
Case Closed begins this week's hour with The Mark, from 21st Precinct. That episode aired October 27, 1954. (29:45) Our last story is The Senile Slugging Case, the September 21, 1951, episode of The Line-Up. https://traffic.libsyn.com/forcedn/e55e1c7a-e213-4a20-8701-21862bdf1f8a/CaseClosed947.mp3 Download CaseClosed947 | Subscribe | Spotify | Support Case Closed Your donation of any amount keeps Case Closed coming every week. Visit Donate.RelicRadio.com if you’d [...]
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Welcome back to case closed. One hour of Old Time Radio Crime every Wednesday at relicradio.com. our first story comes from 21st Precinct. We'll hear the mark from October 27th, 1954. After that, it's the lineup and the senile slugging case. That story aired September 12, 1951.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Way face preaching. Sergeant Waters. All right, get on over to Second Avenue. The third alarm on that fire just hit. Sergeant Tierney's on the job there. He'll put you to work on traffic. Yeah, that's right. You are in the muster room at the 21st Precinct. The nerve center. A call is coming through. You will follow the action taken pursuant to that call from this minute until the final report is written in the 124 room at the 21st Precinct. Okay, you're gone. Bring in when you get back on your post. Yeah, all right.
Lieutenant Gorman
21St Precinct. It's just lines on a map of the city of New York. Most of the 173,000 people wedged into the 9/10 of a square mile between Fifth Avenue and the east river wouldn't know if you asked them that they lived or worked in the 21st. Whether they know it or not, the security of their homes, their persons and their property is the job of the men of the 21st Precinct.
Captain Frank Kennelly
The 21st. 160 patrolmen, 11 sergeants and four lieutenants, of whom I'm the boss. My name is Kennelly, Frank Kennelly. I'm captain in command of the 21st. I was working my day tour 8am to 6pm it was raining hard when I came on the job and the 63 men who would patrol the precinct on foot and in sector cars for the next eight hours turned out wearing rubber coats, boots and cap covers. At ten minutes after nine, Lieutenant Gorman, the desk officer, rang into my office and informed me of a two alarm fire in a lost building on second Avenue. By the time a car came by the station house to take me to the scene of the fire, the third alarm had hit. The teeming rain added to our difficulties and it had not stopped until about the time the fire was out. At 11:14, I returned to the station house to finish the paperwork and begin a required inspection of departmental equipment. My calendar showed that I was scheduled to give a talk on safety to the student body of Julia Richmond high school at 1:30pm so at noon I changed to civilian clothes and took my rain soaked uniform trousers under my arm. It was my intention to leave them to be pressed while I went for my meal. In A restaurant a few doors from the tailor shop on 3rd Avenue operated by Philip Parizoni. Hello, Ms. Barazoni. How are you?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
I'm fine.
Captain Frank Kennelly
I'm Captain Kelly.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Bill.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Well, you don't have to bother him.
Lieutenant Gorman
Bill.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Bill. Come here.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Mrs. Parazoni.
Lieutenant Gorman
Hello, Captain.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Oh, Phil. How are you, Phil?
Lieutenant Gorman
Rose, you. You better get to 211 and pick up the work.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Oh, all right.
Lieutenant Gorman
Yeah. The night doorman's uniform and the elevator operator's uniform from the. From the sou.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
211.
Lieutenant Gorman
Yes. 2 11.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
All right, I'll get you.
Lieutenant Gorman
Yeah. Only press if they want him back by 5 o' clock. Huh?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Only press.
Lieutenant Gorman
Wides in the piston.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Yeah.
Lieutenant Gorman
There. Sometimes they ruin more customers than they're worth. Yeah. Captain Perch.
Captain Frank Kennelly
I got them soaked this morning. Phil, I'm giving a talk to some high school students at 1:30 this afternoon. I wondered if I could get them present.
Lieutenant Gorman
Oh, sure.
Captain Frank Kennelly
They're not too wet, are they? Oh, don't worry about it.
Lieutenant Gorman
I'll take care of it.
Captain Frank Kennelly
I'm gonna have lunch down the block. Could I pick them up in about half an hour?
Lieutenant Gorman
I'll deliver them to the station house if you want.
Captain Frank Kennelly
No, no, that's all right. I'll pick them up.
Lieutenant Gorman
Okay.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Thanks a lot, Phil.
Lieutenant Gorman
Oh, Captain.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Yeah?
Lieutenant Gorman
Could I ask you something? Sure. What is it, Bill? Look, Captain.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Yeah?
Lieutenant Gorman
I'm sorry. How? Rose asked what happened.
Captain Frank Kennelly
You two have a fight?
Lieutenant Gorman
Yeah, I guess you could call it a fight. Anyway, I'm sorry.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Don't worry about it.
Lieutenant Gorman
I am worried about it. You shouldn't treat people like that. Customers, especially you.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Oh, it happens in the best of family.
Lieutenant Gorman
Yeah. Best family.
Captain Frank Kennelly
I left Phil Parazone's tailor shop and went a few doors down the street to a restaurant where I had my meal. When I returned for the uniform trousers a half hour later, Mrs. Parizoni was not in the shop. At 1:30pm I was introduced to the student body at Julia Richmond High School and I talked for 20 minutes on the subject of safety, especially safe driving. It was 2:10pm when I returned to the station house where in the muster room Lieutenant Gorman was desk officer. And Sergeant Waters was on telephone 6:40 a captain. Go ahead and take the call, sergeant.
Lieutenant Gorman
Yes, sir.
Captain Frank Kennelly
I have time to block it 21st. Preaching. Sergeant Waters, where were you born? The borough of Manhattan. When you go down to the Department of Health, 125 Word street, you can.
Lieutenant Gorman
Get a copy of your birth certificate there.
Captain Frank Kennelly
125 Worth Street. Where are you? On the east side. You take the Lexington Avenue Express downtown and change it 14ft for the locals.
Lieutenant Gorman
Right.
Captain Frank Kennelly
The worst seat is just upstairs there.
Lieutenant Gorman
Okay. You're welcome.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Yes, Sergeant? Did you have something for me? Oh, yeah, Captain.
Lieutenant Gorman
What?
Captain Frank Kennelly
You know that Phil Parazzoni from the tailor show? What about him?
Lieutenant Gorman
Came in to see you.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Yeah, he and his wife. I asked him to wait in your office. Are they in there now?
Lieutenant Gorman
Yes, sir.
Captain Frank Kennelly
All right. When he puts Precinct, stock and waters. All right.
Lieutenant Gorman
Where do you be?
Captain Frank Kennelly
Well, hello, Phil.
Lieutenant Gorman
Oh, you know, my wife's. Rose.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Yeah, sure. Hello, Ms. Tarzani.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Hello.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Well, what can I do for you, Phil?
Lieutenant Gorman
Well, he told me it wasn't the.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Right thing to do. He told me in so many words.
Lieutenant Gorman
I wouldn't listen to him. No, Rose, that's what he told me.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
It wasn't the right thing to do.
Captain Frank Kennelly
What wasn't the right thing to do?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
It was all my fault. He didn't have anything to do with it.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Rose.
Lieutenant Gorman
Let me talk to him. Would you wait outside, please?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
It's my fault.
Lieutenant Gorman
Would you just stand outside and I'll get it straightened out. Is that all right with you, Captain?
Captain Frank Kennelly
Yeah, I guess so.
