn't add up too well, does it? Even if the old man jerked the gun when he pulled the trigger, with that string arrangement, the slug couldn't have passed through his chest, out his back and then hit the wall where it did." — Joe Friday (37:28)

• Victim Background and Motive:
  Latimer, a thrifty, retired grocer with steady income, corresponded with women via a Lonely Hearts Club. No clear sign of depression; last seen cheerful by neighbors.

• The Lonely Hearts Angle:
  Discovery of a young woman's photo ("With love, Catherine"), letters asking for money. The club reports she's scamming elderly men for train fare—never appearing in person.

  • "She writes and asks for train fare out here. Men send her their money for clothes and train fare. And that's the last of it. She's gone." — Officer Hunt (45:14)

• Photo Evidence and Lead:
  Photograph’s mounting traced to a local photo studio. Studio ID’s the pictured woman as Doris Chambers, a graduate student, wholly unconnected to Latimer or any scam.

  • "She was 22 years old and a postgraduate student in chemistry... her father was the president of a local neighborhood bank. She didn't even come close to the type of girl that we were looking for." (49:51)

• Cracking the Case:
  Focus shifts to handwriting; Chambers recognizes it as her ex-fiancé, Warren White, who received an unsigned print of her photo.

  • "That's this old letter from Warren. See the writing? Doesn't it look the same to you?" — Doris Chambers (51:44)

• The Suspect Emerges:

  • White moved on the day of the murder, borrowed money from his sister, and eventually confesses when police apprehend him.
  • "It's all right, officers. Why don't you sit down? I'm not gonna give you any trouble, huh? I killed him. Maybe I'll never know why, but I killed him." — Warren White (55:22)

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Murderer’s Reflection:
  "The minute I killed him, I knew it was all over. Right there in that one minute. I knew you'd come and find me... I didn’t know when. But you’d come and find me." — Warren White (55:48)
• Joe Friday’s Philosophy:
  "Bunch of kids playing in a school someday. One of them is a killer." (56:39)
• Neighbor’s Oblique Offer:
  “He wrote letters all over the country. Getting tired of working Myself could have saved the postage, too. Lee probably I was right next door. Would have married him in a minute.” — Mrs. Donworth (43:45)

Resolution (57:45)

• Trial Result
  Warren Thomas White is convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in Folsom State Penitentiary.
• Larger Message:
  Even the most calculated cover-ups can be unraveled by thorough investigation and forensic discipline.

Key Timestamps

• 31:46 – Discovery of the body; scene description
• 35:15 – Initial suspicions and investigation
• 37:28 – Detectives test the rifle’s line-of-fire
• 44:09 – Will, and the Lonely Hearts Club scam angle emerges
• 49:51 – Tracing the photo to a studio; meeting Doris Chambers
• 51:44 – Chambers identifies the handwriting
• 53:30 – Detectives wait at White’s new apartment
• 55:14 – White confesses
• 57:45 – Trial outcome

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Notable Quotes

| Speaker | Quote | Timestamp | |--------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------| | Hank Coulter | "For a nickel's worth of wire, we'd usually charge $4.75." | 05:46 | | Jack Knett | "Television's a wonderful medium of entertainment... the people should know about the swindlers and crooks who try to jiff them." | 07:06 | | Dick Saunders | "All they did was to replace the 5U 4G tube." | 20:05 | | Sergeant Joe Friday | "Petty theft. Come on, let's go." | 22:51 | | Joe Friday | "It sure doesn't add up too well, does it?... the slug couldn't have passed through his chest, out his back and then hit the wall where it did." | 37:28 | | Warren White | "The minute I killed him, I knew it was all over. Right there in that one minute. I knew you'd come and find me." | 55:48 | | Joe Friday | "Bunch of kids playing in a school someday. One of them is a killer." | 56:39 |

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Episode Tone & Style

• Authentic, Documentary-Style:
  The show is methodical, factual, and emphasizes diligence—“just the facts, ma’am.”
• Police Jargon Explained:
  Listeners are educated on police terms like "APB" (All Points Bulletin) and "mama sheet" (master information form).
• Collaboration:
  Highlights collaboration between police and the press.
• Human Nature & Society:
  Offers reflective, sometimes philosophical, observations about ordinary people, crime, and societal change.

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Takeaways for New Listeners

• Two classic police stories blending actual cases with sharp investigative technique, both relevant to the era: one exposes everyday consumer fraud, the other dissects a murder disguised as suicide.
• The radio drama format not only dramatizes crime, but investigates social issues and human motivations beneath surface facts.
• Dragnet’s enduring reputation comes from this balance of meticulous reality, understated drama, and authentic audio storytelling.

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Further Information

Visit: 1001storiespodcast.com for more episodes and classic radio drama content from the 1001 Stories Network.
New episodes every Sunday at 5pm ET.

Transcript

[Narrator/Announcer]

Ladies and gentlemen, the documented story you will hear during the next 30 minutes is not a subject commonly discussed. It is a criminal problem that is not yet nationwide. But it's a problem which is growing rapidly. We present it now so that you may recognize it for what it is if and when it invades your city. The story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.

[Fatima Cigarette Advertiser]

Fatima, Best of all King size cigarettes brings you Dragnet.

[Narrator/Announcer]

You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a bunco detail. You begin to receive reports of a vicious new racket growing in your city. The television repair racket. The repairmen lie, overcharge, bill you for work not done. For parts not needed. For parts they don't install. Your job, stop them.

[Interviewer/Questioner]

How does Fatima compare with other king size cigarettes?

[Narrator/Announcer]

Fatimas are the same length and circumference. 85 millimeters long, 1 1/64 inches around. And Fatima filters the smoke exactly the same long distance as any other king size cigarette.

[Interviewer/Questioner]

Tell me then, how is Fatima different from other king size cigarettes?

[Narrator/Announcer]

In Fatima, the difference is quality.

[Fatima Cigarette Advertiser]

Fatima gives you extra mildness, a much different, much better flavor and aroma.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Remember, Fatima has all the advantages of extra length plus Fatima quality, which no other king size cigarette has.

[Fatima Cigarette Advertiser]

So insist on the best smoke. King size 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.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

It was Monday, January 19th. It was overcast in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of bunco detail. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Captain McCauley. My name's Friday. It was 9:15am when we got to the third floor of the Los Angeles Daily News. The assistant city editor's office.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Hi, Friday. Come on in. Sit down.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Morning, Jack. Like you to meet my partner, Ben Romero. Ben, this is Jack Knett, staff writer for the Daily News.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

All right, Knitt.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Glad I know you, Ben. Sit down, fellas.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Thanks.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

We just left the skipper over at the City hall.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Did the captain brief you on this thing?