Lieutenant Gorman
Yeah, go ahead. Fr. Let me get it straightened out.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yeah, all right. But it's my fault. Everything.
Lieutenant Gorman
Yeah. Could I close the door, Captain?
Captain Frank Kennelly
That's all right. I get it.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Is it all right to wait here?
Lieutenant Gorman
Yeah, sure.
Captain Frank Kennelly
That's all right. Well, what's the trouble, philosopher, Captain?
Lieutenant Gorman
When you came in the store to get your pants first, she asked. Well, that's why she acted so funny, because it was you. You see, she thought you came to arrest her. That's why she acted that way.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Arrest her for what?
Lieutenant Gorman
It's a long story. It's a very long story.
Captain Frank Kennelly
What does she do?
Lieutenant Gorman
Look, Captain, when somebody who's worked so hard for so many years works really struggles, can you blame them too much if they see an opportunity to make some money just like that, A big opportunity to make it.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Well, I can't blame them if it's legitimate.
Lieutenant Gorman
Well, in this case, it's legitimate and it isn't. Well, it can't be both. Well, I mean, the money don't really belong to anybody. You better start at the beginning, Phil. Yeah. Well, it was yesterday morning. We were in the shop, but Rose was at the counter like when you came in today. And I was in the back at the pressing machine.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Yeah.
Lieutenant Gorman
Well, the door opened and a customer came in. A woman. They're a very pretty young woman. Yeah, but she came in mad as a wet hen. Well, I heard her talking to Rose and I came up to see what the matter was. But she had on a nice wool suit. See, the front of the skirt was dirty and smart. I didn't blame her for being mad. Anyway, she said she was on the bus. She said two men got on, and the man who was sitting next to her saw the two men. Well, she thinks they were detectives. And they were after the man that was sitting next to her. Well, anyway, he jumped out of the seat and crawled all over and ruined the suit with his shoe and went out the back door of the bus and the two men ran out after. Well, anyway, after a minute, she looked down on the seat and there was a package, you see, A pretty big package. Must have belonged to the man that the policemen were chasing. She picked it up.
Captain Frank Kennelly
And did the woman have the package when she came into the store?
Lieutenant Gorman
Oh, yeah. Yeah, she had it, all right. It was right down on the corner there all the time. Only, anyway, I said I tried to fix up a skirt as best I could, and she went in the dressing room. Well, I was in the back there working on a skirt. And then the lady asked Rose to bring the package into the dressing room. She'd like to take a look at it while she was waiting. So? So Rose brought the package in and Rose said, you know how curiosity can get the best of ladies. Well, they sat there looking at it, and Rose was hoping that she would open it up. And finally the lady decided to open it up. What was in it? Well, I didn't know. I didn't find out until last night. Oh, didn't she? Well, she didn't say anything to me about it while we were in the store.
Captain Frank Kennelly
I was busy back there.
Lieutenant Gorman
I didn't know what was going on in the dressing room. I see.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Your wife only told you what was in it.
Lieutenant Gorman
Yeah. I never saw anything in there.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Well, what was in the package?
Lieutenant Gorman
Money. Lots of money, Captain.
Captain Frank Kennelly
How much?
Lieutenant Gorman
Well, I don't know exactly. Rose said at least 3,000, I think.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Aren't they sure?
Lieutenant Gorman
Well, Rose told me they didn't comment. They were so scared they didn't count it. Oh, the money. The money wasn't all that was in there. What else? Number slips. You know, slips from playing policy. Oh, yeah. Well, they figured out Rose and the lady that this fella on the bus was a racketeer, you see, and he was being chased by the cops. Yeah. Oh, you can ask Ross in.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Well, I think we ought to have this story from her, don't you? Yeah.
Lieutenant Gorman
Yeah, I think we ought to.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Ms. Parizoni?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yes?
Captain Frank Kennelly
Would you come in?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Now, all Right.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Just have a seat.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yeah, you tell him so.
Lieutenant Gorman
Well, not everything. Yes.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Sit down. Laughing I only got up to the.
Lieutenant Gorman
Pot after you opened the package in the dressing room.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Oh, yes.
Captain Frank Kennelly
I'd rather hear the story from you, Ms. Parizone, instead of what you told your husband.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yeah, sure.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Now, how much money was in there?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
We didn't count it. We stole that money and the policy slipped. We got scared.
Captain Frank Kennelly
You and the lady?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yeah. We wrapped the package back up again.
Captain Frank Kennelly
What was it? A stack of money?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yeah, a stack about this thick, about 2 or 3 inches that. Lots of money.
Captain Frank Kennelly
And was the pile of money tied up?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yeah, with a rubber band. A couple of rubber bands.
Captain Frank Kennelly
And what was on top?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
A twenty dollar bill.
Lieutenant Gorman
You see the bottom?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yeah, there was a ten, I think there's a ten dollar bill on the bottom.
Captain Frank Kennelly
You never did take the rubber bands off?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
I didn't even touch it. She was holding it.
Captain Frank Kennelly
And you decided to wrap it up quickly?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
She decided. She said the best thing to do would be to call the police. That'd be the best thing.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Why didn't you call the police?
Lieutenant Gorman
Well, I. I came back with the skirt.
Captain Frank Kennelly
You better let her tell it soon.
Lieutenant Gorman
Oh, yeah, okay.
Captain Frank Kennelly
All right.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Well, Phil came back to the dressing room with the skirt and she had the package all tied up again. I took her out front of where the telephone was and she walked over to it and she picked up the telephone. All of a sudden she hung up.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Where was Bill?
Lieutenant Gorman
I wasn't back there. I was working on some work at the pressing machine. I don't know. I didn't see any of it.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
No, that's right. He didn't see any of it.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Did she tell you her name?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Not then.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Well, did you ever find it out?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Well, later she said it would be best if I didn't know her full name. She said her first name was Marion.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Did she tell you why she didn't call the police?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yeah. Yeah, she told me that she was afraid to call the police. She said that she was afraid that they'd find out that she had 22 parking tickets on her car. Never went to court about any of them. She was afraid she'd be arrested and find a lot of money and things like that. She said maybe it'd be better if she left the package in the store and if I'd call the police.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Did you agree to that?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Well, I didn't care, but. And she said there wasn't any reason why we couldn't keep the money to ourselves. Better that we should have it than the criminal Wallace said the only thing was he was afraid that the man from the bus might have gotten away from the cops and might have remembered us.
Captain Frank Kennelly
So what did you do?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Well, it was decided that we could leave it in one of those lockers in Grand Central Station. You know, one of the lockers right in the waiting room There you see a little locker with a key that you take out and put in a dime.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Yeah, I know.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Well, because he was scared, I took the package, went out of the store, and she followed me. I went over and took the subway and rode down to Grand Central. I put the package in the locker, and she said I could keep the key because I didn't know her full name or where to get in touch with her. But she sure knew me, and she was sure I was honest.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Is the package still in the locker?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yes, still in the locker.
Captain Frank Kennelly
And you've got the key?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yeah, I got the key. I got it right here.
Lieutenant Gorman
See?
Captain Frank Kennelly
How much cash did she ask you to put up?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Did you tell them she asked me to put up cash?
Captain Frank Kennelly
No.
Lieutenant Gorman
No, I didn't tell them.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
How did you know she asked me to put up cash?
Captain Frank Kennelly
I knew. How much was it?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Seven hundred and fifty dollars.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Have you given it to her yet?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
No, no, I'm supposed to meet her this afternoon.