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Yeah, he gave us a partial fill in. We've been working on it from our end about two weeks now.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Paul Price, he's our radio TV editor. Paul and I had a long session with Captain McCullough yesterday. And I guess now we're all Ready to move on this thing, huh?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

We'll do everything we can. Would you like to fill Ben in on what you told me yesterday on the phone?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Yeah. Well, Price was the one who began getting the first complaints here at the paper. Tremendous number of his readers wrote in. Complaints about being victimized by crooked television repairmen.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

About being charged too much for repair?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Partly, yeah. Some of the people even sent in receipts with their letters. Said they felt the guys who fixed their sets were dreaming up unnecessary repairs. Charging them for work not done. Some said they knew they were billed for parts not even replaced or installed in their sets.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Ben, Jack told me yesterday about a letter he got from some man. Said he felt he'd been overcharged and he just started to belly ache about it.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Yeah, a fellow by the name of Vincent said he'd just put up an old fashioned squawk about it. And repairman brought the price down at least one third.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

That doesn't sound very good, does it?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

We kind of figured operators like that must have too many repair sets on hand that their customers can't afford to bail out. That's why they cut.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Sounds like a clear case of a two bit jip, doesn't it?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Well, something's gotta be done about it.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

We're ready to give it. Big play in our paper or expose the fraud for what it really is. Captain McCauley says Chief Parker's okayed our plan and we can count on full police cooperation.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

That's the way we got it, Jack. We were told to work with you people till we broke this thing.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

We dug up a little ammunition to start with, I think went around and interviewed about 15 different television repairmen in various neighborhoods. And about three out of five gave me the same pitch.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Did they know you were with the newspaper?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

No. I told them I was a factory representative for a new kind of rosin core solder company and I was taking orders. Naturally, I dropped in the different stores, shot the breeze with them, and they didn't seem to get wise. A couple of them even placed orders for the cider.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Well, what'd you find out?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Well, I just wanted to try and get the general attitude of some of these Jip artists. And I really got an earful. One of the last places I hit was a tiny little hole in the wall out near Canoga Park. As I say, about two out of five were honest, hard working repairmen. This fellow was one of them.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

What are you getting at, Jack?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

For a while, this fella worked for a guy that employed about five men in his shop. Yeah, finally quit him because he didn't like the way this big operator did business. Fellas in the next office, I want you to hear it from him. Just as I got it. Excuse me. Hey, will you come in, please?

[Interviewer/Questioner]

Sure.

[Hank Coulter (Former Employee)]

Mr. Knight,

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

this is Hank Coulter, Sergeant Friday. Sergeant Ben Romero, Police department. Hank, I wonder if you'd tell these officers a little of what you told me about Kilgore, TV specialist.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

All right.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Now, suppose I'm a customer and I come into Kilgore's. I don't like the size of my repair bill. What were you instructed to say?

[Hank Coulter (Former Employee)]

Well, we generally tried to talk him out of any complaint.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Suppose I complained about all the multiple charges. I wanted an explanation of the work he did. What then?

[Hank Coulter (Former Employee)]

He just tell you that? It wouldn't do any good to explain. You wouldn't understand all the technical stuff anyway.

[Officer Hunt]

Mm.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Tell us Kilgore's attitude with the customer.

[Hank Coulter (Former Employee)]

You mean about the loose wire stuff?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Yeah, please.

[Hank Coulter (Former Employee)]

Well, Kilgore used to tell us that if we only charge $0.50 for fixing a loose wire, the customer wouldn't believe we really fixed his set. So we used to charge quite a lot more.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Well, how much more?

[Hank Coulter (Former Employee)]

For example, for a nickel's worth of wire, we'd usually charge $4.75.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

It's a pretty fair profit.

[Hank Coulter (Former Employee)]

It's a real rob.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

What else can you tell us, eh?

[Hank Coulter (Former Employee)]

Well, we'd never let a customer watch any of the TV repair jobs. For example, if a customer calls and says he thinks the tube's blown out and it'll only be a simple replacement job in his home, and we'd tell him the parts are getting hard to get and we'd have to take his set into the shop and charge him a higher rate because we had to pay black market prices for the tube.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Was there any truth in that? I mean, about the tubes being hard to get?

[Hank Coulter (Former Employee)]

Not much. Some of them are getting a little hard to get. But we never paid any black market prices at Kilgore's. We just slugged the customer, that's all.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Tell me about how you used to swap parts on a new set, Hank.

[Hank Coulter (Former Employee)]

Well, we'd lots of times part a new tube for one not so good. One not so good. We put in a set with a bed too, you know. Then the bad tube we'd exchange at the factory under a one year guarantee.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

They don't miss an angle, do they?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Well, that's it. You've heard it from a man who couldn't stomach such practice and quit, went into Business? Little bit of a shop isn't doing too well, are you, Hank?

[Hank Coulter (Former Employee)]

No, but I think I can build up the business. I don't make quite as much profit as Kilgore's, but I don't chisel my customers either.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Thanks a lot, Hank. I wonder if you'd wait in the next office for me.

[Hank Coulter (Former Employee)]

Sure. Hope I've helped a little bit to crack down on some of these guys.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Well, we think you have, Hank. Thanks a lot.

[Hank Coulter (Former Employee)]

Nice to meet you.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Right. See you later.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

See you later.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Seems like a nice fellow.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

He is. I've checked on him and I've talked with some of his customers since I met him. He's honest.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

It's a pretty vicious racket, isn't it?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Yeah. It ought to be stopped now. Television's a wonderful medium of entertainment. A lot of the country doesn't have it yet. But when the cable goes through and it finally opens up, the people should know about the swindlers and crooks who try to jiff them.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Yeah, that's right.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

It's the same way when radio first came in. Always seems like when anything new comes along, anything a little complicated, maybe a little too involved for the average guy, a few smart punks victimize him. Rob the consumer blind.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Well, naturally we gotta have some positive evidence before we can file a complaint with the city attorney on this thing.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Yeah.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

You fellas, any ideas where to start?

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Well, the best way to crack down on these crooked operators is to catch them red handed with evidence that'll hold up in court. Yeah, we think maybe we've got an idea.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

We were talking to Dick Saunders over in our sound lab and he says that he can bungle a new TV

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

set and we can mark it and

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

photograph it before it goes out to be repaired.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

And when it's returned or after it's fixed, we'll have what we need to go to court on, huh?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Yeah, that's it.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

We can operate right out of one

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

of our own homes and all we have to do is hope the repairman overcharges us or tries to jip us.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Yeah, that's right.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Let's hope it works.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Well, from what we've heard, it's got

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

to

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

10am the staff writer, Jack Connett. Ben and I drove back downtown. On the way, it was decided that we'd use Kinnett's home as the place from which to operate. It was centrally located in an average neighborhood. When we got back to our office, we contacted one of the local television dealers and asked for the loan of one of Their sets. They recommended K. Halbert because the chassis is easily accessible and any trouble could be located quickly because parts are visible. A 16 inch K. Halbert console model was sent to our sound lab. 10:18am we met with Dick Saunders, our police lab technician.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Here's a set 16 inch console model, serial number C2817901.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

What have you done to it, Dick?

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Well, first off, I tested the set and it performed perfectly.

[Narrator/Announcer]

It's a good set.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Brings in a fine picture. See?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

20.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Test pattern's fine, huh?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Yeah, it's good.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Tested all the tubes. All.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Okay, how are you marking the set?

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Here, I'll show you. Get a tube out of here. Now, if you look closely here at the base of the socket. See it?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

What's that?

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

This is it, isn't it, Dick? A little tiny dot of green paint.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Yeah, that's right, Ben. I'm marking every part of this set with this tiny green dot.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Looks good. If I didn't spot it, I doubt anyone else would, Especially if they didn't know about it.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Yeah, that's what we're hoping.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

In addition to this type marking, we've taken all serial numbers off the tubes in various parts. Anything that carried any form of coating, we took down.

[Officer Hunt]

Mm.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

All major components have been marked. Trace transformers, coils, condensers, tuning units, so on.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Did you get any pictures of it?

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Yeah, we did. Took photographs of the set in and out of the cabinet. Took them from four different angles just to be sure we were well covered.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Well, how did you bungle it?