Captain Frank Kennelly
You're lucky, Ms. Parazoni.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
What do you mean, lucky? I'm worried to death, scared to death.
Captain Frank Kennelly
You're lucky you not only didn't find $3,000 of someone else's money, you didn't lose 750 of your own.
Lieutenant Gorman
You are listening to 21st Precinct, a factual account of the way police work in the world's largest city. Now back to 21st Precinct and Captain Kennelly.
Captain Frank Kennelly
I took Mr. And Mrs. Parazoni upstairs to the 21st Detective Squad and into the office of Lieutenant Matt King, the squad commander. Shim, Shamming, Bunko and pigeon dropping, as the small con games are called, are old stories and easily recognizable to police officers. But to the victim, they're most convincing. This is especially true because in many there is a blinding streak of larceny exceeded only by that in the con artist. These confidence rackets are invariably based upon the victim's desire to get something for nothing, something that belongs to somebody else.
Lieutenant Gorman
To the police officer.
Captain Frank Kennelly
The gullibility of people is amazing. It's incredible how many in the city of New York fall victim to these same old small con games year in and year out. In this case, Lt. King and Detective Louis DeLuca questioned the intended victim very closely. As I listened, why should she give you the key? She were on a level. Why wouldn't she suspect you'd go to the locker and get the package for yourself?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Well, she told me that she trusted me because she knew where to get in touch with me. We were in business.
Lieutenant Gorman
She walked in off the street with a smudge on her suit. And that's sufficient reason for her to trust you with $3,000? Well, she told my wife she had to trust somebody.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
That's right. She couldn't go to the police. And it can have a 22 parking ticket.
Captain Frank Kennelly
You've known these people a long time, haven't you, Captain? Yes, ever since I've been in the precinct many years. As far as I know, they're good, honest, hard working people.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
It was all my fault. After I told Phil, he said, why didn't I go to the police? I should have gone to the police. That's what he said.
Lieutenant Gorman
Rose, please. Huh? If I meant for you to go to the police, I would have insisted.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Now, let's pick this up for a minute where we left off.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yeah. All right.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Yesterday, you and Ms. Marion took the package down to Grand Central and you got one of those dime lockers.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yes, that's right.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Then what did you do?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
We went to a. I don't know, a coffee bar, I guess you call it, in Grand Central. We stood there, we had a cup of coffee and she said, well, I. I guess nobody followed us. I guess the detectives arrested the man. I said, yes, I guess they did. So she thanked me a lot for helping her. And she started to say how much I should get for helping her. She mentioned something like 25% of what was in the package. Well, I would have been satisfied with 25%. But anyway, we settled on the fact that I could get a third. We were supposed to meet at Grand Central, right at this coffee bar exactly at noon today. We'd take the package someplace and open up and then split the money.
Captain Frank Kennelly
How did she happen to give you the key?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Well, it was her own idea.
Captain Frank Kennelly
It was very nice of her, wasn't it?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
I thought it was.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Then you parted company?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yes.
Captain Frank Kennelly
What time did you get back at the store?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
It was about an hour after left.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Your husband asked you where you'd been?
Lieutenant Gorman
Well, yeah.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Yeah, I asked her.
Lieutenant Gorman
She told me she had to go out with the lady to help her out.
Captain Frank Kennelly
I asked her why she had to help out a trade like that.
Lieutenant Gorman
She said she just did. She had to, that's all.
Captain Frank Kennelly
You accepted that answer?
Lieutenant Gorman
Well, I couldn't do nothing except accept it. What else could I do?
Captain Frank Kennelly
When did you tell him about the money?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Last night, after dinner. I just couldn't keep it in me anymore. I told him about the package and about everything that was in it and how we went to Grand Central, how we put it in the locker and how she was going to meet me there tomorrow and I was going to get one first.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Your husband told you to go to.
Lieutenant Gorman
The police, didn't he?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yes, he told me.
Lieutenant Gorman
Yeah, I told her, but with no enthusiasm. With no enthusiasm whatsoever.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Well, at least you told me.
Captain Frank Kennelly
And you were intending to meet her at Grand Central Station at noon today and open up the package?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yes, that's right.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Well, it was about noon that I came to your store. You were still there.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yes, I know I was there. I got a call from her on the telephone at 9:30 this morning.
Captain Frank Kennelly
That's Marion.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yes, Marion. She said she was in awful trouble. She said she got home the night before, went to bed and when she woke up in the morning there was a policeman there. A policeman? Phone almost fell out of my hand. She said the policeman came to arrest her on account of the 22 traffic tickets that she didn't show up in court for. She said the policeman took her down to the magistrate's court and she was sitting there just waiting for her trial. So she said she couldn't meet me this noon, but that I ought to go down and put another dime in the locker at Grand Central Station. I told her I'd do that. She made me promise to be sure not to open the package because we'd have to count the money together. And I told her I wouldn't, but I just put the dime in.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Did you go down to Grand Central?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yeah. Yeah, I went down there and I went out of the store when the captain was in there. Do you remember that captain that I left?
Captain Frank Kennelly
Yes, I remember.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
I'm so nervous, I didn't know what to do. I thought you came to get me. That's what I saw. But when I found out you didn't, I. I went over and got the subway and went down to Grand Central and put another dime in the locker.
Captain Frank Kennelly
You look inside to see if the package was still there?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yeah. Yeah, I opened up the locker. I looked inside to see it was still in there, the package.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Then you went back to the store?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yes.
Captain Frank Kennelly
What time was that?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Must have been about a quarter to one that I got back.
Captain Frank Kennelly
What time did you hear from Marion again?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
About 1:00 clock. He called.
Captain Frank Kennelly
What'd she say this time?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Well, she told me she'd been up before the judge. She said the judge was very mad at her for ignoring the 22 tractor tickets. And he find her $750. $750. She had to have the money right away. She'd go to jail. You had to pay the fine by 4 o' clock that afternoon. She said she didn't know what she was going to do. The judge wouldn't let her leave the building, but he let her go out in the hall and use the pay telephone so she could call some friends if she didn't have it before o' clock that afternoon to go to jail.
Captain Frank Kennelly
What'd you say to her?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Well, I told her. I told her she had all that money in Grand Central Station. I said she ought to be able to use that. But she said no, she didn't want to do that. She didn't want to take the chance on opening up the package. Not down there, because there are all kinds of cops around and everything. There's always all kinds of cops in the courthouse.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Did you have any suggestions, Dolphin?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yeah. I told her I could open it up and throw the policy slips away. I could go to the ladies room in Grand Central Station and throw them in the waste basket or something like that and just bring the money down. She said no, that wouldn't be any good because we'd have to count the money together and each take our share so there wouldn't be any suspicion on either side.
Captain Frank Kennelly
That seemed fair, didn't it?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yeah, but I knew she was in such trouble she had to pay the $750 fine.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Did she have any suggestions?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Yes, she had a suggestion. She wanted to know if I had $750, if I could get it? And I said yes. I said, go to the savings account. And she said, please, please, wouldn't I do her a favor and draw out the money so she could pay the fine? And after she paid the fine, we'd go up to Grand Central and get the package and we'd split it right away and I'd get my $750 back and she'd give me half of the rest instead of only a third.