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Well, here's what I did to put the set out of commission. I burned out the filament of the 5U 4G low voltage rectifier tube.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

What's the cost of that particular tube, Saunders?

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Well, this tube ordinarily retails for $1.65.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Well, what does that do to the set? I mean, burning out the tube?

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

By burning out that filament, we cause the sound and picture circuits to be completely inoperative.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

It won't work at all until that particular tube is replaced by a good one.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

That's right, Joe.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Well, how big a job would it be to trace the trouble?

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Well, it could easily be detected by casual observation or by noting that the tube, normally very hot, is cold.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

How much time would you say it would require to make a repair like this?

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Oh, I'd estimate not over half hour would be required to place this set in operating order.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Half hour.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Okay.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Thanks a lot, Dick. You gonna take care of getting a set out to Connect's home? Right away.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Yeah, we have his address right here. We'll get it right out.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

All right, fine.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

If you can try to get whoever repairs this set to give you an itemized bill of all work done and parts installed.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Right.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

In case you call more than one outfit today, here's an extra bad 5U 4G tube.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Thank you, Nick.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Anything you'd like to know?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

No, I think that about covers it for me.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Jack, one more thing. I was just wondering, if somebody spots the trouble right away and replaces the tube, what do you think they ought to charge, Dick labor and all.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

I checked through RTA on that this morning. They said to make a house call and replace the defective tube. Should not exceed $4.50.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Okay, thanks.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

That does it for now, huh?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Yeah, I guess so.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Well, you're all set then. Think we'll get what you're after?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Well, we should. The odds are all on our side. 10:30am Monday, January 19th. We left the sound lab on West 1st street and walked back to Bunco Division. We met with Captain McCauley and filled him in. We gave him the newspaper man Jack Connett's address and told him he could reach us there. The console model television set was delivered to Connect's home and properly installed. When we arrived at his home, we started going through the yellow classified section of the phone directory. We made a list of several TV service stores just picked at random. We chose a wide variety. We picked stores that were listed with large boxed in ads. Stores that carried no ads, just a listing. Ben called two places and staggered the call so that the repairmen would arrive about one hour apart. It was 11:30am when the first man made his service call. Bart's TV Experts on Hollywood Boulevard. It took him 45 minutes. Was 12:15 when he left Jack Knett's home.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Must have been one of the two out of five, huh?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Yeah, he seems okay.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

I wonder if I could see that bill, huh?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Oh. Here you go, Joe.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Thanks. It looks okay. Replace 5U 4G tube, $65. Service charge 250. Total charges $4.15.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

That kind of bears out Kinet's thinking, doesn't it? Remember when we asked him how many men worked in his shop and he said he's alone? Yeah.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Think you'll find that's a pretty good barometer. All the servicemen working alone aren't like this guy. But a bigger percentage of the honest ones are.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

When's the next one due to arrive, man?

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Any minute now. Called a place by the name of Chaney's Video Repairs. They're over on Beverly Boulevard. Had a big ad. Looks like a pretty big outfit.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Oh, here's that other defective tube that Dick gave us.

[Officer Hunt]

Yeah.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Better get it in the set.

[Warren White (Suspect)]

Yeah.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Let's see. Here we are. 5U 4G.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Okay, here you go.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Thanks, Jill. Here's a new one the guy put in.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Got it.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Okay. Get this back on again,

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Okay?

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Yeah, fine. Better turn it on and make sure it's not working.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

I got it.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

How about the tube, Ben? Can you see?

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Is it lighting up?

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

No, not yet. I'll push this head back against the wall.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

We better leave it on for a while, Jack, just to make sure, huh?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Yeah.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

There we are. I gave you the other tube.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Yeah, I got it right here in my pocket.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Right.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

I'd like to try something if you fellas say it'll be okay.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

What's that, Jim?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

I got a good little camera. Leica 3F. You know, Candid.

[Officer Hunt]

Mm.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Think maybe if I turn all the three way lamps up to full use a AAA fast film. It's in the camera now. Maybe we can grab some shots of the guy while he works. What do you think?

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Well, if you're careful.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Don't let him get wise. Maybe you ought to shoot some of all of us just so he doesn't think anything about it.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Yeah, that's what I figured. I just sit down on that chair over there with the set, make him think I'm just testing or something. I think I can bring it off without arousing any suspicion.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Okay.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

If I get anything, the guy's out of line. We'll run the shots in the Daily News.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

What are you figuring on doing, Jack? You gonna run a series on the TV repair racket?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Yeah, that's the plan. Lee Payne, he's our executive editor. He thinks it's high time somebody exposed the swindle in the paper.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

That'll be the next service man. I'll let him in.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Right. Better turn off the set, huh?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Yeah.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Television repair. That's right arm from Cheney's in Beverly Boulevard.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Oh, yeah. Come on in.

[Warren White (Suspect)]

Thank you.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

What seems to be the trouble?

[Officer Hunt]

We don't know.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Sets right over here.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Oh, thanks. Kay. Halbert, huh? 16 inch. Nice set. Well, what seems to be wrong?

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Darn if I know. Some Nothing seems to work.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

How do you mean?

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

No picture at all.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

How about sound?

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Mm.

[Officer Hunt]

Mm.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Nothing.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Uh huh. It'd be all right to pull the set away from the wall?

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Sure. Go right ahead and give you a hand.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Oh, no, it's all right. I can handle it. Well, I got to get some Tools out. How long you had this set?

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Oh, about two, three months.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Dark in here. I wonder if we could have a little more lights.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Sure. Let me get these lamps up for you.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Oh, thanks.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

How's that?

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Oh, fine, thanks. Say, it's a nice little camera you got there. What kind is it?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

A Leica 3F15 lens. Been experimenting with some new indoor film. You mind being a guinea pig?

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Nah, it's all right with me. Shane. Away. Good film on me, though.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Think you're gonna get anything in this light, Jack?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Maybe. Worth a try anyway.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

I don't know about this set.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

What do you mean?

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Well, it looks bad. Hard to tell without getting it down the shop. Looks to me like your blocking transformer's gone.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

What's that mean?

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Well, I have to take the set in.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Can't fix it here, huh?

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

No, I'm afraid not. You see, parts are getting a little hard to get these days. The set manufacturers are having a tough time getting quality parts. And sometimes we have to spend several hours just tracing the trouble.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Well, I guess that knocks out the ball game tonight, huh, fellas?

[Interviewer/Questioner]

Hmm?

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Sorry. Take a couple of days at least. Want to really check it over?

[Officer Hunt]

Sure.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

It's not a tube. We kind of thought just a tube blew out.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

No, that's what most people think every time their set goes out. It's definitely not a tube. Oh, there might be some bad tubes, but your trouble's a great deal more than that, I think.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Have you got any idea what it's going to run us?

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

It's hard to say right off hand.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Four or five dollars?

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

No, it's going to run more than that. I'll take the set in with me now and I'll get it back to you as soon as possible.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

You going to take the whole set?

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

No, I'll just pull the chassis out of the cabinet. Leave the cabinet here. Oh, say, by the way.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Yeah?

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

If everything turns out, I'd sure like to see those pictures.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Yeah, if everything turns out, you will.

[Fatima Cigarette Advertiser]

You are listening to Dragnet Authentic cases from official police files. Now let's look at our Fatima files,

[Narrator/Announcer]

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[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

He says a man who smokes as much as I do wants a cigarette that's extra mild. And I like Fatima's different flavor and aroma.

[Fatima Cigarette Advertiser]

Listed under S. Scanlon. Louise Scanlon, Stork Club cigarette girl. She says more and more of my

[Interviewer/Questioner]

Stork Club customers are smoking king size Fatimas. They're elegant, distinctive, and really extra mild.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Friends, our files show Fatima sales are going up up every day.

[Fatima Cigarette Advertiser]

The reason for Fatima's ever increasing popularity can be summed up in two words. Fatima quality.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Fatima gives you extra mildness, a much different, much better flavor and aroma.

[Fatima Cigarette Advertiser]

If you smoke a king size cigarette, remember this.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Fatima has all the advantages of extra length plus Fatima quality, which no other king size cigarette has. In Fatima, the difference is quality.

[Fatima Cigarette Advertiser]

So insist on the best. Insist on king size Fatima.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Next time, buy Fatima in the distinctive gold and yellow package. Best of all, king size cigarettes.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Thursday, January 22, 9:30am The TV set was returned to reporter Jack Kinette's home after having been repaired by a servicing company called Chaney's Video Repairs. We found that the man who had come to Kinette's Home to make the service call was Robert V. Chaney, the owner of the service outfit. As soon as the set was returned, we called the sound lab and had it picked up and taken downtown. Sergeant Marshall Zeno, who was working with us out of Bunco detail, called and said that Dick Saunders had finished his investigation and wanted to see us right away. 10:30am we went down to West First street, the police sound lab. Saunders went over his findings with us.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Here are the photographs before and after.

[Officer Hunt]

Mm.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Before we go over these, let me show you what we found out about your repair job.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Okay.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Over here. Here's that receipt Cheney gave you when he returned the set.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Here's what the repair bill states. Replaced vertical blocking Transformer, replaced 5U 4G tube, 6 AU 6 tube and 12 AU 7 tube.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

And the charge was $32.50 plus $0.98

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

tax, or a total of $33.48.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

How does that break down, Dick?

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Well, it appears that the $0.98 tax was for $28 worth of material used in the repair.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Did they really put in all that stuff?

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

You got yourself a prize package in that outfit. All they did was to replace the 5U 4G tube.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

That's all they did, huh?

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Yeah.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Here's the capper. The 5U 4G is a war surplus tube, but it works. Okay.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

What else did you find?

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

According to the photographs and coding system, no vertical blocking transformers, 6 au 6 tube or 12 au 7 tube were replaced. Let's get back the photos here. Here, you can take these along for your package.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Thanks, Dave.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

You can see in the set here.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Yeah.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Let me show you. You see, this tube is the only part mentioned in the receipt or otherwise that doesn't carry our green paint coating system. Let me turn the set around here.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

All right,

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Joe, try the channel selector here. What this yeah, that's the tuning knob to bring in the stations. Channel selector. They call it turner.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Okay.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Falls off pretty easy, doesn't it?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Sure does. Here, Dick.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Thanks. They left out the spring clip in here. It should have been put back in because that's what holds the knob secured to the shaft.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

I've had that happen on radio sets.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Yeah, sometimes they're a little stubborn to put back in. But a good repairman would never leave it out.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Yeah.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Something else here. Trying to sit around in the back again?

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

No, I'll get it, Dick.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Oh, thanks, Ben. See here? See how loose the chassis is in the cabinet now?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Yeah, it sure is.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Wasn't that way when we got it from the Kay Halbert dealer. Any more than the channel selector was faulty.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

In perfect shape from the guy.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Look at the size of that chassis. It's pretty heavy.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Yeah, it is.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Originally, there were four screws used to hold the chassis in the wood cabinet. Cheney's repair outfit only put one back in. One screw to hold that heavy chassis.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

That's a pretty sloppy job, all right.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

You know what they'd probably tell you if you asked them about this?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

That it only requires one screw.

[Dick Saunders (Police Lab Technician)]

Yeah, that's it. The bad repairman can always improve on factory standards. Usually for his own convenience. Certainly doesn't improve the product.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Well, looks like we got what we were after.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Think we got enough, Joe?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

I do. Let's see what the city attorney thinks. We collected all the evidence in the case against Cheney's video repairs. We met with Captain McCauley and took it up to the second floor of the City Hall. We met with Assistant City Attorney Boyd Taylor and showed him our findings. He issued a warrant for the arrest of Robert W. Cheney, charging him with violation of section 484pc one count. 11:30am Thursday, January 22nd. Ben and I drove out to make the arrest. Jack Knet went along with us.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

This is it. Cheney's video repair, you know.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Come on, Jack.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

There's Chaney behind the counter.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Hello there.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Hi.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

How's the set working?

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

All right.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

We did a good job on that one. Gave you a better break on the price than I thought we could.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Yeah. Police officers. You're under arrest.

[Assistant City Attorney Boyd Taylor]

What?

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Are you kidding? What for?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Petty theft. Come on, let's go.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Petty theft? Well, I don't understand. You're the fellows I fixed that set for up on Crescent Drive, aren't you?

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

That's right. Your bill was a little high, wasn't it?

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Oh, now, wait a minute. If that's all that's bothering you, let's talk it over.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Come on, let's go.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Look, I can fix that up with you guys. Just tell me how much you want to pay and we'll work out something.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

That seems to be the way you worked our repair deal right from the start, doesn't it? Only you didn't consult us about it till now.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Well, look, you know how it is in this business. If you don't charge some customers a little money, they don't think you did anything to their sets.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

You ought to try charging him for just the work you do.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Can't we get together on this thing? Let's just forget the whole deal. You don't owe me anything.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Now.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Here. Here. I'll refund all your money. We'll call it square.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Never mind. Just leave the money in the cash register and get your code.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Can't prove anything anyway.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

We think we can just step around the counter this way.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Look, mister, you're not a cop, are you?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

No, I'm not.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Well, then tell him. Isn't that a fair deal? I'll give you back your money.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Afraid it's a little late for that, Cheney.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

If all this gets in the papers, I'll be ruined. You run out of business?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

That's the way we got it figured.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

How many men you have working here for you?

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Four.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Why?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

This right here. You ever read this?

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

What is it? Oh, the thing from the rta.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Here. Read article two, will you?

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Two?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Yeah, that's right.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

I will conduct myself and my business in an honest and straightforward manner. Meriting and inspiring the confidence of my customers. Yeah, I know about this.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

You're a member of the RTA Radio Technicians association, aren't you?

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Yeah, I am.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Read Article 4, will you?

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

I propose to charge a just and fair price for all professional services rendered.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Now read this. Article 7.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

I will engage only in fair and ethical practices recommended and approved by the Radio Technicians association as being conducive to public confidence. Yeah, I've read all this before.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

It's too bad you didn't remember it.

[Narrator/Announcer]

The story you have just heard was true. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent.

[Fatima Cigarette Advertiser]

On April 15, trial was held in Superior Court Department 82, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California. In a moment, the results of that trial.