Lieutenant Gorman
Did you agree to do that?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Finally? I told her, all right, I would. And I told her that I'd meet her with the $750.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Where was that?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
In the courthouse down on Center Street.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Where in the courthouse?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
On the second floor, right by the pay telephones there. She said that the judge had given her permission to go out and stand by the telephones to wait for calls and to make calls. But she had to be back inside the court and pay off the fine before o' clock.
Captain Frank Kennelly
What time are you going to meet her?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
At a quarter to four.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Well, in order to be thankful that you decided to bring the whole thing to me, you'd have given her the $750 and never seen her again with the package.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
I had the key to the locker. The package is in there?
Captain Frank Kennelly
Yes. You'd have gotten back 30 of your $750. 20 on top and a 10 on the bottom.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Frank, it looked like money to me.
Captain Frank Kennelly
It always does. What made you decide to come and see me?
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Oh, that was Phil's idea.
Lieutenant Gorman
No, no, Rose. You decided that you.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
No, it's not true. It was his idea. See, he keeps the bank book in the drawer of the sewing machine. He was putting a new lining in a coat and he wouldn't get away from it. Finally, he stood up to get something. I got the bank book. He saw me. So he asked me what happened. I told him. He says, no, I can't go to the bank and get the money. But I told him I promised. He said, I don't care what you promise.
Lieutenant Gorman
But she decided to come here herself. She decided.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
He told me. So I decided.
Lieutenant Gorman
What do you think, Lieutenant? Think I ought to go down to.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Grand Central and pick up that baggage. What time is it now?
Lieutenant Gorman
Quarter three.
Captain Frank Kennelly
I think you ought to leave it there. At least until we're sure that this Marion is down at the courthouse. Just as liable to be standing in Grand Central watching that locker.
Lieutenant Gorman
She sees a police officer or.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Rose, go get the package. She's not going to show up at the courthouse. It stays there in the locker. Then she's sure the deal is on.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Is it on? What should I do?
Captain Frank Kennelly
You don't have to Worry about that, Ms. Parasoli. You just do what we tell you. It was decided that Mrs. Parizoni would go ahead and complete the transaction with the con artist she knew only as Marion. A dummy package of money prepared in exactly the same manner as the package left in the locker in Grand Central was gotten ready. There was a twenty dollar bill on top and a ten on the bottom. In between was plain paper cut to size. The serial numbers of the two real bills were recorded for evidence. Detective Deluca was instructed to see that Mrs. Parazoni waited until the exact time of the appointment, entered the building and took the elevator to the second floor. Lieutenant King and I went into the lobby of the building and met two detectives of the 5th Squad. The four of us took the elevator to the second floor. It was hardly necessary to make ourselves inconspicuous in the corridor. The place, as always on court days, was jammed with police officers, defendants, witnesses, complainants, bail bondsmen and attorneys waiting for their cases to be called in the various courts. The two detectives from the 5th Squad were planted near the elevators. Lt. King and I walked to a place in the corridor close to the telephone booth. And there we waited. Captain, this is the first time I've heard of the Criminal Court building being part of a con game. It's impressive, Matt. You got to give her credit for that. That's impressive, all right. There's a woman waiting. Think that's her? He's pretty close to the description. Wait a minute. There's another one down there. Where? At the drinking fountain.
Lieutenant Gorman
How are you?
Captain Frank Kennelly
Lots of them, Captain. Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Yes, sir. How's the time? He's due up here now. How about moving across there while we can see the elevator? Gas arm. The blue dress. Yeah, that could be hard, too. Now, let's see. Look, we better not both watch the elevators, man. No, I'll. I'll look this way. You just let me know what's going on, okay?
Lieutenant Gorman
Okay.
Captain Frank Kennelly
There's another one. That could be the gal. That description fits half the women in New York. Yep. There's Ms. Parazoni coming off the elevator. She's starting to look around.
Lieutenant Gorman
Does she see us?
Captain Frank Kennelly
Not yet. Which way is she looking?
Lieutenant Gorman
This way.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Here she comes. She stopped. You think Marion showed? Yes, sir, she showed. Parazoni is walking over to her.
Lieutenant Gorman
The one in the blue dress.
Captain Frank Kennelly
I better keep looking this way.
Lieutenant Gorman
He's greeted her.
Captain Frank Kennelly
They're making the change. Mrs. Parazoni is giving her the package.
Lieutenant Gorman
She's got it. All right.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Let's go. Good looking. All right. You think that'll help her not go far? I don't know how much good will do from now on.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Now where will I wait for you?
Captain Frank Kennelly
All right, we're police officers. I'll take that package.
Lieutenant Gorman
What?
Captain Frank Kennelly
When you've got there, I'll have it.
Lieutenant Gorman
Please.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Did you bring them?
Captain Frank Kennelly
Why'd you bring them?
Lieutenant Gorman
Because you were cheating.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Give me the package.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
You are K your eyes out right ahead.
Captain Frank Kennelly
You stand over there. Ms. Parazoni.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Kill him. I'm killing.
Captain Frank Kennelly
I don't think so.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
No, I don't think so either, but let her believe it. But you do. Open up the package in Grand Central.
Captain Frank Kennelly
No, it's still there. What made her ring in the nut? You picked the wrong mark.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Jesus.
Phil Parazoni
Christ.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Yeah, but you didn't count on one thing. She's got a streak of honesty. 21st preaching, Sergeant Waters? Yeah, that's right. Those are policemen working over there. What do you want to know for? Well, how. Does what they're doing concern you? Yeah. Yeah. Well, you'll just have to bear with us a while, mister. Getting her out is more important than your losing a little sleep. All right. Yeah, we'll be through there right away, as soon as possible. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. You're welcome. And so it goes. Around the clock through the week, every day, every year, a police precinct in the city of New York is a flesh and blood merry go round. Anyone can catch the brass ring, or the brass ring can catch anyone.
Lieutenant Gorman
21St Precinct, a factual account of the way the police work in the world's largest city is presented with the official cooperation of the Patrolman's Benevolent association, an organization of more than 20,000 members of the police department, City of New York. Everett Sloan in the role of Captain Kennelly. Ken lynch as Lieutenant King. Harold Stone as Sergeant Waters. Featured in tonight's cast were Briana Rayburn, Joan Allison, Larry Haynes and Bill Quinn. Written and directed by Stanley Nist. Produced for CBS Radio by John Ives. Art Hannah Steven.
Sergeant Matt Grab
Ladies and gentlemen, we take you now behind the scenes of a police headquarters in a great American city where under the cold, glaring lights will pass before us the innocent, the vagrant, the thief, the. The murderer. This is the lineup.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
There. Yeah.
Sergeant Matt Grab
Here's Mr. Wiggins.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
How do you feel, Mr. Wiggins? Oh, better. I feel a little better. Well, we can sit right here. You need some help? No. No, thank you.
Lieutenant Gorman
It's.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
It's all right.
Sergeant Matt Grab
I'll see you later then.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah. Thank you, Sergeant. Nice fellow, Quine. Yeah. How many people do we have to look at? Oh, I think they're 28 or 29. We've had two other cases like yours in the past week. Picked up a couple of guys that might be possibilities, but we haven't been able to get positive.