[Narrator/Announcer]

And now, here is our star, Jack Webb.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Thank you, friends. This week I'll be seeing you. From page eight of Life magazine, this week's Fatima ad. Right across the top, it says, in Fatima. The difference is quality. Well, in Fatima, the finest domestic and Turkish tobaccos give you extra Mildness, a different better flavor and aroma. Compare Fatima with any other king size cigarette. Prove as I have what a difference Fatima quality makes. Next time, buy Fatima in the golden yellow package. Best of all, king size cigarettes. Ladies and gentlemen, in the few remaining moments, we'd like to take this opportunity to thank you once again for your many kind letters of encouragement that come in from week to week. And also we'd like to answer a few questions about our program. Which seem common to many of the letters that we receive from you. Many of you have inquired why, at the end of the program, in recounting the punishment of the criminal involved in the particular case, we generally refer to the sentence received as the term prescribed by law. Well, we use this reference for the following reason. In the state of California, the length of a convicted criminal's prison term Is not set by the court. But by the state adult authority. Most of the time, a criminal is merely found guilty by the court. And then sentenced to the state penitentiary. After he serves a year in prison, the convict has a hearing before this state adult authority. At which time his actual sentence is set. So you can see why we can't give you the actual sentence in many cases. Now, other questions common to many of your letters concern some of the authentic technical police terminology. Which comes up from time to time on Dragnet. With the help of George Feniman, we'd like to explain some of the more common ones for you, if we may. First, you've heard us use the term or the letters. Apb.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Apb. That's an all points bulletin. A communication dispatched to all divisions and law enforcement agencies throughout the state.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

And then we feel sure that you remember the term mama sheet.

[Narrator/Announcer]

A mama sheet is the master information form on a criminal in a police department file. It contains his complete description, his habits, relatives, acquaintances, everything about him known to the police.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Thank you, George. And thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for your very fine letters. From time to time, if we may, we'll take this opportunity to explain a few more of our authentic police terminology. Thank you.

[Fatima Cigarette Advertiser]

Robert W. Cheney, owner and operator of Cheney's Video Repairs. Was tried and convicted on several counts of violating section 484, PC petit theft. He was fined $200 and received the sentence as prescribed by law. Petty theft is punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six months.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Ladies and gentlemen, Dragnet wishes to thank the Los Angeles Daily News. And its feature writer, Jack Knett. For their valuable assistance in preparing this case for presentation. It is our combined belief and knowledge that not all Television repair servicemen are dishonest and unscrupulous in their practices. A great percentage of these technicians are forthright and conduct their business in strict compliance with the code of ethics. It is these men who, when informed of the unfair conditions that exist in their trade, will drive the dishonest and crooked from their profession.

[Fatima Cigarette Advertiser]

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.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Fatima best of all king size cigarettes has brought you dragnet. Transcribed from los angeles.

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

It's the Silver Jubilee on NBC. For 25 years, NBC has been bringing you the very best in radio entertainment. Listen now to another exciting story on Counterspy, coming up on NBC.

[Narrator/Announcer (Second Story)]

The story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.

[Fatima Cigarette Advertiser (Second Story)]

Fatima Best of All King Size Cigarettes brings you. Dragnet.

[Narrator/Announcer (Second Story)]

You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a homicide detail. An elderly man is found dead in the living room of his home. There's a single bullet hole in his chest. On the surface, it appears the man took his own life. But the evidence points to the opposite. Your job, Investigate.

[Fatima Cigarette Advertiser (Second Story)]

More and more smokers coast to coast are saying this about King size Fatima every day.

[Narrator/Announcer (Second Story)]

They're different. Better.

[Interviewer/Questioner]

They are different.

[Officer Hunt]

So pleasing.

[Narrator/Announcer (Second Story)]

Yes, in Fatima, the difference is quality. You see, Fatima contains the finest domestic and Turkish tobacco, superbly blended. And Fatima is extra mild with a much different, much better flavor and aroma.

[Fatima Cigarette Advertiser (Second Story)]

Compare Fatima with any other king size cigarette you'll find.

[Narrator/Announcer (Second Story)]

Fatima gives you all the advantages of extra length plus Fatima quality, which no other King size cigarette has.

[Fatima Cigarette Advertiser (Second Story)]

Yes, in Fatima, the difference is quality.

[Narrator/Announcer (Second Story)]

Next time, buy Fatima Best of All King Size Cigarettes.

[Fatima Cigarette Advertiser (Second Story)]

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 (Homicide Detail)]

Was Wednesday, January 10th. It was cold in Los Angeles. We're working a day. Watch out. A homicide detail. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Fat Brown, Chief of Detectives. My name's Friday. It was 8:25am when I got to the police academy. The doctor's office. Morning.

[Officer Hunt]

Morning. Can I help you?

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

I'm checking in for my annual physical.

[Officer Hunt]

Oh, okay. All right. Let's see here.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Name, Joe Friday.

[Officer Hunt]

See? Friday, just like the day in the week.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Yeah, that's right.

[Hank Coulter (Former Employee)]

Friday.

[Officer Hunt]

Anything to fight it. You sure you were notified?

[Jack Knett (Reporter)]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

The teletype was posted in the office a couple of days ago. Annual physical exams. My name was right near the top of the list. F, R, I, D, A Y.

[Officer Hunt]

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Here you are. Joseph Friday.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

That's it. Yeah.

[Officer Hunt]

Well, all right, Friday, let's get your name down here. Age 34, where you work.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Central Homicide. Serial number 2288.

[Officer Hunt]

2288. Okay, Piney, you wanna step this way?

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

All right,

[Officer Hunt]

Step off your shoes, your coat and shirt. Okay.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Well, they're keeping you busy?

[Officer Hunt]

Oh, pretty busy, yeah. 4,500 men in the department. Everyone has to have an annual physical. Mm. Better get you weighed and send you along inside. Doc's probably ready for you by now. Over here. Well, never fails. Dr. Vance's office. Who's that?

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Just a minute.

[Officer Hunt]

It's for you, Friday. Your office.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Thank you. Friday talking.

[Officer Hunt]

This is Ben, Joe. You about through over there?

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

No, not quite. I haven't seen Doc Vance yet. What's the matter?

[Officer Hunt]

Dead body. Call out by Westlake Park. Radio cars out there now.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

No one else in Homicide to handle it?

[Officer Hunt]

Not right now.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

They're pretty busy.

[Officer Hunt]

No use your coming back to the office. Why don't you meet me out there? It's 9320, Laurel. Nine.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Just a minute. Have that pad, Doc.

[Warren White (Suspect)]

Thank you.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

9320 Laurel. I got it. What's the story?

[Officer Hunt]

Old man, my son dead in his living room. Bullet hole in his chest. Man in the radio car said at first it looked like the old man had killed himself. They're not so sure now.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

How do you mean?

[Officer Hunt]

They think he had some help.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

8:45am I left the doctor's office at the police academy and drove to the West Lake area where I met Ben in front of the cottage where the dead body had been found. We went inside and checked with one of the men from the radio car who was standing by. The dead man was identified as Martin Latimer, age 68. A retired owner of a couple of neighborhood grocery stores in the city. He was lying sprawled on his side on the floor. There was a bullet hole in his chest just above the heart where the slug had entered the body. There was another, larger wound in the back through the left shoulder blade where the bullet had emerged. Approximately eight feet across the room from the body was another chair with a Winchester rifle wired firmly to the top, its muzzle pointing directly above the spot where the body lay on the floor. A thick white string was found, wound firmly around the trigger of the rifle. It ran through a metal ring on the Stock of the gun and stretched across the room where it had been tied to the dead man's right index finger. At first glance, it seemed like an obvious suicide arrangement. Officer Harkness, one of the men in the radio car who'd answered the call, took exception.

[Officer Hunt]

I know, sergeant. Maybe I'm all wet. Just doesn't gel right for me. Who discovered the body, Harkness?

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Next door neighbor, Mrs. Donworth.

[Officer Hunt]

My partner's with her now. You fellas call the crime lab?

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Yeah, they're on their way out. Was the old man the only one who lived in the house here?

[Officer Hunt]

Yeah, that's what the neighbor told us.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Sure like to see what the crime

[Officer Hunt]

lab crew's gonna think of it.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

What's the big question, Hunt?

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

I know it's none of my business, Sergeant.

[Officer Hunt]

You fellas are the detectives. I just couldn't help but notice, though. What's that?

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Well, come here.

[Officer Hunt]

Over here. This rifle wired to the back of the chair. Take a sight along the barrel of the rifle, see what you think.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Right through the sight, huh?

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Mm.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Pointed right above the armchair over there, isn't it? It's in a straight line with the body without much fist. The old man pulled a string tied to his index finger, and it set off the trigger. Took the slug through the chest. Isn't that right?

[Officer Hunt]

Yeah, that's what I figured. Now, here, take a look at the wall directly behind the old man. Yeah, the slug went clean through the body, we know that. Through the chest, above the heart, then out through the shoulder blade.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

I see what you mean.

[Officer Hunt]

Oh, here, now, take a look at this wall here. Got a mark on it. Yeah. One thing sure. If the old man was shot in that position, the sluggie had to come this way. Well, pass through his body right about this height here. We ought to find the bullet hole in this wall. Right. Right around here.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

It oughta be. Not a trace of a slug there. Not much chance it could have been deflected, do you think?

[Officer Hunt]

Well, that's what I thought. It's a. 30. 30 Winchester. Enough power to go through a couple of plaster walls.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Well, we know the slug went through the body. It's gotta be somewhere in one of these four walls.

[Officer Hunt]

Take a look over here and see what you think. All right.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Down here, near the corner of the wall.

[Officer Hunt]

Where? Well, right here.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Yeah, it looks like it, Ben.

[Officer Hunt]

Something's out of kilter. The rifle. Never could have thrown a slug this far down on the wall. Not the way it's wired to the chair there.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Besides that, it's way out of Line at least four feet, the way I figured here.

[Officer Hunt]

I know it's none of my business, Sergeant.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

I couldn't help but notice it, though.

[Officer Hunt]

You want me to stand by outside?

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Yeah. Okay, if you will. Would you mind checking with your partner, see if we can have that neighbor lady brought over for questioning? Would you?

[Interviewer/Questioner]

Right.

[Officer Hunt]

I'll check with him now.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Thank you.

[Officer Hunt]

Sure. I'm gonna take another look at that rifle.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Well, it sure doesn't add up too well, does it? Even if the old man jerked the gun when he pulled the trigger, with that string arrangement, the slug couldn't have passed through his chest, out his back and then hit the wall where it did.

[Officer Hunt]

Stand just behind the body, will you, Joe? See if it's possible to line it up all right.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

What about here? Does that look about it to you?

[Officer Hunt]

Yeah, that's good. Let me see here. No, not a chance, Joe. It's way out of line. That's the gun that killed him. The old man didn't pull the trigger. Not from there, anyway.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Well, there's one other chance. Yeah, somebody pulled it for him. Lt. Lee Jones arrived with his crime lab crew and went to work. We put in a call to the coroner's office. And then the dead man's neighbor, Mrs. Elsie Dunworth, was brought over for questioning. She was a chubby, matronly lady, about 45. She told us she'd been a neighbor to the aging Martin Latimer for more than 10 years.

[Officer Hunt]

I take it you knew Mr. Latimer pretty well, man?

[P]

Yeah, I suppose. Didn't have any relatives. Poor man, all alone. He was in the grocery business for years. He made some nice money, I guess. Retired about eight years ago. Sold both his stores. Had an income from a mortgage on one of them. Hundred and fifty dollars a month. Yeah, he was very comfortable. Wasn't a penny painter at all, but he was thrifty. It was the same way with my husband, Claude. He used to say, take care of the dimes and the dollars will take care of themselves.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Well, Mrs. Donald, can you think of any reason why Latimer would want to take his own life?

[P]

Oh, I suppose. Poor old man is getting along in years. A long time there, he was afraid he was going to die with cancer.

[Officer Hunt]

That so? Did Mr. Latimer have cancer?

[Interviewer/Questioner]

You?

[P]

Oh, no. He kept thinking he was going to die with it. Could you come next door to my place while I get some of my laundry out? We could talk there. It was, just across the yard.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

All right, man. That'll be fine. Did you want to tell Lee Jones will be next door, Ben. Guess you better let Harkness know, too.

[Officer Hunt]

Yeah, right. I'll tell him.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Thank you.

[P]

About that cancer business, officer. Mr. Latimer was always talking about it.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Yes, ma'.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Am.

[P]

He finally went to a doctor about it. That was last week. Only he came back and he told me the doctor said for him not to be so silly about it. He was a well man in good health.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

When was the last time that you saw Latimer, ma'?

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Am?

[P]

Day before yesterday. Oh, we laughed and joked over the back fence. Poor old man had such a nice smile. Reminded me a good deal of Claude. That was my husband.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

I'd like to have your honest opinion, Ms. Donwood. Do you think Mr. Latimer killed himself?

[P]

Well, I suppose that rifle in there, that tells him some faction.

[Officer Hunt]

Joe, I wonder if I could talk to you a minute.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Yeah, okay. Would you like to go on ahead over next door, ma'? Am? We'll be right with you.

[P]

All right, Officer.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Thank you very much. We'll be right there, ma'.

[Warren White (Suspect)]

Am.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Yeah?

[Officer Hunt]

Crime lab proves having a field day. They say if the old man shot himself with that rig, it ought to make Ripley's call.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

They find anything? Definite?

[Officer Hunt]

Dusted the rifle for fingerprints. Didn't find a warrant. How about that? Yeah.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Makes less sense than that slug buried in the corner of the wall, doesn't it?

[Officer Hunt]

Sure does. Checked the desk in the living room. Found some correspondence let him was having with some woman through a lonely hearts club.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Yeah. Did you find any reason why he'd want to die?

[Officer Hunt]

Pretty good reason why he'd want to live. Found a photograph. Beautiful girl. Looks to be about 24 or 5. What about it? She was going to marry him.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

The crime lab crew continued their routine investigation of Martin Latimer's cottage. They removed a.30 30 slug from the corner of one wall. Ben and I went next door to question the neighbor, Mrs. Donworth. There didn't seem to be any common ground at all between the evidence in the house and the information that she had to offer. As we continued questioning her, Mrs. Donworth remembered that a month before, Latimer had told her that something might happen to him and he wanted to make out a will. He asked if she would witness the will. A few days later, Latimer's lawyer came to the house and said Mrs. Donworth witnessed the signing. At that time, she said Latimer made the remark. I don't feel like going on much longer anyway. If death means arrest, I think I deserve one. Mrs. Donwith kept busy with the Laundry while we interviewed her.

[P]

Could you let me get by to the Mango, Officer? I have to get some of this. I mean, done.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Yes, ma'.

[Officer Hunt]

Am. I'm sorry. I'm afraid there's one thing I don't remember you telling us, ma'. Am.

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

Did you.

[Officer Hunt]

Did you hear anything out of the ordinary going on next door this morning or last night?

[P]

No, nothing I noticed. Anyway. Officer, did you see that knob on the washer? The one on the left?

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Oh, you mean this over here?

[P]

Yeah. Just lift it up and turn around. Off, please. It says off right there in the dial.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Yes, ma'.