Detective Louis DeLuca
May I have your attention, please? You people out there on the other side of the wire in the audience room. May I have your attention, please? Thank you. My name is Grab. Sergeant Matt Grab. I'll explain the lineup to you. Each of the suspects you will see will be numbered. I'll call off a number, then they're in charge. If you have any questions or identifications, please remember the number assigned to the prisoner as I call his name at the end of each line. When I ask for questions or identifications, call out the number. If you're sure, or not too sure of the suspect, have him held. The officers who took your name will assist you. They're seated among you. Please be prompt with your questions or identifications. When the prisoners leave here, they are sent to the washroom and dressed back into their jail clothes. It makes it quite difficult to bring them back after they leave here. The questions I ask these suspects are merely to get a natural tone of voice. So do not pay too much attention to their answers, as they often lie. Bring on the line. Okay, move it over. Right on over to this side of the stage. Spread out and stand facing the audience. Hands to your sides and keep looking straight ahead. Now, when you answer the questions, talk up so the people out there can hear you. It's a long way to the back of the room, so keep your voices up. Okay, number one. William Bushman. Robbery. Take your hands out of your pockets. Where do you live, William?
Captain Frank Kennelly
108Th in Lincoln.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Where are you from? Los Angeles. How long you been in this city? About seven months, I think. January is about seven months. Were you arrested with anybody, William? Yeah, a couple of guys. Well, what are their names?
Phil Parazoni
Joe.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Joe.
Detective Louis DeLuca
I don't know his last name. Joe Lucas. Number 18. All right, who was the other boy? Call him Twitch. Herman Twitchell. Number 19. Any weapons, William?
Lieutenant Gorman
No.
Detective Louis DeLuca
You have a car? No, he was walking.
Captain Frank Kennelly
If he had a car, we wouldn't be here.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Okay, Number two. Max Sloan. Robbery. Where do you live, Max? In the east side. You have an address, haven't you? 411 Orchid South. Were you alone when you were arrested?
Phil Parazoni
I was with the guy was sticking up.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Was anybody arrested with you?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
No.
Detective Louis DeLuca
I was full of your job.
Lieutenant Gorman
We weren't sticking up each other.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Any weapons, Max? You think he was giving me his wallet because I was pointing my thumb at him? You want to be funny? We've got all night, Max. You can just stand there and be funny all night? All right, I'm sorry. Were there any weapons?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah, 32.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Well, nickel plated, Blue steel. What?
Lieutenant Gorman
Blue steel.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Not counting the rust. You have a car?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
No.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Okay, number three. Stanley Mines.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Robbery?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
No, no, none of those men.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Where do you live, Stan?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
I don't recognize any of those.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Come on. You'll have to speak up, Stanley. I said I don't live here. I'm from out of town. Where out of town?
Captain Frank Kennelly
Wilme. Wilmington, Kentucky.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Can you people hear him back there?
Lieutenant Gorman
No.
Detective Louis DeLuca
All right, now, look, I told you boys, you're going to have to talk up. I don't want to have to Repeat the question. So, come on, talk up all the way to the back of the room. Now, where are you from, Stan? Wilmington, Kentucky. Where have you been staying? Here.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Only one place. One place Here.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Flop house. What flop house? Oh, just a flop house. I don't remember. Who remembers a flop house?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Hi.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Hi, Mr. Wiggins. Didn't spot anybody, huh?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
No. Two guys jumped and did it so quick.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Oh, this is the third slugging in a week. Somebody better come up with a halfway decent description.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Those guys aren't stupid. Follow a pretty routine MO Dark spots. Pick an old guy like Wiggins jumping before he knows what's happening. Beat him unconscious and unroll him. How much chance has he got for a decent description?
Detective Louis DeLuca
They're liable to kill somebody. They seem to be getting rougher.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah. Here's a list of Wiggins valuables. See that all the pawn shops are covered. Okay. Other two victims didn't have much. These guys might want to hunk. Wiggins had a gold watch and an old stick pin. Watch had his name and an inscription. I might try to get rid of it.
Detective Louis DeLuca
We're in car 13J tonight, huh?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah. These boys move around, but they seem to stay pretty much to the east side. We'll have the usual cars and five auxiliaries. Waldo's putting about a dozen plain clothesmen on the streets.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Funny if one of our boys got rolled.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
They're not old enough. These guys pick them old so they won't give much trouble. Nice guys.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Yeah, swell.
Sergeant Matt Grab
87415 at 105 North Lincoln.
Phil Parazoni
You got 89 of 5?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Let's pull into Rogers and get a hamburger, huh?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Okay.
Sergeant Matt Grab
63A905 at 1769 East Brighton. See the man.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Order me a hamburger and coffee, will you, Ben?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Sure.
Sergeant Matt Grab
73 of 480.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Be right back.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Okay. License five two, young seven six. No, I don't need a menu. Two hamburgers and two coffees.
Ms. Lillian Dunn
Two hamburgers and two Coffees. Everything on the burgers?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yep.
Ms. Lillian Dunn
Thank you.
Sergeant Matt Grab
Attention all units in Area H, a 245 slugging at 87 West Bullock. All units in area.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Miss, pull those hamburgers.
Detective Louis DeLuca
What's up?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Slugging about a block away.
Detective Louis DeLuca
You know someone? Someday I'm going to.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
There it is.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Oh, crime's already here.
Sergeant Matt Grab
Over here is a woman. Pretty bad.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Good.
Sergeant Matt Grab
Gosh, I've done everything I can.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Oh, here comes the ambulance.
Sergeant Matt Grab
This is the fellow that found her. Mr. Hall?
Phil Parazoni
Yeah.
Sergeant Matt Grab
This is Lieutenant Guthrie. Tell him about it.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
No. Yes. You know.
Phil Parazoni
Well, I was walking by over on the sidewalk and tossed a cigarette over Here and saw her about. Then I spotted this officer in his car and I yelled, hi, doc.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Now they're slugging, huh?
Detective Louis DeLuca
Yep.
Sergeant Matt Grab
She's not dead, but she's close.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Get that blanket over her, boys. All right, doc. Looks like a bad fracture.
Sergeant Matt Grab
Really a bad one. Lost a lot of blood.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah. You think she'll make it?
Sergeant Matt Grab
I don't know. Keep that end up there.
Lieutenant Gorman
Pretty old.
Sergeant Matt Grab
Lost a lot of blood. You coming down, Lieutenant?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah, we'll be down.
Sergeant Matt Grab
She didn't have anything on her. No identifications. They got everything.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Hey, you just found a lying here, Hall.
Phil Parazoni
Yes, sir, that's right. I threw my cigarette over here. Wouldn't have even seen her if I hadn't thrown my cigarette.
Detective Louis DeLuca
They probably waited behind this hedge, grabbed her when she passed, slugged her and dragged her into the lot.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
That's a good spot for it.
Sergeant Matt Grab
Good and dark.
Phil Parazoni
Gee, it was a terrible thing. Still can't quite believe it. What are you going to do about it?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
What do you think?
Detective Louis DeLuca
Hello, Lieutenant.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Now, that.245 slugging that came in about a half hour ago. Who's got her, the old lady?
Detective Louis DeLuca
Yeah, she's in surgery now. Dr. Gordon.
Phil Parazoni
It's the fourth one this week, isn't it?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah.
Detective Louis DeLuca
You mind if I look at your newspaper, Murph?
Sergeant Matt Grab
No, no, no.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Go ahead. Coffee shop's closed, isn't it? Yeah. Well, you want some coffee? I could use some.
Phil Parazoni
Want me to run down the kitchen?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
No, no, no, forget it. It's no trouble. No, no, thanks, Murphy. We'll get some across the street later. All right.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Hey, Ben, the tennis finals are next weekend.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Wanna go on duty?
Detective Louis DeLuca
Well, they'll be playing the rest of this week.
Phil Parazoni
Yeah, I'd like to see that.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Maureen Connelly.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
That's a pretty girl.
Phil Parazoni
The picture's in the last section there sometimes.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah? Yeah.
Phil Parazoni
In the sports section.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Yeah, right there.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Pretty girl, huh? Yeah.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Huh? Ben?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah. Want to go? Yeah.
Phil Parazoni
Here comes Dr. Gordon.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Doctor.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
I'm Guthrie, Doctor. 16 precinct. Oh, how are you? This is Sergeant Graham. Hello. Well, how's the old lady? She died. Wasn't much we could do. She was pretty well gone when she came in.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Come on.
Sergeant Matt Grab
Walk down with me while I get.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Out of this gown. I'm sure. See you later, Mark.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Yeah. Take it easy, Mark.
Sergeant Matt Grab
So long.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Have you got an identification yet? No, not yet. Fingerprints will help. Did just about everything. Bad fracture.
Sergeant Matt Grab
Really bad one.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
When they're that bad, they don't stand much of a chance. She regained consciousness at any time? No. By the looks of the wound, whoever hit Her? Hit her with something pretty heavy.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Blackjack?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Oh, something like a pipe, maybe. Really?
Sergeant Matt Grab
Let her have it.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Well, that's the way these boys have been working. Had three others. Not this ban.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Cigarette?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
No, thanks. Sergeant?
Detective Louis DeLuca
No, thanks.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Hard to believe anybody would beat up an old woman to hit her that hard. Just doesn't make sense. No, I guess it does. These other victims have much money on them? Added all together, about $24.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Hi, Ben.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Morning, Matt. Anything new?
Detective Louis DeLuca
No, just routine stuff.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Well, let's grab some coffee then.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Okay.
Sergeant Matt Grab
Oh, I was just looking for you, Ben.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Huh? Bart sent us over.
Sergeant Matt Grab
Fingerprints on that old lady.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
You got an identification? Yeah.
Sergeant Matt Grab
We ran a check through, and this is what we came up with. Woman's name is Stokes.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Mrs. Rebecca Stokes.
Sergeant Matt Grab
Lives at 5:18 North Oak with her daughter. Asher went over to get the daughter. We'll need a positive identification to. Asher's taking her right down to the morgue. Thought maybe you'd like to talk to her first.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah. Yeah, I would. Let's go.
Sergeant Matt Grab
Her daughter's name is Lillian Dunn.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
She was married. Husband killed in the war. Morning, Lieutenant. This is Ms. Dunn. This is Lt. Guthrie and Sgt. Gret. How do you do, Ms. Dunn? Hello. Hello. We certainly wish we could eliminate all this, Ms. Dunn, but it's necessary.
Ms. Lillian Dunn
I don't think I can go through with it. I don't think I can do it.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Well, it's really necessary. She has to be identified by a relative.
Ms. Lillian Dunn
I just don't think I can.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Well, it's your mother.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
We're sure of that. Sooner or later, you'll have to. Well, sooner or later, you'll want to see her.
Ms. Lillian Dunn
But not in here. Please, not in here.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
We have to keep her here until we get a positive identification. Do you have any other family in Nevada?
Ms. Lillian Dunn
An aunt and a cousin.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Well, if they could get down here.
Ms. Lillian Dunn
They haven't seen mom in years.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Your mother's the fourth victim in a week. We've got to stop these men. We'll need some information.
Ms. Lillian Dunn
All right.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Where was your mother going last night?
Ms. Lillian Dunn
I guess she was coming home. She went to a movie, early one. I guess she was coming home.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
She have a purse with her? Any valuables?
Ms. Lillian Dunn
Yes, she had a purse.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Can you remember some of the things she carried in her purse?
Ms. Lillian Dunn
Yes, I guess I can. It wasn't much. Not much money.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Anything to identify her?
Ms. Lillian Dunn
Some cards and things.
Detective Louis DeLuca
She have any jewelry? Any rings or a watch?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yes.
Ms. Lillian Dunn
She had a wedding ring and an engagement ring. They weren't worth much. I'm sorry.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Don't be. I think Ms. Dunn, better go on home. Asher, get a description of the two rings and take home. Show them too.
Ms. Lillian Dunn
No, I'll do it. It's best to get it over with. I'll have to do it sooner or later.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Well, look, maybe we can get some close.
Ms. Lillian Dunn
No, I want to. It's all right.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Okay.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Now look, Ms. Dunn, if you don't want.
Ms. Lillian Dunn
Go ahead.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
All right, Charlie.
Sergeant Matt Grab
How many times a day do you say? I heard it on the radio. CBS Radio's famed news department, with its nationwide staff, its worldwide network of correspondence, its eight wire services, keeps you up to date and informed throughout the day and night. The CBS radio newsroom is on duty 24 hours a day for the latest news. Keep in touch with CBS Radio News.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
You sure?
Detective Louis DeLuca
Deal him.
Sergeant Matt Grab
King.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Lovely. What do you think?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
No, can't use it.
Lieutenant Gorman
No?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
No, huh? Jen?
Detective Louis DeLuca
Look, Quine, do me a favor, will you?
Phil Parazoni
Drop dead.
Sergeant Matt Grab
Well, you couldn't discard the three. Picked one up?
Captain Frank Kennelly
No.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
You owe me 30 cents.
Phil Parazoni
Kibbitz yet?
Sergeant Matt Grab
Oh, Waldo's got eight auxiliaries tonight. Ben, you and Matt are in 13J again.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
How about the police? Women?
Sergeant Matt Grab
He's got five of them. They'll be in the area from 10 till 2. One car within a block of them at all times.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Okay. Well, I got half an hour. You want some dinner?
Sergeant Matt Grab
Yeah, I'm getting hungry.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Okay. Wait a minute.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Have what?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
This guy.
Phil Parazoni
Oh, it had to be the jack.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah, put him on.
Detective Louis DeLuca
It couldn't have been any one of the nine other cards.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah, hello, Mr. Wiggins. Yeah, yeah, I remember. You didn't work. 897 South Wilton. Okay. Yeah, yeah, we'll meet you there in about 10 minutes. Right. That was Mr. Wiggins. He spotted his watch in a pawn shop. The watch the hold up men took after they slugged him.
Detective Louis DeLuca
There's Mr. Wiggins.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Hello, Lieutenant. Hello. Where's the watch? Right over here in the window there. The gold one. It's open. See the inscription? Okay, let's go in. Yes, Police. Yes, they want to see a watch you've got in your window.
Phil Parazoni
Sure, sure. Which one?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
It's that one. The. The gold one?
Phil Parazoni
Sure. This one?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
That it, Mr. Wiggins? Yes, yes, that's it. See the inscription? To Dave Love Alice, my wife. She gave it to me.
Phil Parazoni
Hot.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah. Remember when you got it?
Phil Parazoni
I. I got a ticket. Yeah, yeah.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
John Jones, 671 Barrington. John Jones, That's a good name. You remember what the man looked like?
Phil Parazoni
The man who walked the watch?
Lieutenant Gorman
No.
Detective Louis DeLuca
You remember when he.
Phil Parazoni
Arctic? No.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Well, didn't you date the Ticket?
Sergeant Matt Grab
How long have you had it?