[Robert W. Cheney (TV Repairman)]

Am.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

I see.

[Officer Hunt]

There you are.

[P]

Yeah. Thanks. No, there was nothing I heard from next door. Remark about. Of course, it's so noisy around here that time of morning, you can't even hear yourself think. Anyway, how's that man? Truck's passing by up and down every morning. They're not small trucks, either. They start in at 6am they rattle past two, three hours. Please.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

The first good explanation we've had on this thing.

[Officer Hunt]

Could you give us the names of some of the other people on the street who knew Mr. Latimer pretty well? Mrs. Dunwood?

[P]

Yeah, I suppose. I don't think any of them know the poor old man as well as I did. Most of them are younger folks, you know, parties and things. When you get up around 65A, pass it like Mr. Latimer. Parties don't mean so much anymore.

[Officer Hunt]

Yes, ma', am, I understand.

[P]

Yeah, it's a nice, quiet home with a good heating system, good books on the shelf. Good man around the house. About all you can ask for.

[Officer Hunt]

Yes, ma'.

[Warren White (Suspect)]

Am.

[Officer Hunt]

Well, thank you very much. We'll leave our card here in case you want to contact us for any reason.

[P]

All right.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

There's one more thing, Mrs. Don. We understand Latimer was corresponding with several women through a lonely hearts club. Did he ever mention that to you?

[P]

No, he never did. I found out from the mailman. He's a regular gossip.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

And Latimer never mentioned any of the women that he corresponded with, is that right?

[P]

I pretended I didn't even know about it. He never brought it up. Don't understand why you'd want to meet a lady that way. Almost as Emma looking for is a man with money so they can quit work and lay around the house.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Well, thanks again, Mrs. Darnworth.

[Officer Hunt]

It's been very helpful.

[P]

Yeah. Poor old man. I wonder what made him write letters after silly women. Little good they'd have done him. He wrote letters all over the country. Getting tired of working Myself could have saved the postage, too. Lee probably I was right next door. Would have married him in a minute.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

We left Mrs. Darnworth's house a few minutes past noon and we went back next door to Latimer's cottage. The crime lab crew had finished their investigation and the deputy coroner arrived. He took the body downtown for autopsy. We talked over the crime lab findings with Lt. Lee Jones, and he felt the same way that Ben and I did. The theory that Latimer had shot himself to death was possible in many respects, but it was far from plausible. We checked through Latimer's correspondence with the women that he'd contacted by mail through the Lonely Hearts Club. Especially the young girl he obviously intended to marry. Judging from his letters to her. Her picture showed her to be a brunette, dark eyes, young and very attractive. The inscription at the bottom read, with love, Catherine. There was no return address on either the photo or the letter. Ben called to check with the Lonely Hearts Club.

[Officer Hunt]

Yes, ma'.

[Interviewer/Questioner]

Am.

[Officer Hunt]

No, that's all right. We'll probably be dropping down to talk to you. Yes, Boy.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

What'd they say?

[Officer Hunt]

Might be it, Joe. Club secretary says they've been having trouble with somebody who signs the pictures just

[Ben Romero (Friday's Partner)]

like this one was.

[Fatima Cigarette Advertiser (Second Story)]

Love, Catherine.

[Officer Hunt]

I described the picture, and the secretary says it's the same girl.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

What's the angle?

[Officer Hunt]

The girl doesn't belong to the club, but somehow she got a list of their members and their addresses. She writes to them, usually old men. Gets them set for marriage and they send for her. Letters come from the east, from different cities. She writes and asks for train fare out here. Men send her their money for clothes and train fare. And that's the last of it. She's gone.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Oh, it adds up all right. This one letter here. This one. I hate to ask you, dear, but if you could send me the traveling money and just a little extra for some clothes, I will take the first train and be with you in a week to become your wife. Awaiting that precious moment and so on.

[Officer Hunt]

Kind of poured it on thick. What's the date on there?

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Let's see. December 30th. It's 12 days ago.

[Officer Hunt]

What do you think that's possible.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

She could have showed up, tried to grab all the old man's money she could find. Maybe he caught her at it, she killed him. Rigged up this phony setup to make it look like Latimer shot himself, huh?

[Officer Hunt]

And hold more water. If we could find out she really came here. Maybe we better start ringing a few doorbells. The other neighbors might Come up with something. What do you say?

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Let me see that girl's picture again, will you?

[Officer Hunt]

Yeah. Here you no photographer's name.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Now look in the back here, Ben. Now down here in the corner. In the corner of the picture mounting.

[Officer Hunt]

Oh yeah, yeah.xxx6y3 must be some kind of manufacturer's. Martin Photography Supply. Guess it stands for the type of paper, huh? You know anything about the photo business?

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

No, I don't.

[Officer Hunt]

Neither do I.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Let's find somebody who does, huh? Before we drove back to the office, Ben and I covered the rest of the neighborhood and talked to everybody who knew the dead man Martin Latimer even remotely. They told us nothing that we didn't already know. There'd been no strangers seen visiting the old man. No one had noticed anything out of the ordinary in Latimer's daily routine. 3 o' clock that afternoon we checked with the police photo lab. They told us that the symbols stamped on the cardboard frame of the photograph signed Catherine were symbols used by a photo supply company up in San Francisco. We went back to the office and got in touch with the San Francisco firm. We were told that the symbols indicated the style and the size of photographic mounting. And further that this particular type of mounting was distributed only throughout seven Western states. They gave us a list of 18 photo studios in Los Angeles who kept that particular mount in stock. It was a long chance, but we started checking them out. Meantime, we'd run the girl through R and I and gotten out an APB so seeking information on her. Three days later, Ben and I had checked out 10 of the 18 photo studios on our list. The 11th was the M and Y family portraits on Melrose.

[Officer Hunt]

Yes, sir. Help you? Police officers. Would you mind taking a look at this photograph here, please? Let's see. Would you like an enlargement? Got a special price in enlargements this week.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

No, sir. Just like know if you can identify this girl, that's all. Well, do you recognize her at all, sir?

[Officer Hunt]

I know her. Sure you wouldn't like an enlargement?

[Fatima Cigarette Advertiser (Second Story)]

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[Interviewer/Questioner]

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[Narrator/Announcer (Second Story)]

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[Interviewer/Questioner]

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[Narrator/Announcer (Second Story)]

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[Fatima Cigarette Advertiser (Second Story)]

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[Fatima Cigarette Advertiser (Second Story)]

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[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Saturday, January 13, 1:35pm we showed the photograph of the girl to the proprietor of the photo studio on Melrose Avenue. And he identified her as one of his customers. He told us her name was Doris chambers. She was 22 years old and a postgraduate student in chemistry at the university. She came from a fairly well to do family and her father was the president of a local neighborhood bank. She didn't even come close to the type of girl that we were looking for. We got the address from the photographer, drove out to the home and interviewed the Chambers girl. She gave a younger appearance than she did in her picture. She couldn't recognize the handwriting on the photo, nor did she understand the inscription. With love, Catherine. After questioning her, it became apparent that she knew nothing at all about 68 year old Martin Latimer.

[Officer Hunt]

Wonder if you'd mind taking another look at the handwriting on the picture, miss. Familiar at all?

[P]

No.

[Assistant City Attorney Boyd Taylor]

No, I couldn't be sure either way. Seems like I've seen it though.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

When did you say you had this picture made, Miss?