Phil Parazoni
A week, maybe. What's so important about the watch?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
It belongs to this gentleman, not to the man who hawked it.
Phil Parazoni
Okay, take it. Ain't worth much.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Why? It's solid gold.
Phil Parazoni
Solid gold? I got dozens now.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
What's your name?
Phil Parazoni
Wagner. George Wagner. Look, I don't know nothing about it. This guy came in, he hogged it, that's all.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Look, Mr. Wagner, it's very important that we get a description of this man.
Phil Parazoni
He stole it, huh?
Detective Louis DeLuca
Yeah, and he's got a friend. We want them both for murder.
Phil Parazoni
Murder?
Detective Louis DeLuca
That's right.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
You think you might know him if he came in again?
Phil Parazoni
I don't know. I don't know. Maybe I don't remember.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
You get one of these lists?
Phil Parazoni
Lists?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah, one of these. List of stolen articles, like that watch.
Phil Parazoni
Oh, sure, sure, sure, I got one.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
None of these other things in your store?
Sergeant Matt Grab
No, no, no.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
You sure?
Phil Parazoni
Sure, I'm sure.
Detective Louis DeLuca
You didn't know about the watch. You better check.
Phil Parazoni
Look, I know I ain't got none of them.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
You didn't report the watch. You better check.
Phil Parazoni
All right. If I find something, I'll call you. We'll wait while I check the whole inventory.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Just the tickets on the last week and a half.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Okay, we'll take a look at them too.
Phil Parazoni
Yeah, sure.
Lieutenant Gorman
Okay.
Phil Parazoni
Look, officer.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah?
Phil Parazoni
I know the man that hawked that watch, but honest, I didn't know he killed anybody. I didn't know it.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
What's his name?
Phil Parazoni
Young. Carl Young. He's hacked things before. He's been in a couple of times. I know him from the neighborhood. I didn't.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
His name's Carl.
Phil Parazoni
Yeah. Cardio.
Detective Louis DeLuca
The name in this watch is Dave.
Phil Parazoni
Well, he said it belonged to his brother.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
You know his brother?
Phil Parazoni
No, but I know him. He seemed like an honest guy.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Where does he live?
Phil Parazoni
In the neighborhood. I bowl. He's in the bowling alley a lot. I bowled with him last Friday.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Look, honestly, does he hang around with another guy?
Phil Parazoni
I seen him with another guy sometimes. Big guy.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
You better come on down to the station, Mr. Wagner.
Phil Parazoni
The station? Why?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
I'm afraid you're in a little trouble.
Phil Parazoni
Yeah, I know him.
Lieutenant Gorman
Carl Young.
Phil Parazoni
Oh, yes.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
He hangs out in here a lot.
Detective Louis DeLuca
You know where he lives? No.
Phil Parazoni
What's he done?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Does he pal around with anybody?
Phil Parazoni
Well, yeah. He's with one guy quite a bit. He's a fell named.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Let me see now.
Phil Parazoni
What the heck was that? Kind of a quiet guy, a big guy. Kind of. John and Joe gone. I'm sorry, I can't Remember Joe? Joe, I think.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Okay, we'll stick around. You let us know if Carl Young or Joe comes in with him.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Sure.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Klein says he's got a dozen men checking the neighborhood. Ben, there are four cars in the block. Nobody does anything unless you give the word.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Okay? Well, if they both come in, we'll take them.
Sergeant Matt Grab
One of them.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
We'll tail him. Okay.
Detective Louis DeLuca
That's 3:30.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah. See that guy down there? Second alley.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Yeah. What about him?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
He's bowled six strikes.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Okay.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Oh, fair. 150 so far.
Detective Louis DeLuca
You need a few strikes, friend.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah.
Captain Frank Kennelly
All right.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Try to pick up that split.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah, I will.
Phil Parazoni
Lieutenant.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah, what is it?
Phil Parazoni
That fella just came in there.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Which one?
Lieutenant Gorman
That big one there.
Phil Parazoni
I said to him, I said, hello, Joe.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
And he said, hello, his name must be Joe. Where is he?
Phil Parazoni
He's upstairs, the pool hall.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Come on, point him on.
Phil Parazoni
Yeah, up here.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
It's right up this way.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Wait a minute.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Wait a minute.
Sergeant Matt Grab
Hello, Joe.
Lieutenant Gorman
Yeah.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
How are you? That's him. Yeah. Come on, man.
Detective Louis DeLuca
He's out in the street.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Hold it. He's getting into a car. All right, come on.
Detective Louis DeLuca
There he goes.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
All right, stay with him. 13J, Code 2. Suspect proceeding east on Fountain, license number 80. Roger, 1135.
Sergeant Matt Grab
Attaching. All units, Code 2. Suspect traveling east on Fountain, license number 8O. Roger, 1135.
Detective Louis DeLuca
He's swinging left.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
13J, suspect turning north on Lincoln.
Sergeant Matt Grab
All units in area B, code 2. Suspect proceeding north on Lincoln.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Now, don't get too close.
Detective Louis DeLuca
He's stopping now.
Lieutenant Gorman
Pull up.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
13J. Suspect at 3000 block Lincoln.
Detective Louis DeLuca
He's getting out then.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
All right, let's go.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Going into that building?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah. Hold it. We'll wait a little rest. The boys get here, there's Quine. Now he's in the building. Quine, you better take it around back in the alley. Right.
Detective Louis DeLuca
And there's Asher.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Quine's taking the back. Asher, we'll go in. You wait here for the rest. Spread them out. Right, Lieutenant. All right, let's go, man.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Okay, how do we do it?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Let me find out what apartment he went in. Clear out the building and take him.
Lieutenant Gorman
Wait a minute.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Mailboxes.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Oh, yeah.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Lipski, Buscher, Whiting, C. Young, 208.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Well, if they're in the room, we can just clear out the rooms on both sides. Forget the rest of the building. I'll take 206.
Detective Louis DeLuca
I'll take 210.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
204, 206. Okay? Yeah, sure, sure.
Captain Frank Kennelly
So what I tell you, Carl?
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
I tell you, I know what I'm talking about. This game ain't the dumbest in the world.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Matt.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah?
Phil Parazoni
That was Carl Young with the big boy.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Come on. It's better that way. We'll take him on the straight.
Detective Louis DeLuca
They're climbing into a car.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Hold it, Young.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Watch it. Ben.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Asher, over that way.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Get them between us. Give it up, Young. Watch it.
Detective Louis DeLuca
You break it for the alley. Young's down.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Take this one, Asher.
Lieutenant Gorman
Yeah.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
That Qu's. Tackle him. You all right, Quin?
Lieutenant Gorman
Yeah.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Yeah.
Sergeant Matt Grab
Big boy wasn't as tough as he looked.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Ah, he's been fighting old ladies too long.
Sergeant Matt Grab
The lineup, where before you pass the innocent, the vagrant, the thief, the murderer. Listen, next Wednesday when we again bring you the lineup, May I have your attention, please?
Detective Louis DeLuca
You people out there on the other side of the wire in the audience room. May I have your attention? Thank you. My name is grb. Sergeant Matt grb. I'll explain the lineup to you. Each of the suspects you will see will be numbered. I'll call off and number their name in charge. If you have any questions or identifications, please remember the number assigned to the.
Captain Frank Kennelly
Prisoner as I call his name. At the end of his line, you may ask questions.