[Assistant City Attorney Boyd Taylor]

About a year ago at graduation. My mother had extra copies made up. She liked it. I didn't care for it much.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Could you tell us how many people have prints of this picture?

[Assistant City Attorney Boyd Taylor]

Mama had two dozen copies made up. She took 12 and I took 12. She sent them to relatives, friends of ours kept a few.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

What'd you do with yours?

[Assistant City Attorney Boyd Taylor]

Sent them to friends, girls at school, few of my boyfriends.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Can you remember if you autographed any of them?

[Assistant City Attorney Boyd Taylor]

No. Some of them the ones from my girlfriend. Others who gave out playing.

[Officer Hunt]

Can you try and think who you gave those to, Miss? The unsigned pictures.

[Assistant City Attorney Boyd Taylor]

One went to Carl. I know that. And Ray and Fred and Don Warren. I think that's it.

[Officer Hunt]

Wonder if we could have their full names and addresses, please?

[Assistant City Attorney Boyd Taylor]

Yeah, it's all right. You know what? I'm saving all this junk for old letters. Could I see that picture, please?

[Officer Hunt]

Yeah. Here you are.

[Assistant City Attorney Boyd Taylor]

What is? The same writing. I thought I'd seen it before. That's this old letter from Warren. See the writing? Doesn't it look the same to you?

[Officer Hunt]

Hmm, looks close, Jill.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

We'll have don my own handwriting, check it over. Who is this Warren, Ms. Chambers.

[Assistant City Attorney Boyd Taylor]

Warren White. Here's his address right here.

[Officer Hunt]

Yeah, I'll copy it, Jill.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Fine.

[Assistant City Attorney Boyd Taylor]

Warren and I went to college together. We were engaged to be married for a while and then I broke it off.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

I see.

[Assistant City Attorney Boyd Taylor]

Warren's a serious boy. He was very thorough. Perfectionist. You know, Sergeant, he never does things halfway.

[Officer Hunt]

That's him.

[Assistant City Attorney Boyd Taylor]

Never known Warren to do anything in his life halfway. Not once.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Well, he's gonna have a perfect record if that handwriting matches.

[Assistant City Attorney Boyd Taylor]

What can they do to him?

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

I don't know, but they won't do it halfway. 2:55pm we left the home of Doris Chambers and drove down Beverly Boulevard to 743 North Clairwood Avenue. An apartment house where the suspect was supposed to be living. We talked to the manager and he told us that Warren White had moved without giving notice three days before on January 10, the same day 68 year old Martin Latimer was found dead in his home. We got on the phone, talked to Doris Chambers again and she gave us a lead on Warren White's married sister. 7:30pm we met with the sister of the murder suspect and she told us that her brother Warren had phoned that morning and asked for an emergency loan of $200, which she didn't have to give him. The sister gave us White's new address and we checked it out. It was one of those rundown futuristic style apartment houses built in the mid-30s. Was on a narrow road high above Sunset Boulevard overlooking most of Hollywood. White wasn't in and the manager said he wasn't expected back till early the next morning. We had the manager let us in White's apartment. We waited. Midnight 1am no sign of the suspect.

[Officer Hunt]

No denying it. A sure beautiful view from here.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

It's the best in town. Be nice for single fellas up here, wouldn't it? Wouldn't work with the family though.

[Officer Hunt]

How about you, Joe? Why don't you get your mother looking around up here? It'd be a beautiful place with the two of you.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

No, I don't think Ma'd ever leave the house. She's been there for 40 years. I guess she'll stay there till she dies. Would be nice up here though, wouldn't it? What a view, huh?

[Officer Hunt]

Mm. Why don't you try talking her into it? You got nothing to lose.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

I might do that. Why don't you slide up one of the windows? It's getting a little stuffy in here.

[Officer Hunt]

Oh, smell that air, huh? That's great.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

What time you got?

[Officer Hunt]

1:45. Oh, it's a long night.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

We waited. 3am 4am 4:30. It was cold, but still no sign of a suspect. Worn white. 5am 5:30. 6am the sky was getting light over in the east. 6:30. 7am 7:30. We kept waiting. No sign of the suspect. We called the office and arranged for a relief. 8am we could hear groups of youngsters passing by outside, trooping into the main yard of a grammar school just below the apartment house. We kept waiting. At 8:15am we heard a car pull up in front of the apartment house. Footsteps came down the driveway, up the path and stopped outside the door. We heard a key turn in the lock.

[Warren White (Suspect)]

What is this? What do you want?

[Officer Hunt]

You Warren White?

[Warren White (Suspect)]

Yes.

[Officer Hunt]

The police officer's got some questions we'd like to ask you.

[Warren White (Suspect)]

It's all right, officers. Why don't you sit down? I'm not gonna give you any trouble, huh? I killed him. Maybe I'll never know why, but I killed him.

[Officer Hunt]

You wanna tell us about it?

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

He must have had a reason for it, rigging it for a suicide. Do you have anything against him?

[Warren White (Suspect)]

I hardly even knew him. Used that picture of Doris to fool him. Made some good money doing it. I needed it.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

You willing to give us a statement about the whole thing?

[Warren White (Suspect)]

I haven't anything to hide, Officer. The minute I killed him, I knew

[Hank Coulter (Former Employee)]

it was all over.

[Warren White (Suspect)]

Right there in that one minute. I knew you'd come and find me. Somehow I didn't know when. But you'd come and find me.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Okay, Ben. We better head downtown.

[Officer Hunt]

Yeah. What?

[Warren White (Suspect)]

It's a great sound, isn't it?

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

What's that?

[Warren White (Suspect)]

The schoolyard. The kids got a great sound to it. Good one.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

You want to get your hat?

[Warren White (Suspect)]

All right. How can anybody figure you start in the schoolyard? Like those kids down there, running around yelling. I started the same.

[Officer Hunt]

Better get going.

[Warren White (Suspect)]

I wonder what it is that happens. An eight year old redhead kid. Must be one down there now. Yeah. The kids will grow up, get jobs, work and die. It'll be all right.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Yeah.

[Warren White (Suspect)]

One kid will end up in an alley with a gun in his hand. How can anybody figure?

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

I don't know.

[Warren White (Suspect)]

Bunch of kids playing in a school someday. One of them is a killer.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Yeah. Let's go.

[Warren White (Suspect)]

You tell me what's the answer.

[Narrator/Announcer]

The story you have just heard was true. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent.

[Fatima Cigarette Advertiser (Second Story)]

On April 2, trial was held in Superior Court Department 88. City and county of Los Angeles, State of California. In a moment, the results of that trial.

[Narrator/Announcer (Second Story)]

And now, here is our star, Jack Webb.

[Officer Hunt]

Thank you.

[Joe Friday (Homicide Detail)]

Friends, it's come to my attention that some people have a misunderstanding about the cost of Fatimas. Well, I'd sure like to straighten that out for you. Right now, the cost of Fatima is the same as the cigarette you're now smoking. Yes, that's right. Fatima's cost, no more. But in Fatima, the difference is quality. By Fatima, in the golden yellow package.

[Fatima Cigarette Advertiser (Second Story)]

Warren Thomas White was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree. He received a sentence of life imprisonment. He is still serving his term in the State Penitentiary, Folsom, California.

[Narrator/Announcer (Second Story)]

Ladies and gentlemen, to build our strength against aggression. We've got to equip our armed forces with weapons of war. And at the same time produce plenty of civilian goods. So that we can keep prices down.