Sergeant Matt Grab
The lineup, starring Bill Johnstone as Lt. Ben Guthrie and Wally Mayer as Sgt. Matt Grab, is written by Blake Edwards with music by Eddie Dunsteady. Featured in tonight's cast were high effer back, Ray Hartman, Bob Sweeney, Howard McNear, Peter Leeds, Virginia Gregg, Sydney Miller and Bill Boucher. The lineup is produced and directed by Jaime Del.
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie
Foreign.
Sergeant Matt Grab
The top fights of the nation come to you on CBS radio just a little later tonight. Get the gang together and sit in on the Jimmy McAllister Baby Ortiz Lightweight battle from Baltimore. The broadcast will be heard on most of these same CBS radio stations. Who are you pulling for? And just as a reminder of where to find the ringside, cbs.
Detective Louis DeLuca
Cbs.
Captain Frank Kennelly
The star's address.
Detective Louis DeLuca
The star's address. Where you always hear the best at cbs. Cbs, the Stars address. The Stars address.
Mrs. Rose Parazoni
Cbs. Cbs.
Sergeant Matt Grab
Stay tuned for yours truly, Johnny Dollar, which follows immediately over most of these same stat, Dan Coverly speaking. And remember, mystery fans can't miss when it's the FBI in peace and war. Thursdays on the CBS radio network.
Host
That's case closed for this week. There's more from 21st Precinct, the lineup, this podcast and all of the Relic Radio shows at Relic Radio. Our shoutcast stream is there as well, with even more old time radio streaming 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you'd like to help support this and all of that visit, donate. Relicradio.com or click on one of the links on the website. Your support makes all of this happen. Thanks to those who have helped out. Thanks for joining me this week. I'll be back next Wednesday with another hour of Case Closed.
Podcast Summary: Case Closed! (Old Time Radio) – Episode: 21st Precinct and The Line-Up
Release Date: May 7, 2025 Host/Author: RelicRadio.com Duration: Approximately 59 minutes
In this riveting episode of Case Closed!, hosted by RelicRadio.com, listeners are transported back to the golden age of crime stories, featuring gripping tales of cops, robbers, and private investigators. The episode, titled "21st Precinct and The Line-Up," delves into two intertwined cases that showcase the relentless pursuit of justice by New York City's finest.
The episode opens with Captain Frank Kennelly overseeing operations at the nerve center of the 21st Precinct. As described by Kennelly at [00:27], the precinct's muster room is "the nerve center," highlighting its pivotal role in coordinating police activities across a densely populated New York City neighborhood.
On October 27th, 1954, amidst heavy rainfall, a two-alarm fire erupts on Second Avenue ([01:07]). Captain Kennelly and his team, including Lieutenant Gorman and Sergeant Waters, respond promptly despite the challenging weather conditions. After managing the fire incident, Kennelly attends a scheduled safety talk at Julia Richmond High School ([05:32]).
During his lunch break at Philip Parazoni’s tailor shop ([03:28]), Captain Kennelly interacts with Mrs. Rose Parazoni, who indirectly reveals her involvement in a suspicious transaction. Lieutenant Gorman and Kennelly later confront Mrs. Parazoni about a mysterious package containing substantial amounts of money and policy slips ([07:24]).
Notable Quote:
Mrs. Parazoni explains how she and a mysterious woman named Marion became involved in hiding a large sum of money left by a racketeer ([10:06]). They decide to store the package in a locker at Grand Central Station, with the plan to split the money later ([13:12]).
Quote:
Captain Kennelly and his team, including Detective Louis DeLuca, orchestrate a sting operation at Grand Central Station. They prepare a dummy package identical to the original, complete with recorded serial numbers for evidence ([16:06]). As Marion arrives to retrieve the package, the police swiftly intervene, ensuring that the con artist is apprehended without mishap.
Quote:
The episode emphasizes the ingenuity and persistence of the 21st Precinct officers in dismantling confidence schemes. Captain Kennelly reflects on the ease with which unsuspecting individuals fall victim to such cons, underscoring the intelligence required to protect the community.
Quote:
Transitioning to the second part of the episode, listeners are introduced to a police lineup scenario handled by Sergeant Matt Grab and Lieutenant Ben Guthrie ([30:31]). This segment provides an authentic portrayal of the lineup process, emphasizing the importance of accurate identification in criminal investigations.
The precinct is grappling with a series of violent assaults dubbed "slugging," targeting elderly individuals ([32:27]). Each incident features victims being overpowered and robbed, leaving minimal evidence for police to trace the culprits.
Notable Dialogue:
During the lineup, suspects such as William Bushman and Max Sloan are questioned, revealing the complexities of witness identification and the challenges posed by accomplices ([32:27]-[33:57]). The narrative highlights how limited descriptions and small stolen items (e.g., a gold watch) complicate the investigation.
Amid ongoing investigations, a serendipitous discovery by Phil Parazoni leads to another victim, Mrs. Rebecca Stokes, found severely injured ([37:19]). This discovery intensifies the precinct's efforts to apprehend the perpetrators.
Quote:
A breakthrough occurs when Phil identifies a stolen gold watch under surveillance. Lieutenant Ben Guthrie and Detective DeLuca connect the watch to a suspect named Carl Young through Mr. Wagner, a pawnshop owner ([48:32]-[51:23]). This connection leads to the arrest of Carl Young and his accomplice, effectively closing the case on the violent slugging spree.
Quote:
The segment concludes with the apprehension of the criminals, showcasing the efficiency and teamwork of the 21st Precinct officers. Sergeant Grab and Lieutenant Guthrie reinforce the importance of vigilance and community cooperation in solving such crimes.
Community Trust and Deception: Both cases emphasize how trust can be manipulated by con artists, exploiting community relationships to execute their schemes.
Police Ingenuity and Dedication: The 21st Precinct's strategic planning and relentless pursuit of criminals highlight the dedication of law enforcement in safeguarding public safety.
Psychology of Crime: The narratives explore the psychological aspects of crime, including gullibility, desperation, and the moral dilemmas faced by individuals entangled in illegal activities.
Importance of Accurate Identification: The lineup segment underscores the critical role of accurate witness identification in criminal justice, preventing wrongful accusations, and ensuring the right individuals are held accountable.
Lieutenant Gorman ([07:33]): "When somebody who's worked so hard... can you blame them too much if they see an opportunity to make some money?"
Captain Frank Kennelly ([15:25]): "The gullibility of people is amazing."
Captain Frank Kennelly ([55:22]): "This game ain't the dumbest in the world."
Detective Louis DeLuca ([38:35]): "They've been fighting old ladies too long."
Phil Parazoni ([50:58]): "Look, I know the man that hawked that watch, but honestly, I didn't know he killed anybody."
This episode of Case Closed! masterfully intertwines two compelling narratives, showcasing the challenges and triumphs of police work in mid-20th century New York City. Through meticulously crafted dialogues and realistic scenarios, listeners gain deep insights into the complexities of criminal investigations and the unwavering commitment of the 21st Precinct officers. Whether unraveling a sophisticated con or tackling a series of violent crimes, the precinct's stories resonate with timeless themes of justice, trust, and community resilience.
For those eager to delve deeper into these enthralling tales and explore more episodes, visit RelicRadio.com to stream the full broadcast and other classic Old Time Radio shows available 24/7.
Note: All timestamps correspond to the provided transcript and serve to highlight significant moments and quotes within the episode.